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.
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A
- abash to destroy the self-confidence, poise, or self-possession of; disconcert; make ashamed or embarrassed
- abatis an obstacle or barricade of trees with bent or sharpened branches directed toward an enemy
- abattoir a slaughterhouse
- abditory A place for hiding or preserving articles of value
- abject utterly hopeless, miserable, humiliating, or wretched
- abjure to renounce, repudiate, or retract, especially with formal solemnity; recant
- ablution a cleansing with water or other liquid, especially as a religious ritual
- abomination anything greatly disliked or abhorred
- abrogate to abolish by formal or official means; annul by an authoritative act; repeal
- abseil rappel
- abstruse hard to understand; recondite; esoteric
- acatalepsy an ancient Skeptical view that no more than probable knowledge is available to human beings
- accidie acedia
- accoutrement equipment worn by soldiers in addition to their clothing and weapons
- acedia sloth
- acerbic sour or astringent in taste
- acicular shaped like a needle
- acidulous slightly sour
- achondroplasia defective conversion of cartilage into bone, especially at the epiphyses of long bones, producing a
type of dwarfism
- acrimonious caustic, stinging, or bitter in nature, speech, behavior, etc.
- 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
- actinism caustic, stinging, or bitter in nature, speech, behavior, etc.
- actinism the property of radiation by which chemical effects are produced
- actuary a person who computes premium rates, dividends, risks, etc., according to probabilities based on
statistical records
- adagio in a leisurely manner; slowly
- adduce to bring forward in argument or as evidence; cite as pertinent or conclusive
- 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
- adenoidal being characteristically pinched and nasal in tone quality
- adipose fatty; consisting of, resembling, or relating to fat
- adjunct something added to another thing but not essential to it
- adjure to charge, bind, or command earnestly and solemnly, often under oath or the threat of a penalty
- adroit expert or nimble in the use of the hands or body
- adulation excessive devotion to someone; servile flattery
- adumbrate to produce a faint image or resemblance of; to outline or sketch
- aedile one of a board of magistrates in charge of public buildings, streets, markets, games, etc.
- aegis the shield or breastplate of Zeus or Athena, bearing at its center the head of the Gorgon
- afflatus inspiration; an impelling mental force acting from within
- affray a public fight; a noisy quarrel; brawl
- 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
- agley off the right line; awry; wrong
- agnosia partial or total inability to recognize objects by use of the senses
- agog highly excited by eagerness, curiosity, anticipation, etc.
- agora a popular political assembly
- agronomy the science of soil management and the production of field crops
- aitch the letter H, h
- alacrity cheerful readiness, promptness, or willingness
- alala a dull, brownish-tinged crow that occurs only in Hawaii
- alate having wings; winged
- aleatory of or relating to accidental causes; of luck or chance; unpredictable
- alembic a vessel with a beaked cap or head, formerly used in distilling
- 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
- alexithymia difficulty in experiencing, expressing, and describing emotional responses
- algaroba any of certain mesquites, especially Prosopis juliflora, having pinnate leaves and yellowish flowers
- alienist (formerly) a doctor specializing in the treatment of mental illness
- aliment that which nourishes; nutriment; food
- alkahest the universal solvent sought by the alchemists
- allay to put (fear, doubt, suspicion, anger, etc.) to rest; calm; quiet
- allegory a symbolical narrative
- allocution a formal speech, especially one of an incontrovertible or hortatory nature
- allopatric originating in or occupying different geographical areas
- allusive having reference to something implied or inferred; containing, abounding in, or characterized by allusions
- almoner a person whose function or duty is the distribution of alms on behalf of an institution, a royal personage,
a monastery, etc
- amain with full force
- amanuensis a person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another; secretary
- ambergris an opaque, ash-colored secretion of the sperm whale intestine, usually found floating on the ocean or cast ashore: used in perfumery
- ambit circumference; circuit
- ambsace the lowest throw at dice, the double ace
- ambuscade to attack from a concealed position; ambush
- ameliorate to make or become better, more bearable, or more satisfactory; improve
- amontillado a pale, dry Spanish sherry
- amorino a putto represented as an infant cupid
- amorist a person who is devoted to love and lovemaking
- ampelopsis any climbing, woody vine or shrub belonging to the genus Ampelopsis, of the grape family, having
small greenish flowers and inedible berries
- amphigory a meaningless or nonsensical piece of writing, especially one intended as a parody
- amuse-bouche a small appetizer as served, usually without charge, in a restaurant
- 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.).
- anagoge a spiritual interpretation or application of words, as of Scriptures
- anamorphic Optics. having or producing unequal magnifications along two axes perpendicular to each other
- anamorphism metamorphism, usually occurring deep under the earth's surface, that changes simple minerals to
complex minerals
- anent in regard to; about; concerning
- animadvert to comment unfavorably or critically
- animus strong dislike or enmity; hostile attitude; animosity
- 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
- anodyne a medicine that relieves or allays pain
- 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
- anon in a short time; soon
- anonym an assumed or false name
- anorak a hooded pullover jacket originally made of fur and worn in the arctic, now made of any weather-resistant
fabric
- anserine of or relating to the subfamily Anserinae, of the family Anatidae, comprising the true geese
- Anschluss union, especially the political union of Austria with Germany in 1938
- ansible a fictitious machine capable of instantaneous or superluminal communication (Wikipedia)
- anticlinal inclining in opposite directions from a central axis
- antinomy a contradiction between two statements, both apparently obtained by correct reasoning
- antiphon a verse or song to be chanted or sung in response
- anxiolytic anxiety relieving
- apache a Parisian gangster, rowdy, or ruffian
- aphasia the loss of a previously held ability to speak or understand spoken or written language,
due to disease or injury of the brain
- aplomb the perpendicular, or vertical, position
- apocope loss or omission of the last letter, syllable, or part of a word
- apoplexy a sudden, usually marked loss of bodily function due to rupture or occlusion of a blood vessel
- 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
- aporia a difficulty encountered in establishing the theoretical truth of a proposition, created
by the presence of evidence both for and against it
- aposiopesis a sudden breaking off in the midst of a sentence, as if from inability or unwillingness to proceed
- apothegm a short, pithy, instructive saying; a terse remark or aphorism
- apotheosis the elevation or exaltation of a person to the rank of a god
- apotropaic intended to ward off evil
- appanage land or some other source of revenue assigned for the maintenance of a member of the family of a ruling house
- apparition a supernatural appearance of a person or thing, especially a ghost; a specter or phantom; wraith
- appellation a name, title, or designation
- applejack a brandy distilled from fermented cider; apple brandy
- apposite suitable; well-adapted; pertinent; relevant; apt
- approbation approval; commendation
- 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
- aquavit a dry spirit, especially of Scandinavia, made from redistilled grain or potato alcohol and usually flavored with
caraway seeds
- arbalest a powerful medieval crossbow with a steel bow, used to shoot stones, metal balls, arrows, etc.
- Arcadia a mountainous region of ancient Greece, traditionally known for the contented pastoral innocence of
its people
- arcadian rural, rustic, or pastoral, especially suggesting simple, innocent contentment
- arcane known or understood by very few; mysterious; secret; obscure; esoteric
- arcanum a secret; mystery
- archegonium the female reproductive organ in ferns, mosses, etc.
- archiepiscopacy a form of church government in which power is vested in archbishops
- architrave a molded or decorated band framing a panel or an opening, especially a rectangular one, as of a door or window
- 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
- areca any tropical Asian palm of the genus Areca, as the betel palm
- arete the aggregate of qualities, as valor and virtue, making up good character
- Areopagus a hill in Athens, Greece, W of the Acropolis
- argent like silver; silvery white
- arguendo for the sake of argument
- argyle a diamond-shaped pattern of two or more colors, used in knitting socks, sweaters, etc.
- Arhat a Buddhist who has attained Nirvana through rigorous discipline and ascetic practices
- aristology the science of dining
- armillary consisting of hoops or rings
- arnica any composite plant of the genus Arnica, having opposite leaves and yellow flower heads
- arpeggio the sounding of the notes of a chord in rapid succession instead of simultaneously
- 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
- arrant downright; thorough; unmitigated; notorious
- arriviste a person who has recently acquired unaccustomed status, wealth, or success, especially by
dubious means and without earning concomitant esteem
- arrogate to claim unwarrantably or presumptuously; assume or appropriate to oneself without right
- arrondissement the largest administrative division of a French department, comprising a number of cantons
- arvo afternoon
- aseity existence originating from and having no source other than itself
- 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
- ashplant a walking stick made from an ash sapling
- asinine foolish, unintelligent, or silly; stupid
- asperity harshness or sharpness of tone, temper, or manner; severity; acrimony
- 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
- 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
- assegai the slender javelin or spear of the Bantu-speaking people of southern Africa or the tree from which they are made
- asseverate to declare earnestly or solemnly; affirm positively; aver
- assiduous constant; unremitting
- assizes a trial session, civil or criminal, held periodically in specific locations in England, usually by a judge of a
superior court
- 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
- astrakhan a fur of young lambs, with lustrous, closely curled wool, from Astrakhan
- ataraxic a state of freedom from emotional disturbance and anxiety; tranquillity
- atavistic reverting to or suggesting the characteristics of a remote ancestor or primitive type
- ataxia loss of coordination of the muscles, especially of the extremities
- atelier a workshop or studio, especially of an artist, artisan, or designer
- atlatl spear-thrower
- attar a perfume or essential oil obtained from flowers or petals
- aubergine a dark purplish color
- auctorial of, by, or pertaining to an author
- au fait having experience or practical knowledge of a thing; expert; versed
- aught anything whatever; any part
- augur one of a group of ancient Roman officials charged with observing and interpreting omens for
guidance in public affairs
- aurochs a large, black European wild ox, Bos primigenius: extinct since 1627
- auscultation the act of listening, either directly or through a stethoscope or other instrument,
to sounds within the body as a method of diagnosis
- auteur a filmmaker whose individual style and complete control over all elements of production give a film its
personal and unique stamp
- autochthonous pertaining to autochthons; aboriginal; indigenous (opposed to heterochthonous)
- autodidact a person who has learned a subject without the benefit of a teacher or formal education; a
self-taught person
- 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
- avast a command to stop or cease
- avatar the descent of a deity to the earth in an incarnate form or some manifest shape; the incarnation of a god
- aver to assert or affirm with confidence; declare in a positive or peremptory manner
- averse having a strong feeling of opposition, antipathy, repugnance, etc.; opposed
- avoirdupois bodily weight (informal)
- axial of, pertaining to, characterized by, or forming an axis
- axletree a bar, fixed crosswise under an animal-drawn vehicle, with a rounded spindle at each end upon which a wheel rotates
- axolotl a critically endangered salamander found in the elevated lakes of Mexico, Ambystoma mexicanum
- azoth mercury, regarded by alchemists as the assumed first principle of all metals
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B
- baba a spongelike cake leavened with yeast and often containing raisins, baked in a small mold and then usually
soaked with a rum syrup
- babbitt any of various alloys of tin with smaller amounts of antimony and copper, used as an antifriction lining
for bearings
- bacalao codfish, especially when dried and salted
- badinage light, playful banter or raillery
- bagatelle something of little value or importance; a trifle
- baksheesh a tip, present, or gratuity
- baize a soft, usually green, woolen or cotton fabric resembling felt, used chiefly for the tops of billiard tables
- bal musette a dance hall in France in which the music is provided by an accordion band
- bald open; undisguised
- balderdash senseless, stupid, or exaggerated talk or writing; nonsense
- baldric a belt, sometimes richly ornamented, worn diagonally from shoulder to hip, supporting a sword, horn, etc.
- 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
- baleful full of menacing or malign influences; pernicious
- balk to stop, as at an obstacle, and refuse to proceed or to do something specified
- ballocks testes
- bamboozle to deceive or get the better of (someone) by trickery, flattery, or the like; humbug; hoodwink
- banns notice of an intended marriage, given three times in the parish church of each of the betrothed
- banquette a long bench with an upholstered seat, especially one along a wall, as in a restaurant
- barathea a closely woven fabric of silk, rayon, cotton, or wool, having a pebbled surface
- barbican an outwork of a fortified place, as a castle
- barcarole a boating song of the Venetian gondoliers
- 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
- barm yeast formed on malt liquors while fermenting
- 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
- 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
- barrow a hill
- basilisk a creature, variously described as a serpent, lizard, or dragon, said to kill by its breath or look
- basta enough; stop
- bastinado a mode of punishment consisting of blows with a stick on the soles of the feet or on the buttocks
- bate to moderate or restrain
- bathos a ludicrous descent from the exalted or lofty to the commonplace; anticlimax
- batman a soldier assigned to an officer as a servant
- battledore a game from which badminton was developed, played since ancient times in India and other Asian countries
- 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
- baulk (balk) to stop, as at an obstacle, and refuse to proceed or to do something specified
- bawd a woman who maintains a brothel; madam
- beadle a parish officer having various subordinate duties, as keeping order during services, waiting on the rector, etc.
- beaverboard a light, stiff sheeting made of wood fiber and used in building, especially for partitions or temporary
structures
- béchamel a white sauce, sometimes seasoned with onion and nutmeg
- bêche-de-mer a trepang
- bedight to deck out; array
- bedizen to dress or adorn in a showy, gaudy, or tasteless manner
- beetle to hang or tower over in a threatening or menacing manner
- behoof use; advantage; benefit
- 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
- beldam an old woman, especially an ugly one; hag
- belike very likely; perhaps; probably
- belletristic of the nature of literature regarded as a fine art
- belvedere a building, or architectural feature of a building, designed and situated to look out upon a
pleasing scene
- benighted intellectually or morally ignorant; unenlightened
- benison benediction
- bergamot a small citrus tree, Citrus aurantium bergamia, having fruit with a rind that yields a fragrant essential oil
- bergère a chair of the 18th century, having arms with closed spaces between them and the seat
- besom a broom, especially one of brush or twigs
- bespeak to ask for in advance
- bespoke made to individual order; custom-made
- bête noire a person or thing especially disliked or dreaded; bane; bugbear
- bethel a sacred area or sanctuary. Gen. 28:19
- betide to happen to; come to; befall
- betimes early; in good time
- bey a provincial governor in the Ottoman Empire
- bezel the diagonal face at the end of the blade of a chisel, or the like, leading to the edge
- bezique a game resembling pinochle, originally played with 64 cards and now more commonly with 128 cards
and, sometimes, 192 or 256 cards
- bhakti selfless devotion as a means of reaching Brahman
- 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
- bibulous fond of or addicted to drink
- bier a frame or stand on which a corpse or the coffin containing it is laid before burial
- bierstube a tavern or café offering German or German-style atmosphere, décor, food, beer, etc.
- bight the middle part of a rope, as distinguished from the ends
- biff a blow; punch
- bijou something small, delicate, and exquisitely wrought
- bildungsroman a type of novel concerned with the education, development, and maturing of a young protagonist
- bilious peevish; irritable; cranky
- billingsgate coarsely or vulgarly abusive language
- billow a great wave or surge of the sea
- biltong strips of lean meat dried in the open air
- bimah a platform in a synagogue holding the reading table used when chanting or reading portions of the Torah and the Prophets
- bindi a decorative dot worn in the middle of the forehead, esp by Hindu women
- bindweed any of various twining or vinelike plants, especially certain species of the genera Convolvulus and
Calystegia
- binnacle a stand or enclosure of wood or nonmagnetic metal for supporting and housing a compass
- bint a contemptuous term used to refer to a woman or girl
- 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
- biro trademark (Brit) a kind of ballpoint
- bittern any of several tawny brown herons that inhabit reedy marshes, as Botaurus lentiginosus (American bittern),
of North America, and B. stellaris, of Europe
- 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
- blackguard (n.) a low, contemptible person; scoundrel; (v.) to revile in scurrilous language
- blancmange a sweet pudding prepared with almond milk and gelatin and flavored with rum or kirsch
- blandish to coax or influence by gentle flattery; cajole
- blather foolish, voluble talk
- blatherskite a person who talks at great length without making much sense
- blini pancakes made with yeast and either white or buckwheat flour and traditionally served during Shrovetide with
caviar and sour cream
- blithe joyous, merry, or gay in disposition; glad; cheerful
- blottesque painting characterized by blots or heavy touches; coarsely depicted; wanting in delineation
- bloater a herring cured by being salted and briefly smoked and dried
- blotto very drunk; so drunk as to be unconscious or not know what one is doing
- bloviate to speak pompously
- blowsy disheveled in appearance; unkempt
- blowzy having a coarse, ruddy complexion; disheveled in appearance; unkempt
- bluestocking a woman with considerable scholarly, literary, or intellectual ability or interest
- bocage a decorative motif of trees, branches, or foliage, as in a tapestry or a ceramic figure group
- boding a foreboding; omen
- boffin a scientist or technical expert
- 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
- bogy a hobgoblin; evil spirit
- bogey a golf score of one stroke over par on a hole
- boggle to overwhelm or bewilder, as with the magnitude, complexity, or abnormality of
- boho bohemian
- bole the stem or trunk of a tree
- 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
- bollix to do (something) badly; bungle (often followed by up)
- bollocks rubbish; nonsense; claptrap
- bolter a movable bar or rod that when slid into a socket fastens a door, gate, etc.
- bolus a soft, roundish mass or lump, especially of chewed food
- bombastic high-sounding; high-flown; inflated; pretentious
- bombazine a twill fabric constructed of a silk or rayon warp and worsted filling, often dyed black for mourning wear
- bombinate to make a humming or buzzing noise
- bonce head; skull
- boob a stupid person; fool; dunce
- booby a stupid person
- boodle to obtain money dishonestly, as by bribery or swindling
- bothy a hut or small cottage
- boudin a blood sausage (boudin noir) or sometimes a white sausage (boudin blanc), made of chicken, pork, or veal
- boudoir a woman's bedroom or private sitting room
- bouffe a comic opera, especially of farcical character
- bounder an obtrusive, ill-bred man
- bourse a stock exchange, especially the stock exchange of certain European cities
- bosh absurd or foolish talk; nonsense
- bosom intimate or confidential
- bozo a fellow, especially a big, strong, stupid fellow
- brachiate having widely spreading branches in alternate pairs
- brachycephalic short-headed; having a cephalic index of 81.0–85.4
- braciola a flat piece of veal or beef rolled around a filling and baked in stock and wine
- bracken a large fern or brake, especially Pteridium aquilinum
- bract a specialized leaf or leaflike part, usually situated at the base of a flower or inflorescence
- bradawl an awl for making small holes in wood for brads
- braggadocio empty boasting; bragging
- brannigan a carouse
- branzino a silvery sea bass, Dicentrarchus labrax, found in the eastern Atlantic, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Black Sea
- bravura a display of daring; brilliant performance
- 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
- breviary a book containing all the daily psalms, hymns, prayers, lessons, etc.
- brewis hard bread soaked in water and then boiled
- brickbat a piece of broken brick, especially one used as a missilea piece of broken brick, especially one used as a missile
- bricolage a construction made of whatever materials are at hand; something created from a variety of available things
- brilliantine an oily preparation used to make the hair lustrous
- brindle colored gray or tawny with darker streaks or spots
- brio vigor; vivacity
- brit the group of small marine animals forming the food of whalebone whales
- 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
- brogue a coarse, usually untanned leather shoe once worn in Ireland and Scotland
- bromide a platitude or trite saying
- brusque abrupt in manner; blunt; rough
- brumal wintry
- brume mist; fog
- brutalism the aesthetic use of basic building processes with no apparent concern for visual amenity
- buckram a stiff cotton fabric for interlinings, book bindings, etc.
