Ductless gland  n. Gland secreting directly into the bloodstream.
Opiate  —adj. 1 containing opium. 2 narcotic, soporific. —n. 1 drug containing opium, usu. To ease pain or induce sleep. 2 soothing influence. [latin: related to *opium]

Miller  n. 1 proprietor or tenant of a mill, esp. A corn-mill. 2 person operating a milling machine. [related to *mill]







Hum  —v. (-mm-) 1 make a low steady continuous sound like a bee. 2 sing with closed lips. 3 utter a slight inarticulate sound. 4 colloq. Be active (really made things hum). 5 colloq. Smell unpleasantly. —n. 1 humming sound. 2 colloq. Bad smell.  hum and haw (or ha) hesitate; be indecisive. [imitative]



Restitution  n. 1 restoring of a thing to its proper owner. 2 reparation for an injury (esp. Make restitution). [latin]
Country dance  n. Traditional dance, esp. English, usu. With couples facing each other in lines.
Conditioner  n. Agent that conditions, esp. The hair.


Heresy  n. (pl. -ies) 1  esp. Rc ch. Religious belief or practice contrary to orthodox doctrine. 2 opinion contrary to what is normally accepted or maintained. [greek hairesis choice]

Obstruction  n. 1 obstructing or being obstructed. 2 thing that obstructs, blockage. 3 sport act of unlawfully obstructing another player.
Precession  n. Slow movement of the axis of a spinning body around another axis. [latin: related to *precede]

Topless  adj. 1 without a top. 2 a (of clothes) having no upper part. B (of esp. A woman) bare-breasted. C (of a place) where women go topless; employing bare-breasted women.
Boarder  n. 1 person who boards, esp. At a boarding-school. 2 person who boards a ship, esp. An enemy.




Consequence  n. 1 result or effect of what has gone before. 2 importance.  in consequence as a result. Take the consequences accept the results of one's choice or action. [latin: related to *consecutive]


Twosome  n. Two persons together.




Non-observance  n. Failure to observe (an agreement, requirement, etc.).
Sexton  n. Person who looks after a church and churchyard, often acting as bell-ringer and gravedigger. [french segerstein from latin sacristanus]





Specs  n.pl. Colloq. Spectacles. [abbreviation]
Inflammation  n. 1 inflaming. 2 bodily condition with heat, swelling, redness, and usu. Pain.


Box junction  n. Road area marked with a yellow grid, which a vehicle should enter only if its exit is clear.
Cutler  n. Person who makes or deals in knives etc. [latin cultellus diminutive: related to *coulter]
Rash2  n. 1 eruption of the skin in spots or patches. 2 (usu. Foll. By of) sudden widespread phenomenon (rash of strikes). [origin uncertain]
Stockholder  n. Owner of stocks or shares.


Nudist  n. Person who advocates or practises going unclothed.  nudism n.

Taste  —n. 1 a sensation caused in the mouth by contact with a soluble substance. B faculty of perceiving this (bitter to the taste). 2 small sample of food or drink. 3 slight experience (taste of success). 4 (often foll. By for) liking or predilection (expensive tastes). 5 aesthetic discernment in art, clothes, conduct, etc. (in poor taste). —v. (-ting) 1 sample the flavour of (food etc.) By taking it into the mouth. 2 (also absol.) Perceive the flavour of (cannot taste with a cold). 3 (esp.
Camp-follower  n. 1 civilian worker in a military camp. 2 disciple or adherent.

Marsh marigold  n. Golden-flowered plant.

Requisition  —n. 1 official order laying claim to the use of property or materials. 2 formal written demand that some duty should be performed. 3 being called or put into service. —v. Demand the use or supply of, esp. By requisition order. [latin: related to *require]

Mistletoe  n. Parasitic plant with white berries growing on apple and other trees.  [old english]

Trill  —n. 1 quavering sound, esp. A rapid alternation of sung or played notes. 2 bird's warbling. 3 pronunciation of r with vibration of the tongue. —v. 1 produce a trill. 2 warble (a song) or pronounce (r etc.) With a trill. [italian]




Parish clerk  n. Official performing various duties for a church.
Ferret  —n. Small polecat used in catching rabbits, rats, etc. —v. 1 hunt with ferrets. 2 (often foll. By out, about, etc.) Rummage; search out (secrets, criminals, etc.). [latin fur thief]
Motive  —n. 1 what induces a person to act in a particular way. 2 = *motif. —adj. 1 tending to initiate movement. 2 concerned with movement. [latin motivus: related to *move]
Skeleton key  n. Key designed to fit many locks.
Usage  the use of not with verbs other than auxiliaries or be is now archaic except with participles and infinitives (not knowing, i cannot say; we asked them not to come).
Proponent  n. Person advocating a motion, theory, or proposal. [latin: related to *propose]
Turnkey  n. (pl. -s) archaic jailer.

Tempura  n. Japanese dish of fish, shellfish, etc., fried in batter. [japanese]
Uproar  n. Tumult; violent disturbance. [dutch, = commotion]
Bunion  n. Swelling on the foot, esp. On the big toe. [french]
Entropy  n. 1 physics measure of the disorganization or degradation of the universe, resulting in a decrease in available energy. 2 physics measure of the unavailability of a system's thermal energy for conversion into mechanical work. [greek: related to *en-2, trope transformation]




Germane  adj. (usu. Foll. By to) relevant (to a subject). [var. Of *german]



Baritone  n. 1 a second-lowest adult male singing voice. B singer with this voice. 2 instrument pitched second-lowest in its family. [greek barus heavy, tonos tone]





Batiste  n. Fine linen or cotton cloth. [french from baptiste, name of the first maker]
Ex-serviceman  n. Man formerly a member of the armed forces.
Rainstorm  n. Storm with heavy rain.
Ungird  v. Release the girdle, belt, etc. Of.

Quattrocento  n. 15th-c. Italian art. [italian, = 400, used for the years 1400–99]


Mooring  n. 1 (often in pl.) Place where a boat etc. Is moored. 2 (in pl.) Set of permanent anchors and chains.

Improper  adj. 1 unseemly; indecent. 2 inaccurate, wrong.  improperly adv.

Whale-oil  n. Oil from the blubber of whales.

Differentiate  v. (-ting) 1 constitute a difference between or in. 2 recognize as different; distinguish. 3 become different during development. 4 math. Calculate the derivative of.  differentiation n.
Sabre  n. (us saber) 1 curved cavalry sword. 2 light tapering fencing-sword. [french from german sabel]
Erm  abbr. Exchange rate mechanism.
Reel  —n. 1 cylindrical device on which thread, silk, yarn, paper, film, wire, etc., are wound. 2 quantity of thread etc. Wound on a reel. 3 device for winding and unwinding a line as required, esp. In fishing. 4 revolving part in various machines. 5 a lively folk or scottish dance. B music for this. —v. 1 wind (thread, fishing-line, etc.) On a reel. 2 (foll. By in, up) draw (fish etc.) In or up with a reel. 3 stand, walk, or run unsteadily. 4 be shaken mentally or physically. 5 rock from side to side, or swing violently. 6  dance a reel.  reel off say or recite very rapidly and without apparent effort. [old english]

Biddy  n. (pl. -ies) slang woman (esp. Old biddy). [a form of the name bridget]

Diarist  n. Person who keeps a diary.
African  —n. 1 native (esp. Dark-skinned) of africa. 2 person of african descent. —adj. Of africa. [latin]




Voluble  adj. Speaking or spoken fluently or at length.  volubility n. Volubly adv. [latin volvo roll]




Pneumatic  adj. 1 filled with air or wind (pneumatic tyre). 2 operated by compressed air (pneumatic drill). [greek pneuma wind]


Shooting-brake  n. Archaic estate car.
Sierra  n. Long jagged mountain chain, esp. In spain or spanish america. [spanish from latin serra saw]

Covenant  —n. 1 agreement; contract. 2 law sealed contract, esp. A deed of covenant. 3 (covenant) bibl. Agreement between god and the israelites. —v. Agree, esp. By legal covenant. [french: related to *convene]
Son-in-law  n. (pl. Sons-in-law) daughter's husband.
Scrumptious  adj. Colloq. 1 delicious. 2 delightful. [origin unknown]



Kitchenware  n. Cooking utensils.
Apartment  n. 1 (in pl.) Suite of rooms. 2 single room. 3 us flat. [italian a parte, apart]



Sweep  —v. (past and past part. Swept) 1 clean or clear (a room or area etc.) (as) with a broom. 2 (often foll. By up) clean a room etc. In this way. 3 (often foll. By up) collect or remove (dirt etc.) By sweeping. 4 (foll. By aside, away, etc.) A push (as) with a broom. B dismiss abruptly. 5 (foll. By along, down, etc.) Carry or drive along with force. 6 (foll. By off, away, etc.) Remove or clear forcefully. 7 traverse swiftly or lightly. 8 impart a sweeping motion to. 9 swiftly cover or affect. 10 a glide swiftly; speed along. B go majestically. 11 (of landscape etc.) Be rolling or spacious. —n. 1 act or motion of sweeping. 2 curve in the road, sweeping line of a hill, etc. 3 range or scope. 4 = *chimney-sweep. 5 sortie by aircraft. 6 colloq. = *sweepstake.  make a clean sweep of 1 completely abolish or expel. 2 win all the prizes etc. In (a competition etc.). Sweep away abolish swiftly. Sweep the board 1 win all the money at stake. 2 win all possible prizes etc. Sweep under the carpet see *carpet. [old english]
Undervalue  v. (-ues, -ued, -uing) 1 value insufficiently. 2 underestimate.
Eye-shade  n. Device to protect the eyes, esp. From strong light.
Hermit  n. Person (esp. An early christian) living in solitude and austerity.  hermitic adj. [greek eremos solitary]



Redneck  n. Us often derog. Politically conservative working-class white in the southern us.
Grant  —v. 1 a consent to fulfil (a request etc.). B allow (a person) to have (a thing). 2 give formally; transfer legally. 3 (often foll. By that) admit as true; concede. —n. 1 process of granting. 2 sum of money given by the state. 3 legal conveyance by written instrument.  take for granted 1 assume something to be true or valid. 2 cease to appreciate through familiarity.  grantor n. (esp. In sense 2 of v.). [french gr(e)anter var. Of creanter from latin credo entrust]
Food processor  n. Machine for chopping and mixing food.
Incarnate  —adj. Embodied in flesh, esp. In human form (is the devil incarnate). —v. (-ting) 1 embody in flesh. 2 put (an idea etc.) Into concrete form. 3 be the living embodiment of (a quality). [latin incarnor be made flesh: related to *carnage]


Rhododendron  n. (pl. -s or -dra) evergreen shrub with large clusters of bell-shaped flowers. [greek rhodon rose, dendron tree]
Cloddish  adj. Loutish, foolish, clumsy.



Rubberneck  colloq. —n. Inquisitive person, esp. A tourist or sightseer. —v. Behave like a rubberneck.

Pang  n. (often in pl.) Sudden sharp pain or painful emotion. [obsolete pronge]






Curb  —n. 1 check, restraint. 2 strap etc. Passing under a horse's lower jaw, used as a check. 3 enclosing border, e.g. The frame round a well or a fender round a hearth. 4 = *kerb. —v. 1 restrain. 2 put a curb on (a horse). [french: related to *curve]


Headmaster  n. (fem. Headmistress) = *head teacher.


Viol  n. Medieval stringed instrument of various sizes, like a violin but held vertically. [french from provençal]
Hireling  n. Usu. Derog. Person who works (only) for money.
Loss-leader  n. Item sold at a loss to attract customers.

Genetic fingerprinting  n. (also genetic profiling) identifying individuals by dna patterns.
Heartfelt  adj. Sincere; deeply felt.

Countenance  —n. 1 the face or facial expression. 2 composure. 3 moral support. —v. (-cing) support, approve. [french: related to *contain]

Sansculotte  n. (esp. In the french revolution) extreme republican. [french, literally = ‘without knee-breeches’]

Hemline  n. Lower edge of a skirt etc.



Gas chamber  n. Room filled with poisonous gas to kill people or animals.
Hereabouts  adv. (also hereabout) near this place.
Strap  —n. 1 strip of leather etc., often with a buckle, for holding things together etc. 2 narrow strip of fabric worn over the shoulders as part of a garment. 3 loop for grasping to steady oneself in a moving vehicle. 4 (the strap) punishment by beating with a leather strap. —v. (-pp-) 1 (often foll. By down, up, etc.) Secure or bind with a strap. 2 beat with a strap.  strapless adj. [dial., = *strop]
Talking-to  n. Colloq. Reproof, reprimand.

Daguerreotype  n. Early photograph using a silvered plate and mercury vapour. [daguerre, name of its inventor]
Permanent wave  n. Long-lasting artificial wave in the hair.
Allure  —v. (-ring) attract, charm, or entice. —n. Attractiveness, personal charm, fascination.  allurement n. [french: related to *ad-, *lure]
Usage  the correct sequence is a per pro. B, where b is signing on behalf of a.

Harmless  adj. 1 not able or likely to cause harm. 2 inoffensive.  harmlessly adv. Harmlessness n.


Ostensible  adj. Concealing the real; professed.  ostensibly adv. [latin ostendo ostens- show]
Guarded  adj. (of a remark etc.) Cautious.  guardedly adv.



Shocking pink  adj. & n. (as adj. Often hyphenated) vibrant shade of pink.




Lifestyle  n. Way of life of a person or group.
Lobotomy  n. (pl. -ies) incision into the frontal lobe of the brain, formerly used in some cases of mental disorder. [from *lobe]


Tessa  abbr.  Tax exempt special savings account.



Chop1  —v. (-pp-) 1 (usu. Foll. By off, down, etc.) Cut or fell by the blow of an axe etc. 2 (often foll. By up) cut into small pieces. 3 strike (esp. A ball) with a short heavy edgewise blow. —n. 1 cutting blow. 2 thick slice of meat (esp. Pork or lamb) usu. Including a rib. 3 short chopping stroke in cricket etc. 4 (prec. By the) slang a = *sack1 n. 2. B killing or being killed. [related to *chap2]

Quadratic  math. —adj. Involving the square (and no higher power) of an unknown quantity or variable (quadratic equation). —n. Quadratic equation.

Hind1  adj. At the back (hind leg). [old english hindan from behind]
Irksome  adj. Annoying, tiresome.  irksomely adv.
Taffeta  n. Fine lustrous silk or silklike fabric. [french or medieval latin from persian]
Soft roe  see *roe1.


Bitter  —adj. 1 having a sharp pungent taste; not sweet. 2 causing, showing, or feeling mental pain or resentment (bitter memories). 3 a harsh; virulent (bitter animosity). B piercingly cold. —n. 1 beer flavoured with hops and tasting slightly bitter. 2 (in pl.) Liquor flavoured esp. With wormwood, used in cocktails.  to the bitter end to the very end in spite of difficulties.  bitterly adv. Bitterness n. [old english]
-cracy  comb. Form denoting a particular form of government etc. (bureaucracy). [latin -cratia]

Milligram  n. (also -gramme) one-thousandth of a gram.
Entirely  adv. 1 wholly. 2 solely.



Foliage  n. Leaves, leafage. [french feuillage from feuille leaf]
Di-1  comb. Form two-, double. [greek dis twice]
Stationmaster  n. Official in charge of a railway station.

Entr'acte  n. 1 interval between acts of a play. 2 music or dance performed during this. [french]

Noun  n.  Word used to name a person, place, or thing. [latin nomen name]
Usage  deprecate is often confused with depreciate.

Shy1  —adj. (shyer, shyest or shier, shiest) 1 a timid and nervous in company; self-conscious. B (of animals etc.) Easily startled. 2 (in comb.) Disliking or fearing (work-shy). —v. (shies, shied) 1 (usu. Foll. By at) (esp. Of a horse) turn suddenly aside in fright. 2 (usu. Foll. By away from, at) avoid involvement in. —n. Sudden startled movement.  shyly adv. (also shily). Shyness n. [old english]

Misconstrue  v. (-strues, -strued, -struing) interpret wrongly.  misconstruction n.
Globular  adj. 1 globe-shaped. 2 composed of globules.
Lobate  adj. Having a lobe or lobes.
Roofing  n. Material for a roof.
Antichrist  n. Enemy of christ.  antichristian adj.



Ridgeway  n. Road or track along a ridge.












Skillful  adj. (brit. Skilful) (often foll. By at, in) having or showing skill.  skilfully adv.
Rsc  abbr. Royal shakespeare company.
Snowline  n. Level above which snow never melts entirely.
Speckle  —n. Speck, esp. One of many markings. —v. (-ling) (esp. As speckled adj.) Mark with speckles. [dutch spekkel]
Dirge  n. 1 lament for the dead. 2 any dreary piece of music. [latin imperative dirige = direct, used in the office for the dead]

Stereo  —n. (pl. -s) 1 a stereophonic record-player etc. B stereophonic sound reproduction (see *stereophonic). 2 = *stereoscope. —adj. 1 = *stereophonic. 2 = stereoscopic (see *stereoscope). [abbreviation]

Murky  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 dark, gloomy. 2 (of darkness, liquid, etc.) Thick, dirty. 3 suspiciously obscure (murky past).  murkily adv. Murkiness n.

Waiting-list  n. List of people waiting for a thing not immediately available.
Solidarity  n. 1 unity, esp. Political or in an industrial dispute. 2 mutual dependence. [french: related to *solid]

Rough diamond  n. 1  uncut diamond. 2 rough-mannered but honest person.
Occiput  n. Back of the head.  occipital adj. [latin caput head]
Septicemia  n. (brit. Septicaemia) blood-poisoning.  septicaemic adj. [from *septic, greek haima blood]






General certificate of education  n. Examination set esp. For secondary-school pupils at advanced level (and, formerly, ordinary level) in england, wales and northern ireland.
Sticky  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 tending or intended to stick or adhere. 2 glutinous, viscous. 3 humid. 4 colloq. Difficult, awkward; unpleasant, painful (sticky problem).  stickily adv. Stickiness n.
Honorarium  n. (pl. -s or -ria) fee, esp. A voluntary payment for professional services rendered without the normal fee. [latin: related to *honour]

Slag-heap  n. Hill of refuse from a coalmine, steelworks, etc.
Redress  —v. 1 remedy or rectify (a wrong or grievance etc.). 2 readjust, set straight again. —n. 1 reparation for a wrong. 2 (foll. By of) redressing (a grievance etc.).  redress the balance restore equality. [french: related to *dress]
Field of honour  n. Battlefield.

Knight commander  see *commander.
De jure  —adj. Rightful. —adv. Rightfully; by right. [latin]

En-1  prefix (also em- before b, p) forming verbs, = *in-2: 1 from nouns, meaning ‘put into or on’ (engulf; entrust; embed). 2 from nouns or adjectives, meaning ‘bring into the condition of’ (enslave); often with the suffix -en (enlighten). 3 from verbs: a in the sense ‘in, into, on’ (enfold). B as an intensifier (entangle). [french en-, latin in-]
Dead reckoning  n. Calculation of a ship's position from the log, compass, etc., when visibility is bad.

Yearling  n. Animal between one and two years old.
Foreordain  v. Destine beforehand.

Conceit  n. 1 personal vanity; pride. 2 literary a far-fetched comparison. B fanciful notion. [from *conceive]



Stall2  v. 1 play for time when being questioned etc. 2 delay, obstruct. [stall ‘decoy’: probably related to *stall1]


Psalmody  n. Practice or art of singing psalms, hymns, etc., esp. In public worship. [greek: related to *psalm]


Dapper  adj. 1 neat and precise, esp. In dress. 2 sprightly. [low german or dutch dapper strong]


Couturier  n. Fashion designer.



Appreciate  v. (-ting) 1 a esteem highly; value. B be grateful for. 2 understand, recognize (appreciate the danger). 3 rise or raise in value.  appreciative adj. Appreciatory adj. [latin pretium price]
Cheapskate  n. Esp. Us colloq. Stingy person.


Dress-shield  n. Waterproof material in the armpit of a dress to protect it from sweat.
Shackle  —n. 1 metal loop or link, closed by a bolt, used to connect chains etc. 2 fetter for the ankle or wrist. 3 (usu. In pl.) Restraint, impediment. —v. (-ling) fetter, impede, restrain. [old english]


Floruit  —v. Flourished; lived and worked (of a painter, writer, etc., whose exact dates are unknown). —n. Period or date of working etc. [latin, = he or she flourished]
Reg  n. Colloq. = *registration mark. [abbreviation]
Affix  —v. 1 attach, fasten. 2 add in writing. —n. 1 addition. 2 gram. Prefix or suffix. [latin: related to *fix]
Recap  colloq. —v. (-pp-) recapitulate. —n. Recapitulation. [abbreviation]


Bridesmaid  n. Girl or unmarried woman attending a bride at her wedding.
Dinner service  n. Set of matching crockery for dinner.
Hmso  abbr. Her (or his) majesty's stationery office.
Secretary-general  n. Principal administrator of an organization.
Ideogram  n. Character symbolizing a thing without indicating the sounds in its name (e.g. A numeral, chinese characters). [greek idea form, *-gram]



Camel-hair  n. Fine soft hair used in artists' brushes or for fabric.

Amharic  —n. Official and commercial language of ethiopia. —adj. Of this language. [amhara, region of ethiopia]
Leukemia  n. (brit. Leukaemia) malignant disease in which the bone-marrow etc. Produces too many leucocytes. [greek leukos white, haima blood]
Meaningful  adj. 1 full of meaning; significant. 2 logic able to be interpreted.  meaningfully adv. Meaningfulness n.

Apparatus  n. 1 equipment for a particular function, esp. Scientific or technical. 2 political or other complex organization. [latin paro prepare]
Unrepeatable  adj. 1 that cannot be done, made, or said again. 2 too indecent to repeat.



Incinerator  n. Furnace or device for incineration.


Heritage  n. 1 what is or may be inherited. 2 inherited circumstances, benefits, etc. 3 a nation's historic buildings, monuments, countryside, etc., esp. When regarded as worthy of preservation.
Doorstep  —n. 1 step or area in front of the outer door of a house etc. 2 slang thick slice of bread. —v. Colloq. 1 go from door to door canvassing, selling, etc. 2 call upon or wait on the doorstep for (a person) in order to interview etc.  on one's doorstep very near.
Ambidextrous  adj. Able to use either hand equally well. [latin ambi- on both sides, *dexter]
Bar1  —n. 1 long piece of rigid material, esp. Used to confine or obstruct. 2 a something of similar form (bar of soap; bar of chocolate). B band of colour or light. C heating element of an electric fire. D metal strip below the clasp of a medal, awarded as an extra distinction. E heraldry narrow horizontal stripe across a shield. 3 a counter for serving alcohol etc. On. B room or building containing it. C small shop or stall serving refreshments (snack bar). D counter for a special service (heel bar). 4 a barrier. B restriction (colour bar; bar to promotion). 5 prisoner's enclosure in a lawcourt. 6 any of the sections into which a piece of music is divided by vertical lines. 7 (the bar) law a barristers collectively. B profession of barrister. —v. (-rr-) 1 a fasten with a bar or bars. B (usu. Foll. By in, out) shut or keep in or out. 2 obstruct, prevent. 3 (usu. Foll. By from) prohibit, exclude. 4 mark with stripes. —prep. Except.  be called to the bar be admitted as barrister. Behind bars in prison. [french]
Usage  the use of dichotomy to mean dilemma or ambivalence is considered incorrect in standard english.


 

Rough-and-ready  adj. Crude but effective; not over-particular.



Knuckleduster  n. Metal guard worn over the knuckles in fighting, esp. In order to inflict greater damage.
Ludo  n. Simple board-game played with dice and counters. [latin, = i play]
Turgescent  adj. Becoming turgid.  turgescence n. [latin: related to *turgid]

Usage  the usual term now is medical social worker.
Extraditable  adj. 1 liable to extradition. 2 (of a crime) warranting extradition.
Story  n. (pl. -ies) 1 account of imaginary or past events; tale, anecdote. 2 history of a person or institution etc. 3 (in full story-line) narrative or plot of a novel, play, etc. 4 facts or experiences worthy of narration. 5 colloq. Fib. [anglo-french estorie from latin: related to *history]

Goof  slang —n. 1 foolish or stupid person. 2 mistake. —v. 1 bungle. 2 blunder. [latin gufus coarse]





Identify  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 establish the identity of; recognize. 2 select or discover (identify the best solution). 3 (also refl.; foll. By with) associate inseparably or very closely (with a party, policy, etc.). 4 (often foll. By with) treat as identical. 5 (foll. By with) put oneself in the place of (another person).  identifiable adj. [medieval latin identifico: related to *identity]
Steep2  —v. Soak or bathe in liquid. —n. 1 act of steeping. 2 liquid for steeping.  steep in 1 pervade or imbue with. 2 make deeply acquainted with (a subject etc.). [old english]
Pentagram  n. Five-pointed star. [greek: see *penta-, *-gram]
Decider  n. 1 game, race, etc., as a tie-break. 2 person or thing that decides.





Stoolball  n. Team game with pairs of batters scoring runs between two bases.


Cookbook  n. Us cookery book.

Breakwater  n. Barrier breaking the force of waves.
Greaser  n. Slang member of a gang of youths with long hair and motor cycles.

Kufic  (also cufic) —n. Early angular form of the arabic alphabet used esp. In decorative inscriptions. —adj. Of or in this script. [from kufa, city in iraq]
Draughty  adj. (us drafty) (-ier, -iest) (of a room etc.) Letting in sharp currents of air.  draughtiness n.
Heartwood  n. Dense inner part of a tree-trunk, yielding the hardest timber.

Usage  tortuous should not be confused with torturous which means ‘involving torture, excruciating’.

Necessitarian  —n. Person who holds that all action is predetermined and free will is impossible. —adj. Of such a person or theory.  necessitarianism n.



Bottom line  n. Colloq. Underlying truth; ultimate, esp. Financial, criterion.








Dishonorable  adj. (brit. Dishonourable) 1 causing disgrace; ignominious. 2 unprincipled.  dishonourably adv.
Storey  n. (pl. -s) 1 = *floor n. 3. 2 thing forming a horizontal division.  -storeyed adj. (in comb.). [anglo-latin: related to *history, perhaps originally meaning a tier of painted windows]
Final clause  n. Gram. Clause expressing purpose.
Street  n. 1 a public road in a city, town, or village. B this with the houses etc. On each side. 2 people who live or work in a particular street.  on the streets living by prostitution. Streets ahead (often foll. By of) colloq. Much superior (to). Up (or right up) one's street colloq. What one likes, knows about, etc. [old english]

Omnipotent  adj. Having great or absolute power.  omnipotence n. [latin: related to *potent]

Double entry  n. System of bookkeeping with entries debited in one account and credited in another.

Serge  n. Durable twilled worsted etc. Fabric. [french sarge, serge]
Side-road  n. Minor road, esp. Branching from a main road.



Noon  n. Twelve o'clock in the day, midday. [latin nona (hora) ninth (hour): originally = 3 p.m.]


Margin  —n. 1 edge or border of a surface. 2 blank border flanking print etc. 3 amount by which a thing exceeds, falls short, etc. (won by a narrow margin). 4 lower limit (his effort fell below the margin). —v. (-n-) provide with a margin or marginal notes. [latin margo -ginis]

Cancan  n. Lively stage-dance with high kicking. [french]




Scrupulous  adj. 1 conscientious, thorough. 2 careful to avoid doing wrong. 3 punctilious; over-attentive to details.  scrupulously adv. [latin: related to *scruple]

Market town  n. Town where a market is held.
Woodwork  n. 1 making of things in wood. 2 things made of wood.  crawl out of the woodwork colloq. (of something distasteful) appear.

Chuck2  —n. 1 cut of beef from neck to ribs. 2 device for holding a workpiece or bit. —v. Fix to a chuck. [var. Of *chock]

Ju-ju  n. 1 charm or fetish of some w. African peoples. 2 supernatural power attributed to this. [perhaps french joujou toy]
Usage  this tax was replaced in 1986 by inheritance tax.

Around  —adv. 1 on every side; all round; round about. 2 colloq. A in existence; available. B near at hand. 3 here and there (shop around). —prep. 1 on or along the circuit of. 2 on every side of. 3 here and there in or near (chairs around the room). 4 a round (church around the corner). B at a time near to (came around four o'clock).  have been around colloq. Be widely experienced.

Tergiversate  v. (-ting) 1 change one's party or principles; apostatize. 2 make conflicting or evasive statements.  tergiversation n. Tergiversator n. [latin tergum back, verto turn]



Unsustainable  adj. That cannot be sustained.
Articulation  n. 1 a speaking or being spoken. B articulate utterance; speech. 2 a act or mode of jointing. B joint. [latin: related to *articulate]


Mouth-to-mouth  adj. (of resuscitation) in which a person breathes into a subject's lungs through the mouth.
Sc.  Abbr. Scilicet.
Custom-built  adj. (also custom-made) made to order.

Road-house  n. Inn or club on a major road.

Wainscoting  n. 1 wainscot. 2 material for this.

Immemorial  adj. Ancient beyond memory or record (from time immemorial).


Quantitative  adj. 1 of quantity as opposed to quality. 2 measured or measurable by quantity.
Reggae  n. W. Indian style of music with a strongly accented subsidiary beat. [origin unknown]
Gum2  n. (usu. In pl.) Firm flesh around the roots of the teeth. [old english]



Serene  adj. (-ner, -nest) 1 clear and calm. 2 tranquil, unperturbed.  serenely adv. Sereneness n. Serenity n. [latin]
Torrid  adj. 1 a (of the weather) very hot and dry. B (of land etc.) Parched by such weather. 2 passionate, intense. [latin torreo tost- parch]



Prime time  n. (in broadcasting) time when audiences are largest.

Noiseless  adj. Making little or no noise.  noiselessly adv.

Bloodsucker  n. 1 leech. 2 extortioner.  bloodsucking adj.
Gild2  var. Of *guild.

Lawgiver  n. Person who formulates laws; legislator.
Creole  —n. 1 a descendant of european settlers in the w. Indies or central or s. America. B white descendant of french settlers in the southern us. C person of mixed european and black descent. 2 language formed from a european language and another (esp. African) language. —adj. 1 of creoles. 2 (usu. Creole) of creole origin etc. (creole cooking). [french from spanish]

Outfit  n. 1 set of clothes or equipment. 2 colloq. Group of people regarded as an organization.

Ward  n. 1 separate part of a hospital or room for a particular group of patients. 2 administrative division of a constituency. 3 a minor under the care of a guardian or court. B (in full ward of court) minor or mentally deficient person placed under the protection of a court. 4 (in pl.) The corresponding notches and projections in a key and a lock. 5 archaic guardian's control.  ward off 1 parry (a blow). 2 avert (danger etc.). [old english]
Rightful  adj. 1 a (of a person) legitimately entitled to (a position etc.) (rightful heir). B (of status or property etc.) That one is entitled to. 2 (of an action etc.) Equitable, fair.  rightfully adv. [old english]
Afloat  adv. & predic.adj. 1 floating. 2 at sea. 3 out of debt or difficulty. 4 current. [old english: related to *a2]


Hitch  —v. 1 fasten or be fastened with a loop, hook, etc.; tether. 2 move (a thing) slightly or with a jerk. 3 colloq. A = *hitchhike. B obtain (a lift) by hitchhiking. —n. 1 temporary obstacle or snag. 2 abrupt pull or push. 3 noose or knot of various kinds. 4 colloq. Free ride in a vehicle.  get hitched colloq. Marry. Hitch up lift (esp. Clothing) with a jerk. [origin uncertain]


Uncial  —adj. Of or written in rounded unjoined letters similar to capitals, found in manuscripts of the 4th–8th c. —n. Uncial letter, style, or ms. [latin uncia inch]





Bray  —n. 1 cry of a donkey. 2 harsh sound like this. —v. 1 make a bray. 2 utter harshly. [french braire]
Forlorn  adj. 1 sad and abandoned. 2 in a pitiful state.  forlornly adv. [lorn = past part. Of obsolete leese *lose]
T1  n. (also t) (pl. Ts or t's) 1 twentieth letter of the alphabet. 2 t-shaped thing (esp. Attrib.: t-joint).  to a t exactly; to a nicety.


Proportionate  adj. = *proportional.  proportionately adv.

Mini  n. (pl. -s) 1 colloq. Miniskirt. 2 (mini) propr. Make of small car. [abbreviation]
Delicatessen  n. 1 shop selling esp. Exotic cooked meats, cheeses, etc. 2 (often attrib.) Such foods. [french: related to *delicate]



Aloof  —adj. Distant, unsympathetic. —adv. Away, apart (he kept aloof). [originally naut., from *a2 + *luff]




Phosphor  n. Synthetic fluorescent or phosphorescent substance. [latin *phosphorus]



Diuretic  —adj. Causing increased output of urine. —n. Diuretic drug. [greek: related to *dia-, oureo urinate]

Coincidental  adj. In the nature of or resulting from a coincidence.  coincidentally adv.

Bidet  n. Low basin for sitting on to wash the genital area. [french, = pony]
Boron  n. Non-metallic usu. Crystalline element. [from *borax, after carbon]


Third  adj. & n. 1 next after second. 2 each of three equal parts of a thing.  thirdly adv. [old english: related to *three]


Ferry  —n. (pl. -ies) 1 boat or aircraft etc. For esp. Regular transport, esp. Across water. 2 place or service of ferrying. —v. (-ies, -ied) 1 convey or go in a ferry. 2 (of a boat etc.) Cross water regularly. 3 transport, esp. Regularly, from place to place.  ferryman n. [old norse]

Sexless  adj. 1 neither male nor female. 2 lacking sexual desire or attractiveness.

Heavy metal  n. 1 heavy guns. 2 metal of high density. 3 colloq. Loud kind of rock music with a pounding rhythm.


Veggie burger  n. (also vegeburger) flat cake like a hamburger but containing vegetables or soya protein instead of meat.


Mensuration  n. 1 measuring. 2 measuring of lengths, areas, and volumes. [latin: related to *measure]

Dismiss  v. 1 send away, esp. From one's presence; disperse. 2 terminate the employment of, esp. Dishonourably; sack. 3 put from one's mind or emotions. 4 consider not worth talking or thinking about; treat summarily. 5 law refuse further hearing to (a case). 6 cricket put (a batsman or side) out (usu. For a stated score).  dismissal n. [latin mitto miss- send]

Lunar module  n. Small craft for travelling between the moon and a spacecraft in orbit around it.
Spoil  —v. (past and past part. Spoilt or spoiled) 1 a make or become useless or unsatisfactory. B reduce the enjoyment etc. Of (the news spoiled his dinner). 2 make (esp. A child) unpleasant by over-indulgence. 3 (of food) go bad. 4 render (a ballot-paper) invalid by improper marking. —n. (usu. In pl.) 1 plunder, stolen goods. 2 profit or advantage from success or position.  be spoiling for aggressively seek (a fight etc.). Spoilt for choice having so many choices that it is difficult to choose. [latin spolio]


Yodel  —v. (-ll-; us -l-) sing with melodious inarticulate sounds and frequent changes between falsetto and normal voice in the manner of swiss mountain-dwellers. —n. Yodelling cry.  yodeller n. [german]
Phillips  n. (usu. Attrib.) Propr. Denoting a screw with a cross-shaped slot, or a corresponding screwdriver. [name of the us manufacturer]
Careless  adj. 1 lacking care or attention. 2 unthinking, insensitive. 3 light-hearted. 4 (foll. By of) not concerned about.  carelessly adv. Carelessness n.
Name-dropping  n. Familiar mention of famous people as a form of boasting.

First finger  n. Finger next to the thumb.

Winceyette  n. Lightweight flannelette.

Piste  n. Ski-run of compacted snow. [french, = racetrack]
Asset-stripping  n. The taking over of a company and selling off of its assets to make a profit.
Fiddlesticks  int. Nonsense.

Usage  turgid is sometimes confused with turbid which means ‘muddy, not clear; confused’.
Dust-jacket  n. Paper cover on a hardback book.

Childbirth  n. Giving birth to a child.


Fascinate  v. (-ting) 1 capture the interest of; attract. 2 paralyse (a victim) with fear.  fascination n. [latin fascinum spell]





Furthermore  adv. In addition, besides.
Coco  n. (pl. -s) coconut palm. [portuguese and spanish, = grimace]
Rock-garden  n. = *rockery.

Whelm  v. Poet. 1 engulf. 2 crush with weight. [old english]
Lsd  abbr. Lysergic acid diethylamide, a powerful hallucinogenic drug.


Usage  the number of words that can be formed with this prefix (and with un-2) is virtually unlimited; consequently only a selection can be given here.
Sq.  Abbr. Square.
Electrotechnology  n. Science of the application of electricity in technology.
Vulgate  n. 4th-c. Latin version of the bible. [latin: related to *vulgar]








Repackage  v. (-ging) 1 package again or differently. 2 present in a new form.


Spleenwort  n. Evergreen fern formerly used as a remedy.

Dawn chorus  n. Bird-song at daybreak.

Homespun  —adj. 1 made of yarn spun at home. 2 plain, simple. —n. Homespun cloth.
Accuracy  n. Exactness or careful precision. [latin cura care]



Firework  n. 1 device that burns or explodes spectacularly when lit. 2 (in pl.) Outburst of passion, esp. Anger.

Replant  v. 1 transfer (a plant etc.). 2 plant (ground) again.

Jewish  adj. 1 of jews. 2 of judaism.  jewishness n.
Potty2  n. (pl. -ies) colloq. Chamber-pot, esp. For a child.
Illusionist  n. Conjuror.

Sponger  n. Parasitic person.

General strike  n. Simultaneous strike of workers in all or most trades.
Seminary  n. (pl. -ies) training-college for priests or rabbis etc.  seminarist n. [latin: related to *semen]
Old norse  n. 1 germanic language from which the scandinavian languages are derived. 2 language of norway and its colonies until the 14th c.
Missing link  n. 1 thing lacking to complete a series. 2 hypothetical intermediate type, esp. Between humans and apes.
Monsoon  n. 1 wind in s. Asia, esp. In the indian ocean. 2 rainy season accompanying the summer monsoon. [arabic mawsim]



Dip  —v. (-pp-) 1 put or lower briefly into liquid etc.; immerse. 2 a go below a surface or level. B (of income, activity, etc.) Decline slightly, esp. Briefly. 3 slope or extend downwards (road dips). 4 go under water and emerge quickly. 5 (foll. By into) look cursorily into (a book, subject, etc.). 6 a (foll. By into) put a hand, ladle, etc., into (a container) to take something out. B use part of (one's resources) (dipped into our savings). 7 lower or be lowered, esp. In salute. 8 lower the beam of (headlights) to reduce dazzle. 9 colour (a fabric) by immersing it in dye. 10 wash (sheep) in disinfectant. —n. 1 dipping or being dipped. 2 liquid for dipping.


Receiver  n. 1 person or thing that receives. 2 part of a machine or instrument that receives something (esp. The part of a telephone that contains the earpiece). 3 (in full official receiver) person appointed by a court to administer the property of a bankrupt or insane person, or property under litigation. 4 radio or television receiving apparatus. 5 person who receives stolen goods.


Steering-column  n. Column on which a steering-wheel is mounted.
Lie1  —v. (lies; lying; past lay; past part. Lain) 1 be in or assume a horizontal position on a surface; be at rest on something. 2 (of a thing) rest flat on a surface. 3 remain undisturbed or undiscussed etc. (let matters lie). 4 a be kept, remain, or be in a specified state or place (lie hidden; lie in wait; books lay unread). B (of abstract things) exist; be in a certain position or relation (answer lies in education). 5 a be situated (village lay to the east). B be spread out to view. —n. Way, direction, or position in which a thing lies.  lie down assume a lying position; have a short rest. Lie down under accept (an insult etc.) Without protest. Lie in stay in bed late in the morning. Lie low 1 keep quiet or unseen. 2 be discreet about one's intentions. Lie with be the responsibility of (a person) (decision lies with you). Take lying down (usu. With neg.) Accept (an insult etc.) Without protest. [old english]



Route march  n. Training-march for troops.

Powder blue  adj. & n. (as adj. Often hyphenated) pale blue.
Dextrose  n. Form of glucose. [latin dextra on or to the right]

Chieftain  n. Leader of a tribe, clan, etc.  chieftaincy n. (pl. -ies). [latin: related to *chief]


Centre-piece  n. 1 ornament for the middle of a table. 2 principal item.

Serum  n. (pl. Sera or -s) 1 liquid that separates from a clot when blood coagulates, esp. Used for inoculation. 2 watery fluid in animal bodies. [latin, = whey]




Hawk2  v. Carry about or offer (goods) for sale. [back-formation from *hawker]
Progress  —n. 1 forward or onward movement towards a destination. 2 advance or development; improvement (made little progress). 3 hist. State tour, esp. By royalty. —v. 1 move or be moved forward or onward; continue. 2 advance, develop, or improve (science progresses).  in progress developing; going on. [latin progredior -gress- go forward]

Sandalwood  n. 1 scented wood of a sandal-tree. 2 perfume from this.


Shy2  —v. (shies, shied) (also absol.) Fling, throw. —n. (pl. Shies) fling, throw. [origin unknown]
Sufficient  adj. Sufficing, adequate.  sufficiently adv.


Rsa  abbr. 1 royal society of arts. 2 royal scottish academy; royal scottish academician.
Newsworthy  adj. Topical; noteworthy as news.
Wave  —v. (-ving) 1 a (often foll. By to) move a hand etc. To and fro in greeting or as a signal. B move (a hand etc.) In this way. 2 a show a sinuous or sweeping motion as of a flag, tree, corn, etc. In the wind. B impart a waving motion to. 3 direct (a person) by waving (waved them away; waved them to follow). 4 express (a greeting etc.) By waving. 5 give an undulating form to (hair etc.). 6 (of hair etc.) Have such a form. —n. 1 ridge of water between two depressions. 2 long body of water curling into an arch and breaking on the shore. 3 thing compared to this, e.g. A body of persons in one of successive advancing groups. 4 gesture of waving. 5 a process of waving the hair. B undulating form produced by this. 6 temporary occurrence or increase of a condition or influence (wave of enthusiasm; heat wave). 7 physics a disturbance of the particles of esp. A fluid medium for the propagation or direction of motion, heat, light, sound, etc. B single curve in this motion. 8 undulating line or outline.  make waves colloq. Cause trouble. Wave aside dismiss as intrusive or irrelevant. Wave down wave to (a vehicle or driver) to stop. [old english]
High court  n. (also in england high court of justice) supreme court of justice for civil cases.
Vermiform appendix  n. Small blind tube extending from the caecum in man and some other mammals.
Infrared  adj. Of or using rays with a wavelength just longer than the red end of the visible spectrum.
Copycat  n. Colloq. Person who copies another, esp. Slavishly.

Secrecy  n. State of being secret; habit or faculty of keeping secrets (done in secrecy).


Continent1  n. 1 any of the main continuous expanses of land (europe, asia, africa, n. And s. America, australia, antarctica). 2 (the continent) mainland of europe as distinct from the british isles. [latin: related to *contain]
Dehumanize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 take human qualities away from. 2 make impersonal.  dehumanization n.
Preside  v. (-ding) 1 (often foll. By at, over) be chairperson or president of a meeting etc. 2 exercise control or authority. [latin sedeo sit]


Tantra  n. Any of a class of hindu or buddhist mystical or magical writings. [sanskrit, = doctrine]

Alderman  n. Esp. Hist. Co-opted member of an english county or borough council, next in dignity to the mayor. [old english aldor chief, *man]


Goodness  —n. 1 virtue; excellence. 2 kindness (had the goodness to wait). 3 what is beneficial in a thing. —int. (esp. As a substitution for ‘god’) expressing surprise, anger, etc. (goodness me!; goodness knows).



Hamstring  —n. 1 each of five tendons at the back of the knee. 2 great tendon at the back of the hock in quadrupeds. —v. (past and past part. -strung or -stringed) 1 cripple by cutting the hamstrings of (a person or animal). 2 impair the activity or efficiency of.
Talent-scout  n. (also talent-spotter) person seeking new talent, esp. In sport or entertainment.
Bark2  —n. Tough outer skin of tree-trunks, branches, etc. —v. 1 graze (one's shin etc.). 2 strip bark from. [scandinavian]
Cruiserweight  n. = *light heavyweight.


Briar2  var. Of *brier2.
Ascent  n. 1 ascending, rising, or progressing. 2 upward slope or path etc.
Tamil  —n. 1 member of a people of south india and sri lanka. 2 language of this people. —adj. Of this people or language. [native name]
Celebrant  n. Person who performs a rite, esp. The priest at the eucharist.




Ta  int. Colloq. Thank you. [infantile form]

Fence  —n. 1 barrier, railing, etc., enclosing a field, garden, etc. 2 large upright jump for horses. 3 slang receiver of stolen goods. 4 guard or guide in machinery. —v. (-cing) 1 surround with or as with a fence. 2 (foll. By in, off, up) enclose, separate, or seal, with or as with a fence. 3 practise fencing with a sword. 4 be evasive. 5 slang deal in (stolen goods).  fencer n. [from *defence]



Hiding2  n. 1 act of hiding. 2 state of remaining hidden (go into hiding). [from *hide1]
Arcade  n. 1 covered walk, esp. Lined with shops. 2 series of arches supporting or set along a wall. [romanic: related to *arc]
Dead-beat  n. Colloq. Derelict, tramp.

Intern  —n. (also interne) esp. Us = *houseman. —v. Oblige (a prisoner, alien, etc.) To reside within prescribed limits.  internment n. [french: related to *internal]


Arc lamp  n. (also arc light) light using an electric arc.

Relative density  n. The ratio between the mass of a substance and that of the same volume of a substance used as a standard (usu. Water or air).

En passant  adv. In passing; casually (mentioned it en passant). [french, = in passing]



Likeness  n. 1 (usu. Foll. By between, to) resemblance. 2 (foll. By of) semblance or guise (in the likeness of a ghost). 3 portrait, representation.



Lack  —n. (usu. Foll. By of) want, deficiency. —v. Be without or deficient in. [low german or dutch]
Disinterested  adj. 1 impartial. 2 uninterested.  disinterest n. Disinterestedly adv.
Wrench  —n. 1 violent twist or oblique pull or tearing off. 2 tool like a spanner for gripping and turning nuts etc. 3 painful uprooting or parting. —v. 1 twist or pull violently round or sideways. 2 (often foll. By off, away, etc.) Pull off with a wrench. [old english]
Po  abbr. 1 post office. 2 postal order. 3 petty officer. 4 pilot officer.

Unusual  adj. 1 not usual. 2 remarkable.  unusually adv.
Park  —n. 1 large public garden in a town, for recreation. 2 land attached to a country house etc. 3 a large area of uncultivated land for public recreational use. B large enclosed area where wild animals are kept in captivity (wildlife park). 4 area for parking vehicles etc. (car park). 5 area for a specified purpose (business park). 6 a us sports ground. B (usu. Prec. By the) football pitch. —v. 1 (also absol.) Leave (a vehicle) temporarily. 2 colloq. Deposit and leave, usu. Temporarily.  park oneself colloq. Sit down. [french from germanic]
Tram  n. 1 (also tramcar) electrically-powered passenger road vehicle running on rails. 2 four-wheeled vehicle used in coalmines. [low german and dutch trame beam]
Bushel  n. Measure of capacity for corn, fruit, etc. (8 gallons or 36.4 litres). [french]
Grand tour  n. Hist. Cultural tour of europe.

Fell3  n. N.engl. 1 hill. 2 stretch of hills or moorland. [old norse]
Nicety  n. (pl. -ies) 1 subtle distinction or detail. 2 precision.  to a nicety with exactness.

Inseparable  adj. (esp. Of friends) unable or unwilling to be separated.  inseparability n. Inseparably adv.
Unbiased  adj. (also unbiassed) impartial.



Scullery  n. (pl. -ies) back kitchen; room for washing dishes etc. [anglo-french squillerie]
Hookey  n. Us  play hookey slang play truant. [origin unknown]




Internee  n. Person interned.

Jubilee  n. 1 anniversary, esp. The 25th or 50th. 2 time of rejoicing. [hebrew, ultimately, = ram's-horn trumpet]



Lily white  adj. & n. (as adj. Often hyphenated) pure white.
Register  —n. 1 official list, e.g. Of births, marriages, and deaths, of children in a class, of shipping, of professionally qualified persons, or of qualified voters in a constituency. 2 book in which items are recorded for reference. 3 device recording speed, force, etc. 4 a compass of a voice or instrument. B part of this compass (lower register). 5 adjustable plate for widening or narrowing an opening and regulating a draught, esp. In a fire-grate. 6 a set of organ pipes. B sliding device controlling this. 7 = *cash register. 8 form of a language (colloquial, literary, etc.) Used in particular circumstances. 9 computing a memory location having specific properties and quick access time. —v. 1 set down (a name, fact, complaint, etc.) Formally; record in writing. 2 enter or cause to be entered in a particular register. 3 commit (a letter etc.) To registered post. 4 (of an instrument) record automatically; indicate. 5 a express (an emotion) facially or by gesture (registered surprise). B (of an emotion) show in a person's face or gestures. 6 make an impression on a person's mind. [latin regero -gest- transcribe, record]
Capstan  n. 1 thick revolving cylinder for winding a cable etc. 2 revolving spindle carrying the spool on a tape recorder. [provençal]

Attempt  —v. 1 (often foll. By to + infin.) Try to do or achieve (attempted to explain). 2 try to conquer (a mountain etc.). —n. (often foll. By at, on, or to + infin.) Attempting; endeavour (attempt at winning; attempt on his life). [latin tempto try]
Henry  n. (pl. -s or -ies) electr. Si unit of inductance. [henry, name of a physicist]

Anglo-  comb. Form 1 english. 2 of english origin. 3 english or british and. [latin: related to *angle]

Blighter  n. Colloq. Contemptible or annoying person.
Corundum  n. Extremely hard crystallized alumina, used esp. As an abrasive. [tamil from sanskrit]
Antacid  —adj. Preventing or correcting acidity. —n. Antacid agent.


Metal  —n. 1 a any of a class of workable elements such as gold, silver, iron, or tin, usu. Good conductors of heat and electricity and forming basic oxides. B alloy of any of these. 2 molten material for making glass. 3 (in pl.) Rails of a railway line. 4 = *road-metal. —adj. Made of metal. —v. (-ll-; us -l-) 1 make or mend (a road) with road-metal. 2 cover or fit with metal. [greek metallon mine]

Turntable  n. 1 circular revolving plate on which records are played. 2 circular revolving platform for turning a railway locomotive.
Home farm  n. Principal farm on an estate, providing produce for the owner.
Triceps  n. Muscle (esp. In the upper arm) with three points of attachment at one end. [latin caput head]
Gingerbread  —n. Ginger-flavoured treacle cake. —attrib. Adj. Gaudy, tawdry.
Turnover  n. 1 act of turning over. 2 gross amount of money taken in a business. 3 rate at which goods are sold and replaced in a shop. 4 rate at which people enter and leave employment etc. 5 small pie made by folding pastry over a filling.
Splendor  n. (brit. Splendour) dazzling brightness; magnificence. [latin splendeo shine]




Railcar  n. Single powered railway coach.
Soy  n. 1 (in full soy sauce) sauce from pickled soya beans. 2 (in full soy bean) = *soya 1. [japanese]
Stock  —n. 1 store of goods etc. Ready for sale or distribution etc. 2 supply or quantity of anything for use. 3 equipment or raw material for manufacture or trade etc. (rolling-stock). 4 farm animals or equipment. 5 a capital of a business. B shares in this. 6 reputation or popularity (his stock is rising). 7 a money lent to a government at fixed interest. B right to receive such interest. 8 line of ancestry (comes of cornish stock). 9 liquid basis for soup etc. Made by stewing bones, vegetables, etc. 10 fragrant-flowered cruciferous cultivated plant. 11 plant into which a graft is inserted. 12 main trunk of a tree etc. 13 (in pl.) Hist. Timber frame with holes for the feet in which offenders were locked as a public punishment. 14 base, support, or handle for an implement or machine. 15 butt of a rifle etc. 16 (in pl.) Supports for a ship during building or repair. 17 band of cloth worn round the neck. —attrib. Adj. 1 kept in stock and so regularly available. 2 hackneyed, conventional. —v. 1 have (goods) in stock. 2 provide (a shop or a farm etc.) With goods, livestock, etc. 3 fit (a gun etc.) With a stock.  in (or out of) stock available (or not available) immediately for sale etc. Stock up (often foll. By with) provide with or get stocks or supplies (of). Take stock 1 make an inventory of one's stock. 2 (often foll. By of) review (a situation etc.). [old english]
Gent  n. Colloq. 1 gentleman. 2 (the gents) colloq. Men's public lavatory. [shortening of *gentleman]
Watery  adj. 1 containing too much water. 2 too thin in consistency. 3 of or consisting of water. 4 vapid, uninteresting. 5 (of colour) pale. 6 (of the sun, moon, or sky) rainy-looking. 7 (of eyes) moist; tearful. wateriness n.
Synthesizer  n. Electronic, usu. Keyboard, instrument producing a wide variety of sounds.
Dungaree  n. 1 coarse cotton cloth. 2 (in pl.) Overalls or trousers of this. [hindi]
Vision  n. 1 act or faculty of seeing, sight. 2 thing or person seen in a dream or trance. 3 mental picture (visions of hot toast). 4 imaginative insight. 5 statesmanlike foresight. 6 beautiful person etc. 7 television or cinema picture, esp. Of specified quality (poor vision). [latin video vis- see]
Sound barrier  n. High resistance of air to objects moving at speeds near that of sound.
Cover girl  n. Female model appearing on magazine covers etc.


Snowbound  adj. Prevented by snow from going out or travelling.
Usage  see note at centigrade.
Jet set  n. Wealthy people who travel widely, esp. For pleasure.  jet-setter n. Jet-setting n. & attrib. Adj.
Disputant  n. Person in a dispute.
Cross-check  —v. Check by alternative method(s). —n. Such a check.



Collective bargaining  n. Negotiation of wages etc. By an organized body of employees.
Limit  —n. 1 point, line, or level beyond which something does not or may not extend or pass. 2 greatest or smallest amount permissible. —v. (-t-) 1 set or serve as a limit to. 2 (foll. By to) restrict.  be the limit colloq. Be intolerable. Within limits with some degree of freedom.  limitless adj. [latin limes limit- boundary, frontier]
Ancestry  n. (pl. -ies) 1 family descent, lineage. 2 ancestors collectively.


Mammogram  n. Image obtained by mammography. [latin mamma breast]


Terminus  n. (pl. -ni or -nuses) 1 station at the end of a railway or bus route. 2 point at the end of a pipeline etc. [latin, = end, limit, boundary]
Incense1  n. 1 gum or spice producing a sweet smell when burned. 2 smoke of this, esp. In religious ceremonial. [church latin incensum]
Part-exchange  —n. Transaction in which goods are given as part of the payment. —v. Give (goods) thus.


Taoiseach  n. Prime minister of the irish republic. [irish, = chief, leader]
Fish-slice  n. Flat slotted cooking utensil.

Hieroglyphic  —adj. Of or written in hieroglyphs. —n. (in pl.) Hieroglyphs; hieroglyphic writing.


Percentage  n. 1 rate or proportion per cent. 2 proportion.
Touristy  adj. Usu. Derog. Appealing to or visited by many tourists.
Johnny-come-lately  n. Colloq. Newcomer; upstart.

White wedding  n. Wedding at which the bride wears a formal white wedding dress.
Prince  n. (as a title usu. Prince) 1 male member of a royal family other than the reigning king. 2 ruler of a small state. 3 noble man in some countries. 4 (often foll. By of) chief or greatest (the prince of novelists). [latin princeps -cip-]
Concurrent  adj. 1 (often foll. By with) existing or in operation at the same time or together. 2 (of three or more lines) meeting at or tending towards one point. 3 agreeing, harmonious.  concurrence n. Concurrently adv.
Cede  v. (-ding) formal give up one's rights to or possession of. [latin cedo cess- yield]
Candlepower  n. Unit of luminous intensity.
Hairdo  n. (pl. -s) style of or act of styling the hair.

Flowers of sulphur  n. Fine powder produced when sulphur evaporates and condenses.

Campsite  n. Place for camping.
Mobile  —adj. 1 movable; able to move easily or get out and about. 2 (of the face etc.) Readily changing its expression. 3 (of a shop etc.) Accommodated in a vehicle so as to serve various places. 4 (of a person) able to change his or her social status. —n. Decoration that may be hung so as to turn freely.  mobility n. [latin moveo move]

Reproof  n. Formal 1 blame (glance of reproof). 2 rebuke. [french reprove: related to *reprove]



Chopstick  n. Each of a pair of sticks held in one hand as eating utensils by the chinese, japanese, etc. [pidgin english from chinese, = nimble ones]

Usage  the use of aggravate in sense 2 is regarded by some people as incorrect, but it is common in informal use.
Wolfram  n. 1 tungsten. 2 tungsten ore. [german]


Studious  adj. 1 assiduous in study. 2 painstaking.  studiously adv. [latin: related to *study]

Caddie  (also caddy) —n. (pl. -ies) person who carries a golfer's clubs during play. —v. (-ies, -ied, caddying) act as a caddie. [french *cadet]
Gonorrhoea  n. (us gonorrhea) venereal disease with inflammatory discharge from the urethra or vagina. [greek, = semen-flux]

Cocoa  n. 1 powder made from crushed cacao seeds, often with other ingredients. 2 drink made from this. [altered from *cacao]
Neckband  n. Strip of material round the neck of a garment.



Fermium  n. Transuranic artificial radioactive metallic element. [fermi, name of a physicist]

Hedgehog  n. Small insect-eating mammal with a piglike snout and a coat of spines, rolling itself up into a ball when attacked.
Extradite  v. (-ting) hand over (a person accused or convicted of a crime) to the foreign state etc. In which the crime was committed.  extradition n. [french: related to *tradition]

Social democracy  n. Political system favouring a mixed economy and democratic social change.  social democrat n.
Sack1  —n. 1 a large strong bag for storage or conveyance. B quantity contained in a sack. 2 (prec. By the) colloq. Dismissal from employment. 3 (prec. By the) us slang bed. —v. 1 put into a sack or sacks. 2 colloq. Dismiss from employment. [latin saccus] 
London pride  n. Pink-flowered saxifrage.
Process1  —n. 1 course of action or proceeding, esp. A series of stages in manufacture etc. 2 progress or course (in process of construction). 3 natural or involuntary course or change (process of growing old). 4 action at law; summons or writ. 5 natural projection of a bone, stem, etc. —v. 1 deal with by a particular process. 2 (as processed adj.) Treat (food, esp. To prevent decay) (processed cheese). [latin: related to *proceed]
Rheostat  n. Instrument used to control an electric current by varying the resistance. [greek rheos stream]


Hogshead  n. 1 large cask. 2 liquid or dry measure (about 50 gallons). [from *hog: the reason for the name is unknown]
Top-up  n. Addition; something that serves to top up.



Henge  n. Prehistoric monument consisting of a circle of stone or wood uprights. [stonehenge in s. England]

Crucifixion  n. 1 crucifying or being crucified. 2 (crucifixion) crucifixion of christ. [church latin: related to *crucifix]


Husband  —n. Married man, esp. In relation to his wife. —v. Use (resources) economically; eke out. [old english, = house-dweller]
Lived-in  adj. 1 (of a room etc.) Showing signs of habitation. 2 colloq. (of a face) marked by experience.

Threadbare  adj. 1 (of cloth) with the nap worn away and the thread visible. 2 (of a person) wearing such clothes. 3 hackneyed.

Wildfire  n. Hist. Combustible liquid used in war.  spread like wildfire spread with great speed.

Gibber  v. Jabber inarticulately. [imitative]

Cpl.  Abbr. Corporal.

Flugelhorn  n. Valved brass wind instrument like a cornet. [german flügel wing, horn horn]



Copious  adj. 1 abundant. 2 producing much.  copiously adv. [latin copia plenty]
Hard of hearing  adj. Somewhat deaf.
Postpone  v. (-ning) cause or arrange (an event etc.) To take place at a later time.  postponement n. [latin pono place]
Gymp  var. Of *gimp.

Prairie  n. Large area of treeless grassland, esp. In n. America. [latin pratum meadow]
Condign  adj. (of a punishment etc.) Severe and well-deserved. [latin dignus worthy]


Patter1  —n. Sound of quick light steps or taps. —v. Make this sound (rain pattering on the window-panes). [from *pat1]
Hypnotism  n. The study or practice of hypnosis.  hypnotist n.




Economics  n.pl. (as sing.) 1 science of the production and distribution of wealth. 2 application of this to a particular subject (the economics of publishing).
Shipment  n. 1 amount of goods shipped. 2 act of shipping goods etc.
Non-u  adj. Colloq. Not characteristic of the upper class. [from *u2]
Gargantuan  adj. Gigantic. [from the name gargantua, a giant in rabelais]

Parapet  n. 1 low wall at the edge of a roof, balcony, bridge, etc. 2 defence of earth or stone. [french or italian: related to *para-2, petto breast]
Promote  v. (-ting) 1 (often foll. By to) raise (a person) to a higher office, rank, etc. (promoted to captain). 2 help forward; encourage (a cause, process, etc.). 3 publicize and sell (a product). 4 chess raise (a pawn) to the rank of queen etc.  promotion n. Promotional adj. [latin promoveo -mot-]
Bunk1  n. Shelflike bed against a wall, esp. In a ship. [origin unknown]
Cabinet  n. 1 a cupboard or case for storing or displaying things. B casing of a radio, television, etc. 2 (cabinet) committee of senior ministers in a government. [diminutive of *cabin]
Malaise  n. 1 general bodily discomfort or lassitude. 2 feeling of unease or demoralization. [french: related to *ease]

Achy  adj. (-ier, -iest) full of or suffering from aches.

Phonetic  adj. 1 representing vocal sounds. 2 (of spelling etc.) Corresponding to pronunciation.  phonetically adv. [greek: related to *phoneme]




Infantile  adj. 1 of or like infants. 2 childish, immature.  infantilism n.
Update  —v. (-ting) bring up to date. —n. 1 updating. 2 updated information etc.


Yorker  n. Cricket ball that pitches immediately under the bat. [probably with ref. To the practice of yorkshire cricketers]

Workbox  n. Box for tools, needlework, etc.
Gibbet  —n. Hist. 1 a gallows. B post with an arm on which an executed criminal was hung. 2 (prec. By the) death by hanging. —v. (-t-) 1 put to death by hanging. 2 expose or hang up on a gibbet. [french gibet]
Naiad  n. Water-nymph. [latin from greek]
Soup-spoon  n. Large round-bowled spoon.
Symbol  n. 1 thing regarded as typifying or representing something (white is a symbol of purity). 2 mark, sign, etc. Representing an object, idea, function, or process; logo.  symbolic adj. Symbolically adv. [greek sumbolon]

Detriment  n. 1 harm, damage. 2 cause of this.  detrimental adj. [latin: related to *trite]




Pro tempore  adj. & adv. For the time being. [latin]
Autumn equinox  n. (also autumnal equinox) equinox about 22 sept.

Busy lizzie  n. Plant with abundant esp. Red, pink, or white flowers.
Hoyden  n. Boisterous girl. [dutch heiden: related to *heathen]

Settee  n. = *sofa. [origin uncertain]
Dense  adj. 1 closely compacted; crowded together; thick. 2 colloq. Stupid.  densely adv. Denseness n. [latin densus]
Heart-to-heart  —attrib. Adj. (of a conversation etc.) Candid, intimate. —n. Candid or personal conversation.



Self-employed  adj. Working as a freelance or for one's own business etc.  self-employment n.
Anti-aircraft  adj. (of a gun or missile) used to attack enemy aircraft.

Irresponsible  adj. 1 acting or done without due sense of responsibility. 2 not responsible for one's conduct.  irresponsibility n. Irresponsibly adv.
Heal  v. 1 (often foll. By up) become sound or healthy again. 2 cause to heal. 3 put right (differences etc.). 4 alleviate (sorrow etc.).  healer n. [old english: related to *whole]
Anno domini  adv. Years after christ's birth. [latin, = in the year of the lord]
Thoughtful  adj. 1 engaged in or given to meditation. 2 (of a book, writer, etc.) Giving signs of serious thought. 3 (often foll. By of) (of a person or conduct) considerate.  thoughtfully adv. Thoughtfulness n.
Second3  v. Transfer (a person) temporarily to another department etc.  secondment n. [french en second in the second rank]

Sprinkler  n. Device for sprinkling a lawn or extinguishing fires.
Intermediary  —n. (pl. -ies) intermediate person or thing, esp. A mediator. —adj. Acting as mediator; intermediate.
Guard  —v. 1 (often foll. By from, against) watch over and defend or protect. 2 keep watch by (a door etc.) To control entry or exit. 3 supervise (prisoners etc.) And prevent from escaping. 4 keep (thoughts or speech) in check. 5 (foll. By against) take precautions. —n. 1 state of vigilance. 2 person who protects or keeps watch. 3 soldiers etc. Protecting a place or person; escort. 4 official in general charge of a train. 5 part of an army detached for some purpose (advance guard). 6 (in pl.) (usu. Guards) body of troops nominally employed to guard a monarch. 7 thing that protects (fire-guard). 8 us prison warder. 9 defensive posture or motion in boxing etc.  be on (or keep or stand) guard keep watch. Off (or off one's) guard unprepared for some surprise or difficulty. On (or on one's) guard prepared for all contingencies. [germanic: related to *ward]
Jobless  adj. Unemployed.  joblessness n.

Cotton wool  n. Fluffy wadding of a kind orig. Made from raw cotton.
Subtotal  n. Total of one part of a group of figures to be added.
Electrify  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 charge with electricity. 2 convert to the use of electric power. 3 cause sudden excitement (news was electrifying).  electrification n.
Soot  n. Black powdery deposit from smoke. [old english]

Bush-baby  n. (pl. -ies) small african lemur.
Health visitor  n. Trained nurse who visits mothers and babies, or the sick or elderly, at home.

Accomplice  n. Partner in a crime etc. [latin: related to *complex]
Old boy network  n. Colloq. Preferment in employment, esp. Of fellow ex-pupils of public schools.



Ran  past of *run.

Rainbow trout  n. Large trout orig. Of the pacific coast of n. America.
Liar  n. Person who tells a lie or lies.
Staunch1  adj. 1 loyal. 2 (of a ship, joint, etc.) Strong, watertight, airtight, etc.  staunchly adv. [french estanche]


Soda  n. 1 compound of sodium in common use. 2 (in full soda water) effervescent water used esp. With spirits etc. As a drink. [perhaps from latin sodanum from arabic]




Swath  n. (also swathe) (pl. -s) 1 ridge of cut grass or corn etc. 2 space left clear by a mower etc. 3 broad strip. [old english]
Overwind  v. (past and past part. -wound) wind (a watch etc.) Beyond the proper stopping point.

Shenanigan  n. (esp. In pl.) Colloq. Mischievous or dubious behaviour, carryings-on. [origin unknown]

Raja  n. (also rajah) hist. 1 indian king or prince. 2 petty dignitary or noble in india. [hindi from sanskrit]
Arbor vitae  n. Any of various evergreen conifers. [latin, = tree of life]
Usage  mater is now only found in jocular or affected use.

Coley  n. (pl. -s) any of several fish used as food, e.g. The rock-salmon. [origin uncertain]
Leg  n. 1 each of the limbs on which a person or animal walks and stands. 2 leg of an animal or bird as food. 3 part of a garment covering a leg. 4 support of a chair, table, etc. 5 cricket the half of the field (divided lengthways) in which the batsman's feet are placed. 6 a section of a journey. B section of a relay race. C stage in a competition.  leg it (-gg-) colloq. Walk or run hard. Not have a leg to stand on be unable to support one's argument by facts or sound reasons. On one's last legs near death or the end of usefulness etc.  legged adj. (also in comb.). [old norse]
Dismember  v. 1 remove the limbs from. 2 partition or divide up.  dismemberment n.
Yes-man  n. Colloq. Weakly acquiescent person.



Dso  abbr. Distinguished service order.
Acute  —adj. (acuter, acutest) 1 serious, severe (acute hardship). 2 (of senses etc.) Keen, penetrating. 3 shrewd. 4 (of a disease) coming quickly to a crisis. 5 (of an angle) less than 90°. 6 (of a sound) high, shrill. —n. = *acute accent.  acutely adv. [latin acutus pointed]
Ephemeral  adj. Lasting or of use for only a short time; transitory. [greek: related to *epi-, hemera day]
Popinjay  n. Fop, conceited person. [arabic babagha parrot]



Week  n. 1 period of seven days reckoned usu. From midnight on saturday. 2 any period of seven days. 3 the six days between sundays. 4 a the five days monday to friday. B time spent working in this period (35-hour week; three-day week). [old english]

Reimburse  v. (-sing) 1 repay (a person who has expended money). 2 repay (a person's expenses).  reimbursement n.


Lumpectomy  n. (pl. -ies) surgical removal of a lump from the breast.

Fire extinguisher  n. Apparatus discharging foam etc. To extinguish a fire.

Hide2  n. 1 animal's skin, esp. When tanned or dressed. 2 colloq. The human skin, esp. The backside. [old english]

Litter-lout  n. Colloq. = *litterbug.






Sward  n. Literary expanse of turf. [old english, = skin]


Short circuit  —n. Electric circuit through small resistance, esp. Instead of the resistance of a normal circuit. —v. (short-circuit) 1 cause a short circuit (in). 2 shorten or avoid by taking a more direct route etc.
Disappoint  v. 1 fail to fulfil the desire or expectation of. 2 frustrate (a hope etc.).  disappointed adj. Disappointing adj.

Mccarthyism  n. Hist. Hunting out and sacking of communists in the us. [mccarthy, name of a senator]

Trumpet  —n. 1 brass instrument with a flared bell and bright penetrating tone. 2 trumpet-shaped thing (ear-trumpet). 3 sound of or like a trumpet. —v. (-t-) 1 a blow a trumpet. B (of an enraged elephant etc.) Make a trumpet-like cry. 2 proclaim loudly.  trumpeter n. [french diminutive: related to *trump2]

Tea cosy  n. Cover to keep a teapot warm.
Shambolic  adj. Colloq. Chaotic, unorganized. [from *shambles after symbolic]



Buoy  —n. 1 anchored float as a navigation mark etc. 2 lifebuoy. —v. 1 (usu. Foll. By up) a keep afloat. B encourage, uplift. 2 (often foll. By out) mark with a buoy. [dutch, perhaps from latin boia collar]
Felt1  —n. Cloth of matted and pressed fibres of wool etc. —v. 1 make into felt; mat. 2 cover with felt. 3 become matted. [old english]
Flighty  adj. (-ier, -iest) (usu. Of a girl) frivolous, fickle, changeable.  flightiness n.




Arrogate  v. (-ting) 1 (often foll. By to oneself) claim (power etc.) Without right. 2 (often foll. By to) attribute unjustly (to a person).  arrogation n. [latin rogo ask]
Cytology  n. The study of cells.  cytological adj. Cytologist n. [greek kutos vessel]
Callow  adj. Inexperienced, immature. [old english, = bald]
He'd  contr. 1 he had. 2 he would.
Grapefruit  n. (pl. Same) large round usu. Yellow citrus fruit.
Rospa  abbr. Royal society for the prevention of accidents.

Undergo  v. (3rd sing. Present -goes; past -went; past part. -gone) be subjected to; suffer; endure.



Solemn  adj. 1 serious and dignified. 2 formal. 3 awe-inspiring. 4 (of a person) serious or cheerless in manner. 5 grave, sober (solemn promise).  solemnly adv. Solemness n. [latin solemnis]



Hemorrhage  (brit. Haem-) —n. 1 profuse loss of blood from a ruptured blood-vessel. 2 damaging loss, esp. Of people or assets. —v. (-ging) suffer a haemorrhage. [greek haima blood, rhegnumi burst]


Crikey  int. Slang expression of astonishment. [from *christ]
Oversew  v. (past part. -sewn or -sewed) sew (two edges) with stitches passing over the join.
Sf  abbr. Sforzando.

Gait  n. Manner of walking or forward motion. [old norse]
Well-spring  n. = *well-head.

Jamboree  n. 1 celebration. 2 large rally of scouts. [origin unknown]
Woolsack  n. 1 lord chancellor's wool-stuffed seat in the house of lords. 2 his position.


Plutonic  adj.  Formed as igneous rock by solidification below the surface of the earth. [latin pluto, god of the underworld]
Burial  n. 1 a burying of a corpse. B funeral. 2 archaeol. Grave or its remains.
Sectional  adj. 1 a of a social group (sectional interests). B partisan. 2 made in sections. 3 local rather than general.  sectionally adv.
Ski  —n. (pl. -s) 1 each of a pair of long narrow pieces of wood etc., fastened under the feet for travelling over snow. 2 similar device under a vehicle or aircraft. —v. (skis, ski'd or skied, skiing) travel on skis.  skier n. [norwegian from old norse] 
Firewood  n. Wood as fuel.
Table tennis  n. Indoor ball game played with small bats on a table divided by a net.


Waylay  v. (past and past part. Waylaid) 1 lie in wait for. 2 stop to talk to or rob.
Self-restraint  n. Self-control.
Hell-fire  n. Fire(s) regarded as existing in hell.

Daughter-in-law  n. (pl. Daughters-in-law) son's wife.
Main brace  n.  Brace attached to the main yard.

Rebel  —n. 1 person who fights against, resists, or refuses allegiance to, the established government. 2 person or thing that resists authority or control. —attrib. Adj. 1 rebellious. 2 of rebels. 3 in rebellion. —v. (-ll-; us -l-) (usu. Foll. By against) 1 act as a rebel; revolt. 2 feel or display repugnance. [latin: related to *re-, bellum war]
Ax  (brit. Axe) —n. 1 chopping-tool with a handle and heavy blade. 2 (the ax) dismissal (of employees); abandonment of a project etc. —v. (axing) cut (esp. Costs or staff) drastically; abandon (a project).  an ax to grind private ends to serve. [old english]
Reply  —v. (-ies, -ied) 1 (often foll. By to) make an answer, respond in word or action. 2 say in answer. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 replying (what did they say in reply?). 2 what is replied; response. [latin replico fold back]
Stethoscope  n. Instrument used in listening to the heart, lungs, etc. [greek stethos breast]

Confessional  —n. Enclosed stall in a church in which the priest hears confessions. —adj. Of confession.


Spirited  adj. 1 lively, courageous. 2 (in comb.) In a specified mood (high-spirited).  spiritedly adv.


Silk-screen printing  n. = *screen printing.


Bun fight  n. Slang tea party.
Happy medium  n. Compromise; avoidance of extremes.
Musical box  n. Box containing a mechanism which plays a tune.





Butterfly  n. (pl. -flies) 1 insect with four usu. Brightly coloured wings. 2 (in pl.) Colloq. Nervous sensation in the stomach.
Onerous  adj. Burdensome.  onerousness n. [latin: related to *onus]


Neologism  n. 1 new word. 2 coining of new words. [greek logos word]





Celestial equator  n. The great circle of the sky in the plane perpendicular to the earth's axis.

Deliberation  n. 1 careful consideration; discussion. 2 careful slowness.
Protozoan  —n. (also protozoon) (pl. Protozoa or -s) unicellular microscopic organism, e.g. The amoebae. —adj. (also protozoic) of this group. [from *proto-, greek zoion animal]
Increasingly  adv. More and more.
Tummy-button  n. Navel.
Development area  n. Area where new industries are encouraged by the state.
Señora  n. Title used of or to a spanish-speaking esp. Married woman.
 
Churchwarden  n. Either of two elected lay representatives of an anglican parish.
Bad news  n. Colloq. Unpleasant or troublesome person or thing.

Abbreviate  v. (-ting) shorten, esp. Represent (a word etc.) By a part of it.  abbreviation n. [latin: related to *brief]

Pad1  —n. 1 thick piece of soft material used to protect, fill out hollows, hold or absorb liquid, etc. 2 sheets of blank paper fastened together at one edge, for writing or drawing on. 3 fleshy underpart of an animal's foot or of a human finger. 4 guard for the leg and ankle in sports. 5 flat surface for helicopter take-off or rocket-launching. 6 slang lodgings, flat, etc. 7 floating leaf of a water lily. —v. (-dd-) 1 provide with a pad or padding; stuff. 2 (foll. By out) lengthen or fill out (a book etc.) With unnecessary material. [probably low german or dutch]

Vulva  n. (pl. -s)  external female genitals. [latin]






Underused  adj. Not used to capacity.

Apsis  n. (pl. Apsides) either of two points on the orbit of a planet etc. Nearest to or furthest from the body round which it moves. [greek (h)apsis arch, vault]

Indiarubber  n. Rubber for erasing pencil marks etc.
Packed lunch  n. Lunch of sandwiches etc. Prepared and packed to be eaten away from home.

Hindquarters  n.pl. Hind legs and rump of a quadruped.
Break-in  n. Illegal forced entry, esp. With criminal intent.
Imposing  adj. Impressive, formidable, esp. In appearance.

Peach2  v. (usu. Foll. By against, on) colloq. Turn informer; inform. [from obsolete appeach: related to *impeach]
Kleenex  n. (pl. Same or -nexes) propr. Disposable paper handkerchief.



Ago  adv. (prec. By duration) earlier, in the past. [originally agone = gone by]

Emporium  n. (pl. -s or -ria) 1 large shop or store. 2 centre of commerce, market. [greek emporos merchant]


Fire-break  n. Obstacle to the spread of fire in a forest etc., esp. An open space.
Defile1  v. (-ling) 1 make dirty; pollute. 2 desecrate, profane.  defilement n. [earlier defoul, from french defouler trample down]
Vac  n. Colloq. 1 vacation. 2 vacuum cleaner. [abbreviation]
Disagree  v. (-ees, -eed, -eeing) (often foll. By with) 1 hold a different opinion. 2 (of factors) not correspond. 3 upset (onions disagree with me).  disagreement n.

Free  —adj. (freer; freest) 1 not a slave or under another's control; having personal rights and social and political liberty. 2 (of a state, its citizens, etc.) Autonomous; democratic. 3 a unrestricted; not confined or fixed. B not imprisoned. C released from duties etc. D independent (free agent). 4 (foll. By of, from) a exempt from (tax etc.). B not containing or subject to (free of preservatives; free from disease). 5 (foll. By to + infin.) Permitted; at liberty to. 6 costing nothing. 7 a clear of duties etc. (am free tomorrow). B not in use (bathroom is free). 8 spontaneous, unforced (free offer). 9 available to all. 10 lavish (free with their money). 11 frank, unreserved. 12 (of literary style) informal, unmetrical. 13 (of translation) not literal. 14 familiar, impudent. 15 (of stories etc.) Slightly indecent. 16 chem. Not combined (free oxygen). 17 (of power or energy) disengaged, available. —adv. 1 freely. 2 without cost or payment. —v. (frees, freed) 1 make free; liberate. 2 (foll. By of, from) relieve from. 3 disentangle, clear.  for free colloq. Free of charge, gratis. Free on board (or rail) without charge for delivery to a ship or railway wagon.  freely adv. [old english]


Wild  —adj. 1 in its original natural state; not domesticated, cultivated, or civilized (wild cat; wild strawberry). 2 unrestrained, disorderly, uncontrolled (wild youth; wild hair). 3 tempestuous (wild night). 4 intensely eager, frantic (wild excitement; wild delight). 5 (foll. By about) colloq. Enthusiastically devoted to. 6 colloq. Infuriated. 7 haphazard, ill-aimed, rash (wild guess; wild venture). 8 colloq. Exciting, delightful. —adv. In a wild manner. —n. 1 wild tract of land. 2 desert.  in the wild in an uncultivated etc. State. In the wilds colloq. Far from towns etc. Run wild grow or stray unchecked or undisciplined.  wildly adv. Wildness n. [old english]
Rhomboid  —adj. (also rhomboidal) like a rhombus. —n. Quadrilateral of which only the opposite sides and angles are equal. [greek: related to *rhombus]

Misapprehend  v. Misunderstand (words, a person).  misapprehension n.


Guttersnipe  n. Street urchin.
Heartstrings  n.pl. One's deepest feelings.
Brutalize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 make brutal. 2 treat brutally.

Plug  —n. 1 piece of solid material fitting tightly into a hole, used to fill a gap or cavity or act as a wedge or stopper. 2 a device of metal pins in an insulated casing, fitting into holes in a socket for making an electrical connection. B colloq. Electric socket. 3 = *spark-plug. 4 colloq. Piece of free publicity for an idea, product, etc. 5 cake or stick of tobacco; piece of this for chewing. —v. (-gg-) 1 (often foll. By up) stop (a hole etc.) With a plug. 2 slang shoot or hit (a person etc.). 3 colloq. Seek to popularize (an idea, product, etc.) By constant recommendation. 4 colloq. (foll. By away (at)) work steadily (at).  plug in connect electrically by inserting a plug into a socket. [low german or dutch]
Echidna  n. Australian egg-laying spiny mammal. [greek, = viper]






Lover  n. 1 person in love with another. 2 person with whom another is having sexual relations. 3 (in pl.) Unmarried couple in love or having sexual relations. 4 person who likes or enjoys a specified thing (music lover).
Shoemaker  n. Maker of boots and shoes.  shoemaking n.


Underdog  n. 1 oppressed person. 2 loser in a fight.
Filmy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 thin and translucent. 2 covered with or as with a film.

Girt  see *gird.
Water-wings  n.pl. Inflated floats fixed on the arms of a person learning to swim.
Fair1  —adj. 1 just, equitable; in accordance with the rules. 2 blond; light or pale. 3 a moderate in quality or amount. B satisfactory. 4 (of weather) fine; (of the wind) favourable. 5 clean, clear (fair copy). 6 archaic beautiful. —adv. 1 in a just manner. 2 exactly, completely.  in a fair way to likely to.  fairness n. [old english]
Diphthong  n. Two written or spoken vowels pronounced in one syllable (as in coin, loud, toy). [greek phthoggos voice]


Fireclay  n. Clay used to make fire-bricks.
Fascism  n. 1 extreme totalitarian right-wing nationalist movement in italy (1922–43). 2 (also fascism) any similar movement.  fascist n. & adj. (also fascist). Fascistic adj. (also fascistic). [italian fascio bundle, organized group]
Northman  n. Native of scandinavia, esp. Norway. [old english]
Interwar  attrib. Adj. Existing in the period between two wars.
Abhorrent  adj. (often foll. By to) disgusting or hateful.


Heredity  n. 1 a passing on of physical or mental characteristics genetically. B these characteristics. 2 genetic constitution.
Buttock  n. 1 each of the two fleshy protuberances at the rear of the human trunk. 2 corresponding part of an animal. [butt ridge]


Midshipman  n. Naval officer ranking next above a cadet.
Neolithic  adj. Of the later part of the stone age. [greek lithos stone]


Grubby  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 dirty. 2 of or infested with grubs.  grubbily adv. Grubbiness n.
Joint-stock company  n. Company formed on the basis of a joint stock.

Anglo-french  —adj. English (or british) and french. —n. French language as developed in england after the norman conquest.
Caddy1  n. (pl. -ies) small container for tea. [malay]
Symphony  n. (pl. -ies) 1 large-scale composition for full orchestra in several movements. 2 instrumental interlude in a large-scale vocal work. 3 = *symphony orchestra.  symphonic adj. [from *syn-, greek phone sound]
Towel  —n. Absorbent cloth or paper etc. Used for drying after washing. —v. (-ll-; us -l-) (often refl.) Wipe or dry with a towel. [french toail(l)e from germanic]

In  symb. Indium.
Defence  n. (us defense) 1 defending, protection. 2 means of this. 3 (in pl.) Fortifications. 4 justification, vindication. 5 defendant's case or counsel in a lawsuit. 6 defending play or players.  defenceless adj. Defencelessly adv. Defencelessness n. [related to *defend]

Cert. Ed.  Abbr. Certificate in education.
Atomize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) reduce to atoms or fine particles.

Pitcher1  n. Large jug with a lip and a handle. [related to *beaker]

Morose  adj. Sullen, gloomy.  morosely adv. Moroseness n. [latin mos mor- manner]



Tawdry  adj. (-ier, -iest) showy but worthless; gaudy.  tawdrily adv. Tawdriness n. [tawdry lace from st audrey's lace]

Off chance  n. (prec. By the) remote possibility.
Greenhouse  n. Light structure with the sides and roof mainly of glass, for rearing plants.
Dying  attrib. Adj. Of, or at the time of, death (dying words).






Automaton  n. (pl. -mata or -s) 1 machine controlled automatically; robot. 2 person acting like a robot. [greek, = acting of itself]
Against  prep. 1 in opposition to (fight against crime). 2 into collision or in contact with (lean against the wall). 3 to the disadvantage of (my age is against me). 4 in contrast to (against a dark background). 5 in anticipation of (against his coming; against the cold). 6 as a compensating factor to (income against expenditure). 7 in return for (issued against payment of the fee).  against the grain see *grain. Against time see *time. [from *again, with inflectional -s]

Bounteous  adj. Poet. = *bountiful. [french: related to *bounty]
Hatch3  v. Mark with close parallel lines.  hatching n. [french hacher: related to *hash1]
Rent3  past and past part. Of *rend.

Technetium  n. Artificially produced radioactive metallic element. [greek tekhnetos artificial]
Provenance  n. Origin or place of origin; history. [french provenir from latin]


He'll  contr. He will; he shall.

Lining  n. Material which lines a surface etc.
Girlie  adj. Colloq. (of a magazine etc.) Depicting young women in erotic poses.
Fo'c's'le  var. Of *forecastle.
Zoom  —v. 1 move quickly, esp. With a buzzing sound. 2 cause an aeroplane to mount at high speed and a steep angle. 3 (often foll. By in or in on) (of a camera) change rapidly from a long shot to a close-up (of). 4 (of prices etc.) Rise sharply. —n. 1 aeroplane's steep climb. 2 zooming camera shot. [imitative]





Reiterate  v. (-ting) say or do again or repeatedly.  reiteration n.

Gumdrop  n. Hard translucent sweet made with gelatin etc.


Chronology  n. (pl. -ies) 1 science of determining dates. 2 a arrangement of events etc. In order of occurrence. B table or document displaying this. [greek khronos time, *-logy]
Connection  n. (also connexion) 1 connecting or being connected. 2 point at which two things are connected. 3 link, esp. By telephone. 4 connecting train etc. 5 (often in pl.) Relative or associate, esp. One with influence. 6 relation of ideas.


Flock2  n. 1 lock or tuft of wool, cotton, etc. 2 (also in pl.; often attrib.) Wool-refuse etc. Used for quilting and stuffing. [latin floccus]



Cheek  —n. 1 a side of the face below the eye. B side-wall of the mouth. 2 a impertinence; cool confidence. B impertinent speech. 3 slang buttock. —v. Be impertinent to.  cheek by jowl close together; intimate. [old english]
Credit note  n. Note with a specific monetary value given by a shop etc. For goods returned.
Orientate  v. (-ting) = *orient v. [apparently from *orient]
Bone-idle  adj. Utterly idle.
Thumb index  n. Set of lettered grooves cut down the side of a book for easy reference.
Unhygienic  adj. Not hygienic.
Rendezvous  —n. (pl. Same) 1 agreed or regular meeting-place. 2 meeting by arrangement. —v. (rendezvouses; rendezvoused; rendezvousing) meet at a rendezvous. [french, = present yourselves]
Wretched  adj. (wretcheder, wretchedest) 1 unhappy, miserable; unwell. 2 of bad quality; contemptible. 3 displeasing, hateful.  wretchedly adv. Wretchedness n.

Preferential  adj. 1 of or involving preference. 2 giving or receiving a favour.  preferentially adv.





Re-route  v. (-teing) send or carry by a different route.

Centre  (us center) —n. 1 middle point. 2 pivot or axis of rotation. 3 a place or buildings forming a central point or a main area for an activity (shopping centre; town centre). B (with a preceding word) equipment for a number of connected functions (music centre). 4 point of concentration or dispersion; nucleus, source. 5 political party or group holding moderate opinions. 6 filling in chocolate etc. 7 sport a middle player in a line in some field games. B kick or hit from the side to the centre of a pitch. 8 (attrib.) Of or at the centre. —v. (-ring) 1 (foll. By in, on, round) have as its main centre. 2 place in the centre. 3 (foll. By in etc.) Concentrate. [greek kentron sharp point]



Hemipterous  adj. Of the insect order including aphids, bugs, and cicadas, with piercing or sucking mouthparts. [greek pteron wing]








Herein  adv. Formal in this matter, book, etc.
Sulfide  n. (brit. Sulphide) binary compound of sulphur.

Unmet  adj. (of a demand, goal, etc.) Not achieved or fulfilled.

Geophysics  n.pl. (treated as sing.) Physics of the earth.
Unregenerate  adj. Obstinately wrong or bad.
Palace  n. 1 official residence of a sovereign, president, archbishop, or bishop. 2 splendid or spacious building. [latin palatium]


Weather  —n. 1 state of the atmosphere at a place and time as regards heat, cloudiness, dryness, sunshine, wind, and rain etc. 2 (attrib.) Naut. Windward. —v. 1 expose to or affect by atmospheric changes; season (wood). 2 be discoloured or worn in this way. 3 a come safely through (a storm). B survive (a difficult period etc.). 4 get to the windward of (a cape etc.).  keep a weather eye open be watchful. Make heavy weather of colloq. Exaggerate the difficulty presented by. Under the weather colloq. Indisposed. [old english]
Soften  v. 1 make or become soft or softer. 2 (often foll. By up) a make weaker by preliminary attack. B make (a person) more receptive to persuasion.  softener n.

Coverlet  n. Bedspread. [anglo-french: related to *cover, lit bed]





Diastase  n. Enzyme converting starch to sugar. [greek diastasis separation]
Run  —v. (-nn-; past ran; past part. Run) 1 go with quick steps, never having both or all feet on the ground at once. 2 flee, abscond. 3 go or travel hurriedly or briefly (i'll just run down to the shops). 4 a advance by or as by rolling or on wheels, or smoothly or easily. B (cause to) be in action or operation or go in a specified way (left the engine running; ran the car into a tree). 5 be current or operative (lease runs for 99 years). 6 travel on its route (train is running late). 7 (of a play etc.) Be staged or presented (now running at the apollo). 8 extend; have a course, order, or tendency (road runs by the coast; prices are running high). 9 a (often absol.) Compete in (a race). B finish a race in a specified position. 10 (often foll. By for) seek election (ran for president). 11 flow (with) or be wet; drip (with) (walls running with condensation). 12 a cause (water etc.) To flow. B fill (a bath) thus. 13 spread rapidly (ink ran over the table). 14 traverse (a course, race, or distance). 15 perform (an errand). 16 publish (an article etc.) In a newspaper etc. 17 direct or manage (a business etc.). 18 own and use (a vehicle) regularly. 19 transport in a private vehicle (ran me to the station). 20 enter (a horse etc.) For a race. 21 smuggle (guns etc.). 22 chase or hunt. 23 allow (an account) to accumulate before paying. 24 (of a dyed colour) spread from the dyed parts. 25 a (of a thought, the eye, the memory, etc.) Pass quickly (ideas ran through my mind). B pass (one's eye) quickly (ran my eye down the page). 26 (of tights etc.) Ladder. 27 (of esp. The eyes or nose) exude liquid. —n. 1 running. 2 short excursion. 3 distance travelled. 4 general tendency. 5 regular route. 6 continuous stretch, spell, or course (run of bad luck). 7 (often foll. By on) high general demand (run on the dollar). 8 quantity produced at one time (print run). 9 average type or class (general run of customers). 10 point scored in cricket or baseball. 11 (foll. By of) free use of or access to (run of the house). 12 a animal's regular track. B enclosure for fowls etc. C range of pasture. 13 ladder in tights etc. 14 mus. Rapid scale passage. 15 (in full the runs) colloq. Diarrhoea.  on the run fleeing. Run about 1 bustle, hurry. 2 (esp. Of children) play freely. Run across happen to meet or find. Run after 1 pursue at a run. 2 pursue, esp. Sexually. Run along colloq. Depart. Run around 1 take from place to place by car etc. 2 (often foll. By with) slang engage in esp. Promiscuous sexual relations. Run away 1 (often foll. By from) flee, abscond. 2 mentally evade (a problem etc.). Run away with 1 carry off. 2 win easily. 3 deprive of self-control, carry away. 4 consume (money etc.). 5 (of a horse) bolt with (a rider etc.). 6 leave home to have a relationship with (esp. Another person's husband or wife). Run down 1 knock down. 2 reduce the numbers etc. Of. 3 (of an unwound clock etc.) Stop. 4 discover after a search. 5 colloq. Disparage. Run dry 1 cease to flow. 2 = run out 1. Run for it seek safety by fleeing. Run (or good run) for one's money 1 vigorous or close competition. 2 some return for outlay or effort. Run the gauntlet see *gauntlet2. Run high (of feelings) be strong. Run in 1 run (an engine or vehicle) carefully when new. 2 colloq. Arrest. Run in the family (of a trait) be common in a family. Run into 1 collide with. 2 encounter. 3 reach as many as (a usu. High figure). Run into the ground colloq.






Mu  n. 1 twelfth greek letter (m, m). 2 (m, as a symbol) = *micro- 2. [greek]
Hygroscope  n. Instrument indicating but not measuring the humidity of the air.
Paving-stone  n. Large flat stone for paving.


Weeny  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Tiny. [from *wee1]

Kümmel  n. Sweet liqueur flavoured with caraway and cumin seeds. [german: related to *cumin]



Wow2  n. Slow pitch-fluctuation in sound-reproduction, perceptible in long notes. [imitative]
Full term  n. Completion of a normal pregnancy.
Pollock  var. Of *pollack.

Whitsuntide  n. Weekend or week including whit sunday.


Accident-prone  adj. Clumsy.




Teach  v. (past and past part. Taught) 1 a give systematic information, instruction, or training to (a person) or about (a subject or skill) (taught me to swim). B (absol.) Practise this professionally. C communicate, instruct in (suffering taught me patience). 2 advocate as a moral etc. Principle (taught forgiveness). 3 (foll. By to + infin.) A instruct (a person) by example or punishment (that will teach you not to disobey). B colloq. Discourage (a person) from (that will teach you to laugh).  teachable adj. [old english]
Underpants  n.pl. Undergarment, esp. Men's, covering the genitals and buttocks.
Chess  n. Game for two with 16 men each, played on a chessboard. [french: related to *check]
Ocular  adj. Of, for, or by the eyes; visual. [latin oculus eye]
Providence  n. 1 protective care of god or nature. 2 (providence) god in this aspect. 3 foresight; thrift. [latin: related to *provide]



Trunk call  n. Long-distance telephone call.
Heavyweight  n. 1 a weight in certain sports, in amateur boxing over 81 kg. B sportsman of this weight. 2 person etc. Of above average weight. 3 colloq. Person of influence or importance.

Meditative  adj. 1 inclined to meditate. 2 indicative of meditation, thoughtful.  meditatively adv. Meditativeness n.

Hale  adj. Strong and healthy (esp. In hale and hearty). [var. Of *whole]


Slush fund  n. Reserve fund, esp. For political bribery.


Adhesion  n. 1 adhering. 2 unnatural union of body tissues due to inflammation.



Cinderella  n. Person or thing of unrecognized or disregarded merit or beauty. [name of a girl in a fairy tale]

Explicable  adj. That can be explained.
Hydrogen peroxide  n. Viscous unstable liquid with strong oxidizing properties.
Malfeasance  n.  Formal misconduct, esp. In an official capacity. [french: related to *mal-]
Milch  adj. Giving milk. [old english: related to *milk]



Jazzy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 of or like jazz. 2 vivid, showy.
Adultery  n. Voluntary sexual intercourse between a married person and a person other than his or her spouse.  adulterous adj.
Personage  n. Person, esp. Of rank or importance.

Autocue  n. Propr. Screen etc. From which a speaker reads a television script.
Quaternary  —adj. 1 having four parts. 2 (quaternary) geol. Of the most recent period in the cenozoic era. —n. (quaternary) geol. This period. [latin quaterni four each]

Ivory tower  n. Seclusion or withdrawal from the harsh realities of life (often attrib.: ivory tower professors).




Sizable  var. Of *sizeable.
Herd  —n. 1 a number of animals, esp. Cattle, feeding or travelling or kept together. 2 (prec. By the) derog. Large number of people; mob (tends to follow the herd). —v. 1 (cause to) go in a herd (herded together for warmth; herded the cattle into the field). 2 look after (sheep, cattle, etc.). [old english]


Dry-fly  attrib. Adj. (of fishing) with a floating artificial fly.
Cossack  n. Member of a people of southern russia. [turki quzzaq]
Trier  n. 1 person who perseveres. 2 tester, esp. Of foodstuffs.
Cutter  n. 1 a person or thing that cuts. B (in pl.) Cutting tool. 2 a small fast sailing-ship. B small boat carried by a large ship.
Hippy2  adj. Having large hips.
Horsepower  n. (pl. Same) imperial unit of power (about 750 watts), esp. For measuring the power of an engine.
Swum  past part. Of *swim.
Newsreader  n. Person who reads out broadcast news bulletins.
County court  n. Judicial court for civil cases.

Bowling  n. The game of skittles, tenpin bowling, or bowls.
Exhaust  —v. 1 consume or use up the whole of. 2 (often as exhausted adj. Or exhausting adj.) Tire out. 3 study or expound (a subject) completely. 4 (often foll. By of) empty (a vessel etc.) Of its contents. —n. 1 waste gases etc. Expelled from an engine after combustion. 2 (also exhaust-pipe) pipe or system by which these are expelled. 3 process of expulsion of these gases.  exhaustible adj. [latin haurio haust- drain]
Kneeler  n. 1 cushion for kneeling on. 2 person who kneels.
Midwinter  n. Period of or near the winter solstice, about 22 dec. [old english]
Turban  n. 1 man's headdress of fabric wound round a cap or the head, worn esp. By muslims and sikhs. 2 woman's hat resembling this.  turbaned adj. [persian: cf. *tulip]


Hence  adv. 1 from this time (two years hence). 2 for this reason (hence we seem to be wrong). 3 archaic from here. [old english]




Jacinth  n. Reddish-orange zircon used as a gem. [latin: related to *hyacinth]




Ti  symb. Titanium.
High commission  n. Embassy from one commonwealth country to another.  high commissioner n.

Author  n. (fem. Authoress) 1 writer, esp. Of books. 2 originator of an idea, event, etc. [latin auctor]

Level  —n. 1 horizontal line or plane. 2 height or value reached; position on a real or imaginary scale (eye level; sugar level; danger level). 3 social, moral, or intellectual standard. 4 plane of rank or authority (talks at cabinet level). 5 instrument giving a line parallel to the plane of the horizon. 6 level surface. 7 flat tract of land. —adj. 1 flat and even; not bumpy. 2 horizontal. 3 (often foll. By with) a on the same horizontal plane as something else. B having equality with something else. 4 even, uniform, equable, or well-balanced. —v. (-ll-; us -l-) 1 make level. 2 raze. 3 (also absol.) Aim (a missile or gun). 4 (also absol.; foll. By at, against) direct (an accusation etc.).  do one's level best colloq. Do one's utmost. Find one's level reach the right social, intellectual, etc. Position. Level down bring down to a standard. Level off make or become level. Level out make or become level. Level up bring up to a standard. On the level 1 honestly, without deception. 2 honest, truthful. On a level with 1 in the same horizontal plane as. 2 equal with. [latin diminutive of libra balance]
Wedgwood  n. Propr. 1 a kind of fine stoneware usu. With a white cameo design. 2 its characteristic blue colour. [wedgwood, name of a potter]
Nickname  —n. Familiar or humorous name given to a person or thing instead of or as well as the real name. —v. (-ming) 1 give a nickname to. 2 call by a nickname. [earlier eke-name, with n from an: eke = addition, from old english: related to *eke]


Unendurable  adj. Too bad to be borne.
Shove  —v. (-ving) 1 (also absol.) Push vigorously. 2 colloq. Put casually (shoved it in a drawer). —n. Act of shoving.  shove off 1 start from the shore in a boat. 2 slang depart. [old english]
Disport  v. (often refl.) Play, frolic, enjoy oneself. [anglo-french porter carry, from latin]
Misnomer  n. 1 name or term used wrongly. 2 wrong use of a name or term. [anglo-french: related to *mis-2, nommer to name]
Spectator  n. Person who watches a show, game, incident, etc.  spectate v. (-ting) informal. [latin: related to *spectacle]

Nitwit  n. Colloq. Stupid person. [perhaps from *nit, *wit]
Furcate  —adj. Forked, branched. —v. (-ting) fork, divide.  furcation n. [latin: related to *fork]

Electrolyze  v. (brit. -yse) (-zing, brit. -sing) subject to or treat by electrolysis.
Carcass  n. (also carcase) 1 dead body of an animal, esp. As meat. 2 bones of a cooked bird. 3 colloq. Human body; corpse. 4 framework. 5 worthless remains. [french]
Baroque  —adj. 1 highly ornate and extravagant in style, esp. Of european art etc. Of the 17th and 18th c. 2 of this period. —n. Baroque style or art. [portuguese, originally = misshapen pearl]
Absolve  v. (-ving) (often foll. By from, of) set or pronounce free from blame or obligation etc. [latin: related to *solve]

Sage2  —n. Often iron. Wise man. —adj. Wise, judicious, experienced.  sagely adv. [french from latin sapio be wise]
Incision  n. 1 cutting, esp. By a surgeon. 2 cut made in this way.

Charlatan  n. Person falsely claiming knowledge or skill.  charlatanism n. [italian, = babbler]



Tied  attrib. Adj. 1 (of a house) occupied subject to the tenant's working for its owner. 2 (of a public house etc.) Bound to supply the products of a particular brewery only.

Common-room  n. Room for the social use of students or teachers at a college etc.
Curare  n. Extract of various plants, used by american indians to poison arrows. [carib]


Missionary  —adj. Of or concerned with religious missions. —n. (pl. -ies) person doing missionary work. [latin: related to *mission]

Delegate  —n. 1 elected representative sent to a conference. 2 member of a committee or delegation. —v. (-ting) 1 (often foll. By to) a commit (power etc.) To an agent or deputy. B entrust (a task) to another. 2 send or authorize (a person) as a representative. [latin: related to *legate]

Synthesis  n. (pl. -theses) 1 a combining of elements into a whole. B result of this. 2 chem. Artificial production of compounds from their constituents as distinct from extraction from plants etc. [greek, = placing together]
Unpick  v. Undo the sewing of (stitches, a garment, etc.).
Pour  v. 1 (usu. Foll. By down, out, over, etc.) Flow or cause to flow esp. Downwards in a stream or shower. 2 dispense (a drink) by pouring. 3 rain heavily. 4 (usu. Foll. By in, out, etc.) Come or go in profusion or rapid succession (the crowd poured out; letters poured in). 5 discharge or send freely. 6 (often foll. By out) utter at length or in a rush (poured out their story). [origin unknown]




Electronics  n.pl. (treated as sing.) Science of the movement of electrons in a vacuum, gas, semiconductor, etc., esp. In devices in which the flow is controlled and utilized.
Unspoken  adj. 1 not expressed in speech. 2 not uttered as speech.
Uncared-for  adj. Disregarded; neglected.
Array  —n. 1 imposing or well-ordered series or display. 2 ordered arrangement, esp. Of troops (battle array). —v. 1 deck, adorn. 2 set in order; marshal (forces). [latin ad-, *ready]

High altar  n. Chief altar in a church.



Unrecorded  adj. Not recorded.
Furthest  (also farthest) —adj. Most distant. —adv. To or at the greatest distance.
Dieresis  n. (pl. Diereses) (brit. Diaeresis) mark (as in naïve) over a vowel to indicate that it is sounded separately. [greek, = separation]
Categorize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) place in a category.  categorization n.
Foul play  n. 1 unfair play in games. 2 treacherous or violent act, esp. Murder.

Artificial respiration  n. Manual or mechanical stimulation of breathing.


Broad bean  n. 1 bean with large edible flat seeds. 2 one such seed.

Angelica  n. Aromatic plant or its candied stalks. [medieval latin, = angelic (herb)]
Pectin  n.  Soluble gelatinous carbohydrate found in ripe fruits etc. And used as a setting agent in jams and jellies.  pectic adj.  [greek pegnumi make solid]



Cambrian  —adj. 1 welsh. 2 geol. Of the first period in the palaeozoic era. —n. This period. [welsh: related to *cymric]
Pyorrhoea  n. (us pyorrhea) 1 gum disease causing loosening of the teeth. 2 discharge of pus. [greek puon pus, rheo flow]
Unfurnished  adj. 1 (usu. Foll. By with) not supplied. 2 without furniture.
Available  adj. 1 at one's disposal, obtainable. 2 a (of a person) free, not committed. B able to be contacted.  availability n.
Germinate  v. (-ting) 1 sprout, bud, or develop. 2 cause to do this.  germination n. Germinative adj. [latin: related to *germ]

Communicative  adj. Ready to talk and impart information.
Disrepair  n. Poor condition due to lack of repairs.
Crt  abbr. Cathode-ray tube.
Medley  n. (pl. -s) 1 varied mixture. 2 collection of tunes etc. Played as one piece. [french medlee]


Afield  adv. To or at a distance (esp. Far afield). [old english: related to *a2]


Meteorite  n. Fallen meteor, or fragment of natural rock or metal from outer space.

Commend  v. 1 praise. 2 entrust, commit. 3 recommend.  commendation n. [latin: related to *mandate]
Earthling  n. Inhabitant of the earth, esp. In science fiction.

Apocalypse  n. 1 violent or destructive event. 2 (the apocalypse) revelation, the last book of the new testament. 3 revelation, esp. About the end of the world.  apocalyptic adj. [greek apokalupto reveal]
Rhetorical question  n. Question used for effect but not seeking an answer (e.g. Who cares? For nobody cares).
North country  n. Northern england.
Question mark  n. Punctuation mark (?) Indicating a question.




Indent  —v. 1 make or impress marks, notches, dents, etc. In. 2 start (a line of print or writing) further from the margin than others. 3 draw up (a legal document) in duplicate. 4 a (often foll. By on, upon a person, for a thing) make a requisition. B order (goods) by requisition. —n. 1 a order (esp. From abroad) for goods. B official requisition for stores. 2 indented line. 3 indentation. 4 indenture. [latin dens dentis tooth]


Purposive  adj. 1 having, serving, or done with a purpose. 2 purposeful; resolute.
Circumspect  adj. Cautious; taking everything into account.  circumspection n. Circumspectly adv. [latin specio spect- look]
Well-behaved  adj. Habitually behaving well.
Sherry  n. (pl. -ies) 1 fortified wine orig. From s. Spain. 2 glass of this. [xeres in andalusia]



Walking  n. & adj. In senses of *walk n.
Abrasion  n. 1 scraping or wearing away (of skin, rock, etc.). 2 resulting damaged area.


Nitrogen  n.  Gaseous element that forms four-fifths of the atmosphere.  nitrogenous adj. [french]

Corgi  n. (pl. -s) dog of a short-legged breed with a foxlike head. [welsh]
Futurism  n. 20th-century artistic movement departing from traditional forms and celebrating technology and dynamism.  futurist n. & adj.

Stopover  n. Break in a journey, esp. Overnight.
Forthwith  adv. At once; without delay. [from *forth]


Literature  n. 1 written works, esp. Those valued for form and style. 2 writings of a country or period or on a particular subject. 3 literary production. 4 colloq. Printed matter, leaflets, etc.
Nutrition  n. Food, nourishment.  nutritional adj. Nutritionist n.



C1  n. (pl. Cs or c's) 1 (also c) third letter of the alphabet. 2 mus. First note of the diatonic scale of c major. 3 third hypothetical person or example. 4 third highest category etc. 5 algebra (usu. C) third known quantity. 6 (as a roman numeral) 100. 7 (also ©) copyright.


Hellebore  n. Evergreen plant with usu. White, purple, or green flowers, e.g. The christmas rose. [greek (h)elleborus]
Rough  —adj. 1 uneven or bumpy, not smooth, level, or polished. 2 shaggy or coarse-haired. 3 boisterous, coarse; violent, not mild, quiet, or gentle (rough fellow; rough play; rough sea). 4 (of wine etc.) Sharp or harsh in taste. 5 harsh, insensitive (rough words; rough treatment). 6 a unpleasant, severe, demanding (had a rough time). B unfortunate; undeserved (had rough luck). C (often foll. By on) hard or unfair (towards). 7 lacking finish etc. 8 incomplete, rudimentary, approximate (rough attempt; rough sketch; rough estimate). 9 (of stationery etc.) Used for rough notes etc. 10 colloq. Unwell; depressed (feeling rough). —adv. In a rough manner (play rough). —n. 1 (usu. Prec. By the) hardship (take the rough with the smooth). 2 rough ground, esp. On a golf-course (ball went into the rough). 3 violent person (bunch of roughs). 4 unfinished or natural state (written it in rough). —v. 1 (foll. By up) ruffle (feathers, hair, etc.), esp. By rubbing. 2 (foll. By out, in) shape, plan, or sketch roughly.  rough it colloq. Do without basic comforts. Rough up slang attack violently.  roughish adj. Roughness n. [old english]

Electrocardiograph  n. Instrument recording the electric currents generated by a heartbeat.

O1  n. (also o) (pl. Os or o's) 1 fifteenth letter of the alphabet. 2 (0) nought, zero.






Plutocracy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 a government by the wealthy. B state so governed. 2 wealthy élite.  plutocratic adj. [greek ploutos wealth]
Reorientate  v. (-ting) = *reorient.  reorientation n.

Unobservant  adj. Not observant.




Drawbridge  n. Hinged retractable bridge, esp. Over a moat.
South-eastern  adj. On the south-east side.

Vacillate  v. (-ting) be irresolute; fluctuate.  vacillation n. Vacillator n. [latin]

Head in the sand  n. Refusal to acknowledge danger or difficulty.
Swine  n. (pl. Same) 1 formal or us pig. 2 colloq. (pl. Same or -s) a contemptible person. B unpleasant or difficult thing.  swinish adj. [old english]


Wintertime  n. Season or period of winter.






Manservant  n. (pl. Menservants) male servant.
Salad days  n. Period of youthful inexperience.

Unseemly  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 indecent. 2 unbecoming.  unseemliness n.
Anus  n. (pl. Anuses) excretory opening at the end of the alimentary canal. [latin]



Security  n. (pl. -ies) 1 secure condition or feeling. 2 thing that guards or guarantees. 3 a safety against espionage, theft, etc. B organization for ensuring this. 4 thing deposited as a guarantee of an undertaking or loan, to be forfeited in case of default. 5 (often in pl.) Document as evidence of a loan, certificate of stock, bonds, etc.


Forthcoming  adj. 1 coming or available soon. 2 produced when wanted. 3 (of a person) informative, responsive.
Diagram  n. Outline drawing, plan, or graphic representation of a machine, structure, process, etc.  diagrammatic adj. Diagrammatically adv. [greek: related to *-gram]
Kith  n.  kith and kin friends and relations. [old english, originally ‘knowledge’: related to *can1]
Intifada  n. Arab uprising. [arabic]
Seminal  adj. 1 of seed, semen, or reproduction; germinal. 2 (of ideas etc.) Forming a basis for future development. [latin: related to *semen]
Engorged  adj. 1 crammed full. 2 congested with fluid, esp. Blood. [french: related to *en-1, *gorge]


Accustom  v. (foll. By to) make used to (accustomed him to hardship). [french: related to *custom]
Iceberg lettuce  n. Crisp type of round lettuce.




Redshank  n. Sandpiper with bright-red legs.

Potter1  v. (us putter) 1 (often foll. By about, around) work or occupy oneself in a desultory manner. 2 go slowly, dawdle, loiter (pottered up to the pub). [dial. Pote push]

Walk-on  n. 1 (in full walk-on part) non-speaking dramatic role. 2 player of this.
Savvy  slang —v. (-ies, -ied) know. —n. Knowingness; understanding. —adj. (-ier, -iest) us knowing; wise. [pidgin alteration of spanish sabe usted you know]

Decorative  adj. Pleasing in appearance.  decoratively adv.
Sidereal  adj. Of the constellations or fixed stars. [latin sidus sider- star]






Crime  n. 1 a offence punishable by law. B illegal acts (resorted to crime). 2 evil act (crime against humanity). 3 colloq. Shameful act. [latin crimen]
Gastronomy  n. Science or art of good eating and drinking.  gastronomic adj. Gastronomical adj. Gastronomically adv.

Disco music  n. Popular dance music with a heavy bass rhythm.

Militate  v. (-ting) (usu. Foll. By against) have force or effect; tell. [latin: related to *military]
Molasses  n.pl. (treated as sing.) 1 uncrystallized syrup extracted from raw sugar. 2 us treacle. [portuguese from latin mel honey]


Tcp  abbr. Propr. A disinfectant and germicide. [trichlorophenylmethyliodasalicyl]




Seventh  adj. & n. 1 next after sixth. 2 one of seven equal parts of a thing.  seventhly adv.






Davenport  n. 1 small writing-desk with a sloping top. 2 us large sofa. [name of the maker]
Notifiable  adj. (of a disease etc.) That must be notified to the health authorities.


Cheek-bone  n. Bone below the eye.
Paleontology  n. (brit. Palaeontology) the study of life in the geological past.  palaeontologist n. [greek on ont- being]



Factsheet  n. Information leaflet, esp. Accompanying a television programme.
Weed  —n. 1 wild plant growing where it is not wanted. 2 thin weak-looking person or horse. 3 (prec. By the) slang a marijuana. B tobacco. —v. 1 a clear (an area) of weeds. B remove unwanted parts from. 2 (foll. By out) a sort out and remove (inferior or unwanted parts etc.). B rid of inferior parts, unwanted members, etc. 3 cut off or uproot weeds. [old english]
Patriarch  n. 1 male head of a family or tribe. 2 (often in pl.)  Any of those regarded as fathers of the human race, esp. The sons of jacob, or abraham, isaac, and jacob, and their forefathers. 3 eccl. A chief bishop in the orthodox church. B rc ch. Bishop ranking immediately below the pope. 4 venerable old man.  patriarchal adj. [greek patria family, arkhes ruler]


Scanty  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 of small extent or amount. 2 barely sufficient.  scantily adv. Scantiness n.








Oestrogen  n. (us estrogen) 1 sex hormone developing and maintaining female characteristics of the body. 2 this produced artificially for use in medicine. [greek oistros frenzy, *-gen]

Virus  n. 1 microscopic organism often causing diseases. 2  = *computer virus. [latin, = poison]
À la mode  adv. & adj. In fashion; fashionable. [french]

Major  —adj. 1 relatively great in size, intensity, scope, or importance. 2 (of surgery) serious. 3 mus. A (of a scale) having intervals of a semitone above its third and seventh notes. B (of an interval) greater by a semitone than a minor interval (major third). C (of a key) based on a major scale. 4 of full legal age. —n. 1  a army officer next below lieutenant-colonel. B officer in charge of a band section (drum major). 2 person of full legal age. 3 us a student's main subject or course. B student of this. —v. (foll. By in) us study or qualify in (a subject) as one's main subject. [latin, comparative of magnus great]
Fighting chance  n. Slight chance of success if an effort is made.
Fieldwork  n. 1 practical surveying, science, sociology, etc. Conducted in the natural environment. 2 temporary fortification.  fieldworker n.
Stealth  n. Secrecy, secret behaviour. [old english: related to *steal]

March  n. Third month of the year. [latin martius of mars]


Maggot  n. Larva, esp. Of the housefly or bluebottle.  maggoty adj. [perhaps an alteration of maddock, from old norse]


Hit  —v. (-tt-; past and past part. Hit) 1 a strike with a blow or missile. B (of a moving body) strike with force (the plane hit the ground). C reach (a target etc.) With a directed missile (hit the wicket). 2 cause to suffer; affect adversely. 3 (often foll. By at, against) direct a blow. 4 (often foll. By against, on) knock (a part of the body) (hit his head). 5 achieve, reach (hit the right tone; can't hit the high notes). 6 colloq. A encounter (hit a snag). B arrive at (hit town). C indulge heavily in, esp. Liquor etc. (hit the bottle). 7 esp. Us slang rob or kill. 8 occur forcefully to (it only hit him later). 9 a propel (a ball etc.) With a bat etc. To score runs or points. B score in this way (hit a six). —n. 1 a blow, stroke. B collision. 2 shot etc. That hits its target. 3 colloq. Popular success.  hit back retaliate. Hit below the belt 1 esp. Boxing give a foul blow. 2 treat or behave unfairly. Hit the hay (or sack) colloq. Go to bed. Hit it off (often foll. By with, together) colloq. Get on well (with a person). Hit the nail on the head state the truth exactly. Hit on (or upon) find by chance. Hit out deal vigorous physical or verbal blows. Hit the road slang depart. Hit the roof see *roof. [old english from old norse]


Aubrietia  n. (also aubretia) dwarf perennial rock-plant with purple or pink flowers. [aubriet, name of an artist]


Enjoy  v. 1 take pleasure in. 2 have the use or benefit of. 3 experience (enjoy good health).  enjoy oneself experience pleasure.  enjoyment n. [french]

Fruition  n. 1 bearing of fruit. 2 realization of aims or hopes. [latin: related to *fruit]
Tangerine  n. 1 small sweet thin-skinned citrus fruit like an orange; mandarin. 2 deep orange-yellow colour. [tangier in morocco]
Hiding-place  n. Place of concealment.
Sterilize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 make sterile. 2 deprive of reproductive powers.  sterilization n.


Day return  n. Reduced fare or ticket for a return journey in one day.
Double time  n. Wages paid at twice the normal rate.




-logy  comb. Form forming nouns denoting: 1 a subject of study (biology). 2 speech or discourse or a characteristic of this (trilogy; tautology; phraseology). [greek -logia from logos word]




Dovetail  —n. Mortise and tenon joint shaped like a dove's spread tail. —v. 1 join with dovetails. 2 fit together; combine neatly.
Thankful  adj. 1 grateful, pleased. 2 expressive of thanks.

Mirror  —n. 1 polished surface, usu. Of coated glass, reflecting an image. 2 anything reflecting or illuminating a state of affairs etc. —v. Reflect in or as in a mirror. [latin miro look at]

Two-way mirror  n. Panel of glass that can be seen through from one side and is a mirror on the other.
Graven  past part. Of *grave3.

Earful  n. (pl. -s) colloq. 1 prolonged amount of talking. 2 strong reprimand.

Showjumping  n. Sport of riding horses competitively over a course of fences etc.  showjumper n.

Humanly  adv. 1 by human means (if it is humanly possible). 2 in a human manner.




Uneconomical  adj. Not economical; wasteful.


Allegation  n. 1 assertion, esp. Unproved. 2 alleging. [latin allego adduce]
Unease  n. Nervousness, anxiety.

Czar  var. Of *tsar
Prone  adj. 1 a lying face downwards. B lying flat, prostrate. C having the front part downwards, esp. The palm. 2 (usu. Foll. By to, or to + infin.) Disposed or liable (prone to bite his nails). 3 (usu. In comb.) Likely to suffer (accident-prone).  proneness n. [latin]
Resilient  adj. 1 resuming its original shape after compression etc. 2 readily recovering from a setback.  resilience n. [latin: related to *salient]
Referendum  n. (pl. -s or -da) vote on an important political question open to all the electors of a state. [latin: related to *refer]




Backpack  —n. Rucksack. —v. Travel or hike with this.  backpacker n.

Catfish  n. (pl. Same) freshwater fish with whisker-like barbels round the mouth.

Cetacean  —n. Marine mammal, e.g. The whale. —adj. Of cetaceans. [greek ketos whale]
Page2  —n. 1 liveried boy or man employed to run errands, attend to a door, etc. 2 boy as a personal attendant of a bride etc. —v. (-ging) 1 (in hotels, airports, etc.) Summon, esp. By making an announcement. 2 summon by pager. [french]
Heredity  n. 1 a passing on of physical or mental characteristics genetically. B these characteristics. 2 genetic constitution.
Footnote  n. Note printed at the foot of a page.

Entrecôte  n. Boned steak off the sirloin. [french, = between-rib]
Flea  n. Small wingless jumping parasitic insect.  a flea in one's ear sharp reproof. [old english]
March2  —n. Hist. 1 (usu. In pl.) Boundary, frontier (esp. Between england and scotland or wales). 2 tract of land between two countries, esp. Disputed. —v. (foll. By upon, with) (of a country, an estate, etc.) Border on. [french marche from medieval latin marca]
Blunderbuss  n. Hist. Short large-bored gun. [dutch donderbus thunder gun]
Mountain lion  n. Puma.
Gnarled  adj. (of a tree, hands, etc.) Knobbly, twisted, rugged. [var. Of knarled: related to *knurl]

Detective  n. Person, esp. A police officer, investigating crimes.

Iso-  comb. Form equal. [greek isos equal]


Sound wave  n. Wave of compression and rarefaction, by which sound is transmitted in the air etc.

Scoreboard  n. Large board for displaying the score in a game or match.
Withstand  v. (past and past part. -stood) oppose, hold out against. [old english: related to *with, *stand]
-able  suffix forming adjectives meaning: 1 that may or must be (eatable; payable). 2 that can be made the subject of (dutiable; objectionable). 3 relevant to or in accordance with (fashionable; seasonable). [latin -abilis]
Mausoleum  n. Magnificent tomb. [from mausolos, king of caria, whose tomb had this name]
Armorial  adj. Of heraldry or coats of arms. [related to *armour]


Metallurgy  n. 1 science of metals and their application. 2 extraction and purification of metals. metallurgic adj. Metallurgical adj. Metallurgist n. [greek metallon *metal, -ourgia working]

Prick  —v. 1 pierce slightly; make a small hole in. 2 (foll. By off, out) mark with small holes or dots. 3 trouble mentally (my conscience pricked me). 4 tingle. 5 (foll. By out) plant (seedlings etc.) In small holes pricked in the soil. —n. 1 act of pricking. 2 small hole or mark made by pricking. 3 pain caused as by pricking. 4 mental pain. 5 coarse slang a penis. B derog. Contemptible man.  prick up one's ears 1 (of a dog etc.) Make the ears erect when alert. 2 (of a person) become suddenly attentive. [old english]
Collage  n. Form or work of art in which various materials are fixed to a backing. [french, = gluing]
Statics  n.pl. (usu. Treated as sing.) 1 science of bodies at rest or of forces in equilibrium. 2 = *static.
Precipitation  n. 1 precipitating or being precipitated. 2 rash haste. 3 a rain or snow etc. Falling to the ground. B quantity of this.
Twirp  var. Of *twerp.





Triangle  n. 1 plane figure with three sides and angles. 2 any three things not in a straight line, with imaginary lines joining them. 3 implement of this shape. 4 musical instrument consisting of a steel rod bent into a triangle, struck with a small steel rod. 5 situation, esp. An emotional relationship, involving three people.  triangular adj. [latin: related to *tri-]
Do-se-do  n. (also do-si-do) (pl. -s) figure in which two dancers pass round each other back to back. [french dos-à-dos, = back to back]
Gummy2  adj. (-ier, -iest) toothless.
Malaria  n. Recurrent fever caused by a parasite transmitted by a mosquito bite.  malarial adj.  [italian, = bad air]

Overlie  v. (-lying; past -lay; past part. -lain) 1 lie on top of. 2 smother (a child etc.) Thus.
Season ticket  n. Ticket entitling the holder to unlimited travel, access, etc., in a given period.

Goodbye  (us goodby) —int. Expressing good wishes on parting, ending a telephone conversation, etc. —n. (pl. -byes or us -bys) parting; farewell. [from god be with you!]

Holiness  n. 1 being holy or sacred. 2 (holiness) title used when addressing or referring to the pope. [old english: related to *holy]

Loaves  pl. Of *loaf1.
Trembler  n. Automatic vibrator for making and breaking an electrical circuit.
Sub-  prefix 1 at, to, or from a lower position (subordinate; submerge; subtract). 2 secondary or inferior position (subclass; subtotal). 3 nearly; more or less (subarctic). [latin]
Speed limit  n. Maximum permitted speed on a road etc.


Sin bin  n. Colloq. Ice hockey penalty box.


Sluice  —n. 1 (also sluice-gate, sluice-valve) sliding gate or other contrivance for regulating the volume or flow of water. 2 water so regulated. 3 (sluice-way) artificial water-channel, esp. For washing ore. 4 place for rinsing. 5 act of rinsing. —v. (-cing) 1 provide or wash with a sluice or sluices. 2 rinse, esp. With running water. 3 (foll. By out, away) wash out or away with a flow of water. 4 (of water) rush out (as if) from a sluice. [french escluse]
Hangman  n. 1 executioner who hangs condemned persons. 2 word-game for two players, with failed guesses recorded by drawing a representation of a gallows.
Demand feeding  n. Feeding a baby when it cries.
Tequila  n. Mexican liquor made from an agave. [tequila in mexico]

Cardinal virtues  n.pl. Justice, prudence, temperance, and fortitude.

Acceptance  n. 1 willingness to accept. 2 affirmative answer to an invitation etc. 3 approval, belief (found wide acceptance).



Yet  —adv. 1 as late as, or until, now or then (there is yet time; your best work yet). 2 (with neg. Or interrog.) So soon as, or by, now or then (it is not time yet; have you finished yet?). 3 again; in addition (more and yet more). 4 in the remaining time available (i will do it yet). 5 (foll. By compar.) Even (a yet more difficult task). 6 nevertheless; and or but in spite of that. —conj. But at the same time; but nevertheless. [old english]



Rt. Revd.  Abbr. (also rt. Rev.) Right reverend.

Meiosis  n. (pl. Meioses) 1 cell division that results in gametes with half the normal chromosome number. 2 = *litotes. [greek meion less]

Withhold  v. (past and past part. -held) 1 hold back; restrain. 2 refuse to give, grant, or allow. [from *with = away]

Untaxed  adj. (of a person, commodity, etc.) Not taxed.

Public school  n. 1 private fee-paying secondary school, esp. For boarders. 2 us, austral., & scot. Non-fee-paying school.
Glen  n. Narrow valley. [gaelic]
Shelve  v. (-ving) 1 put aside, esp. Temporarily. 2 put (books etc.) On a shelf. 3 fit with shelves. 4 (of ground etc.) Slope.  shelving n.
Worldly  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 of the affairs of the world, temporal, earthly (worldly goods). 2 experienced in life, sophisticated, practical.  worldliness n.

-dom  suffix forming nouns denoting: 1 condition (freedom). 2 rank, domain (earldom; kingdom). 3 class of people (or associated attitudes etc.) Regarded collectively (officialdom). [old english]
Eve  n. 1 evening or day before a festival etc. (christmas eve; eve of the funeral). 2 time just before an event (eve of the election). 3 archaic evening. [= *even2]


Brain death  n. Irreversible brain damage causing the end of independent respiration, regarded as indicative of death.  brain-dead adj.

Hand-over  n. Handing over.

Assegai  n. (also assagai) light iron-tipped s. African spear. [arabic, = the spear]

Track events  n.pl. Running-races as opposed to jumping etc.

Gloaming  n. Scot. Or poet. Twilight. [old english]
Cottage cheese  n. Soft white lumpy cheese made from skimmed milk curds.
Line2  v. (-ning) 1 cover the inside surface of (a garment, box, etc.) With a layer of usu. Different material. 2 serve as a lining for. 3 colloq. Fill, esp. Plentifully. [obsolete line linen used for linings]
Fart  coarse slang —v. 1 emit wind from the anus. 2 (foll. By about, around) behave foolishly. —n. 1 an emission of wind from the anus. 2 unpleasant or foolish person. [old english]
Shading  n. Light and shade shown on a map or drawing by parallel lines etc.
Epistle  n. 1 joc. Letter. 2 (epistle) any of the apostles' letters in the new testament. 3 poem etc. In the form of a letter. [greek epistole from stello send]


Operate  v. (-ting) 1 work, control. 2 be in action; function. 3 a perform a surgical operation. B conduct a military etc. Action. C be active in business etc. 4 bring about. [latin operor work: related to *opus]



Seine  —n. Fishing-net with floats at the top and weights at the bottom edge. —v. (-ning) fish or catch with a seine. [old english segne]


Resistance  n. 1 resisting; refusal to comply. 2 power of resisting. 3 ability to withstand disease. 4 impeding or stopping effect exerted by one thing on another. 5 physics property of hindering the conduction of electricity, heat, etc. 6 resistor. 7 secret organization resisting a régime, esp. In an occupied country.  resistant adj. [latin: related to *resist]
Pinchbeck  —n. Goldlike alloy of copper and zinc used in cheap jewellery etc. —adj. Counterfeit, sham. [pinchbeck, name of a watchmaker]
Cobra  n. Venomous hooded snake of africa and asia. [latin colubra snake]


Durable  —adj. 1 lasting; hard-wearing. 2 (of goods) with a relatively long useful life. —n. (in pl.) Durable goods.  durability n. [latin durus hard]
Armada  n. Fleet of warships, esp. (armada) that sent by spain against england in 1588. [spanish from romanic]


Staple1  —n. U-shaped metal bar or piece of wire with pointed ends for driving into and holding papers together, or holding an electrical wire in place, etc. —v. (-ling) fasten or provide with a staple.  stapler n. [old english]
Black magic  n. Magic supposed to invoke evil spirits.

Heptagon  n. Plane figure with seven sides and angles.  heptagonal adj. [greek: related to *hepta-, -gonos angled]

Woodcutter  n. Person who cuts timber.




Indrawn  adj. (of breath etc.) Drawn in.


Impart  v. (often foll. By to) 1 communicate (news etc.). 2 give a share of (a thing). [latin: related to *part]

Field-day  n. 1 exciting or successful time. 2 military exercise or review.
Graffiti  n.pl. (sing. Graffito) writing or drawing scribbled, scratched, or sprayed on a surface. [italian graffio a scratch]


Reef1  n. 1 ridge of rock or coral etc. At or near the surface of the sea. 2 a lode of ore. B bedrock surrounding this. [old norse rif]
Convince  v. (-cing) firmly persuade.  convincible adj. Convincing adj. Convincingly adv. [latin: related to *convict]

Bill of fare  n. Menu.

House lights  n.pl. Lights in a theatre auditorium.
Pushing  adj. 1 pushy. 2 predic. Colloq. Having nearly reached (a specified age).
Frappé  adj. Iced, cooled. [french]
Sheen  n. 1 gloss or lustre. 2 brightness.  sheeny adj. [old english, = beautiful]

Prom  n. Colloq. 1 = *promenade n. 1. 2  = *promenade concert. [abbreviation]
Schmaltz  n. Colloq. Esp. Us sentimentality, esp. In music, drama, etc.  schmaltzy adj. [yiddish]

Subterfuge  n. 1 attempt to avoid blame or defeat esp. By lying or deceit. 2 statement etc. Used for such a purpose. [latin]

Redcap  n. Member of the military police.
Pachyderm  n. Thick-skinned mammal, esp. An elephant or rhinoceros.  pachydermatous adj. [greek pakhus thick, derma skin]

Right reverend  n. Bishop's title.
Orifice  n. Opening, esp. The mouth of a cavity. [latin os or- mouth, facio make]
Hoary  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 a (of hair) grey or white with age. B having such hair; aged. 2 old and trite (hoary joke). [old english]


Prototype  n. 1 original as a pattern for imitations, improved forms, representations, etc. 2 trial model or preliminary version of a vehicle, machine, etc.  prototypic adj. Prototypical adj.  [greek: related to *proto-]
Dibble  —n. (also dibber) hand tool for making holes for planting. —v. (-ling) sow, plant, or prepare (soil) with a dibble. [origin uncertain]

Vegetable marrow  see *marrow 1.
Exterior  —adj. 1 of or on the outer side. 2 coming from outside. —n. 1 outward aspect or surface of a building etc. 2 outward demeanour. 3 outdoor scene in filming. [latin]
Quietus  n. Release from life; death, final riddance (will get its quietus). [medieval latin: related to *quiet]
Climb-down  n. Withdrawal from a stance taken up.




Convulsion  n. 1 (usu. In pl.) Violent irregular motion of the limbs or body caused by involuntary contraction of muscles. 2 violent disturbance. 3 (in pl.) Uncontrollable laughter.

Watchman  n. Man employed to look after an empty building etc. At night.

Aristotelian  —n. Disciple or student of aristotle. —adj. Of aristotle or his ideas. [greek aristoteles (4th c. Bc), name of a greek philosopher]
Prowl  —v. (often foll. By about, around) roam (a place) esp. Stealthily or restlessly or in search of prey, plunder, etc. —n. Act of prowling.  on the prowl prowling.  prowler n. [origin unknown]
Claim  —v. 1 state, declare, assert. 2 demand as one's due or property. 3 represent oneself as having or achieving (claim victory). 4 (foll. By to + infin.) Profess. 5 have as an achievement or consequence (fire claimed two victims). 6 (of a thing) deserve (attention etc.). —n. 1 demand or request for a thing considered one's due (lay claim to; put in a claim). 2 (foll. By to, on) right or title to a thing. 3 assertion. 4 thing claimed. [latin clamo call out]
Histology  n. The study of tissue structure. [greek histos web]


Unintended  adj. Not intended.
Solenoid  n. Cylindrical coil of wire acting as a magnet when carrying electric current. [french from greek solen tube]


Practitioner  n. Person practising a profession, esp. Medicine.
Influx  n. Flowing in, esp. Of people or things into a place. [latin: related to *flux]

Hearty  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 strong, vigorous. 2 (of a meal or appetite) large. 3 warm, friendly.  heartiness n.

Learner  n. 1 person who is learning a subject or skill. 2 (in full learner driver) person who is learning to drive but has not yet passed a driving test.
Eerie  adj. (eerier, eeriest) gloomy and strange; weird (eerie silence).  eerily adv. Eeriness n. [old english]


Vino  n. Slang wine, esp. Of an inferior kind. [italian, = wine]




Leash  —n. Strap for holding a dog etc.; lead. —v. 1 put a leash on. 2 restrain.  straining at the leash eager to begin. [french lesse: related to *lease]
Syllogism  n. Reasoning in which a conclusion is drawn from two given or assumed propositions.  syllogistic adj. [greek logos reason]




Nictitate  v. (-ting) blink or wink.  nictitation n. [latin]


Greenfly  n. 1 green aphid. 2 these collectively.


Usage  dice, rather than die, is now the standard singular as well as plural form in the games sense (one dice, two dice).
These  pl. Of *this.
Revulsion  n. 1 abhorrence. 2 sudden violent change of feeling. [latin vello vuls- pull]
Sea front  n. Part of a town directly facing the sea.
Signboard  n. Board displaying a name or symbol etc. Outside a shop or hotel etc.

Private hotel  n. Hotel not obliged to take all comers.
Close season  n. Season when the killing of game etc. Is illegal.
Animosity  n. (pl. -ies) spirit or feeling of hostility. [latin: related to *animus]
Adverse  adj. Unfavourable; harmful.  adversely adv. [latin: related to *ad-, verto vers- turn]
Compound fracture  n. Fracture complicated by a wound.








Marry  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 take, join, or give in marriage. 2 a enter into marriage. B (foll. By into) become a member of (a family) by marriage. 3 a unite intimately, combine. B pair (socks etc.).  marry off find a spouse for. Marry up link, join. [latin maritus husband]





Nspcc  abbr. National society for the prevention of cruelty to children.
Mutton  n. Flesh of sheep as food. [medieval latin multo sheep]

Counterbalance  —n. Weight or influence balancing another. —v. (-cing) act as a counterbalance to.
Antarctic circle  n. Parallel of latitude 66° 32´ s., forming an imaginary line round the antarctic region.




Uncritical  adj. 1 not critical; complacently accepting. 2 not in accordance with the principles of criticism.  uncritically adv.

Comprehension  n. 1 a understanding. B text set as a test of understanding. 2 inclusion.


Unquestionable  adj. That cannot be disputed or doubted.  unquestionably adv.
Edify  v. (-ies, -ied) improve morally or intellectually.  edification n. [latin aedifico build]




Medical officer  n. Person in charge of the health services of a local authority etc.
Hereditary  adj. 1 (of a disease, instinct, etc.) Able to be passed down genetically from one generation to another. 2 a descending by inheritance. B holding a position by inheritance. [latin: related to *heir]
Marsala  n. A dark sweet fortified dessert wine. [marsala in sicily]
Hay fever  n. Allergy with asthmatic symptoms etc., caused by pollen or dust.
Usage  the use of anticipate in sense 2, ‘expect’, ‘foresee’, is well-established in informal use, but is regarded as incorrect by some people.
Leg-pull  n. Colloq. Hoax.
Choreograph  v. Compose choreography for (a ballet etc.).  choreographer n.
Unable  predic. Adj. (usu. Foll. By to + infin.) Not able.
Sounding-line  n. Line used in sounding.
-est  suffix forming the superlative of adjectives (widest; nicest; happiest) and adverbs (soonest). [old english]
Reptile  n. 1 cold-blooded scaly animal of a class including snakes, lizards, crocodiles, turtles, tortoises, etc. 2 mean, grovelling, or repulsive person.  reptilian adj. & n. [latin repo rept- creep]
Comfrey  n. (pl. -s) tall bell-flowered plant growing in damp, shady places. [french from latin]
Look-alike  n. Person or thing closely resembling another.
Blowy  adj. (-ier, -iest) windy.
Amnesty  —n. (pl. -ies) general pardon, esp. For political offences. —v. (-ies, -ied) grant an amnesty to. [greek amnestia oblivion]


Cove1  —n. 1 small bay or creek. 2 sheltered recess. 3 moulding, esp. At the junction of a wall and a ceiling. —v. (-ving) 1 provide (a room etc.) With a cove. 2 slope (the sides of a fireplace) inwards. [old english]
Incur  v. (-rr-) bring on oneself (danger, blame, loss, etc.). [latin curro run]
Whistle-stop  n. 1 us small unimportant town on a railway. 2 politician's brief pause for an electioneering speech on tour.


Pulverize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 reduce or crumble to fine particles or dust. 2 colloq. Demolish, defeat utterly.  pulverization n. [latin pulvis -ver- dust]


Rm.  Abbr. Room.



Skunk  n. (pl. Same or -s) 1 black and white striped mammal emitting a powerful stench when attacked. 2 colloq. Contemptible person. [american indian]


Quietism  n. Passive contemplative attitude towards life, esp. As a form of mysticism.  quietist n. & adj. [italian: related to *quiet]

Sounding  n. 1 measurement of the depth of water. 2 (in pl.) Region close enough to the shore for sounding. 3 (in pl.) Cautious investigation.
Plr  abbr. Public lending right.

Mortal  —adj. 1 subject to death. 2 causing death; fatal. 3 (of combat) fought to the death. 4 associated with death (mortal agony). 5 (of an enemy) implacable. 6 (of pain, fear, an affront, etc.) Intense, very serious. 7 colloq. Long and tedious (for two mortal hours). 8 colloq. Conceivable, imaginable (every mortal thing; of no mortal use). —n. Human being.  mortally adv. [latin mors mort- death]

Favour  (us favor) —n. 1 kind act (did it as a favour). 2 approval, goodwill; friendly regard (gained their favour). 3 partiality. 4 badge, ribbon, etc., as an emblem of support. —v. 1 regard or treat with favour or partiality. 2 support, promote, prefer. 3 be to the advantage of; facilitate. 4 tend to confirm (an idea etc.). 5 (foll. By with) oblige. 6 (as favoured adj.) Having special advantages.  in favour 1 approved of. 2 (foll. By of) a in support of. B to the advantage of. Out of favour disapproved of. [latin faveo be kind to]
Recreation ground  n. Public land used for sports or games.


Racing car  n. Motor car built for racing.

Bst  abbr. 1 british summer time. 2 bovine somatotrophin, a growth hormone added to cattle-feed to boost milk production.

Spin  —v. (-nn-; past and past part. Spun) 1 (cause to) turn or whirl round quickly. 2 (also absol.) A draw out and twist (wool, cotton, etc.) Into threads. B make (yarn) in this way. 3 (of a spider, silkworm, etc.) Make (a web, cocoon, etc.) By extruding a fine viscous thread. 4 (esp. Of the head) be dizzy through excitement etc. 5 tell or write (a story etc.). 6 (as spun adj.) Made into threads (spun glass; spun gold). 7 toss (a coin). 8 = spin-dry (*spin-drier). —n. 1 spinning motion; whirl. 2 rotating dive of an aircraft. 3  secondary twisting motion, e.g. Of a ball in flight. 4 colloq. Brief drive, esp. In a car.  spin out prolong. Spin a yarn tell a story. [old english]





Annoy  v. 1 (often in passive) anger or distress slightly (am annoyed with you). 2 molest, harass.  annoyance n. [latin in odio hateful]
Striped  adj. Marked with stripes.
Cirrus  n. (pl. Cirri) 1 white wispy cloud at high altitude. 2 tendril or appendage of a plant or animal. [latin, = curl]





Encase  v. (-sing) enclose in or as in a case.  encasement n.
Spare  —adj. 1 a not required for normal or immediate use; extra. B for emergency or occasional use. 2 lean; thin. 3 frugal. —n. Spare part. —v. (-ring) 1 afford to give, do without; dispense with (spared me ten minutes). 2 a refrain from killing, hurting, etc. B abstain from inflicting (spare me this task). 3 be frugal or grudging of (no expense spared).  go spare colloq. Become very angry or distraught. Not spare oneself exert one's utmost efforts. Spare a person's life not kill him or her. To spare left over; additional (an hour to spare).  sparely adv. Spareness n. [old english]

Genie  n. (pl. Genii) (in arabian tales) spirit or goblin with magical powers. [french génie *genius: cf. *jinnee]
Like-minded  adj. Having the same tastes, opinions, etc.



Loco1  n. (pl. -s) colloq. Locomotive engine. [abbreviation]


Porridge  n. 1 dish of oatmeal or cereal boiled in water or milk. 2 slang imprisonment. [alteration of *pottage]
Mastitis  n. Inflammation of the breast or udder. [greek mastos breast]

Detoxify  v. (-ies, -ied) remove poison or harmful substances from.  detoxification n. [latin toxicum poison]

Ridiculous  adj. 1 deserving or inviting ridicule. 2 unreasonable.  ridiculously adv. Ridiculousness n.
Prize2  n. Ship or property captured in naval warfare. [french prise from latin prehendo seize]
Well-to-do  adj. Prosperous.
Geordie  n. Native of tyneside. [name george]


Calumny  n. (pl. -ies) slander; malicious representation.  calumnious adj. [latin]
Extraneous  adj. 1 of external origin. 2 (often foll. By to) a separate from the object to which it is attached etc. B irrelevant, unrelated. [latin extraneus]
Salacious  adj. 1 indecently erotic. 2 lecherous.  salaciousness n. Salacity n. [latin salax -acis: related to *salient]
Antibiotic  —n. Substance (e.g. Penicillin) that can inhibit or destroy susceptible micro-organisms. —adj. Functioning as an antibiotic. [greek bios life]
Mountain  n. 1 large abrupt natural elevation of the ground. 2 large heap or pile; huge quantity. 3 large surplus stock (butter mountain).  make a mountain out of a molehill see *molehill. [latin: related to *mount2]

Witness  —n. 1 = *eyewitness. 2 a person giving sworn testimony. B person attesting another's signature to a document. 3 (foll. By to, of) person or thing whose existence etc. Attests or proves something. 4 testimony, evidence, confirmation. —v. 1 be an eye-witness of. 2 be witness to the authenticity of (a signature etc.). 3 serve as evidence or an indication of. 4 (foll. By against, for, to) give or serve as evidence.  bear witness to (or of) 1 attest the truth of. 2 state one's belief in. Call to witness appeal to for confirmation etc. [old english: related to *wit]

Lovat  n. & adj. Muted green. [lovat in scotland]
Lean years  n.pl. Years of scarcity.
Next world  n. (prec. By the) life after death.





Chiromancy  n. Palmistry. [greek mantis seer]
Off-key  adj. & adv. 1 out of tune. 2 not quite fitting.


Catching  adj. (of a disease, practice, etc.) Infectious.



Hereinafter  adv. Esp. Law formal 1 from this point on. 2 in a later part of this document etc.


Plural  —adj. 1 more than one in number. 2 gram. (of a word or form) denoting more than one. —n. Gram. 1 plural word or form. 2 plural number. [latin: related to *plus]
Unsolicited  adj. Not asked for; voluntary.


Larynx  n. (pl. Larynges or -xes) hollow organ in the throat holding the vocal cords. [latin from greek]

Spotted dick  n. Suet pudding containing currants.
Musty  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 mouldy, stale. 2 dull, antiquated.  mustily adv. Mustiness n. [perhaps an alteration of moisty: related to *moist]
Drone  —n. 1 non-working male of the honey-bee. 2 idler. 3 deep humming sound. 4 monotonous speaking tone. 5 bass-pipe of bagpipes or its continuous note. —v. (-ning) 1 make a deep humming sound. 2 speak or utter monotonously. [old english]
Line-up  n. 1 line of people for inspection. 2 arrangement of persons in a team, band, etc.
Mister  n. Colloq. Or joc. Form of address to a man. [from *master; cf. *mr]
Mischief  n. 1 troublesome, but not malicious, conduct, esp. Of children (get into mischief). 2 playfulness; malice (eyes full of mischief). 3 harm, injury (do someone a mischief).  make mischief create discord. [french: related to *mis-2, chever happen] 


Homeward  —adv. (also homewards) towards home. —adj. Going towards home.
Lasting  adj. Permanent; durable.

Freshen  v. 1 make or become fresh. 2 (foll. By up) a wash, tidy oneself, etc. B revive.
Hmg  abbr. Her (or his) majesty's government.
West end  n. Main entertainment and shopping area of london.

Hydropathy  n. (medically unorthodox) treatment of disease by water.  hydropathic adj. [related to *pathos]

Kudu  n. (also koodoo) (pl. Same or -s) african antelope with white stripes and corkscrew-shaped ridged horns. [xhosa]




Escritoire  n. Writing-desk with drawers etc. [french from latin scriptorium writing-room]


Loath  predic. Adj. (also loth) disinclined, reluctant (loath to admit it). [old english]


Pack1  —n. 1 a collection of things wrapped up or tied together for carrying. B = *backpack. 2 set of packaged items. 3 usu. Derog. Lot or set (pack of lies; pack of thieves). 4  set of playing-cards. 5 group of hounds, wild animals, etc. 6 organized group of cub scouts or brownies. 7 rugby team's forwards. 8 = *face-pack. 9 = *pack ice. —v. 1 (often foll. By up) a fill (a suitcase, bag, etc.) With clothes etc. B put (things) in a bag or suitcase, esp. For travelling. 2 (often foll. By in, into) crowd or cram (packed a lot into a few hours; packed in like sardines). 3 (esp. In passive; often foll. By with) fill (restaurant was packed; fans packed the stadium; packed with information). 4 cover (a thing) with packaging. 5 be suitable for packing. 6 colloq. A carry (a gun etc.). B be capable of delivering (a forceful punch). 7 (of animals or rugby forwards) form a pack.  pack in colloq. Stop, give up (packed in his job). Pack it in (or up) colloq. End or stop it. Pack off send (a person) away, esp. Summarily.  Pack them in fill a theatre etc. With a capacity audience. Pack up colloq. 1 stop functioning; break down. 2 retire from an activity, contest, etc. Send packing colloq. Dismiss summarily. [low german or dutch]
Personally  adv. 1 in person (see to it personally). 2 for one's own part (speaking personally). 3 in a personal manner (took the criticism personally).
Scarcely  adv. 1 hardly, only just (had scarcely arrived). 2 surely not (can scarcely have said so). 3 esp. Iron. Not (scarcely expected to be insulted).

Heartache  n. Mental anguish.
Optical  adj. 1 of sight; visual. 2 of or according to optics. 3 aiding sight.  optically adv.


Hymen  n. Membrane at the opening of the vagina, usu. Broken at the first occurrence of sexual intercourse. [greek humen membrane]
Devotee  n. 1 (usu. Foll. By of) zealous enthusiast or supporter. 2 pious person.








Sec  adj. (of wine) dry. [french]
Usage  exceptionable is sometimes confused with exceptional.


Jute  n. 1 fibre from the bark of an e. Indian plant, used esp. For sacking, mats, etc. 2 plant yielding this. [bengali]
Salesperson  n. Salesman or saleswoman.




Eavesdrop  v. (-pp-) listen to a private conversation.  eavesdropper n.

Underpay  v. (past and past part. -paid) pay too little to (a person) or for (a thing).  underpayment n.

Excise1  —n. 1 tax on goods produced or sold within the country of origin. 2 tax on certain licences. —v. (-sing) 1 charge excise on. 2 force (a person) to pay excise. [dutch excijs from romanic: related to latin *census tax]
High and dry  adj. Stranded; aground.

Willy-nilly  adv. Whether one likes it or not. [later spelling of will i, nill i i am willing, i am unwilling]
Devolution  n. Delegation of power, esp. To local or regional administration.  devolutionist n. & adj. [latin: related to *devolve]

Spanish omelette  n. Omelette with chopped vegetables in the mix.

Chortle  —n. Gleeful chuckle. —v. (-ling) utter or express with a chortle. [probably from *chuckle, *snort]


Cushion  —n. 1 bag stuffed with soft material, for sitting or leaning on etc. 2 protection against shock; measure to soften a blow. 3 padded rim of a billiard-table etc. 4 air supporting a hovercraft etc. —v. 1 provide or protect with cushion(s). 2 mitigate the adverse effects of. [latin culcita mattress]

Achilles heel  n. Person's weak or vulnerable point. [achilles, greek hero in the iliad]


Sleeping-pill  n. Pill to induce sleep.

Bread and butter  —n. One's livelihood. —attrib. Adj. (bread-and-butter) done or produced to earn a basic living.
Credit rating  n. Estimate of a person's suitability for commercial credit.

Assertive  adj. Tending to assert oneself; forthright, positive.  assertively adv. Assertiveness n.

Bald  adj. 1 lacking some or all hair on the scalp. 2 lacking the usual hair, feathers, leaves, etc. 3 colloq. With a worn surface (bald tyre). 4 plain, direct (bald statement, style).  balding adj. (in senses 1–3). Baldly adv. (in sense 4). Baldness n. [old english]
Hee-haw  —n. Bray of a donkey. —v. Make a braying sound. [imitative]

Cook-chill  attrib. Adj. (of food, meals, etc.) Sold in pre-cooked and refrigerated form.
Ellipse  n. Regular oval, resulting when a cone is cut obliquely by a plane. [greek elleipsis deficit]
Heyday  n. Time of greatest success or prosperity. [low german]
Square deal  n. Fair bargain or treatment.
Furlong  n. Eighth of a mile. [old english: related to *furrow, *long1]
Kedge  —v. (-ging) 1 move (a ship) with a hawser attached to a small anchor. 2 (of a ship) move in this way. —n. (in full kedge-anchor) small anchor for this purpose. [origin uncertain]
Aneroid  —adj. (of a barometer) measuring air-pressure by its action on the lid of a box containing a vacuum. —n. Aneroid barometer. [greek a- not, neros water]




Cattle  n.pl. Large ruminant animals with horns and cloven hoofs, esp. Bred for milk or meat. [anglo-french catel: related to *capital]

Apse  n. Large arched or domed recess, esp. At the end of a church. [related to *apsis]
Hammer and tongs  adv. Colloq. With great vigour and commotion.
Brim-full  adj. (also brimful) filled to the brim.
Trio  n. (pl. -s) 1 group of three. 2 mus. A composition for three performers. B the performers. [french and italian from latin]
Racket2  n. 1 disturbance, uproar, din. 2 slang a scheme for obtaining money etc. By dishonest means. B dodge; sly game. 3 colloq. Line of business. [perhaps imitative]
Howbeit  adv. Archaic nevertheless.


Spring  —v. (past sprang; past part. Sprung) 1 rise rapidly or suddenly, leap, jump. 2 move rapidly by or as by the action of a spring. 3 (usu. Foll. By from) originate (from ancestors, a source, etc.). 4 act or appear suddenly or unexpectedly (a breeze sprang up; spring to mind; spring to life). 5 (often foll. By on) present (a thing or circumstance etc.) Suddenly or unexpectedly (sprang it on me). 6 slang contrive the escape of (a person from prison etc.). 7 rouse (game) from a covert etc. 8 (usu. As sprung adj.) Provide (a mattress etc.) With springs. —n. 1 jump, leap. 2 recoil. 3 elasticity. 4  elastic device, usu. Of coiled metal, used esp. To drive clockwork or for cushioning in furniture or vehicles. 5 a (often attrib.) The first season of the year, in which new vegetation begins to appear. B (often foll. By of) early stage of life etc. 6 place where water, oil, etc., wells up from the earth; basin or flow so formed. 7 motive for or origin of an action, custom, etc.  spring a leak develop a leak. Spring up come into being, appear.  springlike adj. [old english]

Lawnmower  n. Machine for cutting lawns.
Sweetie  n. Colloq. 1 = *sweet 1. 2 sweetheart.



Landscape gardening  n. Laying out of grounds to resemble natural scenery.
Over-active  adj. Excessively active.
Knell  —n. 1 sound of a bell, esp. For a death or funeral. 2 announcement, event, etc., regarded as an ill omen. —v. 1 ring a knell. 2 proclaim by or as by a knell. [old english]




Transmute  v. (-ting) 1 change the form, nature, or substance of. 2 hist. Change (base metals) into gold.  transmutation n. [latin muto change]





Animism  n. Belief that inanimate and natural phenomena have souls.  animist n. Animistic adj.



Interrogate  v. (-ting) question (a person), esp. Closely or formally.  interrogation n. Interrogator n. [latin rogo ask]



Idyll  n. 1 short description, esp. In verse, of a peaceful or romantic, esp. Rural, scene or incident. 2 such a scene or incident. [greek eidullion]




Camera  n. 1 apparatus for taking photographs or moving film. 2 equipment for converting images into electrical signals.  in camera law in private. [latin: related to *chamber]
Silversmith  n. Worker in silver.



Pernickety  adj. Colloq. Fastidious; over-precise. [origin unknown]
Floss  —n. 1 rough silk of a silkworm's cocoon. 2 silk thread used in embroidery. 3 = *dental floss. —v. (also absol.) Clean (teeth) with dental floss.  flossy adj. [french floche]

Conical  adj. Cone-shaped.

Unhappy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 miserable. 2 unfortunate. 3 disastrous.  unhappily adv. Unhappiness n.


Dialling tone  n. Sound indicating that a telephone caller may dial.
Rumble  —v. (-ling) 1 make a continuous deep resonant sound as of distant thunder. 2 (foll. By along, by, past, etc.) (esp. Of a vehicle) move with a rumbling noise. 3 (often absol.) Slang find out the esp. Discreditable truth about. —n. Rumbling sound. [probably dutch rommelen]
Cartesian coordinates  n.pl. System for locating a point by reference to its distance from axes intersecting at right angles.
Cos2  abbr. Cosine.

Block capitals  n.pl. (also block letters) letters printed without serifs, or written with each letter separate and in capitals.
Afford  v. 1 (prec. By can or be able to) a have enough money, time, etc., for; be able to spare. B be in a position (can't afford to be critical). 2 provide (affords a view of the sea). [old english ge- prefix implying completeness, *forth]


Silver plate  n. Vessels, cutlery, etc., plated with silver.  silver-plated adj.
King's evidence  see *evidence.
Moan  —n. 1 long murmur expressing physical or mental suffering or pleasure. 2 low plaintive sound of wind etc. 3 colloq. Complaint; grievance. —v. 1 make a moan or moans. 2 colloq. Complain, grumble. 3 utter with moans.  moaner n. [old english]
Carefree  adj. Light-hearted; joyous.
Haze  n. 1 thin atmospheric vapour. 2 mental obscurity or confusion. [back-formation from *hazy]
Arch-  comb. Form 1 chief, superior (archbishop). 2 pre-eminent, esp. Unfavourably (arch-enemy). [greek arkhos chief]
Strata  pl. Of *stratum.

Assuming  adj. Arrogant, presumptuous.
Comfit  n. Archaic sweet consisting of a nut etc. In sugar. [latin: related to *confection]

Pent  adj. (often foll. By in, up) closely confined; shut in (pent-up feelings). [from *pen2]


Semicircle  n. Half of a circle or of its circumference.  semicircular adj.
Film-strip  n. Series of transparencies in a strip for projection.
Compliment  —n. 1 a polite expression of praise. B act implying praise. 2 (in pl.) A formal greetings accompanying a present etc. B praise. —v. (often foll. By on) congratulate; praise. [latin: related to *complement]

Coping saw  n. D-shaped saw for cutting curves in wood. [from *cope1]

Usage  the use of mutual in sense 2, although often found, is considered incorrect by some people, for whom common is preferable.
Gourd  n. 1 a fleshy usu. Large fruit with a hard skin. B climbing or trailing plant of the cucumber family bearing this. 2 dried skin of the gourd-fruit, used as a drinking-vessel etc. [latin cucurbita]



Aviary  n. (pl. -ies) large cage or building for keeping birds. [latin avis bird]

Pop-up  adj. Involving parts that pop up automatically (pop-up toaster; pop-up book).

Psalmist  n. Composer of a psalm.

May  v.aux. (3rd sing. Present may; past might) 1 expressing: a (often foll. By well for emphasis) possibility (it may be true; you may well lose your way). B permission (may i come in?). C a wish (may he live to regret it). D uncertainty or irony (who may you be?; who are you, may i ask?). 2 in purpose clauses and after wish, fear, etc. (hope he may succeed).  be that as it may (or that is as may be) it is possible (but) (be that as it may, i still want to go). May as well = might as well (see *might1). [old english]
Compatible  adj. 1 a able to coexist; well-suited. B (often foll. By with) consistent. 2 (of equipment etc.) Able to be used in combination.  compatibility n. [medieval latin: related to *passion]
Inducement  n. Attractive offer; incentive; bribe.
Ten-gallon hat  n. Cowboy's large broad-brimmed hat.


Plausible  adj. 1 (of a statement etc.) Reasonable or probable. 2 (of a person) persuasive but deceptive.  plausibility n. Plausibly adv. [latin: related to *plaudit]
Brent  n. (in full brent-goose) small migratory goose. [origin unknown]

Eschatology  n. Theology of death and final destiny.  eschatological adj. [greek eskhatos last]


Workmanlike  adj. Competent, showing practised skill.
Autograph  —n. Signature, esp. That of a celebrity. —v. Sign or write on in one's own hand. [greek grapho write]




Placid  adj. 1 calm; not easily excited or irritated. 2 tranquil, serene.  placidity n. Placidly adv. Placidness n. [latin placeo please]
Soul mate  n. Person ideally suited to another.





Godhead  n. (also godhead) 1 a state of being god or a god. B divine nature. 2 deity. 3 (the godhead) god.
Saturation  n. Saturating or being saturated.
Land-girl  n. Woman doing farm work, esp. In wartime.


Caliph  n. Esp. Hist. Chief muslim civil and religious ruler.  caliphate n. [arabic, = successor (of muhammad)]
Revolutionize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) change fundamentally.
Hit parade  n. Colloq. List of the current best-selling pop records.
Stream  —n. 1 flowing body of water, esp. A small river. 2 flow of a fluid or of a mass of people. 3 current or direction in which things are moving or tending (against the stream). 4  group of schoolchildren of similar ability taught together. —v. 1 move as a stream. 2 run with liquid. 3 be blown in the wind. 4 emit a stream of (blood etc.). 5  arrange (schoolchildren) in streams.  on stream in operation or production.
Hydrosphere  n. Waters of the earth's surface.

Piranha  n. Voracious s. American freshwater fish. [portuguese]
Moustache  n. (us mustache) hair left to grow on a man's upper lip. [greek mustax]
Enteric  adj. Of the intestines.  enteritis n. [greek enteron intestine]
Inimitable  adj. Impossible to imitate.  inimitably adv.
Crohn's disease  n. Chronic inflammatory disease of the alimentary tract. [e. Crohn, name of a us pathologist]
Interpolate  v. (-ting) 1 a insert (words) in a book etc., esp. Misleadingly. B make such insertions in (a book etc.). 2 interject (a remark) in a conversation. 3 estimate (values) between known ones in the same range.  interpolation n. Interpolator n. [latin interpolo furbish]


Moulding  n. (us molding) 1 ornamentally shaped outline of plaster etc. As an architectural feature, esp. In a cornice. 2 similar feature in woodwork etc.




Eat  —v. (past ate; past part. Eaten) 1 a take into the mouth, chew, and swallow (food). B consume food; take a meal. C devour (eaten by a lion). 2 (foll. By away, at, into) a destroy gradually, esp. By corrosion, disease, etc. B begin to consume or diminish (resources etc.). 3 colloq. Trouble, vex (what's eating you?). —n. (in pl.) Colloq. Food.  eat one's heart out suffer from excessive longing or envy. Eat out have a meal away from home, esp. In a restaurant. Eat up 1 eat completely.

Gate  —n. 1 barrier, usu. Hinged, used to close an opening made for entrance and exit through a wall, fence, etc. 2 such an opening. 3 means of entrance or exit. 4 numbered place of access to aircraft at an airport. 5 device regulating the passage of water in a lock etc. 6 a number of people entering by payment at the gates of a sports ground etc. B amount of money taken thus. 7  a electrical signal that causes or controls the passage of other signals. B electrical circuit with an output that depends on the combination of several inputs. —v. (-ting) confine to college or school as a punishment.  gated adj. [old english]
Hellenism  n. (esp. Ancient) greek character or culture.  hellenist n.
Unalterable  adj. Not alterable.

Dat  abbr. Digital audio tape.

Plain dealing  n. Candour; straightforwardness.



Coconut matting  n. Matting made of fibre from coconut husks.

Small  —adj. 1 not large or big. 2 not great in importance, amount, number, power, etc. 3 not much; little (paid small attention). 4 insignificant (from small beginnings). 5 of small particles (small shot). 6 on a small scale (small farmer). 7 poor or humble. 8 mean; ungenerous. 9 young (small child). —n. 1 slenderest part of a thing, esp. Of the back. 2 (in pl.) Colloq. Underwear, esp. As laundry. —adv. Into small pieces (chop it small).  feel (or look) small be humiliated or ashamed.  smallish adj. Smallness n. [old english]
Woodpigeon  n. Dove with white patches like a ring round its neck.
Roadshow  n. 1 television or radio series broadcasting each programme from a different venue. 2  any touring political or advertising campaign or touring entertainment.

Hold1  —v. (past and past part. Held) 1 a keep fast; grasp (esp. In the hands or arms). B (also refl.) Keep or sustain (a thing, oneself, one's head, etc.) In a particular position. C grip so as to control (hold the reins). 2 have the capacity for, contain (holds two pints). 3 possess, gain, or have, esp.: a be the owner or tenant of (land, property, stocks, etc.). B gain or have gained (a qualification, record, etc.). C have the position of (a job or office). D keep possession of (a place etc.), esp. Against attack. 4 remain unbroken; not give way (roof held under the storm). 5 celebrate or conduct (a meeting, festival, conversation, etc.). 6 a keep (a person etc.) In a place or condition (held him in suspense). B detain, esp. In custody. 7 a engross (book held him for hours). B dominate (held the stage). 8 (foll. By to) keep (a person etc.) To (a promise etc.). 9 (of weather) continue fine. 10 think, believe; assert (held it to be plain; held that the earth was flat). 11 regard with a specified feeling (held him in contempt). 12 cease; restrain (hold your fire). 13 keep or reserve (please hold our seats). 14 be able to drink (alcohol) without effect (can't hold his drink). 15 (of a court etc.) Lay down; decide. 16 mus. Sustain (a note). 17 = hold the line. —n. 1 (foll. By on, over) influence or power over (has a strange hold over me). 2 manner of holding in wrestling etc. 3 grasp (take hold of him). 4 (often in comb.) Thing to hold by (seized the handhold).  hold (a thing) against (a person) resent or regard it as discreditable to (a person). Hold back 1 impede the progress of; restrain. 2 keep for oneself. 3 (often foll. By from) hesitate; refrain. Hold one's breath see *breath. Hold down 1 repress. 2 colloq. Be competent enough to keep (one's job etc.). Hold the fort 1 act as a temporary substitute. 2 cope in an emergency. Hold forth speak at length or tediously. Hold one's ground see *ground1. Hold hands grasp one another by the hand as a sign of affection or for support or guidance. Hold it cease action or movement. Hold the line not ring off (in a telephone connection).
Pleasurable  adj. Causing pleasure.  pleasurably adv.
Subset  n. Set of which all the elements are contained in another set.
Dirk  n. Short dagger. [origin unknown]
Londoner  n. Native or inhabitant of london.

Usher  —n. 1 person who shows people to their seats in a cinema, church, etc. 2 doorkeeper at a court etc. —v. 1 act as usher to. 2 (usu. Foll. By in) announce, herald, or show in. [latin ostium door]


Indict  v. Accuse formally by legal process. [anglo-french: related to *in-2, *dictate]




Medium wave  n. Radio wave of frequency between 300 khz and 3 mhz.
Duodecimal  adj. 1 of twelfths or twelve. 2 in or by twelves. [latin duodecim twelve]
Musical  —adj. 1 of music. 2 (of sounds etc.) Melodious, harmonious. 3 fond of, sensitive to, or skilled in music. 4 set to or accompanied by music. —n. Musical film or play.  musicality n. Musically adv.
Remission  n. 1 reduction of a prison sentence on account of good behaviour. 2 remitting of a debt or penalty etc. 3 diminution of force, effect, or degree (esp. Of disease or pain). 4 (often foll. By of) forgiveness (of sins etc.). [latin: related to *remit]

Pointillism  n. Technique of impressionist painting using tiny dots of pure colour which become blended in the viewer's eye.  pointillist n. & adj. [french pointiller mark with dots]
Maraca  n. Clublike bean-filled gourd etc., shaken rhythmically in pairs in latin american music. [portuguese]


Halberd  n. Hist. Combined spear and battleaxe. [french from german]


Stars and stripes  n.pl. National flag of the us.

Foundry  n. (pl. -ies) workshop for or business of casting metal.
Phil-  var. Of *philo-.
District nurse  n. Nurse who makes home visits in an area.


Meanie  n. (also meany) (pl. -ies) colloq. Niggardly or small-minded person.
Unladylike  adj. Not ladylike.

Tea lady  n. Woman employed to make tea in offices etc.
Misanthropy  n. Condition or habits of a misanthrope.
Block  —n. 1 solid piece of hard material, esp. Stone or wood. 2 this as a base for chopping etc., as a stand, or for mounting a horse from. 3 a large building, esp. When subdivided. B group of buildings between streets. 4 obstruction. 5 two or more pulleys mounted in a case. 6 piece of wood or metal engraved for printing. 7 slang head. 8 (often attrib.) Number of things as a unit, e.g. Shares, theatre seats (block booking). 9 sheets of paper glued along one edge. —v. 1 a (often foll. By up) obstruct. B impede. 2 restrict the use of. 3 cricket stop (a ball) with a bat defensively.  block in 1 sketch roughly; plan. 2 confine. Block out 1 shut out (light, noise, a memory, view, etc.). 2 sketch roughly; plan. Block up confine; enclose. [low german or dutch]


Yang  n. (in chinese philosophy) the active male principle of the universe (cf. *yin).


Chemist  n. 1 dealer in medicinal drugs etc. 2 expert in chemistry. [french: related to *alchemy]
Imbibe  v. (-bing) 1 drink (esp. Alcohol). 2 a assimilate (ideas etc.). B absorb (moisture etc.). 3 inhale (air etc.). [latin bibo drink]
Anticyclone  n. System of winds rotating outwards from an area of high pressure, producing fine weather.
Bade  see *bid.
Mutate  v. (-ting) (cause to) undergo mutation.

Curvaceous  adj. Colloq. (esp. Of a woman) having a shapely figure.
Four-wheel drive  n. Drive acting on all four wheels of a vehicle.
Sandpiper  n. Wading bird frequenting wet sandy areas.
Overwork  —v. 1 (cause to) work too hard. 2 weary or exhaust with too much work. 3 (esp. As overworked adj.) Make excessive use of (an overworked phrase). 4 (as overworked adj.) = *overwrought 2. —n. Excessive work.


Civil war  n. War between citizens of the same country.

Revd  abbr. Reverend.





Aviator  n. Person who flies aircraft.
Gas  —n. (pl. -es) 1 any airlike substance (i.e. Not solid or liquid) moving freely to fill any space available. 2 such a substance (esp. Found naturally or extracted from coal) used as fuel (also attrib.: gas cooker; gas industry). 3 nitrous oxide or other gas as an anaesthetic. 4 poisonous gas used in war. 5 us colloq. Petrol, gasoline. 6 slang idle talk; boasting. 7 slang enjoyable or amusing thing or person. —v. (gases, gassed, gassing) 1 expose to gas, esp. To kill. 2 colloq. Talk idly or boastfully.




Boll  n. Round seed-vessel of cotton, flax, etc. [dutch]



Take-off  n. 1 act of becoming airborne. 2 act of mimicking.



Jihad  n. (also jehad) muslim holy war against unbelievers. [arabic jihad]
Cater  v. 1 supply food. 2 (foll. By for) provide what is needed or desired (caters for all tastes). 3 (foll. By to) pander to (esp. Low tastes). [anglo-french acatour buyer, from latin capto: related to *catch]
Impost2  n. Upper course of a pillar, carrying an arch.
Wouldn't  contr. Would not.



Mosaic law  n. The laws attributed to moses and listed in the pentateuch.
Sausage  n. 1 a seasoned minced meat etc. In a cylindrical edible skin. B piece of this. 2 sausage-shaped object.  not a sausage colloq. Nothing at all. [french saussiche]
Accomplished  adj. Clever, skilled.

Track record  n. Person's past performance.

Eastern church  n. Orthodox church.
Headwaters  n.pl. Streams flowing from the sources of a river.
Peerage  n. 1 peers as a class; the nobility. 2 rank of peer or peeress.
Sciatic nerve  n. Largest nerve, running from pelvis to thigh.
Clobber1  v. Slang 1 hit; beat up. 2 defeat. 3 criticize severely. [origin unknown]
Home-grown  adj. Grown or produced at home.

Limpet mine  n. Delayed action mine attached to a ship's hull.

Unreliable  adj. Not reliable; erratic.  unreliability n.

Opposite number  n. Person holding an equivalent position in another group etc.



Plentiful  adj. Abundant, copious.  plentifully adv.






Combustible  —adj. Capable of or used for burning. —n. Combustible substance.  combustibility n. [latin comburo -bust- burn up]

Outvote  v. (-ting) defeat by a majority of votes.


Candystripe  n. Alternate stripes of white and a colour.  candystriped adj.




World music  n. Pop music that incorporates local or ethnic elements (esp. From the developing world).

Grit  —n. 1 particles of stone or sand, esp. As irritating or hindering. 2 coarse sandstone. 3 colloq. Pluck, endurance. —v. (-tt-) 1 spread grit on (icy roads etc.). 2 clench (the teeth). 3 make a grating sound.  gritter n. Gritty adj. (-ier, -iest). [old english]
Yin  n. (in chinese philosophy) the passive female principle of the universe (cf. *yang).




Judgemental  adj. (also judgmental) 1 of or by way of judgement. 2 condemning, critical.  judgementally adv.

Iq  abbr. Intelligence quotient.
Outdated  adj. Out of date; obsolete.


Unrequited  adj. (of love etc.) Not returned.




Usage  some people reject sense 2 of verbal as illogical, and prefer oral. However, verbal is the usual term in expressions such as verbal communication, verbal contract, and verbal evidence.
Max.  Abbr. Maximum.
Simplify  v. (-ies, -ied) make simple or simpler.  simplification n.
Claustrophobia  n. Abnormal fear of confined places.  claustrophobic adj. [latin claustrum *cloister, *-phobia]
Colloquy  n. (pl. -quies) literary conversation, talk. [latin loquor speak]

Georgian2  —adj. Of georgia in eastern europe or the us. —n. 1 native or language of georgia in eastern europe. 2 native of georgia in the us.
Clitoris  n. Small erectile part of the female genitals at the upper end of the vulva.  clitoral adj. [latin from greek]
Lecher  n. Lecherous man. [french lechier live in debauchery]
Dab hand  n. (usu. Foll. By at) colloq. Expert. [dab adept, origin unknown]
Black and white  —n. Writing or printing (in black and white). —adj. 1 (of a film etc.) Monochrome. 2 consisting of extremes only, oversimplified.
Unknown quantity  n. Mysterious or obscure person or thing.
Dictate  —v. (-ting) 1 say or read aloud (material to be written down or recorded). 2 state or order authoritatively or peremptorily. —n. (usu. In pl.) Authoritative instruction or requirement (dictates of conscience, fashion).  dictation n. [latin dicto from dico say]
Blossom  —n. 1 flower or mass of flowers, esp. Of a fruit-tree. 2 promising stage (blossom of youth). —v. 1 open into flower. 2 mature, thrive. [old english]






-seater  comb. Form having a specified number of seats.

Motor car  n.  = *car 1.
Perfume  —n. 1 sweet smell. 2 fluid containing the essence of flowers etc.; scent. —v. (-ming) impart a sweet scent to. [italian parfumare smoke through]
Angular  adj. 1 having sharp corners or (of a person) features. 2 forming an angle. 3 measured by angle (angular distance).  angularity n. [latin: related to *angle1]

Soupy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 like soup. 2 sentimental.



Zombie  n. 1 colloq. Person who acts mechanically or lifelessly. 2 corpse said to have been revived by witchcraft. [west african]


Thirteen  adj. & n. 1 one more than twelve. 2 symbol for this (13, xiii, xiii). 3 size etc. Denoted by thirteen.  thirteenth adj. & n. [old english: related to *three]
Unsmoked  adj. Not cured by smoking (unsmoked bacon).



Short-change  v. Cheat, esp. By giving insufficient change.
Centime  n. 1 one-hundredth of a franc. 2 coin of this value. [latin centum 100]
Sanctum  n. (pl. -s) 1 holy place. 2 colloq. Study, den.
Hub  n. 1 central part of a wheel, rotating on or with the axle. 2 centre of interest, activity, etc. [origin uncertain]
Shock therapy  n. (also shock treatment) treatment of depressive patients by electric shock etc.




Pulse1  —n. 1 a rhythmical throbbing of the arteries as blood is propelled through them, esp. In the wrists, temples, etc. B each beat of the arteries or heart. 2 throb or thrill of life or emotion. 3 general feeling or opinion. 4 single vibration of sound, electric current, light, etc., esp. As a signal. 5 rhythmical beat, esp. Of music. —v. (-sing) pulsate. [latin pello puls- drive, beat]
Perversion  n. 1 perverting or being perverted. 2 preference for an abnormal form of sexual activity. [latin: related to *pervert]
Centralism  n. System that centralizes (esp. Administration).  centralist n.
Inexpressible  adj. That cannot be expressed.  inexpressibly adv.
Lemon sole  n. (pl. Same or -s) flat-fish of the plaice family. [french limande]
Solve  v. (-ving) answer, remove, or effectively deal with (a problem).  solvable adj.
Devil-may-care  adj. Cheerful and reckless.
Thermocouple  n. Device for measuring temperatures by means of a pair of different metals in contact at a point and generating a thermoelectric voltage.
Mancunian  —n. Native of manchester. —adj. Of manchester. [latin mancunium]

Unhesitating  adj. Without hesitation.  unhesitatingly adv.
Conduct  —n. 1 behaviour. 2 activity or manner of directing or managing (a business, war, etc.). —v. 1 lead or guide. 2 direct or manage (a business etc.). 3 (also absol.) Be the conductor of (an orchestra etc.). 4 transmit (heat, electricity, etc.) By conduction. 5 refl. Behave. [latin duco duct- lead]

Fume  —n. (usu. In pl.) Exuded gas, smoke, or vapour, esp. When harmful or unpleasant. —v. (-ming) 1 emit fumes or as fumes. 2 be very angry. 3 subject (oak, film, etc.) To fumes to darken. [latin fumus smoke]
A-bomb  n. = *atomic bomb. [a for *atomic]


Pertinacious  adj. Stubborn; persistent (in a course of action etc.).  pertinacity n. [latin pertinax: related to *pertain]


Non-profit-making  adj. (of an enterprise) not conducted primarily to make a profit.
Homology  n. Homologous state or relation; correspondence.
Reverse  —v. (-sing) 1 turn the other way round or up or inside out. 2 change to the opposite character or effect. 3 (cause to) travel backwards. 4 make (an engine etc.) Work in a contrary direction. 5 revoke or annul (a decree, act, etc.). —adj. 1 backwards or upside down. 2 opposite or contrary in character or order; inverted. —n. 1 opposite or contrary (the reverse is the case). 2 contrary of the usual manner (printed in reverse). 3 piece of misfortune; disaster; defeat. 4 reverse gear or motion. 5 reverse side. 6 side of a coin etc. Bearing the secondary design. 7 verso of a printed leaf.  reverse arms hold a rifle with the butt upwards. Reverse the charges have the recipient of a telephone call pay for it.  reversal n. Reversible adj. [latin verto vers- turn]


-gen  comb. Form chem. That which produces (hydrogen; antigen). [greek -genes born]
Empire  n. 1 large group of states or countries under a single authority. 2 supreme dominion. 3 large commercial organization etc. Owned or directed by one person. 4 (the empire) hist. The british empire. [latin imperium dominion]



Barnacle goose  n. Arctic goose.

Cabal  n. 1 secret intrigue. 2 political clique. [french from latin]
Aurora  n. (pl. -s or aurorae) luminous phenomenon, usu. Of streamers of light in the night sky above the northern (aurora borealis) or southern (aurora australis) magnetic pole. [latin, = dawn, goddess of dawn]
Usage  credulous is sometimes confused with credible.
Resistor  n. Device having resistance to the passage of an electric current.
Sonatina  n. Simple or short sonata. [italian, diminutive of *sonata]
Vol-au-vent  n. Small puff pastry case with a savoury filling. [french, literally ‘flight in the wind’]
Formalism  n. Strict adherence to external form without regard to content, esp. In art.  formalist n.
Sensory  adj. Of sensation or the senses. [latin sentio sens- feel]
Mare2  n. (pl. Maria or -s) 1 large dark flat area on the moon, once thought to be sea. 2 similar area on mars. [latin, = sea]
Downstage  adj. & adv. Nearer the front of a theatre stage.
Toddy  n. (pl. -ies) drink of spirits with hot water and sugar etc. [hindustani tar palm]


Bandmaster  n. Conductor of a band.
Encompass  v. 1 contain; include. 2 surround.
Escalope  n. Thin slice of boneless meat, esp. Veal. [french, originally = shell]
Eclipse  —n. 1 obscuring of light from one heavenly body by another. 2 loss of light, importance, or prominence. —v. (-sing) 1 (of a heavenly body) cause the eclipse of (another). 2 intercept (light). 3 outshine, surpass. [greek ekleipsis]

Rescript  n. 1 roman emperor's or pope's written reply to an appeal for a decision. 2 official edict or announcement. [latin rescribo -script- reply in writing]
Brainstorm  n. 1 sudden mental disturbance. 2 colloq. Mental lapse. 3 us brainwave. 4 pooling of spontaneous ideas about a problem etc.  brainstorming n. (in sense 4).
Usage  procrastinate is often confused with prevaricate which means ‘to be evasive, quibble’.
Recessional  —adj. Sung while the clergy and choir withdraw after a service. —n. Recessional hymn.




B2  symb. Boron.
Handclap  n. Clapping of the hands.


War of nerves  n. Attempt to wear down an opponent psychologically.
Mob-cap  n. Hist. Woman's large indoor cap covering all the hair. [obsolete mob, originally = slut]

Salt  abbr. Strategic arms limitation talks (or treaty).
Farmstead  n. Farm and its buildings.

Carpet-sweeper  n. Household implement for sweeping carpets.
Hoodoo  n. Esp. Us 1 a bad luck. B thing or person that brings this. 2 voodoo. [alteration of *voodoo]

Adulterate  v. (-ting) debase (esp. Foods) by adding other substances.  adulterant adj. & n. Adulteration n. [latin adultero corrupt]


Sticking-plaster  n. Adhesive plaster for wounds etc.
Lea  n. Poet. Meadow, field. [old english]
Autism  n. Condition characterized by self-absorption and social withdrawal.  autistic adj. [related to *auto-]
Usage  sense 1 is now the usual sense, but it is considered inappropriate by some people. This word should not be used to mean ‘defeat utterly’.
Cypher  var. Of *cipher.
Diffuse  —adj. 1 spread out, not concentrated. 2 not concise, wordy. —v. (-sing) 1 disperse or spread widely. 2 intermingle by diffusion.  diffusible adj. Diffusive adj. [latin: related to *found3]

Maudlin  adj. Weakly or tearfully sentimental, esp. From drunkenness. [french madeleine, referring to pictures of mary magdalen weeping]
Parity  n. 1 equality, equal status or pay. 2 parallelism or analogy (parity of reasoning). 3 equivalence of one currency with another; being at par. [latin paritas: related to *par]
Negativism  n. Negative attitude; extreme scepticism.
Soft sell  n. Restrained salesmanship.
Sym-  prefix assim. Form of *syn- before b, m, p.
Station  —n. 1 a regular stopping-place on a railway line. B buildings of this. C (in comb.) Centre where vehicles of a specified type depart and arrive (coach station). 2 person or thing's allotted place or building etc. 3 centre for a particular service or activity. 4 establishment involved in broadcasting. 5 a military or naval base. B inhabitants of this. 6 position in life; rank, status. 7 austral. & nz large sheep or cattle farm. —v. 1 assign a station to. 2 put in position. [latin statio from sto stat- stand]

Pianist  n. Piano-player.

Nitric acid  n. Colourless corrosive poisonous liquid.

Orcadian  —adj. Of orkney. —n. Native of orkney. [latin orcades orkney islands]

Full-length  adj. 1 not shortened. 2 (of a mirror, portrait, etc.) Showing the whole figure.
Quail2  v. Flinch; show fear. [origin unknown]



Imagination  n. 1 mental faculty of forming images or concepts of objects or situations not existent or not directly experienced. 2 mental creativity or resourcefulness.
Jawbone  n. Lower jaw in most mammals.
Weightlifting  n. Sport of lifting heavy weights.  weightlifter n.


Lifeblood  n. 1 blood, as being necessary to life. 2 vital factor or influence.
Resuscitate  v. (-ting) 1 revive from unconsciousness or apparent death. 2 revive, restore.  resuscitation n. [latin suscito raise]




Item  n. 1 any of a number of enumerated things. 2 separate or distinct piece of news etc. [latin, = in like manner]


Spring-clean  —n. (also spring-cleaning) thorough cleaning of a house, esp. In spring. —v. Clean (a house) thus.
Vv.  Abbr. 1 verses. 2 volumes.
Bootstrap  n. Loop used to pull a boot on.  pull oneself up by one's bootstraps better oneself.
Gist  n. Substance or essence of a matter. [latin jaceo *lie1]
Foliaceous  adj. 1 of or like leaves. 2 laminated. [latin: related to *foil2]
Neuter  —adj. 1 neither masculine nor feminine. 2 (of a plant) having neither pistils nor stamen. 3 (of an insect) sexually undeveloped. —n. 1 neuter gender or word. 2 a non-fertile insect, esp. A worker bee or ant. B castrated animal. —v. Castrate or spay. [latin]


Right angle  n. Angle of 90°.
Fond  adj. 1 (foll. By of) liking. 2 a affectionate. B doting. 3 (of beliefs etc.) Foolishly optimistic or credulous.  fondly adv. Fondness n. [obsolete fon fool, be foolish]

Farmyard  n. Yard attached to a farmhouse.
Air chief marshal  n. Raf officer of high rank, above air marshal.


Remit  —v. (-tt-) 1 cancel or refrain from exacting or inflicting (a debt, punishment, etc.). 2 abate or slacken; cease partly or entirely. 3 send (money etc.) In payment. 4 a (foll. By to) refer (a matter for decision etc.) To some authority. B send back (a case) to a lower court. 5 postpone or defer. 6 pardon (sins etc.). —n. 1 terms of reference of a committee etc. 2 item remitted for consideration. [latin remitto -miss-]
Fuck  coarse slang —v. 1 (often absol. Or as int. Expressing annoyance) curse (a person or thing). 2 have sexual intercourse (with). 3 (foll. By about, around) mess about; fool around. 4 (as fucking adj., adv.) Expressing annoyance etc. —n. 1 a act of sexual intercourse. B partner in this. 2 slightest amount (don't give a fuck).  fuck-all nothing. Fuck off go away. Fuck up 1 bungle. 2 disturb emotionally.  fucker n. (often as a term of abuse). [origin unknown]
Crudités  n.pl. Hors d'œuvre of mixed raw vegetables. [french]
Usage  picaresque is sometimes used to mean ‘transitory’ or ‘roaming’, but this is considered incorrect in standard english.

Discomfit  v. (-t-) disconcert, baffle, frustrate.  discomfiture n. [french: related to *dis-, *confection]
Gavel  n. Hammer used for calling attention by an auctioneer, chairman, or judge. [origin unknown]

Decide  v. (-ding) 1 (usu. Foll. By to, that, or on, about) resolve after consideration (decided to stay; decided quickly; weather decided me; decided on a blue hat). 2 resolve or settle (an issue etc.). 3 (usu. Foll. By between, for, against, in favour of, or that) give a judgement.  decidable adj. [latin caedo cut]

Bulletproof  adj. Designed to protect from bullets.

Coeliac disease  n. Disease of the small intestine, brought on by contact with dietary gluten. [latin coeliacus from greek koilia belly]
Heel2  —v. (often foll. By over) 1 (of a ship etc.) Lean over. 2 cause (a ship etc.) To do this. —n. Act or amount of heeling. [obsolete heeld, from germanic]


Tormentil  n. Low-growing plant with bright yellow flowers. [french from medieval latin]
Curd  n. (often in pl.) Coagulated acidic milk product made into cheese or eaten as food. [origin unknown]
Crease  —n. 1 line caused by folding or crushing. 2 cricket line marking the position of a bowler or batsman. —v. (-sing) 1 make creases in. 2 develop creases. 3 slang (often foll. By up) make or become incapable through laughter. [from *crest]

Pudendum  n. (pl. Pudenda) (usu. In pl.) Genitals, esp. Of a woman. [latin pudeo be ashamed]
Mixed farming  n. Farming of both crops and livestock.
Pattern  —n. 1 repeated decorative design on wallpaper, cloth, etc. 2 regular or logical form, order, etc. (behaviour pattern). 3 model, design, or instructions for making something (knitting pattern). 4 excellent example, model (pattern of elegance). 5 wooden or metal shape from which a mould is made for a casting.  6 random combination of shapes or colours. —v. 1 (usu. Foll. By after, on) model (a thing) on a design etc. 2 decorate with a pattern. [from *patron]



Nhs  abbr. National health service.
Glimmer  —v. Shine faintly or intermittently. —n. 1 feeble or wavering light. 2 (also glimmering) (usu. Foll. By of) small sign (of hope etc.). [probably scandinavian]


Transitive  adj. (of a verb) taking a direct object (whether expressed or implied), e.g. Saw in saw the donkey, saw that she was ill. [latin: related to *transit]

Aphasia  n. Loss of verbal understanding or expression, owing to brain damage. [greek aphatos speechless]

Enquire  v. (-ring) 1 seek information; ask; ask a question. 2 = *inquire. 3 (foll. By after, for) ask about (a person, a person's health, etc.).  enquirer n. [latin quaero quaesit- seek]
Diagnostic  —adj. Of or assisting diagnosis. —n. Symptom.  diagnostically adv. Diagnostician n. [greek: related to *diagnosis]
Mammoth  —n. Large extinct elephant with a hairy coat and curved tusks. —adj. Huge. [russian]

Re-embark  v. Go or put on board ship again.
Inclined plane  n. Sloping plane used e.g. To reduce work in raising a load.
Roll-on  —attrib. Adj. (of deodorant etc.) Applied by means of a rotating ball in the neck of the container. —n. Light elastic corset.
Dandify  v. (-ies, -ied) make a dandy.
Sus  var. Of *suss.
Coke2  n. Slang cocaine. [abbreviation]


Transpire  v. (-ring) 1 (usu. Prec. By it as subject) (of a secret or fact) come to be known; turn out; prove to be the case (it transpired he knew nothing about it). 2 occur; happen. 3  emit (vapour or moisture), or be emitted, through the skin, lungs, or leaves; perspire.  transpiration n. (in sense 3). [latin spiro breathe]

Hon.  Abbr. 1 honorary. 2 honourable.

Front runner  n. Favourite in a race etc.
Bairn  n. Scot. & n.engl. Child. [old english: related to *bear1]
Unwaged  adj. Not receiving a wage; unemployed.

No.  Abbr. Number. [latin numero, ablative of numerus number]
Fieldsman  n. Cricket, baseball, etc. Member (other than the bowler or pitcher) of the fielding side.
Appendage  n. Thing attached; addition.
Insatiate  adj. Never satisfied.
Labour  (us & austral. Labor) —n. 1 physical or mental work; exertion. 2 a workers, esp. Manual, considered as a political and economic force. B (labour) labour party. 3 process of childbirth. 4 particular task. —v. 1 work hard; exert oneself. 2 a elaborate needlessly (don't labour the point). B (as laboured adj.) Done with great effort; not spontaneous.




Barbarous  adj. = *barbaric 1.

Organize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 a give an orderly structure to, systematize. B make arrangements for (a person or oneself). 2 initiate, arrange for. 3 (often absol.) A enlist (a person or group) in a trade union, political party, etc. B form (a trade union etc.). 4 (esp. As organized adj.) Make organic; make into living tissue.  organizer n. [latin: related to *organ]

Herbaceous border  n. Garden border containing esp. Perennial flowering plants.
Abet  v. (-tt-) (usu. In aid and abet) encourage or assist (an offender or offence). [french: related to *ad-, *bait]
Overstep  v. (-pp-) pass beyond (a permitted or acceptable limit).  overstep the mark violate conventional behaviour etc.



Digraph  n. Two letters representing one sound, e.g. Ph, ey as in phone, key. [from *di-1, *-graph]
Mutton-head  n. Colloq. Stupid person.
Regiment  —n. 1 a permanent unit of an army, usu. Commanded by a colonel and divided into several companies, troops, or batteries. B operational unit of artillery etc. 2 (usu. Foll. By of) large or formidable array or number. —v. 1 organize (esp. Oppressively) in groups or according to a system. 2 form into a regiment or regiments.  regimentation n. [latin: related to *regimen]
Antler  n. Branched horn of a stag or other deer.  antlered adj. [french]
Funny  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 amusing, comical. 2 strange, peculiar. 3 colloq. A slightly unwell. B eccentric.  funnily adv. Funniness n. [from *fun]



Surge  —n. 1 sudden rush. 2 heavy forward or upward motion. 3 sudden increase in price, activity, etc. 4 sudden increase in voltage of an electric current. 5 swell of the sea. —v. (-ging) 1 move suddenly and powerfully forwards. 2 (of an electric current etc.) Increase suddenly. 3 (of the sea etc.) Swell. [latin surgo rise]
Pneumonia  n. Inflammation of one or both lungs. [greek pneumon lung]


Pare  v. (-ring) 1 a trim or shave by cutting away the surface or edge. B (often foll. By off, away) cut off (the surface or edge). 2 (often foll. By away, down) diminish little by little. [latin paro prepare]


Fluoride  n. Binary compound of fluorine.



Disinvest  v. Reduce or dispose of one's investment.  disinvestment n.









Mosque  n. Muslim place of worship. [arabic masgid]



Collier  n. 1 coalminer. 2 a coal ship. B member of its crew. [from *coal]
Hoard  —n. Stock or store (esp. Of money or food). —v. Amass and store.  hoarder n. [old english]
Depository  n. (pl. -ies) 1 a storehouse. B store (of wisdom, knowledge, etc.). 2 = *depositary. [latin: related to *deposit]



Misspend  v. (past and past part. -spent) (esp. As misspent adj.) Spend amiss or wastefully.
Natural history  n. The study of animals or plants.
Tenderfoot  n. (pl -s or -feet) newcomer, novice.



Breakthrough  n. 1 major advance or discovery. 2 act of breaking through an obstacle etc.
Second thoughts  n.pl. Revised opinion or resolution.


Cock crow  n. Dawn.
Firing-line  n. 1 front line in a battle. 2 centre of activity etc.
Eta  n. Seventh letter of the greek alphabet (h, h). [greek]


Worldwide  —adj. Occurring in or known in all parts of the world. —adv. Throughout the world.
Verruca  n. (pl. Verrucae or -s) wart or similar growth, esp. On the foot. [latin]


Vacuum tube  n. Tube with a near-vacuum for the free passage of electric current.
Bird-bath  n. Basin with water for birds to bathe in.
Psychopathy  n. Psychopathic or psychologically abnormal behaviour.

Snooze  colloq. —n. Short sleep, nap. —v. (-zing) take a snooze. [origin unknown]

Ovenware  n. Dishes for cooking food in the oven.

Perfumer  n. Maker or seller of perfumes.  perfumery n. (pl. -ies).

Nippy  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. 1 quick, nimble. 2 chilly. [from *nip1]
Gleeful  adj. Joyful.  gleefully adv. Gleefulness n.
Will2  —n. 1 faculty by which a person decides what to do. 2 strong desire or intention (will to live). 3 determination, will-power (has a strong will). 4 legal written directions for the disposal of one's property after death. 5 disposition towards others (good will). 6 archaic what one desires or ordains. —v. 1 try to cause by will-power (willed her to win). 2 intend; desire. 3 bequeath by a will.  at will whenever one wishes. With a will energetically or resolutely. [old english]
Nominative  gram. —n. Case expressing the subject of a verb. —adj. Of or in this case.



Court shoe  n. Woman's light, usu. High-heeled, shoe with a low-cut upper.
Accession  —n. 1 taking office, esp. As monarch. 2 thing added. —v. Record the addition of (a new item) to a library etc.


Outbuilding  n. Shed, barn, etc. Detached from a main building.


Almost  adv. All but; very nearly. [old english: related to *all, *most]

Headship  n. Position of head or chief, esp. In a school.





Coffer  n. 1 large strong box for valuables. 2 (in pl.) Treasury, funds. 3 sunken panel in a ceiling etc. [latin cophinus basket]



Worthwhile  adj. That is worth the time, effort, or money spent.

Springbok  n. (pl. Same or -s) s. African gazelle. [afrikaans]


Plum  n. 1 a small sweet oval fleshy fruit with a flattish pointed stone. B tree bearing this. 2 reddish-purple colour. 3 raisin used in cooking. 4 colloq. Something prized (often attrib.: plum job).  have a plum in one's mouth have an affectedly rich voice. [latin: related to *prune1]
Headscarf  n. Scarf worn round the head and tied under the chin.
Significant  adj. 1 having a meaning; indicative. 2 noteworthy; important.  significantly adv. [latin: related to *signify]
Wight  n. Archaic person. [old english, = thing, creature]

Mistreat  v. Treat badly.  mistreatment n.
Fealty  n. (pl. -ies) 1 hist. Fidelity to a feudal lord. 2 allegiance. [latin: related to *fidelity]

Grandad  n. (also grand-dad) colloq. 1 grandfather. 2 elderly man.


Guinea-pig  n. 1 domesticated s. American cavy. 2 person used in an experiment.
Slit  —n. Straight narrow incision or opening. —v. (-tt-; past and past part. Slit) 1 make a slit in. 2 cut into strips. [old english]



Hearth  n. 1 floor of a fireplace. 2 the home. [old english]


Creator  n. 1 person who creates. 2 (as the creator) god.
Aspirator  n. Apparatus for aspirating fluid. [latin: related to *aspire]


High-handed  adj. Disregarding others' feelings; overbearing.  high-handedly adv. High-handedness n.
Tussock  n. Clump of grass etc.  tussocky adj. [perhaps from dial. Tusk tuft]
Vibrator  n. Device that vibrates, esp. An instrument for massage or sexual stimulation.  vibratory adj.
Aircraftwoman  n. Lowest rank in the wraf.


Lubber  n. Clumsy fellow, lout. [origin uncertain]


Dialysis  n. (pl. Dialyses) 1 separation of particles in a liquid by differences in their ability to pass through a membrane into another liquid. 2 purification of the blood by this technique. [greek luo set free]




Wheel  —n. 1 circular frame or disc which revolves on an axle and is used for vehicular or other mechanical motion. 2 wheel-like thing. 3 motion as of a wheel, esp. The movement of a line of soldiers with one end as a pivot. 4 (in pl.) Slang car. 5 = *steering-wheel. —v. 1 a turn on an axis or pivot. B swing round in line with one end as a pivot. 2 a (often foll. By about, round) change direction or face another way. B cause to do this. 3 push or pull (a wheeled thing, or its load or occupant). 4 go in circles or curves.  at the wheel 1 driving a vehicle. 2 directing a ship. 3 in control. On wheels (or oiled wheels) smoothly. Wheel and deal engage in political or commercial scheming. Wheels within wheels 1 intricate machinery. 2 colloq. Indirect or secret agencies.  wheeled adj. (also in comb.). [old english]
Livery  n. (pl. -ies) 1 distinctive uniform of a member of a city company or of a servant. 2 distinctive guise or marking (birds in their winter livery). 3 distinctive colour scheme in which a company's vehicles etc. Are painted.  at livery (of a horse) kept for the owner for a fixed charge. [anglo-french liveré, past part. Of livrer *deliver]
Unbeaten  adj. 1 not beaten. 2 (of a record etc.) Not surpassed.

Acquisition  n. 1 thing acquired, esp. When useful. 2 acquiring or being acquired. [latin: related to *acquire]
Passive  adj. 1 acted upon, not acting. 2 showing no interest or initiative; submissive. 3 chem. Not active; inert. 4 gram. Indicating that the subject undergoes the action of the verb (e.g. In they were seen).  passively adv. Passivity n. [latin: related to *passion]
Heretofore  adv. Formal before this time.



Rendition  n. Interpretation or rendering of a dramatic role, piece of music, etc. [french: related to *render]

Hindrance  n. 1 hindering; being hindered. 2 thing that hinders.

Participate  v. (-ting) (often foll. By in) take part or a share (in).  participation n. Participator n. Participatory adj. [latin particeps -cip- taking *part]

Hoi polloi  n. The masses; the common people. [greek, = the many]

Agave  n. Plant with rosettes of narrow spiny leaves and flowers on tall stem. [agave, name of a woman in greek mythology]
Threaten  v. 1 make a threat or threats against. 2 be a sign of (something undesirable). 3 (foll. By to + infin.) Announce one's intention to do an undesirable thing. 4 (also absol.) Warn of the infliction of (harm etc.).

Utility  n. (pl. -ies) 1 usefulness. 2 useful thing. 3 = *public utility. 4 (attrib.) Basic and standardized (utility furniture). [latin utilis useful: related to *use]

Card vote  n. = *block vote.
Array  —n. 1 imposing or well-ordered series or display. 2 ordered arrangement, esp. Of troops (battle array). —v. 1 deck, adorn. 2 set in order; marshal (forces). [latin ad-, *ready]

Ultramontane  —adj. 1 situated beyond the alps. 2 advocating supreme papal authority. —n. 1 person living beyond the alps. 2 advocate of supreme papal authority. [medieval latin: related to *mountain]





Saying  n. Maxim, proverb, etc.  go without saying be too obvious to need mention.

Nephew  n. Son of one's brother or sister or of one's spouse's brother or sister. [latin nepos]
Astrophysics  n.pl. (treated as sing.) The study of the physics and chemistry of celestial bodies.  astrophysical adj. Astrophysicist n. [greek astron star]
Primordial  adj. Existing at or from the beginning, primeval. [latin: related to *prime1, ordior begin]
Ph  n. Measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution. [german potenz power, h (symbol for hydrogen)]

Sweatshirt  n. Sleeved cotton sweater.
Fame  n. 1 renown; being famous. 2 archaic reputation. [latin fama]
Old school tie  n. Excessive loyalty to traditional values and to former pupils of one's own, esp. Public, school.


Phallus  n. (pl. Phalli or phalluses) 1 (esp. Erect) penis. 2 image of this as a symbol of natural generative power.  phallic adj. [latin from greek]


Wreckage  n. 1 wrecked material. 2 remnants of a wreck. 3 act of wrecking.
Proscribe  v. (-bing) 1 forbid, esp. By law. 2 reject or denounce (a practice etc.). 3 outlaw (a person).  proscription n. Proscriptive adj. [latin, = publish in writing]
Nonce-word  n. Word coined for one occasion.



Sundae  n. Ice-cream with fruit, nuts, syrup, etc. [perhaps from *sunday]
Switchback  n. 1 ride at a fair etc., with extremely steep ascents and descents. 2 (often attrib.) Such a railway or road.
Herbalist  n. 1 dealer in medicinal herbs. 2 writer on herbs.
Lyrical  adj. 1 = *lyric. 2 resembling, or using language appropriate to, lyric poetry. 3 colloq. Highly enthusiastic (wax lyrical about).  lyrically adv.
Matrimony  n. Rite or state of marriage.  matrimonial adj. [latin matrimonium: related to *mater]
Nightie  n. Colloq. Nightdress.


Paratroops  n.pl. Parachute troops. [contraction]
Shipping  n. 1 transport of goods etc. 2 ships, esp. A navy.

Deadpan  adj. & adv. Lacking expression or emotion.



Munificent  adj. (of a giver or a gift) splendidly generous.  munificence n. [latin munus gift: related to *-fic]
Doorknob  n. Knob turned to open a door.
Match1  —n. 1 contest or game in which players or teams compete. 2 a person as an equal contender (meet one's match). B person or thing exactly like or corresponding to another. 3 marriage. 4 person viewed as a marriage prospect. —v. 1 correspond (to); be like or alike; harmonize (with) (his socks do not match; curtains match the wallpaper). 2 equal. 3 (foll. By against, with) place in conflict or competition with. 4 find material etc. That matches (another) (can you match this silk?).

Exciting  adj. Arousing great interest or enthusiasm.  excitingly adv.


Viewpoint  n. Point of view.
Straight man  n. Comedian's stooge.

Virtue  n. 1 moral excellence; goodness. 2 particular form of this. 3 (esp. Female) chastity. 4 good quality (has the virtue of speed). 5 efficacy (no virtue in such drugs).  by (or in) virtue of on account of, because of. [latin: related to *virile]




Respectable  adj. 1 of acceptable social standing; decent and proper in appearance or behaviour. 2 fairly competent (a respectable try). 3 reasonably good in condition, appearance, number, size, etc.  respectability n. Respectably adv.
Fog  —n. 1 thick cloud of water droplets or smoke suspended at or near the earth's surface. 2 cloudiness on a photographic negative etc. 3 uncertain or confused position or state. —v. (-gg-) 1 cover or become covered with or as with fog. 2 perplex. [perhaps a back-formation from *foggy]

Graphite  n. Crystalline allotropic form of carbon used as a lubricant, in pencils, etc.  graphitic adj. [german graphit from greek grapho write]

Yolk  n. Yellow inner part of an egg. [old english: related to *yellow]
Pen1  —n. 1 instrument for writing etc. With ink. 2 (the pen) occupation of writing. —v. (-nn-) write. [latin penna feather]

Blurt  v. (usu. Foll. By out) utter abruptly, thoughtlessly, or tactlessly. [imitative]

Across  —prep. 1 to or on the other side of (across the river). 2 from one side to another side of (spread across the floor). 3 at or forming an angle with (a stripe across the flag). —adv. 1 to or on the other side (ran across). 2 from one side to another (stretched across).  across the board applying to all. [french à, en, croix: related to *cross]



Sherd  n. = *potsherd. [old english]
Choleric  adj. Irascible, angry.
Helter-skelter  —adv. & adj. In disorderly haste. —n. (at a fairground) external spiral slide round a tower. [imitative]
Booze  colloq. —n. Alcoholic drink. —v. (-zing) drink alcohol, esp. To excess.  boozy adj. (-ier, -iest). [dutch]





Fairground  n. Outdoor area where a fair is held.
Bird of prey  n. Bird which hunts animals for food.


Flysheet  n. 1 canvas cover over a tent for extra protection. 2 short tract or circular.

Gravestone  n. Stone (usu. Inscribed) marking a grave.
Launch1  —v. 1 set (a vessel) afloat. 2 hurl or send forth (a weapon, rocket, etc.). 3 start or set in motion (an enterprise, person, etc.). 4 formally introduce (a new product) with publicity etc. 5 (foll. By out, into, etc.) A make a start on (an enterprise etc.). B burst into (strong language etc.). —n. Act of launching. [anglo-norman launcher: related to *lance]
Bicarbonate  n. 1 any acid salt of carbonic acid. 2 (in full bicarbonate of soda) sodium bicarbonate used as an antacid or in baking-powder.
Nestling  n. Bird too young to leave its nest.
Monsignor  n. (pl. -nori) title of various roman catholic priests and officials. [italian: related to *monseigneur]
Alien  —adj. 1 (often foll. By to) unfamiliar; unacceptable or repugnant. 2 foreign. 3 of beings from other worlds. —n. 1 foreign-born resident who is not naturalized. 2 being from another world. [latin alius other]


Undetectable  adj. Not detectable.

Lees  n.pl. 1 sediment of wine etc. 2 dregs. [french]
Run-in  n. 1 approach to an action or event. 2 colloq. Quarrel.
Flourish  —v. 1 a grow vigorously; thrive. B prosper. C be in one's prime. 2 wave, brandish. —n. 1 showy gesture. 2 ornamental curve in handwriting. 3 mus. Ornate passage or fanfare. [latin floreo from flos *flower]
Sciatica  n. Neuralgia of the hip and leg. [latin: related to *sciatic]

Flounder1  —v. 1 struggle helplessly as if wading in mud. 2 do a task clumsily. —n. Act of floundering. [imitative]
Willy  n. (also willie) (pl. -ies) colloq. Penis. [diminutive of william]
Prairie oyster  n. Seasoned raw egg, swallowed without breaking the yolk.



Unfashionable  adj. Not fashionable.  unfashionably adv.
Mustard gas  n. Colourless oily liquid, whose vapour is a powerful irritant.




Pimiento  n. (pl. -s) = *sweet pepper. [see *pimento]
 

Goth  n. 1 member of a germanic tribe that invaded the roman empire in the 3rd–5th c. 2 uncivilized or ignorant person. [old english gota and greek gothoi]

Sentimental value  n. Value given to a thing because of its associations.

Town gas  n. Manufactured gas for domestic and commercial use.
Harmonic  —adj. Of or relating to harmony; harmonious. —n. Mus. Overtone accompanying (and forming a note with) a fundamental at a fixed interval.  harmonically adv.





Bird-nesting  n. Hunting for birds' eggs.
Allegiance  n. 1 loyalty (to a person or cause etc.). 2 the duty of a subject. [french: related to *liege]
F-number  n. Ratio of the focal length to the effective diameter of a camera lens. [from focal]
Changeable  adj. 1 inconstant. 2 that can change or be changed.



Armchair  n. 1 chair with arm supports. 2 (attrib.) Theoretical rather than active (armchair critic).
Heady  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 (of liquor) potent. 2 intoxicating, exciting. 3 impulsive, rash. 4 headachy.  headily adv. Headiness n.



Tin hat  n. Colloq. Military steel helmet.







Washing  n. Clothes etc. For washing or just washed.
Profane  —adj. 1 a irreverent, blasphemous. B (of language) obscene. 2 not sacred or biblical; secular. —v. (-ning) 1 treat (esp. A sacred thing) irreverently; disregard. 2 violate or pollute.  profanation n. [latin fanum temple]
Uppermost  —adj. (also upmost) 1 highest. 2 predominant. —adv. At or to the uppermost position.



Lactate1  v. (-ting) (of mammals) secrete milk. [as *lactation]
Seventh-day adventists  n.pl. Sect of adventists observing the sabbath on saturday.
Bailey  n. (pl. -s) 1 outer wall of a castle. 2 court enclosed by it. [french: related to *bail2]
Erin  n. Poet. Ireland. [irish]
Bma  abbr. British medical association.
Panorama  n. 1 unbroken view of a surrounding region. 2 complete survey of a subject, series of events, etc. 3 picture or photograph containing a wide view. 4 continuous passing scene.  panoramic adj. [greek horama view]


Burden of proof  n. Obligation to prove one's case.
Heart-warming  adj. Emotionally rewarding or uplifting.
Serbo-croat  (also serbo-croatian) —n. Main official language of yugoslavia, combining serbian and croatian. —adj. Of this language.


Punch-up  n. Colloq. Fist-fight; brawl.
Underemployed  adj. Not fully occupied.  underemployment n.

Halves  pl. Of *half.

Food poisoning  n. Illness due to bacteria etc. In food.

Thrum1  —v. (-mm-) 1 play (a stringed instrument) monotonously or unskilfully. 2 (often foll. By on) drum idly. —n. 1 such playing. 2 resulting sound. [imitative]
Horrible  adj. 1 causing or likely to cause horror. 2 colloq. Unpleasant.  horribly adv. [latin horreo bristle, shudder at]
Lego  n. Propr. Toy consisting of interlocking plastic building blocks. [danish legetøj toys]

Eeg  abbr. Electroencephalogram.
At  prep. 1 expressing position (wait at the corner; at school). 2 expressing a point in time (at dawn). 3 expressing a point in a scale (at his best). 4 expressing engagement in an activity etc. (at war). 5 expressing a value or rate (sell at £10 each). 6 a with or with reference to (annoyed at losing; came at a run). B by means of (starts at a touch). 7 expressing motion or aim towards (aim at the target; laughed at us).  at all see *all. At hand see *hand. At home see *home. At it engaged in an activity; working hard. At once see *once. At that 1 moreover (a good one at that). 2 then (at that he left). At times see *time. [old english]
Drag  —v. (-gg-) 1 pull along with effort. 2 a trail or allow to trail along the ground. B (often foll. By on) (of time, a meeting, etc.) Go or pass slowly or tediously. 3 a use a grapnel. B search the bottom of (a river etc.) With grapnels, nets, etc. 4 (often foll. By to) colloq. Take (an esp. Unwilling person) with one. 5 (foll. By on, at) draw on (a cigarette etc.). —n. 1 a obstruction to progress. B retarding force or motion. 2 colloq. Boring or tiresome person, duty, etc. 3 a lure before hounds as a substitute for a fox. B hunt using this. 4 apparatus for dredging. 5 = *drag-net. 6 slang inhalation. 7 slang women's clothes worn by men.  drag one's feet be deliberately slow or reluctant to act. Drag in introduce (an irrelevant subject). Drag out protract. Drag up colloq. Introduce or revive (an unwelcome subject). [old english or old norse]

Sardine  n. (pl. Same or -s) young pilchard etc. Sold in closely packed tins.  like sardines crowded close together. [french from latin]
Espousal  n. 1 (foll. By of) espousing of (a cause etc.). 2 archaic marriage, betrothal.

Burr  —n. 1 a whirring sound. B rough sounding of the letter r. 2 (also bur) a rough edge on metal or paper. B surgeon's or dentist's small drill. 3 var. Of *bur 1, 2. —v. Make a burr. [imitative]
Quondam  attrib. Adj. That once was, sometime, former. [latin adv., = formerly]



Dee  n. 1 letter d. 2 thing shaped like this. [name of the letter d]
Usage  in current use, to and with are generally interchangeable, but with often implies a greater element of formal analysis.


Sound bite  n. Short pithy extract from an interview, speech, etc., as part of a news etc. Broadcast.

Chart  —n. 1 geographical map or plan, esp. For navigation. 2 sheet of information in the form of a table, graph, or diagram. 3 (usu. In pl.) Colloq. Listing of the currently best-selling pop records. —v. Make a chart of, map. [latin charta: related to *card1]
Oc-  see *ob-.
Ballboy  n. (fem. Ballgirl) (in tennis) boy or girl who retrieves balls.
Greaseproof  adj. Impervious to grease.



Epidermis  n. Outer layer of the skin.  epidermal adj. [greek derma skin]
Henpeck  v. (usu. In passive) (of a wife) constantly nag her husband.



Solid-state  adj. Using the electronic properties of solids (e.g. A semiconductor) to replace those of valves.

Jeans  n.pl. Casual esp. Denim trousers. [earlier geane fustian, = material from genoa]
Fire door  n. Fire-resistant door preventing the spread of fire.
Just  —adj. 1 morally right or fair. 2 (of treatment etc.) Deserved (just reward). 3 well-grounded; justified (just anger). 4 right in amount etc.; proper. —adv. 1 exactly (just what i need). 2 a little time ago; very recently (has just seen them). 3 colloq. Simply, merely (just good friends; just doesn't make sense). 4 barely; no more than (just managed it). 5 colloq. Positively; indeed (just splendid; won't i just tell him!). 6 quite (not just yet).  just about colloq. Almost exactly; almost completely. Just in case as a precaution. Just now 1 at this moment. 2 a little time ago. Just the same = all the same. Just so 1 exactly arranged (everything just so). 2 it is exactly as you say.  justly adv. Justness n. [latin justus from jus right]

Ticker  n. Colloq. 1 heart. 2 watch. 3 us = *tape machine 1.




Govern  v. 1 rule or control with authority; conduct the policy and affairs of. 2 influence or determine (a person or course of action). 3 be a standard or principle for. 4 check or control (esp. Passions). 5 gram. (esp. Of a verb or preposition) have (a noun or pronoun or its case) depending on it. [greek kubernao steer]



Cascara  n. Bark of a californian buckthorn, used as a laxative. [spanish]
Artist  n. 1 practitioner of any of the arts, esp. Painting. 2 artiste. 3 person using skill or taste.  artistry n. [french artiste from italian]

Enormous  adj. Extremely large.  enormously adv. [latin enormis: related to *norm]



Dub1  v. (-bb-) 1 make (a person) a knight by touching his shoulders with a sword. 2 give (a person) a name, nickname, etc. 3 smear (leather) with grease. [french]

Human nature  n. General characteristics and feelings of mankind.

Clapper  n. Tongue or striker of a bell.  like the clappers slang very fast or hard.




Log-jam  n. Deadlock.
Fervor  n. (brit. Fervour) passion, zeal. [latin: related to *fervent]

Rex  n. 1 (after the name) reigning king (george rex). 2 law the crown (rex v. Jones). [latin]

Pointer  n. 1 thing that points, e.g. The index hand of a gauge. 2 rod for pointing to features on a chart etc. 3 colloq. Hint. 4 dog of a breed that on scenting game stands rigid looking towards it. 5 (in pl.) Two stars in the great bear in line with the pole star.


Stage  —n. 1 point or period in a process or development. 2 a raised platform, esp. For performing plays etc. On. B (prec. By the) theatrical profession, drama. C scene of action. 3 a regular stopping-place on a route. B distance between two of these. 4 astronaut. Section of a rocket with a separate engine. —v. (-ging) 1 present (a play etc.) On stage. 2 arrange, organize (staged a demonstration). [french estage, ultimately from latin sto stand]

Re-educate  v. (-ting) educate again, esp. To change a person's views.  re-education n.
Series  n. (pl. Same) 1 number of similar or related things, events, etc.; succession, row, or set. 2 set of related but individual programmes. 3 set of related geological strata. 4 arrangement of the twelve notes of the chromatic scale as a basis for serial music. 5 set of electrical circuits or components arranged so that the same current passes through each successively.  in series in ordered succession. [latin sero join]

Obligate  v. (-ting) bind (a person) legally or morally (was obligated to attend). [latin: related to *oblige]
Angelic  adj. Of or like an angel.  angelically adv.

Fusion  n. 1 fusing or melting. 2 blending. 3 coalition. 4 = *nuclear fusion. [latin: related to *fuse1]
Cordon sanitaire  n. 1 guarded line between infected and uninfected districts. 2 measure designed to prevent the spread of undesirable influences.
Praetor  n. Ancient roman magistrate below consul. [latin]
Sleeping sickness  n. Tropical disease causing extreme lethargy.

Bifurcate  —v. (-ting) fork. —adj. Forked; branched.  bifurcation n. [latin furca fork]
Madder  n. 1 herbaceous plant with yellowish flowers. 2  a red dye from its root. B its synthetic substitute. [old english]
Michaelmas  n. Feast of st michael, 29 september. [related to *mass2]


Extremity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 extreme point; very end. 2 (in pl.) The hands and feet. 3 condition of extreme adversity. [latin: related to *extreme]

Helm  n. Tiller or wheel for controlling a ship's rudder.  at the helm in control; at the head of an organization etc. [old english]
Leitmotif  n. (also leitmotiv) recurrent theme in a musical etc. Composition representing a particular person, idea, etc. [german: related to *lead1, *motive]


Cetane  n. Liquid hydrocarbon used in standardizing ratings of diesel fuel. [from *spermaceti]

Ribbing  n. 1 ribs or a riblike structure. 2 colloq. Teasing.

High chair  n. Infant's chair with long legs and a tray for meals.


Spider monkey  n. Monkey with long limbs and a prehensile tail.



Facts and figures  n.pl. Precise details.
Containerize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) pack in or transport by container.  containerization n.



Signalman  n. Railway signal operator.

Oyster white  adj. & n. (as adj. Often hyphenated) greyish white.





Usage  the plural form of this word, phenomena, is often used mistakenly for the singular. This should be avoided.
Paeony  var. Of *peony.
Pay-as-you-earn  n. Deduction of income tax from wages at source.
Inside  —n. 1 a inner side. B inner part; interior. 2 side away from the road. 3 (usu. In pl.) Colloq. Stomach and bowels. —adj. 1 situated on or in the inside. 2 football & hockey nearer to the centre of the field. —adv. 1 on, in, or to the inside. 2 slang in prison. —prep. 1 on the inner side of; within. 2 in less than (inside an hour).  inside out 1 with the inner surface turned outwards. 2 thoroughly (knew his subject inside out).
St.  Abbr. Street.
Onset  n. 1 attack. 2 impetuous beginning.



Neuro-  comb. Form nerve or nerves. [greek neuron nerve]



Grail  n. (in full holy grail) (in medieval legend) cup or platter used by christ at the last supper. [medieval latin gradalis dish]
Topmast  n. Mast next above the lower mast.


Newly  adv. 1 recently. 2 afresh, anew.
Leftmost  adj. Furthest to the left.

Appreciable  adj. Significant, considerable. [french: related to *appreciate]
Silverware  n. Articles of or plated with silver.
Duplex  —n. (often attrib.) Esp. Us 1 flat on two floors. 2 house subdivided for two families; semi-detached house. —adj. 1 of two parts. 2 computing (of a circuit) allowing simultaneous two-way transmission of signals. [latin, = double]
Spaceman  n. (fem. Spacewoman) astronaut.


Pink1  —n. 1 pale red colour. 2 cultivated plant with fragrant flowers. 3 (prec. By the) the most perfect condition, the peak (the pink of health). 4 person with socialist tendencies. —adj. 1 of a pale red colour. 2 tending to socialism.  in the pink colloq. In very good health.  pinkish adj. Pinkness n. Pinky adj. [origin unknown]
Undisturbed  adj. Not disturbed or interfered with.
Horde  n. Usu. Derog. Large group, gang. [turkish ordu camp]

Pres.  Abbr. President.

Hallucination  n. Illusion of seeing or hearing something not actually present.  hallucinatory adj.
Connective  adj. Connecting, esp. Of body tissue connecting, separating, etc., organs etc.
Sluggish  adj. Inert; slow-moving.  sluggishly adv. Sluggishness n.


Ossify  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 turn into bone; harden. 2 make or become rigid, callous, or unprogressive.  ossification n. [latin: related to *osseous]
Rectangle  n. Plane figure with four straight sides and four right angles, esp. Other than a square.  rectangular adj. [french or medieval latin]
Shopping  n. 1 (often attrib.) Purchase of goods etc. 2 goods purchased.

Palaver  n. Colloq. Tedious fuss and bother. [latin: related to *parable]

Embolus  n. (pl. -li) object causing an embolism.
Modernize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 make modern; adapt to modern needs or habits. 2 adopt modern ways or views.  modernization n.
Tolerance  n. 1 willingness or ability to tolerate; forbearance. 2 allowable variation in any measurable property.
Worthy  —adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 deserving respect, estimable (lived a worthy life). 2 entitled to (esp. Condescending) recognition (a worthy old couple). 3 a (foll. By of or to + infin.) Deserving (worthy of a mention). B (foll. By of) adequate or suitable to the dignity etc. Of (words worthy of the occasion). —n. (pl. -ies) 1 worthy person. 2 person of some distinction.  worthily adv. Worthiness n.

Imitate  v. (-ting) 1 follow the example of; copy. 2 mimic. 3 make a copy of. 4 be like.  imitable adj. Imitator n. [latin imitor -tat-]
Canonize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 a declare officially to be a saint, usu. With a ceremony. B regard as a saint. 2 admit to the canon of scripture. 3 sanction by church authority.  canonization n. [medieval latin: related to *canon]
Plum pudding  n. = *christmas pudding.



Unlike  —adj. 1 not like; different from. 2 uncharacteristic of (greed is unlike her). 3 dissimilar, different. —prep. Differently from (acts quite unlike anyone else).

Sex maniac  n. Colloq. Person obsessed with sex.

Ventricle  n. 1 cavity in the body. 2 hollow part of an organ, esp. The brain or heart.  ventricular adj. [latin ventriculus diminutive of venter belly]

Caring  adj. 1 kind, humane. 2 (attrib.) Concerned with looking after people (caring professions).
Couplet  n. Two successive lines of verse, usu. Rhyming and of the same length. [french diminutive: related to *couple]


Inequality  n. (pl. -ies) 1 lack of equality. 2 variability. 3 unevenness.
Hormone  n. 1 regulatory substance produced in an organism and transported in tissue fluids to stimulate cells or tissues into action. 2 similar synthetic substance.  hormonal adj. [greek hormao impel]
Stoop1  —v. 1 lower the body, sometimes bending the knee; bend down. 2 stand or walk with the shoulders habitually bent forward. 3 (foll. By to + infin.) Condescend. 4 (foll. By to) descend to (some conduct). —n. Stooping posture. [old english]

Determinism  n. Doctrine that human actions, events, etc. Are determined by causes external to the will.  determinist n. & adj. Deterministic adj. Deterministically adv.

-ferous  comb. Form (usu. -iferous) forming adjectives with the sense ‘bearing’, ‘having’ (odoriferous). [latin fero bear]

Yeoman warder  n. (correct term for) a “beefeater” at the tower of london.

Estate car  n. Car with a continuous area for rear passengers and luggage.

La  var. Of *lah.

Hailstorm  n. Period of heavy hail.
Quick-fire  attrib. Adj. Rapid; in rapid succession.
Corporation  n. 1 group of people authorized to act as an individual, esp. In business. 2 municipal authorities of a borough, town, or city. 3 joc. Large stomach.
Masterful  adj. 1 imperious, domineering. 2 masterly.  masterfully adv.
Tass  n. Official russian news agency. [russian]
Unseat  v. 1 remove from (esp. A parliamentary) seat. 2 dislodge from a seat, esp. On horseback.


Spotty  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 marked with spots. 2 patchy, irregular.  spottiness n.


Pleach  v. Entwine or interlace (esp. Branches to form a hedge). [latin: related to *plexus]



Effluent  —adj. Flowing out. —n. 1 sewage or industrial waste discharged into a river etc. 2 stream or lake flowing from a larger body of water.

Purser  n. Officer on a ship who keeps the accounts, esp. The head steward in a passenger vessel.
Amicable  adj. (esp. Of an arrangement, relations, etc.) Friendly.  amicably adv. [latin amicus friend]

Sophist  n. Captious or clever but fallacious reasoner.  sophistic adj. [greek: related to *sophism]
Votary  n. (pl. -ies; fem. Votaress) (usu. Foll. By of) 1 person dedicated to the service of a god or cult. 2 devotee of a person, occupation, etc. [latin: related to *vote]







Agreement  n. 1 act or state of agreeing. 2 arrangement or contract.
Entertain  v. 1 occupy agreeably. 2 a receive as a guest. B receive guests. 3 cherish, consider (an idea etc.). [latin teneo hold]




-tion  see *-ion.
Foresail  n. Principal sail on a foremast.
Astronaut  n. Crew member of a spacecraft. [greek astron star, nautes sailor]
Transmitter  n. 1 person or thing that transmits. 2 equipment used to transmit radio or other electronic signals.
Slap-happy  adj. Colloq. Cheerfully casual or flippant.


Valor  n. (brit. Valour) courage, esp. In battle.  valorous adj. [latin valeo be strong]

Bosh  n. & int. Slang nonsense. [turkish, = empty]
Grumble  —v. (-ling) 1 complain peevishly. 2 rumble. —n. 1 complaint. 2 rumble.  grumbler n. [obsolete grumme]



Tailor  —n. Maker of clothes, esp. Men's outer garments to measure. —v. 1 make (clothes) as a tailor. 2 make or adapt for a special purpose. 3 work as or be a tailor. [anglo-french taillour: related to *tail2]



Therm  n. Unit of heat, esp. As the statutory unit of gas supplied, equivalent to 100,000 british thermal units (1.055 x 108 joules). [greek therme heat]


Insusceptible  adj. Not susceptible.
Long-lived  adj. Having a long life; durable.

Alluvial  —adj. Of alluvium. —n. Alluvium, esp. Containing a precious metal.

Weft  n. 1 threads woven across a warp to make fabric. 2 yarn for these. 3 thing woven. [old english: related to *weave1]
Groat  n. Hist. Silver coin worth four old pence. [low german or dutch: related to *great]
Local colour  n. Touches of detail in a story etc. Designed to provide a realistic background.

High priest  n. (fem. High priestess) 1 chief priest, esp. Jewish. 2 head of a cult.
Golly2  n. (pl. -ies) colloq. = *golliwog. [abbreviation]
Divan  n. Low couch or bed without a back or ends. [ultimately from persian divan bench]

Omnipresent  adj. Present everywhere.  omnipresence n. [latin: related to *present1]






Cuddly  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 (of a person, toy, etc.) Soft and yielding. 2 given to cuddling.
Ting  —n. Tinkling sound as of a bell. —v. (cause to) emit this sound. [imitative]

Back to front  adj. 1 with back and front reversed. 2 in disorder.


Ear-splitting  adj. Excessively loud.
Lengthy  adj. (-ier, -iest) of unusual or tedious length.  lengthily adv. Lengthiness n.

Science  n. 1 branch of knowledge involving systematized observation and experiment. 2 a knowledge so gained, or on a specific subject. B pursuit or principles of this. 3 skilful technique. [latin scio know]
Neutron bomb  n. Bomb producing neutrons and little blast, destroying life but not property.
Tup  —n. Ram. —v. (-pp-) (of a ram) copulate with (a ewe). [origin unknown]
Racoon  n. (also raccoon) (pl. Same or -s) 1 n. American mammal with a bushy tail and sharp snout. 2 its fur. [algonquian]
Rainwear  n. Clothes for wearing in the rain.
Rowlock  n. Device on a boat's side for holding an oar in place. [oarlock from old english: related to *oar, *lock1]


Pitchblende  n. Uranium oxide occurring in pitchlike masses and yielding radium. [german: related to *pitch2]
Smasher  n. Colloq. Beautiful or pleasing person or thing.






Easement  n. Legal right of way or similar right over another's land. [french: related to *ease]
Host1  n. (usu. Foll. By of) large number of people or things. [latin hostis enemy, army]


Overcautious  adj. Excessively cautious.

Seakale  n. Plant with young shoots used as a vegetable.
Bouclé  n. 1 looped or curled yarn (esp. Wool). 2 fabric made of this. [french, = curled]

Discreet  adj. (-er, -est) 1 a circumspect. B tactful; judicious, prudent. 2 unobtrusive.  discreetly adv. Discreetness n. [latin: related to *discern]
Eye strain  n. Fatigue of the eye muscles.
Pro rata  —adj. Proportional. —adv. Proportionally. [latin]

-ol  suffix in the names of alcohols or analogous compounds. [from *alcohol and latin oleum oil]

Dealings  n.pl. Contacts, conduct, or transactions.

Competition  n. 1 (often foll. By for) competing. 2 event in which people compete. 3 the other people or trade competing; opposition. [latin: related to *compete]
Arak  var. Of *arrack.




Esophagus  n. (brit. Oesophagus) (pl. -gi or -guses) passage from the mouth to the stomach; gullet. [greek]



Town crier  n. = *crier 2.
Peep-hole  n. Small hole for peeping through.

Usage  perquisite is sometimes confused with prerequisite, which means ‘thing required as a precondition’.

Lath  n. (pl. Laths) thin flat strip of wood. [old english]

Alkyne  n. Chem. Unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon containing a triple bond and having the general formula cnh2n-2, including acetylene.

Theosophy  n. (pl. -ies) any of various philosophies professing to achieve knowledge of god by spiritual ecstasy, direct intuition, or special individual relations, esp. A modern movement following hindu and buddhist teachings and seeking universal brotherhood.  theosophical adj. Theosophist n. [greek theosophos wise concerning god]
Visceral  adj. 1 of the viscera. 2 of feelings rather than reason.
Carrier wave  n. High-frequency electromagnetic wave modulated in amplitude or frequency to convey a signal.
Farina  n. 1 flour or meal of cereal, nuts, or starchy roots. 2 starch.  farinaceous adj. [latin]
Pierrot  n. (fem. Pierrette) 1 white-faced entertainer in pier shows etc. With a loose white clown's costume. 2 french pantomime character so dressed. [french, diminutive of pierre peter]
L.s.d.  N. (also £.s.d.) 1 hist. Pounds, shillings, and pence (in former british currency). 2 money, riches. [latin librae, solidi, denarii]
Prescriptive  adj. 1 prescribing, laying down rules. 2 arising from custom.




Elevation  n. 1 a elevating or being elevated. B angle with the horizontal. C height above sea level etc. D high position. 2 drawing or diagram showing one side of a building.


Wankel engine  n. Internal-combustion engine with a continuously rotated and eccentrically pivoted shaft. [wankel, name of an engineer]
Motorman  n. Driver of an underground train, tram, etc.



Roundworm  n. Worm with a rounded body.

Shed1  n. One-storeyed usu. Wooden structure for storage or shelter, or as a workshop. [from *shade]
Novel2  adj. Of a new kind or nature. [latin novus new]
Wren  n. Member of the women's royal naval service. [from the abbreviation wrns]

Giblets  n.pl. Edible organs etc. Of a bird, removed and usu. Cooked separately. [french gibelet game stew]

Cheerio  int. Colloq. Expressing good wishes on parting.

Junction box  n. Box containing a junction of electric cables etc.
Justice of the peace  n. Unpaid lay magistrate appointed to hear minor cases.
Meaty  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 full of meat; fleshy. 2 of or like meat. 3 substantial, full of interest, satisfying.  meatiness n.


Mitosis  n. Biol. Type of cell division that results in two nuclei each having the same number and kind of chromosomes as the parent nucleus.  mitotic adj. [greek mitos thread]
Arpeggio  n. (pl. -s) mus. Notes of a chord played in succession. [italian arpa harp]


Milk float  n. Small usu. Electric vehicle used in delivering milk.


Hung parliament  n. Parliament in which no party has a clear majority.
Hell for leather  adv. At full speed.

Decahedron  n. Solid figure with ten faces.  decahedral adj. [after *polyhedron]
Foundling  n. Abandoned infant of unknown parentage. [related to *find]


Vet2  n. Us veteran. [abbreviation]

Bluebell  n. Woodland plant with bell-shaped blue flowers.
Ef-  see *ex-1.
Dreadful  adj. 1 terrible. 2 colloq. Very annoying, very bad.  dreadfully adv.





Herring-bone  n. Stitch or weave consisting of a series of small ‘v’ shapes making a zigzag pattern.
Dispatch  (also despatch) —v. 1 send off to a destination or for a purpose. 2 perform (a task etc.) Promptly; finish off. 3 kill, execute. 4 colloq. Eat quickly. —n. 1 dispatching or being dispatched. 2 a official written message, esp. Military. B news report to a newspaper etc. 3 promptness, efficiency. [italian dispacciare or spanish despachar]

Ill  —adj. (attrib. Except in sense 1) 1 (usu. Predic.) Not in good health; unwell. 2 wretched, unfavourable (ill fortune; ill luck). 3 harmful (ill effects). 4 hostile, unkind (ill feeling). 5 faulty, unskilful (ill management). 6 (of manners or conduct) improper. —adv. 1 badly, wrongly, imperfectly (ill-matched; ill-provided). 2 scarcely (can ill afford it). 3 unfavourably (spoke ill of them). —n. 1 injury, harm. 2 evil.  ill at ease embarrassed, uneasy. [old norse]

Replica  n. 1 exact copy, esp. A duplicate of a work, made by the original artist. 2 copy or model, esp. On a smaller scale. [italian replicare *reply]
Privy purse  n. Allowance from the public revenue for the monarch's private expenses.
Put-down  n. Colloq. Snub.
Naturally  adv. 1 in a natural manner. 2 (qualifying a whole sentence) as might be expected; of course.

Garret  n. Attic or room in a roof. [french, = watch-tower: related to *garrison]
Perfect pitch  n. = *absolute pitch.
Pomander  n. 1 ball of mixed aromatic substances. 2 container for this. [anglo-french from medieval latin]
Platypus  n. (pl. -puses) australian aquatic egg-laying mammal, with a ducklike bill and flat tail. [greek, = flat foot]
Hi  int. Calling attention or as a greeting.


Photoelectric cell  n. Device using the effect of light to generate current.

Osprey  n. (pl. -s) large bird of prey feeding on fish. [latin ossifraga from os bone, frango break]
Saunter  —v. Walk slowly; stroll. —n. Leisurely walk. [origin unknown]
String  —n. 1 twine or narrow cord. 2 piece of this or of similar material used for tying or holding together, pulling, forming the head of a racket, etc. 3 length of catgut or wire etc. On a musical instrument, producing a note by vibration. 4 a (in pl.) Stringed instruments in an orchestra etc. B (attrib.) Of stringed instruments (string quartet). 5 (in pl.) Condition or complication (no strings attached). 6 set of things strung together; series or line. 7 tough side of a bean-pod etc. —v. (past and past part. Strung) 1 fit (a racket, violin, archer's bow, etc.) With a string or strings, or (a violin etc. Bow) with horsehairs etc. 2 tie with string. 3 thread on a string. 4 arrange in or as a string. 5  remove the strings from (a bean).  on a string under one's control. String along colloq. 1 deceive. 2 (often foll. By with) keep company (with). String out extend; prolong. String up 1 hang up on strings etc. 2 kill by hanging. 3 (usu. As strung up adj.) Make tense. [old english]
Dm  abbr. Decimetre(s).


Tombstone  n. Memorial stone over a grave, usu. With an epitaph.

Aorta  n. (pl. -s) main artery, giving rise to the arterial network carrying oxygenated blood to the body from the heart.  aortic adj. [greek aeiro raise]




Pinta  n. Colloq. Pint of milk. [corruption of pint of]
Sarong  n. Malay and javanese garment of a long strip of cloth tucked round the waist or under the armpits. [malay]

Caught  past and past part. Of *catch.

Shoestring  n. 1 shoelace. 2 colloq. Small esp. Inadequate amount of money.

Carpet-bag  n. Travelling-bag, orig. Made of carpet-like material.

Builder  n. Person who builds, esp. A building contractor.
Coconut  n. Large brown seed of the coco, with a hard shell and edible white lining enclosing milky juice.
Interrelate  v. (-ting) 1 relate (two or more things) to each other. 2 (of two or more things) relate to each other.  interrelation n. Interrelationship n.
Siege  n. 1 surrounding and blockading of a town, castle, etc. 2 similar operation by police etc. To force an armed person out of a building.  lay siege to conduct the siege of. Raise the siege of abandon, or cause the abandonment of, an attempted siege of. [french sege seat]
Macadamia  n. Edible seed of an australian tree.  [macadam, name of a chemist]

Renege  v. (-ging) (often foll. By on) go back on (one's word etc.). [latin nego deny]

Somnambulism  n. Sleepwalking.  somnambulant adj. Somnambulist n. [latin somnus sleep, ambulo walk]
Ponder  v. 1 think over; consider. 2 muse, be deep in thought. [latin pondero weigh]

Outplacement  n. Assistance in finding a new job after redundancy.

Tweezers  n.pl. Small pair of pincers for taking up small objects, plucking out hairs, etc. [originally tweezes pl. Of obsolete tweeze, a case for small instruments]
Baronet  n. Member of the lowest hereditary titled british order.  baronetcy n. (pl. -ies).

Studding-sail  n. Extra sail set in light winds. [low german or dutch]
Cryptic  adj. Obscure in meaning; secret, mysterious.  cryptically adv.
Tubby  adj. (-ier, -iest) short and fat.  tubbiness n.

Goldfish  n. (pl. Same or -es) small reddish-golden chinese carp.
Telex  (also telex) —n. International system of telegraphy by teleprinters using the public telecommunications network. —v. Send, or communicate with, by telex. [from *teleprinter, *exchange]
Boatswain  n. (also bosun, bo'sun) ship's officer in charge of equipment and crew.


Alyssum  n. Plant with small usu. Yellow or white flowers. [greek, = curing madness]
Adventure playground  n. Playground with climbing-frames, building blocks, etc.
Authentic  adj. 1 of undisputed origin; genuine. 2 reliable, trustworthy.  authentically adv. Authenticity n. [greek authentikos]






Despatch  var. Of *dispatch.
Shambles  n.pl. (usu. Treated as sing.) 1 colloq. Mess, muddle. 2 butcher's slaughterhouse. 3 scene of carnage. [pl. Of shamble table for selling meat]
Bamboo  n. 1 tropical giant woody grass. 2 its stem, used for canes, furniture, etc. [dutch from malay]


Ceaseless  adj. Without end.  ceaselessly adv.



Gracious  —adj. 1 kind; indulgent and beneficent to inferiors. 2 (of god) merciful, benign. —int. Expressing surprise.  graciously adv. Graciousness n. [latin: related to *grace]
Black box  n. Flight-recorder.


Aura  n. (pl. -s) 1 distinctive atmosphere. 2 subtle emanation. [greek, = breeze]
Quadri-  comb. Form four. [latin quattuor four]
Colored  (brit. Coloured) —adj. 1 having colour. 2 (coloured) often offens. A wholly or partly of non-white descent. B s.afr. Of mixed descent. —n. 1 (coloured) often offens. A coloured person.
Devils-on-horseback  n.pl. Savoury of prunes or plums wrapped in bacon.
Cupid's bow  n. Upper lip etc. Shaped like an archery bow.
Magnetic pole  n. Point near the north or south pole where a magnetic needle dips vertically.
Hireling  n. Usu. Derog. Person who works (only) for money.
Foetid  var. Of *fetid.
Surely  adv. 1 with certainty or safety (slowly but surely). 2 as an appeal to likelihood or reason (surely that can't be right).

Brothel  n. Premises for prostitution. [originally = worthless fellow, from old english]

Crisis  n. (pl. Crises) 1 time of danger or great difficulty. 2 decisive moment; turning-point. [greek, = decision]
Deceitful  adj. Using deceit.  deceitfully adv. Deceitfulness n.
Deselect  v. Reject (a selected candidate, esp. A sitting mp) in favour of another.  deselection n.

Free-born  adj. Not born a slave.
Tea-planter  n. Proprietor or cultivator of a tea plantation.
Boon2  adj. Intimate, favourite (usu. Boon companion). [french bon from latin bonus good]
Insert  —v. Place or put (a thing) into another. —n. Something (esp. Pages) inserted. [latin sero sert- join]

Ballocking  var. Of *bollocking.

Capital transfer tax  n. Hist. Tax levied on the transfer of capital by gift or bequest etc.
Sealing-wax  n. Mixture softened by heating and used to make seals.
Gaolbreak  var. Of *jailbreak.
Isobar  n. Line on a map connecting places with the same atmospheric pressure.  isobaric adj. [greek baros weight]




Oceanography  n. The study of the oceans.  oceanographer n.
Intercom  n. Colloq. 1 system of intercommunication by radio or telephone. 2 instrument used in this. [abbreviation]
Icebox  n. 1 compartment in a refrigerator for making or storing ice. 2 us refrigerator.

Pelt2  n. Undressed skin, usu. Of a fur-bearing mammal. [french, ultimately from latin pellis skin]
Deformity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 being deformed. 2 malformation, esp. Of a body or limb.
Embarrass  v. 1 make (a person) feel awkward or ashamed. 2 (as embarrassed adj.) Encumbered with debts. 3 encumber.  embarrassment n. [italian imbarrare bar in]
Floating rib  n. Lower rib not attached to the breastbone.
Sanctity  n. Holiness, sacredness; inviolability. [latin sanctus holy]
Matt  (also mat) —adj. Not shiny or glossy; dull. —n. (in full matt paint) paint giving a dull flat finish. [french: related to *mate2]
Cruzeiro  n. (pl. -s) one-thousandth of a cruzado. [portuguese]
Vermilion  —n. 1 cinnabar. 2 a brilliant red pigment made esp. From this. B colour of this. —adj. Of this colour. [latin vermiculus diminutive of vermis worm]


Sidelong  —adj. (esp. Of a glance) oblique. —adv. Obliquely.
Paleography  n. (brit. Palaeography) the study of ancient writing and documents.  palaeographer n. [french: related to *palaeo-]

Drowse  v. (-sing) be lightly asleep. [from *drowsy]



Din  n. Any of a series of german technical standards designating electrical connections, film speeds, and paper sizes. [german, from deutsche industrie-norm]

Osmosis  n. 1 passage of a solvent through a semi-permeable partition into another solution. 2 process by which something is acquired by absorption.  osmotic adj. [greek osmos push]



Psv  abbr.  Public service vehicle.
Badge  n. 1 small flat emblem worn to signify office, membership, etc., or as decoration. 2 thing that reveals a condition or quality. [origin unknown]
Unripe  adj. Not ripe.

Elevator  n. 1 us lift. 2 movable part of a tailplane for changing an aircraft's altitude. 3 hoisting machine.



Unwinking  adj. 1 not winking. 2 vigilant.



Light-fingered  adj. Given to stealing.


Red-blooded  adj. Virile, vigorous.
Pensive  adj. Deep in thought.  pensively adv. [french penser think]

Observance  n. 1 keeping or performing of a law, duty, etc. 2 rite or ceremony.
Bow2  —v. 1 incline the head or body, esp. In greeting or acknowledgement. 2 submit (bowed to the inevitable). 3 cause (the head etc.) To incline. —n. Act of bowing.  bow and scrape toady. Bow down 1 bend or kneel esp. In submission or reverence. 2 make stoop; crush (bowed down by care). Bow out 1 exit (esp. Formally). 2 withdraw; retire. Take a bow acknowledge applause. [old english]




Truffle  n. 1 edible rich-flavoured underground fungus. 2 sweet made of a chocolate mixture covered with cocoa etc. [probably dutch from french]

Stove-pipe  n. Pipe carrying smoke and gases from a stove to a chimney.
Usage  the use of gourmand in sense 2 is considered incorrect by some people.
Spelling  n. 1 way a word is spelt. 2 ability to spell.
Self-  comb. Form expressing reflexive action: 1 of or by oneself or itself (self-locking). 2 on, in, for, or of oneself or itself (self-absorbed).

Permit  —v. (-tt-) 1 give permission or consent to; authorize. 2 a allow; give an opportunity to. B give an opportunity (circumstances permitting). 3 (foll. By of) admit. —n. 1 a document giving permission to act. B document etc. Which allows entry. 2 formal permission. [latin permitto -miss- allow]

Cycad  n. Palmlike plant often growing to a great height. [greek koix egyptian palm]

Crossbar  n. Horizontal bar, esp. That on a man's bicycle.



Factitious  adj. 1 specially contrived. 2 artificial. [latin: related to *fact]




Mitigating circumstances  n.pl.  Circumstances permitting greater leniency.
Compiler  n. 1 person who compiles. 2 computing program for translating a programming language into machine code.
Appease  v. (-sing) 1 make calm or quiet, esp. Conciliate (a potential aggressor) by making concessions. 2 satisfy (an appetite, scruples).  appeasement n. [french à to, pais *peace]
Etc.  Abbr. = *et cetera.
Interactive  adj. 1 reciprocally active. 2 (of a computer or other electronic device) allowing a two-way flow of information between it and a user.  interactively adv.
Interchangeable  adj. That can be interchanged, esp. Without affecting the way a thing works.  interchangeably adv.
Tussle  —n. Struggle, scuffle. —v. (-ling) engage in a tussle. [originally scots and northern english, perhaps diminutive of touse: related to *tousle]
Wheelbase  n. Distance between the axles of a vehicle.

Nerve gas  n. Poisonous gas affecting the nervous system.
Saccharine  adj. Excessively sentimental or sweet.



Coherent  adj. 1 intelligible and articulate. 2 (of an argument etc.) Consistent; easily followed. 3 cohering. 4 physics (of waves) having a constant phase relationship.  coherence n. Coherently adv.
Rectify  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 adjust or make right. 2 purify or refine, esp. By repeated distillation. 3 convert (alternating current) to direct current.  rectifiable adj. Rectification n. Rectifier n. [latin rectus straight, right]

Radio frequency  n. (pl. -ies) frequency band of telecommunication, ranging from 104 to 1011 or 1012 hz.
Loaf1  n. (pl. Loaves) 1 unit of baked bread, usu. Of a standard size or shape. 2 other food made in the shape of a loaf and cooked. 3 slang head as the seat of common sense. [old english]
Photography  n. The taking and processing of photographs.
Ukulele  n. Small four-stringed hawaiian guitar. [hawaiian]


Smoker  n. 1 person who habitually smokes. 2 compartment on a train where smoking is allowed.
Golden rule  n. Basic principle of action, esp. ‘do as you would be done by’.
Infringe  v. (-ging) 1 break or violate (a law, another's rights, etc.). 2 (usu. Foll. By on) encroach; trespass.  infringement n. [latin frango fract- break]
Interrogatory  —adj. Questioning (interrogatory tone). —n. (pl. -ies) formal set of questions.
Self-seeking  adj. & n. Selfish.



Norman french  n. French as spoken by the normans or (after 1066) in english lawcourts.
Poleaxe  (us -ax) —n. 1 hist. = *battleaxe 1. 2 butcher's axe. —v. (-xing) 1 hit or kill with a poleaxe. 2 (esp. As poleaxed adj.) Colloq. Dumbfound, overwhelm. [low german or dutch: related to *poll, *axe]
Perplex  v. 1 puzzle, bewilder, or disconcert. 2 complicate or confuse (a matter).  perplexedly adv. Perplexing adj. [latin perplexus involved]
Aisle  n. 1 the part of a church on either side of the nave, divided from it by pillars. 2 passage between rows of pews, seats, etc. [latin ala wing]
Praline  n. Sweet made by browning nuts in boiling sugar. [french]


Header  n. 1 football shot or pass made with the head. 2 colloq. Headlong fall or dive. 3 brick etc. Laid at right angles to the face of a wall. 4 (in full header-tank) tank of water etc. Maintaining pressure in a plumbing system.



Source  n. 1 place from which a river or stream issues. 2 place of origination. 3 person or document etc. Providing information.  at source at the point of origin or issue. [french: related to *surge]

Astral  adj. Of the stars; starry. [latin astrum star]
Arriviste  n. Ambitious or ruthless person. [french: related to *arrive]
Mix-up  n. Confusion, misunderstanding.


-ation  suffix 1 forming nouns denoting an action or an instance of it (flirtation; hesitation). 2 forming nouns denoting a result or product of action (plantation; starvation). [latin -atio]
Flotation  n. (also floatation) launching or financing of a commercial enterprise etc. [from *float]



Organdie  n. Fine translucent muslin, usu. Stiffened. [french]
Real tennis  n. Original form of tennis played on an indoor court.



Unneeded  adj. Not needed.




Jardinière  n. 1 ornamental pot or stand for plants. 2 dish of mixed vegetables. [french]

Daytime  n. Part of the day when there is natural light.

Cock-up  n. Slang muddle or mistake.
Host2  —n. 1 person who receives or entertains another as a guest. 2 compère. 3 biol. Animal or plant having a parasite. 4 recipient of a transplanted organ etc. 5 landlord of an inn. —v. Be host to (a person) or of (an event). [latin hospes hospitis host, guest]


Hockey  n. Team game with hooked sticks and a small hard ball. [origin unknown]

Rout2  v. = *root2. [var. Of *root2]
Drainage  n. 1 draining. 2 system of drains. 3 what is drained off.
Assignee  n. Law person to whom a right or property is assigned.



Phonology  n. The study of sounds in language or a particular language; a language's sound system.  phonological adj.
Assault  —n. 1 violent physical or verbal attack. 2 law threat or display of violence against a person. —v. Make an assault on.  assault and battery law threatening act resulting in physical harm to a person. [latin: related to *assail]
Hereabouts  adv. (also hereabout) near this place.
Humiliate  v. (-ting) injure the dignity or self-respect of.  humiliating adj. Humiliation n. [latin: related to *humble]

Wafer  n. 1 very thin light crisp sweet biscuit. 2 disc of unleavened bread used in the eucharist. 3 disc of red paper stuck on a legal document instead of a seal. [anglo-french wafre from germanic]

Sash-weight  n. Weight attached to each end of a window sash.



Greek  —n. 1 a native or national of greece. B person of greek descent. 2 language of greece. —adj. Of greece or its people or language; hellenic.  greek to me colloq. Incomprehensible to me. [old english ultimately from greek graikoi]
Hydrostatic  adj. Of the equilibrium of liquids and the pressure exerted by liquid at rest. [related to *static]
Subtropics  n.pl. Regions adjacent to the tropics.  subtropical adj.
Ratable  var. Of *rateable.
Peripheral  —adj. 1 of minor importance; marginal. 2 of the periphery. —n. Any input, output, or storage device that can be controlled by a computer's central processing unit, e.g. A floppy disk or printer.

Pd.  Abbr. Paid.

Pace2  prep. (in stating a contrary opinion) with due respect to (the person named). [latin, ablative of pax peace]
Dutiful  adj. Doing one's duty; obedient.  dutifully adv.

Nuclear weapon  n. Weapon using the release of energy by nuclear fission or fusion or both.
Coat of mail  n. Jacket covered with mail.




Coerce  v. (-cing) persuade or restrain by force.  coercible adj. Coercion n. Coercive adj. [latin coerceo restrain]
Vice-president  n. Official ranking below and deputizing for a president.  vice-presidency n. (pl. -ies). Vice-presidential adj.
Synchronic  adj. Concerned with a subject as it exists at one point in time.  synchronically adv. [from *syn-, greek khronos time]

Percent  (brit. Per cent) —adv. In every hundred. —n. 1 percentage. 2 one part in every hundred (half a per cent).


Free fight  n. General fight in which all present join.





Hundredweight  n. (pl. Same or -s) 1 unit of weight equal to 112 lb, or us equal to 100 lb. 2 unit of weight equal to 50 kg.
Love-nest  n. Colloq. Secluded retreat for (esp. Illicit) lovers.
Indigestible  adj. 1 difficult or impossible to digest. 2 too complex to read or understand.  indigestibility n.
Incognizant  adj. Formal unaware.  incognizance n.
Rand  n. Chief monetary unit of south africa. [the rand, gold-field district near johannesburg]
Theory  n. (pl. -ies) 1 supposition or system of ideas explaining something, esp. One based on general principles independent of the particular things to be explained (atomic theory; theory of evolution). 2 speculative (esp. Fanciful) view (one of my pet theories). 3 abstract knowledge or speculative thought (all very well in theory). 4 exposition of the principles of a science etc. (the theory of music). 5 collection of propositions to illustrate the principles of a mathematical subject (probability theory). [greek: related to *theorem]
Asafetida  n. (brit. Asafoetida) resinous pungent plant gum used in cooking and formerly in medicine. [persian aza mastic: related to *fetid]



Falling star  n. Meteor.
Horsy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 of or like a horse. 2 concerned with or devoted to horses.
Cuckoo-spit  n. Froth exuded by insect larvae on leaves, stems, etc.
Fornicate  v. (-ting) archaic or joc. (of people not married to each other) have sexual intercourse.  fornication n. Fornicator n. [latin fornix brothel]
Hadn't  contr. Had not.
Absolute majority  n. Majority over all rivals combined.
Brahman  n. (also brahman) (pl. -s) 1 (also brahmin) member of the highest or priestly hindu caste. 2 = *brahma 2.  brahmanic adj. Brahmanism n.
Flower-bed  n. Garden bed for flowers.

Scene  n. 1 place in which events, real or fictional, occur. 2 a incident, real or fictional. B description of this. 3 public display of emotion, temper, etc. (made a scene in the restaurant). 4 a continuous portion of a play in a fixed setting; subdivision of an act. B similar section of a film, book, etc. 5 a piece of scenery used in a play. B these collectively. 6 landscape or view. 7 colloq. A area of interest (not my scene). B milieu (well-known on the jazz scene).  behind the scenes 1 offstage. 2 secret; secretly. Set the scene describe the location of events. [greek skene tent, stage]

Are1  2nd sing. Present & 1st, 2nd, 3rd pl. Present of *be.


Quorate  adj. Constituting or having a quorum. [from *quorum]
Milord  n. (esp. As a form of address) english nobleman. [french from my lord]


Hematology  n. (brit. Haem-) the study of the blood.  haematologist n.
Cite  v. (-ting) 1 mention as an example etc. 2 quote (a book etc.) In support. 3 mil. Mention in dispatches. 4 summon to appear in court. [latin cieo set in motion]
Refurbish  v. 1 brighten up. 2 restore and redecorate.  refurbishment n.
Ale  n. Beer. [old english]
Junction  n. 1 joint; joining-point. 2 place where railway lines or roads meet. 3 joining. [latin: related to *join]



Hereupon  adv. After this; in consequence of this.



Recumbent  adj. Lying down; reclining. [latin cumbo lie]


Spleen  n. 1 abdominal organ regulating the quality of the blood. 2 moroseness, irritability (from the earlier belief that the spleen was the seat of such feelings). [greek splen]
Confinement  n. 1 confining or being confined. 2 time of childbirth.

Flapdoodle  n. Colloq. Nonsense. [origin unknown]
Lift-off  n. Vertical take-off of a spacecraft or rocket.
Contortionist  n. Entertainer who adopts contorted postures.


Slothful  adj. Lazy.  slothfully adv.

Fungus  n. (pl. -gi or -guses) 1 mushroom, toadstool, or allied plant, including moulds, feeding on organic matter. 2 med. Spongy morbid growth.  fungal adj. Fungous adj. [latin]


Usherette  n. Female usher, esp. In a cinema.



Ideology  n. (pl. -ies) 1 ideas at the basis of an economic or political theory (marxist ideology). 2 characteristic thinking of a class etc. (bourgeois ideology).  ideological adj. Ideologically adv. Ideologist n. [french: related to *idea, *-logy]
Herculean  adj. Having or requiring great strength or effort. [from the name hercules, latin alteration of greek herakles]

Frs  abbr. Fellow of the royal society.
Plantain1  n. Plant with broad flat leaves spread close to the ground and seeds used as food for birds. [latin plantago]
Flautist  n. Flute-player. [italian: related to *flute]



Overprice  v. (-cing) price too highly.





Infinity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 being infinite; boundlessness. 2 infinite number or extent. 3 infinite distance (gaze into infinity). 4 math. Infinite quantity.
Wimp  n. Colloq. Feeble or ineffectual person.  wimpish adj. [origin uncertain]
Peewit  n. (also pewit) lapwing. [a sound imitative of its cry]
Foolhardy  adj. (-ier, -iest) rashly or foolishly bold; reckless.  foolhardily adv. Foolhardiness n.
Lobster  n. 1 marine crustacean with two pincer-like claws. 2 its flesh as food. [latin locusta lobster, *locust]


Lilliputian  —n. Diminutive person or thing. —adj. Diminutive. [lilliput in swift's gulliver's travels]

Poultry  n. Domestic fowls (ducks, geese, turkeys, chickens, etc.), esp. As a source of food. [french: related to *poult]
Histology  n. The study of tissue structure. [greek histos web]




Back door  n. Secret or ingenious means.
Splash  —v. 1 scatter or cause (liquid) to scatter in drops. 2 wet with spattered liquid etc. 3 a (usu. Foll. By across, along, about, etc.) Move while spattering liquid etc. B jump or fall into water etc. With a splash. 4 display (news) prominently. 5 decorate with scattered colour. 6 spend (money) ostentatiously. —n. 1 act or noise of splashing. 2 quantity of liquid splashed. 3 mark etc. Made by splashing. 4 prominent news feature, display, etc. 5 patch of colour. 6 colloq. Small quantity of soda water etc. (in drink).  make a splash attract attention. Splash out colloq. Spend money freely.  splashy adj. (-ier, -iest). [imitative]
Blacklist  —n. List of people in disfavour etc. —v. Put on a blacklist.




Retaliate  v. (-ting) repay an injury, insult, etc. In kind; attack in return.  retaliation n. Retaliatory adj. [latin talis such]

Interstellar  adj. Between stars.
Backstairs  —n.pl. Rear or side stairs of a building. —attrib. Adj. (also backstair) underhand; secret.
Textbook  —n. Book for use in studying, esp. A standard account of a subject. —attrib. Adj. 1 exemplary, accurate. 2 instructively typical.

Banana  n. 1 long curved soft fruit with a yellow skin. 2 treelike plant bearing it.  go bananas slang go mad. [portuguese or spanish, from an african name]
Outstretched  adj. Stretched out.


Literacy  n. Ability to read and write. [latin littera letter]




Seat  —n. 1 thing made or used for sitting on. 2 a buttocks. B part of a garment covering them. 3 part of a chair etc. On which the buttocks rest. 4 place for one person in a theatre etc. 5 position as an mp, committee member, etc., or the right to occupy it. 6 supporting or guiding part of a machine. 7 location (seat of learning). 8 country mansion. 9 manner of sitting on a horse etc. —v. 1 cause to sit. 2 provide sitting accommodation for (bus seats 50). 3 (as seated adj.) Sitting. 4 put or fit in position.  be seated sit down. By the seat of one's pants colloq. By instinct rather than knowledge. Take a seat sit down. [old norse: related to *sit]
Space–time  n. Fusion of the concepts of space and time as a four-dimensional continuum.


Strainer  n. Device for straining liquids etc.

Humdinger  n. Slang excellent or remarkable person or thing. [origin unknown]

Hush-hush  adj. Colloq. Highly secret, confidential.
Administration  n. 1 administering, esp. Public affairs. 2 government in power.

Aviation  n. Science or practice of flying aircraft. [latin: related to *aviary]


Conjunct  adj. Joined together; combined; associated. [latin from juntus joined]
Cybernetics  n.pl. (usu. Treated as sing.) Science of communications and control systems in machines and living things.  cybernetic adj. [greek kubernetes steersman]


Antipodes  n.pl. Places diametrically opposite to one another on the earth, esp. (also antipodes) australasia in relation to europe.  antipodean adj. & n. [greek, = having the feet opposite]
Missing  adj. 1 not in its place; lost. 2 (of a person) not yet traced or confirmed as alive but not known to be dead. 3 not present.
Patrimony  n. (pl. -ies) 1 property inherited from one's father or ancestor. 2 heritage.  patrimonial adj. [latin: related to *pater]

Leg up  n. Help given to mount a horse etc., or to overcome an obstacle or problem; boost.

Morbid  adj. 1 a (of the mind, ideas, etc.) Unwholesome. B given to morbid feelings. 2 colloq. Melancholy. 3 med. Of the nature of or indicative of disease.  morbidity n. Morbidly adv. [latin morbus disease]
Progenitor  n. 1 ancestor. 2 predecessor. 3 original. [latin progigno beget]
Lie of the land  n. State of affairs.

Dry  —adj. (drier; driest) 1 free from moisture, esp.: a with moisture having evaporated, drained away, etc. (clothes are not dry yet). B (of eyes) free from tears. C (of a climate etc.) With insufficient rain; not rainy (dry spell). D (of a river, well, etc.) Dried up. E using or producing no moisture (dry shampoo; dry cough). F (of a shave) with an electric razor. 2 (of wine) not sweet (dry sherry). 3 a plain, unelaborated (dry facts). B uninteresting (dry book). 4 (of a sense of humour) subtle, ironic, understated. 5 prohibiting the sale of alcohol (a dry state). 6 (of bread) without butter etc. 7 (of provisions etc.) Solid, not liquid. 8 impassive. 9 (of a cow) not yielding milk. 10 colloq. Thirsty (feel dry). —v. (dries, dried) 1 make or become dry. 2 (usu. As dried adj.) Preserve (food etc.) By removing moisture. 3 (often foll. By up) colloq. Forget one's lines. —n. (pl. Dries) 1 act of drying. 2 dry ginger ale. 3 dry place (come into the dry).  dry out 1 make or become fully dry. 2 treat or be treated for alcoholism. Dry up 1 make or become utterly dry. 2 dry dishes. 3 colloq. (esp. In imper.) Cease talking. 4 become unproductive. 5 (of supplies) run out.  dryness n. [old english]
Swing-boat  n. Boat-shaped swing at fairs.

Box3  n. 1 small evergreen tree with dark green leaves. 2 its fine hard wood. [latin buxus, greek puxos]
Wavy  adj. (-ier, -iest) having waves or alternate contrary curves.  waviness n.


Boric acid  n. Acid derived from borax, used as an antiseptic.
Arcade  n. 1 covered walk, esp. Lined with shops. 2 series of arches supporting or set along a wall. [romanic: related to *arc]

Teethe  v. (-thing) grow or cut teeth, esp. Milk teeth.


Private means  n.pl. Income from investments etc., apart from earned income.
Free-spoken  adj. Forthright.

Silage  n. 1 green fodder stored in a silo. 2 storage in a silo. [alteration of *ensilage after silo]



Umbra  n. (pl. -s or -brae) total shadow, esp. That cast on the earth by the moon during a solar eclipse. [latin, = shadow]


Holm  n. (in full holm-oak) evergreen oak with holly-like young leaves. [dial. Holm holly]
Dilute  —v. (-ting) 1 reduce the strength of (a fluid) by adding water etc. 2 weaken or reduce in effect. —adj. Diluted.  dilution n. [latin diluo -lut- wash away]
Assizes  n.pl. Hist. Court periodically administering the civil and criminal law. [french: related to *assess]
Rummage sale  n. Esp. Us jumble sale.

Tortoiseshell butterfly  n. Butterfly with wings mottled like tortoiseshell.

Orang-utan  n. (also orang-outang) large reddish-haired long-armed anthropoid ape of the e. Indies. [malay, = wild man]
Barograph  n. Barometer equipped to record its readings. [greek baros weight]
Lustre  n. (us luster) 1 gloss, shining surface. 2 brilliance, splendour. 3 iridescent glaze on pottery and porcelain.  lustrous adj. [latin lustro illumine]

Porker  n. Pig raised for food.




From  prep. Expressing separation or origin, followed by: 1 person, place, time, etc., that is the starting-point (dinner is served from 8; from start to finish). 2 place, object, etc. At a specified distance etc. (10 miles from rome; far from sure). 3 a source (gravel from a pit; quotations from shaw). B giver or sender (not heard from her). 4 thing or person avoided, deprived, etc. (released him from prison; took his gun from him). 5 reason, cause, motive (died from fatigue; did it from jealousy). 6 thing distinguished or unlike (know black from white). 7 lower limit (from 10 to 20 boats). 8 state changed for another (from being poor he became rich). 9 adverb or preposition of time or place (from long ago; from abroad; from under the bed).  from time to time occasionally. [old english]
-xion  see *-ion.
Monseigneur  n. (pl. Messeigneurs) title given to an eminent french person, esp. A prince, cardinal, archbishop, or bishop. [french mon my, *seigneur]
Sloop  n. Small one-masted fore-and-aft rigged vessel. [dutch sloep]

Tabu  var. Of *taboo.
Converse1  v. (-sing) (often foll. By with) talk. [latin: related to *convert]

Bonnet  n. 1 a hat tied under the chin, worn esp. By babies. B scotsman's floppy beret. 2 hinged cover over a vehicle's engine. [french]


Welsh rabbit  n. (also, by folk etymology, welsh rarebit) dish of melted cheese etc. On toast.

Middle english  n. English language from c.1150 to 1500.

Cert  n. (esp. Dead cert) slang a certainty. [abbreviation]
Abolish  v. Put an end to (esp. A custom or institution). [latin aboleo destroy]
Plaid  n. 1 (often attrib.) Chequered or tartan, esp. Woollen, twilled cloth (plaid skirt). 2 long piece of this worn over the shoulder in highland scottish costume. [gaelic]
Mediaeval  var. Of *medieval.


Nursery slopes  n.pl.  Gentle slopes for novice skiers.
Rap1  —n. 1 smart slight blow. 2 knock, sharp tapping sound. 3 slang blame, punishment. 4 a rhythmic monologue recited to music. B (in full rap music) style of rock music with words recited. —v. (-pp-) 1 strike smartly. 2 knock; make a sharp tapping sound. 3 criticize adversely. 4 perform a rap.  take the rap suffer the consequences.  rapper n. [probably imitative]
Godlike  adj. Resembling god or a god.

Samosa  n. Fried triangular pastry containing spiced vegetables or meat. [hindustani]
Unconditional  adj. Not subject to conditions; complete (unconditional surrender).  unconditionally adv.
Irish stew  n. Stew of mutton, potato, and onion.
Eastbound  adj. Travelling or leading eastwards.

Saber  n. (brit. Sabre) 1 curved cavalry sword. 2 light tapering fencing-sword. [french from german sabel]

Suffragette  n. Hist. Woman seeking suffrage by organized protest.

Weathercock  n. 1 weather-vane in the form of a cock. 2 inconstant person.


Geographical mile  n. Distance of one minute of longitude or latitude at the equator (about 1.85 km).
Spinning wheel  n. Household device for spinning yarn or thread, with a spindle driven by a wheel with a crank or treadle.
Pall1  n. 1 cloth spread over a coffin etc. 2 shoulder-band with pendants, worn as an ecclesiastical vestment and sign of authority. 3 dark covering (pall of darkness). [latin pallium cloak]

Papier mâché  n. Paper pulp moulded into boxes, trays, etc. [french, = chewed paper]
Temporary  —adj. Lasting or meant to last only for a limited time. —n. (pl. -ies) person employed temporarily.  temporarily adv. Temporariness n.
Kickstand  n. Rod for supporting a bicycle or motor cycle when stationary.



Trichinosis  n. Disease caused by hairlike worms usu. Ingested in meat. [greek thrix trikh- hair]
Basket  n. 1 container made of interwoven cane, reed, wire, etc. 2 amount held by this. 3 the goal in basketball, or a goal scored. 4 econ. Group or range (of currencies). [french]

Aboriginal  —adj. 1 indigenous, inhabiting a land from the earliest times, esp. Before the arrival of colonists. 2 (usu. Aboriginal) of australian aborigines. —n. 1 aboriginal inhabitant. 2 (usu. Aboriginal) aboriginal inhabitant of australia. [latin: related to *origin]
Ironstone  n. 1 rock containing much iron. 2 a kind of hard white pottery.
Liquidizer  n. (also -iser) machine for liquidizing foods.

Humor  (brit. Humour) —n. 1 a quality of being amusing or comic. B the expression of humour in literature, speech, etc. 2 (in full sense of humour) ability to perceive or express humour. 3 state of mind; inclination (bad humour). 4 (in full cardinal humour) hist. Each of the four fluids (blood, phlegm, choler, melancholy), thought to determine a person's physical and mental qualities. —v. Gratify or indulge (a person or taste etc.).  out of humour displeased.  humourless adj. [latin humor moisture]



Spar3  n. Easily split crystalline mineral. [low german]


Redden  v. 1 make or become red. 2 blush.

Antitrades  n.pl. Winds blowing in the opposite direction to (and usu. Above) trade winds.
Gurkha  n. 1 member of the dominant hindu race in nepal. 2 nepalese soldier serving in the british army. [sanskrit]
Shorty  n. (also shortie) (pl. -ies) colloq. Person or garment shorter than average.


Nervous system  n. Body's network of nerve cells.
Jet1  —n. 1 stream of water, steam, gas, flame, etc., shot esp. From a small opening. 2 spout or nozzle for this purpose. 3 jet engine or jet plane. —v. (-tt-) 1 spurt out in jets. 2 colloq. Send or travel by jet plane. [french jeter throw from latin jacto]

Ubiquitous  adj. 1 (seemingly) present everywhere simultaneously. 2 often encountered.  ubiquity n. [latin ubique everywhere]


Wild hyacinth  n. = *bluebell.
Invite  —v. (-ting) 1 (often foll. By to, or to + infin.) Ask (a person) courteously to come, or to do something. 2 make a formal courteous request for. 3 tend to call forth unintentionally. 4 a attract. B be attractive. —n. Colloq. Invitation. [latin invito]


Shanty1  n. (pl. -ies) 1 hut or cabin. 2 shack. [origin unknown]

Procrustean  adj. Seeking to enforce uniformity ruthlessly or violently. [greek prokroustes, name of a robber who fitted his victims to a bed by stretching them or cutting bits off them]
Fugitive  —n. (often foll. By from) person who flees, e.g. From justice or an enemy. —adj. 1 fleeing. 2 transient, fleeting. [latin fugio flee]


Curly kale  n. = *kale.
Möbius strip  n. Math. One-sided surface formed by joining the ends of a narrow rectangle after twisting one end through 180°. [möbius, name of a mathematician]

Coiff  v. (usu. As coiffed adj.) Dress or arrange (the hair). [french coiffer]
Grape hyacinth  n. Plant of the lily family with clusters of usu. Blue flowers.



Pastry-cook  n. Cook who specializes in pastry.


Decree absolute  n. Final order for completion of a divorce.
Aluminum  n. (brit. Aluminium) silvery light and malleable metallic element resistant to tarnishing by air.


Vet1  —n. Colloq. Veterinary surgeon. —v. (-tt-) make a careful and critical examination of (a scheme, work, candidate, etc.). [abbreviation]
Decompose  v. (-sing) 1 rot. 2 separate (a substance, light, etc.) Into its elements.  decomposition n.

Pot-shot  n. 1 random shot. 2 casual attempt.
Outcrop  n. 1 a emergence of a stratum etc. At a surface. B stratum etc. Emerging. 2 noticeable manifestation.

Cheerful  adj. 1 in good spirits, noticeably happy. 2 bright, pleasant.  cheerfully adv. Cheerfulness n.
Power  —n. 1 ability to do or act. 2 particular faculty of body or mind. 3 a influence, authority. B ascendancy, control (the party in power). 4 authorization; delegated authority. 5 influential person, body, or thing. 6 state having international influence. 7 vigour, energy. 8 active property or function (heating power). 9 colloq. Large number or amount (did me a power of good). 10 capacity for exerting mechanical force or doing work (horsepower). 11 (often attrib.) Mechanical or electrical energy as distinct from manual labour. 12 a electricity supply. B particular source or form of energy (hydroelectric power). 13 physics rate of energy output. 14 product obtained when a number is multiplied by itself a certain number of times (2 to the power of 3 = 8). 15 magnifying capacity of a lens. 16 deity. —v. 1 supply with mechanical or electrical energy. 2 (foll. By up, down) increase or decrease the power supplied to (a device); switch on or off.  the powers that be those in authority. [latin posse be able]


Initial letter  n. First letter of a word.
Ox  n. (pl. Oxen) 1 large usu. Horned ruminant used for draught, milk, and meat. 2 castrated male of a domesticated species of cattle. [old english]
Barbarian  —n. 1 uncultured or brutish person. 2 member of a primitive tribe etc. —adj. 1 rough and uncultured. 2 uncivilized. [greek barbaros foreign]
Ashore  adv. Towards or on the shore or land.





Wept  past of *weep.
Slaughterhouse  n. Place for the slaughter of animals as food.

Ichthyosaurus  n. (also ichthyosaur) (pl. -sauruses or -saurs) extinct marine reptile with four flippers and usu. A large tail. [greek ikhthus fish, sauros lizard]


Marking  n. (usu. In pl.) 1 identification mark. 2 colouring of an animal's fur etc.
Prepuce  n. 1 = *foreskin. 2 fold of skin surrounding the clitoris. [latin praeputium]

Deaden  v. 1 deprive of or lose vitality, force, brightness, sound, feeling, etc. 2 (foll. By to) make insensitive.



Sill  n. Slab of stone, wood, or metal at the foot of a window or doorway. [old english]




Rapid  —adj. (-er, -est) 1 quick, swift. 2 acting or completed in a short time. 3 (of a slope) descending steeply. —n. (usu. In pl.) Steep descent in a river-bed, with a swift current.  rapidity n. Rapidly adv. Rapidness n.  [latin: related to *rape1]
Treaty  n. (pl. -ies) 1 formal agreement between states. 2 agreement between parties, esp. For the purchase of property. [latin: related to *treat]
Carbonic acid  n. Weak acid formed from carbon dioxide in water.

Chum  n. Colloq. Close friend.  chum up (-mm-) (often foll. By with) become a close friend (of).  chummy adj. (-ier, -iest). Chummily adv. Chumminess n. [abbreviation of chamber-fellow]
Abundant  adj. 1 plentiful. 2 (foll. By in) rich (abundant in fruit).  abundantly adv.
Stagflation  n. Econ. State of inflation without a corresponding increase of demand and employment. [blend of stagnation, inflation]
Lacteal  —adj. 1 of milk. 2 conveying chyle etc. —n. (in pl.) Anat. Vessels which absorb fats. [latin lacteus: related to *lactic]
Convalescent  —adj. Recovering from an illness. —n. Convalescent person.  convalescence n.
Rsvp  abbr. (in an invitation etc.) Please answer. [french répondez s'il vous plaît]
Abstain  v. 1 (usu. Foll. By from) refrain from indulging (abstained from smoking). 2 decline to vote. [latin teneo tent- hold]



Ln  abbr. Natural logarithm.




Jacquard  n. 1 apparatus with perforated cards, for weaving figured fabrics. 2 (in full jacquard loom) loom with this. 3 fabric or article so made. [name of its inventor]

Nameless  adj. 1 having or showing no name. 2 unnamed (our informant, who shall be nameless). 3 too horrific to be named (nameless vices).




Helping  n. Portion of food at a meal.
Hemorrhage  (brit. Haem-) —n. 1 profuse loss of blood from a ruptured blood-vessel. 2 damaging loss, esp. Of people or assets. —v. (-ging) suffer a haemorrhage. [greek haima blood, rhegnumi burst]
Hamster  n. Mouselike rodent with a short tail and large cheek-pouches for storing food. [german]

Glad eye  n. (prec. By the) colloq. Amorous glance.
Pfennig  n. One-hundredth of a deutschmark. [german]
Obvious  adj. Easily seen, recognized, or understood.  obviously adv. Obviousness n. [latin ob viam in the way]
Manikin  n. Little man; dwarf. [dutch]

Booth  n. 1 small temporary structure used esp. As a market stall. 2 enclosure for telephoning, voting, etc. 3 cubicle in a restaurant etc. [old norse]









Untie  v. (untying) 1 undo (a knot, package, etc.). 2 release from bonds or attachment.
Discourse  —n. 1 conversation. 2 lengthy treatment of a subject. 3 lecture, speech. —v. (-sing) 1 converse. 2 speak or write at length on a subject. [latin curro curs- run]




Self-defence  n. (us -defense) physical or verbal defence of one's body, property, rights, reputation, etc.




Shepherd  —n. 1 (fem. Shepherdess) person employed to tend sheep. 2 member of the clergy in charge of a congregation. —v. 1 a tend (sheep etc.). B guide (followers etc.). 2 marshal or drive (a crowd etc.) Like sheep. [old english: related to *sheep, *herd]
Para-2  comb. Form protect, ward off (parachute; parasol). [latin paro defend]
Tincture  —n. (often foll. By of) 1 slight flavour or trace. 2 tinge (of a colour). 3 medicinal solution (of a drug) in alcohol (tincture of quinine). —v. (-ring) 1 colour slightly; tinge, flavour. 2 (often foll. By with) affect slightly (with a quality). [latin: related to *tinge]


Misrepresent  v. Represent wrongly; give a false account or idea of.  misrepresentation n.
Sigh  —v. 1 emit an audible breath in sadness, weariness, relief, etc. 2 (foll. By for) yearn for. 3 express with sighs. 4 make a sighing sound. —n. 1 act of sighing. 2 sound made in sighing. [old english]
Historicism  n. 1 theory that social and cultural phenomena are determined by history. 2 belief that historical events are governed by laws.
Almanac  n. (also almanack) calendar, usu. With astronomical data. [medieval latin from greek]



Dumpy  adj. (-ier, -iest) short and stout.  dumpily adv. Dumpiness n. [related to *dumpling]

Fulminate  v. (-ting) 1 criticize loudly and forcefully. 2 explode violently; flash.  fulmination n. [latin fulmen -min- lightning]



Somewhere  —adv. In or to some place. —pron. Some unspecified place.
Exam  n. = *examination 3.
Celery  n. Plant with crisp long whitish leaf-stalks used as a vegetable. [greek selinon parsley]
Discrete  adj. Individually distinct; separate, discontinuous.  discreteness n. [latin: related to *discern]
Credential  n. (usu. In pl.) 1 certificates, references, etc., attesting to a person's education, character, etc. 2 letter(s) of introduction. [medieval latin: related to *credence]


Quasar  n. Astron. Starlike object with a large redshift. [from quasi-stellar]
Glaswegian  —adj. Of glasgow. —n. Native of glasgow. [after norwegian]

Potable  adj. Drinkable. [latin poto drink]
Heave  —v. (-ving; past and past part. Heaved or esp. Naut. Hove) 1 lift or haul with great effort. 2 utter with effort (heaved a sigh). 3 colloq. Throw. 4 rise and fall rhythmically or spasmodically. 5 naut. Haul by rope. 6 retch. —n. Heaving.  heave in sight come into view. Heave to esp. Naut. Bring or be brought to a standstill. [old english]

Pot-hook  n. 1 hook over a hearth for hanging or lifting a pot. 2 curved stroke in handwriting.




Troll1  n. (in scandinavian folklore) fabulous being, esp. A giant or dwarf dwelling in a cave. [old norse]

Plutocrat  n. 1 member of a plutocracy. 2 wealthy person.
Glissade  —n. 1 controlled slide down a snow slope in mountaineering. 2 gliding step in ballet. —v. (-ding) perform a glissade. [french]

Ecosystem  n. Biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.
Amble  —v. (-ling) move at an easy pace. —n. Such a pace. [latin ambulo walk]
Wind1  —n. 1 air in natural motion, esp. A current of this. 2 a breath, esp. As needed in exercise or playing a wind instrument. B power of breathing easily. 3 empty talk. 4 gas generated in the bowels etc. 5 wind instruments of an orchestra etc. 6 scent carried by the wind. —v. 1 cause to be out of breath by exertion or a blow. 2 make (a baby) bring up wind after feeding. 3 detect the presence of by a scent.
Like2  —v. (-king) 1 find agreeable or enjoyable. 2 a choose to have; prefer (like my tea weak). B wish for or be inclined to (would like a nap; should like to come). —n. (in pl.) Things one likes or prefers. [old english]
Higher animal  n. (also higher plant) animal or plant evolved to a high degree.
Bow-tie  n. Necktie in the form of a bow.
Kremlin  n. 1 (the kremlin) a citadel in moscow. B russian government housed within it. 2 citadel within a russian town. [russian]

Light1  —n. 1 the natural agent (electromagnetic radiation) that stimulates sight and makes things visible. 2 the medium or condition of the space in which this is present (just enough light to see). 3 appearance of brightness (saw a distant light). 4 source of light, e.g. The sun, a lamp, fire, etc. 5 (often in pl.) Traffic-light. 6 a flame or spark serving to ignite. B device producing this. 7 aspect in which a thing is regarded (appeared in a new light). 8 a mental illumination. B spiritual illumination by divine truth. 9 vivacity etc. In a person's face, esp. In the eyes. 10 eminent person (leading light). 11 bright parts of a picture etc. 12 window or opening in a wall to let light in. —v. (past lit; past part. Lit or lighted) (attrib.) 1 set burning; begin to burn. 2 (often foll. By up) provide with light or lighting; make prominent by means of light. 3 show (a person) the way or surroundings with a light. 4 (usu. Foll. By up) (of the face or eyes) brighten with animation, pleasure, etc. —adj. 1 well provided with light; not dark. 2 (of a colour) pale (light blue; light-blue ribbon).  bring (or come) to light reveal or be revealed. In a good (or bad) light giving a favourable (or unfavourable) impression. In the light of taking account of. Light up 1 colloq. Begin to smoke a cigarette etc. 2 = sense 2 of v. 3 = sense 4 of v.  lightish adj. [old english]
Physician  n. Doctor, esp. A specialist in medical diagnosis and treatment.
Automatic  —adj. 1 working by itself, without direct human intervention. 2 a done spontaneously (automatic reaction). B following inevitably (automatic penalty). 3 (of a firearm) able to be loaded and fired continuously. 4 (of a vehicle or its transmission) using gears that change automatically. —n. 1 automatic machine, firearm, or tool. 2 vehicle with automatic transmission.  automatically adv. [related to *automaton]
Mellow  —adj. 1 (of sound, colour, light) soft and rich, free from harshness. 2 (of character) gentle; mature. 3 genial, jovial. 4 euphem. Partly intoxicated. 5 (of fruit) soft, sweet, and juicy. 6 (of wine) well-matured, smooth. 7 (of earth) rich, loamy. —v. Make or become mellow.  mellowly adv. Mellowness n. [origin unknown]
Peter  v.  peter out diminish, come to an end. [origin unknown]

Abo  (also abo) austral. Slang usu. Offens. —n. (pl. -s) aboriginal. —adj. Aboriginal. [abbreviation]
Repertoire  n. 1 stock of works that a performer etc. Knows or is prepared to perform. 2 stock of techniques etc. (repertoire of excuses). [latin: related to *repertory]
Dispensation  n. 1 dispensing or distributing. 2 exemption from penalty, rule, etc. 3 ordering or management of the world by providence.

Confident  adj. Feeling or showing confidence; bold.  confidently adv. [italian: related to *confide]
Parr  n. Young salmon. [origin unknown]

Fecundate  v. (-ting) 1 make fruitful. 2 fertilize.  fecundation n.
Serjeant-at-arms  n. (pl. Serjeants-at-arms) official of a court, city, or parliament, with ceremonial duties.

Specific  —adj. 1 clearly defined (a specific purpose). 2 relating to a particular subject; peculiar. 3 exact, giving full details (was specific about his wishes). 4 archaic (of medicine etc.) Having a distinct effect in curing a certain disease. —n. 1 archaic specific medicine or remedy. 2 specific aspect or factor (discussed specifics; from the general to the specific).  specifically adv. Specificity n. [latin: related to *species]
Nonplus  v. (-ss-) completely perplex. [latin non plus not more]
Garden city  n. Town spaciously laid out with parks etc.
Kettledrum  n. Large bowl-shaped drum.
Pronominal  adj. Of, concerning, or being, a pronoun. [latin: related to *pronoun]
Duodenum  n. (pl. -s) first part of the small intestine immediately below the stomach.  duodenal adj. [medieval latin: related to *duodecimal]

Free radical  n. Chem. Atom or group of atoms with one or more unpaired electrons.
Diluvial  adj. Of a flood, esp. Of the flood in genesis. [latin: related to *deluge]
Dura mater  n. Tough outermost membrane enveloping the brain and spinal cord. [medieval latin = hard mother, translation of arabic]
Heartbreak  n. Overwhelming distress.  heartbreaking adj. Heartbroken adj.

Comparable  adj. (often foll. By with, to) able or fit to be compared.  comparability n. Comparably adv. [latin: related to *compare]

Wrap  —v. (-pp-) 1 (often foll. By up) envelop in folded or soft encircling material. 2 (foll. By round, about) arrange or draw (a pliant covering) round (a person). 3 (foll. By round) slang crash (a vehicle) into (a stationary object). —n. 1 shawl, scarf, etc. 2 esp. Us wrapping material.  take the wraps off disclose. Under wraps in secrecy. Wrapped up in engrossed or absorbed in. Wrap up 1 colloq. Finish off (a matter). 2 put on warm clothes (wrap up well). 3 (in imper.) Slang be quiet. [origin unknown] 
Land-mine  n. Explosive mine laid in or on the ground.

Ampulla  n. (pl. -pullae) 1 roman globular flask with two handles. 2 ecclesiastical vessel. [latin]

Washer  n. 1 person or machine that washes. 2 flat ring inserted at a joint to tighten it and prevent leakage or under the head of a screw etc., or under a nut, to disperse its pressure.
Lido  n. (pl. -s) public open-air swimming-pool or bathing-beach. [lido, name of a beach near venice]

Two-stroke  —attrib. Adj. (of an internal-combustion engine) having its power cycle completed in one up-and-down movement of the piston. —n. Two-stroke engine.
Jack-in-the-box  n. Toy figure that springs out of a box.
Cocktail  n. 1 drink made of various spirits, fruit juices, etc. 2 appetizer containing shellfish or fruit. 3 any hybrid mixture. [origin unknown]



Fallout  n. Radioactive nuclear debris.
Unitary  adj. 1 of a unit or units. 2 marked by unity or uniformity. [from *unit or *unity]

Head wind  n. Wind blowing from directly in front.



Fixative  —adj. Tending to fix or secure. —n. Fixative substance.
Police state  n. Totalitarian state controlled by political police.

Intervene  v. (-ning) 1 occur in time between events. 2 interfere; prevent or modify events. 3 be situated between things. 4 come in as an extraneous factor. [latin venio vent- come]
Humpback bridge  n. Small bridge with a steep ascent and descent.

Clear  —adj. 1 free from dirt or contamination. 2 (of weather, the sky, etc.) Not dull. 3 transparent. 4 a easily perceived; distinct; evident (a clear voice; it is clear that). B easily understood. 5 discerning readily and accurately (clear mind). 6 confident, convinced. 7 (of a conscience) free from guilt. 8 (of a road etc.) Unobstructed. 9 a net, without deduction. B complete (three clear days). 10 (often foll. By of) free, unhampered; unencumbered. —adv. 1 clearly. 2 completely (got clear away). 3 apart, out of contact (keep clear). —v. 1 make or become clear. 2 (often foll. By of) make or become free from obstruction etc. 3 (often foll. By of) show (a person) to be innocent. 4 approve (a person etc.) For a special duty, access, etc. 5 pass over or by, safely or without touching. 6 make (an amount of money) as a net gain or to balance expenses. 7 pass (a cheque) through a clearing-house. 8 pass through (customs etc.). 9 disappear (mist cleared).  clear the air remove suspicion, tension, etc. Clear away 1 remove (esp. Dishes etc.). 2 disappear. Clear the decks prepare for action. Clear off colloq. Go away. Clear out 1 empty, tidy by emptying. 2 remove. 3 colloq. Go away. Clear up 1 tidy up. 2 solve. 3 (of weather) become fine. 4 disappear (cold has cleared up). Clear a thing with get approval or authorization for it from (a person). In the clear free from suspicion or difficulty.  clearly adj. Clearness n. [latin clarus]
Least common multiple  n. = *lowest common multiple.
Ultimate  —adj. 1 last or last possible, final. 2 fundamental, primary, basic (ultimate truths). —n. 1 (prec. By the) best achievable or imaginable. 2 final or fundamental fact or principle.  ultimately adv. [latin ultimus last]
Heckle  —v. (-ling) interrupt and harass (a public speaker). —n. Act of heckling.  heckler n. [var. Of *hackle]

Muddle  —v. (-ling) (often foll. By up) 1 bring into disorder. 2 bewilder, confuse. —n. 1 disorder. 2 confusion.  muddle along (or on) progress in a haphazard way. Muddle through succeed despite one's inefficiency. [perhaps dutch, related to *mud]

Kangaroo court  n. Illegal court, e.g. Held by strikers or mutineers.
Long wave  n. Radio wave of frequency less than 300 khz.


Gizmo  var. Of *gismo.



Abracadabra  —int. Supposedly magic word used in conjuring. —n. Spell or charm. [latin from greek]







Brainless  adj. Foolish.
Unconfined  adj. Not confined; boundless.
Womb  n. Organ of conception and gestation in a woman and other female mammals. [old english]
Pooh-pooh  v. Express contempt for, ridicule. [reduplication of *pooh]

Turbo-  comb. Form turbine.
Unintentional  adj. Not intentional.  unintentionally adv.
Niter  n. (brit. Nitre) saltpetre. [greek nitron]
State of emergency  n. Condition of danger or disaster in a country, with normal constitutional procedures suspended.
Sanction  —n. 1 approval by custom or tradition; express permission. 2 confirmation of a law etc. 3 penalty for disobeying a law or rule, or a reward for obeying it. 4 ethics moral force encouraging obedience to any rule of conduct. 5 (esp. In pl.) (esp. Economic) action by a state against another to abide by an international agreement etc. —v. 1 authorize or agree to (an action etc.). 2 ratify; make (a law etc.) Binding. [latin sancio sanct- make sacred]
Accordion  n. Musical reed instrument with concertina-like bellows, keys, and buttons.  accordionist n. [italian accordare to tune]

Business  n. 1 one's regular occupation or profession. 2 one's own concern. 3 task or duty. 4 serious work or activity. 5 (difficult or unpleasant) matter or affair. 6 thing(s) needing attention or discussion. 7 buying and selling; trade. 8 commercial firm.  mind one's own business not meddle. [old english: related to *busy]

Nettle  —n. 1 plant with jagged leaves covered with stinging hairs. 2 plant resembling this. —v. (-ling) irritate, provoke. [old english]
Withershins  var. Of *widdershins.
Bard  n. 1 poet. Poet. 2 a hist. Celtic minstrel. B prizewinner at an eisteddfod.  bardic adj. [celtic]

Alumina  n. Aluminium oxide occurring naturally as corundum and emery.
Armhole  n. Each of two holes for arms in a garment.

Man-hour  n. Work done by one person in one hour.

Cassette  n. Sealed case containing magnetic tape, film etc., ready for insertion in a tape recorder, camera, etc. [french diminutive: related to *case2]
High tide  n. Time or level of the tide at its peak.
Calvinism  n. Theology of calvin or his followers, stressing predestination and divine grace.  calvinist n. & adj. Calvinistic adj. [calvin, name of a theologian]
Nuclear fuel  n. Source of nuclear energy.

Antimacassar  n. Detachable protective cloth for the back of a chair etc.
Salver  n. Tray, esp. Silver, for drinks, letters, etc. [spanish salva assaying of food]
Seasonal  adj. Of, depending on, or varying with the season.  seasonally adv.
Handkerchief  n. (pl. -s or -chieves) square of cloth for wiping one's nose etc.


Mother earth  n. The earth as mother of its inhabitants.
Wrapping paper  n. Strong or decorative paper for wrapping parcels.
High fidelity  n. High-quality sound reproduction with little distortion.







Ghost train  n. (at a funfair) open-topped miniature railway in which the rider experiences ghoulish sights, sounds, etc.
Idiocy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 foolishness; foolish act. 2 extreme mental imbecility.


Fasten  v. 1 make or become fixed or secure. 2 (foll. By in, up) lock securely; shut in. 3 (foll. By on, upon) direct (a look, thoughts, etc.) Towards. 4 (foll. By on, upon) a take hold of. B single out. 5 (foll. By off) fix with a knot or stitches.  fastener n. [old english: related to *fast1]
Thickhead  n. Colloq. Stupid person.  thickheaded adj.
Mouthwash  n. Liquid antiseptic etc. For rinsing the mouth or gargling.
Moonshine  n. 1 foolish or unrealistic talk or ideas. 2 slang illicitly distilled or smuggled alcohol.

Stand-up  attrib. Adj. 1 (of a meal) eaten standing. 2 (of a fight) violent and thorough. 3 (of a collar) not turned down. 4 (of a comedian) telling jokes to an audience.
Meerkat  n. S. African mongoose. [dutch, = sea-cat]


Airer  n. Stand for airing or drying clothes etc.

Surrender  —v. 1 hand over; relinquish. 2 submit, esp. To an enemy. 3 refl. (foll. By to) yield to a habit, emotion, influence, etc. 4  give up rights under (a life-insurance policy) in return for a smaller sum received immediately. 5 abandon (hope etc.). —n. Act of surrendering.  surrender to bail duly appear in court after release on bail. [anglo-french: related to *sur-1]


Millet-grass  n. Tall woodland grass.
Affectionate  adj. Loving, fond.  affectionately adv.
Growth industry  n. Industry that is developing rapidly.


Land-agent  n. 1 steward of an estate. 2 agent for the sale of estates.
Scandalmonger  n. Person who habitually spreads scandal.

Fête  —n. 1 outdoor fund-raising event with stalls and amusements etc. 2 festival. 3 saint's day. —v. (-ting) honour or entertain lavishly. [french: related to *feast]

Orrery  n. (pl. -ies) clockwork model of the solar system. [earl of orrery]
Undercover  adj. (usu. Attrib.) 1 surreptitious. 2 spying incognito, esp. By infiltration (undercover agent).

Persian  —n. 1 native or inhabitant of ancient or modern persia (now iran); person of persian descent. 2 language of ancient persia or modern iran. 3 (in full persian cat) cat of a breed with long silky hair. —adj. Of or relating to persia or its people or language.

Light flyweight  n. 1 amateur boxing weight up to 48 kg. 2 amateur boxer of this weight.


Canapé  n. Small piece of bread or pastry with a savoury topping. [french]
Swarm1  —n. 1 cluster of bees leaving the hive with the queen to establish a new colony. 2 large cluster of insects, birds, or people. 3 (in pl.; foll. By of) great numbers. —v. 1 move in or form a swarm. 2 (foll. By with) (of a place) be overrun, crowded, or infested with. [old english]

Strove  past of *strive.
Immersion  n. 1 immersing or being immersed. 2 baptism by total bodily immersion. 3 mental absorption.

Hieroglyph  n. Picture representing a word, syllable, or sound, as used in ancient egyptian etc. [greek hieros sacred, glupho carve]
Asexual  adj. 1 without sex, sexual organs, or sexuality. 2 (of reproduction) not involving the fusion of gametes.  asexually adv.

Battlefield  n. (also battleground) scene of a battle.





Morgue  n. 1 mortuary. 2 (in a newspaper office) room or file of miscellaneous information. [french, originally the name of a paris mortuary]

Tower  —n. 1 tall structure, often part of a church, castle, etc. 2 fortress etc. With a tower. 3 tall structure housing machinery etc. (cooling tower; control tower). —v. 1 (usu. Foll. By above, up) reach or be high or above; be superior. 2 (as towering adj.) A high, lofty (towering intellect). B violent (towering rage). [greek turris]
Moraine  n. Area of debris carried down and deposited by a glacier. [french]




Ironclad  —adj. 1 clad or protected with iron. 2 impregnable. —n. Hist. Warship protected by iron plates.
Impurity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 being impure. 2 impure thing or part.
Makeshift  —adj. Temporary. —n. Temporary substitute or device.
Robbery  n. (pl. -ies) 1 act of robbing. 2  colloq. Excessive charge or cost.

Ethic  —n. Set of moral principles (the quaker ethic). —adj. = *ethical. [greek: related to *ethos]


Look-in  n. Colloq. Chance of participation or success (never gets a look-in).

Genesis  n. 1 origin; mode of formation. 2 (genesis) first book of the old testament, with an account of the creation. [greek gen- be produced]
Blandish  v. Flatter; coax.  blandishment n. (usu. In pl.). [latin: related to *bland]

Amber  —n. 1 a yellow translucent fossilized resin used in jewellery. B colour of this. 2 yellow traffic-light meaning caution. —adj. Of or like amber. [french from arabic]
Await  v. 1 wait for. 2 be in store for. [french: related to *wait]
Pip1  —n. Seed of an apple, pear, orange, grape, etc. —v. (-pp-) remove the pips from (fruit etc.).  pipless adj. [abbreviation of *pippin]
Mon.  Abbr. Monday.

Enchanter  n. (fem. Enchantress) person who enchants, esp. By using magic.




Brass  —n. 1 yellow alloy of copper and zinc. 2 brass objects collectively. 3 brass wind instruments. 4 slang money. 5 brass memorial tablet. 6 colloq. Effrontery. —adj. Made of brass.  brassed off slang fed up. [old english]

Quincentenary  —n. (pl. -ies) 500th anniversary; celebration of this. —adj. Of this anniversary. [latin quinque five]

Warpaint  n. 1 paint used to adorn the body before battle, esp. By n. American indians. 2 colloq. Make-up.
Corporal1  n. Non-commissioned army or air-force officer ranking next below sergeant. [french from italian]


Figure-skating  n. Skating in prescribed patterns.  figure-skater n.



Glower  —v. 1 (often foll. By at) look angrily. 2 look dark or threatening. —n. Glowering look. [origin uncertain]


Boozer  n. Colloq. 1 habitual drinker. 2 public house.
Every  adj. 1 each single (heard every word). 2 each at a specified interval in a series (comes every four days). 3 all possible (every prospect of success).  every bit as colloq. (in comparisons) quite as. Every now and again (or then) from time to time. Every other each second in a series (every other day). Every so often occasionally. [old english: related to *ever, *each]
Demystify  v. (-ies, -ied) remove the mystery from; clarify.  demystification n.

Peyote  n. 1 mexican cactus. 2 hallucinogenic drug prepared from this. [american spanish from nahuatl]
Pretender  n. Person who claims a throne, title, etc.
Repaid  past and past part. Of *repay.

Growing pains  n.pl. 1 early difficulties in the development of a project etc. 2 neuralgic pain in children's legs due to fatigue etc.
Dung-beetle  n. Beetle whose larvae develop in dung.






Coca  n. 1 s. American shrub. 2 its dried leaves, chewed as a stimulant. [spanish from quechua]

Amour  n. (esp. Secret) love affair. [french, = love]


Insentient  adj. Not sentient; inanimate.
Breadfruit  n. 1 fruit which resembles new bread when roasted. 2 tropical evergreen tree bearing it.


Accurate  adj. Careful, precise; conforming exactly with the truth or a standard.  accurately adv.


Fang  n. 1 canine tooth, esp. Of a dog or wolf. 2 tooth of a venomous snake. 3 root of a tooth or its prong. [old english]
Designation  n. 1 name, description, or title. 2 designating.

Biped  —n. Two-footed animal. —adj. Two-footed.  bipedal adj. [latin bipes -edis]
Solvent  —adj. 1 able to pay one's debts; not in debt. 2 able to dissolve or form a solution with something. —n. Solvent liquid etc.  solvency n. (in sense 2 of adj.).
Hyper  adj. Slang hyperactive, highly-strung. [abbreviation of *hyperactive]

Fridge-freezer  n. Combined refrigerator and freezer.





Motion picture  n. (esp. Us) cinema film.

Spirant  —adj. Uttered with a continuous expulsion of breath. —n. Such a consonant. [latin spiro breathe]
Heck  int. Colloq. Mild exclamation of surprise or dismay. [a form of *hell]

Unsaturated  adj. Chem. (of esp. A fat or oil) having double or triple bonds in its molecule and therefore capable of further reaction.
Post2  —n. 1 official conveyance of parcels, letters, etc. (send it by post). 2 single collection or delivery of these; the letters etc. Dispatched (has the post arrived?). 3 place where letters etc. Are collected (take it to the post). —v. 1 put (a letter etc.) In the post. 2 (esp. As posted adj.) (often foll. By up) supply with information (keep me posted). 3  a enter (an item) in a ledger. B (often foll. By up) complete (a ledger) in this way. [latin: related to *position]

Fingernail  n. Nail of each finger.



Forefront  n. 1 leading position. 2 foremost part.
Unrealizable  adj. (also -isable) that cannot be realized.
Enmity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 state of being an enemy. 2 hostility. [romanic: related to *enemy]

High command  n. Army commander-in-chief and associated staff.
Wagtail  n. Small bird with a long tail in frequent motion.



Thermal unit  n. Unit for measuring heat.



Tower block  n. Tall building containing offices or flats.

Dinosaur  n. 1 extinct, often enormous, reptile of the mesozoic era. 2 unwieldy or unchanging system or organization. [greek deinos terrible, *saurian]
Inroad  n. 1 (often in pl.) Encroachment; using up of resources etc. 2 hostile attack.
Unsubstantiated  adj. Not substantiated.
Disentangle  v. (-ling) free or become free of tangles or complications.  disentanglement n.
Hair-slide  n. Clip for keeping the hair in place.

Work study  n. Assessment of methods of working so as to achieve maximum productivity.

Conservatoire  n. (usu. European) school of music or other arts. [french from italian]

Schoolboy  n. Boy attending school.



Working order  n. Condition in which a machine works.
Town house  n. 1 town residence, esp. Of a person with a house in the country. 2 terrace house. 3 house in a planned group in a town.
Unfathomable  adj. Incapable of being fathomed.
Coiffure  n. Hairstyle. [french]
Valve  n. 1 device controlling flow through a pipe etc., esp. Allowing movement in one direction only. 2 structure in an organ etc. Allowing a flow of blood etc. In one direction only. 3 = *thermionic valve. 4 device to vary the effective length of the tube in a trumpet etc. 5 half-shell of an oyster, mussel, etc.  valvular adj. [latin valva leaf of a folding door]

Penicillin  n. Antibiotic, produced naturally by mould or synthetically. [latin penicillum: related to *pencil]

Bird table  n. Platform on which food for birds is placed.

Thyroid  n. (in full thyroid gland) 1 large ductless gland in the neck of vertebrates, secreting a hormone which regulates growth and development. 2 extract prepared from the thyroid gland of animals and used in treating goitre etc. [greek thureos oblong shield]
Tripod  n. 1 three-legged stand for a camera etc. 2 stool, table, or utensil resting on three feet or legs. [greek, = three-footed]

In-tray  n. Tray for incoming documents.

Pondweed  n. Aquatic plant growing in still water.
Château  n. (pl. -x) large french country house or castle. [french: related to *castle]
Hash1  —n. 1 dish of cooked meat cut into small pieces and reheated. 2 a mixture; jumble. B mess. 3 recycled material. —v. (often foll. By up) recycle (old material).  make a hash of colloq. Make a mess of; bungle.
Crop circle  n. Circle of crops that has been inexplicably flattened.

Primer1  n. Substance used to prime wood etc.

Go-kart  n. (also go-cart) miniature racing car with a skeleton body.

Black country  n. (prec. By the) industrial area of the midlands.


Fishery  n. (pl. -ies) 1 place where fish are caught or reared. 2 industry of fishing or breeding fish.



Serbian  —n. 1 dialect of the serbs. 2 = *serb. —adj. Of serbia.

Couldn't  contr. Could not.
Bore4  past of *bear1.
Hard roe  see *roe1.

Unorganized  adj. (also -ised) not organized.


Roast  —v. 1  a cook (food, esp. Meat) or (of food) be cooked in an oven or by open heat (roast chestnuts). B heat (coffee beans) before grinding. 2 refl. Expose (oneself etc.) To fire or heat. 3 criticize severely, denounce. —attrib. Adj. Roasted (roast beef). —n. 1 a roast meat. B dish of this. C piece of meat for roasting. 2 process of roasting. [french rost(ir) from germanic]


Distemper2  n. Disease of esp. Dogs, with coughing and weakness. [latin: related to *dis-, tempero mingle]
Felicitate  v. (-ting) formal congratulate.  felicitation n. (usu. In pl.). [latin felix happy]
Writer's cramp  n. Muscular spasm due to excessive writing.
Turpentine substitute  n. = *white spirit.
Gaslight  n. Light from burning gas.
Calculate  v. (-ting) 1 ascertain or forecast esp. By mathematics or reckoning. 2 plan deliberately. 3 (foll. By on) rely on; reckon on.  calculable adj. [latin: related to *calculus]
Silver lining  n. Consolation or hope in misfortune.
Kidney-shaped  adj. Having one side concave and the other convex.
Irregular  —adj. 1 not regular; unsymmetrical, uneven; varying in form. 2 not occurring at regular intervals. 3 contrary to a rule, principle, or custom; abnormal. 4 (of troops) not belonging to the regular army. 5 (of a verb, noun, etc.) Not inflected according to the usual rules. 6 disorderly. —n. (in pl.) Irregular troops.  irregularity n. (pl. -ies). Irregularly adv.
Rumple  v. (-ling) crease, ruffle. [dutch rompelen]

Unprotected  adj. Not protected.


Yearly  —adj. 1 done, produced, or occurring once a year. 2 of or lasting a year. —adv. Once a year.
Monkey business  n. Colloq. Mischief.
Juror  n. 1 member of a jury. 2 person taking an oath.



Sake2  n. Japanese rice wine. [japanese]
Dystrophy  n. Defective nutrition. [greek -trophe nourishment]
Wax2  v. 1 (of the moon) increase in apparent size. 2 become larger or stronger. 3 pass into a specified state or mood (wax lyrical).  wax and wane undergo alternate increases and decreases. [old english]








Blue tit  n. Common tit with a blue crest.
Depilatory  —adj. Removing unwanted hair. —n. (pl. -ies) depilatory substance.
Circumflex  n. (in full circumflex accent) mark (ˆ) placed over a vowel to show contraction, length, etc. [latin: related to *flex1]



Honeyed  adj. (of words, flattery, etc.) Sweet, sweet-sounding.
Prod  —v. (-dd-) 1 poke with a finger, stick, etc. 2 stimulate to action. 3 (foll. By at) make a prodding motion. —n. 1 poke, thrust. 2 stimulus to action. [origin unknown]

Ambiguous  adj. 1 having an obscure or double meaning. 2 difficult to classify.  ambiguity n. (pl. -ies). [latin ambi- both ways, ago drive]




Shrunk  (also shrunken) past part. Of *shrink.




Termagant  n. Overbearing woman; virago. [french tervagan from italian]

Insupportable  adj. 1 unable to be endured. 2 unjustifiable.

Gym  n. Colloq. 1 gymnasium. 2 gymnastics. [abbreviation]

Piston-ring  n. Ring on a piston sealing the gap between piston and cylinder wall.


Big end  n. (in a vehicle) end of the connecting-rod, encircling the crankpin.

Unzip  v. (-pp-) unfasten the zip of.




Immunoglobulin  n. Any of a group of related proteins functioning as antibodies.

Poker2  n. Card-game in which bluff is used as players bet on the value of their hands. [origin unknown]

Silica  n. Silicon dioxide, occurring as quartz etc. And as a main constituent of sandstone and other rocks.  siliceous adj. [latin silex -lic- flint]



Jeer  —v. (often foll. By at) scoff derisively; deride. —n. Taunt.  jeeringly adv. [origin unknown]
Maturation  n. 1 maturing or being matured. 2 formation of pus. [french or medieval latin: related to *mature]

Mus.d.  Abbr. (also mus. Doc.) Doctor of music. [latin musicae doctor]
Porterage  n. 1 hire of porters. 2 charge for this. [from *porter1]



Disprove  v. (-ving) prove false.
Lone wolf  n. Loner.

Tea caddy  n. Container for tea.
Surplus  —n. 1 amount left over. 2 excess of revenue over expenditure. —adj. Exceeding what is needed or used. [anglo-french]
Versus  prep. Against (esp. In law and sport). [latin: related to *verse]
Passbook  n. Book issued to an account-holder recording deposits and withdrawals.


Press2  v. 1 hist. Force to serve in the army or navy. 2 bring into use as a makeshift (was pressed into service). [obsolete prest from french, = loan]
Poster  n. 1 placard in a public place. 2 large printed picture.

Trilobite  n. A kind of fossil marine arthropod. [from *tri-, greek lobos lobe]
Roundly  adv. Bluntly, severely (told them roundly).

Supply-side  attrib. Adj. Econ. Denoting a policy of low taxation etc. To encourage production and investment.
Overturn  v. 1 (cause to) fall down or over. 2 reverse; overthrow.
Quicken  v. 1 make or become quicker; accelerate. 2 give life or vigour to; rouse. 3  a (of a woman) reach a stage in pregnancy when movements of the foetus can be felt. B (of a foetus) begin to show signs of life.


