Vocabulary

This page captures some words and definitions I have looked up in the course of my reading. Sometimes I encounter a word I have never seen before, sometimes I have seen the word before but am not sure of the meaning, and some words I decide to look up to be sure I know the definition, even though I think I know what it means. Most of the definitions here are abstracted from Dictionary.com.

Where multiple definitions are available, and only one is given here, I have often chosen the most generally applicable one, or the one intended in the usage where I encountered the word in my reading. In some cases I have written only the less usual definition. If you want to see all the definitions of a word, look it up yourself at Dictionary.com. Fair use for educational purposes.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

    A

  1. abash to destroy the self-confidence, poise, or self-possession of; disconcert; make ashamed or embarrassed

  2. abatis an obstacle or barricade of trees with bent or sharpened branches directed toward an enemy

  3. abattoir a slaughterhouse

  4. abditory A place for hiding or preserving articles of value

  5. abject utterly hopeless, miserable, humiliating, or wretched

  6. abjure to renounce, repudiate, or retract, especially with formal solemnity; recant

  7. ablution a cleansing with water or other liquid, especially as a religious ritual

  8. abomination anything greatly disliked or abhorred

  9. abrogate to abolish by formal or official means; annul by an authoritative act; repeal

  10. abseil rappel

  11. abstruse hard to understand; recondite; esoteric

  12. acatalepsy an ancient Skeptical view that no more than probable knowledge is available to human beings

  13. accidie acedia

  14. accoutrement equipment worn by soldiers in addition to their clothing and weapons

  15. acedia sloth

  16. acerbic sour or astringent in taste

  17. acicular shaped like a needle

  18. acidulous slightly sour

  19. achondroplasia defective conversion of cartilage into bone, especially at the epiphyses of long bones, producing a type of dwarfism

  20. acrimonious caustic, stinging, or bitter in nature, speech, behavior, etc.

  21. acromegaly a chronic disease characterized by enlargement of the bones of the head, the soft parts of the feet and hands, and sometimes other structures, due to excessive secretion of growth hormone by the pituitary gland

  22. actinism caustic, stinging, or bitter in nature, speech, behavior, etc.

  23. actinism the property of radiation by which chemical effects are produced

  24. actuary a person who computes premium rates, dividends, risks, etc., according to probabilities based on statistical records

  25. adagio in a leisurely manner; slowly

  26. adduce to bring forward in argument or as evidence; cite as pertinent or conclusive

  27. adelgid any of various homopterous insects of the family Adelgidae, as Adelges abietis (spruce gall aphid) and Pineus pinifoliae (pine leaf aphid), that feed and form galls on conifers

  28. adenoidal being characteristically pinched and nasal in tone quality

  29. adipose fatty; consisting of, resembling, or relating to fat

  30. adjunct something added to another thing but not essential to it

  31. adjure to charge, bind, or command earnestly and solemnly, often under oath or the threat of a penalty

  32. adroit expert or nimble in the use of the hands or body

  33. adulation excessive devotion to someone; servile flattery

  34. adumbrate to produce a faint image or resemblance of; to outline or sketch

  35. aedile one of a board of magistrates in charge of public buildings, streets, markets, games, etc.

  36. aegis the shield or breastplate of Zeus or Athena, bearing at its center the head of the Gorgon

  37. afflatus inspiration; an impelling mental force acting from within

  38. affray a public fight; a noisy quarrel; brawl

  39. ageratum any of several composite plants of the genus Ageratum, especially A. houstonianum, having heart-shaped leaves and small, dense, blue, lavender, or white flower heads, often grown in gardens

  40. agley off the right line; awry; wrong

  41. agnosia partial or total inability to recognize objects by use of the senses

  42. agog highly excited by eagerness, curiosity, anticipation, etc.

  43. agora a popular political assembly

  44. agronomy the science of soil management and the production of field crops

  45. aitch the letter H, h

  46. alacrity cheerful readiness, promptness, or willingness

  47. alala a dull, brownish-tinged crow that occurs only in Hawaii

  48. alate having wings; winged

  49. aleatory of or relating to accidental causes; of luck or chance; unpredictable

  50. alembic a vessel with a beaked cap or head, formerly used in distilling

  51. alexia a neurologic disorder marked by loss of the ability to understand written or printed language, usually resulting from a brain lesion or a congenital defect

  52. alexithymia difficulty in experiencing, expressing, and describing emotional responses

  53. algaroba any of certain mesquites, especially Prosopis juliflora, having pinnate leaves and yellowish flowers

  54. alienist (formerly) a doctor specializing in the treatment of mental illness

  55. aliment that which nourishes; nutriment; food

  56. alkahest the universal solvent sought by the alchemists

  57. allay to put (fear, doubt, suspicion, anger, etc.) to rest; calm; quiet

  58. allegory a symbolical narrative

  59. allocution a formal speech, especially one of an incontrovertible or hortatory nature

  60. allopatric originating in or occupying different geographical areas

  61. allusive having reference to something implied or inferred; containing, abounding in, or characterized by allusions

  62. almoner a person whose function or duty is the distribution of alms on behalf of an institution, a royal personage, a monastery, etc

  63. amain with full force

  64. amanuensis a person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another; secretary

  65. ambergris an opaque, ash-colored secretion of the sperm whale intestine, usually found floating on the ocean or cast ashore: used in perfumery

  66. ambit circumference; circuit

  67. ambsace the lowest throw at dice, the double ace

  68. ambuscade to attack from a concealed position; ambush

  69. ameliorate to make or become better, more bearable, or more satisfactory; improve

  70. amontillado a pale, dry Spanish sherry

  71. amorino a putto represented as an infant cupid

  72. amorist a person who is devoted to love and lovemaking

  73. ampelopsis any climbing, woody vine or shrub belonging to the genus Ampelopsis, of the grape family, having small greenish flowers and inedible berries

  74. amphigory a meaningless or nonsensical piece of writing, especially one intended as a parody

  75. amuse-bouche a small appetizer as served, usually without charge, in a restaurant

  76. anabasis a march from the coast into the interior, as that of Cyrus the Younger against Artaxerxes II, described by Xenophon in his historical work Anabasis (379–371 b.c.).

  77. anagoge a spiritual interpretation or application of words, as of Scriptures

  78. anamorphic Optics. having or producing unequal magnifications along two axes perpendicular to each other

  79. anamorphism metamorphism, usually occurring deep under the earth's surface, that changes simple minerals to complex minerals

  80. anent in regard to; about; concerning

  81. animadvert to comment unfavorably or critically

  82. animus strong dislike or enmity; hostile attitude; animosity

  83. anlage Embryology. an embryonic area capable of forming a structure: the primordium, germ, or bud; Psychology. an inherited predisposition to certain traits or to a particular character development

  84. anodyne a medicine that relieves or allays pain

  85. anomie a state or condition of individuals or society characterized by a breakdown or absence of social norms and values, as in the case of uprooted people

  86. anon in a short time; soon

  87. anonym an assumed or false name

  88. anorak a hooded pullover jacket originally made of fur and worn in the arctic, now made of any weather-resistant fabric

  89. anserine of or relating to the subfamily Anserinae, of the family Anatidae, comprising the true geese

  90. Anschluss union, especially the political union of Austria with Germany in 1938

  91. ansible a fictitious machine capable of instantaneous or superluminal communication (Wikipedia)

  92. anticlinal inclining in opposite directions from a central axis

  93. antinomy a contradiction between two statements, both apparently obtained by correct reasoning

  94. antiphon a verse or song to be chanted or sung in response

  95. anxiolytic anxiety relieving

  96. apache a Parisian gangster, rowdy, or ruffian

  97. aphasia the loss of a previously held ability to speak or understand spoken or written language, due to disease or injury of the brain

  98. aplomb the perpendicular, or vertical, position

  99. apocope loss or omission of the last letter, syllable, or part of a word

  100. apoplexy a sudden, usually marked loss of bodily function due to rupture or occlusion of a blood vessel

  101. apoptosis a normal, genetically regulated process leading to the death of cells and triggered by the presence or absence of certain stimuli, as DNA damage

  102. aporia a difficulty encountered in establishing the theoretical truth of a proposition, created by the presence of evidence both for and against it

  103. aposiopesis a sudden breaking off in the midst of a sentence, as if from inability or unwillingness to proceed

  104. apothegm a short, pithy, instructive saying; a terse remark or aphorism

  105. apotheosis the elevation or exaltation of a person to the rank of a god

  106. apotropaic intended to ward off evil

  107. apparition a supernatural appearance of a person or thing, especially a ghost; a specter or phantom; wraith

  108. appellation a name, title, or designation

  109. applejack a brandy distilled from fermented cider; apple brandy

  110. apposite suitable; well-adapted; pertinent; relevant; apt

  111. approbation approval; commendation

  112. apse a semicircular or polygonal termination or recess in a building, usually vaulted and used especially at the end of a choir in a church

  113. aquavit a dry spirit, especially of Scandinavia, made from redistilled grain or potato alcohol and usually flavored with caraway seeds

  114. arbalest a powerful medieval crossbow with a steel bow, used to shoot stones, metal balls, arrows, etc.

  115. Arcadia a mountainous region of ancient Greece, traditionally known for the contented pastoral innocence of its people

  116. arcadian rural, rustic, or pastoral, especially suggesting simple, innocent contentment

  117. arcane known or understood by very few; mysterious; secret; obscure; esoteric

  118. arcanum a secret; mystery

  119. archegonium the female reproductive organ in ferns, mosses, etc.

  120. archiepiscopacy a form of church government in which power is vested in archbishops

  121. architrave a molded or decorated band framing a panel or an opening, especially a rectangular one, as of a door or window

  122. arcology a concept in which the ideal city is a massive vertical structure, which preserves more of the natural environment, a concept combining architecture and ecology as envisioned by Paolo Soleri

  123. areca any tropical Asian palm of the genus Areca, as the betel palm

  124. arete the aggregate of qualities, as valor and virtue, making up good character

  125. Areopagus a hill in Athens, Greece, W of the Acropolis

  126. argent like silver; silvery white

  127. arguendo for the sake of argument

  128. argyle a diamond-shaped pattern of two or more colors, used in knitting socks, sweaters, etc.

  129. Arhat a Buddhist who has attained Nirvana through rigorous discipline and ascetic practices

  130. aristology the science of dining

  131. armillary consisting of hoops or rings

  132. arnica any composite plant of the genus Arnica, having opposite leaves and yellow flower heads

  133. arpeggio the sounding of the notes of a chord in rapid succession instead of simultaneously

  134. arrack any of various spirituous liquors distilled in the East Indies and other parts of the East and Middle East from the fermented sap of toddy palms, or from fermented molasses, rice, or other materials

  135. arrant downright; thorough; unmitigated; notorious

  136. arriviste a person who has recently acquired unaccustomed status, wealth, or success, especially by dubious means and without earning concomitant esteem

  137. arrogate to claim unwarrantably or presumptuously; assume or appropriate to oneself without right

  138. arrondissement the largest administrative division of a French department, comprising a number of cantons

  139. arvo afternoon

  140. aseity existence originating from and having no source other than itself

  141. ashlar a squared building stone cut more or less true on all faces adjacent to those of other stones so as to permit very thin mortar joints

  142. ashplant a walking stick made from an ash sapling

  143. asinine foolish, unintelligent, or silly; stupid

  144. asperity harshness or sharpness of tone, temper, or manner; severity; acrimony

  145. asphodel any of various southern European plants of the genera Asphodelus and Asphodeline, of the lily family, having white, pink, or yellow flowers in elongated clusters

  146. aspidistra any of several plants belonging to the genus Aspidistra, of the lily family, native to eastern Asia, especially A. eliator, having large evergreen leaves often striped with white, and grown as a houseplant

  147. assegai the slender javelin or spear of the Bantu-speaking people of southern Africa or the tree from which they are made

  148. asseverate to declare earnestly or solemnly; affirm positively; aver

  149. assiduous constant; unremitting

  150. assizes a trial session, civil or criminal, held periodically in specific locations in England, usually by a judge of a superior court

  151. assonance Also called vowel rhyme. Prosody. Rhyme in which the same vowel sounds are used with different consonants in the stressed syllables of the rhyming words, as in penitent and reticence

  152. astrakhan a fur of young lambs, with lustrous, closely curled wool, from Astrakhan

  153. ataraxic a state of freedom from emotional disturbance and anxiety; tranquillity

  154. atavistic reverting to or suggesting the characteristics of a remote ancestor or primitive type

  155. ataxia loss of coordination of the muscles, especially of the extremities

  156. atelier a workshop or studio, especially of an artist, artisan, or designer

  157. atlatl spear-thrower

  158. attar a perfume or essential oil obtained from flowers or petals

  159. aubergine a dark purplish color

  160. auctorial of, by, or pertaining to an author

  161. au fait having experience or practical knowledge of a thing; expert; versed

  162. aught anything whatever; any part

  163. augur one of a group of ancient Roman officials charged with observing and interpreting omens for guidance in public affairs

  164. aurochs a large, black European wild ox, Bos primigenius: extinct since 1627

  165. auscultation the act of listening, either directly or through a stethoscope or other instrument, to sounds within the body as a method of diagnosis

  166. auteur a filmmaker whose individual style and complete control over all elements of production give a film its personal and unique stamp

  167. autochthonous pertaining to autochthons; aboriginal; indigenous (opposed to heterochthonous)

  168. autodidact a person who has learned a subject without the benefit of a teacher or formal education; a self-taught person

  169. automat a type of self-service restaurant in which customers obtain food from small compartments by depositing the required number of coins in slots so that the doors can be opened

  170. avast a command to stop or cease

  171. avatar the descent of a deity to the earth in an incarnate form or some manifest shape; the incarnation of a god

  172. aver to assert or affirm with confidence; declare in a positive or peremptory manner

  173. averse having a strong feeling of opposition, antipathy, repugnance, etc.; opposed

  174. avoirdupois bodily weight (informal)

  175. axial of, pertaining to, characterized by, or forming an axis

  176. axletree a bar, fixed crosswise under an animal-drawn vehicle, with a rounded spindle at each end upon which a wheel rotates

  177. axolotl a critically endangered salamander found in the elevated lakes of Mexico, Ambystoma mexicanum

  178. azoth mercury, regarded by alchemists as the assumed first principle of all metals

    A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

    B

  179. baba a spongelike cake leavened with yeast and often containing raisins, baked in a small mold and then usually soaked with a rum syrup

  180. babbitt any of various alloys of tin with smaller amounts of antimony and copper, used as an antifriction lining for bearings

  181. bacalao codfish, especially when dried and salted

  182. badinage light, playful banter or raillery

  183. bagatelle something of little value or importance; a trifle

  184. baksheesh a tip, present, or gratuity

  185. baize a soft, usually green, woolen or cotton fabric resembling felt, used chiefly for the tops of billiard tables

  186. bal musette a dance hall in France in which the music is provided by an accordion band

  187. bald open; undisguised

  188. balderdash senseless, stupid, or exaggerated talk or writing; nonsense

  189. baldric a belt, sometimes richly ornamented, worn diagonally from shoulder to hip, supporting a sword, horn, etc.

  190. baleen whalebone; an elastic, horny substance growing in place of teeth in the upper jaw of certain whales, and forming a series of thin, parallel plates on each side of the palate

  191. baleful full of menacing or malign influences; pernicious

  192. balk to stop, as at an obstacle, and refuse to proceed or to do something specified

  193. ballocks testes

  194. bamboozle to deceive or get the better of (someone) by trickery, flattery, or the like; humbug; hoodwink

  195. banns notice of an intended marriage, given three times in the parish church of each of the betrothed

  196. banquette a long bench with an upholstered seat, especially one along a wall, as in a restaurant

  197. barathea a closely woven fabric of silk, rayon, cotton, or wool, having a pebbled surface

  198. barbican an outwork of a fortified place, as a castle

  199. barcarole a boating song of the Venetian gondoliers

  200. bark also barque: a sailing vessel having three or more masts, square-rigged on all but the aftermost mast, which is fore-and-aft-rigged

  201. barm yeast formed on malt liquors while fermenting

  202. barouche a four-wheeled horse-drawn carriage with a collapsible hood over the rear half, a seat in front for the driver, and seats facing each other for the passengers, used especially in the 19th century

  203. barratry fraud by a master or crew at the expense of the owners of the ship or its cargo; the offense of frequently exciting and stirring up lawsuits and quarrels; the purchase or sale of ecclesiastical preferments or of offices of state

  204. barrow a hill

  205. basilisk a creature, variously described as a serpent, lizard, or dragon, said to kill by its breath or look

  206. basta enough; stop

  207. bastinado a mode of punishment consisting of blows with a stick on the soles of the feet or on the buttocks

  208. bate to moderate or restrain

  209. bathos a ludicrous descent from the exalted or lofty to the commonplace; anticlimax

  210. batman a soldier assigned to an officer as a servant

  211. battledore a game from which badminton was developed, played since ancient times in India and other Asian countries

  212. Baucis an aged Phrygian peasant woman who, with her husband Philemon, offered hospitality to the disguised Zeus and Hermes: they were rewarded by being saved from a flood and changed into trees

  213. baulk (balk) to stop, as at an obstacle, and refuse to proceed or to do something specified

  214. bawd a woman who maintains a brothel; madam

  215. beadle a parish officer having various subordinate duties, as keeping order during services, waiting on the rector, etc.

  216. beaverboard a light, stiff sheeting made of wood fiber and used in building, especially for partitions or temporary structures

  217. béchamel a white sauce, sometimes seasoned with onion and nutmeg

  218. bêche-de-mer a trepang

  219. bedight to deck out; array

  220. bedizen to dress or adorn in a showy, gaudy, or tasteless manner

  221. beetle to hang or tower over in a threatening or menacing manner

  222. behoof use; advantage; benefit

  223. belay to fasten (a rope) by winding around a pin or short rod inserted in a holder so that both ends of the rod are clear

  224. beldam an old woman, especially an ugly one; hag

  225. belike very likely; perhaps; probably

  226. belletristic of the nature of literature regarded as a fine art

  227. belvedere a building, or architectural feature of a building, designed and situated to look out upon a pleasing scene

  228. benighted intellectually or morally ignorant; unenlightened

  229. benison benediction

  230. bergamot a small citrus tree, Citrus aurantium bergamia, having fruit with a rind that yields a fragrant essential oil

  231. bergère a chair of the 18th century, having arms with closed spaces between them and the seat

  232. besom a broom, especially one of brush or twigs

  233. bespeak to ask for in advance

  234. bespoke made to individual order; custom-made

  235. bête noire a person or thing especially disliked or dreaded; bane; bugbear

  236. bethel a sacred area or sanctuary. Gen. 28:19

  237. betimes early; in good time

  238. bey a provincial governor in the Ottoman Empire

  239. bezel the diagonal face at the end of the blade of a chisel, or the like, leading to the edge

  240. bezique a game resembling pinochle, originally played with 64 cards and now more commonly with 128 cards and, sometimes, 192 or 256 cards

  241. bhakti selfless devotion as a means of reaching Brahman

  242. bialy a round, flat, leavened, soft roll made of white flour, having a crusty bottom and a depression at the center that is typically filled with an onion and poppy seed mixture

  243. bibulous fond of or addicted to drink

  244. bier a frame or stand on which a corpse or the coffin containing it is laid before burial

  245. bierstube a tavern or café offering German or German-style atmosphere, décor, food, beer, etc.

  246. bight the middle part of a rope, as distinguished from the ends

  247. biff a blow; punch

  248. bijou something small, delicate, and exquisitely wrought

  249. bildungsroman a type of novel concerned with the education, development, and maturing of a young protagonist

  250. bilious peevish; irritable; cranky

  251. billingsgate coarsely or vulgarly abusive language

  252. billow a great wave or surge of the sea

  253. biltong strips of lean meat dried in the open air

  254. bimah a platform in a synagogue holding the reading table used when chanting or reading portions of the Torah and the Prophets

  255. bindi a decorative dot worn in the middle of the forehead, esp by Hindu women

  256. bindweed any of various twining or vinelike plants, especially certain species of the genera Convolvulus and Calystegia

  257. binnacle a stand or enclosure of wood or nonmagnetic metal for supporting and housing a compass

  258. bint a contemptuous term used to refer to a woman or girl

  259. biretta a stiff square cap with three or four upright projecting pieces extending from the center of the top to the edge, worn by ecclesiastics

  260. biro trademark (Brit) a kind of ballpoint

  261. bittern any of several tawny brown herons that inhabit reedy marshes, as Botaurus lentiginosus (American bittern), of North America, and B. stellaris, of Europe

  262. blackcap any of several birds having the top of the head black, as the chickadee and certain warblers, especially the Old World blackcap, Sylvia atricapilla

  263. blackguard (n.) a low, contemptible person; scoundrel; (v.) to revile in scurrilous language

  264. blancmange a sweet pudding prepared with almond milk and gelatin and flavored with rum or kirsch

  265. blandish to coax or influence by gentle flattery; cajole

  266. blather foolish, voluble talk

  267. blatherskite a person who talks at great length without making much sense

  268. blini pancakes made with yeast and either white or buckwheat flour and traditionally served during Shrovetide with caviar and sour cream

  269. blithe joyous, merry, or gay in disposition; glad; cheerful

  270. blottesque painting characterized by blots or heavy touches; coarsely depicted; wanting in delineation

  271. bloater a herring cured by being salted and briefly smoked and dried

  272. blotto very drunk; so drunk as to be unconscious or not know what one is doing

  273. bloviate to speak pompously

  274. blowsy disheveled in appearance; unkempt

  275. blowzy having a coarse, ruddy complexion; disheveled in appearance; unkempt

  276. bluestocking a woman with considerable scholarly, literary, or intellectual ability or interest

  277. bocage a decorative motif of trees, branches, or foliage, as in a tapestry or a ceramic figure group

  278. boding a foreboding; omen

  279. boffin a scientist or technical expert

  280. bogosity the degree to which something is "bogus" in the hackish sense of "bad". At CMU, bogosity is measured with a bogometer; in a seminar, when a speaker says something bogus, a listener might raise his hand and say "My bogometer just triggered". More extremely, "You just pinned my bogometer" means you just said or did something so outrageously bogus that it is off the scale, pinning the bogometer needle at the highest possible reading (one might also say "You just redlined my bogometer"). The agreed-upon unit of bogosity is the microLenat. Also, the potential field generated by a bogon flux

  281. bogy a hobgoblin; evil spirit

  282. bogey a golf score of one stroke over par on a hole

  283. boggle to overwhelm or bewilder, as with the magnitude, complexity, or abnormality of

  284. boho bohemian

  285. bole the stem or trunk of a tree

  286. bollard a thick, low post, usually of iron or steel, mounted on a wharf or the like, to which mooring lines from vessels are attached

  287. bollix to do (something) badly; bungle (often followed by up)

  288. bollocks rubbish; nonsense; claptrap

  289. bolter a movable bar or rod that when slid into a socket fastens a door, gate, etc.

  290. bolus a soft, roundish mass or lump, especially of chewed food

  291. bombastic high-sounding; high-flown; inflated; pretentious

  292. bombazine a twill fabric constructed of a silk or rayon warp and worsted filling, often dyed black for mourning wear

  293. bombinate to make a humming or buzzing noise

  294. bonce head; skull

  295. boob a stupid person; fool; dunce

  296. booby a stupid person

  297. boodle to obtain money dishonestly, as by bribery or swindling

  298. bothy a hut or small cottage

  299. boudin a blood sausage (boudin noir) or sometimes a white sausage (boudin blanc), made of chicken, pork, or veal

  300. boudoir a woman's bedroom or private sitting room

  301. bouffe a comic opera, especially of farcical character

  302. bounder an obtrusive, ill-bred man

  303. bourse a stock exchange, especially the stock exchange of certain European cities

  304. bosh absurd or foolish talk; nonsense

  305. bosom intimate or confidential

  306. bozo a fellow, especially a big, strong, stupid fellow

  307. brachiate having widely spreading branches in alternate pairs

  308. brachycephalic short-headed; having a cephalic index of 81.0–85.4

  309. braciola a flat piece of veal or beef rolled around a filling and baked in stock and wine

  310. bracken a large fern or brake, especially Pteridium aquilinum

  311. bract a specialized leaf or leaflike part, usually situated at the base of a flower or inflorescence

  312. bradawl an awl for making small holes in wood for brads

  313. braggadocio empty boasting; bragging

  314. brannigan a carouse

  315. branzino a silvery sea bass, Dicentrarchus labrax, found in the eastern Atlantic, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Black Sea

  316. bravura a display of daring; brilliant performance

  317. brevet a commission promoting a military officer to a higher rank without increase of pay and with limited exercise of the higher rank, often granted as an honor immediately before retirement

  318. brewis hard bread soaked in water and then boiled

  319. brickbat a piece of broken brick, especially one used as a missilea piece of broken brick, especially one used as a missile

  320. bricolage a construction made of whatever materials are at hand; something created from a variety of available things

  321. brilliantine an oily preparation used to make the hair lustrous

  322. brindle colored gray or tawny with darker streaks or spots

  323. brio vigor; vivacity

  324. brit the group of small marine animals forming the food of whalebone whales

  325. brodie a suicidal or daredevil leap; wild dive; a sharp reversal in a vehicle's direction by sudden application of the brakes and wrenching of the steering wheel

  326. brogue a coarse, usually untanned leather shoe once worn in Ireland and Scotland

  327. bromide a platitude or trite saying

  328. brusque abrupt in manner; blunt; rough

  329. brumal wintry

  330. brume mist; fog

  331. brutalism the aesthetic use of basic building processes with no apparent concern for visual amenity

  332. buckram a stiff cotton fabric for interlinings, book bindings, etc.