- 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
- budgerigar an Australian parakeet, Melopsittacus undulatus, having greenish plumage with black and yellow markings,
bred as a pet in a variety of colors
- bufflehead a small North American duck, Bucephala albeola, the male of which has bushy head plumage
- bugger a fellow or lad (used affectionately or abusively)
- bulldoze to coerce or intimidate, as with threats
- bumptious offensively self-assertive
- bungstarter a mallet for loosening or removing the bung of a cask
- bur a rough, prickly case around the seeds of certain plants, as the chestnut or burdock
- burgeon to grow or develop quickly; flourish
- burly large in bodily size; stout; sturdy
- burrren a limestone area on the North Clare coast in the Irish Republic, famous for its wild flowers,
caves, and dolmens
- bursary the treasury of a monastery
- bushwa rubbishy nonsense; baloney; bull
- busk to entertain by dancing, singing, or reciting on the street or in a public place
- buskin a thick-soled, laced boot or half boot
- 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
- bwana master, boss
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- caballero a Spanish gentleman
- caber a pole or beam, especially one thrown as a trial of strength
- cable a nautical unit of measure equal to one tenth of a nautical mile or approximately 100 fathoms
- cabochon a precious stone of convex hemispherical or oval form, polished but not cut into facets
- cachaca a Brazilian white rum made from sugarcane
- cachalot sperm whale
- cachet an official seal, as on a letter or document
- cachinnation raucous laughter
- cachou a pill or lozenge for sweetening the breath
- cack-handed clumsy; lacking skill with the hands
- cacography bad handwriting; poor penmanship
- cadge to obtain by imposing on another's generosity or friendship
- 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
- cagey cautious, wary, or shrewd
- caipirinha Brazil's national cocktail
- caitiff a contemptible or cowardly person
- 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
- calcimine a white or tinted wash for walls, ceilings, etc.
- calcine to convert into calx by heating or burning
- calèche a type of calash pulled by a single horse, seating two passengers and having two wheels and a folding top
- caliche a surface deposit consisting of sand or clay impregnated with crystalline salts such as sodium nitrate or
sodium chloride
- calico a plain-woven cotton cloth printed with a figured pattern, usually on one side
- caliginous misty; dim; dark
- callipygian having well-shaped buttocks
- calomel a white, tasteless powder, Hg2Cl2, used chiefly as a purgative and fungicide
- 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.
- calumny a false and malicious statement designed to injure the reputation of someone or something
- calvados a dry apple brandy made from apple cider in Normandy
- calx the oxide or ashy substance that remains after metals, minerals, etc., have been thoroughly roasted or burned
- calyx Botany. the outermost group of floral parts; the sepals
- camber a slight arching, upward curve, or convexity, as of the deck of a ship
- cambiata a melodic ornamental tone following a principal tone by a skip, usually of a third above or below,
and progressing by a step
- cambric a thin, plain cotton or linen fabric of fine close weave, usually white
- camion a truck used for carrying freight or military supplies, equipment, and troops
- campanile a bell tower, especially one freestanding from the body of a church
- canaille riffraff; rabble
- canalize to divert into certain channels; give a certain direction to or provide a certain outlet for
- cangue (formerly in China) a large wooden collar worn by petty criminals as a punishment
- cannikin a small can or drinking cup
- cannula a metal tube for insertion into the body to draw off fluid or to introduce medication
- canny careful; cautious; prudent
- 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
- cant insincere, especially conventional expressions of enthusiasm for high ideals, goodness, or piety;
the private language of the underworld; a slanting or tilted position
- cantharides Spanish fly
- canthus the angle or corner on each side of the eye, formed by the junction of the upper and lower lids
- canticle one of the nonmetrical hymns or chants, chiefly from the Bible, used in church services
- cantle the hind part of a saddle, usually curved upward
- cantonment a camp, usually of large size, where men are trained for military service
- cantrip artful shamming meant to deceive
- canty cheerful; lively
- caparison a decorative covering for a horse or for the tack or harness of a horse; trappings
- capoeira a dance form incorporating martial arts elements, originating in Brazil as a system of physical discipline and movement
- capsicum any plant of the genus Capsicum, of the nightshade family, as C. annuum, the common pepper of the garden,
occurring in many varieties
- captious apt to notice and make much of trivial faults or defects; faultfinding; difficult to please
- caravansary any large inn or hotel
- 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
- 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
- carillon a set of stationary bells hung in a tower and sounded by manual or pedal action, or by machinery
- careeen to heel over or list
- carking distressful
- carminative expelling gas from the body; relieving flatulence
- carom any strike and rebound, as a ball striking a wall and glancing off
- carnelian also corneilian: a red or reddish variety of chalcedony, used in jewelry
- carrel a small recess or enclosed area in a library stack, designed for individual study or reading
- caryatid a sculptured female figure used as a column
- 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
- case-knife a knife carried or kept in a case or sheath
- castellated built like a castle, especially with turrets and battlements
- caster a metal container for sugar, pepper, etc., having a perforated top to permit sprinkling; dredger; muffineer
- castigate to criticize or reprimand severely
- casuistry specious, deceptive, or oversubtle reasoning, especially in questions of morality;
fallacious or dishonest application of general principles; sophistry
- catafalque a raised structure on which the body of a deceased person lies or is carried in state
- catalectic (of a line of verse) lacking part of the last foot; metrically incomplete
- catamite a boy or youth who is in a sexual relationship with a man
- cataract a descent of water over a steep surface; a waterfall, especially one of considerable size
- catarrh inflammation of a mucous membrane, especially of the respiratory tract, accompanied by excessive secretions
- catechism a series of formal questions put, as to political candidates, to bring out their views
- cathexis the investment of emotional significance in an activity, object, or idea
- catkin a spike of unisexual, apetalous flowers having scaly, usually deciduous bracts, as of a willow or birch
- cat's-paw a person used to serve the purposes of another; tool
- catttleya any of several tropical American orchids of the genus Cattleya, having showy flowers ranging from
white to purple
- catty slyly malicious; spiteful
- caul a part of the amnion sometimes covering the head of a child at birth
- cavalcade a procession of persons riding on horses, in horsedrawn carriages, in cars, etc.
- cavil to raise irritating and trivial objections; find fault with unnecessarily (usually followed by at or about)
- cayuse a horse, especially an (American) Indian pony
- censorious severely critical; faultfinding; carping
- cenotaph a sepulchral monument erected in memory of a deceased person whose body is buried elsewhere
- cereus any of various plants of the genus Cereus, of the cactus family, having large, usually white, funnel-shaped
flowers
- cerise moderate to deep red
- cerulean deep blue; sky blue; azure
- ceruse a pigment composed of white lead
- cestus a girdle or belt, especially as worn by women of ancient Greece
- ceteris paribus other things being equal
- ceviche an appetizer of small pieces of raw fish marinated in lime or lemon juice, often with onions,
peppers, and spices
- chaff to mock, tease, or jest in a good-natured way; banter
- chagrin a feeling of vexation, marked by disappointment or humiliation
- chalcedony a microcrystalline, translucent variety of quartz, often milky or grayish
- challah a loaf of rich white bread leavened with yeast and containing eggs, often braided before baking, prepared
especially for the Jewish Sabbath
- chamois an agile, goatlike antelope, Rupicapra rupicapra, of high mountains of Europe: now rare in some areas
- champers champagne
- chancel the space about the altar of a church, usually enclosed, for the clergy and other officials
- chanteuse a female singer, especially one who sings in nightclubs and cabarets
- Chanttilly a town in N France, N of Paris: lace manufacture
- chapeau hat
- chaplet a wreath or garland for the head
- charabanc a large bus used on sightseeing tours, especially one with open sides and no center aisle
- charade a blatant pretense or deception, especially something so full of pretense as to be a travesty
- charcuterie a store where pork products, as hams, sausages, and pâtés are sold
- charcutier a pork butcher
- charnel a repository for dead bodies
- chary cautious or careful; wary
- chasten to inflict suffering upon for purposes of moral improvement; chastise
- chatelaine the mistress of a castle
- chattel a movable article of personal property
- chemmy chemin de fer (a card game)
- chemise a dress designed to hang straight from the shoulders and fit loosely at the waist, sometimes more tightly at the hip
- chenille a velvety cord or yarn of silk or worsted, for embroidery, fringes, etc.
- cheongsam a form-fitting, knee-length dress with a mandarin collar and slit skirt, worn chiefly by Chinese women
- chervil an herb, Anthriscus cerefolium, of the parsley family, having aromatic leaves used to flavor soups, salads, etc.
- chesterfield a large, overstuffed sofa or divan with a back and upholstered arms
- chevelure a head of hair
- chevy to chase; run after
- chiaroscuro the distribution of light and shade in a picture
- chibouk a Turkish tobacco pipe with a stiff stem sometimes 4 or 5 feet (1.2 or 1.5 meters) long
- chicha a beer made from fermented corn in South and Central America
- chickee an open-sided structure, usually thatched with palms and serving as a dwelling
- chiffon a sheer fabric of silk, nylon, or rayon in plain weave
- chiffonier a high chest of drawers or bureau, often having a mirror on top
- 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
- chiliasm the doctrine of Christ's expected return to reign on earth for 1000 years; millennialism
- chimerical unreal; imaginary; visionary
- chinch bedbug
- chine the backbone or spine, especially of an animal
- chino a tough, twilled cotton cloth used for uniforms, sports clothes, etc.
- chintz a printed cotton fabric, glazed or unglazed, used especially for draperies
- chintzy cheap, inferior, or gaudy
- chipolata a small sausage in a narrow casing
- chirography handwriting; penmanship
- chit a note; short memorandum
- 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
- chitterlings the small intestine of swine, especially when prepared as food
- chivvvy chevy
- chlamys a short, fine woolen mantle worn by men in ancient Greece
- chockablock extremely full; crowded; jammed
- chock-full full to the limit; crammed
- choler irascibility; anger; wrath; irritability
- chook hen, woman
- chortle to chuckle gleefully
- chouse to swindle; cheat
- chthonic of or pertaining to the deities, spirits, and other beings dwelling under the earth
- chuff a rustic
- chuffed delighted; pleased; satisfied
- churl a rude, boorish, or surly person; historically, a freeman of the lowest rank
- chypre a perfume made from sandalwood
- 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
- ciborium any container designed to hold the consecrated bread or sacred wafers for the Eucharist
- cicatrix new tissue that forms over a wound and later contracts into a scar
- cicerone a person who conducts sightseers; guide
- ciénaga a swamp or marsh, especially one formed and fed by springs
- cinquecento the 16th century, with reference to Italy, especially to the Italian art or literature of that period
- cisgender noting or relating to a person whose gender identity corresponds with that person’s biological sex assigned at birth
- 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
- clafouti a tart made of fruit, especially cherries, baked in a thick, sweet batter
- clade a taxonomic group of organisms classified together on the basis of homologous features traced to a common
ancestor
- clangor a loud, resonant sound; clang
- clathrate resembling a lattice; divided or marked like latticework
- clepsydra an ancient device for measuring time by the regulated flow of water or mercury through a small aperture
- cloaca a sewer, especially an ancient sewer
- cloche a bell-shaped metal or glass cover placed over a plate to keep food warm or fresh
- cloister a covered walk, especially in a religious institution, having an open arcade or colonnade usually opening
onto a courtyard
- cloy to weary by an excess of food, sweetness, pleasure, etc.; surfeit; satiate
- cloying causing or tending to cause disgust or aversion through excess
- 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
- cockade a rosette, knot of ribbon, etc., usually worn on the hat as part of a uniform, as a badge of office, or the like
- 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
- cocker to pamper
- 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
- coda a more or less independent passage, at the end of a composition, introduced to bring it to a satisfactory close
- codswallop nonsense; rubbish
- 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
- coeval of the same age, date, or duration; equally old
- cogent convincing or believable by virtue of forcible, clear, or incisive presentation; telling
- cognate related by birth; of the same parentage, descent, etc.
- cognomen a surname
- col a pass or depression in a mountain range or ridge
- 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.)
- collation a light meal that may be permitted on days of general fast
- 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
- collop a small slice, portion, or piece of anything
- colloquy a conversational exchange; dialogue
- collywobbles intestinal cramps or other intestinal disturbances
- colophon a publisher's or printer's distinctive emblem, used as an identifying device on its books and other works
- colophony rosin
- coltan a metallic ore found esp in the E Congo, consisting of columbite and tantalite (a source of the element tantalum)
- columbarium a sepulchral vault or other structure with recesses in the walls to receive the ashes of the dead
- comestibles articles of food; edibles
- 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
- commensal eating together at the same table
- commis an assistant, especially to a chef
- compeer an equal in rank, ability, accomplishment, etc.; peer; colleague
- compendium a brief treatment or account of a subject, especially an extensive subject; concise treatise
- complicit choosing to be involved in an illegal or questionable act, especially with others
- compos mentis sane; mentally sound (used especially in a legal context)
- comptometer a high-speed calculating machine: superseded by electronic calculators
- 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
- conation the part of mental life having to do with striving, including desire and volition
- concertina a musical instrument resembling an accordion but having buttonlike keys, hexagonal bellows and ends,
and a more limited range
- concomitent existing or occurring with something else, often in a lesser way; accompanying; concurrent
- concupiscence sexual desire; lust
- concupiscet lustful or sensual
- condign well-deserved; fitting; adequate
- condole to express sympathy with a person who is suffering sorrow, misfortune, or grief (usually followed by with)
- confabulate to converse informally; chat
- confess to acknowledge or avow (a fault, crime, misdeed, weakness, etc.) by way of revelation
- confiture a confection; a preserve, as of fruit
- confusticate to confuse
- confute to prove to be false, invalid, or defective; disprove
- congener a person or thing of the same kind or class as another
- 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
- connatural belonging to a person or thing by nature or from birth or origin; inborn
- conniption a fit of hysterical excitement or anger
- connive to avoid noticing something that one is expected to oppose or condemn; give aid to wrongdoing by forbearing
to act or speak
- conscious aware of one's own existence, sensations, thoughts, surroundings, etc.
- 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
- conspectus a general or comprehensive view; survey
- contemn to treat or regard with disdain, scorn, or contempt
- contrariety the quality or state of being contrary
- contumacy stubborn perverseness or rebelliousness; willful and obstinate resistance or disobedience to authority
- contumely a humiliating insult
- 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
- conurbation an extensive urban area resulting from the expansion of several cities or towns so that they coalesce
but usually retain their separate identities
- convolvulus any plant belonging to the genus Convolvulus, of the morning glory family, comprising twining or
prostrate plants having trumpet-shaped flowers
- coot any aquatic bird of the genus Fulica
- cootie a louse, especially one affecting humans, as the body louse, head louse, or pubic louse
- cope to struggle or deal, especially on fairly even terms or with some degree of success (usually followed by with)
- coper a horse dealer
- copestone the top stone of a building or other structure
- copse a thicket of small trees or bushes; a small wood; coppice
- coquette a woman who flirts lightheartedly with men to win their admiration and affection; flirt
- coralline composed of coral or having the structure of coral
- corbel any bracket, especially one of brick or stone, usually of slight extent
- cornball a person who indulges in clichés or sentimentality, corny
- corncrake a short-billed Eurasian rail, Crex crex, frequenting grainfields
- cornel any tree or shrub of the genus Cornus; dogwood
- corniche a winding road cut into the side of a steep hill or along the face of a coastal cliff
- corny old-fashioned, trite, or lacking in subtlety
- corposant another name for Saint Elmo's fire
- cortege a procession, especially a ceremonial one
- coruscate to emit vivid flashes of light; sparkle; scintillate; gleam
- corvée unpaid labor for one day, as on the repair of roads, exacted by a feudal lord
- coryza acute inflammation of the mucous membrane of the nasal cavities; cold in the head
- cosh a blackjack; bludgeon
- cosmogony a theory or story of the origin and development of the universe, the solar system, or the earth-moon system
- cosset a lamb brought up without its dam; pet lamb; any pet
- cote a shelter, coop, or small shed for sheep, pigs, pigeons, etc.
- coterminous having the same border or covering the same area
- cotillion a formal ball given especially for debutantes
- couchant lying down; crouching
- coulee a deep ravine or gulch, usually dry, that has been formed by running water
- coup de foudre a sudden unexpected event, especially an emotional one; love at first sight
- counterpane a quilt or coverlet for a bed; bedspread
- couturier a person who designs, makes, and sells fashionable clothes for women
- courgette zucchini
- covin a conspiracy between two or more persons to act to the detriment or injury of another
- coxcomb a conceited, foolish dandy; pretentious fop
- coy artfully or affectedly shy or reserved; slyly hesitant; coquettish
- cozen to cheat, deceive, or trick
- crackaloo not in Dictionary.com (from a Rex Stout novel)
- cramoisie crimson
- craquelure a network of fine cracks or crackles on the surface of a painting, caused chiefly by shrinkage of paint film or varnish
- cratur a person
- craven cowardly; contemptibly timid; pusillanimous
- créche a home for foundlings
- crenshaw a variety of melon resembling the casaba, having pinkish flesh
- 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
- crepe a lightweight fabric of silk, cotton, or other fiber, with a finely crinkled or ridged surface
- crepitate to make a crackling sound; crackle
- crepitus a crackling chest sound heard in pneumonia and other lung diseases; the grating sound of two ends of a
broken bone rubbing together
- crepuscular of, pertaining to, or resembling twilight; dim; indistinct
- cretonne a heavy cotton material in colorfully printed designs, used especially for drapery and slipcovers
- cri de coeur an anguished cry of distress or indignation; outcry
- 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
- 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
- croon to sing in an evenly modulated, slightly exaggerated manner
- crotalidae New World vipers: pit vipers
- 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
- 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
- crumby soft
- crumhorn a Renaissance musical reed instrument having a cylindrical tube curved at the end
- 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
- crural of or relating to the leg or the hind limb
- cuculiform of, relating to, or belonging to the order Cuculiformes, which includes the cuckoos
- cultus lingcod
- culverin medieval form of musket
- culvert a drain or channel crossing under a road, sidewalk, etc.; sewer; conduit
- cucurbit a gourd
- cumshaw a present; gratuity; tip
- cupidity eager or excessive desire, especially to possess something; greed; avarice
- cupule a cup-shaped whorl of hardened, cohering bracts, as in the acorn
- curate any ecclesiastic entrusted with the cure of souls, as a parish priest
- curlew any of several shorebirds of the genus Numenius, having a long, slender, downcurved bill,
as the common N. arquata, of Europe
- curricle a light, two-wheeled, open carriage drawn by two horses abreast
- curriery the occupation or business of a currier of leather
- cushat the ringdove, Colomba palumbus
- cynghanedd a complex system of rhyme and alliteration used in Welsh verse
- 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
- 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
- cygnet a young swan
- cynosure something that strongly attracts attention by its brilliance, interest, etc.
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
D
- dacoit (in India and Burma) a member of a class of criminals who engage in organized robbery and murder
- dado Also called die. Architecture. the part of a pedestal between the base and the cornice or cap
- daft senseless, stupid, or foolish
- daikon a large, elongated, white winter radish, Raphanus sativus longipinnatus, used especially in Asian cuisine
and sometimes pickled
- dais a raised platform, as at the front of a room, for a lectern, throne, seats of honor, etc.