Usage  perspicacious is sometimes confused with perspicuous.
Glimpse  —n. (often foll. By of, at) 1 brief view or look. 2 faint transient appearance (glimpses of the truth). —v. (-sing) have a brief view of (glimpsed his face in the crowd). [related to *glimmer]

Henry  n. (pl. -s or -ies) electr. Si unit of inductance. [henry, name of a physicist]




Man-made  adj. (of textiles) artificial, synthetic.

Regular  —adj. 1 acting, done, or recurring uniformly or calculably in time or manner; habitual, constant, orderly. 2 conforming to a rule or principle; systematic. 3 harmonious, symmetrical. 4 conforming to a standard of etiquette or procedure. 5 properly constituted or qualified; pursuing an occupation as one's main pursuit (regular soldier). 6 gram. (of a noun, verb, etc.) Following the normal type of inflection. 7 colloq. Thorough, absolute (a regular hero). 8 (before or after the noun) bound by religious rule; belonging to a religious or monastic order (canon regular). 9 (of a person) defecating or menstruating at predictable times. —n. 1 regular soldier. 2 colloq. Regular customer, visitor, etc. 3 one of the regular clergy.  regularity n. Regularize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing). Regularly adv. [latin regula rule]

Vociferate  v. (-ting) 1 utter noisily. 2 shout, bawl.  vociferation n. Vociferator n. [latin: related to *voice, fero bear]
Doze  —v. (-zing) sleep lightly; be half asleep. —n. Short light sleep.  doze off fall lightly asleep. [origin unknown]

T-junction  n. Road junction at which one road joins another at right angles without crossing it.



Three-dimensional  adj. Having or appearing to have length, breadth, and depth.






Turko-  var. Of *turco-.



Unshaven  adj. Not shaved.


Telescope  —n. 1 optical instrument using lenses or mirrors to magnify distant objects. 2 = *radio telescope. —v. (-ping) 1 press or drive (sections of a tube, colliding vehicles, etc.) Together so that one slides into another. 2 close or be capable of closing in this way. 3 compress so as to occupy less space or time.

Hoo-ha  n. Slang commotion. [origin unknown]


Starry-eyed  adj. Colloq. 1 enthusiastic but impractical. 2 euphoric.
Shaggy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 hairy, rough-haired. 2 unkempt.  shagginess n.
Accord  —v. 1 (often foll. By with) be consistent or in harmony. 2 grant (permission, a request, etc.); give (a welcome etc.). —n. 1 agreement, consent. 2 mus. & art etc. Harmony.  of one's own accord on one's own initiative; voluntarily. With one accord unanimously. [latin cor cord- heart]
Call-up  n. Summons to do military service.



Armpit  n. Hollow under the arm at the shoulder.

Rape1  —n. 1 a act of forcing a woman or girl to have sexual intercourse against her will. B forcible sodomy. 2 (often foll. By of) violent assault or plunder, forcible interference. —v. (-ping) commit rape on. [latin rapio seize]






Theologian  n. Expert in theology. [french: related to *theology]



Euphony  n. (pl. -ies) 1 pleasantness of sound, esp. Of a word or phrase. 2 pleasant sound.  euphonious adj. [greek phone sound]
Reduced circumstances  n.pl. Poverty after relative prosperity.
Funky  adj. (-ier, -iest) slang (esp. Of jazz or rock music) earthy, bluesy, with a heavy rhythm.
Resolved  adj. Resolute, determined.

Unstressed  adj. Not pronounced with stress.

Sdlp  abbr. (in n. Ireland) social democratic and labour party.

Seedy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 shabby, unkempt. 2 colloq. Unwell. 3 full of or going to seed. seediness n.
Head start  n. Advantage granted or gained at an early stage.
Antrum  n. (pl. Antra) natural cavity in the body, esp. In a bone. [greek, = cave]



Cogent  adj. (of an argument etc.) Convincing, compelling.  cogency n. Cogently adv. [latin cogo drive]
Hatchet man  n. Colloq. Person hired to kill, dismiss, or otherwise harm another.
Bushed  adj. Colloq. Tired out.

Devoted  adj. Loving; loyal.  devotedly adv.




Breed  —v. (past and past part. Bred) 1 (of animals) produce young. 2 propagate; raise (animals). 3 yield; result in. 4 arise; spread. 5 bring up; train. 6 create (fissile material) by nuclear reaction. —n. 1 stock of similar animals or plants within a species, usu. Developed by deliberate selection. 2 race; lineage. 3 sort, kind.  breeder n. [old english]
Wisent  n. European bison. [german: cf. *bison]
Racquet  var. Of *racket1.
Quizzical  adj. Expressing or done with mild or amused perplexity.  quizzically adv.
Westward  —adj. & adv. (also westwards) towards the west. —n. Westward direction or region.


Copper beech  n. Variety of beech with copper-coloured leaves.
Throw-in  n. Throwing in of a football during play.
Watt  n. Si unit of power, equivalent to one joule per second, corresponding to the rate of energy in an electric circuit where the potential difference is one volt and the current one ampere. [watt, name of an engineer]

Home-coming  n. Arrival at home.
Wold  n. High open uncultivated land or moor. [old english]
Washing-up  n. 1 process of washing dishes etc. 2 used dishes etc. For washing.
War-game  n. 1 military training exercise. 2 battle etc. Conducted with toy soldiers.

Halliard  var. Of *halyard.
Psychokinesis  n. Movement of objects supposedly by telepathy or mental effort.
Amorous  adj. Of, showing, or feeling sexual love. [latin amor love]



Secateurs  n.pl. Pruning clippers used with one hand. [french]
Rancid  adj. Smelling or tasting like rank stale fat.  rancidity n. [latin rancidus stinking]
Ill-gotten  adj. Gained unlawfully or wickedly.
Grey matter  n. 1 the darker tissues of the brain and spinal cord. 2 colloq. Intelligence.

Duffle-coat  n. Hooded overcoat of duffle, fastened with toggles.
Bleeper  n. Small electronic device bleeping to contact the carrier.

Unstoppable  adj. That cannot be stopped or prevented.

Forborne  past part. Of *forbear1.

Net profit  n. Actual gain after working expenses have been paid.
Nave1  n. Central part of a church, usu. From the west door to the chancel excluding the side aisles. [latin navis ship]
Proton  n. Elementary particle with a positive electric charge equal to that of an electron, and occurring in all atomic nuclei. [greek protos first]

Cam  n. Projection on a wheel etc., shaped to convert circular into reciprocal or variable motion. [dutch kam comb]
Uglify  v. (-ies, -ied) make ugly.



Lanthanum  n. Metallic element, first of the lanthanide series. [greek lanthano escape notice]


Earmark  —v. Set aside for a special purpose. —n. Identifying mark.
Posse  n. 1 strong force or company. 2 body of law-enforcers. [latin, = be able]
Liquidation  n. Liquidating, esp. Of a firm.  go into liquidation (of a firm etc.) Be wound up and have its assets apportioned.
Keratin  n. Fibrous protein in hair, feathers, hooves, claws, horns, etc. [greek keras kerat- horn]

Lackluster  adj. (brit. Lacklustre) 1 lacking in vitality etc. 2 dull.
Usage  the second pronunciation given for zoology, zoological, and zoologist, with the first syllable pronounced as in zoo, although extremely common, is considered incorrect by some people.
Popadam  var. Of *poppadam.
Mulligatawny  n. Highly seasoned soup orig. From india. [tamil, = pepper-water]

Usage  unsocial is sometimes confused with unsociable.



Peacock blue  adj. & n. (as adj. Often hyphenated) lustrous greenish blue of a peacock's neck.
Split second  —n. 1 very brief moment. 2 (of timing) very accurate. —attrib. Adj. (split-second) 1 very rapid. 2 (of timing) very accurate.
Resignation  n. 1 resigning, esp. From one's job or office. 2 letter etc. Conveying this. 3 reluctant acceptance of the inevitable. [medieval latin: related to *resign]



Muse2  n. 1 (in greek and roman mythology) any of the nine goddesses who inspire poetry, music, etc. 2 (usu. Prec. By the) poet's inspiration. [greek mousa]


Victoria cross  n. Highest decoration for conspicuous bravery in the armed services. [queen victoria]
Grandsire  n. Archaic grandfather.

Rabbit punch  n. Short chop with the edge of the hand to the nape of the neck.


Chamber-pot  n. Receptacle for urine etc., used in the bedroom.
Intermarry  v. (-ies, -ied) (foll. By with) (of races, castes, families, etc.) Become connected by marriage.  intermarriage n.

Weather forecast  n. Assessment of likely weather.

Copperplate  n. 1 a polished copper plate for engraving or etching. B print made from this. 2 ornate style of handwriting.

Sweet-and-sour  attrib. Adj. Cooked in a sauce containing sugar and vinegar or lemon etc.
Up-market  adj. & adv. Of or directed at the upper end of the market; classy.

Lichen  n. Plant composed of a fungus and an alga in association, growing on and colouring rocks, tree-trunks, etc. [greek leikhen]

Indelicate  adj. 1 coarse, unrefined. 2 tactless.  indelicacy n. (pl. -ies). Indelicately adv.



Purvey  v. Provide or supply (food etc.) As one's business.  purveyor n. [latin: related to *provide]
Sacerdotal  adj. Of priests or priestly office. [latin sacerdos -dot- priest]
Usage  digraph is sometimes confused with ligature, which means two or more letters joined together.


Draw  —v. (past drew; past part. Drawn) 1 pull or cause to move towards or after one. 2 pull (a thing) up, over, or across. 3 pull (curtains etc.) Open or shut. 4 take (a person) aside. 5 attract; bring; take in (drew a deep breath; felt drawn to her; drew my attention; drew a crowd). 6 (foll. By at, on) inhale from (a cigarette, pipe, etc.). 7 (also absol.) Take out; remove (a tooth, gun, cork, card, etc.). 8 obtain or take from a source (draw a salary; draw inspiration; drew £100 out). 9 a (also absol.) Make (a line or mark). B produce (a picture) thus. C represent (something) thus. 10 (also absol.) Finish (a contest or game) with equal scores. 11 proceed (drew near the bridge; draw to a close; drew level). 12 infer (a conclusion).







Preconception  n. Preconceived idea, prejudice.



Maker  n. 1 person who makes. 2 (maker) god.

Sear  v. 1 scorch, cauterize. 2 cause anguish to. 3 brown (meat) quickly at a high temperature to retain its juices in cooking. [old english]
Estate agent  n. Person whose business is the sale or lease of buildings and land on behalf of others.
Amalgamate  v. (-ting) 1 mix, unite. 2 (of metals) alloy with mercury.  amalgamation n. [medieval latin: related to *amalgam]
Hill-billy  n. Us colloq., often derog. Person from a remote rural area in a southern state.

Climbing-frame  n. Structure of joined bars etc. For children to climb on.
Pejorative  —adj. Derogatory. —n. Derogatory word. [latin pejor worse]
Spanner in the works  n. Colloq. Impediment.





Pack ice  n. Crowded floating ice in the sea.
Obe  abbr. Officer of the order of the british empire.
Hard line  n. Unyielding adherence to a policy.  hard-liner n.
Discount  —n. Amount deducted from a full or normal price, esp. For prompt or advance payment. —v. 1 disregard as unreliable or unimportant. 2 deduct an amount from (a price etc.). 3 give or get the present worth of (an investment certificate which has yet to mature).  at a discount below the usual price or true value.
Underprivileged  adj. Less privileged than others; having below average income, rights, etc.
Barman  n. Man serving in a pub etc.

Florist  n. Person who deals in or grows flowers. [latin flos *flower]
Parthenogenesis  n. Reproduction without fertilization, esp. In invertebrates and lower plants. [greek parthenos virgin]
Puffball  n. Ball-shaped fungus emitting clouds of spores.
Reimpose  v. (-sing) impose again, esp. After a lapse.
No go  adj. (usu. Hyphenated when attrib.) Colloq. Impossible, hopeless; forbidden (tried to get him to agree, but it was clearly no go; no-go area).
Garibaldi  n. (pl. -s) biscuit containing a layer of currants. [garibaldi, name of an italian patriot]

Doormat  n. 1 mat at an entrance, for wiping shoes. 2 colloq. Submissive person.

Nap1  —v. (-pp-) sleep lightly or briefly. —n. Short sleep or doze, esp. By day.  catch a person napping detect in negligence etc; catch off guard. [old english]

Rally1  —v. (-ies, -ied) 1 (often foll. By round) bring or come together as support or for action. 2 bring or come together again after a rout or dispersion. 3 recover after illness etc., revive. 4 revive (courage etc.). 5 (of share-prices etc.) Increase after a fall. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 rallying or being rallied. 2 mass meeting of supporters or persons with a common interest. 3 competition for motor vehicles, mainly over public roads. 4 (in tennis etc.) Extended exchange of strokes. [french rallier: related to *re-, *ally]

Martial  adj. 1 of warfare. 2 warlike. [latin martialis of mars]
Bar2  n. Esp. Meteorol. Unit of pressure, 105 newtons per square metre, approx. One atmosphere. [greek baros weight]
Clamp-down  n. Sudden policy of suppression.
Mellifluous  adj. (of a voice etc.) Pleasing, musical, flowing.  mellifluously adv. Mellifluousness n. [latin mel honey, fluo flow]
Ratty  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 relating to or infested with rats. 2 colloq. Irritable, bad-tempered.  rattily adv. Rattiness n.
-ence  suffix forming nouns expressing: 1 a quality or state or an instance of this (patience; an impertinence). 2 an action (reference). [french -ence, latin -erie]
Unashamed  adj. 1 feeling no guilt. 2 blatant; bold.  unashamedly adv.



Piffle  colloq. —n. Nonsense; empty speech. —v. (-ling) talk or act feebly; trifle. [imitative]

Binding  —n. Thing that binds, esp. The covers, glue, etc., of a book. —adj. Obligatory.


Zoology  n. The study of animals.  zoologist n. [greek zoion animal]
Strip2  n. Long narrow piece.  tear a person off a strip colloq. Rebuke a person. [low german strippe strap]

Spirituous  adj. 1 very alcoholic. 2 distilled as well as fermented.




Foil3  n. Light blunt fencing sword. [origin unknown]
Mud pack  n. Cosmetic paste applied thickly to the face.
Flaxen  adj. 1 of flax. 2 (of hair) pale yellow.
Maunder  v. 1 talk ramblingly. 2 move or act listlessly or idly. [origin unknown]
Wench  n. Joc. Girl or young woman. [abbreviation of wenchel, from old english, = child]
Special pleading  n. Biased reasoning.



Visual  adj. Of or used in seeing.  visually adv. [latin visus sight]



Unannounced  adj. Not announced; without warning (of arrival etc.).




Bevel gear  n. Gear working another at an angle to it.
Screech-owl  n. Owl that screeches, esp. A barn-owl.
Neigh  —n. Cry of a horse. —v. Make a neigh. [old english]
-ity  suffix forming nouns denoting: 1 quality or condition (humility; purity). 2 instance of this (monstrosity). [latin -itas]

Erse  —adj. Irish or highland gaelic. —n. The gaelic language. [early scots form of *irish]

Jib1  n. 1 triangular staysail. 2 projecting arm of a crane. [origin unknown]


Chandelier  n. Ornamental branched hanging support for lighting. [french: related to *candle]

Muzak  n. 1 propr. System of piped music used in public places. 2 (muzak) recorded light background music. [fanciful var. Of *music]

Fountain-pen  n. Pen with a reservoir or cartridge for ink.
Ne  symb. Neon.

Disorder  n. 1 lack of order; confusion. 2 public disturbance; riot. 3 ailment or disease.  disordered adj.
Woodcraft  n. 1 knowledge of woodland, esp. In camping etc. 2 skill in woodwork.


Tabulate  v. (-ting) arrange (figures or facts) in tabular form.  tabulation n.
Peritoneum  n. (pl. -s or -nea) membrane lining the cavity of the abdomen.  peritoneal adj. [greek peritonos stretched around]

Over-long  adj. & adv. Too long.


Photogravure  n. 1 image produced from a photographic negative transferred to a metal plate and etched in. 2 this process. [french gravure engraving]
Chit-chat  n. Colloq. Light conversation; gossip. [reduplication of *chat]
Tempera  n. 1 method of painting using an emulsion, e.g. Of pigment with egg-yolk and water, esp. On canvas. 2 this emulsion. [italian]


Day-boy  n. (also day-girl) non-boarding pupil, esp. At a boarding school.

Straggle  —v. (-ling) 1 lack compactness or tidiness. 2 be dispersed or sporadic. 3 trail behind in a race etc. —n. Straggling or scattered group.  straggler n. Straggly adj. (-ier, -iest). [origin uncertain]

Hot-blooded  adj. Ardent, passionate.


Magneto  n. (pl. -s) electric generator using permanent magnets (esp. For the ignition of an internal-combustion engine). [abbreviation of magneto-electric]
Levantine  —adj. Of or trading to the levant. —n. Native or inhabitant of the levant.

Shove-halfpenny  n. Form of shovelboard played with coins etc. On a table.



Scale1  —n. 1 each of the thin horny plates protecting the skin of fish and reptiles. 2 something resembling this. 3 white deposit formed in a kettle etc. By hard water. 4 tartar formed on teeth. —v. (-ling) 1 remove scale(s) from. 2 form or come off in scales.  scaly adj. (-ier, -iest). [french escale]
Defiance  n. Open disobedience; bold resistance. [french: related to *defy]

Loadstone  var. Of *lodestone.
Towelling  n. Thick soft absorbent cloth, used esp. For towels.
Felly  var. Of *felloe.




Thermionic valve  n. Device giving a flow of thermionic electrons in one direction, used esp. In the rectification of a current and in radio reception.
Frail  adj. 1 fragile, delicate. 2 morally weak.  frailly adv. Frailness n. [latin: related to *fragile]



Road-holding  n. Stability of a moving vehicle.
Overstock  v. Stock excessively.
Heptagon  n. Plane figure with seven sides and angles.  heptagonal adj. [greek: related to *hepta-, -gonos angled]

Antiknock  n. Substance added to motor fuel to prevent premature combustion.


Indiscreet  adj. 1 not discreet. 2 injudicious, unwary.  indiscreetly adv.

Scotch fir  n. (also scots fir) = *scots pine.

Presumptuous  adj. Unduly or overbearingly confident.  presumptuously adv. Presumptuousness n.
Determinant  —adj. Determining. —n. 1 determining factor etc. 2 quantity obtained by the addition of products of the elements of a square matrix according to a given rule. [latin: related to *determine]
Badminton  n. Game with rackets and a shuttlecock. [badminton in s. England]
Con4  v. (us conn) (-nn-) direct the steering of (a ship). [originally cond from french: related to *conduct]
Viewfinder  n. Device on a camera showing the borders of the proposed photograph.


Opacity  n. Opaqueness. [latin: related to *opaque]
Alga  n. (pl. Algae) (usu. In pl.) Non-flowering stemless water-plant, esp. Seaweed and plankton. [latin]
Knoll  n. Hillock, mound. [old english]
Insolvent  —adj. Unable to pay one's debts; bankrupt. —n. Insolvent person.  insolvency n.

Esn  abbr. Educationally subnormal.

Wormeaten  adj. 1 eaten into by worms; decayed. 2 old and dilapidated.
Nu  n. Thirteenth letter of the greek alphabet (n, n). [greek]

Draconian  adj. (of laws) very harsh, cruel. [drakon, name of an athenian lawgiver]
Imam  n. 1 leader of prayers in a mosque. 2 title of various muslim leaders. [arabic]
Radium  n. Radioactive metallic element orig. Obtained from pitchblende etc., used esp. In radiotherapy.


Bomb  —n. 1 container filled with explosive, incendiary material, etc., designed to explode and cause damage. 2 (prec. By the) the atomic or hydrogen bomb. 3 slang large sum of money (cost a bomb). —v. 1 attack with bombs; drop bombs on. 2 (usu. Foll. By along, off) colloq. Go very quickly.  like a bomb colloq. 1 very successfully. 2 very fast. [greek bombos hum]
Backfire  v. (-ring) 1 (of an engine or vehicle) ignite or explode too early in the cylinder or exhaust. 2 (of a plan etc.) Rebound adversely on its originator.


Hay  n. Grass mown and dried for fodder.  make hay (while the sun shines) seize opportunities. [old english]
Cravat  n. Man's scarf worn inside an open-necked shirt. [serbo-croatian, = croat]
Tailor-made  adj. 1 made to order by a tailor. 2 made or suited for a particular purpose.
Ten commandments  n.pl. (prec. By the) rules of conduct given by god to moses (exod. 20:1–17).
Embroil  v. (often foll. By with) involve (a person etc.) In a conflict or difficulties.  embroilment n. [french brouiller mix]
Bumper  n. 1 horizontal bar at the front or back of a motor vehicle, reducing damage in a collision. 2 (usu. Attrib.) Unusually large or fine example (bumper crop). 3 cricket ball rising high after pitching. 4 brim-full glass.



Interrupt  v. 1 break the continuous progress of (an action, speech, person speaking, etc.). 2 obstruct (a person's view etc.).  interruption n. [latin: related to *rupture]

Grind  —v. (past and past part. Ground) 1 reduce to small particles or powder by crushing. 2 a sharpen or smooth by friction. B rub or rub together gratingly. 3 (often foll. By down) oppress; harass with exactions. 4 a (often foll. By away) work or study hard. B (foll. By out) produce with effort. —n. 1 act or instance of grinding. 2 colloq. Hard dull work (the daily grind). 3 size of ground particles.  grind to a halt stop laboriously.
Juvenilia  n.pl. Author's or artist's youthful works.

Willful  adj. (brit. Wilful) 1 intentional, deliberate (wilful murder; wilful neglect). 2 obstinate.  wilfully adv. [from *will2]
Scorn  —n. Disdain, contempt, derision. —v. 1 hold in contempt. 2 reject or refuse to do as unworthy. [french escarnir]
Plain  —adj. 1 clear, evident. 2 readily understood, simple. 3 (of food, decoration, etc.) Simple. 4 not beautiful or distinguished-looking. 5 outspoken; straightforward. 6 unsophisticated; not luxurious (a plain man; plain living). —adv. 1 clearly. 2 simply. —n. 1 level tract of country. 2 basic knitting stitch.  plainly adv. Plainness n. [latin planus]





Ionize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) convert or be converted into an ion or ions.  ionization n.


Tempestuous  adj. Stormy; turbulent.  tempestuously adv.


Superfine  adj. Commerce of extra quality. [latin: related to *fine1]
Tea cloth  n. = *tea towel.
Lint  n. 1 linen or cotton with a raised nap on one side, used for dressing wounds. 2 fluff. [perhaps from french linette from lin flax]
Vellum  n. 1 a fine parchment, orig. Calfskin. B manuscript on this. 2 smooth writing-paper imitating vellum. [french velin: related to *veal]


Thermos  n. (in full thermos flask) propr. Vacuum flask. [greek: related to *thermo-]
Forgery  n. (pl. -ies) 1 act of forging. 2 forged document etc.
Dowager  n. 1 widow with a title or property from her late husband (dowager duchess). 2 colloq. Dignified elderly woman. [french: related to *dower]
Poky  adj. (-ier, -iest) (of a room etc.) Small and cramped.  pokiness n. [from *poke1]

Interior  —adj. 1 inner. 2 inland. 3 internal; domestic. 4 (usu. Foll. By to) situated further in or within. 5 existing in the mind. 6 coming from inside. —n. 1 interior part; inside. 2 interior part of a region. 3 home affairs of a country (minister of the interior). 4 representation of the inside of a room etc. [latin]
Buzz  —n. 1 hum of a bee etc. 2 sound of a buzzer. 3 a low murmur as of conversation. B stir; hurried activity (buzz of excitement). 4 slang telephone call. 5 slang thrill. —v. 1 hum. 2 a summon with a buzzer. B slang telephone. 3 a (often foll. By about) move busily. B (of a place) appear busy or full of excitement.  buzz off slang go or hurry away. [imitative]


Stoneware  n. Ceramic ware which is impermeable and partly vitrified but opaque.
Helix  n. (pl. Helices) spiral curve (like a corkscrew) or coiled curve (like a watch spring). [latin from greek]

Fiberglass  n. (brit. Fibreglass) 1 fabric made from woven glass fibres. 2 plastic reinforced by glass fibres.
Regrade  v. (-ding) grade again or differently.
Third degree  —n. Long and severe questioning, esp. By police to obtain information or a confession. —adj. (third-degree) denoting burns of the most severe kind, affecting lower layers of tissue.
Bisque3  n. = *biscuit 2.

Crash-helmet  n. Helmet worn esp. By motor cyclists.

Football pool  n. (also football pools pl.) Large-scale organized gambling on the results of football matches.

Black pepper  n. Pepper made by grinding the whole dried pepper berry including the outer husk.
Effloresce  v. (-cing) 1 burst into flower. 2 a (of a substance) turn to a fine powder on exposure to air. B (of salts) come to the surface and crystallize. C (of a surface) become covered with salt particles.  efflorescence n. Efflorescent adj. [latin flos flor- *flower]
Double take  n. Delayed reaction to a situation etc.
Downpour  n. Heavy fall of rain.
Sackbut  n. Early form of trombone. [french]



Gallon  n. 1 measure of capacity equal to eight pints (4.5 litres; for wine, or us, 3.8 litres). 2 (in pl.) Colloq. Large amount. [french]

 

Megaphone  n. Large funnel-shaped device for amplifying the voice. [greek megas great, phone sound]

Estate  n. 1 property consisting of much land and usu. A large house. 2  modern residential or industrial area with an integrated design or purpose. 3 person's assets and liabilities, esp. At death. 4 property where rubber, tea, grapes, etc., are cultivated. 5 order or class forming (or regarded as) part of the body politic. 6 archaic or literary state or position in life (the estate of holy matrimony).  the three estates lords spiritual (the heads of the church), lords temporal (the peerage), and the commons. [french estat, from latin sto stat- stand]

Recriminate  v. (-ting) make mutual or counter accusations.  recrimination n. Recriminatory adj. [medieval latin: related to *crime]

Evanesce  v. (-cing) literary fade from sight. [latin vanus empty]
Jinx  colloq. —n. Person or thing that seems to cause bad luck. —v. (esp. As jinxed adj.) Subject to bad luck. [perhaps var. Of jynx wryneck, charm]
Alcoholic  —adj. Of, like, containing, or caused by alcohol. —n. Person suffering from alcoholism.
Effort  n. 1 use of physical or mental energy. 2 determined attempt. 3 force exerted. 4 colloq. Something accomplished. [latin fortis strong]
Whoops  int. Colloq. Expressing surprise or apology, esp. On losing balance or making an obvious mistake. [var. Of *oops]
Dry ice  n. Solid carbon dioxide used as a refrigerant.
Siamese  —n. (pl. Same) 1 native or language of siam (now thailand) in asia. 2 (in full siamese cat) cat of a cream-coloured short-haired breed with dark markings and blue eyes. —adj. Of siam, its people, or language.
Ruthless  adj. Having no pity or compassion.  ruthlessly adv. Ruthlessness n. [ruth pity, from *rue1]
Weigh-in  n. Weighing of a boxer before a fight.
Gainsay  v. Deny, contradict. [old norse: related to *against, *say]
Clan  n. 1 group of people with a common ancestor, esp. In the scottish highlands. 2 large family as a social group. 3 group with a strong common interest. [gaelic]

Aim  —v. 1 intend or try; attempt (aim at winning; aim to win). 2 (usu. Foll. By at) direct or point (a weapon, remark, etc.). 3 take aim. —n. 1 purpose or object. 2 the directing of a weapon etc. At an object.  take aim direct a weapon etc. At a target. [latin aestimare reckon]
Staphylococcus  n. (pl. -cocci) bacterium sometimes forming pus.  staphylococcal adj. [greek staphule bunch of grapes, kokkos berry]

Cognoscente  n. (pl. -ti) connoisseur. [italian]
Grunt  —n. 1 low guttural sound made by a pig. 2 similar sound. —v. 1 make a grunt. 2 make a similar sound, esp. To express discontent. 3 utter with a grunt. [old english, imitative]


Paternity  n. 1 fatherhood. 2 one's paternal origin.

Flavour of the month  n. (also flavour of the week) temporary trend or fashion.



Bailiwick  n. 1 law district of a bailiff. 2 joc. Person's particular interest. [as *bailiff, obsolete wick district]
Bribe  —v. (-bing) (often foll. By to + infin.) Persuade to act improperly in one's favour by a gift of money etc. —n. Money or services offered in bribing.  bribery n. [french briber beg]

Marque  n. Make of car, as distinct from a specific model (the jaguar marque). [french, = *mark1]
Singular  —adj. 1 unique; outstanding; extraordinary, strange. 2 gram. (of a word or form) denoting a single person or thing. —n. Gram. 1 singular word or form. 2 the singular number.  singularity n. Singularly adv. [latin: related to *single]



Singe  —v. (-geing) 1 burn superficially; scorch. 2 burn off the tips of (hair). —n. Superficial burn. [old english]

Roux  n. (pl. Same) mixture of fat and flour used in sauces etc. [french]

Submit  v. (-tt-) 1 (usu. Foll. By to) a cease resistance; yield. B refl. Surrender (oneself) to the control of another etc. 2 present for consideration. 3 (usu. Foll. By to) subject (a person or thing) to a process, treatment, etc. [latin mitto miss- send]


Natter  colloq. —v. Chatter idly. —n. Aimless chatter. [imitative, originally dial.]
Cynic  n. 1 person with a pessimistic view of human nature. 2 (cynic) one of a school of ancient greek philosophers showing contempt for ease and pleasure.  cynical adj. Cynically adv. Cynicism n. [greek kuon dog]

Inexplicable  adj. That cannot be explained.  inexplicably adv.
Alternate angles  n.pl. Two angles formed alternately on two sides of a line.




Percolate  v. (-ting) 1 (often foll. By through) a (of liquid etc.) Filter or ooze gradually. B (of an idea etc.) Permeate gradually. 2 prepare (coffee) in a percolator. 3 strain (a liquid, powder, etc.) Through a fine mesh etc.  percolation n. [latin colum strainer]
Constipate  v. (-ting) (esp. As constipated adj.) Affect with constipation. [latin stipo cram]
Store  —n. 1 quantity of something kept available for use. 2 (in pl.) A articles gathered for a particular purpose. B supply of, or place for keeping, these. 3 a = *department store. B esp. Us shop. C (often in pl.) Shop selling basic necessities. 4 warehouse for keeping furniture etc. Temporarily. 5 device in a computer for keeping retrievable data. —v. (-ring) 1 (often foll. By up, away) accumulate for future use. 2 put (furniture etc.) In a store. 3 stock or provide with something useful. 4 keep (data) for retrieval.  in store 1 kept in readiness. 2 coming in the future. 3 (foll. By for) awaiting. Set store by consider important. [french estore(r) from latin instauro renew]
Marlin  n. (pl. Same or -s) us long-nosed marine fish. [from *marlinspike]
Haemophiliac  n. (us hem-) person with haemophilia.

Champ1  —v. Munch or chew noisily. —n. Chewing noise.  champ at the bit be restlessly impatient. [imitative]

Calico  —n. (pl. -es or us -s) 1 cotton cloth, esp. Plain white or unbleached. 2 us printed cotton fabric. —adj. 1 of calico. 2 us multicoloured. [calicut in india]
Enemy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 person actively hostile to another. 2 a (often attrib.) Hostile nation or army. B member of this. 3 adversary or opponent (enemy of progress). [latin: related to *in-2, amicus friend]


High season  n. Busiest period at a resort etc.
Leveler  n. (brit. Leveller) 1 person who advocates the abolition of social distinctions. 2 person or thing that levels.
Estimation  n. 1 estimating. 2 judgement of worth. [latin: related to *estimate]

Vegeburger  var. Of *veggie burger.
Double-jointed  adj. Having joints that allow unusual bending.
Parade  —n. 1 public procession. 2 a ceremonial muster of troops for inspection. B = *parade-ground. 3 ostentatious display (made a parade of their wealth). 4 public square, promenade, or row of shops. —v. (-ding) 1 march ceremonially. 2 assemble for parade. 3 display ostentatiously. 4 march through (streets etc.) In procession.  on parade 1 taking part in a parade. 2 on display. [latin paro prepare]

Hibiscus  n. (pl. -cuses) cultivated shrub with large bright-coloured flowers. [greek hibiskos marsh mallow]



Snuffer  n. Device for snuffing or extinguishing a candle.
Pâté de foie gras  n. Fatted goose liver pâté. [french]



Gangrene  n. Death of body tissue, usu. Resulting from obstructed circulation.  gangrenous adj. [greek gaggraina]



Gum3  n.  by gum! Colloq. By god! [corruption of god]
Faithless  adj. 1 false, unreliable, disloyal. 2 without religious faith.
Medical practitioner  n. Physician or surgeon.

Manifesto  n. (pl. -s) declaration of policies, esp. By a political party. [italian: related to *manifest]


Bowling-alley  n. 1 long enclosure for skittles or tenpin bowling. 2 building with these.

Dustbin  n. Container for household refuse.
Unearned  adj. Not earned.

Loaded  adj. 1 slang a rich. B drunk. C us drugged. 2 (of dice etc.) Weighted. 3 (of a question or statement) carrying some hidden implication.



Flexitime  n. System of flexible working hours. [from *flexible]


Repine  v. (-ning) (often foll. By at, against) fret; be discontented. [from *pine2, after repent]

Stepson  n. Male stepchild.
Up-  prefix in senses of *up, added: 1 as an adverb to verbs and verbal derivations, = ‘upwards’ (upcurved; update). 2 as a preposition to nouns forming adverbs and adjectives (up-country; uphill). 3 as an adjective to nouns (upland; up-stroke).
Aphrodisiac  —adj. Arousing sexual desire. —n. Aphrodisiac substance. [greek aphrodite goddess of love]
Rim  n. 1 edge or border, esp. Of something circular. 2 outer edge of a wheel, holding the tyre. 3 part of spectacle frames around the lens.  rimless adj. Rimmed adj. (also in comb.). [old english]



Foothold  n. 1 secure place for a foot when climbing etc. 2 secure initial position.






Estonian  —n. 1 a native or national of estonia in eastern europe. B person of estonian descent. 2 language of estonia. —adj. Of estonia, its people, or language.
Milk of magnesia  n. Propr. White suspension of magnesium hydroxide usu. In water, taken as an antacid or laxative.

Marinate  v. (-ting) = *marinade.  marination n. [french: related to *marine]
Humorous  adj. Showing humour or a sense of humour.  humorously adv.

Testes  pl. Of *testis.
Pallet2  n. Portable platform for transporting and storing loads. [french: related to *palette]
Headstrong  adj. Self-willed.
Mortify  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 a cause (a person) to feel shamed, humiliated, or sorry. B wound (a person's feelings). 2 bring (the body, the flesh, the passions, etc.) Into subjection by self-denial or discipline. 3 (of flesh) be affected by gangrene or necrosis.  mortification n. Mortifying adj. [latin: related to *mortician]
Ape  —n. 1 tailless monkey-like primate, e.g. The gorilla, chimpanzee, orang-utan, or gibbon. 2 imitator. —v. (-ping) imitate, mimic. [old english]
Perspex  n. Propr. Tough light transparent thermoplastic. [related to *perspective]


Madden  v. 1 make or become mad. 2 irritate.  maddening adj. Maddeningly adv.



Dilapidated  adj. In disrepair or ruin.  dilapidation n. [latin: related to *di-2, lapis stone]
Bit2  past of *bite.

Escutcheon  n. Shield or emblem bearing a coat of arms. [latin scutum shield]
Trifle  —n. 1 thing of slight value or importance. 2 a small amount, esp. Of money. B (prec. By a) somewhat (a trifle annoyed). 3 dessert of sponge cake with custard, jelly, fruit, cream, etc. —v. (-ling) 1 talk or act frivolously. 2 (foll. By with) treat or deal with frivolously; flirt heartlessly with. [originally trufle from french = truf(f)e deceit]
Penny farthing  n.  Early type of bicycle with a large front and small rear wheel.

Offbeat  —adj. 1 not coinciding with the beat. 2 eccentric, unconventional. —n. Any of the unaccented beats in a bar.
Manslaughter  n. Unintentional but not accidental unlawful killing of a human being.

Skill  n. (often foll. By in) ability to do something well; technique, expertise. [old norse, = difference]



Fr  symb. Francium.

Fire-storm  n. High wind or storm following a fire caused by bombs.
Scapula  n. (pl. -lae or -s) shoulder-blade. [latin]

Graze1  v. (-zing) 1 (of cattle, sheep, etc.) Eat growing grass. 2 a feed (cattle etc.) On growing grass. B feed on (grass). 3 pasture cattle. [old english: related to *grass]

Leftism  n. Socialist political principles.  leftist n. & adj.
Mournful  adj. Doleful, sad, expressing mourning.  mournfully adv. Mournfulness n.
Tipple  —v. (-ling) 1 drink intoxicating liquor habitually. 2 drink (liquor) repeatedly in small amounts. —n. Colloq. Alcoholic drink.  tippler n. [origin unknown]
-logic  comb. Form (also -logical) forming adjectives corresponding esp. To nouns in -logy (pathological; zoological). [greek -logikos]
Usable  adj. That can be used.

Yorkshire pudding  n. Baked batter eaten with roast beef.
Thiamine  n. (also thiamin) b vitamin found in unrefined cereals, beans, and liver, a deficiency of which causes beriberi. [greek theion sulphur, amin from *vitamin]


Illiterate  —adj. 1 unable to read. 2 uneducated. —n. Illiterate person.  illiteracy n. Illiterately adv.
Millisecond  n. One-thousandth of a second.
Cross-refer  v. (-rr-) refer from one part of a book etc. To another.
Recondition  v. Overhaul, renovate, make usable again.
Zero option  n. Disarmament proposal for the total removal of certain types of weapons on both sides.
Hydroelectric  adj. 1 generating electricity by water-power. 2 (of electricity) so generated.  hydroelectricity n.



Condole  v. (-ling) (foll. By with) express sympathy with (a person) over a loss etc. [latin condoleo grieve with another]
Hit-or-miss  adj. Liable to error, random.

Whilst  adv. & conj. While. [from *while]

Hyperbole  n. Exaggeration, esp. For effect.  hyperbolical adj.
Yearn  v. Be filled with longing, compassion, or tenderness.  yearning n. & adj. [old english]




Unmannerly  adj. Ill-mannered.  unmannerliness n.
Stipulate  v. (-ting) demand or specify as part of a bargain etc.  stipulation n. [latin stipulari]

Longhand  n. Ordinary handwriting.



Olive oil  n. Cooking-oil extracted from olives.
Fallacy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 mistaken belief. 2 faulty reasoning; misleading argument.  fallacious adj. [latin fallo deceive]

Roman law  n. Law-code of ancient rome, forming the basis of many modern codes.
Slunk  past and past part. Of *slink.
Corridor  n. 1 passage giving access into rooms. 2 passage in a train giving access into compartments. 3 strip of territory of one state passing through that of another. 4 route which an aircraft must follow, esp. Over a foreign country. [french from italian]
Gratitude  n. Being thankful; readiness to return kindness. [latin: related to *grateful]

Racketeer  n. Person who operates a dishonest business.  racketeering n.


Illustration  n. 1 drawing or picture in a book, magazine, etc. 2 explanatory example. 3 illustrating.
Wily  adj. (-ier, -iest) crafty, cunning.  wiliness n.

Resit  —v. (-tt-; past and past part. Resat) sit (an examination) again after failing. —n. 1 resitting of an examination. 2 examination specifically for this.





Frolicsome  adj. Merry, playful.
Cloister  —n. 1 covered walk round a quadrangle, esp. In a college or ecclesiastical building. 2 monastic life or seclusion. —v. Seclude.  cloistered adj. Cloistral adj. [latin claustrum: related to *close2]
Usage  disposal is the noun corresponding to the verb dispose of (get rid of, deal with, etc.). Disposition is the noun from dispose (arrange, incline).

Governor-general  n. Representative of the crown in a commonwealth country that regards the queen as head of state.

Confessedly  adv. By one's own or general admission.





Leveraged buyout  n. Buyout in which outside capital is used to enable the management to buy up the company.
Sikh  n. Member of an indian monotheistic sect. [hindi, = disciple]
Surpass  v. 1 be greater or better than, outdo. 2 (as surpassing adj.) Pre-eminent. [french: related to *sur-1]

Jaw  —n. 1 a upper or lower bony structure in vertebrates containing the teeth. B corresponding parts of certain invertebrates. 2 a (in pl.) The mouth with its bones and teeth. B narrow mouth of a valley, channel, etc. C gripping parts of a tool etc. D grip (jaws of death). 3 colloq. Tedious talk (hold your jaw). —v. Colloq. Speak, esp. At tedious length. [french]
Crinoline  n. 1 hist. Stiffened or hooped petticoat. 2 stiff fabric of horsehair etc. Used for linings, hats, etc. [french from latin crinis hair, linum thread]
Undertone  n. 1 subdued tone or colour. 2 underlying quality or feeling.
Harmonious  adj. 1 sweet-sounding; tuneful. 2 forming a pleasing or consistent whole. 3 free from disagreement or dissent.  harmoniously adv.




Col  n. Depression in a chain of mountains. [latin collum neck]



Helio-  comb. Form sun. [greek helios sun]

Lifetime  n. Duration of a person's life.
Nought  n. 1 digit 0; cipher. 2 poet. Or archaic nothing. [old english: related to *not, *aught]




Cowpox  n. Disease of cows, whose virus was formerly used in smallpox vaccination.
Redemption  n. 1 redeeming or being redeemed. 2 thing that redeems. [latin: related to *redeem]
Armament  n. 1 (often in pl.) Military equipment. 2 equipping for war. 3 force equipped. [latin: related to *arm2]
Landing-craft  n. Craft designed for putting troops and equipment ashore.


Legalize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 make lawful. 2 bring into harmony with the law.  legalization n.


Holy grail  see *grail.








Kidney  n. (pl. -s) 1 either of two organs in the abdominal cavity of vertebrates which remove nitrogenous wastes from the blood and excrete urine. 2 animal's kidney as food. [origin unknown]

Shell-shock  n. Nervous breakdown caused by warfare.  shell-shocked adj.






Grecian  adj. (of architecture or facial outline) greek. [latin graecia greece]

Jag1  —n. Sharp projection of rock etc. —v. (-gg-) 1 cut or tear unevenly. 2 make indentations in. [imitative]
Cathode  n. Electr. 1 negative electrode in an electrolytic cell. 2 positive terminal of a battery etc. [greek kathodos way down]
Guy1  —n. 1 colloq. Man; fellow. 2 effigy of guy fawkes burnt on 5 nov.  —v. Ridicule. [guy fawkes, name of a conspirator]
Tyrannosaurus  n. (pl. -ruses) (also tyrannosaur) dinosaur with very short front legs and a long well-developed tail. [from *tyrant, after dinosaur]



Steel band  n. Band playing chiefly calypso-style music on percussion instruments made from oil drums.
Confessor  n. Priest who hears confessions and gives spiritual counsel.

Scottish terrier  var. Of *scotch terrier.



Crab1  n. 1 a ten-footed crustacean, with the first pair of legs as pincers. B crab as food. 2 (crab) sign or constellation cancer. 3 (in full crab-louse) (often in pl.) Parasitic louse transmitted sexually to esp. Pubic hair. 4 machine for hoisting heavy weights.  catch a crab rowing jam an oar or miss the water.  crablike adj. [old english]
Immiscible  adj. (often foll. By with) not able to be mixed.  immiscibility n.
Decision  n. 1 act or process of deciding. 2 resolution made after consideration (made my decision). 3 (often foll. By of) a settlement of a question. B formal judgement. 4 resoluteness. [latin: related to *decide]
Usage  in sense 3, this name has been merged with broker since oct. 1986 (see *broker 2, *jobber 2).

Helices  pl. Of *helix.
Menstruation  n. Process of discharging blood etc. From the uterus, usu. At monthly intervals from puberty to menopause.

Dissipation  n. 1 dissolute way of life. 2 dissipating or being dissipated.
Debatable  adj. Questionable; disputable. [related to *debate]

Frostbite  n. Injury to body tissues due to freezing.  frostbitten adj.


Inferior  —adj. 1 (often foll. By to) lower in rank, quality, etc. 2 of poor quality. 3 situated below. 4 written or printed below the line. —n. Person inferior to another, esp. In rank. [latin, comparative of inferus]
Corolla  n. Whorl of petals forming the inner envelope of a flower. [latin diminutive of *corona]
Umbilical cord  n. Cordlike structure attaching a foetus to the placenta.
Unclean  adj. 1 not clean. 2 unchaste. 3 religiously impure; forbidden.
Haemal  adj. (us hem-) of the blood. [greek haima blood]

Hoodwink  v. Deceive, delude. [from *hood1: originally = ‘blindfold’]

Podgy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 short and fat. 2 plump, fleshy.  podginess n. [podge short fat person]
Inter alia  adv. Among other things. [latin]

Expedition  n. 1 journey or voyage for a particular purpose, esp. Exploration. 2 people etc. Undertaking this. 3 speed. [latin: related to *expedite]
Subsume  v. (-ming) (usu. Foll. By under) include (an instance, idea, category, etc.) In a rule, class, etc. [latin sumo take]
Finery  n. Showy dress or decoration. [from *fine1]
Seraglio  n. (pl. -s) 1 harem. 2 hist. Turkish palace. [italian serraglio from turkish]
Bravado  n. Show of boldness. [spanish]


Air commodore  n. Raf officer next above group captain.

Inopportune  adj. Not appropriate, esp. Not timely.
Plunge  —v. (-ging) 1 (usu. Foll. By in, into) a thrust forcefully or abruptly. B dive. C (cause to) enter a condition or embark on a course impetuously (they plunged into marriage; the room was plunged into darkness). 2 immerse completely. 3 a move suddenly and dramatically downward. B (foll. By down, into, etc.) Move with a rush (plunged down the stairs). 4 colloq. Run up gambling debts. —n. Plunging action or movement; dive.  take the plunge colloq. Take a decisive step. [romanic: related to *plumb]
Woad  n. 1 plant yielding a blue dye. 2 dye from this. [old english]


Shock absorber  n. Device on a vehicle etc. For absorbing shocks, vibrations, etc.
Diplomat  n. 1 member of a diplomatic service. 2 tactful person.



Bustier  n. Strapless close-fitting bodice. [french]
Reputation  n. 1 what is generally said or believed about a person's or thing's character (reputation for honesty; reputation of being a crook). 2 state of being well thought of; respectability (lost its reputation). [latin: related to *repute]

Petroleum  n. Hydrocarbon oil found in the upper strata of the earth, refined for use as fuel etc. [latin petra rock, oleum oil]
Writ2  archaic past part. Of *write.  writ large in magnified or emphasized form.
Hotel  n. (usu. Licensed) establishment providing accommodation and meals for payment. [french: related to *hostel]

Occupation  n. 1 person's employment or profession. 2 pastime. 3 occupying or being occupied. 4 taking or holding of a country etc. By force.

Dram  n. 1 small drink of spirits, esp. Whisky. 2 = *drachm. [latin drama: related to *drachm]

Deb  n. Colloq. Débutante. [abbreviation]

Hell  —n. 1 place regarded in some religions as the abode of the dead, or of devils and condemned sinners. 2 place or state of misery or wickedness. —int. Expressing anger, surprise, etc.  the hell (usu. Prec. By what, where, who, etc.) Expressing anger, disbelief, etc. (who the hell is this?; the hell you are!). Beat etc. The hell out of colloq. Beat etc. Without restraint.


Sixfold  adj. & adv. 1 six times as much or as many. 2 consisting of six parts.
Ethyl  n. (attrib.) A radical derived from ethane, present in alcohol and ether. [german: related to *ether]


Duty-bound  adj. Obliged by duty.

Footwear  n. Shoes, socks, etc.
Pebble  n. Small stone worn smooth esp. By the action of water.  pebbly adj. [old english]
Lactose  n. Sugar that occurs in milk.



Reservation  n. 1 reserving or being reserved. 2 thing booked, e.g. A room in a hotel. 3 spoken or unspoken limitation or exception to an agreement etc. 4 (in full central reservation) strip of land between the carriageways of a road. 5 area of land reserved for occupation by american indians etc. [latin: related to *reserve]

Indestructible  adj. That cannot be destroyed.  indestructibility n. Indestructibly adv.
Alert  —adj. 1 watchful, vigilant. 2 nimble, attentive. —n. 1 warning call or alarm. 2 state or period of special vigilance. —v. (often foll. By to) warn. [french alerte from italian all'erta to the watch-tower]
Cash register  n. Till recording sales, totalling receipts, etc.
Trivalent  adj. Chem. Having a valency of three.  trivalency n.
Free hand  n. Freedom to act at one's own discretion.
Usage  militate is often confused with mitigate.
Punnet  n. Small light basket or container for fruit or vegetables. [origin unknown]
Puncture  —n. 1 prick or pricking, esp. The accidental piercing of a pneumatic tyre. 2 hole made in this way. —v. (-ring) 1 make or undergo a puncture (in). 2 prick, pierce, or deflate (pomposity etc.). [latin punctura: related to *point]


Dessertspoon  n. 1 medium-sized spoon for dessert. 2 amount held by this.  dessertspoonful n. (pl. -s).


Dl  abbr. Decilitre(s).

Bathroom  n. 1 room with a bath, wash-basin, etc. 2 us room with a lavatory.



Escheat  hist. —n. 1 reversion of property to the state etc. In the absence of legal heirs. 2 property so affected. —v. 1 hand over (property) as an escheat. 2 confiscate. 3 revert by escheat. [latin cado fall]

Subsequent  adj. (usu. Foll. By to) following, esp. As a consequence.  subsequently adv. [latin sequor follow]
Service charge  n. Additional charge for service in a restaurant etc.
Radish  n. 1 plant with a fleshy pungent root. 2 this root, eaten esp. Raw. [latin *radix]
Word of mouth  n. Speech (only).
Surfeit  —n. 1 an excess, esp. In eating or drinking. 2 resulting fullness. —v. (-t-) 1 overfeed. 2 (foll. By with) (cause to) be wearied through excess. [french: related to *sur-1, *feat]
Broad  —adj. 1 large in extent from one side to the other; wide. 2 in breadth (two metres broad). 3 extensive (broad acres). 4 full and clear (broad daylight). 5 explicit (broad hint). 6 general (broad intentions, facts). 7 tolerant, liberal (broad view). 8 coarse (broad humour). 9 markedly regional (broad scots). —n. 1 broad part (broad of the back). 2 us slang woman. 3 (the broads) large areas of water in e. Anglia, formed where rivers widen.  broadly adv. Broadness n. [old english]


Accomplish  v. Succeed in doing; achieve, complete. [latin: related to *complete]
Lean1  —v. (past and past part. Leaned or leant) 1 (often foll. By across, back, over, etc.) Be or place in a sloping position; incline from the perpendicular. 2 (foll. By against, on, upon) (cause to) rest for support against etc. 3 (foll. By on, upon) rely on. 4 (foll. By to, towards) be inclined or partial to. —n. Deviation from the perpendicular; inclination.  lean on colloq. Put pressure on (a person) to act in a certain way. Lean over backwards see *backwards. [old english]
Dishwasher  n. Machine or person that washes dishes.
Evaluate  v. (-ting) 1 assess, appraise. 2 find or state the number or amount of.  evaluation n. [french: related to *value]



Coin-box  n. 1 telephone operated by inserting coins. 2 receptacle for these.

Renovate  v. (-ting) restore to good condition; repair.  renovation n. Renovator n. [latin novus new]

Bowdlerize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) expurgate (a book etc.).  bowdlerization n. [bowdler, name of an expurgator of shakespeare]
Willow-pattern  n. Conventional chinese design of blue on white porcelain etc.

Afterward  adv. (brit. Afterwards) later, subsequently. [old english: related to *after, *-ward]


Injury  n. (pl. -ies) 1 physical harm or damage. 2 offence to feelings etc. 3 esp. Law wrongful action or treatment. [latin injuria]

Puss  n. Colloq. 1 cat (esp. As a form of address). 2 sly or coquettish girl. [low german or dutch]
Phlegmatic  adj. Calm, unexcitable.  phlegmatically adv.
Shaggy-dog story  n. Long rambling joke, amusing only by its pointlessness.

Mare's nest  n. Illusory discovery.




Etiquette  n. Conventional rules of social behaviour or professional conduct. [french: related to *ticket]
Big bang theory  n. Theory that the universe began with the explosion of dense matter.


Diapason  n. 1 compass of a voice or musical instrument. 2 fixed standard of musical pitch. 3 either of two main organ-stops. [greek, = through all (notes)]

Archaean  (us archean) —adj. Of the earliest geological era. —n. This time. [greek arkhaios ancient]
Stranglehold  n. 1 throttling hold in wrestling. 2 deadly grip. 3 complete control.



Scintilla  n. Trace. [latin, = spark]

G7  attrib. Adj. Designating the world's seven richest nations. [group of seven]
Conjugation  n. Gram. System of verbal inflection.
Nonconformist  n. 1 person who does not conform to the doctrine or discipline of an established church, esp. (nonconformist) member of a (usu. Protestant) sect dissenting from the anglican church. 2 person who does not conform to a prevailing principle.
Day off  n. Day's holiday.
Shingle2  —n. 1 rectangular wooden tile used on roofs etc. 2 archaic a shingled hair. B shingling of hair. —v. (-ling) 1 roof with shingles. 2 archaic a cut (a woman's hair) short. B cut the hair of (a person or head) in this way. [latin scindula]

Septic  adj. Contaminated with bacteria, putrefying. [greek sepo rot]
Basso  n. (pl. -s) singer with a bass voice. [italian, = *bass1]
Roger  int. 1 your message has been received and understood (used in radio communication etc.). 2 slang i agree. [from the name, code for r]




Non-sectarian  adj. Not sectarian.
Wraparound  adj. (also wrapround) 1 (esp. Of clothing) designed to wrap round. 2 curving or extending round at the edges.
Hedge sparrow  n. Common grey and brown bird; the dunnock.

Anthill  n. Moundlike nest built by ants or termites.


Immunity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 ability of an organism to resist infection by means of antibodies and white blood cells. 2 (often foll. By from) freedom or exemption.

Evangelical  —adj. 1 of or according to the teaching of the gospel. 2 of the protestant school maintaining the doctrine of salvation by faith. —n. Member of this.  evangelicalism n. Evangelically adv. [greek: related to *eu-, *angel]
Persecute  v. (-ting) 1 subject (a person etc.) To hostility or ill-treatment, esp. On grounds of political or religious belief. 2 harass, worry.  persecution n. Persecutor n. [latin persequor -secut- pursue]

Reverse gear  n. Gear used to make a vehicle etc. Go backwards.

Circlet  n. 1 small circle. 2 circular band, esp. As an ornament.

Land  —n. 1 solid part of the earth's surface. 2 a expanse of country; ground, soil. B this in relation to its use, quality, etc., or as a basis for agriculture. 3 country, nation, state. 4 a landed property. B (in pl.) Estates. —v. 1 a set or go ashore. B (often foll. By at) disembark. 2 bring (an aircraft) to the ground or another surface. 3 alight on the ground etc. 4 bring (a fish) to land. 5 (also refl.; often foll. By up) colloq. Bring to, reach, or find oneself in a certain situation or place. 6 colloq. A deal (a person etc. A blow etc.). B (foll. By with) present (a person) with (a problem, job, etc.). 7 colloq. Win or obtain (a prize, job, etc.).  how the land lies what is the state of affairs. Land on one's feet attain a good position, job, etc., by luck.  landless adj. [old english]



Millet  n. 1 cereal plant bearing small nutritious seeds. 2 seed of this. [latin milium]

Self-censorship  n. Censoring of oneself.



Trove  n. = *treasure trove. [anglo-french trové from trover find]

String vest  n. Vest with large meshes.




Kilowatt  n. 1,000 watts.

Ilex  n. (pl. -es) 1 tree or shrub of the genus including the common holly. 2 holm-oak. [latin]


Disfavour  (us disfavor) —n. 1 disapproval or dislike. 2 being disliked. —v. Regard or treat with disfavour.
Viviparous  adj. Zool. Bringing forth young alive. [latin vivus alive, pario produce]
Fitter  n. 1 mechanic who fits together and adjusts machinery. 2 supervisor of the cutting, fitting, etc. Of garments.

Weigh  v. 1 find the weight of. 2 balance in the hands to guess or as if to guess the weight of. 3 (often foll. By out) take a definite weight of (a substance); measure out (a specified weight) (weigh out the flour; weigh out 6 oz). 4 a estimate the relative value, importance, or desirability of. B (foll. By with, against) compare. 5 be equal to (a specified weight). 6 have (esp. A specified) importance; exert an influence. 7 (often foll. By on) be heavy or burdensome (to); be depressing (to).  weigh down 1 bring down by exerting weight. 2 be oppressive to. Weigh in (of a boxer before a contest, or a jockey after a race) be weighed. Weigh in with colloq. Advance (an argument etc.) Boldly. Weigh out (of a jockey) be weighed before a race. Weigh up colloq. Form an estimate of. Weigh one's words carefully choose the way one expresses something. [old english, = carry]




Tape recorder  n. Apparatus for recording and replaying sounds on magnetic tape.  tape-record v. Tape recording n.



Soul  n. 1 spiritual or immaterial part of a person, often regarded as immortal. 2 moral, emotional, or intellectual nature of a person. 3 personification or pattern (the very soul of discretion). 4 an individual (not a soul in sight). 5 person regarded with familiarity or pity etc. (the poor soul; a good soul). 6 person regarded as an animating or essential part (life and soul). 7 energy or intensity, esp. In a work of art. 8 = *soul music.  upon my soul exclamation of surprise. [old english]
'Struth  int. (also 'strewth) colloq. Exclamation of surprise. [god's truth]
Patch  —n. 1 material used to mend a hole or as reinforcement. 2 shield protecting an injured eye. 3 large or irregular distinguishable area. 4 colloq. Period of a specified, esp. Unpleasant, kind (went through a bad patch). 5 piece of ground. 6 colloq. Area assigned to, or patrolled by, esp. A police officer. 7 plants growing in one place (cabbage patch). 8 scrap, remnant. —v. 1 (often foll. By up) repair with a patch or patches. 2 (of material) serve as a patch to. 3 (often foll. By up) put together, esp. Hastily. 4 (foll. By up) settle (a quarrel etc.), esp. Hastily or temporarily.  not a patch on colloq. Greatly inferior to. [perhaps french, var. Of *piece]
Loud  —adj. 1 strongly audible, noisy. 2 (of colours etc.) Gaudy, obtrusive. —adv. Loudly.  out loud aloud.  loudish adj. Loudly adv. Loudness n. [old english]


Long-distance  —attrib. Adj.travelling or operating between distant places. —adv. Between distant places (phone long-distance).

Jocose  adj. Playful; jocular.  jocosely adv. Jocosity n. (pl. -ies). [latin jocus jest]

Non-essential  —adj. Not essential. —n. Non-essential thing.
Homo-  comb. Form same. [greek homos same]

High-ranking  adj. Of high rank, senior.
Infirmity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 being infirm. 2 particular physical weakness.

Krona  n. 1 (pl. Kronor) chief monetary unit of sweden. 2 (pl. Kronur) chief monetary unit of iceland. [swedish and icelandic, = *crown]

Breadwinner  n. Person who works to support a family.

Radiator  n. 1 device for heating a room etc., consisting of a metal case through which hot water or steam circulates. 2 engine-cooling device in a motor vehicle or aircraft.
Ropy  adj. (also ropey) (-ier, -iest) colloq. Poor in quality.  ropiness n.

Th  symb. Thorium.
Mortality  n. (pl. -ies) 1 being subject to death. 2 loss of life on a large scale. 3 a number of deaths in a given period etc. B (in full mortality rate) death rate.



Thug  n. 1 violent ruffian. 2 (thug) hist. Member of a religious organization of robbers and assassins in india.  thuggery n. Thuggish adj. [hindi]


Craps  n.pl. Us (also crap game) gambling dice game. [origin uncertain]
Reline  v. (-ning) put a new lining in (a garment etc.).


Unbuckle  v. (-ling) release the buckle of (a strap, shoe, etc.).
Metatarsus  n. (pl. -tarsi) 1 part of the foot between the ankle and the toes. 2 set of five bones in this.  metatarsal adj. [related to *meta-, *tarsus]
Code  —n. 1 system of words, letters, symbols, etc., used to represent others for secrecy or brevity. 2 system of prearranged signals used to ensure secrecy in transmitting messages. 3 computing piece of program text. 4 systematic set of laws etc. 5 prevailing standard of moral behaviour. —v. (-ding) put into code. [latin *codex]
High and mighty  adj. Colloq. Arrogant.

Chipboard  n. Board made from compressed wood chips.


Exclamation mark  n. Punctuation mark (!) Indicating exclamation.
Rose2  past of *rise.


Slam1  —v. (-mm-) 1 shut forcefully and loudly. 2 put down loudly. 3 put or do suddenly (slam the brakes on; car slammed to a halt). 4 slang criticize severely. 5 slang hit. 6 slang conquer easily. —n. Sound or action of slamming. [probably scandinavian]


Empathy  n. Ability to identify with a person or object.  empathetic adj. [as *pathos]

Hornet  n. Large wasp capable of inflicting a serious sting. [low german or dutch]

Salivate  v. (-ting) secrete saliva, esp. In excess.  salivation n. [latin salivare: related to *saliva]


Key1  —n. (pl. -s) 1 (usu. Metal) instrument for moving the bolt of a lock. 2 similar implement for operating a switch. 3 instrument for grasping screws, nuts, etc., or for winding a clock etc. 4 (often in pl.) Finger-operated button or lever on a typewriter, piano, computer terminal, etc. 5 means of advance, access, etc. (key to success). 6 (attrib.) Essential (key element). 7 a solution or explanation. B word or system for solving a cipher or code. C explanatory list of symbols used in a map, table, etc. 8 mus. System of notes related to each other and based on a particular note (key of c major).
Bacchic  adj. = *bacchanal adj.

Pore2  v. (-ring) (foll. By over) 1 be absorbed in studying (a book etc.). 2 meditate on. [origin unknown]




Troposphere  n. Lowest layer of atmosphere extending about 6–10 km upwards from the earth's surface. [greek tropos turn]


Firefighter  n. = *fireman 1.



Round  —adj. 1 shaped like a circle, sphere, or cylinder; convex; circular, curved, not angular. 2 done with or involving circular motion. 3 entire, continuous, complete (round dozen). 4 candid, outspoken. 5 (usu. Attrib.) (of a number) expressed for brevity as a complete number (£297.32, or in round figures £300). 6 (of a voice, style, etc.) Flowing, sonorous. —n. 1 round object or form. 2 a revolving motion or course (yearly round). B recurring series of activities, meetings, etc. (continuous round of pleasure; round of talks). 3 a fixed route for deliveries (milk round). B route etc. For supervision or inspection (watchman's round; doctor's rounds). 4 drink etc. For each member of a group. 5 a one bullet, shell, etc. B act of firing this. 6 a slice from a loaf of bread. B sandwich made from two slices. C joint of beef from the haunch. 7 set, series, or sequence of actions in turn, esp.: a one spell of play in a game etc. B one stage in a competition. 8 golf playing of all the holes in a course once. 9 song for unaccompanied voices overlapping at intervals. 10 rung of a ladder. 11 (foll. By of) circumference or extent of (in all the round of nature). —adv. 1 with circular motion (wheels go round).
Politician  n. 1 person involved in politics, esp. Professionally as an mp. 2 esp. Us derog. Person who manoeuvres; schemer, time-server.
Harmonize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 add notes to (a melody) to produce harmony. 2 bring into or be in harmony. 3 make or form a pleasing or consistent whole.  harmonization n.
Attar  n. Perfume made from rose-petals. [persian]





Es  symb. Einsteinium.
Mar.  Abbr. March.
Sitar  n. Long-necked indian lute. [hindi]
Bridge1  —n. 1 a structure providing a way across a river, road, railway, etc. B thing joining or connecting. 2  operational superstructure on a ship. 3 upper bony part of the nose. 4 piece of wood on a violin etc. Over which the strings are stretched. 5 = *bridgework. —v. (-ging) 1 be or make a bridge over. 2 reduce (a gap, deficiency, etc.). [old english]
Palmy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 of, like, or abounding in palms. 2 triumphant, flourishing (palmy days).

Uht  abbr. Ultra heat treated (esp. Of milk, for long keeping).

Quadrant  n. 1 quarter of a circle's circumference. 2 quarter of a circle enclosed by two radii at right angles. 3 quarter of a sphere etc. 4 any of four parts of a plane divided by two lines at right angles. 5 a graduated quarter-circular strip of metal etc. B instrument graduated (esp. Through an arc of 90°) for measuring angles. [latin quadrans -ant-]
Unstructured  adj. 1 not structured. 2 informal.
Mens rea  n. Law criminal intent. [latin, = guilty mind]
Uninspiring  adj. Not inspiring.
Senior  —adj. 1 more or most advanced in age, standing, or position. 2 (placed after a person's name) senior to a relative of the same name. —n. 1 senior person. 2 one's elder or superior.  seniority n. [latin comparative of senex old]



Core  —n. 1 horny central part of certain fruits, containing the seeds. 2 central or most important part of anything (also attrib.: core curriculum). 3 inner central region of the earth. 4 part of a nuclear reactor containing fissile material. 5 hist. Structural unit in a computer, storing one bit of data (see *bit4). 6 inner strand of an electric cable. 7 piece of soft iron forming the centre of an electromagnet or induction coil. —v. (-ring) remove the core from.  corer n. [origin unknown]

Bowstring  n. String of an archer's bow.
Exclusive  —adj. 1 excluding other things. 2 (predic.; foll. By of) not including; except for. 3 tending to exclude others, esp. Socially. 4 high-class. 5 not obtainable elsewhere or not published elsewhere. —n. Article etc. Published by only one newspaper etc.  exclusively adv. Exclusiveness n. Exclusivity n. [medieval latin: related to *exclude]
Fog-lamp  n. Powerful lamp for use in fog.
Grade  —n. 1 a certain degree in rank, merit, proficiency, etc. B class of persons or things of the same grade. 2 mark indicating the quality of a student's work. 3 us class in school. 4 gradient, slope. —v. (-ding) 1 arrange in grades. 2 (foll. By up, down, off, into, etc.) Pass gradually between grades, or into a grade. 3 give a grade to (a student). 4 reduce (a road etc.) To easy gradients. [latin gradus step]
Power-sharing  n. Coalition government, esp. As preferred on principle.
Graminivorous  adj. Feeding on grass, cereals, etc.

Ostensive  adj. Directly showing.
Colorado beetle  n. Yellow and black beetle, with larva destructive to the potato plant. [colorado in us]

Ammonite  n. Coil-shaped fossil shell. [latin, = horn of jupiter ammon]
Dance  —v. (-cing) 1 move rhythmically, usu. To music. 2 skip or jump about. 3 perform (a specified dance, role, etc.). 4 bob up and down. 5 dandle (a child). —n. 1 a dancing as an art form. B style or form of this. 2 social gathering for dancing. 3 single round or turn of a dance. 4 music for dancing to. 5 lively motion.  dance attendance on serve obsequiously. Lead a person a dance (or merry dance) cause a person much trouble.  danceable adj. Dancer n. [french]
Contraception  n. Prevention of pregnancy; use of contraceptives. [from *contra-, *conception]
Teredo  n. (pl. -s) bivalve mollusc that bores into submerged timbers of ships etc. [latin from greek]

Outstrip  v. (-pp-) 1 go faster than. 2 surpass, esp. Competitively.
Compulsory  adj. 1 required by law or a rule. 2 essential.  compulsorily adv.

Half-dozen  n. (also half a dozen) colloq. Six, or about six.

Hero  n. (pl. -es) 1 person noted or admired for nobility, courage, outstanding achievements, etc. 2 chief male character in a play, story, etc. [greek heros]
Pashto  —n. Language of afghanistan, parts of pakistan, etc. —adj. Of or in this language. [pashto]

Fire-irons  n.pl. Tongs, poker, and shovel for a domestic fire.



Insuperable  adj. 1 (of a barrier) impossible to surmount. 2 (of a difficulty etc.) Impossible to overcome.  insuperability n. Insuperably adv. [latin supero overcome]

Afraid  predic. Adj. Alarmed, frightened.  be afraid colloq. Politely regret (i'm afraid we're late). [originally past part. Of *affray]

Aztec  —n. 1 member of the native mexican people overthrown by the spanish in 1519. 2 language of this people. —adj. Of the aztecs or their language. [nahuatl, = men of the north]


Bugger  coarse slang (except in sense 2 of n. And 3 of v.) —n. 1 a unpleasant or awkward person or thing. B person of a specified kind (clever bugger!). 2 person who commits buggery. —v. 1 as an exclamation of annoyance (bugger it!). 2 (often foll. By up) a ruin; spoil. B exhaust. 3 commit buggery with. —int. Expressing annoyance.  bugger-all nothing. Bugger about (or around) (often foll. By with) mess about. Bugger off (often in imper.) Go away. [latin bulgarus bulgarian heretic]
Secondary picketing  n. Picketing of premises of a firm not directly involved in an industrial dispute.

Humour  (us humor) —n. 1 a quality of being amusing or comic. B the expression of humour in literature, speech, etc. 2 (in full sense of humour) ability to perceive or express humour. 3 state of mind; inclination (bad humour). 4 (in full cardinal humour) hist. Each of the four fluids (blood, phlegm, choler, melancholy), thought to determine a person's physical and mental qualities. —v. Gratify or indulge (a person or taste etc.).  out of humour displeased.  humourless adj. [latin humor moisture]
Tournedos  n. (pl. Same) small round thick cut from a fillet of beef. [french]







Lavish  —adj. 1 giving or producing in large quantities; profuse. 2 generous. —v. (often foll. By on) bestow or spend (money, effort, praise, etc.) Abundantly.  lavishly adv. [french lavasse deluge: related to *lave]

Ricrac  n. (also rickrack) zigzag braided trimming for garments. [from *rack1]


Washed out  adj. (also washed-out) 1 faded; pale. 2 colloq. Pale, exhausted.

Punt2  —v. Kick (a ball, esp. In rugby) after it has dropped from the hands and before it reaches the ground. —n. Such a kick. [origin unknown]
Jack-o'-lantern  n. 1 will-o'-the wisp. 2 pumpkin lantern.
Scylla and charybdis  n.pl. Two dangers or extremes such that one can be avoided only by approaching the other. [names of a monster and a whirlpool in greek mythology]

Limey  n. (pl. -s) us slang offens. British person (orig. A sailor) or ship. [from *lime2, because of the former enforced consumption of lime juice in the british navy]
Panties  n.pl. Colloq. Short-legged or legless underpants worn by women and girls. [diminutive of *pants]

-ose  suffix forming adjectives denoting possession of a quality (grandiose; verbose). [latin -osus]

Rotisserie  n. 1 restaurant etc. Where meat is roasted or barbecued. 2 rotating spit for roasting or barbecuing meat. [french: related to *roast]

Shudder  —v. 1 shiver, esp. Convulsively, from fear, cold, etc. 2 feel strong repugnance, fear, etc. (shudder at the thought). 3 vibrate. —n. 1 act of shuddering. 2 (in pl.; prec. By the) colloq. State of shuddering. [low german or dutch]

Sweetcorn  n. Sweet-flavoured maize kernels.

Thirty-nine articles  n.pl. Points of doctrine assented to by those taking orders in the church of england.

Were  2nd sing. Past, pl. Past, and past subjunctive of *be.
Witticism  n. Witty remark. [from *witty]






Accusation  n. Accusing or being accused. [french: related to *accuse]



Flag-officer  n. Admiral, vice admiral, or rear admiral, or the commodore of a yacht-club.


Utility vehicle  n. Vehicle serving various functions.
Ennoble  v. (-ling) 1 make noble. 2 make (a person) a noble.  ennoblement n. [french: related to *en-1]



Unforgiving  adj. Not forgiving.


Child abuse  n. Maltreatment of a child, esp. By physical violence or sexual molestation.
Policeman  n. (fem. Policewoman) member of a police force.


Mantel  n. Mantelpiece or mantelshelf. [var. Of *mantle]
Real time  n. 1 actual time during which a process occurs. 2 (attrib.) (real-time) computing (of a system) in which the response time is the actual time during which an event occurs.




Batsman  n. Person who bats, esp. In cricket.






Troop  —n. 1 assembled company; assemblage of people or animals. 2 (in pl.) Soldiers, armed forces. 3 cavalry unit under a captain. 4 unit of artillery or armoured vehicles. 5 grouping of three or more scout patrols. —v. (foll. By in, out, off, etc.) Come together or move in large numbers.  troop the colour transfer a flag ceremonially at a public mounting of garrison guards. [french troupe]
Backtrack  v. 1 retrace one's steps. 2 reverse one's policy or opinion.


Convenience  n. 1 state of being convenient; suitability.  2 useful thing. 3 advantage. 4 lavatory, esp. A public one.  at one's convenience at a time or place that suits one. [latin: related to *convene]
Fortune-teller  n. Person who claims to foretell one's destiny.  fortune-telling n.
Donor  n. 1 person who donates (e.g. To charity). 2 person who provides blood, semen, or an organ or tissue for medical use.



Combe  var. Of *coomb.
Humerus  n. (pl. -ri) bone of the upper arm.  humeral adj. [latin, = shoulder]

Accommodation  n. 1 lodgings. 2 adjustment, adaptation. 3 convenient arrangement; settlement, compromise.
Fleeting  adj. Transitory; brief.  fleetingly adv.
Reseal  v. Seal again.  resealable adj.

Mount2  n. Archaic (except before a name): mountain, hill (mount everest). [latin mons mont-]

Peek  —v. (usu. Foll. By in, out, at) peep slyly, glance. —n. Quick or sly look. [origin unknown]
Dross  n. 1 rubbish. 2 a scum from melted metals. B impurities. [old english]





Medicine man  n. Tribal, esp. N. American indian, witch-doctor.
Gangling  adj. (of a person) loosely built; lanky. [frequentative of old english gang go]




Storm petrel  n. (also stormy petrel) 1 small black and white n. Atlantic petrel. 2 person causing unrest.

Wide ball  n. Cricket ball judged to be beyond the batsman's reach, so scoring a run.
Coleslaw  n. Dressed salad of sliced raw cabbage etc. [from *cole, dutch sla salad]

Here and there  adv. In various places.
U.c.  Abbr. Upper case.
Compact disc  n. Disc on which information or sound is recorded digitally and reproduced by reflection of laser light.

Baggage  n. 1 luggage. 2 portable army equipment. 3 joc. Or derog. Girl or woman. 4 mental encumbrances. [french]
Notwithstanding  —prep. In spite of; without prevention by. —adv. Nevertheless. [from *not, *withstand]
Absolute temperature  n. One measured from absolute zero.






Normally  adv. 1 in a normal manner. 2 usually.


Idea  n. 1 plan etc. Formed by mental effort (an idea for a book). 2 a mental impression or concept. B vague belief or fancy (had an idea you were married). 3 intention or purpose (the idea is to make money). 4 archetype or pattern. 5 ambition or aspiration (have ideas; put ideas into a person's head).  have no idea colloq. 1 not know at all. 2 be completely incompetent. Not one's idea of colloq. Not what one regards as (not my idea of a holiday). [greek, = form, kind]

Dal  var. Of *dhal.
-ed1  suffix forming adjectives: 1 from nouns, meaning ‘having, wearing, etc.’ (talented; trousered). 2 from phrases of adjective and noun (good-humoured). [old english]

Secondary colour  n. Result of mixing two primary colours.

Quad3  colloq. —n. Quadraphonics. —adj. Quadraphonic. [abbreviation]

Emetic  —adj. That causes vomiting. —n. Emetic medicine. [greek emeo vomit]
Hejira  var. Of *hegira.
Maoism  n. Communist doctrines of mao zedong.  maoist n. & adj. [mao zedong, name of a chinese statesman]



Political geography  n. Geography dealing with boundaries and the possessions of states.


Middle-sized  adj. Of medium size.
Kiss  —v. 1 touch with the lips, esp. As a sign of love, affection, greeting, or reverence. 2 (of two people) touch each others' lips in this way. 3 lightly touch. —n. 1 touch with the lips. 2 light touch.  kiss and tell recount one's sexual exploits. Kiss a person's arse coarse slang toady to. Kiss the dust submit abjectly. [old english]

Ge  symb. Germanium.
Gravy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 juices exuding from meat during and after cooking. 2 sauce for food, made from these etc. [perhaps from a misreading of french grané from grain spice, *grain]



Taxman  n. Colloq. Inspector or collector of taxes.


Adieu  int. Goodbye. [french, = to god]
Jowl2  n. Loose hanging skin on the throat or neck.  jowly adj. [old english]

Country club  n. Sporting and social club in a rural setting.
Birthday  n. 1 day on which one was born. 2 anniversary of this.
Indifference  n. 1 lack of interest or attention. 2 unimportance.

Tiptop  colloq. —adj. Highest in excellence. —n. Highest point of excellence. —adv. Most excellently.
Linsey-woolsey  n. Fabric of coarse wool woven on a cotton warp. [probably from lindsey in suffolk + *wool]
Vanadium  n. Hard grey metallic element used to strengthen steel. [old norse vanadís name of the scandinavian goddess freyja]


Air force  n. Branch of the armed forces fighting in the air.
Eco-  comb. Form ecology, ecological (ecoclimate).

Courgette  n. Small vegetable marrow. [french]


Garnish  —v. Decorate (esp. Food). —n. Decoration, esp. To food. [french garnir from germanic]


Nurse  —n. 1 person trained to care for the sick or infirm and assist doctors or dentists. 2 = *nursemaid. —v. (-sing) 1 a work as a nurse. B attend to (a sick person). 2 feed or be fed at the breast. 3 hold or treat carefully. 4 a foster; promote the development of. B harbour (a grievance etc.). [latin: related to *nourish]


Dispensary  n. (pl. -ies) place where medicines are dispensed.
Hittite  —n. Member or language of an ancient people of asia minor and syria. —adj. Of the hittites. [hebrew]


Flap  —v. (-pp-) 1 move or be moved up and down; beat. 2 colloq. Be agitated or panicky. 3 sway; flutter. 4 (usu. Foll. By away, off) strike (flies etc.) With flat object; drive. 5 colloq. (of ears) listen intently. —n. 1 piece of cloth, wood, etc. Attached by one side esp. To cover a gap, e.g. A pocket-cover, the folded part of an envelope, a table-leaf. 2 motion of a wing, arm, etc. 3 colloq. Agitation; panic (in a flap). 4 aileron. 5 light blow with something flat.  flappy adj. [probably imitative]

Highly-strung  adj. Very sensitive or nervous.
Pomp  n. 1 splendid display; splendour. 2 specious glory. [latin from greek pompe]


Breath  n. 1 a air drawn into or expelled from the lungs. B one respiration of air. C breath as perceived by the senses. 2 a slight movement of air. B whiff (of perfume etc.). 3 whisper, murmur (esp. Of scandal).  catch one's breath 1 cease breathing momentarily in surprise etc. 2 rest to restore normal breathing. Hold one's breath cease breathing temporarily. Out of breath gasping for air, esp. After exercise. Take one's breath away surprise, delight, etc. Under one's breath in a whisper. [old english]

Yorkshire terrier  n. Small long-haired blue and tan kind of terrier.

Drunkard  n. Person who is habitually drunk.
Flue  n. 1 smoke-duct in a chimney. 2 channel for conveying heat. [origin unknown]
Cocktail stick  n. Small pointed stick for serving an olive, cherry, etc.


Ensure  v. (-ring) 1 make certain. 2 (usu. Foll. By against) make safe (ensure against risks).  ensurer n. [anglo-french: related to *assure]
Smelling-salts  n.pl. Sharp-smelling substances sniffed to relieve faintness etc.

Reconvert  v. Convert back to a former state.  reconversion n.



Moorhen  n. Small waterfowl.
Wellnigh  adv. Almost (wellnigh impossible).

Anyway  adv. 1 in any way or manner. 2 at any rate. 3 to resume (anyway, as i was saying).

Usage  the use of infer in sense 2 is considered incorrect by some people.
Revile  v. (-ling) abuse verbally. [french: related to *vile]
Tackle  —n. 1 equipment for a task or sport. 2 mechanism, esp. Of ropes, pulley-blocks, hooks, etc., for lifting weights, managing sails, etc. 3 windlass with its ropes and hooks. 4 act of tackling in football etc. —v. (-ling) 1 try to deal with (a problem or difficulty). 2 grapple with (an opponent). 3 confront (a person) in discussion or argument. 4 intercept or stop (a player running with the ball).  tackler n. [low german]
Marshalling yard  n. Yard for assembling goods trains etc.
Sophism  n. False argument, esp. One intended to deceive. [greek sophos wise]
Papal  adj. Of a pope or the papacy. [medieval latin: related to *pope]



Splat  colloq. —n. Sharp splattering sound. —adv. With a splat. —v. (-tt-) fall or hit with a splat. [abbreviation of *splatter]



Hindsight  n. Wisdom after the event.

Kilocalorie  n. = large calorie (see *calorie).

Confabulate  v. (-ting) converse, chat.  confabulation n. [latin: related to *fable]

Dinghy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 small boat carried by a ship. 2 small pleasure-boat. 3 small inflatable rubber boat. [hindi]
Crackle  —v. (-ling) make repeated slight cracking sound (radio crackled; fire was crackling). —n. Such a sound.  crackly adj. [from *crack]
Lightning  —n. Flash of bright light produced by an electric discharge between clouds or between clouds and the ground. —attrib. Adj. Very quick. [from *lighten2]


Stoned  adj. Slang drunk or drugged.



Poke1  —v. (-king) 1 a thrust or push with the hand, a stick, etc. B (foll. By out, up, etc.) Be thrust forward, protrude. 2 (foll. By at etc.) Make thrusts. 3 thrust the end of a finger etc. Against. 4 (foll. By in) produce (a hole etc. In a thing) by poking. 5 stir (a fire) with a poker. 6 a (often foll. By about, around) potter. B (foll. By about, into) pry; search. 7  coarse slang have sexual intercourse with. —n. 1 act of poking. 2 thrust, nudge.  poke fun at ridicule. Poke one's nose into colloq. Pry or intrude into. [german or dutch]
Soundproof  —adj. Impervious to sound. —v. Make soundproof.
Coup d'état  n. (pl. Coups d'état pronunc. Same) violent or illegal seizure of power. [french]
Pussyfoot  v. Colloq. 1 move stealthily. 2 equivocate; stall.
War memorial  n. Monument to those killed in a war.


Usage  see note at while.


Nougat  n. Sweet made from sugar or honey, nuts, and egg-white. [french from provençal]
Personal organizer  n. Means of keeping track of personal affairs, esp. A loose-leaf notebook divided into sections.


Mercer  n. Dealer in textile fabrics. [latin merx merc- goods]

Desultory  adj. 1 constantly turning from one subject to another. 2 disconnected; unmethodical.  desultorily adv. [latin desultorius superficial]
Insubordinate  adj. Disobedient; rebellious.  insubordination n.

Obbligato  n. (pl. -s) mus. Accompaniment forming an integral part of a composition. [italian, = obligatory]
Kitbag  n. Large usu. Cylindrical bag used for a soldier's or traveller's kit.

Diplomatic  adj. 1 of or involved in diplomacy. 2 tactful.  diplomatically adv. [french: related to *diploma]

Stratagem  n. 1 cunning plan or scheme. 2 trickery. [greek strategos a general]

Swashbuckler  n. Swaggering adventurer.  swashbuckling adj. & n. [swash strike noisily, *buckler]
Commando  n. (pl. -s) 1 unit of shock troops. 2 member of this. [portuguese: related to *command]

Usage  although widely used, alright is still non-standard and is considered incorrect by many people.

Deism  n. Reasoned belief in the existence of a god.  deist n. Deistic adj. [latin deus god]
Venison  n. Deer's flesh as food. [latin venatio hunting]
Overburden  v. Burden (a person, thing, etc.) To excess.


Catch-phrase  n. Phrase in frequent use.


Radiate  —v. (-ting) 1  a emit rays of light, heat, etc. B (of light or heat) be emitted in rays. 2  emit (light, heat, etc.) From a centre. 3 transmit or demonstrate (joy etc.). 4 diverge or spread from a centre. —adj. Having divergent rays or parts radially arranged.

Mandible  n. 1 jaw, esp. The lower jaw in mammals and fishes. 2 upper or lower part of a bird's beak. 3 either half of the crushing organ in the mouth-parts of an insect etc. [latin mando chew]
Impermanent  adj. Not permanent.  impermanence n. Impermanency n.

Commissioner  n. 1 person appointed by a commission to perform a specific task, e.g. The head of the london police etc. 2 member of a government commission. 3 representative of government in a district, department, etc. [medieval latin: related to *commission]


Eland  n. (pl. Same or -s) large african antelope. [dutch]

Chlorinate  v. (-ting) impregnate or treat with chlorine.  chlorination n.
Herring-bone  n. Stitch or weave consisting of a series of small ‘v’ shapes making a zigzag pattern.


Ardor  n. (brit. Ardour) zeal, enthusiasm, passion.
Paddle2  —v. (-ling) walk barefoot, or dabble the feet or hands, in shallow water. —n. Act of paddling. [probably low german or dutch]
Inject  v. 1 a (usu. Foll. By into) drive (a solution, medicine, etc.) By or as if by a syringe. B (usu. Foll. By with) fill (a cavity etc.) By injecting. C administer medicine etc. To (a person) by injection. 2 place (a quality, money, etc.) Into something.  injection n. Injector n. [latin injicere -ject- from jacio throw]





Decorated style  n. Archit. Highly ornamented late english gothic style (14th c.).
Agitate  v. (-ting) 1 disturb or excite (a person or feelings). 2 (often foll. By for, against) campaign, esp. Politically (agitated for tax reform). 3 shake briskly.  agitation n. Agitator n. [latin agito: related to *act]


Contra-  comb. Form against, opposite. [latin]


Pocket money  n. Money for minor expenses, esp. Given to children.
Étude  n. = *study n. 6. [french, = study]
Jiggle  —v. (-ling) (often foll. By about etc.) Shake or jerk lightly; fidget. —n. Light shake. [from *jig]

Cackle  —n. 1 clucking of a hen etc. 2 raucous laugh. 3 noisy chatter. —v. (-ling) 1 emit a cackle. 2 chatter noisily.  [imitative]

Lull  —v. 1 soothe or send to sleep. 2 (usu. Foll. By into) deceive (a person) into undue confidence (lulled into a false sense of security). 3 allay (suspicions etc.), usu. By deception. 4 (of noise, a storm, etc.) Abate or fall quiet. —n. Temporary quiet period. [imitative]

-'s  suffix denoting the possessive case of singular nouns and of plural nouns not ending in -s (john's book; book's cover; children's shoes).
Manila  n. 1 (in full manila hemp) strong fibre of a kind of tree native to the philippines. 2 (also manila) strong brown paper made from this. [manila in the philippines]

Sociable  adj. Liking company, gregarious; friendly.  sociability n. Sociably adv. [latin socius companion]

Economic  adj. 1 of economics. 2 profitable (not economic to run buses on a sunday). 3 connected with trade and industry (economic geography).  economically adv. [greek: related to *economy]




Ought  v.aux. (as present and past, the only form now in use) 1 expressing duty or rightness (we ought to be thankful; it ought to have been done long ago). 2 advisability (you ought to see a dentist). 3 probability (it ought to rain soon).  ought not negative form of ought (he ought not to have stolen it). [old english, past of *owe]
Soul-destroying  adj. (of an activity etc.) Tedious, monotonous.
Cumbersome  adj. (also cumbrous) inconveniently bulky etc.; unwieldy. [cumber hinder]
Mycology  n. 1 the study of fungi. 2 fungi of a particular region.  mycologist n. [greek mukes mushroom]
Gee-gee  n. Colloq. (a child's word for) a horse.

Pasta  n. Dried flour paste in various shapes (e.g. Lasagne or spaghetti). [italian: related to *paste]



British summer time  n. = *summer time.
Battle  —n. 1 prolonged fight between armed forces. 2 difficult struggle; contest (battle for supremacy; battle of wits). —v. (-ling) engage in battle; fight.  half the battle key to the success of an undertaking. [latin battuo beat]

Unmatched  adj. Not matched or equalled.
Concussion  n. 1 temporary unconsciousness or incapacity due to a blow to the head, a fall, etc. 2 violent shaking.

Hijack  —v. 1 seize control of (a vehicle etc.), esp. To force it to a different destination. 2 seize (goods) in transit. 3 take control of (talks etc.) By force or subterfuge. —n. A hijacking.  hijacker n. [origin unknown]
Apologetic  —adj. 1 showing or expressing regret. 2 of apologetics. —n. (usu. In pl.) Reasoned defence, esp. Of christianity.  apologetically adv.
Wiggle  colloq. —v. (-ling) move from side to side etc. —n. Act of wiggling; kink in a line etc.  wiggly adj. (-ier, -iest). [low german or dutch wiggelen]
Planet  n. Celestial body orbiting round a star.  planetary adj. [greek, = wanderer]
Present3  n. Thing given, gift. [french: related to *present1]








Viticulture  n. Cultivation of grapes. [latin vitis vine]

Tract1  n. 1 stretch or extent of territory, esp. Large. 2  bodily organ or system (digestive tract). [latin traho tract- pull]
Arborescent  adj. Treelike in growth or form.

According  adv. 1 (foll. By to) a as stated by (according to mary). B in proportion to (lives according to his means). 2 (foll. By as + clause) in a manner or to a degree that varies as (pays according as he is able).

Punish  v. 1 inflict retribution on (an offender) or for (an offence). 2 colloq. Inflict severe blows on (an opponent). 3 tax, abuse, or treat severely or improperly.  punishable adj. Punishing adj. [latin punio]




Infantile paralysis  n. Poliomyelitis.

All souls' day  n. 2 nov., roman catholic festival with prayers for the souls of the dead.

Kittiwake  n. A kind of small seagull. [imitative of its cry]

Prismatic  adj. 1 of, like, or using a prism. 2 (of colours) distributed (as if) by a transparent prism. [greek: related to *prism]
Probe  —n. 1 penetrating investigation. 2 small device, esp. An electrode, for measuring, testing, etc. 3 blunt-ended surgical instrument for exploring a wound etc. 4 (in full space probe) unmanned exploratory spacecraft transmitting information about its environment. —v. (-bing) 1 examine or enquire into closely. 2 explore with a probe. [latin proba: related to *prove]


Tory  —n. (pl. -ies) 1 colloq. = *conservative n. 2. 2 hist. Member of the party that gave rise to the conservative party (opp. *whig). —adj. Colloq. = *conservative adj. 3.  toryism n. [originally = irish outlaw]
Draggle  v. (-ling) 1 make dirty, wet, or limp by trailing. 2 hang trailing. [from *drag]
Calibre  n. (us caliber) 1 a internal diameter of a gun or tube. B diameter of a bullet or shell. 2 strength or quality of character; ability, importance. [french from italian from arabic, = mould]

High tide  n. Time or level of the tide at its peak.
Homeric  adj. 1 of, or in the style of, homer. 2 of bronze age greece as described in homer's poems.
Compression  n. 1 compressing. 2 reduction in volume of the fuel mixture in an internal-combustion engine before ignition.
Affidavit  n. Written statement confirmed by oath. [latin, = has stated on oath]
Doggy-paddle  n. (also dog-paddle) elementary swimming stroke like that of a dog.
Staff college  n. College where officers are trained for staff duties.

Insulin  n. Hormone regulating the amount of glucose in the blood, the lack of which causes diabetes. [latin insula island]

Rant  —v. Speak loudly, bombastically, violently, or theatrically. —n. Piece of ranting.  rant and rave express anger noisily and forcefully. [dutch]

Hour  n. 1 twenty-fourth part of a day and night, 60 minutes. 2 time of day, point in time (a late hour; what is the hour?). 3 (in pl. With preceding numerals in form 18.00, 20.30, etc.) This number of hours and minutes past midnight on the 24-hour clock (will assemble at 20.00 hours). 4 a period for a specific purpose (lunch hour; keep regular hours). B (in pl.) Fixed working or open period (office hours; opening hours). 5 short period of time (an idle hour).
Electronic tagging  n. The attaching of electronic markers to people or goods, enabling them to be tracked down.
Investment  n. 1 investing. 2 money invested. 3 property etc. In which money is invested.

Special correspondent  n. Journalist writing on special events or a special subject.
Corkscrew  —n. 1 spiral device for extracting corks from bottles. 2 (often attrib.) Thing with a spiral shape. —v. Move spirally; twist.
Henry  n. (pl. -s or -ies) electr. Si unit of inductance. [henry, name of a physicist]

Opaline  adj. Opal-like, opalescent.
Lyre  n. Ancient u-shaped stringed instrument. [greek lura]

Microbiology  n. The study of micro-organisms.  microbiologist n.

Purlin  n. Horizontal beam along the length of a roof. [anglo-latin perlio]
Search warrant  n. Official authorization to enter and search a building.




Quail1  n. (pl. Same or -s) small game-bird related to the partridge. [french quaille]
Lamasery  n. (pl. -ies) monastery of lamas. [french]
Irreparable  adj. (of an injury, loss, etc.) That cannot be rectified or made good.  irreparably adv.


Swagger stick  n. Short cane carried by a military officer.







Pup  —n. Young dog, wolf, rat, seal, etc. —v. (-pp-) (also absol.) (of a bitch etc.) Bring forth (young). [from *puppy]

Playwright  n. Person who writes plays.
Ru  symb. Ruthenium.

Grosgrain  n. Corded fabric of silk etc. [french, = coarse grain: related to *gross, *grain]
Insolent  adj. Impertinently insulting.  insolence n. Insolently adv. [latin soleo be accustomed]
Suede  n. (often attrib.) 1 leather with the flesh side rubbed to a nap. 2 cloth imitating it. [french, = sweden]
Headbanger  n. Slang 1 person who shakes his or her head violently to the rhythm of music; fan of loud music. 2 crazy or eccentric person.


Dialectical  adj. Of dialectic.  dialectically adv.



Reich  n. The former german state, esp. The third reich. [german, = empire]
Heavy-duty  adj. Intended to withstand hard use.
Turnip  n. 1 plant with a globular root. 2 its root as a vegetable.  turnipy adj. [dial. Neep (old english from latin napu)]


Palatine  adj. (also palatine) hist. 1 (of an official etc.) Having local authority that elsewhere belongs only to a sovereign (count palatine). 2 (of a territory) subject to this authority. [latin: related to *palace]

Slue  var. Of *slew1.

Intergalactic  adj. Of or situated between galaxies.



Cannabis  n. 1 hemp plant. 2 parts of it used as a narcotic. [latin from greek]
Lemonade  n. 1 drink made from lemon juice. 2 synthetic substitute for this.
Equivalent  —adj. 1 (often foll. By to) equal in value, amount, importance, etc. 2 corresponding. 3 having the same meaning or result. —n. Equivalent thing, amount, etc.  equivalence n. [latin: related to *value]
Managing director  n. Director with executive control or authority.

Oriel  n. (in full oriel window) projecting window of an upper storey. [french]


Accumulate  v. (-ting) 1 acquire an increasing number or quantity of; amass, collect. 2 grow numerous; increase. [latin: related to *cumulus]



Drily  adv. (also dryly) in a dry manner.




Donation  n. 1 donating or being donated. 2 thing, esp. Money, donated. [latin donum gift]
Perchance  adv. Archaic or poet. 1 by chance. 2 maybe. [anglo-french par by]

Marketable  adj. Able or fit to be sold.  marketability n.





Iron in the fire  n. Undertaking, opportunity (usu. In pl.: too many irons in the fire).

Ice-pack  n. 1 = *pack ice. 2 ice applied to the body for medical purposes.
Cushy  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. (of a job etc.) Easy and pleasant. [hindi khush pleasant]





Assassin  n. Killer, esp. Of a political or religious leader. [arabic, = hashish-eater]
Videotex  n. (also videotext) any electronic information system, esp. Teletext or viewdata.
Lute1  n. Guitar-like instrument with a long neck and a pear-shaped body. [arabic]
Sorority  n. (pl. -ies) us female students' society in a university or college. [latin soror sister]
Conserve  —v. (-ving) keep from harm or damage, esp. For later use. —n. Fresh fruit jam. [latin servo keep]
Concern  —v. 1 a be relevant or important to. B relate to; be about. 2 (refl.; often foll. By with, about, in) interest or involve oneself. 3 worry, affect. —n. 1 anxiety, worry. 2 a matter of interest or importance to one. B interest, connection (has a concern in politics). 3 business, firm. 4 colloq. Complicated thing, contrivance. [latin cerno sift]

Legerdemain  n. 1 sleight of hand. 2 trickery, sophistry. [french, = light of hand]

Scrim  n. Open-weave fabric for lining or upholstery etc. [origin unknown]
Mba  abbr. Master of business administration.







Ft  abbr. Foot, feet.


Hubby  n. (pl. -ies) colloq. Husband. [abbreviation]


Sycophant  n. Flatterer; toady.  sycophancy n. Sycophantic adj. [greek sukophantes]
Acropolis  n. Citadel of an ancient greek city. [greek akron summit, polis city]
Moody  —adj. (-ier, -iest) given to changes of mood; gloomy, sullen. —n. (pl. -ies) colloq. Bad mood; tantrum.  moodily adv. Moodiness n. [related to *mood1]
Prang   slang —v. 1 crash (an aircraft or vehicle). 2 damage by impact. 3 bomb (a target) successfully. —n. Act of pranging. [imitative]
Ah  int. Expressing surprise, pleasure, realization, etc. [french a]

Hacksaw  n. Saw with a narrow blade set in a frame, for cutting metal.

Start  abbr. Strategic arms reduction treaty (or talks).
Decrease  —v. (-sing) make or become smaller or fewer. —n. 1 decreasing. 2 amount of this.  decreasingly adv. [latin: related to *de-, cresco grow]



Red light  n. 1 signal to stop on a road, railway, etc. 2 warning.
Oecd  abbr. Organization for economic cooperation and development.



Mutant  —adj. Resulting from mutation. —n. Mutant organism or gene.
Arbor  n. (brit. Arbour) shady garden alcove enclosed by trees etc. [latin herba herb: assimilated to latin arbor tree]



Territorial  —adj. 1 of territory or a district (territorial possessions; territorial right). 2 tending to defend one's territory. —n. (territorial) member of the territorial army.  territorially adv. [latin: related to *territory]
Usage  the community charge, or poll tax, replaced household rates in 1989-90 and is itself to be replaced by a council tax in 1993.

Saucepan  n. Cooking pan, usu. Round with a lid and a projecting handle, used on a hob.
Explode  v. (-ding) 1 a expand suddenly with a loud noise owing to a release of internal energy. B cause (a bomb etc.) To explode. 2 give vent suddenly to emotion, esp. Anger. 3 (of a population etc.) Increase suddenly or rapidly. 4 show (a theory etc.) To be false or baseless. 5 (as exploded adj.) (of a drawing etc.) Showing the components of a mechanism somewhat separated but in the normal relative positions. [latin explodo -plos- hiss off the stage]


Waft  —v. Convey or travel easily and smoothly as through air or over water. —n. (usu. Foll. By of) whiff or scent. [originally ‘convoy (ship etc.)’ From dutch or low german wachter from wachten to guard]

Muddy  —adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 like mud. 2 covered in or full of mud. 3 (of liquid, colour, or sound) not clear, impure. 4 vague, confused. —v. (-ies, -ied) make muddy.  muddiness n.
Miscarriage  n. Spontaneous premature expulsion of a foetus from the womb.
Sepia  n. 1 dark reddish-brown colour or paint. 2 brown tint used in photography. [greek, = cuttlefish]
Hugger-mugger  —adj. & adv. 1 in secret. 2 confused; in confusion. —n. 1 secrecy. 2 confusion. [origin uncertain]
Caterwaul  —v. Make the shrill howl of a cat. —n. This noise. [from *cat, -waul imitative]


Croupier  n. Person running a gaming-table, raking in and paying out money etc. [french: related to *croup2]
Carry-out  attrib. Adj. & n. Esp. Scot. & us = *take-away.
Fecund  adj. 1 prolific, fertile. 2 fertilizing.  fecundity n. [latin]
Turbofan  n. Jet engine in which a turbine-driven fan provides additional thrust.
Drub  v. (-bb-) 1 beat, thrash. 2 defeat thoroughly.  drubbing n. [arabic daraba beat]
Portent  n. 1 omen, significant sign of something to come. 2 prodigy; marvellous thing. [latin portentum: related to *portend]
Unputdownable  adj. Colloq. (of a book) compulsively readable.



Swing-door  n. Self-closing door opening both ways.

Dam2  n. Mother, esp. Of a four-footed animal. [var. Of *dame]
Farthingale  n. Hist. Hooped petticoat. [spanish verdugo rod]

Haphazard  adj. Done etc. By chance; random.  haphazardly adv. [archaic hap chance, luck, from old norse happ]
Scarcity  n. (pl. -ies) (often foll. By of) lack or shortage, esp. Of food.
Unsubtle  adj. Not subtle; obvious; clumsy.
Cognizance  n. Formal 1 knowledge or awareness; perception. 2 sphere of observation or concern. 3 heraldry distinctive device or mark. [latin cognosco get to know]


Muscadet  n. 1 a dry white wine from the loire region of france. 2 variety of grape used for this. [muscadet grape]

Canine  —adj. Of a dog or dogs. —n. 1 dog. 2 (in full canine tooth) pointed tooth between incisors and premolars. [latin canis dog]




Involuted  adj. Complicated, abstruse.

Articular  adj. Of a joint or joints. [latin: related to *article]
Gazebo  n. (pl. -s) summer-house, turret, etc., with a wide view. [perhaps a fanciful formation from *gaze]

Bullfight  n. Public baiting, and usu. Killing, of bulls.  bullfighter n. Bullfighting n.




Omicron  n. Fifteenth letter of the greek alphabet (o, o). [greek o mikron = small o]

Base2  adj. 1 cowardly, despicable. 2 menial. 3 alloyed (base coin). 4 (of a metal) low in value. [latin bassus]
Urogenital  adj. Of the urinary and reproductive systems. [greek ouron urine]
Magnate  n. Wealthy and influential person, usu. In business. [latin magnus great]
North american  —adj. Of north america. —n. Native or inhabitant of north america, esp. A citizen of the us or canada.
Slander  —n. 1 false and damaging utterance about a person. 2 uttering of this. —v. Utter slander about.  slanderous adj. [french esclandre: related to *scandal]

Furl  v. 1 roll up and secure (a sail etc.). 2 become furled. [french ferler]
Diviner  n. Person who practises divination.
Hesitate  v. (-ting) 1 show or feel indecision or uncertainty; pause in doubt (hesitated over her choice). 2 be reluctant (i hesitate to say so).  hesitation n. [latin haereo haes- stick fast]
Coulter  n. (us colter) vertical blade in front of a ploughshare. [latin culter knife]



Integrated circuit  n. Electronics small chip etc. Of material replacing several separate components in a conventional electronic circuit.

Backside  n. Colloq. Buttocks.
West-north-west  n. Point or direction midway between west and north-west.

Sunk  past and past part. Of *sink.

Nappy  n. (pl. -ies) piece of towelling etc. Wrapped round a baby to absorb or retain urine and faeces. [from *napkin]
Overground  adj. 1 raised above the ground. 2 not underground.

Ferro-  comb. Form 1 iron. 2 (of alloys) containing iron. [related to *ferric]
Croquet  —n. 1 lawn game in which wooden balls are driven through hoops with mallets. 2 act of croqueting a ball. —v. (croqueted; croqueting) drive away (an opponent's ball) by placing and then striking one's own against it. [perhaps a dial. Form of french crochet hook]
Piss  coarse slang —v. 1 urinate. 2 discharge (blood etc.) With urine. 3 (as pissed adj.) Drunk. —n. 1 urine. 2 act of urinating.  piss about fool or mess about. Piss down rain heavily. Piss off 1 go away. 2 (often as pissed off adj.) Annoy; depress. Piss on (a person or thing) show utter contempt for. Take the piss (often foll. By out of) mock; make fun of. [french, imitative]
Tax haven  n. Country etc. Where taxes are low.
Disable  v. (-ling) 1 deprive of an ability or function. 2 (often as disabled adj.) Physically incapacitate.  disablement n.


Er  symb. Erbium.
Bludgeon  —n. Heavy club. —v. 1 beat with this. 2 coerce. [origin unknown]




Sweepstake  n. 1 form of gambling in which all stakes are pooled and paid to the winners. 2 race with betting of this kind. 3 prize(s) won in a sweepstake.
Dusty  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 full of or covered with dust. 2 (of a colour) dull or muted.  not so dusty slang fairly good.  dustily adv. Dustiness n.




Motive power  n. Moving or impelling power, esp. A source of energy used to drive machinery.
Pager  n. Bleeping radio device, calling its wearer to the telephone etc.

Free love  n. Sexual freedom.

Cultivator  n. 1 mechanical implement for breaking up the ground etc. 2 person or thing that cultivates.


Ab initio  adv. From the beginning. [latin]

Sine qua non  n. Indispensable condition or qualification. [latin, = without which not]

Stoical  adj. Having or showing great self-control in adversity.  stoically adv.
Conscious  —adj. 1 awake and aware of one's surroundings and identity. 2 (usu. Foll. By of or that) aware, knowing. 3 (of actions, emotions, etc.) Realized or recognized by the doer; intentional. 4 (in comb.) Aware of; concerned with (fashion-conscious). —n. (prec. By the) the conscious mind.  consciously adv. Consciousness n. [latin scio know]
Emulate  v. (-ting) 1 try to equal or excel. 2 imitate.  emulation n. Emulative adj. Emulator n. [latin aemulus rival]
Baccalaureate  n. Final secondary school examination in france and many international schools. [medieval latin baccalaureus bachelor]
Access  —n. 1 way of approach or entry (shop with rear access). 2 a right or opportunity to reach or use or visit; admittance (access to secret files, to the prisoner). B accessibility. 3 archaic outburst (an access of anger). —v. 1 computing gain access to (data etc.). 2 accession. [french: related to *accede]
Spun silk  n. Cheap material containing waste silk.
Spread  —v. (past and past part. Spread) 1 (often foll. By out) a open, extend, or unfold. B cause to cover a surface or larger area. C display thus. 2 (often foll. By out) have a wide, specified, or increasing extent. 3 become or make widely known, felt, etc. (rumours are spreading). 4 a cover (spread the wall with paint). B lay (a table). —n. 1 act of spreading. 2 capability or extent of spreading (has a large spread). 3 diffusion (spread of learning). 4 breadth. 5 increased girth (middle-aged spread). 6 difference between two rates, prices, etc. 7 colloq. Elaborate meal. 8 paste for spreading on bread etc. 9 bedspread. 10 printed matter spread across more than one column.  spread oneself be lavish or discursive. Spread one's wings develop one's powers fully. [old english]




Press-gang  —n. 1 hist. Body of men employed to press men into army or navy service. 2 any group using coercive methods. —v. Force into service.

Pre-emption  n. Purchase or taking by one person or party before the opportunity is offered to others. [medieval latin emo empt- buy]

Concierge  n. (esp. In france) door-keeper or porter of a block of flats etc. [french]


Lobscouse  n. Sailor's dish of meat stewed with vegetables and ship's biscuit. [origin unknown]
Revised standard version  n. Revision published in 1946–57 of the american standard version of the bible (itself based on the english rv).
Undemocratic  adj. Not democratic.


Rockfall  n. Descent or mass of loose fallen rocks.
Hm  abbr. Her (or his) majesty('s).

Paymaster  n. 1 official who pays troops, workmen, etc. 2 usu. Derog. Person, organization, etc., to whom another owes loyalty because of payment given. 3 (in full paymaster general) treasury minister responsible for payments.

Cantilever bridge  n. Bridge made of cantilevers projecting from piers and connected by girders.




Honey-bee  n. Common hive-bee.
Mob  —n. 1 disorderly crowd; rabble. 2 (prec. By the) usu. Derog. The populace. 3 colloq. Gang; group. —v. (-bb-) crowd round in order to attack or admire. [latin mobile vulgus excitable crowd]



Donjon  n. Great tower or innermost keep of a castle. [archaic spelling of *dungeon]
Breviary  n. (pl. -ies) book containing the roman catholic daily office. [latin: related to *brief]
Non-returnable  adj. That is not to be returned.
Golden mean  n. The principle of moderation.
Taunt  —n. Insult; provocation. —v. Insult; provoke contemptuously. [french tant pour tant tit for tat, smart rejoinder]
Novel1  n. Fictitious prose story of book length. [latin novus new]



Virginia creeper  n. Ornamental vine. [virginia in us]
Lso  abbr. London symphony orchestra.
Wi  abbr. 1 west indies. 2  women's institute.

Hnd  abbr. Higher national diploma.
Forenoon  n. Morning.
Reeve2  v. (past rove or reeved) naut. 1 (usu. Foll. By through) thread (a rope or rod etc.) Through a ring or other aperture. 2 fasten (a rope or block) in this way. [probably dutch reven]

Hipster2  n. Slang hip person.

Prefecture  n. 1 district under the government of a prefect. 2 prefect's office or tenure. [latin: related to *prefect]



Nco  abbr. Non-commissioned officer.

Palpable  adj. 1 able to be touched or felt. 2 readily perceived.  palpably adv. [latin palpo caress]
Ent  abbr. Ear, nose, and throat.
Sough  —v. Moan or whisper like the wind in trees etc. —n. This sound. [old english]
Thirst  —n. 1 need to drink; discomfort caused by this. 2 desire, craving. —v. (often foll. By for or after) 1 feel thirst. 2 have a strong desire. [old english]






Roof of the mouth  n. Palate.
-gram  comb. Form forming nouns denoting a thing written or recorded (often in a certain way) (anagram; epigram; telegram). [greek gramma thing written]
Fray1  v. 1 wear through or become worn; esp. (of woven material) unravel at the edge. 2 (of nerves, temper, etc.) Become strained. [latin frico rub]



Isthmus  n. (pl. -es) narrow piece of land connecting two larger bodies of land. [greek isthmos]

Psychosis  n. (pl. -choses) severe mental disorder with loss of contact with reality. [greek: related to *psyche]



Sandpaper  —n. Paper with an abrasive coating for smoothing or polishing. —v. Rub with this.


Enslave  v. (-ving) make (a person) a slave.  enslavement n.





Consensus  n. (often foll. By of; often attrib.) General agreement or opinion. [latin: related to *consent]
Ni  symb. Nickel.

Perturb  v. 1 disturb mentally; agitate. 2 throw into confusion or disorder.  perturbation n. [french from latin]
Précis  —n. (pl. Same) summary, abstract. —v. (-cises; -cised; -cising) make a précis of. [french]



Exacerbate  v. (-ting) 1 make (pain etc.) Worse. 2 irritate (a person).  exacerbation n. [latin acerbus bitter]

Brighten  v. Make or become brighter.
Hotbed  n. 1 (foll. By of) environment conducive to (vice, intrigue, etc.). 2 bed of earth heated by fermenting manure.

Uncanny  adj. (-ier, -iest) seemingly supernatural; mysterious.  uncannily adv. Uncanniness n.

Unparliamentary  adj. Contrary to proper parliamentary usage.


Scam  n. Us slang trick, fraud. [origin unknown]

Traditional  adj. 1 of, based on, or obtained by tradition. 2 (of jazz) in the style of the early 20th c.  traditionally adv.

Dromedary  n. (pl. -ies) one-humped (esp. Arabian) camel bred for riding. [greek dromas -ados runner]




Carib  —n. 1 aboriginal inhabitant of the southern w. Indies or adjacent coasts. 2 their language. —adj. Of the caribs. [spanish from haitian]
Chord1  n. Group of notes sounded together. [originally cord from *accord]
Tessellated  adj. 1 of or resembling a mosaic. 2  regularly chequered. [latin tessella diminutive of *tessera]
Gasworks  n. Place where gas is manufactured for lighting and heating.


Usage  the use of this word in sense 3 is considered incorrect and compose is generally preferred.

Shipwreck  —n. 1 a destruction of a ship by a storm, foundering, etc. B ship so destroyed. 2 (often foll. By of) ruin of hopes, dreams, etc. —v. 1 inflict shipwreck on. 2 suffer shipwreck.

Strawberry mark  n. Reddish birthmark.

Electricity  n. 1 form of energy occurring in elementary particles (electrons, protons, etc.) And hence in larger bodies containing them. 2 science of electricity. 3 supply of electricity. 4 excitement.



Coil  —v. 1 arrange or be arranged in spirals or concentric rings. 2 move sinuously. —n. 1 coiled arrangement. 2 coiled length of rope etc. 3 single turn of something coiled. 4 flexible loop as a contraceptive device in the womb. 5 coiled wire for the passage of an electric current and acting as an inductor. [latin: related to *collect1]


Ordinate  n. Math. Coordinate measured usu. Vertically. [latin: related to *ordain]
Heaven  n. 1 place regarded in some religions as the abode of god and the angels, and of the blessed after death. 2 place or state of supreme bliss. 3 colloq. Delightful thing. 4 (usu. Heaven) god, providence (often as an exclamation or mild oath: heavens). 5 (the heavens) esp. Poet. The sky as seen from the earth, in which the sun, moon, and stars appear.  heavenward adv. (also heavenwards). [old english]
Divider  n. 1 screen etc. Dividing a room. 2 (in pl.) Measuring-compasses.

Pretty  —adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 attractive in a delicate way (pretty girl; pretty dress). 2 fine or good of its kind. 3 iron. Considerable, fine (a pretty penny). —adv. Colloq. Fairly, moderately. —v. (-ies, -ied) (often foll. By up) make pretty.  pretty much (or nearly or well) colloq. Almost; very nearly.  prettily adv. Prettiness n. [old english]

Relief road  n. Road taking traffic around a congested area.
Licence  n. (us license) 1 official permit to own or use something, do something, or carry on a trade. 2 permission. 3 liberty of action, esp. When excessive. 4 writer's or artist's deliberate deviation from fact, correct grammar, etc. (poetic licence). [latin licet it is allowed]
Terrestrial  adj. 1 of or on the earth; earthly. 2 of or on dry land. [latin terrestris: related to *terrene]


Syrup  n. (us sirup) 1 a sweet sauce of sugar dissolved in boiling water. B similar fluid as a drink, medicine, etc. 2 condensed sugar-cane juice; molasses, treacle. 3 excessive sweetness of manner or style.  syrupy adj. [arabic sharab]




Stalk1  n. 1 main stem of a herbaceous plant. 2 slender attachment or support of a leaf, flower, fruit, etc. 3 similar support for an organ etc. In an animal. [diminutive of (now dial.) Stale rung]



Padded cell  n. Room with padded walls in a mental hospital.
Pyaemia  n. (us pyemia) blood-poisoning caused by pus-forming bacteria in the bloodstream. [greek puon pus, haima blood]
Radiogram  n. 1 combined radio and record-player. 2 picture obtained by x-rays etc. 3 telegram sent by radio.
Gibberish  n. Unintelligible or meaningless speech; nonsense.
Runway  n. Specially prepared surface for aircraft taking off and landing.






Hang  —v. (past and past part. Hung except in sense 7) 1 a secure or cause to be supported from above, esp. With the lower part free. B (foll. By up, on, on to, etc.) Attach by suspending from the top. 2 set up (a door etc.) On hinges. 3 place (a picture) on a wall or in an exhibition. 4 attach (wallpaper) to a wall. 5 (foll. By on) colloq. Blame (a thing) on (a person) (can't hang that on me). 6 (foll. By with) decorate by suspending pictures etc. (hall hung with tapestries). 7 (past and past part. Hanged) a suspend or be suspended by the neck with a noosed rope until dead, esp. As a form of capital punishment. B as a mild oath (hang the expense). 8 let droop (hang one's head). 9 suspend (meat or game) from a hook and leave until dry, tender, or high. 10 be or remain hung (in various senses). 11 remain static in the air. 12 (often foll. By over) be present or imminent, esp. Oppressively or threateningly (a hush hung over the room). 13 (foll. By on) a be contingent or dependent on (everything hangs on his reply). B listen closely to (hangs on my every word). —n. Way a thing hangs or falls.  get the hang of colloq. Understand the technique or meaning of. Hang about (or around) 1 a stand about or spend time aimlessly; not move away. B linger near (a person or place). 2 (often foll. By with) colloq. Associate with. Hang back show reluctance to act or move. Hang fire be slow in taking action or in progressing. Hang heavily (or heavy) (of time) seem to pass slowly. Hang in us colloq. 1 persist, persevere. 2 linger. Hang on 1 (often foll. By to) continue to hold or grasp. 2 (foll. By to) retain; fail to give back. 3 colloq. A wait for a short time. B (in telephoning) not ring off during a pause in the conversation. 4 colloq. Continue; persevere. Hang out 1 suspend from a window, clothes-line, etc. 2 a protrude downwards (shirt hanging out). B (foll. By of) lean out of (a window etc.). 3 slang frequent or live in a place. Hang together 1 make sense. 2 remain associated. Hang up 1 hang from a hook etc. 2 (often foll. By on) end a telephone conversation by replacing the receiver (he hung up on me). 3 (usu. In passive, foll. By on) slang be a psychological problem or obsession for (is hung up on her father). Not care (or give) a hang colloq. Not care at all. [old english] 



Parapsychology  n. The study of mental phenomena outside the sphere of ordinary psychology (hypnosis, telepathy, etc.).






Man-of-war  n. (pl. Men-of-war) warship.
Altimeter  n. Instrument indicating altitude reached.


Metaphysics  n.pl. (usu. Treated as sing.) 1 branch of philosophy dealing with the nature of existence, truth, and knowledge. 2 colloq. Abstract talk; mere theory. [greek, as having followed physics in aristotle's works]
Section  —n. 1 each of the parts of a thing or out of which a thing can be fitted together. 2 part cut off. 3 subdivision. 4 us a area of land. B district of a town. 5 act of cutting or separating surgically. 6 a cutting of a solid by a plane. B resulting figure or area. —v. 1 arrange in or divide into sections. 2 compulsorily commit to a psychiatric hospital. [latin seco sect- cut]

Speechify  v. (-ies, -ied) joc. Make esp. Boring or long speeches.

Fighting fit  n. Fit and ready; at the peak of fitness.

Arrière-pensée  n. 1 secret motive. 2 mental reservation. [french]
Demography  n. The study of the statistics of births, deaths, disease, etc.  demographic adj. Demographically adv. [greek demos the people, *-graphy]
Self-explanatory  adj. Not needing explanation.


Deify  v. (-ies, -ied) make a god or idol of.  deification n. [latin deus god]





Adulation  n. Obsequious flattery. [latin adulor fawn on]

Hasten  v. 1 make haste; hurry. 2 cause to occur or be ready or be done sooner.
Reach-me-down  n. Colloq. 1 ready-made garment. 2 = *hand-me-down.
Ethylene  n. A hydrocarbon of the alkene series.







Tat2  v. (-tt-) do, or make by, tatting. [origin unknown]




Gorge  —n. 1 narrow opening between hills. 2 act of gorging. 3 contents of the stomach. —v. (-ging) 1 feed greedily. 2 a (often refl.) Satiate. B devour greedily.  one's gorge rises at one is sickened by. [french, = throat]

Accommodating  adj. Obliging, compliant.


Eternity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 infinite (esp. Future) time. 2 endless life after death. 3 being eternal. 4 colloq. (often prec. By an) a very long time. [latin: related to *eternal]


Separation  n. 1 separating or being separated. 2 (in full judicial or legal separation) legal arrangement by which a couple remain married but live apart. [latin: related to *separate]

Synod  n. Church council of delegated clergy and sometimes laity. [greek, = meeting]
Point-duty  n. Traffic control by a police officer, esp. At a road junction.

Hillwalking  n. Hiking in hilly country.  hillwalker n.
Tragicomedy  n. (pl. -ies) play or situation with a mixture of comedy and tragedy.  tragicomic adj.
Litchi  var. Of *lychee.
Panto  n. (pl. -s) colloq. = *pantomime 1. [abbreviation]

Snapper  n. Any of several edible marine fish.
Boastful  adj. Given to boasting.  boastfully adv.
Organic chemistry  n. Chemistry of carbon compounds.
Hosanna  n. & int. Shout of adoration (matt. 21:9, 15, etc.). [hebrew]
Pugnacious  adj. Quarrelsome; disposed to fight.  pugnaciously adv. Pugnacity n. [latin pugnax -acis from pugno fight]

Hemipterous  adj. Of the insect order including aphids, bugs, and cicadas, with piercing or sucking mouthparts. [greek pteron wing]
Mantilla  n. Lace scarf worn by spanish women over the hair and shoulders. [spanish: related to *mantle]


Dti  abbr. Department of trade and industry.

Sophistry  n. (pl. -ies) 1 use of sophisms. 2 a sophism.
Tourney  —n. (pl. -s) tournament. —v. (-eys, -eyed) take part in a tournament. [french: related to *turn]
Etching  n. 1 print made from an etched plate. 2 art of producing these plates.
Camber  —n. Convex surface of a road, deck, etc. —v. Build with a camber. [latin camurus curved]
Marvel  —n. 1 wonderful thing. 2 (foll. By of) wonderful example of (a quality). —v. (-ll-; us -l-) (foll. By at or that) feel surprise or wonder. [latin miror wonder at]
Obey  v. 1 a carry out the command of. B carry out (a command). 2 do what one is told to do. 3 be actuated by (a force or impulse). [latin obedio from audio hear]
Usage  pre-empt is sometimes used to mean prevent, but this is considered incorrect in standard english.




Cropper  n. Crop-producing plant of a specified quality.  come a cropper slang fall heavily; fail badly.
Spit-roast  v. Roast on a spit.
Measure  —n. 1 size or quantity found by measuring. 2 system or unit of measuring (liquid measure; 20 measures of wheat). 3 rod, tape, vessel, etc. For measuring. 4 (often foll. By of) degree, extent, or amount (a measure of wit). 5 factor determining evaluation etc. (sales are the measure of popularity). 6 (usu. In pl.) Suitable action to achieve some end. 7 legislative bill, act, etc. 8 prescribed extent or quantity. 9 poetic metre. 10 mineral stratum (coal measures). —v. (-ring) 1 ascertain the extent or quantity of (a thing) by comparison with a known standard. 2 be of a specified size. 3 ascertain the size of (a person) for clothes. 4 estimate (a quality etc.) By some criterion. 5 (often foll. By off) mark (a line etc. Of a given length). 6 (foll. By out) distribute in measured quantities. 7 (foll. By with, against) bring (oneself or one's strength etc.) Into competition with.  beyond measure excessively. For good measure as a finishing touch. In some measure partly. Measure up 1 take the measurements (of). 2 (often foll.


Inter-  comb. Form 1 between, among (intercontinental). 2 mutually, reciprocally (interbreed). [latin inter between, among]

Matchmaker  n. Person who arranges marriages or schemes to bring couples together.  matchmaking n.
Centrifugal force  n. Apparent force that acts outwards on a body moving about a centre.

Spry  adj. (spryer, spryest) lively, nimble.  spryly adv. [origin unknown]
Going concern  n. Thriving business.
Screen printing  n. Printing process with ink forced through a prepared sheet of fine material.


Question-master  n. Person presiding over a quiz game etc.



Notch  —n. V-shaped indentation on an edge or surface. —v. 1 make notches in. 2 (usu. Foll. By up) record or score with or as with notches. [anglo-french]


Hovercraft  n. (pl. Same) vehicle travelling on a cushion of air provided by a downward blast.
Draining-board  n. Sloping grooved surface beside a sink for draining washed dishes.

Hemp  n. 1 (in full indian hemp) asian herbaceous plant. 2 its fibre used to make rope and stout fabrics. 3 narcotic drug made from the hemp plant. [old english]
Brought  past and past part. Of *bring.
Redecorate  v. (-ting) decorate (a room etc.) Again or differently.  redecoration n.
Weird  adj. 1 uncanny, supernatural. 2 colloq. Queer, incomprehensible.  weirdly adv. Weirdness n. [old english wyrd destiny]
Christmas  n. 1 (also christmas day) annual festival of christ's birth, celebrated on 25 dec. 2 period around this.  christmassy adj. [old english: related to *christ, *mass2]


Truckle  —n. (in full truckle-bed) low bed on wheels, stored under a larger bed. —v. (-ling) (foll. By to) submit obsequiously. [latin trochlea pulley]


Ultra  —adj. Extreme, esp. In religion or politics. —n. Extremist. [see *ultra-]


Ne'er-do-well  —n. Good-for-nothing person. —adj. Good-for-nothing.


Jumper1  n. 1 knitted pullover. 2 loose outer jacket worn by sailors. 3 us pinafore dress. [probably jump short coat]


Hybridize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 subject (a species etc.) To crossbreeding. 2 a produce hybrids. B (of an animal or plant) interbreed.  hybridization n.



Bond  —n. 1 thing or force that unites or (usu. In pl.) Restrains. 2 binding agreement. 3 commerce certificate issued by a government or a company promising to repay borrowed money at a fixed rate of interest. 4 adhesiveness. 5 law deed binding a person to make payment to another. 6 chem. Linkage between atoms in a molecule. —v. 1 hold or tie together. 2 connect or reinforce with a bond. 3 place (goods) in bond.
Avow  v. Formal declare, confess.  avowal n. Avowedly adv. [latin voco call]

Fester  v. 1 make or become septic. 2 cause continuing anger or bitterness. 3 rot, stagnate. [latin *fistula]



Flection  n. (brit. Flexion) 1 bending or being bent, esp. Of a limb or joint. 2 bent part; curve. [latin flexio: related to *flex1]

Natural science  n. 1 the study of the natural or physical world. 2 (in pl.) Sciences used for this.
Gob1  n. Slang mouth. [origin unknown]

Spatula  n. Broad-bladed flexible implement used for spreading, stirring, mixing paints, etc. [latin diminutive: related to *spathe]

Hematite  n. (brit. Haem-) a ferric oxide ore. [latin: related to *haemal]


Editor  n. 1 person who edits. 2 person who directs the preparation of a newspaper or broadcast news programme or a particular section of one (sports editor). 3 person who selects or commissions material for publication. 4 computer program for entering and modifying textual data.  editorship n.

Digestive  —adj. Of or aiding digestion. —n. 1 substance aiding digestion. 2 (in full digestive biscuit) wholemeal biscuit.


Bank1  —n. 1 sloping ground beside a river. 2 raised area, esp. In the sea; slope. 3 mass of cloud, fog, snow, etc. —v. 1 (often foll. By up) heap or rise into banks. 2 pack (a fire) tightly for slow burning. 3 a (of a vehicle, aircraft, etc.) Round a curve with one side higher than the other. B cause to do this. [old norse: related to *bench]

Fairy lights  n.pl. Small decorative coloured lights.

Piracy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 robbery of ships at sea. 2 similar practice, esp. Hijacking. 3 infringement of copyright etc. [related to *pirate]

Refresher  n. 1 something that refreshes, esp. A drink. 2 law extra fee payable to counsel in a prolonged case.
Bookworm  n. 1 colloq. Devoted reader. 2 larva feeding on the paper and glue in books.

Unobtrusive  adj. Not making oneself or itself noticed.  unobtrusively adv.
Pharmaceutics  n.pl. (usu. Treated as sing.) = *pharmacy 1.
Workbook  n. Student's book with exercises.
Urdu  n. Language related to hindi but with many persian words, used esp. In pakistan. [hindustani]
Usage  impedance is sometimes confused with impediment, which means ‘a hindrance’ or ‘a speech defect’.
Standoffish  adj. Cold or distant in manner.
Piano2  mus. —adj. Soft. —adv. Softly. —n. (pl. -s or -ni) soft playing or passage. [latin planus flat, (of sound) soft]

Mousetrap  n. 1 trap for catching mice. 2 (often attrib.) Colloq. Poor quality cheese.
Siren  n. 1 a device for making a loud wailing or warning sound. B this sound. 2 (in greek mythology) woman or winged creature whose singing lured unwary sailors on to rocks. 3 (often attrib.) Temptress; seductress. [greek seiren]
Dogwatch  n. Either of two short watches on a ship (4–6 or 6–8 p.m.).

Serenade  —n. 1 piece of music performed at night, esp. Beneath a lover's window. 2 orchestral suite for a small ensemble. —v. (-ding) perform a serenade to.  serenader n. [italian: related to *serene]
Veal  n. Calf's flesh as food. [french from latin vitulus calf]

Unison  n. 1 concord (acted in perfect unison). 2  coincidence in pitch of sounds or notes (sung in unison). [latin sonus *sound1]
Ovulate  v. (-ting) produce ova or ovules, or discharge them from the ovary.  ovulation n. [related to *ovum]
Chronological  adj. 1 according to order of occurrence. 2 of chronology.  chronologically adv.
Verbiage  n. Derog. Too many words or unnecessarily difficult words. [french: related to *verb]
Unhealthy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 in poor health. 2 a harmful to health. B unwholesome. C slang dangerous.  unhealthily adv. Unhealthiness n.
Fortnightly  —adj. Done, produced, or occurring once a fortnight. —adv. Every fortnight. —n. (pl. -ies) fortnightly magazine etc.

Butterfly stroke  n. Stroke in swimming, with arms raised and lifted forwards together.

Adjourn  v. 1 put off, postpone; break off (a meeting etc.) Temporarily. 2 (of a meeting) break and disperse or (foll. By to) transfer to another place (adjourned to the pub).  adjournment n. [latin: related to *ad-, diurnum day]
Whit  n. Particle; least possible amount (not a whit better). [apparently = *wight]
Motorist  n. Driver of a car.

Glade  n. Open space in a forest. [origin unknown]


Portmanteau  n. (pl. -s or -x) trunk for clothes etc., opening into two equal parts. [latin porto carry: related to *mantle]
Pistil  n. Female organs of a flower, comprising the stigma, style, and ovary.  pistillate adj.  [latin: related to *pestle]
Capon  n. Castrated cock fattened for eating. [latin capo]
Bigwig  n. Colloq. Important person.

Direct-grant school  n. School funded by the government and not a local authority.


Curtain-call  n. Audience's applause summoning actors to take a bow.
Expectorant  —adj. Causing expectoration. —n. Expectorant medicine.
Mainframe  n. 1 central processing unit of a large computer. 2 (often attrib.) Large computer system.
Paratyphoid  n. (often attrib.) Fever resembling typhoid.

Salvation  n. 1 saving or being saved. 2 deliverance from sin and damnation. 3 religious conversion. 4 person or thing that saves.  salvationist n. (esp. With ref. To the salvation army). [latin: related to *save1]

Endorse  v. (also indorse) (-sing) 1 approve. 2 sign or write on (a document), esp. Sign the back of (a cheque). 3 enter details of a conviction for an offence on (a driving-licence).  endorsement n. [latin dorsum back]



Cash on delivery  n. Payment for goods when they are delivered.

Diabolism  n. 1 worship of the devil. 2 sorcery. [greek: related to *devil]
Cold frame  n. Unheated glass-topped frame for growing small plants.
Snooty  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Supercilious; conceited; snobbish.  snootily adv. [origin unknown]


Basal  adj. Of, at, or forming a base.

Bilberry  n. (pl. -ies) 1 hardy n. European shrub of heaths and mountains. 2 its small dark-blue edible berry. [scandinavian]


Dichromatic  adj. 1 two-coloured. 2 having vision sensitive to only two of the three primary colours.
Openwork  n. Pattern with intervening spaces in metal, leather, lace, etc.
Nab  v. (-bb-) slang 1 arrest; catch in wrongdoing. 2 grab. [origin unknown]
Effrontery  n. (pl. -ies) impudent audacity. [latin frons front- forehead]


Haploid  adj. (of an organism or cell) with a single set of chromosomes. [greek haplous single, eidos form]


Repute  —n. Reputation. —v. (as reputed adj.) 1 be generally considered (is reputed to be the best). 2 passing as, but probably not (his reputed father).  reputedly adv. [latin puto think]
Yen2  colloq. —n. Longing or yearning. —v. (-nn-) feel a longing. [chinese]
Carnage  n. Great slaughter, esp. In battle. [latin: related to *carnal]
Plummy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 abounding or rich in plums. 2 colloq. (of a voice) sounding affectedly rich in tone. 3 colloq. Good, desirable.

Candor  n. (brit. Candour) frankness; openness. [latin candor]


Expedient  —adj. Advantageous; advisable on practical rather than moral grounds. —n. Means of attaining an end; resource.  expedience n. Expediency n. [related to *expedite]
Protean  adj. Variable, taking many forms; versatile. [proteus, greek sea-god who took various shapes]



Headlock  n. Wrestling hold with an arm round the opponent's head.
Close-up  n. Photograph etc. Taken at close range.
Well-adjusted  adj. 1 mentally and emotionally stable. 2 in a good state of adjustment.

Filling  n. Material that fills a tooth, sandwich, pie, etc.
Bad egg  see *egg1.
Self-rule  n. Self-government.
Archer  n. 1 person who shoots with a bow and arrows. 2 (the archer) zodiacal sign or constellation sagittarius. [latin arcus bow]
Team  —n. 1 set of players forming one side in a game. 2 two or more people working together. 3 set of draught animals. —v. 1 (usu. Foll. By up) join in a team or in common action (teamed up with them). 2 (foll. By with) match or coordinate (clothes). [old english]



Unexceptional  adj. Usual, normal, ordinary.


Highwayman  n. Hist. Robber of travellers etc., usu. Mounted.
Tittle  n. 1 small written or printed stroke or dot. 2 particle; whit (not one jot or tittle). [latin: related to *title]

Usage  the stereotype conveyed in sense 2 is deeply offensive. It arose from historical associations of jews as moneylenders in medieval england.
Centennial  —adj. 1 lasting for a hundred years. 2 occurring every hundred years. —n. Us = *centenary n. [latin centum 100: cf. *biennial]





Staccato  esp. Mus. —adv. & adj. With each sound or note sharply distinct. —n. (pl. -s) staccato passage or delivery. [italian]


Ad nauseam  adv. Excessively; disgustingly. [latin, = to sickness]

Interdependent  adj. Dependent on each other.  interdependence n.
Usage  in the uk the name liberal was discontinued in official political use in 1988 when the party regrouped to form the social and liberal democrats. In 1989 this name was officially replaced by liberal democratic party.

Polite  adj. (politer, politest) 1 having good manners; courteous. 2 cultivated, refined.  politely adv. Politeness n.  [latin politus: related to *polish]

Arable  adj. (of land) suitable for crop production. [latin aro to plough]
Curiosity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 eager desire to know; inquisitiveness. 2 strange, rare, etc. Object. [latin: related to *curious]



Animal  —n. 1 living organism, esp. Other than man, which feeds and usu. Has sense-organs and a nervous system and can move quickly. 2 brutish person. —adj. 1 of or like an animal. 2 bestial; carnal. [latin animalis having breath]
Ourself  pron. Archaic = *myself as used by a sovereign etc.
Sun-glasses  n.pl. Glasses tinted to protect the eyes from sunlight or glare.


Reciprocal  —adj. 1 in return (a reciprocal greeting). 2 mutual. 3 gram. (of a pronoun) expressing mutual relation (as in each other). —n. Math. Expression or function so related to another that their product is unity (1/2 is the reciprocal of 2).  reciprocally adv. [latin reciprocus moving to and fro]



Home-made  adj. Made at home.

Major-domo  n. (pl. -s) chief steward of a great household. [medieval latin major domus highest official of the household]
O4  int. 1 var. Of *oh. 2 prefixed to a name in the vocative (o god). [natural exclamation]



Censorious  adj. Severely critical.  censoriously adv.
In vitro  adv. (of biological processes) taking place in a test-tube or other laboratory environment. [latin, = in glass]
Grave1  n. 1 trench dug in the ground for the burial of a corpse; mound or memorial stone placed over this. 2 (prec. By the) death. [old english]
Clove hitch  n. Knot by which a rope is secured to a spar etc. [clove, old past part. Of *cleave1]
Judgement day  n. (in judaism, christianity, and islam) day on which mankind will be judged by god.


Careen  v. 1 turn (a ship) on one side for repair etc. 2 tilt, lean over. 3 swerve about. [latin carina keel]


True-blue  —adj. Extremely loyal or orthodox. —n. Such a person, esp. A conservative.
Modicum  n. (foll. By of) small quantity. [latin: related to *mode]

Sheer1  —adj. 1 mere, complete (sheer luck). 2 (of a cliff etc.) Perpendicular. 3 (of a textile) diaphanous. —adv. Directly, perpendicularly. [old english]
Transmigrate  v. (-ting) 1 (of the soul) pass into a different body. 2 migrate.  transmigration n. [latin]
Workplace  n. Place at which a person works.
Copybook  n. 1 book containing models of handwriting for learners to imitate. 2 (attrib.) A tritely conventional. B exemplary.
Skirting-board  n. Narrow board etc. Along the bottom of a room-wall.





Scruff1  n. Back of the neck (esp. Scruff of the neck). [perhaps from old norse skoft hair]
Mixed doubles  n.pl. Tennis doubles game with a man and a woman on each side.
Bartender  n. Person serving in a pub etc.
Outcry  n. (pl. -ies) strong public protest.
Forbade  (also forbad) past of *forbid.
Overjoyed  adj. Filled with great joy.
Smash  —v. 1 (often foll. By up) a break into pieces; shatter. B bring or come to sudden destruction, defeat, or disaster. 2 (foll. By into, through) move with great force. 3 (foll. By in) break with a crushing blow. 4  hit (a ball etc.) With great force, esp. Downwards. —n. 1 act of smashing, collision. 2 sound of this. 3 (in full smash hit) very successful play, song, performer, etc. —adv. With a smash. [imitative]


Ratify  v. (-ies, -ied) confirm or accept (an agreement made in one's name) by formal consent, signature, etc.  ratification n. [medieval latin: related to *rate1]
Scabrous  adj. 1 rough, scaly. 2 indecent, salacious. [latin]
Scull  —n. 1 either of a pair of small oars. 2 oar over the stern of a boat to propel it, usu. By a twisting motion. 3 (in pl.) Sculling race. —v. (often absol.) Propel (a boat) with sculls. [origin unknown]
Métier  n. 1 one's trade, profession, or field of activity. 2 one's forte. [latin: related to *minister]
Supergrass  n. Colloq. Police informer implicating many people.

Breastbone  n. Thin flat vertical bone in the chest between the ribs.





Scapegoat  n. Person blamed for others' shortcomings (with ref. To lev. 16). [obsolete scape escape]
Recidivist  n. Person who relapses into crime.  recidivism n. [latin recidivus falling back: related to *recede]


Broadcast  —v. (past and past part. Broadcast) 1 transmit by radio or television. 2 take part in such a transmission. 3 scatter (seed etc.). 4 disseminate (information) widely. —n. Radio or television programme or transmission.  broadcaster n. Broadcasting n.
Bookmaker  n. Professional taker of bets.  bookmaking n.


Ratsbane  n. Anything poisonous to rats, esp. A plant.


Chancel  n. Part of a church near the altar. [latin cancelli grating]
-decker  comb. Form having a specified number of decks or layers (double-decker).
Roe1  n. 1 (also hard roe) mass of eggs in a female fish's ovary. 2 (also soft roe) milt of a male fish. [low german or dutch]

Nail-file  n. Roughened metal or emery strip used for smoothing the nails.
Diagonal  —adj. 1 crossing a straight-sided figure from corner to corner. 2 slanting, oblique. —n. Straight line joining two opposite corners.  diagonally adv. [greek gonia angle]
Chubby  adj. (-ier, -iest) plump and rounded. [from *chub]
Popular front  n. Party or coalition combining left-wing groups.


D-layer  n. Lowest layer of the ionosphere. [d arbitrary]
Adaptor  n. 1 device for making equipment compatible. 2 device for connecting several electrical plugs to one socket.


Stockjobber  n.  = *jobber 2.


Biophysics  n.pl. (treated as sing.) Science of the application of the laws of physics to biological phenomena.  biophysical adj. Biophysicist n.

Interpose  v. (-sing) 1 (often foll. By between) insert (a thing) between others. 2 say (words) as an interruption; interrupt. 3 exercise or advance (a veto or objection) so as to interfere. 4 (foll. By between) intervene (between parties).  interposition n. [latin pono put]
Quadriplegia  n.  Paralysis of all four limbs.  quadriplegic adj. & n. [from *quadri-, greek plege a blow]
Twilit  adj. Dimly illuminated by twilight.
Conventicle  n. Esp. Hist. Secret or unlawful religious meeting, esp. Of dissenters. [latin: related to *convene]

Townspeople  n.pl. People of a town.
Retort2  —n. 1 vessel with a long neck turned downwards, used in distilling liquids. 2 vessel for heating coal to generate gas. —v. Purify (mercury) by heating in a retort. [medieval latin: related to *retort1]





Hanukkah  n. Jewish festival of lights, commemorating the purification of the temple in 165 bc. [hebrew hanukkah consecration]
Commotion  n. Confused and noisy disturbance, uproar. [latin: related to *com-]
Helix  n. (pl. Helices) spiral curve (like a corkscrew) or coiled curve (like a watch spring). [latin from greek]

Pretentious  adj. 1 making an excessive claim to merit or importance. 2 ostentatious.  pretentiously adv. Pretentiousness n.

Byzantine  —adj. 1 of byzantium or the e. Roman empire. 2 of its highly decorated style of architecture. 3 (of a political situation etc.) Complex, inflexible, or underhand. —n. Citizen of byzantium or the e. Roman empire.  byzantinism n. Byzantinist n. [latin byzantium, now istanbul]


Slope  —n. 1 inclined position, direction, or state. 2 piece of rising or falling ground. 3 difference in level between the two ends or sides of a thing. 4 place for skiing on a mountain etc. —v. (-ping) 1 have or take a slope, slant. 2 cause to slope.  slope arms place one's rifle in a sloping position against one's shoulder. Slope off slang go away, esp. To evade work etc. [aslope crosswise]
Efface  v. (-cing) 1 rub or wipe out (a mark, recollection, etc.). 2 surpass, eclipse. 3 refl. (usu. As self-effacing adj.) Treat oneself as unimportant.  effacement n. [french: related to *face]
Woodcut  n. 1 relief cut on wood. 2 print made from this.


Absorb  v. 1 incorporate as part of itself or oneself. 2 take in, suck up (liquid, heat, knowledge, etc.). 3 reduce the effect or intensity of; deal easily with (an impact, sound, difficulty, etc.). 4 consume (resources etc.). 5 (often as absorbing adj.) Engross the attention of. [latin sorbeo suck in]
Grape hyacinth  n. Plant of the lily family with clusters of usu. Blue flowers.

Sales talk  n. Persuasive talk promoting goods or an idea etc.

Brasserie  n. Restaurant, orig. One serving beer with food. [french brasser brew]
Prevail  v. 1 (often foll. By against, over) be victorious or gain mastery. 2 be the more usual or predominant. 3 exist or occur in general use or experience. 4 (foll. By on, upon) persuade. [latin praevaleo: related to *avail]

Jotter  n. Small pad or notebook.

Fodder  n. Dried hay or straw etc. As animal food. [old english]

Far-flung  adj. 1 widely scattered. 2 remote.
Usage  in all senses, till can be replaced by until which is more formal in style.





Haddock  n. (pl. Same) n. Atlantic marine fish used as food. [probably french]

Desktop publishing  n. Printing with a desktop computer and high-quality printer.
Rove1  v. (-ving) 1 wander without settling; roam, ramble. 2 (of eyes) look about. [probably scandinavian]
Unclaimed  adj. Not claimed.
Uprush  n. Upward rush.

Liability  n. (pl. -ies) 1 being liable. 2 troublesome responsibility; handicap. 3 (in pl.) Debts etc. For which one is liable.
Soft furnishings  n.pl. Curtains, rugs, etc.


Debutante  n. (brit. Débutante) (usu. Wealthy) young woman making her social début.

Lakh  n. Ind. (usu. Foll. By of) hundred thousand (rupees etc.). [hindustani lakh]

We're  contr. We are.


Friar's balsam  n. Tincture of benzoin etc. Used esp. As an inhalant.

Chauvinism  n. 1 exaggerated or aggressive patriotism. 2 excessive or prejudiced support or loyalty for one's cause or group. [chauvin, name of a character in a french play 1831]
Traitor  n. (fem. Traitress) (often foll. By to) person who is treacherous or disloyal, esp. To his or her country.  traitorous adj. [latin traditor: related to *tradition]

Pilot  —n. 1 person who operates the controls of an aircraft. 2 person qualified to take charge of a ship entering or leaving harbour. 3 (usu. Attrib.) Experimental undertaking or test (pilot scheme). 4 guide. —v. (-t-) 1 act as a pilot of. 2 conduct or initiate as a pilot. [greek pedon]




Rainforest  n. Luxuriant tropical forest with heavy rainfall.
Continuous assessment  n. Evaluation of a pupil's progress throughout a course of study.
Bareheaded  adj. & adv. Wearing nothing on the head.
Cruces  pl. Of *crux.
Mo  symb.  Molybdenum.
Prejudge  v. (-ging) form a premature judgement on (a person, issue, etc.).

Strand2  n. 1 each of the twisted threads or wires making a rope or cable etc. 2 single thread or strip of fibre. 3 lock of hair. 4 element; component. [origin unknown]
Railway  n. 1 track or set of tracks of steel rails upon which trains run. 2 such a system worked by a single company. 3 organization and personnel required for its working.
Twitter  —v. 1 (esp. Of a bird) emit a succession of light tremulous sounds. 2 utter or express in this way. —n. 1 act of twittering. 2 colloq. Tremulously excited state.  twittery adj. [imitative]
Computerize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 equip with a computer. 2 store, perform, or produce by computer.  computerization n.

Tentacle  n. 1 long slender flexible appendage of an (esp. Invertebrate) animal, used for feeling, grasping, or moving. 2 channel for gathering information, exercising influence, etc.  tentacled adj. [latin: related to *tempt]
Bumble  v. (-ling) 1 (foll. By on) speak in a rambling way. 2 (often as bumbling adj.) Be inept; blunder. [from *boom1]
Preferment  n. Formal promotion to a higher office.



Carotid  —n. Each of the two main arteries carrying blood to the head and neck. —adj. Of these arteries. [latin from greek]
Enlarge  v. (-ging) 1 make or become larger or wider. 2 (often foll. By on, upon) describe in greater detail. 3 reproduce a photograph on a larger scale.  enlargement n. [french: related to *large]
Non-union  adj. 1 not belonging to a trade union. 2 not done or made by trade-union members.
Delft  n. (also delftware) glazed, usu. Blue and white, earthenware. [delft in holland]


Plethora  n. Over-abundance. [greek, = fullness]

Unthrone  v. (-ning) dethrone.

Rinse  —v. (-sing) (often foll. By through, out) 1 wash or treat with clean water etc. 2 wash lightly. 3 put (clothes etc.) Through clean water after washing. 4 (foll. By out, away) clear (impurities) by rinsing. —n. 1 rinsing (give it a rinse). 2 temporary hair tint (blue rinse). [french rincer]
Hallowe'en  n. Eve of all saints' day, 31 oct.


Conventional  adj. 1 depending on or according with convention. 2 (of a person) bound by social conventions. 3 usual; of agreed significance. 4 not spontaneous or sincere or original. 5 (of weapons etc.) Non-nuclear.  conventionalism n. Conventionality n. (pl. -ies). Conventionally adv.

Steak  n. 1 thick slice of meat (esp. Beef) or fish, usu. Grilled or fried. 2 beef cut for stewing or braising. [old norse]


Chordate  —n. Animal having a cartilaginous skeletal rod at some stage of its development. —adj. Of chordates. [latin chorda *chord2 after vertebrata etc.]
Bath  —n. (pl. -s) 1 a (usu. Plumbed-in) container for sitting in and washing the body. B its contents. 2 act of washing in it (have a bath). 3 (usu. In pl.) Public building with baths or a swimming-pool. 4 a vessel containing liquid for immersing something, e.g. A film for developing. B its contents. —v. 1 wash (esp. A baby) in a bath. 2 take a bath. [old english]
Tamper  v. (foll. By with) 1 meddle with or change illicitly. 2 exert a secret or corrupt influence upon; bribe. [var. Of *temper]

Tilth  n. 1 tillage, cultivation. 2 tilled soil. [old english: related to *till3]
Heavy-handed  adj. 1 clumsy. 2 overbearing, oppressive.  heavy-handedly adv. Heavy-handedness n.



J2  abbr. (also j.) Joule(s).

Septum  n. (pl. Septa) partition such as that between the nostrils or the chambers of a poppy-fruit or of a shell. [latin s(a)eptum from saepio enclose]
Shepherd's pie  n. = *cottage pie.

Feather-brain  n. (also feather-head) silly or absent-minded person.  feather-brained adj. (also feather-headed).
Age-old  adj. Very long-standing.

Tinsel  n. 1 glittering metallic strips, threads, etc., used as decoration. 2 superficial brilliance or splendour. 3 (attrib.) Gaudy, flashy.  tinselled adj. Tinselly adj. [latin scintilla spark]

Support  —v. 1 carry all or part of the weight of; keep from falling, sinking, or failing. 2 provide for (a family etc.). 3 strengthen, encourage. 4 bear out; tend to substantiate. 5 give help or approval to (a person, team, sport, etc.); further (a cause etc.). 6 speak in favour of (a resolution etc.). 7 (also absol.) Take a secondary part to (a principal actor etc.); perform a secondary act to (the main act) at a pop concert etc. —n. 1 supporting or being supported. 2 person or thing that supports. 3 secondary act at a pop concert etc. in support of so as to support. [latin porto carry]

Sulphite  n. (us sulfite) salt or ester of sulphurous acid. [french: related to *sulphate]
Level crossing  n. Crossing of a railway and a road, or two railways, at the same level.


Phoenix  n. Mythical bird, the only one of its kind, that burnt itself on a pyre and rose from the ashes to live again. [greek phoinix]

Casework  n. Social work concerned with studying a person's family and background.  caseworker n.
Superstar  n. Extremely famous or renowned actor, musician, etc.
Junket  —n. 1 pleasure outing. 2 official's tour at public expense. 3 sweetened and flavoured milk curds. 4 feast. —v. (-t-) feast, picnic. [french jonquette rush-basket (used for junket 3 and 4), from latin juncus rush]
Game1  —n. 1 form of play or sport, esp. A competitive one with rules. 2 portion of play forming a scoring unit, e.g. In bridge or tennis. 3 (in pl.) Series of athletic etc. Contests (olympic games). 4 a piece of fun, jest (didn't mean to upset you; it was only a game). B (in pl.) Dodges, tricks (none of your games!). 5 colloq. A scheme (so that's your game). B type of activity or business (have been in the antiques game a long time). 6 a wild animals or birds hunted for sport or food. B their flesh as food. —adj. Spirited; eager and willing (are you game for a walk?). —v. (-ming) gamble for money stakes.  the game is up scheme is revealed or foiled. On the game slang involved in prostitution.  gamely adv. [old english]

Singlet  n. Sleeveless vest. [after doublet]
Waterworks  n. 1 establishment for managing a water-supply. 2 colloq. Shedding of tears. 3 colloq. Urinary system.
Rot-gut  n. Slang cheap harmful alcohol.
Marble  —n. 1 crystalline limestone capable of taking a polish, used in sculpture and architecture. 2 (often attrib.) A anything of marble (marble clock). B anything like marble in hardness, coldness, etc. (her features were marble). 3 a small, esp. Glass, ball as a toy. B (in pl.; treated as sing.) Game using these. 4 (in pl.) Slang one's mental faculties (he's lost his marbles). 5 (in pl.) Collection of sculptures (elgin marbles). —v. (-ling) 1 (esp. As marbled adj.) Stain or colour (paper, soap, etc.) To look like variegated marble. 2 (as marbled adj.) (of meat) striped with fat and lean. [latin marmor from greek]








Substratum  n. (pl. -ta) underlying layer or substance.

Insignia  n. (treated as sing. Or pl.) Badge. [latin signum sign]

Anomalous  adj. Irregular, deviant, abnormal. [greek an- not, homalos even]

Glover  n. Glove-maker.

Parkinson's law  n. Notion that work expands to fill the time available for it. [parkinson, name of a writer]

Cornelian  n. (also carnelian) dull red variety of chalcedony. [french]

Accursed  adj. 1 under a curse. 2 colloq. Detestable, annoying. [old english a- intensive prefix, *curse]
Inductor  n. Component (in an electric circuit) having inductance.

Booby  n. (pl. -ies) stupid or childish person. [spanish bobo]
Glutinous  adj. Sticky; like glue. [latin: related to *gluten]
Nervous breakdown  n. Period of mental illness, usu. Resulting from severe stress.

Reprove  v. (-ving) formal rebuke (a person, conduct, etc.). [latin: related to *reprobate]
Entrust  v. (also intrust) 1 (foll. By to) give (a person or thing) into the care of a person. 2 (foll. By with) assign responsibility for (a person or thing) to (a person) (entrusted him with my camera).






Driving test  n. Official test of competence to drive.
Rune  n. 1 letter of the earliest germanic alphabet. 2 similar mark of mysterious or magic significance.  runic adj. [old norse]
Pro1  n. (pl. -s) colloq. Professional. [abbreviation]
Whey  n. Watery liquid left when milk forms curds. [old english]
Buck-tooth  n. Upper projecting tooth.


Gecko  n. (pl. -s) tropical house-lizard. [malay]


Dead  —adj. 1 no longer alive. 2 colloq. Extremely tired or unwell. 3 numb (fingers are dead). 4 (foll. By to) insensitive to. 5 no longer effective or in use; extinct. 6 (of a match, coal, etc.) Extinguished. 7 inanimate. 8 a lacking force or vigour. B (of sound) not resonant. 9 quiet; lacking activity (dead season). 10 (of a microphone, telephone, etc.) Not transmitting sounds. 11 (of a ball in a game) out of play. 12 abrupt, complete (come to a dead stop; a dead calm; dead certainty). —adv. 1 absolutely, completely (dead on target; dead tired). 2 colloq. Very, extremely (dead easy). —n. Time of silence or inactivity (dead of night).  as dead as the (or a) dodo entirely obsolete. Dead to the world colloq. Fast asleep; unconscious. [old english]
Injure  v. (-ring) 1 harm or damage. 2 do wrong to. [back-formation from *injury]

Grid  n. 1 grating. 2 system of numbered squares printed on a map and forming the basis of map references. 3 network of lines, electric-power connections, gas-supply lines, etc. 4 pattern of lines marking the starting-places on a motor-racing track. 5 perforated electrode controlling the flow of electrons in a thermionic valve etc. 6 arrangement of town streets in a rectangular pattern. [from *gridiron]





Shame  —n. 1 distress or humiliation caused by consciousness of one's guilt, dishonour, or folly. 2 capacity for feeling this. 3 state of disgrace or discredit. 4 a person or thing that brings disgrace etc. B thing that is wrong or regrettable. —v. (-ming) 1 bring shame on; make ashamed; put to shame. 2 (foll. By into, out of) force by shame (shamed into confessing).  for shame! Reproof to a shameless person. Put to shame humiliate by being greatly superior. [old english]
Urine  n. Waste fluid secreted by the kidneys and discharged from the bladder. [latin urina]

Alacrity  n. Briskness; cheerful readiness. [latin alacer brisk]
Death-wish  n. Psychol. Alleged usu. Unconscious desire for death.

Air raid  n. Attack by aircraft on ground targets.
Dictum  n. (pl. Dicta or -s) 1 formal expression of opinion. 2 a saying. [latin, neuter past part. Of dico say]
Road-metal  n. Broken stone used in road-making etc.

Additional  adj. Added, extra, supplementary.  additionally adv.
Carnival  n. 1 a annual festivities including a parade through the streets in fancy dress. B festival preceding lent. 2 merrymaking. 3 us funfair or circus. [latin carnem levo put away meat]
Reality  n. (pl. -ies) 1 what is real or existent or underlies appearances. 2 (foll. By of) the real nature of. 3 real existence; state of being real. 4 resemblance to an original.  in reality in fact. [medieval latin or french: related to *real1]
Plait  —n. Length of hair, straw, etc., in three or more interlaced strands. —v. 1 weave (hair etc.) Into a plait. 2 make by interlacing strands (plaited belt). [french pleit from latin plico fold]




Restructure  v. (-ring) give a new structure to; rebuild; rearrange.
Cannonade  —n. Period of continuous heavy gunfire. —v. (-ding) bombard with a cannonade. [italian: related to *cannon]




Degeneration  n. 1 becoming degenerate. 2 med. Morbid deterioration of body tissue etc. [latin: related to *degenerate]
Liven  v. (often foll. By up) colloq. Make or become lively, cheer up.
Miserable  adj. 1 wretchedly unhappy or uncomfortable. 2 contemptible, mean. 3 causing wretchedness or discomfort (miserable weather).  miserableness n. Miserably adv. [latin: related to *miser]
Cloud chamber  n. Device containing vapour for tracking the paths of charged particles, x-rays, and gamma rays.
Paraffin  n. 1 inflammable waxy or oily hydrocarbon distilled from petroleum or shale, used in liquid form (also paraffin oil) esp. As a fuel. 2 chem. = *alkane. [latin, = having little affinity]
Me  abbr. Myalgic encephalomyelitis, a condition with prolonged flu-like symptoms and depression.
Itv  abbr. Independent television.

Oil-fired  adj. Using oil as fuel.
Carpenter  —n. Person skilled in woodwork. —v. 1 make or construct in wood. 2 construct; fit together.  carpentry n. [latin carpentum wagon]

Synonymous  adj. (often foll. By with) 1 having the same meaning. 2 suggestive of; associated with (his name is synonymous with terror).
Aegis  n. Protection; support. [greek aigis shield of zeus or athene]



Systematize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) make systematic.  systematization n.
Spectral  adj. 1 of or like a spectre; ghostly. 2 of the spectrum or spectra.  spectrally adv.

Chancy  adj. (-ier, -iest) uncertain; risky.  chancily adv.


Trefoil  n. 1 leguminous plant with leaves of three leaflets, esp. Clover. 2 three-lobed ornamentation, esp. In tracery windows. [anglo-french: related to *tri-, *foil2]
Matter of life and death  n. Matter of vital importance.
Professor  n. 1 a (often as a title) highest-ranking academic teaching in a university department; holder of a university chair. B us university teacher. 2 person who professes a religion etc.  professorial adj. Professorship n.
Memo  n. (pl. -s) colloq. Memorandum. [abbreviation]
Carriage  n. 1 railway passenger vehicle. 2 wheeled horse-drawn passenger vehicle. 3 a conveying of goods. B cost of this. 4 carrying part of a machine (e.g. A typewriter). 5 gun-carriage. 6 bearing, deportment. [french: related to *carry]



Anal  adj. Of the anus.
Joiner  n. 1 maker of finished wood fittings. 2 colloq. Person who joins an organization or who readily joins societies etc.  joinery n. (in sense 1).


Unworn  adj. Not worn or impaired by wear.
Loch  n. Scot. Lake or narrow inlet of the sea. [gaelic]
Treacle  n. 1 syrup produced in refining sugar. 2 molasses.  treacly adj. [french from latin theriaca antidote against a snake-bite, from therion wild animal]
Penta-  comb. Form five. [greek pente five]

Leap year  n. Year with 366 days (including 29th feb. As an intercalary day).
Em  n. Printing unit of measurement equal to the width of an m. [name of the letter m]



Obliterate  v. (-ting) blot out, destroy, leave no clear traces of.  obliteration n. [latin oblitero erase, from litera letter]
Tenth  adj. & n. 1 next after ninth. 2 any of ten equal parts of a thing.  tenthly adv.



Finial  n. Ornamental top or end of a roof, gable, etc. [anglo-french: related to *fine1]
Insufficient  adj. Not sufficient; inadequate.  insufficiency n. Insufficiently adv.
Clavichord  n. Small keyboard instrument with a very soft tone. [medieval latin: related to *clavicle]
Disposal  n. Disposing of, e.g. Waste.  at one's disposal available.

Intaglio  n. (pl. -s) 1 gem with an incised design. 2 engraved design. [italian: related to *in-2, *tail2]

Kr  symb. Krypton.

Macabre  adj. Grim, gruesome. [french]
Well-made  adj. 1 strongly manufactured. 2 having a good build.
Melancholy  —n. 1 pensive sadness. 2 a mental depression. B tendency to this. —adj. Sad; saddening, depressing; expressing sadness.  melancholic adj. [greek melas black, khole bile]


Coarsen  v. Make or become coarse.
Tracker dog  n. Police dog tracking by scent.
Oedema  n. (us edema) accumulation of excess fluid in body tissues, causing swelling. [greek oideo swell]
Designer  n. 1 person who designs e.g. Clothing, machines, theatre sets; draughtsman. 2 (attrib.) Bearing the label of a famous designer; prestigious.


Shade  —n. 1 comparative darkness (and usu. Coolness) given by shelter from direct light and heat. 2 area so sheltered. 3 darker part of a picture etc. 4 colour, esp. As darker or lighter than one similar. 5 comparative obscurity. 6 slight amount (a shade better). 7 lampshade. 8 screen against the light. 9 (in pl.) Esp. Us colloq. Sunglasses. 10 literary ghost. 11 (in pl.; foll. By of) reminder of, suggesting (esp. Something undesirable) (shades of hitler!). —v. (-ding) 1 screen from light. 2 cover, moderate, or exclude the light of. 3 darken, esp. With parallel lines to show shadow etc. 4 (often foll. By away, off, into) pass or change gradually. [old english]


Chuckle  —v. (-ling) laugh quietly or inwardly. —n. Quiet or suppressed laugh. [chuck cluck]
Choir  n. 1 regular group of singers, esp. In a church. 2 part of a cathedral or large church between the altar and nave. [latin: related to *chorus]


Elder statesman  n. Influential experienced older person, esp. A politician.
Groundsman  n. Person who maintains a sports ground.
Shoddy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 poorly made. 2 counterfeit.  shoddily adv. Shoddiness n. [origin unknown]
Bobby  n. (pl. -ies) colloq. Police officer. [sir robert peel, 19th-c. Statesman]

Earwig  n. Small insect with pincers at its rear end. [from *ear1, because they were once thought to enter the head through the ear]

Redoubtable  adj. Formidable.

Koppie  n. (also kopje) s.afr. Small hill. [afrikaans koppie little head]




Nd  symb. Neodymium.

Devastating  adj. Crushingly effective; overwhelming.  devastatingly adv.
Federal  adj. 1 of a system of government in which self-governing states unite for certain functions etc. 2 of such a federation (federal laws). 3 of or favouring centralized government. 4 (federal) us of the northern states in the civil war. 5 comprising an association of largely independent units.  federalism n. Federalist n. Federalize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing). Federalization n. Federally adv. [latin foedus covenant]
Biff  slang —n. Sharp blow. —v. Strike (a person). [imitative]
Saloon  n. 1 a large room or hall on a ship, in a hotel, etc. B public room for a specified purpose (billiard-saloon). 2 (in full saloon car) (usu. Four-seater) car with the body closed off from the luggage area. 3 us drinking-bar. 4 (in full saloon bar) more comfortable bar in a public house. [french salon]
Ossicle  n. Small bone or piece of bonelike substance. [latin diminutive: related to *osseous]
Dace  n. (pl. Same) small freshwater fish related to the carp. [french dars: related to *dart]






Greet2  v. Scot. Weep. [old english]

Perfidy  n. Breach of faith; treachery.  perfidious adj. [latin perfidia from fides faith]


Cliché  n. 1 hackneyed phrase or opinion. 2 metal casting of a stereotype or electrotype.  clichéd adj. (also cliché'd). [french]

Scaur  var. Of *scar2.




Throw-away  attrib. Adj. 1 meant to be thrown away after (one) use. 2 spoken in a deliberately casual way. 3 disposed to throwing things away (throw-away society).
Lights  n.pl. Lungs of sheep, pigs, etc., used as a food esp. For pets. [from *light2: cf. *lung]


Pukka  adj. Anglo-ind. Colloq. 1 genuine. 2 of good quality; reliable (a pukka job). [hindi]
Supporter  n. Person or thing that supports a cause, team, etc.
Infraction  n. Infringement. [latin: related to *infringe]
Edp  abbr. Electronic data processing.




Handmade  adj. Made by hand (as opposed to machine).
Restless  adj. 1 without rest or sleep. 2 uneasy; agitated. 3 constantly in motion, fidgeting, etc.  restlessly adv. Restlessness n. [old english: related to *rest1]
Flip1  —v. (-pp-) 1 flick or toss (a coin, pellet, etc.) So that it spins in the air. 2 turn (a small object) over; flick. 3 slang = flip one's lid. —n. 1 act of flipping. 2 colloq. Short trip. —adj. Colloq. Glib; flippant.  flip one's lid slang lose self-control; go mad. Flip through = flick through. [probably from *fillip]
Blockhouse  n. 1 reinforced concrete shelter. 2 hist. Small fort of timber.

Ancillary  —adj. 1 (esp. Of health workers) providing essential support. 2 (often foll. By to) subordinate, subservient. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 ancillary worker. 2 auxiliary or accessory. [latin ancilla handmaid]

Photosynthesis  n. Process in which the energy of sunlight is used by organisms, esp. Green plants, to synthesize carbohydrates from carbon dioxide and water.  photosynthesize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing). Photosynthetic adj.
Billet-doux  n. (pl. Billets-doux) often joc. Love-letter. [french, = sweet note]
Navel  n. Depression in the centre of the belly marking the site of attachment of the umbilical cord. [old english]
Retard  v. 1 make slow or late. 2 delay the progress or accomplishment of.  retardant adj. & n. Retardation n. [latin tardus slow]

Knot-hole  n. Hole in timber where a knot has fallen out.
Uncomplaining  adj. Not complaining; resigned.  uncomplainingly adv.
Cauldron  n. (also caldron) large deep vessel used for boiling. [latin caldarium hot bath]
Remand centre  n. Institution to which accused persons are remanded.
Vegetal  adj. Of or like plants. [medieval latin: related to *vegetate]
Sulphide  n. (us sulfide) binary compound of sulphur.
Ordeal  n. 1 painful or horrific experience; severe trial. 2 hist. Test of an accused person by subjection to severe pain, with survival taken as proof of innocence. [old english]

Specious  adj. Plausible but wrong (specious argument). [latin: related to *species]
Damp course  n. (also damp-proof course) layer of waterproof material in a wall near the ground, to prevent rising damp.

Fish-bowl  n. (usu. Round) glass bowl for pet fish.
Latvian  —n. 1 a native or national of latvia in eastern europe. B person of latvian descent. 2 language of latvia. —adj. Of latvia, its people, or language.
Intra-  prefix on the inside, within. [latin intra inside]
Villein  n. Hist. Feudal tenant entirely subject to a lord or attached to a manor.  villeinage n. [var. Of *villain]




Violent  adj. 1 involving or using great physical force (violent person; violent storm). 2 a intense, vehement (violent pain; violent dislike). B lurid (violent colours). 3 (of death) resulting from violence or poison.  violently adv. [french from latin] 
Retrovirus  n. Any of a group of rna viruses which form dna during the replication of their rna, and so transfer genetic material into the dna of host cells. [from the initial letters of reverse transcriptase + *virus]
Loc. Cit.  Abbr. In the passage cited. [latin loco citato]
Reposeful  adj. Showing or inducing repose.  reposefully adv. [from *repose1]
Racism  n. 1 belief in the superiority of a particular race; prejudice based on this. 2 antagonism towards other races.  racist n. & adj.
Yule  n. (in full yule-tide) archaic the christmas festival. [old english]
Biopsy  n. (pl. -ies) examination of severed tissue for diagnosis. [greek bios life, opsis sight]

Underpaid  past and past part. Of *underpay.

Transcript  n. Written copy.





Half-time  n. 1 mid-point of a game or contest. 2 short break occurring at this time.

Baboon  n. Large long-nosed african and arabian monkey. [french or medieval latin]



Polecat  n. 1 small brownish-black mammal of the weasel family. 2 us skunk. [origin unknown]
Communication cord  n. Cord or chain pulled to stop a train in an emergency.


Usage  awake and awaken are interchangeable but awaken is much rarer than awake as an intransitive verb.
Bad faith  n. Intent to deceive.
Endure  v. (-ring) 1 undergo (a difficulty etc.). 2 tolerate. 3 last.  endurable adj. [latin durus hard]


Ring-dove  n. Woodpigeon.

Tench  n. (pl. Same) european freshwater fish of the carp family. [latin tinca]
Yuan  n. (pl. Same) chief monetary unit of china. [chinese]


Short shrift  n. Curt or dismissive treatment. [old english shrift confession: related to *shrive]
Destine  v. (-ning) (often foll. By to, for, or to + infin.) Appoint; preordain; intend (destined him for the navy).  be destined to be fated or preordained to. [french from latin]
Kindling  n. Small sticks etc. For lighting fires.


Alight1  predic. Adj. 1 on fire. 2 lit up; excited. [on a light (= lighted) fire]






Astrolabe  n. Instrument formerly used to measure the altitude of stars etc. [greek, = star-taking]

Thermoplastic  —adj. That becomes plastic on heating and hardens on cooling. —n. Thermoplastic substance.
Ruminate  v. (-ting) 1 meditate, ponder. 2 chew the cud.  rumination n. Ruminative adj. [latin rumen throat]


Sewer  n. Conduit, usu. Underground, for carrying off drainage water and sewage. [anglo-french sever(e): related to *ex-1, aqua water]

Garrison  —n. Troops stationed in a town etc. To defend it. —v. (-n-) 1 provide with or occupy as a garrison. 2 place on garrison duty. [french garir defend, from germanic]

Green fingers  n. Colloq. Skill in growing plants.
Usage  the use of like as a conjunction is considered incorrect by some people.



Sheathe  v. (-thing) 1 put into a sheath. 2 encase; protect with a sheath.
Garland  —n. Wreath of flowers etc., worn on the head or hung as a decoration. —v. Adorn or crown with a garland or garlands. [french]
Amatory  adj. Of sexual love. [latin amo love]


Capacity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 a power to contain, receive, experience, or produce (capacity for heat, pain, etc.). B maximum amount that can be contained or produced etc. C (attrib.) Fully occupying the available space etc. (capacity crowd). 2 mental power. 3 position or function. 4 legal competence.  to capacity fully. [latin: related to *capacious]
Moralize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 (often foll. By on) indulge in moral reflection or talk. 2 make moral or more moral.  moralization n.
Solicitous  adj. 1 showing interest or concern. 2 (foll. By to + infin.) Eager, anxious.  solicitously adv. [latin: related to *solicit]
Wean  v. 1 accustom (an infant or other young mammal) to food other than (esp. Its mother's) milk. 2 (often foll. By from, away from) disengage (from a habit etc.) By enforced discontinuance. [old english, = accustom]
Commercialism  n. 1 commercial practices. 2 emphasis on financial profit.
Knapsack  n. Soldier's or hiker's usu. Canvas bag carried on the back. [german knappen bite, *sack1]
Nano-  comb. Form denoting a factor of 10-9 (nanosecond). [greek nanos dwarf]


Heartthrob  n. Colloq. Person for whom one has (esp. Immature) romantic feelings.


Centesimal  adj. Reckoning or reckoned by hundredths. [latin centum 100]
Sugary  adj. 1 containing or like sugar. 2 excessively sweet or esp. Sentimental.  sugariness n.
Indian hemp  see *hemp 1.


Shrine  n. 1 esp. Rc ch. A place for special worship or devotion. B tomb or reliquary. 2 place hallowed by some memory or association. [latin scrinium bookcase]
Intersection  n. 1 intersecting. 2 place where two roads intersect. 3 point or line common to lines or planes that intersect.

Open-plan  adj. (of a house, office, etc.) Having large undivided rooms.


Establish  v. 1 set up (a business, system, etc.) On a permanent basis. 2 (foll. By in) settle (a person or oneself) in some capacity. 3 (esp. As established adj.) A achieve permanent acceptance for (a custom, belief, etc.). B place (a fact etc.) Beyond dispute. [latin stabilio make firm]


Head-hunting  n. 1 collecting of the heads of dead enemies as trophies. 2 seeking of (esp. Senior) staff by approaching people employed elsewhere.  head-hunt v. Head-hunter n.
Victorian  —adj. 1 of the time of queen victoria. 2 prudish; strict. —n. Person of this time.

Convenient  adj. 1 a serving one's comfort or interests. B suitable. C free of trouble or difficulty. 2 available or occurring at a suitable time or place. 3 well situated (convenient for the shops).  conveniently adv.


Hyaena  var. Of *hyena.


Shit  coarse slang —n. 1 faeces. 2 act of defecating. 3 contemptible person. 4 nonsense. —int. Exclamation of anger etc. —v. (-tt-; past and past part. Shitted, shat or shit) defecate or cause the defecation of (faeces etc.). [old english]
Usage  note that altogether means ‘in total’, whereas all together means ‘all at once’ or ‘all in one place’. The phrases six rooms altogether (in total) and six rooms all together (in one place) illustrate the difference.
Tunny  n. (pl. Same or -ies) = *tuna. [greek thunnos]
Brilliant  —adj. 1 very bright; sparkling. 2 outstandingly talented. 3 showy. 4 colloq. Excellent. —n. Diamond of the finest cut with many facets.  brilliance n. Brilliantly adv. [french briller shine, from italian]
Asepsis  n. 1 absence of sepsis or harmful micro-organisms. 2 method of achieving asepsis in surgery.  aseptic adj.

Reminiscence  n. 1 remembering things past. 2 (in pl.) Collection in literary form of incidents and experiences remembered. [latin reminiscor remember]
Experienced  adj. 1 having had much experience. 2 skilled from experience (experienced driver).

Gag  —n. 1 thing thrust into or tied across the mouth, esp. To prevent speaking or crying out. 2 joke or comic scene. 3 parliamentary closure. 4 thing restricting free speech. —v. (-gg-) 1 apply a gag to. 2 silence; deprive of free speech. 3 choke, retch. 4 make gags as a comedian etc. [origin uncertain]
Peanut  n. 1 plant of the pea family bearing pods underground that contain seeds used for food and oil. 2 seed of this. 3 (in pl.) Colloq. Paltry thing or amount, esp. Of money.

Allegro  mus. —adv. & adj. In a brisk tempo. —n. (pl. -s) such a passage or movement. [italian, = lively]
Ragout  n. Meat stewed with vegetables and highly seasoned. [french]
Variety  n. (pl. -ies) 1 diversity; absence of uniformity; many-sidedness. 2 quantity or collection of different things (for a variety of reasons). 3 a class of things that differ from the rest in the same general class. B member of such a class. 4 (foll. By of) different form of a thing, quality, etc. 5 biol. Subdivision of a species. 6 series of dances, songs, comedy acts, etc. (variety show). [latin: related to *various]
Playbill  n. Poster advertising a play.

Essential oil  n. Volatile oil derived from a plant etc. With its characteristic odour.
Fleck  —n. 1 small patch of colour or light. 2 particle, speck. —v. Mark with flecks. [old norse, or low german or dutch]
Waiver  n. Law 1 waiving of a legal right etc. 2 document recording this.
Lily-livered  adj. Cowardly.
Solar battery  n. (also solar cell) device converting solar radiation into electricity.
Moll  n. Slang 1 gangster's female companion. 2 prostitute. [pet form of mary]
Brag  —v. (-gg-) talk boastfully. —n. 1 card-game like poker. 2 boastful statement or talk. [origin unknown]




Headcount  n. 1 counting of individual people. 2 total number of people, esp. Employees.
Reheat  v. Heat again.


Dissuade  v. (-ding) (often foll. By from) discourage (a person); persuade against.  dissuasion n. Dissuasive adj. [latin: related to *dis-, suadeo advise]

Conveyance  n. 1 conveying or being conveyed. 2 means of transport; vehicle. 3 law a transfer of property. B document effecting this.  conveyancer n. (in sense 3). Conveyancing n. (in sense 3).


Palliate  v. (-ting) 1 alleviate (disease) without curing it. 2 excuse, extenuate.  palliative n. & adj. [latin pallio cloak: related to *pall1]

Jeweller  n. (us jeweler) maker of or dealer in jewels or jewellery.


Entreaty  n. (pl. -ies) earnest request.

Sugar soap  n. Alkaline compound for cleaning or removing paint.




Chickweed  n. Small weed with tiny white flowers.







Stokehole  n. Space for stokers in front of a furnace.



Choke  —v. (-king) 1 stop the breathing of (a person or animal), esp. By constricting the windpipe or (of gas, smoke, etc.) By being unbreathable. 2 suffer a stoppage of breath. 3 make or become speechless from emotion. 4 retard the growth of or kill (esp. Plants) by depriving of light etc. 5 (often foll. By back) suppress (feelings) with difficulty. 6 block or clog (a passage, tube, etc.). 7 (as choked adj.) Colloq. Disgusted, disappointed. —n. 1 valve in a carburettor controlling the intake of air. 2 device for smoothing the variations of an alternating current.  choke up block (a channel etc.). [old english]

Cerebral palsy  n. Paralysis resulting from brain damage before or at birth, involving spasm of the muscles and involuntary movements.
Reconnect  v. Connect again.  reconnection n.
Bon mot  n. (pl. Bons mots) witty saying. [french]



Nsw  abbr. New south wales.
Arrears  n.pl. Amount (esp. Of work, rent, etc.) Still outstanding or uncompleted.  in arrears behind, esp. In payment. [medieval latin adretro behindhand]
Lateen sail  n. Triangular sail on a long yard at an angle of 45° to the mast.
Grey area  n. Situation or topic not clearly defined.
Bath cube  n. Cube of soluble substance for scenting or softening bath-water.





Propagator  n. 1 person or thing that propagates. 2 small heated box for germinating seeds or raising seedlings.
Menses  n.pl. Flow of menstrual blood etc. [latin, pl. Of mensis month]


Usage  this word is spelt linnean in linnean society.
Armature  n. 1 rotating coil or coils of a dynamo or electric motor. 2 iron bar placed across the poles of a horseshoe magnet to preserve its power. 3 metal framework on which a sculpture is moulded. [latin armatura, = armour]

Petrel  n. Sea bird, usu. Flying far from land. [origin unknown]
Sterol  n. Naturally occurring steroid alcohol. [from *cholesterol, etc.]



Quickstep  n. Fast foxtrot.



Nominal value  n. Face value.
Cauliflower ear  n. Ear thickened by repeated blows.
Bourn  n. Small stream. [var. Of *burn2]
Endeavor  (brit. Endeavour) —v. (foll. By to + infin.) Try earnestly. —n. Earnest attempt. [from *en-1, french devoir owe]
Clock2  n. Ornamental pattern on the side of a stocking or sock near the ankle. [origin unknown]
Windsurfing  n. Sport of riding on water on a sailboard.  windsurf v. Windsurfer n.
High-handed  adj. Disregarding others' feelings; overbearing.  high-handedly adv. High-handedness n.
Precentor  n. Person who leads the singing or (in a synagogue) the prayers of a congregation. [latin praecentor from cano sing]
Bunk-bed  n. Each of two or more tiered beds forming a unit.
Our lady  n. Virgin mary.

Lych-gate  var. Of *lich-gate.

Pepper-pot  n. Small container with a perforated lid for sprinkling pepper.


Calorie  n. (pl. -ies) unit of quantity of heat, the amount needed to raise the temperature of one gram (small calorie) or one kilogram (large calorie) of water by 1 °c. [latin calor heat]

Heavy going  n. Slow or difficult progress.
Wise man  n. Wizard, esp. One of the magi.
Dental  adj. 1 of the teeth or dentistry. 2 (of a consonant) produced with the tongue-tip against the upper front teeth (as th) or the ridge of the teeth (as n, s, t). [latin dens dent- tooth]
Assoc.  Abbr. Association.



Deduction  n. 1 a deducting. B amount deducted. 2 a inferring of particular instances from a general law or principle. B conclusion deduced. [latin: related to *deduce]
Cachou  n. Lozenge to sweeten the breath. [portuguese cachu from malay kachu]
Microbe  n. Micro-organism (esp. A bacterium causing disease or fermentation).  microbial adj. Microbic adj. [greek mikros small, bios life]


Plank  —n. 1 long flat piece of timber. 2 item in a political or other programme. —v. 1 provide or cover with planks. 2 (usu. Foll. By down) colloq. A put down or deposit roughly or violently. B pay (money) on the spot.  walk the plank hist. Be made to walk blindfold along a plank over the side of a ship to one's death in the sea. [latin planca]
Danish  —adj. Of denmark or the danes. —n. 1 danish language. 2 (prec. By the; treated as pl.) The danish people. [latin: related to *dane]

Lah  n. (also la) mus. Sixth note of a major scale. [latin labii, word arbitrarily taken]


Say  —v. (3rd sing. Present says; past and past part. Said) 1 (often foll. By that) a utter (specified words); remark. B express (say what you feel). 2 (often foll. By that) a state; promise or prophesy. B have specified wording; indicate (clock says ten to six). 3 (in passive; usu. Foll. By to + infin.) Be asserted (is said to be old). 4 (foll. By to + infin.) Colloq. Tell to do (he said to hurry). 5 convey (information) (spoke, but said little). 6 offer as an argument or excuse (much to be said in favour of it). 7 (often absol.) Give an opinion or decision as to (hard to say). 8 take as an example or as near enough (paid, say, £20). 9 recite or repeat (prayers, mass, tables, a lesson, etc.). 10 convey (inner meaning etc.) (what is the poem saying?). 11 (the said) law or joc. The previously mentioned. —n. 1 opportunity to express a view (let him have his say). 2 share in a decision (had no say in it).  i'll say colloq. Yes indeed. I say! Exclamation of surprise etc. Or drawing attention. That is to say in other words, more explicitly. [old english]


Sultry  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 (of weather etc.) Hot and close. 2 (of a person etc.) Passionate, sensual.  sultrily adv. Sultriness n. [obsolete sulter (v.): related to *swelter]
Agony aunt  n. Colloq. Person (esp. A woman) who answers letters in an agony column.


Aphorism  n. Short pithy maxim.  aphoristic adj. [greek aphorismos definition]



Edict  n. Order proclaimed by authority. [latin edico proclaim]
Spec2  n. Colloq. Detailed working description; specification. [abbreviation of *specification]
Overcompensate  v. (-ting) 1 (usu. Foll. By for) compensate excessively. 2  strive exaggeratedly to make amends etc.
Osteoarthritis  n. Degenerative disease of joint cartilage.  osteoarthritic adj.


Pessary  n. (pl. -ies) 1 device worn in the vagina to support the uterus or as a contraceptive. 2 vaginal suppository. [latin from greek]

Samaritan  n. 1 (in full good samaritan) charitable or helpful person (luke 10:33 etc.). 2 member of a counselling organization. [originally = inhabitant of ancient samaria]
Mustn't  contr. Must not.
Spree  n. Colloq. 1 extravagant outing (shopping spree). 2 bout of fun or drinking etc. [origin unknown]
Firecracker  n. Us explosive firework.




Hijack  —v. 1 seize control of (a vehicle etc.), esp. To force it to a different destination. 2 seize (goods) in transit. 3 take control of (talks etc.) By force or subterfuge. —n. A hijacking.  hijacker n. [origin unknown]
Bio-  comb. Form 1 life (biography). 2 biological; of living things. [greek bios life]





Equator  n. 1 imaginary line round the earth or other body, equidistant from the poles. 2 = *celestial equator. [medieval latin: related to *equate]
Here  —adv. 1 in or at or to this place or position (come here; sit here). 2 indicating a person's presence or a thing offered (my son here will show you; here is your coat). 3 at this point in the argument, situation, etc. (here i have a question). —n.


Rattlesnake  n. Poisonous american snake with a rattling structure of horny rings on its tail.
Representation  n. 1 representing or being represented. 2 thing that represents another. 3 (esp. In pl.) Statement made of allegations or opinions.

Yarrow  n. Perennial plant, esp. Milfoil. [old english]
Scamp  n. Colloq. Rascal; rogue. [probably dutch]
Advancement  n. Promotion of a person, cause, or plan.


Anxious  adj. 1 mentally troubled. 2 causing or marked by anxiety (anxious moment). 3 eager, uneasily wanting (anxious to please).  anxiously adv. [latin anxius]



Bus  —n. (pl. Buses or us busses) 1 large esp. Public passenger vehicle, usu. Travelling a fixed route. 2 colloq. Car, aeroplane, etc. —v. (buses or busses, bussed, bussing) 1 go by bus. 2 us transport by bus, esp. To aid racial integration. [abbreviation of *omnibus]

Ku  symb. Kurchatovium.

Generate  v. (-ting) bring into existence; produce. [latin: related to *genus]


Hereupon  adv. After this; in consequence of this.
Lead pencil  n. Pencil of graphite in wood.
Jibe2  v. (brit. Gybe) (-bing) 1 (of a fore-and-aft sail or boom) swing across. 2 cause (a sail) to do this. 3 (of a ship or its crew) change course so that this happens. [dutch]
Trading-stamp  n. Stamp given to customers by some shops and exchangeable in large numbers for goods or cash.
Harridan  n. Bad-tempered old woman. [origin uncertain]


Sobriety  n. Being sober. [latin: related to *sober]


Platinum  n. Chem. White heavy precious metallic element that does not tarnish. [earlier platina from spanish, diminutive from plata silver]


Thigh  n. Part of the leg between the hip and the knee. [old english]
Terbium  n. Silvery metallic element of the lanthanide series. [ytterby in sweden]


Wearisome  adj. Tedious; tiring by monotony or length.
Undefended  adj. Not defended.

Cession  n. 1 ceding. 2 territory etc. Ceded. [latin: related to *cede]
Wherein  conj. Formal in what or which place or respect.
Functional  adj. 1 of or serving a function. 2 practical rather than attractive. 3 affecting the function of a bodily organ but not its structure.  functionally adv.





Optional  adj. Not obligatory. optionally adv.

Hectogram  n. (also hectogramme) metric unit of mass equal to 100 grams.
Unskilful  adj. (us unskillful) not skilful.



Blowpipe  n. 1 tube for blowing air through, esp. To intensify a flame or to blow glass. 2 tube for propelling poisoned darts etc. By blowing.

Maneuver  (brit. Manoeuvre) —n. 1 planned and controlled movement of a vehicle or body of troops etc. 2 (in pl.) Large-scale exercise of troops, ships, etc. 3 agile or skilful movement. 4 artful plan. —v. (-ring) 1 move (a thing, esp. A vehicle) carefully. 2 perform or cause (troops etc.) To perform manoeuvres. 3 a (usu. Foll. By into, out of, etc.) Manipulate (a person, thing, etc.) By scheming or adroitness. B use artifice.  manoeuvrable adj. Manoeuvrability n. [medieval latin manu operor work with the hand]
Rpm  abbr. Revolutions per minute.


Rouse  v. (-sing) 1 (cause to) wake. 2 (often foll. By up, often refl.) Stir up, make or become active or excited (was roused to protest). 3 anger (terrible when roused). 4 evoke (feelings). [origin unknown]

Finalist  n. Competitor in the final of a competition etc.

Dutch courage  n. Courage induced by alcohol.
Advantage  —n. 1 beneficial feature. 2 benefit, profit. 3 (often foll. By over) superiority. 4 (in tennis) the next point after deuce. —v. (-ging) benefit, favour.  take advantage of 1 make good use of. 2 exploit, esp. Unfairly. 3 euphem. Seduce.  advantageous adj. [french: related to *advance]

Envoy  n. 1 messenger or representative. 2 (in full envoy extraordinary) diplomatic agent ranking below ambassador. [french envoyer send, from latin via way]
Group  —n. 1 number of persons or things located close together, or considered or classed together. 2 number of people working together etc. 3 number of commercial companies under common ownership. 4 ensemble playing popular music. 5 division of an air force etc. —v. 1 form or be formed into a group. 2 (often foll. By with) place in a group or groups. [italian gruppo]



Flowery  adj. 1 florally decorated. 2 (of style, speech, etc.) High-flown; ornate. 3 full of flowers.  floweriness n.
High-risk  attrib. Adj. Involving or exposed to danger (high-risk sports).
Up-country  adv. & adj. Inland.

Scrap2  colloq. —n. Fight or rough quarrel. —v. (-pp-) have a scrap. [perhaps from *scrape]
Heatproof  —adj. Able to resist great heat. —v. Make heatproof.

Sooth  n. Archaic truth. [old english]

Consent  —v. (often foll. By to) express willingness, give permission, agree. —n. Voluntary agreement, permission. [latin sentio feel]
Marijuana  n. (also marihuana) dried leaves etc. Of hemp, smoked in cigarettes as a drug. [american spanish]

Happening  n. 1 event. 2 improvised or spontaneous theatrical etc. Performance.
Fuzz  n. 1 fluff. 2 fluffy or frizzed hair. 3 slang a (prec. By the) the police. B police officer. [probably low german or dutch]

Sex  —n. 1 each of the main groups (male and female) into which living things are categorized on the basis of their reproductive functions (what sex is your dog?). 2 sexual instincts, desires, etc., or their manifestation. 3 colloq. Sexual intercourse. 4 (attrib.) Of or relating to sex or sexual differences. —v. 1 determine the sex of. 2 (as sexed adj.) Having a specified sexual appetite (highly sexed). [latin sexus]
Pythagoras' theorem  n. Theorem that the square on the hypotenuse of a right-angled triangle is equal to the sum of the squares on the other two sides. [pythagoras (6th c. Bc), name of a greek philosopher]
Teatime  n. Time in the afternoon when tea is served.
Server  n. 1 a person who serves. B utensil for serving food. 2 celebrant's assistant at a mass etc.
Old lady  n. Colloq. One's mother or wife.




Irredentist  n. Person advocating the restoration to his or her country of any territory formerly belonging to it.  irredentism n. [italian irredenta unredeemed]
Paranoia  n. 1 mental disorder with delusions of persecution and self-importance. 2 abnormal suspicion and mistrust.  paranoiac adj. & n. Paranoiacally adv. Paranoic adj. Paranoically adv. Paranoid adj. & n. [greek: related to *nous]
Goings-on  n.pl. (esp. Morally suspect) behaviour.
Tensile  adj. 1 of tension. 2 capable of being stretched.  tensility n. [medieval latin: related to *tense1]



Tendency  n. (pl. -ies) (often foll. By to, towards) leaning or inclination. [medieval latin: related to *tend1]


Access road  n. Road giving access only to the properties along it.

Confidant  n. (fem. Confidante pronunc. Same) person trusted with knowledge of one's private affairs. [related to *confide]
Infection  n. 1 a infecting or being infected. B instance of this; disease. 2 communication of disease, esp. By air, water, etc.

Regulation  n. 1 regulating or being regulated. 2 prescribed rule. 3 (attrib.) A in accordance with regulations; of the correct type etc. B colloq. Usual.
Quiescent  adj. Inert, dormant.  quiescence n. [related to *quiet]
Rein  —n. (in sing. Or pl.) 1 long narrow strap with each end attached to the bit, used to guide or check a horse etc. 2 similar device used to restrain a child. 3 means of control. —v. 1 check or manage with reins. 2 (foll. By up, back) pull up or back with reins. 3 (foll. By in) hold in as with reins. 4 govern, restrain, control.  give free rein to allow freedom of action or expression. Keep a tight rein on allow little freedom to. [french rene from latin retinere *retain]
Usage  in sense 1, unique cannot be qualified by adverbs such as absolutely, most, and quite. The use of unique in sense 2 is regarded as incorrect by some people.
Rock-crystal  n. Transparent colourless quartz, usu. In hexagonal prisms.
Down-to-earth  adj. Practical, realistic.
Matriculate  v. (-ting) enrol at a college or university.  matriculation n. [medieval latin: related to *matrix]
News-vendor  n. Newspaper-seller.

Nerveless  adj. 1 lacking vigour. 2 (of style) diffuse.
Funk2  n. Slang funky music. [origin uncertain]
Tonality  n. (pl. -ies) 1 mus. A relationship between the tones of a musical scale. B observance of a single tonic key as the basis of a composition. 2 colour scheme of a picture.
Discontinue  v. (-ues, -ued, -uing) 1 come or bring to an end (a discontinued line). 2 give up, cease from (doing something).  discontinuance n.
Raison d'être  n. (pl. Raisons d'être pronunc. Same) purpose or reason that accounts for, justifies, or originally caused a thing's existence. [french]

Springboard  n. 1 flexible board for leaping or diving from. 2 source of impetus.

Vociferous  adj. 1 noisy, clamorous. 2 insistently and forcibly outspoken.  vociferously adv.



Tanh  abbr. Hyperbolic tangent.
Hermaphrodite  —n. Person, animal, or plant having both male and female reproductive organs. —adj. Combining both sexes.  hermaphroditic adj. [from hermaphroditus, son of hermes and aphrodite who became joined in one body to a nymph]





P.m.  Abbr. After noon. [latin post meridiem]

Typesetter  n. Printing 1 person who composes type. 2 composing-machine.  typesetting n.
Summarize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) make or be a summary of.


Rubber stamp  —n. 1 device for inking and imprinting on a surface. 2 a person who mechanically copies or endorses others' actions. B indication of such endorsement. —v. (rubber-stamp) approve automatically.



Liquid crystal display  n. Visual display in electronic devices, in which the reflectivity of a matrix of liquid crystals changes as a signal is applied.
Usage  the use of like as a conjunction is considered incorrect by some people.



Chat  —v. (-tt-) talk in a light familiar way. —n. 1 pleasant informal talk. 2 any of various songbirds.  chat up colloq. Chat to, esp. Flirtatiously or with an ulterior motive. [shortening of *chatter]

Unvarying  adj. Not varying.
Wink  —v. 1 (often foll. By at) close and open one eye quickly, esp. As a signal. 2 close and open (one or both eyes) quickly. 3 (of a light etc.) Twinkle; (of an indicator) flash on and off. —n. 1 act of winking. 2 colloq. Short sleep.  in a wink very quickly. Wink at purposely avoid seeing; pretend not to notice.  winker n. (in sense 3 of v.). [old english]

Solar system  n. The sun and the celestial bodies whose motion it governs.
Instil  v. (us instill) (-ll-) (often foll. By into) 1 introduce (a feeling, idea, etc.) Into a person's mind etc. Gradually. 2 put (a liquid) into something in drops.  instillation n. Instilment n. [latin stillo drop]
Sewing-machine  n. Machine for sewing or stitching.
Jerk1  —n. 1 sharp sudden pull, twist, twitch, start, etc. 2 spasmodic muscular twitch. 3 (in pl.) Colloq. Exercises (physical jerks). 4 slang fool. —v. Move, pull, thrust, twist, throw, etc., with a jerk.  jerk off coarse slang masturbate. [imitative]


Lyre-bird  n. Australian bird, the male of which has a lyre-shaped tail display.
Daffodil  n. Spring bulb with a yellow trumpet-shaped flower. [related to *asphodel]
Adjective  n. Word used to describe or modify a noun or pronoun.  adjectival adj. [latin jaceo lie]

Lettered  adj. Well-read or educated.




Cheerless  adj. Gloomy, dreary.
Split-screen  n. Screen on which two or more separate images are displayed.

Horse  —n. 1 a large four-legged mammal with flowing mane and tail, used for riding and to carry and pull loads. B adult male horse; stallion or gelding. C (collect.; as sing.) Cavalry. 2 vaulting-block. 3 supporting frame (clothes-horse). —v. (-sing) (foll. By around) fool about.  from the horse's mouth colloq. (of information etc.) From the original or an authoritative source. [old english]
Chaise longue  n. (pl. Chaise longues or chaises longues pronunc. Same) sofa with only one arm rest. [french, = long chair]
Gimmick  n. Trick or device, esp. To attract attention or publicity.  gimmickry n. Gimmicky adj. [origin unknown]
Rejoin2  v. 1 say in answer, retort. 2 reply to a charge or pleading in a lawsuit. [french rejoindre: related to *join]

Zero  n. (pl. -s) 1 figure 0; nought; nil. 2 point on the scale of a thermometer etc. From which a positive or negative quantity is reckoned. 3 (attrib.) No, not any (zero growth). 4 (in full zero-hour) a hour at which a planned, esp. Military, operation is timed to begin. B crucial moment. 5 lowest or earliest point (down to zero; the year zero).  zero in on (-oes, -oed) 1 take aim at. 2 focus one's attention on. [arabic: related to *cipher]
Redound  v. 1 (foll. By to) make a great contribution to (one's credit or advantage etc.). 2 (foll. By upon, on) come back or recoil upon. [latin unda wave]
Backcloth  n. 1 painted cloth at the back of a stage. 2 background to a scene or situation.
Hair's breadth  n. A tiny amount or margin.




Ziggurat  n. Rectangular stepped tower in ancient mesopotamia, surmounted by a temple. [assyrian]
Tubular  adj. 1 tube-shaped. 2 having or consisting of tubes. 3 (of furniture etc.) Having a tubular framework.


Lucky dip  n. Tub containing articles varying in value and chosen at random.


Dew point  n. Temperature at which dew forms.

Scarf2  —v. Join the ends of (timber etc.) By bevelling or notching them to fit and then bolting them etc. —n. (pl. -s) joint made by scarfing. [probably french escarf]
Plastic arts  n.pl. Arts involving modelling or the representation of solid objects.

Impulsion  n. 1 impelling. 2 mental impulse. 3 impetus.





Perhaps  adv. It may be; possibly.


Smite  v. (-ting; past smote; past part. Smitten) 1 archaic or literary a hit. B chastise; defeat. 2 (in passive) affect strongly; seize (smitten with regret; smitten by her beauty). [old english]
Colonize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 establish a colony in. 2 join a colony.  colonization n.
Girdle1  —n. 1 belt or cord worn round the waist. 2 corset. 3 thing that surrounds. 4 bony support for the limbs (pelvic girdle). —v. (-ling) surround with a girdle. [old english]
York  v. Cricket bowl out with a yorker. [back-formation from *yorker]







Observe  v. (-ving) 1 perceive, become aware of. 2 watch carefully. 3 a follow or keep (rules etc.). B celebrate or perform (an occasion, rite, etc.). 4 remark. 5 take note of scientifically.  observable adj. [latin servo watch, keep]
Attaché  n. Specialist member of an ambassador's staff.



Varicolored  adj. (brit. Varicoloured) 1 variegated in colour. 2 of various colours. [latin varius *various]
Offload  v. Get rid of (esp. Something unpleasant) by passing it to someone else.
Doggerel  n. Poor or trivial verse. [apparently from *dog]

Transistor  n. 1 semiconductor device with three connections, capable of amplification in addition to rectification. 2 (in full transistor radio) portable radio with transistors. [from *transfer, *resistor]

Boult  var. Of *bolt2.




Free trade  n. Trade without import restrictions etc.
Vivace  adv. Mus. In a lively manner. [latin: related to *vivacious]
Codicil  n. Addition to a will. [latin diminutive of *codex]
Forgather  v. Assemble; associate. [dutch]



Caloric  adj. Of heat or calories.
Throb  —v. (-bb-) 1 pulsate, esp. With more than the usual force or rapidity. 2 vibrate with a persistent rhythm or with emotion. —n. 1 throbbing. 2 (esp. Violent) pulsation. [imitative]
Chaise  n. Esp. Hist. Horse-drawn usu. Open carriage for one or two persons. [french]

Foursome  n. 1 group of four people. 2 golf match between two pairs.
Snack  n. 1 light, casual, or hurried meal. 2 small amount of food eaten between meals. [dutch]

Twitch  —v. 1 (of features, muscles, etc.) Move or contract spasmodically. 2 pull sharply at. —n. 1 sudden involuntary contraction or movement. 2 sudden pull or jerk. 3 colloq. State of nervousness.  twitchy adj. (-ier, -iest) (in sense 3 of n.). [probably old english]
Curfew  n. 1 signal or time after which people must remain indoors. 2 hist. Signal for extinction of fires at a fixed hour. [french: related to *cover, latin *focus]

Prisoner of conscience  see *conscience.
Syncope  n. 1 gram. Syncopation. 2 fainting through a fall in blood pressure. [greek sunkope cutting off]

Rsi  abbr. Repetitive strain injury.



Buttermilk  n. Liquid left after churning butter.

King's proctor  n. = *queen's proctor.
Bicker  v. Argue pettily. [origin unknown]


Pluck  —v. 1 pick or pull out or away. 2 strip (a bird) of feathers. 3 pull at, twitch. 4 (foll. By at) tug or snatch at. 5 sound (the string of a musical instrument) with a finger or plectrum. 6 plunder. —n. 1 courage, spirit. 2 plucking; twitch. 3 animal's heart, liver, and lungs as food.  pluck up summon up (one's courage etc.). [old english]
Unharmed  adj. Not harmed.

Maxim  n. General truth or rule of conduct briefly expressed. [french or medieval latin: related to *maximum]

Twinkle  —v. (-ling) 1 (of a star or light etc.) Shine with rapidly intermittent gleams. 2 (of the eyes) sparkle. 3 (of the feet) move lightly and rapidly. —n. 1 sparkle or gleam of the eyes. 2 twinkling light. 3 light rapid movement.  in a twinkle (or a twinkling or the twinkling of an eye) in an instant.  twinkly adj. [old english]
Rum1  n. Spirit distilled from sugar-cane or molasses. [origin unknown]


Explore  v. (-ring) 1 travel through (a country etc.) To learn about it. 2 inquire into. 3 surgery examine (a part of the body) in detail.  exploration n. Exploratory adj. Explorer n. [latin exploro search out]

Snuffle  —v. (-ling) 1 make sniffing sounds. 2 speak or say nasally or whiningly. 3 breathe noisily, esp. With a blocked nose. —n. Snuffling sound or tone.  snuffly adj. [low german or dutch snuffelen]

Northern hemisphere  n. The half of the earth north of the equator.
Mould2  n. (us mold) furry growth of fungi occurring esp. In moist warm conditions. [old norse]


Charitable  adj. 1 generous in giving to those in need. 2 of or relating to a charity or charities. 3 generous in judging others.  charitably adv.
Concrete  —adj. 1 a existing in a material form; real. B specific, definite (concrete evidence; a concrete proposal). 2 gram. (of a noun) denoting a material object as opposed to a quality, state, etc. —n. (often attrib.) Mixture of gravel, sand, cement, and water, used for building. —v. (-ting) cover with or embed in concrete.  [latin cresco cret- grow]
Croissant  n. Crescent-shaped breakfast roll. [french: related to *crescent]












Airedale  n. Large terrier of a rough-coated breed. [airedale in yorkshire]
Cow2  v. Intimidate or dispirit. [old norse]

Schoolroom  n. Room used for lessons.
Sharpshooter  n. Skilled marksman.

Incombustible  adj. That cannot be burnt.

Packthread  n. Stout thread for sewing or tying up packs.
Local government  n. System of administration of a county, district, parish, etc., by the elected representatives of those who live there.
Skit  n. Light, usu. Short, piece of satire or burlesque. [perhaps from old norse: related to *shoot]
Dotard  n. Senile person.

Ncp  abbr. National car parks.


Bye2  int. (also bye-bye) colloq. = *goodbye. [abbreviation]
Half-timbered  adj. Having walls with a timber frame and a brick or plaster filling.
Electro-  comb. Form of, by, or caused by electricity.




Counterpart  n. 1 person or thing like another or forming the complement or equivalent to another. 2 duplicate.
Invention  n. 1 inventing or being invented. 2 thing invented. 3 fictitious story. 4 inventiveness.
Stock market  n. 1 = *stock exchange. 2 transactions on this.
Doleful  adj. 1 mournful, sad. 2 dreary, dismal.  dolefully adv. Dolefulness n. [latin doleo grieve]

Contumacious  adj. Stubbornly or wilfully disobedient.  contumacy n. (pl. -ies). [latin tumeo swell]

Fool2  n. Dessert of fruit purée with cream or custard. [perhaps from *fool1]


Masticate  v. (-ting) grind or chew (food) with one's teeth.  mastication n. Masticatory adj. [latin from greek]
Bouncer  n. 1 slang doorman ejecting troublemakers from a dancehall, club, etc. 2 = *bumper 3.
Sandstorm  n. Storm with clouds of sand raised by the wind.
Zr  symb. Zirconium.

Unmitigated  adj. Not mitigated; absolute (unmitigated disaster).
Nuclear fission  n. Nuclear reaction in which a heavy nucleus splits spontaneously or on impact with another particle, with the release of energy.
Shortcoming  n. Deficiency; defect.

Winning-post  n. Post marking the end of a race.



Furniture  n. 1 movable equipment of a house, room, etc., e.g. Tables, beds. 2 naut. Ship's equipment. 3 accessories, e.g. The handles and lock on a door. [french: related to *furnish]
Blackboard  n. Board with a smooth dark surface for writing on with chalk.
Grapnel  n. 1 device with iron claws, for dragging or grasping. 2 small anchor with several flukes. [french grapon: related to *grape]





Rejoice  v. (-cing) 1 feel great joy. 2 be glad. 3 (foll. By in, at) take delight. [french rejoir: related to *joy]
Rustle  —v. (-ling) 1 (cause to) make a gentle sound as of dry blown leaves. 2 (also absol.) Steal (cattle or horses). —n. Rustling sound.  rustle up colloq. Produce at short notice.  rustler n. (esp. In sense 2 of v.). [imitative]
Payload  n. 1 part of an aircraft's load yielding revenue. 2 explosive warhead carried by a rocket etc. 3 goods carried by a road vehicle.


Toga  n. Hist. Ancient roman citizen's loose flowing outer garment.  togaed adj. (also toga'd). [latin]



Nag2  n. Colloq. Horse. [origin unknown]


Body stocking  n. Woman's undergarment covering the torso.
Masonry  n. 1 a stonework. B work of a mason. 2 (masonry) freemasonry.
Hurry  —n. 1 great or eager haste. 2 (with neg. Or interrog.) Need for haste (there is no hurry; what's the hurry?). —v. (-ies, -ied) 1 move or act hastily. 2 cause to hurry.


Fusil  n. Hist. Light musket. [latin focus fire]

Linen  —n. 1 cloth woven from flax. 2 (collect.) Articles made or orig. Made of linen, as sheets, shirts, underwear, etc. —adj. Made of linen. [old english: related to latin linum flax]

Ousel  var. Of *ouzel.
Downright  —adj. 1 plain, straightforward. 2 utter (downright nonsense). —adv. Thoroughly (downright rude).

Time zone  n. Range of longitudes where a common standard time is used.

Headland  n. Promontory.







Forgive  v. (-ving; past forgave; past part. Forgiven) 1 cease to feel angry or resentful towards; pardon. 2 remit (a debt).  forgivable adj. [old english]

Reread  v. (past and past part. Reread) read again.
Entity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 thing with distinct existence. 2 thing's existence in itself. [latin ens ent- being]
Hexadecimal  adj. Esp. Computing of a system of numerical notation that has 16 (the figures 0 to 9 and the letters a to f) rather than 10 as a base.

Entomology  n. The study of insects.  entomological adj. Entomologist n. [greek entomon insect]

Conflict  —n. 1 a state of opposition. B fight, struggle. 2 (often foll. By of) clashing of opposed interests etc. —v. Clash; be incompatible. [latin fligo flict- strike]
Baroness  n. 1 woman holding the rank of baron. 2 baron's wife or widow.
Ease  —n. 1 facility, effortlessness. 2 a freedom from pain or trouble. B freedom from constraint. —v. (-sing) 1 relieve from pain or anxiety. 2 (often foll. By off, up) a become less burdensome or severe. B begin to take it easy. C slow down; moderate one's behaviour etc. 3 a relax; slacken; make a less tight fit. B move or be moved carefully into place (eased it into position).  at ease 1 free from anxiety or constraint. 2 mil. In a relaxed attitude, with the feet apart. [latin: related to *adjacent]

Callus  n. (pl. Calluses) 1 area of hard thick skin or tissue. 2 hard tissue formed round bone ends after a fracture. [latin]
Indecision  n. Inability to decide; hesitation.


Recollection  n. 1 act or power of recollecting. 2 thing recollected. 3 a person's memory. B time over which memory extends (happened within my recollection). [french or medieval latin: related to *recollect]


Community centre  n. Place providing social facilities for a neighbourhood.
Birth  n. 1 emergence of a baby or young from its mother's body. 2 beginning (birth of civilization). 3 a ancestry (of noble birth). B high or noble birth; inherited position.  give birth to 1 produce (young). 2 be the cause of. [old norse]
Propose  v. (-sing) 1 (also absol.) Put forward for consideration or as a plan; suggest. 2 (usu. Foll. By to + infin., or verbal noun) intend; purpose (propose to open a café). 3 (usu. Foll. By to) offer oneself in marriage. 4 nominate (a person) as a member of a society, for an office, etc.  propose a toast (or somebody's health) ask people to drink to someone's health.  proposer n. [latin pono posit- place]

Uncontested  adj. Not contested.
Toothsome  adj. (of food) delicious.
Morning  n. 1 early part of the day, ending at noon or lunch-time (this morning; during the morning). 2 attrib. Taken, occurring, or appearing during the morning (morning coffee).  in the morning colloq. Tomorrow morning. [from *morn]
Self-inflicted  adj. Inflicted by and on oneself.

Dormant  adj. 1 lying inactive; sleeping. 2 temporarily inactive. 3 (of plants) alive but not growing.  dormancy n. [latin dormio sleep]

Wreckage  n. 1 wrecked material. 2 remnants of a wreck. 3 act of wrecking.

Access time  n. Computing time taken to retrieve data from storage.
Matter  —n. 1 physical substance having mass and occupying space, as distinct from mind and spirit. 2 specified substance (colouring matter; reading matter). 3 (prec. By the; often foll. By with) (thing) amiss (something the matter with him). 4 content as distinct from style, form, etc. 5 (often foll. By of, for) situation etc. Under consideration or as an occasion for (regret etc.) (matter for concern; matter of discipline). 6 pus or a similar substance discharged from the body. —v. (often foll. By to) be of importance; have significance.  as a matter of fact in reality; actually. For that matter 1 as far as that is concerned. 2 and indeed also. A matter of approximately; amounting to (a matter of 40 years). No matter 1 (foll. By when, how, etc.) Regardless of. 2 it is of no importance. [latin materia timber, substance]

Bindery  n. (pl. -ies) bookbinder's workshop.

Debility  n. Feebleness, esp. Of health.
Vial  n. Small (usu. Cylindrical glass) vessel, esp. For holding medicines. [related to *phial]



Vamp1  —n. Upper front part of a boot or shoe. —v. 1 (often foll. By up) repair or furbish. 2 (foll. By up) make by patching or from odds and ends. 3 improvise a musical accompaniment. [french avantpié front of the foot]
Ground1  —n. 1 a surface of the earth, esp. As contrasted with the air around it. B part of this specified in some way (low ground). 2 a position, area, or distance on the earth's surface. B extent of a subject dealt with (the book covers a lot of ground). 3 (often in pl.) Reason, justification. 4 area of a special kind or use (often in comb.: cricket-ground; fishing-grounds). 5 (in pl.) Enclosed land attached to a house etc. 6 area or basis for agreement etc. (common ground). 7 (in painting etc.) The surface giving the predominant colour. 8 (in pl.) Solid particles, esp. Of coffee, forming a residue. 9 us electr. = *earth n. 4. 10 bottom of the sea. 11 floor of a room etc. 12 (in full ground bass) mus. Short theme in the bass constantly repeated with the upper parts of the music varied. 13 (attrib.) (of animals) living on or in the ground; (of plants) dwarfish or trailing. —v. 1 refuse authority for (a pilot or an aircraft) to fly. 2 a run (a ship) aground; strand. B (of a ship) run aground. 3 (foll. By in) instruct thoroughly (in a subject). 4 (often as grounded adj.) (foll. By on) base (a principle, conclusion, etc.) On. 5 us electr. = *earth v.  break new (or fresh) ground treat a subject previously not dealt with. Get off the ground colloq. Make a successful start. Give (or lose) ground retreat, decline. Go to ground 1 (of a fox etc.) Enter its earth etc. 2 (of a person) become inaccessible for a prolonged period. Hold one's ground not retreat. On the grounds of because of. [old english]
Natal  adj. Of or from one's birth. [latin natalis from nascor nat- be born]





Provisional  —adj. 1 providing for immediate needs only; temporary. 2 (provisional) of the unofficial wing of the ira, using terrorism. —n. (provisional) member of the provisional wing of the ira.  provisionally adv.
Printing  n. 1 production of printed books etc. 2 copies of a book printed at one time. 3 printed letters or writing imitating them.
Concordance  n. 1 agreement. 2 alphabetical index of words used in a book or by an author. [medieval latin: related to *concord]
Rigor1  n. Feeling of cold with shivering and a rise in temperature, preceding a fever etc. [latin rigeo be stiff]
Machinery  n. (pl. -ies) 1 machines. 2 mechanism. 3 (usu. Foll. By of) organized system. 4 (usu. Foll. By for) means devised.
Electrolyte  n. 1 solution able to conduct electricity, esp. In an electric cell or battery. 2 substance that can dissolve to produce this.
Unstick  v. (past and past part. Unstuck) separate (a thing stuck to another).  come unstuck colloq. Come to grief, fail.
Loom2  v. 1 appear dimly, esp. As a vague and often threatening shape. 2 (of an event) be ominously close. [probably low german or dutch]
Creation  n. 1 creating or being created. 2 a (usu. The creation) god's creating of the universe. B (usu. Creation) all created things, the universe. 3 product of the imagination, art, fashion, etc.

Groundwater  n. Water found in soil or in pores, crevices, etc., in rock.

Lodging  n. 1 temporary accommodation (a lodging for the night). 2 (in pl.) Room or rooms rented for lodging in.
Playhouse  n. Theatre.
Pedophile  n. (brit. Paedophile) person who displays paedophilia.

Undersized  adj. Smaller than average.
Synovia  n. Physiol. Viscous fluid lubricating joints etc.  synovial adj. [medieval latin]
Balustrade  n. Railing supported by balusters, esp. On a balcony.  balustraded adj.

Half-volley  n. (in ball games) playing of the ball as soon as it bounces off the ground.
Scarlet woman  n. Derog. Promiscuous woman, prostitute.


Ken  —n. Range of knowledge or sight (beyond my ken). —v. (-nn-; past and past part. Kenned or kent) scot. & n.engl. 1 recognize at sight. 2 know. [old english, = make known: related to *can1]
Incinerate  v. (-ting) burn to ashes.  incineration n. [medieval latin cinis ciner- ashes]

Open day  n. Day when the public may visit a place normally closed to them.
Fief  n. 1 land held under the feudal system or in fee. 2 person's sphere of operation. [french: related to *fee]


Underbid  —v. (-dd-; past and past part. -bid) 1 make a lower bid than. 2 (also absol.) Bridge etc. Bid less on (one's hand) than warranted. —n. Such a bid.



Hearten  v. Make or become more cheerful.  heartening adj.



Barium  n. White soft metallic element. [from *baryta]
Wretched  adj. (wretcheder, wretchedest) 1 unhappy, miserable; unwell. 2 of bad quality; contemptible. 3 displeasing, hateful.  wretchedly adv. Wretchedness n.

Accredit  v. (-t-) 1 (foll. By to) attribute (a saying etc.) To (a person). 2 (foll. By with) credit (a person) with (a saying etc.). 3 (usu. Foll. By to or at) send (an ambassador etc.) With credentials. 4 gain influence for or make credible (an adviser, a statement, etc.). [french: related to *credit]
Oversubscribe  v. (-bing) (usu. As oversubscribed adj.) Subscribe for more than the amount available of (shares, tickets, places, etc.).


Text editor  n. Computing system or program allowing the user to enter and edit text.
Lilo  n. (also li-lo propr.) (pl. -s) type of inflatable mattress. [from lie low]
Vouchsafe  v. (-fing) formal 1 condescend to grant. 2 (foll. By to + infin.) Condescend.
Prescient  adj. Having foreknowledge or foresight.  prescience n. [latin praescio know before]


Mansard  n. Roof with four sloping sides, each of which becomes steeper halfway down. [mansart, name of an architect]


Brat  n. Usu. Derog. Child, esp. An ill-behaved one. [origin unknown]

Pretense  n. (brit. Pretence) 1 pretending, make-believe. 2 a pretext, excuse. B false show of intentions or motives. 3 (foll. By to) claim, esp. A false one (to merit etc.). 4 display; ostentation. [anglo-latin: related to *pretend]
Usage  venial is sometimes confused with venal, which means ‘corrupt’.
Bonus  n. Extra benefit or payment. [latin, = good]

Cooling tower  n. Tall structure for cooling hot water before reuse, esp. In industry.
Timber  n. 1 wood prepared for building, carpentry, etc. 2 piece of wood or beam, esp. As the rib of a vessel. 3 large standing trees. 4 (esp. As int.) Warning cry that a tree is about to fall. [old english, = building]
Third party  —n. 1 another party besides the two principals. 2 bystander etc. —adj. (third-party) (of insurance) covering damage or injury suffered by a person other than the insured.
Untalented  adj. Not talented.
Sepulcher  (brit. Sepulchre) —n. Tomb, esp. Cut in rock or built of stone or brick. —v. (-ring) 1 place in a sepulchre. 2 serve as a sepulchre for. [latin sepelio bury]

Colander  n. Perforated vessel used to strain off liquid in cookery. [latin colo strain]


Postage stamp  n. Official stamp affixed to a letter etc., showing the amount of postage paid.





Gung-ho  adj. Zealous, arrogantly eager. [chinese gonghe work together]

Yrs.  Abbr. 1 years. 2 yours.
Humanitarian  —n. Person who seeks to promote human welfare. —adj. Of humanitarians.  humanitarianism n.

Pilchard  n. Small marine fish of the herring family. [origin unknown]
Trade-off  n. Balance, compromise.
Ailing  adj. 1 ill. 2 in poor condition.
Dubbin  n. (also dubbing) thick grease for softening and waterproofing leather. [see *dub1 3]
Dearth  n. Scarcity, lack.
Witch-hazel  n. (also wych-hazel) 1 american shrub with bark yielding an astringent lotion. 2 this lotion.
Voyage  —n. Journey, esp. A long one by sea or in space. —v. (-ging) make a voyage.  voyager n. [latin *viaticum]
White lie  n. Harmless or trivial untruth.

Guilder  n. Chief monetary unit of the netherlands. [alteration of dutch gulden golden]

Anyone  pron. Anybody.

Deviant  —adj. Deviating from what is normal, esp. Sexually. —n. Deviant person or thing.  deviance n. Deviancy n.
Univalve  zool. —adj. Having one valve. —n. Univalve mollusc.
Sabbatical  —adj. (of leave) granted at intervals to a university teacher for study or travel. —n. Period of sabbatical leave. [greek: related to *sabbath]
Moonie  n. Colloq. Offens. Member of the unification church. [sun myung moon, name of its founder]

Equestrian  —adj. 1 of horse-riding. 2 on horseback. —n. Rider or performer on horseback.  equestrianism n. [latin equestris from equus horse]


Fancy  —n. (pl. -ies) 1 inclination. 2 whim. 3 supposition. 4 a faculty of imagination. B mental image. —adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 ornamental. 2 extravagant. —v. (-ies, -ied) 1 (foll. By that) be inclined to suppose. 2 colloq. Feel a desire for (fancy a drink?). 3 colloq. Find sexually attractive. 4 colloq. Value (oneself, one's ability, etc.) Unduly highly. 5 (in imper.) Exclamation of surprise. 6 imagine.  take a fancy to become (esp. Inexplicably) fond of. Take a person's fancy suddenly attract or please.  fanciable adj. (in sense 3 of v.). Fancily adv. Fanciness n. [contraction of *fantasy]
Supertanker  n. Very large tanker ship.





High and low  adv. Everywhere (searched high and low).
Tracing-paper  n. Translucent paper for making tracings.




Torture  —n. 1 infliction of severe bodily pain, esp. As a punishment or means of persuasion. 2 severe physical or mental suffering. —v. (-ring) subject to torture.  torturer n. Torturous adj. [latin tortura twisting: related to *tort]
Ferial  adj. Eccl. (of a day) not a festival or fast. [latin feria *fair2]
Undoing  n. 1 ruin or cause of ruin. 2 reversing of an action etc. 3 opening or unfastening.
Doz.  Abbr. Dozen.
Acronym  n. Word formed from the initial letters of other words (e.g. Laser, nato). [greek akron end, onoma name]
Unleash  v. 1 release from a leash or restraint. 2 set free to engage in pursuit or attack.
Sublimate  —v. (-ting) 1 divert (esp. Sexual energy) into socially more acceptable activity. 2 convert (a substance) from the solid state directly to vapour by heat, and usu. Allow it to solidify again. 3 refine; purify; idealize. —n. Sublimated substance.  sublimation n. [latin: related to *sublime]
Herbicide  n. Poison used to destroy unwanted vegetation.

Stone-deaf  adj. Completely deaf.

Encyclical  —adj. For wide circulation. —n. Papal encyclical letter. [greek: related to *cycle]

Saluki  n. (pl. -s) dog of a tall slender silky-coated breed. [arabic]

Conspicuous  adj. 1 clearly visible; attracting notice. 2 noteworthy.  conspicuously adv. [latin specio look]


Reflective  adj. 1 (of a surface etc.) Reflecting. 2 (of mental faculties) concerned in reflection or thought. 3 (of a person or mood etc.) Thoughtful; given to meditation.  reflectively adv. Reflectiveness n.


Hemisphere  n. 1 half a sphere. 2 half of the earth, esp. As divided by the equator (into northern and southern hemisphere) or by a line passing through the poles (into eastern and western hemisphere).  hemispherical adj. [greek: related to *hemi-, *sphere]
Nosy parker  n. Colloq. Busybody.
Postgraduate  —n. Person engaged in a course of study after taking a first degree. —adj. Of or concerning postgraduates.

Parchment  n. 1 a skin, esp. Of sheep or goat, prepared for writing or painting on. B manuscript written on this. 2 high-grade paper resembling parchment. [latin pergamum, now bergama in turkey]

Hip-bath  n. Portable bath in which one sits immersed to the hips.

Pin-up  n. 1 photograph of a popular or sexually attractive person, hung on the wall. 2 person in such a photograph.

Escudo  n. (pl. -s) chief monetary unit of portugal. [spanish and portuguese from latin scutum shield]






Hartebeest  n. Large african antelope with curving horns. [afrikaans]


Ritardando  adv. & n. (pl. -s or -di) mus. = *rallentando. [italian]







Au gratin  adj. Cooked with a crust of breadcrumbs or melted cheese. [french]
Edwardian  —adj. Of or characteristic of the reign of edward vii (1901–10). —n. Person of this period.
Gingivitis  n. Inflammation of the gums. [latin gingiva *gum2, *-itis]
Emeritus  adj. Retired but retaining one's title as an honour (emeritus professor). [latin mereor earn]
Stole2  past of *steal.


Famine  n. Extreme scarcity, esp. Of food. [latin fames hunger]
Catabolism  n. Breakdown of complex molecules in living organisms to release energy; destructive metabolism.  catabolic adj. [greek katabole throwing down]

Ecg  abbr. Electrocardiogram.
Shoulder-length  adj. (of hair etc.) Reaching to the shoulders.
Immaculate conception  n. Rc ch. Doctrine that the virgin mary was without original sin from conception.






Damask  —n. Reversible figured woven fabric, esp. White table linen. —adj. 1 made of damask. 2 velvety pink. —v. Weave with figured designs. [as *damascene]
Gnash  v. 1 grind (the teeth). 2 (of the teeth) strike together. [old norse]
Distress  —n. 1 anguish or suffering caused by pain, sorrow, worry, etc. 2 poverty. 3 law = *distraint. —v. Cause distress to, make unhappy.  in distress suffering or in danger.  distressful adj. [romanic: related to *distrain]
Jet propulsion  n. Propulsion by the backward ejection of a high-speed jet of gas etc.
Araldite  n. Propr. Epoxy resin for mending china etc. [origin unknown]






Stark  —adj. 1 sharply evident (in stark contrast). 2 desolate, bare. 3 absolute (stark madness). —adv. Completely, wholly (stark naked).  starkly adv. Starkness n. [old english]
Non-proliferation  n. Prevention of an increase in something, esp. Possession of nuclear weapons.




Ptarmigan  n. Game-bird with a grouselike appearance. [gaelic]
Mangrove  n. Tropical tree or shrub growing in shore-mud with many tangled roots above ground. [origin unknown]




Mast1  n. 1 long upright post of timber etc. On a ship's keel to support sails. 2 post etc. For supporting a radio or television aerial. 3 flag-pole (half-mast).  before the mast as an ordinary seaman.  masted adj. (also in comb.). Master n. (also in comb.). [old english]

Incorrigible  adj. (of a person or habit) that cannot be corrected or improved.  incorrigibility n. Incorrigibly adv.
Subcutaneous  adj. Under the skin.
Pellagra  n. Disease with cracking of the skin and often ending in insanity. [italian pelle skin]
Rosebowl  n. Bowl for cut roses, esp. As a prize in a competition.
Loosen  v. Make or become loose or looser.  loosen a person's tongue make a person talk freely. Loosen up 1 relax. 2 limber up.

Nod  —v. (-dd-) 1 incline one's head slightly and briefly in assent, greeting, or command. 2 let one's head fall forward in drowsiness; be drowsy. 3 incline (one's head). 4 signify (assent etc.) By a nod. 5 (of flowers, plumes, etc.) Bend downwards and sway. 6 make a mistake due to a momentary lack of alertness or attention. —n. Nodding of the head.  nod off colloq. Fall asleep. [origin unknown]

Close shave  n. (also close thing) colloq. Narrow escape.

Pot-belly  n. 1 protruding stomach. 2 person with this.

Stylus  n. (pl. -luses) 1 sharp needle following a groove in a gramophone record and transmitting the recorded sound for reproduction. 2 pointed writing tool. [latin: related to *style]
Schooner  n. 1 fore-and-aft rigged ship with two or more masts. 2 a measure or glass for esp. Sherry. B us & austral. Tall beer-glass. [origin uncertain]

Usage  triumphal, meaning ‘of or used in celebrating a triumph’ as in triumphal arch should not be confused with triumphant meaning ‘victorious’ or ‘exultant’.
Hematite  n. (brit. Haem-) a ferric oxide ore. [latin: related to *haemal]
Flash-gun  n. Device operating a camera flashlight.
On-street  adj. (esp. Of parking) along a street.
Reckoning  n. 1 counting or calculating. 2 consideration or opinion. 3 settlement of an account.
Liner1  n. Ship or aircraft etc. Carrying passengers on a regular line.
Condolence  n. (often in pl.) Expression of sympathy.


Darby and joan  n. Devoted old married couple. [names of a couple in an 18th-c. Poem]
Dormouse  n. (pl. -mice) small mouselike hibernating rodent. [origin unknown]
Peak1  —n. 1 projecting usu. Pointed part, esp.: a the pointed top of a mountain. B a mountain with a peak. C a stiff brim at the front of a cap. 2 a highest point of a curve, graph, etc. (peak of the wave). B time of greatest success, fitness, etc. 3 attrib. Maximum, busiest (peak viewing; peak hours). —v. Reach its highest value, quality, etc. (output peaked).  peaked adj. [related to *pick2]
 




Apricot  —n. 1 a small juicy soft orange-yellow peachlike fruit. B tree bearing it. 2 its colour. —adj. Orange-yellow. [portuguese and spanish from arabic, ultimately from latin praecox early-ripe]

Faint-hearted  adj. Cowardly, timid.


White friar  n. Carmelite.

Booking-hall  n. (also booking-office) ticket office at a railway station etc.

Air marshal  n. Raf officer of high rank, above air vice-marshal.

Worktop  n. Flat surface for working on, esp. In a kitchen.
Stag beetle  n. Beetle with branched mandibles like antlers.
Forelimb  n. Front limb of an animal.
Hyperbolic function  n. Function related to a rectangular hyperbola, e.g. A hyperbolic cosine or sine.
Sedulous  adj. Persevering, diligent, painstaking.  sedulity n. Sedulously adv. [latin sedulus zealous]
Popular  adj. 1 liked by many people. 2 a of or for the general public. B prevalent among the general public (popular fallacies). 3 (sometimes derog.) Adapted to the understanding, taste, or means of the people (popular science; the popular press).  popularity n. Popularly adv.
Unnamed  adj. Not named.


Winding-sheet  n. Sheet in which a corpse is wrapped for burial.

Boisterous  adj. 1 noisily exuberant, rough. 2 (of the sea etc.) Stormy. [origin unknown]
Cyclic  adj. (also cyclical) 1 a recurring in cycles. B belonging to a chronological cycle. 2 with constituent atoms forming a ring.  cyclically adv.
Blue-collar  attrib. Adj. (of a worker or work) manual; industrial.
Traffic  —n. 1 vehicles moving on a public highway or in the air or at sea. 2 (usu. Foll. By in) trade, esp. Illegal (drugs traffic). 3 coming and going of people or goods by road, rail, air, sea, etc. 4 dealings between people etc. (had no traffic with them). 5 messages etc. Transmitted through a communications system; volume of this. —v. (-ck-) 1 (usu. Foll. By in) deal in something, esp. Illegally. 2 deal in; barter.  trafficker n. [french from italian]

Cnd  abbr. Campaign for nuclear disarmament.
Balm  n. 1 aromatic ointment. 2 fragrant oil or resin exuded from certain trees and plants. 3 thing that heals or soothes. 4 aromatic herb. [latin: related to *balsam]
Muscovy duck  n. Crested duck with red markings on its head. [muscovy, principality of moscow]


Puck1  n. Rubber disc used as a ball in ice hockey. [origin unknown]
-phobia  comb. Form forming nouns denoting a specified fear or aversion (agoraphobia).  -phobic comb. Form forming adjectives.


M.i.5  abbr. Uk department of military intelligence concerned with state security.


Country-and-western  n. Type of folk music originated by whites in the southern us.
Asafoetida  n. (us asafetida) resinous pungent plant gum used in cooking and formerly in medicine. [persian aza mastic: related to *fetid]
Unselfconscious  adj. Not self-conscious.  unselfconsciously adv. Unselfconsciousness n.

Public health  n. Provision of adequate sanitation, drainage, etc. By government.
Baking-powder  n. Mixture of sodium bicarbonate, cream of tartar, etc., as a raising agent.







Found1  past and past part. Of *find.

Herring  n. (pl. Same or -s) n. Atlantic fish used as food. [old english]
Electroconvulsive  adj. (of therapy) using convulsive response to electric shocks.








Guffaw  —n. Boisterous laugh. —v. Utter a guffaw. [imitative]
Haughty  adj. (-ier, -iest) arrogant and disdainful.  haughtily adv. Haughtiness n. [haught, haut from french, = high]


Nave2  n. Hub of a wheel. [old english]


Considerate  adj. Thoughtful towards others; careful not to cause hurt or inconvenience.  considerately adv. [latin: related to *consider]
Pressing  —adj. 1 urgent. 2 urging strongly (pressing invitation). —n. 1 thing made by pressing, e.g. A gramophone record. 2 series of these made at one time. 3 act of pressing (all at one pressing).  pressingly adv.




Face  —n. 1 front of the head from forehead to chin. 2 facial expression. 3 coolness, effrontery. 4 surface, esp.: a the side of a mountain etc. (north face). B = *coalface. C geom. Each surface of a solid. D the façade of a building. E the dial of a clock etc. 5 functional side of a tool etc. 6 = *typeface. 7 aspect (unacceptable face of capitalism). —v. (-cing) 1 look or be positioned towards or in a certain direction. 2 be opposite. 3 meet resolutely. 4 confront (faces us with a problem). 5 a coat the surface of (a thing). B put a facing on (a garment).  face the music colloq. Take unpleasant consequences without flinching. Face up to accept bravely. Have the face be shameless enough. In face (or the face) of despite. Lose face be humiliated. On the face of it apparently. Put a bold (or brave) face on it accept difficulty etc. Cheerfully. Save face avoid humiliation. Set one's face against oppose stubbornly. To a person's face openly in a person's presence. [latin facies]

Oast  n. Kiln for drying hops. [old english]
Calendar  —n. 1 system fixing the year's beginning, length, and subdivision. 2 chart etc. Showing such subdivisions. 3 timetable of dates, events, etc. —v. Enter in a calendar; register (documents). [latin: related to *calends]
Budge  v. (-ging) (usu. With neg.) 1 move slightly. 2 (cause to) change an opinion.  budge up (or over) make room for another person by moving. [french bouger]
£  abbr. Pound(s) (money). [latin libra]

Will1  v.aux. (3rd sing. Present will; past would) 1 (strictly only in the 2nd and 3rd persons: see *shall) expressing a future statement, command, etc. (you will regret this; they will leave at once). 2 expressing the speaker's intention (i will return soon). 3 wish or desire (will you have a drink?; come when you will). 4 expressing a request as a question (will you please open the window?). 5 be able to (the jar will hold a kilo). 6 have a habit or tendency to (accidents will happen; will sit there for hours). 7 expressing probability or expectation (that will be my wife). [old english]
Hrh  abbr. Her or his royal highness.

Diffusion  n. 1 diffusing or being diffused. 2 interpenetration of substances by natural movement of their particles. [latin: related to *diffuse]


Metre1  n. (us meter) metric unit and the base si unit of linear measure, equal to about 39.4 inches.  metreage n. [greek metron measure]
Ill-advised  adj. Foolish; imprudent.
Scallywag  n. (also scalawag) scamp, rascal. [origin unknown]
Head-hunting  n. 1 collecting of the heads of dead enemies as trophies. 2 seeking of (esp. Senior) staff by approaching people employed elsewhere.  head-hunt v. Head-hunter n.
Proceeds  n.pl. Profits from sale etc. [pl. Of obsolete proceed (n.) From *proceed]



Bombazine  n. Twilled worsted dress-material. [greek bombux silk]
Liquidize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) reduce to a liquid state.
Tarzan  n. Colloq. Agile muscular man. [name of a character in stories by e. R. Burroughs]
Poinsettia  n. Plant with large scarlet bracts surrounding small yellow flowers. [poinsett, name of a diplomat]
Locomotive  —n. Engine for pulling trains. —adj. Of, having, or effecting locomotion.

Electrical  adj. Of electricity.  electrically adv.
Rambler  n. 1 person who rambles. 2 straggling or spreading rose.
Kindred spirit  n. Person like or in sympathy with oneself.
Illicit  adj. Unlawful, forbidden.  illicitly adv.
Cert.  Abbr. 1 certificate. 2 certified.

Outwards  var. Of *outward adv.
County council  n. Elected governing body of an administrative county.
Gabble  —v. (-ling) talk or utter unintelligibly or too fast. —n. Fast unintelligible talk. [dutch, imitative]
Extensive  adj. 1 covering a large area. 2 far-reaching.  extensively adv. Extensiveness n. [latin: related to *extend]

Skiff  n. Light rowing- or sculling-boat. [french esquif: related to *ship]
Banquette  n. Upholstered bench, esp. In a restaurant or bar. [french from italian]
Reassert  v. Assert again, esp. With renewed emphasis.  reassertion n.
C/s  abbr. Cycles per second.
Evidently  adv. 1 seemingly; as it appears. 2 as shown by evidence.
Teuton  n. Member of a teutonic nation, esp. A german. [latin teutones, ancient tribe of n. Europe]
L2  abbr. (also l.) 1 learner driver. 2 lake.
Promethean  adj. Daring or inventive. [prometheus, a mortal punished by the greek gods for stealing fire]

Amphitheatre  n. Esp. Circular unroofed building with tiers of seats surrounding a central space. [greek amphi- round]
Hook-up  n. Connection, esp. Of broadcasting equipment.

Infusible  adj. That cannot be melted.  infusibility n.
Shoal2  —n. 1 a area of shallow water. B submerged sandbank visible at low water. 2 (esp. In pl.) Hidden danger. —v. (of water) get shallower. [old english]
Usage  in sense 1a, a lot of is somewhat informal, but acceptable in serious writing, whereas lots of is not acceptable.
Software  n. Programs for a computer.

Happen  v. 1 occur (by chance or otherwise). 2 (foll. By to + infin.) Have the (good or bad) fortune to (i happened to meet her). 3 (foll. By to) be the (esp. Unwelcome) fate or experience of (what happened to you?). 4 (foll. By on) encounter or discover by chance.  as it happens in fact; in reality. [related to *haphazard]
Dustpan  n. Pan into which dust is brushed from the floor.
Sinh  abbr. Math. Hyperbolic sine. [sine, hyperbolic]
Bcg  abbr. Bacillus calmette-guérin, an anti-tuberculosis vaccine.

Water-rate  n. Charge made for the use of the public water-supply.
Opinion poll  n. Assessment of public opinion by questioning a representative sample.



Raid  —n. 1 rapid surprise attack, esp.: a in warfare. B in order to commit a crime, steal, or do harm. 2 surprise attack by police etc. To arrest suspected persons or seize illicit goods. —v. Make a raid on.  raider n. [scots form of *road]
Usage  the second pronunciation given, with the stress on the second syllable, is considered incorrect by some people.
Skin-deep  adj. Superficial.
Pier-glass  n. Large mirror, used orig. To fill wall-space between windows.


-eth  var. Of *-th.


Micromesh  n. (often attrib.) Fine-meshed material, esp. Nylon.





Mum1  n. Colloq. = *mummy1.
Re-entrant  adj. (of an angle) pointing inwards, reflex.
Dusty answer  n. Colloq. Curt refusal.




Genetic  adj. 1 of genetics or genes. 2 of or in origin.  genetically adv. [from *genesis]


King-size  adj. (also -sized) very large.






Escapade  n. Piece of reckless behaviour. [french from provençal or spanish: related to *escape]


Strawberry  n. (pl. -ies) 1 pulpy red fruit with a seed-studded surface. 2 plant with runners and white flowers bearing this. [old english: related to *straw, for unknown reason]


Bark1  —n. 1 sharp explosive cry of a dog, fox, etc. 2 sound like this. —v. 1 (of a dog etc.) Give a bark. 2 speak or utter sharply or brusquely. 3 colloq. Cough harshly.  bark up the wrong tree make false assumptions. [old english]
Dark glasses  n.pl. Spectacles with dark-tinted lenses.
Couscous  n. N. African dish of crushed wheat or coarse flour steamed over broth, often with meat or fruit added. [french from arabic]

Leuco-  comb. Form white. [greek leukos white]

Speech day  n. School celebration with speeches, prize-giving, etc.
Itemize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) state item by item.  itemization n.
Reed-bed  n. Bed or growth of reeds.




Cohabit  v. (-t-) (esp. Of an unmarried couple) live together as husband and wife.  cohabitation n. Cohabitee n. [latin habito dwell]


Duckweed  n. Any of various plants growing on the surface of still water.

Footloose  adj. Free to act as one pleases.

Piddle  v. (-ling) 1 colloq. Urinate. 2 (as piddling adj.) Colloq. Trivial; trifling. 3 (foll. By about, around) work or act in a trifling way. [origin unknown]
Pot luck  n. Whatever is available.
Dutch auction  n. One in which the price is progressively reduced.

Neighbourhood  n. (us neighborhood) 1 district; vicinity. 2 people of a district.  in the neighbourhood of roughly; about.
Newt  n. Small amphibian with a well-developed tail. [ewt, with n from an: var. Of evet *eft]



Subtenant  n. Person renting a room etc. From its tenant.  subtenancy n. (pl. -ies).


Wedding  n. Marriage ceremony. [old english: related to *wed]
Incrustation  n. 1 encrusting. 2 crust or hard coating. 3 deposit on a surface. [latin: related to *crust]
Madam  n. 1 polite or respectful form of address or mode of reference to a woman. 2 colloq. Conceited or precocious girl or young woman. 3 woman brothel-keeper. [related to *madame]


Transporter bridge  n. Bridge carrying vehicles etc. Across water on a suspended moving platform.
Humus  n. Organic constituent of soil formed by the decomposition of vegetation. [latin, = soil]


Ungentlemanly  adj. Not gentlemanly.
Heart-warming  adj. Emotionally rewarding or uplifting.


Rallycross  n. Motor racing over roads and cross-country.


Papa  n. Archaic father (esp. As a child's word). [greek papas]

Psst  int. (also pst) whispered exclamation to attract a person's attention. [imitative]


Purposeful  adj. 1 having or indicating purpose. 2 intentional. 3 resolute.  purposefully adv. Purposefulness n.


Horrify  v. (-ies, -ied) arouse horror in; shock.  horrifying adj.
Painkiller  n. Drug for alleviating pain.  painkilling adj.


Hydro-  comb. Form 1 having to do with water (hydroelectric). 2 combined with hydrogen (hydrochloric). [greek hudro- from hudor water]
Soloist  n. Performer of a solo, esp. In music.

Canter  —n. Horse's pace between a trot and a gallop. —v. Go or make go at a canter. [canterbury gallop of medieval pilgrims]
Impress  —v. 1 (often foll. By with) a affect or influence deeply. B affect (a person) favourably (was most impressed). 2 (often foll. By on) emphasize (an idea etc.) (must impress on you the need to be prompt). 3 a (often foll. By on) imprint or make (a mark). B mark (a thing) with a stamp, seal, etc. —n. 1 mark made by a seal, stamp, etc. 2 characteristic mark or quality.  impressible adj. [french: related to *press1]
Herein  adv. Formal in this matter, book, etc.


Mornay  n. Cheese-flavoured white sauce. [origin uncertain]


Territory  n. (pl. -ies) 1 extent of the land under the jurisdiction of a ruler, state, etc. 2 (territory) organized division of a country, esp. One not yet admitted to the full rights of a state. 3 sphere of action etc.; province. 4 commercial traveller's sales area. 5 animal's or human's defended space or area. 6 area defended by a team or player in a game. [latin terra land]

Vacuole  n. Tiny space in an organ or cell, containing air, fluid, etc. [latin vacuus empty]
Outdoors  —adv. In or into the open air. —n. The open air.

Rig2  —v. (-gg-) manage or fix (a result etc.) Fraudulently (rigged the election). —n. Trick, dodge, or way of swindling.  rig the market cause an artificial rise or fall in prices.  rigger n. [origin unknown]


Aliphatic  adj. Chem. Of organic compounds in which carbon atoms form open chains, not aromatic rings. [greek aleiphar -phat- fat]
Palm2  —n. 1 inner surface of the hand between the wrist and fingers. 2 part of a glove that covers this. —v. Conceal in the hand.  palm off 1 (often foll. By on) impose fraudulently (on a person) (palmed my old car off on him). 2 (often foll. By with) cause (a person) to accept unwillingly or unknowingly (palmed him off with my old car). [latin palma]
Scrunch  —v. 1 (usu. Foll. By up) crumple. 2 crunch. —n. Crunching sound. [var. Of *crunch]
Adonis  n. Handsome young man. [latin, name of a youth loved by venus]




Rhetoric  n. 1 art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing. 2 language designed to persuade or impress (esp. Seen as overblown and meaningless). [greek rhetor orator]
Cant1  —n. 1 insincere pious or moral talk. 2 language peculiar to a class, profession, etc.; jargon. —v. Use cant. [probably from latin: related to *chant]

Sanctimonious  adj. Ostentatiously pious.  sanctimoniously adv. Sanctimoniousness n. Sanctimony n. [latin sanctimonia sanctity]
Dry land  n. Land as distinct from sea etc.
Index-linked  adj. Related to the value of a price index.


Barracuda  n. (pl. Same or -s) large tropical marine fish. [spanish]


Gambit  n. 1 chess opening in which a player sacrifices a piece or pawn to secure an advantage. 2 opening move in a discussion etc. 3 trick or device. [italian gambetto tripping up]
Pop1  —n. 1 sudden sharp explosive sound as of a cork when drawn. 2 colloq. Effervescent drink. —v. (-pp-) 1 (cause to) make a pop. 2 (foll. By in, out, up, etc.) Go, move, come, or put unexpectedly or abruptly (pop out to the shop). 3 slang pawn. —adv. With the sound of a pop (go pop).  pop off colloq. Die. Pop the question colloq. Propose marriage. [imitative]
Balladry  n. Ballad poetry.






Biological clock  n. Innate mechanism controlling an organism's rhythmic physiological activities.



Hen  n. Female bird, esp. Of a domestic fowl. [old english]


Rag-bag  n. 1 bag for scraps of fabric etc. 2 miscellaneous collection.
Rediffusion  n. Relaying of broadcast programmes, esp. By cable from a central receiver.



Mickey  n. (also micky)  take the mickey (often foll. By out of) slang tease, mock, ridicule. [origin uncertain]
Particoloured  adj. (us -colored) of more than one colour. [related to *part, *colour]
Husk  —n. 1 dry outer covering of some fruits or seeds. 2 worthless outside part of a thing. —v. Remove husk(s) from. [probably low german]
Hosteling  n. (brit. Hostelling) practice of staying in youth hostels.  hosteller n.

Extol  v. (-ll-) praise enthusiastically. [latin tollo raise]



Ir-  prefix assim. Form of *in-1, *in-2 before r.






Pusher  n. Colloq. Seller of illegal drugs.
Drapery  n. (pl. -ies) 1 clothing or hangings arranged in folds. 2 draper's trade or fabrics.
Stove1  n. Closed apparatus burning fuel or using electricity for heating or cooking. [low german or dutch]



Prussic acid  n.  Hydrocyanic acid. [french]



Supercilious  adj. Contemptuous; haughty.  superciliously adv. Superciliousness n. [latin supercilium eyebrow]

Vertiginous  adj. Of or causing vertigo. [latin: related to *vertigo]



Tiller  n. Bar fitted to a boat's rudder to turn it in steering. [anglo-french telier weaver's beam]
Football  n. 1 large inflated ball of leather or plastic. 2 outdoor team game played with this.  footballer n.
Ampoule  n. Small sealed capsule holding a solution for injection. [french: related to *ampulla]
Newsagent  n. Seller of or shop selling newspapers etc.

Rehung  past and past part. Of *rehang.


Therapy  n. (pl. -ies) non-surgical treatment of disease or disability.  therapist n. [greek therapeia healing]
Gadfly  n. 1 fly that bites cattle and horses. 2 irritating person. [obsolete gad spike]
Goblet  n. Drinking-vessel with a foot and stem. [french diminutive of gobel cup]



Electric chair  n. Electrified chair used for capital punishment.
Neutralize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 make neutral. 2 make ineffective by an opposite force or effect. 3 exempt or exclude (a place) from the sphere of hostilities.  neutralization n.

Northward  —adj. & adv. (also northwards) towards the north. —n. Northward direction or region.
Observation  n. 1 observing or being observed. 2 power of perception. 3 remark, comment. 4 thing observed by esp. Scientific study.  observational adj.
Few and far between  predic. Adj. Scarce.



Ub40  abbr. 1 card issued to people claiming unemployment benefit. 2 colloq. Unemployed person. [unemployment benefit]
Wheel-spin  n. Rotation of a vehicle's wheels without traction.
Billiards  n. 1 game played on a table, with three balls struck with cues. 2 (billiard) (in comb.) Used in billiards (billiard-ball). [french: related to *billet2]
Enrich  v. 1 make rich or richer. 2 make more nutritive. 3 increase the strength, wealth, value, or contents of.  enrichment n. [french: related to *en-1]
Grizzly  —adj. (-ier, -iest) grey, grey-haired. —n. (pl. -ies) (in full grizzly bear) large variety of brown bear, found in n. America and n. Russia.
Puerile  adj. Childish, immature.  puerility n. (pl. -ies). [latin puer boy]
Cull  —v. 1 select or gather (knowledge culled from books). 2 gather (flowers etc.). 3 a select (animals), esp. For killing. B reduce the population of (an animal) by selective slaughter. —n. 1 culling or being culled. 2 animal(s) culled. [french: related to *collect1]
Abashed  predic. Adj. Embarrassed, disconcerted. [french es- *ex-1, baïr astound]
Slanging-match  n. Prolonged exchange of insults.
Catchy  adj. (-ier, -iest) (of a tune) easy to remember, attractive.


Purist  n. Advocate of scrupulous purity, esp. In language or art.  purism n. Puristic adj.
Scrum  n. 1 scrummage. 2 colloq. = *scrimmage. [abbreviation]
Thriller  n. Exciting or sensational story or play etc., esp. About crime or espionage.





Breech  n. Back part of a rifle or gun barrel. [old english]
Iambus  n. (pl. -buses or -bi) metrical foot consisting of one short followed by one long syllable (&iambus.). [greek, = lampoon]
Breach of the peace  n. Crime of causing a public disturbance.
Uninformed  adj. Not informed; ignorant.
Primeval  adj. 1 of the first age of the world. 2 ancient, primitive.  primevally adv. [latin: related to *prime1, aevum age]

Defective  adj. Having defect(s); imperfect.  defectiveness n. [latin: related to *defect]


Disembarrass  v. 1 (usu. Foll. By of) relieve (of a load etc.). 2 free from embarrassment.  disembarrassment n.

Taciturn  adj. Saying little; uncommunicative.  taciturnity n. [latin: related to *tacit]
Strut  —n. 1 bar in a framework, designed to resist compression. 2 strutting gait. —v. (-tt-) 1 walk stiffly and pompously. 2 brace with struts. [old english]
Mole4  n. Chem. The si unit of amount of a substance equal to the quantity containing as many elementary units as there are atoms in 0.012 kg of carbon-12. [german mol from molekül *molecule]
Cubism  n. Style in art, esp. Painting, in which objects are represented geometrically.  cubist n. & adj.

Flavouring  n. (us flavoring) substance used to flavour food or drink.
Deject  v. (usu. As dejected adj.) Make sad; depress.  dejectedly adv. Dejection n. [latin jacio throw]

Eisteddfod  n. Congress of welsh poets and musicians; festival for musical competitions etc. [welsh]
Walker  n. 1 person or animal that walks. 2 a framework in which a baby can walk unaided. B = *walking frame.
Well-dressed  adj. Fashionably smart.
Maximum  —n. (pl. -ma) highest possible amount, size, etc. —adj. Greatest in amount, size, etc. [latin maximus greatest]
Lutanist  var. Of *lutenist.


Lower1  —adj. (compar. Of *low1). 1 less high in position or status. 2 situated below another part (lower lip). 3 a situated on less high land (lower egypt). B situated to the south (lower california). 4 (of a mammal, plant, etc.) Evolved to only a slight degree. —adv. In or to a lower position, status, etc.  lowermost adj.

Amplitude modulation  n. Modulation of a wave by variation of its amplitude.
Polling-station  n. Building, often a school, used for voting at an election.
Roguish  adj. 1 playfully mischievous. 2 characteristic of rogues.  roguishly adv. Roguishness n.


Insincere  adj. Not sincere.  insincerely adv. Insincerity n. (pl. -ies).

Balalaika  n. Guitar-like stringed instrument with a triangular body. [russian]
Presumptive  adj. Giving grounds for presumption (presumptive evidence).


Neuron  n. (also neurone) nerve-cell.

Lat.  Abbr. Latitude.
Rigor mortis  n. Stiffening of the body after death.

Precious metals  n.pl. Gold, silver, and platinum.
Regina  n. 1 (after the name) reigning queen (elizabeth regina). 2 law the crown (regina v. Jones). [latin, = queen: related to *rex]


Wanker  n. Coarse slang contemptible or ineffectual person.
Inferiority complex  n. Feeling of inadequacy, sometimes marked by compensating aggressive behaviour.
Trimaran  n. Vessel like a catamaran, with three hulls side by side. [from *catamaran]


Sis  n. Colloq. Sister. [abbreviation]
Thunderstruck  predic. Adj. Amazed.
Self-induced  adj. Induced by oneself or itself.


Ovi-  comb. Form egg, ovum. [from *ovum]

Goggle-box  n. Colloq. Television set.



Shrinkage  n. 1 process or degree of shrinking. 2 allowance made by a shop etc. For loss by wastage, theft, etc.
Eukaryote  n. Organism consisting of a cell or cells in which the genetic material is contained within a distinct nucleus.  eukaryotic adj. [from *eu-, karyo- from greek karuon kernel, -ote as in *zygote]



Teepee  var. Of *tepee.



Overexcite  v. (-ting) excite excessively.  overexcitement n.
Indivisible  adj. Not divisible.
Toby jug  n. Jug or mug in the form of a stout man wearing a three-cornered hat. [familiar form of the name tobias]
Pheromone  n. Substance secreted and released by an animal for detection and response by another usu. Of the same species. [greek phero convey, *hormone]

Unnecessary  adj. 1 not necessary. 2 superfluous.  unnecessarily adv.

Perm1  —n. Permanent wave. —v. Give a permanent wave to. [abbreviation]
Unworkmanlike  adj. Badly done or made.
Tod  n. Slang  on one's tod alone; on one's own. [rhyming slang on one's tod sloan]

Brinkmanship  n. Pursuit (esp. Habitual) of danger etc. To the brink of catastrophe.

Fantasy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 imagination, esp. When unrelated to reality (lives in the realm of fantasy). 2 mental image, day-dream. 3 fantastic invention or composition. [greek phantasia appearance]


Jingo  n. (pl. -es) supporter of war; blustering patriot.  by jingo! Mild oath.  jingoism n. Jingoist n. Jingoistic adj. [conjuror's word]


Corral  —n. 1 us pen for cattle, horses, etc. 2 enclosure for capturing wild animals. —v. (-ll-) put or keep in a corral. [spanish and portuguese: related to *kraal]


Prim  adj. (primmer, primmest) stiffly formal and precise; prudish.  primly adv. Primness n.  [french: related to *prime1]

Missal  n. Rc ch. 1 book containing the texts for the mass throughout the year. 2 book of prayers. [latin missa *mass2]


Hysteria  n. 1 wild uncontrollable emotion or excitement. 2 functional disturbance of the nervous system, of psychoneurotic origin. [greek hustera womb]

Wedlock  n. The married state.  born in (or out of) wedlock born of married (or unmarried) parents. [old english, = marriage vow]



Competitive  adj. 1 of or involving competition. 2 (of prices etc.) Comparing favourably with those of rivals. 3 having a strong urge to win.  competitiveness n.

Uninhibited  adj. Not inhibited.
Fiat  n. 1 authorization. 2 decree. [latin, = let it be done]
Roof  —n. (pl. -s) 1 a upper covering of a building. B top of a covered vehicle. C top inner surface of an oven, refrigerator, etc. 2 overhead rock in a cave or mine etc. —v. 1 (often foll. By in, over) cover with or as with a roof. 2 be the roof of.  go through the roof colloq. (of prices etc.) Rise dramatically. Hit (or go through) the roof colloq. Become very angry. [old english]
Condensed milk  n. Milk thickened by evaporation and sweetened.
Unabated  adj. Not abated; undiminished.


Mamba  n. Venomous african snake. [zulu imamba]
Sea mile  n. Unit varying between approx. 2,014 yards (1,842 metres) and 2,035 yards (1,861 metres).
Hip hop  n. (also hip-hop) subculture combining rap music, graffiti art, and break-dancing. [from *hip4]





Asphyxiate  v. (-ting) suffocate.  asphyxiation n.


Tip-off  n. Hint or warning etc.

Day of reckoning  n. Time when something must be atoned for or avenged.

Palladium  n. Rare white metallic element used as a catalyst and in jewellery. [pallas, name of an asteroid]
Dawn  —n. 1 daybreak. 2 beginning or birth of something. —v. 1 (of a day) begin; grow light. 2 (often foll. By on, upon) begin to become obvious (to). [old english]

Orthodontics  n.pl. (treated as sing.) Correction of irregularities in the teeth and jaws.  orthodontic adj. Orthodontist n. [greek odous odont- tooth]





Ptolemaic system  n. Theory that the earth is the stationary centre of the universe.


Propaganda  n. 1 organized propagation of a doctrine by use of publicity, selected information, etc. 2 usu. Derog. Ideas etc. So propagated.  propagandist n. & adj. Propagandize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing). [latin: related to *propagate]
Toad  n. 1 froglike amphibian breeding in water but living chiefly on land. 2 repulsive person. [old english]


Predominate  v. (-ting) 1 (foll. By over) have control. 2 be superior. 3 be the strongest or main element.

Meat safe  n. Ventilated cupboard for storing meat.


Tridentine  adj. Of the council of trent, held at trento in italy 1545–63, esp. As the basis of roman catholic orthodoxy. [medieval latin tridentum trento]
Password  n. Prearranged selected word or phrase securing recognition, admission, etc.


Runner-up  n. (pl. Runners-up or runner-ups) competitor or team taking second place.
Overproduce  v. (-cing) 1 (often absol.) Produce more of (a commodity) than is wanted. 2 produce (a play, recording, etc.) To an excessive degree. overproduction n.

Concertina  —n. Musical instrument like an accordion but smaller. —v. (-nas, -naed or -na'd, -naing) compress or collapse in folds like those of a concertina.
Cursory  adj. Hasty, hurried.  cursorily adv. Cursoriness n. [latin: related to *cursor]

Catsup  us var. Of *ketchup.



Honorific  adj. 1 conferring honour. 2 implying respect.

Damascene  —v. (-ning) decorate (metal) by etching or inlaying esp. With gold or silver. —n. Design or article produced in this way. —adj. Of this process. [damascus in syria]

De-escalate  v. Make or become less intense.  de-escalation n.
Cholera  n. Infectious often fatal bacterial disease of the small intestine. [related to *choler]
Baton round  n. Rubber or plastic bullet.
Locality  n. (pl. -ies) 1 district. 2 site or scene of a thing. 3 thing's position. [latin: related to *local]
Usage  the second pronunciation given, with the stress on the second syllable, is common but considered incorrect by some people.
Hammer and sickle  n. Symbols of the industrial worker and peasant used as an emblem of the former ussr and international communism.
Glossy  —adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 smooth and shiny (glossy paper). 2 printed on such paper. —n. (pl. -ies) colloq. Glossy magazine or photograph.  glossily adv. Glossiness n.
Consubstantiation  n. Theol. Presence of christ's body and blood together with the bread and wine in the eucharist.
Echo chamber  n. Enclosure with sound-reflecting walls.





Afterbirth  n. Placenta etc. Discharged from the womb after childbirth.
Reckon  v. 1 (often foll. By that) be of the considered opinion; think. 2 consider or regard (reckoned to be the best). 3 count or compute by calculation. 4 (foll. By in) count in or include in computation. 5 make calculations; add up an account or sum. 6 (foll. By on) rely on, count on, or base plans on. 7 (foll. By with or without) take (or fail to take) into account. [old english]

Boss-eyed  adj. Colloq. 1 cross-eyed; blind in one eye. 2 crooked. [boss = bad shot, origin unknown]

Low-pitched  adj. 1 (of a sound) low. 2 (of a roof) having only a slight slope.
Observant  adj. 1 acute in taking notice. 2 attentive in observance.  observantly adv.

Sweet tooth  n. Liking for sweet-tasting things.


Fluorescent  adj. Of, having, or showing fluorescence.

Ff  abbr. Mus. Fortissimo.
Snowshoe  n. Racket-shaped attachment to a boot for walking on snow without sinking in.
Eleven  adj. & n. 1 one more than ten. 2 symbol for this (11, xi, xi). 3 size etc. Denoted by eleven. 4 team of eleven players at cricket, football, etc. 5 eleven o'clock. [old english]
Awful  adj. 1 colloq. Very bad or unpleasant (has awful writing; awful weather). 2 (attrib.) As an intensifier (awful lot of money). 3 poet. Inspiring awe.


Collaborate  v. (-ting) (often foll. By with) 1 work together. 2 cooperate with an enemy.  collaboration n. Collaborative adj. Collaborator n. [latin: related to *labour]
Usage  in sense 1b, both can and may are used to express permission; in more formal contexts may is preferred since can also denotes capability (can i move? = am i physically able to move?; may i move? = am i allowed to move?).


Attend  v. 1 a be present (at) (attended the meeting). B go regularly to (attends church). 2 escort. 3 a (often foll. By to) turn or apply one's mind. B (foll. By to) deal with (attend to the matter). [latin tendo stretch]
Terra incognita  n. Unexplored region. [latin, = unknown land]
Intro-  comb. Form into. [latin]
Jumpy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 nervous; easily startled. 2 making sudden movements.  jumpiness n.


Eta  abbr. Estimated time of arrival.
Hearthrug  n. Rug laid before a fireplace.
Cross-ply  adj. (of a tyre) having fabric layers with crosswise cords.


Rooster  n. Domestic cock.
Dowse2  var. Of *douse.


Unladen weight  n. Weight of a vehicle etc. When not loaded.

Sudden infant death syndrome  n. = *cot-death.
Cenobite  n. (brit. Coenobite) member of a monastica community. [greek koinos bios common life]

Heliocentric  adj. 1 regarding the sun as centre. 2 considered as viewed from the sun's centre.
Reoccupy  v. (-ies, -ied) occupy again.  reoccupation n.
Heap  —n. 1 disorderly pile. 2 (esp. In pl.) Colloq. Large number or amount. 3 slang dilapidated vehicle. —v. 1 (foll. By up, together, etc.) Collect or be collected in a heap. 2 (foll. By with) load copiously with. 3 (foll. By on, upon) give or offer copiously (heaped insults on them). [old english]





Usage  intense is sometimes confused with intensive, and wrongly used to describe a course of study etc.

Bootee  n. Baby's soft shoe.
Carmine  —adj. Of vivid crimson colour. —n. 1 this colour. 2 carmine pigment made from cochineal. [probably from latin carmesinum *crimson]


Annuity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 yearly grant or allowance. 2 investment yielding a fixed annual sum.

Proverb  n. Short pithy saying in general use, held to embody a general truth. [latin proverbium from verbum word]
Standstill  n. Stoppage; inability to proceed.

Reminder  n. 1 thing that reminds, esp. A repeat letter or bill. 2 (often foll. By of) memento.
Family tree  n. Genealogical chart.

Geographical  adj. (also geographic) of geography.  geographically adv.
Jester  n. Hist. Professional clown at a medieval court etc.
Vat  n. Tank, esp. For holding liquids in brewing, distilling, food manufacture, dyeing, and tanning. [dial. Var. Of fat, from old english]


Lancet  n. Small broad two-edged surgical knife with a sharp point.
Pellucid  adj. 1 transparent. 2 (of style, speech, etc.) Clear. [latin: related to *per-]

Up-and-coming  adj. Colloq. (of a person) promising; progressing.
Homoeopathy  n. (us homeopathy) treatment of disease by minute doses of drugs that in a healthy person would produce symptoms of the disease.  homoeopath n. Homoeopathic adj. [greek homoios like: related to *pathos]
Usage  there is often some confusion as to the difference between cousin, first cousin, second cousin, first cousin once removed, etc. For definitions see cousin, second cousin and remove v. 5.
Silver screen  n. (usu. Prec. By the) cinema films collectively.
Eye-shadow  n. Coloured cosmetic applied to the eyelids.


Vengeance  n. Punishment inflicted for wrong to oneself or one's cause.  with a vengeance to a high or excessive degree (punctuality with a vengeance). [french venger from latin vindico avenge]

Lappet  n. 1 small flap or fold of a garment etc. 2 hanging piece of flesh. [from *lap1]


Sentry  n. (pl. -ies) soldier etc. Stationed to keep guard. [perhaps from obsolete centrinel, var. Of *sentinel]
Prerogative  n. Right or privilege exclusive to an individual or class. [latin praerogo ask first]
Last2  v. 1 remain unexhausted or alive for a specified or considerable time (food to last a week). 2 continue for a specified time (match lasts an hour).  last out be strong enough or sufficient for the whole of a given period. [old english]
Adsorb  v. (usu. Of a solid) hold (molecules of a gas or liquid etc.) To its surface, forming a thin film.  adsorbent adj. & n. Adsorption n. [from *ad-, *absorb]
Serviceable  adj. 1 useful or usable; able to render service. 2 durable but plain.  serviceability n.
Alliance  n. 1 union or agreement to cooperate, esp. Of states by treaty or families by marriage. 2 (alliance) political coalition party. 3 relationship; friendship. [french: related to *ally]


Peach1  n. 1 a round juicy fruit with downy yellow or pink skin. B tree bearing this. 2 yellowish-pink colour. 3 colloq. A person or thing of superlative quality. B attractive young woman.  peachy adj. (-ier, -iest). [latin persica persian (apple)]
Dosser  n. Slang 1 person who dosses. 2 = *doss-house.

Battle-cry  n. Cry or slogan used in a battle or contest.
Hooked  adj. 1 hook-shaped. 2 (often foll. By on) slang addicted or captivated.
Adjunct  n. 1 (foll. By to, of) subordinate or incidental thing. 2 gram. Word or phrase used to explain or amplify the predicate, subject, etc. [latin: related to *adjoin]

Pl.  Abbr. 1 plural. 2 (usu. Pl.) Place. 3 plate.
Fan2  n. Devotee of a particular activity, performer, etc. (film fan). [abbreviation of *fanatic]
Knot2  n. Small sandpiper. [origin unknown]
Tefl  abbr. Teaching of english as a foreign language.
Vulgarian  n. Vulgar (esp. Rich) person.
Casteism  n. Caste system.




Kaolin  n. Fine soft white clay used esp. For porcelain and in medicines. [chinese kao-ling high hill]
Pluvial  adj. 1 of rain; rainy. 2 geol. Caused by rain. [latin pluvia rain]
Magnum opus  n. Great work of art, literature, etc., esp. An artist's most important work. [latin]

Escort  —n. 1 one or more persons, vehicles, etc., accompanying a person, vehicle, etc., for protection or as a mark of status. 2 person accompanying a person of the opposite sex socially. —v. Act as an escort to. [french from italian]

Rust  —n. 1 reddish corrosive coating formed on iron, steel, etc. By oxidation, esp. When wet. 2 fungal plant-disease with rust-coloured spots. 3 impaired state due to disuse or inactivity. 4 reddish-brown. —v. 1 affect or be affected with rust. 2 become impaired through disuse. [old english]
Affair  n. 1 matter, concern, or thing to be attended to (that is my affair). 2 a celebrated or notorious happening. B colloq. Thing or event (puzzling affair). 3 = *love affair. 4 (in pl.) Public or private business. [french à faire to do]



Ill-fated  adj. Destined to or bringing bad fortune.
L.c.  Abbr. 1 = *loc. Cit. 2 lower case.

Offshoot  n. 1 side-shoot or branch. 2 derivative.
Expression  n. 1 expressing or being expressed. 2 word or phrase expressed. 3 person's facial appearance, indicating feeling. 4 conveying of feeling in music, speaking, dance, etc. 5 depiction of feeling etc. In art. 6 math. Collection of symbols expressing a quantity.  expressionless adj. [french: related to *express]
Teem2  v. (often foll. By down) (of water etc.) Flow copiously; pour (teeming with rain). [old norse]



Cosmic rays  n.pl. High-energy radiations from space etc.
Imperial  adj. 1 of or characteristic of an empire or similar sovereign state. 2 a of an emperor. B majestic, august; authoritative. 3 (of non-metric weights and measures) statutory in the uk, esp. Formerly (imperial gallon).  imperially adv. [latin imperium dominion]

Bp  abbr. 1 boiling-point. 2 blood pressure. 3 before the present (era). 4 british petroleum. 5 british pharmacopoeia.






Anaesthesia  n. (us anes-) absence of sensation, esp. Artificially induced before surgery. [greek]
Flit  —v. (-tt-) 1 move lightly, softly, or rapidly. 2 make short flights. 3 colloq. Disappear secretly to escape creditors etc. —n. Act of flitting. [old norse: related to *fleet]





Cyberpunk  n. Science fiction writing combining high-tech plots with unconventional or nihilistic social values. [from *cybernetics, *punk]


Upper house  n. Higher house in a legislature, esp. The house of lords.
Electric blanket  n. Blanket heated by an internal electric element.


Quiet  —adj. 1 with little or no sound or motion. 2 of gentle or peaceful disposition. 3 unobtrusive; not showy. 4 not overt; disguised. 5 undisturbed, uninterrupted; free or far from vigorous action. 6 informal (quiet wedding). 7 enjoyed in quiet (quiet smoke). 8 not anxious or remorseful. 9 not busy (it is very quiet at work). 10 peaceful (all quiet on the frontier). —n. 1 silence; stillness. 2 undisturbed state; tranquillity. —v. (often foll. By down) make or become quiet or calm.  be quiet (esp. In imper.) Cease talking etc.
Rang  past of *ring2.
Function  —n. 1 a proper or necessary role, activity, or purpose. B official or professional duty. 2 public or social occasion. 3 math. Quantity whose value depends on the varying values of others. —v. Fulfil a function, operate. [latin fungor funct- perform]
Zeppelin  n. Large dirigible german airship of the early 20th c. [count f. Von zeppelin, name of an airman]
Godly  adj. (-ier, -iest) pious, devout.  godliness n.
Coffee bar  n. Bar or café serving coffee and light refreshments from a counter.
Mortuary  —n. (pl. -ies) room or building in which dead bodies are kept until burial or cremation. —attrib. Adj. Of death or burial. [medieval latin mortuus dead]


Pash  n. Slang brief infatuation. [abbreviation of *passion]
Contra  n. (pl. -s) member of a counter-revolutionary force in nicaragua. [abbreviation of spanish contrarevolucionario counter-revolutionary]

Stamina  n. Physical or mental endurance. [latin, pl. Of *stamen]
Sadducee  n. Member of a jewish sect of the time of christ that denied the resurrection of the dead. [hebrew]


Highball  n. Us drink of spirits and soda etc., served with ice in a tall glass.


Gem  —n. 1 precious stone, esp. Cut and polished or engraved. 2 thing or person of great beauty or worth. —v. (-mm-) adorn with or as with gems. [latin gemma bud, jewel]




Cupboard love  n. False affection for gain.
Matchwood  n. 1 wood suitable for matches. 2 minute splinters.
Yard-arm  n. Either end of a ship's yard.
Mesdemoiselles  pl. Of *mademoiselle.

Innings  n. (pl. Same) 1 esp. Cricket part of a game during which a side is batting. 2 period during which a government, party, person, etc. Is in office or can achieve something. [obsolete in (verb) = go in]

Equal opportunity  n. (often in pl.) Opportunity to compete on equal terms, regardless of sex, race, etc.
Virginal  —adj. Of or befitting a virgin. —n. (usu. In pl.) Mus. Legless spinet in a box. [latin: related to *virgin]

Post-office box  n. Numbered place in a post office where letters are kept until called for.
Unprovoked  adj. Without provocation.

Herbalist  n. 1 dealer in medicinal herbs. 2 writer on herbs.

Precognition  n. Supposed foreknowledge, esp. Of a supernatural kind.
Undignified  adj. Lacking dignity.
Mystery tour  n. Pleasure trip to an unspecified destination.
Non-specific  adj. That cannot be specified.


Logging  n. Work of cutting and preparing forest timber.
Flyover  n. Bridge carrying one road or railway over another.
House-trained  adj. 1 (of animals) trained to be clean in the house. 2 colloq. Well-mannered.
Heavy  —adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 of great or unusually high weight; difficult to lift. 2 of great density (heavy metal). 3 abundant, considerable (heavy crop; heavy traffic). 4 severe, intense, extensive (heavy fighting; a heavy sleep). 5 doing a thing to excess (heavy drinker). 6 striking or falling with force; causing strong impact (heavy blows; heavy rain; heavy sea; a heavy fall). 7 (of machinery, artillery, etc.) Very large of its kind; large in calibre etc. 8 needing much physical effort (heavy work). 9 carrying heavy weapons (the heavy brigade). 10 serious or sombre in tone or attitude; dull, tedious. 11 a hard to digest. B hard to read or understand. 12 (of bread etc.) Too dense from not having risen. 13 (of ground) difficult to traverse or work. 14 oppressive; hard to endure (heavy demands). 15 a coarse, ungraceful (heavy features). B unwieldy. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 colloq. Large violent person; thug (esp. Hired). 2 villainous or tragic role or actor. 3 (usu. In pl.) Colloq. Serious newspaper. 4 anything large or heavy of its kind, e.g. A vehicle. —adv. Heavily (esp. In comb.: heavy-laden).



Lozenge  n. 1 rhombus. 2 small sweet or medicinal tablet to be dissolved in the mouth. 3 lozenge-shaped object. [french]
Bse  abbr. Bovine spongiform encephalopathy, a usu. Fatal cattle disease.
Superhuman  adj. Exceeding normal human capability.




Crossbreed  —n. 1 hybrid breed of animals or plants. 2 individual hybrid. —v. Produce by crossing.

Sod's law  n. = *murphy's law.


Fipple flute  n. Flute played by blowing endwise, e.g. A recorder.


Mgr.  Abbr. 1 manager. 2 monseigneur. 3 monsignor.





Hymenopterous  adj. Of an order of insects having four transparent wings, including bees, wasps, and ants. [greek, = membrane-winged]

Brainpower  n. Mental ability or intelligence.





Sulphuric  adj. (us sulfuric) chem. Containing sulphur with a valency of six.
Centerboard  n. (brit. Centreboard) board lowered through a boat's keel to prevent leeway.





Thoroughbred  —adj. 1 of pure breed. 2 high-spirited. —n. Thoroughbred animal, esp. A horse.







Unwell  adj. Ill.



Osmium  n.  Heavy hard bluish-white metallic element. [greek osme smell]
Disassociate  v. (-ting) = *dissociate.  disassociation n.

Germicide  n. Substance that destroys germs.  germicidal adj.






Placard  —n. Large notice for public display. —v. Set up placards on (a wall etc.). [french from dutch placken glue (v.)]
Build-up  n. 1 favourable advance publicity. 2 gradual approach to a climax. 3 accumulation or increase.







Liberty  n. (pl. -ies) 1 freedom from captivity etc. 2 right or power to do as one pleases. 3 (usu. In pl.) Right or privilege granted by authority.  at liberty 1 free. 2 (foll. By to + infin.) Permitted. Take liberties (often foll. By with) behave in an unduly familiar manner. [latin: related to *liberal]

Chimpanzee  n. Small african manlike ape. [french from kongo]

Unwelcome  adj. Not welcome or acceptable.
Archetype  n. 1 original model; prototype. 2 typical specimen.  archetypal adj. [greek tupon stamp]
Hang-out  n. Slang place frequented by a person; haunt.
Crème de cassis  n. Blackcurrant liqueur.
Gcse  abbr. General certificate of secondary education.
Insectivore  n. 1 animal that feeds on insects. 2 plant which captures and absorbs insects.  insectivorous adj. [from *insect, latin voro devour]

Coon  n. 1 us racoon. 2 slang offens. Black. [abbreviation]


Scarper  v. Slang run away, escape. [probably italian scappare escape]
Tropic  —n. 1 parallel of latitude 23°27´ north (tropic of cancer) or south (tropic of capricorn) of the equator. 2 each of two corresponding circles on the celestial sphere where the sun appears to turn when at its greatest declination. 3 (the tropics) region between the tropics of cancer and capricorn. —adj. = *tropical. [greek trope turn]

Bogeyman  n. (also bogyman) frightening person etc.


Barbarism  n. 1 barbaric state or act. 2 non-standard word or expression.


Odyssey  n. (pl. -s) long adventurous journey. [title of the homeric epic poem on the adventures of odysseus]

Left-handed  adj. 1 naturally using the left hand for writing etc. 2 (of a tool etc.) For use by the left hand. 3 (of a blow) struck with the left hand. 4 a turning to the left. B (of a screw) turned anticlockwise to tighten. 5 awkward, clumsy. 6 a (of a compliment) ambiguous. B of doubtful sincerity.  left-handedly adv. Left-handedness n.
Enamor  v. (brit. Enamour) (usu. In passive; foll. By of) inspire with love or delight. [french amour love]

Lodge  —n. 1 small house at the entrance to a park or grounds of a large house, occupied by a gatekeeper etc. 2 small house used in the sporting seasons (hunting lodge). 3 porter's room at the gate of a college, factory, etc. 4 members or meeting-place of a branch of a society such as the freemasons. 5 beaver's or otter's lair. —v. (-ging) 1 a reside or live, esp. As a lodger. B provide with temporary accommodation. 2 submit or present (a complaint etc.) For attention. 3 become fixed or caught; stick. 4 deposit (money etc.) For security. 5 (foll. By in, with) place (power etc.) In a person. [french loge: related to *leaf]
Multifarious  adj. 1 many and various. 2 of great variety.  multifariousness n. [latin multifarius]

Syllabic  adj. Of or in syllables.  syllabically adv.

Herself  pron. 1 a emphat. Form of *she or *her (she herself will do it). B refl. Form of *her (she has hurt herself). 2 in her normal state of body or mind (does not feel quite herself today).  be herself see *oneself. By herself see by oneself. [old english: related to *her, *self]
Workout  n. Session of physical exercise or training.
Lamp  n. 1 device for producing a steady light, esp.: a an electric bulb, and usu. Its holder. B an oil-lamp. C a gas-jet and mantle. 2 device producing esp. Ultraviolet or infrared radiation. [greek lampas torch]
Blouse  —n. 1 woman's garment like a shirt. 2 upper part of a military uniform. —v. (-sing) make (a bodice etc.) Full like a blouse. [french]
Scholastic  adj. 1 of schools, education, etc.; academic. 2 hist. Of scholasticism. [greek: related to *school1]

Emasculate  —v. (-ting) 1 deprive of force or vigour. 2 castrate. —adj. 1 deprived of force. 2 castrated. 3 effeminate.  emasculation n. [latin: related to *male]


Upbraid  v. (often foll. By with, for) chide, reproach. [old english: related to *braid = brandish]


Indigent  adj. Formal needy, poor.  indigence n. [latin egeo need]
Parliamentary  adj. 1 of a parliament. 2 enacted or established by a parliament. 3 (of language, behaviour, etc.) Polite.

Hazardous  adj. Risky.

Curaçao  n. (pl. -s) orange-flavoured liqueur. [curaçao, caribbean island]

Watch-tower  n. Tower for keeping watch from.
Correctitude  n. Consciously correct behaviour. [from *correct, *rectitude]
Dismay  —n. Intense disappointment or despair. —v. Fill with dismay. [french from germanic: related to *dis-, *may]
Papilla  n. (pl. Papillae) small nipple-like protuberance in or on the body, as that at the base of a hair, feather, etc.  papillary adj. [latin]






Expansible  adj. That can be expanded.


Jeremiad  n. Doleful complaint or lamentation. [church latin: related to *jeremiah]

Incomplete  adj. Not complete.




Hare  —n. Mammal like a large rabbit, with long ears, short tail, and long hind legs. —v. (-ring) run rapidly. [old english]
Chairperson  n. Chairman or chairwoman.
Wedding cake  n. Rich iced cake served at a wedding reception.

Momentary  adj. Lasting only a moment; transitory.  momentarily adv. [latin: related to *moment]
Corn2  n. Small tender area of horny skin, esp. On the toe. [latin cornu horn]
Left-hand  attrib. Adj. 1 on or towards the left side of a person or thing. 2 done with the left hand. 3 (of a screw) = *left-handed 4b.
Urchin  n. 1 mischievous, esp. Ragged, child. 2 = *sea urchin. [latin ericius hedgehog]



Fire-trap  n. Building without fire-escapes etc.


Under-age  adj. (also under age) not old enough.
Kisser  n. 1 person who kisses. 2 slang mouth; face.
Usage  the second pronunciation, with the stress on the first syllable, is considered incorrect by some people.
Contraction  n. 1 contracting or being contracted. 2 med. Shortening of the uterine muscles during childbirth. 3 shrinking, diminution. 4 shortened form of a word or words (e.g. He's).
Stone-dead  adj. Completely dead.

Clinch  —v. 1 confirm or settle (an argument, bargain, etc.) Conclusively. 2 (of boxers etc.) Become too closely engaged. 3 secure (a nail or rivet) by driving the point sideways when through. —n. 1 a clinching action. B clinched state. 2 colloq. Embrace. [var. Of *clench]



Scrubber  n. 1 slang promiscuous woman. 2 apparatus for purifying gases etc.

Usage  the crime of petty treason was abolished in 1828. This is why high treason, originally distinguished from petty treason, now means the same as treason.
Smart alec  n. (also smart aleck) colloq. Conceited know-all.
Equinox  n. Time or date (twice each year) at which the sun crosses the celestial equator, when day and night are of equal length. [latin nox noctis night]
Transcend  v. 1 be beyond the range or grasp of (human experience, reason, belief, etc.). 2 excel; surpass. [latin scando climb]
Peduncle  n. Stalk of a flower, fruit, or cluster, esp. A main stalk bearing a solitary flower or subordinate stalks.  peduncular adj. [related to *pedometer, *-uncle]


Mica  n. Silicate mineral found as glittering scales in granite etc. Or in crystals separable into thin transparent plates. [latin, = crumb]


Medium  —n. (pl. Media or -s) 1 middle quality, degree, etc. Between extremes (find a happy medium). 2 means of communication (medium of television). 3 substance, e.g. Air, through which sense-impressions are conveyed. 4 physical environment etc. Of a living organism. 5 means. 6 material or form used by an artist, composer, etc. 7 liquid (e.g. Oil or gel) used for diluting paints. 8 (pl. -s) person claiming to communicate with the dead. —adj. 1 between two qualities, degrees, etc. 2 average (of medium height). [latin medius middle]



Vise  n. (brit. Vice) clamp with two jaws holding an object so as to leave the hands free to work on it. [vis screw, from latin vitis vine]


Semitropical  adj. = subtropical (*subtropics).

Prebendary  n. (pl. -ies) holder of a prebend; honorary canon. [medieval latin: related to *prebend]


Cod2  slang —n. 1 parody. 2 hoax. —v. (-dd-) 1 perform a hoax. 2 parody. [origin unknown]

Uneventful  adj. Not eventful.  uneventfully adv.
Backing track  n. Recorded musical accompaniment.
Discipline  —n. 1 a control or order exercised over people or animals, e.g. Over members of an organization. B system of rules for this. 2 training or way of life aimed at self-control and conformity. 3 branch of learning. 4 punishment. —v. (-ning) 1 punish. 2 control by training in obedience. [latin disciplina from disco learn]
Purple heart  n. Colloq. Heart-shaped stimulant tablet, esp. Of amphetamine.





Specification  n. 1 act of specifying. 2 (esp. In pl.) Detail of the design and materials etc. Of work done or to be done. [medieval latin: related to *specify]
Roller blind  n. Blind on a roller.
Bloodless  adj. 1 without blood or bloodshed. 2 unemotional. 3 pale. 4 feeble.
Countryman  n. (fem. Countrywoman) 1 person living in a rural area. 2 (also fellow-countryman) person of one's own country.


Forecast  —v. (past and past part. -cast or -casted) predict; estimate beforehand. —n. Prediction, esp. Of weather.  forecaster n.
Fe  symb. Iron. [latin ferrum]




Mimic  —v. (-ck-) 1 imitate (a person, gesture, etc.) Esp. To entertain or ridicule. 2 copy minutely or servilely. 3 resemble closely. —n. Person skilled in imitation.  mimicry n. [greek mimikos: related to *mime]



Ventriloquism  n. (also ventriloquy) skill of speaking without moving the lips, esp. As entertainment with a dummy.  ventriloquist n. [latin venter belly, loquor speak]
Reside  v. (-ding) 1 have one's home, dwell permanently. 2 (foll. By in) (of power, a right, etc.) Be vested in. 3 (foll. By in) (of a quality) be present or inherent in. [latin sedeo sit]
Cicada  n. Large transparent-winged insect making a rhythmic chirping sound. [latin]
Slice  —n. 1 thin flat piece or wedge of esp. Food cut off or out. 2 share; part. 3 long-handled kitchen utensil with a broad flat perforated blade. 4 sport stroke that sends the ball obliquely. —v. (-cing) 1 (often foll. By up) cut into slices. 2 (foll. By off) cut off. 3 (foll. By into, through) cut (as) with a knife. 4  strike (a ball) with a slice. [french esclice from germanic]


Master-key  n. Key that opens several different locks.

Corporate  adj. 1 forming a corporation. 2 of, belonging to, or united in a group. [latin: related to *corporal2]


Rock2  —v. 1 move gently to and fro; set, maintain, or be in, such motion. 2 (cause to) sway; shake, oscillate, reel. 3 distress, perturb (rocked by the news). —n. 1 rocking movement. 2 spell of this. 3 a = *rock and roll. B rock and roll-influenced popular music.  rock the boat colloq. Disturb a stable situation. [old english]
Ensnare  v. (-ring) catch in or as in a snare.  ensnarement n.
Hemal  adj. (brit. Haem-) of the blood. [greek haima blood]
Filtrate  —v. (-ting) filter. —n. Filtered liquid.  filtration n. [related to *filter]






Weld  —v. 1 a hammer or press (pieces of iron or other metal usu. Heated but not melted) into one piece. B join by fusion with an electric arc etc. C form by welding into some article. 2 fashion into an effectual or homogeneous whole. —n. Welded joint.  welder n. [alteration of *well2, probably influenced by the form welled]
Trouper  n. 1 member of a theatrical troupe. 2 staunch colleague.


Wash-basin  n. Plumbed-in basin for washing one's hands etc.

Olympiad  n. 1 a period of four years between olympic games, used by the ancient greeks in dating events. B four-yearly celebration of the ancient olympic games. 2 celebration of the modern olympic games. 3 regular international contest in chess etc. [greek olumpias olumpiad-: related to *olympic]
Plenum  n. Full assembly of people or a committee etc. [latin, neuter of plenus full]
Israeli  —adj. Of the modern state of israel. —n. (pl. -s) 1 native or national of israel. 2 person of israeli descent. [hebrew]
Milk chocolate  n. Chocolate made with milk.
Prince of wales  n. (title conferred on) the eldest son and heir apparent of the british monarch.


Special delivery  n. Delivery of mail outside the normal delivery schedule.


Simony  n. Buying or selling of ecclesiastical privileges. [from simon magus (acts 8:18)]

Continue  v. (-ues, -ued, -uing) 1 maintain, not stop (an action etc.) (continued to read, reading). 2 (also absol.) Resume or prolong (a narrative, journey, etc.). 3 be a sequel to. 4 remain, stay (will continue as manager; weather continued fine). [latin: related to *contain]
Humble  —adj. 1 having or showing low self-esteem. 2 of low social or political rank. 3 modest in size, pretensions, etc. —v. (-ling) 1 make humble; abase. 2 lower the rank or status of.  eat humble pie apologize humbly; accept humiliation.  humbleness n. Humbly adv. [latin humilis: related to *humus]
Pollinate  v. (-ting) (also absol.) Convey pollen to or sprinkle (a stigma) with pollen.  pollination n. Pollinator n.

Cern  abbr. European organization for nuclear research. [french conseil européen pour la recherche nucléaire, former title]
Subhuman  adj. (of behaviour, intelligence, etc.) Less than human.

Vehement  adj. Showing or caused by strong feeling; ardent (vehement protest).  vehemence n. Vehemently adv. [latin]


Plosive  —adj. Pronounced with a sudden release of breath. —n. Plosive sound. [from *explosive]
Peace dividend  n. Public money which becomes available when defence spending is reduced.


Area  n. 1 extent or measure of a surface (over a large area). 2 region (southern area). 3 space for a specific purpose (dining area). 4 scope or range. 5 space in front of the basement of a building. [latin, = vacant space]


Transact  v. Perform or carry through (business). [latin: related to *act]
Gunpowder  n. Explosive made of saltpetre, sulphur, and charcoal.
Cairngorm  n. Semiprecious form of quartz. [cairngorms, in scotland]
Opus  n. (pl. Opuses or opera) 1 musical composition numbered as one of a composer's works (beethoven, opus 15). 2 any artistic work (cf. *magnum opus). [latin, = work]
Buffer state  n. Small state between two larger ones, regarded as reducing friction.
Adjutant  n. 1 a army officer assisting a superior in administrative duties. B assistant. 2 (in full adjutant bird) giant indian stork. [latin: related to *ad-, juvo jut- help]

Capsule  n. 1 small edible soluble case enclosing medicine. 2 detachable compartment of a spacecraft or nose of a rocket. 3 enclosing membrane in the body. 4 dry fruit that releases its seeds when ripe. 5 (attrib.) Concise; condensed.  capsular adj. [latin capsa case]

Motor bike  n. Colloq. = *motor cycle.

Aggrieved  adj. Having a grievance. [french: related to *grief]

Do-gooder  n. Well-meaning but unrealistic or patronizing philanthropist or reformer.
Visualize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) imagine visually.  visualization n.
Conjoint  adj. Formal associated, conjoined.
Acuity  n. Sharpness, acuteness. [medieval latin: related to *acute]



General election  n. National parliamentary election.
Beyond  —prep. 1 at or to the further side of. 2 outside the scope or understanding of (beyond repair; it is beyond me). 3 more than. —adv. 1 at or to the further side. 2 further on. —n. (prec. By the) the unknown after death. [old english: related to *by, *yon]



Sepulchre  (us sepulcher) —n. Tomb, esp. Cut in rock or built of stone or brick. —v. (-ring) 1 place in a sepulchre. 2 serve as a sepulchre for. [latin sepelio bury]
Re-entry  n. (pl. -ies) act of entering again, esp. (of a spacecraft, missile, etc.) Re-entering the earth's atmosphere.
Midden  n. 1 dunghill. 2 refuse heap. [scandinavian: related to *muck]
Stick1  n. 1 a short slender length of wood. B this as a support or weapon. 2 thin rod of wood etc. For a particular purpose (cocktail stick). 3 implement used to propel the ball in hockey or polo etc. 4 gear lever. 5 conductor's baton. 6 sticklike piece of celery, dynamite, etc. 7 (often prec. By the) punishment, esp. By beating. 8 colloq. Adverse criticism. 9 colloq. Piece of wood as part of a house or furniture. 10 colloq. Person, esp. When dull or unsociable. [old english]
Brassy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 of or like brass. 2 impudent. 3 vulgarly showy. 4 loud and blaring.

Cubit  n. Ancient measure of length, approximating to the length of a forearm. [latin cubitum elbow]





Differential calculus  n. Method of calculating rates of change, maximum or minimum values, etc.
Shipowner  n. Owner of a ship, ships, or shares in ships.
Speleology  n. The study of caves. [greek spelaion cave]

Chalet  n. 1 swiss mountain hut or cottage with overhanging eaves. 2 house in a similar style. 3 small cabin in a holiday camp etc. [swiss french]
Hellene  n. 1 native of modern greece. 2 ancient greek.  hellenic adj. [greek]
Algorithm  n. Process or set of rules used for calculation etc., esp. With a computer.  algorithmic adj. [persian, name of a 9th-c. Mathematician al-kuwarizmi]
Herbaceous  adj. Of or like herbs.
Bad-mouth  v. Esp. Us slang abuse verbally, put down.
Screw top  n. (also (with hyphen) attrib.) Screwed-on cap or lid.
Metalwork  n. 1 art of working in metal. 2 metal objects collectively.  metalworker n.

Homo  n. (pl. -s) colloq. Offens. Homosexual. [abbreviation]
Apprehensive  adj. Uneasily fearful.  apprehensively adv.

Licorice  var. Of *liquorice.
Myxomatosis  n. Viral disease of rabbits. [greek muxa mucus]

Clench  —v. 1 close (the teeth, fingers, etc.) Tightly. 2 grasp firmly. —n. Clenching action; clenched state. [old english]
Faggot  n. (us fagot) 1  ball of seasoned chopped liver etc., baked or fried. 2 bundle of sticks etc. 3 slang offens. A unpleasant woman. B us male homosexual. [french from italian]



Natural law  n. 1 unchanging moral principles common to all human beings. 2 correct statement of an invariable sequence between specified conditions and a specified phenomenon.


Fab  adj. Colloq. Fabulous, marvellous. [abbreviation]





Unforeseeable  adj. Not foreseeable.


Plain clothes  n.pl. Ordinary clothes, not uniform (plain-clothes police).
Ileum  n. (pl. Ilea) third and last portion of the small intestine. [latin ilium]
Curette  —n. Surgeon's small scraping-instrument. —v. (-tting) clean or scrape with this.  curettage n. [french: related to *cure]

Celerity  n. Archaic or literary swiftness. [latin celer swift]
Prairie dog  n. N. American rodent making a barking sound.
School1  —n. 1 a educational institution for pupils up to 19 years of age, or (us) including college or university level. B (attrib.) Of or for use in school (school dinners). 2 a school buildings, pupils, staff, etc. B time of teaching; the teaching itself (no school today). 3 university department or faculty. 4 a group of similar artists etc., esp. Followers of an artist etc. B group of like-minded people (belongs to the old school). 5 group of card-players etc. 6 colloq. Instructive circumstances etc. (school of adversity). —v. 1 send to school; educate. 2 (often foll. By to) discipline, train, control. 3 (as schooled adj.) (foll. By in) educated or trained (schooled in humility).  at (us in) school attending lessons etc. Go to school attend lessons. [greek skhole]


Meagre  adj. (us meager) 1 scant in amount or quality. 2 lean, thin. [anglo-french megre from latin macer]

Marsupial  —n. Mammal giving birth to underdeveloped young subsequently carried in a pouch. —adj. Of or like a marsupial. [greek marsupion pouch]
Mental patient  n. Sufferer from mental illness.
Sagacious  adj. Showing insight or good judgement.  sagacity n. [latin sagax -acis]

Aneurysm  n. (also aneurism) excessive localized enlargement of an artery. [greek aneuruno widen]
Reproachful  adj. Full of or expressing reproach.  reproachfully adv.

Rabble-rouser  n. Person who stirs up the rabble or a crowd, esp. To agitate for social change.
Stomach  —n. 1 a internal organ in which digestion occurs. B any of several such organs in animals. 2 lower front of the body. 3 (usu. Foll. By for) a appetite. B inclination. —v. 1 find palatable. 2 endure (usu. With neg.: cannot stomach it). [greek stoma mouth]
Hell-hole  n. Oppressive or unbearable place.







Splosh  colloq. —v. Move with a splashing sound. —n. 1 splashing sound. 2 splash of water etc. [imitative]

Tired  adj. 1 weary; ready for sleep. 2 (of an idea etc.) Hackneyed.  tiredly adv. Tiredness n.

Carburettor  n. (us carburetor) apparatus in an internal-combustion engine for mixing petrol and air to make an explosive mixture.

Rain  —n. 1 a condensed atmospheric moisture falling in drops. B fall of such drops. 2 (in pl.) A (prec. By the) rainy season. B rainfalls. 3 a falling liquid or solid particles or objects. B rainlike descent of these. —v. 1 (prec. By it as subject) rain falls. 2 a fall like rain. B (prec. By it as subject) send in large quantities. 3 send down like rain; lavishly bestow (rained blows upon him). 4 (of the sky, clouds, etc.) Send down rain.  rain off (or us out) (esp.
Gallows  n.pl. (usu. Treated as sing.) Structure, usu. Of two uprights and a crosspiece, for hanging criminals. [old norse]
Re-cover  v. 1 cover again. 2 provide (a chair etc.) With a new cover.
Lure  —v. (-ring) 1 (usu. Foll. By away, into) entice. 2 recall with a lure. —n. 1 thing used to entice. 2 (usu. Foll. By of) enticing quality (of a pursuit etc.). 3 falconer's apparatus for recalling a hawk. [french from germanic]

Mobile home  n. Large caravan usu. Permanently parked and used as a residence.
Émigré  n. Emigrant, esp. A political exile. [french]
Prosecute  v. (-ting) 1 (also absol.) Institute legal proceedings against (a person), or with reference to (a claim, crime, etc.) (decided not to prosecute). 2 formal carry on (a trade, pursuit, etc.).  prosecutor n. [latin prosequor -secut- pursue]
Naevus  n. (us nevus) (pl. Naevi) 1 raised red birthmark. 2 = *mole2. [latin]


Codify  v. (-ies, -ied) arrange (laws etc.) Systematically into a code.  codification n. Codifier n.


Peep1  —v. 1 (usu. Foll. By at, in, out, into) look through a narrow opening; look furtively. 2 (usu. Foll. By out) come slowly into view; emerge. —n. 1 furtive or peering glance. 2 first appearance (peep of day). [origin unknown]
Tapioca  n. Starchy substance in hard white grains, obtained from cassava and used for puddings etc. [tupi-guarani]
Pressure group  n. Group formed to influence public policy.


Horse-race  n. Race between horses with riders.  horse-racing n.
Unoccupied  adj. Not occupied.


Termination  n. 1 terminating or being terminated. 2 induced abortion. 3 ending or result. 4 word's final syllable or letter.



Inflame  v. (-ming) 1 provoke to strong feeling, esp. Anger. 2 cause inflammation in; make hot. 3 aggravate. 4 catch or set on fire. 5 light up with or as with flames.
Stagey  var. Of *stagy.
Kv  abbr. Kilovolt(s).



Edging  n. Thing forming an edge or border.

Citrus  n. (pl. -es) 1 tree of a group including the lemon, orange, and grapefruit. 2 (in full citrus fruit) fruit of such a tree. [latin]
Feather-bed  v. (-dd-) cushion, esp. Financially.



Powerplant  n. Installation which provides power.
Jump-off  n. Deciding round in showjumping.

Ring2  —v. (past rang; past part. Rung) 1 (often foll. By out etc.) Give a clear resonant or vibrating sound of or as of a bell. 2 a make (esp. A bell) ring. B (absol.) Call by ringing a bell (you rang, sir?). 3 (also absol.; often foll. By up)  call by telephone (will ring you). 4 (usu. Foll. By with, to) (of a place) resound with a sound, fame, etc. (theatre rang with applause). 5 (of the ears) be filled with a sensation of ringing. 6  a sound (a peal etc.) On bells. B (of a bell) sound (the hour etc.). 7 (foll. By in, out) usher in or out with bell-ringing (rang out the old year). 8 convey a specified impression (words rang true). —n. 1 ringing sound or tone. 2 act or sound of ringing a bell. 3 colloq. Telephone call (give me a ring). 4 specified feeling conveyed by words etc. (had a melancholy ring). 5 set of esp. Church bells.  ring back make a return telephone call to. Ring a bell colloq. Begin to revive a memory. Ring down (or up) the curtain 1 cause the curtain to be lowered or raised. 2 (foll. By on) mark the end or the beginning of (an enterprise etc.). Ring in report or make contact by telephone. Ring off end a telephone call. Ring round telephone several people. Ring up 1  call by telephone. 2 record (an amount etc.) On a cash register. [old english]

Tommy-rot  n. Slang nonsense. [from *tom]
Departure  n. 1 departing. 2 (often foll. By from) deviation (from the truth, a standard, etc.). 3 (often attrib.) Departing of a train, aircraft, etc. (departure lounge). 4 new course of action or thought (driving is rather a departure for him).
Heir  n. (fem. Heiress) person entitled to property or rank as the legal successor of its former holder. [latin heres hered-]


Underachieve  v. (-ving) do less well than might be expected (esp. Academically).  underachiever n.
Inside job  n. Colloq. Crime committed by a person living or working on the premises burgled etc.
Henceforth  adv. (also henceforward) from this time onwards.
Carnation  —n. 1 clove-scented pink. 2 rosy-pink colour. —adj. Rosy-pink. [italian: related to *carnal because of the flesh-colour]
Genuflect  v. Bend the knee, esp. In worship.  genuflection n. (also genuflexion). [latin genu knee, flecto bend]


Clerical collar  n. Stiff upright white collar fastening at the back.
Crumb  —n. 1 a small fragment, esp. Of bread. B small particle (crumb of comfort). 2 bread without crusts. 3 slang objectionable person. —v. Cover with or break into breadcrumbs. [old english]



Tax-deductible  adj. (of expenditure) legally deductible from income before tax assessment.




Colloquium  n. (pl. -s or -quia) academic conference or seminar. [latin: related to *colloquy]
Unverified  adj. Not verified.

Hide-out  n. Colloq. Hiding-place.

Case1  n. 1 instance of something occurring. 2 hypothetical or actual situation. 3 a person's illness, circumstances, etc., as regarded by a doctor, social worker, etc. B such a person. 4 matter under esp. Police investigation. 5 suit at law. 6 a sum of the arguments on one side, esp. In a lawsuit. B set of arguments (have a good case). C valid set of arguments (have no case). 7 gram. A relation of a word to other words in a sentence. B form of a noun, adjective, or pronoun expressing this. 8 colloq. Comical person.  in any case whatever the truth is; whatever may happen. In case 1 in the event that; if. 2 lest; in provision against a possibility (took it in case). In case of in the event of. Is (or is not) the case is (or is not) so. [latin casus from cado fall]

Placer  n. Deposit of sand, gravel, etc. Containing valuable minerals in particles. [american spanish]
Portuguese  —n. (pl. Same) 1 a native or national of portugal. B person of portuguese descent. 2 language of portugal. —adj. Of portugal, its people, or language. [medieval latin]

Disorient  v. = *disorientate.

Tradition  n. 1 a custom, opinion, or belief handed down to posterity. B this process of handing down. 2 artistic, literary, etc. Principles based on experience and practice; any one of these. [latin trado -dit- hand on, betray]
Ugli  n. (pl. -lis or -lies) propr. Mottled green and yellow hybrid of a grapefruit and a tangerine. [from *ugly]
Prey  —n. 1 animal that is hunted or killed by another for food. 2 (often foll. By to) person or thing that is influenced by or vulnerable to (something undesirable) (prey to morbid fears). —v. (foll. By on, upon) 1 seek or take as prey. 2 (of a disease, emotion, etc.) Exert a harmful influence (it preyed on his mind). [latin praeda]
Breaker  n. 1 heavy breaking wave. 2 person or thing that breaks something, esp. Disused machinery.
Podium  n. (pl. -s or podia) rostrum. [greek podion diminutive of pous pod- foot]


Dunce's cap  n. Paper cone worn by a dunce.
Thumbscrew  n. Instrument of torture for crushing the thumbs.


Copra  n. Dried coconut-kernels. [portuguese from malayalam]

Bassinet  n. Child's wicker cradle, usu. Hooded. [french diminutive of bassin *basin]
Carp2  v. Find fault; complain pettily.  carper n. [old norse, = brag]

Thoughtless  adj. 1 careless of consequences or of others' feelings. 2 due to lack of thought.  thoughtlessly adv. Thoughtlessness n.




Cello  n. (pl. -s) bass instrument of the violin family, held between the legs of the seated player.  cellist n. [abbreviation of *violoncello]


Lonely  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 without companions (lonely existence). 2 sad because of this. 3 unfrequented, isolated, uninhabited.  loneliness n.
Cow1  n. 1 fully grown female of any esp. Domestic bovine animal, used as a source of milk and beef. 2 female of other large animals, esp. The elephant, whale, and seal. 3 derog. Slang woman. [old english]


Fakir  n. Muslim or (rarely) hindu religious beggar or ascetic. [arabic, = poor man]

Propeller  n. Revolving shaft with blades, esp. For propelling a ship or aircraft.
Swiss  —adj. Of switzerland or its people. —n. (pl. Same) 1 native or national of switzerland. 2 person of swiss descent. [french suisse]







One-armed bandit  n. Colloq. Fruit machine with a long handle.
Squat  —v. (-tt-) 1 sit on one's heels or on the ground with the knees drawn up. 2 colloq. Sit down. 3 occupy a building as a squatter. —adj. (squatter, squattest) short and thick, dumpy. —n. 1 squatting posture. 2 place occupied by squatters. [french esquatir flatten]



Old nick  n. Colloq. The devil.
Report  —v. 1 a bring back or give an account of. B state as fact or news, narrate or describe or repeat, esp. As an eyewitness or hearer etc. C relate as spoken by another. 2 make an official or formal statement about. 3 (often foll. By to) bring (an offender or offence) to the attention of the authorities. 4 (often foll. By to) present oneself to a person as having returned or arrived. 5 (also absol.) Take down word for word, summarize, or write a description of for publication. 6 make or send in a report. 7 (foll. By to) be responsible to (a superior etc.). —n. 1 account given or opinion formally expressed after investigation or consideration. 2 description, summary, or reproduction of a scene, speech, law case, etc., esp. For newspaper publication or broadcast. 3 common talk; rumour. 4 way a person or thing is spoken of (hear a good report of you). 5 periodical statement on (esp. A school pupil's) work, conduct, etc. 6 sound of a gunshot etc.  reportedly adv. [latin porto bring]
Margin of error  n. Allowance for miscalculation etc.
Strong-minded  adj. Determined.





Request stop  n. Bus-stop at which a bus stops only if requested.
Wound up  adj. Excited; tense; angry.
Lord's day  n. Sunday.
Ep  abbr. Extended-play (gramophone record).
Furbelow  n. 1 (in pl.) Showy ornaments. 2 archaic gathered strip or border of a skirt or petticoat. [french falbala]
Hearth  n. 1 floor of a fireplace. 2 the home. [old english]

Running-board  n. Footboard on either side of a vehicle.

Yobbo  n. (pl. -s) slang = *yob.
Magnitude  n. 1 largeness. 2 size. 3 importance. 4 a degree of brightness of a star. B class of stars arranged according to this (of the third magnitude).  of the first magnitude very important. [latin magnus great]


Neurosis  n. (pl. Neuroses) irrational or disturbed behaviour pattern, associated with nervous distress.
Encounter  —v. 1 meet unexpectedly. 2 meet as an adversary. —n. Meeting by chance or in conflict. [latin contra against]
Country-wide  adj. & adv. Extending throughout a nation.




Inoperative  adj. Not working or taking effect.
Codling2  n. Small codfish.
Demur  —v. (-rr-) 1 (often foll. By to, at) raise objections. 2 law put in a demurrer. —n. (usu. In neg.) Objection; objecting (agreed without demur). [latin moror delay]

Unassailable  adj. Unable to be attacked; impregnable.
Pop culture  n. Commercial culture based on popular taste.

Swimmingly  adv. Colloq. Smoothly, without impediment.

Reaction  n. 1 reacting, response. 2 bad physical response to a drug etc. 3 occurrence of a condition after a period of its opposite. 4 tendency to oppose change or reform. 5 interaction of substances undergoing chemical change.
Aghast  predic. Adj. Filled with dismay or consternation. [past part. Of obsolete (a)gast frighten]

Uninviting  adj. Unattractive, repellent.

Usage  the singular or collective use of the form graffiti is considered incorrect by some people, but it is frequently found, e.g. Graffiti has appeared.
Parsec  n. Unit of stellar distance, equal to about 3.25 light-years. [from *parallax, *second2]
Coat-tail  n. Each of the flaps formed by the back of a tailcoat.
Sacrilege  n. Violation of what is regarded as sacred.  sacrilegious adj. [latin: related to *sacred, lego take]



Maid  n. 1 female servant. 2 archaic or poet. Girl, young woman. [abbreviation of *maiden]
Chequer  —n. 1 (often in pl.) Pattern of squares often alternately coloured. 2 var. Of *checker2 2. —v. 1 mark with chequers. 2 variegate; break the uniformity of. 3 (as chequered adj.) With varied fortunes (chequered career). [from *exchequer]

Teashop  n. = *tearoom.
Lunar month  n. 1 period of the moon's revolution, esp. The interval between new moons (about 291/2 days). 2 (in general use) four weeks.
Gasket  n. Sheet or ring of rubber etc., shaped to seal the junction of metal surfaces. [french garcette]
Dust bowl  n. Desert made by drought or erosion.



Applaud  v. 1 express strong approval, esp. By clapping. 2 commend, approve (a person or action). [latin applaudo clap hands]




Strum  —v. (-mm-) 1 (often foll. By on; also absol.) Play on (a guitar, piano, etc.), esp. Carelessly or unskilfully. 2 play (a tune etc.) In this way. —n. Sound or spell of strumming. [imitative: cf. *thrum1]
Fish-knife  n. Knife for eating or serving fish.

Dad  n. Colloq. Father. [imitative of a child's da da]
Gnomic  adj. Of aphorisms; sententious. [greek gnome opinion]
Dutchman  n. (fem. Dutchwoman) person of dutch birth or nationality.
Facilitate  v. (-ting) ease (a process etc.).  facilitation n. [italian: related to *facile]

Old soldier  n. (also old stager or timer) experienced person.
Disconnected  adj. Incoherent and illogical.