  333. buddleia any shrub belonging to the genus Buddleia, of the logania family, having opposite, lance-shaped leaves and clusters of flowers, comprising the butterfly bushes

  334. budgerigar an Australian parakeet, Melopsittacus undulatus, having greenish plumage with black and yellow markings, bred as a pet in a variety of colors

  335. bufflehead a small North American duck, Bucephala albeola, the male of which has bushy head plumage

  336. bugger a fellow or lad (used affectionately or abusively)

  337. bulldoze to coerce or intimidate, as with threats

  338. bumptious offensively self-assertive

  339. bungstarter a mallet for loosening or removing the bung of a cask

  340. bur a rough, prickly case around the seeds of certain plants, as the chestnut or burdock

  341. burgeon to grow or develop quickly; flourish

  342. burly large in bodily size; stout; sturdy

  343. burrren a limestone area on the North Clare coast in the Irish Republic, famous for its wild flowers, caves, and dolmens

  344. bursary the treasury of a monastery

  345. bushwa rubbishy nonsense; baloney; bull

  346. busk to entertain by dancing, singing, or reciting on the street or in a public place

  347. buskin a thick-soled, laced boot or half boot

  348. bustard any of several large, chiefly terrestrial and ground-running birds of the family Otididae, of the Old World and Australia, related to the cranes

  349. bwana master, boss

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  350. caber a pole or beam, especially one thrown as a trial of strength

  351. cable a nautical unit of measure equal to one tenth of a nautical mile or approximately 100 fathoms

  352. cabochon a precious stone of convex hemispherical or oval form, polished but not cut into facets

  353. cachaca a Brazilian white rum made from sugarcane

  354. cachalot sperm whale

  355. cachet an official seal, as on a letter or document

  356. cachinnation raucous laughter

  357. cachou a pill or lozenge for sweetening the breath

  358. cack-handed clumsy; lacking skill with the hands

  359. cacography bad handwriting; poor penmanship

  360. cadge to obtain by imposing on another's generosity or friendship

  361. caftan a long, full, usually collarless robe with wide sleeves that is worn at home for lounging or entertaining or at the beach as a cover-up

  362. cagey cautious, wary, or shrewd

  363. caipirinha Brazil's national cocktail

  364. caitiff a contemptible or cowardly person

  365. calash a light vehicle pulled by one or two horses, seating two to four passengers, and having two or four wheels, a seat for a driver on a splashboard, and sometimes a folding top

  366. calcimine a white or tinted wash for walls, ceilings, etc.

  367. calcine to convert into calx by heating or burning

  368. calèche a type of calash pulled by a single horse, seating two passengers and having two wheels and a folding top

  369. caliche a surface deposit consisting of sand or clay impregnated with crystalline salts such as sodium nitrate or sodium chloride

  370. calico a plain-woven cotton cloth printed with a figured pattern, usually on one side

  371. caliginous misty; dim; dark

  372. callipygian having well-shaped buttocks

  373. calomel a white, tasteless powder, Hg2Cl2, used chiefly as a purgative and fungicide

  374. caltrop an iron ball with four projecting spikes so disposed that when the ball is on the ground one of them always points upward: used to obstruct the passage of cavalry, armored vehicles, etc.

  375. calumny a false and malicious statement designed to injure the reputation of someone or something

  376. calvados a dry apple brandy made from apple cider in Normandy

  377. calx the oxide or ashy substance that remains after metals, minerals, etc., have been thoroughly roasted or burned

  378. calyx Botany. the outermost group of floral parts; the sepals

  379. camber a slight arching, upward curve, or convexity, as of the deck of a ship

  380. cambiata a melodic ornamental tone following a principal tone by a skip, usually of a third above or below, and progressing by a step

  381. cambric a thin, plain cotton or linen fabric of fine close weave, usually white

  382. camion a truck used for carrying freight or military supplies, equipment, and troops

  383. campanile a bell tower, especially one freestanding from the body of a church

  384. canaille riffraff; rabble

  385. canalize to divert into certain channels; give a certain direction to or provide a certain outlet for

  386. cangue (formerly in China) a large wooden collar worn by petty criminals as a punishment

  387. cannikin a small can or drinking cup

  388. cannula a metal tube for insertion into the body to draw off fluid or to introduce medication

  389. canny careful; cautious; prudent

  390. canola a variety of rapeseed that contains reduced levels of erucic acid, making its oil palatable for human consumption, and reduced levels of a toxic glucosin, making its meal desirable as a livestock feed

  391. cant insincere, especially conventional expressions of enthusiasm for high ideals, goodness, or piety; the private language of the underworld; a slanting or tilted position

  392. cantharides Spanish fly

  393. canthus the angle or corner on each side of the eye, formed by the junction of the upper and lower lids

  394. canticle one of the nonmetrical hymns or chants, chiefly from the Bible, used in church services

  395. cantle the hind part of a saddle, usually curved upward

  396. cantonment a camp, usually of large size, where men are trained for military service

  397. cantrip artful shamming meant to deceive

  398. canty cheerful; lively

  399. caparison a decorative covering for a horse or for the tack or harness of a horse; trappings

  400. capoeira a dance form incorporating martial arts elements, originating in Brazil as a system of physical discipline and movement

  401. capsicum any plant of the genus Capsicum, of the nightshade family, as C. annuum, the common pepper of the garden, occurring in many varieties

  402. captious apt to notice and make much of trivial faults or defects; faultfinding; difficult to please

  403. caravansary any large inn or hotel

  404. carbuncle a painful circumscribed inflammation of the subcutaneous tissue, resulting in suppuration and sloughing, and having a tendency to spread somewhat like a boil, but more serious in its effects

  405. cardamom the aromatic seed capsules of a tropical Asian plant, Elettaria cardamomum, of the ginger family, used as a spice or condiment and in medicine

  406. carillon a set of stationary bells hung in a tower and sounded by manual or pedal action, or by machinery

  407. carking distressful

  408. carminative expelling gas from the body; relieving flatulence

  409. carom any strike and rebound, as a ball striking a wall and glancing off

  410. carnelian also corneilian: a red or reddish variety of chalcedony, used in jewelry

  411. carrel a small recess or enclosed area in a library stack, designed for individual study or reading

  412. caryatid a sculptured female figure used as a column

  413. cascara a buckthorn, Rhamnus purshiana, of the Pacific coast of the U.S., having finely toothed leaves and flowers in umbels and yielding cascara sagrada

  414. case-knife a knife carried or kept in a case or sheath

  415. castellated built like a castle, especially with turrets and battlements

  416. caster a metal container for sugar, pepper, etc., having a perforated top to permit sprinkling; dredger; muffineer

  417. castigate to criticize or reprimand severely

  418. casuistry specious, deceptive, or oversubtle reasoning, especially in questions of morality; fallacious or dishonest application of general principles; sophistry

  419. catafalque a raised structure on which the body of a deceased person lies or is carried in state

  420. catalectic (of a line of verse) lacking part of the last foot; metrically incomplete

  421. catamite a boy or youth who is in a sexual relationship with a man

  422. cataract a descent of water over a steep surface; a waterfall, especially one of considerable size

  423. catarrh inflammation of a mucous membrane, especially of the respiratory tract, accompanied by excessive secretions

  424. catechism a series of formal questions put, as to political candidates, to bring out their views

  425. cathexis the investment of emotional significance in an activity, object, or idea

  426. catkin a spike of unisexual, apetalous flowers having scaly, usually deciduous bracts, as of a willow or birch

  427. cat's-paw a person used to serve the purposes of another; tool

  428. catttleya any of several tropical American orchids of the genus Cattleya, having showy flowers ranging from white to purple

  429. catty slyly malicious; spiteful

  430. caul a part of the amnion sometimes covering the head of a child at birth

  431. cavalcade a procession of persons riding on horses, in horsedrawn carriages, in cars, etc.

  432. cavil to raise irritating and trivial objections; find fault with unnecessarily (usually followed by at or about)

  433. cayuse a horse, especially an (American) Indian pony

  434. censorious severely critical; faultfinding; carping

  435. cenotaph a sepulchral monument erected in memory of a deceased person whose body is buried elsewhere

  436. cereus any of various plants of the genus Cereus, of the cactus family, having large, usually white, funnel-shaped flowers

  437. cerise moderate to deep red

  438. cerulean deep blue; sky blue; azure

  439. ceruse a pigment composed of white lead

  440. cestus a girdle or belt, especially as worn by women of ancient Greece

  441. ceteris paribus other things being equal

  442. ceviche an appetizer of small pieces of raw fish marinated in lime or lemon juice, often with onions, peppers, and spices

  443. chaff to mock, tease, or jest in a good-natured way; banter

  444. chagrin a feeling of vexation, marked by disappointment or humiliation

  445. chalcedony a microcrystalline, translucent variety of quartz, often milky or grayish

  446. challah a loaf of rich white bread leavened with yeast and containing eggs, often braided before baking, prepared especially for the Jewish Sabbath

  447. chamois an agile, goatlike antelope, Rupicapra rupicapra, of high mountains of Europe: now rare in some areas

  448. champers champagne

  449. chancel the space about the altar of a church, usually enclosed, for the clergy and other officials

  450. chanteuse a female singer, especially one who sings in nightclubs and cabarets

  451. chapeau hat

  452. chaplet a wreath or garland for the head

  453. charabanc a large bus used on sightseeing tours, especially one with open sides and no center aisle

  454. charade a blatant pretense or deception, especially something so full of pretense as to be a travesty

  455. charcuterie a store where pork products, as hams, sausages, and pâtés are sold

  456. charcutier a pork butcher

  457. charnel a repository for dead bodies

  458. chary cautious or careful; wary

  459. chasten to inflict suffering upon for purposes of moral improvement; chastise

  460. chatelaine the mistress of a castle

  461. chattel a movable article of personal property

  462. chemmy chemin de fer (a card game)

  463. chemise a dress designed to hang straight from the shoulders and fit loosely at the waist, sometimes more tightly at the hip

  464. chenille a velvety cord or yarn of silk or worsted, for embroidery, fringes, etc.

  465. cheongsam a form-fitting, knee-length dress with a mandarin collar and slit skirt, worn chiefly by Chinese women

  466. chervil an herb, Anthriscus cerefolium, of the parsley family, having aromatic leaves used to flavor soups, salads, etc.

  467. chesterfield a large, overstuffed sofa or divan with a back and upholstered arms

  468. chevelure a head of hair

  469. chevy to chase; run after

  470. chiaroscuro the distribution of light and shade in a picture

  471. chibouk a Turkish tobacco pipe with a stiff stem sometimes 4 or 5 feet (1.2 or 1.5 meters) long

  472. chicha a beer made from fermented corn in South and Central America

  473. chickee an open-sided structure, usually thatched with palms and serving as a dwelling

  474. chiffon a sheer fabric of silk, nylon, or rayon in plain weave

  475. chiffonier a high chest of drawers or bureau, often having a mirror on top

  476. chignon a large, smooth twist, roll, or knot of hair, worn by women at the nape of the neck or the back of the head

  477. chiliasm the doctrine of Christ's expected return to reign on earth for 1000 years; millennialism

  478. chimerical unreal; imaginary; visionary

  479. chinch bedbug

  480. chine the backbone or spine, especially of an animal

  481. chino a tough, twilled cotton cloth used for uniforms, sports clothes, etc.

  482. chintz a printed cotton fabric, glazed or unglazed, used especially for draperies

  483. chintzy cheap, inferior, or gaudy

  484. chipolata a small sausage in a narrow casing

  485. chirography handwriting; penmanship

  486. chit a note; short memorandum

  487. chiton a mollusk of the class Amphineura, having a mantle covered with calcareous plates, found adhering to rocks; a gown or tunic, with or without sleeves, worn by both sexes in ancient Greece

  488. chitterlings the small intestine of swine, especially when prepared as food

  489. chivvvy chevy

  490. chlamys a short, fine woolen mantle worn by men in ancient Greece

  491. chockablock extremely full; crowded; jammed

  492. chock-full full to the limit; crammed

  493. choler irascibility; anger; wrath; irritability

  494. chook hen, woman

  495. chortle to chuckle gleefully

  496. chouse to swindle; cheat

  497. chthonic of or pertaining to the deities, spirits, and other beings dwelling under the earth

  498. chuff a rustic

  499. chuffed delighted; pleased; satisfied

  500. churl a rude, boorish, or surly person; historically, a freeman of the lowest rank

  501. chypre a perfume made from sandalwood

  502. chyron a text-based graphic overlay displayed at the bottom of a television screen or film frame, as closed captioning or the crawl of a newscast

  503. ciborium any container designed to hold the consecrated bread or sacred wafers for the Eucharist

  504. cicatrix new tissue that forms over a wound and later contracts into a scar

  505. cicerone a person who conducts sightseers; guide

  506. ciénaga a swamp or marsh, especially one formed and fed by springs

  507. cinquecento the 16th century, with reference to Italy, especially to the Italian art or literature of that period

  508. cisgender noting or relating to a person whose gender identity corresponds with that person’s biological sex assigned at birth

  509. civet any catlike, carnivorous mammal of the subfamily Viverrinae, chiefly of southern Asia and Africa, having a coarse-haired, spotted coat, rounded ears, and a narrow muzzle

  510. clafouti a tart made of fruit, especially cherries, baked in a thick, sweet batter

  511. clade a taxonomic group of organisms classified together on the basis of homologous features traced to a common ancestor

  512. clangor a loud, resonant sound; clang

  513. clathrate resembling a lattice; divided or marked like latticework

  514. clepsydra an ancient device for measuring time by the regulated flow of water or mercury through a small aperture

  515. cloaca a sewer, especially an ancient sewer

  516. cloche a bell-shaped metal or glass cover placed over a plate to keep food warm or fresh

  517. cloister a covered walk, especially in a religious institution, having an open arcade or colonnade usually opening onto a courtyard

  518. cloy to weary by an excess of food, sweetness, pleasure, etc.; surfeit; satiate

  519. cloying causing or tending to cause disgust or aversion through excess

  520. Clytemnestra the daughter of Tyndareus and Leda, the wife of Agamemnon, and the mother of Orestes, Electra, and Iphigenia. She killed Agamemnon and was herself killed, along with her lover, Aegisthus, by Orestes

  521. cockatrice a legendary monster with a deadly glance, supposedly hatched by a serpent from the egg of a cock, and commonly represented with the head, legs, and wings of a cock and the body and tail of a serpent

  522. cocker to pamper

  523. cockwomble a person, usually male, prone to making outrageously stupid statements and/or inappropriate behavior while generally having a very high opinion of their own wisdom and importance

  524. coda a more or less independent passage, at the end of a composition, introduced to bring it to a satisfactory close

  525. codswallop nonsense; rubbish

  526. coelostat an apparatus consisting of a mirror driven by clockwork, used to enable a fixed telescope to keep the same area of sky in its field of view by compensating for the apparent rotation of the celestial sphere

  527. coeval of the same age, date, or duration; equally old

  528. cogent convincing or believable by virtue of forcible, clear, or incisive presentation; telling

  529. cognate related by birth; of the same parentage, descent, etc.

  530. cognomen a surname

  531. col a pass or depression in a mountain range or ridge

  532. collate to gather or arrange in their proper sequence (the pages of a report, the sheets of a book, the pages of several sets of copies, etc.)

  533. collation a light meal that may be permitted on days of general fast

  534. collodion a yellowish, viscous, highly flammable solution of pyroxylin in ether and alcohol: used in the manufacture of photographic film, in engraving and lithography, and in medicine chiefly for cementing dressings and sealing wounds

  535. collop a small slice, portion, or piece of anything

  536. colloquy a conversational exchange; dialogue

  537. collywobbles intestinal cramps or other intestinal disturbances

  538. colophon a publisher's or printer's distinctive emblem, used as an identifying device on its books and other works

  539. colophony rosin

  540. coltan a metallic ore found esp in the E Congo, consisting of columbite and tantalite (a source of the element tantalum)

  541. columbarium a sepulchral vault or other structure with recesses in the walls to receive the ashes of the dead

  542. comestibles articles of food; edibles

  543. comfrey any coarse Eurasian plant belonging to the genus Symphytum, of the borage family, as the widely cultivated S. officinale, having hairy, lance-shaped leaves and drooping clusters of small, white, rose-colored, or purplish flowers

  544. commensal eating together at the same table

  545. commis an assistant, especially to a chef

  546. compeer an equal in rank, ability, accomplishment, etc.; peer; colleague

  547. compendium a brief treatment or account of a subject, especially an extensive subject; concise treatise

  548. complicit choosing to be involved in an illegal or questionable act, especially with others

  549. compos mentis sane; mentally sound (used especially in a legal context)

  550. comptometer a high-speed calculating machine: superseded by electronic calculators

  551. compunction a feeling of uneasiness or anxiety of the conscience caused by regret for doing wrong or causing pain; contrition; remorse; any uneasiness or hesitation about the rightness of an action

  552. conation the part of mental life having to do with striving, including desire and volition

  553. concertina a musical instrument resembling an accordion but having buttonlike keys, hexagonal bellows and ends, and a more limited range

  554. concomitent existing or occurring with something else, often in a lesser way; accompanying; concurrent

  555. concupiscence sexual desire; lust

  556. concupiscet lustful or sensual

  557. condign well-deserved; fitting; adequate

  558. condole to express sympathy with a person who is suffering sorrow, misfortune, or grief (usually followed by with)

  559. confabulate to converse informally; chat

  560. confess to acknowledge or avow (a fault, crime, misdeed, weakness, etc.) by way of revelation

  561. confiture a confection; a preserve, as of fruit

  562. confusticate to confuse

  563. confute to prove to be false, invalid, or defective; disprove

  564. congener a person or thing of the same kind or class as another

  565. conkers British a game in which a player swings a horse chestnut (conker), threaded onto a string, against that of another player to try to break it

  566. connatural belonging to a person or thing by nature or from birth or origin; inborn

  567. conniption a fit of hysterical excitement or anger

  568. connive to avoid noticing something that one is expected to oppose or condemn; give aid to wrongdoing by forbearing to act or speak

  569. conscious aware of one's own existence, sensations, thoughts, surroundings, etc.

  570. consilience not defined in dictionary.com; definition by google.com: agreement between the approaches to a topic of different academic subjects, especially science and the humanities

  571. conspectus a general or comprehensive view; survey

  572. contemn to treat or regard with disdain, scorn, or contempt

  573. contrariety the quality or state of being contrary

  574. contumacy stubborn perverseness or rebelliousness; willful and obstinate resistance or disobedience to authority

  575. contumely a humiliating insult

  576. contusion an injury, as from a blow with a blunt instrument, in which the subsurface tissue is injured but the skin is not broken; bruise

  577. conurbation an extensive urban area resulting from the expansion of several cities or towns so that they coalesce but usually retain their separate identities

  578. convolvulus any plant belonging to the genus Convolvulus, of the morning glory family, comprising twining or prostrate plants having trumpet-shaped flowers

  579. cootie a louse, especially one affecting humans, as the body louse, head louse, or pubic louse

  580. cope to struggle or deal, especially on fairly even terms or with some degree of success (usually followed by with)

  581. coper a horse dealer

  582. copestone the top stone of a building or other structure

  583. copse a thicket of small trees or bushes; a small wood; coppice

  584. coquette a woman who flirts lightheartedly with men to win their admiration and affection; flirt

  585. coralline composed of coral or having the structure of coral

  586. corbel any bracket, especially one of brick or stone, usually of slight extent

  587. cornball a person who indulges in clichés or sentimentality, corny

  588. corncrake a short-billed Eurasian rail, Crex crex, frequenting grainfields

  589. cornel any tree or shrub of the genus Cornus; dogwood

  590. corniche a winding road cut into the side of a steep hill or along the face of a coastal cliff

  591. corny old-fashioned, trite, or lacking in subtlety

  592. corposant another name for Saint Elmo's fire

  593. cortege a procession, especially a ceremonial one

  594. coruscate to emit vivid flashes of light; sparkle; scintillate; gleam

  595. corvée unpaid labor for one day, as on the repair of roads, exacted by a feudal lord

  596. coryza acute inflammation of the mucous membrane of the nasal cavities; cold in the head

  597. cosh a blackjack; bludgeon

  598. cosmogony a theory or story of the origin and development of the universe, the solar system, or the earth-moon system

  599. cosset a lamb brought up without its dam; pet lamb; any pet

  600. cote a shelter, coop, or small shed for sheep, pigs, pigeons, etc.

  601. coterminous having the same border or covering the same area

  602. cotillion a formal ball given especially for debutantes

  603. couchant lying down; crouching

  604. coulee a deep ravine or gulch, usually dry, that has been formed by running water

  605. coup de foudre a sudden unexpected event, especially an emotional one; love at first sight

  606. counterpane a quilt or coverlet for a bed; bedspread

  607. couturier a person who designs, makes, and sells fashionable clothes for women

  608. courgette zucchini

  609. coxcomb a conceited, foolish dandy; pretentious fop

  610. coy artfully or affectedly shy or reserved; slyly hesitant; coquettish

  611. cozen to cheat, deceive, or trick

  612. crackaloo not in Dictionary.com (from a Rex Stout novel)

  613. cramoisie crimson

  614. craquelure a network of fine cracks or crackles on the surface of a painting, caused chiefly by shrinkage of paint film or varnish

  615. cratur a person

  616. craven cowardly; contemptibly timid; pusillanimous

  617. créche a home for foundlings

  618. crenshaw a variety of melon resembling the casaba, having pinkish flesh

  619. creolized (of a language) formerly a pidgin but now the native language of a group of speakers, with consequent enrichment of the vocabulary by borrowing and creation

  620. crepe a lightweight fabric of silk, cotton, or other fiber, with a finely crinkled or ridged surface

  621. crepitate to make a crackling sound; crackle

  622. crepitus a crackling chest sound heard in pneumonia and other lung diseases; the grating sound of two ends of a broken bone rubbing together

  623. crepuscular of, pertaining to, or resembling twilight; dim; indistinct

  624. cretonne a heavy cotton material in colorfully printed designs, used especially for drapery and slipcovers

  625. cri de coeur an anguished cry of distress or indignation; outcry

  626. crinoid any echinoderm of the class Crinoidea, having a cup-shaped body to which are attached branched, radiating arms, comprising the sea lilies, feather stars, and various fossil forms

  627. croft a small plot of ground adjacent to a house and used as a kitchen garden, to pasture one or two cows, etc.; a garden large enough to feed a family or have commercial value

  628. croon to sing in an evenly modulated, slightly exaggerated manner

  629. crotalidae New World vipers: pit vipers

  630. croup any condition of the larynx or trachea characterized by a hoarse cough and difficult breathing; the highest part of the rump of a quadruped, especially a horse

  631. crucian a European cyprinid fish, Carassius carassius, with a dark-green back, a golden-yellow undersurface, and reddish dorsal and tail fins: an aquarium fish

  632. crumby soft

  633. crumhorn a Renaissance musical reed instrument having a cylindrical tube curved at the end

  634. crupper a leather strap fastened to the saddle of a harness and looping under the tail of a horse to prevent the harness from slipping forward

  635. crural of or relating to the leg or the hind limb

  636. cuculiform of, relating to, or belonging to the order Cuculiformes, which includes the cuckoos

  637. cultus lingcod

  638. culvert a drain or channel crossing under a road, sidewalk, etc.; sewer; conduit

  639. cucurbit a gourd

  640. cumshaw a present; gratuity; tip

  641. cupidity eager or excessive desire, especially to possess something; greed; avarice

  642. cupule a cup-shaped whorl of hardened, cohering bracts, as in the acorn

  643. curate any ecclesiastic entrusted with the cure of souls, as a parish priest

  644. curlew any of several shorebirds of the genus Numenius, having a long, slender, downcurved bill, as the common N. arquata, of Europe

  645. curricle a light, two-wheeled, open carriage drawn by two horses abreast

  646. curriery the occupation or business of a currier of leather

  647. cushat the ringdove, Colomba palumbus

  648. cynghanedd a complex system of rhyme and alliteration used in Welsh verse

  649. cyclamen any low-growing plant of the genus Cyclamen, belonging to the primrose family, having tuberous rootstocks and nodding white, purple, pink, or crimson flowers with reflexed petals

  650. cyclorama a pictorial representation, in perspective, of a landscape, battle, etc., on the inner wall of a cylindrical room or hall, viewed by spectators occupying a position in the center

  651. cygnet a young swan

  652. cynosure something that strongly attracts attention by its brilliance, interest, etc.

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  653. dacoit (in India and Burma) a member of a class of criminals who engage in organized robbery and murder

  654. dado Also called die. Architecture. the part of a pedestal between the base and the cornice or cap

  655. daft senseless, stupid, or foolish

  656. daikon a large, elongated, white winter radish, Raphanus sativus longipinnatus, used especially in Asian cuisine and sometimes pickled

  657. dais a raised platform, as at the front of a room, for a lectern, throne, seats of honor, etc.

  658. dale a valley, especially a broad valley

  659. dalek any of a set of fictional robot-like creations that are aggressive, mobile, and produce rasping staccato speech

  660. dally to waste time; loiter; delay; to act playfully, especially in an amorous or flirtatious way

  661. damask a reversible fabric of linen, silk, cotton, or wool, woven with patterns

  662. damfool a person who is exceptionally stupid or foolish

  663. dandlel to move (a baby, child, etc.) lightly up and down, as on one's knee or in one's arms

  664. dapple a spot or mottled marking, usually occurring in clusters

  665. darkling vaguely threatening or menacing

  666. darshan a preacher or teacher of Aggadah or Halakhah in a synagogue

  667. daruma a large red papier-mâché Japanese doll in the form of a seated potbellied Buddhist monk: considered a bringer of luck and prosperity

  668. dastard a mean, sneaking coward

  669. dauber to apply, as paint or colors, unskillfully

  670. davenport a large sofa, often one convertible into a bed

  671. davit any of various cranelike devices used singly or in pairs for supporting, raising, and lowering especially boats, anchors, and cargo over a hatchway or side of a ship

  672. debridement surgical removal of foreign matter and dead tissue from a wound

  673. decanal of or relating to a dean or deanery

  674. declaim to speak aloud in an oratorical manner; make a formal speech

  675. declaim to speak aloud in an oratorical manner; make a formal speech

  676. décolleté (of a garment) low-necked

  677. decorticate to remove the bark, husk, or outer covering from

  678. defalcation misappropriation of money or funds held by an official, trustee, or other fiduciary

  679. defenestrate to throw (a person or thing) out of a window

  680. defilade protection or shielding from hostile ground observation and flat projecting fire provided by an artificial or natural obstacle, as a hill

  681. deft dexterous; nimble; skillful; clever

  682. degust to taste or savor carefully or appreciatively

  683. dehiscence the natural bursting open of capsules, fruits, anthers, etc., for the discharge of their

  684. dekko a look or glance

  685. delectation delight; enjoyment

  686. deliquesce to become liquid by absorbing moisture from the air, as certain salts

  687. delusive tending to delude; misleading; deceptive

  688. delve to carry on intensive and thorough research for data, information, or the like; investigate

  689. deme one of the administrative divisions of ancient Attica and of modern Greece

  690. demesne possession of land as one's own

  691. demijohn a large bottle having a short, narrow neck, and usually being encased in wickerwork

  692. demimonde (especially during the last half of the 19th century) a class of women who have lost their standing in respectable society because of indiscreet behavior or sexual promiscuity

  693. demiurge (in the Gnostic and certain other systems) a supernatural being imagined as creating or fashioning the world in subordination to the Supreme Being, and sometimes regarded as the originator of evil

  694. demotic of or pertaining to the common people; popular

  695. demure characterized by shyness and modesty; reserved

  696. denegation denial; contradiction

  697. deodar a large Himalayan cedar, Cedrus deodara, yielding a durable wood

  698. deracinate to pull up by the roots; uproot; extirpate; eradicate

  699. derogate to detract, as from authority, estimation, etc.