- dale a valley, especially a broad valley
- dalek any of a set of fictional robot-like creations that are aggressive, mobile, and produce rasping staccato speech
- dally to waste time; loiter; delay; to act playfully, especially in an amorous or flirtatious way
- damask a reversible fabric of linen, silk, cotton, or wool, woven with patterns
- damfool a person who is exceptionally stupid or foolish
- dandlel to move (a baby, child, etc.) lightly up and down, as on one's knee or in one's arms
- dapple a spot or mottled marking, usually occurring in clusters
- darkling vaguely threatening or menacing
- darshan a preacher or teacher of Aggadah or Halakhah in a synagogue
- daruma a large red papier-mâché Japanese doll in the form of a seated potbellied Buddhist monk: considered a bringer
of luck and prosperity
- dastard a mean, sneaking coward
- dauber to apply, as paint or colors, unskillfully
- davenport a large sofa, often one convertible into a bed
- 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
- debridement surgical removal of foreign matter and dead tissue from a wound
- decanal of or relating to a dean or deanery
- declaim to speak aloud in an oratorical manner; make a formal speech
- declaim to speak aloud in an oratorical manner; make a formal speech
- décolleté (of a garment) low-necked
- decorticate to remove the bark, husk, or outer covering from
- defalcation misappropriation of money or funds held by an official, trustee, or other fiduciary
- defenestrate to throw (a person or thing) out of a window
- defilade protection or shielding from hostile ground observation and flat projecting fire provided by an
artificial or natural obstacle, as a hill
- deft dexterous; nimble; skillful; clever
- degust to taste or savor carefully or appreciatively
- dehiscence the natural bursting open of capsules, fruits, anthers, etc., for the discharge of their
- dekko a look or glance
- delectation delight; enjoyment
- deliquesce to become liquid by absorbing moisture from the air, as certain salts
- delusive tending to delude; misleading; deceptive
- delve to carry on intensive and thorough research for data, information, or the like; investigate
- deme one of the administrative divisions of ancient Attica and of modern Greece
- demesne possession of land as one's own
- demijohn a large bottle having a short, narrow neck, and usually being encased in wickerwork
- 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
- 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
- demotic of or pertaining to the common people; popular
- demure characterized by shyness and modesty; reserved
- denegation denial; contradiction
- deodar a large Himalayan cedar, Cedrus deodara, yielding a durable wood
- deontology ethics, especially that branch dealing with duty, moral obligation, and right action
- deracinate to pull up by the roots; uproot; extirpate; eradicate
- derogate to detract, as from authority, estimation, etc.
- descant talk tediously or at length
- desideratum something wanted or needed
- desquamate to come off in scales, as the skin in certain diseases; peel off
- desuetude the state of being no longer used or practiced
- 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
- detritus rock in small particles or other material worn or broken away from a mass, as by the action of water
or glacial ice
- deuced devilish; confounded; damned
- deus ex machina (in ancient Greek and Roman drama) a god introduced into a play to resolve the entanglements
of the plot
- dewlap a pendulous fold of skin under the throat of a bovine animal
- dharma essential quality or character, as of the cosmos or one's own nature
- diablerie diabolic magic or art; sorcery; witchcraft
- diadem a crown
- dialectic of, relating to, or of the nature of logical argumentation
- diapason a full, rich outpouring of melodious sound
- diaphanous very sheer and light; almost completely transparent or translucent
- diathesis a constitutional predisposition or tendency, as to a particular disease or affection
- diatonic noting those scales that contain five whole tones and two semitones, as the major, minor, and certain modal scales
- diatribe a bitter, sharply abusive denunciation, attack, or criticism
- dickens devil; deuce (usually preceded by the and often used in exclamations and as a mild imprecation)
- diction style of speaking or writing as dependent upon choice of words
- didactic intended for instruction; instructive
- diddikai a person of partial Gypsy extraction
- diddle to cheat; swindle; hoax
- dido a mischievous trick; prank; antic; a bauble or trifle
- Dies Irae a Latin hymn on the Day of Judgment, commonly sung in a Requiem Mass
- diffident lacking confidence in one's own ability, worth, or fitness; timid; shy
- dilatory tending to delay or procrastinate; slow; tardy
- dinghy a boat used by warships, having four single-banked oars and a spritsail
- dingus a gadget, device, or object whose name is unknown or forgotten
- dink dinghy
- dinkum genuine; authentic
- dioptre a unit for measuring the refractive power of a lens: the reciprocal of the focal length of the lens expressed in metres
- diorite a granular igneous rock consisting essentially of plagioclase feldspar and hornblende
- 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
- disarticulate to make or become disjointed, as the bones of a body or stems of a plant
- discomfiture disconcertion; confusion; embarrassment
- disembogue to discharge contents by pouring forth
- dishabille the state of being dressed in a careless, disheveled, or disorderly style or manner; undress
- disingenuous lacking in frankness, candor, or sincerity; falsely or hypocritically ingenuous; insincere
- dispensationalism the interpreting of history as a series of divine dispensations
- dispositive involving or affecting disposition or settlement
- disquisition a formal discourse or treatise in which a subject is examined and discussed; dissertation
- dissimulate to conceal one's true motives, thoughts, etc., by some pretense; speak or act hypocritically
- distaff a staff with a cleft end for holding wool, flax, etc., from which the thread is drawn in spinning by hand
- distrait inattentive because of distracting worries, fears, etc.; absent-minded
- dither to act irresolutely; vacillate
- divagate to wander; stray
- djebel a mountain
- djellaba a loose-fitting hooded gown or robe worn by men in North Africa
- doggerel comic or burlesque, and usually loose or irregular in measure
- doggo in concealment; out of sight
- dogie a motherless calf in a cattle herd
- dogsbody a menial worker; drudge
- doleful sorrowful; mournful; melancholy
- dolerite a coarse-grained variety of basalt
- dolichocephalic long-headed; having a cephalic index of 75 and under
- 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
- dominie a schoolmaster
- donjon the inner tower, keep, or stronghold of a castle
- doofus a foolish or inept person
- doozie something that is extraordinary or outstanding of its kind
- dorado dolphin (mahimahi)
- doss a place to sleep, especially in a cheap lodging house
- dosser an ornamental covering for the back of a seat, especially a throne or the like
- dottle the plug of half-smoked tobacco in the bottom of a pipe after smoking
- doublet a close-fitting outer garment, with or without sleeves and sometimes having a short skirt, worn by men in
the Renaissance
- douceur a gratuity; tip
- doughty steadfastly courageous and resolute; valiant
- dour sullen; gloomy
- douzeper the 12 peers or paladins represented in old romances as attendants of Charlemagne
- dovecote a structure, usually at a height above the ground, for housing domestic pigeons
- dox to publish the private personal information of (another person) or reveal the identity of (an online poster)
without the consent of that individual
- doxy loose woman
- doxographer a person who collects the opinions and conjectures of ancient Greek philosophers
- doxology a hymn or form of words containing an ascription of praise to God
- doyen the senior member, as in age, rank, or experience, of a group, class, profession, etc.
- doyenne a woman who is the senior member, as in age or rank, of a group, class, profession, etc.
- draggle to soil by dragging over damp ground or in mud
- dragoman a professional interpreter
- dram one sixteenth of an ounce avoirdupois (approximately 1.77 g)
- dreck worthless trash; junk
- dromomania an uncontrollable impulse or desire to wander or travel
- 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
- dross a waste product taken off molten metal during smelting, essentially metallic in character
- drugget a rug from India of coarse hair with cotton or jute
- drumlin a long, narrow or oval, smoothly rounded hill of unstratified glacial drift
- dryad a deity or nymph of the woods
- dub to strike, cut, rub, or make smooth, as leather or timber
- ducat (slang) a ticket to a public performance
- duck a heavy, plain-weave cotton fabric for tents, clothing, bags, etc., in any of various weights and widths
- dudgeon a feeling of offense or resentment; anger
- duenna a governess
- duffel a coarse woolen cloth having a thick nap, used for coats, blankets, etc.
- dulcet pleasant to the ear; melodious
- dungaree blue denim
- 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
- durbar the court of a native ruler
- 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
- duvet a usually down-filled quilt, often with a removable cover; comforter
- dyad a group of two; couple; pair
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- ebullient overflowing with fervor, enthusiasm, or excitement; high-spirited
- ecchymosis a discoloration due to extravasation of blood, as in a bruise
- ecdysiast stripper
- echolalia the uncontrollable and immediate repetition of words spoken by another person
- éclat showy or elaborate display
- ecru very light brown in color, as raw silk, unbleached linen, etc.
- ecumenical general; universal
- edentate toothless
- effete lacking in wholesome vigor; degenerate; decadent
- efflorescence the state or a period of flowering
- effulgent shining forth brilliantly; radiant
- eglantibe sweetbrier
- egregious extraordinary in some bad way; glaring; flagrant
- eidolon a phantom; apparition
- eisegesis an interpretation, especially of Scripture, that expresses the interpreter's own ideas, bias, or the like,
rather than the meaning of the text
- eke to increase; enlarge; lengthen
- eldritch eerie; weird; spooky
- elegiac used in, suitable for, or resembling an elegy
- elegy a mournful, melancholy, or plaintive poem, especially a funeral song or a lament for the dead
- elenchus a logical refutation; an argument that refutes another argument by proving the contrary of its conclusion
- elenctic refuting an argument by proving the falsehood of its conclusion
- elision the omission of a vowel, consonant, or syllable in pronunciation
- embonpoint excessive plumpness; stoutness
- embouchure the mouth of a river
- emend to free from faults or errors; correct
- emetic causing vomiting, as a medicinal substance
- empennage the rear part of an airplane or airship, usually comprising the stabilizer, elevator, vertical fin,
and rudder
- empery absolute dominion; sovereignty
- en brosse (of hair) cut to stand straight in an even row on top, often as a crew cut
- enceinte pregnant; with child
- encomium a formal expression of high praise; eulogy
- encyclical a letter addressed by the pope to all the bishops of the church
- endogenous proceeding from within; derived internally
- 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.
- enfin in conclusion; finally
- engram a presumed encoding in neural tissue that provides a physical basis for the persistence of memory; a
memory trace
- ennui a feeling of utter weariness and discontent resulting from satiety or lack of interest
- en plein (of a gambling bet) placed entirely on a single number, etc.
- ensorcell to bewitch
- entail a settlement of the inheritance of property over a number of generations so that it remains within a family or
other group
- entelechy a realization or actuality as opposed to a potentiality
- entente an arrangement or understanding between two or more nations agreeing to follow a particular policy with
regard to affairs of international concern
- enteric of or relating to the enteron; intestinal
- enterostomy the making of an artificial opening into the intestine, which opens onto the abdominal wall, for feeding
or drainage
- enthymeme a syllogism or other argument in which a premise or the conclusion is unexpressed
- entitlement the right to guaranteed benefits under a government program, as Social Security or unemployment compensation
- entoptic (of visual sensation) resulting from structures within the eye itself
- entrechat a jump in which the dancer crosses the feet a number of times while in the air
- entree the privilege of entering; access
- entre nous between ourselves; confidentially
- enucleate to remove (a kernel, tumor, eyeball, etc.) from its enveloping cover
- enwreathe to surround or encircle with or as with a wreath
- epergne an ornamental piece for the center of a table, for holding fruit, flowers, etc.
- ephebic of or relating to the period of puberty or adolescence
- epicene belonging to, or partaking of the characteristics of, both sexes
- epideictic designed to display something, esp the skill of the speaker in rhetoric
- epigone an undistinguished imitator, follower, or successor of an important writer, painter, etc.
- epigram any witty, ingenious, or pointed saying tersely expressed
- epilogue a concluding part added to a literary work, as a novel
- epistemic of or relating to knowledge or the conditions for acquiring it
- epistolary contained in or carried on by letters
- epithet any word or phrase applied to a person or thing to describe an actual or attributed quality
- 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
- eponym a person, real or imaginary, from whom something, as a tribe, nation, or place, takes or is said to take its name
- eponymous giving one's name to a tribe, place, etc.
- equanimity mental or emotional stability or composure, especially under tension or strain; calmness; equilibrium
- equerry an officer of a royal or similar household, charged with the care of the horses
- equinoctial pertaining to an equinox or the equinoxes, or to the equality of duration of day and night
- eremite a hermit or recluse, especially one under a religious vow
- 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
- Erinys any of the Furies
- eristic pertaining to controversy or disputation; controversial
- errant erring or straying from the proper course or standards; traveling in search of adventure
- erstwhile former; of times past
- eruct to belch forth, as gas from the stomach
- 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
- escalade a scaling or mounting by means of ladders, especially in an assault upon a fortified place
- escritoire writing desk
- escutcheon a shield or shieldlike surface on which a coat of arms is depicted
- espadrille a flat shoe with a cloth upper, a rope sole, and sometimes lacing that ties around the ankle
- especial of a particular kind, or peculiar to a particular one; particular
- estimable worthy of esteem; deserving respect or admiration
- estivate to spend the summer, as at a specific place or in a certain activity
- esurient hungry; greedy
- étagère a stand with a series of open shelves for small objects, bric-a-brac, etc.
- étape a place where troops camp after a day's march
- etiolate to cause (a plant) to whiten or grow pale by excluding light
- etiology any study of causes, causation, or causality, as in philosophy, biology, or physics
- ethology the study of animal behavior with emphasis on the behavioral patterns that occur in natural environments
- eulogium a eulogy
- euphemism the substitution of a mild, indirect, or vague expression for one thought to be offensive, harsh, or blunt
- euphuism an affected style in imitation of that of Lyly, fashionable in England about the end of the 16th century,
characterized chiefly by long series of antitheses and frequent similes relating to mythological natural history, and alliteration
- eurhythmics the art of interpreting in bodily movements the rhythm of musical compositions
- 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
- evanescent vanishing; fading away; fleeting
- evangel the good tidings of the redemption of the world through Jesus Christ; the gospel
- eventide evening
- evert to turn outward or inside out
- evince to show clearly; make evident or manifest; prove
- exalt to raise in rank, honor, power, character, quality, etc.; elevate
- ex cathedra from the seat of authority; with authority
- excelsior fine wood shavings, used for stuffing, packing, etc.
- exchequer a treasury, as of a state or nation
- excrescence an abnormal outgrowth, usually harmless, on an animal or vegetable body
- excoriate to denounce or berate severely; flay verbally
- execrate to detest utterly; abhor; abominate
- exegesis critical explanation or interpretation of a text or portion of a text, especially of the Bible
- exegete a person skilled in exegesis
- exigent requiring immediate action or aid; urgent; pressing
- exiguous scanty; meager; small; slender
- exilic pertaining to exile, especially that of the Jews in Babylon
- exordium the beginning of anything
- expatiate to enlarge in discourse or writing; be copious in description or discussion
- expiate to atone for; make amends or reparation for
- explicate an explanation; interpretation
- extrados the exterior curve or surface of an arch or vault
- extralegal being beyond the province or authority of law
- exude to come out gradually in drops, as sweat, through pores or small openings; ooze out
- eyesore something unpleasant to look at
- eyry the nest of a bird of prey, as an eagle or a hawk
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- Fabian seeking victory by delay and harassment rather than by a decisive battle as in the manner of Fabius Maximus
- factitious not spontaneous or natural; artificial; contrived
- factive (of a verb, adjective, or noun phrase) presupposing the truth of an embedded sentence that serves as complement
- factotum a person, as a handyman or servant, employed to do all kinds of work around the house
- faience glazed earthenware or pottery, especially a fine variety with highly colored designs
- fain gladly; willingly
- farinaceous consisting of or containing starch
- farrago a confused mixture; hodgepodge; medley
- farrier a blacksmith
- farthingale a hoop skirt or framework for expanding a woman's skirt, worn in the 16th and 17th centuries
- fascicle a section of a book or set of books being published in installments as separate pamphlets or volumes
- fasces a bundle of rods containing an ax with the blade projecting, borne before Roman magistrates as an emblem of
official power
- fascine a long bundle of sticks bound together, used in building earthworks and batteries and in
strengthening ramparts
- Fata Morgana a mirage, esp one in the Strait of Messina attributed to the sorcery of Morgan le Fay
- fatidic prophetic
- fatuity complacent stupidity; foolishness
- favela a shantytown in or near a city, especially in Brazil; slum area
- favonian of or relating to the west wind
- febrile pertaining to or marked by fever; feverish
- feckless ineffective; incompetent; futile
- feculent full of dregs or fecal matter; foul, turbid, or muddy
- fenny marshy
- feria a weekday on which no feast is celebrated
- fete a festive celebration or entertainment
- fetor a strong, offensive smell; stench
- fey supernatural; unreal; enchanted
- fictive fictitious; imaginary
- figment a mere product of mental invention; a fantastic notion
- 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
- filibuster to act as an irregular military adventurer, especially for revolutionary purposes
- filicide a person who kills his or her son or daughter
- filigree delicate ornamental work of fine silver, gold, or other metal wires, especially lacy jewelers' work of
scrolls and arabesques
- fillip to strike with the nail of a finger snapped from the end of the thumb
- fin de siècle the end of the 19th century
- finical finicky
- finick to affect extreme daintiness or refinement
- firebrand a person who kindles strife or encourages unrest; an agitator; troublemaker
- firman an edict or administrative order issued by or in the name of a Middle Eastern sovereign
- 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
- flageolet a small end-blown flute with four finger holes in front and two in the rear
- flam a deception or trick
- flâneur a person who lounges or strolls around in a seemingly aimless way; an idler or loafer
- flaunt to parade or display oneself conspicuously, defiantly, or boldly
- fleer to grin or laugh coarsely or mockingly
- flense to strip the blubber or the skin from
- flinders splinters; small pieces or fragments
- flivver an automobile, especially one that is small, inexpensive, and old
- flocculent like a clump or tuft of wool
- florid flowery; excessively ornate; showy
- floss silk filaments with little or no twist, used in weaving as brocade or in embroidery
- flounce to go with impatient or impetuous, exaggerated movements
- flumadiddle utter nonsense
- 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
- flump to plump down suddenly or heavily; flop
- foible a minor weakness or failing of character; slight flaw or defect
- folderol falderal; mere nonsense; foolish talk or ideas
- fomite An inanimate object or substance, such as clothing, furniture, or soap, that is capable of transmitting
infectious organisms from one individual to another
- fondant a thick, creamy sugar paste, the basis of many candies
- fontanel one of the spaces, covered by membrane, between the bones of the fetal or young skull
- foulard a soft, lightweight silk, rayon, or cotton of plain or twill weave with printed design, for neckties, scarves,
trimmings, etc.
- forbear to refrain or abstain from; desist from
- forfend to defend, secure, or protect
- forrader in a forward direction
- forsooth (archaic, now used in derision or to express disbelief) in truth; in fact; indeed
- 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
- fossick to search for any object by which to make gain
- frabjous wonderful, elegant, superb, or delicious
- fractious refractory or unruly
- 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
- 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
- frass insect excrement
- freeboot to act as a freebooter; plunder; loot
- frenetic frenzied
- 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
- friable easily crumbled or reduced to powder; crumbly
- fribble to act in a foolish or frivolous manner; trifle
- fricassee meat, especially chicken or veal, browned lightly, stewed, and served in a sauce made with its own stock
- 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
- frig to copulate with
- frippery finery in dress, especially when showy, gaudy, or the like
- frisson a sudden, passing sensation of excitement; a shudder of emotion; thrill
- 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.
- frock a gown or dress worn by a girl or woman
- froideur an attitude of haughty aloofness; cold superiority
- frolic merry play; merriment; gaiety; fun
- frore frozen; frosty
- froufrou elaborate decoration, as frills, ribbons, or ruffles, especially on women's clothing
- frow a cleaving tool having a wedge-shaped blade, with a handle set at right angles to it
- froward willfully contrary; not easily managed
- frowsty musty; ill-smelling
- frowzy dirty and untidy; slovenly
- frump a person who is dowdy, drab, and unattractive
- fuddle to muddle or confuse
- fug stale air, especially the humid, warm, ill-smelling air of a crowded room, kitchen, etc.