Fairyland  n. 1 home of fairies. 2 enchanted region.


Lynx  n. (pl. Same or -s) wild cat with a short tail and spotted fur. [greek lugx]


Leatherette  n. Propr. Imitation leather.
Nonce  n.  for the nonce for the time being; for the present occasion. [from for than anes = for the one]



Literate  —adj. Able to read and write; educated. —n. Literate person.

Jitter  colloq. —n. (the jitters) extreme nervousness. —v. Be nervous; act nervously.  jittery adj. Jitteriness n. [origin unknown]
Omit  v. (-tt-) 1 leave out; not insert or include. 2 leave undone. 3 (foll. By verbal noun or to + infin.) Fail or neglect. [latin omitto omiss-]
Retirement  n. 1 a retiring. B period of one's life as a retired person. 2 seclusion.


Scoop  —n. 1 spoon-shaped object, esp.: a a short-handled deep shovel for loose materials. B a large long-handled ladle for liquids. C the excavating part of a digging-machine etc. D an instrument for serving ice-cream etc. 2 quantity taken up by a scoop. 3 scooping movement. 4 exclusive news item. 5 large profit made quickly. —v. 1 (usu. Foll. By out) hollow out (as if) with a scoop. 2 (usu. Foll. By up) lift (as if) with a scoop. 3 forestall (a rival newspaper etc.) With a scoop. 4 secure (a large profit etc.), esp. Suddenly. [low german or dutch]
Laryngitis  n. Inflammation of the larynx.



Dolomite  n. Mineral or rock of calcium magnesium carbonate. [de dolomieu, name of a french geologist]
Electronvolt  n. A unit of energy, the amount gained by an electron when accelerated through a potential difference of one volt.


Known  past part. Of *know.
Holiday  —n. 1 (often in pl.) Extended period of recreation, esp. Spent away from home or travelling; break from work. 2 day of festivity or recreation when no work is done, esp. A religious festival etc. —v. Spend a holiday. [old english: related to *holy, *day]



Officiate  v. (-ting) 1 act in an official capacity. 2 conduct a religious service.  officiation n. Officiator n.
Undersurface  n. Lower or under surface.

Pillar-box red  adj. & n. Bright red.


Jump-start  —v. Start (a vehicle) by pushing it or with jump-leads. —n. Act of jump-starting.
Vaudeville  n. Esp. Us 1 variety entertainment. 2 light stage play with interspersed songs.  vaudevillian adj. & n.  [french]

Crumhorn  var. Of *krummhorn.
Disclaim  v. 1 deny or disown. 2 renounce legal claim to.


Kirsch  n. Brandy distilled from cherries. [german, = cherry]
Redundant  adj. 1 superfluous. 2 that can be omitted without any loss of significance. 3 (of a person) no longer needed at work and therefore unemployed.  redundancy n. (pl. -ies). [latin: related to *redound]



Pools  n.pl. (prec. By the) = *football pool.
Overblown  adj. 1 inflated or pretentious. 2 (of a flower) past its prime.


Rock-salmon  n. Any of several fishes, esp. The catfish and dogfish.
Usage  in sense 2, jumbo is usu. Applied specifically to the boeing 747.
Unskilled  adj. Lacking, or (of work) not needing, special skill or training.
Silent majority  n. The mass of allegedly moderate people who rarely express an opinion.
S 
Container  n. 1 box, jar, etc., for holding things. 2 large metal box for transporting goods.






Self-determination  n. 1 nation's right to determine its own government etc. 2 ability to act with free will.
Bitty  adj. (-ier, -iest) made up of bits; scrappy.

Halloo  int. Inciting dogs to the chase or calling attention. [perhaps from hallow pursue with shouts]


Promenade  —n. 1 paved public walk, esp. Along the sea front at a resort. 2 walk, ride, or drive, taken esp. For display or pleasure. —v. (-ding) 1 make a promenade (through). 2 lead (a person etc.) About, esp. For display. [french]
Announcer  n. Person who announces, esp. In broadcasting.


Waistcoat  n. Close-fitting waist-length garment without sleeves or collar, worn usu. Over a shirt and under a jacket.
Statutory  adj. Required or enacted by statute.  statutorily adv.

High-flyer  n. (also high-flier) 1 ambitious person. 2 person or thing of great potential.  high-flying adj.

Jewellery  n. (also jewelry) rings, brooches, necklaces, etc., regarded collectively.
Lpo  abbr. London philharmonic orchestra.
Blood-vessel  n. Vein, artery, or capillary carrying blood.
Ball-point  n. (in full ball-point pen) pen with a tiny ball as its writing point.




Hipster1  —attrib. Adj. (of a garment) hanging from the hips rather than the waist. —n. (in pl.) Such trousers.



Whopper  n. Slang 1 something big of its kind. 2 great lie.



Hallmark  —n. 1 mark indicating the standard of gold, silver, and platinum. 2 distinctive feature. —v. Stamp with a hallmark.
Utilitarian  —adj. 1 designed to be useful rather than attractive; severely practical. 2 of utilitarianism. —n. Adherent of utilitarianism.
Police constable  see *constable.
Scarf1  n. (pl. Scarves or -s) piece of material worn esp. Round the neck or over the head, for warmth or ornament. [french escarpe]

Ovation  n. Enthusiastic reception, esp. Applause. [latin ovo exult]


Focus  —n. (pl. Focuses or foci) 1 a point at which rays or waves meet after reflection or refraction. B point from which rays etc. Appear to proceed. 2 a point at which an object must be situated for a lens or mirror to give a well-defined image. B adjustment of the eye or a lens to give a clear image. C state of clear definition (out of focus). 3 = *focal point 2. —v. (-s- or -ss-) 1 bring into focus. 2 adjust the focus of (a lens or eye). 3 concentrate or be concentrated on. 4 converge or make converge to a focus. [latin, = hearth]

Endear  v. (usu. Foll. By to) make dear.  endearing adj.
Freedman  n. Emancipated slave.



Crematorium  n. (pl. -ria or -s) place where corpses are cremated.

Mineralogy  n. The study of minerals.  mineralogical adj. Mineralogist n.
Remittance  n. 1 money sent, esp. By post. 2 sending of money.



Wonderful  adj. Very remarkable or admirable.  wonderfully adv. [old english]


Antler  n. Branched horn of a stag or other deer.  antlered adj. [french]


Recharge  —v. (-ging) charge (a battery etc.) Again or be recharged. —n. Recharging or being recharged.  rechargeable adj.

Decapod  n. 1 crustacean with ten limbs for walking, e.g. The shrimp. 2 ten-tentacled mollusc, e.g. The squid. [greek: related to *deca-, pous pod- foot]
Different  adj. 1 (often foll. By from or to) unlike, of another nature. 2 distinct, separate. 3 unusual.  differently adv.

Weighty  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 heavy. 2 momentous. 3 (of utterances etc.) Deserving consideration. 4 influential, authoritative.  weightily adv. Weightiness n.

Siemens  n. Si unit of conductance, equal to one reciprocal ohm. [von siemens, name of an engineer]
German measles  n.pl. Disease like mild measles; rubella.

Flower people  n. Hippies with flowers as symbols of peace and love.

Pile2  n. 1 heavy beam driven vertically into the ground to support a bridge, the foundations of a house, etc. 2 pointed stake or post. [latin pilum javelin]


Tower of strength  n. Person who gives strong emotional support.



Sonny  n. Colloq. Familiar form of address to a young boy.









Drifter  n. 1 aimless person. 2 boat used for drift-net fishing.


Enervate  v. (-ting) deprive of vigour or vitality.  enervation n. [latin: related to *nerve]
Callosity  n. (pl. -ies) area of hard thick skin. [latin: related to *callous]
Posit  v. (-t-) assume as a fact, postulate. [latin: related to *position]

Going  —n. 1 act or process of going. 2 a condition of the ground for walking, riding, etc. B progress affected by this. —adj. 1 in or into action (set the clock going). 2 existing, available (there's cold beef going). 3 current, prevalent (the going rate).  get going start steadily talking, working, etc. Going on fifteen etc. Esp. Us approaching one's fifteenth etc. Birthday. Going on for approaching (a time, age, etc.). Going strong continuing vigorously. Going to intending to; about to. To be going on with to start with; for the time being. While the going is good while conditions are favourable.
Scrounge  v. (-ging) (also absol.) Obtain by cadging.  on the scrounge scrounging.  scrounger n. [dial. Scrunge steal]
Waist  n. 1 a part of the human body below the ribs and above the hips; narrower middle part of the normal human figure. B circumference of this. 2 narrow middle of a violin, wasp, etc. 3 a part of a garment encircling the waist. B us blouse, bodice. 4 part of a ship between the forecastle and the quarterdeck.  waisted adj. (also in comb.). [old english: related to *wax2]
Into  prep. 1 expressing motion or direction to a point on or within (walked into a tree; ran into the house). 2 expressing direction of attention etc. (will look into it). 3 expressing a change of state (turned into a dragon; separated into groups). 4 after the beginning of (five minutes into the game). 5 colloq. Interested in. [old english: related to *in, *to]
Martian  —adj. Of the planet mars. —n. Hypothetical inhabitant of mars. [latin]
Herbivore  n. Animal that feeds on plants.  herbivorous adj. [latin voro devour]

Aberrant  adj. Deviating from what is normal or accepted. [latin: related to *err]

Eclampsia  n. Convulsive condition occurring esp. In pregnant women. [ultimately from greek]

Serviette  n. Table-napkin. [french: related to *serve]
Road test  —n. Test of a vehicle's roadworthiness. —v. (road-test) test (a vehicle) on the road.

Pontificate  —v. (-ting) 1 be pompously dogmatic. 2 play the pontiff. —n. 1 office of a bishop or pope. 2 period of this.
Dosage  n. 1 size of a dose. 2 giving of a dose.


Heat shield  n. Device to protect (esp. A spacecraft) from excessive heat.
Doubloon  n. Hist. Spanish gold coin. [french or spanish: related to *double]
Vitriolic  adj. Caustic, hostile.
Repose1  —n. 1 cessation of activity, excitement, or toil. 2 sleep. 3 peaceful or quiescent state; tranquillity. —v. (-sing) 1 (also refl.) Lie down in rest. 2 (often foll. By in, on) lie, be lying or laid, esp. In sleep or death. [latin: related to *pause]


Purpose-built  adj. (also purpose-made) built or made for a specific purpose.
Merganser  n. (pl. Same or -s) a diving duck. [latin mergus diver, anser goose]
Colostomy  n. (pl. -ies) operation on the colon to make an opening in the abdominal wall to provide an artificial anus. [from *colon2]
Optics  n.pl. (treated as sing.) Science of light and vision.
Sheepskin  n. 1 (often attrib.) Sheep's skin with the wool on. 2 leather from sheep's skin.
Swami  n. (pl. -s) hindu male religious teacher. [hindi svami]


Seaworthy  adj. Fit to put to sea.  seaworthiness n.



Glassware  n. Articles made of glass.
Anabolism  n. Synthesis of complex molecules in living organisms from simpler ones together with the storage of energy. [greek anabole ascent]
Restaurateur  n. Restaurant-keeper.
Forgetful  adj. 1 apt to forget, absent-minded. 2 (often foll. By of) neglectful.  forgetfully adj. Forgetfulness n.

Outspread  —adj. Spread out; expanded. —v. Spread out; expand.
Finish  —v. 1 a (often foll. By off) bring or come to an end or the end of; complete; cease. B (usu. Foll. By off) colloq. Kill; vanquish. C (often foll. By off, up) consume or complete consuming (food or drink). 2 treat the surface of (cloth, woodwork, etc.). —n. 1 a end, last stage, completion. B point at which a race etc. Ends. 2 method, material, etc. Used for surface treatment of wood, cloth, etc. (mahogany finish).  finish up (often foll. By in, by) end (finished up by crying). Finish with have no more to do with, complete using etc. [latin finis end]
Fugue  n. Piece of music in which a short melody or phrase is introduced by one part and taken up and developed by others.  fugal adj. [latin fuga flight]
Seaweed  n. Plant growing in the sea or on rocks on a shore.

Wallpaper  —n. 1 paper for pasting on to interior walls as decoration. 2 usu. Derog. Trivial background noise, music, etc. —v. Decorate with wallpaper.
Ortolan  n.  European bunting, eaten as a delicacy. [latin hortus garden]

Scale3  —n. 1 graded classification system (high on the social scale). 2 a (often attrib.) Ratio of reduction or enlargement in a map, model, picture, etc. (on a scale of one inch to the mile; a scale model). B relative dimensions. 3 mus. Set of notes at fixed intervals, arranged in order of pitch. 4 a set of marks on a line used in measuring etc. B rule determining the distances between these. C rod etc. On which these are marked. —v. (-ling) 1 a climb (a wall, height, etc.). B climb (the social scale, heights of ambition, etc.). 2 represent proportionally; reduce to a common scale.  in scale in proportion. Scale down (or up) make or become smaller (or larger) in proportion. To scale uniformly in proportion. [latin scala ladder]
Baste2  v. (-ting) sew with large loose stitches, tack. [french from germanic]
Hacienda  n. (in spanish-speaking countries) estate with a dwelling-house. [spanish, from latin facienda things to be done]
Lorn  adj. Archaic desolate, forlorn. [old english, past part. Of *lose]


Reflexology  n. Massage through points on the feet, hands, and head, to relieve tension and treat illness.  reflexologist n.
Starlight  n. Light of the stars.
Unfeeling  adj. Unsympathetic, harsh.


Crown  —n. 1 monarch's jewelled headdress. 2 (the crown) a monarch as head of state. B power or authority of the monarchy. 3 a wreath for the head as an emblem of victory. B award or distinction, esp. In sport. 4 crown-shaped ornament etc. 5 top part of the head, a hat, etc. 6 a highest or central part (crown of the road). B thing that completes or forms a summit. 7 a part of a tooth visible outside the gum. B artificial replacement for this. 8 former british coin worth five shillings. —v. 1 put a crown on (a person or head). 2 invest with a royal crown or authority. 3 be a crown to; rest on top of. 4 a (often as crowning adj.) (cause to) be the reward, summit, or finishing touch to (crowning glory). B bring to a happy outcome. 5 fit a crown to (a tooth). 6 slang hit on the head. 7 promote (a piece in draughts) to king. [latin corona]



Loci  pl. Of *locus.

Diving-board  n. Elevated board for diving from.


Dysfunction  n. Abnormality or impairment of functioning.
Recede  v. (-ding) 1 go or shrink back or further off. 2 be left at an increasing distance by an observer's motion. 3 slope backwards (a receding chin). 4 decline in force or value. [latin recedere -cess-: related to *cede]






Furze  n. = *gorse.  furzy adj. [old english]
Full-bodied  adj. Rich in quality, tone, etc.
Messianic  adj. 1 of the messiah. 2 inspired by hope or belief in a messiah. [french: related to *messiah]
Booster  n. 1 device for increasing power or voltage. 2 auxiliary engine or rocket for initial speed. 3 dose, injection, etc. Renewing the effect of an earlier one.
Usage  the use of ain't is usually regarded as unacceptable in spoken and written english.



Sopping  see *sop.
Appeal  —v. 1 request earnestly or formally; plead. 2 (usu. Foll. By to) attract, be of interest. 3 (foll. By to) resort to for support. 4 law a (often foll. By to) apply (to a higher court) for reconsideration of a legal decision. B refer (a case) to a higher court. 5 cricket call on the umpire to declare whether a batsman is out. —n. 1 act of appealing. 2 request for public support, esp. Financial. 3 law referral of a case to a higher court. 4 attractiveness. [latin appello address]

Henpeck  v. (usu. In passive) (of a wife) constantly nag her husband.



Stroppy  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Bad-tempered; awkward to deal with. [origin uncertain]



Driving-wheel  n. Wheel communicating motive power in machinery.





Catnap  —n. Short sleep. —v. (-pp-) have a catnap.

Abdomen  n. 1 the belly, including the stomach, bowels, etc. 2 the hinder part of an insect etc.  abdominal adj. [latin]




Electric shock  n. Effect of a sudden discharge of electricity through the body of a person etc.



Deceive  v. (-ving) 1 make (a person) believe what is false; purposely mislead. 2 be unfaithful to, esp. Sexually. 3 use deceit.  deceive oneself persist in a mistaken belief.  deceiver n.


Viscount  n. British nobleman ranking between an earl and a baron.  viscountcy n. (pl. -ies). [anglo-french: related to *vice-, *count2]


Neglect  —v. 1 fail to care for or to do; be remiss about. 2 (foll. By to + infin.) Fail; overlook the need to. 3 not pay attention to; disregard. —n. 1 negligence. 2 neglecting or being neglected. 3 (usu. Foll. By of) disregard.  neglectful adj. Neglectfully adv. [latin neglego neglect-]
Glass-paper  n. Paper coated with glass particles, for smoothing and polishing.
Apogee  n. 1 highest point; climax. 2 point in a celestial body's orbit where it is furthest from the earth. [greek apogeion]
-kin  suffix forming diminutive nouns (catkin; manikin). [dutch]

Ink-well  n. Pot for ink, usu. Housed in a hole in a desk.

Deplore  v. (-ring) 1 regret deeply. 2 find exceedingly bad. [latin ploro wail]

Noonday  n. Midday.
Immersion heater  n. Electric device immersed in a liquid to heat it, esp. In a hot-water tank.
Tremble  —v. (-ling) 1 shake involuntarily from emotion, weakness, etc. 2 be in a state of extreme apprehension. 3 quiver (leaves trembled in the breeze). —n. Trembling; quiver (tremble in his voice). [medieval latin: related to *tremulous]
Bomber jacket  n. Jacket gathered at the waist and cuffs.

Mock orange  n. White-flowered heavy-scented shrub.
Hen  n. Female bird, esp. Of a domestic fowl. [old english]



Flower  —n. 1 part of a plant from which the fruit or seed is developed. 2 blossom, esp. Used for decoration. 3 plant cultivated for its flowers. —v. 1 bloom or cause (a plant) to bloom; blossom. 2 reach a peak.  the flower of the best of. In flower blooming.  flowered adj. [latin flos flor-]
-graphic  comb. Form (also -graphical) forming adjectives corresponding to nouns in -graphy.


Tessitura  n.  Range of a singing voice or vocal part. [italian, = *texture]
National debt  n. Money owed by a state because of loans to it.
Unplaced  adj. Not placed, esp. Not one of the first three in a race etc.
Aspirin  n. (pl. Same or -s) 1 white powder, acetylsalicylic acid, used to reduce pain and fever. 2 tablet of this. [german]
Hellenistic  adj. Of greek history, language, and culture of the late 4th to the late 1st c. Bc.



Rewire  v. (-ring) provide with new electrical wiring.
Proclaim  v. 1 (often foll. By that) announce or declare publicly or officially. 2 declare to be (king, a traitor, etc.). proclamation n. [latin: related to *claim]
Open-ended  adj. Having no predetermined limit.
Incumbent  —adj. 1 resting as a duty (it is incumbent on you to do it). 2 (often foll. By on) lying, pressing. 3 currently holding office (the incumbent president). —n. Holder of an office or post, esp. A benefice. [latin incumbo lie upon]

Bdellium  n. 1 tree yielding resin. 2 this used in perfumes. [latin from greek]
Affinity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 liking or attraction; feeling of kinship. 2 relationship, esp. By marriage. 3 similarity of structure or character suggesting a relationship. 4 chem. The tendency of certain substances to combine with others. [latin finis border] 
Hetero-  comb. Form other, different. [greek heteros other]


Radicchio  n. (pl. -s) chicory with reddish-purple leaves. [italian, = chicory]



Allied  adj. 1 (also allied) associated in an alliance. 2 connected or related.


Discerning  adj. Having good judgement.  discerningly adv. Discernment n.


Borrow  v. 1 a acquire temporarily, promising or intending to return. B obtain money thus. 2 use (another's idea, invention, etc.); plagiarize.  borrower n. [old english]
Master of the rolls  n. Judge who presides over the court of appeal.
Near thing  n. Narrow escape.
Ivory  n. (pl. -ies) 1 hard substance of the tusks of an elephant etc. 2 creamy-white colour of this. 3 (usu. In pl.) A article made of ivory. B slang thing made of or resembling ivory, esp. A piano key or a tooth. [latin ebur]




Bosun  (also bo'sun) var. Of *boatswain.




Collation  n. 1 collating. 2 thing collated. 3 light meal. [latin: related to *confer]
Choc-ice  n. Bar of ice-cream covered with chocolate.
Tweed  n. 1 rough-surfaced woollen cloth, usu. Of mixed flecked colours. 2 (in pl.) Clothes made of tweed. [alteration of tweel (scots var. Of *twill)]
Torchlight  n. Light of a torch or torches.  torchlit adj.
Torch  n. 1 portable battery-powered electric lamp. 2 thing lit for illumination. 3 source of heat, illumination, or enlightenment.  carry a torch for suffer from unrequited love for. [latin: related to *tort]
Ache  —n. 1 continuous dull pain. 2 mental distress. —v. (-ching) suffer from or be the source of an ache. [old english]
Dowel  —n. Cylindrical peg for holding structural components together. —v. (-ll-; us -l-) fasten with a dowel. [low german]
Corporeal  adj. Bodily, physical, material.  corporeality n. Corporeally adv. [latin: related to *corporal2]


Hiatus  n. (pl. -tuses) 1 break or gap in a series or sequence. 2 break between two vowels coming together but not in the same syllable, as in though oft the ear. [latin hio gape]
Thousand  adj. & n. (pl. Thousands or (in sense 1) thousand) (in sing. Prec. By a or one) 1 ten hundred. 2 symbol for this (1,000, m, m). 3 (in sing. Or pl.) Colloq. Large number.  thousandfold adj. & adv. Thousandth adj. & n. [old english]
Contagion  n. 1 a spreading of disease by bodily contact. B contagious disease. 2 moral corruption. [related to *contact]
Headman  n. Chief man of a tribe etc.





Felon  n. Person who has committed a felony. [medieval latin fello]


Antilogarithm  n. Number to which a logarithm belongs.





Spiel  n. Slang glib speech or story; sales pitch. [german, = game]



Re-sort  v. Sort again or differently.
Brink  n. 1 extreme edge of land before a precipice, river, etc. 2 furthest point before danger, discovery, etc.  on the brink of about to experience or suffer; in imminent danger of. [old norse]
Equitation  n. Horsemanship; horse-riding. [latin equito ride a horse]
Inertia reel  n. Reel allowing a seat-belt to unwind freely but locking on impact etc.

Loon  n. 1 a kind of diving bird. 2 colloq. Crazy person (cf. *loony). [old norse]
Muff1  n. Covering, esp. Of fur, for keeping the hands or ears warm. [dutch mof]
Legit  adj. Colloq. Legitimate (in sense 2). [abbreviation]
Lcm  abbr. Lowest (or least) common multiple.
-speak  comb. Form jargon (newspeak; computer speak).

Swarm2  v. (foll. By up) climb (a rope or tree etc.) By clinging with the hands and knees etc. [origin unknown]
Chaplet  n. 1 garland or circlet for the head. 2 short string of beads; rosary. [latin: related to *cap]
Uterus  n. (pl. Uteri) womb. [latin]
Exude  v. (-ding) 1 ooze out. 2 emit (a smell). 3 display (an emotion etc.) Freely.  exudation n. [latin sudo sweat]

Inamorato  n. (fem. Inamorata) (pl. -s) literary lover. [italian inamorato: related to *in-2, latin amor love]



Leg-bye  n. Cricket run scored from a ball that touches the batsman.

Stipend  n. Salary, esp. Of a clergyman. [latin stipendium]
Slave-trade  n. Hist. Dealing in slaves, esp. African blacks.
Piccalilli  n. (pl. -s) pickle of chopped vegetables, mustard, and hot spices. [origin unknown]


Nag1  v. (-gg-) 1 a persistently criticize or scold. B (often foll. By at) find fault or urge, esp. Persistently. 2 (of a pain) be persistent. [originally a dial. Word]
Disposable  —adj. 1 intended to be used once and discarded. 2 able to be disposed of. —n. Disposable article.


Frequency modulation  n. Electronics modulation by varying carrier-wave frequency.
Underwater  —adj. Situated or done under water. —adv. Under water.
Snr.  Abbr. Senior.
Cont.  Abbr. 1 contents. 2 continued.

Switch  —n. 1 device for completing and breaking an electric circuit. 2 a transfer, change-over, or deviation. B exchange. 3 flexible shoot cut from a tree. 4 light tapering rod. 5 us railway points. —v. 1 (foll. By on, off) turn (an electrical device) on or off. 2 change or transfer. 3 exchange. 4 whip or flick with a switch.  switch off colloq. Cease to pay attention. [low german]


Flyer  n. (also flier) colloq. 1 airman or airwoman. 2 thing that flies in a specified way (poor flyer). 3 fast-moving animal or vehicle. 4 ambitious or outstanding person. 5 small handbill.
Measured  adj. 1 rhythmical; regular (measured tread). 2 (of language) carefully considered.
Light heavyweight  n. 1 weight in certain sports between middleweight and heavyweight, in amateur boxing 75–81 kg: also called *cruiserweight. 2 sportsman of this weight.

Boxing day  n. First weekday after christmas. [from *box1, from the custom of giving christmas-boxes]
Marriage licence  n. Licence to marry.
Clique  n. Small exclusive group of people.  cliquey adj. (cliquier, cliquiest). Cliquish adj. [french]
Lode  n. Vein of metal ore. [var. Of *load]
Abrogate  v. (-ting) repeal, abolish (a law etc.).  abrogation n. [latin rogo propose a law]


Anglo-catholic  —adj. Of a high church anglican wing emphasizing its catholic tradition. —n. Member of this group.

Steady state  n. Unvarying condition, esp. In a physical process.
Sectarian  —adj. 1 of a sect. 2 devoted, esp. Narrow-mindedly, to one's sect. —n. Member of a sect.  sectarianism n. [medieval latin sectarius adherent]
Opencast  adj. (of a mine or mining) with removal of the surface layers and working from above, not from shafts.
Windfall  n. 1 fruit, esp. An apple, blown to the ground by the wind. 2 unexpected good fortune, esp. A legacy.

Dog-end  n. Slang cigarette-end.

Calumniate  v. (-ting) slander. [latin]
Cinnabar  n. 1 bright red mercuric sulphide. 2 vermilion. 3 moth with reddish-marked wings. [latin from greek]




Bathe  —v. (-thing) 1 immerse oneself in water, esp. To swim or wash oneself. 2 immerse in, wash, or treat with liquid. 3 (of sunlight etc.) Envelop. —n. Swim. [old english]

Jam2  n. 1 conserve of boiled fruit and sugar. 2 colloq. Easy or pleasant thing (money for jam).  jam tomorrow promise of future treats etc. That never materialize. [perhaps from *jam1]
Warpath  n.  on the warpath 1 (of n. American indians) going to war. 2 colloq. Seeking a confrontation.


Torrid zone  n. The part of the earth between the tropics of cancer and capricorn.
Gummy1  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 sticky. 2 exuding gum.
Herbaceous border  n. Garden border containing esp. Perennial flowering plants.
Telescopic  adj. 1 of or made with a telescope (telescopic observations). 2 (esp. Of a lens) able to focus on and magnify distant objects. 3 consisting of sections that telescope.  telescopically adv.

Bmx  n. 1 organized bicycle-racing on a dirt-track. 2 bicycle used for this. [abbreviation of bicycle moto-cross]

Black beetle  n. The common cockroach.

Recherché  adj. 1 carefully sought out; rare or exotic. 2 far-fetched. [french]

Redoubt  n. Mil. Outwork or fieldwork without flanking defences. [french redoute: related to *reduce]




Pocketbook  n. 1 notebook. 2 folding case for papers or money carried in a pocket.


Signalize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 make noteworthy or remarkable. 2 indicate.
Show-place  n. Tourist attraction.
Unprepossessing  adj. Unattractive.


Rallentando  mus. —adv. & adj. With a gradual decrease of speed. —n. (pl. -s or -di) passage to be performed in this way. [italian]
Distrait  adj. (fem. Distraite) inattentive; distraught. [french: related to *distract]


Bubonic plague  n. Contagious disease with buboes.
Spikenard  n. 1 tall sweet-smelling indian plant. 2 hist. Perfumed ointment formerly made from this. [medieval latin spica nardi]
Snob  n. Person who despises those inferior in social position, wealth, intellect, taste, etc. (intellectual snob).  snobbery n. Snobbish adj. Snobby adj. (-ier, -iest). [origin unknown]
Armistice  n. Truce, esp. Permanent. [latin arma arms, sisto make stand]



Colon1  n. Punctuation mark (:), used esp. To mark illustration or antithesis. [greek, = clause]
Spade1  n. Long-handled digging tool with a broad sharp-edged metal blade.  call a spade a spade speak bluntly.  spadeful n. (pl. -s). [old english]
Uterine  adj. Of the uterus.
Wheelie  n. Slang stunt of riding a bicycle or motor cycle with the front wheel off the ground.
Pan-pipes  n.pl. Musical instrument made of a series of short graduated pipes fixed together. [from pan, greek rural god]
Art  n. 1 a human creative skill or its application. B work showing this. 2 a (in pl.; prec. By the) branches of creative activity concerned with the production of imaginative designs, sounds, or ideas, e.g. Painting, music, writing. B any one of these. 3 creative activity resulting in visual representation (good at music but not art). 4 human skill as opposed to nature (art and nature combined). 5 (often foll. By of) a skill, knack. B cunning; trick, stratagem. 6 (in pl.; usu. Prec. By the) supposedly creative subjects (esp. Languages, literature, and history) as opposed to scientific, technical, or vocational subjects. [latin ars art-]
Sup-  prefix assim. Form of *sub- before p.

Wound2  past and past part. Of *wind2.
Donkey's years  n.pl. Colloq. Very long time.

Invest  v. 1 a (often foll. By in) apply or use (money), esp. For profit. B (foll. By in) put money for profit into (stocks etc.). 2 (often foll. By in) devote (time etc.) To an enterprise. 3 (foll. By in) colloq. Buy (something useful). 4 a (foll. By with) provide or credit (a person etc. With qualities) (invested her with magical importance; invested his tone with irony). B (foll. By in) attribute or entrust (qualities or feelings) to (a person etc.) (power invested in the doctor). 5 (often foll. By with, in) clothe with the insignia of office; install in an office.  investor n. [latin vestis clothing]
Lobster-pot  n. Basket for trapping lobsters.


Cross-legged  adj. (sitting) with legs folded one across the other.


Unhurried  adj. Not hurried.
Cigar  n. Tight roll of tobacco-leaves for smoking. [french or spanish]

Skull  n. 1 bony case of the brain of a vertebrate. 2 bony skeleton of the head. 3 head as the seat of intelligence. [origin unknown]
Arabic numeral  n. Any of the numerals 0-9.
Seven  adj. & n. 1 one more than six. 2 symbol for this (7, vii, vii). 3 size etc. Denoted by seven. 4 seven o'clock. [old english]

Salute  —n. 1 gesture of respect, homage, greeting etc. 2 mil. & naut. Prescribed gesture or use of weapons or flags as a sign of respect etc. 3 ceremonial discharge of a gun or guns. —v. (-ting) 1 a make a salute to. B (often foll. By to) perform a salute. 2 greet. 3 commend. [latin salus -ut- health]



Launderette  n. (also laundrette) establishment with coin-operated washing-machines and driers for public use.
Proclivity  n. (pl. -ies) tendency, inclination. [latin clivus slope]

Koala  n. (in full koala bear) small australian bearlike marsupial with thick grey fur. [aboriginal]
Swing-bridge  n. Bridge that can be swung aside to let ships pass.
Birth rate  n. Number of live births per thousand of population per year.
Propertied  adj. Having property, esp. Land.
Cardphone  n. Public telephone operated by a machine-readable card instead of money.

Togetherness  n. 1 being together. 2 feeling of comfort from this.


Entrap  v. (-pp-) 1 catch in or as in a trap. 2 beguile.  entrapment n. [related to *en-1]
Photolithography  n. Lithography using plates made photographically.





Germ warfare  n. Use of germs to spread disease in war.

Angry  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 feeling, showing, or suggesting anger (angry sky). 2 (of a wound etc.) Inflamed, painful.  angrily adv.
Marvellous  adj. (us marvelous) 1 astonishing. 2 excellent.  marvellously adv. [french: related to *marvel]
Hike  —n. 1 long walk, esp. In the country for pleasure. 2 rise in prices etc. —v. (-king) 1 go for a hike. 2 walk laboriously. 3 (usu. Foll. By up) hitch up (clothing etc.); become hitched up. 4 (usu. Foll. By up) raise (prices etc.).  hiker n. [origin unknown]

Dys-  prefix bad, difficult. [greek]

Dishonour  (us dishonor) —n. 1 loss of honour or respect; disgrace. 2 thing causing this. —v. 1 disgrace (dishonoured his name). 2 refuse to accept or pay (a cheque etc.).
Newspaper  n. 1 printed publication of loose folded sheets containing news, advertisements, correspondence, etc. 2 paper forming this (wrapped in newspaper).


Idol  n. 1 image of a deity etc. As an object of worship. 2 object of excessive or supreme adulation. [greek eidolon image, phantom]







Presumption  n. 1 arrogance, presumptuous behaviour. 2 a presuming a thing to be true. B thing that is or may be presumed to be true. 3 ground for presuming. [latin: related to *presume]

Faceless  adj. 1 without identity; characterless. 2 purposely not identifiable.
Flagstaff  n. Pole on which a flag may be hoisted.
Animation  n. 1 vivacity, ardour. 2 being alive. 3 technique of producing a moving picture from a sequence of drawings or puppet poses etc.

Lbc  abbr. London broadcasting company.
White  —adj. 1 resembling a surface reflecting sunlight without absorbing any of the visible rays; of the colour of milk or snow. 2 nearly this colour; pale, esp. In the face. 3 (white) a of the human group having light-coloured skin. B of or relating to white people. 4 albino (white mouse). 5 (of hair) having lost its colour, esp. In old age. 6 (of coffee) with milk or cream. —n. 1 white colour or pigment. 2 a white clothes or material. B (in pl.) White garments as worn in cricket, tennis, etc. 3 a (in a game or sport) white piece, ball, etc. B player using these. 4 = *egg-white. 5 whitish part of the eyeball round the iris. 6 (white) member of a light-skinned race.  bleed white drain of wealth etc.  whiteness n. Whitish adj. [old english]
Hide-and-seek  n. Game in which players hide and another searches for them.






Pt  abbr. 1 part. 2 pint. 3 point. 4 naut. Port.






Hue  n. 1 colour, tint. 2 variety or shade of colour. [old english]

Centric  adj. 1 at or near the centre. 2 from a centre.  centrical adj. Centrically adv.
Navigation  n. 1 act or process of navigating. 2 art or science of navigating.  navigational adj.




Succour  (us succor) —n. Aid, esp. In time of need. —v. Give succour to. [latin succurro run to help]
Bewitch  v. 1 enchant. 2 cast a spell on.
Mineral water  n. 1 natural water often containing dissolved salts. 2 artificial imitation of this, esp. Soda water.



Tv  abbr. Television.
Oversize  adj. (also -sized) of greater than the usual size.




Archdeacon  n. Church dignitary next below a bishop.  archdeaconry n. (pl. -ies).

Luster  n. (brit. Lustre) 1 gloss, shining surface. 2 brilliance, splendour. 3 iridescent glaze on pottery and porcelain.  lustrous adj. [latin lustro illumine]

Tableland  n. Elevated plateau.


Molehill  n. Small mound thrown up by a mole in burrowing.  make a mountain out of a molehill overreact to a minor difficulty.

Shied  past & past part. Of *shy2.
Aware  predic. Adj. 1 (often foll. By of or that) conscious; having knowledge. 2 well-informed.  awareness n. [old english]

Legation  n. 1 diplomatic minister and his or her staff. 2 this minister's official residence. [latin: related to *legate]

Adz  n. (brit adze) tool like an axe, with an arched blade at right angles to the handle. [old english]
Wrongdoer  n. Person who behaves immorally or illegally.  wrongdoing n.

Dugout  n. 1 a roofed shelter, esp. For troops in trenches. B underground shelter. 2 canoe made from a tree-trunk.
Tern  n. Marine gull-like bird with a long forked tail. [scandinavian]
Eyelid  n. Either of the folds of skin closing to cover the eye.
Commissar  n. Hist. 1 official of the soviet communist party responsible for political education and organization. 2 head of a government department in the ussr. [latin: related to *commit]


Congregational  adj. 1 of a congregation. 2 (congregational) of or adhering to congregationalism.
Strangulation  n. 1 strangling or being strangled. 2 strangulating.



Whereby  conj. By what or which means.


Whiting2  n. Ground chalk used in whitewashing etc.
Awoke  past of *awake.
Voracious  adj. 1 gluttonous, ravenous. 2 very eager (voracious reader).  voraciously adv. Voracity n. [latin vorax from voro devour]

Huckster  —n. Aggressive salesman; hawker. —v. 1 haggle. 2 hawk (goods). [low german]


Passion-play  n. Miracle play representing the passion.
Perm2  colloq. —n. Permutation. —v. Make a permutation of. [abbreviation]
Perfectly  adv. 1 completely; quite. 2 in a perfect way.

Cenozoic  (also cainozoic, caenozoic) —adj. Of the most recent geological era, marked by the evolution and development of mammals etc. —n. This era. [greek kainos new, zoion animal]
Life sentence  n. Sentence of imprisonment for an indefinite period.



Bongo  n. (pl. -s or -es) either of a pair of small drums usu. Held between the knees and played with the fingers. [american spanish]
Clutch1  —v. 1 seize eagerly; grasp tightly. 2 (foll. By at) try desperately to seize. —n. 1 tight grasp. 2 (in pl.) Grasping hands; cruel or relentless grasp or control. 3 a (in a vehicle) device for connecting and disconnecting the engine and the transmission. B pedal operating this. [old english]



Uninvited  adj. Not invited.

Fault-finding  n. Continual criticism.
Footpath  n. Path for pedestrians; pavement.
Lily  n. (pl. -ies) 1 bulbous plant with large trumpet-shaped flowers on a tall stem. 2 heraldic fleur-de-lis. [latin lilium]
Tend1  v. 1 (often foll. By to) be apt or inclined (tends to lose his temper; tends to fat). 2 be moving; hold a course (tends in our direction). [latin tendo tens- or tent- stretch]


Couch1  —n. 1 upholstered piece of furniture for several people; sofa. 2 long padded seat with a headrest at one end. —v. 1 (foll. By in) express in (certain terms). 2 archaic (of an animal) lie, esp. In its lair. [latin colloco lay in place]
Necessary  —adj. 1 requiring to be done; requisite, essential. 2 determined, existing, or happening by natural laws etc., not by free will; inevitable. —n. (pl. -ies) (usu. In pl.) Any of the basic requirements of life.  the necessary colloq. 1 money. 2 an action etc. Needed for a purpose.  necessarily adv. [latin necesse needful]
Malay  —n. 1  member of a people predominating in malaysia and indonesia. 2  their language. —adj. Of this people or language.  malayan n. & adj.  [malay malayu]

Fanatic  —n. Person obsessively devoted to a belief, activity, etc. —adj. Excessively enthusiastic.  fanatical adj. Fanatically adv. Fanaticism n. [latin fanum temple]



Eleven-plus  n. Esp. Hist. Examination taken at age 11–12 to determine the type of secondary school a child would enter.
Goitre  n. (us goiter) morbid enlargement of the thyroid gland. [latin guttur throat]

Inexpensive  adj. Not expensive.



Fallible  adj. Capable of making mistakes.  fallibility n. Fallibly adv. [medieval latin: related to *fallacy]
Reflexive  gram. —adj. 1 (of a word or form, esp. Of a pronoun) referring back to the subject of a sentence (e.g. Myself). 2 (of a verb) having a reflexive pronoun as its object (as in to wash oneself). —n. Reflexive word or form, esp. A pronoun (e.g. Myself).
Sex symbol  n. Person widely noted for sex appeal.



Languor  n. 1 lack of energy; idleness. 2 soft or tender mood or effect. 3 oppressive stillness.  languorous adj.

Perambulate  v. (-ting) 1 walk through, over, or about (streets, the country, etc.). 2 walk from place to place.  perambulation n. [latin perambulo: related to *amble]
Yellow flag  n. Flag displayed by a ship in quarantine.
Abuzz  adv. & adj. In a state of excitement or activity.

Adenoids  n.pl. Area of enlarged lymphatic tissue between the nose and the throat, often hindering breathing in the young.  adenoidal adj. [greek aden gland]
Riser  n. 1 person who rises from bed (early riser). 2 vertical section between the treads of a staircase.







Hark  v. (usu. In imper.) Archaic listen attentively.  hark back revert to earlier topic. [old english]
Repopulate  v. (-ting) populate again or increase the population of.

Grandstand  n. Main stand for spectators at a racecourse etc.


Unbutton  v. 1 unfasten the buttons of (a garment, person, etc.). 2 (absol.) Colloq. Relax.
Conquer  v. 1 a overcome and control militarily. B be victorious. 2 overcome by effort.  conqueror n. [latin conquiro win]
Designedly  adv. On purpose.

Pal  —n. Colloq. Friend, mate, comrade. —v. (-ll-) (usu. Foll. By up) associate; form a friendship. [romany]


Backspace  v. (-cing) move a typewriter carriage etc. Back one or more spaces.
Chelsea pensioner  n. Inmate of the chelsea royal hospital for old or disabled soldiers.
Unparalleled  adj. Unequalled.
Sir  n. 1 polite form of address or reference to a man. 2 (sir) title prefixed to the forename of a knight or baronet. [from *sire]
Jackass  n. 1 male ass. 2 stupid person.
Pertinent  adj. (often foll. By to) relevant.  pertinence n. Pertinency n. [latin: related to *pertain]
Spiral  —adj. 1 coiled in a plane or as round a cylinder or cone. 2 having this shape. —n. 1 spiral curve or thing (spiral of smoke). 2 progressive rise or fall of two or more quantities alternately because each depends on the other(s). —v. (-ll-; us -l-) 1 move in a spiral course. 2 (of prices, wages, etc.) Rise or fall continuously.  spirally adv. [greek speira coil]
Swapo  abbr. (also swapo) south west africa people's organization.
Usage  the use of latter to mean ‘last mentioned of three or more’ is considered incorrect by some people.




Marzipan  —n. Paste of ground almonds, sugar, etc., used in confectionery. —v. (-nn-) cover with marzipan. [german from italian]


Pto  abbr. Please turn over.
Azt  abbr. Drug intended for use against the aids virus. [from the chemical name]
Glassy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 like glass. 2 (of the eye, expression, etc.) Abstracted; dull; fixed.
Deaf-and-dumb alphabet  n. (also deaf-and-dumb language) = *sign language.
Fruity  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 a of fruit. B tasting or smelling like fruit. 2 (of a voice etc.) Deep and rich. 3 colloq. Slightly indecent or suggestive.  fruitily adv. Fruitiness n.




Vocal cords  n. Voice-producing part of the larynx.

Day nursery  n. Nursery for children of working parents.
Castle  —n. 1 large fortified building with towers and battlements. 2 chess = *rook2. —v. (-ling) chess move a rook next to the king and the king to the other side of the rook.  castles in the air day-dream; impractical scheme. [latin castellum]



Electromotive force  n. Force set up in an electric circuit by a difference in potential.
Mistaken  adj. 1 wrong in opinion or judgement. 2 based on or resulting from this (mistaken loyalty; mistaken identity).  mistakenly adv.
Empower  v. Give authority to.

Breakage  n. 1 a broken thing. B damage caused by breaking. 2 act or instance of breaking.
Preclinical  adj. Of the first, chiefly theoretical, stage of a medical education.


Blue baby  n. Baby with a blue complexion due to a congenital heart defect.
Non-verbal  adj. Not involving words or speech.



Half-back  n. Sport player between the forwards and full backs.
Erudite  adj. Learned.  erudition n. [latin eruditus instructed: related to *rude]
Shapely  adj. (-ier, -iest) pleasing in appearance, elegant, well-proportioned.  shapeliness n.

Miniseries  n. (pl. Same) short series of related television programmes.
Carbon-14  n. Radioisotope of mass 14, used in carbon dating.
Confectioner  n. Maker or retailer of confectionery.





Little end  n. The smaller end of a connecting-rod, attached to the piston.
Giddy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 dizzy, tending to fall or stagger. 2 a mentally intoxicated (giddy with success). B excitable, frivolous, flighty. 3 making dizzy (giddy heights).  giddily adv. Giddiness n. [old english]



Downtown  esp. Us —attrib. Adj. Of the lower or more central part of a town or city. —n. Downtown area. —adv. In or into the downtown area.


Multiplicity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 manifold variety. 2 (foll. By of) great number.
Saddle  —n. 1 seat of leather etc. Strapped on a horse etc. For riding. 2 bicycle etc. Seat. 3 joint of meat consisting of the two loins. 4 ridge rising to a summit at each end. —v. (-ling) 1 put a saddle on (a horse etc.). 2 (foll. By with) burden (a person) with a task etc.  in the saddle 1 mounted. 2 in office or control. [old english]

 


Infidelity  n. (pl. -ies) unfaithfulness, esp. Adultery. [latin: related to *infidel]

Vilify  v. (-ies, -ied) defame; malign.  vilification n. [latin: related to *vile]
Crank  —n. 1 part of an axle or shaft bent at right angles for converting reciprocal into circular motion or vice versa. 2 eccentric person. —v. Cause to move by means of a crank.  crank up start (a car engine) with a crank. [old english]
Rediscover  v. Discover again.  rediscovery n. (pl. -ies).
Tableware  n. Dishes, plates, etc., for meals.


Feu  scot. —n. 1 perpetual lease at a fixed rent. 2 land so held. —v. (feus, feued, feuing) grant (land) on feu. [french: related to *fee]
Murderous  adj. 1 (of a person, weapon, action, etc.) Capable of, intending, or involving murder or great harm. 2 colloq. Extremely arduous or unpleasant.



Overprotective  adj. Excessively protective.
Tailpipe  n. Rear section of an exhaust-pipe.



Rugby  n. (in full rugby football) team game played with an oval ball that may be kicked or carried. [rugby school, where it was first played]
Dealt  past and past part. Of *deal1.
We  pron. (obj. Us; poss. Our, ours) 1 pl. Of *i2. 2 used for or by a royal person in a proclamation etc. Or by an editor etc. In a formal context. [old english]
Cinema  n. 1 theatre where films are shown. 2 a films collectively. B art or industry of producing films.  cinematic adj. [french: related to *kinematics]
Unaccompanied  adj. 1 not accompanied. 2 mus. Without accompaniment.
Sonnet  n. Poem of 14 lines with a fixed rhyme-scheme and, in english, usu. Ten syllables per line. [french sonnet or italian sonetto]
Oxbridge  n. (also attrib.) Oxford and cambridge universities regarded together, esp. In contrast to newer ones. [portmanteau word]

Mahlstick  var. Of *maulstick.


Interferon  n. Any of various proteins inhibiting the development of a virus in a cell etc.
Tape machine  n. 1 machine for recording telegraph messages. 2 = *tape recorder.
Interracial  adj. Between or affecting different races.
Intact  adj. 1 undamaged; entire. 2 untouched.  intactness n. [latin tango tact- touch]

And  conj. 1 a connecting words, clauses, or sentences, to be taken jointly (you and i). B implying progression (better and better). C implying causation (she hit him and he cried). D implying great duration (cried and cried). E implying a great number (miles and miles). F implying addition (two and two). G implying variety (there are books and books). 2 colloq. To (try and come). 3 in relation to (britain and the ec).  and/or either or both of two stated alternatives. [old english]


Raffle  —n. Fund-raising lottery with prizes. —v. (-ling) (often foll. By off) sell by means of a raffle. [french raf(f)le, a dice-game]


Out of it  predic. Adj. 1 (of a person) not included; forlorn. 2 colloq. Unconscious, dazed.







Monarchism  n. Advocacy of monarchy.  monarchist n. [french: related to *monarch]
Left1  —adj. 1 on or towards the west side of the human body, or of any object, when facing north. 2 (also left) polit. Of the left. —adv. On or to the left side. —n. 1 left-hand part, region, or direction. 2 boxing a left hand. B blow with this. 3 (often left) group or section favouring socialism; socialists collectively. [old english, originally = ‘weak, worthless’]
Peevish  adj. Irritable.  peevishly adv. [origin unknown]

Gout  n. Disease with inflammation of the smaller joints, esp. Of the toe.  gouty adj. [latin gutta drop]
June  n. Sixth month of the year. [latin junius from juno, name of a goddess]

Triangulate  v. (-ting) measure and map out (an area) by dividing it into triangles.  triangulation n.

Extension  n. 1 extending or being extended. 2 part enlarging or added on to a main building etc. 3 additional part. 4 a subsidiary telephone on the same line as the main one. B its number. 5 additional period of time. 6 extramural instruction by a university or college.
Per pro.  Abbr. Through the agency of (used in signatures). [latin per procurationem]
Infantry  n. (pl. -ies) body of foot-soldiers; foot-soldiers collectively. [italian infante youth, foot-soldier]
Billet1  —n. 1 a place where troops etc. Are lodged. B order to provide this. 2 colloq. Job. —v. (-t-) (usu. Foll. By on, in, at) quarter (soldiers etc.). [anglo-french diminutive of *bill1]

Hickory  n. (pl. -ies) 1 n. American tree yielding wood and nutlike edible fruits. 2 the tough heavy wood of this. [virginian pohickery]
Antiquated  adj. Old-fashioned.

Ringer  n. Bell-ringer.  be a ringer (or dead ringer) for slang resemble (a person) exactly.
Trolley  n. (pl. -s) 1  table, stand, or basket on wheels or castors for serving food, transporting luggage etc., gathering purchases in a supermarket, etc. 2  low truck running on rails. 3 (in full trolley-wheel) wheel attached to a pole etc. Used for collecting current from an overhead electric wire to drive a vehicle. [dial., perhaps from *troll2]




Lively  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 full of life; vigorous, energetic. 2 vivid (lively imagination). 3 cheerful. 4 joc. Exciting, dangerous (made things lively for him).  liveliness n. [old english]
Climacteric  n. Period of life when fertility and sexual activity are in decline. [greek: related to *climax]


Highland cattle  n. Cattle of a shaggy-haired breed with long curved horns.


Deposition  n. 1 deposing, esp. Dethronement. 2 sworn evidence; giving of this. 3 (the deposition) taking down of christ from the cross. 4 depositing or being deposited. [latin: related to *deposit]
Relationship  n. 1 state or instance of being related. 2 a connection or association (good working relationship). B colloq. Emotional (esp. Sexual) association between two people.


Pole-jump  var. Of *pole-vault.
Chop3  v. (-pp-)  chop and change vacillate; change direction frequently. Chop logic argue pedantically. [perhaps related to *cheap]
Seismic  adj. Of earthquakes. [greek seismos earthquake]
Dirty weekend  n. Colloq. Weekend spent with a lover.
Suction  n. 1 act of sucking. 2 a production of a partial vacuum by the removal of air etc. So that liquid etc. Is forced in or adhesion is procured. B force so produced. [latin sugo suct- suck]
Interlocutor  n. Formal person who takes part in a conversation. [latin loquor speak]
Dangle  v. (-ling) 1 be loosely suspended and able to sway. 2 hold or carry thus. 3 hold out (hope, temptation, etc.) Enticingly. [imitative]
-uncle  suffix forming nouns, usu. Diminutives (carbuncle). [latin -unculus]
Clothing  n. Clothes collectively.


Country music  n. = *country-and-western.
Avenue  n. 1 a broad esp. Tree-lined road or street. B tree-lined path etc. 2 approach (explored every avenue). [french avenir come to]

Burnish  v. Polish by rubbing. [french brunir from brun brown]
Horsebox  n. Closed vehicle for transporting horse(s).
Contingency  n. (pl. -ies) 1 event that may or may not occur. 2 something dependent on another uncertain event. [latin: related to *contingent]

Line printer  n. Machine that prints output from a computer a line at a time.
Chairman  n. (fem. Also chairwoman) 1 person chosen to preside over a meeting. 2 permanent president of a committee, board of directors, etc.

Premature  adj. 1 a occurring or done before the usual or proper time (a premature decision). B too hasty. 2 (of a baby) born (esp. Three or more weeks) before the end of gestation.  prematurely adv. [latin: related to *pre-, *mature]







Rig-out  n. Colloq. Outfit of clothes.
Adoptive  adj. Because of adoption (adoptive son). [latin: related to *adopt]
Gill1  n. (usu. In pl.) 1 respiratory organ in a fish etc. 2 vertical radial plate on the underside of a mushroom etc. 3 flesh below a person's jaws and ears. [old norse]
Passkey  n. 1 private key to a gate etc. 2 master-key.







 
Stove2  past and past part. Of *stave v.



Tin-tack  n. Iron tack.
Court martial  —n. (pl. Courts martial) judicial court trying members of the armed services. —v. (court-martial) (-ll-; us -l-) try by this.
Serrated  adj. With a sawlike edge.  serration n. [latin serra saw]
Cretonne  n. (often attrib.) Heavy cotton upholstery fabric, usu. With a floral pattern. [creton in normandy]
Rare earth  n. Lanthanide element.




Hot seat  n. Slang 1 position of difficult responsibility. 2 electric chair.

Limpid  adj. Clear, transparent.  limpidity n. [latin]

Stingy  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Niggardly, mean.  stingily adv. Stinginess n. [perhaps from *sting]


Stealthy  adj. (-ier, -iest) done or moving with stealth; furtive.  stealthily adv. Stealthiness n.
Flying picket  n. Mobile industrial strike picket.
Hot water  n. Colloq. Difficulty or trouble.
Ecstasy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 overwhelming joy or rapture. 2 slang type of hallucinogenic drug.  ecstatic adj. Ecstatically adv. [greek ekstasis standing outside oneself]
Sloven  n. Untidy or careless person. [origin uncertain]
Causerie  n. (pl. -s pronunc. Same) informal article or talk. [french]
Solemnize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 duly perform (esp. A marriage ceremony). 2 make solemn.  solemnization n.
Comparative  —adj. 1 perceptible or estimated by comparison; relative (in comparative comfort). 2 of or involving comparison (a comparative study). 3 gram. (of an adjective or adverb) expressing a higher degree of a quality (e.g. Braver, more quickly). —n. Gram. Comparative expression or word.  comparatively adv. [latin: related to *compare]
Showerproof  adj. Resistant to light rain.
Disability  n. (pl. -ies) 1 permanent physical or mental incapacity. 2 lack of some capacity etc., preventing action.
Moment  n. 1 very brief portion of time. 2 an exact point of time (i came the moment you called). 3 importance (of no great moment). 4 product of a force and the distance from its line of action to a point.  at the moment now. In a moment very soon. Man (or woman etc.) Of the moment the one of importance at the time in question. [latin: related to *momentum]
Archeology  n. (brit. Archaeology) study of ancient cultures, esp. By the excavation and analysis of physical remains.  archeological adj. Archeologist n. [greek arkhaiologia ancient history]
Unsatisfied  adj. Not satisfied.
Fixedly  adv. Intently.
Toxocariasis  n. Disease resulting from infection by the toxocara.





Sleaze  n. Colloq. Sleaziness. [back-formation from *sleazy]

Hack2  —n. 1 a = *hackney. B horse let out for hire. 2 person hired to do dull routine work, esp. Writing. —attrib. Adj. 1 used as a hack. 2 typical of a hack; commonplace (hack work). —v. Ride on horseback on a road at an ordinary pace. [abbreviation of *hackney]

Choppy  adj. (-ier, -iest) (of the sea etc.) Fairly rough.  choppily adv. Choppiness n. [from *chop1]
Cold chisel  n. Chisel for cutting metal, stone, or brick.
Thimble  n. Metal or plastic cap worn to protect the finger and push the needle in sewing. [old english: related to *thumb]
Southward  —adj. & adv. (also southwards) towards the south. —n. Southward direction or region.

Rook2  n. Chess piece with a battlement-shaped top. [french from arabic]
Crystallize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 form into crystals. 2 (often foll. By out) (of ideas or plans) make or become definite. 3 make or become coated or impregnated with sugar (crystallized fruit).  crystallization n.
Donate  v. (-ting) give (money etc.), esp. To charity. [from *donation]


Smudge  —n. Blurred or smeared line, mark, blot, etc. —v. (-ging) 1 make a smudge on or of. 2 become smeared or blurred.  smudgy adj. [origin unknown]
Cadet  n. Young trainee for the armed services or police force.  cadetship n. [french, ultimately from latin caput head]
Lancer  n. 1 hist. Soldier of a cavalry regiment armed with lances. 2 (in pl.) A quadrille. B music for this.

Metrical  adj. 1 of or composed in metre (metrical psalms). 2 of or involving measurement (metrical geometry).  metrically adv. [greek: related to *metre2]
Stringy  adj. (-ier, -iest) like string, fibrous.  stringiness n.
Unfilled  adj. Not filled.
Surprise  —n. 1 unexpected or astonishing thing. 2 emotion caused by this. 3 catching or being caught unawares. 4 (attrib.) Unexpected; made or done etc. Without warning. —v. (-sing) 1 affect with surprise; turn out contrary to the expectations of. 2 (usu. In passive; foll. By at) shock, scandalize. 3 capture or attack by surprise. 4 come upon (a person) unawares. 5 (foll. By into) startle (a person) into an action etc.  take by surprise affect with surprise, esp. By an unexpected encounter or statement.  surprising adj. Surprisingly adv. [french]
Rejuvenate  v. (-ting) make (as if) young again.  rejuvenation n. [latin juvenis young]
Soirée  n. Evening party, usu. For conversation or music. [french]

Invade  v. (-ding) (often absol.) 1 enter (a country etc.) Under arms to control or subdue it. 2 swarm into. 3 (of a disease) attack. 4 encroach upon (a person's rights, esp. Privacy).  invader n. [latin vado vas- go]
Coast  —n. Border of land near the sea; seashore. —v. 1 ride or move, usu. Downhill, without the use of power. 2 make progress without much effort. 3 sail along the coast.  the coast is clear there is no danger of being observed or caught.  coastal adj. [latin costa side]






Sax  n. Colloq. Saxophone. [abbreviation]



Forthright  adj. 1 outspoken; straightforward. 2 decisive. [old english]


Minstrel  n. 1 medieval singer or musician. 2 (usu. In pl.) Entertainer with a blacked face singing ostensibly black songs in a group. [related to *minister]
Greedy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 having or showing greed. 2 (foll. By for, or to + infin.) Very eager.  greedily adv. Greediness n. [old english]




Throaty  adj. (-ier, -iest) (of a voice) hoarsely resonant.  throatily adv. Throatiness n.
Obstacle  n. Thing that obstructs progress. [latin obsto stand in the way]

Breach of promise  n. Breaking of a promise, esp. To marry.
Economist  n. Expert on or student of economics.


Raunchy  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Coarse, earthy, sexually boisterous.  raunchily adv. Raunchiness n. [origin unknown]
First post  n. (also last post) bugle-call as a signal to retire for the night.

Pollard  —n. 1 animal that has lost or cast its horns; ox, sheep, or goat of a hornless breed. 2 tree whose branches have been cut back to encourage the dense growth of young branches. —v. Make (a tree) a pollard. [from *poll]
Relaxation  n. 1 relaxing or being relaxed. 2 recreation.

Iraqi  —adj. Of iraq. —n. (pl. -s) 1 a native or national of iraq. B person of iraqi descent. 2 the form of arabic spoken in iraq.

Tête-à-tête  —n. (often attrib.) Private conversation between two persons. —adv. Privately without a third person (dined tête-à-tête). [french, literally ‘head-to-head’]


Unrivalled  adj. (us unrivaled) having no equal.

High-spirited  adj. Vivacious; cheerful; lively.
Af  abbr. Audio frequency.
Embankment  n. Bank constructed to keep back water or carry a road, railway, etc.
Subscribe  v. (-bing) 1 (usu. Foll. By to, for) a pay (a specified sum), esp. Regularly, for membership of an organization, receipt of a publication, etc. B contribute money to a fund, for a cause, etc. 2 (usu. Foll. By to) agree with an opinion etc. (i subscribe to that).  subscribe to arrange to receive (a periodical etc.) Regularly. [latin scribo script- write]


Imperfection  n. 1 state of being imperfect. 2 fault, blemish.

Common market  n. European community.

Moorland  n. Extensive area of moor.

Potter's wheel  n. Horizontal revolving disc to carry clay during moulding.
Pane  n. Single sheet of glass in a window or door. [latin pannus a cloth]
Opera-glasses  n.pl. Small binoculars for use at the opera or theatre.



Overcast  adj. 1 (of the sky) covered with cloud. 2 (in sewing) edged with stitching to prevent fraying.
Breather  n. 1 colloq. Brief pause for rest. 2 brief period in the fresh air.

Usage  complacent is often confused with complaisant.

Civet  n. 1 (in full civet-cat) catlike animal of central africa. 2 strong musky perfume obtained from it. [french ultimately from arabic]
Asiatic  —n. Offens. Asian. —adj. Asian. [latin from greek]


Bottle bank  n. Place for depositing bottles for recycling.

Hypnosis  n. 1 state like sleep in which the subject acts only on external suggestion. 2 artificially produced sleep. [greek hupnos sleep]
Clonk  —n. Abrupt heavy sound of impact. —v. 1 make this sound. 2 colloq. Hit. [imitative]


Minded  adj. 1 (in comb.) A inclined to think in some specified way, or with a specified interest (mathematically minded; fair-minded; car-minded). B having a specified kind of mind (high-minded). 2 (usu. Foll. By to + infin.) Disposed or inclined.
Miracle  n. 1 extraordinary, supposedly supernatural, event. 2 remarkable occurrence or development (economic miracle). 3 (usu. Foll. By of) remarkable specimen (a miracle of ingenuity). [latin mirus wonderful]
Hussy  n. (pl. -ies) derog. Impudent or promiscuous girl or woman. [contraction of *housewife]
Voice  —n. 1 a sound formed in the larynx and uttered by the mouth, esp. By a person speaking, singing, etc. B power of this (lost her voice). 2 a use of the voice; spoken or written expression (esp. Give voice). B opinion so expressed. C right to express an opinion. D medium for expression. 3 gram. Set of verbal forms showing whether a verb is active or passive. —v. (-cing) 1 express. 2 (esp. As voiced adj.) Utter with vibration of the vocal cords (e.g. B, d).  in good voice singing or speaking well or easily. With one voice unanimously. [latin vox voc-]
Resell  v. (past and past part. Resold) sell (an object etc.) After buying it.
Apple-pie bed  n. Bed made (as a joke) with sheets folded so as to prevent a person lying flat.



Discourteous  adj. Lacking courtesy.  discourteously adv. Discourtesy n. (pl. -ies).
Ibex  n. (pl. -es) wild mountain goat with thick curved ridged horns. [latin]

Quango  n. (pl. -s) semi-public body with financial support from and senior appointments made by the government. [abbreviation of quasi (or quasi-autonomous) non-government(al) organization]
Rough-and-tumble  —adj. Irregular, scrambling, disorderly. —n. Disorderly fight; scuffle.
Approach  —v. 1 come near or nearer (to) in space or time. 2 tentatively propose to. 3 be similar or approximate to (approaching 5 million). 4 set about (a task etc.). —n. 1 act or means of approaching. 2 approximation. 3 technique (try a new approach). 4 golf stroke from the fairway to the green. 5 aeron. Part of a flight before landing. [latin prope near]
Sanity  n. 1 being sane. 2 moderation. [latin sanitas: related to *sane]

Cwm  n. (in wales) = *coomb. [welsh]
Brittle  adj. Hard and fragile; apt to break.  brittlely adv. (also brittly). [old english]
Clam  —n. Edible bivalve mollusc. —v. (-mm-) (foll. By up) colloq. Refuse to talk. [related to *clamp1]

Telemarketing  n. Marketing of goods etc. By unsolicited telephone calls.

Uxorious  adj. Greatly or excessively fond of one's wife.

Pow  abbr. Prisoner of war.
Kill  —v. 1 (also absol.) Deprive of life or vitality; cause death or the death of. 2 destroy (feelings etc.). 3 refl. Colloq. A overexert oneself (don't kill yourself trying). B laugh heartily. 4 colloq. Overwhelm with amusement. 5 switch off (a light, engine, etc.). 6 computing colloq. Delete. 7 colloq. Cause pain or discomfort to (my feet are killing me). 8 pass (time, or a specified period) usu. While waiting (an hour to kill before the interview). 9 defeat (a bill in parliament). 10 a tennis etc. Hit (the ball) so that it cannot be returned. B stop (the ball) dead. 11 make ineffective (taste, sound, pain, etc.) (carpet killed the sound). —n. 1 act of killing (esp. In hunting). 2 animal(s) killed, esp. By a hunter. 3 colloq. Destruction or disablement of an enemy aircraft etc.  dressed to kill dressed showily or alluringly. In at the kill present at a successful conclusion. Kill off 1 destroy completely. 2 (of an author) bring about the death of (a fictional character). Kill or cure (usu. Attrib.) (of a remedy etc.) Drastic, extreme. Kill two birds with one stone achieve two aims at once. Kill with kindness spoil with overindulgence. [perhaps related to *quell]

Third world  n. (usu. Prec. By the) developing countries of asia, africa, and latin america.
Seamanship  n. Skill in managing a ship or boat.
Man of the world  see *world.
Casino  n. (pl. -s) public room or building for gambling. [italian diminutive of casa house]


Cormorant  n. Diving sea bird with black plumage. [latin corvus marinus sea-raven]

Rodeo  n. (pl. -s) 1 exhibition of cowboys' skills in handling animals. 2 round-up of cattle on a ranch for branding etc. [spanish]
Repugnant  adj. 1 extremely distasteful. 2 contradictory.

Downstairs  —adv. 1 down the stairs. 2 to or on a lower floor. —attrib. Adj. Situated downstairs. —n. Lower floor.

Nodule  n. 1 small rounded lump of anything. 2 small tumour, node, or ganglion, or a swelling on the root of a legume containing bacteria etc.  nodular adj. [latin diminutive: related to *node]

Piss-up  n. Drinking spree.




Transcendental meditation  n. Method of detaching oneself from problems, anxiety, etc., by silent meditation and repetition of a mantra.

Ingénue  n. 1 unsophisticated young woman. 2 such a part in a play. [french: related to *ingenuous]


Summer  n. 1 (often attrib.) Warmest season of the year. 2 (often foll. By of) mature stage of life etc.  summery adj. [old english]
Akin  predic. Adj. 1 related by blood. 2 similar.
Revers  n. (pl. Same) 1 turned-back edge of a garment revealing the undersurface. 2 material on this surface. [french: related to *reverse]
Non-fiction  n. Literary work other than fiction.
Disbar  v. (-rr-) deprive (a barrister) of the right to practise.  disbarment n.
Swelter  —v. Be uncomfortably hot. —n. Sweltering condition. [old english]
Answerphone  n. = *answering machine.
Patriot  n. Person devoted to and ready to defend his or her country.  patriotic adj. Patriotically adv. Patriotism n. [greek patris fatherland]
Gordian  adj.  cut the gordian knot solve a problem by force or by evasion. [gordius king of phrygia, who tied a knot later cut by alexander the great]
Prow  n. 1 fore-part or bow of a ship. 2 pointed or projecting front part. [french proue from greek proira]
Chin-wag  slang —n. Talk or chat. —v. (-gg-) chat.
Ghoul  n. 1 person morbidly interested in death etc. 2 evil spirit or phantom. 3 spirit in muslim folklore preying on corpses.  ghoulish adj. Ghoulishly adv. [arabic]
Divinity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 being divine. 2 god; godhead. 3 theology.
Brake3  —n. 1 toothed instrument for crushing flax and hemp. 2 (in full brake harrow) heavy harrow. —v. (-king)  crush (flax or hemp). [low german or dutch: related to *break]
Uncoloured  adj. 1 having no colour. 2 not influenced; impartial.

Fluorspar  n. = *fluorite. [fluor a mineral used as flux, from latin fluo flow]

Cheeky  adj. (-ier, -iest) impertinent.  cheekily adv. Cheekiness n.
Unskillful  adj. (brit. Unskilful) not skilful.
Sodium bicarbonate  n. White crystalline compound used in baking-powder.


Hodgkin's disease  n. Malignant disease of lymphatic tissues, usu. Characterized by enlargement of the lymph nodes. [hodgkin, name of a physician]
Transoceanic  adj. 1 beyond the ocean. 2 crossing the ocean.

Lord privy seal  n. Senior cabinet minister without official duties.

Scirocco  var. Of *sirocco.


Equate  v. (-ting) 1 (usu. Foll. By to, with) regard as equal or equivalent. 2 (foll. By with) be equal or equivalent to.  equatable adj. [latin aequo aequat-: related to *equal]

Overexpose  v. (-sing) 1 expose too much to the public. 2 expose (film) too long.  overexposure n.



Playing-field  n. Field for outdoor games.




Allowance  n. 1 amount or sum allowed, esp. Regularly for a stated purpose. 2 amount allowed in reckoning. 3 deduction or discount.  make allowances (often foll. By for) 1 consider (mitigating circumstances). 2 make excuses for (a person, bad behaviour, etc.).


Curl  —v. 1 (often foll. By up) bend or coil into a spiral. 2 move in a spiral form. 3 a (of the upper lip) be raised contemptuously. B cause (the lip) to do this. 4 play curling. —n. 1 lock of curled hair. 2 anything spiral or curved inwards. 3 a curling movement. B being curled.  curl one's lip express scorn. Curl up 1 lie or sit with the knees drawn up. 2 colloq. Writhe in embarrassment etc. [dutch]
Self-fulfilment  n. Fulfilment of one's ambitions etc.

Wet  —adj. (wetter, wettest) 1 soaked or covered with water or other liquid. 2 (of the weather etc.) Rainy. 3 (of paint etc.) Not yet dried. 4 used with water (wet shampoo). 5 colloq. Feeble, inept. —v. (-tt-; past and past part. Wet or wetted) 1 make wet. 2 a urinate in or on (wet the bed).

Greatly  adv. Much; by a considerable amount (greatly admired; greatly superior).

Decilitre  n. (us -liter) metric unit of capacity, equal to 0.1 litre.

Elect  —v. (usu. Foll. By to + infin.) 1 choose. 2 choose by voting. —adj. 1 chosen. 2 select, choice. 3 (after the noun) chosen but not yet in office (president elect). [latin eligo elect- pick out]
Led  abbr. Light-emitting diode.



Free and easy  adj. Informal, relaxed.


Righten  v. Make right or correct.
Au  symb. Gold. [latin aurum]
Palais  n. Colloq. Public dancehall. [french, = hall]

Godsend  n. Unexpected but welcome event or acquisition.
Fm  symb. Fermium.


Outshine  v. (-ning; past and past part. -shone) 1 shine brighter than. 2 surpass in excellence etc.

Wont  —predic. Adj. Archaic or literary (foll. By to + infin.) Accustomed. —n. Formal or joc. What is customary, one's habit. [old english]




Pb  symb. Lead. [latin plumbum]


Hey  int. Calling attention or expressing joy, surprise, inquiry, etc. [imitative]
Acumen  n. Keen insight or discernment. [latin, = *acute thing]
Testosterone  n. Male sex hormone formed in the testicles. [from *testis, *sterol]
Tine  n. Prong, tooth, or point of a fork, comb, antler, etc. [old english]

Adjudicate  v. (-ting) 1 act as judge in a competition, court, etc. 2 adjudge.  adjudication n. Adjudicative adj. Adjudicator n.


Troth  n. Archaic 1 faith, loyalty. 2 truth.  pledge (or plight) one's troth pledge one's word, esp. In marriage or betrothal. [old english: related to *truth]


New town  n. Town planned and built all at once with government funds.
Sleep  —n. 1 natural recurring condition of suspended consciousness, with the eyes closed and the muscles relaxed. 2 period of sleep (had a sleep). 3 state like sleep; rest, quiet, death. —v. (past and past part. Slept) 1 a be in a state of sleep. B fall asleep. 2 (foll. By at, in, etc.) Spend the night. 3 provide beds etc. For (house sleeps six). 4 (foll. By with, together) have sexual intercourse, esp. In bed. 5 (foll. By on) put off (a decision) until the next day. 6 (foll. By through) fail to be woken by. 7 be inactive or dead. 8 (foll. By off) remedy by sleeping.  get to sleep manage to fall asleep. Go to sleep 1 begin to sleep. 2 (of a limb) become numb. Put to sleep 1 anaesthetize. 2 put down (an animal). Sleep around colloq. Be sexually promiscuous. Sleep in sleep later than usual in the morning. [old english]
Infusion  n. 1 a infusing. B liquid extract obtained thus. 2 infused element.
Risotto  n. (pl. -s) italian savoury rice dish cooked in stock. [italian]

Word-game  n. Game involving the making or selection etc. Of words.

Demonetize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) withdraw (a coin etc.) From use.  demonetization n. [french: related to *de-, *money]
Neuralgia  n. Intense pain along a nerve, esp. In the head or face.  neuralgic adj.

Ovary  n. (pl. -ies) 1 each of the female reproductive organs in which ova are produced. 2 hollow base of the carpel of a flower.  ovarian adj.
Chore  n. Tedious or routine task, esp. Domestic. [from *char2]
Energize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 give energy to. 2 provide (a device) with energy for operation.
In  —prep. 1 expressing inclusion or position within limits of space, time, circumstance, etc. (in england; in bed; in 1989; in the rain). 2 a within (a certain time) (finished it in two hours).






Come  —v. (-ming; past came; past part. Come) 1 move, be brought towards, or reach a place. 2 reach a specified situation or result (came to no harm). 3 reach or extend to a specified point. 4 traverse or accomplish (with compl.: have come a long way). 5 occur, happen; (of time) arrive in due course (how did you come to break your leg?; the day soon came). 6 take or occupy a specified position in space or time (nero came after claudius). 7 become perceptible or known (it will come to me). 8 be available (comes in three sizes). 9 become (come loose). 10 (foll. By from, of) a be descended from. B be the result of (that comes of complaining). 11 colloq. Play the part of; behave like (don't come the bully with me). 12 slang have an orgasm. 13 (in subjunctive) colloq. When a specified time is reached (come next month). 14 (as int.) Expressing mild protest or encouragement (come, it cannot be that bad). —n. Slang semen ejaculated.  come about happen. Come across 1 meet or find by chance. 2 colloq. Be effective or understood; give a specified impression. Come again colloq. 1 make a further effort.
Postmark  —n. Official mark on a letter, giving the place, date, etc., and cancelling the stamp. —v. Mark (an envelope etc.) With this.

Lob  —v. (-bb-) hit or throw (a ball etc.) Slowly or in a high arc. —n. Such a ball. [probably low german or dutch]
Quod  n.  Slang prison. [origin unknown]



Consort1  —n. Wife or husband, esp. Of royalty. —v. 1 (usu. Foll. By with, together) keep company. 2 harmonize. [latin: related to *sort]

Yucca  n. Subtropical white-flowered plant with swordlike leaves, often grown as a house-plant. [carib]


Eye-opener  n. Colloq. Enlightening experience; unexpected revelation.
Self-assertive  adj. Confident or aggressive in promoting oneself, one's rights, etc.  self-assertion n.

Telephoto  n. (pl. -s) (in full telephoto lens) lens used in telephotography.



Jigger  n. 1 billiards colloq. Cue-rest. 2 a measure of spirits etc. B small glass holding this. [partly from *jig]
Steeplejack  n. Repairer of tall chimneys, steeples, etc.

Sec2  n. Colloq. (in phrases) second, moment (wait a sec). [abbreviation]
Coleopteron  n. Insect with front wings serving as sheaths, e.g. The beetle and weevil.  coleopterous adj. [greek koleon sheath, pteron wing]
Respray  —v. Spray again (esp. A vehicle with paint). —n. Act of respraying.
Dot  —n. 1 a small spot or mark. B this as part of i or j, or as a decimal point etc. 2 shorter signal of the two in morse code. —v. (-tt-) 1 a mark with dot(s). B place a dot over (a letter). 2 (often foll. By about) scatter like dots. 3 partly cover as with dots (sea dotted with ships). 4 slang hit.  dot the i's and cross the t's colloq. 1 be minutely accurate. 2 add the final touches to a task etc. On the dot exactly on time. The year dot colloq. Far in the past. [old english]
Pallid  adj. Pale, esp. From illness. [latin: related to *pale1]

Favourite  (us favorite) —adj. Preferred to all others (favourite book). —n. 1 favourite person or thing. 2 sport competitor thought most likely to win. [italian: related to *favour]

Lunate  adj. Crescent-shaped.
Keeper  n. 1 person who looks after or is in charge of animals, people, or a thing. 2 custodian of a museum, forest, etc. 3 a = *wicket-keeper. B = *goalkeeper. 4 a sleeper in a pierced ear. B ring that keeps another on the finger.



Nowhere  —adv. In or to no place. —pron. No place.  get nowhere make no progress. Nowhere near not nearly. [old english]
Lonely hearts  n.pl. People seeking friendship or marriage through a newspaper column, club, etc.
Commerce  n. Financial transactions, esp. Buying and selling; trading. [latin: related to *mercer]




Tracer  n. 1 bullet etc. That is visible in flight because of flames etc. Emitted. 2 artificial radioactive isotope which can be followed through the body by the radiation it produces.
Batty  adj. (-ier, -iest) slang crazy. [from *bat2]

Post1  —n. 1 long stout piece of timber or metal set upright in the ground etc. To support something, mark a position or boundary, etc. 2 pole etc. Marking the start or finish of a race. —v. 1 (often foll. By up) attach (a notice etc.) In a prominent place. 2 announce or advertise by poster or list. [latin postis]

Suggestible  adj. 1 easily influenced. 2 capable of being suggested.  suggestibility n.
Barrack1  —n. (usu. In pl., often treated as sing.) 1 housing for soldiers. 2 large bleak building. —v. Lodge (soldiers etc.) In barracks. [italian or spanish]

Restoration  n. 1 restoring or being restored. 2 model or representation of the supposed original form of a thing. 3 (restoration) hist. A (prec. By the) re-establishment of the british monarchy in 1660. B (often attrib.) Literary period following this (restoration comedy).

Respecting  prep. With regard to; concerning.
Uncoordinated  adj. 1 not coordinated. 2 clumsy.
Difficulty  n. (pl. -ies) 1 being difficult. 2 a difficult thing; problem, hindrance. B (often in pl.) Distress, esp. Financial (in difficulties). [latin difficultas: related to *faculty]
Furnisher  n. 1 person who sells furniture. 2 person who furnishes.
Heartbeat  n. Pulsation of the heart.
Smilax  n. Any of several climbing shrubs.  [greek, = bindweed]

Sceptre  n. (us scepter) staff as a symbol of sovereignty. [greek skepto lean on]

Surface tension  n. Tension of the surface-film of a liquid, tending to minimize its surface area.

Bust2  —v. (past and past part. Busted or bust) colloq. 1 break, burst. 2 a raid, search. B arrest. —adj. (also busted) 1 broken, burst. 2 bankrupt.  bust up 1 collapse. 2 (esp. Of a married couple) separate. [var. Of *burst]










Relay race  n. Race between teams of which each member in turn covers part of the distance.
Phylum  n. (pl. Phyla) biol. Taxonomic rank below a kingdom, comprising a class or classes and subordinate taxa. [greek phulon race]


Defer2  v. (-rr-) (foll. By to) yield or make concessions to. [latin defero carry away]


Praenomen  n. Ancient roman's first or personal name (e.g. Marcus tullius cicero). [latin: related to *pre-, *nomen]
Thoroughfare  n. Road or path open at both ends, esp. For traffic.

Cupreous  adj. Of or like copper. [latin: related to *copper1]



Wardrobe mistress  n. (masc. Wardrobe master) person in charge of a theatrical wardrobe.
Slough of despond  n. State of hopeless depression.
Book-plate  n. Decorative personalized label stuck in a book.

Unbolt  v. Release the bolt of (a door etc.).
Irretrievable  adj. That cannot be retrieved or restored.  irretrievably adv.
Hepta-  comb. Form seven. [greek]
Déjà vu  n. 1 feeling of having already experienced the present situation. 2 something tediously familiar. [french, = already seen]




Welfare  n. 1 well-being, happiness; health and prosperity (of a person or community etc.). 2 (welfare) a welfare centre or office. B financial support given by the state. [from *well1, *fare]
Marsh gas  n. Methane.
Octopus  n. (pl. -puses) sea mollusc with eight suckered tentacles. [greek: related to *octo-, pous foot]
Stoneground  adj. (of flour) ground with millstones.
Dementia  n. Chronic insanity. [latin: related to *demented]
Institute  —n. 1 society or organization for the promotion of science, education, etc. 2 its premises. —v. (-ting) 1 establish; found. 2 initiate (an inquiry etc.). 3 (usu. Foll. By to, into) appoint (a person) as a cleric in a church etc. [latin statuo set up]
Cow-lick  n. Projecting lock of hair.
Sapphire  —n. 1 transparent blue precious stone. 2 its bright blue colour. —adj. (also sapphire blue) bright blue. [greek sappheiros lapis lazuli]

-ess  suffix forming nouns denoting females (actress; lioness). [greek -issa]
Handball  n. 1 game with a ball thrown by hand among players or against a wall. 2 football intentional touching of the ball, constituting a foul.


Cover-up  n. Concealment of facts.


Aftermath  n. 1 consequences, esp. Unpleasant (aftermath of war). 2 new grass growing after mowing. [from *after, math mowing]

Service station  n. = *garage n. 2.



Hypertext  n. Provision of several texts on one computer system, with cross-references from one to another.



Meta-  comb. Form 1 denoting change of position or condition (metabolism). 2 denoting position: a behind, after, or beyond (metaphysics). B of a higher or second-order kind (metalanguage). [greek meta with, after]

Deepen  v. Make or become deep or deeper.
Milliliter  n. (brit. -litre) one-thousandth of a litre (0.002 pint).
Usage  use of the verb try with and (see sense 1) is uncommon in negative contexts (except in the imperative, e.g. Don't try and get the better of me) and in the past tense.



Big apple  n. Us slang new york city.

Ignominious  adj. Shameful, humiliating.  ignominiously adv. [latin: related to *ignominy]
Fact  n. 1 thing that is known to exist or to be true. 2 (usu. In pl.) Item of verified information. 3 truth, reality. 4 thing assumed as the basis for argument.  before (or after) the fact before (or after) the committing of a crime. In (or in point of) fact 1 in reality. 2 in short. [latin factum from facio do]

Lowly  adj. (-ier, -iest) humble; unpretentious.  lowliness n.
One-time  attrib. Adj. Former.

G 
Mate2  n. & v. (-ting) chess = *checkmate.
Petrochemical  n. Substance industrially obtained from petroleum or natural gas.







Drier1  compar. Of *dry.


Impulse buying  n. Purchasing goods on impulse.
Self-respect  n. Respect for oneself.  self-respecting adj.
Tangible  adj. 1 perceptible by touch. 2 definite; clearly intelligible; not elusive (tangible proof).  tangibility n. Tangibleness n. Tangibly adv. [latin: related to *tangent]




Gamut  n. Entire range or scope.  run the gamut of experience or perform the complete range of. [latin gamma ut, words arbitrarily taken as names of notes]
Long-standing  adj. That has long existed.
Conspirator  n. Person who takes part in a conspiracy.  conspiratorial adj.



Orientation  n. 1 orienting or being oriented. 2 a relative position. B person's attitude or adjustment in relation to circumstances. 3 introduction to a subject or situation; briefing.  orientational adj.





Peahen  n. Female peafowl.
Theme park  n. Amusement park organized round a unifying idea.
Cicely  n. (pl. -ies) flowering plant related to parsley and chervil. [greek seselis]
Elbow  —n. 1 a joint between the forearm and the upper arm. B part of a sleeve covering the elbow. 2 elbow-shaped bend etc. —v. (foll. By in, out, aside, etc.) 1 jostle or thrust (a person or oneself). 2 make (one's way) thus.  give a person the elbow colloq. Dismiss or reject a person.  [old english: related to *ell, *bow1]


Fandango  n. (pl. -es or -s) 1 lively spanish dance for two. 2 music for this. [spanish]

Jap  n. & adj. Colloq. Often offens. = *japanese. [abbreviation]
Psycho-  comb. Form of the mind or psychology. [greek: related to *psychic]
Third reading  n. Third presentation of a bill to a legislative assembly.

Plate glass  n. Thick fine-quality glass for shop windows etc.
Flaw1  —n. 1 imperfection; blemish. 2 crack, chip, etc. 3 invalidating defect. —v. Crack; damage; spoil.  flawless adj. Flawlessly adv. [old norse]
Teacher  n. Person who teaches, esp. In a school.
Shred  —n. 1 scrap or fragment. 2 least amount (not a shred of evidence). —v. (-dd-) tear or cut into shreds.  shredder n. [old english]
Private parts  n.pl. Euphem. Genitals.





Gall1  n. 1 slang impudence. 2 rancour. 3 bitterness. 4 bile. [old norse]
Paye  abbr. Pay-as-you-earn.
Congress  n. 1 formal meeting of delegates for discussion. 2 (congress) national legislative body, esp. Of the us.  congressional adj. [latin gradior gress- walk]



Unceasing  adj. Not ceasing; continuous (unceasing effort).

R.  Abbr. (also r) 1 right. 2 radius.


P  abbr. (also p.) 1 penny, pence. 2 page. 3 piano (softly).

Masterpiece  n. 1 outstanding piece of artistry or workmanship. 2 person's best work.
Purse  —n. 1 small pouch for carrying money on the person. 2 us handbag. 3 money, funds. 4 sum as a present or prize in a contest. —v. (-sing) 1 (often foll. By up) pucker or contract (the lips etc.). 2 become wrinkled.  hold the purse-strings have control of expenditure. [greek, = leather bag]


Firmament  n. Literary the sky regarded as a vault or arch. [latin: related to *firm1]



Nugget  n. 1 lump of gold etc., as found in the earth. 2 lump of anything. 3 something valuable. [apparently from dial. Nug lump]

Bandog  n. Fighting-dog bred for its strength and ferocity. [from *band, *dog]
Untroubled  adj. Calm, tranquil.

Kindly1  adv. 1 in a kind manner (spoke kindly). 2 often iron. Please (kindly go away).  look kindly upon regard sympathetically. Take kindly to be pleased by; like.
Satan  n. The devil; lucifer. [hebrew, = enemy]


Venturesome  adj. 1 disposed to take risks. 2 risky.
Shroud  —n. 1 wrapping for a corpse. 2 thing that conceals. 3 (in pl.) Ropes supporting a mast. —v. 1 clothe (a body) for burial. 2 cover or conceal. [old english, = garment]
Overripe  adj. Excessively ripe.

Motor cycle  n. Two-wheeled motor vehicle without pedal propulsion.  motor cyclist n.
Heartburn  n. Burning sensation in the chest from indigestion.
Hesitate  v. (-ting) 1 show or feel indecision or uncertainty; pause in doubt (hesitated over her choice). 2 be reluctant (i hesitate to say so).  hesitation n. [latin haereo haes- stick fast]




Set1  v. (-tt-; past and past part. Set) 1 put, lay, or stand in a certain position etc. 2 apply (one thing) to (another) (set pen to paper). 3 a fix ready or in position. B dispose suitably for use, action, or display. 4 a adjust (a clock or watch) to show the right time. B adjust (an alarm clock) to sound at the required time. 5 a fix, arrange, or mount. B insert (a jewel) in a ring etc. 6 make (a device) ready to operate. 7 lay (a table) for a meal. 8 style (the hair) while damp. 9 (foll. By with) ornament or provide (a surface). 10 make or bring into a specified state; cause to be (set things in motion; set it on fire).
Furtive  adj. Sly, stealthy.  furtively adv. Furtiveness n. [latin fur thief]

Chewing-gum  n. Flavoured gum for chewing.

-ide  suffix chem. Forming nouns denoting binary compounds of an element (sodium chloride; lead sulphide; calcium carbide). [extended from *oxide]




Paso doble  n. Latin-american ballroom dance. [spanish, = double step]
Farad  n. Si unit of capacitance. [faraday, name of a physicist]
Locus  n. (pl. Loci) 1 position or locality. 2 line or curve etc. Formed by all the points satisfying certain conditions, or by the defined motion of a point, line, or surface. [latin, = place]

Liquidate  v. (-ting) 1 wind up the affairs of (a firm) by ascertaining liabilities and apportioning assets. 2 pay off (a debt). 3 wipe out, kill.  liquidator n. [medieval latin: related to *liquid]
Bayonet  —n. 1 stabbing blade attachable to the muzzle of a rifle. 2 electrical fitting pushed into a socket and twisted. —v. (-t-) stab with bayonet. [french, perhaps from bayonne in sw france]
Cosh2  abbr. Hyperbolic cosine.




Intent  —n. Intention; purpose (with intent to defraud). —adj. 1 (usu. Foll. By on) a resolved, determined. B attentively occupied. 2 (esp. Of a look) earnest; eager.  to all intents and purposes practically; virtually.  intently adv. Intentness n. [latin intentus]





Pergola  n. Arbour or covered walk formed of growing plants trained over trellis-work. [italian]


Tag end  n. Esp. Us last remnant.
Order of the day  n. 1 prevailing state of things. 2 principal action, procedure, or programme.





Unshockable  adj. Unable to be shocked.
Pudding  n. 1 a any of various sweet cooked dishes (rice pudding). B savoury dish containing flour, suet, etc. (steak and kidney pudding). C sweet course of a meal. D any of various sausages stuffed with oatmeal, spices, blood, etc. (black pudding). 2 colloq. Plump, stupid, or lazy person.  puddingy adj. [latin botellus sausage]
Omni-  comb. Form all. [latin omnis all]
Sunflower  n. Tall plant with large golden-rayed flowers.





Battleaxe  n. 1 large axe used in ancient warfare. 2 colloq. Formidable older woman.
Churl  n. 1 ill-bred person. 2 archaic peasant. [old english, = man]
Earthy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 of or like earth or soil. 2 coarse, crude (earthy humour).  earthiness n.

Sundial  n. Instrument showing the time by the shadow of a pointer in sunlight.
Drum machine  n. Electronic device that simulates percussion.
Usage  continual is often confused with continuous. Continual is used of something that happens very frequently (e.g. There were continual interruptions), while continuous is used of something that happens without a pause (e.g. Continuous rain all day).

Uhf  abbr. Ultrahigh frequency.
Pants  n.pl. 1 underpants or knickers. 2 us trousers.  bore (or scare etc.) The pants off colloq. Bore, scare, etc., greatly. With one's pants down colloq. In an embarrassingly unprepared state. [abbreviation of *pantaloons]
Jerry-builder  n. Incompetent builder using cheap materials.  jerry-building n. Jerry-built adj. [origin uncertain]
Black watch  n. (prec. By the) royal highland regiment.
Pandit  var. Of *pundit 1.
Wary  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 on one's guard; circumspect. 2 (foll. By of) cautious. 3 showing caution.  warily adv. Wariness n. [ware look out for, avoid]


Alibi  n. (pl. -s) 1 claim or proof that one was elsewhere when a crime etc. Was committed. 2 informal excuse. [latin, = elsewhere]
Big-hearted  adj. Generous.

Scimitar  n. Curved oriental sword. [french and italian]
Spot on  adj. Colloq. Precise; on target.

Dewlap  n. Loose fold of skin hanging from the throat of cattle, dogs, etc. [from *dew, *lap1]
Swoop  —v. 1 (often foll. By down) descend rapidly like a bird of prey. 2 (often foll. By on) make a sudden attack. —n. Swooping movement or action. [old english]
Haka  n. Nz 1 maori ceremonial war dance with chanting. 2 imitation of this by a sports team before a match. [maori]
Parasol  n. Light umbrella giving shade from the sun. [italian: related to *para-2, sole sun]


Soufflé  n. Light spongy sweet or savoury dish usu. Made with stiffly beaten egg-whites and gelatine. [french, = blown]
Dissension  n. Angry disagreement. [latin: related to *dissent]
Nec  abbr. National executive committee.
Highway code  n. Official booklet of guidance for road-users.
Plenteous  adj. Literary plentiful. [french plentivous: related to *plenty]

Wraith  n. 1 ghost. 2 spectral appearance of a living person supposed to portend that person's death. [origin unknown]
Unleavened  adj. Not leavened; made without yeast etc.
Naked eye  n. (prec. By the) unassisted vision, e.g. Without a telescope etc.
Disclaimer  n. Renunciation; statement disclaiming something.
Fire-water  n. Colloq. Strong alcoholic liquor.


Bogy  var. Of *bogey2.

S.c.  Abbr. Small capitals.

Metro  n. (pl. -s) underground railway system, esp. In paris. [french shortened from métropolitain metropolitan]

Epicene  —adj. 1 of, for, denoting, or used by both sexes. 2 having characteristics of both sexes or of neither sex. —n. Epicene person. [greek koinos common]
Repast  n. Formal 1 meal. 2 food and drink for this. [latin repasco -past- feed]
Macrocarpa  n. Evergreen tree, often cultivated for hedges or wind-breaks. [greek *macro-, karpos fruit]
Bronco  n. (pl. -s) wild or half-tamed horse of the western us. [spanish, = rough]
Unravel  v. (-ll-; us -l-) 1 make or become disentangled, unknitted, unknotted, etc. 2 probe and solve (a mystery etc.). 3 undo (esp. Knitted fabric).
Realistic  adj. 1 regarding things as they are; following a policy of realism. 2 based on facts rather than ideals.  realistically adv.
Rubato  n. Mus. (pl. -s or -ti) temporary disregarding of strict tempo. [italian, = robbed]
Dairying  n. Dairy farming and distribution.

Internecine  adj. Mutually destructive. [latin internecinus deadly]
Erect  —adj. 1 upright, vertical. 2 (of the penis etc.) Enlarged and rigid, esp. In sexual excitement. 3 (of hair) bristling. —v. 1 set up; build. 2 establish.  erection n. Erectly adv. Erectness n. [latin erigere erect- set up]
Misalliance  n. Unsuitable alliance, esp. A marriage.

Fishmonger  n. Dealer in fish.

Budget  —n. 1 amount of money needed or available. 2 a (the budget) government's annual estimate or plan of revenue and expenditure. B similar estimate by a company etc. 3 (attrib.) Inexpensive. —v. (-t-) (often foll. By for) allow or arrange for in a budget.  budgetary adj. [latin bulga bag]







Proximo  adj. Commerce of next month (the third proximo). [latin, = in the next (mense month)]
Faultless  adj. Perfect.  faultlessly adv.
Skate2  n. (pl. Same or -s) large flat marine fish used as food. [old norse]
Stubborn  adj. Obstinate, inflexible.  stubbornly adj. Stubbornness n. [origin unknown]

Unsporting  adj. Not fair or generous.

Tariff  n. 1 table of fixed charges (hotel tariff). 2 a duty on a particular class of goods. B list of duties or customs due. [arabic, = notification]



Bunsen burner  n. Small adjustable gas burner used in a laboratory. [bunsen, name of a chemist]
Bullet  n. Small pointed missile fired from a rifle, revolver, etc. [french diminutive of boule ball]

Theater  n. (brit. Theatre) 1 building or outdoor area for dramatic performances. 2 writing and production of plays. 3 room or hall for lectures etc. With seats in tiers. 4 operating theatre. 5 a scene or field of action (the theatre of war). B (attrib.) Designating weapons intermediate between tactical and strategic. [greek theatron]

Mealy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 of, like, or containing meal. 2 (of a complexion) pale.  mealiness n.

Denarius  n. (pl. Denarii) ancient roman silver coin. [latin deni by tens]
Great tit  n. Eurasian songbird with black and white head markings.

Delectation  n. Literary pleasure, enjoyment.
Unabashed  adj. Not abashed.

Preface  —n. 1 introduction to a book stating its subject, scope, etc. 2 preliminary part of a speech. —v. (-cing) 1 (foll. By with) introduce or begin (a speech or event). 2 provide (a book etc.) With a preface. 3 (of an event etc.) Lead up to (another).  prefatory adj. [latin praefatio]
Tubercular  adj. Of or having tubercles or tuberculosis.

Tillage  n. 1 preparation of land for growing crops. 2 tilled land.




Pickings  n.pl. 1 profits or gains acquired easily or dishonestly. 2 leftovers.


Tandem  —n. 1 bicycle with two or more seats one behind another. 2 group of two people etc. With one behind or following the other. 3 carriage driven tandem. —adv. With two or more horses harnessed one behind another (drive tandem).  in tandem 1 one behind another. 2 alongside each other; together. [latin, = at length]


Twit2  v. (-tt-) reproach or taunt, usu. Good-humouredly. [old english]
Forty  adj. & n. (pl. -ies) 1 four times ten. 2 symbol for this (40, xl, xl). 3 (in pl.) Numbers from 40 to 49, esp. The years of a century or of a person's life.  fortieth adj. & n. [old english: related to *four]



Change-over  n. Change from one system to another.
Prof.  Abbr. Professor.


Eczema  n. Inflammation of the skin, with itching and discharge. [latin from greek]

Bowel  n. 1 (often in pl.) = *intestine. 2 (in pl.) Innermost parts. [latin botulus sausage]

Braid  —n. 1 woven band as edging or trimming. 2 us plait of hair. —v. 1 us plait. 2 trim with braid.  braiding n. [old english]


Wonderland  n. 1 fairyland. 2 land of surprises or marvels.
Pro-2  prefix before in time, place, order, etc. [greek pro before]


Tongue-tie  n. Speech impediment due to a malformation of the tongue.



One-up  adj. Colloq. Having a particular advantage.  one-upmanship n.
Hippopotamus  n. (pl. -muses or -mi) large african mammal with short legs and thick skin, living by rivers, lakes, etc. [greek hippos horse, potamos river]
Deviate  v. (-ting) (often foll. By from) turn aside or diverge (from a course of action, rule, etc.).  deviation n. [latin via way]
Rut2  —n. Periodic sexual excitement of a male deer etc. —v. (-tt-) be affected with rut. [latin rugio roar]
Toss-up  n. 1 doubtful matter. 2 tossing of a coin.



Polyethene  n. = *polythene.
Shelf-life  n. Time for which a stored item remains usable.
Unusable  adj. Not usable.

Pedestrian  —n. (often attrib.) Person who is walking, esp. In a town. —adj. Prosaic; dull; uninspired.   pedestrianize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing). [latin: related to *pedal]
Unicef  abbr. United nations children's (orig. International children's emergency) fund.
Theorist  n. Holder or inventor of a theory.
Vitalize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 endow with life. 2 make lively or vigorous.  vitalization n.

Cruciferous  adj. Having flowers with four petals arranged in a cross. [latin: related to *crucial]
High-powered  adj. 1 having great power or energy. 2 important or influential.

Probation officer  n. Official supervising offenders on probation.

Brindled  adj. (esp. Of domestic animals) brown or tawny with streaks of another colour. [scandinavian]

Mackintosh  n. (also macintosh) 1 waterproof coat or cloak. 2 cloth waterproofed with rubber. [macintosh, name of its inventor]
Safe deposit  n. Building containing strongrooms and safes for hire.
Depressant  —adj. Reducing activity, esp. Of a body function. —n. Depressant substance.


Nett  var. Of *net2.
Rover2  n. Pirate. [low german or dutch]



Joyride  colloq. —n. Pleasure ride in esp. A stolen car. —v. (-ding; past -rode; past part -ridden) go for a joyride.  joyrider n.

Preparation  n. 1 preparing or being prepared. 2 (often in pl.) Something done to make ready. 3 specially prepared substance. 4 = *prep.
Gallic  adj. 1 french or typically french. 2 of gaul or the gauls. [latin gallicus]
Daylight robbery  n. Colloq. Blatantly excessive charge.
Std  abbr. Subscriber trunk dialling.
Cheque card  n. Card issued by a bank to guarantee the honouring of cheques up to a stated amount.
Slip1  —v. (-pp-) 1 slide unintentionally or momentarily; lose one's footing or balance. 2 go or move with a sliding motion. 3 escape or fall from being slippery or not being held properly. 4 (often foll. By in, out, away) go unobserved or quietly. 5 a make a careless or slight error. B fall below standard. 6 place or slide stealthily or casually (slipped a coin to him). 7 release from restraint or connection. 8 move (a stitch) to the other needle without knitting it. 9 (foll. By on, off) pull (a garment) easily or hastily on or off. 10 escape from; evade (dog slipped its collar; slipped my mind). —n. 1 act of slipping. 2 careless or slight error. 3 a pillowcase. B petticoat. 4 (in sing. Or pl.) = *slipway. 5 cricket a fielder stationed for balls glancing off the bat to the off side. B (in sing. Or pl.) This position.  give a person the slip escape from; evade. Let slip 1 utter inadvertently. 2 miss (an opportunity). 3 release, esp. From a leash. Slip up colloq. Make a mistake. [probably from low german slippen]

Journey  —n. (pl. -s) 1 act of going from one place to another, esp. At a long distance. 2 time taken for this (a day's journey). —v. (-s, -ed) make a journey. [french jornee day, day's work or travel, from latin diurnus daily]
Antithesis  n. (pl. -theses) 1 (foll. By of, to) direct opposite. 2 contrast. 3 rhetorical use of strongly contrasted words.  antithetical adj. [greek antitithemi set against]
Let-up  n. Colloq. 1 reduction in intensity. 2 relaxation of effort.
Blabber  —n. (also blabbermouth) person who blabs. —v. (often foll. By on) talk foolishly or inconsequentially.


Analogue  n. (us analog) 1 analogous thing. 2 (attrib.) (usu. Analog) (of a computer etc.) Using physical variables, e.g. Voltage, to represent numbers (cf. *digital).
 

Low comedy  n. Comedy bordering on farce.




Regress  —v. 1 move backwards; return to a former, esp. Worse, state. 2 psychol. (cause to) return mentally to a former stage of life. —n. Act of regressing.  regression n. Regressive adj. [latin regredior -gress- go back]


Ail  v. 1 archaic (only in 3rd person interrog. Or indefinite constructions) trouble or afflict (what ails him?). 2 (usu. Be ailing) be ill. [old english]


Liveried  adj. Wearing livery.

Im-  prefix assim. Form of *in-1, *in-2 before b, m, or p.




Esq.  Abbr. Esquire.
Regal  adj. 1 of or by a monarch or monarchs. 2 fit for a monarch; magnificent.  regality n. Regally adv. [latin rex reg- king]





Baby boom  n. Colloq. Temporary increase in the birthrate.
Rockery  n. (pl. -ies) construction of stones with soil between them for growing rock-plants on.

Rent2  n. 1 large tear in a garment etc. 2 opening in clouds etc. [from *rend]
Avant-garde  —n. Pioneers or (esp. Artistic) innovators. —adj. New; pioneering. [french, = vanguard]
Pettish  adj. Peevish, petulant; easily put out. [from *pet2]

Mis-1  prefix added to verbs and verbal derivatives: meaning ‘amiss’, ‘badly’, ‘wrongly’, ‘unfavourably’ (mislead; misshapen; mistrust). [old english]

Drum major  n. Leader of a marching band.


Turning-circle  n. Smallest circle in which a vehicle can turn without reversing.
Carafe  n. Glass container for water or wine. [french from arabic]
Corker  n. Slang excellent person or thing.
Waver  v. 1 be or become unsteady; begin to give way. 2 be irresolute. 3 (of a light) flicker. [old norse: related to *wave]



Alb  n. Long white vestment worn by christian priests. [latin albus white]
Broadside  n. 1 vigorous verbal attack. 2 simultaneous firing of all guns from one side of a ship. 3 side of a ship above the water between the bow and quarter.  broadside on sideways on.


Purgatory  —n. (pl. -ies) 1 rc ch. Supposed place or state of expiation of petty sins after death and before entering heaven. 2 place or state of temporary suffering or expiation. —adj. Purifying.  purgatorial adj. [medieval latin: related to *purge]

Portuguese man-of-war  n. (pl. Men-) jellyfish with a large crest and poisonous sting.
Royal family  n. Family of a sovereign.
Lacerate  v. (-ting) 1 mangle or tear (esp. Flesh etc.). 2 cause pain to (the feelings etc.).  laceration n. [latin lacer torn]

Carte blanche  n. Full discretionary power. [french, = blank paper]
Archangel  n. Angel of the highest rank.
Zloty  n. (pl. Same or -s) chief monetary unit of poland. [polish]


Lucifer  n. Satan. [latin: related to *lucid, fero bring]




Serps  abbr. State earnings-related pension scheme.




Gradual  adj. 1 progressing by degrees. 2 not rapid, steep, or abrupt.  gradually adv. [latin: related to *grade]
Dubiety  n. Literary doubt. [latin: related to *dubious]

Guildhall  n. Meeting-place of a medieval guild; town hall.


Parting shot  n. = *parthian shot.
Dim  —adj. (dimmer, dimmest) 1 a faintly luminous or visible; not bright. B indistinct. 2 not clearly perceived or remembered. 3 colloq. Stupid. 4 (of the eyes) not seeing clearly. —v. (-mm-) make or become dim.  take a dim view of colloq. Disapprove of.  dimly adv. Dimness n. [old english]
Protective  adj. Protecting; intended or tending to protect.  protectively adv. Protectiveness n.




Sickle-cell  n. Sickle-shaped blood cell, esp. As found in a type of severe hereditary anaemia.

Gaucho  n. (pl. -s) cowboy from the s. American pampas. [spanish from quechua]
Tangy  adj. (-ier, -iest) having a strong usu. Acid tang.
Tyrannical  adj. Despotic; unjustly severe.  tyrannically adv. [greek: related to *tyrant]
Tuberose  n. Plant with scented white funnel-like flowers.



Worse  —adj. 1 more bad. 2 (predic.) In or into worse health or a worse condition (is getting worse). —adv. More badly; more ill. —n. 1 worse thing or things (you might do worse than accept). 2 (prec. By the) worse condition (a change for the worse).  none the worse (often foll. By for) not adversely affected (by). The worse for wear 1 damaged by use. 2 injured. Worse luck unfortunately. Worse off in a worse (esp. Financial) position. [old english]
Subsist  v. 1 (often foll. By on) keep oneself alive; be kept alive. 2 remain in being; exist. [latin subsisto]



Hydroplane  n. 1 light fast motor boat that skims over water. 2 finlike attachment enabling a submarine to rise and descend.
Balance of power  n. 1 situation of roughly equal power among the chief states of the world. 2 power held by a small group when larger groups are of equal strength.

Gilt2  n. Young sow. [old norse]
Running mate  n. Us 1 candidate for vice-president etc. 2 horse intended to set the pace for another horse in a race.
Second officer  n. Assistant mate on a merchant ship.

Fair dinkum  see *dinkum.
Slogan  n. 1 catchy phrase used in advertising etc. 2 party cry; watchword. [gaelic, = war cry]

Worrisome  adj. Causing worry.
Punch-drunk  adj. Stupefied from or as if from a series of heavy blows.

Metamorphose  v. (-sing) (often foll. By to, into) change in form or nature.
Refrigerate  v. (-ting) 1 make or become cool or cold. 2 subject (food etc.) To cold in order to freeze or preserve it.  refrigeration n. [latin refrigero from frigus cold]
Roman nose  n. Aquiline high-bridged nose.
Firmware  n. Computing permanent kind of software.


Market price  n. Price in current dealings.

Intangible  —adj. 1 unable to be touched. 2 unable to be grasped mentally. —n. Thing that cannot be precisely assessed or defined.  intangibility n. Intangibly adv. [latin: related to *intact]
Drawer  n. 1 person or thing that draws, esp. A cheque etc. 2 also lidless boxlike storage compartment, sliding in and out of a table etc. (chest of drawers). 3 (in pl.) Knickers, underpants.


Work-shy  adj. Disinclined to work.
Powerboat  n. Powerful motor boat.
Time-served  adj. Having completed a period of apprenticeship or training.
Cinch  n. Colloq. 1 sure thing; certainty. 2 easy task. [spanish cincha saddle-girth]

Coupon  n. 1 form etc. As an application for a purchase etc. 2 entry form for a football pool or other competition. 3 discount voucher given with a purchase. [french couper cut]
Reuse  —v. (-sing) use again. —n. Second or further use.  reusable adj.



Townsfolk  n. Inhabitants of a town or towns.
Sheila  n. Austral. & nz slang girl, young woman. [origin uncertain]
Discordant  adj. 1 disagreeing. 2 not in harmony; dissonant.  discordance n. Discordantly adv.

-oid  suffix forming adjectives and nouns, denoting form or resemblance (asteroid; rhomboid; thyroid). [greek eidos form]

Guelder rose  n. Shrub with round bunches of creamy-white flowers. [dutch from gelderland in the netherlands]
Account  —n. 1 narration, description (an account of his trip). 2 arrangement at a bank etc. For depositing and withdrawing money, credit, etc. (open an account). 3 record or statement of financial transactions with the balance (kept detailed accounts). —v. Consider as (account him wise, a fool).
 
Photojournalism  n. The relating of news by photographs, esp. In magazines etc.  photojournalist n.
Sheet1  —n. 1 large rectangle of cotton etc. Used esp. In pairs as inner bedclothes. 2 broad usu. Thin flat piece of paper, metal, etc. 3 wide expanse of water, ice, flame, falling rain, etc. 4 page of unseparated postage stamps. 5 derog. Newspaper. —v. 1 provide or cover with sheets. 2 form into sheets. 3 (of rain etc.) Fall in sheets. [old english]



Curate  n. Assistant to a parish priest. [medieval latin curatus: related to *cure]


Quack2  n. 1  unqualified practitioner, esp. Of medicine; charlatan (often attrib.: quack cure). 2 slang any doctor.  quackery n. [abbreviation of quacksalver from dutch: probably related to *quack1, *salve1]

Atom bomb  n. Bomb in which energy is released by nuclear fission.



Pethidine  n. Synthetic soluble analgesic used esp. In childbirth. [perhaps from the chemical piperidine]
-graph  comb. Form forming nouns and verbs meaning: 1 thing written or drawn etc. In a specified way (photograph). 2 instrument that records (seismograph).


Disagreeable  adj. 1 unpleasant. 2 bad-tempered.  disagreeably adv.
Dressing-down  n. Colloq. Scolding.

Lap of honour  n. Ceremonial circuit of a racetrack etc. By a winner.

Task  —n. Piece of work to be done. —v. Make great demands on (a person's powers etc.).  take to task rebuke, scold. [medieval latin tasca, probably = taxa *tax]
Lanthanide series  n. Chem. Series of 15 metallic elements from lanthanum to lutetium in the periodic table, having similar chemical properties.

Black forest gateau  n. Chocolate sponge with cherries and whipped cream.




Southerly  —adj. & adv. 1 in a southern position or direction. 2 (of a wind) from the south. —n. (pl. -ies) such a wind.


Gotten  us past part. Of *get.
Crummy  adj. (-ier, -iest) slang dirty, squalid; inferior, worthless.  crumminess n. [var. Of *crumby]
Ramp  —n. 1 slope, esp. Joining two levels of ground, floor, etc. 2 movable stairs for entering or leaving an aircraft. 3 transverse ridge in a road making vehicles slow down. —v. 1 furnish or build with a ramp. 2 a assume a threatening posture. B (often foll. By about) storm, rage. [french ramper crawl]
Still life  n. (pl. Lifes) painting or drawing of inanimate objects, e.g. Fruit or flowers.
Amazon  n. 1 female warrior of a mythical race in the black sea area. 2 (amazon) large, strong, or athletic woman.  amazonian adj. [latin from greek]

Minicomputer  n. Computer of medium power.
Huddle  —v. (-ling) 1 (often foll. By up) crowd together; nestle closely. 2 (often foll. By up) curl one's body into a small space. 3 heap together in a muddle. —n. 1 confused or crowded mass. 2 colloq. Close or secret conference (esp. In go into a huddle). [perhaps from low german]


Death rate  n. Number of deaths per thousand of population per year.


Fraternal  adj. 1 of brothers, brotherly; comradely. 2 (of twins) developed from separate ova and not necessarily similar.  fraternally adv. [latin frater brother]
Calf1  n. (pl. Calves) 1 young cow or bull. 2 young of other animals, e.g. The elephant, deer, and whale. 3 calfskin. [old english]
Petard  n. Hist. Small bomb used to blast down a door etc. [french]
Black tie  n. 1 black bow-tie worn with a dinner jacket. 2 colloq. Man's formal evening dress.
Combat  —n. Fight, struggle, contest. —v. (-t-) 1 engage in combat (with). 2 oppose; strive against. [latin: related to *battle]
Atypical  adj. Not typical.  atypically adv.
Turbid  adj. 1 (of a liquid or colour) muddy, thick; not clear. 2 (of style etc.) Confused, disordered.  turbidity n. [latin turba crowd]
Wit  n. 1 (in sing. Or pl.) Intelligence; quick understanding. 2 a unexpected combining or contrasting of ideas or expressions. B power of giving pleasure by this. 3 person possessing such power.  at one's wit's (or wits') end utterly at a loss or in despair. Have (or keep) one's wits about one be alert. Live by one's wits live by ingenious or crafty expedients, without a settled occupation. Out of one's wits mad. To wit that is to say, namely. [old english]
Wand  n. 1 supposedly magic stick used by a fairy, magician, etc. 2 staff as a symbol of office. 3 colloq. Conductor's baton. [old norse]
Effluence  n. 1 flowing out of light, electricity, etc. 2 that which flows out. [latin fluo flux- flow]

Legitimatize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) legitimize.
Seascape  n. Picture or view of the sea.



First offender  n. Criminal without previous convictions.


Absinth  n. 1 wormwood. 2 (usu. Absinthe) aniseed-flavoured liqueur based on this. [french from latin]

Apply  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 (often foll. By for, to, or to + infin.) Formally request. 2 be relevant. 3 a make use of; employ (apply the rules; apply common sense). B operate (apply the brakes). 4 (often foll. By to) put or spread on. 5 refl. (often foll. By to) devote oneself. [latin applico fasten to]


Nuclear family  n. A couple and their child or children.

Composition  n. 1 a act or method of putting together; composing. B thing composed, esp. Music. 2 constitution of a substance. 3 school essay. 4 arrangement of the parts of a picture etc. 5 compound artificial substance.  compositional adj.




Throughout  —prep. Right through; from end to end of. —adv. In every part or respect.

Seem  v. (often foll. By to + infin.) Appear or feel (seems ridiculous).  i etc. Can't seem to i etc. Appear unable to (can't seem to manage it). It seems (or would seem) (often foll. By that) it appears to be the case. [old norse]

Doppelgänger  n. Apparition of a living person. [german, = double-goer]


Diligent  adj. 1 hard-working. 2 showing care and effort.  diligence n. Diligently adv. [french from latin diligo love]




Scab  —n. 1 crust over a healing cut, sore, etc. 2 (often attrib.) Colloq. Derog. Blackleg. 3 skin disease, esp. In animals. 4 fungous plant disease. —v. (-bb-) 1 colloq. Derog. Act as a blackleg. 2 form a scab, heal over.  scabby adj. (-ier, -iest). [old norse: cf. *shabby]
Colophon  n. 1 publisher's imprint, esp. On the title-page. 2 tailpiece in a manuscript or book, giving the writer's or printer's name, date, etc. [greek, = summit]



Industrial  adj. 1 of, engaged in, or for use in or serving the needs of industries. 2 (of a nation etc.) Having developed industries.  industrially adv.

Doldrums  n.pl. (usu. Prec. By the) 1 low spirits. 2 period of inactivity. 3 equatorial ocean region with little or no wind. [perhaps after dull, tantrum]

Whoop  —n. 1 loud cry of or as of excitement etc. 2 long rasping indrawn breath in whooping cough. —v. Utter a whoop.  whoop it up colloq. 1 engage in revelry. 2 us make a stir. [imitative]
Rate-capping  n. Hist. Imposition of an upper limit on local authority rates.  rate-cap v.
Sly  adj. (slyer, slyest) 1 cunning, crafty, wily. 2 secretive. 3 knowing; insinuating.  on the sly secretly.  slyly adv. Slyness n. [old norse: related to *slay]



Heartthrob  n. Colloq. Person for whom one has (esp. Immature) romantic feelings.


Writer  n. 1 person who writes or has written something. 2 person who writes books, author.
Inclement  adj. (of the weather) severe or stormy.  inclemency n.
Birdlime  n. Sticky substance spread to trap birds.
Vindictive  adj. Vengeful.  vindictively adv. Vindictiveness n. [latin vindicta vengeance: related to *vindicate]


Corncrake  n. Rail inhabiting grassland and nesting on the ground.
Sarcasm  n. Ironically scornful language.  sarcastic adj. Sarcastically adv. [greek sarkazo speak bitterly]



Chyme  n. Acid pulp formed from partly-digested food. [greek khumos juice]
Lollipop  n. Hard sweet on a stick. [origin uncertain]

Cornish pasty  n. Pastry envelope containing meat and vegetables.
Retroussé  adj. (of the nose) turned up at the tip. [french]

Relative atomic mass  n. The ratio of the average mass of one atom of an element to one-twelfth of the mass of an atom of carbon-12.
Wednesday  —n. Day of the week following tuesday. —adv. Colloq. 1 on wednesday. 2 (wednesdays) on wednesdays; each wednesday. [old english]
Swivel chair  n. Chair with a revolving seat.
Rumanian  var. Of *romanian.
Dike2  var. Of *dyke2.
Right bank  n. Bank of a river on the right facing downstream.

Truce  n. Temporary agreement to cease hostilities. [originally trewes pl.: old english, = covenant: related to *true]
Sheet2  n. Rope or chain attached to the lower corner of a sail to hold or control it. [old english: related to *sheet1]
Abstruse  adj. Hard to understand, profound. [latin abstrudo -trus- conceal]
Princess  n. (as a title usu. Princess) 1 wife of a prince. 2 female member of a royal family other than a queen. [french: related to *prince]

Coltsfoot  n. (pl. -s) wild plant with large leaves and yellow flowers.
Argument  n. 1 (esp. Contentious) exchange of views; dispute. 2 (often foll. By for, against) reason given; reasoning process. 3 summary of a book etc.
Raw material  n. Material from which manufactured goods are made.

Sweat-band  n. Band fitted inside a hat or worn round a wrist etc. To absorb sweat.


Readily  adv. 1 without showing reluctance, willingly. 2 without difficulty.
Pinstripe  n. 1 (often attrib.) Narrow stripe in cloth (pinstripe suit). 2 (in sing. Or pl.) Pinstripe suit (came wearing his pinstripes).  pinstriped adj.

Arabian  —adj. Of or relating to arabia (esp. In geographical contexts) (arabian desert). —n. Native of arabia.
Out-take  n. Film or tape sequence rejected in editing.

Chef  n. (usu. Male) cook, esp. The chief cook in a restaurant. [french]

Insane  adj. 1 mad. 2 colloq. Extremely foolish.  insanely adv. Insanity n. (pl. -ies).
Nark  slang —n. Police informer or decoy. —v. Annoy. [romany nak nose]

Pond  n. Small body of still water. [var. Of *pound3]
Palpitation  n. 1 throbbing, trembling. 2 (often in pl.) Increased rate of heartbeat due to exertion, agitation, or disease.

Unscalable  adj. That cannot be scaled.

Realize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 (often foll. By that) be fully aware of; conceive as real. 2 understand clearly. 3 present as real. 4 convert into actuality. 5 a convert into money. B acquire (profit). C be sold for (a specified price).  realizable adj. Realization n.

Tel.  Abbr. (also tel.) Telephone.

Wore  past of *wear.


Subsection  n. Division of a section.
Distressed area  n. Region of high unemployment and poverty.

Status symbol  n. A possession etc. Intended to indicate the owner's superiority.

Admittance  n. Admitting or being admitted, usu. To a place.
Periodical  —n. Newspaper, magazine, etc. Issued at regular intervals. —adj. Periodic.  periodically adv.

Wolf  —n. (pl. Wolves) 1 wild animal related to the dog, usu. Hunting in packs. 2 slang man who seduces women. —v. (often foll. By down) devour greedily.  cry wolf raise false alarms. Keep the wolf from the door avert starvation.  wolfish adj. [old english]



Dissipate  v. (-ting) 1 disperse, disappear, dispel. 2 squander. 3 (as dissipated adj.) Dissolute. [latin dissipare -pat-]
Back room  n. (often, with hyphen, attrib.) Place where secret work is done.

Holy week  n. Week before easter.

Overarm  adj. & adv. With the hand above the shoulder (bowl overarm; overarm service).
Roué  n. (esp. Elderly) debauchee. [french]
Unknot  v. (-tt-) release the knot(s) of, untie.




Assonance  n. Partial resemblance of sound between two syllables e.g. Sonnet, porridge, and killed, cold, culled.  assonant adj. [latin sonus sound]

Wright  n. Maker or builder (usu. In comb.: playwright; shipwright). [old english: related to *work]

Token  n. 1 thing serving as a symbol, reminder, or mark (as a token of affection; in token of my esteem). 2 voucher. 3 thing equivalent to something else, esp. Money. 4 (attrib.) A perfunctory (token effort). B conducted briefly to demonstrate strength of feeling (token strike). C chosen by tokenism to represent a group (token woman).
Astraddle  adv. Astride.
Lion's share  n. Largest or best part.

Innuit  var. Of *inuit.

Branch  —n. 1 limb of a tree or bough. 2 lateral extension or subdivision, esp. Of a river, road, or railway. 3 subdivision of a family, knowledge, etc. 4 local office etc. Of a large business. —v. (often foll. By off) 1 diverge. 2 divide into branches.  branch out extend one's field of interest. [latin branca paw]
Prickle  —n. 1 small thorn. 2 hard-pointed spine of a hedgehog etc. 3 prickling sensation. —v. (-ling) affect or be affected with a sensation of multiple pricking. [old english]

Intelligible  adj. Able to be understood.  intelligibility n. Intelligibly adv.
Shopping centre  n. Area or complex of shops.


Whitehead  n. Colloq. White or white-topped skin-pustule.



Ditto marks  n.pl. Inverted commas etc. Representing ‘ditto’.
Ray2  n. Large edible marine fish with a flat body and a long slender tail. [latin raia]
Lieut.  Abbr. Lieutenant.
Crane-fly  n. Two-winged long-legged fly: also called *daddy-long-legs.




Indulge  v. (-ging) 1 (often foll. By in) take pleasure freely. 2 yield freely to (a desire etc.). 3 (also refl.) Gratify the wishes of. 4 colloq. Take alcoholic liquor. [latin indulgeo give free rein to]
Ac  symb. Actinium.


Den  n. 1 wild animal's lair. 2 place of crime or vice (opium den). 3 small private room. [old english]

Criss-cross  —n. Pattern of crossing lines. —adj. Crossing; in cross lines. —adv. Crosswise; at cross purposes. —v. 1 a intersect repeatedly. B move crosswise. 2 mark or make with a criss-cross pattern. [christ's cross]
Influenza  n. Virus infection causing fever, aches, and catarrh. [italian: related to *influence]
Sweeper  n. 1 person who cleans by sweeping. 2 manual device for sweeping carpets etc. 3 football defensive player positioned close to the goalkeeper.

Bakelite  n. Propr. Plastic made from formaldehyde and phenol, used formerly for buttons, plates, etc. [german from baekeland, name of its inventor]
Biannual  adj. Occurring etc. Twice a year.

Day-trip  n. Trip completed in one day.  day-tripper n.
Prefab  n. Colloq. Prefabricated building. [abbreviation]
Crown glass  n. Glass without lead or iron used formerly in windows, now as optical glass of low refractive index.

Inveigle  v. (-ling) (foll. By into, or to + infin.) Entice; persuade by guile.  inveiglement n. [anglo-french from french aveugler to blind]

Panther  n. 1 leopard, esp. With black fur. 2 us puma. [greek panther]

Steam hammer  n. Forging-hammer powered by steam.
Knock-up  n. Practice at tennis etc.


Post-mortem  —n. 1 examination made after death, esp. To determine its cause. 2 colloq. Discussion after a game, election, etc. —adv. & adj. After death. [latin]



Sleeping partner  n. Partner not sharing in the actual work of a firm.
Toenail  n. Nail of each toe.








Hereditable  adj. That can be inherited. [latin: related to *heir]

Vase  n. Vessel used as an ornament or container for flowers. [latin: related to *vas]
Curvilinear  adj. Contained by or consisting of curved lines.  curvilinearly adv. [from *curve after rectilinear]




Huffy  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. 1 apt to take offence. 2 offended.  huffily adv. Huffiness n.
Straight  —adj. 1 extending uniformly in the same direction; not bent or curved. 2 successive, uninterrupted (three straight wins). 3 ordered; level; tidy (put things straight). 4 honest, candid. 5 (of thinking etc.) Logical. 6 (of theatre, music, etc.) Serious, classical, not popular or comic. 7 a unmodified. B (of a drink) undiluted. 8 colloq. A (of a person etc.) Conventional, respectable. B heterosexual. 9 direct, undeviating. —n. 1 straight part, esp. The concluding stretch of a racetrack. 2 straight condition. 3 sequence of five cards in poker. 4 colloq. Conventional person; heterosexual. —adv. 1 in a straight line; direct. 2 in the right direction. 3 correctly.  go straight (of a criminal) become honest. Straight away immediately. Straight off colloq. Without hesitation.  straightish adj. Straightness n. [originally a past part. Of *stretch]
Opener  n. 1 device for opening tins, bottles, etc. 2 colloq. First item on a programme etc.






Hurtle  v. (-ling) 1 move or hurl rapidly or noisily. 2 come with a crash. [from *hurt in the obsolete sense ‘strike hard’]


Embryology  n. The study of embryos.


Flail  —n. Wooden staff with a short heavy stick swinging from it, used for threshing. —v. 1 wave or swing wildly. 2 beat with or as with a flail. [latin flagellum whip]

Rooming-house  n. Lodging house.
Enwrap  v. (-pp-) (often foll. By in) literary wrap, enfold.
Gelatin  n. (also gelatine) transparent tasteless substance from skin, tendons, etc., used in cookery, photography, etc.  gelatinize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing). [italian: related to *jelly]

Nosebleed  n. Bleeding from the nose.
Rhino  n. (pl. Same or -s) colloq. Rhinoceros. [abbreviation]
I'm  contr. I am.
Vow  —n. Solemn, esp. Religious, promise (monastic vows; marriage vows). —v. 1 promise solemnly. 2 archaic declare solemnly. [french vou(er): related to *vote]

Don1  n. 1 university teacher, esp. A senior member of a college at oxford or cambridge. 2 (don) spanish title prefixed to a forename. [spanish from latin dominus lord]
Headstall  n. Part of a halter or bridle fitting round a horse's head.

Tinkle  —v. (-ling) (cause to) make a succession of short light ringing sounds. —n. 1 tinkling sound. 2 colloq. Telephone call.  tinkly adj. [imitative]
First-degree  adj. Denoting non-serious surface burns.

Footwork  n. Use or agility of the feet in sports, dancing, etc.


Mannerism  n. 1 habitual gesture or way of speaking etc. 2  a stylistic trick in art etc. B excessive use of these.  mannerist n.
Checked  adj. Having a check pattern.
Tat3  see *tit2.
Lawn1  n. Piece of closely-mown grass in a garden etc. [french launde glade]


Lectern  n. 1 stand for holding a book in a church etc. 2 similar stand for a lecturer etc. [latin lectrum from lego read]
Rastafarian  (also rasta) —n. Member of a jamaican sect, often having dreadlocks and regarding haile selassie of ethiopia as god. —adj. Of this sect. [ras tafari, title of former emperor haile selassie]


Drink  —v. (past drank; past part. Drunk) 1 a (also absol.) Swallow (liquid). B swallow the contents of (a vessel). 2 take alcohol, esp. To excess. 3 (of a plant, sponge, etc.) Absorb (moisture). 4 bring (oneself etc.) To a specified condition by drinking. 5 wish (a person good health etc.) By drinking (drank his health). —n. 1 a liquid for drinking. B draught or specified amount of this. 2 a alcoholic liquor. B portion, glass, etc. Of this. C excessive use of alcohol (took to drink). 3 (the drink) colloq. The sea.  drink in listen eagerly to. Drink to toast; wish success to. Drink up (also absol.) Drink all or the remainder of.  drinkable adj. Drinker n.
Infiltrate  v. (-ting) 1 a enter (a territory, political party, etc.) Gradually and imperceptibly. B cause to do this. 2 permeate by filtration. 3 (often foll. By into, through) introduce (fluid) by filtration.  infiltration n. Infiltrator n. [from *in-2, *filtrate]
Sisterhood  n. 1 relationship between or as between sisters. 2 society of esp. Religious or charitable women. 3 community of feeling between women.
Onscreen  adj. & adv. Within the range of a film camera etc; when being filmed.

Deliver  v. 1 a distribute (letters, goods, etc.) To their destination(s). B (often foll. By to) hand over. 2 (often foll. By from) save, rescue, or set free. 3 a give birth to (delivered a girl). B assist at the birth of or in giving birth (delivered six babies). 4 utter (an opinion, speech, etc.). 5 (often foll. By up, over) abandon; resign (delivered his soul up). 6 launch or aim (a blow etc.).  be delivered of give birth to. Deliver the goods colloq. Carry out an undertaking. [latin liber free]

Pubes1  n. (pl. Same) 1 lower part of the abdomen at the front of the pelvis. 2 colloq. Pubic hair. [latin]
Lobbyist  n. Person who lobbies an mp etc., esp. Professionally.
Ballcock  n. Floating ball on a hinged arm controlling the water level in a cistern.

Upstage  —adj. & adv. Nearer the back of a theatre stage. —v. (-ging) 1 move upstage to make (another actor) face away from the audience. 2 divert attention from (a person) to oneself.


Ground-plan  n. 1 plan of a building at ground level. 2 general outline of a scheme.



Sen  abbr. State enrolled nurse.
Buffet car  n. Railway coach serving refreshments.
Offal  n. 1 less valuable edible parts of a carcass, esp. The heart, liver, etc. 2 refuse, scraps. [dutch afval: related to *off, *fall]
Hearthrug  n. Rug laid before a fireplace.

Spate  n. 1 river-flood (river in spate). 2 unexpected occurrence of similar events (spate of car thefts). [origin unknown]
Patty  n. (pl. -ies) little pie or pasty. [french *pâté, after *pasty1]



Malodorous  adj. Evil-smelling.

Citric acid  n. Sharp-tasting acid in citrus fruits.
Swagger  —v. Walk or behave arrogantly. —n. Swaggering gait or manner. [from *swag]
Milieu  n. (pl. Milieux or -s) person's environment or social surroundings. [french]
Flight lieutenant  n. Raf officer next below squadron leader.


Skilful  adj. (us skillful) (often foll. By at, in) having or showing skill.  skilfully adv.
Pinball  n. Game in which small metal balls are shot across a board to strike pins.
Usage  since 1987 the official name has been british coal.



Adherent  —n. Supporter. —adj. Sticking, adhering.  adherence n.

Unless  conj. If not; except when (shall go unless i hear from you). [= on less]


Spray-gun  n. Device for spraying paint etc.
Cooperative  (also co-operative) —adj. 1 willing to cooperate. 2 of or characterized by cooperation. 3 (of a business) owned and run jointly by its members, with profits shared. —n. Cooperative farm, society, or business.

Unit trust  n. Company investing contributions from many persons in various securities and paying proportional dividends.

Magma  n. (pl. -s) molten rock under the earth's crust, from which igneous rock is formed by cooling. [greek masso knead]
Flick  —n. 1 a light sharp blow with a whip etc. B sudden release of a bent digit, esp. To propel a small object. 2 sudden movement or jerk, esp. Of the wrist in throwing etc. 3 colloq. A cinema film. B (in pl.; prec. By the) the cinema. —v. 1 (often foll. By away, off) strike or move with a flick (flicked the ash off). 2 give a flick with (a whip etc.).  flick through 1 turn over (cards, pages, etc.). 2 a turn over the pages etc. Of, by a rapid movement of the fingers. B glance through (a book etc.). [imitative]
Bimbo  n. (pl. -s or -es) slang usu. Derog. Attractive but unintelligent young woman. [italian, = little child]


Wisdom tooth  n. Hindmost molar usu. Cut at about 20 years of age.
Usage  luxurious is sometimes confused with luxuriant.
Exclude  v. (-ding) 1 keep out (a person or thing) from a place, group, privilege, etc. 2 remove from consideration (no theory can be excluded). 3 make impossible, preclude (excluded all doubt).  exclusion n. [latin excludo -clus- shut out]
Scilicet  adv. That is to say (used esp. In explanation of an ambiguity). [latin]


Parameter  n. 1 math. Quantity constant in the case considered but varying in different cases. 2 a (esp. Measurable or quantifiable) characteristic or feature. B (loosely) limit or boundary, esp. Of a subject for discussion. [greek *para-1, *-meter]
Positive discrimination  n. Practice of making distinctions in favour of groups considered to be underprivileged.
Italicize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) print in italics.

Postbox  n. Public box for posting mail.
Shorthorn  n. Animal of a breed of cattle with short horns.
Monkey wrench  n. Wrench with an adjustable jaw.
Picture window  n. Large window of one pane of glass.
Queen-post  n. Either of two upright timbers between the tie-beam and main rafters of a roof-truss.




Heartwood  n. Dense inner part of a tree-trunk, yielding the hardest timber.
Moonlight flit  n. Hurried departure by night, esp. To avoid paying a debt.

Able  adj. (abler, ablest) 1 (often foll. By to + infin.; used esp. In is able, will be able, etc., replacing tenses of can) having the capacity or power (not able to come). 2 talented, clever.  ably adv. [latin habilis]


Recapitulation  n. 1 act of recapitulating. 2 mus. Part of a movement in which themes are restated. [latin: related to *recapitulate]
Endurance  n. 1 power of enduring. 2 ability to withstand prolonged strain. [french: related to *endure]
Dippy  adj. (-ier, -iest) slang crazy, silly. [origin uncertain]
Right-hand  attrib. Adj. 1 on or towards the right side of a person or thing. 2 done with the right hand. 3 (of a screw) = *right-handed 4b.

Vaccinate  v. (-ting) inoculate with a vaccine to immunize against a disease.  vaccination n. Vaccinator n.
Desert2  —n. Dry barren, esp. Sandy, tract. —adj. Uninhabited, desolate, barren. [latin desertus: related to *desert1]
Stylistic  adj. Of esp. Literary style.  stylistically adv.

Mescal buttons  n.pl. Disc-shaped dried tops from the mescal, esp. As an intoxicant.

Abattoir  n. Slaughterhouse. [french abatre fell, as *abate]


Helmet  n. Protective head-covering worn by a policeman, motor cyclist, etc. [french from germanic]
Trivet  n. Iron tripod or bracket for a pot or kettle to stand on. [apparently from latin tripes three-footed]



Wisdom  n. 1 experience and knowledge together with the power of applying them. 2 prudence; common sense. 3 wise sayings. [old english: related to *wise1]
Fleshy  adj. (-ier, -iest) of flesh; plump, pulpy.  fleshiness n.

Roughcast  —n. (often attrib.) Plaster of lime and gravel, used on outside walls. —adj. (of a plan etc.) Roughly formed, preliminary. —v. (past and past part. -cast) 1 coat with roughcast. 2 prepare in outline.

Tender1  adj. (tenderer, tenderest) 1 easily cut or chewed, not tough (tender steak). 2 susceptible to pain or grief; vulnerable; compassionate (tender heart). 3 sensitive; fragile; delicate (tender skin; tender reputation). 4 loving, affectionate. 5 requiring tact (tender subject). 6 (of age) early, immature (of tender years).  tenderly adv. Tenderness n. [latin tener]
Mite2  n. 1 any small monetary unit. 2 small object or person, esp. A child. 3 modest contribution. [probably the same as *mite1]
Quest  —n. 1 search or seeking. 2 thing sought, esp. By a medieval knight. —v. (often foll. By about) go about in search of something (esp. Of dogs seeking game). [latin quaero quaesit- seek]




Advertise  v. (-sing) 1 promote (goods or services) publicly to increase sales. 2 make generally known. 3 (often foll. By for) seek by a notice in a newspaper etc. To buy, employ, sell, etc. [french avertir: related to *adverse]

Ad infinitum  adv. Without limit; for ever. [latin]
Clear-out  n. Tidying by emptying and sorting.
Success  n. 1 accomplishment of an aim; favourable outcome. 2 attainment of wealth, fame, or position. 3 successful thing or person. [latin: related to *succeed]
Relief  n. 1 a alleviation of or deliverance from pain, distress, anxiety, etc. B feeling accompanying such deliverance. 2 feature etc. That diversifies monotony or relaxes tension. 3 assistance (esp. Financial) given to those in special need or difficulty. 4 a replacing of a person or persons on duty by another or others. B person or persons replacing others in this way. 5 (usu. Attrib.) Thing supplementing another in some service (relief bus). 6 a method of moulding, carving, or stamping in which the design stands out from the surface. B piece of sculpture etc. In relief. C representation of relief given by an arrangement of line, colour, or shading. 7 vividness, distinctness (brings the facts out in sharp relief). 8 (foll. By of) reinforcement (esp. The raising of a siege) of a place. 9 esp. Law redress of a hardship or grievance. [french and italian: related to *relieve]
Martial arts  n.pl. Oriental fighting sports such as judo and karate.
Drugstore  n. Us combined chemist's shop and café.
Imprison  v. 1 put in prison. 2 confine.  imprisonment n.

Non-nuclear  adj. 1 not involving nuclei or nuclear energy. 2 (of a state etc.) Not having nuclear weapons.

Tabulator  n. 1 person or thing that tabulates. 2 device on a typewriter etc. For advancing to a sequence of set positions in tabular work.
B.h.p.  Abbr. Brake horsepower.

Spiky  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 like a spike; having or sticking up in spikes. 2 colloq. Touchy, irritable.  spikily adv. Spikiness n.
Indite  v. (-ting) formal or joc. 1 put (a speech etc.) Into words. 2 write (a letter etc.). [french: related to *indict]


Leather  —n. 1 material made from the skin of an animal by tanning etc. 2 piece of leather for polishing with. 3 leather part(s) of a thing. 4 slang cricket-ball or football. 5 (in pl.) Leather clothes. —v. 1 beat, thrash. 2 cover with leather. 3 polish or wipe with a leather. [old english]
Envisage  v. (-ging) 1 have a mental picture of (a thing not yet existing). 2 imagine as possible or desirable. [french: related to *visage]
Caster  var. Of *castor.






Swingeing  adj. 1 (of a blow) forcible. 2 huge or far-reaching (swingeing economies). [archaic swinge strike hard, from old english]
Conch  n. 1 thick heavy spiral shell of various marine gastropod molluscs. 2 any such gastropod. [latin concha]
Parsnip  n. 1 plant with a pale-yellow tapering root. 2 this root eaten as a vegetable. [latin pastinaca]
Term  —n. 1 word for a definite concept, esp. Specialized (technical term). 2 (in pl.) Language used; mode of expression (in no uncertain terms). 3 (in pl.) Relation, footing (on good terms). 4 (in pl.) A stipulations (accepts your terms). B charge or price (reasonable terms). 5 a limited, usu. Specified, period (term of five years; in the short term). B period of weeks during which instruction is given or during which a lawcourt holds sessions. 6 logic word or words that may be the subject or predicate of a proposition. 7 math. A each of the quantities in a ratio or series. B part of an algebraic expression. 8 completion of a normal length of pregnancy. —v. Call, name (was termed a bigot).  bring to terms cause to accept conditions. Come to terms yield, give way. Come to terms with reconcile oneself to (a difficulty etc.). In terms of in the language peculiar to; referring to.  termly adj. & adv. [latin *terminus]
Myopia  n. 1 short-sightedness. 2 lack of imagination or insight.  myopic adj. Myopically adv. [greek muo shut, ops eye]

Premium bond  n. (also premium savings bond) government security without interest but with a draw for cash prizes.
Money-spinner  n. Thing that brings in a profit.

Boost  colloq. —v. 1 promote or encourage. 2 increase, assist. 3 push from below. —n. Act or result of boosting. [origin unknown]
Microcircuit  n. Integrated circuit on a microchip.

Love-hate relationship  n. Intense relationship involving ambivalent emotions.

Ne plus ultra  n. 1 furthest attainable point. 2 acme, perfection. [latin, = not further beyond]
Remeasure  v. (-ring) measure again.
Fa  var. Of *fah.

Stead  n.  in a person's (or thing's) stead as a substitute; in a person's or thing's place. Stand a person in good stead be advantageous or useful to him or her. [old english, = place]




Self-destruct  —v. (of a spacecraft, bomb, etc.) Explode or disintegrate automatically, esp. When pre-set to do so. —attrib. Adj. Enabling a thing to self-destruct (self-destruct device).





Expensive  adj. Costing or charging much.  expensively adv. Expensiveness n.

Impromptu  —adj. & adv. Extempore, unrehearsed. —n. (pl. -s) 1 extempore performance or speech. 2 short, usu. Solo, instrumental composition, often improvisatory in style. [french from latin in promptu in readiness]

Blow1  —v. (past blew; past part. Blown) 1 direct a current of air (at) esp. From the mouth. 2 drive or be driven by blowing (blew the door open). 3 (esp. Of the wind) move rapidly. 4 expel by breathing (blew smoke). 5 sound or be sounded by blowing. 6 (past part. Blowed) slang (esp. In imper.) Curse, confound (i'm blowed if i know; blow it!). 7 clear (the nose) by blowing. 8 puff, pant. 9 slang depart suddenly (from). 10 shatter etc. By an explosion. 11 make or shape (glass or a bubble) by blowing. 12 a melt from overloading (the fuse has blown). B break or burst suddenly. 13 (of a whale) eject air and water. 14 break into with explosives. 15 slang a squander (blew £20). B bungle (an opportunity etc.). C reveal (a secret etc.). —n. 1 act of blowing. 2 a gust of wind or air. B exposure to fresh air.  be blowed if one will colloq. Be unwilling to. Blow a gasket slang lose one's temper. Blow hot and cold colloq. Vacillate. Blow in 1 break inwards by an explosion. 2 colloq. Arrive unexpectedly. Blow a person's mind slang cause to have hallucinations etc.; astound. Blow off 1 escape or allow (steam etc.) To escape forcibly. 2 slang break wind noisily. Blow out 1 extinguish by blowing. 2 send outwards by an explosion. Blow over (of trouble etc.) Fade away. Blow one's top colloq. Explode in rage. Blow up 1 explode. 2 colloq. Rebuke strongly. 3 inflate (a tyre etc.). 4 colloq. A enlarge (a photograph). B exaggerate. 5 colloq. Arise, happen. 6 colloq. Lose one's temper. [old english]

Pu  symb.  Plutonium.
Live2  —adj. 1 (attrib.) That is alive; living. 2 (of a broadcast, performance, etc.) Heard or seen at the time of its performance or with an audience present. 3 of current interest or importance (a live issue). 4 glowing, burning (live coals). 5 (of a match, bomb, etc.) Not yet kindled or exploded. 6 (of a wire etc.) Charged with or carrying electricity. —adv. 1 in order to make a live broadcast (going live now to the house of commons). 2 as a live performance etc. (show went out live). [from *alive]
Stale  —adj. 1 a not fresh. B musty, insipid, or otherwise the worse for age or use. 2 trite, unoriginal (stale joke). 3 (of an athlete or performer) impaired by excessive training. —v. (-ling) make or become stale.  staleness n. [anglo-french estaler halt]
Androgynous  adj. 1 hermaphrodite. 2 bot. With stamens and pistils in the same flower. [greek aner andr- man, gune woman]



Ungraceful  adj. Lacking grace or elegance.  ungracefully adv.
Jove  n. (in roman mythology) jupiter.  by jove! Exclamation of surprise etc. [latin jupiter jov-]

Coif  n. Hist. Close-fitting cap. [latin cofia helmet]
-grapher  comb. Form forming nouns denoting a person concerned with a subject (geographer; radiographer). [greek -grapho write]
Mahogany  n. (pl. -ies) 1 reddish-brown tropical wood used for furniture. 2 its colour. [origin unknown]
Patrol car  n. Police car used for patrols.


Mishit  —v. (-tt-; past and past part. -hit) hit (a ball etc.) Badly. —n. Faulty or bad hit.
Polar circle  n. Each of the circles parallel to the equator at 23° 27´ from either pole.
Boiling  adj. Colloq. Very hot.

Point of honour  n. Thing of great importance to one's reputation or conscience.
Assuredly  adv. Certainly.
Basil  n. Aromatic herb used as flavouring. [greek basilikos royal]

Sixteen  adj. & n. 1 one more than fifteen. 2 symbol for this (16, xvi, xvi). 3 size etc. Denoted by sixteen.  sixteenth adj. & n. [old english]
Marching orders  n.pl. 1  order for troops to mobilize etc. 2 dismissal (gave him his marching orders).
Rambutan  n. 1 red plum-sized prickly fruit. 2 e. Indian tree bearing this. [malay]
Antiparticle  n. Elementary particle with the same mass but opposite charge etc. To another particle.
Breeze1  —n. 1 gentle wind. 2 colloq. Quarrel. 3 esp. Us colloq. Easy task. —v. (-zing) (foll. By in, out, along, etc.) Colloq. Saunter casually. [probably spanish and portuguese briza]

Telegraphy  n. Communication by telegraph.
Last post  n. Bugle-call at military funerals or as a signal to retire for the night.





Surd  math —adj. (of a number) irrational. —n. Surd number, esp. The root of an integer. [latin, = deaf]

He  abbr. 1 his or her excellency. 2 his eminence. 3 high explosive.
Laughing stock  n. Person or thing open to general ridicule.

Archery  n. Shooting with a bow and arrows, esp. As a sport.

Free-for-all  n. Free fight, unrestricted discussion, etc.
Kook  n. Us slang crazy or eccentric person.  kooky adj. (-ier, -iest). [probably from *cuckoo]
Brother-in-law  n. (pl. Brothers-in-law) 1 one's wife's or husband's brother. 2 one's sister's or sister-in-law's husband.

Pallor  n. Paleness. [latin palleo be pale]
Jurist  n. Expert in law.  juristic adj.

Thickness  n. 1 being thick. 2 extent of this. 3 layer of material (use three thicknesses).
Caber  n. Trimmed tree-trunk tossed as a sport in the scottish highlands. [gaelic]





Liberate  v. (-ting) 1 (often foll. By from) set free. 2 free (a country etc.) From an oppressor or enemy. 3 (often as liberated adj.) Free (a person) from rigid social conventions.  liberation n. Liberator n. [latin liberare liberat- from liber free]
Faddy  adj. (-ier, -iest) having petty likes and dislikes.  faddiness n.


Favorite  (brit. Favourite) —adj. Preferred to all others (favourite book). —n. 1 favourite person or thing. 2 sport competitor thought most likely to win. [italian: related to *favour]
Sword dance  n. Dance with the brandishing of swords or with swords laid on the ground.
Votive  adj. Offered or consecrated in fulfilment of a vow (votive offering). [latin: related to *vote]
Unsullied  adj. Not sullied.
Crew1  —n. (often treated as pl.) 1 a people manning a ship, aircraft, train, etc. B these as distinct from the captain or officers. C people working together; team. 2 colloq. Gang. —v. 1 supply or act as a crew or crew member for. 2 act as a crew. [latin cresco increase]
Off-the-wall  adj. Slang crazy, absurd, outlandish.
Perk2  n. Colloq. Perquisite. [abbreviation]
Metricate  v. (-ting) convert to a metric system.  metrication n.

Drop-curtain  n. Painted curtain lowered on to a stage.
Hands off  —int. Warning not to touch or interfere with something. —adj. & adv. (also hands-off) not requiring the manual use of controls.
Riddle1  —n. 1 verbal puzzle or test, often with a trick answer. 2 puzzling fact, thing, or person. —v. (-ling) speak in riddles. [old english: related to *read]

Hostel  n. 1 house of residence or lodging for students, nurses, etc. 2 = *youth hostel. [medieval latin: related to *hospital]
Pigeon  n. Bird of the dove family. [latin pipio -onis]
Sea wall  n. Wall built to stop flooding or erosion by the sea.
Two-bit  attrib. Adj. Us colloq. Cheap, petty.
Hilly  adj. (-ier, -iest) having many hills.  hilliness n.


Subtle  adj. (subtler, subtlest) 1 elusive, mysterious; hard to grasp. 2 (of scent, colour, etc.) Faint, delicate. 3 a perceptive (subtle intellect). B ingenious (subtle device).  subtlety n. (pl. -ies). Subtly adv. [latin subtilis]
Unproductive  adj. Not productive.



Juice  n. 1 liquid part of vegetables or fruits. 2 animal fluid, esp. A secretion (gastric juice). 3 colloq. Petrol; electricity. [french from latin]

Cog  n. 1 each of a series of projections on the edge of a wheel or bar transferring motion by engaging with another series. 2 unimportant member of an organization etc. [probably scandinavian]
Madhouse  n. 1 colloq. Scene of confused uproar. 2 archaic mental home or hospital.
Dollop  —n. Shapeless lump of food etc. —v. (-p-) (usu. Foll. By out) serve in dollops. [perhaps from scandinavian]








Guilt  n. 1 fact of having committed a specified or implied offence. 2 feeling of having done wrong. [old english]

Horoscope  n. 1 forecast of a person's future from a diagram showing the relative positions of the stars and planets at his or her birth. 2 such a diagram. [greek hora time, skopos observer]


Dark horse  n. Little-known person who is unexpectedly successful.
Antechamber  n. Ante-room.



Clothes  n.pl. 1 garments worn to cover the body and limbs. 2 bedclothes. [old english]


Roller  n. 1 a revolving cylinder for smoothing, spreading, crushing, stamping, hanging a towel on, etc., used alone or in a machine. B cylinder for diminishing friction when moving a heavy object. 2 small cylinder on which hair is rolled for setting. 3 long swelling wave.


Delicious  adj. Highly enjoyable, esp. To taste or smell.  deliciously adv. [latin deliciae delights]




Opine  v. (-ning) (often foll. By that) literary hold or express as an opinion. [latin opinor believe]
Cache  —n. 1 hiding-place for treasure, stores, guns, etc. 2 things so hidden. —v. (-ching) put in a cache. [french cacher hide]
Botheration  n. & int. Colloq. = *bother n., int.



Gudgeon2  n. 1 a kind of pivot. 2 tubular part of a hinge. 3 socket for a rudder. 4 pin holding two blocks of stone etc. Together. [french diminutive: related to *gouge]

Retainer  n. 1 fee for securing a person's services. 2 faithful servant (esp. Old retainer). 3 reduced rent paid to retain unoccupied accommodation. 4 person or thing that retains.
Tribune  n. 1 popular leader or demagogue. 2 (in full tribune of the people) official in ancient rome chosen by the people to protect their interests. [latin tribunus: related to *tribe]
Bronchitis  n. Inflammation of the mucous membrane in the bronchial tubes.

Remembrance sunday  n. Sunday nearest 11 nov., when those killed in the wars of 1914–18 and 1939–45 and later conflicts are commemorated.

Laid-back  adj. Relaxed; easygoing.

Bandwagon  n.  climb (or jump) on the bandwagon join a popular or successful cause etc.
Stratum  n. (pl. Strata) 1 layer or set of layers of any deposited substance, esp. Of rock. 2 atmospheric layer. 3 social class. [latin sterno strew]
Obtrude  v. (-ding) 1 be or become obtrusive. 2 (often foll. By on, upon) thrust (oneself, a matter, etc.) Importunately forward.  obtrusion n. [latin obtrudo thrust against]
Despair  —n. 1 complete loss or absence of hope. 2 cause of this. —v. (often foll. By of) lose or be without hope (despaired of ever winning). [latin spero hope]

Caper2  n. 1 bramble-like shrub. 2 (in pl.) Its pickled buds used esp. In a sauce. [greek kapparis]

Gumboil  n. Small abscess on the gum.
Half-cut  adj.  Slang fairly drunk.
Under  —prep. 1 a in or to a position lower than; below; beneath (under the table). B on the inside of (vest under his shirt). 2 inferior to; less than (no-one under a major; is under 18; was under £20). 3 a subject to; controlled by (under constraint; born under saturn; prospered under him). B undergoing (is under repair). C classified or subsumed in (under two headings). 4 at the foot of or sheltered by (under the cliff). 5 planted with (a crop). 6 powered by (sail, steam, etc.). —adv. 1 in or to a lower position or condition (kept him under). 2 colloq. In or into unconsciousness (put him under). —adj.
Thermionic  adj. Of electrons emitted from a very hot substance. [from *thermo-, *ion]


Unlatch  v. 1 release the latch of. 2 open in this way.
Snuggery  n. (pl. -ies) snug place, den.
Bulge  —n. 1 irregular swelling. 2 colloq. Temporary increase (baby bulge). —v. (-ging) swell outwards.  bulgy adj. [latin bulga bag]

Tune  —n. Melody. —v. (-ning) 1 put (a musical instrument) in tune. 2 a adjust (a radio etc.) To the frequency of a signal. B (foll. By in) adjust a radio receiver to the required signal. 3 adjust (an engine etc.) To run efficiently.  in (or out of) tune 1 having (or not having) the correct pitch or intonation (sings in tune). 2 (usu. Foll. By with) harmonizing (or clashing) with one's company, surroundings, etc. To the tune of colloq. To the considerable sum of. Tuned in (often foll. By to) colloq. Acquainted; in rapport; up to date. Tune up 1 bring one's instrument to the proper pitch. 2 bring to the most efficient condition. [var. Of *tone]


Mésalliance  n. Marriage with a social inferior. [french]
Misusage  n. 1 wrong or improper usage. 2 ill-treatment.
Hindu  —n. (pl. -s) follower of hinduism. —adj. Of hindus or hinduism. [urdu hind india]


Reclaim  v. 1 seek the return of (one's property, rights, etc.). 2 bring (land) under cultivation, esp. From being under water. 3 win back or away from vice, error, or a waste condition. reclaimable adj. Reclamation n. [latin reclamare cry out against]
Affectation  n. 1 artificial manner. 2 (foll. By of) studied display. 3 pretence.

Thermodynamics  n.pl. (usu. Treated as sing.) Science of the relations between heat and other forms of energy.  thermodynamic adj.
Strumpet  n. Archaic or rhet. Prostitute. [origin unknown]
Equip  v. (-pp-) supply with what is needed. [old norse skipa to man a ship]

Incise  v. (-sing) 1 make a cut in. 2 engrave. [latin caedo cut]
Def  adj. Slang excellent. [perhaps from *definite or *definitive]

Caudal  adj. 1 of or like a tail. 2 of the posterior part of the body. [latin cauda tail]
Disc jockey  n. Presenter of recorded pop music.
Bulk  —n. 1 a size; magnitude (esp. Large). B large mass, body, etc. C large quantity. 2 (treated as pl. & usu. Prec. By the) greater part or number (the bulk of the applicants are women). 3 roughage. —v. 1 seem (in size or importance) (bulks large). 2 make (a book etc.) Thicker etc.  in bulk in large quantities. [old norse]
Oratorio  n. (pl. -s) semi-dramatic work for orchestra and voices, esp. On a sacred theme. [church latin]
Anaconda  n. Large non-poisonous snake killing its prey by constriction. [sinhalese]


Daring  —n. Adventurous courage. —adj. Adventurous, bold; prepared to take risks.  daringly adv.

Pheasant  n. Long-tailed game-bird. [greek phasianos of phasis, name of a river associated with the bird]

Daft  adj. Colloq. Silly, foolish, crazy. [old english, = meek]



Emperor penguin  n. Largest known penguin.


Job-sharing  n. Sharing of a full-time job by two or more people.  job-share n. & v.


Windward  —adj. & adv. On the side from which the wind is blowing. —n. Windward direction.


Poundage  n. Commission or fee of so much per pound sterling or weight.
Scrivener  n. Hist. 1 copyist or drafter of documents. 2 notary. [french escrivein]
Sift  v. 1 put through a sieve. 2 (usu. Foll. By from, out) separate (finer or coarser parts) from material. 3 sprinkle (esp. Sugar) from a perforated container. 4 examine (evidence, facts, etc.). 5 (of snow, light, etc.) Fall as if from a sieve. [old english]
Strike pay  n. Allowance paid to strikers by their union.
Jungle  n. 1 a land overgrown with tangled vegetation, esp. In the tropics. B an area of this. 2 wild tangled mass. 3 place of bewildering complexity, confusion, or struggle.  law of the jungle state of ruthless competition.  jungly adj. [hindi from sanskrit]

Soldering iron  n. Heated tool for melting and applying solder.

Let-out  n. Colloq. Opportunity to escape a commitment etc.




Woof1  —n. Gruff bark of a dog. —v. Give a woof. [imitative]
Espresso  n. (also expresso) (pl. -s) strong black coffee made under steam pressure.  [italian, = pressed out]

Sheeting  n. Material for making bed linen.
Milk tooth  n. Temporary tooth in young mammals.

Janitor  n. 1 doorkeeper. 2 caretaker. [latin janua door]
Unchallenged  adj. Not challenged.

Self-abuse  n. Archaic masturbation.


Walk-over  n. Easy victory.
Upfield  adv. In or to a position nearer to the opponents' end of a field.
Cousin  n. 1 (also first cousin) child of one's uncle or aunt. 2 person of a kindred race or nation. [latin consobrinus]



Tartare  adj. (in phr. Sauce tartare) = *tartar sauce. [french]

Vtr  abbr. Videotape recorder.
Capitular  adj. Of a cathedral chapter. [latin capitulum *chapter]
Vanishing cream  n. Skin ointment that leaves no visible trace.



Overpower  v. 1 subdue, conquer. 2 (esp. As overpowering adj.) Be too intense or overwhelming for (overpowering smell).  overpoweringly adv.


Fiddle-faddle  —n. Trivial matters. —v. (-ling) fuss, trifle. —int. Nonsense! [reduplication of *fiddle]


Humorist  n. Humorous writer, talker, or actor.

Unappealing  adj. Unattractive.
Heating  n. 1 imparting or generation of heat. 2 equipment used to heat a building etc.

Business person  n. Businessman or businesswoman.

St  abbr. Saint.

Phone-in  n. Broadcast programme during which listeners or viewers telephone the studio and participate.
Moneybags  n.pl. (treated as sing.) Colloq. Usu. Derog. Wealthy person.
Rag3  n. Ragtime composition. [abbreviation]

Foot-and-mouth disease  n. Contagious viral disease of cattle etc.
Creepy-crawly  n. (pl. -ies) colloq. Small crawling insect etc.
Solution  n. 1 solving or means of solving a problem. 2 a conversion of a solid or gas into a liquid by mixture with a liquid. B state resulting from this. 3 dissolving or being dissolved.


Kerb-crawling  n. Colloq. Driving slowly in order to engage a prostitute.


Squash1  —v. 1 crush or squeeze, esp. Flat or into pulp. 2 (often foll. By into) colloq. Put or make one's way by squeezing. 3 belittle, bully (a person). 4 suppress (a proposal, allegation, etc.). —n. 1 crowd; crowded state. 2 drink made of crushed fruit. 3 (in full squash rackets) game played with rackets and a small ball in a closed court.
Commie  n. Slang derog. Communist. [abbreviation]

Mixed economy  n. Economic system combining private and state enterprise.

Rearrest  —v. Arrest again. —n. Rearresting or being rearrested.
Relay  —n. 1 fresh set of people etc. Substituted for tired ones. 2 supply of material similarly used. 3 = *relay race. 4 device activating an electric circuit etc. In response to changes affecting itself. 5 a device to receive, reinforce, and transmit a message, broadcast, etc. B relayed message or transmission. —v. Receive (a message, broadcast, etc.) And transmit it to others. [french relai from latin laxo: see *lax]
Radicle  n. Part of a plant embryo that develops into the primary root; rootlet. [latin: related to *radix]


Tricycle  n. Three-wheeled pedal-driven vehicle similar to a bicycle.


Boult  var. Of *bolt2.

Referral  n. Referring of a person to a medical specialist etc.
Heavy-hearted  adj. Sad, doleful.




Contrapuntal  adj. Mus. Of or in counterpoint.  contrapuntally adv. [italian]
Con man  n. Confidence trickster.
Oppose  v. (-sing) 1 set oneself against; resist; argue or compete against. 2 (foll. By to) place in opposition or contrast.  as opposed to in contrast with.  opposer n. [latin: related to *opponent]
Hep  var. Of *hip4.
Seclusion  n. Secluded state or place.
Comrade  n. 1 associate or companion in some activity. 2 fellow socialist or communist.  comradely adj. Comradeship n. [spanish: related to *chamber]
Tyke  n. (also tike) 1 unpleasant or coarse man. 2 small child. [old norse]
Rum2  adj. (rummer, rummest) colloq. Odd, strange, queer. [origin unknown]


Fiction  n. 1 non-factual literature, esp. Novels. 2 invented idea, thing, etc. 3 generally accepted falsehood (polite fiction).  fictional adj. Fictionalize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing). [latin: related to *feign]



Non compos mentis  adj. (also non compos) not in one's right mind. [latin, = not having control of one's mind]
Megahertz  n. (pl. Same) one million hertz, esp. As a measure of radio frequency.
Forasmuch as  conj. Archaic because, since. [from for as much]
Cerulean  adj. & n. Literary deep sky-blue. [latin caeruleus]




Louvre  n. (also louver) 1 each of a set of overlapping slats designed to admit air and some light and exclude rain. 2 domed structure on a roof with side openings for ventilation etc.  louvred adj. [french lover skylight]

Heartland  n. Central part of an area.

No2  var. Of *noh.
Pint  n. 1 measure of capacity for liquids etc., 1/8 gal. (0.57, us 0.47, litre). 2  a colloq. Pint of beer. B pint of a liquid, esp. Milk. 3 measure of shellfish containable in a pint mug. [french]
Loveless  adj. Unloving or unloved or both.
Sector  n. 1 distinct part of an enterprise, society, the economy, etc. 2 military subdivision of an area. 3 plane figure enclosed by two radii of a circle, ellipse, etc., and the arc between them. [latin: related to *section]

Upsurge  n. Upward surge.

Rather  adv. 1 by preference (would rather not go). 2 (usu. Foll. By than) more truly; as a more likely alternative (is stupid rather than dishonest). 3 more precisely (a book, or rather, a pamphlet). 4 slightly, to some extent (became rather drunk). 5  (as an emphatic response) assuredly (did you like it? – rather!).  had rather would rather. [old english comparative of rathe early]

Unproved  adj. (also unproven) not proved.


Divert  v. 1 a turn aside; deflect. B distract (attention). 2 (often as diverting adj.) Entertain; amuse. [latin: related to *diverse]

'Strewth  var. Of *'struth.
Lacrimal  var. Of *lachrymal.
Star-studded  adj. Covered with stars; featuring many famous performers.




Flag-waving  n. Populist agitation, chauvinism.
Dancehall  n. Public hall for dancing.
Poem  n. 1 metrical composition, usu. Concerned with feeling or imaginative description. 2 elevated composition in verse or prose. 3 something with poetic qualities (a poem in stone). [greek poieo make]

Heatproof  —adj. Able to resist great heat. —v. Make heatproof.



Rubella  n. Formal german measles. [latin rubellus reddish]
Vortex  n. (pl. -texes or -tices) 1 whirlpool, whirlwind. 2 whirling motion or mass. 3 thing viewed as destructive or devouring (the vortex of society).  vortical adj. [latin: related to *vertex]

Protectorate  n. 1 a state that is controlled and protected by another. B this relation. 2 hist. A office of the protector of a kingdom or state. B period of this, esp. In england 1653–9.


Ideally  adv. 1 in ideal circumstances. 2 according to an ideal.


Dental floss  n. Thread used to clean between the teeth.

Hearing  n. 1 faculty of perceiving sounds. 2 range within which sounds may be heard (within hearing). 3 opportunity to state one's case (a fair hearing). 4 trial of a case before a court.

Accountable  adj. 1 responsible; required to account for one's conduct. 2 explicable, understandable.  accountability n.
Gold standard  n. System by which the value of a currency is defined in terms of gold.



Feel  —v. (past and past part. Felt) 1 a examine or search by touch. B (absol.) Have the sensation of touch (unable to feel). 2 perceive or ascertain by touch (feel the warmth). 3 experience, exhibit, or be affected by (an emotion, conviction, etc.) (felt strongly about it; felt the rebuke). 4 (foll. By that) have an impression (i feel that i am right). 5 consider, think (i feel it useful). 6 seem (air feels chilly). 7 be consciously; consider oneself (i feel happy). 8 (foll. By for, with) have sympathy or pity. 9 (often foll. By up) slang fondle sexually. —n. 1 feeling; testing by touch. 2 sensation characterizing a material, situation, etc. 3 sense of touch.  feel like have a wish or inclination for. Feel up to be ready to face or deal with. Feel one's way proceed cautiously. Get the feel of become accustomed to using. [old english]
Mastodon  n. (pl. Same or -s) large extinct mammal resembling the elephant. [greek mastos breast, odous tooth]
Preoccupy  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 (of a thought etc.) Dominate the mind of (a person) to the exclusion of all else. 2 (as preoccupied adj.) Otherwise engrossed; mentally distracted.  preoccupation n. [latin praeoccupo seize beforehand]


Perjury  n. (pl. -ies) law act of wilfully telling a lie when on oath.


Onlooker  n. Spectator.  onlooking adj.

Theoretical  adj. 1 concerned with knowledge but not with its practical application. 2 based on theory rather than experience.  theoretically adv.
Lea  abbr. Local education authority.
Psychological moment  n. Best time for achieving a particular effect or purpose.


Yew  n. 1 dark-leaved evergreen tree bearing berry-like cones. 2 its wood. [old english]
Cairn  n. 1 mound of stones as a monument or landmark. 2 (in full cairn terrier) small shaggy short-legged terrier. [gaelic]
Misjudge  v. (-ging) (also absol.) 1 judge wrongly. 2 have a wrong opinion of.  misjudgement n. (also -judgment).

Daub  —v. 1 spread (paint etc.) Crudely or roughly. 2 coat or smear (a surface) with paint etc. 3 paint crudely or unskilfully. —n. 1 paint etc. Daubed on a surface. 2 plaster, clay, etc., esp. Coating laths or wattles to form a wall. 3 crude painting. [latin: related to *de-, *alb]
Most reverend  n. Title of archbishops.
Banshee  n. Ir. & scot. Wailing female spirit warning of death in a house. [irish, = fairy woman]


Elephantiasis  n. Skin disease causing gross enlargement of limbs etc.
Udi  abbr. Unilateral declaration of independence.

Palmate  adj. 1 shaped like an open hand. 2 having lobes etc. Like spread fingers. [latin palmatus: related to *palm2]

Hundreds and thousands  n.pl. Tiny coloured sweets for decorating cakes etc.

Ullage  n. 1 amount by which a cask etc. Falls short of being full. 2 loss by evaporation or leakage. [french from latin]

Monstrous  adj. 1 like a monster; abnormally formed. 2 huge. 3 a outrageously wrong or absurd. B atrocious.  monstrously adv. Monstrousness n. [latin: related to *monster]
Tarantella  n. 1 whirling s. Italian dance. 2 music for this. [italian from taranto in italy]


Hand-grenade  see *grenade.
Shale  n. Soft rock of consolidated mud or clay that splits easily.  shaly adj. [german: related to *scale2]
Specific heat capacity  n. Heat required to raise the temperature of the unit mass of a given substance by a given amount (usu. One degree).
Founding father  n. American statesman at the time of the revolution.
Soulful  adj. Having, expressing, or evoking deep feeling.  soulfully adv.
Opposite  —adj. 1 facing, on the other side (opposite page; the house opposite). 2 (often foll. By to, from) contrary; diametrically different (opposite opinion). —n. Opposite thing, person, or term. —adv. Facing, on the other side (lives opposite). —prep. 1 facing (sat opposite me). 2 in a complementary role to (another actor etc.).
Crouch  —v. Lower the body with limbs close to the chest; be in this position. —n. Crouching; crouching position. [old norse: related to *crook]

Non-ferrous  adj. (of a metal) other than iron or steel.
Hydrofoil  n. 1 boat equipped with planes for lifting its hull out of the water to increase its speed. 2 such a plane.

Crimson  —adj. Of a rich deep red. —n. This colour. [ultimately from arabic: related to *kermes]


Mine1  poss. Pron. The one(s) of or belonging to me (it is mine; mine are over there).  of mine of or belonging to me (a friend of mine). [old english]
Lupine  adj. Of or like wolves. [latin lupinus from lupus wolf]
Florin  n. Hist. 1 british two-shilling coin now worth 10 pence. 2 english or foreign gold or silver coin. [italian fiorino: related to *florist]


Pointed  adj. 1 sharpened or tapering to a point. 2 (of a remark etc.) Having point; cutting. 3 emphasized.  pointedly adv.
Librarian  n. Person in charge of or assisting in a library.  librarianship n.
Pharmacy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 preparation and (esp. Medicinal) dispensing of drugs. 2 pharmacist's shop, dispensary.


Complication  n. 1 a involved or confused condition or state. B complicating circumstance; difficulty. 2 (often in pl.) Disease or condition aggravating or arising out of a previous one. [latin: related to *complicate]

Suppositious  adj. Hypothetical.
Chaplain  n. Member of the clergy attached to a private chapel, institution, ship, regiment, etc.  chaplaincy n. (pl. -ies). [latin: related to *chapel]




Fair sex  n. (prec. By the) women.


Colouring  n. (us color-) 1 appearance as regards colour, esp. Facial complexion. 2 use or application of colour. 3 substance giving colour.
Vary  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 be or become different; be of different kinds; change. 2 make different; modify. [latin vario: related to *various]
Shift  —v. 1 (cause to) change or move from one position to another. 2 remove, esp. With effort. 3 slang a hurry. B consume (food or drink). 4 us change (gear) in a vehicle. —n. 1 act of shifting. 2 a relay of workers. B time for which they work. 3 a device, stratagem, or expedient. B trick or evasion. 4 woman's straight unwaisted dress or petticoat. 5 physics displacement of a spectral line. 6 key on a keyboard used to switch between lower and upper case etc. 7 us a gear lever in a vehicle. B mechanism for this.  make shift manage; get along somehow. Shift for oneself rely on one's own efforts. Shift one's ground take up a new position in an argument etc. [old english]
Nth  see *n1.
Catchweight  —adj. Unrestricted as regards weight. —n. Unrestricted weight category in sports.


Judge  —n. 1 public official appointed to hear and try legal cases. 2 person appointed to decide in a contest, dispute, etc. 3 a person who decides a question. B person regarded as having judgement of a specified type (am no judge; good judge of art). —v. (-ging) 1 form an opinion or judgement (about); estimate, appraise. 2 act as a judge (of). 3  a try (a case) at law. B pronounce sentence on. 4 (often foll. By to + infin. Or that + clause) conclude, consider. [latin judex judic-]
Felt2  past and past part. Of *feel.
Cold comfort  n. Poor consolation.

Tuck shop  n. Small shop selling sweets etc. To schoolchildren.
Midwicket  n. Cricket position of a fielder on the leg side opposite the middle of the pitch.

Plush  —n. Cloth of silk or cotton etc., with a long soft nap. —adj. 1 made of plush. 2 colloq. = *plushy.  plushly adv. Plushness n. [latin: related to *pile3]
Tizzy  n. (pl. -ies) colloq. State of agitation (in a tizzy). [origin unknown]






Nuts and bolts  n.pl. Colloq. Practical details.
Good faith  n. Sincerity of intention.


Repro  n. (pl. -s) (often attrib.) Colloq. Reproduction or copy. [abbreviation]

Kgb  n. State security police of the former ussr. [russian abbreviation, = committee of state security]

Hem1  —n. Border of cloth where the edge is turned under and sewn down. —v. (-mm-) turn down and sew in the edge of (cloth etc.).  hem in confine; restrict the movement of. [old english]

Engender  v. Give rise to; produce (a feeling etc.). [related to *genus]
Hertz  n. (pl. Same) si unit of frequency, equal to one cycle per second. [hertz, name of a physicist]
Smallholding  n.  Agricultural holding smaller than a farm.
Mis-2  prefix occurring in some verbs, nouns, and adjectives meaning ‘badly’, ‘wrongly’, ‘amiss’, ‘ill-’, or having a negative force (misadventure; mischief). [latin minus]


Glum  adj. (glummer, glummest) dejected; sullen.  glumly adv. Glumness n. [var. Of *gloom]

Flop  —v. (-pp-) 1 sway about heavily or loosely. 2 (often foll. By down, on, into) fall or sit etc. Awkwardly or suddenly. 3 slang fail; collapse (play flopped). 4 make a dull soft thud or splash. —n. 1 flopping movement or sound. 2 slang failure. —adv. With a flop. [var. Of *flap]

Augury  n. (pl. -ies) 1 omen. 2 interpretation of omens.
Cage  —n. 1 structure of bars or wires, esp. For confining animals or birds. 2 similar open framework, esp. A lift in mine etc. —v. (-ging) place or keep in a cage. [latin cavea]

Motto  n. (pl. -es) 1 maxim adopted as a rule of conduct. 2 phrase or sentence accompanying a coat of arms. 3 appropriate inscription. 4 joke, maxim, etc. In a paper cracker.  [italian: related to *mot]

Pot roast  n. Piece of meat cooked slowly in a covered dish.  pot-roast v.


Demonstrator  n. 1 person who demonstrates politically. 2 person who demonstrates machines etc. To prospective customers. 3 person who teaches by esp. Scientific demonstration.



Chenille  n. 1 tufty velvety cord or yarn. 2 fabric of this. [french, = caterpillar, from latin canicula little dog]

Jockstrap  n. Support or protection for the male genitals, worn esp. In sport. [slang jock genitals]


Abiding  adj. Enduring, permanent.
Refrozen  past part. Of *refreeze.
Sedative  —n. Calming drug or influence. —adj. Calming, soothing. [medieval latin: related to *sedate]


Stopper  —n. Plug for closing a bottle etc. —v. Close with this.


Sixth-form college  n. Separate college for pupils over 16.
Subjugate  v. (-ting) bring into subjection; vanquish.  subjugation n. Subjugator n. [latin jugum yoke]
Industrialist  n. Owner or manager in industry.
Fit2  n. 1 sudden esp. Epileptic seizure with unconsciousness or convulsions. 2 sudden brief bout or burst (fit of giggles; fit of coughing).  by (or in) fits and starts spasmodically. Have a fit colloq. Be greatly surprised or outraged. In fits laughing uncontrollably. [old english]

Snood  n. Ornamental hairnet, worn usu. At the back of the head. [old english]

Ablative  gram. —n. Case (in latin) of nouns and pronouns indicating an agent, instrument, or location. —adj. Of or in the ablative. [latin ablatus taken away]
Study  —n. (pl. -ies) 1 acquisition of knowledge, esp. From books. 2 (in pl.) Pursuit of academic knowledge. 3 private room used for reading, writing, etc. 4 piece of work, esp. A drawing, done for practice or as an experiment. 5 portrayal in literature etc. Of behaviour or character etc. 6 musical composition designed to develop a player's skill. 7 thing worth observing (his face was a study). 8 thing that is or deserves to be investigated. —v. (-ies, -ied) 1 make a study of; investigate (a subject) (study law). 2 (often foll. By for) apply oneself to study. 3 scrutinize closely (a visible object). 4 learn (one's role etc.). 5 take pains to achieve (a result) or pay regard to (a subject or principle etc.). 6 (as studied adj.) Deliberate, affected (studied politeness). [latin studium]
Take  —v. (-king; past took; past part. Taken) 1 lay hold of; get into one's hands. 2 acquire, capture, earn, or win. 3 get by purchase, hire, or formal agreement (take lodgings; took a taxi). 4 (in a recipe) use. 5 regularly buy (a newspaper etc.). 6 obtain after qualifying (take a degree). 7 occupy (take a chair). 8 make use of (take the next turning on the left; take the bus). 9 consume (food or medicine). 10 a be effective (inoculation did not take). B (of a plant, seed, etc.) Begin to grow. 11 require or use up (will only take a minute). 12 carry or accompany (take the book home; bus will take you). 13 remove; steal (someone has taken my pen). 14 catch or be infected with (fire or fever etc.). 15 a experience, seek, or be affected by (take fright; take pleasure). B exert (take no notice). 16 find out and note (took his address; took her temperature). 17 understand; assume (i took you to mean yes). 18 treat, deal with, or regard in a specified way (took it badly; took the corner too fast). 19 (foll. By for) regard as being (do you take me for an idiot?). 20 a accept, receive (take the offer; take a call; takes boarders). B hold (takes 3 pints). C submit to; tolerate (take a joke). 21 wear (takes size 10). 22 choose or assume (took a job; took the initiative). 23 derive (takes its name from the inventor). 24 (foll. By from) subtract (take 3 from 9). 25 perform or effect (take notes; take an oath; take a look). 26 occupy or engage oneself in (take a rest). 27 conduct (took prayers). 28 teach, be taught, or be examined in (a subject). 29 a make (a photograph). B photograph (a person etc.). 30 (in imper.) Use as an example (take napoleon). 31 gram. Have or require as part of a construction (this verb takes an object). 32 have sexual intercourse with (a woman). 33 (in passive; foll. By by, with) be attracted or charmed by. —n. 1 amount taken or caught at a time etc. 2 scene or film sequence photographed continuously at one time.  be taken ill become ill, esp. Suddenly. Have what it takes colloq. Have the necessary qualities etc. For success. Take account of see *account. Take advantage of see *advantage. Take after resemble (a parent etc.). Take against begin to dislike. Take aim see *aim. Take apart 1 dismantle. 2 colloq. Beat or defeat. 3 colloq. Criticize severely. Take away 1 remove or carry elsewhere. 2 subtract. 3 buy (hot food etc.) For eating elsewhere. Take back 1 retract (a statement). 2 convey to an original position. 3 carry in thought to a past time. 4 a return (goods) to a shop. B (of a shop) accept such goods. 5 accept (a person) back into one's affections, into employment, etc. Take the biscuit (or bun or cake) colloq. Be the most remarkable. Take down 1 write down (spoken words). 2 remove or dismantle. 3 lower (a garment worn below the waist). Take effect see *effect. Take for granted see *grant. Take fright see *fright. Take heart be encouraged. Take in 1 receive as a lodger etc. 2 undertake (work) at home. 3 make (a garment etc.) Smaller. 4 understand; observe (did you take that in?). 5 cheat. 6 include. 7 colloq. Visit (a place) on the way to another (took in bath). 8 absorb into the body. Take in hand 1 undertake; start doing or dealing with. 2 undertake to control or reform (a person). Take into account see *account. Take it 1 (often foll. By that) assume. 2 colloq. Endure in a specified way (took it badly). Take it easy see *easy. Take it into one's head see *head. Take it on one (or oneself) (foll. By to + infin.) Venture or presume. Take it or leave it (esp. In imper.) Accept it or not. Take it out of 1 exhaust the strength of. 2 have revenge on. Take it out on relieve one's frustration by treating aggressively.


Snapdragon  n. Plant with a two-lipped flower.

Bandolier  n. (also bandoleer) shoulder belt with loops or pockets for cartridges. [dutch or french]

Usage  the halfpenny was withdrawn from circulation in 1984.
Poplar  n. Tall slender tree with a straight trunk and often tremulous leaves. [latin populus]

Silver jubilee  n. 25th anniversary.
Higgledy-piggledy  adv. & adj. In confusion or disorder. [origin uncertain]
Expressionism  n. Style of painting, music, drama, etc., seeking to express emotion rather than the external world.  expressionist n. & adj.
Main line  n. Railway line linking large cities.
Concuss  v. Subject to concussion. [latin quatio shake]
Hippie  n. (also hippy) (pl. -ies) colloq. (esp. In the 1960s) person rejecting convention, typically with long hair, jeans, beads, etc., and taking hallucinogenic drugs. [from *hip4]



Hedge-hop  v. Fly at a very low altitude.
Polaroid  n. Propr. 1 material in thin sheets polarizing light passing through it. 2 camera with internal processing that produces a print rapidly after each exposure. 3 (in pl.) Sunglasses with polaroid lenses.
Hip1  n. Projection of the pelvis and the upper part of the thigh-bone. [old english]

Soft touch  n. Colloq. Gullible person, esp. Over money.

Playing-card  n. One of a set of usu. 52 oblong cards, divided into four suits and used in games.



Physio  n. (pl. -s) colloq. 1 physiotherapy. 2 physiotherapist.


Caracul  var. Of *karakul.

Violin  n. High-pitched stringed instrument played with a bow.  violinist n. [italian diminutive of *viola1]

Granular  adj. Of or like grains or granules.  granularity n. [latin: related to *granule]


Terrace house  n. (also terraced house) house in a terrace.
-ule  suffix forming diminutive nouns (globule). [latin -ulus]




Riddle2  —v. (-ling) (usu. Foll. By with) 1 make many holes in, esp. With gunshot. 2 (in passive) fill; permeate (riddled with errors). 3 pass through a riddle. —n. Coarse sieve. [old english]
Ungovernable  adj. Uncontrollable, violent.

Pot plant  n. Plant grown in a flowerpot.

Heresy  n. (pl. -ies) 1  esp. Rc ch. Religious belief or practice contrary to orthodox doctrine. 2 opinion contrary to what is normally accepted or maintained. [greek hairesis choice]



Piggish  adj. Greedy; dirty; mean.


Complicate  v. (-ting) 1 make difficult or complex. 2 (as complicated adj.) Complex; intricate. [latin plico to fold]
Bougainvillaea  n. Tropical plant with large coloured bracts. [bougainville, name of a navigator]
Midget  n. 1 extremely small person or thing. 2 (attrib.) Very small.


Commuter  n. Person who commutes to and from work.
Evade  v. (-ding) 1 a escape from, avoid, esp. By guile or trickery. B avoid doing (one's duty etc.). C avoid answering (a question). 2 avoid paying (tax). [latin evado escape]

Popularize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 make popular. 2 present (a difficult subject) in a readily understandable form.  popularization n.
Vertical take-off  n. Take-off of an aircraft directly upwards.
Dog-paddle  var. Of *doggy-paddle.

Bill3  n. 1 hist. Weapon with a hooked blade. 2 = *billhook. [old english]


Unrepresented  adj. Not represented.
Sea urchin  n. Small marine animal with a spiny shell.

Multimedia  —attrib. Adj. Using more than one medium of communication. —n. = *hypermedia.




Undoubted  adj. Certain, not questioned.  undoubtedly adv.

Heroin  n. Addictive analgesic drug derived from morphine, often used as a narcotic. [german: related to *hero, from the effect on the user's self-esteem]


Hovel  n. Small miserable dwelling. [origin unknown]
Appraise  v. (-sing) 1 estimate the value or quality of. 2 set a price on (esp. Officially). [earlier apprize, assimilated to *praise]
Accessory  n. (pl. -ies) 1 additional or extra thing. 2 (usu. In pl.) Small attachment, fitting, or subsidiary item of dress (e.g. Shoes, gloves). 3 (often foll. By to) person who abets or is privy to an (esp. Illegal) act. [medieval latin: related to *accede]
Cannon-ball  n. Hist. Large ball fired by a cannon.
Usurp  v. Seize (a throne or power etc.) Wrongfully.  usurpation n. Usurper n. [french from latin]
Isotropic  adj. Having the same physical properties in all directions.  isotropy n. [from *iso-, greek tropos turn]

Sore  —adj. 1 (of a part of the body) painful. 2 suffering pain. 3 aggrieved, vexed. 4 archaic grievous or severe (in sore need). —n. 1 inflamed place on the skin or flesh. 2 source of distress or annoyance. —adv. Archaic grievously, severely.  soreness n. [old english]


Silverfish  n. (pl. Same or -es) 1 small silvery wingless insect. 2 silver-coloured fish.



Understudy  esp. Theatr. —n. (pl. -ies) person ready to take on another's role etc. When required. —v. (-ies, -ied) 1 study (a role etc.) Thus. 2 act as an understudy to.



Caulk  v. (also calk) 1 stop up (the seams of a boat etc.). 2 make (esp. A boat) watertight. [latin calco tread]


Food-chain  n. Series of organisms each dependent on the next for food.
Sable  —n. (pl. Same or -s) 1 small brown-furred mammal of n. Europe and n. Asia. 2 its skin or fur. —adj. 1 (usu. Placed after noun) heraldry black. 2 esp. Poet. Gloomy. [slavonic]


Incunabulum  n. (pl. -la) 1 early printed book, esp. From before 1501. 2 (in pl.) Early stages of a thing. [latin, (in pl.) = swaddling-clothes]
Mean sea level  n. Level halfway between high and low water.




Grate2  n. 1 fireplace or furnace. 2 metal frame confining fuel in this. [latin cratis hurdle]
Tartan  n. 1 pattern of coloured stripes crossing at right angles, esp. Denoting a scottish highland clan. 2 woollen cloth woven in this pattern (often attrib.: tartan scarf). [origin uncertain]
Hinterland  n. 1 district beyond a coast or river's banks. 2 area served by a port or other centre. [german]

Refute  v. (-ting) 1 prove the falsity or error of (a statement etc. Or the person advancing it). 2 rebut by argument. 3 deny or contradict (without argument).  refutation n. [latin refuto]

Opera1  n. 1 a drama set to music for singers and instrumentalists. B this as a genre. 2 opera-house. [italian from latin, = labour, work]
Lid  n. 1 hinged or removable cover, esp. For a container. 2 = *eyelid.  put the lid on colloq. 1 be the culmination of. 2 put a stop to.  lidded adj. (also in comb.). [old english]



Grin  —v. (-nn-) 1 a smile broadly, showing the teeth. B make a forced, unrestrained, or stupid smile. 2 express by grinning. —n. Act of grinning.  grin and bear it take pain etc. Stoically. [old english]




Unflinching  adj. Not flinching.  unflinchingly adv.
Ophthalmology  n. The study of the eye.  ophthalmologist n.
Credulous  adj. Too ready to believe; gullible.  credulity n. Credulously adv. [latin: related to *credo]

Toll-gate  n. Gate preventing passage until a toll is paid.
Edgy  adj. (-ier, -iest) irritable; anxious.  edgily adv. Edginess n.
Starling  n. Gregarious bird with blackish speckled lustrous plumage. [old english]
Italian vermouth  n. Sweet kind of vermouth.
Hither and thither  adv. To and fro.
Areola  n. (pl. -lae) circular pigmented area, esp. Around a nipple.  areolar adj. [latin diminutive of *area]

Abyss  n. 1 deep chasm. 2 immeasurable depth (abyss of despair). [latin from greek, = bottomless]

Hippy2  adj. Having large hips.



Doorstop  n. Device for keeping a door open or to prevent it from striking the wall.


Hemophiliac  n. (brit. Haem-) person with haemophilia.
Reeve3  n. Female ruff. [origin unknown]

Poor relation  n. Inferior or subordinate member of a family etc.

Burden  —n. 1 load, esp. A heavy one. 2 oppressive duty, expense, emotion, etc. 3 bearing of loads (beast of burden). 4 a refrain of a song. B chief theme of a speech, book, etc. —v. Load with a burden; oppress.  burdensome adj. [old english: related to *birth]
R.h.  Abbr. Right hand.
Onus  n. (pl. Onuses) burden, duty, responsibility. [latin]
Equality  n. Being equal. [latin: related to *equal]

Mention  —v. 1 refer to briefly or by name. 2 reveal or disclose (do not mention this to anyone). 3 (usu. As mention in dispatches) award a minor military honour to in war. —n. 1 reference, esp. By name. 2 minor military or other honour.  don't mention it polite reply to an apology or thanks. Not to mention and also. [latin mentio]


Strolling players  n.pl. Hist. Travelling actors etc.
Clamp2  n. Potatoes etc. Stored under straw or earth. [dutch: related to *clump]
À la  prep. In the manner of (à la russe). [french from *à la mode]
Acclamation  n. 1 loud and eager assent. 2 (usu. In pl.) Shouting in a person's honour.
Aileron  n. Hinged flap on an aeroplane wing. [french aile wing]
Derisive  adj. = *derisory.  derisively adv. [from *deride]
Heap  —n. 1 disorderly pile. 2 (esp. In pl.) Colloq. Large number or amount. 3 slang dilapidated vehicle. —v. 1 (foll. By up, together, etc.) Collect or be collected in a heap. 2 (foll. By with) load copiously with. 3 (foll. By on, upon) give or offer copiously (heaped insults on them). [old english]
Arbitrator  n. Person appointed to arbitrate.





Punjabi  —n. (pl. -s) 1 native of punjab. 2 language of punjab. —adj. Of punjab, its people, or language. [punjab, state in india and province in pakistan]
Pins and needles  n.pl. Tingling sensation in a limb recovering from numbness.
Kinship  n. 1 blood relationship. 2 likeness; sympathy.
Tongue-and-groove  —n. (often attrib.) Planking etc. With a projecting strip down one side and a groove down the other. —v. 1 panel with tongue-and-groove. 2 (as tongued and grooved adj.) Having a tongue-and-groove joint.


Unsystematic  adj. Not systematic.  unsystematically adv.
Unresponsive  adj. Not responsive.





Monstrosity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 huge or outrageous thing. 2 monstrousness. 3 = *monster 3. [latin: related to *monstrous]
Dismantle  v. (-ling) 1 take to pieces; pull down. 2 deprive of defences or equipment.
Attain  v. 1 reach, gain, accomplish (a goal etc.). 2 (foll. By to) arrive at by effort or development. [latin attingo reach]
Outgrowth  n. 1 offshoot. 2 natural product or development.
Stetson  n. Slouch hat with a very wide brim and high crown. [stetson, name of a hat-maker]


Excruciating  adj. Causing acute mental or physical pain.  excruciatingly adv. [latin crucio torment]
Counter-revolution  n. Revolution opposing a former one or reversing its results.
Passive smoking  n. Involuntary inhalation of others' cigarette smoke.

Christmas rose  n. White-flowered winter-blooming hellebore.

Insulate  v. (-ting) 1 prevent the passage of electricity, heat, or sound from (a thing, room, etc.) By interposing non-conductors. 2 isolate.  insulation n. Insulator n. [latin insula island]

-metry  comb. Form forming nouns denoting procedures and systems involving measurement (geometry).

Provocative  adj. 1 (usu. Foll. By of) tending to provoke, esp. Anger or sexual desire. 2 intentionally annoying or controversial.  provocatively adv. Provocativeness n.

Wo  abbr. Warrant-officer.


Wend  v.  wend one's way make one's way. [old english, = turn]
Cooee  n. & int. Colloq. Call used to attract attention. [imitative]
Bound1  —v. 1 spring, leap. 2 (of a ball etc.) Bounce. —n. 1 springy leap. 2 bounce. [french bondir from latin bombus hum]




Sixpence  n. 1 sum of six esp. Old pence. 2 hist. Coin worth this.
Plaintive  adj. Expressing sorrow; mournful-sounding.  plaintively adv. [french: related to *plaint]
Language laboratory  n. Room equipped with tape recorders etc. For learning a foreign language.
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy  see *bse.


Throughput  n. Amount of material put through a process, esp. In manufacturing or computing.
Pummel  v. (-ll-; us -l-) strike repeatedly, esp. With the fists. [from *pommel]

High-flyer  n. (also high-flier) 1 ambitious person. 2 person or thing of great potential.  high-flying adj.
Maize  n. 1 cereal plant of n. America. 2 cobs or grain of this. [french or spanish]
Airsick  adj. Nauseous from air travel.
Heroism  n. Heroic conduct or qualities. [french héroïsme: related to *hero]
Sheer2  v. 1 esp. Naut. Swerve or change course. 2 (foll. By away, off) turn away, esp. From a person or topic one dislikes or fears. [origin unknown]

Hominoid  —adj. Like a human. —n. Animal resembling a human.
Once  —adv. 1 on one occasion only. 2 at some point or period in the past. 3 ever or at all (if you once forget it). 4 multiplied by one. —conj. As soon as. —n. One time or occasion (just the once).  all at once 1 suddenly. 2 all together. At once 1 immediately. 2 simultaneously. For once on this (or that) occasion, even if at no other. Once again (or more) another time. Once and for all (or once for all) in a final manner, esp. After much hesitation. Once (or every once) in a while from time to time. Once or twice a few times. Once upon a time at some unspecified time in the past. [originally genitive of *one]



Ant  n. Small usu. Wingless insect living in complex social colonies and proverbial for industry. [old english]

Rectory  n. (pl. -ies) rector's house. [french or medieval latin: related to *rector]
Mix  —v. 1 combine or put together (two or more substances or things) so that the constituents of each are diffused among those of the other(s). 2 prepare (a compound, cocktail, etc.) By combining the ingredients. 3 combine (activities etc.) (mix business and pleasure). 4 a join, be mixed, or combine, esp. Readily (oil and water will not mix). B be compatible. C be sociable (must learn to mix). 5 a (foll. By with) (of a person) be harmonious or sociable with; have regular dealings with. B (foll. By in) participate in. 6 drink different kinds of (alcoholic liquor) in close succession. 7 combine (two or more sound signals) into one. —n. 1 a mixing; mixture. B proportion of materials in a mixture. 2 ingredients prepared commercially for making a cake, concrete, etc.  be mixed up in (or with) be involved in or with (esp. Something undesirable). Mix it colloq. Start fighting. Mix up 1 mix thoroughly. 2 confuse. [back-formation from *mixed]

Woebegone  adj. Dismal-looking. [from *woe, begone = surrounded]
Epistolary  adj. Of or in the form of a letter or letters. [latin: related to *epistle]
Sgt.  Abbr. Sergeant.
Sling2  n. Sweetened drink of spirits (esp. Gin) and water. [origin unknown]



Insipid  adj. 1 lacking vigour or character; dull. 2 tasteless.  insipidity n. Insipidly adv. [latin sapio have savour]


Extrovert  —n. 1 outgoing person. 2 person mainly concerned with external things. —adj. Typical of or with the nature of an extrovert.  extroversion n. Extroverted adj. [latin verto turn]
Twopence  n. 1 sum of two pence. 2 (esp. With neg.) Colloq. Thing of little value (don't care twopence).

Pro2  —adj. (of an argument or reason) for; in favour. —n. (pl. -s) reason in favour. —prep. In favour of. [latin, = for, on behalf of]
Video  —adj. 1 of the recording (or reproduction) of moving pictures on magnetic tape. 2 of the broadcasting of television pictures. —n. (pl. -s) 1 such recording or broadcasting. 2 colloq. = *video recorder. 3 colloq. A film on videotape. —v. (-oes, -oed) record on videotape. [latin, = i see]
Mog  n. (also moggie) slang cat. [originally a dial. Word]
One-off  —attrib. Adj. Made or done as the only one; not repeated. —n. One-off occurrence, achievement, etc.


Disquietude  n. Disquiet.
Vendor  n. Law seller, esp. Of property. [anglo-french: related to *vend]
Sandy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 having much sand. 2 a (of hair) reddish. B sand-coloured.  sandiness n.

Virology  n. The study of viruses.  virologist n.




Alluvium  n. (pl. -via) deposit of usu. Fine fertile soil left behind by a flood, esp. In a river valley. [latin luo wash]
Muhammadan  n. & adj. (also mohammedan) = *muslim. [muhammad, name of a prophet]
Drum brake  n. Brake in which brake shoes on a vehicle press against the brake drum on a wheel.
Disavow  v. Disclaim knowledge of or responsibility for.  disavowal n.
Moderate  —adj. 1 avoiding extremes; temperate in conduct or expression. 2 fairly large or good. 3 (of the wind) of medium strength. 4 (of prices) fairly low. —n. Person who holds moderate views, esp. In politics. —v. (-ting) 1 make or become less violent, intense, rigorous, etc. 2 (also absol.) Act as moderator of or to.  moderately adv. Moderateness n. [latin]
Idle  —adj. (idler, idlest) 1 lazy, indolent. 2 not in use; not working. 3 (of time etc.) Unoccupied. 4 purposeless; groundless (idle rumour). 5 useless, ineffective (idle protest). —v. (-ling) 1 be idle. 2 run (an engine) or (of an engine) be run slowly without doing any work. 3 (foll. By away) pass (time etc.) In idleness.  idleness n. Idler n. Idly adv. [old english]

Soft  —adj. 1 not hard; easily cut or dented; malleable. 2 (of cloth etc.) Smooth; fine; not rough. 3 (of wind etc.) Mild, gentle. 4 (of water) low in mineral salts and lathering easily. 5 (of light or colour etc.) Not brilliant or glaring. 6 (of sound) gentle, not loud. 7 (of a consonant) sibilant (as c in ice, s in pleasure). 8 (of an outline etc.) Vague, blurred. 9 gentle, conciliatory. 10 compassionate, sympathetic. 11 feeble, half-witted, silly, sentimental. 12 colloq. (of a job etc.) Easy. 13 (of drugs) not highly addictive. 14 (also soft-core) (of pornography) not highly obscene. 15 (of currency) likely to fall in value; not readily exchangeable into other currencies. —adv. Softly.  be soft on colloq. 1 be lenient towards. 2 be infatuated with. Have a soft spot for be fond of.  softish adj. Softly adv. Softness n. [old english]
Hew  v. (past part. Hewn or hewed) 1 chop or cut with an axe, sword, etc. 2 cut into shape. [old english]
Teeny-weeny  adj. (also teensy-weensy) very tiny.
Aslant  —adv. Obliquely or at a slant. —prep. Obliquely across.
Pigheaded  adj. Obstinate.  pigheadedness n.
Lacrosse  n. Game like hockey, but with the ball carried in a crosse. [french la the, *crosse]
Dactyl  n. Metrical foot consisting of one long syllable followed by two short syllables (&dactyl.).  dactylic adj. [greek, = finger]
Etch  v. 1 a reproduce (a picture etc.) By engraving it on a metal plate with acid (esp. To print copies). B engrave (a plate) in this way. 2 practise this craft. 3 (foll. By on, upon) impress deeply (esp. On the mind).  etcher n. [dutch etsen]
Unbounded  adj. Infinite (unbounded optimism).
Crapulent  adj. Suffering the effects of drunkenness.  crapulence n. Crapulous adj. [latin crapula inebriation]

Abstinence  n. Abstaining, esp. From food or alcohol.  abstinent adj. [french: related to *abstain]

Tip2  —v. (-pp-) 1 (often foll. By over, up) a lean or slant. B cause to do this. 2 (foll. By into etc.) A overturn or cause to overbalance. B discharge the contents of (a container etc.) In this way. —n. 1 a slight push or tilt. B light stroke. 2 place where material (esp. Refuse) is tipped.  tip the scales see *scale2. [origin uncertain]
Doff  v. Remove (a hat or clothes). [from do off]



Helio-  comb. Form sun. [greek helios sun]


Life sciences  n.pl. Biology and related subjects.

Maverick  n. 1 unorthodox or independent-minded person. 2 us unbranded calf or yearling. [maverick, name of an owner of unbranded cattle]
Buddha  n. 1 title of the indian philosopher gautama (5th c. Bc) and his successors. 2 sculpture etc. Of buddha. [sanskrit, = enlightened]
Yucky  adj. (also yukky) (-ier, -iest) slang 1 messy, repellent. 2 sickly, sentimental.
Attrition  n. 1 gradual wearing down (war of attrition). 2 abrasion, friction. [latin tero trit- rub]
Luxury  n. (pl. -ies) 1 choice or costly surroundings, possessions, etc. 2 thing giving comfort or enjoyment but not essential. 3 (attrib.) Comfortable and expensive (luxury flat). [latin luxus abundance]
Chromatin  n. Chromosome material in a cell nucleus which stains with basic dyes. [greek: related to *chrome]

Foliate  —adj. 1 leaflike. 2 having leaves. —v. (-ting) split or beat into thin layers.  foliation n. [latin folium leaf]



Detract  v. (foll. By from) take away (a part); diminish; make seem less valuable or important. [latin traho tract- draw]




Dialectics  n. (treated as sing. Or pl.) = *dialectic n. 1.
 
Bower  n. 1 arbour; summer-house. 2 poet. Inner room. [old english, = dwelling]


Psychotic  —adj. Of or suffering from a psychosis. —n. Psychotic person.


Mouthpiece  n. 1 part of a musical instrument, telephone, etc., placed next to the lips. 2 colloq. Person who speaks for another or others.


Meaning  —n. 1 what is meant. 2 significance. 3 importance. —adj. Expressive, significant (meaning glance).  meaningly adv.

Einsteinium  n. Artificial radioactive metallic element. [einstein, name of a physicist]

Contractable  adj. (of a disease) that can be contracted.
Vessel  n. 1 hollow receptacle, esp. For liquid. 2 ship or boat, esp. A large one. 3 duct or canal etc. Holding or conveying blood or sap, etc., esp. = *blood-vessel. [latin diminutive: related to *vas]
Build  —v. (past and past part. Built) 1 construct or cause to be constructed. 2 a (often foll. By up) establish or develop (built the business up). B (often foll. By on) base (hopes, theories, etc.). 3 (as built adj.) Of specified build (sturdily built). —n. 1 physical proportions (slim build). 2 style of construction; make.  build in incorporate. Build on add (an extension etc.). Build up 1 increase in size or strength. 2 praise; boost. 3 gradually become established. [old english]


Coffee-table  n. Small low table.
Waybill  n. List of passengers or parcels on a vehicle.



Mountainside  n. Sloping side of a mountain.

-metric  comb. Form (also -metrical) forming adjectives corresponding to nouns in -meter and -metry (thermometric; geometric).


Credit  —n. 1 source of honour, pride, etc. (is a credit to the school). 2 acknowledgement of merit. 3 good reputation. 4 belief or trust. 5 a person's financial standing, esp. As regards money in the bank etc. B power to obtain goods etc. Before payment. 6 (usu. In pl.) Acknowledgement of a contributor's services to a film etc. 7 grade above pass in an examination. 8 reputation for solvency and honesty in business. 9 a entry in an account of a sum paid into it. B sum entered. C side of an account recording such entries. 10 educational course counting towards a degree. —v. (-t-) 1 believe (cannot credit it). 2 (usu. Foll. By to, with) enter on the credit side of an account.  credit a person with ascribe (a good quality) to a person. Do credit to (or do a person credit) enhance the reputation of. On credit with an arrangement to pay later. To one's credit in one's favour. [italian or latin: related to *credo]

Festoon  —n. Curved hanging chain of flowers, leaves, ribbons, etc. —v. (often foll. By with) adorn with or form into festoons; decorate elaborately. [italian: related to *festive]
Cologne  n. Eau-de-cologne or similar toilet water. [abbreviation]


Chute1  n. Sloping channel or slide for sending things to a lower level. [latin cado fall]

Kerosene  n. (also kerosine) esp. Us fuel oil for use in jet engines, boilers, etc.; paraffin oil. [greek keros wax]
Hot rod  n. Vehicle modified to have extra power and speed.


Thorium  n. Chem. Radioactive metallic element. [thor, name of scandinavian god of thunder]
Ordinary level  n. Hist. Lowest level of the gce examination.
Silver  —n. 1 greyish-white lustrous precious metallic element. 2 colour of this. 3 silver or cupro-nickel coins. 4 household cutlery. 5 = *silver medal. —adj. Of or coloured like silver. —v. 1 coat or plate with silver. 2 provide (a mirror-glass) with a backing of tin amalgam etc. 3 make silvery. 4 turn grey or white. [old english]
Barbarity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 savage cruelty. 2 brutal act.
Morning after  n. Colloq. = *hangover 1.
Cordite  n. Smokeless explosive. [from *cord, because of its appearance]

Transsexual  (also transexual) —adj. Having the physical characteristics of one sex and an overwhelming psychological identification with the other. —n. 1 transsexual person. 2 person who has had a sex change.
Bisexual  —adj. 1 feeling or involving sexual attraction to people of both sexes. 2 hermaphrodite. —n. Bisexual person.  bisexuality n.
Ferrule  n. (also ferrel) 1 ring or cap on the lower end of a stick, umbrella, etc. 2 band strengthening or forming a joint. [latin viriae bracelet]

Consumption  n. 1 consuming or being consumed. 2 amount consumed. 3 use by a particular group (a film unsuitable for children's consumption). 4 archaic tuberculosis of the lungs. 5 purchase and use of goods etc. [french: related to *consume]
Vie  v. (vies; vied; vying) (often foll. By with) compete; strive for superiority. [probably french: related to *envy]
Cranky  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 colloq. Eccentric. 2 working badly; shaky. 3 esp. Us crotchety.  crankily adv. Crankiness n.
Primary  —adj. 1 a of the first importance; chief. B fundamental, basic. 2 earliest, original; first in a series. 3 of the first rank in a series; not derived. 4 designating any of the colours red, green, and blue, or (for pigments) red, blue, and yellow, of which all other colours are mixtures. 5 (of education) for children below the age of 11. 6 (primary) geol. Of the lowest series of strata. 7 biol. Of the first stage of development. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 thing that is primary. 2 (in full primary election) (in the us) preliminary election to appoint party conference delegates or to select candidates for a principal (esp. Presidential) election. 3 = *primary feather.  primarily adv. [latin: related to *prime1]
Endmost  adj. Nearest the end.


Hail2  —v. 1 signal to (a taxi etc.) To stop. 2 greet enthusiastically. 3 acclaim (hailed him king). 4 (foll. By from) originate or come (hails from leeds). —int. Archaic or joc. Expressing greeting. —n. Act of hailing. [old norse heill: related to *wassail]
Pi meson  var. Of *pion.
Father-figure  n. Older man respected and trusted like a father.
Stringent  adj. (of rules etc.) Strict, precise; leaving no loophole for discretion.  stringency n. Stringently adv. [latin: related to *strict]
Cb  abbr. 1 citizens' band. 2 companion of the order of the bath.



Pigeon-toed  adj. Having the toes turned inwards.
Record  —n. 1 a piece of evidence or information constituting an (esp. Official) account of something that has occurred, been said, etc. B document etc. Preserving this. 2 state of being set down or preserved in writing etc. 3 (in full gramophone record) disc carrying recorded sound in grooves on each surface, for reproduction by a record-player. 4 official report of the proceedings and judgement in a court of justice. 5 a facts known about a person's past. B list of a person's previous criminal convictions. 6 (often attrib.) Best performance (esp. In sport) or most remarkable event of its kind on record. 7 object serving as a memorial; portrait. —v. 1 set down in writing or some other permanent form for later reference. 2 convert (sound, a broadcast, etc.) Into permanent form for later reproduction.  for the record as an official statement etc. Go on record state one's opinion openly, so that it is recorded. Have a record have a recorded criminal conviction or convictions. Off the record unofficially, confidentially. On record officially recorded; publicly known. [latin cor cordis heart]

Waggle  v. (-ling) colloq. Wag.
Postulate  —v. (-ting) 1 (often foll. By that) assume as a necessary condition, esp. As a basis for reasoning; take for granted. 2 claim. —n. 1 thing postulated. 2 prerequisite or condition.  postulation n. [latin postulo]





Pitter-patter  var. Of *pit-a-pat.
Antenatal  adj. 1 before birth. 2 of pregnancy.
Shinty  n. (pl. -ies) 1 game like hockey, but with taller goalposts. 2 stick or ball used in this. [origin uncertain]



Glad rags  n.pl. Colloq. Best clothes.



Ungreen  adj. Not concerned with the protection of the environment; harmful to the environment.


Afar  adv. At or to a distance.


Pegboard  n. Board with small holes for pegs, used for displays, games, etc.
Caesura  n. (pl. -s) pause in a line of verse.  caesural adj. [latin caedo cut]
Confucian  adj. Of confucius or his philosophy.  confucianism n. [confucius, name of a chinese philosopher]



R1  n. (also r) (pl. Rs or r's) eighteenth letter of the alphabet.

Diameter  n. 1 straight line passing through the centre of a circle or sphere to its edges; length of this. 2 transverse measurement; width, thickness. 3 unit of linear magnifying power. [greek: related to *-meter]
Whip hand  n. 1 hand that holds the whip (in riding etc.). 2 (usu. Prec. By the) advantage or control in a situation.

Weal2  n. Literary welfare. [old english]
Impious  adj. 1 not pious. 2 wicked, profane.

Backwoods  n.pl. 1 remote uncleared forest land. 2 remote region.  backwoodsman n.

Tabard  n. 1 herald's official coat emblazoned with royal arms. 2 woman's or girl's sleeveless jerkin. 3 hist. Knight's short emblazoned garment worn over armour. [french]
Fastidious  adj. 1 excessively discriminatory; fussy. 2 easily disgusted; squeamish.  fastidiously adv. Fastidiousness n. [latin fastidium loathing]
Exorbitant  adj. (of a price, demand, etc.) Grossly excessive. [latin: related to *orbit]
Cyclamen  n. 1 plant with pink, red, or white flowers with backward-turned petals. 2 cyclamen red or pink. [latin from greek]
Chance  —n. 1 possibility. 2 (often in pl.) Probability. 3 unplanned occurrence. 4 opportunity. 5 fortune; luck. 6 (often chance) course of events regarded as a power; fate. —attrib. Adj. Fortuitous, accidental. —v. (-cing) 1 colloq. Risk. 2 happen (i chanced to find it).  by any chance perhaps. By chance fortuitously. Chance one's arm try though unlikely to succeed. Chance on (or upon) happen to find, meet, etc. Game of chance one decided by luck, not skill. On the off chance just in case (the unlikely occurs). Stand a chance have a prospect of success etc. Take a chance (or chances) risk failure; behave riskily. Take a (or one's) chance on (or with) risk the consequences of. [latin cado fall]

Hairspray  n. Liquid sprayed on the hair to keep it in place.
Failed  adj. Unsuccessful (failed actor).

Quadruplet  n. Each of four children born at one birth.

Kalashnikov  n. Type of soviet rifle or sub-machine-gun. [russian]


Moot  —adj. Debatable, undecided (moot point). —v. Raise (a question) for discussion. —n. Hist. Assembly. [old english]


Pay-day  n. Day on which wages are paid.
Hatbox  n. Box to hold a hat, esp. For travelling.
Bohemian  —n. 1 native of bohemia, a czech. 2 (also bohemian) socially unconventional person, esp. An artist or writer. —adj. 1 of bohemia or its people. 2 (also bohemian) socially unconventional.  bohemianism n. [bohemia, part of czechoslovakia]
Face-flannel  n. = *face-cloth.




Bare  —adj. 1 unclothed or uncovered. 2 leafless; unfurnished; empty. 3 plain, unadorned (the bare truth; bare facts). 4 (attrib.) Scanty, just sufficient (a bare majority; bare necessities). —v. (-ring) uncover, reveal (bared his teeth; bared his soul). [old english]
Underline  v. (-ning) 1 draw a line under (a word etc.) To give emphasis, indicate italic type, etc. 2 emphasize, stress.


Ferment  —n. 1 excitement, unrest. 2 a fermentation. B fermenting-agent. —v. 1 undergo or subject to fermentation. 2 excite; stir up. [latin fermentum: related to *fervent]
Vichy water  n. Effervescent mineral water from vichy in france.

Dyspepsia  n. Indigestion.  dyspeptic adj. & n. [greek peptos digested]

Underfloor  attrib. Adj. Beneath the floor (underfloor heating).

Inability  n. 1 being unable. 2 lack of power or means.


Subtract  v. (often foll. By from) deduct (a number etc.) From another.  subtraction n. [latin subtraho draw away]
A 
Spherical  adj. 1 shaped like a sphere. 2 of spheres.  spherically adv.




Nearside  n. (often attrib.) Left side of a vehicle, animal, etc.
Titanic  adj. Gigantic, colossal.  titanically adv. [greek: related to *titan]
Uppity  adj. Colloq. Self-assertive, arrogant.

Thinker  n. 1 person who thinks, esp. In a specified way (an original thinker). 2 person with a skilled or powerful mind.







Probationer  n. Person on probation.

Polymorphous  adj. (also polymorphic) passing through various forms in successive stages of development.
Black maria  n. Slang police van.






Scupper2  v. Slang 1 sink (a ship or its crew). 2 defeat or ruin (a plan etc.). 3 kill. [origin unknown]
Calor gas  n. Propr. Liquefied butane gas stored under pressure in containers for domestic use. [latin calor heat]



Penthouse  n. (esp. Luxurious) flat on the roof or top floor of a tall building. [latin: related to *append]


Positive  —adj. 1 explicit; definite, unquestionable (positive proof). 2 (of a person) convinced, confident, or overconfident in an opinion. 3 a absolute; not relative. B gram. (of an adjective or adverb) expressing a simple quality without comparison. 4 colloq. Downright (it was a positive miracle). 5 constructive (positive thinking). 6 marked by the presence and not absence of qualities (positive reaction). 7 esp. Philos. Dealing only with matters of fact; practical. 8 tending in a direction naturally or arbitrarily taken as that of increase or progress. 9 greater than zero. 10 electr. Of, containing, or producing the kind of electrical charge produced by rubbing glass with silk; lacking electrons. 11 (of a photographic image) showing lights and shades or colours unreversed. —n. Positive adjective, photograph, quantity, etc.  positively adv. Positiveness n. [latin: related to *position]

Pogo  n. (pl. -s) (also pogo stick) stiltlike toy with a spring, used for jumping about on. [origin uncertain]

Altitude  n. Height, esp. Of an object above sea level or above the horizon. [latin altus high]
Spoon  —n. 1 a utensil with a bowl and a handle for lifting food to the mouth, stirring, etc. B spoonful, esp. Of sugar. 2 spoon-shaped thing, esp. (in full spoon-bait) a revolving metal fish-lure. —v. 1 (often foll. By up, out) take (liquid etc.) With a spoon. 2 hit (a ball) feebly upwards. 3 colloq. Kiss and cuddle.  spoonful n. (pl. -s). [old english]


Democracy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 a government by the whole population, usu. Through elected representatives. B state so governed. 2 classless and tolerant society. [greek demokratia rule of the people]

Muscle  —n. 1 fibrous tissue producing movement in or maintaining the position of an animal body. 2 part of an animal body that is composed of muscles. 3 strength, power. —v. (-ling) (foll. By in, in on) colloq. Force oneself on others; intrude by forceful means.  not move a muscle be completely motionless. [latin diminutive of mus mouse]

Full house  n. 1 maximum attendance at a theatre etc. 2 hand in poker with three of a kind and a pair.



Signal2  attrib. Adj. Remarkable, noteworthy.  signally adv. [french signalé: related to *signal1]
Acrobatics  n.pl. 1 acrobatic feats. 2 (as sing.) Art of performing these.
Voile  n. Fine semi-transparent fabric. [french, = *veil]
Neophyte  n. 1 new convert. 2 rc ch. Novice of a religious order. 3 beginner. [greek phuton plant]
Tattoo1  n. 1 evening drum or bugle signal recalling soldiers to quarters. 2 elaboration of this with music and marching as an entertainment. 3 rhythmic tapping or drumming. [earlier tap-too from dutch taptoe, literally ‘close the tap’ (of the cask)]
Dog's breakfast  n. (also dog's dinner) colloq. Mess.
Women's liberation  n. (also women's lib) colloq. Movement urging the liberation of women from domestic duties and subservient status.
Widow's peak  n. V-shaped growth of hair towards the centre of the forehead.

Basin  n. 1 round open vessel for holding liquids or preparing food in. 2 = *wash-basin. 3 hollow depression. 4 sheltered mooring area. 5 round valley. 6 area drained by a river.  basinful n. (pl. -s). [medieval latin ba(s)cinus]

Abreast  adv. 1 side by side and facing the same way. 2 (foll. By of) up to date.
Thence  adv. (also from thence) archaic or literary 1 from that place. 2 for that reason. [old english]
Finalize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) put into final form; complete.  finalization n.
Restore  v. (-ring) 1 bring back to the original state by rebuilding, repairing, etc. 2 bring back to health etc. 3 give back to the original owner etc. 4 reinstate. 5 replace; put back; bring back to a former condition. 6 make a representation of the supposed original state of (a ruin, extinct animal, etc.).  restorer n. [latin restauro]
Wrong  —adj. 1 mistaken; not true; in error. 2 unsuitable; less or least desirable (the wrong road; a wrong decision). 3 contrary to law or morality (it is wrong to steal). 4 amiss; out of order, in a bad or abnormal condition (something wrong with my heart; has gone wrong). —adv. (usually placed last) in a wrong manner or direction; with an incorrect result (guessed wrong). —n. 1 what is morally wrong. 2 unjust action (suffer a wrong). —v. 1 treat unjustly. 2 mistakenly attribute bad motives to.  do wrong sin. Do wrong to malign or mistreat (a person). Get wrong 1 misunderstand (a person etc.). 2 obtain an incorrect answer to. Get (or get hold of) the wrong end of the stick misunderstand completely. Go wrong 1 take the wrong path. 2 stop functioning properly. 3 depart from virtuous behaviour. In the wrong responsible for a quarrel, mistake, or offence. On the wrong side of 1 out of favour with (a person). 2 somewhat more than (a stated age). Wrong side out inside out. Wrong way round in the opposite or reverse of the normal or desirable orientation or sequence etc.  wrongly adv. Wrongness n. [old english]

Fiche  n. (pl. Same or -s) microfiche. [abbreviation]
Hereditable  adj. That can be inherited. [latin: related to *heir]
Love-in-a-mist  n. Blue-flowered cultivated plant.
Dioxide  n. Oxide containing two atoms of oxygen in the molecule.
Technicality  n. (pl. -ies) 1 being technical. 2 technical expression. 3 technical point or detail (acquitted on a technicality).
Respect  —n. 1 deferential esteem felt or shown towards a person or quality. 2 (foll. By of, for) heed or regard. 3 aspect, detail, etc. (correct in all respects). 4 reference, relation (with respect to). 5 (in pl.) Polite messages or attentions (give her my respects). —v. 1 regard with deference or esteem. 2 a avoid interfering with or harming. B treat with consideration. C refrain from offending (a person, feelings, etc.).  in respect of (or with respect to) as concerns.  respecter n. [latin respicio -spect- look back at]

Dicta  pl. Of *dictum.




Ecumenical  adj. 1 of or representing the whole christian world. 2 seeking worldwide christian unity.  ecumenically adv. Ecumenism n. [greek oikoumenikos of the inhabited earth]





Three-decker  n. 1 warship with three gun-decks. 2 thing with three levels or divisions.
Bisect  v. Divide into two (strictly, equal) parts.  bisection n. Bisector n. [from *bi-, latin seco sect- cut]
Musk ox  n. Shaggy n. American ruminant with curved horns.
Rattan  n. 1 climbing palm with long thin jointed pliable stems, used for furniture etc. 2 piece of rattan stem used as a walking-stick etc. [malay]
Minister  —n. 1 head of a government department. 2 clergyman, esp. In the presbyterian and nonconformist churches. 3 diplomat, usu. Ranking below an ambassador. —v. (usu. Foll. By to) help, serve, look after (a person, cause, etc.).  ministerial adj. [latin, = servant]

Nonconformity  n. 1 nonconformists as a body, or their principles. 2 (usu. Foll. By to) failure to conform. 3 lack of correspondence between things.

Get-out  n. Means of avoiding something.
Horseflesh  n. 1 flesh of a horse, esp. As food. 2 horses collectively.
Sequestrate  v. (-ting) 1 confiscate. 2 take temporary possession of (a debtor's estate etc.).  sequestration n. Sequestrator n. [latin: related to *sequester]
-meter  comb. Form 1 forming nouns denoting measuring instruments (barometer). 2 forming nouns denoting lines of poetry with a specified number of measures (pentameter). [greek metron measure]




Attribute  —v. (-ting) (usu. Foll. By to) 1 regard as belonging to, written or said by, etc. (a poem attributed to milton). 2 ascribe to (a cause) (delays attributed to snow). —n. 1 esp. Characteristic quality ascribed to a person or thing. 2 object symbolizing or appropriate to a person, office, or status.  attributable adj. Attribution n. [latin tribuo allot]
Telephone  —n. 1 apparatus for transmitting sound (esp. Speech) to a distance, esp. By using optical or electrical signals. 2 handset etc. Used in this. 3 system of communication using a network of telephones. —v. (-ning) 1 speak to or send (a message) by telephone. 2 make a telephone call.  on the telephone having or using a telephone. Over the telephone using the telephone.  telephonic adj. Telephonically adv.
Running water  n. Flowing water, esp. On tap.

Superwoman  n. Colloq. Woman of exceptional strength or ability.






Decompression chamber  n. Enclosed space for decompression.




Polonium  n. Radioactive metallic element, occurring naturally in uranium ores. [medieval latin polonia poland]
Radiophonic  adj. Of or relating to electronically produced sound, esp. Music.


Chapel  n. 1 a place for private christian worship in a cathedral or large church, with its own altar. B this attached to a private house etc. 2 a place of worship for nonconformists. B chapel service.  3 members or branch of a printers' trade union at a place of work. [medieval latin cappa cloak: the first chapel was a sanctuary in which st martin's cloak (cappella) was preserved]

Waspish  adj. Irritable, snappish.
Test-tube  n. Thin glass tube closed at one end, used for chemical tests etc.


Olympic games  n.pl. 1 ancient greek athletic festival held at olympia every four years. 2 modern international revival of this.
Awn  n. Bristly head of a sheath of barley and other grasses. [old norse]

Squint  —v. 1 have eyes that do not move together but look in different directions. 2 (often foll. By at) look obliquely or with half-closed eyes. —n. 1 condition causing squinting. 2 stealthy or sidelong glance. 3 colloq. Glance, look. 4 oblique opening in a church wall affording a view of the altar. [obsolete asquint, perhaps from dutch schuinte slant]
Non-  prefix giving the negative sense of words with which it is combined. [latin non not]

Excepting  prep. = *except prep.
Conversational  adj. 1 of or in conversation. 2 colloquial.  conversationally adv.

Revolving door  n. Door with usu. Four partitions turning round a central axis.
Jocund  adj. Literary merry, cheerful.  jocundity n. (pl. -ies). Jocundly adv. [french from latin jucundus pleasant]



Port1  n. 1 harbour. 2 town possessing a harbour. [latin portus]



Horsewhip  —n. Whip for driving horses. —v. (-pp-) beat with a horsewhip.


Unbalanced  adj. 1 emotionally unstable. 2 biased (unbalanced report).
Disproof  n. Refutation.
Botulism  n. Poisoning caused by a bacillus in badly preserved food. [latin botulus sausage]
Disinfect  v. Cleanse of infection, esp. With disinfectant.  disinfection n.
N  abbr. (also n.) 1 name. 2 neuter.
Juridical  n. 1 of judicial proceedings. 2 relating to the law. [latin jus jur- law, dico say]

Stockade  —n. Line or enclosure of upright stakes. —v. (-ding) fortify with this. [spanish estacada]
Kilter  n. (also kelter) good working order (esp. Out of kilter). [origin unknown]






Headquarters  n. (as sing. Or pl.) Administrative centre of an organization.

Maraud  v. 1 make a plundering raid (on). 2 pilfer systematically.  marauder n. [french maraud rogue]
Picture postcard  n. Postcard with a picture on one side.



Physicist  n. Person skilled in physics.
Abnormal  adj. Deviating from the norm; exceptional.  abnormality n. (pl. -ies). Abnormally adv. [french: related to *anomalous]

Stub  —n. 1 remnant of a pencil or cigarette etc. 2 counterfoil of a cheque or receipt etc. 3 stump. —v. (-bb-) 1 strike (one's toe) against something. 2 (usu. Foll. By out) extinguish (a cigarette) by pressure. [old english]
Nous  n. 1 colloq. Common sense; gumption. 2 philos. Mind, intellect. [greek]

Softy  var. Of *softie.
Mathematics  n.pl. 1 (also treated as sing.) Abstract science of number, quantity, and space. 2 (as pl.) Use of this in calculation etc.  mathematician n. [greek manthano learn]
Imperceptible  adj. 1 not perceptible. 2 very slight, gradual, or subtle.  imperceptibility n. Imperceptibly adv.

Ploughshare  n. (us plowshare) cutting blade of a plough.

Hairspring  n. Fine spring regulating the balance-wheel in a watch.

Swift  —adj. 1 quick, rapid. 2 prompt. —n. Swift-flying migratory bird with long wings.  swiftly adv. Swiftness n. [old english]





Inclination  n. 1 disposition or propensity. 2 liking, affection. 3 slope, slant. 4 angle between lines. 5 dip of a magnetic needle. 6 slow nod of the head. [latin: related to *incline]

Thingummy  n. (pl. -ies) (also thingumabob, thingumajig) colloq. Person or thing whose name one has forgotten or does not know.
Trivia  n.pl. Trifles or trivialities.


Clapped out  adj. Slang worn out; exhausted.
Urbanize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) make urban, esp. By destroying the rural quality of (a district).  urbanization n.
Freeman  n. 1 person who has the freedom of a city etc. 2 person who is not a slave or serf.

High treason  n. = *treason.

Encephalogram  n. = *electroencephalogram.
Brunch  n. Combined breakfast and lunch. [portmanteau word]
Advisory  adj. Giving advice (advisory body).
Blather  (also blether) —n. Foolish talk. —v. Talk foolishly. [old norse]
Bible  n. 1 a (prec. By the) christian scriptures of old and new testaments. B (bible) copy of these. 2 (bible) colloq. Authoritative book.  biblical adj. [greek biblia books]

Monolingual  adj. Speaking or using only one language.
Running commentary  n. Verbal description of an esp. Sporting event.
Jaguar  n. Large american flesh-eating spotted animal of the cat family. [tupi]
Fitment  n. (usu. In pl.) Fixed item of furniture.


Sandal2  n. = *sandalwood. [sanskrit candana]






Romeo  n. (pl. -s) passionate male lover or seducer. [name of a character in shakespeare]
Coin  —n. 1 stamped disc of metal as official money. 2 (collect.) Metal money. —v. 1 make (coins) by stamping. 2 make (metal) into coins. 3 invent (esp. A new word or phrase).  coin money make much money quickly. [latin cuneus wedge]
Mcc  abbr. Marylebone cricket club.
Uprising  n. Insurrection.
Sage1  n. Culinary herb with dull greyish-green leaves. [french from latin *salvia]
Departmental  adj. Of a department.  departmentally adv.

Usage  sense 3 of this word is sometimes confused with digraph, which means ‘two separate letters together representing one sound’.

Mole3  n. 1 massive structure serving as a pier, breakwater, or causeway. 2 artificial harbour. [latin moles mass]



Blimp  n. 1 (also (colonel) blimp) reactionary person. 2 small non-rigid airship. 3 soundproof cover for a cine-camera. [origin uncertain]
Temporal  adj. 1 worldly as opposed to spiritual; secular. 2 of time. 3 gram. Denoting time or tense (temporal conjunction). 4 of the temples of the head (temporal artery). [latin tempus -por- time]

Vinous  adj. 1 of, like, or due to wine. 2 addicted to wine. [latin vinum wine]
Snakes and ladders  n.pl. (usu. Treated as sing.) Board-game with counters moved up ‘ladders’ and down ‘snakes’.
Jury-box  n. Enclosure for the jury in a lawcourt.

Modern  —adj. 1 of present and recent times. 2 in current fashion; not antiquated. —n. Person living in modern times.  modernity n. [latin modo just now]


Underarm  —adj. & adv. Sport, esp. Cricket with the arm below shoulder-level. —attrib. Adj. 1 under the arm (underarm seam). 2 in the armpit.
Chicken  —n. 1 a domestic fowl. B its flesh as food. 2 young bird of a domestic fowl. 3 youthful person (is no chicken). —adj. Colloq. Cowardly. —v. (foll. By out) colloq. Withdraw through cowardice. [old english]
Depositor  n. Person who deposits money, property, etc.
Kyle  n. (in scotland) narrow channel, strait. [gaelic caol strait]
Peppy  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Vigorous, energetic, bouncy.
Tenfold  adj. & adv. 1 ten times as much or as many. 2 consisting of ten parts.

Wasteland  n. 1 unproductive or useless area of land. 2 place or time considered spiritually or intellectually barren.



Rejoinder  n. What is said in reply; retort. [anglo-french: related to *rejoin2]




Tc  symb. Technetium.




Adipose  adj. Of fat; fatty (adipose tissue).  adiposity n. [latin adeps fat]
Anarchism  n. Political theory that all government and laws should be abolished. [french: related to *anarchy]
Influence  —n. 1 (usu. Foll. By on) effect a person or thing has on another. 2 (usu. Foll. By over, with) moral ascendancy or power. 3 thing or person exercising this. —v. (-cing) exert influence on; affect.  under the influence colloq. Drunk. [latin influo flow in]

Centripetal  adj. Moving or tending to move towards a centre.  centripetally adv. [latin peto seek]
Double negative  n. Gram. Negative statement containing two negative elements (e.g. He didn't say nothing).
Effulgent  adj. Literary radiant.  effulgence n. [latin fulgeo shine]

Wrench  —n. 1 violent twist or oblique pull or tearing off. 2 tool like a spanner for gripping and turning nuts etc. 3 painful uprooting or parting. —v. 1 twist or pull violently round or sideways. 2 (often foll. By off, away, etc.) Pull off with a wrench. [old english]
Cortex  n. (pl. -tices) outer part of an organ, esp. Of the brain or kidneys.  cortical adj. [latin, = bark]

Mollify  v. (-ies, -ied) appease.  mollification n. [latin mollis soft]
Expulsion  n. Expelling or being expelled.  expulsive adj. [latin: related to *expel]



Instruction  n. 1 (often in pl.) A order. B direction (as to how a thing works etc.). 2 teaching (course of instruction).  instructional adj.
Taxonomy  n. Classification of living and extinct organisms.  taxonomic adj. Taxonomical adj. Taxonomically adv. Taxonomist n. [greek taxis arrangement, -nomia distribution]


Spirogyra  n. Freshwater alga containing spiral bands of chlorophyll. [greek speira coil, guros round]

Reformat  v. (-tt-) format anew.






Spear  —n. 1 thrusting or throwing weapon with a long shaft and a pointed usu. Steel tip. 2 a tip and stem of asparagus, broccoli, etc. B blade of grass etc. —v. Pierce or strike (as) with a spear. [old english]
Neon  n. Inert gaseous element giving an orange glow when electricity is passed through it. [greek, = new]
Turquoise  —n. 1 semiprecious stone, usu. Opaque and greenish- or sky-blue. 2 greenish-blue colour. —adj. Of this colour. [french, = turkish]



Catchment area  n. 1 area served by a school, hospital, etc. 2 area from which rainfall flows into a river etc.

Uneasy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 nervous, anxious. 2 disturbing (uneasy suspicion).  uneasily adv. Uneasiness n.



Proscenium  n. (pl. -s or -nia) part of the stage in front of the curtain and the enclosing arch. [greek: related to *scene]
Burst  —v. (past and past part. Burst) 1 (cause to) break violently apart; open forcibly from within. 2 a (usu. Foll. By in, out) make one's way suddenly or by force. B break away from or through (river burst its banks). 3 be full to overflowing. 4 appear or come suddenly (burst into flame). 5 (foll. By into) suddenly begin to shed (tears) or utter. 6 seem about to burst from effort, excitement, etc. —n. 1 act of bursting. 2 sudden issue or outbreak (burst of flame; burst of applause). 3 sudden effort, spurt.  burst out 1 suddenly begin (burst out laughing). 2 exclaim. [old english]

Frankfurter  n. Seasoned smoked sausage. [german from frankfurt in germany]

Temple2  n. Flat part of either side of the head between the forehead and the ear. [french from latin]


Fleur-de-lis  n. (also fleur-de-lys) (pl. Fleurs- pronunc. Same) 1 iris flower. 2 heraldry a lily of three petals. B former royal arms of france. [french, = flower of lily]



Shaky  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 unsteady; trembling. 2 unsound, infirm. 3 unreliable.  shakily adv. Shakiness n.
Little bear  see *bear2.


Helm  n. Tiller or wheel for controlling a ship's rudder.  at the helm in control; at the head of an organization etc. [old english]
Pastime  n. Recreation, hobby. [from *pass1, *time]

Round trip  n. Trip to one or more places and back again.
Dixieland  n. 1 = *dixie. 2 traditional kind of jazz.
Curvy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 having many curves. 2 (of a woman's figure) shapely.  curviness n.
Kiss of life  n. Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
Profiteer  —v. Make or seek excessive profits, esp. Illegally or on the black market. —n. Person who profiteers.
Viscose  n. 1 cellulose in a highly viscous state, used for making rayon etc. 2 fabric made from this. [latin: related to *viscous]
Cistus  n. Shrub with large white or red flowers. [latin from greek]

H2  abbr. (also h.) 1 (of a pencil-lead) hard. 2 (water) hydrant. 3 slang heroin. 4 henry(s).



Dingy  adj. (-ier, -iest) dirty-looking, drab.  dingily adv. Dinginess n. [origin uncertain]
Rifle2  v. (-ling) (often foll. By through) 1 search and rob. 2 carry off as booty. [french]
Industrialize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) make (a nation etc.) Industrial.  industrialization n.

Petite  adj. (of a woman) of small and dainty build. [french, = little]
Pie chart  n. Circle divided into sectors to represent relative quantities.
Unstable  adj. (unstabler, unstablest) 1 not stable; likely to fall. 2 not stable emotionally. 3 changeable. unstably adv.
Self-addressed  adj. (of an envelope) bearing one's own address for a reply.



-ent  suffix 1 forming adjectives denoting attribution of an action (consequent) or state (existent). 2 forming agent nouns (president). [latin -ent- present participial stem of verbs]

Soh  n. (also so) mus. Fifth note of a major scale. [latin solve, word arbitrarily taken]

Clef  n. Mus. Symbol indicating the pitch of notes on a staff. [latin clavis key]


Jerry  n. (pl. -ies) slang 1 german (esp. Soldier). 2 germans collectively. [probably an alteration of german]
Poliomyelitis  n.  Infectious viral disease of the grey matter of the central nervous system with temporary or permanent paralysis. [greek polios grey, muelos marrow]


Rare1  adj. (rarer, rarest) 1 seldom done, found, or occurring; uncommon, unusual. 2 exceptionally good. 3 of less than the usual density.  rareness n.  [latin rarus]
Intelligence  n. 1 a intellect; understanding. B quickness of understanding. 2 a the collecting of information, esp. Of military or political value. B information so collected. C people employed in this.


Supersede  v. (-ding) 1 take the place of. 2 replace with another person or thing.  supersession n. [latin supersedeo]
In-1  prefix (also il-, im-, ir-) added to: 1 adjectives, meaning ‘not’ (inedible; insane). 2 nouns, meaning ‘without, lacking’ (inaction). [latin]


Spurge  n. Plant with an acrid milky juice. [latin expurgare to clean out]
Military police  n. (as pl.) Army police force disciplining soldiers.



Unheard  adj. 1 not heard. 2 (usu. Unheard-of) unprecedented.


Connect  v. 1 (often foll. By to, with) join (two things, or one thing with another). 2 be joined or joinable. 3 (often foll. By with) associate mentally or practically. 4 (foll. By with) (of a train etc.) Be timed to arrive with another, so passengers can transfer. 5 put into communication by telephone. 6 a (usu. In passive; foll. By with) associate with others in relationships etc. B be meaningful or relevant. 7 colloq. Hit or strike effectively. [latin necto nex- bind]



Here and there  adv. In various places.

Hairstyle  n. Particular way of arranging the hair.  hairstylist n.
Refulgent  adj. Literary shining, gloriously bright.  refulgence n. [latin refulgeo shine brightly]



Udr  abbr. Ulster defence regiment.
Corroborate  v. (-ting) confirm or give support to (a statement or belief etc.).  corroboration n. Corroborative adj. Corroborator n. [latin robur strength]

Swelling  n. Abnormal bodily protuberance.
Instrumentation  n. 1 a provision or use of instruments. B instruments collectively. 2 a arrangement of music for instruments. B the particular instruments used in a piece.


Simple fracture  n. Fracture of the bone only without a wound.
Chic  —adj. (chic-er, chic-est) stylish, elegant. —n. Stylishness, elegance. [french]


Robinia  n. Any of various n. American trees or shrubs, e.g. A locust tree or false acacia. [robin, name of a french gardener]
Instantaneous  adj. Occurring or done in an instant.  instantaneously adv.

Tactless  adj. Having or showing no tact.  tactlessly adv.

Brisling  n. Small herring or sprat. [norwegian and danish]


Dresser2  n. 1 person who helps to dress actors or actresses. 2 surgeon's assistant in operations. 3 person who dresses in a specified way (snappy dresser).

Commoner  n. 1 one of the common people (below the rank of peer). 2 university student without a scholarship. [medieval latin: related to *common]




Pageantry  n. (esp. On state occasions) spectacular show; pomp.

Middle school  n. School for children from about 9 to 13 years.
Append  v. (usu. Foll. By to) attach, affix, add, esp. To a written document. [latin appendo hang]
Leach  v. 1 make (a liquid) percolate through some material. 2 subject (bark, ore, ash, or soil) to the action of percolating fluid. 3 (foll. By away, out) remove (soluble matter) or be removed in this way. [old english]
Split personality  n. Condition in which a person seems to have two alternating personalities.


Tare2  n. 1 allowance made for the weight of packing or wrapping around goods. 2 weight of a vehicle without fuel or load. [arabic tarha]



Tues.  Abbr. (also tue.) Tuesday.

Count1  —v. 1 determine the total number of, esp. By assigning successive numbers. 2 repeat numbers in ascending order. 3 (often foll. By in) include or be included in one's reckoning or plan. 4 consider or regard to be (lucky etc.). 5 (often foll. By for) have value; matter (my opinion counts for little). —n. 1 a counting or being counted. B total of reckoning. 2 law each charge in an indictment.  count against be reckoned to the disadvantage of. Count one's blessings be grateful for what one has. Count on (or upon) rely on; expect. Count out 1 count while taking from a stock. 2 complete a count of ten seconds over (a fallen boxer etc.). 3 colloq. Exclude, disregard. 4 polit. Procure the adjournment of (the house of commons) when fewer than 40 members are present. Count up find the sum of. Keep count take note of how many there have been etc. Lose count forget the number etc. Counted. Out for the count 1 defeated. 2 unconscious; asleep. [latin: related to *compute]


Weed-killer  n. Chemical used to destroy weeds.
Herd instinct  n. (prec. By the) tendency to think and act as a crowd.
Forelock  n. Lock of hair just above the forehead.  touch one's forelock defer to a person of higher social rank.
Growth  n. 1 act or process of growing. 2 increase in size or value. 3 something that has grown or is growing. 4 med. Morbid formation.

Demise  —n. 1 death; termination. 2 law transfer of an estate, title, etc. By demising. —v. (-sing) law transfer (an estate, title, etc.) By will, lease, or death. [anglo-french: related to *dismiss]

Vinegar  n. Sour liquid got from malt, wine, cider, etc., by fermentation and used as a condiment or for pickling.  vinegary adj. [french, = sour wine: related to *eager]
Cannelloni  n.pl. Tubes of pasta stuffed with a savoury mixture. [italian]




Moo  —n. (pl. -s) cry of cattle. —v. (moos, mooed) make this sound. [imitative]







Heartfelt  adj. Sincere; deeply felt.
Recombine  v. (-ning) combine again or differently.
Hindi  n. 1 group of spoken dialects of n. India. 2 literary form of hindustani, an official language of india. [urdu hind india]

Hopefully  adv. 1 in a hopeful manner. 2 it is to be hoped (hopefully, we will succeed).



Toupee  n. Hairpiece to cover a bald spot. [french]

Gce  abbr. General certificate of education.
Glitter  —v. 1 shine with a bright reflected light; sparkle. 2 (usu. Foll. By with) be showy or splendid. —n. 1 sparkle. 2 showiness. 3 tiny pieces of sparkling material as decoration etc.  glittery adj. [old norse]


Timpani  n.pl. (also tympani) kettledrums.  timpanist n. [italian, pl. Of timpano = *tympanum]


Windlass  n. Machine with a horizontal axle for hauling or hoisting. [old norse, = winding-pole]




Sunlit  adj. Illuminated by sunlight.
Furore  n. (us furor) 1 uproar; fury. 2 enthusiastic admiration. [latin: related to *fury]


Long haul  n. 1 transport over a long distance. 2 prolonged effort or task.

Harpoon  —n. Barbed spearlike missile with a rope attached, for catching whales etc. —v. Spear with a harpoon. [greek harpe sickle]
Waveband  n. Range of radio wavelengths between certain limits.
Boating  n. Rowing or sailing as recreation.
Sexism  n. Prejudice or discrimination, esp. Against women, on the grounds of sex.  sexist adj. & n.
Spider crab  n. Crab with long thin legs.



Hardening of the arteries  n. = *arteriosclerosis.

Meditate  v. (-ting) 1 (often foll. By on, upon) engage in (esp. Religious) contemplation. 2 plan mentally.  meditation n. Meditator n. [latin meditor]
Camiknickers  n.pl. Women's knickers and vest combined. [from *camisole, *knickers]
Distribution  n. 1 distributing or being distributed. 2 a commercial dispersal of goods etc. B extent to which different classes etc. Share in a nation's total wealth etc.
Ballet-dancer  n. Dancer of ballet.

Ow  int. Expressing sudden pain. [natural exclamation]

Westering  adj. (of the sun) nearing the west.

Ghost town  n. Town with few or no remaining inhabitants.





Heel3  var. Of *hele.
Catalepsy  n. Trance or seizure with unconsciousness and rigidity of the body.  cataleptic adj. & n. [greek lepsis seizure]
Quatrain  n. Four-line stanza. [french quatre four]
Kidnap  v. (-pp-; us -p-) 1 abduct (a person etc.), esp. To obtain a ransom. 2 steal (a child).  kidnapper n. [from *kid1, nap = *nab]
Piquet  n. Card-game for two players with a pack of 32 cards. [french]
Dietetic  adj. Of diet and nutrition. [greek: related to *diet1]

Chappie  n. Colloq. = *chap1.





Overly  adv. Excessively; too.

Sound2  —adj. 1 healthy; not diseased, injured, or rotten. 2 (of an opinion, policy, etc.) Correct, well-founded. 3 financially secure. 4 undisturbed (sound sleeper). 5 thorough (sound thrashing). —adv. Soundly (sound asleep).  soundly adv. Soundness n. [old english]

Decree nisi  n. Provisional order for divorce, made absolute after a fixed period. [latin nisi unless]

Reflector  n. 1 piece of glass or metal etc. For reflecting light in a required direction, e.g. A red one on the back of a motor vehicle or bicycle. 2 a telescope etc. Using a mirror to produce images. B the mirror itself.
Chapter and verse  n. Exact reference or details.
Clueless  adj. Colloq. Ignorant, stupid.
Sat  abbr. Standard assessment task.
Approximate  —adj. Fairly correct, near to the actual (approximate price). —v. (-ting) (often foll. By to) bring or come near (esp. In quality, number, etc.).  approximately adv. Approximation n. [latin proximus nearest]
Bone of contention  n. Source of dispute.
Desert1  v. 1 leave without intending to return. 2 (esp. As deserted adj.) Forsake, abandon. 3 run away (esp. From military service).  deserter n. (in sense 3). Desertion n. [latin desero -sert- leave]




Tabor  n. Hist. Small drum, esp. Used to accompany a pipe. [french]
Rattling  —adj. 1 that rattles. 2 brisk, vigorous (rattling pace). —adv. Colloq. Remarkably (rattling good story).
Cover-point  n. Cricket 1 fielding position covering point. 2 fielder at this position.


Snuffbox  n. Small box for holding snuff.

Water-buffalo  n. Common domestic indian buffalo.
Day-room  n. Room, esp. In an institution, used during the day.
Gastronome  n. Gourmet. [greek gaster stomach, nomos law]




Capstan lathe  n. Lathe with a revolving tool-holder.

Corporative  adj. 1 of a corporation. 2 governed by or organized in corporations.
Radix  n. (pl. Radices) math. Number or symbol used as the basis of a numeration scale (e.g. Ten in the decimal system). [latin, = root]
Non-toxic  adj. Not toxic.
Odium  n. Widespread dislike or disapproval of a person or action. [latin, = hatred]
Precise  adj. 1 a accurately expressed. B definite, exact. 2 punctilious; scrupulous in being exact. [latin praecido cut short]

Melee  n. (brit. Mêlée) 1 confused fight, skirmish, or scuffle. 2 muddle. [french: related to *medley]

Halitosis  n. = *bad breath. [latin halitus breath]



Darken  v. Make or become dark or darker.  never darken a person's door keep away permanently.  darkener n.

Gall3  n. Growth produced by insects etc. On plants and trees, esp. On oak. [latin galla]


Sec  adj. (of wine) dry. [french]
Sparrow  n. Small brownish-grey bird. [old english]
Herring  n. (pl. Same or -s) n. Atlantic fish used as food. [old english]
Dermatitis  n. Inflammation of the skin. [greek derma skin, *-itis]
Fair isle  n. (also attrib.) Multicoloured knitwear design characteristic of fair isle. [fair isle in the shetlands]
Mull1  v. (often foll. By over) ponder, consider. [probably dutch]
Equi-  comb. Form equal. [latin: related to *equal]
Fillip  —n. 1 stimulus, incentive. 2 flick with a finger or thumb. —v. (-p-) 1 stimulate. 2 flick. [imitative]
T.  Abbr. (also t) 1 ton(s). 2 tonne(s).
Hither and thither  adv. To and fro.
Pin  —n. 1 small thin pointed piece of metal with a round or flattened head used (esp. In sewing) for holding things in place, attaching one thing to another, etc. 2 peg of wood or metal for various purposes. 3 (in idioms) something of small value (not worth a pin). 4 (in pl.) Colloq. Legs. —v. (-nn-) 1 a (often foll. By to, up, together) fasten with a pin or pins. B transfix with a pin, lance, etc. 2 (usu. Foll. By on) put (blame, responsibility, etc.) On (a person etc.). 3 (often foll. By against, on, etc.) Seize and hold fast.  pin down 1 (often foll. By to) bind (a person etc.) To a promise, arrangement, etc. 2 force (a person) to declare his or her intentions. 3 restrict the actions of (an enemy etc.). 4 specify (a thing) precisely. Pin one's faith (or hopes etc.) On rely implicitly on. [latin pinna point etc.]

Superstore  n. Large supermarket.
Dun  —adj. Greyish-brown. —n. 1 dun colour. 2 dun horse. [old english]
Ripe  adj. 1 (of grain, fruit, cheese, etc.) Ready to be reaped, picked, or eaten. 2 mature, fully developed (ripe in judgement). 3 (of a person's age) advanced. 4 (often foll. By for) fit or ready (ripe for development).  ripeness n. [old english]

Far and away  adv. By a very large amount.

Comedown  n. 1 loss of status. 2 disappointment.

Monkey-nut  n. Peanut.
Lederhosen  n.pl. Leather shorts as worn by some men in bavaria etc. [german, = leather trousers]
Lamplighter  n. Hist. Person who lit street lamps.
Lance-corporal  n. Lowest rank of nco in the army.

Long in the tooth  predic. Adj. Colloq. Old.
Abstention  n. Abstaining, esp. From voting. [latin: related to *abstain]

Overboard  adv. From a ship into the water (fall overboard).  go overboard colloq. 1 be highly enthusiastic. 2 behave immoderately.


Mastic  n. 1 gum or resin from the mastic tree, used in making varnish. 2 (in full mastic tree) evergreen tree yielding this. 3 waterproof filler and sealant. [greek mastikhé]

Reconquer  v. Conquer again.  reconquest n.

Unprofitable  adj. Not profitable.
Tire3  n. (brit. Tyre) rubber covering, usu. Inflated, placed round a wheel to form a soft contact with the road. [var. Of *tire2]



Incomprehension  n. Failure to understand.


Minelayer  n. Ship or aircraft for laying explosive mines.
Wholewheat  n. (usu. Attrib.) Wheat with none of the bran or germ removed.
Phenobarbitone  n. Narcotic and sedative barbiturate drug used esp. To treat epilepsy. [from *phenol, *barbiturate]
Revalue  v. (-ues, -ued, -uing) give a different, esp. Higher, value to (a currency etc.).  revaluation n.
Topside  n. 1 outer side of a round of beef. 2 side of a ship above the water-line.

Prune1  n. Dried plum. [latin prunum from greek]
Obtrusive  adj. 1 unpleasantly noticeable. 2 obtruding oneself.  obtrusively adv. Obtrusiveness n.
Warm-up  n. Period of preparatory exercise.
Hire  —v. (-ring) 1 purchase the temporary use of (a thing) (hired a van). 2 esp. Us employ (a person). —n. 1 hiring or being hired. 2 payment for this.  for (or on) hire ready to be hired. Hire out grant the temporary use of (a thing) for payment.  hireable adj. Hirer n. [old english]
Cellulose  n. 1 carbohydrate forming plant-cell walls, used in textile fibres. 2 (in general use) paint or lacquer consisting of esp. Cellulose acetate or nitrate in solution. [latin: related to *cell]

Squall  —n. 1 sudden or violent wind, esp. With rain, snow, or sleet. 2 discordant cry; scream (esp. Of a baby). —v. 1 utter a squall; scream. 2 utter with a squall.  squally adj. [probably alteration of *squeal after *bawl]
Pr  symb. Praseodymium.

Quantum jump  n. (also quantum leap) 1 sudden large increase or advance. 2 physics abrupt transition in an atom or molecule from one quantum state to another.

Coup  n. (pl. -s) 1 successful stroke or move. 2 = *coup d'état. [medieval latin colpus blow]
Banter  —n. Good-humoured teasing. —v. 1 tease. 2 exchange banter. [origin unknown]
Yellow streak  n. Colloq. Trait of cowardice.
Extricate  v. (-ting) (often foll. By from) free or disentangle from a difficulty etc.  extricable adj. Extrication n. [latin tricae perplexities]




Outboard motor  n. Portable engine attached to the outside of a boat.
Headstone  n. Stone set up at the head of a grave.


Periwinkle1  n. Evergreen trailing plant with blue, purple, or white flowers. [latin pervinca]

Rfc  abbr. Rugby football club.
Playlet  n. Short play.
Height  n. 1 measurement from base to top or head to foot. 2 elevation above the ground or a recognized level. 3 considerable elevation (situated at a height). 4 high place or area. 5 top. 6 a most intense part or period (battle was at its height). B extreme example (the height of fashion). [old english]



Scumbag  n. Slang contemptible person.


Chit1  n. 1 derog. Or joc. Young small woman (esp. A chit of a girl). 2 young child. [originally = whelp, cub]

Unconnected  adj. 1 not physically joined. 2 not connected or associated. 3 disconnected (unconnected ideas).
Astonish  v. Surprise greatly, amaze.  astonishment n. [latin ex- forth, tono thunder]
Poke2  n. Dial. Bag, sack.  buy a pig in a poke see *pig. [french dial.]
Table linen  n. Tablecloths, napkins, etc.
Self-congratulatory  adj. = *self-satisfied.  self-congratulation n.


Wet dream  n. Erotic dream with the involuntary ejaculation of semen.

Inapt  adj. 1 not apt or suitable. 2 unskilful.  inaptitude n.

Oneself  pron. Reflexive and emphatic form of one (kill oneself; do it oneself).  be oneself act in one's normal unconstrained manner.

Commercialize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 exploit or spoil for profit. 2 make commercial.  commercialization n.
Ad lib  —v. (-bb-) improvise. —adj. Improvised. —adv. As one pleases, to any desired extent. [abbreviation of latin ad libitum according to pleasure]

Glutton  n. 1 greedy eater. 2 (often foll. By for) colloq. Person insatiably eager (glutton for work). 3 voracious animal of the weasel family.  gluttonous adj. Gluttonously adv. [latin gluttio *swallow1]

Triptych  n. Picture or relief carving on three panels, usu. Hinged together at the sides. [after *diptych]
Houseboat  n. Boat equipped for living in.
Large  adj. 1 of relatively great size or extent. 2 of the larger kind (large intestine). 3 comprehensive. 4 pursuing an activity on a large scale (large farmer).  at large 1 at liberty. 2 as a body or whole. 3 at full length, with all details.  largeness n. Largish adj. [latin largus copious]


Compel  v. (-ll-) 1 force, constrain. 2 arouse irresistibly (compels admiration). 3 (as compelling adj.) Rousing strong interest, conviction, or admiration.  compellingly adv. [latin pello puls- drive]

Parsimony  n. Carefulness in the use of money etc.; stinginess.  parsimonious adj. [latin parco pars- spare]
Microdot  n. Microphotograph of a document etc. Reduced to the size of a dot.

Natterjack  n. A kind of small toad. [perhaps from *natter]


Tuberculin-tested  adj. (of milk) from cows shown to be free of tuberculosis.
Road sense  n. Capacity for safe behaviour in traffic etc.



Gentility  n. 1 social superiority. 2 genteel manners or behaviour. [french: related to *gentle]

In-between  attrib. Adj. Colloq. Intermediate.
Death-warrant  n. 1 order of execution. 2 anything that causes the end of an established practice etc.


Jujube  n. Small flavoured jelly-like lozenge. [greek zizuphon]

Schnitzel  n. Escalope of veal. [german]

Cock-eyed  adj. Colloq. 1 crooked, askew. 2 absurd, not practical. [from *cock1]


Disreputable  adj. 1 of bad reputation. 2 not respectable in character or appearance.  disreputably adv.



Dogtrot  n. Gentle easy trot.



Mixed marriage  n. Marriage between persons of different race or religion.

Kenyan  —adj. Of kenya in e. Africa. —n. 1 native or national of kenya. 2 person of kenyan descent.


Whimsy  n. (pl. -ies) = *whim. [origin uncertain]
Seafood  n. (often attrib.) Edible sea fish or shellfish (seafood restaurant).
Parliament  n. 1 (parliament) a (in the uk) highest legislature, consisting of the sovereign, the house of lords, and the house of commons. B members of this for a particular period, esp. Between elections. 2 similar legislature in other states. [french: related to *parlance]
Stalagmite  n. Icicle-like deposit of calcium carbonate rising from the floor of a cave etc. [greek stalagma a drop]
Mulatto  n. (pl. -s or -es) person of mixed white and black parentage. [spanish mulato young mule]
Miner  n. Person who works in a mine. [french: related to *mine2]


Weather-beaten  adj. Affected by exposure to the weather.
Moth-eaten  adj. 1 damaged by moths. 2 time-worn.


Histamine  n. Chemical compound in body tissues etc., associated with allergic reactions. [from *histology, *amine]

Trade secret  n. 1 secret device or technique used esp. In a trade. 2 joc. Any secret.


Hero  n. (pl. -es) 1 person noted or admired for nobility, courage, outstanding achievements, etc. 2 chief male character in a play, story, etc. [greek heros]


Fly-past  n. Ceremonial flight of aircraft.


Hebe  n. Evergreen flowering shrub from new zealand. [greek goddess hebe]
Clementine  n. Small tangerine-like citrus fruit. [french]
Industrial action  n. Strike or other disruptive action by workers as a protest.

Sal volatile  n. Solution of ammonium carbonate used as smelling-salts. [latin, = volatile salt]
Comforter  n. 1 person who comforts. 2 baby's dummy. 3 archaic woollen scarf.


Centilitre  n. (us centiliter) 0.01 litre.
Hut  n. Small simple or crude house or shelter. [french hutte from germanic]
Black tea  n. Tea that is fully fermented before drying.
Watering-hole  n. 1 = *watering-place 1. 2 slang bar.
Gateleg  n. (in full gateleg table) table with folding flaps supported by legs swung open like a gate.  gatelegged adj.

Yokel  n. Rustic; country bumpkin. [perhaps dial.]




Astringent  —adj. 1 checking bleeding by contracting body tissues. 2 severe, austere. —n. Astringent substance.  astringency n. [latin astringo draw tight]
Cut-back  n. Cutting back, esp. A reduction in expenditure.


Intercourse  n. 1 communication or dealings between individuals, nations, etc. 2 = *sexual intercourse. [latin: related to *course]


Breathalyser  n. (also -lyzer) propr. Instrument for measuring alcohol levels in the breath exhaled into it.  breathalyse v. (also -lyze) (-sing or -zing). [from *breath, *analyse]
Mousse  n. 1 a dessert of whipped cream, eggs, etc., usu. Flavoured with fruit or chocolate. B meat or fish purée made with whipped cream etc. 2 foamy substance applied to the hair to enable styling. [french, = froth]


Fritter1  v. (usu. Foll. By away) waste (money, time, etc.) Triflingly. [obsolete fritter(s) fragments]

Provo  n. (pl. -s) colloq. Provisional. [abbreviation]



Mutton dressed as lamb  n. Colloq. Middle-aged or elderly woman dressed to appear younger.
Carb  n. Colloq. Carburettor. [abbreviation]
Southeaster  n. South-east wind.
Do-it-yourself  —adj. (of work) done or to be done by a householder etc. —n. Such work.
Ornate  adj. 1 elaborately adorned. 2 (of literary style) convoluted; flowery.  ornately adv. Ornateness n. [latin: related to *ornament]
Sup2  v. (-pp-) archaic take supper. [french]

Minor  —adj. 1 lesser or comparatively small in size or importance (minor poet). 2 mus. A (of a scale) having intervals of a semitone above its second, fifth, and seventh notes. B (of an interval) less by a semitone than a major interval. C (of a key) based on a minor scale. —n. 1 person under full legal age. 2 us student's subsidiary subject or course. —v. (foll. By in) us study (a subject) as a subsidiary. [latin, = less]





Homo sapiens  n. Modern humans regarded as a species. [latin, = wise man]


Peck1  —v. 1 strike or bite with a beak. 2 kiss hastily or perfunctorily. 3 a make (a hole) by pecking. B (foll. By out, off) remove or pluck out by pecking. 4 (also absol.) Colloq. Eat listlessly; nibble at. —n. 1 stroke, mark, or bite made by a beak. 2 hasty or perfunctory kiss.  peck at 1 eat (food) listlessly; nibble. 2 carp at; nag. 3 strike repeatedly with a beak. [probably low german]
I.e.  Abbr. That is to say. [latin id est]


Octavo  n. (pl. -s) 1 size of a book or page given by folding a sheet of standard size three times to form eight leaves. 2 book or sheet of this size. [latin: related to *octave]

Men  pl. Of *man.
Point of order  n. Query in a debate etc. As to whether correct procedure is being followed.
Consecrate  v. (-ting) 1 make or declare sacred; dedicate formally to religious or divine purpose. 2 (foll. By to) devote to (a purpose).  consecration n. [latin: related to *sacred]
Unpropitious  adj. Not propitious.

Liquorice  n. (also licorice) 1 black root extract used as a sweet and in medicine. 2 plant from which it is obtained. [greek glukus sweet, rhiza root]
Wedding ring  n. Ring worn by a married person.
Elevenfold  adj. & adv. 1 eleven times as much or as many. 2 consisting of eleven parts.
Broody  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 (of a hen) wanting to brood. 2 sullenly thoughtful. 3 colloq. (of a woman) wanting pregnancy.
Motorcade  n. Procession of motor vehicles. [from *motor, after cavalcade]
Guv  n. Slang = *governor 7. [abbreviation]

Inordinate  adj. Excessive.  inordinately adv. [latin: related to *ordain]


Rennet  n. 1 curdled milk found in the stomach of an unweaned calf. 2 preparation made from the stomach-membrane of a calf or from certain fungi, used in making cheese. [probably old english: related to *run]
Black market  n. Illicit trade in rationed, prohibited, or scarce commodities.  black marketeer n.

Confederate states  n.pl. States which seceded from the us in 1860–1.



Tonic  —n. 1 invigorating medicine. 2 anything serving to invigorate. 3 = *tonic water. 4 mus. Keynote. —adj. Invigorating. [greek: related to *tone]

Preamble  n. 1 preliminary statement. 2 introductory part of a statute or deed etc. [latin: related to *amble]







Shuffle  —v. (-ling) 1 (also absol.) Drag (the feet) in walking etc. 2 (also absol.) Rearrange or intermingle (esp. Cards or papers). 3 a prevaricate, be evasive. B keep shifting one's position. —n. 1 act of shuffling; shuffling walk or movement. 2 change of relative positions. 3 shuffling dance.  shuffle off remove, get rid of. [low german]
Lugubrious  adj. Doleful.  lugubriously adv. Lugubriousness n. [latin lugeo mourn]


Button  —n. 1 small disc etc. Sewn to a garment as a fastener or worn as an ornament. 2 small round knob etc. Pressed to operate electronic equipment. —v. = button up 1.  button up 1 fasten with buttons. 2 colloq. Complete satisfactorily. 3 colloq. Be silent. [french from germanic]
Pentecost  n. 1 whit sunday. 2 jewish harvest festival, on the fiftieth day after the second day of passover. [greek pentekoste fiftieth (day)]
Party  —n. (pl. -ies) 1 social gathering, usu. Of invited guests. 2 people working or travelling together (search party). 3 political group putting forward candidates in elections and usu. Organized on a national basis. 4 each side in an agreement or dispute. 5 (foll. By to) law accessory (to an action). 6 colloq. Person. —v. (-ies, -ied) attend a party; celebrate. [romanic: related to *part]



Charity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 giving voluntarily to those in need. 2 organization set up to help those in need or for the common good. 3 a kindness, benevolence. B tolerance in judging others. C love of fellow men. [latin caritas from carus dear]
Qualify  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 (often as qualified adj.) Make competent or fit for a position or purpose. 2 make legally entitled. 3 (usu. Foll. By for) (of a person) satisfy conditions or requirements. 4 modify or limit (a statement etc.) (qualified approval). 5 gram. (of a word) attribute a quality to esp. A noun. 6 moderate, mitigate; make less severe. 7 (foll. By as) be describable as, count as (a grunt hardly qualifies as conversation).  qualifier n. [latin qualis such as, of what kind]
Unpasteurized  adj. (also -ised) not pasteurized.

Trilby  n. (pl. -ies) soft felt hat with a narrow brim and indented crown. [trilby, name of a character in a novel by g. Du maurier]
Camshaft  n. Shaft with one or more cams.

Hip2  n. Fruit of a rose, esp. Wild. [old english]




Movie  n. Esp. Us colloq. Cinema film.




Gillyflower  n. Clove-scented flower, e.g. A wallflower or the clove-scented pink. [french gilofre]




Ps  abbr. Postscript.
Ghetto-blaster  n. Slang large portable radio, esp. For playing loud pop music.




Tweedy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 of or dressed in tweed. 2 characteristic of country gentry; heartily informal.
Bodge  var. Of *botch.
Depart  v. 1 a (often foll. By from) go away; leave. B (usu. Foll. By for) start; set out. 2 (usu. Foll. By from) deviate (departs from good taste). 3 esp. Formal or literary leave by death; die (departed this life). [latin dispertio divide]
Render  v. 1 cause to be or become (rendered us helpless). 2 give or pay (money, service, etc.), esp. In return or as a thing due. 3 (often foll. By to) a give (assistance). B show (obedience etc.). C do (a service etc.). 4 submit; send in; present (an account, reason, etc.). 5 a represent or portray. B act (a role). C mus. Perform; execute. 6 translate. 7 (often foll. By down) melt down (fat etc.). 8 cover (stone or brick) with a coat of plaster.  rendering n. (esp. In senses 5, 6, and 8). [latin reddo give back]

Hit parade  n. Colloq. List of the current best-selling pop records.
Purgative  —adj. 1 serving to purify. 2 strongly laxative. —n. 1 purgative thing. 2 laxative. [latin: related to *purge]
Daughter  n. 1 girl or woman in relation to her parent(s). 2 female descendant. 3 (foll. By of) female member of a family etc. 4 (foll. By of) female descendant or inheritor of a quality etc.  daughterly adj. [old english]
Pet shop  n. Shop selling animals to be kept as pets.
Infilling  n. = *infill n.
Steam train  n. Train pulled by a steam engine.
Pretension  n. 1 (often foll. By to) a assertion of a claim. B justifiable claim. 2 pretentiousness. [medieval latin: related to *pretend]


Re-release  —v. (-sing) release (a record, film, etc.) Again. —n. Re-released record, film, etc.
Lavatorial  adj. Of or like lavatories; (esp. Of humour) relating to excretion.


Division sign  n. Sign (÷) indicating that one quantity is to be divided by another.


Trichromatic  adj. 1 having or using three colours. 2 (of vision) having the normal three colour-sensations, i.e. Red, green, and purple.
Crestfallen  adj. Dejected, dispirited.
Unsuccessful  adj. Not successful.  unsuccessfully adv.

Murder  —n. 1 intentional unlawful killing of a human being by another. 2 colloq. Unpleasant, troublesome, or dangerous state of affairs. —v. 1 kill (a human being) intentionally and unlawfully. 2 colloq. A utterly defeat. B spoil by a bad performance, mispronunciation, etc.  cry blue murder colloq. Make an extravagant outcry. Get away with murder colloq. Do whatever one wishes and escape punishment.

Canaille  n. Rabble; populace. [french from italian]
Swat  —v. (-tt-) 1 crush (a fly etc.) With a sharp blow. 2 hit hard and abruptly. —n. Swatting blow. [dial. Var. Of *squat]
Laughable  adj. Ludicrous; amusing.  laughably adv.


Black economy  n. Unofficial and untaxed trade.

Jural  adj. 1 of law. 2 of rights and obligations. [latin jus jur- law, right]
Remade  past and past part. Of *remake.

Chronic  adj. 1 (esp. Of an illness) long-lasting. 2 having a chronic complaint. 3 colloq. Very bad; intense, severe. 4 colloq. Habitual, inveterate (a chronic liar).  chronically adv. [greek khronos time]
Suc-  prefix assim. Form of *sub- before c.


Date-stamp  —n. Adjustable rubber stamp etc. Used to record a date. —v. Mark with a date-stamp.
Commander  n. 1 person who commands, esp. A naval officer next below captain. 2 (in full knight commander) member of a higher class in some orders of knighthood.

Dugong  n. (pl. Same or -s) asian sea-mammal. [malay]

Hideaway  n. Hiding-place or place of retreat.
Inquisitive  adj. 1 unduly curious; prying. 2 seeking knowledge.  inquisitively adv. Inquisitiveness n.

Reaffirm  v. Affirm again.  reaffirmation n.

Compatriot  n. Fellow-countryman. [latin compatriota]


Whiz  (also whizz) —n. Sound made by a body moving through the air at great speed. —v. (-zz-) move with or make a whiz. [imitative]
Department store  n. Large shop with many departments.
Plague  —n. 1 deadly contagious disease. 2 (foll. By of) colloq. Infestation of a pest etc. 3 great trouble or affliction. 4 colloq. Nuisance. —v. (plagues, plagued, plaguing) 1 colloq. Pester, annoy. 2 afflict, hinder (plagued by back pain). 3 affect with plague. [latin plaga stroke, infection]


Fax  —n. 1 transmission of an exact copy of a document etc. Electronically. 2 copy produced by this. —v. Transmit in this way. [abbreviation of *facsimile]




Stuffy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 (of a room etc.) Lacking fresh air. 2 dull or uninteresting. 3 (of the nose etc.) Stuffed up. 4 dull and conventional.  stuffily adv. Stuffiness n.
Binary star  n. System of two stars orbiting each other.
Humbug  —n. 1 lying or deception; hypocrisy. 2 impostor. 3 hard boiled striped peppermint sweet. —v. (-gg-) 1 be or behave like an impostor. 2 deceive, hoax. [origin unknown]

Forehand  n. 1 (in tennis etc.) Stroke played with the palm of the hand facing forward. 2 (attrib.) (also forehanded) of or made with a forehand.


Hydrolyse  v. (us -lyze) (-sing or -zing) decompose by hydrolysis.

Black velvet  n. Mixture of stout and champagne.

Usage  the second pronunciation, stressed on the first syllable, is considered incorrect by some people.



Dubious  adj. 1 hesitating, doubtful. 2 questionable; suspicious. 3 unreliable.  dubiously adv. Dubiousness n. [latin dubium doubt]
Feverfew  n. Aromatic bushy plant, used formerly to reduce fever, now to cure migraine. [latin febrifuga: related to *fever, fugo drive away]
Safety match  n. Match igniting only on a specially prepared surface.
Vamoose  v. Us slang depart hurriedly. [spanish vamos let us go]
Sargasso  n. (pl. -s or -es) (also sargassum) (pl. -gassa) seaweed with berry-like air-vessels. [portuguese]
Telephotography  n. Photographing of distant objects with a system of lenses giving a large image.  telephotographic adj.
Data  n.pl. (also treated as sing., although the singular form is strictly datum) 1 known facts used for inference or in reckoning. 2 quantities or characters operated on by a computer etc. [latin data from do give]
Imposition  n. 1 imposing or being imposed. 2 unfair demand or burden. 3 tax, duty.

Extinction  n. 1 making or becoming extinct. 2 extinguishing or being extinguished. 3 total destruction or annihilation.

Decry  v. (-ies, -ied) disparage, belittle.
Robin hood  n. Person who steals from the rich to give to the poor.
Pocketful  n. (pl. -s) as much as a pocket will hold.
Facility  n. (pl. -ies) 1 ease; absence of difficulty. 2 fluency, dexterity. 3 (esp. In pl.) Opportunity or equipment for doing something. [latin: related to *facile]


Lira  n. (pl. Lire pronunc. Same or) 1 chief monetary unit of italy. 2 chief monetary unit of turkey. [latin libra pound]

Hurricane  n. 1 storm with a violent wind, esp. A w. Indian cyclone. 2 meteorol. Wind of 65 knots (75 m.p.h.) Or more, force 12 on the beaufort scale. [spanish and portuguese from carib]

Ceremonious  adj. Fond of or characterized by ceremony; formal.  ceremoniously adv.

Eldorado  n. (pl. -s) 1 imaginary land of great wealth. 2 place of abundance or opportunity. [spanish el dorado the gilded]

Waistline  n. Outline or size of a person's body at the waist.





Ureter  n. Duct conveying urine from the kidney to the bladder. [greek oureo urinate]
Helot  n. Serf, esp. (helot) of a class in ancient sparta. [latin from greek]


Mummify  v. (-ies, -ied) preserve (a body) as a mummy.  mummification n.


Anthology  n. (pl. -ies) collection of poems, essays, stories, etc.  anthologist n. [greek anthos flower, -logia collection]
Gin1  n. Spirit made from grain or malt and flavoured with juniper berries. [dutch geneva: related to *juniper]

Clump  —n. (foll. By of) cluster or mass, esp. Of trees. —v. 1 a form a clump. B heap or plant together. 2 (also clomp) walk with a heavy tread. [low german or dutch]
Ht  abbr. High tension.
Stepmother  n. Female step-parent.
Comminute  v. (-ting) 1 reduce to small fragments. 2 divide (property) into small portions.  comminution n. [latin: related to *minute2]
Short-handed  adj. Understaffed.




Apeman  n. Extinct primate held to be the forerunner of present-day man.
Avionics  n.pl. (usu. Treated as sing.) Electronics as applied to aviation. [from *aviation, *electronics]

Owe  v. (owing) 1 a be under obligation (to a person etc.) To pay or repay (money, gratitude, etc.). B (usu. Foll. By for) be in debt. 2 have a duty to render (owe allegiance). 3 (usu. Foll. By to) be indebted to a person or thing for (we owe our success to the weather). [old english]
Tag2  —n. Children's chasing game. —v. (-gg-) touch in a game of tag. [origin unknown]
Brine  n. 1 water saturated or strongly impregnated with salt. 2 sea water. [old english]
Chamberlain  n. 1 officer managing a royal or noble household. 2 treasurer of a corporation etc. [germanic: related to *chamber]
Travel agency  n. Agency that makes the necessary arrangements for travellers.  travel agent n.

Incest  n. Sexual intercourse between persons too closely related to marry. [latin castus chaste]
Ecclesiastical  adj. Of the church or clergy.
Schoolchild  n. Child attending school.
Slake  v. (-king) 1 assuage or satisfy (thirst, a desire, etc.). 2 temper (quicklime) by combination with water. [old english: related to *slack1]

Right-hander  n. 1 right-handed person. 2 right-handed blow.
Oau  abbr. Organization of african unity.


Chessboard  n. Chequered board of 64 squares on which chess and draughts are played.
Evil  —adj. 1 morally bad; wicked. 2 harmful. 3 disagreeable (evil temper). —n. 1 evil thing. 2 wickedness.  evilly adv. [old english]
Bucolic  —adj. Of shepherds; rustic, pastoral. —n. (usu. In pl.) Pastoral poem or poetry. [greek boukolos herdsman]

Itch  —n. 1 irritation in the skin. 2 impatient desire. 3 (prec. By the) (in general use) scabies. —v. 1 feel an irritation in the skin. 2 feel a desire to do something (itching to tell you). [old english]
Clad  adj. 1 clothed. 2 provided with cladding. [past part. Of *clothe]
Master-switch  n. Switch controlling the supply of electricity etc. To an entire system.
Excursion  n. Journey (usu. A day-trip) to a place and back, made for pleasure. [latin excurro run out]
Morning coat  n. Coat with tails, and with the front cut away.

Volumetric  adj. Of measurement by volume.  volumetrically adv. [from *volume, *metric]
Unattended  adj. 1 (usu. Foll. By to) not attended. 2 (of a person, vehicle, etc.) Alone.

Wool  n. 1 fine soft wavy hair from the fleece of sheep etc. 2 woollen yarn or cloth or clothing. 3 wool-like substance (steel wool).  pull the wool over a person's eyes deceive a person. [old english]

Vertebrate  —adj. (of an animal) having a backbone. —n. Vertebrate animal. [latin vertebratus jointed: related to *vertebra]

Friction  n. 1 rubbing of one object against another. 2 the resistance encountered in so moving. 3 clash of wills, opinions, etc.  frictional adj. [latin: related to *fricative]



Quick  —adj. 1 taking only a short time (quick worker). 2 arriving after a short time, prompt. 3 with only a short interval (in quick succession). 4 lively, intelligent, alert. 5 (of a temper) easily roused. 6 archaic alive (the quick and the dead). —adv. (also as int.) Quickly. —n. 1 soft sensitive flesh, esp. Below the nails. 2 seat of emotion (cut to the quick).  quickly adv. [old english]




Jim crow  n. Us colloq. 1 segregation of blacks. 2 offens. A black. [nickname]

Fairly  adv. 1 in a fair manner. 2 moderately (fairly good). 3 quite, rather (fairly narrow).



Tap2  —v. (-pp-) 1 (foll. By at, on) strike a gentle but audible blow. 2 (often foll. By against, on, etc.) Strike or cause (a thing) to strike lightly (tapped me on the shoulder). 3 (often foll. By out) make by a tap or taps (tapped out the rhythm). 4 tap-dance. —n. 1 a light blow; rap. B sound of this. 2 a tap-dancing. B metal attachment on a tap-dancer's shoe. [imitative]
Fortuitous  adj. Happening by esp. Lucky chance; accidental.  fortuitously adv. Fortuitousness n. Fortuity n. (pl. -ies). [latin forte by chance]

Chest  n. 1 large strong box. 2 a part of the body enclosed by the ribs. B front surface of the body from the neck to the bottom of the ribs. 3 small cabinet for medicines etc.  get a thing off one's chest colloq. Disclose a secret etc. To relieve one's anxiety about it. [latin cista]

Overweening  adj. Arrogant, presumptuous.
Breeder reactor  n. Nuclear reactor creating surplus fissile material.



Mesolithic  adj. Of the part of the stone age between the palaeolithic and neolithic periods. [greek lithos stone]
Gavotte  n. 1 old french dance. 2 music for this. [french from provençal]
Avail  —v. 1 help; be of use. 2 refl. (foll. By of) make use of, profit by. —n. Use, profit (of no avail). [latin valeo be strong]


Replay  —v. Play (a match, recording, etc.) Again. —n. Replaying of a match, recorded incident in a game, etc.
Authority  n. (pl. -ies) 1 a power or right to enforce obedience. B (often foll. By for, or to + infin.) Delegated power. 2 (esp. In pl.) Body having authority. 3 influence based on recognized knowledge or expertise. 4 expert. [latin auctoritas]
Birthright  n. Inherited, esp. Property, rights.

Kung fu  n. Chinese form of karate. [chinese]
Dredge1  —n. Apparatus used to scoop up oysters etc., or to clear mud etc., from a river or sea bed. —v. (-ging) 1 (often foll. By up) a bring up or clear (mud etc.) With a dredge. B bring up (something forgotten) (dredged it all up). 2 clean with or use a dredge. [origin uncertain]

Hawser  n. Thick rope or cable for mooring or towing a ship. [french, haucier hoist, from latin altus high]
Bafta  abbr. British association of film and television arts.

Skin  —n. 1 flexible covering of a body. 2 a skin of a flayed animal with or without the hair etc. B material prepared from skins. 3 complexion of the skin. 4 outer layer or covering, esp. Of a fruit, sausage, etc. 5 film like skin on a liquid etc. 6 container for liquid, made of an animal's skin. 7 slang skinhead. —v. (-nn-) 1 remove the skin from. 2 graze (part of the body). 3 slang swindle.  be skin and bone be very thin. By (or with) the skin of one's teeth by a very narrow margin. Get under a person's skin colloq. Interest or annoy a person intensely. Have a thick (or thin) skin be insensitive (or sensitive). No skin off one's nose colloq. Of no consequence to one.  skinless adj. [old norse]


Sunder  v. Archaic or literary separate. [old english: cf. *asunder]
Community home  n. Centre housing young offenders and other juveniles.




Non-conductor  n. Substance that does not conduct heat or electricity.





Part-song  n. Song with three or more voice-parts, often unaccompanied.
One-sided  adj. Unfair, partial.  one-sidedly adv. One-sidedness n.
Saddle-bag  n. 1 each of a pair of bags laid across the back of a horse etc. 2 bag attached to a bicycle saddle etc.
Modernism  n. Modern ideas or methods, esp. In art.  modernist n. & adj.
Fan club  n. Club of devotees.
High season  n. Busiest period at a resort etc.

-eer  suffix forming: 1 nouns meaning ‘person concerned with’ (auctioneer). 2 verbs meaning ‘be concerned with’ (electioneer). [french -ier from latin -arius]

Burnt  see *burn1.
Self-control  n. Power of controlling one's behaviour, emotions, etc.  self-controlled adj.


Intestine  n. (in sing. Or pl.) Lower part of the alimentary canal.  intestinal adj. [latin intus within]
Zirconium  n. Grey metallic element.






Pale1  —adj. 1 (of a person, colour, or complexion) light or faint; whitish, ashen. 2 of faint lustre; dim. —v. (-ling) 1 grow or make pale. 2 (often foll. By before, beside) seem feeble in comparison (with).  palely adv. Paleness n. Palish adj. [latin pallidus]

Call-box  n. Telephone box.




Cd  symb. Cadmium.

Uncommunicative  adj. Taciturn.




Straight flush  n. Flush in numerical sequence.
Dispossess  v. 1 (usu. Foll. By of) (esp. As dispossessed adj.) Deprive (a person) of. 2 dislodge; oust.  dispossession n.

-ette  suffix forming nouns meaning: 1 small (kitchenette). 2 imitation or substitute (flannelette). 3 female (usherette). [french]

Mephistophelean  adj. Fiendish. [mephistopheles, evil spirit to whom faust sold his soul in german legend]
Quoth  v. (only in 1st and 3rd person) archaic said. [old english]


Innate  adj. Inborn; natural.  innately adv. [latin natus born]




Fire and brimstone  n. Supposed torments of hell.
Insurmountable  adj. Unable to be surmounted or overcome.
Intermezzo  n. (pl. -mezzi or -s) 1 a short connecting instrumental movement in a musical work. B similar independent piece. 2 short light dramatic or other performance inserted between the acts of a play. [italian]
Blizzard  n. Severe snowstorm. [origin unknown]




Communicable  adj. (esp. Of a disease) able to be passed on. [latin: related to *communicate]


Super  —adj. (also as int.) Colloq. Excellent; splendid. —n. Colloq. 1 superintendent. 2 supernumerary. [shortening of words beginning super-]
Endow  v. 1 bequeath or give a permanent income to (a person, institution, etc.). 2 (esp. As endowed adj.) Provide with talent, ability, etc. [anglo-french: related to *dower]

Ramc  abbr. Royal army medical corps.
Usage  the term negro is often considered offensive; black is usually preferred.
Boule  n. (also boules pronunc. Same) french form of bowls played on rough ground. [french]

Wristlet  n. Band or ring to strengthen, guard, or adorn the wrist.

Admiralty  n. (pl. -ies) (in full admiralty board) hist. Committee superintending the royal navy.
Allegretto  mus. —adv. & adj. In a fairly brisk tempo. —n. (pl. -s) such a passage or movement. [italian, diminutive of *allegro]
Hologram  n. Photographic pattern that gives a three-dimensional image when illuminated by coherent light. [greek holos whole, *-gram]
Luminary  n. (pl. -ies) 1 literary natural light-giving body. 2 wise or inspiring person. 3 celebrated member of a group (show-business luminaries). [latin lumen lumin- light]
Steak-house  n. Restaurant specializing in beefsteaks.


Clap1  —v. (-pp-) 1 a strike the palms of one's hands together, esp. Repeatedly as applause. B strike (the hands) together in this way. 2 applaud thus. 3 put or place quickly or with determination (clapped him in prison; clap a tax on whisky). 4 (foll. By on) give a friendly slap (clapped him on the back). —n. 1 act of clapping, esp. As applause. 2 explosive sound, esp. Of thunder. 3 slap, pat.  clap eyes on colloq. See. [old english]
Hedgehog  n. Small insect-eating mammal with a piglike snout and a coat of spines, rolling itself up into a ball when attacked.
Thrush1  n. Any of various songbirds, esp. The song thrush and mistle thrush. [old english]
Get-together  n. Colloq. Social gathering.
Navy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 (often the navy) a whole body of a state's ships of war, including crews, maintenance systems, etc. B officers and men of a navy. 2 (in full navy blue) dark-blue colour as of naval uniforms. 3 poet. Fleet of ships. [romanic navia ship: related to *naval]



Bride  n. Woman on her wedding day and during the period just before and after it. [old english]

Introit  n. Psalm or antiphon sung or said as the priest approaches the altar for the eucharist. [latin introitus entrance]
Ear1  n. 1 organ of hearing, esp. Its external part. 2 faculty for discriminating sounds (an ear for music).  3 attention, esp. Sympathetic (give ear to; have a person's ear).  all ears listening attentively. Have (or keep) an ear to the ground be alert to rumours or trends. Up to one's ears (often foll. By in) colloq. Deeply involved or occupied. [old english]

Relative  —adj. 1 considered in relation to something else (relative velocity). 2 (foll. By to) proportioned to (something else) (growth is relative to input). 3 implying comparison or contextual relation (‘heat’ is a relative word). 4 comparative (their relative merits). 5 having mutual relations; corresponding in some way; related to each other. 6 (foll. By to) having reference or relating to (the facts relative to the issue). 7 gram. A (of a word, esp. A pronoun) referring to an expressed or implied antecedent and attaching a subordinate clause to it, e.g. Which, who. B (of a clause) attached to an antecedent by a relative word. —n. 1 person connected by blood or marriage. 2 species related to another by common origin. 3 gram. Relative word, esp. A pronoun.  relatively adv. [latin: related to *refer]
Child benefit  n. Regular payment by the state to the parents of a child up to a certain age.
Double glazing  n. Two layers of glass in a window.
Rat race  n. Colloq. Fiercely competitive struggle for position, power, etc.
Flipper  n. 1 broad flat limb of a turtle, penguin, etc., used in swimming. 2 similar rubber foot attachment for underwater swimming. 3 slang hand.
Bottle  —n. 1 container, esp. Glass or plastic, for storing liquid. 2 amount filling it. 3 baby's feeding-bottle. 4 = *hot-water bottle. 5 metal cylinder for liquefied gas. 6 slang courage. —v. (-ling) 1 put into, or preserve in, bottles or jars. 2 (foll. By up) conceal or restrain (esp. A feeling).  hit the bottle slang drink heavily. [medieval latin: related to *butt4]
Calisthenics  var. Of *callisthenics.

Kneecap  —n. 1 convex bone in front of the knee. 2 protective covering for the knee. —v. (-pp-) slang (of a terrorist) shoot (a person) in the knee or leg as a punishment.


Pyre  n. Heap of combustible material, esp. For burning a corpse. [greek: related to *pyro-]
Rainy day  n. Time of special need in the future.

Unbelievable  adj. Not believable; incredible.  unbelievably adv.
Sidereal day  n. Time between successive meridional transits of a star etc.

April  n. Fourth month of the year. [latin]

Quarter-hour  n. 1 period of 15 minutes. 2 = *quarter n. 3.

Melting point  n. Temperature at which a solid melts.


Fructify  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 bear fruit. 2 make fruitful. [latin: related to *fruit]
Eager  adj. Keen, enthusiastic (eager to learn; eager for news).  eagerly adv. Eagerness n. [latin acer keen]

Ground speed  n. Aircraft's speed relative to the ground.
Push-start  —n. Starting of a vehicle by pushing it to turn the engine. —v. Start (a vehicle) in this way.
Defame  v. (-ming) libel; slander; speak ill of.  defamation n. Defamatory adj. [latin fama report]



Enrapture  v. (-ring) delight intensely.


High gear  n. Gear such that the driven end of a transmission revolves faster than the driving end.

Haematite  n. (us hem-) a ferric oxide ore. [latin: related to *haemal]

Fiberboard  n. (brit. Fibreboard) board of compressed wood or other plant fibres.
Hindrance  n. 1 hindering; being hindered. 2 thing that hinders.

Elevenfold  adj. & adv. 1 eleven times as much or as many. 2 consisting of eleven parts.
Chemical  —adj. Of, made by, or employing chemistry or chemicals. —n. Substance obtained or used in chemistry.  chemically adv. [french or medieval latin: related to *alchemy]
Bygone  —adj. Past, antiquated. —n. (in phr. Let bygones be bygones) forgive and forget past quarrels.


Pontifical  adj. 1 papal. 2 pompously dogmatic.  pontifically adv.

County  —n. (pl. -ies) 1 territorial division in some countries, forming the chief unit of local administration. 2 us political and administrative division of a state. —adj. Of or like the gentry. [latin comitatus: related to *count2]

Music stool  n. Piano stool.

Assimilate  v. (-ting) 1 absorb or be absorbed, either physically or mentally. 2 (usu. Foll. By to, with) make like; cause to resemble.  assimilable adj. Assimilation n. Assimilative adj. Assimilator n. [latin similis like]
Bill2  —n. 1 bird's beak. 2 narrow promontory. —v. (of doves etc.) Stroke bills.  bill and coo exchange caresses. [old english]
Refugee  n. Person taking refuge, esp. In a foreign country, from war, persecution, or natural disaster. [french réfugié: related to *refuge]
Nazi  —n. (pl. -s) hist. Member of the german national socialist party. —adj. Of the nazis or nazism.  nazism n. [representing pronunciation of nati- in german nationalsozialist]



Blackball  v. Reject (a candidate) in a ballot.


Anchor  —n. 1 heavy metal weight used to moor a ship or a balloon. 2 stabilizing thing. —v. 1 secure with an anchor. 2 fix firmly. 3 cast anchor. 4 be moored by an anchor. [greek agkura]

Murk  n. Darkness, poor visibility. [probably scandinavian]

Entrance2  v. (-cing) 1 enchant, delight. 2 put into a trance.  entrancement n. Entrancing adj. Entrancingly adv.

Poker-face  n. Impassive countenance assumed by a poker-player.  poker-faced adj.
Immerse  v. (-sing) 1 a (often foll. By in) dip, plunge. B submerge (a person). 2 (often refl. Or in passive; often foll. By in) absorb or involve deeply. 3 (often foll. By in) bury, embed. [latin mergo mers- dip]

Pyemia  n. (brit. Pyaemia) blood-poisoning caused by pus-forming bacteria in the bloodstream. [greek puon pus, haima blood]
Overview  n. General survey.
Sample  —n. 1 small representative part or quantity. 2 specimen. 3 illustrative or typical example. —v. (-ling) 1 take or give samples of. 2 try the qualities of. 3 experience briefly. [anglo-french: related to *example]
Storage  n. 1 a storing of goods etc. B method of or space for storing. 2 cost of storing. 3 storing of data in a computer etc.



Ice-cream  n. Sweet creamy frozen food, usu. Flavoured.
Drill1  —n. 1 tool or machine for boring holes, sinking wells, etc. 2 instruction in military exercises. 3 routine procedure in an emergency (fire-drill). 4 thorough training, esp. By repetition. 5 colloq. Recognized procedure (what's the drill?). —v. 1 a make a hole in or through with a drill. B make (a hole) with a drill. 2 train or be trained by drill. [dutch]


Fussy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 inclined to fuss. 2 over-elaborate. 3 fastidious.  fussily adv. Fussiness n.

Album  n. 1 book for photographs, stamps, etc. 2 a long-playing gramophone record. B set of these. [latin, = blank tablet, from albus white]


Endways  adv. (also endwise) 1 with end uppermost or foremost. 2 end to end.
Ejaculate  v. (-ting) (also absol.) 1 exclaim. 2 emit (semen) in orgasm.  ejaculation n. Ejaculatory adj. [latin ejaculor dart out]
Pause  —n. 1 temporary stop or silence. 2 mus. Mark over a note or rest that is to be lengthened. —v. (-sing) make a pause; wait.  give pause to cause to hesitate. [greek pauo stop]


Tee1  n. = *t1. [phonetic spelling]

Rogation days  n.pl. The three days before ascension day.
Crag  n. Steep or rugged rock. [celtic]

Plate tectonics  n.pl. (usu. Treated as sing.) The study of the earth's surface based on the concept of moving ‘plates’ (see sense 11 of *plate) forming its structure.


Crème de la crème  n. Best part; élite.
Medlar  n. 1 tree bearing small brown apple-like fruits, eaten when decayed. 2 such a fruit. [french medler from greek mespile]


Jocular  adj. 1 fond of joking. 2 humorous.  jocularity n. (pl. -ies). Jocularly adv.




Herr  n. (pl. Herren) 1 title of a german man; mr. 2 german man. [german]
Jamjar  n. Glass jar for jam.


Redbrick  adj. (of a university) founded in the 19th or early 20th c.
Electronic  adj. 1 a produced by or involving the flow of electrons. B of electrons or electronics. 2 (of music) produced by electronic means and usu. Recorded on tape.  electronically adv.
Exfoliate  v. (-ting) 1 come off in scales or layers. 2 throw off layers of bark.  exfoliation n. [latin folium leaf]
Square root  n. Number that multiplied by itself gives a specified number.
Man of letters  n. Scholar or author.
Penny whistle  n. Tin pipe with six finger holes.

Henge  n. Prehistoric monument consisting of a circle of stone or wood uprights. [stonehenge in s. England]
Bust-up  n. 1 quarrel. 2 collapse.

Hereby  adv. By this means; as a result of this.
Interval  n. 1 intervening time or space. 2 pause or break, esp. Between the parts of a performance. 3 difference in pitch between two sounds.  at intervals here and there; now and then. [latin intervallum space between ramparts]




Tomorrow  —adv. 1 on the day after today. 2 at some future time. —n. 1 the day after today. 2 the near future. [from *to, *morrow]


Swank  colloq. —n. Ostentation, swagger. —v. Show off.  swanky adj (-ier, -iest). [origin uncertain]



Holler  v. & n. Us colloq. Shout. [french holà hello!]
Protract  v. (often as protracted adj.) Prolong or lengthen.  protraction n. [latin traho tract- draw]

Aqua fortis  n. Nitric acid. [latin, = strong water]

Helpmate  n. Helpful companion or partner.


Hinder1  v. Impede; delay. [old english]

Rogue  n. 1 dishonest or unprincipled person. 2 joc. Mischievous person, esp. A child. 3 (usu. Attrib.) Wild fierce animal driven away or living apart from others (rogue elephant). 4 (often attrib.) Inexplicably aberrant result or phenomenon; inferior or defective specimen. [origin unknown]

Epoxy  adj. Relating to or derived from a compound with one oxygen atom and two carbon atoms bonded in a triangle. [from *epi-, *oxygen]

Heterosexual  —adj. Feeling or involving sexual attraction to the opposite sex. —n. Heterosexual person.  heterosexuality n.
Dauphin  n. Hist. Eldest son of the king of france. [french from latin delphinus *dolphin, as a family name]
Steamer  n. 1 steamship. 2 vessel for steaming food in.
Tomtit  n. Tit, esp. A blue tit.

Hotpot  n. Casserole of meat and vegetables topped with potato.
Malfunction  —n. Failure to function normally. —v. Fail to function normally.
Wind-down  n. Colloq. Gradual lessening of excitement or activity.
Influential  adj. Having great influence.  influentially adv.
Rat-tat  n. (also rat-tat-tat, ratatat, rat-a-tat) rapping sound, esp. Of a knocker. [imitative]
Messenger  n. Person who carries a message.
Ucca  abbr. Universities central council on admissions.
Equable  adj. 1 not varying. 2 moderate (equable climate). 3 (of a person) not easily disturbed.  equably adv. [related to *equal]
Heavy metal  n. 1 heavy guns. 2 metal of high density. 3 colloq. Loud kind of rock music with a pounding rhythm.

Equalize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 make or become equal. 2 reach one's opponent's score.  equalization n.
Hydrogen  n. Tasteless odourless gas, the lightest element, occurring in water and all organic compounds.  hydrogenous adj. [french: related to *hydro-, *-gen]

Correspondent  n. 1 person who writes letters. 2 person employed to write or report for a newspaper or for broadcasting etc.

Evolutionist  n. Person who regards evolution as explaining the origin of species.
Artwork  n. 1 illustrative material in printed matter. 2 works of art collectively (exhibition of children's artwork).
Sputter  —v. Make a series of quick explosive sounds, splutter. —n. This sound. [dutch (imitative)]
Homophone  n. Word pronounced like another but of different meaning or origin (e.g. Pair, pear). [from *homo-, greek phone sound]

Work experience  n. Scheme intended to give young people temporary experience of employment.
Hullo  var. Of *hello.
Nutria  n. Coypu fur. [spanish, = otter]
Use  —v. (using) 1 cause to act or serve for a purpose; bring into service. 2 treat in a specified manner (used him shamefully). 3 exploit for one's own ends. 4  did or had habitually (i used to drink; it used not (or did not use) to rain so often). 5 (as used adj.) Second-hand. 6 (as used predic. Adj.) (foll. By to) familiar by habit; accustomed (used to hard work). —n. 1 using or being used. 2 right or power of using (lost the use of his legs). 3 benefit, advantage (a torch would be of use; it's no use talking). 4 custom or usage (established by long use).  have no use for 1 not need. 2 dislike, be contemptuous of. In use being used. Make use of 1 use. 2 benefit from. Out of use not being used. Use up 1 consume completely. 2 find a use for (leftovers etc.). [french us, user, ultimately from latin utor us-]

Malevolent  adj. Wishing evil to others.  malevolence n. Malevolently adv. [latin volo wish]
Undercarriage  n. 1 wheeled retractable structure beneath an aircraft, used for landing etc. 2 supporting frame of a vehicle.




Lariat  n. 1 lasso. 2 tethering-rope. [spanish la reata]

Arduous  adj. Hard to accomplish; laborious, strenuous. [latin, = steep]
Subject  —n. 1 a matter, theme, etc. To be discussed, described, represented, etc. B (foll. By for) person, circumstance, etc., giving rise to a specified feeling, action, etc. (subject for congratulation). 2 field of study. 3 logic & gram.
Heartily  adv. 1 in a hearty manner. 2 very (am heartily sick of it).


Club sandwich  n. Sandwich with two layers of filling between three slices of toast or bread.
Truly  adv. 1 sincerely (am truly grateful). 2 really, indeed (truly, i do not know). 3 loyally (served them truly). 4 accurately (is not truly depicted). 5 properly (well and truly). [old english: related to *true]
Paederasty  var. Of *pederasty.
Ice age  n. Glacial period.
Raving  —n. (usu. In pl.) Wild or delirious talk. —adj. & adv. Colloq. As an intensifier (a raving beauty; raving mad).



Alright  adv. = all right (see *all).





Shufti  n. (pl. -s) colloq. Look, glimpse. [arabic saffa try to see]

Habitation  n. 1 inhabiting (fit for habitation). 2 house or home.


Strudel  n. Thin leaved pastry rolled round a filling and baked. [german]
-wise  suffix forming adjectives and adverbs of manner (clockwise; lengthwise) or respect (moneywise).
Warrant-officer  n. Officer ranking between commissioned officers and ncos.

Collectable  (also collectible) —adj. Worth collecting. —n. Item sought by collectors.
Red-handed  adv. In the act of committing a crime, doing wrong, etc.
Unadvised  adj. 1 indiscreet; rash. 2 without advice.  unadvisedly adv.

Usage  flaunt is often confused with flout which means ‘to disobey contemptuously’.

Water-meadow  n. Meadow periodically flooded by a stream.
Dickhead  n. Coarse slang idiot. [from *dick1]

Diving-suit  n. Watertight suit, usu. With helmet and air-supply, for work under water.






Siamese twins  n.pl. 1 twins joined at some part of the body. 2 any closely associated pair.
Ophidian  —n. Member of a suborder of reptiles including snakes. —adj. 1 of this order. 2 snakelike. [greek ophis snake]


Athirst  predic. Adj. Poet. 1 (usu. Foll. By for) eager. 2 thirsty.
Abrade  v. (-ding) scrape or wear away (skin, rock, etc.) By rubbing. [latin rado scrape]

Herdsman  n. Man who owns or tends a herd.


Cynosure  n. Centre of attraction or admiration. [greek, = dog's tail (name for ursa minor)]
Avocet  n. Long-legged wading bird with an upward-curved bill. [french from italian]
Demonolatry  n. Worship of demons. [from *demon, greek latreuo worship]
Harbour-master  n. Official in charge of a harbour.
Gimcrack  —adj. Showy but flimsy and worthless. —n. Showy ornament; knick-knack. [origin unknown]

Tongue-twister  n. Sequence of words difficult to pronounce quickly and correctly.

 

Blaspheme  v. (-ming) 1 use religious names irreverently; treat a religious or sacred subject irreverently. 2 talk irreverently about; use blasphemy against. [greek blasphemeo]
Date2  n. 1 dark oval single-stoned fruit. 2 (in full date-palm) tree bearing it. [greek: related to *dactyl, from the shape of the leaf]



Croesus  n. Person of great wealth. [name of a king of ancient lydia]


Survival  n. 1 surviving. 2 relic.
Nitroglycerine  n. (us nitroglycerin) explosive yellow liquid made by reacting glycerol with a mixture of concentrated sulphuric and nitric acids.
Mentholated  adj. Treated with or containing menthol.
Establishment  n. 1 establishing or being established. 2 a business organization or public institution. B place of business. C residence. 3 a staff of an organization. B household. 4 organized body permanently maintained. 5 church system organized by law. 6 (the establishment) social group with authority or influence and resisting change.



Coxcomb  n. Ostentatiously conceited man.  coxcombry n. (pl. -ies). [= cock's comb]
Decline  —v. (-ning) 1 deteriorate; lose strength or vigour; decrease. 2 (also absol.) Politely refuse (an invitation, challenge, etc.). 3 slope or bend downwards, droop. 4 gram. State the forms of (a noun, pronoun, or adjective). —n. 1 gradual loss of vigour or excellence. 2 deterioration. [latin clino bend]
Shrapnel  n. 1 fragments of an exploded bomb etc. 2 shell containing pieces of metal etc., timed to burst short of impact. [shrapnel, name of the inventor of the shell]

Democratic party  n. More liberal of the two main us political parties.
Fivefold  adj. & adv. 1 five times as much or as many. 2 consisting of five parts.
Cultured  adj. Having refined taste etc.


Moralist  n. 1 person who practises or teaches morality. 2 person who follows a natural system of ethics.  moralistic adj.
Eyrie  n. 1 nest of a bird of prey, esp. An eagle, built high up. 2 house etc. Perched high up. [french aire lair, from latin agrum piece of ground]


Refroze  past of *refreeze.
Het up  predic. Adj. Colloq. Excited, overwrought. [het, a dial. Word = heated]

Brick  —n. 1 a small usu. Rectangular block of fired or sun-dried clay used in building. B material of this. 2 child's toy block. 3 brick-shaped thing. 4 slang generous or loyal person. —v. (foll. By in, up) close or block with brickwork. —adj. 1 built of brick (brick wall). 2 (also brick-red) dull red. [low german or dutch]


Pyrexia  n. Med. = *fever. [greek purexis]
Idealize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) regard or represent as ideal or perfect.  idealization n.


Chant  —n. 1 spoken singsong phrase. 2 a simple tune used for singing unmetrical words, e.g. Psalms. B song, esp. Monotonous or repetitive. —v. 1 talk or repeat monotonously. 2 sing or intone (a psalm etc.). [latin canto from cano sing]



Tailboard  n. Hinged or removable flap at the rear of a lorry etc.
Obeisance  n. 1 bow, curtsy, or other respectful gesture. 2 homage.  obeisant adj. [french: related to *obey]

Unstated  adj. Not stated or declared.
Scallion  n. Esp. Us shallot; spring onion etc. [latin from ascalon in ancient palestine]


Tidings  n. (as sing. Or pl.) Archaic or joc. News. [old english, probably from old norse]
Running knot  n. Knot that slips along a rope etc. To allow tightening etc.
Terse  adj. (terser, tersest) 1 brief, concise. 2 curt, abrupt.  tersely adv. Terseness n. [latin tergo ters- wipe]
Gatehouse  n. House standing by or over a gateway, esp. To a large house or park.


Ducal  adj. Of or like a duke. [french: related to *duke]
Public sector  n. State-controlled part of an economy, industry, etc.
Big money  n. Large amounts of money.


Charlotte  n. Pudding of stewed fruit covered with bread etc. [french]



Exhort  v. (often foll. By to + infin.) Urge strongly or earnestly.  exhortation n. Exhortative adj. Exhortatory adj. [latin exhortor encourage]
Hock2  n. German white wine from the rhineland. [hochheim in germany]










Negligible  adj. Not worth considering; insignificant.  negligibly adv. [french: related to *neglect]


Roach  n. (pl. Same or -es) small freshwater fish of the carp family. [french]
Sufferance  n. Tacit consent.  on sufferance tolerated but not encouraged. [latin: related to *suffer]
Teeth  pl. Of *tooth.

Dog  —n. 1 four-legged flesh-eating animal akin to the fox and wolf, and of many breeds. 2 male of this, or of the fox or wolf. 3 colloq. A despicable person. B person of a specified kind (lucky dog). 4 mechanical device for gripping. 5 (in pl.; prec. By the) colloq. Greyhound-racing. —v. (-gg-) follow closely; pursue, track.  go to the dogs slang deteriorate, be ruined. Like a dog's dinner colloq. Smartly or flashily (dressed etc.). Not a dog's chance no chance at all. [old english]
Reassemble  v. (-ling) assemble again or into a former state.  reassembly n.
Urbane  adj. Suave; elegant.  urbanity n. [latin: related to *urban]

Erupt  v. 1 break out suddenly or dramatically. 2 (of a volcano) eject lava etc. 3 (of a rash etc.) Appear on the skin.  eruption n. Eruptive adj. [latin erumpo erupt- break out]
Methadone  n. Narcotic analgesic drug used esp. As a substitute for morphine or heroin. [6-dimethylamino-4, 4-diphenyl-3-heptanone]


Post-coital  adj. Formal occurring after sexual intercourse.


Junior  —adj. 1 (often foll. By to) inferior in age, standing, or position. 2 the younger (esp. Appended to the name of a son for distinction from his father). 3 of the lower or lowest position (junior partner). 4  (of a school) for younger pupils, usu. Aged 7–11. —n. 1 junior person. 2 person at the lowest level (in an office etc.). [latin, comparative of juvenis young]

Revisit  v. (-t-) visit again.


Fidget  —v. (-t-) 1 move or act restlessly or nervously. 2 be or make uneasy. —n. 1 person who fidgets. 2 (usu. In pl.) Restless movements or mood.  fidgety adj. [obsolete or dial. Fidge twitch]
Indorse  var. Of *endorse.
Royalty  n. (pl. -ies) 1 royal office, dignity, or power; being royal. 2 a royal persons. B member of a royal family. 3 percentage of profit from a book, public performance, patent, etc. Paid to the author etc. 4 a royal right (now esp. Over minerals) granted by the sovereign. B payment made by a producer of minerals etc. To the owner of the site etc. [french: related to *royal]

Oppress  v. 1 keep in subservience. 2 govern or treat cruelly. 3 weigh down (with cares or unhappiness).  oppression n. Oppressor n. [latin: related to *press1]
Panama  n. Straw hat with a brim and indented crown. [panama in central america]





Simian  —adj. 1 of the anthropoid apes. 2 like an ape or monkey. —n. Ape or monkey. [latin simia ape]

Dramatis personae  n.pl. 1 characters in a play. 2 list of these. [latin, = persons of the drama]
Shillelagh  n. Irish cudgel. [shillelagh in ireland]
Offertory  n. (pl. -ies) 1 offering of the bread and wine at the eucharist. 2 collection of money at a religious service. [church latin: related to *offer]
Scrip  n. 1 provisional certificate of money subscribed, entitling the holder to dividends. 2 (collect.) Such certificates. 3 extra share or shares instead of a dividend. [abbreviation of subscription receipt]


Usage  see note at un-1.


Predecease  v. (-sing) die earlier than (another person).
Ashamed  adj. (usu. Predic.) 1 embarrassed by shame (ashamed of myself). 2 (foll. By to + infin.) Hesitant, reluctant out of shame (am ashamed to say). [old english a- intensive prefix]





Redhead  n. Person with red hair.

Testy  adj. (-ier, -iest) irritable, touchy.  testily adv. Testiness n. [french teste head: related to *test2]




Gassy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 a of or like gas. B full of gas. 2 colloq. Verbose.


Disciple  n. Follower of a leader, teacher, etc., esp. Of christ. [latin disco learn]
Downer  n. Slang 1 depressant or tranquillizing drug. 2 depressing person or experience; failure. 3 = *downturn.
Wakeful  adj. 1 unable to sleep. 2 (of a night etc.) Sleepless. 3 vigilant.  wakefully adv. Wakefulness n.

High spot  n. Important place or feature.





Stroboscope  n. 1 physics instrument for determining speeds of rotation etc. By shining a bright light at intervals so that a rotating object appears stationary. 2 lamp made to flash intermittently, esp. For this purpose.  stroboscopic adj. [greek strobos whirling]
Awfully  adv. 1 badly; unpleasantly (played awfully). 2 colloq. Very (awfully pleased).

Coleus  n. Plant with variegated leaves. [greek koleon sheath]

Weasel word  n. (usu. In pl.) Word that is intentionally ambiguous or misleading.



Grits  n.pl. 1 coarsely ground grain, esp. Oatmeal. 2 oats that have been husked but not ground. [old english]
Newly-wed  n. Recently married person.
Calcareous  adj. Of or containing calcium carbonate. [related to *calx]



Set square  n. Right-angled triangular plate for drawing lines, esp. At 90°, 45°, 60°, or 30°.
Leading article  n. Newspaper article giving editorial opinion.

Gin rummy  n. Form of the card-game rummy.


Millimeter  n. (brit. -metre) one-thousandth of a metre (0.039 in.).



Acclaim  —v. 1 welcome or applaud enthusiastically. 2 hail as (acclaimed him king). —n. Applause, welcome, public praise. [latin acclamo: related to *claim]
Crow2  —v. 1 (past crowed or crew) (of a cock) utter a loud cry. 2 (of a baby) utter happy cries. 3 (usu. Foll. By over) gloat; show glee. —n. Cry of a cock or baby. [old english]
Cabriolet  n. 1 car with a folding top. 2 light two-wheeled one-horse carriage with a hood. [french: related to *capriole]
Diktat  n. Categorical statement or decree. [german, = *dictate]


Anglo-saxon  —adj. 1 of the english saxons before the norman conquest. 2 of english descent. —n. 1 anglo-saxon person. 2 old english. 3 colloq. Plain (esp. Crude) english.