  700. descant talk tediously or at length

  701. desideratum something wanted or needed

  702. desquamate to come off in scales, as the skin in certain diseases; peel off

  703. desuetude the state of being no longer used or practiced

  704. dervish a member of any of various Muslim ascetic orders, as the Sufis, some of which carry on ecstatic observances, such as energetic dancing and whirling or vociferous chanting or shouting

  705. detritus rock in small particles or other material worn or broken away from a mass, as by the action of water or glacial ice

  706. deuced devilish; confounded; damned

  707. deus ex machina (in ancient Greek and Roman drama) a god introduced into a play to resolve the entanglements of the plot

  708. dewlap a pendulous fold of skin under the throat of a bovine animal

  709. dharma essential quality or character, as of the cosmos or one's own nature

  710. diablerie diabolic magic or art; sorcery; witchcraft

  711. diadem a crown

  712. dialectic of, relating to, or of the nature of logical argumentation

  713. diapason a full, rich outpouring of melodious sound

  714. diaphanous very sheer and light; almost completely transparent or translucent

  715. diathesis a constitutional predisposition or tendency, as to a particular disease or affection

  716. diatonic noting those scales that contain five whole tones and two semitones, as the major, minor, and certain modal scales

  717. diatribe a bitter, sharply abusive denunciation, attack, or criticism

  718. dickens devil; deuce (usually preceded by the and often used in exclamations and as a mild imprecation)

  719. diction style of speaking or writing as dependent upon choice of words

  720. didactic intended for instruction; instructive

  721. diddikai a person of partial Gypsy extraction

  722. diddle to cheat; swindle; hoax

  723. dido a mischievous trick; prank; antic; a bauble or trifle

  724. Dies Irae a Latin hymn on the Day of Judgment, commonly sung in a Requiem Mass

  725. diffident lacking confidence in one's own ability, worth, or fitness; timid; shy

  726. dilatory tending to delay or procrastinate; slow; tardy

  727. dinghy a boat used by warships, having four single-banked oars and a spritsail

  728. dingus a gadget, device, or object whose name is unknown or forgotten

  729. dink dinghy

  730. dinkum genuine; authentic

  731. dioptre a unit for measuring the refractive power of a lens: the reciprocal of the focal length of the lens expressed in metres

  732. diorite a granular igneous rock consisting essentially of plagioclase feldspar and hornblende

  733. dirndl a woman's dress with a close-fitting bodice and full skirt, commonly of colorful and strikingly patterned material, fashioned after Tyrolean peasant wear

  734. disarticulate to make or become disjointed, as the bones of a body or stems of a plant

  735. discomfiture disconcertion; confusion; embarrassment

  736. disembogue to discharge contents by pouring forth

  737. dishabille the state of being dressed in a careless, disheveled, or disorderly style or manner; undress

  738. disingenuous lacking in frankness, candor, or sincerity; falsely or hypocritically ingenuous; insincere

  739. dispensationalism the interpreting of history as a series of divine dispensations

  740. dispositive involving or affecting disposition or settlement

  741. disquisition a formal discourse or treatise in which a subject is examined and discussed; dissertation

  742. dissimulate to conceal one's true motives, thoughts, etc., by some pretense; speak or act hypocritically

  743. distaff a staff with a cleft end for holding wool, flax, etc., from which the thread is drawn in spinning by hand

  744. distrait inattentive because of distracting worries, fears, etc.; absent-minded

  745. dither to act irresolutely; vacillate

  746. divagate to wander; stray

  747. djebel a mountain

  748. djellaba a loose-fitting hooded gown or robe worn by men in North Africa

  749. doggerel comic or burlesque, and usually loose or irregular in measure

  750. doggo in concealment; out of sight

  751. dogie a motherless calf in a cattle herd

  752. dogsbody a menial worker; drudge

  753. doleful sorrowful; mournful; melancholy

  754. dolerite a coarse-grained variety of basalt

  755. dolichocephalic long-headed; having a cephalic index of 75 and under

  756. dollymop not in Dictionary.com, found in Urban Dictionary: A prostitute, often an amateur or a part-time street girl; a midinette. Victorian-era slang

  757. dominie a schoolmaster

  758. donjon the inner tower, keep, or stronghold of a castle

  759. doofus a foolish or inept person

  760. doozie something that is extraordinary or outstanding of its kind

  761. dorado dolphin (mahimahi)

  762. doss a place to sleep, especially in a cheap lodging house

  763. dosser an ornamental covering for the back of a seat, especially a throne or the like

  764. dottle the plug of half-smoked tobacco in the bottom of a pipe after smoking

  765. doublet a close-fitting outer garment, with or without sleeves and sometimes having a short skirt, worn by men in the Renaissance

  766. douceur a gratuity; tip

  767. doughty steadfastly courageous and resolute; valiant

  768. dour sullen; gloomy

  769. douzeper the 12 peers or paladins represented in old romances as attendants of Charlemagne

  770. dovecote a structure, usually at a height above the ground, for housing domestic pigeons

  771. dox to publish the private personal information of (another person) or reveal the identity of (an online poster) without the consent of that individual

  772. doxy loose woman

  773. doxographer a person who collects the opinions and conjectures of ancient Greek philosophers

  774. doxology a hymn or form of words containing an ascription of praise to God

  775. doyen the senior member, as in age, rank, or experience, of a group, class, profession, etc.

  776. doyenne a woman who is the senior member, as in age or rank, of a group, class, profession, etc.

  777. draggle to soil by dragging over damp ground or in mud

  778. dragoman a professional interpreter

  779. dram one sixteenth of an ounce avoirdupois (approximately 1.77 g)

  780. dreck worthless trash; junk

  781. dromomania an uncontrollable impulse or desire to wander or travel

  782. droshky a light, low, four-wheeled, open vehicle used mainly in Russia, in which the passengers sit astride or sideways on a long, narrow bench

  783. dross a waste product taken off molten metal during smelting, essentially metallic in character

  784. drugget a rug from India of coarse hair with cotton or jute

  785. drumlin a long, narrow or oval, smoothly rounded hill of unstratified glacial drift

  786. dryad a deity or nymph of the woods

  787. dub to strike, cut, rub, or make smooth, as leather or timber

  788. ducat (slang) a ticket to a public performance

  789. duck a heavy, plain-weave cotton fabric for tents, clothing, bags, etc., in any of various weights and widths

  790. dudgeon a feeling of offense or resentment; anger

  791. duenna a governess

  792. duffel a coarse woolen cloth having a thick nap, used for coats, blankets, etc.

  793. dulcet pleasant to the ear; melodious

  794. dungaree blue denim

  795. dunnage loose material laid beneath or wedged among objects carried by ship or rail to prevent injury from chafing or moisture, or to provide ventilation

  796. durbar the court of a native ruler

  797. durian the edible fruit of a tree, Durio zibethinus, of the bombax family, of southeastern Asia, having a hard, prickly rind, a highly flavored, pulpy flesh, and an unpleasant odor

  798. duvet a usually down-filled quilt, often with a removable cover; comforter

  799. dyad a group of two; couple; pair

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  800. ebullient overflowing with fervor, enthusiasm, or excitement; high-spirited

  801. ecchymosis a discoloration due to extravasation of blood, as in a bruise

  802. ecdysiast stripper

  803. echolalia the uncontrollable and immediate repetition of words spoken by another person

  804. éclat showy or elaborate display

  805. ecru very light brown in color, as raw silk, unbleached linen, etc.

  806. ecumenical general; universal

  807. edentate toothless

  808. effete lacking in wholesome vigor; degenerate; decadent

  809. efflorescence the state or a period of flowering

  810. effulgent shining forth brilliantly; radiant

  811. eglantibe sweetbrier

  812. egregious extraordinary in some bad way; glaring; flagrant

  813. eidolon a phantom; apparition

  814. eisegesis an interpretation, especially of Scripture, that expresses the interpreter's own ideas, bias, or the like, rather than the meaning of the text

  815. eke to increase; enlarge; lengthen

  816. eldritch eerie; weird; spooky

  817. elegiac used in, suitable for, or resembling an elegy

  818. elegy a mournful, melancholy, or plaintive poem, especially a funeral song or a lament for the dead

  819. elenchus a logical refutation; an argument that refutes another argument by proving the contrary of its conclusion

  820. elenctic refuting an argument by proving the falsehood of its conclusion

  821. elision the omission of a vowel, consonant, or syllable in pronunciation

  822. embonpoint excessive plumpness; stoutness

  823. embouchure the mouth of a river

  824. emend to free from faults or errors; correct

  825. emetic causing vomiting, as a medicinal substance

  826. empennage the rear part of an airplane or airship, usually comprising the stabilizer, elevator, vertical fin, and rudder

  827. empery absolute dominion; sovereignty

  828. en brosse (of hair) cut to stand straight in an even row on top, often as a crew cut

  829. enceinte pregnant; with child

  830. encomium a formal expression of high praise; eulogy

  831. encyclical a letter addressed by the pope to all the bishops of the church

  832. endogenous proceeding from within; derived internally

  833. enfilade a position of works, troops, etc., making them subject to a sweeping fire from along the length of a line of troops, a trench, a battery, etc.

  834. enfin in conclusion; finally

  835. engram a presumed encoding in neural tissue that provides a physical basis for the persistence of memory; a memory trace

  836. ennui a feeling of utter weariness and discontent resulting from satiety or lack of interest

  837. en plein (of a gambling bet) placed entirely on a single number, etc.

  838. ensorcell to bewitch

  839. entail a settlement of the inheritance of property over a number of generations so that it remains within a family or other group

  840. entelechy a realization or actuality as opposed to a potentiality

  841. entente an arrangement or understanding between two or more nations agreeing to follow a particular policy with regard to affairs of international concern

  842. enteric of or relating to the enteron; intestinal

  843. enterostomy the making of an artificial opening into the intestine, which opens onto the abdominal wall, for feeding or drainage

  844. enthymeme a syllogism or other argument in which a premise or the conclusion is unexpressed

  845. entitlement the right to guaranteed benefits under a government program, as Social Security or unemployment compensation

  846. entoptic (of visual sensation) resulting from structures within the eye itself

  847. entrechat a jump in which the dancer crosses the feet a number of times while in the air

  848. entree the privilege of entering; access

  849. enucleate to remove (a kernel, tumor, eyeball, etc.) from its enveloping cover

  850. enwreathe to surround or encircle with or as with a wreath

  851. epergne an ornamental piece for the center of a table, for holding fruit, flowers, etc.

  852. ephebic of or relating to the period of puberty or adolescence

  853. epicene belonging to, or partaking of the characteristics of, both sexes

  854. epideictic designed to display something, esp the skill of the speaker in rhetoric

  855. epigone an undistinguished imitator, follower, or successor of an important writer, painter, etc.

  856. epigram any witty, ingenious, or pointed saying tersely expressed

  857. epilogue a concluding part added to a literary work, as a novel

  858. epistemic of or relating to knowledge or the conditions for acquiring it

  859. epistolary contained in or carried on by letters

  860. epithet any word or phrase applied to a person or thing to describe an actual or attributed quality

  861. epitome a person or thing that is typical of or possesses to a high degree the features of a whole class; a condensed account, especially of a literary work; abstract

  862. eponym a person, real or imaginary, from whom something, as a tribe, nation, or place, takes or is said to take its name

  863. eponymous giving one's name to a tribe, place, etc.

  864. equanimity mental or emotional stability or composure, especially under tension or strain; calmness; equilibrium

  865. equerry an officer of a royal or similar household, charged with the care of the horses

  866. equinoctial pertaining to an equinox or the equinoxes, or to the equality of duration of day and night

  867. eremite a hermit or recluse, especially one under a religious vow

  868. ergodic of or relating to the condition that, in an interval of sufficient duration, a system will return to states that are closely similar to previous ones: the assumption of such a condition underlies statistical methods used in modern dynamics and atomic theory

  869. Erinys any of the Furies

  870. eristic pertaining to controversy or disputation; controversial

  871. errant erring or straying from the proper course or standards; traveling in search of adventure

  872. erstwhile former; of times past

  873. eruct to belch forth, as gas from the stomach

  874. erysipelas Pathology--an acute, febrile infectious disease, caused by a specific streptococcus, characterized by diffusely spreading deep-red inflammation of the skin or mucous membranes

  875. escalade a scaling or mounting by means of ladders, especially in an assault upon a fortified place

  876. escritoire writing desk

  877. escutcheon a shield or shieldlike surface on which a coat of arms is depicted

  878. espadrille a flat shoe with a cloth upper, a rope sole, and sometimes lacing that ties around the ankle

  879. especial of a particular kind, or peculiar to a particular one; particular

  880. estimable worthy of esteem; deserving respect or admiration

  881. estivate to spend the summer, as at a specific place or in a certain activity

  882. esurient hungry; greedy

  883. étagère a stand with a series of open shelves for small objects, bric-a-brac, etc.

  884. étape a place where troops camp after a day's march

  885. etiolate to cause (a plant) to whiten or grow pale by excluding light

  886. etiology any study of causes, causation, or causality, as in philosophy, biology, or physics

  887. ethology the study of animal behavior with emphasis on the behavioral patterns that occur in natural environments

  888. eulogium a eulogy

  889. eurhythmics the art of interpreting in bodily movements the rhythm of musical compositions

  890. eusocial of or pertaining to a form of insect society, as that of ants, characterized by specialization of tasks and cooperative care of the young

  891. evanescent vanishing; fading away; fleeting

  892. evangel the good tidings of the redemption of the world through Jesus Christ; the gospel

  893. eventide evening

  894. evert to turn outward or inside out

  895. evince to show clearly; make evident or manifest; prove

  896. exalt to raise in rank, honor, power, character, quality, etc.; elevate

  897. ex cathedra from the seat of authority; with authority

  898. excelsior fine wood shavings, used for stuffing, packing, etc.

  899. exchequer a treasury, as of a state or nation

  900. excrescence an abnormal outgrowth, usually harmless, on an animal or vegetable body

  901. excoriate to denounce or berate severely; flay verbally

  902. execrate to detest utterly; abhor; abominate

  903. exegesis critical explanation or interpretation of a text or portion of a text, especially of the Bible

  904. exegete a person skilled in exegesis

  905. exigent requiring immediate action or aid; urgent; pressing

  906. exiguous scanty; meager; small; slender

  907. exilic pertaining to exile, especially that of the Jews in Babylon

  908. exordium the beginning of anything

  909. expatiate to enlarge in discourse or writing; be copious in description or discussion

  910. expiate to atone for; make amends or reparation for

  911. explicate an explanation; interpretation

  912. extrados the exterior curve or surface of an arch or vault

  913. extralegal being beyond the province or authority of law

  914. exude to come out gradually in drops, as sweat, through pores or small openings; ooze out

  915. eyesore something unpleasant to look at

  916. eyry the nest of a bird of prey, as an eagle or a hawk

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  917. Fabian seeking victory by delay and harassment rather than by a decisive battle as in the manner of Fabius Maximus

  918. factitious not spontaneous or natural; artificial; contrived

  919. factive (of a verb, adjective, or noun phrase) presupposing the truth of an embedded sentence that serves as complement

  920. factotum a person, as a handyman or servant, employed to do all kinds of work around the house

  921. faience glazed earthenware or pottery, especially a fine variety with highly colored designs

  922. fain gladly; willingly

  923. farinaceous consisting of or containing starch

  924. farrago a confused mixture; hodgepodge; medley

  925. farrier a blacksmith

  926. farthingale a hoop skirt or framework for expanding a woman's skirt, worn in the 16th and 17th centuries

  927. fascicle a section of a book or set of books being published in installments as separate pamphlets or volumes

  928. fasces a bundle of rods containing an ax with the blade projecting, borne before Roman magistrates as an emblem of official power

  929. fascine a long bundle of sticks bound together, used in building earthworks and batteries and in strengthening ramparts

  930. Fata Morgana a mirage, esp one in the Strait of Messina attributed to the sorcery of Morgan le Fay

  931. fatidic prophetic

  932. fatuity complacent stupidity; foolishness

  933. favela a shantytown in or near a city, especially in Brazil; slum area

  934. favonian of or relating to the west wind

  935. febrile pertaining to or marked by fever; feverish

  936. feckless ineffective; incompetent; futile

  937. feculent full of dregs or fecal matter; foul, turbid, or muddy

  938. fenny marshy

  939. feria a weekday on which no feast is celebrated

  940. fete a festive celebration or entertainment

  941. fetor a strong, offensive smell; stench

  942. fey supernatural; unreal; enchanted

  943. fictive fictitious; imaginary

  944. figment a mere product of mental invention; a fantastic notion

  945. filaria any small, threadlike roundworm of the family Filariidae and related families, carried as a larva by mosquitoes and parasitic when adult in the blood or tissues of vertebrates

  946. filibuster to act as an irregular military adventurer, especially for revolutionary purposes

  947. filicide a person who kills his or her son or daughter

  948. filigree delicate ornamental work of fine silver, gold, or other metal wires, especially lacy jewelers' work of scrolls and arabesques

  949. fillip to strike with the nail of a finger snapped from the end of the thumb

  950. fin de siècle the end of the 19th century

  951. finical finicky

  952. finick to affect extreme daintiness or refinement

  953. firebrand a person who kindles strife or encourages unrest; an agitator; troublemaker

  954. firman an edict or administrative order issued by or in the name of a Middle Eastern sovereign

  955. fistula a narrow passage or duct formed by disease or injury, as one leading from an abscess to a free surface, or from one cavity to another

  956. flageolet a small end-blown flute with four finger holes in front and two in the rear

  957. flam a deception or trick

  958. flâneur a person who lounges or strolls around in a seemingly aimless way; an idler or loafer

  959. flaunt to parade or display oneself conspicuously, defiantly, or boldly

  960. fleer to grin or laugh coarsely or mockingly

  961. flense to strip the blubber or the skin from

  962. flinders splinters; small pieces or fragments

  963. flivver an automobile, especially one that is small, inexpensive, and old

  964. flocculent like a clump or tuft of wool

  965. florid flowery; excessively ornate; showy

  966. floss silk filaments with little or no twist, used in weaving as brocade or in embroidery

  967. flounce to go with impatient or impetuous, exaggerated movements

  968. flummery oatmeal or flour boiled with water until thick; fruit custard or blancmange usually thickened with cornstarch; any of various dishes made of flour, milk, eggs, sugar, etc.; complete nonsense; foolish humbug

  969. flump to plump down suddenly or heavily; flop

  970. foible a minor weakness or failing of character; slight flaw or defect

  971. folderol falderal; mere nonsense; foolish talk or ideas

  972. fomite An inanimate object or substance, such as clothing, furniture, or soap, that is capable of transmitting infectious organisms from one individual to another

  973. fondant a thick, creamy sugar paste, the basis of many candies

  974. fontanel one of the spaces, covered by membrane, between the bones of the fetal or young skull

  975. foulard a soft, lightweight silk, rayon, or cotton of plain or twill weave with printed design, for neckties, scarves, trimmings, etc.

  976. forbear to refrain or abstain from; desist from

  977. forfend to defend, secure, or protect

  978. forrader in a forward direction

  979. forsooth (archaic, now used in derision or to express disbelief) in truth; in fact; indeed

  980. forsythia a shrub belonging to the genus Forsythia, of the olive family, native to China and southeastern Europe, species of which are cultivated for their showy yellow flowers, which blossom on the bare branches in early spring

  981. fossick to search for any object by which to make gain

  982. frabjous wonderful, elegant, superb, or delicious

  983. fractious refractory or unruly

  984. frangipani a perfume prepared from or imitating the odor of the flower of a tropical American tree or shrub, Plumeria rubra, of the dogbane family

  985. frappé a fruit juice mixture frozen to a mush, to be served as a dessert, appetizer, or relish; an after-dinner drink consisting of a liqueur, as crème de menthe, poured over cracked or shaved ice

  986. frass insect excrement

  987. freeboot to act as a freebooter; plunder; loot

  988. frenetic frenzied

  989. freshet a sudden rise in the level of a stream, or a flood, caused by heavy rains or the rapid melting of snow and ice

  990. friable easily crumbled or reduced to powder; crumbly

  991. fribble to act in a foolish or frivolous manner; trifle

  992. fricassee meat, especially chicken or veal, browned lightly, stewed, and served in a sauce made with its own stock

  993. fricative (of a speech sound) characterized by audible friction produced by forcing the breath through a constricted or partially obstructed passage in the vocal tract; spirantal; spirant

  994. frig to copulate with

  995. frippery finery in dress, especially when showy, gaudy, or the like

  996. frisson a sudden, passing sensation of excitement; a shudder of emotion; thrill

  997. fritillary any of several orange-brown nymphalid butterflies, usually marked with black lines and dots and with silvery spots on the undersides of the wings.

  998. frock a gown or dress worn by a girl or woman

  999. froideur an attitude of haughty aloofness; cold superiority

  1000. frolic merry play; merriment; gaiety; fun

  1001. frore frozen; frosty

  1002. froufrou elaborate decoration, as frills, ribbons, or ruffles, especially on women's clothing

  1003. frow a cleaving tool having a wedge-shaped blade, with a handle set at right angles to it

  1004. froward willfully contrary; not easily managed

  1005. frowsty musty; ill-smelling

  1006. frowzy dirty and untidy; slovenly

  1007. frump a person who is dowdy, drab, and unattractive

  1008. fuddle to muddle or confuse

  1009. fug stale air, especially the humid, warm, ill-smelling air of a crowded room, kitchen, etc.

  1010. fugato a section of a composition that is in fugal style but does not constitute a real fugue

  1011. fugleman a person who heads a group, company, political party, etc.; a leader or manager

  1012. fuller a person who fulls cloth

  1013. fumet a stock made by simmering fish, chicken, game, etc., in water, wine, or in both, often boiled down to concentrate the flavor and used as a flavoring

  1014. funk cowering fear; state of great fright or terror

  1015. furbelow a ruffle or flounce, as on a woman's skirt or petticoat

  1016. furlong a unit of distance, equal to 220 yards (201 meters) or ⅛ mile (0.2 kilometer)

  1017. furze any spiny shrub of the genus Ulex, of the legume family, native to the Old World, especially U. europaeus, having rudimentary leaves and yellow flowers and growing in waste places and sandy soil

  1018. fusty having a stale smell; moldy; musty

  1019. futurity future generations; posterity

  1020. fylfot a swastika

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  1021. gabble to speak or converse rapidly and unintelligibly; jabber

  1022. gabelle a tax; excise

  1023. gadolinium a rare-earth metallic element. Symbol : Gd; atomic weight : 157.25; atomic number : 64

  1024. gaffe a social blunder; faux pas

  1025. gaga excessively and foolishly enthusiastic

  1026. gainsay to deny, dispute, or contradict

  1027. gaiter a covering of cloth or leather for the ankle and instep and sometimes also the lower leg, worn over the shoe or boot

  1028. galah an Australian cockatoo, Kakatoe roseicapilla, having rose-colored underparts

  1029. galena a common, heavy mineral, lead sulfide, PbS, occurring in lead-gray crystals, usually cubes, and cleavable masses: the principal ore of lead

  1030. gall to make sore by rubbing; chafe severely

  1031. gallimaufry a hodgepodge; jumble; confused medley

  1032. gallivant to go about with members of the opposite sex

  1033. gallus bold; daring; reckless

  1034. gam a herd or school of whales

  1035. gamboge a gum resin from various Asian trees of the genus Garcinia, especially G. hanburyi, used as a yellow pigment and as a cathartic

  1036. gamify to turn (an activity or task) into a game or something resembling a game

  1037. gamin a neglected boy left to run about the streets; street urchin

  1038. gamine a neglected girl who is left to run about the streets; a diminutive or very slender girl, especially one who is pert, impudent, or playfully mischievous

  1039. gammon a victory in which the winner throws off all his or her pieces before the opponent throws off any

  1040. gander look

  1041. gannet any large, web-footed, seabird of the family Sulidae, having a sharply pointed bill, long wings, and a wedge-shaped tail, noted for its plunging dives for fish

  1042. garigue open shrubby vegetation of dry Mediterranean regions, consisting of spiny or aromatic dwarf shrubs interspersed with colourful ephemeral species

  1043. garnishee to attach (money or property) by garnishment

  1044. garret an attic, usually a small, wretched one

  1045. garrote a method of capital punishment of Spanish origin in which an iron collar is tightened around a condemned person's neck until death occurs by strangulation or by injury to the spinal column at the base of the brain

  1046. garrulous excessively talkative in a rambling, roundabout manner, especially about trivial matters

  1047. gasometer a large tank or cylindrical reservoir of gas, as at a gasworks, to be piped to homes, factories, etc.

  1048. gat older slang: a pistol or revolver

  1049. gâteau a cake, especially a very light sponge cake with a rich icing or filling

  1050. gay having or showing a merry, lively mood

  1051. Gargantua an amiable giant and king, noted for his enormous capacity for food and drink, in Rabelais' Gargantua and Pantagruel, 1534.

