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Excerpt
(Phonetics omitted)
A
A ¹ n . (also a) ( pl . As or A's) 1 the first letter of the alphabet. 2 Mus . the sixth note of the diatonic scale of C major. NOTATION. 3 the first hypothetical person or example. 4 the highest class or category (of academic grades, etc.). 5 (usu. a) Algebra the first known quantity. 6 a human blood type of the ABO system. from A to B from one place to another. from A to Z over the entire range; completely.
A ² abbr . (also A.) 1 ampere(s). 2 answer. 3 Associate of. 4 atomic (energy, etc.).
a ¹ adj . (also an before a vowel) (called the indefinite article) 1 (as an unemphatic substitute) one; some; any. 2 one like ( a Judas ). 3 one single ( not a thing in sight ). 4 the same ( all of a size ). 5 in, to, or for each ( twice a year ).
a ² prep . (usu. as prefix ) 1 to; toward ( ashore ). 2 (with verb in pres. part. or infin.) in the process of; in a specified state ( a-hunting ). 3 on ( afire ). 4 in ( nowadays ).
Å abbr . ångström(s).
a- prefix not; without ( amoral; apetalous ).
-a suffix colloq . 1 of ( kinda; coupla ). 2 have ( mighta; coulda ). 3 to ( oughta ).
A1 n. & adj . • n. Naut . a first-class vessel. • adj. colloq . excellent; first-class.
AA abbr . 1 Alcoholics Anonymous. 2 Associate of Arts. 3 Mil . antiaircraft.
AAA abbr . 1 American Automobile Association. 2 Amateur Athletic Association. 3 antiaircraft artillery.
aard·vark n . a nocturnal mammal of southern Africa, Orycteropus afer , with a tubular snout and a long tongue, that feeds on termites. MAMMAL
aard·wolf n . ( pl . aardwolves ) an African mammal, Proteles cristatus , of the hyena family, with gray fur and black stripes, that feeds on insects.
Aar·on's rod n . any of several tall plants, esp. mullein.
AAU abbr . Amateur Athletic Union.
AB ¹ n . a human blood type of the ABO system.
AB ² abbr . Bachelor of Arts.
a·ba n . (also abba, abaya ), a sleeveless outer garment worn by Arabs.
a·back adv . 1 archaic backward; behind. take aback surprise; disconcert ( I was greatly taken aback by the news ). 2 Naut . (of a sail) pressed against the mast by a head wind.
ab·a·cus n . ( pl . abacuses ) 1 an oblong frame with rows of wires or grooves along which beads are slid, used for calculating. 2 Archit . the flat slab of a capital, supporting the architrave.
a·baft adv. & prep. Naut . • adv . in the stern half of a ship. • prep . nearer the stern than; aft of.
ab·a·lo·ne n . any mollusk of the genus Haliotis , with a shallow ear-shaped shell having respiratory holes, and lined with mother-of-pearl.
a·ban·don v. & n . • v.tr . 1 give up completely or before completion ( abandoned hope; abandoned the game ). 2 a forsake or desert (a person or a post of responsibility). b leave or desert (a motor vehicle, ship, etc.). 3 a give up to another's control or mercy. b refl . yield oneself completely to a passion or impulse. • n . lack of inhibition or restraint. a·ban·don·ment n .
a·ban·doned adj . 1 a (of a person or animal) deserted; forsaken ( an abandoned child ). b (of a building, vehicle, etc.) left empty or unused ( an abandoned car ). 2 (of a person or behavior) unrestrained; profligate.
a·base v.tr. & refl . humiliate or degrade. a·base·ment n .
a·bash v.tr . (usu. as abashed adj .) embarrass; disconcert. a·bash·ment n .
a·bate v . 1 tr. & intr . make or become less strong, severe, etc. 2 tr. Law a quash (a writ or action). b put an end to (a nuisance). a·bate·ment n .
ab·at·toir n . a slaughterhouse.
ab·ax·i·al adj. Bot . facing away from the stem of a plant, esp. of the lower surface of a leaf (cf. ADAXIAL).
ab·ba·cy n . ( pl . -ies) the office, jurisdiction, or period of office of an abbot or abbess.
ab·ba·tial adj . of an abbey, abbot, or abbess.
ab·bé n . (in France) an abbot; a man entitled to wear ecclesiastical dress.
ab·bess n . a woman who is the head of certain communities of nuns.
ab·bey n . ( pl . -eys) 1 the building(s) occupied by a community of monks or nuns. CHURCH. 2 the community itself.
ab·bot n . a man who is the head of an abbey of monks. ab·bot·ship n .
ab·bre·vi·ate v.tr . shorten (a word, etc.).
ab·bre·vi·a·tion n . 1 an abbreviated form, esp. a shortened form of a word or phrase. 2 the process or result of abbreviating.
ABC ¹ n . 1 the alphabet. 2 the rudiments of any subject. 3 an alphabetical guide.
ABC ² abbr . American Broadcasting Company.
ab·di·cate v.tr . give up or renounce (a throne, duty, etc.). ab·di·ca·tion n .
ab·do·men n . 1 the part of the body containing the stomach, bowels, reproductive organs, etc. 2 Zool . the hind part of an insect, crustacean, spider, etc. INSECT, SPIDER. ab·dom·i·nal adj .
ab·duct v.tr . carry off or kidnap (a person) illegally by force or deception. ab·duc·tion n . ab·duc·tor n .
a·beam adv . on a line at right angles to a ship's or an aircraft's length.
a·bed adv. archaic in bed.
a·bele n . the white poplar, Populus alba .
A·be·na·ki n . (also Ab·na·ki 1 a a N. American people native to northern New England and adjoining parts of Quebec. b a member of this people. 2 either of the two languages of this people.
Ab·er·deen An·gus n . an animal of a Scottish breed of hornless black beef cattle.
ab·er·rant adj . 1 esp. Biol . diverging from the normal type. 2 departing from an accepted standard. ab·er·rance n . ab·er·ran·cy n .
ab·er·ra·tion n . 1 a departure from what is normal or accepted or regarded as right. 2 a moral or mental lapse. 3 Biol . deviation from a normal type. 4 Optics the failure of rays to converge at one focus because of a defect in a lens or mirror.
a·bet v.tr . ( abetted, abetting ) (usu. in aid and abet ) encourage or assist (an offender or offense). a·bet·ment n .
a·bet·tor n . (also a·bet·ter ) one who abets.
a·bey·ance n . (usu. prec. by in ) temporary disuse or suspension.
ab·hor v.tr . ( abhorred, abhorring ) detest; regard with disgust and hatred. ab·hor·rer n .
ab·hor·rence n . 1 disgust; Detestation. 2 a detested thing.
ab·hor·rent adj . (often foll. by to ) (of conduct, etc.) inspiring disgust; repugnant; hateful; detestable.
a·bide v . ( past abode or abided ) 1 tr . (usu. in neg . or interrog .) tolerate; endure ( can't abide him ). 2 intr . (foll. by by ) a act in accordance with ( abide by the rules ). b remain faithful to (a promise). 3 intr. archaic dwell. a·bid·ance n .
a·bid·ing adj . enduring; permanent ( an abiding sense of loss ). a·bid·ing·ly adv .
a·bil·i·ty n . ( pl . -ies) 1 (often foll. by to + infin.) capacity or power. 2 cleverness; talent; mental power ( a person of great ability; has many abilities ).