Buck3  n. Slang (in poker) article placed before the next dealer.  pass the buck colloq. Shift responsibility (to another). [origin unknown]

Sock2  colloq. —v. Hit hard. —n. Hard blow.  sock it to attack or address (a person or people) vigorously. [origin unknown]
Brier1  n. (also briar) wild rose or other prickly bush. [old english]


Unrecognized  adj. (also -ised) not acknowledged.
Thanksgiving  n. 1 expression of gratitude, esp. To god. 2 (thanksgiving or thanksgiving day) fourth thursday in november (a national holiday in the us).
Jeweler  n. (brit. Jeweller) maker of or dealer in jewels or jewellery.
Capsize  v. (-zing) (of a boat etc.) Be overturned; overturn. [spanish capuzar sink]

Spokesman  n. (fem. Spokeswoman) person speaking for a group etc. [from *spoke2]

Boy  —n. 1 male child, son. 2 young man. 3 male servant etc. —int. Expressing pleasure, surprise, etc.  boyhood n. Boyish adj. [origin uncertain]


Catechumen  n. Christian convert under instruction before baptism. [church latin catechumenus]


Theorize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) evolve or indulge in theories.
Midday  n. (often attrib.) Middle of the day; noon. [old english: related to *mid, *day]
Hydroxide  n. Compound containing oxygen and hydrogen as either a hydroxide ion or a hydroxyl group.
Hee-haw  —n. Bray of a donkey. —v. Make a braying sound. [imitative]

Self-assembly  adj. Assembled by the buyer from a kit.
Hairbrush  n. Brush for tidying the hair.




Cherry  —n. (pl. -ies) 1 a small soft round stone-fruit. B tree bearing this or grown for its ornamental flowers. C its wood. 2 light red colour. —adj. Of light red colour. [greek kerasos]

Professionalism  n. Qualities associated with a profession, esp. Competence, skill, etc.
Crazy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 colloq. Insane or mad; foolish. 2 (usu. Foll. By about) colloq. Extremely enthusiastic. 3 (attrib.) (of paving etc.) Made up of irregular pieces.  crazily adv. Craziness n.

Race1  —n. 1 contest of speed between runners, horses, vehicles, ships, etc. 2 (in pl.) Series of these for horses, dogs, etc., at a fixed time on a regular course. 3 contest between persons to be first to achieve something. 4 a strong current in the sea or a river. B channel (mill-race). —v. (-cing) 1 take part in a race. 2 have a race with. 3 try to surpass in speed. 4 (foll. By with) compete in speed with. 5 cause to race. 6 a go at full or excessive speed. B cause to do this. 7 (usu. As racing adj.) Follow or take part in horse-racing (a racing man). [old norse]

Astray  adv. & predic.adj. Out of the right way, erring.  go astray be missing. [latin extra away, vagor wander]


Statute mile  see *mile 1.
Pamphleteer  n. Writer of (esp. Political) pamphlets.
Deposit  —n. 1 a money in a bank account. B anything stored for safe keeping. 2 a payment made as a pledge for a contract or as an initial part payment for a thing bought. B returnable sum paid on the hire of an item. 3 a natural layer of sand, rock, coal, etc. B layer of accumulated matter on a surface. —v. (-t-) 1 a put or lay down (deposited the book on the shelf). B (of water etc.) Leave (matter etc.) Lying. 2 a store or entrust for keeping. B pay (a sum of money) into a bank account. 3 pay (a sum) as part of a larger sum or as a pledge for a contract. [latin pono posit- put]
Bionics  n.pl. (treated as sing.) The study of mechanical systems that function like living organisms.
Pluralize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing)  make plural, express in the plural.
Parlour game  n. Indoor game, esp. A word-game.

Quad2  n. Colloq. Quadruplet. [abbreviation]
Colossus  n. (pl. -ssi or -ssuses) 1 statue much bigger than life size. 2 gigantic or remarkable person etc. 3 imperial power personified. [latin from greek]


Imagery  n. 1 figurative illustration, esp. In literature. 2 images; statuary, carving. 3 mental images collectively.
Cook  —v. 1 prepare (food) by heating it. 2 (of food) undergo cooking. 3 colloq. Falsify (accounts etc.). 4 (as be cooking) colloq. Be happening or about to happen. —n. Person who cooks, esp. Professionally or in a specified way (a good cook).  cook up colloq. Concoct (a story, excuse, etc.). [latin coquus]
Twinge  n. Sharp momentary local pain or pang. [old english]
Cop  slang —n. 1 police officer. 2 capture or arrest (it's a fair cop). —v. (-pp-) 1 catch or arrest (an offender). 2 receive, suffer. 3 take, seize.  cop it get into trouble; be punished. Cop out 1 withdraw; give up. 2 go back on a promise. Not much cop of little value or use. [french caper seize]



Tinge  —v. (-ging) (often foll. By with; often in passive) 1 colour slightly. 2 affect slightly. —n. 1 tendency towards or trace of some colour. 2 slight admixture of a feeling or quality. [latin tingo tinct- dye]

Town planning  n. Planning of the construction and growth of towns.  town planner n.
Coalman  n. Man who carries or delivers coal.

Ribbon  n. 1 a narrow strip or band of fabric, used esp. For trimming or decoration. B material in this form. 2 ribbon worn to indicate some honour or membership of a sports team etc. 3 long narrow strip of anything (typewriter ribbon). 4 (in pl.) Ragged strips (torn to ribbons). [var. Of *riband]



Dug2  n. Udder, teat. [origin unknown]



Gyrocompass  n. Compass giving true north and bearings from it by means of a gyroscope.


Undo  v. (3rd sing. Present -does; past -did; past part. -done; pres. Part. -doing) 1 unfasten (a coat, button, parcel, etc.), or the clothing of (a person). 2 annul, cancel (cannot undo the past). 3 ruin the prospects, reputation, or morals of.




Parting  n. 1 leave-taking or departure (often attrib.: parting words). 2 dividing line of combed hair. 3 division; separating.
Cordless  adj. (of a hand-held electrical device) usable without a power cable because working from an internal source of energy or battery.


Rekindle  v. (-ling) kindle again.



Immutable  adj. Unchangeable.  immutability n. Immutably adv.

Ska  n. A kind of fast orig. Jamaican pop music. [origin unknown]



Sty1  n. (pl. Sties) = *pigsty. [old english]

Trews  n.pl. Close-fitting usu. Tartan trousers. [irish and gaelic: related to *trousers]
Wholism  var. Of *holism.

Crunch  —v. 1 a crush noisily with the teeth. B grind under foot, wheels, etc. 2 (often foll. By up, through) make a crunching sound. —n. 1 crunching; crunching sound. 2 colloq. Decisive event or moment. [imitative]


Grape  n. Berry (usu. Green, purple, or black) growing in clusters on a vine, used as fruit and in making wine. [french, probably from grappe hook]
Usage  luxuriant is sometimes confused with luxurious.
Lady  n. (pl. -ies) 1 a woman regarded as being of superior social status or as having refined manners. B (lady) title of peeresses, female relatives of peers, the wives and widows of knights, etc. 2 (often attrib.) Woman; female (ask that lady; lady butcher). 3 colloq. Wife, girlfriend. 4 ruling woman (lady of the house). 5 (the ladies or ladies') women's public lavatory. [old english, = loaf-kneader]
Improbable  adj. 1 unlikely. 2 difficult to believe.  improbability n. Improbably adv.

Policyholder  n. Person or body holding an insurance policy.



Fleece  —n. 1 a woolly coat of a sheep etc. B wool sheared from a sheep at one time. 2 thing resembling a fleece, esp. Soft fabric for lining etc. —v. (-cing) 1 (often foll. By of) strip of money, valuables, etc.; swindle. 2 shear (sheep etc.). 3 cover as if with a fleece (sky fleeced with clouds).  fleecy adj. (-ier, -iest). [old english]




Shirk  v. (also absol.) Avoid (duty, work, etc.).  shirker n. [german schurke scoundrel]
Communicate  v. (-ting) 1 impart, transmit (news, heat, motion, feelings, disease, ideas, etc.). 2 succeed in conveying information. 3 (often foll. By with) relate socially; have dealings. 4 be connected (they have communicating rooms).  communicator n. Communicatory adj. [latin: related to *common]
Eurodollar  n. Dollar held in a bank outside the us.
Motown  n. Music with elements of rhythm and blues, associated with detroit. [motor town, = detroit in us]

Devoid  predic. Adj. (foll. By of) lacking or free from. [french: related to *void]




Human being  n. Man, woman, or child.

Calcium carbonate  n. White insoluble solid occurring as chalk, marble, etc.


Pustulate  v. (-ting) form into pustules. [latin: related to *pustule]
Tend2  v. Take care of, look after (an invalid, sheep, a machine etc.). [from *attend]

Heart-lung machine  n. Machine that temporarily takes over the functions of the heart and lungs.
Ewer  n. Water-jug with a wide mouth. [latin aqua water]

Flower-head  n. = *head n. 3 c.
Severance pay  n. Payment made to an employee on termination of a contract.

Wardship  n. Tutelage.



Passmark  n. Minimum mark needed to pass an examination.

Tardy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 slow to act, come, or happen. 2 delaying or delayed.  tardily adv. Tardiness n. [latin tardus slow]





Poste restante  n. Department in a post office where letters are kept till called for. [french]



Anticlimax  n. Disappointingly trivial conclusion to something significant.
Dishcloth  n. Cloth for washing dishes.
All  —adj. 1 whole amount, quantity, or extent of (all day; all his life; take it all). 2 any whatever (beyond all doubt). 3 greatest possible (with all speed). —n. 1 all concerned; everything (all were present; all is lost). 2 (foll. By of) a the whole of (take all of it). B every one of (all of us). C colloq. As much as (all of six feet). D colloq. In a state of (all of a dither). 3 one's whole strength or resources (prec. By my, your, etc.). 4 (in games) each (two goals all). —adv. 1 a entirely, quite (dressed all in black). B as an intensifier (stop all this grumbling). 2 colloq. Very (went all shy). 3 (foll. By the + compar.) To that, or the utmost, extent (if they go, all the better; that makes it all the worse).  all along from the beginning. All and sundry everyone. All but very nearly. All for colloq. Strongly in favour of. All found with board and lodging provided free. All in colloq. Exhausted. All in all everything considered. All manner of every kind of. All of a sudden suddenly. All one (or the same) (usu. Foll. By to) a matter of indifference. All out using all one's strength (also (with hyphen) attrib.: all-out effort). All over 1 completely finished. 2 in or on all parts of (mud all over the carpet). 3 colloq. Typically (you all over). 4 slang effusively attentive to (a person). All right (predic.) 1 satisfactory; safe and sound; in good condition. 2 satisfactorily (it worked out all right). 3 a expressing consent. B as an intensifier (that's the one all right). All round 1 in all respects. 2 for each person. All the same nevertheless. All there colloq. Mentally alert or normal. All the time throughout (despite some contrary expectation etc.). All together all at once; all in one place or in a group (came all together) (cf. *altogether). All up with hopeless for (a person). At all (with neg. Or interrog.) In any way; to any extent (did not swim at all; did you like it at all?). In all in total; altogether. [old english]

Cert  n. (esp. Dead cert) slang a certainty. [abbreviation]

Autonomous  adj. 1 having self-government. 2 acting or free to act independently. [greek nomos law]
Easily  adv. 1 without difficulty. 2 by far (easily the best). 3 very probably (it could easily snow).
Contrivance  n. 1 something contrived, esp. A plan or mechanical device. 2 act of contriving.

Usage  the adjective alternative should not be confused with alternate, as in ‘there will be a dance on alternate saturdays’.


Transom window  n. Window above a transom.


Mermaid  n. Legendary creature with a woman's head and trunk and a fish's tail. [from *mere2 ‘sea’, *maid]
Sprung  see *spring.


Lugworm  n. Large marine worm used as bait. [origin unknown]
Overstrain  v. Strain too much.

Loop  —n. 1 a figure produced by a curve, or a doubled thread etc., that crosses itself. B thing, path, etc., forming this figure. 2 similarly shaped attachment used as a fastening. 3 ring etc. As a handle etc. 4 contraceptive coil. 5 (in full loop-line) railway or telegraph line that diverges from a main line and joins it again. 6 skating or aerobatic manoeuvre describing a loop. 7 complete circuit for an electric current. 8 endless band of tape or film allowing continuous repetition. 9 sequence of computer operations repeated until some condition is satisfied. —v. 1 form or bend into a loop. 2 fasten with a loop or loops. 3 form a loop. 4 (also loop the loop) fly in a circle vertically. [origin unknown]



Lain  past part. Of *lie1.


Tripe  n. 1 first or second stomach of a ruminant, esp. An ox, as food. 2 colloq. Nonsense, rubbish. [french]
Tote1  n. Slang totalizator. [abbreviation]
Groundless  adj. Without motive or foundation.

Loyalist  n. 1 person who remains loyal to the legitimate sovereign etc. 2 (loyalist) (esp. Extremist) supporter of union between great britain and northern ireland.  loyalism n.

Catalytic converter  n. Device incorporated in a vehicle's exhaust system, with a catalyst for converting pollutant gases into harmless products.

Lock2  n. 1 portion of hair that hangs together. 2 (in pl.) The hair of the head (golden locks). [old english]

Strait-laced  adj. Puritanical.

Operation  n. 1 action, scope, or method of working or operating. 2 active process. 3 piece of work, esp. One in a series (begin operations). 4 act of surgery on a patient. 5 military manoeuvre. 6 financial transaction. 7 state of functioning (in operation). 8 subjection of a number etc. To a process affecting its value or form, e.g. Multiplication. [latin: related to *operate]
Jam-packed  adj. Colloq. Full to capacity.


Hemorrhoids  n.pl. (brit. Haem-) swollen veins in the wall of the anus; piles. [greek haima blood, -rhoos -flowing]



Aright  adv. Rightly.
Hexameter  n. Line of verse with six metrical feet.
Reoccur  v. (-rr-) occur again or habitually.  reoccurrence n.
Distend  v. Swell out by pressure from within (distended stomach).  distensible adj. Distension n. [latin: related to *tend1]
Gymnastic  adj. Of or involving gymnastics.  gymnastically adv.
Exercise  —n. 1 activity requiring physical effort, done to sustain or improve health. 2 mental or spiritual activity, esp. As practice to develop a faculty. 3 task devised as exercise. 4 a use or application of a mental faculty, right, etc. B practice of an ability, quality, etc. 5 (often in pl.) Military drill or manoeuvres. —v. (-sing) 1 use or apply (a faculty, right, etc.). 2 perform (a function). 3 a take (esp. Physical) exercise. B provide (an animal) with exercise. 4 a tax the powers of. B perplex, worry. [latin exerceo keep busy]
Allure  —v. (-ring) attract, charm, or entice. —n. Attractiveness, personal charm, fascination.  allurement n. [french: related to *ad-, *lure]
Exuberant  adj. 1 lively, high-spirited. 2 (of a plant etc.) Prolific. 3 (of feelings etc.) Abounding.  exuberance n. Exuberantly adv. [latin uber fertile]
Space age  —n. Era of space travel. —attrib. Adj. (space-age) very modern.
Bubble and squeak  n. Cooked cabbage etc. Fried with cooked potatoes.

Leave2  n. 1 (often foll. By to + infin.) Permission. 2 a (in full leave of absence) permission to be absent from duty. B period for which this lasts.  on leave legitimately absent from duty. Take one's leave (of) bid farewell (to). Take leave of one's senses go mad. [old english]






Waxwing  n. Any of various birds with tips like red sealing-wax to some wing-feathers.
Reparable  adj. (of a loss etc.) That can be made good. [latin: related to *repair1]
She  —pron. (obj. Her; poss. Her; pl. They) the woman, girl, female animal, ship, or country, etc. Previously named or in question. —n. 1 female; woman. 2 (in comb.) Female (she-goat). [old english]
Overbear  v. (past -bore; past part. -borne) 1 (as overbearing adj.) A domineering, bullying. B overpowering. 2 bear down by weight, force, or emotion. 3 repress by power or authority.

Neutral  —adj. 1 not supporting either of two opposing sides, impartial. 2 belonging to a neutral state etc. (neutral ships). 3 indistinct, vague, indeterminate. 4 (of a gear) in which the engine is disconnected from the driven parts. 5 (of colours) not strong or positive; grey or beige. 6 chem. Neither acid nor alkaline. 7 electr. Neither positive nor negative. 8 biol. Sexually undeveloped; asexual. —n. 1 a neutral state or person. B citizen of a neutral state. 2 neutral gear.  neutrality n. [latin neutralis of neuter gender]

Distemper1  hist —n. Paint using glue or size as a base, for use on walls. —v. Paint with this. [latin, = soak: see *distemper2]


Cable  —n. 1 encased group of insulated wires for transmitting electricity etc. 2 thick rope of wire or hemp. 3 cablegram. 4 (in full cable stitch) knitting stitch resembling twisted rope. —v. (-ling) transmit (a message) or inform (a person) by cablegram. [latin caplum halter, from arabic]
Iba  abbr. Independent broadcasting authority.
Cross-reference  —n. Reference from one part of a book etc. To another. —v. Provide with cross-references.

Grave3  v. (-ving; past part. Graven or graved) 1 (foll. By in, on) fix indelibly (on one's memory). 2 archaic engrave, carve. [old english]
Thunder  —n. 1 loud noise caused by lightning and due to the expansion of rapidly heated air. 2 resounding loud deep noise (thunders of applause). 3 strong censure or denunciation. —v. 1  (prec. By it as subject) thunder sounds (it is thundering; if it thunders). 2 make or proceed with a noise like thunder. 3 utter (threats, compliments, etc.) Loudly. 4 (foll. By against etc.) Make violent threats etc. Against.  steal a person's thunder see *steal.  thundery adj. [old english]
Tiddly-wink  n. 1 counter flicked with another into a cup etc. 2 (in pl.) This game. [perhaps related to *tiddly1]


Reflect  v. 1 (of a surface or body) throw back (heat, light, sound, etc.). 2  (of a mirror) show an image of; reproduce to the eye or mind. 3 correspond in appearance or effect to (their behaviour reflects their upbringing). 4 a (of an action, result, etc.) Show or bring (credit, discredit, etc.). B (absol.; usu. Foll. By on, upon) bring discredit on. 5 a (often foll. By on, upon) meditate on; think about. B (foll. By that, how, etc.) Consider; remind oneself. [latin flecto flex- bend]


Penniless  adj. Having no money; destitute.



Highly  adv. 1 in a high degree (highly amusing; commend it highly). 2 favourably (think highly of him).
Foe  abbr. Friends of the earth.

Cultivate  v. (-ting) 1 prepare and use (soil etc.) For crops or gardening. 2 a raise (crops). B culture (bacteria etc.). 3 a (often as cultivated adj.) Improve (the mind, manners, etc.). B nurture (a person, friendship, etc.).  cultivable adj. Cultivation n. [latin colo cult- till, worship]

Stage fright  n. Performer's fear of an audience.
Unstring  v. (past and past part. Unstrung) 1 remove or relax the string(s) of (a bow, harp, etc.). 2 remove (beads etc.) From a string. 3 (esp. As unstrung adj.) Unnerve.

Elusive  adj. 1 difficult to find or catch. 2 difficult to remember. 3 avoiding the point raised.  elusiveness n.
Self-sacrifice  n. Selflessness; self-denial.  self-sacrificing adj.



Augment  v. Make or become greater; increase.  augmentation n. [latin: related to *auction]


A level  n. = *advanced level.
Lamé  n. Fabric with gold or silver threads interwoven. [french]

Seagull  n. = *gull1.




Hailstone  n. Pellet of hail.


Hellene  n. 1 native of modern greece. 2 ancient greek.  hellenic adj. [greek]
National park  n. Area of natural beauty protected by the state for the use of the public.




Self-preservation  n. 1 keeping oneself safe. 2 instinct for this.

Trading estate  n. Specially-designed industrial and commercial area.
Heath  n. 1 area of flattish uncultivated land with low shrubs. 2 plant growing on a heath, esp. Heather. [old english]
Police station  n. Office of a local police force.

Retroactive  adj. (esp. Of legislation) effective from a past date.







Conversation  n. 1 informal spoken communication. 2 instance of this. [latin: related to *converse1]
Incontestable  adj. That cannot be disputed.  incontestably adv.

Motor  —n. 1 thing that imparts motion. 2 machine (esp. One using electricity or internal combustion) supplying motive power for a vehicle or other machine. 3 = *car 1. 4 (attrib.) A giving, imparting, or producing motion. B driven by a motor (motor-mower). C of or for motor vehicles. D anat. Relating to muscular movement or the nerves activating it. —v. Go or convey in a motor vehicle. [latin: related to *move]

Hearse  n. Vehicle for conveying the coffin at a funeral. [french herse harrow, from latin hirpex large rake]




Inestimable  adj. Too great, precious, etc., to be estimated.  inestimably adv.





Stria  n. (pl. Striae) slight ridge or furrow. [latin]



Sedge  n. Waterside or marsh plant resembling coarse grass.  sedgy adj. [old english]


Ball-bearing  n. 1 bearing in which the two halves are separated by a ring of small balls. 2 one of these balls.

Cladistics  n.pl. (usu. Treated as sing.) Biol. Method of classifying animals and plants on the basis of shared characteristics. [greek klados branch]
Cellophane  n. Propr. Thin transparent viscose wrapping material. [from *cellulose: cf. *diaphanous]
Mantrap  n. Trap for catching trespassers etc.




Big top  n. Main tent in a circus.
Fir-cone  n. Fruit of the fir.





Overdose  n. Excessive dose of a drug etc.





Wart  n. 1 small hard round growth on the skin. 2 protuberance on the skin of an animal, surface of a plant, etc.  warts and all colloq. With no attempt to conceal blemishes.  warty adj. [old english]
Shutter  —n. 1 movable hinged cover for a window. 2 device that exposes the film in a camera. —v. Provide with shutters.
Slide  —v. (past and past part. Slid) 1 move along a smooth surface with continuous contact on the same part of the thing moving. 2 move quietly or smoothly; glide. 3 glide over ice without skates. 4 (foll. By over) barely touch upon (a delicate subject etc.). 5 (often foll. By into) move quietly or unobtrusively. —n. 1 act of sliding. 2 rapid decline. 3 inclined plane down which children, goods, etc., slide. 4 track made by or for sliding, esp. On ice. 5 part of a machine or instrument that slides. 6 a mounted transparency viewed with a projector. B piece of glass holding an object for a microscope. 7 = *hair-slide.  let things slide be negligent; allow deterioration. [old english]

Under-secretary  n. (pl. -ies) subordinate official, esp. A junior minister or senior civil servant.

Milli-  comb. Form thousand, esp. Denoting a factor of one thousandth. [latin mille thousand]
Housemaid  n. Female servant in a house.






Broach  —v. 1 raise for discussion. 2 pierce (a cask) to draw liquor. 3 open and start using. —n. 1 bit for boring. 2 roasting-spit. [latin broccus projecting]
Enkephalin  n. Either of two morphine-like peptides in the brain thought to control levels of pain. [greek egkephalos brain]





Dd  abbr. Doctor of divinity.
Extended-play  adj. (of a gramophone record) playing for somewhat longer than most singles.


Tuft  n. Bunch or collection of threads, grass, feathers, hair, etc., held or growing together at the base.  tufted adj. Tufty adj. [probably french tofe]


Topgallant  n. Mast, sail, yard, or rigging immediately above the topmast and topsail.
Stake2  —n. 1 sum of money etc. Wagered on an event. 2 (often foll. By in) interest or concern, esp. Financial. 3 (in pl.) A prize-money, esp. In a horse-race. B such a race. —v. 1 wager. 2 us colloq. Support, esp. Financially.  at stake risked, to be won or lost. [old english]


Magyar  —n. 1 member of the chief ethnic group in hungary. 2 their language. —adj. Of this people. [native name]

Chipolata  n. Small thin sausage. [french from italian]
Contribution  n. 1 act of contributing. 2 thing contributed.
Brad  n. Thin flat nail with a head on only one side. [old norse]



Livable  var. Of *liveable.
Coal gas  n. Mixed gases formerly extracted from coal and used for lighting and heating.
Sun-roof  n. Panel in a car's roof that can be opened.





Prestressed  adj. (of concrete) strengthened by stretched wires within it.
Sit-upon  n. Colloq. Buttocks.





Crocodile  n. 1 a large tropical amphibious reptile with thick scaly skin, a long tail, and long jaws. B (often attrib.) Its skin. 2 colloq. Line of schoolchildren etc. Walking in pairs. [greek krokodilos]
Dynast  n. 1 ruler. 2 member of a dynasty. [latin from greek]
Mouse  —n. (pl. Mice) 1 small rodent, esp. Of a kind infesting houses. 2 timid or feeble person. 3 (pl. -s) computing small hand-held device controlling the cursor on a vdu screen. —v. (-sing) (of a cat, owl, etc.) Hunt mice.  mouser n. [old english]
Performance  n. 1 (usu. Foll. By of) a act, process, or manner of performing or functioning. B execution (of a duty etc.). 2 performing of a play, music, etc.; instance of this. 3 colloq. Fuss; emotional scene.
British  —adj. Of great britain, the british commonwealth, or their people. —n. (prec. By the; treated as pl.) The british people. [old english]
Lament  —n. 1 passionate expression of grief. 2 song etc. Of mourning etc. —v. (also absol.) 1 express or feel grief for or about. 2 (as lamented adj.) Used to refer to a recently dead person.  lament for (or over) mourn or regret. [latin lamentor]

Truant  —n. 1 child who stays away from school. 2 person who avoids work etc. —adj. Shirking, idle, wandering. —v. (also play truant) be a truant.  truancy n. (pl. -ies). [french, probably from celtic]

Quadrille  n. 1 a kind of square dance. 2 music for this. [french]
Factorize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) resolve into factors.  factorization n.
Chain-smoke  v. Smoke continually, esp. By lighting the next cigarette etc. From the previous one.  chain-smoker n.

Bonkers  predic. Adj. Slang crazy. [origin unknown]



Miss1  —v. 1 (also absol.) Fail to hit, reach, find, catch, etc. (an object or goal). 2 fail to catch (a bus, train, etc.) Or see (an event) or meet (a person). 3 fail to seize (an opportunity etc.) (missed my chance). 4 fail to hear or understand (missed what you said). 5 a regret the loss or absence of (did you miss me?). B notice the loss or absence of (won't be missed until evening). 6 avoid (go early to miss the traffic). 7  (of an engine etc.) Fail, misfire. —n. Failure to hit, reach, attain, connect, etc.  be missing not have (am missing a page) (see also *missing).

Sand  —n. 1 fine loose grains resulting from the erosion of esp. Siliceous rocks and forming the seashore, deserts, etc. 2 (in pl.) A grains of sand. B expanse of sand. C sandbank. —v. Smooth with sandpaper or sand. [old english]
Paederast  var. Of *pederast.




Alcohol  n. 1 (in full ethyl alcohol) colourless volatile inflammable liquid, esp. As the intoxicant in wine, beer, spirits, etc., and as a solvent, fuel, etc. 2 liquor containing this. 3 chem. Any of many organic compounds containing one or more hydroxyl groups attached to carbon atoms. [arabic: related to *kohl]

Wrapping  n. (esp. In pl.) Material used to wrap; wraps, wrappers.


Herd  —n. 1 a number of animals, esp. Cattle, feeding or travelling or kept together. 2 (prec. By the) derog. Large number of people; mob (tends to follow the herd). —v. 1 (cause to) go in a herd (herded together for warmth; herded the cattle into the field). 2 look after (sheep, cattle, etc.). [old english]
Idiot  n. 1 stupid person. 2 mentally deficient person incapable of rational conduct.  idiotic adj. Idiotically adv. [greek idiotes, = private citizen, ignorant person]


Overbalance  v. (-cing) 1 lose balance and fall. 2 cause to do this.
Dharma  n. Ind. 1 social custom; correct behaviour. 2 the buddhist truth. 3 the hindu moral law. [sanskrit, = decree, custom]

Ultra-high  adj. (of a frequency) in the range 300 to 3000 megahertz.



Finnish  —adj. Of the finns or their language. —n. Language of the finns.

Crown derby  n. Porcelain made at derby and often marked with a crown.
Yellow  —adj. 1 of the colour of buttercups, lemons, egg-yolks, etc. 2 having a yellow skin or complexion. 3 colloq. Cowardly. —n. 1 yellow colour or pigment. 2 yellow clothes or material. —v. Turn yellow.  yellowish adj. Yellowness n. Yellowy adj. [old english: related to *gold]
Gatt  abbr. General agreement on tariffs and trade.


Greed  n. Excessive desire, esp. For food or wealth. [from *greedy]

Echo-sounder  n. Depth-sounding device using timed echoes.
Legalese  n. Colloq. Technical language of legal documents.
Shop steward  n. Elected representative of workers in a factory etc.
Roll of honour  n. List of those honoured, esp. The dead in war.

Substance  n. 1 particular kind of material having uniform properties. 2 reality; solidity. 3 content or essence as opposed to form etc. (substance of his remarks). 4 wealth and possessions (woman of substance).  in substance generally; essentially. [latin substantia]
Systems analysis  n. Analysis of a complex process etc. In order to improve its efficiency esp. By using a computer.  systems analyst n.


Gunfire  n. Firing of a gun or guns.
Noddy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 simpleton. 2 tropical sea bird. [origin unknown]


-itic  suffix forming adjectives and nouns corresponding to nouns in -ite, -itis, etc. (semitic; arthritic). [latin -iticus, greek -itikos]

Boulevard  n. 1 broad tree-lined avenue. 2 esp. Us broad main road. [french from german]
Sweet pepper  n. Mild pepper.





Snapshot  n. Casual or informal photograph.
Strongroom  n. Room, esp. In a bank, for keeping valuables safe from fire and theft.
Playboy  n. Wealthy pleasure-seeking man.
Rose-bush  n. Rose plant.







Glamour  n. (us glamor) 1 physical, esp. Cosmetic, attractiveness. 2 alluring or exciting beauty or charm.  glamorous adj. Glamorously adv. [var. Of *grammar in obsolete sense ‘magic’]
Salt-mine  n. Mine yielding rock-salt.
Baby  —n. (pl. -ies) 1 very young child. 2 childish person. 3 youngest member of a family etc. 4 (often attrib.) A very young animal. B small specimen. 5 slang sweetheart. 6 one's special concern etc. —v. (-ies, -ied) treat like a baby; pamper.  babyhood n. Babyish adj. [imitative of child's ba ba]
Fell2  v. 1 cut down (esp. A tree). 2 strike or knock down. 3 stitch down (the edge of a seam). [old english]
Bantu  —n. (pl. Same or -s) 1 often offens. Member of a large group of central and southern african blacks. 2 group of languages spoken by them. —adj. Of these peoples or languages. [bantu, = people]


Marriage of convenience  n. Loveless marriage for gain.

Miaow  —n. Characteristic cry of a cat. —v. Make this cry. [imitative]

Rhythm section  n. Piano (or guitar etc.), bass, and drums in a dance or jazz band.


Defecate  v. (-ting) evacuate the bowels.  defecation n. [latin faex faecis dregs]
Summon  v. 1 order to come or appear, esp. In a lawcourt. 2 (usu. Foll. By to + infin.) Call upon (summoned her to assist). 3 call together. 4 (often foll. By up) gather (courage, spirits, resources, etc.). [latin summoneo]
Noise  —n. 1 sound, esp. A loud or unpleasant one. 2 series or confusion of loud sounds. 3 irregular fluctuations accompanying a transmitted signal. 4 (in pl.) Conventional remarks, or speechlike sounds without actual words (made sympathetic noises). —v. (-sing) (usu. In passive) make public; spread abroad (a person's fame or a fact). [latin *nausea]
They've  contr. They have.
Pantihose  n. (usu. Treated as pl.) Us women's tights.









Sling1  —n. 1 strap etc. Used to support or raise a thing. 2 bandage supporting an injured arm from the neck. 3 strap etc. For firing a stone etc. By hand. —v. (past and past part. Slung) 1 colloq. Throw. 2 suspend with a sling.  sling one's hook slang go away. [old norse or low german or dutch]

Indescribable  adj. 1 too good or bad etc. To be described. 2 that cannot be described.  indescribably adv.
Inconsiderate  adj. (of a person or action) lacking regard for others; thoughtless.  inconsiderately adv. Inconsiderateness n.
Phase  —n. 1 stage in a process of change or development. 2 each of the aspects of the moon or a planet, according to the amount of its illumination. 3 physics stage in a periodically recurring sequence, esp. The wave-form of alternating electric currents or light. —v. (-sing) carry out (a programme etc.) In phases or stages.  phase in (or out) bring gradually into (or out of) use. [greek phasis appearance]
Knuckle sandwich  n. Slang punch in the mouth.
Subordinate clause  n. Clause serving as an adjective, adverb, or noun in a main sentence.
Lay2  adj. 1 a non-clerical. B not ordained into the clergy. 2 a not professionally qualified. B of or done by such persons. [greek laos people]


Ammunition  n. 1 supply of bullets, shells, grenades, etc. 2 information usable in an argument. [french la *munition taken as l'ammu-]

Sheep-dip  n. Preparation or place for cleansing sheep of vermin by dipping.
Primrose  n. 1 a wild plant bearing pale yellow spring flowers. B its flower. 2 pale yellow colour. [french and medieval latin, = first rose]






Christen  v. 1 baptize as a sign of admission to the christian church. 2 give a name to. 3 colloq. Use for the first time.  christening n. [latin: related to *christian]
Driblet  n. Small quantity.

Fleet  —n. 1 a warships under one commander-in-chief. B (prec. By the) nation's warships etc.; navy. 2 number of vehicles in one company etc. —adj. Poet. Literary swift, nimble. [old english]
Austerity  n. (pl. -ies) being austere; hardship.
Unfrequented  adj. Not frequented.


Crispy  adj. (-ier, -iest) crisp.  crispiness n.
Stall1  —n. 1 trader's booth or table in a market etc. 2 compartment for one animal in a stable or cowhouse. 3 fixed, usu. Partly enclosed, seat in the choir or chancel of a church. 4 (usu. In pl.) Each of the seats on the ground floor of a theatre. 5 a compartment for one person in a shower-bath etc. B compartment for one horse at the start of a race. 6 a stalling of an engine or aircraft. B condition resulting from this. —v. 1 (of a vehicle or its engine) stop because of an overload on the engine or an inadequate supply of fuel to it. 2 (of an aircraft or its pilot) lose control because the speed is too low. 3 cause to stall. [old english]
Shod  past and past part. Of *shoe.
Swift  —adj. 1 quick, rapid. 2 prompt. —n. Swift-flying migratory bird with long wings.  swiftly adv. Swiftness n. [old english]
Snail  n. Slow-moving gastropod mollusc with a spiral shell. [old english]
Pray  v. (often foll. By for or to + infin. Or that + clause) 1 say prayers; make devout supplication. 2 a entreat. B ask earnestly (prayed to be released). 3 (as imper.) Archaic please (pray tell me). [latin precor]

Public company  n.  Company that sells shares on the open market.
Polychrome  —adj. In many colours. —n. Polychrome work of art. [greek: related to *poly-, *chrome]
Mortician  n. Us undertaker. [latin mors mort- death]
Rebuild  v. (past and past part. Rebuilt) build again or differently.


Formal  adj. 1 in accordance with rules, convention, or ceremony (formal dress; formal occasion). 2 precise or symmetrical (formal garden). 3 prim or stiff. 4 perfunctory, in form only. 5 drawn up etc. Correctly; explicit (formal agreement). 6 of or concerned with (outward) form, not content or matter.  formally adv. [latin: related to *form]

Cellular  adj. Consisting of cells, of open texture; porous.  cellularity n. [french: related to *cell]



King's guide  n. = *queen's guide.





Apologia  n. Formal defence of opinions or conduct. [greek: see *apology]




Instill  v. (brit. Instil) (-ll-) (often foll. By into) 1 introduce (a feeling, idea, etc.) Into a person's mind etc. Gradually. 2 put (a liquid) into something in drops.  instillation n. Instilment n. [latin stillo drop]
Antiserum  n. Serum with a high antibody content.
Zest  n. 1 piquancy; stimulating flavour or quality. 2 a keen enjoyment or interest. B (often foll. By for) relish. C gusto. 3 scraping of orange or lemon peel as flavouring.  zestful adj. Zestfully adv. [french]


Assuage  v. (-ging) 1 calm or soothe. 2 appease (an appetite).  assuagement n. [latin suavis sweet]

Trice  n.  in a trice in an instant. [trice haul up, from low german and dutch]


Sec.  Abbr. Second(s).

Bay2  n. 1 laurel with deep green leaves. 2 (in pl.) Bay wreath, for a victor or poet. [latin baca berry]

Confuse  v. (-sing) 1 perplex, bewilder. 2 mix up in the mind; mistake (one for another). 3 make indistinct (confuse the issue). 4 (often as confused adj.) Throw into disorder.  confusedly adv. Confusing adj. [related to *confound]
Labium  n. (pl. Labia) (usu. In pl.) Each fold of skin of the two pairs enclosing the vulva. [latin, = lip]
Poised  adj. 1 a composed, self-assured. B carrying oneself gracefully or with dignity. 2 (often foll. By for, or to + infin.) Ready for action.
Stalactite  n. Icicle-like deposit of calcium carbonate hanging from the roof of a cave etc. [greek stalaktos dripping]




Emery-board  n. Emery-coated nail-file.
Hidden agenda  n. Secret motivation behind a policy, statement, etc.; ulterior motive.

Slip2  n. 1 small piece of paper, esp. For writing on. 2 piece cut from a plant for grafting or planting.  slip of a small and slim (slip of a girl). [low german or dutch]
Crucible  n. 1 melting-pot for metals etc. 2 severe test. [medieval latin: related to *crucial]




Intervention  n. 1 intervening. 2 interference, esp. By a state. 3 mediation.

Hysterical  adj. 1 of or affected with hysteria. 2 uncontrollably emotional. 3 colloq. Extremely funny.  hysterically adv.


Gunnery  n. 1 construction and management of large guns. 2 firing of guns.
Incompetent  —adj. Lacking the necessary skill. —n. Incompetent person.  incompetence n.



Gdp  abbr. Gross domestic product.

Needlework  n. Sewing or embroidery.


Palatial  adj. (of a building) like a palace; spacious and splendid.  palatially adv. [latin: related to *palace]

Costumier  n. Person who makes or deals in costumes. [french: related to *costume]
Spinney  n. (pl. -s) small wood; thicket. [latin spinetum from spina thorn]
Oviparous  adj.  Producing young from eggs hatching after leaving the body. [from *ovum, latin -parus bearing]



Hero  n. (pl. -es) 1 person noted or admired for nobility, courage, outstanding achievements, etc. 2 chief male character in a play, story, etc. [greek heros]

Star of david  n. Two interlaced equilateral triangles used as a jewish and israeli symbol.

Grumpy  adj. (-ier, -iest) morosely irritable.  grumpily adv. Grumpiness n. [imitative]




Glass-blowing  n. Blowing semi-molten glass to make glassware.

Art nouveau  n. Art style of the late 19th century, with flowing lines.
Artificial  adj. 1 not natural (artificial lake). 2 imitating nature (artificial flowers). 3 affected, insincere.  artificiality n. Artificially adv. [latin: related to *artifice]



Sapling  n. Young tree. [from *sap1]



Discompose  v. (-sing) disturb the composure of.  discomposure n.


Dextrin  n. Soluble gummy substance used as a thickening agent, adhesive, etc. [latin dextra on or to the right]
Replacement  n. 1 replacing or being replaced. 2 person or thing that replaces another.


Whelk  n. Marine mollusc with a spiral shell. [old english]
Throw  —v. (past threw; past part. Thrown) 1 propel with force through the air. 2 force violently into, or compel to be in, a specified position or state (thrown on the rocks; threw themselves down; thrown out of work). 3 turn or move (part of the body) quickly or suddenly (threw an arm out). 4 project or cast (light, a shadow, etc.). 5 a bring to the ground in wrestling. B (of a horse) unseat (its rider). 6 colloq. Disconcert (the question threw me). 7 (foll. By on, off, etc.) Put (clothes etc.) Hastily on or off etc. 8 a cause (dice) to fall on a table etc. B obtain (a specified number) by throwing dice. 9 cause to pass or extend suddenly to another state or position (threw a bridge across the river). 10 operate (a switch or lever). 11 form on a potter's wheel. 12 have (a fit or tantrum etc.). 13 give (a party). —n. 1 act of throwing or being thrown. 2 distance a thing is or may be thrown. 3 (prec. By a) slang each; per item (sold at £10 a throw).  throw away 1 discard as useless or unwanted. 2 waste or fail to make use of (an opportunity etc.). Throw back 1 revert to ancestral character. 2 (usu. In passive; foll. By on) compel to rely on. Throw in 1 interpose (a word or remark). 2 include at no extra cost. 3 throw (a football) from the edge of the pitch where it has gone out of play. Throw in the towel (or sponge) admit defeat. Throw off 1 discard; contrive to get rid of. 2 write or utter in an offhand manner. Throw oneself at seek blatantly as a sexual partner. Throw oneself into engage vigorously in. Throw oneself on (or upon) rely completely on. Throw open (often foll. By to) 1 cause to be suddenly or widely open. 2 make accessible. Throw out 1 put out forcibly or suddenly. 2 discard as unwanted. 3 reject (a proposal).
Sconce  n. Wall-bracket for a candlestick or light-fitting. [latin (ab)sconsa covered (light)]


Autoimmune  adj. (of a disease) caused by antibodies produced against substances naturally present in the body.

Dampen  v. 1 make or become damp. 2 (often foll. By down) = *damp v. 2a.


Q 

Camembert  n. A kind of soft creamy pungent cheese. [camembert in france]
Rescue  —v. (-ues, -ued, -uing) (often foll. By from) save or set free from danger or harm. —n. Rescuing or being rescued.  rescuer n. [romanic: related to *re-, *ex-1, *quash]
Angiosperm  n. Plant producing flowers and reproducing by seeds enclosed within a carpel, including herbaceous plants, grasses, and most trees. [greek aggeion vessel]

Dralon  n. Propr. 1 synthetic acrylic fibre. 2 fabric made from this. [invented word, after *nylon]
Co-opt  v. Appoint to membership of a body by invitation of the existing members.  co-option n. Co-optive adj. [latin coopto from opto choose]

Photo finish  n. Close finish of a race or contest, where the winner is distinguishable only on a photograph.
Sibilant  —adj. 1 sounded with a hiss. 2 hissing. —n. Sibilant letter or sound.  sibilance n. Sibilancy n. [latin]
Numismatics  n.pl. (usu. Treated as sing.) The study of coins or medals.  numismatist n.
Therein  adv. Formal 1 in that place etc. 2 in that respect.

Stationery  n. Writing-materials, office supplies, etc.

Pecker  n. Us coarse slang penis.  keep your pecker up colloq. Remain cheerful.

Appendix  n. (pl. -dices) 1 tissue forming a tube-shaped sac attached to the large intestine. 2 addition to a book etc. [latin: related to *append]


Imaginative  adj. Having or showing imagination.  imaginatively adv. Imaginativeness n.
Aqua vitae  n. Strong alcoholic spirit, esp. Brandy. [latin, = water of life]
Sex life  n. Person's sexual activity.
Corrugate  v. (-ting) (esp. As corrugated adj.) Form into alternate ridges and grooves, esp. To strengthen (corrugated iron).  corrugation n. [latin ruga wrinkle]



Calyx  n. (pl. Calyces or -es) (also calix) 1 sepals forming the protective case of a flower in bud. 2 cuplike cavity or structure. [greek, = husk]
Usage  use of liable in sense 5, though common, is considered incorrect by some people.
Liturgy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 prescribed form of public worship. 2 (the liturgy) the book of common prayer.  liturgical adj. Liturgically adv. [greek leitourgia public worship]

Private eye  n. Colloq. Private detective.
Pitta  n. (also pita) flat hollow unleavened bread which can be split and filled. [modern greek, = a kind of cake]

Tone  —n. 1 musical or vocal sound, esp. With reference to its pitch, quality, and strength. 2 (often in pl.) Modulation of the voice expressing a particular feeling or mood (a cheerful tone). 3 manner of expression in writing or speaking. 4 mus. A musical sound, esp. Of a definite pitch and character. B interval of a major second, e.g. C–d. 5 a general effect of colour or of light and shade in a picture. B tint or shade of a colour. 6 prevailing character of the morals and sentiments etc. In a group. 7 proper firmness of the body. 8 state of good or specified health. —v. (-ning) 1 give the desired tone to. 2 modify the tone of. 3 (often foll. By to) attune. 4 (foll. By with) (esp. Of colour) be in harmony with.  tone down make or become softer in tone. Tone up make or become stronger in tone.  toneless adj. Tonelessly adv. Toner n. [greek tonos from teino stretch]
Inveigh  v. (foll. By against) speak or write with strong hostility. [latin invehor -vect- assail]
Albino  n. (pl. -s) 1 person or animal lacking pigment in the skin and hair (which are white), and the eyes (usu. Pink). 2 plant lacking normal colouring.  albinism n. [spanish and portuguese: related to *alb]
Incense2  v. (-sing) make angry. [latin: related to *incendiary]
Colour bar  n. Racial discrimination against non-white people.

Experiment  —n. Procedure adopted in the hope of success, or for testing a hypothesis etc., or to demonstrate a known fact. —v. (often foll. By on, with) make an experiment.  experimentation n. Experimenter n. [latin: related to *experience]
Unconcealed  adj. Not concealed; obvious.



Almshouse  n. Hist. Charitable institution for the poor.
Impasto  n. Art technique of laying on paint thickly. [italian]
Corps de ballet  n. Group of ensemble dancers in a ballet. [french]
Mullion  n. Vertical bar dividing the lights in a window.  mullioned adj. [probably french moinel middle: related to *mean3]





Suasion  n. Formal persuasion (moral suasion). [latin suadeo suas- urge]


Reproduce  v. (-cing) 1 produce a copy or representation of. 2 cause to be seen or heard etc. Again (tried to reproduce the sound exactly). 3 produce further members of the same species by natural means. 4 refl. Produce offspring.  reproducible adj.

Virginity  n. State of being a virgin.
Exhaustion  n. 1 exhausting or being exhausted. 2 total loss of strength.
Hind1  adj. At the back (hind leg). [old english hindan from behind]
West country  n. South-western england.


Duck2  n. 1 strong linen or cotton fabric. 2 (in pl.) Trousers made of this. [dutch]
Input  —n. 1 what is put in or taken in. 2 place where energy, information, etc., enters a system. 3 action of putting in or feeding in. 4 contribution of information etc. —v. (inputting; past and past part. Input or inputted) (often foll. By into) 1 put in. 2 supply (data, programs, etc., to a computer etc.).


Arbor vitae  n. Any of various evergreen conifers. [latin, = tree of life]


Preserve  —v. (-ving) 1 keep safe or free from decay etc. 2 maintain (a thing) in its existing state. 3 retain (a quality or condition). 4 treat (food) to prevent decomposition or fermentation. 5 keep (game etc.) Undisturbed for private use. —n. (in sing. Or pl.) 1 preserved fruit; jam. 2 place where game etc. Is preserved. 3 sphere of activity regarded as a person's own.  preservation n. [latin servo keep]
Fines herbes  n.pl. Mixed herbs used in cooking. [french, = fine herbs]
Nor'wester  n. Northwester.

Dabchick  n. = *little grebe. [old english]




Sperm  n. (pl. Same or -s) 1 = *spermatozoon. 2 semen. [greek sperma -mat-]
W.p.m.  Abbr. Words per minute.


Wilco  int. Colloq. Expressing compliance or agreement. [abbreviation of will comply]
Mayoress  n. 1 woman mayor. 2 wife or official consort of a mayor.


Newel  n. 1 supporting central post of winding stairs. 2 (also newel post) top or bottom supporting post of a stair-rail. [latin nodus knot]
Voice in the wilderness  n. Unheeded advocate of reform.
Mooch  v. Colloq. 1 (usu. Foll. By about, around) wander aimlessly around. 2 esp. Us cadge; steal. [probably from french muchier skulk]
Tribulation  n. Great affliction. [latin tribulum threshing-sledge]
Wretch  n. 1 unfortunate or pitiable person. 2 (often as a playful term of depreciation) reprehensible person. [old english, = outcast]
Tidemark  n. 1 mark made by the tide at high water. 2 a line left round a bath by the dirty water. B colloq. Line between washed and unwashed parts of a person's body.
Savor  (brit. Savour) —n. 1 characteristic taste, flavour, etc. 2 hint of a different quality etc. In something. —v. 1 appreciate and enjoy (food, an experience, etc.). 2 (foll. By of) imply or suggest (a specified quality). [latin sapor]


Aggrandize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 increase the power, rank or wealth of. 2 make seem greater.  aggrandizement n. [french: related to *grand]
Approbation  n. Approval, consent. [latin probo test]







Factory  n. (pl. -ies) building(s) in which goods are manufactured. [ultimately from latin factorium]
Gunner  n. 1 artillery soldier (esp. As an official term for a private). 2 naut. Warrant-officer in charge of a battery, magazine, etc. 3 member of an aircraft crew who operates a gun.

Grey  (us gray) —adj. 1 of a colour intermediate between black and white. 2 dull, dismal. 3 a (of hair) turning white with age etc. B having grey hair. 4 anonymous, unidentifiable. —n. 1 a grey colour or pigment. B grey clothes or material (dressed in grey). 2 grey or white horse. —v. Make or become grey.  greyish adj. Greyness n. [old english]

Downturn  n. Decline, esp. In economic activity.
Blackguard n. Villain, scoundrel.  blackguardly adj. [originally = menial]



King  n. 1 (as a title usu. King) male sovereign, esp. A hereditary ruler. 2 pre-eminent person or thing (oil king). 3 (attrib.) Large (or the largest) kind of plant, animal, etc. (king penguin). 4 chess piece which must be checkmated for a win. 5 crowned piece in draughts. 6 court-card depicting a king. 7 (the king) national anthem when the sovereign is male.  kingly adj. Kingship n. [old english]


Teletext  n. Computerized news and information service transmitted to the televisions of subscribers.

Checkpoint  n. Place, esp. A barrier or entrance, where documents, vehicles, etc., are inspected.
Latitudinarian  —adj. Liberal, esp. In religion. —n. Latitudinarian person.
Usage  sensual is sometimes confused with sensuous, which does not have the sexual overtones of sensual.
Anti-tank  attrib. Adj. Used against tanks.
Stellar  adj. Of a star or stars. [latin stella star]



Retrace  v. (-cing) 1 go back over (one's steps etc.). 2 trace back to a source or beginning. 3 recall the course of (a thing) in one's memory.

Abstraction  n. 1 abstracting or taking away. 2 abstract or visionary idea. 3 abstract qualities (esp. In art). 4 absent-mindedness.




Arab  —n. 1 member of a semitic people originating in saudi arabia and neighbouring countries, now widespread throughout the middle east. 2 horse of a breed orig. Native to arabia. —adj. Of arabia or the arabs (esp. With ethnic reference). [arabic araps]
Inquiry  n. (pl. -ies) 1 investigation, esp. An official one. 2 = *enquiry.
G-suit  n. Garment with inflatable pressurized pouches, worn by pilots and astronauts to enable them to withstand high acceleration. [g = gravity, *suit]

Argumentative  adj. Given to arguing.
Mezzanine  n. Storey between two others (usu. Between the ground and first floors). [italian: related to *median]
Dinner lady  n. Woman who supervises school dinners.
Weight  —n. 1 force experienced by a body as a result of the earth's gravitation. 2 heaviness of a body regarded as a property of it. 3 a quantitative expression of a body's weight. B scale of such weights (troy weight). 4 body of a known weight for use in weighing or weight training. 5 heavy body, esp. As used in a mechanism etc. 6 load or burden. 7 influence, importance. 8 athletics = *shot1 7. —v. 1 a attach a weight to. B hold down with a weight. 2 (foll. By with) impede or burden.  throw one's weight about (or around) colloq. Be unpleasantly self-assertive. Worth one's weight in gold very useful or helpful. [old english]
Intrauterine  adj. Within the womb.
Roll-neck  adj. (of a garment) having a high loosely turned-over neck.


Hero-worship  —n. Idealization of an admired person. —v. Idolize.







Articulate  —adj. 1 fluent and clear in speech. 2 (of sound or speech) having clearly distinguishable parts. 3 having joints. —v. (-ting) 1 a pronounce distinctly. B speak or express clearly. 2 (usu. In passive) connect by joints. 3 mark with apparent joints. 4 (often foll. By with) form a joint.  articulately adv.
Untrue  adj. 1 not true. 2 (often foll. By to) not faithful or loyal. 3 deviating from an accepted standard.

Decaliter  n. (brit. -litre) metric unit of capacity, equal to 10 litres.
Unexciting  adj. Not exciting; dull.


Buxom  adj. (esp. Of a woman) plump and rosy; busty. [earlier = pliant: related to *bow2]
Isosceles  adj. (of a triangle) having two sides equal. [from *iso-, greek skelos leg]
Hebe  n. Evergreen flowering shrub from new zealand. [greek goddess hebe]
Iron cross  n. German military decoration.
Fort  n. Fortified military building or position. [latin fortis strong]
Roar  —n. 1 a loud deep hoarse sound, as made by a lion. B similar sound. 2 loud laugh. —v. 1 (often foll. By out) utter loudly or make a roar, roaring laugh, etc. 2 travel in a vehicle at high speed, esp. With the engine roaring. [old english]
Shop  —n. 1 place for the retail sale of goods or services. 2 act of going shopping (did a big shop). 3 place for manufacture or repair (engineering-shop). 4 one's profession etc. As a subject of conversation (talk shop). 5 colloq.







Numerous  adj. 1 many. 2 consisting of many. [latin: related to *number]


Spontaneous combustion  n. Ignition of a substance from internal heat.

Sulpha  n. (us sulfa) any of various sulphonamides (often attrib.: sulpha drug). [abbreviation]
Hemline  n. Lower edge of a skirt etc.


Noteworthy  adj. Worthy of attention; remarkable.

Gibbous  adj. 1 convex. 2 (of a moon or planet) having the bright part greater than a semicircle and less than a circle. 3 humpbacked. [latin gibbus hump]


Cervical smear  n. Specimen from the neck of the womb for examination.
Occidental  —adj. 1 of the occident. 2 western. —n. Native of the occident.
White pepper  n. Pepper made by grinding a ripe or husked berry.
Demand  —n. 1 insistent and peremptory request. 2 desire for a commodity (no demand for fur coats). 3 urgent claim (makes demands on her). —v. 1 (often foll. By of, from, or to + infin., or that + clause) ask for insistently (demanded to know). 2 require (task demanding skill). 3 insist on being told (demanded her age). 4 (as demanding adj.) Requiring skill, effort, attention, etc. (demanding job; demanding child).  in demand sought after. On demand as soon as requested (payable on demand). [french from latin: related to *mandate]
Swig  —v. (-gg-) colloq. Drink in large draughts. —n. Swallow of drink, esp. Large. [origin unknown]


Choker  n. Close-fitting necklace.


Rabelaisian  adj. 1 of or like the french satirist rabelais or his writings. 2 marked by exuberant imagination and coarse humour.




Overseas  —adv. Across the sea; abroad. —attrib. Adj. Of places across the sea; foreign.



Bile  n. 1 bitter digestive fluid secreted by the liver. 2 bad temper; peevish anger. [latin bilis]

Pomegranate  n. 1 tropical fruit with a tough rind, reddish pulp, and many seeds. 2 tree bearing this. [french pome grenate from romanic, = many-seeded apple]


Smoke-free  adj. 1 free from smoke. 2 where smoking is not permitted.
Ill-use  v. = *ill-treat.

Livid  adj. 1 colloq. Furious. 2 of a bluish leaden colour (livid bruise). [latin]


Pedestrian crossing  n. Part of a road where crossing pedestrians have right of way.
Physical chemistry  n. Application of physics to the study of chemical behaviour.

Illusion  n. 1 false impression or belief. 2 state of being deceived by appearances. 3 figment of the imagination.  be under the illusion (foll. By that) believe mistakenly.  illusive adj. Illusory adj. [latin illudo mock]
Conk1  v. (usu. Foll. By out) colloq. 1 (of a machine etc.) Break down. 2 (of a person) become exhausted and give up; fall asleep; faint; die. [origin unknown]
Poetry  n. 1 art or work of a poet. 2 poems collectively. 3 poetic or tenderly pleasing quality. [medieval latin: related to *poet]
Outlet  n. 1 means of exit or escape. 2 means of expressing feelings. 3 a market for goods. B shop (retail outlet).

Poison  —n. 1 substance that when introduced into or absorbed by a living organism causes death or injury, esp. One that kills by rapid action even in a small quantity. 2 colloq. Harmful influence. —v. 1 administer poison to. 2 kill, injure, or infect with poison. 3 treat (a weapon) with poison. 4 corrupt or pervert (a person or mind). 5 spoil or destroy (a person's pleasure etc.).  poisoner n. Poisonous adj. [latin: related to *potion]


Crier  n. (also cryer) 1 person who cries. 2 official making public announcements in a lawcourt or street. [related to *cry]
Monoxide  n. Oxide containing one oxygen atom.
Allotropy  n. Existence of two or more different physical forms of a chemical element.  allotropic adj. [greek allos different, tropos manner]



Multi-  comb. Form many. [latin multus much, many]

Salami  n. (pl. -s) highly-seasoned orig. Italian sausage. [italian]




Microcomputer  n. Small computer with a microprocessor as its central processor.

Regatta  n. Event consisting of rowing or yacht races. [italian]
Handmaid  n. (also handmaiden) archaic female servant.
Recur  v. (-rr-) 1 occur again; be repeated. 2 (foll. By to) go back in thought or speech. 3 (as recurring adj.) (of a decimal fraction) with the same figure(s) repeated indefinitely (1.66 recurring). [latin curro run]
Safe house  n. Place of refuge etc. For spies, terrorists, etc.
Liking  n. 1 what one likes; one's taste (is it to your liking?). 2 (foll. By for) regard or fondness; taste or fancy.

Jobcentre  n. Local government office advertising available jobs.
Grace-note  n. Mus. Extra note as an embellishment.

Rotten borough  n. Hist. (before 1832) english borough electing an mp though having very few voters.


Search-party  n. Group of people conducting an organized search.




Unopposed  adj. Not opposed.

Bodysuit  n. Close-fitting all-in-one garment for women, worn esp. For sport.

Ring-pull  attrib. Adj. (of a tin) having a ring for pulling to break its seal.
Paper-mill  n. Mill in which paper is made.


Wherever  —adv. In or to whatever place. —conj. In every place that.


Shah  n. Hist. Former monarch of iran. [persian]
Dedicate  v. (-ting) (often foll. By to) 1 devote (esp. Oneself) to a special task or purpose. 2 address (a book etc.) To a friend, patron, etc. 3 devote (a building etc.) To a deity, saint, etc. 4 (as dedicated adj.) A (of a person) single-mindedly loyal to an aim, vocation, etc. B (of equipment, esp.

Overambitious  adj. Excessively ambitious.
Attendance  n. 1 attending or being present. 2 number present (high attendance).
Twelvemonth  n. Archaic year.
Y 
Monogram  n. Two or more letters, esp. A person's initials, interwoven as a device.



Gutter  —n. 1 shallow trough below the eaves of a house, or a channel at the side of a street, to carry off rainwater. 2 (prec. By the) poor or degraded background or environment. 3 open conduit. 4 groove. —v. (of a candle) burn unsteadily and melt away rapidly. [latin gutta drop]

Row-boat  n. Us = *rowing-boat.


Ammo  n. Slang ammunition. [abbreviation]


Corrigendum  n. (pl. -da) error to be corrected. [latin corrigo: related to *correct]
Grazing  n. Grassland suitable for pasturage.
Vandalize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) wilfully or maliciously destroy or damage (esp. Public property).

Camra  abbr. Campaign for real ale.
Civilian  —n. Person not in the armed services or police force. —adj. Of or for civilians.

Psaltery  n. (pl. -ies) ancient and medieval instrument like a dulcimer but played by plucking the strings. [latin: related to *psalter]

Steadfast  adj. Constant, firm, unwavering.  steadfastly adv. Steadfastness n. [old english: related to *stead]
Standard assessment task  n. Standard test given to schoolchildren.
Hegemony  n. Leadership, esp. By one state of a confederacy. [greek hegemon leader]
Boyo  n. (pl. -s) welsh & ir. Colloq. (esp. As a form of address) boy, mate.
Perceptive  adj. 1 sensitive; discerning. 2 capable of perceiving. perceptively adv. Perceptiveness n. Perceptivity n.


Impartial  adj. Treating all alike; unprejudiced, fair.  impartiality n. Impartially adv.

Successful  adj. Having success; prosperous.  successfully adv.
Lifelike  adj. Closely resembling life or the person or thing represented.
Tradespeople  n.pl. People engaged in trade.
Module  n. 1 standardized part or independent unit in construction, esp. Of furniture, a building, or an electronic system. 2 independent self-contained unit of a spacecraft. 3 unit or period of training or education.  modular adj. [latin: related to *modulus]
Yarn  —n. 1 spun thread, esp. For knitting, weaving, etc. 2 colloq. Story, traveller's tale, anecdote. —v. Colloq. Tell yarns. [old english]

Intertwine  v. (-ning) (often foll. By with) entwine (together).

Suspension bridge  n. Bridge with a roadway suspended from cables supported by towers.


Gastropod  n. (also gasteropod) mollusc that moves by means of a ventral muscular organ, e.g. A snail. [from *gastro-, greek pous pod- foot]


Green light  n. 1 signal to proceed on a road, railway, etc. 2 colloq. Permission to proceed with a project.


Tail wind  n. Wind blowing in the direction of travel.
Cassock  n. Long usu. Black or red clerical garment.  cassocked adj. [french from italian]
Fox-hunting  n. Hunting foxes with hounds.
Gobble1  v. (-ling) eat hurriedly and noisily. [from *gob2]
Cop-out  n. Cowardly evasion.

Friable  adj. Easily crumbled.  friability n. [latin frio crumble]
Whoever  pron. (obj. Whoever or formal whomever; poss. Whosever) 1 the or any person or persons who (whoever comes is welcome). 2 though anyone (whoever else objects, i do not).
Dominate  v. (-ting) 1 command, control. 2 be the most influential or obvious. 3 (of a high place) overlook.  domination n. [latin dominor from dominus lord]
Apex  n. (pl. -es) 1 highest point. 2 tip or pointed end. [latin]



Water-level  n. 1 a surface of the water in a reservoir etc. B height of this. 2 level below which the ground is saturated with water. 3 level using water to determine the horizontal.


Wainscot  n. Boarding or wooden panelling on the lower part of a room-wall. [low german wagenschot from wagen *wagon]


Yack  slang —n. Trivial or unduly persistent conversation. —v. Engage in this. [imitative]
All-clear  n. Signal that danger etc. Is over.
Shipper  n. Person or company that ships goods. [old english]
Perquisite  n. 1 extra profit or allowance additional to a main income etc. 2 customary extra right or privilege. [latin perquiro -quisit- search diligently for]
Point-blank  —adj. 1 a (of a shot) aimed or fired at very close range. B (of a range) very close. 2 (of a remark etc.) Blunt, direct. —adv. 1 at very close range. 2 directly, bluntly.

Cuff1  n. 1 end part of a sleeve. 2 us trouser turn-up. 3 (in pl.) Colloq. Handcuffs.  off the cuff colloq. Without preparation, extempore. [origin unknown]
Undergrowth  n. Dense shrubs etc., esp. In a wood.

Hereditary  adj. 1 (of a disease, instinct, etc.) Able to be passed down genetically from one generation to another. 2 a descending by inheritance. B holding a position by inheritance. [latin: related to *heir]
Per-  prefix 1 through; all over (pervade). 2 completely; very (perturb). 3 to destruction; to the bad (perdition; pervert). [latin per-: related to *per]




Helpline  n. Telephone service providing help with problems.



Ipso facto  adv. By that very fact. [latin]
Mulish  adj. Stubborn.

Snowfall  n. 1 fall of snow. 2 amount of this.
Pikestaff  n. Wooden shaft of a pike.  plain as a pikestaff quite plain or obvious.
Interstate  adj. Existing or carried on between states, esp. Those of the us.
First name  n. Personal or christian name.
Rump steak  n. Cut of beef from the rump.


Duke  n. 1 person holding the highest hereditary title of the nobility. 2 sovereign prince ruling a duchy or small state.  dukedom n. [latin dux leader]


Coarse  adj. 1 rough or loose in texture; made of large particles. 2 lacking refinement; crude, obscene.  coarsely adv. Coarseness n. [origin unknown]
Heir presumptive  n. Heir whose claim may be set aside by the birth of another heir.


Merry-go-round  n. 1 a fairground ride with revolving model horses or cars. B = *roundabout 2a. 2 cycle of bustling activity.
Educationist  n. (also educationalist) expert in educational methods.
Scoria  n. (pl. Scoriae) 1 cellular lava, or fragments of it. 2 slag or dross of metals.  scoriaceous adj. [greek skoria refuse]

Unrefined  adj. Not refined.

Hag  n. 1 ugly old woman. 2 witch. [old english]
Polyandry  n. Polygamy in which a woman has more than one husband.  polyandrous adj. [greek aner andr- male]
Nitride  n. Binary compound of nitrogen. [from *nitre]
Reassess  v. Assess again or differently.  reassessment n.

Grievance  n. Real or fancied cause for complaint. [french: related to *grief]

Oriental  (often oriental) —adj. Of the east, esp. E. Asia; of the orient. —n. Native of the orient.
Tulip  n. 1 bulbous spring-flowering plant with showy cup-shaped flowers. 2 its flower. [turkish tul(i)band *turban (from its shape), from persian]

Mote  n. Speck of dust. [old english]
Amour propre  n. Self-respect. [french]
Electromagnet  n. Soft metal core made into a magnet by passing an electric current through a coil surrounding it.
Bird's-eye view  n. Detached view from above.
Gaberdine  var. Of *gabardine.
Storyteller  n. 1 person who tells stories. 2 colloq. Liar.  storytelling n. & adj.
Carriageway  n. The part of a road intended for vehicles.



Tryst  n. Archaic meeting, esp. Of lovers. [french]



Gallium  n. Soft bluish-white metallic element. [latin gallia france: so named patriotically by its discoverer lecoq]

George cross  n. Decoration for bravery awarded esp. To civilians. [king george vi]
Fitful  adj. Spasmodic or intermittent.  fitfully adv.

Ev  abbr. Electronvolt.
Ornithology  n. The study of birds.  ornithological adj. Ornithologist n. [greek ornis ornith- bird]


Teeter  v. Totter; move unsteadily. [dial. Titter]
Sugar-daddy  n. Slang elderly man who lavishes gifts on a young woman.
Oscillo-  comb. Form oscillation, esp. Of an electric current.

Rainproof  adj. Impervious to rain.



Certify  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 attest; attest to, esp. Formally. 2 declare by certificate. 3 officially declare insane. [latin certus]
Barbecue  —n. 1 a meal cooked over charcoal etc. Out of doors. B party for this. 2 grill etc. Used for this. —v. (-ues, -ued, -uing) cook on a barbecue. [spanish from haitian]
Milk round  n. 1 fixed route for milk delivery. 2 regular trip with calls at several places.
Instance  —n. 1 example or illustration of. 2 particular case (that's not true in this instance). —v. (-cing) cite as an instance.  for instance as an example. In the first (or second etc.) Instance in the first (or second etc.) Place; at the first (or second etc.) Stage (of a proceeding). [french from latin instantia contrary example]

La  abbr. Los angeles.
Burgundy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 (also burgundy) a red or white wine from burgundy in e. France. B hist. Similar wine from elsewhere. 2 dark red colour of this.

Kennel  —n. 1 small shelter for a dog. 2 (in pl.) Breeding or boarding place for dogs. —v. (-ll-; us -l-) put into or keep in a kennel. [french chenil from latin canis dog]

Consistory  n. (pl. -ies) rc ch. Council of cardinals (with or without the pope). [latin: related to *consist]
Post-impressionism  n. Art intending to express the individual artist's conception of the objects represented.  post-impressionist n. & adj.

Avalanche  n. 1 rapidly sliding mass of snow and ice on a mountain. 2 sudden abundance (avalanche of work). [french]
Boob1  colloq. —n. 1 silly mistake. 2 foolish person. —v. Make a silly mistake. [shortening of *booby]
Suicidal  adj. 1 inclined to commit suicide. 2 of suicide. 3 self-destructive; rash.  suicidally adv.
Substandard  adj. Of less than the required or normal quality or size.
Hirsute  adj. Hairy. [latin]


Disquisition  n. Discursive treatise or discourse. [latin quaero quaesit- seek]
Sensitive  adj. 1 (often foll. By to) acutely susceptible to external stimuli or impressions; having sensibility. 2 easily offended or hurt. 3 (often foll. By to) (of an instrument etc.) Responsive to or recording slight changes. 4 (of photographic materials) responding (esp. Rapidly) to light. 5 (of a topic etc.) Requiring tactful treatment or secrecy.  sensitively adv. Sensitiveness n. Sensitivity n.
Trifling  adj. 1 unimportant, petty. 2 frivolous.
Stowage  n. 1 stowing. 2 place for this.

Fault  —n. 1 defect or imperfection of character, structure, appearance, etc. 2 responsibility for wrongdoing, error, etc. (your own fault). 3 break in an electric circuit. 4 transgression, offence. 5 a tennis etc. Incorrect service. B (in showjumping) penalty for error. 6 break in rock strata. —v. 1 find fault with; blame. 2 geol. A break the continuity of (strata). B show a fault.  at fault guilty; to blame. Find fault (often foll. By with) criticize; complain. To a fault excessively (generous to a fault). [latin fallo deceive]
Bolt1  —n. 1 sliding bar and socket used to fasten a door etc. 2 large metal pin with a thread, usu. Used with a nut, to hold things together. 3 discharge of lightning. 4 act of bolting. —v. 1 fasten with a bolt. 2 (foll. By in, out) keep (a person etc.) In or out by bolting a door. 3 fasten together with bolts. 4 a dash off suddenly. B (of a horse) suddenly gallop out of control. 5 gulp down (food) unchewed. 6 (of a plant) run to seed. —adv. (usu. In bolt upright) rigidly, stiffly.  bolt from the blue complete surprise. [old english]
Tayberry  n. (pl. -ies) hybrid fruit between the blackberry and raspberry. [river tay in scotland]
Lighten1  v. 1 a make or become lighter in weight. B reduce the weight or load of. 2 bring relief to (the mind etc.). 3 mitigate (a penalty).

Maundy thursday  n. Thursday before easter.
Trapper  n. Person who traps wild animals, esp. For their fur.



Catchment  n. Collection of rainfall.
Airship  n. Power-driven aircraft lighter than air.


Usage  anyone is written as two words to emphasize a numerical sense, as in any one of us can do it.

Degree  n. 1 stage in a scale, series, or process. 2 stage in intensity or amount (in some degree). 3 unit of measurement of an angle or arc. 4 unit in a scale of temperature, hardness, etc. 5 extent of burns. 6 academic rank conferred by a polytechnic, university, etc. 7 grade of crime (first-degree murder). 8 step in direct genealogical descent. 9 social rank.  by degrees gradually. [latin gradus step]
Drivel  —n. Silly talk; nonsense. —v. (-ll-; us -l-, -ling) 1 talk drivel. 2 run at the mouth or nose. [old english]


Wharf  —n. (pl. Wharves or -s) quayside area to which a ship may be moored to load and unload. —v. 1 moor (a ship) at a wharf. 2 store (goods) on a wharf. [old english]



Raincoat  n. Waterproof or water-resistant coat.
Semiotics  n. The study of signs and symbols and their use, esp. In language.  semiotic adj. [greek semeiotikos of signs]

Gossamer  —n. 1 filmy substance of small spiders' webs. 2 delicate filmy material. —adj. Light and flimsy as gossamer. [origin uncertain]

Emigrate  v. (-ting) leave one's own country to settle in another.  emigration n. [latin: related to *migrate]
Rum baba  n. Sponge cake soaked in rum syrup.

Light-bulb  n. Glass bulb containing an inert gas and a metal filament, providing light when an electric current is passed through it.
Clamor  (brit. Clamour) —n. 1 loud or vehement shouting or noise. 2 protest, demand. —v. 1 make a clamour. 2 utter with a clamour.  clamorous adj. [latin: related to *claim]
Vermouth  n. Wine flavoured with aromatic herbs. [german: related to *wormwood]
Scour1  —v. 1 a cleanse by rubbing. B (usu. Foll. By away, off, etc.) Clear (rust, stains, etc.) By rubbing etc. 2 clear out (a pipe, channel, etc.) By flushing through. —n. Scouring or being scoured.  scourer n. [french escurer]



Gasteropod  var. Of *gastropod.



Unchaperoned  adj. Without a chaperone.
Squaw  n. N. American indian woman or wife. [narragansett]
Skin-graft  n. 1 surgical transplanting of skin. 2 skin transferred in this way.



Methodical  adj. Characterized by method or order.  methodically adv.

Good job  n. Fortunate state of affairs.
Autoclave  n. Sterilizer using high-pressure steam. [latin clavus nail or clavis key]



Laborer  n. (brit. Labourer) person doing unskilled, usu. Manual, work for wages.


Impenetrable  adj. 1 not able to be penetrated. 2 inscrutable. 3 inaccessible to ideas, influences, etc.  impenetrability n. Impenetrableness n. Impenetrably adv.
Philadelphus  n. Flowering shrub, esp. The mock orange. [latin from greek]
Pituitary  n. (pl. -ies) (also pituitary gland) small ductless gland at the base of the brain. [latin pituita phlegm]
Peanut butter  n. Paste of ground roasted peanuts.

Whaler  n. Whaling ship or seaman.
Excess  —n. 1 exceeding. 2 amount by which one thing exceeds another. 3 a overstepping of accepted limits of moderation, esp. In eating or drinking. B (in pl.) Immoderate behaviour. 4 part of an insurance claim to be paid by the insured. —attrib. Adj. Usu. 1 that exceeds a limited or prescribed amount. 2 required as extra payment (excess postage).  in (or to) excess exceeding the proper amount or degree.
Goose-flesh  n. (also goose-pimples; us goose-bumps) bristling state of the skin produced by cold, fright, etc.
Lampshade  n. Translucent cover for a lamp.

Pennyworth  n. As much as can be bought for a penny.



Flapper  n. 1 person apt to panic. 2 slang (in the 1920s) young unconventional woman.





Projector  n. Apparatus for projecting slides or film on to a screen.

Arabian  —adj. Of or relating to arabia (esp. In geographical contexts) (arabian desert). —n. Native of arabia.
Wringer  n. Device for wringing water from washed clothes etc.




Receptacle  n. 1 containing vessel, place, or space. 2 bot. Enlarged and modified area of the stem apex which bears the flower. [latin: related to *receive]



External  —adj. 1 a of or on the outside or visible part. B coming from the outside or an outside source. 2 relating to a country's foreign affairs. 3 outside the conscious subject (the external world). 4 (of medicine etc.) For use on the outside of the body. 5 for students taking the examinations of a university without attending it. —n. (in pl.) 1 outward features or aspect. 2 external circumstances. 3 inessentials.  externality n. Externally adv. [latin externus outer]

Enlighten  v. 1 (often foll. By on) inform (about a subject). 2 (as enlightened adj.) Progressive.




Flitter  v. Flit about; flutter. [from *flit]
Expiry  n. End of validity or duration.

Epsom salts  n. Magnesium sulphate used as a purgative etc. [epsom in s. England]
Helpline  n. Telephone service providing help with problems.
One-track mind  n. Mind preoccupied with one subject.

Unveil  v. 1 uncover (a statue etc.) Ceremonially. 2 reveal. 3 remove a veil from; remove one's veil.
East end  n. Part of london east of the city.  east ender n.

Distaff side  n. Female branch of a family.
Privy council  n. Body of advisers appointed by the sovereign (now chiefly honorary).  privy councillor n. (also privy counsellor).

Sulphur  n. (us sulfur) 1 pale-yellow non-metallic element burning with a blue flame and a suffocating smell. 2 pale greenish-yellow colour. [anglo-french from latin]



Uncluttered  adj. Not cluttered; austere, simple.
Radioscopy  n. Examination by x-rays etc. Of objects opaque to light.




Capybara  n. Large semi-aquatic s. American rodent. [tupi]


Rock-cake  n. Small rough-surfaced spicy currant bun.

Bully1  —n. (pl. -ies) person coercing others by fear. —v. (-ies, -ied) persecute or oppress by force or threats. —int. (foll. By for) often iron. Expressing approval (bully for you). [dutch]



Pennywort  n. Wild plant with rounded leaves, growing esp. In marshy places.


Señor  n. (pl. Señores) title used of or to a spanish-speaking man. [spanish from latin senior *senior]


Landmark  n. 1 conspicuous object in a district, landscape, etc. 2 prominent and critical event etc.




Log cabin  n. Hut built of logs.
Mortgage  —n. 1 a conveyance of property to a creditor as security for a debt (usu. One incurred by the purchase of the property). B deed effecting this. 2 sum of money lent by this. —v. (-ging) convey (a property) by mortgage.  mortgageable adj. [french, = dead pledge: related to *gage1]
Splendiferous  adj. Colloq. Splendid. [from *splendour]
Awake  —v. (-king; past awoke; past part. Awoken) 1 cease to sleep or arouse from sleep. 2 (often foll. By to) become or make alert, aware, or active. —predic. Adj. 1 not asleep. 2 (often foll. By to) alert, aware. [old english: related to *a2]
Us  pron. 1 objective case of *we (they saw us). 2 colloq. = *we (it's us again). 3 colloq. = *me1 (give us a kiss). [old english]

Underground  —adv. 1 beneath the ground. 2 in or into secrecy or hiding. —adj. 1 situated underground. 2 secret, subversive. 3 unconventional (underground literature). —n. 1 underground railway. 2 secret subversive group or activity.

Ghq  abbr. General headquarters.
Kilometer  n. (brit. -metre) 1,000 metres (approx. 0.62 miles).  kilometric adj.

Bandeau  n. (pl. -x) narrow headband. [french]
Pullman  n. (pl. -s) 1 luxurious railway carriage or motor coach. 2 sleeping-car. [pullman, name of the designer]
Rapacious  adj. Grasping, extortionate, predatory.  rapacity n. [latin rapax: related to *rape1]

Vulgar fraction  n. Fraction expressed by numerator and denominator, not decimally.

Unimpeded  adj. Not impeded.


Cognomen  n. 1 nickname. 2 ancient roman's third or fourth name designating a branch of a family, as in marcus tullius cicero, or as an epithet, as in p. Cornelius scipio africanus. [latin]
Scuttle3  —n. Hole with a lid in a ship's deck or side. —v. Let water into (a ship) to sink it. [spanish escotilla hatchway]
Moult  (us molt) —v. (also absol.) Shed (feathers, hair, a shell etc.) In the process of renewing plumage, a coat, etc. —n. Moulting. [latin muto change]
Viewer  n. 1 person who views, esp. Television. 2 device for looking at film transparencies etc.


Stripper  n. 1 person or thing that strips something. 2 device or solvent for removing paint etc. 3 striptease performer.


Slush  n. 1 thawing muddy snow. 2 silly sentimentality.  slushy adj. (-ier, -iest). [origin unknown]
Libido  n. (pl. -s) psychic drive or energy, esp. That associated with sexual desire.  libidinal adj. [latin, = lust]
Travel-sick  adj. Suffering from nausea caused by motion in travelling.
Gravitation  n. Physics 1 force of attraction between any particle of matter in the universe and any other. 2 effect of this, esp. The falling of bodies to the earth.  gravitational adj.

Hg  abbr. Hectogram(s).



Seasonable  adj. 1 suitable or usual to the season. 2 opportune. 3 apt.
Height  n. 1 measurement from base to top or head to foot. 2 elevation above the ground or a recognized level. 3 considerable elevation (situated at a height). 4 high place or area. 5 top. 6 a most intense part or period (battle was at its height). B extreme example (the height of fashion). [old english]




Scientology  n. System of religious philosophy based on self-improvement and graded courses of study and training.  scientologist n. & adj. [latin scientia knowledge]
Tender2  —v. 1 offer, present (one's services, resignation, money as payment, etc.). 2 (often foll. By for) offer a tender. —n. Offer, esp. In writing, to execute work or supply goods at a stated price.  put out to tender seek competitive tenders for (work etc.).  tenderer n. [french: related to *tend1]
Strive  v. (-ving; past strove; past part. Striven) 1 try hard (strive to succeed). 2 (often foll. By with, against) struggle. [french estriver]

Calculating  adj. Scheming, mercenary.

Duster  n. Cloth for dusting furniture etc.
Wpc  abbr. Woman police constable.


Court  —n. 1 (in full court of law) a judicial body hearing legal cases. B = *courtroom. 2 quadrangular area for games (tennis-court; squash-court). 3 a yard surrounded by houses with entry from the street. B = *courtyard. 4 a the residence, retinue, and courtiers of a sovereign. B sovereign and councillors, constituting the ruling power. C assembly held by a sovereign; state reception. 5 attention paid to a person whose favour etc. Is sought (paid court to her). —v. 1 a try to win affection or favour of. B pay amorous attention to. 2 seek to win (applause, fame, etc.). 3 invite (misfortune) by one's actions.  go to court take legal action. Out of court 1 without reaching trial. 2 not worthy of consideration. [latin: related to *cohort]


Geodesic line  n. Shortest possible line between two points on a curved surface.


Megalosaurus  n. (pl. -ruses) large flesh-eating dinosaur with stout hind legs and small forelimbs. [greek megas great, sauros lizard]
Knickers  n.pl. Woman's or girl's undergarment for the lower torso. [abbreviation of *knickerbocker]



Outré  adj. Eccentric, unconventional. [french, past part. Of outrer: see *outrage]
Prezzie  var. Of *pressie.


Valley  n. (pl. -s) low area between hills, usu. With a stream or river flowing through it. [french: related to *vale]
Reallocate  v. (-ting) allocate again or differently.  reallocation n.



Flair  n. 1 natural talent in a specific area (flair for languages). 2 style, finesse. [french flairer to smell]

Forgiving  adj. Inclined to forgive.
Andiron  n. Metal stand (usu. One of a pair) for supporting logs in a fireplace. [french andier]
Amir  var. Of *emir.

Inescapable  adj. That cannot be escaped or avoided.

Weatherboard  n. 1 sloping board attached to the bottom of an outside door to keep out the rain etc. 2 each of a series of overlapping horizontal boards on a wall.  weatherboarding n. (in sense 2 of n.).
Blueberry  n. (pl. -ies) small blue-black edible fruit of various plants.
Heating  n. 1 imparting or generation of heat. 2 equipment used to heat a building etc.
Cancel  v. (-ll-; us -l-) 1 revoke or discontinue (an arrangement). 2 delete (writing etc.). 3 mark (a ticket, stamp, etc.) To invalidate it. 4 annul; make void. 5 (often foll. By out) neutralize or counterbalance. 6 math. Strike out (an equal factor) on each side of an equation etc.  cancellation n. [latin: related to *chancel]

Emergency  n. (pl. -ies) 1 sudden state of danger etc., requiring immediate action. 2 a condition requiring immediate treatment. B patient with this. 3 (attrib.) For use in an emergency. [medieval latin: related to *emerge]
-ics  suffix (treated as sing. Or pl.) Forming nouns denoting arts, sciences, etc. (athletics; politics).
Shampoo  —n. 1 liquid for washing the hair. 2 similar substance for washing cars, carpets, etc. —v. (-poos, -pooed) wash with shampoo. [hindustani]
Stab  —v. (-bb-) 1 pierce or wound with a knife etc. 2 (often foll. By at) aim a blow with such a weapon. 3 cause a sensation like being stabbed (stabbing pain). 4 hurt or distress (a person, feelings, etc.). —n. 1 act of stabbing. 2 wound from this. 3 colloq. Attempt. [origin unknown]
Receptionist  n. Person employed to receive guests, clients, etc.



Throwback  n. 1 reversion to ancestral character. 2 instance of this.
Humanity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 a the human race. B human beings collectively. C being human. 2 humaneness, benevolence. 3 (in pl.) Subjects concerned with human culture, e.g. Language, literature, and history.
Corinthian  adj. 1 of ancient corinth in southern greece. 2 archit. Of the order characterized by ornate decoration and acanthus leaves. [latin from greek]
Internal-combustion engine  n. Engine with its motive power generated by the explosion of gases or vapour with air in a cylinder.


Moreish  adj. (also morish) colloq. (of food) causing a desire for more.
Headrest  n. Support for the head, esp. On a seat.
Promontory  n. (pl. -ies) point of high land jutting out into the sea etc.; headland. [latin]

Bath salts  n.pl. Soluble powder or crystals for scenting or softening bath-water.


Meld  v. Merge, blend. [origin uncertain]
Spoilage  n. 1 paper spoilt in printing. 2 spoiling of food etc. By decay.
Hezbollah  n. (also hiz-) extreme shiite muslim group, active esp. In lebanon. [arabic hisbullah party of god]
Insurgent  —adj. In active revolt. —n. Rebel.  insurgence n. [latin surgo surrect- rise]
Bargepole  n.  would not touch with a bargepole refuse to be associated or concerned with.
Player  n. 1 participant in a game. 2 person playing a musical instrument. 3 actor.
Armoury  n. (pl. -ies) arsenal.
Doghouse  n. Us & austral. Dog's kennel.  in the doghouse slang in disgrace.

Quicklime  n. = *lime1.
Puff-adder  n. Large venomous african viper which inflates the upper part of its body.
Washy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 too watery or weak. 2 lacking vigour or intensity.  washily adv. Washiness n.
Pr  abbr. 1 public relations. 2 proportional representation.

Shemozzle  n. Slang 1 brawl or commotion. 2 muddle. [yiddish]
Pilot officer  n. Lowest commissioned rank in the raf.



Ghee  n. Indian clarified butter. [hindi from sanskrit]
Pentecostal  adj. (of a religious group) emphasizing the divine gifts, esp. The power to heal the sick, and often fundamentalist.
Preventive  —adj. Serving to prevent, esp. Disease. —n. Preventive agent, measure, drug, etc.
Punch3  n. (punch) grotesque humpbacked puppet in punch and judy shows.  as pleased as punch extremely pleased. [abbreviation of punchinello, name of the chief character in an italian puppet-show]
Reedy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 full of reeds. 2 like a reed. 3 (of a voice) like a reed instrument in tone.  reediness n.

Prodigal  —adj. 1 recklessly wasteful. 2 (foll. By of) lavish. —n. 1 prodigal person. 2 (in full prodigal son) repentant wastrel, returned wanderer, etc. (luke 15:11–32).  prodigality n. [latin prodigus lavish]
Jell  v. Colloq. 1 a set as jelly. B (of ideas etc.) Take a definite form. 2 cohere. [back-formation from *jelly]
Radiotherapy  n. Treatment of disease by x-rays or other forms of radiation.
Loyal toast  n. Toast to the sovereign.


Sparing  adj. 1 frugal; economical. 2 restrained.  sparingly adv.
Expire  v. (-ring) 1 (of a period of time, validity, etc.) Come to an end. 2 cease to be valid. 3 die. 4 (also absol.) Breathe out (air etc.).  expiration n. Expiratory adj. (in sense 4). [latin spirare breathe]

Mute  —adj. 1 silent, refraining from or temporarily bereft of speech. 2 (of a person or animal) dumb. 3 not expressed in speech (mute protest). 4 (of a letter) not pronounced. —n. 1 dumb person. 2 device for damping the sound of a musical instrument. 3 unsounded consonant. —v. (-ting) 1 deaden or soften the sound of (esp. A musical instrument). 2 a tone down, make less intense. B (as muted adj.) (of colours etc.) Subdued.  mutely adv. Muteness n.  [latin mutus]

Cuneiform  —adj. 1 wedge-shaped. 2 of or using wedge-shaped writing. —n. Cuneiform writing. [latin cuneus wedge]
Hip-bath  n. Portable bath in which one sits immersed to the hips.
Czech  —n. 1 native or national of czechoslovakia. 2 one of the two official languages of czechoslovakia. —adj. Of czechoslovakia, its people, or language. [bohemian cech]

Well-wisher  n. Person who wishes one well.




Indian file  n. = *single file.

Molt  (brit. Moult) —v. (also absol.) Shed (feathers, hair, a shell etc.) In the process of renewing plumage, a coat, etc. —n. Moulting. [latin muto change]
Fireplace  n. 1 place for a domestic fire, esp. A recess in a wall. 2 structure surrounding this.

Careful  adj. 1 painstaking, thorough. 2 cautious. 3 taking care; not neglecting (careful to remind them).  carefully adv. Carefulness n.
Penalty kick  n. Football free kick at the goal resulting from a foul in the penalty area.
Hexagram  n. Figure formed by two intersecting equilateral triangles.
Straightaway  adv. = straight away.

Mane  n. 1 long hair on the neck of a horse, lion, etc. 2 colloq. Person's long hair. [old english]

Worth  —predic. Adj. (used like a preposition) 1 of a value equivalent to (is worth £50; is worth very little). 2 such as to justify or repay (worth doing; not worth the trouble). 3 possessing or having property amounting to (is worth a million pounds). —n. 1 what a person or thing is worth; the (usu. High) merit of (of great worth). 2 equivalent of money in a commodity (ten pounds' worth of petrol).  for all one is worth colloq. With one's utmost efforts. For what it is worth without a guarantee of its truth or value. Worth it colloq. Worth while. Worth one's salt see *salt. Worth one's weight in gold see *weight. Worth while (or one's while) see *while. [old english]




Short-lived  adj. Ephemeral.
Original sin  n. Innate human sinfulness held to be a result of the fall.
Métier  n. 1 one's trade, profession, or field of activity. 2 one's forte. [latin: related to *minister]

Bin-liner  n. Bag for lining a rubbish bin.
Asseverate  v. (-ting) declare solemnly.  asseveration n. [latin severus serious]

Coal-scuttle  n. Container for coal for a domestic fire.
Gangster  n. Member of a gang of violent criminals.



Curium  n. Artificial radioactive metallic element. [m. And p. Curie, name of scientists]

Wind-tunnel  n. Tunnel-like device producing an air-stream past models of aircraft etc. For the study of aerodynamics.

Answer  —n. 1 something said or done in reaction to a question, statement, or circumstance. 2 solution to a problem. —v. 1 make an answer or response (to) (answer the door). 2 suit (a purpose or need). 3 (foll. By to, for) be responsible (you will answer to me for your conduct). 4 (foll. By to) correspond, esp. To a description.  answer back answer insolently. [old english, = swear against (a charge)]



Mesomorph  n. Person with a compact muscular body. [greek morphe form]
Absenteeism  n. Absenting oneself from work or school etc., esp. Frequently or illicitly.
Visual display unit  n. Computing device displaying data on a screen.
Keystroke  n. Single depression of a key on a keyboard, esp. As a measure of work.




Foxhole  n. Hole in the ground used as a shelter etc. In battle.

U3  abbr. (also u.) Universal (of films classified as suitable for all).
Abode2  see *abide.

Rise  —v. (-sing; past rose; past part. Risen) 1 come or go up. 2 grow, project, expand, or incline upwards; become higher. 3 appear or be visible above the horizon. 4 get up from lying, sitting, kneeling, or from bed; become erect. 5 (of a meeting etc.) Adjourn. 6 reach a higher position, level, amount, intensity, etc. 7 make progress socially etc. (rose from the ranks). 8 a  come to the surface of liquid. B (of a person) react to provocation (rise to the bait). 9 come to life again. 10 (of dough) swell by the action of yeast etc. 11 (often foll. By up) rebel (rise up against them). 12 originate (river rises in the mountains). 13 (of wind) start to blow. 14 (of a person's spirits) become cheerful. —n. 1 rising. 2 upward slope, hill, or movement (house stood on a rise). 3 a increase in amount, extent, sound, pitch, etc. (rise in unemployment). B increase in salary. 4 increase in status or power; upward progress. 5 movement of fish to the surface. 6 origin. 7 a vertical height of a step, arch, incline, etc. B = *riser 2.  get (or take) a rise out of colloq. Provoke a reaction from (a person), esp. By teasing. On the rise on the increase. Rise above be superior to (petty feelings, difficulties, etc.). Rise to develop powers equal to (an occasion). [old english]

Brazier1  n. Metal pan or stand holding burning coals etc. [french: related to *braise]


Select  —v. Choose, esp. With care. —adj. 1 chosen for excellence or suitability. 2 (of a society etc.) Exclusive. [latin seligo -lect-]

Norfolk jacket  n. Man's loose belted jacket with box pleats. [norfolk in england]
Chaos  n. 1 utter confusion. 2 formless matter supposed to have existed before the creation of the universe.  chaotic adj. Chaotically adv. [latin from greek]

Scalp  —n. 1 skin on the head, with the hair etc. Attached. 2 hist. This cut off as a trophy by an american indian. —v. 1 hist. Take the scalp of (an enemy). 2 us colloq. Resell (shares etc.) At a high or quick profit. [probably scandinavian]
Painstaking  adj. Careful, industrious, thorough.  painstakingly adv.

Entertainer  n. Person who entertains, esp. Professionally.
Purport  —v. 1 profess; be intended to seem (purports to be an officer). 2 (often foll. By that) (of a document or speech) have as its meaning; state. —n. 1 ostensible meaning. 2 sense or tenor (of a document or statement).  purportedly adv. [latin: related to *pro-1, porto carry]
Genetic engineering  n. Manipulation of dna to modify hereditary features.

Submersible  —n. Submarine operating under water for short periods. —adj. Capable of submerging.
Vengeful  adj. Vindictive; seeking vengeance.  vengefully adv. [obsolete venge avenge: related to *vengeance]

Unchecked  adj. 1 not checked. 2 unrestrained (unchecked violence).
Umbilicus  n. (pl. -ci or -cuses) navel. [latin]

Enumerate  v. (-ting) 1 specify (items). 2 count.  enumeration n. Enumerative adj. [latin: related to *number]

Bib  n. 1 piece of cloth etc. Fastened round a child's neck while eating. 2 top front part of an apron, dungarees, etc. [origin uncertain]

Hodgepodge  var. Of *hotchpotch.
Cliff  n. Steep rock-face, esp. On a coast. [old english]

Potato crisp  n. = *crisp.

Coy  adj. 1 affectedly shy. 2 irritatingly reticent.  coyly adv. Coyness n. [french: related to *quiet]
First-fruit  n. (usu. In pl.) 1 first agricultural produce of a season, esp. As offered to god. 2 first results of work etc.
Rodomontade  n. Boastful talk or behaviour. [french from italian]

Distaff  n. Cleft stick holding wool or flax for spinning by hand. [old english]


Chignon  n. Coil of hair at the back of a woman's head. [french]

Devalue  v. (-ues, -ued, -uing) 1 reduce the value of. 2 reduce the value of (a currency) in relation to others or to gold.  devaluation n.



Krill  n. Tiny planktonic crustaceans. [norwegian kril tiny fish]

Aphelion  n. (pl. -lia) point in a celestial body's orbit where it is furthest from the sun. [greek aph'heliou from the sun]
Eighty  adj. & n. (pl. -ies) 1 eight times ten. 2 symbol for this (80, lxxx, lxxx). 3 (in pl.) Numbers from 80 to 89, esp. The years of a century or of a person's life.  eightieth adj. & n. [old english]
Elegiac  —adj. 1 used for elegies. 2 mournful. —n. (in pl.) Elegiac verses.  elegiacally adv.
Asymmetry  n. Lack of symmetry.  asymmetric adj. Asymmetrical adj. [greek]

Artefact  n. (also artifact) man-made object, esp. A tool or vessel as an archaeological item. [latin arte by art, facio make]



Radio-telephony  n. Telephony using radio.  radio-telephone n.
Howdah  n. (usu. Canopied) seat for riding on an elephant or camel. [urdu hawda]
Plucky  adj. (-ier, -iest) brave, spirited.  pluckily adv. Pluckiness n.
Lineament  n. (usu. In pl.) Distinctive feature or characteristic, esp. Of the face. [latin: related to *line1]
Jewel  —n. 1 a precious stone. B this used in watchmaking. 2 jewelled personal ornament. 3 precious person or thing. —v. (-ll-; us -l-) (esp. As jewelled adj.) Adorn or set with jewels. [french]


Vitriol  n. 1 sulphuric acid or a sulphate. 2 caustic or hostile speech or criticism. [latin vitrum]


Collective farm  n. Jointly-operated esp. State-owned amalgamation of several smallholdings.




Nicker  n. (pl. Same) slang pound sterling. [origin unknown]
Welkin  n. Poet. Sky. [old english, = cloud]
Unbeatable  adj. Not beatable; excelling.

Gadget  n. Small mechanical device or tool.  gadgetry n. [origin unknown]
Yap  —v. (-pp-) 1 bark shrilly or fussily. 2 colloq. Talk noisily, foolishly, or complainingly. —n. Sound of yapping.  yappy adj. (-ier, -iest) in sense 1 of v. [imitative]
Alleviate  v. (-ting) make (pain etc.) Less severe.  alleviation n. [latin levo raise]
Firearm  n. (usu. In pl.) Gun, pistol, or rifle.
Infuriate  v. Make furious; irritate greatly.  infuriating adj. Infuriatingly adv. [medieval latin: related to *fury]
Unsentimental  adj. Not sentimental.


Bulldog clip  n. Strong sprung clip for papers.
Stabilizer  n. (also -iser) 1 device used to keep esp. A ship, aircraft, or (in pl.) Child's bicycle stable. 2 food additive for preserving texture.

Romantic  —adj. 1 of, characterized by, or suggestive of romance (romantic picture). 2 inclined towards or suggestive of romance in love (romantic evening; romantic words). 3 (of a person) imaginative, visionary, idealistic. 4 a (of style in art, music, etc.) Concerned more with feeling and emotion than with form and aesthetic qualities. B (also romantic) of the 18th–19th-c. Romantic movement or style in the european arts. 5 (of a project etc.) Unpractical, fantastic. —n. 1 romantic person. 2 romanticist.  romantically adv. [french: related to *romance]
Saleroom  n. Room where auctions are held.

Fluorocarbon  n. Compound of a hydrocarbon with fluorine atoms.
Dottle  n. Remnant of unburnt tobacco in a pipe. [from *dot]
Gypsum  n. Mineral used esp. To make plaster of paris. [greek gupsos]

Work camp  n. Camp at which community work is done, esp. By young volunteers.

Residency  n. (pl. -ies) 1 = *residence 1, 2a. 2 permanent or regular engagement of a musician, artist, etc., in one place.



Circuitry  n. (pl. -ies) 1 system of electric circuits. 2 equipment forming this.
Vanish  v. 1 disappear. 2 cease to exist. [latin: related to *vain]




Train  —v. 1 a (often foll. By to + infin.) Teach (a person, animal, oneself, etc.) A specified skill, esp. By practice. B undergo this process (trained as a teacher). 2 bring or come to physical efficiency by exercise, diet, etc. 3 (often foll. By along, up) guide the growth of (a plant). 4 (usu. As trained adj.) Make (the mind, eye, etc.) Discerning through practice etc. 5 (often foll. By on) point or aim (a gun, camera, etc.) At an object etc. —n. 1 series of railway carriages or trucks drawn by an engine. 2 thing dragged along behind or forming the back part of a dress, robe, etc. 3 succession or series of people, things, events, etc. (train of thought). 4 body of followers; retinue.  in train properly arranged or directed.  trainee n. [latin traho draw]
Atlantic  adj. Of or adjoining the ocean between europe and africa to the east and america to the west. [greek: related to *atlas]


Attorney  n. (pl. -s) 1 lawyer etc. Appointed to act for another in business or legal matters. 2 us qualified lawyer. [french atorner assign]
Fricative  —adj. (of a consonant) sounded by friction of the breath in a narrow opening. —n. Such a consonant (e.g. F, th). [latin frico rub]



Leakage  n. Action or result of leaking.


Additive  n. Substance added to improve another, esp. To colour, flavour, or preserve food. [latin: related to *add]


Prominence  n. 1 being prominent. 2 jutting outcrop, mountain, etc. [latin: related to *prominent]
Ti  var. Of *te.

Thursday  —n. Day of the week following wednesday. —adv. Colloq. 1 on thursday. 2 (thursdays) on thursdays; each thursday. [old english]



Hermit-crab  n. Crab that lives in a mollusc's cast-off shell.

Hangdog  adj. Shamefaced.

Turnstile  n. Gate with revolving arms allowing people through singly.
Paternity suit  n. Lawsuit held to determine if a certain man is the father of a certain child.
Surfing  n. Sport of riding the surf on a board.


Halt1  —n. 1 stop (usu. Temporary) (come to a halt). 2 minor stopping-place on a local railway line. —v. Stop; come or bring to a halt.  call a halt (to) decide to stop. [german: related to *hold1]
Ahoy  int. Naut. Call used in hailing. [from *ah, *hoy]

Q1  n. (also q) (pl. Qs or q's) seventeenth letter of the alphabet.
Cc  abbr. (also c.c.) 1 cubic centimetre(s). 2 copy or copies (to).


Pander  —v. (foll. By to) gratify or indulge (a person or weakness etc.). —n. 1 procurer; pimp. 2 person who encourages coarse desires. [pandare, name of a character in the story of troilus and cressida]
Pintle  n. Pin or bolt, esp. One on which some other part turns. [old english]
Returning officer  n. Official conducting an election in a constituency and announcing the results.
Sixth form  n. Form in a secondary school for pupils over 16.
Malpractice  n. Improper, negligent, or criminal professional conduct.
Diaspora  n. 1 the dispersion of the jews after their exile in 538 bc. 2 the dispersed jews. [greek]
Commander-in-chief  n. (pl. Commanders-in-chief) supreme commander, esp. Of a nation's forces.

Chap1  n. Colloq. Man, boy, fellow. [abbreviation of *chapman]





Morn  n. Poet. Morning. [old english]

Wise2  n. Archaic way, manner, or degree.  in no wise not at all. [old english]
Cramped  adj. 1 (of a space) too small. 2 (of handwriting) small and with the letters close together.
Gainful  adj. 1 (of employment) paid. 2 lucrative.  gainfully adv.
Heaven  n. 1 place regarded in some religions as the abode of god and the angels, and of the blessed after death. 2 place or state of supreme bliss. 3 colloq. Delightful thing. 4 (usu. Heaven) god, providence (often as an exclamation or mild oath: heavens). 5 (the heavens) esp. Poet. The sky as seen from the earth, in which the sun, moon, and stars appear.  heavenward adv. (also heavenwards). [old english]
Fifth column  n. Traitorous group within a country at war etc.  fifth-columnist n.
Garrotte  (also garotte; us garrote) —v. (-ting) execute or kill by strangulation, esp. With a wire collar. —n. Device used for this. [french or spanish]
I3  symb. Iodine.
Ape  —n. 1 tailless monkey-like primate, e.g. The gorilla, chimpanzee, orang-utan, or gibbon. 2 imitator. —v. (-ping) imitate, mimic. [old english]


Kazoo  n. Toy musical instrument into which the player sings or hums. [origin uncertain]





Pound3  n. Enclosure where stray animals or officially removed vehicles are kept until claimed. [old english]
Grayling  n. (pl. Same) silver-grey freshwater fish. [from *grey, *-ling]

Subcontinent  n. Large land mass, smaller than a continent.


Mascot  n. Person, animal, or thing supposed to bring luck. [provençal masco witch]

Small arms  n.pl. Portable firearms.


Even-handed  adj. Impartial.



High street  n. Principal shopping street of a town.


Intend  v. 1 have as one's purpose (we intend to go; we intend going). 2 (usu. Foll. By for, as) design or destine (a person or a thing) (i intend him to go; i intend it as a warning). [latin tendo stretch]

Hi  int. Calling attention or as a greeting.
Jackstone  n. 1 metal etc. Piece used in tossing-games. 2 (in pl.) Game with a ball and jackstones.



Retrieve  —v. (-ving) 1 a regain possession of. B recover by investigation or effort of memory. 2 obtain (information stored in a computer etc.). 3 (of a dog) find and bring in (killed or wounded game etc.). 4 (foll. By from) rescue (esp. From a bad state). 5 restore to a flourishing state; revive. 6 repair or set right (a loss or error etc.) (managed to retrieve the situation). —n. Possibility of recovery (beyond retrieve).  retrievable adj. Retrieval n. [french trouver find]
Second1  —adj. 1 next after first. 2 additional (ate a second cake). 3 subordinate; inferior. 4 mus. Performing a lower or subordinate part (second violins). 5 such as to be comparable to (a second callas). —n. 1 runner-up. 2 person or thing besides the first or previously mentioned one. 3 second gear. 4 (in pl.) Inferior goods. 5 (in pl.) Colloq. Second helping or course. 6 assistant to a duellist, boxer, etc. —v. 1 support; back up. 2 formally support (a nomination, resolution, or its proposer).  at second hand indirectly.  seconder n. (esp. In sense 2 of v.). [latin secundus from sequor follow]
Shrink-wrap  v. Enclose (an article) in film that shrinks tightly on to it.
Overlord  n. Supreme lord.
Columbine  n. Garden plant with purple-blue flowers like a cluster of doves. [latin columba dove]
Organic  adj. 1 of or affecting a bodily organ or organs. 2 (of a plant or animal) having organs or an organized physical structure. 3 produced without the use of artificial fertilizers, pesticides, etc. 4 (of a chemical compound etc.) Containing carbon. 5 a structural, inherent. B constitutional. 6 organized or systematic (an organic whole).  organically adv. [greek: related to *organ]

Mechanize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 introduce machines in (a factory etc.). 2 make mechanical. 3 equip with tanks, armoured cars, etc.  mechanization n.
Black pudding  n. Sausage of pork, dried pig's blood, suet, etc.
Embed  v. (also imbed) (-dd-) (esp. As embedded adj.) Fix firmly in a surrounding mass.
Hessian  n. Strong coarse sacking made of hemp or jute. [hesse in germany]




Scruff2  n. Colloq. Scruffy person. [origin uncertain]
Accept  v. 1 (also absol.) Willingly receive (a thing offered). 2 (also absol.) Answer affirmatively (an offer etc.). 3 regard favourably; treat as welcome (felt accepted). 4 believe, receive (an opinion, explanation, etc.) As adequate or valid. 5 take as suitable (does accept cheques). 6 undertake (an office or duty). [latin capio take]
Socialite  n. Person moving in fashionable society.




Brickyard  n. Place where bricks are made.

Highland  —n. (usu. In pl.) 1 area of high land. 2 (the highlands) mountainous part of scotland. —adj. Of or in a highland or the highlands.  highlander n. (also highlander). [old english, = promontory: related to *high]






Sandboy  n.  happy as a sandboy extremely happy or carefree. [probably = a boy hawking sand for sale]
Incognito  —predic. Adj. & adv. With one's name or identity kept secret. —n. (pl. -s) 1 person who is incognito. 2 pretended identity. [italian, = unknown: related to *in-1, *cognition]
Bumble-bee  n. Large bee with a loud hum.
Prickly  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 having prickles. 2 (of a person) ready to take offence. 3 tingling.  prickliness n.

Non-  prefix giving the negative sense of words with which it is combined. [latin non not]
Archaeopteryx  n. Fossil bird with teeth, feathers, and a reptilian tail. [greek arkhaios ancient, pterux wing]
Telephone book  n. = *telephone directory.






Ill-mannered  adj. Having bad manners; rude.
Nutritious  adj. Efficient as food.
Cwt  abbr. Hundredweight.


Conquest  n. 1 conquering or being conquered. 2 a conquered territory. B something won. 3 person whose affection has been won.


Unwearying  adj. Persistent.

Nautical mile  n. Unit of approx. 2,025 yards (1,852 metres).




League2  n. Hist. Varying measure of distance, usu. About three miles. [latin from celtic]
Likable  var. Of *likeable.







Chloride  n. 1 compound of chlorine and another element or group. 2 bleaching agent containing this.
Stock-car  n. Specially strengthened car for use in racing with deliberate bumping.
Amethyst  n. Semiprecious stone of a violet or purple variety of quartz. [greek, = preventing drunkenness]


Iridaceous  adj. Of the iris family of plants.



Oddment  n. 1 odd article; something left over. 2 (in pl.) Miscellaneous articles.
Trillion  n. (pl. Same) 1 a million million (1012). 2 (now less often) a million million million (1018).  trillionth adj. & n. [french or italian: related to *tri-, *million, after billion]
Ultrasonic  adj. Of or using sound waves pitched above the range of human hearing.  ultrasonically adv.
Receptive  adj. Able or quick to receive impressions or ideas.  receptively adv. Receptiveness n. Receptivity n. [french or medieval latin: related to *receive]

Inheritance tax  n. Tax levied on property acquired by gift or inheritance.
Collywobbles  n.pl. Colloq. 1 rumbling or pain in the stomach. 2 apprehensive feeling. [from *colic, *wobble]

Piccaninny  n. (us pickaninny) (pl. -ies) often offens. Small black or australian aboriginal child. [west indian negro from spanish pequeño or portuguese pequeno little]
Weak moment  n. Time when one is unusually compliant or susceptible.

Linear b  n. Form of bronze age writing found in greece: an earlier undeciphered form (linear a) also exists.

Buyer  n. 1 person employed to purchase stock for a large store etc. 2 purchaser, customer.
Heraldry  n. 1 art or knowledge of a herald. 2 coats of arms.

Batik  n. 1 method of dyeing textiles by applying wax to parts to be left uncoloured. 2 cloth so treated. [javanese, = painted]


Blether  var. Of *blather.
Gore3  —n. 1 wedge-shaped piece in a garment. 2 triangular or tapering piece in an umbrella etc. —v. (-ring) shape (a garment) with a gore. [old english, = triangle of land]

Repository  n. (pl. -ies) 1 place where things are stored or may be found, esp. A warehouse or museum. 2 receptacle. 3 (often foll. By of) a book, person, etc. Regarded as a store of information etc. B recipient of secrets etc. [latin: related to *repose2]
Boogie  v. (-ies, -ied, -ieing) slang dance to pop music.

Hoot  —n. 1 owl's cry. 2 sound made by a car's horn etc. 3 shout expressing scorn or disapproval. 4 colloq. A laughter. B cause of this. 5 (also two hoots) slang anything at all, in the slightest degree (don't care a hoot; doesn't matter two hoots). —v. 1 utter or make hoot(s). 2 greet or drive away with scornful hoots. 3 sound (a car horn etc.). [imitative]

Cumquat  var. Of *kumquat.
Napalm  —n. Thick jellied hydrocarbon mixture used in bombs. —v. Attack with napalm bombs. [from *naphthalene, *palm1]
Racetrack  n. 1 = *racecourse. 2 track for motor racing.



Gratis  adv. & adj. Free; without charge. [latin]

Appellation  n. Formal name or title; nomenclature.


Origami  n. Art of folding paper into decorative shapes. [japanese]




Hula hoop  n. Large hoop spun round the body.



Of-  see *ob-.

Bounce  —v. (-cing) 1 (cause to) rebound. 2 slang (of a cheque) be returned by a bank when there are no funds to meet it. 3 (foll. By about, up, in, out, etc.) Jump, move, or rush boisterously. —n. 1 a rebound. B power of rebounding. 2 colloq. A swagger, self-confidence. B liveliness.  bounce back recover well after a setback.  bouncy adj. (-ier, -iest). [imitative]
Kickback  n. Colloq. 1 recoil. 2 (usu. Illegal) payment for help or favours, esp. In business.

Satellite dish  n. Dish-shaped aerial for receiving satellite television.
Love  —n. 1 deep affection or fondness. 2 sexual passion. 3 sexual relations. 4 a beloved one; sweetheart (often as a form of address). B colloq. Form of address regardless of affection. 5 colloq. Person of whom one is fond. 6 affectionate greetings (give him my love). 7 (in games) no score; nil. —v. (-ving) 1 feel love or a deep fondness for. 2 delight in; admire; greatly cherish. 3 colloq. Like very much (loves books). 4 (foll. By verbal noun, or to + infin.) Be inclined, esp. As a habit; greatly enjoy (children love dressing up; loves to run).  fall in love (often foll. By with) suddenly begin to love. For love for pleasure not profit. For the love of for the sake of. In love (often foll. By with) enamoured (of). Make love (often foll. By to) 1 have sexual intercourse (with). 2 archaic pay amorous attention (to). Not for love or money colloq. Not in any circumstances. [old english]
Crenellate  v. (us crenelate) (-ting) provide (a tower etc.) With battlements.  crenellation n. [french crenel embrasure]

Oolite  n. Granular limestone.  oolitic adj. [greek oion egg]
Quadruple  —adj. 1 fourfold; having four parts. 2 (of time in music) having four beats in a bar. —n. Fourfold number or amount. —v. (-ling) multiply by four. [latin: related to *quadri-]
Secret agent  n. Spy.

Reprint  —v. Print again. —n. 1 reprinting of a book etc. 2 book etc. Reprinted. 3 quantity reprinted.


Glaring  adj. 1 obvious, conspicuous (glaring error). 2 shining oppressively.  glaringly adv.



Square-bashing  n. Slang military drill on a barrack-square.
Gum1  —n. 1 a viscous secretion of some trees and shrubs. B adhesive substance made from this. 2 us chewing gum. 3 = *gumdrop. 4 = *gum arabic. 5 = *gum-tree. —v. (-mm-) 1 (usu. Foll. By down, together, etc.) Fasten with gum. 2 apply gum to.  gum up colloq. Interfere with the smooth running of. [greek kommi from egyptian kemai]
Mail2  n. Armour of metal rings or plates. [french maille from latin macula]
Heat  —n. 1 condition of being hot. 2 physics form of energy arising from the motion of bodies' molecules. 3 hot weather. 4 warmth of feeling; anger or excitement. 5 (foll. By of) most intense part or period of activity (heat of battle). 6 (usu. Preliminary or trial) round in a race etc. —v. 1 make or become hot or warm. 2 inflame.  on heat (of mammals, esp. Females) sexually receptive. [old english]
Prosaic  adj. 1 like prose, lacking poetic beauty. 2 unromantic; dull; commonplace.  prosaically adv. [latin: related to *prose]
Ingratitude  n. Lack of due gratitude.
Prosody  n. 1 science of versification. 2 the study of speech-rhythms.  prosodic adj. Prosodist n. [greek pros to: related to *ode]
Blank cheque  n. 1 cheque left for the payee to fill in. 2 colloq. Unlimited freedom of action.


Wank  coarse slang —v. Masturbate. —n. Act of masturbating. [origin unknown]

Ingraft  var. Of *engraft.
Detention  n. 1 detaining or being detained. 2 being kept late in school as a punishment. [latin: related to *detain]
Mortgager  n. (also mortgagor) debtor in a mortgage.



Debug  v. (-gg-) colloq. 1 remove concealed microphones from (a room etc.). 2 remove defects from (a computer program etc.). 3 = *delouse.


Deed  n. 1 thing done intentionally or consciously. 2 brave, skilful, or conspicuous act. 3 action (kind in word and deed). 4 legal document used esp. For transferring ownership of property. [old english: related to *do1]
Electrolyse  v. (us -yze) (-sing, us -zing) subject to or treat by electrolysis.

Compensation  n. 1 compensating or being compensated. 2 money etc. Given as recompense.
Moving staircase  n. Escalator.

Inshore  adv. & adj. At sea but close to the shore.



Skullcap  n. Peakless cap covering the crown only.


Boat-house  n. Waterside shed for housing boats.




Pendant  n. Hanging jewel etc., esp. One attached to a necklace, bracelet, etc. [french pendre hang]

Heroin  n. Addictive analgesic drug derived from morphine, often used as a narcotic. [german: related to *hero, from the effect on the user's self-esteem]

Innumerable  adj. Too many to be counted.  innumerably adv.
Chicory  n. (pl. -ies) 1 plant with leaves used in salads. 2 its root, roasted and ground and used with or instead of coffee. 3 esp. Us = *endive. [greek kikhorion]
Melodeon  n. (also melodion) 1 small organ similar to the harmonium. 2 small german accordion. [from *melody, *harmonium]
Monument  n. 1 anything enduring that serves to commemorate or celebrate, esp. A structure or building. 2 stone etc. Placed over a grave or in a church etc. In memory of the dead. 3 ancient building or site etc. That has been preserved. 4 lasting reminder. [latin moneo remind]
Bivouac  —n. Temporary open encampment without tents. —v. (-ck-) make, or camp in, a bivouac. [french, probably from german]
Small beer  n. Trifling thing.
Disproportion  n. Lack of proportion; being out of proportion.  disproportional adj. Disproportionally adv.
Multiplicand  n. Quantity to be multiplied by another.

Accomplishment  n. 1 completion (of a task etc.). 2 acquired, esp. Social, skill. 3 thing achieved.
Australasian  adj. Of australasia, including australia and the islands of the sw pacific.

Outfox  v. Outwit.
Nov.  Abbr. November.


Unfix  v. Release, loosen, or detach.
Jack tar  n. Sailor.
H-bomb  n. = *hydrogen bomb. [from *h3]
Ceramic  —adj. 1 made of (esp.) Baked clay. 2 of ceramics. —n. Ceramic article or product. [greek keramos pottery]
Absorption  n. 1 absorbing or being absorbed. 2 mental engrossment.  absorptive adj.
Shocker  n. Colloq. 1 shocking person or thing. 2 sensational novel etc.
W3  symb. Tungsten. [wolframium, latinized name]
Teamwork  n. Combined action; co-operation.
Sicken  v. 1 affect with disgust etc. 2 a (often foll. By for) show symptoms of illness. B (often foll. By at, or to + infin.) Feel nausea or disgust. 3 (as sickening adj.) A disgusting. B colloq. Very annoying.  sickeningly adv.


Usage  maximize should not be used in standard english to mean ‘to make as good as possible’ or ‘to make the most of’.


Offer  —v. 1 present for acceptance, refusal, or consideration. 2 (foll. By to + infin.) Express readiness or show intention. 3 provide; give an opportunity for. 4 make available for sale. 5 present to the attention. 6 present (a sacrifice etc.). 7 present itself; occur (as opportunity offers). 8 attempt (violence, resistance, etc.). —n. 1 expression of readiness to do or give if desired, or to buy or sell. 2 amount offered. 3 proposal (esp. Of marriage). 4 bid.  on offer for sale at a certain (esp. Reduced) price. [latin offero oblat-]
Polypropylene  n. Any polymer of propylene, including thermoplastic materials used for films, fibres, or moulding materials.
Ineffable  adj. 1 too great for description in words. 2 that must not be uttered.  ineffability n. Ineffably adv. [latin effor speak out]
Opponent  n. Person who opposes. [latin oppono opposit- set against]
Turboprop  n. 1 jet engine in which a turbine is used as in a turbojet and also to drive a propeller. 2 aircraft powered by this. [from *prop3]
Home-brew  n. Beer or other alcoholic drink brewed at home.
Toilet roll  n. Roll of toilet paper.

Conceptualize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) form a concept or idea of.  conceptualization n.
Taurus  n. (pl. -es) 1 constellation and second sign of the zodiac (the bull). 2 person born when the sun is in this sign.  taurean adj. & n. [latin, = bull]
Guile  n. Cunning or sly behaviour; treachery, deceit.  guileful adj. Guileless adj. [french from scandinavian]




Deflation  n. 1 deflating or being deflated. 2 reduction of money in circulation, intended to combat inflation.  deflationary adj.

Prophylaxis  n. Preventive treatment against disease. [from *pro-2, greek phulaxis guarding]








Part-time  —adj. (esp. Of a job) occupying less than the normal working week etc. —adv. (also part time) as a part-time activity (works part time).



Tingle  —v. (-ling) 1 feel a slight prickling, stinging, or throbbing sensation. 2 cause this (the reply tingled in my ears). —n. Tingling sensation.  tingly adj. [probably from *tinkle]




Aver  v. (-rr-) formal assert, affirm.  averment n. [latin verus true]

Cosecant  n. Math. Ratio of the hypotenuse (in a right-angled triangle) to the side opposite an acute angle.

Township  n. 1 s.afr. Urban area set aside for black occupation. 2 us & can. A division of a county. B district six miles square. 3 hist. Small town or village forming part of a large parish. 4 austral. & nz small town.


Dependence  n. 1 depending or being dependent, esp. Financially. 2 reliance; trust.
Institutional  adj. 1 of or like an institution. 2 typical of institutions.  institutionally adv.


Oscar  n. Any of the statuettes awarded by the us academy of motion picture arts and sciences for excellence in film acting, directing, etc. [man's name]
Green belt  n. Area of open land round a city, designated for preservation.


Lethal  adj. Causing or sufficient to cause death.  lethally adv. [latin letum death]
Race relations  n.pl. Relations between members of different races in the same country.
Nucleus  n. (pl. Nuclei) 1 a central part or thing round which others are collected. B kernel of an aggregate or mass. 2 initial part meant to receive additions. 3 central core of an atom. 4 large dense part of a cell, containing the genetic material. [latin, = kernel, diminutive of nux nuc- nut]

Fencing  n. 1 set of, or material for, fences. 2 sword-fighting, esp. As a sport.

Criminology  n. The study of crime.  criminologist n.


Suss  v. Slang (also sus) (-ss-) (usu. Foll. By out) 1 investigate, inspect. 2 work out; realize.  on suss on suspicion (of having committed a crime). [abbreviation]

Crack  —n. 1 a sharp explosive noise. B sudden harshness or change in vocal pitch. 2 sharp blow. 3 a narrow opening; break or split. B chink. 4 colloq. Joke or malicious remark. 5 colloq. Attempt. 6 slang crystalline form of cocaine broken into small pieces. —v. 1 break without separating the parts. 2 make or cause to make a sharp explosive sound. 3 break with a sharp sound. 4 give way or cause to give way (under torture etc.). 5 (of the voice) change pitch sharply; break. 6 colloq. Find the solution to. 7 tell (a joke etc.). 8 colloq. Hit sharply. 9 (as cracked adj.) Crazy. 10 break (wheat) into coarse pieces. —attrib. Adj. Colloq. Excellent; first-rate (crack shot).  crack a bottle open a bottle, esp. Of wine, and drink it. Crack down on colloq. Take severe measures against. Crack of dawn daybreak. Crack up colloq. 1 collapse under strain. 2 praise. Get cracking colloq. Begin promptly and vigorously. [old english]
Effuse  v. (-sing) 1 pour forth (liquid, light, etc.). 2 give out (ideas etc.). [latin fundo fus- pour]

Sea legs  n.pl. Ability to keep one's balance and avoid seasickness at sea.


Turn-buckle  n. Threaded device for tightly connecting parts of a metal rod or wire.


Meantime  —adv. = *meanwhile. —n. Intervening period (esp. In the meantime).



Mishap  n. Unlucky accident.
Rice  n. 1 swamp grass cultivated in esp. Asian marshes. 2 grains of this, used as food. [french ris ultimately from greek oruza]
Hms  abbr. Her (or his) majesty's ship.
Unsubstantial  adj. = *insubstantial.

Ceiling  n. 1 upper interior surface of a room or other compartment. 2 upper limit. 3 maximum altitude a given aircraft can reach. [origin uncertain]




Abduct  v. Carry off or kidnap illegally.  abduction n. Abductor n. [latin duco lead]




Sj  abbr. Society of jesus.


Cabby  n. (also cabbie) (pl. -ies) colloq. Taxi-driver.
Precedent  —n. Previous case etc. Taken as a guide for subsequent cases or as a justification. —adj. Preceding in time, order, importance, etc. [french: related to *precede]

Bipolar  adj. Having two poles or extremities.
Wasp-waist  n. Very slender waist.
Kept  past and past part. Of *keep.


Highlighter  n. Marker pen for emphasizing a printed word etc. By overlaying it with colour.




Tranquillizer  n. (us tranquilizer, -iser) drug used to diminish anxiety.


Abode1  n. Dwelling-place. [related to *abide]

Batwing  attrib. Adj. (esp. Of a sleeve) shaped like a bat's wing.

Pumpernickel  n. German wholemeal rye bread. [german]

Rocket  —n. 1 cylindrical firework or signal etc. Propelled to a great height after ignition. 2 engine operating on the same principle, providing thrust but not dependent on air intake. 3 rocket-propelled missile, spacecraft, etc. 4 slang severe reprimand. —v. (-t-) 1 a move rapidly upwards or away. B increase rapidly (prices rocketed). 2 bombard with rockets. [french roquette from italian]
Retiring  adj. Shy; fond of seclusion.
Syl-  prefix assim. Form of *syn- before l.




Stagnant  adj. 1 (of liquid) motionless, having no current. 2 dull, sluggish.  stagnancy n. [latin stagnum pool]

Buttress  —n. 1 projecting support built against a wall. 2 source of help etc. —v. (often foll. By up) 1 support with a buttress. 2 support by argument etc. (buttressed by facts). [related to *butt1]
Expectant  adj. 1 hopeful, expecting. 2 having an expectation. 3 pregnant.  expectantly adv.

Spectacular  —adj. Striking, impressive, lavish. —n. Spectacular show.  spectacularly adv.
Roman numeral  n. Any of the roman letters representing numbers: i = 1, v = 5, x = 10, l = 50, c = 100, d = 500, m = 1000.

Piece  —n. 1 a (often foll. By of) distinct portion forming part of or broken off from a larger object. B each of the parts of which a set or category is composed (five-piece band). 2 coin. 3 (usu. Short) literary or musical composition; picture; play.
Insure  v. (-ring) (often foll. By against; also absol.) Secure compensation in the event of loss or damage to (property, life, a person, etc.) By advance regular payments. [var. Of *ensure]
Discrimination  n. 1 unfavourable treatment based on racial, sexual, etc. Prejudice. 2 good taste or judgement.
Usage  depreciate is often confused with deprecate.

Blitzkrieg  n. Intense military campaign intended to bring about a swift victory. [german, = lightning war]






Redeem  v. 1 recover by expenditure of effort or by a stipulated payment. 2 make a single payment to cancel (a regular charge or obligation). 3 convert (tokens or bonds etc.) Into goods or cash. 4 deliver from sin and damnation. 5 make up for; be a compensating factor in (has one redeeming feature). 6 (foll. By from) save from (a defect). 7 refl. Save (oneself) from blame. 8 purchase the freedom of (a person). 9 save (a person's life) by ransom. 10 save or rescue or reclaim. 11 fulfil (a promise).  redeemable adj. [latin emo buy]

Bodega  n. Cellar or shop selling wine. [spanish]
File1  —n. 1 folder, box, etc., for holding loose papers. 2 papers kept in this. 3 computing collection of (usu. Related) data stored under one name. 4 line of people or things one behind another. —v. (-ling) 1 place (papers) in a file or among (esp. Public) records. 2 submit (a petition for divorce, a patent application, etc.). 3 (of a reporter) send (copy) to a newspaper. 4 walk in a line. [latin filum thread]
Toucan  n. Tropical american fruit-eating bird with an immense beak. [tupi]
Light-hearted  adj. 1 cheerful. 2 (unduly) casual.  light-heartedly adv.
Borderland  n. 1 district near a border. 2 condition between two extremes. 3 area for debate.
Plateau  —n. (pl. -x or -s) 1 area of fairly level high ground. 2 state of little variation after an increase. —v. (plateauing, plateaus, plateaued) (often foll. By out) reach a level or static state after an increase. [french: related to *plate]


Fossil fuel  n. Natural fuel extracted from the ground.


Pd  symb. Palladium.
Nauseous  adj. 1 causing nausea. 2 inclined to vomit (feel nauseous). 3 disgusting; loathsome.
Per cent  (us percent) —adv. In every hundred. —n. 1 percentage. 2 one part in every hundred (half a per cent).
Slag  —n. 1 refuse left after smelting etc. 2 slang derog. Prostitute; promiscuous woman. —v. (-gg-) 1 form slag. 2 (often foll. By off) slang insult, slander.  slaggy adj. [low german]


Welcome  —n. Act of greeting or receiving gladly; kind or glad reception. —int. Expressing such a greeting. —v. (-ming) receive with a welcome. —adj. 1 that one receives with pleasure (welcome guest; welcome news). 2 (foll. By to, or to + infin.) Cordially allowed or invited (you are welcome to use my car).  make welcome receive hospitably. Outstay one's welcome stay too long as a visitor etc. You are welcome there is no need for thanks. [old english]


Mustn't  contr. Must not.
Gold-digger  n. Slang woman who cultivates men to obtain money from them.




Breaking-point  n. Point of greatest strain.
Lam  v. (-mm-) slang thrash; hit. [perhaps scandinavian]

Climate  n. 1 prevailing weather conditions of an area. 2 region with particular weather conditions. 3 prevailing trend of opinion or feeling.  climatic adj. Climatically adv. [greek klima]
Snow white  adj. & n. (as adj. Often hyphenated) pure white.
Lollop  v. (-p-) colloq. 1 flop about. 2 move in ungainly bounds. [probably from *loll, *trollop]
Quaff  v. Literary 1 drink deeply. 2 drain (a cup etc.) In long draughts.  quaffable adj. [perhaps imitative]
Bloodshed  n. Killing.
Prestel  n. Propr. Computerized visual information system operated by british telecom. [from *press1, *telecommunication]


Continental  adj. 1 of or characteristic of a continent. 2 (continental) of or characteristic of mainland europe.
Histrionic  —adj. (of behaviour) theatrical, dramatic. —n. (in pl.) Insincere and dramatic behaviour designed to impress. [latin histrio actor]


Wallflower  n. 1 fragrant spring garden plant. 2 colloq. Woman sitting out a dance for lack of partners.

Fish-eye lens  n. Very wide-angle lens with a highly-curved front.

Wrinkle  —n. 1 crease in the skin, esp. Caused by age. 2 similar mark in another flexible surface. 3 colloq. Useful tip or clever expedient. —v. (-ling) 1 make wrinkles in. 2 form wrinkles. [probably related to old english gewrinclod sinuous]

Moderation  n. 1 moderateness. 2 moderating.  in moderation in a moderate manner or degree.
Organ-grinder  n. Player of a barrel-organ.
Here and now  adv. At this very moment; immediately.
Hello  (also hallo, hullo) —int. Expression of informal greeting, or of surprise, or to call attention. —n. (pl. -s) cry of ‘hello’. [var. Of earlier hollo]



Lager lout  n. Colloq. Youth behaving violently etc. As a result of excessive drinking.



Rocking-horse  n. Toy horse on rockers or springs.
Impudent  adj. Impertinent.  impudence n. Impudently adv. [latin pudeo be ashamed]



Transcendent  adj. 1 excelling, surpassing. 2 transcending human experience. 3 (esp. Of god) existing apart from, not subject to the limitations of, the material universe.  transcendence n. Transcendency n.
Bowler2  n. (in full bowler hat) man's hard round felt hat. [bowler, name of a hatter]

Heartland  n. Central part of an area.
Koodoo  var. Of *kudu.
Doughnut  n. (us donut) small fried cake of sweetened dough.

Homeland  n. 1 one's native land. 2 any of several partially self-governing areas in s. Africa reserved for black south africans (the official name for a bantustan).
Lame  —adj. 1 disabled in the foot or leg. 2 a (of an excuse etc.) Unconvincing; feeble. B (of verse etc.) Halting. —v. (-ming) make lame; disable.  lamely adv. Lameness n. [old english]
Matron  n. 1 woman in charge of nursing in a hospital. 2 married, esp. Staid, woman. 3 woman nurse and housekeeper at a school etc. [latin matrona: related to *mater]
Automatic pilot  n. Device for keeping an aircraft or ship on a set course.
Regulate  v. (-ting) 1 control by rule. 2 subject to restrictions. 3 adapt to requirements. 4 alter the speed of (a machine or clock) so that it works accurately.  regulator n. Regulatory adj. [latin: related to *regular]
Alleviate  v. (-ting) make (pain etc.) Less severe.  alleviation n. [latin levo raise]
Waterproof  —adj. Impervious to water. —n. Waterproof garment or material. —v. Make waterproof.
Desert boot  n. Suede etc. Ankle-high boot.
Donnish  adj. Like a college don; pedantic.



Chuff  v. (of an engine etc.) Work with a regular sharp puffing sound. [imitative]
Underdeveloped  adj. 1 not fully developed; immature. 2 (of a country etc.) With unexploited potential.  underdevelopment n.
Growl  —v. 1 a (often foll. By at) make a low guttural sound, usu. Of anger. B murmur angrily. 2 rumble. 3 (often foll. By out) utter with a growl. —n. 1 growling sound. 2 angry murmur. 3 rumble. [probably imitative]
Spacecraft  n. Vehicle for travelling in outer space.
Exactly  adv. 1 precisely. 2 (said in reply) i quite agree.
Caricature  —n. 1 grotesque usu. Comically exaggerated representation esp. Of a person. 2 ridiculously poor imitation or version. —v. (-ring) make or give a caricature of.  caricaturist n. [italian caricare exaggerate]
Portentous  adj. 1 like or being a portent. 2 pompously solemn.

Retract  v. 1 withdraw (a statement or undertaking). 2 draw or be drawn back or in.  retractable adj. Retraction n. [latin retraho -tract- draw back]
Proximity  n. Nearness in space, time, etc. (in close proximity). [latin: related to *proximate]
-en  suffix forming verbs: 1 from adjectives, usu. Meaning ‘make or become so or more so’ (deepen; moisten). 2 from nouns (happen; strengthen). [old english]



Heavy  —adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 of great or unusually high weight; difficult to lift. 2 of great density (heavy metal). 3 abundant, considerable (heavy crop; heavy traffic). 4 severe, intense, extensive (heavy fighting; a heavy sleep). 5 doing a thing to excess (heavy drinker). 6 striking or falling with force; causing strong impact (heavy blows; heavy rain; heavy sea; a heavy fall). 7 (of machinery, artillery, etc.) Very large of its kind; large in calibre etc. 8 needing much physical effort (heavy work). 9 carrying heavy weapons (the heavy brigade). 10 serious or sombre in tone or attitude; dull, tedious. 11 a hard to digest. B hard to read or understand. 12 (of bread etc.) Too dense from not having risen. 13 (of ground) difficult to traverse or work. 14 oppressive; hard to endure (heavy demands). 15 a coarse, ungraceful (heavy features). B unwieldy. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 colloq. Large violent person; thug (esp. Hired). 2 villainous or tragic role or actor. 3 (usu. In pl.) Colloq. Serious newspaper. 4 anything large or heavy of its kind, e.g. A vehicle. —adv. Heavily (esp. In comb.: heavy-laden).  heavy on using a lot of (heavy on petrol). Make heavy weather of see *weather.  heavily adv. Heaviness n. Heavyish adj. [old english]


Anthropomorphism  n. Attribution of human characteristics to a god, animal, or thing.  anthropomorphic adj. [greek morphe form]



Haunting  adj. (of a memory, melody, etc.) Tending to linger in the mind; poignant, evocative.
Invaluable  adj. Above valuation; very valuable.  invaluably adv.



Uptake  n. 1 colloq. Understanding (esp. Quick or slow on the uptake). 2 taking up (of an offer etc.).
Dentate  adj. Bot. & zool. Toothed; with toothlike notches.
Cambric  n. Fine linen or cotton fabric. [cambrai in france]




Hg  symb. Mercury.
Rainbow  —n. Arch of colours formed in the sky by reflection, refraction, and dispersion of the sun's rays in falling rain or in spray or mist. —adj. Many-coloured. [old english: related to *rain, *bow1]
Cabin cruiser  n. Large motor boat with accommodation.
Lovable  adj. (also loveable) inspiring love or affection.


Maidenhair  n. Fern with hairlike stalks and delicate fronds.


Relearn  v. Learn again.


Disaster  n. 1 great or sudden misfortune; catastrophe. 2 colloq. Complete failure.  disastrous adj. Disastrously adv. [latin astrum star]
Webbing  n. Strong narrow closely-woven fabric used for belts etc.
Next door  adj. & adv. (as adj. Often hyphenated) in the next house or room.


Inquire  v. (-ring) 1 seek information formally; make a formal investigation. 2 = *enquire. [latin quaero quisit- seek]


Allude  v. (-ding) (foll. By to) refer to, esp. Indirectly or briefly. [latin: related to *ad-, ludo play]
Vis-à-vis  —prep. 1 in relation to. 2 in comparison with. —adv. Opposite. [french, = face to face: related to *visage]
Ond  abbr. Ordinary national diploma.
Wally  n. (pl. -ies) slang foolish or inept person. [origin uncertain]

Disfranchise  var. Of *disenfranchise.
Stricture  n. (usu. In pl.; often foll. By on, upon) critical or censorious remark. [latin: related to *strict]
Denuclearize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) remove nuclear weapons from (a country etc.).  denuclearization n.

-ward  suffix (also -wards) added to nouns of place or destination and to adverbs of direction and forming: 1 adverbs (usu. -wards) meaning ‘towards’ (backwards; homewards). 2 adjectives (usu. -ward) meaning ‘turned or tending towards’ (downward; onward). 3 (less commonly) nouns meaning ‘the region towards or about’ (look to the eastward). [old english]



Graniferous  adj. Producing grain or a grainlike seed. [latin: related to *grain]


Usage  see note at exceptionable.
Smack4  n. Slang heroin or other hard drug. [probably alteration of yiddish schmeck sniff]
Reredos  n. Ornamental screen covering the wall at the back of an altar. [anglo-french: related to *arrears, dos back]
Waistband  n. Strip of cloth forming the waist of a garment.




Graphic arts  n.pl. Visual and technical arts involving design or the use of lettering.
Green-eyed  adj. Colloq. Jealous.

No1  symb.  Nobelium.



Metallography  n. Descriptive science of metals.
Passion sunday  n. Fifth sunday in lent.
Peninsula  n. Piece of land almost surrounded by water or projecting far into a sea etc.  peninsular adj. [latin paene almost, insula island]
Archbishopric  n. Office or diocese of an archbishop.

Inhale  v. (-ling) (often absol.) Breathe in (air, gas, smoke, etc.).  inhalation n. [latin halo breathe]
Daybreak  n. First light in the morning.

Crucify  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 put to death by fastening to a cross. 2 persecute, torment. 3 slang defeat thoroughly; humiliate. [french: related to *crucifix]
Hit man  n. Slang hired assassin.
Mp  abbr. Mezzo piano.


Don2  v. (-nn-) put on (clothing). [= do on]

Pict  n. Member of an ancient people of n. Britain.  pictish adj. [latin]
Stocktaking  n. 1 making an inventory of stock. 2 review of one's position etc.
Entente  n. Friendly understanding between states. [french]
Utility room  n. Room for domestic appliances, e.g. A washing-machine, boiler, etc.
Uneducated  adj. Not educated.
Viking  n.  Scandinavian pirate and raider of the 8th–11th c. [old norse]
Metropolitan  —adj. 1 of a metropolis. 2 of or forming a mother country as distinct from its colonies etc. (metropolitan france). —n. 1 bishop having authority over the bishops of a province. 2 inhabitant of a metropolis.
Hey presto!  Int. Conjuror's phrase on completing a trick.
Usage  in 1972 the civil jurisdiction of assizes in england and wales was transferred to the high court and the criminal jurisdiction to the crown court.

Energetic  adj. Full of energy, vigorous.  energetically adv. [greek: related to *energy]

Shier  compar. Of *shy1.
Ouzel  n. (also ousel) 1 (in full ring ouzel) white-breasted thrush. 2 (in full water ouzel) diving bird; dipper. [old english, = blackbird]



Plowman  n. (us plowman) person who uses a plough.



Pidgin  n. Simplified language used between people not having a common language. [corruption of business]
Antimatter  n. Matter composed solely of antiparticles.


Laird  n. Scot. Landed proprietor. [from *lord]

Impracticable  adj. Not practicable.  impracticability n. Impracticably adv.

Hasp  n. Hinged metal clasp fitting over a staple and secured by a padlock. [old english]

On  —prep. 1 (so as to be) supported by, attached to, covering, or enclosing (sat on a chair; stuck on the wall; rings on her fingers; leaned on his elbow). 2 carried with; about the person of (have you a pen on you?). 3 (of time) exactly at; during (on 29 may; on the hour; on schedule; closed on tuesday). 4 immediately after or before (i saw them on my return). 5 as a result of (on further examination).
Hugely  adv. 1 extremely (hugely successful). 2 very much (enjoyed it hugely).




Reprimand  —n. (esp. Official) rebuke. —v. Administer this to. [latin: related to *repress]
Vampire  n. 1 supposed ghost or reanimated corpse sucking the blood of sleeping persons. 2 person who preys ruthlessly on others. 3 (in full vampire bat) tropical (esp. South american) bloodsucking bat. [french or german from magyar]
Inner city  n. Central area of a city, esp. Regarded as having particular problems (also (with hyphen) attrib.: inner-city housing).

Carnivore  n. Carnivorous animal or plant, esp. A mammal of the order including cats, dogs, and bears.


Kraut  n. Slang offens. German. [shortening of *sauerkraut]
Rink  n. 1 area of ice for skating or curling etc. 2 enclosed area for roller-skating. 3 building containing either of these. 4 strip of bowling-green. 5 team in bowls or curling. [apparently from french renc *rank1]

Zip code  n. Us postcode. [zone improvement plan]
Tramway  n. Rails for a tram.


Digest  —v. 1 assimilate (food) in the stomach and bowels. 2 understand and assimilate mentally. 3 summarize. —n. 1 periodical synopsis of current literature or news. 2 methodical summary, esp. Of laws.  digestible adj. [latin digero -gest-]
Annualized  adj. (of rates of interest etc.) Calculated on an annual basis, as a projection from figures obtained for a shorter period.



Line-drawing  n. Drawing in which images are produced with lines.
Hung  past and past part. Of *hang.
Askew  —adv. Awry, crookedly. —predic. Adj. Oblique; awry.


Fiscal year  n. = *financial year.
Sorry  —adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 pained, regretful, penitent (sorry about the mess). 2 (foll. By for) feeling pity or sympathy for. 3 (attrib.) Wretched (a sorry sight). —int. Expression of apology.  sorry for oneself dejected. [old english: related to *sore]

Subaltern  n. Officer below the rank of captain, esp. A second lieutenant. [latin: related to *alternate]
Interrogative  —adj. Of, like, or used in a question. —n. Interrogative word (e.g. What?).

-al  suffix 1 (also -ial) forming adjectives meaning ‘relating to, of the kind of’ (central; tidal; dictatorial). 2 forming nouns, esp. Of verbal action (removal). [latin -alis]
Des res  n. Slang desirable residence. [abbreviation]

Trilateral  adj. 1 of, on, or with three sides. 2 involving three parties. [latin: related to *tri-]
Troop-ship  n. Ship used for transporting troops.

Fish2  n. Flat or curved plate of iron, wood, etc., used to strengthen a beam, joint, or mast. [french ficher fix, from latin figere *fix]

Precondition  n. Condition that must be fulfilled in advance.




Cagoule  n. Thin hooded windproof jacket. [french]
Real money  n. Current coin; cash.
Politicize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 a give a political character to. B make politically aware. 2 engage in or talk politics.  politicization n.

Consumer goods  n.pl. Goods for consumers, not for producing other goods.


Associate  —v. (-ting) 1 connect mentally (associate holly with christmas). 2 join or combine, esp. For a common purpose. 3 refl. Declare oneself or be in agreement. 4 (usu. Foll. By with) meet frequently or deal. —n. 1 partner, colleague. 2 friend, companion. 3 subordinate member of a society etc. —adj. 1 joined or allied. 2 of lower status (associate member).  associative adj. [latin socius allied]
Expense  n. 1 cost incurred; payment of money. 2 (usu. In pl.) A costs incurred in doing a job etc. B amount paid to reimburse this. 3 thing on which money is spent.  at the expense of so as to cause loss or harm to; costing. [latin expensa: related to *expend]

Morning-after pill  n. Contraceptive pill taken some hours after intercourse.
O3  symb. Oxygen.
Roman catholic  —adj. Of the part of the christian church acknowledging the pope as its head. —n. Member of this church.  roman catholicism n.


Homing  attrib. Adj. 1 (of a pigeon) trained to fly home. 2 (of a device) for guiding to a target etc.

Listless  adj. Lacking energy or enthusiasm.  listlessly adv. Listlessness n. [from obsolete list inclination]
Flapjack  n. 1 sweet oatcake. 2 esp. Us pancake.

Hereby  adv. By this means; as a result of this.

Semantics  n.pl. (usu. Treated as sing.) Branch of linguistics concerned with meaning.

Shrove  past of *shrive.
Sassy  adj. (-ier, -iest) esp. Us colloq. Impudent, cheeky. [var. Of *saucy]
Shorn  past part. Of *shear.


Blood sport  n. Sport involving the killing or wounding of animals.

Squelch  —v. 1 a make a sucking sound as of treading in thick mud. B move with a squelching sound. 2 disconcert, silence. —n. Act or sound of squelching.  squelchy adj. [imitative]

Amerind  adj. & n. (also amerindian) = *american indian (see *indian).
Lughole  n. Slang ear.
Nuke  colloq. —n. Nuclear weapon. —v. (-king) attack with nuclear weapons. [abbreviation]


Truss  —n. 1 framework supporting a roof, bridge, etc. 2 surgical appliance worn to support a hernia. 3 bundle of hay or straw. 4 compact terminal cluster of flowers or fruit. —v. 1 tie up (a fowl) for cooking. 2 (often foll. By up) tie (a person) up with the arms to the sides. 3 support (a roof or bridge etc.) With a truss or trusses. [french]



Vaunt  v. & n. Literary boast. [latin: related to *vain]

Flat spin  n. 1 aeron. A nearly horizontal spin. 2 colloq. State of panic.


Resolve  —v. (-ving) 1 make up one's mind; decide firmly (resolved to leave, on leaving). 2 cause (a person) to do this (events resolved him to leave). 3 solve, explain, or settle (a doubt, argument, etc.). 4 (foll. By that) (of an assembly or meeting) pass a resolution by vote. 5 (often foll. By into) (cause to) separate into constituent parts; analyse. 6 (foll. By into) reduce by mental analysis into. 7 mus. Convert or be converted into concord. —n. Firm mental decision or intention; determination. [latin: related to *solve]
Hellish  —adj. 1 of or like hell. 2 colloq. Extremely difficult or unpleasant. —adv. Colloq. Extremely (hellish expensive).  hellishly adv.




Ascii  abbr. Computing american standard code for information interchange.



Ode  n. Lyric poem of exalted style and tone. [greek oide song]
Kitchen  n. 1 place where food is prepared and cooked. 2 kitchen fitments (half-price kitchens). [latin coquina]



Card-sharp  n. (also card-sharper) swindler at card-games.



Principal boy  n. Leading male role in a pantomime, usu. Played by a woman.
Mozzarella  n. Italian curd cheese, orig. Of buffalo milk. [italian]
Drop-kick  n. Football kick as the ball touches the ground having been dropped.
Courser  n. Poet. Swift horse.

Percipient  adj. Able to perceive; conscious.  percipience n. [latin: related to *perceive]
Overwhelming  adj. 1 too great to resist or overcome (an overwhelming desire to laugh). 2 by a great number (the overwhelming majority).  overwhelmingly adv.
Negress  n. Female negro.
Gramophone  n. = *record-player. [inversion of phonogram: as *phono-, *-gram]
-ability  suffix forming nouns of quality from, or corresponding to, adjectives in -able.
Gallivant  v. Colloq. Gad about. [origin uncertain]

Exponential  adj. 1 of or indicated by a mathematical exponent. 2 (of an increase etc.) More and more rapid.


Boots  n. Hotel servant who cleans shoes etc.
Democrat  n. 1 advocate of democracy. 2 (democrat) (in the us) member of the democratic party.


Seller  n. 1 person who sells. 2 thing that sells well or badly.

Spy  —n. (pl. Spies) 1 person who secretly collects and reports information for a government, company, etc. 2 person watching others secretly. —v. (spies, spied) 1 discern, see. 2 (often foll. By on) act as a spy. 3 (often foll. By into) pry.  spy out explore or discover, esp. Secretly. [french espie, espier]

Commiserate  v. (-ting) (usu. Foll. By with) express or feel sympathy.  commiseration n. [latin: related to *miser]


Unrewarded  adj. Not rewarded.
Uv  abbr. Ultraviolet.

Floatation  var. Of *flotation.



Shamrock  n. Trefoil, used as an emblem of ireland. [irish]
Soak  —v. 1 make or become thoroughly wet through saturation. 2 (of rain etc.) Drench. 3 (foll. By in, up) absorb (liquid, knowledge, etc.). 4 refl. (often foll. By in) steep (oneself) in a subject etc. 5 (foll. By in, into, through) (of liquid) go or penetrate by saturation. 6 colloq. Extort money from. 7 colloq. Drink heavily. —n. 1 act of soaking; prolonged spell in a bath. 2 colloq. Hard drinker. [old english]
Thus  adv. Formal 1 a in this way. B as indicated. 2 a accordingly. B as a result or inference. 3 to this extent; so (thus far; thus much). [old english]
Measly  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Meagre, contemptible.


Zonked  adj. Slang (often foll. By out) exhausted; intoxicated. [zonk hit]



Aorta  n. (pl. -s) main artery, giving rise to the arterial network carrying oxygenated blood to the body from the heart.  aortic adj. [greek aeiro raise]


Usaf  abbr. United states air force.

Gallant  —adj. 1 brave. 2 fine, stately. 3  very attentive to women. —n. Ladies' man.  gallantly adv. [french galer make merry]
Wickerwork  n. 1 wicker. 2 things made of wicker.
Raver  n. Colloq. Uninhibited pleasure-loving person.

Herb  n. 1 any non-woody seed-bearing plant. 2 plant with leaves, seeds, or flowers used for flavouring, food, medicine, scent, etc.  herby adj. (-ier, -iest). [latin herba]
Bill of exchange  n. Written order to pay a sum of money on a given date to the drawer or to a named payee.


Cymbal  n. Concave disc, struck usu. With another to make a ringing sound.  cymbalist n. [latin from greek]
Arbitration  n. Settlement of a dispute by an impartial third party.



Stupendous  adj. Amazing or prodigious, esp. In size.  stupendously adv. [latin: related to *stupefy]

Inbred  adj. 1 inborn. 2 produced by inbreeding.


Jolt  —v. 1 disturb or shake (esp. In a moving vehicle) with a jerk. 2 shock; perturb. 3 move along jerkily. —n. 1 jerk. 2 surprise or shock.  jolty adj. (-ier, -iest). [origin unknown]




Procedure  n. 1 way of acting or advancing, esp. In business or legal action. 2 way of performing a task. 3 series of actions conducted in a certain order or manner.  procedural adj. [french: related to *proceed]
Satiety  n. Formal being sated. [latin: related to *satiate]


Act  —n. 1 something done; a deed. 2 process of doing (caught in the act). 3 item of entertainment. 4 pretence (all an act). 5 main division of a play etc. 6 a decree of a legislative body. B document attesting a legal transaction. —v. 1 behave (acted wisely). 2 perform an action or function; take action (act as referee; brakes failed to act; he acted quickly). 3 (also foll. By on) have an effect (alcohol acts on the brain). 4 a perform a part in a play, film, etc. B pretend. 5 a play the part of (acted othello; acts the fool). B perform (a play etc.). C portray (an incident) by actions.  act for be the (esp. Legal) representative of. Act of god natural event, e.g. An earthquake. Act up colloq. Misbehave; give trouble (car is acting up). Get one's act together slang become properly organized; prepare. Put on an act colloq. Make a pretence. [latin ago act- do]

Automat  n. Us 1 slot-machine. 2 cafeteria dispensing food and drink from slot-machines. [french: related to *automaton]



Sofa  n. Long upholstered seat with a back and arms. [arabic shuffa]


Scotch mist  n. Thick drizzly mist.
Call-girl  n. Prostitute accepting appointments by telephone.



Usage  in the sense ‘native of arabia’, the usual term is now arab.

He'll  contr. He will; he shall.

Sempstress  var. Of *seamstress.


Commissioner for oaths  n. Solicitor authorized to administer an oath in an affidavit etc.




Hairpiece  n. Quantity of hair augmenting a person's natural hair.
Junior common room  n. (also junior combination room) 1 common-room for undergraduates in a college. 2 undergraduates of a college collectively.
Saboteur  n. Person who commits sabotage. [french]

Enema  n. 1 introduction of fluid etc. Into the rectum, esp. To flush out its contents. 2 fluid etc. Used for this. [greek hiemi send]




Vinaigrette  n. 1 salad dressing of oil, wine vinegar, and seasoning. 2 small bottle for smelling-salts. [french, diminutive: related to *vinegar]
Jumping bean  n. Seed of a mexican plant that jumps with the movement of a larva inside.

Dose  —n. 1 single portion of medicine. 2 experience of something (dose of flu, laughter). 3 amount of radiation received. 4 slang venereal infection. —v. (-sing) treat with or give doses of medicine to. [greek dosis gift]
Jobsheet  n. Sheet for recording details of jobs done.
Straw vote  n. (also straw poll) unofficial ballot as a test of opinion.
Score-book  n. (also score-card or -sheet) printed book etc. For entering esp. Cricket scores in.
Rota  n. List of duties to be done or names of people to do them in turn; roster. [latin, = wheel]
Heavy metal  n. 1 heavy guns. 2 metal of high density. 3 colloq. Loud kind of rock music with a pounding rhythm.



Moreover  adv. Besides, in addition to what has been said.
Snare  —n. 1 trap, esp. With a noose, for birds or animals. 2 trap, trick, or temptation. 3 (in sing. Or pl.) Twisted strings of gut, hide, or wire stretched across the lower head of a side-drum to produce a rattle. 4 (in full snare drum) drum fitted with snares. —v. (-ring) catch in a snare; trap. [old norse]
Clearance  n. 1 removal of obstructions etc. 2 space allowed for the passing of two objects or parts in machinery etc. 3 special authorization. 4 a clearing by customs. B certificate showing this. 5 clearing of cheques. 6 clearing out.
-ite  suffix forming nouns meaning ‘a person or thing connected with’ (israelite; trotskyite; graphite; dynamite). [greek -ites]
Tress  n. 1 long lock of human (esp. Female) hair. 2 (in pl.) Woman's or girl's head of hair. [french]



Gooseberry  n. (pl. -ies) 1 yellowish-green berry with juicy flesh. 2 thorny shrub bearing this.  play gooseberry colloq. Be an unwanted extra person. [origin uncertain]



Tubercle bacillus  n. Bacterium causing tuberculosis.

Bleeder  n. Coarse slang unpleasant or contemptible person.

Ironing  n. Clothes etc. For ironing or just ironed.

Capable  adj. 1 competent, able, gifted. 2 (foll. By of) a having the ability, fitness, etc. For. B admitting of (explanation, improvement, etc.).  capably adv. [latin capio hold]


Bourgeois  often derog. —adj. 1 a conventionally middle-class. B materialistic. 2 capitalist. —n. (pl. Same) bourgeois person. [french]




Cut glass  n. (often hyphenated when attrib.) Glass with patterns cut on it.
Abide  v. (-ding; past abided or rarely abode) 1 (usu. In neg.) Tolerate, endure (can't abide him). 2 (foll. By by) a act in accordance with (abide by the rules). B keep (a promise). 3 archaic remain, continue. [old english a- intensive prefix, *bide]
Blood bath  n. Massacre.
Leprechaun  n. Small mischievous sprite in irish folklore. [irish lu small, corp body]
Dilettante  n. (pl. Dilettanti or -s) dabbler in a subject.  dilettantism n. [italian dilettare *delight]


Auditor  n. Person who audits accounts. [french from latin]






Barnstorm  v. Tour rural areas as an actor or political campaigner.  barnstormer n.
Te  n. (also ti) seventh note of a major scale. [earlier si: french from italian]
Confiscate  v. (-ting) take or seize by authority.  confiscation n. [latin: related to *fiscal]

Bottlenose dolphin  n. Dolphin with a bottle-shaped snout.
Water-rat  n. = *water-vole.

Unjust  adj. Not just, not fair.  unjustly adv. Unjustness n.
Dermatology  n. The study of skin diseases.  dermatological adj. Dermatologist n. [from *dermatitis, *-logy]
Pollen count  n. Index of the amount of pollen in the air, published as a warning to hay fever sufferers.



Exaction  n. 1 exacting or being exacted. 2 a illegal or exorbitant demand; extortion. B sum or thing exacted.
Panelist  n. (brit. Panellist) member of a panel.
Sundew  n. Small insect-consuming bog-plant.
Dangerous  adj. Involving or causing danger.  dangerously adv.

Savage  —adj. 1 fierce; cruel. 2 wild; primitive. —n. 1 derog. Member of a primitive tribe. 2 cruel or barbarous person. —v. (-ging) 1 attack and maul. 2 attack verbally.  savagely adv. Savagery n. (pl. -ies). [french from latin silva a wood]





Pulsate  v. (-ting) 1 expand and contract rhythmically; throb. 2 vibrate, quiver, thrill.  pulsation n. Pulsatory adj. [latin: related to *pulse1]

Change of clothes  n. Second outfit in reserve.
Dispute  —v. (-ting) 1 debate, argue. 2 discuss, esp. Heatedly; quarrel. 3 question the truth or validity of (a statement etc.). 4 contend for (disputed territory). 5 resist, oppose. —n. 1 controversy; debate. 2 quarrel. 3 disagreement leading to industrial action.  in dispute 1 being argued about. 2 (of a workforce) involved in industrial action. [latin puto reckon]
Pimp  —n. Man who lives off the earnings of a prostitute or a brothel. —v. Act as a pimp. [origin unknown]
Catapult  —n. 1 forked stick etc. With elastic for shooting stones. 2 mil hist. Machine for hurling large stones etc. 3 device for launching a glider etc. —v. 1 a hurl from or launch with a catapult. B fling forcibly. 2 leap or be hurled forcibly. [latin from greek]
Undrinkable  adj. Unfit for drinking.







Whodunit  n. (also whodunnit) colloq. Detective story, play, or film. [= who done (illiterate for did) it?]



Monger  n. (usu. In comb.) 1 dealer, trader (fishmonger). 2 usu. Derog. Promoter, spreader (warmonger; scaremonger). [latin mango dealer]
Aglow  predic. Adj. Glowing.
Manifold  —adj. 1 many and various. 2 having various forms, parts, applications, etc. —n. 1 manifold thing. 2  pipe or chamber branching into several openings. [old english: related to *many, *-fold]

Honourable  adj. (us honorable) 1 deserving, bringing, or showing honour. 2 (honourable) title indicating distinction, given to certain high officials, the children of certain ranks of the nobility, and (in the house of commons) to mps.  honourably adv.
Impossible  adj. 1 not possible. 2 colloq. Not easy, convenient, or believable. 3 colloq. (esp. Of a person) outrageous, intolerable.  impossibility n. (pl. -ies). Impossibly adv.
Puissant  adj. Literary or archaic powerful; mighty. [romanic: related to *potent]



Gujarati  (also gujerati) —n. (pl. -s) 1 native of gujarat. 2 language of gujarat. —adj. Of gujarat, its people, or language. [gujarat, state in india]


Despotism  n. 1 rule by a despot; tyranny. 2 country ruled by a despot.





Deaf mute  n. Deaf and dumb person.
Id  abbr. Identification, identity (id card).
Springy  adj. (-ier, -iest) springing back quickly when squeezed, bent, or stretched; elastic.  springiness n.
Kirk  n. Scot. & n.engl. 1 church. 2 (the kirk or the kirk of scotland) church of scotland. [old norse kirkja = *church]
Silver band  n. Band playing silver-plated instruments.


Swab  —n. 1 a absorbent pad used in surgery. B specimen of a secretion taken for examination. 2 mop etc. For cleaning or mopping up. —v. (-bb-) 1 clean with a swab. 2 (foll. By up) absorb (moisture) with a swab. 3 mop clean (a ship's deck) [dutch]
Cachet  n. 1 prestige. 2 distinguishing mark or seal. 3 flat capsule of medicine. [french cacher press]






Play on words  n. Pun.
Overfill  v. Fill to excess or to overflowing.
Incidental music  n. Background music in a film, broadcast, etc.
Exiguous  adj. Scanty, small.  exiguity n. [latin]

Yellow card  n. Card shown by the referee to a football-player being cautioned.


Diptych  n. Painting, esp. An altarpiece, on two hinged panels closing like a book. [greek, = pair of writing-tablets, from ptukhe fold]
Philter  n. (brit. Philtre) love-potion. [greek phileo to love]

Exposition  n. 1 explanatory account. 2 explanation or commentary. 3 mus. Part of a movement in which the principal themes are presented. 4 large public exhibition. [latin: related to *expound]





Obstetrician  n. Specialist in obstetrics.
D.  Abbr. 1 died. 2 departs. 3 daughter. 4 hist. (pre-decimal) penny. [sense 4 from latin *denarius]
Jaunt  —n. Short pleasure trip. —v. Take a jaunt. [origin unknown]

Twerp  n. (also twirp) slang stupid or objectionable person. [origin unknown]

South-western  adj. On the south-west side.




Tuck-in  n. Colloq. Large meal.

Dark  —adj. 1 with little or no light. 2 of deep or sombre colour. 3 (of a person) with dark colouring. 4 gloomy, dismal. 5 evil, sinister. 6 sullen, angry. 7 secret, mysterious. 8 ignorant, unenlightened. —n. 1 absence of light. 2 lack of knowledge. 3 dark area or colour, esp. In painting.  after dark after nightfall. The dark ages (or age) 1 period of european history from the 5th–10th c. 2 period of supposed unenlightenment. In the dark 1 lacking information. 2 with no light.  darkish adj. Darkly adv. Darkness n. [old english]
Turn  —v. 1 move around a point or axis; give or receive a rotary motion (turned the wheel; the wheel turns). 2 change in position so that a different side, end, or part becomes outermost or uppermost etc.; invert or reverse (it turned inside out; turned it upside down). 3 a give a new direction to (turn your face this way). B take a new direction (turn left here). 4 aim in a certain way (turned the hose on them). 5 (foll. By into) change in nature, form, or condition to (turned into a frog; turned the book into a play). 6 (foll. By to) a set about (turned to doing the ironing). B have recourse to (turned to drink; turned to me for help). C go on to consider next (let us now turn to your report). 7 become (turned nasty). 8 a (foll. By against) make or become hostile to (has turned her against us). B (foll. By on, upon) become hostile to; attack (suddenly turned on them). 9 (of hair or leaves) change colour. 10 (of milk) become sour. 11 (of the stomach) be nauseated. 12 cause (milk) to become sour or (the stomach) to be nauseated. 13 (of the head) become giddy. 14 translate (turn it into french). 15 move to the other side of; go round (turned the corner). 16 pass the age or time of (he has turned 40; it has turned 4 o'clock). 17 (foll. By on) depend on; be determined by. 18 send or put; cause to go (was turned loose; turned the water out into a basin). 19 perform (a somersault etc.). 20 remake (esp. A sheet) putting the less worn outer side on the inside. 21 make (a profit). 22 divert (a bullet). 23 blunt (a knife etc.). 24 shape (an object) on a lathe. 25 give an (esp. Elegant) form to (turn a compliment). 26 (of the tide) change direction. —n. 1 turning; rotary motion. 2 changed or a change of direction or tendency (took a sudden turn to the left). 3 point at which a turning or change occurs. 4 turning of a road. 5 change of direction of the tide. 6 change in the course of events (a turn for the worse). 7 tendency or disposition; facility of forming (is of a mechanical turn of mind; has a neat turn of phrase). 8 opportunity or obligation etc. That comes successively to each of several persons etc. (my turn to pay). 9 short walk or ride (took a turn in the park). 10 short performance, variety act. 11 service of a specified kind (did me a good turn). 12 purpose (served my turn). 13 colloq. Momentary nervous shock (gave me a turn). 14 mus. Ornament consisting of the principal note with those above and below it.  at every turn continually. By turns in rotation; alternately. In turn in succession. In one's turn when one's turn comes.
Receipt  —n. 1 receiving or being received. 2 written acknowledgement of payment received. 3 (usu. In pl.) Amount of money etc. Received. 4 archaic recipe. —v. Place a written or printed receipt on (a bill).  in receipt of having received. [anglo-french receite: related to *receive]
Megabuck  n. Us slang million dollars.
Crêpe paper  n. Thin crinkled paper.


Preference  n. 1 preferring or being preferred. 2 thing preferred. 3 favouring of one person etc. Before others. 4 prior right, esp. To the payment of debts.  in preference to as a thing preferred over (another).
Lazy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 disinclined to work, doing little work. 2 of or inducing idleness.  lazily adv. Laziness n. [perhaps from low german]

Gal  n. Slang girl. [representing a variant pronunciation]
Putter1  n. Golf club for putting.

Egalitarian  —adj. Of or advocating equal rights for all. —n. Egalitarian person.  egalitarianism n. [french égal *equal]





Self-indulgent  adj. 1 indulging in one's own pleasure, feelings, etc. 2 (of a work of art etc.) Lacking economy and control.  self-indulgence n.
Outface  v. (-cing) disconcert by staring or by a display of confidence.
Revolver  n. Pistol with revolving chambers enabling several shots to be fired without reloading.
Despite  prep. In spite of. [latin: related to *despicable]

Diazepam  n. A tranquillizing drug. [benzodiazepine + am]



Nature reserve  n. Tract of land managed so as to preserve its flora, fauna, physical features, etc.
Uncountable  adj. 1 inestimable, immense (uncountable wealth). 2 (of a noun) not used in the plural or with the indefinite article (e.g. Happiness, milk).






Snowy owl  n. Large white arctic owl.


Wringing  adj. (in full wringing wet) so wet that water can be wrung out.

Bas-relief  n. Sculpture or carving with figures projecting slightly from the background. [french and italian]
Noel  n. Christmas. [latin: related to *natal]

Lifebuoy  n. Buoyant support for keeping a person afloat.






Fuel  —n. 1 material for burning or as a source of heat, power, or nuclear energy. 2 food as a source of energy. 3 thing that sustains or inflames passion etc. —v. (-ll-; us -l-) 1 supply with, take in, or get, fuel. 2 inflame (feeling etc.). [french from latin]

Ha  symb. Hahnium.
Opportunism  n. Adaptation of one's policy or judgement to circumstances or opportunity, esp. Regardless of principle.  opportunist n. Opportunistic adj. Opportunistically adv.
Regardless  —adj. (foll. By of) without regard or consideration for. —adv. Without paying attention.
Flow chart  n. (also flow diagram or flow sheet) diagram of the movement or action in a complex activity.
Ruby  —n. (pl. -ies) 1 rare precious stone varying in colour from deep crimson to pale rose. 2 deep red colour. —adj. Of this colour. [latin rubeus red]
Bar billiards  n.pl. Form of billiards with holes in the table.

Cyclist  n. Rider of a bicycle.

Stirrup  n. Metal loop supporting a horse-rider's foot. [old english, = climbing-rope]
Hydrophobia  n. 1 aversion to water, esp. As a symptom of rabies in humans. 2 rabies, esp. In humans.  hydrophobic adj.

Crash1  —v. 1 (cause to) make a loud smashing noise. 2 throw, drive, move, or fall with a loud smash. 3 (often foll. By into) collide or fall, or cause (a vehicle etc.) To collide or fall, violently; overturn at high speed. 4 collapse financially. 5 colloq. Gatecrash. 6 computing (of a machine or system) fail suddenly. 7 colloq. Pass (a red traffic-light etc.). 8 (often foll. By out) slang sleep, esp. On a floor etc. —n. 1 loud and sudden smashing noise. 2 violent collision or fall, esp. Of a vehicle. 3 ruin, esp. Financial. 4 computing sudden failure of a machine or system. 5 (attrib.) Done rapidly or urgently (crash course in first aid). —adv. With a crash (go crash). [imitative]
Profound  adj. (-er, -est) 1 having or demanding great knowledge, study, or insight (profound treatise; profound doctrines). 2 intense, unqualified, thorough (a profound sleep; profound indifference). 3 deep (profound crevasses).  profoundly adv. Profoundness n. Profundity n. (pl. -ies). [latin profundus]
Jammy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 covered with jam. 2 colloq. A lucky. B profitable.
Elderly  adj. Rather old; past middle age.
Underwhelm  v. Joc. Fail to impress. [alteration of *overwhelm]
Nightspot  n. Nightclub.
Solidus  n. (pl. Solidi) oblique stroke (/). [latin: related to *solid]


Toxicology  n. The study of poisons.  toxicological adj. Toxicologist n.


Casualty department  n. Part of a hospital where casualties are dealt with.

Accompaniment  n. 1 instrumental or orchestral support for a solo instrument, voice, or group. 2 accompanying thing.  accompanist n. (in sense 1).


Man in the street  n. Ordinary person.



Economy class  n. Cheapest class of air travel.
Pile3  n. Soft projecting surface on a carpet, velvet, etc. [latin pilus hair]
Wapiti  n. (pl. -s) n. American deer. [a cree word]
Conifer  n. Tree usu. Bearing cones.  coniferous adj. [latin: related to *cone]
Bunch  —n. 1 things gathered together. 2 collection; lot (best of the bunch). 3 colloq. Group; gang. —v. 1 make into a bunch; gather into close folds. 2 form into a group or crowd. [origin unknown]
Elemental  adj. 1 of or like the elements or the forces of nature; powerful. 2 essential, basic.


Precipitous  adj. 1 a of or like a precipice. B dangerously steep. 2 = *precipitate adj.
Pottery  n. (pl. -ies) 1 vessels etc. Made of fired clay. 2 potter's work. 3 potter's workshop. [french: related to *potter2]
Ar  symb. Argon.
Intercalary  attrib. Adj. 1 a (of a day or a month) inserted in the calendar to harmonize it with the solar year. B (of a year) having such an addition. 2 interpolated. [latin calo proclaim]
Antipathy  n. (pl. -ies) (often foll. By to, for, between) strong aversion or dislike.  antipathetic adj. [greek: related to *pathetic]
Newcomer  n. 1 person who has recently arrived. 2 beginner in some activity.
Tu-whit, tu-whoo  n. Representation of the cry of an owl. [imitative]



Festivity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 gaiety, rejoicing. 2 (in pl.) Celebration; party.
W.  Abbr. 1 wicket(s). 2 wide(s). 3 with.
Syllabus  n. (pl. -buses or -bi) programme or outline of a course of study, teaching, etc. [misreading of greek sittuba label]
Treachery  n. (pl. -ies) violation of faith or trust; betrayal.



Lame duck  n. Helpless person or firm.


Ill-omened  adj. Doomed.



Accession  —n. 1 taking office, esp. As monarch. 2 thing added. —v. Record the addition of (a new item) to a library etc.
Capsicum  n. 1 plant with edible fruits, esp. Any of several varieties of pepper. 2 red, green, or yellow fruit of these. [latin capsa case]




Engraving  n. Print made from an engraved plate.


Capitalism  n. Economic and political system dependent on private capital and profit-making.
Cr  symb. Chromium.
Memorabilia  n.pl. Souvenirs of memorable events. [latin: related to *memorable]
Undisciplined  adj. Lacking discipline; not disciplined.
Mountain bike  n. Sturdy bike with many gears for riding over rough terrain.
Contract bridge  n. Bridge in which only tricks bid and won count towards the game.
Itself  pron. Emphatic and refl. Form of *it.  be itself see *oneself. By itself see by oneself. In itself viewed in its essential qualities (not in itself a bad thing). [old english: related to *it, *self]
Burn2  n. Scot. Brook. [old english]

Pinafore  n. 1 apron, esp. With a bib. 2 (in full pinafore dress) collarless sleeveless dress worn over a blouse or jumper. [from *pin, *afore]

Hellebore  n. Evergreen plant with usu. White, purple, or green flowers, e.g. The christmas rose. [greek (h)elleborus]
Ugh  int. 1 expressing disgust etc. 2 sound of a cough or grunt. [imitative]
Hyena  n. (also hyaena) doglike flesh-eating mammal. [latin from greek]
Dsm  abbr. Distinguished service medal.

Archidiaconal  adj. Of an archdeacon. [medieval latin]
Gaga  adj. Slang 1 senile. 2 slightly crazy. [french]





Binary  —adj. 1 of two parts, dual. 2 of the binary system. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 something having two parts. 2 binary number. [latin bini two together]
Puppy-fat  n. Temporary fatness of a child or adolescent.


Snippet  n. 1 small piece cut off. 2 (usu. In pl.) A scrap of information etc. B short extract from a book etc.


Ctc  abbr.  City technology college.


Further education  n. Education for those above school age.
Pterodactyl  n. Large extinct flying reptile. [greek pteron wing, *dactyl]

Reporter  n. Person employed to report news etc. For the media.
Anaesthetic  (us anes-) —n. Substance producing anaesthesia. —adj. Producing anaesthesia.


Interfere  v. (-ring) 1 (usu. Foll. By with) a (of a person) meddle; obstruct a process etc. B (of a thing) be a hindrance. 2 (usu. Foll. By in) intervene, esp. Without invitation or necessity. 3 (foll. By with) euphem. Molest or assault sexually. 4 (of light or other waves) combine so as to cause interference. [latin ferio strike]
Lag1  —v. (-gg-) fall behind; not keep pace. —n. Delay. [origin uncertain]
Recourse  n. 1 resort to a possible source of help. 2 person or thing resorted to.  have recourse to turn to (a person or thing) for help. [latin: related to *course]
Navigable  adj. 1 (of a river etc.) Suitable for ships to pass through. 2 seaworthy. 3 steerable.  navigability n. [latin: related to *navigate]


Chamber of commerce  n. Association to promote local commercial interests.
Picturesque  adj. 1 beautiful or striking to look at. 2 (of language etc.) Strikingly graphic. [italian pittoresco, assimilated to *picture]


Stayer  n.  Person or animal with great endurance.
Tumble  —v. (-ling) 1 (cause to) fall suddenly, clumsily, or headlong. 2 fall rapidly in amount etc. (prices tumbled). 3 (often foll. By about, around) roll or toss to and fro. 4 move or rush in a headlong or blundering manner. 5 (often foll. By to) colloq. Grasp the meaning behind an idea, circumstance, etc. (he quickly tumbled to our plan). 6 overturn; fling or push roughly or carelessly. 7 perform acrobatic feats, esp. Somersaults. 8 rumple or disarrange. —n. 1 sudden or headlong fall. 2 somersault or other acrobatic feat. 3 untidy or confused state. [low german tummeln]
Curious  adj. 1 eager to learn; inquisitive. 2 strange, surprising, odd.  curiously adv. [latin: related to *cure]

Eradicate  v. (-ting) root out; destroy completely.  eradicable adj. Eradication n. Eradicator n. [latin radix -icis root]

Generous  adj. 1 giving or given freely. 2 magnanimous, unprejudiced. 3 abundant, copious.  generosity n. Generously adv. [latin: related to *genus]


Countermeasure  n. Action taken to counteract a danger, threat, etc.

Captain  —n. 1 a chief, leader. B leader of a team. 2 a commander of a ship. B pilot of a civil aircraft. 3 army officer next above lieutenant. —v. Be captain of; lead.  captaincy n. (pl. -ies). [latin caput head]
Vibes  n.pl. Colloq. 1 vibrations, esp. Feelings communicated. 2 = *vibraphone. [abbreviation]

Gown  n. 1 loose flowing garment, esp. A woman's long dress. 2 official robe of an alderman, judge, cleric, academic, etc. 3 surgeon's overall. [latin gunna fur]

Sevenfold  adj. & adv. 1 seven times as much or as many. 2 consisting of seven parts.
Archdiocese  n. Diocese of an archbishop.  archdiocesan adj.
Md  abbr. 1 doctor of medicine. 2 managing director. [sense 1 from latin medicinae doctor]
Standpoint  n. Point of view.

Sine  n. Ratio of the side opposite a given angle (in a right-angled triangle) to the hypotenuse. [latin *sinus]
Feminism  n. Advocacy of women's rights and sexual equality.  feminist n. & adj.
Centimeter  n. (brit. Centimetre) 0.01 metre.
Cephalic  adj. Of or in the head. [greek kephale head]

Heaven  n. 1 place regarded in some religions as the abode of god and the angels, and of the blessed after death. 2 place or state of supreme bliss. 3 colloq. Delightful thing. 4 (usu. Heaven) god, providence (often as an exclamation or mild oath: heavens). 5 (the heavens) esp. Poet. The sky as seen from the earth, in which the sun, moon, and stars appear.  heavenward adv. (also heavenwards). [old english]


Pristine  adj. 1 in its original condition; unspoilt. 2 spotless; fresh as if new. 3 ancient, primitive. [latin pristinus former]

Separate  —adj. Forming a unit by itself, existing apart; disconnected, distinct, or individual. —n. (in pl.) Trousers, skirts, etc. That are not parts of suits. —v. (-ting) 1 make separate, sever. 2 prevent union or contact of. 3 go different ways. 4 (esp. As separated adj.) Cease to live with one's spouse. 5 (foll. By from) secede. 6 a divide or sort into parts or sizes. B (often foll. By out) extract or remove (an ingredient etc.).  separately adv. Separateness n. [latin separo (v.)]

Elliptic  adj. (also elliptical) of or in the form of an ellipse.  elliptically adv.

Dumb-bell  n. 1 short bar with a weight at each end, for muscle-building etc. 2 slang stupid person, esp. A woman.
Crockery  n. Earthenware or china dishes, plates, etc. [related to *crock2]
Free-wheel  v. 1 ride a bicycle with the pedals at rest. 2 act without constraint.
Sts  abbr. Saints.

Leggy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 long-legged. 2 long-stemmed and weak.  legginess n.
Appointment  n. 1 appointing or being appointed. 2 arrangement for meeting or consultation. 3 a post or office open to applicants. B person appointed. 4 (usu. In pl.) Furniture, fittings; equipment.
Phantom  —n. 1 ghost, apparition, spectre. 2 mental illusion. —attrib. Adj. Illusory. [greek phantasma]
-ise  var. Of *-ize.
Folly  n. (pl. -ies) 1 foolishness. 2 foolish act, behaviour, idea, etc. 3 fanciful ornamental building created for display. [french folie from fol mad, *fool1]
A posteriori  —adj. (of reasoning) proceeding from effects to causes; inductive. —adv. Inductively. [latin, = from what comes after]

Join  —v. 1 (often foll. By to, together) put together; fasten, unite (with one or several things or people). 2 connect (points) by a line etc. 3 become a member of (a club, organization, etc.). 4 a take one's place with (a person, group, etc.). B (foll. By in, for, etc.) Take part with (others) in an activity etc. (joined them in prayer). 5 (often foll. By with, to) come together; be united. 6 (of a river etc.) Be or become connected or continuous with. —n. Point, line, or surface at which things are joined.  join battle begin fighting. Join forces combine efforts. Join hands 1 clasp hands. 2 combine in an action etc. Join in (also absol.) Take part in (an activity). Join up 1 enlist for military service. 2 (often foll. By with) unite, connect. [latin jungo junct-]



Shindig  n. Colloq. 1 lively noisy party. 2 = *shindy 1. [probably from *shindy]
Abutment  n. Lateral supporting structure of a bridge, arch, etc.
Hairpin bend  n. Sharp u-shaped bend in a road.

Unpracticed  adj. (brit. Unpractised) 1 not experienced or skilled. 2 not put into practice.


Umbel  n. Flower-cluster with stalks springing from a common centre and forming a flat or curved surface.  umbellate adj. [latin umbella sunshade]
Sorely  adv. Extremely (sorely tempted; sorely vexed).
High and low  adv. Everywhere (searched high and low).


Sauna  n. 1 period spent in a special room heated very hot, to clean the body. 2 such a room. [finnish]



Kinematics  n.pl. (usu. Treated as sing.) Branch of mechanics concerned with the motion of objects without reference to cause.  kinematic adj. [greek kinema -matos motion]
Winy  adj. (-ier, -iest) wine-flavoured.

Heretic  n. 1 person believing in or practising religious heresy. 2 holder of an unorthodox opinion.  heretical adj.

Workload  n. Amount of work to be done.

Kimono  n. (pl. -s) 1 long sashed japanese robe. 2 similar dressing-gown. [japanese]
Oat  n. 1 a hardy cereal plant grown as food. B (in pl.) Grain yielded by this. 2 oat plant or a variety of it. 3 (in pl.) Slang sexual gratification.  off one's oats colloq. Not hungry.  oaten adj. [old english]



Middle game  n. Central phase of a chess game.
Jowl1  n. 1 jaw or jawbone. 2 cheek (cheek by jowl). [old english]
Boat-train  n. Train scheduled to meet or go on a boat.

An-  see *a-.


Public bar  n. Less or least expensive bar in a public house.


Tofu  n. Curd of mashed soya beans. [japanese]
Score  —n. 1 a number of points, goals, runs, etc., made by a player or side in some games. B respective numbers of points etc. At the end of a game (score was five–nil). C act of gaining esp. A goal. 2 (pl. Same or -s) twenty or a set of twenty. 3 (in pl.) A great many (scores of people). 4 reason or motive (rejected on that score). 5 mus. A copy of a composition showing all the vocal and instrumental parts arranged one below the other. B music for a film or play, esp. For a musical. 6 notch, line, etc. Cut or scratched into a surface. 7 record of money owing. —v. (-ring) 1 a win or gain (a goal, points, success, etc.). B count for (points in a game etc.) (a boundary scores six). 2 a make a score in a game (failed to score). B keep score in a game. 3 mark with notches etc. 4 have an advantage (that is where he scores). 5 mus. (often foll. By for) orchestrate or arrange (a piece of music). 6 slang a obtain drugs illegally. B make a sexual conquest.  keep score (or the score) register scores as they are made. Know the score colloq. Be aware of the essential facts. On that score so far as that is concerned. Score off (or score points off) colloq. Humiliate, esp. Verbally. Score out delete.  scorer n. [old norse: related to *shear]

Perlite  n. (also pearlite) glassy type of vermiculite used for insulation etc. [french perle pearl]

Largo  mus. —adv. & adj. In a slow tempo and dignified style. —n. (pl. -s) largo passage or movement. [italian, = broad]
Tour operator  n. Travel agent specializing in package holidays.
Parmesan  n. Hard dry cheese made orig. At parma and usu. Used grated. [italian parmegiano of parma]

Secondly  adv. 1 furthermore. 2 as a second item.


Jellaba  var. Of *djellaba.
Sole1  —n. 1 undersurface of the foot. 2 part of a shoe, sock, etc., under the foot, esp. Other than the heel. 3 lower surface or base of a plough, golf-club head, etc. —v. (-ling) provide (a shoe etc.) With a sole.  -soled adj. (in comb.). [latin solea sandal]

Test flight  n. Aircraft flight for evaluation purposes.  test-fly v.
Top-dress  v. Apply fertilizer on the top of (earth) instead of ploughing it in.  top-dressing n.
Caisson  n. Watertight chamber for underwater construction work. [italian cassone]
Subsidiary  —adj. 1 supplementary; auxiliary. 2 (of a company) controlled by another. —n. (pl. -ies) subsidiary thing, person, or company. [latin: related to *subsidy]


Saving  —adj. (often in comb.) Making economical use of (labour-saving). —n. 1 anything that is saved. 2 an economy (a saving in expenses). 3 (usu. In pl.) Money saved. 4 act of preserving or rescuing. —prep. 1 except. 2 without offence to (saving your presence).
Rheumatic  —adj. Of, suffering from, producing, or produced by rheumatism. —n. Person suffering from rheumatism.  rheumatically adv. Rheumaticky adj. Colloq. [greek rheuma stream]
Agate  n. Hard usu. Streaked chalcedony. [greek akhates]

Moiety  n. (pl. -ies) law or literary 1 half. 2 each of the two parts of a thing. [latin medietas from medius middle]
Skin-diver  n. Underwater swimmer without a diving-suit, usu. With aqualung and flippers.  skin-diving n.
Caliper  var. Of *calliper.
Mineworker  n. Miner.
Multicoloured  adj. Of many colours.
Re-employ  v. Employ again.  re-employment n.
Huguenot  n. Hist. French protestant. [french]





Perplexity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 state of being perplexed. 2 thing that perplexes.
Trade name  n. 1 name by which a thing is called in a trade. 2 name given to a product. 3 name under which a business trades.
Illustrious  adj. Distinguished, renowned. [latin illustris: related to *illustrate]

Recline  v. (-ning) assume or be in a horizontal or relaxed leaning position. [latin reclino]

Undercurrent  n. 1 current below the surface. 2 underlying often contrary feeling, influence, etc. (undercurrent of protest).
Self-cleaning  adj. (esp. Of an oven) cleaning itself when heated.
Majority rule  n. Principle that the greater number should exercise the greater power.
Contract  —n. 1 written or spoken agreement, esp. One enforceable by law. 2 document recording this. —v. 1 make or become smaller. 2 a (usu. Foll. By with) make a contract. B (often foll. By out) arrange (work) to be done by contract. 3 become affected by (a disease). 4 enter into (marriage). 5 incur (a debt etc.).  6 draw together (the muscles, brow, etc.), or be drawn together.  contract in (or out) choose to enter (or not to enter) a scheme or commitment. [latin contractus: related to *tract1]
Unteachable  adj. (of a person, subject, etc.) Incapable of being taught.
Yardstick  n. 1 standard of comparison. 2 measuring rod a yard long, usu. Divided into inches etc.



Slaughter  —v. 1 kill (animals) for food or skins or because of disease. 2 kill (people) ruthlessly or on a great scale. 3 colloq. Defeat utterly. —n. Act of slaughtering.  slaughterer n. [old norse: related to *slay]
Numeration  n. 1 method or process of numbering. 2 calculation. [latin: related to *number]


Versify  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 turn into or express in verse. 2 compose verses.  versification n. Versifier n.
Limb2  n. Specified edge of the sun, moon, etc. [latin limbus hem, border]





Unsorted  adj. Not sorted.
Militarize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 equip with military resources. 2 make military or warlike. 3 imbue with militarism.  militarization n.


Hypotension  n. Abnormally low blood pressure.
Fan1  —n. 1 apparatus, usu. With rotating blades, for ventilation etc. 2 folding semicircular device waved to cool oneself. 3 thing spread out like a fan (fan tracery). —v. (-nn-) 1 blow air on, with or as with a fan. 2 (of a breeze) blow gently on. 3 (usu. Foll. By out) spread out like a fan. [latin vannus winnowing-basket]
Gas-fired  adj. Using gas as fuel.
Unadulterated  adj. 1 pure. 2 complete, utter.

Cusp  n. Point at which two curves meet, e.g. The horn of a crescent moon etc. [latin cuspis -id- point, apex]



Latter  adj. 1 a second-mentioned of two, or last-mentioned of three or more. B (prec. By the; usu. Absol.) The second- or last-mentioned person or thing. 2 nearer the end (latter part of the year). 3 recent. 4 of the end of a period, the world, etc. [old english, = later]




Mammography  n.  X-ray technique for screening the breasts for tumours etc.

Identical  adj. 1 (often foll. By with) (of different things) absolutely alike. 2 one and the same. 3 (of twins) developed from a single ovum.  identically adv. [latin identicus: related to *identity]


Repossess  v. Regain possession of (esp. Goods on which payment is in arrears).  repossession n.
Re2  var. Of *ray3.

Graeco-roman  adj. Of the greeks and romans.






Epidemic  —n. Widespread occurrence of a disease in a community at a particular time. —adj. In the nature of an epidemic. [greek epi against, demos the people]
Proud  adj. 1 feeling greatly honoured or pleased (proud to know him). 2 a (often foll. By of) haughty, arrogant (too proud to speak to us). B (often in comb.) Having a proper pride; satisfied (house-proud; proud of a job well done). 3 (of an occasion, action, etc.) Justly arousing or showing pride (proud day; proud smile). 4 imposing, splendid. 5 (often foll. By of) slightly projecting (nail stood proud of the plank).  do proud colloq. Treat with lavish generosity or honour (did us proud).  proudly adv. [french prud valiant]
Simnel cake  n. Rich fruit cake, usu. With a marzipan layer and decoration, eaten esp. At easter. [latin simila fine flour]

Ochre  n. (us ocher) 1 earth used as yellow, brown, or red pigment. 2 pale brownish-yellow colour.  ochreous adj. [greek okhra]


Officious  adj. 1 domineering. 2 intrusive in correcting etc.  officiously adv. Officiousness n.

Griddle  n. Circular iron plate placed over a source of heat for baking etc. [latin cratis hurdle]
Pedagogy  n. Science of teaching.
Unreformed  adj. Not reformed.

Scutter  v. & n. Colloq. Scurry. [perhaps an alteration of *scuttle2]
Frizzy  adj. (-ier, -iest) in tight curls.




Inertia  n. 1 physics property of matter by which it continues in its existing state of rest or motion unless an external force is applied. 2 a inertness, lethargy. B tendency to remain unchanged (inertia of the system).  inertial adj. [latin: related to *inert]
Dump truck  n. Truck that tilts or opens at the back for unloading.
Lord chief justice  n. President of the queen's bench division.
Caravan  —n. 1 vehicle equipped for living in and usu. Towed by a car. 2 people travelling together, esp. Across a desert. —v. (-nn-) travel or live in a caravan.  caravanner n. [french from persian]

Extra-  comb. Form 1 outside, beyond. 2 beyond the scope of. [latin extra outside]

De rigueur  predic. Adj. Required by fashion or etiquette (drugs were de rigueur). [french]





 
Cohesion  n. 1 a sticking together. B tendency to cohere. 2 chem. Force with which molecules cohere.  cohesive adj.

Whatnot  n. Colloq. Indefinite or trivial thing.
Byline  n. 1 line naming the writer of a newspaper article etc. 2 secondary line of work. 3 goal-line or touch-line.

Prima facie  —adv. At first sight. —adj. (of evidence) based on the first impression. [latin]

Apr  abbr. Annual or annualized percentage rate (esp. Of interest on loans or credit).
Heretic  n. 1 person believing in or practising religious heresy. 2 holder of an unorthodox opinion.  heretical adj.
Valetudinarian  —n. Person of poor health or who is unduly anxious about health. —adj. Of a valetudinarian.  valetudinarianism n. [latin valetudo health]
Barmaid  n. Woman serving in a pub etc.


Exhibitionism  n. 1 tendency towards attention-seeking behaviour. 2 psychol. Compulsion to display one's genitals in public.  exhibitionist n.

Mattins  var. Of *matins.
Rolled oats  n.pl. Husked and crushed oats.

Attic  n. Space or room at the top of a house, usu. Under the roof. [from *attic, with ref. To an architectural feature]


Collar  —n. 1 neckband, upright or turned over. 2 band of leather etc. Round an animal's neck. 3 band or ring or pipe in machinery. 4 piece of meat rolled up and tied. —v. 1 capture, seize. 2 colloq. Accost. 3 slang appropriate. [latin collum neck]
Fleshly  adj. (-lier, -liest) 1 bodily; sensual. 2 mortal. 3 worldly.
Putrefy  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 become or make putrid; go bad. 2 fester, suppurate. 3 become morally corrupt.  putrefaction n. Putrefactive adj. [latin puter putris rotten]

Whorl  n. 1 ring of leaves etc. Round a stem. 2 one turn of a spiral. [apparently var. Of *whirl]

Month of sundays  n. Colloq. Very long period.
Macadam  n. 1 broken stone as material for road-making. 2 = *tarmacadam.  macadamize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing). [mcadam, name of a surveyor]
Nucleic acid  n. Either of two complex organic molecules (dna and rna), present in all living cells.
Helices  pl. Of *helix.


Chocolate  —n. 1 a food preparation in the form of a paste or solid block made from ground cacao seeds and usu. Sweetened. B sweet made of or coated with this. C drink containing this. 2 deep brown. —adj. 1 made from chocolate. 2 deep brown. [aztec chocolatl]

Deep-laid  adj. (of a scheme) secret and elaborate.


Usage  the pronunciation is american because the practice takes place mainly in the us.
Novella  n. (pl. -s) short novel or narrative story. [italian: related to *novel1]




Vibraphone  n. Instrument like a xylophone but with motor-driven resonators under the metal bars giving a vibrato effect. [from *vibrato]

Amends  n.  make amends (often foll. By for) compensate (for).
Canister  n. 1 small container for tea etc. 2 cylinder of shot, tear-gas, etc., exploding on impact. [greek kanastron wicker basket]
Sale  n. 1 exchange of a commodity for money etc.; act or instance of selling. 2 amount sold (sales were enormous). 3 temporary offering of goods at reduced prices. 4 a event at which goods are sold. B public auction.  on (or for) sale offered for purchase. [old english]

Dean2  var. Of *dene.


Air  —n. 1 mixture mainly of oxygen and nitrogen surrounding the earth. 2 earth's atmosphere; open space in it; this as a place for flying aircraft. 3 a distinctive impression or manner (air of mystery). B (esp. In pl.) Pretentiousness (gave himself airs). 4 tune. 5 light wind. —v. 1 expose (clothes, a room, etc.) To fresh air or warmth to remove damp. 2 express and discuss publicly (an opinion, question, grievance, etc.).  by air by or in an aircraft. In the air 1 (of opinions etc.) Prevalent. 2 (of plans etc.) Uncertain. On (or off) the air being (or not being) broadcast. [greek aer]




Sex object  n. Person regarded as an object of sexual gratification.
Usage  use of forensic in sense 2 is common but considered an illogical extension of sense 1 by some people.

Cryptography  n. Art of writing or solving ciphers.  cryptographer n. Cryptographic adj.

Reconcile  v. (-ling) 1 make friendly again after an estrangement. 2 (usu. In refl. Or passive; foll. By to) make acquiescent or contentedly submissive to (something disagreeable). 3 settle (a quarrel etc.). 4 a harmonize, make compatible. B show the compatibility of by argument or in practice.  reconcilable adj. Reconciliation n. [latin: related to *conciliate]
Elk  n. (pl. Same or -s) large deer of northern parts of europe, n. America, and asia. [old english]
Mother country  n. Country in relation to its colonies.
Pancake day  n. Shrove tuesday (when pancakes are traditionally eaten).

Pillbox  n. 1 shallow cylindrical box for holding pills. 2 hat of a similar shape. 3 mil. Small partly underground enclosed concrete fort.


Grommet  n. (also grummet) 1 metal, plastic, or rubber eyelet placed in a hole to protect or insulate a rope or cable etc. Passed through it. 2 tube passed through the eardrum to make a communication with the middle ear. [french]


Hairline  n. 1 edge of a person's hair, esp. On the forehead. 2 very narrow line, crack (usu. Hairline crack), etc.
Brim  —n. 1 edge or lip of a vessel. 2 projecting edge of a hat. —v. (-mm-) fill or be full to the brim.  brim over overflow. [origin unknown]

Unbothered  predic. Adj. Not bothered; unconcerned.
Preference shares  n.pl. (also preference stock n.sing.) Shares or stock whose entitlement to dividend takes precedence over that of ordinary shares.
Usage  ingenuous is sometimes confused with ingenious.
Pitiless  adj. Showing no pity (pitiless heat).  pitilessly adv.
Vintage  —n. 1 a season's produce of grapes. B wine from this. 2 a gathering of grapes for wine-making. B season of this. 3 wine of high quality from a particular year and district. 4 a year etc. When a thing was made etc. B thing made etc. In a particular year etc. —adj. 1 of high or peak quality. 2 of a past season. [latin vinum wine]


Cinder  n. 1 residue of coal or wood etc. After burning. 2 (in pl.) Ashes. [old english sinder = slag]


Overrun  v. (-nn-; past -ran; past part. -run) 1 swarm or spread over. 2 conquer (a territory) by force. 3 (usu. Absol.) Exceed (an allotted time).

Chinese  —adj. Of china. —n. 1 chinese language. 2 (pl. Same) a native or national of china. B person of chinese descent.

Creamy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 like cream. 2 rich in cream.  creamily adv. Creaminess n.




Manx  —adj. Of the isle of man. —n. 1 former celtic language of the isle of man. 2 (prec. By the; treated as pl.) Manx people. [old norse]


Good-looking  adj. Handsome.


Wing-collar  n. Man's high stiff collar with turned-down corners.

Embolism  n. Obstruction of an artery by a clot, air-bubble, etc. [latin from greek]
Dishevelled  adj. (us disheveled) untidy; ruffled.  dishevelment n. [from *dis-, chevel ‘hair’, from latin capillus]


Tasting  n. Gathering at which food or drink is tasted and evaluated.
Supercharge  v. (-ging) 1 (usu. Foll. By with) charge (the atmosphere etc.) With energy, emotion, etc. 2 use a supercharger on.
Efta  n. (also efta) european free trade association. [abbreviation]
Radical  —adj. 1 fundamental (a radical error). 2 far-reaching; thorough (radical change). 3 advocating thorough reform; holding extreme political views; revolutionary. 4 forming the basis; primary. 5 of the root of a number or quantity. 6 (of surgery etc.) Seeking to ensure the removal of all diseased tissue. 7 of the roots of words. 8 bot. Of the root. —n. 1 person holding radical views or belonging to a radical party. 2 chem. A = *free radical. B atom or a group of these normally forming part of a compound and remaining unaltered during the compound's ordinary chemical changes. 3 root of a word. 4 math. Quantity forming or expressed as the root of another.  radicalism n. Radically adv. [latin: related to *radix]

Compensate  v. (-ting) 1 a (often foll. By for) recompense (a person). B recompense (loss, damage, etc.). 2 (usu. Foll. By for a thing) make amends. 3 counterbalance. 4 offset disability or frustration by development in another direction.  compensatory adj. [latin pendo pens- weigh]
Newsy  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Full of news.
Perpetual motion  n. Motion of a hypothetical machine which once set in motion would run for ever unless subject to an external force or to wear.
Carbuncle  n. 1 severe skin abscess. 2 bright-red gem. [latin: related to *carbon]

Foreigner  n. Person born in or coming from another country.
Upward  —adv. (also upwards) towards what is higher, more important, etc. —adj. Moving or extending upwards.  upwards of more than (upwards of forty).
Bleary  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 dim; blurred. 2 indistinct. [low german]
Subsistence farming  n. Farming which supports the farmer's household but produces no surplus.

College  n. 1 establishment for further, higher, or professional education. 2 college premises (lived in college). 3 students and teachers in a college. 4 school. 5 organized body of persons with shared functions and privileges. [latin: related to *colleague]
Haricot  n. (in full haricot bean) variety of french bean with small white seeds dried and used as a vegetable. [french]
Usage  internment is sometimes confused with interment, which means ‘burial’.

Glisten  —v. Shine like a wet or polished surface. —n. Glitter; sparkle. [old english]
Cross  —n. 1 upright post with a transverse bar, as used in antiquity for crucifixion. 2 a (the cross) cross on which christ was crucified. B representation of this as an emblem of christianity. C = *sign of the cross. 3 staff surmounted by a cross, carried in a religious procession. 4 thing or mark like a cross, esp. Two short intersecting lines (+ or x). 5 cross-shaped military etc. Decoration. 6 a hybrid. B crossing of breeds etc. 7 (foll. By between) mixture of two things. 8  crosswise movement, pass in football, etc. 9 trial or affliction. —v. 1 (often foll. By over) go across. 2 intersect; (cause to) be across (roads cross; cross one's legs). 3 a draw line(s) across. B mark (a cheque) with two parallel lines to indicate that it cannot be cashed. 4 (foll. By off, out, through) cancel etc. By drawing lines across. 5 (often refl.) Make the sign of the cross on or over. 6 a pass in opposite or different directions. B (of letters etc.) Be sent at the same time. C (of telephone lines) be connected to an unwanted conversation. 7 a cause to interbreed. B cross-fertilize (plants). 8 oppose or thwart (crossed in love). —adj. 1 (often foll. By with) peevish, angry. 2 (usu. Attrib.) Transverse; reaching from side to side. 3 (usu. Attrib.) Intersecting. 4 (usu. Attrib.) Contrary, opposed, reciprocal.  at cross purposes misunderstanding; conflicting. Cross one's fingers (or keep one's fingers crossed) 1 put one finger across another to ward off bad luck. 2 trust in good luck. Cross one's heart make a solemn pledge, esp. By crossing one's front. Cross one's mind occur to one, esp. Transiently. Cross swords (often foll. By with) argue or dispute. Cross wires (or get one's wires crossed) 1 become wrongly connected by telephone. 2 have a misunderstanding. On the cross diagonally.  crossly adv. Crossness n. [latin crux]
Socialism  n. 1 political and economic theory advocating state ownership and control of the means of production, distribution, and exchange. 2 social system based on this.  socialist n. & adj. Socialistic adj. [french: related to *social]

Exonerate  v. (-ting) (often foll. By from) free or declare free from blame etc.  exoneration n. [latin onus oner- burden]







Pendulous  adj. Hanging down; drooping and swinging.  [latin pendulus from pendeo hang]


Harvester  n. 1 reaper. 2 reaping-machine, esp. With sheaf-binding.




Vertical  —adj. 1 at right angles to a horizontal plane. 2 in a direction from top to bottom of a picture etc. 3 of or at the vertex. —n. Vertical line or plane.  vertically adv. [latin: related to *vertex]
Chancellor  n. 1 state or legal official. 2 head of government in some european countries. 3 non-resident honorary head of a university. [latin cancellarius secretary]





Market-place  n. 1 open space for a market. 2 commercial world.

Bod  n. Colloq. Person. [shortening of *body]


Pidgin english  n. Pidgin in which the chief language is english, used orig. Between chinese and europeans.
Rebuke  —v. (-king) express sharp disapproval to (a person) for a fault; censure. —n. Rebuking or being rebuked. [anglo-french]


Morale  n. Confidence, determination, etc. Of a person or group. [french moral: related to *moral]
Blast-off  n. Launching of a rocket etc.
Card-carrying  adj. Registered as a member (esp. Of a political party or trade union).
Mayoralty  n. (pl. -ies) 1 office of mayor. 2 period of this.

Cad  n. Man who behaves dishonourably.  caddish adj. [abbreviation of *caddie]


Arithmetic  —n. 1 science of numbers. 2 use of numbers; computation. —adj. (also arithmetical) of arithmetic. [greek arithmos number]

Here and there  adv. In various places.
Combatant  —n. Person engaged in fighting. —adj. 1 fighting. 2 for fighting.

Origin  n. 1 starting-point; source. 2 (often in pl.) Ancestry, parentage. 3 math. Point from which coordinates are measured. [latin origo origin- from orior rise]

Splenetic  adj. Bad-tempered; peevish.  splenetically adv. [latin: related to *spleen]



Manned  adj. (of a spacecraft etc.) Having a human crew.
Dither  —v. 1 hesitate; be indecisive. 2 tremble; quiver. —n. Colloq. State of agitation or hesitation.  ditherer n. Dithery adj. [var. Of didder *dodder1]



Bandage  —n. Strip of material used to bind a wound etc. —v. (-ging) bind with a bandage. [french: related to *band]

Acme  n. Highest point (of achievement etc.). [greek]
Magnet  n. 1 piece of iron, steel, alloy, ore, etc., having the properties of attracting iron and of pointing approximately north and south when suspended. 2 lodestone. 3 person or thing that attracts. [greek magnes -etos of magnesia: related to *magnesia]



Triathlon  n. Athletic contest of three events for all competitors. [from *tri- after *decathlon]
Usage  the term muhammadan is not used by muslims, and is often regarded as offensive.
Purl2  v. (of a brook etc.) Flow with a babbling sound. [imitative]

Chinaman  n. 1 archaic or derog. (now usu. Offens.) Native of china. 2 cricket ball bowled by a left-handed bowler that spins from off to leg.
Protactinium  n.  Radioactive metallic element.  [german: related to *actinium]

Factious  adj. Of, characterized by, or inclined to faction. [latin: related to *faction]
Whoa  int. Used to stop or slow a horse etc. [var. Of *ho]


Entomb  v. 1 place in a tomb. 2 serve as a tomb for.  entombment n. [french: related to *tomb]
Oubliette  n. Secret dungeon with a trapdoor entrance. [french oublier forget]


Each  —adj. Every one of two or more persons or things, regarded separately (five in each class). —pron. Each person or thing (each of us). [old english]
Derrick  n. 1 crane for heavy weights, with a movable pivoted arm. 2 framework over an oil well etc., holding the drilling machinery. [derrick, name of a hangman]

Bitchy  adj. (-ier, -iest) slang spiteful.  bitchily adv. Bitchiness n.
Midge  n. Gnatlike insect. [old english]



Musk-rose  n. Rambling rose smelling of musk.
Forbore  past of *forbear1.
Copeck  n. (also kopek, kopeck) russian coin worth one-hundredth of a rouble. [russian kopeika]



Pion  n. (also pi meson) subatomic particle having a mass many times greater than that of an electron. [from *pi]


Boater  n. Flat-topped straw hat with a brim.
Cancer  n. 1 a malignant tumour of body cells. B disease caused by this. 2 evil influence or corruption. 3 (cancer) a constellation and fourth sign of the zodiac (the crab). B person born when the sun is in this sign.  cancerous adj. Cancroid adj. [latin, = crab]
Sought-after  adj. Generally desired.
Avoirdupois  n. (in full avoirdupois weight) system of weights based on a pound of 16 ounces or 7,000 grains. [french, = goods of weight]
Femur  n. (pl. -s or femora) thigh-bone.  femoral adj. [latin]

Legitimize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 make legitimate. 2 serve as a justification for.  legitimization n.
Single  —adj. 1 one only, not double or multiple. 2 united or undivided. 3 for or done by one person etc. 4 one by itself (a single tree). 5 regarded separately (every single thing). 6 not married. 7 (with neg. Or interrog.) Even one (not a single car). 8 (of a flower) having only one circle of petals. —n. 1 single thing, esp. A single room in a hotel. 2 (in full single ticket) ticket valid for an outward journey only. 3 pop record with one item on each side. 4 cricket hit for one run. 5 (usu. In pl.) Game with one player on each side. 6 (in pl.) Unmarried people. —v. (foll. By out) choose for special attention etc.  singly adv. [latin singulus]
Cast-off  —adj. Abandoned, discarded. —n. Cast-off thing, esp. A garment.
Well-known  adj. Known to many.
Antistatic  adj. Counteracting the effects of static electricity.
Slouch  —v. Stand, move, or sit in a drooping fashion.  —n. 1 slouching posture or movement.  2 slang incompetent or slovenly worker etc. [origin unknown]

Soda fountain  n. 1 device supplying soda water. 2 shop or counter with this.







Underfed  adj. Malnourished.

Usage  prevaricate is often confused with procrastinate, which means ‘to defer or put off action’.
Trip-wire  n. Wire stretched close to the ground to trip up an intruder or to operate an alarm or other device when disturbed.
Realism  n. 1 practice of regarding things in their true nature and dealing with them as they are. 2 fidelity to nature in representation; the showing of life etc. As it is. 3 philos. Doctrine that abstract concepts have an objective existence.  realist n.
Te-hee  var. Of *tee-hee.
Virgin  —n. 1 person who has never had sexual intercourse. 2 (the virgin) christ's mother mary. 3 (the virgin) sign or constellation virgo. —adj. 1 not yet used etc. 2 virginal. [latin virgo -gin-]
Quote  —v. (-ting) 1 cite or appeal to (an author, book, etc.) In confirmation of some view. 2 a repeat or copy out a passage from. B (foll. By from) cite (an author, book, etc.). 3 (foll. By as) cite (an author etc.) As proof, evidence, etc. 4 a enclose (words) in quotation marks. B (as int.) Verbal formula indicating opening quotation marks (he said, quote, ‘i shall stay’). 5 (often foll. By at, also absol.) State the price of. —n. Colloq. 1 passage quoted. 2 price quoted. 3 (usu. In pl.) Quotation marks. [latin quoto mark with numbers]
Vocative  gram. —n. Case of a noun used in addressing a person or thing. —adj. Of or in this case.
Dollar  n. Chief monetary unit in the us, australia, etc. [low german daler from german taler]
Snuggle  v. (-ling) settle or draw into a warm comfortable position.
Baddy  n. (pl. -ies) colloq. Villain in a story, film, etc.



Upthrust  n. 1 upward thrust. 2 upward displacement of part of the earth's crust.
Lumbar  adj. Of the lower back area. [as *lumbago]

Alfresco  adv. & adj. In the open air. [italian]

Intentional  adj. Done on purpose.  intentionally adv.


Indiscriminate  adj. Making no distinctions; done or acting at random (indiscriminate shooting).  indiscriminately adv.
Nescient  adj. Literary (foll. By of) lacking knowledge.  nescience n. [latin ne- not, scio know]
North-east  —n. 1 point of the horizon midway between north and east. 2 direction in which this lies. —adj. Of, towards, or coming from the north-east. —adv. Towards, at, or near the north-east.
Nonchalant  adj. Calm and casual.  nonchalance n. Nonchalantly adv. [french chaloir be concerned]
Fry-up  n. Colloq. Fried bacon, eggs, etc.

-graphy  comb. Form forming nouns denoting: 1 descriptive science (geography). 2 technique of producing images (photography). 3 style or method of writing etc. (calligraphy).


Date-line  n. 1 north–south line partly along the meridian 180° from greenwich, to the east of which the date is a day earlier than to the west. 2 date and place of writing at the head of a newspaper article etc.

Has-been  n. Colloq. Person or thing of declined importance.
Passable  adj. 1 barely satisfactory; adequate. 2 (of a road, pass, etc.) That can be traversed.  passably adv.

Brake lining  n. Strip of fabric increasing the friction of a brake shoe.


Embroider  v. 1 decorate (cloth etc.) With needlework. 2 embellish (a narrative).  embroiderer n. [anglo-french from germanic]

Jumped-up  adj. Colloq. Upstart.

Mêlée  n. (us melee) 1 confused fight, skirmish, or scuffle. 2 muddle. [french: related to *medley]


Gasometer  n. Large tank from which gas is distributed by pipes. [french gazomètre: related to *gas, *-meter]
Intensify  v. (-ies, -ied) make or become intense or more intense.  intensification n.

Nuts  predic. Adj. Slang crazy, mad. be nuts about (or on) colloq. Be very fond of. [pl. Of *nut]
Thrice  adv. Archaic or literary 1 three times. 2 (esp. In comb.) Highly (thrice-blessed). [related to *three]



Unremunerative  adj. Not, or not very, profitable.

Waif  n. 1 homeless and helpless person, esp. An abandoned child. 2 ownerless object or animal. [anglo-french, probably from scandinavian]
Hellenistic  adj. Of greek history, language, and culture of the late 4th to the late 1st c. Bc.
Clasp-knife  n. Folding knife, usu. With a catch to hold the blade open.
Electron  n. Stable elementary particle with a charge of negative electricity, found in all atoms and acting as the primary carrier of electricity in solids.


Solecism  n. 1 mistake of grammar or idiom. 2 offence against etiquette.  solecistic adj. [greek soloikos speaking incorrectly]
False pretences  n.pl. Misrepresentations made with intent to deceive (esp. Under false pretences).

Tin plate  n. Sheet iron or sheet steel coated with tin.



Cordial  —adj. 1 heartfelt. 2 friendly. —n. Fruit-flavoured drink.  cordiality n. Cordially adv. [latin cor cord- heart]


Net2  (also nett) —adj. 1 (esp. Of money) remaining after all necessary deductions. 2 (of a price) not reducible. 3 (of a weight) excluding that of the packaging etc. 4 (of an effect, result, etc.) Ultimate, actual. —v. (-tt-) gain or yield (a sum) as net profit. [french: related to *neat]


Handicap  —n. 1 physical or mental disability. 2 thing that makes progress or success difficult. 3 a disadvantage imposed on a superior competitor to make chances more equal. B race etc. In which this is imposed. 4 number of strokes by which a golfer normally exceeds par for a course. —v. (-pp-) 1 impose a handicap on. 2 place at a disadvantage. [hand i' (= in) cap describing a kind of sporting lottery]






Marriage bureau  n. Company arranging introductions with a view to marriage.
Early on  adv. At an early stage.
Sibyl  n. Pagan prophetess. [greek sibulla]



Ulna  n. (pl. Ulnae) 1 thinner and longer bone in the forearm, opposite to the thumb. 2 corresponding bone in an animal's foreleg or a bird's wing.  ulnar adj. [latin]
Predator  n. Predatory animal. [latin]
Defile2  —n. Narrow gorge or pass. —v. (-ling) march in file. [french: related to *file1]


Inaccessible  adj. 1 not accessible. 2 (of a person) unapproachable.  inaccessibility n.
Such-and-such  —attrib. Adj. Of a particular kind but not needing to be specified. —n. Such a person or thing.



Extemporary  adj. = *extemporaneous.  extemporarily adv.
Lcd  abbr. 1 liquid crystal display. 2 lowest (or least) common denominator.
Russian roulette  n. Firing of a revolver, with one chamber loaded, at one's head, after spinning the chamber.
Hejira  var. Of *hegira.

Zither  n. Stringed instrument with a flat soundbox, placed horizontally and played with the fingers and a plectrum. [latin: related to *guitar]
Charming  adj. Delightful.  charmingly adv.
Messieurs  pl. Of *monsieur.
Renascent  adj. Springing up anew; being reborn.  renascence n.
Chalk  —n. 1 white soft limestone. 2 a similar substance, sometimes coloured, for writing or drawing. B piece of this. —v. 1 rub, mark, draw, or write with chalk. 2 (foll. By up) a write or record with chalk. B register or gain (success etc.).  by a long chalk by far.  chalky adj. (-ier, -iest). Chalkiness n. [latin *calx]


Ogive  n. 1 pointed arch. 2 diagonal rib of a vault. [french]

Bit3  n. 1 metal mouthpiece of a bridle. 2 tool or piece for boring or drilling. 3 cutting or gripping part of a plane, pincers, etc. [old english]

Comfy  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Comfortable. [abbreviation]
Phenol  n. 1 hydroxyl derivative of benzene. 2 any hydroxyl derivative of an aromatic hydrocarbon. [french]

Israelite  n. Hist. Native of ancient israel; jew. [hebrew]
Ineducable  adj. Incapable of being educated.
Gel  —n. 1 semi-solid jelly-like colloid. 2 jelly-like substance used for setting the hair. —v. (-ll-) 1 form a gel. 2 = *jell 2. [from *gelatin]

Vaporize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) change into vapour.  vaporization n.


Call  —v. 1 a (often foll. By out) cry, shout; speak loudly. B (of a bird etc.) Emit its characteristic sound. 2 communicate with by telephone or radio. 3 summon. 4 (often foll. By at, in, on) pay a brief visit. 5 order to take place (called a meeting). 6 name; describe as. 7 regard as (i call that silly). 8 rouse from sleep. 9 (foll. By for) demand. 10 (foll. By on, upon) appeal to (called on us to be quiet). 11 name (a suit) in bidding at cards. 12 guess the outcome of tossing a coin etc. —n. 1 shout, cry. 2 a characteristic cry of a bird etc. B instrument for imitating it. 3 brief visit. 4 a act of telephoning. B telephone conversation. 5 a invitation, summons. B vocation. 6 need, occasion (no call for rudeness). 7 demand (a call on one's time). 8 signal on a bugle etc. 9 option of buying stock at a fixed price at a given date. 10 cards a player's right or turn to make a bid. B bid made.  call in 1 withdraw from circulation. 2 seek the advice or services of. Call off 1 cancel (an arrangement). 2 order (an attacker or pursuer) to desist. Call out 1 summon to action. 2 order (workers) to strike. Call the shots (or tune) colloq. Be in control; take the initiative. Call up 1 telephone. 2 recall. 3 summon to military service. On call ready or available if required. [old english from old norse]

Destructive  adj. 1 (often foll. By to, of) destroying or tending to destroy. 2 negatively critical.  destructively adv. Destructiveness n.
Electromagnetism  n. 1 magnetic forces produced by electricity. 2 the study of these.
Heady  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 (of liquor) potent. 2 intoxicating, exciting. 3 impulsive, rash. 4 headachy.  headily adv. Headiness n.


The  —adj. (called the definite article) 1 denoting person(s) or thing(s) already mentioned, under discussion, implied, or familiar (gave the man a wave). 2 describing as unique (the thames). 3 a (foll. By defining adj.) Which is, who are, etc. (edward the seventh). B (foll. By adj. Used absol.) Denoting a class described (from the sublime to the ridiculous). 4 best known or best entitled to the name (with the stressed: do you mean the kipling?). 5 indicating a following defining clause or phrase (the book that you borrowed). 6 a indicating that a singular noun represents a species etc. (the cat is a mammal). B used with a noun which figuratively represents an occupation etc. (went on the stage). C (foll. By the name of a unit) a, per (5p in the pound). —adv. (preceding comparatives in expressions of proportional variation) in or by that (or such a) degree; on that account (the more the merrier; the more he has the more he wants). [old english]


Adverb  n. Word indicating manner, degree, circumstance, etc., used to modify an adjective, verb, or other adverb (e.g. Gently, quite, then).  adverbial adj. [latin: related to *ad-, verbum word, *verb]

Semi-skimmed  adj. (of milk) from which some of the cream has been skimmed.
Con2  —n. (usu. In pl.) Reason against. —prep. & adv. Against (cf. *pro2). [latin contra against]
Self-governing  adj. Governing itself or oneself.  self-government n.
Wacky  adj. (-ier, -iest) slang crazy. [originally dial., = left-handed]
Vicarious  adj. 1 experienced indirectly or second-hand. 2 acting or done for another. 3 deputed, delegated.  vicariously adv. [latin: related to *vicar]






Submicroscopic  adj. Too small to be seen by an ordinary microscope.

Fearful  adj. 1 (usu. Foll. By of or that) afraid. 2 terrible, awful. 3 colloq. Extreme, esp. Unpleasant (fearful row).  fearfully adv. Fearfulness n.



High  —adj. 1 a of great vertical extent (high building). B (predic.; often in comb.) Of a specified height (one inch high; waist-high). 2 a far above ground or sea level etc. (high altitude). B inland, esp. When raised (high asia). 3 extending above the normal level (jersey with a high neck). 4 a of exalted quality (high minds). B lavish; superior (high living; high fashion). 5 of exalted rank (high society; is high in the government). 6 a great; intense; extreme; powerful (high praise; high temperature). B greater than normal (high prices). C extreme or very traditional in religious or political opinion (high tory). 7 performed at, to, or from a considerable height (high diving; high flying). 8 (often foll. By on) colloq. Intoxicated by alcohol or esp. Drugs. 9 (of a sound etc.) Of high frequency; shrill. 10 (of a period, age, time, etc.) At its peak (high noon; high summer; high renaissance). 11 a (of meat etc.) Beginning to go bad; off. B (of game) well-hung and slightly decomposed. —n. 1 high, or the highest, level or figure. 2 area of high pressure; anticyclone. 3 slang euphoric state, esp. Drug-induced (am on a high). —adv. 1 far up; aloft (flew the flag high). 2 in or to a high degree. 3 at a high price. 4 (of a sound) at or to a high pitch.  high opinion of favourable opinion of. On high in or to heaven or a high place. On one's high horse colloq. Acting arrogantly. [old english]
Prelude  —n. (often foll. By to) 1 action, event, or situation serving as an introduction. 2 introductory part of a poem etc. 3 mus. A introductory piece to a fugue, suite, etc. B short piece of a similar type. —v. (-ding) 1 serve as a prelude to. 2 introduce with a prelude. [latin ludo lus- play]
Magnetic mine  n. Underwater mine detonated by the approach of a large mass of metal, e.g. A ship.

Psephology  n. The statistical study of voting etc.  psephologist n. [greek psephos pebble, vote]


Rhesus  n. (in full rhesus monkey) small n. Indian monkey. [rhesus, mythical king of thrace]

Six-shooter  n. (also six-gun) revolver with six chambers.
Emigrant  —n. Person who emigrates. —adj. Emigrating.




Poof  n. (also poofter) slang offens. Effeminate or homosexual man. [origin unknown]
Reappoint  v. Appoint to a position previously held.  reappointment n.


Dysmenorrhoea  n. Painful or difficult menstruation.


Test2  n. Shell of some invertebrates. [latin testa pot, tile, shell]

Pestilential  adj. 1 of or relating to pestilence. 2 pestilent.
Crept  past and past part. Of *creep.
Unfreeze  v. (-zing; past unfroze; past part. Unfrozen) 1 (cause to) thaw. 2 derestrict (assets, credits, etc.).

Rankle  v. (-ling) (of envy, disappointment, etc., or their cause) cause persistent annoyance or resentment. [french (d)rancler fester, from medieval latin dra(cu)nculus little serpent]


Peri-  prefix round, about. [greek]
Wedding breakfast  n. Meal etc. Between a wedding and departure for the honeymoon.
Pine nut  n. Edible seed of various pines.
That  —demons. Pron. (pl. Those) 1 person or thing indicated, named, or understood (i heard that; who is that in the garden?). 2 contrasted with this (this is much better than that). 3 (esp. In relative constructions) the one, the person, etc. (a table like that described above). 4  (pl. That) used instead of which or whom to introduce a defining clause (the book that you sent me; there is nothing here that matters). —demons. Adj. (pl. Those) designating the person or thing indicated, named, understood, etc. (cf. Sense 1 of pron.). —adv. 1 to such a degree; so (have done that much). 2 colloq. Very (not that good). —conj. Introducing a subordinate clause indicating: 1 statement or hypothesis (they say that he is better). 2 purpose (we eat that we may live). 3 result (am so sleepy that i cannot work).  all that very (not all that good). That is (or that is to say) formula introducing or following an explanation of a preceding word or words. That's that formula indicating conclusion or completion. [old english]
Decided  adj. 1 (usu. Attrib.) Definite, unquestionable (decided tilt). 2 positive, wilful, resolute.

Shoulder bag  n. Bag hung from the shoulder by a strap.

Gazump  v. Colloq. 1 raise the price of a property after accepting an offer from (a buyer). 2 swindle. [origin unknown]
Snigger  —n. Half-suppressed laugh. —v. Utter this. [var. Of *snicker]
-ly2  suffix forming adverbs from adjectives (boldly; happily). [old english]





Welterweight  n. 1 weight in certain sports intermediate between lightweight and middleweight, in the amateur boxing scale 63.5–67 kg. 2 sportsman of this weight.
Auspice  n. 1 (in pl.) Patronage (esp. Under the auspices of). 2 omen, premonition. [originally ‘observation of bird-flight’: latin avis bird]

Strip light  n. Tubular fluorescent lamp.
Asshole  n. (brit. Arsehole) coarse slang 1 anus. 2 offens. Contemptible person.




Addict  n. 1 person addicted, esp. To a drug. 2 colloq. Devotee (film addict). [latin: related to *ad-, dico say]

Negro  —n. (pl. -es) member of a dark-skinned race orig. Native to africa. —adj. 1 of negroes. 2 (as negro) zool. Black or dark. [latin niger nigri black]
Wavelet  n. Small wave.

Vexatious  adj. 1 causing vexation. 2 law (of litigation) lacking sufficient grounds and seeking only to annoy the defendant.
Kiwi  n. (pl. -s) 1 flightless long-billed new zealand bird. 2 (kiwi) colloq. New zealander. [maori]


Engagement  n. 1 engaging or being engaged. 2 appointment with another person. 3 betrothal. 4 battle.
Ltd.  Abbr. Limited.
Gold medal  n. Medal of gold, usu. Awarded as first prize.



Crampoon  n. (brit. Crampon) (usu. In pl.) Spiked iron plate fixed to a boot for climbing on ice. [french: related to *cramp]



Ascension  n. 1 ascent. 2 (ascension) ascent of christ into heaven.

Dependant  n. (us dependent) person supported, esp. Financially, by another. [french: related to *depend]
Delayed-action  attrib. Adj. (esp. Of a bomb, camera, etc.) Operating after a set interval.

Wing commander  n. Raf officer next below group captain.
Stool  n. 1 single seat without a back or arms. 2 = *footstool. 3 (usu. In pl.) = *faeces. [old english]
Disorderly  adj. 1 untidy; confused. 2 riotous, unruly.  disorderliness n.
Slippery  adj. 1 difficult to grasp, stand on, etc. Because smooth or wet. 2 unreliable, unscrupulous.  slipperiness n. [old english]
Prejudice  —n. 1 a preconceived opinion. B (foll. By against, in favour of) bias, partiality. 2 harm that results or may result from some action or judgement (to the prejudice of). —v.

Brake shoe  n. Long curved block which presses on a brake drum to brake.

Formerly  adv. In former times.

Fain  archaic —predic. Adj. (foll. By to + infin.) Willing or obliged to. —adv. Gladly (esp. Would fain). [old english]

Zee  n. Us letter z. [var. Of *zed]
Prairie wolf  n. = *coyote.
Endanger  v. Place in danger.

School-leaver  n. Person finishing secondary school (esp. Considered as joining the job market).

Blower  n. 1 device for blowing. 2 colloq. Telephone.
Pacific  —adj. 1 peaceful; tranquil. 2 (pacific) of or adjoining the pacific. —n. (the pacific) ocean between america to the east and asia to the west. [latin pax pacis peace]
Odious  adj. Hateful, repulsive.  odiously adv. Odiousness n. [related to *odium]
Barrack2  v. 1 shout or jeer at (players, a speaker, etc.). 2 (foll. By for) cheer for, encourage (a team etc.). [perhaps from australian slang borak banter]

Deed of covenant  n. Agreement to pay a regular sum, esp. To charity.
Hermitage  n. 1 hermit's dwelling. 2 secluded dwelling.


Fork-lift truck  n. Vehicle with a fork for lifting and carrying loads.
Aob  abbr. Any other business.



Detachment  n. 1 a aloofness; indifference. B impartiality. 2 detaching or being detached. 3 troops etc. Detached for a specific purpose. [french: related to *detach]
Keen2  —n. Irish wailing funeral song. —v. (often foll. By over, for) wail mournfully, esp. At a funeral. [irish caoine from caoinim wail]
Smack1  —n. 1 sharp slap or blow. 2 hard hit at cricket etc. 3 loud kiss. 4 loud sharp sound. —v. 1 slap. 2 part (one's lips) noisily in anticipation of food. 3 move, hit, etc., with a smack. —adv. Colloq. 1 with a smack. 2 suddenly; directly; violently. 3 exactly (smack in the centre).  a smack in the eye (or face) colloq. Rebuff; setback. [imitative]

Standardize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) cause to conform to a standard.  standardization n.
Scrooge  n. Miser. [name of a character in dickens]
Paedophilia  n. (us pedophilia) sexual attraction felt towards children.


Miscarriage of justice  n. Failure of the judicial system to attain justice.
Save1  —v. (-ving) 1 (often foll. By from) rescue or keep from danger, harm, etc. 2 (often foll. By up) keep (esp. Money) for future use. 3 a (often refl.) Relieve (another or oneself) from spending (money, time, trouble, etc.); prevent exposure to (annoyance etc.). B obviate the need for. 4 preserve from damnation; convert. 5  a avoid losing (a game, match, etc.). B prevent (a goal etc.) From being scored. —n. Football etc. Prevention of a goal etc.  savable adj. (also saveable). [latin salvo from salvus safe]
Louse  —n. 1 (pl. Lice) parasitic insect. 2 (pl. Louses) slang contemptible person. —v. (-sing) delouse.  louse up slang make a mess of. [old english]



Locate  v. (-ting) 1 discover the exact place of. 2 establish in a place; situate. 3 state the locality of. [latin: related to *local]
Repress  v. 1 a keep under; quell. B suppress; prevent from sounding, rioting, or bursting out. 2 psychol. Actively exclude (an unwelcome thought) from conscious awareness. 3 (usu. As repressed adj.) Subject (a person) to the suppression of his or her thoughts or impulses.  repression n. Repressive adj. [latin: related to *press1]
Culture shock  n. Disorientation felt by a person subjected to an unfamiliar way of life.
Unsurpassed  adj. Not surpassed.
Stool-pigeon  n. 1 person acting as a decoy. 2 police informer.


Norman  —n. 1 native or inhabitant of medieval normandy. 2 descendant of the people of mixed scandinavian and frankish origin established there in the 10th c. 3 norman french. 4  style of architecture found in britain under the normans. —adj. 1 of the normans. 2 of the norman style of architecture. [old norse, = *northman]


Hatchway  n. Opening in a ship's deck for raising and lowering cargo.
Slippery slope  n. Course leading eventually to disaster.
Dowse1  v. (-sing) search for underground water or minerals by holding a stick or rod which dips abruptly when over the right spot.  dowser n. [origin unknown]
Urgent  adj. 1 requiring immediate action or attention. 2 importunate.  urgency n. Urgently adv. [french: related to *urge]

Hammy  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Over-theatrical.
Lubricant  n. Substance used to reduce friction.
Prudential  adj. Of or showing prudence.  prudentially adv.





Iom  abbr. Isle of man.
Lit  past and past part. Of *light1, *light2.
Plutonium  n. Radioactive metallic element. [pluto, name of a planet]
Fool's paradise  n. Illusory happiness.
Hands on  (also hands-on) —adj. & adv. Of or requiring personal operation at a keyboard. —attrib. Adj. Practical rather than theoretical (lacks hands-on experience).
Unbelief  n. Lack of esp. Religious belief.  unbeliever n. Unbelieving adj.


Red rag  n. Something that excites a person's rage.


Bran  n. Grain husks separated from flour. [french]

Verbal noun  n. Noun derived from a verb (e.g. Smoking in smoking is forbidden: see *-ing1).



Pitfall  n. 1 unsuspected danger or drawback. 2 covered pit for trapping animals.
Luxuriate  v. (-ting) 1 (foll. By in) take self-indulgent delight in, enjoy as a luxury. 2 relax in comfort.
Granny  n. (also grannie) (pl. -ies) colloq. Grandmother. [diminutive of grannam from archaic grandam: related to *grand, *dame]
Drey  n. Squirrel's nest. [origin unknown]


Forswear  v. (past forswore; past part. Forsworn) 1 abjure; renounce. 2 (as forsworn adj.) Perjured.  forswear oneself perjure oneself. [old english]










Soapwort  n. Plant with pink or white flowers, and leaves yielding a soapy substance.
Handbook  n. Short manual or guidebook.


Heron  n. Long-legged wading bird with a long s-shaped neck. [french from germanic]

Open secret  n. Supposed secret known to many.
Pavane  n. (also pavan) hist. 1 a kind of stately dance. 2 music for this. [french from spanish]


Spruce1  —adj. Neatly dressed etc.; smart. —v. (-cing) (usu. Foll. By up) make or become smart.  sprucely adv. Spruceness n. [perhaps from *spruce2]
Spina bifida  n. Congenital spinal defect in which part of the spinal cord protrudes. [latin, = cleft spine]
Corner  —n. 1 place where converging sides or edges meet. 2 projecting angle, esp. Where two streets meet. 3 internal space or recess formed by the meeting of two sides, esp. Of a room. 4 difficult position, esp. One with no escape. 5 secluded place. 6 region or quarter, esp. A remote one. 7 action or result of buying or controlling the whole stock of a commodity. 8 boxing & wrestling corner of the ring where a contestant rests between rounds. 9 football & hockey free kick or hit from the corner of a pitch. —v. 1 force into a difficult or inescapable position. 2 establish a corner in (a commodity). 3 (esp. Of or in a vehicle) go round a corner. [latin: related to *corn2]
Inconsolable  adj. (of a person, grief, etc.) That cannot be consoled.  inconsolably adv.
Sideline  n. 1 work etc. Done in addition to one's main activity. 2 (usu. In pl.) A line bounding the side of a hockey-pitch etc. B space next to these where spectators etc. Sit.  on the sidelines not directly concerned.

Outside world  n. Society outside the confines of an institution etc.
Then  —adv. 1 at that time. 2 a next; after that. B and also. 3 a in that case (then you should have said so). B implying grudging or impatient concession (all right then, if you must). C used parenthetically to resume a narrative etc. (the policeman, then, knocked on the door). —attrib. Adj. Such at the time in question (the then king). —n. That time (until then).  then and there immediately and on the spot. [old english]



Tulip-tree  n. Tree producing tulip-like flowers.
Ludicrous  adj. Absurd, ridiculous, laughable.  ludicrously adv. Ludicrousness n. [latin ludicrum stage play]
Pease  n.pl. Archaic peas. [latin pisa]

Concede  v. (-ding) 1 admit to be true. 2 admit defeat in. 3 grant (a right, privilege, etc.). [latin: related to *cede]
 


Predispose  v. (-sing) 1 influence favourably in advance. 2 (foll. By to, or to + infin.) Render liable or inclined beforehand.  predisposition n.


Hypothetical  adj. 1 of, based on, or serving as a hypothesis. 2 supposed; not necessarily true.  hypothetically adv.

Whippet  n. Crossbred dog of the greyhound type used for racing. [probably from obsolete whippet move briskly, from whip it]


Blot  —n. 1 spot or stain of ink etc. 2 disgraceful act or quality. 3 blemish. —v. (-tt-) 1 make a blot on, stain. 2 dry with blotting-paper.  blot one's copybook damage one's reputation. Blot out 1 obliterate. 2 obscure (a view, sound, etc.). [probably scandinavian]



Liqueur  n. Any of several strong sweet alcoholic spirits. [french]




Standard time  n. Uniform time for places in approximately the same longitude, established in a country or region by law or custom.
Folio  —n. (pl. -s) 1 leaf of paper etc., esp. Numbered only on the front. 2 sheet of paper folded once making two leaves of a book. 3 book of such sheets. —adj. (of a book) made of folios, of the largest size.  in folio made of folios. [latin, ablative of folium leaf]
Unalloyed  adj. 1 complete; utter (unalloyed joy). 2 pure.


Witch  n. 1 sorceress, woman supposed to have dealings with the devil or evil spirits. 2 old hag. 3 fascinating girl or woman. [old english]
Diarrhoea  n. (esp. Us diarrhea) condition of excessively frequent and loose bowel movements. [greek rheo flow]

Rigor2  n. (brit. Rigour) 1 a severity, strictness, harshness. B (in pl.) Harsh measures or conditions. 2 logical exactitude. 3 strict enforcement of rules etc. (utmost rigour of the law). 4 austerity of life. [latin: related to *rigor1]
Homy  var. Of *homey.
Heavy hydrogen  n. = *deuterium.
Ship's boat  n. Small boat carried on board a ship.


Deal1  —v. (past and past part. Dealt) 1 (foll. By with) a take measures to resolve, placate, etc. B do business with; associate with. C discuss or treat (a subject). 2 (often foll. By by, with) behave in specified way (dealt honourably by them). 3 (foll. By in) sell (deals in insurance). 4 (often foll. By out, round) distribute to several people etc. 5 (also absol.) Distribute (cards) to players. 6 administer (was dealt a blow). 7 assign, esp. Providentially (were dealt much happiness). —n. 1 (usu. A good or great deal) colloq. A large amount (good deal of trouble). B considerably (great deal better). 2 colloq. Business arrangement; transaction. 3 specified treatment (a rough deal). 4 a dealing of cards. B player's turn to do this. [old english]
Princess royal  n. (title conferred on) the british monarch's eldest daughter.
Aluminize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) coat with aluminium.


Proselytize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) (also absol.) Convert or seek to convert from one belief etc. To another.





Heteromorphic  adj. (also heteromorphous) biol. Of dissimilar forms.  heteromorphism n.

Coptic  —n. Language of the copts. —adj. Of the copts.
Lyricist  n. Writer of (esp. Popular) lyrics.









Disseminate  v. (-ting) scatter about, spread (esp. Ideas) widely.  dissemination n. [latin: related to *dis-, *semen]




Aspen  n. Poplar with very tremulous leaves. [old english: originally adj.]


Poltergeist  n. Noisy mischievous ghost, esp. One causing physical damage. [german]
Propel  v. (-ll-) drive or push forward; urge on.  propellant n. & adj. [latin pello puls- drive]


Peeping tom  n. Furtive voyeur.


Able-bodied seaman  n. Ordinary trained seaman.
Enjoyable  adj. Pleasant.  enjoyably adv.


Held  past and past part. Of *hold1.
Parlor  n. (brit. Parlour) 1 archaic sitting-room in a private house.  2 esp. Us shop providing specified goods or services (beauty parlour; ice-cream parlour). [anglo-french: related to *parley]
Conservative  —adj. 1 a averse to rapid change. B (of views, taste, etc.) Moderate, avoiding extremes. 2 (of an estimate etc.) Purposely low. 3 (usu. Conservative) of conservatives or the conservative party. 4 tending to conserve. —n. 1 conservative person. 2 (usu. Conservative) supporter or member of the conservative party.  conservatism n. [latin: related to *conserve]
Tango  —n. (pl. -s) 1 slow s. American ballroom dance. 2 music for this. —v. (-goes, -goed) dance the tango. [american spanish]

Exposé  n. 1 orderly statement of facts. 2 revelation of something discreditable. [french]

Conducive  adj. (often foll. By to) contributing or helping (towards something).


Oneness  n. 1 singleness. 2 uniqueness. 3 agreement. 4 sameness.
Pillar-box  n. Public postbox shaped like a pillar.



Dogged  adj. Tenacious; grimly persistent.  doggedly adv. Doggedness n.



Unparliamentary language  n. Oaths or abuse.
Jackboot  n. 1 military boot reaching above the knee. 2 this as a militaristic or fascist symbol.
Jehad  var. Of *jihad.


Cavort  v. Caper excitedly. [origin uncertain]
Dildo  n. (pl. -s) artificial erect penis for sexual stimulation. [origin unknown]

Part-timer  n. Person employed in part-time work.


Calorie  n. (pl. -ies) unit of quantity of heat, the amount needed to raise the temperature of one gram (small calorie) or one kilogram (large calorie) of water by 1 °c. [latin calor heat]
Baptistery  n. (pl. -ies) 1 a part of a church used for baptism. B hist. Separate building used for baptism. 2 (in a baptist chapel) receptacle used for immersion.
Daze  —v. (-zing) stupefy, bewilder. —n. State of bewilderment. [old norse]
Much  —adj. 1 existing or occurring in a great quantity (much trouble; too much noise). 2 (prec. By as, how, that, etc.) With relative sense (i don't know how much money you want). —n. 1 a great quantity (much of that is true). 2 (prec. By as, how, that, etc.) With relative sense (we do not need that much). 3 (usu. In neg.) Noteworthy or outstanding example (not much to look at). —adv. 1 in a great degree (much to my surprise; is much the same; i much regret it; much annoyed; much better; much the best). 2 for a large part of one's time; often (he is not here much).  as much so (i thought as much). A bit much colloq. Excessive, immoderate. Much as even though (cannot come, much as i would like to). Much of a muchness very nearly the same. Not much of a colloq. A rather poor. [from *mickle]
Prelim  n. Colloq. 1 preliminary university examination. 2 (in pl.) Pages preceding the main text of a book. [abbreviation]

Oblation  n. Thing offered to a divine being. [latin: related to *offer]
Tor  n. Hill or rocky peak. [old english]


Napkin  n. 1 piece of linen etc. For wiping the lips, fingers, etc. At meals. 2 baby's nappy. [french nappe from latin mappa *map]

Still1  —adj. 1 not or hardly moving. 2 with little or no sound; calm and tranquil. 3 (of a drink) not effervescing. —n. 1 deep silence (still of the night). 2 static photograph (as opposed to a motion picture), esp. A single shot from a cinema film. —adv. 1 without moving (sit still). 2 even now or at a particular time (is he still here?). 3 nevertheless. 4 (with compar.) Even, yet, increasingly (still greater efforts). —v. Make or become still; quieten.  stillness n. [old english]



Laptop  n. (often attrib.) Portable microcomputer suitable for use while travelling.
Baby buggy  n. Propr. A kind of child's pushchair.
Micro-  comb. Form 1 small (microchip). 2 denoting a factor of one millionth (10-6) (microgram). [greek mikros small]
Distill  v. (brit. Distil) (-ll-) 1 purify or extract the essence from (a substance) by vaporizing and condensing it and collecting the resulting liquid. 2 extract the essential meaning of (an idea etc.). 3 make (whisky, essence, etc.) By distilling raw materials. 4 fall or cause to fall in drops.  distillation n. [latin: related to *de-, stillo drip]


Li  symb. Lithium.
Heavy-handed  adj. 1 clumsy. 2 overbearing, oppressive.  heavy-handedly adv. Heavy-handedness n.
Lend  v. (past and past part. Lent) 1 (usu. Foll. By to) grant (to a person) the use of (a thing) on the understanding that it or its equivalent shall be returned. 2 allow the use of (money) at interest. 3 bestow or contribute (lends a certain charm).  lend an ear listen. Lend a hand help. Lend itself to (of a thing) be suitable for.  lender n. [old english: related to *loan]
Shorthand  n. 1 (often attrib.) System of rapid writing using special symbols. 2 abbreviated or symbolic mode of expression.

Acetic acid  n. Clear liquid acid giving vinegar its characteristic taste.
Eye-liner  n. Cosmetic applied as a line round the eye.
J1  n. (also j) (pl. Js or j's) tenth letter of the alphabet.

Spiral staircase  n. Circular staircase round a central axis.
Fah  n. (also fa) mus. Fourth note of a major scale. [latin famuli: see *gamut]

Tuberculin  n. Sterile liquid from cultures of tubercle bacillus, used in the diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis.



Credible  adj. Believable or worthy of belief. [latin: related to *credo]
Sport  —n. 1 a game or competitive activity, usu. Played outdoors and involving physical exertion, e.g. Cricket, football, racing. B these collectively. 2 (in pl.) Meeting for competing in sports, esp. Athletics. 3 amusement, fun. 4 colloq. A fair, generous, or sporting person. B person with a specified attitude to games, rules, etc. 5 animal or plant deviating from the normal type. —v. 1 amuse oneself, play about. 2 wear or exhibit, esp. Ostentatiously.  in sport jestingly. Make sport of ridicule. [from *disport]


Met2  adj. Colloq. 1 meteorological. 2 metropolitan. 3 (the met) a (in full the met office) meteorological office. B metropolitan police in london. [abbreviation]

Job lot  n. Mixed lot bought at auction etc.
Scenario  n. (pl. -s) 1 outline of the plot of a play, film, etc. 2 postulated sequence of future events. [italian]

Aria  n. Long accompanied solo song in an opera etc. [italian]


Sophomore  n. Us second-year university or high-school student. [sophum, obsolete var. Of *sophism]
Outpouring  n. (usu. In pl.) Copious expression of emotion.
Hemi-  comb. Form half. [greek, = latin semi-]
Pelt1  —v. 1 (usu. Foll. By with) strike repeatedly with thrown objects. 2 (usu. Foll. By down) (of rain etc.) Fall quickly and torrentially. 3 run fast. —n. Pelting.  at full pelt as fast as possible. [origin unknown]

Burgeon  v. Literary grow rapidly; flourish. [latin burra wool]
Abort  v. 1 miscarry. 2 a effect abortion of (a foetus). B effect abortion in (a mother). 3 end or cause (a project etc.) To end before completion. [latin orior be born]

Keel  —n. Main lengthwise member of the base of a ship etc. —v. 1 (often foll. By over) (cause to) fall down or over. 2 turn keel upwards.  on an even keel steady; balanced. [old norse]




Free-form  attrib. Adj. Of irregular shape or structure.



Request  —n. 1 act of asking for something (came at his request). 2 thing asked for. —v. 1 ask to be given, allowed, or favoured with. 2 (foll. By to + infin.) Ask (a person) to do something. 3 (foll. By that) ask that.  by (or on) request in response to an expressed wish. [latin: related to *require]
Situate  v. (-ting) (usu. In passive) 1 put in a certain position or circumstances. 2 establish or indicate the place of; put in a context. [latin situo: related to *site]


Varsity  n. (pl. -ies) colloq. (esp. With ref. To sports) university. [abbreviation]
Tike  var. Of *tyke.

Salvation army  n. Worldwide evangelical christian quasi-military organization helping the poor.
Verbal  —adj. 1 of words. 2 oral, not written. 3 of a verb. 4 (of a translation) literal. 5 talkative. —n. 1 slang verbal statement to the police. 2 slang stream of abuse.  verbally adv. [latin: related to *verb]


Shrive  v. (-ving; past shrove; past part. Shriven) rc ch. Archaic 1 (of a priest) hear and absolve (a penitent). 2 (refl.) Submit oneself to a priest for confession etc. [old english scrifan impose as penance]



Cable television  n. Television transmission by cable to subscribers.
Ethnic  adj. 1 a (of a social group) having a common national or cultural tradition. B (of music, clothing, etc.) Inspired by or resembling those of an exotic people. 2 denoting origin by birth or descent rather than nationality (ethnic turks).  ethnically adv. [greek ethnos nation]
Groovy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 slang excellent. 2 of or like a groove.

Run-of-the-mill  adj. Ordinary, undistinguished.
Sinecure  n. Profitable or prestigious position requiring little or no work. [latin sine cura without care]
Pilgrim  n. 1 person who journeys to a sacred place for religious reasons. 2 traveller. [latin: related to *peregrine]
Outmaneuver  v. (brit. -manoeuvre) secure an advantage over by skilful manoeuvring.



Nether  adj. Archaic = *lower1. [old english]

Descant  —n. 1 harmonizing treble melody above the basic melody, esp. Of a hymn tune. 2 poet. Melody; song. —v. (foll. By on, upon) talk prosily, esp. In praise of. [latin cantus song: related to *chant]


Stamp  —v. 1 a bring down (one's foot) heavily, esp. On the ground. B (often foll. By on) crush or flatten in this way. C walk heavily. 2 a impress (a design, mark, etc.) On a surface. B impress (a surface) with a pattern etc. 3 affix a postage or other stamp to. 4 assign a specific character to; mark out. —n. 1 instrument for stamping. 2 a mark or design made by this. B impression of an official mark required to be made on deeds, bills of exchange, etc., as evidence of payment of tax. 3 small adhesive piece of paper indicating that payment has been made, esp. A postage stamp. 4 mark or label etc. On a commodity as evidence of quality etc. 5 act or sound of stamping the foot. 6 characteristic mark or quality.  stamp on 1 impress (an idea etc.) On (the memory etc.). 2 suppress.
Ratio  n. (pl. -s) quantitative relation between two similar magnitudes expressed as the number of times one contains the other (in the ratio of three to two). [latin reor rat- reckon]

Propriety  n. (pl. -ies) 1 fitness; rightness. 2 correctness of behaviour or morals. 3 (in pl.) Details or rules of correct conduct. [french: related to *property]
Stir1  —v. (-rr-) 1  move a spoon etc. Round and round in (a liquid etc.), esp. To mix ingredients. 2 a cause to move, esp. Slightly. B be or begin to be in motion. 3 rise from sleep. 4 arouse, inspire, or excite (the emotions, a person, etc.). 5 colloq. Cause trouble between people by gossiping etc. —n. 1 act of stirring. 2 commotion, excitement.  stir in add (an ingredient) by stirring. Stir up 1 mix thoroughly by stirring. 2 stimulate, excite.  stirrer n. [old english]
Maple sugar  n. Sugar produced by evaporating the sap of some kinds of maple.



Caecum  n. (us cecum) (pl. -ca) blind-ended pouch at the junction of the small and large intestines. [latin caecus blind]
Wildlife  n. Wild animals collectively.
Old style  n. Dating reckoned by the julian calendar.
Jagged  adj. 1 unevenly cut or torn. 2 deeply indented.  jaggedly adv. Jaggedness n.
Conspire  v. (-ring) 1 combine secretly for an unlawful or harmful act. 2 (of events) seem to be working together. [latin spiro breathe]
Shotgun wedding  n. Colloq. Wedding enforced because of the bride's pregnancy.
Undulate  v. (-ting) (cause to) have a wavy motion or look.  undulation n. [latin unda wave]
Unattached  adj. 1 not engaged, married, etc. 2 (often foll. By to) not attached, esp. To a particular organization etc.


Sentinel  n. Sentry or lookout. [french from italian]
Overdrive  n. 1 mechanism in a vehicle providing a gear above top gear for economy at high speeds. 2 state of high activity.

Poulterer  n. Dealer in poultry and usu. Game. [poulter: related to *poult]
Gorgon  n. 1 (in greek mythology) each of three snake-haired sisters (esp. Medusa) with the power to turn anyone who looked at them to stone. 2 frightening or repulsive woman. [greek gorgos terrible]



Fine1  —adj. 1 a of high quality; excellent (fine painting). B good, satisfactory (that will be fine). 2 a pure, refined. B (of gold or silver) containing a specified proportion of pure metal. 3 imposing, dignified (fine buildings). 4 in good health (i'm fine). 5 (of weather etc.) Bright and clear. 6 a thin; sharp. B in small particles. C worked in slender thread. 7 euphemistic; flattering (fine words). 8 ornate, showy. 9 fastidious, affectedly refined. —adv. 1 finely. 2 colloq. Very well (suits me fine). —v. (-ning) 1 (often foll. By away, down, off) make or become finer, thinner, more tapering, or less coarse. 2 (often foll. By down) make or become clear (esp. Of beer etc.).  not to put too fine a point on it to speak bluntly.  finely adv. Fineness n. [french fin from latin finio *finish]
Historicity  n. Historical truth or authenticity.
Hair of the dog  n. Further alcoholic drink taken to cure the effects of drink.
Torment  —n. 1 severe physical or mental suffering. 2 cause of this. —v. 1 subject to torment. 2 tease or worry excessively.  tormentor n. [latin tormentum: related to *tort]
Giggle  —v. (-ling) laugh in half-suppressed spasms. —n. 1 such a laugh. 2 colloq. Amusing person or thing; joke (did it for a giggle).  giggly adj. (-ier, -iest). [imitative]
Unscreened  adj. 1 a (esp. Of coal) not passed through a screen or sieve. B not checked, esp. For security or medical problems. 2 not having a screen. 3 not shown on a screen.

Lechery  n. Excessive sexual desire.
Homage  n. Tribute, expression of reverence (pay homage to). [latin homo man]
Loving  —adj. Feeling or showing love; affectionate. —n. Affection; love.  lovingly adv.

Windmill  n. 1 mill worked by the wind acting on its sails. 2 toy consisting of a stick with curved vanes that revolve in a wind.  tilt at windmills attack an imaginary enemy.


Wordy  adj. (-ier, -iest) using or expressed in too many words.  wordily adv. Wordiness n.




Manhole  n. Covered opening in a pavement, sewer, etc. For workmen to gain access.
Golden handshake  n. Colloq. Payment given on redundancy or early retirement.
Controller  n. 1 person or thing that controls. 2 person in charge of expenditure.
Uh-huh  int. Colloq. Yes; indeed. [imitative]



Frank  —adj. 1 candid, outspoken. 2 undisguised. 3 open. —v. Mark (a letter) to record the payment of postage. —n. Franking signature or mark.  frankly adv. Frankness n. [latin francus free: related to *frank]

Trench coat  n. 1 soldier's lined or padded waterproof coat. 2 loose belted raincoat.

Ballot  —n. 1 occasion or system of voting, in writing and usu. Secret. 2 total of such votes. 3 paper etc. Used in voting. —v. (-t-) 1 (usu. Foll. By for) a hold a ballot; give a vote. B draw lots for precedence etc. 2 take a ballot of (balloted the members). [italian ballotta: related to *balloon]


Shut-eye  n. Colloq. Sleep.



Doing-over  n. Slang attack, beating-up.
Mockingbird  n. Bird that mimics the notes of other birds.

Out  —adv. 1 away from or not in or at a place etc. (keep him out; get out; tide is out). 2 indicating: a dispersal away from a centre etc. (share out). B coming or bringing into the open (call out; will look it out for you). C need for attentiveness (watch out; listen out). 3 not in one's house, office, etc. (tell them i'm out). 4 to or at an end; completely (tired out; die out; fight it out; my luck was out; typed it out). 5 (of a fire, candle, etc.) Not burning. 6 in error (was 3% out). 7 colloq. Unconscious (is out cold). 8 (of a limb etc.) Dislocated (put his arm out). 9 (of a political party etc.) Not in office. 10 (of a jury) considering its verdict. 11 (of workers) on strike. 12 (of a secret) revealed. 13 (of a flower) open. 14 (of a book, record, etc.) Published, on sale. 15 (of a star) visible after dark. 16 no longer in fashion (turn-ups are out). 17 (of a batsman etc.) Dismissed from batting. 18 not worth considering (that idea is out). 19 (prec. By superl.) Colloq. Known to exist (the best game out). 20 (of a mark etc.) Removed (washed the stain out). —prep. Out of (looked out the window). —n. Way of escape. —v. Come or go out; emerge (murder will out).  out for intent on, determined to get. Out of 1 from within. 2 not within. 3 from among. 4 beyond the range of (out of reach). 5 so as to be without, lacking (was swindled out of his money; out of sugar). 6 from (get money out of him). 7 because of (asked out of curiosity). 8 by the use of (what did you make it out of?). Out of bounds see *bound2. Out of date see *date1. Out of order see *order. Out of pocket see *pocket. Out of the question see *question. Out of sorts see *sort. Out of this world see *world. Out of the way see *way. Out to determined to. [old english]





Usage  seasonable is sometimes confused with seasonal.


Causative  adj. Acting as or expressing a cause.
Determination  n. 1 firmness of purpose; resoluteness. 2 process of deciding or determining.


Unsheathe  v. (-thing) remove (a knife etc.) From a sheath.
Linger  v. 1 stay about. 2 (foll. By over, on, etc.) Dally (linger over dinner; lingered on the final note). 3 (esp. Of an illness) be protracted. 4 (often foll. By on) be slow in dying. [old english lengan: related to *long1]



Tape deck  n. Machine for using audiotape (separate from the amplifier, speakers, etc.).
Mercy  —n. (pl. -ies) 1 compassion or forbearance towards defeated enemies or offenders or as a quality. 2 act of mercy. 3 (attrib.) Done out of compassion (mercy killing). 4 thing to be thankful for (small mercies). —int. Expressing surprise or fear.  at the mercy of 1 in the power of. 2 liable to danger or harm from. Have mercy on (or upon) show mercy to. [latin merces reward, pity]



Rebate2  n. & v. (-ting) = *rabbet.

Neighborhood  n. (brit. Neighbourhood) 1 district; vicinity. 2 people of a district.  in the neighbourhood of roughly; about.

Association  n. 1 group organized for a joint purpose; society. 2 associating or being associated. 3 companionship. 4 mental connection of ideas. [medieval latin: related to *associate]

Flasher  n. 1 slang man who indecently exposes himself. 2 automatic device for switching lights rapidly on and off.
Gymnastics  n.pl. (also treated as sing.) 1 exercises performed in order to develop or display physical agility. 2 other forms of physical or mental agility.

Know  v. (past knew; past part. Known) 1 (often foll. By that, how, what, etc.) A have in the mind; have learnt; be able to recall (knows a lot about cars). B (also absol.) Be aware of (a fact) (i think he knows). C have a good command of (knew german; knows his tables).
Filo pastry  n. (also phyllo pastry) leaved pastry like strudel pastry. [greek phullon leaf]
Colonial  —adj. 1 of a colony or colonies. 2 of colonialism. —n. Inhabitant of a colony.


Impassable  adj. Not able to be traversed.  impassability n. Impassableness n. Impassably adv.
Necrophilia  n. Morbid and esp. Sexual attraction to corpses.


Pacifier  n. 1 person or thing that pacifies. 2 us baby's dummy.

Covering letter  n. (also covering note) explanatory letter sent with an enclosure.

Prodigious  adj. 1 marvellous or amazing. 2 enormous. 3 abnormal. [latin: related to *prodigy]


Nurd  var. Of *nerd.




Grappling-iron  n. (also grappling-hook) = *grapnel.
Intercession  n. Interceding.  intercessor n. [latin: related to *intercede]
Glockenspiel  n. Musical instrument with bells or metal bars or tubes struck by hammers. [german, = bell-play]
Unprecedented  adj. Having no precedent; unparalleled.  unprecedentedly adv.
Storm trooper  n. Member of the storm troops.





Whereof  conj. Formal of what or which.

Arouse  v. (-sing) 1 induce (esp. An emotion). 2 awake from sleep. 3 stir into activity. 4 stimulate sexually.  arousal n. [a- intensive prefix]


Buck2  n. Us slang dollar. [origin unknown]
Kilobyte  n. Computing 1,024 (i.e. 210) bytes as a measure of memory size etc.

Urban  adj. Of, living in, or situated in a town or city. [latin urbs city]





Tantalize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 torment or tease by the sight or promise of the unobtainable. 2 raise and then dash the hopes of.  tantalization n. [tantalus, mythical king punished in hades with sight of water and fruit which drew back whenever he tried to reach them]
Blight  —n. 1 plant disease caused by insects etc. 2 such an insect etc. 3 harmful or destructive force. 4 ugly urban area. —v. 1 affect with blight. 2 harm, destroy. 3 spoil. [origin unknown]




Security risk  n. Person or thing that threatens security.


Puppy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 young dog. 2 conceited or arrogant young man. [french: related to *poppet]
Litmus test  n. Colloq. Real or ultimate test.
Darby and joan club  n. Club for pensioners.
Muscular christianity  n. Christian life of cheerful physical activity as described in the writings of charles kingsley.

Dustcart  n. Vehicle collecting household refuse.
Oversight  n. 1 failure to do or notice something. 2 inadvertent mistake. 3 supervision.
Ncb  abbr. Hist. National coal board.

Scoff1  —v. (usu. Foll. By at) speak scornfully; mock. —n. Mocking words; taunt. [perhaps from scandinavian]
Cascade  —n. 1 small waterfall, esp. One of series. 2 thing falling or arranged like a cascade. —v. (-ding) fall in or like a cascade. [latin: related to *case1]
Silver tongue  n. Eloquence.

Long1  —adj. (longer; longest) 1 measuring much from end to end in space or time. 2 (following a measurement) in length or duration (2 metres long; two months long). 3 a consisting of many items (a long list). B seemingly more than the stated amount; tedious (ten long miles). 4 of elongated shape. 5 lasting or reaching far back or forward in time (long friendship). 6 far-reaching; acting at a distance; involving a great interval or difference. 7 (of a vowel or syllable) having the greater of the two recognized durations. 8 (of odds or a chance) reflecting a low level of probability. 9 (of stocks) bought in large quantities in advance, with the expectation of a rise in price. 10 (foll. By on) colloq. Well supplied with. —n. Long interval or period (will not take long; won't be long). —adv. (longer; longest) 1 by or for a long time (long before; long ago). 2 (following nouns of duration) throughout a specified time (all day long). 3 (in compar.) After an implied point of time (shall not wait any longer).  as (or so) long as provided that. Before long soon. In the long run (or term) eventually, ultimately. The long and the short of it 1 all that need be said. 2 the eventual outcome. Not by a long shot (or chalk) by no means.  longish adj. [old english]
Semaphore  —n. 1 system of signalling with the arms or two flags. 2 railway signalling apparatus consisting of a post with a movable arm or arms etc. —v. (-ring) signal or send by semaphore. [greek sema sign, phero bear]
Ouch  int. Expressing sharp or sudden pain. [imitative]
Piebald  —adj. (esp. Of a horse) having irregular patches of two colours, esp. Black and white. —n. Piebald animal. [from *pie2, *bald]
Red rose  n. Emblem of lancashire or the lancastrians.
 
Insomniac  n. Person suffering from insomnia.

Housebound  adj. Confined to one's house through illness etc.
Gran  n. Colloq. Grandmother. [abbreviation]

Sandal-tree  n. Tree yielding sandalwood.
Roller towel  n. Towel with the ends joined, hung on a roller.


Endogenous  adj. Growing or originating from within.

Gregarious  adj. 1 fond of company. 2 living in flocks or communities.  gregariousness n. [latin grex gregis flock]
Oyster-catcher  n. Wading sea bird.

Pleasure  n. 1 feeling of satisfaction or joy. 2 enjoyment. 3 source of pleasure or gratification. 4 one's will or desire (what is your pleasure?). 5 sensual gratification. 6 (attrib.) Done or used for pleasure. [french: related to *please]
Gippy tummy  n. Colloq. Diarrhoea affecting visitors to hot countries. [from *egyptian]
Curling  n. Game resembling bowls, played on ice with round flat stones.

Shopkeeper  n. Owner or manager of a shop.


Jink  —v. 1 move elusively; dodge. 2 elude by dodging. —n. Dodging or eluding. [originally scots: imitative]



Scots  (also scotch) esp. Scot. —adj. 1 = *scottish adj. 2 in the dialect, accent, etc., of (esp. Lowlands) scotland. —n. 1 = *scottish n. 2 form of english spoken in (esp. Lowlands) scotland. [var. Of *scottish]
Awry  —adv. 1 crookedly, askew. 2 amiss, wrong. —predic. Adj. Crooked; unsound.

Limousine  n. Large luxurious car. [french]
Auk  n. Black and white sea bird with short wings, e.g. The guillemot, puffin, etc. [old norse]
Shiftless  adj. Lacking resourcefulness; lazy.


Malachite  n. Green mineral used for ornament. [greek molokhitis]
Rn  symb. Radon.

Hostility  n. (pl. -ies) 1 being hostile, enmity. 2 state of warfare. 3 (in pl.) Acts of warfare.
Unremarkable  adj. Not remarkable; uninteresting, ordinary.


Dredger1  n. 1 boat with a dredge. 2 dredge.
Dogsbody  n. (pl. -ies) colloq. Drudge.



Gaelic  —n. Celtic language of ireland and scotland. —adj. Of the celts or the celtic languages.

Pre-echo  n. (pl. -es) 1 faint copy heard just before an actual sound in a recording, caused by the accidental transfer of signals. 2 foreshadowing.
Ro-ro  attrib. Adj. Roll-on roll-off. [abbreviation]

Colt  n. 1 young male horse. 2 sport inexperienced player.  coltish adj. [old english]
Souk  n.  Market-place in muslim countries. [arabic]

Sailcloth  n. 1 material used for sails. 2 canvas-like dress material.
Clearing  n. Open area in a forest.

Brewery  n. (pl. -ies) factory for brewing beer etc.


Displease  v. (-sing) make upset or angry; annoy.  displeasure n.

Pamper  v. Overindulge (a person, taste, etc.); spoil. [obsolete pamp cram]
Humane killer  n. Instrument for the painless slaughter of animals.
Versatile  adj. 1 adapting easily to different subjects or occupations; skilled in many subjects or occupations. 2 having many uses.  versatility n. [latin verto vers- turn]
Down's syndrome  n. Congenital disorder with mental retardation and physical abnormalities. [down, name of a physician]

Wane  —v. (-ning) 1 (of the moon) decrease in apparent size. 2 decrease in power, vigour, importance, size, etc. —n. Process of waning.  on the wane waning; declining. [old english]
Pesky  adj. (-ier, -iest) esp. Us colloq. Troublesome; annoying. [origin unknown]


Broderie anglaise  n. Open embroidery on white linen etc. [french, = english embroidery]


Liverpudlian  —n. Native of liverpool. —adj. Of liverpool. [liverpool in nw england]
Na  symb. Sodium.
High-class  adj. Of high quality.
Anthropomorphous  adj. Human in form.

Cinque ports  n.pl. Group of (orig. Five) ports in se england with ancient privileges. [latin quinque portus five ports]
Event  n. 1 thing that happens. 2 fact of a thing's occurring. 3 item in a (esp. Sports) programme.  at all events (or in any event) whatever happens. In the event as it turns (or turned) out. In the event of if (a specified thing) happens. In the event that if it happens that. [latin venio vent- come]

Pith helmet  n. Protective sun-helmet made of dried pith from plants.



Remains  n.pl. 1 what remains after other parts have been removed or used etc. 2 relics of antiquity, esp. Of buildings. 3 dead body.
Publisher  n. Person or (esp.) Company that publishes books etc. For sale.
Rangefinder  n. Instrument for estimating the distance of an object to be shot at or photographed.
Tortoise  n. Slow-moving reptile with a horny domed shell. [medieval latin tortuca]

Commodious  adj. Roomy.
Blue peter  n. Blue flag with a white square flown by a ship about to leave port.
Entablature  n. Upper part of a classical building supported by columns including an architrave, frieze, and cornice. [italian: related to *table]
Sneer  —n. Contemptuous smile or remark. —v. 1 (often foll. By at) smile or speak derisively. 2 say with a sneer.  sneering adj. Sneeringly adv. [origin unknown]
Recrudesce  v. (-cing) formal (of a disease, problem, etc.) Break out again.  recrudescence n. Recrudescent adj. [latin: related to *crude]


Verbatim  adv. & adj. In exactly the same words. [medieval latin: related to *verb]
Despicable  adj. Vile; contemptible, esp. Morally.  despicably adv. [latin specio spect- look at]
Forge2  v. (-ging) move forward gradually or steadily.  forge ahead 1 take the lead. 2 progress rapidly. [perhaps an alteration of *force1]
Mansion  n. 1 large grand house. 2 (in pl.) Large building divided into flats. [latin: related to *manor]


Rumor  (brit. Rumour) —n. (often foll. By of or that) general talk, assertion, or hearsay of doubtful accuracy (heard a rumour that you are leaving). —v. (usu. In passive) report by way of rumour (it is rumoured that you are leaving). [latin rumor noise]
Brier2  n. (also briar) 1 white heath of s. Europe. 2 tobacco pipe made from its root. [french bruyère]

Cissy  var. Of *sissy.

Mung  n. (in full mung bean) leguminous indian plant used as food. [hindi mung]


History  n. (pl. -ies) 1 continuous record of (esp. Public) events. 2 a the study of past events, esp. Human affairs. B total accumulation of past events, esp. Relating to human affairs or a particular nation, person, thing, etc. 3 eventful past (this house has a history). 4 (foll. By of) past record (had a history of illness). 5 a systematic or critical account of or research into past events etc. B similar record or account of natural phenomena. 6 historical play.  make history do something memorable. [greek historia inquiry]



Lacklustre  adj. (us lackluster) 1 lacking in vitality etc. 2 dull.
Lick  —v. 1 pass the tongue over. 2 bring into a specified condition by licking (licked it all up; licked it clean). 3 (of a flame etc.) Play lightly over. 4 colloq. Defeat. 5 colloq. Thrash. —n. 1 act of licking with the tongue. 2 colloq. Fast pace (at a lick). 3 smart blow.  lick a person's boots be servile. Lick into shape make presentable or efficient. Lick one's lips (or chops) look forward with relish. Lick one's wounds be in retirement regaining strength etc. After defeat. [old english]

Flint  n. 1 a hard grey siliceous stone. B piece of this, esp. As a primitive tool or weapon. 2 piece of hard alloy used to give a spark. 3 anything hard and unyielding.  flinty adj. (-ier, -iest). [old english]



Pay-bed  n. Private hospital bed.
Hebdomadal  adj. Formal weekly, esp. Meeting weekly. [greek hepta seven]

Upswing  n. Upward movement or trend.
Canyon  n. (also cañon) deep gorge. [spanish cañón tube]
Smear  —v. 1 daub or mark with grease etc. 2 smudge. 3 defame. —n. 1 act of smearing. 2 med. A material smeared on a microscopic slide etc. For examination. B specimen of this.  smeary adj. [old english]


Larkspur  n. Plant with a spur-shaped calyx.

Violoncello  n. (pl. -s) formal = *cello. [italian, diminutive of violone bass viol]

Atomizer  n. (also -iser) = *aerosol 1.
Official secrets  n.pl. Confidential information involving national security.

Galleon  n. Hist. Warship (usu. Spanish). [french or spanish: related to *galley]



Farsi  n. Modern persian language. [persian]
Mea culpa  —n. Acknowledgement of error. —int. Expressing this. [latin, = by my fault]

Unmodified  adj. Not modified.

White corpuscle  n. = *white cell.
Trireme  n. Ancient greek warship, with three files of oarsmen on each side. [latin remus oar]
Search  —v. 1 (also absol.) Look through or go over thoroughly to find something. 2 examine or feel over (a person) to find anything concealed. 3 probe (search one's conscience). 4 (foll. By for) look thoroughly in order to find. 5 (as searching adj.) (of an examination) thorough; keenly questioning (searching gaze). 6 (foll. By out) look for; seek out. —n. 1 act of searching. 2 investigation.  in search of trying to find. Search me! Colloq. I do not know.  searcher n. Searchingly adv. [anglo-french cerchier]
Microsecond  n. One-millionth of a second.
Vaulting-horse  n. Wooden box for vaulting over.


Approx.  Abbr. Approximate(ly).
Sauerkraut  n. German dish of pickled cabbage. [german]
Drab  adj. (drabber, drabbest) 1 dull, uninteresting. 2 of a dull brownish colour.  drably adv. Drabness n. [obsolete drap cloth]

Cleft2  n. Split, fissure. [old english: related to *cleave1]

Fetish  n. 1 psychol. Abnormal object of sexual desire. 2 a object worshipped by primitive peoples. B obsessional cause (makes a fetish of punctuality).  fetishism n. Fetishist n. Fetishistic adj. [portuguese feitiço charm]


Hieroglyph  n. Picture representing a word, syllable, or sound, as used in ancient egyptian etc. [greek hieros sacred, glupho carve]
Compulsive  adj. 1 compelling. 2 resulting or acting (as if) from compulsion (compulsive gambler). 3 irresistible (compulsive entertainment).  compulsively adv. [medieval latin: related to *compel]
Hopeless  adj. 1 feeling no hope. 2 admitting no hope (hopeless case). 3 incompetent.  hopelessly adv. Hopelessness n.


Political science  n. The study of political activity and systems of government.



Cupola  n. 1 dome forming or adorning a roof. 2 revolving dome protecting mounted guns. 3 furnace for melting metals.  cupolaed adj. [italian from latin cupa cask]
Viper  n. 1 small venomous snake. 2 malignant or treacherous person. [latin]
Indie  colloq. —adj. (of a pop group or record label) independent, not belonging to one of the major companies. —n. Such a group or label. [abbreviation of *independent]

Bravo  —int. Expressing approval. —n. (pl. -s) cry of ‘bravo’. [french from italian]
Linctus  n. Syrupy medicine, esp. A soothing cough mixture. [latin lingo lick]


Also  adv. In addition, besides. [old english: related to *all, *so1]
Neurosurgery  n. Surgery on the nervous system, esp. The brain or spinal cord.  neurosurgeon n. Neurosurgical adj.

Sarsaparilla  n. 1 preparation of the dried roots of various plants, esp. Smilax, used to flavour some drinks and medicines and formerly as a tonic. 2 plant yielding this. [spanish]


Autocross  n. Motor racing across country or on unmade roads.




Quasi-  comb. Form 1 seemingly, not really. 2 almost. [latin quasi as if]

Unattainable  adj. Not attainable.

Sculptor  n. (fem. Sculptress) artist who sculptures. [latin: related to *sculpture]

Halcyon  adj. Calm, peaceful, happy (halcyon days). [greek, = kingfisher, because it was reputed to calm the sea at midwinter]
Midi system  n. Set of compact stacking components of hi-fi equipment.

Tuffet  n. Clump of grass; small mound. [var. Of *tuft]

Girl  n. 1 female child, daughter. 2 colloq. Young woman. 3 colloq. Girlfriend. 4 female servant.  girlhood n. Girlish adj. Girly adj. [origin uncertain]
Unfading  adj. Never fading.
Sou  n. 1 colloq. Very small sum of money. 2 hist. Former french coin of low value. [french from latin: related to *solid]
Car phone  n. Radio-telephone for use in a car etc.


Pm  abbr. 1 prime minister. 2 post-mortem.

Coat-hanger  see *hanger 2.
Nick-nack  var. Of *knick-knack.

Heather  n. Any of various shrubs growing esp. On moors and heaths. [origin unknown]

Airlock  n. 1 stoppage of the flow by an air bubble in a pump or pipe. 2 compartment permitting movement between areas at different pressures.
Hothouse  n. 1 heated (mainly glass) building for rearing tender plants. 2 environment conducive to the rapid growth or development of something.
Came  past of *come.
Soulless  adj. 1 lacking sensitivity or noble qualities. 2 undistinguished or uninteresting.
Specie  n. Coin as opposed to paper money. [related to *species]
Isolate  v. (-ting) 1 a place apart or alone. B place (a contagious or infectious patient etc.) In quarantine. 2 separate (a substance) from a mixture. 3 insulate (electrical apparatus), esp. By a physical gap; disconnect.  isolation n. [latin insulatus made into an island]
Pediment  n. Triangular part crowning the front of a building, esp. Over a portico. [from periment, perhaps a corruption of *pyramid]

Ignite  v. (-ting) 1 set fire to. 2 catch fire. 3 provoke or excite (feelings etc.). [latin ignio ignit- set on fire]

Body-building  n. Exercises to enlarge and strengthen the muscles.
Curtail  v. Cut short; reduce.  curtailment n. [corruption of obsolete adj. Curtal: related to *curt]

Drastic  adj. Far-reaching in effect; severe.  drastically adv. [greek drastikos: related to *drama]
Kick  —v. 1 strike, strike out, or propel forcibly, with the foot or hoof. 2 (often foll. By at, against) protest at; rebel against. 3 slang give up (a habit). 4 (often foll. By out etc.) Expel or dismiss forcibly. 5 refl. Be annoyed with oneself. 6 football score (a goal) by a kick. —n. 1 kicking action or blow. 2 colloq. A sharp stimulant effect, esp. Of alcohol. B (often in pl.) Thrill (did it for kicks). 3 strength, resilience (no kick left). 4 colloq. Specified temporary interest (on a jogging kick). 5 recoil of a gun when fired.  kick about (or around) colloq. 1 a drift idly from place to place. B be unused or unwanted. 2 a treat roughly. B discuss unsystematically. Kick the bucket slang die. Kick one's heels see *heel1.


Knee-bend  n. Bending of the knee, esp. As a physical exercise.

Present1  —adj. 1 (usu. Predic.) Being in the place in question. 2 a now existing, occurring, or being such. B now being considered etc. (in the present case). 3 gram. Expressing an action etc. Now going on or habitually performed (present participle). —n. (prec. By the) 1 the time now passing (no time like the present). 2 gram. Present tense.  at present now. By these presents law by this document. For the present just now; for the time being. [latin praesens -ent-]
Spaceship  n. Spacecraft.





Ebonite  n. Vulcanite. [from *ebony]
Woodchuck  n. N. American marmot. [american indian name]
Brocade  —n. Rich fabric woven with a raised pattern. —v. (-ding) weave in this way. [italian brocco twisted thread]
Hyoscine  n. Poisonous alkaloid found in plants of the nightshade family, used to prevent motion sickness etc. [greek huoskuamos henbane from hus huos pig, kuamos bean]
Foreknow  v. (past -knew, past part. -known) literary know beforehand.  foreknowledge n.
Pa  symb.  Protactinium.
Matchless  adj. Incomparable.

Crew cut  n. Close-cropped hairstyle.


God-daughter  n. Female godchild.
Conjure  v. (-ring) 1 perform tricks which are seemingly magical, esp. By movements of the hands. 2 summon (a spirit or demon) to appear. 3  formal appeal solemnly to. conjure up 1 produce as if by magic. 2 evoke. [latin juro swear]

Pornography  n. 1 explicit representation of sexual activity in literature, films, etc., intended to stimulate erotic rather than aesthetic or emotional feelings. 2 literature etc. Containing this.  pornographic adj. [greek porne prostitute]
Oriole  n. (in full golden oriole) bird with black and yellow plumage in the male. [latin aurum gold]
Freudian  —adj. Of freud, his theories, or his method of psychoanalysis. —n. Follower of freud.

Accord  —v. 1 (often foll. By with) be consistent or in harmony. 2 grant (permission, a request, etc.); give (a welcome etc.). —n. 1 agreement, consent. 2 mus. & art etc. Harmony.  of one's own accord on one's own initiative; voluntarily. With one accord unanimously. [latin cor cord- heart]
Knock-on effect  n. Secondary, indirect, or cumulative effect.

Deflower  v. Literary 1 deprive of virginity. 2 ravage, spoil. [latin: related to *flower]
Pipit  n. Small bird resembling a lark. [imitative]
Boiling point  n. 1 temperature at which a liquid begins to boil. 2 great excitement.
Laurel  n. 1 = *bay2. 2 (in sing. Or pl.) Wreath of bay-leaves as an emblem of victory or poetic merit. 3 any of various plants with dark-green glossy leaves.  look to one's laurels beware of losing one's pre-eminence. Rest on one's laurels see *rest1. [latin laurus bay]
Jalap  n. Purgative drug from the tuberous roots of a mexican climbing plant. [spanish xalapa, name of a mexican city, from aztec]

Stillborn  adj. 1 born dead. 2 abortive.
Frigid  adj. 1 unfriendly, cold (frigid stare). 2 (of a woman) sexually unresponsive. 3 (esp. Of a climate or air) cold.  frigidity n. [latin frigus (n.) Cold]
Demoralize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) destroy the morale of; dishearten.  demoralization n. [french]
Throstle  n. Song thrush. [old english]
Tiffin  n. Ind. Light meal, esp. Lunch. [apparently from tiffing sipping]
Overstay  v. Stay longer than (one's welcome etc.).
Biz  n. Colloq. Business. [abbreviation]
Thru  us var. Of *through.


Annotate  v. (-ting) add explanatory notes to.  annotation n. [latin nota mark]

Rephrase  v. (-sing) express differently.

Video nasty  n. Colloq. Horrific or pornographic video film.
Democratize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) make democratic.  democratization n.


Iambic  prosody —adj. Of or using iambuses. —n. (usu. In pl.) Iambic verse.
Sporting  adj. 1 interested or concerned in sport. 2 generous, fair.  a sporting chance some possibility of success.  sportingly adv.
Air rifle  n. Rifle using compressed air to fire pellets.
Technique  n. 1 mechanical skill in art. 2 skilful manipulation of a situation, people, etc. 3 manner of artistic execution in music, painting, etc. [french: related to *technic]
Celesta  n. Small keyboard instrument with steel plates struck to give a bell-like sound. [french: related to *celestial]
Roaring success  n. Great success.
Threshold  n. 1 strip of wood or stone forming the bottom of a doorway and crossed in entering a house etc. 2 point of entry or beginning. 3 limit below which a stimulus causes no reaction. [old english: related to *thrash in the sense ‘tread’]



Tidbit  n. (brit. Titbit) 1 dainty morsel. 2 piquant item of news etc. [perhaps from dial. Tid tender]

Immodest  adj. 1 lacking modesty; conceited. 2 shameless, indecent.  immodestly adv. Immodesty n.



Superior  —adj. 1 in a higher position; of higher rank. 2 a high-quality (superior leather). B supercilious (had a superior air). 3 (often foll. By to) better or greater in some respect. 4  written or printed above the line. —n. 1 person superior to another esp. In rank. 2 head of a monastery etc. (mother superior).  superiority n. [latin comparative of superus above]
Youngster  n. Child, young person.



Review  —n. 1 general survey or assessment of a subject or thing. 2 survey of the past. 3 revision or reconsideration (is under review). 4 display and formal inspection of troops etc. 5 published criticism of a book, play, etc. 6 periodical with critical articles on current events, the arts, etc. —v. 1 survey or look back on. 2 reconsider or revise. 3 hold a review of (troops etc.). 4 write a review of (a book, play, etc.).  reviewer n. [french revoir: related to *view]
Wound1  —n. 1 injury done to living tissue by a deep cut or heavy blow etc. 2 pain inflicted on one's feelings; injury to one's reputation. —v. Inflict a wound on. [old english]
Scouse  colloq. —n. 1 liverpool dialect. 2 (also scouser) native of liverpool. —adj. Of liverpool. [from *lobscouse]
Tesla  n. Si unit of magnetic induction. [tesla, name of a scientist]

Pro  abbr. 1 public record office. 2 public relations officer.





Saturnalia  n. (pl. Same or -s) 1 (usu. Saturnalia) rom. Hist. Festival of saturn in december, the predecessor of christmas. 2 (as sing. Or pl.) Scene of wild revelry. [latin, pl. From saturnus roman god]

Adjust  v. 1 order or position; regulate; arrange. 2 (usu. Foll. By to) become or make suited; adapt. 3 harmonize (discrepancies). 4 assess (loss or damages).  adjustable adj. Adjustment n. [latin juxta near]
Pose  —v. (-sing) 1 assume a certain attitude of the body, esp. When being photographed or painted. 2 (foll. By as) pretend to be (another person etc.) (posing as a celebrity). 3 behave affectedly to impress others. 4 put forward or present (a question etc.). 5 place (an artist's model etc.) In a certain attitude. —n. 1 attitude of body or mind. 2 affectation, pretence. [latin pauso *pause, confused with latin pono place]
Propinquity  n. 1 nearness in space; proximity. 2 close kinship. 3 similarity. [latin prope near]
Foreground  n. 1 part of a view or picture nearest the observer. 2 most conspicuous position. [dutch: related to *fore-, *ground1]

Internal evidence  n. Evidence derived from the contents of the thing discussed.
 
Tidy  —adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 neat, orderly. 2 (of a person) methodical. 3 colloq. Considerable (a tidy sum). —n. (pl. -ies) 1 receptacle for holding small objects etc. 2 esp. Us cover for a chair-back etc. —v. (-ies, -ied) (also absol.; often foll. By up) put in good order; make (oneself, a room, etc.) Tidy.  tidily adv. Tidiness n. [originally = timely etc., from *tide]

Fudge  —n. 1 soft toffee-like sweet made of milk, sugar, butter, etc. 2 piece of dishonesty or faking. —v. (-ging) make or do clumsily or dishonestly; fake (fudge the results). [origin uncertain]

Death  n. 1 irreversible ending of life; dying or being killed. 2 instance of this. 3 destruction; ending (death of our hopes). 4 being dead (eyes closed in death). 5 (usu. Death) personification of death, esp. As a skeleton. 6 lack of spiritual life.  at death's door close to death. Be the death of 1 cause the death of. 2 be annoying or harmful to. Catch one's death colloq. Catch a serious chill etc. Do to death 1 kill. 2 overdo. Fate worse than death colloq. Very unpleasant experience. Put to death kill or cause to be killed. To death to the utmost, extremely (bored to death).  deathlike adj. [old english]




Cut and dried  adj. 1 completely decided; inflexible. 2 (of opinions etc.) Ready-made, lacking freshness.


Livelong  adj. In its entire length (the livelong day). [from obsolete lief, assimilated to *live1]
Amenable  adj. 1 responsive, docile. 2 (often foll. By to) answerable to law etc. [french: related to *ad-, latin mino drive animals]


Scarp  —n. Steep slope, esp. The inner side of a ditch in a fortification. —v. Make perpendicular or steep. [italian scarpa]
Lead1  —v. (past and past part. Led) 1 cause to go with one, esp. By guiding or going in front. 2 a direct the actions or opinions of. B (often foll. By to, or to + infin.) Guide by persuasion or example (what led you to think that). 3 (also absol.) Provide access to; bring to a certain position (gate leads you into a field; road leads to lincoln). 4 pass or go through (a life etc. Of a specified kind). 5 a have the first place in. B (absol.) Go first; be ahead in a race etc. C (absol.) Be pre-eminent in some field. 6 be in charge of (leads a team). 7 (also absol.) Play (a card) or a card of (a particular suit) as first player in a round. 8 (foll. By to) result in. 9 (foll. By with) (of a newspaper or news broadcast) have as its main story (led with the royal wedding). 10 (foll. By through) make (a liquid, strip of material, etc.) Pass through a certain course. —n. 1 guidance given by going in front; example. 2 a leading place (take the lead). B amount by which a competitor is ahead of the others. 3 clue. 4 strap etc. For leading a dog etc. 5 conductor (usu. A wire) conveying electric current to an appliance. 6 a chief part in a play etc. B person playing this. C (attrib.) Chief performer or instrument of a specified type (lead guitar). 7 cards a act or right of playing first. B card led.  lead by the nose cajole into compliance. Lead off begin. Lead on entice dishonestly. Lead up the garden path colloq. Mislead. Lead up to form a preparation for; direct conversation towards. [old english]
Hagridden  adj. Afflicted by nightmares or anxieties.

Topic  n. Subject of a discourse, conversation, or argument. [greek topos place, commonplace]
Field officer  n. Army officer of field rank.
Desideratum  n. (pl. -ta) something lacking but desirable. [latin: related to *desire]


Trench  —n. 1 long narrow usu. Deep ditch. 2 mil. This dug by troops as a shelter from enemy fire. —v. 1 dig a trench or trenches in (the ground). 2  turn over the earth of (a field, garden, etc.) By digging a succession of ditches. [french trenche, -ier cut]
Misappropriate  v. (-ting) take (another's money etc.) For one's own use; embezzle.  misappropriation n.
Force-feed  v. Force (esp. A prisoner) to take food.
Tiresome  adj. 1 wearisome, tedious. 2 colloq. Annoying.  tiresomely adv. Tiresomeness n.



Stripling  n. Youth not yet fully grown. [from *strip2]

Gravelly  adj. 1 of or like gravel. 2 (of a voice) deep and rough-sounding.
South sea  n. (also south seas) southern pacific ocean.
Meson  n. Elementary particle believed to help hold nucleons together in the atomic nucleus. [from *meso-]
Hermetic  adj. With an airtight closure.  hermetically adv. [from the greek god hermes, regarded as the founder of alchemy]
Lanceolate  adj. Shaped like a lance-head, tapering at each end.
Scenery  n. 1 natural features of a landscape, esp. When picturesque. 2 painted backcloths, props, etc., used as the background in a play etc. [italian: related to *scenario]



Pox  n. 1 virus disease leaving pock-marks. 2 colloq. = *syphilis. [alteration of pocks pl. Of *pock]


Putty  —n. Cement of whiting and linseed oil, used for fixing panes of glass, filling holes, etc. —v. (-ies, -ied) cover, fix, join, or fill with putty. [french potée: related to *pot1]
Ovine  adj. Of or like sheep. [latin ovis sheep]
Enumerator  n. Person employed in census-taking.



Self-destruction  n. 1 destroying of itself or oneself or one's chances, happiness, etc. 2 act of self-destructing.  self-destructive adj.


Lead-free  adj. (of petrol) without added lead compounds.
Cerebration  n. Working of the brain.



Roadbed  n. 1 foundation structure of a railway. 2 foundation material for a road. 3 us part of a road on which vehicles travel.

Buzzard  n. Large bird of the hawk family. [latin buteo falcon]
Welter2  n. Heavy rider or boxer. [origin unknown]

Heart-rending  adj. Very distressing.


Rupiah  n. Chief monetary unit of indonesia. [related to *rupee]




System  n. 1 complex whole; set of connected things or parts; organized body of things. 2 a set of organs in the body with a common structure or function. B human or animal body as a whole. 3 method; scheme of action, procedure, or classification. 4 orderliness. 5 (prec. By the) prevailing political or social order, esp. Regarded as oppressive.  get a thing out of one's system colloq. Get rid of a preoccupation or anxiety. [greek sustema -mat-]
Middle class  n. Social class between the upper and the lower, including professional and business workers.  middle-class adj.



Chimney  n. (pl. -s) 1 channel conducting smoke etc. Up and away from a fire, engine, etc. 2 part of this above a roof. 3 glass tube protecting the flame of a lamp. 4 narrow vertical crack in a rock-face. [latin caminus oven, from greek]
Parky  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Or dial. Chilly. [origin unknown]



Cog-wheel  n. Wheel with cogs.



Grove  n. Small wood or group of trees. [old english]
Praying mantis  see *mantis.

Firedamp  n. Miners' name for methane, which is explosive when mixed with air.


Trilogy  n. (pl. -ies) group of three related novels, plays, operas, etc.

Slack2  n. Coal-dust or fragments of coal. [probably low german or dutch]
Cuckoo clock  n. Clock with the figure of a cuckoo emerging to make a call on the hour.

Notice  —n. 1 attention, observation (escaped my notice). 2 displayed sheet etc. Bearing an announcement. 3 a intimation or warning, esp. A formal one. B formal announcement or declaration of intention to end an agreement or leave employment at a specified time. 4 short published review of a new play, book, etc. —v. (-cing) (often foll. By that, how, etc.) Perceive, observe.  at short (or a moment's) notice with little warning. Take notice (or no notice) show signs (or no signs) of interest. Take notice of 1 observe. 2 act upon. [latin notus known]
Minnow  n. Small freshwater carp. [old english]

Conglomerate  —adj. Gathered into a rounded mass. —n. 1 heterogeneous mass. 2 group or corporation of merged firms. —v. (-ting) collect into a coherent mass.  conglomeration n. [latin glomus -eris ball]
Soup-kitchen  n. Place dispensing soup etc. To the poor.
Dolly-bird  n. Colloq. Attractive and stylish young woman.
Willow  n. Tree with pliant branches yielding osiers and timber for cricket-bats etc., usu. Growing near water. [old english]
Currency  n. (pl. -ies) 1 a money in use in a country. B other commodity used as money. 2 being current; prevalence (e.g. Of words or ideas).


Waifs and strays  n.pl. 1 homeless or neglected children. 2 odds and ends.
Roentgen  n. (also röntgen) unit of ionizing radiation. [röntgen, name of a physicist]
Morphine  n. Narcotic drug from opium, used to relieve pain. [latin morpheus god of sleep]
Flagrant  adj. Blatant; notorious; scandalous.  flagrancy n. Flagrantly adv. [latin flagro blaze]

Bison  n. (pl. Same) wild hump-backed ox of europe or n. America. [latin from germanic]



Swordplay  n. 1 fencing. 2 repartee; lively argument.
Ballista  n. (pl. -stae) (in ancient warfare) catapult for hurling large stones etc. [latin from greek ballo throw]


Entire  adj. 1 whole, complete. 2 unbroken. 3 unqualified, absolute. 4 in one piece; continuous. [latin: related to *integer]
Day centre  n. Place for care of the elderly or handicapped during the day.
 


Skyscraper  n. Very tall building.

Excitable  adj. Easily excited.  excitability n. Excitably adv.
West side  n. Us western part of manhattan.
Deficit  n. 1 amount by which a thing (esp. Money) is too small. 2 excess of liabilities over assets. [french from latin: related to *defect]
Field rank  n. Army rank above captain and below general.
Structuralism  n. Doctrine that structure rather than function is important.  structuralist n. & adj.
Womenfolk  n. 1 women in general. 2 the women in a family.
Italian  —n. 1 a native or national of italy. B person of italian descent. 2 romance language of italy. —adj. Of or relating to italy.
West-south-west  n. Point or direction midway between west and south-west.
Ringlet  n. Curly lock of esp. Long hair.  ringleted adj.

Arraign  v. 1 indict, accuse. 2 find fault with; call into question (an action or statement).  arraignment n. [latin ratio reason]
Hermetic  adj. With an airtight closure.  hermetically adv. [from the greek god hermes, regarded as the founder of alchemy]
Equanimity  n. Composure, evenness of temper, esp. In adversity. [latin aequus even, animus mind]
Slobber  —v. 1 dribble. 2 (foll. By over) drool over. —n. Dribbling saliver.  slobbery adj. [dutch]

Fringe benefit  n. Employee's benefit additional to salary.


Ilk  n. 1 colloq., usu. Derog. Sort, family, class, etc. 2 (in of that ilk) scot. Of the ancestral estate with the same name as the family (guthrie of that ilk). [old english]

Fly-by-night  —adj. Unreliable. —n. Unreliable person.
Tissue  n. 1 any of the coherent collections of specialized cells of which animals or plants are made (muscular tissue). 2 = *tissue-paper. 3 disposable piece of thin soft absorbent paper for wiping, drying, etc. 4 fine woven esp. Gauzy fabric. 5 (foll. By of) connected series (tissue of lies). [french tissu woven cloth]


Spike2  n. Cluster of flower-heads on a long stem. [latin spica]

Usage  see note at impedance.


Dead man's handle  n. (also dead man's pedal) device on an electric train disconnecting the power supply if released.
Ragwort  n. Yellow-flowered ragged-leaved plant.
Budgie  n. Colloq. = *budgerigar. [abbreviation]
Abbey  n. (pl. -s) 1 building(s) occupied by a community of monks or nuns. 2 the community itself. 3 building that was once an abbey.
Briar1  var. Of *brier1.
Stow  v. Pack (goods, cargo, etc.) Tidily and compactly.  stow away 1 place (a thing) out of the way. 2 be a stowaway on a ship etc. [from *bestow]
Injunction  n. 1 authoritative order. 2 judicial order restraining a person or body from an act, or compelling redress to an injured party. [latin: related to *enjoin]
Chintzy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 like chintz. 2 gaudy, cheap. 3 characteristic of décor associated with chintz soft furnishings.

Intractable  adj. 1 hard to control or deal with. 2 difficult, stubborn.  intractability n. Intractably adv.





Mass media  n.pl. = *media 2.
Deregulate  v. (-ting) remove regulations from.  deregulation n.

Restrict  v. 1 confine, limit. 2 withhold from general circulation or disclosure.  restriction n. [latin: related to *restrain]


Stomach-ache  n. Pain in the belly or bowels.

Accede  v. (-ding) (foll. By to) 1 take office, esp. As monarch. 2 assent or agree. [latin: related to *cede]
Conscientious objector  n. Person who for reasons of conscience objects to military service etc.
Mastoid process  n. Conical prominence on the temporal bone behind the ear.
Long-term  adj. Of or for a long period of time (long-term plans).

Dynasty  n. (pl. -ies) 1 line of hereditary rulers. 2 succession of leaders in any field.  dynastic adj. [latin from greek]



I4  abbr. (also i.) 1 island(s). 2 isle(s).



Mill  —n. 1 a building fitted with a mechanical device for grinding corn. B such a device. 2 device for grinding any solid to powder etc. (pepper-mill). 3 a building fitted with machinery for manufacturing processes etc. (cotton-mill). B such machinery. —v. 1  grind (corn), produce (flour), or hull (seeds) in a mill. 2 (esp. As milled adj.) Produce a ribbed edge on (a coin). 3  cut or shape (metal) with a rotating tool. 4 (often foll. By about, around) move aimlessly, esp. In a confused mass.  go (or put) through the mill undergo (or cause to undergo) intensive work, pain, training, etc. [latin molo grind]
Snarl2  —v. (often foll. By up) twist; entangle; hamper the movement of (traffic etc.); become entangled or congested. —n. Knot, tangle. [from *snare]
Dry-clean  v. Clean (clothes etc.) With solvents without water.  dry-cleaner n.
Pretence  n. (us pretense) 1 pretending, make-believe. 2 a pretext, excuse. B false show of intentions or motives. 3 (foll. By to) claim, esp. A false one (to merit etc.). 4 display; ostentation. [anglo-latin: related to *pretend]
Laughing  n. Laughter.  no laughing matter serious matter.  laughingly adv.
Alter  v. Make or become different; change.  alteration n. [latin alter other]


Corm  n. Underground swollen stem base of some plants. [greek kormos lopped tree-trunk]
Clear-up  n. 1 tidying up. 2 (usu. Attrib.) Solving of crimes (clear-up rates).
Semitone  n. Half a tone in the musical scale.
Tart1  n. 1 open pastry case containing jam etc. 2 pie with a fruit or other sweet filling.  tartlet n. [french tarte]
Robot  n. 1 machine resembling or functioning like a human. 2 machine automatically completing a mechanical process. 3 person who acts mechanically.  robotic adj. Robotize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing). [czech]


Col.  Abbr. Column.
Untruth  n. 1 being untrue. 2 lie.
Peace-offering  n. Propitiatory or conciliatory gift.

Lark2  colloq. —n. 1 frolic; amusing incident. 2 type of activity (fed up with this digging lark). —v. (foll. By about) play tricks. [origin uncertain]





Ruinous  adj. 1 bringing ruin, disastrous (ruinous expense). 2 dilapidated.  ruinously adv.
Serf  n. 1 hist. Labourer who was not allowed to leave the land on which he worked. 2 oppressed person, drudge.  serfdom n. [latin servus slave]




Uncle  n. 1 a brother of one's father or mother. B aunt's husband. 2 colloq. (form of address by a child to) parent's male friend. 3 slang esp. Hist. Pawnbroker. [latin avunculus]




Calling  n. 1 profession or occupation. 2 vocation.

Legislate  v. (-ting) make laws.  legislator n. [from *legislation]
Teething-ring  n. Ring for an infant to bite on while teething.
Indiscernible  adj. That cannot be discerned.
Abbacy  n. (pl. -ies) office or jurisdiction of an abbot or abbess. [latin: related to *abbot]
Whisker  n. 1 (usu. In pl.) Hair growing on a man's face, esp. On the cheek. 2 each of the bristles on the face of a cat etc. 3 colloq. Small distance (within a whisker of).  whiskered adj. Whiskery adj. [from *whisk]
Photoelectric  adj. Marked by or using emissions of electrons from substances exposed to light.  photoelectricity n.
Above-board  adj. & adv. Without concealment; open or openly.













Sewn  past part. Of *sew.
Nuptial  —adj. Of marriage or weddings. —n. (usu. In pl.) Wedding. [latin nubo nupt- wed]

Gall bladder  n. Organ storing bile.

Tarragon  n. Bushy herb used in salads, stuffings, vinegar, etc. [medieval latin from greek]
Semi-permeable  adj. (of a membrane etc.) Allowing small molecules to pass through.
Confounded  attrib. Adj. Colloq. Damned.
Cot3  abbr. Cotangent.
Brand  —n. 1 a particular make of goods. B identifying trade mark, label, etc. 2 (usu. Foll. By of) characteristic kind (brand of humour). 3 identifying mark burned esp. On livestock. 4 iron used for this. 5 piece of burning or charred wood. 6 stigma; mark of disgrace. 7 poet. Torch. —v. 1 mark with a hot iron. 2 stigmatize (branded him a liar). 3 impress unforgettably. 4 assign a trademark etc. To. [old english]



Malcontent  —n. Discontented person. —adj. Discontented. [french: related to *mal-]
Brushwood  n. 1 undergrowth, thicket. 2 cut or broken twigs etc.





Dermis  n. 1 (in general use) the skin. 2 layer of living tissue below the epidermis. [from *epidermis]


Unemployable  adj. Unfit for paid employment.  unemployability n.

Roister  v. (esp. As roistering adj.) Revel noisily; be uproarious.  roisterer n. [latin: related to *rustic]







Topsail  n. Square sail next above the lowest; fore-and-aft sail on a gaff.



Oxbow  n. Loop formed by a horseshoe bend in a river.
Rigmarole  n. 1 lengthy and complicated procedure. 2 rambling or meaningless talk or tale. [originally ragman roll catalogue]



Bridle-path  n. (also bridle-way) rough path for riders or walkers.

Great circle  n. Circle on the surface of a sphere whose plane passes through the sphere's centre.

Retain  v. 1 a keep possession of; not lose; continue to have. B not abolish, discard, or alter. 2 keep in one's memory. 3 keep in place; hold fixed. 4 secure the services of (a person, esp. A barrister) with a preliminary payment. [latin retineo -tent-]
Bandy2  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 (often foll. By about) a pass (a story, rumour, etc.) To and fro. B discuss disparagingly (bandied her name about). 2 (often foll. By with) exchange (blows, insults, etc.). [perhaps from french]
Dogwood  n. Shrub with dark-red branches, greenish-white flowers, and purple berries.
Pte.  Abbr. Private (soldier).
Self-sufficient  adj. Able to supply one's own needs; independent.  self-sufficiency n.



Hah  var. Of *ha1.

Planning permission  n. Formal permission for building etc., esp. From a local authority.
Correlate  —v. (-ting) (usu. Foll. By with, to) have or bring into a mutual relation or dependence. —n. Each of two related or complementary things.  correlation n. [medieval latin correlatio]

Condensation  n. 1 condensing or being condensed. 2 condensed liquid (esp. Water on a cold surface). 3 abridgement. [latin: related to *condense]
Youth  n. (pl. -s) 1 being young; period between childhood and adult age. 2 vigour, enthusiasm, inexperience, or other characteristic of this period. 3 young man. 4 (as pl.) Young people collectively (the youth of the country). [old english: related to *young]
Turnery  n. 1 objects made on a lathe. 2 work with a lathe.



Basque  —n. 1 member of a people of the western pyrenees. 2 their language. —adj. Of the basques or their language. [latin vasco]



K  abbr. 1 kilo-. 2 knot(s).
Cu.  Abbr. Cubic.
Lento  mus. —adj. Slow. —adv. Slowly. [italian]



Magnetic tape  n. Plastic strip coated with magnetic material for recording sound or pictures.

Homely  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 simple, plain, unpretentious. 2 us (of facial appearance) plain, unattractive. 3 comfortable, cosy.  homeliness n.
Centrist  n. Polit. Often derog. Person holding moderate views.  centrism n.
Hyphen  —n. Sign (-) used to join words semantically or syntactically (e.g. Fruit-tree, pick-me-up, rock-forming), to indicate the division of a word at the end of a line, or to indicate a missing or implied element (as in man- and womankind). —v. = *hyphenate. [greek huphen together]


Breathtaking  adj. Astounding; awe-inspiring.  breathtakingly adv.
Work  —n. 1 application of mental or physical effort to a purpose; use of energy. 2 task to be undertaken. 3 thing done or made by work; result of an action. 4 employment or occupation etc., esp. As a means of earning income. 5 literary or musical composition. 6 actions or experiences of a specified kind (nice work!). 7 (in comb.) Things made of a specified material or with specified tools etc. (ironwork; needlework).

Foretell  v. (past and past part. -told) 1 predict, prophesy. 2 indicate the approach of.

Stuck-up  adj. Conceited, snobbish. [*stick2]
Authenticate  v. (-ting) establish as true, genuine, or valid.  authentication n.
Elegant  adj. 1 tasteful, refined, graceful. 2 ingeniously simple.  elegance n. Elegantly adv. [latin: related to *elect]



Assure  v. (-ring) 1 (often foll. By of) a convince. B tell (a person) confidently (assured him all was well). 2 ensure; guarantee (a result etc.). 3 insure (esp. A life). 4 (as assured adj.) A guaranteed. B self-confident. [latin securus safe]

Nightgown  n. = *nightdress.

Head in the sand  n. Refusal to acknowledge danger or difficulty.
Stenographer  n. Esp. Us shorthand typist. [greek stenos narrow]

Unremarked  adj. Not mentioned or remarked upon.


Filter-paper  n. Porous paper for filtering.
Unearned income  n. Income from investments etc. Rather than from working.
Propanone  n. Chem. = *acetone. [from *propane]
Perky  adj. (-ier, -iest) lively; cheerful.  perkily adv. Perkiness n.

Equipage  n. 1 archaic a requisites. B outfit. 2 hist. Carriage and horses with attendants. [french: related to *equip]


Publicist  n. Publicity agent or public relations officer.
Unwind  v. (past and past part. Unwound) 1 draw out or become drawn out after having been wound. 2 colloq. Relax.


Fuddy-duddy  slang —adj. Old-fashioned or quaintly fussy. —n. (pl. -ies) such a person. [origin unknown]
Undersubscribed  adj. Without sufficient subscribers, participants, etc.
Rove2  past of *reeve2.
Chirrup  —v. (-p-) chirp, esp. Repeatedly. —n. Chirruping sound. [imitative]
Epilogue  n. 1 short piece ending a literary work. 2 speech addressed to the audience by an actor at the end of a play. [greek logos speech]

Cordon bleu  cookery —adj. Of the highest class. —n. Cook of this class. [french]

Gadwall  n. Brownish-grey freshwater duck. [origin unknown]
Prenatal  adj. Of the period before childbirth.

Ice cap  n. Permanent covering of ice, esp. In polar regions.








Finger-plate  n. Plate fixed to a door to prevent finger-marks.
Undertow  n. Current below the surface of the sea contrary to the surface current.
Reposition  v. 1 move or place in a different position. 2 alter one's position.
Withdrawal  n. 1 withdrawing or being withdrawn. 2 process of ceasing to take an addictive drug etc., often with an unpleasant reaction (withdrawal symptoms). 3 = *coitus interruptus.
Wastage  n. 1 amount wasted. 2 loss by use, wear, or leakage. 3 (also natural wastage) loss of employees other than by redundancy.


Grieve  v. (-ving) 1 cause grief to. 2 suffer grief. [latin: related to *grave2]

Never-never  n. (often prec. By the) colloq. Hire purchase.

Gc  abbr. George cross.


Unplayable  adj. 1 sport (of a ball) too fast etc. To be returned. 2 that cannot be played.


Video game  n. Computer game played on a television screen.
Fig-leaf  n. 1 leaf of a fig-tree. 2 concealing device, esp. For the genitals (gen. 3:7).

Aged  adj. 1  (predic.) Of the age of (aged 3). 2  old.
Query  —n. (pl. -ies) 1 question. 2 question mark or the word query as a mark of interrogation. —v. (-ies, -ied) 1 ask or inquire. 2 call in question. 3 dispute the accuracy of. [latin quaere imperative of quaero inquire]



Boat-hook  n. Long hooked pole for moving boats.
Machine-gun  —n. Automatic gun giving continuous fire. —v. (-nn-) shoot at with a machine-gun.
Partial eclipse  n. Eclipse in which only part of the luminary is covered.
Accoutrements  n.pl. (us accouterments) 1 equipment, trappings. 2 soldier's equipment excluding weapons and clothes. [french]
Comedian  n. 1 humorous entertainer. 2 comedy actor. 3 slang buffoon. [french]
North  —n. 1 a point of the horizon 90° anticlockwise from east. B compass point corresponding to this. C direction in which this lies. 2 (usu. The north) a part of a country or town lying to the north. B the industrialized nations. —adj. 1 towards, at, near, or facing the north. 2 from the north (north wind). —adv. 1 towards, at, or near the north. 2 (foll. By of) further north than.  to the north (often foll. By of) in a northerly direction. [old english]



No claim bonus  n. (also no claims bonus) reduction of an insurance premium after an agreed period without a claim.

Carpet-bagger  n. Colloq. 1 esp. Us political candidate etc. Without local connections. 2 unscrupulous opportunist.






Cineraria  n. Composite plant with bright flowers and ash-coloured down on its leaves. [latin cinis -ner- ashes]

Knuckle  —n. 1 bone at a finger-joint, esp. That connecting the finger to the hand. 2 a knee- or ankle-joint of a quadruped. B this as a joint of meat, esp. Of bacon or pork. —v. (-ling) strike, press, or rub with the knuckles.  knuckle down (often foll. By to) 1 apply oneself seriously (to a task etc.). 2 (also knuckle under) give in; submit. [low german or dutch diminutive of knoke bone]
Herdsman  n. Man who owns or tends a herd.

Adam  n. The first man.  not know a person from adam be unable to recognize a person. [hebrew, = man]

Gurnard  n. (pl. Same or -s) marine fish with a large spiny head and finger-like pectoral rays. [french]
Five  adj. & n. 1 one more than four. 2 symbol for this (5, v, v). 3 size etc. Denoted by five. 4 set or team of five. 5 five o'clock (is it five yet?). 6 cricket hit scoring five runs. [old english]
Remembrance  n. 1 remembering or being remembered. 2 a memory or recollection. 3 keepsake, souvenir. 4 (in pl.) Greetings conveyed through a third person. [french: related to *remember]


Blow-by-blow  attrib. Adj. (of a narrative etc.) Detailed.

Chickenpox  n. Infectious disease, esp. Of children, with a rash of small blisters.
Pmt  abbr. Premenstrual tension.
Confederacy  n. (pl. -ies) league or alliance, esp. Of confederate states. [french: related to *confederate]



Polling-day  n. Election day.


Rehash  —v. Put (old material) into a new form without significant change or improvement. —n. 1 material rehashed. 2 rehashing.
Hourglass  n. Two vertically connected glass bulbs containing sand taking an hour to pass from upper to lower bulb.

Clean-up  n. Act of cleaning up.
Tramp  —v. 1 a walk heavily and firmly. B go on foot, esp. A distance. 2 a cross on foot, esp. Wearily or reluctantly. B cover (a distance) in this way. 3 (often foll. By down) tread on; trample; stamp on. 4 live as a tramp. —n. 1 itinerant vagrant or beggar. 2 sound of a person, or esp. People, walking, marching, etc. 3 long walk. 4 slang derog. Promiscuous woman. [germanic]
Field sports  n.pl. Outdoor sports, esp. Hunting, shooting, and fishing.