  1052. gauche lacking social grace, sensitivity, or acuteness; awkward; crude; tactless

  1053. gauleiter the leader or chief official of a political district under Nazi control

  1054. gaunt extremely thin and bony; haggard and drawn, as from great hunger, weariness, or torture

  1055. gawky awkward; ungainly; clumsy

  1056. gazogene an apparatus for impregnating a liquid with a gas, especially carbon dioxide

  1057. gee to turn (something) to the right

  1058. gelid very cold; icy

  1059. gematria a cabbalistic system of interpretation of the Scriptures by substituting for a particular word another word whose letters give the same numerical sum

  1060. gemütlichkeit warm cordiality; comfortable friendliness; congeniality

  1061. genii a plural of genius

  1062. gentian any of several plants of the genera Gentiana, Gentianella, and Gentianopsis, having usually blue, or sometimes yellow, white, or red, flowers, as the fringed gentian of North America, or Gentiana lutea, of Europe

  1063. geomancy divination by geographic features or by figures or lines

  1064. gherkin the small, immature fruit of a variety of cucumber, used in pickling

  1065. gibber to speak inarticulately or meaninglessly

  1066. gibbet a gallows with a projecting arm at the top, from which the bodies of criminals were formerly hung in chains and left suspended after execution

  1067. gilet a waist- or hip-length garment, usually sleeveless, fastening up the front; sometimes made from a quilted fabric, and designed to be worn over a blouse, shirt, etc.

  1068. gimlet a small tool for boring holes, consisting of a shaft with a pointed screw at one end and a handle perpendicular to the shaft at the other

  1069. gimp a flat trimming of silk, wool, or other cord, sometimes stiffened with wire, for garments, curtains, etc.; a limp

  1070. ginormous extremely large; huge

  1071. girn grin

  1072. glacis a gentle slope

  1073. glamour the quality of fascinating, alluring, or attracting, especially by a combination of charm and good looks

  1074. glassine a strong, thin, glazed, semitransparent paper, often made into small bags, used for packaging foods, for book jackets, etc.

  1075. glaucous light bluish-green or greenish-blue

  1076. gleet a thin, morbid discharge, as from a wound

  1077. glissando performed with a gliding effect by sliding one or more fingers rapidly over the keys of a piano or strings of a harp

  1078. gloaming twilight; dusk

  1079. glom to steal; to catch or grap; to look at

  1080. glottis the opening at the upper part of the larynx, between the vocal cords

  1081. gloriole a halo, nimbus, or aureole

  1082. gluteal pertaining to the buttock muscles or the buttocks

  1083. gnosis knowledge of spiritual matters; mystical knowledge

  1084. goanna any of the several large monitor lizards of the family Varanidae, of Australia, especially Varanus varius and V. giganteus, both sometimes growing to 6 feet (1.8 meters)

  1085. gobbledygook language characterized by circumlocution and jargon, usually hard to understand

  1086. gobsmacked utterly astounded; astonished

  1087. godling a minor god, especially one whose influence or authority is entirely local

  1088. godown a warehouse or other storage place

  1089. golem a stupid and clumsy person; blockhead

  1090. gonfalon a banner suspended from a crossbar, often with several streamers or tails

  1091. gongorism imitation of the ornate and intricate style of Góngora y Argote

  1092. goniometer an instrument for measuring solid angles, as of crystals

  1093. gonoph a pickpocket or thief.

  1094. goog an egg

  1095. googly a bowled ball that swerves in one direction and breaks in the other

  1096. gook makeup, especially when thickly applied

  1097. goon a hired hoodlum or thug

  1098. gorget a patch of color on the throat of a bird or other animal, especially a hummingbird

  1099. gormless lacking in vitality or intelligence; stupid, dull, or clumsy

  1100. gorp a mixture of nuts, raisins, dried fruits, seeds, or the like eaten as a high-energy snack, as by hikers and climbers

  1101. gouache a technique of painting with opaque watercolors prepared with gum

  1102. graben a portion of the earth's crust, bounded on at least two sides by faults, that has dropped downward in relation to adjacent portions; also called rift valley

  1103. grama any grass of the genus Bouteloua, of South America and western North America

  1104. grampus a cetacean, Grampus griseus, of the dolphin family, widely distributed in northern seas

  1105. grandee a man of high social position or eminence, especially a Spanish or Portuguese nobleman

  1106. granita frozen flavored ice

  1107. graticule a network of parallels and meridians on a map or chart

  1108. gratuitous being without apparent reason, cause, or justification

  1109. gravamen the part of an accusation that weighs most heavily against the accused; the substantial part of a charge or complaint

  1110. gravel to bring to a standstill from perplexity; puzzle

  1111. gravid pregnant

  1112. gravlax boned salmon, cured by marinating in sugar, salt, pepper, and other spices, especially dill

  1113. grazier a person who grazes cattle for the market

  1114. greave a piece of plate armor for the leg between the knee and the ankle, usually composed of front and back pieces

  1115. grifter a person who operates a side show at a circus, fair, etc., especially a gambling attraction

  1116. grimoire a manual of magic or witchcraft used by witches and sorcerers

  1117. griot a member of a hereditary caste among the peoples of western Africa whose function is to keep an oral history of the tribe or village and to entertain with stories, poems, songs, dances, etc.

  1118. grippe (formerly) influenza

  1119. grissini thin crisp breadsticks

  1120. grizzled having gray or partly gray hair

  1121. groat a silver coin of England, equal to four pennies, issued from 1279 to 1662

  1122. grotty seedy; wretched; dirty

  1123. groundsel any composite plant of the genus Senecio, especially S. vulgaris, a common weed having clusters of small yellow disk flowers without rays

  1124. grue to shudder

  1125. gruntled happy or contented; satisfied

  1126. guerdon a reward, recompense, or requital

  1127. gueridon a small table or stand, as for holding a candelabrum

  1128. guffaw a loud, unrestrained burst of laughter

  1129. guichet a grating, hatch, or small opening in a wall, esp a ticket-office window

  1130. guignol an entertainment with sensational or horrifying dramatic intent

  1131. gules the tincture red

  1132. gull any of numerous long-winged, web-toed, aquatic birds of the family Laridae, having usually white plumage with a gray back and wings; to deceive, trick, or cheat

  1133. gullery trickery; fraud

  1134. gullible easily deceived or cheated

  1135. gump a foolish or stupid person

  1136. gunsel a criminal armed with a gun

  1137. guttersnipe a person belonging to or characteristic of the lowest social group in a city

  1138. gurnard any marine fish of the family Triglidae, having an armored, spiny head and the front part of the pectoral fins modified for crawling on the sea bottom

  1139. gurney a flat, padded table or stretcher with legs and wheels, for transporting patients or bodies

  1140. gymkhana a field day held for equestrians, consisting of exhibitions of horsemanship and much pageantry

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  1141. hackamore a simple looped bridle, by means of which controlling pressure is exerted on the nose of a horse, used chiefly in breaking colts

  1142. hackneyed made commonplace or trite; stale; banal

  1143. hadith a traditional account of things said or done by Muhammad or his companions

  1144. haecceity the property that uniquely identifies an object

  1145. hag an ugly old woman, especially a vicious or malicious one

  1146. haggard having a gaunt, wasted, or exhausted appearance, as from prolonged suffering, exertion, or anxiety; worn

  1147. hagiography the writing and critical study of the lives of the saints

  1148. hagiology the branch of literature dealing with the lives and legends of the saints

  1149. halberd a shafted weapon with an axlike cutting blade, beak, and apical spike, used especially in the 15th and 16th centuries

  1150. halcyon calm; peaceful; tranquil; rich; wealthy; prosperous; happy; joyful; carefree

  1151. hale to compel (someone) to go

  1152. halvah a sweet, candylike confection of Turkish origin, consisting chiefly of ground sesame seeds and honey

  1153. halyard any of various lines or tackles for hoisting a spar, sail, flag, etc., into position for use

  1154. hamartia tragic flaw

  1155. hamza the sign used in Arabic writing to represent the glottal stop, usually written above another letter and shown in English transliterations as an apostrophe

  1156. hankering longing; craving

  1157. hap one's luck or lot

  1158. hapless unlucky; luckless; unfortunate

  1159. harebrained giddy; reckless

  1160. haring running fast

  1161. harridan scolding, vicious woman; hag; shrew

  1162. harrow an agricultural implement with spikelike teeth or upright disks, drawn chiefly over plowed land to level it, break up clods, root up weeds, etc.

  1163. harry to harass, annoy, or prove a nuisance to by or as if by repeated attacks; worry

  1164. hartshorn the antler of a hart, formerly used as a source of ammonia

  1165. harum-scarum reckless; rash; irresponsible

  1166. haubergeon a short, sleeveless coat of mail; hauberk

  1167. hawse the distance or space between the bow of an anchored vessel and the point on the surface of the water above the anchor

  1168. heartsease peace of mind

  1169. heathen (in historical contexts) an individual of a people that do not acknowledge the God of the Bible; a person who is neither a Jew, Christian, nor Muslim; a pagan

  1170. hecatomb (in ancient Greece and Rome) a public sacrifice of 100 oxen to the gods

  1171. hector to treat with insolence; bully; torment

  1172. hegemony leadership or predominant influence exercised by one nation over others, as in a confederation

  1173. hegira any flight or journey to a more desirable or congenial place

  1174. heifer a young cow over one year old that has not produced a calf

  1175. heinous hateful; odious; abominable; totally reprehensible

  1176. heliotrope any hairy plant belonging to the genus Heliotropium, of the borage family, as H. arborescens, cultivated for its small, fragrant purple flowers

  1177. hellebore any of numerous plants of the genus Helleborus in the buttercup family, several of which, as the Christmas rose, are cultivated for their foliage and clusters of flowers as well as their tolerance of shade: all Helleborus species are toxic

  1178. Hellespont ancient name of the Dardanelles

  1179. helluva hell of a (used as an intensifier)

  1180. helot a member of the lowest class in ancient Laconia, constituting a body of serfs who were bound to the land and were owned by the state

  1181. henchman an unscrupulous and ruthless subordinate, especially a criminal

  1182. henotheism the worship of a particular god, as by a family or tribe, without disbelieving in the existence of others

  1183. hentai noting or pertaining to a subgenre of Japanese manga, anime, computer games, etc., characterized by explicit sexual themes and imagery

  1184. heresiarch a leader in heresy; the leader of a heretical sect

  1185. hermeneutics the science of interpretation, especially of the Scriptures

  1186. hessian burlap

  1187. hetaera a highly cultured courtesan or concubine, especially in ancient Greece

  1188. heteronomous subject to or involving different laws

  1189. hieratic of or relating to priests or the priesthood; sacerdotal; priestly

  1190. hierophant any interpreter of sacred mysteries or esoteric principles; mystagogue

  1191. higgle to bargain, especially in a petty way; haggle

  1192. hincty conceited or snobbish

  1193. hinky nervous or suspicious; acting suspiciously

  1194. hippogriff a fabulous creature resembling a griffin but having the body and hind parts of a horse

  1195. hist a sibilant exclamation used to attract attention

  1196. hoary gray or white with age

  1197. hobbledehoy an awkward, ungainly youth

  1198. hock the joint in the hind leg of a horse, cow, etc., above the fetlock joint, corresponding anatomically to the ankle in humans

  1199. hodgepodge a heterogeneous mixture; jumble

  1200. hogget a sheep about one year old that has not been shorn

  1201. hog-wild wildly or intemperately enthusiastic or excited

  1202. holland a coarse linen cloth, used esp. for furnishing

  1203. holograph wholly written by the person in whose name it appears

  1204. hols a period of cessation from work or one of recreation; vacation

  1205. holystone a block of soft sandstone used in scrubbing the decks of a ship

  1206. hoopla speech or writing intended to mislead or to obscure an issue

  1207. homiletic of or relating to preaching or to homilies

  1208. hoopoe any Old World bird of the family Upupidae, especially Upupa epops, of Europe, having an erectile, fanlike crest

  1209. hork vomit; spit

  1210. horselaugh a loud, coarse laugh, especially of derision

  1211. hortatory urging to some course of conduct or action; exhorting; encouraging

  1212. hoser a person who is considered unintelligent or uncouth, especially a beer-drinking man

  1213. houri one of the beautiful virgins provided in paradise for all faithful Muslims

  1214. hovel a small, very humble dwelling house; a wretched hut

  1215. howdah (in the East Indies) a seat or platform for one or more persons, commonly with a railing and a canopy, placed on the back of an elephant

  1216. hoyden a boisterous, bold, and carefree girl; a tomboy

  1217. howff an abode; a familiar shelter or resort

  1218. huarache a Mexican sandal having the upper woven of leather strips

  1219. hummock an elevated tract of land rising above the general level of a marshy region

  1220. hussy a brazen or immoral woman

  1221. hydroid noting or pertaining to that form of hydrozoan that is asexual and grows into branching colonies by budding

  1222. hyoid noting or pertaining to a U-shaped bone at the root of the tongue in humans, or a corresponding bone or collection of bones in animals

  1223. hype to stimulate, excite, or agitate

  1224. hypnagogic of or relating to drowsiness

  1225. hypo a stimulus or boost

  1226. hypocorism the use of forms of speech imitative of baby talk, especially by an adult

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  1227. ichor an ethereal fluid flowing in the veins of the gods

  1228. ickle an ironically childish word for little

  1229. iconostasis a partition or screen on which icons are placed, separating the sanctuary from the main part of the church

  1230. ideolect a person's individual speech pattern

  1231. idyll a poem or prose composition, usually describing pastoral scenes or events or any charmingly simple episode, appealing incident, or the like

  1232. ifrit in Islamic mythology, a class of infernal jinn (spirits below the level of angels and devils) noted for their strength and cunning

  1233. ignominious discreditable; humiliating

  1234. ignoratio elenchi the fallacy of offering proof irrelevant to the proposition in question

  1235. ilk family, class, or kind

  1236. illiberal narrowminded; bigoted

  1237. imago an adult insect; an idealized concept of a loved one, formed in childhood and retained unaltered in adult life

  1238. imbroglio a misunderstanding, disagreement, etc., of a complicated or bitter nature, as between persons or nations

  1239. immanent remaining within; indwelling; inherent

  1240. immingle to mingle in; intermingle

  1241. immure to enclose within walls

  1242. imp a little devil or demon; an evil spirit

  1243. impertinence unmannerly intrusion or presumption; insolence

  1244. importunate urgent or persistent in solicitation, sometimes annoyingly so

  1245. imprecate to invoke or call down (evil or curses), as upon a person

  1246. impugn to challenge as false (another's statements, motives, etc.); cast doubt upon

  1247. impunity exemption from punishment

  1248. impute to attribute or ascribe

  1249. inamorata a woman who loves or is loved; female sweetheart or lover

  1250. inanition exhaustion from lack of nourishment; starvation

  1251. inchoate not yet completed or fully developed; rudimentary

  1252. inchondite ill-constructed; unpolished

  1253. incontrovertible not open to question or dispute; indisputable

  1254. incubus an imaginary demon or evil spirit supposed to descend upon sleeping persons, especially one fabled to have sexual intercourse with women during their sleep

  1255. incunabula extant copies of books produced in the earliest stages (before 1501) of printing from movable type

  1256. indefectible not liable to fault or imperfection; faultless

  1257. indolent having or showing a disposition to avoid exertion; slothful

  1258. ineluctable incapable of being evaded; inescapable

  1259. infighting fighting at close range

  1260. initialism a set of initials representing a name, organization, or the like, with each letter pronounced separately, as FBI for Federal Bureau of Investigation

  1261. inlenook a corner or nook near a fireplace; chimney corner

  1262. ingénue the part of an artless, innocent, unworldly girl or young woman, especially as represented on the stage.

  1263. inhume to bury; inter

  1264. insipid without distinctive, interesting, or stimulating qualities; vapid

  1265. insouciance lack of care or concern; indifference

  1266. inspan to yoke or harness

  1267. inspersion the act of sprinkling with a fluid or a powder

  1268. inspissate to thicken, as by evaporation; make or become dense

  1269. insufflate to blow or breathe (something) in

  1270. instar an insect in any one of its periods of postembryonic growth between molts

  1271. intaglio incised carving, as opposed to carving in relief

  1272. interlope to thrust oneself into the affairs of others

  1273. internecine of or relating to conflict or struggle within a group

  1274. intrigante a female intriguer

  1275. inutile of no use or service

  1276. invective vehement or violent denunciation, censure, or reproach

  1277. inveigle to entice, lure, or ensnare by flattery or artful talk or inducements

  1278. inveterate settled or confirmed in a habit, practice, feeling, or the like

  1279. invidious calculated to create ill will or resentment or give offense; hateful

  1280. involucre Botany. a collection or rosette of bracts subtending a flower cluster, umbel, or the like

  1281. involute intricate; complex; curled or curved inward or spirally

  1282. ipse dixit an assertion without proof

  1283. ipso facto by the fact itself

  1284. irascible easily provoked to anger; very irritable

  1285. irruption a breaking or bursting in; a violent incursion or invasion

  1286. isodomic (of ashlar) composed of stones of uniform size

  1287. ixia any of various southern African plants of the genus Ixia, of the iris family, having sword-shaped leaves and showy, ornamental flowers

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  1288. jabot a decorative ruffle or other arrangement of lace or cloth attached at the neckline and extending down the front of a woman's blouse or dress or, formerly, of a man's shirt

  1289. jalap the dried tuberous root of any of several plants, especially Exogonium purga, of the morning glory family, or the light yellowish powder derived from it, used in medicine chiefly as a purgative

  1290. janissary a member of any group of loyal guards, soldiers, or supporters

  1291. jape to jest; joke; gibe

  1292. jefe leader; chief; boss

  1293. jeggings denim leggings that resemble tight jeans

  1294. jejune without interest or significance; dull; insipid; lacking knowledge or experience; uninformed

  1295. jerboa any of various mouselike rodents of North Africa and Asia, as of the genera Jaculus and Dipus, with long hind legs used for jumping

  1296. jeremiad a prolonged lamentation or mournful complaint

  1297. jerkin a close-fitting jacket or short coat, usually sleeveless, as one of leather worn in the 16th and 17th centuries

  1298. jeroboam a large wine bottle having a capacity of about four ordinary bottles or 3 liters (3.3 quarts)

  1299. jess a short strap fastened around the leg of a hawk and attached to the leash

  1300. jesuitical practicing casuistry or equivocation; using subtle or oversubtle reasoning; crafty; sly; intriguing

  1301. jetton an inscribed counter or token

  1302. jibe to shift from one side to the other when running before the wind, as a fore-and-aft sail or its boom

  1303. jicama the large, edible, tuberous root of a tropical American plant, Pachyrhizus erosus, of the legume family, eaten as a vegetable either raw or boiled

  1304. jigaboo disparaging and offensive: a contemptuous term used to refer to a black person

  1305. jilt to reject or cast aside (a lover or sweetheart), especially abruptly or unfeelingly

  1306. jink prankish or frolicsome activity

  1307. jinn any of a class of spirits, lower than the angels, capable of appearing in human and animal forms and influencing humankind for either good or evil (also spelled djinni)

  1308. jive swing music or early jazz; the jargon associated with swing music and early jazz; slang: deceptive, exaggerated, or meaningless talk

  1309. jocose given to or characterized by joking; jesting; humorous; playful

  1310. jongleur an itinerant minstrel or entertainer who sang songs, often of his own composition, and told stories

  1311. jot the least part of something; a little bit

  1312. judder to vibrate violently

  1313. Juggernaut an idol of Krishna, at Puri in Orissa, India, annually drawn on an enormous cart under whose wheels devotees are said to have thrown themselves to be crushed

  1314. juju an object venerated superstitiously and used as a fetish or amulet by tribal peoples of West Africa

  1315. Junker a member of a class of aristocratic landholders, especially in East Prussia, strongly devoted to militarism and authoritarianism, from among whom the German military forces recruited a large number of its officers

  1316. junket a sweet, custardlike food of flavored milk curdled with rennet

  1317. junta a small group ruling a country, especially immediately after a coup d'état and before a legally constituted government has been instituted.

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  1318. kaffiyeh an Arab headdress for men; made from a diagonally folded square of cloth held in place by an agal wound around the head.

  1319. Kafkaesque marked by a senseless, disorienting, often menacing complexity

  1320. Kapok the silky down that invests the seeds of a silk-cotton tree (ka·pok tree) Ceiba pentandra, of the East Indies, Africa, and tropical America: used for stuffing pillows, life jackets, etc., and for acoustical insulation

  1321. kaross a cloak or rug of animal skins used in southern Africa

  1322. kat also khat or qat. an evergreen shrub, Catha edulis, of Arabia and Africa, the leaves of which are used as a narcotic when chewed or made into a beverage

  1323. katabatic (of a wind or air current) moving downward or down a slope

  1324. karo a shrub or small tree, Pittosporum crassifolium, of New Zealand, having shiny leaves with a white, felty underside, red flowers, and densely hairy fruit

  1325. kedgeree a cooked dish consisting of rice, lentils, and spices

  1326. kef a state of drowsy contentment, especially from the use of a narcotic

  1327. kegel exercise performed to strengthen the pubococcygeus and other muscles of the pelvic floor, in order to control incontinence, improve sexual response, etc.

  1328. kelly green a strong yellow-green

  1329. keloid an abnormal proliferation of scar tissue, as on the site of a surgical incision

  1330. kelson also keelson: any of various fore-and-aft structural members lying above or parallel to the keel in the bottom of a hull

  1331. kenspeckle conspicuous; easily seen or recognized

  1332. kepi a French military cap with a flat circular top and a nearly horizontal visor

  1333. kerfuffle a fuss; commotion

  1334. kestrel a common small falcon, Falco tinnunculus, of northern parts of the Eastern Hemisphere, notable for hovering in the air with its head to the wind

  1335. kif a state of drowsy contentment, especially from the use of a narcotic

  1336. kinnikinnick a mixture of bark, dried leaves, and sometimes tobacco, formerly smoked by the Indians and pioneers in the Ohio valley

  1337. kip the hide of a young or small beast

  1338. kirsch a fragrant, colorless, unaged brandy distilled from a fermented mash of cherries, produced especially in Germany, Switzerland, and Alsace, France

  1339. kitsch something of tawdry design, appearance, or content created to appeal to popular or undiscriminating taste

  1340. kittiwake either of two small, pearl-gray gulls of the genus Rissa, the black-legged R. tridactyla of the North Atlantic and the red-legged and red-billed R. brevirostris, of the Bering Sea, both nesting on narrow cliff ledges and having a rudimentary hind toe

  1341. Kiwanis an organization founded in 1915 for the promulgation of higher ideals in business, industrial, and professional life

  1342. klieg kind of arc lamp used as a studio light, 1925, from U.S. engineers, brothers Anton and John Kliegl, who invented it

  1343. knout a whip with a lash of leather thongs, formerly used in Russia for flogging criminals

  1344. krait any of several large, usually banded, placid but highly venomous snakes constituting the genus Bungarus, of the cobra family, common in southeastern Asia and the Malay Archipelago

  1345. kris a short sword or heavy dagger with a wavy blade, used by the Malays

  1346. kukri a large knife having a heavy curved blade that is sharp on the concave side, used by the Napalese Gurkhas for hunting and combat

  1347. kümmel a colorless cordial or liqueur flavored with cumin, caraway seeds, etc., made especially in the Baltic area

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  1348. laager a camp or encampment, especially within a protective circle of wagons

  1349. labile apt or likely to change

  1350. lacuna a gap or missing part, as in a manuscript, series, or logical argument; hiatus

  1351. lamasery a monastery of lamas

  1352. lambent running or moving lightly over a surface

  1353. lamia one of a class of fabulous monsters, commonly represented with the head and breast of a woman and the body of a serpent, said to allure youths and children in order to suck their blood

  1354. landau a four-wheeled, two-seated carriage with a top made in two parts that may be let down or folded back

  1355. landaulet an automobile having a convertible top for the back seat, with the front seat either roofed or open

  1356. languish to be or become weak or feeble; droop; fade

  1357. languor lack of energy or vitality; sluggishness

  1358. lank (of plants) unduly long and slender: lank grass; lank, leafless trees. (of hair) straight and limp; without spring or curl; lean; gaunt; thin.

  1359. lanugo a coat of delicate, downy hairs, especially that with which the human fetus or a newborn infant is covered

  1360. Laocoön a priest of Apollo at Troy who warned the Trojans of the Trojan Horse, and who, with his two sons, was killed by two huge serpents sent by Athena or Apollo

  1361. lapsus a slip or lapse

  1362. larrikin a street rowdy; hoodlum

  1363. larup to beat or thrash

  1364. lascar an East Indian sailor

  1365. lathi a heavy pole or stick, especially one used as a club by police

  1366. lathy lathlike; long and thin

  1367. lazaretto a building or a ship set apart for quarantine purposes

  1368. lea a tract of open ground, especially grassland; meadow

  1369. league a unit of distance, varying at different periods and in different countries: in English-speaking countries usually estimated roughly at 3 miles (4.8 kilometers)

  1370. lecythus a vase with a narrow neck

  1371. legerdemain sleight of hand

  1372. legation a diplomatic minister and staff in a foreign mission

  1373. legato smooth and connected; without breaks between the successive tones

  1374. leitmotif a motif or theme associated throughout a music drama with a particular person, situation, or idea

  1375. lek a traditional place where males assemble during the mating season and engage in competitive displays that attract females

  1376. leman a sweetheart; lover; beloved

  1377. lenticular of or pertaining to a lens

  1378. lentigo a freckle or other pigmented spot

  1379. leporine of, relating to, or resembling a rabbit or hare

  1380. lethologica the inability to remember a particular word or name

  1381. levant to leave secretly or hurriedly to avoid paying debts

  1382. levée a reception of visitors held on rising from bed, as formerly by a royal or other personage

  1383. leveret a young hare

  1384. leylandii a type of tall-growing evergreen with fine scalelike foliage arranged in flat sprays

  1385. libation a pouring out of wine or other liquid in honor of a deity

  1386. libration a real or apparent oscillatory motion, especially of the moon

  1387. lied a typically 19th-century German art song characterized by the setting of a poetic text in either strophic or through-composed style and the treatment of the piano and voice in equal artistic partnership

  1388. lief gladly; willingly

  1389. lilt to sing or play in a light, tripping, or rhythmic manner

  1390. limen threshold

  1391. liminal of, pertaining to, or situated at the threshold

  1392. limn to represent in drawing or painting

  1393. limpid clear, transparent, or pellucid, as water, crystal, or air

  1394. linchpin a pin inserted through the end of an axletree to keep the wheel on

  1395. linden any tree of the genus Tilia, as T. americana (American linden) or T. europaea (European linden), having fragrant yellowish-white flowers and heart-shaped leaves, grown as an ornamental or shade tree

  1396. lingam (in popular Hinduism) a phallus, symbol of Siva

  1397. linnet a small Old World finch, Carduelis cannabina

  1398. lissome lithesome or lithe, especially of body; supple; flexible

  1399. lisle knit goods, as gloves or hose, made of a fine, high-twisted and hard-twisted cotton thread, at least two-ply

  1400. literati persons of scholarly or literary attainments; intellectuals

  1401. lithophane a transparency made of thin porcelain or bone china having an intaglio design

  1402. littoral of or pertaining to the shore of a lake, sea, or ocean

  1403. liturgy a form of public worship; ritual

  1404. lo look! see!