-ability suffix forming nouns of quality from, or corresponding to, adjectives in - able ( capability; vulnerability ).
ab in·i·ti·o adv . from the beginning.
a·bi·o·gen·e·sis n . 1 the formation of living organisms from inanimate substances. 2 the supposed spontaneous generation of living organisms. a·bi·o·gen·ic adj .
ab·ject adj . 1 miserable; wretched. 2 degraded; self-abasing; humble. 3 despicable. ab·ject·ly adv . ab·ject·ness n .
ab·jec·tion n . a state of misery or degradation.
ab·jure v.tr . renounce under oath (an opinion, cause, claim, etc.). ab·ju·ra·tion n .
ab·la·tion n . 1 the surgical removal of body tissue. 2 Geol . the wasting or erosion of a glacier, iceberg, or rock by melting, evaporation, or the action of water. 3 Astronaut . the evaporation or melting of part of the outer surface of a spacecraft through heating by friction with the atmosphere. ab·late v.tr .
ab·la·tive n. & adj. Gram. • n . the case (esp. in Latin) of nouns and pronouns (and words in grammatical agreement with them) indicating an agent, instrument, or location. • adj . of or in the ablative.
ab·laut n . a change of vowel in related words or forms, esp. in Indo-European languages, arising from differences of accent and stress in the parent language, e.g., in sing, sang, sung .
a·blaze predic.adj. & adv . 1 on fire. 2 (often foll. by with ) glittering; glowing; radiant.
a·ble adj . ( abler, ablest ) 1 (often foll. by to + infin.) having the capacity or power ( was not able to come ). 2 having great ability; clever; skillful.
-able suffix forming adjectives meaning: 1 that may or must be ( forgivable; payable ). 2 that can be made the subject of ( dutiable ). 3 that is relevant to or in accordance with ( fashionable; seasonable ). 4 (with active sense, in earlier word formations) that may ( comfortable; suitable ).
a·ble-bod·ied adj . fit; healthy.
a·bled adj . having a full range of physical and mental abilities; able-bodied. differently abled euphem . disabled.
a·ble·ism n . (also a·blism, a·ble·bod·ied·ism ) discrimination in favor of the able-bodied.
a·bloom predic.adj . blooming; in flower.
ab·lu·tion n . (usu. in pl .) 1 the ceremonial washing of parts of the body or sacred vessels, etc. 2 colloq . the ordinary washing of the body. ab·lu·tion·ar·y adj .
a·bly adv . capably; cleverly; competently.
-ably suffix forming adverbs corresponding to adjectives in - able .
ABM abbr . antiballistic missile.
ab·ne·gate v.tr . 1 give up or deny oneself (a pleasure, etc.). 2 renounce or reject (a right or belief). ab·ne·ga·tor n .
ab·ne·ga·tion n . 1 the rejection of a doctrine. 2 = SELF-ABNEGATION.
ab·nor·mal adj . deviating from what is normal or usual; exceptional. ab·nor·mal·ly adv .
ab·nor·mal·i·ty n . ( pl . -ies) 1 an abnormal quality, occurrence, etc. 2 the state of being abnormal.
ab·nor·mi·ty n . ( pl . -ies) an abnormality or irregularity.
a·board adv. & prep . on or into (a ship, aircraft, train, etc.).
a·bode ¹ n . a dwelling; one's home.
a·bode ² past of ABIDE.
a·bol·ish v.tr . put an end to (esp. a custom or institution). a·bol·ish·ment n .
ab·o·li·tion n . the act or process of abolishing or being abolished.
ab·o·li·tion·ist n . one who favors the abolition of a practice or institution, esp. of capital punishment or slavery. ab·o·li·tion·ism n .
ab·o·ma·sum n . ( pl . abomasa ) the fourth stomach of a ruminant. RUMINANT
A-bomb n . = ATOM BOMB.
a·bom·i·na·ble adj . 1 detestable; loathsome. 2 colloq . very bad or unpleasant ( abominable weather ). a·bom·i·na·bly adv .
a·bom·i·na·ble snow·man n . a humanoid or bear-like animal said to exist in the Himalayas; a yeti.
a·bom·i·nate v.tr . detest; loathe.
a·bom·i·na·tion n . 1 loathing. 2 an odious habit or act. 3 an object of disgust.
ab·o·ral adj . away from or opposite the mouth.
ab·o·rig·i·nal adj. & n. • adj . 1 inhabiting or existing in a land from the earliest times or before the arrival of colonists. 2 ( Aboriginal ) of the Australian Aborigines. • n . 1 an aboriginal inhabitant. 2 ( Aboriginal ) an aboriginal inhabitant of Australia.
ab·o·rig·i·ne n . (usu. in pl .) 1 an aboriginal inhabitant. 2 ( Aborigine ) an aboriginal inhabitant of Australia. 3 an aboriginal plant or animal.
a·bort v . 1 intr . a (of a woman) undergo Abortion; miscarry. b (of a fetus) suffer abortion. 2 tr . a effect the abortion of (a fetus). b effect abortion in (a mother). 3 a tr . cause to end fruitlessly or prematurely. b intr . end unsuccessfully or prematurely. 4 a tr . abandon or terminate (a space flight or other technical project) before its completion. b intr . terminate such an undertaking.
a·bor·ti·fa·cient adj. & n. • adj . effecting abortion. • n . a drug or other agent that effects abortion.
a·bor·tion n . 1 the expulsion of a fetus (naturally or esp. by medical induction) from the womb before it is able to survive independently, esp. in the first 28 weeks of a human pregnancy. 2 a stunted or deformed creature or thing.
a·bor·tion·ist n . a person who carries out abortions, esp. illegally.
a·bor·tive adj . 1 fruitless; unsuccessful; unfinished. 2 resulting in abortion. a·bor·tive·ly adv .
ABO system n . a system of four types (A, AB, B, and O) by which human blood may be classified, based on the presence or absence of certain inherited antigens.
a·bound v.intr . 1 be plentiful. 2 (foll. by in ) be rich.
a·bout prep. & adv. • prep . 1 a on the subject of; in connection with ( a book about birds ). b relating to ( something funny about this ). c in relation to ( symmetry about a plane ). d so as to affect ( can do nothing about it ). 2 at a time near to ( come about four ). 3 a in; around; surrounding ( wandered about the town; a scarf about her neck ). b all around from a center ( look about you ). 4 at points throughout ( toys lying about the house ). 5 at a point or points near to ( fighting going on about us ). • adv . 1 a approximately. b colloq . used to indicate understatement ( just about had enough ). 2 here and there; at points nearby ( a lot of flu about ). 3 all around; in every direction ( look about ). 4 on the move; in action ( out and about ). 5 in partial rotation or alteration from a given position ( the wrong way about ). 6 in rotation or succession ( turn and turn about ). 7 Naut . on or to the opposite tack ( put about ). be about to be on the point of (doing something).
a·bout-face n., v., & int. • n . 1 a turn made so as to face the opposite direction. 2 a change of opinion or policy, etc. • v.intr . make an about-face. • int. Mil . a command to make an about-face.
a·bove prep., adv., adj., & n. • prep . 1 over; on the top of; higher than. 2 more than ( above average ). 3 higher in rank, position, importance, etc., than. 4 a too great or good for ( is not above cheating ). b beyond the reach of; not affected by ( above my understanding ). • adv . 1 at or to a higher point; overhead ( the floor above; the clouds above ). 2 upstairs ( lives above ). 3 (of a text reference) further back on a page or in a book ( as noted above ). 4 in addition ( over and above ). 5 rhet . in heaven ( Lord above! ). • adj . mentioned earlier; preceding ( the above argument ). • n . (prec. by the ) what is mentioned above ( the above shows ). above all most of all; more than anything else. above one's head see HEAD). above oneself conceited; arrogant.