- fugato a section of a composition that is in fugal style but does not constitute a real fugue
- fugleman a person who heads a group, company, political party, etc.; a leader or manager
- fuller a person who fulls cloth
- 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
- funk cowering fear; state of great fright or terror
- furbelow a ruffle or flounce, as on a woman's skirt or petticoat
- furlong a unit of distance, equal to 220 yards (201 meters) or ⅛ mile (0.2 kilometer)
- 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
- fustian a stout fabric of cotton and flax
- fusty having a stale smell; moldy; musty
- futurity future generations; posterity
- fylfot a swastika
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- gabble to speak or converse rapidly and unintelligibly; jabber
- gabelle a tax; excise
- gadolinium a rare-earth metallic element. Symbol : Gd; atomic weight : 157.25; atomic number : 64
- gaffe a social blunder; faux pas
- gaga excessively and foolishly enthusiastic
- gainsay to deny, dispute, or contradict
- gaiter a covering of cloth or leather for the ankle and instep and sometimes also the lower leg, worn over the shoe or boot
- galah an Australian cockatoo, Kakatoe roseicapilla, having rose-colored underparts
- galena a common, heavy mineral, lead sulfide, PbS, occurring in lead-gray crystals,
usually cubes, and cleavable masses: the principal ore of lead
- gall to make sore by rubbing; chafe severely
- gallimaufry a hodgepodge; jumble; confused medley
- gallivant to go about with members of the opposite sex
- gallus bold; daring; reckless
- gam a herd or school of whales
- gamboge a gum resin from various Asian trees of the genus Garcinia, especially G. hanburyi, used as a yellow pigment
and as a cathartic
- gamify to turn (an activity or task) into a game or something resembling a game
- gamin a neglected boy left to run about the streets; street urchin
- 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
- gammon a victory in which the winner throws off all his or her pieces before the opponent throws off any
- gander look
- 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
- garigue open shrubby vegetation of dry Mediterranean regions, consisting of spiny or aromatic dwarf shrubs interspersed
with colourful ephemeral species
- garnishee to attach (money or property) by garnishment
- garret an attic, usually a small, wretched one
- 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
- garrulous excessively talkative in a rambling, roundabout manner, especially about trivial matters
- gasometer a large tank or cylindrical reservoir of gas, as at a gasworks, to be piped to homes, factories, etc.
- gat older slang: a pistol or revolver
- gâteau a cake, especially a very light sponge cake with a rich icing or filling
- gay having or showing a merry, lively mood
- Gargantua an amiable giant and king, noted for his enormous capacity for food and drink, in Rabelais' Gargantua
and Pantagruel, 1534.
- gauche lacking social grace, sensitivity, or acuteness; awkward; crude; tactless
- gaucherie lack of social grace, sensitivity, or acuteness; awkwardness; crudeness; tactlessness
- gauleiter the leader or chief official of a political district under Nazi control
- gaunt extremely thin and bony; haggard and drawn, as from great hunger, weariness, or torture
- gawky awkward; ungainly; clumsy
- gazogene an apparatus for impregnating a liquid with a gas, especially carbon dioxide
- gee to turn (something) to the right
- gelid very cold; icy
- gematria a cabbalistic system of interpretation of the Scriptures by substituting for a particular
word another word whose letters give the same numerical sum
- gemütlichkeit warm cordiality; comfortable friendliness; congeniality
- genii a plural of genius
- 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
- geomancy divination by geographic features or by figures or lines
- gherkin the small, immature fruit of a variety of cucumber, used in pickling
- gibber to speak inarticulately or meaninglessly
- 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
- 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.
- 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
- gimp a flat trimming of silk, wool, or other cord, sometimes stiffened with wire, for garments, curtains, etc.; a limp
- ginormous extremely large; huge
- girn grin
- glacis a gentle slope
- glamour the quality of fascinating, alluring, or attracting, especially by a combination of charm and good looks
- glassine a strong, thin, glazed, semitransparent paper, often made into small bags, used for packaging foods, for
book jackets, etc.
- glaucous light bluish-green or greenish-blue
- gleet a thin, morbid discharge, as from a wound
- glissando performed with a gliding effect by sliding one or more fingers rapidly over the keys of a piano or
strings of a harp
- gloaming twilight; dusk
- glom to steal; to catch or grap; to look at
- glottis the opening at the upper part of the larynx, between the vocal cords
- gloriole a halo, nimbus, or aureole
- gluteal pertaining to the buttock muscles or the buttocks
- gnosis knowledge of spiritual matters; mystical knowledge
- 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)
- gobbledygook language characterized by circumlocution and jargon, usually hard to understand
- gobsmacked utterly astounded; astonished
- godling a minor god, especially one whose influence or authority is entirely local
- godown a warehouse or other storage place
- golem a stupid and clumsy person; blockhead
- gonfalon a banner suspended from a crossbar, often with several streamers or tails
- gongorism imitation of the ornate and intricate style of Góngora y Argote
- goniometer an instrument for measuring solid angles, as of crystals
- gonoph a pickpocket or thief.
- goog an egg
- googly a bowled ball that swerves in one direction and breaks in the other
- gook makeup, especially when thickly applied
- goon a hired hoodlum or thug
- gorget a patch of color on the throat of a bird or other animal, especially a hummingbird
- gormless lacking in vitality or intelligence; stupid, dull, or clumsy
- gorp a mixture of nuts, raisins, dried fruits, seeds, or the like eaten as a high-energy snack, as by hikers and
climbers
- gorse 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
- gouache a technique of painting with opaque watercolors prepared with gum
- 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
- grama any grass of the genus Bouteloua, of South America and western North America
- grampus a cetacean, Grampus griseus, of the dolphin family, widely distributed in northern seas
- grandee a man of high social position or eminence, especially a Spanish or Portuguese nobleman
- granita frozen flavored ice
- graticule a network of parallels and meridians on a map or chart
- gratuitous being without apparent reason, cause, or justification
- gravamen the part of an accusation that weighs most heavily against the accused; the substantial part of a charge
or complaint
- gravel to bring to a standstill from perplexity; puzzle
- gravid pregnant
- gravlax boned salmon, cured by marinating in sugar, salt, pepper, and other spices, especially dill
- grazier a person who grazes cattle for the market
- greave a piece of plate armor for the leg between the knee and the ankle, usually composed of front and back pieces
- grifter a person who operates a side show at a circus, fair, etc., especially a gambling attraction
- grimoire a manual of magic or witchcraft used by witches and sorcerers
- 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.
- grippe (formerly) influenza
- grissini thin crisp breadsticks
- grizzled having gray or partly gray hair
- groat a silver coin of England, equal to four pennies, issued from 1279 to 1662
- grotty seedy; wretched; dirty
- groundsel any composite plant of the genus Senecio, especially S. vulgaris, a common weed having clusters of small
yellow disk flowers without rays
- grue to shudder
- gruntled happy or contented; satisfied
- guerdon a reward, recompense, or requital
- gueridon a small table or stand, as for holding a candelabrum
- guffaw a loud, unrestrained burst of laughter
- guichet a grating, hatch, or small opening in a wall, esp a ticket-office window
- guignol an entertainment with sensational or horrifying dramatic intent
- gules the tincture red
- 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
- gullery trickery; fraud
- gullible easily deceived or cheated
- gump a foolish or stupid person
- gunsel a criminal armed with a gun
- guttersnipe a person belonging to or characteristic of the lowest social group in a city
- 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
- gurney a flat, padded table or stretcher with legs and wheels, for transporting patients or bodies
- gymkhana a field day held for equestrians, consisting of exhibitions of horsemanship and much pageantry
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- hackamore a simple looped bridle, by means of which controlling pressure is exerted on the nose
of a horse, used chiefly in breaking colts
- hackneyed made commonplace or trite; stale; banal
- hadith a traditional account of things said or done by Muhammad or his companions
- haecceity the property that uniquely identifies an object
- hag an ugly old woman, especially a vicious or malicious one
- haggard having a gaunt, wasted, or exhausted appearance, as from prolonged suffering, exertion, or anxiety; worn
- hagiography the writing and critical study of the lives of the saints
- hagiology the branch of literature dealing with the lives and legends of the saints
- halberd a shafted weapon with an axlike cutting blade, beak, and apical spike, used especially in the
15th and 16th centuries
- halcyon calm; peaceful; tranquil; rich; wealthy; prosperous; happy; joyful; carefree
- hale to compel (someone) to go
- halvah a sweet, candylike confection of Turkish origin, consisting chiefly of ground sesame seeds and honey
- halyard any of various lines or tackles for hoisting a spar, sail, flag, etc., into position for use
- hamadryad a dryad who is the spirit of a particular tree
- hamartia tragic flaw
- hames, make a hames of to spoil through clumsiness or ineptitude
- 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
- hankering longing; craving
- hap one's luck or lot
- hapless unlucky; luckless; unfortunate
- harebrained giddy; reckless
- haring running fast
- harridan scolding, vicious woman; hag; shrew
- 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.
- harry to harass, annoy, or prove a nuisance to by or as if by repeated attacks; worry
- hartshorn the antler of a hart, formerly used as a source of ammonia
- harum-scarum reckless; rash; irresponsible
- haubergeon a short, sleeveless coat of mail; hauberk
- hawse the distance or space between the bow of an anchored vessel and the point on the surface of the water
above the anchor
- hawser a heavy rope for mooring or towing
- heartsease peace of mind
- 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
- hecatomb (in ancient Greece and Rome) a public sacrifice of 100 oxen to the gods
- hector to treat with insolence; bully; torment
- hegemony leadership or predominant influence exercised by one nation over others, as in a confederation
- hegira any flight or journey to a more desirable or congenial place
- heifer a young cow over one year old that has not produced a calf
- heinous hateful; odious; abominable; totally reprehensible
- heliotrope any hairy plant belonging to the genus Heliotropium, of the borage family, as H. arborescens,
cultivated for its small, fragrant purple flowers
- 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
- Hellespont ancient name of the Dardanelles
- helluva hell of a (used as an intensifier)
- 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
- henchman an unscrupulous and ruthless subordinate, especially a criminal
- henotheism the worship of a particular god, as by a family or tribe, without disbelieving in the existence of others
- hentai noting or pertaining to a subgenre of Japanese manga, anime, computer games, etc., characterized by
explicit sexual themes and imagery
- heresiarch a leader in heresy; the leader of a heretical sect
- hermeneutics the science of interpretation, especially of the Scriptures
- hermetic made airtight by fusion or sealing
- hessian burlap
- hetaera a highly cultured courtesan or concubine, especially in ancient Greece
- heteronomous subject to or involving different laws
- hieratic of or relating to priests or the priesthood; sacerdotal; priestly
- hierophant any interpreter of sacred mysteries or esoteric principles; mystagogue
- higgle to bargain, especially in a petty way; haggle
- hincty conceited or snobbish
- hinky nervous or suspicious; acting suspiciously
- hippogriff a fabulous creature resembling a griffin but having the body and hind parts of a horse
- hist a sibilant exclamation used to attract attention
- hoary gray or white with age
- hobbledehoy an awkward, ungainly youth
- hock the joint in the hind leg of a horse, cow, etc., above the fetlock joint, corresponding anatomically
to the ankle in humans
- hodgepodge a heterogeneous mixture; jumble
- hogget a sheep about one year old that has not been shorn
- hog-wild wildly or intemperately enthusiastic or excited
- hokum out-and-out nonsense; bunkum
- holland a coarse linen cloth, used esp. for furnishing
- holograph wholly written by the person in whose name it appears
- hols a period of cessation from work or one of recreation; vacation
- holystone a block of soft sandstone used in scrubbing the decks of a ship
- hoopla speech or writing intended to mislead or to obscure an issue
- homiletic of or relating to preaching or to homilies
- hoopoe any Old World bird of the family Upupidae, especially Upupa epops, of Europe, having an erectile,
fanlike crest
- hork vomit; spit
- horselaugh a loud, coarse laugh, especially of derision
- hortatory urging to some course of conduct or action; exhorting; encouraging
- hoser a person who is considered unintelligent or uncouth, especially a beer-drinking man
- houri one of the beautiful virgins provided in paradise for all faithful Muslims
- hovel a small, very humble dwelling house; a wretched hut
- 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
- hoyden a boisterous, bold, and carefree girl; a tomboy
- howff an abode; a familiar shelter or resort
- huarache a Mexican sandal having the upper woven of leather strips
- hummock an elevated tract of land rising above the general level of a marshy region
- hussy a brazen or immoral woman
- hydroid noting or pertaining to that form of hydrozoan that is asexual and grows into branching colonies by budding
- 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
- hype to stimulate, excite, or agitate
- hypnagogic of or relating to drowsiness
- hypo a stimulus or boost
- hypocorism the use of forms of speech imitative of baby talk, especially by an adult
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- ichor an ethereal fluid flowing in the veins of the gods
- ickle an ironically childish word for little
- iconostasis a partition or screen on which icons are placed, separating the sanctuary from the main part of the church
- ideolect a person's individual speech pattern
- idyll a poem or prose composition, usually describing pastoral scenes or events or
any charmingly simple episode, appealing incident, or the like
- ifrit in Islamic mythology, a class of infernal jinn (spirits below the level of angels and devils) noted
for their strength and cunning
- ignominious discreditable; humiliating
- ignoratio elenchi the fallacy of offering proof irrelevant to the proposition in question
- ilk family, class, or kind
- illiberal narrowminded; bigoted
- imago an adult insect; an idealized concept of a loved one, formed in childhood and retained unaltered in adult life
- imbroglio a misunderstanding, disagreement, etc., of a complicated or bitter nature, as between persons or nations
- immanent remaining within; indwelling; inherent
- immingle to mingle in; intermingle
- immure to enclose within walls
- imp a little devil or demon; an evil spirit
- impasto the laying on of paint thickly
- impertinence unmannerly intrusion or presumption; insolence
- importunate urgent or persistent in solicitation, sometimes annoyingly so
- imprecate to invoke or call down (evil or curses), as upon a person
- impugn to challenge as false (another's statements, motives, etc.); cast doubt upon
- impunity exemption from punishment
- impute to attribute or ascribe
- inamorata a woman who loves or is loved; female sweetheart or lover
- inanition exhaustion from lack of nourishment; starvation
- inchoate not yet completed or fully developed; rudimentary
- inchondite ill-constructed; unpolished
- incontrovertible not open to question or dispute; indisputable
- 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
- incunabula extant copies of books produced in the earliest stages (before 1501) of printing from movable type
- indefectible not liable to fault or imperfection; faultless
- indolent having or showing a disposition to avoid exertion; slothful
- ineluctable incapable of being evaded; inescapable
- infighting fighting at close range
- initialism a set of initials representing a name, organization, or the like, with each letter pronounced
separately, as FBI for Federal Bureau of Investigation
- inlenook a corner or nook near a fireplace; chimney corner
- ingénue the part of an artless, innocent, unworldly girl or young woman, especially as represented on the stage.
- inhume to bury; inter
- insipid without distinctive, interesting, or stimulating qualities; vapid
- insouciance lack of care or concern; indifference
- inspan to yoke or harness
- inspersion the act of sprinkling with a fluid or a powder
- inspissate to thicken, as by evaporation; make or become dense
- insufflate to blow or breathe (something) in
- instar an insect in any one of its periods of postembryonic growth between molts
- intaglio incised carving, as opposed to carving in relief
- intercalary inserted or interpolated in the calendar, as an extra day or month
- interlope to thrust oneself into the affairs of others
- internecine of or relating to conflict or struggle within a group
- intrigante a female intriguer
- inutile of no use or service
- invective vehement or violent denunciation, censure, or reproach
- inveigle to entice, lure, or ensnare by flattery or artful talk or inducements
- inveterate settled or confirmed in a habit, practice, feeling, or the like
- invidious calculated to create ill will or resentment or give offense; hateful
- involucre Botany. a collection or rosette of bracts subtending a flower cluster, umbel, or the like
- involute intricate; complex; curled or curved inward or spirally
- ipse dixit an assertion without proof
- ipso facto by the fact itself
- irascible easily provoked to anger; very irritable
- irruption a breaking or bursting in; a violent incursion or invasion
- isodomic (of ashlar) composed of stones of uniform size
- 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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- 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
- 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
- janissary a member of any group of loyal guards, soldiers, or supporters
- jape to jest; joke; gibe
- jefe leader; chief; boss
- jeggings denim leggings that resemble tight jeans
- jejune without interest or significance; dull; insipid; lacking knowledge or experience; uninformed
- 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
- jeremiad a prolonged lamentation or mournful complaint
- jerkin a close-fitting jacket or short coat, usually sleeveless, as one of leather worn in the 16th and 17th centuries
- jeroboam a large wine bottle having a capacity of about four ordinary bottles or 3 liters (3.3 quarts)
- jess a short strap fastened around the leg of a hawk and attached to the leash
- jesuitical practicing casuistry or equivocation; using subtle or oversubtle reasoning; crafty; sly; intriguing
- jetton an inscribed counter or token
- jibe to shift from one side to the other when running before the wind, as a fore-and-aft sail or its boom
- 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
- jigaboo disparaging and offensive: a contemptuous term used to refer to a black person
- jilt to reject or cast aside (a lover or sweetheart), especially abruptly or unfeelingly
- jink prankish or frolicsome activity
- 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)
- jive swing music or early jazz; the jargon associated with swing music and early jazz;
slang: deceptive, exaggerated, or meaningless talk
- jocose given to or characterized by joking; jesting; humorous; playful
- jongleur an itinerant minstrel or entertainer who sang songs, often of his own composition, and told stories
- jot the least part of something; a little bit
- judder to vibrate violently
- 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
- juggins a simpleton
- juju an object venerated superstitiously and used as a fetish or amulet by tribal peoples of West Africa
- 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
- junket a sweet, custardlike food of flavored milk curdled with rennet
- junta a small group ruling a country, especially immediately after a coup d'état and before a legally
constituted government has been instituted
- juxtapose to place close together or side by side, especially with an arresting or surprising effect, or in a way
that invites comparison or contrast
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- kaffiyeh an Arab headdress for men; made from a diagonally folded square of cloth held in place by an agal
wound around the head.
- Kafkaesque marked by a senseless, disorienting, often menacing complexity
- 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
- kaross a cloak or rug of animal skins used in southern Africa
- 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
- katabatic (of a wind or air current) moving downward or down a slope
- 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
- kedgeree a cooked dish consisting of rice, lentils, and spices
- keelson any of various fore-and-aft structural members lying above or parallel to the keel in the bottom of a hull
- kef a state of drowsy contentment, especially from the use of a narcotic
- kegel exercise performed to strengthen the pubococcygeus and other muscles of the pelvic floor, in order to control
incontinence, improve sexual response, etc.
- kelly green a strong yellow-green
- keloid an abnormal proliferation of scar tissue, as on the site of a surgical incision
- kelson also keelson: any of various fore-and-aft structural members lying above or parallel to the keel in the bottom
of a hull
- kenspeckle conspicuous; easily seen or recognized
- kepi a French military cap with a flat circular top and a nearly horizontal visor
- kerfuffle a fuss; commotion
- 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
- kif a state of drowsy contentment, especially from the use of a narcotic
- kinnikinnick a mixture of bark, dried leaves, and sometimes tobacco, formerly smoked by the Indians and pioneers in
the Ohio valley
- kip the hide of a young or small beast
- kirsch a fragrant, colorless, unaged brandy distilled from a fermented mash of cherries, produced especially in
Germany, Switzerland, and Alsace, France
- kitsch something of tawdry design, appearance, or content created to appeal to popular or undiscriminating taste
- 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
- Kiwanis an organization founded in 1915 for the promulgation of higher ideals in business, industrial, and
professional life
- klieg kind of arc lamp used as a studio light, 1925, from U.S. engineers, brothers Anton and
John Kliegl, who invented it
- knout a whip with a lash of leather thongs, formerly used in Russia for flogging criminals
- 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
- kris a short sword or heavy dagger with a wavy blade, used by the Malays
- 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
- kümmel a colorless cordial or liqueur flavored with cumin, caraway seeds, etc., made especially in the Baltic area
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- laager a camp or encampment, especially within a protective circle of wagons
- labile apt or likely to change
- lacuna a gap or missing part, as in a manuscript, series, or logical argument; hiatus
- lamasery a monastery of lamas
- lambent running or moving lightly over a surface
- 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
- landau a four-wheeled, two-seated carriage with a top made in two parts that may be let down or folded back
- landaulet an automobile having a convertible top for the back seat, with the front seat either roofed or open
- languish to be or become weak or feeble; droop; fade
- languor lack of energy or vitality; sluggishness
- lank (of plants) unduly long and slender: lank grass; lank, leafless trees. (of hair) straight and limp;
without spring or curl; lean; gaunt; thin.