  1405. loach any of several slender European and Asian fishes of the family Cobitidae and related families, having several barbels around the mouth

  1406. loblolly a mire; mudhole

  1407. lodestar Polaris

  1408. loess a loamy deposit formed by wind, usually yellowish and calcareous, common in the Mississippi Valley and in Europe and Asia

  1409. loge (in a theater) the front section of the lowest balcony, separated from the back section by an aisle or railing or both

  1410. logy lacking physical or mental energy or vitality; sluggish; dull; lethargic

  1411. lop to cut off (branches, twigs, etc.) from a tree or other plant

  1412. loblolly a mire; mudhole

  1413. loess a loamy deposit formed by wind, usually yellowish and calcareous, common in the Mississippi Valley and in Europe and Asia

  1414. loggia a gallery or arcade open to the air on at least one side

  1415. logomachy a dispute about or concerning words

  1416. logomancy divination by words

  1417. logy lacking physical or mental energy or vitality; sluggish; dull; lethargic

  1418. lollop to loll; lounge; to move forward with a bounding or leaping motion

  1419. lordosis a posture assumed by some female mammals during mating, in which the back arches downward

  1420. lorgnette a pair of eyeglasses mounted on a handle

  1421. lorry a motor truck, especially a large one

  1422. lothario a man who obsessively seduces and deceives women

  1423. lotus a plant believed to be a jujube or elm, referred to in Greek legend as yielding a fruit that induced a state of dreamy and contented forgetfulness in those who ate it

  1424. louche dubious; shady; disreputable

  1425. lour a variant of lower: to frown, scowl, or look sullen; glower

  1426. lubricious arousing or expressive of sexual desire; lustful; lecherous

  1427. lucent shining; translucent; clear

  1428. lucubration laborious work, study, thought, etc., especially at night

  1429. lulu any remarkable or outstanding person or thing (slang)

  1430. lugubrious mournful, dismal, or gloomy, especially in an affected, exaggerated, or unrelieved manner

  1431. lumbago pain in the lower, or lumbar, region of the back or loins, especially chronic or recurring pain

  1432. lummox a clumsy, stupid person

  1433. lumpen of or relating to disfranchised and uprooted individuals or groups, especially those who have lost status

  1434. lunger a person who has chronic lung disease, especially tuberculosis

  1435. luthier a maker of stringed instruments, as violins

  1436. lutefisk dried cod tenderized by soaking in lye, which is rinsed out before cooking

  1437. lycanthropic a delusion in which one imagines oneself to be a wolf or other wild animal

  1438. lych gate a roofed gate to a churchyard, formerly used during funerals as a temporary shelter for the bier

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  1439. macadam pavement made by laying and compacting successive layers of broken stone, often with asphalt or hot tar

  1440. macerate to soften or separate into parts by steeping in a liquid

  1441. maculate spotted; stained

  1442. madcap wildly or heedlessly impulsive; reckless; rash

  1443. madding acting madly or senselessly; insane; frenzied

  1444. madrone any of several evergreen trees belonging to the genus Arbutus, of the heath family, especially A. menziesii (Pacific madrone ) of western North America, having red, flaky bark and bearing edible reddish berries

  1445. maenad a frenzied or raging woman

  1446. magnanimous proceeding from or revealing generosity or nobility of mind, character, etc.

  1447. mahout the keeper or driver of an elephant, especially in India and the East Indies

  1448. maieuticof or pertaining to the method used by Socrates of eliciting knowledge in the mind of a person by interrogation and insistence on close and logical reasoning

  1449. maillot a close-fitting, one-piece bathing suit for women, simply styled and usually having a scoop neck and shoulder straps

  1450. majolica Italian earthenware covered with an opaque glaze of tin oxide and usually highly decorated

  1451. majuscule large, as either capital or uncial letters

  1452. malefic productive of evil; malign; doing harm; baneful

  1453. maleficent doing evil or harm; harmfully malicious

  1454. mallow any of various plants of the genus Malva, including several popular garden plants, as the musk mallow

  1455. Malpighi Italian anatomist

  1456. mamon a personification of riches as an evil spirit or deity

  1457. mandrake a narcotic, short-stemmed European plant, Mandragora officinarum, of the nightshade family, having a fleshy, often forked root somewhat resembling a human form

  1458. manga a Japanese graphic novel, typically intended for adults, characterized by highly stylized art

  1459. Manichean an adherent of the dualistic religious system of Manes, a combination of Gnostic Christianity, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, and various other elements, with a basic doctrine of a conflict between light and dark, matter being regarded as dark and evil

  1460. manque the numbers 1 to 18 in roulette

  1461. mansard Also called mansard roof. a hip roof, each face of which has a steeper lower part and a shallower upper part

  1462. mantling a decorative piece of cloth represented as hanging from a torse so as to cover the sides and rear of a helmet and often so as to frame the escutcheon below

  1463. mantic of or pertaining to divination

  1464. manumit to release from slavery or servitude

  1465. maquillage makeup

  1466. maquis the French underground movement, or Resistance, that combatted the Nazis in World War II

  1467. marcescent withering but not falling off, as a part of a plant

  1468. marl a friable earthy deposit consisting of clay and calcium carbonate, used especially as a fertilizer for soils deficient in lime

  1469. marline small stuff of two-fiber strands, sometimes tarred, laid up left-handed

  1470. marlinspike a pointed iron implement used in separating the strands of rope in splicing, marling, etc.

  1471. marmoreal of or like marble

  1472. marmot any bushy-tailed, stocky rodent of the genus Marmota, as the woodchuck

  1473. marque a product model or type, as of a luxury or racing car

  1474. marquee a tall rooflike projection above a theater entrance, usually containing the name of a currently featured play or film and its stars

  1475. mashie a golf club with an iron head, the face having more slope than a mashie iron but less slope than a mashie niblick

  1476. massif a compact portion of a mountain range, containing one or more summits

  1477. mastoid process a large, bony prominence on the base of the skull behind the ear, containing air spaces that connect with the middle ear cavity

  1478. matin the service of public prayer, said in the morning, in the Anglican Church

  1479. matelot a sailor

  1480. matryoshka Russian doll

  1481. mattock an instrument for loosening the soil in digging, shaped like a pickax, but having one end broad instead of pointed

  1482. matutinal pertaining to or occurring in the morning; early in the day

  1483. maudlin tearfully or weakly emotional; foolishly sentimental

  1484. maumet a doll, puppet, scarecrow, or other figure built to resemble a human being

  1485. maunder to talk in a rambling, foolish, or meaningless way

  1486. maven an expert or connoisseur

  1487. maverick unorthodox, unconventional, or nonconformist

  1488. mawkish characterized by sickly sentimentality; weakly emotional; maudlin

  1489. maxillary of or relating to a jaw, jawbone, or maxilla

  1490. mazarine a deep, rich blue

  1491. mazurka a lively Polish dance in moderately quick triple meter

  1492. mazy full of confusing turns, passages, etc.; like a maze; labyrinthine

  1493. meed a reward or recompense

  1494. megrim low spirits; the blues

  1495. mellophone a marching or military band brass instrument similar in appearance and range to the French horn but slightly smaller and simpler to play

  1496. ménage a domestic establishment; household

  1497. mendicant begging; practicing begging; living on alms

  1498. mensch a decent, upright, mature, and responsible person

  1499. mephitic (especially of a gas or vapor) foul-smelling; noxious

  1500. mercer a dealer in textile fabrics; dry-goods merchant

  1501. meretricious alluring by a show of flashy or vulgar attractions; tawdry

  1502. merkin false hair for the female pudenda

  1503. merry widow a woman's undergarment consisting of a strapless brassiere and short corset with attached garters

  1504. mesclun a salad consisting especially of young, tender mixed greens

  1505. mesonoxian pertaining to the hour of midnight

  1506. metaphotography Any photographic process that transcends photographic processes, comments on photographic practices, or critiques photographic processes (Wikitionary)

  1507. metempsychosis the transmigration of the soul, especially the passage of the soul after death from a human or animal to some other human or animal body

  1508. metheglin a variety of spiced mead

  1509. methylphenidate a central nervous system stimulant, C14H19NO2, used in the control of hyperkinetic syndromes and narcolepsy

  1510. métier a field of work; occupation, trade, or profession

  1511. metonymy a figure of speech that consists of the use of the name of one object or concept for that of another to which it is related, or of which it is a part, as “scepter” for “sovereignty,” or “the bottle” for “strong drink,” or “count heads (or noses)” for “count people.”

  1512. meum et tuum mine and thine

  1513. mews an area of stables built around a small street or a street having small apartments converted from such stables

  1514. miasma noxious exhalations from putrescent organic matter; poisonous effluvia or germs polluting the atmosphere

  1515. micturition the act of passing urine; urination

  1516. midden a dunghill or refuse heap

  1517. middinette a young Parisian saleswoman or seamstress

  1518. midge any of numerous minute dipterous insects, especially of the family Chironomidae, somewhat resembling a mosquito

  1519. midsummer the middle of summer (which would be early August); the summer solstice, around June 21 (which is the beginning of summer)

  1520. mien air, bearing, or demeanor, as showing character, feeling, etc.

  1521. militate to have a substantial effect; weigh heavily

  1522. milliard one thousand millions; equivalent to U.S. billion

  1523. mimesis imitation or reproduction of the supposed words of another, as in order to represent his or her character

  1524. mimsy prim, underwhelming, and ineffectual

  1525. mincing (of the gait, speech, behavior, etc.) affectedly dainty, nice, or elegant

  1526. mingy mean and stingy; disappointingly meager

  1527. minx a pert, impudent, or flirtatious girl

  1528. minyan the number of persons required by Jewish law to be present to conduct a communal religious service, traditionally a minimum of 10 Jewish males over 13 years of age

  1529. mirabelle a dry, white plum brandy from Alsace

  1530. misère a call in solo whist and other card games declaring a hand that will win no tricks

  1531. mistral a cold, dry, northerly wind common in southern France and neighboring regions

  1532. mizzle mist or drizzle

  1533. metonymy a figure of speech that consists of the use of the name of one object or concept for that of another to which it is related, or of which it is a part, as “scepter” for “sovereignty,” or “the bottle” for “strong drink,” or “count heads (or noses)” for “count people”

  1534. moiety an indefinite portion, part, or share

  1535. moil to work hard; drudge

  1536. moiré (of silks and other fabrics) presenting a watery or wavelike appearance

  1537. moksha freedom from the differentiated, temporal, and mortal world of ordinary experience

  1538. moleskin a strong and heavy napped, twilled cotton fabric used for sportswear and work clothing

  1539. mollycoddle a man or boy who is used to being coddled; a milksop

  1540. Moloch (in the Bible) a deity whose worship was marked by the sacrifice of children by their own parents

  1541. mondegreen a word or phrase resulting from a mishearing of another word or phrase, especially in a song or poem

  1542. montane pertaining to, growing in, or inhabiting mountainous regions; the lower vegetation belt on mountains

  1543. moor to secure (a ship, boat, dirigible, etc.) in a particular place, as by cables and anchors or by lines

  1544. mopish given to moping; listless, apathetic, or dejected

  1545. mordant sharply caustic or sarcastic, as wit or a speaker; biting

  1546. morganatic of or pertaining to a form of marriage in which a person of high rank, as a member of the nobility, marries someone of lower station with the stipulation that neither the low-ranking spouse nor their children, if any, will have any claim to the titles or entailed property of the high-ranking partner

  1547. morpheme any of the minimal grammatical units of a language, each constituting a word or meaningful part of a word, that cannot be divided into smaller independent grammatical parts

  1548. mosey to wander or shuffle about leisurely; stroll; saunter (often followed by along, about, etc.)

  1549. mook a contemptible, incompetent person

  1550. moonscape a land area that resembles the surface of the moon, especially in barrenness and desolation

  1551. moonstruck mentally deranged, supposedly by the influence of the moon; crazed

  1552. morbid suggesting an unhealthy mental state or attitude; unwholesomely gloomy, sensitive, extreme, etc.

  1553. mordant sharply caustic or sarcastic, as wit or a speaker; biting

  1554. morel any edible mushroom of the genus Morchella, especially M. esculenta

  1555. morganatic of or relating to a form of marriage in which a person of high rank, as a member of the nobility, marries someone of lower station with the stipulation that neither the low-ranking spouse nor their children, if any, will have any claim to the titles or entailed property of the high-ranking partner

  1556. moribund in a dying state; near death

  1557. morion an open helmet of the 16th and early 17th centuries, worn by common soldiers and usually having a flat or turned-down brim and a crest from front to back

  1558. motile moving or capable of moving spontaneously

  1559. moue a pouting grimace

  1560. mountebank a person who sells quack medicines, as from a platform in public places, attracting and influencing an audience by tricks, storytelling, etc.

  1561. motley a heterogeneous assemblage

  1562. mucid moldy; musty (archaic)

  1563. muezzin the crier who, from a minaret or other high part of a mosque, at stated hours five times daily, intones aloud the call summoning Muslims to prayer

  1564. mufti civilian clothes, in contrast with military or other uniforms, or as worn by a person who usually wears a uniform

  1565. mulct to deprive (someone) of something, as by fraud, extortion, etc.; swindle

  1566. mulligrubs ill temper; grumpiness

  1567. multifarious numerous and varied; greatly diverse or manifold

  1568. mummer a person who wears a mask or fantastic costume while merrymaking or taking part in a pantomime, especially at Christmas and other festive seasons

  1569. mump to mumble; mutter

  1570. mundane common; ordinary; banal; unimaginative

  1571. mundify to cleanse; deterge

  1572. munge computer slang: to manipulate (raw data), especially to convert (data) from one format to another; also to mess up or distort information

  1573. mungo a low-grade wool from felted rags or waste

  1574. munificent extremely liberal in giving; very generous

  1575. murmuration an act or instance of murmuring

  1576. muscadine a grape, Vitis rotundifolia, of the southern U.S., having dull purple, thick-skinned musky fruit and being the origin of many grape varieties

  1577. muso a musician, especially a pop musician, regarded as being overconcerned with technique rather than musical content or expression

  1578. must mold; moldiness; mustiness

  1579. mutatis mutandis the necessary changes having been made

  1580. muzhik a Russian peasant

  1581. muzzy confused; muddled

  1582. myalgia pain in the muscles; muscular rheumatism

  1583. myrmidon a person who executes without question or scruple a master's commands

  1584. mystagogue any interpreter of sacred mysteries or esoteric principles

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  1585. nabob any very wealthy, influential, or powerful person

  1586. nacre mother-of-pearl

  1587. nacreous resembling nacre; lustrous; pearly

  1588. naff (British slang) unstylish; lacking taste; inferior

  1589. napery table linen, as tablecloths or napkins

  1590. narghile a Middle Eastern tobacco pipe in which the smoke is drawn through water before reaching the lips; hookah

  1591. nard an aromatic Himalayan plant, believed to be the spikenard, Nardostachys jatamansi, the source of an ointment used by the ancients

  1592. narthex an enclosed passage between the main entrance and the nave of a church

  1593. nascent beginning to exist or develop

  1594. nates buttocks; rump

  1595. natron a mineral, hydrated sodium carbonate, Na2CO3⋅10H2O

  1596. navarin a stew of mutton or lamb with root vegetables

  1597. navicular boat-shaped, as certain bones

  1598. navvy an unskilled manual laborer

  1599. neb a bill or beak, as of a bird

  1600. necromancy a method of divination through alleged communication with the dead; black art

  1601. nefarious extremely wicked or villainous; iniquitous

  1602. negroni a cocktail made from sweet vermouth, gin, and bitters

  1603. nereid any of the 50 daughters of Nereus; a sea nymph

  1604. nescience lack of knowledge; ignorance

  1605. netsuke a small figure of ivory, wood, metal, or ceramic, originally used as a buttonlike fixture on a man's sash, from which small personal belongings were hung

  1606. neurasthenia nervous debility and exhaustion occurring in the absence of objective causes or lesions; nervous exhaustion

  1607. neutrois noting or relating to a person of neutral gender who also lacks a specific gender identity

  1608. nevus any congenital anomaly of the skin, including moles and various types of birthmarks

  1609. newel newel post; a central pillar or upright from which the steps of a winding stair radiate

  1610. nexus a means of connection; tie; link; the core or center, as of a matter or situation

  1611. niggardly reluctant to give or spend; stingy; miserly

  1612. niggle to criticize, especially constantly or repeatedly, in a peevish or petty way; carp

  1613. niggling petty; trivial; inconsequential

  1614. nightjar a nocturnal European bird, Caprimulgus europaeus, of the family Caprimulgidae, having a short bill and a wide mouth and feeding on insects captured in the air

  1615. nimbus a shining cloud sometimes surrounding a deity when on earth

  1616. nimrod a person expert in or devoted to hunting

  1617. nobble to drug or disable (a race horse) to prevent its winning a race

  1618. noctilucent (of high-altitude clouds) visible during the short night of the summer

  1619. noetic of or relating to the mind

  1620. noisome offensive or disgusting, as an odor

  1621. nomarch the governor of a nome or a nomarchy

  1622. nomological the science of law or laws; the science of the laws of the mind

  1623. nonesuch a person or thing without equal; paragon

  1624. nonillion a cardinal number represented in the U.S. by 1 followed by 30 zeros, and in Great Britain by 1 followed by 54 zeros

  1625. nonpareil having no equal; peerless

  1626. noodge nudge; to annoy with persistent complaints, criticisms, or pleas; nag

  1627. noosphere the biosphere including and modified by such human activities as agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, urbanization, and industrialization

  1628. normative of or pertaining to a norm, especially an assumed norm regarded as the standard of correctness in behavior, speech, writing, etc.

  1629. noumenon the object, itself inaccessible to experience, to which a phenomenon is referred for the basis or cause of its sense content

  1630. noyau a liqueur made from brandy flavoured with nut kernels

  1631. nudnik a persistently dull, boring pest

  1632. nugacity triviality; insignificance

  1633. nugatory of no real value; trifling; worthless

  1634. nullipara a woman who has never borne a child

  1635. numen divine power or spirit; a deity, especially one presiding locally or believed to inhabit a particular object

  1636. nutation the periodic oscillation observed in the precession of the earth's axis and the precession of the equinoxes

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  1637. oaf a clumsy, stupid person; lout

  1638. oakum loose fiber obtained by untwisting and picking apart old ropes, used for caulking the seams of ships

  1639. obbligato (used as a musical direction) obligatory or indispensable; so important that it cannot be omitted

  1640. obdurate stubborn; unyielding

  1641. obiter dictum an incidental or passing remark, opinion, etc.

  1642. obeah a form of belief involving sorcery, practiced in parts of the West Indies, South America, the southern U.S., and Africa

  1643. objurgate to reproach or denounce vehemently; upbraid harshly; berate sharply

  1644. oblique neither perpendicular nor parallel to a given line or surface; slanting; sloping

  1645. obloquy censure, blame, or abusive language aimed at a person or thing, especially by numerous persons or by the general public

  1646. obnubilate to cloud over; becloud; obscure

  1647. obstreperous resisting control or restraint in a difficult manner; unruly

  1648. ocarina a simple musical wind instrument shaped somewhat like an elongated egg with a mouthpiece and finger holes

  1649. ocher any of a class of natural earths, mixtures of hydrated oxide of iron with various earthy materials, ranging in color from pale yellow to orange and red, and used as pigments.

  1650. octavo a book size of about 6 × 9 inches (16 × 23 cm), determined by printing on sheets folded to form 8 leaves or 16 pages

  1651. ocotillo a spiny, woody shrub, Fouqueria splendens, of arid regions of the southwestern U.S. and Mexico, having a tight cluster of red flowers at the tip of each branch

  1652. odalisque a female slave or concubine in a harem, especially in that of the sultan of Turkey

  1653. odious deserving or causing hatred; hateful; detestable

  1654. odium intense hatred or dislike, especially toward a person or thing regarded as contemptible, despicable, or repugnant

  1655. oeuvre the works of a writer, painter, or the like, taken as a whole

  1656. offal the parts of a butchered animal that are considered inedible by human beings; carrion

  1657. ogive a pointed arch

  1658. oik oaf; lout

  1659. oikology the study or science of housekeeping

  1660. oilskin a cotton fabric made waterproof by treatment with oil and used for rain gear and fishermen's clothing

  1661. okapi an African mammal, Okapia johnstoni, closely related to and resembling the giraffe, but smaller and with a much shorter neck

  1662. oke OK; all right

  1663. oleaginous having the nature or qualities of oil

  1664. oligarchy a form of government in which all power is vested in a few persons or in a dominant class or clique; government by the few

  1665. omphalos the navel; umbilicus

  1666. onager an ancient and medieval military catapult for throwing stones

  1667. oneiromancy divination through dreams

  1668. oneiric of or pertaining to dreams

  1669. ontic possessing the character of real rather than phenomenal existence; noumenal

  1670. ontogeny the development or developmental history of an individual organism

  1671. onus a difficult or disagreeable obligation, task, burden, etc.; burden of proof

  1672. oodles a large quantity (no singular form)

  1673. oophore an alternately produced form of certain cryptogamous plants, as ferns, mosses, and the like, which bears antheridia and archegonia, and so has sexual fructification, as contrasted with the sporophore, which is nonsexual, but produces spores in countless number

  1674. ophidian belonging or pertaining to the suborder Ophidia (Serpentes), comprising the snakes

  1675. opprobrium the disgrace or the reproach incurred by conduct considered outrageously shameful; infamy

  1676. orc a mythical monster, as an ogre

  1677. ordure dung; manure; excrement

  1678. organdie a fine and slightly stiff cotton fabric used especially for dresses

  1679. orgone (in Wilhelm Reich's theory) a vital, primal, nonmaterial element believed to permeate the universe

  1680. orison a prayer

  1681. orlop the lowermost of four or more decks above the space at the bottom of a hull

  1682. ormolu an alloy of copper and zinc used to imitate gold

  1683. orotund (of the voice or speech) characterized by strength, fullness, richness, and clearness

  1684. ort a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal

  1685. osculate to come into close contact or union

  1686. osier any of various willows, as the red osier, having tough, flexible twigs or branches that are used for wickerwork

  1687. osmundine not in Dictionary.com (from a Rex Stout novel, used for orchid culture)

  1688. ossified hardened like or into bone

  1689. ostensible outwardly appearing as such; professed; pretended

  1690. ostentatious characterized by or given to pretentious or conspicuous show in an attempt to impress others

  1691. ostinato a constantly recurring melodic fragment

  1692. ostler a stableman, especially one at an inn

  1693. ostomy any of various surgical procedures, as a colostomy, in which an artificial opening is made so as to permit the drainage of waste products either into an appropriate organ or to the outside of the body

  1694. otiose being at leisure; idle; indolent

  1695. oubliette a secret dungeon with an opening only in the ceiling, as in certain old castles

  1696. ouphe an elf or goblin

  1697. outré passing the bounds of what is usual or considered proper; unconventional; bizarre

  1698. overweening presumptuously conceited, overconfident, or proud

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  1699. paddock a small, usually enclosed field near a stable or barn for pasturing or exercising animals

  1700. paean any song of praise, joy, or triumph

  1701. paillard a scallop, especially of veal or chicken, that is pounded flat and grilled or sautéed quickly

  1702. painter a rope, usually at the bow, for fastening a boat to a ship, stake, etc.

  1703. pakora an Indian dish consisting of pieces of vegetable, chicken, etc, dipped in a spiced batter and deep-fried: served with a piquant sauce

  1704. paladin any one of the 12 legendary peers or knightly champions in attendance on Charlemagne

  1705. palaver a conference or discussion

  1706. palfrey a riding horse, as distinguished from a war horse

  1707. palimpsest a parchment or the like from which writing has been partially or completely erased to make room for another text

  1708. palinesque Resembling Sarah Palin.

  1709. paling also called paling fence: picket fence

  1710. palisade a fence of pales or stakes set firmly in the ground, as for enclosure or defense

  1711. palisander Brazilian rosewood

  1712. pall a cloth, often of velvet, for spreading over a coffin, bier, or tomb

  1713. Palladian of or relating to the goddess Athena

  1714. Pallas the second largest and one of the four brightest asteroids

  1715. palliasse a straw-filled mattress; pallet

  1716. palliate to relieve or lessen without curing; mitigate; alleviate

  1717. pallium a large, rectangular mantle worn by men in ancient Greece and Rome

  1718. palsied paralyzed; unable to move or control certain muscles

  1719. paltry ridiculously or insultingly small

  1720. panache an ornamental plume of feathers, tassels, or the like, especially one worn on a helmet or cap

  1721. panegyric a lofty oration or writing in praise of a person or thing; eulogy

  1722. pangolin any mammal of the order Pholidota, of Africa and tropical Asia, having a covering of broad, overlapping, horny scales and feeding on ants and termites

  1723. panjandrum a self-important or pretentious official

  1724. panicle a compound raceme

  1725. pankration ancient Greek sports event that combined boxing and wrestling, introduced at the Xxxiii Olympiad (648 BC). Simple fisticuffs had been introduced in 688 BC. Particularly popular among Spartans, contests were savage, with hitting, kicking, twisting of limbs, strangling, and struggling on the ground allowed. The only recognized fouls were biting and gouging. A contest ended when one of the fighters acknowledged defeat.