Slot-machine  n. Machine worked by the insertion of a coin, esp. Selling small items or providing amusement.



Misplace  v. (-cing) 1 put in the wrong place. 2 bestow (affections, confidence, etc.) On an inappropriate object.  misplacement n.

Fancy woman  n. Slang derog. Mistress.


Bollard  n. 1 short post in the road, esp. On a traffic island. 2 short post on a quay or ship for securing a rope. [perhaps related to *bole]
Disconnect  v. 1 break the connection of. 2 put out of action by disconnecting the parts.  disconnection n.
Pinnate  adj. (of a compound leaf) having leaflets on either side of the leaf-stalk. [latin pinnatus feathered: related to *pinnacle]

Mutiny  —n. (pl. -ies) open revolt, esp. By soldiers or sailors against their officers. —v. (-ies, -ied) (often foll. By against) revolt; engage in mutiny.

Chain-mail  n. Armour made of interlaced rings.
Dopey  adj. (also dopy) (dopier, dopiest) colloq. 1 half asleep or stupefied as if by a drug. 2 stupid.  dopily adv. Dopiness n.


Heavy industry  n. Industry producing metal, machinery, etc.
Hover  —v. 1 (of a bird etc.) Remain in one place in the air. 2 (often foll. By about, round) wait close at hand, linger. —n. 1 hovering. 2 state of suspense. [obsolete hove hover]
Rumour  (us rumor) —n. (often foll. By of or that) general talk, assertion, or hearsay of doubtful accuracy (heard a rumour that you are leaving). —v. (usu. In passive) report by way of rumour (it is rumoured that you are leaving).



Circumstantial  adj. 1 giving full details (circumstantial account). 2 (of evidence etc.) Indicating a conclusion by inference from known facts hard to explain otherwise.  circumstantiality n.
Stowaway  n. Person who hides on a ship or aircraft etc. To travel free.

Enthusiasm  n. 1 (often foll. By for, about) strong interest or admiration, great eagerness. 2 object of enthusiasm. [greek entheos inspired by a god]
Mt.  Abbr. Mount.


Market research  n. Surveying of consumers' needs and preferences.

Redshift  n. Displacement of the spectrum to longer wavelengths in the light coming from receding galaxies etc.

Née  adj. (us nee) (used in adding a married woman's maiden name after her surname) born (mrs ann hall, née brown). [french, feminine past part. Of naître be born]

Convention  n. 1 a general agreement on social behaviour etc. By implicit majority consent. B a custom or customary practice. 2 conference of people with a common interest. 3 a formal agreement, esp. Between states. [latin: related to *convene]

Co  abbr. Commanding officer.

Dimmer  n. 1 (in full dimmer switch) device for varying the brightness of an electric light. 2 us a (in pl.) Small parking lights on a vehicle. B headlight on low beam.
Matrices  pl. Of *matrix.
Warehouse   —n. 1 building in which goods are stored. 2 wholesale or large retail store. —v. (-sing) store temporarily in a repository.


Sugar  —n. 1 sweet crystalline substance esp. From sugar cane and sugar beet, used in cookery etc.; sucrose. 2 chem. Soluble usu. Sweet crystalline carbohydrate, e.g. Glucose. 3 esp. Us colloq. Darling (as a term of address). —v. Sweeten or coat with sugar. [french sukere, from arabic sukkar]
Lancastrian  —n. 1 native of lancashire or lancaster. 2 hist. Member or supporter of the house of lancaster in the wars of the roses. —adj. Of or concerning lancashire or lancaster, or the house of lancaster. [lancaster in lancashire]

Yuppie  n. (also yuppy) (pl. -ies) (often attrib.) Colloq., usu. Derog. Young ambitious professional person working in a city. [from young urban professional]


Uncommitted  adj. 1 not committed. 2 not politically attached.
Dane  n. 1 native or national of denmark. 2 hist. Viking invader of england in the 9th–11th c. [old norse]


Tonic sol-fa  n. Mus. System of notation used esp. In teaching singing.
Orthodox  adj. 1 holding usual or accepted opinions, esp. On religion, morals, etc. 2 generally approved, conventional (orthodox medicine). 3 (also orthodox) (of judaism) strictly traditional.  orthodoxy n. [greek doxa opinion]
Polo-neck  n. 1 high round turned-over collar. 2 sweater with this.

Butter-bean  n. 1 flat, dried, white lima bean. 2 yellow-podded bean.
Usage  see note at triumph.


Flip-flop  n. (usu. Rubber) sandal with a thong between the toes. [imitative]






Scavenge  v. (-ging) (usu. Foll. By for; also absol.) Search for and collect (discarded items). [back-formation from *scavenger]


Avuncular  adj. Like or of an uncle, esp. In manner. [latin avunculus uncle]
Tenacious  adj. 1 (often foll. By of) keeping a firm hold. 2 persistent, resolute. 3 (of memory) retentive.  tenaciously adv. Tenacity n. [latin tenax -acis from teneo hold]

Premium  n. 1 amount to be paid for a contract of insurance. 2 sum added to interest, wages, price, etc. 3 reward or prize. 4 (attrib.) (of a commodity) of the best quality and therefore more expensive.  at a premium 1 highly valued; above the usual or nominal price. 2 scarce and in demand. [latin praemium reward]

Sodium lamp  n. Lamp using sodium vapour and giving a yellow light.
Videotape recorder  n. = *video recorder.
Contagious  adj. 1 a (of a person) likely to transmit a disease by contact. B (of a disease) transmitted in this way. 2 (of emotions etc.) Likely to spread (contagious enthusiasm).
Fast worker  n. Colloq. Person who rapidly makes esp. Sexual advances.


Eligible  adj. 1 (often foll. By for) fit or entitled to be chosen (eligible for a rebate). 2 desirable or suitable, esp. For marriage.  eligibility n. [latin: related to *elect]


Laburnum  n. Tree with drooping golden flowers yielding poisonous seeds. [latin]

Intertwine  v. (-ning) (often foll. By with) entwine (together).

Jolly2  n. (pl. -ies) (in full jolly boat) clinker-built ship's boat smaller than a cutter. [origin unknown: perhaps related to *yawl]



Paddle-wheel  n. Wheel for propelling a ship, with boards round the circumference.
Feather bed  n. Bed with a feather-stuffed mattress.
Remainder  —n. 1 residue. 2 remaining persons or things. 3 number left after division or subtraction. 4 copies of a book left unsold when demand has almost ceased. —v. Dispose of (a remainder of books) at a reduced price. [anglo-french: related to *remain]



Cliff-hanger  n. Story etc. With a strong element of suspense.

Termini  pl. Of *terminus.
Usage  in sense 4 of the pronoun, that usually specifies or identifies something referred to, whereas who or which need not: compare the book that you sent me is lost with the book, which i gave you, is lost. That is often omitted in senses 1 and 3 of the conjunction: they say he is ill.


Starting-block  n. Shaped block for a runner's feet at the start of a race.

Aversion  n. 1 (usu. Foll. By to, for) dislike or unwillingness. 2 object of this.

Prattle  —v. (-ling) chatter in a childish or inconsequential way. —n. Childish or inconsequential chatter. [low german pratelen: related to *prate]
Ruthenium  n. Rare hard white metallic element from platinum ores. [medieval latin ruthenia russia]
Moa  n. (pl. -s) extinct flightless new zealand bird resembling the ostrich. [maori]

Memento mori  n. Skull etc. As a reminder of death. [latin, = remember you must die]




Undeniable  adj. Indisputable; certain.  undeniably adv.
French  —adj. 1 of france, its people, or language. 2 having french characteristics. —n. 1 the french language. 2 (the french) (pl.) The people of france. 3 colloq. Dry vermouth.  frenchness n. [old english: related to *frank]



Wager  n. & v. = *bet. [anglo-french: related to *wage]

Poppadam  n. (also poppadom, popadam) ind. Thin, crisp, spiced bread eaten with curry etc. [tamil]

Alarmist  n. Person stirring up alarm.
Ark of the covenant  n. Chest or cupboard containing the tables of jewish law.
Ides  n.pl. Day of the ancient roman month (the 15th day of march, may, july, and october, the 13th of other months). [latin idus]


Smuggle  v. (-ling) 1 (also absol.) Import or export illegally, esp. Without paying duties. 2 (foll. By in, out) convey secretly.  smuggler n. Smuggling n. [low german]
Ad  n. Colloq. Advertisement. [abbreviation]
Ascertain  v. Find out for certain.  ascertainment n. [french: related to *certain]
Physical geography  n. Branch of geography dealing with natural features.
Indeterminate  adj. 1 not fixed in extent, character, etc. 2 left doubtful; vague. 3 math. Of no fixed value.  indeterminacy n.
Perfunctory  adj. Done merely out of duty; superficial, careless.  perfunctorily adv. Perfunctoriness n. [latin: related to *function]
Pangolin  n. Scaly asian and african anteater. [malay]
Exemplify  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 illustrate by example. 2 be an example of.  exemplification n.
Slew2  past of *slay.


Euphonium  n. Brass instrument of the tuba family. [related to *euphony]
Manna  n. 1 substance miraculously supplied as food to the israelites in the wilderness (exod. 16). 2 unexpected benefit (esp. Manna from heaven). [old english ultimately from hebrew]
Dumdum  n. (in full dumdum bullet) soft-nosed bullet that expands on impact. [dum-dum in india]
Locale  n. Scene or locality of an event or occurrence. [french local]
Dentition  n. 1 type, number, and arrangement of teeth in a species etc. 2 teething.
Vice versa  adj. With the order of the terms changed; the other way round. [latin, = the position being reversed]
Instalment  n. (us installment) 1 any of several usu. Equal payments for something. 2 any of several parts, esp. Of a broadcast or published story. [anglo-french estaler fix]
Circumscribe  v. (-bing) 1 (of a line etc.) Enclose or outline. 2 lay down the limits of; confine, restrict. 3 geom. Draw (a figure) round another, touching it at points but not cutting it.  circumscription n. [latin scribo write]

Furnish  v. 1 provide (a house, room, etc.) With furniture. 2 (often foll. By with) supply. [french from germanic]
Calf2  n. (pl. Calves) fleshy hind part of the human leg below the knee. [old norse]

Resource  —n. 1 expedient or device. 2 (often in pl.) Means available; stock or supply that can be drawn on; asset. 3 (in pl.) Country's collective wealth. 4 skill in devising expedients (person of great resource). 5 (in pl.) One's inner strength, ingenuity, etc. —v. (-cing) provide with resources.  resourceful adj. (in sense 4). Resourcefully adv. Resourcefulness n. [french: related to *source]

Commentate  v. (-ting) act as a commentator.

Work-basket  n. Basket for sewing materials.
Natural resources  n.pl. Materials or conditions occurring in nature and capable of economic exploitation.
Inquietude  n. Uneasiness. [latin: related to *quiet]
Interpenetrate  v. (-ting) 1 penetrate each other. 2 pervade.  interpenetration n.

Love-seat  n. Small sofa in the shape of an s, with two seats facing in opposite directions.

Lie2  —n. 1 intentionally false statement (tell a lie). 2 something that deceives. —v. (lies, lied, lying) 1 tell a lie or lies. 2 (of a thing) be deceptive.  give the lie to show the falsity of (a supposition etc.). [old english]
High-spirited  adj. Vivacious; cheerful; lively.
Uvpc  abbr. Unplasticized polyvinyl chloride.
Goldfinch  n. Songbird with a yellow band across each wing.




Cisalpine  adj. On the south side of the alps. [latin cis- on this side of]
Loopy  adj. (-ier, -iest) slang crazy, daft.

Trajectory  n. (pl. -ies) path of an object moving under given forces. [latin traicio -ject- throw across]

Here and now  adv. At this very moment; immediately.
Application  n. 1 formal request. 2 act of applying. 3 substance applied. 4 a relevance. B use (has many applications). 5 diligence.

Ok  (also okay) colloq. —adj. (often as int.) All right; satisfactory. —adv. Well, satisfactorily. —n. (pl. Oks) approval, sanction. —v. (ok's, ok'd, ok'ing) approve, sanction. [originally us: probably abbreviation of orl (or oll) korrect, jocular form of ‘all correct’]
Guy2  —n. Rope or chain to secure a tent or steady a crane-load etc. —v. Secure with a guy or guys. [probably low german]
Unstinting  adj. Lavish; limitless.  unstintingly adv.
Sorrow  —n. 1 mental distress caused by loss or disappointment etc. 2 cause of sorrow. —v. Feel sorrow, mourn. [old english]

Downbeat  —n. Mus. Accented beat, usu. The first of the bar. —adj. 1 pessimistic, gloomy. 2 relaxed.
Hell-bent  adj. (foll. By on) recklessly determined.
Spar2  —v. (-rr-) 1 make the motions of boxing without heavy blows. 2 argue. —n. 1 sparring motion. 2 boxing-match. [old english]
Weasel  n. Small flesh-eating mammal related to the stoat and ferret. [old english]

Tighten  v. Make or become tighter.

Twain  adj. & n. Archaic two. [old english, masculine form of *two]
Spokeshave  n. Tool for planing curved surfaces. [from *spoke1]
Lymph gland  n. (also lymph node) small mass of tissue in the lymphatic system.
Crispbread  n. 1 thin crisp biscuit of crushed rye etc. 2 these collectively (packet of crispbread).





Ramification  n. (usu. In pl.) 1 consequence. 2 subdivision of a complex structure or process. [french: related to *ramify]


Dec.  Abbr. December.
Inadmissible  adj. That cannot be admitted or allowed.  inadmissibility n. Inadmissibly adv.
Cross-cut  —adj. Cut across the main grain. —n. Diagonal cut, path, etc.
Luckless  adj. Unlucky; ending in failure.

Proper fraction  n. Fraction less than unity, with the numerator less than the denominator.

Penumbra  n. (pl. -s or -brae) 1 partly shaded region around the shadow of an opaque body, esp. That around the shadow of the moon or earth in an eclipse. 2 partial shadow.  penumbral adj. [latin paene almost, *umbra]
Highwayman  n. Hist. Robber of travellers etc., usu. Mounted.
Elementary particle  n. Physics subatomic particle, esp. One not known to consist of simpler ones.




Headband  n. Band worn round the head as decoration or to confine the hair.


Self-defense  n. (brit. -defence) physical or verbal defence of one's body, property, rights, reputation, etc.
Hereditable  adj. That can be inherited. [latin: related to *heir]
Wiper  n. = *windscreen wiper.
Heavy hydrogen  n. = *deuterium.
Rime1  —n. 1 frost. 2 hoar-frost. —v. (-ming) cover with rime. [old english]
Mummery  n. (pl. -ies) 1 ridiculous (esp. Religious) ceremonial. 2 performance by mummers. [french momerie: related to *mummer]




Rsv  abbr. Revised standard version (of the bible).
Remorse  n. 1 deep regret for a wrong committed. 2 compunction; compassion, mercy (without remorse). [medieval latin mordeo mors- bite]


Eon  var. Of *aeon.
Cult  n. 1 religious system, sect, etc., esp. Ritualistic. 2 a devotion to a person or thing (cult of aestheticism). B fashion. C (attrib.) Fashionable (cult film). [latin: related to *cultivate]
Legal  adj. 1 of or based on law; concerned with law. 2 appointed or required by law. 3 permitted by law.  legally adv. [latin lex leg- law]
Experience  —n. 1 observation of or practical acquaintance with facts or events. 2 knowledge or skill resulting from this. 3 event or activity participated in or observed (a rare experience). —v. (-cing) 1 have experience of; undergo. 2 feel. [latin experior -pert- try]
Serial number  n. Number identifying an item in a series.
Keg  n. Small barrel. [old norse]

Calcium hydroxide  n. White crystalline powder used in the manufacture of mortar.





Unconventional  adj. Unusual; unorthodox.  unconventionality n. Unconventionally adv.

Maladroit  adj. Clumsy; bungling. [french: related to *mal-]



Untrustworthy  adj. Not trustworthy.  untrustworthiness n.




Water-glass  n. Solution of sodium or potassium silicate used esp. For preserving eggs.

Self-confident  adj. Having confidence in oneself.  self-confidence n. Self-confidently adv.
Preppy  n. (pl. -ies) us colloq. Student of an expensive private school or similar-looking person. [from *prep]
Groundsel  n. Wild plant with small yellow flowers, used as a food for cage-birds etc. [old english]

Tearful  adj. 1 crying or inclined to cry. 2 sad (tearful event).  tearfully adv.


Spittle  n. Saliva. [related to *spit1]
Sponge bag  n. Waterproof bag for toilet articles.
High tea  n. Evening meal usu. Consisting of a cooked dish, bread and butter, tea, etc.

Raconteur  n. Teller of anecdotes. [french: related to *recount]
Debenture  n. Acknowledgement of indebtedness, esp. A company bond providing for payment of interest at fixed intervals. [latin debentur are owed]

Servile  adj. 1 of or like a slave. 2 fawning; subservient.  servility n. [latin servus slave]
Cloud-cuckoo-land  n. Fanciful or ideal place. [translation of greek nephelokokkugia in aristophanes' birds]


Alpha  n. 1 first letter of the greek alphabet (a, a). 2 first-class mark for a piece of work etc.  alpha and omega beginning and end. [latin from greek]
Neat  adj. 1 tidy and methodical. 2 elegantly simple. 3 brief, clear, and pointed. 4 a cleverly executed. B dexterous. 5 (of esp. Alcoholic liquor) undiluted.  neatly adv. Neatness n. [french net from latin nitidus shining]

Even2  n. Poet. Evening. [old english]

Spinster  n. 1 formal unmarried woman. 2 woman, esp. Elderly, thought unlikely to marry.  spinsterish adj. [originally = woman who spins]
Physiotherapy  n. Treatment of disease, injury, deformity, etc., by physical methods including massage, heat treatment, remedial exercise, etc.  physiotherapist n. [related to *physic, *therapy]

Unnameable  adj. Too bad to be named or mentioned.
Videlicet  adv. = *viz. [latin video see, licet allowed]
Hebe  n. Evergreen flowering shrub from new zealand. [greek goddess hebe]
Horse sense  n. Colloq. Plain common sense.
Fly on the wall  n. Unnoticed observer.

Flatmate  n. Person sharing a flat.


Nor  conj. And not; and not either (neither one thing nor the other; can neither read nor write). [contraction of obsolete nother: related to *no2, *whether]

Donut  n. (brit. Doughnut) small fried cake of sweetened dough.
Wrote  past of *write.


Sozzled  adj. Colloq. Very drunk. [dial. Sozzle mix sloppily, imitative]


Malapropism  n. Comical misuse of a word in mistake for one sounding similar, e.g. Alligator for allegory. [mrs malaprop, name of a character in sheridan's the rivals]
Sheriff  n. 1 a (also high sheriff) chief executive officer of the crown in a county, administering justice etc. B honorary officer elected annually in some towns. 2 us elected chief law-enforcing officer in a county. 3 (also sheriff-depute) scot. Chief judge of a county or district. [old english: related to *shire, *reeve1]

A-  prefix (also an- before a vowel sound) not, without (amoral). [greek]
Time and a half  n. One and a half times the normal rate of payment.
Brimstone  n. Archaic sulphur. [from *burn1, *stone]
General anaesthetic  n. Anaesthetic affecting the whole body, usu. With loss of consciousness.

Choral  adj. Of, for, or sung by a choir or chorus. [medieval latin: related to *chorus]


Old glory  n. Us us national flag.

Immoral  adj. 1 not conforming to accepted morality; morally wrong. 2 sexually promiscuous or deviant.  immorality n. (pl. -ies). Immorally adv.
Aldehyde  n. Chem. Any of a class of compounds formed by the oxidation of alcohols. [from *alcohol, *de-, *hydrogen]
Soviet  hist. —adj. Of the ussr or its people. —n. 1 citizen of the ussr. 2 (soviet) elected council in the ussr. 3 revolutionary council of workers, peasants, etc.  [russian]

Shuttle  —n. 1 a (in a loom) instrument pulling the weft-thread between the warp-threads. B (in a sewing-machine) bobbin carrying the lower thread. 2 train, bus, etc. Used in a shuttle service. 3 = *space shuttle. —v. (-ling) (cause to) move to and fro like a shuttle. [old english: related to *shoot]

Flammable  adj. Inflammable.  flammability n. [latin: related to *flame]



Middle  —attrib. Adj. 1 at an equal distance, time, or number from extremities; central. 2 intermediate in rank, quality, etc. 3 average (of middle height). —n. 1 (often foll. By of) middle point, position, or part. 2 waist.  in the middle of 1 in the process of. 2 during. [old english]

Red-hot poker  n. Cultivated plant with spikes of usu. Red or yellow flowers.



Pp  abbr. Pianissimo.
Prawn  n. Edible shellfish like a large shrimp. [origin unknown]


Inc.  Abbr. Us incorporated.


Fruit cocktail  n. Diced fruit salad.
Hemophiliac  n. (brit. Haem-) person with haemophilia.
Malice  n. 1 desire to harm or cause difficulty to others; ill-will. 2 law harmful intent. [latin malus bad]
Impractical  adj. 1 not practical. 2 esp. Us not practicable.  impracticality n.
Redcoat  n. Hist. British soldier.
Ungrudging  adj. Not grudging.
Usage  lest is followed by should or the subjunctive (see examples above).
Boardroom  n. Room in which a board of directors etc. Meets regularly.
Refrain2  n. 1 recurring phrase or lines, esp. At the ends of stanzas. 2 music accompanying this. [latin: related to *refract]

Swirl  —v. Move, flow, or carry along with a whirling motion. —n. 1 swirling motion. 2 twist or curl.  swirly adj. [perhaps from low german or dutch]

Aramaic  —n. Branch of the semitic family of languages, esp. The language of syria used as a lingua franca in the near east from the sixth century bc. —adj. Of or in aramaic. [greek aramaios of aram (hebrew name of syria)]
Hegemony  n. Leadership, esp. By one state of a confederacy. [greek hegemon leader]
Fontanelle  n. (us fontanel) membranous space in an infant's skull at the angles of the parietal bones. [latin fontanella little *fountain]
Proofread  v. (past and past part. -read) read and correct (printer's proofs).  proofreader n.
Telling-off  n. (pl. Tellings-off) colloq. Scolding.

Unlucky  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 not fortunate or successful. 2 wretched. 3 bringing bad luck. 4 ill-judged.  unluckily adv.
Germanic  —adj. 1 having german characteristics. 2 hist. Of the germans. 3 of the scandinavians, anglo-saxons, or germans. —n. 1 the branch of indo-european languages which includes english, german, dutch, and the scandinavian languages. 2 the primitive language of germanic peoples.
Cultural  adj. Of or relating to intellectual or artistic matters, or to a specific culture.  culturally adv.







Overplay  v. Give undue importance to; overemphasize.  overplay one's hand act on an unduly optimistic estimation of one's chances.
Drum  —n. 1 hollow esp. Cylindrical percussion instrument covered at the end(s) with plastic etc. 2 (often in pl.) Percussion section of an orchestra etc. 3 sound made by a drum. 4 thing resembling a drum, esp. A container, etc. 5 segment of a pillar. 6 eardrum. —v. (-mm-) 1 play a drum. 2 beat or tap continuously with the fingers etc. 3 (of a bird or insect) make a loud noise with the wings.  drum into drive (a lesson or facts) into (a person) by persistence. Drum out dismiss with ignominy. Drum up summon or get by vigorous effort (drum up support). [low german]

Encyclopedia  n. (also -paedia) book, often in a number of volumes, giving information on many subjects, or on many aspects of one subject. [greek egkuklios all-round, paideia education]

Kiss of death  n. Apparent good luck etc. Which causes ruin.

Wimple  n. Headdress also covering the neck and the sides of the face, worn by some nuns. [old english]
Scuffle  —n. Confused struggle or fight at close quarters. —v. (-ling) engage in a scuffle. [probably scandinavian: related to *shove]
Overtax  v. 1 make excessive demands on. 2 tax too heavily.
Paltry  adj. (-ier, -iest) worthless, contemptible, trifling.  paltriness n. [from palt rubbish]

Qed  abbr. Which was to be proved. [latin quod erat demonstrandum]

Hearten  v. Make or become more cheerful.  heartening adj.
Biddable  adj. Obedient.
Putsch  n. Attempt at political revolution; violent uprising. [swiss german]
Piano1  n. (pl. -s) keyboard instrument with metal strings struck by hammers. [italian, abbreviation of *pianoforte]
Generation  n. 1 all the people born at about the same time. 2 single stage in a family history (three generations were present in the photograph). 3 stage in (esp. Technological) development (fourth-generation computers). 4 average time in which children are ready to take the place of their parents (about 30 years). 5 production, esp. Of electricity. 6 procreation.  first- (or second-, third-, etc.) Generation (attrib.) Designating a person who emigrated to a place (or whose parents or grandparents etc. Emigrated). [latin: related to *generate]

Untenable  adj. (of a theory etc.) Not tenable.

Musician  n. Person who plays a musical instrument, esp. Professionally.  musicianly adj. Musicianship n. [french: related to *music]





Wampum  n. Beads made from shells and strung together for use as money, decoration, etc. By n. American indians. [algonquian]
Mink  n. (pl. Same or -s) 1 small semi-aquatic stoatlike animal bred for its thick brown fur. 2 this fur. 3 coat of this. [swedish]
Coddle  v. (-ling) 1 treat as an invalid; protect attentively; pamper. 2 cook (an egg) in water below boiling point.  coddler n. [a dialect form of caudle invalids' gruel]

Teenager  n. Person from 13 to 19 years of age.


Evangelize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 (also absol.) Preach the gospel to. 2 convert to christianity.  evangelization n.



Revert  v. 1 (foll. By to) return to a former state, practice, opinion, etc. 2 (of property, an office, etc.) Return by reversion.  revertible adj. (in sense 2).
Polemic  —n. 1 forceful verbal or written controversy or argument. 2 (in pl.) Art or practice of controversial discussion. —adj. (also polemical) involving dispute; controversial.   polemicist n. [greek polemos war]

Chime  —n. 1 set of attuned bells. 2 sounds made by this. —v. (-ming) 1 (of bells) ring. 2 show (the time) by chiming. 3 (usu. Foll. By together, with) be in 
Creek  n. 1 a inlet on a sea-coast. B short arm of a river. 2 esp. Us, austral., & nz tributary of a river; stream.  up the creek slang 1 in difficulties. 2 crazy. [old norse and dutch]
Wagon-load  n. As much as a wagon can carry.

Master-class  n. Class given by a famous musician etc.

Grog  n. Drink of spirit (orig. Rum) and water. [origin uncertain]

Litterbug  n. Colloq. Person who drops litter in the street etc.

Pin-wheel  n. Small catherine wheel.



Auld lang syne  n. Times long past. [scots, = old long since]


Isle  n. Poet. (and in place-names) island, esp. A small one. [french ile from latin insula]

Capacitance  n. 1 ability to store electric charge. 2 ratio of change in the electric charge in a system to the corresponding change in its potential.
Diocese  n. District under the pastoral care of a bishop.  diocesan adj. [greek dioikesis administration]


Panoply  n. (pl. -ies) 1 complete or splendid array. 2 complete suit of armour. [greek hopla arms]
Falter  v. 1 stumble; go unsteadily. 2 lose courage. 3 speak hesitatingly. [origin uncertain]


Time switch  n. Switch acting automatically at a pre-set time.
Timing  n. 1 way an action or process is timed. 2 regulation of the opening and closing of valves in an internal-combustion engine.
D.litt.  Abbr. Doctor of letters. [latin doctor litterarum]
Northbound  adj. Travelling or leading northwards.
Gladiator  n. Hist. Trained fighter in ancient roman shows.  gladiatorial adj. [latin gladius sword]


Resurface  v. (-cing) 1 lay a new surface on (a road etc.). 2 return to the surface. 3 turn up again.

Lords temporal  n.pl. Members of the house of lords other than bishops.

Disadvantage  —n. 1 unfavourable circumstance or condition. 2 damage; loss. —v. (-ging) cause disadvantage to.  at a disadvantage in an unfavourable position or aspect.  disadvantageous adj.

Arsehole  n. (us asshole) coarse slang 1 anus. 2 offens. Contemptible person.





Fulsome  adj. Excessive, cloying, insincere (fulsome praise).  fulsomely adv. [from *full1]
Undergraduate  n. Person studying for a first degree.
Backstroke  n. Swimming stroke done on the back.
Reconvene  v. (-ning) convene again, esp. After a pause in proceedings.
Deciliter  n. (brit. -litre) metric unit of capacity, equal to 0.1 litre.

Womanish  adj. Derog. Effeminate, unmanly.


Test paper  n. 1 minor examination paper. 2 paper impregnated with a substance changing colour under known conditions.
Crinkle  —n. Wrinkle or crease. —v. (-ling) form crinkles (in).  crinkly adj. [related to *cringe]


Rough-hewn  adj. Uncouth, unrefined.
Shrovetide  n. Shrove tuesday and the two days preceding it.

Onc  abbr. Ordinary national certificate.

Monogamy  n. Practice or state of being married to one person at a time.   monogamous adj. [greek gamos marriage]

Relive  v. (-ving) live (an experience etc.) Over again, esp. In the imagination.



Dome  —n. 1 rounded (usu. Hemispherical) vault forming a roof. 2 dome-shaped thing. —v. (-ming) (usu. As domed adj.) Cover with or shape as a dome. [latin domus house]

Cerebrum  n. (pl. -bra) principal part of the brain in vertebrates, at the front of the skull. [latin]
Mañana  —adv. Tomorrow (esp. To indicate procrastination). —n. Indefinite future. [spanish]




Sea room  n. Space at sea for a ship to turn etc.
Invoice  —n. Bill for usu. Itemized goods or services. —v. (-cing) 1 send an invoice to. 2 make an invoice of. [earlier invoyes pl. Of invoy: related to *envoy]

Reshape  v. (-ping) shape or form again or differently.
Mordant  —adj. 1 (of sarcasm etc.) Caustic, biting. 2 pungent, smarting. 3 corrosive or cleansing. 4 serving to fix dye. —n. Mordant substance. [latin mordeo bite]



Soul food  n. Traditional food of american blacks.

Fourth estate  n. The press.

Disheveled  adj. (brit. Dishevelled) untidy; ruffled.  dishevelment n. [from *dis-, chevel ‘hair’, from latin capillus]
Actuate  v. (-ting) 1 cause (a machine etc.) To move or function. 2 cause (a person) to act. [latin]




Spritzer  n. Drink of wine with soda water. [german, = a splash]



Baulk  (also balk) —v. 1 (often foll. By at) jib, hesitate. 2 a thwart, hinder. B disappoint. 3 miss, let slip (a chance etc.). —n. 1 hindrance; stumbling-block. 2 roughly-squared timber beam. [old english]
Claw back  v. Regain laboriously or gradually.


Ta  symb. Tantalum.

Herb  n. 1 any non-woody seed-bearing plant. 2 plant with leaves, seeds, or flowers used for flavouring, food, medicine, scent, etc.  herby adj. (-ier, -iest). [latin herba]
Kitsch  n. (often attrib.) Vulgar, pretentious, or worthless art.  kitschy adj. (-ier, -iest). [german]




Canticle  n. Song or chant with a biblical text. [latin canticum *chant]
Place-kick  n. Kick in football with the ball placed on the ground.
Hip2  n. Fruit of a rose, esp. Wild. [old english]
Hh  abbr. 1 her or his highness. 2 his holiness. 3 (of pencil-lead) double-hard.

Trample  v. (-ling) 1 tread under foot. 2 press down or crush in this way.  trample on 1 tread heavily on. 2 treat roughly or with contempt. [from *tramp]
Acreage  n. A number of acres; extent of land.
Battledress  n. Everyday uniform of a soldier.

Insensible  adj. 1 unconscious. 2 (usu. Foll. By of, to) unaware (insensible of her needs). 3 callous. 4 too small or gradual to be perceived.  insensibility n. Insensibly adv.
Helpful  adj. Giving help; useful.  helpfully adv. Helpfulness n.
Morris dance  n. Traditional english dance in fancy costume, with ribbons and bells.  morris dancer n. Morris dancing n. [morys, var. Of moorish: related to *moor]

Elide  v. (-ding) omit (a vowel or syllable) in pronunciation. [latin elido elis- crush out]
Devonian  —adj. Of the fourth period of the palaeozoic era. —n. This period. [devon in england]

Terrain  n. Tract of land, esp. In geographical or military contexts. [latin: related to *terrene]
Diatom  n. One-cell alga found as plankton and forming fossil deposits. [greek, = cut in half]
Hominid  —adj. Of the primate family including humans and their fossil ancestors. —n. Member of this family. [latin homo homin- man]
Eager beaver  n. Colloq. Very diligent person.


Population explosion  n. Sudden large increase of population.



Wag1  —v. (-gg-) shake or wave to and fro. —n. Single wagging motion (with a wag of his tail).  tongues wag there is talk. [old english]
  —adj. Not having made a will before death. —n. Person who has died intestate.  intestacy n. [latin: related to *testament]



Romanticist  n. (also romanticist) writer or artist of the romantic school.

Tele-ad  n. Advertisement telephoned to a newspaper etc.


Mature student  n. Adult student.
Sideways  —adv. 1 to or from a side. 2 with one side facing forward. —adj. To or from a side.
Blue blood  n. Noble birth.
Hit list  n. Slang list of prospective victims.


Pearlite  var. Of *perlite.


Interminable  adj. 1 endless. 2 tediously long.  interminably adv.



Bowman  n. Archer.
Gp  abbr. General practitioner.

Rubidium  n. Soft silvery metallic element. [latin rubidus red]
Ketone  n. Any of a class of organic compounds including propanone (acetone). [german keton, alteration of aketon *acetone]
Feta  n. Soft white esp. Ewe's-milk cheese made esp. In greece. [greek pheta]



Incautious  adj. Heedless, rash.  incautiously adv.
'Twas  archaic it was. [contraction]




Nazarene  —n. 1 a (prec. By the) christ. B (esp. In jewish or muslim use) christian. 2 native or inhabitant of nazareth. —adj. Of nazareth. [latin from greek]

Infrequent  adj. Not frequent.  infrequently adv.
Last trump  n. (prec. By the) trumpet-blast to wake the dead on judgement day.
Howler  n. Colloq. Glaring mistake.

Open-door  attrib. Adj. Open, accessible.





Utilitarianism  n. Doctrine that actions are right if they are useful or benefit a majority.

Sonata  n. Composition for one or two instruments, usu. In three or four movements. [italian, = sounded]



Steatite  n. Impure form of talc, esp. Soapstone. [greek stear steat- tallow]
Kraal  n. S.afr. 1 village of huts enclosed by a fence. 2 enclosure for cattle or sheep. [afrikaans from portuguese curral, of hottentot origin]

Executor  n. (fem. Executrix) person appointed by a testator to administer his or her will.  executorial adj.
Hecto-  comb. Form hundred. [greek hekaton]
Viceroy  n. Sovereign's deputy ruler in a colony, province, etc. [french: related to *vice-, roy king]
Language  n. 1 use of words in an agreed way as a method of human communication. 2 system of words of a particular community or country etc. 3 a faculty of speech. B style of expression; use of words, etc. (poetic language). 4 system of symbols and rules for writing computer programs. 5 any method of communication. 6 professional or specialized vocabulary. [latin lingua tongue]
Exotic  —adj. 1 introduced from a foreign country; not native. 2 strange or unusual. —n. Exotic person or thing.  exotically adv. [greek exo outside]
Water  —n. 1 colourless transparent liquid compound of oxygen and hydrogen. 2 liquid consisting chiefly of this and found in seas and rivers, in rain, and in secretions of organisms. 3 expanse of water; a sea, lake, river, etc. 4 (in pl.) Part of a sea or river. 5 (often as the waters) mineral water at a spa etc. 6 state of a tide. 7 solution of a specified substance in water (lavender-water). 8 transparency and brilliance of a gem. 9 (attrib.) A found in or near water. B of, for, or worked by water. C involving, using, or yielding water. 10 (usu. In pl.) Amniotic fluid, released during labour. —v. 1 sprinkle or soak with water. 2 supply (a plant) with water. 3 give water to (an animal). 4 secrete water. 5 (as watered adj.) (of silk etc.) Having irregular wavy glossy markings. 6 take in a supply of water.  by water using a ship etc. For transport. Like water in great quantity, profusely. Make one's mouth water cause one's saliva to flow, stimulate one's appetite or anticipation. Of the first water of the finest quality or extreme degree. Water down 1 dilute. 2 make less forceful or horrifying. Water under the bridge past events accepted as irrevocable. [old english]



Multimillionaire  n. Person with a fortune of several millions.
Snowdrop  n. Early spring plant with white drooping flowers.
-ness  suffix forming nouns from adjectives, expressing: 1 state or condition, or an instance of this (happiness; a kindness). 2 something in a certain state (wilderness). [old english]



Yoo-hoo  int. Used to attract a person's attention. [natural exclamation]



Put-on  n. Colloq. Deception or hoax.

Operatics  n.pl. Production and performance of operas.

Anticlerical  adj. Opposed to clerical influence, esp. In politics.




Cha-cha  n. (also cha-cha-cha) 1 latin-american dance. 2 music for this. [american spanish]
Water-color  n. (brit. Water-colour) 1 artists' paint made of pigment to be diluted with water and not oil. 2 picture painted with this. 3 art of painting with water-colours.  water-colourist n.
Nobelium  n.  Artificially produced radioactive transuranic metallic element. [from nobel: see *nobel prize]




Macrocosm  n. 1 universe. 2 the whole of a complex structure. [from *macro-, *cosmos]
Shalt  archaic 2nd person sing. Of *shall.
Pottage  n. Archaic soup, stew. [french: related to *pot1]
Clubhouse  n. Premises of a (usu. Sporting) club.


Journeyman  n. 1 qualified mechanic or artisan who works for another. 2 derog. Reliable but not outstanding worker.

Fastness  n. Stronghold. [old english]

Palaeography  n. (us paleography) the study of ancient writing and documents.  palaeographer n. [french: related to *palaeo-]

Hard-hearted  adj. Unfeeling.  hard-heartedness n.

Upper-cut  —n. Upwards blow delivered with the arm bent. —v. Hit upwards with the arm bent.
 
Tail-end  n. Hindmost, lowest, or last part.
Resumption  n. Resuming.  resumptive adj. [latin: related to *resume]
Favor  (brit. Favour) —n. 1 kind act (did it as a favour). 2 approval, goodwill; friendly regard (gained their favour). 3 partiality. 4 badge, ribbon, etc., as an emblem of support. —v. 1 regard or treat with favour or partiality. 2 support, promote, prefer. 3 be to the advantage of; facilitate. 4 tend to confirm (an idea etc.). 5 (foll. By with) oblige. 6 (as favoured adj.) Having special advantages.
Barré  n. Method of playing a chord on the guitar etc. With a finger laid across the strings at a particular fret. [french barrer bar]
Flare-path  n. Line of lights on a runway to guide aircraft.
Dribs and drabs  n.pl. Colloq. Small scattered amounts.

Moon  —n. 1 a natural satellite of the earth, orbiting it monthly, illuminated by the sun and reflecting some light to the earth. B this regarded in terms of its waxing and waning in a particular month (new moon). C the moon when visible (there is no moon tonight). 2 satellite of any planet. 3 (prec. By the) colloq. Something desirable but unattainable (promised me the moon). —v. 1 wander about aimlessly or listlessly. 2 slang expose one's buttocks.  many moons ago a long time ago. Moon over act dreamily thinking about (a loved one). Over the moon colloq. Extremely happy.  moonless adj. [old english]
Arbitrator  n. Person appointed to arbitrate.
Extort  v. Obtain by coercion. [latin torqueo tort- twist]
Herbage  n. Vegetation collectively, esp. As pasture.

Cfe  abbr. College of further education.
Unpaid  adj. (of a debt or a person) not paid.
Bovine  adj. 1 of cattle. 2 stupid, dull. [latin bos ox]




Ethics  n.pl. (also treated as sing.) 1 moral philosophy. 2 a moral principles. B set of these.






Fairy godmother  n. Benefactress.


Gm  abbr. George medal.
Calorimeter  n. Instrument for measuring quantity of heat.

Boy scout  n. = *scout n. 4.
Frau  n. (pl. Frauen) (often as a title) married or widowed german-speaking woman. [german]



Operating theatre  n. Room for surgical operations.
Wordplay  n. Witty use of words, esp. Punning.


Stare  —v. (-ring) 1 (usu. Foll. By at) look fixedly, esp. In curiosity, surprise, horror, etc. 2 reduce (a person) to a specified condition by staring (stared me into silence). —n. Staring gaze.  stare a person in the face be evident or imminent. Stare a person out stare at a person until he or she looks away. [old english]

Gremlin  n. Colloq. Imaginary mischievous sprite regarded as responsible for mechanical faults etc. [origin unknown]
Midi  n. (also midi) an interface allowing electronic musical instruments, synthesizers, and computers to be interconnected and used simultaneously. [abbreviation of musical instrument digital interface]

Notorious  adj. Well-known, esp. Unfavourably.  notoriety n. Notoriously adv. [latin notus known]




Quark2  n. A kind of low-fat curd cheese. [german]
Musk  n. 1 substance secreted by the male musk deer and used in perfumes. 2 plant which orig. Had a smell of musk.  musky adj. (-ier, -iest). Muskiness n. [latin muscus from persian]



Ulcerate  v. (-ting) form into or affect with an ulcer.  ulceration n.

Hellenism  n. (esp. Ancient) greek character or culture.  hellenist n.

Commencement  n. Formal beginning.
Ultramarine  —n. 1 brilliant blue pigment orig. From lapis lazuli. 2 colour of this. —adj. Of this colour. [italian and medieval latin, = beyond the sea, from where lapis lazuli was brought]

Content1  —predic. Adj. 1 satisfied; adequately happy. 2 (foll. By to + infin.) Willing. —v. Make content; satisfy. —n. Contented state; satisfaction.  to one's heart's content as much as one wishes. [latin: related to *contain]

Toffee-nosed  adj. Slang snobbish, superior.
Venetian blind  n. Window-blind of adjustable horizontal slats.


Dene  n. (also dean) narrow wooded valley. [old english]


Flag1  —n. 1 a usu. Oblong or square piece of cloth, attachable by one edge to a pole or rope as a country's emblem or standard, a signal, etc. B small toy etc. Resembling a flag. 2 adjustable strip of metal etc. Indicating a taxi's availability for hire. —v. (-gg-) 1 a grow tired; lag (was soon flagging). B hang down; droop. 2 mark out with or as if with a flag or flags. 3 (often foll. By that) inform or communicate by flag-signals.  flag down signal to stop. [origin unknown]

Tumultuous  adj. Noisy; turbulent; violent.

Hither  adv. Formal to or towards this place. [old english]
Bog  —n. 1 a wet spongy ground. B stretch of this. 2 slang lavatory. —v. (-gg-) (foll. By down; usu. In passive) impede (bogged down by snow).  boggy adj. (-ier, -iest). [irish or gaelic bogach]



Assent  —v. (usu. Foll. By to) 1 express agreement. 2 consent. —n. Consent or approval, esp. Official.  assenter n. [latin sentio think]


Brief  —adj. 1 of short duration. 2 concise; abrupt, brusque. 3 scanty (brief skirt). —n. 1 (in pl.) Short pants. 2 a summary of a case drawn up for counsel. B piece of work for a barrister. 3 instructions for a task. 4 papal letter on discipline. —v. 1 instruct (a barrister) by brief. 2 inform or instruct in advance.  hold a brief for argue in favour of. In brief to sum up.  briefly adv. Briefness n. [latin brevis short]

Nine  adj. & n. 1 one more than eight. 2 symbol for this (9, ix, ix). 3 size etc. Denoted by nine. [old english]






Tap1  —n. 1 device by which a flow of liquid or gas from a pipe or vessel can be controlled. 2 tapping of a telephone etc. 3 taproom. —v. (-pp-) 1 provide (a cask) or let out (liquid) with a tap. 2 draw sap from (a tree) by cutting into it. 3 obtain information or supplies from. 4 extract or obtain; discover and exploit (mineral wealth waiting to be tapped; tap skills of young people). 5 connect a listening device to (a telephone etc.).  on tap 1 ready to be drawn off by tap. 2 colloq. Freely available. [old english]



Endomorph  n. Person with a soft round body. [greek morphe form]


Radio-controlled  adj. Controlled from a distance by radio.





Execrate  v. (-ting) 1 express or feel abhorrence for. 2 (also absol.) Curse (a person or thing).  execration n. [latin exsecror curse: related to *sacred]
Pyramid selling  n. System of selling goods in which agency rights are sold to an increasing number of distributors at successively lower levels.
Dsc  abbr. Distinguished service cross.
Filigree  n. 1 fine ornamental work in gold etc. Wire. 2 similar delicate work.  filigreed adj. [latin filum thread, granum seed]

Communication  n. 1 a communicating or being communicated. B information etc. Communicated. C letter, message, etc. 2 connection or means of access. 3 social dealings. 4 (in pl.) Science and practice of transmitting information.

Sultana  n. 1 seedless raisin. 2 sultan's mother, wife, concubine, or daughter. [italian]

Qua  conj. In the capacity of. [latin, = in the way in which]
Comecon  n. Economic association of socialist countries in e. Europe. [abbreviation of council for mutual economic assistance]






Milk and honey  n. Abundance; prosperity.
Vertigo  n. Dizziness caused esp. By heights. [latin, = whirling, from verto turn]




Settlement  n. 1 settling or being settled. 2 a place occupied by settlers. B small village. 3 a political or financial etc. Agreement. B arrangement ending a dispute. 4 a terms on which property is given to a person. B deed stating these. C amount or property given.



Bm  abbr. 1 british museum. 2 bachelor of medicine.
Buckle  —n. Clasp with a hinged pin for securing a belt, strap, etc. —v. (-ling) 1 (often foll. By up, on, etc.) Fasten with a buckle. 2 (often foll. By up) (cause to) crumple under pressure.  buckle down make a determined effort. [latin buccula cheek-strap]

Undermanned  adj. Having an insufficient crew or staff.

Literal  —adj. 1 taking words in their basic sense without metaphor or allegory. 2 corresponding exactly to the original words (literal translation). 3 prosaic; matter-of-fact. 4 so called without exaggeration (literal bankruptcy). 5 of a letter or the letters of the alphabet. —n. Misprint.  literally adv. [latin littera letter]
Unmask  v. 1 a remove the mask from. B expose the true character of. 2 remove one's mask.
Snuff1  —n. Charred part of a candle-wick. —v. Trim the snuff from (a candle).  snuff it slang die. Snuff out 1 extinguish (a candle flame). 2 put an end to (hopes etc.). [origin unknown]
Freebie  n. Colloq. Thing given free of charge.
Diaeresis  n. (pl. Diaereses) (us dieresis) mark (as in naïve) over a vowel to indicate that it is sounded separately. [greek, = separation]

Nightly  —adj. 1 happening, done, or existing in the night. 2 recurring every night. —adv. Every night.


Hummock  n. Hillock or hump. [origin unknown]


Trainer  n. 1 person who trains horses, athletes, footballers, etc. 2 aircraft or simulator used to train pilots. 3  soft running shoe.

Scene-shifter  n. Person who moves scenery in a theatre.
Marrowfat  n. A kind of large pea.
Babe  n. 1 literary baby. 2 innocent or helpless person. 3 us slang young woman. [as *baby]
Killjoy  n. Gloomy or censorious person, esp. At a party etc.

Constrain  v. 1 compel. 2 a confine forcibly; imprison. B restrict severely. 3 (as constrained adj.) Forced, embarrassed. [latin stringo strict- tie]
Alloy  —n. 1 mixture of two or more metals. 2 inferior metal mixed esp. With gold or silver. —v. 1 mix (metals). 2 debase by admixture. 3 moderate (pleasure alloyed with pain). [french: related to *ally]

Shorts  n.pl. 1 trousers reaching to the knees or higher. 2 us underpants.


Usage  although widely used, fuck is still considered to be the most offensive word in the english language by many people. In discussions about bad language it is frequently referred to as the ‘f’ word.
Thin  —adj. (thinner, thinnest) 1 having opposite surfaces close together; of small thickness or diameter. 2 (of a line) narrow or fine. 3 made of thin material (thin dress). 4 lean; not plump. 5 not dense or copious (thin hair). 6 of slight consistency. 7 weak; lacking an important ingredient (thin blood; a thin voice). 8 (of an excuse etc.) Flimsy or transparent. —adv. Thinly (cut the bread very thin). —v. (-nn-) 1 (often foll. By down) make or become thin or thinner. 2 (often foll. By out) make or become less dense or crowded or numerous.  have a thin time colloq. Have a wretched or uncomfortable time. Thin on the ground few in number. Thin on top balding.  thinly adv. Thinness n. Thinnish adj. [old english]
Toffee  n. 1 firm or hard sweet made by boiling sugar, butter, etc. 2 this substance.  for toffee slang (prec. By can't etc.) (denoting incompetence) at all (they couldn't sing for toffee). [origin unknown]

Happy-go-lucky  adj. Cheerfully casual.
Middle distance  n. 1 (in a landscape) part between the foreground and the background. 2 athletics race distance of esp. 400 or 800 metres.
Entrails  n.pl. 1 bowels, intestines. 2 innermost parts of a thing. [latin inter among]
Unshakeable  adj. Firm; obstinate.  unshakeably adv.

Topping  —adj. Archaic slang excellent. —n. Thing that tops another thing, esp. Sauce on a dessert etc.
Brainy  adj. (-ier, -iest) intellectually clever.


Near east  n. (prec. By the) region comprising the countries of the eastern mediterranean.  near eastern adj.
Utterance  n. 1 act of uttering. 2 thing spoken. 3 power or manner of speaking.

Coed  colloq. —n. 1 school for both sexes. 2 esp. Us female pupil of a coed school. —adj. Coeducational. [abbreviation]




Hotplate  n. Heated metal plate etc. (or a set of these) for cooking food or keeping it hot.


Gravitate  v. (-ting) 1 (foll. By to, towards) move or be attracted to. 2 a move or tend by force of gravity towards. B sink by or as if by gravity. [related to *grave2]

Bevel  —n. 1 slope from the horizontal or vertical in carpentry etc.; sloping surface or edge. 2 tool for marking angles. —v. (-ll-; us -l-) 1 reduce (a square edge) to a sloping edge. 2 slope at an angle. [french]
Upstart  —n. Newly successful, esp. Arrogant, person. —adj. 1 that is an upstart. 2 of upstarts.

Thievery  n. Stealing.
Table wine  n. Wine of ordinary quality.
Certainly  adv. 1 undoubtedly. 2 (in answer) yes; by all means.
Bareback  adj. & adv. Without a saddle.


Rubric  n. 1 heading or passage in red or special lettering. 2 explanatory words. 3 established custom or rule. 4 direction for the conduct of divine service in a liturgical book. [latin ruber red]

Liable  predic. Adj. 1 legally bound. 2 (foll. By to) subject to. 3 (foll. By to + infin.) Under an obligation. 4 (foll. By to) exposed or open to (something undesirable). 5 (foll. By to + infin.) Apt, likely (it is liable to rain). 6 (foll. By for) answerable. [french lier bind, from latin ligo]

Blue  —adj. (bluer, bluest) 1 having the colour of a clear sky. 2 sad, depressed. 3 pornographic (a blue film). 4 politically conservative. —n. 1 blue colour or pigment. 2 blue clothes or material (dressed in blue). 3 person who represents a university in a sport, esp. Oxford or cambridge. 4 conservative party supporter. —v. (blues, blued, bluing or blueing) 1 make blue. 2 slang squander.  once in a blue moon very rarely. Out of the blue unexpectedly. [french from germanic]



Burnt ochre  n. (also burnt sienna or umber) pigment darkened by burning.

Jock  n. Slang scotsman. [scots form of the name jack]


Bushy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 growing thickly like a bush. 2 having many bushes.











Death squad  n. Armed paramilitary group.
Rump  n. 1 hind part of a mammal or bird, esp. The buttocks. 2 remnant of a parliament etc. [probably scandinavian]

Sequence  n. 1 succession. 2 order of succession. 3 set of things belonging next to one another; unbroken series. 4 part of a film dealing with one scene or topic. [latin: related to *sequel]

Lime3  n. (in full lime-tree) tree with heart-shaped leaves and fragrant creamy blossom. [alteration of line = old english lind = *linden]


Tumor  n. (brit. Tumour) a swelling, esp. From an abnormal growth of tissue.  tumorous adj. [latin tumeo swell]
Breathing-space  n. Time to recover; pause.
Director-general  n. Chief executive of a large organization.
Unready  adj. 1 not ready. 2 hesitant.
Tow2  n. Coarse part of flax or hemp prepared for spinning. [low german touw]

Carrel  n. Small cubicle for a reader in a library. [french from medieval latin]
Hemi-  comb. Form half. [greek, = latin semi-]


Lightweight  —adj. 1 of below average weight. 2 of little importance or influence. —n. 1 lightweight person, animal, or thing. 2 a weight in certain sports between featherweight and welterweight, in amateur boxing 57–60 kg. B sportsman of this weight.


Subordinate  —adj. (usu. Foll. By to) of inferior importance or rank; secondary, subservient. —n. Person working under another. —v. (-ting) (usu. Foll. By to) make or treat as subordinate.  subordination n. [latin: related to *ordain]
All-right  attrib. Adj. Colloq. Acceptable (an all-right guy).



Custard  n. Pudding or sweet sauce of eggs or flavoured cornflour and milk. [obsolete crustade: related to *crust]
Tub  —n. 1 open flat-bottomed usu. Round vessel. 2 tub-shaped (usu. Plastic) carton. 3 colloq. Bath. 4 colloq. Clumsy slow boat. —v. (-bb-) plant, bathe, or wash in a tub. [probably low german or dutch]
Shako  n. (pl. -s) cylindrical plumed peaked military hat. [hungarian csákó]
C3  abbr. (also c.) 1 celsius, centigrade. 2 coulomb(s), capacitance.


Decorous  adj. Having or showing decorum.  decorously adv. Decorousness n. [latin decorus seemly]

Unfetter  v. Release from fetters.


Disincentive  n. Thing discouraging action, effort, etc.
Hilly  adj. (-ier, -iest) having many hills.  hilliness n.




Clatter  —n. Sound as of hard objects struck together. —v. (cause to) make a clatter. [old english]


Outer  adj. 1 outside; external (pierced the outer layer). 2 farther from the centre or the inside.  outermost adj.



Multi-access  adj. (of a computer system) allowing access to the central processor from several terminals simultaneously.
Stud-book  n. Book containing the pedigrees of horses.
Keelson  n. (also kelson) line of timber fastening a ship's floor-timbers to its keel. [origin uncertain]
Requiem  n. 1 (requiem) (also attrib.) Chiefly rc ch. Mass for the repose of the souls of the dead. 2 music for this. [latin, = rest]



Dale  n. Valley. [old english]
Roughly  adv. 1 in a rough manner. 2 approximately (roughly 20 people).  roughly speaking approximately.


Pasture  —n. 1 grassland suitable for grazing. 2 herbage for animals. —v. (-ring) 1 put (animals) to pasture. 2 (of animals) graze. [latin: related to *pastor]

Sculpt  v. Sculpture. [shortening of *sculptor]
Rosé  n. Light pink wine. [french]
Schottische  n. 1 a kind of slow polka. 2 music for this. [german, = scottish]
Morning star  n. Planet, usu. Venus, seen in the east before sunrise.
Blood-heat  n. Normal human temperature, about 37 °c or 98.4 °f.
Grounding  n. Basic training or instruction.




Sequoia  n. Extremely tall californian evergreen conifer. [sequoiah, name of a cherokee]


House-proud  adj. Attentive to the care and appearance of the home.
Debut  n. (brit. Début) first public appearance (as a performer etc.). [french]
Remiss  adj. Careless of duty; lax, negligent. [latin: related to *remit]




Gunrunner  n. Person engaged in the illegal sale or importing of firearms.  gunrunning n.












Odd  adj. 1 strange, remarkable, eccentric. 2 casual, occasional (odd jobs; odd moments). 3 not normally considered; unconnected (in some odd corner; picks up odd bargains). 4 a (of numbers) not integrally divisible by two, e.g. 1, 3, 5. B bearing such a number (no parking on odd dates). 5 left over when the rest have been distributed or divided into pairs (odd sock). 6 detached from a set or series (odd volumes). 7 (appended to a number, sum, weight, etc.) Somewhat more than (forty odd; forty-odd people). 8 by which a round number, given sum, etc., is exceeded (we have 102 – do you want the odd 2?).  oddly adv. Oddness n. [old norse oddi angle, point, third or odd number]



Velcro  n. Propr. Fastener consisting of two strips of fabric which cling when pressed together. [french velours croché hooked velvet]
Caiman  var. Of *cayman.

Pintail  n. Duck or grouse with a pointed tail.


Anemone  n. Plant of the buttercup family, with vividly-coloured flowers. [greek, = wind-flower]

Ripple  —n. 1 ruffling of the water's surface, small wave or waves. 2 gentle lively sound, e.g. Of laughter or applause. 3 wavy appearance in hair, material, etc. 4 slight variation in the strength of a current etc. 5 ice-cream with veins of syrup (raspberry ripple). —v. (-ling) 1 (cause to) form or flow in ripples. 2 show or sound like ripples.  ripply adj. [origin unknown]
Gamin  n. 1 street urchin. 2 impudent child. [french]

Oil-colour  var. Of *oil-paint.
Undone  adj. 1 not done. 2 not fastened. 3 archaic ruined.


Titivate  v. (-ting) (often refl.) Colloq. Smarten up; put the finishing touches to.  titivation n. [earlier tidivate, perhaps from *tidy after cultivate]
Massage  —n. Rubbing and kneading of the muscles and joints with the hands, to relieve stiffness, cure strains, stimulate, etc. —v. (-ging) 1 apply massage to. 2 manipulate (statistics etc.) To give an acceptable result. 3 flatter (a person's ego etc.). [french]
Windshield  n. Us = *windscreen.

Lovelorn  adj. Pining from unrequited love.
Civil list  n. Annual allowance voted by parliament for the royal family's household expenses.


Permission  n. (often foll. By to + infin.) Consent; authorization. [latin permissio: related to *permit]
Blockhead  n. Stupid person.
Wishbone  n. Forked bone between the neck and breast of a fowl often broken between two people, the longer portion entitling the holder to make a wish.


Unseasonable  adj. 1 not seasonable. 2 untimely, inopportune.  unseasonably adv.
Manager  n. 1 person controlling or administering a business or part of a business. 2 person controlling the affairs, training, etc. Of a person or team in sports, entertainment, etc. 3 person of a specified level of skill in household or financial affairs etc. (a good manager).  managerial adj.
Music  n. 1 art of combining vocal or instrumental sounds in a harmonious or expressive way. 2 sounds so produced. 3 musical composition. 4 written or printed score of this. 5 pleasant natural sound.  music to one's ears something one is pleased to hear. [greek: related to *muse2]

Mild steel  n. Strong and tough steel not readily tempered.




Rover1  n. Wanderer.
Unpointed  adj. 1 having no point or points. 2 not punctuated. 3 (of brickwork etc.) Not pointed.



Split infinitive  n. Infinitive with an adverb etc. Inserted between to and the verb.
Festschrift  n. (also festschrift) (pl. -en or -s) collection of writings published in honour of a scholar. [german, = festival-writing]

Myrrh  n. Gum resin used in perfume, medicine, incense, etc. [latin myrrha from greek]



Yup  var. Of *yep.









Anchorite  n. Hermit; religious recluse. [greek anakhoreo retire]


Wicker  n. Plaited osiers etc. As material for baskets etc. [scandinavian]



Strop  —n. Device, esp. A strip of leather, for sharpening razors. —v. (-pp-) sharpen on a strop. [low german or dutch]
Fratricide  n. 1 killing of one's brother or sister. 2 person who does this.  fratricidal adj. [latin frater brother]





Clown  —n. 1 comic entertainer, esp. In a circus. 2 foolish or playful person. —v. (often foll. By about, around) behave like a clown. [origin uncertain]
Mercantile marine  n. Merchant shipping.

Usage  the use of protagonist in sense 3 is considered incorrect by some people.
Grandfather  n. Male grandparent.
Shorten  v. Become or make shorter or short.
Zinc  n. Greyish-white metallic element used as a component of brass and in galvanizing sheet iron. [german zink]
Whitsun  —n. = *whitsuntide. —adj. = *whit. [whitsun day = whit sunday]


Dialog  n. (brit. Dialogue) 1 a conversation. B this in written form. 2 discussion between people with different opinions. [greek lego speak]
Remittent  adj. (of a fever or disease) abating at intervals.
Agreeable  adj. 1 pleasing, pleasant. 2 willing to agree.  agreeably adv.
Medicate  v. (-ting) 1 treat medically. 2 impregnate with medicine etc.  medicative adj. [latin medicare medicat-]
Après-ski  —n. Social activities following a day's skiing. —attrib. Adj. (of clothes, drinks, etc.) Suitable for these. [french]
Inadvertent  adj. 1 unintentional. 2 negligent, inattentive.  inadvertence n. Inadvertently adv. [from *in-1, *advert]

Cystic  adj. 1 of the bladder. 2 like a cyst.



Pedal  —n. Lever or key operated by foot, esp. In a vehicle, on a bicycle, or on some musical instruments (e.g. The organ). —v. (-ll-; us -l-) 1 operate the pedals of a bicycle, organ, etc. 2 propel (a bicycle etc.) With the pedals. —adj. Of the foot or feet. [latin pes ped- foot]
Recitation  n. 1 reciting. 2 thing recited.
Tidal wave  n. 1 exceptionally large ocean wave, esp. One caused by an underwater earthquake. 2 widespread manifestation of feeling etc.

Modish  adj.  Fashionable.  modishly adv.
B.mus.  Abbr. Bachelor of music.

Shortcrust  n. (in full shortcrust pastry) a type of crumbly pastry.

Rouble  n. (also ruble) chief monetary unit of russia etc. [french from russian]
Round-shouldered  adj. Having shoulders bent forward and a rounded back.
Revise  v. (-sing) 1 examine or re-examine and improve or amend (esp. Written or printed matter). 2 consider and alter (an opinion etc.). 3 (also absol.) Go over (work learnt or done) again, esp. For an examination.  revisory adj. [latin reviso from video vis- see]




Adrenalin  n. (also adrenaline) 1 stimulative hormone secreted by the adrenal glands. 2 this extracted or synthesized for medicinal use.
Conference  n. 1 consultation. 2 meeting for discussion. [french or medieval latin: related to *confer]

Pawl  n. 1 lever with a catch for the teeth of a wheel or bar. 2 naut. Short bar used to lock a capstan, windlass, etc. [low german or dutch]


Unlooked-for  adj. Unexpected.

Pom-pom  n. Automatic quick-firing gun. [imitative]

Woolen  (brit. Woollen) —adj. Made wholly or partly of wool. —n. 1 woollen fabric. 2 (in pl.) Woollen garments. [old english]
Hansard  n. Official verbatim record of debates in the british parliament. [hansard, name of its first printer]



Layabout  n. Habitual loafer or idler.
Oratory  n. (pl. -ies) 1 art of or skill in public speaking. 2 small private chapel.  oratorical adj. [french and latin oro speak, pray]
Kindle  v. (-ling) 1 light, catch, or set on fire. 2 arouse or inspire. 3 become aroused or animated. [old norse]
Searchlight  n. 1 powerful outdoor electric light with a concentrated beam that can be turned in any direction. 2 light or beam from this.
Inflation  n. 1 inflating. 2 econ. A general increase in prices. B increase in the supply of money regarded as causing this.  inflationary adj.
Font1  n. Receptacle in a church for baptismal water. [latin fons font- fountain]

Binary system  n. System using the digits 0 and 1 to code information, esp. In computing.


'Tween  prep. Archaic = *between. [abbreviation]

Co-write  v. Write with another person.  co-writer n.


Inspirit  v. (-t-) 1 put life into; animate. 2 encourage.


Conceal  v. 1 keep secret. 2 hide.  concealment n. [latin celo hide]

Modulate  v. (-ting) 1 a regulate or adjust. B moderate. 2 adjust or vary the tone or pitch of (the speaking voice). 3 alter the amplitude or frequency of (a wave) by using a wave of a lower frequency to convey a signal. 4 mus. (cause to) change from one key to another.  modulation n. [latin: related to *module]
Proprietary medicine  n. Drug, medicine, etc. Produced by a company, usu. Under a patent.


Incurve  v. (-ving) 1 bend into a curve. 2 (as incurved adj.) Curved inwards.  incurvation n.
Bowie  n. (in full bowie knife) a kind of long hunting-knife. [bowie, name of an american soldier]

Canon law  n. Ecclesiastical law.


Dutch cap  n. Dome-shaped contraceptive device fitting over the cervix.

Ragamuffin  n. Child in ragged dirty clothes. [probably from *rag1]
Sliver  —n. Long thin piece cut or split off. —v. 1 break off as a sliver. 2 break or form into slivers. [old english]



Page1  —n. 1 a leaf of a book, periodical, etc. B each side of this. C what is written or printed on this. 2 episode; memorable event. —v. (-ging) paginate. [latin pagina]
Graven image  n. Idol.
Long-lost  attrib. Adj. That has been lost for a long time.
Fishing-rod  n. Tapering usu. Jointed rod for fishing.
Motion  —n. 1 moving; changing position. 2 gesture. 3 formal proposal put to a committee, legislature, etc. 4 application to a court for an order. 5 a an evacuation of the bowels. B (in sing. Or pl.) Faeces. —v. (often foll. By to + infin.) 1 direct (a person) by a gesture. 2 (often foll. By to a person) make a gesture directing (motioned to me to leave).  go through the motions do something perfunctorily or superficially. In motion moving; not at rest. Put (or set) in motion set going or working.  motionless adj. [latin: related to *move]
Old woman  n. Colloq. 1 one's wife or mother. 2 fussy or timid man.

Mercantile  adj. 1 of trade, trading. 2 commercial. [latin: related to *merchant]
Truculent  adj. Aggressively defiant.  truculence n. Truculently adv. [latin trux truc- fierce]

Mutable  adj. Literary liable to change.  mutability n. [latin muto change]

Camp1  —n. 1 place where troops are lodged or trained. 2 temporary accommodation of huts, tents, etc., for detainees, holiday-makers, etc. 3 ancient fortified site. 4 party supporters etc. Regarded collectively. —v. Set up or spend time in a camp. [latin campus level ground]
Quayside  n. Land forming or near a quay.
Upstate  us —n. Provincial, esp. Northern, part of a state. —attrib. Adj. Of this part. —adv. In or to this part.
Spicy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 of or flavoured with spice. 2 piquant; sensational, improper.  spiciness n.
Comfort  —n. 1 a state of physical well-being. B (usu. In pl.) Things that make life easy or pleasant. 2 relief of suffering or grief, consolation. 3 person or thing giving consolation. —v. Soothe in grief; console. [latin fortis strong]



Spermicide  n. Substance able to kill spermatozoa.  spermicidal adj.
Yid  n. Slang offens. Jew. [back-formation from *yiddish]
Crossfire  n. 1 firing in two crossing directions simultaneously. 2 a attack or criticism from all sides. B combative exchange of views etc.
Great  —adj. 1 a of a size, amount, extent, or intensity considerably above the normal or average (a great hole; great fun). B also with implied admiration, contempt, etc., esp. In exclamations (you great idiot!; great stuff!). C reinforcing other words denoting size, quantity, etc. (great big hole). 2 important, pre-eminent (the great thing is not to get caught). 3 grand, imposing (great occasion). 4 distinguished. 5 remarkable in ability, character, etc. (great men; great thinker). 6 (foll. By at, on) competent, well-informed. 7 fully deserving the name of; doing a thing extensively (great reader; great believer in tolerance). 8 (also greater) the larger of the name, species, etc. (great auk; greater celandine). 9 colloq. Very enjoyable or satisfactory (had a great time). 10 (in comb.) (in names of family relationships) denoting one degree further removed upwards or downwards (great-uncle; great-great-grandmother). —n. 1 great or outstanding person or thing. 2 (in pl.) (greats) colloq. (at oxford university) honours course or final examinations in classics and philosophy.  greatness n. [old english]

Hail1  —n. 1 pellets of frozen rain. 2 (foll. By of) barrage or onslaught. —v. 1 a (prec. By it as subject) hail falls. B come down forcefully. 2 pour down (blows, words, etc.). [old english]
Trailing edge  n. Rear edge of an aircraft's wing etc.

Underpass  n. 1 road etc. Passing under another. 2 subway.

Anvil  n. Iron block on which metals are worked. [old english]


Assemblage  n. 1 assembling. 2 assembled group.
Voluptuary  n. (pl. -ies) person who seeks luxury and sensual pleasure. [latin: related to *voluptuous]
Lap2  —n. 1 a one circuit of a racetrack etc. B section of a journey etc. 2 a amount of overlapping. B overlapping part. 3 single turn of thread etc. Round a reel etc. —v. (-pp-) 1 lead or overtake (a competitor in a race) by one or more laps. 2 (often foll. By about, round) fold or wrap (a garment etc.) Round. 3 (usu. Foll. By in) enfold in wraps etc. 4 (as lapped adj.) (usu. Foll. By in) enfolded caressingly. 5 cause to overlap. [probably from *lap1]

Dolly  n. (pl. -ies) 1 child's name for a doll. 2 movable platform for a cine-camera etc. 3 easy catch in cricket.
Juxtapose  v. (-sing) 1 place (things) side by side. 2 (foll. By to, with) place (a thing) beside another.  juxtaposition n. Juxtapositional adj. [latin juxta next, pono put]
Pry  v. (pries, pried) 1 (usu. Foll. By into) inquire impertinently. 2 (usu. Foll. By into, about, etc.) Look or peer inquisitively. [origin unknown]
Cat-o'-nine-tails  n. Hist. Whip with nine knotted lashes.
Fistula  n. (pl. -s or -lae) abnormal or artificial passage between an organ and the body surface or between two organs.  fistular adj. Fistulous adj. [latin, = pipe]

Icy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 very cold. 2 covered with or abounding in ice. 3 (of a tone or manner) unfriendly, hostile.  icily adv. Iciness n.







Scarecrow  n. 1 human figure dressed in old clothes and set up in a field to scare birds away. 2 colloq. Badly-dressed, grotesque-looking, or very thin person.



-cide  suffix 1 person or substance that kills (regicide; insecticide). 2 killing of (infanticide). [latin caedo kill]
Capt.  Abbr. Captain.
Prohibition  n. 1 forbidding or being forbidden. 2 edict or order that forbids. 3 (usu. Prohibition) legal ban on the manufacture and sale of alcohol, esp. In the us (1920–33).  prohibitionist n. (in sense 3).



White lead  n. Mixture of lead carbonate and hydrated lead oxide used as pigment.

Juggle  —v. (-ling) 1 a (often foll. By with) keep several objects in the air at once by throwing and catching. B perform such feats with (balls etc.). 2 deal with (several activities) at once. 3 (often foll. By with) misrepresent or rearrange (facts) adroitly. —n. 1 juggling. 2 fraud.  juggler n. [french from latin jocus jest]
Tarsal  —adj. Of the ankle-bones. —n. Tarsal bone. [from *tarsus]
Adventitious  adj. 1 accidental, casual. 2 added from outside. 3 biol. Formed accidentally or under unusual conditions. [latin: related to *advent]

Cat's cradle  n. Child's game of forming patterns from a loop of string.



Cast iron  n. Hard alloy of iron, carbon, and silicon cast in a mould.

Acanthus  n. (pl. -thuses) 1 herbaceous plant with spiny leaves. 2 archit. Representation of its leaf. [latin from greek]
Writing-paper  n. Paper for writing (esp. Letters) on.
Telegraphic  adj. 1 of or by telegraphs or telegrams. 2 economically worded.  telegraphically adv.

Hive  n. Beehive.  hive off (-ving) separate from a larger group. [old english]
Fluster  —v. 1 make or become nervous or confused (he flusters easily). 2 bustle. —n. Confused or agitated state. [origin unknown]
Methyl alcohol  n. = *methanol.


Wrongful  adj. Unwarranted, unjustified (wrongful arrest).  wrongfully adv.
Renal  adj. Of the kidneys. [latin renes kidneys]
Iron curtain  n. Hist. Former notional barrier to the passage of people and information between the soviet bloc and the west.
Party line  n. 1 policy adopted by a political party etc. 2 shared telephone line.

Cycle  —n. 1 a recurrent round or period (of events, phenomena, etc.). B time needed for this. 2 a physics etc. Recurrent series of operations or states. B electr. = *hertz. 3 series of related songs, poems, etc. 4 bicycle, tricycle, etc. —v. (-ling) 1 ride a bicycle etc. 2 move in cycles. [greek kuklos circle]

Driftwood  n. Wood floating on moving water or washed ashore.

Picket  —n. 1 one or more persons stationed outside a place of work to persuade others not to enter during a strike etc. 2 pointed stake driven into the ground. 3  a small body of troops sent out to watch for the enemy. B group of sentries. —v. (-t-) 1 a station or act as a picket. B beset or guard with a picket or pickets. 2 secure (a place) with stakes. 3 tether (an animal).
Unintelligent  adj. Not intelligent.


Desensitize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) reduce or destroy the sensitivity of.  desensitization n.
Kitten  —n. Young cat, ferret, etc. —v. (of a cat etc.) Give birth (to).  have kittens colloq. Be very upset or anxious. [anglo-french diminutive of chat *cat]

Vs.  Abbr. Versus.

Hatband  n. Band of ribbon etc. Round a hat above the brim.

Vendetta  n. 1 blood feud. 2 prolonged bitter quarrel. [latin: related to *vindictive]


Disarrange  v. (-ging) bring into disorder.  disarrangement n.
Unmusical  adj. 1 discordant. 2 unskilled in or indifferent to music.
Tweet  —n. Chirp of a small bird. —v. Make this noise. [imitative]
Force1  —n. 1 power; strength, impetus; intense effort. 2 coercion, compulsion. 3 a military strength. B organized body of soldiers, police, etc. 4 a moral, intellectual, or legal power, influence, or validity. B person etc. With such power (force for good). 5 effect; precise significance. 6 a influence tending to cause a change in the motion of a body. B intensity of this. —v. (-cing) 1 compel or coerce (a person) by force. 2 make a forcible entry into; break open by force. 3 drive or propel violently or against resistance. 4 make (a way) by force. 5 (foll. By on, upon) impose or press on (a person). 6 cause, produce, or attain by effort (forced a smile; forced an entry). 7 strain or increase to the utmost. 8 artificially hasten the growth of (a plant). 9 seek quick results from; accelerate (force the pace).  force a person's hand make a person act prematurely or unwillingly. Force the issue make an immediate decision necessary. In force 1 valid (laws now in force). 2 in great strength or numbers (attacked in force). [latin fortis strong]

Colonist  n. Settler in or inhabitant of a colony.
Shekel  n. 1 chief monetary unit of modern israel. 2 hist. Silver coin and unit of weight in ancient israel etc. 3 (in pl.) Colloq. Money; riches. [hebrew]
Ursa major  n. = great bear (see *bear2). [latin]


Penetrate  v. (-ting) 1 a find access into or through. B (usu. Foll. By with) imbue with; permeate. 2 see into, find out, or discern. 3 see through (darkness, fog, etc.). 4 be absorbed by the mind. 5 (as penetrating adj.) A having or suggesting sensitivity or insight. B (of a voice etc.) Easily heard through or above other sounds; piercing.  penetrable adj. Penetrability n. Penetration n. Penetrative adj. [latin]



Usury  n. 1 lending of money at interest, esp. At an exorbitant or illegal rate. 2 interest at this rate.  usurious adj. [anglo-french or medieval latin: related to *use]
Contain  v. 1 hold or be capable of holding within itself; include, comprise. 2 (of measures) be equal to (a gallon contains eight pints). 3 prevent from moving or extending. 4 control or restrain (feelings etc.). 5 (of a number) be divisible by (a factor) without a remainder. [latin teneo hold]
Entryphone  n. Propr. Intercom at the entrance of a building or flat for callers to identify themselves.

Tender spot  n. Subject on which a person is touchy.
Shell  —n. 1 a hard outer case of many molluscs, the tortoise, etc. B hard but fragile case of an egg. C hard outer case of a nut-kernel, seed, etc. 2 a explosive projectile for use in a big gun etc. B hollow container for fireworks, cartridges, etc. 3 shell-like thing, esp.: a a light racing-boat. B the metal framework of a vehicle etc. C the walls of an unfinished or gutted building, ship, etc. —v. 1 remove the shell or pod from. 2  bombard with shells.  come out of one's shell become less shy. Shell out (also absol.) Colloq. Pay (money).  shell-less adj. Shell-like adj. [old english]
Serpentine  —adj. 1 of or like a serpent. 2 coiling, meandering. 3 cunning, treacherous. —n. Soft usu. Dark-green rock, sometimes mottled.
Phonograph  n. 1 early form of gramophone. 2 us gramophone.

Open air  n. Outdoors.  open-air attrib. Adj.


Deodar  n. Himalayan cedar. [sanskrit, = divine tree]


Inconsequential  adj. 1 unimportant. 2 = *inconsequent.  inconsequentially adv.


Ministry  n. (pl. -ies) 1 a government department headed by a minister. B building for this. 2 a (prec. By the) vocation, office, or profession of a religious minister. B period of tenure of this. 3 (prec. By the) body of ministers of a government or religion. 4 period of government under one prime minister. 5 ministering, ministration. [latin: related to *minister]
Reserve price  n. Lowest acceptable price stipulated for an item sold at auction.
Shot in the dark  n. Mere guess.

Paradise  n. 1 (in some religions) heaven. 2 place or state of complete happiness. 3 (in full earthly paradise) abode of adam and eve; garden of eden.  paradisaical adj. Paradisal adj. Paradisiacal adj. Paradisical adj. [greek paradeisos]



Fret3  n. Each of a series of bars or ridges on the finger-board of a guitar etc. To guide fingering. [origin unknown]
Haggard  adj. Looking exhausted and distraught. [french hagard]



Labial  —adj. 1 a of the lips. B of, like, or serving as a lip. 2 (of a sound) requiring partial or complete closure of the lips. —n. Labial sound (e.g. P, m, v). [latin labia lips]


Ling1  n. (pl. Same) long slender marine fish. [probably dutch]



Ribbed  adj. Having ribs or riblike markings.
Dolt  n. Stupid person.  doltish adj. [apparently related to obsolete dol = *dull]
Symphony orchestra  n. Large orchestra suitable for playing symphonies etc.


Consumerism  n. 1 protection of consumers' interests. 2 (often derog.) Continual increase in the consumption of goods.  consumerist adj.

Glitterati  n.pl. Slang rich fashionable people. [from *glitter, *literati]

Jaundice  —n. 1 yellowing of the skin etc. Caused by liver disease, bile disorder, etc. 2 disordered (esp. Mental) vision. 3 envy. —v. (-cing) 1 affect with jaundice. 2 (esp. As jaundiced adj.) Affect (a person) with envy, resentment, etc. [french jaune yellow]



Pule  v. (-ling) literary cry querulously or weakly; whimper. [imitative]
Cholesterol  n. Sterol found in most body tissues, including the blood where high concentrations promote arteriosclerosis. [from *choler, greek stereos stiff]
Sqn. Ldr.  Abbr. Squadron leader.

Embody  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 make (an idea etc.) Actual or discernible. 2 (of a thing) be a tangible expression of. 3 include, comprise.  embodiment n.
Sublime  —adj. (sublimer, sublimest) 1 of the most exalted or noble kind; awe-inspiring. 2 arrogantly unruffled (sublime indifference). —v. 1 = *sublimate v. 2. 2 purify or elevate by or as if by sublimation; make sublime. 3 become pure (as if) by sublimation.  sublimely adv. Sublimity n. [latin sublimis]


Bromide  n. 1 any binary compound of bromine. 2 trite remark. 3 reproduction or proof on paper coated with silver bromide emulsion.
Body shop  n. Workshop where bodywork is repaired.

North-east  n. Part of a country or town to the north-east.

Unprovable  adj. That cannot be proved.

Gob2  slang —n. Clot of slimy matter. —v. (-bb-) spit. [french go(u)be mouthful]


Crocus  n. (pl. -cuses) small plant with white, yellow, or purple flowers, growing from a corm. [latin from greek]


En famille  adv. In or with one's family. [french, = in family]






Deck-chair  n. Folding garden chair of wood and canvas.


Frippery  n. (pl. -ies) 1 showy finery, esp. In dress. 2 empty display in speech, literary style, etc. 3 (usu. In pl.) Knick-knacks. [french friperie]


Swing-wing  n. Aircraft wing that can move from a right-angled to a swept-back position.
Sanitary towel  n. (us sanitary napkin) absorbent pad used during menstruation.
Sporty  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. 1 fond of sport. 2 rakish, showy.  sportily adv. Sportiness n.
Gross  —adj. 1 overfed, bloated. 2 (of a person, manners, or morals) coarse, unrefined, or indecent. 3 flagrant (gross negligence). 4 total; not net (gross tonnage). 5 (of the senses etc.) Dull. —v. Produce as gross profit. —n. (pl. Same) amount equal to twelve dozen.  grossly adv. Grossness n. [latin grossus]

Bevy  n. (pl. -ies) company (of quails, larks, women, etc.). [origin unknown]
Qualitative  adj. Of quality as opposed to quantity.  qualitatively adv.  [latin: related to *quality]


Auriferous  adj. Yielding gold. [latin aurifer from aurum gold]
Retrial  n. Second or further (judicial) trial.

Debilitate  v. (-ting) enfeeble, enervate.  debilitation n. [latin debilis weak]
Bleed  —v. (past and past part. Bled) 1 emit blood. 2 draw blood from surgically. 3 colloq. Extort money from. 4 (often foll. By for) suffer wounds or violent death. 5 a emit sap. B (of dye) come out in water. 6 empty (a system) of excess air or fluid. —n. Act of bleeding.  one's heart bleeds usu. Iron. One is very sorrowful. [old english]



Tow1  —v. Pull (a boat, vehicle, etc.) Along by a rope etc. —n. Towing or being towed.  have in (or on) tow 1 be towing. 2 be accompanied by and often in charge of (a person). On tow being towed. [old english]











Bystander  n. Person present but not taking part; onlooker.
Prolix  adj. (of speech, writing, etc.) Lengthy; tedious.  prolixity n. [latin]
D-day  n. 1 day (6 june 1944) on which allied forces invaded n. France. 2 important or decisive day. [d for day]

Formalin  n. Solution of formaldehyde in water.

Flashlight  n. 1 light giving an intense flash, used for night or indoor photography. 2 us electric torch.
Ammonia  n. 1 pungent strongly alkaline gas. 2 (in general use) solution of ammonia in water. [as *sal ammoniac]

Sulfonamide  n. (brit. Sulphonamide) any of a class of antibiotic drugs containing sulphur. [german sulfon (related to *sulphur), amide a derivative of *ammonia]


Eucharist  n. 1 christian sacrament in which consecrated bread and wine are consumed. 2 consecrated elements, esp. The bread.  eucharistic adj. [greek, = thanksgiving]



Accolade  n. 1 praise given. 2 touch made with a sword at the conferring of a knighthood. [latin collum neck]
Epicentre  n. (us epicenter) 1 point at which an earthquake reaches the earth's surface. 2 central point of a difficulty. [greek: related to *centre]
Toyshop  n. Shop selling toys.

Insensitive  adj. (often foll. By to) 1 unfeeling; boorish; crass. 2 not sensitive to physical stimuli.  insensitively adv. Insensitiveness n. Insensitivity n.

Calomel  n. Compound of mercury used as a cathartic. [greek kalos beautiful, melas black]


Oven-ready  adj. (of food) prepared before sale for immediate cooking in the oven.


Imminent  adj. Impending; about to happen (war is imminent).  imminence n. Imminently adv. [latin immineo be impending]
Re-create  v. (-ting) create over again, reproduce.  re-creation n.
Ravage  —v. (-ging) devastate, plunder. —n. 1 devastation. 2 (usu. In pl.; foll. By of) destructive effect. [french alteration from ravine rush of water]

Night school  n. Institution providing classes in the evening.

Samovar  n. Russian tea-urn. [russian]




Splurge  colloq. —n. 1 sudden extravagance. 2 ostentatious display or effort. —v. (-ging) (usu. Foll. By on) spend large sums of money or make a great effort. [probably imitative]
Inadvisable  adj. Not advisable.  inadvisability n.


Impenitent  adj. Not sorry, unrepentant.  impenitence n.




Hardship  n. 1 severe suffering or privation. 2 circumstance causing this.
Granadilla  n. Passion-fruit. [spanish, diminutive of granada pomegranate]
Ergot  n. Disease of rye etc. Caused by a fungus. [french]

Chicken-wire  n. Light wire netting with a hexagonal mesh.
Skip2  n. 1 large container for building refuse etc. 2 container for transporting or raising materials in mining etc. [old norse]
Usage  see note at amend.

Exotica  n.pl. Strange or rare objects.
Stick insect  n. Insect with a twiglike body.
Liver2  n. Person who lives in a specified way (a fast liver).
Multiplex  adj. Manifold; of many elements. [latin: related to *multi-, -plex -plicis -fold]
Rubber plant  n. 1 evergreen tropical plant often cultivated as a house-plant. 2 (also rubber tree) tropical tree yielding latex.
Lanolin  n. Fat found on sheep's wool and used in cosmetics etc. [latin lana wool, oleum *oil]

Tom  n. (in full tom-cat) male cat. [abbreviation of the name thomas]

Underact  v. Theatr. Act with insufficient force.

Contrite  adj. Penitent, feeling great guilt.  contritely adv. Contrition n. [latin: related to *trite]
Mme  abbr. (pl. -s) madame.
Favourable  adj. (us favorable) 1 well-disposed; propitious; approving. 2 promising, auspicious. 3 helpful, suitable.  favourably adv.
Nickel steel  n. Type of stainless steel with chromium and nickel.

Decametre  n. (us -meter) metric unit of length, equal to 10 metres.
Reported speech  n. Speaker's words with the person, tense, etc. Adapted, e.g. He said that he would go.

Mark-down  n. Reduction in price.
Unsex  v. Deprive (a person, esp. A woman) of the qualities of her or his sex.
Swear  —v. (past swore; past part. Sworn) 1 a (often foll. By to + infin. Or that + clause) state or promise solemnly or on oath. B (cause to) take (an oath) (swore them to secrecy). 2 colloq. Insist (swore he was fit). 3 (often foll. By at) use profane or obscene language. 4 (foll. By by) a appeal to as a witness in taking an oath (swear by almighty god). B colloq. Have great confidence in (swears by yoga). 5 (foll. By to; usu. In neg.) Say certainly (could not swear to it). —n. Spell of swearing.  swear blind colloq. Affirm emphatically. Swear in induct into office etc. With an oath. Swear off colloq. Promise to abstain from (drink etc.). [old english]

Petrify  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 paralyse with fear, astonishment, etc. 2 change (organic matter) into a stony substance. 3 become like stone.  petrifaction n. [latin petra rock, from greek]
Dumb waiter  n. Small hand-operated lift for conveying food from kitchen to dining-room.
Confute  v. (-ting) prove (a person or argument) to be in error.  confutation n. [latin]


W 

Renowned  adj. Famous, celebrated.





Cd-video  n. (pl. -s) 1 system of simultaneously reproducing high-quality sound and video pictures from a compact disc. 2 such a compact disc.

Pap test  n. Cervical smear test. [papanicolaou, name of a us scientist]
Dog-star  n. Chief star of the constellation canis major or minor, esp. Sirius.


Hydrotherapy  n. Use of water, esp. Swimming, in the treatment of arthritis, paralysis, etc.


Sse  abbr. South-south-east.
Aries  n. (pl. Same) 1 constellation and first sign of the zodiac (the ram). 2 person born when the sun is in this sign. [latin, = ram]
Done  adj. 1 completed. 2 cooked. 3 colloq. Socially acceptable (the done thing). 4 (often with in) colloq. Tired out. 5 (esp. As int. In reply to an offer etc.) Accepted.  be done with have or be finished with. Done for colloq. In serious trouble. Have done with be rid of; finish dealing with. [past part. Of *do1]


French kiss  n. Open-mouthed kiss.
Unstuck  past and past part. Of *unstick.

Carry  —v. (-ies, -ied) 1 support or hold up, esp. While moving. 2 convey with one or have on one's person. 3 conduct or transmit (pipe carries water). 4 (often foll. By to) take (a process etc.) To a specified point; continue; prolong (carry into effect; carry a joke too far). 5 involve, imply (carries 6% interest). 6 math. Transfer (a figure) to a column of higher value. 7 hold in a specified way (carry oneself erect). 8 a (of a newspaper etc.) Publish. B (of a radio or television station) broadcast. 9 keep a regular stock of. 10 a (of sound) be audible at a distance. B (of a missile or gun etc.) Travel or propel to a specified distance. 11 a win victory or acceptance for (a proposal etc.). B win acceptance from (carried the audience with her). C win, capture (a prize, fortress, etc.). 12 a endure the weight of; support. B be the driving force in (you carry the department). 13 be pregnant with. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 act of carrying. 2 golf distance a ball travels before reaching the ground.  carry away 1 remove. 2 inspire. 3 deprive of self-control (got carried away). Carry the can colloq. Bear the responsibility or blame. Carry the day be victorious or successful. Carry forward transfer to a new page or account. Carry it off do well under difficulties. Carry off 1 take away, esp. By force. 2 win (a prize). 3 (esp.
Anchovy  n. (pl. -ies) small strong-flavoured fish of the herring family. [spanish and portuguese anchova]

Basket weave  n. Weave like wickerwork.

Usage  in the sense ‘native of arabia’, the usual term is now arab.
Ooze2  n. Wet mud.  oozy adj. [old english]

Real ale  n. Beer regarded as brewed in a traditional way.
Tie-pin  n. Ornamental pin for holding a tie in place.
High technology  n. Advanced technological development, esp. In electronics.


U-turn  n. 1 u-shaped turn of a vehicle so as to face in the opposite direction. 2 abrupt reversal of policy.

Bookkeeper  n. Person who keeps accounts, esp. For a living.  bookkeeping n.
Private member  n. Mp not holding government office.


Trollop  n. Disreputable girl or woman. [perhaps related to archaic trull prostitute]

Private view  n. Viewing of an exhibition (esp. Of paintings) before it opens to the public.
Crossways  adv. = *crosswise.

Ginormous  adj. Slang enormous. [from *giant, *enormous]
Bob2  n. (pl. Same) hist. Slang shilling (now = 5 pence). [origin unknown]
Retire  v. (-ring) 1 a leave office or employment, esp. Because of age. B cause (a person) to retire from work. 2 withdraw, go away, retreat. 3 seek seclusion or shelter. 4 go to bed. 5  withdraw (troops). 6 cricket (of a batsman) voluntarily end or be compelled to suspend one's innings.  retire into oneself become uncommunicative or unsociable. [french tirer draw]
Bourse  n. 1 (bourse) paris stock exchange. 2 money-market. [french: related to *purse]
Surround  —v. Come or be all round; encircle, enclose. —n. 1 border or edging, esp. An area of floor between the walls and carpet of a room. 2 surrounding area or substance. [latin: related to *sur-1, unda wave]
Swiss roll  n. Cylindrical sponge cake with a jam etc. Filling.



Echolocation  n. Location of objects by reflected sound.

Hallow  v. 1 make holy, consecrate. 2 honour as holy. [old english: related to *holy]


Cherish  v. 1 protect or tend lovingly. 2 hold dear, cling to (hopes, feelings, etc.). [french cher dear, from latin carus]

Rosary  n. (pl. -ies) 1 rc ch. Repeated sequence of prayers. 2 string of beads for keeping count in this. [latin rosarium rose-garden]
Sapphic  adj. 1 of sappho or her poetry. 2 lesbian. [greek sappho, poetess of lesbos]



Botch  (also bodge) —v. 1 bungle; do badly. 2 patch clumsily. —n. Bungled or spoilt work. [origin unknown]


Pacemaker  n. 1 competitor who sets the pace in a race. 2 natural or artificial device for stimulating the heart muscle.





S2  abbr. (also s.) 1 saint. 2 south, southern.
Sulfite  n. (brit. Sulphite) salt or ester of sulphurous acid. [french: related to *sulphate]
Conspiracy of silence  n. Agreement to say nothing.

Politics  n.pl. 1 (treated as sing. Or pl.) A art and science of government. B public life and affairs. 2 (usu. Treated as pl.) Political principles or practice (what are his politics?). 3 activities concerned with seeking power, status, etc.

Duo  n. (pl. -s) 1 pair of performers. 2 duet. [italian from latin, = two]
Distraction  n. 1 a distracting or being distracted. B thing that distracts. 2 relaxation; amusement. 3 confusion; frenzy, madness.
Threepenny  attrib. Adj. Costing three pence.
Soluble  adj. 1 that can be dissolved, esp. In water. 2 solvable.  solubility n. [latin solvo solut- release]
Refectory table  n. Long narrow table.
Flown  past part. Of *fly1.
Computer virus  n. Self-replicating code maliciously introduced into a computer program and intended to corrupt the system or destroy data.
Mechanical  adj. 1 of machines or mechanisms. 2 working or produced by machinery. 3 (of an action etc.) Automatic; repetitive. 4 (of an agency, principle, etc.) Belonging to mechanics. 5 of mechanics as a science.  mechanically adv. [latin: related to *mechanic]
Spectroscope  n. Instrument for recording spectra for examination.  spectroscopic adj. Spectroscopy n.



Cardinal  —adj. 1 chief, fundamental. 2 deep scarlet. —n. 1 (as a title cardinal) leading roman catholic dignitary, one of the college electing the pope. 2 small scarlet american songbird. [latin cardo -din- hinge]
Maths  n. Colloq. Mathematics. [abbreviation]
Whippoorwill  n. American nightjar. [imitative]
Hajj  n. (also hadj) islamic pilgrimage to mecca. [arabic]

King's scout  n. = *queen's scout.

Championship  n. 1 (often in pl.) Contest to decide the champion in a sport etc. 2 position of champion.
Profit  —n. 1 advantage or benefit. 2 financial gain; excess of returns over outlay. —v. (-t-) 1 (also absol.) Be beneficial to. 2 obtain advantage or benefit (profited by the experience).  at a profit with financial gain. [latin profectus: related to *proficient]
Pushy  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Excessively self-assertive.  pushily adv. Pushiness n.

Pound2  v. 1 crush or beat with repeated blows. 2 (foll. By at, on) deliver heavy blows or gunfire. 3 (foll. By along etc.) Make one's way heavily or clumsily. 4 (of the heart) beat heavily. [old english]

Fine-tooth comb  n. Comb with close-set teeth.  go over with a fine-tooth comb check or search thoroughly.


Mouth  —n. (pl. Mouths) 1 a external opening in the head, through which most animals take in food and emit communicative sounds. B (in humans and some animals) cavity behind it containing the means of biting and chewing and the vocal organs. 2 opening of a container, cave, trumpet, etc. 3 place where a river enters the sea. 4 an individual as needing sustenance (an extra mouth to feed). 5 colloq. A meaningless or ineffectual talk. B impudent talk; cheek. —v. (-thing) 1 say or speak by moving the lips but with no sound. 2 utter or speak insincerely or without understanding (mouthing platitudes).  put words into a person's mouth represent a person as having said something. Take the words out of a person's mouth say what another was about to say. [old english]

Smirch  —v. Soil; discredit. —n. Spot, stain. [origin unknown]

Amiable  adj. (esp. Of a person) friendly and pleasant, likeable.  amiably adv. [latin: related to *amicable]
Scraggy  adj. (-ier, -iest) thin and bony.  scragginess n.
Earnings  n.pl. Money earned.


Housekeeping  n. 1 management of household affairs. 2 money allowed for this. 3 operations of maintenance, record-keeping, etc., in an organization.


Replenish  v. 1 (often foll. By with) fill up again. 2 renew (a supply etc.).  replenishment n. [french plenir from plein full]

Whetstone  n. Tapered stone used with water to sharpen tools.
Impassible  adj. 1 impassive. 2 incapable of feeling, emotion, or injury.  impassibility n. Impassibly adv. [latin patior pass- suffer]


Odds and ends  n.pl. Miscellaneous articles or remnants.
Prudent  adj. Cautious; politic.  prudence n. Prudently adv. [latin prudens -ent-: related to *provident]
Eureka  int. I have found it! (announcing a discovery etc.). [greek heureka]


Amenity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 pleasant or useful feature or facility. 2 pleasantness (of a place etc.). [latin amoenus pleasant]
Squiffy  adj. (-ier, -iest) slang slightly drunk. [origin unknown]
Pound1  n. 1 unit of weight equal to 16 oz avoirdupois (0.4536 kg), 12 oz troy (0.3732 kg). 2 (in full pound sterling) (pl. Same or -s) chief monetary unit of the uk etc. [latin pondo]
Mandate  —n. 1 official command or instruction. 2 authority given by electors to a government, trade union, etc. 3 authority to act for another. —v. (-ting) instruct (a delegate) how to act or vote. [latin mandatum, past part. Of mando command]



Cm  symb. Curium.
Type  —n. 1 sort, class, or kind. 2 person, thing, or event exemplifying a class or group. 3 (in comb.) Made of, resembling, or functioning as (ceramic-type material; cheddar-type cheese). 4 colloq. Person, esp. Of a specified character (a quiet type; not my type). 5 object, conception, or work of art, serving as a model for subsequent artists. 6 printing a piece of metal etc. With a raised letter or character on its upper surface for printing. B kind or size of such pieces (printed in large type). C set or supply of these (ran short of type). —v. (-ping) 1 write with a typewriter. 2 typecast. 3 esp. Biol. & med. Assign to a type; classify. [greek tupos impression]
Trade  —n. 1 a buying and selling. B this between nations etc. C business conducted for profit (esp. As distinct from a profession). D business of a specified nature or time (christmas trade; tourist trade). 2 skilled craft practised professionally. 3 (usu. Prec. By the) people engaged in a specific trade (the trade will never agree). 4 us transaction, esp. A swap. 5 (usu. In pl.) Trade wind. —v. (-ding) 1 (often foll. By in, with) engage in trade; buy and sell. 2 a exchange in commerce. B exchange (insults, blows, etc.). C us swap. 3 (usu. Foll. By with, for) have a transaction with a person for a thing.  trade in (often foll. By for) exchange (esp. A used car) in part payment for another. Trade off exchange, esp. As a compromise. Trade on take advantage of.  tradable adj. Tradeable adj. [low german, = track: related to *tread]


Con3  n. Slang convict. [abbreviation]
Confirm  v. 1 provide support for the truth or correctness of. 2 (foll. By in) encourage (a person) in (an opinion etc.). 3 establish more firmly (power, possession, etc.). 4 make formally valid. 5 administer the religious rite of confirmation to.  [latin: related to *firm1]
Forgot  past of *forget.
Acclamation  n. 1 loud and eager assent. 2 (usu. In pl.) Shouting in a person's honour.

Campanile  n. Bell-tower (usu. Free-standing), esp. In italy. [italian campana ‘bell’, from latin]
Brace  —n. 1 device that clamps or fastens tightly. 2 timber etc. Strengthening a framework. 3 (in pl.) Straps supporting trousers from the shoulders. 4 wire device for straightening the teeth. 5 (pl. Same) pair (esp. Of game). 6 rope for trimming a sail. 7 connecting mark { or } in printing. —v. (-cing) 1 make steady by supporting. 2 fasten tightly to make firm. 3 (esp. As bracing adj.) Invigorate, refresh. 4 (often refl.) Prepare for a difficulty, shock, etc. [latin bracchia arms]
Guarantee  —n. 1 a formal promise or assurance, esp. That something is of a specified quality and durability. B document giving such an undertaking. 2 = *guaranty. 3 person making a guaranty or giving a security. —v. (-tees, -teed) 1 a give or serve as a guarantee for. B provide with a guarantee. 2 give a promise or assurance. 3 (foll. By to) secure the possession of (a thing) for a person. [related to *warrant]



Superconductor  n. Physics substance having superconductivity.


Atomic theory  n. Theory that all matter consists of atoms.
Angora  n. 1 fabric or wool from the hair of the angora goat or rabbit. 2 long-haired variety of cat, goat, or rabbit. [angora (= ankara) in turkey]

Stratigraphy  n. Geol. & archaeol. 1 relative position of strata. 2 the study of this.  stratigraphic adj. [from *stratum]



Conjoin  v. Formal join, combine.

Ironmonger  n. Dealer in hardware etc.  ironmongery n. (pl. -ies).
Fare-stage  n. 1 section of bus etc. Route for which a fixed fare is charged. 2 stop marking this.





Epitaph  n. Words written in memory of a dead person, esp. As a tomb inscription. [greek taphos tomb]
Esprit  n. Sprightliness, wit.  esprit de corps devotion to and pride in one's group. [french: related to *spirit]

Unappreciated  adj. Not appreciated.
Morphology  n. The study of the forms of things, esp. Of animals and plants and of words and their structure.  morphological adj. [greek morphe form]
Guttural  —adj. 1 throaty, harsh-sounding. 2 phonet. (of a consonant) produced in the throat or by the back of the tongue and palate. 3 of the throat. —n. Phonet. Guttural consonant (e.g. K, g).  gutturally adv. [latin guttur throat]


Paleface  n. Name supposedly used by n. American indians for the white man.



Indention  n. 1 indenting, esp. In printing. 2 notch.



Senile  adj. 1 of old age. 2 mentally or physically infirm because of old age.  senility n. [latin: related to *senescent]
Chivvy  v. (-ies, -ied) urge persistently, nag. [probably from ballad of chevy chase]
Blues  n.pl. 1 (prec. By the) bout of depression. 2 a (prec. By the; often treated as sing.) Melancholic music of black american origin, usu. In a twelve-bar sequence. B (pl. Same) (as sing.) Piece of such music (played a blues).

Desire  —n. 1 a unsatisfied longing or wish. B expression of this; request. 2 sexual appetite. 3 something desired (achieved his heart's desire). —v. (-ring) 1 (often foll. By to + infin., or that + clause) long for; wish. 2 request (desires a rest). [latin desidero long for]

Motivate  v. (-ting) 1 supply a motive to; be the motive of. 2 cause (a person) to act in a particular way. 3 stimulate the interest of (a person in an activity).  motivation n. Motivational adj.
Synthesize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) make a synthesis of.
Bounden duty  n. Formal solemn responsibility. [archaic past part. Of *bind]
Hunk  n. 1 large piece cut off (hunk of bread). 2 colloq. Sexually attractive man.  hunky adj. (-ier, -iest). [probably dutch]


Usage  ingenious is sometimes confused with ingenuous.

Laxative  —adj. Facilitating evacuation of the bowels. —n. Laxative medicine. [latin: related to *lax]
Canna  n. Tropical plant with bright flowers and ornamental leaves. [latin: related to *cane]
Offscreen  adj. & adv. Beyond the range of a film camera etc.; when not being filmed.

Disgust  —n. Strong aversion; repugnance. —v. Cause disgust in.  disgusting adj. Disgustingly adv. [french or italian: related to *dis-, *gusto]
Track suit  n. Loose warm suit worn for exercising etc.
Heir  n. (fem. Heiress) person entitled to property or rank as the legal successor of its former holder. [latin heres hered-]

Transportation  n. 1 conveying or being conveyed. 2 a system of conveying. B esp. Us means of this. 3 hist. Deportation of convicts.
Halfpenny  n. (pl. -pennies or -pence) former coin worth half a penny.
Tourmaline  n. Mineral of various colours used as a gemstone. [french from sinhalese]


Marshland  n. Land consisting of marshes.

Toffee-apple  n. Apple with a coating of toffee.


Love bite  n. Bruise made by a partner's biting etc. During lovemaking.
Schmuck  n. Slang esp. Us foolish or contemptible person. [yiddish]
Dialectic  n. 1 art of investigating the truth by discussion and logical argument. 2 process whereby contradictions merge to form a higher truth. 3 any situation or discussion involving the juxtaposition or conflict of opposites. [greek: related to *dialect]


Charge-capping   n. Imposition of an upper limit on the community charge leviable by a local authority.


Elsewhere  adv. In or to some other place.

Walnut  n. 1 tree with aromatic leaves and drooping catkins. 2 nut of this tree. 3 its timber. [old english, = foreign nut]
Lanthanide  n. Any element of the lanthanide series. [german: related to *lanthanum]


Gnaw  v. 1 a (usu. Foll. By away etc.) Wear away by biting. B (often foll. By at, into) bite persistently. 2 a corrode; wear away. B (of pain, fear, etc.) Torment. [old english]

Sang-froid  n. Calmness in danger or difficulty. [french, = cold blood]
Premed  n. Colloq. = *premedication. [abbreviation]
Viva voce  —adj. Oral. —adv. Orally. —n. Oral examination. —v. (viva-voce) (-vocees, -voceed, -voceing) examine orally. [medieval latin, = with the living voice]
Heartless  adj. Unfeeling, pitiless.  heartlessly adv.


Perpetuity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 state or quality of being perpetual. 2 perpetual annuity. 3 perpetual possession or position.  in perpetuity for ever. [latin: related to *perpetual]



Spell2  n. 1 words used as a charm or incantation etc. 2 effect of these. 3 fascination exercised by a person, activity, etc. [old english]
Soppy  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Mawkishly sentimental; silly; infatuated.  soppily adv. Soppiness n. [from *sop]
Hipster1  —attrib. Adj. (of a garment) hanging from the hips rather than the waist. —n. (in pl.) Such trousers.
Free-range  adj. 1 (of hens etc.) Roaming freely; not kept in a battery. 2 (of eggs) produced by such hens.
Campanula  n. Plant with bell-shaped usu. Blue, purple, or white flowers. [diminutive: related to *campanology]





Only  —adv. 1 solely, merely, exclusively; and no one or nothing more besides (needed six only; is only a child). 2 no longer ago than (saw them only yesterday). 3 not until (arrives only on tuesday). 4 with no better result than (hurried home only to find her gone). —attrib. Adj. 1 existing alone of its or their kind (their only son). 2 best or alone worth considering (the only place to eat). —conj. Colloq. Except that; but (i would go, only i feel ill). [old english: related to *one]


Worshipful  adj. (also worshipful) archaic (esp. In old titles of companies or officers) honourable, distinguished.
Double-book  v. Reserve (the same seat, room, etc.) For two people at once.
Abstemious  adj. Moderate or ascetic, esp. In eating and drinking.  abstemiously adv. [latin: related to *ab-, temetum strong drink]

Gauntlet1  n. 1 stout glove with a long loose wrist. 2 hist. Armoured glove.  pick up (or take up) the gauntlet accept a challenge. Throw down the gauntlet issue a challenge. [french diminutive of gant glove]

Subvention  n. Subsidy. [latin subvenio assist]

Foxglove  n. Tall plant with purple or white flowers like glove-fingers.
Unsuited  adj. 1 (usu. Foll. By for) not fit. 2 (usu. Foll. By to) not adapted.
Tuning-fork  n. Two-pronged steel fork giving a particular note when struck.




Poop  n. Stern of a ship; the deck which is furthest aft and highest. [latin puppis]
Bat2  n. Mouselike nocturnal flying mammal. [scandinavian]
Corsair  n. 1 pirate ship. 2 pirate. [french: related to *course]
Blubber  —n. Whale fat. —v. 1 sob loudly. 2 sob out (words). —adj. Swollen, thick. [probably imitative]




Water-biscuit  n. Thin crisp unsweetened biscuit.
Al dente  adj. (of pasta etc.) Cooked so as to be still firm when bitten. [italian, = ‘to the tooth’]

Calcine  v. (-ning) decompose or be decomposed by strong heat.  calcination n. [french or medieval latin: related to *calx]

Brawn  n. 1 muscular strength. 2 muscle; lean flesh. 3 jellied meat made from a pig's head.  brawny adj. (-ier, -iest). [french from germanic]
Exert  v. 1 bring to bear, use (a quality, force, influence, etc.). 2 refl. (often foll. By for, or to + infin.) Use one's efforts or endeavours; strive.  exertion n. [latin exsero exsert- put forth]

Religion  n. 1 belief in a superhuman controlling power, esp. In a personal god or gods entitled to obedience and worship. 2 expression of this in worship. 3 particular system of faith and worship. 4 life under monastic vows. 5 thing that one is devoted to. [latin religio bond]

Horseback  n.  on horseback mounted on a horse.


Clerestory  n. (pl. -ies) upper row of windows in a cathedral or large church, above the level of the aisle roofs. [clear storey]
Prologue  n. 1 preliminary speech, poem, etc., esp. Of a play. 2 (usu. Foll. By to) introductory event. [greek logos word]
Synoptic  adj. Of or giving a synopsis. [greek: related to *synopsis]


Get-up-and-go  n. Colloq. Energy, enthusiasm.
Lackadaisical  adj. Unenthusiastic; listless; idle.  lackadaisically adv. [from archaic lackaday]
Unrivaled  adj. (brit. Unrivalled) having no equal.
Delegation  n. 1 group representing others. 2 delegating or being delegated.
Quick one  n. Colloq. Drink (usu. Alcoholic) taken quickly.


Burn-out  n. Exhaustion.  burnt-out adj.

Granulate  v. (-ting) 1 form into grains. 2 roughen the surface of.  granulation n.
Farewell  —int. Goodbye. —n. Leave-taking.
Broccoli  n. Brassica with greenish flower-heads. [italian]

Barque  n. 1 sailing-ship with the rear mast fore-and-aft rigged and other masts square-rigged. 2 poet. Boat. [provençal from latin barca]
Libretto  n. (pl. -ti or -s) text of an opera etc.  librettist n. [italian, = little book]
Deadly nightshade  n. Poisonous plant with purple-black berries.


Surrogate mother  n. Woman who bears a child on behalf of another woman, usu. By artificial insemination of her own egg by the other woman's partner.
In loco parentis  adv. (acting) for or instead of a parent. [latin]

Metric  adj. Of or based on the metre. [french: related to *metre1]



Contentment  n. Satisfied state; tranquil happiness.

Half-title  n. Title or short title of a book printed on the front of the leaf preceding the title-page.
Nosh  slang —v. Eat. —n. 1 food or drink. 2 us snack. [yiddish]
Petunia  n. Cultivated plant with white, purple, red, etc., funnel-shaped flowers. [french petun tobacco]



Brushwork  n. 1 use of the brush in painting. 2 painter's style in this.

Saleable  adj. Fit or likely to be sold.  saleability n.

Balk  var. Of *baulk.


Unsurprising  adj. Not surprising.  unsurprisingly adv.
Arch1  —n. 1 curved structure as an opening, as a support for a bridge, floor, etc., or as an ornament. 2 any arch-shaped curve. —v. 1 provide with or form into an arch. 2 span like an arch. 3 form an arch. [latin arcus arc]


Lizard  n. Reptile with usu. A long body and tail, four legs, and a rough or scaly hide. [latin lacertus]


Second class  —n. Second-best group, category, postal service, or accommodation. —adj. & adv. (second-class) of or by the second class (second-class citizens; travelled second-class).



Kowtow  —n. Hist. Chinese custom of kneeling with the forehead touching the ground, esp. In submission. —v. 1 (usu. Foll. By to) act obsequiously. 2 hist. Perform the kowtow. [chinese, = knock the head]
Hornblende  n. Dark-brown, black, or green mineral occurring in many rocks. [german]
Love-child  n. Child of unmarried parents.

Carport  n. Roofed open-sided shelter for a car.
Printer  n. 1 person who prints books etc. 2 owner of a printing business. 3 device that prints, esp. From a computer.
Featherweight  n. 1 a weight in certain sports between bantamweight and lightweight, in amateur boxing 54–7kg. B sportsman of this weight. 2 very light person or thing. 3 (usu. Attrib.) Unimportant thing.





Cringe  v. (-ging) 1 shrink in fear; cower. 2 (often foll. By to) behave obsequiously. [related to *crank]
Flyweight  n. 1 weight in certain sports between light flyweight and bantamweight, in amateur boxing 48–51 kg. 2 sportsman of this weight.
Cum  prep. (usu. In comb.) With, combined with, also used as (bedroom-cum-study). [latin]
Wildebeest  n. (pl. Same or -s) = *gnu. [afrikaans: related to *wild, *beast]
Next-best  adj. The next in order of preference.



M.p.h.  Abbr. Miles per hour.


Scheduled flight  n. (also scheduled service etc.) Regular public flight, service, etc.
Julienne  —n. Vegetables cut into short thin strips. —adj. Cut into thin strips. [french from name jules or julien]

Hooves  pl. Of *hoof.

Undeceive  v. (-ving) (often foll. By of) free (a person) from a misconception, deception, or error.

Sunshine  n. 1 a light of the sun. B area lit by the sun. 2 fine weather. 3 cheerfulness. 4 colloq. Form of address.

Droop  —v. 1 bend or hang down, esp. From weariness; flag. 2 (of the eyes) look downwards. —n. 1 drooping attitude. 2 loss of spirit.  droopy adj. [old norse: related to *drop]
Common time  n. Mus. Four crotchets in a bar.

Appal  v. (-ll-) 1 greatly dismay or horrify. 2 (as appalling adj.) Colloq. Very bad, shocking. [french apalir grow pale: related to *pale1]




Toolmaker  n. Person who makes precision tools.  toolmaking n.

Pterosaur  n. Flying reptile with large batlike wings. [greek pteron wing, saura lizard]
Engulf  v. Flow over and swamp; overwhelm.  engulfment n.
Wallah  n. Slang person concerned with or in charge of a usu. Specified thing, business, etc. [hindi]


Bt  abbr. British telecom.

Preventative  adj. & n. = *preventive.

Fescue  n. A pasture and fodder grass. [latin festuca stalk, straw]
Burin  n. 1 tool for engraving copper or wood. 2 archaeol. Chisel-pointed flint tool. [french]
Touching  —adj. Moving; pathetic. —prep. Literary concerning.  touchingly adv.
Prose poem  n. Piece of poetic writing in prose.


Cervical  adj. Of the neck or the cervix (cervical vertebrae). [related to *cervix]
Usage  sense 3 is generally informal in tone, but is favoured by homosexual groups.
Nerd  n. (also nurd) esp. Us slang foolish, feeble, or uninteresting person. [origin uncertain]
Sitcom  n. Colloq. Situation comedy. [abbreviation]
Darling  —n. 1 beloved, lovable, or endearing person or thing. 2 favourite. —adj. 1 beloved, lovable. 2 colloq. Charming or pretty. [old english: related to *dear]
Gravimeter  n. Instrument measuring the difference in the force of gravity between two places. [latin: related to *grave2]

Reproduction  n. 1 reproducing or being reproduced, esp. The production of further members of the same species. 2 copy of a work of art. 3 (attrib.) (of furniture etc.) Imitating an earlier style. 4 quality of reproduced sound. reproductive adj.

Nympho  n. (pl. -s) colloq. Nymphomaniac. [abbreviation]
Apostolic succession  n. Supposed uninterrupted transmission of spiritual authority from the apostles through popes and bishops.

Least common denominator  n. = *lowest common denominator.
Normative  adj. Of or establishing a norm. [latin: related to *norm]
Circuit-breaker  n. Automatic device for interrupting an electric circuit.
Irreproachable  adj. Faultless, blameless.  irreproachably adv.
Elector  n. 1 person who has the right to vote in an election. 2 (elector) hist. (in the holy roman empire) any of the german princes entitled to elect the emperor.  electoral adj.

Pecuniary  adj. 1 of or concerning money. 2 (of an offence) entailing a money penalty. [latin pecunia money, from pecu cattle]
Mussel  n. Bivalve mollusc, esp. Of the kind used for food. [old english: related to *muscle]


Hourly  —adj. 1 done or occurring every hour. 2 frequent. 3 reckoned hour by hour (hourly wage). —adv. 1 every hour. 2 frequently.


Talkative  adj. Fond of or given to talking.

Limitation  n. 1 limiting or being limited. 2 limit (of ability etc.) (often in pl.: know one's limitations). 3 limiting circumstance.

Quadragesima  n. First sunday in lent. [latin quadragesimus fortieth]
Market  —n. 1 gathering of buyers and sellers of provisions, livestock, etc. 2 space for this. 3 (often foll. By for) demand for a commodity etc. (no market for sheds). 4 place or group providing such a demand. 5 conditions etc. For buying or selling; rate of purchase and sale (market is sluggish). 6 = *stock market. —v. (-t-) 1 offer for sale, esp. By advertising etc. 2 archaic buy or sell goods in a market.  be in the market for wish to buy. Be on the market be offered for sale. Put on the market offer for sale.  marketer n. Marketing n. [latin mercor buy]
Cat-and-dog  adj. (of a relationship etc.) Quarrelsome.
Mo  n. (pl. -s) colloq. Moment. [abbreviation]
Easterner  n. Native or inhabitant of the east.

Pectoral  —adj. Of or worn on the breast or chest (pectoral fin; pectoral muscle; pectoral cross). —n. Pectoral muscle or fin. [latin pectus -tor- chest]
Whoopee  int. Expressing exuberant joy.  make whoopee colloq. 1 have fun, make merry. 2 make love. [imitative]
Flush1  —v. 1 blush, redden, glow warmly (he flushed with embarrassment). 2 (usu. As flushed adj.) Cause to glow or blush (often foll. By with: he was flushed with pride). 3 a cleanse (a drain, lavatory, etc.) By a flow of water. B (often foll. By away, down) dispose of in this way. 4 rush out, spurt. —n. 1 blush or glow. 2 a rush of water. B cleansing of a drain, lavatory, etc. Thus. 3 rush of esp. Elation or triumph. 4 freshness; vigour. 5 a (also hot flush) sudden feeling of heat during menopause. B feverish redness or temperature etc. —adj. 1 level, in the same plane. 2 colloq. Having plenty of money. [perhaps = *flush3]
Bird  n. 1 two-legged feathered winged vertebrate, egg-laying and usu. Able to fly. 2 slang young woman. 3 slang person. 4 slang prison; prison sentence.  a bird in the hand something secured or certain. The birds and the bees euphem. Sexual activity and reproduction. Birds of a feather similar people. For the birds colloq. Trivial, uninteresting. Get the bird slang be rejected, esp. By an audience. [old english]




Judiciary  n. (pl. -ies) judges of a state collectively.




Lilt  —n. 1 light springing rhythm. 2 tune with this. —v. (esp. As lilting adj.) Speak etc. With a lilt; have a lilt. [origin unknown]

Dispenser  n. 1 person or thing that dispenses e.g. Medicine, good advice. 2 automatic machine dispensing a specific amount.
Engraft  v. (also ingraft) 1 bot. (usu. Foll. By into, on) graft. 2 implant. 3 (usu. Foll. By into) incorporate.
Flotsam and jetsam  n. 1 odds and ends. 2 vagrants.

Conjunctive  adj. 1 serving to join. 2 gram. Of the nature of a conjunction.

Magnetic storm  n. Disturbance of the earth's magnetic field by charged particles from the sun etc.
Unsatisfactory  adj. Poor, unacceptable.

Cold shoulder  —n. (prec. By the) intentional unfriendliness. —v. (cold-shoulder) be deliberately unfriendly towards.
Heater  n. Stove or other heating device.

Monorail  n. Railway with a single-rail track.



Weren't  contr. Were not.
Fly-trap  n. Plant that catches flies.
Accouterments  n.pl. (brit. Accoutrements) 1 equipment, trappings. 2 soldier's equipment excluding weapons and clothes. [french]

Plate  —n. 1 a shallow usu. Circular vessel from which food is eaten or served. B contents of this. 2 similar vessel used for a collection in church etc. 3 (collect.) A utensils of silver, gold, or other metal. B objects of plated metal. 4 piece of metal with a name or inscription for affixing to a door etc. 5 illustration on special paper in a book. 6 thin sheet of metal, glass, etc., coated with a sensitive film for photography. 7 flat thin usu. Rigid sheet of metal etc., often as part of a mechanism. 8 a smooth piece of metal etc. For engraving. B impression from this. 9 a silver or gold cup as a prize for a horse-race etc. B race with this as a prize. 10 a thin piece of plastic material, moulded to the shape of the mouth, on which artificial teeth are mounted. B colloq. Denture. 11 each of several rigid sheets of rock thought to form the earth's outer crust. 12 thin flat organic structure or formation. —v. (-ting) 1 apply a thin coat esp. Of silver, gold, or tin to (another metal). 2 cover (esp. A ship) with plates of metal, for protection.  on a plate colloq. Available with little trouble to the recipient. On one's plate colloq. For one to deal with.  plateful n. (pl. -s). [latin platta from plattus flat]
Nightshirt  n. Long shirt worn in bed.

Dominican  —adj. Of st dominic or his order. —n. Dominican friar or nun. [latin dominicus dominic]

Guess  —v. 1 (often absol.) Estimate without calculation or measurement. 2 form a hypothesis or opinion about; conjecture; think likely. 3 conjecture or estimate correctly. 4 (foll. By at) make a conjecture about. —n. Estimate, conjecture.  i guess colloq. I think it likely; i suppose. [origin uncertain]
Croûton  n. Small cube of fried or toasted bread served with soup etc. [french: related to *crust]


Apposition  n. Juxtaposition, esp. Gram. Of elements sharing a syntactic function (e.g. William the conqueror; my friend sue).

Uncontrollable  adj. Not controllable.  uncontrollably adv.
Lasagne  n. Pasta in the form of sheets. [italian pl., from latin lasanum cooking-pot]

Analgesia  n. Absence or relief of pain. [greek]
Dutch  —adj. Of the netherlands or its people or language. —n. 1 the dutch language. 2 (prec. By the; treated as pl.) The people of the netherlands.  go dutch share expenses on an outing etc. [dutch]
Telethon  n. Exceptionally long television programme, esp. To raise money for charity. [from *tele-, *marathon]
Keynote  n. 1 (esp. Attrib.) Prevailing tone or idea, esp. In a speech, conference, etc. 2 mus. Note on which a key is based.
Flying officer  n. Raf rank next below flight lieutenant.
Gloat  —v. (often foll. By over etc.) Look or consider with greed, malice, etc. —n. Act of gloating. [origin unknown]
Counterpoise  —n. 1 counterbalance. 2 state of equilibrium. —v. (-sing) counterbalance. [latin pensum weight]

Storm troops  n.pl. 1 = *shock troops. 2 hist. Nazi political militia.

Hades  n. (in greek mythology) the underworld. [greek, originally a name of pluto]
Toy  —n. 1 plaything. 2 thing regarded as providing amusement. 3 (usu. Attrib.) Diminutive breed of dog etc. —v. (usu. Foll. By with) 1 trifle, amuse oneself, flirt. 2 move a thing idly. [origin unknown]
Sucrose  n. Sugar from sugar cane, sugar beet, etc. [french sucre *sugar]



Labour exchange  n. Colloq. Or hist. Employment exchange.
Exhale  v. (-ling) 1 breathe out. 2 give off or be given off in vapour.  exhalation n. [french from latin halo breathe]




Druid  n. 1 priest of an ancient celtic religion. 2 member of a modern druidic order, esp. The gorsedd.  druidic adj. Druidism n. [latin from celtic]



Niggard  n. Stingy person. [probably of scandinavian origin]
Non-voting  adj. 1 not having or using a vote. 2 (of shares) not entitling the holder to vote.

Annual  —adj. 1 reckoned by the year. 2 occurring yearly. 3 living or lasting (only) a year. —n. 1 book etc. Published yearly. 2 plant that lives only a year.  annually adv. [latin annus year]



Tumbler  n. 1 drinking-glass with no handle or foot. 2 acrobat. 3 part of a lock that holds the bolt until lifted by a key. 4 a kind of pigeon that turns over backwards in flight.
Outside interest  n. Hobby etc. Not connected with one's work.

Orphanage  n. Home for orphans.
Post-industrial  adj. Of a society or economy which no longer relies on heavy industry.

Explicate  v. (-ting) 1 develop the meaning of (an idea etc.). 2 explain (esp. A literary text).  explication n. [latin explico -plicat- unfold]
Syriac  —n. Language of ancient syria, western aramaic. —adj. Of or in syriac.





Brahma  n. 1 hindu creator. 2 supreme divine hindu reality. [sanskrit, = creator]
Lingua franca  n. (pl. Lingua francas) 1 language used in common by speakers with different native languages. 2 system for mutual understanding. [italian, = frankish tongue]
Huh  int. Expressing disgust, surprise, etc. [imitative]

Glad hand  n. Colloq. Hearty welcome.


Two-dimensional  adj. 1 having or appearing to have length and breadth but no depth. 2 lacking substance; superficial.
Hairdresser  n. 1 person who cuts and styles the hair, esp. For a living. 2 hairdresser's shop.  hairdressing n.







Slap-bang  adv. Colloq. Violently, headlong.


Marriage lines  n.pl. Marriage certificate.
Nepotism  n. Favouritism shown to relatives in conferring offices. [italian nepote nephew]
Drover  n. Herder of cattle.
Cruel  adj. (crueller, cruellest or crueler, cruelest) 1 causing pain or suffering, esp. Deliberately. 2 harsh, severe (a cruel blow).  cruelly adv. Cruelness n. Cruelty n. (pl. -ies). [latin: related to *crude]

Lifeboat  n. 1 special boat for rescuing those in distress at sea. 2 ship's small boat for use in emergency.

Ebony  —n. Heavy hard dark wood of a tropical tree. —adj. 1 made of ebony. 2 black like ebony. [greek ebenos ebony tree]
Pancake  n. 1 thin flat cake of fried batter usu. Rolled up with a filling. 2 flat cake of make-up etc.


Unofficial  adj. Not officially authorized or confirmed.  unofficially adv.


Caparison  literary —n. 1 (usu. In pl.) Horse's trappings. 2 equipment, finery. —v. Adorn. [spanish, = saddle-cloth]

Sharper  n. Swindler, esp. At cards.

Identification parade  n. Group of people from whom a suspect is to be identified.


Vibrato  n. Rapid slight variation in musical pitch producing a tremulous effect. [italian: related to *vibrate]


Lock1  —n. 1 mechanism for fastening a door etc., with a bolt that requires a key of a particular shape to work it. 2 confined section of a canal or river within sluice-gates, for moving boats from one level to another. 3 a turning of a vehicle's front wheels. B (in full full lock) maximum extent of this. 4 interlocked or jammed state. 5 wrestling-hold that keeps an opponent's limb fixed. 6 (in full lock forward) player in the second row of a rugby scrum. 7 mechanism for exploding the charge of a gun. —v. 1 a fasten with a lock. B (foll. By up) shut (a house etc.) Thus. C (of a door etc.) Be lockable. 2 a (foll. By up, in, into) enclose (a person or thing) by locking. B (foll. By up) colloq. Imprison (a person). 3 (often foll. By up, away) store inaccessibly (capital locked up in land). 4 (foll. By in) hold fast (in sleep, an embrace, a struggle, etc.). 5 (usu. In passive) (of land, hills, etc.) Enclose. 6 make or become rigidly fixed. 7 (cause to) jam or catch.  lock on to (of a missile etc.) Automatically find and then track (a target). Lock out 1 keep out by locking the door. 2 (of an employer) subject (employees) to a lockout. Under lock and key locked up.  lockable adj. [old english]
Heavy hydrogen  n. = *deuterium.

Bacchanal  —n. 1 drunken revelry or reveller. 2 priest or follower of bacchus. —adj. 1 of or like bacchus. 2 drunkenly riotous. [latin bacchus from greek, god of wine]
Eminent  adj. Distinguished, notable, outstanding. [latin emineo jut out]

Amphetamine  n. Synthetic drug used esp. As a stimulant. [abbreviation of chemical name]
Chukker  n. (also chukka) period of play in polo. [sanskrit cakra wheel]


Gee1  int. (also gee whiz) esp. Us colloq. Expression of surprise etc. [perhaps an abbreviation of *jesus]
Herd instinct  n. (prec. By the) tendency to think and act as a crowd.
Carrier pigeon  n. Pigeon trained to carry messages.

Fast breeder  n. (also fast breeder reactor) reactor using fast neutrons.
Pederasty  n. (also paederasty) anal intercourse between a man and a boy. [greek pais paid- boy, erastes lover]

Refrigerator  n. Cabinet or room in which food etc. Is kept cold.
Regent  —n. Person appointed to administer a state because the monarch is a minor or is absent or incapacitated. —adj. (after the noun) acting as regent (prince regent). [latin rego rule]

Speaker  n. 1 person who speaks, esp. In public. 2 person who speaks a specified language (esp. In comb.: a french-speaker). 3 (speaker) presiding officer in a legislative assembly, esp. The house of commons. 4 = *loudspeaker.
Chasten  v. 1 (esp. As chastening, chastened adjs.) Subdue, restrain. 2 discipline, punish.

Incantation  n. Magical formula; spell, charm.  incantational adj. [latin canto sing]



Corps  n. (pl. Corps) 1 a body of troops with special duties (intelligence corps). B main subdivision of an army in the field. 2 body of people engaged in a special activity (diplomatic corps). [french: related to *corpse]
Muck-spreader  n. Machine for spreading dung.  muck-spreading n.
Kedgeree  n. Dish of fish, rice, hard-boiled eggs, etc. [hindi]


Ye2  adj. Pseudo-archaic = *the (ye olde tea-shoppe). [from the obsolete y-shaped letter for th]
Commit  v. (-tt-) 1 do or make (a crime, blunder, etc.). 2 (usu. Foll. By to) entrust or consign for safe keeping or treatment. 3 send (a person) to prison. 4 pledge or bind (esp. Oneself) to a certain course or policy. 5 (as committed adj.) (often foll. By to) a dedicated. B obliged.  commit to memory memorize. Commit to paper write down. [latin committo -miss-]
Disposable income  n. Income after tax and other fixed payments.

Lantern  n. 1 lamp with a transparent case protecting a flame etc. 2 raised structure on a dome, room, etc., glazed to admit light. 3 light-chamber of a lighthouse. [greek lampter torch]
Social services  n.pl. Welfare services provided by the state, esp. Education, health, and housing.



Sachet  n. 1 small bag or packet containing shampoo etc. 2 small scented bag for perfuming drawers etc. [french diminutive: related to *sac]
Usage  the use of off of for the preposition off (sense 1a), e.g. Picked it up off of the floor, is non-standard and should be avoided.

Information  n. 1 a something told; knowledge. B items of knowledge; news. 2 charge or complaint lodged with a court etc.


Appoint  v. 1 assign a job or office to. 2 (often foll. By for) fix (a time, place, etc.). 3 (as appointed adj.) Equipped, furnished (well-appointed).  appointee n. [french à point to a point]

Cream  —n. 1 fatty part of milk. 2 its yellowish-white colour. 3 creamlike cosmetic etc. 4 food or drink like or containing cream. 5 (usu. Prec. By the) best part of something. —v. 1 take cream from (milk). 2 make creamy. 3 treat (the skin etc.) With cosmetic cream. 4 form a cream or scum. —adj. Pale yellowish white.  cream off take (esp. The best part) from a whole. [latin cramum and church latin chrisma oil for anointing]


Furtherance  n. Furthering of a scheme etc.




Alter ego  n. (pl. -s) 1 one's hidden or second self. 2 intimate friend. [latin, = other self]

Lemon geranium  n. Lemon-scented pelargonium.

Slipper  n. Light loose soft indoor shoe.
Fulmar  n. Arctic sea bird related to the petrel. [old norse: related to *foul, mar gull]
Derring-do  n. Literary joc. Heroic courage or actions. [daring to do]

Pep  colloq. —n. Vigour; spirit. —v. (-pp-) (usu. Foll. By up) fill with vigour. [abbreviation of *pepper]
Methylate  v. (-ting) 1 mix or impregnate with methanol. 2 introduce a methyl group into (a molecule or compound).
Exclamation  n. 1 exclaiming. 2 word(s) exclaimed. [latin: related to *exclaim]
Blood pressure  n. Pressure of the blood in the arteries etc., measured for diagnosis.
Presence of mind  n. Calmness and quick-wittedness in sudden difficulty etc.
Trash can  n. Us dustbin.
Monism  n. 1 doctrine that only one ultimate principle or being exists. 2 theory denying the duality of matter and mind.  monist n. Monistic adj. [greek monos single]
Chomp  v. = *champ1. [imitative]
Nightclub  n. Club providing refreshment and entertainment late at night.

Careerist  n. Person predominantly concerned with personal advancement.

Inseminate  v. (-ting) 1 introduce semen into. 2 sow (seed etc.).  insemination n. [latin: related to *semen]
Macrobiotic  —adj. Of a diet intended to prolong life, esp. Consisting of wholefoods. —n. (in pl.; treated as sing.) Theory of such a diet. [greek bios life]

Usage  use of comparable with to and with corresponds to the senses of compare: to is more common.

Inquorate  adj. Not constituting a quorum.


Circulation  n. 1 movement to and fro, or from and back to a starting-point, esp. That of the blood from and to the heart. 2 a transmission or distribution. B number of copies sold.  in (or out of) circulation active (or not active) socially.
Herdsman  n. Man who owns or tends a herd.


Self-starter  n. 1 electrical appliance for starting an engine. 2 ambitious person with initiative.
Unreserved  adj. 1 not reserved. 2 total; without reservation.  unreservedly adv.
Sitting tenant  n. Tenant occupying premises.
Crosspiece  n. Transverse beam etc.
High time  n. Time that is overdue (it is high time they arrived).

Lardy-cake  n. Cake made with lard, currants, etc.
Dysphasia  n. Lack of coordination in speech, owing to brain damage. [greek dusphatos hard to utter]
Oi  int. Calling attention or expressing alarm etc. [var. Of *hoy]
Unavoidable  adj. Inevitable.  unavoidably adv.
Sonic bang  n. (also sonic boom) noise made when an aircraft passes the speed of sound.
Usage  the use of pristine in sense 2 is considered incorrect by some people.


Goalkeeper  n. Player defending a goal.


Heroic  —adj. Of, fit for, or like a hero; very brave. —n. (in pl.) 1 high-flown language or sentiments. 2 unduly bold behaviour.  heroically adv.
Nexus  n. (pl. Same) connected group or series. [latin necto nex- bind]
Oregano  n. Dried wild marjoram as seasoning. [spanish, = *origan]




Glitch  n. Colloq. Sudden irregularity or malfunction (of equipment etc.). [origin unknown]
Rapport  n. Relationship or communication, esp. When useful and harmonious. [latin porto carry]

Futurology  n. Forecasting of the future, esp. From present trends.

Poster paint  n. Gummy opaque paint.


Scram  v. (-mm-) (esp. In imper.) Colloq. Go away. [perhaps from *scramble]



Trace2  n. Each of the two side-straps, chains, or ropes by which a horse draws a vehicle.  kick over the traces become insubordinate or reckless. [french trais, pl. Of *trait]


Identikit  n. (often attrib.) Propr. Picture of esp. A wanted suspect assembled from standard components using witnesses' descriptions. [from *identity, *kit]
Palmetto  n. (pl. -s) small palm-tree. [spanish palmito diminutive of palma *palm1]


Authorized version  n. English translation of the bible made in 1611.

Visitant  n. 1 visitor, esp. A ghost etc. 2 migratory bird resting temporarily in an area.



Wood  n. 1 a hard fibrous substance of the trunk or branches of a tree or shrub. B this for timber or fuel. 2 (in sing. Or pl.) Growing trees densely occupying a tract of land. 3 wooden cask for wine etc. 4 wooden-headed golf club. 5 = *bowl2 n. 1.  not see the wood for the trees fail to grasp the main issue from over-attention to details. Out of the wood (or woods) out of danger or difficulty. [old english]
Teacup  n. 1 cup from which tea is drunk. 2 amount held by this.  teacupful n. (pl. -s).







Prance  —v. (-cing) 1 (of a horse) raise the forelegs and spring from the hind legs. 2 walk or behave in an elated or arrogant manner. —n. Prancing, prancing movement. [origin unknown]



West indian  n. 1 native or national of the west indies. 2 person of west indian descent.
Mailshot  n. Advertising material sent to potential customers.
Sojourn  —n. Temporary stay. —v. Stay temporarily. [french sojorner]
Filibuster  —n. 1 obstruction of progress in a legislative assembly, esp. By prolonged speaking. 2 esp. Us person who engages in this. —v. Act as a filibuster (against).  filibusterer n. [dutch: related to *freebooter]



Wc  abbr. 1 water-closet. 2 west central.
Pincushion  n. Small pad for holding pins.


Officer  n. 1 person holding a position of authority or trust, esp. One with a commission in the army, navy, air force, etc. 2 policeman or policewoman. 3 holder of a post in a society (e.g. The president or secretary).


White light  n. Apparently colourless light, e.g. Ordinary daylight.

Agate  n. Hard usu. Streaked chalcedony. [greek akhates]



Hold-up  n. 1 stoppage or delay. 2 robbery by force.
Excellence  n. Outstanding merit or quality. [latin: related to *excel]




Born-again  attrib. Adj. Converted (esp. To fundamentalist christianity).


Hectare  n. Metric unit of square measure, 100 ares (2.471 acres or 10,000 square metres). [french: related to *hecto-, *are2]
Box1  —n. 1 container, usu. Flat-sided and firm. 2 amount contained in a box. 3 compartment, e.g. In a theatre or lawcourt. 4 receptacle or kiosk for a special purpose (often in comb.: money box; telephone box). 5 facility at a newspaper office for receiving replies to an advertisement. 6 (prec. By the) colloq. Television. 7 enclosed area or space. 8 area of print enclosed by a border. 9 light shield for the genitals in cricket etc. 10 (prec. By the) football colloq. Penalty area. —v. 1 put in or provide with a box. 2 (foll. By in, up) confine. [latin buxis: related to *box3]
Hemorrhoids  n.pl. (brit. Haem-) swollen veins in the wall of the anus; piles. [greek haima blood, -rhoos -flowing]



Yank  n. Colloq. Often derog. American. [abbreviation of *yankee]
Formidable  adj. 1 inspiring dread, awe, or respect. 2 hard to overcome or deal with.  formidably adv. [latin formido fear]
Four-square  —adj. 1 solidly based. 2 steady, resolute. —adv. Steadily, resolutely.

Actinium  n. Chem. Radioactive metallic element found in pitchblende. [as *actinism]



Songster  n. (fem. Songstress) 1 singer. 2 songbird.

Double-talk  n. (usu. Deliberately) ambiguous or misleading speech.
Usage  milliard is now largely superseded by billion.
Teazel  (also teazle) var. Of *teasel.
Interregnum  n. (pl. -s) 1 interval when the normal government or leadership is suspended, esp. Between successive reigns or regimes. 2 interval, pause. [latin regnum reign]

Rom  n. Computing read-only memory. [abbreviation]
'Twould  archaic it would. [contraction]

Usage  the form onto is still not fully accepted in the way that into is, although it is in wide use. It is however useful in distinguishing sense as between we drove on to the beach (i.e. In that direction) and we drove onto the beach (i.e. In contact with it).


Deficiency disease  n. Disease caused by the lack of an essential element of diet.



Human  —adj. 1 of or belonging to the species homo sapiens. 2 consisting of human beings (the human race). 3 of or characteristic of humankind, esp. As being weak, fallible, etc. (is only human). 4 showing warmth, sympathy, etc. (is very human). —n. Human being. [latin humanus]

Hereabouts  adv. (also hereabout) near this place.




Novelty  n. (pl. -ies) 1 newness. 2 new or unusual thing or occurrence. 3 small toy or trinket. [related to *novel2]

Incommensurate  adj. 1 (often foll. By with, to) out of proportion; inadequate. 2 = *incommensurable.


Correction  n. 1 correcting or being corrected. 2 thing substituted for what is wrong. 3 archaic punishment.  correctional adj. [latin: related to *correct]

Usage  this suffix is often elided before a vowel, as in neuralgia.

Clothes-horse  n. Frame for airing washed clothes.
Non-existent  adj. Not existing.
Extinguisher  n. = *fire extinguisher.

Starkers  predic. Adj. Slang stark naked.
Cross-question  v. = *cross-examine.

Leech  n. 1 bloodsucking worm formerly much used medically. 2 person who sponges on others. [old english]


Panellist  n. (us panelist) member of a panel.

Goodwill  n. 1 kindly feeling. 2 established reputation of a business etc. As enhancing its value. 3 willingness to undertake unpaid duties.
Bolster  —n. Long cylindrical pillow. —v. (usu. Foll. By up) encourage, support, prop up. [old english]
Lunatic fringe  n. Extreme or eccentric minority group.
Number  —n. 1 a arithmetical value representing a particular quantity. B word, symbol, or figure representing this. C arithmetical value showing position in a series (registration number). 2 (often foll. By of) total count or aggregate (the number of accidents has decreased). 3 numerical reckoning (the laws of number). 4 a (in sing. Or pl.) Quantity, amount (a large number of people; only in small numbers). B (a number of) several (of). C (in pl.) Numerical preponderance (force of numbers). 5 person or thing having a place in a series, esp. A single issue of a magazine, an item in a programme, etc. 6 company, collection, group (among our number). 7 gram. A classification of words by their singular or plural forms. B such a form. —v. 1 include (i number you among my friends). 2 assign a number or numbers to. 3 amount to (a specified number). 4 count.  one's days are numbered one does not have long to live. Have a person's number colloq. Understand a person's real motives, character, etc. One's number is up colloq. One is doomed to die soon. Without number innumerable. [latin numerus]
Linkage  n. 1 linking or being linked, esp. The linking of quite different political issues in negotiations. 2 link or system of links.
Asperity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 sharpness of temper or tone. 2 roughness; rough excrescence. [latin asper rough]


Found2  v. 1 establish (an institution etc.); initiate, originate. 2 be the original builder of (a town etc.). 3 lay the base of (a building). 4 (foll. By on, upon) construct or base (a story, theory, rule, etc.) On.  founder n. [latin fundus bottom]
Strung  past and past part. Of *string.

Church of england  n. English protestant church.
Seaport  n. Town with a harbour.
Unflappable  adj. Colloq. Imperturbable; calm.  unflappability n.
Arbour  n. (us arbor) shady garden alcove enclosed by trees etc. [latin herba herb: assimilated to latin arbor tree]


Two-piece  —adj. (of a suit etc.) Consisting of two matching items. —n. Two-piece suit etc.


Conceptual  adj. Of mental conceptions or concepts.  conceptually adv.
Gonorrhea  n. (brit. Gonorrhoea) venereal disease with inflammatory discharge from the urethra or vagina. [greek, = semen-flux]



White goods  n.pl. Large domestic electrical equipment.

Clause  n. 1 gram. Part of a sentence, including a subject and predicate. 2 single statement in a treaty, law, contract, etc.  clausal adj. [latin clausula: related to *close2]



Shrove tuesday  n. Day before ash wednesday.
Impregnate  v. (-ting) 1 (often foll. By with) fill or saturate. 2 (often foll. By with) imbue (with feelings etc.). 3 a make (a female) pregnant. B fertilize (an ovum).  impregnation n. [latin: related to *pregnant]
Goer  n. 1 person or thing that goes (slow goer). 2 (often in comb.) Person who attends, esp. Regularly (churchgoer). 3 colloq. A lively or persevering person. B sexually promiscuous person.
Insofar  adv. = in so far (see *far).

Tailpiece  n. 1 rear appendage. 2 final part of a thing. 3 decoration in a blank space at the end of a chapter etc.
Sensitize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) make sensitive.  sensitization n.
Meager  adj. (brit. Meagre) 1 scant in amount or quality. 2 lean, thin. [anglo-french megre from latin macer]
Haemorrhage  (us hem-) —n. 1 profuse loss of blood from a ruptured blood-vessel. 2 damaging loss, esp. Of people or assets. —v. (-ging) suffer a haemorrhage. [greek haima blood, rhegnumi burst]
Trusty  —adj. (-ier, -iest) archaic or joc. Trustworthy (a trusty steed). —n. (pl. -ies) prisoner given special privileges for good behaviour.

Pre-  prefix before (in time, place, order, degree, or importance). [latin prae before]

Portico  n. (pl. -es or -s) colonnade; roof supported by columns at regular intervals, usu. Attached as a porch to a building. [latin porticus porch]

Home  —n. 1 a place where one lives; fixed residence. B dwelling-house. 2 family circumstances (comes from a good home). 3 native land. 4 institution caring for people or animals. 5 place where a thing originates, is kept, or is native or most common. 6 a finishing-point in a race. B (in games) place where one is safe; goal. 7 sport home match or win. —attrib. Adj. 1 a of or connected with one's home. B carried on, done, or made, at home. 2 in one's own country (home industries; the home market). 3 sport played on one's own ground etc. (home match). —adv. 1 to, at, or in one's home or country (go home; is he home yet?).
Salutation  n. Formal sign or expression of greeting.

Aitch  n. The letter h. [french ache]

Graphic novel  n. Novel in comic-strip format.
Ex-servicewoman  n. Woman formerly a member of the armed forces.
Heebie-jeebies  n.pl. (prec. By the) slang nervous anxiety, tension. [origin unknown]
Self-evident  adj. Obvious; without the need of proof or further explanation.  self-evidence n. Self-evidently adv.
Hip3  int. Introducing a united cheer (hip, hip, hooray). [origin unknown]





Notice-board  n. Board for displaying notices.

Basic  —adj. 1 serving as a base; fundamental. 2 a simplest or lowest in level (basic pay, needs). B vulgar (basic humour). —n. (usu. In pl.) Fundamental facts or principles.  basically adv.




Prowess  n. 1 skill, expertise. 2 valour, gallantry. [french: related to *proud]

Parricide  n. 1 murder of a near relative, esp. Of a parent. 2 person who commits parricide.  parricidal adj. [latin: see *parent, *pater, *-cide]



Stadium  n. (pl. -s) athletic or sports ground with tiered seats for spectators. [greek stadion]



Pack2  v. Select (a jury etc.) Or fill (a meeting) so as to secure a decision in one's favour. [probably from *pact]





House-agent  n. Agent for the sale and letting of houses.

Slut  n. Derog. Slovenly or promiscuous woman.  sluttish adj. [origin unknown]


Prepossess  v. 1 (usu. In passive) (of an idea, feeling, etc.) Take possession of (a person). 2 a prejudice (usu. Favourably and spontaneously). B (as prepossessing adj.) Attractive, appealing.  prepossession n.
Central heating  n. Method of heating a building by pipes, radiators, etc., fed from a central source.
Convolution  n. 1 coiling. 2 coil or twist. 3 complexity. 4 sinuous fold in the surface of the brain.
Disgraceful  adj. Shameful; causing disgrace.  disgracefully adv.
Slither  —v. Slide unsteadily. —n. Act of slithering.  slithery adj. [var. Of slidder: related to *slide]
Blur  —v. (-rr-) make or become unclear or less distinct; smear. —n. Blurred object, sound, memory, etc. [perhaps related to *bleary]

Low church  n. Section of the church of england attaching little importance to ritual, priestly authority, and the sacraments.
Fissure  —n. Crack or split, usu. Long and narrow. —v. (-ring) split, crack. [latin findo fiss- cleave]


Director  n. 1 person who directs or controls, esp. A member of the board of a company. 2 person who directs a film, play, etc.  directorial adj. Directorship n.

Detergent  —n. Synthetic cleansing agent used with water. —adj. Cleansing. [latin tergeo wipe]




Nereid  n. Sea-nymph. [latin from greek]

Gloxinia  n. American tropical plant with large bell-shaped flowers. [gloxin, name of a botanist]

Puddle  —n. 1 small pool, esp. Of rainwater. 2 clay and sand worked with water used as a watertight covering for embankments etc. —v. (-ling) 1 knead (clay and sand) into puddle. 2  stir (molten iron) to produce wrought iron by expelling carbon.  puddly adj. [old english]
Weevil  n. Destructive beetle feeding esp. On grain. [low german]



Really  adv. 1 in reality. 2 very (really useful). 3 indeed, i assure you. 4 expression of mild protest or surprise.
Emerald isle  n. Ireland.
Refreshment  n. 1 refreshing or being refreshed. 2 (usu. In pl.) Food or drink.

Apposite  adj. (often foll. By to) apt, appropriate; well expressed. [latin appono apply]
Parsonage  n. Church house provided for a parson.
Hezbollah  n. (also hiz-) extreme shiite muslim group, active esp. In lebanon. [arabic hisbullah party of god]

Witchery  n. = *witchcraft.
Father-in-law  n. (pl. Fathers-in-law) father of one's husband or wife.

Pc  abbr. 1 police constable. 2 privy councillor. 3 personal computer.
-graph  comb. Form forming nouns and verbs meaning: 1 thing written or drawn etc. In a specified way (photograph). 2 instrument that records (seismograph).
Lubricious  adj. 1 slippery, evasive. 2 lewd.  lubricity n. [latin: related to *lubricate]
Snappish  adj. 1 curt; ill-tempered; sharp. 2 inclined to snap.
Acupuncture  n. Medical treatment using needles in parts of the body.  acupuncturist n. [latin acu with needle]
Alter ego  n. (pl. -s) 1 one's hidden or second self. 2 intimate friend. [latin, = other self]
Estrange  v. (-ging) 1 (usu. In passive; often foll. By from) alienate; make hostile or indifferent. 2 (as estranged adj.) (of a husband or wife) no longer living with his or her spouse.  estrangement n. [latin: related to *strange]

Definitive  adj. 1 (of an answer, verdict, etc.) Decisive, unconditional, final. 2 (of a book etc.) Most authoritative.
Deadhead  —n. 1 faded flower-head. 2 non-paying passenger or spectator. 3 useless person. —v. Remove deadheads from (a plant).
Gunge  colloq. —n. Sticky or viscous matter. —v. (-ging) (usu. Foll. By up) clog with gunge.  gungy adj. [origin uncertain]

Minibus  n. Small bus for about twelve passengers.
Continuous  adj. Uninterrupted, connected throughout in space or time.  continuously adv. [latin: related to *contain]
Usage  see note at imprimatur.
Customize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) make or modify to order; personalize.

Coition  n. = *coitus. [latin coitio from eo go]



Inhaler  n. Device for administering an inhalant, esp. To relieve asthma.
Notation  n. 1 representation of numbers, quantities, the pitch and duration of musical notes, etc., by symbols. 2 any set of such symbols. [latin: related to *note]

Commons  n.pl. 1 (the commons) = *house of commons. 2 the common people.
Niobium  n.  Rare metallic element occurring naturally. [niobe in greek legend]
Locksmith  n. Maker and mender of locks.


Cygnet  n. Young swan. [latin cygnus swan from greek]
Villa  n. 1 country house; mansion. 2 rented holiday home, esp. Abroad. 3 (usu. As part of an address) detached or semi-detached house in a residential district. [italian and latin]

Nobody  —pron. No person. —n. (pl. -ies) person of no importance.
Frontispiece  n. Illustration facing the title-page of a book. [latin: related to *front, specio look]
Op.  Abbr. Opus.
Command module  n. Control compartment in a spacecraft.
Literary  adj. 1 of or concerned with books or literature etc. 2 (of a word or idiom) used chiefly by writers; formal.  literariness n. [latin: related to *letter]
Ming  n. (often attrib.) Chinese porcelain made during the ming dynasty (1368–1644).
Touchy  adj. (-ier, -iest) apt to take offence; over-sensitive.  touchily adv. Touchiness n.

Harness  —n. 1 equipment of straps etc. By which a horse is fastened to a cart etc. And controlled. 2 similar arrangement for fastening a thing to a person's body. —v. 1 a put a harness on. B (foll. By to) attach by harness to. 2 make use of (natural resources), esp. To produce energy.  in harness in the routine of daily work. [french harneis military equipment]
Whipcord  n. Tightly twisted cord.
Self-doubt  n. Lack of confidence in oneself.

Him  pron. 1 objective case of *he (i saw him). 2 colloq. He (it's him again; taller than him). [old english, dative of *he]

Convict  —v. 1 (often foll. By of) prove to be guilty (of a crime etc.). 2 declare guilty by a legal process. —n. Chiefly hist. Person serving a prison sentence. [latin vinco vict- conquer]

Bated  adj.  with bated breath very anxiously. [as *abate]


Foresee  v. (past -saw; past part. -seen) see or be aware of beforehand.  foreseeable adj.


Prankster  n. Practical joker.

Heartsick  adj. Despondent.
Public relations officer  n. Person employed to promote public relations.
Expectancy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 state of expectation. 2 prospect. 3 (foll. By of) prospective chance.

Coeducation  n. Education of pupils of both sexes together.  coeducational adj.

Wow1  —int. Expressing astonishment or admiration. —n. Slang sensational success. —v. Slang impress greatly. [imitative]
Smoulder  (us smolder) —v. 1 burn slowly without flame or internally. 2 (of emotions) be fierce but suppressed. 3 (of a person) show silent emotion. —n. Smouldering. [origin unknown]


Lane  n. 1 narrow road. 2 division of a road for a stream of traffic. 3 strip of track etc. For a competitor in a race. 4 path regularly followed by a ship, aircraft, etc. 5 gangway between crowds of people. [old english]

Timbrel  n. Archaic tambourine. [french: related to *timbre]
Ex gratia  —adv. As a favour; not from (esp. Legal) obligation. —attrib. Adj. Granted on this basis. [latin, = from favour]
Usage  the term down's syndrome is now preferred.
Postern  n. Archaic back door; side way or entrance. [latin: related to *posterior]


Wander  v. 1 (often foll. By in, off, etc.) Go about from place to place aimlessly. 2 a wind about; meander. B stray from a path etc. 3 talk or think incoherently; be inattentive or delirious.  wanderer n. [old english: related to *wend]
Rookery  n. (pl. -ies) colony of rooks, penguins, or seals.
Embassy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 a residence or offices of an ambassador. B ambassador and staff. 2 deputation to a foreign government. [french: related to *ambassador]
Canst  archaic 2nd person sing. Of *can1.

Crib  —n. 1 a baby's small bed or cot. B model of the nativity with a manger. 2 rack for animal fodder. 3  colloq. A translation of a text used by students. B plagiarized work etc. 4 colloq. A cribbage. B set of cards given to the dealer at cribbage. —v. (-bb-) (also absol.) 1 colloq. Copy unfairly. 2 confine in a small space. 3 colloq. Pilfer. [old english]
Epitomize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) make or be a perfect example of (a quality etc.).




Nosegay  n. Small bunch of flowers.

Calix  var. Of *calyx.

Automate  v. (-ting) convert to or operate by automation.
Mentor  n. Experienced and trusted adviser. [mentor in homer's odyssey]

Antiperspirant  n. Substance preventing or reducing perspiration.


Videodisc  n. Disc for recording moving pictures and sound.
Solace  —n. Comfort in sadness, disappointment, or tedium. —v. (-cing) give solace to. [latin solatium]
Presuppose  v. (-sing) 1 assume beforehand. 2 imply.  presupposition n.


Usage  more fanciful phrase-based combinations, such as employment-wise (= as regards employment) are restricted to informal contexts.


Construct  —v. 1 make by fitting parts together; build, form. 2 geom. Delineate (a figure). —n. Thing constructed, esp. By the mind.  constructor n. [latin struo struct- build]

Absolutism  n. Principle or practice of absolute government.  absolutist n.

Millwright  n. Person who designs or builds mills.

Texture  —n. 1 feel or appearance of a surface or substance. 2 arrangement of threads etc. In textile fabric. —v. (-ring) (usu. As textured adj.) 1 provide with a texture. 2 (of vegetable protein) provide with a texture resembling meat.  textural adj. [latin: related to *text]


Decoke  colloq. —v. (-king) decarbonize. —n. Process of this.
H.p.  Abbr. (also hp) 1 horsepower. 2 hire purchase.
Uncooked  adj. Not cooked; raw.

Housework  n. Regular housekeeping work, e.g. Cleaning and cooking.


Scottish pine  var. Of *scots pine.
Refractory  adj. 1 stubborn, unmanageable, rebellious. 2 (of a wound, disease, etc.) Not yielding to treatment. 3 (of a substance) hard to fuse or work. [latin: related to *refract]


Juncture  n. 1 critical convergence of events; point of time (at this juncture). 2 joining-point. 3 joining.

Godparent  n. Person who presents a child at baptism and responds on the child's behalf.
Unappreciative  adj. Not appreciative.


High-pitched  adj. 1 (of a sound) high. 2 (of a roof) steep.
Curtain-raiser  n. 1 short play before the main performance. 2 preliminary event.
Bail3  v. (also bale) 1 (usu. Foll. By out) scoop water out of (a boat etc.). 2 scoop (water etc.) Out.  bail out var. Of bale out 1 (see *bale1). [french]

Forestall  v. 1 prevent by advance action. 2 deal with beforehand. [from *fore-, *stall1]




Oh  int. (also o) expressing surprise, pain, entreaty, etc.  oh (or o) for i wish i had. [var. Of *o4]




Smooth  —adj. 1 having an even surface; free from projections, dents, and roughness. 2 that can be traversed without check. 3 (of the sea etc.) Calm, flat. 4 (of a journey etc.) Easy. 5 not harsh in sound or taste. 6 suave, conciliatory; slick. 7 not jerky. —v. 1 (often foll. By out, down) make or become smooth. 2 (often foll. By out, down, over, away) reduce or get rid of (differences, faults, difficulties, etc.) In fact or appearance. —n. Smoothing touch or stroke. —adv. Smoothly.  smoothly adv. Smoothness n. [old english]
Hedge sparrow  n. Common grey and brown bird; the dunnock.
Quinquennial  adj. 1 lasting five years. 2 recurring every five years.  quinquennially adv. [latin quinquennis from quinque five, annus year]

Venereal disease  n. Disease contracted by sexual intercourse with an infected person or congenitally.


Brig2  n. Scot. & n.engl. Bridge. [var. Of *bridge1]

Detection  n. 1 detecting or being detected. 2 work of a detective.
Hilarious  adj. 1 exceedingly funny. 2 boisterously merry.  hilariously adv. Hilarity n. [greek hilaros cheerful]
Cognate  —adj. 1 related to or descended from a common ancestor. 2 (of a word) having the same linguistic family or derivation. —n. 1 relative. 2 cognate word. [latin cognatus]
Usage  in sense 2, brokers have officially been called broker-dealers in the uk since oct. 1986, and entitled to act as agents and principals in share dealings.
Shortie  var. Of *shorty.
Pelican crossing  n. Pedestrian crossing with traffic-lights operated by pedestrians.

Limber2  —n. Detachable front part of a gun-carriage. —v. Attach a limber to. [perhaps from latin limo -onis shaft]

Mischievous  adj. 1 (of a person) disposed to mischief. 2 (of conduct) playful; malicious. 3 harmful.  mischievously adv. Mischievousness n.


Rout1  —n. 1 disorderly retreat of defeated troops (put them to rout). 2 overthrow, defeat. —v. Put to flight, defeat. [french: related to *route]
Verge1  n. 1 edge or border. 2 brink (on the verge of tears). 3 grass edging of a road etc. [latin virga rod]


Domestic  —adj. 1 of the home, household, or family affairs. 2 of one's own country. 3 (of an animal) tamed, not wild. 4 fond of home life. —n. Household servant.  domestically adv. [latin domus home]


Embark  v. 1 (often foll. By for) put or go on board a ship or aircraft (to a destination). 2 (foll. By on, in) begin an enterprise.  embarkation n. (in sense 1). [french: related to *barque]

Self-styled  adj. Called so by oneself.




Scepter  n. (brit. Sceptre) staff as a symbol of sovereignty. [greek skepto lean on]



Lay4  past of *lie1.

Lurk  v. 1 linger furtively. 2 a lie in ambush. B (usu. Foll. By in, under, about, etc.) Hide, esp. For sinister purposes. 3 (as lurking adj.) Dormant (a lurking suspicion). [perhaps from *lour]


Patronage  n. 1 patron's or customer's support. 2 right or control of appointments to office, privileges, etc. 3 condescending manner.
Heretofore  adv. Formal before this time.


Braise  v. (-sing) stew slowly with a little liquid in a closed container. [french braise live coals]
Change  —n. 1 a making or becoming different. B alteration or modification. 2 a money exchanged for money in larger units or a different currency. B money returned as the balance of that given in payment. 3 new experience; variety (need a change). 4 substitution of one thing for another (change of scene). 5 (in full change of life) colloq. Menopause. 6 (usu. In pl.) One of the different orders in which bells can be rung. —v. (-ging) 1 undergo, show, or subject to change; make or become different. 2 a take or use another instead of; go from one to another (change one's socks; changed trains). B (usu. Foll. By for) give up or get rid of in exchange (changed the car for a van). 3 give or get money in exchange for. 4 put fresh clothes or coverings on. 5 (often foll. By with) give and receive, exchange. 6 change trains etc. 7 (of the moon) arrive at a fresh phase.  change down engage a lower gear. Change gear engage a different gear. Change hands 1 pass to a different owner. 2 substitute one hand for the other. Change one's mind adopt a different opinion or plan. Change over change from one system or situation to another.
Conjectural  adj. Based on conjecture.


Directory  n. (pl. -ies) book with a list of telephone subscribers, inhabitants of a district, or members of a profession etc. [latin: related to *direct]
Resist  —v. 1 withstand the action or effect of. 2 stop the course or progress of. 3 abstain from (pleasure, temptation, etc.). 4 strive against; try to impede; refuse to comply with (resist arrest). 5 offer opposition; refuse to comply. —n. Protective coating of a resistant substance.  resistible adj. [latin sisto stop]



Homeless  adj. Lacking a home.  homelessness n.



Toilet  n. 1 = *lavatory. 2 process of washing oneself, dressing, etc. (at one's toilet). [french toilette diminutive of toile cloth]

Dfm  abbr. Distinguished flying medal.

Obverse  n. 1 counterpart, opposite. 2 side of a coin or medal etc. Bearing the head or principal design. 3 front, proper, or top side of a thing. [latin obverto obvers- turn towards]


Ring1  —n. 1 circular band, usu. Of metal, worn on a finger. 2 circular band of any material. 3 rim of a cylindrical or circular object, or a line or band round it. 4 mark etc. Resembling a ring (rings round his eyes; smoke rings). 5 ring in the cross-section of a tree, produced by one year's growth. 6 a enclosure for a circus performance, boxing, betting at races, showing of cattle, etc. B (prec. By the) bookmakers collectively. 7 a people or things in a circle.
Hippocratic oath  n. Statement of ethics of the medical profession. [hippocrates, name of a greek physician]


Unlettered  adj. Illiterate; not well educated.



Fatuous  adj. Vacantly silly; purposeless, idiotic.  fatuity n. (pl. -ies). Fatuously adv. Fatuousness n. [latin fatuus]
Vcr  abbr. Video cassette recorder.
Second lieutenant  n. Army officer next below lieutenant.


Wannabe  n. Slang 1 avid fan who tries to emulate the person he or she admires. 2 anybody who would like to be someone else. [corruption of want to be]
Trad  colloq. —n. Traditional jazz. —adj. Traditional. [abbreviation]

Sharp  —adj. 1 having an edge or point able to cut or pierce. 2 tapering to a point or edge. 3 abrupt, steep, angular. 4 well-defined, clean-cut. 5 a severe or intense. B (of food etc.) Pungent, acid. 6 (of a voice etc.) Shrill and piercing. 7 (of words or temper etc.) Harsh. 8 acute; quick to understand. 9 artful, unscrupulous. 10 vigorous or brisk. 11 mus. Above the normal pitch; a semitone higher than a specified pitch (c sharp). —n. 1 mus. A note a semitone above natural pitch. B sign indicating this. 2 colloq. Swindler, cheat. —adv. 1 punctually (at nine o'clock sharp). 2 suddenly (pulled up sharp). 3 at a sharp angle. 4 mus. Above true pitch (sings sharp).  sharply adv. Sharpness n. [old english]


Lawbreaker  n. Person who breaks the law.  lawbreaking n. & adj.




Neap  n. (in full neap tide) tide at the times of the month when there is least difference between high and low water. [old english]

Nestle  v. (-ling) 1 (often foll. By down, in, etc.) Settle oneself comfortably. 2 press oneself against another in affection etc. 3 (foll. By in, into, etc.) Push (a head or shoulder etc.) Affectionately or snugly. 4 lie half hidden or embedded. [old english]
Gave  past of *give.

Advent  n. 1 season before christmas. 2 coming of christ. 3 (advent) important arrival. [latin adventus from venio come]


Galvanize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 (often foll. By into) rouse forcefully, esp. By shock or excitement (was galvanized into action). 2 stimulate by or as by electricity. 3 coat (iron) with zinc to protect against rust.  galvanization n. [galvani, name of a physiologist]
Informative  adj. Giving information; instructive.
Matronly  adj. Like a matron, esp. Portly or staid.

J 

Blighty  n. Mil. Slang england; home. [hindustani, = foreign]
Dunghill  n. Heap of dung or refuse.
Heading  n. 1 a title at the head of a page or section of a book etc. B section of a subject of discourse etc. 2 horizontal passage made in preparation for building a tunnel, or in a mine.

Inspect  v. 1 look closely at. 2 examine officially.  inspection n. [latin spicio spect- look]


Rarebit  n. = *welsh rabbit. [from *rare1]
Sett  var. Of *set2 11, 12.
Appetizer  n. (also -iser) small amount, esp. Of food or drink, to stimulate the appetite.
Aquiline  adj. 1 of or like an eagle. 2 (of a nose) curved. [latin aquila eagle]

Sincerely  adv. In a sincere manner.  yours sincerely formula for ending an informal letter.
Charger  n. 1 cavalry horse. 2 apparatus for charging a battery.
Dissolute  adj. Lax in morals; licentious. [latin: related to *dissolve]


Sorbet  n. 1 water-ice. 2 sherbet. [arabic sharba to drink]
Admiration  n. 1 respect; warm approval or pleasure. 2 object of this.
Calorific  adj. Producing heat.
Mounting  n. 1 = *mount1 n. 1. 2 in senses of *mount1 v.
Auburn  adj. Reddish-brown (usu. Of hair). [originally = yellowish white: from latin albus white]
Parvenu  n. (pl. -s; fem. Parvenue) (often attrib.) Newly rich social climber; upstart. [latin: related to *per-, venio come]
Orderly  —adj. 1 methodically arranged or inclined, tidy. 2 well-behaved. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 male cleaner in a hospital. 2 soldier who carries orders for an officer etc.  orderliness n.
Framework  n. 1 essential supporting structure. 2 basic system.


Declension  n. 1 gram. A variation of the form of a noun, pronoun, or adjective to show its grammatical case etc. B class of nouns with the same inflexions. 2 deterioration, declining. [latin: related to *decline]
Steering-wheel  n. Wheel by which a vehicle etc. Is steered.
Unnumbered  adj. 1 without a number. 2 not counted. 3 countless.
Implode  v. (-ding) (cause to) burst inwards.  implosion n. [from *in-2: cf. *explode]
Fire-eater  n. 1 conjuror who appears to swallow fire. 2 quarrelsome person.

Highlight  —n. 1 moment or detail of vivid interest; outstanding feature. 2 (in a painting etc.) Bright area. 3 (usu. In pl.) Light streak in the hair produced by bleaching. —v. 1 bring into prominence; draw attention to. 2 mark with a highlighter.

Good  —adj. (better, best) 1 having the right or desired qualities; adequate. 2 a (of a person) efficient, competent (good at french; good driver). B effective, reliable (good brakes). 3 a kind. B morally excellent; virtuous (good deed). C well-behaved (good child). 4 enjoyable, agreeable (good party; good news). 5 thorough, considerable (a good wash). 6 a not less than (waited a good hour). B considerable in number, quality, etc. (a good many people). 7 beneficial (milk is good for you). 8 a valid, sound (good reason). B financially sound (his credit is good). 9 in exclamations of surprise (good heavens!). 10 (sometimes patronizing) commendable, worthy (good old george; my good man). 11 in courteous greetings and farewells (good morning). —n. 1 (only in sing.) That which is good; what is beneficial or morally right (only good can come of it; what good will it do?). 2 (in pl.) A movable property or merchandise. B things to be transported. C (prec. By the) colloq. What one has undertaken to supply (esp. Deliver the goods). —adv. Us colloq. Well (doing pretty good).  as good as practically. Be (a certain amount) to the good have as net profit or advantage. For good (and all) finally, permanently. Good for 1 beneficial to; having a good effect on. 2 able to perform. 3 able to be trusted to pay. Good riddance see *riddance. Have the goods on a person slang have information about a person giving one an advantage over him or her. In good faith with honest or sincere intentions. In good time 1 with no risk of being late. 2 (also all in good time) in due course but without haste. To the good having as profit or benefit. [old english]


Wholegrain  attrib. Adj. Made with or containing whole grains (wholegrain rice).
Remorseful  adj. Filled with repentance.  remorsefully adv.
Nutshell  n. Hard exterior covering of a nut.  in a nutshell in a few words.

Hiding-place  n. Place of concealment.


Cocker  n. (in full cocker spaniel) small spaniel with a silky coat. [related to *cock1]
Piscina  n. (pl. -nae or -s) 1 stone basin near the altar in a church for draining water used in rinsing the chalice etc. 2 fish-pond. [latin, from piscis fish]
Ginger  —n. 1 a hot spicy root usu. Powdered for use in cooking, or preserved in syrup, or candied. B plant having this root. 2 light reddish-yellow. 3 spirit, mettle. —adj. Of a ginger colour. —v. 1 flavour with ginger. 2 (foll. By up) enliven.  gingery adj. [old english and french, ultimately from sanskrit]

Make  —v. (-king; past and past part. Made) 1 construct; create; form from parts or other substances. 2 cause or compel (made me do it). 3 a cause to exist; bring about (made a noise). B cause to become or seem (made him angry; made a fool of me; made him a knight). 4 compose; prepare; write (made her will; made a film). 5 constitute; amount to; be reckoned as (2 and 2 make 4). 6 a undertake (made a promise; make an effort). B perform (an action etc.) (made a face; made a bow). 7 gain, acquire, procure (money, a living, a profit, etc.). 8  prepare (tea, coffee, a meal, etc.). 9 a arrange (a bed) for use. B arrange and light materials for (a fire). 10 a proceed (made towards the river). B (foll. By to + infin.) Act as if with the intention to (he made to go). 11 colloq. A arrive at (a place) or in time for (a train etc.). B manage to attend; manage to attend on (a certain day) or at (a certain time) (couldn't make the meeting last week; can make any day except friday). C achieve a place in (made the first eleven). 12 establish or enact (a distinction, rule, law, etc.). 13 consider to be; estimate as (what do you make the total?). 14 secure the success or advancement of (his second novel made him; it made my day).
School2  n. (often foll. By of) shoal of fish, whales, etc. [low german or dutch]


Repulse  —v. (-sing) 1 drive back by force of arms. 2 a rebuff. B refuse. —n. 1 repulsing or being repulsed. 2 rebuff. [latin: related to *repel]

Undifferentiated  adj. Not differentiated; amorphous.


Deference  n. 1 courteous regard, respect. 2 compliance with another's wishes.  in deference to out of respect for.
Varied  adj. Showing variety.


Hydroponics  n. Growing plants without soil, in sand, gravel, or liquid, with added nutrients. [greek ponos labour]

Nail polish  n. (also nail varnish) varnish, usu. Coloured, applied to the nails.
Idiosyncrasy  n. (pl. -ies) attitude, behaviour, or opinion peculiar to a person; anything highly individual or eccentric.  idiosyncratic adj. Idiosyncratically adv. [greek idios private, sun with, krasis mixture]

Chi  n. Twenty-second letter of the greek alphabet (c, c). [greek]

Suitable  adj. (usu. Foll. By to, for) well-fitted; appropriate.  suitability n. Suitably adv.
Intro  n. (pl. -s) colloq. Introduction. [abbreviation]
Add  v. 1 join (one thing to another) as an increase or supplement. 2 put together (numbers) to find their total. 3 say further.  add in include. Add up 1 find the total of. 2 (foll. By to) amount to. 3 colloq. Make sense. [latin addo]
Life-preserver  n. 1 short stick with a heavily loaded end. 2 life-jacket etc.
Mood1  n. 1 state of mind or feeling. 2 fit of bad temper or depression.  in the mood (usu. Foll. By for, or to + infin.) Inclined. [old english]
Highness  n. 1 state of being high (highness of taxation). 2 (highness) title used when addressing or referring to a prince or princess (her highness; your royal highness).
Readiness  n. 1 ready or prepared state. 2 willingness. 3 facility; promptness in argument or action.
Unmoved  adj. 1 not moved. 2 constant in purpose. 3 unemotional.
Indefatigable  adj. Unwearying, unremitting.  indefatigably adv.

Egregious  adj. 1 extremely bad. 2 archaic remarkable. [latin grex greg- flock]
Dill  n. Herb with aromatic leaves and seeds. [old english]

Pseudonym  n. Fictitious name, esp. Of an author. [greek: related to *pseudo-, onoma name]
Feeling  —n. 1 a capacity to feel; sense of touch (lost all feeling). B physical sensation. 2 a (often foll. By of) emotional reaction (feeling of despair). B (in pl.) Emotional susceptibilities (hurt my feelings). 3 particular sensitivity (feeling for literature). 4 a opinion or notion (had a feeling she would). B general sentiment. 5 sympathy or compassion. 6 emotional sensibility or intensity (played with feeling). —adj. Sensitive, sympathetic; heartfelt.  feelingly adv.



Whin  n. (in sing. Or pl.) Gorse. [scandinavian]
Sword  n. 1 weapon with a long blade and hilt with a handguard. 2 (prec. By the) a war. B military power.  put to the sword kill. [old english]
Attack  —v. 1 try to hurt or defeat using force. 2 criticize adversely. 3 act harmfully upon (rust attacks metal). 4 vigorously apply oneself to. 5 sport try to gain ground or score (against). —n. 1 act of attacking. 2 offensive operation. 3 sudden onset of an illness.  attacker n. [french from italian]
Scornful  adj. (often foll. By of) contemptuous.  scornfully adv.
File2  —n. Tool with a roughened surface for smoothing or shaping wood, fingernails, etc. —v. (-ling) smooth or shape with a file. [old english]


Mother carey's chicken  n. = *storm petrel 1.
Macaque  n. A kind of monkey, e.g. The rhesus monkey and barbary ape, with prominent cheek-pouches. [portuguese, = monkey]
Church  n. 1 building for public christian worship. 2 public worship (met after church). 3 (church) a body of all christians. B clergy or clerical profession. C organized christian society (the early church). [greek kuriakon lord's (house)]
Quiddity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 philos. Essence of a thing. 2 quibble; trivial objection. [latin quidditas from quid what]
Skim milk  n. (also skimmed milk) milk from which the cream has been removed.
Centre back  n. Sport middle player or position in a half-back line.

Riff  n. Short repeated phrase in jazz etc. [abbreviation of *riffle]
Impeach  v. 1 charge with a crime against the state, esp. Treason. 2 us charge (a public official) with misconduct. 3 call in question, disparage.  impeachable adj. Impeachment n. [french empecher from latin pedica fetter]
Subjunctive  gram. —adj. (of a mood) expressing what is imagined, wished, or possible (e.g. If i were you; be that as it may). —n. This mood or form. [latin: related to *subjoin]

Carrion crow  n. Crow feeding on carrion.


Frankenstein  n. (in full frankenstein's monster) thing that becomes terrifying to its maker. [frankenstein, name of a character in and title of a novel by mary shelley]
Invulnerable  adj. That cannot be wounded, damaged, or hurt, physically or mentally.  invulnerability n. Invulnerably adv.

Volunteer  —n. Person who voluntarily undertakes a task or enters military etc. Service. —v. 1 (often foll. By to + infin.) Undertake or offer (one's services, a remark, etc.) Voluntarily. 2 (often foll. By for) be a volunteer. [french: related to *voluntary]



Acid rain  n. Acid, esp. From industrial waste gases, falling with rain.

One-liner  n. Short joke or remark in a play, comedy routine, etc.
Fiddle  —n. 1 colloq. Or derog. Stringed instrument played with a bow, esp. A violin. 2 colloq. Cheat or fraud. 3 fiddly task. —v. (-ling) 1 a (often foll. By with, at) play restlessly. B (often foll. By about) move aimlessly; waste time. C (usu. Foll. By with) adjust, tinker; tamper. 2 slang a cheat, swindle. B falsify. C get by cheating. 3 play (a tune) on the fiddle.  as fit as a fiddle in very good health. Play second (or first) fiddle take a subordinate (or leading) role. [old english]


Priceless  adj. 1 invaluable. 2 colloq. Very amusing or absurd.
Buoyant  adj. 1 able or apt to keep afloat. 2 resilient; exuberant.  buoyancy n. [french or spanish: related to *buoy]
Tuesday  —n. Day of the week following monday. —adv. 1 colloq. On tuesday. 2 (tuesdays) on tuesdays; each tuesday. [old english]
Dependency  n. (pl. -ies) country or province controlled by another.

Prestidigitator  n. Formal conjuror.  prestidigitation n. [french: related to *presto, *digit]
Incorporate  —v. (-ting) 1 include as a part or ingredient (incorporated all the latest features). 2 (often foll. By in, with) unite (in one body). 3 admit as a member of a company etc. 4 (esp. As incorporated adj.) Form into a legal corporation. —adj. Incorporated.  incorporation n. [latin corpus body]
Wide-eyed  adj. Surprised; naïve.

Windscreen wiper  n. Blade moving in an arc to keep a windscreen clear of rain etc.
Usage  turbid is sometimes confused with turgid which means ‘swollen, inflated; pompous’.


Woodruff  n. White-flowered plant with fragrant leaves.
Cia  abbr. (in the us) central intelligence agency.
Unselfish  adj. Concerned about others; sharing.  unselfishly adv. Unselfishness n.


Smallpox  n. Hist. Acute contagious disease with fever and pustules, usu. Leaving scars.

Debauchery  n. Excessive sensual indulgence.


Rheumatic fever  n. Fever with inflammation and pain in the joints.
Laugh  —v. 1 make the sounds and movements usual in expressing lively amusement, scorn, etc. 2 express by laughing. 3 (foll. By at) ridicule, make fun of. —n. 1 sound, act, or manner of laughing. 2 colloq. Comical thing.  laugh off get rid of (embarrassment or humiliation) by joking. Laugh up one's sleeve laugh secretly. [old english]
Stockroom  n. Room for storing goods.
Cheroot  n. Cigar with both ends open. [french from tamil]
Likely  —adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 probable; such as may well happen or be true. 2 to be reasonably expected (not likely to come now). 3 promising; apparently suitable (a likely spot). —adv. Probably.  not likely! Colloq. Certainly not, i refuse. [old norse: related to *like1]

Tablecloth  n. Cloth spread over a table, esp. For meals.
Herbivore  n. Animal that feeds on plants.  herbivorous adj. [latin voro devour]

Bookseller  n. Dealer in books.


Amortize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) gradually extinguish (a debt) by regular instalments. [latin ad mortem to death]

Schoolteacher  n. Teacher in a school.


Telecommunication  n. 1 communication over a distance by circuits using cable, fibre optics, satellites, radio etc. 2 (usu. In pl.) Technology of this.
Moonlight  —n. 1 light of the moon. 2 (attrib.) Lit by the moon. —v. (-lighted) colloq. Have two paid occupations, esp. One by day and one by night.  moonlighter n.




Dormitory  n. (pl. -ies) 1 sleeping-room with several beds, esp. In a school or institution. 2 (in full dormitory town etc.) Small commuter town or suburb. [latin: related to *dormer]

Dude  n. Slang 1 fellow. 2 us dandy. 3 us city-dweller staying on a ranch. [german dial. Dude fool]

Transceiver  n. Combined radio transmitter and receiver.
Brickwork  n. Building or work in brick.

Sen.  Abbr. 1 senior. 2 senator.
Sustenance  n. 1 nourishment, food. 2 means of support. [anglo-french: related to *sustain]
Unchivalrous  adj. Not chivalrous.  unchivalrously adv.
Unprogressive  adj. Not progressive, old-fashioned.


Usage  credible is sometimes confused with credulous.
Underfunded  adj. Provided with insufficient money.





Havoc  n. Widespread destruction; great disorder. [french havo(t)]
Postdate  v. (-ting)  1 give a date later than the actual one to (a document etc.). 2 follow in time.

Talkie  n. Colloq. (esp. Early) film with a soundtrack.
Underfelt  n. Felt laid under a carpet.
Hesitant  adj. Hesitating; irresolute.  hesitance n. Hesitancy n. Hesitantly adv.


Whisk  —v. 1 (foll. By away, off) a brush with a sweeping movement. B take suddenly. 2 whip (cream, eggs, etc.). 3 convey or go (esp. Out of sight) lightly or quickly. 4 wave or lightly brandish. —n. 1 whisking action or motion. 2 utensil for whisking eggs or cream etc. 3 bunch of grass, twigs, bristles, etc., for removing dust or flies. [scandinavian]

Foreland  n. Cape, promontory.
Paucity  n. Smallness of number or quantity. [latin paucus few]
Sway  —v. 1 (cause to) lean or move unsteadily from side to side. 2 oscillate; waver. 3 a control the motion or direction of. B influence; rule over. —n. 1 rule, influence, or government (hold sway). 2 swaying motion. [origin uncertain]
Silverside  n. Upper side of a round of beef.

Accumulation  n. 1 accumulating or being accumulated. 2 accumulated mass. 3 growth of capital by continued interest.  accumulative adj.






Décor  n. Furnishing and decoration of a room, stage set, etc. [french: related to *decorate]






Demonstration  n. 1 (foll. By of) show of feeling etc. 2 (esp. Political) public meeting, march, etc. 3 the exhibiting etc. Of specimens or experiments in esp. Scientific teaching. 4 proof by logic, argument, etc. 5 mil. Display of military force.

Kelp  n. 1 large brown seaweed suitable for manure. 2 its calcined ashes, formerly a source of sodium, potassium, etc. [origin unknown]



Union jack  n. (also union flag) national ensign of the united kingdom.
Cross-fertilize  v. (also -ise) 1 fertilize (an animal or plant) from one of a different species. 2 interchange ideas etc.  cross-fertilization n.
Tea rose  n. Hybrid shrub with a tealike scent.



Platonic  adj. 1 of plato or his ideas. 2 (platonic) (of love or friendship) not sexual.  [greek platon (5th-4th c. Bc), name of a greek philosopher]


Actor  n. Person who acts in a play, film, etc. [latin: related to *act]
Chose  past of *choose.



Woozy  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. 1 dizzy or unsteady. 2 slightly drunk.  woozily adv. Wooziness n. [origin unknown]



Neck  —n. 1 a part of the body connecting the head to the shoulders. B part of a garment round the neck. 2 something resembling a neck; narrow part of a cavity, vessel, or object such as a bottle or violin. 3 length of a horse's head and neck as a measure of its lead in a race. 4 flesh of an animal's neck as food. 5 slang impudence. —v. Colloq. Kiss and caress amorously.  get it in the neck colloq. 1 be severely reprimanded or punished. 2 suffer a severe blow. Up to one's neck (often foll. By in) colloq. Very deeply involved; very busy. [old english]



Et al.  Abbr. And others. [latin et alii]
Totality  n. 1 complete amount. 2 time during which an eclipse is total.
Inferno  n. (pl. -s) 1 raging fire. 2 scene of horror or distress. 3 hell. [italian: related to *infernal]
Poniard  n. Dagger. [french poignard from latin pugnus fist]
Waterfowl  n. (usu. Collect. As pl.) Birds frequenting water.



Lick and a promise  n. Colloq. Hasty performance of a task, esp. Washing oneself.
Spider  n. Eight-legged arthropod of which many species spin webs esp. To capture insects as food. [old english: related to *spin]


Uncapped  adj. Sport (of a player) not yet awarded his cap or never having been selected to represent his country.
Stir2  n. Slang prison. [origin unknown]
Hilltop  n. Top of a hill.

Butter-icing  n. = *butter-cream.
Neddy  n. (pl. -ies) colloq. 1 donkey. 2 (neddy) = *nedc. [pet form of edward]

Animus  n. Animosity, ill feeling. [latin, = spirit, mind]


Tautology  n. (pl. -ies) repetition using different words, esp. As a fault of style (e.g. Arrived one after the other in succession).  tautological adj. Tautologous adj. [greek tauto the same]


Ballerina  n. Female ballet-dancer. [italian: related to *ball2]
Frizzle1  v. (-ling) 1 fry or cook with a sizzling noise. 2 (often foll. By up) burn or shrivel. [obsolete frizz: related to *fry1, with imitative ending]
Operational research  n. The application of scientific principles to business etc. Management.



Effect  —n. 1 result or consequence of an action etc. 2 efficacy (had little effect). 3 impression produced on a spectator, hearer, etc. (lights gave a pretty effect; said it just for effect). 4 (in pl.) Property. 5 (in pl.) Lighting, sound, etc., giving realism to a play, film, etc. 6 physical phenomenon (doppler effect; greenhouse effect). —v. Bring about (a change, cure, etc.).  bring (or carry) into effect accomplish. Give effect to make operative. In effect for practical purposes. Take effect become operative. To the effect that the gist being that. To that effect having that result or implication. With effect from coming into operation at (a stated time). [latin: related to *fact]
Pressurized-water reactor  n. Nuclear reactor with water at high pressure as the coolant.


Drunk  —adj. 1 lacking control from drinking alcohol. 2 (often foll. By with) overcome with joy, success, power, etc. —n. Person who is drunk, esp. Habitually. [past part. Of *drink]
Penitentiary  —n. (pl. -ies) us federal or state prison. —adj. 1 of penance. 2 of reformatory treatment. [latin: related to *penitent]
Nnw  abbr. North-north-west.

Breadboard  n. 1 board for cutting bread on. 2 board for making an experimental model of an electric circuit.
Vital  —adj. 1 of or essential to organic life (vital functions). 2 essential, indispensable (of vital importance). 3 full of life or activity. 4 fatal (vital error). —n. (in pl.) The body's vital organs, e.g. The heart and brain.  vitally adv. [latin vita life]


Introduce  v. (-cing) 1 (foll. By to) make (a person or oneself) known by name to another, esp. Formally. 2 announce or present to an audience. 3 bring (a custom etc.) Into use. 4 bring (legislation) before parliament etc. 5 (foll. By to) initiate (a person) in a subject. 6 insert. 7 bring in; usher in; bring forward. 8 occur just before the start of. 9 put on sale for the first time. introducible adj. [latin duco lead]
Bonanza  n. 1 source of wealth or prosperity. 2 large output (esp. Of a mine). [spanish, = fair weather]
Strange  adj. 1 unusual, peculiar, surprising, eccentric. 2 (often foll. By to) unfamiliar, foreign. 3 (foll. By to) unaccustomed. 4 not at ease.  strangely adv. Strangeness n. [french estrange from latin extraneus]

Squeaky  adj. (-ier, -iest) making a squeaking sound.  squeakily adv. Squeakiness n.
Baker  n. Person who bakes and sells bread, cakes, etc., esp. For a living.


Deflate  v. (-ting) 1 empty (a tyre, balloon, etc.) Of air, gas, etc.; be so emptied. 2 (cause to) lose confidence or conceit. 3 a subject (a currency or economy) to deflation. B pursue this as a policy. [from *de-, *inflate]



Mongoloid  —adj. 1 characteristic of the mongolians, esp. In having a broad flat yellowish face. 2 (mongoloid) often offens. Having the characteristic symptoms of down's syndrome. —n. Mongoloid or mongoloid person.


Bass clef  n. Clef placing f below middle c on the second highest line of the staff.

Aob  abbr. Any other business.


Hound  —n. 1 dog used in hunting. 2 colloq. Despicable man. —v. Harass or pursue. [old english]
Scrap merchant  n. Dealer in scrap.
-lyte  suffix forming nouns denoting substances that can be decomposed (electrolyte). [greek lutos loosened]

Health  n. 1 state of being well in body or mind. 2 person's mental or physical condition. 3 soundness, esp. Financial or moral. [old english: related to *whole]
Cytoplasm  n. Protoplasmic content of a cell apart from its nucleus.  cytoplasmic adj.


Crystal-gazing  n. Supposed foretelling of the future by gazing into a crystal ball.



Complexion  n. 1 natural colour, texture, and appearance of the skin, esp. Of the face. 2 aspect, character (puts a different complexion on the matter). [latin: related to *complex]



Team-mate  n. Fellow-member of a team.

Journalism  n. Profession of writing for or editing newspapers etc.
Hit  —v. (-tt-; past and past part. Hit) 1 a strike with a blow or missile. B (of a moving body) strike with force (the plane hit the ground). C reach (a target etc.) With a directed missile (hit the wicket). 2 cause to suffer; affect adversely. 3 (often foll. By at, against) direct a blow. 4 (often foll. By against, on) knock (a part of the body) (hit his head). 5 achieve, reach (hit the right tone; can't hit the high notes). 6 colloq. A encounter (hit a snag). B arrive at (hit town). C indulge heavily in, esp. Liquor etc. (hit the bottle). 7 esp. Us slang rob or kill. 8 occur forcefully to (it only hit him later). 9 a propel (a ball etc.) With a bat etc. To score runs or points. B score in this way (hit a six). —n. 1 a blow, stroke. B collision. 2 shot etc. That hits its target. 3 colloq. Popular success.  hit back retaliate. Hit below the belt 1 esp.

Courtesan  n. Prostitute, esp. One with wealthy or upper-class clients. [italian: related to *court]


Pixel  n. Any of the minute areas of uniform illumination of which an image on a display screen is composed. [abbreviation of picture element]

Interdisciplinary  adj. Of or between more than one branch of learning.


Digit  n. 1 any numeral from 0 to 9. 2 finger or toe. [latin, = finger, toe]



Mind-read  v. Discern the thoughts of (another person).  mind-reader n.

Intrinsic  adj. Inherent, essential (intrinsic value).  intrinsically adv. [latin intrinsecus inwardly]

Panegyric  n. Eulogy; speech or essay of praise. [greek agora assembly]


Identification  n. 1 identifying. 2 means of identifying (also attrib.: identification card).
Unimportant  adj. Not important.

Et seq.  Abbr. (also et seqq.) And the following (pages etc.). [latin et sequentia]


Wardrobe  n. 1 large cupboard for storing clothes. 2 person's stock of clothes. 3 costume department of a theatre etc. [french]

Snow-blind  adj. Temporarily blinded by the glare from snow.
Bc  abbr. British columbia.


Gob-stopper  n. Large hard sweet.

Mislead  v. (past and past part. -led) cause to infer what is not true; deceive. misleading adj. [old english]


Ontology  n. Branch of metaphysics dealing with the nature of being.  ontological adj. Ontologically adv. Ontologist n. [greek ont- being]
Weighbridge  n. Weighing-machine for vehicles.

Scrolled  adj. Having a scroll ornament.


Hydrogen sulphide  n. Poisonous unpleasant-smelling gas formed by rotting animal matter.

Contrast  —n. 1 a juxtaposition or comparison showing differences. B difference so revealed. 2 (often foll. By to) thing or person having different qualities. 3 degree of difference between the tones in a television picture or photograph. —v. (often foll. By with) 1 set together so as to reveal a contrast. 2 have or show a contrast. [italian from latin sto stand]



Squirm  —v. 1 wriggle, writhe. 2 show or feel embarrassment. —n. Squirming movement. [imitative]

Metrical  adj. 1 of or composed in metre (metrical psalms). 2 of or involving measurement (metrical geometry).  metrically adv. [greek: related to *metre2]


Sedan  n. 1 (in full sedan chair) hist. Enclosed chair for one, carried on poles by two men. 2 us enclosed car with four or more seats. [origin uncertain]

Evens  n.pl. = *even money.
Sulphur dioxide  n. Colourless pungent gas formed by burning sulphur in air and dissolving it in water.

Seventeen  adj. & n. 1 one more than sixteen. 2 symbol for this (17, xvii, xvii). 3 size etc. Denoted by seventeen.  seventeenth adj. & n. [old english]


Firsthand  adj. & adv. From the original source; direct.


Enshroud  v. Literary 1 cover with or as with a shroud. 2 obscure.

Pince-nez  n. (pl. Same) pair of eyeglasses with a nose-clip. [french, = pinch-nose]



Innuendo  n. (pl. -es or -s) allusive remark or hint, usu. Disparaging or with a double meaning. [latin, = by nodding at: related to *in-2, nuo nod]
Notify  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 (often foll. By of or that) inform or give formal notice to (a person). 2 make known.  notification n. [latin notus known]
Pleistocene  geol. —adj. Of the first epoch of the quaternary period. —n. This epoch. [greek pleistos most, kainos new]


Field  —n. 1 area of esp. Cultivated enclosed land. 2 area rich in some natural product (gas field). 3 land for a game etc. (football field). 4 participants in a contest, race, or sport, or all except those specified. 5 cricket a the side fielding. B fielder. 6 expanse of ice, snow, sea, sky, etc. 7 a battlefield. B (attrib.) (of artillery etc.) Light and mobile. 8 area of activity or study (in his own field). 9 physics a region in which a force is effective (gravitational field). B force exerted in this. 10 range of perception (field of view). 11 (attrib.) A (of an animal or plant) wild (field mouse).

Pa  abbr. 1 personal assistant. 2 public address (system).

Chanter  n. Melody-pipe of bagpipes.

Reinforcement  n. 1 reinforcing or being reinforced. 2 thing that reinforces. 3 (in pl.) Reinforcing personnel or equipment etc.



High street  n. Principal shopping street of a town.


Employment office  n. (formerly employment exchange) state-run employment agency.
Tumult  n. 1 uproar or din, esp. Of a disorderly crowd. 2 angry demonstration by a mob; riot. 3 conflict of emotions in the mind. [latin: related to *tumour]




Handsaw  n. Saw worked by one hand.

Wind-up  —n. 1 conclusion; finish. 2 colloq. Attempt to provoke. —attrib. Adj. (of a mechanism) operating by being wound up.
Immanent  adj. 1 (often foll. By in) naturally present, inherent. 2 (of god) omnipresent.  immanence n. [latin: related to *in-2, maneo remain]

Clack  —v. 1 make a sharp sound as of boards struck together. 2 chatter. —n. Clacking noise or talk. [imitative]
Weirdo  n. (pl. -s) colloq. Odd or eccentric person.
Flying fish  n. Tropical fish with winglike fins for gliding through the air.



First person  see *person.



Replace  v. (-cing) 1 put back in place. 2 take the place of; succeed; be substituted for. 3 find or provide a substitute for. 4 (often foll. By with, by) fill up the place of.
Presbytery  n. (pl. -ies) 1 eastern part of a chancel. 2 body of presbyters, esp. A court next above a kirk-session. 3 house of a roman catholic priest.

Putter2  v. (brit. Potter) 1 (often foll. By about, around) work or occupy oneself in a desultory manner. 2 go slowly, dawdle, loiter (pottered up to the pub). [dial. Pote push]

Paraffin wax  n. Paraffin in its solid form.
Essence  n. 1 fundamental nature; inherent characteristics. 2 a extract got by distillation etc. B perfume.  of the essence indispensable. In essence fundamentally. [latin esse be]
Stupor  n. Dazed, torpid, or helplessly amazed state. [latin: related to *stupefy]

Links  n.pl. (treated as sing. Or pl.) Golf-course. [old english, = rising ground]

Startle  v. (-ling) shock or surprise. [old english]

Ague  n. 1 hist. Malarial fever. 2 shivering fit. [latin: related to *acute]
Dinar  n. Chief monetary unit of yugoslavia and several countries of the middle east and n. Africa. [arabic and persian from latin *denarius]

Artless  adj. 1 guileless, ingenuous. 2 natural. 3 clumsy.  artlessly adv.
Undefeated  adj. Not defeated.
Latter-day  attrib. Adj. Modern, contemporary.
Carioca  n. 1 brazilian dance like the samba. 2 music for this. [portuguese]


Mardi gras  n. 1 a shrove tuesday in some catholic countries. B merrymaking on this day. 2 last day of a carnival etc. [french, = fat tuesday]

Barefoot  adj. & adv. (also barefooted) wearing nothing on the feet.
Solitary confinement  n. Isolation in a separate prison cell.

Hansom  n. (in full hansom cab) hist. Two-wheeled horse-drawn cab. [hansom, name of an architect]
Semiquaver  n. Mus. Note equal to half a quaver.
Quadraphonic  adj. (of sound reproduction) using four transmission channels.  quadraphonically adv. Quadraphonics n.pl. [from *quadri-, *stereophonic]
Pap1  n. 1 soft or semi-liquid food for infants or invalids. 2 light or trivial reading matter. [low german or dutch]


Refrangible  adj. That can be refracted. [latin: related to *refract]
Typeface  n. Printing 1 inked surface of type. 2 set of characters in one design.
Poorly  —adv. In a poor manner, badly. —predic. Adj. Unwell.

Boomerang  —n. 1 flat v-shaped hardwood missile used esp. By australian aboriginals, able to return to its thrower. 2 plan that recoils on its originator. —v. (of a plan etc.) Backfire. [aboriginal]

Supermarket  n. Large self-service store selling food, household goods, etc.

Blithering  attrib. Adj. Colloq. Hopeless; contemptible (esp. In blithering idiot). [blither, var. Of *blather]


Bloody  —adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 of, like, running with, or smeared with blood. 2 a involving bloodshed. B bloodthirsty, cruel. 3 coarse slang expressing annoyance or antipathy, or as an intensifier (bloody fool; a bloody sight better). 4 red. —adv. Coarse slang as an intensifier (bloody awful). —v. (-ies, -ied) stain with blood.

Bituminous coal  n. Coal burning with a smoky flame.

Minim  n. 1 mus. Note equal to two crotchets or half a semibreve. 2 one-sixtieth of a fluid drachm, about a drop. [latin minimus least]
Devolve  v. (-ving) 1 (foll. By on, upon, etc.) Pass (work or duties) or be passed to (a deputy etc.). 2 (foll. By on, to, upon) (of property etc.) Descend to.  devolvement n. [latin volvo volut- roll]
Legate  n. Ambassador of the pope. [latin lego depute]
Melt  v. 1 become liquefied or change to liquid by the action of heat; dissolve. 2 (as molten adj.) (esp. Of metals etc.) Liquefied by heat (molten lava; molten lead). 3 (of food) be delicious, seeming to dissolve in the mouth. 4 soften, or (of a person, the heart, etc.) Be softened, by pity, love, etc. (a melting look). 5 (usu. Foll. By into) merge imperceptibly; change into (night melted into dawn). 6 (often foll. By away) (of a person) leave or disappear unobtrusively (melted into the background).  melt away disappear by or as if by liquefaction. Melt down 1 melt (esp. Metal) for reuse. 2 become liquid and lose structure. [old english]

Proposition  —n. 1 statement, assertion. 2 scheme proposed, proposal. 3 logic statement subject to proof or disproof. 4 colloq. Problem, opponent, prospect, etc. For consideration (difficult proposition). 5 math. Formal statement of a theorem or problem, often including the demonstration. 6 a likely commercial etc. Enterprise etc. B person regarded similarly. 7 colloq. Sexual proposal. —v. Colloq. Make a (esp







Sideshow  n. 1 small show or stall in an exhibition, fair, etc. 2 minor incident or issue.
Curate's egg  n. Thing that is good in parts.



Lordly  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 haughty, imperious. 2 suitable for a lord.  lordliness n.
Space shuttle  n. Spacecraft for repeated use, esp. Between the earth and a space station.
Chervil  n. Herb used for flavouring. [greek khairephullon]
Launder  v. 1 wash and iron (clothes etc.). 2 colloq. Transfer (funds) to conceal their origin. [french: related to *lave]



Crux  n. (pl. Cruxes or cruces) decisive point at issue. [latin, = cross]



Welsh  —adj. Of or relating to wales or its people or language. —n. 1 the celtic language of wales. 2 (prec. By the; treated as pl.) The people of wales. [old english, ultimately from latin volcae, name of a celtic people]
Self-effacing  adj. Retiring; modest.  self-effacement n.
Sticky wicket  n. Colloq. Difficult circumstances.

Aquarelle  n. Painting in thin usu. Transparent water-colours. [french from italian]
Hell-hole  n. Oppressive or unbearable place.
Spit and polish  n. Colloq. Esp. Military cleaning and polishing.
Chase2  v. (-sing) emboss or engrave (metal). [french: related to *case2]
Unsaid  adj. Not uttered or expressed (left it unsaid).
Hyperventilation  n. Abnormally rapid breathing.  hyperventilate v. (-ting).
Impede  v. (-ding) obstruct; hinder. [latin impedio from pes ped- foot]

Immigrate  v. Come into a country and settle.  immigration n. [related to *in-2, *migrate]
Kitty1  n. (pl. -ies) 1 fund of money for communal use. 2 pool in some card-games. [origin unknown]

Hobson's choice  n. Choice of taking the thing offered or nothing. [hobson, name of a carrier who let out horses thus]
Glissando  n. (pl. -di or -s) mus. Continuous slide of adjacent notes. [french glissant sliding: related to *glissade]

Seedling  n. Young plant raised from seed rather than from a cutting etc.

Postal code  n. = *postcode.
Golf club  n. 1 club used in golf. 2 association for playing golf. 3 premises of this.
Brush-up  n. Act of brushing up.

Filbert  n. 1 the cultivated hazel with edible nuts. 2 this nut. [anglo-french, because ripe about st philibert's day]
Fjord  var. Of *fiord.

Éminence grise  n. (pl. Éminences grises pronunc. Same) person who exercises power or influence without holding office. [french, = grey cardinal (orig. Of richelieu's secretary)]
Wheat  n. 1 cereal plant bearing dense four-sided seed-spikes. 2 its grain, used in making flour etc. [old english]


Boxing  n. Fighting with the fists, esp. As a sport.
Vegetarian  —n. Person who does not eat meat or fish. —adj. Excluding animal food, esp. Meat (vegetarian diet).  vegetarianism n. [from *vegetable]

Milliard  n. One thousand million. [french mille thousand]



Bung  —n. Stopper, esp. For a cask. —v. 1 stop with a bung. 2 slang throw.  bunged up blocked up. [dutch]
Poxy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 infected by pox. 2 slang of poor quality; worthless.

Furry  adj. (-ier, -iest) like or covered with fur.
Sinuous  adj. Having many curves; undulating.  sinuosity n. [latin: related to *sinus]
Glory  —n. (pl. -ies) 1 renown, fame; honour. 2 adoring praise. 3 resplendent majesty, beauty, etc. 4 thing that brings renown, distinction, or pride. 5 heavenly bliss and splendour. 6 colloq. State of exaltation, prosperity, etc. 7 halo of a saint etc. —v. (-ies, -ied) (often foll. By in) pride oneself. [latin gloria]


King of beasts  n. Lion.
Employ  —v. 1 use the services of (a person) in return for payment. 2 use (a thing, time, energy, etc.) To good effect. 3 keep (a person) occupied. —n. (in phr. In the employ of) employed by.  employable adj. Employer n. [latin implicor be involved]

Apartheid  n. (esp. In s. Africa) racial segregation or discrimination. [afrikaans]

Spectacled  adj. Wearing spectacles.

Coequal  adj. & n. Archaic or literary equal.

Gros point  n. Cross-stitch embroidery on canvas. [french: related to *gross, *point]

Stokehold  n. Compartment in a steamship containing its boilers and furnace.
Palette  n. 1 artist's thin board or slab for laying and mixing colours on. 2 range of colours used by an artist. [french from latin pala spade]

Lord  —n. 1 master or ruler. 2 hist. Feudal superior, esp. Of a manor. 3 peer of the realm or person with the title lord. 4 (lord) (often prec. By the) god or christ. 5 (lord) a prefixed as the designation of a marquis, earl, viscount, or baron, or (to the christian name) of the younger son of a duke or marquis. B (the lords) = *house of lords. —int. (lord, good lord, etc.) Expressing surprise, dismay, etc.  lord it over domineer. [old english, = bread-keeper: related to *loaf1, *ward]
Density  n. (pl. -ies) 1 denseness of thing(s) or a substance. 2 physics degree of consistency measured by the quantity of mass per unit volume. 3 opacity of a photographic image.
Green tea  n. Tea made from steam-dried leaves.



Archdiocese  n. Diocese of an archbishop.  archdiocesan adj.


Red cell  n. (also red corpuscle) erythrocyte.

Maraschino  n. (pl. -s) sweet liqueur made from black cherries. [italian]
Orangeade  n. Orange-flavoured, usu. Fizzy, drink.
Worn  past part. Of *wear. —adj. 1 damaged by use or wear. 2 looking tired and exhausted.
Judo  n. Sport derived from ju-jitsu. [japanese, = gentle way]

Heartache  n. Mental anguish.
Communicant  n. 1 person who receives holy communion. 2 person who imparts information. [related to *communicate]

-maniac  comb. Form forming adjectives and nouns meaning ‘affected with -mania’ or ‘a person affected with -mania’ (nymphomaniac).
Hunter's moon  n. Next full moon after the harvest moon.
Rood-screen  n. Carved screen separating nave and chancel.




Reshuffle  —v. (-ling) 1 shuffle (cards) again. 2 change the posts of (government ministers etc.). —n. Act of reshuffling.


Critique  n. Critical analysis. [french: related to *critic]


Frisbee  n. Propr. Concave plastic disc for skimming through the air as an outdoor game. [perhaps from frisbie bakery pie-tins]
Bombay duck  n. Dried fish as a relish, esp. With curry. [corruption of bombil, native name of fish]

Sillabub  var. Of *syllabub.
Misericord  n. Projection under a choir stall seat serving (when the seat is turned up) to support a person standing. [latin misericordia pity]
Evict  v. Expel (a tenant etc.) By legal process.  eviction n. [latin evinco evict- conquer]
Multinational  —adj. 1 operating in several countries. 2 of several nationalities. —n. Multinational company.
Pandemic  adj. (of a disease etc.) Widespread; universal. [greek demos people]


Metastasis  n. (pl. -stases) transference of a bodily function, disease, etc., from one part or organ to another. [greek, = removal]
Triple  —adj. 1 consisting of three usu. Equal parts or things; threefold. 2 involving three parties. 3 three times as much or many. —n. 1 threefold number or amount. 2 set of three. —v. (-ling) multiply by three.  triply adv. [latin triplus from greek]




Contractual  adj. Of or in the nature of a contract.  contractually adv.


Odometer  n. Us = *milometer. [greek hodos way]
Franchise  —n. 1 right to vote in state elections. 2 full membership of a corporation or state; citizenship. 3 authorization to sell a company's goods etc. In a particular area. 4 right or privilege granted to a person or corporation. —v. (-sing) grant a franchise to. [french franc *frank]

Snowplough  n. (us snowplow) device or vehicle for clearing roads of thick snow.
Maim  v. Cripple, disable, mutilate. [french mahaignier]

I2  pron. (obj. Me; poss. My, mine; pl. We) used by a speaker or writer to refer to himself or herself. [old english]

Smorgasbord  n. Various esp. Savoury dishes as hors d'œuvres or a buffet meal. [swedish]
Jelly  —n. (pl. -ies) 1 a (usu. Fruit-flavoured) translucent dessert set with gelatin. B similar preparation as a jam, condiment, or sweet (redcurrant jelly). C similar preparation from meat, bones, etc., and gelatin (marrowbone jelly). 2 any similar substance. 3 slang gelignite. —v. (-ies, -ied) (cause to) set as or in a jelly, congeal (jellied eels).  jelly-like adj. [french gelée from latin gelo freeze]


Ascendancy  n. (often foll. By over) dominant power or control.





Audio  n. (usu. Attrib.) Sound or its reproduction. [latin audio hear]
Stay-at-home  —attrib. Adj. Rarely going out. —n. Such a person.
Convalesce  v. (-cing) recover health after illness. [latin valeo be well]


Regretful  adj. Feeling or showing regret.  regretfully adv.

Country  n. (pl. -ies) 1 territory of a nation; state. 2 (often attrib.) Rural districts as opposed to towns or the capital. 3 land of a person's birth or citizenship. 4 region with regard to its aspect, associations, etc. (mountainous country; hardy country). 5 national population, esp. As voters. [medieval latin contrata (terra) (land) lying opposite]
Autarchy  n. Absolute rule; despotism. [greek autos self, arkhe rule]

Facer  n. Colloq. Sudden difficulty.




Terrarium  n. (pl. -s or -ria) 1 place for keeping small land animals. 2 sealed transparent globe etc. Containing growing plants. [latin terra earth, after aquarium]


Excerpt  —n. Short extract from a book, film, etc. —v. (also absol.) Take excerpts from.  excerption n. [latin carpo pluck]
Co  symb. Cobalt.






Lymph  n. 1 colourless fluid from the tissues of the body, containing white blood cells. 2 this fluid used as a vaccine. [latin lympha]



Resolution  n. 1 resolute temper or character. 2 thing resolved on; intention. 3 formal expression of opinion or intention by a legislative body or public meeting. 4 (usu. Foll. By of) solving of a doubt, problem, or question. 5 separation into components. 6 (foll.




Cicerone  n. (pl. -roni pronunc. Same) person who guides sightseers. [latin cicero, name of a roman statesman]


Crossover  —n. 1 point or place of crossing. 2 process of crossing over, esp. From one style or genre to another. —attrib. Adj. That crosses over, esp. From one style or genre to another.
Spring chicken  n. 1 young fowl for eating. 2 youthful person.



Double-edged  adj. 1 presenting both a danger and an advantage. 2 (of a knife etc.) Having two cutting-edges.



Stave  —n. 1 each of the curved slats forming the sides of a cask, pail, etc. 2 = *staff n. 3. 3 stanza or verse. —v. (-ving; past and past part. Stove or staved) (usu. Foll. By in) break a hole in, damage, crush by forcing inwards.  stave off avert or defer (danger etc.). [from *staff]
Psychosomatic  adj. 1 (of a bodily disorder) mental, not physical, in origin. 2 of the mind and body together.
Entice  v. (-cing) attract by the offer of pleasure or reward.  enticement n. Enticing adj. Enticingly adv. [french enticier probably from romanic]


Squeegee  n. Rubber-edged implement on a handle, for cleaning windows etc. [squeege, alteration of *squeeze]

Thriftless  adj. Wasteful.
Ventilator  n. 1 appliance or aperture for ventilating a room etc. 2 med. = *respirator 2.
Occupant  n. Person who occupies, esp. Lives in, a place etc.  occupancy n. (pl. -ies). [latin: related to *occupy]
Occasional table  n. Small table for use as required.
Fatality  n. (pl. -ies) 1 death by accident or in war etc. 2 fatal influence. 3 predestined liability to disaster.
Indefinite article  n. Word (e.g. A, an in english) preceding a noun and implying ‘any of several’.
Placket  n. 1 opening or slit in a garment, for fastenings or access to a pocket. 2 flap of fabric under this. [var. Of *placard]


Devise  v. (-sing) 1 carefully plan or invent. 2 law leave (real estate) by will. [latin: related to *divide]
Unjustifiable  adj. Not justifiable.  unjustifiably adv.
Estuary  n. (pl. -ies) wide tidal river mouth. [latin aestus tide]
Ragtime  n. Form of highly syncopated early jazz, esp. For the piano.
Heifer  n. Young cow, esp. One that has not had more than one calf. [old english]

Investigate  v. (-ting) 1 inquire into; examine. 2 make a systematic inquiry.  investigation n. Investigative adj. Investigator n. Investigatory adj. [latin vestigo track]
Calm  —adj. 1 tranquil, quiet, windless. 2 serene; not agitated. —n. Calm condition or period. —v. (often foll. By down) make or become calm.  calmly adv. Calmness n. [greek kauma heat]
Barbican  n. Outer defence, esp. A double tower above a gate or drawbridge. [french]
Leg before  —adj. & adv. (in full leg before wicket) cricket (of a batsman) out because of stopping the ball, other than with the bat or hand, which would otherwise have hit the wicket. —n. Such a dismissal.
Transept  n. 1 part of a cross-shaped church at right angles to the nave. 2 either arm of this. [latin: related to *septum]
Offcut  n. Remnant of timber, paper, etc., after cutting.

Archaeopteryx  n. Fossil bird with teeth, feathers, and a reptilian tail. [greek arkhaios ancient, pterux wing]






Radial  —adj. 1 of or in rays. 2 a arranged like rays or radii. B having spokes or radiating lines. C acting or moving along lines diverging from a centre. 3 (in full radial-ply) (of a tyre) having fabric layers arranged radially and the tread strengthened. —n. Radial-ply tyre.  radially adv. [medieval latin: related to *radius]



Calvados  n. Apple brandy. [calvados in france]
Stilted  adj. 1 (of literary style etc.) Stiff and unnatural; bombastic. 2 standing on stilts.
Upbeat  —n. Unaccented beat in music. —adj. Colloq. Optimistic, cheerful.
Retold  past and past part. Of *retell.
Dullard  n. Stupid person.


Coda  n. 1 mus. Final additional passage of a piece or movement. 2 concluding section of a ballet. [latin cauda tail]





Whalebone  n. Elastic horny substance in the upper jaw of some whales.


Age of consent  n. Age at which consent to sexual intercourse is valid in law.
Liquid  —adj. 1 having a consistency like that of water or oil, flowing freely but of constant volume. 2 having the qualities of water in appearance. 3 (of sounds) clear and pure. 4 (of assets) easily converted into cash. —n. 1 liquid substance. 2 phonet. Sound of l or r. [latin liqueo be liquid]



Kidney bean  n. Red-skinned dried bean.
-ment  suffix 1 forming nouns expressing the means or result of verbal action (abridgement; embankment). 2 forming nouns from adjectives (merriment; oddment). [latin -mentum]
Paddock  n. 1 small field, esp. For keeping horses in. 2 turf enclosure at a racecourse for horses or cars. [parrock, var. Of *park]
Riesling  n. 1 a kind of grape. 2 white wine made from this. [german]



Ouzo  n. (pl. -s) greek aniseed-flavoured spirit. [greek]
Clipper  n. 1 (usu. In pl.) Instrument for clipping hair etc. 2 hist. Fast sailing-ship.


Triple crown  n. Winning of all three of a group of sporting events, esp. In rugby.
Klaxon  n. Propr. Horn or warning hooter. [name of the manufacturer]

Eggshell  —n. Shell of an egg. —adj. 1 (of china) thin and fragile. 2 (of paint) with a slight gloss.
Defensive  adj. 1 done or intended for defence. 2 over-reacting to criticism.  on the defensive 1 expecting criticism. 2 mil ready to defend.  defensively adv. Defensiveness n. [medieval latin: related to *defend]

Caerphilly  n. A kind of mild white cheese. [caerphilly in wales]

Hard-working  adj. Diligent.




Irreplaceable  adj. That cannot be replaced.

Pigswill  n. Kitchen refuse and scraps fed to pigs.
Unsympathetic  adj. Not sympathetic.  unsympathetically adv.


Arthritis  n. Inflammation of a joint or joints.  arthritic adj. & n. [greek arthron joint]
Ardent  adj. 1 eager, fervent, passionate. 2 burning.  ardently adv. [latin ardeo burn]


Quarter-light  n.  Small pivoted window in the side of a car, carriage, etc.


Garner  —v. 1 collect. 2 store. —n. Literary storehouse or granary. [latin: related to *granary]
Romanticize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 make romantic; exaggerate (romanticized account). 2 indulge in romantic thoughts or actions.
Disappear  v. 1 cease to be visible. 2 cease to exist or be in circulation or use. 3 (of a person) go missing.  disappearance n.
Cardigan  n. Knitted jacket. [earl of cardigan]
Decretal  n. Papal decree. [latin: related to *decree]
Bungalow  n. One-storeyed house. [gujarati, = of bengal]
Hnd  abbr. Higher national diploma.


Coelenterate  n. Marine animal with a simple tube-shaped or cup-shaped body, e.g. Jellyfish, corals, and sea anemones. [greek koilos hollow, enteron intestine]
Garden centre  n. Place where plants and garden equipment are sold.
Dacha  n. Russian country cottage. [russian]
Choirboy  n. (fem. Choirgirl) boy singer in a church choir.
Silent  adj. Not speaking; not making or accompanied by any sound.  silently adv. [latin sileo be silent]
Forepaw  n. Front paw of an animal.





Magnanimous  adj. Nobly generous; not petty in feelings or conduct.  magnanimity n. Magnanimously adv.  [latin magnus great, animus mind]
Nitre  n. (us niter) saltpetre. [greek nitron]
Quincunx  n. Five objects, esp. Trees, at the corners and centre of a square or rectangle. [latin, = five-twelfths]
Water polo  n. Game played by swimmers, with a ball like a football.

Border collie  n. Sheepdog of the north country.
Slap  —v. (-pp-) 1 strike with the palm or a flat object, or so as to make a similar noise. 2 lay forcefully (slapped it down). 3 put hastily or carelessly (slap paint on). 4 (often foll. By down) colloq. Reprimand or snub. —n. 1 blow with the palm or a flat object. 2 slapping sound. —adv. Suddenly, fully, directly (ran slap into him). [low german, imitative]
Weaken  v. Make or become weak or weaker.
Young person  n. Law person aged between 14 and 17 years.
Audio frequency  n. Frequency able to be perceived by the human ear.
Coupé  n. (us coupe) car with a hard roof, two doors, and usu. A sloping rear. [french couper cut]

Uncontroversial  adj. Not controversial.




Tome  n. Heavy book or volume. [greek temno cut]


Initiative  n. 1 ability to initiate things; enterprise (lacks initiative). 2 first step. 3 (prec. By the) power or right to begin.  have the initiative esp. Mil. Be able to control the enemy's movements. [french: related to *initiate]

Comedy of manners  n. Satirical play portraying the social behaviour of the upper classes.
Probate  n. 1 official proving of a will. 2 verified copy of a will with a certificate as handed to executors. [latin probo *prove]
Unadventurous  adj. Not adventurous.
Bronchus  n. (pl. -chi) either of the two main divisions of the windpipe. [latin from greek]

Vagabond  —n. Wanderer, esp. An idle one. —attrib. Adj. Wandering, roving.  vagabondage n. [latin vagor wander]

Mustache  n. (brit. Moustache) hair left to grow on a man's upper lip. [greek mustax]
Juggernaut  n. 1 large heavy lorry etc. 2 overwhelming force or object. [hindi jagannath, = lord of the world]
Inherit  v. (-t-) 1 receive (property, rank, title, etc.) By legal succession. 2 derive (a characteristic) from one's ancestors. 3 derive (a situation etc.) From a predecessor.  inheritable adj. Inheritor n. [latin heres heir]
Scorch  —v. 1 burn or discolour the surface of with dry heat. 2 become so discoloured etc. 3 (as scorching adj.) Colloq. A (of the weather) very hot. B (of criticism etc.) Stringent; harsh. —n. Mark made by scorching. [origin unknown]
Chase1  —v. (-sing) 1 run after; pursue. 2 (foll. By from, out of, to, etc.) Force to run away or flee. 3 a (foll. By after) hurry in pursuit of. B (foll. By round etc.) Colloq. Act or move about hurriedly. 4 (usu. Foll. By up) colloq. Pursue (a thing overdue). 5 colloq. A try to attain. B court persistently. —n. 1 pursuit. 2 unenclosed hunting-land. 3 (prec. By the) hunting, esp. As a sport. [latin capto: related to *catch]

Divest  v. (usu. Foll. By of) 1 unclothe; strip. 2 deprive, rid. [latin: related to *vest]
Summer-house  n. Light building in a garden etc. For sitting in in fine weather.

Abominate  v. (-ting) detest, loathe.  abomination n. [latin: related to *abominable]
High-flown  adj. (of language etc.) Extravagant, bombastic.
Pakistani  —n. (pl. -s) 1 native or national of pakistan. 2 person of pakistani descent. —adj. Of pakistan.
Cowrie  n. 1 tropical mollusc with a bright shell. 2 its shell as money in parts of africa and s. Asia. [urdu and hindi]
Fabricate  v. (-ting) 1 construct, esp. From components. 2 invent (a story etc.). 3 forge (a document).  fabrication n. Fabricator n. [latin: related to *fabric]






Scullion  n. Archaic 1 cook's boy. 2 person who washes dishes etc. [origin unknown]


Personnel department  n. Part of an organization concerned with the appointment, training, and welfare of employees.
Naturalist  n. 1 person who studies natural history. 2 adherent of naturalism.
Casualty  n. (pl. -ies) 1 person killed or injured in a war or accident. 2 thing lost or destroyed. 3 = *casualty department. 4 accident, mishap. [medieval latin: related to *casual]


Grand mal  n. Serious form of epilepsy with loss of consciousness. [french, = great sickness]

Whimper  —v. Make feeble, querulous, or frightened sounds. —n. Such a sound. [imitative]

Commemorate  v. (-ting) 1 preserve in memory by a celebration or ceremony. 2 be a memorial of.  commemoration n. Commemorative adj. [latin: related to *memory]

Plinth  n. 1 lower square slab at the base of a column. 2 base supporting a vase or statue etc. [greek, = tile]


Trooper  n. 1 private soldier in a cavalry or armoured unit. 2 austral. & us mounted or state police officer. 3 cavalry horse. 4 troop-ship.
Unfertilized  adj. (also -ised) not fertilized.
Action stations  n.pl. Positions taken up by troops etc. Ready for battle.
Bulk buying  n. Buying in quantity at a discount.



Gorgonzola  n. Type of rich cheese with bluish-green veins. [gorgonzola in italy]
Specter  n. (brit. Spectre) 1 ghost. 2 haunting presentiment (spectre of war). [latin spectrum from specio look]
Self-critical  adj. Critical of oneself, one's abilities, etc.  self-criticism n.


Mitt  n. 1 (also mitten) glove with only two compartments, one for the thumb and the other for all four fingers. 2 glove leaving the fingers and thumb-tip exposed. 3 slang hand or fist. 4  baseball glove. [latin: related to *moiety]
Petiole  n. Slender stalk joining a leaf to a stem. [french from latin]

Hardihood  n. Boldness, daring.
Mortar  —n. 1 mixture of lime or cement, sand, and water, for bonding bricks or stones. 2 short large-bore cannon for firing shells at high angles. 3 vessel in which ingredients are pounded with a pestle. —v. 1 plaster or join with mortar. 2 bombard with mortar shells. [latin mortarium]
Birch  —n. 1 tree with pale hard wood and thin peeling bark, bearing catkins. 2 bundle of birch twigs used for flogging. —v. Beat with a birch. [old english]
Useful  adj. 1 that can be used to advantage; helpful; beneficial. 2 colloq. Creditable, efficient (useful footballer).  make oneself useful help.  usefully adv. Usefulness n.


Duel  —n. 1 armed contest between two people, usu. To the death. 2 two-sided contest. —v. (-ll-; us -l-) fight a duel.  duellist n. [latin duellum war]
Hector  —v. Bully, intimidate. —n. Bully. [from the name hector in the iliad]
Resigned  adj. 1 (often foll. By to) having resigned oneself; resolved to endure. 2 indicative of this  resignedly adv.
Highly-strung  adj. Very sensitive or nervous.

Persimmon  n. 1 tropical evergreen tree. 2 its edible tomato-like fruit. [algonquian]



Jade2  n. 1 inferior or worn-out horse. 2 derog. Disreputable woman. [origin unknown]


Crosswise  adj. & adv. 1 in the form of a cross; intersecting. 2 diagonal or diagonally.

Pommy  n. (also pommie) (pl. -ies) austral. & nz slang offens. British person, esp. A recent immigrant. [origin uncertain]
Frying-pan  n. Shallow pan used in frying.  out of the frying-pan into the fire from a bad situation to a worse one.
Supreme court  n. Highest judicial court in a state etc.

Seagoing  adj. (of ships) fit for crossing the sea.
Footlights  n.pl. Row of floor-level lights at the front of a stage.
Easel  n. Stand for an artist's work, a blackboard, etc. [dutch ezel ass]
Convoke  v. (-king) formal call together; summon to assemble. [latin voco call]

Bronchial  adj. Of the bronchi (see *bronchus) or of the smaller tubes into which they divide.
Turbulent  adj. 1 disturbed; in commotion. 2 (of a flow of air etc.) Varying irregularly. 3 restless; riotous.  turbulence n. Turbulently adv. [latin turba crowd]

Po  symb. Polonium.







Self-regulating  adj. Regulating oneself or itself without intervention.  self-regulation n. Self-regulatory adj.
Habeas corpus  n. Writ requiring a person to be brought before a judge or into court, esp. To investigate the lawfulness of his or her detention. [latin, = you must have the body]
His  poss. Pron. 1 (attrib.) Of or belonging to him or himself (his house; his own business). 2 the one or ones belonging to or associated with him (it is his; his are over there).  of his of or belonging to him (friend of his). [old english, genitive of *he]

Tonal  adj. Of or relating to tone or tonality.  tonally adv. [medieval latin: related to *tone]
Willow-herb  n. Plant with leaves like a willow.
Cubical  adj. Cube-shaped.
Moldy  adj. (brit. Mouldy) (-ier, -iest) 1 covered with mould. 2 stale; out of date. 3 colloq. Dull, miserable.  mouldiness n.
Hidden  past part. Of *hide1.

Facile  adj. Usu. Derog. 1 easily achieved but of little value. 2 glib, fluent. [latin facio do]

Cakewalk  n. 1 obsolete american black dance. 2 colloq. Easy task. 3 fairground entertainment consisting of a promenade moved by machinery.


Po-faced  adj. 1 solemn-faced, humourless. 2 smug. [perhaps from *po, influenced by poker-faced]
Antipope  n. Pope set up in opposition to one chosen by canon law.


Buster  n. Esp. Us slang mate; fellow. [from *bust2]

Ursa minor  n. = little bear (see *bear2). [latin]
Offspring  n. (pl. Same) 1 person's child, children, or descendants. 2 animal's young or descendants. 3 result. [old english: see *off, *spring]
Unaccomplished  adj. 1 uncompleted. 2 lacking accomplishments.
Petri dish  n. Shallow covered dish used for the culture of bacteria etc. [petri, name of a bacteriologist]
Ruling  n. Authoritative pronouncement.
Free kick  n. Kick granted in football as a minor penalty.
Refuse1  v. (-sing) 1 withhold acceptance of or consent to (refuse an offer, orders). 2 (often foll. By to + infin.) Indicate unwillingness or inability (i refuse to go; car refuses to start; i refuse!). 3 (often with double object) not grant (a request) made by (a person). 4 (also absol.) (of a horse) be unwilling to jump (a fence etc.). [french refuser]

Magnifying glass  n. Lens used to magnify.

Mud-flat  n. Stretch of muddy land uncovered at low tide.
Roan  —adj. (of esp. A horse) having a coat thickly interspersed with hairs of another colour. —n. Roan animal. [french]
Unequalled  adj. (us -aled) superior to all others.
Focal distance  n. (also focal length) distance between the centre of a mirror or lens and its focus.
Cash dispenser  n. Automatic machine for the withdrawal of cash, esp. With a cashcard.
Skimmia  n. Evergreen shrub with red berries. [japanese]
Carvery  n. (pl. -ies) buffet or restaurant with joints displayed for carving.





Sinus  n. Cavity of bone or tissue, esp. In the skull connecting with the nostrils. [latin, = bosom, recess]
Whatever  adj. & pron. 1 = *what (in relative uses) with the emphasis on indefiniteness (lend me whatever you can; whatever money you have). 2 though anything (we are safe whatever happens). 3 (with neg. Or interrog.) At all; of any kind (there is no doubt whatever).
Presidency  n. (pl. -ies) 1 office of president. 2 period of this.
Teaspoon  n. 1 small spoon for stirring tea. 2 amount held by this.  teaspoonful n. (pl. -s).
Jamb  n. Side post or side face of a doorway, window, or fireplace. [french jambe leg, from latin]
Radiocarbon  n. Radioactive isotope of carbon.
Pentateuch  n. First five books of the old testament. [greek teukhos book]
Has  3rd sing. Present of *have.
Junk mail  n. Unsolicited advertising matter sent by post.
Empathize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) (usu. Foll. By with) exercise empathy.



Freehold  —n. 1 complete ownership of property for an unlimited period. 2 such land or property. —adj. Owned thus.  freeholder n.
Extraordinary  adj. 1 unusual or remarkable. 2 unusually great. 3 (of a meeting, official, etc.) Additional; specially employed.  extraordinarily adv. [latin]


Computer science  n. The study of the principles and use of computers.

Americanism  n. Word etc. Of us origin or usage.
Ice bucket  n. Bucket holding ice, used to chill wine.
Ten  adj. & n. 1 one more than nine. 2 symbol for this (10, x, x). 3 size etc. Denoted by ten. 4 ten o'clock.  ten to one very probably. [old english]
Indoor  adj. Of, done, or for use in a building or under cover.
Mollusc  n. (us mollusk) invertebrate with a soft body and usu. A hard shell, e.g. Snails and oysters. [latin molluscus soft]
Hymn  —n. 1 song of esp. Christian praise. 2 crusading theme (hymn of freedom). —v. Praise or celebrate in hymns. [greek humnos]

Weal1  —n. Ridge raised on the flesh by a stroke of a rod or whip. —v. Mark with a weal. [var. Of *wale]

Demob  colloq. —v. (-bb-) demobilize. —n. Demobilization. [abbreviation]

Spruce2  n. 1 conifer with dense conical foliage. 2 its wood. [obsolete pruce prussia]


Bulldozer  n. Powerful tractor with a broad vertical blade at the front for clearing ground.



Minimum wage  n. Lowest wage permitted by law or agreement.

Pastel  n. 1 (often attrib.) Light shade of a colour (pastel blue). 2 crayon of powdered pigments bound with a gum solution. 3 drawing in pastel. [french pastel, or italian pastello diminutive of *pasta]


Turpentine  n. Resin from any of various trees. [latin terebinthinia]
Derail  v. (usu. In passive) cause (a train etc.) To leave the rails.  derailment n. [french: related to *rail1]


O'clock  adv. Of the clock (used to specify the hour) (6 o'clock).






Plunger  n. 1 part of a mechanism that works with a plunging or thrusting movement. 2 rubber cup on a handle for clearing blocked pipes by a plunging and sucking action.

Tugboat  n. = *tug n. 3.

Yarborough  n. Whist or bridge hand with no card above a 9. [earl of yarborough, said to have betted against it]
Complementary medicine  n. Alternative medicine.


Forego  var. Of *forgo.


Crusty  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 having a crisp crust. 2 irritable, curt.  crustily adv. Crustiness n.


Mite1  n. Small arachnid, esp. Of a kind found in cheese etc. [old english]
Usage  the cse examination was replaced in 1988 by gcse.


Jehovah's witness  n. Member of a millenarian christian sect rejecting the supremacy of the state and religious institutions over personal conscience, faith, etc.



Equivocal  adj. 1 of double or doubtful meaning. 2 of uncertain nature. 3 (of a person etc.) Questionable.  equivocally adv. [latin voco call]









Intimate1  —adj. 1 closely acquainted; familiar (intimate friend). 2 private and personal. 3 (usu. Foll. By with) having sexual relations. 4 (of knowledge) detailed, thorough. 5 (of a relationship between things) close. —n. Close friend.  intimately adv. [latin intimus inmost]
Afro  —adj. (of hair) tightly-curled and bushy. —n. (pl. -s) afro hairstyle.
Discover  v. 1 a find out or become aware of, by intention or chance. B be first to find or find out (who discovered america?). 2 find and promote as a new performer.  discoverer n. [latin discooperio: related to *dis-, *cover]
Spreadsheet  n. Computer program for the manipulation and retrieval of esp. Tabulated figures, esp. For accounting.






Loess  n. Deposit of fine wind-blown soil, esp. In the basins of large rivers. [swiss german, = loose]

Tera-  comb. Form denoting a factor of 1012. [greek teras monster]
Malted milk  n. Drink made from dried milk and extract of malt.
Scrummage  n. Rugby massed forwards on each side pushing to gain possession of the ball thrown on the ground between them. [related to *scrimmage]





Septic tank  n. Tank in which sewage is disintegrated through bacterial activity.
 

Undertaker  n. Professional funeral organizer.
Blue whale  n. Rorqual, the largest known living mammal.

-ectomy  comb. Form denoting the surgical removal of part of the body (appendectomy). [greek ektome excision]
Hip4  adj. (also hep) (-pper, -ppest) slang trendy, stylish. [origin unknown]

Ecliptic  n. Sun's apparent path among the stars during the year.
Trowel  n. 1 small flat-bladed tool for spreading mortar etc. 2 scoop for lifting small plants or earth. [latin trulla]

Golf-course  n. (also golf-links) course on which golf is played.

Parking-ticket  n. Notice of a penalty imposed for parking illegally.


Hallal  var. Of *halal.
Heritage  n. 1 what is or may be inherited. 2 inherited circumstances, benefits, etc. 3 a nation's historic buildings, monuments, countryside, etc., esp. When regarded as worthy of preservation.

Club  —n. 1 heavy stick with a thick end, esp. As a weapon. 2 stick with a head used in golf. 3 association of persons meeting periodically for a shared activity. 4 organization or premises offering members social amenities, meals, temporary residence, etc. 5 a playing-card of the suit denoted by a black trefoil. B (in pl.) This suit. 6 commercial organization offering subscribers special deals (book club). —v. (-bb-) 1 beat with or as with a club. 2 (foll. By together, with) combine, esp. To raise a sum of money for a purpose. [old norse]


Helium  n. Light inert gaseous element used in airships and as a refrigerant. [related to *helio-]

Hell  —n. 1 place regarded in some religions as the abode of the dead, or of devils and condemned sinners. 2 place or state of misery or wickedness. —int. Expressing anger, surprise, etc.  the hell (usu. Prec. By what, where, who, etc.) Expressing anger, disbelief, etc. (who the hell is this?; the hell you are!). Beat etc. The hell out of colloq. Beat etc. Without restraint. Come hell or high water no matter what the difficulties. For the hell of it colloq. Just for fun. Get hell colloq. Be severely scolded or punished. Give a person hell colloq. Scold or punish a person. A (or one) hell of a colloq. Outstanding example of (a hell of a mess; one hell of a party). Like hell colloq. 1 not at all. 2 recklessly, exceedingly. [old english]



Paraquat  n. A quick-acting highly toxic herbicide. [from *para-1, *quaternary]
Cassata  n. Ice-cream containing fruit and nuts. [italian]
Rogation  n. (usu. In pl.) Litany of the saints chanted on the three days before ascension day. [latin rogo ask]

Cockade  n. Rosette etc. Worn in the hat as a badge. [french: related to *cock1]
Italic  —adj. 1 a of the sloping kind of letters now used esp. For emphasis and in foreign words. B (of handwriting) compact and pointed like early italian handwriting. 2 (italic) of ancient italy. —n. 1 letter in italic type. 2 this type. [latin italicus: related to *italian]
Blind  —adj. 1 lacking the power of sight. 2 a without adequate foresight, discernment, or information (blind effort). B (often foll. By to) unwilling or unable to appreciate a factor etc. (blind to argument). 3 not governed by purpose or reason (blind forces). 4 reckless (blind hitting). 5 a concealed (blind ditch). B closed at one end. 6 (of flying) using instruments only. 7 cookery (of a flan case etc.) Baked without a filling. —v. 1 deprive of sight. 2 rob of judgement; deceive; overawe. 3 slang go recklessly. —n. 1 screen for a window; awning. 2 thing used to hide the truth. 3 obstruction to sight or light. —adv. Blindly.  blindly adv. Blindness n. [old english]

Narcotic  —adj. 1 (of a substance) inducing drowsiness etc. 2 (of a drug) affecting the mind. —n. Narcotic substance, drug, or influence. [greek narkotikos]
Dossier  n. File containing information about a person, event, etc. [french]
Central processor  n. (also central processing unit) principal operating part of a computer.
Sanguine  adj. 1 optimistic, confident. 2 (of the complexion) florid, ruddy.

Haulier  n. Person or firm engaged in the transport of goods.

Postnatal  adj. Of the period after childbirth.

Viable  adj. 1 (of a plan etc.) Feasible, esp. Economically. 2 (esp. Of a foetus) capable of developing and surviving independently.  viability n. [french vie life]

Off white  adj. & n. (as adj. Often hyphenated) white with a grey or yellowish tinge.




Conform  v. 1 comply with rules or general custom. 2 (foll. By to, with) comply with; be in accordance with. 3 (often foll. By to) be or make suitable. [latin: related to *form]

Toiletry  n. (pl. -ies) (usu. In pl.) Article or cosmetic used in washing, dressing, etc.


Crater  —n. 1 mouth of a volcano. 2 bowl-shaped cavity, esp. That made by a shell or bomb. 3 hollow on the surface of a planet or moon, caused by impact. —v. Form a crater in. [greek, = mixing-bowl]


Cantankerous  adj. Bad-tempered, quarrelsome.  cantankerously adv. Cantankerousness n. [origin uncertain]
Affray  n. Breach of the peace by fighting or rioting in public. [anglo-french = ‘remove from peace’]

Entrench  v. 1 a establish firmly (in a position, office, etc.). B (as entrenched adj.) (of an attitude etc.) Not easily modified. 2 surround with a trench as a fortification.  entrenchment n.
De-  prefix 1 forming verbs and their derivatives: a down, away (descend; deduct). B completely (denude). 2 added to verbs and their derivatives to form verbs and nouns implying removal or reversal (de-ice; decentralization). [latin]

Breach  —n. 1 (often foll. By of) breaking or non-observation of a law, contract, etc. 2 breaking of relations; quarrel. 3 opening, gap. —v. 1 break through; make a gap in. 2 break (a law, contract, etc.).  step into the breach help in a crisis, esp. As a replacement. [germanic: related to *break]
Mbe  abbr. Member of the order of the british empire.



Bishop  n. 1 senior clergyman in charge of a diocese. 2  mitre-shaped chess piece. [greek episkopos overseer]

Manqué  adj. (placed after noun) that might have been but is not (an actor manqué). [french]
Inequitable  adj. Unfair, unjust.

Rock-face  n. Vertical surface of natural rock.

Moto-cross  n. Cross-country racing on motor cycles. [from *motor, *cross]



Mass1  —n. 1 shapeless body of matter. 2 dense aggregation of objects (mass of fibres). 3 (in sing. Or pl.; usu. Foll. By of) large number or amount. 4 (usu. Foll. By of) unbroken expanse (of colour etc.). 5 (prec. By the) a the majority. B (in pl.) Ordinary people. 6 physics quantity of matter a body contains. 7 (attrib.) On a large scale (mass hysteria; mass audience). —v. Assemble into a mass or as one body. [latin massa from greek]




Archean  (brit. Archaean) —adj. Of the earliest geological era. —n. This time. [greek arkhaios ancient]


Mathematical  adj. 1 of mathematics. 2 rigorously precise.  mathematically adv.

Yearbook  n. Annual publication dealing with events or aspects of the (usu. Preceding) year.

Salamander  n. 1 tailed newtlike amphibian once thought able to endure fire. 2 similar mythical creature. [greek salamandra]

Anaemia  n. (us anemia) deficiency of red blood cells or their haemoglobin, causing pallor and weariness. [greek, = want of blood]

Thread  —n. 1 a spun-out cotton, silk, or glass etc.; yarn. B length of this. 2 thin cord of twisted yarns used esp. In sewing and weaving. 3 continuous aspect of a thing (the thread of life; thread of his argument). 4 spiral ridge of a screw. —v. 1 pass a thread through (a needle). 2 put (beads) on a thread. 3 insert (a strip of material, e.g. Film or magnetic tape) into equipment. 4 make (one's way) carefully through a crowded place, over a difficult route, etc. [old english: related to *throw]

Miscast  v. (past and past part. -cast) allot an unsuitable part to (an actor) or unsuitable actors to (a play etc.).

Counterfoil  n. Part of a cheque, receipt, etc., retained by the payer as a record. [from *foil2]
Carbon dioxide  n. Gas occurring naturally in the atmosphere and formed by respiration.
Minimum  (pl. Minima) —n. Least possible or attainable amount (reduced to a minimum). —adj. That is a minimum. [latin: related to *minim]
Decigram  n. (also decigramme) metric unit of mass, equal to 0.1 gram.


Ill-founded  adj. (of an idea etc.) Baseless.
Dynamism  n. Energy; dynamic power.


Ticker-tape  n. 1 paper strip from a tape machine. 2 this or similar material thrown from windows etc. To greet a celebrity.

Quitch  n. (in full quitch-grass) = *couch2. [old english]
Medallist  n. (us medalist) winner of a (specified) medal (gold medallist).

Reassure  v. (-ring) 1 restore confidence to; dispel the apprehensions of. 2 confirm in an opinion or impression.  reassurance n. Reassuring adj.






Hereafter  —adv. From now on; in the future. —n. 1 the future. 2 life after death.




Rub-down  n. Rubbing down.
Lettuce  n. Plant with crisp leaves used in salads. [latin lactuca from lac lact- milk]
Cruise  —v. (-sing) 1 a travel by sea for pleasure, calling at ports. B sail about. 2 travel at a relaxed or economical speed. 3 achieve an objective, esp. Win a race etc. With ease. 4 slang search for a sexual (esp. Homosexual) partner in bars, streets, etc. —n. Cruising voyage. [dutch: related to *cross]

Capital levy  n. Tax on wealth or property.
Appliance  n. Device etc. For a specific task. [related to *apply]
Masculine  —adj. 1 of men. 2 having manly qualities. 3 of or denoting the male gender. —n. Masculine gender or word.  masculinity n. [latin: related to *male]

Wing-case  n. Horny cover of an insect's wing.

Scrag  —n. 1 (also scrag-end) inferior end of a neck of mutton. 2 skinny person or animal. —v. (-gg-) slang 1 strangle, hang. 2 handle roughly, beat up. [origin uncertain]
Rock-bottom  —adj. (of prices etc.) The very lowest. —n. Very lowest level.
Carpet slipper  n. Soft slipper.
Back-stop  n. 1 cricket etc. A position directly behind the wicket-keeper. B fielder in this position. 2 last resort.

Perform  v. 1 (also absol.) Carry into effect; do. 2 execute (a function, play, piece of music, etc.). 3  act in a play; play music, sing, etc.; execute tricks. 4 function.  performer n. [anglo-french: related to *per-, *furnish]



Charisma  n. 1 power to inspire or attract others; exceptional charm. 2 divinely conferred power or talent.  charismatic adj. [greek kharis grace]





Shrub  n. Any woody plant smaller than a tree and with branches near the ground.  shrubby adj. [old english]
Kiln  n. Furnace or oven for burning, baking, or drying, esp. For calcining lime or firing pottery etc. [old english from latin culina kitchen]


Decoy  —n. Person or thing used as a lure; bait, enticement. —v. Lure, esp. Using a decoy. [dutch]



Ayatollah  n. Shiite religious leader in iran. [persian from arabic, = token of god]



Vermin  n. (usu. Treated as pl.) 1 mammals and birds harmful to game, crops, etc., e.g. Foxes and rats. 2 parasitic worms or insects. 3 vile people.  verminous adj. [latin vermis worm]
Ambivalence  n. Coexistence of opposing feelings.  ambivalent adj. [latin ambo both, *equivalent]
Widespread  adj. Widely distributed.
Technical  adj. 1 of the mechanical arts and applied sciences (technical college). 2 of a particular subject or craft etc. Or its techniques (technical terms). 3 (of a book or discourse etc.) Using technical language; specialized. 4 due to mechanical failure (technical hitch). 5 strictly or legally interpreted (lost on a technical point).  technically adv.


Sidesman  n. Assistant churchwarden who takes the collection etc.
Right-handed  adj. 1 naturally using the right hand for writing etc. 2 (of a tool etc.) For use by the right hand. 3 (of a blow) struck with the right hand. 4 a turning to the right. B (of a screw) turned clockwise to tighten.  right-handedly adv. Right-handedness n.




Gravid  adj. Pregnant. [latin gravidus: related to *grave2]
Working class  n. Social class employed, esp. In manual or industrial work, for wages.  working-class adj.
Scroll  —n. 1 roll of parchment or paper, esp. Written on. 2 book in the ancient roll form. 3 ornamental design imitating a roll of parchment. —v. (often foll. By down, up) move (a display on a vdu screen) to view earlier or later material. [originally (sc)rowle *roll]



Resort  —n. 1 place frequented esp. For holidays or for a specified purpose or quality (seaside resort; health resort). 2 a thing to which one has recourse; expedient, measure. B (foll. By to) recourse to; use of (without resort to violence). —v. 1 (foll. By to) turn to as an expedient (resorted to force). 2 (foll. By to) go often or in large numbers to.  in the (or as a) last resort when all else has failed. [french sortir go out]


Redwing  n. Thrush with red underwings.

Bine  n. 1 twisting stem of a climbing plant, esp. The hop. 2 flexible shoot. [dial. Form of *bind]
Gleanings  n.pl. Things gleaned, esp. Facts.
Magic  —n. 1 a supposed art of influencing or controlling events supernaturally. B witchcraft. 2 conjuring tricks. 3 inexplicable influence. 4 enchanting quality or phenomenon. —adj. 1 of magic. 2 producing surprising results. 3 colloq. Wonderful, exciting. —v. (-ck-) change or create by or as if by magic.  like magic very rapidly. Magic away cause to disappear as if by magic.  [greek magikos: related to *magus]
Bible-bashing  n. (also bible-thumping) slang aggressive fundamentalist preaching.  bible-basher n. (also -thumper).
Ast  abbr. Atlantic standard time.


Apoplectic  adj. 1 of or causing apoplexy. 2 colloq. Enraged.
Backwash  n. 1 receding waves made by a ship etc. 2 repercussions.
Sublease  —n. Lease granted by a tenant to a subtenant. —v. (-sing) lease to a subtenant.
Asteroid  n. 1 any of the minor planets orbiting the sun, mainly between the orbits of mars and jupiter. 2 starfish. [greek: related to *aster]

Hen-party  n. Colloq. Social gathering of women only.



Amphibian  —adj. Of a class of vertebrates (e.g. Frogs) with an aquatic larval stage followed by a terrestrial adult stage. —n. 1 vertebrate of this class. 2 vehicle able to operate both on land and in water. [greek amphi- both, bios life]


Swaddle  v. (-ling) wrap (esp. A baby) tightly. [from *swathe]
Flash  —v. 1 (cause to) emit a brief or sudden light; (cause to) gleam. 2 send or reflect like a sudden flame (eyes flashed fire). 3 a burst suddenly into view or perception (answer flashed upon me). B move swiftly (train flashed past). 4 a send (news etc.) By radio, telegraph, etc. B signal to (a person) with lights. 5 colloq. Show ostentatiously (flashed her ring). 6 slang indecently expose oneself. —n. 1 sudden bright light or flame, e.g. Of lightning. 2 an instant (in a flash). 3 sudden brief feeling, display of wit, etc. (flash of hope). 4 = *newsflash. 5 photog. = *flashlight 1. 6 mil. Coloured cloth patch on a uniform. 7 bright patch of colour. —adj. Colloq. Gaudy; showy; vulgar (flash car). [imitative]
Qualification  n. 1 accomplishment fitting a person for a position or purpose. 2 thing that modifies or limits (statement had many qualifications). 3 qualifying or being qualified.  qualificatory adj. [french or medieval latin: related to *qualify]
Millefeuille  n. Rich cake of puff pastry split and filled with jam, cream, etc. [french, = thousand-leaf]
Dirty work  n. Dishonourable or illegal activity; unpleasant task.


Shut-down  n. Closure of a factory etc.
Aha  int. Expressing surprise, triumph, mockery, etc. [from *ah, *ha1]
Heel3  var. Of *hele.
Umbrella  n. 1 collapsible cloth canopy on a central stick, used against rain, strong sun, etc. 2 protection, patronage. 3 (often attrib.) Coordinating agency (umbrella organization). [italian diminutive: related to *umbra]

Flax  n. 1 blue-flowered plant cultivated for its textile fibre and its seeds. 2 flax fibres. [old english]




Centigram  n. (also centigramme) metric unit of mass, equal to 0.01 gram.

Hoarse  adj. 1 (of the voice) rough and deep; husky, croaking. 2 having such a voice.  hoarsely adv. Hoarseness n. [old norse]
Missel thrush  var. Of *mistle thrush.



Souvenir  n. Memento of an occasion, place, etc. [french]
Swatch  n. 1 sample, esp. Of cloth. 2 collection of samples. [origin unknown]

Lot  n. 1 colloq. (prec. By a or in pl.) A a large number or amount (a lot of people; lots of milk). B colloq. Much (a lot warmer; smiles a lot). 2 a each of a set of objects used to make a chance selection. B this method of deciding (chosen by lot). 3 share or responsibility resulting from it. 4 person's destiny, fortune, or condition. 5 (esp. Us) plot; allotment of land (parking lot). 6 article or set of articles for sale at an auction etc. 7 group of associated persons or things.  cast (or draw) lots decide by lots. Throw in one's lot with decide to share the fortunes of. The (or the whole) lot the total number or quantity. A whole lot colloq. Very much (is a whole lot better). [old english]

Banal  adj. Trite, commonplace.  banality n. (pl. -ies). Banally adv. [french, related to *ban: originally = compulsory, hence = common]


Four-in-hand  n. Four-horse carriage with one driver.



Serendipity  n. Faculty of making happy discoveries by accident.  serendipitous adj. [coined by horace walpole]
Splutter  —v. 1 a speak, say, or express in a choking manner. B emit spitting sounds. 2 speak rapidly or incoherently. —n. Spluttering speech or sound. [from *sputter]

Categorical  adj. Unconditional, absolute; explicit.  categorically adv. [related to *category]
Parthian shot  n. Remark or glance etc. On leaving. [parthia, ancient kingdom in w. Asia: from the custom of a retreating parthian horseman firing a shot at the enemy]

Calculated  adj. 1 (of an action) done deliberately or with foreknowledge. 2 (foll. By to + infin.) Designed or suitable; intended.

Compliance  n. 1 obedience to a request, command, etc. 2 capacity to yield.  in compliance with according to.



Hebdomadal  adj. Formal weekly, esp. Meeting weekly. [greek hepta seven]
Marmite  n. Propr. Thick brown spread made from yeast and vegetable extract. [french, = cooking-pot]


Low-rise  —adj. (of a building) having few storeys. —n. Such a building.

Mill-race  n. Current of water that drives a mill-wheel.
Throttle  —n. 1 a valve controlling the flow of fuel or steam etc. In an engine. B (in full throttle-lever) lever or pedal operating this valve. 2 throat, gullet, or windpipe. —v. (-ling) 1 choke or strangle. 2 prevent the utterance etc. Of. 3 control (an engine or steam etc.) With a throttle.  throttle back (or down) reduce the speed of (an engine or vehicle) by throttling. [perhaps from *throat]
Decay  —v. 1 (cause to) rot or decompose. 2 decline or cause to decline in quality, power, etc. 3 (usu. Foll. By to) (of a substance) undergo change by radioactivity. —n. 1 rotten state; wasting away. 2 decline in health, quality, etc. 3 radioactive change. [latin cado fall]
Milksop  n. Weak or timid man or youth.
Anonymous  adj. 1 of unknown name or authorship. 2 without character; featureless.  anonymity n. [greek an- without, onoma name]
Club-foot  n. Congenitally deformed foot.
Layette  n. Set of clothing etc. For a newborn child. [french from dutch]
White magic  n. Magic used for beneficent purposes.
Bacillus  n. (pl. Bacilli) rod-shaped bacterium, esp. One causing disease.  bacillary adj. [latin, diminutive of baculus stick]




Famish  v. (usu. In passive) make or become extremely hungry.  be famished (or famishing) colloq. Be very hungry. [romanic: related to *famine]

Window-sill  n. Sill below a window.

Brave  —adj. 1 able or ready to face and endure danger, disgrace, or pain. 2 formal splendid, spectacular. —n. American indian warrior. —v. (-ving) face bravely or defiantly.  bravely adv. Braveness n. Bravery n. [ultimately latin barbarus barbarian]
Americium  n. Artificial radioactive metallic element. [america, where first made]
May day  n. 1 may as a spring festival or international holiday in honour of workers.
Pit of the stomach  n. Depression below the breastbone.

Bewilder  v. Perplex, confuse.  bewildering adj. Bewilderment n. [from *be-, obsolete wilder lose one's way]
Down-market  adj. & adv. Colloq. Of or to the cheaper sector of the market.
Jot  —v. (-tt-) (usu. Foll. By down) write briefly or hastily. —n. Very small amount (not one jot). [greek *iota]







Predictable  adj. That can be predicted or is to be expected.  predictability n. Predictably adv.


Puzzler  n. Difficult question or problem.
House-hunting  n. Seeking a house to buy or rent.
Remember  v. 1 (often foll. By to + infin. Or that + clause) keep in the memory; not forget. 2 (also absol.) Bring back into one's thoughts. 3 think of or acknowledge (a person), esp. In making a gift etc. 4 (foll. By to) convey greetings from (one person) to (another) (remember me to john). [latin: related to *memory]



Intone  v. (-ning) 1 recite (prayers etc.) With prolonged sounds, esp. In a monotone. 2 utter with a particular tone. [medieval latin: related to *in-2]


Referee  —n. 1 umpire, esp. In football or boxing. 2 person referred to for a decision in a dispute etc. 3 person willing to testify to the character of an applicant for employment etc. —v. (-rees, -reed) act as referee (for).
Humility  n. 1 humbleness, meekness. 2 humble condition. [french: related to *humiliate]

Registered nurse  n. Nurse with a state certificate of competence.

Double-park  v. (also absol.) Park (a vehicle) alongside one already parked at the roadside.
Hegira  n. (also hejira) 1 muhammad's flight from mecca in ad 622. 2 muslim era reckoned from this date. [arabic hijra departure]

Wag2  n. Facetious person. [old english]
Time signature  n. Mus. Indication of tempo following a clef.
Leisure  n. 1 free time. 2 enjoyment of free time.  at leisure 1 not occupied. 2 in an unhurried manner. At one's leisure when one has time. [anglo-french leisour from latin licet it is allowed]







Ordnance  n. 1 artillery; military supplies. 2 government service dealing with these. [contraction of *ordinance]



Cony  n. (also coney) rabbit fur. [latin cuniculus]

Trachea  n. (pl. -cheae) windpipe. [latin from greek]








Gore2  v. (-ring) pierce with a horn, tusk, etc. [origin unknown]

Pud  n. Colloq. = *pudding. [abbreviation]
Jail  (also gaol) —n. 1 place for the detention of prisoners. 2 confinement in a jail. —v. Put in jail. [french jaiole, ultimately from latin cavea cage]
Evident  adj. Plain or obvious; manifest. [latin: related to *evidence]

Moat  n. Defensive ditch round a castle etc., usu. Filled with water. [french mote mound]


Hemstitch  —n. Decorative stitch. —v. Hem with this stitch.

Cowhide  n. 1 cow's hide. 2 leather or whip made from this.



Rowdy  —adj. (-ier, -iest) noisy and disorderly. —n. (pl. -ies) rowdy person.  rowdily adv. Rowdiness n. Rowdyism n. [origin unknown]
Even money  n. Betting odds offering the gambler the chance of winning the amount staked.


See2  n. 1 area under the authority of a bishop or archbishop. 2 his office or jurisdiction. [latin sedes seat]


Pupil2  n. Dark circular opening in the centre of the iris of the eye. [related to *pupil1]



Protection  n. 1 a protecting or being protected; defence. B thing, person, or animal that protects. 2 (also protectionism) theory or practice of protecting home industries. 3 colloq. A immunity from violence etc. Obtained by payment to gangsters etc. B (in full protection money) money so paid.  protectionist n. & adj.

Faun  n. Latin rural deity with goat's horns, legs, and tail. [latin faunus]



Juliet cap  n. Small net skullcap worn by brides etc. [juliet in shakespeare's romeo & juliet]
Eater  n. 1 person who eats (a big eater). 2 eating apple etc.

Darner  n. Needle for darning.

Graduate  —n. Person holding an academic degree. —v. (-ting) 1 obtain an academic degree. 2 (foll. By to) move up to (a higher grade of activity etc.). 3 mark out in degrees or parts. 4 arrange in gradations; apportion (e.g. Tax) according to a scale.  graduation n. [medieval latin graduor take a degree: related to *grade]

Strabismus  n. Med. Squinting, squint. [greek strabos squinting]

Mistake  —n. 1 incorrect idea or opinion; thing incorrectly done or thought. 2 error of judgement. —v. (-king; past mistook; past part. Mistaken) 1 misunderstand the meaning of. 2 (foll. By for) wrongly take or identify (mistook me for you). 3 choose wrongly (mistake one's vocation). [old norse: related to *mis-1, *take]


Cretaceous  —adj. 1 of or like chalk. 2 (cretaceous) geol. Of the last period of the mesozoic era, with deposits of chalk. —n. (cretaceous) geol. This era or system. [latin creta chalk]
Malnutrition  n. Condition resulting from the lack of foods necessary for health.
Décolleté  adj. (also décolletée) (of a dress, woman, etc.) Having or wearing a low neckline.
Submission  n. 1 a submitting or being submitted. B thing submitted. 2 submissiveness. [latin submissio: related to *submit]
Piston  n. 1 sliding cylinder fitting closely in a tube in which it moves up and down, used in an internal-combustion engine to impart motion, or in a pump to receive motion. 2 sliding valve in a trumpet etc. [italian: related to *pestle]



Bloodhound  n. Large keen-scented dog used in tracking.



Triplicate  —adj. 1 existing in three examples or copies. 2 having three corresponding parts. 3 tripled. —n. Each of a set of three copies or corresponding parts. —v. (-ting) 1 make in three copies. 2 multiply by three.  in triplicate in three copies.  triplication n. [latin: related to *triplex]


Porringer  n. Small bowl, often with a handle, for soup etc. [french potager: related to *pottage]
Orangeman  n. Member of a political society formed in 1795 to support protestantism in ireland. [william of orange]
Echt  adj. Genuine. [german]

Distrain  v. (usu. Foll. By upon) impose distraint (on a person, goods, etc.). [latin: related to *dis-, stringo strict- draw tight]
Metronome  n. Device ticking at a selected rate to mark time for musicians. [greek metron measure, nomos law]




Orchestrate  v. (-ting) 1 arrange or compose for orchestral performance. 2 arrange (elements) to achieve a desired result.  orchestration n.
Ground2  past and past part. Of *grind.
Finite  adj. 1 limited; not infinite. 2 (of a part of a verb) having a specific number and person. [latin: related to *finish]
Preview  —n. Showing of a film, play, exhibition, etc., before it is seen by the general public. —v. See or show in advance.
Alzheimer's disease  n. Brain disorder causing senility. [alzheimer, name of a neurologist]




Seamstress  n. (also sempstress) woman who sews, esp. For a living. [old english: related to *seam]



Worm's-eye view  n. View from below or from a humble position.
Romanic  —n. = *romance n. 6. —adj. 1 a of romance. B romance-speaking. 2 descended from, or inheriting the civilization etc. Of, the ancient romans. [latin romanicus: related to *roman]
Victimize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 single out for punishment or discrimination. 2 make (a person etc.) A victim.  victimization n.
Ternary  adj. Composed of three parts. [latin terni, = three each]
Naturism  n. Nudism.  naturist n.
Mariner  n. Seaman.
Hinduism  n. Main religious and social system of india, including the belief in reincarnation, several gods, and a caste system.

Roaring drunk  predic. Adj. Very drunk and noisy.

Post-free  adj. & adv. Carried by post free of charge, or with postage prepaid.


Economy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 a community's system of wealth creation. B particular kind of this (a capitalist economy). C administration or condition of this. 2 a careful management of (esp. Financial) resources; frugality. B instance of this (made many economies). 3 sparing or careful use (economy of language). [greek oikonomia household management]
Show-off  n. Colloq. Person who shows off.

Emphatic  adj. 1 forcibly expressive. 2 of words: a bearing the stress. B used to give emphasis.  emphatically adv.


Risk  —n. 1 chance or possibility of danger, loss, injury, etc. (health risk; risk of fire). 2 person or thing causing a risk or regarded in relation to risk (is a poor risk). —v. 1 expose to risk. 2 accept the chance of (risk getting wet). 3 venture on.  at risk exposed to danger. At one's (own) risk accepting responsibility, agreeing to make no claims. At the risk of with the possibility of (an adverse consequence). Put at risk expose to danger. Run a (or the) risk (often foll. By of) expose oneself to danger or loss etc. Take a risk (or risks) chance the possibility of danger etc. [french risque(r) from italian]
Informal  adj. 1 without formality. 2 not formal.  informality n. (pl. -ies). Informally adv.






Hive  n. Beehive.  hive off (-ving) separate from a larger group. [old english]
Usage  this symbol was superseded in the uk in 1983 by 18, but it is still used in the us.
Dolby  n. Propr. Electronic noise-reduction system used esp. In tape-recording to reduce hiss. [name of its inventor]
Shylock  n. Hard-hearted money-lender. [name of a character in a play by shakespeare]
Horny  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 of or like horn. 2 hard like horn. 3 slang sexually excited.  horniness n.
Niggle  v. (-ling) 1 be over-attentive to details. 2 find fault in a petty way. 3 colloq. Irritate; nag pettily.  niggling adj. [origin unknown]

Projection  n. 1 projecting or being projected. 2 thing that projects or obtrudes. 3 presentation of an image etc. On a surface. 4 forecast or estimate (projection of next year's profits). 5 a mental image viewed as an objective reality. B unconscious transfer of feelings etc. To external objects or persons. 6 representation on a plane surface of any part of the surface of the earth or a celestial sphere (mercator projection).  projectionist n. (in sense 3).


Chin  n. Front of the lower jaw.  keep one's chin up colloq. Remain cheerful. Take on the chin suffer a severe blow from; endure courageously. [old english]
White hope  n. Person expected to achieve much.
Disputation  n. 1 debate, esp. Formal. 2 argument; controversy.


Wreck  —n. 1 the sinking or running aground of a ship. 2 ship that has suffered a wreck. 3 greatly damaged building, thing, or person. 4 (foll. By of) wretched remnant. —v. 1 a seriously damage (a vehicle etc.). B ruin (hopes, a life, etc.). 2 cause the wreck of (a ship). [anglo-french wrec from germanic]
Composure  n. Tranquil manner. [from *compose]


Straphanger  n. Slang standing passenger in a bus, train, etc.  straphang v.


Hindmost  adj. Furthest behind.


Chauvinist  n. 1 person exhibiting chauvinism. 2 (in full male chauvinist) man who shows prejudice against women.  chauvinistic adj. Chauvinistically adv.




Press agent  n. Person employed to obtain advertising and press publicity.

Misinterpret  v. (-t-) 1 interpret wrongly. 2 draw a wrong inference from.  misinterpretation n.
Distaste  n. (usu. Foll. By for) dislike; aversion.  distasteful adj. Distastefully adv. Distastefulness n.



Ecology  n. 1 the study of the relations of organisms to one another and to their surroundings. 2 the study of the interaction of people with their environment.  ecological adj. Ecologically adv. Ecologist n. [greek oikos house]

Curt  adj. Noticeably or rudely brief.  curtly adv. Curtness n. [latin curtus short]
Freebooter  n. Pirate. [dutch vrijbuiter: related to *free, *booty]
Crewel-work  n. Design in crewel.

Reef2  —n. Each of several strips across a sail, for taking it in or rolling it up to reduce its surface area in a high wind. —v. Take in a reef or reefs of (a sail). [dutch from old norse]


Discourage  v. (-ging) 1 deprive of courage or confidence. 2 dissuade, deter. 3 show disapproval of.  discouragement n.
Pyorrhea  n. (brit. Pyorrhaea) 1 gum disease causing loosening of the teeth. 2 discharge of pus. [greek puon pus, rheo flow]

Bottomless  adj. 1 without a bottom. 2 inexhaustible.
Dumps  n.pl. (usu. In down in the dumps) colloq. Low spirits. [low german or dutch: related to *damp]
Hormone replacement therapy  n. Treatment to relieve menopausal symptoms by boosting a woman's oestrogen levels.
Recitative  n. Musical declamation in the narrative and dialogue parts of opera and oratorio. [italian recitativo: related to *recite]
Impression  n. 1 effect (esp. On the mind or feelings). 2 notion or belief (esp. Vague or mistaken). 3 imitation of a person or sound, esp. As entertainment. 4 a impressing. B mark impressed.
Raiment  n. Archaic clothing. [arrayment: related to *array]


Studio couch  n. Couch convertible into a bed.
Unionist  n. 1 a member of a trade union. B advocate of trade unions. 2 (usu. Unionist) member of a party advocating continued union between great britain and northern ireland.  unionism n.

Bailiff  n. 1 sheriff's officer who executes writs and carries out distraints. 2 landlord's agent or steward. [french: related to *bail1]

Schematize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) put in schematic form.



Nedc  abbr. National economic development council.
Burger  n. Colloq. Hamburger. [abbreviation]
Airy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 well-ventilated, breezy. 2 flippant, superficial. 3 light as air. 4 ethereal.  airily adv.
South-west  n. Part of a country or town to the south-west.

Moth  n. 1 nocturnal insect like a butterfly but without clubbed antennae. 2 insect of this type breeding in cloth etc., on which its larva feeds. [old english]



Alluvial  —adj. Of alluvium. —n. Alluvium, esp. Containing a precious metal.
Piccolo  n. (pl. -s) small flute sounding an octave higher than the ordinary one. [italian, = small]
Delineate  v. (-ting) portray by drawing etc. Or in words.  delineation n. [latin: related to *line1]
Stately home  n. Large historic house, esp. One open to the public.


Apron  n. 1 garment for covering and protecting the front of the clothes. 2 theatr. Part of a stage in front of the curtain. 3 area on an airfield for manoeuvring or loading.  tied to a person's apron-strings dominated by or dependent on that person (usu. A woman). [originally napron, from french nape table-cloth]
Indignation  n. Anger at supposed injustice etc.

Fielder  n. = *fieldsman.
Baste1  v. (-ting) 1 moisten (meat) with fat etc. During cooking. 2 beat, thrash. [origin unknown]
Down payment  n. Partial initial payment.


Radioactive  adj. Of or exhibiting radioactivity.







Junkie  n. Slang drug addict.
Dowelling  n. Rods for cutting into dowels.
Sniffle  —v. (-ling) sniff slightly or repeatedly. —n. 1 act of sniffling. 2 (in sing. Or pl.) Cold in the head causing sniffling. [imitative: cf. *snivel]
Martin  n. A kind of swallow, esp. The house-martin and sand-martin. [probably st martin, name of a 4th-c. Bishop]
High point  n. The maximum or best state reached.
Dipstick  n. Rod for measuring the depth of esp. Oil in a vehicle's engine.
September  n. Ninth month of the year. [latin septem seven, originally the 7th month of the roman year]

Headcount  n. 1 counting of individual people. 2 total number of people, esp. Employees.

Interior design  n. Design of the interior of a building.  interior designer n.
Flip chart  n. Large pad of paper on a stand.


Conclusive  adj. Decisive, convincing.  conclusively adv. [latin: related to *conclude]





Aromatherapy  n. Use of plant extracts and oils in massage.  aromatherapist n.
Hazel  n. 1 hedgerow shrub bearing round brown edible nuts. 2 greenish-brown. [old english]

Wilt  —v. 1 wither, droop. 2 lose energy, flag. —n. Plant-disease causing wilting. [originally dial.]









All-right  attrib. Adj. Colloq. Acceptable (an all-right guy).
Flung  past and past part. Of *fling.
Equilateral  adj. Having all its sides equal in length.


Usage  the use of less to mean ‘fewer’, as in sense 3, is regarded as incorrect in standard english.
Tacho  n. (pl. -s) colloq. = *tachometer. [abbreviation]



Oft-times  adv. Often.
Blew  past of *blow1.
Valuable  —adj. Of great value, price, or worth. —n. (usu. In pl.) Valuable thing.  valuably adv.



Goalie  n. Colloq. = *goalkeeper.
Gothic  —adj. 1 of the goths. 2 in the style of architecture prevalent in w. Europe in the 12th–16th c., characterized by pointed arches. 3 (of a novel etc.) In a style popular in the 18th–19th c., with supernatural or horrifying events. 4 barbarous, uncouth. —n. 1 gothic language. 2 gothic architecture. [latin: related to *goth]
Work of art  n. Fine picture, poem, building, etc.
Weakling  n. Feeble person or animal.


Mere2  n. Dial. Or poet. Lake. [old english]


Excreta  n.pl. Faeces and urine. [latin: related to *excrete]
Haw1  n. Hawthorn berry. [old english]





Anxiety  n. (pl. -ies) 1 being anxious. 2 worry or concern. 3 eagerness, troubled desire. [latin anxietas from ango choke]
Involute  adj. 1 involved, intricate. 2 curled spirally. [latin: related to *involve]

Umlaut  n. 1 mark (¨) used over a vowel, esp. In germanic languages, to indicate a vowel change. 2 such a vowel change, e.g. German mann, männer, english man, men. [german]


Working knowledge  n. Knowledge adequate to work with.
Cyanic acid  n. Unstable colourless pungent acid gas. [greek kuanos a blue mineral]
Purposeless  adj. Having no aim or plan.

Medicament  n. = *medicine 2.
Wattage  n. Amount of electrical power expressed in watts.


Blind date  n. Colloq. Date between two people who have not previously met.
High tea  n. Evening meal usu. Consisting of a cooked dish, bread and butter, tea, etc.
Visitors' book  n. Book for visitors to a hotel, church, etc., to sign, make remarks in, etc.



Flea-pit  n. Dingy dirty cinema etc.

Heartland  n. Central part of an area.

Imp  n. 1 mischievous child. 2 small devil or sprite. [old english, = young shoot]


Trope  n. Figurative use of a word. [greek tropos from trepo turn]



Grandpa  n. Colloq. Grandfather.
Imagine  v. (-ning) 1 a form a mental image or concept of. B picture to oneself. 2 think of as probable (can't imagine he'd be so stupid). 3 guess (can't imagine what he is doing). 4 suppose (i imagine you'll need help).  imaginable adj. [latin imaginor] 
Vestal virgin  n. Rom. Antiq. Virgin consecrated to vesta and vowed to chastity. [vesta, roman goddess of the hearth and home]
Vicissitude  n. Literary change, esp. Of fortune. [latin: related to *vice3]
Pg  abbr. (of a film) classified as suitable for children subject to parental guidance.

Exo-  comb. Form external. [greek exo outside]



Bezique  n. Card-game for two. [french]
Timeless  adj. Not affected by the passage of time.  timelessly adv. Timelessness n.


In situ  adv. In its proper or original place. [latin]




Premarital  adj. Existing or (esp. Of sexual relations) occurring before marriage.


Fancy-free  adj. Without (esp. Emotional) commitments.






Consider  v. 1 contemplate mentally, esp. In order to reach a conclusion. 2 examine the merits of. 3 look attentively at. 4 take into account; show consideration or regard for. 5 (foll. By that) have the opinion. 6 regard as. 7 (as considered adj.) Formed after careful thought (a considered opinion).  all things considered taking everything into account. [french from latin]
Banian  var. Of *banyan.





Declaim  v. 1 speak or say as if addressing an audience. 2 (foll. By against) protest forcefully.  declamation n. Declamatory adj. [latin: related to *claim]


Carp1  n. (pl. Same) freshwater fish often bred for food. [provençal or latin]

Melodious  adj. 1 of, producing, or having melody. 2 sweet-sounding.  melodiously adv. Melodiousness n. [french: related to *melody]
Elbow-grease  n. Colloq. Vigorous polishing; hard work.
Punctual  adj. Keeping to the appointed time; prompt.  punctuality n. Punctually adv. [medieval latin: related to *point]

Muffin  n. 1 light flat round spongy cake, eaten toasted and buttered. 2 us similar round cake made from batter or dough. [origin unknown]
Tuck  —v. 1 (often foll. By in, up) a draw, fold, or turn the outer or end parts of (cloth or clothes etc.) Close together so as to be held; push in the edge of (a thing) so as to confine it (tucked his shirt into his trousers). B push in the edges of bedclothes around (a person) (came to tuck me in). 2 draw together into a small space (tucked its head under its wing). 3 stow (a thing) away in a specified place or way (tucked it in a corner; tucked it out of sight). 4 make a stitched fold in (cloth etc.). —n. 1 flattened usu. Stitched fold in cloth etc. 2 colloq. Food, esp. Cakes and sweets (also attrib.: tuck box).  tuck in colloq. Eat heartily. Tuck into (or away) colloq. Eat (food) heartily (tucked into their dinner; could really tuck it away). [low german or dutch]



Layer  —n. 1 thickness of matter, esp. One of several, covering a surface. 2 person or thing that lays. 3 hen that lays eggs. 4 shoot fastened down to take root while attached to the parent plant. —v. 1 arrange in layers. 2 cut (hair) in layers. 3 propagate (a plant) by a layer.
Maxilla  n. (pl. -llae) jaw or jawbone, esp. (in vertebrates) the upper jaw.  maxillary adj. [latin]

Acting  —n. Art or occupation of an actor. —attrib. Adj. Serving temporarily or as a substitute (acting manager).


Watt-hour  n. Energy used when one watt is applied for one hour.

Pelargonium  n. Plant with red, pink, or white flowers and, often, fragrant leaves; geranium. [greek pelargos stork]
Crème brûlée  n. Baked cream or custard pudding coated with caramel.
Handicraft  n. Work requiring manual and artistic skill. [from earlier *handcraft]
Specific gravity  n. = *relative density.
Gerbil  n. (also jerbil) mouselike desert rodent with long hind legs. [french: related to *jerboa]


Hydrodynamics  n.pl. (usu. Treated as sing.) Science of forces acting on or exerted by fluids (esp. Liquids).  hydrodynamic adj.

Mercurial  adj. 1 (of a person) volatile. 2 of or containing mercury. [latin: related to *mercury]



High voltage  n. Electrical potential large enough to injure or damage.
Irresistible  adj. Too strong, delightful, or convincing to be resisted.  irresistibly adv.
Terylene  n. Propr. Synthetic textile fibre of polyester. [from terephthalic acid, *ethylene]
Gladden  v. Make or become glad.
Enactment  n. 1 law enacted. 2 process of enacting.




Colour-blind  adj. Unable to distinguish certain colours.  colour-blindness n.
Irreversible  adj. Not reversible or alterable.  irreversibly adv.

Rb  symb. Rubidium.
Patella  n. (pl. Patellae) kneecap.  patellar adj. [latin, = pan, diminutive of patina: related to *paten]
Obsolescent  adj. Becoming obsolete.  obsolescence n. [latin soleo be accustomed]





-y2  suffix (also -ey, -ie) forming diminutive nouns, pet names, etc. (granny; sally; nightie). [originally scottish]




Penology  n. The study of the punishment of crime and prison management.  penologist n. [latin poena penalty]







Academician  n. Member of an academy. [french académicien]


 



Mindless  adj. 1 lacking intelligence; brutish (mindless violence). 2 not requiring thought or skill (mindless work). 3 (usu. Foll. By of) heedless of (advice etc.).  mindlessly adv. Mindlessness n.
Ornament  —n. 1 a thing used to adorn or decorate. B quality or person bringing honour or distinction. 2 decoration, esp. On a building (tower rich in ornament). 3 musical embellishment. —v. Adorn; beautify.  ornamental adj. Ornamentation n. [latin orno adorn]

Northwester  n. North-west wind.
Stun  v. (-nn-) 1 knock senseless; stupefy. 2 bewilder, shock. [french: related to *astonish]

Blab  v. (-bb-) 1 talk foolishly or indiscreetly. 2 reveal (a secret etc.); confess. [imitative]
Tattered  adj. In tatters.








Taste bud  n. Cell or nerve-ending on the surface of the tongue by which things are tasted.



Heuristic  adj. 1 allowing or assisting to discover. 2 proceeding to a solution by trial and error. [greek heurisko find]

Hermitage  n. 1 hermit's dwelling. 2 secluded dwelling.

Stamen  n. Organ producing pollen in a flower. [latin, = warp, thread]
Complainant  n. Plaintiff in certain lawsuits.

Calcium  n. Soft grey metallic element occurring in limestone, marble, chalk, etc. [related to *calx]
Citadel  n. Fortress, usu. On high ground, protecting or dominating a city. [french citadelle]
Vindicate  v. (-ting) 1 clear of blame or suspicion. 2 establish the existence, merits, or justice of (something disputed etc.). 3 justify by evidence or argument.  vindication n. Vindicator n. Vindicatory adj. [latin vindico claim]


Ducky  n. (pl. -ies) colloq. (esp. As a form of address) dear.
Rind  n. Tough outer layer or covering of fruit and vegetables, cheese, bacon, etc. [old english]
Half-mast  n. Position of a flag halfway down a mast, as a mark of respect for a deceased person.


Round robin  n. 1 petition, esp. With signatures in a circle to conceal the order of writing. 2 us tournament in which each competitor plays every other.


Mild  —adj. 1 (esp. Of a person) gentle and conciliatory. 2 not severe or harsh. 3 (of the weather) moderately warm. 4 (of flavour etc.) Not sharp or strong. 5 tame, feeble; lacking vivacity. —n. Dark mild draught beer (cf. *bitter).  mildish adj. Mildness n. [old english]





Lapwing  n. Plover with a shrill cry. [old english: related to *leap, *wink: from its mode of flight]
Mid-life  n. Middle age.

Manger  n. Box or trough for horses or cattle to feed from. [latin: related to *mange]
Cauterize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) burn (tissue), esp. To stop bleeding. [french: related to *caustic]

Jump  —v. 1 rise off the ground etc. By sudden muscular effort in the legs. 2 (often foll. By up, from, in, out, etc.) Move suddenly or hastily (jumped into the car). 3 jerk or twitch from shock or excitement etc. 4 a change, esp. Advance in status or rise, rapidly (prices jumped). B cause to do this. 5 (often foll. By about) change the subject etc. Rapidly. 6 pass over (an obstacle etc.) By jumping. 7 skip (a passage in a book etc.). 8 cause (a horse etc.) To jump. 9 (foll. By to, at) reach (a conclusion) hastily. 10 (of a train) leave (the rails). 11 pass (a red traffic-light etc.). 12 get on or off (a train etc.) Quickly, esp. Illegally or dangerously. 13 attack (a person) unexpectedly. —n. 1 act of jumping. 2 sudden jerk caused by shock or excitement. 3 abrupt rise in amount, value, status, etc. 4 obstacle to be jumped. 5 a sudden transition. B gap in a series, logical sequence, etc.  jump at accept eagerly. Jump bail fail to appear for trial having been released on bail. Jump down a person's throat colloq. Reprimand or contradict a person fiercely. Jump the gun colloq. Begin prematurely. Jump on colloq. Attack or criticize severely. Jump out of one's skin colloq. Be extremely startled. Jump the queue take unfair precedence. Jump ship (of a seaman) desert. Jump to it colloq. Act promptly. One jump ahead one stage further on than a rival etc. [imitative]
Exile  —n. 1 expulsion from one's native land or (internal exile) native town etc. 2 long absence abroad. 3 exiled person. —v. (-ling) send into exile. [french from latin]
Rich  adj. 1 having much wealth. 2 splendid, costly, elaborate. 3 valuable (rich offerings). 4 copious, abundant, ample (rich supply of ideas). 5 (often foll. By in, with) (of soil or a region etc.) Fertile; abundant in resources etc. (rich in nutrients). 6 (of food or diet) containing much fat or spice etc. 7 (of the mixture in an internal-combustion engine) containing a high proportion of fuel. 8 (of colour, sound, or smell) mellow and deep, strong and full. 9 highly amusing or ludicrous; outrageous.  richness n. [old english and french]


Theoretician  n. Person concerned with the theoretical aspects of a subject.
Brackish  adj. (of water etc.) Slightly salty. [low german or dutch]




Pumpkin  n. 1 large rounded yellow or orange fruit cooked as a vegetable. 2 large-leaved tendrilled plant bearing this. [greek pepon melon]
Lady-in-waiting  n. Lady attending a queen or princess.
Discuss  v. 1 talk about (discussed their holidays). 2 talk or write about (a subject) in detail.  discussion n. [latin discutio -cuss- disperse]
Side-drum  n. Small double-headed drum.

Focal  adj. Of or at a focus. [latin: related to *focus]
Sit-up  n. Physical exercise of sitting up from a supine position without using the arms or hands.

Claque  n. Group of people hired to applaud. [french]


Scalar  math. & physics —adj. (of a quantity) having only magnitude, not direction. —n. Scalar quantity. [latin: related to *scale3]


Sell-out  n. 1 commercial success, esp. The selling of all tickets for a show. 2 betrayal.
International  —adj. 1 existing or carried on between nations. 2 agreed on or used by all or many nations. —n. 1 a contest, esp. In sport, between teams representing different countries. B member of such a team. 2 (international) any of four successive associations for socialist or communist action.  internationality n. Internationally adv.
Wing-span  n. (also wing-spread) measurement right across the wings.
Semester  n. Half-year course or term in (esp. Us) universities. [latin semestris from sex six, mensis month]


Skip1  —v. (-pp-) 1 a move along lightly, esp. With alternate hops. B jump lightly, esp. Over a skipping-rope. C gambol, caper, frisk. 2 (often foll. By from, off, to) move quickly from one point, subject, etc. To another. 3 (also absol.) Omit parts of (a text, subject, etc.). 4 colloq. Miss intentionally, not attend. 5 colloq. Leave hurriedly. —n. Skipping movement or action.  skip it colloq. Abandon a topic etc. [probably scandinavian]
Taster  n. 1 person employed to test food or drink by tasting. 2 small sample.


Nation  n. Community of people of mainly common descent, history, language, etc., forming a state or inhabiting a territory. [latin: related to *natal]
Girl friday  n. Female helper or follower.


Injurious  adj. 1 hurtful. 2 (of language) insulting. 3 wrongful.

Turnpike  n. 1 hist. A toll-gate. B road on which a toll was charged. 2 us motorway on which a toll is charged.
Sadhu  n. (in india) holy man, sage, or ascetic. [sanskrit]
Phrase  —n. 1 group of words forming a conceptual unit, but not a sentence. 2 idiomatic or short pithy expression. 3 mode of expression. 4 mus. Group of notes forming a distinct unit within a melody. —v. (-sing) 1 express in words. 2 mus. Divide (music) into phrases, esp. In performance.  phrasal adj. [greek phrasis from phrazo tell]

Physical  adj. 1 of the body (physical exercise). 2 of matter; material. 3 a of, or according to, the laws of nature. B of physics. 4 us medical examination. physically adv.

Glycolysis  n. Breakdown of glucose by enzymes with the release of energy.

Predetermine  v. (-ning) 1 decree beforehand. 2 predestine.
Holism  n. (also wholism) 1 philos. Theory that certain wholes are greater than the sum of their parts. 2 med. Treating of the whole person rather than the symptoms of a disease.  holistic adj. [greek holos whole]
Returnee  n. Person who returns home from abroad, esp. After war service.




Polyp  n. 1 simple organism with a tube-shaped body. 2 small usu. Benign growth on a mucous membrane. [greek pous foot]




Misdiagnose  v. (-sing) diagnose incorrectly.  misdiagnosis n.

Widely  adv. 1 to a wide extent; far apart. 2 extensively. 3 by many people (it is widely thought that). 4 considerably; to a large degree (holds a widely different view).
Streetcar  n. Us tram.
Biennial  —adj. Lasting, or recurring every, two years. —n. Plant that grows from seed one year and flowers and dies the following. [latin annus year]
Tarantula  n. 1 large hairy tropical spider. 2 large black s. European spider. [medieval latin: related to *tarantella]

Hedge sparrow  n. Common grey and brown bird; the dunnock.
Worst  —adj. Most bad. —adv. Most badly. —n. Worst part or possibility (prepare for the worst). —v. Get the better of; defeat.  at its etc. Worst in the worst state. At worst (or the worst) in the worst possible case. Do your worst expression of defiance. Get the worst of it be defeated. If the worst comes to the worst if the worst happens. [old english: related to *worse]
Numerology  n. The study of the supposed occult significance of numbers.
Jointure  —n. Estate settled on a wife by her husband for use after his death. —v. Provide with a jointure. [latin: related to *join]



Knead  v. 1 a work into a dough, paste, etc. By pummelling. B make (bread, pottery, etc.) Thus. 2 massage (muscles etc.) As if kneading. [old english]
Incalculable  adj. 1 too great for calculation. 2 not calculable beforehand. 3 uncertain, unpredictable.  incalculability n. Incalculably adv.



Landau  n. Four-wheeled enclosed carriage with a divided top. [landau in germany]
Vox populi  n. Public opinion, popular belief. [latin, = the people's voice]
Plebeian  —n. 1 commoner, esp. In ancient rome. 2 working-class person, esp. An uncultured one. —adj. 1 of the common people. 2 uncultured, coarse. [latin plebs plebis common people]





Restful  adj. Giving rest or a feeling of rest; quiet, undisturbed.  restfully adv. Restfulness n.
Papyrus  n. (pl. Papyri) 1 aquatic plant of n. Africa. 2 a writing-material made in ancient egypt from the pithy stem of this. B text written on this. [latin from greek]
Landing-stage  n. Platform for disembarking goods and passengers.
Impulsive  adj. 1 tending to act on impulse. 2 done on impulse. 3 tending to impel.  impulsively adv. Impulsiveness n.
Prickly heat  n. Itchy inflammation of the skin, causing a tingling sensation and common in hot countries.


Bc  abbr. Before christ.

Smack3  n. Single-masted sailing-boat. [low german or dutch]


Eskimo  —n. (pl. Same or -s) 1 member of a people inhabiting n. Canada, alaska, greenland, and e. Siberia. 2 language of this people. —adj. Of eskimos or their language. [algonquian]
Jejunum  n. Small intestine between the duodenum and ileum. [latin: related to *jejune]



Holier-than-thou  adj. Colloq. Self-righteous.

Refiner  n. Person or firm whose business is to refine crude oil, metal, sugar, etc.


Historical  adj. 1 of or concerning history (historical evidence). 2 (of the study of a subject) showing its development over a period. 3 factual, not fictional or legendary. 4 belonging to the past, not the present. 5 (of a novel etc.) Dealing with historical events.  historically adv.

Catheter  n. Tube inserted into a body cavity for introducing or removing fluid. [greek kathiemi send down]
Produce  —v. (-cing) 1 manufacture or prepare (goods etc.). 2 bring forward for consideration, inspection, or use (will produce evidence). 3 bear, yield, or bring into existence (offspring, fruit, a harvest, etc.). 4 cause or bring about (a reaction, sensation, etc.). 5 geom. Extend or continue (a line). 6 supervise the production of (a play, film, broadcast, record, etc.). —n. 1 a what is produced, esp. Agricultural products collectively (dairy produce). B amount of this. 2 (often foll. By of) result (of labour, efforts, etc.).  producible adj. [latin duco duct- lead]



Namely  adv. That is to say; in other words.
Auricle  n. 1 each atrium of the heart. 2 external ear of animals.  auricular adj. [related to *auricula]




Sweetshop  n. Confectioner's shop.



Balcony  n. (pl. -ies) 1 usu. Balustraded platform on the outside of a building with access from an upper floor. 2 upper tier of seats in a theatre etc.  balconied adj. [italian]
Prohibit  v. (-t-) (often foll. By from + verbal noun) 1 forbid. 2 prevent.  prohibitor n. Prohibitory adj. [latin prohibeo -hibit-]

Embellish  v. 1 beautify, adorn. 2 enhance with fictitious additions.  embellishment n. [french bel, *beau]
Hostage  n. Person seized or held as security for the fulfilment of a condition. [latin obses obsidis hostage]
Ambush  —n. 1 surprise attack by persons hiding. 2 hiding-place for this. —v. Attack from an ambush; waylay. [french: related to *in-1, *bush1]
Rhythm and blues  n. Popular music with blues themes and a strong rhythm.
Record-player  n. Apparatus for reproducing sound from gramophone records.



Ophthalmoscope  n. Instrument for examining the eye.

Scabbard  n. Hist. Sheath of a sword etc. [anglo-french]

Parterre  n. 1 level space in a formal garden occupied by flower-beds. 2 us pit of a theatre. [french, = on the ground]
Pole-vault  (also pole-jump) —n. Vault, or sport of vaulting, over a high bar with the aid of a pole held in the hands. —v. Perform this.  pole-vaulter n.
Woggle  n. Leather etc. Ring through which the ends of a scout's neckerchief are passed at the neck. [origin unknown]
Inscrutable  adj. Mysterious, impenetrable.  inscrutability n. Inscrutably adv. [latin scrutor search]




Unbind  v. (past and past part. Unbound) release; unfasten, untie.
Poppy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 plant with showy esp. Scarlet flowers and a milky sap. 2 artificial poppy worn on remembrance sunday. [latin papaver]


New year's eve  n. 31 december.


Hoist  —v. 1 raise or haul up. 2 raise by means of ropes and pulleys etc. —n. 1 act of hoisting, lift. 2 apparatus for hoisting.  hoist with one's own petard caught by one's own trick etc. [earlier hoise, probably from low german]
Craft  —n. 1 special skill or technique. 2 occupation needing this. 3 (pl. Craft) a boat or vessel. B aircraft or spacecraft. 4 cunning or deceit. —v. Make in a skilful way. [old english]

Island  n. 1 piece of land surrounded by water. 2 = *traffic island. 3 detached or isolated thing. [old english igland; first syllable influenced by *isle]
Petty cash  n. Money from or for small items of receipt or expenditure.
Blanket stitch  n. Stitch used to finish the edges of a blanket etc.
Austral  adj. 1 southern. 2 (austral) of australia or australasia. [latin auster south]


Commonsensical  adj. Having or marked by common sense.



Leyden jar  n. Early capacitor consisting of a glass jar with layers of metal foil on the outside and inside. [leyden (now leiden) in holland]


Solidity  n. Being solid; firmness.


Wreak  v. 1 (usu. Foll. By upon) give play to (vengeance or one's anger etc.). 2 cause (damage etc.) (wreak havoc). [old english, = avenge]
Smelt1  v. 1 extract metal from (ore) by melting. 2 extract (metal) in this way.  smelter n. [low german or dutch smelten]
Hindustani  n. Language based on hindi, used as a lingua franca in much of india. [from *hindu, stan country]
Guinea  n. 1 hist. Sum of 21 old shillings (£1.05). 2 hist. Former british gold coin first coined for the african trade. [guinea in w. Africa]
Egyptian  —adj. Of egypt. —n. 1 native of egypt. 2 language of the ancient egyptians.
Dry measure  n. Measure for dry goods.
Defensible  adj. 1 justifiable; supportable by argument. 2 able to be defended militarily.  defensibility n. Defensibly adv. [latin: related to *defend]


Destroy  v. 1 pull or break down; demolish. 2 kill (esp. An animal). 3 make useless; spoil. 4 ruin, esp. Financially. 5 defeat. [latin struo struct- build]

Corridors of power  n.pl. Places where covert influence is said to be exerted in government.

Microscopic  adj. 1 visible only with a microscope. 2 extremely small. 3 of or by means of a microscope.  microscopically adv.
Machete  n. Broad heavy knife, esp. Of central america. [spanish from latin]

Methane  n. Colourless odourless inflammable gaseous hydrocarbon, the main constituent of natural gas. [from *methyl]
Eleven-plus  n. Esp. Hist. Examination taken at age 11–12 to determine the type of secondary school a child would enter.

Pick-me-up  n. 1 tonic for the nerves etc. 2 a good experience that cheers.
Workman  n. 1 man employed to do manual labour. 2 person with regard to skill in a job (a good workman).
Power point  n.  Socket in a wall etc. For connecting an electrical device to the mains.
Indictment  n. 1 a indicting, accusation. B document containing this. 2 thing that serves to condemn or censure (an indictment of society).
Hang-up  n. Slang emotional problem or inhibition.
Tinpot  attrib. Adj. Cheap, inferior.
Prep  n. Colloq. 1 homework, esp. In boarding-schools. 2 period when this is done. [abbreviation of *preparation]

Browse  —v. (-sing) 1 read desultorily or look over goods for sale. 2 (often foll. By on) feed on leaves, twigs, etc. —n. 1 twigs, shoots, etc. As fodder. 2 act of browsing. [french brost bud]

Avert  v. (often foll. By from) 1 turn away (one's eyes or thoughts). 2 prevent or ward off (esp. Danger).
Unbound1  adj. 1 not bound. 2 unconstrained. 3 a (of a book) without a binding. B having paper covers.



Workaholic  n. Colloq. Person addicted to working.

Childish  adj. 1 of, like, or proper to a child. 2 immature, silly.  childishly adv. Childishness n.

Stereoscope  n. Device for producing a three-dimensional effect by viewing two slightly different photographs together.  stereoscopic adj.

Prima ballerina  n. Chief female dancer in a ballet. [italian]


Sea horse  n. 1 small upright fish with a head like a horse's. 2 mythical creature with a horse's head and fish's tail.
Rumba  n. 1 latin american ballroom dance orig. From cuba. 2 music for this. [american spanish]

Emphasize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) put emphasis on, stress.

La  symb. Lanthanum.



Waste paper  n. Used or valueless paper.
Hint  —n. 1 slight or indirect indication or suggestion. 2 small piece of practical information. 3 very small trace; suggestion (a hint of perfume). —v. Suggest slightly or indirectly.  hint at give a hint of; refer indirectly to. Take a hint heed a hint. [obsolete hent grasp]

Surreptitious  adj. Done by stealth; clandestine.  surreptitiously adv. [latin surripio seize secretly]





Columnist  n. Journalist contributing regularly to a newspaper etc.
Inky  adj. (-ier, -iest) of, as black as, or stained with ink.  inkiness n.

Ph.d.  Abbr. Doctor of philosophy. [latin philosophiae doctor]

Circumcise  v. (-sing) cut off the foreskin or clitoris of.  circumcision n. [latin caedo cut]
Up  —adv. 1 at, in, or towards a higher place or a place regarded as higher, e.g. The north, a capital or a university (up in the air; up in scotland; went up to london; came up in 1989). 2 a to or in an erect or required position or condition (stood it up; wound up the watch). B in or into an active condition (stirred up trouble; the hunt is up). 3 in a stronger or leading position (three goals up; am £10 up; is well up in class). 4 to a specified place, person, or time (a child came up to me; fine up till now). 5 higher in price or value (our costs are up; shares are up). 6 a completely (burn up; eat up). B more loudly or clearly (speak up). 7 completed (time is up). 8 into a compact, accumulated, or secure state (pack up; save up; tie up). 9 out of bed, having risen (are you up yet?; sun is up). 10 happening, esp. Unusually (something is up). 11 (usu. Foll. By before) appearing for trial etc. (up before the magistrate). 12 (of a road etc.) Being repaired. 13 (of a jockey) in the saddle. —prep. 1 upwards and along, through, or into (climbed up the ladder; went up the road). 2 from the bottom to the top of. 3 a at or in a higher part of (is up the street). B towards the source of (a river). —adj. 1 directed upwards (up stroke). 2 of travel towards a capital or centre (the up train). —n. Spell of good fortune. —v. (-pp-) 1 colloq. Start, esp. Abruptly, to speak or act (upped and hit him). 2 raise (upped their prices).  be all up with be hopeless for (a person). On the up (or up and up) colloq. Steadily improving. Up against 1 close to. 2 in or into contact with. 3 colloq. Confronted with (a problem etc.).



Recalcitrant  adj. 1 obstinately disobedient. 2 objecting to restraint.  recalcitrance n. [latin recalcitro kick out, from calx heel]
Swizzle-stick  n. Stick used for frothing or flattening drinks.
Putrescent  adj. Rotting.  putrescence n. [latin: related to *putrid]
Self-pollination  n. Pollination of a flower by pollen from the same plant.  self-pollinating adj.
Perishable  —adj. Liable to perish; subject to decay. —n. Thing, esp. A foodstuff, subject to rapid decay.
Galley  n. (pl. -s) 1 hist. A long flat single-decked vessel usu. Rowed by slaves or criminals. B ancient greek or roman warship. 2 ship's or aircraft's kitchen. 3 printing (in full galley proof) proof in continuous form before division into pages. [latin galea]
Affected  adj. 1 pretended, artificial. 2 full of affectation.

Disaffected  adj. Discontented (esp. Politically); no longer loyal.  disaffection n.
Totem  n. 1 natural object, esp. An animal, adopted esp. By n. American indians as an emblem of a clan or individual. 2 image of this.  totemic adj. [algonquian]
Kiss-curl  n. Small curl of hair on the forehead, nape, etc.


Undecided  adj. 1 not settled. 2 irresolute.
Martini  n. (pl. -s) 1 propr. Type of vermouth. 2 cocktail of gin and french vermouth. [martini and rossi, name of a firm selling vermouth]
Outrigger  n. 1 spar or framework projecting over the side of a ship, racing boat, or canoe to give stability. 2 boat fitted with this.
Foothill  n. Any of the low hills at the base of a mountain or range.
Spendthrift  —n. Extravagant person. —adj. Extravagant.
Stepbrother  n. Son of one's step-parent by a previous partner.


Grist  n. Corn to grind.  grist to the (or a person's) mill source of profit or advantage. [old english: related to *grind]
Withe  n. (also withy) (pl. Withes or withies) tough flexible shoot, esp. Of willow, used for binding, basketwork, etc. [old english]

He'd  contr. 1 he had. 2 he would.


Aperture  n. Opening or gap, esp. A variable opening in a camera for admitting light. [latin aperio open]
Unaided  adj. Without help.
Lineation  n. Marking with or drawing of lines.


Paddle-boat  n. (also paddle-steamer) boat (or steamer) propelled by a paddle-wheel.

Hiss  —v. 1 make a sharp sibilant sound, as of the letter s. 2 express disapproval of by hisses. 3 whisper urgently or angrily. —n. 1 sharp sibilant sound as of the letter s. 2 electronics interference at audio frequencies. [imitative]






Ignition  n. 1 mechanism for, or the action of, starting combustion in an internal-combustion engine. 2 igniting or being ignited.
Tea chest  n. Light metal-lined plywood box for transporting tea.

Singer-songwriter  n. Person who sings and writes songs.

Gunny  n. (pl. -ies) 1 coarse sacking, usu. Of jute fibre. 2 sack made of this. [hindi and marathi]
Overenthusiasm  n. Excessive enthusiasm.  overenthusiastic adj. Overenthusiastically adv.
Ferric  adj. 1 of iron. 2 containing iron in a trivalent form. [latin ferrum iron]
False alarm  n. Alarm given needlessly.
Vetch  n. Plant of the pea family used largely for fodder. [latin vicia]


Clothes-peg  n. Clip etc. For securing clothes to a clothes-line.
Flavoring  n. (brit. Flavouring) substance used to flavour food or drink.


Barbour  n. Propr. Type of green waxed jacket. [barbour, name of a draper]
Sunset  n. 1 sun's setting. 2 time of this.
Cremate  v. (-ting) burn (a corpse etc.) To ashes.  cremation n. [latin cremo burn]



Glutton for punishment  n. Person eager to take on hard or unpleasant tasks.
Re-let  —v. (-tt-; past and past part. -let) let (a property) for a further period or to a new tenant. —n. Re-let property.






Block and tackle  n. System of pulleys and ropes, esp. For lifting.
Philosopher  n. 1 expert in or student of philosophy. 2 person who lives by a philosophy or is wise.
Decentralize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 transfer (power etc.) From central to local authority. 2 reorganize to give greater local autonomy.  decentralization n.
Arbitrary  adj. 1 random. 2 capricious; despotic.  arbitrarily adv.


Insured  n. (usu. Prec. By the) person etc. Covered by insurance.


Hemophilia  n. (brit. Haem-) hereditary failure of the blood to clot normally with the tendency to bleed severely from even a slight injury. [greek haima blood, philia loving]

United kingdom  n. Great britain and northern ireland.
Hejira  var. Of *hegira.
Quire  n. 25 (formerly 24) sheets of paper. [latin: related to *quaternary]

Paramedical  adj. (of services etc.) Supplementing and assisting medical work.







Hail-fellow-well-met  adj. Friendly, esp. Too friendly towards strangers.
Admit  v. (-tt-) 1 (often foll. By to be, or that + clause) acknowledge; recognize as true. 2 (foll. By to) confess to (a deed, fault, etc.). 3 allow (a person) entrance, access, etc. 4 take (a patient) into hospital. 5 (of an enclosed space) accommodate. 6 (foll. By of) allow as possible. [latin mitto miss- send]



News conference  n. Press conference.

Misdemeanour  n. (us misdemeanor) 1 misdeed. 2  hist indictable offence less serious than a felony. [from *mis-1]

G-string  n. 1 mus. String sounding the note g. 2 narrow strip of cloth etc. Covering only the genitals and attached to a string round the waist.
Tinker  —n. 1 itinerant mender of kettles and pans etc. 2 scot. & ir. Gypsy. 3 colloq. Mischievous person or animal. 4 spell of tinkering. —v. 1 (foll. By at, with) work in an amateurish or desultory way. 2 work as a tinker. [origin unknown]



Point  —n. 1 sharp or tapered end of a tool, weapon, pencil, etc. 2 tip or extreme end. 3 that which in geometry has position but not magnitude. 4 particular place or position. 5 precise or critical moment (when it came to the point, he refused). 6 very small mark on a surface. 7 dot or other punctuation mark. 8 = *decimal point. 9 stage or degree in progress or increase (abrupt to the point of rudeness). 10 temperature at which a change of state occurs (freezing point). 11 single item or particular (explained it point by point). 12 unit of scoring in games or of measuring value etc. 13 significant or essential thing; what is intended or under discussion (the point of my question; get to the point). 14 sense, purpose; advantage, value (saw no point in staying). 15 characteristic (tact is not his strong point). 16 a each of 32 directions marked at equal distances round a compass. B corresponding direction towards the horizon.


Elephant  n. (pl. Same or -s) largest living land animal, with a trunk and ivory tusks. [greek elephas]

Interfuse  v. (-sing) 1 a (usu. Foll. By with) mix (a thing) with; intersperse. B blend (things). 2 (of two things) blend with each other.  interfusion n. [latin: related to *fuse1]

Call-girl  n. Prostitute accepting appointments by telephone.
Offline  computing —adj. Not online. —adv. With a delay between the production of data and its processing; not under direct computer control.
Divisive  adj. Causing disagreement.  divisively adv. Divisiveness n. [latin: related to *divide]
Unwonted  adj. Not customary or usual.


Wild west  n. Western us before the establishment of law and order.

Pipe  —n. 1 tube of metal, plastic, etc., used to convey water, gas, etc. 2 a narrow tube with a bowl at one end containing tobacco for smoking. B quantity of tobacco held by this. 3  a wind instrument of a single tube. B any of the tubes by which sound is produced in an organ. C (in pl.) = *bagpipes. 4 tubular organ, vessel, etc. In an animal's body. 5 high note or song, esp. Of a bird. 6 a boatswain's whistle. B sounding of this. 7 cask for wine, esp. As a measure, usu. = 105 gal. (about 477 litres). —v. (-ping) 1 a convey (oil, water, gas, etc.) By pipes. B provide with pipes. 2 play (a tune etc.) On a pipe or pipes. 3 (esp. As piped adj.) Transmit (recorded music etc.) By wire or cable. 4 (usu. Foll. By up, on, to, etc.) Naut. A summon (a crew). B signal the arrival of (an officer etc.) On board. 5 utter in a shrill voice. 6 decorate or trim with piping. 7 lead or bring (a person etc.) By the sound of a pipe or pipes.  pipe down colloq. Be quiet or less insistent. Pipe up begin to play, sing, speak, etc.  pipeful n. (pl. -s). [latin pipo chirp]
Lithe  adj. Flexible, supple. [old english]

Kamikaze  —n. Hist. 1 explosive-laden japanese aircraft deliberately crashed on a ship etc. During the war of 1939–45. 2 pilot of this. —attrib. Adj. 1 of a kamikaze. 2 reckless, esp. Suicidal. [japanese, = divine wind]


Straitened  adj. Of or marked by poverty.


Institution  n. 1 organization or society founded for a particular purpose. 2 established law, practice, or custom. 3 colloq. (of a person etc.) Familiar object. 4 instituting or being instituted.
Nightfall  n. End of daylight.

Unconvincing  adj. Not convincing.  unconvincingly adv.
Ladyship  n.  her (or your) ladyship respectful form of reference or address to a lady.
Alley  n. (pl. -s) 1 narrow street or passageway. 2 enclosure for skittles, bowling, etc. 3 walk or lane in a park etc. [french aller go]
S1  n. (also s) (pl. Ss or s's) 1 nineteenth letter of the alphabet. 2 s-shaped thing.


Irrefutable  adj. That cannot be refuted.  irrefutably adv.




Dislodge  v. (-ging) disturb or move.  dislodgement n.






Usage  see note at unsocial.
Sleepless  adj. 1 lacking sleep (sleepless night). 2 unable to sleep. 3 continually active.  sleeplessness n.

Unctuous  adj. 1 unpleasantly flattering; oily. 2 greasy or soapy.  unctuously adv. [medieval latin: related to *unction]
Futurity  n. (pl. -ies) literary 1 future time. 2 (in sing. Or pl.) Future events.

Mendacious  adj. Lying, untruthful.  mendacity n. (pl. -ies). [latin mendax]

About-face  n. & int. = *about-turn, about turn.


Trough  n. 1 long narrow open receptacle for water, animal feed, etc. 2 channel or hollow like this. 3 elongated region of low barometric pressure. [old english]

Kaleidoscope  n. 1 tube containing mirrors and pieces of coloured glass etc. Producing changing reflected patterns when shaken. 2 constantly changing pattern, group, etc.  kaleidoscopic adj. [greek kalos beautiful, eidos form, *-scope]


Binman  n. Colloq. Dustman.

Arcane  adj. Mysterious, secret. [latin arceo shut up]
Disfigure  v. (-ring) spoil the appearance of.  disfigurement n.


Squib  n. 1 small hissing firework that finally explodes. 2 satirical essay. [perhaps imitative]
Relocate  v. (-ting) 1 locate in a new place. 2 move to a new place (esp. To live or work).  relocation n.

Mad cow disease  n. Colloq. = *bse.

Sherpa  n. (pl. Same or -s) member of a himalayan people living on the borders of nepal and tibet. [native name]





Vichyssoise  n. (usu. Chilled) creamy soup of leeks and potatoes. [french, = of vichy]

Spring balance  n. Balance that measures weight by the tension of a spring.
Single cream  n. Thin cream with a relatively low fat content.
Shyster  n. Esp. Us colloq. Unscrupulous or unprofessional person. [origin uncertain]

Time-honoured  adj. Esteemed by tradition or through custom.


Sec1  abbr. Secant.
Medieval latin  n. Latin of about ad 600–1500.






Sulfuric  adj. (brit. Sulphuric) chem. Containing sulphur with a valency of six.
Direct speech  n. Words actually spoken, not reported.



Stimulate  v. (-ting) 1 act as a stimulus to. 2 animate, excite, arouse.  stimulation n. Stimulative adj. Stimulator n. [latin: related to *stimulus]
Rotary club  n. Local branch of rotary.
Pick2  n. 1 long-handled tool with a usu. Curved iron bar pointed at one or both ends, used for breaking up hard ground etc. 2 colloq. Plectrum. 3 any instrument for picking. [from *pike]



Collateral  —n. 1 security pledged as a guarantee for the repayment of a loan. 2 person having the same ancestor as another but by a different line. —adj. 1 descended from the same ancestor but by a different line. 2 side by side; parallel. 3 a additional but subordinate. B contributory. C connected but aside from the main subject, course, etc.  collaterally adv. [latin: related to *lateral]



Dentist  n. Person qualified to treat, extract, etc., teeth.  dentistry n.
Mews  n. (treated as sing.) Stabling round a yard etc., now used esp. For housing. [originally sing. Mew ‘cage for hawks’: french from latin muto change]


Impedance  n. Total effective resistance of an electric circuit etc. To an alternating current. [from *impede]

Dignified  adj. Having or showing dignity.