a·bove·board adj. & adv . fair or fairly; open or openly.
a·bove·ground 1 alive. 2 not secret or underground.
ab o·vo adv . from the very beginning.
ab·ra·ca·dab·ra n . 1 a supposedly magic word used by magicians in performing a trick. 2 a spell or charm. 3 jargon or gibberish.
a·brade v.tr . scrape or wear away by rubbing. a·brad·er n .
a·bra·sion n . 1 scraping or wearing away. 2 a damaged area resulting from this.
a·bra·sive adj. & n. • adj . 1 a tending to rub or abrade. b capable of polishing by rubbing. 2 harsh in manner. • n . an abrasive substance.
ab·re·act v.tr. Psychol . release (an emotion) by abreaction.
ab·re·ac·tion n. Psychol . the free expression and consequent release of a previously repressed emotion. ab·re·ac·tive adj .
a·breast adv . 1 side by side and facing the same way. 2 a (often foll. by with ) up to date. b (foll. by of ) well-informed ( abreast of all the changes ).
a·bridge v.tr . shorten (a book, movie, etc.). abridgable or a·bridge·a·ble adj . a·bridg·er n .
a·bridg·ment n . (also a·bridge·ment ) 1 shortened version, esp. of a book. 2 the process of producing this.
a·broad adv . 1 in or to a foreign country or countries. 2 over a wide area; in different directions ( scatter abroad ). 3 in circulation ( there is a rumor abroad ). from abroad from another country.
ab·ro·gate v.tr . repeal or abolish (a law or custom). ab·ro·ga·tion n .
ab·rupt adj . 1 sudden and unexpected; hasty ( his abrupt departure ). 2 (of speech, manner, etc.) lacking continuity; curt. 3 steep; precipitous. ab·rupt·ly adv . ab·rupt·ness n .
ABS abbr . antilock brake (or braking) system.
ab·scess n . a swollen area accumulating pus within a body tissue. ab·scessed adj .
ab·scis·ic ac·id n . a plant hormone which promotes leaf detachment and bud dormancy and inhibits germination.
ab·scis·sa n . ( pl . abscissae or abscissas ) Math . (in a system of coordinates) the shortest distance from a point to the vertical or y -axis (cf. ORDINATE).
ab·scis·sion n . the act or an instance of cutting off.
ab·scond v.intr . depart hurriedly, esp. unlawfully. ab·scond·er n .
ab·seil esp. Brit . = RAPPEL.
ab·sence n . 1 the state of being away from a place or person. 2 the time or duration of being away. 3 (foll. by of ) the nonexistence or lack of. absence of mind inattentiveness.
ab·sent adj. & v. • adj . 1 not present. 2 not existing. 3 inattentive. • v.refl . 1 stay away. 2 withdraw. ab·sent·ly adv . (in sense 3 of adj .).
ab·sen·tee n . a person not present, esp. one who is absent from work or school.
ab·sen·tee bal·lot n . a ballot, usu. returned by mail, for a voter who cannot be present at the polls.
ab·sen·tee·ism n . the practice of absenting oneself from work or school, etc., esp. frequently or illicitly.
ab·sen·tee land·lord n . a landlord who rents out a property while living elsewhere.
ab·sent·mind·ed adj . habitually forgetful or inattentive. ab·sent·mind·ed·ly adv . ab·sent·mind·ed·ness n .
ab·sinthe n . (also ab·sinth ) a green aniseed flavored liqueur based on wormwood.
ab·so·lute adj. & n. • adj . 1 complete; utter ( an absolute fool ). 2 unconditional; unlimited ( absolute authority ). 3 ruling arbitrarily or with unrestricted power ( an absolute monarch ). 4 (of a standard or other concept) universally valid; not relative or comparative. 5 Gram . a (of a construction) syntactically independent of the rest of the sentence, as in dinner being over, we left the table . b (of an adjective or transitive verb) used or usable without an expressed noun or object (e.g., the deaf; guns kill ). 6 (of a legal decree, etc.) final. • n. Philos . a value, standard, etc., which is objective and universally valid. ab·so·lute·ness n .
ab·so·lute·ly adv . 1 completely; utterly ( absolutely marvelous; he absolutely denies it ). 2 (foll. by neg .) (no or none) at all ( absolutely no chance ). 3 Gram . in an absolute way, esp. (of a verb) without a stated object. 4 colloq . (used in reply) quite so; yes.
ab·so·lute pitch n. Mus . 1 the ability to recognize the pitch of a note or produce any given note. 2 a fixed standard of pitch defined by the rate of vibration.
ab·so·lute ze·ro n . a theoretical lowest possible temperature, calculated as -273.15°C (or 0°K).
ab·so·lu·tion n . 1 a formal release from guilt, obligation, or punishment. 2 an ecclesiastical declaration of forgiveness of sins.
ab·so·lut·ism n . the acceptance of or belief in absolute principles in political, philosophical, ethical, or theological matters. ab·so·lut·ist n. & adj .
ab·solve v.tr . (often foll. by from, of ) set or pronounce free from blame or obligation, etc. 2 pardon or give absolution for (a sin, etc.).
ab·sorb v.tr . 1 include or incorporate as part of itself or oneself. 2 take in; suck up (liquid, heat, knowledge, etc.). 3 reduce the effect or intensity of; deal easily with (an impact, sound, difficulty, etc.). 4 consume (income, time, resources, etc.). 5 engross the attention of. ab·sorb·a·ble adj . ab·sorb·er n .
ab·sorbed adj . intensely engaged or interested. ab·sorb·ed·ly adv .
ab·sorb·ent adj. & n. • adj . having a tendency to absorb (esp. liquids). • n . an absorbent substance. ab·sorb·en·cy n .
ab·sorb·ing adj . engrossing; intensely interesting. ab·sorb·ing·ly adv .
ab·sorp·tion n . 1 the process or action of absorbing or being absorbed. 2 mental engrossment. ab·sorp·tive adj .
ab·stain v.intr . 1 a (usu. foll. by from ) refrain from indulging in ( abstained from candy ). b refrain from drinking alcohol. 2 formally decline to use one's vote. ab·stain·er n .
ab·ste·mi·ous adj . moderate, esp. in eating and drinking. ab·ste·mi·ous·ly adv . ab·ste·mi·ous·ness n .
ab·sten·tion n . the act of abstaining from voting.
ab·sti·nence n . the act of abstaining, esp. from food, alcohol, or sexual relations.
ab·sti·nent adj . practicing abstinence.
ab·stract adj., v., & n. • adj . 1 a to do with or existing in thought rather than matter, or in theory rather than practice. b (of a word, esp. a noun) denoting a quality or condition or intangible thing rather than a concrete object. 2 (of art) achieving its effect by grouping shapes and colors in satisfying patterns rather than by the recognizable representation of physical reality. • v . 1 tr . (often foll. by from ) take out of; extract; remove. 2 tr . summarize (an article, book, etc.). 3 tr. & refl . (often foll. by from ) disengage (a person's attention, etc.); distract. 4 tr . (foll. by from ) consider abstractly or separately from something else. • n . 1 a summary or statement of the contents of a book, etc. 2 an abstract work of art. 3 an abstraction or abstract term. in the abstract in theory rather than in practice. ab·stract·ly adv . ab·stract·or n . (in sense 2 of v .).