  1726. pannier a basket, especially a large one, for carrying goods, provisions, etc.

  1727. panoply a wide-ranging and impressive array or display

  1728. pap a teat; nipple

  1729. paramour an illicit lover, especially of a married person

  1730. parapet any low protective wall or barrier at the edge of a balcony, roof, bridge, or the like

  1731. paravane an underwater defensive device against mines, consisting of a pair of torpedo-shaped vanes towed at the bow of a ship, usually a minesweeper, by cables that can cut the cable of a moored mine, causing the mine to rise to the surface, where it can be destroyed or removed from the water

  1732. pareidolia the imagined perception of a pattern or meaning where it does not actually exist, as in considering the moon to have human features

  1733. parenchyma the fundamental tissue of plants, composed of thin-walled cells able to divide

  1734. parergon something that is an accessory to a main work or subject; embellishment

  1735. paresis a late manifestation of syphilis, characterized by progressive dementia and paralysis

  1736. pareto denoting a law, mathematical formula, etc, originally used by Pareto to express the frequency distribution of incomes in a society

  1737. pareu lavalava

  1738. pariah an outcast

  1739. parlance a way or manner of speaking; vernacular; idiom

  1740. parlous perilous; dangerous

  1741. parochial very limited or narrow in scope or outlook; provincial

  1742. paronomasia the use of a word in different senses or the use of words similar in sound to achieve a specific effect, as humor or a dual meaning; punning

  1743. parterre the rear section of seats, and sometimes also the side sections, of the main floor of a theater, concert hall, or opera house

  1744. parousia Platonism: the presence in any thing of the idea after which it was formed

  1745. paroxysm any sudden, violent outburst; a fit of violent action or emotion

  1746. parthenogenesis development of an egg without fertilization

  1747. participle an adjective or complement to certain auxiliaries that is regularly derived from the verb in many languages and refers to participation in the action or state of the verb; a verbal form used as an adjective. It does not specify person or number in English, but may have a subject or object, show tense, etc., as burning, in a burning candle, or devoted in his devoted friend

  1748. parvenu a person who has recently or suddenly acquired wealth, importance, position, or the like, but has not yet developed the conventionally appropriate manners, dress, surroundings, etc.

  1749. paschmina a fabric or garment made from pashm, especially a shawl, wrap, or scarf

  1750. pastern the part of the foot of a horse, cow, etc., between the fetlock and the hoof

  1751. pastiche a literary, musical, or artistic piece consisting wholly or chiefly of motifs or techniques borrowed from one or more sources

  1752. pastille a flavored or medicated lozenge; troche

  1753. pastis a yellowish, anise-based liqueur originally made in Marseilles and similar to absinthe but containing no wormwood

  1754. patent readily open to notice or observation; evident; obvious

  1755. patchouli a plant, Pogostemon cablin, of tropical Asia, that yields a fragrant oil (patchouli oil) used in the manufacture of perfumes

  1756. pathos the quality or power in an actual life experience or in literature, music, speech, or other forms of expression, of evoking a feeling of pity, or of sympathetic and kindly sorrow or compassion

  1757. patois a regional form of a language, especially of French, differing from the standard, literary form of the language

  1758. patrimony an estate inherited from one's father or ancestors

  1759. patulous open; gaping; expanded

  1760. patten any of various kinds of footwear, as a wooden shoe, a shoe with a wooden sole, a chopine, etc., to protect the feet from mud or wetness

  1761. pavonine of or like a peacock

  1762. pawpaw a tree, Asimina triloba, of the annona family, native to the eastern U.S., having large, oblong leaves and purplish flowers

  1763. peavey a cant hook with a sharply pointed end, used in handling logs

  1764. peccadillo a very minor or slight sin or offense; a trifling fault

  1765. peccary any of several piglike hoofed mammals of the genus Tayassu, of North and South America, as T. tajacu (collared peccary, or javelina), having a dark gray coat with a white collar

  1766. peckish somewhat hungry

  1767. peculate to steal or take dishonestly (money, especially public funds, or property entrusted to one's care); embezzle

  1768. pelagic living or growing at or near the surface of the ocean, far from land, as certain organisms

  1769. pelf money or wealth, especially when regarded with contempt or acquired by reprehensible means

  1770. pelise an outer garment lined or trimmed with fur

  1771. pellucid allowing the maximum passage of light, as glass; translucent

  1772. Pelmanism a system of training to improve the memory

  1773. pelmet a decorative cornice or valance at the head of a window or doorway, used to cover the fastenings from which curtains are hung

  1774. pelorus a device for measuring in degrees the relative bearings of observed objects

  1775. penetralia the innermost parts or recesses of a place or thing

  1776. pennon a distinctive flag in any of various forms, as tapering, triangular, or swallow-tailed, formerly one borne on the lance of a knight

  1777. penumbra a shadowy, indefinite, or marginal area

  1778. peony any of various plants or shrubs of the genus Paeonia, having large, showy flowers, as the widely cultivated species P. lactiflora: the state flower of Indiana

  1779. peradventure chance, doubt, or uncertainty

  1780. percale a closely woven, smooth-finished, plain or printed cotton cloth, used for bed sheets, clothing, etc.

  1781. percipient having perception; discerning; discriminating

  1782. peregrinatin travel from one place to another, especially on foot

  1783. perfidy deliberate breach of faith or trust; faithlessness; treachery

  1784. perforce of necessity; necessarily; by force of circumstance

  1785. periphrastic circumlocutory; roundabout

  1786. peristyle a colonnade surrounding a building or an open space

  1787. permittivity the ratio of the flux density produced by an electric field in a given dielectric to the flux density produced by that field in a vacuum

  1788. perorate to speak at length; make a long, usually grandiloquent speech

  1789. perovskite a naturally occurring titanate of calcium, CaTiO3, found as yellow, brown, or black cubic crystals, usually in metamorphic rocks

  1790. persiflage light, bantering talk or writing

  1791. persnickety overparticular; fussy

  1792. perspex trademark any of various clear acrylic resins, used chiefly as a substitute for glass

  1793. perspicuous clearly expressed or presented; lucid

  1794. pertinacious holding tenaciously to a purpose, course of action, or opinion; resolute

  1795. perturb to disturb or disquiet greatly in mind; agitate

  1796. peruke a man's wig of the 17th and 18th centuries, usually powdered and gathered at the back of the neck with a ribbon; periwig

  1797. pessary a diaphragm

  1798. pestiferous spreading or bearing disease, especially deadly epidemic disease; pestilential

  1799. petechia a minute, round, nonraised hemorrhage in the skin or in a mucous or serous membrane

  1800. petitio principii a fallacy in reasoning resulting from the assumption of that which in the beginning was set forth to be proved; begging the question

  1801. pettifogging insignificant; petty

  1802. petulant moved to or showing sudden, impatient irritation, especially over some trifling annoyance

  1803. pewter any of various alloys in which tin is the chief constituent, originally one of tin and lead

  1804. pfui phooey; an exclamation indicating rejection, contempt, or disgust

  1805. phaeton any of various light, four-wheeled carriages, with or without a top, having one or two seats facing forward, used in the 19th century

  1806. phaneritic (of a rock) having the principal constituents in the form of crystals visible to the naked eye

  1807. pharaonic impressively or overwhelmingly large, luxurious, etc.

  1808. pharisaic practicing or advocating strict observance of external forms and ceremonies of religion or conduct without regard to the spirit; self-righteous; hypocritical

  1809. phasis a manner, stage, or aspect of being; phase

  1810. phatic denoting speech used to express or create an atmosphere of shared feelings, goodwill, or sociability rather than to impart information

  1811. phenomenon a fact, occurrence, or circumstance observed or observable; philosophy--an appearance or immediate object of awareness in experience; Kantianism--a thing as it appears to and is constructed by the mind, as distinguished from a noumenon, or thing-in-itself

  1812. Philemon an Epistle written by Paul

  1813. philippic any speech or discourse of bitter denunciation

  1814. philter a potion, charm, or drug supposed to cause the person taking it to fall in love, usually with some specific person

  1815. philtrum the vertical groove on the surface of the upper lip, below the septum of the nose

  1816. phiz face

  1817. phlebotomista nurse or other health worker trained in drawing venous blood for testing or donation

  1818. phlegmatic not easily excited to action or display of emotion; apathetic; sluggish

  1819. phoneme any of a small set of units, usually about 20 to 60 in number, and different for each language, considered to be the basic distinctive units of speech sound by which morphemes, words, and sentences are represented

  1820. phocine of or relating to seals

  1821. phylactery (in the early Christian church) a receptacle containing a holy relic

  1822. phylloxera any of several plant lice of the genus Phylloxera, especially P. vitifoliae (grape phylloxera) which attacks the leaves and roots of grapevines

  1823. pibroch (in the Scottish Highlands) a piece of music for the bagpipe, consisting of a series of variations on a basic theme, usually martial in character, but sometimes used as a dirge

  1824. picaresque pertaining to, characteristic of, or characterized by a form of prose fiction, originally developed in Spain, in which the adventures of an engagingly roguish hero are described in a series of usually humorous or satiric episodes that often depict, in realistic detail, the everyday life of the common people

  1825. picayune of little value or account; small; trifling

  1826. piccalilli a pungent relish of East Indian origin, made of chopped vegetables, mustard, vinegar, and hot spices

  1827. picul a weight equal to 100 catties, or from about 133 to about 143 pounds avoirdupois (60–64 kg)

  1828. piebald having patches of black and white or of other colors; parti-colored

  1829. pied-à-terre a residence, as an apartment, for part-time or temporary use

  1830. Pierrot a male character in certain French pantomime, having a whitened face and wearing a loose, white, fancy costume

  1831. pika any of several small, brown to gray tailless mammals of the genus Ochotona, resembling rabbits with short ears and legs and inhabiting western mountains of North America and parts of eastern Europe and Asia

  1832. pilaster a shallow rectangular feature projecting from a wall, having a capital and base and usually imitating the form of a column

  1833. pilau pilaf, a Middle Eastern dish consisting of sautéed, seasoned rice steamed in bouillon, sometimes with poultry, meat or shellfish

  1834. pillion a seat for a passenger behind a motorcyclist

  1835. pillock a stupid or annoying person

  1836. pimire an ant

  1837. pinafore a child's apron, usually large enough to cover the dress and sometimes trimmed with flounces

  1838. pinchbeck an alloy of copper and zinc, used in imitation of gold

  1839. pinyin a system for transliterating Chinese into the Latin alphabet: introduced in 1958 and adopted as the official system of romanization by the People's Republic of China in 1979

  1840. pipal a fig tree, Ficus religiosa, of India, somewhat resembling the banyan

  1841. pippin variety of apple; botany--a seed

  1842. pinnace a light sailing ship, especially one formerly used in attendance on a larger ship

  1843. piquant agreeably pungent or sharp in taste or flavor; pleasantly biting or tart

  1844. piquet a card game played by two persons with a pack of 32 cards, the cards from deuces to sixes being excluded

  1845. piste a track or trail, as a downhill ski run or a spoor made by a wild animal

  1846. pitchpole (of a boat) to capsize end over end, as in heavy surf

  1847. Pithecanthropus a former genus of extinct hominins whose members have now been assigned to the proposed species Homo erectus

  1848. placer a surficial mineral deposit formed by the concentration of small particles of heavy minerals, as gold, rutile, or platinum, in gravel or small sands

  1849. plackart armor

  1850. placket the opening or slit at the top of a skirt, or in a dress or blouse, that facilitates putting it on and taking it off

  1851. plage a sandy bathing beach at a seashore resort

  1852. plaice a European flatfish, Pleuronectes platessa, used for food

  1853. plaintive expressing sorrow or melancholy; mournful

  1854. plait a braid, especially of hair or straw

  1855. planchette a small, heart-shaped board supported by two casters and a pencil or stylus that, when moved across a surface by the light, unguided pressure of the fingertips, is supposed to trace meaningful patterns or written messages revealing subconscious thoughts, psychic phenomena, clairvoyant messages, etc.

  1856. plangent resounding loudly, especially with a plaintive sound, as a bell

  1857. plashy marshy; wet

  1858. plasticine a brand name for a synthetic material used as a substitute for clay or wax in modeling

  1859. plat a plot of ground

  1860. pleach to interweave (branches, vines, etc.), as for a hedge or arbor

  1861. pleasance a place laid out as a pleasure garden or promenade

  1862. pleonasm the use of more words than are necessary to express an idea; redundancy

  1863. plerophory fullness, full persuasion

  1864. pleura a delicate serous membrane investing each lung in mammals and folded back as a lining of the corresponding side of the thorax

  1865. pleurisy inflammation of the pleura, with or without a liquid effusion in the pleural cavity, characterized by a dry cough and pain in the affected side

  1866. plimsoll a canvas shoe with a rubber sole; gym shoe; sneaker

  1867. plinth a slablike member beneath the base of a column or pier

  1868. plonk inferior or cheap wine

  1869. plonker a stupid person

  1870. plumbeous resembling or containing lead; leaden

  1871. pluperfect perfect with respect to a point of reference in past time

  1872. plus fours long, baggy knickers for men, introduced before World War I and worn until the 1930s for sports activities, especially golf

  1873. plutonic noting or pertaining to a class of igneous rocks that have solidified far below the earth's surface

  1874. podge a short chubby person

  1875. podunk any small and insignificant or inaccessible town or village

  1876. poilu a French common soldier

  1877. poignant keenly distressing to the feelings

  1878. poitrine a woman's bosom

  1879. polder a tract of low land, especially in the Netherlands, reclaimed from the sea or other body of water and protected by dikes

  1880. polemic a controversial argument, as one against some opinion, doctrine, etc.

  1881. polemology the analysis of human conflict and war, particularly international war

  1882. pollard a tree cut back nearly to the trunk, so as to produce a dense mass of branches

  1883. poltroon a wretched coward; craven

  1884. polyglot able to speak or write several languages; multilingual

  1885. polysemy a condition in which a single word, phrase, or concept has more than one meaning or connotation

  1886. pomace the pulpy residue from apples or similar fruit after crushing and pressing, as in cider making

  1887. pomelo the very large, yellow or orange citrus fruit of a tree, Citrus maxima, of southeastern Asia

  1888. pompon an ornamental tuft or ball of feathers, wool, or the like, used on hats, slippers, etc.

  1889. ponce pimp

  1890. pongee silk of a slightly uneven weave made from filaments of wild silk woven in natural tan color

  1891. poniard a small, slender dagger

  1892. ponignant keenly distressing to the feelings

  1893. poof a contemptuous term used to refer to a male homosexual

  1894. pooh-pooh to express disdain or contempt for; dismiss lightly

  1895. poop a stupid, fussy, or boring person (perhaps short for nincompoop)

  1896. poppet any of the vertical timbers bracing the bow or stern of a vessel about to be launched

  1897. porphyry a very hard rock, anciently quarried in Egypt, having a dark, purplish-red groundmass containing small crystals of feldspar

  1898. portamento a passing or gliding from one pitch or tone to another with a smooth progression

  1899. portico a structure consisting of a roof supported by columns or piers, usually attached to a building as a porch

  1900. portiere a curtain hung in a doorway, either to replace the door or for decoration

  1901. portmanteau a case or bag to carry clothing in while traveling, especially a leather trunk or suitcase that opens into two halves

  1902. poseur a person who attempts to impress others by assuming or affecting a manner, degree of elegance, sentiment, etc., other than his or her true one

  1903. posset a drink made of hot milk curdled with ale, wine, or the like, often sweetened and spiced

  1904. posh sumptuously furnished or appointed; luxurious

  1905. postprandial after a meal, especially after dinner

  1906. postilion a person who rides the left horse of the leading or only pair of horses drawing a carriage

  1907. postulant a candidate, especially for admission into a religious order

  1908. potage soup, especially any thick soup made with cream

  1909. potboiler a mediocre work of literature or art produced merely for financial gain

  1910. pother commotion; uproar

  1911. potherb any herb prepared as food by cooking in a pot, as spinach, or added as seasoning in cookery, as thyme

  1912. potholing British a sport in which participants explore underground caves

  1913. potlatch a party or celebration

  1914. potman a youth or man employed at a public house to serve beer, etc.

  1915. pourparler an informal preliminary conference

  1916. praetor (in the ancient Roman republic) one of a number of elected magistrates charged chiefly with the administration of civil justice and ranking next below a consul

  1917. prandial of or relating to a meal, especially dinner

  1918. prat the buttocks

  1919. prate to talk excessively and pointlessly; babble

  1920. prattle to talk in a foolish or simple-minded way; chatter; babble

  1921. precentor a person who leads a church choir or congregation in singing

  1922. precipice a cliff with a vertical, nearly vertical, or overhanging face

  1923. précis a concise summary

  1924. preeclampsia a form of toxemia of pregnancy, characterized by hypertension, fluid retention, and albuminuria, sometimes progressing to eclampsia

  1925. preeminent eminent above or before others; superior; surpassing

  1926. prefect a person appointed to any of various positions of command, authority, or superintendence, as a chief magistrate in ancient Rome or the chief administrative official of a department of France or Italy

  1927. prelacy the office or dignity of a prelate, or high-ranking member of the Christian clergy

  1928. preponderate to exceed something else in weight; be the heavier

  1929. prepossessing that impresses favorably; engaging or attractive

  1930. prepotent preeminent in power, authority, or influence; predominant

  1931. prepuce the fold of skin that covers the head of the penis; foreskin; a similar covering of the clitoris

  1932. prerogative an exclusive right, privilege, etc., exercised by virtue of rank, office, or the like

  1933. presbyopia farsightedness due to ciliary muscle weakness and loss of elasticity in the crystalline lens

  1934. presbyter (in the early Christian church) an office bearer who exercised teaching, priestly, and administrative functions

  1935. prescind to separate or single out in thought; abstract

  1936. preternatural outside of nature; supernatural

  1937. prevaricate to speak falsely or misleadingly; deliberately misstate or create an incorrect impression; lie

  1938. prig a person who displays or demands of others pointlessly precise conformity, fussiness about trivialities, or exaggerated propriety, especially in a self-righteous or irritating manner

  1939. primeval of or relating to the first age or ages, especially of the world

  1940. primus Scottish Episcopal Church. a bishop who is elected to represent the church body and to summon and preside at synods but who possesses no metropolitan power

  1941. prink to deck or dress for show; to fuss over one's dress, especially before the mirror

  1942. proa any of various types of Indonesian boats, especially a swift Malay sailing boat built with the lee side flat and balanced by a single outrigger

  1943. probity integrity and uprightness; honesty

  1944. proclivity natural or habitual inclination or tendency; propensity; predisposition

  1945. prodigality wasteful extravagance in spending

  1946. prodigious extraordinary in size, amount, extent, degree, force, etc.

  1947. prodrome a premonitory symptom

  1948. proffer to put before a person for acceptance; offer

  1949. profiterole a small cream puff with a sweet or savory filling, as of cream and chocolate sauce

  1950. profligacy shameless dissoluteness

  1951. prolate elongated along the polar diameter, as a spheroid generated by the revolution of an ellipse about its longer axis (opposed to oblate)

  1952. prolegomenon a preliminary discussion; introductory essay, as prefatory matter in a book; a prologue

  1953. prolix extended to great, unnecessary, or tedious length; long and wordy

  1954. propinquity nearness in place; proximity; nearness of relation; kinship

  1955. propitiate to make favorably inclined; appease; conciliate

  1956. propitious presenting favorable conditions; favorable

  1957. propolis a reddish resinous cement collected by bees from the buds of trees, used to stop up crevices in the hives, strengthen the cells, etc.

  1958. propranolol a beta-blocking drug, C 1 6 H 2 1 NO 2, used in the treatment of hypertension, angina pectoris, and cardiac arrhythmias

  1959. prorogue to discontinue a session of (the British Parliament or a similar body)

  1960. proscenium the arch that separates a stage from the auditorium

  1961. prosciutto salted ham that has been cured by drying, always sliced paper-thin for serving

  1962. prosody the science or study of poetic meters and versification

  1963. prostrate to cast (oneself) face down on the ground in humility, submission, or adoration

  1964. prothalamion a song or poem written to celebrate a marriage

  1965. protuberant bulging out beyond the surrounding surface; protruding; projecting

  1966. provender dry food, as hay or oats, for livestock or other domestic animals; fodder

  1967. providential opportune, fortunate, or lucky

  1968. prurient having, inclined to have, or characterized by lascivious or lustful thoughts, desires, etc.

  1969. psychedelia the realm or artifacts of psychedelic drugs, art, writings, or the like

  1970. psychedelic mind manifesting

  1971. ptarmigan any of several grouses of the genus Lagopus, of mountainous and cold northern regions, having feathered feet

  1972. ptomaine any of a class of foul-smelling nitrogenous substances produced by bacteria during putrefaction of animal or plant protein: formerly thought to be toxic

  1973. puce of a dark or brownish purple

  1974. pud pudding

  1975. pudding a thick, soft dessert, typically containing flour or some other thickener, milk, eggs, a flavoring, and sweetener

  1976. pudendum the external genital organs, especially those of the female; vulva

  1977. pugaree (also pugree) a light turban worn in India

  1978. puissance power, might, or force

  1979. pule to cry in a thin voice; whine; whimper

  1980. pullulate to send forth sprouts, buds, etc.; germinate; sprout

  1981. puncheon a large cask of varying capacity, but usually 80 gallons (304 liters); a short post, especially one used for supporting the roof in a coal mine

  1982. punctilio a fine point, particular, or detail, as of conduct, ceremony, or procedure

  1983. punctilius strict or exact in the observance of the formalities or amenities of conduct or actions

  1984. punnet a small container or basket for strawberries or other fruit

  1985. pushbike a standard bicycle, operated by pedals rather than a motor

  1986. pusilanimous lacking courage or resolution; cowardly; faint-hearted; timid

  1987. Purana any of 18 collections of Hindu legends and religious instructions

  1988. purblind slow or deficient in understanding, imagination, or vision

  1989. purdah the seclusion of women from the sight of men or strangers, practiced by some Muslims and Hindus

  1990. purl to knit with a reverse stitch; to finish with loops or a looped edging

  1991. purlieu a place where one may range at large; confines or bounds

  1992. pusillanimous lacking courage or resolution; cowardly; faint-hearted; timid

  1993. putto a representation of a cherubic infant, often shown winged

  1994. puttee a long strip of cloth wound spirally round the leg from ankle to knee, worn especially formerly as part of a soldier's uniform

  1995. pwn to totally defeat or dominate, especially in a video or computer game

    A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

    Q

  1996. qawwali a style of Sufi devotional music marked by rhythmic improvisatory repetition of a short phrase, intended to rouse participants to a state of mystical ecstasy

  1997. qua as; as being; in the character or capacity of

  1998. quadriplegia paralysis of all four limbs or of the entire body below the neck

  1999. quaestor one of two subordinates of the consuls serving as public prosecutors in certain criminal cases

  2000. quag a quagmire

  2001. quagmire an area of miry or boggy ground whose surface yields under the tread; a bog

  2002. quaint skillfully or cleverly made

  2003. quay a landing place, especially one of solid masonry, constructed along the edge of a body of water; wharf

  2004. quenelle a dumpling of finely chopped fish or meat that is poached in water or stock and usually served with a sauce

  2005. querulous full of complaints; complaining

  2006. quibble an instance of the use of ambiguous, prevaricating, or irrelevant language or arguments to evade a point at issue

  2007. quiddity the quality that makes a thing what it is; the essential nature of a thing

  2008. quiff a woman, especially one who is promiscuous

  2009. quim vagina; vulva

  2010. quirk an area taken from a larger area, as a room or a plot of ground (architecture); a peculiarity of action, behavior, or personality; mannerism

  2011. quirt a riding whip consisting of a short, stout stock and a lash of braided leather

  2012. quisling a person who betrays his or her own country by aiding an invading enemy, often serving later in a puppet government; fifth columnist

  2013. quittance a document certifying discharge from debt or obligation, as a receipt

  2014. quixotic extravagantly chivalrous or romantic; visionary, impractical, or impracticable

  2015. quod jail

  2016. quoin an external solid angle of a wall or the like

  2017. quoits a game in which rings of rope or flattened metal are thrown at an upright peg, the object being to encircle it or come as close to it as possible

  2018. quondam former; onetime

  2019. quoth said (used with nouns, and with first- and third-person pronouns, and always placed before the subject)

  2020. quotidian daily

    A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

    R

  2021. rabato a wide, stiff collar of the 17th century, worn flat over the shoulders or open in front and standing at the back

  2022. rabbin rabbi

  2023. raceme a simple indeterminate inflorescence in which the flowers are borne on short pedicels lying along a common axis, as in the lily of the valley

  2024. rachitis rickets

  2025. raconteur a person who is skilled in relating stories and anecdotes interestingly

  2026. raddle to interweave; wattle

  2027. radula a chitinous band in the mouth of most mollusks, set with numerous, minute, horny teeth and drawn backward and forward over the floor of the mouth in the process of breaking up food

  2028. raffish mildly or sometimes engagingly disreputable or nonconformist; rakish

  2029. raillery good-humored ridicule; banter

  2030. raiment clothing; apparel; attire

  2031. rambunctious difficult to control or handle; wildly boisterous

  2032. rancor bitter, rankling resentment or ill will; hatred; malice

  2033. rapscallion a rascal; rogue; scamp

  2034. rapt deeply engrossed or absorbed

  2035. raucous harsh; strident; grating

  2036. ravel to disentangle or unravel the threads or fibers of (a woven or knitted fabric, rope, etc.)