- lanugo a coat of delicate, downy hairs, especially that with which the human fetus or a newborn infant is covered
- 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
- lapsus a slip or lapse
- larrikin a street rowdy; hoodlum
- larup to beat or thrash
- lascar an East Indian sailor
- lathi a heavy pole or stick, especially one used as a club by police
- lathy lathlike; long and thin
- lazaretto a building or a ship set apart for quarantine purposes
- lea a tract of open ground, especially grassland; meadow
- 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)
- lecythus a vase with a narrow neck
- legerdemain sleight of hand
- legation a diplomatic minister and staff in a foreign mission
- legato smooth and connected; without breaks between the successive tones
- leitmotif a motif or theme associated throughout a music drama with a particular person, situation, or idea
- lek a traditional place where males assemble during the mating season and engage in competitive displays
that attract females
- leman a sweetheart; lover; beloved
- lenticular of or pertaining to a lens
- lentigo a freckle or other pigmented spot
- leporine of, relating to, or resembling a rabbit or hare
- lethologica the inability to remember a particular word or name
- levant to leave secretly or hurriedly to avoid paying debts
- levée a reception of visitors held on rising from bed, as formerly by a royal or other personage
- leveret a young hare
- leylandii a type of tall-growing evergreen with fine scalelike foliage arranged in flat sprays
- libation a pouring out of wine or other liquid in honor of a deity
- libration a real or apparent oscillatory motion, especially of the moon
- 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
- lief gladly; willingly
- lilt to sing or play in a light, tripping, or rhythmic manner
- limen threshold
- liminal of, pertaining to, or situated at the threshold
- limn to represent in drawing or painting
- limpid clear, transparent, or pellucid, as water, crystal, or air
- linchpin a pin inserted through the end of an axletree to keep the wheel on
- 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
- lingam (in popular Hinduism) a phallus, symbol of Siva
- linnet a small Old World finch, Carduelis cannabina
- lissome lithesome or lithe, especially of body; supple; flexible
- lisle knit goods, as gloves or hose, made of a fine, high-twisted and hard-twisted cotton thread, at least two-ply
- literati persons of scholarly or literary attainments; intellectuals
- lithophane a transparency made of thin porcelain or bone china having an intaglio design
- littoral of or pertaining to the shore of a lake, sea, or ocean
- liturgy a form of public worship; ritual
- lo look! see!
- loach any of several slender European and Asian fishes of the family Cobitidae and related families, having several
barbels around the mouth
- loblolly a mire; mudhole
- lodestar Polaris
- loess a loamy deposit formed by wind, usually yellowish and calcareous, common in the Mississippi Valley and in Europe and Asia
- loge (in a theater) the front section of the lowest balcony, separated from the back section by an aisle or
railing or both
- logy lacking physical or mental energy or vitality; sluggish; dull; lethargic
- lop to cut off (branches, twigs, etc.) from a tree or other plant
- loblolly a mire; mudhole
- loess a loamy deposit formed by wind, usually yellowish and calcareous, common in the Mississippi Valley
and in Europe and Asia
- loggia a gallery or arcade open to the air on at least one side
- logomachy a dispute about or concerning words
- logomancy divination by words
- logy lacking physical or mental energy or vitality; sluggish; dull; lethargic
- lollop to loll; lounge; to move forward with a bounding or leaping motion
- lordosis a posture assumed by some female mammals during mating, in which the back arches downward
- lorgnette a pair of eyeglasses mounted on a handle
- lorry a motor truck, especially a large one
- lothario a man who obsessively seduces and deceives women
- 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
- louche dubious; shady; disreputable
- lour a variant of lower: to frown, scowl, or look sullen; glower
- lubricious arousing or expressive of sexual desire; lustful; lecherous
- lucent shining; translucent; clear
- lucubration laborious work, study, thought, etc., especially at night
- lulu any remarkable or outstanding person or thing (slang)
- lugubrious mournful, dismal, or gloomy, especially in an affected, exaggerated, or unrelieved manner
- lumbago pain in the lower, or lumbar, region of the back or loins, especially chronic or recurring pain
- lummox a clumsy, stupid person
- lumpen of or relating to disfranchised and uprooted individuals or groups, especially those who have lost status
- lunger a person who has chronic lung disease, especially tuberculosis
- luthier a maker of stringed instruments, as violins
- lutefisk dried cod tenderized by soaking in lye, which is rinsed out before cooking
- lycanthropic a delusion in which one imagines oneself to be a wolf or other wild animal
- lych gate a roofed gate to a churchyard, formerly used during funerals as a temporary shelter for the bier
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- macadam pavement made by laying and compacting successive layers of broken stone, often with asphalt or hot tar
- macerate to soften or separate into parts by steeping in a liquid
- maculate spotted; stained
- madcap wildly or heedlessly impulsive; reckless; rash
- madding acting madly or senselessly; insane; frenzied
- 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
- maenad a frenzied or raging woman
- magnanimous proceeding from or revealing generosity or nobility of mind, character, etc.
- mahout the keeper or driver of an elephant, especially in India and the East Indies
- 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
- maillot a close-fitting, one-piece bathing suit for women, simply styled and usually having a scoop neck and shoulder
straps
- majolica Italian earthenware covered with an opaque glaze of tin oxide and usually highly decorated
- majuscule large, as either capital or uncial letters
- malefic productive of evil; malign; doing harm; baneful
- maleficent doing evil or harm; harmfully malicious
- mallow any of various plants of the genus Malva, including several popular garden plants, as the musk mallow
- Malpighi Italian anatomist
- mamon a personification of riches as an evil spirit or deity
- mandrake a narcotic, short-stemmed European plant, Mandragora officinarum, of the nightshade family,
having a fleshy, often forked root somewhat resembling a human form
- manga a Japanese graphic novel, typically intended for adults, characterized by highly stylized art
- 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
- manque the numbers 1 to 18 in roulette
- mansard Also called mansard roof. a hip roof, each face of which has a steeper lower part and a shallower upper part
- 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
- mantic of or pertaining to divination
- manumit to release from slavery or servitude
- maquillage makeup
- maquis the French underground movement, or Resistance, that combatted the Nazis in World War II
- marcescent withering but not falling off, as a part of a plant
- marl a friable earthy deposit consisting of clay and calcium carbonate, used especially as a fertilizer for soils
deficient in lime
- marline small stuff of two-fiber strands, sometimes tarred, laid up left-handed
- marlinspike a pointed iron implement used in separating the strands of rope in splicing, marling, etc.
- marmoreal of or like marble
- marmot any bushy-tailed, stocky rodent of the genus Marmota, as the woodchuck
- marque a product model or type, as of a luxury or racing car
- martingale part of the tack or harness of a horse, consisting of a strap that fastens to the girth, passes between the
forelegs and through a loop in the neckstrap or hame, and fastens to the noseband: used to steady or hold down the horse's head
- marquee a tall rooflike projection above a theater entrance, usually containing the name of a currently featured play
or film and its stars
- mashie a golf club with an iron head, the face having more slope than a mashie iron but less slope than a mashie
niblick
- massif a compact portion of a mountain range, containing one or more summits
- 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
- matin the service of public prayer, said in the morning, in the Anglican Church
- matelot a sailor
- matryoshka Russian doll
- mattock an instrument for loosening the soil in digging, shaped like a pickax, but having one end broad instead of pointed
- matutinal pertaining to or occurring in the morning; early in the day
- maudlin tearfully or weakly emotional; foolishly sentimental
- maumet a doll, puppet, scarecrow, or other figure built to resemble a human being
- maunder to talk in a rambling, foolish, or meaningless way
- maven an expert or connoisseur
- maverick unorthodox, unconventional, or nonconformist
- mawkish characterized by sickly sentimentality; weakly emotional; maudlin
- maxillary of or relating to a jaw, jawbone, or maxilla
- mazarine a deep, rich blue
- mazurka a lively Polish dance in moderately quick triple meter
- mazy full of confusing turns, passages, etc.; like a maze; labyrinthine
- meed a reward or recompense
- megrim low spirits; the blues
- mellophone a marching or military band brass instrument similar in appearance and range to the French horn but slightly
smaller and simpler to play
- ménage a domestic establishment; household
- mendicant begging; practicing begging; living on alms
- mensch a decent, upright, mature, and responsible person
- mephitic (especially of a gas or vapor) foul-smelling; noxious
- mercer a dealer in textile fabrics; dry-goods merchant
- meretricious alluring by a show of flashy or vulgar attractions; tawdry
- merkin false hair for the female pudenda
- merry widow a woman's undergarment consisting of a strapless brassiere and short corset with attached garters
- mesclun a salad consisting especially of young, tender mixed greens
- mesonoxian pertaining to the hour of midnight
- messuage a dwelling house with its adjacent buildings and the lands appropriated to the use of the household
- metaphotography Any photographic process that transcends photographic processes, comments on photographic practices, or
critiques photographic processes (Wikitionary)
- 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
- metheglin a variety of spiced mead
- methylphenidate a central nervous system stimulant, C14H19NO2, used in the control
of hyperkinetic syndromes and narcolepsy
- métier a field of work; occupation, trade, or profession
- 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.”
- meum et tuum mine and thine
- mews an area of stables built around a small street or a street having small apartments converted from such stables
- miasma noxious exhalations from putrescent organic matter; poisonous effluvia or germs polluting the atmosphere
- micturition the act of passing urine; urination
- midden a dunghill or refuse heap
- middinette a young Parisian saleswoman or seamstress
- midge any of numerous minute dipterous insects, especially of the family Chironomidae, somewhat resembling a mosquito
- midsummer the middle of summer (which would be early August); the summer solstice, around June 21 (which is the
beginning of summer)
- mien air, bearing, or demeanor, as showing character, feeling, etc.
- militate to have a substantial effect; weigh heavily
- milliard one thousand millions; equivalent to U.S. billion
- mimesis imitation or reproduction of the supposed words of another, as in order to represent his or her character
- mimsy prim, underwhelming, and ineffectual
- mincing (of the gait, speech, behavior, etc.) affectedly dainty, nice, or elegant
- mingy mean and stingy; disappointingly meager
- minx a pert, impudent, or flirtatious girl
- 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
- mirabelle a dry, white plum brandy from Alsace
- misère a call in solo whist and other card games declaring a hand that will win no tricks
- mistral a cold, dry, northerly wind common in southern France and neighboring regions
- mizzle mist or drizzle
- 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”
- moiety an indefinite portion, part, or share
- moil to work hard; drudge
- moiré (of silks and other fabrics) presenting a watery or wavelike appearance
- moksha freedom from the differentiated, temporal, and mortal world of ordinary experience
- moleskin a strong and heavy napped, twilled cotton fabric used for sportswear and work clothing
- mollycoddle a man or boy who is used to being coddled; a milksop
- Moloch (in the Bible) a deity whose worship was marked by the sacrifice of children by their own parents
- mondegreen a word or phrase resulting from a mishearing of another word or phrase, especially in a song or poem
- montane pertaining to, growing in, or inhabiting mountainous regions; the lower vegetation belt on mountains
- moor to secure (a ship, boat, dirigible, etc.) in a particular place, as by cables and anchors or by lines
- mopish given to moping; listless, apathetic, or dejected
- mordant sharply caustic or sarcastic, as wit or a speaker; biting
- 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
- 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
- mosey to wander or shuffle about leisurely; stroll; saunter (often followed by along, about, etc.)
- mook a contemptible, incompetent person
- moonscape a land area that resembles the surface of the moon, especially in barrenness and desolation
- moonstruck mentally deranged, supposedly by the influence of the moon; crazed
- morbid suggesting an unhealthy mental state or attitude; unwholesomely gloomy, sensitive, extreme, etc.
- mordant sharply caustic or sarcastic, as wit or a speaker; biting
- morel any edible mushroom of the genus Morchella, especially M. esculenta
- 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
- moribund in a dying state; near death
- 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
- motile moving or capable of moving spontaneously
- moue a pouting grimace
- mountebank a person who sells quack medicines, as from a platform in public places, attracting and influencing
an audience by tricks, storytelling, etc.
- motley a heterogeneous assemblage
- mucid moldy; musty (archaic)
- 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
- mufti civilian clothes, in contrast with military or other uniforms, or as worn by a person who usually wears a uniform
- mulct to deprive (someone) of something, as by fraud, extortion, etc.; swindle
- mulligrubs ill temper; grumpiness
- mullion a vertical member, as of stone or wood, between the lights of a window, the panels in wainscoting, or the like
- multifarious numerous and varied; greatly diverse or manifold
- 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
- mump to mumble; mutter
- mundane common; ordinary; banal; unimaginative
- mundify to cleanse; deterge
- munge computer slang: to manipulate (raw data), especially to convert (data) from one format to another; also to
mess up or distort information
- mungo a low-grade wool from felted rags or waste
- munificent extremely liberal in giving; very generous
- murmuration an act or instance of murmuring
- 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
- muso a musician, especially a pop musician, regarded as being overconcerned with technique rather than musical content
or expression
- must mold; moldiness; mustiness
- mustache cup a cup having a straight piece inside, just below the rim, for holding back a man's mustache while he is drinking
- mutatis mutandis the necessary changes having been made
- muzhik a Russian peasant
- muzzy confused; muddled
- myalgia pain in the muscles; muscular rheumatism
- myrmidon a person who executes without question or scruple a master's commands
- mystagogue any interpreter of sacred mysteries or esoteric principles
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- nabob any very wealthy, influential, or powerful person
- nacre mother-of-pearl
- nacreous resembling nacre; lustrous; pearly
- naff (British slang) unstylish; lacking taste; inferior
- napery table linen, as tablecloths or napkins
- narghile a Middle Eastern tobacco pipe in which the smoke is drawn through water before reaching the lips; hookah
- nard an aromatic Himalayan plant, believed to be the spikenard, Nardostachys jatamansi, the source of an ointment
used by the ancients
- narthex an enclosed passage between the main entrance and the nave of a church
- nascent beginning to exist or develop
- nates buttocks; rump
- natron a mineral, hydrated sodium carbonate, Na2CO3⋅10H2O
- navarin a stew of mutton or lamb with root vegetables
- navicular boat-shaped, as certain bones
- navvy an unskilled manual laborer
- neb a bill or beak, as of a bird
- necromancy a method of divination through alleged communication with the dead; black art
- nefarious extremely wicked or villainous; iniquitous
- negroni a cocktail made from sweet vermouth, gin, and bitters
- nereid any of the 50 daughters of Nereus; a sea nymph
- nescience lack of knowledge; ignorance
- 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
- neurasthenia nervous debility and exhaustion occurring in the absence of objective causes or lesions;
nervous exhaustion
- neutrois noting or relating to a person of neutral gender who also lacks a specific gender identity
- nevus any congenital anomaly of the skin, including moles and various types of birthmarks
- newel newel post; a central pillar or upright from which the steps of a winding stair radiate
- nexus a means of connection; tie; link; the core or center, as of a matter or situation
- niggardly reluctant to give or spend; stingy; miserly
- niggle to criticize, especially constantly or repeatedly, in a peevish or petty way; carp
- niggling petty; trivial; inconsequential
- 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
- nimbus a shining cloud sometimes surrounding a deity when on earth
- nimrod a person expert in or devoted to hunting
- nobble to drug or disable (a race horse) to prevent its winning a race
- noctilucent (of high-altitude clouds) visible during the short night of the summer
- noetic of or relating to the mind
- noisome offensive or disgusting, as an odor
- nomarch the governor of a nome or a nomarchy
- nomological the science of law or laws; the science of the laws of the mind
- nonesuch a person or thing without equal; paragon
- 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
- nonpareil having no equal; peerless
- noodge nudge; to annoy with persistent complaints, criticisms, or pleas; nag
- noosphere the biosphere including and modified by such human activities as agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry,
urbanization, and industrialization
- normative of or pertaining to a norm, especially an assumed norm regarded as the standard of correctness in
behavior, speech, writing, etc.
- noumenon the object, itself inaccessible to experience, to which a phenomenon is referred for the basis or cause of its sense content
- noyau a liqueur made from brandy flavoured with nut kernels
- nudnik a persistently dull, boring pest
- nugacity triviality; insignificance
- nugatory of no real value; trifling; worthless
- nullipara a woman who has never borne a child
- numen divine power or spirit; a deity, especially one presiding locally or believed to inhabit a particular object
- nuncio a diplomatic representative of the pope at a foreign court or capital: equal in status to an ambassador
- nutation the periodic oscillation observed in the precession of the earth's axis and the precession of the equinoxes
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- oaf a clumsy, stupid person; lout
- oakum loose fiber obtained by untwisting and picking apart old ropes, used for caulking the seams of ships
- obbligato (used as a musical direction) obligatory or indispensable; so important that it cannot be omitted
- obdurate stubborn; unyielding
- obiter dictum an incidental or passing remark, opinion, etc.
- obeah a form of belief involving sorcery, practiced in parts of the West Indies, South America, the southern U.S., and Africa
- objurgate to reproach or denounce vehemently; upbraid harshly; berate sharply
- oblique neither perpendicular nor parallel to a given line or surface; slanting; sloping
- obloquy censure, blame, or abusive language aimed at a person or thing, especially by numerous persons or by the
general public
- obnubilate to cloud over; becloud; obscure
- obstreperous resisting control or restraint in a difficult manner; unruly
- obtund to blunt; dull; deaden
- ocarina a simple musical wind instrument shaped somewhat like an elongated egg with a mouthpiece and finger holes
- 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.
- 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
- 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
- odalisque a female slave or concubine in a harem, especially in that of the sultan of Turkey
- odious deserving or causing hatred; hateful; detestable
- odium intense hatred or dislike, especially toward a person or thing regarded as contemptible, despicable, or
repugnant
- oeuvre the works of a writer, painter, or the like, taken as a whole
- offal the parts of a butchered animal that are considered inedible by human beings; carrion
- ogive a pointed arch
- oik oaf; lout
- oikology the study or science of housekeeping
- oilskin a cotton fabric made waterproof by treatment with oil and used for rain gear and fishermen's clothing
- okapi an African mammal, Okapia johnstoni, closely related to and resembling the giraffe, but smaller and with
a much shorter neck
- oke OK; all right
- oleaginous having the nature or qualities of oil
- 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
- omphalos the navel; umbilicus
- onager an ancient and medieval military catapult for throwing stones
- oneiromancy divination through dreams
- oneiric of or pertaining to dreams
- ontic possessing the character of real rather than phenomenal existence; noumenal
- ontogeny the development or developmental history of an individual organism
- onus a difficult or disagreeable obligation, task, burden, etc.; burden of proof
- oodles a large quantity (no singular form)
- 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
- ophidian belonging or pertaining to the suborder Ophidia (Serpentes), comprising the snakes
- opprobrium the disgrace or the reproach incurred by conduct considered outrageously shameful; infamy
- ora pro nobis pray for us
- orc a mythical monster, as an ogre
- ordure dung; manure; excrement
- organdie a fine and slightly stiff cotton fabric used especially for dresses
- orgone (in Wilhelm Reich's theory) a vital, primal, nonmaterial element believed to permeate the universe
- orison a prayer
- orlop the lowermost of four or more decks above the space at the bottom of a hull
- ormolu an alloy of copper and zinc used to imitate gold
- orotund (of the voice or speech) characterized by strength, fullness, richness, and clearness
- ort a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal
- osculate to come into close contact or union
- osier any of various willows, as the red osier, having tough, flexible twigs or branches that are used for wickerwork
- osmundine not in Dictionary.com (from a Rex Stout novel, used for orchid culture)
- ossified hardened like or into bone
- ostensible outwardly appearing as such; professed; pretended
- ostentatious characterized by or given to pretentious or conspicuous show in an attempt to impress others
- ostinato a constantly recurring melodic fragment
- ostler a stableman, especially one at an inn
- 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
- otiose being at leisure; idle; indolent
- oubliette a secret dungeon with an opening only in the ceiling, as in certain old castles
- ouphe an elf or goblin
- outré passing the bounds of what is usual or considered proper; unconventional; bizarre
- overweening presumptuously conceited, overconfident, or proud
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- paddock a small, usually enclosed field near a stable or barn for pasturing or exercising animals
- paean any song of praise, joy, or triumph
- paillard a scallop, especially of veal or chicken, that is pounded flat and grilled or sautéed quickly
- painter a rope, usually at the bow, for fastening a boat to a ship, stake, etc.