ab·stract·ed adj . inattentive; preoccupied. ab·stract·ed·ly adv .
ab·strac·tion n . 1 the act or an instance of abstracting or taking away. 2 an abstract or visionary idea. 3 abstract qualities (esp. in art). 4 absentmindedness.
ab·struse adj . hard to understand. ab·struse·ly adv . ab·struse·ness n .
ab·surd adj . wildly unreasonable, illogical, or ludicrous. ab·surd·ly adv . ab·surd·ness n .
ab·surd·i·ty n . ( pl . -ies) 1 wild inappropriateness or incongruity. 2 an absurd act or statement.
a·bun·dance n . 1 a very great quantity, usu. considered to be more than enough. 2 wealth; affluence.
a·bun·dant adj . 1 existing or available in large quantities; plentiful. 2 (foll. by in ) having an abundance of. a·bun·dant·ly adv .
a·buse v. & n. • v.tr . 1 use to bad effect or for a bad purpose. 2 insult verbally. 3 maltreat; assault (esp. sexually). • n . 1 improper use ( the abuse of power ). 2 insulting language ( a torrent of abuse ). 3 unjust or corrupt practice. 4 maltreatment ( child abuse ). a·bus·er n .
a·bu·sive adj . 1 using insulting language. 2 (of language) insulting. 3 given to physical abuse. a·bu·sive·ly adv . a·bu·sive·ness n .
a·but v . ( abutted, abutting ) 1 intr . (foll. by on ) (of countries, etc.) adjoin (another). 2 intr . (foll. by on ) (of part of a building) touch or lean on (another) with a projecting end or point. 3 tr . abut on.
a·but·ment n . the lateral supporting structure of a bridge, arch, etc. ARCH
a·buzz adv. & adj . in a state of excitement or activity.
a·bys·mal adj . 1 colloq . extremely bad ( abysmal weather ). 2 profound; utter ( abysmal ignorance ). a·bys·mal·ly adv .
a·byss n . 1 a deep or seemingly bottomless chasm. 2 a an immeasurable depth ( abyss of despair ). b a catastrophic situation as contemplated.
a·byss·al adj . at or of the ocean depths or floor.
AC abbr . 1 (also ac) alternating current. 2 air conditioning.
Ac symb. Chem . the element actinium.
a/c abbr . account.
a·ca·cia n . 1 any tree of the genus Acacia , with yellow or white flowers. 2 (also false acacia ) the locust tree, Robinia pseudoacacia .
ac·a·deme n . 1 the world of learning. 2 universities collectively. groves of Academe a university environment.
ac·a·de·mi·a n . the academic world; scholastic life.
ac·a·dem·ic adj. & n. • adj . 1 a scholarly; to do with learning. b of or relating to a scholarly institution ( academic dress ). 2 abstract; not of practical relevance. 3 Art conventional; overly formal. • n . a teacher or scholar in a university or college. ac·a·dem·i·cal·ly adv .
ac·a·de·mi·cian n . 1 a member of an Academy. 2 = ACADEMIC.
ac·a·dem·i·cism n . (also a·cad·e·mism ) academic principles or their application in art.
ac·a·dem·ic year n . the customary period of instruction in schools, colleges, and universities.
a·cad·e·my n . ( pl . -ies) 1 a place of study or training in a special field ( military academy; academy of dance ). 2 (usu. Academy ) a society or institution of distinguished scholars, artists, scientists, etc. ( Royal Academy ). 3 a secondary school, esp. one that is private. 4 the community of scholars; academe.
A·ca·di·an n. & adj. • n . 1 a native or inhabitant of Acadia in Nova Scotia, esp. a French-speaking one. 2 a descendant of French-speaking Nova Scotian immigrants in Louisiana. • adj . of or relating to Acadians.
a·can·thus n . 1 any herbaceous plant of the genus Acanthus , with spiny leaves. 2 Archit . a conventionalized representation of an acanthus leaf.
a cap·pel·la adj. & adv . (also al·la cap·pel·la ) Mus . (of choral music) unaccompanied.
ac·a·rid n . any small arachnid of the order Acarina.
a·car·pous adj. Bot . (of a plant, etc.) without fruit or that does not produce fruit.
ac·cede v.intr . (often foll. by to ) 1 assent or agree. 2 take office, esp. become monarch. 3 formally subscribe to a treaty or other agreement.
ac·cel·er·an·do adv. & adj. Mus . with a gradual increase of speed.
ac·cel·er·ate v . 1 intr . a (of a moving body) increase speed. b (of a process) happen more quickly. 2 tr . a cause to increase speed. b cause to happen more quickly.
ac·cel·er·a·tion n . 1 the process or act of accelerating. 2 (of a vehicle, etc.) the capacity to gain speed ( the car has good acceleration ).
ac·cel·er·a·tive adj . tending to increase speed.
ac·cel·er·a·tor n . 1 a device for increasing speed, esp. the pedal that controls the speed of a vehicle's engine. 2 Physics an apparatus for imparting high speeds to charged particles. 3 Chem . a substance that speeds up a chemical reaction.
ac·cel·er·om·e·ter n . an instrument for measuring acceleration.
ac·cent n. & v. • n . 1 a mode of pronunciation, esp. one associated with a particular region or group. 2 prominence given to a syllable by stress or pitch. 3 a mark on a letter or word to indicate pitch, stress, or the quality of a vowel. 4 emphasis ( an accent on comfort ). 5 Mus . emphasis on a particular note or chord. • v.tr . also 1 pronounce with an accent; emphasize. 2 write or print accents on (words, etc.). 3 Mus . play with an accent. ac·cen·tu·al adj .
ac·cen·tu·ate v.tr . emphasize; make prominent. ac·cen·tu·a·tion n .
ac·cept v.tr . 1 (also absol .) consent to receive (a thing offered). 2 (also absol .) give an affirmative answer to. 3 regard favorably ( her mother-in-law never accepted her ). 4 a receive (an opinion, explanation, etc.) as valid. b be prepared to subscribe to (a belief, philosophy, etc.). 5 receive as suitable ( the hotel accepts traveler's checks ). 6 tolerate; submit to ( accepted the umpire's decision ). ac·cept·er n .
ac·cept·a·ble adj . 1 a worthy of being accepted. b pleasing; welcome. 2 adequate; satisfactory. 3 tolerable ( an acceptable risk ). ac·cept·a·bil·i·ty n . ac·cept·a·ble·ness n . ac·cept·a·bly adv .
ac·cept·ance n . 1 willingness to receive or accept. 2 an affirmative answer to an invitation or proposal. 3 a approval; belief ( found wide acceptance ). b willingness or ability to tolerate.
ac·cept·ant adj . (foll. by of ) willingly accepting.
ac·cep·ta·tion n . a particular sense, or the generally recognized meaning, of a word or phrase.
ac·cep·tor n . 1 Commerce a person who accepts a bill. 2 Physics an atom or molecule able to receive an extra electron, esp. an impurity in a semiconductor. 3 Chem . a molecule or ion, etc., to which electrons are donated in the formation of a bond. 4 Electr . a circuit able to accept a given frequency.
ac·cess n. & v. • n . 1 a way of approaching or reaching or entering ( a building with rear access ). 2 a (often foll. by to ) the right or opportunity to reach or use or visit; admittance ( has access to secret files ). b accessibility. 3 (often foll. by of ) an attack or outburst ( an access of anger ). • v.tr. Computing gain access to (data, a file, etc.).