Botany  n. The study of plants.  botanic adj. Botanical adj. Botanist n. [greek botane plant]

Nosh-up  n. Slang large meal.
Deprive  v. (-ving) 1 (usu. Foll. By of) prevent from having or enjoying. 2 (as deprived adj.) Lacking what is needed for well-being; underprivileged.  deprival n. [latin: related to *privation]


Wrung  past and past part. Of *wring.

Frightful  adj. 1 a dreadful, shocking. B ugly. 2 colloq. Extremely bad. 3 colloq. Extreme (frightful rush).  frightfully adv.
Puke  v. & n. (-king) slang vomit.  pukey adj. [imitative]


Cut-price  adj. (also cut-rate) at a reduced price.
Slap-up  attrib. Adj. Colloq. Excellent, lavish.


Tyranny  n. (pl. -ies) 1 cruel and arbitrary use of authority. 2 a rule by a tyrant. B period of this. C state ruled by a tyrant.  tyrannous adj. [greek: related to *tyrant]

Deinstitutionalize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) (usu. As deinstitutionalized adj.) Remove from an institution or help recover from the effects of institutional life.  deinstitutionalization n.



Feverish  adj. 1 having symptoms of fever. 2 excited, restless.  feverishly adv. Feverishness n.
Walk-out  n. Sudden angry departure, esp. As a protest or strike.
Barre  n. Horizontal bar at waist level, used in dance exercises. [french]

Spigot  n. 1 small peg or plug, esp. In a cask. 2 device for controlling the flow of liquid in a tap. [related to *spike2]
Genealogy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 descent traced continuously from an ancestor, pedigree. 2 study of pedigrees. 3 organism's line of development from earlier forms.  genealogical adj. Genealogically adv. Genealogist n. [greek genea race]

Prehistoric  adj. 1 of the period before written records. 2 colloq. Utterly out of date.  prehistory n.
Grass roots  n.pl. 1 fundamental level or source. 2 ordinary people; rank and file of an organization, esp. A political party.

Postman  n. (fem. Postwoman) person employed to deliver and collect letters etc.

Moselle  n. Dry white wine from the moselle valley in germany.


Wake2  n. 1 track left on the water's surface by a moving ship. 2 turbulent air left behind a moving aircraft etc.  in the wake of following, as a result of. [low german from old norse]
Xi  n. Fourteenth letter of the greek alphabet (x, x). [greek]

Violate  v. (-ting) 1 disregard; break (an oath, treaty, law, etc.). 2 treat (a sanctuary etc.) Profanely; disrespect. 3 disturb (a person's privacy etc.). 4 rape.  violable adj. Violation n. Violator n. [latin violo]

Fro  adv. Back (now only in to and fro: see *to). [old norse: related to *from]



Punk  n. 1 a (in full punk rock) anti-establishment and deliberately outrageous style of rock music. B (in full punk rocker) devotee of this. 2 esp. Us young hooligan or petty criminal; lout. 3 soft crumbly fungus-infested wood used as tinder. [origin unknown]

-ous  suffix 1 forming adjectives meaning ‘abounding in, characterized by, of the nature of’ (envious; glorious; mountainous; poisonous). 2 chem. Denoting a state of lower valence than -ic (ferrous; sulphurous). [anglo-french -ous, from latin asus]
Vitiate  v. (-ting) 1 impair, debase. 2 make invalid or ineffectual.  vitiation n. [latin: related to *vice1]



Lake2  n. 1 reddish pigment orig. Made from lac. 2 pigment obtained by combining an organic colouring matter with a metallic oxide, hydroxide, or salt. [var. Of *lac]
Mist  —n. 1 a water vapour near the ground in minute droplets limiting visibility. B condensed vapour obscuring glass etc. 2 dimness or blurring of the sight caused by tears etc. 3 cloud of particles resembling mist. —v. (usu. Foll. By up, over) cover or become covered with mist or as with mist. [old english]


Corporal2  adj. Of the human body.  corporality n. [latin corpus body]
Loofah  n. Rough bath-sponge made from the dried pod of a type of gourd. [arabic]


Vandal  n. Person who wilfully or maliciously damages property.  vandalism n. [vandals, name of a germanic people that sacked rome and destroyed works of art in the 5th c.: latin from germanic]
Hoarding  n. 1 large, usu. Wooden, structure used to carry advertisements etc. 2 temporary fence round a building site etc. [obsolete hoard from french: hourd]



Leverage  n. 1 action or power of a lever. 2 power to accomplish a purpose.

Fuze  var. Of *fuse2.
Narrow  —adj. (-er, -est) 1 a of small width. B confined or confining (within narrow bounds). 2 of limited scope (in the narrowest sense). 3 with little margin (narrow escape). 4 precise; exact. 5 = *narrow-minded. —n. (usu. In pl.) Narrow part of a strait, river, pass, street, etc. —v. Become or make narrow; contract; lessen.  narrowly adv. Narrowness n. [old english]
Ungainly  adj. Awkward, clumsy.  ungainliness n. [obsolete gain straight, from old norse]
Gravimetry  n. Measurement of weight.  gravimetric adj.
Bound3  adj. 1 (usu. Foll. By for) starting or having started (bound for stardom). 2 (in comb.) In a specified direction (northbound). [old norse, = ready]
Derisory  adj. 1 scoffing, ironical (derisory cheers). 2 ridiculously small (derisory offer).


Lawmaker  n. Legislator.
Even chance  n. Equal chance of success or failure.
Denominate  v. (-ting) give a name to, call, describe as. [latin: related to *nominate]



Jack of all trades  n. Multi-skilled person.





Sighted  adj. 1 not blind. 2 (in comb.) Having specified vision (long-sighted).
Rateable  adj. (also ratable) liable to rates.

All-in wrestling  n. Wrestling with few or no restrictions.
Tonsorial  adj. Usu. Joc. Of a hairdresser or hairdressing. [latin tondeo tons- shave]
Pas  n. (pl. Same) step, esp. In ballet. [french, = step]
Usage  register office is the official name, although registry office is often heard in colloquial usage.
Heading  n. 1 a title at the head of a page or section of a book etc. B section of a subject of discourse etc. 2 horizontal passage made in preparation for building a tunnel, or in a mine.

Topsoil  n. Top layer of soil.



Wrapround  var. Of *wraparound.

Dogfight  n. 1 close combat between fighter aircraft. 2 rough fight.
Jeepers  int. Us slang expressing surprise etc. [corruption of jesus]

Gracious living  n. Elegant way of life.
Mallow  n. Plant with hairy stems and leaves and pink or purple flowers. [latin malva]
Soar  v. 1 fly or rise high. 2 reach a high level or standard. 3 fly without flapping the wings or using power. [french essorer]
Catatonia  n. 1 schizophrenia with intervals of catalepsy and sometimes violence. 2 catalepsy.  catatonic adj. & n. [greek: related to *cata-, *tone]
Rapist  n. Person who commits rape.
Whiskey  n. (brit. Whisky) (pl. -eys) spirit distilled esp. From malted grain, esp. Barley or rye. [abbreviation of usquebaugh from gaelic, = water of life]


Uninjured  adj. Not injured.
Sulphurous  adj. (us sulfurous) 1 of or like sulphur. 2 chem. Containing sulphur with a valency of four.
Impunity  n. Exemption from punishment, bad consequences, etc.  with impunity without punishment etc. [latin poena penalty]


Hmso  abbr. Her (or his) majesty's stationery office.
Deutschmark  n. (also deutsche mark) chief monetary unit of germany. [german: related to *mark2]

Bootlicker  n. Colloq. Toady.




Fen  n. 1 low marshy land. 2 (the fens) low-lying areas in cambridgeshire etc. [old english]
Ninety  adj. & n. (pl. -ies) 1 product of nine and ten. 2 symbol for this (90, xc, xc). 3 (in pl.) Numbers from 90 to 99, esp. The years of a century or of a person's life.  ninetieth adj. & n. [old english]
Further  —adv. (also farther) 1 more distant in space or time. 2 to a greater extent, more (will enquire further). 3 in addition (i may add further). —adj. (also farther) 1 more distant or advanced. 2 more, additional (further details). —v. Promote or favour (a scheme etc.). [old english: related to *forth]
Toasting-fork  n. Long-handled fork for making toast.

Ghetto  n. (pl. -s) 1 part of a city occupied by a minority group. 2 hist. Jewish quarter in a city. 3 segregated group or area. [italian]




Bay-leaf  n. Leaf of the bay-tree, used for flavouring.

Undetermined  adj. = *undecided.
Rotund  adj. 1 plump, podgy. 2 (of speech etc.) Sonorous, grandiloquent.  rotundity n. [latin rotundus: related to *rota]


Stallholder  n. Person in charge of a stall at a market etc.

Scandal  n. 1 cause of public outrage. 2 outrage etc. So caused. 3 malicious gossip.  scandalous adj. Scandalously adv. [greek skandalon, = snare]
Jacket potato  n. Potato baked in its skin.

Intermediate  —adj. Coming between two things in time, place, order, character, etc. —n. 1 intermediate thing. 2 chemical compound formed by one reaction and then used in another. [latin intermedius]

S.a.e.  Abbr. Stamped addressed envelope.





Dream  —n. 1 series of scenes or feelings in the mind of a sleeping person. 2 day-dream or fantasy. 3 ideal, aspiration. 4 beautiful or ideal person or thing. —v. (past and past part. Dreamt or dreamed) 1 experience a dream. 2 imagine as in a dream. 3 (with neg.) Consider possible (never dreamt that he would come; would not dream of it). 4 (foll. By away) waste (time). 5 be inactive or unpractical.  dream up imagine, invent. Like a dream colloq. Easily, effortlessly.  dreamer n. [old english]

'Twere  archaic it were. [contraction]



Harangue  —n. Lengthy and earnest speech. —v. (-guing) make a harangue to; lecture. [french arenge from medieval latin]

Old maid  n. 1 derog. Elderly unmarried woman. 2 prim and fussy person.
Applicable  adj. (often foll. By to) that may be applied; relevant; appropriate.  applicability n. [medieval latin: related to *apply]

Frith  var. Of *firth.

Rot  —v. (-tt-) 1 (of animal or vegetable matter) lose its original form by the chemical action of bacteria, fungi, etc.; decay. 2 gradually perish or waste away (left to rot in prison). 3 cause to rot, make rotten. —n. 1 rotting; decay. 2 slang nonsense (talks rot). 3 decline in standards etc. (rot set in). —int. Expressing incredulity or ridicule. [old english]
Conduit  n. 1 channel or pipe conveying liquids. 2 tube or trough protecting insulated electric wires. [medieval latin: related to *conduct]
Maul  —v. 1 tear the flesh of; claw. 2 handle roughly. 3 damage by criticism. —n. 1 rugby loose scrum. 2 brawl. 3 heavy hammer. [latin malleus hammer]

Barn-owl  n. A kind of owl frequenting barns.
Casement  n. Window or part of a window hinged to open like a door. [anglo-latin: related to *case2]




Statuary  —adj. Of or for statues (statuary art). —n. (pl. -ies) 1 statues collectively. 2 making statues. 3 sculptor. [latin: related to *statue]
Leeward  —adj. & adv. On or towards the side sheltered from the wind. —n. Leeward region or side.
Stir-fry  —v. Fry rapidly while stirring. —n. Stir-fried dish.


Yam  n. 1 a tropical or subtropical climbing plant. B edible starchy tuber of this. 2 us sweet potato. [portuguese or spanish]
Medial  adj. = *median.  medially adv. [latin medius middle]



Slippy  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Slippery.  look (or be) slippy make haste.
Quick-witted  adj. Quick to grasp a situation, make repartee, etc.  quick-wittedness n.
Inexorable  adj. Relentless; unstoppable.  inexorably adv. [latin exoro entreat]
Underestimate  —v. (-ting) form too low an estimate of. —n. Estimate that is too low.  underestimation n.
Interesting  adj. Causing curiosity; holding the attention.  interestingly adv.
Outlying  adj. Far from a centre; remote.
Self-educated  adj. Educated by one's own reading etc., without formal instruction.

Sky-writing  n. Writing in aeroplane smoke-trails.
Matinée idol  n. Handsome actor.



Require  v. (-ring) 1 need; depend on for success or fulfilment (the work requires patience). 2 lay down as an imperative (required by law). 3 command; instruct (a person etc.). 4 order; insist on (an action or measure).  requirement n. [latin requiro -quisit- seek]
Effeminate  adj. (of a man) womanish in appearance or manner.  effeminacy n. Effeminately adv. [latin femina woman]

Prelate  n. High ecclesiastical dignitary, e.g. A bishop. [latin: related to *prefer]
Noddle  n. Colloq. Head. [origin unknown]
Riches  n.pl. Abundant means; valuable possessions. [french richeise: related to *rich]
Gold leaf  n. Gold beaten into a very thin sheet.
Grindstone  n. 1 thick revolving disc used for grinding, sharpening, and polishing. 2 a kind of stone used for this.  keep one's nose to the grindstone work hard and continuously.
Tosh  n. Colloq. Rubbish, nonsense. [origin unknown]
Dolour  n. (us dolor) literary sorrow, distress.  dolorous adj. [latin dolor pain]

Peacock butterfly  n. Butterfly with eyelike wing markings.

Lbc  abbr. London broadcasting company.
Shirt-tail  n. Curved part of a shirt below the waist.

Warhorse  n. 1 hist. Trooper's powerful horse. 2 colloq. Veteran soldier, politician, etc.
About  —prep. 1 a on the subject of (a book about birds). B relating to (glad about it). C in relation to (symmetry about a plane). 2 at a time near to (about six). 3 a in, round (walked about the town; a scarf about her neck). B all round from a centre (look about you). 4 at points in (strewn about the house). 5 carried with (no money about me). 6 occupied with (about her business). —adv. 1 a approximately (about ten miles). B colloq. In an understatement (just about had enough). 2 nearby (a lot of flu about). 3 in every direction (look about). 4 on the move; in action (out and about). 5 in rotation or succession (turn and turn about).  be about (or all about) colloq. Have as its essential nature (life is all about having fun). Be about to be on the point of (was about to laugh). [old english]

Flying doctor  n. Doctor who uses an aircraft to visit patients.



Suit  —n. 1 set of matching clothes, usu. A jacket and trousers or skirt. 2 (esp. In comb.) Clothes for a special purpose (swimsuit). 3 any of the four sets (spades, hearts, diamonds, clubs) making up a pack of cards. 4 lawsuit. 5 a petition, esp. To a person in authority. B archaic courting a woman (paid suit to her). —v. 1 go well with (a person's appearance etc.). 2 (also absol.) Meet the demands or requirements of; satisfy; agree with. 3 make fitting; accommodate; adapt. 4 (as suited adj.) Appropriate; well-fitted (not suited to be a nurse).  suit oneself do as one chooses. [anglo-french siute]
Prize-giving  n. Awarding of prizes, esp. Formally at a school etc.
Contraflow  n. Transfer of traffic from its usual half of the road to the other half by borrowing one or more of the other half's lanes.
Gerund  n. Verbal noun, in english ending in -ing (e.g. Do you mind my asking you?). [latin]
Wrestle  —n. 1 contest in which two opponents grapple and try to throw each other to the ground, esp. As an athletic sport. 2 hard struggle. —v. (-ling) 1 (often foll. By with) take part or fight in a wrestle. 2 a (foll. By with, against) struggle. B (foll. By with) do one's utmost to deal with (a task, difficulty, etc.).  wrestler n. Wrestling n. [old english]

Toilet water  n. Dilute perfume used after washing.





Down-and-out  n. Destitute person.  down and out predic. Adj.





Attaché case  n. Small rectangular document case.
Hypocrisy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 false claim to virtue; insincerity, pretence. 2 instance of this. [greek, = acting, feigning]
Ssw  abbr. South-south-west.

Hadji  var. Of *hajji.
Dapple-grey  adj. (of an animal's coat) grey or white with darker spots.




Ult.  Abbr. Ultimo.

Cheapjack  —n. Seller of inferior goods at low prices. —adj. Inferior, shoddy.

Ensilage  —n. = *silage. —v. (-ging) preserve (fodder) by ensilage. [french: related to *silo]

Syncretize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) attempt, esp. Inconsistently, to unify or reconcile differing schools of thought.  syncretic adj. Syncretism n. [greek]
Toilet paper  n. Paper for cleaning oneself after excreting.




Hydrant  n. Outlet (esp. In a street) with a nozzle for a hose, for drawing water from the main. [as *hydro-]
Green-stick fracture  n. Bone-fracture, esp. In children, in which one side of the bone is broken and one only bent.
Adrenal  —adj. 1 at or near the kidneys. 2 of the adrenal glands. —n. (in full adrenal gland) either of two ductless glands above the kidneys, secreting adrenalin. [from *ad-, *renal]
Number one  —n. Colloq. Oneself. —adj. Most important (the number one priority).

Sugar beet  n. Beet yielding sugar.

Pushtu  n. & adj. = *pashto. [persian]
Sweetmeat  n. 1 = *sweet 1. 2 small fancy cake.


Simoom  n. Hot dry dust-laden desert wind. [arabic]
Brogue1  n. 1 strong outdoor shoe with ornamental perforations. 2 rough shoe of untanned leather. [gaelic and irish brog from old norse]
Health food  n. Natural food, thought to promote good health.







Spyhole  n. Peep-hole.


Cask  n. 1 barrel, esp. For alcohol. 2 its contents. [french casque or spanish casco helmet]







Eyebrow  n. Line of hair on the ridge above the eye-socket.  raise one's eyebrows show surprise, disbelief, or disapproval.
Indian  —n. 1 a native or national of india. B person of indian descent. 2 (in full american indian) a original inhabitant of america. B any of the languages of the american indians. —adj. 1 of india or the subcontinent comprising india, pakistan, and bangladesh. 2 of the original peoples of america.


City-state  n. Esp. Hist. City that with its surrounding territory forms an independent state.
Justifiable  adj. Able to be justified.  justifiably adv.
Overhear  v. (past and past part. -heard) (also absol.) Hear unintentionally or as an eavesdropper.
Ruff2  —v. Trump at cards. —n. Trumping. [french ro(u)ffle]
Euthanasia  n. Bringing about of a gentle death in the case of incurable and painful disease. [greek thanatos death]

Magnificent  adj. 1 splendid, stately. 2 colloq. Fine, excellent.  magnificence n. Magnificently adv. [latin magnificus from magnus great]





Natural selection  n. Darwinian theory of the survival and propagation of organisms best adapted to their environment.






Militarism  n. 1 aggressively military policy etc. 2 military spirit.  militarist n. Militaristic adj.


Wretch  n. 1 unfortunate or pitiable person. 2 (often as a playful term of depreciation) reprehensible person. [old english, = outcast]
Health farm  n. Establishment offering improved health by a regime of dieting, exercise, etc.
Tumbrel  n. (also tumbril) hist. Open cart in which condemned persons were taken to the guillotine in the french revolution. [french tomber fall]
Aurochs  n. (pl. Same) extinct wild ox. [german]
Venal  adj. Corrupt; able to be bribed; involving bribery.  venality n. Venally adv. [latin venum thing for sale]

For-  prefix forming verbs etc. Meaning: 1 away, off (forget; forgive). 2 prohibition (forbid). 3 abstention or neglect (forgo; forsake). [old english]

Catalog  (brit. Catalogue) —n. 1 complete alphabetical or otherwise ordered list of items, often with a description of each. 2 extensive list (catalog of disasters). —v. (-logs, -loged, -loging; brit. -logues, -logued, -loguing) 1 make a catalog of. 2 enter in a catalog. [greek lego choose]


Power line  n. Conductor supplying electrical power, esp. One supported by pylons or poles.
Converse2  —adj. Opposite, contrary, reversed. —n. Something, esp. A statement or proposition, that is opposite or reversed.  conversely adv. [latin: related to *convert]

Stone-cold  adj. Completely cold.


Sailor  n. 1 member of a ship's crew, esp. One below the rank of officer. 2 person considered with regard to seasickness (a good sailor). [originally sailer: see *-er1]
Intersect  v. 1 divide (a thing) by crossing it. 2 (of lines, roads, etc.) Cross each other. [latin: related to *section]


Test pilot  n. Pilot who test-flies aircraft.




Aceous  suffix forming adjectives in the sense ‘of the nature of’, esp. In the natural sciences (herbaceous). [latin -aceus]
Finch  n. Small seed-eating bird, esp. A crossbill, canary, or chaffinch. [old english]

Staysail  n. Sail extended on a stay.

Chromium  n. Metallic element used as a shiny decorative or protective coating.

Unplug  v. (-gg-) 1 disconnect (an electrical device) by removing its plug from the socket. 2 unstop.
Clerk  —n. 1 person employed to keep records, accounts, etc. 2 secretary or agent of a local council, court, etc. 3 lay officer of a church. —v. Work as clerk. [old english and french: related to *cleric]
Magic lantern  n. Primitive form of slide projector.
Trader  n. 1 person engaged in trade. 2 merchant ship.

Papist  n. Often derog. 1 (often attrib.) Roman catholic. 2 hist. Advocate of papal supremacy. [related to *pope]



United reformed church  n. Church formed in 1972 from the english presbyterian and congregational churches.

Town clerk  n. Us & hist. Official in charge of the records etc. Of a town.
Kapok  n. Fine fibrous cotton-like substance from a tropical tree, used for padding. [malay]
Meths  n. Colloq. Methylated spirit. [abbreviation]
Disarm  v. 1 take weapons etc. Away from. 2 reduce or give up one's own weapons. 3 defuse (a bomb etc.). 4 make less angry, hostile, etc; charm, win over.  disarming adj. (esp. In sense 4). Disarmingly adv.



Applause  n. 1 approval shown by clapping the hands. 2 warm approval.
Shelter  —n. 1 protection from danger, bad weather, etc. 2 place giving shelter or refuge. —v. 1 act or serve as a shelter to; protect; conceal; defend. 2 find refuge; take cover. [origin unknown]
Scoff2  colloq. —v. Eat greedily. —n. Food; a meal. [afrikaans schoff from dutch]

Fourfold  adj. & adv. 1 four times as much or as many. 2 of four parts.
Prolong  v. 1 extend in time or space. 2 (as prolonged adj.) Lengthy, esp. Tediously so.  prolongation n. [latin longus long]




Sergeant-major  n. (in full regimental sergeant-major) warrant-officer assisting the adjutant of a regiment or battalion.
Thou2  n. (pl. Same or -s) colloq. 1 thousand. 2 one thousandth. [abbreviation]

Tea bag  n. Small perforated bag of tea for infusion.

Troublemaker  n. Person habitually causing trouble.  troublemaking n.
Glacial period  n. Period when an exceptionally large area was covered by ice.
Rill  n. Small stream. [probably low german or dutch]
Episcopal  adj. 1 of a bishop or bishops. 2 (of a church) governed by bishops.  episcopally adv. [church latin: related to *bishop]
Laborious  adj. 1 needing hard work or toil. 2 (esp. Of literary style) showing signs of toil.  laboriously adv. [latin: related to *labour]
Madame  n. 1 (pl. Mesdames) mrs or madam (used of or to a french-speaking woman). 2 (madame) = *madam 1. [french ma dame my lady]
Carving  n. Carved object, esp. As a work of art.
Callous  adj. 1 unfeeling, insensitive. 2 (also calloused) (of skin) hardened.  callously adv. Callousness n. [latin: related to *callus]

Crack-down  n. Colloq. Severe measures (esp. Against law-breakers).
Soft drink  n. Non-alcoholic drink.

Lactic acid  n. Acid formed esp. In sour milk.
Female  —adj. 1 of the sex that can give birth or produce eggs. 2 (of plants) fruit-bearing. 3 of women or female animals or plants. 4 (of a screw, socket, etc.) Hollow to receive an inserted part. —n. Female person, animal, or plant. [latin diminutive of femina woman, assimilated to male]
Fend  v. 1 (foll. By for) look after (esp. Oneself). 2 (usu. Foll. By off) ward off. [from *defend]
Cryptogam  n. Plant with no true flowers or seeds, e.g. Ferns, mosses, and fungi.  cryptogamous adj. [as *crypt, greek gamos marriage]
Nightdress  n. Woman's or child's loose garment worn in bed.

Wine waiter  n. Waiter responsible for serving wine.

Contractile  adj. Capable of or producing contraction.  contractility n.
Key signature  n. Mus. Any of several combinations of sharps or flats indicating the key of a composition.
Islander  n. Native or inhabitant of an island.
Periphery  n. (pl. -ies) 1 boundary of an area or surface. 2 outer or surrounding region. [greek phero bear]


Red carpet  n. Privileged treatment of an eminent visitor.

Circular  —adj. 1 a having the form of a circle. B moving (roughly) in a circle, finishing at the starting-point (circular walk). 2 (of reasoning) using the point it is trying to prove as evidence for its conclusion, hence invalid.
Papacy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 pope's office or tenure. 2 papal system. [medieval latin papatia: related to *pope]



Aqueous  adj. Of or like water. [latin aqua water]





No1  adj. 1 not any (there is no excuse). 2 not a, quite other than (is no fool). 3 hardly any (did it in no time). 4 used elliptically in a notice etc., to forbid etc. The thing specified (no parking).  no way colloq. 1 it is impossible. 2 i will not agree etc. No wonder see *wonder. [related to *none]

Diminish  v. 1 make or become smaller or less. 2 (often as diminished adj.) Lessen the reputation of (a person); humiliate.  law of diminishing returns fact that expenditure etc. Beyond a certain point ceases to produce a proportionate yield. [latin: related to *minute1]
Dinner-dance  n. Formal dinner followed by dancing.



Punchy  adj. (-ier, -iest) vigorous; forceful.
Passover  n. Jewish spring festival commemorating the exodus from egypt. [from *pass1, *over]
Alarm clock  n. Clock that rings at a set time.
Unrehearsed  adj. Not rehearsed.
Tense1  —adj. 1 stretched tight, strained. 2 causing tenseness (tense moment). —v. (-sing) make or become tense.  tense up become tense.  tensely adv. Tenseness n. [latin tensus: related to *tend1]
Whore  n. 1 prostitute. 2 derog. Promiscuous woman. [old english]
Liverwort  n. Small mosslike or leafless plant sometimes lobed like a liver.


Traveller's joy  n. Wild clematis.
Retractile  adj. Capable of being retracted.
Top dog  n. Colloq. Victor; master.
Carrier  n. 1 person or thing that carries. 2 transport or freight company. 3 = *carrier bag. 4 framework on a bicycle for luggage or a passenger. 5 person or animal that may transmit disease etc. Without suffering from it. 6 = *aircraft-carrier.

Aperture  n. Opening or gap, esp. A variable opening in a camera for admitting light. [latin aperio open]
Polonaise  n. 1 slow dance of polish origin. 2 music for this. [french: related to *pole]
Whomever  objective case of *whoever.


Platen  n. 1 plate in a printing-press which presses the paper against the type. 2 cylindrical roller in a typewriter etc. Against which the paper is held. [french platine: related to *plate]
Enlightenment  n. 1 enlightening or being enlightened. 2 (the enlightenment) 18th-c. Philosophy of reason and individualism.

Yank  v. & n. Colloq. Pull with a jerk. [origin unknown]

Islam  n. 1 the religion of the muslims, proclaimed by muhammad. 2 the muslim world.  islamic adj. [arabic, = submission (to god)]
Manic-depressive  —adj. Relating to a mental disorder with alternating periods of elation and depression. —n. Person with such a disorder.
Airmail  n. 1 system of transporting mail by air. 2 mail carried by air.

Callow  adj. Inexperienced, immature. [old english, = bald]
Snog  slang —v. (-gg-) engage in kissing and caressing. —n. Period of this. [origin unknown]
Punctuation mark  n. Any of the marks (e.g. Full stop and comma) used in writing to separate sentences etc. And clarify meaning.

Unfit  adj. (often foll. By for, or to + infin.) Not fit.
Leave1  v. (-ving; past and past part. Left) 1 a go away from. B (often foll. By for) depart. 2 cause to or let remain; depart without taking. 3 (also absol.) Cease to reside at or belong to or work for. 4 abandon; cease to live with (one's family etc.). 5 have remaining after one's death. 6 bequeath. 7 (foll. By to + infin.) Allow (a person or thing) to do something independently. 8 (foll. By to) commit to another person etc. (leave that to me). 9 a abstain from consuming or dealing with. B (in passive; often foll. By over) remain over. 10 a deposit or entrust (a thing) to be attended to in one's absence (left a message with his secretary). B depute (a person) to perform a function in one's absence. 11 allow to remain or cause to be in a specified state or position (left the door open; left me exhausted).  leave alone refrain from disturbing, not interfere with. Leave a person cold not impress or excite a person. Leave off 1 come to or make an end. 2 discontinue. Leave out omit; exclude. [old english]



Garter  n. 1 band worn to keep a sock or stocking up. 2 (the garter) a highest order of english knighthood. B badge or membership of this. [french]





Zion  n. 1 ancient jerusalem; its holy hill. 2 a the jewish people or religion. B the christian church. 3 the kingdom of heaven. [hebrew siyôn]
Insanitary  adj. Not sanitary; dirty.


Think  —v. (past and past part. Thought) 1 be of the opinion (think that they will come). 2 judge or consider (is thought to be a fraud). 3 exercise the mind (let me think for a moment). 4 (foll. By of or about) a consider; be or become aware of. B form or entertain the idea of; imagine. 5 have a half-formed intention (i think i'll stay). 6 form a conception of. 7 recognize the presence or existence of (thought no harm in it). —n. Colloq. Act of thinking (have a think).  think again revise one's plans or opinions. Think aloud utter one's thoughts as soon as they occur. Think better of change one's mind about (an intention) after reconsideration. Think fit see *fit1. Think little (or nothing) of consider to be insignificant. Think much (or a lot or highly) of have a high opinion of. Think out 1 consider carefully. 2 produce (an idea etc.) By thinking. Think over reflect upon in order to reach a decision. Think through reflect fully upon (a problem etc.). Think twice use careful consideration, avoid hasty action, etc. Think up colloq. Devise. [old english]


Minatory  adj. Formal threatening, menacing. [latin minor threaten]

Congratulate  v. (-ting) (often foll. By on) 1 express pleasure at the happiness, good fortune, or excellence of (a person). 2 refl. Think oneself fortunate or clever.  congratulatory adj. [latin gratus pleasing]
Litmus  n. Dye from lichens, turned red by acid and blue by alkali. [old norse, = dye-moss]


Dishabille  var. Of *déshabillé.
Pilot-light  n. 1 small gas burner kept alight to light another. 2 electric indicator light or control light.

Sweet  —adj. 1 tasting of sugar. 2 smelling pleasant like roses or perfume etc.; fragrant. 3 (of sound etc.) Melodious or harmonious. 4 fresh; not salt, sour, or bitter. 5 gratifying or attractive. 6 amiable, pleasant. 7 colloq. Pretty, charming. 8 (foll. By on) colloq. Fond of; in love with. —n. 1 small shaped piece of sweet substance, usu. Made with sugar or chocolate. 2 sweet dish or course of a meal.  sweetish adj. Sweetly adv. [old english]
Billet2  n. 1 thick piece of firewood. 2 small metal bar. [french diminutive of bille tree-trunk]
Casting vote  n. Deciding vote when the votes on two sides are equal. [from an obsolete sense of cast, = turn the scale]
Slippage  n. Act or an instance of slipping.


Gradualism  n. Policy of gradual reform.
Urinate  v. (-ting) discharge urine.  urination n.
Tusk  n. Long pointed tooth, esp. Protruding from a closed mouth, as in the elephant, walrus, etc.  tusked adj. [old english]
Till2  n. Drawer for money in a shop or bank etc., esp. With a device recording the amount of each purchase. [origin unknown]




Wrangle  —n. Noisy argument or dispute. —v. (-ling) engage in a wrangle. [low german or dutch]
Logo  n. (pl. -s) emblem of an organization used in its display material etc. [abbreviation of logotype from greek logos word]

Hither  adv. Formal to or towards this place. [old english]

Sweeping  —adj. 1 wide in range or effect (sweeping changes). 2 generalized, arbitrary (sweeping statement). —n. (in pl.) Dirt etc. Collected by sweeping.
Pus  n. Thick yellowish or greenish liquid produced from infected tissue. [latin pus puris]
Pot1  —n. 1 rounded ceramic, metal, or glass vessel for holding liquids or solids or for cooking in. 2 flowerpot, teapot, etc. 3 contents of a pot. 4 chamber-pot; child's potty. 5 total amount bet in a game etc. 6 (usu. In pl.) Colloq. Large sum (pots of money). 7 slang silver cup etc. As a trophy. —v. (-tt-) 1 place in a pot. 2 (usu. As potted adj.) Preserve in a sealed pot (potted shrimps). 3 pocket (a ball) in billiards etc. 4 abridge or epitomize. 5 shoot at, hit, or kill (an animal) with a pot-shot. 6 seize or secure.  go to pot colloq. Deteriorate; be ruined.  potful n. (pl. -s). [old english from latin]
Novena  n. Rc ch. Devotion consisting of special prayers or services on nine successive days. [latin novem nine]
Pathetic  adj. 1 arousing pity, sadness, or contempt. 2 colloq. Miserably inadequate.  pathetically adv. [greek pathos from paskho suffer]

Splint  —n. Strip of wood etc. Bound to a broken limb while it sets. —v. Secure with a splint. [low german or dutch]
Hangover  n. 1 severe headache etc. From drinking too much alcohol. 2 survival from the past.
Mock-up  n. Experimental model or replica of a proposed structure etc.
Resentment  n. Indignant or bitter feelings. [italian or french: related to *resent]


Terror-stricken  adj. (also terror-struck) affected with terror.
Minute steak  n. Thin quickly-cooked slice of steak.
Megabyte  n. Computing 1,048,576 (i.e. 220) bytes as a measure of data capacity, or loosely 1,000,000.

Crawl  —v. 1 move slowly, esp. On hands and knees or with the body close to the ground etc. 2 walk or move slowly. 3 colloq. Behave obsequiously. 4 (often foll. By with) be or appear to be covered or filled with crawling or moving things or people. 5 (esp. Of the skin) creep. —n. 1 crawling. 2 slow rate of movement. 3 high-speed overarm swimming stroke. [origin unknown]

Vitaminize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) add vitamins to.
Mannequin  n. 1 fashion model. 2 window dummy. [french, = *manikin]


Fish finger  n. Small oblong piece of fish in batter or breadcrumbs.

Implement  —n. Tool, instrument, utensil. —v. Put (a decision, plan, contract, etc.) Into effect.  implementation n. [latin impleo fulfil]


Lavender-water  n. Light perfume made with distilled lavender.
Underwear  n. Underclothes.
Genitalia  n.pl. Genitals. [latin, neuter pl. Of genitalis: see *genital]

Second-best  adj. & n. Next after best.
Sheath knife  n. Dagger-like knife carried in a sheath.

Creak  —n. Harsh scraping or squeaking sound. —v. 1 make a creak. 2 a move stiffly or with a creaking noise. B be poorly constructed (plot creaks). [imitative]
Fresco  n. (pl. -s) painting done in water-colour on a wall or ceiling before the plaster is dry. [italian, = fresh]


-itis  suffix forming nouns, esp.: 1 names of inflammatory diseases (appendicitis). 2 colloq. With ref. To conditions compared to diseases (electionitis). [greek]

Circulatory  adj. Of circulation, esp. Of the blood.
Hex  —v. 1 practise witchcraft. 2 bewitch. —n. Magic spell. [german]

Pantomime  n. 1 christmas theatrical entertainment based on a fairy tale. 2 gestures and facial expression conveying meaning, esp. In drama and dance. 3 colloq. Absurd or outrageous piece of behaviour. [greek: related to *pan-, *mime]

Pursuivant  n.  Officer of the college of arms below a herald. [french: related to *pursue]

Crankshaft  n. Shaft driven by a crank.
Polyphony  n. (pl. -ies) mus. Contrapuntal music.  polyphonic adj. [greek phone sound]





Marginal  adj. 1 of or written in a margin. 2 a of or at the edge. B insignificant (of merely marginal interest). 3  (of a parliamentary seat etc.) Held by a small majority. 4 close to the limit, esp. Of profitability. 5 (of land) difficult to cultivate; unprofitable. 6 barely adequate.  marginally adv. [medieval latin: related to *margin]
Custom-house  n. Customs office at a port or frontier etc.
Cold turkey  n. Slang abrupt withdrawal from addictive drugs.

Scotch whisky  n. Whisky distilled in scotland.
Allotropy  n. Existence of two or more different physical forms of a chemical element.  allotropic adj. [greek allos different, tropos manner]



Nutty  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 a full of nuts. B tasting like nuts. 2 slang crazy.  nuttiness n.
Unprintable  adj. Too offensive or indecent to be printed.

Secretary of state  n. 1 head of a major government department. 2 us = *foreign minister.

Flocculent  adj. Like or in tufts of wool etc.; downy.  flocculence n. [related to *flock2]
Surf  —n. Foam of the sea breaking on the shore or reefs. —v. Practise surfing.  surfer n. [origin unknown]



In memoriam  prep. In memory of (a dead person). [latin]
Radio-telegraphy  n. Telegraphy using radio.
Nebulous  adj. 1 cloudlike. 2 indistinct, vague. [latin: related to *nebula]


Iron  —n. 1 grey metallic element used for tools and constructions and found in some foods, e.g. Spinach. 2 this as a symbol of strength or firmness (man of iron; iron will). 3 tool made of iron. 4 implement with a flat base which is heated to smooth clothes etc. 5 golf club with an iron or steel sloping face. 6 (usu. In pl.) Fetter. 7 (usu. In pl.) Stirrup. 8 (often in pl.) Iron support for a malformed leg. —adj. 1 made of iron. 2 very robust. 3 unyielding, merciless. —v. Smooth (clothes etc.) With an iron.  iron out remove (difficulties etc.). [old english]

Trichology  n. The study of hair.  trichologist n.
Discus  n. (pl. -cuses) heavy thick-centred disc thrown in athletic events. [latin from greek]
Fiduciary  —adj. 1 a of a trust, trustee, or trusteeship. B held or given in trust. 2 (of paper currency) dependent on public confidence or securities. —n. (pl. -ies) trustee. [latin fiducia trust]
Metric ton  n. (also metric tonne) 1,000 kilograms (2205 lb).



Classical  adj. 1 a of ancient greek or roman literature or art. B (of a language) having the form used by ancient standard authors. 2 (of music) serious or conventional, or of the period from c.1750–1800. 3 restrained in style.  classicality n. Classically adv.
Mantis  n. (pl. Same or mantises) (in full praying mantis) predatory insect that holds its forelegs like hands folded in prayer. [greek, = prophet]
Redraw  v. (past redrew; past part. Redrawn) draw again or differently.

Stump  —n. 1 part of a cut or fallen tree still in the ground. 2 similar part (e.g. Of a branch or limb) cut off or worn down. 3 cricket each of the three uprights of a wicket. 4 (in pl.) Joc. Legs. —v. 1 (of a question etc.) Be too hard for; baffle. 2 (as stumped adj.) At a loss, baffled. 3 cricket put (a batsman) out by touching the stumps with the ball while he is out of the crease. 4 walk stiffly or noisily. 5 (also absol.) Us traverse (a district) making political speeches.  stump up colloq. Pay or produce (the money required). [low german or dutch]
Animate  —adj. 1 having life. 2 lively. —v. (-ting) 1 enliven. 2 give life to. [latin anima breath]
Brown owl  n. 1 any of various owls, esp. The tawny owl. 2 (brown owl) adult leader of brownie guides.
Dammit  int. Colloq. Damn it.

Unhook  v. 1 remove from a hook or hooks. 2 unfasten the hook(s) of.

Unreason  n. Madness; chaos; disorder.
Currently  adv. At the present time; now.

Basic slag  n. Fertilizer containing phosphates formed as a by-product in steel manufacture.
Tick-tock  n. Ticking of a large clock etc.


Parable  n. 1 story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson. 2 allegory. [greek parabole comparison]

Victim  n. 1 person or thing injured or destroyed (road victim; victim of greed). 2 prey; dupe (fell victim to his charm). 3 creature sacrificed to a deity or in a religious rite. [latin]

Galvanic  adj. 1 a producing an electric current by chemical action. B (of electricity) produced by chemical action. 2 a sudden and remarkable (had a galvanic effect). B stimulating; full of energy.  galvanically adv.





Bawdy  —adj. (-ier, -iest) humorously indecent. —n. Such talk or writing. [bawd brothel-keeper from french baudetrot]

Self-proclaimed  adj. Proclaimed by oneself or itself to be such.


Pleading  n. (usu. In pl.) Formal statement of the cause of an action or defence.


Troglodyte  n. Cave-dweller. [greek trogle hole]


Bus shelter  n. Shelter beside a bus-stop.
Soya  n.  1 (in full soya bean) a leguminous plant yielding edible oil and flour and used to replace animal protein. B seed of this. 2 (in full soya sauce) = *soy 1. [malay: related to *soy]
Life assurance  n. = *life insurance.



Lymphatic  adj. 1 of, secreting, or conveying lymph. 2 (of a person) pale, flabby, or sluggish.

Echoic  adj. (of a word) onomatopoeic.



Go-ahead  —n. Permission to proceed. —adj. Enterprising.


Eyebath  n. Small vessel for applying lotion etc. To the eye.
Road-hog  n. Colloq. Reckless or inconsiderate road-user.

Situation comedy  n. Broadcast comedy based on characters dealing with awkward domestic situations.
Porcupine  n. Rodent with a body and tail covered with erectile spines. [provençal: related to *pork, *spine]




Magi  pl. Of *magus.



Whipstock  n. Handle of a whip.

Dive-bomb  v. Bomb (a target) from a diving aircraft.  dive-bomber n.
Quarrelsome  adj. Given to quarrelling.

Spare tyre  n. Colloq. Roll of fat round the waist.


Medulla  n. 1 inner part of certain organs etc., e.g. The kidney. 2 soft internal tissue of plants.  medullary adj. [latin]
Red hat  n. 1 cardinal's hat. 2 symbol of a cardinal's office.
Florid  adj. 1 ruddy (florid complexion). 2 elaborately ornate; showy.  floridly adv. Floridness n. [latin: related to *flower]
Particle  n. 1 minute portion of matter. 2 smallest possible amount (particle of sense). 3  a minor part of speech, esp. A short undeclinable one. B common prefix or suffix such as in-, -ness. [latin particula diminutive of pars *part]




Unsociable  adj. Not sociable, disliking company.


Gather  —v. 1 bring or come together; accumulate. 2 pick or collect as harvest. 3 infer or deduce. 4 a increase (gather speed). B collect (gather dust). 5 summon up (energy etc.). 6 draw together in folds or wrinkles. 7 (often as gathering adj.) Come to a head (gathering storm).
Trace1  —v. (-cing) 1 a observe or find vestiges or signs of by investigation. B (often foll. By along, through, to, etc.) Follow or mark the track or position of. C (often foll. By back) follow to its origins. 2 copy (a drawing etc.) By drawing over its lines on superimposed translucent paper. 3 (often foll. By out) mark out, delineate, sketch, or write, esp. Laboriously. 4 make one's way along (a path etc.). —n. 1 a indication of something having existed; vestige. B very small quantity. 2 track or footprint. 3 track left by the moving pen of an instrument etc.  traceable adj. [latin traho draw]

Tetrad  n. Group of four. [greek: related to *tetra-]

Palatal  —adj. 1 of the palate. 2 (of a sound) made by placing the tongue against the hard palate (e.g. Y in yes). —n. Palatal sound.
My  poss. Pron. (attrib.) 1 of or belonging to me. 2 affectionate, patronizing, etc. Form of address (my dear boy). 3 in expressions of surprise (my god!; oh my!). 4 colloq. Indicating a close relative etc. Of the speaker (my johnny's ill again).  my lady (or lord) form of address to certain titled persons. [from *mine1]
Ad  abbr. Of the christian era. [*anno domini]

Little by little  adv. By degrees; gradually.
Destiny  n. (pl. -ies) 1 a fate. B this regarded as a power. 2 particular person's fate etc. [french from latin]



Understood  past and past part. Of *understand.


Beware  v. (only in imper. Or infin.; often foll. By of) be cautious (of) (beware of the dog; beware the ides of march). [from *be, ware cautious]

Offprint  n. Printed copy of an article etc. Originally forming part of a larger publication.


Sinking fund  n. Money set aside gradually for the eventual repayment of a debt.


Conception  n. 1 conceiving or being conceived. 2 idea, plan. 3 understanding (has no conception). conceptional adj. [french from latin: related to *concept]



Ill-disposed  adj. 1 (often foll. By towards) unfavourably disposed. 2 malevolent.


Check-in  n. Act or place of checking in.



'Ve  abbr. (usu. After pronouns) have (i've; they've).

Ranee  n. (also rani) (pl. -s) hist. Raja's wife or widow. [hindi]
Guppy  n. (pl. -ies) freshwater fish of the w. Indies and s. America frequently kept in aquariums. [guppy, name of a clergyman]
Field events  n.pl. Athletic events other than races.
Hermaphrodite  —n. Person, animal, or plant having both male and female reproductive organs. —adj. Combining both sexes.  hermaphroditic adj. [from hermaphroditus, son of hermes and aphrodite who became joined in one body to a nymph]
Tun  n. 1 large beer or wine cask. 2 brewer's fermenting-vat. [old english]
Hispanic  —adj. 1 of spain or spain and portugal. 2 of spain and other spanish-speaking countries. —n. Spanish-speaking person living in the us. [latin hispania spain]

Rummage  —v. (-ging) 1 search, esp. Unsystematically. 2 (foll. By out, up) find among other things. —n. Rummaging. [french arrumage from arrumer stow cargo]

Laity  n. Lay people, as distinct from the clergy. [from *lay2]


Hell  —n. 1 place regarded in some religions as the abode of the dead, or of devils and condemned sinners. 2 place or state of misery or wickedness. —int. Expressing anger, surprise, etc.  the hell (usu. Prec. By what, where, who, etc.) Expressing anger, disbelief, etc. (who the hell is this?; the hell you are!). Beat etc. The hell out of colloq. Beat etc. Without restraint. Come hell or high water no matter what the difficulties. For the hell of it colloq. Just for fun. Get hell colloq. Be severely scolded or punished. Give a person hell colloq. Scold or punish a person. A (or one) hell of a colloq. Outstanding example of (a hell of a mess; one hell of a party). Like hell colloq. 1 not at all. 2 recklessly, exceedingly. [old english]

Astrakhan  n. 1 dark curly fleece of young astrakhan lambs. 2 cloth imitating this. [astrakhan in russia]




Broaden  v. Make or become broader.
Deafen  v. (often as deafening adj.) Overpower with noise or make deaf by noise, esp. Temporarily.  deafeningly adv.
Primogeniture  n. 1 fact of being the first-born child. 2 (in full right of primogeniture) right of succession belonging to the first-born. [medieval latin: related to *prime1, latin genitura birth]



Solomon's seal  n. Flowering plant with drooping green and white flowers. [solomon, king of israel]
Eclectic  —adj. Selecting ideas, style, etc., from various sources. —n. Eclectic person or philosopher.  eclectically adv. Eclecticism n. [greek eklego pick out]

Lingo  n. (pl. -s or -es) colloq. 1 foreign language. 2 vocabulary of a special subject or group. [probably from portuguese lingoa from latin lingua tongue]




Mostly  adv. 1 mainly. 2 usually.



-worthy  comb. Form forming adjectives meaning: 1 deserving of (noteworthy). 2 suitable for (roadworthy).
Bullfrog  n. Large n. American frog with a booming croak.
Upon  prep. = *on. [from up on]




Output  —n. 1 amount produced (by a machine, worker, etc.). 2 electrical power etc. Delivered by an apparatus. 3 printout, results, etc. From a computer. 4 place where energy, information, etc. Leaves a system. —v. (-tt-; past and past part. -put or -putted) (of a computer) supply (results etc.).

Regurgitate  v. (-ting) 1 bring (swallowed food) up again to the mouth. 2 reproduce, rehash (information etc.).  regurgitation n. [latin gurges -git- whirlpool]
Hempen  adj. Made of hemp.
Volt  n. Si unit of electromotive force, the difference of potential that would carry one ampere of current against one ohm resistance. [volta, name of a physicist]


Mail order  n. Purchase of goods by post.
Gunpoint  n.  at gunpoint threatened with a gun or an ultimatum etc.
Apostle  n. 1 (apostle) any of the twelve men sent out by christ to preach the gospel. 2 leader, esp. Of a new movement. [greek apostolos messenger]

Opera2  pl. Of *opus.

Salient  —adj. 1 prominent, conspicuous. 2 (of an angle, esp. In fortification) pointing outwards. —n. Salient angle or part of a fortification; outward bulge in a military line. [latin salio leap]


Discothèque  n. 1 nightclub etc. For dancing to pop records. 2 professional lighting and sound equipment used for this. 3 party with such equipment. [french, = record-library]
Laminate  —v. (-ting) 1 beat or roll into thin plates. 2 overlay with metal plates, a plastic layer, etc. 3 split into layers. —n. Laminated structure, esp. Of layers fixed together. —adj. In the form of thin plates.  lamination n.




Potent  adj. 1 powerful; strong. 2 (of a reason) cogent; forceful. 3 (of a male) capable of sexual erection or orgasm.  potency n. [latin potens -ent-: related to *posse]
Ptomaine  n. Any of various esp. Toxic amine compounds in putrefying matter.  [greek ptoma corpse]







March1  —v. 1 (cause to) walk in a military manner with a regular tread (army marched past; marched him away). 2 a walk purposefully. B (often foll. By on) (of events etc.) Continue unrelentingly (time marches on). 3 (foll. By on) advance towards (a military objective). —n. 1 a act of marching. B uniform military step (slow march). 2 long difficult walk. 3 procession as a demonstration. 4 (usu. Foll. By of) progress or continuity (march of events). 5 a music to accompany a march. B similar musical piece.  marcher n. [french marcher]
Coracle  n. Small boat of wickerwork covered with watertight material. [welsh]
Purblind  adj. 1 partly blind; dim-sighted. 2 obtuse, dim-witted.  purblindness n. [from pur(e) (= ‘utterly’) blind]

Forbidden fruit  n. Something desired esp. Because not allowed.


Try  —v. (-ies, -ied) 1 make an effort with a view to success (often foll. By to + infin.; colloq. Foll. By and + infin.: tried to be on time; try and be early). 2 make an effort to achieve (tried my best). 3 a test by use or experiment. B test the qualities of. 4 make severe demands on (tries my patience). 5 examine the effectiveness of for a purpose (try cold water; have you tried kicking it?). 6 ascertain the state of fastening of (a door, window, etc.). 7  a investigate and decide (a case or issue) judicially. B (often foll. By for) subject (a person) to trial (tried for murder). 8 (foll. By for) apply or compete for; seek to reach or attain (try for a gold medal). —n. (pl. -ies) 1 effort to accomplish something. 2 rugby touching-down of the ball behind the opposing goal-line, scoring points and entitling the scoring side to a kick at the goal.  try one's hand test how skilful one is, esp. At the first attempt. Try it on colloq. Try to get away with an unreasonable request etc. Try on put on (clothes etc.) To see if they fit etc. Try out put to the test, test thoroughly. [originally = separate, distinguish, from french trier sift]


Lampoon  —n. Satirical attack on a person etc. —v. Satirize.  lampoonist n. [french lampon]
Gullet  n. Food-passage extending from the mouth to the stomach. [latin gula throat]

Hidebound  adj. 1 narrow-minded. 2 constricted by tradition.

Version  n. 1 account of a matter from a particular point of view. 2 book etc. In a particular edition or translation (authorized version). 3 form or variant. [latin verto vers- turn]
Inasmuch  adv. (foll. By as) 1 since, because. 2 to the extent that. [from in as much]



Cost price  n. Price paid for a thing by one who later sells it.
Contrary  —adj. 1 (usu. Foll. By to) opposed in nature or tendency. 2  perverse, self-willed. 3 (of a wind) unfavourable, impeding. 4 opposite in position or direction. —n. (prec. By the) the opposite. —adv. (foll. By to) in opposition or contrast (contrary to expectations).  on the contrary expressing denial of what has just been implied or stated. To the contrary to the opposite effect.  contrariness n. [latin: related to *contra-]









Providing  conj. = *provided.

Moped  n. Two-wheeled low-powered motor vehicle with pedals. [swedish: related to *motor, *pedal]


Wardroom  n. Mess in a warship for commissioned officers.
Paginate  v. (-ting) assign numbers to the pages of (a book etc.).  pagination n. [latin: related to *page1]

Self-regard  n. Proper regard for oneself.

Campus  n. (pl. -es) 1 grounds of a university or college. 2 esp. Us a university. [latin, = field]


Crème caramel  n. Custard coated with caramel.
Charcoal  n. 1 a form of carbon consisting of black residue from partially burnt wood etc. B piece of this for drawing. C a drawing in charcoal. 2 (in full charcoal grey) dark grey. [origin unknown]


Fusillade  n. 1 period of continuous discharge of firearms. 2 sustained outburst of criticism etc.
Self-image  n. One's conception of oneself.


Respective  adj. Of or relating to each of several individually (go to your respective seats). [french or medieval latin: related to *respect]


Savannah  n. (also savanna) grassy plain in tropical and subtropical regions. [spanish]




Usa  abbr. United states of america.





Snipe  —n. (pl. Same or -s) wading bird with a long straight bill. —v. (-ping) 1  fire shots from hiding, usu. At long range. 2 (often foll. By at) make a sly critical attack.  sniper n. (in sense 1 of v.). [probably scandinavian]

Confectionery  n. Confections, esp. Sweets.
Worm-cast  n. Convoluted mass of earth left on the surface by a burrowing earthworm.
Foremost  —adj. 1 most notable, best. 2 first, front. —adv. Most importantly (first and foremost). [old english]

Frown  —v. 1 wrinkle one's brows, esp. In displeasure or concentration. 2 (foll. By at, on) disapprove of. —n. 1 act of frowning. 2 look of displeasure or concentration. [french]


Complacent  adj. Smugly self-satisfied or contented.  complacence n. Complacency n. Complacently adv. [latin placeo please]
Job-hunt  v. Colloq. Seek employment.

Theirs  poss. Pron. The one or ones of or belonging to them (it is theirs; theirs are over here).  of theirs of or belonging to them (a friend of theirs).



Creamer  n. 1 cream-substitute for adding to coffee. 2 jug for cream.

Household  n. 1 occupants of a house as a unit. 2 house and its affairs.

Anglo-indian  —adj. 1 of england and india. 2 of british descent but indian residence. —n. Anglo-indian person.



Hereby  adv. By this means; as a result of this.

Fracas  n. (pl. Same) noisy disturbance or quarrel. [french from italian]
Scramble  —v. (-ling) 1 clamber, crawl, climb, etc., esp. Hurriedly or anxiously. 2 (foll. By for, at) struggle with competitors (for a thing or share). 3 mix together indiscriminately. 4 cook (eggs) by stirring them in a pan over heat. 5 change the speech frequency of (a broadcast transmission or telephone conversation) so as to make it unintelligible without a decoding device. 6 (of fighter aircraft or pilots) take off quickly in an emergency or for action. —n. 1 act of scrambling. 2 difficult climb or walk. 3 (foll. By for) eager struggle or competition. 4 motor-cycle race over rough ground. 5 emergency take-off by fighter aircraft. [imitative]

Pavlovian  adj. 1 reacting predictably to a stimulus. 2 of such a stimulus or response. [pavlov, name of a physiologist]

Swam  past of *swim.


Iberian  —adj. Of iberia, the peninsula comprising spain and portugal; of spain and portugal. —n. Native or language of iberia. [latin iberia]
Dizzy  —adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 a giddy. B feeling confused. 2 causing giddiness. —v. (-ies, -ied) 1 make dizzy. 2 bewilder.  dizzily adv. Dizziness n. [old english]
Outside  —n. 1 external side or surface; outer parts. 2 external appearance; outward aspect. 3 position on the outer side (gate opens from the outside). —adj. 1 a of, on, or nearer the outside; outer. B not in the main building (outside toilet). 2 not belonging to a particular group or organization (outside help). 3 (of a chance etc.) Remote; very unlikely. 4 (of an estimate etc.) The greatest or highest possible (the outside price). 5 (of a player in football etc.) Positioned nearest to the edge of the field (outside left). —adv. 1 on or to the outside. 2 in or to the open air. 3 not within, enclosed, or included. 4 slang not in prison. —prep. 1 not in; to or at the exterior of. 2 external to, not included in, beyond the limits of.  at the outside (of an estimate etc.) At the most. From the outside from an objective or impartial standpoint.
North-eastern  adj. On the north-east side.
Wash-out  n. Colloq. Complete failure, non-event.

Medication  n. 1 = *medicine 2. 2 treatment using drugs.
Conker  n. 1 fruit of the horse chestnut. 2 (in pl.) Children's game played with conkers on strings. [dial. Conker snail-shell]

Punishment  n. 1 punishing or being punished. 2 loss or suffering inflicted in this. 3 colloq. Severe treatment or suffering.
Trump card  n. 1 card belonging to, or turned up to determine, a trump suit. 2 colloq. Valuable resource, esp. Kept in reserve.



Kc  abbr. King's counsel.
L.c.  Abbr. 1 = *loc. Cit. 2 lower case.
Yr.  Abbr. 1 year(s). 2 younger. 3 your.
Heroine  n. 1 woman noted or admired for nobility, courage, outstanding achievements, etc. 2 chief female character in a play, story, etc. [greek: related to *hero]



Sham  —v. (-mm-) 1 feign, pretend. 2 pretend to be. —n. 1 imposture, pretence. 2 bogus or false person or thing. —adj. Pretended, counterfeit. [origin unknown]

Undeserved  adj. Not deserved.  undeservedly adv.
Anglophile  n. Person who greatly admires england or the english.

Interleave  v. (-ving) insert (usu. Blank) leaves between the leaves of (a book etc.).






Community  n. (pl. -ies) 1 body of people living in one place, district, or country. 2 body of people having religion, ethnic origin, profession, etc., in common. 3 fellowship (community of interest). 4 commune. 5 joint ownership or liability. [latin: related to *common]
Out and about  adj. Active outdoors (esp. After an illness etc.).
Thumbprint  n. Impression of a thumb esp. For identification.





Rape2  n. Plant grown as fodder, and for its seed from which oil is extracted. [latin rapum, rapa turnip]




Unfroze  past of *unfreeze.
Silver birch  n. Common birch with silver-coloured bark.
Yellow-belly  n. Colloq. Coward.

Briticism  n. Idiom used only in britain. [after gallicism]
Embroidery  n. (pl. -ies) 1 art of embroidering. 2 embroidered work. 3 inessential ornament. 4 fictitious additions (to a story etc.).

Lip-service  n. Insincere expression of support etc.
Slang  —n. Very informal words, phrases, or meanings, not regarded as standard and often used by a specific profession, class, etc. —v. Use abusive language (to).  slangy adj. [origin unknown]


Hove  past of *heave.





Supervene  v. (-ning) formal occur as an interruption or change.  supervention n. [latin supervenio]








Vertebra  n. (pl. -brae) each segment of a backbone.  vertebral adj. [latin verto turn]




Worship  —n. 1 a homage or service to a deity. B acts, rites, or ceremonies of this. 2 adoration, devotion. 3 (worship) (prec. By his, her, your) forms of description or address for a mayor, certain magistrates, etc. —v. (-pp-; us -p-) 1 adore as divine; honour with religious rites. 2 idolize or regard with adoration. 3 attend public worship. 4 be full of adoration.  worshipper n. [old english: related to *worth, *-ship]


Coffee shop  n. Small informal restaurant, esp. In a hotel or department store.
Methyl alcohol  n. = *methanol.

Unconsidered  adj. 1 not considered; disregarded. 2 not premeditated.








Service road  n. Road serving houses, shops, etc., lying back from the main road.

Jiggered  adj. Colloq. (as a mild oath) confounded (i'll be jiggered). [euphemism]
Naphthalene  n. White crystalline substance produced by distilling coal tar.



Ergonomics  n. The study of the relationship between people and their working environment.  ergonomic adj. [greek ergon work]

Humanism  n. 1 non-religious philosophy based on liberal human values. 2 (often humanism) literary culture, esp. That of the renaissance.  humanist n. Humanistic adj.

Publican  n.  Keeper of a public house. [latin: related to *public]
Generalize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 a speak in general or indefinite terms. B form general notions. 2 reduce to a general statement. 3 infer (a rule etc.) From particular cases. 4 bring into general use.  generalization n.

Inner tube  n. Separate inflatable tube inside a pneumatic tyre.

Wonky  adj. (-ier, -iest) slang 1 crooked, askew. 2 loose, unsteady. 3 unreliable. [fanciful]
Madwoman  n. Woman who is mad.
Spittoon  n. Vessel to spit into.
Parlance  n. Vocabulary or idiom of a particular subject, group, etc. [french from parler speak]



Ironmaster  n. Manufacturer of iron.
Glandular fever  n. Infectious disease with swelling of the lymph glands.
Pronounced  adj. Strongly marked; noticeable (pronounced limp).


Smut  —n. 1 small flake of soot etc. 2 spot or smudge made by this. 3 obscene talk, pictures, or stories. 4 fungous disease of cereals. —v. (-tt-) mark with smuts. smutty adj. (-ier, -iest). [origin unknown]

Busk  v. Perform esp. Music in the street etc. For tips.  busker n. [obsolete busk peddle]
Sullen  adj. Passively resentful, sulky, morose.  sullenly adv. Sullenness n. [anglo-french sol *sole3]
Inchoate  adj. 1 just begun. 2 undeveloped.  inchoation n. [latin inchoo, incoho begin]

Usage  baluster is often confused with banister. A baluster is usually part of a balustrade whereas a banister supports a stair handrail.
Sphere  n. 1 solid figure with every point on its surface equidistant from its centre; its surface. 2 ball, globe. 3 a field of action, influence, etc. B social class. 4 hist. Each of the revolving shells in which celestial bodies were thought to be set. [greek sphaira ball]

Crape  n. Crêpe, usu. Of black silk, formerly used for mourning. [from *crêpe]



Give-away  n. Colloq. 1 unintentional revelation. 2 thing given as a gift or at a low price.


Basalt  n. A dark volcanic rock.  basaltic adj. [latin basaltes from greek]
Gimlet eye  n. Eye with a piercing glance.

Lassa fever  n. Acute febrile viral disease of tropical africa. [lassa in nigeria]
Hymnology  n. (pl. -ies) 1 the composition or study of hymns. 2 hymns collectively.  hymnologist n.
As1  —adv. & conj. (adv. As antecedent in main sentence; conj. In relative clause expressed or implied) to the extent to which … is or does etc. (am as tall as he; am as tall as he is; (colloq.) Am as tall as him; as recently as last week). —conj. (with relative clause expressed or implied) 1 (with antecedent so) expressing result or purpose (came early so as to meet us). 2 (with antecedent adverb omitted) although (good as it is = although it is good). 3 (without antecedent adverb) a in the manner in which (do as you like; rose as one man). B in the capacity or form of (i speak as your friend; olivier as hamlet). C while (arrived as i was eating). D since, seeing that (as you are here, we can talk). E for instance (cathedral cities, as york). —rel. Pron.
Toothy  adj. (-ier, -iest) having large, numerous, or prominent teeth.

Vacate  v. (-ting) leave vacant, cease to occupy (a house, post, etc.). [latin vaco be empty]

Blast  —n. 1 strong gust of air. 2 a explosion. B destructive wave of air from this. 3 loud note from a wind instrument, car horn, etc. 4 colloq. Severe reprimand. —v. 1 blow up with explosives. 2 wither, blight (blasted oak; blasted her hopes). 3 (cause to) make a loud noise. —int. Expressing annoyance.  at full blast colloq. At maximum volume, speed, etc. Blast off take off from a launching site. [old english]
Wet-nurse  —n. Woman employed to suckle another's child. —v. 1 act as a wet-nurse to. 2 colloq. Treat as if helpless.




Shunt  —v. 1 move (a train) between sidings etc.; (of a train) be shunted. 2 move or put aside; redirect. —n. 1 shunting or being shunted. 2 electr. Conductor joining two points of a circuit, through which current may be diverted. 3 surgery alternative path for the circulation of the blood. 4 slang collision of vehicles, esp. One behind another. [perhaps from *shun]

Permeate  v. (-ting) 1 penetrate throughout; pervade; saturate. 2 (usu. Foll. By through, among, etc.) Diffuse itself.  permeation n. [latin permeo pass through]
Coincidence  n. 1 coinciding. 2 remarkable concurrence of events etc. Apparently by chance.  coincident adj.
Intuitive  adj. Of, possessing, or perceived by intuition.  intuitively adv. Intuitiveness n. [medieval latin: related to *intuition]
Ruff1  n. 1 projecting starched frill worn round the neck, esp. In the 16th c. 2 projecting or coloured ring of feathers or hair round a bird's or animal's neck. 3 domestic pigeon. 4 (fem. Reeve) wading bird with a ruff. [perhaps = *rough]


Art deco  n. Decorative art style of 1910–30, with geometric motifs and strong colours.
Electrocardiogram  n. Record traced by an electrocardiograph. [german: related to *electro-]

Cruise missile  n. One able to fly low and guide itself.



Rick1  n. Stack of hay etc. [old english]
Judaic  adj. Of or characteristic of the jews. [greek: related to *jew]
Craftsman  n. (fem. Craftswoman) 1 skilled worker. 2 person who practises a craft.  craftsmanship n.
Folk-tale  n. Traditional story.
Tenant farmer  n. Person who farms rented land.


Significance  n. 1 importance. 2 meaning. 3 being significant. 4 extent to which a result deviates from a hypothesis such that the difference is due to more than errors in sampling. [latin: related to *signify]
Gymslip  n. Sleeveless tunic worn by schoolgirls.
Secondary  —adj. 1 coming after or next below what is primary. 2 derived from or supplementing what is primary. 3 (of education, a school, etc.) Following primary, esp. From the age of 11. —n. (pl. -ies) secondary thing.  secondarily adv. [latin: related to *second1]
Comedy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 a play, film, etc., of amusing character, usu. With a happy ending. B such works as a dramatic genre. 2 humour; amusing aspects.  comedic adj. [greek: related to *comic]
Electrotherapy  n. Treatment of diseases by use of electricity.
Y1  n. (also y) (pl. Ys or y's) 1 twenty-fifth letter of the alphabet. 2 (usu. Y) algebra second unknown quantity. 3 y-shaped thing.
Pug-nose  n. Short squat or snub nose.  pug-nosed adj.
Cone  n. 1 solid figure with a circular (or other curved) plane base, tapering to a point. 2 thing of similar shape. 3 dry fruit of a conifer. 4 ice-cream cornet. [latin from greek]


Litigant  —n. Party to a lawsuit. —adj. Engaged in a lawsuit. [related to *litigate]
Cleave1  v. (-ving; past clove or cleft or cleaved; past part. Cloven or cleft or cleaved) literary 1 chop or break apart; split, esp. Along the grain or line of cleavage. 2 make one's way through (air or water). [old english]

Feedback  n. 1 public response to an event, experiment, etc. 2 electronics a return of a fraction of an output signal to the input. B signal so returned.

Remand  —v. Return (a prisoner) to custody, esp. To allow further inquiry. —n. Recommittal to custody.  on remand in custody pending trial. [latin remando]
Sandcastle  n. Model castle made of sand at the seashore.
Offence  n. (us offense) 1 illegal act; transgression. 2 upsetting of feelings, insult; umbrage (give offence; take offence). 3 aggressive action. [related to *offend]
Concur  v. (-rr-) 1 (often foll. By with) have the same opinion. 2 coincide. [latin curro run]

Incapacity  n. 1 inability; lack of power. 2 legal disqualification.
Storm cloud  n. 1 heavy rain-cloud. 2 threatening situation.

Unpin  v. (-nn-) unfasten or detach by removing or opening a pin or pins.


Fishtail  n. Device etc. Shaped like a fish's tail.
Canoe  —n. Small narrow boat with pointed ends, usu. Paddled. —v. (-noes, -noed, -noeing) travel in a canoe.  canoeist n. [spanish and haitian]
Historicism  n. 1 theory that social and cultural phenomena are determined by history. 2 belief that historical events are governed by laws.
Sake1  n.  for christ's (or god's or goodness' or heaven's or pete's etc.) Sake expression of impatience, supplication, anger, etc. For the sake of (or for one's sake) out of consideration for; in the interest of; because of; in order to please, honour, get, or keep. [old english]

Philanthropy  n. 1 love of mankind. 2 practical benevolence.  philanthropic adj. Philanthropist n. [greek anthropos human being]
Suffice  v. (-cing) 1 (often foll. By for, or to + infin.) Be adequate. 2 satisfy.  suffice it to say i shall say only this. [latin sufficio]

Speculum  n. (pl. -la) 1 instrument for dilating orifices of the body. 2 mirror of polished metal in a telescope. [latin, = mirror]
Oblong  —adj. Rectangular with adjacent sides unequal. —n. Oblong figure or object. [latin oblongus longish]


Occupy  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 live in; be the tenant of. 2 take up or fill (space, time, or a place). 3 hold (a position or office). 4 take military possession of. 5 place oneself in (a building etc.) Forcibly or without authority as a protest. 6 keep busy or engaged. [latin occupo seize]
Extempore  adj. & adv. Without preparation. [latin]

Discolor  v. (brit. Discolour) cause to change from its normal colour; stain; tarnish.  discoloration n.

Unlined1  adj. Without lines or wrinkles.
Sacred  adj. 1 a (often foll. By to) dedicated to a god. B connected with religion (sacred music). 2 safeguarded or required esp. By tradition; inviolable. [latin sacer holy]





Preposition  n. Gram. Word governing (and usu. Preceding) a noun or pronoun and expressing a relation to another word, as in: ‘the man on the platform’, ‘came after dinner’, ‘went by train’.  prepositional adj. [latin praepono -posit- place before]
Loaf2  v. (often foll. By about, around) spend time idly; hang about. [back-formation from *loafer]
Calces  pl. Of *calx.
Discolour  v. (us discolor) cause to change from its normal colour; stain; tarnish.  discoloration n.


Bindweed  n. 1 convolvulus. 2 honeysuckle or other climber.
Pit1  —n. 1 a deep hole in the ground, usu. Large. B coalmine. C covered hole as a trap for animals. 2 hollow on a surface, esp. An indentation of the skin. 3 a = orchestra pit (see *orchestra 2). B usu. Hist. Seating at the back of the stalls. 4 (the pits) slang worst imaginable place, situation, person, etc. 5 a area at the side of a track where racing cars are serviced and refuelled. B sunken area in a workshop floor for access to a car's underside. —v. (-tt-) 1 (usu. Foll. By against) set (one's wits, strength, etc.) In competition. 2 (usu. As pitted adj.) Make pits, scars, craters, etc. In. 3 put into a pit. [old english from latin puteus well]

Uniform  —adj. 1 unvarying (uniform appearance). 2 conforming to the same standard, rules, etc. 3 constant over a period (uniform acceleration). —n. Distinctive clothing worn by soldiers, police, schoolchildren, etc.  uniformed adj. Uniformity n. Uniformly adv. [latin: related to *form]
Youth club  n. Place for young people's leisure activities.
Seaman  n.  1 person whose work is at sea. 2 sailor, esp. One below the rank of officer.

Artichoke  n. 1 plant allied to the thistle. 2 (in full globe artichoke) its partly edible flower-head (see also *jerusalem artichoke). [italian from arabic]
Gigantic  adj. Huge, giant-like.  gigantically adv. [latin: related to *giant]

Nitty-gritty  n. Slang realities or practical details of a matter. [origin uncertain]
-scope  comb. Form forming nouns denoting: 1 device looked at or through (telescope). 2 instrument for observing or showing (oscilloscope).  -scopic comb. Form forming adjectives. [greek skopeo look at]


Phone  n. & v. (-ning) colloq. = *telephone. [abbreviation]






Crumbly  adj. (-ier, -iest) consisting of, or apt to fall into, crumbs or fragments.  crumbliness n.

Bitumen  n. Tarlike mixture of hydrocarbons derived from petroleum. [latin]
Woodbine  n. Honeysuckle.



Stalinism  n. Centralized authoritarian form of socialism associated with stalin.  stalinist n. & adj. [stalin, a soviet statesman]
Impervious  adj. (usu. Foll. By to) 1 impermeable. 2 not responsive (to argument etc.).




Possibility  n. (pl. -ies) 1 state or fact of being possible. 2 thing that may exist or happen. 3 (usu. In pl.) Capability of being used; potential (have possibilities). [latin posse be able]
Nephritic  adj. 1 of or in the kidneys. 2 of nephritis. [greek nephros kidney]

Godchild  n. Person in relation to his or her godparent.

Fives  n. Game in which a ball is hit with a gloved hand or bat against the walls of a court.


Fabric  n. 1 woven material; cloth. 2 walls, floor, and roof of a building. 3 essential structure. [latin faber metal-worker]
Present2  v. 1 introduce, offer, or exhibit for attention or consideration. 2 a (with a thing as object, foll. By to) offer or give as a gift (to a person). B (with a person as object, foll. By with) make available to; cause to have (that presents us with a problem). 3 a (of a company, producer, etc.) Put (a piece of entertainment) before the public. B (of a performer, compère, etc.) Introduce. 4 introduce (a person) formally (may i present my fiancé?).  5 a (of a circumstance) reveal (some quality etc.) (this presents some difficulty). B exhibit (an appearance etc.). 6 (of an idea etc.) Offer or suggest itself. 7 deliver (a cheque, bill, etc.) For acceptance or payment. 8 a (usu. Foll. By at) aim (a weapon). B hold out (a weapon) in position for aiming.  present arms hold a rifle etc. Vertically in front of the body as a salute.  presenter n. (in sense 3b). [latin praesento: related to *present1]


Damnation  —n. Eternal punishment in hell. —int. Expressing anger.
Vigor  n. (brit. Vigour) 1 physical or mental strength or energy. 2 healthy growth. 3 forcefulness; trenchancy, animation.  vigorous adj. Vigorously adv. [french from latin vigeo be lively]

Biography  n. (pl. -ies) 1 account of a person's life, written usu. By another. 2 these as a literary genre.  biographer n. Biographical adj. [french: related to *bio-]
Historiography  n. 1 the writing of history. 2 the study of this.  historiographer n.
Tacky2  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. 1 in poor taste, cheap. 2 tatty, shabby.  tackiness n. [origin unknown]

Tradescantia  n. (usu. Trailing) plant with large blue, white, or pink flowers. [tradescant, name of a naturalist]

Woody  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 wooded. 2 like or of wood.  woodiness n.

Legatee  n. Recipient of a legacy. [latin lego bequeath]

Dentine  n. (us dentin) hard dense tissue forming the bulk of a tooth.


Skipping-rope  n. Length of rope turned over the head and under the feet while jumping it as a game or exercise.
Mafioso  n. (pl. Mafiosi) member of the mafia. [italian: related to *mafia]
Salon  n. 1 room or establishment of a hairdresser, beautician, etc. 2 hist. Meeting of eminent people in the home of a lady of fashion. 3 reception room, esp. Of a continental house. [french: related to *saloon]
Viola1  n. Instrument larger than the violin and of lower pitch. [italian and spanish: related to *viol]



-cy  suffix denoting state, condition, or status (idiocy; captaincy). [latin -cia, greek -kia]





Top secret  adj. Of the highest secrecy.

Hip-pocket  n. Trouser-pocket just behind the hip.
Appraisal  n. Appraising or being appraised.

Agnail  n. Piece of torn skin at the root of a fingernail; resulting soreness. [old english, = tight (metal) nail, hard excrescence in flesh]
Tracing  n. 1 traced copy of a drawing etc. 2 act of tracing.




Chlorofluorocarbon  see *cfc.
Drachma  n. (pl. -s) 1 chief monetary unit of greece. 2 silver coin of ancient greece. [greek drakhme]
Writ1  n. Form of written command to act or not act in some way. [old english: related to *write]
Sniff  —v. 1 inhale air audibly through the nose. 2 (often foll. By up) draw in through the nose. 3 smell the scent of by sniffing. —n. 1 act or sound of sniffing. 2 amount of air etc. Sniffed up.  sniff at show contempt for. Sniff out = smell out. [imitative]


Pound of flesh  n. Any legal but morally offensive demand.


Electro-shock  attrib. Adj. (of therapy) by means of electric shocks.
Steamy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 like or full of steam. 2 colloq. Erotic.  steamily adv. Steaminess n.

Civics  n.pl. (usu. Treated as sing.) The study of the rights and duties of citizenship.

Arc  —n. 1 part of the circumference of a circle or other curve. 2 electr. Luminous discharge between two electrodes. —v. (arced; arcing) form an arc; move in a curve. [latin arcus bow]
Optic  adj.  Of the eye or sight (optic nerve). [greek optos seen]
Opposition  n. 1 resistance, antagonism. 2 being hostile or in conflict or disagreement. 3 contrast, antithesis. 4 a group or party of opponents or competitors. B (the opposition) chief parliamentary party opposed to that in office. 5 act of placing opposite. 6 diametrically opposite position of two celestial bodies. [latin: related to *position]
Penalty  n. (pl. -ies) 1 punishment for breaking a law, rule, or contract. 2 disadvantage, loss, etc., esp. As a result of one's own actions. 3 sport disadvantage imposed for a breach of the rules etc. [medieval latin: related to *penal]
Patronymic  n. Name derived from the name of a father or ancestor (e.g. Johnson, o'brien, ivanovich). [greek pater father, onoma name]
Waste product  n. Useless by-product of manufacture or of an organism.

Pellicle  n. Thin skin, membrane, or film. [latin diminutive of pellis skin]



Partisan  (also partizan) —n. 1 strong, esp. Unreasoning, supporter of a party, cause, etc. 2 guerrilla. —adj. 1 of partisans. 2 biased.  partisanship n. [italian: related to *part]
Instructive  adj. Tending to instruct; enlightening.

Businessman  n. (fem. Businesswoman) man or woman engaged in trade or commerce.
Low-grade  adj. Of low quality.

Protective custody  n. Detention of a person for his or her own protection.
Optional extra  n. Item costing extra if one chooses to have it.
Paunch  n. Belly, stomach, esp. When protruding.  paunchy adj. (-ier, -iest). [anglo-french pa(u)nche from latin pantices bowels]
Drawn  adj. Looking strained and tense.
Public  —adj. 1 of the people as a whole (public holiday). 2 open to or shared by all (public baths). 3 done or existing openly (public apology). 4 (of a service, funds, etc.) Provided by or concerning government (public money; public records). 5 of or involved in the affairs, esp. The government or entertainment, of the community (distinguished public career; public figures). —n. 1 (as sing. Or pl.) Community, or members of it, in general. 2 specified section of the community (reading public; my public).  go public 1 become a public company. 2 reveal one's plans etc. In public openly, publicly.  publicly adv.  [latin]
Clangour  n. (us clangor) prolonged clanging.  clangorous adj.
Livestock  n. (usu. Treated as pl.) Animals on a farm, kept for use or profit.
Evaporated milk  n. Unsweetened milk concentrated by evaporation.
Marram  n. Shore grass that binds sand. [old norse, = sea-haulm]

French dressing  n. Salad dressing of seasoned vinegar and oil.

Good humour  n. Genial mood.
Stud2  n. 1 a number of horses kept for breeding etc. B place where these are kept. 2 stallion. 3 colloq. Young man, esp. One noted for sexual prowess. 4 (in full stud poker) form of poker with betting after the dealing of cards face up.  at stud (of a stallion) hired out for breeding. [old english]
Ice-pick  n. Tool with a spike for splitting up ice.
Constrictor  n. 1 snake that kills by compressing. 2 muscle that contracts an organ or part of the body.
Wave machine  n. Device at a swimming-pool producing waves.
Water-wheel  n. Wheel driven by water to work machinery, or to raise water.
Apathy  n. Lack of interest; indifference.  apathetic adj. [greek a- without, *pathos]



Predatory  adj. 1 (of an animal) preying naturally upon others. 2 plundering or exploiting others.

Slug1  n. 1 small shell-less mollusc often destroying plants. 2 a bullet, esp. Of irregular shape. B missile for an airgun. 3 printing metal bar used in spacing. 4 mouthful of drink (esp. Spirits). [scandinavian]

Dissemble  v. (-ling) 1 be hypocritical or insincere. 2 disguise or conceal (a feeling, intention, etc.). [latin simulo *simulate]
Intended  —adj. Done on purpose. —n. Colloq. One's fiancé or fiancée.


Every one  n. Each one.
Subdue  v. (-dues, -dued, -duing) 1 conquer, subjugate, or tame. 2 (as subdued adj.) Softened; lacking in intensity; toned down. [latin subduco]

Full-timer  n. Person who does a full-time job.
Entrance1  n. 1 place for entering. 2 going or coming in. 3 right of admission. 4 coming of an actor on stage. 5 (in full entrance fee) admission fee. [french: related to *enter]
Aptitude  n. 1 natural talent. 2 ability or fitness, esp. Specified. [french: related to *apt]
Wholehearted  adj. 1 completely devoted. 2 done with all possible effort or sincerity.  wholeheartedly adv.
Pigsty  n. (pl. -ies) 1 pen for pigs. 2 filthy house, room, etc.
Lave  v. (-ving) literary 1 wash, bathe. 2 (of water) wash against; flow along. [latin lavo wash]
Balloon  —n. 1 small inflatable rubber toy or decoration. 2 large usu. Round inflatable flying bag, often carrying a basket for passengers. 3 colloq. Balloon shape enclosing dialogue etc. In a comic strip or cartoon. —v. 1 (cause to) swell out like a balloon. 2 travel by balloon.  balloonist n. [french or italian, = large ball]
Toddler  n. Child who is just learning to walk.
Bar person  n. Barmaid or barman.
Jackdaw  n. Grey-headed bird of the crow family.
Contractor  n. Person who makes a contract, esp. To conduct building operations.


Fire-ship  n. Hist. Ship set on fire and directed against an enemy's ships etc.

Moneymaker  n. 1 person who earns much money. 2 thing, idea, etc., that produces much money.  moneymaking n. & adj.

Machine tool  n. Mechanically operated tool.
Primacy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 pre-eminence. 2 office of a primate. [latin: related to *primate]
Shall  v.aux. (3rd sing. Present shall; archaic 2nd sing. Present shalt; past should) (foll. By infin. Without to, or absol.; present and past only in use) 1 (in the 1st person) expressing the future tense or (with shall stressed) emphatic intention (i shall return soon). 2 (in the 2nd and 3rd persons) expressing a strong assertion, command, or duty (they shall go to the party; thou shalt not steal; they shall obey). 3 (in 2nd-person questions) expressing an enquiry, esp. To avoid the form of a request (shall you go to france?).  shall i? (or we) do you want me (or us) to? [old english]

Good-humoured  adj. Cheerful, amiable.  good-humouredly adv.
Barber's pole  n. Pole with spiral red and white stripes as a barber's sign.
Lamina  n. (pl. -nae) thin plate or scale.  laminar adj. [latin]
Bonk  —v. 1 bang, bump. 2 coarse slang have sexual intercourse (with). —n. Instance of bonking (bonk on the head). [imitative]

Unaccounted  adj. (often foll. By for) unexplained; excluded.
Green card  n. International insurance document for motorists.
Forgiveness  n. Forgiving or being forgiven.

Fan-jet  n. = *turbofan.

Qualm  n. 1 misgiving; uneasy doubt. 2 scruple of conscience. 3 momentary faint or sick feeling. [origin uncertain]







Widgeon  n. (also wigeon) a kind of wild duck. [origin uncertain]
Amalgam  n. 1 mixture or blend. 2 alloy of mercury and another metal, used esp. In dentistry. [greek malagma an emollient]
Video recorder  n. (also video cassette recorder) apparatus for recording and playing videotapes.
Maraschino cherry  n. Cherry preserved in maraschino and used in cocktails etc.
Cos3  conj. Colloq. Because. [abbreviation]
Overspill  n. 1 what is spilt over or overflows. 2 surplus population moving to a new area.

Usage  the use of the noun and verb in sense 2 is deplored by some people.



Deplete  v. (-ting) (esp. In passive) reduce in numbers, force, or quantity; exhaust.  depletion n. [latin pleo fill]
Burk  var. Of *berk.

Special edition  n. Extra late edition of a newspaper.


Uninteresting  adj. Not interesting.






Gallery  n. (pl. -ies) 1 room or building for showing works of art. 2 balcony, esp. In a church, hall, etc. (minstrels' gallery). 3 highest balcony in a theatre. 4 a covered walk partly open at the side; colonnade. B narrow passage in the thickness of a wall or on corbels, open towards the interior of the building. 5 long narrow room or passage (shooting-gallery). 6 horizontal underground passage in a mine etc. 7 group of spectators at a golf-match etc.  play to the gallery seek to win approval by appealing to popular taste. [french galerie]
Chock  —n. Block or wedge to check the motion of a wheel etc. —v. Make fast with chocks. [french]


Honey  n. (pl. -s) 1 sweet sticky yellowish fluid made by bees from nectar. 2 colour of this. 3 a sweetness. B sweet thing. 4 esp. Us (usu. As a form of address) darling. [old english]
Ledger  n. Main record of the accounts of a business. [dutch]
Walloon  —n. 1 member of a people inhabiting s. And e. Belgium and neighbouring france. 2 french dialect spoken by this people. —adj. Of or concerning the walloons or their language. [medieval latin wallo -onis]

Wringer  n. Device for wringing water from washed clothes etc.
Unpretentious  adj. Simple, modest, unassuming.


Merchant  n. 1 wholesale trader, esp. With foreign countries. 2 esp. Us & scot. Retail trader. 3 colloq. Usu. Derog. Person devoted to a specified activity etc. (speed merchant). [latin mercor trade (v.)]

Gasp  —v. 1 catch one's breath with an open mouth as in exhaustion or astonishment. 2 utter with gasps. —n. Convulsive catching of breath. [old norse]


Ground floor  n. Floor of a building at ground level.



Granary  n. (pl. -ies) 1 storehouse for threshed grain. 2 region producing, and esp. Exporting, much corn. [latin: related to *grain]


At  symb. Astatine.


 



Jerkin  n. 1 sleeveless jacket. 2 hist. Man's close-fitting, esp. Leather, jacket. [origin unknown]


Ingrowing  adj. (esp. Of a toenail) growing into the flesh.  ingrown adj.
Rainfall  n. 1 fall of rain. 2 quantity of rain falling within a given area in a given time.

Settle2  n. High-backed wooden bench, often with a box below the seat. [old english]


Reprocess  v. Process again or differently.

Glass wool  n. Mass of fine glass fibres for packing and insulation.
Cupboard  n. Recess or piece of furniture with a door and (usu.) Shelves.


Crescendo  —n. (pl. -s) 1 mus. Gradual increase in loudness. 2 progress towards a climax. —adv. & adj. Increasing in loudness. [italian: related to *crescent]
Thereto  adv. Formal 1 to that or it. 2 in addition.



Ointment  n. Smooth greasy healing or cosmetic preparation for the skin. [latin unguo anoint]

Taco  n. (pl. -s) mexican dish of meat etc. In a folded tortilla. [mexican spanish]
Refocus  v. (-s- or -ss-) focus again or anew.
Viscous  adj. 1 glutinous, sticky. 2 semifluid. 3 not flowing freely.  viscosity n. (pl. -ies). [latin viscum birdlime]


Faithful  adj. 1 showing faith. 2 (often foll. By to) loyal, trustworthy. 3 accurate (faithful account). 4 (the faithful) the believers in a religion.  faithfulness n.
Bren  n. (in full bren gun) lightweight quick-firing machine-gun. [brno in czechoslovakia, enfield in england]




Duress  n. 1 compulsion, esp. Illegal use of threats or violence (under duress). 2 imprisonment. [latin durus hard]


Gearwheel  n. Toothed wheel in a set of gears.
Des  abbr. Department of education and science.

Overrate  v. (-ting) 1 assess or value too highly. 2 (as overrated adj.) Not as good as it is said to be.




Worsen  v. Make or become worse.



Mutilate  v. (-ting) 1 a deprive (a person or animal) of a limb or organ. B destroy the use of (a limb or organ). 2 excise or damage part of (a book etc.).  mutilation n. [latin mutilus maimed]
Destructible  adj. Able to be destroyed. [latin: related to *destroy]
Frame of reference  n. 1 set of standards or principles governing behaviour, thought, etc. 2 system of geometrical axes for defining position.
Unimpressed  adj. Not impressed.

Badinage  n. Playful ridicule. [french]
Sequin  n. Circular spangle, esp. Sewn on to clothing.  sequinned adj. (also sequined). [italian zecchino a gold coin]
Lunatic  —n. 1 insane person. 2 wildly foolish person. —adj. Insane; extremely reckless or foolish. [related to *lunacy]
Protect  v. 1 (often foll. By from, against) keep (a person, thing, etc.) Safe; defend, guard. 2  shield (home industry) from competition with import duties. [latin tego tect- cover]

Rearrange  v. (-ging) arrange again in a different way.  rearrangement n.
Sooty  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 covered with soot. 2 black or brownish-black.
Sprint  —v. 1 run a short distance at full speed. 2 run (a specified distance) thus. —n. 1 such a run. 2 short burst in cycling, swimming, etc.  sprinter n. [old norse]


Cat door  var. Of *cat flap.

Wall  —n. 1 continuous vertical narrow structure of usu. Brick or stone, esp. Enclosing or dividing a space or supporting a roof. 2 thing like a wall, esp.: a a steep side of a mountain. B anat. The outermost layer or enclosing membrane etc. Of an organ etc. —v. 1 (esp. As walled adj.) Surround with a wall. 2 a (usu. Foll. By up, off) block (a space etc.) With a wall. B (foll. By up) enclose within a sealed space.  go to the wall be defeated or pushed aside. Off the wall us slang unorthodox. Up the wall colloq. Crazy or furious. Walls have ears beware of eavesdroppers.  wall-less adj. [latin vallum rampart]
Re-engage  v. (-ging) engage again.
Sangria  n. Spanish drink of red wine with lemonade, fruit, etc. [spanish, = bleeding]

Grope  —v. (-ping) 1 (usu. Foll. By for) feel about or search blindly. 2 (foll. By for, after) search mentally. 3 feel (one's way) towards something. 4 slang fondle clumsily for sexual pleasure. —n. Act of groping. [old english]
Sound effect  n. Sound other than speech or music made artificially for a film, broadcast, etc.
Hell-hole  n. Oppressive or unbearable place.
Potash  n. An alkaline potassium compound. [dutch: related to *pot1, *ash1]

Wick  n. Strip or thread feeding a flame with fuel.  get on a person's wick colloq. Annoy a person. [old english]
Wheel-clamp  n. = *clamp1 n. 2.
Diminution  n. 1 diminishing or being diminished. 2 decrease. [latin: related to *diminish]




Tobacconist  n. Dealer in tobacco, cigarettes, etc.
Lesbian  —n. Homosexual woman. —adj. Of female homosexuality.  lesbianism n. [lesbos, name of an island in the aegean sea]



Slat  n. Thin narrow piece of wood, plastic, or metal, esp. As in a fence or venetian blind. [french esclat splinter]




Peel  —v. 1 a strip the skin, rind, wrapping, etc. From. B (usu. Foll. By off) strip (skin, peel, wrapping, etc.). 2 a become bare of skin, paint, etc. B (often foll. By off) (of skin, paint, etc.) Flake off. 3 (often foll. By off) colloq. (of a person) strip ready for exercise etc. —n. Outer covering of a fruit, vegetable, etc.; rind.  peel off veer away and detach oneself from a group etc.  peeler n. [old english from latin pilo strip of hair]

Maximal  adj. Of or being a maximum.





Evangelism  n. Preaching or spreading of the gospel.
Heatwave  n. Period of unusually hot weather.
T'ai chi  n. (in full t'ai chi ch'uan) chinese martial art and system of callisthenics with slow controlled movements. [chinese, = great ultimate boxing]
Rhesus factor  n. Antigen occurring on the red blood cells of most humans and some other primates.

Bluebottle  n. Large buzzing fly; blowfly.
Capital transfer tax  n. Hist. Tax levied on the transfer of capital by gift or bequest etc.
Leathery  adj. 1 like leather. 2 tough.
Polder  n. Piece of land reclaimed from the sea or a river, esp. In the netherlands. [dutch]


Box spring  n. Each of a set of vertical springs in a frame, e.g. In a mattress.

Unsweetened  adj. Not sweetened.

Tight corner  n. (also tight place or spot) difficult situation.


Gentlewoman  n. Archaic woman of good birth or breeding.



Syrian  —n. 1 native or national of syria. 2 person of syrian descent. —adj. Of syria.
Half-hardy  adj. (of a plant) able to grow in the open except in severe frost.

Ambergris  n. Waxlike secretion of the sperm whale, found floating in tropical seas and used in perfumes. [french, = grey amber]


Footpad  n. Hist. Unmounted highwayman.
Pathogen  n. Agent causing disease.  pathogenic adj. [greek pathos suffering, *-gen]

Squirrel  —n. 1 bushy-tailed usu. Tree-living rodent. 2 its fur. 3 hoarder. —v. (-ll-; us -l-) 1 (often foll. By away) hoard. 2 (often foll. By around) bustle about. [greek skiouros, from skia shade, oura tail]
Guzzle  v. (-ling) eat or drink greedily. [probably french gosiller from gosier throat]



Pediatrics  n.pl. (treated as sing.) (brit. Paediatrics) branch of medicine dealing with children and their diseases.  paediatric adj. Paediatrician n. [from *paedo-, greek iatros physician]
Scherzo  n. (pl. -s) mus. Vigorous, often playful, piece, esp. As part of a larger work. [italian, = jest]

Bandicoot  n. 1 catlike australian marsupial. 2 (in full bandicoot rat) destructive rat in india. [telugu, = pig-rat]

Gradient  n. 1 stretch of road, railway, etc., that slopes. 2 amount of such a slope. [probably from *grade after salient]
Various  adj. 1 different, diverse (from various backgrounds). 2 several (for various reasons).  variously adv. [latin varius]

Inexpedient  adj. Not expedient.



Copy  —n. (pl. -ies) 1 thing made to imitate another. 2 single specimen of a publication or issue. 3 material to be printed, esp. Regarded as good etc. Reading matter (the crisis will make exciting copy). —v. (-ies, -ied) 1 make a copy of. 2 imitate, do the same as. [latin copia transcript]


Water table  n. = *water-level 2.
Ghosting  n. Appearance of a ‘ghost’ image in a television picture.





Overfish  v. Deplete (a stream etc.) By too much fishing.
Alum  n. Double sulphate of aluminium and potassium. [latin alumen -min-]
Brake drum  n. Cylinder attached to a wheel, on which the brake shoes press to brake.

Abase  v. (-sing) (also refl.) Humiliate, degrade.  abasement n. [french: related to *ad-, *base2]






Tessellation  n. Close arrangement of polygons, esp. In a repeated pattern.

Scud  —v. (-dd-) 1 move straight and fast; skim along (scudding clouds). 2 naut. Run before the wind. —n. 1 spell of scudding. 2 scudding motion. 3 vapoury driving clouds or shower. [perhaps an alteration of *scut]



Accommodation address  n. Postal address used by a person unable or unwilling to give a permanent address.
Unforgivable  adj. That cannot be forgiven.



Epiphany  n. (pl. -ies) 1 (epiphany) a manifestation of christ to the magi. B festival of this on 6 january. 2 manifestation of a god or demigod. [greek phaino show]
Meticulous  adj. 1 giving great attention to detail. 2 very careful and precise.  meticulously adv. Meticulousness n. [latin metus fear]
Sylviculture  var. Of *silviculture.
Intravenous  adj. In or into a vein or veins.  intravenously adv.


Senseless  adj. 1 pointless; foolish. 2 unconscious.  senselessly adv. Senselessness n.
Sawfish  n. (pl. Same or -es) large marine fish with a toothed flat snout.

Styrene  n. Liquid hydrocarbon easily polymerized and used in making plastics etc. [greek sturax a resin]


Osteoporosis  n. Condition of brittle bones caused esp. By hormonal changes or deficiency of calcium or vitamin d.


Globule  n. Small globe or round particle or drop. [latin globulus]
Relic  n. 1 object that is interesting because of its age or association. 2 part of a dead holy person's body or belongings kept as an object of reverence. 3 surviving custom or belief etc. From a past age. 4 memento or souvenir. 5 (in pl.) What has survived. 6 (in pl.) Dead body or remains of a person. [latin reliquiae remains: related to *relinquish]
Maltreat  v. Ill-treat.  maltreatment n. [french: related to *mal-]

Indeterminate vowel  n. Vowel heard in ‘a moment ago’.
Shadow  —n. 1 shade; patch of shade. 2 dark shape projected by a body intercepting rays of light. 3 inseparable attendant or companion. 4 person secretly following another. 5 slightest trace (not a shadow of doubt). 6 weak or insubstantial remnant (a shadow of his former self). 7 (attrib.) Denoting members of an opposition party holding posts parallel to those of the government (shadow cabinet). 8 shaded part of a picture. 9 gloom or sadness. —v. 1 cast a shadow over. 2 secretly follow and watch. [old english: related to *shade]
Tumble-drier  n. (also tumble-dryer) machine for drying washing in a heated rotating drum.  tumble-dry v.


Attention  n. 1 act or faculty of applying one's mind; notice (attention wandered; attract his attention). 2 consideration, care. 3 (in pl.) A courtesies. B sexual advances. 4 erect esp. Military attitude of readiness.
Goth  n. 1 style of rock music with an intense or droning blend of guitars, bass, and drums, often with apocalyptic or mystical lyrics. 2 performer or devotee of this music, or member of the subculture favouring black clothing and white-painted faces with black make-up.




Together  —adv. 1 in company or conjunction (walking together; were at school together). 2 simultaneously (both shouted together). 3 one with another (talking together). 4 into conjunction; so as to unite (tied them together; put two and two together). 5 into company or companionship. 6 uninterruptedly (he could talk for three hours together). —adj. Colloq. Well-organized; self-assured; emotionally stable. together with as well as. [old english: related to *to, *gather]
Diode  n. 1 semiconductor allowing the flow of current in one direction only and having two terminals. 2 thermionic valve having two electrodes. [from *di-1, *electrode]
Seethe  v. (-thing) 1 boil, bubble over. 2 be very angry, resentful, etc. [old english]
Millimetre  n. (us -meter) one-thousandth of a metre (0.039 in.).

Earthquake  n. Convulsion of the earth's surface as a result of faults in strata or volcanic action.

Ding  —v. Make a ringing sound. —n. Ringing sound. [imitative]

St john's wort  n. Yellow-flowered plant.
Plane1  —n. 1 flat surface such that a straight line joining any two points on it lies wholly in it. 2 level surface. 3 colloq. = *aeroplane. 4 flat surface producing lift by the action of air or water over and under it (usu. In comb.: hydroplane). 5 (often foll. By of) level of attainment, knowledge, etc. —adj. 1 (of a surface etc.) Perfectly level. 2 (of an angle, figure, etc.) Lying in a plane. —v. (-ning) glide. [latin planus *plain]
Shinto  n. Japanese religion with the worship of ancestors and nature-spirits.  shintoism n. Shintoist n. [chinese, = way of the gods]
Thrift  n. 1 frugality; careful use of money etc. 2 the sea pink. [old norse: related to *thrive]
Clung  past and past part. Of *cling.



Transference  n. 1 transferring or being transferred. 2 psychol. Redirection of childhood emotions to a new object, esp. To a psychoanalyst.
Dummy run  n. Trial attempt; rehearsal.
Exclamatory  adj. Of or serving as an exclamation.
Nucleon  n. Proton or neutron.
-teen  suffix forming numerals from 13 to 19. [old english]

Hid  past of *hide1.
Booking  n. Reservation or engagement.
Littoral  —adj. Of or on the shore. —n. Region lying along a shore. [latin litus litor- shore]

Houseroom  n. Space or accommodation in one's house.  not give houseroom to not have in any circumstances.
Encamp  v. Settle in a (esp. Military) camp.  encampment n.

Big noise  n. (also big shot) colloq. = *bigwig.
He-man  n. Masterful or virile man.

Inuit  n. (also innuit) (pl. Same or -s) n. American eskimo. [eskimo inuit people]
Sent  past and past part. Of *send.



Totter  —v. 1 stand or walk unsteadily or feebly. 2 a (of a building etc.) Shake as if about to collapse. B (of a system of government etc.) Be about to fall. —n. Unsteady or shaky movement or gait.  tottery adj. [dutch]


Blow2  n. 1 hard stroke with a hand or weapon. 2 sudden shock or misfortune. [origin unknown]
Anathematize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) curse.

Annular  adj. Ring-shaped. [latin anulus ring]




Wheedle  v. (-ling) 1 coax by flattery or endearments. 2 (foll. By out) get (a thing) out of a person or cheat (a person) out of a thing by wheedling. [origin uncertain]

Swelling  n. Abnormal bodily protuberance.
Onyx  n. Semiprecious variety of agate with coloured layers. [greek onux]



Holograph  —adj. Wholly written by hand by the person named as the author. —n. Holograph document. [greek holos whole, *-graph]


Sunblock  n. Lotion protecting the skin from the sun.
Unclothe  v. (-thing) 1 remove clothes, leaves, etc. From. 2 expose, reveal.


Cyclone  n. 1 winds rotating inwards to an area of low barometric pressure; depression. 2 violent hurricane of limited diameter.  cyclonic adj. [greek kukloma wheel]

Scuttle1  n. 1 = *coal-scuttle. 2  part of a car body between the windscreen and the bonnet. [old norse from latin scutella dish]
Demonology  n. The study of demons etc.

Allot  v. (-tt-) apportion or distribute to (a person), esp. As a share or task (they were allotted equal sums). [french a to, *lot]

Tinder-box  n. Hist. Box containing tinder, flint, and steel, formerly used for kindling fires.



Non-starter  n. Colloq. Person or scheme that is unlikely to succeed.

Square leg  n. Fielding position in cricket at some distance on the batsman's leg side and nearly opposite the stumps.
Dervish  n. Member of a muslim fraternity vowed to poverty and austerity. [turkish from persian, = poor]
Dug1  past and past part. Of *dig.

Disgrace  —n. 1 shame; ignominy. 2 shameful or very bad person or thing (bus service is a disgrace). —v. (-cing) 1 bring shame or discredit on. 2 dismiss from a position of honour or favour.  in disgrace out of favour. [latin: related to *dis-, *grace]



Allen key  n. Propr. Spanner designed to turn an allen screw. [allen, name of the us manufacturer]
North-north-east  n. Point or direction midway between north and north-east.

Jackrabbit  n. Us large prairie hare.
Stanza  n. Basic metrical unit of a poem etc., typically of four to twelve rhymed lines. [italian]
Unlearned2  adj. (also unlearnt) not learnt.

Reed  n. 1 a water or marsh plant with a firm stem. B tall straight stalk of this. 2 a strip of cane etc. Vibrating to produce the sound in some wind instruments. B (esp. In pl.) Such an instrument.  reeded adj. [old english]

Flagon  n. 1 large bottle, usu. Holding a quart (1.13 litres), esp. Of wine, cider, etc. 2 large vessel for wine etc., usu. With a handle, spout, and lid. [latin flasco *flask]



Superman  n. 1 colloq. Man of exceptional strength or ability. 2 philos. Ideal person not subject to conventional morality etc.
Position  —n. 1 place occupied by a person or thing. 2 way in which a thing or its parts are placed or arranged. 3 proper place (in position). 4 advantage (jockeying for position). 5 attitude; view on a question. 6 situation in relation to others (puts one in an awkward position). 7 rank, status; social standing. 8 paid employment. 9 place where troops etc. Are posted for strategical purposes. —v. Place in position.  in a position to able to.  positional adj. [latin pono posit- place]


Turf accountant  n. Bookmaker.
Expand  v. 1 increase in size or importance. 2 (often foll. By on) give a fuller account. 3 become more genial. 4 set or write out in full. 5 spread out flat.  expandable adj. [latin pando pans- spread]

Agm  abbr. Annual general meeting.
Facts of life  n.pl. (prec. By the) information about sexual functions and practices.


Bisque1  n. Rich soup, esp. Of lobster. [french]
Leading1  adj. Chief; most important.

Visionary  —adj. 1 given to seeing visions or to fanciful theories. 2 having vision or foresight. 3 not real, imaginary. 4 not practicable. —n. (pl. -ies) visionary person.
Pillowcase  n. (also pillowslip) washable cover for a pillow.



Enjoin  v. 1 command or order. 2 (often foll. By on) impose (an action). 3 (usu. Foll. By from) law prohibit by injunction (from doing a thing). [latin injungo attach]
Dickens  n. (usu. Prec. By how, what, why, etc., the) colloq. (esp. In exclamations) deuce; the devil (what the dickens is it). [probably the name dickens]
Jonah  n. Person who seems to bring bad luck. [jonah in the old testament]



Quench  v. 1 satisfy (thirst) by drinking. 2 extinguish (a fire or light). 3 cool, esp. With water. 4 esp. Metallurgy cool (a hot substance) in cold water etc. 5 stifle or suppress (desire etc.). [old english]



One-to-one  adj. & adv. 1 involving or between only two people. 2 with one member of one group corresponding to one of another.
Indiscretion  n. Indiscreet conduct or action.


Obelus  n. (pl. Obeli) dagger-shaped reference mark (†). [greek, = pointed pillar, *spit2]
Garment  n. 1 article of dress. 2 outward covering. [french: related to *garnish]



Poverty-stricken  adj. Very poor.

Cream tea  n. Afternoon tea with scones, jam, and cream.


Hers  poss. Pron. The one or ones belonging to or associated with her (it is hers; hers are over there).  of hers of or belonging to her (friend of hers).
Honeycomb  —n. 1 bees' wax structure of hexagonal cells for honey and eggs. 2 pattern arranged hexagonally. —v. 1 fill with cavities or tunnels, undermine. 2 mark with a honeycomb pattern. [old english]
Misquote  v. (-ting) quote inaccurately.  misquotation n.


Spaniel  n. Dog of a breed with a long silky coat and drooping ears. [french espaigneul spanish (dog)]


Ether  n. 1 chem. Colourless volatile organic liquid used as an anaesthetic or solvent. 2 clear sky; upper regions of the air. 3 hist. A medium formerly assumed to permeate all space. B medium through which electromagnetic waves were formerly thought to be transmitted. [greek aitho burn]
Fiddly  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Awkward or tiresome to do or use.
Softwood  n. Easily sawn wood of deciduous trees.
Usage  prescribe is sometimes confused with proscribe.

Lowest common multiple  n. Math. Least quantity that is a multiple of two or more given quantities.


Sa  abbr. 1 salvation army. 2 south africa. 3 south australia.
Authoritative  adj. 1 reliable, esp. Having authority. 2 official.
Inflict  v. (usu. Foll. By on) 1 deal (a blow etc.). 2 often joc. Impose (suffering, oneself, etc.) On (shall not inflict myself on you any longer).  infliction n. Inflictor n. [latin fligo flict- strike]


Ass1  n. 1 a four-legged long-eared mammal related to the horse. B donkey. 2 stupid person. [old english from latin]
Detonate  v. (-ting) set off (an explosive charge); be set off.  detonation n. [latin tono thunder]


Razor  n. Instrument with a sharp blade used in cutting hair, esp. Shaving. [french rasor: related to *raze]





Ewe  n. Female sheep. [old english]
Heat shield  n. Device to protect (esp. A spacecraft) from excessive heat.

Birdsong  n. Musical cry of birds.
Guano  n. (pl. -s) 1 excrement of sea birds, used as manure. 2 artificial manure, esp. That made from fish. [spanish from quechua]
Houri  n. (pl. -s) beautiful young woman of the muslim paradise. [persian from arabic, = dark-eyed]


Dolphinarium  n. (pl. -s) public aquarium for dolphins.

Freeze-dry  v. Preserve (food) by freezing and then drying in a vacuum.
Oilskin  n. 1 cloth waterproofed with oil. 2 a garment of this. B (in pl.) Suit of this.


Secretaire  n. Escritoire. [french: related to *secretary]


Upholstery  n. 1 covering, padding, springs, etc. For furniture. 2 upholsterer's work.

Sturgeon  n. (pl. Same or -s) large sharklike fish yielding caviare. [anglo-french from germanic]
Intermix  v. Mix together.
Discharge  —v. (-ging) 1 release (a prisoner); allow (a patient, jury) to leave. 2 dismiss from office or employment. 3 fire (a gun etc.). 4 throw; eject. 5 emit, pour out (pus etc.). 6 (foll. By into) (of a river etc.) Flow into (esp. The sea). 7 a carry out (a duty or obligation). B relieve oneself of (a debt etc.). C relieve (a bankrupt) of residual liability. 8 law cancel (an order of court). 9 release an electrical charge from. 10 a relieve (a ship etc.) Of cargo. B unload (cargo). —n. 1 discharging or being discharged. 2 certificate of release, dismissal, etc. 3 matter discharged; pus etc. 4 release of an electric charge, esp. With a spark.


Grovel  v. (-ll-; us -l-) 1 behave obsequiously. 2 lie prone in abject humility.  grovelling adj. [obsolete grovelling (adv.) From old norse á grúfu face down]

Persevere  v. (-ring) (often foll. By in, with) continue steadfastly or determinedly; persist.  perseverance n. [latin: related to *severe]
Amount  —n. Quantity, esp. A total in number, size, value, extent, etc. —v. (foll. By to) be equivalent to in number, significance, etc. [latin ad montem upward]

Royal warrant  n. Warrant authorizing a tradesperson to supply goods to a specified royal person.
Nip2  n.  Small quantity of spirits. [from nipperkin small measure]
Wing  —n. 1 each of the limbs or organs by which a bird etc. Is able to fly. 2 winglike structure supporting an aircraft. 3 part of a building etc. Extended in a certain direction. 4 a forward player at either end of a line in football, hockey, etc. B side part of a playing-area. 5 (in pl.) Sides of a theatre stage. 6 polarized section of a political party in terms of its views. 7 flank of a battle array. 8 the part of a vehicle over a wheel. 9 air-force unit of several squadrons or groups. —v. 1 travel or traverse on wings. 2 wound in a wing or an arm. 3 equip with wings. 4 enable to fly; send in flight.  on the wing flying, in flight. Take under one's wing treat as a protégé. Take wing fly away.  winged adj. Winglike adj. [old norse]
Ectoplasm  n. Supposed viscous substance exuding from the body of a spiritualistic medium during a trance. [from *ecto-, *plasma]





Gaolbird  var. Of *jailbird.

Open sandwich  n. Sandwich without a top slice of bread.

Disloyal  adj. Not loyal; unfaithful.  disloyally adv. Disloyalty n.
Showgirl  n. Female singer and dancer in musicals, variety shows, etc.


Amniocentesis  n. (pl. -teses) sampling of amniotic fluid to detect foetal abnormality. [from *amnion, greek kentesis pricking]
Lapis lazuli  n. 1 blue mineral used as a gemstone. 2 bright blue pigment. 3 its colour. [related to *lapidary, *azure]
Unacquainted  adj. (usu. Foll. By with) not acquainted.

Hooker  n. 1 rugby player in the front row of the scrum who tries to hook the ball. 2 slang prostitute.

Unreflecting  adj. Not thoughtful.



Ratepayer  n. Person liable to pay rates.
Flat2  n. Set of rooms, usu. On one floor, as a residence.  flatlet n. [obsolete flet floor, dwelling, from germanic: related to *flat1]





Uncomplimentary  adj. Insulting.



Novice  n. 1 a probationary member of a religious order. B new convert. 2 beginner. [latin novicius, from novus new]
Cash flow  n. Movement of money into and out of a business.




Safe sex  n. Sexual activity in which precautions are taken against sexually transmitted diseases, esp. Aids.
Unimaginative  adj. Lacking imagination; stolid, dull.  unimaginatively adv.
Nitroglycerin  n. (brit. Nitroglycerine) explosive yellow liquid made by reacting glycerol with a mixture of concentrated sulphuric and nitric acids.

Chaste  adj. 1 abstaining from extramarital, or from all, sexual intercourse. 2 pure, virtuous. 3 simple, unadorned.  chastely adv. Chasteness n. [latin castus]
Stumbling-block  n. Obstacle.




High gear  n. Gear such that the driven end of a transmission revolves faster than the driving end.


Chinoiserie  n. 1 imitation of chinese motifs in painting and in decorating furniture. 2 object(s) in this style. [french]


Cautionary  adj. Giving or serving as a warning.
Pork  n. Flesh (esp. Unsalted) of a pig, used as food. [latin porcus pig]
Semblance  n. (foll. By of) appearance; show (a semblance of anger). [french sembler resemble]


Mango  n. (pl. -es or -s) 1 tropical fruit with yellowish flesh. 2 tree bearing this. [tamil mankay]

Jumble sale  n. Sale of second-hand articles, esp. For charity.



Applied  adj. Practical, not merely theoretical (applied science).
Hid  past of *hide1.
Binomial  —n. Algebraic expression of the sum or the difference of two terms. —adj. Of two terms. [greek nomos part]
Old age  n. Later part of normal life.
Alpaca  n. 1 shaggy s. American mammal related to the llama. 2 its wool; fabric made from this. [spanish from quechua]











Viola da gamba  n. Viol held between the player's legs.

Silica gel  n. Hydrated silica in a hard granular form used as a drying agent.
Outward  —adj. 1 situated on or directed towards the outside. 2 going out. 3 bodily, external, apparent. —adv. (also outwards) in an outward direction; towards the outside.  outwardly adv.  [old english: related to *out-, *-ward]
Bright's disease  n. Kidney disease. [bright, name of a physician]
Assail  v. 1 attack physically or verbally. 2 tackle (a task) resolutely.  assailant n. [latin salio leap]


Nude  —adj. Naked, bare, unclothed. —n. 1 painting, sculpture, etc. Of a nude human figure. 2 nude person.  in the nude naked.  nudity n. [latin nudus]


Proverbial  adj. 1 (esp. Of a characteristic) well known; notorious (his proverbial honesty). 2 of or referred to in a proverb (proverbial ill wind).  proverbially adv. [latin: related to *proverb]



Coronary  —adj. Anat. Resembling or encircling like a crown. —n. (pl. -ies) = *coronary thrombosis. [latin: related to *corona]

Conjugal  adj. Of marriage or the relationship of husband and wife. [latin conjux consort]


Elate  v. (-ting) (esp. As elated adj.) Make delighted or proud.  elatedly adv. Elation n. [latin effero elat- raise]
Opinion  n. 1 unproven belief. 2 view held as probable. 3 what one thinks about something. 4 piece of professional advice (a second opinion). 5 estimation (low opinion of). [latin: related to *opine]
Latent  adj. Existing but not developed or manifest; concealed, dormant.  latency n. [latin lateo be hidden]



Cutthroat  —n. 1 murderer. 2 (in full cutthroat razor) razor with a long unguarded blade set in a handle. —adj. 1 (of competition) ruthless and intense. 2 (of a card-game) three-handed.


Ipecacuanha  n. Root of a s. American shrub, used as an emetic and purgative. [portuguese from s. American indian, = emetic creeper]



Hash2  n. Colloq. Hashish. [abbreviation]
Palatinate  n. Territory under the jurisdiction of a count palatine.


Usage  see note at alternative.
Unmake  v. (-king; past and past part. Unmade) undo; destroy, depose, annul.




Bandbox  n. Hatbox.

Fluorinate  v. (-ting) 1 = *fluoridate. 2 introduce fluorine into (a compound).  fluorination n.

Intimacy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 state of being intimate. 2 intimate remark or act; sexual intercourse.

Delphinium  n. (pl. -s) garden plant with tall spikes of usu. Blue flowers. [greek: related to *dolphin]
Phobia  n. Abnormal or morbid fear or aversion.  phobic adj. & n. [from *-phobia]
Sweetheart  n. 1 lover or darling. 2 term of endearment.

Tan1  —n. 1 = *suntan. 2 yellowish-brown colour. 3 bark, esp. Of oak, used to tan hides. —adj. Yellowish-brown. —v. (-nn-) 1 make or become brown by exposure to sunlight. 2 convert (raw hide) into leather. 3 slang beat, thrash. [medieval latin tanno, perhaps from celtic]


Anthropocentric  adj. Regarding mankind as the centre of existence. [greek anthropos man]
Overpopulated  adj. Having too large a population.  overpopulation n.
Silt  —n. Sediment in a channel, harbour, etc. —v. (often foll. By up) choke or be choked with silt. [perhaps scandinavian]
Hoity-toity  adj. Haughty. [obsolete hoit romp]




Hard copy  n. Material printed by a computer on paper.
Topography  n. 1 detailed description, representation on a map, etc., of the features of a town, district, etc. 2 such features.  topographer n. Topographical adj. [greek topos place]


Snowdrift  n. Bank of snow heaped up by the wind.
Tactful  adj. Having or showing tact.  tactfully adv.
Unroll  v. 1 open out from a rolled-up state. 2 display or be displayed like this.

Usage  (1) in scientific, philosophical, and general use, this word is usually considered to denote a number of items and is thus treated as plural with datum as the singular. (2) in computing and allied subjects (and sometimes in general use), it is treated as a mass (or collective) noun and used with words like this, that, and much, with singular verbs, e.g. Useful data has been collected. Some people consider use (2) to be incorrect but it is more common than use (1). However, data is not a singular countable noun and cannot be preceded by a, every, each, either, or neither, or be given a plural form datas.


Retrorocket  n. Auxiliary rocket for slowing down a spacecraft etc.

Grace  —n. 1 attractiveness, esp. In elegance of proportion or manner or movement. 2 courteous good will (had the grace to apologize). 3 attractive feature; accomplishment (social graces). 4 a (in christian belief) the unmerited favour of god. B state of receiving this. 5 goodwill, favour. 6 delay granted as a favour (a year's grace). 7 short thanksgiving before or after a meal. 8 (grace) (in greek mythology) each of three beautiful sister goddesses, bestowers of beauty and charm. 9 (grace) (prec. By his, her, your) forms of description or address for a duke, duchess, or archbishop. —v. (-cing) (often foll. By with) add grace to; confer honour on (graced us with his presence).  with good (or bad) grace as if willingly (or reluctantly). [latin gratia]
Subside  v. (-ding) 1 become tranquil; abate (excitement subsided). 2 (of water etc.) Sink. 3 (of the ground) cave in; sink.  subsidence n. [latin subsido]
Advanced level  n. High level of gce examination.
Pecan  n. 1 pinkish-brown smooth nut with an edible kernel. 2 type of hickory producing this. [algonquian]



Hot spot  n. 1 small region that is relatively hot. 2 lively or dangerous place.







Hispanic  —adj. 1 of spain or spain and portugal. 2 of spain and other spanish-speaking countries. —n. Spanish-speaking person living in the us. [latin hispania spain]
Sandpit  n. Pit containing sand, for children to play in.

Personal column  n. Part of a newspaper devoted to private advertisements and messages.
Fighter  n. 1 person or animal that fights. 2 fast military aircraft designed for attacking other aircraft.

Proxy  n. (pl. -ies) (also attrib.) 1 authorization given to a substitute or deputy (proxy vote; married by proxy). 2 person authorized to act thus. 3 a written authorization for esp. Proxy voting. B proxy vote. [obsolete procuracy procuration]

Mccoy  n.  the real mccoy colloq. The real thing; the genuine article. [origin uncertain]
Dining-room  n. Room in which meals are eaten.

Ruminant  —n. Animal that chews the cud. —adj. 1 of ruminants. 2 meditative. [related to *ruminate]

Townie  n. (also townee) derog. Town inhabitant ignorant of country life.




Sea scout  n. Member of the maritime branch of the scout association.



Embitter  v. Arouse bitter feelings in.  embitterment n.
Lutetium  n. Silvery metallic element, the heaviest of the lanthanide series. [lutetia, ancient name of paris]


Sanatorium  n. (pl. -s or -ria) 1 residential clinic, esp. For convalescents and the chronically sick. 2 room etc. For sick people in a school etc. [latin sano heal]
Needle-point  n. 1 lace made with needles, not bobbins. 2 = *gros point or *petit point.
Lisp  —n. Speech defect in which s is pronounced like th in thick and z is pronounced like th in this. —v. Speak or utter with a lisp. [old english]




Countess  n. 1 wife or widow of a count or earl. 2 woman holding the rank of count or earl. [latin comitissa: related to *count2]



Footsie  n. = *ft-se. [respelling of *ft-se]

Scruffy  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Shabby, slovenly, untidy.  scruffily adv. Scruffiness n. [scruff = *scurf]

Tempting  adj. Attractive, inviting.  temptingly adv.

Multilateral  adj. 1 (of an agreement etc.) In which three or more parties participate. 2 having many sides.  multilaterally adv.
Inductive  adj. 1 (of reasoning etc.) Based on induction. 2 of electric or magnetic induction.
Unsound  adj. 1 unhealthy, not sound. 2 rotten, weak; unreliable. 3 ill-founded.  of unsound mind insane.  unsoundness n.
Rectitude  n. 1 moral uprightness, righteousness. 2 correctness. [latin rectus right]


Noseband  n. Lower band of a bridle, passing over the horse's nose.
Asleep  predic. Adj. & adv. 1 a in or into a state of sleep. B inactive, inattentive. 2 (of a limb etc.) Numb. 3 euphem. Dead.
Mn  symb. Manganese.




Victualer  n. (brit. Victualler) 1 person etc. Who supplies victuals. 2 (in full licensed victualler) publican etc. Licensed to sell alcohol.

Worry  —v. (-ies, -ied) 1 give way to anxiety. 2 harass, importune; be a trouble or anxiety to. 3 (of a dog etc.) Shake or pull about with the teeth. 4 (as worried adj.) Uneasy. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 thing that causes anxiety or disturbs tranquility. 2 disturbed state of mind; anxiety.  worrier n. [old english, = strangle]
Gad  v. (-dd-) (foll. By about) go about idly or in search of pleasure. [obsolete gadling companion]
Jun.  Abbr. 1 june. 2 junior.


Disband  v. Break up; disperse.  disbandment n.



Annunciation  n. 1 announcement, esp. (annunciation) that made by the angel gabriel to mary. 2 festival of this. [latin: related to *announce]
Tyro  var. Of *tiro.



Heartstrings  n.pl. One's deepest feelings.
Negation  n. 1 absence or opposite of something actual or positive. 2 act of denying. 3 negative statement. 4 negative or unreal thing.

Ratiocinate  v. (-ting) literary reason, esp. Using syllogisms.  ratiocination n. [latin: related to *ratio]
Professional  —adj. 1 of, belonging to, or connected with a profession. 2 a skilful, competent. B worthy of a professional (professional conduct). 3 engaged in a specified activity as one's main paid occupation (professional boxer). 4 derog. Engaged in a specified activity, esp. Fanatically (professional agitator). —n. Professional person.  professionally adv.



Mystique  n. Atmosphere of mystery and veneration attending some activity, person, profession, etc. [french: related to *mystic]

Privy  —adj. 1 (foll. By to) sharing in the secret of (a person's plans etc.). 2 archaic hidden, secret. —n. (pl. -ies) lavatory, esp. An outside one. [french privé private place]
Gesticulate  v. (-ting) 1 use gestures instead of, or to reinforce, speech. 2 express thus.  gesticulation n. [latin: related to *gesture]





Yiddish  —n. Language used by jews in or from europe, orig. A german dialect with words from hebrew etc. —adj. Of this language. [german jüdisch jewish]
En bloc  adv. In a block; all at the same time. [french]


Rueful  adj. Genuinely or humorously sorrowful.  ruefully adv. Ruefulness n. [from *rue1]

Particularize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) (also absol.) 1 name specially or one by one. 2 specify (items).  particularization n.


Fleshpots  n.pl. Luxurious living.


Matador  n. Bullfighter whose task is to kill the bull. [spanish from matar kill: related to mate in *checkmate]
Obtuse  adj. 1 dull-witted. 2 (of an angle) between 90° and 180°. 3 of blunt form; not sharp-pointed or sharp-edged.  obtuseness n. [latin obtundo obtus- beat against, blunt]


Deforest  v. Clear of forests or trees.  deforestation n.
Onomatopoeia  n. Formation of a word from a sound associated with what is named (e.g. Cuckoo, sizzle).  onomatopoeic adj. [greek onoma name, poieo make]



Propagate  v. (-ting) 1 a breed (a plant, animal, etc.) From the parent stock. B (refl. Or absol.) (of a plant, animal, etc.) Reproduce itself. 2 disseminate (a belief, theory, etc.). 3 transmit (a vibration, earthquake, etc.).  propagation n. [latin propago]

Bib-cock  n. Tap with a bent nozzle. [perhaps from *bib]
Hedgerow  n. Row of bushes etc. Forming a hedge.
Fiasco  n. (pl. -s) ludicrous or humiliating failure or breakdown. [italian, = bottle]

Usage  in sense 2 of the noun, these kinds of is usually preferred to these kind of.
Extirpate  v. (-ting) root out; destroy completely.  extirpation n. [latin ex(s)tirpo from stirps stem of tree]
Innumerate  adj. Having no knowledge of basic mathematics.  innumeracy n.
Latinize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) give a latin form to.  latinization n.
Hairpin  n. U-shaped pin for fastening the hair.



Albumen  n. 1 egg-white. 2 substance found between the skin and germ of many seeds, usu. The edible part. [latin: related to *album]


Although  conj. = *though. [from *all, *though]

Passage  n. 1 process or means of passing; transit. 2 = *passageway. 3 liberty or right to pass through. 4 journey by sea or air. 5 transition from one state to another. 6 short extract from a book, piece of music, etc. 7 passing of a bill etc. Into law. 8 duct etc. In the body.  [french: related to *pass1]




Irresolute  adj. 1 hesitant. 2 lacking in resoluteness.  irresolutely adv. Irresoluteness n. Irresolution n.
Larch  n. 1 deciduous coniferous tree with bright foliage. 2 its wood. [latin larix -icis]


Media  n.pl. 1 pl. Of *medium. 2 (usu. Prec. By the) mass communications (esp. Newspapers and broadcasting) regarded collectively.



Playful  adj. 1 fond of or inclined to play. 2 done in fun.  playfully adv. Playfulness n.
Sitting duck  n. (also sitting target) colloq. Easy target.
Mastery  n. 1 control, dominance. 2 (often foll. By of) comprehensive knowledge or skill.
Scavenger  n. 1 person who scavenges. 2 animal feeding on carrion, refuse, etc. [anglo-french scawager: related to *show]





Moony  adj. (-ier, -iest) listless; stupidly dreamy.
Residue  n. 1 what is left over or remains; remainder. 2 what remains of an estate after the payment of charges, debts, and bequests. [latin residuum: related to *residuum]

Pleurisy  n. Inflammation of the pleura.  pleuritic adj. [greek: related to *pleura]
Textile  —n. 1 (often in pl.) Fabric, cloth, or fibrous material, esp. Woven. 2 fibre, yarn. —adj. 1 of weaving or cloth (textile industry). 2 woven (textile fabrics). [latin: related to *text]



Catsuit  n. Close-fitting garment with trouser legs, covering the whole body.
Geometric  adj. (also geometrical) 1 of geometry. 2 (of a design etc.) With regular lines and shapes.  geometrically adv.

Maxima  pl. Of *maximum.
Haute cuisine  n. High-class cookery. [french]
Galvanometer  n. Instrument for detecting and measuring small electric currents.  galvanometric adj.
Food additive  n. Substance added to food to colour or flavour it etc.
Reflection  n. (also reflexion) 1 reflecting or being reflected. 2 a reflected light, heat, or colour. B reflected image. 3 reconsideration (on reflection). 4 (often foll. By on) discredit or thing bringing discredit. 5 (often foll. By on, upon) idea arising in the mind; comment.

Duty-free  adj. (of goods) on which duty is not payable.
Braze  v. (-zing) solder with an alloy of brass and zinc. [french braser]
Decamp  v. 1 depart suddenly; abscond. 2 break up or leave camp.  decampment n. [french: related to *camp1]

Masturbate  v. (-ting) (usu. Absol.) Sexually arouse (oneself or another) by manual stimulation of the genitals.  masturbation n. [latin]


Quantum mechanics  n.pl. (usu. Treated as sing.) (also quantum theory) physics theory assuming that energy exists in discrete units.

Yankee  n. Colloq. 1 often derog. = *yank. 2 us inhabitant of new england or of the northern states. [origin uncertain: perhaps from dutch janke, diminutive of jan john, as a nickname]

M  abbr. (also m.) 1 male. 2 masculine. 3 married. 4 mile(s). 5 metre(s). 6 million(s). 7 minute(s). 8 milli-.


Pasturage  n. 1 land for pasture. 2 pasturing of cattle etc.
Ibid.  Abbr. In the same book or passage etc. [latin ibidem in the same place]

Superscript  —adj. Written or printed above. —n. Superscript number or symbol. [latin scribo write]
Emolument  n. Fee from employment, salary. [latin]
Fruiterer  n. Dealer in fruit.

Woodwind  n. 1 wind instruments that were (mostly) orig. Made of wood, e.g. The flute, clarinet, oboe, and saxophone. 2 one such instrument.





Monovalent  adj. Univalent.

Elves  pl. Of *elf.
Q2  abbr. (also q.) 1 queen('s). 2 question.
Marsh  n. (often attrib.) Low watery land.  marshy adj. (-ier, -iest). Marshiness n. [old english]

Punt1  —n. Square-ended flat-bottomed pleasure boat propelled by a long pole. —v. 1 propel (a punt) with a pole. 2 travel or convey in a punt.  punter n. [low german or dutch]

Top brass  n. Colloq. Highest-ranking officers.
Pennyroyal  n. Creeping kind of mint. [anglo-french puliol real royal thyme]
Inertia selling  n. Sending of unsolicited goods in the hope of making a sale.



Commensurable  adj. 1 (often foll. By with, to) measurable by the same standard. 2 (foll. By to) proportionate to. 3 math. (of numbers) in a ratio equal to the ratio of integers.  commensurability n. [latin: related to *measure]
Poser  n. 1 poseur. 2 colloq. Puzzling question or problem.
Learning  n. Knowledge acquired by study.
Coffee-table book  n. Large lavishly illustrated book.
Session  n. 1 period devoted to an activity (recording session). 2 assembly of a parliament, court, etc. 3 single meeting for this. 4 period during which these are regularly held. 5 academic year.  in session assembled for business; not on vacation.  sessional adj. [latin sedeo sess- sit]



Apartheid  n. (esp. In s. Africa) racial segregation or discrimination. [afrikaans]
Parenthesis  n. (pl. Parentheses) 1 a explanatory or qualifying word, clause, or sentence inserted into a sentence etc., and usu. Marked off by brackets, dashes, or commas. B (in pl.) Round brackets ( ) used for this. 2 interlude or interval.  parenthetic adj. Parenthetically adv. [greek: related to *para-1, *en-2, *thesis]
Signet-ring  n. Ring with a seal set in it.

Hat trick  n. 1 cricket taking of three wickets by the same bowler with three successive balls. 2 three consecutive successes etc.
Subvert  v. Overthrow or weaken (a government etc.). [latin verto vers- turn]

Foreign minister  n. (also foreign secretary) government minister in charge of foreign affairs.
Si  symb. Silicon.

Campion  n. Wild plant with usu. Pink or white notched flowers. [origin uncertain]

Yeti  n. = *abominable snowman. [tibetan]

Unamused  adj. Not amused.
Ploughman's lunch  n. Meal of bread and cheese with pickle and salad.
Trinitrotoluene  n. (also trinitrotoluol) = *tnt.

Usage  proscribe is sometimes confused with prescribe.
Clearway  n. Main road (other than a motorway) on which vehicles may not normally stop.
O level  n. Hist. = *ordinary level. [abbreviation]

Röntgen  var. Of *roentgen.


Shimmer  —v. Shine tremulously or faintly. —n. Tremulous or faint light. [old english]


Sapient  adj. Literary 1 wise. 2 aping wisdom.  sapience n. [latin sapio be wise]



Incubus  n. (pl. -buses or -bi) 1 demon formerly believed to have sexual intercourse with sleeping women. 2 nightmare. 3 oppressive person or thing. [latin: as *incubate]
Sold  past and past part. Of *sell. —adj. (foll. By on) colloq. Enthusiastic about.
Nurture  —n. 1 bringing up, fostering care. 2 nourishment. —v. (-ring) bring up; rear. [french: related to *nourish]
Au revoir  int. & n. Goodbye (until we meet again). [french]
Necropolis  n. Ancient cemetery or burial place. [greek: related to *necro-, polis city]

Contact lens  n. Small lens placed directly on the eyeball to correct vision.

Lien  n. Law right to hold another's property until a debt on it is paid. [latin ligo bind]
Frenchify  v. (-ies, -ied) (usu. As frenchified adj.) Colloq. Make french in form, manners, etc.


Desperado  n. (pl. -es or us -s) desperate or reckless criminal etc. [as *desperate]
Backup  n. (often attrib.) 1 support; reserve (back-up team). 2 computing a making of spare copies of data for safety. B copy so made.

Cheery  adj. (-ier, -iest) cheerful.  cheerily adv. Cheeriness n.
Decalitre  n. (us -liter) metric unit of capacity, equal to 10 litres.
Discard  v. 1 reject as unwanted. 2 remove or put aside. [from *dis-, *card1]

Arak  var. Of *arrack.
Longevity  n. Formal long life. [latin longus long, aevum age]
Low tide  n. (also low water) time or level of the tide at its ebb.
Raft  n. Flat floating structure of timber or other materials for conveying persons or things. [old norse]




Uptown  us —attrib. Adj. Of the residential part of a town or city. —adv. In or into this part. —n. This part.


Suburb  n. Outlying district of a city. [latin urbs city]
Horrendous  adj. Horrifying.  horrendously adv. [latin: related to *horrible]
Paroxysm  n. 1 (often foll. By of) sudden attack or outburst (of rage, coughing, etc.). 2 fit of disease.  paroxysmal adj. [greek oxus sharp]


K2  abbr. (also k.) 1 kelvin(s). 2 king, king's. 3 köchel (catalogue of mozart's works). 4 (also k) (prec. By a numeral) a computing unit of 1,024 (i.e. 210) bytes or bits, or loosely 1,000. B 1,000. [sense 4 as abbreviation of *kilo-]
Usage  the double negative is considered incorrect in standard english.

Bush1  n. 1 shrub or clump of shrubs. 2 thing like a bush, esp. A clump of hair. 3 (esp. In australia and africa) uncultivated area; woodland or forest. [old english and old norse]
Lunge  —n. 1 sudden movement forward. 2 the basic attacking move in fencing. 3 long rope on which a horse is held and made to circle round its trainer. —v. (-ging) (usu. Foll. By at, out) deliver or make a lunge. [french allonger from long *long1]
Rickets  n. (treated as sing. Or pl.) Deficiency disease of children with softening of the bones. [origin uncertain]
Imbroglio  n. (pl. -s) 1 confused or complicated situation. 2 confused heap. [italian: related to *in-2, *broil]

Timer  n. Person or device that measures or records time taken.
Climb  —v. 1 (often foll. By up) ascend, mount, go or come up. 2 grow up a wall etc. By clinging or twining. 3 progress, esp. In social rank. —n. 1 ascent by climbing. 2 hill etc. Climbed or to be climbed.  climb down 1 descend, esp. Using hands. 2 withdraw from a stance taken up in an argument etc.  climber n. [old english]
Civic centre  n. 1 area where municipal offices etc. Are situated. 2 the offices themselves.
Ill-timed  adj. Done or occurring at an inappropriate time.
Toilet-training  n. Training of a young child to use the lavatory.  toilet-train v.
Funnel  —n. 1 tube widening at the top, for pouring liquid etc. Into a small opening. 2 metal chimney on a steam engine or steamship. —v. (-ll-; us -l-) guide or move through or as through a funnel. [provençal fonilh from latin (in)fundibulum]






Prediction  n. 1 predicting or being predicted. 2 thing predicted.
Apotheosis  n. (pl. -theoses) 1 elevation to divine status, deification. 2 glorification of a thing; sublime example (apotheosis of chivalry). [greek theos god]
Sizzle  —v. (-ling) 1 sputter or hiss, esp. In frying. 2 colloq. Be very hot or excited etc. —n. Sizzling sound.  sizzling adj. & adv. [imitative]

Centipede  n. Arthropod with a segmented wormlike body and many legs. [latin pes ped- foot]
Ordinary  —adj. 1 normal, usual. 2 commonplace, unexceptional. —n. (pl. -ies) rc ch. 1 parts of a service that do not vary from day to day. 2 rule or book laying down the order of service.  in the ordinary way in normal circumstances. Out of the ordinary unusual.  ordinarily adv. Ordinariness n. [latin: related to *order]

Pagan  —n. Non-religious person, pantheist, or heathen, esp. In pre-christian times. —adj. 1 a of pagans. B irreligious. 2 pantheistic.  paganism n. [latin paganus from pagus country district]






Godmother  n. Female godparent.

Acrostic  n. Poem etc. In which certain letters (usu. The first and last in each line) form a word or words. [greek akron end, stikhos row]

People  —n.pl. Except in sense 2. 1 persons in general or of a specified kind (people don't like rudeness; famous people). 2 persons composing a community, tribe, race, nation, etc. (a warlike people; peoples of the commonwealth). 3 (the people) a the mass of people in a country etc. Not having special rank or position. B these as an electorate. 4 parents or other relatives (my people disapprove). 5 a subjects, armed followers, etc. B congregation of a parish priest etc. —v. (-ling) (usu. Foll. By with) 1 fill with people, animals, etc.; populate. 2 (esp. As peopled adj.) Inhabit. [latin populus]

Lump sum  n. 1 sum covering a number of items. 2 money paid down at once.
Macaroon  n. Small almond cake or biscuit. [italian: related to *macaroni]


Interventionist  n. Person who favours intervention.
Kerbstone  n. Stone forming part of a kerb.
Edema  n. (brit. Oedema) accumulation of excess fluid in body tissues, causing swelling. [greek oideo swell]

Premolar  n. (in full premolar tooth) tooth between the canines and molars.
Vat  abbr. Value added tax.
Hip-bone  n. Bone forming the hip.

Babysit  v. (-tt-; past and past part. -sat) look after a child while its parents are out.  babysitter n.

High road  n. Main road.
Ethiopian  —n. 1 native or national of ethiopia in ne africa. 2 person of ethiopian descent. —adj. Of ethiopia.
Mandrake  n. Poisonous narcotic plant with large yellow fruit. [greek mandragoras]
Slump  —n. Sudden severe or prolonged fall in prices and trade, usu. Bringing widespread unemployment. —v. 1 undergo a slump. 2 sit or fall heavily or limply. [imitative]

Tynwald  n. Parliament of the isle of man. [old norse, = assembly-field]
Cold table  n. Selection of dishes of cold food.
Cowslip  n. Primula with small yellow flowers. [obsolete slyppe dung]
Boogie-woogie  n. Style of playing blues or jazz on the piano. [origin unknown]
Profess  v. 1 claim openly to have (a quality or feeling). 2 (often foll. By to + infin.) Pretend, declare (profess ignorance). 3  affirm one's faith in or allegiance to. [latin profiteor -fess- declare]

Leap  —v. (past and past part. Leaped or leapt) jump or spring forcefully. —n. Forceful jump.  by leaps and bounds with startlingly rapid progress. Leap in the dark daring step or enterprise. [old english]


Cock-a-hoop  adj. Exultant.
 
Stimulant  —adj. Stimulating, esp. Bodily or mental activity. —n. Stimulant substance or influence. [latin: related to *stimulate]
Fasces  n.pl. 1 rom. Hist. Bundle of rods with a projecting axe-blade, as a magistrate's symbol of power. 2 emblems of authority. [latin, pl. Of fascis bundle]

Nuclear power  n. 1 power generated by a nuclear reactor. 2 country that has nuclear weapons.
Deep breathing  n. Breathing with long breaths, esp. As exercise.


Hippodrome  n. 1 music-hall or dancehall. 2 (in classical antiquity) course for chariot races etc. [greek hippos horse, dromos race]


Cathode-ray tube  n. Vacuum tube in which cathode rays produce a luminous image on a fluorescent screen.
Gestation  n. 1 a process of carrying or being carried in the uterus between conception and birth. B this period. 2 development of a plan, idea, etc.  gestate v. (-ting). [latin gesto carry]



Grave2  —adj. 1 a serious, weighty, important. B dignified, solemn, sombre. 2 extremely serious or threatening. —n. = *grave accent.  gravely adv. [latin gravis heavy]


Cupid  n. 1 roman god of love, represented as a naked winged boy archer. 2 (also cupid) representation of cupid. [latin cupio desire]
Incline  —v. (-ning) 1 (usu. In passive) a dispose or influence (am inclined to think so; does not incline me to agree; don't feel inclined). B have a specified tendency (the door is inclined to bang). 2 a be disposed (i incline to think so). B (often foll. By to, towards) tend. 3 (cause to) lean, usu. From the vertical; slope. 4 bend forward or downward. —n. Slope.  incline one's ear listen favourably. [latin clino bend]

Scratch  —v. 1 score, mark, or wound superficially, esp. With a sharp object. 2 (also absol.) Scrape, esp. With the nails to relieve itching. 3 make or form by scratching. 4 (foll. By together, up, etc.) = *scrape 9. 5 (foll. By out, off, through) strike (out) (writing etc.). 6 (also absol.) Withdraw (a competitor, oneself, etc.) From a race or competition. 7 (often foll. By about, around, etc.) A scratch the ground etc. In search. B search haphazardly (scratching about for evidence). —n. 1 mark or wound made by scratching. 2 sound of scratching. 3 spell of scratching oneself. 4 colloq. Superficial wound. 5 line from which competitors in a race (esp. Those not receiving a handicap) start. —attrib.adj. 1 collected by chance. 2 collected or made from whatever is available; heterogeneous. 3 with no handicap given (scratch race).  from scratch 1 from the beginning. 2 without help. Scratch one's head be perplexed. Scratch the surface deal with a matter only superficially. Up to scratch up to the required standard. [origin uncertain]


Saveloy  n. Seasoned dried smoked sausage. [italian cervellata]
Conundrum  n. 1 riddle, esp. One with a pun in its answer. 2 hard question. [origin unknown]

Glitz  n. Slang showy glamour.  glitzy adj. (-ier, -iest). [from *glitter, *ritzy]
Mind  —n. 1 a seat of consciousness, thought, volition, and feeling. B attention, concentration (mind keeps wandering). 2 intellect. 3 memory (can't call it to mind). 4 opinion (of the same mind). 5 way of thinking or feeling (the victorian mind). 6 focussed will (put one's mind to it). 7 sanity (lose one's mind). 8 person in regard to mental faculties (a great mind). —v.
Information technology  n. The study or use of processes (esp. Computers, telecommunications, etc.) For storing, retrieving, and sending information.


Construe  v. (-strues, -strued, -struing) 1 interpret. 2 (often foll. By with) combine (words) grammatically. 3 analyse the syntax of (a sentence). 4 translate literally. [latin: related to *construct]


High-up  n. Colloq. Person of high rank.

Horseshoe  n. 1 u-shaped iron shoe for a horse. 2 thing of this shape.

Filler  n. 1 material used to fill a cavity or increase bulk. 2 small item filling space in a newspaper etc.



Intolerant  adj. Not tolerant, esp. Of others' beliefs or behaviour.  intolerance n.

Anywhere  —adv. In or to any place. —pron. Any place (anywhere will do).
Insurer  n. Person or company selling insurance policies.
Volcanic  adj. Of, like, or from a volcano.  volcanically adv.
Positive vetting  n. Inquiry into the background etc. Of a candidate for a post involving national security.


Uproot  v. 1 pull (a plant etc.) Up from the ground. 2 displace (a person). 3 eradicate.

Over-the-top  adj. Colloq. Excessive.
Host3  n. (usu. Prec. By the; often host) bread consecrated in the eucharist. [latin hostia victim]

Gemstone  n. Precious stone used as a gem.
Aphid  n. Small insect infesting and damaging plants, e.g. The greenfly.

Suppose  v. (-sing) (often foll. By that) 1 assume; be inclined to think. 2 take as a possibility or hypothesis (suppose you are right; supposing you are right). 3 (in imper.) As a formula of proposal (suppose we try again). 4 (of a theory or result etc.) Require as a condition (that supposes we're on time). 5 (in imper. Or pres. Part. Forming a question) in the circumstances that; if (suppose he won't let you?). 6 (as supposed adj.) Presumed (his supposed brother). 7 (in passive; foll. By to + infin.) A be expected or required (was supposed to write to you). B (with neg.) Ought not; not be allowed to (you are not supposed to go in there).  i suppose so expression of hesitant agreement. [french: related to *pose]

Concerning  prep. About, regarding.

Unwarrantable  adj. Unjustifiable.  unwarrantably adv.

Thou1  pron. (obj. Thee; poss. Thy or thine; pl. Ye or you) archaic second person singular pronoun. [old english]
Microcosm  n. (often foll. By of) miniature representation, e.g. Mankind or a community seen as a small-scale model of the universe; epitome.  microcosmic adj. [from *micro-, *cosmos]
B.sc.  Abbr. Bachelor of science.
Private company  n. Company with restricted membership and no public share issue.
Exocrine  adj. (of a gland) secreting through a duct. [greek krino sift]
Hilarious  adj. 1 exceedingly funny. 2 boisterously merry.  hilariously adv. Hilarity n. [greek hilaros cheerful]
Pragmatism  n. 1 pragmatic attitude or procedure. 2 philosophy that evaluates assertions solely by their practical consequences and bearing on human interests.  pragmatist n. [greek pragma: related to *pragmatic]

Loo  n. Colloq. Lavatory. [origin uncertain]
Whiplash injury  n. Injury to the neck caused by a jerk of the head, esp. As in a motor accident.

Cardiology  n. Branch of medicine concerned with the heart.  cardiologist n.







Menswear  n. Clothes for men.
Allen screw  n. Propr. Screw with a hexagonal socket in the head.

Heavyweight  n. 1 a weight in certain sports, in amateur boxing over 81 kg. B sportsman of this weight. 2 person etc. Of above average weight. 3 colloq. Person of influence or importance.


Responsive  adj. 1 (often foll. By to) responding readily (to some influence). 2 sympathetic. 3 a answering. B by way of answer.  responsiveness n.
Anxious  adj. 1 mentally troubled. 2 causing or marked by anxiety (anxious moment). 3 eager, uneasily wanting (anxious to please).  anxiously adv. [latin anxius]
Topcoat  n. 1 overcoat. 2 outer coat of paint etc.
Swine  n. (pl. Same) 1 formal or us pig. 2 colloq. (pl. Same or -s) a contemptible person. B unpleasant or difficult thing.  swinish adj. [old english]


Nature trail  n. Signposted path through the countryside designed to draw attention to natural phenomena.
Maundy money  n. Specially minted silver coins distributed by the british sovereign on maundy thursday.
Moneyed  adj. Wealthy.


Port of call  n. Place where a ship or a person stops on a journey.

Deep-freeze  —n. Cabinet for freezing and keeping food for long periods. —v. Freeze or store in a deep-freeze.
Agronomy  n. Science of soil management and crop production.  agronomist n. [greek agros land]



Good-natured  adj. Kind, patient; easygoing.  good-naturedly adv.
Sickly  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 a weak; apt to be ill. B languid, faint, or pale. 2 causing ill health. 3 sentimental or mawkish. 4 of or inducing nausea. [related to *sick]


Shoal1  —n. Multitude, esp of fish swimming together. —v. (of fish) form shoals. [dutch: cf. *school2]

Deterrent  —adj. Deterring. —n. Deterrent thing or factor (esp. Nuclear weapons).  deterrence n.
Silk  n. 1 fine soft lustrous fibre produced by silkworms. 2 (often attrib.) Thread or cloth from this. 3 (in pl.) Cloth or garments of silk, esp. As worn by a jockey. 4 colloq. Queen's (or king's) counsel, as having the right to wear a silk gown. 5 fine soft thread (embroidery silk).  take silk become a queen's (or king's) counsel. [old english sioloc]
Petulant  adj. Peevishly impatient or irritable.  petulance n. Petulantly adv. [latin peto seek]
Silken  adj. 1 made of silk. 2 soft or lustrous.


Tarn  n. Small mountain lake. [old norse]

Rail3  n. Wading bird often inhabiting marshes. [french]

Congestion  n. Abnormal accumulation or obstruction, esp. Of traffic etc. Or of blood or mucus in part of the body.


Diva  n. (pl. -s) great woman opera singer; prima donna. [italian from latin, = goddess]

Reagent  n. Chem. Substance used to cause a reaction, esp. To detect another substance.
Quadriceps  n. Four-headed muscle at the front of the thigh. [from *quadri-, *biceps]

Comely  adj. (-ier, -iest) literary handsome, good-looking.  comeliness n. [old english]
Spoilsport  n. Person who spoils others' enjoyment.

Accompany  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 go with; escort. 2 (usu. In passive; foll. By with, by) be done or found with; supplement. 3 mus. Partner with accompaniment. [french: related to *companion]
Porter1  n. 1 person employed to carry luggage etc. 2 dark beer brewed from charred or browned malt. [latin porto carry]

Bloc  n. Group of governments etc. Sharing a common purpose. [french: related to *block]
Mistime  v. (-ming) say or do at the wrong time. [related to *mis-1]
Healthy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 having, showing, or promoting good health. 2 indicative of (esp. Moral or financial) health (a healthy sign). 3 substantial (won by a healthy 40 seconds).  healthily adv. Healthiness n.

Lute2  —n. Clay or cement for making joints airtight etc. —v. (-ting) apply lute to. [latin lutum mud]
Dynamo  n. (pl. -s) 1 machine converting mechanical into electrical energy, esp. By rotating coils of copper wire in a magnetic field. 2 colloq. Energetic person. [abbreviation of dynamo-electric machine]
Cs gas  n. Tear-gas used to control riots etc. [corson and stoughton, names of chemists]

Horse guards  n.pl. Cavalry brigade of the household troops.
Curlew  n. Wading bird, usu. With a long slender bill. [french]


Trickster  n. Deceiver, rogue.
Battlement  n. (usu. In pl.) Recessed parapet along the top of a wall, as part of a fortification. [french batailler fortify]

Shipboard  attrib. Adj. Used or occurring on board a ship.
Finicky  adj. (also finical, finicking) 1 over-particular, fastidious. 2 detailed; fiddly.  finickiness n. [perhaps from *fine1]


Cluster  —n. Close group or bunch of similar people or things growing or occurring together. —v. 1 bring into, come into, or be in cluster(s). 2 (foll. By round, around) gather. [old english]
Floor plan  n. Diagram of the rooms etc. On one storey.
Waxen  adj. 1 smooth or pale like wax. 2 archaic made of wax.
Porky  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 colloq. Fat. 2 of or like pork.
Honeydew  n. 1 sweet sticky substance excreted by aphids on leaves and stems. 2 variety of melon.

Monkey-puzzle  n. Tree with hanging prickly branches.
Handhold  n. Something for the hand to grip on (in climbing etc.).


Knocker  n. 1 hinged esp. Metal instrument on a door for knocking with. 2 (in pl.) Coarse slang woman's breasts.
Title-page  n. Page at the beginning of a book giving the title, author, etc.
Mainmast  n. Principal mast of a ship.








Mufti  n. Civilian clothes (in mufti). [arabic]
Tagliatelle  n. Narrow ribbon-shaped pasta. [italian]
Spiny  adj. (-ier, -iest) having many spines.

After  —prep. 1 following in time; later than (after a week). 2 in view of, in spite of (after what you did what do you expect?; after all my efforts i still lost). 3 behind (shut the door after you). 4 in pursuit or quest of (run after them). 5 about, concerning (asked after her). 6 in allusion to (named after the prince). 7 in imitation of (a painting after rubens). 8 next in importance to (best one after mine). —conj. Later than (left after they arrived). —adv. 1 later (soon after). 2 behind (followed on after). —adj. 1 later, following (in after years). 2 naut. Nearer the stern (after cabins).  after all in spite of everything (after all, what does it matter?). After one's own heart to one's taste. [old english]


Monomania  n. Obsession by a single idea or interest.  monomaniac n. & adj.



Coke1  —n. Solid substance left after gases have been extracted from coal. —v. (-king) convert (coal) into coke. [dial. Colk core]

Airman  n. Pilot or member of an aircraft crew, esp. In an air force.




Stationary  adj. 1 not moving. 2 not meant to be moved. 3 unchanging. [latin: related to *station]
Provocation  n. 1 provoking or being provoked (did it under severe provocation). 2 cause of annoyance.
Biliary  adj. Of the bile. [french: related to *bile]


Congregate  v. (-ting) collect or gather into a crowd. [latin grex greg- flock]




Unpleasant  adj. Not pleasant, disagreeable.  unpleasantly adv. Unpleasantness n.
Eight  adj. & n. 1 one more than seven. 2 symbol for this (8, viii, viii). 3 size etc. Denoted by eight. 4 eight-oared rowing-boat or its crew. 5 eight o'clock. [old english]
Write-up  n. Written or published account, review.


Plenary  adj. 1 (of an assembly) to be attended by all members. 2 entire, unqualified (plenary indulgence). [latin plenus full]
Unsighted  adj. 1 not sighted or seen. 2 prevented from seeing.
July  n. (pl. Julys) seventh month of the year. [latin julius caesar]

Veil  —n. 1 piece of usu. Transparent fabric attached to a woman's hat etc., esp. To conceal or protect the face. 2 piece of linen etc. As part of a nun's headdress. 3 thing that hides or disguises (a veil of silence). —v. 1 cover with a veil. 2 (esp. As veiled adj.) Partly conceal (veiled threats).  beyond the veil in the unknown state of life after death. Draw a veil over avoid discussing; hush up. Take the veil become a nun. [latin velum]
Gimp  n. (also gymp) 1 twist of silk etc. With cord or wire running through it. 2 fishing-line of silk etc. Bound with wire. [dutch]
Chide  v. (past chided or chid; past part. Chided or chidden) archaic scold, rebuke. [old english]


Stricken  adj. Overcome with illness or misfortune etc. [archaic past part. Of *strike]



Tool  —n. 1 implement used to carry out mechanical functions by hand or by machine. 2 thing used in an occupation or pursuit (tools of one's trade). 3 person merely used by another. 4 coarse slang penis. —v. 1 dress (stone) with a chisel. 2 impress a design on (leather). 3 (foll. By along, around, etc.) Slang drive or ride, esp. In a casual or leisurely manner. [old english]
Pole2  n. 1 (in full north pole, south pole) a each of the two points in the celestial sphere about which the stars appear to revolve. B each of the ends of the axis of rotation of the earth (north pole; south pole). 2 each of the two opposite points on the surface of a magnet at which magnetic forces are strongest. 3 each of two terminals (positive and negative) of an electric cell or battery etc. 4 each of two opposed principles.  be poles apart differ greatly. [greek, = axis]
Rarity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 rareness. 2 uncommon thing. [latin: related to *rare1]

Aloud  adv. Audibly.
Graphic  adj. 1 of or relating to the visual or descriptive arts, esp. Writing and drawing. 2 vividly descriptive.  graphically adv. [greek graphe writing]

Meerschaum  n. 1 soft white clay-like substance. 2 tobacco-pipe with its bowl made from this. [german, = sea-foam]

Peruke  n. Hist. Wig. [french from italian]




Wreath  n. (pl. -s) 1 flowers or leaves fastened in a ring, esp. As an ornament for the head or for laying on a grave etc. 2 curl or ring of smoke, cloud, or soft fabric. [old english: related to *writhe]


Hydrangea  n. Shrub with globular clusters of white, pink, or blue flowers. [greek hudor water, aggos vessel]

Discredit  —n. 1 harm to reputation. 2 person or thing causing this. 3 lack of credibility. —v. (-t-) 1 harm the good reputation of. 2 cause to be disbelieved. 3 refuse to believe.

Pull  —v. 1 exert force upon (a thing, person, etc.) To move it to oneself or the origin of the force (pulled it nearer). 2 exert a pulling force (engine will not pull). 3 extract (a cork or tooth) by pulling. 4 damage (a muscle etc.) By abnormal strain. 5 a move (a boat) by pulling on the oars. B (of a boat etc.) Be caused to move, esp. In a specified direction. 6 (often foll. By up) proceed with effort (up a hill etc.). 7 (foll. By on) bring out (a weapon) for use against (a person). 8 check the speed of (a horse), esp. To lose a race. 9 attract (custom or support). 10 draw (liquor) from a barrel etc. 11 (foll. By at) tear or pluck at. 12 (often foll. By on, at) inhale or drink deeply; draw or suck (on a pipe etc.). 13 (often foll. By up) remove (a plant) by the root. 14 a cricket strike (the ball) to the leg side. B golf strike (the ball) widely to the left. 15 print (a proof etc.). 16 slang succeed in attracting sexually. —n. 1 act of pulling. 2 force exerted by this. 3 influence; advantage. 4 attraction or attention-getter. 5 deep draught of liquor. 6 prolonged effort, e.g. In going up a hill. 7 handle etc. For applying a pull. 8 printer's rough proof. 9 cricket & golf pulling stroke. 10 suck at a cigarette.  pull about 1 treat roughly. 2 pull from side to side. Pull apart (or to pieces) = take to pieces (see *piece). Pull back (cause to) retreat. Pull down 1 demolish (esp. A building). 2 humiliate. Pull a face distort the features, grimace. Pull a fast one see *fast1. Pull in 1 (of a bus, train, etc.) Arrive to take passengers. 2 (of a vehicle) move to the side of or off the road. 3 colloq. Earn or acquire. 4 colloq. Arrest. Pull a person's leg deceive playfully. Pull off 1 remove by pulling. 2 succeed in achieving or winning. Pull oneself together recover control of oneself. Pull the other one colloq. Expressing disbelief (with ref. To pull a person's leg). Pull out 1 take out by pulling. 2 depart. 3 withdraw from an undertaking. 4 (of a bus, train, etc.) Leave a station, stop, etc. 5 (of a vehicle) move out from the side of the road, or to overtake. Pull over (of a vehicle) pull in. Pull one's punches avoid using one's full force. Pull the plug on put an end to (by withdrawing resources etc.). Pull rank take unfair advantage of one's seniority. Pull round (or through) (cause to) recover from an illness. Pull strings exert (esp. Clandestine) influence. Pull together work in harmony. Pull up 1 (cause to) stop moving. 2 pull out of the ground. 3 reprimand. 4 check oneself. Pull one's weight (often refl.) Do one's fair share of work. [old english]
Phosphorescence  n. 1 radiation similar to fluorescence but detectable after excitation ceases. 2 emission of light without combustion or perceptible heat.  phosphoresce v. (-cing). Phosphorescent adj.

Without  —prep. 1 not having or feeling or showing. 2 with freedom from. 3 in the absence of. 4 with neglect or avoidance of. 5 archaic outside. —adv. Archaic or literary 1 outside. 2 out of doors. [old english: related to *with, *out]
Buzzer  n. Electrical buzzing device as a signal.
Sleepy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 drowsy. 2 quiet, inactive (sleepy town).  sleepily adv. Sleepiness n.
Ready-made  adj. (also ready-to-wear) (esp. Of clothes) made in a standard size, not to measure.

Brute  —n. 1 a brutal or violent person. B colloq. Unpleasant person or difficult thing. 2 animal. —attrib. Adj. 1 unthinking (brute force). 2 cruel; stupid; sensual.  brutish adj. Brutishly adv. Brutishness n. [latin brutus stupid]

Non-flammable  adj. Not inflammable.
Custom  n. 1 a usual behaviour. B particular established way of behaving. 2 law established usage having the force of law. 3 regular business dealings or customers. 4 (in pl.; also treated as sing.) A duty on imports and exports. B official department administering this. C area at a port, frontier, etc., dealing with customs etc. [latin consuetudo]
Visit  —v. (-t-) 1 (also absol.) Go or come to see or inspect (a person, place, etc.). 2 stay temporarily with (a person) or at (a place). 3 (of a disease, calamity, etc.) Attack. 4  a (foll. By with) punish (a person). B (often foll. By upon) inflict punishment for (a sin). —n. 1 a act of visiting. B temporary stay, esp. As a guest. 2 (foll. By to) occasion of going to a doctor etc. 3 formal or official call. [latin: related to *vision]
Bootleg  —adj. (esp. Of alcohol) smuggled, illicit. —v. (-gg-) illicitly make or deal in (alcohol etc.).  bootlegger n.

Spat1  past and past part. Of *spit1.

Dog's life  n. Life of misery etc.


Segment  —n. 1 each part into which a thing is or can be divided. 2 part of a circle or sphere etc. Cut off by an intersecting line or plane. —v. Usu. Divide into segments.  segmental adj. Segmentation n. [latin seco cut]
Unload  v. 1 (also absol.) Remove a load from (a vehicle etc.). 2 remove (a load) from a vehicle etc. 3 remove the ammunition from (a gun etc.). 4 colloq. Get rid of.
Streptococcus  n. (pl. -cocci) bacterium of a type often causing infectious diseases.  streptococcal adj. [greek streptos twisted, kokkos berry]
Rec  n. Colloq. Recreation ground. [abbreviation]
Supplicate  v. (-ting) literary 1 petition humbly to (a person) or for (a thing). 2 (foll. By to, for) make a petition.  supplicant adj. & n. Supplication n. Supplicatory adj. [latin supplico]

Landlady  n. 1 woman who owns and lets land or premises. 2 woman who keeps a public house, boarding-house, etc.




Jinnee  n. (also jinn, djinn) (pl. Jinn or djinn) (in muslim mythology) spirit in human or animal form having power over people. [arabic]
Door-keeper  n. = *doorman.

Cutis  n. True skin, beneath the epidermis. [latin]
Embargo  —n. (pl. -es) 1 order forbidding foreign ships to enter, or any ships to leave, a country's ports. 2 official suspension of an activity. —v. (-es, -ed) place under embargo. [spanish: related to *bar1]

Paternalism  n. Policy of governing or behaving in a paternal way.  paternalistic adj.
Nickel silver  n. = *german silver.


Inward  —adj. 1 directed towards the inside; going in. 2 situated within. 3 mental, spiritual. —adv. (also inwards) 1 towards the inside. 2 in the mind or soul. [old english: related to *in, *-ward]
Paste-up  n. Document prepared for copying etc. By pasting sections on to a backing.

Copper2  n. Slang police officer. [from *cop]
Tree line  n. = *timberline.
Peasant  n. 1 (in some rural agricultural countries) small farmer, agricultural worker. 2 derog. Lout; boor.  peasantry n. (pl. -ies). [anglo-french paisant from païs country]


List2  —v. (of a ship etc.) Lean over to one side. —n. Process or instance of listing. [origin unknown]
Miscount  —v. (also absol.) Count inaccurately. —n. Inaccurate count.

 

Ho  int. Expressing triumph, derision, etc., or calling attention. [natural exclamation]


Guarantor  n. Person who gives a guarantee or guaranty.




 
Unpainted  adj. Not painted.
Concentration camp  n. Camp where political prisoners etc. Are detained.


Renegotiate  v. (-ting) (also absol.) Negotiate again or on different terms.  renegotiation n.
Oxide  n. Binary compound of oxygen. [french: related to *oxygen]
Ambitious  adj. 1 full of ambition or high aims. 2 (foll. By of, or to + infin.) Strongly determined.
Over-much  —adv. To too great an extent. —adj. Excessive.

Argosy  n. (pl. -ies) poet. Large merchant ship. [italian ragusea nave ship of ragusa (in dalmatia)]
Milky  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 of, like, or mixed with milk. 2 (of a gem or liquid) cloudy; not clear.  milkiness n.
Posterior  —adj. 1 later; coming after. 2 at the back. —n. (in sing. Or pl.) Buttocks. [latin, comparative of posterus: related to *post-]
Fairy cake  n. Small iced sponge cake.
Periodic table  n. Arrangement of elements in order of increasing atomic number and in which elements of similar chemical properties appear at regular intervals.
Hence  adv. 1 from this time (two years hence). 2 for this reason (hence we seem to be wrong). 3 archaic from here. [old english]


Bacteriology  n. The study of bacteria.
Headdress  n. Covering for the head.

Complementary  adj. 1 completing; forming a complement. 2 (of two or more things) complementing each other.



Segregation  n. 1 enforced separation of ethnic groups in a community etc. 2 segregating or being segregated.  segregationist n. & adj.
Anvil  n. Iron block on which metals are worked. [old english]
Lead-poisoning  n. Poisoning by absorption of lead into the body.


Peptide  n. Biochem. Compound consisting of two or more amino acids bonded in sequence. [greek peptos cooked]
Infectious  adj. 1 infecting. 2 (of a disease) transmissible by infection. 3 (of emotions etc.) Quickly affecting or spreading to others.  infectiously adv. Infectiousness n.

Metronome  n. Device ticking at a selected rate to mark time for musicians. [greek metron measure, nomos law]
Malady  n. (pl. -ies) ailment, disease. [french malade sick]
Excellent  adj. Extremely good.

Smock  —n. 1 loose shirtlike garment often ornamented with smocking. 2 loose overall. —v. Adorn with smocking. [old english]
Penurious  adj. 1 poor. 2 stingy; grudging. 3 scanty. [medieval latin: related to *penury]
Unscathed  adj. Without injury.
Revised version  n. Revision published in 1881–95 of the authorized version of the bible.

Cosmopolitan  —adj. 1 of, from, or knowing many parts of the world. 2 free from national limitations or prejudices. —n. Cosmopolitan person.  cosmopolitanism n. [greek polites citizen]

Ratatat  (also rat-a-tat) var. Of *rat-tat.


Neighbor  (brit. Neighbour) —n. 1 person living next door to or near or nearest another. 2 fellow human being. 3 person or thing near or next to another. —v. Border on; adjoin. [old english: related to *nigh, *boor]


License1  n. (brit. Licence) 1 official permit to own or use something, do something, or carry on a trade. 2 permission. 3 liberty of action, esp. When excessive. 4 writer's or artist's deliberate deviation from fact, correct grammar, etc. (poetic licence). [latin licet it is allowed]
Infernal  adj. 1 of hell; hellish. 2 colloq. Detestable, tiresome.  infernally adv. [latin infernus low]



Carbon monoxide  n. Toxic gas formed by the incomplete burning of carbon.
Periwig  n. Esp. Hist. Wig. [alteration of *peruke]
Asthma  n. Respiratory condition marked by wheezing. [greek azo breathe hard]





Pouter  n. A kind of pigeon that is able to inflate its crop.
Usage  the use of hopefully in sense 2 is common, but is considered incorrect by some people.
Unborn  adj. Not yet, or never to be, born (unborn child; unborn hopes).
Milfoil  n. Common yarrow with small white flowers. [latin: related to *mile, *foil2]
Clink2  n. Slang prison. [origin unknown]

Cottage industry  n. Business activity carried on at home.



Inequable  adj. 1 unfair. 2 not uniform.



Chirp  —v. 1 (of small birds, grasshoppers, etc.) Utter a short sharp note. 2 speak or utter merrily. —n. Chirping sound. [imitative]
Flat-footed  n. 1 having flat feet. 2 colloq. A uninspired. B unprepared. C resolute.
Storm  —n. 1 violent atmospheric disturbance with strong winds and usu. Thunder, rain, or snow. 2 violent political etc. Disturbance. 3 (foll. By of) a violent shower of missiles or blows. B outbreak of applause, hisses, etc. 4 a direct assault by troops on a fortified place. B capture by such an assault. —v. 1 attack or capture by storm. 2 (usu. Foll. By in, out of, etc.) Move violently or angrily (stormed out). 3 (often foll. By at, away) talk violently, rage, bluster.  take by storm 1 capture by direct assault. 2 rapidly captivate. [old english]

Collegiate church  n. Church endowed for a chapter of canons but without a bishop's see.

Repulsion  n. 1 aversion, disgust. 2 physics tendency of bodies to repel each other.


Macro-  comb. Form 1 long. 2 large, large-scale. [greek makros long]
Shaver  n. 1 thing that shaves. 2 electric razor. 3 colloq. Young lad.


Bagel  n. Ring-shaped bread roll. [yiddish]
La-di-da  adj. Colloq. Pretentious or snobbish, esp. In manner or speech. [imitative]
Scintillate  v. (-ting) 1 (esp. As scintillating adj.) Talk cleverly; be brilliant. 2 sparkle; twinkle.  scintillation n. [latin: related to *scintilla]
Isometric  adj. 1 of equal measure. 2 (of muscle action) developing tension while the muscle is prevented from contracting. 3 (of a drawing etc.) With the plane of projection at equal angles to the three principal axes of the object shown. [greek isometria equality of measure]

Osseous  adj. 1 of bone. 2 bony. [latin os oss- bone]

Scat1  v. (-tt-) (usu. In imper.) Colloq. Depart quickly. [perhaps an abbreviation of *scatter]


Hoof  n. (pl. -s or hooves) horny part of the foot of a horse etc.  hoof it slang go on foot. [old english]




Encode  v. (-ding) put into code.
Xylem  n. Bot. Woody tissue. [greek]



Multiple-choice  adj. (of an examination question) accompanied by several possible answers from which the correct one has to be chosen.
Single file  —n. Line of people one behind another. —adv. One behind the other.
Muckrake  v. (-king) search out and reveal scandal.  muckraker n. Muckraking n.
Listen  v. 1 a make an effort to hear something. B attentively hear a person speaking. 2 (foll. By to) a give attention with the ear. B take notice of; heed. 3 (also listen out) (often foll. By for) seek to hear by waiting alertly.  listen in 1 tap a telephonic communication. 2 use a radio receiving set. [old english]
Smelly  adj. (-ier, -iest) having a strong or unpleasant smell.  smelliness n.

Unlikely  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 improbable (unlikely tale). 2 (foll. By to + infin.) Not expected (unlikely to die). 3 unpromising (unlikely candidate).  unlikeliness n.

Jul.  Abbr. July.
Quantity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 property of things that is measurable. 2 size, extent, weight, amount, or number. 3 specified or considerable portion, number, or amount (buys in quantity; small quantity of food). 4 (in pl.) Large amounts or numbers; an abundance. 5 length or shortness of vowel sounds or syllables. 6 math. Value, component, etc. That may be expressed in numbers. [latin quantus how much]

Habitual  adj. 1 done constantly or as a habit. 2 regular, usual. 3 given to a (specified) habit (habitual smoker).  habitually adv.
Viva2  —int. Long live. —n. Cry of this as a salute etc. [italian, = let live]




Expert  —adj. 1 (often foll. By at, in) having special knowledge of or skill in a subject. 2 (attrib.) Involving or resulting from this (expert advice). —n. (often foll. By at, in) person with special knowledge or skill.  expertly adv. [latin: related to *experience]


C. Of e.  Abbr. Church of england.
Maquette  n. Preliminary model or sketch. [italian macchia spot]

Monograph  n. Treatise on a single subject.
Shabby  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 faded and worn, dingy, dilapidated. 2 contemptible (a shabby trick).  shabbily adv. Shabbiness n. [related to *scab]
Retarded  adj. Backward in mental or physical development.
Penance  n. 1 act of self-punishment as reparation for guilt. 2 a (in the roman catholic and orthodox church) sacrament including confession of and absolution for sins. B penalty imposed, esp. By a priest, for a sin.  do penance perform a penance. [related to *penitent]

Latinate  adj. Having the character of latin.
Tying  pres. Part. Of *tie.
Showman  n. 1 proprietor or manager of a circus etc. 2 person skilled in publicity, esp. Self-advertisement.  showmanship n.


Lacuna  n. (pl. Lacunae or -s) 1 gap. 2 missing portion etc., esp. In an ancient ms etc. [latin: related to *lake1]
Cote  n. Shelter for animals or birds. [old english]

Shindy  n. (pl. -ies) colloq. 1 brawl, disturbance, or noise. 2 = *shindig 1. [perhaps an alteration of *shinty]
Planetarium  n. (pl. -s or -ria) 1 domed building in which images of stars, planets, constellations, etc. Are projected. 2 device for such projection.



Karate  n. Japanese system of unarmed combat using the hands and feet as weapons. [japanese, = empty hand]
Reindeer  n. (pl. Same or -s) subarctic deer with large antlers. [old norse]

Diplomatist  n. Diplomat.

Lacquer  —n. 1 varnish made of shellac or a synthetic substance. 2 substance sprayed on the hair to keep it in place. —v. Coat with lacquer. [french lacre *lac]
Donor card  n. Official card authorizing the use of organs, carried by a donor.
Verge2  v. (-ging) 1 (foll. By on) border on. 2 incline downwards or in a specified direction. [latin vergo bend]

Multimillion  attrib. Adj. Costing or involving several million (pounds, dollars, etc.) (multimillion dollar fraud).




Congenial  adj. 1 (often foll. By with, to) pleasant because like-minded. 2 (often foll. By to) suited or agreeable.  congeniality n. Congenially adv. [from *com-, *genial]








Sea anchor  n. Bag to retard the drifting of a ship.

Spiny anteater  n.  = *echidna.


Ridicule  —n. Derision, mockery. —v. (-ling) make fun of; mock; laugh at. [latin rideo laugh]
Usage  anyone is written as two words to emphasize a numerical sense, as in any one of us can do it.

Enamel  —n. 1 glasslike opaque ornamental or preservative coating on metal etc. 2 a smooth hard coating. B a kind of hard gloss paint. C cosmetic simulating this, esp. Nail varnish. 3 hard coating of a tooth. 4 painting done in enamel. —v. (-ll-; us -l-) inlay, coat, or portray with enamel.


Emancipate  v. (-ting) 1 free from social or political restraint. 2 (usu. As emancipated adj.) Free from the inhibitions of moral or social conventions. 3 free from slavery.  emancipation n. Emancipatory adj. [latin, = free from possession, from manus hand, capio take]
Tissue-paper  n. Thin soft paper for wrapping etc.
Expound  v. 1 set out in detail. 2 explain or interpret. [latin pono posit- place]
Chough  n. Bird with glossy blue-black plumage and red legs. [imitative]

High priest  n. (fem. High priestess) 1 chief priest, esp. Jewish. 2 head of a cult.
Overconfident  adj. Excessively confident.


Figured bass  n. Mus. = *continuo.


Disunite  v. (-ting) 1 remove the unity from. 2 separate.  disunity n.


Vivisection  n. Surgical experimentation on living animals for scientific research.  vivisectional adj. Vivisectionist n. & adj. Vivisector n. [latin vivus living, dissection (*dissect)]


Temple1  n. Building for the worship, or seen as the dwelling-place, of a god or gods etc. [latin templum]
Début  n. (us debut) first public appearance (as a performer etc.). [french]
Plumage  n. Bird's feathers. [french: related to *plume]



Freak  —n. 1 (often attrib.) Monstrosity; abnormal person or thing (freak storm). 2 colloq. A unconventional person. B fanatic of a specified kind (health freak). C drug addict. —v. (often foll. By out) colloq. 1 become or make very angry. 2 (cause to) undergo hallucinations etc., esp. As a result of drug abuse. 3 adopt an unconventional lifestyle.  freakish adj. Freaky adj. (-ier, -iest). [probably from dial.]
Hemoglobin  n. (brit. Haem-) oxygen-carrying substance in the red blood cells of vertebrates. [from *globulin]
En route  adv. On the way. [french]
Hawk3  v. 1 clear the throat noisily. 2 (foll. By up) bring (phlegm etc.) Up from the throat. [imitative]
Bouquet  n. 1 bunch of flowers, esp. Professionally arranged. 2 scent of wine etc. 3 compliment. [french bois wood]
Spontaneous  adj. 1 acting, done, or occurring without external cause. 2 instinctive, automatic, natural. 3 (of style or manner) gracefully natural.  spontaneity n. Spontaneously adv. [latin sponte of one's own accord]
Halyard  n. (also halliard) rope or tackle for raising or lowering a sail, yard, etc. [archaic hale drag forcibly]

Top-notch  adj. Colloq. First-rate.
Grand national  n. Steeplechase held annually at aintree, liverpool.
Carbon dating  n. Determination of the age of an organic object from the ratio of isotopes, which changes as carbon-14 decays.



Escape velocity  n. Minimum velocity needed to escape from the gravitational field of a body.
Cox  —n. Coxswain, esp. Of a racing-boat. —v. Act as cox (of). [abbreviation]

Public opinion  n. Views, esp. Moral, that are generally prevalent.
Smash-up  n. Violent collision.


Awash  predic. Adj. 1 level with the surface of, and just covered by, water. 2 (foll. By with) overflowing, abounding.


Tight  —adj. 1 closely held, drawn, fastened, fitting, etc. (tight hold; tight skirt). 2 too closely fitting. 3 impermeable, impervious, esp. (in comb.) To a specified thing (watertight). 4 tense; stretched. 5 colloq. Drunk. 6 colloq. Stingy. 7 (of money or materials) not easily obtainable. 8 a (of precautions, a programme, etc.) Stringent, demanding. B presenting difficulties (tight situation). 9 produced by or requiring great exertion or pressure (tight squeeze). —adv. Tightly (hold tight!).  tightly adv. Tightness n. [old norse]

Card index  n. Index with a card for each entry.
Rase  var. Of *raze.
Swim  —v. (-mm-; past swam; past part. Swum) 1 propel the body through water with limbs, fins, or tail. 2 traverse (a stretch of water or distance) by swimming. 3 perform (a stroke) by swimming. 4 float on a liquid. 5 appear to undulate, reel, or whirl. 6 feel dizzy (my head swam). 7 (foll. By in, with) be flooded. —n. Period or act of swimming.  in the swim colloq. Involved in or aware of what is going on.  swimmer n. [old english]
Painterly  adj. 1 characteristic of a painter or paintings; artistic. 2 (of a painting) lacking clearly defined outlines.

Ride  —v. (-ding; past rode; past part. Ridden) 1 (often foll. By on, in) travel or be carried on (a bicycle etc.) Or esp. Us in (a vehicle); be conveyed (rode her bike; rode on her bike; rode the tram). 2 (often foll. By on; also absol.) Be carried by (a horse etc.). 3 be carried or supported by (ship rides the waves). 4 traverse or take part in on horseback etc. (ride 50 miles; rode the prairie). 5 a lie at anchor; float buoyantly. B (of the moon) seem to float.  6 yield to (a blow) so as to reduce its impact. 7 give a ride to; cause to ride (rode me home). 8 (of a rider) cause (a horse etc.) To move forward (rode their horses at the fence). 9 (as ridden adj.) (foll. By by, with, or in comb.) Be dominated by; be infested with (ridden with guilt; rat-ridden cellar). —n. 1 journey or spell of riding in a vehicle, or on a horse, bicycle, person's back, etc. 2 path (esp. Through woods) for riding on. 3 specified kind of ride (bumpy ride). 4 amusement for riding on at a fairground etc.  let a thing ride leave it undisturbed. Ride again reappear as strong etc. As ever. Ride high be elated or successful. Ride out come safely through (a storm, danger, etc.). Ride roughshod over see *roughshod. Ride up (of a garment) work upwards out of place. Take for a ride colloq. Hoax or deceive. [old english]
Launcher  n. Structure to hold a rocket during launching.
Short-sighted  adj. 1 having short sight. 2 lacking imagination or foresight.  short-sightedly adv. Short-sightedness n.

Clansman  n. (fem. Clanswoman) member or fellow-member of a clan.
Jim-jams  n.pl. 1 slang = *delirium tremens. 2 colloq. Nervousness; depression. [fanciful reduplication]
Insertion  n. 1 inserting. 2 thing inserted.
Asthmatic  —adj. Of or suffering from asthma. —n. Asthmatic person.
Auto-da-fé  n. (pl. Autos-da-fé) 1 hist. Ceremonial judgement of heretics by the spanish inquisition. 2 public burning of heretics. [portuguese, = act of the faith]



Pin-money  n. 1 hist. Allowance to a woman from her husband. 2 very small sum of money.


Trunk line  n. Main line of a railway, telephone system, etc.
Insomnia  n. Sleeplessness, esp. Habitual. [latin somnus sleep]

Closed shop  n. Business etc. Where employees must belong to a specified trade union.

Lino  n. (pl. -s) linoleum. [abbreviation]
Horehound  n. Herbaceous plant yielding a bitter aromatic juice used against coughs etc. [old english, = hoary herb]
Puff pastry  n. Leaved pastry made light and flaky by rolling and folding the dough many times.

Creditable  adj. Bringing credit or honour.  creditably adv.
Complicity  n. Partnership in wrongdoing. [french: related to *complex]
Barn dance  n. 1 informal gathering for country dancing. 2 a kind of country dance.
Wafer-thin  adj. Very thin.
Control tower  n. Tall building at an airport etc. From which air traffic is controlled.
High-risk  attrib. Adj. Involving or exposed to danger (high-risk sports).
Microphotograph  n. Photograph reduced to a very small size. [from *micro-]

Grouse1  n. (pl. Same) 1 game-bird with a plump body and feathered legs. 2 its flesh as food. [origin uncertain]

Theta  n. Eighth letter of the greek alphabet (q, q). [greek]

Fission bomb  n. Atomic bomb.

Pupa  n. (pl. Pupae) insect in the stage between larva and imago.  pupal adj. [latin, = doll]
Bone-meal  n. Crushed bones, esp. As a fertilizer.




Suttee  n. Esp. Hist. 1 hindu custom of a widow's suicide on her husband's funeral pyre. 2 widow undergoing this. [sanskrit sati faithful wife]
Melon  n. 1 sweet fleshy fruit of various climbing plants of the gourd family. 2 such a gourd. [greek melon apple]
Buffer1  n. 1 thing that deadens impact, esp. A device on a train or at the end of a track. 2 substance that maintains the constant acidity of a solution. 3 computing temporary memory area or queue for data. [imitative]
Sight for sore eyes  n. Colloq. Welcome person or thing.
Hemophilia  n. (brit. Haem-) hereditary failure of the blood to clot normally with the tendency to bleed severely from even a slight injury. [greek haima blood, philia loving]
Badger  —n. Nocturnal burrowing mammal with a black and white striped head. —v. Pester, harass. [origin uncertain]


Heir apparent  n. Heir whose claim cannot be set aside by the birth of another heir.


Coenobite  n. (us cenobite) member of a monastic community. [greek koinos bios common life]
Vivacious  adj. Lively, animated.  vivacity n. [latin vivax from vivo live]
View  —n. 1 range of vision (came into view). 2 a what is seen; prospect, scene, etc. B picture etc. Of this. 3 a opinion. B manner of considering a thing (took a long-term view). 4 inspection by the eye or mind (private view). —v. 1 look at; inspect with the idea of purchasing; survey visually or mentally. 2 form a mental impression or opinion of; consider. 3 watch television.  have in view 1 have as one's object. 2 bear (a circumstance) in mind. In view of considering. On view being shown or exhibited. With a view to with the hope or intention of. [latin video see]


House arrest  n. Detention in one's own house, not in prison.

Schizoid  —adj. Tending to schizophrenia but usu. Without delusions. —n. Schizoid person.

Magician  n. 1 person skilled in magic. 2 conjuror.

Musicology  n. The academic study of music.  musicologist n. Musicological adj.
Shadow-boxing  n. Boxing with an imaginary opponent as training.

Model  —n. 1 representation in three dimensions of an existing person or thing or of a proposed structure, esp. On a smaller scale (often attrib.: model train). 2 simplified description of a system etc., to assist calculations and predictions. 3 figure in clay, wax, etc., to be reproduced in another material. 4 particular design or style, esp. Of a car. 5 a exemplary person or thing. B (attrib.) Ideal, exemplary. 6 person employed to pose for an artist or photographer or to wear clothes etc. For display. 7 garment etc. By a well-known designer, or a copy of this. —v. (-ll-; us -l-) 1 a fashion or shape (a figure) in clay, wax, etc. B (foll. By after, on, etc.) Form (a thing in imitation of). 2 a  act or pose as a model. B (of a person acting as a model) display (a garment). [latin: related to *mode]
Speck  —n. 1 small spot or stain. 2 particle. —v. (esp. As specked adj.) Marked with specks. [old english]
Blasphemy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 irreverent talk or treatment of a religious or sacred thing. 2 instance of this.  blasphemous adj.
Quad1  n. Colloq. Quadrangle. [abbreviation]


Redstart  n. Red-tailed songbird. [from *red, obsolete steort tail]
Heavy water  n. Water composed of deuterium and oxygen.


Weepie  n. Colloq. Sentimental or emotional film, play, etc.
Marriage guidance  n. Counselling of people with marital problems.
Job  —n. 1 piece of work to be done; task. 2 position in, or piece of, paid employment. 3 colloq. Difficult task (had a job to find it). 4 slang crime, esp. A robbery. 5 state of affairs etc. (bad job). —v. (-bb-) 1 do jobs; do piece-work. 2 deal in stocks; buy and sell (stocks or goods). 3 deal corruptly with (a matter).  just the job colloq. Exactly what is wanted. Make a job (or good job) of do well. On the job colloq. 1 at work. 2 engaged in sexual intercourse. Out of a job unemployed. [origin unknown]


Truncate  v. (-ting) cut the top or the end from; shorten.  truncation n. [latin: related to *trunk]
Cinquefoil  n. 1 plant with compound leaves of five leaflets. 2 archit. Five-cusped ornament in a circle or arch. [latin: related to *cinque, folium leaf]
Self-realization  n. Development of one's abilities etc.
Outfall  n. Outlet of a river, drain, etc.
Ugly customer  n. Threatening or violent person.

Sheaves  pl. Of *sheaf.
Warlike  adj. 1 hostile. 2 soldierly. 3 military.
Subroutine  n. Computing routine designed to perform a frequently used operation within a program.
Magnetize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 give magnetic properties to. 2 make into a magnet. 3 attract as a magnet does.  magnetizable adj. Magnetization n.
Sledgehammer  n. 1 large heavy long-handled hammer used to break stone etc. 2 (attrib.) Heavy or powerful (sledgehammer blow). [old english slecg: related to *slay]
Buttery1  n. (pl. -ies) food store, esp. In a college; snack-bar etc. [related to *butt4]
Isinglass  n. 1 gelatin obtained from fish, esp. Sturgeon, and used in making jellies, glue, etc. 2 mica. [dutch huisenblas sturgeon's bladder]

Capitulate  v. (-ting) surrender.  capitulation n. [medieval latin, = put under headings]

Cupric  adj. Of copper.

Pas de deux  n. Dance for two. [french, = step for two]

Rural  adj. In, of, or suggesting the country (rural seclusion). [latin rus rur- the country]


Whew  int. Expressing surprise, consternation, or relief. [imitative]

Jezebel  n. Shameless or immoral woman. [jezebel in the old testament]

Stress  —n. 1 a pressure or tension. B quantity measuring this. 2 a physical or mental strain. B distress caused by this. 3 a emphasis. B emphasis on a syllable or word. —v. 1 emphasize. 2 subject to stress.  lay stress on emphasize. [shortening of *distress]

Arctic  —adj. 1 of the north polar regions. 2 (arctic) colloq. Very cold. —n. Arctic regions. [greek arktos great bear]

Bastion  n. 1 projecting part of a fortification. 2 thing regarded as protecting (bastion of freedom). [italian bastire build]
Oracle  n. 1 a place at which divine advice or prophecy was sought in classical antiquity. B response given. C prophet or prophetess at an oracle. 2 person or thing regarded as a source of wisdom etc. 3 (oracle) propr. Teletext service provided by independent television.  oracular adj. [latin oraculum from oro speak]
Battalion  n. 1 army unit usu. Of 300–1000 men. 2 large group with a common aim. [italian battaglia *battle]

Coral  —n. Hard red, pink, or white calcareous substance secreted by marine polyps for support and habitation. —adj. 1 red or pink, like coral. 2 made of coral. [greek korallion]

Staggering  adj. Astonishing, bewildering.  staggeringly adv.





Elegiac  —adj. 1 used for elegies. 2 mournful. —n. (in pl.) Elegiac verses.  elegiacally adv.
Unlabelled  adj. (us unlabeled) not labelled; without a label.



Helium  n. Light inert gaseous element used in airships and as a refrigerant. [related to *helio-]
Jaw-breaker  n. Colloq. Long or hard word.
Blotting-paper  n. Absorbent paper for drying wet ink.
Loco2  predic. Adj. Slang crazy. [spanish]
Chemise  n. Hist. Woman's loose-fitting undergarment or dress. [latin camisia shirt]
Masthead  n. 1 top of a ship's mast, esp. As a place of observation or punishment. 2 title of a newspaper etc. At the head of the front page or editorial page.

Velodrome  n. Place or building with a track for cycle-racing. [french vélo bicycle]






Picador  n. Mounted man with a lance in a bullfight. [spanish]
Brigade  n. 1 military unit, usu. Three battalions, as part of a division. 2 group organized for a special purpose. [italian briga strife]


Provost  n. 1 head of some (esp. Oxbridge) colleges. 2 head of a cathedral chapter. 3 = *provost marshal. [latin propositus from pono place]


Gloss1  —n. 1 surface shine or lustre. 2 deceptively attractive appearance. 3 (in full gloss paint) paint giving a glossy finish. —v. Make glossy.  gloss over seek to conceal, esp. By mentioning only briefly. [origin unknown]
Trounce  v. (-cing) 1 defeat heavily. 2 beat, thrash. 3 punish severely. [origin unknown]
Rehouse  v. (-sing) house elsewhere.
Outnumber  v. Exceed in number.
Fortitude  n. Courage in pain or adversity. [latin fortis strong]
Overspecialize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing)  concentrate too much on one aspect or area.  overspecialization n.



Sinful  adj. Committing or involving sin.  sinfully adv. Sinfulness n.

High command  n. Army commander-in-chief and associated staff.

Election  n. 1 electing or being elected. 2 occasion of this.
Amaryllis  n. Bulbous plant with lily-like flowers. [greek, a girl's name]
Unadopted  adj. (of a road) not maintained by a local authority.

Ungrammatical  adj. Contrary to the rules of grammar.  ungrammatically adv.


Non-interference  n. = *non-intervention.
Immortal  —adj. 1 a living for ever; not mortal. B divine. 2 unfading. 3 famous for all time. —n. 1 a immortal being. B (in pl.) Gods of antiquity. 2 person, esp. An author, remembered long after death.  immortality n. Immortalize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing). Immortally adv.



Oodles  n.pl. Colloq. Very great amount. [origin unknown]

Hypersensitive  adj. Excessively sensitive.  hypersensitivity n.
Hoop  —n. 1 circular band of metal, wood, etc., esp. As part of a framework. 2 ring bowled along by a child, or for circus performers to jump through. 3 arch through which balls are hit in croquet. —v. Bind or encircle with hoop(s).  be put (or go) through the hoop (or hoops) undergo rigorous testing. [old english]

V1  n. (also v) (pl. Vs or v's) 1 twenty-second letter of the alphabet. 2 v-shaped thing. 3 (as a roman numeral) 5.

Golf ball  n. 1 ball used in golf. 2 colloq. Small ball used in some electric typewriters to carry the type.
Signal-box  n. Building beside a railway track from which signals are controlled.

Old-fashioned  adj. Showing or favouring the tastes of former times.
Salicylic acid  n. Chemical used as a fungicide and in aspirin and dyes.  salicylate n. [latin salix willow]

Epistemology  n. Philosophy of knowledge.  epistemological adj. [greek episteme knowledge]
Cuddle  —v. (-ling) 1 hug, fondle. 2 nestle together, lie close and snug. —n. Prolonged and fond hug.  cuddlesome adj. [origin uncertain]








Farthest  var. Of *furthest (esp. Of physical distance).

Anything  pron. Any thing; thing of any sort.  anything but not at all.



Thermo-  comb. Form heat. [greek]




Certificate  —n. Formal document attesting a fact, esp. Birth, marriage, or death, a medical condition, or a qualification. —v. (-ting) (esp. As certificated adj.) Provide with, license, or attest by a certificate.  certification n. [latin: related to *certify]
Undershirt  n. Esp. Us man's or boy's vest.

Generally  adv. 1 usually; in most respects or cases (generally get up early; was generally well-behaved). 2 in a general sense; without regard to particulars or exceptions (generally speaking). 3 for the most part (not generally known).

Latterly  adv. 1 recently. 2 in the latter part of life or a period.




Tambourine  n. Small shallow drum with jingling discs in its rim, shaken or banged as an accompaniment. [french, diminutive of *tambour]

Blockage  n. Obstruction.
Sympathize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) (often foll. By with) 1 feel or express sympathy. 2 agree.  sympathizer n.

Magnetic north  n. Point indicated by the north end of a magnetic needle.
Sewerage  n. System of, or drainage by, sewers.
Hipster2  n. Slang hip person.



Foe  n. Esp. Poet. Enemy. [old english]



Epsilon  n. Fifth letter of the greek alphabet (e, e). [greek]
Matron of honour  n. Married woman attending the bride at a wedding.
Plenitude  n. Literary 1 fullness, completeness. 2 abundance. [latin: related to *plenary]
Milkman  n. Person who sells or delivers milk.




Fba  abbr. Fellow of the british academy.
Horseman  n. 1 rider on horseback. 2 skilled rider.  horsemanship n.
Hell-fire  n. Fire(s) regarded as existing in hell.

Pawpaw  n. (also papaw, papaya) 1 elongated melon-shaped fruit with orange flesh. 2 tropical tree bearing this. [spanish and portuguese papaya]
Laryngeal  adj. Of the larynx.
Braille  —n. System of writing and printing for the blind, with patterns of raised dots. —v. (-ling) print or transcribe in braille. [braille, name of its inventor]
Heave  —v. (-ving; past and past part. Heaved or esp. Naut. Hove) 1 lift or haul with great effort. 2 utter with effort (heaved a sigh). 3 colloq. Throw. 4 rise and fall rhythmically or spasmodically. 5 naut. Haul by rope. 6 retch. —n. Heaving.  heave in sight come into view. Heave to esp. Naut. Bring or be brought to a standstill. [old english]

Biotechnology  n. Branch of technology exploiting biological processes, esp. Using micro-organisms, in industry, medicine, etc.


Meretricious  adj. Showily but falsely attractive. [latin meretrix prostitute]
Peripheral nervous system  n. Nervous system outside the brain and spinal cord.
Non-member  n. Person who is not a member.

Bathhouse  n. Public building with baths.

Graves  n. Light usu. White wine from graves in france.

Bromine  n. Poisonous liquid element with a choking smell. [greek bromos stink]
Lubricate  v. (-ting) 1 apply oil or grease etc. To. 2 make slippery.  lubrication n. Lubricator n. [latin lubricus slippery]
Historic  adj. 1 famous or important in history or potentially so (historic moment). 2 gram. (of a tense) used to narrate past events.
Peace  n. 1 a quiet; tranquillity. B mental calm; serenity. 2 a (often attrib.) Freedom from or the cessation of war (peace talks). B (esp. Peace) treaty of peace between states etc. At war. 3 freedom from civil disorder.  at peace 1 in a state of friendliness. 2 serene. 3 euphem. Dead. Hold one's peace keep silent. Keep the peace prevent, or refrain from, strife. Make one's peace (often foll. By with) re-establish friendly relations. Make peace agree to end a war or quarrel. [latin pax pac-]
Circumference  n. 1 enclosing boundary, esp. Of a circle. 2 distance round.  circumferential adj. [latin fero carry]

French window  n. Glazed door in an outside wall.
Roaring forties  n.pl. Stormy ocean tracts between lat. 40° and 50° s.




Privateer  n. 1 privately owned and officered warship holding a government commission. 2 its commander.
Herbicide  n. Poison used to destroy unwanted vegetation.

Battered  adj. Coated in batter and deep-fried.
Whirr  —n. Continuous rapid buzz or soft clicking sound. —v. (-rr-) make this sound. [scandinavian]
Heir apparent  n. Heir whose claim cannot be set aside by the birth of another heir.
De-ice  v. 1 remove ice from. 2 prevent the formation of ice on.  de-icer n.
Expansion  n. 1 expanding or being expanded. 2 enlargement of the scale or scope of a business.





Rude  adj. 1 impolite or offensive. 2 roughly made or done; crude (rude plough). 3 primitive or uneducated (rude simplicity). 4 abrupt, sudden, startling (rude awakening). 5 colloq. Indecent, lewd (rude joke). 6 vigorous or hearty (rude health).  rudely adv. Rudeness n. [latin rudis]

Clumsy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 awkward in movement or shape; ungainly. 2 difficult to handle or use. 3 tactless.  clumsily adv. Clumsiness n. [obsolete clumse be numb with cold]

Tragedy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 serious accident, disaster, etc.; sad event. 2 a play dealing with tragic events and ending unhappily, esp. With the downfall of the protagonist. B such plays as a genre. [greek tragoidia]

All saints' day  n. 1 nov., christian festival in honour of saints.

Prescription  n. 1 act of prescribing. 2 a doctor's (usu. Written) instruction for the supply and use of a medicine. B medicine prescribed.









Reface  v. (-cing) put a new facing on (a building).
Em-1 ,2 see *en-1,2.
Lumberjack  n. Person who fells and transports lumber.
Unending  adj. Endless or seemingly endless.


Mete  v. (-ting) (usu. Foll. By out) literary apportion or allot (punishment or reward). [old english]
Blackshirt  n. Hist.member of a fascist organization.
Superfluous  adj. More than is needed or wanted; useless. [latin fluo to flow]
Carbonize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 convert into carbon. 2 reduce to charcoal or coke. 3 coat with carbon.  carbonization n.


Noggin  n. 1 small mug. 2 small measure, usu. 1/4 pint, of spirits. 3 slang head. [origin unknown]
Dictionary  n. (pl. -ies) 1 book listing (usu. Alphabetically) and explaining the words of a language or giving corresponding words in another language. 2 reference book explaining the terms of a particular subject. [medieval latin: related to *diction]

Flea-bitten  adj. 1 bitten by or infested with fleas. 2 shabby.
Leisured  adj. Having ample leisure.


Unswept  adj. Not swept.
Disinherit  v. (-t-) reject as one's heir; deprive of the right of inheritance.  disinheritance n.


Pluperfect  gram. —adj. (of a tense) denoting an action completed prior to some past point of time (e.g. He had gone by then). —n. Pluperfect tense. [latin plus quam perfectum more than perfect]

Grapeshot  n. Hist. Small balls used as charge in a cannon and scattering when fired.
Gusset  n. 1 piece let into a garment etc. To strengthen or enlarge it. 2 bracket strengthening an angle of a structure. [french]
Monthly  —adj. Done, produced, or occurring once every month. —adv. Every month. —n. (pl. -ies) monthly periodical.
Winter garden  n. Garden or conservatory of plants flourishing in winter.
Religiosity  n. State of being religious or too religious. [latin: related to *religious]

Agaric  n. Fungus with a cap and stalk, e.g. The common mushroom. [greek agarikon]


Prosecution  n. 1 a institution and continuation of (esp. Criminal) legal proceedings. B prosecuting party in a court case. 2 prosecuting or being prosecuted (in the prosecution of his hobby).
Complimentary  adj. 1 expressing a compliment. 2 given free of charge.




Universal  —adj. Of, belonging to, or done etc. By all; applicable to all cases. —n. Term, characteristic, or concept of general application.  universality n. Universally adv. [latin: related to *universe]

Royal navy  n. British navy.
Thereof  adv. Formal of that or it.
Geranium  n. (pl. -s) 1 (in general use) cultivated pelargonium. 2 herb or shrub bearing fruit shaped like a crane's bill. [greek geranos crane]
Opprobrious  adj. (of language) very scornful; abusive.
Unpractised  adj. (us unpracticed) 1 not experienced or skilled. 2 not put into practice.
Doggy bag  n. Bag for leftovers given to a customer in a restaurant etc.

Rabies  n. Contagious viral disease of esp. Dogs, transmissible through saliva to humans etc. And causing madness; hydrophobia. [latin: related to *rabid]




Avocado  n. (pl. -s) 1 (in full avocado pear) dark green edible pear-shaped fruit with yellowish-green creamy flesh. 2 tree bearing it. [spanish from aztec]
Inconspicuous  adj. Not conspicuous; not easily noticed.  inconspicuously adv. Inconspicuousness n.
Y chromosome  n. (in humans and some other mammals) sex chromosome occurring only in male cells. [y as an arbitrary label]

Recross  v. Cross again.


Cuckoo-pint  n. Wild arum.

Mark-up  n. 1 amount added to a price by the retailer for profit. 2 corrections in a text.
Atrophy  —n. Wasting away, esp. Through disuse; emaciation. —v. (-ies, -ied) suffer atrophy or cause atrophy in. [greek a- without, trophe food]
Disadvantaged  adj. Lacking normal opportunities through poverty, disability, etc.
Individually  adv. 1 one by one. 2 personally. 3 distinctively.
Incandescent  adj. 1 glowing with heat. 2 shining. 3 (of artificial light) produced by a glowing filament etc.  incandescence n. [latin candeo be white]

Winter sports  n.pl. Sports performed on snow or ice.
Pièce de résistance  n. (pl. Pièces de résistance pronunc. Same) most important or remarkable item, esp. A dish at a meal. [french]

Swahili  n. (pl. Same) 1 member of a bantu people of zanzibar and adjacent coasts. 2 their language. [arabic]

Cottage pie  n. Dish of minced meat topped with mashed potato.
Hemoglobin  n. (brit. Haem-) oxygen-carrying substance in the red blood cells of vertebrates. [from *globulin]

Clause 28  n. Clause in the local government bill (and later act) banning local authorities from promoting homosexuality.
Deuce1  n. 1 two on dice or playing-cards. 2 tennis score of 40 all. [latin duo duos two]
Harvest mouse  n. Small mouse nesting in the stalks of growing grain.


Attraction  n. 1 a attracting or being attracted. B attractive quality (can't see the attraction in it). C person or thing that attracts. 2 physics tendency of bodies to attract each other.
Forbidden degrees  n.pl. (also prohibited degrees) family relationship too close for marriage to be permitted.
Miscopy  v. (-ies, -ied) copy inaccurately.
Courtesy  n. (pl. -ies) courteous behaviour or act.  by courtesy of with the formal permission of. [french: related to *courteous]
Resonant  adj. 1 (of sound) echoing, resounding; continuing to sound; reinforced or prolonged by reflection or vibration. 2 (of a body, room, etc.) Tending to reinforce or prolong sounds, esp. By vibration. 3 (often foll. By with) (of a place) resounding.  resonance n. [latin: related to *resound]



Tarmacadam  n. Stone or slag bound with bitumen, used in paving roads etc. [from *tar1, *macadam]

Easy street  n. Colloq. Affluence.
Interlink  v. Link or be linked together.
Open  —adj. 1 not closed, locked, or blocked up; allowing access. 2 unenclosed, unconfined, unobstructed (the open road; open views). 3 a uncovered, bare, exposed (open drain; open wound). B (of a goal etc.) Unprotected, undefended. 4 undisguised, public, manifest (open hostilities). 5 expanded, unfolded, or spread out (had the map open on the table). 6 (of a fabric) not close; with gaps. 7 a frank and communicative. B open-minded. 8 a accessible to visitors or customers; ready for business. B (of a meeting) admitting all, not restricted to members etc. 9 (of a race, competition, scholarship, etc.) Unrestricted as to who may compete. 10 (foll. By to) a willing to receive (is open to offers). B (of a choice, offer, or opportunity) available (three courses open to us). C vulnerable to, allowing of (open to abuse; open to doubt). 11 (of a return ticket) not restricted as to the day of travel. —v. 1 make or become open or more open. 2 (foll. By into, on to, etc.) (of a door, room, etc.) Give access as specified (opened on to a patio). 3 a start, establish, or set going (a business, activity, etc.) (opened a new shop; opened fire). B start (conference opens today). 4 (often foll. By with) start; begin speaking, writing, etc. (show opens with a song; he opened with a joke). 5 ceremonially declare (a building etc.) In use. —n. 1 (prec. By the) a open space, country, or air. B public notice; general attention (esp. Into the open). 2 open championship or competition etc.  open a person's eyes enlighten a person. Open out 1 unfold. 2 develop, expand. 3 become communicative. Open up 1 unlock (premises). 2 make accessible. 3 reveal; bring to notice. 4 accelerate. 5 begin shooting or sounding.  openness n. [old english]

Pt  symb.  Platinum.




High explosive  n. Extremely explosive substance used in shells, bombs, etc.
Chill  —n. 1 a unpleasant cold sensation; lowered body temperature. B feverish cold. 2 unpleasant coldness (of air, water, etc.). 3 depressing influence. 4 coldness of manner. —v. 1 make or become cold. 2 depress; horrify. 3 preserve (food or drink) by cooling. —adj. Literary chilly. [old english]
Chatline  n. Telephone service which sets up a conference call among youngsters.

Glove  —n. 1 hand-covering for protection, warmth, etc., usu. With separate fingers. 2 boxing glove. —v. (-ving) cover or provide with gloves. [old english]
Bondage  n. 1 slavery. 2 subjection to constraint etc. 3 sexual practices involving constraint. [anglo-latin: related to *bondsman]

Indenture  —n. 1 (usu. In pl.) Sealed agreement or contract. 2 formal list, certificate, etc. —v. (-ring) hist. Bind by indentures, esp. As an apprentice. [anglo-french: related to *indent]



Disrupt  v. 1 interrupt the continuity of; bring disorder to. 2 break apart.  disruption n. Disruptive adj. Disruptively adv. [latin: related to *rupture]



New  —adj. 1 a of recent origin or arrival. B made, discovered, acquired, or experienced recently or now for the first time. 2 in original condition; not worn or used. 3 a renewed; reformed (new life; the new order). B reinvigorated (felt like a new person). 4 different from a recent previous one (has a new job). 5 (often foll. By to) unfamiliar or strange (all new to me). 6 (usu. Prec. By the) often derog. A later, modern. B newfangled. C given to new or modern ideas. D recently affected by social change (the new rich). 7 (often prec. By the) advanced in method or theory. 8 (in place-names) discovered or founded later than and named after (new york). —adv. (usu. In comb.) Newly, recently (new-found; new-baked).  newish adj. Newness n. [old english]

Unoriginal  adj. Lacking originality; derivative.
Stamp-collector  n. Philatelist.
Fogey  var. Of *fogy.


Hump  —n. 1 rounded protuberance on a camel's back, or as an abnormality on a person's back. 2 rounded raised mass of earth etc. 3 critical point in an undertaking. 4 (prec. By the) slang fit of depression or vexation (gave me the hump). —v. 1 (often foll. By about) colloq. Lift or carry (heavy objects etc.) With difficulty. 2 make hump-shaped. [probably low german or dutch]
Denigrate  v. (-ting) blacken the reputation of.  denigration n. Denigrator n. Denigratory adj. [latin niger black]




Tenner  n. Colloq. Ten-pound or ten-dollar note.

Fluke1  —n. Lucky accident (won by a fluke). —v. (-king) achieve by a fluke.  fluky adj. (-ier, -iest). [origin uncertain]
Bap  n. Soft flattish bread roll. [origin unknown]
Rehear  v. (past and past part. Reheard) hear (esp. A judicial case) again.


Rifle1  —n. 1 gun with a long rifled barrel, esp. One fired from the shoulder. 2 (in pl.) Riflemen. —v. (-ling) make spiral grooves in (a gun, its barrel, or its bore) to make a projectile spin. [french]




Millennium  n. (pl. -s or millennia) 1 period of 1,000 years, esp. That of christ's prophesied reign on earth (rev. 20:1–5). 2 (esp. Future) period of happiness and prosperity.  millennial adj. [latin mille thousand]



Nob1  n. Slang person of wealth or high social position. [origin unknown]



Gospel  n. 1 teaching or revelation of christ. 2 (gospel) a record of christ's life in the first four books of the new testament. B each of these books. C portion from one of them read at a service. 3 (also gospel truth) thing regarded as absolutely true. 4 (in full gospel music) black american religious singing. [old english: related to *good, *spell1 = news]

Melodrama  n. 1 sensational play etc. Appealing blatantly to the emotions. 2 this type of drama. 3 theatrical language, behaviour, etc.  melodramatic adj. Melodramatically adv. [greek melos music, *drama]

Question time  n. Period in parliament when mps may question ministers.


Dastardly  adj. Cowardly, despicable.  dastardliness n. [origin uncertain]

Impalpable  adj. 1 not easily grasped by the mind; intangible. 2 imperceptible to the touch. 3 (of powder) very fine.  impalpability n. Impalpably adv.
Burning-glass  n. Lens for concentrating the sun's rays to produce a flame.



Precious stone  n. Piece of mineral of great value, esp. As used in jewellery.




Uninitiated  adj. Not initiated, admitted, or instructed.
Escarpment  n. Long steep slope at the edge of a plateau etc. [french from italian: related to *scarp]
Glee  n. 1 mirth; delight. 2 part-song for three or more (esp. Male) voices. [old english]



South american  —adj. Of south america. —n. Native or national of a south american country.

Tractor  n. 1 vehicle used for pulling farm machinery etc. 2 traction-engine. [related to *traction]

Lithograph  —n. Lithographic print. —v. Print by lithography. [greek lithos stone]
Egyptology  n. The study of the language, history, and culture of ancient egypt.  egyptologist n.





Untouchable  —adj. That may not be touched. —n. Member of a hereditary hindu group held to defile members of higher castes on contact.  untouchability n.

Sequester  v. 1 (esp. As sequestered adj.) Seclude, isolate. 2 = *sequestrate. [latin sequester trustee]

Wriggle  —v. (-ling) 1 (of a worm etc.) Twist or turn its body with short writhing movements. 2 make wriggling motions. 3 (foll. By along, through, etc.) Go thus (wriggled through the gap). 4 be evasive. —n. Act of wriggling.  wriggle out of colloq. Avoid on a pretext.  wriggly adj. [low german wriggelen]

Cooker  n. 1 appliance or vessel for cooking food. 2 fruit (esp. An apple) suitable for cooking.
Inceptive  adj. 1 a beginning. B initial. 2 (of a verb) denoting the beginning of an action.
Fag-end  n. Slang cigarette-end.

Lemming  n. Small arctic rodent reputed to rush into the sea and drown during migration. [norwegian]



Passageway  n. Narrow path or way; corridor.


Unicycle  n. Single-wheeled cycle, esp. As used by acrobats.  unicyclist n.


Shrink  —v. (past shrank; past part. Shrunk or (esp. As adj.) Shrunken) 1 make or become smaller, esp. From moisture, heat, or cold. 2 (usu. Foll. By from) recoil; flinch. —n. 1 act of shrinking. 2 slang psychiatrist. [old english]
Flavor  (brit. Flavour) —n. 1 mingled sensation of smell and taste (cheesy flavour). 2 characteristic quality (romantic flavour). 3 (usu. Foll. By of) slight admixture (flavour of failure). —v. Give flavour to; season.  flavourless adj. Flavoursome adj. [french]

Nickel  n. 1 silver-white metallic element, used esp. In magnetic alloys. 2 colloq. Us five-cent coin. [german]


Ignominy  n. Dishonour, infamy. [latin: related to *in-1, latin (g)nomen name]
Genome  n. 1 the haploid set of chromosomes of an organism. 2 the genetic material of an organism.
Granny flat  n. Part of a house made into self-contained accommodation for an elderly relative.


Chapman  n. Hist. Pedlar. [old english: related to *cheap, *man]

Pitched battle  n. 1 vigorous argument etc. 2 planned battle between sides in prepared positions and on chosen ground.
Dive  —v. (-ving) 1 plunge head first into water. 2 a (of an aircraft, person, etc.) Plunge steeply downwards. B (of a submarine) submerge; go deeper. 3 (foll. By into) colloq. A put one's hand into (a pocket, handbag, etc.). B become enthusiastic about (a subject, meal, etc.). 4 move suddenly (dived into a shop). —n. 1 act of diving; plunge. 2 steep descent or fall. 3 colloq. Disreputable nightclub, bar, etc. [old english]




Idiomatic  adj. 1 relating or conforming to idiom. 2 characteristic of a particular language.  idiomatically adv.
Easygoing  adj. Placid and tolerant.
Patisserie  n. 1 shop where pastries are made and sold. 2 pastries collectively. [latin: related to *paste]
Aristocrat  n. Member of the aristocracy.

Unbend  v. (past and past part. Unbent) 1 straighten. 2 relax; become affable.
Kepi  n. (pl. -s) french military cap with a horizontal peak. [french képi]
Morning sickness  n. Nausea felt in the morning in esp. Early pregnancy.

Space station  n. Artificial satellite as a base for operations in outer space.


Almighty  adj. 1 having complete power. 2 (the almighty) god. 3 slang very great (almighty crash). [old english: related to *all, *mighty]


Gamekeeper  n. Person employed to breed and protect game.


Macron  n. Mark ( ) over a long or stressed vowel. [greek, neuter of makros long]
Overflow  —v. 1 flow over (the brim etc.). 2 a (of a receptacle etc.) Be so full that the contents overflow. B (of contents) overflow a container. 3 (of a crowd etc.) Extend beyond the limits of (a room etc.). 4 flood (a surface or area). 5 (of kindness, a harvest, etc.) Be very abundant. —n. 1 what overflows or is superfluous. 2 outlet for excess water etc.




Hooded  adj. 1 having a hood. 2 (of an animal) having a hoodlike part (hooded crow).

Injudicious  adj. Unwise; ill-judged.
Metric ton  n. (also metric tonne) 1,000 kilograms (2205 lb).
Brethren  see *brother.





Zealous  adj. Full of zeal; enthusiastic.  zealously adv.
Plod  —v. (-dd-) 1 walk doggedly or laboriously; trudge. 2 work slowly and steadily. —n. Spell of plodding.  plodder n. [probably imitative]

Posture  —n. 1 relative position of parts, esp. Of the body; carriage, bearing. 2 mental attitude. 3 condition or state (of affairs etc.). —v. (-ring) 1 assume a mental or physical attitude, esp. For effect. 2 pose (a person).  postural adj. [latin: related to *posit]


Stature  n. 1 height of a (esp. Human) body. 2 calibre, esp. Moral; eminence. [latin statura]
Calices  pl. Of *calix.

Corrigible  adj. 1 able to be corrected. 2 submissive.  corrigibly adv. [medieval latin: related to *corrigendum]
Bracelet  n. 1 ornamental band or chain worn on the wrist or arm. 2 slang handcuff.



Permeable  adj. Capable of being permeated.  permeability n. [related to *permeate]
Maser  n. Device used to amplify or generate coherent electromagnetic radiation in the microwave range. [microwave amplification by stimulated emission of radiation]

Meter1  n. (brit. Metre) metric unit and the base si unit of linear measure, equal to about 39.4 inches.  metreage n. [greek metron measure]
Niacin  n. = *nicotinic acid. [shortening]

Vivify  v. (-ies, -ied) enliven, animate, give life to. [french from latin]
Scotch egg  n. Hard-boiled egg in sausage meat.


Cartilage  n. Firm flexible connective tissue, mainly replaced by bone in adulthood.  cartilaginous adj. [french from latin]
Original  —adj. 1 existing from the beginning; earliest; innate. 2 inventive; creative; not derivative or imitative. 3 not copied or translated; by the artist etc. Himself (in the original greek; has an original rembrandt). —n. Original model, pattern, picture, etc. From which another is copied or translated.  originality n. Originally adv.


Verify  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 establish the truth, correctness, or validity of by examination etc. (verified my figures). 2 (of an event etc.) Bear out (a prediction or promise).  verifiable adj. Verification n. [medieval latin: related to *very]


Articulated lorry  n. One with sections connected by a flexible joint.


Hearse  n. Vehicle for conveying the coffin at a funeral. [french herse harrow, from latin hirpex large rake]

Wallow  —v. 1 (esp. Of an animal) roll about in mud etc. 2 (usu. Foll. By in) indulge in unrestrained pleasure, misery, etc. —n. 1 act of wallowing. 2 place used by buffalo etc. For wallowing. [old english]
Outgrow  v. (past -grew; past part. -grown) 1 grow too big for. 2 leave behind (a childish habit etc.). 3 grow faster or taller than.
Splashdown  n. Landing of a spacecraft on the sea.  splash down v.
Jehad  var. Of *jihad.


Forcible  adj. Done by or involving force; forceful.  forcibly adv. [french: related to *force1]
Smirk  —n. Conceited or silly smile. —v. Give a smirk. [old english]
French chalk  n. A kind of talc used for marking cloth, as a dry lubricant, etc.
Hms  abbr. Her (or his) majesty's ship.

Rent-boy  n. Young male prostitute.


Cotyledon  n. Embryonic leaf in seed-bearing plants. [greek kotule cup]
Bawl  v. 1 speak or shout noisily. 2 weep loudly.  bawl out colloq. Reprimand angrily. [imitative]

Liniment  n. Embrocation. [latin linio smear]

Empirical  adj. (also empiric) based on observation, experience, or experiment, not on theory.  empirically adv. Empiricism n. Empiricist n. [greek empeiria experience]

Parquet  —n. 1 flooring of wooden blocks arranged in a pattern. 2 us stalls of a theatre. —v. (-eted; -eting) floor (a room) thus. [french, diminutive of parc *park]

Self-conceit  n. High or exaggerated opinion of oneself.
Technology  n. (pl. -ies) 1 knowledge or use of the mechanical arts and applied sciences (lacked the technology). 2 these subjects collectively.  technological adj. Technologically adv. Technologist n. [greek tekhnologia systematic treatment, from tekhne art]
Pity  —n. 1 sorrow and compassion for another's suffering. 2 cause for regret (what a pity!). —v. (-ies, -ied) feel (often contemptuous) pity for.  take pity on help out of pity for.  pitying adj. Pityingly adv. [latin: related to *piety]


Soon  adv. 1 in a short time (shall soon know). 2 relatively early (must you go so soon?). 3 readily or willingly (would sooner go; would as soon stay).  as (or so) soon as at the moment that; not later than; as early as (came as soon as i could). Sooner or later at some future time; eventually.  soonish adv. [old english]
Wooden  adj. 1 made of wood. 2 like wood. 3 a stiff, clumsy. B expressionless.  woodenly adv. Woodenness n.
Teletype  n. Propr. A kind of teleprinter.
Compassionate leave  n. Leave granted on grounds of bereavement etc.

Undescended  adj.  (of a testicle) not descending normally into the scrotum.
Collision  n. 1 violent impact of a moving body with another or with a fixed object. 2 clashing of interests etc. [latin: related to *collide]

Hippodrome  n. 1 music-hall or dancehall. 2 (in classical antiquity) course for chariot races etc. [greek hippos horse, dromos race]
Personalize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 make personal, esp. By marking with one's name etc. 2 personify.

Carbon tetrachloride  n. Colourless liquid used as a solvent.
Rhenium  n. Rare metallic element occurring naturally in molybdenum ores. [latin rhenus rhine]

Millepede  var. Of *millipede.




Grass snake  n. Common harmless european snake.
Compartmentalize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) divide into compartments or categories.
Focal point  n. 1 = *focus n. 1. 2 centre of interest or activity.

Pressure  —n. 1 a exertion of continuous force on or against a body by another in contact with it. B force exerted. C amount of this (expressed by the force on a unit area) (atmospheric pressure). 2 urgency (work under pressure). 3 affliction or difficulty (under financial pressure). 4 constraining influence (put pressure on us). —v. (-ring) (often foll. By into) apply (esp. Moral) pressure to; coerce; persuade. [latin: related to *press1]
Sea dog  n. Old sailor.

Disorientate  v. (also disorient) (-ting) confuse (a person), esp. As to his or her bearings.  disorientation n.

No man's land  n. 1 space between two opposing armies. 2 area not assigned to any owner.

Chiropody  n. Treatment of the feet and their ailments.  chiropodist n. [greek pous podos foot]




Lovage  n. Herb used for flavouring etc. [french levesche from latin ligusticum ligurian]

Hidebound  adj. 1 narrow-minded. 2 constricted by tradition.
Extreme unction  n. Last rites in the roman catholic and orthodox churches.

Running  —n. 1 action of runners in a race etc. 2 way a race etc. Proceeds. —adj. 1 continuous (running battle). 2 consecutive (three days running). 3 done with a run (running jump).  in (or out of) the running (of a competitor) with a good (or poor) chance of success. Make (or take up) the running take the lead; set the pace. Take a running jump (esp. As int.) Slang go away.
Corpulent  adj. Physically bulky, fat.  corpulence n. [latin: related to *corpus]
Properly  adv. 1 fittingly, suitably (do it properly). 2 accurately, correctly (properly speaking). 3 rightly. 4 with decency; respectably (behave properly). 5 colloq. Thoroughly (properly puzzled).


Anthracite  n. Hard type of coal burning with little flame and smoke. [greek: related to *anthrax]



Parallelogram  n. Four-sided plane rectilinear figure with opposite sides parallel.

Unscrew  v. 1 unfasten by removing a screw or screws. 2 loosen (a screw or screw-top).


Rosaceous  adj.  Of a large plant family including the rose. [latin: related to *rose1]

Lp  abbr. Long-playing (record).

Linocut  n. 1 design carved in relief on a block of linoleum. 2 print made from this.



Wavelength  n. 1 distance between successive crests of a wave. 2 this as a distinctive feature of radio waves from a transmitter. 3 colloq. Particular mode or range of thought.
Hebrew  —n. 1 member of a semitic people orig. Centred in ancient palestine. 2 a their language. B modern form of this, used esp. In israel. —adj. 1 of or in hebrew. 2 of the hebrews or the jews. [hebrew, = one from the other side of the river]




Month  n. 1 (in full calendar month) a each of twelve periods into which a year is divided. B period of time between the same dates in successive calendar months. 2 period of 28 days. [old english]
Ashkenazi  n. (pl. -zim) east european jew. [hebrew]





Right wing  —n. 1 more conservative section of a political party or system. 2 right side of a football etc. Team on the field. —adj. (right-wing) conservative or reactionary.  right-winger n.
Lintel  n. Horizontal timber, stone, etc., across the top of a door or window. [french: related to *limit]
Packer  n. Person or thing that packs, esp. A dealer who prepares and packs food.
Stoma  n. (pl. -s or stomata) 1 minute pore in the epidermis of a leaf. 2 small mouthlike artificial orifice made in the stomach. [greek stoma mouth]

Long-playing  adj. (of a gramophone record) playing for about 20–30 minutes on each side.

Perry  n. (pl. -ies) drink made from fermented pear juice. [french peré: related to *pear]
Coloratura  n. 1 elaborate ornamentation of a vocal melody. 2 soprano skilled in this. [italian: related to *colour]

Sienna  n. 1 a kind of earth used as a pigment. 2 its colour of yellowish-brown (raw sienna) or reddish-brown (burnt sienna). [siena in tuscany]
Bushfire  n. Forest or scrub fire often spreading widely.

Down under  adv. Colloq. In the antipodes, esp. Australia.




Jetty  n. (pl. -ies) 1 pier or breakwater to protect or defend a harbour, coast, etc. 2 landing-pier. [french jetee: related to *jet1]
Sight-read  v. Read (music) at sight.
Jaywalk  v. Cross a road carelessly or dangerously.  jaywalker n.
Learned  adj. 1 having much knowledge acquired by study. 2 showing or requiring learning (a learned work). 3 (of a publication) academic.



Lf  abbr. Low frequency.

Squiggle  n. Short curly line, esp. In handwriting.  squiggly adj. [imitative]


Inaugural  —adj. Of or for an inauguration. —n. Inaugural speech, lecture, etc. [french from latin auguro take omens: related to *augur]
Vague  adj. 1 uncertain or ill-defined. 2 (of a person or mind) imprecise; inexact in thought, expression, or understanding.  vaguely adv. Vagueness n. [latin vagus wandering]
Elephantiasis  n. Skin disease causing gross enlargement of limbs etc.

Billboard  n. Large outdoor advertising hoarding.


Tributary  —n. (pl. -ies) 1 river or stream flowing into a larger river or lake. 2 hist. Person or state paying or subject to tribute. —adj. 1 (of a river etc.) That is a tributary. 2 hist. A paying tribute. B serving as tribute. [latin: related to *tribute]
Fig.  Abbr. Figure.

Electroplate  —v. (-ting) coat with a thin layer of chromium, silver, etc., by electrolysis. —n. Electroplated articles.
Non-stop  —adj. 1 (of a train etc.) Not stopping at intermediate places. 2 done without a stop or intermission. —adv. Without stopping.
Gasify  v. (-ies, -ied) convert into gas.  gasification n.
Tetchy  adj. (-ier, -iest) peevish, irritable.  tetchily adv. Tetchiness n. [teche blemish, fault]

Sheave  v. (-ving) make into sheaves.
Igloo  n. Eskimo dome-shaped dwelling, esp. Of snow. [eskimo, = house]



Precinct  n. 1 enclosed area, e.g. Around a cathedral, college, etc. 2 designated area in a town, esp. Where traffic is excluded. 3 (in pl.) Environs. [latin praecingo -cinct- encircle]






Frock  n. 1 woman's or girl's dress. 2 monk's or priest's gown. 3 smock. [french from germanic]






Alternating current  n. Electric current reversing its direction at regular intervals.
Cautious  adj. Having or showing caution.  cautiously adv. Cautiousness n.

Chain-saw  n. Motor-driven saw with teeth on an endless chain.
Colonel  n. Army officer in command of a regiment, ranking next below brigadier.  colonelcy n. (pl. -ies). [italian colonnello: related to *column]
Wheatear  n. Small migratory bird. [related to *white, *arse]



 
Wanderlust  n. Eagerness for travelling or wandering; restlessness. [german]
Dispel  v. (-ll-) drive away; scatter (fears etc.). [latin pello drive]

Hf  abbr. High frequency.





Non-resident  —adj. 1 not residing in a particular place. 2 (of a post) not requiring the holder to reside at the place of work. —n. Non-resident person.  non-residential adj.
Fertilizer  n. (also -iser) substance added to soil to make it more fertile.

Revolutionary  —adj. 1 involving great and often violent change. 2 of or causing political revolution. —n. (pl. -ies) instigator or supporter of political revolution.

Kelt  var. Of *celt.


Shake-up  n. Upheaval or drastic reorganization.

Di-2  prefix = *dis-.


Bioengineering  n. 1 the application of engineering techniques to biological processes. 2 the use of artificial tissues, organs, etc. To replace parts of the body, e.g. Artificial limbs, pacemakers, etc.
Apart  adv. 1 separately, not together (keep your feet apart). 2 into pieces (came apart). 3 to or on one side. 4 to or at a distance.  apart from 1 excepting, not considering. 2 in addition to (apart from roses we grow irises). [french à part to one side]

Full-frontal  adj. 1 (of a nude figure) fully exposed at the front. 2 explicit, unrestrained.

Command paper  n. Paper laid before parliament by royal command.

Cdt  abbr. Craft, design, and technology.
So2  var. Of *soh.



Smart money  n. Money invested by people with expert knowledge.
Total  —adj. 1 complete, comprising the whole (total number of votes). 2 absolute, unqualified (in total ignorance). —n. Total number or amount. —v. (-ll-; us -l-) 1 a amount in number to. B find the total of. 2 (foll. By to, up to) amount to. [medieval latin totus entire]
Unseeing  adj. 1 unobservant. 2 blind.  unseeingly adv.

Mocha  n. 1 coffee of fine quality. 2 flavouring made with this. [mocha, port on the red sea]


Damper  n. 1 discouraging person or thing. 2 device that reduces shock or noise. 3 metal plate in a flue to control the draught. 4 mus. Pad silencing a piano string.  put a damper on take the vigour or enjoyment out of.

Sinusitis  n. Inflammation of a sinus.
Stable  —adj. (-bler, -blest) 1 firmly fixed or established; not likely to move or change. 2 (of a person) not easily upset or disturbed. —n. 1 building for keeping horses. 2 establishment for training racehorses. 3 racehorses from one stable. 4 persons, products, etc., having a common origin or affiliation. 5 such an origin or affiliation. —v. (-ling) put or keep in a stable.  stably adv. [latin stabilis from sto to stand]



Hyperglycaemia  n. (us hyperglycemia) excess of glucose in the bloodstream. [from *hyper-, greek glukus sweet, haima blood]
Change of heart  n. Conversion to a different view.

Meeting  n. 1 coming together. 2 assembly of esp. A society, committee, etc. 3 = *race meeting.
Press release  n. Statement issued to newspapers.
Constable  n. 1 (also police constable) police officer of the lowest rank. 2 governor of a royal castle. [latin comes stabuli count of the stable]

Granny knot  n. Reef-knot crossed the wrong way and therefore insecure.
Edition  n. 1 edited or published form of a book etc. 2 copies of a book, newspaper, etc. Issued at one time. 3 instance of a regular broadcast. 4 person or thing similar to another (a miniature edition of her mother).
Presto  mus. —adv. & adj. In quick tempo. —n. (pl. -s) presto passage or movement. [latin praestus quick]

Granite  n. Granular crystalline rock of quartz, mica, etc., used for building. [italian granito: related to *grain]
Chock-full  predic. Adj. (often foll. By of) crammed full.




Civil servant  n. Member of the civil service.
Ovule  n. Structure that contains the germ cell in a female plant. [related to *ovum]
Glorify  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 make glorious. 2 make seem better or more splendid than it is. 3 (as glorified adj.) Invested with more attractiveness, importance, etc. Than it has in reality (glorified waitress). 4 extol.  glorification n. [latin: related to *glory]

Daddy-long-legs  n. (pl. Same) crane-fly.
League table  n. List in ranked order of success etc.
Royal  —adj. 1 of, suited to, or worthy of a king or queen. 2 in the service or under the patronage of a king or queen. 3 of the family of a king or queen. 4 majestic, splendid. 5 exceptional, first-rate (had a royal time). —n. Colloq. Member of the royal family.  royally adv. [latin: related to *regal]

Shelf  n. (pl. Shelves) 1 wooden etc. Board projecting from a wall, or as part of a unit, used to store things. 2 a projecting horizontal ledge in a cliff face etc. B reef or sandbank.  on the shelf 1 (of a woman) regarded as too old to hope for marriage. 2 (esp. Of a retired person) put aside as if no longer useful. [low german]
Old timer  var. Of *old soldier.

Confluence  n. 1 place where two rivers meet. 2 a coming together. B crowd of people. [latin fluo flow]
Gestapo  n. Hist. Nazi secret police. [german, from geheime staatspolizei]
Lumber-jacket  n. Jacket of the kind worn by lumberjacks.









Cuisine  n. Style or method of cooking. [french]

Hurl  —v. 1 throw with great force. 2 utter (abuse etc.) Vehemently. —n. Forceful throw. [imitative]

Usage  see note at -ize.

Proliferate  v. (-ting) 1 reproduce; produce (cells etc.) Rapidly. 2 increase rapidly in numbers.  proliferation n. [latin proles offspring]

Hip-bone  n. Bone forming the hip.
Y-fronts  n. Propr. Men's or boys' briefs with a y-shaped seam at the front.
Meal1  n. 1 occasion when food is eaten. 2 the food eaten at a meal.  make a meal of colloq. Treat (a task etc.) Too laboriously or fussily. [old english]
-ary  suffix forming adjectives (contrary; primary). [french -aire, latin -ari(u)s]
Gaffer  n. 1 old fellow. 2 colloq. Foreman, boss. 3 chief electrician in a film or television production unit. [probably from *godfather]
Preheat  v. Heat beforehand.

Lug  —v. (-gg-) 1 drag or carry with effort. 2 pull hard. —n. 1 hard or rough pull. 2 colloq. Ear. 3 projection on an object by which it may be carried, fixed in place, etc. [probably scandinavian]

Baton  n. 1 thin stick for conducting an orchestra etc. 2 short stick passed on in a relay race. 3 stick carried by a drum major. 4 staff of office. [french from latin]
Guest-house  n. Private house offering paid accommodation.

Aerobatics  n.pl. 1 spectacular flying of aircraft, esp. To entertain. 2 (as sing.) Performance of these. [from *aero-, after *acrobatics]

Revivalism  n. Promotion of a revival, esp. Of religious fervour.  revivalist n. & adj.
Sedentary  adj. 1 sitting. 2 (of work etc.) Done while sitting. 3 (of a person) disinclined to exercise. [latin sedeo sit]

Bracket  —n. 1 (esp. Angled) support projecting from a vertical surface. 2 shelf fixed to a wall with this. 3 each of a pair of marks () [] {} enclosing words or figures. 4 group or classification (income bracket). —v. (-t-) 1 enclose in brackets. 2 group or classify together. [latin bracae breeches]
Crewel  n. Thin worsted yarn for tapestry and embroidery. [origin unknown]

Unreasoning  adj. Not reasoning.
Heart-searching  n. Examination of one's own feelings and motives.
Medieval  adj. (also mediaeval) 1 of the middle ages. 2 colloq. Old-fashioned. [latin medium aevum middle age]

Yeoman  n. 1 esp. Hist. Man holding and cultivating a small landed estate. 2 member of the yeomanry force.  yeomanly adj. [from earlier yoman, yeman, etc., probably = young man]


Field telegraph  n. Movable military telegraph.
Unburden  v. (often refl.; often followed by to) relieve (oneself, one's conscience, etc.) By confession etc.
Coal-tit  n. Small greyish bird with a black head.


Forage cap  n. Infantry undress cap.

Repertory  n. (pl. -ies) 1 performance of various plays for short periods by one company. 2 repertory theatres collectively. 3 store or collection, esp. Of information, instances, etc. 4 = *repertoire. [latin reperio find]



Preconceive  v. (-ving) form (an idea or opinion etc.) Beforehand.
Graminaceous  adj. Of or like grass. [latin gramen grass]
Acquaintance  n. 1 being acquainted. 2 person one knows slightly.  acquaintanceship n.



Teetotal  adj. Of or advocating total abstinence from alcohol.  teetotalism n. Teetotaller n. [reduplication of *total]
Reckless  adj. Disregarding the consequences or danger etc.; rash.  recklessly adv. Recklessness n. [old english reck concern oneself]
Nursing home  n.  Privately run hospital or home for invalids, old people, etc.
 
Kelt  n. Salmon or sea trout after spawning. [origin unknown]

Semolina  n. 1 hard grains left after the milling of flour, used in milk puddings etc. 2 pudding of this. [italian semolino]
Nap2  n. Raised pile on textiles, esp. Velvet. [low german or dutch]
Anatto  var. Of *annatto.
Song  n. 1 words set to music or meant to be sung. 2 vocal music. 3 musical composition suggestive of a song. 4 cry of some birds.  for a song colloq. Very cheaply. [old english: related to *sing]

Bob-sleigh  —n. Mechanically-steered and -braked racing sledge. —v. Race in a bob-sleigh.


Corn dolly  n. Figure of plaited straw.

Stoppage  n. 1 interruption of work owing to a strike etc. 2 (in pl.) Sum deducted from pay, for tax, national insurance, etc. 3 condition of being blocked or stopped.

Apologist  n. Person who defends something by argument.
Extra  —adj. Additional; more than usual or necessary or expected. —adv. 1 more than usually. 2 additionally (was charged extra). —n. 1 extra thing. 2 thing for which an extra charge is made. 3 person engaged temporarily for a minor part in a film. 4 special issue of a newspaper etc. 5 cricket run scored other than from a hit with the bat. [probably from *extraordinary]

Edam  n. Round dutch cheese with a red rind. [edam in holland]
Polygraph  n. Machine for reading physiological characteristics (e.g. Pulse-rate); lie-detector.

Antagonist  n. Opponent or adversary.  antagonistic adj.


Cod  abbr. Cash (us collect) on delivery.
Legion  —n. 1 division of 3,000–6,000 men in the ancient roman army. 2 large organized body. —predic. Adj. Great in number (his good works were legion). [latin legio -onis]
Turbojet  n. 1 jet engine in which the jet also operates a turbine-driven air-compressor. 2 aircraft powered by this.
He's  contr. 1 he is. 2 he has.
Sept.  Abbr. September.
Mogul  n. 1 colloq. Important or influential person. 2 (mogul) hist. A mongolian. B (often the great mogul) emperor of delhi in the 16th–19th c. [persian and arabic: related to *mongol]
Dep.  Abbr. 1 departs. 2 deputy.

Analyse  v. (us analyze) (-sing or -zing) 1 examine in detail; ascertain the constituents of (a substance, sentence, etc.). 2 psychoanalyse.


Shoulder-strap  n. 1 strip of cloth going over the shoulder from front to back of a garment. 2 strap suspending a bag etc. From the shoulder. 3 strip of cloth from shoulder to collar, esp. On a military uniform.
Readdress  v. 1 change the address of (an item for posting). 2 address (a problem etc.) Anew. 3 speak or write to anew.


Naught  archaic or literary —n. Nothing, nought. —adj. (usu. Predic.) Worthless; useless.  come to naught come to nothing, fail. Set at naught despise. [old english: related to *no2, *wight]
Overstate  v. (-ting) 1 state too strongly. 2 exaggerate.  overstatement n.
Peerless  adj. Unequalled, superb.

Hoopoe  n. Salmon-pink bird with black and white wings and a large erectile crest. [latin upupa (imitative of its cry)]
Hedge  —n. 1 fence or boundary of dense bushes or shrubs. 2 protection against possible loss. —v. (-ging) 1 surround or bound with a hedge. 2 (foll. By in) enclose. 3 a reduce one's risk of loss on (a bet or speculation) by compensating transactions on the other side. B avoid committing oneself. [old english]








-ster  suffix denoting a person engaged in or associated with a particular activity or quality (brewster; gangster; youngster). [old english]

Parking-meter  n. Coin-operated meter allocating a length of time for which a vehicle may be parked in a street.
Scaffold  n. 1 hist. Platform for the execution of criminals. 2 = *scaffolding. [romanic: related to *ex-1, *catafalque]
Lass  n. Esp. Scot. & n.engl. Or poet. Girl. [old norse]
Speculate  v. (-ting) 1 (usu. Foll. By on, upon, about) theorize, conjecture. 2 deal in a commodity or asset in the hope of profiting from fluctuating prices.  speculation n. Speculative adj. Speculator n. [latin specula watch-tower, from specio look]
Bookmark  n. Thing used to mark a reader's place.
Calypso  n. (pl. -s) w. Indian song with improvised usu. Topical words and a syncopated rhythm. [origin unknown]

Currant  n. 1 small seedless dried grape. 2 a any of various shrubs producing red, white, or black berries. B such a berry. [anglo-french from corinth in greece]
Polyunsaturated  adj. (of a fat or oil) having a chemical structure capable of further reaction and not contributing to the accumulation of cholesterol in the blood.


Unexceptionable  adj. Entirely satisfactory.


Finger-bowl  n. (also finger-glass) small bowl for rinsing the fingers during a meal.
Marquee  n. Large tent for social functions etc. [french marquise]

Capture  —v. (-ring) 1 a take prisoner; seize. B obtain by force or trickery. 2 portray; record on film etc. 3 absorb (a subatomic particle). 4 record (data) for use in a computer. —n. 1 act of capturing. 2 thing or person captured. [latin: related to *captive]



Pillow  —n. 1 soft support for the head, esp. In bed. 2 pillow-shaped block or support. —v. Rest on or as if on a pillow. [latin pulvinus cushion]





Point-to-point  n. Steeplechase for hunting horses.
Cyme  n. Flower cluster with a single terminal flower that develops first.  cymose adj. [greek kuma wave]
Interpol  n. International criminal police organization. [abbreviation]


Sun.  Abbr. Sunday.



Muscovite  —n. Native or citizen of moscow. —adj. Of moscow. [from muscovy, principality of moscow]


Share2  n. = *ploughshare. [old english: related to *share1]
Unrestrained  adj. Not restrained.
Multitudinous  adj. 1 very numerous. 2 consisting of many individuals. [latin: related to *multitude]


Sided  adj. 1 having sides. 2 (in comb.) Having a specified number or type of sides.
Sister  n. 1 woman or girl in relation to her siblings. 2 female fellow member of a trade union, feminist group, etc. 3 senior female nurse. 4 member of a female religious order. 5 (often attrib.) Of the same type, design, or origin etc. (sister ship; prose, the younger sister of verse).  sisterly adj. [old english]
Normal distribution  n. Function that represents the distribution of many random variables as a symmetrical bell-shaped graph.


Broadloom  adj. (esp. Of carpet) woven in broad widths.


Hierarchy  n. (pl. -ies) system of grades of status or authority ranked one above the other.  hierarchical adj. [greek hieros sacred, arkho rule]
Quake  —v. (-king) shake, tremble. —n. Colloq. Earthquake. [old english]

Legionnaire  n. Member of a legion. [french: related to *legion]

Ravine  n. Deep narrow gorge. [latin: related to *rapine]


Polka dot  n. Round dot as one of many forming a regular pattern on a textile fabric etc.


Nut  n. 1 a fruit consisting of a hard or tough shell around an edible kernel. B this kernel. 2 pod containing hard seeds. 3 small usu. Hexagonal flat piece of metal etc. With a threaded hole through it for screwing on the end of a bolt to secure it. 4 slang person's head. 5 slang crazy or eccentric person. 6 small lump (of coal etc.). 7 (in pl.) Coarse slang testicles. do one's nut slang be extremely angry. [old english]
Offering  n. 1 contribution or gift, esp. Of money. 2 thing offered as a sacrifice etc.


Submissive  adj. Humble, obedient.  submissively adv. Submissiveness n.

Slaver2  —v. 1 dribble. 2 (foll. By over) drool over. —n. 1 dribbling saliva. 2 a fulsome flattery. B drivel, nonsense. [low german or dutch]
Sesqui-  comb. Form denoting 11/2 (sesquicentennial). [latin]



Remold  (brit. Remould) —v. 1 mould again; refashion. 2 re-form the tread of (a tyre). —n. Remoulded tyre.





Victory  n. (pl. -ies) defeat of an enemy or opponent.
Baryta  n. Barium oxide or hydroxide. [from *barytes]







Kalends  var. Of *calends.



Postbag  n. = *mailbag.


Immaterial  adj. 1 unimportant; irrelevant. 2 not material; incorporeal.  immateriality n.
Ratatouille  n. Dish of stewed onions, courgettes, tomatoes, aubergines, and peppers. [french dial.]

Curry-comb  n. Metal serrated device for grooming horses.
Apiece  adv. For each one; severally (five pounds apiece). [originally a piece]


Remunerate  v. (-ting) 1 reward; pay for services rendered. 2 serve as or provide recompense for (work etc.) Or to (a person).  remuneration n. Remunerative adj. [latin munus -ner- gift]
Backhander  n. 1 a backhand stroke. B backhanded blow. 2 slang bribe.

Institutionalize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 (as institutionalized adj.) Made dependent after a long period in an institution. 2 place or keep (a person) in an institution. 3 make institutional.
Schadenfreude  n. Malicious enjoyment of another's misfortunes. [german schaden harm, freude joy]

Articled clerk  n. Trainee solicitor.
Throne  —n. 1 chair of state for a sovereign or bishop etc. 2 sovereign power (came to the throne). —v. (-ning) enthrone. [greek thronos]

Halibut  n. (pl. Same) large marine flat-fish used as food. [from *holy (perhaps because eaten on holy days), butt flat-fish]



Fuel cell  n. Cell producing electricity direct from a chemical reaction.

Lloyd's register  n. Annual classified list of all ships.
Kendo  n. Japanese fencing with two-handed bamboo swords. [japanese, = sword-way]

Hygrometer  n. Instrument for measuring the humidity of the air or a gas. [greek hugros wet]


Sh  int. = *hush.


Sunfish  n. (pl. Same or -es) any of various almost spherical fish.


Row1  n. 1 line of persons or things. 2 line of seats across a theatre etc. 3 street with houses along one or each side.  in a row 1 forming a row. 2 colloq. In succession (two days in a row). [old english]
Rousing  adj. Exciting, stirring (rousing song).
Gchq  abbr. Government communications headquarters.

Newscast  n. Radio or television broadcast of news reports.



Vicious spiral  n. Vicious circle, esp. As causing inflation.
Flag of truce  n. White flag requesting a truce.

Catch-as-catch-can  n. Wrestling with few holds barred.

Earth-shattering  adj. Colloq. Traumatic, devastating.  earth-shatteringly adv.

Ditch  —n. Long narrow excavation esp. For drainage or as a boundary. —v. 1 make or repair ditches (hedging and ditching). 2 slang abandon; discard.   dull as ditch-water extremely dull. [old english]
Mediocrity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 being mediocre. 2 mediocre person.

Bunk2  slang —v. (often foll. By off) play truant (from). —n. (in do a bunk) leave or abscond hurriedly. [origin unknown]
Taxation  n. Imposition or payment of tax. [latin: related to *tax]


Pippin  n. 1 apple grown from seed. 2 red and yellow eating apple. [french]
Ire  n. Literary anger. [latin ira]


Evocative  adj. Evoking (esp. Feelings or memories).  evocatively adv. Evocativeness n.

Chorus  —n. (pl. -es) 1 group of singers; choir. 2 music composed for a choir. 3 refrain or main part of a song. 4 simultaneous utterance. 5 group of singers and dancers performing together. 6 gk antiq. A group of performers who comment on the action in a greek play. B utterance made by it. 7 character speaking the prologue in a play. —v. (-s-) speak or utter simultaneously. [latin from greek]


Wood pulp  n. Wood-fibre prepared for paper-making.
Sitka  n. (in full sitka spruce) fast-growing spruce yielding timber. [sitka in alaska]



Snag  —n. 1 unexpected obstacle or drawback. 2 jagged projection. 3 tear in material etc. —v. (-gg-) catch or tear on a snag. [probably scandinavian]







Metre2  n. (us meter) 1 a poetic rhythm, esp. As determined by the number and length of feet in a line. B metrical group or measure. 2 basic rhythm of music. [related to *metre1]



Leftover  —n. (usu. In pl.) Surplus items (esp. Of food). —attrib. Adj. Remaining over, surplus.
Needful  adj. Requisite.  needfully adv.




Major-general  n. Officer next below a lieutenant-general.




Sprightly  adj. (-ier, -iest) vivacious, lively, brisk.  sprightliness n. [from spright, var. Of *sprite]





Excise2  v. (-sing) 1 remove (a passage from a book etc.). 2 cut out (an organ etc.) By surgery.  excision n. [latin excido cut out]
Calcite  n. Natural crystalline calcium carbonate. [latin: related to *calx]
Lefty  n. (pl. -ies) colloq. 1 polit. Often derog. Left-winger. 2 left-handed person.
Rococo  —adj. 1 of a late baroque style of 18th-c. Decoration. 2 (of literature, music, architecture, etc.) Highly ornate. —n. This style. [french]
Cantilever  n. 1 bracket or beam etc. Projecting from a wall to support a balcony etc. 2 beam or girder fixed at one end only.  cantilevered adj. [origin unknown]
Orchid  n. Any of various plants with brilliant flowers. [greek orkhis, originally = testicle]


Swallow-dive  n. & v. Dive with the arms outspread until close to the water.



Double pneumonia  n. Pneumonia affecting both lungs.
Nationalize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 take (railways, industry, land, etc.) Into state ownership. 2 make national.  nationalization n.

Electorate  n. 1 body of all electors. 2 hist. Office or territories of a german elector.
Element  n. 1 component part; contributing factor. 2 any of the substances that cannot be resolved by chemical means into simpler substances. 3 a any of the four substances (earth, water, air, and fire) in ancient and medieval philosophy. B a being's natural abode or environment. 4 electr. Wire that heats up in an electric heater, kettle, etc. 5 (in pl.) Atmospheric agencies, esp. Wind and storm. 6 (in pl.) Rudiments of learning or of an art etc. 7 (in pl.) Bread and wine of the eucharist.  in one's element in one's preferred situation, doing what one does well and enjoys. [french from latin]
Gaze  —v. (-zing) (foll. By at, into, on, etc.) Look fixedly. —n. Intent look. [origin unknown]
Space  —n. 1 a continuous expanse in which things exist and move. B amount of this taken by a thing or available. 2 interval between points or objects. 3 empty area (make a space). 4 a outdoor urban recreation area (open space). B large unoccupied region (wide open spaces). 5 = *outer space. 6 interval of time (in the space of an hour). 7 amount of paper used in writing, available for advertising, etc. 8 a blank between printed, typed, or written words, etc. B piece of metal providing this. 9 freedom to think, be oneself, etc. (need my own space). —v. (-cing) 1 set or arrange at intervals. 2 put spaces between. 3 (as spaced adj.) (often foll. By out) slang euphoric, esp. From taking drugs.  space out spread out (more) widely.  spacer n. [latin spatium]
Gridiron  n. Cooking utensil of metal bars for broiling or grilling. [related to *griddle]






Usage  the use of this term, and social restrictions accompanying it, were declared illegal under the indian constitution in 1949.

Ot  abbr. Old testament.
Repertory company  n. Theatrical company that performs plays from a repertoire.

Dissenter  n. 1 person who dissents. 2 (dissenter) protestant dissenting from the church of england.



Head over heels  —n. Turning over completely in forward motion as in a somersault etc. —adv. Utterly (head over heels in love).


Drove2  n. 1 a moving crowd. B (in pl.) Colloq. Great number (people arrived in droves). 2 herd or flock driven or moving together. [old english: related to *drive]
Pip2  n. Short high-pitched sound, usu. Electronically produced, esp. As a time signal. [imitative]
Joy  n. 1 (often foll. By at, in) pleasure; extreme gladness. 2 thing causing joy. 3 colloq. Satisfaction, success (got no joy).  joyful adj. Joyfully adv. Joyfulness n. Joyless adj. Joyous adj. Joyously adv. [french joie from latin gaudium]
Skew  —adj. Oblique, slanting, set askew. —n. Slant. —v. 1 make skew. 2 distort. 3 move obliquely.  on the skew askew. [french: related to *eschew]


Sculpture  —n. 1 art of making three-dimensional or relief forms, by chiselling, carving, modelling, casting, etc. 2 work of sculpture. —v. (-ring) 1 represent in or adorn with sculpture. 2 practise sculpture.  sculptural adj. [latin sculpo sculpt- carve]
Obsidian  n. Dark glassy rock formed from lava. [latin from obsius, discoverer of a similar stone]


Dipso  n. (pl. -s) colloq. Alcoholic. [abbreviation]



Yarmulke  n. (also yarmulka) skullcap worn by jewish men. [yiddish]
Posy  n. (pl. -ies) small bunch of flowers. [alteration of *poesy]

Chessman  n. Any of the 32 pieces and pawns with which chess is played.


Cohort  n. 1 ancient roman military unit, one-tenth of a legion. 2 band of warriors. 3 a persons banded together. B group of persons with a common statistical characteristic. [latin]
All-in  attrib. Adj. Inclusive of all.

Paintbox  n. Box holding dry paints for painting pictures.
Rf  symb. Rutherfordium.
Speedwell  n. Small plant with bright blue flowers. [from *speed, *well1]

Plc  abbr. (also plc) public limited company.
Regret  —v. (-tt-) 1 feel or express sorrow, repentance, or distress over (an action or loss etc.). 2 acknowledge with sorrow or remorse (regret to say). —n. Feeling of sorrow, repentance, etc., over an action or loss etc.  give (or send) one's regrets formally decline an invitation. [french regretter]






Cross-dressing  n. Practice of dressing in the clothes of the opposite sex.  cross-dress v.


Chute2  n. Colloq. Parachute. [abbreviation]
Trailer  n. 1 set of brief extracts from a film etc., used to advertise it in advance. 2 vehicle towed by another, esp.: a the rear section of an articulated lorry. B an open cart. C a platform for transporting a boat etc. D us a caravan.
Dutch  n. Slang wife. [abbreviation of *duchess]
Convoluted  adj. 1 coiled, twisted. 2 complex. [latin volvo volut- roll]
Cranesbill  n. Wild geranium.



Inequity  n. (pl. -ies) unfairness, injustice.

Customary  adj. In accordance with custom, usual.  customarily adv. Customariness n. [medieval latin: related to *custom]
Loganberry  n. (pl. -ies) dark red fruit, hybrid of a blackberry and a raspberry. [logan, name of a horticulturalist]



Skinny  adj. (-ier, -iest) thin or emaciated.  skinniness n.

Tertiary  —adj. 1 third in order or rank etc. 2 (tertiary) of the first period in the cenozoic era. —n. (tertiary) tertiary period. [latin tertius third]


Pitch-black  adj. (also pitch-dark) very or completely dark.
Parkland  n. Open grassland with trees etc.



Sherbet  n. 1 flavoured sweet effervescent powder or drink. 2 drink of sweet diluted fruit juices. [turkish and persian from arabic]
Cart  —n. 1 open usu. Horse-drawn vehicle for carrying loads. 2 light vehicle for pulling by hand. —v. 1 convey in a cart. 2 slang carry or convey with effort.  put the cart before the horse reverse the proper order or procedure. [old norse]


Mountain range  n. Continuous line of mountains.
Pensionable  adj. 1 entitled to a pension. 2 (of a service, job, etc.) Entitling an employee to a pension.
Rotavator  n. (also rotovator) propr. Machine with a rotating blade for breaking up or tilling the soil. [from *rotary, *cultivator]




Go-go  adj. Colloq. (of a dancer, music, etc.) In modern style; lively, erotic, and rhythmic.
Racialism  n. = *racism.  racialist n. & adj.

Chesty  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Inclined to or symptomatic of chest disease.  chestily adv. Chestiness n.

Herpes  n. Virus disease causing skin blisters. [greek herpo creep]
Busman's holiday  n. Holiday spent in an activity similar to one's regular work.


Funeral director  n. Undertaker.
Heap  —n. 1 disorderly pile. 2 (esp. In pl.) Colloq. Large number or amount. 3 slang dilapidated vehicle. —v. 1 (foll. By up, together, etc.) Collect or be collected in a heap. 2 (foll. By with) load copiously with. 3 (foll. By on, upon) give or offer copiously (heaped insults on them). [old english]
Rose-water  n. Perfume made from roses.
Paper-chase  n. Cross-country run following a trail of torn-up paper.


Speechless  adj. Temporarily silent because of emotion etc.

Nightjar  n. Nocturnal bird with a characteristic harsh cry.
Soapbox  n. Makeshift stand for a speaker in the street etc.
Duffer  n. Colloq. Inefficient or stupid person; dunce. [origin uncertain]

Unconcern  n. Calmness; indifference; apathy.  unconcerned adj. Unconcernedly adv.

Clerical  adj. 1 of clergy or clergymen. 2 of or done by clerks.
Usage  when referring to the people, aboriginal is preferred for the singular form and aborigines for the plural, although aboriginals is also acceptable.

Copper-bottomed  adj. 1 having a bottom sheathed with copper. 2 genuine or reliable.
Anthrax  n. Disease of sheep and cattle transmissible to humans. [greek, = coal, carbuncle]

Credit card  n. Plastic card from a bank etc. Authorizing the purchase of goods on credit.


Artiste  n. Professional performer, esp. A singer or dancer.
Subtext  n. Underlying theme.


Minuet  —n. 1 slow stately dance for two in triple time. 2 music for this, often as a movement in a suite etc. —v. (-t-) dance a minuet. [french diminutive]
Headlong  adv. & adj. 1 with the head foremost. 2 in a rush.



Brown sugar  n. Unrefined or partially refined sugar.
Importunate  adj. Making persistent or pressing requests.  importunity n. [latin importunus inconvenient]
Petit point  n. Embroidery on canvas using small stitches. [french, = little point]

Annatto  n. (also anatto) orange-red dye from the pulp of a tropical fruit, used for colouring foods. [carib name of the fruit-tree]


Backing  n. 1 a support, esp. Financial or moral. B material used for a thing's back or support. 2 musical accompaniment, esp. To a pop singer.

Tireless  adj. Not tiring easily, energetic.  tirelessly adv. Tirelessness n.
Wildfowl  n. (pl. Same)  game-bird.
As2  n. (pl. Asses) roman copper coin. [latin]
Tortilla  n. Thin flat orig. Mexican maize cake eaten hot. [spanish diminutive of torta cake]


Own brand  n. (often attrib.) Goods manufactured specially for a retailer and bearing the retailer's name.
Quarry2  n. (pl. -ies) 1 intended victim or prey. 2 object of pursuit. [latin cor heart]



Flash-cube  n. Photog. Set of four flash bulbs in a cube, operated in turn.
Tec  abbr. Training and enterprise council.


Mutter  —v. 1 (also absol.) Utter (words) in a barely audible manner. 2 (often foll. By against, at) murmur or grumble. —n. 1 muttered words or sounds. 2 muttering. [related to *mute]
Edentate  —adj. Having no or few teeth. —n. Such a mammal. [latin dens dent- tooth]

Improper fraction  n. Fraction in which the numerator is greater than or equal to the denominator.

Paint shop  n. Part of a factory where cars etc. Are sprayed or painted.

Codling1  n. (also codlin) 1 a kind of cooking apple. 2 moth whose larva feeds on apples. [anglo-french quer de lion lion-heart]

Philosophize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 reason like a philosopher. 2 speculate; theorize.  philosophizer n.

Dative  gram. —n. Case expressing the indirect object or recipient. —adj. Of or in this case. [latin: related to *data]
Heifer  n. Young cow, esp. One that has not had more than one calf. [old english]

Croon  —v. Sing, hum, or say in a low sentimental voice. —n. Such singing etc.  crooner n. [low german or dutch]

Cheeseburger  n. Hamburger with cheese in or on it.
Cross-examine  v. Question (esp. An opposing witness in a lawcourt).  cross-examination n.


Column  n. 1 pillar, usu. Of circular section and with a base and capital. 2 column-shaped object. 3 vertical cylindrical mass of liquid or vapour. 4 vertical division of a printed page. 5 part of a newspaper etc. Regularly devoted to a particular subject.
Kettle  n. Vessel for boiling water in.  a different kettle of fish a different matter altogether. A fine (or pretty) kettle of fish iron. An awkward state of affairs. [old norse]


Storage heater  n. Electric heater releasing heat stored outside peak hours.

Phylactery  n. (pl. -ies) small leather box containing hebrew texts, worn by jewish men at prayer. [greek phulasso guard]


Ceremonial  —adj. Of or with ceremony; formal. —n. System of rites or ceremonies.  ceremonially adv.


Mores  n.pl. Customs or conventions of a community. [latin, pl. Of mos custom]
Post3  —n. 1 place where a soldier is stationed or which he or she patrols. 2 place of duty. 3 a position taken up by a body of soldiers. B force occupying this. C fort. 4 job, paid employment. 5 = *trading post. —v. 1 place (soldiers, an employee, etc.). 2 appoint to a post or command. [french: related to *post2]
Normal  —adj. 1 conforming to a standard; regular, usual, typical. 2 free from mental or emotional disorder. 3 geom. (of a line) at right angles, perpendicular. —n. 1 a normal value of a temperature etc. B usual state, level, etc. 2  line at right angles.  normalcy n. Esp. Us. Normality n. [latin normalis: related to *norm]
Boutique  n. Small shop selling esp. Fashionable clothes. [french]
Hospitalize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) send or admit (a patient) to hospital.  hospitalization n.



Fish-kettle  n. Oval pan for boiling fish.
Gape  —v. (-ping) 1 a open one's mouth wide. B be or become wide open; split. 2 (foll. By at) stare at. —n. 1 open-mouthed stare; open mouth. 2 rent, opening. [old norse]
Contrive  v. (-ving) 1 devise; plan or make resourcefully or with skill. 2 (often foll. By to + infin.) Manage. [french from latin]
Renaissance man  n. Person with many talents or pursuits, esp. In the humanities.
Acid test  n. Severe or conclusive test.
Hull2  —n. Outer covering of a fruit, esp. The pod of peas and beans, the husk of grain, or the green calyx of a strawberry. —v. Remove the hulls from (fruit etc.). [old english]
Apt  adj. 1 appropriate, suitable. 2 tending (apt to break down). 3 clever; quick to learn. [latin aptus fitted]
Sextant  n. Instrument with a graduated arc of 60°, used in navigation and surveying for measuring the angular distance of objects by means of mirrors. [latin sextans -ntis sixth part]

Waken  v. Make or become awake. [old norse]


Overtone  n. 1 mus. Any of the tones above the lowest in a harmonic series. 2 subtle extra quality or implication.
Cg  abbr. Centigram(s).


Silicate  n. Compound of a metal with silicon and oxygen.

Matrix  n. (pl. Matrices or -es) 1 mould in which a thing is cast or shaped. 2 place etc. In which a thing is developed. 3 rock in which gems, fossils, etc., are embedded. 4 math. Rectangular array of elements treated as a single element. [latin, = womb]

Inconvenience  —n. 1 lack of ease or comfort; trouble. 2 cause or instance of this. —v. (-cing) cause inconvenience to.


Excellency  n. (pl. -ies) (usu. Prec. By your, his, her, their) title used in addressing or referring to certain high officials.




Hole  n. 1 a empty space in a solid body. B opening in or through something. 2 animal's burrow. 3 (in games) cavity or receptacle for a ball. 4 colloq. Small or dingy place. 5 colloq. Awkward situation. 6 golf a point scored by a player who gets the ball from tee to hole with the fewest strokes. B terrain or distance from tee to hole.  hole up us colloq. Hide oneself. Make a hole in use a large amount of.  holey adj. [old english]



Your  poss. Pron. 1 of or belonging to you. 2 colloq. Often derog. Much talked of; well known (your typical professor). [old english]
Middle-age spread  n. (also middle-aged spread) increased bodily girth at middle age.
Gorilla  n. Largest anthropoid ape, native to africa. [greek, perhaps from african = wild man]

Undistinguished  adj. Not distinguished; mediocre.



Go-cart  n. Var. Of *go-kart.

Tragedian  n. 1 writer of tragedies. 2 (fem. Tragedienne) actor in tragedy. [french: related to *tragedy]

Popish  adj. Derog. Roman catholic.
Sushi  n. Japanese dish of balls of cold rice topped with raw fish etc. [japanese]
Okay  var. Of *ok.
Annexe  n. 1 separate or added building. 2 addition to a document.
Tumour  n. (us tumor) a swelling, esp. From an abnormal growth of tissue.  tumorous adj. [latin tumeo swell]
Eject  v. 1 expel, compel to leave. 2 (of a pilot etc.) Cause oneself to be propelled from an aircraft as an emergency measure. 3 cause to be removed, drop out, or pop up automatically from a gun, cassette-player, etc. 4 dispossess (a tenant). 5 emit, send out.  ejection n. [latin ejicio eject- throw out]
Darwinian  —adj. Of darwin's theory of evolution. —n. Adherent of this.  darwinism n. Darwinist n. [darwin, name of a naturalist]
Practise  v. (us practice) (-sing or us -cing) 1 perform habitually; carry out in action. 2 do repeatedly as an exercise to improve a skill; exercise oneself in or on (an activity requiring skill). 3 (as practised adj.) Experienced, expert. 4 (also absol.) Be engaged in (a profession, religion, etc.). [latin: related to *practical]
Weapon  n. 1 thing designed, used, or usable for inflicting bodily harm. 2 means for gaining the advantage in a conflict. [old english]

Purify  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 clear of extraneous elements; make pure. 2 (often foll. By of, from) make ceremonially pure or clean.  purification n. Purificatory adj. Purifier n.

Downhearted  adj. Dejected.  downheartedly adv. Downheartedness n.



Food  n. 1 a substance taken in to maintain life and growth. B solid food (food and drink). 2 mental stimulus (food for thought). [old english]

Incomparable  adj. Without an equal; matchless.  incomparability n. Incomparably adv.
Syntax  n. 1 grammatical arrangement of words. 2 rules or analysis of this.  syntactic adj. Syntactically adv. [greek, = arrangement]
Hind2  n. Female (esp. Red) deer, esp. In and after the third year. [old english]
Candlemas  n. Feast of the purification of the virgin mary (2 feb.). [old english: related to *mass2]

Primal  adj. 1 primitive, primeval. 2 chief, fundamental. [latin: related to *prime1]
Cryptogram  n. Text written in cipher. [related to *crypt]
Solicit  v. (-t-) 1 seek (esp. Business) repeatedly or earnestly. 2 (also absol.) Accost as a prostitute.  solicitation n. [latin sollicitus anxious]



Trapdoor  n. Door in a floor, ceiling, or roof.


Execute  v. (-ting) 1 carry out, perform (a plan, duty etc.). 2 carry out a design for (a product of art or skill). 3 carry out a death sentence on. 4 make (a legal instrument) valid by signing, sealing, etc. [latin sequor follow]

Incorporeal  adj. Without physical or material existence.  incorporeally adv. Incorporeity n.

Farce  n. 1 a low comedy with a ludicrously improbable plot. B this branch of drama. 2 absurdly futile proceedings; pretence.  farcical adj. [latin farcio to stuff, used metaphorically of interludes etc.]
Depth  n. 1 a deepness. B measurement from the top down, from the surface inwards, or from front to back. 2 difficulty; abstruseness. 3 a wisdom. B intensity of emotion etc. 4 intensity of colour, darkness, etc. 5 (usu. In pl.) A deep water or place; abyss. B low, depressed state. C lowest, central, or inmost part (depths of the country; depth of winter).  in depth thoroughly. Out of one's depth 1 in water over one's head. 2 engaged in a task etc. Too difficult for one. [related to *deep]


Reformation  n. 1 reforming or being reformed, esp. A radical change for the better in political, religious, or social affairs. 2 (the reformation) hist. 16th-c. Movement for the reform of abuses in the roman church ending in the establishment of the reformed or protestant churches.






Bonfire  n. Large open-air fire, esp. For burning rubbish. [from *bone (because bones were once used), *fire]


Revive  v. (-ving) 1 come or bring back to consciousness, life, or strength. 2 come or bring back to existence, or to use or notice etc. [latin vivo live]
Homogenize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 make homogeneous. 2 treat (milk) so that the fat droplets are emulsified and the cream does not separate.




Sui generis  adj. Of its own kind; unique. [latin]


Renew  v. 1 revive; make new again; restore to the original state. 2 reinforce; resupply; replace. 3 repeat or re-establish, resume after an interruption (renewed our acquaintance). 4 (also absol.) Grant or be granted continuation of (a licence, subscription, lease, etc.). 5 recover (strength etc.).  renewable adj. Renewal n.
Self-aware  adj. Conscious of one's character, feelings, motives, etc.  self-awareness n.
Manly  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 having qualities associated with a man (e.g. Strength and courage). 2 befitting a man.  manliness n.
Deerstalker  n. Soft cloth peaked cap with ear-flaps.
Founder  v. 1 (of a ship) fill with water and sink. 2 (of a plan etc.) Fail. 3 (of a horse or its rider) stumble, fall lame, stick in mud etc. [related to *found2]
Cantab  abbr. Of cambridge university. [latin cantabrigiensis]



Instantly  adv. Immediately; at once.


Unshrinking  adj. Unhesitating, fearless.
Smoky  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 emitting, filled with, or obscured by, smoke. 2 stained with or coloured like smoke. 3 having the flavour of smoked food.   smokiness n.
Fragile  adj. 1 easily broken; weak. 2 delicate; not strong.  fragility n. [latin: related to *fracture]

Overdo  v. (-doing; 3rd sing. Present -does; past -did; past part. -done) 1 carry to excess, go too far. 2 (esp. As overdone adj.) Overcook.  overdo it (or things) colloq. Exhaust oneself.



Toils  n.pl. Net, snare. [toil from french: related to *toilet]

Tempo  n. (pl. -s or -pi) 1 speed at which music is or should be played. 2 speed or pace. [latin tempus -por- time]
Olympic  —adj. Of the olympic games. —n.pl. (the olympics) olympic games. [greek from olympia in s. Greece]
Herculean  adj. Having or requiring great strength or effort. [from the name hercules, latin alteration of greek herakles]
Hiatus  n. (pl. -tuses) 1 break or gap in a series or sequence. 2 break between two vowels coming together but not in the same syllable, as in though oft the ear. [latin hio gape]
Hemisphere  n. 1 half a sphere. 2 half of the earth, esp. As divided by the equator (into northern and southern hemisphere) or by a line passing through the poles (into eastern and western hemisphere).  hemispherical adj. [greek: related to *hemi-, *sphere]
Pole star  n. 1  star in the little bear, near the north pole in the sky. 2 thing serving as a guide.
Counter-productive  adj. Having the opposite of the desired effect.


Cosmic  adj. 1 of the cosmos or its scale; universal (of cosmic significance). 2 of or for space travel.



Questionable  adj. Doubtful as regards truth, quality, honesty, wisdom, etc.





Species  n. (pl. Same) 1 class of things having some common characteristics. 2 group of animals or plants within a genus, differing only slightly from others and capable of interbreeding. 3 kind, sort. [latin specio look]
Nay  —adv. 1 or rather; and even; and more than that (large, nay, huge). 2 archaic = *no2 adv. 1. —n. Utterance of ‘nay’; ‘no’ vote. [old norse, = not ever]
Myriad  literary —n. An indefinitely great number. —adj. Innumerable. [greek murioi 10,000]

Civil defence  n. Organizing of civilians for protection during wartime attacks.

Conveyor  n. (also conveyer) person or thing that conveys.

Pinyin  n. System of romanized spelling for transliterating chinese. [chinese]
Croquette  n. Ball of breaded and fried mashed potato etc. [french croquer crunch]





Printing-press  n. Machine for printing from types or plates etc.
Uranium  n. Radioactive grey dense metallic element, capable of nuclear fission and used as a source of nuclear energy. [uranus, name of a planet]

Rifleman  n. Soldier armed with a rifle.
Heel1  —n. 1 back of the foot below the ankle. 2 a part of a sock etc. Covering this. B part of a shoe etc. Supporting this. 3 thing like a heel in form or position. 4 crust end of a loaf of bread. 5 colloq. Scoundrel. 6 (as int.) Command to a dog to walk close to its owner's heel. —v. 1 fit or renew a heel on (a shoe etc.). 2 touch the ground with the heel as in dancing. 3 (foll. By out) rugby pass the ball with the heel.  at heel 1 (of a dog) close behind. 2 (of a person etc.) Under control. At (or on) the heels of following closely after (a person or event). Cool (or kick) one's heels be kept waiting. Down at heel 1 (of a shoe) with the heel worn down. 2 (of a person) shabby. Take to one's heels run away. To heel 1 (of a dog) close behind. 2 (of a person etc.) Under control. Turn on one's heel turn sharply round. [old english]
Dyed-in-the-wool  adj. (usu. Attrib.) Out and out; unchangeable.
Nationalism  n. 1 patriotic feeling, principles, etc. 2 policy of national independence.  nationalist n. & adj. Nationalistic adj.
Ineligible  adj. Not eligible or qualified.  ineligibility n.
Vocable  n. Word, esp. With reference to form not meaning. [latin voco call]
Spacious  adj. Having ample space; roomy.  spaciously adv. Spaciousness n. [latin: related to *space]
Shaker  n. 1 person or thing that shakes. 2 container for shaking together the ingredients of cocktails etc.
Absentee  n. Person not present.

Carthusian  —n. Monk of a contemplative order founded by st bruno. —adj. Of this order. [latin: related to *chartreuse]


Bread sauce  n. White sauce thickened with breadcrumbs.
Mew1  —n. Characteristic cry of a cat, gull, etc. —v. Utter this sound. [imitative]



Arch2  adj. Self-consciously or affectedly playful.  archly adv. [from *arch-, originally in arch rogue etc.]
Everybody  pron. Every person.
Grey squirrel  n. American squirrel brought to europe in the 19th c.



Outside broadcast  n. One not made in a studio.

Unpopular  adj. Not popular; disliked.  unpopularity n.

Tongs  n.pl. Implement with two arms for grasping coal, sugar, etc. [old english]
Expostulate  v. (-ting) (often foll. By with a person) make a protest; remonstrate.  expostulation n. Expostulatory adj. [latin: related to *postulate]

Romanize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 make roman or roman catholic in character. 2 put into the roman alphabet or roman type.  romanization n.
Apricot  —n. 1 a small juicy soft orange-yellow peachlike fruit. B tree bearing it. 2 its colour. —adj. Orange-yellow. [portuguese and spanish from arabic, ultimately from latin praecox early-ripe]

Brigadier  n. 1 officer commanding a brigade. 2 staff officer of similar standing.

Heroism  n. Heroic conduct or qualities. [french héroïsme: related to *hero]
Dressmaker  n. Person who makes women's clothes, esp. For a living.  dressmaking n.
Unloose  v. (-sing) (also unloosen) unfasten, loose; set free.


Stonecrop  n. Succulent rock-plant.
Highland fling  see *fling n. 3.
Small print  n. Unfavourable clauses etc. In a contract, usu. Printed small.

Vegetation  n. Plants collectively; plant life. [medieval latin: related to *vegetate]



V-sign  n. 1 sign of the letter v made with the first two fingers pointing up and the back of the hand facing outwards, as a gesture of abuse etc. 2 similar sign made with the palm of the hand facing outwards, as a symbol of victory.
Mortise  (also mortice) —n. Hole in a framework designed to receive the end of another part, esp. A tenon. —v. (-sing) 1 join securely, esp. By mortise and tenon. 2 cut a mortise in. [french from arabic]
Reaper  n. 1 person who reaps. 2 reaping machine. 3 (the reaper or grim reaper) death personified.


Ice-plant  n. Plant with speckled leaves.

Philately  n. The study and collecting of postage stamps.  philatelist n. [greek ateles tax-free]
Petersham  n. Thick corded silk ribbon. [lord petersham, name of an army officer]

Gilt-edged  adj. (of securities, stocks, etc.) Having a high degree of reliability.
Tantalus  n. Stand in which spirit-decanters may be locked up but visible. [see *tantalize]


Finger-board  n. Part of the neck of a stringed instrument on which the fingers press to vary the pitch.
Clincher  n. Colloq. Point or remark that settles an argument etc.
Gas mask  n. Respirator as a protection against poison gas.
Blood-curdling  adj. Horrifying.


Ova  pl. Of *ovum.
General staff  n. Staff assisting a military commander at headquarters.
Hi-tech  adj. = *high-tech. [abbreviation]
Mandala  n. Circular figure as a religious symbol of the universe. [sanskrit]
Blue-eyed boy  n. Colloq. Favourite.

Hire purchase  n. System of purchase by paying in instalments.

Split  —v. (-tt-; past and past part. Split) 1 a break, esp. With the grain or into halves; break forcibly. B (often foll. By up) divide into parts, esp. Equal shares (they split the money). 2 (often foll. By off, away) remove or be removed by breaking or dividing. 3 a (usu. Foll. By on, over, etc.) Divide into disagreeing or hostile parties (split on the question of picketing). B (foll. By with) quarrel or cease association with. 4 cause the fission of (an atom). 5 slang leave, esp. Suddenly. 6 (usu. Foll. By on) colloq. Inform. 7 a (as splitting adj.) (of a headache) severe. B (of the head) suffer from a severe headache, noise, etc. —n. 1 act or result of splitting. 2 disagreement; schism. 3 (in pl.) Feat of leaping in the air or sitting down with the legs at right angles to the body in front and behind or on either side. 4 dish of split bananas etc. With ice-cream.  split the difference take the average of two proposed amounts. Split hairs make insignificant distinctions. Split one's sides laugh uncontrollably. Split up separate, end a relationship. [dutch]



Object  —n. 1 material thing that can be seen or touched. 2 person or thing to which action or feeling is directed (object of attention). 3 thing sought or aimed at. 4 gram. Noun or its equivalent governed by an active transitive verb or by a preposition. 5 philos. Thing external to the thinking mind or subject. —v. (often foll. By to, against) 1 express opposition, disapproval, or reluctance. 2 protest.  no object not forming an important or restricting factor (money no object).  objector n. [latin jacio ject- throw]
Demist  v. Clear mist from (a windscreen etc.).  demister n.

Cacao  n. (pl. -s) 1 seed from which cocoa and chocolate are made. 2 tree bearing these. [spanish from nahuatl]

C.  Abbr. Circa.
Contend  v. 1 (usu. Foll. By with) fight, argue. 2 compete. 3 assert, maintain.  contender n. [latin: related to *tend1]

Infinitive  —n. Form of a verb expressing the verbal notion without a particular subject, tense, etc. (e.g. See in we came to see, let him see). —adj. Having this form.
Lea  n. Poet. Meadow, field. [old english]


Burlesque  —n. 1 a comic imitation, parody. B this as a genre. 2 us variety show, esp. With striptease. —adj. Of or using burlesque. —v. (-ques, -qued, -quing) parody. [italian burla mockery]


Jet2  n. (often attrib.) Hard black lignite often carved and highly polished. [french jaiet from gagai in asia minor]
Outpace  v. (-cing) 1 go faster than. 2 outdo in a contest.

French bread  n. Long crisp loaf.


Offense  n. (brit. Offence) 1 illegal act; transgression. 2 upsetting of feelings, insult; umbrage (give offence; take offence). 3 aggressive action. [related to *offend]
Sports ground  n. Piece of land used for sports.
Preparatory  —adj. (often foll. By to) serving to prepare; introductory. —adv. (often foll. By to) in a preparatory manner (was packing preparatory to departure).
Hustle  —v. (-ling) 1 jostle, bustle. 2 (foll. By into, out of, etc.) Force, coerce, or hurry (hustled them out of the room; was hustled into agreeing). 3 slang a solicit business. B engage in prostitution. 4 slang obtain by energetic activity. —n. Act or instance of hustling.  hustler n. [dutch]
Fumble  —v. (-ling) 1 use the hands awkwardly, grope about. 2 handle clumsily or nervously (fumbled the ball). —n. Act of fumbling. [low german fummeln]
Necro-  comb. Form corpse. [greek nekros corpse]
Third man  n. Fielder positioned near the boundary behind the slips.



No2  —adv. 1 indicating that the answer to the question is negative, the statement etc. Made or course of action intended or conclusion arrived at is not correct or satisfactory, the request or command will not be complied with, or the negative statement made is correct. 2 (foll. By compar.) By no amount; not at all (no better than before). —n. (pl. Noes) 1 utterance of the word no. 2 denial or refusal. 3 ‘no’ vote.  no longer not now or henceforth as formerly. Or no or not (pleasant or no, it is true). [old english]
Flatter  v. 1 compliment unduly, esp. For gain or advantage. 2 (usu. Refl.; usu. Foll. By that) congratulate or delude (oneself etc.) (he flatters himself that he can sing). 3 (of colour, style, portrait, painter etc.) Enhance the appearance of (that blouse flatters you). 4 cause to feel honoured.  flatterer n. Flattering adj. Flatteringly adv. [french]
Boggle  v. (-ling) colloq. Be startled or baffled (esp. The mind boggles). [probably dial. Boggle *bogey2]
Arbor1  n. Axle or spindle. [latin, = tree]

Extractor  n. 1 person or machine that extracts. 2 (attrib.) (of a device) that extracts bad air etc.
Tit1  n. Any of various small birds. [probably from scandinavian]
Hardly  adv. 1 scarcely; only just (hardly knew me). 2 only with difficulty (can hardly see). 3 surely not (can hardly have realised).  hardly any almost no; almost none. Hardly ever very seldom.
Jewry  n. Jews collectively.
Scion  n. 1 shoot of a plant etc., esp. One cut for grafting or planting. 2 descendant; younger member of (esp. A noble) family. [french]
Marina  n. Harbour for pleasure-yachts etc. [latin: related to *marine]
Carbon fibre  n. Thin strong crystalline filament of carbon used as a strengthening material.
Redeploy  v. Send (troops, workers, etc.) To a new place or task.  redeployment n.
Footstep  n. 1 step taken in walking. 2 sound of this.  follow in a person's footsteps do as another did before.

Fecal  us var. Of faecal (*feces).
Costing  n. Estimation of cost(s).
Hydrometer  n. Instrument for measuring the density of liquids.

Unarmed  adj. Not armed; without weapons.
Taverna  n. Greek restaurant. [modern greek: related to *tavern]
Jack plug  n. Plug for use with a jack (see *jack n. 4).

F
Hardcore  n. Solid material, esp. Rubble, as road-foundation.


Flag3  n. Plant with a bladed leaf (esp. The iris). [origin unknown]
Group therapy  n. Therapy in which people are brought together to assist one another psychologically.
Antarctic  —adj. Of the south polar regions. —n. This region. [latin: related to *arctic]
Steer1  v. 1 (also absol.) Guide (a vehicle, ship, etc.) With a wheel or rudder etc. 2 direct or guide (one's course, other people, a conversation, etc.) In a specified direction.  steer clear of avoid.  steering n. [old english]
Metamorphosis  n. (pl. -phoses) 1 change of form, esp. From a pupa to an insect etc. 2 change of character, conditions, etc. [greek morphe form]
Cent  n. 1 a one-hundredth of a dollar or other decimal currency unit. B coin of this value. 2 colloq. Very small amount. [latin centum 100]
Quoin  n. 1 external angle of a building. 2 cornerstone. 3 wedge used in printing and gunnery. [var. Of *coin]
Boredom  n. State of being bored. [from *bore2]



Ingress  n. Act or right of going in. [latin ingressus: related to *ingredient]

Afterwards  adv. (us afterward) later, subsequently. [old english: related to *after, *-ward]

Directional  adj. 1 of or indicating direction. 2 sending or receiving radio or sound waves in one particular direction.
Dame  n. 1 (dame) a title given to a woman holding any of several orders of chivalry. B woman holding this title. 2 comic middle-aged female pantomime character, usu. Played by a man. 3 us slang woman. [latin domina lady]
French horn  n. Coiled brass wind instrument with a wide bell.

Maintained school  n. School supported from public funds, state school.

Surcease  literary —n. Cessation. —v. (-sing) cease. [french sursis delayed, omitted]
Ordain  v. 1 confer holy orders on. 2 decree, order. [latin ordino: related to *order]
Pleat  —n. Fold or crease, esp. A flattened fold in cloth doubled upon itself. —v. Make a pleat or pleats in. [from *plait]


Passport  n. 1 official document certifying the holder's identity and citizenship, and authorizing travel abroad. 2 (foll. By to) thing that ensures admission or attainment (passport to success). [french passeport: related to *pass1, *port1]



Ritualism  n. Regular or excessive practice of ritual.  ritualist n. Ritualistic adj. Ritualistically adv.
Hector  —v. Bully, intimidate. —n. Bully. [from the name hector in the iliad]
Headset  n. Headphones, often with a microphone attached.
Practical joke  n. Humorous trick played on a person.



Recipe  n. 1 statement of the ingredients and procedure required for preparing a cooked dish. 2 (foll. By for) certain means to (an outcome) (recipe for disaster). [2nd sing. Imperative of latin recipio *receive]


Microphone  n. Instrument for converting sound waves into electrical energy for reconversion into sound after transmission or recording. [from *micro-, greek phone sound]

Lava  n. Matter flowing from a volcano and solidifying as it cools. [latin lavo wash]




Martial law  n. Military government with ordinary law suspended.
Gangplank  n. Movable plank for boarding or disembarking from a ship etc.

Sunday school  n. Religious class on sundays for children.

Skyjack  v. Slang hijack (an aircraft).

Liquid crystal  n. Turbid liquid with some order in its molecular arrangement.
Miter  (brit. Mitre) —n. 1 tall deeply-cleft headdress worn by bishops and abbots, esp. As a symbol of office. 2 joint of two pieces of wood etc. At an angle of 90°, such that the line of junction bisects this angle. —v. (-ring) 1 bestow a mitre on. 2 join with a mitre. [greek mitra turban]

Uncongenial  adj. Not congenial.
Blackbird  n. Common thrush of which the male is black with an orange beak.
Ability  n. (pl. -ies) 1 (often foll. By to + infin.) Capacity or power. 2 cleverness, talent. [french: related to *able]
Zilch  n. Esp. Us slang nothing. [origin uncertain]

Vagrant  —n. Unemployed itinerant. —adj. Wandering, roving.  vagrancy n. [anglo-french]





Methylate  v. (-ting) 1 mix or impregnate with methanol. 2 introduce a methyl group into (a molecule or compound).





Reconstitute  v. (-ting) 1 reconstruct. 2 reorganize. 3 rehydrate (dried food etc.).  reconstitution n.

Ugly duckling  n. Person lacking early promise but blossoming later.
Enforce  v. (-cing) 1 compel observance of (a law etc.). 2 (foll. By on) impose (an action or one's will, etc.) On.  enforceable adj. Enforcement n. Enforcer n. [latin: related to *force1]
Obsequious  adj. Servile, fawning.  obsequiously adv. Obsequiousness n. [latin obsequor comply with]
Petit mal  n. Mild form of epilepsy. [french, = little sickness]
Modus vivendi  n. (pl. Modi vivendi) 1 way of living or coping. 2 arrangement between people who agree to differ. [latin, = way of living]
Hire purchase  n. System of purchase by paying in instalments.
Fulcrum  n. (pl. -s or -cra) point on which a lever is supported. [latin fulcio to prop]

Eminence  n. 1 distinction; recognized superiority. 2 piece of rising ground. 3 title used in addressing or referring to a cardinal (your eminence; his eminence). [latin: related to *eminent]
Mannerly  adj. Well-mannered, polite.
Uninterested  adj. Not interested; indifferent.




Psoriasis  n. Skin disease marked by red scaly patches. [greek psora itch]
Traveled  adj. (brit. Travelled) experienced in travelling (also in comb.: much-travelled).
Multiplication  n. Multiplying.





Seam  —n. 1 line where two edges join, esp. Of cloth or boards. 2 fissure between parallel edges. 3 wrinkle. 4 stratum of coal etc. —v. 1 join with a seam. 2 (esp. As seamed adj.) Mark or score with a seam.  seamless adj. [old english]
Subcommittee  n. Committee formed from a main committee for a special purpose.

Paralysis  n. 1 impairment or loss of esp. The motor function of the nerves, causing immobility. 2 powerlessness.
Vanquish  v. Literary conquer, overcome. [latin vinco]
Coriander  n. 1 aromatic plant. 2 its seeds used for flavouring. [greek koriannon]
Usage  aware is also found used attributively in sense 2, as in ‘a very aware person’, but this should be avoided in formal contexts.


Colposcopy  n. Examination of the vagina and neck of the womb.  colposcope n. [greek kolpos womb]
Satirist  n. 1 writer of satires. 2 satirical person.
Quite  adv. 1 completely, entirely, wholly. 2 to some extent, rather. 3 (often foll. By so) said to indicate agreement.  quite a (or some) remarkable or outstanding (thing). Quite a few colloq. A fairly large number of. Quite something colloq. Remarkable thing or person. [var. Of *quit]




Icing sugar  n. Finely powdered sugar.
Swathe  —v. (-thing) bind or wrap in bandages or garments etc. —n. Bandage or wrapping. [old english]

Curry-powder  n. Mixture of turmeric, cumin, etc. For making curry.
Rock-salt  n. Common salt as a solid mineral.
Wage   —n. (in sing. Or pl.) Fixed regular payment to an employee, esp. A manual worker. —v. (-ging) carry on (a war etc.). [anglo-french from germanic]
Teeny  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Tiny. [var. Of *tiny]
Knock knees  n.pl. Abnormal curvature of the legs inwards at the knee.  knock-kneed adj.
Electroscope  n. Instrument for detecting and measuring electricity, esp. As an indication of the ionization of air by radioactivity.  electroscopic adj.

Heavenly bodies  n.pl. The sun, stars, planets, etc.

Inconsiderable  adj. 1 of small size, value, etc. 2 not worth considering.  inconsiderably adv.


Negotiable  adj. 1 open to discussion. 2 able to be negotiated.



Sabotage  —n. Deliberate damage to productive capacity, esp. As a political act. —v. (-ging) 1 commit sabotage on. 2 destroy, spoil. [french: related to *sabot]




Deluge  —n. 1 great flood. 2 (the deluge) biblical flood (gen. 6-8). 3 overwhelming rush. 4 heavy fall of rain. —v. (-ging) flood or inundate (deluged with complaints). [latin diluvium]

Psi2  abbr. Pounds per square inch.
Inception  n. Beginning. [latin incipio -cept- begin]
Overtake  v. (-king; past -took; past part. -taken) 1 (also absol.) Catch up with and pass while travelling in the same direction. 2 (of misfortune etc.) Come suddenly upon.
Se  abbr. 1 south-east. 2 south-eastern.
Wombat  n. Burrowing plant-eating australian marsupial. [aboriginal]



Shew  archaic var. Of *show.


Hard-pressed  adj. 1 closely pursued. 2 burdened with urgent business.
Hapless  adj. Unlucky.

Existential  adj. 1 of or relating to existence. 2 philos. Concerned with existence, esp. With human existence as viewed by existentialism.  existentially adv.

King charles spaniel  n. Small black and tan spaniel.
Archaeology  n. (us archeology) study of ancient cultures, esp. By the excavation and analysis of physical remains.  archaeological adj. Archaeologist n. [greek arkhaiologia ancient history]
Flippant  adj. Frivolous; disrespectful; offhand.  flippancy n. Flippantly adv. [from *flip1]



Quip  —n. Clever saying; epigram. —v. (-pp-) make quips. [perhaps from latin quippe forsooth]



Wind2  —v. (past and past part. Wound) 1 (often as winding adj.) Go in a spiral, curved, or crooked course. 2 make (one's way) thus. 3 wrap closely; coil. 4 a provide with a coiled thread etc. B surround with or as with a coil. 5 wind up (a clock etc.). —n. 1 bend or turn in a course. 2 single turn when winding.  wind down 1 lower by winding. 2 unwind. 3 draw gradually to a close. Wind off unwind. Wind up 1 coil the whole of. 2 tighten the coiling or coiled spring of (esp. A clock). 3 colloq. A increase the intensity of (feelings etc.), excite. B provoke (a person) to anger etc. 4 bring to a conclusion; end. 5 a arrange the affairs of and dissolve (a company). B cease business and go into liquidation. 6 colloq. Arrive finally. [old english]


Patent leather  n. Glossy leather.


Ways and means  n.pl. 1 methods of achieving something. 2 methods of raising government revenue.
Maltose  n. Sugar made from starch by enzymes in malt, saliva, etc. [french: related to *malt]


Ironworks  n. (as sing. Or pl.) Factory where iron is smelted or iron goods are made.

Lateen  adj. (of a ship) rigged with a lateen sail. [french voile latine latin sail]
Penitential  adj. Of penitence or penance.




Trot  —v. (-tt-) 1 (of a person) run at a moderate pace. 2  (of a horse) proceed at a steady pace faster than a walk, lifting each diagonal pair of legs alternately. 3 colloq. Walk, go. 4  cause (a horse or person) to trot. 5 traverse (a distance) at a trot. —n. 1 action or exercise of trotting (proceed at a trot; went for a trot). 2 (the trots) slang diarrhoea.  on the trot colloq. 1 in succession (six days on the trot). 2 continually busy (kept me on the trot). Trot out 1 colloq. Introduce (an opinion etc.) Tediously or repeatedly. 2 cause (a horse) to trot to show his paces. [french]
Or2  n. Heraldry gold. [latin aurum gold]
Synthetic  —adj. 1 made by chemical synthesis, esp. To imitate a natural product. 2 affected, insincere. —n. Synthetic substance.  synthetically adv.

Heat  —n. 1 condition of being hot. 2 physics form of energy arising from the motion of bodies' molecules. 3 hot weather. 4 warmth of feeling; anger or excitement. 5 (foll. By of) most intense part or period of activity (heat of battle). 6 (usu. Preliminary or trial) round in a race etc. —v. 1 make or become hot or warm. 2 inflame.  on heat (of mammals, esp. Females) sexually receptive. [old english]



Hypodermic  —adj. 1 of the area beneath the skin. 2 a injected beneath the skin. B (of a syringe, etc.) Used to do this. —n. Hypodermic injection or syringe. [from *hypo-, greek derma skin]
High pressure  n. 1 high degree of activity or exertion. 2 atmospheric condition with the pressure above average.
Pianissimo  mus. —adj. Very soft. —adv. Very softly. —n. (pl. -s or -mi) very soft playing or passage. [italian, superlative of *piano2]


Photon  n. Quantum of electromagnetic radiation energy, proportional to the frequency of radiation. [after electron]
Chartreuse  n. Pale green or yellow brandy-based liqueur. [chartreuse, monastery in s. France]
Orris  n. 1 a kind of iris. 2 = *orris root. [alteration of *iris]
React  v. 1 (often foll. By to) respond to a stimulus; change or behave differently due to some influence (reacted badly to the news). 2 (often foll. By against) respond with repulsion to; tend in a reverse or contrary direction. 3 (foll. By with) (of a substance or particle) be the cause of chemical activity or interaction with another (nitrous oxide reacts with the metal). 4 (foll. By with)  cause (a substance) to react with another.


Bargeboard  n. Board fixed to the gable-end of a roof to hide the ends of the roof timbers. [perhaps from medieval latin bargus gallows]


Antisocial  adj. 1 opposed or harmful to society. 2 not sociable.
Pass2  n. Narrow way through mountains. [var. Of *pace1]

Womanly  adj. Having or showing qualities associated with women.  womanliness n.
Lionize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) treat as a celebrity.


Flak jacket  n. Protective reinforced military jacket.



Workhouse  n. Hist. Public institution for the poor of a parish.

Refund  —v. (also absol.) 1 pay back (money or expenses). 2 reimburse (a person). —n. 1 act of refunding. 2 sum refunded.  refundable adj. [latin fundo pour]





Cd  abbr. Candela.



Chimp  n. Colloq. = *chimpanzee. [abbreviation]


Fa  abbr. Football association.

Callisthenics  n.pl. (also calisthenics) exercises for fitness and grace.  callisthenic adj. [greek kallos beauty, sthenos strength]

Weekday  n. Day other than sunday or saturday and sunday.


Vulpine  adj. 1 of or like a fox. 2 crafty, cunning. [latin vulpes fox]





Verity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 a fundamental truth. 2 archaic truth. [latin veritas truth]
New style  n. Dating reckoned by the gregorian calendar.
Lilac  —n. 1 shrub with fragrant pinkish-violet or white blossoms. 2 pale pinkish-violet colour. —adj. Of this colour. [persian]

Over-particular  adj. Excessively particular or fussy.

Scalawag  var. Of *scallywag.



Burn1  —v. (past and past part. Burnt or burned) 1 (cause to) be consumed or destroyed by fire. 2 blaze or glow with fire. 3 (cause to) be injured or damaged by fire, heat, radiation, acid, etc. 4 use or be used as fuel etc. 5 char in cooking. 6 produce (a hole, mark, etc.) By fire or heat. 7 a heat (clay, chalk, etc.). B harden (bricks) by fire. 8 colour, tan, or parch with heat or light. 9 (be) put to death by fire. 10 cauterize, brand. 11 make, be, or feel hot, esp. Painfully. 12 (often foll. By with) (cause to) feel great emotion or passion (burn with shame). 13 slang drive fast. —n. Mark or injury caused by burning.  burn one's boats (or bridges) commit oneself irrevocably. Burn the candle at both ends work etc. Excessively.
Formation  n. 1 forming. 2 thing formed. 3 particular arrangement (e.g. Of troops). 4 rocks or strata with a common characteristic. [latin: related to *form]
Starfish  n. (pl. Same or -es) echinoderm with five or more radiating arms.



Fluoridate  v. (-ting) add fluoride to (drinking-water etc.), esp. To prevent tooth decay.  fluoridation n.


Calcium carbide  n. Greyish solid used in the production of acetylene.
Hospitality  n. Friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests or strangers.
Noodle2  n. 1 simpleton. 2 slang head. [origin unknown]
Walkie-talkie  n. Two-way radio carried on the person.

Out and out  —adj. Thorough; complete. —adv. Thoroughly.
Caftan  n. (also kaftan) 1 long tunic worn by men in the near east. 2 long loose dress or shirt. [turkish]

Tally-ho  —int. Huntsman's cry on sighting a fox. —n. (pl. -s) cry of this. —v. (-hoes, -hoed) 1 utter a cry of ‘tally-ho’. 2 indicate (a fox) or urge (hounds) with this cry. [cf. French taïaut]

Tiddler  n. Colloq. 1 small fish, esp. A stickleback or minnow. 2 unusually small thing. [perhaps related to *tiddly2 and tittlebat, a childish form of stickleback]
Airwoman  n. Woman pilot or member of an aircraft crew, esp. In an air force.


Unweaned  adj. Not yet weaned.

Jerk2  v. Cure (beef) by cutting it in long slices and drying it in the sun. [quechua echarqui dried fish in strips]


Gush  —v. 1 emit or flow in a sudden and copious stream. 2 speak or behave effusively. —n. 1 sudden or copious stream. 2 effusive manner. [probably imitative]

Overman  v. (-nn-) provide with too large a crew, staff, etc.
Ascend  v. 1 move or slope upwards, rise. 2 climb; go up.  ascend the throne become king or queen. [latin scando climb]
Attitudinize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) adopt (esp. Affected) attitudes; pose.

Chamois  n. (pl. Same) 1  agile european and asian mountain antelope. 2  (in full chamois leather) a soft leather from sheep, goats, deer, etc. B piece of this. [french]

Trauma  n. (pl. Traumata or -s) 1 profound emotional shock. 2 physical injury. 3 physical shock syndrome following this.  traumatize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing). [greek, = wound]

Tipstaff  n. 1 sheriff's officer. 2 metal-tipped staff carried as a symbol of office. [from *tip1]


Eyeball  —n. Ball of the eye within the lids and socket. —v. Us slang look or stare (at).

Deceased  formal —adj. Dead. —n. (usu. Prec. By the) person who has died, esp. Recently.






Bleat  —v. 1 (of a sheep, goat, or calf) make a wavering cry. 2 (often foll. By out) speak or say plaintively. —n. Bleating cry. [old english]
Joint stock  n. Capital held jointly; common fund.

Samoyed  n. 1 member of a people of northern siberia. 2 (also samoyed) dog of a white arctic breed. [russian]
Unquiet  adj. 1 restless, agitated. 2 anxious.

Progressive  —adj. 1 moving forward. 2 proceeding step by step; cumulative (progressive drug use). 3 a favouring rapid political or social reform. B modern; efficient (a progressive company). 4 (of disease, violence, etc.) Increasing in severity or extent. 5 (of taxation) increasing with the sum taxed. 6 (of a card-game, dance, etc.) With periodic changes of partners. 7 gram. (of a tense) expressing action in progress, e.g. Am writing, was writing. —n. (also progressive) advocate of progressive political policies.  progressively adv. [french or medieval latin: related to *progress]

Uninhabitable  adj. Unfit for habitation.


Burrow  —n. Hole or tunnel dug by a rabbit etc. As a dwelling or shelter. —v. 1 make a burrow. 2 make (a hole, one's way, etc.) (as) by digging. 3 (foll. By into) investigate, search. [apparently var. Of *borough]

Gyro-  comb. Form rotation. [greek guros ring]

Self-righteous  adj. Smugly sure of one's rightness.  self-righteously adv. Self-righteousness n.


Satire  n. 1 ridicule, irony, etc., used to expose folly or vice etc. 2 work using this.  satirical adj. Satirically adv. [latin satira medley]
Mingy  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Mean, stingy.  mingily adv. [probably from *mean2, *stingy]
Craving  n. Strong desire or longing.
Rod  n. 1 slender straight cylindrical bar or stick. 2 a cane for flogging. B (prec. By the) use of this. 3 = *fishing-rod. 4 hist. (as a measure) perch or square perch (see *perch1).  make a rod for one's own back make trouble for oneself. [old english] 


Tutti  mus. —adj. & adv. With all voices or instruments together. —n. (pl. -s) such a passage. [italian, pl. Of tutto all]
Osteopathy  n. Treatment of disease through the manipulation of bones.  osteopath n.

Lady's slipper  n. Plant of the orchid family with a slipper-shaped lip on its flowers.

Poetic justice  n. Very appropriate punishment or reward.

Metabolize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) process or be processed by metabolism.





Cat's-eye  n. Propr. Reflector stud set into a road.

Potsherd  n. Esp. Archaeol. Broken piece of ceramic material.
Tip1  —n. 1 extremity or end, esp. Of a small or tapering thing. 2 small piece or part attached to the end of a thing. 3 leaf-bud of tea. —v. (-pp-) provide with a tip.  on the tip of one's tongue about to be said or remembered. Tip of the iceberg small evident part of something much larger. [old norse]
Saprophyte  n. Plant or micro-organism living on dead or decayed organic matter. [greek sapros rotten, phuo grow]

Make-believe  —n. Pretence. —attrib. Adj. Pretended.
Gentlemanly  adj. Like or befitting a gentleman.
Sweet tooth  n. Liking for sweet-tasting things.

Legislature  n. Legislative body of a state.



Nib  n. 1 pen-point. 2 (in pl.) Shelled and crushed coffee or cocoa beans. [low german or dutch]

Ceremony  n. (pl. -ies) 1 formal procedure, esp. At a public event or anniversary. 2 formalities, esp. Ritualistic. 3 excessively polite behaviour.  stand on ceremony insist on formality. [latin caerimonia worship]
Specialist  n. 1 person trained in a particular branch of a profession, esp. Medicine. 2 person who specially studies a subject or area.



Self-expression  n. Artistic or free expression.
Tell  v. (past and past part. Told) 1 relate in speech or writing (tell me a story). 2 make known; express in words (tell me your name). 3 reveal or signify to (a person) (your face tells me everything). 4 utter (tell lies). 5 a (often foll. By of, about) divulge information etc.; reveal a secret, the truth etc. (told her about venice; book tells you how to cook; promise you won't tell; time will tell). B (foll. By on) colloq. Inform against. 6 (foll. By to + infin.) Direct; order (tell them to wait). 7 assure (it's true, i tell you). 8 decide, determine, distinguish (tell one from the other). 9 (often foll. By on) produce a noticeable effect or influence (strain told on me; evidence tells against you). 10 (often absol.) Count (votes) at a meeting, election, etc.  tell apart distinguish between (could not tell them apart). Tell off colloq. Scold. Tell tales make known another person's faults etc. Tell the time read the time from a clock or watch. You're telling me colloq. I agree wholeheartedly. [old english: related to *tale]


Rewrite  —v. (-ting; past rewrote; past part. Rewritten) write again or differently. —n. 1 rewriting. 2 thing rewritten.

Infertile  adj. 1 not fertile. 2 unable to have offspring.  infertility n.
Open book  n. Person who is easily understood.

Effigy  n. (pl. -ies) sculpture or model of a person.  burn in effigy burn a model of a person. [latin effigies from fingo fashion]

Operable  adj. 1 that can be operated. 2 suitable for treatment by surgical operation. [latin: related to *operate]
Preplan  v. (-nn-) plan in advance.

Battledore  n. Hist. 1 (in full battledore and shuttlecock) game played with a shuttlecock and rackets. 2 racket used in this. [perhaps from provençal batedor beater]


Espionage  n. Spying or use of spies. [french: related to *spy]
Sawn  past part. Of *saw1.
Night-light  n. Dim light kept burning in a bedroom at night.
Self-delusion  n. Act of deluding oneself.
Electric eel  n. Eel-like fish able to give an electric shock.



Abortion  n. 1 natural or (esp.) Induced expulsion of a foetus from the womb before it is able to survive independently. 2 stunted or deformed creature or thing. 3 failed project or action.  abortionist n.

Crackling  n. Crisp skin of roast pork.

Deferential  adj. Respectful.  deferentially adv.
Non sequitur  n. Conclusion that does not logically follow from the premisses. [latin, = it does not follow]

Octahedron  n. (pl. -s) solid figure contained by eight (esp. Triangular) plane faces.  octahedral adj. [greek]

Polar bear  n. Large white bear living in the arctic regions.
Mid-off  n. Cricket position of the fielder near the bowler on the off side.

Keen1  adj. 1 enthusiastic, eager. 2 (foll. By on) enthusiastic about, fond of. 3 (of the senses) sharp. 4 intellectually acute. 5 (of a knife etc.) Sharp. 6 (of a sound, light, etc.) Penetrating, vivid. 7 (of a wind etc.) Piercingly cold. 8 (of a pain etc.) Acute. 9 (of a price) competitive.  keenly adv. Keenness n. [old english]


Honest  —adj. 1 fair and just; not cheating or stealing. 2 free of deceit and untruthfulness; sincere. 3 fairly earned (an honest living). 4 blameless but undistinguished. —adv. Colloq. Genuinely, really. [latin honestus]

Pencil  —n. 1 instrument for writing or drawing, usu. A thin rod of graphite etc. Enclosed in a wooden cylinder or metal case. 2 (attrib.) Resembling a pencil in shape (pencil skirt). —v. (-ll-; us -l-) 1 write, draw, or mark with a pencil. 2 (usu. Foll. By in) write, note, or arrange provisionally. [latin penicillum paintbrush]
Diamanté  adj. Decorated with synthetic diamonds or another sparkling substance. [french diamant diamond]

Warn  v. 1 (also absol.) A (often foll. By of or that) inform of danger, unknown circumstances, etc. B (foll. By to + infin.) Advise (a person) to take certain action. C (often foll. By against) inform (a person etc.) About a specific danger. 2 (usu. With neg.) Admonish.  warn off tell (a person) to keep away (from). [old english]
Cameo  n. (pl. -s) 1 small piece of hard stone carved in relief with a background of a different colour. 2 a short descriptive literary sketch or acted scene. B small character part in a play or film, usu. Brief and played by a distinguished actor. [french and medieval latin]

Controversial  adj. Causing or subject to controversy. [latin: related to *controvert]

Spasmodic  adj. Of or in spasms, intermittent.  spasmodically adv. [greek: related to *spasm]
Characterize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 a describe the character of. B (foll. By as) describe as. 2 be characteristic of. 3 impart character to.  characterization n.

Level pegging  n. Equality of scores etc.

Fieldfare  n. Thrush with grey plumage.


Business park  n. Area designed for commerce and light industry.
Toast rack  n. Rack for holding slices of toast at table.
Scream  —n. 1 loud high-pitched cry of fear, pain, etc. 2 similar sound or cry. 3 colloq. Hilarious occurrence or person. —v. 1 emit a scream. 2 speak or sing (words etc.) In a screaming tone. 3 make or move with a screaming sound. 4 laugh uncontrollably. 5 be blatantly obvious. [old english]

Analyze  n. (brit. Analyse) 1 examine in detail; ascertain the constituents of (a substance, sentence, etc.). 2 psychoanalyse.
Sip  —v. (-pp-) drink in small mouthfuls. —n. 1 small mouthful of liquid. 2 act of taking this. [perhaps var. Of *sup1]

Vietnamese  —adj. Of vietnam. —n. (pl. Same) native or language of vietnam.

Facsimile  n. Exact copy, esp. Of writing, printing, a picture, etc. [latin, = make like]
Bilious  adj. 1 affected by a disorder of the bile. 2 bad-tempered. [latin: related to *bile]
Gregorian calendar  n. Calendar introduced in 1582 by pope gregory xiii.
Sept  n. Clan, esp. In ireland. [alteration of *sect]

Duffle  n. (also duffel) heavy woollen cloth. [duffel in belgium]
Mantra  n. 1 hindu or buddhist devotional incantation. 2 vedic hymn. [sanskrit, = instrument of thought]




Undertake  v. (-king; past -took; past part. -taken) 1 agree to perform or be responsible for; engage in, enter upon (work, a responsibility, etc.). 2 (usu. Foll. By to + infin.) Promise. 3 guarantee (undertake that he is innocent).
 






Horology  n. Art of measuring time or making clocks, watches, etc.  horological adj. [greek hora time]

Frame  —n. 1 case or border enclosing a picture, window, door, etc. 2 basic rigid supporting structure of a building, vehicle, etc. 3 (in pl.) Structure of spectacles holding the lenses. 4 human or animal body, esp. As large or small. 5 a established order or system (the frame of society). B construction, build, structure. 6 temporary state (esp. In frame of mind). 7 single complete image on a cinema film or transmitted in a series of lines by television. 8 a triangular structure for positioning balls in snooker etc. B round of play in snooker etc. 9 boxlike structure of glass etc. For protecting plants. 10 us slang = *frame-up. —v. (-ming) 1 a set in a frame. B serve as a frame for. 2 construct, put together, devise. 3 (foll. By to, into) adapt or fit. 4 slang concoct a false charge or evidence against; devise a plot against. 5 articulate (words). [old english, = be helpful]
Char2  colloq. —n. = *charwoman. —v. (-rr-) work as a charwoman. [old english, = turn]



Air pocket  n. Apparent vacuum causing an aircraft to drop suddenly.
Cower  v. Crouch or shrink back in fear or distress. [low german]

Phosphorus  n. Chem. Non-metallic element existing in allotropic forms, esp. As a whitish waxy substance burning slowly at ordinary temperatures and so luminous in the dark.  phosphoric adj. Phosphorous adj. [greek phos light, -phoros -bringing]
Miscegenation  n. Interbreeding of races, esp. Of whites and non-whites. [related to *mix, *genus]

Little  —adj. (littler, littlest; less or lesser, least) 1 small in size, amount, degree, etc.; often used affectionately or condescendingly (friendly little chap; silly little fool). 2 a short in stature. B of short distance or duration. 3 (prec. By a) a certain though small amount of (give me a little butter). 4 trivial (questions every little thing).
Indirect tax  n. Tax on goods and services, not on income or profits.