- pakora an Indian dish consisting of pieces of vegetable, chicken, etc, dipped in a spiced batter and deep-fried:
served with a piquant sauce
- paladin any one of the 12 legendary peers or knightly champions in attendance on Charlemagne
- palaver a conference or discussion
- palfrey a riding horse, as distinguished from a war horse
- palimpsest a parchment or the like from which writing has been partially or completely erased to make room for
another text
- palinesque Resembling Sarah Palin.
- paling also called paling fence: picket fence
- palisade a fence of pales or stakes set firmly in the ground, as for enclosure or defense
- palisander Brazilian rosewood
- pall a cloth, often of velvet, for spreading over a coffin, bier, or tomb
- Palladian of or relating to the goddess Athena
- Pallas the second largest and one of the four brightest asteroids
- palliasse a straw-filled mattress; pallet
- palliate to relieve or lessen without curing; mitigate; alleviate
- pallium a large, rectangular mantle worn by men in ancient Greece and Rome
- palsied paralyzed; unable to move or control certain muscles
- paltry ridiculously or insultingly small
- panache an ornamental plume of feathers, tassels, or the like, especially one worn on a helmet or cap
- panegyric a lofty oration or writing in praise of a person or thing; eulogy
- 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
- panjandrum a self-important or pretentious official
- panicle a compound raceme
- 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.
- pannier a basket, especially a large one, for carrying goods, provisions, etc.
- panoply a wide-ranging and impressive array or display
- pap a teat; nipple
- paramour an illicit lover, especially of a married person
- parapet any low protective wall or barrier at the edge of a balcony, roof, bridge, or the like
- 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
- pareidolia the imagined perception of a pattern or meaning where it does not actually exist, as in
considering the moon to have human features
- parenchyma the fundamental tissue of plants, composed of thin-walled cells able to divide
- parergon something that is an accessory to a main work or subject; embellishment
- paresis a late manifestation of syphilis, characterized by progressive dementia and paralysis
- pareto denoting a law, mathematical formula, etc, originally used by Pareto to express the frequency
distribution of incomes in a society
- pareu lavalava
- pariah an outcast
- parlance a way or manner of speaking; vernacular; idiom
- parlous perilous; dangerous
- parochial very limited or narrow in scope or outlook; provincial
- 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
- parterre the rear section of seats, and sometimes also the side sections, of the main floor of a theater,
concert hall, or opera house
- parousia Platonism: the presence in any thing of the idea after which it was formed
- paroxysm any sudden, violent outburst; a fit of violent action or emotion
- parthenogenesis development of an egg without fertilization
- 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
- 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.
- paschmina a fabric or garment made from pashm, especially a shawl, wrap, or scarf
- pastern the part of the foot of a horse, cow, etc., between the fetlock and the hoof
- pastiche a literary, musical, or artistic piece consisting wholly or chiefly of motifs or techniques borrowed from
one or more sources
- pastille a flavored or medicated lozenge; troche
- pastis a yellowish, anise-based liqueur originally made in Marseilles and similar to absinthe but containing no wormwood
- patent readily open to notice or observation; evident; obvious
- patchouli a plant, Pogostemon cablin, of tropical Asia, that yields a fragrant oil (patchouli oil) used in the
manufacture of perfumes
- 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
- patois a regional form of a language, especially of French, differing from the standard, literary form of the language
- patrimony an estate inherited from one's father or ancestors
- patulous open; gaping; expanded
- 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
- pavonine of or like a peacock
- pawpaw a tree, Asimina triloba, of the annona family, native to the eastern U.S., having large, oblong leaves
and purplish flowers
- peavey a cant hook with a sharply pointed end, used in handling logs
- peccadillo a very minor or slight sin or offense; a trifling fault
- 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
- peckish somewhat hungry
- peculate to steal or take dishonestly (money, especially public funds, or property entrusted to one's care); embezzle
- pelagic living or growing at or near the surface of the ocean, far from land, as certain organisms
- pelf money or wealth, especially when regarded with contempt or acquired by reprehensible means
- pelise an outer garment lined or trimmed with fur
- pellucid allowing the maximum passage of light, as glass; translucent
- Pelmanism a system of training to improve the memory
- pelmet a decorative cornice or valance at the head of a window or doorway, used to cover the fastenings
from which curtains are hung
- pelorus a device for measuring in degrees the relative bearings of observed objects
- penetralia the innermost parts or recesses of a place or thing
- pennon a distinctive flag in any of various forms, as tapering, triangular, or swallow-tailed, formerly one borne on the
lance of a knight
- penumbra a shadowy, indefinite, or marginal area
- 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
- peradventure chance, doubt, or uncertainty
- percale a closely woven, smooth-finished, plain or printed cotton cloth, used for bed sheets, clothing, etc.
- percipient having perception; discerning; discriminating
- peregrinatin travel from one place to another, especially on foot
- perfidy deliberate breach of faith or trust; faithlessness; treachery
- perforce of necessity; necessarily; by force of circumstance
- periphrastic circumlocutory; roundabout
- peristyle a colonnade surrounding a building or an open space
- 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
- perorate to speak at length; make a long, usually grandiloquent speech
- perovskite a naturally occurring titanate of calcium, CaTiO3, found as yellow, brown, or black cubic crystals, usually in metamorphic rocks
- persiflage light, bantering talk or writing
- persnickety overparticular; fussy
- perspex trademark any of various clear acrylic resins, used chiefly as a substitute for glass
- perspicuous clearly expressed or presented; lucid
- pertinacious holding tenaciously to a purpose, course of action, or opinion; resolute
- perturb to disturb or disquiet greatly in mind; agitate
- 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
- pessary a diaphragm
- pestiferous spreading or bearing disease, especially deadly epidemic disease; pestilential
- petechia a minute, round, nonraised hemorrhage in the skin or in a mucous or serous membrane
- 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
- pettifogging insignificant; petty
- petulant moved to or showing sudden, impatient irritation, especially over some trifling annoyance
- pewter any of various alloys in which tin is the chief constituent, originally one of tin and lead
- pfui phooey; an exclamation indicating rejection, contempt, or disgust
- 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
- phaneritic (of a rock) having the principal constituents in the form of crystals visible to the naked eye
- pharaonic impressively or overwhelmingly large, luxurious, etc.
- pharisaic practicing or advocating strict observance of external forms and ceremonies of religion or conduct without
regard to the spirit; self-righteous; hypocritical
- phasis a manner, stage, or aspect of being; phase
- phatic denoting speech used to express or create an atmosphere of shared feelings, goodwill, or sociability rather than to impart
information
- 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
- Philemon an Epistle written by Paul
- philippic any speech or discourse of bitter denunciation
- philter a potion, charm, or drug supposed to cause the person taking it to fall in love, usually with some specific person
- philtrum the vertical groove on the surface of the upper lip, below the septum of the nose
- phiz face
- phlebotomista nurse or other health worker trained in drawing venous blood for testing or donation
- phlegmatic not easily excited to action or display of emotion; apathetic; sluggish
- 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
- phocine of or relating to seals
- phylactery (in the early Christian church) a receptacle containing a holy relic
- phylloxera any of several plant lice of the genus Phylloxera, especially P. vitifoliae (grape phylloxera)
which attacks the leaves and roots of grapevines
- 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
- 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
- picayune of little value or account; small; trifling
- piccalilli a pungent relish of East Indian origin, made of chopped vegetables, mustard, vinegar, and hot spices
- picul a weight equal to 100 catties, or from about 133 to about 143 pounds avoirdupois (60–64 kg)
- piebald having patches of black and white or of other colors; parti-colored
- pied-à-terre a residence, as an apartment, for part-time or temporary use
- Pierrot a male character in certain French pantomime, having a whitened face and wearing a loose, white, fancy costume
- 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
- pilaster a shallow rectangular feature projecting from a wall, having a capital and base and usually imitating the form of a column
- pilau pilaf, a Middle Eastern dish consisting of sautéed, seasoned rice steamed in bouillon, sometimes with
poultry, meat or shellfish
- pillion a seat for a passenger behind a motorcyclist
- pillock a stupid or annoying person
- pimire an ant
- pinafore a child's apron, usually large enough to cover the dress and sometimes trimmed with flounces
- pinchbeck an alloy of copper and zinc, used in imitation of gold
- 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
- pipal a fig tree, Ficus religiosa, of India, somewhat resembling the banyan
- pippin variety of apple; botany--a seed
- pinnace a light sailing ship, especially one formerly used in attendance on a larger ship
- piquant agreeably pungent or sharp in taste or flavor; pleasantly biting or tart
- piquet a card game played by two persons with a pack of 32 cards, the cards from deuces to sixes being excluded
- piste a track or trail, as a downhill ski run or a spoor made by a wild animal
- pitchpole (of a boat) to capsize end over end, as in heavy surf
- Pithecanthropus a former genus of extinct hominins whose members have now been assigned to the proposed species Homo erectus
- 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
- plackart armor
- 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
- plage a sandy bathing beach at a seashore resort
- plaice a European flatfish, Pleuronectes platessa, used for food
- plaintive expressing sorrow or melancholy; mournful
- plait a braid, especially of hair or straw
- 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.
- plangent resounding loudly, especially with a plaintive sound, as a bell
- plashy marshy; wet
- plasticine a brand name for a synthetic material used as a substitute for clay or wax in modeling
- plat a plot of ground
- plaudit an enthusiastic expression of approval
- pleach to interweave (branches, vines, etc.), as for a hedge or arbor
- pleasance a place laid out as a pleasure garden or promenade
- pleonasm the use of more words than are necessary to express an idea; redundancy
- plerophory fullness, full persuasion
- pleura a delicate serous membrane investing each lung in mammals and folded back as a lining of the corresponding
side of the thorax
- 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
- plimsoll a canvas shoe with a rubber sole; gym shoe; sneaker
- plinth a slablike member beneath the base of a column or pier
- plonk inferior or cheap wine
- plonker a stupid person
- plumbeous resembling or containing lead; leaden
- pluperfect perfect with respect to a point of reference in past time
- plus fours long, baggy knickers for men, introduced before World War I and worn until the 1930s for sports activities,
especially golf
- plutonic noting or pertaining to a class of igneous rocks that have solidified far below the earth's surface
- podge a short chubby person
- podunk any small and insignificant or inaccessible town or village
- poilu a French common soldier
- poignant keenly distressing to the feelings
- poitrine a woman's bosom
- polder a tract of low land, especially in the Netherlands, reclaimed from the sea or other body of water
and protected by dikes
- polemic a controversial argument, as one against some opinion, doctrine, etc.
- polemology the analysis of human conflict and war, particularly international war
- pollard a tree cut back nearly to the trunk, so as to produce a dense mass of branches
- poltroon a wretched coward; craven
- polyglot able to speak or write several languages; multilingual
- polysemy a condition in which a single word, phrase, or concept has more than one meaning or connotation
- pomace the pulpy residue from apples or similar fruit after crushing and pressing, as in cider making
- pomelo the very large, yellow or orange citrus fruit of a tree, Citrus maxima, of southeastern Asia
- pompon an ornamental tuft or ball of feathers, wool, or the like, used on hats, slippers, etc.
- ponce pimp
- pongee silk of a slightly uneven weave made from filaments of wild silk woven in natural tan color
- poniard a small, slender dagger
- ponignant keenly distressing to the feelings
- poof a contemptuous term used to refer to a male homosexual
- pooh-pooh to express disdain or contempt for; dismiss lightly
- poop a stupid, fussy, or boring person (perhaps short for nincompoop)
- poppet any of the vertical timbers bracing the bow or stern of a vessel about to be launched
- porphyry a very hard rock, anciently quarried in Egypt, having a dark, purplish-red groundmass containing small
crystals of feldspar
- portamento a passing or gliding from one pitch or tone to another with a smooth progression
- portico a structure consisting of a roof supported by columns or piers, usually attached to a building as a porch
- portiere a curtain hung in a doorway, either to replace the door or for decoration
- portmanteau a case or bag to carry clothing in while traveling, especially a leather trunk or suitcase that
opens into two halves
- 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
- posset a drink made of hot milk curdled with ale, wine, or the like, often sweetened and spiced
- posh sumptuously furnished or appointed; luxurious
- postexilic being or occurring subsequent to the exile of the Jews in Babylonia 597–538 b.c.
- postilion a person who rides the left horse of the leading or only pair of horses drawing a carriage
- postprandial after a meal, especially after dinner
- postulant a candidate, especially for admission into a religious order
- potage soup, especially any thick soup made with cream
- potboiler a mediocre work of literature or art produced merely for financial gain
- pother commotion; uproar
- potherb any herb prepared as food by cooking in a pot, as spinach, or added as seasoning in cookery, as thyme
- potholing British a sport in which participants explore underground caves
- potlatch a party or celebration
- potman a youth or man employed at a public house to serve beer, etc.
- pourparler an informal preliminary conference
- 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
- prandial of or relating to a meal, especially dinner
- prat the buttocks
- prate to talk excessively and pointlessly; babble
- prattle to talk in a foolish or simple-minded way; chatter; babble
- precentor a person who leads a church choir or congregation in singing
- precipice a cliff with a vertical, nearly vertical, or overhanging face
- précis a concise summary
- preeclampsia a form of toxemia of pregnancy, characterized by hypertension, fluid retention, and albuminuria,
sometimes progressing to eclampsia
- preeminent eminent above or before others; superior; surpassing
- 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
- prelacy the office or dignity of a prelate, or high-ranking member of the Christian clergy
- preponderate to exceed something else in weight; be the heavier
- prepossessing that impresses favorably; engaging or attractive
- prepotent preeminent in power, authority, or influence; predominant
- prepuce the fold of skin that covers the head of the penis; foreskin; a similar covering of the clitoris
- prerogative an exclusive right, privilege, etc., exercised by virtue of rank, office, or the like
- presbyopia farsightedness due to ciliary muscle weakness and loss of elasticity in the crystalline lens
- presbyter (in the early Christian church) an office bearer who exercised teaching, priestly, and
administrative functions
- prescind to separate or single out in thought; abstract
- preternatural outside of nature; supernatural
- prevaricate to speak falsely or misleadingly; deliberately misstate or create an incorrect impression; lie
- 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
- primeval of or relating to the first age or ages, especially of the world
- 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
- prink to deck or dress for show; to fuss over one's dress, especially before the mirror
- 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
- probity integrity and uprightness; honesty
- proclivity natural or habitual inclination or tendency; propensity; predisposition
- prodigality wasteful extravagance in spending
- prodigious extraordinary in size, amount, extent, degree, force, etc.
- prodrome a premonitory symptom
- proffer to put before a person for acceptance; offer
- profiterole a small cream puff with a sweet or savory filling, as of cream and chocolate sauce
- profligacy shameless dissoluteness
- prolate elongated along the polar diameter, as a spheroid generated by the revolution of an ellipse about its
longer axis (opposed to oblate)
- prolegomenon a preliminary discussion; introductory essay, as prefatory matter in a book; a prologue
- prolix extended to great, unnecessary, or tedious length; long and wordy
- propinquity nearness in place; proximity; nearness of relation; kinship
- propitiate to make favorably inclined; appease; conciliate
- propitious presenting favorable conditions; favorable
- 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.
- propranolol a beta-blocking drug, C 1 6 H 2 1 NO 2, used in the treatment of hypertension, angina pectoris,
and cardiac arrhythmias
- prorogue to discontinue a session of (the British Parliament or a similar body)
- proscenium the arch that separates a stage from the auditorium
- prosciutto salted ham that has been cured by drying, always sliced paper-thin for serving
- prosody the science or study of poetic meters and versification
- prostrate to cast (oneself) face down on the ground in humility, submission, or adoration
- prothalamion a song or poem written to celebrate a marriage
- protuberant bulging out beyond the surrounding surface; protruding; projecting
- provender dry food, as hay or oats, for livestock or other domestic animals; fodder
- providential opportune, fortunate, or lucky
- prurient having, inclined to have, or characterized by lascivious or lustful thoughts, desires, etc.
- psychedelia the realm or artifacts of psychedelic drugs, art, writings, or the like
- psychedelic mind manifesting
- ptarmigan any of several grouses of the genus Lagopus, of mountainous and cold northern regions, having feathered feet
- 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
- puce of a dark or brownish purple
- pud pudding
- pudding a thick, soft dessert, typically containing flour or some other thickener, milk, eggs, a flavoring, and sweetener
- pudendum the external genital organs, especially those of the female; vulva
- pugaree (also pugree) a light turban worn in India
- puissance power, might, or force
- pule to cry in a thin voice; whine; whimper
- pullulate to send forth sprouts, buds, etc.; germinate; sprout
- 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
- punctilio a fine point, particular, or detail, as of conduct, ceremony, or procedure
- punctilius strict or exact in the observance of the formalities or amenities of conduct or actions
- punnet a small container or basket for strawberries or other fruit
- pushbike a standard bicycle, operated by pedals rather than a motor
- pusilanimous lacking courage or resolution; cowardly; faint-hearted; timid
- Purana any of 18 collections of Hindu legends and religious instructions
- purblind slow or deficient in understanding, imagination, or vision
- purdah the seclusion of women from the sight of men or strangers, practiced by some Muslims and Hindus
- purl to knit with a reverse stitch; to finish with loops or a looped edging
- purlieu a place where one may range at large; confines or bounds
- pusillanimous lacking courage or resolution; cowardly; faint-hearted; timid
- putative commonly regarded as such; reputed; supposed
- putto a representation of a cherubic infant, often shown winged
- 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
- pwn to totally defeat or dominate, especially in a video or computer game
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- 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
- qua as; as being; in the character or capacity of
- quadriplegia paralysis of all four limbs or of the entire body below the neck
- quaestor one of two subordinates of the consuls serving as public prosecutors in certain criminal cases
- quag a quagmire
- quagmire an area of miry or boggy ground whose surface yields under the tread; a bog
- quaint skillfully or cleverly made
- quay a landing place, especially one of solid masonry, constructed along the edge of a body of water; wharf
- quenelle a dumpling of finely chopped fish or meat that is poached in water or stock and usually served with a sauce
- querulous full of complaints; complaining
- quibble an instance of the use of ambiguous, prevaricating, or irrelevant language or arguments to evade a point at issue
- quiddity the quality that makes a thing what it is; the essential nature of a thing
- quiff a woman, especially one who is promiscuous
- quim vagina; vulva
- 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
- quirt a riding whip consisting of a short, stout stock and a lash of braided leather
- quisling a person who betrays his or her own country by aiding an invading enemy,
often serving later in a puppet government; fifth columnist
- quittance a document certifying discharge from debt or obligation, as a receipt
- quixotic extravagantly chivalrous or romantic; visionary, impractical, or impracticable
- quod jail
- quoin an external solid angle of a wall or the like
- 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
- quondam former; onetime
- quoth said (used with nouns, and with first- and third-person pronouns, and always placed before the subject)
- quotidian daily
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- rabato a wide, stiff collar of the 17th century, worn flat over the shoulders or open in front and standing at the back
- rabbin rabbi
- 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
- racemic noting or pertaining to any of various organic compounds in which racemism occurs
- racemism (of a compound) the state of being optically inactive and separable into two other substances of the same chemical
composition as the original substance, one of which is dextrorotatory and the other levorotatory, as racemic acid
- rachitis rickets
- raconteur a person who is skilled in relating stories and anecdotes interestingly
- raddle to interweave; wattle
- 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
- raffish mildly or sometimes engagingly disreputable or nonconformist; rakish
- raillery good-humored ridicule; banter
- raiment clothing; apparel; attire
- rambunctious difficult to control or handle; wildly boisterous
- rancor bitter, rankling resentment or ill will; hatred; malice
- rapscallion a rascal; rogue; scamp
- rapt deeply engrossed or absorbed
- raucous harsh; strident; grating
- ravel to disentangle or unravel the threads or fibers of (a woven or knitted fabric, rope, etc.)