ac·ces·si·ble adj . (often foll. by to ) 1 that can readily be reached, entered, or used. 2 (of a person) readily available (esp. to subordinates). 3 (in a form) easy to understand. ac·ces·si·bil·i·ty n . ac·ces·si·bly adv .
ac·ces·sion n. & v. • n . 1 entering upon an office (esp. the throne) or a condition (as adulthood). 2 (often foll. by to ) a thing added (e.g., a book to a library). 3 assent; the formal acceptance of a treaty, etc. • v.tr . record the addition of (a new item) to a library or museum.
ac·ces·so·rize v.tr . provide (clothing, etc.) with accessories.
ac·ces·so·ry n. & adj . (also ac·ces·sa·ry ) • n . ( pl . -ies) 1 an additional or extra thing. 2 (usu. in pl .) a a small attachment or fitting. b a small item of (esp. a woman's) dress (e.g., shoes, gloves, etc.). 3 (often foll. by to ) a person who helps in or knows the details of an (esp. illegal) act, without taking part in it. • adj . additional; aiding in a minor way; dispensable. ac·ces·so·ri·al adj .
ac·cess time n. Computing the time taken to retrieve data from storage.
ac·ciac·ca·tu·ra n. Mus . a grace note performed as quickly as possible before an essential note of a melody.
ac·ci·dence n . the part of grammar that deals with the variable parts or inflections of words.
ac·ci·dent n . 1 an event that is without apparent cause, or is unexpected. 2 an unfortunate event, esp. one causing physical harm or damage, brought about unintentionally. 3 occurrence of things by chance; the working of fortune ( accident account for much in life ). by accident unintentionally.
ac·ci·den·tal adj. & n. • adj . 1 happening by chance or unexpectedly 2 not essential to a conception. • n . 1 Mus . a sign indicating a departure from the key signature by raising or lowering a note. NOTATION. 2 something not essential to a conception. ac·ci·den·tal·ly adv .
ac·ci·dent-prone adj . (of a person) subject to frequent accidents.
ac·ci·die var of ACEDIA.
ac·claim v. & n. • v.tr . 1 praise publicly. 2 (foll. by compl.) hail as ( was acclaimed the winner ). • n . 1 applause; public praise. 2 a shout of acclaim.
ac·cla·ma·tion n . 1 loud and eager assent. 2 (usu. in pl .) shouting in a person's honor. 3 the act or process of acclaiming.
ac·cli·mate v.tr . acclimatize.
ac·cli·ma·tion n . acclimatization.
ac·cli·ma·tize v . 1 tr . accustom to a new climate or to new conditions. 2 intr . become acclimatized. ac·cli-ma·ti·za·tion n .
ac·cliv·i·ty n . ( pl . -ies) an upward slope. ac·cliv·i·tous adj .
ac·co·lade n . an acknowledgment of merit.
ac·com·mo·date v.tr . 1 provide lodging or room for. 2 adapt; harmonize; reconcile. 3 do a service or favor to.
ac·com·mo·dat·ing adj . obliging; compliant. ac·com·mo·dat·ing·ly adv .
ac·com·mo·da·tion n . 1 (in pl .) lodgings; a place to live. 2 a an adjustment or adaptation to suit a special or different purpose. b a convenient arrangement; a settlement or compromise.
ac·com·mo·da·tion lad·der n . a ladder up the side of a ship for access to or from a small boat.
ac·com·pa·ni·ment n . 1 Mus . an instrumental part supporting a solo instrument, voice, or group. 2 an accompanying thing.
ac·com·pa·nist n . (also ac·com·pa·ny·ist ) a person who provides a musical accompaniment.
ac·com·pa·ny v.tr . (-ies, -ied) 1 go with; escort. 2 (usu. in passive ; foll. by with, by ) be done or found with; supplement. 3 Mus . support with accompaniment.
ac·com·plice n . a partner or helper, esp. in a crime.
ac·com·plish v.tr . perform; complete; succeed in doing.
ac·com·plished adj . clever; skilled; well trained or educated.
ac·com·plish·ment n . 1 the fulfillment or completion (of a task, etc.). 2 an acquired skill, esp. a social one. 3 a thing done or achieved.
ac·cord v. & n. • v . 1 intr . (often foll. by with ) (esp. of a thing) be in harmony; be consistent. 2 tr . a grant (permission, a request, etc.), b give (a welcome, etc.). • n . 1 agreement; consent. 2 harmonious correspondence in pitch, tone, color, etc. of one's own accord on one's own initiative; voluntarily, with one accord unanimously.
ac·cord·ance n . harmony; agreement. in accordance with in a manner corresponding to ( we acted in accordance with your wishes ).
ac·cord·ant adj . (often foll. by with ) in tune; agreeing.
ac·cord·ing adv . (foll. by to ) 1 as stated by or in ( according to my sister ). 2 in a manner corresponding to; in proportion to ( he lives according to his principles ).
ac·cord·ing·ly adv . 1 as suggested or required by the (stated) circumstances. 2 consequently; therefore.
ac·cor·dion n . a portable musical instrument with reeds blown by bellows and played by means of keys and buttons. ac·cor·di·on·ist n .
ac·cost v.tr . approach and address (a person), esp. boldly.
ac·couche·ment n . 1 childbirth. 2 the period of childbirth.
ac·count n. & v. • n . 1 a narration or description. 2 a an arrangement or facility at a bank, etc., for commercial or financial transactions, esp. for depositing and withdrawing money. b an arrangement at a store for buying goods on credit. 3 a (often in pl .) a record or statement of money, goods, or services received or expended, with the balance. b (in pl .) the practice of accounting ( is good at accounts ). • v.tr . (foll. by to be or compl.) consider; regard as ( account him wise; account him to be guilty ). account for 1 serve as or provide an explanation or reason for ( that accounts for their misbehavior ). 2 a give a reckoning of or answer for (money, etc., entrusted). b answer for (one's conduct). 3 succeed in killing, destroying, or defeating. 4 make up a specified amount or proportion of ( rent accounts for 50 percent of expenditures ). by all accounts in everyone's opinion, call to account require an explanation from (a person), give a good (or bad ) account of oneself make a favorable (or unfavorable) impression, keep account of keep a record of; follow closely leave out of account fail or decline to consider, of no account unimportant. of some account important, on account 1 (of goods or services) to be paid for later. 2 (of money) in part payment, on account of because of. on no account under no circumstances; certainly not. on one's own account for one's own purposes; at one's own risk. take account of (or take into account ) consider along with other factors ( took their age into account ), turn to good account turn to one's advantage.
ac·count·a·ble adj . responsible; required to account for one's conduct ( accountable for one's actions ). ac·count·a·bil·i·ty n . ac·count·a·bly adv .
ac·count·an·cy n . the profession or duties of an accountant.
ac·count·ant n . a professional keeper or inspector of accounts.
ac·count·ing n . the process of or skill in keeping accounts.
ac·cou·tre v.tr . (also ac·cou·ter ) (usu. as accoutred adj .) attire, equip.
ac·cou·tre·ment n . (also ac·cou·ter·ment ) (usu. in pl .) 1 equipment; trappings. 2 Mil . a soldier's outfit other than weapons and garments.
ac·cred·it v.tr . ( accredited, accrediting ) 1 (foll. by to ) attribute (a saying, etc.) to (a person). 2 (foll. by with ) credit (a person) with (a saying, etc.). 3 (usu. foll. by to or at ) send (an ambassador, etc.) with credentials. ac·cred·i·ta·tion n .