  2037. ravish to fill with strong emotion, especially joy

  2038. rawboned having little flesh, especially on a large-boned frame; gaunt

  2039. rawsome awesome like Robert A. Wagner, also spelled "rawesome"

  2040. razzia a plundering raid

  2041. rebarbative causing annoyance, irritation, or aversion; repellent

  2042. recherché very rare, exotic, or choice; arcane; obscure

  2043. recitative pertaining to or of the nature of recital

  2044. recondite dealing with very profound, difficult, or abstruse subject matter

  2045. recreant cowardly or craven

  2046. recrudescence breaking out afresh or into renewed activity; revival or reappearance in active existence

  2047. redolent having a pleasant odor; fragrant

  2048. redoubtable that is to be feared; formidable

  2049. redound to have a good or bad effect or result, as to the advantage or disadvantage of a person or thing

  2050. refectory a dining hall in a religious house, a college, or other institution

  2051. refractory hard or impossible to manage; stubbornly disobedient

  2052. refrangible capable of being refracted, as rays of light

  2053. refulgent shining brightly; radiant; gleaming

  2054. regnant ruling

  2055. reify to convert into or regard as a concrete thing

  2056. reive to rob; plunder

  2057. remise to give up a claim to; surrender by deed

  2058. renascent being reborn; springing again into being or vigor

  2059. repechage (in cycling and rowing) a last-chance qualifying heat in which the runners-up in earlier heats race each other, with the winner advancing to the finals

  2060. répétiteur the vocal coach of an opera chorus

  2061. repine to be fretfully discontented; fret; complain

  2062. replete abundantly supplied or provided; filled

  2063. replevin an action for the recovery of goods or chattels wrongfully taken or detained

  2064. restive impatient of control, restraint, or delay, as persons; restless; uneasy

  2065. reticulate netted; covered with a network

  2066. reticule a small purse or bag, originally of network but later of silk, rayon, etc.

  2067. retroversion a looking or turning back

  2068. retroussé (especially of the nose) turned up

  2069. revanche the policy of a state intent on regaining areas of its original territory that have been lost to other states as a result of war, a treaty signed under duress, etc.

  2070. revenant a person who returns

  2071. revetment a facing of masonry or the like, especially for protecting an embankment

  2072. rheum a thin discharge of the mucous membranes, especially during a cold

  2073. rhodium a silvery-white metallic element of the platinum family, forming salts that give rose-colored solutions: used to electroplate microscopes and instrument parts to prevent corrosion

  2074. rife of common or frequent occurrence; prevalent; in widespread existence, activity, or use

  2075. rime an opaque coating of tiny, white, granular ice particles, caused by the rapid freezing of supercooled water droplets on impact with an object

  2076. riparian of, pertaining to, or situated or dwelling on the bank of a river or other body of water

  2077. risible causing or capable of causing laughter; laughable; ludicrous

  2078. rissole a small pastry, often in turnover form, filled with a mixture containing meat or fish and usually fried in deep fat

  2079. ritornello an orchestral interlude between arias, scenes, or acts in 17th-century opera

  2080. ritz slang: to treat with condescension; snub

  2081. roan of the color sorrel, chestnut, or bay, sprinkled with gray or white

  2082. rodomontade vainglorious boasting or bragging; pretentious, blustering talk

  2083. roister to act in a swaggering, boisterous, or uproarious manner

  2084. rollick to move or act in a carefree, frolicsome manner; behave in a free, hearty, lively, or jovial way

  2085. roly-poly a sheet of biscuit dough spread with jam, fruit, or the like, rolled up and steamed or baked

  2086. roman à clef a novel that represents historical events and characters under the guise of fiction

  2087. rondavel a circular often thatched building with a conical roof

  2088. rondo a work or movement, often the last movement of a sonata, having one principal subject that is stated at least three times in the same key and to which return is made after the introduction of each subordinate theme

  2089. rood a crucifix, especially a large one at the entrance to the choir or chancel of a medieval church, often supported on a rood beam or rood screen

  2090. rookery a breeding place or colony of gregarious birds or animals, as penguins and seals

  2091. rostellum any small, beaklike process; a beaklike modification of the stigma in many orchids

  2092. rostrum any platform, stage, or the like, for public speaking

  2093. rota a round or rotation of duties; a period of work or duty taken in rotation with others

  2094. roust to rout, as from a place

  2095. rowel a small wheel with radiating points, forming the extremity of a spur

  2096. rozzer a policeman

  2097. rubicund red or reddish; ruddy

  2098. rubric any established mode of conduct or procedure; protocol

  2099. ruche a strip of pleated lace, net, muslin, or other material for trimming or finishing a dress, as at the collar or sleeves

  2100. ruck a large number or quantity; mass

  2101. ruction a disturbance, quarrel, or row

  2102. ruddy of or having a fresh, healthy red color

  2103. rueful feeling, showing, or expressing sorrow, repentance, or regret

  2104. rugose having wrinkles; wrinkled; ridged

  2105. rumbustious rambunctious

  2106. rump the remnant of a legislature, council, etc., after a majority of the members have resigned or been expelled

  2107. runcible 1871, a nonsense word coined by Edward Lear; used especially in runcible spoon "spoon with three short tines like a fork," which first took the name 1926

  2108. rune any of the characters of certain ancient alphabets, as of a script used for writing the Germanic languages, especially of Scandinavia and Britain, from c200 to c1200, or a script used for inscriptions in a Turkic language of the 6th to 8th centuries from the area near the Orkhon River in Mongolia

  2109. rusk a slice of sweet raised bread dried and baked again in the oven; zwieback

  2110. russet a coarse reddish-brown or brownish homespun cloth formerly used for clothing

  2111. rusticate to go to the country; (British) to suspend (a student) from a university as punishment

    A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

    S

  2112. sacerdotalism the system, spirit, or methods of the priesthood

  2113. sachem a political party leader

  2114. sacristy an apartment in or a building connected with a church or a religious house, in which the sacred vessels, vestments, etc., are kept

  2115. sadhu an ascetic holy man, especially a monk

  2116. salacious lustful or lecherous

  2117. sallet a light medieval helmet, usually with a vision slit or a movable visor

  2118. sallow of a sickly, yellowish or lightish brown color

  2119. saltation a dancing, hopping, or leaping movement

  2120. saltire heraldry: an ordinary in the form of a cross with arms running diagonally from the dexter chief to the sinister base and from the sinister chief to the dexter base; St. Andrew's cross

  2121. salubrious favorable to or promoting health; healthful

  2122. salver a tray, especially one used for serving food or beverages

  2123. sagacious having or showing acute mental discernment and keen practical sense; shrewd

  2124. samadhi the highest stage in meditation, in which a person experiences oneness with the universe

  2125. samara an indehiscent, usually one-seeded, winged fruit, as of the elm or maple

  2126. sambo offensive: a term used to refer to a black person, especially a male

  2127. samizdat a clandestine publishing system within the Soviet Union, by which forbidden or unpublishable literature was reproduced and circulated privately

  2128. samovar a metal urn, used especially by Russians for heating water for making tea

  2129. sangfroid coolness of mind; calmness; composure

  2130. sanies a thin, often greenish, serous fluid that is discharged from ulcers, wounds, etc.

  2131. saporous full of flavor or taste; flavorful

  2132. sapphism lesbianism

  2133. saprophyte any organism that lives on dead organic matter, as certain fungi and bacteria

  2134. sartorial of or pertaining to tailors or their trade

  2135. sashay to glide, move, or proceed easily or nonchalantly

  2136. sateen a strong cotton fabric constructed in satin weave and having a lustrous face

  2137. satori sudden enlightenment

  2138. saunter to walk with a leisurely gait; stroll

  2139. savoir-faire knowledge of just what to do in any situation; tact

  2140. scabrous having a rough surface because of minute points or projections

  2141. scamp a playful, mischievous, or naughty young person; upstart

  2142. scansion the metrical analysis of verse. The usual marks for scansion are ˘ for a short or unaccented syllable, ¯ or · for a long or accented syllable, ^ for a rest, | for a foot division, and ‖ for a caesura or pause

  2143. scapegrace a complete rogue or rascal; a habitually unscrupulous person; scamp

  2144. scaramouch a stock character in commedia dell'arte and farce who is a cowardly braggart, easily beaten and frightened

  2145. scarp a line of cliffs formed by the faulting or fracturing of the earth's crust; an escarpment

  2146. scarper to flee or depart suddenly, especially without having paid one's bills

  2147. schadenfreude satisfaction or pleasure felt at someone else's misfortune

  2148. schism division or disunion, especially into mutually opposed parties

  2149. schiz schizo

  2150. schizo schizophrenic

  2151. schizoid of or relating to a personality disorder marked by dissociation, passivity, withdrawal, inability to form warm social relationships, and indifference to praise or criticism

  2152. schlemiel an awkward and unlucky person for whom things never turn out right

  2153. schlong the penis

  2154. schloss a castle or palace

  2155. schmo a foolish, boring, or stupid person; a jerk

  2156. schmaltz exaggerated sentimentalism, as in music or soap operas

  2157. scintilla a minute particle; spark; trace

  2158. sclera a dense, white, fibrous membrane that, with the cornea, forms the external covering of the eyeball

  2159. scoliosis an abnormal lateral curvature of the spine

  2160. scoria the refuse, dross, or slag left after melting or smelting metal; scum

  2161. scout to treat with scorn; dismiss

  2162. scrabble to scratch or scrape, as with the claws or hands

  2163. scraggy lean or thin; scrawny

  2164. scrim a cotton or linen fabric of open weave used for bunting, curtains, etc.; Theater. a piece of such fabric used as a drop, border, or the like, for creating the illusion of a solid wall or backdrop under certain lighting conditions or creating a semitransparent curtain when lit from behind

  2165. scrofula primary tuberculosis of the lymphatic glands, especially those of the neck

  2166. schmuck an obnoxious or contemptible person

  2167. schmutter cloth or clothing

  2168. scrapple cornmeal mush mixed with pork scraps, seasoned with onions, spices, herbs, etc., and shaped into loaves and sliced for frying

  2169. scree a steep mass of detritus on the side of a mountain

  2170. scrofulous morally tainted

  2171. scry to use divination to discover hidden knowledge or future events, especially by means of a crystal ball

  2172. scud to run before a gale with little or no sail set

  2173. scullery a small room or section of a pantry in which food is cleaned, trimmed, and cut into cooking portions before being sent to the kitchen

  2174. scumble to soften (the color or tone of a painted area) by overlaying parts with opaque or semiopaque color applied thinly and lightly with an almost dry brush

  2175. scupper a drain at the edge of a deck exposed to the weather, for allowing accumulated water to drain away into the sea or into the bilges

  2176. scuppernong a silvery amber-green variety of muscadine grape

  2177. scut a short tail, especially that of a hare, rabbit, or deer

  2178. scurf the scales or small shreds of epidermis that are continually exfoliated from the skin

  2179. scurrilous grossly or obscenely abusive

  2180. scut a short tail, especially that of a hare, rabbit, or deer

  2181. secateurs scissors or shears, especially pruning shears

  2182. sedulous diligent in application or attention; persevering; assiduous

  2183. seelie good benevolent fairies

  2184. seersucker a plainwoven cotton, rayon, or linen fabric: traditionally a striped cotton with alternate stripes crinkled in the weaving

  2185. seigneur a lord, especially a feudal lord

  2186. selenophilia love of the moon, not in dictionary.com

  2187. selkie a mythical creature that looks like a seal in water but assumes human form on land

  2188. selsyn another name for synchro

  2189. seminal highly original and influencing the development of future events

  2190. semiotic of or pertaining to signs

  2191. senescent growing old; aging

  2192. seneschal an officer having full charge of domestic arrangements, ceremonies, the administration of justice, etc., in the household of a medieval prince or dignitary; steward

  2193. senna any plant, shrub, or tree belonging to the genus Cassia, of the legume family, having pinnate leaves and large clusters of flowers

  2194. sententious abounding in pithy aphorisms or maxims

  2195. sentient characterized by sensation and consciousness

  2196. septuagint the oldest Greek version of the Old Testament, traditionally said to have been translated by 70 or 72 Jewish scholars at the request of Ptolemy II: most scholars believe that only the Pentateuch was completed in the early part of the 3rd century b.c. and that the remaining books were translated in the next two centuries

  2197. sequela an abnormal condition resulting from a previous disease

  2198. sequitur a logical conclusion from the premises; a logical consequence

  2199. sere dry; withered

  2200. seraglio the part of a Muslim house or palace in which the wives and concubines are secluded; harem

  2201. serotine late in occurring, developing, or flowering

  2202. serried pressed together or compacted, as soldiers in rows

  2203. serviette a table napkin

  2204. servitor a person who is in or at the service of another; attendant

  2205. sesquipedalian given to using long words

  2206. sessile attached by the base, or without any distinct projecting support, as a leaf issuing directly from the stem

  2207. sexton an official of a church charged with taking care of the edifice and its contents, ringing the bell, etc., and sometimes with burying the dead

  2208. Shakti the female principle or organ of generative power

  2209. shallop any of various vessels formerly used for sailing or rowing in shallow waters, especially a two-masted, gaff-rigged vessel of the 17th and 18th centuries

  2210. shambolic very disorganized; messy or confused

  2211. shandy a mixture of beer and lemonade

  2212. shantung textiles: a heavy pongee

  2213. shanty a crudely built hut, cabin, or house

  2214. Shavian of, pertaining to, or characteristic of George Bernard Shaw or his works

  2215. shearling a yearling sheep that has been shorn once

  2216. shellback an old sailor

  2217. shemozzle a state of chaos or confusion

  2218. shewbread the 12 loaves of bread placed every Sabbath on a table in the sanctuary of the Biblical tabernacle and the Temple in Jerusalem as an offering by the priests to God. Ex. 25:30; Lev. 24:5–9.

  2219. shibboleth a peculiarity of pronunciation, behavior, mode of dress, etc., that distinguishes a particular class or set of persons

  2220. shickered intoxicated; drunk

  2221. shikar the hunting of game for sport

  2222. shiksa a term used especially by a Jew to refer to a girl or woman who is not Jewish

  2223. shillelagh a cudgel, traditionally of blackthorn or oak

    li>shimmy excessive wobbling in the front wheels of a motor vehicle

  2224. shindy a row; rumpus

  2225. shindig an elaborate or large dance, party, or other celebration

    li>shinny to climb smoothly up, down, or along something by holding it tightly with your arms and legs

  2226. shivoo a boisterous party or celebration

  2227. shoal a sandbank or sand bar in the bed of a body of water, especially one that is exposed above the surface of the water at low tide

  2228. shoat a young, weaned pig

  2229. shrift the imposition of penance by a priest on a penitent after confession

  2230. shrive to impose penance on (a sinner)

  2231. shul a synagogue

  2232. sibilant hissing

  2233. siddhi a miraculous power imparted by the late stages of intense meditation

  2234. sienna a ferruginous earth used as a yellowish-brown pigment (raw sienna) or, after roasting in a furnace, as a reddish-brown pigment (burnt sienna)

  2235. sierra a chain of hills or mountains, the peaks of which suggest the teeth of a saw

  2236. sigil a seal or signet

  2237. signet a small seal, as on a finger ring

  2238. silesia a lightweight, smoothly finished, twilled fabric of acetate, rayon, or cotton, for garment linings

  2239. simile a figure of speech in which two unlike things are explicitly compared

  2240. simony the making of profit out of sacred things

  2241. simper to smile in a silly, self-conscious way

  2242. simulacrum a slight, unreal, or superficial likeness or semblance

  2243. sinecure an office or position requiring little or no work, especially one yielding profitable returns

  2244. singlet a sleeveless athletic jersey, especially a loose-fitting top worn by runners, joggers, etc.

  2245. sizar (at Cambridge University and at Trinity College, Dublin) an undergraduate who receives maintenance aid from the college

  2246. skein a length of yarn or thread wound on a reel or swift preparatory for use in manufacturing

  2247. skell a homeless person who lives on the streets, sleeps in doorways or subways, etc.; derelict

  2248. skene (in the ancient Greek theater) a structure facing the audience and forming the background before which performances were given

  2249. skint having no money; penniless

  2250. skirl to play the bagpipe; to shriek

  2251. skirr to go rapidly; fly; scurry

  2252. skive to split or cut, as leather, into layers or slices

  2253. skivvy a female servant, especially a chambermaid

  2254. skrimshander a person who makes scrimshaw objects

  2255. slather to spread or apply thickly

  2256. slattern a slovenly, untidy woman or girl

  2257. slaver to let saliva run from the mouth; slobber; drool

  2258. slinky made of soft, often clinging material that follows the figure closely and flows with body movement

  2259. sloe-eyed having very dark eyes; dark-eyed; having slanted eyes

  2260. slouch hat a soft hat often made of felt and having a supple, usually broad brim

  2261. slue to turn (a mast or other spar) around on its own axis, or without removing it from its place

  2262. slumgullion a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc.; a beverage made weak or thin, as watery tea, coffee, or the like; the refuse from processing whale carcasses; a reddish, muddy deposit in mining sluices

  2263. smarmy excessively or unctuously flattering, ingratiating, servile, etc.

  2264. smirch to discolor or soil; spot or smudge with or as with soot, dust, dirt, etc.

  2265. smirk to smile in an affected, smug, or offensively familiar way

  2266. snaffle a bit, usually jointed in the middle and without a curb, with a large ring at each end to which a rein and cheek strap are attached

  2267. snark a mysterious, imaginary animal

  2268. snarky testy or irritable; short

  2269. snib to bolt or fasten (a door or window)

  2270. snicker to laugh in a half-suppressed, indecorous or disrespectful manner

  2271. snide derogatory in a nasty, insinuating manner

  2272. snigger snicker

  2273. snivel to weep or cry with sniffling

  2274. snog to kiss and cuddle

  2275. snood the distinctive headband formerly worn by young unmarried women in Scotland and northern England

  2276. snuck a past participle and simple past tense of sneak

  2277. sobriquet a nickname

  2278. sodality fellowship; comradeship

  2279. soi-disant calling oneself thus; self-styled

  2280. soigné carefully or elegantly done, operated, or designed

  2281. solecism a nonstandard or ungrammatical usage; a breach of good manners or etiquette

  2282. solicitude care or concern for someone or something

  2283. soliloquy an utterance or discourse by a person who is talking to himself or herself or is disregardful of or oblivious to any hearers present

  2284. soliton a solution of a certain type of partial differential equation that represents a solitary wave

  2285. somnolent sleepy; drowsy

  2286. soppy soaked, drenched, or very wet, as ground

  2287. sotto voche in a low, soft voice so as not to be overheard

  2288. sough to make a rushing, rustling, or murmuring sound

  2289. soupcon a slight trace, as of a particular taste or flavor

  2290. soutane a cassock

  2291. souteneur man who lives on the earnings of one or more prostitutes under his protection, pimp

  2292. sozzled drunk; inebriated

  2293. spahi one of a body of native Algerian cavalry in the French service

  2294. spandrel an area between the extradoses of two adjoining arches, or between the extrados of an arch and a perpendicular through the extrados at the springing line

  2295. spangle a small, thin, often circular piece of glittering metal or other material, used especially for decorating garments

  2296. spaniel a submissive, fawning, or cringing person

  2297. spatchcock a fowl that has been dressed and split open for grilling

  2298. spate a sudden, almost overwhelming, outpouring

  2299. spavined being of or marked by a decrepit or broken-down condition

  2300. specie coined money; coin

  2301. specius apparently good or right though lacking real merit; superficially pleasing or plausible

  2302. spermaceti a pearly white, waxy, translucent solid, obtained from the oil in the head of the sperm whale: used chiefly in cosmetics and candles, and as an emollient

  2303. spigotty not in Dictionary.com (from a Rex Stout novel, Fer-de-Lance, 1934)

  2304. spikenard an aromatic, Indian plant, Nardostachys jatamansi, of the valerian family, believed to be the nard of the ancients

  2305. spile a peg or plug of wood, especially one used as a spigot

  2306. spindrift spray swept by a violent wind along the surface of the sea

  2307. spinet a small upright piano

  2308. spiracle a breathing hole; an opening by which a confined space has communication with the outer air; air hole

  2309. splenetic irritable; peevish; spiteful

  2310. sporophore a fungus hypha specialized to bear spores

  2311. sporran a large pouch for men, commonly of fur, worn, suspended from a belt, in front of the kilt

  2312. spoor a track or trail, especially that of a wild animal pursued as game

  2313. springe a snare for catching small game

  2314. springtail any of numerous minute, wingless primitive insects of the order Collembola, most possessing a special abdominal appendage for jumping that allows for the nearly perpetual springing pattern characteristic of the group

  2315. spritsail a sail extended by a sprit

  2316. spume to eject or discharge as or like foam or froth; spew (often followed by forth)

  2317. spurge any of numerous plants of the genus Euphorbia, having a milky juice and flowers with no petals or sepals

  2318. squaring the circle the insoluble problem of constructing, by the methods of Euclidean geometry, a square equal in area to a given circle

  2319. squib a short and witty or sarcastic saying or writing

  2320. squiffy slightly drunk

  2321. squill the bulb of the sea onion, Urginea maritima, of the lily family, cut into thin slices and dried, and used in medicine chiefly as an expectorant

  2322. squirrelly eccentric; flighty

  2323. squiz to peer at quickly and closely

  2324. staff a composition of plaster and fibrous material used for a temporary finish and in ornamental work, as on exposition buildings

  2325. staid of settled or sedate character; not flighty or capricious

  2326. stanchion an upright bar, beam, post, or support, as in a window, stall, ship, etc.

  2327. stanhope a light, open, one-seated, horse-drawn carriage with two or four wheels

  2328. stateroom a private room or compartment on a ship, train, etc.

  2329. steatopygia extreme accumulation of fat on and about the buttocks, especially of women

  2330. stele an upright stone slab or pillar bearing an inscription or design and serving as a monument, marker, or the like

  2331. stentorian very loud or powerful in sound

  2332. stereotype a set form; convention

  2333. stertor a heavy snoring sound accompanying respiration in certain diseases

  2334. stigmergy a mechanism of spontaneous, indirect coordination between agents or actions, where the trace left in the environment by an action stimulates the performance of a subsequent action, by the same or a different agent. Stigmergy is a form of self-organization. It produces complex, apparently intelligent structures, without need for any planning, control, or even communication between the agents

  2335. stilton a rich, waxy, white cheese, veined with mold: made principally in England

  2336. stingo strong beer

  2337. stipple to paint, engrave, or draw by means of dots or small touches

  2338. stipulate to arrange expressly or specify in terms of agreement

  2339. stodge food that is particularly filling; to stuff full, especially with food or drink; gorge

  2340. stodgy heavy, dull, or uninteresting; tediously commonplace; boring

  2341. stonker to hit hard; knock unconscious

  2342. stoush a fight or brawl

  2343. straiten to put into difficulties, especially financial ones

  2344. stramonium the dried leaves of the jimson weed, used in medicine as an analgesic, antispasmodic, etc.

  2345. stricture a remark or comment, especially an adverse criticism

  2346. stridor a harsh, grating, or creaking sound

  2347. strophe the part of an ancient Greek choral ode sung by the chorus when moving from right to left

  2348. strumpet a prostitute; harlot

  2349. stumer something bogus or fraudulent

  2350. stupa a monumental pile of earth or other material, in memory of Buddha or a Buddhist saint, and commemorating some event or marking a sacred spot

  2351. stupor suspension or great diminution of sensibility, as in disease or as caused by narcotics, intoxicants, etc.

  2352. stylite one of a class of solitary ascetics who lived on the top of high pillars or columns

  2353. stylobate a course of masonry, part of the stereobate, forming the foundation for a colonnade, especially the outermost colonnade

  2354. suave smoothly agreeable or polite; agreeably or blandly urbane

  2355. subaltern lower in rank; subordinate

  2356. subfusc dark and dull; dingy; drab

  2357. subluxation a partial dislocation, as of a joint; sprain

  2358. suborn to bribe or induce (someone) unlawfully or secretly to perform some misdeed or to commit a crime

  2359. subterfuge an artifice or expedient used to evade a rule, escape a consequence, hide something, etc.