- ravish to fill with strong emotion, especially joy
- rawboned having little flesh, especially on a large-boned frame; gaunt
- rawsome awesome like Robert A. Wagner, also spelled "rawesome"
- razzia a plundering raid
- rebarbative causing annoyance, irritation, or aversion; repellent
- recherché very rare, exotic, or choice; arcane; obscure
- recitative pertaining to or of the nature of recital
- recondite dealing with very profound, difficult, or abstruse subject matter
- recreant cowardly or craven
- recrudescence breaking out afresh or into renewed activity; revival or reappearance in active existence
- rectitude rightness of principle or conduct; moral virtue
- redolent having a pleasant odor; fragrant
- redoubtable that is to be feared; formidable
- redound to have a good or bad effect or result, as to the advantage or disadvantage of a person or thing
- refectory a dining hall in a religious house, a college, or other institution
- refractory hard or impossible to manage; stubbornly disobedient
- refrangible capable of being refracted, as rays of light
- refulgent shining brightly; radiant; gleaming
- regnant ruling
- reify to convert into or regard as a concrete thing
- reive to rob; plunder
- remise to give up a claim to; surrender by deed
- renascent being reborn; springing again into being or vigor
- 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
- répétiteur the vocal coach of an opera chorus
- repine to be fretfully discontented; fret; complain
- replete abundantly supplied or provided; filled
- replevin an action for the recovery of goods or chattels wrongfully taken or detained
- restive impatient of control, restraint, or delay, as persons; restless; uneasy
- reticulate netted; covered with a network
- reticule a small purse or bag, originally of network but later of silk, rayon, etc.
- retroversion a looking or turning back
- retroussé (especially of the nose) turned up
- 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.
- revenant a person who returns
- revetment a facing of masonry or the like, especially for protecting an embankment
- rheum a thin discharge of the mucous membranes, especially during a cold
- 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
- rife of common or frequent occurrence; prevalent; in widespread existence, activity, or use
- rime an opaque coating of tiny, white, granular ice particles, caused by the rapid freezing of supercooled water
droplets on impact with an object
- riparian of, pertaining to, or situated or dwelling on the bank of a river or other body of water
- risible causing or capable of causing laughter; laughable; ludicrous
- rissole a small pastry, often in turnover form, filled with a mixture containing meat or fish and usually fried
in deep fat
- ritornello an orchestral interlude between arias, scenes, or acts in 17th-century opera
- ritz slang: to treat with condescension; snub
- roan of the color sorrel, chestnut, or bay, sprinkled with gray or white
- rodomontade vainglorious boasting or bragging; pretentious, blustering talk
- roister to act in a swaggering, boisterous, or uproarious manner
- rollick to move or act in a carefree, frolicsome manner; behave in a free, hearty, lively, or jovial way
- roly-poly a sheet of biscuit dough spread with jam, fruit, or the like, rolled up and steamed or baked
- roman à clef a novel that represents historical events and characters under the guise of fiction
- rondavel a circular often thatched building with a conical roof
- 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
- 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
- rookery a breeding place or colony of gregarious birds or animals, as penguins and seals
- rostellum any small, beaklike process; a beaklike modification of the stigma in many orchids
- rostrum any platform, stage, or the like, for public speaking
- rota a round or rotation of duties; a period of work or duty taken in rotation with others
- roust to rout, as from a place
- rowel a small wheel with radiating points, forming the extremity of a spur
- rozzer a policeman
- rubicund red or reddish; ruddy
- rubric any established mode of conduct or procedure; protocol
- ruche a strip of pleated lace, net, muslin, or other material for trimming or finishing a dress, as at the
collar or sleeves
- ruck a large number or quantity; mass
- ruction a disturbance, quarrel, or row
- ruddy of or having a fresh, healthy red color
- rueful feeling, showing, or expressing sorrow, repentance, or regret
- rugose having wrinkles; wrinkled; ridged
- rumbustious rambunctious
- rump the remnant of a legislature, council, etc., after a majority of the members have resigned or been expelled
- 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
- 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
- rusk a slice of sweet raised bread dried and baked again in the oven; zwieback
- russet a coarse reddish-brown or brownish homespun cloth formerly used for clothing
- rusticate to go to the country; (British) to suspend (a student) from a university as punishment
- rutilant glowing or glittering with ruddy or golden light
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- sacerdotalism the system, spirit, or methods of the priesthood
- sachem a political party leader
- sacristy an apartment in or a building connected with a church or a religious house, in which the sacred
vessels, vestments, etc., are kept
- sadhu an ascetic holy man, especially a monk
- salacious lustful or lecherous
- sallet a light medieval helmet, usually with a vision slit or a movable visor
- sallow of a sickly, yellowish or lightish brown color
- saltation a dancing, hopping, or leaping movement
- 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
- salubrious favorable to or promoting health; healthful
- salver a tray, especially one used for serving food or beverages
- sagacious having or showing acute mental discernment and keen practical sense; shrewd
- sagittal pertaining to or resembling an arrow or arrowhead
- samadhi the highest stage in meditation, in which a person experiences oneness with the universe
- samara an indehiscent, usually one-seeded, winged fruit, as of the elm or maple
- sambo offensive: a term used to refer to a black person, especially a male
- samizdat a clandestine publishing system within the Soviet Union, by which forbidden or unpublishable
literature was reproduced and circulated privately
- samovar a metal urn, used especially by Russians for heating water for making tea
- sangfroid coolness of mind; calmness; composure
- sanies a thin, often greenish, serous fluid that is discharged from ulcers, wounds, etc.
- saporous full of flavor or taste; flavorful
- sapphism lesbianism
- saprophyte any organism that lives on dead organic matter, as certain fungi and bacteria
- sartorial of or pertaining to tailors or their trade
- sashay to glide, move, or proceed easily or nonchalantly
- sateen a strong cotton fabric constructed in satin weave and having a lustrous face
- satori sudden enlightenment
- saunter to walk with a leisurely gait; stroll
- savoir-faire knowledge of just what to do in any situation; tact
- scabrous having a rough surface because of minute points or projections
- scamp a playful, mischievous, or naughty young person; upstart
- 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
- scapegrace a complete rogue or rascal; a habitually unscrupulous person; scamp
- scaramouch a stock character in commedia dell'arte and farce who is a cowardly braggart, easily beaten and frightened
- scarp a line of cliffs formed by the faulting or fracturing of the earth's crust; an escarpment
- scarper to flee or depart suddenly, especially without having paid one's bills
- schadenfreude satisfaction or pleasure felt at someone else's misfortune
- schism division or disunion, especially into mutually opposed parties
- schiz schizo
- schizo schizophrenic
- 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
- schlemiel an awkward and unlucky person for whom things never turn out right
- schlong the penis
- schloss a castle or palace
- schmo a foolish, boring, or stupid person; a jerk
- schmaltz exaggerated sentimentalism, as in music or soap operas
- scintilla a minute particle; spark; trace
- sclera a dense, white, fibrous membrane that, with the cornea, forms the external covering of the eyeball
- scoliosis an abnormal lateral curvature of the spine
- scoria the refuse, dross, or slag left after melting or smelting metal; scum
- scout to treat with scorn; dismiss
- scrabble to scratch or scrape, as with the claws or hands
- scraggy lean or thin; scrawny
- 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
- scrofula primary tuberculosis of the lymphatic glands, especially those of the neck
- schmuck an obnoxious or contemptible person
- schmutter cloth or clothing
- scrapple cornmeal mush mixed with pork scraps, seasoned with onions, spices, herbs, etc., and shaped into
loaves and sliced for frying
- scree a steep mass of detritus on the side of a mountain
- scrofulous morally tainted
- scry to use divination to discover hidden knowledge or future events, especially by means of a crystal ball
- scud to run before a gale with little or no sail set
- 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
- 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
- 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
- scuppernong a silvery amber-green variety of muscadine grape
- scut a short tail, especially that of a hare, rabbit, or deer
- scurf the scales or small shreds of epidermis that are continually exfoliated from the skin
- scurrilous grossly or obscenely abusive
- scut a short tail, especially that of a hare, rabbit, or deer
- secateurs scissors or shears, especially pruning shears
- sedulous diligent in application or attention; persevering; assiduous
- seelie good benevolent fairies
- seersucker a plainwoven cotton, rayon, or linen fabric: traditionally a striped cotton with alternate stripes crinkled in the weaving
- seigneur a lord, especially a feudal lord
- selenophilia love of the moon, not in dictionary.com
- selkie a mythical creature that looks like a seal in water but assumes human form on land
- selsyn another name for synchro
- seminal highly original and influencing the development of future events
- semiotic of or pertaining to signs
- senescent growing old; aging
- 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
- senna any plant, shrub, or tree belonging to the genus Cassia, of the legume family, having
pinnate leaves and large clusters of flowers
- sententious abounding in pithy aphorisms or maxims
- sentient characterized by sensation and consciousness
- 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
- sequela an abnormal condition resulting from a previous disease
- sequitur a logical conclusion from the premises; a logical consequence
- sere dry; withered
- seraglio the part of a Muslim house or palace in which the wives and concubines are secluded; harem
- serotine late in occurring, developing, or flowering
- serried pressed together or compacted, as soldiers in rows
- serviette a table napkin
- servitor a person who is in or at the service of another; attendant
- sesquipedalian given to using long words
- sessile attached by the base, or without any distinct projecting support, as a leaf issuing directly from the stem
- 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
- Shakti the female principle or organ of generative power
- 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
- shambolic very disorganized; messy or confused
- shandy a mixture of beer and lemonade
- shantung textiles: a heavy pongee
- shanty a crudely built hut, cabin, or house
- Shavian of, pertaining to, or characteristic of George Bernard Shaw or his works
- shearling a yearling sheep that has been shorn once
- shellback an old sailor
- shemozzle a state of chaos or confusion
- 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.
- shibboleth a peculiarity of pronunciation, behavior, mode of dress, etc., that distinguishes a particular
class or set of persons
- shickered intoxicated; drunk
- shikar the hunting of game for sport
- shiksa a term used especially by a Jew to refer to a girl or woman who is not Jewish
- shillelagh a cudgel, traditionally of blackthorn or oak
li>shimmy excessive wobbling in the front wheels of a motor vehicle
- shindy a row; rumpus
- 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
- shivoo a boisterous party or celebration
- 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
- shoat a young, weaned pig
- shrift the imposition of penance by a priest on a penitent after confession
- shrive to impose penance on (a sinner)
- shul a synagogue
- sibilant hissing
- sibyl any of certain women of antiquity reputed to possess powers of prophecy or divination
- siddhi a miraculous power imparted by the late stages of intense meditation
- 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)
- sierra a chain of hills or mountains, the peaks of which suggest the teeth of a saw
- sigil a seal or signet
- signet a small seal, as on a finger ring
- silesia a lightweight, smoothly finished, twilled fabric of acetate, rayon, or cotton, for garment linings
- simile a figure of speech in which two unlike things are explicitly compared
- simony the making of profit out of sacred things
- simper to smile in a silly, self-conscious way
- simulacrum a slight, unreal, or superficial likeness or semblance
- sinecure an office or position requiring little or no work, especially one yielding profitable returns
- singlet a sleeveless athletic jersey, especially a loose-fitting top worn by runners, joggers, etc.
- singletree a whiffletree
- sizar (at Cambridge University and at Trinity College, Dublin) an undergraduate who receives maintenance aid from the college
- skein a length of yarn or thread wound on a reel or swift preparatory for use in manufacturing
- skell a homeless person who lives on the streets, sleeps in doorways or subways, etc.; derelict
- skene (in the ancient Greek theater) a structure facing the audience and forming the background before which performances were given
- skint having no money; penniless
- skirl to play the bagpipe; to shriek
- skirr to go rapidly; fly; scurry
- skive to split or cut, as leather, into layers or slices
- skivvy a female servant, especially a chambermaid
- skrimshander a person who makes scrimshaw objects
- slather to spread or apply thickly
- slattern a slovenly, untidy woman or girl
- slaver to let saliva run from the mouth; slobber; drool
- slinky made of soft, often clinging material that follows the figure closely and flows with body movement
- sloe-eyed having very dark eyes; dark-eyed; having slanted eyes
- slouch hat a soft hat often made of felt and having a supple, usually broad brim
- slough a swamp or swamplike region
- slue to turn (a mast or other spar) around on its own axis, or without removing it from its place
- 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
- smarmy excessively or unctuously flattering, ingratiating, servile, etc.
- smirch to discolor or soil; spot or smudge with or as with soot, dust, dirt, etc.
- smirk to smile in an affected, smug, or offensively familiar way
- 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
- snark a mysterious, imaginary animal
- snarky testy or irritable; short
- snib to bolt or fasten (a door or window)
- snicker to laugh in a half-suppressed, indecorous or disrespectful manner
- snide derogatory in a nasty, insinuating manner
- snigger snicker
- snivel to weep or cry with sniffling
- snog to kiss and cuddle
- snood the distinctive headband formerly worn by young unmarried women in Scotland and northern England
- snuck a past participle and simple past tense of sneak
- sobriquet a nickname
- sodality fellowship; comradeship
- soi-disant calling oneself thus; self-styled
- soigné carefully or elegantly done, operated, or designed
- solecism a nonstandard or ungrammatical usage; a breach of good manners or etiquette
- solicitude care or concern for someone or something
- 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
- soliton a solution of a certain type of partial differential equation that represents a solitary wave
- somnolent sleepy; drowsy
- soppy soaked, drenched, or very wet, as ground
- sotto voche in a low, soft voice so as not to be overheard
- sough to make a rushing, rustling, or murmuring sound
- soupcon a slight trace, as of a particular taste or flavor
- soutane a cassock
- souteneur man who lives on the earnings of one or more prostitutes under his protection, pimp
- sozzled drunk; inebriated
- spahi one of a body of native Algerian cavalry in the French service
- 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
- spangle a small, thin, often circular piece of glittering metal or other material, used especially for
decorating garments
- spaniel a submissive, fawning, or cringing person
- spatchcock a fowl that has been dressed and split open for grilling
- spate a sudden, almost overwhelming, outpouring
- spavined being of or marked by a decrepit or broken-down condition
- specie coined money; coin
- specius apparently good or right though lacking real merit; superficially pleasing or plausible
- 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
- spigotty not in Dictionary.com (from a Rex Stout novel, Fer-de-Lance, 1934)
- spikenard an aromatic, Indian plant, Nardostachys jatamansi, of the valerian family, believed to be
the nard of the ancients
- spile a peg or plug of wood, especially one used as a spigot
- spindrift spray swept by a violent wind along the surface of the sea
- spinet a small upright piano
- spiracle a breathing hole; an opening by which a confined space has communication with the outer air; air hole
- splenetic irritable; peevish; spiteful
- sporophore a fungus hypha specialized to bear spores
- sporran a large pouch for men, commonly of fur, worn, suspended from a belt, in front of the kilt
- spoor a track or trail, especially that of a wild animal pursued as game
- springe a snare for catching small game
- 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
- spritsail a sail extended by a sprit
- spume to eject or discharge as or like foam or froth; spew (often followed by forth)
- spurge any of numerous plants of the genus Euphorbia, having a milky juice and flowers with no petals or sepals
- squaring the circle the insoluble problem of constructing, by the methods of Euclidean geometry, a square equal in area
to a given circle
- squib a short and witty or sarcastic saying or writing
- squiffy slightly drunk
- 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
- squirrelly eccentric; flighty
- squiz to peer at quickly and closely
- staff a composition of plaster and fibrous material used for a temporary finish and in ornamental work,
as on exposition buildings
- staid of settled or sedate character; not flighty or capricious
- stanchion an upright bar, beam, post, or support, as in a window, stall, ship, etc.
- stanhope a light, open, one-seated, horse-drawn carriage with two or four wheels
- stateroom a private room or compartment on a ship, train, etc.
- steatopygia extreme accumulation of fat on and about the buttocks, especially of women
- stele an upright stone slab or pillar bearing an inscription or design and serving as a monument, marker, or the like
- stentorian very loud or powerful in sound
- stereotype a set form; convention
- stertor a heavy snoring sound accompanying respiration in certain diseases
- 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
- stilton a rich, waxy, white cheese, veined with mold: made principally in England
- stingo strong beer
- stipple to paint, engrave, or draw by means of dots or small touches
- stipulate to arrange expressly or specify in terms of agreement
- stodge food that is particularly filling; to stuff full, especially with food or drink; gorge
- stodgy heavy, dull, or uninteresting; tediously commonplace; boring
- stonker to hit hard; knock unconscious
- stoush a fight or brawl
- straiten to put into difficulties, especially financial ones
- stramonium the dried leaves of the jimson weed, used in medicine as an analgesic, antispasmodic, etc.
- stricture a remark or comment, especially an adverse criticism
- stridor a harsh, grating, or creaking sound
- strophe the part of an ancient Greek choral ode sung by the chorus when moving from right to left
- strumpet a prostitute; harlot
- stultiloquence rubbish, balderdash
- stumer something bogus or fraudulent
- 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
- stupor suspension or great diminution of sensibility, as in disease or as caused by narcotics, intoxicants, etc.
- stylite one of a class of solitary ascetics who lived on the top of high pillars or columns
- stylobate a course of masonry, part of the stereobate, forming the foundation for a colonnade, especially the
outermost colonnade
- suave smoothly agreeable or polite; agreeably or blandly urbane
- subaltern lower in rank; subordinate
- subfusc dark and dull; dingy; drab
- subluxation a partial dislocation, as of a joint; sprain
- suborn to bribe or induce (someone) unlawfully or secretly to perform some misdeed or to commit a crime
- subterfuge an artifice or expedient used to evade a rule, escape a consequence, hide something, etc.