ac·cred·it·ed adj . (of a person or organization) officially recognized.
ac·crete v . 1 intr . grow together or into one. 2 intr . (often foll. by to ) form around or on, as around a nucleus. 3 tr . attract (such additions).
ac·cre·tion n . 1 growth by organic enlargement. 2 a the growing of separate things into one. b the product of such growing. 3 extraneous matter added to anything. ac·cre·tive adj .
ac·crue v.intr . ( accrues, accrued, accruing ) (often foll. by to ) come as a natural increase or advantage, esp. financial. ac·cru·al n . ac·crued adj .
ac·cul·tur·ate v . 1 intr . adapt to or adopt a different culture. 2 tr . cause to do this. ac·cul·tur·a·tion n . ac·cul·tur·a·tive adj .
ac·cu·mu·late v . 1 tr . a acquire an increasing number or quantity of. b produce or acquire (a resulting whole) in this way 2 intr . grow numerous or considerable; form an increasing mass or quantity.
ac·cu·mu·la·tion n . 1 the act or process of accumulating or being accumulated. 2 an accumulated mass. 3 the growth of capital by continued interest.
ac·cu·mu·la·tive adj . 1 arising from accumulation; cumulative ( accumulative evidence ). 2 arranged so as to accumulate. 3 acquisitive; given to hoarding
ac·cu·mu·la·tor n . a person who accumulates things.
ac·cu·ra·cy n . exactness or precision, esp. arising from careful effort.
ac·cu·rate adj . 1 careful; precise; lacking errors. 2 conforming exactly with a qualitative standard. ac·cu·rate·ly adv .
ac·curs·ed adj . ( archaic accurst ) 1 being under a curse; ill-fated. 2 colloq . detestable; annoying.
ac·cu·sal n . accusation.
ac·cu·sa·tion n . 1 the act or process of accusing or being accused. 2 a statement charging a person with an offense or crime.
ac·cu·sa·tive n. & adj. Gram. • n . the case of nouns, pronouns, and adjectives expressing the object of an action or the goal of motion. • adj . of or in this case.
ac·cu·sa·to·ri·al adj. Law (of proceedings) involving accusation by a prosecutor and a verdict reached by an impartial judge or jury.
ac·cu·sa·to·ry adj . of or implying accusation.
ac·cuse v.tr . 1 (foll. by of ) charge (a person, etc.) with a fault or crime; indict ( accused them of murder ). 2 lay the blame on. ac·cus·er n . ac·cus·ing·ly adv .
ac·cus·tom v.tr. & refl . (foll. by to ) make (a person or thing or oneself) used to ( the army accustomed him to discipline ).
ac·cus·tomed adj . 1 (fall. by to ) used to. 2 customary
ace n. & adj. • n . 1 a playing card, domino, etc., with a single spot and generally having the value "one" or in card games the highest value in each suit. 2 a a person who excels in some activity. b Mil . a pilot who has shot down many enemy aircraft. 3 (in tennis) a service too good for the opponent to touch. 4 Golf a hole in one. • adj. sl . excellent. within in an ace of on the verge of.
a·ce·di·a n . laziness; sloth; apathy
a·cel·lu·lar adj. Biol . 1 having no cells; not consisting of cells. 2 (esp. of protozoa) consisting of one cell only; unicellular.
a·ceph·a·lous adj . 1 headless. 2 having no chief. 3 Zool . having no part of the body specially organized as a head.
a·cer·bic adj . 1 astringently sour. 2 bitter in speech, manner, or temper. a·cer·bi·cal·ly adv . a·cer·bi·ty n . ( pl . -ies).
ac·e·tab·u·lum n . ( pl . acetabulums or acetabula ) Zool . 1 the socket for the head of the thighbone, or of the leg in insects. 2 a cup-shaped sucker of various organisms, including tapeworms and cuttlefish.
ac·et·al·de·hyde n . a colorless volatile liquid aldehyde.
a·ce·ta·min·o·phen n . a crystalline substance, [C.sub.8][H.sub.9][NO.sub.2], that is used medically to reduce fever and relieve pain.
ac·e·tate n . 1 a salt or ester of acetic acid, esp. the cellulose ester used to make textiles, phonograph records, etc. 2 a fabric made from cellulose acetate.
a·ce·tic adj . of or like vinegar.
a·ce·tic ac·id n . the clear liquid acid that gives vinegar its characteristic taste.
ac·e·tone n . a colorless, volatile liquid ketone valuable as a solvent of organic compounds, esp. paints, varnishes, etc. Also called propanone .
ac·e·tous adj . 1 having the qualities of vinegar. 2 producing vinegar. 3 sour.
a·ce·tyl n. Chem . the univalent radical of acetic acid.
a·ce·tyl·cho·line n . a compound serving to transmit impulses from nerve fibers.
a·cet·y·lene n . a colorless hydrocarbon gas, burning with a bright flame, used esp. in welding. UNSATURATED
a·ce·tyl·sal·i·cyl·ic ac·id n . = ASPIRIN.
A·chae·an adj. & n. • adj . 1 of or relating to Achaea in ancient Greece. 2 literary Greek. • n . 1 an inhabitant of Achaea. 2 literary a Greek.
ache n. & v. • n . 1 a continuous or prolonged dull pain. 2 mental distress. • v.intr . 1 suffer from or be the source of an ache ( I ached all over; my left leg ached ). 2 (foll. by to + infin.) desire greatly. ach·ing·ly adv .
a·chene n. Bot . a small, dry, one-seeded fruit that does not open to liberate the seed (e.g., a strawberry pip).
A·cheu·li·an adj. & n . (also Acheulean ) • adj . of the Paleolithic period in Europe, etc., following the Abbevillian and preceding the Mousterian. • n . the culture of this period.
a·chieve v.tr . 1 a reach or attain by effort ( achieved victory ). b acquire; gain; earn ( achieved notoriety ). 2 accomplish or carry out (a feat or task). 3 absol , be successful; attain a desired level of performance. a·chiev·a·ble adj . a·chiev·er n .
a·chieve·ment n . 1 something achieved; an instance of achieving. 2 the act of achieving.
A·chil·les heel n . a person's weak or vulnerable point.
A·chil·les ten·don n . the tendon connecting the heel with the calf muscles. MUSCULATURE
ach·ro·mat n . a lens made achromatic by correction.
ach·ro·mat·ic adj. Optics 1 that transmits light without separating it into constituent colors ( achromatic lens ). 2 without color ( achromatic fringe ), ach·ro·mat·i·cal·ly adv . a·chro·ma·tism n .
ach·y adj . ( achier, achiest ) full of or suffering from aches.
ac·id n. & adj. • n . 1 Chem . any of a class of substances that liberate hydrogen ions in water, are usu. sour and corrosive, turn litmus red, and have a pH of less than 7. ACID RAIN, PH. 2 (in general use) any sour substance. 3 sl . the drug LSD. • adj . 1 sharp-tasting; sour. 2 biting; sharp ( an acid wit ). 3 Chem . having the essential properties of an acid. 4 (of a color) intense; bright. a·cid·ic adj . ac·i·dim·e·try n . ac·id·ly adv .
ac·id·head n. sl . a user of the drug LSD.
a·cid·i·fy v.tr. & intr . (-ies, -ied) make or become acid. a·cid·i·fi·ca·tion n .