  2360. subtilize to elevate in character; sublimate

  2361. succour help; relief; aid; assistance

  2362. succulence juiciness

  2363. succuss to shake up; shake

  2364. sufferance passive permission resulting from lack of interference; tolerance, especially of something wrong or illegal (usually preceded by on or by)

  2365. sulcus a furrow or groove

  2366. sultry oppressively hot and close or moist; sweltering

  2367. sumptuary pertaining to, dealing with, or regulating expense or expenditure

  2368. superannuated retired because of age or infirmity

  2369. supercilious haughtily disdainful or contemptuous, as a person or a facial expression

  2370. supererogation the performance of work in excess of that required

  2371. supererogatory going beyond the requirements of duty

  2372. supernal being in or belonging to the heaven of divine beings; heavenly, celestial, or divine

  2373. supernumerary being in excess of the usual, proper, or prescribed number; additional; extra

  2374. supine lying on the back, face or front upward

  2375. supplicate to pray humbly; make humble and earnest entreaty or petition

  2376. suppositious formed from or growing out of supposition

  2377. surcease to cease from some action; desist

  2378. surcoat a garment worn over medieval armor, often embroidered with heraldic arms

  2379. surplice a loose-fitting, broad-sleeved white vestment, worn over the cassock by clergy and choristers

  2380. surtout a man's close-fitting overcoat, especially a frock coat

  2381. suspire to sigh

  2382. suss to investigate or figure out

  2383. susurrant softly murmuring; whispering

    li>susurrate to make a soft rustling sound; whisper; murmur

  2384. susurrus a soft murmuring or rustling sound; whisper

  2385. swag a suspended wreath, garland, drapery, or the like, fastened up at or near each end and hanging down in the middle; festoon

  2386. swale a low place in a tract of land, usually moister and often having ranker vegetation than the adjacent higher land

  2387. sward an expanse of short grass

  2388. swarf an accumulation of fine particles of metal or abrasive cut or ground from work by a machine tool or grinder

  2389. swart swarthy

  2390. swash to dash around, as things in violent motion; swagger

  2391. swingeing enormous; thumping

  2392. swipes poor, watery, or spoiled beer

  2393. swivet a state of nervous excitement, haste, or anxiety; flutter

  2394. swot a student who studies assiduously, especially to the exclusion of other activities or interests; grind

  2395. sybarite a person devoted to luxury and pleasure

  2396. sylph a slender, graceful woman or girl

  2397. synchronic having reference to the facts of a linguistic system as it exists at one point in time without reference to its history

  2398. syncopate to place (the accents) on beats that are normally unaccented; to contract (a word) by omitting one or more sounds from the middle

  2399. syncretism the attempted reconciliation or union of different or opposing principles, practices, or parties, as in philosophy or religion

  2400. syncytium a multinucleate mass of cytoplasm that is not separated into cells

  2401. syndic a person chosen to represent and transact business for a corporation, as a university

  2402. synecdoche a figure of speech in which a part is used for the whole or the whole for a part, the special for the general or the general for the special

  2403. synesthesiaa sensation produced in one modality when a stimulus is applied to another modality, as when the hearing of a certain sound induces the visualization of a certain color

  2404. synoptic taking a common view: used chiefly in reference to the first three Gospels (synoptic Gospels) Matthew, Mark, and Luke, from their similarity in content, order, and statement

  2405. syzygy an alignment of three celestial objects, as the sun, the earth, and either the moon or a planet

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    T

  2406. tabard a loose outer garment, sleeveless or with short sleeves, especially one worn by a knight over his armor and usually emblazoned with his arms

  2407. taciturn inclined to silence; reserved in speech; reluctant to join in conversation

  2408. taffeta a medium-weight or light-weight fabric of acetate, nylon, rayon, or silk, usually smooth, crisp, and lustrous, plain-woven, and with a fine crosswise rib effect

  2409. taffrail the upper part of the stern of a ship

  2410. tailback the offensive back who lines up farthest behind the line of scrimmage, as in a single wingback or double wingback formation

  2411. talisman a stone, ring, or other object, engraved with figures or characters supposed to possess occult powers and worn as an amulet or charm

  2412. talus a slope

  2413. tamarind the pod of a large, tropical tree, Tamarindus indica, of the legume family, containing seeds enclosed in a juicy acid pulp that is used in beverages and food

  2414. tandem one following or behind the other

  2415. tansy any of several composite plants of the genus Tanacetum, especially a strong-scented, weedy, Old World herb, T. vulgare, having flat-topped clusters of tubular yellow flowers

  2416. tantalus a stand or rack containing visible decanters, especially of wines or liquors, secured by a lock

  2417. taphonomy the circumstances and processes of fossilization

  2418. taradiddle a small lie; fib; pretentious nonsense

  2419. tarn a small mountain lake or pool, especially one in a cirque

  2420. tartare (especially of fish) finely chopped and served raw (used postpositively)

  2421. tartine a fancy French open-faced sandwich topped with spreadable ingredients

  2422. tasseographya divination or fortune-telling method that interprets patterns in tea leaves, coffee grounds, or wine sediments; also known as tasseomancy or tassology (none of these are in dictionary.com)

  2423. tatterdemalion a person in tattered clothing; a shabby person

  2424. tatty cheap or tawdry; vulgar

  2425. taxophil susceptible to the action of a poison

  2426. tchotchke an inexpensive souvenir, trinket, or ornament

  2427. teetotum any small top spun with the fingers

  2428. tegument a covering or vestment; integument

  2429. teleology the doctrine that final causes exist

  2430. telluric of or relating to the earth; terrestrial

  2431. tellurium a rare, lustrous, brittle, crystalline, silver-white element resembling sulfur in its properties, and usually occurring in nature combined with gold, silver, or other metals of high atomic weight

  2432. telpherage a transportation system in which cars or other carriers are suspended from or run on wire cables or the like, especially one operated by electricity

  2433. temerity reckless boldness; rashness

  2434. tendentious having or showing a definite tendency, bias, or purpose

  2435. tendinous of the nature of or resembling a tendon

  2436. tenebrous dark; gloomy; obscure

  2437. tenement law: any species of permanent property, as lands, houses, rents, an office, or a franchise, that may be held of another

  2438. tenor the course of thought or meaning that runs through something written or spoken; purport; drift

  2439. tensegrity the property of skeleton structures that employ continuous tension members and discontinuous compression members in such a way that each member operates with the maximum efficiency and economy

  2440. tenterhook one of the hooks or bent nails that hold cloth stretched on a tenter

  2441. tergiversate to change repeatedly one's attitude or opinions with respect to a cause, subject, etc.; equivocate

  2442. termagant a violent, turbulent, or brawling woman

  2443. terpene any of a class of monocyclic hydrocarbons of the formula C10 H16, obtained from plants

  2444. terrine a casserole dish made of pottery

  2445. terroir the environmental conditions, especially soil and climate, in which grapes are grown and that give a wine its unique flavor and aroma

  2446. tessellate to form of small squares or blocks, as floors or pavements; form or arrange in a checkered or mosaic pattern

  2447. tessera one of the small pieces used in mosaic work

  2448. tessitura the general pitch level or average range of a vocal or instrumental part in a musical composition

  2449. testamentary of, relating to, or of the nature of a testament or will

  2450. tetchy irritable; touchy

  2451. tête-à-tête a private conversation or interview, usually between two people

  2452. thaumaturgy the working of wonders or miracles; magic

  2453. theodicy a vindication of the divine attributes, particularly holiness and justice, in establishing or allowing the existence of physical and moral evil

  2454. theophany a manifestation or appearance of God or a god to a person

  2455. therblig (in time and motion study) any of the basic elements involved in completing a given manual operation or task that can be subjected to analysis

  2456. theremin a musical instrument with electronic tone generation, the pitch and tone volume being controlled by the distance between the player's hands and two metal rods serving as antennas

  2457. theurgy the working of a divine or supernatural agency in human affairs

  2458. thither to or toward that place or point; there

  2459. tholeiite Any of a series of igneous rocks that are similar in composition to basalt, but are richer in silica and iron and poorer in aluminum than basalt is. Tholeiites form especially at mid-ocean ridges and in continental rift areas

  2460. thomism the theological and philosophical system of Thomas Aquinas

  2461. threnody a poem, speech, or song of lamentation, especially for the dead; dirge; funeral song

  2462. thrum to play on a stringed instrument, as a guitar, by plucking the strings, especially in an idle, monotonous, or unskillful manner; strum

  2463. thug a cruel or vicious ruffian, robber, or murderer

  2464. thurible a censer

  2465. thwart a seat across a boat, especially one used by a rower

  2466. thylacine a wolflike marsupial, Thylacinus cynocephalus, of Tasmania, tan-colored with black stripes across the back: probably extinct

  2467. tiddler a very small fish or aquatic creature, esp a stickleback, minnow, or tadpole

  2468. ticking a strong cotton fabric, usually twilled, used especially in making cloth ticks

  2469. tierce an old measure of capacity equivalent to one third of a pipe, or 42 wine gallons

  2470. tiffin lunch

  2471. tilbury a light two-wheeled carriage without a top

  2472. tilth the act or operation of tilling land; tillage

  2473. timbale a small shell made of batter, fried

  2474. timbre the characteristic quality of a sound, independent of pitch and loudness, from which its source or manner of production can be inferred; timbre depends on the relative strengths of the components of different frequencies, which are determined by resonance

  2475. timeserver a person who shapes his or her conduct to conform to the opinions of the time or of persons in power, especially for selfish ends

  2476. timocracy a form of government in which love of honor is the dominant motive of the rulers

  2477. tintack a short nail made of tin-plated iron

  2478. tipple to drink intoxicating liquor, especially habitually or to some excess

  2479. tipstaff a staff tipped with metal, formerly carried as a badge of office, as by a constable

  2480. tisane aromatic or herb-flavored tea

  2481. tit a titmouse or any of various other small birds

  2482. titivate to make smart or spruce

  2483. titrate to ascertain the quantity of a given constituent by adding a liquid reagent of known strength and measuring the volume necessary to convert the constituent to another form

  2484. titter to laugh in a restrained, self-conscious, or affected way, as from nervousness or in ill-suppressed amusement

  2485. tittle a dot or other small mark in writing or printing, used as a diacritic, punctuation, etc.

  2486. toby a mug in the form of a stout old man wearing a three-cornered hat

  2487. tocsin a signal, especially of alarm, sounded on a bell or bells

  2488. toff a stylishly dressed, fashionable person, especially one who is or wants to be considered a member of the upper class

  2489. toffy taffy

  2490. tombal adjective form of "tomb"

  2491. tomfoolery foolish or silly behavior; tomfoolishness

  2492. tonneau a rear part or compartment of an automobile body, containing seats for passengers

  2493. tonsure the act of cutting the hair or shaving the head

  2494. toothsome pleasing to the taste; palatable; voluptuous; sexually alluring

  2495. topee also topi, a lightweight helmet or sun hat made from the pith of the sola plant

  2496. toper a hard drinker or chronic drunkard

  2497. toque a brimless and close-fitting hat for women, in any of several shapes

  2498. tor a rocky pinnacle; a peak of a bare or rocky mountain or hill

  2499. torpid inactive or sluggish

  2500. torrid subject to parching or burning heat, especially of the sun, as a geographical area

  2501. torse a wreath of twisted silks of two alternating tinctures, usually a metal and a color, depicted supporting a crest or coronet, often upon a helmet

  2502. tosh nonsense; bosh

  2503. tosser British slang a stupid or despicable person

  2504. totalizator an apparatus for registering and indicating the total of operations, measurements, etc.

  2505. tourbillion a whirlwind or something resembling a whirlwind

  2506. traduce to speak maliciously and falsely of; slander; defame

  2507. trammel a hindrance or impediment to free action; restraint

  2508. trapezoid a quadrilateral plane figure having two parallel and two nonparallel sides

  2509. travesty a literary or artistic burlesque of a serious work or subject, characterized by grotesque or ludicrous incongruity of style, treatment, or subject matter

  2510. treacle contrived or unrestrained sentimentality

  2511. trenchant incisive or keen, as language or a person; caustic; cutting

  2512. trepan a tool for cutting shallow holes by removing a core

  2513. trepang any of various holothurians or sea cucumbers, as Holothuria edulis, used as food in China

  2514. trepidation tremulous fear, alarm, or agitation; perturbation

  2515. trews close-fitting tartan trousers, worn especially by certain Scottish regiments

  2516. tribulation grievous trouble; severe trial or suffering

  2517. trice to pull or haul with a rope

  2518. trilby a hat of soft felt with an indented crown

  2519. triskelion a symbolic figure consisting of three legs, arms, or branches radiating from a common center, as the device of Sicily and the Isle of Man

  2520. trochaic petraining to the trochee

  2521. troche a small tablet or lozenge, usually a circular one, made of medicinal substance worked into a paste with sugar and mucilage or the like, and dried

  2522. trochee a foot of two syllables, a long followed by a short in quantitative meter, or a stressed followed by an unstressed in accentual meter

  2523. trochoid a curve traced by a point on a radius or an extension of the radius of a circle that rolls, without slipping, on a curve, another circle, or a straight line. Equation: x = aθ − b sin θ, y = a − b cos θ

  2524. trompe l'oeil visual deception, especially in paintings, in which objects are rendered in extremely fine detail emphasizing the illusion of tactile and spatial qualities

  2525. trope any literary or rhetorical device, as metaphor, metonymy, synecdoche, and irony, that consists in the use of words in other than their literal sense

  2526. troth faithfulness, fidelity, or loyalty

  2527. truckle to submit or yield obsequiously or tamely (usually followed by to)

  2528. trug a shallow basket for carrying flowers, vegetables, etc., made from strips of wood

  2529. truculent fierce; cruel; savagely brutal

  2530. trug a shallow basket for carrying flowers, vegetables, etc., made from strips of wood

  2531. trumpery something without use or value; rubbish; trash; worthless stuff

  2532. tryst an appointment to meet at a certain time and place, especially one made somewhat secretly by lovers

  2533. tsundoku acquiring reading materials but letting them pile up in one's home without reading them

  2534. tsuris trouble; woe

  2535. tuff a fragmental rock consisting of the smaller kinds of volcanic detritus, as ash or cinder, usually more or less stratified

  2536. tularemia a plaguelike disease of rabbits, squirrels, etc., caused by a bacterium, Francisella tularensis, transmitted to humans by insects or ticks or by the handling of infected animals and causing fever, muscle pain, and symptoms associated with the point of entry into the body

  2537. tulle a thin, fine, machine-made net of acetate, nylon, rayon, or silk

  2538. tulpa a being or object that is created in the imagination by visualization techniques such as in Tibetan mysticism

  2539. tumbrel a farmer's cart, especially one for hauling manure, that can be tilted to discharge its load

  2540. tumescent swelling; slightly tumid

  2541. tumid swollen, or affected with swelling, as a part of the body; pompous or inflated, as language; turgid; bombastic

  2542. tumult violent and noisy commotion or disturbance of a crowd or mob; uproar

  2543. tumulus Geology. a domelike swelling or mound formed in congealed lava

  2544. tun a large cask for holding liquids, especially wine, ale, or beer

  2545. tunny tuna

  2546. tup a male sheep; ram

  2547. tu quoque thou too: a retort by one charged with a crime accusing an opponent who has brought the charges of a similar crime

  2548. turgid inflated, overblown, or pompous; bombastic

  2549. turnpike a barrier set across a highway to stop passage until a toll has been paid; tollgate

  2550. turpitude vile, shameful, or base character; depravity

  2551. tussock a tuft or clump of growing grass or the like

  2552. twaddle trivial, feeble, silly, or tedious talk or writing

  2553. twat a foolish or despicable person

  2554. twerp an insignificant or despicable fellow

  2555. twig to look at; observe

  2556. tyro a beginner in learning anything; novice

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    U

  2557. uhlan one of a group of lancers in a light-cavalry unit, first appearing in Europe in the Polish army

  2558. ukase any order or proclamation by an absolute or arbitrary authority

  2559. ulotrichous belonging to a group of people having woolly or crisply curly hair

  2560. ulster a long, loose, heavy overcoat, originally of Irish frieze, now also of any of various other woolen cloths

  2561. ululate to howl, as a dog or a wolf; hoot, as an owl

  2562. umbel an inflorescence in which a number of flower stalks or pedicels, nearly equal in length, spread from a common center

  2563. umbilicus the depression in the center of the surface of the abdomen indicating the point of attachment of the umbilical cord to the embryo; navel

  2564. umbra shade; shadow

  2565. uncial designating, written in, or pertaining to a form of majuscule writing having a curved or rounded shape and used chiefly in Greek and Latin manuscripts from about the 3rd to the 9th century a.d.

  2566. unctuous characterized by excessive piousness or moralistic fervor, especially in an affected manner; excessively smooth, suave, or smug

  2567. undine any of a group of female water spirits described by Paracelsus

  2568. unwonted not customary or usual; rare

  2569. urticaria a transient condition of the skin, usually caused by an allergic reaction, characterized by pale or reddened irregular, elevated patches and severe itching; hives

  2570. usfruct the right of enjoying all the advantages derivable from the use of something that belongs to another, as far as is compatible with the substance of the thing not being destroyed or injured

  2571. uxorial of or relating to a wife; typical of or befitting a wife

  2572. uxorious doting upon, foolishly fond of, or affectionately submissive toward one's wife

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    V

  2573. vade mecum something a person carries about for frequent or regular use

  2574. vagary an unpredictable or erratic action, occurrence, course, or instance

  2575. vale the world, or mortal or earthly life

  2576. valerian any plant of the genus Valeriana, as the common valerian V. officinalis, having small, fragrant flowers of white, lavender, or pink and a root that is used medicinally

  2577. valeta a ballroom dance in triple time

  2578. valetudinarian a person who is excessively concerned about his or her poor health or ailments

  2579. vamp the portion of a shoe or boot upper that covers the instep and toes

  2580. vampire a woman who unscrupulously exploits, ruins, or degrades the men she seduces

  2581. vapid lacking or having lost life, sharpness, or flavor; insipid; flat

  2582. varlet an attendant or servant

  2583. veer to change direction or turn about or aside; shift, turn, or change from one course, position, inclination, etc., to another

  2584. veldt the open country, bearing grass, bushes, or shrubs, or thinly forested, characteristic of parts of southern Africa

  2585. venial able to be forgiven or pardoned; not seriously wrong, as a sin

  2586. verbena any of various plants of the genus Verbena, especially any of several hybrid species cultivated for their showy flower clusters

  2587. verd the privilege of cutting green wood within a forest for fuel

  2588. verdigris a green or bluish patina formed on copper, brass, or bronze surfaces exposed to the atmosphere for long periods of time, consisting principally of basic copper sulfate

  2589. verdure greenness, especially of fresh, flourishing vegetation

  2590. verge a limiting belt, strip, or border of something

  2591. verger a church official who serves as sacristan, caretaker, usher, and general attendant

  2592. vermicelli a kind of pasta in the form of long, slender, solid threads, resembling spaghetti but thinner

  2593. vermiform resembling a worm in shape; long and slender

  2594. vermifuge serving to expel worms or other animal parasites from the intestines, as a medicine

  2595. veronal a trademark for barbitone (barbital), a barbiturate compound, C7O3N2H12, formerly used as a hypnotic

  2596. vertiginous whirling; spinning; rotary

  2597. vertu virtu

  2598. verve enthusiasm or vigor, as in literary or artistic work; spirit

  2599. vesper of, pertaining to, appearing in, or proper to the evening

  2600. Vesta the ancient Roman goddess of the hearth, worshiped in a temple containing an altar on which a sacred fire was kept burning by the vestal virgins: identified with the Greek Hestia.

  2601. vetch any of several mostly climbing plants belonging to the genus Vicia, of the legume family, having pinnate leaves ending in tendrils and bearing pealike flowers, especially V. sativa (spring vetch), cultivated for forage and soil improvement

  2602. viand an article of food

  2603. viaticum the Eucharist or Communion as given to a person dying or in danger of death

  2604. vibrissa one of the stiff, bristly hairs growing about the mouth of certain animals, as a whisker of a cat

  2605. vicissitude a change or variation occurring in the course of something

  2606. vicuna a wild South American ruminant, Vicugna vicugna, of the Andes, related to the guanaco but smaller, and yielding a soft, delicate wool: an endangered species, now increasing in numbers

  2607. videlicet that is to say; namely (used especially to introduce examples, details, etc.). Abbreviation: viz.

  2608. vielle medieval European bowed, stringed musical instrument

  2609. vig vigorish

  2610. vigneron a winemaker

  2611. vigorish a charge paid on a bet, as to a bookie

  2612. virago a loud-voiced, ill-tempered, scolding woman; shrew

  2613. viridian a long-lasting, bluish-green pigment, consisting of a hydrated oxide of chromium

  2614. virtu excellence or merit in objects of art, curios, and the like

  2615. visage the face, usually with reference to shape, features, expression, etc.; countenance

  2616. vis-à-vis face to face

  2617. viscose a viscous solution prepared by treating cellulose with caustic soda and carbon bisulfide: used in manufacturing regenerated cellulose fibers, sheets, or tubes, as rayon or cellophane

  2618. vitiate to impair the quality of; make faulty; spoil

  2619. vitriol something highly caustic or severe in effect, as criticism

  2620. vituperate to use or address with harsh or abusive language; revile

  2621. viviparous bringing forth living young rather than eggs, as most mammals and some reptiles and fishes

  2622. viz. that is to say; namely, short for vidēre licet (“it is permitted to see”)

  2623. voiture a carriage, wagon, or other wheeled vehicle

  2624. vole any of several small mouselike or ratlike rodents of the genus Microtus and related genera, having short limbs and a short tail

  2625. volte-face a turnabout, especially a reversal of opinion or policy

  2626. voluble characterized by a ready and continuous flow of words; fluent; glib; talkative

  2627. voluptuous full of, characterized by, or ministering to indulgence in luxury, pleasure, and sensuous enjoyment

  2628. volute having a rolled-up form

  2629. votary a person who is bound by solemn religious vows, as a monk or a nun

  2630. votive offered, given, dedicated, etc., in accordance with a vow

  2631. vouchsafe to grant or give, as by favor, graciousness, or condescension

  2632. vulpine of or resembling a fox

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    W

  2633. waif a person, especially a child, who has no home or friends

  2634. wainscot wood, especially oak and usually in the form of paneling, for lining interior walls

  2635. waldo a gadget for manipulating objects by remote control, named after Waldo F. Jones, inventor in a science-fiction story by Robert Heinlein

  2636. wallah a person in charge of, employed at, or concerned with a particular thing

  2637. wally fine; splendid

  2638. wamble to move unsteadily

  2639. wan of an unnatural or sickly pallor; pallid; lacking color

  2640. wangle to bring about, accomplish, or obtain by scheming or underhand methods

  2641. wanker a contemptible person; jerk

  2642. waratah a proteaceous shrub, Telopea speciosissima, the floral emblem of New South Wales, having dark green leaves and large clusters of crimson flowers

  2643. wassail a salutation wishing health to a person, used in England in early times when presenting a cup of drink or when drinking to the person

  2644. waterhead a body of water dammed up for irrigation, to supply a garden, etc.

  2645. wattle a number of rods or stakes interwoven with twigs or tree branches for making fences, walls, etc.

  2646. weal well-being, prosperity, or happiness

  2647. weald wooded or uncultivated country

  2648. welkin the sky; the vault of heaven

  2649. welsh to cheat by failing to pay a gambling debt

  2650. welt a strip, usually of leather, that ornaments a shoe

  2651. weltanschauung a comprehensive conception or image of the universe and of humanity's relation to it

  2652. wen a benign encysted tumor of the skin, especially on the scalp, containing sebaceous matter; a sebaceous cyst; a large, crowded city or a crowded urban district

  2653. whammy the evil eye; jinx

  2654. whelm to submerge; engulf

  2655. whicker to whinny; neigh

  2656. whimbrel a curlew, Numenius phaeopus, of both the New and Old Worlds

  2657. whinge to complain; whine

  2658. whizbang a small, high-speed shell whose sound as it flies through the air arrives almost at the same instant as its explosion

  2659. whoso whosoever; whoever

  2660. wicket a window or opening, often closed by a grating or the like, as in a door, or forming a place of communication in a ticket office, a teller's cage in a bank, etc.

  2661. widdle to urinate

  2662. widgeon any of several common freshwater ducks related to the mallards and teals in the genus Anas, having metallic green flight feathers, a white wing patch, and a buff or white forehead

  2663. wight a human being

  2664. willies nervousness or fright; jitters; creeps (usually preceded by the)

  2665. williwaw a violent squall that blows in near-polar latitudes, as in the Strait of Magellan, Alaska, and the Aleutian Islands

  2666. will-o'-the-wisp anything that deludes or misleads by luring on

  2667. wimple a woman's headcloth drawn in folds about the chin, formerly worn out of doors, and still in use by some nuns

  2668. winceyette a plain-weave cotton fabric with slightly raised two-sided nap

  2669. winkle any of various marine gastropods; periwinkle

  2670. winy of, like, or characteristic of wine

  2671. wisp a thin puff or streak, as of smoke; slender trace

  2672. wistful characterized by melancholy; longing; yearning

  2673. withal in spite of all; nevertheless

  2674. withershins in a direction contrary to the natural one, especially contrary to the apparent course of the sun or counterclockwise: considered as unlucky or causing disaster

  2675. witling a person who affects wittiness

  2676. woad a European plant, Isatis tinctoria, of the mustard family, formerly cultivated for a blue dye extracted from its leaves

  2677. wodge a lump, chunk, or wad

  2678. woggle the ring of leather through which a Scout neckerchief is threaded

  2679. wombat any of several stocky, burrowing, herbivorous marsupials of the family Vombatidae, of Australia, about the size of a badger

  2680. wont accustomed; used (usually followed by an infinitive)

  2681. wot (archaic) first and third person singular present of wit (know)

  2682. wrack wreck or wreckage; seaweed or other vegetation cast on the shore

  2683. wretch a deplorably unfortunate or unhappy person; a person of despicable or base character

  2684. wroth angry; wrathful

  2685. wry produced by a distortion or lopsidedness of the facial features

    A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

    X

  2686. Xanadu a place of great beauty, luxury, and contentment

  2687. Xanax a brand of alprazolam, a benzodiazepine

  2688. xanthan a water-soluble natural gum produced by the fermentation of sugar with certain microorganisms and used as a binder, extender, or stabilizer in foods and other products

  2689. xylem a compound tissue in vascular plants that helps provide support and that conducts water and nutrients upward from the roots, consisting of tracheids, vessels, parenchyma cells, and woody fibers

    A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

    Y

  2690. yahoo a coarse or brutish person

  2691. yammer to whine or complain

  2692. yar quick; agile; lively

  2693. yaws an infectious, nonvenereal tropical disease, primarily of children, characterized by raspberrylike eruptions of the skin and caused by a spirochete, Treponema pertenue, that is closely related to the agent of syphilis

  2694. yenta a person, especially a woman, who is a busybody or gossip

  2695. yoni a representation of the external female genitals, a symbol of Shakti or of female generative power

  2696. yukata a Japanese dressing gown or lounging robe of soft, lightweight cotton

  2697. yurt a tentlike dwelling of the Mongol and Turkic peoples of central Asia, consisting of a cylindrical wall of poles in a lattice arrangement with a conical roof of poles, both covered by felt or skins

    A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

    Z

  2698. zabaglione a foamy, custardlike mixture of egg yolks, sugar, and Marsala wine, usually served hot or chilled as a dessert

  2699. zaftig (of a woman) having a pleasantly plump figure

  2700. zany ludicrously or whimsically comical; clownish

  2701. zarf (in the Levant) a holder, usually of ornamental metal, for a coffee cup without a handle.

  2702. zenith the point on the celestial sphere vertically above a given position or observer

  2703. ziggurat a temple of Sumerian origin in the form of a pyramidal tower, consisting of a number of stories and having about the outside a broad ascent winding round the structure, presenting the appearance of a series of terraces

  2704. zombie the body of a dead person given the semblance of life, but mute and will-less, by a supernatural force, usually for some evil purpose

  2705. zoopraxiscope an early type of motion-picture projector, designed by Eadweard Muybridge, in which the images were drawings or photographs placed along the rim of a circular glass plate, the shutter was a rotating opaque disk with radial slots, and a limelight source was used

  2706. zori a Japanese sandal, often made of straw or rubber and consisting of a flat sole held on the foot by a thong passing between the first and second toes

  2707. zugzwang a situation in which a chess player is limited to moves that cost pieces or have a damaging positional effect

  2708. zydeco a blues-influenced type of Cajun dance music popular in Louisiana and Texas, and usually played on accordion, guitar, and violin


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