- subtilize to elevate in character; sublimate
- succour help; relief; aid; assistance
- succulence juiciness
- succuss to shake up; shake
- sufferance passive permission resulting from lack of interference; tolerance, especially of something wrong or illegal
(usually preceded by on or by)
- sulcus a furrow or groove
- sultry oppressively hot and close or moist; sweltering
- sumptuary pertaining to, dealing with, or regulating expense or expenditure
- superannuated retired because of age or infirmity
- supercilious haughtily disdainful or contemptuous, as a person or a facial expression
- supererogation the performance of work in excess of that required
- supererogatory going beyond the requirements of duty
- supernal being in or belonging to the heaven of divine beings; heavenly, celestial, or divine
- supernumerary being in excess of the usual, proper, or prescribed number; additional; extra
- supine lying on the back, face or front upward
- supplicate to pray humbly; make humble and earnest entreaty or petition
- suppositious formed from or growing out of supposition
- surcease to cease from some action; desist
- surcoat a garment worn over medieval armor, often embroidered with heraldic arms
- surplice a loose-fitting, broad-sleeved white vestment, worn over the cassock by clergy and choristers
- surtout a man's close-fitting overcoat, especially a frock coat
- suspire to sigh
- suss to investigate or figure out
- susurrant softly murmuring; whispering
li>susurrate to make a soft rustling sound; whisper; murmur
- susurrus a soft murmuring or rustling sound; whisper
- swag a suspended wreath, garland, drapery, or the like, fastened up at or near each end and hanging down in the
middle; festoon
- swale a low place in a tract of land, usually moister and often having ranker vegetation than the adjacent
higher land
- sward an expanse of short grass
- swarf an accumulation of fine particles of metal or abrasive cut or ground from work by a machine tool or grinder
- swart swarthy
- swash to dash around, as things in violent motion; swagger
- swingeing enormous; thumping
- swipes poor, watery, or spoiled beer
- swivet a state of nervous excitement, haste, or anxiety; flutter
- swot a student who studies assiduously, especially to the exclusion of other activities or interests; grind
- sybarite a person devoted to luxury and pleasure
- sylph a slender, graceful woman or girl
- synchronic having reference to the facts of a linguistic system as it exists at one point in time without
reference to its history
- syncopate to place (the accents) on beats that are normally unaccented; to contract (a word) by omitting one or more sounds
from the middle
- syncretism the attempted reconciliation or union of different or opposing principles, practices, or
parties, as in philosophy or religion
- syncytium a multinucleate mass of cytoplasm that is not separated into cells
- syndic a person chosen to represent and transact business for a corporation, as a university
- 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
- 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
- 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
- syzygy an alignment of three celestial objects, as the sun, the earth, and either the moon or a planet
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
T
- 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
- taciturn inclined to silence; reserved in speech; reluctant to join in conversation
- 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
- taffrail the upper part of the stern of a ship
- tailback the offensive back who lines up farthest behind the line of scrimmage, as in a single wingback or double wingback
formation
- talisman a stone, ring, or other object, engraved with figures or characters supposed to possess occult powers and worn
as an amulet or charm
- talus a slope
- 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
- tandem one following or behind the other
- 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
- tantalus a stand or rack containing visible decanters, especially of wines or liquors, secured by a lock
- taphonomy the circumstances and processes of fossilization
- taradiddle a small lie; fib; pretentious nonsense
- tarn a small mountain lake or pool, especially one in a cirque
- tartare (especially of fish) finely chopped and served raw (used postpositively)
- tartine a fancy French open-faced sandwich topped with spreadable ingredients
- 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)
- tatterdemalion a person in tattered clothing; a shabby person
- tatty cheap or tawdry; vulgar
- taxophil susceptible to the action of a poison
- tchotchke an inexpensive souvenir, trinket, or ornament
- teetotum any small top spun with the fingers
- tegument a covering or vestment; integument
- teleology the doctrine that final causes exist
- telluric of or relating to the earth; terrestrial
- 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
- 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
- temerity reckless boldness; rashness
- tendentious having or showing a definite tendency, bias, or purpose
- tendinous of the nature of or resembling a tendon
- tenebrous dark; gloomy; obscure
- tenement law: any species of permanent property, as lands, houses, rents, an office, or a franchise, that may be
held of another
- tenor the course of thought or meaning that runs through something written or spoken; purport; drift
- 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
- tenterhook one of the hooks or bent nails that hold cloth stretched on a tenter
- tergiversate to change repeatedly one's attitude or opinions with respect to a cause, subject, etc.; equivocate
- termagant a violent, turbulent, or brawling woman
- terpene any of a class of monocyclic hydrocarbons of the formula C10 H16, obtained from plants
- terrine a casserole dish made of pottery
- terroir the environmental conditions, especially soil and climate, in which grapes are grown and that give a
wine its unique flavor and aroma
- tessellate to form of small squares or blocks, as floors or pavements; form or arrange in a checkered or mosaic pattern
- tessera one of the small pieces used in mosaic work
- tessitura the general pitch level or average range of a vocal or instrumental part in a musical composition
- testamentary of, relating to, or of the nature of a testament or will
- tetchy irritable; touchy
- tête-à-tête a private conversation or interview, usually between two people
- thaumaturgy the working of wonders or miracles; magic
- theodicy a vindication of the divine attributes, particularly holiness and justice, in establishing or allowing
the existence of physical and moral evil
- theophany a manifestation or appearance of God or a god to a person
- 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
- 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
- theurgy the working of a divine or supernatural agency in human affairs
- thither to or toward that place or point; there
- 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
- thomism the theological and philosophical system of Thomas Aquinas
- threnody a poem, speech, or song of lamentation, especially for the dead; dirge; funeral song
- thrum to play on a stringed instrument, as a guitar, by plucking the strings, especially in an idle, monotonous, or unskillful manner; strum
- thug a cruel or vicious ruffian, robber, or murderer
- thurible a censer
- thwart a seat across a boat, especially one used by a rower
- thylacine a wolflike marsupial, Thylacinus cynocephalus, of Tasmania, tan-colored with black stripes
across the back: probably extinct
- tiddler a very small fish or aquatic creature, esp a stickleback, minnow, or tadpole
- ticking a strong cotton fabric, usually twilled, used especially in making cloth ticks
- tierce an old measure of capacity equivalent to one third of a pipe, or 42 wine gallons
- tiffin lunch
- tilbury a light two-wheeled carriage without a top
- tilth the act or operation of tilling land; tillage
- timbale a small shell made of batter, fried
- 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
- 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
- timocracy a form of government in which love of honor is the dominant motive of the rulers
- tintack a short nail made of tin-plated iron
- tipple to drink intoxicating liquor, especially habitually or to some excess
- tipstaff a staff tipped with metal, formerly carried as a badge of office, as by a constable
- tisane aromatic or herb-flavored tea
- tit a titmouse or any of various other small birds
- titivate to make smart or spruce
- 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
- titter to laugh in a restrained, self-conscious, or affected way, as from nervousness or in ill-suppressed amusement
- tittle a dot or other small mark in writing or printing, used as a diacritic, punctuation, etc.
- toby a mug in the form of a stout old man wearing a three-cornered hat
- tocsin a signal, especially of alarm, sounded on a bell or bells
- toff a stylishly dressed, fashionable person, especially one who is or wants to be considered a member
of the upper class
- toffy taffy
- tombal adjective form of "tomb"
- tome a book, especially a very heavy, large, or learned book
- tomfoolery foolish or silly behavior; tomfoolishness
- tonneau a rear part or compartment of an automobile body, containing seats for passengers
- tonsure the act of cutting the hair or shaving the head
- toothsome pleasing to the taste; palatable; voluptuous; sexually alluring
- topee also topi, a lightweight helmet or sun hat made from the pith of the sola plant
- toper a hard drinker or chronic drunkard
- toque a brimless and close-fitting hat for women, in any of several shapes
- tor a rocky pinnacle; a peak of a bare or rocky mountain or hill
- torpid inactive or sluggish
- torrid subject to parching or burning heat, especially of the sun, as a geographical area
- 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
- tosh nonsense; bosh
- tosser British slang a stupid or despicable person
- totalizator an apparatus for registering and indicating the total of operations, measurements, etc.
- tourbillion a whirlwind or something resembling a whirlwind
- traduce to speak maliciously and falsely of; slander; defame
- trammel a hindrance or impediment to free action; restraint
- trapezoid a quadrilateral plane figure having two parallel and two nonparallel sides
- travesty a literary or artistic burlesque of a serious work or subject, characterized by grotesque
or ludicrous incongruity of style, treatment, or subject matter
- treacle contrived or unrestrained sentimentality
- trenchant incisive or keen, as language or a person; caustic; cutting
- trepan a tool for cutting shallow holes by removing a core
- trepang any of various holothurians or sea cucumbers, as Holothuria edulis, used as food in China
- trepidation tremulous fear, alarm, or agitation; perturbation
- trews close-fitting tartan trousers, worn especially by certain Scottish regiments
- tribulation grievous trouble; severe trial or suffering
- trice to pull or haul with a rope
- trilby a hat of soft felt with an indented crown
- 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
- trochaic petraining to the trochee
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- troth faithfulness, fidelity, or loyalty
- truckle to submit or yield obsequiously or tamely (usually followed by to)
- trug a shallow basket for carrying flowers, vegetables, etc., made from strips of wood
- truculent fierce; cruel; savagely brutal
- trug a shallow basket for carrying flowers, vegetables, etc., made from strips of wood
- trumpery something without use or value; rubbish; trash; worthless stuff
- tryst an appointment to meet at a certain time and place, especially one made somewhat secretly by lovers
- tsundoku acquiring reading materials but letting them pile up in one's home without reading them
- tsuris trouble; woe
- tuff a fragmental rock consisting of the smaller kinds of volcanic detritus, as ash or cinder, usually more or
less stratified
- 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
- tulle a thin, fine, machine-made net of acetate, nylon, rayon, or silk
- tulpa a being or object that is created in the imagination by visualization techniques such as in Tibetan mysticism
- tumbrel a farmer's cart, especially one for hauling manure, that can be tilted to discharge its load
- tumescent swelling; slightly tumid
- tumid swollen, or affected with swelling, as a part of the body; pompous or inflated, as language; turgid; bombastic
- tumult violent and noisy commotion or disturbance of a crowd or mob; uproar
- tumulus Geology. a domelike swelling or mound formed in congealed lava
- tun a large cask for holding liquids, especially wine, ale, or beer
- tunny tuna
- tup a male sheep; ram
- tu quoque thou too: a retort by one charged with a crime accusing an opponent who has brought the charges
of a similar crime
- turgid inflated, overblown, or pompous; bombastic
- turnpike a barrier set across a highway to stop passage until a toll has been paid; tollgate
- turpitude vile, shameful, or base character; depravity
- tussock a tuft or clump of growing grass or the like
- twaddle trivial, feeble, silly, or tedious talk or writing
- twat a foolish or despicable person
- twerp an insignificant or despicable fellow
- twig to look at; observe
- tyro a beginner in learning anything; novice
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- uhlan one of a group of lancers in a light-cavalry unit, first appearing in Europe in the Polish army
- ukase any order or proclamation by an absolute or arbitrary authority
- ulotrichous belonging to a group of people having woolly or crisply curly hair
- ulster a long, loose, heavy overcoat, originally of Irish frieze, now also of any of various other woolen cloths
- ululate to howl, as a dog or a wolf; hoot, as an owl
- umbel an inflorescence in which a number of flower stalks or pedicels, nearly equal in length, spread from a common center
- 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
- umbra shade; shadow
- 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.
- unctuous characterized by excessive piousness or moralistic fervor, especially in an affected manner;
excessively smooth, suave, or smug
- undine any of a group of female water spirits described by Paracelsus
- unwonted not customary or usual; rare
- urtext the original form of a text, especially of a musical composition
- 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
- 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
- uxorial of or relating to a wife; typical of or befitting a wife
- uxorious doting upon, foolishly fond of, or affectionately submissive toward one's wife
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- vade mecum something a person carries about for frequent or regular use
- vagary an unpredictable or erratic action, occurrence, course, or instance
- vale the world, or mortal or earthly life
- 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
- valeta a ballroom dance in triple time
- valetudinarian a person who is excessively concerned about his or her poor health or ailments
- vamp the portion of a shoe or boot upper that covers the instep and toes
- vampire a woman who unscrupulously exploits, ruins, or degrades the men she seduces
- vapid lacking or having lost life, sharpness, or flavor; insipid; flat
- varlet an attendant or servant
- vaunt to speak vaingloriously of; boast of
- veer to change direction or turn about or aside; shift, turn, or change from one course, position, inclination, etc., to another
- veldt the open country, bearing grass, bushes, or shrubs, or thinly forested, characteristic of parts of southern Africa
- venial able to be forgiven or pardoned; not seriously wrong, as a sin
- veracious habitually speaking the truth; truthful; honest
- verbena any of various plants of the genus Verbena, especially any of several hybrid species
cultivated for their showy flower clusters
- verd the privilege of cutting green wood within a forest for fuel
- 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
- verdure greenness, especially of fresh, flourishing vegetation
- verge a limiting belt, strip, or border of something
- verger a church official who serves as sacristan, caretaker, usher, and general attendant
- vermicelli a kind of pasta in the form of long, slender, solid threads, resembling spaghetti but thinner
- vermiform resembling a worm in shape; long and slender
- vermifuge serving to expel worms or other animal parasites from the intestines, as a medicine
- veronal a trademark for barbitone (barbital), a barbiturate compound, C7O3N2H12,
formerly used as a hypnotic
- vertiginous whirling; spinning; rotary
- vertu virtu
- verve enthusiasm or vigor, as in literary or artistic work; spirit
- vesper of, pertaining to, appearing in, or proper to the evening
- 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.
- 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
- viand an article of food
- viaticum the Eucharist or Communion as given to a person dying or in danger of death
- vibrissa one of the stiff, bristly hairs growing about the mouth of certain animals, as a whisker of a cat
- vicissitude a change or variation occurring in the course of something
- 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
- videlicet that is to say; namely (used especially to introduce examples, details, etc.). Abbreviation: viz.
- vielle medieval European bowed, stringed musical instrument
- vig vigorish
- vigneron a winemaker
- vigorish a charge paid on a bet, as to a bookie
- virago a loud-voiced, ill-tempered, scolding woman; shrew
- viridian a long-lasting, bluish-green pigment, consisting of a hydrated oxide of chromium
- virtu excellence or merit in objects of art, curios, and the like
- visage the face, usually with reference to shape, features, expression, etc.; countenance
- vis-à-vis face to face
- 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
- vitiate to impair the quality of; make faulty; spoil
- vitriol something highly caustic or severe in effect, as criticism
- vituperate to use or address with harsh or abusive language; revile
- viviparous bringing forth living young rather than eggs, as most mammals and some reptiles and fishes
- viz. that is to say; namely, short for vidēre licet (“it is permitted to see”)
- voiture a carriage, wagon, or other wheeled vehicle
- volar of or relating to the palm of the hand or the sole of the foot
- vole any of several small mouselike or ratlike rodents of the genus Microtus and related genera, having short limbs and a short tail
- volte-face a turnabout, especially a reversal of opinion or policy
- voluble characterized by a ready and continuous flow of words; fluent; glib; talkative
- voluptuous full of, characterized by, or ministering to indulgence in luxury, pleasure, and sensuous enjoyment
- volute having a rolled-up form
- votary a person who is bound by solemn religious vows, as a monk or a nun
- votive offered, given, dedicated, etc., in accordance with a vow
- vouchsafe to grant or give, as by favor, graciousness, or condescension
- vulpine of or resembling a fox
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- waif a person, especially a child, who has no home or friends
- wainscot wood, especially oak and usually in the form of paneling, for lining interior walls
- waldo a gadget for manipulating objects by remote control, named after Waldo F. Jones, inventor in a
science-fiction story by Robert Heinlein
- wallah a person in charge of, employed at, or concerned with a particular thing
- wally fine; splendid
- wamble to move unsteadily
- wan of an unnatural or sickly pallor; pallid; lacking color
- wangle to bring about, accomplish, or obtain by scheming or underhand methods
- wanker a contemptible person; jerk
- waratah a proteaceous shrub, Telopea speciosissima, the floral emblem of New South Wales, having dark
green leaves and large clusters of crimson flowers
- 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
- waterhead a body of water dammed up for irrigation, to supply a garden, etc.
- wattle a number of rods or stakes interwoven with twigs or tree branches for making fences, walls, etc.
- weal well-being, prosperity, or happiness
- weald wooded or uncultivated country
- welkin the sky; the vault of heaven
- welsh to cheat by failing to pay a gambling debt
- welt a strip, usually of leather, that ornaments a shoe
- weltanschauung a comprehensive conception or image of the universe and of humanity's relation to it
- 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
- whammy the evil eye; jinx
- whelm to submerge; engulf
- whicker to whinny; neigh
- whiffletree a crossbar, pivoted at the middle, to which the traces of a harness are fastened for pulling a cart, carriage, plow, etc.
- whimbrel a curlew, Numenius phaeopus, of both the New and Old Worlds
- whinge to complain; whine
- whizbang a small, high-speed shell whose sound as it flies through the air arrives almost at the same instant
as its explosion
- whoso whosoever; whoever
- 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.
- widdle to urinate
- 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
- wight a human being
- willies nervousness or fright; jitters; creeps (usually preceded by the)
- williwaw a violent squall that blows in near-polar latitudes, as in the Strait of Magellan, Alaska, and the
Aleutian Islands
- will-o'-the-wisp anything that deludes or misleads by luring on
- wimple a woman's headcloth drawn in folds about the chin, formerly worn out of doors, and still in use by some nuns
- winceyette a plain-weave cotton fabric with slightly raised two-sided nap
- winkle any of various marine gastropods; periwinkle
- winy of, like, or characteristic of wine
- wisp a thin puff or streak, as of smoke; slender trace
- wistful characterized by melancholy; longing; yearning
- withal in spite of all; nevertheless
- 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
- witling a person who affects wittiness
- woad a European plant, Isatis tinctoria, of the mustard family, formerly cultivated for a blue dye extracted
from its leaves
- wodge a lump, chunk, or wad
- woggle the ring of leather through which a Scout neckerchief is threaded
- wombat any of several stocky, burrowing, herbivorous marsupials of the family Vombatidae, of Australia, about the
size of a badger
- wont accustomed; used (usually followed by an infinitive)
- worsted firmly twisted yarn or thread spun from combed, stapled wool fibers of the same length, for weaving, knitting, etc.; wool cloth woven
from such yarns, having a hard, smooth surface and no nap
- wot (archaic) first and third person singular present of wit (know)
- wrack wreck or wreckage; seaweed or other vegetation cast on the shore
- wretch a deplorably unfortunate or unhappy person; a person of despicable or base character
- wroth angry; wrathful
- wry produced by a distortion or lopsidedness of the facial features
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- Xanadu a place of great beauty, luxury, and contentment
- Xanax a brand of alprazolam, a benzodiazepine
- 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
- 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
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- yahoo a coarse or brutish person
- yammer to whine or complain
- yar quick; agile; lively
- 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
- yenta a person, especially a woman, who is a busybody or gossip
- yoni a representation of the external female genitals, a symbol of Shakti or of female generative power
- yukata a Japanese dressing gown or lounging robe of soft, lightweight cotton
- 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
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- zabaglione a foamy, custardlike mixture of egg yolks, sugar, and Marsala wine, usually served hot or chilled as a dessert
- zaftig (of a woman) having a pleasantly plump figure
- zany ludicrously or whimsically comical; clownish
- zarf (in the Levant) a holder, usually of ornamental metal, for a coffee cup without a handle.
- zenith the point on the celestial sphere vertically above a given position or observer
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- zugzwang a situation in which a chess player is limited to moves that cost pieces or have a damaging
positional effect
- zydeco a blues-influenced type of Cajun dance music popular in Louisiana and Texas, and usually played
on accordion, guitar, and violin
Richard dot J dot Wagner at gmail dot com
index.html, this hand crafted, human readable, HTML file was created March 12, 2012.
Last updated March 26, 2025, by
Dr. Richard Jeffery Wagner.
Copyright © 2012-2025 by Richard Jeffery Wagner, all rights reserved.