a·cid·i·ty n . ( pl . -ies) an acid quality or state, esp. an excessively acid condition of the stomach.
ac·i·do·sis n . an overacid condition of the body fluids or tissues. ac·i·dot·ic adj .
ac·id rain n . acid formed in the atmosphere, esp. from industrial waste gases, and falling with rain.
ac·id test n . 1 a severe or conclusive test. 2 a test in which acid is used to test for gold, etc.
a·cid·u·late v.tr . make somewhat acid. a·cid·u·la·tion n .
a·cid·u·lous adj . somewhat acid.
ac·i·nus n . ( pl . acini ) 1 any of the small elements that make up a compound fruit of the blackberry, raspberry, etc. 2 the seed of a grape or berry. 3 Anat . a any multicellular gland with saclike secreting ducts, b the terminus of a duct in such a gland.
ack-ack adj. & n. colloq. • adj . antiaircraft. • n . an antiaircraft gun.
ackee var. of AKEE.
ac·knowl·edge v.tr . 1 a recognize; accept. b (often foll. by to be + compl.) recognize as. c (often foll. by that + clause or to + infin.) admit that something is so. 2 confirm the receipt of. 3 a show that one has noticed, b express appreciation of (a service, etc.). ac·knowl·edge·able adj .
ac·knowl·edg·ment n . (also ac· knowl·edge·ment ) 1 the act or an instance of acknowledging. 2 a a thing given or done in return for a service, etc. b a letter confirming receipt of something. 3 (usu. in pl .) an author's statement of indebtedness to others.
ACLU abbr . American Civil Liberties Union.
ac·me n . the highest point or period; the peak of perfection.
ac·ne n . a skin condition characterized by red pimples. ac·ned adj .
ac·o·lyte n . 1 a person assisting a priest. 2 an assistant; a beginner.
ac·o·nite n . 1 a any poisonous plant of the genus Aconitum . b the drug obtained from this. Also called aconitine . 2 (in full winter aconite ) any ranunculaceous plant of the genus Eranthis , with yellow flowers.
a·con·i·tine n. Pharm . a poisonous alkaloid obtained from the aconite plant.
a·corn n . the fruit of the oak, a smooth nut in a rough cuplike base. OAK
a·cot·y·le·don n . a plant with no distinct seed leaves. a·cot·y·le·don·ous adj .
a·cous·tic adj. & n. • adj . 1 relating to sound or hearing. 2 (of a musical instrument or recording) not having electrical amplification. 3 (of building materials) used for soundproofing. • n . 1 (usu. in pl .) the properties or qualities (esp. of a room or hall) in transmitting sound. 2 (in pl .; usu. treated as sing .) the science of sound. a·cous· ti·cal adj . a·cous·ti·cal·ly adv .
a·cous·tic cou·pler n. Computing a modem that converts digital signals into audible signals and vice versa.
ac·ous·ti·cian n . an expert in acoustics.
ac·quaint v.tr. & refl . (usu. foll. by with ) make (a person or oneself) familiar with. be acquainted with have personal knowledge of.
ac·quaint·ance n . 1 (usu. foll. by with ) slight knowledge. 2 the fact of being acquainted. 3 a person one knows slightly, make a person's acquaintance first meet another person. ac·quaint·ance·ship n .
ac·qui·esce v. v.intr . 1 agree, esp. tacitly. it (foll. by in ) accept (an arrangement, etc.). ac·qui·es·cence n . ac·qui·es·cent adj .
ac·quire v.tr . 1 gain by and for oneself; obtain. 2 come into possession of. ac·quir·a·ble adj .
ac·quired char·ac·ter·is·tic n. Biol . a characteristic caused by the environment, not inherited.
ac·quired im·mune de·fi·cien·cy syn·drome n. Med . see AIDS.
ac·quired taste n . 1 a liking gained by experience. 2 the object of such a liking.
ac·quire·ment n . 1 something acquired, esp. a mental attainment. 2 the act or an instance of acquiring.
ac·qui·si·tion n . 1 something acquired, esp. if regarded as useful. 2 the act or an instance of acquiring.
ac·quis·i·tive adj . eager to acquire things. ac·quis·i·tive·ly adv . ac·quis·i·tive·ness n .
ac·quit v . ( acquitted, acquitting ) 1 tr . often foll. by of ) declare (a person) not guilty. 2 refl . a conduct oneself in a specified way ( we acquitted ourselves well ), b (foll. by of ) discharge (a duty or responsibility).
ac·quit·tal n . 1 the process of freeing or being freed from a charge, esp. by a judgment of not guilty. 2 performance of a duty.
ac·quit·tance n . 1 payment of or release from a debt. 2 a written receipt attesting settlement of a debt.
a·cre n . 1 a measure of land, 4,840 sq. yds., 4,047 sq. m. 2 (in pl .) a large area. a·cred adj . (also in comb .).
a·cre·age n . 1 a number of acres. 2 an extent of land.
ac·rid adj . ( acrider, acridest ) 1 bitterly pungent; irritating; corrosive. 2 bitter in temper or manner. a·crid·i·ty n . ac·rid·ly adv .
ac·ri·mo·ni·ous adj . bitter in manner or temper. ac·ri·mo·ni·ous·ly adv .
ac·ri·mo·ny n . ( pl . -ies) bitterness of temper or manner; ill feeling.
ac·ro·bat n . a performer of spectacular gymnastic feats. ac·ro·bat·ic adj . ac· ro·bat·i·cal·ly adv .
ac·ro·bat·ics n.pl . 1 acrobatic feats. 2 (as sing .) the art of performing these. 3 a skill requiring ingenuity ( mental acrobatics ).
ac·ro·gen n. Bot . any nonflowering plant having a perennial stem with the growing point at its apex, e.g., a fern or moss. a·crog·e·nous adj .
ac·ro·meg·a·ly n. Med . the abnormal growth of the hands, feet, and face, caused by excessive activity of the pituitary gland. ac·ro· me·gal·ic adj .
ac·ro·nym n . a word, usu. pronounced as such, formed from the initial letters of other words (e.g. laser, NATO ).
a·crop·e·tal adj. Bot . developing from below upwards. a·crop·e·tal·ly adv .
ac·ro·pho·bi·a n. Psychol . an abnormal dread of heights. acro·pho·bic adj .
a·crop·o·lis n . a citadel of an ancient Greek city.
a·cross prep. & adv. • prep . 1 to or on the other side of ( lives across the river ). 2 from one side to another side of ( a bridge across the river ). 3 at or forming an angle (esp. a right angle) with ( deep cuts across his legs ). • adv . 1 to or on the other side ( ran across ). 2 from one side to another ( a blanket stretched across ). 3 forming a cross (with cuts across). 4 (of a crossword clue or answer) read horizontally. across the board applying to all.
a·cros·tic n . 1 a poem in which certain letters in each line form a word or words. 2 a word puzzle constructed in this way.
a·cryl·ic adj. & n. • adj . 1 made with a synthetic polymer derived from acrylic acid. 2 Chem . of or derived from acrylic acid. • n . an acrylic fiber.
a·cryl·ic ac·id n . a pungent liquid organic acid. ACT abbr . American College Test.