Blindfold  —v. Cover the eyes of (a person) with a tied cloth etc. —n. Cloth etc. So used. —adj. & adv. 1 with eyes covered. 2 without due care. [originally blindfelled = struck blind]



Pillory  —n. (pl. -ies) hist. Wooden framework with holes for the head and hands, holding a person and allowing him or her to be publicly ridiculed. —v. (-ies, -ied) 1 expose to ridicule. 2 hist. Put in the pillory. [french]

Stocking-stitch  n. Alternate rows of plain and purl.









Plane2  —n. Tool for smoothing a usu. Wooden surface by paring shavings from it. —v. (-ning) 1 smooth with a plane. 2 (often foll. By away, down) pare with a plane. [latin: related to *plane1]

Self-raising  adj. (of flour) containing a raising agent.

Rolling-mill  n. Machine or factory for rolling metal into shape.

Ineffectual  adj. Ineffective, feeble.  ineffectually adv. Ineffectualness n.
Spheroid  n. Spherelike but not perfectly spherical body.  spheroidal adj.
Contribute  v. (-ting) (often foll. By to) 1 give (time, money, etc.) Towards a common purpose. 2 help to bring about a result etc. 3 (also absol.) Supply (an article etc.) For publication with others.  contributor n. [latin: related to *tribute]
Logical  adj. 1 of or according to logic (the logical conclusion). 2 correctly reasoned. 3 defensible or explicable on the ground of consistency. 4 capable of correct reasoning.  logicality n. Logically adv. [greek logos word, reason]
Avoid  v. 1 keep away or refrain from. 2 escape; evade. 3 law quash, annul.  avoidable adj. Avoidance n. [french]


Chinese leaf  n. Lettuce-like cabbage.
Hf  symb. Hafnium.
Affirm  v. 1 assert, state as a fact. 2 law make a solemn declaration in place of an oath.  affirmation n. [latin: related to *firm1]





Social science  n. The study of society and social relationships.  social scientist n.
Defense  n. (brit. Defence) 1 defending, protection. 2 means of this. 3 (in pl.) Fortifications. 4 justification, vindication. 5 defendant's case or counsel in a lawsuit. 6 defending play or players.  defenceless adj. Defencelessly adv. Defencelessness n. [related to *defend]
Caption  —n. 1 wording appended to an illustration, cartoon, etc. 2 wording on a cinema or television screen. 3 heading of a chapter, article, etc. —v. Provide with a caption. [latin capio take]



Sand-martin  n. Bird nesting in sandy banks.


Cadenza  n. Virtuoso passage for a soloist. [italian: related to *cadence]
Warder  n. (fem. Wardress) prison officer. [french: related to *guard]

Web-footed  adj. Having the toes connected by webs.
Dramatize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 turn (a novel etc.) Into a play. 2 make a dramatic scene of. 3 behave dramatically.  dramatization n.

She'll  contr. She will; she shall.
Intimidate  v. (-ting) frighten or overawe, esp. To subdue or influence.  intimidation n. [medieval latin: related to *timid]

Flan  n. 1 pastry case with a savoury or sweet filling. 2 sponge base with a sweet topping. [medieval latin flado -onis]
Gaiter  n. Covering of cloth, leather, etc., for the lower leg. [french guêtre]




Wire-haired  adj. (esp. Of a dog) with stiff or wiry hair.



Unrelenting  adj. Not abating, yielding, or relaxing; unmerciful.  unrelentingly adv.


Flame  —n. 1 a ignited gas. B portion of this (flame flickered; burst into flames). 2 a bright light or colouring. B brilliant orange-red colour. 3 a strong passion, esp. Love (fan the flame). B colloq. Sweetheart. —v. (-ming) 1 (often foll. By away, forth, out, up) burn; blaze. 2 (often foll. By out, up) a (of passion) break out. B (of a person) become angry. 3 shine or glow like flame. [latin flamma]
Tick-tack  n. A kind of manual semaphore used by racecourse bookmakers.
Tender3  n. 1 person who looks after people or things. 2 supply ship attending a larger one etc. 3 truck coupled to a steam locomotive to carry fuel and water. [from *tend2]
Keepsake  n. Souvenir, esp. Of a person.

Usurer  n. Person who practises usury.

Reverend mother  n. Mother superior of a convent.
Juniper  n. Evergreen shrub or tree with prickly leaves and dark-purple berry-like cones. [latin juniperus]


Home guard  n. Hist. British citizen army organized for defence in 1940.
A.m.  Abbr. Before noon. [latin ante meridiem]
News room  n. Room in a newspaper or broadcasting office where news is processed.
Resume  v. (-ming) 1 begin again or continue after an interruption. 2 begin to speak, work, or use again; recommence. 3 get back; take back (resume one's seat). [latin sumo sumpt- take]
Biorhythm  n. Any recurring biological cycle thought to affect one's physical or mental state.
Partitive  —adj. (of a word, form, etc.) Denoting part of a collective group or quantity. —n. Partitive word (e.g. Some, any) or form. [french or medieval latin: related to *partition]


Heath robinson  adj. Absurdly ingenious and impracticable. [name of a cartoonist]

Prune2  v. (-ning) 1 a (often foll. By down) trim (a bush etc.) By cutting away dead or overgrown branches etc. B (usu. Foll. By off, away) lop (branches etc.) Thus. 2 reduce (costs etc.) (prune expenses). 3 a (often foll. By of) clear or remove superfluities from. B remove (superfluities). [french prooignier from romanic: related to *round]
Transport  —v. 1 take or carry (a person, goods, etc.) To another place. 2 hist. Deport (a criminal) to a penal colony. 3 (as transported adj.) (usu. Foll. By with) affected with strong emotion. —n. 1 a system of conveying people, goods, etc., from place to place. B means of this (our transport has arrived). 2 ship, aircraft, etc. Used to carry soldiers, stores, etc. 3 (esp. In pl.) Vehement emotion (transports of joy).  transportable adj. [latin porto carry]
Theocracy  n. (pl. -ies) form of government by god or a god directly, or through a priestly order etc.  theocratic adj.


Werewolf  n. (pl. -wolves) mythical being who at times changes from a person to a wolf. [old english]
Greenstuff  n. Vegetation; green vegetables.


Oligarchy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 government, or state governed, by a small group of people. 2 members of such a government.  oligarchic adj. Oligarchical adj.

Gnat  n. Small two-winged biting fly. [old english]
Margarine  n. Butter-substitute made from vegetable oils or animal fats with milk etc. [greek margaron pearl]
Skinful  n. Colloq. Enough alcohol to make one drunk.
Headstall  n. Part of a halter or bridle fitting round a horse's head.
Memento  n. (pl. -es or -s) souvenir of a person or event. [latin, imperative of memini remember]

Reactivate  v. (-ting) restore to a state of activity.  reactivation n.

Spike1  —n. 1 a sharp point. B pointed piece of metal, esp. The top of an iron railing. 2 a metal point in the sole of a running-shoe to prevent slipping. B (in pl.) Spiked running-shoes. 3 pointed metal rod used for filing rejected news items. 4 large nail. —v. (-king) 1 put spikes on or into. 2 fix on a spike. 3 colloq. A lace (a drink) with alcohol etc. B contaminate with something added. 4 colloq. Reject (a newspaper story).  spike a person's guns spoil his or her plans. [low german or dutch: related to *spoke1]

Aliquot  —adj. (of a part or portion) contained by the whole an integral number of times (4 is an aliquot part of 12). —n. 1 aliquot part. 2 (in general use) any known fraction of a whole; sample. [latin, = several]
Rickety  adj. 1 insecure, shaky. 2 suffering from rickets.  ricketiness n.

Tonsure  —n. 1 shaving of the crown of the head or the entire head, esp. Of a person entering the priesthood or a monastic order. 2 bare patch made in this way. —v. (-ring) give a tonsure to. [latin: related to *tonsorial]

Repeal  —v. Revoke or annul (a law etc.). —n. Repealing. [french: related to *appeal]

Whiting1  n. (pl. Same) small white-fleshed fish used as food. [dutch: related to *white]

Skilled  adj. 1 (often foll. By in) skilful. 2 (of work or a worker) requiring or having skill or special training.


Clod  n. Lump of earth, clay, etc. [var. Of *clot]
Ductile  adj. 1 (of metal) capable of being drawn into wire; pliable. 2 easily moulded. 3 docile.  ductility n. [latin: related to *duct]



Glint  —v. Flash, glitter. —n. Flash, sparkle. [probably scandinavian]
Whisky  n. (ir. & us whiskey) (pl. -ies or -eys) spirit distilled esp. From malted grain, esp. Barley or rye. [abbreviation of usquebaugh from gaelic, = water of life]


Common law  n. Unwritten law based on custom and precedent.
Charade  n. 1 (usu. In pl., treated as sing.) Game of guessing a word from acted clues. 2 absurd pretence. [provençal charra chatter]

Fastening  n. Device that fastens something; fastener.
Bookshop  n. Shop selling books.
Wellies  n.pl. Colloq. Wellingtons. [abbreviation]

Atheism  n. Belief that there is no god.  atheist n. Atheistic adj. [greek a- not, theos god]
Matter of course  n. Natural or expected thing.

Hurricane-lamp  n. Oil-lamp designed to resist a high wind.



Toxaemia  n. (us toxemia) 1 blood-poisoning. 2 increased blood pressure in pregnancy. [related to *toxic, greek haima blood]
Dependable  adj. Reliable.  dependability n. Dependableness n. Dependably adv.
Mnemonic  —adj. Of or designed to aid the memory. —n. Mnemonic word, verse, etc. mnemonically adv. [greek mnemon mindful]





Firelight  n. Light from a fire in a fireplace.



Stitch  —n. 1 a (in sewing, knitting, or crocheting) single pass of a needle, or the resulting thread or loop etc. B particular method of sewing etc. 2 least bit of clothing (hadn't a stitch on). 3 sharp pain in the side induced by running etc. —v. Sew; make stitches (in).  in stitches colloq. Laughing uncontrollably. Stitch up 1 join or mend by sewing. 2 slang trick, cheat, betray. [old english: related to *stick2]
Concave  adj. Curved like the interior of a circle or sphere.  concavity n. [latin: related to *cave]

Single-breasted  adj. (of a coat etc.) Having only one vertical row of buttons and overlapping little down the front.
He  —pron. (obj. Him; poss. His; pl. They) 1 the man, boy, or male animal previously named or in question. 2 person etc. Of unspecified sex (if anyone comes he will have to wait; he who hesitates). —n. 1 male; man. 2 (in comb.) Male (he-goat). [old english]
Gird  v. (past and past part. Girded or girt) 1 encircle, attach, or secure, with a belt or band. 2 enclose or encircle. 3 (foll. By round) place (a cord etc.) Round.  gird (or gird up) one's loins prepare for action. [old english]
Yield  —v. 1 produce or return as a fruit, profit, or result. 2 give up; surrender, concede. 3 a (often foll. By to) surrender; submit; defer to. B (as yielding adj.) Compliant; submissive; soft and pliable. 4 (foll. By to) give right of way to (other traffic). 5 (foll.
Brother german  see *german.
Keelhaul  v. 1 drag (a person) under the keel of a ship as a punishment. 2 scold or rebuke severely.
Folk-song  n. Song of popular or traditional origin or style.




Half-term  n. Short holiday halfway through a school term.



Inert  adj. 1 without inherent power of action, motion, or resistance. 2 not reacting chemically with other substances (inert gas). 3 sluggish, slow; lifeless. [latin iners -ert-: related to *art]
Consommé  n. Clear soup from meat stock. [french]
 






Payroll  n. List of employees receiving regular pay.
Paper-clip  n. Clip of bent wire or plastic for fastening papers together.
Mire  —n. 1 area of swampy ground. 2 mud, dirt. —v. (-ring) 1 plunge or sink in a mire. 2 involve in difficulties. 3 bespatter; besmirch.  miry adj. [old norse]



Jacuzzi  n. (pl. -s) propr. Large bath with massaging underwater jets of water. [name of its inventor and manufacturers]

Salvage  —n. 1 rescue of property from the sea, a fire, etc. 2 property etc. So saved. 3 a saving and use of waste materials. B materials salvaged. —v. (-ging) 1 save from a wreck etc. 2 retrieve from a disaster etc. (salvaged her pride).  salvageable adj. [latin: related to *save1]


Preservative  —n. Substance for preserving perishable foodstuffs, wood, etc. —adj. Tending to preserve.

Local authority  n. Administrative body in local government.



Mus.b.  Abbr. (also mus. Bac.) Bachelor of music. [latin musicae baccalaureus]
Affable  adj. 1 friendly. 2 courteous.  affability n. Affably adv. [latin affabilis]
Turret  n. 1 small tower, esp. Decorating a building. 2 low flat usu. Revolving armoured tower for a gun and gunners in a ship, aircraft, fort, or tank. 3 rotating holder for tools in a lathe etc.  turreted adj. [french diminutive: related to *tower]
Castellated  adj. 1 having battlements. 2 castle-like.  castellation n. [medieval latin: related to *castle]


Hindquarters  n.pl. Hind legs and rump of a quadruped.

Modulus  n. (pl. Moduli) math. Constant factor or ratio. [latin, = measure: related to *mode]


Paramilitary  —adj. (of forces) organized on military lines. —n. (pl. -ies) member of an unofficial paramilitary organization, esp. In n. Ireland.

Sausage roll  n. Sausage meat in a pastry roll.

Crammer  n. Person or institution that crams pupils for examinations.
Forfeit  —n. 1 penalty. 2 thing surrendered as a penalty. —adj. Lost or surrendered as a penalty. —v. (-t-) lose the right to, surrender as a penalty.  forfeiture n. [french forfaire transgress, from latin foris outside, facio do]

Gastric  adj. Of the stomach. [french: related to *gastro-]

Prolific  adj. 1 producing many offspring or much output. 2 (often foll. By of) abundantly productive. 3 (often foll. By in) abounding, copious.  prolifically adv. [medieval latin: related to *proliferate]
Elf  n. (pl. Elves) mythological being, esp. One that is small and mischievous.  elfish adj. Elvish adj. [old english]
Vulgarism  n. Vulgar word, expression, action, or habit.

Camisole  n. Women's lightweight vest. [italian or spanish: related to *chemise]
Silurian  geol. —adj. Of the third period of the palaeozoic era. —n. This period. [silures, people of ancient wales]
Nun  n. Member of a religious community of women living under certain vows. [latin nonna]



Stripe  n. 1 long narrow band or strip differing in colour or texture from the surface on either side of it. 2 mil. Chevron etc. Denoting military rank. [perhaps from low german or dutch]



Sprit  n. Small diagonal spar from the mast to the upper outer corner of a sail. [old english]
Offing  n. More distant part of the sea in view.  in the offing not far away; likely to appear or happen soon. [probably from *off]
Pliers  n.pl. Pincers with parallel flat surfaces for holding small objects, bending wire, etc. [from dial. Ply bend: related to *pliable]


Open society  n. Society with freedom of belief.
Incipient  adj. 1 beginning. 2 in an early stage. [latin incipio begin]
Short-term  adj. Of or for a short period of time.


Lb  abbr. Pound(s) (weight). [latin libra]
Stainless  adj. 1 without stains. 2 not liable to stain.


Synchromesh  n. (often attrib.) System of gear-changing, esp. In vehicles, in which the gearwheels revolve at the same speed during engagement. [abbreviation of synchronized mesh]
Foreshorten  v. Show or portray (an object) with the apparent shortening due to visual perspective.

Favoritism  n. (brit. Favouritism) unfair favouring of one person etc. At the expense of another.

Sarge  n. Slang sergeant. [abbreviation]

Clandestine  adj. Surreptitious, secret. [latin]

Disembodied  adj. 1 (of the soul etc.) Freed from the body or concrete form. 2 lacking a body.  disembodiment n.
Himself  pron. 1 a emphat. Form of *he or *him (he himself will do it). B refl. Form of *him (he has hurt himself). 2 in his normal state of body or mind (does not feel quite himself today).  be himself see *oneself. By himself see by oneself. [old english: related to *him, *self]




Stol  abbr. Short take-off and landing.



Overate  past of *overeat.



Mysterious  adj. Full of or wrapped in mystery.  mysteriously adv. [french: related to *mystery]
Clomp  var. Of *clump v. 2.



Minute1  —n. 1 sixtieth part of an hour. 2 distance covered in one minute (ten minutes from the shops). 3 a moment (expecting her any minute). B (prec. By the) colloq. Present time (not here at the minute). C (prec. By the, foll. By a clause) as soon as (the minute you get back). 4 sixtieth part of an angular degree. 5 (in pl.) Summary of the proceedings of a meeting. 6 official memorandum authorizing or recommending a course of action. —v. (-ting) 1 record in minutes. 2 send the minutes of a meeting to.  up to the minute completely up to date. [latin minuo lessen]



Mezzotint  n. 1 method of printing or engraving in which a plate is roughened by scraping to produce tones and halftones. 2 print so produced. [italian: related to *mezzo, *tint]


Cashpoint  n. = *cash dispenser.

Good will  n. Intention that good will result (see also *goodwill).
Streetwalker  n. Prostitute seeking customers in the street.




Time-share  n. Share in a property under a time-sharing scheme.
Pivot  —n. 1 shaft or pin on which something turns or oscillates. 2 crucial or essential person, point, etc. —v. (-t-) 1 turn on or as on a pivot. 2 provide with a pivot.  pivotal adj. [french]



Hat  n. 1 (esp. Outdoor) covering for the head. 2 colloq. Person's present capacity (wearing his managerial hat).  keep it under one's hat colloq. Keep it secret. Pass the hat round collect contributions of money. Take one's hat off to colloq. Acknowledge admiration for. [old english]
Unconscionable  adj. 1 without or contrary to conscience. 2 excessive (unconscionable waste).  unconscionably adv. [from *un-1, *conscience]

Slow-worm  n. Small european legless lizard. [old english slow of uncertain origin]






Dematerialize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) make or become non-material; vanish.  dematerialization n.
Proboscis  n. (pl. -sces) 1 long flexible trunk or snout of some mammals, e.g. An elephant or tapir. 2 elongated mouth parts of some insects. [greek bosko feed]

Genial  adj. 1 jovial, sociable, kindly. 2 (of the climate) mild and warm; conducive to growth. 3 cheering.  geniality n. Genially adv. [latin: related to *genius]
Planking  n. Planks as flooring etc.

Tier  n. Row, rank, or unit of a structure, as one of several placed one above another (tiers of seats).  tiered adj. [french tire from tirer draw, elongate]



Usage  see note at exceptionable.
Gradation  n. (usu. In pl.) 1 stage of transition or advance. 2 a certain degree in rank, intensity, etc. B arrangement in such degrees.  gradational adj. [latin: related to *grade]

Sofa bed  n. Sofa that can be converted into a bed.
Pool2  —n. 1 a common supply of persons, vehicles, commodities, etc. For sharing by a group of people. B group of persons sharing duties etc. 2 common fund, e.g. Of profits of separate firms or of players' stakes in gambling. 3 arrangement between competing parties to fix prices and share business. 4 us a game on a billiard-table with usu. 16 balls. B game on a billiard-table in which each player has a ball of a different colour with which he or she tries to pocket the others in fixed order, the winner taking all of the stakes. —v. 1 put into a common fund. 2 share in common. [french poule]

Blown  past part. Of *blow1.

Graceless  adj. Lacking grace, elegance, or charm.
Pound coin  n. (also pound note) coin or note worth one pound.


Exeunt  v. (as a stage direction) (actors) leave the stage. [latin: related to *exit]


Slip of the pen  n. (also slip of the tongue) small written (or spoken) mistake.


Debar  v. (-rr-) (foll. By from) exclude; prohibit (debarred from the club).  debarment n. [french: related to *bar1]

Auspicious  adj. Promising well; favourable.
Apple  n. 1 roundish firm fruit with crisp flesh. 2 tree bearing this.  apple of one's eye cherished person or thing. [old english]
Breath test  n. Test with a breathalyser.


Bivalve  —n. Aquatic mollusc with a hinged double shell, e.g. The oyster and mussel. —adj. With such a shell.
Foregoing  adj. Preceding; previously mentioned.
Wring  —v. (past and past part. Wrung) 1 a squeeze tightly. B (often foll. By out) squeeze and twist, esp. To remove liquid. 2 break by twisting. 3 distress, torture. 4 extract by squeezing. 5 (foll. By out, from) obtain by pressure or importunity; extort. —n. Act of wringing.  wring one's hands clasp them as a gesture of distress. Wring the neck of kill (a chicken etc.) By twisting its neck. [old english]
Hogwash  n. Colloq. Nonsense, rubbish.
Striptease  n. Entertainment in which the performer slowly and erotically undresses.

Sahib  n. Hist. (in india) form of address to european man. [arabic, = lord]

Unbosom  v. (often refl.) Disclose (thoughts etc.); unburden oneself.
Valid  adj. 1 (of a reason, objection, etc.) Sound, defensible. 2 a executed with the proper formalities, legally acceptable (valid contract; valid passport). B not yet expired.  validity n. [latin validus strong: related to *valiant]
Greenhouse effect  n. Trapping of the sun's warmth in the lower atmosphere of the earth, caused by an increase in carbon dioxide, methane, etc.
Usage  the alternative pronunciation given for the adjective, stressed on the second syllable, is considered incorrect by some people.

Muster  —v. 1 collect (orig. Soldiers) for inspection, to check numbers, etc. 2 collect, gather together. 3 summon (courage etc.). —n. Assembly of persons for inspection.  pass muster be accepted as adequate. [latin monstro show]
Irrupt  v. (foll. By into) enter forcibly or violently.  irruption n. [latin: related to *rupture]

Pandora's box  n. Process that once begun will generate many unmanageable problems. [a box in greek mythology from which many ills were released on mankind]
Spat4  n. Spawn of shellfish, esp. The oyster. [anglo-french, of unknown origin]
Sibling  n. Each of two or more children having one or both parents in common. [old english, = akin]
Revolt  —v. 1 rise in rebellion. 2 a affect with strong disgust. B (often foll. By at, against) feel strong disgust. —n. 1 act of rebelling. 2 state of insurrection. 3 sense of disgust. 4 mood of protest or defiance. [italian: related to *revolve]


Drip-feed  —v. Feed intravenously in drops. —n. 1 feeding thus. 2 apparatus for doing this.

Criticism  n. 1 a fault-finding; censure. B critical remark etc. 2 a work of a critic. B analytical article, essay, etc.






Stash  colloq. —v. (often foll. By away) 1 conceal; put in a safe place. 2 hoard. —n. 1 hiding-place. 2 thing hidden. [origin unknown]






Revivify  v. (-ies, -ied) restore to animation, vigour, or life.  revivification n. [latin: related to *vivify]
Interact  v. Act on each other.  interaction n.



Forsooth  adv. Archaic or joc. Truly; no doubt. [old english: related to *for, *sooth]
Quicksilver  n.  Mercury.
Spill2  n. Thin strip of wood or paper etc. For lighting a fire, pipe, etc. [low german or dutch]







Tarmac  —n. Propr. 1 = *tarmacadam. 2 runway etc. Made of this. —v. (tarmac) (-ck-) apply tarmacadam to. [abbreviation]
Plumb  —n. Lead ball, esp. Attached to the end of a line for finding the depth of water or testing whether a wall etc. Is vertical. —adv. 1 exactly (plumb in the centre). 2 vertically. 3 us slang quite, utterly (plumb crazy). —adj. Vertical. —v. 1 a provide with plumbing. B (often foll. By in) fit as part of a plumbing system. C work as a plumber. 2 sound or test with a plumb. 3 reach or experience (an extreme feeling) (plumb the depths of fear).

Health service  n. Public service providing medical care.

Outhouse  n. Small building adjoining or apart from a house.
Tog1  colloq. —n. (usu. In pl.) Item of clothing. —v. (-gg-) (foll. By out, up) dress. [apparently originally cant: ultimately related to latin *toga]
Rubbing  n.  Impression or copy made by rubbing.

Easterly  —adj. & adv. 1 in an eastern position or direction. 2 (of a wind) from the east. —n. (pl. -ies) such a wind.


Holding  n. 1 tenure of land. 2 stocks, property, etc. Held.

Escapology  n. Techniques of escaping from confinement, esp. As entertainment.  escapologist n.
Para  n. Colloq. 1 paratrooper. 2 paragraph. [abbreviation]
Spot  —n. 1 small roundish area or mark differing in colour, texture, etc., from the surface it is on. 2 pimple or blemish. 3 moral blemish or stain. 4 particular place, locality. 5 particular part of one's body or aspect of one's character. 6 colloq. One's esp. Regular position in an organization, programme, etc. 7 a colloq. Small quantity (spot of trouble). B drop (spot of rain). 8 = *spotlight. 9 (usu. Attrib.) Money paid or goods delivered immediately after a sale (spot cash). —v. (-tt-) 1 colloq. Pick out, recognize, catch sight of. 2 watch for and take note of (trains, talent, etc.). 3 (as spotted adj.) Marked or decorated with spots. 4 make spots, rain slightly.  in a spot (or in a tight etc. Spot) colloq. In difficulty. On the spot 1 at the scene of an event. 2 colloq. In a position demanding response or action. 3 without delay. 4 without moving forwards or backwards (running on the spot). [perhaps from low german or dutch]




Absorbent  —adj. Tending to absorb. —n. Absorbent substance or organ.
Sow1  v. (past sowed; past part. Sown or sowed) 1 (also absol.) A scatter (seed) on or in the earth. B (often foll. By with) plant with seed. 2 initiate (sow hatred).  sow one's wild oats indulge in youthful excess or promiscuity. [old english]


Floating dock  n. Floating structure usable as a dry dock.
Brucellosis  n. Bacterial disease, esp. Of cattle. [sir d. Bruce, name of a physician]


Cashier2  v. Dismiss from service, esp. With disgrace. [french: related to *quash]

Box pleat  n. Arrangement of parallel pleats folding in alternate directions.

Shock1  —n. 1 violent collision, impact, tremor, etc. 2 sudden and disturbing effect on the emotions etc. 3 acute prostration following a wound, pain, etc. 4 = *electric shock. 5 disturbance in the stability of an organization etc. —v. 1 a horrify; outrage. B (absol.) Cause shock. 2 affect with an electric or pathological shock. [french choc, choquer]
Steam iron  n. Electric iron that emits steam.
Dissentient  —adj. Disagreeing with the established or official view. —n. Person who dissents.
Pawn2  —v. 1 deposit (a thing) with a pawnbroker as security for money lent. 2 pledge or wager (one's life, honour, etc.). —n. Object left in pawn.  in pawn held as security. [french pan from germanic]
Individuality  n. 1 individual character, esp. When strongly marked. 2 separate existence.
Step  —n. 1 a complete movement of one leg in walking or running. B distance so covered. 2 unit of movement in dancing. 3 measure taken, esp. One of several in a course of action. 4 surface of a stair, stepladder, etc.; tread. 5 short distance. 6 sound or mark made by a foot in walking etc. 7 manner of walking etc. 8 degree in the scale of promotion or precedence etc. 9 a stepping in unison or to music (esp. In or out of step). B state of conforming (refuses to keep step with the team). 10 (in pl.) (also pair of steps) = *stepladder. —v. (-pp-) 1 lift and set down one's foot or alternate feet in walking. 2 come or go in a specified direction by stepping. 3 make progress in a specified way (stepped into a new job). 4 (foll. By off, out) measure (distance) by stepping. 5 perform (a dance).  mind (or watch) one's step be careful. Step by step gradually; cautiously. Step down resign. Step in 1 enter. 2 intervene. Step on it colloq. Accelerate; hurry up. Step out 1 be active socially. 2 take large steps. Step out of line behave inappropriately or disobediently. Step up increase, intensify. [old english]
Aside  —adv. To or on one side; away, apart. —n. Words spoken aside, esp. Confidentially to the audience by an actor.
Bill  n. Slang = *old bill. [diminutive of william]
Mead  n. Alcoholic drink of fermented honey and water. [old english]
Provost marshal  n. Head of military police in camp or on active service.


Fibre  n. (us fiber) 1 thread or filament forming tissue or textile. 2 piece of threadlike glass. 3 substance formed of fibres, or able to be spun, woven, etc. 4 structure; character (moral fibre). 5 roughage. [french from latin fibra]




Molder  v. (brit. Moulder) 1 decay to dust. 2 (foll. By away) rot or crumble. 3 deteriorate. [from *mould3]


Vulgar tongue  n. (prec. By the) national or vernacular language.

Crumpet  n. 1 soft flat yeasty cake toasted and buttered. 2 joc. Or offens. Sexually attractive woman or women. [origin uncertain]
Variant  —adj. 1 differing in form or details from a standard (variant spelling). 2 having different forms (forty variant types). —n. Variant form, spelling, type, etc.

Tack1  —n. 1 small sharp broad-headed nail. 2 us drawing-pin. 3 long stitch for joining fabrics etc. Lightly or temporarily together. 4 (in sailing) direction, or temporary change of direction, esp. Taking advantage of a side wind (starboard tack). 5 course of action or policy (change tack). 6 sticky condition of varnish etc. —v. 1 (often foll. By down etc.) Fasten with tacks. 2 stitch lightly together. 3 (foll. By to, on, on to) add or append. 4  a change a ship's course by turning its head to the wind. B make a series of such tacks. [probably related to french tache clasp, nail]
Instruct  v. 1 teach (a person) a subject etc.; train. 2 (usu. Foll. By to + infin.) Direct; command. 3 law a employ (a lawyer). B inform.  instructor n. [latin instruo -struct- build, teach]
Busman  n. Bus driver.
Shot in the arm  n. Colloq. Stimulus or encouragement.

Nigger  n. Offens. Black or dark-skinned person. [spanish *negro]
Decent  adj. 1 a conforming with standards of decency. B avoiding obscenity. 2 respectable. 3 acceptable, good enough. 4 kind, obliging.  decently adv. [latin decet is fitting]
Self-centred  adj. (us -centered) preoccupied with oneself; selfish.  self-centredly adv. Self-centredness n.
Assistant  n. 1 (often attrib.) Person who helps, esp. As a subordinate. 2 = *shop assistant.
Heel3  var. Of *hele.

Hubble-bubble  n. 1 simple hookah. 2 bubbling sound. 3 confused talk. [imitative]
Turn-about  n. 1 turning about. 2 abrupt change of policy etc.
Leo  n. (pl. -s) 1 constellation and fifth sign of the zodiac (the lion). 2 person born when the sun is in this sign. [latin]




Unaffiliated  adj. Not affiliated.
Lumpy  adj. (-ier, -iest) full of or covered with lumps.  lumpily adv. Lumpiness n.




Triumphalism  n. Excessive exultation over the victories of one's own party etc.  triumphalist adj. & n.
Far gone  adj. Colloq. Very ill, drunk, etc.
Horseradish  n. Plant with a pungent root used to make a sauce.

Rambling  adj. 1 wandering. 2 disconnected, incoherent. 3 (of a house, street, etc.) Irregularly arranged. 4 (of a plant) straggling, climbing.
Champagne  n. 1 a white sparkling wine from champagne. B similar wine from elsewhere. 2 pale cream colour. [champagne, former province in e. France]
Homonym  n. 1 word spelt or pronounced like another but of different meaning; homograph or homophone. 2 namesake. [from *homo-, onoma name]


Fly2  n. (pl. Flies) 1 insect with two usu. Transparent wings. 2 other winged insect, e.g. A firefly. 3 disease of plants or animals caused by flies. 4 (esp. Artificial) fly as bait in fishing.  like flies in large numbers (usu. Of people dying etc.). No flies on (him etc.) Colloq. (he is) very astute. [old english]
Choc  n. Colloq. Chocolate. [abbreviation]

Quarterdeck  n. Part of a ship's upper deck near the stern, usu. Reserved for officers.
Two-tone  adj. Having two colours or sounds.

Calk  us var. Of *caulk.
Misogyny  n. Hatred of women.  misogynist n. Misogynistic adj. [greek misos hatred, gune woman]
Heart  n. 1 hollow muscular organ maintaining the circulation of blood by rhythmic contraction and dilation. 2 region of the heart; the breast. 3 a centre of thought, feeling, and emotion (esp. Love). B capacity for feeling emotion (has no heart). 4 a courage or enthusiasm (take heart). B mood or feeling (change of heart). 5 a central or innermost part of something. B essence (heart of the matter). 6 compact tender inner part of a lettuce etc. 7 a heart-shaped thing. B conventional representation of a heart with two equal curves meeting at a point at the bottom and a cusp at the top. 8 a playing-card of the suit denoted by a red figure of a heart. B (in pl.) This suit.  at heart 1 in one's inmost feelings. 2 basically. Break a person's heart overwhelm a person with sorrow. By heart from memory. Give (or lose) one's heart (often foll. By to) fall in love (with). Have the heart (usu. With neg.; foll. By to + infin.) Be insensitive or hard-hearted enough (didn't have the heart to ask him). Take to heart be much affected by. To one's heart's content see *content1. With all one's heart sincerely; with all goodwill. [old english]
Miniature  —adj. 1 much smaller than normal. 2 represented on a small scale. —n. 1 any miniature object. 2 detailed small-scale portrait. 3 this genre.  in miniature on a small scale.  miniaturist n. (in senses 2 and 3 of n.). [latin minium red lead]



Well-oiled  adj. Colloq. Very drunk.



Pyromania  n. Obsessive desire to start fires.  pyromaniac n. & adj.
Gopher  n. American burrowing rodent, ground-squirrel, or burrowing tortoise. [origin uncertain]
Spanish onion  n. Large mild-flavoured onion.


Wrath  n. Literary extreme anger. [old english: related to *wroth]







Macaroni  n. Small pasta tubes. [italian from greek]

Demeanor  n. (brit. Demeanour) outward behaviour or bearing. [latin minor threaten]

Misapply  v. (-ies, -ied) apply (esp. Funds) wrongly.  misapplication n.
Balsam  n. 1 resin exuded from various trees and shrubs. 2 ointment, esp. Containing oil or turpentine. 3 tree or shrub yielding balsam. 4 any of several flowering plants.  balsamic adj. [latin balsamum]


Savory  (brit. Savoury) —adj. 1 having an appetizing taste or smell. 2 (of food) salty or piquant, not sweet. 3 pleasant; acceptable. —n. (pl. -ies) savoury dish.  savouriness n.
Contented  adj. Showing or feeling content; happy, satisfied.  contentedly adv. Contentedness n.


Refuel  v. (-ll-; us -l-) replenish a fuel supply; supply with more fuel.
Hasty  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 hurried; acting too quickly. 2 said, made, or done too quickly or too soon; rash.  hastily adv. Hastiness n.
Low gear  n. Gear such that the driven end of a transmission revolves slower than the driving end.








Creature  n. 1 any living being, esp. An animal. 2 person of a specified kind (poor creature). 3 subservient person.  creaturely adj. [french from latin: related to *create]
Shiner  n. Colloq. Black eye.




Inauspicious  adj. 1 ill-omened, not favourable. 2 unlucky.  inauspiciously adv. Inauspiciousness n.
Expatiate  v. (-ting) (usu. Foll. By on, upon) speak or write at length.  expatiation n. Expatiatory adj. [latin spatium *space]
-fic  suffix (usu. As -ific) forming adjectives meaning ‘producing’, ‘making’ (prolific; pacific). [latin facio make]

Forbear2  var. Of *forebear.

Caledonian  literary —adj. Of scotland. —n. Scotsman. [latin caledonia n. Britain]


Salmon pink  adj. & n. (as adj. Often hyphenated) orange-pink colour of salmon flesh.
Plaint  n. 1 law accusation; charge. 2 literary complaint, lamentation. [french plainte from latin plango lament]

Pinion1  —n. 1 outer part of a bird's wing. 2 poet. Wing; flight-feather. —v. 1 cut off the pinion of (a wing or bird) to prevent flight. 2 a bind the arms of (a person). B (often foll. By to) bind (the arms, a person, etc.) Fast to a thing. [latin pinna] 

Showbiz  n. Colloq. = *show business.

Haven  n. 1 refuge. 2 harbour, port. [old english]
Compact1  —adj. 1 closely or neatly packed together. 2 small and economically designed. 3 concise. 4 (of a person) small but well-proportioned. —v. Make compact. —n. (in full powder compact) small flat case for face-powder.  compactly adv. Compactness n. [latin pango fasten]

Endemic  adj. (often foll. By to) regularly or only found among a particular people or in a particular region.  endemically adv. [greek en- in, demos the people]

Flaky  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 of, like, or in flakes. 2 esp. Us slang crazy, eccentric.
Pew  n. 1 (in a church) long bench with a back; enclosed compartment. 2 colloq. Seat (esp. Take a pew). [latin *podium]
Abort  v. 1 miscarry. 2 a effect abortion of (a foetus). B effect abortion in (a mother). 3 end or cause (a project etc.) To end before completion. [latin orior be born]




Crosswind  n. Wind blowing across one's path etc.
Caprice  n. 1 a whim. B tendency to this. 2 lively or fanciful work of art, music, etc. [italian capriccio sudden start]
Lay3  n. 1 short poem meant to be sung. 2 song. [french]
Idealism  n. 1 forming or pursuing ideals, esp. Unrealistically. 2 representation of things in ideal form. 3 system of thought in which objects are held to be in some way dependent on the mind.  idealist n. Idealistic adj. Idealistically adv.
Counselor  n. (brit. Counsellor) 1 adviser. 2 person giving professional guidance on personal problems. 3 us barrister.


Snowstorm  n. Heavy fall of snow, esp. With a high wind.


Quarter  —n. 1 each of four equal parts into which a thing is divided. 2 period of three months. 3 point of time 15 minutes before or after any hour. 4 a 25 us or canadian cents. B coin for this. 5 part of a town, esp. As occupied by a particular class (residential quarter). 6 a point of the compass. B region at this. 7 direction, district, or source of supply (help from any quarter). 8 (in pl.) A lodgings. B accommodation of troops etc. 9 a one fourth of a lunar month. B moon's position between the first and second (first quarter) or third and fourth (last quarter) of these. 10 a each of the four parts into which a carcass is divided. B (in pl.) = *hindquarters. 11 mercy towards an enemy etc. On condition of surrender. 12 a grain measure equivalent to 8 bushels. B one-fourth of a hundredweight. C colloq. One-fourth of a pound weight. 13 each of four divisions on a shield. —v. 1 divide into quarters. 2 hist. Divide (the body of an executed person) in this way. 3 a put (troops etc.) Into quarters. B provide with lodgings. 4 heraldry place (coats of arms) on the four quarters of a shield. [latin quartarius: related to *quart]
Stench  n. Foul smell. [old english: related to *stink]

Coalesce  v. (-cing) come together and form a whole.  coalescence n. Coalescent adj. [latin alo nourish]



Maintop  n. Platform above the head of the lower mainmast.

Olive branch  n. Gesture of reconciliation or peace.
Fill  —v. 1 (often foll. By with) make or become full. 2 occupy completely; spread over or through. 3 block up (a cavity in a tooth); drill and put a filling into (a decayed tooth). 4 appoint a person to hold or (of a person) hold (a post). 5 hold (an office). 6 carry out or supply (an order, commission, etc.). 7 occupy (vacant time). 8 (of a sail) be distended by wind. 9 (usu. As filling adj.) (esp. Of food) satisfy, satiate. —n. 1 as much as one wants or can bear (eat your fill). 2 enough to fill something.  fill the bill be suitable or adequate. Fill in 1 complete (a form, document, etc.). 2 a complete (a drawing etc.) Within an outline. B fill (an outline) in this way. 3 fill (a hole etc.) Completely. 4 (often foll. By for) act as a substitute. 5 occupy oneself during (spare time). 6 colloq. Inform (a person) more fully. 7 slang thrash, beat. Fill out 1 enlarge to the required size. 2 become enlarged or plump. 3 us fill in (a document etc.). Fill up 1 make or become completely full. 2 fill in (a document etc.). 3 fill the petrol tank of (a car etc.). [old english]
Subservient  adj. 1 servile. 2 (usu. Foll. By to) instrumental. 3 (usu. Foll. By to) subordinate.  subservience n. [latin subservio]
Gambol  —v. (-ll-; us -l-) skip or jump about playfully. —n. Frolic, caper. [french gambade leap, from italian gamba leg]
Byword  n. 1 person or thing as a notable example (is a byword for luxury). 2 familiar saying.

Heavier-than-air  attrib. Adj. (of an aircraft) weighing more than the air it displaces.







Well-trodden  adj. Much frequented.
Upland  —n. (usu. In pl.) Higher or inland parts of a country. —adj. Of these parts.




Aerospace  n. 1 earth's atmosphere and outer space. 2 aviation in this.
Market garden  n. Farm where vegetables and fruit are grown for sale in markets.



War crime  n. Crime violating the international laws of war.  war criminal n.

Health centre  n. Building containing various local medical services and doctors' practices.





Bale2  var. Of *bail3.
One's money's-worth  n. Good value for one's money.




Household word  n. (also household name) 1 familiar name or saying. 2 familiar person or thing.
Chivalry  n. 1 medieval knightly system with its religious, moral, and social code. 2 honour, courtesy, and readiness to help the weak.  chivalric adj.

High tension  n. = *high voltage.
Gripe water  n. Propr. Preparation to relieve colic in infants.

Dabble  v. (-ling) 1 (usu. Foll. By in, at) engage (in an activity etc.) Superficially. 2 move the feet, hands, etc. In esp. Shallow liquid. 3 wet partly; stain, splash.  dabbler n. [from *dab1]
Calibre  n. (us caliber) 1 a internal diameter of a gun or tube. B diameter of a bullet or shell. 2 strength or quality of character; ability, importance. [french from italian from arabic, = mould]


Freeloader  n. Slang sponger.  freeload v.

Canada goose  n. Wild n. American goose with a brownish-grey body and white neck and breast.
Grate1  v. (-ting) 1 reduce to small particles by rubbing on a serrated surface. 2 (often foll. By against, on) rub with a harsh scraping sound. 3 utter in a harsh tone. 4 (often foll. By on) a sound harshly. B have an irritating effect.
Club-root  n. Disease of cabbages etc. With swelling at the base of the stem.
Lately  adv. Not long ago; recently. [old english: related to *late]
Stint  —v. 1 supply (food or aid etc.) Meanly or grudgingly. 2 (often refl.) Supply (a person etc.) In this way. —n. 1 limitation of supply or effort (without stint). 2 allotted amount of work (do one's stint). 3 small sandpiper. [old english]

Toilsome  adj. Involving toil.





Fairy ring  n. Ring of darker grass caused by fungi.




Wolf-whistle  n. Whistle made by a man to a sexually attractive woman.
Bipartite  adj. 1 of two parts. 2 shared by or involving two parties. [latin bipartio divide in two]
Streamer  n. 1 long narrow strip of ribbon or paper. 2 long narrow flag. 3 banner headline.
Plumb-line  n. Line with a plumb attached.
Upwardly mobile  adj. Aspiring to advance socially or professionally.
Coup de grâce  n. Finishing stroke. [french]




Servitude  n. Slavery, subjection. [latin servus slave]
Inapposite  adj. Not apposite.
Wallop  colloq. —v. (-p-) 1 thrash; beat. 2 (as walloping adj.) Huge. —n. 1 heavy blow. 2 beer. [earlier senses ‘gallop’, ‘boil’, from french waloper from germanic: cf. *gallop]

National health  n. (also national health service) system of national medical care paid for mainly by taxation.




Flight bag  n. Small zipped shoulder bag for air travel.

Film  —n. 1 thin coating or covering layer. 2 strip or sheet of plastic etc. Coated with light-sensitive emulsion for exposure in a camera. 3 a story, episode, etc., on film, with the illusion of movement. B (in pl.) The cinema industry. 4 slight veil or haze etc. 5 dimness or morbid growth affecting the eyes. —v. 1 make a photographic film of (a scene, story, etc.). 2 cover or become covered with or as with a film. [old english]
Grammarian  n. Expert in grammar or linguistics.
Corn1 n. 1 a cereal before or after harvesting, esp. The chief crop of a region. B grain or seed of a cereal plant. 2 colloq. Something corny or trite. [old english]


Earth sciences  n.pl. Those concerned with the earth or part of it.

Doubt  —n. 1 uncertainty; undecided state of mind. 2 cynicism. 3 uncertain state. 4 lack of full proof or clear indication. —v. 1 feel uncertain or undecided about. 2 hesitate to believe. 3 call in question.  in doubt open to question. No doubt certainly; probably; admittedly. Without doubt (or a doubt) certainly. [latin dubito hesitate]



Highlight  —n. 1 moment or detail of vivid interest; outstanding feature. 2 (in a painting etc.) Bright area. 3 (usu. In pl.) Light streak in the hair produced by bleaching. —v. 1 bring into prominence; draw attention to. 2 mark with a highlighter.
Acrylic  —adj. Of synthetic material made from acrylic acid. —n. Acrylic fibre or fabric. [latin acer pungent, oleo to smell]
Sack3  n. Hist. White wine from spain and the canaries. [french vin sec dry wine]

Impetigo  n. Contagious skin infection forming pimples and sores. [latin impeto assail]


Frog1  n. 1 small smooth tailless leaping amphibian. 2 (frog) slang offens. Frenchman.  frog in one's throat colloq. Hoarseness. [old english]

Basketry  n. 1 art of weaving cane etc. 2 work so produced.
Piano-accordion  n. Accordion with a small keyboard like that of a piano.


Insignificant  adj. 1 unimportant. 2 meaningless.  insignificance n.
Unrighteous  adj. Wicked.

Stork  n. Long-legged usu. White wading bird. [old english]

Diving-bell  n. Open-bottomed enclosure, supplied with air, for descent into deep water.
Nit  n. 1 egg or young form of a louse or other parasitic insect. 2 slang stupid person. [old english]

Tenancy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 status of or possession as a tenant. 2 duration of this.
Pigeon-hole  —n. Each of a set of compartments on a wall etc. For papers, letters, etc. —v. 1 assign to a preconceived category. 2 deposit in a pigeon-hole. 3 put aside for future consideration.
Tesl  abbr. Teaching of english as a second language.
Outclass  v. Surpass in quality.
Taker  n. Person who takes a bet, accepts an offer, etc.



Tiny  adj. (-ier, -iest) very small or slight.  tinily adv. Tininess n. [origin unknown]
Distinction  n. 1 discriminating or distinguishing. 2 difference between two things. 3 thing that differentiates or distinguishes. 4 special consideration or honour (treat with distinction). 5 excellence (person of distinction). 6 title or mark of honour. [latin: related to *distinguish]
Elocution  n. Art of clear and expressive speech. [latin loquor speak]


Iconography  n. 1 the illustration of a subject by drawings or figures. 2 the study of portraits, esp. Of an individual, or of artistic images or symbols. [greek: related to *icon]
Infix  v. Fasten or fix in.

Sightseer  n. Person visiting the sights of a place.  sightseeing n.





Ambient  adj. Surrounding.



Infinitude  n. Literary = *infinity 1, 2.
Oxhide  n. 1 hide of an ox. 2 leather from this.







Baby carriage  n. Us pram.
Sensuous  adj. Of or affecting the senses, esp. Aesthetically.  sensuously adv. Sensuousness n. [latin: related to *sense]

Ratbag  n. Slang obnoxious person.
Fixate  v. (-ting) 1 direct one's gaze on. 2 psychol. (usu. In passive; often foll. By on, upon) cause (a person) to become abnormally attached to a person or thing. [latin: related to *fix]

Hydra  n. 1 freshwater polyp with a tubular body and tentacles. 2 something hard to destroy. [greek, a mythical snake with many heads that grew again when cut off]
Undiminished  adj. Not diminished or lessened.




Syllepsis  n. (pl. Syllepses) figure of speech in which a word is applied to two others in different senses (e.g. Caught the train and a cold) or to two others of which it grammatically suits one only (e.g. Neither you nor he knows) (cf. *zeugma). [greek: related to *syllable]

Precept  n. 1 rule or guide, esp. For conduct. 2 lawful demand, esp. From one authority to another to levy rates. [latin praeceptum maxim, order]
Lip  —n. 1 either of the two fleshy parts forming the edges of the mouth-opening. 2 edge of a cup, vessel, etc., esp. The part shaped for pouring from. 3 colloq. Impudent talk. —v. (-pp-) 1 touch with the lips; apply the lips to. 2 touch lightly.  lipped adj. (also in comb.). [old english]
Atomic  adj. 1 of or using atomic energy or atomic bombs. 2 of atoms.
Rag trade  n. Colloq. The clothing business.

Metric system  n. Decimal measuring system with the metre, litre, and gram (or kilogram) as units of length, volume, and mass.




Lost  past and past part. Of *lose.
Haulm  n. (also halm) 1 stalk or stem. 2 stalks or stems of peas, beans, etc., collectively. [old english]


Congregationalism  n. System whereby individual churches are largely self-governing.  congregationalist n.
Interior decoration  n. Decoration of the interior of a building etc.  interior decorator n.
Clodhopper  n. (usu. In pl.) Colloq. Large heavy shoe.




Second-hand  —adj. 1 a having had a previous owner; not new. B (attrib.) (of a shop etc.) Where such goods can be bought. 2 (of information etc.) Indirect, not from one's own observation etc. —adv. 1 on a second-hand basis. 2 indirectly.

Dust cover  n. 1 = *dust-sheet. 2 = *dust-jacket.


Wing-chair  n. Chair with side-pieces at the top of a high back.
Lj  abbr. (pl. L jj) lord justice.
Readership  n. 1 readers of a newspaper etc. 2 (also readership) position of reader.

Foxhound  n. A kind of hound bred and trained to hunt foxes.
Stiff  —adj. 1 rigid; inflexible. 2 hard to bend, move, or turn etc. 3 hard to cope with; needing strength or effort (stiff climb). 4 severe or strong (stiff penalty). 5 formal, constrained. 6 (of a muscle, person, etc.) Aching owing to exertion, injury, etc. 7 (of esp. An alcoholic drink) strong. 8 (foll. By with) colloq. Abounding in. —adv. Colloq. Utterly, extremely (bored stiff). —n. Slang 1 corpse. 2 foolish or useless person.  stiffish adj. Stiffly adv. Stiffness n. [old english]
Longshoreman  n. Us docker.
Kaput  predic. Adj. Slang broken, ruined. [german]
Sulfurous  adj. (brit. Sulphurous) 1 of or like sulphur. 2 chem. Containing sulphur with a valency of four.
Lurex  n. Propr. 1 type of yarn incorporating a glittering metallic thread. 2 fabric made from this.
Milch cow  n. Source of easy profit.
Right arm  n. One's most reliable helper.





Prurient  adj. Having or encouraging unhealthy sexual curiosity.  prurience n. [latin prurio itch]

Jury-rigged  adj. Naut. Having temporary makeshift rigging. [origin uncertain]
Serb  —n. 1 native of serbia in se europe. 2 person of serbian descent. —adj. = *serbian. [serbian srb]
Afresh  adv. Anew; with a fresh beginning. [earlier of fresh]
Old hand  n. Person with much experience.



Prussian  —adj. Of prussia, or esp. Its rigidly militaristic tradition. —n. Native of prussia. [prussia, former german state]
Untruthful  adj. Not truthful.  untruthfully adv.
Bore2  —n. Tiresome or dull person or thing. —v. (-ring) weary by tedious talk or dullness.  bored adj. Boring adj. [origin unknown]

Cleanse  v. (-sing) make clean or pure.  cleanser n.
Modus operandi  n. (pl. Modi operandi) method of working. [latin, = way of operating]







Gloomy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 dark; unlit. 2 depressed or depressing.  gloomily adv. Gloominess n.







Sidewalk  n. Us pavement.

Commitment  n. 1 engagement or obligation. 2 committing or being committed. 3 dedication; committing oneself.
Polling  n. Registering or casting of votes.
Aniseed  n. Seed of the anise, used for flavouring.


Haft  n. Handle of a dagger, knife, etc. [old english]


Stack  —n. 1 (esp. Orderly) pile or heap. 2 = *haystack. 3 colloq. Large quantity (a stack of work; stacks of money). 4 a = *chimney-stack. B = *smokestack. C tall factory chimney. 5 stacked group of aircraft. 6 part of a library where books are compactly stored. 7 high detached rock, esp. Off the coast of scotland. —v. 1 pile in a stack or stacks. 2 a arrange (cards) secretly for cheating. B manipulate (circumstances etc.) To suit one. 3 cause (aircraft) to fly in circles while waiting to land. [old norse]

Burnous  n. Arab or moorish hooded cloak. [arabic from greek]

Frieze  n. 1 part of an entablature between the architrave and cornice. 2 horizontal band of sculpture filling this. 3 band of decoration, esp. At the top of a wall. [latin phrygium (opus) phrygian (work)]

Signet  n. Small seal. [french or medieval latin: related to *sign]


Ill will  n. Bad feeling; animosity.


Class-conscious  adj. Aware of social divisions or one's place in them.  class-consciousness n.
Inebriate  —v. (-ting) 1 make drunk. 2 excite. —adj. Drunken. —n. Drunkard.  inebriation n. Inebriety n. [latin ebrius drunk]

Allusion  n. (often foll. By to) passing or indirect reference.  allusive adj. [latin: related to *allude]


Snowball-tree  n. Guelder rose.
Candour  n. (us candor) frankness; openness. [latin candor]
Outdo  v. (-doing; 3rd sing. Present -does; past -did; past part. -done) exceed, excel, surpass.


Lovesick  adj. Languishing with love.
Synchronize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 (often foll. By with) make or be synchronous (with). 2 make the sound and picture of (a film etc.) Coincide. 3 cause (clocks etc.) To show the same time.  synchronization n.

Presage  —n. 1 omen, portent. 2 presentiment, foreboding. —v. (-ging) 1 portend, foreshadow. 2 give warning of (an event etc.) By natural means. 3 (of a person) predict or have a presentiment of. [latin praesagium]



Washing-powder  n. Soap powder or detergent for washing clothes.
Bag  —n. 1 soft open-topped receptacle. 2 a piece of luggage. B woman's handbag. 3 (in pl.; usu. Foll. By of) colloq. Large amount (bags of time). 4 slang derog. Woman. 5 animal's sac. 6 amount of game shot by one person. 7 (usu. In pl.) Baggy skin under the eyes. 8 slang particular interest (folk music is not my bag). —v. (-gg-) 1 colloq. A secure (bagged the best seat). B (often in phr. Bags i) colloq. Claim as being the first (bags i go next). 2 put in a bag. 3 (cause to) hang loosely; bulge.  in the bag colloq. Achieved, secured.  bagful n. (pl. -s). [origin unknown]
Grow  v. (past grew; past part. Grown) 1 increase in size, height, quantity, degree, etc. 2 develop or exist as a living plant or natural product. 3 a produce (plants etc.) By cultivation. B allow (a beard etc.) To develop. 4 become gradually (grow rich). 5 (foll. By on) become gradually more favoured by. 6 (in passive; foll. By over etc.) Be covered with a growth.  grow out of 1 become too large to wear. 2 become too mature to retain (a habit etc.). 3 develop from. Grow up 1 advance to maturity. 2 (of a custom) arise. [old english]
Oxymoron  n. Figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction (e.g. Faith unfaithful kept him falsely true). [greek, = pointedly foolish, from oxus sharp, moros dull]

Sting  —n. 1 sharp wounding organ of an insect, snake, nettle, etc. 2 a act of inflicting a wound with this. B the wound itself or the pain caused by it. 3 painful quality or effect. 4 pungency, vigour. 5 slang swindle. —v. (past and past part. Stung) 1 a wound or pierce with a sting. B be able to sting. 2 feel or give a tingling physical or sharp mental pain. 3 (foll. By into) incite, esp. Painfully (stung into replying). 4 slang swindle, charge exorbitantly.  sting in the tail unexpected final pain or difficulty. [old english]
Cenotaph  n. Tomblike monument to a person whose body is elsewhere. [greek kenos empty, taphos tomb]









Traffic jam  n. Traffic at a standstill because of roadworks, an accident, etc.
Bastardize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 corrupt, debase. 2 declare (a person) illegitimate.

Auto-  comb. Form 1 self. 2 one's own. 3 of or by oneself or itself. [greek autos]

Loony-bin  n. Slang offens. Mental home or hospital.




Running sore  n. Suppurating sore; festering situation etc.
Open-and-shut  adj. Straightforward.


Hectogram  n. (also hectogramme) metric unit of mass equal to 100 grams.



Sepulchral  adj. 1 of a tomb or interment. 2 funereal, gloomy. [latin: related to *sepulchre]

Fuselage  n. Body of an aeroplane. [french from fuseau spindle]

Screenplay  n. Film script.
Scorpion  n. 1 arachnid with pincers and a jointed stinging tail. 2 (the scorpion) zodiacal sign or constellation scorpio.
Hidden agenda  n. Secret motivation behind a policy, statement, etc.; ulterior motive.




Stout-hearted  adj. Courageous.


Mulch  —n. Layer of wet straw, leaves, or plastic, etc., spread around or over a plant to enrich or insulate the soil. —v. Treat with mulch. [old english, = soft]

Forbearance  n. Patient self-control; tolerance.





Shrank  past of *shrink.



Sycamore  n. 1 large maple or its wood. 2 us plane-tree or its wood. [greek sukomoros]


Embouchure  n. Way of applying the mouth to the mouthpiece of a musical instrument. [french: related to *en-1, bouche mouth]
Lag2  —v. (-gg-) enclose in heat-insulating material. —n. Insulating cover. [old norse]
Rock-plant  n. Plant growing on or among rocks.

Liner2  n. Removable lining.
Naughty  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 (esp. Of children) disobedient; badly behaved. 2 colloq. Joc. Indecent.  naughtily adv. Naughtiness n. [from *naught]

Microfiche  n. (pl. Same or -s) small flat piece of film bearing microphotographs of documents etc. [from *micro-, french fiche slip of paper]
Balsa  n. 1 (in full balsa-wood) tough lightweight wood used for making models etc. 2 tropical american tree yielding it. [spanish, = raft]

Methyl  n. Univalent hydrocarbon radical ch3, present in many organic compounds. [greek methu wine, hule wood]
Vsop  abbr. Very special old pale (brandy).

Rut1  —n. 1 deep track made by the passage of wheels. 2 established (esp. Tedious) practice or routine (in a rut). —v. (-tt-) mark with ruts. [probably french: related to *route]
Trampoline  —n. Strong fabric sheet connected by springs to a horizontal frame, used for gymnastic jumping. —v. (-ning) use a trampoline. [italian trampolino]
Settle1  v. (-ling) 1 (often foll. By down, in) establish or become established in an abode or lifestyle. 2 (often foll. By down) a regain calm after disturbance; come to rest. B adopt a regular or secure style of life. C (foll. By to) apply oneself (settled down to work). 3 (cause to) sit, alight, or come down to stay for some time. 4 make or become composed, certain, quiet, or fixed. 5 determine, decide, or agree upon. 6 resolve (a dispute, matter, etc.). 7 agree to terminate (a lawsuit). 8 (foll. By for) accept or agree to (esp. A less desirable alternative). 9 (also absol.) Pay (a debt, account, etc.). 10 (as settled adj.) Established (settled weather). 11 calm (nerves, the stomach, etc.). 12 a colonize. B establish colonists in. 13 subside; fall to the bottom or on to a surface.  settle up (also absol.) Pay (an account, debt, etc.). Settle with 1 pay (a creditor). 2 get revenge on. [old english: related to *sit]
Unabridged  adj. Complete; not abridged.
Sea lion  n. Large, eared seal.
Wandering jew  n. Person who never settles down.
Sportsman  n. (fem. Sportswoman) 1 person who takes part in sport, esp. Professionally. 2 fair and generous person.  sportsmanlike adj. Sportsmanship n.
Lough  n. Ir. Lake, arm of the sea. [irish: related to *loch]

Rejoin1  v. 1 join together again; reunite. 2 join (a companion etc.) Again.
Overreact  v. Respond more forcibly than is justified.  overreaction n.
Upmost  var. Of *uppermost.
Admission  n. 1 acknowledgement (admission of error). 2 a process or right of entering. B charge for this (admission is £5).
Testaceous  adj.  Having a hard continuous shell.


Cognizant  adj. (foll. By of) formal having knowledge or being aware of.


Flying fox  n. Fruit-eating bat with a foxlike head.
Picky  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Excessively fastidious.
Vintage car  n. Car made 1917–1930.
Missionary position  n. Colloq. Position for sexual intercourse with the woman lying on her back and the man lying on top and facing her.




Coypu  n. (pl. -s) aquatic beaver-like rodent native to s. America. [araucan]
'Em  pron. Colloq. Them.
Oxfam  abbr. Oxford committee for famine relief.

Headshrinker  n. Slang psychiatrist.
Edible  adj. Fit to be eaten.  edibility n. [latin edo eat]
Goodby  (brit. Goodbye) —int. Expressing good wishes on parting, ending a telephone conversation, etc. —n. (pl. -byes or us -bys) parting; farewell. [from god be with you!]
Equity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 fairness. 2 principles of justice used to correct or supplement the law. 3 a value of the shares issued by a company. B (in pl.) Stocks and shares not bearing fixed interest. [latin aequitas: related to *equal]
Magnetism  n. 1 a magnetic phenomena and their science. B property of producing these. 2 attraction; personal charm.



Mark1  —n. 1 spot, sign, stain, scar, etc., on a surface etc. 2 (esp. In comb.) A written or printed symbol (question mark). B number or letter denoting proficiency, conduct, etc. (black mark; 46 marks out of 50). 3 (usu. Foll. By of) sign of quality, character, feeling, etc. (mark of respect). 4 a sign, seal, etc., of identification. B cross etc. Made as a signature by an illiterate person. 5 lasting effect (war left its mark). 6 a target etc. (missed the mark). B standard, norm (his work falls below the mark). 7 line etc. Indicating a position. 8 (usu. Mark) (followed by a numeral) particular design, model, etc., of a car, aircraft, etc. (mark 2 ford granada). 9 runner's starting-point in a race. —v. 1 a make a mark on. B mark with initials, name, etc. To identify etc. 2 correct and assess (a student's work etc.). 3 attach a price to (marked the doll at £5). 4 notice or observe (marked his agitation). 5 a characterize (day was marked by storms). B acknowledge, celebrate (marked the occasion with a toast). 6 name or indicate on a map etc. (the pub isn't marked). 7  keep close to (an opponent in sport) to hinder him. 8 (as marked adj.) Have natural marks (is marked with dark spots).  beside (or off or wide of) the mark 1 irrelevant. 2 not accurate. Make one's mark attain distinction; make an impression. One's mark colloq. Opponent, object, etc., of one's own size etc. (the little one's more my mark). Mark down 1 reduce the price of (goods etc.). 2 make a written note of. 3 reduce the examination marks of. Mark off separate by a boundary etc. Mark out 1 plan (a course of action etc.). 2 destine (marked out for success). 3 trace out (boundaries etc.). Mark time 1  march on the spot without moving forward. 2 act routinely while awaiting an opportunity to advance. Mark up 1 add a proportion to the price of (goods etc.) For profit. 2 mark or correct (text etc.). Off the mark 1 having made a start. 2 = beside the mark. On the mark ready to start. On your mark (or marks) get ready to start (esp. A race). Up to the mark normal (esp. Of health). [old english]


Ululate  v. (-ting) howl, wail.  ululation n. [latin]




Jade1  n. 1 hard usu. Green stone used for ornaments etc. 2 green colour of jade. [spanish ijada from latin ilia flanks (named as a cure for colic)]
Apothecaries' measure  n. (also apothecaries' weight) units formerly used in pharmacy.


Second-guess  v. Colloq. 1 anticipate by guesswork. 2 criticize with hindsight.


Combine  —v. (-ning) 1 join together; unite for a common purpose. 2 possess (qualities usually distinct) together. 3 form or cause to form a chemical compound. 4  harvest with a combine harvester. —n. 1  combination of esp. Commercial interests. 2 (in full combine harvester) machine that reaps and threshes in one operation. [latin bini a pair]
Kea  n. New zealand parrot with brownish-green and red plumage. [maori, imitative]
Itching palm  n. Avarice.
Fowl  —n. (pl. Same or -s) 1 chicken kept for eggs and meat. 2 poultry as food. 3 archaic (except in comb.) Bird (guineafowl; wildfowl). —v. Catch or hunt wildfowl. [old english]

Trombone  n. Brass wind instrument with a sliding tube.  trombonist n. [french or italian tromba *trumpet]
Ulterior  adj. Not evident or admitted; hidden, secret (esp. Ulterior motive). [latin, = further]
Lower3  var. Of *lour.

Proem  n. Preface etc. To a book or speech. [latin from greek]

Social  —adj. 1 of society or its organization, esp. Of the relations of people or classes of people. 2 living in organized communities. 3 needing companionship; gregarious. —n. Social gathering, esp. Of a club.  socially adv. [latin: related to *sociable]


Ref2  n. Commerce reference. [abbreviation]
Consequent  adj. 1 (often foll. By on, upon) following as a result or consequence. 2 logically consistent.
Lynch  v. (of a mob) put (a person) to death without a legal trial.  lynching n. [originally us, after lynch, 18th-c. Justice of the peace in virginia]
Steam engine  n. 1 engine which uses steam to generate power. 2 locomotive powered by this.
Threadworm  n. Parasitic threadlike worm.

Argy-bargy  n. (pl. -ies) joc. Dispute, wrangle. [originally scots]
Pathetic fallacy  n. Attribution of human emotions to inanimate things, esp. In literature.
Phony  var. Of *phoney.

Staying power  n. Endurance.

Dragoon  —n. 1 cavalryman. 2 fierce fellow. —v. (foll. By into) coerce or bully into. [french dragon: related to *dragon]
Insider dealing  n. Stock exch. Illegal practice of trading to one's own advantage through having access to confidential information.
Excrete  v. (-ting) (of an animal or plant) expel (waste matter).  excretion n. Excretory adj. [latin cerno cret- sift]
Glob  n. Colloq. Mass or lump of semi-liquid substance, e.g. Mud. [perhaps from *blob, *gob2]

Adorable  adj. 1 deserving adoration. 2 colloq. Delightful, charming.
Slap in the face  n. Rebuff or affront.



T'other  adj. & pron. Dial. Or joc. The other. [thet other ‘that other’]


Trimming  n. 1 ornamentation or decoration, esp. For clothing. 2 (in pl.) Colloq. Usual accompaniments, esp. Of the main course of a meal.
Unfailing  adj. Not failing or dwindling; constant; reliable.  unfailingly adv.
Mint1  n. 1 aromatic herb used in cooking. 2 peppermint. 3 peppermint sweet.  minty adj. (-ier, -iest). [latin menta from greek]
Quartet  n. 1 mus. A composition for four performers. B the performers. 2 any group of four. [latin quartus]

Condone  v. (-ning) forgive or overlook (an offence or wrongdoing). [latin dono give]
Visitor  n. 1 person who visits. 2 migrant bird staying for part of the year.





Reverend  adj. (esp. As the title of a clergyman) deserving reverence. [latin reverendus: related to *revere]
Coagulate  v. (-ting) 1 change from a fluid to a semisolid. 2 clot, curdle.  coagulant n. Coagulation n. [latin coagulum rennet]
Helpmate  n. Helpful companion or partner.

Half board  n. Provision of bed, breakfast, and one main meal at a hotel etc.
Woollen  (us woolen) —adj. Made wholly or partly of wool. —n. 1 woollen fabric. 2 (in pl.) Woollen garments. [old english]





Scrum-half  n. Half-back who puts the ball into the scrum.

Fluid  —n. 1 substance, esp. A gas or liquid, whose shape is determined by its confines. 2 fluid part or secretion. —adj. 1 able to flow and alter shape freely. 2 constantly changing (situation is fluid).




Princeling  n. Young or petty prince.

Woman  n. (pl. Women) 1 adult human female. 2 the female sex. 3 colloq. Wife or girlfriend. 4 (prec. By the) feminine characteristics (brought out the woman in him). 5 (attrib.) Female (woman doctor). 6 (in comb.) Woman of a specified nationality, skill, etc. (englishwoman; horsewoman). 7 colloq. Charwoman. [old english]








Salt-cellar  n. Container for salt at table. [earlier salt saler from french salier salt-box]
Paw  —n. 1 foot of an animal having claws or nails. 2 colloq. Person's hand. —v. 1 strike or scrape with a paw or foot. 2 colloq. Fondle awkwardly or indecently. [french poue from germanic]

Blow-dry  —v. Arrange (the hair) while drying it. —n. Act of doing this.
Thin end of the wedge  see *wedge.
Tear1  —v. (past tore; past part. Torn) 1 (often foll. By up) pull apart or to pieces with some force (tore up the letter). 2 a make a hole or rent in this way; undergo this (have torn my coat; curtain tore). B make (a hole or rent). 3 (foll. By away, off, at, etc.) Pull violently (tore off the cover; tore down the notice). 4 violently disrupt or divide (torn by guilt). 5 colloq. Go hurriedly (tore across the road). —n. 1 hole etc. Caused by tearing. 2 torn part of cloth etc.  be torn between have difficulty in choosing between. Tear apart 1 search (a place) exhaustively. 2 criticize forcefully. 3 destroy; divide utterly; distress greatly. Tear one's hair out colloq. Behave with extreme desperation. Tear into colloq. 1 severely reprimand. 2 start (an activity) vigorously. Tear oneself away leave reluctantly. Tear to shreds colloq. Refute or criticize thoroughly. That's torn it colloq. That has spoiled things etc. [old english]

Typhoon  n. Violent hurricane in e. Asian seas. [chinese, = great wind, and arabic]
Os  abbr. 1 old style. 2 ordinary seaman. 3 ordnance survey. 4 outsize.

Led  past and past part. Of *lead1.
Cow-pat  n. Flat round piece of cow-dung.

Whence  formal —interrog. Adv. From what place? —conj. 1 to the place from which (return whence you came). 2 (often prec. By place etc.) From which. 3 and thence (whence it follows that). [old english: related to *when]
Millstone  n. 1 each of two circular stones for grinding corn. 2 heavy burden or responsibility.
Disengage  —v. (-ging) 1 detach, loosen, release. 2 remove (troops) from battle etc. 3 become detached. 4 (as disengaged adj.) A at leisure. B uncommitted.  disengagement n.
Retrench  v. 1 cut down expenses; introduce economies. 2 reduce the amount of (costs).  retrenchment n. [french: related to *trench]

Atomic weight  n. = *relative atomic mass.

Inlay  —v. (past and past part. Inlaid) 1 embed (a thing in another) so that the surfaces are even. 2 decorate (a thing with inlaid work). —n. 1 inlaid work. 2 material inlaid. 3 filling shaped to fit a tooth-cavity. [from *in-2, *lay1]


Tick3  n. Colloq. Credit (buy goods on tick). [apparently an abbreviation of *ticket in on the ticket]



Coax  v. 1 persuade gradually or by flattery. 2 (foll. By out of) obtain (a thing from a person) thus. 3 manipulate (a thing) carefully or slowly. [obsolete cokes a fool]

Encore  —n. 1 audience's demand for the repetition of an item, or for a further item. 2 such an item. —v. (-ring) 1 call for the repetition of (an item). 2 call back (a performer) for this. —int. Again, once more. [french, = once again]

Ply2  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 use or wield (a tool, weapon, etc.). 2 work steadily at (ply one's trade). 3 (foll. By with) a supply continuously (with food, drink, etc.). B approach repeatedly (with questions, etc.). 4 a (often foll. By between) (of a vehicle etc.) Travel regularly to and fro. B work (a route) thus. 5 (of a taxi-driver etc.) Attend regularly for custom (ply for hire). [from *apply]
Lotus  n. 1 legendary plant inducing luxurious languor when eaten. 2 a kind of water lily etc., esp. Used symbolically in hinduism and buddhism. [greek lotos]
Hamper1  n. Large basket, usu. With a hinged lid and containing food. [french hanap goblet]


Fiddler  n. 1 fiddle-player. 2 slang swindler, cheat. 3 small n. American crab.

Lower class  n. Working class.





Line of vision  n. Straight line along which an observer looks.
Airhead  n. Slang stupid or foolish person.



-sion  see *-ion.


Asbestos  n. 1 fibrous silicate mineral. 2 this as a heat-resistant or insulating material. [greek, = unquenchable]
Ingot  n. (usu. Oblong) piece of cast metal, esp. Gold. [origin uncertain]
Non-specialist  n. Person who is not a specialist (in a particular subject).
Saturnine  adj. Of gloomy temperament or appearance.
Gravedigger  n. Person who digs graves.



Defer1  v. (-rr-) postpone.  deferment n. Deferral n. [originally the same as *differ]






Talking-shop  n. Derog. Arena or opportunity for empty talk.
Crozier  var. Of *crosier.
Sharp-witted  adj. Keenly perceptive or intelligent.

Exceptionable  adj. Open to objection.
Fair and square  adv. Exactly; straightforwardly.






Registry office  n. = *register office.
Dicky bow  n. Colloq. Bow-tie.
Ice-axe  n. Cutting tool used by mountaineers.


Bast  n. Fibre from the inner bark of a tree (esp. The lime). [old english]

Overdevelop  v. (-p-) 1 develop too much. 2 photog. Treat with developer for too long.
Pyx  n. Vessel for the consecrated bread of the eucharist. [greek puxis *box1]
Sanitary  adj. 1 (of conditions etc.) Affecting health. 2 hygienic.  sanitariness n. [latin sanitas: related to *sane]
Limited  adj. 1 confined within limits. 2 not great in scope or talents. 3 restricted to a few examples (limited edition). 4 (after a company name) being a limited company.
Dicotyledon  n. Flowering plant having two cotyledons.  dicotyledonous adj.
Above  —prep. 1 over; on the top of; higher than; over the surface of (head above water; above the din). 2 more than (above twenty people). 3 higher in rank, importance, etc., than. 4 a too great or good for (not above cheating). B beyond the reach of (above my understanding; above suspicion). —adv. 1 at or to a higher point; overhead (the floor above; the sky above). 2 earlier on a page or in a book (as noted above). —adj. Preceding (the above argument). —n. (prec. By the) preceding text (the above shows).  above all most of all, more than anything else. Above oneself conceited, arrogant. [old english: related to *a2]
Ineffective  adj. Not achieving the desired effect or results.  ineffectively adv. Ineffectiveness n.



Arson  n. Crime of deliberately setting fire to property.  arsonist n. [latin ardeo ars- burn]
Faction  n. Small organized dissentient group within a larger one, esp. In politics.  factional adj. [latin: related to *fact]
Lion-heart  n. Courageous person.  lion-hearted adj.
Kohlrabi  n. (pl. -bies) cabbage with an edible turnip-like swollen stem. [german, from italian cavolo rapa]



American dream  n. Ideal of democracy and prosperity.


Unfrozen  past part. Of *unfreeze.
Hoick  v. Colloq. (often foll. By out) lift or pull, esp. With a jerk. [perhaps var. Of *hike]

White russian  n. = *byelorussian.
Silencer  n. Device for reducing the noise of a vehicle's exhaust, a gun, etc.
Roll-on roll-off  adj. (of a ship, etc.) In which vehicles are driven directly on and off.
Birth control  n. Contraception.
Leper  n. 1 person with leprosy. 2 person who is shunned. [greek lepros scaly]
Blacksmith  n. Smith who works in iron.




Scotsman  n. (fem. Scotswoman) = *scot.




Sang  past of *sing.


Unobjectionable  adj. Not objectionable; acceptable.

Winger  n. 1 (in football etc.) Wing player. 2 (in comb.) Member of a specified political wing.

Grapevine  n. 1 vine. 2 colloq. The means of transmission of a rumour.

Watchmaker  n. Person who makes and repairs watches and clocks.
Ally  —n. (pl. -ies) state, person, etc., formally cooperating or united with another, esp. (also ally) in war. —v. Also (-ies, -ied) (often refl. And foll. By with) combine in alliance. [latin alligo bind]
Define  v. (-ning) 1 give the meaning of (a word etc.). 2 describe or explain the scope of (define one's position). 3 outline clearly (well-defined image). 4 mark out the boundary of.  definable adj. [latin finis end]

Dixie  n. Southern states of the us. [origin uncertain]

Watershed  n. 1 line of separation between waters flowing to different rivers, basins, etc. 2 turning-point in affairs. [from shed ridge]
Double-bass  n. Largest instrument of the violin family.




Loquat  n. 1 small yellow egg-shaped fruit. 2 tree bearing it. [chinese]
Ac  abbr. 1 (also ac) alternating current. 2 aircraftman.
Iud  abbr. Intrauterine (contraceptive) device.
Jut  —v. (-tt-) (often foll. By out, forth) protrude, project. —n. Projection. [var. Of *jet1]
Prorogue  v. (-gues, -gued, -guing) 1 discontinue the meetings of (a parliament etc.) Without dissolving it. 2 (of a parliament etc.) Be prorogued.  prorogation n. [latin prorogo extend]
Competitor  n. Person who competes; rival, esp. In business.


Rivalry  n. (pl. -ies) being rivals; competition.
Wheel-house  n. Steersman's shelter.

Simpleton  n. Gullible or halfwitted person.
Dozen  n. 1 (prec. By a or a number) (pl. Dozen) twelve (a dozen eggs; two dozen eggs). 2 set of twelve (sold in dozens). 3 (in pl.; usu. Foll. By of) colloq. Very many (dozens of errors).  talk nineteen to the dozen talk incessantly. [latin duodecim twelve]



Bakery  n. (pl. -ies) place where bread and cakes are made or sold.
Intransigent  —adj. Uncompromising, stubborn. —n. Intransigent person.  intransigence n. [spanish los intransigentes extremists]


Striking  adj. Impressive; attracting attention.  strikingly adv.
Persian lamb  n. Silky tightly curled fur of a young karakul, used in clothing.
Spine-chiller  n. Frightening and usu. Exciting story, film, etc.  spine-chilling adj.
Unorthodox  adj. Not orthodox.
Indisposed  adj. 1 slightly unwell. 2 averse or unwilling.  indisposition n.

Gene therapy  n. Introduction of normal genes into cells in place of defective or missing ones in order to correct genetic disorders.



Box office  n. Ticket-office at a theatre etc.



Papery  adj. Like paper in thinness or texture.





Highway  n. 1 a public road. B main route. 2 direct course of action (on the highway to success).

Snotty  adj. (-ier, -iest) slang 1 running or covered with nasal mucus. 2 snooty. 3 mean, contemptible.  snottily adv. Snottiness n.
Pawn1  n. 1 chess piece of the smallest size and value. 2 person used by others for their own purposes. [french poun from latin pedo -onis foot-soldier]
Archdiocese  n. Diocese of an archbishop.  archdiocesan adj.


Hepatic  adj. Of the liver. [greek hepar -atos liver]
Carboy  n. Large globular glass bottle usu. In a frame. [persian]
Torpor  n. Torpid condition. [latin torpeo be sluggish]
Culottes  n.pl. Women's trousers cut like a skirt. [french, = knee-breeches]
Dust-sheet  n. Protective cloth over furniture.
Purview  n. 1 scope or range of a document, scheme, etc. 2 range of physical or mental vision. [anglo-french past part.: related to *purvey]

Hunter  n. 1 a (fem. Huntress) person or animal that hunts. B horse used in hunting. 2 person who seeks something. 3 pocket-watch with a hinged cover protecting the glass.
Dirt cheap  adj. & adv. Colloq. Extremely cheap.
Low sunday  n. Sunday after easter.

Crawfish  n. (pl. Same) large marine spiny lobster. [var. Of *crayfish]
Man  —n. (pl. Men) 1 adult human male. 2 a human being; person. B the human race. 3 a workman (the manager spoke to the men). B manservant, valet. 4 (usu. In pl.) Soldiers, sailors, etc., esp. Non-officers. 5 suitable or appropriate person; expert (he is your man; the man for the job). 6 a husband (man and wife). B colloq. Boyfriend, lover. 7 human being of a specified type or historical period (renaissance man; peking man). 8 piece in chess, draughts, etc. 9 colloq. As a form of address. 10 person pursued; opponent (police caught their man). —v. (-nn-) 1 supply with a person or people for work or defence. 2 work, service, or defend (man the pumps). 3 fill (a post).  as one man in unison. Be one's own man be independent. To a man without exception.  manlike adj. [old english]


Epns  abbr. Electroplated nickel silver.

Decapitate  v. (-ting) behead.  decapitation n. [latin: related to *capital]
Unwise  adj. Foolish, imprudent.  unwisely adv.



Cavalier  —n. 1 hist. (cavalier) supporter of charles i in the civil war. 2 courtly gentleman. 3 archaic horseman. —adj. Offhand, supercilious, curt. [related to *cavalcade]
Barter  —v. 1 trade in goods without using money. 2 exchange (goods). —n. Trade by bartering. [perhaps from french]

Realign  v. 1 align again. 2 regroup in politics etc.  realignment n.


Parse  v. (-sing) 1 describe (a word in context) grammatically, stating its inflection, relation to the sentence, etc. 2 resolve (a sentence) into its component parts and describe them grammatically. [perhaps from french pars parts: related to *part]
Swordfish  n. (pl. Same or -es) large marine fish with swordlike upper jaw.

Rear-lamp  n. (also rear-light) usu. Red light at the rear of a vehicle.
Polymath  n. Person of great or varied learning. [greek manthano math- learn]



Hydraulics  n.pl. (usu. Treated as sing.) Science of the conveyance of liquids through pipes etc., esp. As motive power.
Break  —v. (past broke; past part. Broken) 1 a separate into pieces under a blow or strain; shatter. B make or become inoperative. C break a bone in or dislocate (part of the body). 2 a interrupt (broke our journey). B have an interval (broke for tea). 3 fail to keep (a law, promise, etc.). 4 a make or become subdued or weak; (cause to) yield; destroy. B weaken the effect of (a fall, blow, etc.). C = break in 3c. 5 surpass (a record). 6 (foll. By with) end a friendship with (a person etc.). 7 a be no longer subject to (a habit). B (foll. By of) free (a person) from a habit (broke them of their addiction). 8 reveal or be revealed (broke the news; story broke). 9 a (of fine weather) change suddenly. B (of waves) curl over and foam. C (of the day) dawn. D (of clouds) move apart. E (of a storm) begin violently. 10 electr. Disconnect (a circuit). 11 a (of the voice) change with emotion. B (of a boy's voice) change at puberty. 12 a (often foll. By up) divide (a set etc.). B change (a banknote etc.) For coins. 13 ruin financially (see also *broke adj.). 14 penetrate (e.g. A safe) by force. 15 decipher (a code). 16 make (a way, path, etc.) By force. 17 burst forth (sun broke through). 18 a (of troops) disperse in confusion. B rupture (ranks). 19 a (usu. Foll.



Op  n. Colloq. Operation. [abbreviation]

Whenever  conj. & adv. 1 at whatever time; on whatever occasion. 2 every time that.
Afternoon  n. Time from noon or lunch-time to evening.


Rosette  n. 1 rose-shaped ornament of ribbon etc., esp. As a supporter's badge or as a prize in a competition. 2 rose-shaped carving. [french diminutive: related to *rose1]

Alkane  n. Chem. Saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon having the general formula cnh2n+2, including methane and ethane.
Polish  —adj. 1 of poland. 2 of the poles or their language. —n. Language of poland.
Windcheater  n. Wind-resistant jacket.
Bloodstream  n. Blood in circulation.
Trespass  —v. 1 (usu. Foll. By on, upon) make an unlawful or unauthorized intrusion (esp. On land or property). 2 (foll. By on) make unjustifiable claims on; encroach on (trespass on your hospitality). —n. 1 law act of trespassing. 2 archaic sin, offence.  trespasser n. [medieval latin: related to *trans-, *pass1]

Domiciliary  adj. Formal (esp. Of a doctor's etc. Visit) to, at, or of a person's home. [medieval latin: related to *domicile]
Stratosphere  n. Layer of atmosphere above the troposphere, extending to about 50 km from the earth's surface.  stratospheric adj. [from *stratum]
Synonym  n. Word or phrase that means the same as another (e.g. Shut and close). [greek onoma name]
Satirize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) attack or describe with satire.

Abortion  n. 1 natural or (esp.) Induced expulsion of a foetus from the womb before it is able to survive independently. 2 stunted or deformed creature or thing. 3 failed project or action.  abortionist n.

Salt-lick  n. Place where animals lick salt from the ground.
Parole  —n. 1 temporary or permanent release of a prisoner before the expiry of a sentence, on the promise of good behaviour. 2 such a promise. —v. (-ling) put (a prisoner) on parole. [french, = word: related to *parlance]
Lay1  —v. (past and past part. Laid) 1 place on a surface, esp. Horizontally or in the proper or specified place. 2 put or bring into the required position or state (lay carpet). 3 make by laying (lay foundations). 4 (often absol.) (of a hen bird) produce (an egg). 5 cause to subside or lie flat. 6 (usu. Foll. By on); attribute or impute (blame etc.). 7 prepare or make ready (a plan or trap). 8 prepare (a table) for a meal. 9 arrange the material for (a fire). 10 put down as a wager; stake. 11 (foll. By with) coat or strew (a surface). 12 slang offens. Have sexual intercourse with (esp. A woman). —n. 1 way, position, or direction in which something lies. 2 slang offens. Partner (esp. Female) in, or act of, sexual intercourse.  lay about one hit out on all sides. Lay aside 1 put to one side. 2 cease to consider. Lay at the door of impute to. Lay bare expose, reveal. Lay claim to claim as one's own. Lay down 1 put on a flat surface. 2 give up (an office). 3 formulate (a rule). 4 store (wine) for maturing. 5 sacrifice (one's life). Lay (one's) hands on obtain, locate. Lay hands on seize or attack. Lay hold of seize. Lay in provide oneself with a stock of. Lay into colloq. Punish or scold harshly. Lay it on thick (or with a trowel) colloq. Flatter or exaggerate grossly. Lay low overthrow or humble. Lay off 1 discharge (unneeded workers) temporarily; make redundant. 2 colloq. Desist. Lay on 1 provide. 2 impose. 3 inflict (blows). 4 spread on (paint etc.). Lay open 1 break the skin of. 2 (foll. By to) expose (to criticism etc.). Lay out 1 spread out, expose to view. 2 prepare (a corpse) for burial. 3 colloq. Knock unconscious. 4 arrange (grounds etc.) According to a design.
Ruche  n. Frill or gathering of lace etc.  ruched adj. [french, = beehive]

Examination  n. 1 examining or being examined. 2 detailed inspection. 3 test of proficiency or knowledge by questions. 4 formal questioning of a witness etc. In court.


Rebuff  —n. 1 rejection of one who makes advances, proffers help, shows interest, makes a request, etc. 2 snub. —v. Give a rebuff to. [french from italian]

World-class  adj. Of a quality or standard regarded as high throughout the world.

Fold2  —n. 1 = *sheepfold. 2 religious group or congregation. —v. Enclose (sheep) in a fold. [old english]



Bl  abbr. British library.


Heart attack  n. Sudden occurrence of coronary thrombosis.


Tubular bells  n.pl. Orchestral instrument of vertically suspended brass tubes struck with a hammer.

Aerofoil  n. Structure with curved surfaces (e.g. A wing, fin, or tailplane) designed to give lift in flight.

Soft target  n. Vulnerable person or thing.




Guesswork  n. Process of or results got by guessing.
Usage  media is commonly used with a singular verb (e.g. The media is biased), but this is not generally accepted (cf. *data).

Conversationalist  n. Person good at or fond of conversation.
Zoological garden  n. (also zoological gardens n.pl.) Public garden or park with a collection of animals for exhibition and study.




Skinflint  n. Miser.



Tick4  n. 1 cover of a mattress or pillow. 2 = *ticking. [greek theke case]

Cloud  —n. 1 visible mass of condensed watery vapour floating high above the ground. 2 mass of smoke or dust. 3 (foll. By of) mass of insects etc. Moving together. 4 state of gloom, trouble, or suspicion. —v. 1 cover or darken with clouds or gloom or trouble. 2 (often foll. By over, up) become overcast or gloomy. 3 make unclear.  on cloud nine colloq. Extremely happy. Under a cloud out of favour, under suspicion. With one's head in the clouds day-dreaming.  cloudless adj. [old english]
Allegory  n. (pl. -ies) story whose moral is represented symbolically.  allegorical adj. Allegorize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing). [greek allegoria other speaking]

Farthing  n. Hist. Coin and monetary unit worth a quarter of an old penny. [old english: related to *fourth]


Opal  n. Semiprecious stone usu. Of a milky or bluish colour and sometimes showing changing colours. [latin]

User  n. Person who uses a thing.



Harbour  (us harbor) —n. 1 place of shelter for ships. 2 shelter; refuge. —v. 1 give shelter to (esp. A criminal). 2 keep in one's mind (esp. Resentment etc.). [old english, = army shelter]
County town  n. Administrative capital of a county.


Regulo  n. (usu. Foll. By a numeral) each of the numbers of a scale denoting temperature in a gas oven (cook at regulo 6). [regulo, propr. Term for a thermostatic gas oven control]
Squash2  n. (pl. Same or -es) 1 trailing annual plant. 2 edible gourd of this. [narragansett]




Shad  n. (pl. Same or -s) large edible marine fish. [old english]
Carve-up  n. Slang sharing-out, esp. Of spoils.
Usage  in sense 1, a hyphen is normally used when the word begins with e (re-enact), or to distinguish the compound from a more familiar one-word form (re-form = form again).
Débutante  n. (us debutante) (usu. Wealthy) young woman making her social début.
Niece  n. Daughter of one's brother or sister or of one's spouse's brother or sister. [latin neptis granddaughter]

Non-com  n. Colloq. Non-commissioned officer. [abbreviation]
Accost  v. 1 approach and address (a person), esp. Boldly. 2 (of a prostitute) solicit. [latin costa rib]


Plunder  —v. 1 rob or steal, esp. In wartime; loot. 2 exploit (another person's or common property) for one's own profit. —n. 1 activity of plundering. 2 property so acquired. [german plündern]
Lei  n. Polynesian garland of flowers. [hawaiian]

Geiger counter  n. Device for detecting and measuring radioactivity. [geiger, name of a physicist]
Battle royal  n. 1 battle of many combatants; free fight. 2 heated argument.
Menstrual cycle  n. Process of ovulation and menstruation.
October  n. Tenth month of the year. [latin octo eight, originally the 8th month of the roman year]
Photosensitive  adj. Reacting to light.


High church  n. Section of the church of england emphasizing ritual, priestly authority, and sacraments.

Vacant possession  n. Ownership of an unoccupied house etc.

Seventh heaven  n. State of intense joy.
Fright  n. 1 a sudden or extreme fear. B instance of this (gave me a fright). 2 grotesque-looking person or thing.  take fright become frightened. [old english]
Stultify  v. (-ies, -ied) make ineffective or useless, esp. By routine.  stultification n. [latin stultus foolish]
Draught-horse  n. Horse for heavy work.
Stung  past and past part. Of *sting.
Monologue  n. 1 a scene in a drama in which a person speaks alone. B dramatic composition for one performer. 2 long speech by one person in a conversation etc. [french from greek monologos speaking alone]
Overdraw  v. (past -drew; past part. -drawn) 1 draw more from (a bank account) than the amount credited. 2 (as overdrawn adj.) Having overdrawn one's account.
Half hitch  n. Knot formed by passing the end of a rope round its standing part and then through the loop.



Spire  n. 1 tapering structure, esp. On a church tower. 2 any tapering thing. [old english]
Interwar  attrib. Adj. Existing in the period between two wars.



Siskin  n. Yellowish-green songbird. [dutch]




Drainpipe  n. 1 pipe for carrying off water etc. 2 (attrib.) (of trousers) very narrow. 3 (in pl.) Very narrow trousers.


Chew  —v. Work (food etc.) Between the teeth. —n. 1 act of chewing. 2 chewy sweet.  chew on 1 work continuously between the teeth. 2 think about. Chew over 1 discuss, talk over. 2 think about. [old english]


Procuration  n. 1 formal act of procuring. 2 function or authorized action of an attorney. [latin: related to *procure]
Terribly  adv. 1 colloq. Very, extremely (terribly nice). 2 in a terrible manner.



Egocentric  adj. Self-centred.
Full back  n. Defensive player near the goal in football, hockey, etc.
Dropsy  n. = *oedema.  dropsical adj. [earlier hydropsy from greek hudrops: related to *hydro-]

Palimony  n. Esp. Us colloq. Allowance paid by either partner of a separated unmarried couple to the other. [from *pal, *alimony]


F2  abbr. (also f.) 1 fahrenheit. 2 farad(s). 3 fine (pencil-lead).
Runabout  n. Light car or aircraft.

Seal2  —n. Fish-eating amphibious marine mammal with flippers. —v. Hunt for seals. [old english]
Aggressive  adj. 1 given to aggression; hostile. 2 forceful, self-assertive.  aggressively adv.
Grille  n. (also grill) 1 grating or latticed screen, used as a partition etc. 2 metal grid protecting the radiator of a vehicle.





Waist-deep  adj. & adv. (also waist-high) up to the waist.

Diatomic  adj. Consisting of two atoms.



Pony-tail  n. Hair drawn back, tied, and hanging down behind the head.
Admonish  v. 1 reprove. 2 urge, advise. 3 (foll. By of) warn.  admonishment n. Admonition n. Admonitory adj. [latin moneo warn]
Sacking  n. Material for making sacks; sackcloth.

Haemoglobin  n. (us hem-) oxygen-carrying substance in the red blood cells of vertebrates. [from *globulin]
Zap  slang —v. (-pp-) 1 a kill or destroy; attack. B hit hard (zapped the ball over the net). 2 move quickly. 3 overwhelm emotionally. —int. Expressing the sound or impact of a bullet, ray gun, etc., or any sudden event. [imitative]

Advisedly  adv. After due consideration; deliberately.
Supreme  adj. 1 highest in authority or rank. 2 greatest; most important. 3 (of a penalty or sacrifice etc.) Involving death.  supremely adv. [latin]
Glycerin  n. (also glycerol, brit. Glycerine) thick sweet colourless liquid used as medicine, ointment, etc., and in explosives. [greek glukeros sweet]



Desk  n. 1 piece of furniture with a surface for writing on, and often drawers. 2 counter in a hotel, bank, etc. 3 specialized section of a newspaper office (sports desk). 4 unit of two orchestral players sharing a stand. [latin: related to *discus]


American  —adj. Of america, esp. The united states. —n. 1 native, citizen, or inhabitant of america, esp. The us. 2 english as used in the us.  americanize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing). [name of navigator amerigo vespucci]
Blotter  n. Pad of blotting-paper.

Blitz  colloq. —n. 1 a intensive or sudden (esp. Aerial) attack. B intensive period of work etc. (must have a blitz on this room). 2 (the blitz) german air raids on london in 1940. —v. Inflict a blitz on. [abbreviation of *blitzkrieg]

Hod  n. 1 v-shaped trough on a pole used for carrying bricks etc. 2 portable receptacle for coal. [french hotte pannier]






Cram  v. (-mm-) 1 a fill to bursting; stuff. B (foll. By in, into; also absol.) Force (a thing) in or into. 2 prepare intensively for an examination. 3 (often foll. By with) feed to excess. [old english]
Silver wedding  n. 25th anniversary of a wedding.


Geriatrics  n.pl. (usu. Treated as sing.) Branch of medicine or social science dealing with the health and care of old people.  geriatrician n.
Heater  n. Stove or other heating device.
Tin can  n. Tin container, esp. An empty one.

Endless  adj. 1 infinite; without end. 2 continual (endless complaints). 3 colloq. Innumerable. 4 (of a belt, chain, etc.) Having the ends joined for continuous action over wheels etc.  endlessly adv. [old english: related to *end]
Fop  n. Dandy.  foppery n. Foppish adj. [perhaps from obsolete fop fool]



Bulbous  adj. Bulb-shaped; fat or bulging.
Gammon  n. 1 bottom piece of a flitch of bacon including a hind leg. 2 ham of a pig cured like bacon. [french: related to *jamb]

Elevation  n. 1 a elevating or being elevated. B angle with the horizontal. C height above sea level etc. D high position. 2 drawing or diagram showing one side of a building.
Exult  v. Be joyful.  exultation n. Exultant adj. Exultantly adv. [latin ex(s)ulto from salio salt- leap]
Headlong  adv. & adj. 1 with the head foremost. 2 in a rush.

Lung  n. Either of the pair of respiratory organs in humans and many other vertebrates. [old english: related to *light2]
Parkin  n. Cake of ginger, oatmeal, treacle, etc. [origin uncertain]
Wringing  adj. (in full wringing wet) so wet that water can be wrung out.
Too  adv. 1 to a greater extent than is desirable or permissible (too large). 2 colloq. Very (not too sure). 3 in addition (i'm coming too). 4 moreover (food was bad, and expensive too).  none too rather less than (feeling none too good). Too bad see *bad. Too much intolerable. Too much for 1 more than a match for. 2 beyond what is endurable by. Too right see *right. [stressed form of *to]



Goblin  n. Mischievous ugly dwarflike creature of folklore. [anglo-french]
Predecessor  n. 1 former holder of an office or position with respect to a later holder. 2 ancestor. 3 thing to which another has succeeded. [latin decessor: related to *decease]
Habit-forming  adj. Causing addiction.
Link  —n. 1 one loop or ring of a chain etc. 2 a connecting part; one in a series. B state or means of connection. 3 cuff-link. —v. 1 (foll. By together, to, with) connect or join (two things or one to another). 2 clasp or intertwine (hands or arms). 3 (foll. By on, to, in to) be joined; attach oneself to (a system, company, etc.).  link up (foll. By with) connect or combine. [old norse]

Page-boy  n. 1 = *page2 n. 2. 2 woman's hairstyle with the hair bobbed and rolled under.
Three-quarter  n. (also three-quarter back) rugby any of three or four players just behind the half-backs.

Œuvre  n. Works of a creative artist regarded collectively. [french, = work, from latin opera]
Col.  Abbr. Colonel.
Some  —adj. 1 unspecified amount or number of (some water; some apples; some of them). 2 unknown or unspecified (some day; some fool broke it). 3 approximately (some ten days). 4 considerable (went to some trouble; at some cost). 5 (usu. Stressed) a at least a modicum of (have some consideration). B such up to a point (that is some help). C colloq.
Mixed-up  adj. Colloq. Mentally or emotionally confused; socially ill-adjusted.
Tassel  n. 1 tuft of loosely hanging threads or cords etc. As decoration. 2 tassel-like flower-head of some plants, esp. Maize.  tasselled adj. (us taseled). [french tas(s)el clasp]



Any  —adj. 1 a one, no matter which, of several (cannot find any answer). B some, no matter how much or many or of what sort (if any books arrive; have you any sugar?). 2 a minimal amount of (hardly any difference). 3 whichever is chosen (any fool knows). 4 an appreciable or significant (did not stay for any length of time; has any amount of money). —pron. 1 any one (did not know any of them). 2 any number or amount (are any of them yours?). —adv. (usu. With neg. Or interrog.) At all (is that any good?). [old english ænig: related to *one, *-y1]

Scissors  n.pl. (also pair of scissors sing.) Hand-held cutting instrument with two pivoted blades opening and closing. [latin caedo cut: related to *chisel]
Mucous membrane  n. Mucus-secreting tissue lining body cavities etc.

When  —interrog. Adv. 1 at what time? 2 on what occasion? 3 how soon? —rel. Adv. (prec. By time etc.) At or on which (there are times when i could cry). —conj. 1 at the or any time that; as soon as (come when you like; come when ready). 2 although (why stand when you could sit?). 3 after which; and then; but just then (was nearly asleep when the bell rang). —pron. What time?; which time (till when can you stay?; since when it has improved). —n. Time, occasion (fixed the where and when). [old english]
Romanticism  n. (also romanticism) adherence to a romantic style in art, music, etc.

Hookworm  n. Worm with hooklike mouthparts, infesting humans and animals.
Advance  —v. (-cing) 1 move or put forward; progress. 2 pay or lend (money) beforehand. 3 promote (a person, cause, etc.). 4 present (a suggestion etc.). 5 (as advanced adj.) A well ahead. B socially progressive. —n. 1 going forward; progress. 2 prepayment; loan. 3 (in pl.) Amorous approaches. 4 rise in price. —attrib. Adj. Done or supplied beforehand (advance warning).  advance on approach threateningly. In advance ahead in place or time. [latin: related to *ab-, ante before]


Hasn't  contr. Has not.


Schism  n. Division of a group (esp. Religious) into sects etc., usu. Over doctrine.  schismatic adj. & n. [greek skhizo to split]


Xmas  n. Colloq. = *christmas. [abbreviation, with x for the initial chi of greek khristos christ]
Spirit-level  n. Device with a glass tube nearly filled with alcohol, used to test horizontality.
Limb1  n. 1 arm, leg, or wing. 2 large branch of a tree. 3 branch of a cross.  out on a limb isolated. [old english]
Leftward  —adv. (also leftwards) towards the left. —adj. Going towards or facing the left.
-osity  suffix forming nouns from adjectives in -ose and -ous (verbosity; curiosity). [latin -ositas]

Casein  n. The main protein in milk and cheese. [latin caseus cheese]
Readjust  v. Adjust again or to a former state.  readjustment n.
Unsparing  adj. 1 lavish. 2 merciless.
Hospice  n. 1 home for people who are ill (esp. Terminally) or destitute. 2 lodging for travellers, esp. One kept by a religious order. [latin: related to *host2]

Black sheep  n. Colloq. Member of a family, group, etc. Regarded as a disgrace or failure.





Pop3  n. Esp. Us colloq. Father. [from *papa]



Acquired taste  n. 1 liking developed by experience. 2 object of this.
Pad2  —v. (-dd-) 1 walk with a soft dull steady step. 2 travel, or tramp along (a road etc.), on foot. —n. Sound of soft steady steps. [low german pad *path]





Bird of paradise  n. Bird, the male of which has brilliant plumage.

Repair1  —v. 1 restore to good condition after damage or wear. 2 set right or make amends for (a loss, wrong, error, etc.). —n. 1 restoring to sound condition (in need of repair). 2 result of this (the repair hardly shows). 3 good or relative condition for working or using (in bad repair).  repairable adj. Repairer n. [latin paro make ready]




Circumnavigate  v. (-ting) sail round (esp. The world).  circumnavigation n.
Rehearse  v. (-sing) 1 practise (a play, music, etc.) For later public performance. 2 hold a rehearsal. 3 train (a person) by rehearsal. 4 recite or say over. 5 give a list of, enumerate. [anglo-french: related to *hearse]

Improve  v. (-ving) 1 a make or become better. B (foll. By on, upon) produce something better than. 2 (as improving adj.) Giving moral benefit (improving literature).  improvable adj. Improvement n. [anglo-french emprower from french prou profit]
Waterfall  n. Stream flowing over a precipice or down a steep hillside.
Or1  conj. 1 introducing an alternative (white or black; take it or leave it; whether or not). 2 introducing an alternative name (the lapwing or peewit). 3 introducing an afterthought (came in laughing – or was it crying?). 4 = or else 1 (run or you'll be late).  or else 1 otherwise (run, or else you will be late). 2 colloq. Expressing a warning or threat (be good or else). [old english]

Persuasion  n. 1 persuading. 2 persuasiveness. 3 belief or conviction. 4 religious belief, or the group or sect holding it. [latin: related to *persuade]




Singleton  n. 1 one card only of a suit in a player's hand. 2 single person or thing. [after simpleton]
High frequency  n. Frequency, esp. In radio, of 3 to 30 megahertz.

Red tape  n. Excessive bureaucracy or formality, esp. In public business.


Fat-head  n. Colloq. Stupid person.



Ear-trumpet  n. Trumpet-shaped device formerly used as a hearing-aid.

Undreamed  adj. (also undreamt) (often foll. By of) not dreamed, thought, or imagined.


Tartar sauce  n. Sauce of mayonnaise and chopped gherkins, capers, etc. [from *tartar]

Autoroute  n. French motorway. [french]
Big brother  n. Supposedly benevolent watchful dictator.
Third person  n. 1 = *third party. 2 gram. See *person.



Adjoin  v. Be next to and joined with. [latin jungo join]
Owt  n. Colloq. Or dial. Anything. [var. Of *aught]
Dragonfly  n. Large insect with a long body and two pairs of transparent wings.


Mount2  n. Archaic (except before a name): mountain, hill (mount everest). [latin mons mont-]


Exceptional  adj. 1 forming an exception; unusual. 2 outstanding.  exceptionally adv.
Axolotl  n. Newtlike salamander, which in natural conditions retains its larval form of life. [nahuatl, = water-servant]
Butter-fingers  n. Colloq. Person prone to drop things.



Squad  n. 1 small group sharing a task etc., esp. Of soldiers or policemen (drug squad). 2 sport team. [french escouade]


Heresy  n. (pl. -ies) 1  esp. Rc ch. Religious belief or practice contrary to orthodox doctrine. 2 opinion contrary to what is normally accepted or maintained. [greek hairesis choice]
Nerve  —n. 1 a fibre or bundle of fibres that transmits impulses of sensation or motion between the brain or spinal cord and other parts of the body. B material constituting these. 2 a coolness in danger; bravery. B colloq. Impudence. 3 (in pl.) Nervousness; mental or physical stress. —v. (-ving) 1 (usu. Refl.) Brace (oneself) to face danger etc. 2 give strength, vigour, or courage to.  get on a person's nerves irritate a person. [latin nervus sinew, bowstring]
Disarray  —n. Disorder. —v. Throw into disorder.
Maquis  n. (pl. Same) 1 french resistance movement during the german occupation (1940–45). 2 member of this. [french, = brushwood]

Irremovable  adj. That cannot be removed.  irremovably adv.
Celandine  n. Yellow-flowered plant. [greek khelidon a swallow]
Stasis  n. (pl. Stases) 1 inactivity; stagnation. 2 stoppage of circulation. [greek]

Sandwich course  n. Course with alternate periods of study and work experience.
Coitus interruptus  n. Sexual intercourse with withdrawal of the penis before ejaculation.

Interdenominational  adj. Concerning more than one (religious) denomination.
Trot  n. Colloq. Usu. Derog. Trotskyite. [abbreviation]


Refurnish  v. Furnish again or differently.

Outdoor  attrib. Adj. 1 done, existing, or used out of doors. 2 fond of the open air (an outdoor type).


Syndrome  n. 1 group of concurrent symptoms of a disease. 2 characteristic combination of opinions, emotions, behaviour, etc. [greek sundrome running together]
Constitutional  —adj. 1  of or in line with the constitution. 2 inherent (constitutional weakness). —n. Walk taken regularly as healthy exercise.  constitutionality n. Constitutionally adv.

Spank  —v. 1 slap, esp. On the buttocks as punishment. 2 (of a horse etc.) Move briskly. —n. Slap, esp. On the buttocks. [imitative]


Chaser  n. 1 horse for steeplechasing. 2 colloq. Drink taken after another of a different kind.


Sketch  —n. 1 rough or unfinished drawing or painting. 2 rough draft or general outline. 3 short usu. Humorous play. 4 short descriptive essay etc. —v. 1 make or give a sketch of. 2 draw sketches. 3 (often foll. By in, out) outline briefly. [greek skhedios extempore]


Scout  —n. 1 soldier etc. Sent ahead to get esp. Military intelligence. 2 search for this. 3 = *talent-scout. 4 (also scout) member of the scout association, an (orig. Boys') association intended to develop character. 5 domestic worker at an oxford college. —v. 1 (often foll. By for) go about searching for information etc. 2 (foll. By about, around) make a search. 3 (often foll. By out) colloq. Explore to get information about (territory etc.).  scouting n. [french escoute(r) from latin ausculto listen]
Armlet  n. Ornamental band worn round the arm.
Silver paper  n. Aluminium foil.
Safeguard  —n. Protecting proviso, circumstance, etc. —v. Guard or protect (rights etc.).




Seminar  n. 1 small discussion class at a university etc. 2 short intensive course of study. 3 conference of specialists. [german: related to *seminary]
Designing  adj. Crafty, scheming.

Harem  n. 1 women of a muslim household. 2 their quarters. [arabic, = sanctuary]

Orchard  n. Piece of enclosed land with fruit-trees. [latin hortus garden]





Quim  n. Coarse slang female genitals. [origin unknown]
Porpoise  n. Sea mammal of the whale family, with a blunt rounded snout. [latin porcus pig, piscis fish]

Fluorine  n. Poisonous pale-yellow gaseous element. [french: related to *fluorspar]
Carnet  n. Permit to drive across a frontier, use a camp-site, etc. [french, = notebook]
Pre-set  v. (-tt-; past and past part. -set) set or fix (a device) in advance of its operation.

Assortment  n. Diverse group or mixture.

Steersman  n. Person who steers a ship.

Kc/s  abbr. Kilocycles per second.
Angelus  n. 1 roman catholic prayers commemorating the incarnation, said at morning, noon, and sunset. 2 bell announcing this. [latin angelus domini (= the angel of the lord), opening words]
Tea dance  n. Afternoon tea with dancing.

Treacherous  adj. 1 guilty of or involving treachery. 2 (of the weather, ice, the memory, etc.) Likely to fail or give way.  treacherously adv. [french from trichier cheat: related to *trick]
Epicure  n. Person with refined tastes, esp. In food and drink.  epicurism n. [medieval latin: related to *epicurean]
Fob1  n. 1 chain of a pocket-watch. 2 small pocket for a watch etc. 3 tab on a key-ring. [german]
Extramural  adj. Additional to normal teaching or studies, esp. For non-resident students.


Help  —v. 1 provide with the means towards what is needed or sought (helped me with my work; helped me (to) pay my debts; helped him on with his coat). 2 (often absol.) Be of use or service to (does that help?). 3 contribute to alleviating (a pain or difficulty). 4 prevent or remedy (it can't be helped). 5 (usu. With neg.) A refrain from (can't help it; could not help laughing). B refl. Refrain from acting (couldn't help himself). 6 (often foll. By to) serve (a person with food). —n. 1 helping or being helped (need your help; came to our help). 2 person or thing that helps. 3 colloq. Domestic assistant or assistance. 4 remedy or escape (there is no help for it).  help oneself (often foll. By to) 1 serve oneself (with food etc.). 2 take without permission. Help a person out give a person help, esp. In difficulty.  helper n.
Et cetera  (also etcetera) —adv. 1 and the rest. 2 and so on. —n. (in pl.) The usual extras. [latin]
Surrealism  n. 20th-c. Movement in art and literature, attempting to express the subconscious mind by dream imagery, bizarre juxtapositions, etc.  surrealist n. & adj. Surrealistic adj. Surrealistically adv. [french: related to *sur-1, *real1]

Unchallengeable  adj. Not challengeable; unassailable.



Forefinger  n. Finger next to the thumb.


Crusade  —n. 1 hist. Any of several medieval military expeditions made by europeans to recover the holy land from the muslims. 2 vigorous campaign for a cause. —v. (-ding) engage in a crusade.  crusader n. [french: related to *cross]
Boracic  adj. Of borax.
Threnody  n. (pl. -ies) song of lamentation or mourning. [greek]






Hermit-crab  n. Crab that lives in a mollusc's cast-off shell.
H. & c.  Abbr. Hot and cold (water).
Putrid  adj. 1 decomposed, rotten. 2 foul, noxious. 3 corrupt. 4 slang of poor quality; contemptible; very unpleasant.  putridity n. [latin putreo rot (v.)]

Suet  n. Hard white fat on the kidneys or loins of oxen, sheep, etc.  suety adj. [anglo-french seu, from latin sebum]
Rightism  n. Political conservatism.  rightist n. & adj.
Rope-ladder  n. Two ropes with crosspieces, used as a ladder.
Steamroller  —n. 1 heavy slow-moving vehicle with a roller, used to flatten new-made roads. 2 a crushing power or force. —v. Crush or move forcibly or indiscriminately; force.
Spotter  n. 1 (often in comb.) Person who spots people or things (train-spotter). 2 (in full spotter plane) aircraft used to locate enemy positions etc.


Deed poll  n. Deed made by one party only, esp. To change one's name.


Water-tower  n. Tower with an elevated tank to give pressure for distributing water.
Tramlines  n.pl. 1 rails for a tramcar. 2 colloq.  Pair of long parallel lines at the sides of a tennis or badminton court.
Inland  —adj. 1 in the interior of a country. 2 carried on within a country. —adv. In or towards the interior of a country.




Treasure trove  n. Treasure of unknown ownership found hidden.
Nomen  n. Ancient roman's second or family name, as in marcus tullius cicero. [latin, = name]






Synecdoche  n. Figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or vice versa (e.g. New faces at the club; england lost to india). [greek, = taking together]
Grandiose  adj. 1 producing or meant to produce an imposing effect. 2 planned on an ambitious scale.  grandiosity n. [italian: related to *grand]
Whither  archaic —adv. 1 to what place or state? 2 (prec. By place etc.) To which. —conj. 1 to the or any place to which (go whither you will). 2 and thither. [old english]


Moor2  v. Attach (a boat etc.) To a fixed object.  moorage n. [probably low german]


Cap  abbr. Common agricultural policy (of the ec).
Union-bashing  n. Colloq. Media or government campaign against trade unions.

Unexpected  adj. Not expected; surprising.  unexpectedly adv. Unexpectedness n.
Front-bencher  n. Mp occupying the front bench.
R 
Arête  n. Sharp mountain ridge. [french from latin arista spine]


Stand-off half  n. Rugby half-back forming a link between the scrum-half and the three-quarters.
Guaranty  n. (pl. -ies) 1 written or other undertaking to answer for the payment of a debt or for the performance of an obligation by another person liable in the first instance. 2 thing serving as security.


Routine  —n. 1 regular course or procedure, unvarying performance of certain acts. 2 set sequence in a dance, comedy act, etc. 3 computing sequence of instructions for a particular task. —adj. 1 performed as part of a routine (routine duties). 2 of a customary or standard kind.  routinely adv. [french: related to *route]

Blenny  n. (pl. -ies) small spiny-finned scaleless marine fish. [greek blennos mucus]




Life-jacket  n. Buoyant jacket for keeping a person afloat.
Kolkhoz  n. Collective farm in the ussr. [russian]



Freeboard  n. Part of a ship's side between the water-line and deck.
Bizarre  adj. Strange; eccentric; grotesque. [french]
Blowzy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 coarse-looking; red-faced. 2 slovenly. [obsolete blowze beggar's wench]

Favorable  adj. (brit. Favourable) 1 well-disposed; propitious; approving. 2 promising, auspicious. 3 helpful, suitable.  favourably adv.




Decency  n. (pl. -ies) 1 correct, honourable, or modest behaviour. 2 (in pl.) Proprieties; manners. [latin: related to *decent]
Inanimate  adj. 1 not endowed with, or deprived of, animal life (an inanimate object). 2 spiritless, dull.
Archaeology  n. (us archeology) study of ancient cultures, esp. By the excavation and analysis of physical remains.  archaeological adj. Archaeologist n. [greek arkhaiologia ancient history]
Merry  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 a joyous. B full of laughter or gaiety. 2 colloq. Slightly drunk.  make merry be festive.  merrily adv. Merriment n. Merriness n. [old english]

Dexterous  adj. (also dextrous) having or showing dexterity.  dexterously adv. Dexterousness n.


Saxon  —n. 1 hist. A member of the germanic people that conquered parts of england in 5th–6th c. B (usu. Old saxon) language of the saxons. 2 = *anglo-saxon. —adj. 1 hist. Of the saxons. 2 = *anglo-saxon. [latin saxo -onis]
Perianth  n. Outer part of a flower. [greek anthos flower]



Left luggage  n. Luggage deposited for later retrieval.
Stage direction  n. Instruction in a play as to actors' movements, sound effects, etc.
Gearbox  n. 1 set of gears with its casing, esp. In a vehicle. 2 the casing itself.

Suffix  —n. Letter(s) added at the end of a word to form a derivative. —v. Append, esp. As a suffix. [latin figo fix- fasten]
Tourer  n. Car or caravan for touring in.
Tideway  n. Tidal part of a river.

Gunman  n. Man armed with a gun, esp. When committing a crime
Supporting film  n. (also supporting picture etc.) Less important film in a cinema programme.

Vicinity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 surrounding district. 2 (foll. By to) nearness.  in the vicinity (often foll. By of) near (to). [latin vicinus neighbour]


Foam  —n. 1 mass of small bubbles formed on or in liquid by agitation, fermentation, etc. 2 froth of saliva or sweat. 3 substance resembling these, e.g. Spongy rubber or plastic. —v. Emit or run with foam; froth.  foam at the mouth be very angry.  foamy adj. (-ier, -iest). [old english]
Vascular  adj. Of or containing vessels for conveying blood, sap, etc. [latin vasculum diminutive of *vas]


Resettle  v. (-ling) settle again or elsewhere.  resettlement n.

Wind instrument  n. Musical instrument sounded by an air-current, esp. The breath.
Bumptious  adj. Offensively self-assertive or conceited. [from *bump, after fractious]


Include  v. (-ding) 1 comprise or reckon in as part of a whole. 2 (as including prep.) If we include (six, including me). 3 put in a certain category etc.  inclusion n. [latin includo -clus- enclose, from claudo shut]
Convoy  —n. Group of ships, vehicles, etc., travelling together or under escort. —v. Escort, esp. With armed force.  in convoy as a group. [french: related to *convey]
Saver  n. 1 person who saves esp. Money. 2 (often in comb.) Thing that saves (time etc.). 3 cheap (esp. Off-peak) fare.
Respond  v. 1 answer, reply. 2 act or behave in a corresponding manner. 3 (usu. Foll. By to) show sensitiveness to by behaviour or change (does not respond to kindness). 4 (of a congregation) make set answers to a priest etc. [latin respondeo -spons-]



Sotto voce  adv. In an undertone. [italian]
Denude  v. (-ding) 1 make naked or bare. 2 (foll. By of) strip of (covering, property, etc.).  denudation n. [latin nudus naked]

Unsettled  adj. 1 restless, disturbed; unpredictable, changeable. 2 open to change or further discussion. 3 (of a bill etc.) Unpaid.
Bad-tempered  adj. Irritable.


Flier  var. Of *flyer.



Commonly  adv. Usually, frequently; ordinarily.
Viewdata  n. News and information service from a computer source, connected to a television screen by a telephone link.
Foliar  adj. Of leaves. [as *foliate]
Gristle  n. Tough flexible animal tissue; cartilage.  gristly adj. [old english]
Husky2  n. (pl. -ies) dog of a powerful breed used in the arctic for pulling sledges. [perhaps from corruption of *eskimo]

Seeming  adj. Apparent but perhaps doubtful (his seeming interest).  seemingly adv.
Ex1  prep. (of goods) sold from (ex-works). [latin, = out of]

Salty  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 tasting of or containing salt. 2 (of wit etc.) Piquant. saltiness n.

Adobe  n. 1 sun-dried brick. 2 clay for making these. [spanish]

Built  past and past part. Of *build.

Electroencephalograph  n. Instrument that records the electrical activity of the brain.
Ra  symb. Radium.

Meninges  n.pl. Three membranes enclosing the brain and spinal cord. [greek menigx membrane]
Gutsy  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. 1 courageous. 2 greedy.
Forwent  past of *forgo.
Roadworks  n.pl. Construction, repair, etc. Of roads.





Writing  n. 1 written words etc. 2 handwriting. 3 (usu. In pl.) Author's works.  in writing in written form. The writing on the wall ominously significant event etc.
Hooter  n. 1 thing that hoots, esp. A car's horn or a siren. 2 slang nose.

Tucker  —n. 1 hist. Piece of lace or linen etc. In or on a woman's bodice. 2 austral. & nz slang food. —v. (esp. In passive; often foll. By out) us & austral. Colloq. Tire.

Curry1  —n. (pl. -ies) meat, vegetables, etc., cooked in a spicy sauce, usu. Served with rice. —v. (-ies, -ied) prepare or flavour with a curry sauce. [tamil]
Gross national product  n. Gross domestic product plus the total of net income from abroad.

Spud  —n. 1 colloq. Potato. 2 small narrow spade for weeding. —v. (-dd-) (foll. By up, out) remove with a spud. [origin unknown]

Businesslike  adj. Efficient, systematic.

Mac  n. (also mack) colloq. Mackintosh. [abbreviation]
Only too  adv. Extremely.

Baking-soda  n. Sodium bicarbonate.

Order  —n. 1 a condition in which every part, unit, etc. Is in its right place; tidiness. B specified sequence, succession, etc. (alphabetical order; the order of events). 2 authoritative command, direction, instruction, etc. 3 state of obedience to law, authority, etc. 4 a direction to supply or pay something. B goods etc. To be supplied. 5 social class; its members (the lower orders). 6 kind; sort (talents of a high order). 7 constitution or nature of the world, society, etc. (the moral order; the order of things). 8 taxonomic rank below a class and above a family. 9 religious fraternity with a common rule of life. 10 grade of the christian ministry. 11 any of the five classical styles of architecture (doric order). 12 a company of persons distinguished by a particular honour (order of the garter). B insignia worn by its members. 13 eccl. The stated form of divine service (the order of confirmation). 14 system of rules or procedure (at meetings etc.) (point of order). —v. 1 command; bid; prescribe. 2 command or direct (a person) to a specified destination (ordered them home). 3 direct a waiter, tradesman, etc. To supply (ordered dinner; ordered a new suit). 4 (often as ordered adj.) Put in order; regulate (an ordered life). 5 (of god, fate, etc.) Ordain.  in (or out of) order 1 in the correct (or incorrect) sequence or position. 2 fit (or not fit) for use. 3 according (or not according) to the rules at a meeting etc. In order that with the intention; so that. In order to with the purpose of doing; with a view to. Of (or in) the order of approximately. On order ordered but not yet received. Order about command officiously. To order as specified by the customer. [latin ordo ordin- row, command, etc.]

Weedy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 weak, feeble. 2 having many weeds.
Maturate  v. (-ting) (of a boil etc.) Come to maturation. [latin: related to *mature]

Queen's guide  n. Guide who has reached the highest rank of proficiency.
Custodian  n. Guardian or keeper.  custodianship n.
Syllabary  n. (pl. -ies) list of characters representing syllables. [related to *syllable]

Usage  thou has now been replaced by you except in some formal, liturgical, dialect, and poetic uses.
Backgammon  n. Board-game with pieces moved according to throws of the dice. [from *back + obsolete form of *game1]

Mainspring  n. 1 principal spring of a watch, clock, etc. 2 chief motivating force; incentive.
Aberdonian  —adj. Of aberdeen. —n. Native or citizen of aberdeen. [medieval latin]
Unmade  adj. (esp. Of a bed) not made.
Doe  n. (pl. Same or -s) female fallow deer, reindeer, hare, or rabbit. [old english]



House of lords  n. Chamber of parliament that is mainly hereditary.
Sugar loaf  n. Conical moulded mass of sugar.
Index  —n. (pl. Indexes or indices) 1 alphabetical list of subjects etc. With references, usu. At the end of a book. 2 = *card index. 3 measure of prices or wages compared with a previous month, year, etc. (retail price index). 4 math. Exponent of a number. 5 pointer, sign, or indicator. —v. 1 provide (a book etc.) With an index. 2 enter in an index. 3 relate (wages etc.) To a price index.  indexation n. (in sense 3 of v.). [latin]

Skittish  adj. 1 lively, playful. 2 (of a horse etc.) Nervous, inclined to shy. [perhaps related to *skit]
Denominator  n. Number below the line in a vulgar fraction; divisor. [latin nomen name]
Optical art  n. Art using contrasting colours to create the illusion of movement.




Diapositive  n. Positive photographic slide or transparency.
Ou  abbr. 1 open university. 2 oxford university.
Usage  in sense 1, celsius is usually preferred in technical contexts.

Time-limit  n. Limit of time within which a task must be done.
Vex  v. 1 anger, irritate. 2 archaic grieve, afflict. [latin vexo afflict]
Atelier  n. Workshop or artist's studio. [french]
Than  conj. Introducing a comparison (plays better than he did before; more bread than meat in these sausages; cost more than £100; you are older than he). [old english, originally = *then]
Streptomycin  n. Antibiotic effective against many disease-producing bacteria. [greek streptos twisted, mukes fungus]
Pothole  n. 1 deep hole or cave system in rock. 2 hole in a road surface.  potholer n. Potholing n.
Carbon-12  n. Stable isotope of carbon, used as a standard.


Headman  n. Chief man of a tribe etc.
Chancellery  n. (pl. -ies) 1 chancellor's department, staff, or residence. 2 us office attached to an embassy or consulate.
Egotism  n. 1 self-conceit. 2 selfishness.  egotist n. Egotistic adj. Egotistical adj. Egotistically adv.
Usage  leading question does not mean a ‘principal’ or ‘loaded’ or ‘searching’ question.


Enunciate  v. (-ting) 1 pronounce (words) clearly. 2 express in definite terms.  enunciation n. [latin nuntio announce]
Panic  —n. 1 sudden uncontrollable fear. 2 infectious fright, esp. In commercial dealings. —v. (-ck-) (often foll. By into) affect or be affected with panic (was panicked into buying).  panicky adj. [greek pan, rural god]


Hb  abbr. (of pencil-lead) hard black.

Turkish towel  n. Towel made of cotton terry.









Termite  n. Small tropical antlike social insect destructive to timber. [latin termes -mitis]

Olympian  —adj. 1 a of olympus. B celestial. 2 (of manners etc.) Magnificent, condescending, superior. 3 = *olympic. —n. 1 greek god dwelling on olympus. 2 person of superhuman ability or calm. 3 competitor in the olympic games. [from mt. Olympus in greece, or as *olympic]
Blow-hole  n. 1 nostril of a whale. 2 hole (esp. In ice) for breathing or fishing through. 3 vent for air, smoke, etc.





Supercargo  n. (pl. -es) officer in a merchant ship managing sales etc. Of cargo. [spanish sobrecargo]
Esplanade  n. 1 long open level area for walking on, esp. Beside the sea. 2 level space separating a fortress from a town. [latin planus level]
Megohm  n. One million ohms.

Somersault   —n. Leap or roll with the body turning through a circle. —v. Perform this. [french sobre above, saut jump]
Sheepshank  n. Knot for shortening a rope temporarily.
Commingle  v. (-ling) literary mingle together.
Crackers  predic. Adj. Slang crazy.


Unpriced  adj. Not having a price fixed, marked, or stated.



Bra  n. Undergarment worn by women to support the breasts. [abbreviation]

Middleweight  n. 1 weight in certain sports between welterweight and light heavyweight, in amateur boxing 71–5 kg. 2 sportsman of this weight.
Festive  adj. 1 of or characteristic of a festival. 2 joyous.  festively adv. Festiveness n. [latin: related to *feast]
Pearl button  n. Mother-of-pearl button, or an imitation of it.

Tempest  n. Violent storm. [latin tempus time]
Sneak-thief  n. Thief who steals without breaking in.
Lad  n. 1 boy, youth. 2 colloq. Man. [origin unknown]
Manufacture  —n. 1 making of articles, esp. In a factory etc. 2 branch of industry (woollen manufacture). —v. (-ring) 1 make (articles), esp. On an industrial scale. 2 invent or fabricate (evidence, a story, etc.).  manufacturer n. [latin manufactum made by hand]
Sweetness  n. Being sweet; fragrance.  sweetness and light (esp. Uncharacteristic) mildness and reason.
Unisex  adj. (of clothing, hairstyles, etc.) Designed for both sexes.

Averse  predic. Adj. (usu. Foll. By to) opposed, disinclined. [latin verto vers- turn]


Sod2  coarse slang —n. 1 unpleasant or awkward person or thing. 2 fellow (lucky sod). —v. (-dd-) 1 damn (sod them!). 2 (as sodding adj.) Damned.  sod off go away. [abbreviation of *sodomite]
Detect  v. 1 discover or perceive (detected a note of sarcasm). 2 (often foll. By in) discover (a criminal); solve (a crime).  detectable adj. Detector n. [latin tego tect- cover]
Perceptible  adj. Capable of being perceived by the senses or intellect.  perceptibility n. Perceptibly adv. [latin: related to *perceive]

Winebibber  n. Tippler.
Japonica  n. Flowering shrub with bright red flowers and round edible fruits. [latinized name for japanese]
Posterity  n. 1 succeeding generations. 2 person's descendants. [latin: related to *posterior]

Expendable  adj. That may be sacrificed or dispensed with; not worth preserving or saving.


Tip3  —v. (-pp-) 1 make a small present of money to, esp. For a service given. 2 name as the likely winner of a race or contest etc. 3 strike or touch lightly. —n. 1 small money present, esp. For a service given. 2 piece of private or special information, esp. Regarding betting or investment. 3 small or casual piece of advice.  tip off give (a person) a hint or piece of special information or warning. Tip a person the wink give a person private information. [origin uncertain]
Kirk-session  n. Lowest court in the church of scotland.


Clothes-line  n. Rope etc. On which clothes are hung to dry.
Orthopaedics  n.pl. (treated as sing.) (us -pedics) branch of medicine dealing with the correction of diseased, deformed, or injured bones or muscles.  orthopaedic adj. Orthopaedist n. [greek pais paid- child]




Emu  abbr. Economic and monetary union; european monetary union.
Hope  —n. 1 expectation and desire for a thing. 2 person or thing giving cause for hope. 3 what is hoped for. —v. (-ping) 1 feel hope. 2 expect and desire. 3 feel fairly confident.  hope against hope cling to a mere possibility. [old english]

Stockpile  —n. Accumulated stock of goods etc. Held in reserve. —v. (-ling) accumulate a stockpile of.

Sob story  n. Colloq. Story or explanation appealing for sympathy.
Clergyman  n. Member of the clergy.
Undesirable  —adj. Objectionable, unpleasant. —n. Undesirable person.  undesirability n.


Pip5  n. 1 disease of poultry etc. 2 colloq. Fit of disgust or bad temper (esp. Give one the pip). [low german or dutch]
Cheesed  adj. Slang (often foll. By off) bored, fed up. [origin unknown]

Conservative party  n. Political party promoting free enterprise and private ownership.
Ducat  n. Gold coin, formerly current in most of europe. [medieval latin ducatus *duchy]
Meet1  —v. (past and past part. Met) 1 encounter (a person etc.) Or (of two or more people) come together by accident or design; come face to face (with) (met on the bridge). 2 be present by design at the arrival of (a person, train, etc.). 3 come or seem to come together or into contact (with); join (where the sea and the sky meet; jacket won't meet). 4 make the acquaintance of (delighted to meet you; all met at oxford). 5 come together for business, worship, etc. (union met management). 6 a deal with or answer (a demand, objection, etc.) (met the proposal with hostility). B satisfy or conform with (agreed to meet the new terms). 7 pay (a bill etc.); honour (a cheque) (meet the cost). 8 (often foll. By with) experience, encounter, or receive (met their death; met with hostility). 9 confront in battle etc. —n. 1 assembly for a hunt. 2 assembly for sport, esp. Athletics.  make ends meet see *end. Meet the case be adequate. Meet the eye be visible or evident.  Meet a person half way compromise with. Meet up colloq. (often foll. By with) = sense 1 of v. Meet with 1 see sense 8 of v. 2 receive (a reaction) (met with her approval). 3 esp. Us = sense 1 of v. [old english]
Argus  n. Watchful guardian. [greek argos mythical giant with 100 eyes]



Hypertension  n. 1 abnormally high blood pressure. 2 great emotional tension.
Pie2  n. Archaic magpie. [latin pica]
Castaway  —n. Shipwrecked person. —adj. Shipwrecked.
Cyrillic  —adj. Of the alphabet used by the slavonic peoples of the orthodox church, now used esp. For russian and bulgarian. —n. This alphabet. [st cyril, d. 869]

Scant  adj. Barely sufficient; deficient. [old norse]

Standard  —n. 1 object, quality, or measure serving as a basis, example, or principle to which others conform or should conform or by which others are judged. 2 a level of excellence etc. Required or specified (not up to standard). B average quality (of a low standard). 3 ordinary procedure etc. 4 distinctive flag. 5 a upright support. B upright pipe. 6 a tree or shrub that stands without support. B shrub grafted on an upright stem and trained in tree form. 7 tune or song of established popularity. —adj. 1 serving or used as a standard. 2 of a normal or prescribed quality, type, or size. 3 of recognized and permanent value; authoritative (standard book on jazz). 4 (of language) conforming to established educated usage. [anglo-french: related to *extend, and in senses 5 and 6 of n. Influenced by *stand]
Spirit gum  n. Quick-drying gum for attaching false hair.



Salt-water  adj. Of or living in the sea.


Alas  int. Expressing grief, pity, or concern. [french: related to *ah, latin lassus weary]
Mace1  n. 1 staff of office, esp. Symbol of the speaker's authority in the house of commons. 2 person bearing this. [french from romanic]


Tellurium  n. Rare lustrous silver-white element used in semiconductors.  telluric adj. [latin tellus -ur- earth]
Deduct  v. (often foll. By from) subtract, take away, or withhold (an amount, portion, etc.). [related to *deduce]
Military  —adj. Of or characteristic of soldiers or armed forces. —n. (as sing. Or pl.; prec. By the) the army.  militarily adv. [latin miles milit- soldier]


Reflex camera  n. Camera in which the viewed image is formed by a mirror, enabling the scene to be correctly composed and focused.
Twill  n. Fabric so woven as to have a surface of diagonal parallel ridges.  twilled adj. [old english, = two-thread]
Shoe  —n. 1 protective foot-covering of leather etc., esp. One not reaching above the ankle. 2 protective metal rim for a horse's hoof. 3 thing like a shoe in shape or use. 4 = *brake shoe. —v. (shoes, shoeing; past and past part. Shod) 1 fit (esp. A horse etc.) With a shoe or shoes. 2 (as shod adj.) (in comb.) Having shoes etc. Of a specified kind (roughshod).  be in a person's shoes be in his or her situation, difficulty, etc. [old english]

Fire station  n. Headquarters of a fire brigade.

Live1  v. (-ving) 1 have life; be or remain alive. 2 have one's home (lives up the road). 3 (foll. By on) subsist or feed (lives on fruit). 4 (foll. By on, off) depend for subsistence (lives off the state; lives on a pension). 5 (foll. By on, by) sustain one's position (live on their reputation; lives by his wits). 6 a spend or pass (lived a full life). B express in one's life (lives his faith). 7 conduct oneself, arrange one's habits, etc., in a specified way (live quietly). 8 (often foll. By on) (of a person or thing) survive; remain (memory lived on). 9 enjoy life to the full (not really living).  live and let live condone others' failings so as to be similarly tolerated. Live down cause (past guilt, a scandal, etc.) To be forgotten by blameless conduct thereafter. Live for regard as one's life's purpose (lives for her music). Live in (or out) reside on (or off) the premises of one's work. Live it up colloq. Live gaily and extravagantly. Live a lie keep up a pretence. Live together (esp. Of a couple not married to each other) share a home and have a sexual relationship. Live up to fulfil. Live with 1 share a home with. 2 tolerate. [old english]
Anagram  n. Word or phrase formed by transposing the letters of another. [greek ana again, gramma letter]




Uncouple  v. (-ling) release from couplings or couples.
Good works  n.pl. Charitable acts.
Papaw  var. Of *pawpaw.
Fricassee  —n. Pieces of meat served in a thick sauce. —v. (fricassees, fricasseed) make a fricassee of. [french]


Underneath  —prep. 1 at or to a lower place than, below. 2 on the inside of. —adv. 1 at or to a lower place. 2 inside. —n. Lower surface or part. —adj. Lower. [old english: related to *nether]
Pouch  —n. 1 small bag or detachable outside pocket. 2 baggy area of skin under the eyes etc. 3 a pocket-like receptacle of marsupials. B similar structure in various animals, e.g. In the cheeks of rodents. —v. 1 put or make into a pouch. 2 take possession of; pocket. [french: related to *poke2]



Regard  —v. 1 gaze on steadily (usu. In a specified way) (regarded them suspiciously). 2 heed; take into account. 3 look upon or think of in a specified way (regard it as an insult). —n. 1 gaze; steady or significant look. 2 (foll. By to, for) attention or care. 3 (foll. By for) esteem; kindly feeling; respectful opinion. 4 respect; point attended to (in this regard). 5 (in pl.) Expression of friendliness in a letter etc.; compliments.  as regards about, concerning; in respect of. In (or with) regard to as concerns; in respect of. [french regard(er): related to *guard]
Commercial broadcasting  n. Broadcasting financed by advertising.



Package holiday  n. (also package tour) holiday (or tour) with travel, hotels, etc. At an inclusive price.

Sash2  n. Frame holding the glass in a sash-window. [from *chassis]

Sea anemone  n. Marine animal with tube-shaped body and petal-like tentacles.



Guava  n. 1 edible pale orange fruit with pink flesh. 2 tree bearing this. [spanish]





Invidious  adj. Likely to cause resentment or anger (invidious position; invidious task). [latin invidiosus: related to *envy]
Gateway  n. 1 opening which can be closed with a gate. 2 means of access (gateway to the south; gateway to success).
Smug  adj. (smugger, smuggest) self-satisfied.  smugly adv. Smugness n. [low german smuk pretty]






Anthem  n. 1 elaborate choral composition usu. Based on a passage of scripture. 2 solemn hymn of praise etc., esp. = *national anthem. [latin: related to *antiphon]







Gargoyle  n. Grotesque carved face or figure, esp. As a spout from the gutter of a building. [french, = throat]
Maxi-  comb. Form very large or long. [abbreviation of *maximum; cf. *mini-]
Usage  the farthing was withdrawn from circulation in 1961.
Reject  —v. 1 put aside or send back as not to be used, done, or complied with etc. 2 refuse to accept or believe in. 3 rebuff or withhold affection from (a person). 4 show an immune response to (a transplant) so that it fails. —n. Thing or person rejected as unfit or below standard.  rejection n. [latin rejicio -ject- throw back]


Hf  abbr. High frequency.
Welshman  n. Man who is welsh by birth or descent.
Invert  v. 1 turn upside down. 2 reverse the position, order, or relation of. [latin verto vers- turn]

Harbor  (brit. Harbour) —n. 1 place of shelter for ships. 2 shelter; refuge. —v. 1 give shelter to (esp. A criminal). 2 keep in one's mind (esp. Resentment etc.). [old english, = army shelter]
Atonal  adj. Mus. Not written in any key or mode.  atonality n.





Disparity  n. (pl. -ies) inequality; difference; incongruity.
Feeler  n. 1 organ in certain animals for touching or searching for food. 2 tentative proposal (put out feelers).
 
Impermissible  adj. Not allowable.
Oath  n. (pl. -s) 1 solemn declaration naming god etc. As witness. 2 profanity, curse.  on (or under) oath having sworn a solemn oath. [old english]
Bryony  n. (pl. -ies) climbing plant with red berries. [latin from greek]
Passion-flower  n. Climbing plant with a flower supposedly suggestive of the instruments of the crucifixion.


Schizo  colloq. —adj. Schizophrenic. —n. (pl. -s) schizophrenic person. [abbreviation]
Decathlon  n. Athletic contest of ten events for all competitors.  decathlete n. [from *deca-, greek athlon contest]

Extractive  adj. Of or involving extraction.
Civil liberty  n. (often in pl.) Freedom of action subject to the law.
District  n. 1 (often attrib.) Area regarded as a geographical or administrative unit (the peak district; postal district; wine-growing district). 2 administrative division of a county etc. [latin: related to *distrain]
Spun  past and past part. Of *spin.
Indignity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 humiliating treatment or quality. 2 insult.

Cover story  n. News story in a magazine that is advertised etc. On the front cover.



Ill-assorted  adj. Badly matched; mixed.

Solitaire  n. 1 jewel set by itself. 2 ring etc. With this. 3 game for one player in which pegs etc. Are removed from a board by jumping others over them. 4 us = *patience 3. [french: see *solitary]

Wing-nut  n. Nut with projections for the fingers to turn it.


Cuckold  —n. Husband of an adulteress. —v. Make a cuckold of.  cuckoldry n. [french]
Rote  n. (usu. Prec. By by; also attrib.) Mechanical or habitual repetition (in order to memorize) (rote learning). [origin unknown]

Considerable  adj. 1 much; a lot of (considerable pain). 2 notable, important.  considerably adv.
Paramour  n. Archaic or derog. Illicit lover of a married person. [french par amour by love]
Carob  n. Seed pod of a mediterranean tree used as a chocolate substitute. [arabic karruba]
Cataclysm  n. 1 a violent upheaval or disaster. B great change. 2 great flood.  cataclysmic adj. [greek kluzo wash]



Runner  n. 1 person, horse, etc. That runs, esp. In a race. 2 creeping rooting plant-stem. 3 rod, groove, roller, or blade on which a thing, e.g. A sledge, slides. 4 sliding ring on a rod etc. 5 messenger. 6 (in full runner bean) twining bean plant with long flat green edible seed pods. 7 long narrow ornamental cloth or rug.  do a runner slang leave hastily; flee.
Stereotype  —n. 1 a person or thing seeming to conform to a widely accepted type. B such a type, idea, or attitude. 2 printing-plate cast from a mould of composed type. —v. (-ping) 1 (esp. As stereotyped adj.) Cause to conform to a type; standardize. 2 a print from a stereotype. B make a stereotype of. [french: related to *stereo-]

Stop-go  n. Alternate stopping and restarting, esp. Of the economy.

Frizz  —v. Form (hair) into tight curls. —n. Frizzed hair or state. [french friser]
Whack  colloq. —v. 1 strike or beat forcefully. 2 (as whacked adj.) Tired out. —n. 1 sharp or resounding blow. 2 slang share.  have a whack at slang attempt. [imitative]
Lace-up  —n. Shoe fastened with a lace. —attrib. Adj. (of a shoe etc.) Fastened by a lace or laces.
Felt-tipped pen  n. (also felt-tip pen) pen with a fibre point.
Go-between  n. Intermediary.


Entente cordiale  n. Entente, esp. Between britain and france from 1904.
Unwilling  adj. Not willing or inclined; reluctant.  unwillingly adv. Unwillingness n.

Salve1  —n. 1 healing ointment. 2 (often foll. By for) thing that soothes or consoles. —v. (-ving) soothe. [old english]
Screech  —n. Harsh piercing scream. —v. Utter with or make a screech.  screechy adj. (-ier, -iest). [old english (imitative)]
Solar year  n. Time taken for the earth to travel once round the sun.





Julep  n. 1 a sweet drink, esp. As a vehicle for medicine. B medicated drink as a mild stimulant etc. 2 us iced and flavoured spirits and water (mint julep). [persian gulab rose-water]
Elucidate  v. (-ting) throw light on; explain.  elucidation n. Elucidatory adj. [latin: related to *lucid]

Trappings  n.pl. 1 ornamental accessories. 2 harness of a horse, esp. When ornamental. [trap from french drap cloth]
Tint  —n. 1 variety of a colour, esp. Made by adding white. 2 tendency towards or admixture of a different colour (red with a blue tint). 3 faint colour spread over a surface. —v. Apply a tint to; colour. [tinct: related to *tinge]
Gunsmith  n. Maker and repairer of small firearms.
Shammy  n. (pl. -ies) (in full shammy leather) colloq. = *chamois 2. [representing corrupted pronunciation]

Near  —adv. 1 (often foll. By to) to or at a short distance in space or time. 2 closely (as near as one can guess). —prep. 1 to or at a short distance from (in space, time, condition, or resemblance). 2 (in comb.) Almost (near-hysterical). —adj. 1 close (to), not far (in place or time) (my flat's very near; the man nearest you; in the near future). 2 a closely related. B intimate. 3 (of a part of a vehicle, animal, or road) on the left side. 4 close; narrow (near escape). 5 similar (to) (is nearer the original). 6 colloq. Niggardly. —v. Approach; draw near to.  come (or go) near (foll. By verbal noun, or to + verbal noun) be on the point of, almost succeed in. Near at hand within easy reach. Near the knuckle colloq. Verging on the indecent.  nearish adj. Nearness n. [old norse, originally = nigher: related to *nigh]

Oxidation  n.  Process of oxidizing. [french: related to *oxide]
Pearl-diver  n. Person who dives for pearl-oysters.
Dipterous  adj. (of an insect) having two wings. [greek pteron wing]

Vodka  n. Alcoholic spirit distilled esp. In russia from rye etc. [russian]


Bud  —n. 1 a knoblike shoot from which a stem, leaf, or flower develops. B flower or leaf not fully open. 2 asexual outgrowth from an organism separating to form a new individual. —v. (-dd-) 1 form buds. 2 begin to grow or develop (budding artist). 3 graft a bud of (a plant) on to another. [origin unknown]

Accordion  n. Musical reed instrument with concertina-like bellows, keys, and buttons.  accordionist n. [italian accordare to tune]

Water-carrier  n. (also water-bearer) (prec. By the) zodiacal sign or constellation aquarius.
Toggle  n. 1 fastener for a garment consisting of a crosspiece which passes through a hole or loop. 2 computing switch action that is operated the same way but with opposite effect on successive occasions. [origin unknown]

Half nelson  see *nelson.

Holy writ  n. Holy writings, esp. The bible.

Clone  —n. 1 a group of organisms produced asexually from one stock or ancestor. B one such organism. 2 colloq. Person or thing regarded as identical to another. —v. (-ning) propagate as a clone.  clonal adj. [greek klon twig]
Mixed feelings  n.pl. Mixture of pleasure and dismay about something.

Menace  —n. 1 threat. 2 dangerous thing or person. 3 joc. Pest, nuisance. —v. (-cing) threaten.  menacingly adv. [latin minax from minor threaten]
Tangent  n. 1 (often attrib.) Straight line, curve, or surface that meets a curve at a point, but does not intersect it. 2 ratio of two sides (other than the hypotenuse) opposite and adjacent to an acute angle in a right-angled triangle.  at a tangent diverging from a previous course or from what is relevant or central (go off at a tangent). [latin tango tact- touch]





Prong  n. Each of two or more projecting pointed parts at the end of a fork etc. [origin unknown]
Spectacle  n. 1 striking, impressive, or ridiculous sight. 2 public show. 3 object of public attention. [latin specio spect- look]
Brussels sprout  n. 1 brassica with small cabbage-like buds on a stem. 2 such a bud. [brussels in belgium]





Banish  v. 1 condemn to exile. 2 dismiss (esp. From one's mind).  banishment n. [germanic: related to *ban]

Off-piste  adj. (of skiing) away from prepared ski runs.


Anglicize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) make english in character etc.
Admittedly  adv. As must be admitted.

Effusive  adj. Gushing, demonstrative.  effusively adv. Effusiveness n.
Workable  adj. That can be worked, will work, or is worth working.  workability n.

Privatize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) transfer (a business etc.) From state to private ownership.  privatization n.

Gun-cotton  n. Explosive made by steeping cotton in acids.

Chantry  n. (pl. -ies) 1 endowment for the singing of masses. 2 priests, chapel, etc., so endowed. [french: related to *chant]
Ferocious  adj. Fierce, savage.  ferociously adv. Ferocity n. [latin ferox]


Unification  n. Unifying or being unified.  unificatory adj.
Sea lord  n. Naval member of the admiralty board.

Disoblige  v. (-ging) refuse to help or cooperate with (a person).



Whirligig  n. 1 spinning or whirling toy. 2 merry-go-round. 3 revolving motion.
Raspberry-cane  n. Raspberry plant.


Metric system  n. Decimal measuring system with the metre, litre, and gram (or kilogram) as units of length, volume, and mass.
Imprudent  adj. Unwise, indiscreet.  imprudence n. Imprudently adv.
Building society  n. Public finance company paying interest to investors and lending capital for mortgages etc.

University  n. (pl. -ies) 1 educational institution of advanced learning and research conferring degrees. 2 members of this. [latin: related to *universe]
Conjuror  n. (also conjurer) performer of conjuring tricks.

Hell's angel  n. Member of a gang of male motor-cycle enthusiasts notorious for outrageous and violent behaviour.
Pot-bound  adj. (of a plant) with roots filling the flowerpot, leaving no room to expand.
Technical knockout  n. Ruling by the referee that a boxer has lost because he is not fit to continue.




Carvel  var. Of *caravel.

Confusion  n. Confusing or being confused.
Crown jewels  n.pl. Sovereign's state regalia etc.


Rushlight  n. Rush candle.

Breastplate  n. Armour covering the breast.
Backwater  n. 1 peaceful, secluded, or dull place. 2 stagnant water fed from a stream.
Vasectomy  n. (pl. -ies) removal of part of each vas deferens, esp. For sterilization.

Freestyle  n. 1 swimming race in which any stroke may be used. 2 wrestling allowing almost any hold.
Erotica  n.pl. Erotic literature or art.
Call-box  n. Telephone box.


Royal ‘we’  n. Use of ‘we’ instead of ‘i’ by a single person.
Assignment  n. 1 task or mission. 2 assigning or being assigned. 3 legal transfer.

Lantern jaws  n.pl. Long thin jaws and chin.

Hereafter  —adv. From now on; in the future. —n. 1 the future. 2 life after death.

Baptist  n. 1 person who baptizes, esp. John the baptist. 2 (baptist) christian advocating baptism by total immersion.
Mach  n. (in full mach number) ratio of the speed of a body to the speed of sound in the surrounding medium. [mach, name of a physicist]
Claw-hammer  n. Hammer with one side of the head forked for extracting nails.
Helium  n. Light inert gaseous element used in airships and as a refrigerant. [related to *helio-]
Man to man  adv. Candidly.
Educe  v. (-cing) literary bring out or develop from latency.  eduction n. [latin educo -ere draw out]
Datum  see *data.

Keyhole  n. Hole in a door etc. For a key.


Unit  n. 1 a individual thing, person, or group, esp. For calculation. B smallest component of a complex whole. 2 quantity as a standard of measurement (unit of heat; si unit). 3 smallest share in a unit trust. 4 part of a mechanism with a specified function. 5 fitted item of furniture, esp. As part of a set. 6 subgroup with a special function. 7 group of buildings, wards, etc., in a hospital. 8  a single-digit number. B the number ‘one’. [latin unus one]
Cue1  —n. 1 a last words of an actor's speech as a signal to another to enter or speak. B similar signal to a musician etc. 2 a stimulus to perception etc. B signal for action. C hint on appropriate behaviour. 3 cueing audio equipment (see sense 2 of v.). —v. (cues, cued, cueing or cuing) 1 give a cue to. 2 put (audio equipment) in readiness to play a particular section.  cue in 1 insert a cue for. 2 give information to. On cue at the correct moment. [origin unknown]
Uncontaminated  adj. Not contaminated.

Tablet  n. 1 small solid dose of a medicine etc. 2 bar of soap etc. 3 flat slab of esp. Stone, usu. Inscribed. 4 us writing-pad. [latin diminutive: related to *table]



Feign  v. Simulate; pretend (feign madness). [latin fingo fict- mould, contrive]


Spanish main  n. Hist. Ne coast of s. America and adjoining parts of the caribbean sea.



Gen.  Abbr. General.


Cacophony  n. (pl. -ies) harsh discordant sound.  cacophonous adj. [greek kakos bad, phone sound]

Discord  n. 1 disagreement; strife. 2 harsh noise; clashing sounds. 3 lack of harmony in a chord. [latin: related to *dis-, cor cord- heart]

Underprice  v. (-cing) price lower than what is usual or appropriate.
Accomplice  n. Partner in a crime etc. [latin: related to *complex]
Telephone booth  n. (also telephone kiosk, telephone box) booth etc. With a telephone for public use.
Clover  n. Trefoil fodder plant.  in clover in ease and luxury. [old english]
Paling  n. 1 fence of pales. 2 pale.
Whinge  v. (-geing or -ging) colloq. Whine; grumble peevishly. [old english]



-ancy  suffix forming nouns denoting a quality (constancy) or state (infancy). [latin -antia]
Glasnost  n. (in the former soviet union) policy of more open government and access to information. [russian, = openness]
Chaffinch  n. A common european finch. [old english: related to *chaff, *finch]
Californium  n. Artificial radioactive metallic element. [california in us, where first made]
Vane  n. 1 weather-vane. 2 blade of a screw propeller or windmill etc. [dial. Var. Of obsolete fane banner]
Raucous  adj. Harsh-sounding, loud and hoarse.  raucously adv. Raucousness n. [latin]

Mesosphere  n. Region of the atmosphere from the top of the stratosphere to an altitude of about 80 km.
Recruit  —n. 1 newly enlisted serviceman or servicewoman. 2 new member of a society etc. 3 beginner. —v. 1 enlist (a person) as a recruit. 2 form (an army etc.) By enlisting recruits. 3 get or seek recruits. 4 replenish or reinvigorate (numbers, strength, etc.).  recruitment n. [french dial. Recrute: related to *crew1]

Sublet  —n. = *sublease n. —v. (-tt-; past and past part. -let) = *sublease v.
Totally  adv. Completely.

Protestation  n. 1 strong affirmation. 2 protest. [latin: related to *protest]





Indecent exposure  n. Exposing one's genitals in public.



Pub  n. Colloq. Public house. [abbreviation]
Wherry  n. (pl. -ies) 1 light rowing-boat usu. For carrying passengers. 2 large light barge. [origin unknown]




Prepaid  past and past part. Of *prepay.
Transalpine  adj. On the north side of the alps. [latin]
Chromatography  n. Separation of the components of a mixture by slow passage through or over material which adsorbs them differently. [greek: related to *chrome]
Distinct  adj. 1 (often foll. By from) not identical; separate; different. 2 clearly perceptible. 3 unmistakable, decided (distinct advantage).  distinctly adv. [latin: related to *distinguish]

Solar panel  n. Panel that absorbs the sun's rays as an energy source.
Treasurer  n. Person in charge of the funds of a society etc.

Lama  n. Tibetan or mongolian buddhist monk. [tibetan]
Gonad  n. Animal organ producing gametes, esp. The testis or ovary. [greek gone seed]
Crème  n. 1 = *cream n. 4. 2 liqueur (crème de cassis). [french, = cream]




Bt.  Abbr. Baronet.


Deca-  comb. Form ten. [greek deka ten]

High  —adj. 1 a of great vertical extent (high building). B (predic.; often in comb.) Of a specified height (one inch high; waist-high). 2 a far above ground or sea level etc. (high altitude). B inland, esp. When raised (high asia).
Barbie  n. Austral. Slang barbecue. [abbreviation]
T-shirt  n. Short-sleeved casual top having the form of a t when spread out.
Synchronous  adj. (often foll. By with) existing or occurring at the same time.



Surrogate  n. 1 substitute. 2  deputy, esp. Of a bishop in granting marriage licences.  surrogacy n. [latin rogo ask]


Sputum  n. (pl. Sputa) 1 saliva. 2 expectorated matter, used esp. In diagnosis. [latin]

Overhaul  —v. 1 thoroughly examine the condition of and repair if necessary. 2 overtake. —n. Thorough examination, with repairs if necessary.
Rev  colloq. —n. (in pl.) Number of revolutions of an engine per minute. —v. (-vv-) 1 (of an engine) revolve; turn over. 2 (also absol.; often foll. By up) cause (an engine) to run quickly. [abbreviation]

Oleander  n. Evergreen flowering mediterranean shrub. [latin]

Cantabrigian  —adj. Of cambridge or its university. —n. Person from cambridge or its university. [cantabrigia, latinized name of cambridge]
Swoon  v. & n. Literary faint. [old english]
Intermittent  adj. Occurring at intervals; not continuous.  intermittently adv. [latin mitto miss- let go]


Gatepost  n. Post at either side of a gate.


Alligator  n. Large reptile of the crocodile family with a head broader and shorter than a crocodile's. [spanish el lagarto the lizard]
Ante  —n. 1 stake put up by a player in poker etc. Before receiving cards. 2 amount payable in advance. —v. (-tes, -ted) 1 put up as an ante. 2 us a bet, stake. B (foll. By up) pay.
Hydrate  —n. Compound in which water is chemically combined with another compound or an element. —v. (-ting) 1 combine chemically with water. 2 cause to absorb water.  hydration n. [french: related to *hydro-]



Pretend  —v. 1 claim or assert falsely so as to deceive (pretend knowledge; pretended to be rich). 2 imagine to oneself in play (pretended it was night). 3 (as pretended adj.) Falsely claim to be such (a pretended friend). 4 (foll. By to) a lay claim to (a right or title etc.). B profess to have (a quality etc.). —adj. Colloq. Pretended; in pretence (pretend money). [latin praetendo: related to *tend1]
Home truth  n. Basic but unwelcome information about oneself.
Bleary-eyed  adj. Having dim sight.


Milk run  n. Routine expedition etc.
Unspectacular  adj. Not spectacular; dull.

Wrong-headed  adj. Perverse and obstinate.
Duchess  n. 1 duke's wife or widow. 2 woman holding the rank of duke. [medieval latin ducissa: related to *duke]
Kilovolt  n. 1,000 volts.





Transfiguration  n. 1 change of form or appearance. 2 a christ's appearance in radiant glory to three of his disciples (matt. 17:2, mark 9:2–3). B (transfiguration) festival of christ's transfiguration, 6 august. [latin: related to *transfigure]


Screw-up  n. Slang bungle, mess.


Unexpurgated  adj. (esp. Of a text etc.) Complete.


Jib2  v. (-bb-) 1 (esp. Of a horse) stop and refuse to go on. 2 (foll. By at) show aversion to.  jibber n. [origin unknown]
Ecto-  comb. Form outside. [greek ektos]
Romano-  comb. Form roman; roman and (romano-british).
Intermingle  v. (-ling) mix together; mingle.

Indian corn  n. Maize.
Reactor  n. 1 person or thing that reacts. 2 = *nuclear reactor.
Defendant  n. Person etc. Sued or accused in a lawcourt. [french: related to *defend]
Partial  adj. 1 not complete; forming only part. 2 biased. 3 (foll. By to) having a liking for.  partiality n. Partially adv. Partialness n. [latin: related to *part]

Endue  v. (also indue) (-dues, -dued, -duing) (foll. By with) provide (a person) with (qualities etc.). [latin induo put on clothes]

Paying guest  n. Boarder.
Lee  n. 1 shelter given by a close object (under the lee of). 2 (in full lee side) side away from the wind. [old english]
Grab  —v. (-bb-) 1 seize suddenly. 2 take greedily or unfairly. 3 slang attract the attention of, impress. 4 (foll. By at) snatch at. 5 (of brakes) act harshly or jerkily. —n. 1 sudden clutch or attempt to seize. 2 mechanical device for clutching. [low german or dutch]



Sas  abbr. Special air service.
Reset  v. (-tt-; past and past part. Reset) set (a bone, gems, a clock etc.) Again or differently.


Centi-  comb. Form 1 one-hundredth. 2 hundred. [latin centum 100]
Hawk-eyed  adj. Keen-sighted.
Eft  n. Newt. [old english]
Erratic  adj. 1 inconsistent in conduct, opinions, etc. 2 uncertain in movement.  erratically adv. [latin: related to *err]
Postcode  n. Group of letters and figures in a postal address to assist sorting.
American indian  see *indian.
Limerick  n. Humorous five-line verse with a rhyme-scheme aabba. [origin uncertain]
Dead on  adj. Exactly right.
Holy see  n. Papacy or papal court.
Ye1  pron. Archaic pl. Of *thou1 (ye gods!).

Press1  —v. 1 apply steady force to (a thing in contact). 2 a compress or squeeze a thing to flatten, shape, or smooth it. B squeeze (a fruit etc.) To extract its juice. 3 (foll. By out of, from, etc.) Squeeze (juice etc.). 4 embrace or caress by squeezing (pressed my hand). 5 (foll. By on, against, etc.) Exert pressure. 6 be urgent; demand immediate action. 7 (foll. By for) make an insistent demand. 8 (foll. By up, round, etc.) Crowd. 9 (foll. By on, forward, etc.) Hasten insistently. 10 (often in passive) (of an enemy etc.) Bear heavily on. 11 (often foll. By for, or to + infin.) Urge or entreat (pressed me to stay; pressed me for an answer). 12 (foll. By on, upon) a urge (an opinion, claim, or course of action). B force (an offer, a gift, etc.). 13 insist on (did not press the point). 14 manufacture (a gramophone record, car part, etc.) By using pressure to shape and extract from a sheet of material. —n. 1 act of pressing (give it a press). 2 device for compressing, flattening, shaping, extracting juice, etc. 3 = *printing-press. 4 (prec. By the) a art or practice of printing. B newspapers etc. Generally or collectively. 5 notice or publicity in newspapers etc. (got a good press). 6 (press) printing or publishing company. 7 a crowding. B crowd (of people etc.). 8 the pressure of affairs. 9 esp. Ir. & scot. Large usu. Shelved cupboard.  be pressed for have barely enough (time etc.). Go (or send) to press go or send to be printed. [latin premo press-]

Noisy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 making much noise. 2 full of noise.  noisily adv. Noisiness n.
Bayberry  n. (pl. -ies) fragrant n. American tree.
Heel3  var. Of *hele.
Syringe  —n. Device for sucking in and ejecting liquid in a fine stream. —v. (-ging) sluice or spray with a syringe. [greek surigx pipe]



Price-fixing  n. Maintaining of prices at a certain level by agreement between competing sellers.

Swastika  n. 1 ancient symbol formed by an equal-armed cross with each arm continued at a right angle. 2 this with clockwise continuations as the symbol of nazi germany. [sanskrit]

Bass1  —n. 1 a lowest adult male singing voice. B singer with this voice. 2 instrument pitched lowest in its family. 3 colloq. Bass guitar or double-bass. 4 low-frequency output of a radio, record-player, etc. —adj. 1 lowest in musical pitch. 2 deep-sounding.  bassist n. (in sense 3). [from *base2 altered after italian basso]



Gloss2  —n. 1 explanatory comment added to a text, e.g. In the margin. 2 interpretation or paraphrase. —v. Add a gloss to (a text, word, etc.). [latin glossa tongue]
Tippet  n. 1 long piece of fur etc. Worn by a woman round the shoulders. 2 similar garment worn by judges, clergy, etc. [probably from *tip1]

Disproportionate  adj. 1 out of proportion. 2 relatively too large or small etc.  disproportionately adv.
Miocene  geol. —adj. Of the fourth epoch of the tertiary period. —n. This epoch. [greek meion less, kainos new]

Cloven  adj. Split, partly divided. [past part. Of *cleave1]

Serous  adj. 1 of or like serum; watery. 2 (of a gland or membrane) having a serous secretion.  serosity n. [related to *serum]
Cot2  n. 1 small shelter; cote. 2 poet. Cottage. [old english]

Adult  —adj. 1 mature, grown-up. 2 (attrib.) Of or for adults (adult education). —n. Adult person.  adulthood n. [latin adolesco adultus grow up]
Horsewoman  n. 1 woman who rides on horseback. 2 skilled woman rider.
Almoner  n. Social worker attached to a hospital. [french: related to *alms]



Text processing  n. Computing manipulation of text, esp. Transforming it from one format to another.
Elastic  —adj. 1 able to resume its normal bulk or shape after contraction, dilation, or distortion. 2 springy. 3 flexible, adaptable. —n. Elastic cord or fabric, usu. Woven with strips of rubber.  elastically adv. Elasticity n. [greek elastikos propulsive]

Bowline  n. 1 rope from a ship's bow keeping the sail taut against the wind. 2 knot forming a non-slipping loop at the end of a rope.
Pentathlon  n. Athletic event comprising five different events for each competitor.  pentathlete n. [greek: see *penta-, athlon contest]

Dendrochronology  n. 1 dating of trees by their annual growth rings. 2 the study of these. [greek dendron tree]
Baffle  —v. (-ling) 1 perplex. 2 frustrate, hinder. —n. Device that checks flow esp. Of fluid or sound waves.  bafflement n. [origin uncertain]
Clot  —n. 1 thick mass of coagulated liquid etc., esp. Of blood. 2 colloq. Foolish person. —v. (-tt-) form into clots. [old english]

Harrow  —n. Heavy frame with iron teeth dragged over ploughed land to break up clods etc. —v. 1 draw a harrow over (land). 2 (usu. As harrowing adj.) Distress greatly. [old norse hervi]
Illustrative  adj. (often foll. By of) explanatory; exemplary.

Playmate  n. Child's companion in play.

Accordingly  adv. 1 as circumstances suggest or require (please act accordingly). 2 consequently (accordingly, he left the room).
Carousel  n. 1 us merry-go-round. 2 rotating luggage delivery system at an airport etc. [french from italian]
Temerity  n. Rashness; audacity. [latin temere rashly]
Mechanics  n.pl. (usu. Treated as sing.) 1 branch of applied mathematics dealing with motion etc. 2 science of machinery. 3 routine technical aspects of a thing (mechanics of local government).


Motherland  n. One's native country.

Heathen  —n. 1 person not belonging to a predominant religion, esp. Not a christian, jew, or muslim. 2 person regarded as lacking culture or moral principles. —adj. 1 of heathens. 2 having no religion. [old english]

Goshawk  n. Large short-winged hawk. [old english: related to *goose, *hawk1]
Pseudo  adj. & n. (pl. -s) = *pseud.


Galactic  adj. Of a galaxy or galaxies.


Prostate  n. (in full prostate gland) gland round the neck of the bladder in male mammals, releasing part of the semen.  prostatic adj. [greek prostates one who stands before]

Depot  n. 1 a storehouse, esp. For military supplies. B headquarters of a regiment. 2 a place where vehicles, e.g. Buses, are kept. B us railway or bus station. [french: related to *deposit]
Falsetto  n. Male singing voice above the normal range. [italian diminutive: related to *false]

Usage  the preferred terms for the language (see sense 2 of the noun) are iranian and farsi respectively.

Piquant  adj. 1 agreeably pungent, sharp, or appetizing. 2 pleasantly stimulating to the mind.  piquancy n. [french piquer prick]
Captive  —n. Confined or imprisoned person or animal. —adj. 1 taken prisoner; restrained. 2 unable to escape (captive audience).  captivity n. [latin capio capt- take]
Eaglet  n. Young eagle.



Inactive  adj. 1 not active. 2 not operating. 3 indolent.  inactivity n.




Methyl  n. Univalent hydrocarbon radical ch3, present in many organic compounds. [greek methu wine, hule wood]

Stagnate  v. (-ting) be or become stagnant.  stagnation n.
Music stand  n. Support for sheet music.
Marquess  n. British nobleman ranking between duke and earl. [var. Of *marquis]

Senna  n. 1 cassia. 2 laxative from the dried pod of this. [arabic]
Unbound2  past and past part. Of *unbind.
Decade  n. 1 period of ten years. 2 series or group of ten. [greek: related to *deca-]
Pony  n. (pl. -ies) horse of any small breed. [perhaps from french poulenet foal]
Pugilist  n. (esp. Professional) boxer.  pugilism n. Pugilistic adj. [latin pugil boxer]
Portcullis  n. Strong heavy grating lowered to block a gateway in a fortress etc. [french, = sliding door]
Carrier bag  n. Plastic or paper bag with handles.
Ellipsoid  n. Solid of which all the plane sections through one axis are circles and all the other plane sections are ellipses.


Brachiosaurus  n. (pl. -ruses) plant-eating dinosaur with forelegs longer than its hind legs. [latin from greek brakhion arm, sauros lizard]
Reveal  v. 1 display or show; allow to appear. 2 (often as revealing adj.) Disclose, divulge, betray (revealing remark). 3 (in refl. Or passive) come to sight or knowledge. [latin velum veil]
Sad  adj. (sadder, saddest) 1 unhappy. 2 causing sorrow. 3 regrettable. 4 shameful, deplorable.  sadden v. Sadly adv. Sadness n. [old english]
Splinter  —n. Small sharp fragment of wood, stone, glass, etc. —v. Break into splinters; shatter.  splintery adj. [dutch: related to *splint]
Hillwalking  n. Hiking in hilly country.  hillwalker n.
Kinsman  n. (fem. Kinswoman) 1 blood relation. 2 relation by marriage.

Foreskin  n. Fold of skin covering the end of the penis.


Munition  n. (usu. In pl.) Military weapons, ammunition etc. [latin, = fortification: related to *muniment]


Second string  n. Alternative course of action etc.
Impetuous  adj. 1 acting or done rashly or with sudden energy. 2 moving forcefully or rapidly.  impetuosity n. Impetuously adv. Impetuousness n. [latin: related to *impetus]
Asphodel  n. 1 plant of the lily family. 2 poet. Immortal flower growing in elysium. [latin from greek]
Warhead  n. Explosive head of a missile.
Mockery  n. (pl. -ies) 1 derision, ridicule. 2 counterfeit or absurdly inadequate representation. 3 ludicrously or insultingly futile action etc.

Mikado  n. (pl. -s) hist. Emperor of japan. [japanese, = august door]
Freshman  n. = *fresher.
Afore-  comb. Form before, previously (aforementioned; aforesaid).
Parade-ground  n. Place for the muster and drilling of troops.


Fleming  n. 1 native of medieval flanders. 2 member of a flemish-speaking people of n. And w. Belgium. [old english]

Did  past of *do1.


Hard pad  n. Form of distemper in dogs etc.

Fibula  n. (pl. Fibulae or -s) small outer bone between the knee and the ankle.  fibular adj. [latin, = brooch]
Reference book  n. Book intended to be consulted for occasional information rather than to be read continuously.
Icing  n. 1 coating of sugar etc. On a cake or biscuit. 2 formation of ice on a ship or aircraft.  icing on the cake inessential though attractive addition or enhancement.
Catlick  n. Colloq. Perfunctory wash.



Kola  var. Of *cola.
Induct  v. (often foll. By to, into) 1 introduce into office, install (into a benefice etc.). 2 archaic lead (to a seat, into a room, etc.); install. [related to *induce]
Offset  —n. 1 side-shoot from a plant serving for propagation. 2 compensation, consideration or amount diminishing or neutralizing the effect of a contrary one. 3 sloping ledge in a wall etc. 4 bend in a pipe etc. To carry it past an obstacle. 5 (often attrib.) Method of printing in which ink is transferred from a plate or stone to a rubber surface and from there to paper etc. (offset litho). —v. (-setting; past and past part. -set) 1 counterbalance, compensate. 2 print by the offset process.
Parent-teacher association  n. Social and fund-raising organization of a school's parents and teachers.
Zigzag  —adj. With abrupt alternate right and left turns (zigzag line). —n. Zigzag line; thing having the form of a zigzag or having sharp turns. —adv. With a zigzag course. —v. (-gg-) move in a zigzag course. [french from german]

Up-stroke  n. Upwards stroke.


Bumper car  n. = *dodgem.


Clink1  —n. Sharp ringing sound. —v. (cause to) make a clink. [dutch: imitative]
Vivarium  n. (pl. -ria or -s) 1 glass bowl etc. For keeping animals for scientific study. 2 enclosure for keeping animals in (nearly) their natural state. [latin]

Nobble  v. (-ling) slang 1 try to influence (e.g. A judge), esp. Unfairly. 2 tamper with (a racehorse) to prevent its winning. 3 steal. 4 seize, catch. [dial. Knobble beat]
Ibo  n. (also igbo) (pl. Same or -s) 1 member of a black people of se nigeria. 2 their language. [native name]

Federal reserve  n. (in the us) reserve cash available to banks.


Insinuate  v. (-ting) 1 hint obliquely, esp. Unpleasantly. 2 (often refl.; usu. Foll. By into) a introduce (a person etc.) Into favour etc., by subtle manipulation. B introduce (a thing, oneself, etc.) Deviously into a place.  insinuation n. [latin sinuo curve]


Captor  n. Person who captures. [latin: related to *captive]
Geese  pl. Of *goose.


Stink bomb  n. Device emitting a stink when opened.
Ultimatum  n. (pl. -s) final statement of terms, the rejection of which could cause hostility etc. [latin: related to *ultimate]
Tickle  —v. (-ling) 1 a touch or stroke (a person etc.) Playfully or lightly so as to produce laughter and spasmodic movement. B produce this sensation. 2 excite agreeably; amuse. 3 catch (a trout etc.) By rubbing it so that it moves backwards into the hand. —n.
Panatella  n. Long thin cigar. [american spanish, = long thin biscuit]
Public transport  n. Buses, trains, etc., charging set fares and running on fixed routes.





Irrevocable  adj. 1 unalterable. 2 gone beyond recall.  irrevocably adv.
Cot1  n. 1 small bed with high sides for a baby. 2 small light bed. [hindi]

Four-letter word  n. Short obscene word.
Bombardier  n. 1 non-commissioned officer in the artillery. 2 us crew member in an aircraft who aims and releases bombs.
Loving-cup  n. Two-handled drinking-cup.
Misfit  n. 1 person unsuited to an environment, occupation, etc. 2 garment etc. That does not fit.
Pilaster  n. Rectangular column projecting slightly from a wall.  pilastered adj. [latin pila pillar]
Codger  n. (usu. In old codger) colloq. Person, esp. A strange one. [origin uncertain]
Starch  —n. 1 polysaccharide obtained chiefly from cereals and potatoes. 2 preparation of this for stiffening fabric. 3 stiffness of manner; formality. —v. Stiffen (clothing) with starch. [old english: related to *stark]
Fisherman  n. Man who catches fish as a livelihood or for sport.
Subpoena  —n. Writ ordering a person to attend a lawcourt. —v. (past and past part. -naed or -na'd) serve a subpoena on. [latin, = under penalty]

Squander  v. Spend wastefully. [origin unknown]
Tangential  adj. 1 of or along a tangent. 2 divergent. 3 peripheral.  tangentially adv.


Dogfish  n. (pl. Same or -es) a kind of small shark.
Thinking  —attrib. Adj. Intelligent, rational. —n. Opinion or judgement.
Aloe  n. 1 plant of the lily family with toothed fleshy leaves. 2 (in pl.) (in full bitter aloes) strong laxative from aloe juice. [old english from greek]


Non-transferable  adj. That may not be transferred.


Tortoiseshell  —n. 1 yellowish-brown mottled or clouded outer shell of some turtles. 2 a = *tortoiseshell cat. B = *tortoiseshell butterfly. —adj. Having the colouring or appearance of tortoiseshell.
High jinks  n.pl. Boisterous fun.

Trucker  n. Esp. Us long-distance lorry-driver.
Delicacy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 being delicate (in all senses). 2 a choice food. [from *delicate]

Diamond  n. 1 very hard transparent precious stone of pure crystallized carbon. 2 rhombus. 3 a playing-card of the suit denoted by a red rhombus. B (in pl.) This suit. [greek: related to *adamant]
Blasé  adj. Bored or indifferent through over-familiarity. [french]
Typhoid  n. (in full typhoid fever) infectious bacterial fever attacking the intestines.
Unattributable  adj. (esp. Of published information) not attributed to a source etc.

Shaving  n. Thin strip cut off wood etc.
Queen  —n. 1 (as a title usu. Queen) female sovereign. 2 (in full queen consort) king's wife. 3 woman, country, or thing pre-eminent of its kind. 4 fertile female among ants, bees, etc. 5 most powerful piece in chess. 6 court-card depicting a queen. 7 (the queen) national anthem when the sovereign is female. 8 slang offens. Male homosexual. 9 belle or mock sovereign for some event (queen of the may). —v. Chess convert (a pawn) into a queen when it reaches the opponent's side of the board.  queenly adj. (-ier, -iest). Queenliness n. [old english]

Niff  n. & v. Colloq. Smell, stink.  niffy adj. (-ier, -iest). [originally a dial. Word]

April fool  n. Person successfully tricked on 1 april.
Japanese  —n. (pl. Same) 1 a native or national of japan. B person of japanese descent. 2 language of japan. —adj. Of japan, its people, or its language.
Footsie  n. Colloq. Amorous play with the feet.


Plastic  —n. 1 synthetic resinous substance that can be given any shape. 2 (in full plastic money) colloq. Credit card(s). —adj. 1 made of plastic. 2 capable of being moulded; pliant, supple. 3 giving form to clay, wax, etc.  plasticity n. Plasticize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing). Plasticizer n. (also -iser). Plasticky adj. [greek: related to *plasma]
Second2  n. 1 sixtieth of a minute of time or of an angle. 2 colloq. Very short time (wait a second). [medieval latin secunda (minuta) secondary (minute)]



Self-made  adj. Successful or rich by one's own effort.
Kelvin scale  n. Scale of temperature with zero at absolute zero.
Elastomer  n. Natural or synthetic rubber or rubber-like plastic. [from *elastic, after isomer]
Cream of tartar  n. Purified tartar, used in medicine, baking powder, etc.
Superego  n. (pl. -s) psychol. Part of the mind that acts as a conscience and responds to social rules.
Yes  —adv. 1 indicating that the answer to the question is affirmative, the statement etc. Made is correct, the request or command will be complied with, or the person summoned or addressed is present. 2 (yes?) A indeed? Is that so? B what do you want? —n. 1 utterance of the word yes. 2 affirmation or assent. 3 ‘yes’ vote.  say yes grant a request, confirm a statement. [old english, = yea let it be]





Singhalese  var. Of *sinhalese.
Skeleton in the cupboard  n. Discreditable or embarrassing secret.

Exegesis  n. (pl. Exegeses) critical explanation of a text, esp. Of scripture.  exegetic adj. [greek hegeomai lead]



Cave  —n. Large hollow in the side of a cliff, hill, etc., or underground. —v. (-ving) explore caves.  cave in 1 (cause to) subside or collapse. 2 yield, give up. [latin cavus hollow]
 
Housey-housey  n. (also housie-housie) slang gambling form of lotto.
Drunken  adj. (usu. Attrib.) 1 = *drunk 1. 2 caused by or involving drunkenness (drunken brawl). 3 often drunk.  drunkenly adv. Drunkenness n.
Dwelling  n. House, residence.
Tallboy  n. Tall chest of drawers.
Thorn  n. 1 sharp-pointed projection on a plant. 2 thorn-bearing shrub or tree.  thorn in one's flesh (or side) constant nuisance.  thornless adj. [old english]


Atomic bomb  n. = *atom bomb.


Mother  —n. 1 female parent. 2 woman, quality, or condition etc. That gives rise to something else (necessity is the mother of invention). 3 (in full mother superior) head of a female religious community. —v. 1 treat as a mother does. 2 give birth to; be the mother or origin of.  motherhood n. Motherless adj. [old english]
Raisin  n. Dried grape. [latin: related to *raceme]
Block vote  n. Vote proportional in power to the number of people a delegate represents.









Rorschach test  n. Personality test based on the subject's interpretation of a standard set of ink-blots. [rorschach, name of a psychiatrist]

Peremptory  adj. 1 (of a statement or command) admitting no denial or refusal. 2 (of a person, manner, etc.) Imperious; dictatorial.  peremptorily adv. Peremptoriness n. [latin peremptorius deadly, decisive]
Colter  n. (brit. Coulter) vertical blade in front of a ploughshare. [latin culter knife]


Ballet  n. 1 dramatic or representational style of dancing to music. 2 particular piece or performance of ballet.  balletic adj. [french: related to *ball2]

Meningitis  n. (esp. Viral) infection and inflammation of the meninges.


Pm  symb. Promethium.

Tomfoolery  n. Foolish behaviour.
Incarnation  n. 1 a embodiment in (esp. Human) flesh. B (the incarnation) the embodiment of god in christ. 2 (often foll. By of) living type (of a quality etc.).

Refrigerant  —n. Substance used for refrigeration. —adj. Cooling. [latin: related to *refrigerate]


Jump-jet  n. Vertical take-off jet aircraft.
Coccyx  n. (pl. Coccyges) small triangular bone at the base of the spinal column. [greek, = cuckoo (from shape of its bill)]


Paterfamilias  n. Male head of a family or household. [latin, = father of the family]
Push-up  n. = *press-up.
Rider  n. 1 person who rides (esp. A horse). 2 additional remark following a statement, verdict, etc.  riderless adj.
Antipyretic  —adj. Preventing or reducing fever. —n. Antipyretic drug.
Stage-manager  n. Person responsible for lighting and mechanical arrangements etc. On stage.
Goose-step  n. Military marching step in which the knees are kept stiff.
Un-2  prefix added to verbs and (less often) nouns, forming verbs denoting: 1 reversal (undress; unsettle). 2 deprivation (unmask). 3 release from (unburden; uncage). 4 causing to be no longer (unman). [old english]
Ball game  n. 1 a game played with a ball. B us baseball game. 2 esp. Us colloq. Affair; matter (a whole new ball game).

Tombola  n. Lottery with tickets drawn from a drum for immediate prizes. [french or italian]
Brownie  n. 1 (in full brownie guide) junior guide. 2 (brownie) small square of chocolate cake with nuts. 3 (brownie) benevolent elf.
Vagary  n. (pl. -ies) caprice, whim. [latin vagor wander]







French fried potatoes  n.pl. (or french fries) us potato chips.
Scottish  (also scotch) —adj. Of scotland or its inhabitants. —n. (prec. By the; treated as pl.) People of scotland.
Devour  v. 1 eat voraciously. 2 (of fire etc.) Engulf, destroy. 3 take in eagerly (devoured the play). 4 preoccupy (devoured by fear). [latin voro swallow]




Inn of court  n. Each of the four legal societies admitting people to the english bar.
Vintner  n. Wine-merchant. [anglo-latin from french, ultimately from latin vinetum vineyard, from vinum wine]
Vent1  —n. 1 opening allowing the passage of air etc. 2 outlet; free expression (gave vent to my anger). 3 anus, esp. Of a lower animal. —v. 1 make a vent in (a cask etc.). 2 give free expression to.  vent one's spleen on scold or ill-treat without cause. [latin ventus wind]

Adhere  v. (-ring) 1 (usu. Foll. By to) stick fast to a substance etc. 2 (foll. By to) behave according to (a rule, undertaking, etc.). 3 (foll. By to) give allegiance. [latin haereo stick]
Terrine  n. 1 pâté or similar food. 2 earthenware vessel, esp. For pâté. [latin terra earth]

Tinnitus  n. Med. Condition with ringing in the ears. [latin tinnio tinnit- ring, tinkle]
Flake  —n. 1 small thin light piece of snow etc. 2 thin broad piece peeled or split off. 3 dogfish etc. As food. —v. (-king) (often foll. By away, off) 1 take off or come away in flakes. 2 sprinkle with or fall in flakes.  flake out colloq. Fall asleep or drop from exhaustion; faint. [origin unknown]






Short-staffed  adj. Understaffed.


Death row  n. Us part of a prison for those sentenced to death.
Tourist  n. 1 holiday-maker, esp. Abroad (often attrib.: tourist season). 2 member of a touring sports team.
March hare  n. Hare exuberant in the breeding season (mad as a march hare).
Tbsp.  Abbr. Tablespoonful.

Inst.  Abbr. = *instant adj. 4 (the 6th inst.).

Rosy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 pink or red. 2 optimistic, hopeful (rosy future).  rosily adv. Rosiness n.
Temperature  n. 1 measured or perceived degree of heat or cold of a thing, region, etc. 2 colloq. Body temperature above the normal (have a temperature). 3 degree of excitement in a discussion etc. [latin: related to *temper]

Government  n. 1 act or manner of governing. 2 system by which a state is governed. 3 a body of persons governing a state. B (usu. Government) particular ministry in office. 4 the state as an agent.  governmental adj.
Brig.  Abbr. Brigadier.
Messeigneurs  pl. Of *monseigneur.

Truthful  adj. 1 habitually speaking the truth. 2 (of a story etc.) True.  truthfully adv. Truthfulness n.
Irish coffee  n. Coffee with a dash of whiskey and a little sugar, topped with cream.


Woodyard  n. Yard where wood is used or stored.

Dent  —n. 1 slight hollow as made by a blow or pressure. 2 noticeable adverse effect (dent in our funds). —v. 1 mark with a dent. 2 adversely affect. [from *indent]


Listeria  n. Any of several bacteria infecting humans and animals eating contaminated food. [lister, name of a surgeon]
Holdall  n. Large soft travelling bag.
Hearing-aid  n. Small device to amplify sound, worn by a partially deaf person.









Dare  —v. (-ring; 3rd sing. Present usu. Dare before an expressed or implied infinitive without to) 1 (foll. By infin. With or without to) have the courage or impudence (to) (dare he do it?; if they dare to come; how dare you?). 2 (usu. Foll. By to + infin.) Defy or challenge (i dare you to own up). —n. 1 act of daring. 2 challenge, esp. To prove courage.  i dare say 1 (often foll. By that) it is probable. 2 probably; i grant that much. [old english]
Luminous  adj. 1 shedding light. 2 phosphorescent, visible in darkness (luminous paint).  luminosity n.

Newsreel  n. Short cinema film of recent events.
Tide  n. 1 a periodic rise and fall of the sea due to the attraction of the moon and sun. B water as affected by this. 2 time or season (usu. In comb.: whitsuntide). 3 marked trend of opinion, fortune, or events.  tide (-ding) over provide (a person) with what is needed during a difficult period. [old english, = *time]

Peeling  n. (usu. In pl.) Stripped-off piece of peel.
Blood-poisoning  n. Diseased condition caused by micro-organisms in the blood.


Minestrone  n. Soup containing vegetables and pasta, beans, or rice. [italian]
Suffuse  v. (-sing) (of colour, moisture, etc.) Spread throughout from within.  suffusion n. [latin suffundo pour over]




Dpp  abbr. Director of public prosecutions.
Indicatory  adj. (often foll. By of) indicative.

Fragrance  n. 1 sweetness of smell. 2 sweet scent. [latin fragro smell sweet]

Spaghetti bolognese  n. Spaghetti with a meat and tomato sauce.
Sausage meat  n. Minced meat used in sausages etc.


Sheet music  n. Music published in sheets, not bound.



Enact  v. 1 a ordain, decree. B make (a bill etc.) Law. 2 play (a part on stage or in life).  enactive adj.
Comeback  n. 1 return to a previous (esp. Successful) state. 2 slang retaliation or retort.



South-east  —n. 1 point of the horizon midway between south and east. 2 direction in which this lies. —adj. Of, towards, or coming from the south-east. —adv. Towards, at, or near the south-east.
Hereof  adv. Formal of this.



Pardon  —n. 1 forgiveness for an offence, error, etc. 2 (in full free pardon) remission of the legal consequences of a crime or conviction. —v. 1 forgive or excuse. 2 release from the legal consequences of an offence, error, etc. —int. (also pardon me or i beg your pardon) 1 formula of apology or disagreement. 2 request to repeat something said.  pardonable adj. [latin perdono: related to *per-, dono give]


Contention  n. 1 dispute or argument; rivalry. 2 point contended for in an argument. [latin: related to *contend]
Printout  n. Computer output in printed form.
Detonator  n. Device for detonating explosives.

Something  n. & pron. 1 unspecified or unknown thing (something has happened). 2 unexpressed or intangible quantity, quality, or extent (something strange about it). 3 colloq. Notable person or thing.  something else colloq. Something exceptional. Something like approximately. Something of to some extent (something of an expert). [old english: related to *some, *thing]
-ibly  suffix forming adverbs corresponding to adjectives in -ible.
Enclose  v. (-sing) 1 a surround with a wall, fence, etc. B shut in. 2 put in a receptacle (esp. In an envelope with a letter). 3 (usu. As enclosed adj.) Seclude (a religious community) from the outside world. [latin: related to *include]



Misgiving  n. (usu. In pl.) Feeling of mistrust or apprehension.
Wholesale  —n. Selling of goods in large quantities to be retailed by others. —adj. & adv. 1 by wholesale. 2 on a large scale. —v. (-ling) sell wholesale.  wholesaler n. [by whole sale]
Holiday camp  n. Place for holiday-makers with facilities on site.





Spa  n. 1 curative mineral spring. 2 resort with this. [spa in belgium]
Lv  abbr. Luncheon voucher.

Loathsome  adj. Arousing hatred or disgust; repulsive.


Aesthete  n. Person who has or professes a special appreciation of beauty. [greek aisthanomai perceive]
Opening-time  n. Time at which public houses may legally open for custom.
Proposal  n. 1 a act of proposing something. B course of action etc. Proposed. 2 offer of marriage.

Whirl  —v. 1 swing round and round; revolve rapidly. 2 (foll. By away) convey or go rapidly in a vehicle etc. 3 send or travel swiftly in an orbit or a curve. 4 (of the brain etc.) Seem to spin round. —n. 1 whirling movement. 2 state of intense activity (the social whirl). 3 state of confusion (in a whirl).  give it a whirl colloq. Attempt it. [old norse, and low german or dutch]
Comestibles  n.pl. Formal or joc. Food. [french from latin]
Little grebe  n. Small water-bird of the grebe family.



Flaccid  adj. Limp, flabby, drooping.  flaccidity n. [latin flaccus limp]
Indulgent  adj. 1 lenient; ready to overlook faults etc. 2 indulging.  indulgently adv.
Imitation  n. 1 imitating or being imitated. 2 copy. 3 counterfeit (often attrib.: imitation leather).
Gymnosperm  n. Any of a group of plants having seeds unprotected by an ovary, including conifers, cycads, and ginkgos. [greek gumnos naked]

Unicorn  n. Mythical horse with a single straight horn. [latin cornu horn]


Typewriter  n. Machine with keys for producing printlike characters one at a time on paper inserted round a roller.
Hummus  n. (also houmous) dip or appetizer made from ground chick-peas, sesame oil, lemon, and garlic. [turkish]
Forage  —n. 1 food for horses and cattle. 2 searching for food. —v. 1 search for food; rummage. 2 collect food from. 3 get by foraging. [germanic: related to *fodder]



Consideration  n. 1 careful thought. 2 thoughtfulness for others; being considerate. 3 fact or thing taken into account. 4 compensation; payment or reward.  in consideration of in return for; on account of. Take into consideration make allowance for. Under consideration being considered.
Cleric  n. Member of the clergy. [greek klerikos from kleros lot, heritage]
Unharness  v. Remove a harness from.
Dray  n. Low cart without sides for heavy loads, esp. Beer-barrels. [related to *draw]


Boyfriend  n. Person's regular male companion or lover.
Iniquity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 wickedness. 2 gross injustice.  iniquitous adj. [french from latin aequus just]


Calk  us var. Of *caulk.
Astern  adv. (often foll. By of) 1 in or to the rear of a ship or aircraft. 2 backwards.
Photochemistry  n. The study of the chemical effects of light.

Crotch  n. Fork, esp. Between legs (of a person, trousers, etc.). [related to *crook]
Nap3  —n. 1 form of whist in which players declare the number of tricks they expect to take. 2 racing tip claimed to be almost a certainty. —v. (-pp-) name (a horse etc.) As a probable winner.  go nap 1 attempt to take all five tricks in nap.
Ernie  n. Device for drawing prize-winning numbers of premium bonds. [electronic random number indicator equipment]




Popping-crease  n. Cricket line in front of and parallel to the wicket, within which the batsman stands. [from *pop1]



Seaside  n. Sea-coast, esp. As a holiday resort.
Word-blindness  n. = *dyslexia.

Stoicism  n. 1 philosophy of the stoics. 2 (stoicism) stoical attitude.
Pestilent  adj. 1 deadly. 2 harmful or morally destructive. 3 colloq. Troublesome, annoying.


Thesis  n. (pl. Theses) 1 proposition to be maintained or proved. 2 dissertation, esp. By a candidate for a higher degree. [greek, = putting]
Mediterranean  adj.  Of the sea bordered by s. Europe, sw asia, and n. Africa, or its surrounding region (mediterranean cookery). [latin mediterraneus inland]

National grid  n. 1 network of high-voltage electric power lines between major power stations. 2 metric system of geographical coordinates used in maps of the british isles.

Sixth  adj. & n. 1 next after fifth. 2 any of six equal parts of a thing.  sixthly adv.
Brawl  —n. Noisy quarrel or fight. —v. 1 engage in a brawl. 2 (of a stream) run noisily. [provençal]


Vizor  var. Of *visor.


Undeveloped  adj. Not developed.
Masseur  n. (fem. Masseuse) person who gives massage for a living. [french: related to *massage]



Oil rig  n. Structure with equipment for drilling an oil well.




Dip-switch  n. Switch for dipping a vehicle's headlights.

Chemistry  n. (pl. -ies) 1 branch of science dealing with the elements and the compounds they form and the reactions they undergo. 2 chemical composition and properties of a substance. 3 colloq. Sexual attraction.

Rung1  n. 1 step of a ladder. 2 strengthening crosspiece in a chair etc. [old english]

Hiccup  (also hiccough) —n. 1 involuntary spasm of the diaphragm causing a characteristic sound ‘hic’. 2 temporary or minor stoppage or difficulty. —v. (-p-) make a hiccup. [imitative]

Coppice  n. Area of undergrowth and small trees. [medieval latin: related to *coup]
Mendelian  adj. Of mendel's theory of heredity by genes. [mendel, name of a botanist]
U 

Bros.  Abbr. Brothers (esp. In the name of a firm).


Merchandise  —n. Goods for sale. —v. (-sing) 1 trade, traffic (in). 2 advertise or promote (goods, an idea, or a person). [french: related to *merchant]

Hierarchy  n. (pl. -ies) system of grades of status or authority ranked one above the other.  hierarchical adj. [greek hieros sacred, arkho rule]
Definition  n. 1 a defining. B statement of the meaning of a word etc. 2 distinctness in outline, esp. Of a photographic image. [latin: related to *define]

Bidding  n. 1 command, request, or invitation. 2 bids at an auction or in a card-game.

Ocean  n. 1 large expanse of sea, esp. Each of the main areas called the atlantic, pacific, indian, arctic, and antarctic oceans. 2 (often in pl.) Colloq. Very large expanse or quantity.  oceanic adj. [greek okeanos]
Adequate  adj. Sufficient, satisfactory.  adequacy n. Adequately adv. [latin: related to *ad-, *equate]
Coal tar  n. Thick black oily liquid distilled from coal and used as a source of benzene.

Exist  v. 1 have a place in objective reality. 2 (of circumstances etc.) Occur; be found. 3 live with no pleasure. 4 continue in being. 5 live. [latin existo]
Shrug  —v. (-gg-) (often absol.) Slightly and momentarily raise (the shoulders) to express indifference, doubt, etc. —n. Act of shrugging.  shrug off dismiss as unimportant. [origin unknown]


Soul music  n. Black american music with rhythm and blues, gospel, and rock elements.
Facetious  adj. Intending or intended to be amusing, esp. Inappropriately.  facetiously adv. [latin facetia jest]
Gray  (brit. Grey) —adj. 1 of a colour intermediate between black and white. 2 dull, dismal. 3 a (of hair) turning white with age etc. B having grey hair. 4 anonymous, unidentifiable. —n. 1 a grey colour or pigment. B grey clothes or material (dressed in grey). 2 grey or white horse. —v. Make or become grey.  greyish adj. Greyness n. [old english]



Golosh  var. Of *galosh.

Commanding  adj. 1 exalted, impressive. 2 (of a position) giving a wide view. 3 (of an advantage etc.) Substantial (commanding lead).
Emblem  n. 1 symbol. 2 (foll. By of) type, embodiment (the very emblem of courage). 3 heraldic or representative device.  emblematic adj. [greek, = insertion]

Scare  —v. (-ring) 1 frighten, esp. Suddenly. 2 (as scared adj.) (usu. Foll. By of, or to + infin.) Frightened; terrified. 3 (usu. Foll. By away, off, up, etc.) Drive away by frightening. 4 become scared (they don't scare easily). —n. 1 sudden attack of fright. 2 alarm caused by rumour etc. (a measles scare). [old norse]


Dressy  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. (of clothes or a person) smart, elaborate, elegant.  dressiness n.



Fulminant  adj. 1 fulminating. 2 (of a disease etc.) Developing suddenly. [latin: related to *fulminate]

Femme fatale  n. (pl. Femmes fatales pronunc. Same) dangerously seductive woman. [french]
Lacy  adj. (-ier, -iest) of or resembling lace fabric.


Hobby-horse  n. 1 child's toy consisting of a stick with a horse's head. 2 favourite subject or idea.

Unfortunately  adv. 1 (qualifying a sentence) it is unfortunate that. 2 in an unfortunate manner.
Shout  —v. 1 speak or cry loudly. 2 say or express loudly. —n. 1 loud cry of joy etc., or calling attention. 2 colloq. One's turn to buy a round of drinks etc.  shout down reduce to silence by shouting. [perhaps related to *shoot]


Sure-footed  adj. Never stumbling or making a mistake.

Soup-plate  n. Deep wide-rimmed plate.
-s'  suffix denoting the possessive case of plural nouns and sometimes of singular nouns ending in s (the boys' shoes; charles' book). [old english inflection]
Tinsnips  n. Clippers for cutting sheet metal.


Sneak  —v. 1 (foll. By in, out, past, away, etc.) Go or convey furtively. 2 slang steal unobserved. 3 slang tell tales; turn informer. 4 (as sneaking adj.) A furtive (sneaking affection). B persistent and puzzling (sneaking feeling). —n. 1 mean-spirited underhand person. 2 slang tell-tale; informer. —adj. Acting or done without warning; secret.  sneaky adj. (-ier, -iest). [origin uncertain]

Clever  adj. (-er, -est) 1 skilful, talented; quick to understand and learn. 2 adroit, dexterous. 3 ingenious.  cleverly adv. Cleverness n. [old english]
Cardboard  n. Pasteboard or stiff paper, esp. For making boxes.

Sophisticate  n. Sophisticated person. [medieval latin: related to *sophism]
Clip2  —v. (-pp-) 1 cut (hair, wool, etc.) Short with shears or scissors. 2 trim or remove the hair or wool of. 3 colloq. Hit smartly. 4 a omit (a letter etc.) From a word. B omit letters or syllables of (words uttered). 5 punch a hole in (a ticket) to show it has been used. 6 cut from a newspaper etc. 7 slang swindle, rob. —n. 1 act of clipping. 2 colloq. Smart blow. 3 sequence from a motion picture. 4 yield of wool etc. 5 colloq. Speed, esp. Rapid. [old norse]
Rife  predic. Adj. 1 of common occurrence; widespread. 2 (foll. By with) abounding in. [old english, probably from old norse]

-ty1  suffix forming nouns denoting quality or condition (cruelty; plenty). [french from latin -tas -tatis]
Pineapple  n. 1 large juicy tropical fruit with yellow flesh and tough segmented skin. 2 plant bearing this. [from *pine1, *apple]

Consort2  n. Mus. Small group of players, singers, or instruments. [var. Of *concert]
Depilate  v. (-ting) remove hair from.  depilation n. [latin pilus hair]

Yob  n. Slang lout, hooligan.  yobbish adj. [back slang for *boy]
Hedgerow  n. Row of bushes etc. Forming a hedge.
Queen of the may  n. = *may queen.
Imperturbable  adj. Not excitable; calm.  imperturbability n. Imperturbably adv.
Economy-size  adj. (of goods) consisting of a larger quantity for a proportionally lower cost.
Magic eye  n. Photoelectric device used for detection, automatic control, etc.

Crab3  v. (-bb-) colloq. 1 criticize; grumble. 2 spoil. [low german krabben]

Unacknowledged  adj. Not acknowledged.

Caustic soda  n. Sodium hydroxide.
Talent  n. 1 special aptitude or faculty (talent for music). 2 high mental ability. 3 a person or persons of talent. B colloq. Attractive members of the opposite sex (plenty of local talent). 4 ancient esp. Greek weight and unit of currency.  talented adj. [greek talanton]
Linage  n. 1 number of lines in printed or written matter. 2 payment by the line.

High sea  n. (also high seas) open seas not under any country's jurisdiction.
Surmount  v. 1 overcome (a difficulty or obstacle). 2 (usu. In passive) cap or crown.  surmountable adj. [french: related to *sur-1]


Entitle  v. (-ling) 1 (usu. Foll. By to) give (a person) a just claim or right. 2 give a title to.  entitlement n. [latin: related to *title]
Knitting-machine  n. Machine for knitting.
Let2  —n. Obstruction of a ball or player in tennis etc., requiring the ball to be served again. —v. (-tt-; past and past part. Letted or let) archaic hinder, obstruct.  without let or hindrance unimpeded. [old english: related to *late]


Leaden  adj. 1 of or like lead. 2 heavy or slow. 3 lead-coloured.



Suggest  v. 1 (often foll. By that) propose (a theory, plan, etc.). 2 a evoke (an idea etc.). B hint at.  suggest itself (of an idea etc.) Come into the mind. [latin suggero -gest-]
Inevitable  —adj. 1 unavoidable; sure to happen. 2 colloq. Tiresomely familiar. —n. (prec. By the) inevitable fact, event, etc.  inevitability n. Inevitably adv. [latin evito avoid]
Underclothing  n. Underclothes collectively.
Voice-box  n. Larynx.

Descry  v. (-ies, -ied) literary catch sight of; discern. [french: related to *cry]

Shore1  n. 1 land adjoining the sea, a lake etc. 2 (usu. In pl.) Country (foreign shores).  on shore ashore. [low german or dutch]

Hard-on  n. Coarse slang erection of the penis.
Harass  v. 1 trouble and annoy continually. 2 make repeated attacks on.  harassment n. [french]
Halm  var. Of *haulm.
Pique  —v. (piques, piqued, piquing) 1 wound the pride of, irritate. 2 arouse (curiosity, interest, etc.). —n. Resentment; hurt pride. [french: related to *piquant]
Premiss  n. Logic previous statement from which another is inferred. [var. Of *premise]
Silicosis  n. Lung fibrosis caused by inhaling dust containing silica.

Parakeet  n. Small usu. Long-tailed parrot. [french: related to *parrot]
Blunt  —adj. 1 not sharp or pointed. 2 direct, outspoken. —v. Make blunt or less sharp.  bluntly adv. (in sense 2 of adj.). Bluntness n. [probably scandinavian]



Jangle  —v. (-ling) 1 (cause to) make a (esp. Harsh) metallic sound. 2 irritate (the nerves etc.) By discord etc. —n. Harsh metallic sound. [french]
High-up  n. Colloq. Person of high rank.

Forefather  n. (usu. In pl.) Ancestor of a family or people.




Primate  n. 1 member of the highest order of mammals, including apes, monkeys, and man. 2 (also) archbishop. [latin primas -at- chief]
Pineal  adj. Shaped like a pine cone. [latin pinea: related to *pine1]





Hizbollah  var. Of *hezbollah.



Lapp  n. 1 member of a mongol people of n. Scandinavia and nw russia. 2 their language. [swedish]


Dickensian  adj. 1 of the 19th-c. Novelist dickens or his work. 2 resembling situations in dickens's work, esp. Poverty.
Poteen  n. Ir. Illicit alcoholic spirit. [irish poitín diminutive of pota *pot1]
Condom  n. Contraceptive sheath worn by men. [origin unknown]

Heelball  n. 1 mixture of hard wax and lampblack used by shoemakers for polishing. 2 this or a similar mixture used in brass-rubbing.
Dotterel  n. Small migrant plover. [from *dote]

-ical  suffix forming adjectives corresponding to nouns or adjectives in -ic or -y (classical; historical).
Proper noun  n. (also proper name) capitalized name for an individual person, place, animal, country, title, etc., e.g. ‘jane’, ‘everest’.


Saturday  —n. Day of the week following friday. —adv. Colloq. 1 on saturday. 2 (saturdays) on saturdays; each saturday. [latin: related to *saturnalia]




Misprint  —n. Printing error. —v. Print wrongly.
Pay  —v. (past and past part. Paid) 1 (also absol.) Give (a person etc.) What is due for services done, goods received, debts incurred, etc. (paid him in full). 2 a give (a usu. Specified amount) for work done, a debt, etc. (they pay £6 an hour). B (foll. By to) hand over the amount of (a debt, wages, etc.) To (paid the money to the assistant). 3 a give, bestow, or express (attention, a compliment, etc.) (paid them no heed). B make (a visit) (paid a call on their uncle). 4 (also absol.) (of a business, attitude, etc.) Be profitable or advantageous to (a person etc.). 5 reward or punish (shall pay you for that). 6 (usu. As paid adj.) Recompense (work, time, etc.) (paid holiday). 7 (usu. Foll. By out, away) let out (a rope) by slackening it. —n. Wages.  in the pay of employed by. Pay back 1 repay. 2 punish or have revenge on. Pay for 1 hand over the money for. 2 bear the cost of. 3 suffer or be punished for (a fault etc.). Pay in pay (money) into a bank etc. Account. Pay its (or one's) way cover costs. Pay one's last respects attend a funeral to show respect. Pay off 1 dismiss (workers) with a final payment. 2 colloq. Yield good results; succeed. 3 pay (a debt) in full. Pay one's respects make a polite visit. Pay through the nose colloq. Pay much more than a fair price. Pay up pay the full amount (of). Put paid to colloq. 1 deal effectively with (a person). 2 terminate (hopes etc.).  payee n. [latin paco appease: related to *peace]


Mandamus  n.  Judicial writ issued as a command to an inferior court, or ordering a person to perform a public or statutory duty. [latin, = we command]
Allow  v. 1 (often foll. By to + infin.) Permit. 2 assign a limited amount etc. (was allowed £500). 3 (usu. Foll. By for) provide or set aside for a purpose; add or deduct in consideration (allow £50 for expenses; allow for wastage). [originally = commend, from french: related to *ad-, latin laudo praise, loco place]
Unscarred  adj. Not scarred or damaged.
Disturbance  n. 1 disturbing or being disturbed. 2 tumult; uproar; agitation.
Imbecile  —n. 1 colloq. Stupid person. 2 person with a mental age of about five. —adj. Mentally weak; stupid, idiotic.  imbecilic adj. Imbecility n. (pl. -ies). [french from latin]

Clannish  adj. Often derog. (of a family or group) associating closely with each other; inward-looking.
Swordsman  n. Person of (usu. Specified) skill with a sword.  swordsmanship n.
Visibility  n. 1 being visible. 2 range or possibility of vision as determined by the light and weather.

Thrush2  n. 1 fungous disease, esp. Of children, affecting the mouth and throat. 2 similar disease of the vagina. [origin unknown]


Rehabilitate  v. (-ting) 1 restore to effectiveness or normal life by training etc., esp. After imprisonment or illness. 2 restore to former privileges or reputation or a proper condition.  rehabilitation n. [medieval latin: related to *re-, *ability]


Who  pron. (obj. Whom or colloq. Who; poss. Whose) 1 a what or which person or persons? (who called?; you know who it was). B what sort of person or persons? (who am i to object?). 2 (a person) that (anyone who wishes can come; the woman whom you met; the man who you saw). 3 and or but he, they, etc. (gave it to tom, who sold it to jim). [old english]

Athletics  n.pl. (usu. Treated as sing.) Physical exercises, esp. Track and field events.
Constipation  n. Difficulty in emptying the bowels.


Armrest  n. = *arm1 3b.

Hookah  n. Oriental tobacco-pipe with a long tube passing through water for cooling the smoke as it is drawn through. [urdu from arabic, = casket]

Raw  adj. 1 uncooked. 2 in the natural state; not processed or manufactured. 3 inexperienced, untrained. 4 a stripped of skin; with the flesh exposed, unhealed. B sensitive to the touch from being so exposed. 5 (of the atmosphere, day, etc.) Cold and damp. 6 crude in artistic quality; lacking finish. 7 (of the edge of cloth) without hem or selvage.  in the raw 1 in its natural state without mitigation (life in the raw). 2 naked.
Big wheel  n. Ferris wheel.

Dictaphone  n. Propr. Machine for recording and playing back dictated words. [from *dictate, *phone]
Leading2  n. Printing = *lead2 n. 6.
Denationalize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) transfer (an industry etc.) From public to private ownership.  denationalization n.

Dour  adj. Severe, stern, obstinate. [probably gaelic dúr dull, obstinate]



Mishandle  v. (-ling) 1 deal with incorrectly or inefficiently. 2 handle roughly or rudely.

Heart-lung machine  n. Machine that temporarily takes over the functions of the heart and lungs.







Probity  n. Uprightness, honesty. [latin probus good]





Self-propelled  adj. (of a vehicle etc.) Propelled by its own power.  self-propelling adj.
Carbolic soap  n. Soap containing carbolic.


Cookery  n. Art or practice of cooking.



Craw  n. Crop of a bird or insect.  stick in one's craw be unacceptable. [low german or dutch]
Fixity  n. Fixed state; stability; permanence.
Wg. Cdr.  Abbr. Wing commander.
Candlewick  n. 1 thick soft cotton yarn. 2 tufted material from this.
Re-equip  v. (-pp-) provide or be provided with new equipment.


Spoonerism  n. (usu. Accidental) transposition of the initial letters etc. Of two or more words. [spooner, name of a scholar]

Merge  v. (-ging) 1 (often foll. By with) a combine. B join or blend gradually. 2 (foll. By in) (cause to) lose character and identity in (something else). [latin mergo dip]


Toll1  n. 1 charge to use a bridge, road, etc. 2 cost or damage caused by a disaster etc.  take its toll be accompanied by loss, injury, etc.


Gi  n. (often attrib.) Soldier in the us army. [abbreviation of government (or general) issue]
Calf-love  n. Romantic adolescent love.
Tercentenary  n. (pl. -ies) 1 three-hundredth anniversary. 2 celebration of this. [latin ter, = three times]
Fibreglass  n. (us fiberglass) 1 fabric made from woven glass fibres. 2 plastic reinforced by glass fibres.




Letterpress  n. 1 printed words of an illustrated book. 2 printing from raised type.
Hysterectomy  n. (pl. -ies) surgical removal of the womb. [greek hustera womb, *-ectomy]
Summing-up  n. 1 judge's review of evidence given to a jury. 2 recapitulation of the main points of an argument etc.


-phile  comb. Form (also -phil) forming nouns and adjectives denoting fondness for what is specified (bibliophile). [greek philos loving]

Grim  adj. (grimmer, grimmest) 1 of stern or forbidding appearance. 2 harsh, merciless. 3 ghastly, joyless (has a grim truth in it). 4 unpleasant, unattractive.  grimly adv. Grimness n. [old english]
Self-centered  adj. (brit. -centred) preoccupied with oneself; selfish.  self-centredly adv. Self-centredness n.

Mosaic  n. 1 a picture or pattern produced by arranging small variously coloured pieces of glass or stone etc. B this as an art form. 2 diversified thing. 3 (attrib.) Of or like a mosaic. [greek: ultimately related to *muse2]


Worsted  n. 1 fine woollen yarn. 2 fabric made from this. [worste(a)d in norfolk]
Aldehyde  n. Chem. Any of a class of compounds formed by the oxidation of alcohols. [from *alcohol, *de-, *hydrogen]
Herring-gull  n. Large gull with dark wing-tips.
Bb  abbr. Double-black (pencil-lead).

Whistle  —n. 1 clear shrill sound made by forcing breath through a small hole between nearly closed lips. 2 similar sound made by a bird, the wind, a missile, etc. 3 instrument used to produce such a sound. —v. (-ling) 1 emit a whistle. 2 a give a signal or express surprise or derision by whistling. B (often foll. By up) summon or give a signal to (a dog etc.) By whistling. 3 (also absol.) Produce (a tune) by whistling. 4 (foll. By for) vainly seek or desire. [old english]

Wire-tapping  n. Tapping of telephone lines to eavesdrop.
Mangold-wurzel  var. Of *mangel-wurzel.
Malt  —n. 1 barley, or other grain, steeped, germinated, and dried, for brewing etc. 2 colloq. Malt whisky; malt liquor. —v. Convert (grain) into malt.  malty adj. (-ier, -iest). [old english]
Public enemy  n. Notorious wanted criminal.



Brie  n. A kind of soft cheese. [brie in n. France]




Reprise  n. 1 repeated passage in music. 2 repeated item in a musical programme. [french: related to *reprieve]
Doss-house  n. Cheap lodging-house for vagrants.

Flagellum  n. (pl. -gella) 1 long lashlike appendage on some microscopic organisms. 2 runner; creeping shoot. [latin, = whip]
Spue  var. Of *spew.

Madonna  n.  1 (prec. By the) the virgin mary. 2 (madonna) picture or statue of her. [italian, = my lady]

Muzzy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 mentally hazy. 2 blurred, indistinct.  muzzily adv. Muzziness n. [origin unknown]



Decimalize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 express as a decimal. 2 convert to a decimal system (esp. Of coinage).  decimalization n.



Does  see *do1.


Fluke3  n. 1 broad triangular plate on an anchor arm. 2 lobe of a whale's tail. [perhaps from *fluke2]
Deck  —n. 1 a platform in a ship serving as a floor. B the accommodation on a particular deck of a ship. 2 floor or compartment of a bus etc. 3 section for playing discs or tapes etc. In a sound system. 4 esp. Us pack of cards. 5 slang ground. —v. 1 (often foll. By out) decorate. 2 provide with or cover as a deck.  below deck(s) in or into the space below the main deck. [dutch, = cover]


Nerve-racking  adj. Causing mental strain.

Retentive  adj. 1 tending to retain. 2 (of memory etc.) Not forgetful. [french or medieval latin: related to *retain]

Scouter  n. Adult leader of scouts.

Arras  n. Hist. Rich tapestry or wall-hanging. [arras in france]
Interview  —n. 1 oral examination of an applicant. 2 conversation with a reporter, for a broadcast or publication. 3 meeting face to face, esp. For consultation. —v. Hold an interview with.  interviewee n. Interviewer n. [french entrevue: related to *inter-, vue sight]
Fell4  adj. Poet. Or rhet. Ruthless, destructive.  at (or in) one fell swoop in a single (orig. Deadly) action. [french: related to *felon]
G-man  n. Us colloq. Federal criminal-investigation officer. [from government]
Rung2  past part. Of *ring2.
Stick-up  n. Colloq. Robbery using a gun.
Songbook  n. Book of song lyrics and music.



Untether  v. Release (an animal) from a tether.



Bur  n. 1 a prickly clinging seed-case or flower-head. B any plant having these. 2 clinging person. 3 var. Of *burr n. 2. [scandinavian]






Disburse  v. (-sing) pay out (money).  disbursal n. Disbursement n. [french: related to *dis-, *bourse]
Transvestite  n. Man deriving esp. Sexual pleasure from dressing in women's clothes.  transvestism n. [latin vestio clothe]
Malmsey  n. A strong sweet wine. [low german or dutch from monemvasia in greece]
Trusting  adj. Having trust; trustful.  trustingly adv.
-ant  suffix 1 forming adjectives denoting attribution of an action (repentant) or state (arrogant). 2 forming agent nouns (assistant). [latin -ant-, present participial stem of verbs]
Deliquesce  v. (-cing) 1 become liquid, melt. 2 dissolve in water absorbed from the air.  deliquescence n. Deliquescent adj. [latin: related to *liquid]

Earthwork  n. Artificial bank of earth in fortification or road-building etc.
Councillor  n. Member of a (esp. Local) council.

Day-school  n. School for pupils living at home.


Aramaic  —n. Branch of the semitic family of languages, esp. The language of syria used as a lingua franca in the near east from the sixth century bc. —adj. Of or in aramaic. [greek aramaios of aram (hebrew name of syria)]




Glasshouse  n. 1 greenhouse. 2 slang military prison.
Pick-up  n. 1 slang person met casually, esp. For sexual purposes. 2 small open motor truck. 3 part of a record-player carrying the stylus. 4 device on an electric guitar etc. That converts string vibrations into electrical signals. 5 act of picking up.
Photostat —n. Propr. 1 type of photocopier. 2 copy made by it. —v. (photostat) (-tt-) make a photostat of.




Double eagle  n. Figure of a two-headed eagle.

Buckthorn  n. Thorny shrub with berries formerly used as a purgative.

Red cross  n. International organization bringing relief to victims of war or disaster.
Egress  n. Formal 1 exit. 2 right of going out. [latin egredior -gress- walk out]

Unturned  adj. 1 not turned over, round, away, etc. 2 not shaped by turning.
Tear-duct  n. Drain for carrying tears to or from the eye.
Seasick  adj. Nauseous from the motion of a ship at sea.  seasickness n.
Distribute  v. (-ting) 1 give shares of; deal out. 2 scatter; put at different points. 3 arrange; classify. [latin tribuo -but- assign]
Cycle-track  n. (also cycle-way) path or road for bicycles.






Gooey  adj. (gooier, gooiest) slang 1 viscous, sticky. 2 sentimental. [from *goo]

Initiate  —v. (-ting) 1 begin; set going; originate. 2 a admit (a person) into a society, office, etc., esp. With a ritual. B instruct (a person) in a subject. —n. (esp. Newly) initiated person.  initiation n. Initiator n. Initiatory adj. [latin initium beginning]

Electronic mail  n. The sending of messages by a computer system; such messages.



Previous  —adj. 1 (often foll. By to) coming before in time or order. 2 colloq. Hasty, premature. —adv. (foll. By to) before.  previously adv. [latin praevius from via way]



Alike  —adj. (usu. Predic.) Similar, like. —adv. In a similar way.
Offensive  —adj. 1 causing offence; insulting. 2 disgusting. 3 a aggressive, attacking. B (of a weapon) for attacking. —n. Aggressive action, attitude, or campaign.  offensively adv. Offensiveness n.
Improbity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 wickedness; dishonesty. 2 wicked or dishonest act.
Sky-high  adv. & adj. Very high.

Arrive  v. (-ving) 1 (often foll. By at, in) reach a destination. 2 (foll. By at) reach (a conclusion etc.). 3 colloq. Become successful. 4 colloq. (of a child) be born. 5 (of a time) come. [latin ripa shore]
Taximeter  n. Automatic fare-indicator fitted to a taxi. [french: related to *tax]

Holiday-maker  n. Person on holiday.


Culpable  adj. Deserving blame.  culpability n. [latin culpo blame]



Oap  abbr. Old-age pensioner.



Logarithm  n. One of a series of arithmetic exponents tabulated to simplify computation by making it possible to use addition and subtraction instead of multiplication and division.  logarithmic adj. Logarithmically adv. [greek logos reckoning, arithmos number]

Province  n. 1 principal administrative division of a country etc. 2 (the provinces) country outside a capital city, esp. Regarded as uncultured or unsophisticated. 3 sphere of action; business (outside my province). 4 branch of learning etc. (in the province of aesthetics). 5 district under an archbishop or metropolitan. 6 territory outside italy under an ancient roman governor. [latin provincia]

Usage  note the differences in meaning between all together and altogether: see note at altogether.

St leger  n. Horse-race at doncaster for three-year-olds. [from the name of the founder]
Flat-iron  n. Hist. Domestic iron heated on a fire etc.
Special constable  n. Person trained to assist the police in routine duties or in an emergency.
Lavatory  n. (pl. -ies) 1 receptacle for urine and faeces, usu. With a means of disposal. 2 room or compartment containing this. [latin: related to *lava]



Spoke2  past of *speak.

Cmg  abbr. Companion (of the order) of st michael and st george.



Highland cattle  n. Cattle of a shaggy-haired breed with long curved horns.

Borough  n. 1 a town represented in the house of commons. B town or district granted the status of a borough. 2 hist. Town with a municipal corporation conferred by a royal charter. [old english]
Kelpie  n. Scot. 1 malevolent water-spirit, usu. In the form of a horse. 2 australian sheepdog. [origin unknown]



Wholesome  adj. 1 promoting physical, mental, or moral health. 2 prudent (wholesome respect). [old english: related to *whole]
Victual  —n. (usu. In pl.) Food, provisions. —v. (-ll-; us -l-) 1 supply with victuals. 2 obtain stores. 3 eat victuals. [latin victus food]


Astigmatism  n. Eye or lens defect resulting in distorted images.  astigmatic adj. [from *a-, *stigma]

Transubstantiation  n. Rc ch. Conversion of the eucharistic elements wholly into the body and blood of christ. [medieval latin: related to *trans-, *substance]

Royal commission  n. Commission of inquiry appointed by the crown at the request of government.
Shoulder-pad  n. Pad in a garment to bulk out the shoulder.
Redcurrant  n. 1 small red edible berry. 2 shrub bearing this.
Ordnance survey  n. Official survey of the uk producing detailed maps.

Pub-crawl  n.  Colloq. Drinking tour of several pubs.
Ashen  adj. Like ashes, esp. Grey or pale.


Gregorian chant  n. Plainsong ritual music, named after pope gregory i.
Spanker  n. Naut. Fore-and-aft sail set on the after side of the mizen-mast.
Wilful  adj. (us willful) 1 intentional, deliberate (wilful murder; wilful neglect). 2 obstinate.  wilfully adv. [from *will2]
Waster  n. 1 wasteful person. 2 colloq. Wastrel.
Conjunctiva  n. (pl. -s) mucous membrane covering the front of the eye and the lining inside the eyelids.

Clutch bag  n. Slim flat handbag without handles.

Hen  n. Female bird, esp. Of a domestic fowl. [old english]
Quorum  n. Minimum number of members that must be present to constitute a valid meeting. [latin, = of whom]
Downcast  adj. 1 dejected. 2 (of eyes) looking downwards.


Factorial  —n. Product of a number and all the whole numbers below it. —adj. Of a factor or factorial.
Spot-weld  v. Join (two metal surfaces) by welding at discrete points.  spot weld n. Spot welder n. Spot welding n.
Anthropoid  —adj. Human in form. —n. Anthropoid ape.

Hello  (also hallo, hullo) —int. Expression of informal greeting, or of surprise, or to call attention. —n. (pl. -s) cry of ‘hello’. [var. Of earlier hollo]
Trash  —n. 1 esp. Us worthless or waste stuff; rubbish. 2 worthless person or persons. —v. Slang wreck, vandalize.  trashy adj. (-ier, -iest). [origin unknown]


Maple syrup  n. Syrup made by evaporating maple sap or dissolving maple sugar.
Lassitude  n. 1 languor. 2 disinclination to exert oneself. [latin lassus tired]
Stet  v. (-tt-) (usu. Written on a proof-sheet etc.) Ignore or cancel (the alteration); let the original stand. [latin, = let it stand]
Enfranchise  v. (-sing) 1 give (a person) the right to vote. 2 give (a town) municipal rights, esp. Representation in parliament. 3 hist. Free (a slave etc.).  enfranchisement n. [french: related to *frank]
Hedgehog  n. Small insect-eating mammal with a piglike snout and a coat of spines, rolling itself up into a ball when attacked.

Housecoat  n. Woman's informal indoor coat or gown.

White heat  n. 1 temperature at which metal emits white light. 2 state of intense passion or activity.  white-hot adj.


Civil rights  n.pl. Rights of citizens to freedom and equality.
Snack bar  n. Place where snacks are sold.
Cadge  v. (-ging) colloq. Get or seek by begging. [origin unknown]
Hectic  adj. 1 busy and confused; excited. 2 feverish.  hectically adv. [greek hektikos habitual]



Dispose  v. (-sing) 1 (usu. Foll. By to, or to + infin.) A make willing; incline (was disposed to agree). B tend (wheel was disposed to buckle). 2 arrange suitably. 3 (as disposed adj.) Have a specified inclination (ill-disposed; well-disposed). 4 determine events (man proposes, god disposes).  dispose of 1 a deal with. B get rid of. C finish. D kill. 2 sell. 3 prove (an argument etc.) Incorrect. [french: related to *pose]

Élitism  n. Recourse to or advocacy of leadership or dominance by a select group.  élitist n. & adj.
Rotunda  n. Circular building, hall, or room, esp. Domed. [italian rotonda: related to *rotund]

Dispersion  n. 1 dispersing or being dispersed. 2 (the dispersion) = *diaspora.


Corpse  n. Dead body. [latin: related to *corpus]

Whippersnapper  n. 1 small child. 2 insignificant but presumptuous person.


Horticulture  n. Art of garden cultivation.  horticultural adj. Horticulturist n. [latin hortus garden, *culture]

Epiglottis  n. Flap of cartilage at the root of the tongue, depressed during swallowing to cover the windpipe.  epiglottal adj. [greek glotta tongue]

Show house  n. (also show flat) furnished and decorated new house etc., on show to prospective buyers.
Variation  n. 1 varying. 2 departure from the normal kind, amount, a standard, etc. (prices are subject to variation). 3 extent of this. 4 variant thing. 5 mus. Theme in a changed or elaborated form.
Concise  adj. Brief but comprehensive in expression.  concisely adv. Conciseness n. Concision n. [latin caedo cut]


Usage  prerequisite is sometimes confused with perquisite which means ‘an extra profit, allowance, or right’.


Everywhere  adv. 1 in every place. 2 colloq. In many places.


Hopper2  n. Hop-picker.
Permafrost  n. Subsoil which remains frozen all year, as in polar regions. [from *permanent, *frost]
Outlandish  adj. Bizarre, strange.  outlandishly adv. Outlandishness n. [old english, from outland foreign country]
Alabaster  —n. Translucent usu. White form of gypsum, used for carving etc. —adj. 1 of alabaster. 2 white or smooth. [greek alabastros]
Lobelia  n. Plant with bright, esp. Blue, flowers. [lobel, name of a botanist]
Turkish coffee  n. Strong black coffee.
Poseur  n. Person who behaves affectedly. [french poser *pose]
Programme  (us program) —n. 1 list of events, performers, etc. At a public function etc. 2 radio or television broadcast. 3 plan of events (programme is dinner and an early night). 4 course or series of studies, lectures, etc. 5 (usu. Program) series of coded instructions for a computer etc. —v. (-mm-; us -m-) 1 make a programme of. 2 (usu. Program) express (a problem) or instruct (a computer) by means of a program.  programmable adj. Programmatic adj. Programmer n. (in sense 5 of n.). [greek grapho write]
Kitty2  n. (pl. -ies) childish name for a kitten or cat.
Gold foil  n. Gold beaten into a thin sheet.
Sound system  n. Equipment for sound reproduction.

Corrupt  —adj. 1 dishonest, esp. Using bribery. 2 immoral; wicked. 3 (of a text etc.) Made unreliable by errors or alterations. —v. Make or become corrupt.  corruptible adj. Corruptibility n. Corruption n. Corruptive adj. Corruptly adv. Corruptness n. [latin rumpo rupt- break]



Self  n. (pl. Selves) 1 individuality, personality, or essence (showed his true self; is her old self again). 2 object of introspection or reflexive action. 3 a one's own interests or pleasure. B concentration on these. 4 commerce or colloq. Myself, yourself, etc. (cheque drawn to self). [old english]

Bluster  —v. 1 behave pompously or boisterously. 2 (of the wind etc.) Blow fiercely. —n. Bombastic talk; empty threats.  blustery adj. [imitative]
Drank  past of *drink.
Peseta  n. Chief monetary unit of spain. [spanish]




Day-bed  n. Bed for daytime rest.

Pelf  n. Derog. Or joc. Money; wealth. [french: related to *pilfer]
Telekinesis  n. Supposed paranormal force moving objects at a distance.  telekinetic adj. [greek kineo move]
Snappy  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. 1 brisk, lively. 2 neat and elegant (snappy dresser). 3 snappish.  make it snappy be quick.  snappily adv.
Outfitter  n. Supplier of clothing.
Infant  n. 1 a child during the earliest period of its life. B schoolchild below the age of seven years. 2 (esp. Attrib.) Thing in an early stage of its development. 3 law person under 18.  infancy n. [latin infans unable to speak]
Inkstand  n. Stand for one or more ink bottles.
Cres.  Abbr. Crescent.

Rag1  n. 1 torn, frayed, or worn piece of woven material. 2 (in pl.) Old or worn clothes. 3 (collect.) Scraps of cloth used as material for paper, stuffing, etc. 4 derog. Newspaper.  in rags much torn. Rags to riches poverty to affluence. [probably a back-formation from *ragged]

Stonework  n. Masonry.
Constancy  n. Being unchanging and dependable; faithfulness. [latin: related to *constant]
Foreman  n. 1 worker supervising others. 2 president and spokesman of a jury.
Quaver  —v. 1 (esp. Of a voice or sound) vibrate, shake, tremble. 2 sing or say with a quavering voice. —n. 1 mus. Note half as long as a crotchet. 2 trill in singing. 3 tremble in speech.  quavery adj. [probably imitative]


Entrepreneur  n. 1 person who undertakes a commercial venture. 2 contractor acting as an intermediary.  entrepreneurial adj. Entrepreneurialism n. (also entrepreneurism). [french: related to *enterprise]
Conductance  n. Power of a specified material to conduct electricity.


Homily  n. (pl. -ies) 1 sermon. 2 tedious moralizing discourse.  homiletic adj. [greek homilia]
Profit-sharing  n. Sharing of profits, esp. Between employer and employees.
Departed  —adj. Bygone. —n. (prec. By the) euphem. Dead person or people.
Old year  n. Year just ended or ending.
Preach  v. 1  (also absol.) Deliver (a sermon); proclaim or expound (the gospel etc.). 2 give moral advice in an obtrusive way. 3 advocate or inculcate (a quality or practice etc.).  preacher n. [latin praedico proclaim]


Front line  n. Foremost part of an army or group under attack.
Castigate  v. (-ting) rebuke or punish severely.  castigation n. Castigator n. [latin castus pure]

Prescribe  v. (-bing) 1 a advise the use of (a medicine etc.). B recommend, esp. As a benefit. 2 lay down or impose authoritatively. [latin praescribo]
Ginger-nut  n. Ginger-flavoured biscuit.

Rockabilly  n. Rock and roll combined with hill-billy music.
Testicle  n. Male organ that produces spermatozoa etc., esp. One of a pair in the scrotum in man and most mammals. [latin, diminutive of testis witness]



Ironware  n. Articles made of iron.
Squatter  n. Person who inhabits unoccupied premises without permission.

Fair game  n. Legitimate target or object.

Hepatitis  n. Inflammation of the liver. [related to *hepatic]




Exaggerate  v. (-ting) 1 (also absol.) Make (a thing) seem larger or greater etc. Than it really is. 2 increase beyond normal or due proportions (exaggerated politeness).  exaggeration n. [latin agger heap]

Livery stable  n. Stable where horses are kept at livery or let out for hire.
Proceed  v. 1 (often foll. By to) go forward or on further; make one's way. 2 (often foll. By with, or to + infin.) Continue with an activity; go on to do something (proceeded with their work; proceeded to beg me). 3 (of an action) be carried on or continued (the case will now proceed). 4 adopt a course of action (how shall we proceed?). 5 go on to say. 6 (foll. By against) start a lawsuit against (a person). 7 (often foll. By from) originate (trouble proceeded from illness). [latin cedo cess- go]


Usage  see note at disposal.

Levity  n. Lack of serious thought, frivolity. [latin levis light]
Tuc  abbr. Trades union congress.
Respiration  n. 1 a breathing. B single breath in or out. 2 biol. (in living organisms) the absorption of oxygen and the release of energy and carbon dioxide. [latin spiro breathe]


Esparto  n. (pl. -s) (in full esparto grass) coarse grass of spain and n. Africa, used to make good-quality paper etc. [greek sparton rope]

Debate  —v. (-ting) 1 (also absol.) Discuss or dispute, esp. Formally. 2 consider aspects of (a question); ponder. —n. 1 formal discussion on a particular matter. 2 discussion (open to debate). [french: related to *battle]
Of  prep. Expressing: 1 origin or cause (paintings of turner; died of cancer). 2 material or substance (house of cards; built of bricks). 3 belonging or connection (thing of the past; articles of clothing; head of the business). 4 identity or close relation (city of rome; a pound of apples; a fool of a man). 5 removal or separation (north of the city; got rid of them; robbed us of £1000). 6 reference or direction (beware of the dog; suspected of lying; very good of you; short of money). 7 objective relation (love of music; in search of peace). 8 partition, classification, or inclusion (no more of that; part of the story; this sort of book). 9 description, quality, or condition (the hour of prayer; person of tact; girl of ten; on the point of leaving). 10 us time in relation to the following hour (a quarter of three).  be of possess, give rise to (is of great interest). Of an evening (or morning etc.) Colloq. 1 on most evenings (or mornings etc.). 2 at some time in the evenings (or mornings etc.). Of late recently. Of old formerly. [old english]
Prize1  —n. 1 something that can be won in a competition, lottery, etc. 2 reward given as a symbol of victory or superiority. 3 something striven for or worth striving for. 4 (attrib.) A to which a prize is awarded (prize poem). B excellent of its kind. —v. (-zing) value highly (a much prized possession). [french: related to *praise]

Unwound  past and past part. Of *unwind.
Gull1  n. Long-winged web-footed sea bird. [probably welsh gwylan]
Noblesse oblige  n. Privilege entails responsibility. [french]
Freedom  n. 1 condition of being free or unrestricted. 2 personal or civic liberty. 3 liberty of action (freedom to leave). 4 (foll. By from) exemption from. 5 (foll. By of) a honorary membership or citizenship (freedom of the city). B unrestricted use of (a house etc.). [old english]
Gulf stream  n. Warm current flowing from the gulf of mexico to newfoundland where it is deflected across the atlantic ocean.

Well-mannered  adj. Having good manners.
Boiler suit  n. Protective outer garment of trousers and jacket in one.

Screwdriver  n. Tool with a tip that fits into the head of a screw to turn it.
Table licence  n. Licence to serve alcoholic drinks with meals only.
Unknown soldier  n. Unidentified soldier etc. Symbolizing a nation's dead in war.
Mottle  v. (-ling) (esp. As mottled adj.) Mark with spots or smears of colour. [back-formation from *motley]
Assume  v. (-ming) 1 (usu. Foll. By that) take to be true. 2 simulate (ignorance etc.). 3 undertake (an office etc.). 4 take or put on (an aspect, attribute, etc.) (assumed immense importance). [latin sumo take]
Rally2  v. (-ies, -ied) ridicule good-humouredly. [french railler: related to *rail2]
Walking frame  n. Tubular metal frame for disabled or old people to help them walk.
Unstop  v. (-pp-) 1 unblock. 2 remove the stopper from.
Shortening  n. Fat for pastry.



Thwack  —v. Hit with a heavy blow. —n. Heavy blow. [imitative]


Resign  v. 1 (often foll. By from) give up office, one's employment, etc. 2 relinquish, surrender (a right, task, etc.). 3 refl. (usu. Foll. By to) reconcile (oneself etc.) To the inevitable. [latin signo sign]
Quality  n. (pl. -ies) 1 degree of excellence. 2 a general excellence (has quality). B (attrib.) Of high quality (a quality product). 3 attribute, faculty (has many good qualities). 4 relative nature or character. 5 timbre of a voice or sound. 6 archaic high social standing (people of quality). [latin qualis such as, of what kind]


Recommend  v. 1 suggest as fit for some purpose or use. 2 advise as a course of action etc. 3 (of qualities, conduct, etc.) Make acceptable or desirable. 4 (foll. By to) commend or entrust (to a person or a person's care).  recommendation n. [medieval latin: related to *re-]
Onanism  n. Literary masturbation. [onan, biblical person]


Epidural  —adj. (of an anaesthetic) introduced into the space around the dura mater of the spinal cord. —n. Epidural anaesthetic. [from *epi-, *dura mater]



Cross-stitch  n. Cross-shaped stitch.
Tread  —v. (past trod; past part. Trodden or trod) 1 (often foll. By on) set down one's foot; walk, step. 2 a walk on. B (often foll. By down) press or crush with the feet. 3 perform (steps etc.) By walking. 4 (often foll. By in, into) press down into the ground with the feet (trod dirt into the carpet). —n. 1 manner or sound of walking. 2 top surface of a step or stair. 3 thick moulded part of a vehicle tyre for gripping the road. 4 a part of a wheel that touches the ground or rail. B part of a rail that the wheels touch. 5 part of the sole of a shoe that rests on the ground.  tread the boards be an actor. Tread on air feel elated. Tread on a person's toes offend a person; encroach on a person's privileges etc. Tread water maintain an upright position in water by moving the feet and hands. [old english]
Lather  —n. 1 froth produced by agitating soap etc. And water. 2 frothy sweat. 3 state of agitation. —v. 1 (of soap etc.) Form a lather. 2 cover with lather. 3 colloq. Thrash. [old english]


Bullshit  coarse slang —n. (often as int.) Nonsense; pretended knowledge. —v. (-tt-) talk nonsense or as if one has specialist knowledge (to).  bullshitter n. [from *bull3]



Graze2  —v. (-zing) 1 rub or scrape (part of the body, esp. The skin). 2 a touch lightly in passing. B (foll. By against, along, etc.) Move with a light passing contact. —n. Abrasion. [perhaps from *graze1, as if ‘take off the grass close to the ground’]
Sniffy  adj. Colloq. (-ier, -iest) disdainful.  sniffily adv. Sniffiness n.
Self-improvement  n. Improvement of oneself or one's life etc. By one's own efforts.
Butt1  —v. 1 push or strike with the head or horns. 2 (cause to) meet edge to edge. —n. 1 push with the head. 2 join of two edges.  butt in interrupt, meddle. [french from germanic]
Boolean  adj. Denoting a system of algebraic notation to represent logical propositions. [boole, name of a mathematician]
Ai  abbr. 1 artificial insemination. 2 artificial intelligence.

Kindergarten  n. Class or school for very young children. [german, = children's garden]

Interference  n. 1 act of interfering. 2 fading or disturbance of received radio signals. 3 physics combination of two or more wave motions to form a resultant wave in which the displacement is reinforced or cancelled.
Sur-1  prefix = *super- (surcharge; surrealism). [french]



Basic  n. Computer programming language using familiar english words. [beginner's all-purpose symbolic instruction code]

Sinner  n. Person who sins, esp. Habitually.

Tiger  n. 1 large asian animal of the cat family, with a yellow-brown coat with black stripes. 2 fierce, energetic, or formidable person. [greek tigris]

Macula  n. (pl. -lae) dark, esp. Permanent, spot in the skin.  maculation n. [latin, = spot, mesh]




Ordinance  n. 1 decree. 2 religious rite. [latin: related to *ordain]
Hydrous  adj. Containing water. [related to *hydro-]
Bloomers  n.pl. 1 women's long loose knickers. 2 hist. Women's loose knee-length trousers. [mrs a. Bloomer, name of the originator]






Sec.  Abbr. (also sec.) Secretary.


Julian  adj. Of julius caesar. [latin julius]


Reparation  n. 1 making amends. 2 (esp. In pl.) Compensation for war damages.

Monad  n. 1 the number one; unit. 2 philos. Ultimate unit of being (e.g. A soul, an atom, a person, god).  monadic adj. [greek monas -ados unit]
Peafowl  n. A kind of pheasant; peacock, peahen.



Bug  —n. 1 a any of various insects with mouthparts modified for piercing and sucking. B esp. Us small insect. 2 slang virus; infection. 3 slang concealed microphone. 4 slang error in a computer program or system etc. 5 slang obsession, enthusiasm, etc. —v. (-gg-) 1 slang conceal a microphone in. 2 slang annoy. [origin unknown]
Thurible  n. Censer. [latin thus thur- incense]







V-neck  n. (often attrib.) V-shaped neckline on a pullover etc.

Colloquialism  n. 1 colloquial word or phrase. 2 use of these.

Old bill  n. Slang 1 the police. 2 a policeman.
Brill2  adj. Colloq. = *brilliant adj. 4. [abbreviation]
Dead march  n. Funeral march.
Both  —adj. & pron. The two, not only one (both boys; both the boys; both of the boys; i like both). —adv. With equal truth in two cases (is both hot and dry). [old norse]
Cosh1  colloq. —n. Heavy blunt weapon. —v. Hit with a cosh. [origin unknown]
Mean2  adj. 1 niggardly; not generous. 2 ignoble, small-minded. 3 (of capacity, understanding, etc.) Inferior, poor. 4 shabby; inadequate (mean hovel). 5 a malicious, ill-tempered. B us vicious or aggressive in behaviour. 6 us colloq. Skilful, formidable (a mean fighter).  no mean a very good (no mean feat).  meanly adv. Meanness n. [old english]

'Tis  archaic it is. [contraction]
Estrogen  n. (brit. Oestrogen) 1 sex hormone developing and maintaining female characteristics of the body. 2 this produced artificially for use in medicine. [greek oistros frenzy, *-gen]

Signature  n. 1 a person's name, initials, etc. Used in signing. B act of signing. 2 mus. A = *key signature. B = *time signature. 3 printing section of a book made from one sheet folded and cut. [medieval latin: related to *signatory]

Desert island  n. (usu. Tropical) uninhabited island.


Rug  n. 1 thick floor covering, usu. Smaller than a carpet. 2 thick woollen coverlet or wrap.  pull the rug from under deprive of support; weaken, unsettle. [probably scandinavian]

Mayfly  n. A kind of insect living briefly in spring.

Logic  n. 1 a science of reasoning. B particular system or method of reasoning. 2 a chain of reasoning (regarded as sound or unsound). B use of or ability in argument. 3 inexorable force, compulsion, or consequence (the logic of events). 4 a principles used in designing a computer etc. B circuits using this.  logician n. [related to *-logic]
Health  n. 1 state of being well in body or mind. 2 person's mental or physical condition. 3 soundness, esp. Financial or moral. [old english: related to *whole]

Machine  —n. 1 apparatus for applying mechanical power, having several interrelated parts. 2 particular machine, esp. A vehicle or an electrical or electronic apparatus. 3 controlling system of an organization etc. (party machine). 4 person who acts mechanically. 5 (esp. In comb.) Mechanical dispenser with slots for coins (cigarette machine). —v. (-ning) make or operate on with a machine. [greek mekhane]
Father  —n. 1 male parent. 2 (usu. In pl.) Forefather. 3 originator, early leader. 4 (fathers or fathers of the church) early christian theologians. 5 (also father) (often as a title or form of address) priest. 6 (the father) (in christian belief) first person of the trinity. 7 (father) venerable person, esp. As a title in personifications (father time). 8 (usu. In pl.) Elders (city fathers). —v. 1 beget. 2 originate (a scheme etc.).  fatherhood n. Fatherless adj. [old english]

Bad  —adj. (worse, worst) 1 inadequate, defective (bad work, light). 2 unpleasant (bad weather). 3 harmful (is bad for you). 4 (of food) decayed. 5 colloq. Ill, injured (feeling bad today; a bad leg). 6 colloq. Regretful, guilty (feels bad about it). 7 serious, severe (a bad headache, mistake). 8 a morally unacceptable (bad man; bad language). B naughty. 9 not valid (a bad cheque). 10 (badder, baddest) esp. Us slang excellent. —n. Ill fortune; ruin. —adv. Us colloq. Badly.  not (or not so) bad colloq. Fairly good. Too bad colloq. Regrettable. [old english]
Affirmative  —adj. Affirming; expressing approval. —n. Affirmative statement or word etc.

Wiseacre  n. Person who affects a wise manner. [dutch wijsseggher soothsayer]






Gadabout  n. Person who gads about.
Ft-se  abbr. Financial times stock exchange 100 share index (based on the share values of britain's largest public companies).


Lake district  n. (also the lakes) region of lakes in cumbria.


Roundhead  n. Hist. Member of the parliamentary party in the english civil war.


Malefactor  n. Criminal; evil-doer.  malefaction n. [latin male badly, facio fact- do]


Wort  n. 1 archaic (except in names) plant (liverwort). 2 infusion of malt before it is fermented into beer. [old english]
Insatiable  adj. 1 unable to be satisfied. 2 extremely greedy.  insatiability n. Insatiably adv.



Shrubbery  n. (pl. -ies) area planted with shrubs.
Pussy willow  n. Willow with furry catkins.
Bristle  —n. Short stiff hair, esp. One on an animal's back, used in brushes. —v. (-ling) 1 a (of hair) stand upright. B make (hair) do this. 2 show irritation. 3 (usu. Foll. By with) be covered or abundant (in).  bristly adj. (-ier, -iest). [old english]


Resident  —n. 1 (often foll. By of) a permanent inhabitant. B non-migratory species of bird. 2 guest in a hotel etc. Staying overnight. —adj. 1 residing; in residence. 2 having quarters at one's workplace etc. (resident housekeeper). 3 located in. 4 (of birds etc.) Non-migratory.
Creeper  n. 1 climbing or creeping plant. 2 bird that climbs, esp. The treecreeper. 3 slang soft-soled shoe.
Safety-valve  n. 1 (in a steam boiler) automatic valve relieving excess pressure. 2 means of venting excitement etc. Harmlessly.
Whist  n. Card-game usu. For two pairs of players. [earlier whisk, perhaps from *whisk (with ref. To whisking away the tricks): perhaps associated with whist! (= silence)]


Penitent  —adj. Repentant. —n. 1 repentant sinner. 2 person doing penance under the direction of a confessor.  penitence n. Penitently adv.  [latin paeniteo repent]




Omelette  n. Beaten eggs fried and often folded round a savoury filling. [french]
Kiosk  n. 1 light open-fronted booth selling food, newspapers, tickets, etc. 2 telephone box. [turkish from persian]
Building  n. 1 permanent fixed structure e.g. A house, factory, or stable. 2 constructing of these.
Memoir  n. 1 historical account etc. Written from personal knowledge or special sources. 2 (in pl.) Autobiography, esp. Partial or dealing with specific events or people. 3 essay on a learned subject. [french mémoire: related to *memory]
Correct  —adj. 1 true, accurate. 2 proper, in accordance with taste or a standard. —v. 1 set right; amend. 2 mark errors in. 3 substitute a right thing for (a wrong one). 4 a admonish (a person). B punish (a person or fault). 5 counteract (a harmful quality). 6 adjust (an instrument etc.).  correctly adv. Correctness n. Corrector n. [latin rego rect- guide]
Swimmingly  adv. Colloq. Smoothly, without impediment.

Arnica  n. 1 plant of the daisy family with yellow flowers. 2 medicine prepared from this. [origin unknown]
Determine  v. (-ning) 1 find out or establish precisely. 2 decide or settle; resolve. 3 be the decisive factor in regard to (demand determines supply).  be determined be resolved. [latin terminus boundary]
Subjective  adj. 1 (of art, written history, an opinion, etc.) Not impartial or literal; personal. 2 esp. Philos. Of the individual consciousness or perception; imaginary, partial, or distorted. 3 gram. Of the subject.  subjectively adv. Subjectivity n. [latin: related to *subject]


Admire  v. (-ring) 1 regard with approval, respect, or satisfaction. 2 express admiration of.  admirer n. Admiring adj. Admirlingly adv. [latin: related to *ad-, miror wonder at]

Mutatis mutandis  adv. (in comparing cases) making the necessary alterations. [latin]
Raccoon  var. Of *racoon.
Anion  n. Negatively charged ion.  anionic adj. [greek ana up, *ion]

Awhile  adv. For a short time. [a while]
Hitherto  adv. Until this time, up to now.


Aberdeen angus  n. Animal of a scottish breed of hornless black cattle. [aberdeen in scotland]
Icelandic  —adj. Of iceland. —n. Language of iceland.


Blinking  adj. & adv. Slang expressing annoyance etc. (it's blinking stupid).

Allotment  n. 1 small piece of land rented by a local authority for cultivation. 2 share. 3 allotting.




Dog-eared  adj. (of a book etc.) With bent or worn corners.



Perdition  n. Eternal death; damnation. [latin perdo -dit- destroy]
Acclaim  —v. 1 welcome or applaud enthusiastically. 2 hail as (acclaimed him king). —n. Applause, welcome, public praise. [latin acclamo: related to *claim]



Macaw  n. Long-tailed brightly coloured american parrot. [portuguese macao]






Heterodyne  adj. Radio relating to the production of a lower frequency from the combination of two almost equal high frequencies. [from *hetero-, greek dunamis force]
Cause  —n. 1 a thing that produces an effect. B person or thing that occasions or produces something. C reason or motive. 2 adequate reason (show cause). 3 principle, belief, or purpose. 4 a matter to be settled at law. B case offered at law (plead a cause). —v. (-sing) be the cause of, produce, make happen. [latin causa]
Girdle2  n. Scot. & n.engl. Var. Of *griddle.
Sanskrit  —n. Ancient and sacred language of the hindus in india. —adj. Of or in this language. [sanskrit, = composed]
Curler  n. Pin or roller etc. For curling the hair.


Airtight  adj. Impermeable to air.
Lunatic asylum  n. Hist. Mental home or hospital.

Crucifix  n. Model of a cross with the figure of christ on it. [latin cruci fixus fixed to a cross]
Hittite  —n. Member or language of an ancient people of asia minor and syria. —adj. Of the hittites. [hebrew]
Friendly match  n. Match played for enjoyment rather than competition.
Seamy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 disreputable or sordid (esp. The seamy side). 2 marked with or showing seams.  seaminess n.


Outbid  v. (-bidding; past and past part. -bid) bid higher than.
Low-key  adj. Lacking intensity, restrained.
Mosaic  adj. Of moses. [french from moses in the old testament]
Swamp  —n. (area of) waterlogged ground. —v. 1 overwhelm, flood, or soak with water. 2 overwhelm or make invisible etc. With an excess or large amount of something.  swampy adj. (-ier, -iest). [origin uncertain]
Airscrew  n. Aircraft propeller.


Scalawag  var. Of *scallywag.

Eventuate  v. (-ting) (often foll. By in) result.

Priory  n. (pl. -ies) monastery governed by a prior or nunnery governed by a prioress. [anglo-french and medieval latin: related to *prior]


Intelligent  adj. 1 having or showing intelligence, esp. Of a high level. 2 clever.  intelligently adv. [latin intelligo -lect- understand]
Fetlock  n. Back of a horse's leg above the hoof with a tuft of hair. [ultimately related to *foot]
Pierce  v. (-cing) 1 a (of a sharp instrument etc.) Penetrate. B (often foll. By with) make a hole in or through with a sharp-pointed instrument. C make (a hole etc.). 2 (as piercing adj.) (of a glance, sound, light, pain, cold, etc.) Keen, sharp, or unpleasantly penetrating. 3 (often foll. By through, into) force a way through or into, penetrate. [french percer from latin pertundo bore through]
Squawk  —n. 1 loud harsh cry, esp. Of a bird. 2 complaint. —v. Utter a squawk. [imitative]
Play-pen  n. Portable enclosure for a young child to play in.
Arrant  adj. Literary downright, utter (arrant liar). [var. Of *errant, originally in arrant (= outlawed, roving) thief etc.]







Unprofessional  adj. 1 contrary to professional standards. 2 unskilled, amateurish.  unprofessionally adv.


Sea green  adj. & n. (as adj. Often hyphenated) bluish-green.
Approachable  adj. 1 friendly, easy to talk to. 2 able to be approached.

Morse  —n. (in full morse code) code in which letters are represented by combinations of long and short light or sound signals. —v. (-sing) signal by morse code. [morse, name of an electrician]
Knick-knack  n. (also nick-nack) trinket or small dainty ornament etc. [from *knack in the obsolete sense ‘trinket’]


Rsm  abbr. Regimental sergeant-major.
Health visitor  n. Trained nurse who visits mothers and babies, or the sick or elderly, at home.
Intruder  n. Person who intrudes, esp. A trespasser.


Snowberry  n. (pl. -ies) shrub with white berries.

Wrinkly  —adj. (-ier, -iest) having wrinkles. —n. Slang offens. Old or middle-aged person.
Septennial  adj. 1 lasting for seven years. 2 recurring every seven years.
Sestet  n. 1 last six lines of a sonnet. 2 sextet. [italian sesto sixth]
Hindmost  adj. Furthest behind.
Anaemic  adj. (us anemic) 1 of or suffering from anaemia. 2 pale, listless.
Punch card  n. (also punched card or tape) card etc. Perforated according to a code, for conveying instructions or data to a data processor etc.



-er1  suffix forming nouns from nouns, adjectives, and verbs, denoting: 1 person, animal, or thing that does (cobbler; poker). 2 person or thing that is (foreigner; four-wheeler). 3 person concerned with (hatter; geographer). 4 person from (villager; sixth-former). [old english]

Promenade concert  n. Concert with restricted seating and a large area for standing.
Garden  —n. 1 piece of ground for growing flowers, fruit, or vegetables, and as a place of recreation. 2 (esp. In pl.) Grounds laid out for public enjoyment. 3 (attrib.) Cultivated (garden plants). —v. Cultivate or tend a garden.  gardening n. [germanic: related to *yard2]

Palace revolution  n. (also palace coup) (usu. Non-violent) overthrow of a sovereign, government, etc. By a bureaucracy.
Feces  n.pl. (brit. Faeces) waste matter discharged from the bowels.  faecal adj. [latin]





Shaman  n. Witch-doctor or priest claiming to communicate with gods etc.  shamanism n. [russian]
Escape clause  n. Law clause specifying conditions under which a contracting party is free from an obligation.
Part  —n. 1 some but not all of a thing or group of things. 2 essential member, constituent, or component (part of the family; spare parts). 3 portion of a human or animal body. 4 division of a book, broadcast serial, etc., esp. Issued or broadcast at one time. 5 each of several equal portions of a whole (3 parts sugar to 2 parts flour). 6 a allotted share. B person's share in an action etc. (had no part in it). C duty (not my part to interfere). 7 a character assigned to, or words spoken by, an actor on stage. B melody etc. Assigned to a particular voice or instrument. C printed or written copy of an actor's or musician's part. 8 side in an agreement or dispute. 9 (in pl.) Region or district (am not from these parts). 10 (in pl.) Abilities (man of many parts). —v. 1 divide or separate into parts (crowd parted). 2 a leave one another's company (parted the best of friends). B (foll. By from) say goodbye to. 3 (foll. By with) give up; hand over. 4 separate (hair of the head) to make a parting. —adv. In part; partly (part iron and part wood).  for the most part see *most. For one's part as far as one is concerned. In part (or parts) partly. On the part of made or done by (no objection on my part). Part and parcel (usu. Foll. By of) an essential part. Part company see *company. Play a part 1 be significant or contributory. 2 act deceitfully. 3 perform a theatrical role. Take in good part not be offended by. Take part (often foll. By in) assist or have a share (in). Take the part of support; side with. [latin pars part-]
Acetylene  n. Hydrocarbon gas burning with a bright flame, used esp. In welding.

String-course  n. Raised horizontal band of bricks etc. On a building.






Canton  —n. Subdivision of a country, esp. Of switzerland. —v. Put (troops) into quarters. [french, = corner: related to *cant2]
Tunnel vision  n. 1 vision which is poor or lost outside the centre of the normal field of vision. 2 colloq. Inability to grasp a situation's wider implications.

Abusive  adj. Insulting, offensive.  abusively adv.


Holocaust  n. 1 large-scale destruction, esp. By fire or nuclear war. 2 (the holocaust) mass murder of the jews by the nazis 1939–45. [greek holos whole, kaustos burnt]
Monosyllable  n. Word of one syllable.  monosyllabic adj.

Dogma  n. 1 principle, tenet, or system of these, esp. Of a church or political party. 2 arrogant declaration of opinion. [greek, = opinion]


Harp  —n. Large upright stringed instrument plucked with the fingers. —v. (foll. By on, on about) talk repeatedly and tediously about.  harpist n. [old english]
Dart  —n. 1 small pointed missile. 2 (in pl.; usu. Treated as sing.) Indoor game of throwing darts at a dartboard to score points. 3 sudden rapid movement. 4 dartlike structure, e.g. An insect's sting. 5 tapering tuck in a garment. —v. (often foll. By out, in, past, etc.) Move, send, or go suddenly or rapidly. [french from germanic]
Intercommunion  n. 1 mutual communion. 2 mutual action or relationship, esp. Between christian denominations.


Accompany  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 go with; escort. 2 (usu. In passive; foll. By with, by) be done or found with; supplement. 3 mus. Partner with accompaniment. [french: related to *companion]



Congenital  adj. 1 (esp. Of disease) existing from birth. 2 as such from birth (congenital liar).  congenitally adv. [latin: related to *com-]


Stately  adj. (-ier, -iest) dignified; imposing.  stateliness n.

Uncertain  adj. 1 not certainly knowing or known (result is uncertain). 2 unreliable. 3 changeable, erratic (uncertain weather).  in no uncertain terms clearly and forcefully.  uncertainly adv. Uncertainty n. (pl. -ies).

Voter  n. Person voting or with the right to vote at an election.
Alkene  n. Chem. Unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon containing a double bond and having the general formula cnh2n, including ethylene.
Valuation  n. 1 estimation (esp. Professional) of a thing's worth. 2 worth so estimated.


Take-away  —attrib. Adj. (of food) bought cooked for eating elsewhere. —n. 1 this food. 2 establishment selling this.
Predicant  hist. —adj. (of a religious order) engaged in preaching. —n. Predicant person, esp. A dominican. [latin: related to *predicate]
Journalist  n. Person writing for or editing newspapers etc.  journalistic adj.
Fire-drill  n. Rehearsal of the procedures to be used in case of fire.
New star  n. Nova.

Undine  n. Female water-spirit. [latin unda wave]



Epicurean  —n. 1 disciple or student of the greek philosopher epicurus. 2 (epicurean) devotee of (esp. Sensual) enjoyment. —adj. 1 of epicurus or his ideas. 2 (epicurean) characteristic of an epicurean.  epicureanism n. [latin from greek]
Heroic  —adj. Of, fit for, or like a hero; very brave. —n. (in pl.) 1 high-flown language or sentiments. 2 unduly bold behaviour.  heroically adv.

Itinerant  —adj. Travelling from place to place. —n. Itinerant person. [latin iter itiner- journey]

Set-up  n. 1 arrangement or organization. 2 manner, structure, or position of this. 3 instance of setting a person up (see set up 10).

Feud2  n. = *fief. [medieval latin feudum *fee]
Flywheel  n. Heavy wheel on a revolving shaft to regulate machinery or accumulate power.
Ton-up  attrib. Adj. Slang (of a motor cyclist) achieving a speed of 100 m.p.h., esp. Habitually.




Prime2  v. (-ming) 1 prepare (a thing) for use or action. 2 prepare (a gun) for firing or (an explosive) for detonation. 3 pour (liquid) into a pump to enable it to work. 4 prepare (wood etc.) For painting by applying a substance that prevents paint from being absorbed. 5 equip (a person) with information etc. 6 ply (a person) with food or drink in preparation for something. [origin unknown]
Old wives' tale  n. Unscientific belief.



Manipulate  v. (-ting) 1 handle, esp. With skill. 2 manage (a person, situation, etc.) To one's own advantage, esp. Unfairly. 3 move (part of a patient's body) by hand in order to increase flexion etc. 4 computing edit or move (text, data, etc.).  manipulable adj. Manipulation n. Manipulator n. [latin manus hand]

Ramrod  n. 1 rod for ramming down the charge of a muzzle-loading firearm. 2 thing that is very straight or rigid.


Discursive  adj. Tending to digress, rambling. [latin curro curs- run]


Greatcoat  n. Heavy overcoat.


Artful  adj. Crafty, deceitful.  artfully adv.
Roulade  n. 1 rolled piece of meat, sponge, etc. With a filling. 2 quick succession of notes, usu. Sung to one syllable. [french rouler roll]


Unambiguous  adj. Not ambiguous; clear or definite in meaning.  unambiguously adv.
Upper1  —attrib. Adj. 1 higher in place; situated above another part. 2 higher in rank etc. (upper class). —n. Part of a boot or shoe above the sole.  on one's uppers colloq. Very short of money.
Entirety  n. (pl. -ies) 1 completeness. 2 (usu. Foll. By of) sum total.  in its entirety in its complete form.

Supplant  v. Take the place of, esp. By underhand means. [latin supplanto trip up]

Fracture  —n. Breakage, esp. Of a bone or cartilage. —v. (-ring) cause a fracture in; suffer fracture. [latin: related to *fraction]

Invalid1  —n. Person enfeebled or disabled by illness or injury. —attrib. Adj. 1 of or for invalids. 2 sick, disabled. —v. (-d-) 1 (often foll. By out etc.) Remove (an invalid) from active service. 2 (usu. In passive) disable (a person) by illness.  invalidism n. Invalidityn. [latin: related to *in-1]
Spout  —n. 1 projecting tube or lip used for pouring from a teapot, kettle, jug, etc., or on a fountain, roof-gutter, etc. 2 jet or column of liquid etc. —v. 1 discharge or issue forcibly in a jet. 2 utter or speak at length or pompously.  up the spout slang 1 useless, ruined, broken down. 2 pregnant. [dutch]
Arboreal  adj. Of or living in trees. [latin arbor tree]



Nacho  n. (pl. -s) tortilla chip, usu. Topped with melted cheese and spices etc. [origin uncertain]
Sheepdog  n. 1 dog trained to guard and herd sheep. 2 dog of a breed suitable for this.



Tabasco  n. 1 pungent pepper. 2 (tabasco) propr. Sauce made from this. [tabasco in mexico]
Head over heels  —n. Turning over completely in forward motion as in a somersault etc. —adv. Utterly (head over heels in love).

Non-slip  adj. 1 that does not slip. 2 that inhibits slipping.
Tycoon  n. Business magnate.  [japanese, = great lord]
Unlabeled  adj. (brit. Unlabelled) not labelled; without a label.
Eggcup  n. Cup for holding a boiled egg.



Anthropology  n. The study of mankind, esp. Its societies and customs.  anthropological adj. Anthropologist n.

Side  —n. 1 a each of the surfaces bounding an object. B vertical inner or outer surface. C such a surface as distinct from the top or bottom, front or back. 2 a right or left part of a person or animal, esp. Of the torso. B left or right half or a specified part of a thing. C (often in comb.) Adjoining position (seaside; stood at my side). D direction (from all sides). 3 a either surface of a thing regarded as having two surfaces. B writing filling one side of a sheet of paper. 4 aspect of a question, character, etc. (look on the bright side). 5 a each of two competing groups in war, politics, games, etc. B cause etc. Regarded as being in conflict with another. 6 a part or region near the edge. B (attrib.) Subordinate, peripheral, or detached part (side-road; side-table). 7 colloq. Television channel. 8 each of the bounding lines of a plane rectilinear figure. 9 position nearer or farther than, or right or left of, a given dividing line. 10 line of descent through one parent. 11 (in full side spin) spin given to a billiard-ball etc. By hitting it on one side. 12 slang cheek; pretensions (has no side about him). —v. (-ding) (usu. Foll. By with) take part or be on the same side.  by the side of 1 close to. 2 compared with. Let the side down embarrass or fail one's colleagues. On one side 1 not in the main or central position. 2 aside. On the … side somewhat (on the high side). On the side 1 as a sideline. 2 illicitly. 3 us as a side dish. Side by side standing close together, esp. For mutual support. Take sides support one or other cause etc. [old english]
Pleasant  adj. (-er, -est) pleasing to the mind, feelings, or senses.  pleasantly adv. [french: related to *please]


Stab in the back  —n. Treacherous attack. —v. Betray.
Back slang  n. Slang using words spelt backwards (e.g. Yob).


North-north-west  n. Point or direction midway between north and north-west.


Abut  v. (-tt-) 1 (foll. By on) (of land) border on. 2 (foll. By on, against) (of a building) touch or lean upon (another). [anglo-latin butta strip of land: related to *butt1]




Garrote  (brit. Garrotte) —v. (-ting) execute or kill by strangulation, esp. With a wire collar. —n. Device used for this. [french or spanish]
Disfavor  (brit. Disfavour) —n. 1 disapproval or dislike. 2 being disliked. —v. Regard or treat with disfavour.
Rivulet  n. Small stream. [latin rivus stream]


Lengthwise  —adv. Lengthways. —adj. Lying or moving lengthways.


Helmsman  n. Person who steers a ship.
Resounding  adj. 1 ringing, echoing. 2 notable, emphatic (a resounding success).

Teeny-bopper  n. Colloq. Young teenager, usu. A girl, who follows the latest fashions.

Chianti  n. (pl. -s) red wine from the chianti area in italy.
Thickening  n. 1 becoming thick or thicker. 2 substance used to thicken liquid. 3 thickened part.


French polish  n. Shellac polish for wood.  french-polish v.



Disuse  —n. Disused state. —v. (-sing) cease to use.






Arabic  —n. Semitic language of the arabs. —adj. Of the arabs (esp. Their language or literature).
Jesuitical  adj. 1 of the jesuits. 2 often offens. Equivocating, casuistic.
Rawhide  n. 1 untanned hide. 2 rope or whip of this.
Lay-by  n. (pl. -bys) area at the side of a road where vehicles may stop.

Bass guitar  n. Electric guitar tuned as a double-bass.



Edifice  n. Building, esp. An imposing one. [latin aedis dwelling]
Nuclear bomb  n. Bomb using the release of energy by nuclear fission or fusion or both.
Blind alley  n. 1 alley closed at one end. 2 futile course.

X2  symb. (of films) classified as suitable for adults only.


Rate1  —n. 1 numerical proportion between two sets of things (moving at a rate of 50 m.p.h.) Or as the basis of calculating an amount or value (rate of interest). 2 fixed or appropriate charge, cost, or value; measure of this (postal rates; the rate for the job). 3 pace of movement or change (prices increasing at a great rate). 4 (in comb.) Class or rank (first-rate). 5 (in pl.) Tax levied by local authorities on businesses (and formerly on private individuals) according to the value of buildings and land occupied. —v. (-ting) 1 a estimate the worth or value of. B assign a value to. 2 consider, regard as. 3 (foll. By as) rank or be considered. 4 a subject to the payment of a local rate. B value for the purpose of assessing rates. 5 be worthy of, deserve.  at any rate in any case, whatever happens. At this rate if this example is typical. [latin rata: related to *ratio]
Outwit  v. (-tt-) be too clever for; overcome by greater ingenuity.




Howl  —n. 1 long loud doleful cry of a dog etc. 2 prolonged wailing noise. 3 loud cry of pain, rage, derision, or laughter. —v. 1 make a howl. 2 weep loudly. 3 utter with a howl.  howl down prevent (a speaker) from being heard by howls of derision. [imitative]
Lawless  adj. 1 having no laws or law enforcement. 2 disregarding laws.  lawlessness n.

Thankfully  adv. 1 in a thankful manner. 2 let us be thankful (that) (thankfully, it didn't rain).
Long division  n. Division of numbers with details of the calculations written down.
Vicarage  n. Vicar's house.
Etruscan  —adj. Of ancient etruria in italy. —n. 1 native of etruria. 2 language of etruria. [latin etruscus]





Kwh  abbr. Kilowatt-hour(s).
Wrist-watch  n. Small watch worn on a strap etc. Round the wrist.

Half-sister  n. Sister with whom one has only one parent in common.
Bridle  —n. 1 headgear for controlling a horse, including reins and bit. 2 restraining thing. —v. (-ling) 1 put a bridle on. 2 curb, restrain. 3 (often foll. By up) express anger, offence, etc., esp. By throwing up the head and drawing in the chin. [old english]

Terrible  adj. 1 colloq. Very great or bad (terrible bore). 2 colloq. Very incompetent (terrible at maths). 3 causing or likely to cause terror; dreadful, formidable. [latin terreo frighten]
Excentric  var. Of *eccentric (in technical senses).
Night safe  n. Safe with access from the outer wall of a bank for the deposit of money etc. When the bank is closed.
Retirement pension  n. Pension paid by the state to retired people above a certain age.
Comfort station  n. Us euphem. Public lavatory.

Prophecy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 a prophetic utterance, esp. Biblical. B prediction of future events. 2 faculty, practice, etc. Of prophesying (gift of prophecy). [greek: related to *prophet]
Mundane  adj. 1 dull, routine. 2 of this world.  mundanely adv. Mundanity n. [latin mundus world]
Hepatic  adj. Of the liver. [greek hepar -atos liver]



Honesty  n. 1 being honest. 2 truthfulness. 3 plant with purple or white flowers and flat round semi-transparent seed-pods.


Heart-to-heart  —attrib. Adj. (of a conversation etc.) Candid, intimate. —n. Candid or personal conversation.




Adjudge  v. (-ging) 1 pronounce judgement on (a matter). 2 pronounce or award judicially.  adjudgement n. (also adjudgment). [latin judex judge]

Swedish  —adj. Of sweden, its people, or language. —n. Language of sweden.

Gory  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 involving bloodshed; bloodthirsty. 2 covered in gore.  gorily adv. Goriness n.







Disease  n. 1 unhealthy condition of the body or mind, plants, society, etc. 2 particular kind of disease.  diseased adj. [french: related to *dis-, *ease]
Buckler  n. Hist. Small round shield.




Shilly-shally  v. (-ies, -ied) be undecided; vacillate. [from shall i?]

Pear  n. 1 yellowish or greenish fleshy fruit, tapering towards the stalk. 2 tree bearing this. [latin pirum]
Catafalque  n. Decorated bier, used esp. In state funerals or for lying in state. [french from italian]
Damp  —adj. Slightly wet. —n. Slight diffused or condensed moisture, esp. When unwelcome. —v. 1 make damp; moisten. 2 (often foll. By down) a temper; mute (damps my enthusiasm). B make (a fire) burn less strongly by reducing the flow of air to it. 3 reduce or stop the vibration of (esp. Strings of a musical instrument).  damply adv. Dampness n. [low german]

Flea market  n. Street market selling second-hand goods etc.


Chupatty  var. Of *chapatti.

Dressing  n. 1 putting one's clothes on. 2 a sauce, esp. Of oil and vinegar etc., for salads (french dressing). B sauce or stuffing etc. For food. 3 bandage, ointment, etc., for a wound. 4 size or stiffening used to coat fabrics. 5 compost etc. Spread over land.



Tartar  n. 1 hard deposit that forms on the teeth. 2 deposit that forms a hard crust in wine. [medieval latin from greek]




Refer  v. (-rr-) (usu. Foll. By to) 1 make an appeal or have recourse to (some authority or source of information) (referred to his notes). 2 send on or direct (a person, or a question for decision). 3 (of a person speaking) make an allusion or direct the hearer's or reader's attention (did not refer to our problems). 4 (of a statement etc.) Be relevant; relate (these figures refer to last year). 5  send (a person) to a medical specialist etc. 6 (foll. By back to) a return (a document etc.) To its sender for clarification. B send (a proposal etc.) Back to (a lower body, court, etc.). 7 fail (a candidate in an examination).  referable adj. [latin refero relat- carry back]
Promoter  n. 1 person who promotes, esp. A sporting event, theatrical production, etc. 2 (in full company promoter) person who promotes the formation of a joint-stock company. [medieval latin: related to *promote]
Rickrack  var. Of *ricrac.


Gum arabic  n. Gum exuded by some kinds of acacia.



Fairway  n. 1 navigable channel. 2 part of a golf-course between a tee and its green, kept free of rough grass.
Compliant  adj. Obedient; yielding.  compliantly adv.




General  —adj. 1 including or affecting all or most parts or cases of things. 2 prevalent, usual (the general feeling). 3 not partial or particular or local. 4 not limited in application, true of all or nearly all cases (as a general rule). 5 not restricted or specialized (general knowledge; general hospital). 6 not detailed (general idea). 7 vague (spoke only in general terms). 8 chief, head; having overall authority (general manager; secretary-general). —n. 1 a army officer next below field marshal. B = lieutenant general (see *lieutenant colonel), *major-general. 2 commander of an army. 3 strategist (a great general). 4 head of a religious order, e.g. Of jesuits etc.  in general 1 as a normal rule; usually. 2 for the most part. [latin generalis]
Brusque  adj. Abrupt or offhand.  brusquely adv. Brusqueness n. [italian brusco sour]
Binomial theorem  n. Formula for finding any power of a binomial.
Fagot  n. (brit. Faggot) 1  ball of seasoned chopped liver etc., baked or fried. 2 bundle of sticks etc. 3 slang offens. A unpleasant woman. B us male homosexual. [french from italian]



Unthread  v. Take the thread out of (a needle etc.).


Circuit  n. 1 line or course enclosing an area; the distance round. 2 a path of an electric current. B apparatus through which a current passes. 3 a judge's itinerary through a district to hold courts. B such a district. C lawyers following a circuit. 4 chain of theatres, cinemas, etc. Under a single management. 5 motor-racing track. 6 itinerary or specific sphere of operation (election circuit; cabaret circuit). 7 sequence of sporting events or athletic exercises. [latin: related to *circum-, eo it- go]
Vas  n. (pl. Vasa) vessel or duct. [latin, = vessel]
Wise guy  n. Colloq. Know-all.

Unladen  adj. Not laden.
Cheat  —v. 1 a (often foll. By into, out of) deceive or trick. B (foll. By of) deprive of. 2 gain an unfair advantage by deception or breaking rules. —n. 1 person who cheats. 2 trick, deception.  cheat on colloq. Be sexually unfaithful to. [from *escheat]
Slog  —v. (-gg-) 1 hit hard and usu. Wildly. 2 work or walk doggedly. —n. 1 hard random hit. 2 a hard steady work or walk. B spell of this. [origin unknown]

Diddums  int. Often iron. Expressing commiseration. [= did 'em, i.e. Did they (tease you etc.)?]

Cocky  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Conceited, arrogant.  cockily adv. Cockiness n. [from *cock1]
Cup-tie  n. Match in a competition for a cup.

Eastward  —adj. & adv. (also eastwards) towards the east. —n. Eastward direction or region.
Judas  n. Traitor. [judas iscariot who betrayed christ]

Portrait  n. 1 drawing, painting, photograph, etc. Of a person or animal, esp. Of the face. 2 description in words.  portraitist n. [french: related to *portray]

Populous  adj. Thickly inhabited.
Earthen  adj. Made of earth or baked clay.
Obese  adj. Very fat.  obesity n. [latin edo eat]
Scientific  adj. 1 a following the systematic methods of science. B systematic, accurate. 2 of, used in, or engaged in science.  scientifically adv.
Furnished  adj. (of a house etc.) Let with furniture.
Vale  n. (archaic except in place-names) valley. [latin vallis]

Peregrine  n. (in full peregrine falcon) a kind of falcon much used for hawking. [latin peregrinus foreign]
-phobe  comb. Form forming nouns denoting a person with a specified fear or aversion (xenophobe). [greek phobos fear]
Epi-  prefix 1 upon. 2 above. 3 in addition. [greek]


Society of friends  n. Pacifist christian sect with no written creed or ordained ministers; quakers.


Salve2  v. (-ving) save from wreck or fire etc.  salvable adj. [back-formation from *salvage]

Try-out  n. Experimental test.


Half-truth  n. Statement that (esp. Deliberately) conveys only part of the truth.

Falsehood  n. 1 untrue thing. 2 a act of lying. B lie.



Screwy  adj. (-ier, -iest) slang 1 crazy or eccentric. 2 absurd.  screwiness n.
Impasse  n. Deadlock. [french: related to *pass1]

Parallel bars  n.pl. Pair of parallel rails on posts for gymnastics.
Rottweiler  n. Black-and-tan dog noted for ferocity. [rottweil in germany]






Formulate  v. (-ting) 1 express in a formula. 2 express clearly and precisely.  formulation n.
Refinement  n. 1 refining or being refined. 2 fineness of feeling or taste. 3 polish or elegance in behaviour or manner. 4 added development or improvement (car with several refinements). 5 subtle reasoning; fine distinction.
Zany  adj. (-ier, -iest) comically idiotic; crazily ridiculous. [french or italian]
Hurdler  n. 1 athlete who runs in hurdle-races. 2 maker of hurdles.
Performing arts  n.pl. Drama, music, dance, etc.


Bang  —n. 1 loud short sound. 2 sharp blow. 3 coarse slang act of sexual intercourse. 4 us fringe cut straight across the forehead. —v. 1 strike or shut noisily (banged the door). 2 (cause to) make a bang. 3 coarse slang have sexual intercourse (with). —adv. 1 with a bang. 2 colloq. Exactly (bang in the middle).  bang on colloq. Exactly right. Go bang 1 shut noisily. 2 explode. 3 (as bang goes etc.) Colloq. Be suddenly lost (bang go my hopes). [imitative]

Afro-  comb. Form african.
Property  n. (pl. -ies) 1 thing(s) owned; possession, esp. A house, land, etc. (has money in property). 2 attribute, quality, or characteristic (property of dissolving grease). 3 movable object used on a theatre stage or in a film. [latin proprietas: related to *proper]


Ortho-  comb. Form 1 straight. 2 right, correct. [greek orthos straight]

Lay figure  n. 1 jointed figure of a human body used by artists for arranging drapery on etc. 2 unrealistic character in a novel etc. [dutch led joint]

Ill humour  n. Irritability.
Romanesque  —n. Style of european architecture c. 900–1200, with massive vaulting and round arches. —adj. Of this style.



Mot juste  n. (pl. Mots justes pronunc. Same) most appropriate expression.


Obliging  adj. Accommodating, helpful.  obligingly adv.

Retriever  n. Dog of a breed used for retrieving game.
Eulogy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 speech or writing in praise of a person. 2 expression of praise. [latin from greek]

Imperil  v. (-ll-; us -l-) endanger.
Veronal  n. Sedative drug. [german from verona in italy]

Heroin  n. Addictive analgesic drug derived from morphine, often used as a narcotic. [german: related to *hero, from the effect on the user's self-esteem]
Calomel  n. Compound of mercury used as a cathartic. [greek kalos beautiful, melas black]





Decompression  n. 1 release from compression. 2 gradual reduction of high pressure on a deep-sea diver etc.


Mandolin  n.  A kind of lute with paired metal strings plucked with a plectrum.  mandolinist n. [french from italian]







Defuse  v. (-sing) 1 remove the fuse from (a bomb etc.). 2 reduce tension etc. In (a crisis, difficulty, etc.).
Grub  —n. 1 larva of an insect. 2 colloq. Food. —v. (-bb-) 1 dig superficially. 2 (foll. By up, out) a extract by digging. B extract (information etc.) By searching in books etc. 3 rummage. [old english]

Meticulous  adj. 1 giving great attention to detail. 2 very careful and precise.  meticulously adv. Meticulousness n. [latin metus fear]

Austere  adj. (-terer, -terest) 1 severely simple. 2 morally strict. 3 stern, grim. [greek austeros]
Wove  past of *weave1.
Atone  v. (-ning) (usu. Foll. By for) make amends (for a wrong). [from *atonement]
Comatose  adj. 1 in a coma. 2 drowsy, sleepy.
Uncultivated  adj. Not cultivated.
Everything  pron. 1 all things. 2 most important thing (speed is everything).
Prolapse  —n. (also prolapsus) 1 forward or downward displacement of a part or organ. 2 prolapsed womb, rectum, etc. —v. (-sing) undergo prolapse. [latin: related to *lapse]


Cervix  n. (pl. Cervices) 1 necklike structure, esp. The neck of the womb. 2 the neck. [latin]
Tank  —n. 1 large container, usu. For liquid or gas. 2 heavy armoured fighting vehicle moving on continuous tracks. —v. (usu. Foll. By up) fill the tank of (a vehicle etc.) With fuel.  tankful n. (pl. -s). [originally indian, = pond, from gujarati]
Lecture  —n. 1 talk giving specified information to a class etc. 2 long serious speech, esp. As a reprimand. —v. (-ring) 1 (often foll. By on) deliver lecture(s). 2 talk seriously or reprovingly to.  lectureship n. [latin: related to *lectern]

Camaraderie  n. Friendly comradeship. [french]

Meanwhile  —adv. 1 in the intervening period of time. 2 at the same time. —n. Intervening period (esp. In the meanwhile).
Antibody  n. (pl. -ies) a blood protein produced in response to and then counteracting antigens. [translation of german antikörper]

Tight-fisted  adj. Stingy.

Dribble  —v. (-ling) 1 allow saliva to flow from the mouth. 2 flow or allow to flow in drops. 3 (also absol.) Esp. Football & hockey move (the ball) forward with slight touches of the feet or stick. —n. 1 act of dribbling. 2 dribbling flow. [obsolete drib = *drip]
Inhibit  v. (-t-) 1 hinder, restrain, or prevent (action or progress). 2 (as inhibited adj.) Suffering from inhibition. 3 (usu. Foll. By from + verbal noun) prohibit (a person etc.).  inhibitory adj. [latin inhibeo -hibit- hinder]



Prop2  n. Colloq. = *property 3. [abbreviation]
Mug1  —n. 1 a drinking-vessel, usu. Cylindrical with a handle and no saucer. B its contents. 2 slang gullible person. 3 slang face or mouth. —v. (-gg-) attack and rob, esp. In public.  a mug's game colloq. Foolish or unprofitable activity.  mugger n. Mugful n. (pl. -s). Mugging n. [scandinavian]
Tuneless  adj. Unmelodious, unmusical.  tunelessly adv.
Rig1  —v. (-gg-) 1 provide (a ship) with sails, rigging, etc. 2 (often foll. By out, up) fit with clothes or other equipment. 3 (foll. By up) set up hastily or as a makeshift. 4 assemble and adjust the parts of (an aircraft). —n. 1 arrangement of a ship's masts, sails, etc. 2 equipment for a special purpose, e.g. A radio transmitter. 3 = *oil rig. 4  colloq. Style of dress; uniform (in full rig).  rigged adj. (also in comb.). [perhaps from scandinavian]
Box2  —v. 1 a take part in boxing. B fight (an opponent) at boxing. 2 slap (esp. A person's ears). —n. Hard slap, esp. On the ears. [origin unknown]
Sarky  adj. (-ier, -iest) slang sarcastic. [abbreviation]






Meter2  n. (brit. Metre) 1 a poetic rhythm, esp. As determined by the number and length of feet in a line. B metrical group or measure. 2 basic rhythm of music. [related to *metre1]

Convenience food  n. Food requiring little preparation.



Notable  —adj. Worthy of note; remarkable, eminent. —n. Eminent person.  notability n. Notably adv. [latin noto *note]


Curative  —adj. Tending or able to cure. —n. Curative agent. [medieval latin: related to *curate]

Yoga  n. 1 hindu system of meditation and asceticism designed to effect reunion with the universal spirit. 2 system of physical exercises and breathing control used in yoga. [sanskrit, = union]

Wright  n. Maker or builder (usu. In comb.: playwright; shipwright). [old english: related to *work]
Trance  n. 1 a sleeplike state without response to stimuli. B hypnotic or cataleptic state. 2 such a state as entered into by a medium. 3 rapture, ecstasy. [latin transeo pass over]
Usage  sense 3 of careen is influenced by the verb career.




Unsupported  adj. Not supported.
Ice  —n. 1 a frozen water. B sheet of this on water. 2 ice-cream or water-ice (ate an ice). —v. (icing) 1 mix with or cool in ice (iced drinks). 2 (often foll. By over, up) a cover or become covered with ice. B freeze. 3 cover (a cake etc.) With icing.  on ice 1 performed by skaters. 2 colloq. In reserve. On thin ice in a risky situation. [old english]
Contralto  n. (pl. -s) 1 lowest female singing-voice. 2 singer with this voice. [italian: related to *contra-, *alto]
Cartography  n. Map-drawing.  cartographer n. Cartographic adj. [french carte map]
Mystify  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 bewilder, confuse. 2 wrap in mystery.  mystification n. [french: related to *mystic or *mystery]
Cypriot  (also cypriote) —n. Native or national of cyprus. —adj. Of cyprus. [cyprus in e. Mediterranean]

Accretion  n. 1 growth or increase by accumulation, addition, or organic enlargement. 2 the resulting whole. 3 a matter so added. B adhesion of this to the core matter. [latin cresco cret- grow]
Loach  n. (pl. Same or -es) small freshwater fish. [french]

Capricious  adj. Subject to whims; unpredictable.  capriciously adv. Capriciousness n.




Od  slang —n. Drug overdose. —v. (od's, od'd, od'ing) take an overdose. [abbreviation]

Tote2  v. (-ting) esp. Us colloq. Carry, convey (toting a gun). [originally us, probably of dial. Origin]
Infinite  —adj. 1 boundless, endless. 2 very great or many. —n. 1 (the infinite) god. 2 (the infinite) infinite space.  infinitely adv. [latin: related to *in-1, *finite]
Trematode  n. A kind of parasitic flatworm. [greek trema hole]
Recurrent  adj. Recurring; happening repeatedly.  recurrence n.
Tortuous  adj. 1 full of twists and turns. 2 devious, circuitous.   tortuously adv. [latin: related to *tort]
Unmissable  adj. That cannot or should not be missed.


Leading question  n. Question prompting the answer wanted.
Well-attended  adj. Attended by a large number of people.
Gnu  n. (pl. Same or -s) oxlike antelope. [bushman nqu]

Lobby  —n. (pl. -ies) 1 porch, ante-room, entrance-hall, or corridor. 2 a (in the house of commons) large hall used esp. For interviews between mps and the public. B (also division lobby) each of two corridors to which mps retire to vote. 3 a body of lobbyists (anti-abortion lobby). B organized rally of lobbying members of the public. 4 (prec. By the) group of journalists who receive unattributable briefings from the government (lobby correspondent). —v. (-ies, -ied) 1 solicit the support of (an influential person). 2 (of members of the public) inform in order to influence (legislators, an mp, etc.). 3 frequent a parliamentary lobby. [latin lobia lodge]




Ambulance  n. 1 vehicle equipped for conveying patients to hospital. 2 mobile hospital serving an army. [latin: related to *amble]

Unacceptable  adj. Not acceptable.  unacceptably adv.
Menstruate  v. (-ting) undergo menstruation.

Reformatory  —n. (pl. -ies) us & hist. Institution for the reform of young offenders. —adj. Producing reform.
Payment  n. 1 paying. 2 amount paid. 3 reward, recompense.


Body politic  n. Nation or state as a corporate body.
Doily  n. (also doyley) (pl. -ies or -eys) small lacey usu. Paper mat used on a plate for cakes etc. [doiley, name of a draper]
Uproarious  adj. 1 very noisy. 2 provoking loud laughter; very funny.  uproariously adv.
Derivation  n. 1 deriving or being derived. 2 a formation of a word from another or from a root. B tracing of the origin of a word. C statement of this.
Devastate  v. (-ting) 1 lay waste; cause great destruction to. 2 (often in passive) overwhelm with shock or grief.  devastation n. [latin vasto lay waste]
Albatross  n. 1 a long-winged, stout-bodied bird related to the petrel. B encumbrance. 2 golf score of three strokes under par at any hole. [alteration of alcatras, from spanish and portuguese alcatraz from arabic, = the jug]
Nudge  —v. (-ging) 1 prod gently with the elbow to attract attention. 2 push gradually. —n. Prod; gentle push. [origin unknown]
Telescopic sight  n. Telescope on a rifle etc. Used for sighting.





Hollow  —adj. 1 a having a cavity; not solid. B sunken (hollow cheeks). 2 (of a sound) echoing. 3 empty; hungry. 4 meaningless (hollow victory). 5 insincere (hollow laugh). —n. 1 hollow place; hole. 2 valley; basin. —v. (often foll. By out) make hollow; excavate. —adv. Colloq. Completely (beaten hollow).  hollowly adv. Hollowness n. [old english]
Tir  abbr. International road transport. [french transport international routier]



Unrestricted  adj. Not restricted.



First officer  n. = *first mate.



Radiograph  —n. 1 instrument recording the intensity of radiation. 2 = *radiogram 2. —v. Obtain a picture of by x-ray, gamma ray, etc.  radiographer n. Radiography n.

Watchful  adj. 1 accustomed to watching, alert. 2 on the watch.  watchfully adv. Watchfulness n.
Half moon  n. 1 moon when only half its surface is illuminated. 2 time when this occurs. 3 semicircular object.


Delta  n. 1 triangular area of earth, alluvium etc. At the mouth of a river, formed by its diverging outlets. 2 a fourth letter of the greek alphabet (d, d). B fourth-class mark for work etc. [greek]
Mulberry  n. (pl. -ies) 1 tree bearing edible purple or white berries, and leaves used to feed silkworms. 2 its fruit. 3 dark-red or purple. [latin morum mulberry, *berry]










Mammal  n. Warm-blooded vertebrate of the class secreting milk to feed its young.  mammalian adj. & n. [latin mamma breast]

Rustproof  —adj. Not susceptible to corrosion by rust. —v. Make rustproof.
Oncoming  adj. Approaching from the front.
Comma  n. Punctuation mark (,) indicating a pause or break between parts of a sentence etc. [greek, = clause]


Cost  —v. (past and past part. Cost) 1 be obtainable for (a sum of money); have as a price. 2 involve as a loss or sacrifice (it cost him his life). 3 (past and past part. Costed) fix or estimate the cost of. —n. 1 what a thing costs; price. 2 loss or sacrifice. 3 (in pl.) Legal expenses.  at all costs (or at any cost) whatever the cost or risk may be. [latin consto stand at a price]
Plimsoll line  n. (also plimsoll mark) marking on a ship's side showing the limit of legal submersion under various conditions. [plimsoll, name of a politician]



-ian  var. Of *-an.
Sirloin  n. Upper and choicer part of a loin of beef. [french: related to *sur-1, *loin]
Chattel  n. (usu. In pl.) Movable possession. [french: related to *cattle]


Reappraise  v. (-sing) appraise or assess again or differently.  reappraisal n.

Pant  —v. 1 breathe with short quick breaths. 2 (often foll. By out) utter breathlessly. 3 (usu. Foll. By for) yearn, crave. 4 (of the heart etc.) Throb violently. —n. 1 panting breath. 2 throb. [greek: related to *fantasy]
Sign language  n. System of communication by gestures, used esp. By the deaf.

Sf  abbr. Science fiction.
Notepaper  n. Paper for writing letters.
Praetorian guard  n. Bodyguard of the ancient roman emperor.
Inflexion  var. Of *inflection.
Communiqué  n. Official communication, esp. A news report. [french, = communicated]

Cantaloup  n. (also cantaloupe) small round ribbed melon. [cantaluppi near rome, where it was first grown in europe]
Emotion  n. 1 strong instinctive feeling such as love or fear. 2 emotional intensity or sensibility (spoke with emotion). [french: related to *motion]
Stiff upper lip  n. Appearance of being calm in adversity.
Titillate  v. (-ting) 1 excite, esp. Sexually. 2 tickle.  titillation n. [latin]




Certainty  n. (pl. -ies) 1 a undoubted fact. B indubitable prospect. 2 absolute conviction. 3 reliable thing or person.
Stanch  v. (also staunch) 1 restrain the flow of (esp. Blood). 2 restrain the flow from (esp. A wound). [french estanchier]

Ready  —adj. (-ier, -iest) (usu. Predic.) 1 with preparations complete (dinner is ready). 2 in a fit state. 3 willing, inclined, or resolved (he is always ready to complain). 4 within reach; easily secured (ready source of income). 5 fit for immediate use. 6 immediate, unqualified (found ready acceptance). 7 prompt (is always ready with excuses). 8 (foll. By to + infin.) About to (ready to burst). 9 provided beforehand. —adv. (usu. In comb.) Beforehand; so as not to require doing when the time comes for use etc. (is ready packed; ready-mixed concrete; ready-made family). —n. (pl. -ies) slang (prec. By the) = *ready money. —v. (-ies, -ied) make ready, prepare.  at the ready ready for action. Make ready prepare. [old english]
Lesson  n. 1 spell of teaching. 2 (in pl.; foll. By in) systematic instruction. 3 thing learnt by a pupil. 4 experience that serves to warn or encourage (let that be a lesson). 5 passage from the bible read aloud during a church service. [french leçon from latin lego lect-]



Stroll  —v. Walk in a leisurely way. —n. Short leisurely walk. [probably from german strolch vagabond]
Unfounded  adj. Without foundation (unfounded rumour).

Northerner  n. Native or inhabitant of the north.




Leprosy  n. Contagious disease that damages the skin and nerves.  leprous adj. [related to *leper]

Press-up  n. Exercise in which the prone body is raised from the ground by placing the hands on the floor and straightening the arms.

Copywriter  n. Person who writes or prepares advertising copy for publication.
Unknown  —adj. (often foll. By to) not known, unfamiliar. —n. Unknown thing, person, or quantity.  unknown to without the knowledge of (did it unknown to me).


Faucet  n. Esp. Us tap. [french fausset vent-peg]

Untwine  v. (-ning) untwist, unwind.
Yelp  —n. Sharp shrill cry as of a dog in pain or excitement. —v. Utter a yelp. [old english]
Collector  n. 1 person who collects things of interest. 2 person who collects money etc. Due.


Return  —v. 1 come or go back. 2 bring, put, or send back. 3 pay back or reciprocate; give in response. 4 yield (a profit). 5 say in reply; retort. 6 (in cricket or tennis etc.) Hit or send (the ball) back. 7 state, mention, or describe officially, esp. In answer to a writ or formal demand. 8 (of an electorate) elect as an mp, government, etc. —n. 1 coming or going back. 2 a giving, sending, putting, or paying back. B thing given or sent back. 3 (in full return ticket) ticket for a journey to a place and back to the starting-point. 4 (in sing. Or pl.) A proceeds or profit of an undertaking. B acquisition of these. 5 formal statement compiled or submitted by order (income-tax return). 6 (in full return match or game) second match etc. Between the same opponents. 7 a person's election as an mp etc. B returning officer's announcement of this.  by return (of post) by the next available post in the return direction. In return as an exchange or reciprocal action. Many happy returns (of the day) greeting on a birthday.  returnable adj. [romanic: related to *turn]
Bump  —n. 1 dull-sounding blow or collision. 2 swelling or dent so caused. 3 uneven patch on a road etc. 4 prominence on the skull thought to indicate a mental faculty. —v. 1 a hit or come against with a bump. B (often foll. By against, into) collide. 2 (often foll. By against, on) hurt or damage by striking (bumped my head, the car). 3 (usu. Foll. By along) move along with jolts. —adv. With a bump; suddenly; violently.  bump into colloq. Meet by chance. Bump off slang murder. Bump up colloq. Increase (prices etc.).  bumpy adj. (-ier, -iest). [imitative]
Yah  int. (also yah boo) expressing derision or defiance. [imitative]
Metabolism  n. All the chemical processes in a living organism producing energy and growth.  metabolic adj. [greek metabole change: related to *meta-, greek ballo throw]
Anon  adv. Archaic soon, shortly. [old english on an into one]

Heart  n. 1 hollow muscular organ maintaining the circulation of blood by rhythmic contraction and dilation. 2 region of the heart; the breast. 3 a centre of thought, feeling, and emotion (esp. Love). B capacity for feeling emotion (has no heart). 4 a courage or enthusiasm (take heart). B mood or feeling (change of heart). 5 a central or innermost part of something. B essence (heart of the matter). 6 compact tender inner part of a lettuce etc. 7 a heart-shaped thing. B conventional representation of a heart with two equal curves meeting at a point at the bottom and a cusp at the top. 8 a playing-card of the suit denoted by a red figure of a heart. B (in pl.) This suit.  at heart 1 in one's inmost feelings. 2 basically. Break a person's heart overwhelm a person with sorrow. By heart from memory. Give (or lose) one's heart (often foll. By to) fall in love (with). Have the heart (usu. With neg.; foll. By to + infin.) Be insensitive or hard-hearted enough (didn't have the heart to ask him). Take to heart be much affected by. To one's heart's content see *content1. With all one's heart sincerely; with all goodwill. [old english]
-ty2  suffix denoting tens (ninety). [old english -tig]

Blazon  —v. 1 proclaim (esp. Blazon abroad). 2 heraldry describe or paint (arms). —n. Heraldry shield or coat of arms.  blazonment n. Blazonry n. [french, originally = shield]
Kir  n. Dry white wine with crème de cassis.
Armband  n. Band worn around the upper arm to hold up a shirtsleeve, or as identification, or to aid swimming.




Quiff  n.  1 man's tuft of hair, brushed upward over the forehead. 2 curl plastered down on the forehead. [origin unknown]


Goulash  n. Highly-seasoned hungarian stew of meat and vegetables. [magyar gulyás-hús, = herdsman's meat]
Awe  —n. Reverential fear or wonder. —v. (awing) inspire with awe. [old norse]
Sirup  n. (brit. Syrup) 1 a sweet sauce of sugar dissolved in boiling water. B similar fluid as a drink, medicine, etc. 2 condensed sugar-cane juice; molasses, treacle. 3 excessive sweetness of manner or style.  syrupy adj. [arabic sharab]




Golden wedding  n. Fiftieth anniversary of a wedding.



Countryside  n. Rural areas.
Virtuous  adj. 1 morally good. 2 archaic chaste.  virtuously adv. [latin: related to *virtue]

Temperamental  adj. 1 of temperament. 2 a (of a person) unreliable; moody. B colloq. (of esp. A machine) unreliable, unpredictable.  temperamentally adv.


Hard cash  n. Negotiable coins and banknotes.
Profiterole  n. Small hollow choux bun, usu. Filled with cream and covered with chocolate. [french diminutive: related to *profit]
Calculation  n. Act, process, or result of calculating. [latin: related to *calculus]
Stolid  adj. Not easily excited or moved; impassive, unemotional.  stolidity n. Stolidly adv. [latin]

Gunslinger  n. Esp. Us slang gunman.

Mono  colloq. —adj. Monophonic. —n. Monophonic reproduction. [abbreviation]

Herself  pron. 1 a emphat. Form of *she or *her (she herself will do it). B refl. Form of *her (she has hurt herself). 2 in her normal state of body or mind (does not feel quite herself today).  be herself see *oneself. By herself see by oneself. [old english: related to *her, *self]
Scoundrel  n. Unscrupulous villain; rogue. [origin unknown]


Wave-form  n. Physics curve showing the shape of a wave at a given time.
Respirator  n. 1 apparatus worn over the face to warm, filter, or purify inhaled air. 2 apparatus for maintaining artificial respiration.
Cue2  billiards etc. —n. Long rod for striking a ball. —v. (cues, cued, cueing or cuing) strike (a ball) with or use a cue. [var. Of *queue]


Non-operational  adj. 1 that does not operate. 2 out of order.
Determined  adj. Showing determination; resolute, unflinching.  determinedly adv.
Plaice  n. (pl. Same) marine flat-fish used as food. [latin platessa]
Scandinavian  —n. 1 a native or inhabitant of scandinavia (denmark, norway, sweden, and iceland). B person of scandinavian descent. 2 family of languages of scandinavia. —adj. Of scandinavia. [latin]




Floozie  n. (also floozy) (pl. -ies) colloq. Esp. Disreputable girl or woman. [origin unknown]

Steed  n. Archaic or poet. Horse. [old english]
Emanate  v. (-ting) (usu. Foll. By from) issue or originate (from a source).  emanation n. [latin mano flow]



Permissible  adj. Allowable.  permissibility n. [french or medieval latin: related to *permit]




Usage  this word is sometimes confused with policy.




Hard luck  n. Worse fortune than one deserves.
Crud  n. Slang 1 deposit of grease etc. 2 unpleasant person.  cruddy adj. (-ier, -iest). [var. Of *curd]
Unexposed  adj. Not exposed.


Blood bank  n. Store of blood for transfusion.

Pulley  n. (pl. -s) 1 grooved wheel or wheels for a cord etc. To pass over, set in a block and used for changing the direction of a force. 2 wheel or drum fixed on a shaft and turned by a belt, used esp. To increase speed or power. [french polie: related to *pole2]



Jehovah  n. Hebrew name of god in the old testament. [hebrew yahveh]

Bathysphere  n. Vessel for deep-sea observation. [greek bathus deep, *sphere]

Brigantine  n. Two-masted ship with a square-rigged foremast and a fore-and-aft rigged mainmast. [french or italian: related to *brigand]

Save2  archaic or poet. —prep. Except; but. —conj. (often foll. By for) except; but. [latin salvo, salva, ablative sing. Of salvus safe]
Inquest  n. 1 law inquiry by a coroner's court into the cause of a death. 2 colloq. Discussion analysing the outcome of a game, election, etc. [romanic: related to *inquire]
Pulpit  n. 1 raised enclosed platform in a church etc. From which the preacher delivers a sermon. 2 (prec. By the) preachers collectively; preaching. [latin pulpitum platform]



Grandee  n. 1 spanish or portuguese nobleman of the highest rank. 2 person of high rank. [spanish and portuguese grande: related to *grand]
Earshot  n. Hearing-range (within earshot).
Launch pad  n. (also launching pad) platform with a supporting structure, for launching rockets from.


Headset  n. Headphones, often with a microphone attached.
Showy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 brilliant; gaudy. 2 striking.  showily adv. Showiness n.
Membership  n. 1 being a member. 2 number or body of members.
Tuber  n. 1 thick rounded part of a stem or rhizome, usu. Found underground and covered with modified buds, e.g. In a potato. 2 similar root of a dahlia etc. [latin, = hump, swelling]

Spindly  adj. (-ier, -iest) long or tall and thin; thin and weak.


Brood  —n. 1 young of esp. A bird born or hatched at one time. 2 colloq. Children in a family. —v. 1 worry or ponder (esp. Resentfully). 2 (of a bird) sit on eggs to hatch them. [old english]


Divorce  —n. 1 legal dissolution of a marriage. 2 separation (divorce between thought and feeling). —v. (-cing) 1 a (usu. As divorced adj.) (often foll. By from) legally dissolve the marriage of. B separate by divorce. C end one's marriage with. 2 separate (divorced from reality). [latin: related to *diverse]
Holster  n. Leather case for a pistol or revolver, worn on a belt etc. [dutch]



Frill  —n. 1 strip of gathered or pleated material as an ornamental edging. 2 (in pl.) Unnecessary embellishments. —v. Decorate with a frill.  frilly adj. (-ier, -iest). [origin unknown]
Panic stations  n.pl. Colloq. State of emergency.






Tenebrous  adj. Literary dark, gloomy. [latin tenebrosus]
Verse  n. 1 poetry. 2 stanza of a poem or song. 3 each of the short numbered divisions of the bible. 4 poem. [latin versus: related to *versatile]

Philodendron  n. (pl. -s or -dra) tropical evergreen climber cultivated as a house-plant.  [greek dendron tree]
Mina  var. Of *myna.
Mono-  comb. Form (usu. Mon- before a vowel) one, alone, single. [greek monos alone]
Crash-dive  —v. 1 a (of a submarine or its pilot) dive hastily in an emergency. B (of an aircraft or airman) dive and crash. 2 cause to crash-dive. —n. Such a dive.
Preciosity  n. Affected refinement in art etc., esp. In the choice of words. [related to *precious]
Genuine  adj. 1 really coming from its reputed source etc. 2 properly so called; not sham; sincere.   genuinely adv. Genuineness n. [latin]
-ery  suffix (also -ry) forming nouns denoting: 1 class or kind (greenery; machinery; citizenry). 2 employment; state or condition (dentistry; slavery). 3 place of work or cultivation or breeding (brewery; rookery). 4 behaviour (mimicry). 5 often derog. All that has to do with (popery). [french -erie]


Annals  n.pl. 1 narrative of events year by year. 2 historical records.  annalist n. [latin annus year]
Matriarch  n. Female head of a family or tribe.  matriarchal adj. [latin mater mother]
Croak  —n. Deep hoarse sound, esp. Of a frog. —v. 1 utter or speak with a croak. 2 slang die. [imitative]


Geo-  comb. Form earth. [greek ge]






Weds.  Abbr. Var. Of *wed.

Heavy water  n. Water composed of deuterium and oxygen.
Superintend  v. Supervise, direct.  superintendence n.

Jerry  n. (pl. -ies) slang chamber-pot. [probably an abbreviation of *jeroboam]
Wallet  n. Small flat esp. Leather case for holding banknotes etc. [anglo-french]
Palm sunday  n. Sunday before easter, celebrating christ's entry into jerusalem.
Safety net  n. Net placed to catch an acrobat etc. In case of a fall.
Reversion  n. 1 return to a previous state, habit, etc. 2 biol. Return to ancestral type. 3 legal right (esp. Of the original owner, or his or her heirs) to possess or succeed to property on the death of the present possessor. [latin: related to *reverse] 
Satinwood  n. A kind of yellow glossy timber.



Sweet pepper  n. Mild pepper.

Quintet  n. 1 mus. A composition for five performers. B the performers. 2 any group of five. [latin quintus]

Chrysalis  n. (pl. -lises) 1 pupa of a butterfly or moth. 2 case enclosing it. [greek khrusos gold]

Tiger moth  n. Moth with richly spotted and streaked wings.
Reap  v. 1 cut or gather (esp. Grain) as a harvest. 2 harvest the crop of (a field etc.). 3 receive as a result of one's own or others' actions. [old english]


Ballot-paper  n. = *ballot n. 3.

Détente  n. Easing of strained, esp. International, relations. [french, = relaxation]



Bulletin  n. 1 short official news report. 2 society's regular list of information etc. [italian diminutive: related to *bull2]

Jet plane  n. Plane with a jet engine.
Antonym  n. Word opposite in meaning to another. [greek onoma name]
Spectator sport  n. Sport attracting many spectators.

Mickey finn  n. Slang drugged drink intended to make the victim unconscious. [origin uncertain]

Arch-  comb. Form 1 chief, superior (archbishop). 2 pre-eminent, esp. Unfavourably (arch-enemy). [greek arkhos chief]
Regicide  n. 1 person who kills or helps to kill a king. 2 killing of a king. [latin rex reg- king, *-cide]
Millipede  n. (also millepede) small crawling invertebrate with a long segmented body with two pairs of legs on each segment. [latin mille thousand, pes ped- foot]
Profligate  —adj. 1 recklessly extravagant. 2 licentious, dissolute. —n. Profligate person.  profligacy n. Profligately adv. [latin profligo ruin]

Usage  before 1968 in english law, burglary was a crime under statute and common law; since 1968 it has been a statutory crime only; cf. *housebreaking.



Ticking  n. Stout usu. Striped material used to cover mattresses etc. [from *tick4]
Boxy  adj. (-ier, -iest) cramped.
Advocacy  n. Support or argument for a cause, policy, etc.

Vegetative  adj. 1 concerned with growth and development as distinct from sexual reproduction. 2 of vegetation. [french or medieval latin: related to *vegetate]

Enclosure  n. 1 act of enclosing. 2 enclosed space or area, esp. At a sporting event. 3 thing enclosed with a letter. [french: related to *enclose]
Indices  pl. Of *index.
Apportion  v. (often foll. By to) share out; assign as a share.  apportionment n. [medieval latin: related to *portion]



Ox-eye daisy  n. Daisy with white petals and a yellow centre.





Anti-hero  n. (pl. -es) central character in a story, lacking conventional heroic qualities.
Scathing  adj. Witheringly scornful.  scathingly adv. [old norse]


Tart3  adj. 1 sharp or acid in taste. 2 (of a remark etc.) Cutting, bitter.  tartly adv. Tartness n. [old english]
Rnli  abbr. Royal national lifeboat institution.
Eyelet  n. 1 small hole for string or rope etc. To pass through. 2 metal ring strengthening this. [french oillet from latin oculus]
Moisture  n. Water or other liquid diffused in a small quantity as vapour, or within a solid, or condensed on a surface.

Elegy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 sorrowful poem or song, esp. For the dead. 2 poem in elegiac metre. [latin from greek]
Hawfinch  n. Large finch with a thick beak for cracking seeds. [from *haw1, *finch]
Trepidation  n. Fear, anxiety. [latin trepidus flurried]
Cayenne  n. (in full cayenne pepper) powdered red pepper. [tupi]
Certitude  n. Feeling of certainty. [latin: related to *certain]


Recite  v. (-ting) 1 repeat aloud or declaim (a poem or passage) from memory. 2 give a recitation. 3 enumerate. [latin recito read out]


Victualler  n. (us victualer) 1 person etc. Who supplies victuals. 2 (in full licensed victualler) publican etc. Licensed to sell alcohol.



Evildoer  n. Sinner.  evildoing n.
Impulse  n. 1 sudden urge (felt an impulse to laugh). 2 tendency to follow such urges (man of impulse). 3 impelling; a push. 4 impetus. 5 physics a large temporary force producing a change of momentum (e.g. A hammer-blow). B change of momentum so produced. 6 wave of excitation in a nerve. [latin: related to *pulse1]
Spare time  n. Leisure.
Tipster  n. Person who gives tips, esp. About betting at horse-races.