act n. & v. • n . 1 something done; an action. 2 the process of doing something ( caught in the act ). 3 a a piece of entertainment, b the performer(s) of this. 4 a pretense ( it was all an act ). 5 a main division of a play or opera. 6 a a written ordinance of a legislative body. b a document attesting a legal transaction. 7 (often in pl .) the recorded decisions or proceedings of a committee, etc. 8 ( Acts ) (in full Acts of the Apostles ) the New Testament book relating the growth of the early Church. • v . 1 intr . behave. 2 intr . perform actions or functions; take action ( act as referee; we must act quickly ). 3 intr . (also foll. by on ) exert energy or influence ( alcohol acts on the brain ). 4 intr . a perform a part in a play, movie, etc. b pretend. 5 tr . a perform the part of ( acts the fool ). b perform (a play, etc.), c portray (an incident) by actions, d feign. act for be the representative of. act out 1 translate (ideas, etc.) into action. 2 Psychol . represent (one's subconscious desires, etc.) in action, act up colloq . misbehave; give trouble. get one's act together sl . become properly organized, get in on the act sl . become a participant (esp. for profit), put on an act colloq . carry out a pretense.
act·ing n. & attrib. adj. • n . 1 the art or occupation of performing parts in plays, movies, etc. 2 in senses of ACT v. • attrib.adj . serving temporarily or on behalf of another or others ( acting manager; Acting President ).
ac·ti·nide n. Chem . any of the series of 15 radioactive elements having increasing atomic numbers from actinium to lawrencium.
ac·tin·ism n . the property of short-wave radiation that produces chemical changes, as in photography. ac·tin·ic adj .
ac·tin·i·um n. Chem . a radioactive metallic element of the actinide series, occurring naturally in pitchblende. ¶ Symb.: Ac .
ac·ti·nom·e·ter n . an instrument for measuring the intensity of radiation, esp. ultraviolet radiation.
ac·tin·o·mor·phic adj. Biol . radially symmetrical.
ac·tion n. & v. • n . 1 the fact or process of doing or acting ( demanded action; put ideas into action ). 2 forcefulness or energy as a characteristic ( a woman of action ). 3 the exertion of energy or influence ( the action of acid on metal ). 4 something done; a deed or act ( not aware of his own actions ). 5 a a series of events represented in a story, play, etc. b sl . exciting activity ( arrived late and missed the action; want some action ). 6 a armed conflict; fighting ( killed in action ). b an occurrence of this, esp. a minor military engagement. 7 a the way in which a machine, instrument, etc., works ( explain the action of an air pump ). b the mechanism that makes a machine, instrument, etc. (e.g., a musical instrument, a gun, etc.), work. c the mode or style of movement of an animal or human (usu. described in some way) ( a runner with good action ). 8 a legal process; a lawsuit ( bring an action ). 9 (in imper. ) a word of command to begin, esp. used by a film director, etc. • v.tr . bring a legal action against. out of action not working. take action begin to act (esp. energetically in protest).
ac·tion·a·ble adj . giving cause for legal action.
act·ion-packed adj . full of action or excitement.
ac·tion paint·ing n . an aspect of abstract expressionism with paint applied by the artist's random or spontaneous gestures.
ac·ti·vate v.tr . 1 make active; bring into action. 2 Chem . cause reaction in; excite (a substance, molecules, etc.). 3 Physics make radioactive. ac·ti·va·tion n . ac·ti·va·tor n .
ac·ti·vat·ed car·bon n . carbon, esp. charcoal, treated to increase its adsorptive power.
ac·tive adj. & n. • adj . 1 a consisting in or marked by action; energetic; diligent ( leads an active life ). b able to move about or accomplish practical tasks. 2 working. 3 originating action; not merely passive ( active support ). 4 radioactive. 5 Gram . designating the voice that attributes the action of a verb to the person or thing from which it logically proceeds (e.g., of the verbs in guns kill; we saw him ). • n. Gram . the active form or voice of a verb. ac·tive·ly adv . ac·tive·ness n .
ac·tive car·bon n . = ACTIVATED CARBON.
ac·tive serv·ice n . service in the armed forces during a war.
ac·tiv·ism n . a policy of vigorous action in a cause, esp. in politics. ac·tiv·ist n .
ac·tiv·i·ty n . ( pl . -ies) 1 a the condition of being active or moving about. b the exertion of energy. 2 (often in pl .) a particular occupation or pursuit ( outdoor activities ). 3 = RADIOACTIVITY.
act of God n . the operation of uncontrollable natural forces.
ac·tor n . 1 the performer of a part in a play, movie, etc. 2 a person whose profession is performing such parts.
ac·tress n . a female actor.
ac·tu·al adj . (usu. attrib .) 1 existing in fact; real (often as distinct from ideal). 2 existing now. ¶ Redundant use, as in tell me the actual facts , is disp ., but common. ac·tu·al·ize v.tr . ac·tu·al·i·za·tion n .
ac·tu·al·i·ty n . ( pl . -ies ) 1 reality. 2 (in pl .) existing conditions.
ac·tu·al·ly adv . 1 as a fact; really ( I asked for ten, but actually got nine ). 2 as a matter of fact; even (strange as it may seem) ( he actually refused! ). 3 at present; for the time being.
ac·tu·ary n . ( pl . -ies) an expert in statistics, esp. one who calculates insurance risks. ac·tu·ar·i·al adj . ac·tu·ar·i·al·ly adv .
ac·tu·ate v.tr . 1 communicate motion to (a machine, etc.). 2 cause the operation of (an electrical device, etc.). 3 cause (a person) to act. ac·tu·a·tion n . ac·tu·a·tor n .
a·cu·i·ty n . sharpness; acuteness (of a needle, understanding).
a·cu·le·ate adj . 1 Zool . having a sting. 2 Bot . prickly. 3 pointed; incisive.
a·cu·men n . keen insight or discernment; penetration.
a·cu·mi·nate adj. Biol . tapering to a point.
ac·u·pres·sure n . a form of therapy in which symptoms are relieved by applying pressure with the fingers to specific points on the body.
ac·u·punc·ture n . a method (orig. Chinese) of treating various conditions by pricking the skin or tissues with needles. ac·u·punc·tur·ist n .
a·cut·ance n . sharpness of a photographic or printed image; a measure of this.
a·cute adj. & n. • adj . ( acuter, acutest ) 1 a (of senses, etc.) keen; penetrating. b (of pain) intense; severe; sharp or stabbing rather than dull, aching, or throbbing. 2 shrewd; perceptive ( an acute critic ). 3 (of a disease) coming sharply to a crisis; severe. 4 (of a difficulty or controversy) critical; serious. 5 a (of an angle) less than 90º. TRIANGLE. b sharp; pointed. 6 (of a sound) shrill. • n . = ACUTE ACCENT. a·cute·ly adv . a·cute·ness n .
a·cute ac·cent n . a mark (') placed over letters in some languages to show quality, vowel length, pronunciation (e.g., maté ), etc.
ac·yl n. Chem . the univalent radical of an organic acid.
AD abbr . (of a date) of the Christian era. Strictly, AD should precede a date (e.g., AD 410), but uses such as the tenth century AD are well established.
ad n. colloq . an advertisement.
ad·age n . a traditional maxim; a proverb.
a·da·gio adv., adj., & n. Mus. • adv. & adj . in slow time. • n . ( pl . -os) an adagio movement or passage.
Ad·am n . the first man, in the biblical and Koranic traditions. not know a person from Adam be unable to recognize the person in question.
ad·a·mant adj. & n. • adj . stubbornly resolute; resistant to persuasion. • n. archaic diamond or other hard substance. ad·a·mance n . ad·a·man·tine adj . ad·a·mant·ly adv .
Ad·am's ap·ple n . a projection of the thyroid cartilage of the larynx.
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