Cabman  n. Driver of a cab.

Tried  past and past part. Of *try.
Fallow  —adj. 1 (of land) ploughed but left unsown. 2 uncultivated. —n. Fallow land. [old english]
Maze  n. 1 network of paths and hedges designed as a puzzle for those who enter it. 2 labyrinth. 3 confused network, mass, etc. [related to *amaze]

Marlinspike  n. Pointed iron tool used to separate strands of rope etc. [marling from dutch marlen from marren bind]
Condenser  n. 1 apparatus or vessel for condensing vapour. 2 electr. = *capacitor. 3 lens or system of lenses for concentrating light.



Swot  colloq. —v. (-tt-) 1 study hard. 2 (usu. Foll. By up, up on) study (a subject) hard or hurriedly. —n. Usu. Derog. Person who swots. [dial. Var. Of *sweat]
Expectorate  v. (-ting) (also absol.) Cough or spit out (phlegm etc.).  expectoration n. [latin pectus pector- breast]
Usage  in sense 1, with regard to people, the term person of restricted growth is now often preferred.
Frequent  —adj. 1 occurring often or in close succession. 2 habitual, constant. —v. Attend or go to habitually.  frequently adv. [latin frequens -ent- crowded]
Deliberative  adj. (esp. Of an assembly etc.) Of or for deliberation or debate.
Echo  —n. (pl. -es) 1 a repetition of a sound by the reflection of sound waves. B sound so produced. 2 reflected radio or radar beam. 3 close imitation or imitator. 4 circumstance or event reminiscent of an earlier one. —v. (-es, -ed) 1 a (of a place) resound with an echo. B (of a sound) be repeated; resound. 2 repeat (a sound) thus. 3 a repeat (another's words). B imitate the opinions etc. Of. [latin from greek]

Diaphanous  adj. (of fabric etc.) Light, delicate, and almost transparent. [greek phaino show]

Unknowing  adj. (often foll. By of) not knowing; ignorant, unconscious.  unknowingly adv.
Farm  —n. 1 land and its buildings under one management for growing crops, rearing animals, etc. 2 such land etc. For a specified purpose (trout-farm). 3 = *farmhouse. —v. 1 a use (land) for growing crops, rearing animals, etc. B be a farmer; work on a farm. 2 breed (fish etc.) Commercially. 3 (often foll. By out) delegate or subcontract (work) to others.  farming n. [french ferme from latin firma fixed payment]
Transmogrify  v. (-ies, -ied) joc. Transform, esp. In a magical or surprising manner.  transmogrification n. [origin unknown]
Tart2  —n. Slang 1 prostitute; promiscuous woman. 2 slang offens. Girl or woman. —v. (foll. By up) colloq. (usu. Refl.) Smarten or dress up, esp. Gaudily. [probably abbreviation of *sweetheart]









Semivowel  n. 1 sound intermediate between a vowel and a consonant. 2 letter representing this (e.g. W, y).
Racket1  n. (also racquet) 1 bat with a round or oval frame strung with catgut, nylon, etc., used in tennis, squash, etc. 2 (in pl.) Game like squash, played in a court of four plain walls. [french raquette from arabic rahat palm of the hand]
Washing-soda  n. Sodium carbonate, used dissolved in water for washing and cleaning.
Dinkum  adj. Austral. & nz colloq. Genuine, honest, true.  dinkum oil the honest truth. Fair dinkum 1 fair play. 2 genuine(ly), honest(ly), true, truly. [origin unknown]

Atavism  n. 1 reappearance of a remote ancestral characteristic, throwback. 2 reversion to an earlier type.  atavistic adj. [latin atavus ancestor]
Last minute  n. (also last moment) the time just before an important event (often (with hyphen) attrib.: last-minute panic).

Record-holder  n. Person who holds a record.







Defray  v. Provide money for (a cost or expense).  defrayal n. Defrayment n. [medieval latin fredum fine]










Nemesis  n. (pl. Nemeses) 1 retributive justice. 2 downfall caused by this. [greek, = retribution]

Household troops  n.pl. Troops nominally guarding the sovereign.

Vitreous  adj. Of or like glass. [latin vitrum glass]


Ritual  —n. 1 a prescribed order of a ceremony etc. B solemn or colourful pageantry etc. 2 procedure regularly followed. —adj. Of or done as a ritual or rite (ritual murder).  ritually adv. [latin: related to *rite]

Sermonize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) moralize (to).



Stony-broke  adj. Slang entirely without money.
Aug.  Abbr. August.


Scandium  n. Metallic element occurring naturally in lanthanide ores. [latin scandia scandinavia]
Fire-bomb  n. Incendiary bomb.
Cold fusion  n. Nuclear fusion at room temperature, esp. As a possible energy source.
Therapeutic  adj. 1 of, for, or contributing to, the cure of disease. 2 soothing, conducive to well-being.  therapeutically adv. [greek therapeuo wait on, cure]

Hot line  n. Direct exclusive telephone etc. Line, esp. For emergencies.
Typewritten  adj. Produced on a typewriter.
Brunt  n. Chief impact of an attack, task, etc. (esp. Bear the brunt of). [origin unknown]
Hopper1  n. 1 container tapering downward to an opening for discharging its contents. 2 hopping insect.
Ss  abbr. 1 steamship. 2 hist. Nazi special police force. 3 saints. [sense 2 from german schutz-staffel]
Physic  n. Esp. Archaic. 1 medicine. 2 art of healing. 3 medical profession. [greek phusike of nature]




Usage  n. 1 use, treatment (damaged by rough usage). 2 customary practice, esp. In the use of a language or as creating a precedent in law.

Regius professor  n. Holder of a chair founded by a sovereign (esp. One at oxford or cambridge instituted by henry viii) or filled by crown appointment. [latin regius royal]
Pervert  —v. 1 turn (a person or thing) aside from its proper use or nature. 2 misapply (words etc.). 3 lead astray from right conduct or (esp. Religious) beliefs; corrupt. 4 (as perverted adj.) Showing perversion. —n. Perverted person, esp. Sexually. [latin verto vers- turn]
Gamy  adj. (-ier, -iest) smelling or tasting like high game.
Wattle1  n. 1 structure of interlaced rods and sticks used for fences etc. 2 australian acacia with pliant branches and golden flowers used as the national emblem. [old english]
Design  —n. 1 a preliminary plan or sketch for making something. B art of producing these. 2 lines or shapes forming a pattern or decoration. 3 plan, purpose, or intention. 4 a arrangement or layout of a product. B established version of a product. —v. 1 produce a design for (a building, machine, etc.). 2 intend or plan (designed for beginners). 3 be a designer.  by design on purpose. Have designs on plan to appropriate, seduce, etc. [latin signum mark]
Ere  prep. & conj. Poet. Or archaic before (of time) (ere noon; ere they come). [old english]
Override  —v. (-ding; past -rode; past part. -ridden) 1 (often as overriding adj.) Have priority over (overriding consideration). 2 a intervene and make ineffective. B interrupt the action of (an automatic device), esp. To take manual control. —n. 1 suspension of an automatic function. 2 device for this.

Fondant  n. Soft sugary sweet. [french = melting: related to *fuse1]

Malignant  adj. 1  a (of a disease) very virulent or infectious. B (of a tumour) spreading or recurring; cancerous. 2 harmful; feeling or showing intense ill-will.  malignancy n. Malignantly adv. [latin: related to *malign]
Undercut  —v. (-tt-; past and past part. -cut) 1 sell or work at a lower price than. 2  strike (a ball) to make it rise high. 3 cut away the part below. 4 undermine. —n. Underside of sirloin.

Refuge  n. 1 shelter from pursuit, danger, or trouble. 2 person or place etc. Offering this. [latin refugium from fugio flee]

Bishopric  n. Office or diocese of a bishop.
Billionaire  n. Person who has over a billion pounds, dollars, etc. [after *millionaire]
Audacious  adj. 1 daring, bold. 2 impudent.  audacity n. [latin audax bold]
Jam1  —v. (-mm-) 1 a (usu. Foll. By into, together, etc.) Squeeze, cram, or wedge into a space. B become wedged. 2 cause (machinery etc.) To become wedged or (of machinery etc.) Become wedged and unworkable. 3 a block (a passage, road, etc.) By crowding etc. B (foll. By in) obstruct the exit of (was jammed in). 4 (usu. Foll. By on) apply (brakes etc.) Forcefully or abruptly. 5 make (a radio transmission) unintelligible by interference. 6 colloq. (in jazz etc.) Improvise with other musicians. —n. 1 squeeze, crush. 2 crowded mass (traffic jam). 3 colloq. Predicament. 4 stoppage (of a machine etc.) Due to jamming. 5 (in full jam session) colloq. (in jazz etc.) Improvised ensemble playing. [imitative]


Pro forma  —adv. & adj. As or being a matter of form. —n. (in full pro-forma invoice) invoice sent in advance of goods supplied. [latin]

Hectogram  n. (also hectogramme) metric unit of mass equal to 100 grams.
Soubrette  n. 1 pert maidservant etc. In a comedy. 2 actress taking this part. [french]

Haematology  n. (us hem-) the study of the blood.  haematologist n.




Stringer  n. 1 longitudinal structural member in a framework, esp. Of a ship or aircraft. 2 colloq. Freelance newspaper correspondent.
Risqué  adj. (of a story etc.) Slightly indecent. [french: related to *risk]
Temperate  adj. 1 avoiding excess. 2 moderate. 3 (of a region or climate) mild. [latin: related to *temper]
Probable  —adj. (often foll. By that) that may be expected to happen or prove true; likely (the probable explanation; it is probable that they forgot). —n. Probable candidate, member of a team, etc.  probably adv. [latin: related to *prove]


Camel  n. 1 long-legged ruminant with one hump (arabian camel) or two humps (bactrian camel). 2 fawn colour. [greek]

Secretariat  n. 1 administrative office or department. 2 its members or premises. [medieval latin: related to *secretary]

Explain  v. 1 a make clear or intelligible (also absol.: let me explain). B make known in detail. 2 (foll. By that) say by way of explanation. 3 account for (one's conduct etc.).  explain away minimize the significance of by explanation. Explain oneself 1 make one's meaning clear. 2 give an account of one's motives or conduct. [latin explano from planus flat]
Coping  n. Top (usu. Sloping) course of masonry in a wall. [from *cope2]
Tectonics  n.pl. (usu. Treated as sing.) Study of the earth's large-scale structural features (see *plate tectonics).
Tricolour  n. (us tricolor) flag of three bands of different colours, esp. The french or irish national flags. [french: related to *tri-]

Stepladder  n. Short folding ladder with flat steps.
Ice-cube  n. Small block of ice for drinks etc.
Calender  —n. Machine in which cloth, paper, etc. Is rolled to glaze or smooth it. —v. Press in a calender. [french]
Testis  n. (pl. Testes) anat. & zool. Testicle. [latin, = witness (cf. *testicle)]
Well-meaning  adj. (also well-meant) well-intentioned (but ineffective).

Arabesque  n. 1 ballet posture with one leg extended horizontally backwards and arms outstretched. 2 design of intertwined leaves, scrolls, etc. 3 mus. Florid piece. [french from italian from arabo arab]







Am  symb. Americium.


Descriptive  adj. Describing, esp. Vividly. [latin: related to *describe]
Longways  adv. (also longwise) = *lengthways.


Sovereignty  n. (pl. -ies) 1 supremacy. 2 a self-government. B self-governing state.

Dichotomy  n. (pl. -ies) division into two, esp. A sharply defined one. [greek dikho- apart: related to *tome]
Unquenchable  adj. That cannot be quenched.


Considering  —prep. & conj. In view of; taking into consideration. —adv. Colloq. Taking everything into account (not so bad, considering).
Poultice  —n. Soft medicated usu. Heated mass applied to the body and kept in place with muslin etc., to relieve soreness and inflammation. —v. (-cing) apply a poultice to. [latin puls pottage]
Rob  v. (-bb-) (often foll. By of) 1 (also absol.) Take unlawfully from, esp. By force or threat (robbed the safe; robbed her of her jewels). 2 deprive of what is due or normal (robbed of sleep).  robber n. [french rob(b)er from germanic]

Usage  flammable is often used because inflammable can be mistaken for a negative (the true negative being non-flammable).
Grebe  n. A kind of diving bird. [french]




Morning glory  n. Twining plant with trumpet-shaped flowers.


Social climber  n. Person anxious to gain a higher social status.






Empty-handed  adj. (usu. Predic.) 1 bringing or taking nothing. 2 having achieved nothing.

Allot  v. (-tt-) apportion or distribute to (a person), esp. As a share or task (they were allotted equal sums). [french a to, *lot]

Evince  v. (-cing) indicate, display (a quality, feeling, etc.). [latin: related to *evict]
Cardiograph  n. Instrument recording heart movements.  cardiographer n. Cardiography n.

Encephalitis  n. Inflammation of the brain. [greek egkephalos brain]
Hebraic  adj. Of hebrew or the hebrews.
Lachrymose  adj. Formal given to weeping; tearful.


Cardoon  n. Thistle-like plant with leaves used as a vegetable. [french from latin]


Poesy  n. Archaic poetry. [french, ultimately as *poem]
Work table  n. Table for working at.

Ebb  —n. Movement of the tide out to sea. —v. (often foll. By away) 1 flow out to sea; recede. 2 decline (life was ebbing away). [old english]

Sorrel2  —adj. Of a light reddish-brown colour. —n. 1 this colour. 2 sorrel animal, esp. A horse. [french]

Koran  n. Islamic sacred book. [arabic, = recitation]

King of arms  n. A chief herald.
Floor  —n. 1 lower supporting surface of a room. 2 a bottom of the sea, a cave, etc. B any level area. 3 all the rooms etc. On one level of a building; storey. 4 a (in a legislative assembly) place where members sit and speak. B right to speak next in a debate (gave him the floor). 5 minimum of prices, wages, etc. 6 colloq. Ground. —v. 1 provide with a floor; pave. 2 knock or bring (a person) down. 3 colloq. Confound, baffle. 4 colloq. Overcome. 5 serve as the floor of (lino floored the hall).  from the floor (of a speech etc.) Given by a member of the audience. Take the floor 1 begin to dance. 2 speak in a debate. [old english]


Archdeacon  n. Church dignitary next below a bishop.  archdeaconry n. (pl. -ies).



Sense  —n. 1 a any of the five bodily faculties transmitting sensation. B sensitiveness of all or any of these (good sense of smell). 2 ability to perceive or feel. 3 (foll. By of) consciousness; awareness (sense of guilt). 4 quick or accurate appreciation, understanding, or instinct (sense of humour). 5 practical wisdom, common sense. 6 a meaning of a word etc. B intelligibility or coherence. 7 prevailing opinion (sense of the meeting). 8 (in pl.) Sanity, ability to think. —v. (-sing) 1 perceive by a sense or senses. 2 be vaguely aware of. 3 realize. 4 (of a machine etc.) Detect.  come to one's senses 1 regain consciousness. 2 regain common sense. In a (or one) sense if the statement etc. Is understood in a particular way. Make sense be intelligible or practicable. Make sense of show or find the meaning of. Take leave of one's senses go mad. [latin sensus from sentio sens- feel]
Foyer  n. Entrance-hall in a hotel, theatre, etc. [french, = hearth, home, from latin *focus]


Experimental  adj. 1 based on or making use of experiment. 2 used in experiments.  experimentalism n. Experimentally adv.

Usage  upon is sometimes more formal than on, but is standard in once upon a time and upon my word.
Stateroom  n. 1 state apartment. 2 large private cabin in a passenger ship.

Mold3  n. (brit. Mould) 1 loose earth. 2 upper soil of cultivated land, esp. When rich in organic matter. [old english]
White meat  n. Poultry, veal, rabbit, and pork.
Overheat  v. 1 make or become too hot. 2 cause inflation (in) by placing excessive pressure on resources at a time of expanding demand. 3 (as overheated adj.) Overexcited.
Trend  —n. General direction and tendency (esp. Of events, fashion, or opinion). —v. 1 bend or turn away in a specified direction. 2 have a general tendency. [old english]



Appreciation  n. 1 favourable or grateful recognition. 2 sensitive estimation or judgement. 3 rise in value. [french: related to *appreciate]
Deep  —adj. 1 extending far down or in (deep water; deep wound; deep shelf). 2 (predic.) A to or at a specified depth (water 6 feet deep). B in a specified number of ranks (soldiers drawn up six deep). 3 situated or coming from far down, back, or in (deep in his pockets; deep sigh). 4 low-pitched, full-toned (deep voice). 5 intense, extreme (deep sleep; deep colour; deep interest). 6 (predic.) Fully absorbed or overwhelmed (deep in a book; deep in debt). 7 profound; difficult to understand (too deep for me). —n. 1 (prec. By the) poet. Sea, esp. When deep. 2 abyss, pit, cavity. 3 (prec. By the) cricket position of a fielder distant from the batsman. 4 deep state (deep of the night). —adv. Deeply; far down or in (dig deep).  go off the deep end colloq. Give way to anger or emotion. In deep water in trouble or difficulty.  deeply adv. [old english]



Flimsy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 insubstantial, rickety (flimsy structure). 2 (of an excuse etc.) Unconvincing. 3 (of clothing) thin.  flimsily adv. Flimsiness n. [origin uncertain]

Outbalance  v. (-cing) outweigh.
Calligraphy  n. 1 handwriting, esp. When fine. 2 art of this.  calligrapher n. Calligraphic adj. Calligraphist n. [greek kallos beauty]



Afore  prep. & adv. Archaic before; previously; in front (of). [old english: related to *a2]


Insecure  adj. 1 a unsafe; not firm. B (of a surface etc.) Liable to give way. 2 uncertain; lacking confidence.  insecurity n.

Tube  —n. 1 long hollow cylinder. 2 soft metal or plastic cylinder sealed at one end and holding a semi-liquid substance (tube of toothpaste). 3 hollow cylindrical organ in the body. 4 (often prec. By the) colloq. London underground (went by tube). 5 a cathode-ray tube, esp. In a television set. B (prec. By the) esp. Us colloq. Television. 6 us thermionic valve. 7 = *inner tube. 8 austral. Slang can of beer. —v. (-bing) 1 equip with tubes. 2 enclose in a tube. [latin]
Anachronism  n. 1 a attribution of a custom, event, etc., to the wrong period. B thing thus attributed. 2 out-of-date person or thing.  anachronistic adj. [greek ana- against, khronos time]


Blew  past of *blow1.


Macroscopic  adj. 1 visible to the naked eye. 2 regarded in terms of large units.
Uric  adj. Of urine. [french urique: related to *urine]
Fit1  —adj. (fitter, fittest) 1 a well suited. B qualified, competent, worthy. C in suitable condition, ready. D (foll. By for) good enough (fit for a king). 2 in good health or condition. 3 proper, becoming, right (it is fit that). —v. (-tt-) 1 a (also absol.) Be of the right shape and size for (dress fits her; key doesn't fit). B (often foll. By in, into) be correctly positioned (that bit fits here). C find room for (fit another on here). 2 make suitable or competent; adapt (fitted for battle). 3 (usu. Foll. By with) supply. 4 fix in place (fit a lock on the door). 5 = fit on. 6 befit, become (it fits the occasion). —n. Way in which a garment, component, etc., fits (tight fit). —adv. (foll. By to + infin.) Colloq. So that; likely (laughing fit to bust).  fit the bill = fill the bill. Fit in 1 (often foll. By with) be compatible; accommodate (tried to fit in with their plans). 2 find space or time for (dentist fitted me in). Fit on try on (a garment). Fit out (or up) (often foll. By with) equip. See (or think) fit (often foll. By to + infin.) Decide or choose (a specified action).  fitly adv. Fitness n. [origin unknown]


Filly  n. (pl. -ies) 1 young female horse. 2 colloq. Girl or young woman. [old norse]


Ladder-back  n. Upright chair with a back resembling a ladder.
Constitution  n. 1 act or method of constituting; composition. 2 body of fundamental principles by which a state or other body is governed. 3 person's inherent state of health, strength, etc. [latin: related to *constitute]
Personality  n. (pl. -ies) 1 a person's distinctive character or qualities (has a strong personality). B socially attractive qualities (was clever but had no personality). 2 famous person (tv personality). 3 (in pl.) Personal remarks.


Filter  —n. 1 porous device for removing impurities etc. From a liquid or gas passed through it. 2 = *filter tip. 3 screen or attachment for absorbing or modifying light, x-rays, etc. 4 device for suppressing unwanted electrical or sound waves. 5 arrangement for filtering traffic. —v. 1 (cause to) pass through a filter. 2 (foll. By through, into, etc.) Make way gradually. 3 (foll. By out) (cause to) leak. 4 allow (traffic) or (of traffic) be allowed to pass to the left or right at a junction. [germanic: related to *felt1]
Linkman  n. Person providing continuity in a broadcast programme.
Titchy  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Very small. [titch small person, from tich, name of a comedian]


Burette  n. (us buret) graduated glass tube with an end-tap for measuring liquid in chemical analysis. [french]
Bail2  n. 1 cricket either of two crosspieces bridging the stumps. 2 bar holding the paper against a typewriter platen. 3 bar separating horses in an open stable. [french]
Secession  n. Act of seceding.  secessionist n. & adj. [latin: related to *secede]




Desktop  n. 1 working surface of a desk. 2 (attrib.) (esp. Of a microcomputer) for use on an ordinary desk.
Cold storage  n. 1 storage in a refrigerator. 2 temporary putting aside (of an idea etc.), postponement.


Entertainment  n. 1 entertaining or being entertained. 2 thing that entertains; performance.





Two-way  adj. 1 involving two directions or participants. 2 (of a radio) capable of transmitting and receiving signals.
Unconditioned reflex  n. Instinctive response to a stimulus.
Vd  abbr. Venereal disease.

Castrato  n. (pl. -ti) hist. Castrated male soprano or alto singer. [italian: related to *castrate]
Plenipotentiary  —n. (pl. -ies) person (esp. A diplomat) invested with full authority to act. —adj. Having this power. [latin: related to *plenary, *potent]

-hood  suffix forming nouns: 1 of condition or state (childhood; falsehood). 2 designating a group (sisterhood; neighbourhood). [old english]



Environment  n. 1 surroundings, esp. As affecting lives. 2 circumstances of living. 3 computing overall structure within which a user, computer, or program operates.  environmental adj. Environmentally adv. [french environ surroundings]

Lily of the valley  n. Plant with white bell-shaped fragrant flowers.

Leer  —v. Look slyly, lasciviously, or maliciously. —n. Leering look. [perhaps from obsolete leer cheek]
Olive green  adj. & n. (as adj. Often hyphenated) dull yellowish green.
Timely  adj. (-ier, -iest) opportune; coming at the right time.  timeliness n.
Anti  —prep. Opposed to. —n. (pl. -s) person opposed to a policy etc.
Pubic  adj. Of the pubes or pubis.
Scruple  —n. 1 (often in pl.) Moral concern. 2 doubt caused by this. —v. (-ling) (foll. By to + infin.; usu. With neg.) Hesitate because of scruples. [latin]


Retsina  n. Greek white wine flavoured with resin. [modern greek]
Forefoot  n. Front foot of an animal.


Personal computer  n. Computer designed for use by a single individual.

Linoleum  n. Canvas-backed material thickly coated with a preparation of linseed oil and powdered cork etc., esp. As a floor covering. [latin linum flax, oleum oil]




Susceptible  adj. 1 impressionable, sensitive, emotional. 2 (predic.) A (foll. By to) liable or vulnerable to. B (foll. By of) allowing; admitting of (proof etc.).  susceptibly adv. [latin suscipio -cept- take up]
Cuckoo  —n. Bird having a characteristic cry, and laying its eggs in the nests of small birds. —predic. Adj. Slang crazy. [french, imitative]
Enrage  v. (-ging) make furious. [french: related to *en-1]




Dole  —n. 1 (usu. Prec. By the) colloq. Unemployment benefit. 2 a charitable distribution. B thing given sparingly or reluctantly. —v. (-ling) (usu. Foll. By out) distribute sparingly.  on the dole colloq. Receiving unemployment benefit. [old english]
Despondent  adj. In low spirits, dejected.  despondence n. Despondency n. Despondently adv. [latin: related to *sponsor]


Provençal  —adj. Of provence. —n. Native or language of provence. [french: related to *province]
Spineless  adj. 1 having no spine; invertebrate. 2 lacking resolve, feeble.


Tense2  n. 1 form of a verb indicating the time (also the continuance or completeness) of the action etc. 2 set of such forms as a paradigm. [latin tempus time]
Clutter  —n. 1 crowded and untidy collection of things. 2 untidy state. —v. (often foll. By up, with) crowd untidily, fill with clutter. [related to *clot]
Lebanese  —adj. Of lebanon. —n. (pl. Same) 1 native or national of lebanon. 2 person of lebanese descent.

Piggy  —n. (pl. -ies) colloq. Little pig. —adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 like a pig. 2 (of features etc.) Like those of a pig.
Amnesia  n. Loss of memory.  amnesiac n. [latin from greek]

Coloration  n. (also colouration) 1 appearance as regards colour. 2 act or mode of colouring. [latin: related to *colour]
Eyepiece  n. Lens or lenses to which the eye is applied at the end of an optical instrument.

Repack  v. Pack again.

Specialize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 (often foll. By in) a be or become a specialist. B devote oneself to an interest, skill, etc. (specializes in insulting people). 2 (esp. In passive) adapt for a particular purpose (specialized organs). 3 (as specialized adj.) Of a specialist (specialized work).  specialization n. [french: related to *special]
Married  —adj. 1 united in marriage. 2 of marriage (married name; married life). —n. (usu. In pl.) Married person (young marrieds).
Dielectric  —adj. Not conducting electricity. —n. Dielectric substance.
Impure  adj. 1 adulterated. 2 dirty. 3 unchaste.
Interdict  —n. 1 authoritative prohibition. 2 rc ch. Sentence debarring a person, or esp. A place, from ecclesiastical functions and privileges. —v. 1 prohibit (an action). 2 forbid the use of. 3 (usu. Foll. By from + verbal noun) restrain (a person). 4 (usu. Foll. By to) forbid (a thing) to a person.  interdiction n. Interdictory adj. [latin dico say]


Powwow  —n. Meeting for discussion (orig. Among n. American indians). —v. Hold a powwow. [algonquian]




Victoriana  n.pl. Articles, esp. Collectors' items, of the victorian period.
Totalize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) collect into a total; find the total of.

Dew-claw  n. Rudimentary inner toe on some dogs.
Deed-box  n. Strong box for deeds etc.

Hyperglycemia  n. (brit. Hyperglycaemia) excess of glucose in the bloodstream. [from *hyper-, greek glukus sweet, haima blood]
Fetus  n. (brit. Foetus) (pl. -tuses) unborn mammalian offspring, esp. A human embryo of eight weeks or more.  foetal adj. [latin fetus offspring]


Equiangular  adj. Having equal angles.
Salesman  n. 1 man employed to sell goods. 2 us commercial traveller.

Pen2  —n. Small enclosure for cows, sheep, poultry, etc. —v. (-nn-) (often foll. By in, up) enclose or shut up, esp. In a pen. [old english]


Mackerel  n. (pl. Same or -s) marine fish used as food. [anglo-french]
Oxidize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 combine with oxygen. 2 make or become rusty. 3 coat (metal) with oxide.  oxidization n.


Whiplash  n. Flexible end of a whip.

L.b.w.  Abbr. Leg before wicket.
Workshop  n. 1 room or building in which goods are manufactured. 2 place or meeting for concerted discussion or activity (dance workshop).
Immobilize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 make or keep immobile. 2 keep (a limb or patient) still for healing purposes.  immobilization n.



Tweeter  n. Loudspeaker for high frequencies.
Nursery  n. (pl. -ies) 1 a a room or place equipped for young children. B = *day nursery. 2 place where plants are reared for sale. [probably anglo-french: related to *nurse]




Countdown  n. 1 act of counting backwards to zero, esp. At the launching of a rocket etc. 2 period immediately before an event.
Fisher  n. 1 animal that catches fish. 2 archaic fisherman. [old english]
Chewy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 needing much chewing. 2 suitable for chewing.  chewiness n.


Hefty  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 (of a person) big and strong. 2 (of a thing) large, heavy, powerful.  heftily adv. Heftiness n. [heft weight: related to *heave]


Portend  v. 1 foreshadow as an omen. 2 give warning of. [latin portendo: related to *pro-1, *tend1]

Flexion  n. (us flection) 1 bending or being bent, esp. Of a limb or joint. 2 bent part; curve. [latin flexio: related to *flex1]

Misread  v. (past and past part. -read) read or interpret wrongly.
Tile   —n. 1 thin slab of concrete or baked clay etc. Used for roofing or paving etc. 2 similar slab of glazed pottery, cork, linoleum, etc., for covering a wall, floor, etc. 3 thin flat piece used in a game (esp. In mah-jong). —v. (-ling) cover with tiles.  on the tiles colloq. Having a spree.  tiler n. [latin tegula]

Unlearned1  adj. Not well educated; ignorant.
Herbalist  n. 1 dealer in medicinal herbs. 2 writer on herbs.
Britannic  adj. (esp. In his or her britannic majesty) of britain.
Housemaid's knee  n. Inflammation of the kneecap.
Nikkei index  n. (also nikkei average) a figure indicating the relative price of representative shares on the tokyo stock exchange. [japanese]
Mope  —v. (-ping) 1 be depressed or listless. 2 wander about listlessly. —n. Person who mopes.  mopy adj. (-ier, -iest). [origin unknown]
Backhanded  adj. 1 made with the back of the hand. 2 indirect; ambiguous (backhanded compliment).

Constraint  n. 1 constraining or being constrained. 2 restriction. 3 self-control.
Regrettable  adj. (of events or conduct) undesirable, unwelcome; deserving censure.  regrettably adv.

Prejudicial  adj. (often foll. By to) causing prejudice; detrimental.
Electrocute  v. (-ting) kill by electric shock.  electrocution n. [from *electro-, after execute]
Seat-belt  n. Belt securing motor vehicle or aircraft passengers.
Blow-out  n. Colloq. 1 burst tyre. 2 melted fuse. 3 huge meal.

Extremist  n. (also attrib.) Person with extreme views.  extremism n.


Armadillo  n. (pl. -s) s. American mammal with a plated body and large claws. [spanish armado armed man]
Misunderstand  v. (past and past part. -understood) 1 understand incorrectly. 2 misinterpret the words or actions of (a person).
Cock-a-leekie  n. Scottish soup of boiling fowl and leeks.

Time sheet  n. Sheet of paper for recording hours of work etc.


Hexadecimal  adj. Esp. Computing of a system of numerical notation that has 16 (the figures 0 to 9 and the letters a to f) rather than 10 as a base.

Machiavellian  adj. Elaborately cunning; scheming, unscrupulous.  machiavellianism n.  [machiavelli, name of a political writer]

Ranger  n. 1 keeper of a royal or national park, or of a forest. 2 member of a body of mounted soldiers. 3 (ranger) senior guide.

Grueling  adj. (brit. Gruelling) extremely demanding or tiring.
Repetitive strain injury  n. Painful hand or arm condition resulting from prolonged repetitive movements.


Antelope  n. (pl. Same or -s) swift-moving deerlike ruminant, e.g. The gazelle and gnu. [greek antholops]


Scratchy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 tending to make scratches or a scratching noise. 2 causing itching. 3 (of a drawing etc.) Untidy, careless.  scratchily adv. Scratchiness n.
Yore  n.  of yore a long time ago. [old english, = long ago]




Traveller's cheque  n. Cheque for a fixed amount that may be cashed on signature abroad.
Misbehave  v. & refl. (-ving) behave badly.  misbehaviour n.
Brandish  v. Wave or flourish as a threat or display. [french from germanic]
Cerebrospinal  adj. Of the brain and spine.

Veto  —n. (pl. -es) 1 right to reject a measure, resolution, etc. Unilaterally. 2 rejection, prohibition. —v. (-oes, -oed) 1 reject (a measure etc.). 2 forbid, prohibit. [latin, = i forbid]


Flat rate  n. Unvarying rate or charge.

Burdock  n. Plant with prickly flowers and docklike leaves. [from *bur, *dock3]



Usage  this term was replaced in 1975 by capital transfer tax and in 1986 by inheritance tax.

Frequency  n. (pl. -ies) 1 commonness of occurrence. 2 frequent occurrence. 3 rate of recurrence (of a vibration etc.); number of repetitions in a given time, esp. Per second. [related to *frequent]



Houmous  var. Of *hummus.
Cash-book  n. Book for recording receipts and cash payments.


Barbel  n. 1 freshwater fish with barbs. 2 = *barb n. 3. [latin: related to *barb]

Constitutive  adj. 1 able to form or appoint. 2 component. 3 essential.
Sado-masochism  n. Sadism and masochism in one person.  sado-masochist n. Sado-masochistic adj.


Rma  abbr. Royal military academy.
Relieve  v. (-ving) 1 bring or give relief to. 2 mitigate the tedium or monotony of. 3 release (a person) from a duty by acting as or providing a substitute. 4 (foll. By of) take (esp. A burden or duty) away from (a person).  relieve one's feelings use strong language or vigorous behaviour when annoyed. Relieve oneself urinate or defecate.  relieved adj. [latin relevo raise again, alleviate]
Looking-glass  n. Mirror.

Unnoticed  adj. Not noticed.
Persona grata  n. (pl. Personae gratae) person acceptable to certain others.
Bungee  n. (in full bungee cord, rope) elasticated cord or rope used for securing baggage or in bungee jumping.





Gurgle  —v. (-ling) 1 make a bubbling sound as of water from a bottle. 2 utter with such a sound. —n. Gurgling sound. [probably imitative]


Upset  —v. (-tt-; past and past part. Upset) 1 overturn. 2 disturb the composure or digestion of. 3 disrupt. —n. 1 emotional or physical disturbance. 2 surprising result. —adj. Disturbed (upset stomach).
Peaceable  adj. 1 disposed to peace. 2 peaceful; tranquil. [latin placibilis pleasing: related to *please]
Nightingale  n. Small reddish-brown bird, of which the male sings melodiously, esp. At night. [old english, = night-singer]

Hocus-pocus  n. Deception; trickery. [sham latin]
Somnolent  adj. 1 sleepy, drowsy. 2 inducing drowsiness.  somnolence n. [latin: related to *somnambulism]
Usage  the use of proven as the past participle is uncommon except in certain expressions, such as of proven ability. It is, however, standard in scots and american english.
Incisive  adj. 1 sharp. 2 clear and effective.


Proctor  n.  Disciplinary officer (usu. One of two) at certain universities.  proctorial adj. Proctorship n. [from *procurator]
Accuse  v. (-sing) (often foll. By of) charge with a fault or crime; blame. [latin accusare: related to *cause]

Heart-searching  n. Examination of one's own feelings and motives.
Soprano  n. (pl. -s) 1 a highest singing-voice. B female or boy singer with this voice. 2 instrument of a high or the highest pitch in its family. [italian sopra above]

Deadly  —adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 causing or able to cause fatal injury or serious damage. 2 intense, extreme (deadly dullness). 3 (of aim etc.) True; effective. 4 deathlike (deadly pale). 5 colloq. Dreary, dull. —adv. 1 like death; as if dead (deadly faint). 2 extremely (deadly serious).

Convolvulus  n. (pl. -luses) twining plant, esp. Bindweed. [latin]


Seek  v. (past and past part. Sought) 1 (often foll. By for, after) search or inquire. 2 a try or want to find or get or reach (sought my hand). B request (sought help). 3 endeavour (seek to please).  seek out 1 search for and find. 2 single out as a friend etc.  seeker n. [old english]
Bow1  —n. 1 a slip-knot with a double loop. B ribbon etc. So tied. 2 curved piece of wood etc. With a string stretched across its ends, for shooting arrows. 3 rod with horsehair stretched along its length, for playing the violin etc. 4 shallow curve or bend; thing of this form. —v. (also absol.) Use a bow on (a violin etc.). [old english]


In.  Abbr. Inch(es).



Proportion  —n. 1 a comparative part or share (large proportion of the profits). B comparative ratio (proportion of births to deaths). 2 correct or pleasing relation of things or parts of a thing (has fine proportions; exaggerated out of all proportion). 3 (in pl.) Dimensions; size (large proportions). 4 math. Equality of ratios between two pairs of quantities, e.g. 3:5 and 9:15. —v. (usu. Foll. By to) make proportionate (proportion the punishment to the crime). [latin: related to *portion]

Diesel-electric  adj. (of a locomotive etc.) Driven by an electric current from a diesel-engined generator.
Consternation  n. Anxiety, dismay. [latin sterno throw down]
D.phil.  Abbr. Doctor of philosophy.
Pizzeria  n. Pizza restaurant.

Bladder  n. 1 a sac in some animals, esp. That holding urine. B this adapted for various uses. 2 inflated blister in seaweed etc. [old english]



Telephony  n. Transmission of sound by telephone.

Lair  n. 1 wild animal's resting-place. 2 person's hiding-place. [old english]


Gawp  v. Colloq. Stare stupidly or obtrusively. [related to *yelp]

Minus  —prep. 1 with the subtraction of (7 minus 4 equals 3). 2 below zero (minus 2°). 3 colloq. Lacking (returned minus their dog). —adj. 1 math. Negative. 2 electronics having a negative charge. —n. 1 = *minus sign. 2 math. Negative quantity. 3 colloq. Disadvantage. [latin, neuter of *minor]

Bowler1  n. 1 cricket etc. Player who bowls. 2 bowls-player.
Heartsick  adj. Despondent.
Remake  —v. (-king; past and past part. Remade) make again or differently. —n. Thing that has been remade, esp. A cinema film.
Pte.  Abbr. Private (soldier).
Numinous  adj. 1 indicating the presence of a divinity. 2 spiritual, awe-inspiring. [latin numen deity]
Holy of holies  n. 1 sacred inner chamber of the jewish temple. 2 thing regarded as most sacred.

Diminuendo  mus. —n. (pl -s) gradual decrease in loudness. —adv. & adj. Decreasing in loudness. [italian: related to *diminish]

Objection  n. 1 expression or feeling of opposition or disapproval. 2 objecting. 3 adverse reason or statement. [latin: related to *object]
Grasping  adj. Avaricious.
Supernatural  —adj. Not attributable to, or explicable by, the laws of nature; magical; mystical. —n. (prec. By the) supernatural forces, effects, etc.  supernaturally adv.
Wile  —n. (usu. In pl.) Stratagem, trick. —v. (-ling) (foll. By away, into, etc.) Lure. [perhaps from scandinavian]
Boon1  n. Advantage; blessing. [old norse]


Conk2  slang —n. 1 nose or head. 2 punch on the nose or head. —v. Hit on the nose or head. [perhaps = *conch]

Sot  n. Habitual drunkard.  sottish adj. [old english]
Royal flush  n. Straight poker flush headed by an ace.


Accomplishment  n. 1 completion (of a task etc.). 2 acquired, esp. Social, skill. 3 thing achieved.
Underlie  v. (-lying; past -lay; past part. -lain) 1 (also absol.) Lie under (a stratum etc.). 2 (also absol.) (esp. As underlying adj.) Be the basis of (a doctrine, conduct, etc.). 3 exist beneath the superficial aspect of.
Combative  adj. Pugnacious.
Tall order  n. Unreasonable demand.
Thank  —v. 1 express gratitude to (thanked him for the present). 2 hold responsible (you can thank yourself for that). —n. (in pl.) 1 gratitude. 2 expression of gratitude. 3 (as a formula) thank you (thanks for your help).  thank goodness (or god or heavens etc.) Colloq. Expression of relief etc. Thanks to as the result of (thanks to my foresight; thanks to your obstinacy). Thank you polite formula expressing gratitude. [old english]
Breakup  n. 1 disintegration or collapse. 2 dispersal.

Tommy  n. (pl. -ies) colloq. British private soldier. [tommy atkins, name used in specimens of completed official forms]

Perverse  adj. 1 deliberately or stubbornly departing from what is reasonable or required. 2 intractable.  perversely adv. Perversity n. (pl. -ies). [latin: related to *pervert]
Aggro  n. Slang 1 aggressive hostility. 2 trouble, difficulty. [abbreviation of aggravation or aggression]
Invincible  adj. Unconquerable.  invincibility n. Invincibly adv. [latin vinco conquer]


Notebook  n. Small book for making notes in.

Rank1  —n. 1 a position in a hierarchy, grade of advancement. B distinct social class; grade of dignity or achievement. C high social position. D place in a scale. 2 row or line. 3 single line of soldiers drawn up abreast. 4 place where taxis await customers. 5 order, array. —v. 1 have a rank or place. 2 classify, give a certain grade to. 3 arrange (esp. Soldiers) in rank.  close ranks maintain solidarity. The ranks common soldiers. [french ranc]




Transmit  v. (-tt-) 1 a pass or hand on; transfer (transmitted the message; how diseases are transmitted). B communicate (ideas, emotions, etc.). 2 a allow (heat, light, sound, electricity, etc.) To pass through. B be a medium for (ideas, emotions, etc.) (his message transmits hope). 3 broadcast (a radio or television programme).  transmissible adj. Transmittable adj. [latin mitto miss- send]


Barbiturate  n. Soporific or sedative drug from barbituric acid. [german, from the name barbara]
Victoria sponge  n. Sandwich sponge cake with a jam filling.


Pretext  n. Ostensible reason; excuse offered. [latin praetextus: related to *text]

Anesthesia  n. (brit. Anaes-) absence of sensation, esp. Artificially induced before surgery. [greek]

Marinade  —n. 1 mixture of wine, vinegar, oil, spices, etc., for soaking meat, fish, etc. Before cooking. 2 meat, fish, etc., so soaked. —v. (-ding) soak in a marinade. [spanish marinar pickle in brine: related to *marine]
Fry2  n.pl. Young or newly hatched fishes. [old norse, = seed]
Coupling  n. 1 link connecting railway carriages etc. 2 device for connecting parts of machinery.
Pesticide  n. Substance for destroying pests, esp. Insects.

Midnight blue  adj. & n. (as adj. Often hyphenated) very dark blue.
Usage  see note at sensual.
Flip2  n. 1 = *egg-flip. 2 drink of heated beer and spirit. [perhaps from *flip1]
Bugloss  n. Plant with bright blue tubular flowers, related to borage. [french buglosse from greek, = ox-tongued]
Motif  n. 1 theme that is repeated and developed in an artistic work. 2 decorative design or pattern. 3 ornament sewn separately on a garment. [french: related to *motive]
Road tax  n. Periodic tax payable on road vehicles.
Ultraviolet  adj. Of or using radiation with a frequency just beyond that of the violet end of the visible spectrum.

Disregard  —v. 1 ignore. 2 treat as unimportant. —n. Indifference; neglect.
Central  adj. 1 of, at, or forming the centre. 2 from the centre. 3 chief, essential, most important.  centrality n. Centrally adv.
Confidential  adj. 1 spoken or written in confidence. 2 entrusted with secrets (confidential secretary). 3 confiding.  confidentiality n. Confidentially adv.
Longboat  n. Sailing-ship's largest boat.
Period  —n. 1 length or portion of time. 2 distinct portion of history, a person's life, etc. 3 time forming part of a geological era. 4 interval between recurrences of an astronomical or other phenomenon. 5 time allowed for a lesson in school. 6 occurrence of menstruation (often attrib.: period pains). 7 complete sentence, esp. One consisting of several clauses. 8 esp. Us a = *full stop 1. B colloq. Used at the end of a statement to indicate finality (i'm not going, period). —adj. Characteristic of some past period (period furniture). [greek hodos way]
Paralyze  v. (brit. Paralyse) (-sing or -zing) 1 affect with paralysis. 2 render powerless; cripple. [greek: related to *para-1, luo loosen]
Falsity  n. Being false.




Algol  n. High-level computer programming language. [from *algorithm, *language]

Little woman  n. (prec. By the) colloq. Often derog. One's wife.

Ovum  n. (pl. Ova) female egg-cell from which young develop after fertilization. [latin, = egg]
Filth  n. 1 repugnant or extreme dirt. 2 obscenity. [old english: related to *foul]
Kerfuffle  n. Colloq. Fuss, commotion. [originally scots]

Guideline  n. Principle directing action.
Convex  adj. Curved like the exterior of a circle or sphere.  convexity n. [latin]

Splinter group  n. Breakaway political group.
Distributive  —adj. 1 of or produced by distribution. 2 logic & gram. Referring to each individual of a class, not to the class collectively (e.g. Each, either). —n. Gram. Distributive word.

Bombard  v. 1 attack with heavy guns or bombs etc. 2 (often foll. By with) question or abuse persistently. 3 physics direct a stream of high-speed particles at.  bombardment n. [latin: related to *bomb]
Water lily  n. Aquatic plant with floating leaves and flowers.

Alimony  n. Money payable to a spouse or former spouse after separation or divorce.

Gentry  n.pl. 1 people next below the nobility. 2 derog. People (these gentry). [french: related to *gentle]
Lyricism  n. Quality of being lyric.
Riding1  n. Sport or pastime of travelling on horseback.




Politico  n. (pl. -s) colloq. Politician or political enthusiast. [spanish]

Pomade  n. Scented ointment for the hair and head. [italian: related to *pomace]
Encaustic  —adj. (of painting etc.) Using pigments mixed with hot wax, which are burned in as an inlay. —n. 1 art of encaustic painting. 2 product of this. [greek: related to *caustic]



Speaking clock  n. Telephone service announcing the correct time.


Oxyacetylene  adj. Of or using a mixture of oxygen and acetylene, esp. In cutting or welding metals.
Coalition  n. 1 temporary alliance, esp. Of political parties. 2 fusion into one whole. [medieval latin: related to *coalesce]
Semitic  adj. 1 of the semites, esp. The jews. 2 of languages of the family including hebrew and arabic.
Per capita  adv. & adj. (also per caput) for each person. [latin, = by heads]
Tarty  adj. Colloq. (-ier, -iest) (esp. Of a woman) vulgar, gaudy; promiscuous. [from *tart2]
Adagio  mus. —adv. & adj. In slow time. —n. (pl. -s) such a movement or passage. [italian]
Ulsterman  n. (fem. Ulsterwoman) native of ulster.
Finishing touch  n. (also finishing touches) final enhancing details.


Genius  n. (pl. Geniuses) 1 a exceptional intellectual or creative power or other natural ability or tendency. B person with this. 2 tutelary spirit of a person, place, etc. 3 person or spirit powerfully influencing a person for good or evil. 4 prevalent feeling or association etc. Of a people or place. [latin]


Roc  n. Gigantic bird of eastern legend. [spanish from arabic]


Nowt  n. Colloq. Or dial. Nothing. [from *nought]
Equally  adv. 1 in an equal manner (treated them equally). 2 to an equal degree (equally important).

Arrowhead  n. 1 pointed tip of an arrow. 2 water-plant with arrow-shaped leaves.
Brochure  n. Pamphlet or booklet, esp. With descriptive information. [french brocher stitch]

Postscript  n. Additional paragraph or remark, usu. At the end of a letter after the signature and introduced by ‘ps’.

Lengthen  v. Make or become longer.
Exalt  v. 1 raise in rank or power etc. 2 praise highly. 3 (usu. As exalted adj.) Make lofty or noble (exalted aims; exalted style).  exaltation n. [latin altus high]
Plaything  n. 1 toy or other thing to play with. 2 person used merely as an object of amusement or pleasure.
Helot  n. Serf, esp. (helot) of a class in ancient sparta. [latin from greek]

Parietal  adj.  Of the wall of the body or any of its cavities. [latin paries wall]
Tack3  n. Colloq. Cheap or shoddy material; tat, kitsch. [back formation from *tacky2]
Throat  n. 1 a windpipe or gullet. B front part of the neck containing this. 2 literary narrow passage, entrance, or exit.  cut one's own throat harm oneself or one's interests. Ram (or thrust) down a person's throat force on a person's attention. [old english]




Slipstream  n. Current of air or water driven back by a revolving propeller or a moving vehicle.

Heartwood  n. Dense inner part of a tree-trunk, yielding the hardest timber.



Dumb  adj. 1 a unable to speak. B (of an animal) naturally dumb. 2 silenced by surprise, shyness, etc. 3 taciturn, reticent (dumb insolence). 4 suffered or done in silence (dumb agony). 5 colloq. Stupid; ignorant. 6 disenfranchised; inarticulate (dumb masses). 7 (of a computer terminal etc.) Able to transmit or receive but unable to process data. 8 giving no sound. [old english]
Fatalism  n. 1 belief in predetermination. 2 submissive acceptance.  fatalist n. Fatalistic adj. Fatalistically adv.
National service  n. Hist. Conscripted peacetime military service.

Brush-off  n. Abrupt dismissal.

Spyglass  n. Small telescope.




Command  —v. 1 (often foll. By to + infin., or that + clause) give a formal order or instruction to. 2 (also absol.) Have authority or control over. 3 have at one's disposal or within reach (a skill, resources, etc.). 4 deserve and get (sympathy, respect, etc.). 5 dominate (a strategic position) from a superior height; look down over. —n. 1 order, instruction. 2 mastery, control, possession. 3 exercise or tenure of authority, esp. Naval or military. 4 a body of troops etc. B district under a commander. [latin: related to *mandate]

Increment  n. Increase or added amount, esp. On a fixed salary scale.  incremental adj. [latin cresco grow]


Fix  —v. 1 make firm or stable; fasten, secure. 2 decide, settle, specify (a price, date, etc.). 3 mend, repair. 4 implant in the mind. 5 a (foll. By on, upon) direct (the eyes etc.) Steadily, set. B attract and hold (the attention, eyes, etc.). C (foll. By with) single out with one's look etc. 6 place definitely, establish. 7 determine the exact nature, position, etc., of; refer (a thing) to a definite place or time; identify, locate. 8 a make (the eyes, features, etc.) Rigid. B (of eyes, features, etc.) Become rigid. 9 us colloq. Prepare (food or drink). 10 congeal or become congealed. 11 colloq. Punish, kill, deal with (a person). 12 colloq. A bribe or threaten into supporting. B gain a fraudulent result of (a race etc.). 13 slang inject a narcotic. 14 make (a colour, photographic image, etc.) Fast or permanent. 15 (of a plant etc.) Assimilate (nitrogen or carbon dioxide). —n. 1 colloq. Dilemma, predicament. 2 a finding one's position by bearings etc. B position found in this way. 3 slang dose of an addictive drug.  be fixed (usu. Foll. By for) colloq. Be situated (regarding) (how is he fixed for money?). Fix on (or upon) choose, decide on. Fix up 1 arrange, organize. 2 accommodate. 3 (often foll. By with) provide (a person) (fixed me up with a job).  fixable adj. [latin figo fix-]

Ff.  Abbr. Following pages etc.


Retreat  —v. 1 (esp. Of military forces) go back, retire; relinquish a position. 2 recede. —n. 1 a act of retreating. B mil. Signal for this. 2 withdrawal into privacy or security. 3 place of shelter or seclusion. 4 period of seclusion for prayer and meditation. 5 mil. Bugle-call at sunset. [latin: related to *retract]
Process2  v. Walk in procession. [back-formation from *procession]





Helmet  n. Protective head-covering worn by a policeman, motor cyclist, etc. [french from germanic]

Sauce-boat  n. Jug or dish for serving sauces etc.
Inherent  adj. (often foll. By in) existing in something as an essential or permanent attribute.  inherence n. Inherently adv.

Shag2  v. (-gg) coarse slang 1 have sexual intercourse with. 2 (usu. In passive; often foll. By out) exhaust, tire out. [origin unknown]
Molotov cocktail  n. Crude incendiary device, usu. A bottle filled with inflammable liquid. [molotov, name of a russian statesman]
Highbrow  colloq. —adj. Intellectual; cultural. —n. Intellectual or cultured person.
Winch  —n. 1 crank of a wheel or axle. 2 windlass. —v. Lift with a winch. [old english]



Cookie  n. Us 1 sweet biscuit. 2 colloq. Person (a tough cookie). [dutch koekje]

Air-conditioning  n. 1 system for regulating the humidity, ventilation, and temperature in a building. 2 apparatus for this.  air-conditioned adj.
Magnesia  n. 1 magnesium oxide. 2 hydrated magnesium carbonate, used as an antacid and laxative. [magnesia in asia minor]
Superimpose  v. (-sing) (usu. Foll. By on) lay (a thing) on something else.  superimposition n.
Ladylike  adj. Like or befitting a lady.



Entourage  n. People attending an important person. [french]
Heterogeneous  adj. 1 diverse in character. 2 varied in content.  heterogeneity n. [latin from greek genos kind]

Half-hour  n. 1 (also half an hour) period of 30 minutes. 2 point of time 30 minutes after any hour o'clock.  half-hourly adj. & adv.
Reflation  n. Inflation of a financial system to restore its previous condition after deflation.  reflationary adj. [from *re-, after inflation, deflation]



-faction  comb. Form forming nouns of action from verbs in -fy (satisfaction). [latin -factio]


Burgle  v. (-ling) commit burglary (on).

Paediatrics  n.pl. (treated as sing.) (us pediatrics) branch of medicine dealing with children and their diseases.  paediatric adj. Paediatrician n. [from *paedo-, greek iatros physician]
Dandelion  n. Wild plant with jagged leaves, a yellow flower, and a fluffy seed-head. [french dent-de-lion, = lion's tooth]
Reactionary  —adj. Tending to oppose (esp. Political) change or reform. —n. (pl. -ies) reactionary person.
Menorah  n. Seven-branched jewish candelabrum. [hebrew, = candlestick]
Spite  —n. Ill will, malice. —v. (-ting) hurt, harm, or frustrate (a person) through spite.  in spite of notwithstanding. [french: related to *despite]
Loquacious  adj. Talkative.  loquacity n. [latin loquor speak]

Side wind  n. Wind from the side.
Lottery  n. (pl. -ies) 1 means of raising money by selling numbered tickets and giving prizes to the holders of numbers drawn at random. 2 thing whose success is governed by chance. [dutch: related to *lot]


Cuppa  n. Colloq. 1 cup of. 2 cup of tea. [corruption]
Circle  —n. 1 round plane figure whose circumference is everywhere equidistant from its centre. 2 circular or roundish enclosure or structure. 3 curved upper tier of seats in a theatre etc. 4 circular route. 5 persons grouped round a centre of interest. 6 set or restricted group (literary circles). —v. (-ling) 1 (often foll. By round, about) move in a circle. 2 a revolve round. B form a circle round.  come full circle return to the starting-point. [latin diminutive: related to *circus]
Ejector seat  n. Device in an aircraft for the emergency ejection of a pilot etc.

Spice  —n. 1 aromatic or pungent vegetable substance used to flavour food. 2 spices collectively. 3 a piquant quality. B (foll. By of) slight flavour or suggestion. —v. (-cing) 1 flavour with spice. 2 (foll. By with) enhance (spiced with wit). [french espice]



Ups and downs  n.pl. 1 rises and falls. 2 mixed fortune.
Azalea  n. A kind of rhododendron. [greek azaleos dry]



Reissue  —v. (-ues, -ued, -uing) issue again or in a different form. —n. New issue, esp. Of a previously published book.

Stipendiary magistrate  n. Paid professional magistrate.
Stile  n. Steps allowing people but not animals to climb over a fence or wall. [old english]




Vitrify  v. (-ies, -ied) change into glass or a glasslike substance, esp. By heat.  vitrifaction n. Vitrification n. [french or medieval latin: related to *vitreous]
Plowshare  n. (us plowshare) cutting blade of a plough.


Consequently  adv. & conj. As a result; therefore.
Champion  —n. 1 (often attrib.) Person or thing that has defeated or surpassed all rivals. 2 person who fights or argues for a cause or another person. —v. Support the cause of, defend. —adj. Colloq. Splendid. —adv. Colloq. Splendidly. [medieval latin campio fighter]
Urology  n. The study of the urinary system.  urological adj.


Mo  abbr. 1 medical officer. 2 money order.


Sweetshop  n. Confectioner's shop.
Out of doors  adj. & adv. In or into the open air.
Frustum  n. (pl. -ta or -s) geom. Remaining part of a decapitated cone or pyramid. [latin, = piece cut off]

Minister without portfolio  n. Government minister not in charge of a specific department of state.
Hatred  n. Extreme dislike or ill will.
Breezy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 slightly windy. 2 colloq. Cheerful, light-hearted, casual.
Huntsman  n. 1 hunter. 2 hunt official in charge of hounds.
Zoophyte  n. Plantlike animal, esp. A coral, sea anemone, or sponge. [greek zoion animal, phuton plant]
Distinctive  adj. Distinguishing, characteristic.  distinctively adv. Distinctiveness n.
Upshot  n. Outcome, conclusion.
Carbon  n. 1 non-metallic element occurring naturally as diamond, graphite, and charcoal, and in all organic compounds. 2 a = *carbon copy. B = *carbon paper. 3 rod of carbon in an arc lamp. [latin carbo charcoal]




Communion  n. 1 sharing, esp. Of thoughts etc.; fellowship. 2 participation; sharing in common (communion of interests). 3 (communion or holy communion) eucharist. 4 body or group within the christian faith (the methodist communion). [latin: related to *common]
Paramedic  n. Paramedical worker.




Resurrection  n. 1 rising from the dead. 2 (resurrection) christ's rising from the dead. 3 revival after disuse, inactivity, or decay. [latin: related to *resurgent]

Deform  v. Make ugly or misshapen, disfigure.  deformation n. [latin: related to *form]

Nit-picking  n. & adj. Colloq. Fault-finding in a petty manner.

Seaplane  n. Aircraft designed to take off from and land on water.

Martinet  n. Strict disciplinarian.  [martinet, name of a drill-master]

Heat shield  n. Device to protect (esp. A spacecraft) from excessive heat.
Dulcimer  n. Metal stringed instrument struck with two hand-held hammers. [latin: related to *dulcet, melos song]
Coronary artery  n. Artery supplying blood to the heart.

Lotto  n. Game of chance like bingo, but with numbers drawn by players instead of called. [italian]
Capsulize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) put (information etc.) In compact form.


Caveman  n. 1 prehistoric person living in caves. 2 crude person.

Panchromatic  adj.  (of a film etc.) Sensitive to all visible colours of the spectrum.
Withdraw  v. (past withdrew; past part. Withdrawn) 1 pull or take aside or back. 2 discontinue, cancel, retract. 3 remove; take away. 4 take (money) out of an account. 5 retire or move apart. 6 (as withdrawn adj.) Abnormally shy and unsociable; mentally detached. [from *with = away]
Birdcage  n. Cage for birds.

Palomino  n. (pl. -s) golden or cream-coloured horse with light-coloured mane and tail. [latin palumba dove]

Local  —adj. 1 belonging to, existing in, or peculiar to a particular place (local history). 2 of the neighbourhood (local paper). 3 of or affecting a part and not the whole (local anaesthetic). 4 (of a telephone call) to a nearby place and charged at a lower rate. —n. 1 inhabitant of a particular place. 2 (often prec. By the) colloq. Local public house. 3 local anaesthetic.  locally adv. [latin locus place]


Transverse  adj. Situated, arranged, or acting in a crosswise direction.  transversely adv. [latin transverto -vers- turn across]
Kitchen garden  n. Garden with vegetables, fruit, herbs, etc.





Safety lamp  n. Miner's lamp so protected as not to ignite firedamp.

Bona fide  —adj. Genuine; sincere. —adv. Genuinely; sincerely. [latin]
Collie  n. Sheepdog of an orig. Scottish breed. [perhaps from coll *coal]
Babygro  n. (pl. -s) propr. Stretchy all-in-one baby suit.

Bail1  —n. 1 money etc. Pledged against the temporary release of an untried prisoner. 2 person(s) giving this. —v. (usu. Foll. By out) 1 release or secure the release of (a prisoner) on payment of bail. 2 release from a difficulty; rescue.  on bail released after payment of bail. [latin bajulus carrier]
Occurrence  n. 1 occurring. 2 incident or event.

Supernova  n. (pl. -vae or -s) star increasing suddenly in brightness.
Symptom  n. 1 physical or mental sign of disease. 2 sign of the existence of something.  symptomatic adj. [greek pipto fall]



Recycle  v. (-ling) convert (waste) to reusable material.  recyclable adj.



Several  —adj. & pron. More than two but not many; a few. —adj. Formal separate or respective (went their several ways).  severally adv. [latin separ distinct]


Privy seal  n. Seal formerly affixed to minor state documents.
Sign  —n. 1 thing indicating a quality, state, future event, etc. (sign of weakness). 2 mark, symbol, etc. 3 gesture or action conveying an order etc. 4 signboard; signpost. 5 each of the twelve divisions of the zodiac. —v. 1 a (also absol.) Write (one's name) on a document etc. As authorization. B sign (a document) as authorization. 2 communicate by gesture (signed to me to come). 3 engage or be engaged by signing a contract etc. (see also sign on, sign up).  sign away relinquish (property etc.) By signing. Sign in 1 sign a register on arrival. 2 get (a person) admitted by signing a register. Sign off 1 end work, broadcasting, etc. 2 withdraw one's claim to unemployment benefit after finding work. Sign on 1 agree to a contract etc. 2 employ (a person). 3 register as unemployed. Sign out sign a register on departing. Sign up 1 engage (a person). 2 enlist in the armed forces. 3 enrol. [latin signum]
N1  n. (also n) (pl. Ns or n's) 1 fourteenth letter of the alphabet. 2 (usu. N) indefinite number.  to the nth degree to the utmost.




Slave labour  n. Forced labour.
Vicious circle  n. Self-perpetuating, harmful sequence of cause and effect.
Deadline  n. Time-limit.

Rosin  —n. Resin, esp. In solid form. —v. (-n-) rub (esp. A violin bow etc.) With rosin. [alteration of *resin]
Hurley  n. 1 (also hurling) irish game resembling hockey. 2 stick used in this.
Paisley  n. (pl. -s) (often attrib.) 1 pattern of curved feather-shaped figures. 2 soft woollen shawl etc. Having this pattern. [paisley in scotland]
Washroom  n. Esp. Us public toilet.
Roster  —n. List or plan of turns of duty etc. —v. Place on a roster. [dutch rooster, literally ‘gridiron’]
Impersonate  v. (-ting) 1 pretend to be (another person), esp. As entertainment or fraud. 2 act (a character).  impersonation n. Impersonator n. [from *in-2, latin *persona]
Raring  adj. Colloq. Enthusiastic, eager (raring to go). [participle of rare, dial. Var. Of *roar or *rear2]

Vitreous humour  n. Clear fluid in the eye between the lens and the retina.


Wristlet  n. Band or ring to strengthen, guard, or adorn the wrist.
P.c.  Abbr. 1 per cent. 2 postcard.
Limp1  —v. Walk or proceed lamely or awkwardly. —n. Lame walk. [perhaps from obsolete limphalt: related to *halt2]


Royal icing  n. Hard white icing for cakes.

Gyroscope  n. Rotating wheel whose axis is free to turn but maintains a fixed direction unless perturbed, esp. Used for stabilization or with the compass in an aircraft, ship, etc.








Raze  v. (also rase) (-zing or -sing) completely destroy; tear down (esp. Raze to the ground). [latin rado ras- scrape]


Cannon  —n. 1 hist. (pl. Usu. Same) large heavy esp. Mounted gun. 2 billiards hitting of two balls successively by the player's ball. —v. (usu. Foll. By against, into) collide. [italian: related to *cane]


God-fearing  adj. Earnestly religious.
Alembic  n. 1 hist. Apparatus formerly used in distilling. 2 means of refining or extracting. [greek ambix, -ikos cap of a still]

Ongoing  adj. 1 continuing. 2 in progress.
Ciao  int. Colloq. 1 goodbye. 2 hello. [italian]
Paper-knife  n. Blunt knife for opening letters etc.
Stirrup-cup  n. Cup of wine etc. Offered to a departing traveller, orig. A rider.







Misdemeanor  n. (brit. Misdemeanour) 1 misdeed. 2  hist indictable offence less serious than a felony. [from *mis-1]
Steely  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 of or like steel. 2 severe; resolute.  steeliness n.



Uninhabited  adj. Not inhabited.
Apache  n. Member of a n. American indian tribe. [mexican spanish]
Vomit  —v. (-t-) 1 eject (contents of the stomach) through the mouth; be sick. 2 (of a volcano, chimney, etc.) Eject violently, belch forth. —n. Matter vomited from the stomach. [latin]

Weatherman  n. Meteorologist, esp. One who broadcasts a weather forecast.
Venetian  —n. Native, citizen, or dialect of venice. —adj. Of venice. [from french or medieval latin venetia venice]
Mastermind  —n. 1 person with an outstanding intellect. 2 person directing a scheme etc. —v. Plan and direct (a scheme etc.).
Norwegian  —n. 1 a native or national of norway. B person of norwegian descent. 2 language of norway. —adj. Of or relating to norway. [medieval latin norvegia from old norse, = northway]
Device  n. 1 thing made or adapted for a special purpose. 2 plan, scheme, or trick. 3 design, esp. Heraldic.  leave a person to his or her own devices leave a person to do as he or she wishes. [french: related to *devise]

Unperturbed  adj. Not perturbed.
Troupe  n. Company or band, esp. Of artistes. [french, = *troop]
Jab  —v. (-bb-) 1 a poke roughly. B stab. 2 (foll. By into) thrust (a thing) hard or abruptly. —n. 1 abrupt blow, thrust, or stab. 2 colloq. Hypodermic injection. [var. Of job = prod]

Pubes2  pl. Of *pubis.

Rail2  v. (often foll. By at, against) complain or protest strongly; rant. [french railler]

Wych-hazel  var. Of *witch-hazel.

Suture  —n. 1 stitching of the edges of a wound or incision. 2 thread or wire used for this. —v. (-ring) stitch (a wound or incision). [latin suo sut- sew]

Interlude  n. 1 a pause between the acts of a play. B something performed during this pause. 2 contrasting event, time, etc. In the middle of something (comic interlude). 3 piece of music played between other pieces etc. [medieval latin ludus play]

Judicious  adj. Sensible, prudent.  judiciously adv.

Heated  adj. Angry; impassioned.  heatedly adv.

Humankind  n. Human beings collectively.



Nutriment  n. 1 nourishing food. 2 intellectual or artistic etc. Nourishment.
Detail  —n. 1 small particular; item. 2 a these collectively (eye for detail). B treatment of them (detail was unconvincing). 3 a minor decoration on a building etc. B small part of a picture etc. Shown alone. 4 small military detachment. —v. 1 give particulars of. 2 relate circumstantially. 3 assign for special duty. 4 (as detailed adj.) A (of a picture, story, etc.) Containing many details. B itemized (detailed list).  in detail item by item, minutely. [french: related to *tail2]
Mongol  —adj. 1 of the asian people. 2 resembling this people. 3 (mongol) often offens. Suffering from down's syndrome. —n. 1 mongolian. 2 (mongol) often offens. Person suffering from down's syndrome. [native name: perhaps from mong brave]
Fan mail  n. Letters from fans.
Stinger  n. Stinging animal or thing, esp. A sharp blow.
Sissy  (also cissy) colloq. —n. (pl. -ies) effeminate or cowardly person. —adj. (-ier, -iest) effeminate; cowardly. [from *sis]


Union  n. 1 uniting or being united. 2 a whole formed from parts or members. B political unit so formed. 3 = *trade union. 4 marriage. 5 concord (perfect union). 6 (union) a university social club and (at oxbridge) debating society. B buildings of this. 7 math. Totality of the members of two or more sets. 8  mixed fabric, e.g. Cotton with linen or silk. [latin unus one]
Frame-up  n. Slang conspiracy to convict an innocent person.

Soldier  —n. 1 member of an army. 2 (in full common soldier) private or nco in an army.  3 colloq. Finger of bread for dipping into egg. —v. Serve as a soldier.  soldier on colloq. Persevere doggedly.  soldierly adj. [french soulde, originally = soldier's pay]
Helpless  adj. 1 lacking help or protection; defenceless. 2 unable to act without help.  helplessly adv. Helplessness n.

Brutal  adj. 1 savagely cruel. 2 harsh, merciless.  brutality n. (pl. -ies). Brutally adv. [french: related to *brute]


But  —conj. 1 a nevertheless, however (tried but failed). B on the other hand; on the contrary (i am old but you are young). 2 except, otherwise than (cannot choose but do it; what could we do but run?). 3 without the result that (it never rains but it pours). —prep. Except; apart from; other than (all cried but me; nothing but trouble). —adv. 1 only; no more than; only just (we can but try; is but a child; had but arrived). 2 in emphatic repetition; definitely (would see nobody, but nobody). —rel. Pron. Who not; that not (not a man but feels pity). —n. Objection (ifs and buts).  but for without the help or hindrance etc. Of (but for you i'd be rich). But one (or two etc.) Excluding one (or two etc.) From the number (next door but one; last but one). But then however (i won, but then i am older). [old english]

Online  computing —adj. Directly connected, so that a computer immediately receives an input from or sends an output to a peripheral process etc.; carried out while so connected or under direct computer control. —adv. With the processing of data carried out simultaneously with its production; while connected to a computer; under direct computer control.
Haemophilia  n. (us hem-) hereditary failure of the blood to clot normally with the tendency to bleed severely from even a slight injury. [greek haima blood, philia loving]




-former  comb. Form pupil in a specified form (fourth-former).




Unforgettable  adj. That cannot be forgotten; memorable, wonderful.

Partition  —n. 1 structure dividing a space, esp. A light interior wall. 2 division into parts, esp. Polit. Of a country. —v. 1 divide into parts. 2 (foll. By off) separate (part of a room etc.) With a partition. [latin partior divide]


Windbag  n. Colloq. Person who talks a lot but says little of any value.
Infra-  comb. Form below.


Un-3  prefix chem. Denoting ‘one’, combined with other numerical roots nil (= 0), un (= 1), bi (= 2), etc., to form the names of elements based on the atomic number, and terminated with -ium, e.g. Unnilquadium = 104, ununbium = 112.  [latin unus one]


Stiletto  n. (pl. -s) 1 short dagger. 2 (in full stiletto heel) a long tapering heel of a shoe. B shoe with such a heel. 3 pointed instrument for making eyelets etc. [italian diminutive: related to *style]



Patchboard  n. Board with electrical sockets linked by movable leads to enable changeable permutations of connection.

State  —n. 1 existing condition or position of a person or thing. 2 colloq. A excited or agitated mental condition (esp. In a state). B untidy condition. 3 (usu. State) a political community under one government. B this as part of a federal republic. 4 (usu. State) (attrib.) A of, for, or concerned with the state. B reserved for or done on occasions of ceremony. 5 (usu. State) civil government. 6 pomp. 7 (the states) usa. —v. (-ting) 1 express in speech or writing. 2 fix, specify. 3 mus. Play (a theme etc.), esp. For the first time.  in state with all due ceremony. Lie in state be laid in a public place of honour before burial. [partly from *estate, partly from latin *status]


Cartesian  —adj. Of descartes or his philosophy. —n. Follower of descartes. [latin cartesius descartes]

Doll  —n. 1 small model of esp. A baby or child as a child's toy. 2 colloq. A pretty but silly young woman. B attractive woman. 3 ventriloquist's dummy. —v. (foll. By up) colloq. Dress smartly. [pet form of dorothy]

Promissory  adj. Conveying or implying a promise. [medieval latin: related to *promise]
Dethrone  v. (-ning) remove from a throne, depose.  dethronement n.
Squeal  —n. Prolonged shrill sound or cry. —v. 1 make, or utter with, a squeal. 2 slang turn informer. 3 colloq. Protest vociferously. [imitative]
Sometime  —adv. 1 at some time. 2 formerly. —attrib. Adj. Former.
Blacken  v. 1 make or become black or dark. 2 defame, slander.
Freshwater  attrib. Adj. (of fish etc.) Not of the sea.
Smelt2  past and past part. Of *smell.
Finality  n. (pl. -ies) 1 fact of being final. 2 final act etc. [latin: related to *final]

Wrinkly  —adj. (-ier, -iest) having wrinkles. —n. Slang offens. Old or middle-aged person.
Thorough  adj. 1 complete and unqualified; not superficial. 2 acting or done with great care and completeness. 3 absolute (thorough nuisance).  thoroughly adv. Thoroughness n. [related to *through]
Impetus  n. 1 force with which a body moves. 2 driving force or impulse. [latin impeto assail]


Usage  in sense 1b, the verb following none can be singular or plural according to meaning.
Sponge rubber  n. Porous rubber.


Joggle  —v. (-ling) move in jerks. —n. Slight shake.
Brook1  n. Small stream. [old english]
Uncomprehending  adj. Not comprehending.


Hawk1  —n. 1 bird of prey with a curved beak, rounded short wings, and a long tail. 2 polit. Person who advocates aggressive policies. —v. Hunt with a hawk.  hawkish adj. [old english]




Dig  —v. (-gg-; past and past part. Dug) 1 (also absol.) Break up and remove or turn over (ground etc.). 2 (foll. By up) break up the soil of (fallow land). 3 make (a hole, tunnel, etc.) By digging. 4 (often foll. By up, out) a obtain by digging. B (foll. By up, out) find or discover. C (foll. By into) search for information in (a book etc.). 5 (also absol.) Excavate (an archaeological site). 6 slang like; understand. 7 (foll. By in, into) thrust (a sharp object); prod or nudge. 8 (foll. By into, through, under) make one's way by digging. —n. 1 piece of digging. 2 thrust or poke. 3 colloq. Pointed remark. 4 archaeological excavation. 5 (in pl.) Colloq. Lodgings.  dig one's heels in be obstinate. Dig in colloq. Begin eating. Dig oneself in 1 prepare a defensive trench or pit. 2 establish one's position. [old english]

Con-  see *com-.
Broken  past part. Of *break. —adj. 1 having been broken. 2 reduced to despair; beaten. 3 (of language) badly spoken, esp. By a foreigner. 4 interrupted (broken sleep).
Suf-  prefix assim. Form of *sub- before f.
Eglantine  n. Sweet-brier. [latin acus needle]
Usage  masterful is normally used of a person, whereas masterly is used of achievements, abilities, etc.


Unbleached  adj. Not bleached.
Heliotrope  n. Plant with fragrant purple flowers. [greek: related to *helio-, trepo turn]
Anyway  adv. 1 in any way or manner. 2 at any rate. 3 to resume (anyway, as i was saying).

Vigour  n. (us vigor) 1 physical or mental strength or energy. 2 healthy growth. 3 forcefulness; trenchancy, animation.  vigorous adj. Vigorously adv. [french from latin vigeo be lively]
Sparse  adj. Thinly dispersed or scattered.  sparsely adv. Sparseness n. Sparsity n. [latin spargo spars- scatter]
Terrific  adj. 1 colloq. A huge; intense (terrific noise). B excellent (did a terrific job). 2 causing terror.  terrifically adv. [latin: related to *terrible]
Rupture  —n. 1 breaking; breach. 2 breach in a relationship; disagreement and parting. 3 abdominal hernia. —v. (-ring) 1 burst (a cell or membrane etc.). 2 sever (a connection). 3 affect with or suffer a hernia. [latin rumpo rupt- break]
Generalissimo  n. (pl. -s) commander of a combined military and naval and air force, or of combined armies. [italian superlative]

Cursed  attrib. Adj. Damned.





Dinky  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Neat and attractive; small, dainty. [scots dink]
Corymb  n. Flat-topped cluster of flowers with the outer flower-stalks proportionally longer. [latin from greek]
Successor  n. (often foll. By to) person or thing that succeeds another.
Velvet glove  n. Outward gentleness, esp. Cloaking firmness.

Voiceless  adj. 1 dumb, speechless. 2 uttered without vibration of the vocal cords (e.g. F, p).

Zabaglione  n. Italian dessert of whipped and heated egg-yolks, sugar, and wine. [italian]
Free enterprise  n. Freedom of private business from state control.
Water-bed  n. Mattress filled with water.



Micrometer  n. Gauge for accurate small-scale measurement.
Treasury bench  n. Front bench in the house of commons occupied by cabinet ministers etc.



Salad cream  n. Creamy salad-dressing.

Tender-hearted  adj. Easily moved; compassionate.  tender-heartedness n.



Gusto  n. Zest; enjoyment. [latin gustus taste]
Cookery book  n. Book containing recipes.
Nerve-cell  n. Cell transmitting impulses in nerve tissue.
Result  —n. 1 consequence, issue, or outcome of something. 2 satisfactory outcome (gets results). 3 end product of calculation. 4 (in pl.) List of scores or winners etc. In examinations or sporting events. —v. 1 (often foll. By from) arise as the actual, or follow as a logical, consequence. 2 (often foll. By in) have a specified end or outcome (resulted in a large profit). [latin resulto spring back]
Tubercle  n. Small rounded swelling on the body or in an organ, esp. As characteristic of tuberculosis.  tuberculous adj. [latin tuberculum, diminutive of *tuber]
Perspire  v. (-ring) sweat. [latin spiro breathe]
Hairgrip  n. Flat hairpin with the ends close together.

Yha  abbr. Youth hostels association.
Cagey  adj. (also cagy) (-ier, -iest) colloq. Cautious and non-committal.  cagily adv. Caginess n. [origin unknown]
Harvest  —n. 1 a process of gathering in crops etc. B season of this. 2 season's yield. 3 product of any action. —v. Gather as harvest, reap. [old english]
Laodicean  half-hearted, esp. In religion or politics. [laodicea in asia minor (rev. 3:16)]
Eddy  —n. (pl. -ies) 1 circular movement of water causing a small whirlpool. 2 movement of wind, smoke, etc. Resembling this. —v. (-ies, -ied) whirl round in eddies. [old english ed- again, back]



Integral  —adj. Also 1 a of or necessary to a whole. B forming a whole. C complete. 2 of or denoted by an integer. —n. Math. Quantity of which a given function is the derivative.  integrally adv. [latin: related to *integer]
Dried  past and past part. Of *dry.
Grisly  adj. (-ier, -iest) causing horror, disgust, or fear.  grisliness n. [old english]
Gaffe  n. Blunder; indiscreet act or remark. [french]
Dagger  n. 1 short pointed knife used as a weapon. 2 printing = *obelus.  at daggers drawn in bitter enmity. Look daggers at glare angrily at. [origin uncertain]


Far-seeing  adj. Showing foresight; wise.

Sickbay  n. Room, cabin, etc. For those who are sick.
Flag-day  n. Fund-raising day for a charity, esp. With the sale of small paper flags etc. In the street.
Gawky  adj. (-ier, -iest) awkward or ungainly.  gawkily adv. Gawkiness n.




Attorney-general  n. (pl. Attorneys-general) chief legal officer in some countries.


Unconvinced  adj. Not convinced.



Flummox  v. Colloq. Bewilder, disconcert. [origin unknown]
Radar  n. 1 system for detecting the direction, range, or presence of objects, by sending out pulses of high frequency electromagnetic waves which they reflect. 2 apparatus for this. [from radio detection and ranging]
Peckish  adj. Colloq. Hungry.

Untuck  v. Free (bedclothes etc.) From being tucked in or up.

Black death  n. (prec. By the) 14th-c. Plague in europe.




Thole  n. (in full thole-pin) 1 pin in the gunwale of a boat as the fulcrum for an oar. 2 each of two such pins forming a rowlock. [old english]

Trail  —n. 1 track or scent left by a moving thing, person, etc. 2 beaten path, esp. Through a wild region. 3 long line of people or things following behind something. 4 part dragging behind a thing or person. —v. 1 draw or be drawn along behind, esp. On the ground. 2 (often foll. By behind) walk wearily. 3 follow the trail of; pursue. 4 be losing in a contest (trailing by three points). 5 (usu. Foll. By away, off) peter out; tail off. 6 a (of a plant etc.) Grow or hang over a wall, along the ground, etc. B hang loosely. 7 (often refl.) Drag (oneself, one's limbs, etc.) Along wearily etc. [french or low german]
Kerb drill  n. Precautions before crossing a road.

Fly-paper  n. Sticky treated paper for catching flies.
Describe  v. (-bing) 1 a state the characteristics, appearance, etc. Of. B (foll. By as) assert to be; call (described him as a liar). 2 a draw (esp. A geometrical figure). B move in (a specified way, esp. A curve) (described a parabola through the air). [latin scribo write]


Double bluff  n. Genuine action or statement disguised as a bluff.

Dirt  n. 1 unclean matter that soils. 2 a earth, soil. B earth, cinders, etc., used to make the surface for a road etc. (usu. Attrib.: dirt track). 3 foul or malicious words or talk. 4 excrement.  treat like dirt treat with contempt. [old norse drit excrement]

Krummhorn  n. (also crumhorn) medieval wind instrument. [german]





Mallet  n. 1  hammer, usu. Of wood. 2  implement for striking a croquet or polo ball. [latin malleus hammer]
Tuition  n. 1 teaching, esp. If paid for. 2 fee for this. [latin tueor tuit- look after]

Acas  abbr. Advisory, conciliation, and arbitration service.
Diphtheria  n. Acute infectious bacterial disease with inflammation of a mucous membrane esp. Of the throat. [greek diphthera skin, hide]
Balance  —n. 1 a even distribution of weight or amount. B stability of body or mind. 2 apparatus for weighing, esp. One with a central pivot, beam, and two scales. 3 a counteracting weight or force. B (in full balance-wheel) regulating device in a clock etc. 4 decisive weight or amount (balance of opinion). 5 a agreement or difference between credits and debits in an account. B amount still owing or outstanding (will pay the balance). C amount left over. 6 a art harmony and proportion. B mus. Relative volume of sources of sound. 7 (the balance) zodiacal sign or constellation libra. —v. (-cing) 1 bring into, keep, or be in equilibrium (balanced a book on her head; balanced on one leg). 2 (often foll. By with, against) offset or compare (one thing) with another (balance the pros and cons). 3 counteract, equal, or neutralize the weight or importance of. 4 (usu. As balanced adj.) Make well-proportioned and harmonious (balanced diet; balanced opinion). 5 a compare and esp



Unemployment  n. 1 being unemployed. 2 lack of employment in a country etc.

Bureaucracy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 a government by central administration. B state etc. So governed. 2 government officials, esp. Regarded as oppressive and inflexible. 3 conduct typical of these.



Giraffe  n. (pl. Same or -s) large four-legged african animal with a long neck and forelegs. [french, ultimately from arabic]

Destitute  adj. 1 without food, shelter, etc. 2 (usu. Foll. By of) lacking (destitute of friends).  destitution n. [latin]

Police  —n. (as pl.) 1 (usu. Prec. By the) the civil force responsible for maintaining public order. 2 its members. 3 force with similar functions (military police). —v. (-cing) 1 keep (a place or people) in order by means of police or a similar body. 2 provide with police. 3 keep in order, administer, control (problem of policing the new law). [latin: related to *policy1]


Prepay  v. (past and past part. Prepaid) 1 pay (a charge) in advance. 2 pay postage on (a letter etc.) Before posting.  prepayment n.


Metropolis  n. Chief city, capital. [greek meter mother, polis city]
Sinister  adj. 1 evil or villainous in appearance or manner. 2 wicked, criminal. 3 ominous. 4 heraldry of or on the left-hand side of a shield etc. (i.e. To the observer's right). [latin, = left]



Designer drug  n. Synthetic analogue of an illegal drug.

Volatilize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) turn into vapour.  volatilization n.


Scatter  —v. 1 a throw about; strew. B cover by scattering. 2 a (cause to) move in flight etc.; disperse. B disperse or cause (hopes, clouds, etc.) To disperse. 3 (as scattered adj.) Wide apart or sporadic (scattered villages). 4 physics deflect or diffuse (light, particles, etc.). —n. 1 act of scattering. 2 small amount scattered. 3 extent of distribution. [probably var. Of *shatter]

Price  —n. 1 amount of money for which a thing is bought or sold. 2 what is or must be given, done, sacrificed, etc., to obtain or achieve something (peace at any price). 3 odds in betting. —v. (-cing)  1 fix or find the price of (a thing for sale). 2 estimate the value of.  at a price at a high cost. Price on a person's head reward for a person's capture or death. What price …? (often foll. By verbal noun) colloq. 1 what is the chance of …? (what price your finishing the course?). 2 iron. The much boasted … proves disappointing (what price your friendship now?). [latin pretium]
Brazen  —adj. 1 shameless; insolent. 2 of or like brass. 3 harsh in sound. —v. (foll. By out) face or undergo defiantly (brazen it out).  brazenly adv. [old english]
One another  pron. Each the other or others (as a formula of reciprocity: love one another).

Continuity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 state of being continuous. 2 a logical sequence. 3 detailed scenario of a film or broadcast. 4 linking of broadcast items.


Pickpocket  n. Person who steals from people's pockets.

Glance  —v. (-cing) 1 (often foll. By down, up, over, etc.) Look briefly, direct one's eye. 2 strike at an angle and glide off an object (glancing blow; ball glanced off his bat). 3 (usu. Foll. By over) refer briefly or indirectly to a subject or subjects. 4 (of light etc.) Flash or dart. —n. 1 brief look. 2 flash or gleam. 3 glancing stroke in cricket.  at a glance immediately upon looking. [origin uncertain]

Bandit  n. Robber or outlaw, esp. One attacking travellers etc.  banditry n. [italian]
Retch  v. Make a motion of vomiting, esp. Involuntarily and without effect. [old english]

Pearly gates  n.pl. Colloq. Gates of heaven.
Master of ceremonies  n. 1 person introducing speakers at a banquet or entertainers in a variety show. 2 person in charge of a ceremonial or social occasion.


Puritan  —n. 1 (puritan) hist. Member of a group of english protestants who sought to simplify and regulate forms of worship after the reformation. 2 purist member of any party. 3 strict observer of religion or morals. —adj. 1 (puritan) hist. Of the puritans. 2 scrupulous and austere in religion or morals.  puritanism n. [latin: related to *pure]

Paragraph  —n. 1 distinct section of a piece of writing, beginning on a new often indented line. 2 symbol (usu. ) used to mark a new paragraph, or as a reference mark. 3 short item in a newspaper. —v. Arrange (a piece of writing) in paragraphs.  [greek: related to *para-1, *-graph]

Trunk  n. 1 main stem of a tree. 2 body without the limbs and head. 3 large box with a hinged lid for luggage, storage, etc. 4 us boot of a car. 5 elephant's elongated prehensile nose. 6 (in pl.) Men's close-fitting shorts worn for swimming etc. [latin truncus cut short]
Conjugate  —v. (-ting) 1 gram. List the different forms of (a verb). 2 a unite. B become fused. —adj. 1 joined together, paired. 2 fused. [latin jugum yoke]

Scrapyard  n. Place where (esp. Metal) scrap is collected for reuse.
Retrain  v. Train again or further, esp. For new work.
Tyrian  —adj. Of ancient tyre in phoenicia. —n. Native or citizen of tyre. [latin tyrus tyre]



Bottle party  n. Party to which guests bring bottles of drink.
Differential  —adj. 1 of, exhibiting, or depending on a difference. 2 math. Relating to infinitesimal differences. 3 constituting or relating to a specific difference. —n. 1 difference between things of the same kind. 2 difference in wages between industries or categories of employees in the same industry. 3 difference between rates of interest etc.



Doom  —n. 1 a grim fate or destiny. B death or ruin. 2 condemnation. —v. 1 (usu. Foll. By to) condemn or destine. 2 (esp. As doomed adj.) Consign to misfortune or destruction. [old english, = *statute]

Jazzman  n. Jazz-player.
Experiential  adj. Involving or based on experience.  experientially adv.
Cord  —n. 1 a flexible material like thick string, made from twisted strands. B piece of this. 2 similar structure in the body. 3 a ribbed fabric, esp. Corduroy. B (in pl.) Corduroy trousers. 4 electric flex. —v. 1 fasten or bind with cord. 2 (as corded adj.) (of cloth) ribbed. [greek khorde string]
Percentile  n. Statistics 1 each of 99 points at which a range of data is divided to make 100 groups of equal size. 2 each of these groups.

Scoutmaster  n. Person in charge of a group of scouts.
Packet  n. 1 small package. 2 colloq. Large sum of money won, lost, or spent. 3 (in full packet-boat) hist. Mail-boat or passenger ship.
Save-as-you-earn  n. Saving by regular deduction from earnings at source.

Heel2  —v. (often foll. By over) 1 (of a ship etc.) Lean over. 2 cause (a ship etc.) To do this. —n. Act or amount of heeling. [obsolete heeld, from germanic]
Turtle-dove  n. Wild dove noted for its soft cooing and affection for its mate. [latin turtur]

Line-out  n. (in rugby) parallel lines of opposing forwards at right angles to the touchline for the throwing in of the ball.
Cobbler  n. 1 person who mends shoes professionally. 2 stewed fruit topped with scones. 3 (in pl.) Slang nonsense. [origin unknown]
Jailer  n. (also gaoler) person in charge of a jail or prisoners.
Yen1  n. (pl. Same) chief monetary unit of japan. [japanese from chinese]


Ah  abbr. In the year of the hegira (ad 622); of the muslim era. [latin anno hegirae]

Washstand  n. Piece of furniture to hold a basin, jug, soap, etc.
Kilolitre  n. (us -liter) 1,000 litres (220 imperial gallons).


Cru  n. 1 french vineyard or wine region. 2 grade of wine. [french crû grown]
Finding  n. (often in pl.) Conclusion reached by an inquiry etc.

Alternative  —adj. 1 available as another choice (alternative route). 2 unconventional (alternative medicine). —n. 1 any of two or more possibilities. 2 choice (had no alternative but to go).  alternatively adv.


Tenement  n. 1 room or flat within a house or block of flats. 2 (also tenement-house or -block) house or block so divided. [latin teneo hold]



Call-up  n. Summons to do military service.


Naturalize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 admit (a foreigner) to citizenship. 2 successfully introduce (an animal, plant, etc.) Into another region. 3 adopt (a foreign word, custom, etc.).  naturalization n.


Womanize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) chase after women; philander.  womanizer n.
Hellebore  n. Evergreen plant with usu. White, purple, or green flowers, e.g. The christmas rose. [greek (h)elleborus]
Clarity  n. Clearness.


Passé  adj. (fem. Passée) 1 old-fashioned. 2 past its prime. [french]
Papoose  n. N. American indian young child. [algonquian]
Orbit  —n. 1 a curved course of a planet, satellite, etc. B one complete passage around a body. 2 range or sphere of action. 3 eye socket. —v. (-t-) 1 move in orbit round. 2 put into orbit.  orbiter n. [latin orbitus circular]
Quay  n. Artificial landing-place for loading and unloading ships. [french]
Practicable  adj. 1 that can be done or used. 2 possible in practice.  practicability n.  [french: related to *practical]
Bacchant  —n. (fem. Bacchante) 1 priest or follower of bacchus. 2 drunken reveller. —adj. 1 of or like bacchus or his rites. 2 drunkenly riotous, roistering.
Boss2  n. 1 round knob, stud, etc., esp. On the centre of a shield. 2 archit. Ornamental carving etc. At the junction of the ribs in a vault. [french]

Adorn  v. Add beauty to; decorate.  adornment n. [latin: related to *ad-, orno decorate]
Debase  v. (-sing) 1 lower in quality, value, or character. 2 depreciate (a coin) by alloying etc.  debasement n. [from *de-, *abase]
Ameliorate  v. (-ting) make or become better.  amelioration n. Ameliorative adj. [from *ad-, latin melior better]
Germ  n. 1 micro-organism, esp. One causing disease. 2 portion of an organism capable of developing into a new one; rudiment of an animal or plant in seed (wheat germ). 3 thing that may develop; elementary principle.  germy adj. (-ier, -iest). [latin germen sprout]
Richter scale  n. Scale of 0–10 for representing the strength of an earthquake. [richter, name of a seismologist]
Vapor  n. (brit. Vapour) 1 moisture or other substance diffused or suspended in air, e.g. Mist, smoke. 2  gaseous form of a substance. 3 medicinal inhalant.  vaporous adj. Vapoury adj. [latin vapor steam]

Mosquito-net  n. Net to keep off mosquitoes.
Impersonal  adj. 1 without personal reference; objective, impartial. 2 without human attributes; cold, unfeeling. 3 gram. A (of a verb) used esp. With it as a subject (e.g. It is snowing). B (of a pronoun) = *indefinite.  impersonality n. Impersonally adv.

Acknowledge  v. (-ging) 1 recognize; accept the truth of (acknowledged its failure). 2 confirm the receipt of (a letter etc.). 3 a show that one has noticed (acknowledged my arrival with a grunt). B express appreciation of (a service etc.). 4 recognize the validity of, own (the acknowledged king). [from *ad-, *knowledge]
Lobe  n. 1 lower soft pendulous part of the outer ear. 2 similar part of other organs, esp. The brain, liver, and lung.  lobed adj. [greek lobos lobe, pod]



Concoct  v. 1 make by mixing ingredients. 2 invent (a story, lie, etc.).  concoction n. [latin coquo coct- cook]

How  —interrog. Adv. 1 by what means, in what way (how do you do it?; tell me how you do it; how could you?). 2 in what condition, esp. Of health (how are you?; how do things stand?). 3 a to what extent (how far is it?; how would you like to take my place?; how we laughed!). B to what extent good or well, what … like (how was the film?; how did they play?). —rel. Adv. In whatever way, as (do it how you can). —conj. Colloq. That (told us how he'd been in india).  how about colloq. Would you like (how about a quick swim?). How do you do? A formal greeting. How many what number. How much 1 what amount. 2 what price. How's that? 1 what is your opinion or explanation of that? 2 cricket (said to an umpire) is the batsman out or not? [old english]
Pell-mell  adv. 1 headlong, recklessly. 2 in disorder or confusion. [french pêle-mêle]
Mart  n. 1 trade centre. 2 auction-room. 3 market. [dutch: related to *market]


Awkward  adj. 1 difficult to use or deal with. 2 clumsy, ungainly. 3 a embarrassed. B embarrassing. [obsolete awk perverse]


Emend  v. Edit (a text etc.) To make corrections.  emendation n. [latin menda fault]


Floor manager  n. Stage-manager of a television production.
Exodus  n. 1 mass departure. 2 (exodus) biblical departure of the israelites from egypt. [greek hodos way]

Nostril  n. Either of the two openings in the nose. [old english, = nose-hole]
Lichee  var. Of *lychee.
Loll  v. 1 stand, sit, or recline in a lazy attitude. 2 hang loosely. [imitative]


Quality control  n. Maintaining of standards in products or services by testing samples.

Fissile  adj. 1 capable of undergoing nuclear fission. 2 tending to split. [latin: related to *fissure]

Boor  n. Ill-mannered person.  boorish adj. [low german or dutch]
Brass monkey  n. Coarse slang used in various phrases to indicate extreme cold.
Skylark  —n. Lark that sings while soaring. —v. Play tricks, frolic.
Electric guitar  n. Guitar with a solid body and built-in pick-up rather than a soundbox.






Splatter  —v. Splash esp. With a continuous noisy action; spatter. —n. Noisy splashing sound. [imitative]
Sickle  n. Short-handled tool with a semicircular blade, used for reaping etc. [old english]


Broil  v. Esp. Us 1 grill (meat). 2 make or become very hot, esp. From the sun. [french bruler burn]
Babble  —v. (-ling) 1 a talk, chatter, or say incoherently or excessively. B (of a stream etc.) Murmur. 2 repeat or divulge foolishly. —n. 1 babbling. 2 murmur of voices, water, etc. [imitative]

Unhand  v. Rhet. Or joc. Take one's hands off (a person); release.



Angle1  —n. 1 space between two meeting lines or surfaces, esp. As measured in degrees. 2 corner. 3 point of view. —v. (-ling) 1 move or place obliquely. 2 present (information) in a biased way. [latin angulus]
Discomfort  —n. 1 lack of comfort; slight pain or unease. 2 cause of this. —v. Make uncomfortable.

Grew  past of *grow.

Carboniferous  —adj. 1 producing coal. 2 (carboniferous) of the fifth period in the palaeozoic era, with extensive formation of coal. —n. (carboniferous) this period.
Chinchilla  n. 1 a small s. American rodent. B its soft grey fur. 2 breed of cat or rabbit. [spanish chinche bug]
Incisor  n. Cutting-tooth, esp. At the front of the mouth.
T.b.a.  Abbr. To be announced.
Pastiche  n. 1 picture or musical composition from or imitating various sources. 2 literary or other work composed in the style of a well-known author etc. [latin pasta *paste]
Georgian1  adj. Of the time of kings george i–iv or of george v and vi.

Marrow  n. 1 large fleshy usu. Striped gourd eaten as a vegetable. 2 soft fatty substance in the cavities of bones. 3 essential part.  to the marrow right through. [old english]



Pike  n. (pl. Same or -s) 1 large voracious freshwater fish with a long narrow snout. 2 hist. Weapon with a pointed metal head on a long wooden shaft. [old english]


Bluff1  —v. Pretend strength, confidence, etc. —n. Act of bluffing.  call a person's bluff challenge a person to prove a claim. [dutch bluffen brag]

Post office  n. 1 public department or corporation responsible for postal services. 2 (post office) room or building where postal business is carried on.


Datable  adj. (often foll. By to) capable of being dated.
Spokesperson  n. (pl. -s or -people) spokesman or spokeswoman.
Kingdom  n. 1 territory or state ruled by a king or queen. 2 spiritual reign or sphere of god. 3 domain. 4 division of the natural world (plant kingdom). 5 specified sphere (kingdom of the heart). [old english]
Interval  n. 1 intervening time or space. 2 pause or break, esp. Between the parts of a performance. 3 difference in pitch between two sounds.  at intervals here and there; now and then. [latin intervallum space between ramparts]
Ascetic  —adj. Severely abstinent; self-denying. —n. Ascetic, esp. Religious, person.  asceticism n. [greek askeo exercise]
Venom  n. 1 poisonous fluid of esp. Snakes. 2 malignity; virulence.  venomous adj. Venomously adv. [latin venenum]
Sheet anchor  n. 1 emergency reserve anchor. 2 person or thing depended on in the last resort.
Sumptuary  adj. Law regulating (esp. Private) expenditure. [latin sumptus cost]

Glaucoma  n. Eye-condition with increased pressure in the eyeball and gradual loss of sight.  glaucomatous adj. [greek glaukos greyish blue]
Yammer  colloq. Or dial. —n. 1 lament, wail, grumble. 2 voluble talk. —v. Utter a yammer. [old english]






Fade  —v. (-ding) 1 lose or cause to lose colour, light, or sound; slowly diminish. 2 lose freshness or strength. 3 (foll. By in, out) cinematog. Etc. Cause (a picture or sound) to appear or disappear, increase or decrease, gradually. —n. Action of fading.  fade away 1 colloq. Languish, grow thin. 2 die away; disappear. [french fade dull]
Caviar  n. (brit. Caviare) pickled roe of sturgeon or other large fish. [italian from turkish]
Continual  adj. Constantly or frequently recurring; always happening.  continually adv. [french: related to *continue]

Abseil  —v. Descend by using a doubled rope coiled round the body and fixed at a higher point. —n. Descent made by abseiling. [german ab down, seil rope]
Despoil  v. Literary (often foll. By of) plunder; rob; deprive.  despoliation n. [latin: related to *spoil]

Javelin  n. Light spear thrown in sport or, formerly, as a weapon. [french]


All-purpose  attrib. Adj. Having many uses.

Invisible  adj. Not visible to the eye.  invisibility n. Invisibly adv.
Shrivel  v. (-ll-; us -l-) contract into a wrinkled or dried-up state. [perhaps from old norse]


Baccy  n. (pl. -ies) colloq. Tobacco. [abbreviation]
Genre  n. 1 kind or style of art etc. 2 painting of scenes from ordinary life. [french: related to *gender]
Paternoster  n. Lord's prayer, esp. In latin. [latin pater noster our father]


Inquisition  n. 1 intensive search or investigation. 2 judicial or official inquiry. 3 (the inquisition) rc ch. Hist. Ecclesiastical tribunal for the violent suppression of heresy, esp. In spain.  inquisitional adj. [latin: related to *inquire]

Rhetorical  adj. 1 expressed artificially or extravagantly. 2 of the nature or art of rhetoric.  rhetorically adv. [greek: related to *rhetoric]
Cresc.  Abbr. (also cres.) Mus. = *crescendo.

Whitewash  —n. 1 solution of quicklime or whiting for whitening walls etc. 2 means employed to conceal mistakes or faults. —v. 1 cover with whitewash. 2 attempt to clear the reputation of by concealing facts.

Ugly  adj. (-lier, -liest) 1 unpleasant to the eye, ear, or mind etc. (ugly scar; ugly snarl). 2 unpleasantly suggestive; discreditable (ugly rumours). 3 threatening, dangerous (an ugly look). 4 morally repulsive (ugly vices).  ugliness n. [old norse]

Pick-your-own  adj. (usu. Attrib.) (of fruit and vegetables) dug or picked by the customer at the farm etc.


Circus  n. (pl. -es) 1 travelling show of performing acrobats, clowns, animals, etc. 2 colloq. A scene of lively action. B group of people in a common activity, esp. Sport. 3 open space in a town, where several streets converge. 4 rom. Antiq. Arena for sports and games. [latin, = ring]
Hysteresis  n. Phenomenon whereby changes in an effect lag behind changes in its cause. [greek husteros coming after]

Painter2  n. Rope attached to the bow of a boat for tying it to a quay etc. [origin unknown]
Scotch  —adj. Var. Of *scottish or *scots. —n. 1 var. Of *scottish or *scots. 2 scotch whisky. [from *scottish]
-y3  suffix forming nouns denoting state, condition, or quality (orthodoxy). [latin -ia, greek -eia]

Litigate  v. (-ting) 1 go to law. 2 contest (a point) at law.  litigation n. Litigator n. [latin lis lit- lawsuit]


Quarterback  n. Player in american football who directs attacking play.
Shooting star  n. Small rapidly moving meteor.
Materialism  n. 1 greater interest in material possessions and comfort than in spiritual values. 2 philos. Theory that nothing exists but matter.  materialist n. Materialistic adj. Materialistically adv.
Heterodyne  adj. Radio relating to the production of a lower frequency from the combination of two almost equal high frequencies. [from *hetero-, greek dunamis force]
Pence  pl. Of *penny.



Decimate  v. (-ting) 1 destroy a large proportion of. 2 orig. Rom. Hist. Kill or remove one in every ten of.  decimation n.


Triplet  n. 1 each of three children or animals born at one birth. 2 set of three things, esp. Three equal notes played in the time of two of the same value.

Quid1  n. (pl. Same) slang one pound sterling.  quids in slang in a position of profit. [probably from latin quid what]

Iow  abbr. Isle of wight.
Calendar year  n. Period from 1 jan. To 31 dec. Inclusive.

Portray  v. 1 make a likeness of. 2 describe in words.  portrayal n. Portrayer n. [french portraire -trait depict]

Habit  n. 1 settled or regular tendency or practice (often foll. By of + verbal noun: has a habit of ignoring me). 2 practice that is hard to give up. 3 mental constitution or attitude. 4 dress, esp. Of a religious order. [latin habeo habit- have]
Fantasize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 day-dream. 2 imagine; create a fantasy about.

Wigging  n. Colloq. Reprimand. [origin uncertain]

Surroundings  n.pl. Objects or conditions around or affecting a person or thing; environment.







Tiara  n. 1 jewelled ornamental band worn on the front of a woman's hair. 2 three-crowned diadem worn by a pope.  tiaraed adj. [latin from greek]


Seraph  n. (pl. -im or -s) angelic being of the highest order of the celestial hierarchy.  seraphic adj. [hebrew]



Feb.  Abbr. February.

Marked man  n. Person singled out, esp. For attack.

Vapour  n. (us vapor) 1 moisture or other substance diffused or suspended in air, e.g. Mist, smoke. 2  gaseous form of a substance. 3 medicinal inhalant.  vaporous adj. Vapoury adj. [latin vapor steam]

Rspb  abbr. Royal society for the protection of birds.

Op. Cit.  Abbr. In the work already quoted. [latin opere citato]
Baseless  adj. Unfounded, groundless.


Crown colony  n. British colony controlled by the crown.


Snitch  slang —v. 1 steal. 2 (often foll. By on) inform on a person. —n. Informer. [origin unknown]
Jiggery-pokery  n. Colloq. Trickery; swindling. [origin uncertain]
Self-help  n. (often attrib.) Use of one's own abilities, resources, etc. To solve one's problems etc. (formed a self-help group).
Cardiovascular  adj. Of the heart and blood-vessels.
 



Indispensable  adj. That cannot be dispensed with; necessary.  indispensability n. Indispensably adv.
 

Med  n. Colloq. Mediterranean sea. [abbreviation]


Laze  —v. (-zing) 1 spend time idly. 2 (foll. By away) pass (time) idly. —n. Spell of lazing. [back-formation from *lazy]
Taxi  —n. (pl. -s) (in full taxi-cab) car licensed to ply for hire and usu. Fitted with a taximeter. —v. (-xis, -xied, -xiing or -xying) 1 (of an aircraft or pilot) drive on the ground before take-off or after landing. 2 go or convey in a taxi. [abbreviation of taximeter cab]


Elapse  v. (-sing) (of time) pass by. [latin elabor elaps- slip away]




Haul  —v. 1 pull or drag forcibly. 2 transport by lorry, cart, etc. 3 turn a ship's course. 4 colloq. (usu. Foll. By up) bring for reprimand or trial. —n. 1 hauling. 2 amount gained or acquired. 3 distance to be traversed (a short haul).  haul over the coals see *coal. [french haler from old norse hala]

Knowledge  n. 1 a (usu. Foll. By of) awareness or familiarity (of or with a person or thing) (have no knowledge of that). B person's range of information. 2 a (usu. Foll. By of) understanding of a subject etc. (good knowledge of greek). B sum of what is known (every branch of knowledge).  to my knowledge as far as i know.
Depose  v. (-sing) 1 remove from office, esp. Dethrone. 2 law (usu. Foll. By to, or that + clause) testify, esp. On oath. [french from latin: related to *deposit]
Hives  n.pl. Skin-eruption, esp. Nettle-rash. [origin unknown]




Usage  the use of crucial in sense 2 should be restricted to informal contexts.
Dove  n. 1 bird with short legs, a small head, and a large breast. 2 gentle or innocent person. 3 advocate of peace or peaceful policies. [old norse]

Horn of plenty  n. A cornucopia.

Dead letter  n. Law or practice no longer observed or recognized.



New year's day  n. 1 january.
Weighting  n. Extra allowance paid in special cases.

Facial  —adj. Of or for the face. —n. Beauty treatment for the face.  facially adv.

Sclerosis  n. 1 abnormal hardening of body tissue. 2 (in full multiple or disseminated sclerosis) serious progressive disease of the nervous system.  sclerotic adj. [greek skleros hard]
Sprocket  n. Each of several teeth on a wheel engaging with links of a chain. [origin unknown]
Ra  abbr. 1 a royal academy. B royal academician. 2 royal artillery.

Crane  —n. 1 machine with a long projecting arm for moving heavy objects. 2 tall wading bird with long legs, neck, and bill. —v. (-ning) (also absol.) Stretch out (one's neck) in order to see something. [old english]
Witch-hunt  n. Campaign against persons suspected of unpopular or unorthodox views, esp. Communists.
Wholly  adv. 1 entirely; without limitation. 2 purely.

Asset  n. 1 useful or valuable person or thing. 2 (usu. In pl.) Property and possessions, esp. That can be set against debts etc. [french asez from latin ad satis to enough]
French canadian  n. Canadian whose principal language is french.
Cavil  —v. (-ll-, us -l-) (usu. Foll. By at, about) make petty objections; carp. —n. Petty objection. [latin cavillor]
Manicure   —n. Cosmetic treatment of the hands and fingernails. —v. (-ring) give a manicure to (the hands or a person).  manicurist n. [latin manus hand, cura care]
Rampart  n. 1 a defensive wall with a broad top and usu. A stone parapet. B walkway on top of this. 2 defence, protection. [french remparer fortify]




Stepping-stone  n. 1 large stone in a stream etc. Helping one to cross. 2 means of progress.

Bloodthirsty  adj. (-ier, -iest) eager for bloodshed.
Allergic  adj. 1 (foll. By to) a having an allergy to. B colloq. Having a strong dislike for. 2 caused by an allergy.
Ladle  —n. Deep long-handled spoon used for serving liquids. —v. (-ling) (often foll. By out) transfer (liquid) with a ladle. [old english]
Countermand  —v. 1 revoke (a command). 2 recall by a contrary order. —n. Order revoking a previous one. [latin: related to *mandate]




Trade wind  n. Wind blowing continually towards the equator and deflected westward.
Landing-gear  n. Undercarriage of an aircraft.
Fresher  n. Colloq. First-year student at university or (us) high school.
Unsuitable  adj. Not suitable.  unsuitability n. Unsuitably adv.
Intonation  n. 1 modulation of the voice; accent. 2 intoning. 3 accuracy of musical pitch. [medieval latin: related to *intone]





Bolshie  (also bolshy) slang —adj. (usu. Bolshie) 1 uncooperative; bad-tempered. 2 left-wing. —n. (pl. -ies) bolshevik. [abbreviation]
Augmentative  adj. Augmenting.




Gamma  n. 1 third letter of the greek alphabet (g, g). 2 third-class mark for a piece of work etc. [greek]
Popery  n. Derog. Papal system; roman catholicism.



Chief  —n. 1 a leader or ruler. B head of a tribe, clan, etc. 2 head of a department; highest official. —adj. 1 first in position, importance, influence, etc. 2 prominent, leading. [latin caput head]

Nancy  n. (pl. -ies) (in full nancy boy) slang offens. Effeminate man, esp. A homosexual. [pet form of ann]


Found3  v. 1 a melt and mould (metal). B fuse (materials for glass). 2 make by founding.  founder n. [latin fundo fus- pour]
Chalice  n. 1 goblet. 2 eucharistic cup. [latin *calix]
Stopgap  n. Temporary substitute.
Jerbil  var. Of *gerbil.






Wedge  —n. 1 piece of tapering wood or metal etc. Driven between two objects or parts to secure or separate them. 2 anything resembling a wedge. 3 golf club with a wedge-shaped head. —v. (-ging) 1 secure or fasten with a wedge. 2 force open or apart with a wedge. 3 (foll. By in, into) pack or thrust (a thing or oneself) tightly in or into.  thin end of the wedge colloq. Thing of little importance in itself, but likely to lead to more serious developments. [old english]
Cab  n. 1 taxi. 2 driver's compartment in a lorry, train, or crane etc. [abbreviation of *cabriolet]
Exhibit  —v. (-t-) 1 show or reveal, esp. Publicly. 2 display (a quality etc.). —n. Item displayed, esp. In an exhibition or as evidence in a lawcourt.  exhibitor n. [latin exhibeo -hibit-]
Frigate  n. 1 naval escort-vessel. 2 hist. Warship. [french from italian]
Palpitate  v. (-ting) pulsate, throb, tremble. [latin palpito frequentative of palpo touch gently]
Callus  n. (pl. Calluses) 1 area of hard thick skin or tissue. 2 hard tissue formed round bone ends after a fracture. [latin]



Central bank  n. National bank issuing currency etc.
Indicate  v. (-ting) (often foll. By that) 1 point out; make known. 2 be a sign of; show the presence of. 3 call for; require (stronger measures are indicated). 4 state briefly. 5 give as a reading or measurement. 6 point by hand; use a vehicle's indicator (failed to indicate).  indication n. [latin dico make known]


Bunny  n. (pl. -ies) 1 child's name for a rabbit. 2 (in full bunny girl) club hostess, waitress, etc., wearing rabbit ears and tail. [dial. Bun rabbit]



Gondola  n. 1 light flat-bottomed boat used on venetian canals. 2 car suspended from an airship or balloon, or attached to a ski-lift. [italian]
Consult  v. 1 seek information or advice from. 2 (often foll. By with) refer to a person for advice etc. 3 take into account (feelings, interests, etc.).  consultative adj. [latin consulo consult- take counsel]




Trojan  —adj. Of ancient troy in asia minor. —n. 1 native or inhabitant of troy. 2 person who works, fights, etc. Courageously. [latin troia troy]

Naturalism  n. 1 theory or practice in art and literature of realistic representation. 2 a theory of the world that excludes the supernatural or spiritual. B moral or religious system based on this.  naturalistic adj.

Tea towel  n. Towel for drying washed crockery etc.

Invasive  adj. 1 (of weeds, cancer cells, etc.) Tending to spread. 2 (of surgery) involving large incisions etc. 3 tending to encroach.
Gladiolus  n. (pl. -li) plant of the lily family with sword-shaped leaves and flower-spikes. [latin, diminutive of gladius sword]

Tut-tut  (also tut) —int. Expressing disapproval or impatience. —n. Such an exclamation. —v. (-tt-) exclaim this. [imitative of a click of the tongue]

Wipe  —v. (-ping) 1 clean or dry the surface of by rubbing. 2 rub (a cloth) over a surface. 3 spread (a liquid etc.) Over a surface by rubbing. 4 (often foll. By away, off, etc.) A clear or remove by wiping. B erase or eliminate completely. —n. 1 act of wiping. 2 piece of specially treated material for wiping (antiseptic wipes).  wipe down clean (a wall etc.) By wiping. Wipe the floor with colloq. Inflict a humiliating defeat on. Wipe off annul (a debt etc.). Wipe out 1 destroy, annihilate, obliterate. 2 clean the inside of. Wipe up 1 dry (dishes etc.). 2 take up (a liquid etc.) By wiping. [old english]
Powder  —n. 1 mass of fine dry particles. 2 medicine or cosmetic in this form. 3 = *gunpowder. —v. 1 apply powder to. 2 (esp. As powdered adj.) Reduce to a fine powder (powdered milk).  powdery adj. [latin pulvis -ver- dust]
Paste  —n. 1 any moist fairly stiff mixture, esp. Of powder and liquid. 2 dough of flour with fat, water, etc. 3 liquid adhesive used for sticking paper etc. 4 meat or fish spread (anchovy paste). 5 hard glasslike composition used for imitation gems. —v. (-ting) 1 fasten or coat with paste. 2 slang a beat or thrash. B bomb or bombard heavily.  pasting n. (esp. In sense 2 of v.). [latin pasta lozenge, from greek]
Dunce  n. Person slow at learning; dullard. [duns scotus, name of a philosopher]
Wog  n. Slang offens. Foreigner, esp. A non-white one. [origin unknown]
Jacket  n. 1 a short coat with sleeves. B protective or supporting garment (life-jacket). 2 casing or covering round a boiler etc. 3 = *dust-jacket. 4 skin of a potato. 5 animal's coat. [french]
Afterglow  n. Glow remaining after its source has disappeared.





Quotation marks  n.pl. Inverted commas (‘’ or “ ”) used at the beginning and end of a quotation etc.
Shipload  n. As many goods or passengers as a ship can hold.
Blip  —n. 1 minor deviation or error. 2 quick popping sound. 3 small image on a radar screen. —v. (-pp-) make a blip. [imitative]
Whom  objective case of *who.
Gift  n. 1 thing given; present. 2 natural ability or talent. 3 the power to give (in his gift). 4 giving. 5 colloq. Easy task. [old norse: related to *give]





Decaffeinated  adj. With caffeine removed or reduced.
Araldite  n. Propr. Epoxy resin for mending china etc. [origin unknown]
D1  n. (also d) (pl. Ds or d's) 1 fourth letter of the alphabet. 2 mus. Second note of the diatonic scale of c major. 3 (as a roman numeral) 500. 4 = *dee. 5 fourth highest class or category (of academic marks etc.).
Élite  n. 1 (prec. By the) the best (of a group). 2 select group or class. 3 a size of letters in typewriting (12 per inch). [french: related to *elect]
Right hand  n. = *right-hand man.

Bode  v. (-ding) be a sign of, portend.  bode well (or ill) be a good (or bad) sign. [old english]

Relegate  v. (-ting) 1 consign or dismiss to an inferior position. 2 transfer (a sports team) to a lower division of a league etc. 3 banish.  relegation n. [latin relego send away]
Pea  n. 1 a hardy climbing plant with edible seeds growing in pods. B its seed. 2 similar plant (sweet pea; chick-pea). [from *pease taken as a plural]





Marquetry  n. Inlaid work in wood, ivory, etc. [french: related to *marque]
Sped  past and past part. Of *speed.

-phil  var. Of *-phile.
Alienable  adj. Law able to be transferred to new ownership.
Petty  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 unimportant; trivial. 2 small-minded. 3 minor, inferior, on a small scale. 4 law (of a crime) of lesser importance.  pettily adv. Pettiness n. [french petit small]

Rigour  n. (us rigor) 1 a severity, strictness, harshness. B (in pl.) Harsh measures or conditions. 2 logical exactitude. 3 strict enforcement of rules etc. (utmost rigour of the law). 4 austerity of life. [latin: related to *rigor1]


Pursuance  n. (foll. By of) carrying out or observance (of a plan, idea, etc.).


Cedilla  n. 1 mark written under c, esp. In french, to show it is sibilant (as in façade). 2 similar mark under s in turkish etc. [spanish diminutive of zeda z]


Clasp  —n. 1 device with interlocking parts for fastening. 2 a embrace. B grasp, handshake. 3 bar on a medal-ribbon. —v. 1 fasten with or as with a clasp. 2 a grasp, hold closely. B embrace. [old english]



Unwieldy  adj. (-ier, -iest) cumbersome or hard to manage, owing to size, shape, etc.  unwieldily adv. Unwieldiness n. [wieldy active, from *wield]
Diffract  v. Break up (a beam of light) into a series of dark and light bands or coloured spectra, or (a beam of radiation or particles) into a series of high and low intensities.  diffraction n. Diffractive adj. [latin diffringo: related to *fraction]


Junk2  n. Flat-bottomed sailing-vessel in the china seas. [javanese djong]

Sappy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 full of sap. 2 young and vigorous.
Wasp  n. (also wasp) us usu. Derog. Middle-class american white protestant. [white anglo-saxon protestant]
Retroverted  adj. (of the womb) inclined backwards. [latin: related to *retro-, verto turn]

O'er  adv. & prep. Poet. = *over. [contraction]

Lech  colloq. —v. (often foll. By after) lust. —n. 1 lecherous man. 2 lust. [back-formation from *lecher]

Upsy-daisy  int. (also ups-a-daisy) expressing encouragement to a child who is being lifted or has fallen. [earlier up-a-daisy]

Agnostic  —n. Person who believes that the existence of god is not provable. —adj. Of agnosticism.  agnosticism n. [from *a-, *gnostic]

Background  n. 1 part of a scene or picture furthest from the observer. 2 (often attrib.) Inconspicuous position (kept in the background; background music). 3 person's education, social circumstances, etc. 4 explanatory or contributory information or events.






Herbal  —adj. Of herbs in medicinal and culinary use. —n. Book describing the medicinal and culinary uses of herbs.



Goner  n. Slang person or thing that is doomed or irrevocably lost.
Rigorous  adj. 1 firm; strict, severe. 2 strictly exact or accurate.  rigorously adv. Rigorousness n. [related to *rigour]
Kind-hearted  adj. Of a kind disposition.  kind-heartedly adv. Kind-heartedness n.

Access road  n. Road giving access only to the properties along it.




Discriminate  v. (-ting) 1 (often foll. By between) make or see a distinction. 2 (usu. Foll. By against or in favour of) treat unfavourably or favourably, esp. On the basis of race, gender, etc.  discriminatory adj. [latin discrimino: related to *discern]
Independent  —adj. 1 a (often foll. By of) not depending on authority or control. B self-governing. 2 a not depending on another person for one's opinions or livelihood. B (of income or resources) making it unnecessary to earn one's living. 3 unwilling to be under an obligation to others. 4 acting independently of any political party. 5 not depending on something else for its validity etc. (independent proof). 6 (of broadcasting, a school, etc.) Not supported by public funds. —n. Person who is politically independent.  independence n. Independently adv.

Feasible  adj. Practicable, possible.  feasibility n. Feasibly adv. [latin facio do]
Nursemaid  n. Woman in charge of a child or children.
Shovelboard  n. Game played esp. On a ship's deck by pushing discs over a marked surface.
Lank  adj. 1 (of hair, grass, etc.) Long and limp. 2 thin and tall. [old english]
Suck  —v. 1 draw (a fluid) into the mouth by suction. 2 (also absol.) Draw fluid from (a thing) in this way. 3 roll the tongue round (a sweet etc.). 4 make a sucking action or sound. 5 (usu. Foll. By down, in) engulf or drown in a sucking movement. —n. Act or period of sucking.  suck dry exhaust the contents of by sucking. Suck in 1 absorb. 2 involve (a person) esp. Against his or her will. Suck up 1 (often foll. By to) colloq. Behave obsequiously. 2 absorb. [old english]
Stela  n. (pl. Stelae) (also stele) archaeol. Upright slab or pillar usu. Inscribed and sculpted, esp. As a gravestone. [latin and greek]
Explosive  —adj. 1 able, tending, likely to explode. 2 likely to cause a violent outburst etc.; dangerously tense. —n. Explosive substance.  explosiveness n.
Unsinkable  adj. Unable to be sunk.
Deft  adj. Neat; dexterous; adroit.  deftly adv. Deftness n. [var. Of *daft = ‘meek’]
Court order  n. Direction issued by a court or judge.
Open college  n. College offering training and vocational courses mainly by correspondence.

Lamb  —n. 1 young sheep. 2 its flesh as food. 3 mild, gentle, or kind person. —v. Give birth to lambs.  the lamb (or lamb of god) name for christ. [old english]
Whitewood  n. Pale wood, esp. Prepared for staining etc.


Pride  —n. 1 a elation or satisfaction at one's achievements, qualities, possessions, etc. B object of this feeling; the flower or best. 2 high or overbearing opinion of one's worth or importance. 3 (in full proper pride) proper sense of what befits one's position; self-respect. 4 group (of certain animals, esp. Lions). 5 best condition, prime. —v.refl. (-ding) (foll. By on, upon) be proud of.  take pride (or a pride) in 1 be proud of. 2 maintain in good condition or appearance. [old english: related to *proud]
Tolerate  v. (-ting) 1 allow the existence or occurrence of without authoritative interference. 2 endure (suffering etc.). 3 find or treat as endurable. 4 be able to take or undergo (drugs, treatment, etc.) Without adverse effects. [latin tolero]
Sanitation  n. 1 sanitary conditions. 2 maintenance etc. Of these. 3 disposal of sewage and refuse etc.


Moon-face  n. Round face.

Community service  n. Unpaid work in the community, esp. By an offender.
Health farm  n. Establishment offering improved health by a regime of dieting, exercise, etc.
Cracker  n. 1 paper cylinder pulled apart, esp. At christmas, with a sharp noise and releasing a hat, joke, etc. 2 loud firework. 3 (usu. In pl.) Instrument for cracking. 4 thin dry savoury biscuit. 5 slang attractive or admirable person. 6 us biscuit.
Pope  n. (also pope) head of the roman catholic church (the pope; we have a new pope). [greek papas patriarch]













Flotsam  n. Wreckage found floating. [anglo-french: related to *float]
Companionable  adj. Sociable, friendly.  companionably adv.

Registrar  n. 1 official responsible for keeping a register. 2 chief administrator in a university, college, etc. 3 hospital doctor training as a specialist. [medieval latin: related to *register]

Grouch  colloq. —v. Grumble. —n. 1 discontented person. 2 fit of grumbling or the sulks.  grouchy adj. (-ier, -iest). [related to *grudge]
Rev.  Abbr. Reverend.
Archaism  n. 1 use of the archaic esp. In language or art. 2 archaic word or expression.  archaistic adj.


Cul-de-sac  n. (pl. Culs-de-sac pronunc. Same, or cul-de-sacs) 1 road etc. With a dead end. 2 futile course. [french, = sack-bottom]




Promulgate  v. (-ting) 1 make known to the public; disseminate; promote. 2 proclaim (a decree, news, etc.).  promulgation n. Promulgator n. [latin]

Resold  past and past part. Of *resell.
Accessible  adj. (often foll. By to) 1 reachable or obtainable; readily available. 2 easy to understand.  accessibility n.

Conformable  adj. 1 (often foll. By to) similar. 2 (often foll. By with) consistent. 3 (often foll. By to) adaptable.
Ménage à trois  n. (pl. Ménages à trois) household of three, usu. A married couple and a lover. [french, = household of three]


Cane  —n. 1 a hollow jointed stem of giant reeds or grasses. B solid stem of slender palms. 2 = *sugar cane. 3 cane used for wickerwork etc. 4 cane used as a walking-stick, plant support, for punishment, etc. —v. (-ning) 1 beat with a cane. 2 weave cane into (a chair etc.). [greek kanna reed]
Feudal  adj. 1 of, like, or according to the feudal system. 2 reactionary (feudal attitude).  feudalism n. Feudalistic adj.




Claymore  n. Hist. Scottish two-edged broadsword. [gaelic, = great sword]

Need  —v. 1 stand in want of; require. 2 (foll. By to + infin.; 3rd sing. Present neg. Or interrog. Need without to) be under the necessity or obligation (needs to be done well; he need not come; need you ask?). —n. 1 requirement (my needs are few). 2 circumstances requiring some course of action (no need to worry; if need be).

Teleology  n. (pl. -ies) philos. 1 explanation of phenomena by the purpose they serve. 2 theol. Doctrine of design and purpose in the material world.  teleological adj. [greek telos end]




Notion  n. 1 a concept or idea; conception. B opinion. C vague view or understanding. 2 inclination or intention. [latin notio: related to *notify]

Left2  past and past part. Of *leave1.



Maintopmast  n. Mast above the head of the lower mainmast.

Self-catering  adj. (of a holiday, accommodation etc.) With cooking facilities provided, but no food.

Rebind  v. (past and past part. Rebound) bind (esp. A book) again or differently.
Stonewashed  adj. (esp. Of denim) washed with abrasives to give a worn or faded look.
Crow's-foot  n. Wrinkle near the eye.
Untidy  adj. (-ier, -iest) not neat or orderly.  untidily adv. Untidiness n.

Subscriber trunk dialling  n. Automatic connection of trunk calls by dialling.
Remote control  n. 1 control of an apparatus from a distance by means of signals transmitted from a radio or electronic device. 2 such a device.
Elude  v. (-ding) 1 escape adroitly from (danger, pursuit, etc.). 2 avoid compliance with (a law etc.) Or fulfilment of (an obligation). 3 baffle (a person or memory etc.).  elusion n. [latin ludo play]
Whelp  —n. 1 young dog; puppy. 2 archaic cub. 3 ill-mannered child or youth. —v. (also absol.) Give birth to (a whelp or whelps or (derog.) A child). [old english]

Artificer  n. 1 craftsman. 2 skilled military mechanic.
Wine list  n. List of wines available in a restaurant etc.
Weight training  n. Physical training using weights.
Zip  —n. 1 light fast sound. 2 energy, vigour. 3  a (in full zip-fastener) fastening device of two flexible strips with interlocking projections, closed or opened by sliding a clip along them. B (attrib.) Having a zip-fastener (zip bag). —v. (-pp-) 1 (often foll. By up) fasten with a zip-fastener. 2 move with zip or at high speed. [imitative]

Abysmal  adj. 1 colloq. Extremely bad (abysmal food). 2 profound, utter (abysmal ignorance).  abysmally adv. [latin: related to *abyss]


Hell for leather  adv. At full speed.
Unyielding  adj. 1 not yielding. 2 firm, obstinate.



Scorcher  n. Colloq. Very hot day.

South  —n. 1 point of the horizon 90° clockwise from east. 2 compass point corresponding to this. 3 direction in which this lies. 4 (usu. The south) part of the world, a country, or a town to the south. —adj. 1 towards, at, near, or facing the south. 2 from the south (south wind). —adv. 1 towards, at, or near the south. 2 (foll. By of) further south than.  to the south (often foll. By of) in a southerly direction. [old english]
Swipe  colloq. —v. (-ping) 1 (often foll. By at) hit hard and recklessly. 2 steal. —n. Reckless hard hit or attempted hit. [perhaps var. Of *sweep]

Eulogize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) praise in speech or writing.  eulogistic adj.
Pyrrhic  adj. (of a victory) won at too great a cost. [pyrrhus of epirus, who defeated the romans in 279 bc, but suffered heavy losses]



Oversleep  v. (past and past part. -slept) sleep beyond the intended time of waking.



Jealous  adj. 1 resentful of rivalry in love. 2 (often foll. By of) envious (of a person etc.). 3 (often foll. By of) fiercely protective (of rights etc.). 4 (of god) intolerant of disloyalty. 5 (of inquiry, supervision, etc.) Vigilant.  jealously adv. [medieval latin zelosus: related to *zeal]

Bowl2  —n. 1 hard heavy ball, made with a bias to run in a curve. 2 (in pl.; usu. Treated as sing.) Game played with these on grass. 3 spell or turn of bowling in cricket. —v. 1 a roll (a ball etc.). B play bowls. 2 (also absol.) Cricket etc. A deliver (a ball, over, etc.). B (often foll. By out) dismiss (a batsman) by knocking down the wicket with a ball. 3 (often foll. By along) go along rapidly.  bowl out cricket etc. Dismiss (a batsman or a side). Bowl over 1 knock down. 2 colloq. Impress greatly, overwhelm. [latin bulla bubble]
Engine  n. 1 mechanical contrivance of parts working together, esp. As a source of power (steam engine). 2 a railway locomotive. B = *fire-engine. [latin ingenium device]
Overprint  —v. Print over (a surface already printed). —n. Words etc. Overprinted.
Skulk  v. Move stealthily; lurk, hide. [scandinavian]
Sulfa  n. (brit. Sulpha) any of various sulphonamides (often attrib.: sulpha drug). [abbreviation]
Microfilm  —n. Length of film bearing microphotographs of documents etc. —v. Photograph on microfilm.

Revolve  v. (-ving) 1 (cause to) turn round, esp. On an axis; rotate. 2 move in a circular orbit. 3 ponder (a problem etc.) In the mind. 4 (foll. By around) have as its chief concern; be centred upon (his life revolves around his job). [latin revolvo -volut-]
Zeugma  n. Figure of speech using a verb or adjective with two nouns, to one of which it is strictly applicable while the word appropriate to the other is not used (e.g. With weeping eyes and [sc. Grieving] hearts) (cf. *syllepsis). [greek, = a yoking, from zugon yoke]
Unobtainable  adj. That cannot be obtained.


Terminable  adj. Able to be terminated.
Clipping  n. Piece clipped, esp. From a newspaper.
Unlicensed  adj. Not licensed, esp. To sell alcohol.
It  pron. (poss. Its; pl. They) 1 thing (or occasionally an animal or child) previously named or in question (took a stone and threw it). 2 person in question (who is it? It is i). 3 as the subject of an impersonal verb (it is raining; it is winter; it is two miles to bath). 4 as a substitute for a deferred subject or object (it is silly to talk like that; i take it that you agree). 5 as a substitute for a vague object (brazen it out). 6 as the antecedent to a relative word or clause (it was an owl that i heard). 7 exactly what is needed. 8 extreme limit of achievement. 9 colloq. A sexual intercourse. B sex appeal. 10 (in children's games) player who has to perform a required feat.  that's it colloq. That is: 1 what is required. 2 the difficulty. 3 the end, enough. [old english]

Symposium  n. (pl. -sia) 1 conference, or collection of essays, on a particular subject. 2 philosophical or other friendly discussion. [greek sumpotes fellow-drinker]
Pariah  n. 1 social outcast. 2 hist. Member of a low caste or of no caste in s. India. [tamil]

Boil2  n. Inflamed pus-filled swelling under the skin. [old english]
Electromagnetic  adj. Having both electrical and magnetic properties.  electromagnetically adv.

Crabby  adj. (-ier, -iest) irritable, morose.  crabbily adv. Crabbiness n.



R & b  abbr. Rhythm and blues.

Society of jesus  see *jesuit.
Crash2  n. Coarse plain fabric of linen, cotton, etc. [russian]

John  n. Us slang lavatory. [from the name john]

Estate duty  n. Hist. Death duty.

Storied  adj. Literary celebrated in or associated with stories or legends.








Fawn2  v. 1 (often foll. By on, upon) behave servilely, cringe. 2 (of esp. A dog) show extreme affection. [old english]
Stomach upset  n. Temporary digestive disorder.

Fish cake  n. Breaded cake of fish and mashed potato, usu. Fried.


Underside  n. Lower or under side or surface.


Smarmy  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Ingratiating.  smarmily adv. Smarminess n.

Leather-jacket  n. Crane-fly grub with a tough skin.


Watchdog  n. 1 dog guarding property etc. 2 person or body monitoring others' rights etc.

Higher animal  n. (also higher plant) animal or plant evolved to a high degree.

Iguana  n. Large american, w. Indian, or pacific lizard with a dorsal crest. [spanish from carib iwana]

Phantasm  n. Illusion, phantom.  phantasmal adj. [latin: related to *phantom]

Rhs  abbr. Royal horticultural society.

Set theory  n. The study or use of sets in mathematics.

Ransom  —n. 1 money demanded or paid for the release of a prisoner. 2 liberation of a prisoner in return for this. —v. 1 buy the freedom or restoration of; redeem. 2 = hold to ransom (see *hold1). 3 release for a ransom. [latin: related to *redemption]
Bastard  often offens. —n. 1 person born of an unmarried mother. 2 slang a unpleasant or despicable person. B person of a specified kind (poor, lucky, bastard). 3 slang difficult or awkward thing. —attrib. Adj. 1 illegitimate by birth. 2 unauthorized, counterfeit, hybrid.  bastardy n. (in sense 1 of n.). [french from medieval latin]
Skeptic  n. (brit. Sceptic) 1 person inclined to doubt accepted opinions. 2 person who doubts the truth of religions. 3 philosopher who questions the possibility of knowledge.  scepticism n. [greek skeptomai observe]

Statistic  n.  Statistical fact or item. [german: related to *state]
Marked  adj. 1 having a visible mark. 2 clearly noticeable (marked difference). 3 (of playing-cards) marked on their backs to assist cheating.  markedly adv.



Surfboard  n. Long narrow board used in surfing.
Culprit  n. Guilty person. [perhaps from anglo-french culpable: see *culpable]



Stitch in time  n. Timely remedy.
Unsaddle  v. (-ling) 1 remove the saddle from. 2 unhorse.

Alongside  —adv. At or to the side. —prep. Close to the side of.
Arbitrate  v. (-ting) decide by arbitration.

Bluestocking  n. Usu. Derog. Intellectual or literary woman. [18th-c. Blue stocking society]

Mahonia  n. Evergreen shrub with yellow bell-shaped flowers. [french or spanish]

Duration  n. 1 time taken by an event. 2 specified length of time (duration of a minute).  for the duration 1 until the end of an event. 2 for a very long time. [medieval latin: related to *durable]

Deer  n. (pl. Same) four-hoofed grazing animal, the male of which usu. Has antlers. [old english]


Extinguish  v. 1 cause (a flame, light, etc.) To die out. 2 destroy. 3 terminate. 4 wipe out (a debt).  extinguishable adj.

Pibroch  n. Martial or funerary bagpipe music. [gaelic]


Mohammedan  var. Of *muhammadan.

Paragon  n. (often foll. By of) model of excellence etc. [greek parakone]
X 
Decelerate  v. (-ting) (cause to) reduce speed.  deceleration n. [from *de-, *accelerate]
Quintuplicate  —adj. 1 fivefold. 2 of which five copies are made. —v. (-ting) multiply by five.







Razzmatazz  n. Colloq. 1 glamorous excitement, bustle. 2 spree. 3 insincere actions. [probably an alteration of *razzle-dazzle]
Flemish  —adj. Of flanders. —n. Language of the flemings. [dutch]
Unbidden  adj. Not commanded or invited (arrived unbidden).

Space invaders  n.pl. Computer game in which players combat aliens.


Kidney machine  n. Machine able to take over the function of a damaged kidney.
Conclusion  n. 1 ending, end. 2 judgement reached by reasoning. 3 summing-up. 4 settling (of peace etc.). 5 logic proposition reached from given premisses.  in conclusion lastly, to conclude. [latin: related to *conclude]
Least  —adj. 1 smallest, slightest. 2 (of a species etc.) Very small. —n. The least amount. —adv. In the least degree.  at least 1 at any rate. 2 (also at the least) not less than. In the least (or the least) (usu. With neg.) At all (not in the least offended). To say the least putting the case moderately. [old english, superlative of *less]


Celluloid  n. 1 plastic made from camphor and cellulose nitrate. 2 cinema film.
Obstinate  adj. 1 stubborn, intractable. 2 firmly continuing in one's action or opinion despite advice.  obstinacy n. Obstinately adv. [latin obstino persist]


Antirrhinum  n. Plant with two-lipped flowers, esp. The snapdragon. [greek, = snout]
Measureless  adj. Not measurable; infinite.
Seating  n. 1 seats collectively. 2 sitting accommodation.
Ground elder  n. Garden weed spreading by means of underground stems.
Anhydrous  adj. Chem. Without water, esp. Water of crystallization. [greek an- without, hudor water]
 
Duologue  n. Dialogue between two people. [from *duo, *monologue]
Stolen  past part. Of *steal.



Prokaryote  n. Organism in which the chromosomes are not separated from the cytoplasm by a membrane; bacterium. [from *pro-2, karyo- from greek karuon kernel, -ote as in *zygote]

Thermal  —adj. 1 of, for, or producing heat. 2 promoting the retention of heat (thermal underwear). —n. Rising current of warm air (used by gliders etc. To gain height).  thermally adv. [french: related to *therm]
Davy  n. (pl. -ies) (in full davy lamp) miner's safety lamp. [name of its inventor]
Counter-tenor  n. 1 male alto singing-voice. 2 singer with this voice. [italian: related to *contra-]
Dower house  n. Smaller house near a big one, as part of a widow's dower.


Cope2  —n. Priest's long cloaklike vestment. —v. (-ping) cover with a cope or coping. [latin cappa *cap]

Conurbation  n. Extended urban area, esp. Consisting of several towns and merging suburbs. [latin urbs city]


Woodman  n. Forester.


Plangent  adj. Literary 1 loud and reverberating. 2 plaintive. [latin: related to *plaint]


Scaffolding  n. 1 a temporary structure of poles, planks, etc., for building work. B materials for this. 2 any temporary framework.
Hanger-on  n. (pl. Hangers-on) follower or dependant, esp. An unwelcome one.
Polyanthus  n. (pl. -thuses) flowering plant cultivated from hybridized primulas. [greek anthos flower]

Challenge  —n. 1 summons to take part in a contest etc. Or to prove or justify something. 2 demanding or difficult task. 3 objection made to a jury member. 4 call to respond. —v. (-ging) 1 issue a challenge to. 2 dispute, deny. 3 (as challenging adj.) Stimulatingly difficult. 4 object to (a jury member, evidence, etc.).  challenger n. [latin calumnia calumny]


Aspersion  n.  cast aspersions on attack the reputation of. [latin aspergo besprinkle]



Examine  v. (-ning) 1 inquire into the nature or condition etc. Of. 2 look closely at. 3 test the proficiency of. 4 check the health of (a patient). 5 formally question in court.  examinee n. Examiner n. [latin examen tongue of a balance]

Vocalize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 form (a sound) or utter (a word) with the voice. 2 articulate, express.  vocalization n.

Ave  n. (in full ave maria) prayer to the virgin mary (luke 1:28). [latin]

Cognition  n. 1 knowing, perceiving, or conceiving as an act or faculty distinct from emotion and volition. 2 result of this.  cognitional adj. Cognitive adj. [latin cognitio: related to *cognizance]
Yachtsman  n. (fem. Yachtswoman) person who sails yachts.
Threescore  n. & adj. Archaic sixty.
Dedication  n. 1 dedicating or being dedicated. 2 words with which a book etc. Is dedicated. [latin: related to *dedicate]
Cylinder  n. 1 uniform solid or hollow body with straight sides and a circular section. 2 thing of this shape, e.g. A container for liquefied gas, a piston-chamber in an engine.  cylindrical adj. [latin cylindrus from greek]
Usage  sign language is the preferred term in official use.
Send-off  n. Party etc. At the departure of a person, start of a project, etc.

Pea green  adj. & n. (as adj. Often hyphenated) bright green.


Family credit  n. (also family income supplement) regular state payment to a low-income family.
Hecto-  comb. Form hundred. [greek hekaton]



Languish  v. Lose or lack vitality.  languish for droop or pine for. Languish under suffer under (depression, confinement, etc.). [latin langueo]


Compendium  n. (pl. -s or -dia) 1 concise summary or abridgement. 2 collection of table-games etc. [latin]

Bobbin  n. Spool or reel for thread etc. [french]
Pensioner  n. Recipient of a pension, esp. The retirement pension. [french: related to *pension1]



Centrifuge  n. Rapidly rotating machine designed to separate liquids from solids etc.
Valence2  var. Of *valance.

Ytterbium  n. Metallic element of the lanthanide series. [ytterby in sweden]
Fire-lighter  n. Inflammable material used to start a fire in a grate.
Concerned  adj. 1 involved, interested. 2 troubled, anxious.  be concerned (often foll. By in) take part.  concernedly adv. Concernedness n.

Halftone  n. Photographic illustration in which various tones of grey are produced from small and large black dots.

Trendy  colloq.; often derog. —adj. (-ier, -iest) fashionable. —n. (pl. -ies) fashionable person.  trendily adv. Trendiness n.

Gee2  int. (usu. Foll. By up) command to a horse etc. To start or go faster. [origin unknown]
Meant  past and past part. Of *mean1.

Analogize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) use, or represent or explain by, analogy.
Coir  n. Coconut fibre used for ropes, matting, etc. [malayalam kayar cord]
Grotesque  —adj. 1 comically or repulsively distorted. 2 incongruous, absurd. —n. 1 decorative form interweaving human and animal features. 2 comically distorted figure or design.  grotesquely adv. Grotesqueness n. [italian: related to *grotto]
Gatecrasher  n. Uninvited guest at a party etc.  gatecrash v.

Trawl  —v. 1 fish with a trawl or seine. 2 a catch by trawling. B (often foll. By through) search thoroughly (trawled her memory for their names). —n. 1 act of trawling. 2 (in full trawl-net) large wide-mouthed fishing-net dragged by a boat along the sea bottom. [probably dutch traghel drag-net]

Madman  n. Man who is mad.
Esp  abbr. Extrasensory perception.
Multiplier  n. Quantity by which a given number is multiplied.
Intuition  n. Immediate insight or understanding without conscious reasoning.  intuit v. Intuitional adj. [latin tueor tuit- look]
Grocer  n. Dealer in food and household provisions. [anglo-french grosser from latin grossus *gross]
An  see *a1.
Exponent  n. 1 person who promotes an idea etc. 2 practitioner of an activity, profession, etc. 3 person who explains or interprets something. 4 type or representative. 5 raised symbol beside a numeral indicating how many of the number are to be multiplied together (e.g. 23 = 2 x 2 x 2). [latin expono *expound]
Muff2  v. Colloq. 1 bungle. 2 miss (a catch, ball, etc.). [origin unknown]

Lour  v. (also lower) 1 frown; look sullen. 2 (of the sky etc.) Look dark and threatening. [origin unknown]
Crate  —n. 1 slatted wooden case etc. For conveying esp. Fragile goods. 2 slang old aircraft or other vehicle. —v. (-ting) pack in a crate. [perhaps from dutch]

Unsay  v. (past and past part. Unsaid) retract (a statement).
Aphis  n. (pl. Aphides) aphid. [invented by linnaeus: perhaps a misreading of greek koris bug]


Quarantine  —n. 1 isolation imposed on persons or animals to prevent infection or contagion. 2 period of this. —v. (-ning) put in quarantine. [italian quaranta forty]
Snore  —n. Snorting or grunting sound of breathing during sleep. —v. (-ring) make this sound. [imitative]

Unimpressive  adj. Not impressive.

Triassic  geol. —adj. Of the earliest period of the mesozoic era. —n. This period. [related to *triad]
Warm-blooded  adj. 1 having blood temperature well above that of the environment. 2 ardent.

Tumid  adj. 1 swollen, inflated. 2 (of style etc.) Inflated, bombastic.  tumidity n.
Antilog  n. Colloq. = *antilogarithm. [abbreviation]

Lady-killer  n. Habitual seducer of women.
Sadism  n. 1 colloq. Enjoyment of cruelty to others. 2 sexual perversion characterized by this.  sadist n. Sadistic adj. Sadistically adv. [de sade, name of an author]




Venerable  adj. 1 entitled to deep respect on account of character, age, associations, etc. (venerable priest; venerable relics). 2 title of an archdeacon in the church of england. [latin: related to *venerate]
Prickly pear  n. 1 cactus with pear-shaped prickly fruit. 2 its fruit.

Auscultation  n. Listening, esp. To sounds from the heart, lungs, etc., for purposes of diagnosis. [latin ausculto listen]
Groin  n. (brit. Groyne) timber, stone, or concrete wall built at right angles to the coast to check beach erosion. [dial. Groin snout, from french]






Butt4  n. Cask. [latin buttis]

Allergy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 adverse reaction to certain substances, esp. Particular foods, pollen, fur, or dust. 2 colloq. Antipathy. [greek allos other]
Standard lamp  n. Lamp on a tall upright with a base.
Nothing  —n. 1 not anything (nothing has been done). 2 no thing (often foll. By compl.: i see nothing that i want). 3 person or thing of no importance. 4 non-existence; what does not exist. 5 no amount; nought. —adv. Not at all, in no way.  be (or have) nothing to do with 1 have no connection with. 2 not be involved or associated with. For nothing 1 at no cost. 2 to no purpose. Have nothing on 1 be naked. 2 have no engagements. Nothing doing colloq. 1 no prospect of success or agreement. 2 i refuse. [old english: related to *no1, *thing]
Cyanogen  n. Highly poisonous gas used in fertilizers.
Wych-  comb. Form in names of trees with pliant branches (wych-alder; wych-elm). [old english, = bending]
Adder  n. Small venomous snake, esp. The common viper. [old english, originally nadder]

Carcinoma  n. (pl. -s or -mata) cancerous tumour. [greek karkinos crab]

Fire-brick  n. Fireproof brick in a grate.




Ultrasonics  n.pl. (usu. Treated as sing.) Science of ultrasonic waves.
Antimony  n. Brittle silvery metallic element used esp. In alloys. [medieval latin]
Manor  n. 1 (also manor-house) large country house with lands. 2 hist. Feudal lordship over lands. 3 slang district covered by a police station.  manorial adj. [latin maneo remain]
Follower  n. 1 supporter or devotee. 2 person who follows.
Might-have-been  n. Colloq. 1 past possibility that no longer applies. 2 person of unfulfilled promise.
Airborne  adj. 1 transported by air. 2 (of aircraft) in the air after taking off.


Low-class  adj. Of low quality or social class.
Spectre  n. (us specter) 1 ghost. 2 haunting presentiment (spectre of war). [latin spectrum from specio look]


Gale  n. 1 very strong wind or storm. 2 outburst, esp. Of laughter. [origin unknown]

Connector  n. Thing that connects.

Idiom  n. 1 phrase etc. Established by usage and not immediately comprehensible from the words used (e.g. Over the moon, see the light). 2 form of expression peculiar to a language etc. 3 language of a people or country. 4 characteristic mode of expression in art etc. [greek idios own]

Squadron leader  n. Commander of an raf squadron, next below wing commander.
Rabid  adj. 1 affected with rabies, mad. 2 violent, fanatical.  rabidity n. [latin rabio rave]
Forty winks  n. Colloq. Short sleep.
Usage  strictly speaking, since the first century ran from the year 1 to 100, the first year of a given century should be that ending in 01. However, in popular use this has been moved back a year, and so the twenty-first century will commonly be regarded as running from 2000–2099.


Doubtful  adj. 1 feeling doubt. 2 causing doubt. 3 unreliable.  doubtfully adv. Doubtfulness n.

Sexual  adj. Of sex, the sexes, or relations between them.  sexuality n. Sexually adv.
Collar-bone  n. Bone joining the breastbone and shoulder-blade.


Flying boat  n. Boatlike seaplane.


Mutinous  adj. Rebellious; ready to mutiny.  mutinously adv.



Twiddle  —v. (-ling) twirl, adjust, or play randomly or idly. —n. Act of twiddling.  twiddle one's thumbs 1 make them rotate round each other. 2 have nothing to do.  twiddly adj. [probably imitative]



Radiation sickness  n. Sickness caused by exposure to radiation, such as gamma rays.
Foresight  n. 1 regard or provision for the future. 2 foreseeing. 3 front sight of a gun.

Electroscope  n. Instrument for detecting and measuring electricity, esp. As an indication of the ionization of air by radioactivity.  electroscopic adj.

Poncho  n. (pl. -s) cloak of a usu. Blanket-like piece of cloth with a slit in the middle for the head. [south american spanish]


Batter1  v. 1 a strike hard and repeatedly. B (often foll. By against, at, etc.) Pound insistently (batter at the door). 2 (often in passive) a subject to long-term violence (battered baby, wife). B criticize severely.  batterer n. [french battre beat: related to *battle]

Redolent  adj. 1 (foll. By of, with) strongly reminiscent, suggestive, or smelling. 2 fragrant.  redolence n. [latin oleo smell]
Aqualung  n. Portable breathing-apparatus for divers. [latin aqua water]

Resentful  adj. Feeling resentment.  resentfully adv.


Heck  int. Colloq. Mild exclamation of surprise or dismay. [a form of *hell]

Ring-binder  n. Loose-leaf binder with ring-shaped clasps.
Gasman  n. Man who installs or services gas appliances, or reads gas meters.



Quaker  n. Member of the society of friends.  quakerism n.
Twig1  n. Very small thin branch of a tree or shrub.  twiggy adj. [old english]

Confide  v. (-ding) 1 (foll. By in) talk confidentially to. 2 (usu. Foll. By to) tell (a secret etc.) In confidence. 3 (foll. By to) entrust (an object of care, a task, etc.) To. [latin confido trust]
Demijohn  n. Large bottle usu. In a wicker cover. [french]

Keyboard  —n. 1 set of keys on a typewriter, computer, piano, etc. 2 electronic musical instrument with keys arranged as on a piano. —v. Enter (data) by means of a keyboard.  keyboarder n. (in sense 1 of n.). Keyboardist n. (in sense 2 of n.).

Pps  abbr. 1 parliamentary private secretary. 2 additional postscript. [sense 2 from post-postscript]
Private member's bill  n. Bill introduced by a private member, not part of government legislation.

Congruent  adj. 1 (often foll. By with) suitable, agreeing. 2 geom. (of figures) coinciding exactly when superimposed.  congruence n. Congruency n. [latin congruo agree]

Car bomb  n. Terrorist bomb placed in or under a parked car.
Hot stuff  n. Colloq. 1 formidably capable or important person or thing. 2 sexually attractive person. 3 erotic book, film, etc.

-esque  suffix forming adjectives meaning ‘in the style of’ or ‘resembling’ (kafkaesque). [french from latin -iscus]
Tam-tam  n. Large metal gong. [hindi]

Trouble  —n. 1 difficulty or distress; vexation, affliction (had trouble with my car). 2 a inconvenience; unpleasant exertion; bother. B cause of this (she was no trouble). 3 perceived failing (the trouble with me is that i can't say no). 4 dysfunction (kidney trouble; engine trouble). 5 a disturbance (crowd trouble; don't want any trouble). B (in pl.) Political or social unrest, public disturbances, esp. (the troubles) in n. Ireland. —v. (-ling) 1 cause distress or anxiety to; disturb. 2 be disturbed or worried (don't trouble about it). 3 afflict; cause pain etc. To. 4 (often refl.) Subject or be subjected to inconvenience or unpleasant exertion (sorry to trouble you; don't trouble yourself).  ask (or look) for trouble colloq. Invite trouble by one's actions, behaviour, etc.; be rash or indiscreet. In trouble 1 involved in a matter likely to bring censure or punishment. 2 colloq. Pregnant while unmarried. [latin: related to *turbid]
Iffy  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Uncertain; dubious.

Lush1  adj. 1 (of vegetation) luxuriant and succulent. 2 luxurious. 3 slang excellent. [origin uncertain]




Autumn  n. 1 (often attrib.) Season between summer and winter. 2 time of incipient decline.  autumnal adj. [latin autumnus]
Overall  —attrib. Adj. 1 total, inclusive of all (overall cost). 2 taking everything into account, general (overall improvement). —adv. 1 including everything (cost £50 overall). 2 on the whole, generally (did well overall). —n. 1 protective outer garment. 2 (in pl.) Protective outer trousers or suit.


Do1  —v. (3 sing. Pres. Does; past did; past part. Done; pres. Part. Doing) 1 perform, carry out, achieve, complete (work etc.) (did his homework; a lot to do). 2 produce, make, provide (doing a painting; we do lunches). 3 grant; impart (does you good; do me a favour). 4 act, behave, proceed (do as i do; would do well to wait). 5 work at (do carpentry; do chemistry). 6 be suitable or acceptable; satisfy (will never do; will do me nicely). 7 deal with; attend to (do one's hair). 8 fare; get on (did badly in the test). 9 solve; work out (did the sum). 10 a traverse (a certain distance) (did 50 miles today). B travel at a specified speed (was doing eighty). 11 colloq. Act or behave like; play the part of. 12 produce (a play, opera, etc.) (will do shakespeare). 13 a colloq. Finish (i've done in the garden). B (as done adj.) Be finished (day is done). 14 cook, esp. Completely (do it in the oven; potatoes aren't done). 15 be in progress (what's doing?). 16 colloq. Visit (did the museums). 17 colloq. A (often as done adj.) Exhaust; tire out. B defeat, kill, ruin. 18 (foll. By into) translate or transform. 19 colloq. Cater for (they do one very well here). 20 slang a rob (did a big bank). B swindle. 21 slang prosecute, convict (done for shoplifting). 22 slang undergo (a term of imprisonment). 23 slang take (an illegal drug). —v.aux. 1 in questions and negative statements or commands (do you understand?; i don't smoke; don't be silly). 2 ellipt. Or in place of a verb (you know her better than i do; i wanted to go and i did; tell me, do!). 3 for emphasis (i do want to; do tell me; they did go). 4 in inversion (rarely does it happen). —n. (pl. Dos or do's) colloq. Elaborate party, operation, etc.  be done with see *done. Be nothing to do with 1 be no business of. 2 be unconnected with. Be to do with be concerned or connected with. Do away with colloq. 1 get rid of; abolish. 2 kill. Do down colloq. 1 cheat, swindle. 2 overcome. Do for 1 be satisfactory or sufficient for. 2 colloq. (esp. As done for adj.) Destroy, ruin, kill. 3 colloq. Act as cleaner etc. For. Do in 1 slang a kill. B ruin. 2 colloq. Exhaust, tire out. Do justice to see *justice. Do nothing for (or to) colloq. Not flatter or enhance. Do or die persist recklessly. Do out colloq. Clean or redecorate (a room). Do a person out of colloq. Cheat of. Do over 1 slang attack; beat up. 2 colloq. Redecorate, refurbish. Do proud see *proud. Dos and don'ts rules of behaviour. Do something for (or to) colloq. Enhance the appearance or quality of. Do up 1 fasten. 2 colloq. A refurbish, renovate. B adorn, dress up. Do with (prec. By could) would be glad of; would profit by (could do with a rest). Do without manage without; forgo.
Decoction  n. 1 boiling down to extract an essence. 2 the resulting liquid. [latin coquo boil]




Scansion  n. Metrical scanning of verse. [latin: related to *scan]
Blanch  v. 1 make or become white or pale. 2 a peel (almonds etc.) By scalding. B immerse (vegetables etc.) Briefly in boiling water. 3 whiten (a plant) by depriving it of light. [french: related to *blank]



Mark2  n. = *deutschmark. [german]
High and mighty  adj. Colloq. Arrogant.




Gold-rush  n. Rush to a newly-discovered gold-field.




Spongy  adj. (-ier, -iest) like a sponge, porous, elastic, absorbent.  sponginess n.
Braggart  —n. Boastful person. —adj. Boastful.

Gill2  n. Unit of liquid measure equal to 1/4 pint. [french]

Adjure  v. (-ring) (usu. Foll. By to + infin.) Beg or command.  adjuration n. [latin adjuro put to oath: related to *jury]



Surreal  adj. Unreal; dreamlike; bizarre. [back-formation from *surrealism]


Aspire  v. (-ring) (usu. Foll. By to or after, or to + infin.) Have ambition or a strong desire. [latin aspiro breathe upon]




Lowland  —n. (usu. In pl.) Low-lying country. —adj. Of or in lowland.  lowlander n.
Pay-off  n. Slang 1 payment. 2 climax. 3 final reckoning.

Sight  —n. 1 a faculty of seeing. B act of seeing or being seen. 2 thing seen. 3 opinion (in my sight). 4 range of vision (out of sight). 5 (usu. In pl.) Noteworthy features of a town etc. 6 a device on a gun, telescope, etc., for assisting aim or observation. B aim or observation so gained. 7 colloq. Unsightly person or thing (looked a sight). 8 colloq. Great deal (a sight too clever). —v. 1 get sight of, observe the presence of (they sighted land). 2 aim (a gun etc.) With a sight.  at first sight on first glimpse or impression. At (or on) sight as soon as a person or a thing has been seen. Catch (or lose) sight of begin (or cease) to see or be aware of. In sight 1 visible. 2 near at hand. Set one's sights on aim at. [old english: related to *see1]


Bd  abbr. Bachelor of divinity.

Usage  the use of ain't is usually regarded as unacceptable in spoken and written english.



Hypothesis  n. (pl. -theses) proposition or supposition made as the basis for reasoning or investigation. [greek, = foundation]
Tarlatan  n. Thin stiff open-weave muslin. [french; probably originally indian]
Fiord  n. (also fjord) long narrow sea inlet, as in norway. [norwegian]
Nitric  adj. Of or containing nitrogen.

Strident  adj. Loud and harsh.  stridency n. Stridently adv. [latin strido creak]

Bloody-minded  adj. Colloq. Deliberately uncooperative.


Unschooled  adj. Uneducated, untrained.
Heckle  —v. (-ling) interrupt and harass (a public speaker). —n. Act of heckling.  heckler n. [var. Of *hackle]
Torr  n. (pl. Same) unit of pressure equal to 133.32 pascals (1/760 of one atmosphere). [torricelli, name of a physicist]
Perforce  adv. Archaic unavoidably; necessarily. [french par force by *force1]
Kelter  var. Of *kilter.

Asian  —n. 1 native of asia. 2 person of asian descent. —adj. Of asia. [latin from greek]


Fly3  adj. Slang knowing, clever, alert. [origin unknown]


Shapeless  adj. Lacking definite or attractive shape.  shapelessness n.
Hoverport  n. Terminal for hovercraft.


Poll tax  n. 1 informal = *community charge. 2 hist. Tax levied on every adult.



Haemorrhoids  n.pl. (us hem-) swollen veins in the wall of the anus; piles. [greek haima blood, -rhoos -flowing]
Eunuch  n. Castrated man, esp. One formerly employed at an oriental harem or court. [greek, = bedchamber attendant]
Hermit  n. Person (esp. An early christian) living in solitude and austerity.  hermitic adj. [greek eremos solitary]
Fender  n. 1 low frame bordering a fireplace. 2 naut. Padding protecting a ship against impact. 3 us vehicle's bumper.
Crake  n. Bird of the rail family, esp. The corncrake. [old norse, imitative of cry]
Petit bourgeois  n. (pl. Petits bourgeois pronunc. Same) member of the lower middle classes. [french]
Big time  n. (prec. By the) slang success, esp. In show business.  big-timer n.
Surgeon  n. 1 medical practitioner qualified in surgery. 2 naval or military medical officer.
Platonism  n. Philosophy of plato or his followers.  platonist n.


Pros and cons  n.pl. Reasons or considerations for and against a proposition etc.
Unsurprised  adj. Not surprised.
Always  adv. 1 at all times; on all occasions. 2 whatever the circumstances. 3 repeatedly, often. [from *all, *way]
Rhinoceros  n. (pl. Same or -roses) large thick-skinned mammal with usu. One horn on its nose. [greek rhis rhin- nose, keras horn]

Allergy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 adverse reaction to certain substances, esp. Particular foods, pollen, fur, or dust. 2 colloq. Antipathy. [greek allos other]
V.  Abbr. 1 verse. 2 versus. 3 very. 4 vide.
Peculiar  adj. 1 strange; odd; unusual. 2 a (usu. Foll. By to) belonging exclusively (peculiar to the time). B belonging to the individual (in their own peculiar way). 3 particular; special (point of peculiar interest). [latin peculium private property, from pecu cattle]
Fancier  n. Connoisseur (dog-fancier).
Undeterred  adj. Not deterred.


Helmet  n. Protective head-covering worn by a policeman, motor cyclist, etc. [french from germanic]


Euphemism  n. 1 mild or vague expression substituted for a harsher or more direct one (e.g. Pass over for die). 2 use of such expressions.  euphemistic adj. Euphemistically adv. [greek pheme speaking]
Realty  n. Real estate.

Shamefaced  adj. 1 showing shame. 2 bashful, shy.  shamefacedly adv.


Softball  n. Form of baseball using a softer and larger ball.
Celibate  —adj. 1 unmarried or committed to sexual abstention, esp. For religious reasons. 2 having no sexual relations. —n. Celibate person.  celibacy n. [latin caelebs unmarried]
Ad-  prefix (altered or assimilated before some letters) implying motion or direction to, reduction or change into, addition, adherence, increase, or intensification. [latin]
Nicotinic acid  n. Vitamin of the b complex.
Archduke  n. Hist. Chief duke (esp. As the title of a son of the emperor of austria).  archduchy n. (pl. -ies). [medieval latin archidux]
Flank  —n. 1 side of the body between ribs and hip. 2 side of a mountain, building, etc. 3 right or left side of an army etc. —v. (often in passive) be at or move along the side of (road flanked by mountains). [french from germanic]




-ac  suffix forming adjectives often (or only) used as nouns (cardiac; maniac). [latin -acus, greek -akos]
Sacrament  n. 1 symbolic christian ceremony, e.g. Baptism and eucharist. 2 (also blessed or holy sacrament) (prec. By the) eucharist. 3 sacred thing.  sacramental adj. [latin: related to *sacred]

Nocturne  n. 1 mus. Short romantic composition, usu. For piano. 2 picture of a night scene. [french]
Celebrate  v. (-ting) 1 mark with or engage in festivities. 2 perform (a rite or ceremony). 3 praise publicly.  celebration n. Celebrator n. Celebratory adj. [latin celeber renowned]


Over-  prefix 1 excessively. 2 upper, outer. 3 = *over in various senses (overshadow). 4 completely (overawe; overjoyed).
Farm-hand  n. Worker on a farm.
Fast1  —adj. 1 rapid, quick-moving. 2 capable of or intended for high speed (fast car; fast road). 3 (of a clock etc.) Ahead of the correct time. 4 (of a pitch etc.) Causing the ball to bounce quickly. 5 firm; firmly fixed or attached (fast knot; fast friendship). 6 (of a colour) not fading. 7 pleasure seeking, dissolute. 8 (of photographic film etc.) Needing only short exposure. —adv. 1 quickly; in quick succession. 2 firmly, tightly (stand fast). 3 soundly, completely (fast asleep).  pull a fast one colloq. Perpetrate deceit. [old english]



Hard  —adj. 1 (of a substance etc.) Firm and solid. 2 a difficult to understand, explain, or accomplish. B (foll. By to + infin.) Not easy to (hard to please). 3 difficult to bear (a hard life). 4 unfeeling; severely critical. 5 (of a season or the weather) severe. 6 unpleasant to the senses, harsh (hard colours). 7 a strenuous, enthusiastic, intense (a hard worker). B severe, uncompromising (a hard bargain). C polit. Extreme; most radical (the hard right). 8 a (of liquor) strongly alcoholic. B (of drugs) potent and addictive. C (of pornography) highly obscene. 9 (of water) containing mineral salts that make lathering difficult. 10 established; not disputable (hard facts). 11 (of currency, prices, etc.) High; not likely to fall in value. 12 (of a consonant) guttural (as c in cat, g in go). —adv. Strenuously, intensely, copiously (try hard; raining hard).  be hard on 1 be difficult for. 2 be severe in one's treatment or criticism of. 3 be unpleasant to (the senses). Be hard put to it (usu. Foll. By to + infin.) Find it difficult. Hard by close by. Hard on (or upon) close to in pursuit etc.  hardish adj. Hardness n. [old english]


Evening dress  n. Formal dress for evening wear.


Jack russell  n. Short-legged breed of terrier.




Blub  v. (-bb-) slang sob. [shortening of *blubber]


Motel  n. Roadside hotel for motorists. [from motor hotel]
Toss  —v. 1 throw up (a ball etc.), esp. With the hand. 2 roll about, throw, or be thrown, restlessly or from side to side. 3 (usu. Foll. By to, away, aside, out, etc.) Throw (a thing) lightly or carelessly. 4 a throw (a coin) into the air to decide a choice etc. By the side on which it lands. B (also absol.; often foll. By for) settle a question or dispute with (a person) in this way. 5 (of a bull etc.) Throw (a person etc.) Up with the horns. 6 coat (food) with dressing etc. By shaking it. —n. 1 act of tossing (a coin, the head, etc.). 2  fall, esp. From a horse.  toss one's head throw it back esp. In anger, impatience, etc. Toss off 1 drink off at a draught. 2 dispatch (work) rapidly or without effort. 3 coarse slang masturbate. Toss up toss a coin. [origin unknown]



Minaret  n. Slender turret next to a mosque, from which the muezzin calls at hours of prayer. [french or spanish from turkish from arabic]



Law-abiding  adj. Obedient to the laws.
Fortnight  n. Two weeks. [old english, = fourteen nights]
Brand-new  adj. Completely new.
Pate  n. Archaic or colloq. Head. [origin unknown]
Clash  —n. 1 a loud jarring sound as of metal objects struck together. B collision. 2 a conflict. B discord of colours etc. —v. 1 (cause to) make a clashing sound. 2 collide; coincide awkwardly. 3 (often foll. By with) a come into conflict or be at variance. B (of colours) be discordant. [imitative]
Tampon  n. Plug of soft material used esp. To absorb menstrual blood. [french: related to *tamp]

March2  —n. Hist. 1 (usu. In pl.) Boundary, frontier (esp. Between england and scotland or wales). 2 tract of land between two countries, esp. Disputed. —v. (foll. By upon, with) (of a country, an estate, etc.) Border on. [french marche from medieval latin marca]

Extra-  comb. Form 1 outside, beyond. 2 beyond the scope of. [latin extra outside]
Occident  n. Poet. Or rhet. 1 (prec. By the) west. 2 western europe. 3 europe and america as distinct from the orient. [latin occidens -entis setting, sunset, west]
Socio-  comb. Form of society or sociology (and) (socio-economic). [latin: related to *social]

Denial  n. 1 denying the truth or existence of a thing. 2 refusal of a request or wish. 3 disavowal of a leader etc.
Bonded  adj. 1 stored in or for storing in bond (bonded whisky, warehouse). 2 (of a debt) secured by bonds.



Inhuman  adj. Brutal; unfeeling; barbarous.  inhumanity n. (pl. -ies). Inhumanly adv.
Glaze  —v. (-zing) 1 fit (a window etc.) With glass or (a building) with windows. 2 a cover (pottery etc.) With a glaze. B fix (paint) on pottery thus. 3 cover (pastry, cloth, etc.) With a glaze. 4 (often foll. By over) (of the eyes) become glassy. 5 give a glassy surface to. —n. 1 vitreous substance for glazing pottery. 2 smooth shiny coating on food etc. 3 thin coat of transparent paint to modify underlying tone. 4 surface formed by glazing. [from *glass]
Knickerbocker  n. (in pl.) Loose-fitting breeches gathered at the knee or calf. [the pseudonym of w. Irving, author of history of new york]



Flight2  n. Fleeing, hasty retreat.  put to flight cause to flee. Take (or take to) flight flee. [old english]
Afro-caribbean  —n. Caribbean person of african descent. —adj. Of afro-caribbeans.
Reran  past of *rerun.
Text  n. 1 main body of a book as distinct from notes etc. 2 original book or document, esp. As distinct from a paraphrase etc. 3 passage from scripture, esp. As the subject of a sermon. 4 subject, theme. 5 (in pl.) Books prescribed for study. 6 data in textual form, esp. As stored, processed, or displayed in a word processor etc. [latin texo text- weave]




Inexcusable  adj. That cannot be excused or justified.  inexcusably adv.
Scalar  math. & physics —adj. (of a quantity) having only magnitude, not direction. —n. Scalar quantity. [latin: related to *scale3]
Marionette  n. Puppet worked by strings. [french: related to mary]

Typist  n. Person who types, esp. For a living.
Moral philosophy  n. Branch of philosophy concerned with ethics.

Piggy bank  n. Pig-shaped money box.
Eaves  n.pl. Underside of a projecting roof. [old english]
Michaelmas daisy  n. Autumn-flowering aster.
Helicopter  n. Wingless aircraft obtaining lift and propulsion from horizontally revolving overhead blades. [greek: related to *helix, pteron wing]

Insurrection  n. Rebellion.  insurrectionist n. [latin: related to *insurgent]
Fact of life  n. Something that must be accepted.
Guider  n. Adult leader of guides.
Rotten  adj. (-er, -est) 1 rotting or rotted; fragile from age or use. 2 morally or politically corrupt. 3 slang a disagreeable, unpleasant, bad (had a rotten time). B worthless (rotten idea). C ill (feel rotten).  rottenly adv. Rottenness n. [old norse: related to *rot]


Systematic  adj. 1 methodical; according to a system. 2 regular, deliberate.  systematically adv.
Traditionalism  n. Respect or support for tradition.  traditionalist n. & adj.

Weber  n. The si unit of magnetic flux. [weber, name of a physicist]

Splay  —v. 1 spread apart. 2 (of an opening) have its sides diverging. 3 construct (an opening) with divergent sides. —n. Surface at an oblique angle to another. —adj. Splayed. [from *display]

Recapture  —v. (-ring) 1 capture again; recover by capture. 2 re-experience (a past emotion etc.). —n. Act of recapturing.
Pictorial  —adj. 1 of or expressed in a picture or pictures. 2 illustrated. —n. Periodical with pictures as the main feature.  pictorially adv. [latin pictor painter: related to *picture]
Voucher  n. 1 document exchangeable for goods or services. 2 receipt. [from anglo-french, or from *vouch]
High table  n. Dining-table for the most important guests or members.

Gnostic  —adj. 1 of knowledge; having special mystical knowledge. 2 (gnostic) concerning the gnostics. —n. (gnostic) (usu. In pl.) Early christian heretic claiming mystical knowledge.  gnosticism n. [greek gnosis knowledge]
Classy  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Superior, stylish.  classily adv. Classiness n.
Birthstone  n. Gem popularly associated with the month of one's birth.
Codeine  n. Alkaloid derived from morphine, used to relieve pain. [greek kodeia poppy-head]

Dorado  n. (pl. Same or -s) sea-fish showing brilliant colours when dying out of water. [spanish, = gilded]

Curtilage  n. Esp. Law area attached to a house and forming one enclosure with it. [french: related to *court]
Diplomatic bag  n. Container for dispatching official mail etc. To or from an embassy, usu. Exempt from customs inspection.


Advocaat  n. Liqueur of eggs, sugar, and brandy. [dutch, = *advocate]
Usage  the second pronunciation given, with the stress on the second syllable, is common, but is considered incorrect by some people.




Herald  —n. 1 official messenger bringing news. 2 forerunner, harbinger. 3 a hist. Officer responsible for state ceremonial and etiquette. B official concerned with pedigrees and coats of arms. —v. Proclaim the approach of; usher in.  heraldic adj. [french from germanic]


Corduroy  n. 1 thick cotton fabric with velvety ribs. 2 (in pl.) Corduroy trousers. [cord = ribbed fabric]

Itchy  adj. (-ier, -iest) having or causing an itch.  have itchy feet colloq. 1 be restless. 2 have a strong urge to travel.  itchiness n.
Compost  —n. 1 mixture of decayed organic matter. 2 loam soil with fertilizer for growing plants. —v. 1 treat with compost. 2 make into compost. [latin: related to *compose]
Demonstrable  adj. Able to be shown or proved.  demonstrably adv.
White-collar  attrib. Adj. (of a worker or work) non-manual; clerical, professional.
Sten gun  n. Lightweight sub-machine-gun. [s and t (initials of its inventors' surnames) + -en after *bren]


Daw  n. = *jackdaw. [old english]

Padre  n. Chaplain in the army etc. [italian, spanish, and portuguese, = father, priest]


Qr.  Abbr. Quarter(s).
Wobble  —v. (-ling) 1 sway from side to side. 2 stand or go unsteadily; stagger. 3 waver, vacillate. —n. State or instance of wobbling. [cf. Low german wabbeln]




Landlubber  n. Person unfamiliar with the sea.
Fauna  n. (pl. -s or -nae) animal life of a region or period. [latin fauna, name of a rural goddess]
F3  symb. Fluorine.
Inspiration  n. 1 a creative force or influence. B person etc. Stimulating creativity etc. C divine influence, esp. On the writing of scripture etc. 2 sudden brilliant idea.  inspirational adj.
Intermission  n. 1 pause or cessation. 2 interval in a cinema etc. [latin: related to *intermittent]
Ligament  n. Band of tough fibrous tissue linking bones. [latin ligo bind]


Pizza  n. Italian dish of a layer of dough baked with a topping of tomatoes, cheese, etc. [italian, = pie]

Schlock  n. Us colloq. Trash. [yiddish shlak a blow]


Sce  abbr. Scottish certificate of education.





State school  n. School largely managed and funded by the public authorities.
Comet  n. Hazy object moving in a path about the sun, usu. With a nucleus of ice surrounded by gas and with a tail pointing away from the sun. [greek kometes]



Woken  past part. Of *wake1.
Dissociate  v. (-ting) 1 disconnect or separate. 2 become disconnected.  dissociate oneself from declare oneself unconnected with.  dissociation n. Dissociative adj. [latin: related to *dis-, *associate]
Repose2  v. (-sing) (foll. By in) place (trust etc.) In. [from *re-, *pose]
Slalom  n. 1 ski-race down a zigzag obstacle course. 2 obstacle race in canoes etc. [norwegian]
Grand prix  n. Any of several important international motor or motor-cycle racing events. [french, = great or chief prize]
Airbase  n. Base for military aircraft.

Usage  the second pronunciation, stressed on the second syllable, is considered incorrect by some people.
Repulsive  adj. Causing aversion or loathing; disgusting.  repulsively adv. [french répulsif or *repulse]
Utensil  n. Implement or vessel, esp. For kitchen use. [medieval latin: related to *use]



Contempt  n. 1 feeling that a person or thing deserves scorn or extreme reproach. 2 condition of being held in contempt. 3 (in full contempt of court) disobedience to or disrespect for a court of law. [latin temno tempt- despise]

Shown  past part. Of *show.
Wet suit  n. Rubber garment worn by skin-divers etc. To keep warm.

Pernicious  adj. Very harmful or destructive; deadly. [latin pernicies ruin]
Judicial  adj. 1 of, done by, or proper to a court of law. 2 having the function of judgement (judicial assembly). 3 of or proper to a judge. 4 impartial.  judicially adv. [latin judicium judgement]

Captious  adj. Fault-finding. [latin: related to *caption]
Multiform  adj. 1 having many forms. 2 of many kinds.

Apophthegm  n. = *aphorism. [latin from greek]

Megadeath  n. Death of one million people (in war).
Clairvoyance  n. Supposed faculty of perceiving the future or things beyond normal sensory perception.  clairvoyant n. & adj. [french: related to *clear, voir see]
Cooperate  v. (also co-operate) (-ting) 1 (often foll. By with) work or act together. 2 be helpful and do as one is asked. cooperation n. [related to *co-]
Interrelate  v. (-ting) 1 relate (two or more things) to each other. 2 (of two or more things) relate to each other.  interrelation n. Interrelationship n.
Swarf  n. Fine chips or filings of stone, metal, etc. [old norse]
Tope  v. (-ping) archaic or literary drink alcohol to excess, esp. Habitually.  toper n. [origin uncertain]
Self-willed  adj. Obstinately pursuing one's own wishes.
Miler  n. Colloq. Person or horse specializing in races of one mile.
Polyurethane  n. Synthetic resin or plastic used esp. In paints or foam. [related to *urea, *ethane]
Hypermedia  n. Provision of several media (e.g. Audio, video, and graphics) on one computer system, with cross-references from one to another (often attrib.: hypermedia database).


Cd  abbr. 1 compact disc. 2 civil defence. 3 corps diplomatique.

Down1  —adv. 1 into or towards a lower place, esp. To the ground (fall down). 2 in a lower place or position (blinds were down). 3 to or in a place regarded as lower, esp.: a southwards. B away from a major city or a university. 4 a in or into a low or weaker position or condition (hit a man when he's down; down with a cold). B losing by (three goals down; £5 down). C (of a computer system) out of action. 5 from an earlier to a later time (down to 1600). 6 to a finer or thinner consistency or smaller amount or size (grind down; water down; boil down). 7 cheaper (bread is down; shares are down). 8 into a more settled state (calm down). 9 in writing or recorded form (copy it down; down on tape; down to speak next). 10 paid or dealt with as a deposit or part (£5 down, £20 to pay; three down, six to go). 11 with the current or wind. 12 (of a crossword clue or answer) read vertically (five down). —prep. 1 downwards along, through, or into. 2 from the top to the bottom of. 3 along (walk down the road). 4 at or in a lower part of (lives down the road). —attrib. Adj. 1 directed downwards (a down draught). 2 from a capital or centre (down train; down platform). —v. Colloq. 1 knock or bring down. 2 swallow. —n. 1 act of putting down. 2 reverse of fortune (ups and downs). 3 colloq.

Bad breath  n. Unpleasant-smelling breath.
God  n. 1 a (in many religions) superhuman being or spirit worshipped as having power over nature, human fortunes, etc. B image, idol, etc., symbolizing a god. 2 (god) (in christian and other monotheistic religions) creator and ruler of the universe. 3 adored or greatly admired person. 4 (in pl.) Theatr. Gallery.  god forbid may it not happen! God knows 1 it is beyond all knowledge. 2 i call god to witness that. God willing if providence allows. [old english]
Usage  venal is sometimes confused with venial, which means ‘pardonable’.

Roasting  —adj. Very hot. —n. Severe criticism or denunciation.

Hypothalamus  n. (pl. -mi) region of the brain controlling body-temperature, thirst, hunger, etc.  hypothalamic adj. [latin: related to *hypo-, greek thalamos inner room]

Red squirrel  n. Native british squirrel with reddish fur.
Our lord  n. Christ.



High-level  adj. 1 (of negotiations etc.) Conducted by high-ranking people. 2 computing (of a programming language) not machine-dependent and usu. At a level of abstraction close to natural language.
Powerless  adj. 1 without power. 2 wholly unable.  powerlessness n.

Actinism  n. Property of short-wave radiation that produces chemical changes, as in photography. [greek aktis ray]
Kerchief  n. 1 headscarf, neckerchief. 2 poet. Handkerchief. [anglo-french courchef: related to *cover, *chief]

Spitting distance  n. Colloq. Very short distance.
Unremitting  adj. Incessant.  unremittingly adv.

Rationale  n. Fundamental reason, logical basis. [neuter of latin rationalis: related to *rational]
Stopwatch  n. Watch that can be stopped and started, used to time races etc.
Biological warfare  n. Use of toxins or micro-organisms against an enemy.

Inappropriate  adj. Not appropriate.  inappropriately adv. Inappropriateness n.
Snail's pace  n. Very slow movement.
Teleprinter  n. Device for transmitting, receiving, and printing telegraph messages.
Dioptre  n. (us diopter) unit of refractive power of a lens. [greek: related to *dia-, opsis sight]

Electrode  n. Conductor through which electricity enters or leaves an electrolyte, gas, vacuum, etc. [from *electric, greek hodos way]
Yippee  int. Expressing delight or excitement. [natural exclamation]


Upper hand  n. (prec. By the) dominance, control.
Split pea  n. Pea dried and split in half for cooking.
Route  —n. Way or course taken (esp. Regularly) from one place to another. —v. (-teing) send, forward, or direct by a particular route. [french route road, from latin rupta (via)]

Lavatory paper  n. = *toilet paper.



Medicare  n. Us federally funded health insurance scheme for the elderly. [from *medical, *care]
Slew1  (also slue) —v. (often foll. By round) turn or swing forcibly to a new position. —n. Such a turn. [origin unknown]

Baptism of fire  n. 1 initiation into battle. 2 painful initiation into an activity.
Trivial  adj. 1 of small value or importance; trifling. 2 (of a person etc.) Concerned only with trivial things.  triviality n. (pl. -ies). Trivially adv. [latin trivialis commonplace, from trivium three-way street corner]
Astronomy  n. The scientific study of celestial bodies.  astronomer n. [greek astron star, nemo arrange]



Remote  adj. (remoter, remotest) 1 far away, far apart, distant. 2 isolated; secluded. 3 distantly related (remote ancestor). 4 slight, faint (a remote hope; not the remotest chance). 5 aloof; not friendly.  remotely adv. Remoteness n. [latin remotus: related to *remove]

Tadpole  n. Larva, esp. Of a frog, toad, or newt. [related to *toad, *poll]

Afore-  comb. Form before, previously (aforementioned; aforesaid).
Fino  n. (pl. -s) light-coloured dry sherry. [spanish, = fine]


Narcissism  n. Excessive or erotic interest in oneself.  narcissistic adj. [narkissos, name of a youth in greek myth who fell in love with his reflection]
Exhibitioner  n. Student who has been awarded an exhibition.

Supervise  v. (-sing) superintend, oversee.  supervision n. Supervisor n. Supervisory adj. [latin supervideo -vis-]
Thrill  —n. 1 wave or nervous tremor of emotion or sensation (a thrill of joy). 2 throb, pulsation. —v. 1 (cause to) feel a thrill. 2 quiver or throb with or as with emotion. [old english, = pierce: related to *through]
Tachograph  n. Device in a vehicle recording speed and travel time. [greek takhos speed]
Drape  —v. (-ping) 1 hang or cover loosely, adorn with cloth etc. 2 arrange (hangings etc.) Esp. In folds. —n. (in pl.) Us curtains. [latin drappus cloth]
Malt whisky  n. Whisky made solely from malted barley.
Turn-up  n. 1 turned up end of a trouser leg. 2 colloq. Unexpected happening.
Well-worn  adj. 1 much worn by use. 2 (of a phrase etc.) Trite.
Heliport  n. Place where helicopters take off and land.






Maximize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) make as large or great as possible.  maximization n. [latin: related to *maximum]


Strait  n. 1 (in sing. Or pl.) Narrow channel connecting two large bodies of water. 2 (usu. In pl.) Difficulty or distress. [french estreit from latin strictus narrow]





Hatch1  n. 1 opening in a wall between a kitchen and dining-room for serving food. 2 opening or door in an aircraft etc. 3 a = *hatchway. B cover for this. [old english]
Cardiac  adj. Of the heart. [greek kardia heart]
Eclogue  n. Short pastoral poem. [greek: related to *eclectic]












Camper  n. 1 person who camps. 2 large motor vehicle with beds etc.
Croft  —n. 1 enclosed piece of (usu. Arable) land. 2 small rented farm in scotland or n. England. —v. Farm a croft; live as a crofter. [old english]
Whereabouts  —interrog. Adv. Approximately where? —n. (as sing. Or pl.) Person's or thing's location.

Dutch oven  n. 1 metal box with the open side facing a fire. 2 covered cooking-pot for braising etc.



Whipping boy  n. Scapegoat.


Jacobite  n. Hist. Supporter of james ii after his flight, or of the stuarts.

Butane  n. Gaseous alkane hydrocarbon, used in liquefied form as fuel. [from *butyl]
Corpora  pl. Of *corpus.



Mend  —v. 1 restore to good condition; repair. 2 regain health. 3 improve (mend matters). —n. Darn or repair in material etc.  mend one's ways reform oneself. On the mend recovering, esp. In health. [anglo-french: related to *amend]
Overnight  —adv. 1 for a night. 2 during the night. 3 instantly, suddenly. —adj. 1 done or for use etc. Overnight. 2 instant (overnight success).
Ping  —n. Single short high ringing sound. —v. (cause to) make a ping. [imitative]
Reprehensible  adj. Blameworthy.

Limo  n. (pl. -s) us colloq. Limousine. [abbreviation]
Stakeholder  n. Independent party with whom money etc. Wagered is deposited.
Biceps  n. (pl. Same) muscle with two heads or attachments, esp. That bending the elbow. [latin caput head]
Desist  v. (often foll. By from) abstain; cease. [latin desisto]
Dell  n. Small usu. Wooded valley. [old english]

Sure-fire  attrib. Adj. Colloq. Certain to succeed.

Pancreas  n. Gland near the stomach supplying digestive fluid and secreting insulin.  pancreatic adj. [greek kreas flesh]
Shipmate  n. Fellow member of a ship's crew.
See-through  adj. (esp. Of clothing) translucent.
His  poss. Pron. 1 (attrib.) Of or belonging to him or himself (his house; his own business). 2 the one or ones belonging to or associated with him (it is his; his are over there).  of his of or belonging to him (friend of his). [old english, genitive of *he]
Air terminal  n. Building with transport to and from an airport.
Righteous  adj. (of a person or conduct) morally right; virtuous, law-abiding.  righteously adv. Righteousness n. [old english]

Kaffir  n. 1 hist. Member or language of a s. African people of the bantu family. 2 s.afr. Offens. Any black african. [arabic, = infidel]



Metalloid  n. Element intermediate in properties between metals and non-metals, e.g. Boron, silicon, and germanium.

Analgesic  —adj. Relieving pain. —n. Analgesic drug.
Game2  adj. Colloq. (of a leg, arm, etc.) Crippled. [origin unknown]




Usage  since 1981 telegram has not been in uk official use, except for international messages. See also telemessage.
Db  abbr. Decibel(s).

Tutti-frutti  n. (pl. -s) ice-cream containing small pieces of mixed glacé fruit. [italian, = all fruits]


Usage  the use of out as a preposition, e.g. He walked out the room, is non-standard. Out of should be used.
Sweet potato  n. 1 tropical climbing plant with sweet tuberous roots used for food. 2 root of this.

Froth  —n. 1 foam. 2 idle or amusing talk etc. —v. 1 emit or gather froth. 2 cause (beer etc.) To foam.  frothy adj. (-ier, -iest). [old norse]

Thunderous  adj. 1 like thunder. 2 very loud.


Grandmother  n. Female grandparent.


Poach1  v. 1 cook (an egg) without its shell in or over boiling water. 2 cook (fish etc.) By simmering in a small amount of liquid.  poacher n. [french pochier: related to *poke2]

Narrate  v. (-ting) 1 give a continuous story or account of. 2 provide a spoken accompaniment for (a film etc.).  narration n. Narrator n. [latin narro]
Morphia  n. (in general use) = *morphine.

Coordinate  (also co-ordinate) —v. (-ting) 1 cause (parts, movements, etc.) To function together efficiently. 2 work or act together effectively. —adj. Equal in rank or importance. —n. 1 math. Each of a system of values used to fix the position of a point, line, or plane. 2 (in pl.) Matching items of clothing.  coordination n. Coordinator n. [latin ordino: related to *order]


Reapportion  v. Apportion again or differently.

Squadron  n. 1 unit of the raf with 10–18 aircraft. 2 detachment of warships employed on a particular duty. 3 organized group etc., esp. A cavalry division of two troops. [italian squadrone: related to *squad]

Stocky  adj. (-ier, -iest) short and sturdy.  stockily adv. Stockiness n.

Skate1  —n. 1 boot with a blade attached for gliding on ice; this blade. 2 = *roller-skate. —v. (-ting) 1 a move on skates. B perform (a specified figure) on skates. 2 (foll. By over) refer fleetingly to, disregard.  get one's skates on slang make haste. Skate on thin ice colloq. Behave rashly, risk danger.  skater n. [dutch schaats from french]
Floral  adj. Of, decorated with, or depicting flowers.  florally adv. [latin]
Sash-window  n. Window sliding up and down in grooves.

Masterly  adj. Very skilful.
Observatory  n. (pl. -ies) building for astronomical or other observation.


Elope  v. (-ping) run away to marry secretly.  elopement n. [anglo-french]
Cabbage  n. 1 vegetable with a round head and green or purple leaves. 2 = *vegetable 2. [french caboche head]
Customer  n. 1 person who buys goods or services from a shop or business. 2 colloq. Person of a specified kind (awkward customer). [anglo-french: related to *custom]
Pamphlet  —n. Small usu. Unbound booklet or leaflet. —v. (-t-) distribute pamphlets to. [pamphilus, name of medieval poem]







Know-how  n. Practical knowledge; natural skill.

Cape1  n. 1 sleeveless cloak. 2 this worn over or as part of a longer cloak or coat. [latin cappa *cap]
Headway  n. 1 progress. 2 ship's rate of progress. 3 headroom.
Fawn1  —n. 1 deer in its first year. 2 light yellowish brown. —adj. Fawn-coloured. —v. (also absol.) Give birth to (a fawn). [latin: related to *foetus]


Record-breaking  attrib. Adj. That breaks a record.
Flibbertigibbet  n. Gossiping, frivolous, or restless person. [imitative]
Copier  n. Machine that copies (esp. Documents).


Cavern  n. Cave, esp. A large or dark one.  cavernous adj. [latin caverna: related to *cave]
Diesel oil  n. Heavy petroleum fraction used in diesel engines.
Vehicle  n. 1 conveyance used on land or in space. 2 thing or person as a medium for expression or action. 3 liquid etc. As a medium for suspending pigments, drugs, etc.  vehicular adj. [latin veho carry]

Nose  —n. 1 organ above the mouth of a human or animal, used for smelling and breathing. 2 a sense of smell. B ability to detect a particular thing (a nose for scandal). 3 odour or perfume of wine etc. 4 front end or projecting part of a thing, e.g. Of a car or aircraft. —v. (-sing) 1 (usu. Foll. By about, around, etc.) Pry or search. 2 (often foll. By out) a perceive the smell of, discover by smell. B detect. 3 thrust one's nose against or into. 4 make one's way cautiously forward.  by a nose by a very narrow margin.
Critical path  n. Sequence of stages determining the minimum time needed for an operation.
Wattle2  n. Fleshy appendage on the head or throat of a turkey or other birds. [origin unknown]



Hush money  n. Slang money paid to ensure discretion.
Optical illusion  n. 1 image which deceives the eye. 2 mental misapprehension caused by this.

Heliograph  —n. 1 signalling apparatus reflecting sunlight in flashes. 2 message sent by means of this. —v. Send (a message) by heliograph.
Boneshaker  n. Decrepit or uncomfortable old vehicle.

Arithmetic progression  n. Sequence of numbers with constant intervals (e.g. 9, 7, 5, 3, etc.).
Lighter-than-air  attrib. Adj. (of an aircraft) weighing less than the air it displaces.




Adversary  n. (pl. -ies) enemy, opponent.
Downy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 of, like, or covered with down. 2 soft and fluffy.


Got  past and past part. Of *get.

Coaster  n. 1 ship that travels along the coast. 2 small tray or mat for a bottle or glass.
Pending  —predic. Adj. 1 awaiting decision or settlement, undecided. 2 about to come into existence (patent pending). —prep. 1 during (pending further inquiries). 2 until (bailed pending trial). [after french: see *pendant]




Unauthorized  adj. (also -ised) not authorized.

Gabardine  n. (also gaberdine) 1 twill-woven cloth, esp. Of worsted. 2 raincoat etc. Made of this. [french gauvardine]
Carcinogen  n. Substance producing cancer.  carcinogenic adj. [related to *carcinoma]
Restrictive  adj. Restricting. [french or medieval latin: related to *restrict]
Drizzle  —n. Very fine rain. —v. (-ling) (of rain) fall in very fine drops.  drizzly adj. [old english]
Mechanism  n. 1 structure or parts of a machine. 2 system of parts working together. 3 process; method (defence mechanism; no mechanism for complaints).  mechanistic adj. [greek: related to *machine]

Eighth  adj. & n. 1 next after seventh. 2 one of eight equal parts of a thing.  eighthly adv.
Antecedent  —n. 1 preceding thing or circumstance. 2 gram. Word or phrase etc. To which another word (esp. A relative pronoun) refers. 3 (in pl.) Person's past history or ancestors. —adj. Previous. [latin cedo go]

Guinea-fowl  n. African fowl with slate-coloured white-spotted plumage.


Drake  n. Male duck. [origin uncertain]
Penal  adj. 1 of or concerning punishment or its infliction. 2 (of an offence) punishable, esp. By law.  penally adv. [latin poena *pain]



Broiler  n. Young chicken for broiling or roasting.
E2  abbr. (also e.) 1 east, eastern. 2 see *e-number.



Memorable  adj. 1 worth remembering. 2 easily remembered.  memorably adv. [latin memor mindful]
Nipper  n. 1 person or thing that nips. 2 claw of a crab etc. 3 colloq. Young child. 4 (in pl.) Any tool for gripping or cutting.
South pole  see *pole2.



Hardware  n. 1 tools and household articles of metal etc. 2 heavy machinery or armaments. 3 mechanical and electronic components of a computer etc.

Hogmanay  n. Scot. New year's eve. [probably french]
Assembler  n. 1 person who assembles a machine etc. 2 computing a program for converting instructions written in low-level symbolic code into machine code. B the low-level symbolic code itself.

Aquarius  n. (pl. -es) 1 constellation and eleventh sign of the zodiac (the water-carrier). 2 person born when the sun is in this sign. [latin: related to *aquarium]




Prison  n. 1 place of captivity, esp. A building to which persons are committed while awaiting trial or for punishment. 2 custody, confinement. [latin prehendo seize]
Rapt  adj. 1 fully absorbed or intent, enraptured. 2 carried away with feeling or lofty thought. [latin raptus: related to *rape1]






Hot flush  see *flush1.
Tennis  n. Game in which two or four players strike a ball with rackets over a net stretched across a court. [probably french tenez take! (as a server's call)]


Middle age  n. Period between youth and old age.  middle-aged adj.

Personable  adj. Pleasing in appearance and behaviour.
Masonic  adj. Of freemasons.


Bad books  see *book.



Often  adv. (oftener, oftenest) 1 a frequently; many times. B at short intervals. 2 in many instances.
Packing  n. Material used to pack esp. Fragile articles.


Delirium  n. 1 disorder involving incoherent speech, hallucinations, etc., caused by intoxication, fever, etc. 2 great excitement, ecstasy. [latin lira ridge between furrows]


Primitive  —adj. 1 at an early stage of civilization (primitive man). 2 undeveloped, crude, simple (primitive methods). —n. 1 untutored painter with a direct naïve style. 2 picture by such a painter.  primitively adv. Primitiveness n.  [latin: related to *prime1]
Mile  n. 1 (also statute mile) unit of linear measure equal to 1,760 yards (approx. 1.6 kilometres). 2 (in pl.) Colloq. Great distance or amount (miles better). 3 race extending over a mile. [latin mille thousand]

Cornflour  n. Fine-ground flour, esp. Of maize or rice.

Bustard  n. Large land bird that can run very fast. [latin avis tarda slow bird (‘slow’ unexplained)]


Gunwale  n. (also gunnel) upper edge of the side of a boat or ship. [from *gun, *wale, because it was formerly used to support guns]


Upholsterer  n. Person who upholsters, esp. For a living. [obsolete upholster from *uphold in sense ‘keep in repair’]


Extortionate  adj. (of a price etc.) Exorbitant.  extortionately adv.
Expect  v. 1 a regard as likely. B look for as appropriate or one's due (i expect cooperation). 2 colloq. Think, suppose.  be expecting colloq. Be pregnant (with). [latin specto look]

Perishing  colloq. —adj. 1 confounded. 2 freezing cold. —adv. Confoundedly.



Surface  —n. 1 a the outside of a thing. B area of this. 2 any of the limits of a solid. 3 top of a liquid or of the ground etc. 4 outward or superficial aspect. 5 geom. Set of points with length and breadth but no thickness. 6 (attrib.) A of or on the surface. B superficial. —v. (-cing) 1 give the required surface to (a road, paper, etc.). 2 rise or bring to the surface. 3 become visible or known. 4 colloq. Wake up; get up.  come to the surface become perceptible. [french: related to *sur-1]


Tear-drop  n. Single tear.

Ballast  —n. 1 heavy material stabilizing a ship, the car of a balloon, etc. 2 coarse stone etc. As the bed of a railway track or road. 3 mixture of coarse and fine aggregate for making concrete. —v. Provide with ballast. [low german or scandinavian]
Quinine  n. Bitter drug obtained from cinchona bark, used as a tonic and to reduce fever. [spanish quina cinchona bark, from quechua kina bark]
Unblock  v. Remove an obstruction from.



Damage  —n. 1 harm or injury. 2 (in pl.) Law financial compensation for loss or injury. 3 (prec. By the) slang cost. —v. (-ging) inflict damage on. [latin damnum]
Sounding-board  n. 1 a person etc. Used to test opinion. B means of disseminating opinions etc. 2 canopy directing sound towards an audience.

Seaway  n. 1 inland waterway open to seagoing ships. 2 ship's progress. 3 ship's path across the sea.
Vol.  Abbr. Volume.
Polythene  n. A tough light plastic. [from *polyethylene]

Hypoventilation  n. Abnormally slow breathing.
Samizdat  n. Clandestine publication of banned literature. [russian]
Irreducible  adj. Not able to be reduced or simplified.  irreducibility n. Irreducibly adv.



Tranquilizer  n. (brit. Tranquillizer, -iser) drug used to diminish anxiety.

Holy orders  n.pl. The status of a bishop, priest, or deacon.
Portage  —n. 1 carrying of boats or goods overland between two navigable waters. 2 place where this is necessary. —v. (-ging) convey (a boat or goods) over a portage. [latin porto carry]
Brill1  n. (pl. Same) european flat-fish. [origin unknown]
Characteristic  —adj. Typical, distinctive. —n. Characteristic feature or quality.  characteristically adv.







Rebate1  n. 1 partial refund. 2 deduction from a sum to be paid; discount. [french rabattre: related to *re-, *abate]
Cursor  n. 1 math. Etc. Transparent slide with a hairline, forming part of a slide-rule. 2 computing indicator on a vdu screen identifying esp. The position that the program will operate on with the next keystroke. [latin, = runner: related to *cursive]
Cross-cut saw  n. Saw for cross-cutting.
Usage  when referring to the people, aboriginal is preferred for the singular form and aborigines for the plural, although aboriginals is also acceptable.
Valium  n. Propr. Drug diazepam used as a tranquillizer. [origin uncertain]


Momentum  n. (pl. Momenta) 1  quantity of motion of a moving body, the product of its mass and velocity. 2 impetus gained by movement. 3 strength or continuity derived from an initial effort. [latin moveo move]

Tire1  v. (-ring) 1 make or grow weary. 2 exhaust the patience or interest of; bore. 3 (in passive; foll. By of) have had enough of; be fed up with. [old english]
Coma  n. (pl. -s) prolonged deep unconsciousness. [latin from greek]
Career  —n. 1 one's professional etc. Progress through life. 2 profession or occupation, esp. As offering advancement. 3 (attrib.) A pursuing or wishing to pursue a career (career woman). B working permanently in a specified profession (career diplomat). 4 swift course (in full career). —v. 1 move or swerve about wildly. 2 go swiftly. [latin: related to *car]
Fantasia  n. Free or improvisatory musical or other composition, or one based on familiar tunes. [italian: related to *fantasy]
Held  past and past part. Of *hold1.




Head  —n. 1 upper part of the human body, or foremost or upper part of an animal's body, containing the brain, mouth, and sense-organs. 2 a seat of intellect (use your head). B mental aptitude or tolerance (a good head for business; no head for heights). 3 thing like a head in form or position, esp.: a the operative part of a tool. B the top of a nail. C the leaves or flowers at the top of a stem. D foam on the top of a glass of beer etc. 4 a person in charge, esp. The principal teacher of a school. B position of command. 5 front part of a queue etc. 6 upper end of a table or bed etc. 7 top or highest part of a page, stairs, etc. 8 a individual person as a unit (£10 per head). B (pl. Same) individual animal as a unit (20 head). 9 a side of a coin bearing the image of a head. B (usu. In pl.) This as a choice when tossing a coin. 10 a source of a river etc. B end of a lake at which a river enters it. 11 height or length of a head as a measure. 12 part of a machine in contact with or very close to what is being worked on, esp.: a the part of a tape recorder that touches the moving tape and converts signals. B the part of a record-player that holds the playing cartridge and stylus. 13 (usu. In phr. Come to a head) climax, crisis. 14 a confined body of water or steam in an engine etc. B pressure exerted by this. 15 promontory (esp. In place-names) (beachy head). 16 heading or headline. 17 fully developed top of a boil etc. 18 colloq. Headache. 19 (attrib.) Chief, principal. —v. 1 be at the head or front of. 2 be in charge of. 3 provide with a head or heading. 4 (often foll. By for) face, move, or direct in a specified direction (is heading for trouble). 5 hit (a ball etc.) With the head.  above (or over) one's head beyond one's understanding. Come to a head reach a crisis. Get it into one's head (foll. By that) 1 adopt a mistaken idea. 2 form a definite plan. Give a person his (or her) head allow a person to act freely. Go to one's head 1 make one slightly drunk. 2 make one conceited. Head off 1 get ahead of so as to intercept and turn aside. 2 forestall. Keep (or lose) one's head remain (or fail to remain) calm. Off one's head slang crazy. Off the top of one's head colloq. Impromptu. On one's (or one's own) head as one's own responsibility. Out of one's head slang crazy. Over one's head 1 beyond one's understanding.
Eatable  —adj. Fit to be eaten. —n. (usu. In pl.) Food.

Syndicate  —n. 1 combination of individuals or businesses to promote a common interest. 2 agency supplying material simultaneously to a number of newspapers etc. 3 group of people who gamble, organize crime, etc. 4 committee of syndics. —v. (-ting) 1 form into a syndicate. 2 publish (material) through a syndicate.  syndication n. [latin: related to *syndic]





Post-paid  adj. & adv. On which postage has been paid.
Oc  abbr. Officer commanding.
Legume  n. 1 leguminous plant. 2 edible part of a leguminous plant. [latin legumen -minis from lego pick, because pickable by hand]
Topaz  n. Transparent mineral, usu. Yellow, used as a gem. [greek topazos]



Name  —n. 1 word by which an individual person, family, animal, place, or thing is spoken of etc. 2 a (usu. Abusive) term used of a person etc. (called him names). B word denoting an object or esp. A class of objects etc. (what is the name of those flowers?). 3 famous person. 4 reputation, esp. A good one. —v. (-ming) 1 give a name to. 2 state the name of. 3 mention; specify; cite. 4 nominate.  have to one's name possess. In the name of as representing; by virtue of (in the name of the law). In name only not in reality. Make a name for oneself become famous.  nameable adj. [old english]
Rearguard  n. Body of troops detached to protect the rear, esp. In retreats. [french rereguarde]
Vice-chancellor  n. Deputy chancellor (esp. Administrator of a university).
Mettle  n. 1 quality or strength of character. 2 spirit, courage.  on one's mettle keen to do one's best.  mettlesome adj. [from *metal n.]
Saltire  n. X-shaped cross dividing a shield in four. [french sautoir stile]




Piety  n. (pl. -ies) 1 quality of being pious. 2 pious act. [latin: related to *pious]
Quintuplet  n. Each of five children born at one birth.

Spare part  n. Duplicate, esp. As a replacement.


Quark1  n. Physics component of elementary particles. [word used by joyce in finnegans wake (1939)]
Self-imposed  adj. (of a task etc.) Imposed on and by oneself.

Overact  v. Act (a role) in an exaggerated manner.

Monopolize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 obtain exclusive possession or control of (a trade or commodity etc.). 2 dominate or prevent others from sharing in (a conversation etc.).  monopolization n. Monopolizer n.
Self-denial  n. Asceticism, esp. To discipline oneself.  self-denying adj.
Video cassette  n. Cassette of videotape.
Headship  n. Position of head or chief, esp. In a school.
Pronoun  n. Word used instead of and to indicate a noun already mentioned or known, esp. To avoid repetition (e.g. We, their, this, ourselves). [from *pro-1, *noun]

Die-sinker  n. Engraver of dies.


Detritus  n. Gravel, sand, etc. Produced by erosion; debris. [latin: related to *detriment]
Spurt  —v. 1 (cause to) gush out in a jet or stream. 2 make a sudden effort. —n. 1 sudden gushing out, jet. 2 short burst of speed, growth, etc. [origin unknown]

Frank  n. Member of the germanic people that conquered gaul in the 6th c.  frankish adj. [old english]
Port3  —n. Left-hand side of a ship or aircraft looking forward. —v. (also absol.) Turn (the helm) to port. [probably originally the side turned to *port1]
Unacademic  adj. (of a person, book, etc.) Not academic.

Supplement  —n. 1 thing or part added to improve or provide further information. 2 separate section, esp. A colour magazine, of a newspaper etc. —v. Provide a supplement for.  supplemental adj. Supplementary adj. Supplementation n. [latin suppleo supply] 




Knife-pleat  n. Narrow flat usu. Overlapping pleat on a skirt etc.
Ethnology  n. The comparative study of peoples.  ethnological adj. Ethnologist n.
Brew  —v. 1 a make (beer etc.) By infusion, boiling, and fermentation. B make (tea etc.) By infusion. 2 undergo these processes. 3 gather force; threaten (storm is brewing). 4 concoct (a plan etc.). —n. 1 liquid or amount brewed; concoction. 2 process of brewing.  brew up make tea.  brewer n. [old english]
Other day  n. (also other night) (prec. By the) a few days (or nights) ago.
Rank2  adj. 1 luxuriant, coarse; choked with or apt to produce weeds or excessive foliage. 2 a foul-smelling. B loathsome, corrupt. 3 flagrant, virulent, gross, complete (rank outsider). [old english]
Metropolitan  —adj. 1 of a metropolis. 2 of or forming a mother country as distinct from its colonies etc. (metropolitan france). —n. 1 bishop having authority over the bishops of a province. 2 inhabitant of a metropolis.
Syndicalism  n. Hist. Movement for transferring industrial ownership and control to workers' unions.  syndicalist n. [french: related to *syndic]
Mantelshelf  n. Shelf above a fireplace.
Dirigible  —adj. Capable of being guided. —n. Dirigible balloon or airship. [related to *direct]
Evasion  n. 1 evading. 2 evasive answer. [latin: related to *evade]
Rest home  n. Place where old or convalescent people are cared for.




Rip1  —v. (-pp-) 1 tear or cut (a thing) quickly or forcibly away or apart (ripped out the lining). 2 a make (a hole etc.) By ripping. B make a long tear or cut in. 3 come violently apart; split. 4 rush along. —n. 1 long tear or cut. 2 act of ripping.  let rip colloq. 1 (allow to) proceed or act without restraint or interference. 2 speak violently. Rip into colloq. Attack (a person) verbally. Rip off colloq. 1 swindle. 2 steal. [origin unknown]
Nibs  n.  his nibs joc. Colloq. Mock title used with reference to an important or self-important person. [origin unknown]
Help  —v. 1 provide with the means towards what is needed or sought (helped me with my work; helped me (to) pay my debts; helped him on with his coat). 2 (often absol.) Be of use or service to (does that help?). 3 contribute to alleviating (a pain or difficulty). 4 prevent or remedy (it can't be helped). 5 (usu. With neg.) A refrain from (can't help it; could not help laughing). B refl. Refrain from acting (couldn't help himself). 6 (often foll. By to) serve (a person with food). —n. 1 helping or being helped (need your help; came to our help). 2 person or thing that helps. 3 colloq. Domestic assistant or assistance. 4 remedy or escape (there is no help for it).  help oneself (often foll. By to) 1 serve oneself (with food etc.). 2 take without permission. Help a person out give a person help, esp. In difficulty.  helper n. [old english]

Formalize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 give definite (esp. Legal) form to. 2 make formal.  formalization n.


Syllabub  n. (also sillabub) dessert of flavoured, sweetened, and whipped cream or milk. [origin unknown]

Demerger  n. Dissolution of a commercial merger.  demerge v. (-ging).

Sentence  —n. 1 statement, question, exclamation, or command containing or implying a subject and predicate (e.g. I went; come here!). 2 a decision of a lawcourt, esp. The punishment allotted to a convicted criminal.
Greenhouse gas  n. Any of the gases, esp. Carbon dioxide and methane, that contribute to the greenhouse effect.
Retouch  v. Improve (a picture, photograph, etc.) By minor alterations.

Trodden  past part. Of *tread.

Stringed  adj. (of musical instruments) having strings.
Evermore  adv. For ever; always.
Lurch2  n.  leave in the lurch desert (a friend etc.) In difficulties. [obsolete french lourche a kind of backgammon]



Lone  attrib. Adj. 1 solitary; without companions. 2 isolated. 3 unmarried, single (lone parent). [from *alone]
Underhand  adj. 1 deceitful; crafty; secret. 2 sport, esp. Cricket underarm.
Boom3  n. 1 pivoted spar to which a sail is attached. 2 long pole carrying a microphone, camera, etc. 3 barrier across a harbour etc. [dutch, = *beam]


Vocabulary  n. (pl. -ies) 1 words used by a particular language, book, branch of science, or author. 2 list of these, in alphabetical order with definitions or translations. 3 individual's stock of words (limited vocabulary). 4 set of artistic or stylistic forms or techniques. [medieval latin: related to *vocable]


Larceny  n. (pl. -ies) theft of personal property.  larcenous adj. [anglo-french from latin latrocinium]
Battenberg  n. Oblong sponge cake, usu. Of two colours and covered with marzipan. [battenberg in germany]
Gold  —n. 1 precious yellow metallic element. 2 colour of gold. 3 a coins or articles made of gold. B wealth. 4 something precious or beautiful. 5 = *gold medal. —adj. 1 made wholly or chiefly of gold. 2 coloured like gold. [old english]
Halfway house  n. 1 compromise. 2 halfway point in a progression. 3 centre for rehabilitating ex-prisoners etc. 4 inn midway between two towns.

Tear-gas  n. Gas causing severe irritation to the eyes.
Reportage  n. 1 reporting of news for the media. 2 typical style of this. 3 factual journalistic material in a book etc. [from *report, after french]

Usage  in sense 4b, a number of is normally used with a plural verb: a number of problems remain.




Contraption  n. Machine or device, esp. A strange or cumbersome one. [origin unknown]
O.n.o.  Abbr. Or near offer.
Accident  n. 1 unfortunate esp. Harmful event, caused unintentionally. 2 event that is unexpected or without apparent cause.  by accident unintentionally. [latin cado fall]




Heartless  adj. Unfeeling, pitiless.  heartlessly adv.

Terror  n. 1 extreme fear. 2 a terrifying person or thing. B colloq. Formidable or troublesome person or thing, esp. A child. 3 organized intimidation; terrorism. [latin terreo frighten]



Hq  abbr. Headquarters.
Amorphous  adj. 1 of no definite shape. 2 vague. 3 mineral. & chem. Non-crystalline. [greek a- not, morphe form]

Scour2  v. Search thoroughly, esp. By scanning (scoured the streets for him; scoured the newspaper). [origin unknown]

Neg.  Abbr. Esp. Photog. Negative.


Safety pin  n. Pin with a guarded point.
Shalom  n. & int. Jewish salutation at meeting or parting. [hebrew]
Kilojoule  n. 1,000 joules, esp. As a measure of the energy value of foods.

Wheatmeal  n. Flour made from wheat with some of the bran and germ removed.
Rationalize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 (often foll. By away) offer a rational but specious explanation of (one's behaviour or attitude). 2 make logical and consistent. 3  make (a business etc.) More efficient by reorganizing it to reduce or eliminate waste.  rationalization n.

Same  —adj. 1 (often prec. By the) identical; not different (on the same bus). 2 unvarying (same old story). 3 (usu. Prec. By this, these, that, those) just mentioned (this same man later died). —pron. (prec. By the) 1 the same person or thing. 2 law or archaic the person or thing just mentioned. —adv. (usu. Prec. By the) similarly; in the same way (feel the same).  all (or just) the same 1 nevertheless. 2 emphatically the same. At the same time 1 simultaneously. 2 notwithstanding. Be all (or just) the same to make no difference to. Same here colloq. The same applies to me.  sameness n. [old norse]

Witty  adj. (-ier, -iest) showing esp. Verbal wit.  wittily adv. Wittiness n. [old english: related to *wit]

Ragtag  n. (in full ragtag and bobtail) derog. Rabble or common people. [from *rag1]
Bottom drawer  n. Linen etc. Stored by a woman for marriage.
Cayman  n. (also caiman) (pl. -s) s. American alligator-like reptile. [spanish and portuguese from carib]


Pericardium  n. (pl. -dia) membranous sac enclosing the heart. [greek kardia heart]
Proprietary name  n. (also proprietary term) registered name of a product etc. As a trade mark.

Aboriginal  —adj. 1 indigenous, inhabiting a land from the earliest times, esp. Before the arrival of colonists. 2 (usu. Aboriginal) of australian aborigines. —n. 1 aboriginal inhabitant. 2 (usu. Aboriginal) aboriginal inhabitant of australia. [latin: related to *origin]
Tibia  n. (pl. Tibiae) anat. Inner of two bones extending from the knee to the ankle.  tibial adj. [latin]
Hertz  n. (pl. Same) si unit of frequency, equal to one cycle per second. [hertz, name of a physicist]


Forearm2  v. Arm beforehand, prepare.

Copy-typist  n. Typist who types from documents rather than dictation.


Unconstitutional  adj. In breach of a political constitution or procedural rules.  unconstitutionally adv.

New moon  n. 1 moon when first seen as a crescent after conjunction with the sun. 2 time of its appearance.
Kermes  n. 1 female of an insect with a berry-like appearance. 2 (in full kermes oak) evergreen oak on which this feeds. 3 red dye made from these insects dried. [arabic]


Stooge  colloq. —n. 1 butt or foil, esp. For a comedian. 2 assistant or subordinate, esp. For routine or unpleasant work. —v. (-ging) 1 (foll. By for) act as a stooge for. 2 (foll. By about, around, etc.) Move about aimlessly. [origin unknown]


Half-duplex  n. Computing (of a circuit) allowing the two-way transmission of signals but not simultaneously.
Festal  adj. 1 joyous, merry. 2 of a feast or festival.  festally adv. [latin: related to *feast]

Ghillie  var. Of *gillie.
Glacé icing  n. Icing made with icing sugar and water.

Bouncing  adj. (esp. Of a baby) big and healthy.
Breathe  v. (-thing) 1 draw air into and expel it from the lungs. 2 be or seem alive. 3 a utter or sound (esp. Quietly). B express (breathed defiance). 4 pause. 5 send out or take in (as if) with the breath (breathed new life into them; breathed whisky). 6 (of wine etc.) Be exposed to the air.  breathe again (or freely) feel relief.



Yacht  —n. 1 light sailing-vessel. 2 larger usu. Power-driven vessel for cruising. —v. Race or cruise in a yacht. [dutch jaghtschip, literally ‘pursuit-ship’]

Wain  n. Archaic wagon. [old english]

Breadline  n. Subsistence level (esp. On the breadline).


Reason  —n. 1 motive, cause, or justification. 2 fact adduced or serving as this. 3 intellectual faculty by which conclusions are drawn from premisses. 4 sanity (lost his reason). 5 sense; sensible conduct; what is right, practical, or practicable; moderation. —v. 1 form or try to reach conclusions by connected thought. 2 (foll. By with) use argument with (a person) by way of persuasion. 3 (foll. By that) conclude or assert in argument. 4 (foll. By into, out of) persuade or move by argument. 5 (foll. By out) think out (consequences etc.). 6 (often as reasoned adj.) Express in a logical way. 7 embody reason in (an amendment etc.).  by reason of owing to. In (or within) reason within the bounds of moderation. With reason justifiably. [latin ratio]
Breakable  —adj. Easily broken. —n. (esp. In pl.) Breakable thing.

'S  abbr. 1 is; has (he's; she's got it; john's; charles's). 2 us (let's).


Undressed  adj. 1 not, or no longer, dressed. 2 (of food) without a dressing. 3 (of leather etc.) Not treated.
Blowtorch  n. Us = *blowlamp.
Conservatory  n. (pl. -ies) 1 greenhouse for tender plants, esp. Attached to a house. 2 esp. Us = *conservatoire. [latin and italian: related to *conserve]
Rifling  n. Arrangement of grooves on the inside of a gun's barrel.
Accomplish  v. Succeed in doing; achieve, complete. [latin: related to *complete]
Pluto  n. Outermost known planet of the solar system. [greek plouton, god of the underworld]


Know-all  n. Colloq. Person who claims or seems to know everything.

Speedo  n. (pl. -s) colloq. = *speedometer. [abbreviation]
Unsteady  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 not steady or firm. 2 changeable. 3 not uniform or regular.  unsteadily adv. Unsteadiness n.

Unknown warrior  n. = *unknown soldier.

Inner  —adj. (usu. Attrib.) 1 inside; interior. 2 (of thoughts, feelings, etc.) Deeper. —n. Archery 1 division of the target next to the bull's-eye. 2 shot striking this.  innermost adj. [old english, comparative of *in]

Quibble  —n. 1 petty objection; trivial point of criticism. 2 evasion; argument relying on ambiguity. 3 archaic pun. —v. (-ling) use quibbles.  quibbling adj. [origin uncertain]
Imperative  —adj. 1 urgent; obligatory. 2 commanding, peremptory. 3 gram. (of a mood) expressing a command (e.g. Come here!). —n. 1 gram. Imperative mood. 2 command. 3 essential or urgent thing. [latin impero command]
Moderato  adj. & adv. Mus. At a moderate pace. [italian]


Sneaker  n. Slang soft-soled canvas shoe.


Self-analysis  n. Analysis of oneself, one's motives, character, etc.


Kt.  Abbr. Knight.

Corkage  n. Charge made by a restaurant etc. For serving a customer's own wine etc.
Decimeter  n. (brit. -metre) metric unit of length, equal to 0.1 metre.
Dislocate  v. (-ting) 1 disturb the normal connection of (esp. A joint in the body). 2 disrupt.  dislocation n.
Indemnity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 a compensation for damage. B sum exacted by a victor in war. 2 security against loss. 3 exemption from penalties.
Chrysoberyl  n. Yellowish-green gem. [greek khrusos gold, *beryl]
Bandstand  n. Outdoor platform for musicians.
Express  —v. 1 represent or make known in words or by gestures, conduct, etc. 2 refl. Communicate what one thinks, feels, or means. 3 esp. Math. Represent by symbols. 4 squeeze out (liquid or air). 5 send by express service. —adj. 1 operating at high speed. 2 also definitely stated. 3 delivered by a specially fast service. —adv. 1 at high speed. 2 by express messenger or train. —n. 1 express train etc. 2 us service for the rapid transport of parcels etc.  expressible adj. Expressly adv. (in sense 2 of adj.). [latin exprimo -press- squeeze out]
Anc  abbr. African national congress.


Rissole  n. Cake of spiced minced meat, coated in breadcrumbs and fried. [french]


Truck1  n. 1 lorry. 2 open railway wagon for freight. [perhaps from *truckle]

Derby  n. (pl. -ies) 1 a annual flat horse-race at epsom. B similar race elsewhere. 2 important sporting contest. 3 (derby) us bowler hat. [earl of derby]
Mev  abbr. Mega-electronvolt(s).
Bluish  adj. Fairly blue.

Cloudburst  n. Sudden violent rainstorm.

Fridge  n. Colloq. = *refrigerator. [abbreviation]
White slave  n. Woman tricked or forced into prostitution.
Adam's apple  n. Projection of cartilage at the front of the neck.

Club-foot  n. Congenitally deformed foot.




Acid house  n. A type of synthesized music with a simple repetitive beat, often associated with hallucinogenic drugs.


Vide  v. (in imper.) See, consult (a passage in a book etc.). [latin video see]


Distrust  —n. Lack of trust; suspicion. —v. Have no trust in.  distrustful adj. Distrustfully adv.


Choice  —n. 1 a act of choosing. B thing or person chosen. 2 range from which to choose. 3 power or opportunity to choose. —adj. Of superior quality. [germanic: related to *choose]

Restaurant  n. Public premises where meals may be bought and eaten. [french from restaurer *restore]
Ruffle  —v. (-ling) 1 a disturb the smoothness or tranquillity of. B undergo this. 2 gather (lace etc.) Into a ruffle. 3 (often foll. By up) (of a bird) erect (its feathers) in anger, display, etc. —n. Frill of lace etc., esp. Round the wrist or neck. [origin unknown]



Gulch  n. Us ravine, esp. One in which a torrent flows. [origin uncertain]
Septuagenarian  n. Person from 70 to 79 years old. [latin -arius from septuaginta seventy]
High-water mark  n. Level reached at high water.
Evacuate  v. (-ting) 1 a remove (people) from a place of danger. B empty (a place) in this way. 2 make empty. 3 (of troops) withdraw from (a place). 4 empty (the bowels etc.).  evacuation n. [latin vacuus empty]

Notional  adj. Hypothetical, imaginary.  notionally adv.


Ouija  n. (in full ouija board) propr. Board marked with letters or signs and used with a movable pointer to try to obtain messages at a seance. [french oui, german ja, yes]

Meteoroid  n. Small body that becomes visible as it passes through the earth's atmosphere as a meteor.

Unguent  n. Soft ointment or lubricant. [latin unguo anoint]
Stone-fruit  n. Fruit with flesh enclosing a stone.

Neanderthal  adj. Of the type of human widely distributed in palaeolithic europe, with a retreating forehead and massive brow-ridges. [region in w. Germany]
Mall  n. 1 sheltered walk or promenade. 2 shopping precinct.  [the mall, street in london]


Leucocyte  n. White blood cell.


Brazier2  n. Worker in brass. [probably from *brass]
Labrador  n. Retriever of a breed with a black or golden coat. [labrador in canada]


Sob  —v. (-bb-) 1 inhale convulsively, usu. With weeping. 2 utter with sobs. —n. Act or sound of sobbing. [imitative]



Artery  n. (pl. -ies) 1 any of the blood-vessels carrying blood from the heart. 2 main road or railway line. [greek, probably from airo raise]
Roquefort  n. Propr. Soft blue cheese made from ewes' milk. [roquefort in france]

Octane  n. Colourless inflammable hydrocarbon occurring in petrol. [from *octa-]
 

Urethra  n. (pl. -s) duct conveying urine from the bladder. [greek: related to *ureter]
Shanghai  v. (-hais, -haied, -haiing) 1 colloq. Trick or force someone into doing something. 2 trick or force (a person) into serving as a sailor. [shanghai in china]

Generality  n. (pl. -ies) 1 general statement or rule. 2 general applicability. 3 lack of detail. 4 (foll. By of) main body or majority.

Poodle  n. 1 dog of a breed with a curly coat that is usually clipped. 2 servile follower. [german pudel]
Packhorse  n. Horse for carrying loads.
High voltage  n. Electrical potential large enough to injure or damage.

Free market  n. Market governed by unrestricted competition.
Light industry  n. Manufacture of small or light articles.

Ven.  Abbr. Venerable (as the title of an archdeacon).


Inflection  n. (also inflexion) 1 inflecting or being inflected. 2 a inflected word. B suffix etc. Used to inflect. 3 modulation of the voice.  inflectional adj. [latin: related to *inflect]

Hottentot  n. 1 member of a sw african negroid people. 2 their language. [afrikaans]

Revamp  v. 1 renovate, revise, improve. 2 patch up.

Pharmacopoeia  n. 1 book, esp. One officially published, containing a list of drugs with directions for use. 2 stock of drugs. [greek pharmakopoios drug-maker]
Spar1  n. 1 stout pole, esp. As a ship's mast etc. 2 main longitudinal beam of an aeroplane wing. [old norse sperra or french esparre]



Liver sausage  n. Sausage of cooked liver etc.



Self-appointed  adj. Designated so by oneself, not by others (self-appointed critic).


Matting  n. Fabric for mats.




Soap powder  n. Powdered soap, esp. With additives, for washing clothes etc.

Magisterial  adj. 1 imperious. 2 authoritative. 3 of a magistrate.  magisterially adv. [medieval latin: related to *master]




Fount1  n. Poet. Spring or fountain; source. [back-formation from *fountain]

Lords and ladies  n. Wild arum.

Symmetry  n. (pl. -ies) 1 a correct proportion of parts. B beauty resulting from this. 2 a structure allowing an object to be divided into parts of an equal shape and size. B possession of such a structure. 3 repetition of exactly similar parts facing each other or a centre.  symmetrical adj. Symmetrically adv. [greek summetria]
Basis  n. (pl. Bases) 1 foundation or support. 2 main principle or ingredient (on a friendly basis). 3 starting-point for a discussion etc. [greek: related to *base1]
Grandiloquent  adj. Pompous or inflated in language.  grandiloquence n. [latin: related to *grand, -loquus from loquor speak]

Hey presto!  Int. Conjuror's phrase on completing a trick.

Denture  n. Removable artificial tooth or teeth.

Disobey  v. Refuse or fail to obey.


Wigeon  var. Of *widgeon.



Treecreeper  n. Small creeping bird feeding on insects in tree-bark.
Gael  n. 1 scottish celt. 2 gaelic-speaking celt. [gaelic gaidheal]



Pronounce  v. (-cing) 1 (also absol.) Utter or speak (words, sounds, etc.) In a certain, or esp. In the approved, way. 2 utter or proclaim (a judgement, sentence, etc.) Officially, formally, or solemnly (i pronounce you man and wife). 3 state as one's opinion (pronounced the beef excellent). 4 (usu. Foll. By on, for, against, in favour of) pass judgement (pronounced for the defendant).  pronounceable adj. Pronouncement n. [latin nuntio announce]
Internationalism  n. Advocacy of a community of interests among nations.  internationalist n.
Greeting  n. 1 act or instance of welcoming etc. 2 words, gestures, etc., used to greet a person. 3 (often in pl.) Expression of goodwill.
Malign  —adj. 1 (of a thing) injurious. 2 (of a disease) malignant. 3 malevolent. —v. Speak ill of; slander.  malignity n. [latin malus bad]


Legislative  adj. Of or empowered to make legislation.
Patron  n. (fem. Patroness) 1 person financially supporting a person, cause, etc. 2 customer of a shop etc. [latin patronus: related to *pater]
Off-day  n. Colloq. Day when one is not at one's best.

Strip-search  —n. Search involving the removal of all a person's clothes. —v. Search in this way.

Little people  n.pl. (prec. By the) fairies.



Deuce2  n. The devil, esp. As an exclamation of surprise or annoyance (who the deuce are you?). [low german duus two (being the worst throw at dice)]
Bandy1  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 (of the legs) curved so as to be wide apart at the knees. 2 (also bandy-legged) having bandy legs. [perhaps from obsolete bandy curved stick]
Sled  us —n. Sledge. —v. (-dd-) ride on a sledge. [low german]
Gear  —n. 1 (often in pl.) A set of toothed wheels that work together, esp. Those connecting the engine of a vehicle to the road wheels. B particular setting of these (first gear). 2 equipment, apparatus, or tackle. 3 colloq. Clothing. —v. 1 (foll. By to) adjust or adapt to. 2 (often foll. By up) equip with gears. 3 (foll. By up) make ready or prepared. 4 put in gear.  in gear with a gear engaged. Out of gear with no gear engaged. [old norse]


Gillie  n. (also ghillie) scot. Man or boy attending a person hunting or fishing. [gaelic]
Gesture  —n. 1 significant movement of a limb or the body. 2 use of such movements, esp. As a rhetorical device. 3 action to evoke a response or convey intention, usu. Friendly. —v. (-ring) gesticulate. [latin gestura from gero wield]

Gentleman's agreement  n. (also gentlemen's agreement) agreement binding in honour but not enforceable.




Bibliography  n. (pl. -ies) 1 list of books on a specific subject, by a particular author, etc.; book containing this. 2 the study of books, their authorship, editions, etc.  bibliographer n. Bibliographical adj. [greek: related to *bible]

Paddy2  n. (pl. -ies) colloq. Rage; fit of temper. [from *paddy]
Here  —adv. 1 in or at or to this place or position (come here; sit here). 2 indicating a person's presence or a thing offered (my son here will show you; here is your coat). 3 at this point in the argument, situation, etc. (here i have a question). —n. This place (get out of here; lives near here; fill it up to here). —int. 1 calling attention: short for come here, look here, etc. (here, where are you going with that?). 2 indicating one's presence in a roll-call: short for i am here.  here goes! Colloq. Expression indicating the start of a bold act. Here's to i drink to the health of. Here we are colloq. Said on arrival at one's destination. Here we go again colloq. The same, usu. Undesirable, events are recurring. Here you are said on handing something to somebody. Neither here nor there of no importance. [old english]



Proof  —n. 1 facts, evidence, reasoning, etc. Establishing or helping to establish a fact (no proof that he was there). 2 demonstration, proving (not capable of proof). 3 test, trial (put them to the proof). 4 standard of strength of distilled alcohol. 5 trial impression from type or film, for correcting before final printing. 6 step by step resolution of a mathematical or philosophical problem. 7 photographic print made for selection etc. —adj. 1 (often in comb.) Impervious to penetration, ill effects, etc., esp. By a specified agent (proof against corruption; childproof). 2 being of proof alcoholic strength. —v. 1 make proof, esp. Make (fabric) waterproof. 2 make a proof of (a printed work). [latin proba: related to *prove]
Shock wave  n. 1 moving region of high air pressure caused by an explosion or by a supersonic body. 2 wave of emotional shock (the news sent shock waves throughout the region).
Unconquerable  adj. Not conquerable.



Aerobics  n.pl. Vigorous exercises designed to increase oxygen intake.  aerobic adj. [from *aero-, greek bios life]
Cuttlefish  n. (pl. Same or -es) mollusc with ten arms and ejecting a black fluid when threatened. [old english]
Heavy  —adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 of great or unusually high weight; difficult to lift. 2 of great density (heavy metal). 3 abundant, considerable (heavy crop; heavy traffic). 4 severe, intense, extensive (heavy fighting; a heavy sleep). 5 doing a thing to excess (heavy drinker). 6 striking or falling with force; causing strong impact (heavy blows; heavy rain; heavy sea; a heavy fall). 7 (of machinery, artillery, etc.) Very large of its kind; large in calibre etc. 8 needing much physical effort (heavy work). 9 carrying heavy weapons (the heavy brigade). 10 serious or sombre in tone or attitude; dull, tedious. 11 a hard to digest. B hard to read or understand. 12 (of bread etc.) Too dense from not having risen. 13 (of ground) difficult to traverse or work. 14 oppressive; hard to endure (heavy demands). 15 a coarse, ungraceful (heavy features). B unwieldy. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 colloq. Large violent person; thug (esp. Hired). 2 villainous or tragic role or actor. 3 (usu. In pl.) Colloq. Serious newspaper. 4 anything large or heavy of its kind, e.g. A vehicle. —adv. Heavily (esp. In comb.: heavy-laden).

Cleaner  n. 1 person employed to clean rooms etc. 2 establishment for cleaning clothes etc. 3 device or substance for cleaning.  take a person to the cleaners slang 1 defraud or rob a person. 2 criticize severely.
Masochism  n. 1 sexual perversion involving one's own pain or humiliation. 2 colloq. Enjoyment of what appears to be painful or tiresome.  masochist n. Masochistic adj. Masochistically adv. [von sacher-masoch, name of a novelist]
Handiwork  n. Work done or a thing made by hand, or by a particular person. [old english]

Copernican system  n. Theory that the planets (including the earth) move round the sun. [copernicus, name of an astronomer]

Whomsoever  objective case of *whosoever.
Vapour trail  n. Trail of condensed water from an aircraft etc.
Ensconce  v. (-cing) (usu. Refl. Or in passive) establish or settle comfortably. [from sconce small fortification]

Provident  adj. Having or showing foresight; thrifty. [latin: related to *provide]
Deem  v. Formal consider, judge (deem it my duty). [old english]
Unredeemed  adj. Not redeemed.
Bagatelle  n. 1 game in which small balls are struck into holes on a board. 2 mere trifle. 3 short piece of esp. Piano music. [french from italian]

Vibrate  v. (-ting) 1 move rapidly to and fro. 2 (of a sound) throb; resonate. 3 (foll. By with) quiver, thrill. 4 swing to and fro, oscillate. [latin vibro shake]
Stockist  n. Dealer in specified types of goods.


Uncouth  adj. Uncultured, rough. [old english, = unknown]
Skid  —v. (-dd-) 1 (of a vehicle etc.) Slide on slippery ground, esp. Sideways or obliquely. 2 cause (a vehicle) to skid. —n. 1 act of skidding. 2 runner beneath an aircraft for use when landing.  on the skids colloq. About to be discarded or defeated. Put the skids under colloq. Hasten the downfall or failure of. [origin unknown]

Unquestioning  adj. 1 asking no questions. 2 (of obedience etc.) Absolute.  unquestioningly adv.

Housefly  n. Common fly often entering houses.
Fifty  adj. & n. (pl. -ies) 1 five times ten. 2 symbol for this (50, l, l). 3 (in pl.) Numbers from 50 to 59, esp. The years of a century or of a person's life.  fiftieth adj. & n. [old english]
Omnivorous  adj. 1 feeding on both plant and animal material. 2 reading, observing, etc. Everything that comes one's way.  omnivore n. Omnivorousness n. [latin voro devour]
Black  —adj. 1 reflecting no light, colourless from lack of light (like coal or soot); completely dark. 2 (black) of the human group with dark-coloured skin, esp. African. 3 (of the sky etc.) Heavily overcast. 4 angry; gloomy (black look, mood). 5 implying disgrace etc. (in his black books). 6 wicked, sinister, deadly. 7 portending trouble (things look black). 8 comic but sinister (black comedy). 9 (of tea or coffee) without milk. 10 (of industrial labour or its products) boycotted, esp. By a trade union, in a strike etc. —n. 1 black colour or pigment. 2 black clothes or material (dressed in black). 3 a (in a game) black piece, ball, etc. B player of this. 4 credit side of an account (in the black). 5 (black) member of a dark-skinned race, esp. An african. —v. 1 make black (blacked his boots). 2 declare (goods etc.) ‘black’.  black out 1 effect a blackout on. 2 undergo a blackout. [old english]
Spinning-jenny  n. Hist. Machine for spinning fibres with more than one spindle at a time.
Teenage  attrib. Adj. Of or characteristic of teenagers.  teenaged adj.
Trapezoid  n. 1 quadrilateral with no two sides parallel. 2 us = *trapezium 1. [greek: related to *trapezium]
Service area  n. Area beside a major road providing petrol, refreshments, toilet facilities, etc.
Flay  v. 1 strip the skin or hide off, esp. By beating. 2 criticize severely. 3 peel off (skin, bark, peel, etc.). 4 extort money etc. From. [old english]

Watermark  —n. Faint design in some paper identifying the maker etc. —v. Mark with this.

Wiener schnitzel  n. Veal cutlet breaded, fried, and garnished. [german]



Massage parlour  n. 1 establishment providing massage. 2 euphem. Brothel.
Drive-on  adj. (of a ship) on to which vehicles may be driven.
Half  —n. (pl. Halves) 1 either of two (esp. Equal) parts into which a thing is divided. 2 colloq. Half a pint, esp. Of beer. 3 sport either of two equal periods of play. 4 colloq. Half-price fare or ticket, esp. For a child. 5 colloq. = *half-back. —adj. 1 amounting to half (half the men). 2 forming a half (a half share). —adv. 1 (often in comb.) To the extent of half; partly (half cooked). 2 to some extent (esp. In idiomatic phrases: half dead; am half convinced). 3 (in reckoning time) by the amount of half (an hour etc.) (half past two).  at half cock see *cock1. By half (prec. By too + adj.) Excessively (too clever by half). By halves imperfectly or incompletely (does nothing by halves). Half a mind see *mind. Half the time see *time. Not half 1 slang extremely, violently (he didn't half swear). 2 not nearly (not half long enough). 3 colloq. Not at all (not half bad). [old english]
Devil  —n. 1 (usu. The devil) (in christian and jewish belief) supreme spirit of evil; satan. 2 a evil spirit; demon. B personified evil. 3 a wicked person. B mischievously clever person. 4 colloq. Person of a specified kind (lucky devil). 5 fighting spirit, mischievousness (devil is in him tonight). 6 colloq. Awkward thing. 7 (the devil or the devil) colloq. Used as an exclamation of surprise or annoyance (who the devil are you?). 8 literary hack. 9 junior legal counsel. —v. (-ll-; us -l-) 1 cook (food) with hot seasoning. 2 act as devil for an author or barrister. 3 us harass, worry.  between the devil and the deep blue sea in a dilemma. A devil of colloq. Considerable, difficult, or remarkable. Devil's own colloq. Very difficult or unusual (the devil's own job). The devil to pay trouble to be expected. Speak (or talk) of the devil said when person appears just after being mentioned. [greek diabolos accuser, slanderer]




Fe  abbr. Further education.

Garter stitch  n. Plain knitting stitch.

Hummingbird  n. Small tropical bird that makes a humming sound with its wings when it hovers.



Unregistered  adj. Not registered.
Cannot  v.aux. Can not.
Mothering sunday  n. = *mother's day.
Commodity  n. (pl. -ies) article of trade, esp. A raw material or product as opposed to a service. [latin: related to *commode]

War cry  n. 1 phrase or name shouted to rally one's troops. 2 party slogan etc.


Sibylline  adj. 1 of or from a sibyl. 2 oracular; prophetic. [latin: related to *sibyl]
Candytuft  n. Plant with white, pink, or purple flowers in tufts. [candia crete, *tuft]
Molar  —adj. (usu. Of a mammal's back teeth) serving to grind. —n. Molar tooth. [latin mola millstone]

Undeclared  adj. Not declared.
Pentacle  n. Figure used as a symbol, esp. In magic, e.g. A pentagram. [medieval latin pentaculum: related to *penta-]
Steelyard  n. Balance with a graduated arm along which a weight is moved.


Cash and carry  n. 1 system (esp. In wholesaling) of cash payment for goods taken away by the purchaser. 2 store where this operates.

Short list  —n. List of selected candidates from which a final choice is made. —v. (short-list) put on a short list.


Centreboard  n. (us centerboard) board lowered through a boat's keel to prevent leeway.




Face to face  adv. & adj. (also face-to-face when attrib.) (often foll. By with) facing; confronting each other.
Unheeded  adj. Disregarded.
Labour camp  n. Prison camp enforcing a regime of hard labour.
Aquaplane  —n. Board for riding on water, pulled by a speedboat. —v. (-ning) 1 ride on this. 2 (of a vehicle) glide uncontrollably on a wet surface. [latin aqua water, *plane1]
Rpi  abbr. Retail price index.
Idyllic  adj. 1 blissfully peaceful and happy. 2 of or like an idyll.  idyllically adv.

Alexandrine  —adj. (of a line of verse) having six iambic feet. —n. Alexandrine line. [french alexandre, title of a romance using this metre]

Loincloth  n. Cloth worn round the hips, esp. As a sole garment.
Outmanoeuvre  v. (-ring) (us -maneuver) secure an advantage over by skilful manoeuvring.

Notecase  n. Wallet for holding banknotes.


Llama  n. S. American ruminant kept as a beast of burden and for its soft woolly fleece. [spanish from quechua]
Attendant  —n. Person escorting or providing a service (cloakroom attendant). —adj. 1 accompanying (attendant costs). 2 (often foll. By on) waiting (attendant on the queen).



Fountain-head  n. Source.

Distillery  n. (pl. -ies) place where alcoholic liquor is distilled.







Monarch  n. Sovereign with the title of king, queen, emperor, empress, or equivalent.  monarchic adj. Monarchical adj. [greek: related to *mono-, arkho rule]
Blood orange  n. Red-fleshed orange.

Ovenproof  adj. Suitable for use in an oven; heat-resistant.
Hearthrug  n. Rug laid before a fireplace.





Labour day  n. May 1 (or in the us and canada the first monday in september), celebrated in honour of working people.
Scaremonger  n. Person who spreads alarming rumours.  scaremongering n.
Myself  pron. 1 emphat. Form of *i2 or *me1 (i saw it myself). 2 refl. Form of *me1 (i was angry with myself).  be myself see *oneself. I myself i for my part (i myself am doubtful). [old english: related to *me1, *self]
Op art  n. Colloq. = *optical art. [abbreviation]
Acid  —n. 1 a any of a class of substances that liberate hydrogen ions in water, are usu. Sour and corrosive, turn litmus red, and have a ph of less than 7. B any compound or atom donating protons. 2 any sour substance. 3 slang the drug lsd. —adj. 1 sour. 2 biting, sharp (an acid wit). 3 chem. Having the essential properties of an acid.  acidic adj. Acidify v. (-ies, -ied). Acidity n. Acidly adv. [latin aceo be sour]
Dis-  prefix forming nouns, adjectives, and verbs implying: 1 negation or direct opposite (dishonest; discourteous). 2 reversal (disengage; disorientate). 3 removal of a thing or quality (dismember; disable). 4 separation (distinguish). 5 completeness or intensification (disgruntled). 6 expulsion from (disbar). [french des- or latin dis-]



Wisecrack  colloq. —n. Smart pithy remark. —v. Make a wisecrack.

Polyhedron  n. (pl. -dra) solid figure with many (usu. More than six) faces.  polyhedral adj. [greek hedra base]
Rip2  n. Stretch of rough water caused by meeting currents. [origin uncertain]
Concert  n. 1 musical performance of usu. Several separate compositions. 2 agreement. 3 combination of voices or sounds. [italian: related to *concerto]

Scary  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Frightening.
Snug  —adj. (snugger, snuggest) 1 cosy, comfortable, sheltered. 2 close-fitting. —n. Small room in a pub.  snugly adv. [probably low german or dutch]

Air traffic controller  n. Official who controls air traffic by radio.

Fire-practice  n. Fire-drill.
Uncoil  v. Unwind.
Dirty look  n. Colloq. Look of disapproval or disgust.


Bough  n. Main branch of a tree. [old english]
Wrest  v. 1 wrench away from a person's grasp. 2 (foll. By from) obtain by effort or with difficulty. [old english]
Cummerbund  n. Waist sash. [hindustani and persian]
Wiring  n. System or installation of wires providing electrical circuits.




Warp  —v. 1 a make or become distorted, esp. Through heat, damp, etc. B make or become perverted or strange (warped sense of humour). 2 haul (a ship) by a rope attached to a fixed point. —n. 1 a warped state, esp. Of timber. B perversion of the mind. 2 lengthwise threads in a loom. 3 rope used in warping a ship. [old english]


Equerry  n. (pl. -ies) officer attending the british royal family. [french esquierie stable]




W2  abbr. (also w.) 1 watt(s). 2 west; western.

Scarves  pl. Of *scarf1.


Public house  n. Inn providing alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises.

Unofficial strike  n. Strike not ratified by the strikers' trade union.
Long johns  n.pl. Colloq. Long underpants.

Superstition  n. 1 belief in the supernatural; irrational fear of the unknown. 2 practice, belief, or religion based on this.  superstitious adj. Superstitiously adv. [latin]
Mg  symb. Magnesium.
Nuthatch  n. Small bird which climbs up and down tree-trunks.

Frog2  n. Horny substance in the sole of a horse's foot. [origin uncertain: perhaps a use of *frog1]
Miraculous  adj. 1 being a miracle. 2 supernatural. 3 remarkable, surprising.  miraculously adv. [french or medieval latin: related to *miracle]
Feline  —adj. 1 of the cat family. 2 catlike. —n. Animal of the cat family.  felinity n. [latin feles cat]


Usage  in informal english only is usually placed between the subject and verb regardless of what it refers to (e.g. I only want to talk to you); in more formal english it is often placed more exactly, esp. To avoid ambiguity (e.g. I want to talk only to you). In speech, intonation usually serves to clarify the sense.

Winnow  v. 1 blow (grain) free of chaff etc. By an air-current. 2 (foll. By out, away, from, etc.) Get rid of (chaff etc.) From grain. 3 sift, examine (evidence etc.). [old english: related to *wind1]


Iridescent  adj. 1 showing rainbow-like luminous colours. 2 changing colour with position.  iridescence n.
Spark-plug  n. (also sparking-plug) device for making a spark in an internal-combustion engine.

Epoch  n. 1 period of history etc. Marked by notable events. 2 beginning of an era. 3 geol. Division of a period, corresponding to a set of strata.  epochal adj. [greek, = pause]
Unstrap  v. (-pp-) undo the strap(s) of.
Info  n. Colloq. Information. [abbreviation]
Welshwoman  n. Woman who is welsh by birth or descent.
Morality play  n. Hist. Drama with personified abstract qualities and including a moral lesson.

Soft pedal  —n. Piano pedal that softens the tone. —v. (soft-pedal) (-ll-; us -l-) refrain from emphasizing; be restrained.
Marker  n. 1 thing marking a position etc. 2 person or thing that marks. 3 broad-tipped felt-tipped pen. 4 scorer in a game.
Hospitable  adj. Giving hospitality.  hospitably adv. [latin hospito entertain: related to *host2]

Rounder  n. 1 (in pl.; treated as sing.) Ball game in which players hit the ball and run through a round of bases. 2 complete run as a unit of scoring in rounders.
Pock  n. (also pock-mark) small pus-filled spot on the skin, esp. Caused by chickenpox or smallpox.  pock-marked adj. [old english]

Rustic  —adj. 1 of or like country people or country life. 2 unsophisticated. 3 of rude or rough workmanship. 4 made of untrimmed branches or rough timber (rustic bench). 5 archit. With a roughened or rough-hewn surface. —n. Country person, peasant.  rusticity n. [latin rus the country]
Final  —adj. 1 situated at the end, coming last. 2 conclusive, decisive. —n. 1 last or deciding heat or game in sports etc. (cup final). 2 last daily edition of a newspaper. 3 (usu. In pl.) Examinations at the end of a degree course.  finally adv. [latin finis end]




Plastic explosive  n. Putty-like explosive.
Magnesium  n. Silvery metallic element.
Proportional representation  n. Electoral system in which parties gain seats in proportion to the number of votes cast for them.

Old world  n. Europe, asia, and africa.




Didgeridoo  n. Long tubular australian aboriginal musical instrument. [imitative]


Diffident  adj. Shy, lacking self-confidence; excessively reticent.  diffidence n. Diffidently adv. [latin diffido distrust]
Permian  —adj. Of the last period of the palaeozoic era. —n. This period. [perm in russia]


Spoor  n. Animal's track or scent. [dutch]
Brown  —adj. 1 having the colour of dark wood or rich soil. 2 dark-skinned or suntanned. 3 (of bread) made from wholemeal or wheatmeal flour. —n. 1 brown colour or pigment. 2 brown clothes or material. —v. Make or become brown.  browned off colloq. Fed up, disheartened.





Weatherproof  adj. Resistant to the effects of bad weather, esp. Rain.

Barbituric acid  n. Organic acid from which barbiturates are derived.

Local train  n. Train stopping at all the stations on its route.



Promise  —n. 1 assurance that one will or will not undertake a certain action etc. (promise of help). 2 sign of future achievements, good results, etc. (writer of great promise). —v. (-sing) 1 (usu. Foll. By to + infin., or that + clause; also absol.) Make a promise (promise not to be late). 2 (often foll. By to + infin.) Seem likely (to) (promises to be a good book). 3 colloq. Assure (i promise you, it will not be easy).  promise well (or ill etc.) Hold out good (or bad etc.) Prospects. [latin promissum from mitto miss- send]
Split pin  n. Metal cotter passed through a hole and held by the pressing back of the two ends.
Purposely  adv. On purpose.
Apostolate  n. 1 position or authority of an apostle. 2 leadership in reform.
Boot1  —n. 1 outer foot-covering reaching above the ankle. 2 luggage compartment of a car. 3 colloq. A firm kick. B (prec. By the) dismissal (got the boot). —v. 1 kick. 2 (often foll. By out) eject forcefully. 3 (usu. Foll. By up) make (a computer) ready.  put the boot in 1 kick brutally. 2 harm a person. [old norse]
Trenchant  adj. (of style or language etc.) Incisive, terse, vigorous.  trenchancy n. Trenchantly adv. [french: related to *trench]

Play  —v. 1 (often foll. By with) occupy or amuse oneself pleasantly. 2 (foll. By with) act light-heartedly or flippantly with (a person's feelings etc.). 3  a perform on or be able to perform on (a musical instrument). B perform (a piece of music etc.). C cause (a record, record-player, etc.) To produce sounds. 4 a (foll. By in) perform a role in (a drama etc.). B perform (a drama or role) on stage etc. C give a dramatic performance at (a particular theatre or place). 5 act in real life the part of (play truant; play the fool). 6 (foll. By on) perform (a trick or joke etc.) On (a person). 7 colloq. Cooperate; do what is wanted (they won't play). 8  gamble, gamble on. 9  a take part in (a game or recreation). B compete with (another player or team) in a game. C occupy (a specified position) in a team for a game. D assign (a player) to a position. 10  move (a piece) or display (a playing-card) in one's turn in a game. 11 (also absol.) Strike (a ball etc.) Or execute (a stroke) in a game. 12 move about in a lively manner; flit, dart. 13 (often foll. By on) a touch gently. B emit light, water, etc. (fountains gently playing). 14  allow (a fish) to exhaust itself pulling against a line. 15 (often foll. By at) a engage half-heartedly (in an activity). B pretend to be. —n. 1 recreation, amusement, esp. As the spontaneous activity of children. 2 a playing of a game. B action or manner of this. 3 dramatic piece for the stage etc. 4 activity or operation (the play of fancy). 5 a freedom of movement. B space or scope for this. 6 brisk, light, or fitful movement. 7 gambling.  in (or out of) play sport (of the ball etc.) In (or not in) a position to be played according to the rules. Make a play for colloq. Make a conspicuous attempt to acquire. Make play with use ostentatiously. Play about (or around) behave irresponsibly. Play along pretend to cooperate. Play back play (sounds recently recorded). Play ball colloq. Cooperate. Play by ear 1 perform (music) without having seen it written down. 2 (also play it by ear) colloq. Proceed step by step according to results. Play one's cards right (or well) colloq. Make good use of opportunities; act shrewdly. Play down minimize the importance of. Played out exhausted of energy or usefulness. Play fast and loose act unreliably. Play the field see *field. Play for time seek to gain time by delaying. Play the game observe the rules; behave honourably. Play havoc (or hell) with colloq. Cause great confusion or difficulty to; disrupt. Play into a person's hands act so as unwittingly to give a person an advantage. Play it cool colloq. Be relaxed or apparently indifferent. Play the market speculate in stocks etc. Play off (usu. Foll. By against) 1 oppose (one person against another), esp. For one's own advantage. 2 play an extra match to decide a draw or tie. Play on 1 continue to play. 2 take advantage of (a person's feelings etc.). Play safe (or for safety) avoid risks. Play up 1 behave mischievously. 2 annoy in this way. 3 cause trouble; be irritating. Play up to flatter, esp. To win favour. Play with fire take foolish risks. [old english]
Tatty  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. 1 tattered; shabby. 2 inferior. 3 tawdry.  tattily adv. Tattiness n. [originally scots, = shaggy, apparently related to *tatter]

Supererogation  n. Doing more than duty requires. [latin supererogo pay in addition]
Mailbox  n. Us letter-box.

Exactitude  n. Exactness, precision.

Codpiece  n. Hist. Bag or flap at the front of a man's breeches. [cod scrotum]
Valence1  n. = *valency.
Damned  colloq. —attrib. Adj. Damnable. —adv. Extremely (damned hot).  damned well = damn well. Do one's damnedest do one's utmost.


Buckshee  adj. & adv. Slang free of charge. [corruption of *baksheesh]
Collect1  —v. 1 bring or come together; assemble, accumulate. 2 systematically seek and acquire, esp. As a hobby. 3 obtain (contributions etc.) From a number of people. 4 call for; fetch. 5 a refl. Regain control of oneself. B concentrate (one's thoughts etc.). C (as collected adj.) Not perturbed or distracted. —adj. & adv. Us (of a telephone call, parcel, etc.) To be paid for by the receiver. [latin lego lect- pick]

Complaint  n. 1 complaining. 2 grievance, cause of dissatisfaction. 3 ailment. 4 formal accusation.
Terrorize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 fill with terror. 2 use terrorism against.  terrorization n.


Draughtsman  n. 1 person who makes drawings, plans, or sketches. 2 piece in draughts.  draughtsmanship n.
We'll  contr. We shall; we will.
Retie  v. (retying) tie again.



Haste  —n. Urgency of movement or action; excessive hurry. —v. (-ting) archaic = *hasten 1.  in haste quickly, hurriedly. Make haste hurry; be quick. [french from germanic]




Espadrille  n. Light canvas shoe with a plaited fibre sole. [provençal: related to *esparto]
Hill  n. 1 naturally raised area of land, lower than a mountain. 2 (often in comb.) Heap, mound (anthill). 3 sloping piece of road.  over the hill colloq. Past the prime of life. [old english]



Operator  n. 1 person operating a machine etc., esp. Connecting lines in a telephone exchange. 2 person engaging in business. 3 colloq. Person acting in a specified way (smooth operator). 4 symbol or function denoting an operation in mathematics, computing, etc.
Unworldly  adj. Spiritual; naïve.  unworldliness n.


Friar  n. Member of a male non-enclosed roman catholic order, e.g. Carmelites and franciscans. [latin frater brother]
Pontoon1  n. Card-game in which players try to acquire cards with a face value totalling 21. [probably a corruption of *vingt-et-un]
Backstage  adv. & adj. Behind the scenes.


Nine days' wonder  n. Person or thing that is briefly famous.

Counsel  —n. 1 advice, esp. Formally given. 2 consultation for advice. 3 (pl. Same) legal adviser, esp. A barrister; body of these. —v. (-ll-; us -l-) 1 advise (a person). 2 give esp. Professional advice to (a person) on personal problems. 3 recommend (a course of action).  keep one's own counsel not confide in others. Take counsel (usu. Foll. By with) consult.  counselling n. [latin consilium]



Cotter  n. 1 bolt or wedge for securing parts of machinery etc. 2 (in full cotter pin) split pin that can be opened after passing through a hole. [origin unknown]



Scoot  v. (esp. In imper.) Colloq. Depart quickly, flee. [origin unknown]
Rationalism  n. Practice of treating reason as the basis of belief and knowledge.  rationalist n. & adj. Rationalistic adj.
Cling  v. (past and past part. Clung) 1 (often foll. By to) adhere. 2 (foll. By to) be unwilling to give up; be emotionally dependent on (a habit, idea, friend, etc.). 3 (often foll. By to) maintain grasp; keep hold; resist separation.  clingy adj. (-ier, -iest). [old english]



Accelerate  v. (-ting) move or cause to move or happen more quickly.  acceleration n. [latin: related to *celerity]
Ain't  contr. Colloq. 1 am, is, or are not. 2 have or has not.
Pompous  n. Self-important, affectedly grand or solemn.  pomposity n. (pl. -ies). Pompously adv. Pompousness n. [latin: related to *pomp]

Flatulent  adj. 1 a causing intestinal wind. B caused by or suffering from this. 2 (of speech etc.) Inflated, pretentious.  flatulence n. [latin flatus blowing]
Toadstool  n. Fungus, usu. Poisonous, with a round top and slender stalk.


Driven  past part. Of *drive.

Tenable  adj. 1 maintainable or defensible against attack or objection (tenable position). 2 (foll. By for, by) (of an office etc.) That can be held for (a specified period) or by (a specified class of person).  tenability n. [french tenir hold]


Sextuplet  n. Each of six children born at one birth.
Respite  n. 1 interval of rest or relief. 2 delay permitted before the discharge of an obligation or the suffering of a penalty. [latin: related to *respect]
Brassière  n. = *bra. [french]

Girth  n. 1 distance round a thing. 2 band round the body of a horse to secure the saddle etc. [old norse: related to *gird]
Prefigure  v. Formal (-ring) represent or imagine beforehand.
Who  abbr. World health organization.

Boiler  n. 1 apparatus for heating a hot-water supply. 2 tank for heating water or turning it to steam. 3 tub for boiling laundry etc. 4 fowl etc. For boiling.

Vicereine  n. 1 viceroy's wife. 2 woman viceroy. [french: related to *vice-, reine queen]

Germinal  adj. 1 of germs. 2 in the earliest stage of development. 3 productive of new ideas.  germinally adv. [related to *germ]




Haggis  n. Scottish dish of offal boiled in a sheep's stomach with suet, oatmeal, etc. [origin unknown]
Sufficiency  n. (pl. -ies) (often foll. By of) adequate amount.
Slapstick  n. Boisterous comedy.
Glue-sniffing  n. Inhalation of fumes from adhesives as an intoxicant.  glue-sniffer n.


Parrot  —n. 1 mainly tropical bird with a short hooked bill, often vivid plumage, and the ability to mimic the human voice. 2 person who mechanically repeats another's words or actions. —v. (-t-) repeat mechanically. [french, diminutive of pierre peter]



Numismatic  adj. Of or relating to coins or medals. [greek nomisma coin]
Vermicelli  n. 1 pasta in long slender threads. 2 shreds of chocolate as cake decoration etc. [latin vermis worm]
Two-edged  adj. Double-edged.



Usage  estate duty was replaced in 1975 by capital transfer tax and in 1986 by inheritance tax.

Enthusiastic  adj. Having enthusiasm.  enthusiastically adv.
Catastrophe  n. 1 great and usu. Sudden disaster. 2 denouement of a drama.  catastrophic adj. Catastrophically adv. [greek strepho turn]

Cinchona  n. 1 a s. American evergreen tree or shrub. B its bark, containing quinine. 2 drug from this. [countess of chinchón]


Clearing-house  n. 1 bankers' establishment where cheques and bills are exchanged, only the balances being paid in cash. 2 agency for collecting and distributing information etc.


Lattice  n. 1 structure of crossed laths or bars with spaces between, used as a screen, fence, etc. 2 regular periodic arrangement of atoms, ions, or molecules.  latticed adj. [french lattis from latte *lath]



Guff  n. Slang empty talk. [imitative]
Streaky  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 full of streaks. 2 (of bacon) with streaks of fat.
Contentious  adj. 1 quarrelsome. 2 likely to cause an argument.


Snout  n. 1 projecting nose and mouth of an animal. 2 derog. Person's nose. 3 pointed front of a thing. [low german or dutch]
Maestro  n. (pl. Maestri or -s) 1 distinguished musician, esp. A conductor, composer, or teacher. 2 great performer in any sphere. [italian]
Amend  v. 1 make minor alterations in to improve. 2 correct an error in (a document etc.). [latin: related to *emend]
Finishing-school  n. Private college preparing girls for fashionable society.
Awoken  past part. Of *awake.



African violet  n. House-plant with velvety leaves and blue, purple, or pink flowers.



Apple-pie order  n. Extreme neatness.

Handbill  n. Printed notice distributed by hand.


Secretion  n. 1  a process of secreting. B secreted substance. 2 act of concealing. [latin: related to *secret]

Convert  —v. 1 (usu. Foll. By into) change in form or function. 2 cause (a person) to change belief etc. 3 change (moneys etc.) Into others of a different kind. 4 make structural alterations in (a building) for a new purpose. 5 (also absol.) Rugby score extra points from (a try) by a successful kick at the goal. —n. (often foll. By to) person converted to a different belief etc. [latin verto vers- turn]

Unlimited  adj. Unrestricted; enormous (unlimited expanse).
Cube root  n. Number which produces a given number when cubed.
East  —n. 1 a point of the horizon where the sun rises at the equinoxes. B compass point corresponding to this. C direction in which this lies. 2 (usu. The east) a countries to the east of europe. B states of eastern europe. 3 eastern part of a country, town, etc. —adj. 1 towards, at, near, or facing the east. 2 from the east (east wind). —adv. 1 towards, at, or near the east. 2 (foll. By of) further east than.  to the east (often foll. By of) in an easterly direction. [old english]



Peacetime  n. Period when a country is not at war.
Stalwart  —adj. 1 strong, sturdy. 2 courageous, resolute, reliable. —n. Stalwart person, esp. A loyal comrade. [old english, = place, *worth]

Release  —v. (-sing) 1 (often foll. By from) set free; liberate, unfasten. 2 allow to move from a fixed position. 3 a make (information, a recording, etc.) Publicly available. B issue (a film etc.) For general exhibition. —n. 1 liberation from a restriction, duty, or difficulty. 2 handle or catch that releases part of a mechanism. 3 news item etc. Made available for publication (press release). 4 a film or record etc. That is released. B releasing or being released in this way. [french relesser from latin relaxo *relax]
Disclose  v. (-sing) make known; expose.  disclosure n.
Shuttle diplomacy  n. Negotiations conducted by a mediator travelling between disputing parties.


Bract  n. Leaf-like and often brightly coloured part of a plant, growing before the flower. [latin bractea thin sheet]





Crew neck  n. Round close-fitting neckline.

Prominent  adj. 1 jutting out, projecting. 2 conspicuous. 3 distinguished, important. [latin promineo project]
Smocking  n. Ornamental effect on cloth made by gathering it tightly with stitches.

Sloshed  predic. Adj. Slang drunk.
Clean sheet  n. (also clean slate) freedom from commitments or imputations; removal of these from one's record.
Brickie  n. Slang bricklayer.
Full-time  —adj. For or during the whole of the working week (full-time job). —adv. On a full-time basis (work full-time).
Factotum  n. (pl. -s) employee who does all kinds of work. [medieval latin: related to *fact, *total]
Gelatinous  adj. Of a jelly-like consistency.

Outlast  v. Last longer than.
Plug-hole  n. Hole, esp. In a sink or bath, which can be closed by a plug.




Race riot  n. Outbreak of violence due to racial antagonism.



Deceptive  adj. Likely to deceive; misleading.  deceptively adv. Deceptiveness n.
Raglan  —adj. (of a sleeve) running up to the neck of a garment. —n. (often attrib.) Overcoat without shoulder seams, the sleeves running up to the neck. [lord raglan]

Enthrone  v. (-ning) place on a throne, esp. Ceremonially.  enthronement n.

Heartless  adj. Unfeeling, pitiless.  heartlessly adv.
Disincline  v. (-ning) make unwilling or reluctant.  disinclination n.

Mater  n. Slang mother. [latin]


Dovecote  n. (also dovecot) shelter with nesting-holes for domesticated pigeons.

Rub  —v. (-bb-) 1 move something, esp. One's hand, with firm pressure over the surface of. 2 (usu. Foll. By against, in, on, over) apply (one's hand etc.) In this way. 3 clean, polish, chafe, or make dry, sore, or bare by rubbing. 4 (foll. By in, into, through, over) apply (polish etc.) By rubbing. 5 (often foll. By together, against, on) move with contact or friction or slide (objects) against each other. 6 (of cloth, skin, etc.) Become frayed, worn, sore, or bare with friction. —n. 1 act or spell of rubbing (give it a rub). 2 impediment or difficulty (there's the rub).  rub along colloq. Cope or manage routinely. Rub down dry, smooth, or clean by rubbing. Rub it in (or rub a person's nose in it) emphasize or repeat an embarrassing fact etc. Rub off 1 (usu. Foll. By on) be transferred by contact, be transmitted (his attitudes have rubbed off on me). 2 remove by rubbing. Rub out erase with a rubber. Rub shoulders with associate with. Rub up 1 polish. 2 brush up (a subject or one's memory). Rub up the wrong way irritate. [low german]

Privilege  —n. 1 right, advantage, or immunity, belonging to a person, class, or office. 2 special benefit or honour (a privilege to meet you). —v. (-ging) invest with a privilege.  privileged adj. [latin: related to *privy, lex leg- law]
All souls' day  n. 2 nov., roman catholic festival with prayers for the souls of the dead.





Inexhaustible  adj. That cannot be used up, endless.

Importune  v. (-ning) 1 pester (a person) with requests. 2 solicit as a prostitute.
Off-stage  adj. & adv. Not on the stage; not visible to the audience.
Silicone  n. Any organic compound of silicon, with high resistance to cold, heat, water, etc.


Whole  —adj. 1 uninjured, unbroken, intact, or undiminished. 2 not less than; all there is of. 3 (of blood or milk etc.) With no part removed. —n. 1 thing complete in itself. 2 all there is of a thing. 3 (foll. By of) all members etc. Of (the whole of london knows it).  as a whole as a unity; not as separate parts. On the whole taking everything relevant into account. Whole lot see *lot.  wholeness n. [old english]


Tithe barn  n. Barn built to hold tithes paid in kind.
Pyrex  n. Propr. Hard heat-resistant glass, used esp. For ovenware. [invented word]

Biathlon  n. Athletic contest in skiing and shooting or cycling and running. [from *bi-, after *pentathlon]


Bus lane  n. Part of a road mainly for use by buses.
Malarkey  n. Colloq. Humbug; nonsense. [origin unknown]
Fake  —n. False or counterfeit thing or person. —adj. Counterfeit; not genuine. —v. (-king) 1 make a fake or imitation of (faked my signature). 2 feign (a feeling, illness, etc.). [german fegen sweep]
Rush candle  n. Candle made of rush pith dipped in tallow.
Up-end  v. Set or rise up on end.


Cerium  n. Silvery metallic element of the lanthanide series. [ceres, name of an asteroid]

Knave  n. 1 rogue, scoundrel. 2 = *jack n. 2.  knavery n. (pl. -ies). Knavish adj. [old english, originally = boy, servant]



Lazybones  n. (pl. Same) colloq. Lazy person.
Reinsure  v. (-ring) insure again (esp. Of an insurer transferring risk to another insurer).  reinsurance n.

Awol  abbr. Colloq. Absent without leave.



Leukaemia  n. (us leukemia) malignant disease in which the bone-marrow etc. Produces too many leucocytes. [greek leukos white, haima blood]
Countermove  n. Move or action in opposition to another.
Remortgage  —v. (-ging) (also absol.) Mortgage again; revise the terms of an existing mortgage on (a property). —n. Different or altered mortgage.
Census  n. (pl. -suses) official count of population etc. [latin: related to *censor]
Evil eye  n. Gaze that is superstitiously believed to cause harm.
Maple-leaf  n. Emblem of canada.

Grip  —v. (-pp-) 1 a grasp tightly. B take a firm hold, esp. By friction. 2 compel the attention of. —n. 1 a firm hold; tight grasp. B manner of grasping or holding. 2 power of holding attention. 3 a intellectual mastery. B effective control of one's behaviour etc. (lose one's grip). 4 a part of a machine that grips. B part by which a weapon etc. Is held. 5 = *hairgrip. 6 travelling bag.  come (or get) to grips with approach purposefully; begin to deal with. [old english]
Delphic  adj. (also delphian) 1 obscure, ambiguous, or enigmatic. 2 of the ancient greek oracle at delphi.

Clanger  n. Slang mistake, blunder.

Mb  abbr. 1 bachelor of medicine. 2 computing megabyte. [sense 1 from latin medicinae baccalaureus]
Lt.  Abbr. 1 lieutenant. 2 light.
Sauce  —n. 1 liquid or viscous accompaniment to a dish. 2 something adding piquancy or excitement. 3 colloq. Impudence, impertinence, cheek. —v. (-cing) colloq. Be impudent to; cheek. [latin salsus salted]
-ably  suffix forming adverbs corresponding to adjectives in -able.
Chamfer  —v. Bevel symmetrically (a right-angled edge or corner). —n. Bevelled surface at an edge or corner. [french chant edge, fraint broken]
Subtend  v. (of a line) be opposite (an angle or arc). [latin: related to *tend1]
Uncommon  adj. 1 unusual. 2 remarkably great etc. (uncommon appetite).  uncommonly adv. Uncommonness n.



Proximate  adj. 1 nearest or next before or after (in place, order, time, causation, thought process, etc.). 2 approximate. [latin proximus nearest]
Dessert  n. 1 sweet course of a meal. 2 fruit, nuts, etc., served at the end of a meal. [french: related to *dis-, *serve]

Hidden  past part. Of *hide1.
Transform  v. 1 make a thorough or dramatic change in the form, appearance, character, etc., of. 2 change the voltage etc. Of (an alternating current).  transformation n. [latin]
Deactivate  v. (-ting) make inactive or less reactive.
Summertime  n. Season or period of summer.

Craven  adj. Cowardly, abject. [probably french cravanté defeated]
Brouhaha  n. Commotion; sensation. [french]
Endo-  comb. Form internal. [greek endon within]


Sterling  —adj. 1 of or in british money (pound sterling). 2 (of a coin or precious metal) genuine; of standard value or purity. 3 (of a person etc.) Genuine, reliable. —n. British money. [old english, = penny]
Midwife  n. Person trained to assist at childbirth.  midwifery n. [originally = with-woman]


F  abbr. (also f.) 1 female. 2 feminine. 3 following page etc. 4 mus. Forte. 5 folio. 6 focal length.
Abundance  n. 1 plenty; more than enough; a lot. 2 wealth. [latin: related to *abound]



Swindle  —v. (-ling) (often foll. By out of) 1 cheat of money etc. 2 cheat a person of (money etc.) (swindled £200 out of him). —n. 1 act of swindling. 2 fraudulent person or thing.  swindler n. [back-formation from swindler from german]

Here and now  adv. At this very moment; immediately.

Odds-on  —n. State when success is more likely than failure. —adj. (of a chance) better than even; likely.




Mourn  v. (often foll. By for, over) feel or show deep sorrow or regret for (a dead person, a lost thing, a past event, etc.). [old english]
Earth mother  n. Sensual and maternal woman.




Axial  adj. Of, forming, or placed round an axis.
Sideburns  n.pl. = *sideboards. [earlier burnsides, after general burnside (d. 1881)]
Water-colour  n. (us water-color) 1 artists' paint made of pigment to be diluted with water and not oil. 2 picture painted with this. 3 art of painting with water-colours.  water-colourist n.
Pantie-girdle  n. Woman's girdle with a crotch shaped like pants.
Glow  —v. 1 a emit light and heat without flame. B shine as if heated in this way.  2 (often foll. By with) a (of the body) be heated. B show or feel strong emotion (glowed with pride). 3 show a warm colour. 4 (as glowing adj.) Expressing pride or satisfaction (glowing report). —n. 1 glowing state. 2 bright warm colour. 3 feeling of satisfaction or well-being. [old english]


Byte  n. Computing group of eight binary digits, often representing one character. [origin uncertain]

-ible  suffix forming adjectives meaning ‘that may or may be’ (forcible; possible). [latin]

Land mass  n. Large area of land.

Declare  v. (-ring) 1 announce openly or formally (declare war). 2 pronounce (declared it invalid). 3 (usu. Foll. By that) assert emphatically. 4 acknowledge possession of (dutiable goods, income, etc.). 5 (as declared adj.) Admitting to be such (declared atheist). 6 (also absol.) Cricket close (an innings) voluntarily before the team is out. 7 (also absol.) Cards name (the trump suit).  declare oneself reveal one's intentions or identity.  declarative adj. Declaratory adj. Declarer n. [latin clarus clear]


Aftershave  n. Lotion used after shaving.
Withy  var. Of *withe.

Enviable  adj. Likely to excite envy, desirable.  enviably adv.
Hypothesize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) form or assume a hypothesis.

Qwerty  attrib. Adj. Denoting the standard keyboard on english-language typewriters etc., with q, w, e, r, t, and y as the first keys on the top row of letters.


Multi-user  attrib. Adj. (of a computer system) having a number of simultaneous users.
Frighten  v. 1 fill with fright (the bang frightened me; frightened of dogs). 2 (foll. By away, off, out of, into) drive by fright.  frightening adj. Frighteningly adv.
Rural district  n. Hist. Group of country parishes with an elected council.
Barrage  n. 1 concentrated artillery bombardment. 2 rapid succession of questions or criticisms. 3 artificial barrier in a river etc. [french barrer *bar1]

Nadir  n. 1 part of the celestial sphere directly below an observer. 2 lowest point; time of deep despair. [arabic, = opposite]

Imperishable  adj. Not able to perish, indestructible.
Self-abasement  n. Self-humiliation; cringing.


Porphyry  n. (pl. -ies) hard rock composed of crystals of white or red feldspar in a red matrix.  porphyritic adj. [greek: related to *purple]
Fidelity  n. 1 faithfulness, loyalty. 2 strict accuracy. 3 precision in sound reproduction (high fidelity). [latin fides faith]

Humane  adj. 1 benevolent, compassionate. 2 inflicting the minimum of pain. 3 (of learning) tending to civilize.  humanely adv. Humaneness n.
Show  —v. (past part. Shown or showed) 1 be, allow, or cause to be, visible; manifest (buds are beginning to show; white shows the dirt). 2 (often foll. By to) offer for scrutiny etc. (show your tickets please). 3 a indicate (one's feelings) (showed his anger). B accord, grant (favour, mercy, etc.). 4 (of feelings etc.) Be manifest (his dislike shows). 5 a demonstrate; point out; prove (showed it to be false; showed his competence). B (usu. Foll. By how to + infin.) Instruct by example (showed them how to knit). 6 (refl.) Exhibit oneself (as being) (showed herself to be fair). 7 exhibit in a show. 8 (often foll. By in, out, up, round, etc.) Conduct or lead (showed them to their rooms). 9 colloq. = show up 3 (he didn't show). —n. 1 showing. 2 spectacle, display, exhibition, etc. 3 public entertainment or performance. 4 a outward appearance or display. B empty appearance; mere display. 5 colloq. Undertaking, business, etc. 6 med. Discharge of blood etc. At the onset of childbirth.  good (or bad or poor) show! Colloq. That was well (or badly) done. On show being exhibited. Show one's hand disclose one's plans. Show off 1 display to advantage. 2 colloq. Act pretentiously. Show up 1 make or be conspicuous or clearly visible. 2 expose or humiliate. 3 colloq. Appear; arrive. Show willing show a willingness to help etc. [old english]
Static electricity  n. Electricity not flowing as a current.
Scrotum  n. (pl. Scrota or -s) pouch of skin containing the testicles.  scrotal adj. [latin]


Law  n. 1 a rule enacted or customary in a community and recognized as commanding or forbidding certain actions. B body of such rules. 2 controlling influence of laws; respect for laws. 3 laws collectively as a social system or subject of study. 4 binding force (her word is law). 5 (prec. By the) a the legal profession. B colloq. The police. 6 (in pl.) Jurisprudence. 7 a the judicial remedy. B the lawcourts as providing this (go to law). 8 rule of action or procedure. 9 regularity in natural occurrences (laws of nature; law of gravity). 10 divine commandments.  be a law unto oneself do what one considers right; disregard custom. Lay down the law be dogmatic or authoritarian. Take the law into one's own hands redress a grievance by one's own means, esp. By force. [old english from old norse, = thing laid down]

Jacobean  —adj. 1 of the reign of james i. 2 (of furniture) heavy and dark in style. —n. Jacobean person. [latin jacobus james]
Scraper  n. Device for scraping, esp. Paint etc. From a surface.





Private  —adj. 1 belonging to an individual, one's own, personal (private property). 2 confidential, not to be disclosed to others (private talks). 3 kept or removed from public knowledge or observation. 4 not open to the public. 5 (of a place) secluded. 6 (of a person) not holding public office or an official position. 7 (of education or medical treatment) conducted outside the state system, at the individual's expense. —n. 1 private soldier. 2 (in pl.) Colloq. Genitals.  in private privately.  privately adv. [latin privo deprive]
It  abbr. Information technology.

Unfavourable  adj. (us unfavorable) not favourable; adverse, hostile.  unfavourably adv.
Vatican  n. Palace or government of the pope in rome. [name of a hill in rome]
Fanlight  n. Small, orig. Semicircular, window over a door or another window.
Watertight  adj. 1 closely fastened or fitted so as to prevent the passage of water. 2 (of an argument etc.) Unassailable.

Wobbly  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 tending to wobble. 2 wavy (wobbly line). 3 weak after illness. 4 wavering, insecure (the economy was wobbly).  throw a wobbly slang have a tantrum or fit of nerves.
Olden  attrib. Adj. Archaic old; of old.


Fount2  n. (also font) set of printing-type of same face and size. [french: related to *found3]

Copulate  v. (-ting) (often foll. By with) (esp. Of animals) have sexual intercourse.  copulation n.
Lighthouse  n. Tower etc. Containing a beacon light to warn or guide ships at sea.

Usage  the variant advisor is fairly common, but is considered incorrect by many people.
Dumbstruck  adj. Speechless with surprise.
Grandchild  n. Child of one's son or daughter.

Intellectual  —adj. 1 of or appealing to the intellect. 2 possessing a highly developed intellect. 3 requiring the intellect. —n. Intellectual person.  intellectuality n. Intellectualize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing). Intellectually adv.

Hobnob  v. (-bb-) (usu. Foll. By with) mix socially or informally. [hab nab have or not have]
Cheer  —n. 1 shout of encouragement or applause. 2 mood, disposition (full of good cheer). 3 (in pl.; as int.) Colloq. A expressing good wishes on parting or before drinking. B expressing gratitude. —v. 1 a applaud with shouts. B (usu. Foll. By on) urge with shouts. 2 shout for joy. 3 gladden; comfort.  cheer up make or become less depressed. [latin cara face, from greek]
Show trial  n. Judicial trial designed to frighten or impress the public.

Upstanding  adj. 1 standing up. 2 strong and healthy. 3 honest.



Psychological warfare  n. Campaign directed at reducing enemy morale.

Contemptuous  adj. (often foll. By of) feeling or showing contempt.  contemptuously adv.

Lessen  v. Make or become less, diminish.

Financial year  n. Year as reckoned for taxing or accounting, esp. From 6 april.

Awaken  v. = *awake v.
Concatenation  n. Series of linked things or events. [latin catena chain]
Over-sensitive  adj. Excessively sensitive; easily hurt or quick to react.  over-sensitiveness n. Over-sensitivity n.
Chamomile  var. Of *camomile.


Stock-in-trade  n. 1 requisite(s) of a trade or profession. 2 characteristic or essential product; characteristic behaviour, actions, etc.
Conservancy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 body controlling a port, river, etc., or preserving the environment. 2 official environmental conservation. [latin: related to *conserve]



Np  symb.  Neptunium.




Overstrung  adj. 1  (of a person, nerves, etc.) Too highly strung. 2  (of a piano) with strings in sets crossing each other obliquely.
Animality  n. 1 the animal world. 2 animal behaviour.
Eye-tooth  n. Canine tooth in the upper jaw just under the eye.
Blinker  —n. 1 (usu. In pl.) Each of two screens on a bridle preventing lateral vision. 2 device that blinks. —v. 1 obscure with blinkers. 2 (as blinkered adj.) Having narrow and prejudiced views.
Usage  the form farthest is used esp. With reference to physical distance, although furthest is preferred by many people even in this sense.

Hypermarket  n. Very large supermarket.



Counter2  —v. 1 a oppose, contradict. B meet by countermove. 2 boxing give a return blow while parrying. —adv. In the opposite direction or manner. —adj. Opposite. —n. Parry; countermove. [related to *counter-]


Nondescript  —adj. Lacking distinctive characteristics, not easily classified. —n. Nondescript person or thing. [related to *describe]

Unsold  adj. Not sold.

Tomahawk  n. N. American indian war-axe. [renape]

Select committee  n. Small parliamentary committee conducting a special inquiry.
Auction  —n. Sale in which articles are sold to the highest bidder. —v. Sell by auction. [latin augeo auct- increase]
Primus  n. Propr. Portable cooking stove burning vaporized oil. [latin, = first]

Interstice  n. 1 intervening space. 2 chink or crevice. [latin interstitium from sisto stand]
Lukewarm  adj. 1 moderately warm; tepid. 2 unenthusiastic, indifferent. [old english (now dial.) Luke warm, *warm]

Instigate  v. (-ting) 1 bring about by incitement or persuasion. 2 urge on, incite.  instigation n. Instigator n. [latin stigo prick]

Dough  n. 1 thick mixture of flour etc. And liquid for baking. 2 slang money.  doughy adj. (-ier, -iest). [old english]


Alto  n. (pl. -s) 1 = *contralto. 2 a highest adult male singing-voice, above tenor. B singer with this voice. 3 instrument pitched second- or third-highest in its family. [italian alto (canto) high (singing)]


Patch pocket  n. Piece of cloth sewn on a garment as a pocket.



Buyer's market  n. (also buyers' market) trading conditions favourable to buyers.


Hippo  n. (pl. -s) colloq. Hippopotamus. [abbreviation]
Brownie point  n. Colloq. Notional mark awarded for good conduct etc.
Pundit  n. 1 (also pandit) learned hindu. 2 often iron. Expert.  punditry n. [hindustani from sanskrit]



Sub-aqua  adj. Of underwater swimming or diving.



Octa-  comb. Form (also oct- before a vowel) eight. [latin octo, greek okto eight]
Tally  —n. (pl. -ies) 1 reckoning of a debt or score. 2 total score or amount. 3 mark registering the number of objects delivered or received. 4 hist. A piece of notched wood for keeping account. B account kept thus. 5 identification ticket or label. 6 corresponding thing, counterpart, or duplicate. —v. (-ies, -ied) (often foll. By with) agree or correspond. [latin talea rod]
Dow-jones index  n. (also dow-jones average) a figure indicating the relative price of shares on the new york stock exchange. [dow and jones, names of american economists]
Warming-pan  n. Hist. Container for live coals with a flat body and a long handle, used for warming a bed.

Killing  —n. 1 a causing of death. B instance of this. 2 colloq. Great (esp. Financial) success (make a killing). —adj. Colloq. 1 very funny. 2 exhausting.


Castrate  v. (-ting) 1 remove the testicles of; geld. 2 deprive of vigour.  castration n. [latin castro]

Lock, stock, and barrel  adv. Completely.
Forcemeat  n. Minced seasoned meat for stuffing or garnish. [related to *farce]

Atmospherics  n.pl. 1 electrical atmospheric disturbance, esp. Caused by lightning. 2 interference with telecommunications caused by this.

Transmission  n. 1 transmitting or being transmitted. 2 broadcast programme. 3 mechanism transmitting power from the engine to the axle in a vehicle.
Colouration  var. Of *coloration.
Kind  —n. 1 race, species, or natural group of animals, plants, etc. (human kind). 2 class, type, sort, variety. 3 natural way, fashion, etc. (true to kind). —adj. (often foll. By to) friendly, generous, or benevolent.  in kind 1 in the same form, likewise (was insulted and replied in kind). 2 (of payment) in goods or labour, not money. 3 character, quality (differ in degree but not in kind). Kind of colloq. To some extent (i kind of expected it). A kind of loosely resembling (he's a kind of doctor). [old english]

Finger-mark  n. Mark left by a finger.

Svelte  adj. Slender, lissom, graceful. [french from italian]

Vestige  n. 1 trace; sign. 2 slight amount; particle. 3 atrophied part or organ of an animal or plant that was well developed in ancestors.  vestigial adj. [latin vestigium footprint]
Devotion  n. 1 (usu. Foll. By to) great love or loyalty. 2 a religious worship. B (in pl.) Prayers.  devotional adj. [latin: related to *devote]
Eel  n. Snakelike fish. [old english]
Compound2  n. 1 enclosure or fenced-in space. 2 enclosure, esp. In india, china, etc., in which a factory or house stands. [malay kampong]
Assumption  n. 1 assuming. 2 thing assumed. 3 (assumption) reception of the virgin mary bodily into heaven.
Colitis  n. Inflammation of the lining of the colon.


Tantrum  n. (esp. Child's) outburst of bad temper or petulance. [origin unknown]
Miscalculate  v. (-ting) calculate wrongly.  miscalculation n.
Sea salt  n. Salt produced by evaporating sea water.

Rehang  v. (past and past part. Rehung) hang again or differently.



Unclench  v. 1 release (clenched hands etc.). 2 (of hands etc.) Become relaxed or open.


Working day  n. 1 workday. 2 part of the day devoted to work.
Warrant  —n. 1 thing that authorizes an action. 2 a written authorization, money voucher, etc. B written authorization allowing police to search premises, arrest a suspect, etc. 3 certificate of service rank held by a warrant-officer. —v. 1 serve as a warrant for; justify. 2 guarantee or attest to esp. The genuineness of.  i (or i'll) warrant i am certain; no doubt. [french warant, from germanic]
Kt.  Abbr. Knot.

Chemotherapy  n. Treatment of disease, esp. Cancer, by chemical substances.
Typecast  v. (past and past part. -cast) assign (an actor or actress) repeatedly to the same type of role.

Dressing-room  n. Room for changing one's clothes, esp. In a theatre, or attached to a bedroom.


Mat2  var. Of *matt.

Cheer-leader  n. Person who leads cheers of applause etc.


Metabolite  n. Substance formed in or necessary for metabolism.



Crest  —n. 1 a comb or tuft etc. On a bird's or animal's head. B plume etc. On a helmet etc. 2 top of a mountain, wave, roof, etc. 3 heraldry a device above a coat of arms. B such a device on writing-paper etc. —v. 1 reach the crest of. 2 provide with a crest or serve as a crest to. 3 (of a wave) form a crest.  crested adj. [latin crista]
Please  v. (-sing) 1 be agreeable to; make glad; give pleasure. 2 (in passive) a (foll. By to + infin.) Be glad or willing to (am pleased to help). B (often foll. By about, at, with) derive pleasure or satisfaction (from). 3 (with it as subject) be the inclination or wish of (it did not please him to attend). 4 think fit (take as many as you please). 5 used in polite requests (come in, please).  if you please if you are willing, esp. Iron. To indicate unreasonableness (then, if you please, we had to pay). Please oneself do as one likes.  pleased adj. Pleasing adj. [french plaisir from latin placeo]

Knockout  n. 1 act of making unconscious by a blow. 2 (usu. Attrib.) Boxing etc. Such a blow. 3 competition in which the loser in each round is eliminated (also attrib.: knockout round). 4 colloq. Outstanding or irresistible person or thing.


Greave  n. (usu. In pl.) Armour for the shin. [french, = shin]
Leaning  n. Tendency or partiality.
Autocracy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 rule by an autocrat. 2 dictatorship. [greek kratos power]


Dryer  var. Of *drier2.

Unresolved  adj. 1 irresolute, undecided. 2 (of questions etc.) Undetermined.
Anemometer  n. Instrument for measuring wind force. [greek anemos wind]
Stiffen  v. Make or become stiff.  stiffening n.
Tuscan  —n. 1 inhabitant of tuscany. 2 form of italian spoken in tuscany; standard italian. —adj. 1 of tuscany or the tuscans. 2 archit. Of the plainest of the classical orders. [latin]
Gauche  adj. 1 socially awkward. 2 tactless.  gauchely adv. Gaucheness n. [french]

Bier  n. Movable frame on which a coffin or corpse rests. [old english]

Irradiate  v. (-ting) 1 subject to radiation. 2 shine upon; light up. 3 throw light on (a subject).  irradiation n. [latin irradio shine on, from radius ray]
Is  3rd sing. Present of *be.
Southpaw  colloq. —n. Left-handed person, esp. In boxing. —adj. Left-handed.

While  —n. Period of time (a long while ago; waited a while; all this while). —conj. 1 during the time that; for as long as; at the same time as (while i was away, the house was burgled; fell asleep while reading). 2 in spite of the fact that; whereas (while i want to believe it, i cannot). —v. (-ling) (foll. By away) pass (time etc.) In a leisurely or interesting way. —rel. Adv. (prec. By time etc.) During which (the summer while i was abroad).  between whiles in the intervals. For a while for some time. In a while soon. The while in the meantime. Worth while (or worth one's while) worth the time or effort spent. [old english]
Fashion  —n. 1 current popular custom or style, esp. In dress. 2 manner of doing something. —v. (often foll. By into) make or form.  after (or in) a fashion to some extent, barely acceptably. In (or out of) fashion fashionable (or not fashionable). [latin factio: related to *fact]

Breeches buoy  n. Lifebuoy with canvas breeches for the user's legs.
Hexagram  n. Figure formed by two intersecting equilateral triangles.
Conjecture  —n. 1 formation of an opinion on incomplete information; guessing. 2 guess. —v. (-ring) guess. [latin conjectura from jacio throw]
Babel  n. 1 confused noise, esp. Of voices. 2 scene of confusion. [hebrew, = babylon (gen. 11)]
Agile  adj. Quick-moving, nimble, active.  agility n. [latin agilis: related to *act]
Franciscan  —adj. Of st francis or his order. —n. Franciscan friar or nun. [latin franciscus francis]



Collide  v. (-ding) (often foll. By with) come into collision or conflict. [latin collido -lis- clash]

Gasoline  n. (also gasolene) us petrol.
Less  —adj. 1 smaller in extent, degree, duration, number, etc. 2 of smaller quantity, not so much (less meat). 3 colloq. Fewer (less biscuits). —adv. To a smaller extent, in a lower degree. —n. Smaller amount, quantity, or number (will take less; for less than £10). —prep. Minus (made £1,000 less tax). [old english]
Seductress  n. Female seducer. [obsolete seductor male seducer: related to *seduce]
Free will  n. 1 power of acting independently of necessity or fate. 2 ability to act without coercion (did it of my own free will).

Mauve  —adj. Pale purple. —n. This colour.  mauvish adj. [latin: related to *mallow]
Semi-conscious  adj. Partly or imperfectly conscious.


Preshrunk  adj. (of fabric etc.) Treated so that it shrinks during manufacture and not in use.
-ure  suffix forming: 1 nouns of action (seizure). 2 nouns of result (creature). 3 collective nouns (nature). [latin -ura]
Placate  v. (-ting) pacify; conciliate.  placatory adj. [latin placo appease]

Excitement  n. 1 excited state of mind. 2 exciting thing.


Inbuilt  adj. Built-in.

Outbreak  n. Sudden eruption of anger, war, disease, fire, etc.
Watchword  n. Phrase summarizing a guiding principle.
Faithfully  adv. In a faithful manner.  yours faithfully formula for ending a formal letter when it begins ‘dear sir’ or ‘dear madam’.
Five-star  adj. Of the highest class.
Develop  v. (-p-) 1 a make or become bigger, fuller, more elaborate, etc. B bring or come to an active, visible, or mature state. 2 begin to exhibit or suffer from (developed a rattle). 3 a build on (land). B convert (land) to new use. 4 treat (photographic film etc.) To make the image visible.  developer n. [french]
Navigate  v. (-ting) 1 manage or direct the course of (a ship or aircraft) using maps and instruments. 2 a sail on (a sea, river, etc.). B fly through (the air). 3 (in a car etc.) Assist the driver by map-reading etc. 4 sail a ship; sail in a ship.  navigator n. [latin navigo from navis]
Fretsaw  n. Narrow saw on a frame for cutting thin wood in patterns.
Pedalo  n. (pl. -s) pedal-operated pleasure-boat.

Forbear1  v. (past forbore; past part. Forborne) formal abstain or desist (from) (could not forbear (from) speaking out; forbore to mention it). [old english: related to *bear1]
Divine  —adj. (diviner, divinest) 1 a of, from, or like god or a god. B sacred. 2 colloq. Excellent; delightful. —v. (-ning) 1 discover by intuition or guessing. 2 foresee. 3 practise divination. —n. Theologian or clergyman.  divinely adv. [latin divinus]
Prayer1  n. 1 a request or thanksgiving to god or an object of worship. B formula used in praying (the lord's prayer). C act of praying. D religious service consisting largely of prayers (morning prayer). 2 entreaty to a person. [latin: related to *precarious]
Domesticate  v. (-ting) 1 tame (an animal) to live with humans. 2 accustom to housework etc.  domestication n. [medieval latin: related to *domestic]




Call  —v. 1 a (often foll. By out) cry, shout; speak loudly. B (of a bird etc.) Emit its characteristic sound. 2 communicate with by telephone or radio. 3 summon. 4 (often foll. By at, in, on) pay a brief visit. 5 order to take place (called a meeting). 6 name; describe as. 7 regard as (i call that silly). 8 rouse from sleep. 9 (foll. By for) demand. 10 (foll. By on, upon) appeal to (called on us to be quiet). 11 name (a suit) in bidding at cards. 12 guess the outcome of tossing a coin etc. —n. 1 shout, cry. 2 a characteristic cry of a bird etc. B instrument for imitating it. 3 brief visit. 4 a act of telephoning. B telephone conversation. 5 a invitation, summons. B vocation. 6 need, occasion (no call for rudeness). 7 demand (a call on one's time). 8 signal on a bugle etc. 9 option of buying stock at a fixed price at a given date. 10 cards a player's right or turn to make a bid. B bid made.  call in 1 withdraw from circulation. 2 seek the advice or services of. Call off 1 cancel (an arrangement). 2 order (an attacker or pursuer) to desist. Call out 1 summon to action. 2 order (workers) to strike. Call the shots (or tune) colloq. Be in control; take the initiative. Call up 1 telephone. 2 recall. 3 summon to military service. On call ready or available if required. [old english from old norse]











Drippy  adj. (-ier, -iest) slang ineffectual; sloppily sentimental.
Proceeding  n. 1 action or piece of conduct (high-handed proceeding). 2 (in pl.) (in full legal proceedings) lawsuit. 3 (in pl.) Published report of discussions or a conference.

Psychopathology  n. 1 the study of mental disorders. 2 mentally or behaviourally disordered state.
Tiptoe  —n. The tips of the toes. —v. (-toes, -toed, -toeing) walk on tiptoe, or very stealthily. —adv. (also on tiptoe) with the heels off the ground.












Reopen  v. Open again.


Gentlefolk  n.pl. People of good family.

Uphill  —adv. Up a slope. —adj. 1 sloping up; ascending. 2 arduous.
Palm1  n. 1 (also palm-tree) (usu. Tropical) tree-like plant with no branches and a mass of large leaves at the top. 2 leaf of this as a symbol of victory. [latin palma]

Depute  v. (-ting) (often foll. By to) 1 delegate (a task, authority, etc.). 2 authorize as representative. [latin puto think]
Former  attrib. Adj. 1 of the past, earlier, previous (in former times). 2 (the former) (often absol.) The first or first-mentioned of two. [related to *foremost]

Low2  —n. Sound made by cattle; moo. —v. Make this sound. [old english]
Other  —adj. 1 not the same as one or some already mentioned or implied; separate in identity or distinct in kind (other people; use other means). 2 a further; additional (a few other examples). B second of two (open your other eye). 3 (prec. By the) only remaining (must be in the other pocket; where are the other two?). 4 (foll. By than) apart from. —n. Or pron. Other person or thing.
Knocking-shop  n. Slang brothel.

Power of attorney  n.  Authority to act for another person in legal and financial matters.
Hetero-  comb. Form other, different. [greek heteros other]


Western  —adj. Of or in the west. —n. Film or novel about cowboys in western north america.  westernmost adj.
Interpret  v. (-t-) 1 explain the meaning of (words, a dream, etc.). 2 make out or bring out the meaning of (creative work). 3 act as an interpreter. 4 explain or understand (behaviour etc.) In a specified manner.  interpretation n. Interpretative adj. Interpretive adj. [latin interpres -pretis explainer]
Hungarian  —n. 1 a native or national of hungary. B person of hungarian descent. 2 language of hungary. —adj. Of hungary or its people or language. [medieval latin]



Grievous  adj. 1 (of pain etc.) Severe. 2 causing grief. 3 injurious. 4 flagrant, heinous.  grievously adv. [french: related to *grieve]

Personal pronoun  n. Pronoun replacing the subject, object, etc., of a clause etc., e.g. I, we, you, them, us.
Audiotape  n. (also audio tape) 1 a magnetic tape for recording sound. B a length of this. 2 a sound recording on tape.

Cuss  colloq. —n. 1 curse. 2 usu. Derog. Person; creature. —v. Curse. [var. Of *curse]

Fuller  n. Person who fulls cloth.  fuller's earth type of clay used in fulling. [latin fullo]

Body odour  n. Smell of the human body, esp. When unpleasant.
Crafty  adj. (-ier, -iest) cunning, artful, wily.  craftily adv. Craftiness n.
Tuff  n. Rock formed from volcanic ash. [latin tofus]

Demon  n. 1 a evil spirit or devil. B personification of evil passion. 2 (often attrib.) Forceful or skilful performer (demon player). 3 cruel person. 4 (also daemon) supernatural being in ancient greece.  demonic adj. [greek daimon deity]
Realm  n. 1 formal kingdom. 2 domain (realm of myth). [latin *regimen]
Bounty  n. (pl. -ies) 1 generosity. 2 reward, esp. From the state. 3 gift. [french from latin bonus good]
Operculum  n. (pl. -cula) 1 fish's gill-cover. 2 any of various other parts covering or closing an aperture in an animal or plant. [latin operio cover (v.)]

Curse  —n. 1 solemn invocation of divine wrath on a person or thing. 2 supposed resulting evil. 3 violent or profane exclamation or oath. 4 thing causing evil or harm. 5 (prec. By the) colloq.

Infect  v. 1 affect or contaminate with a germ, virus, or disease. 2 imbue, taint. [latin inficio -fect- taint]


Mangle2  v. (-ling) 1 hack or mutilate by blows. 2 spoil (a text etc.) By gross blunders. 3 cut roughly so as to disfigure. [anglo-french ma(ha)ngler: probably related to *maim]


Usage  the use of chronic in sense 3 is very informal, and its use in sense 4 is considered incorrect by some people.





Nouveau riche  n. (pl. Nouveaux riches pronunc. Same) person who has recently acquired (usu. Ostentatious) wealth. [french, = new rich]
By-election  n. Election to fill a vacancy arising between general elections.


Shooting-stick  n. Walking-stick with a foldable seat.

Abnegate  v. (-ting) give up or renounce (a pleasure or right etc.). [latin nego deny]


Vote  —n. 1 formal expression of choice or opinion by a ballot, show of hands, etc., in an election etc. 2 (usu. Prec. By the) right to vote, esp. In a state election. 3 opinion expressed by a vote (vote of no confidence). 4 votes given by or for a particular group (the welsh vote; the labour vote). —v. (-ting) 1 (often foll. By for, against) give a vote. 2 a enact or resolve by a majority of votes. B grant (a sum of money) by vote. 3 colloq. Pronounce by general consent. 4 (often foll. By that) suggest, urge.  vote down defeat (a proposal etc.) In a vote. Vote in elect by voting. Vote off dismiss from (a committee etc.) By voting. Vote out dismiss from office etc. By voting. Vote with one's feet colloq. Indicate an opinion by one's presence or absence.
Washing-machine  n. Machine for washing clothes.

Pledge  —n. 1 solemn promise. 2 thing given as security against a debt etc. 3 thing put in pawn. 4 thing given as a token of favour etc., or of something to come. 5 drinking of a person's health, toast. 6 solemn promise to abstain from alcohol (sign the pledge). —v. (-ging) 1 a deposit as security. B pawn. 2 promise solemnly by the pledge of (one's honour, word, etc.). 3 bind by a solemn promise. 4 drink to the health of.  pledge one's troth see *troth. [french plege]

Armageddon  n. Huge battle or struggle, esp. Marking the end of the world. [rev. 16:16]

Mare's tail  n. 1 tall slender marsh plant. 2 (in pl.) Long straight streaks of cirrus cloud.
Draper  n. Dealer in textile fabrics.
Waggly  adj. Unsteady; waggling.

Oblique  —adj. 1 slanting; at an angle. 2 not going straight to the point; indirect. 3 gram. (of a case) other than nominative or vocative. —n. Oblique stroke (/).  obliquely adv. Obliqueness n. Obliquity n. [french from latin]
Auxin  n. Plant hormone that regulates growth.
Peace-pipe  n. Tobacco-pipe as a token of peace among n. American indians.
Animalism  n. 1 nature and activity of animals. 2 belief that humans are mere animals.
Nationwide  adj. & adv. Extending over the whole nation.
Staging post  n. Regular stopping-place, esp. On an air route.



Messy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 untidy or dirty. 2 causing or accompanied by a mess. 3 difficult to deal with; awkward.  messily adv. Messiness n.
Sagittarius  n. (pl. -es) 1 constellation and ninth sign of the zodiac (the archer). 2 person born when the sun is in this sign.  sagittarian adj. & n. [latin, = archer]


Stuffing  n. 1 padding for cushions etc. 2 mixture used to stuff food, esp. Before cooking.

Useless  adj. 1 serving no purpose; unavailing. 2 colloq. Feeble or ineffectual (useless at swimming).  uselessly adv. Uselessness n.


Method  n. 1 way of doing something; systematic procedure. 2 orderliness; regular habits.  method in one's madness sense in apparently foolish or strange behaviour. [greek: related to *meta-, hodos way]
Loin  n. 1 (in pl.) Side and back of the body between the ribs and the hip-bones. 2 joint of meat from this part of an animal. [french loigne from latin lumbus]
Dandle  v. (-ling) bounce (a child) on one's knees etc. [origin unknown]


Unequal  adj. 1 (often foll. By to) not equal. 2 of varying quality. 3 unfair (unequal contest).  unequally adv.

Seville orange  n. Bitter orange used for marmalade. [seville in spain]


Re-lay  v. (past and past part. Re-laid) lay again or differently.


Hard-boiled  adj. 1 (of an egg) boiled until the white and yolk are solid. 2 colloq. (of a person) tough, shrewd.

Gastro-  comb. Form stomach. [greek gaster stomach]
Fructose  n. Sugar in honey, fruits, etc. [latin: related to *fruit]
Te  symb. Tellurium.
Policy2  n. (pl. -ies) 1 contract of insurance. 2 document containing this. [french police, ultimately from greek apodeixis proof]


Disgruntled  adj. Discontented; sulky.  disgruntlement n. [from *dis-, *grunt]
Non-white  —adj. Not white. —n. Non-white person.


Chimney-breast  n. Projecting wall surrounding a chimney.
Outweigh  v. Exceed in weight, value, importance, or influence.



Squeeze-box  n. Colloq. Accordion or concertina.


Connote  v. (-ting) 1 (of a word etc.) Imply in addition to the literal or primary meaning. 2 mean, signify.  connotation n. Connotative adj. [medieval latin: related to *note]
Uni-  comb. Form one; having or consisting of one. [latin unus one]
Aeroplane  n. Powered heavier-than-air flying vehicle with fixed wings. [french: related to *aero-, *plane1]

Conclave  n. 1 private meeting. 2 rc ch. A assembly of cardinals for the election of a pope. B meeting-place for this. [latin clavis key]

Universal time  n.  = *greenwich mean time.

Outback  n. Remote inland areas of australia.


Moneylender  n. Person who lends money at interest.


Signatory  —n. (pl. -ies) party that has signed an agreement, esp. A treaty. —adj. Having signed such an agreement etc. [latin: related to *sign]



Royal british legion  n. National association of ex-members of the armed forces, founded in 1921.


Anybody  n. & pron. 1 any person. 2 person of importance (is he anybody?).


M.litt.  Abbr. Master of letters.  [latin magister litterarum]

Altar  n. 1 table or flat block for sacrifice or offering to a deity. 2 communion table. [latin altus high]


Curly  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 having or arranged in curls. 2 moving in curves.  curliness n.

Trying  adj. Annoying, vexatious; hard to endure.
Sirenian  n. Any one of an order of large aquatic plant-eating mammals.

Queensberry rules  n.pl. Standard rules, esp. Of boxing. [from the name marquis of queensberry]


Swill  —v. 1 (often foll. By out) rinse or flush. 2 drink greedily. —n. 1 act of rinsing. 2 mainly liquid refuse as pig-food. [old english]


Ophthalmic  adj. Of or relating to the eye and its diseases.

Skirmish  —n. 1 minor battle. 2 short argument or contest of wit etc. —v. Engage in a skirmish. [french from germanic]
Oops  int. Colloq. On making an obvious mistake. [natural exclamation]

Anodyne  —adj. 1 pain-relieving. 2 mentally soothing. —n. Anodyne drug etc. [greek an- without, odune pain]
Supercharger  n. Device supplying air or fuel to an internal-combustion engine at above atmospheric pressure to increase efficiency.


Nucleate  —adj. Having a nucleus. —v. (-ting) form or form into a nucleus. [latin: related to *nucleus]
Quin  n. Colloq. Quintuplet. [abbreviation]

Old-age pension  n. = *retirement pension.  old-age pensioner n.
Thunder-fly  n. = *thrips.

Aeon  n. (also eon) 1 long or indefinite period. 2 an age. [latin from greek]
Paralyse  v. (us paralyze) (-sing or -zing) 1 affect with paralysis. 2 render powerless; cripple. [greek: related to *para-1, luo loosen]
Hedonism  n. 1 belief in pleasure as mankind's proper aim. 2 behaviour based on this.  hedonist n. Hedonistic adj. [greek hedone pleasure]


Abaft  naut. —adv. In the stern half of a ship. —prep. Nearer the stern than. [from *a2, -baft: see *aft]
Sidelight  n. 1 light from the side. 2 small light at the side of the front of a vehicle. 3 naut. Light on the side of a moving ship.

Kilohertz  n. 1,000 hertz, 1,000 cycles per second.
Woody nightshade  n. A kind of nightshade with poisonous red berries.

Underwrite  v. (-ting; past -wrote; past part. -written) 1 a sign and accept liability under (an insurance policy, esp. On shipping etc.). B accept (liability) in this way. 2 undertake to finance or support. 3  engage to buy all the unsold stock in (a company etc.).  underwriter n.
Tripos  n. (at cambridge university) honours examinations for primary degrees. [related to *tripod]

Communist  —n. 1 person advocating communism. 2 (usu. Communist) supporter of communism or member of a communist party. —adj. 1 of or relating to communism. 2 (usu. Communist) of communists or a communist party.  communistic adj.
Black flag  n. Flag of piracy.

Judicature  n. 1 administration of justice. 2 judge's position. 3 judges collectively. [medieval latin judico judge]



Mendicant  —adj. 1 begging. 2 (of a friar) living solely on alms. —n. 1 beggar. 2 mendicant friar. [latin mendicus beggar]
Cambridge blue  adj. & n. (as adj. Often hyphenated) pale blue. [cambridge in england]


Housetop  n. Roof of a house.  shout etc. From the housetops announce publicly.
Curtain  —n. 1 piece of cloth etc. Hung as a screen, esp. At a window. 2 a rise or fall of a stage curtain between acts or scenes. B = *curtain-call. 3 partition or cover. 4 (in pl.) Slang the end. —v. 1 provide or cover with curtain(s). 2 (foll. By off) shut off with curtain(s). [latin cortina]


Sideboards  n.pl. Colloq. Hair grown by a man down the sides of his face.


Flavour  (us flavor) —n. 1 mingled sensation of smell and taste (cheesy flavour). 2 characteristic quality (romantic flavour). 3 (usu. Foll. By of) slight admixture (flavour of failure). —v. Give flavour to; season.  flavourless adj. Flavoursome adj. [french]

Sludge  n. 1 thick greasy mud or sediment. 2 sewage.  sludgy adj. [cf. *slush]
Enamour  v. (us enamor) (usu. In passive; foll. By of) inspire with love or delight. [french amour love]
Earring  n. Jewellery worn on the ear.







Conscience-stricken  adj. (also conscience-struck) made uneasy by a bad conscience.

Handcart  n. Small cart pushed or drawn by hand.






Sticker  n. 1 adhesive label. 2 persistent person.

Derogatory  adj. Disparaging; insulting (derogatory remark).  derogatorily adv.


Jelly baby  n. Jelly-like baby-shaped sweet.
Sforzando  mus. —adj. & adv. With sudden emphasis. —n. (pl. -s or -di) 1 suddenly emphasized note or group of notes. 2 increase in emphasis and loudness. [italian]
Scold  —v. 1 rebuke (esp. A child). 2 find fault noisily. —n. Archaic nagging woman.  scolding n. [probably old norse]


Mud  n. Soft wet earth.  fling (or sling or throw) mud speak disparagingly or slanderously. One's name is mud one is in disgrace. [german]
Siphon  —n. 1 tube shaped like an inverted v or u with unequal legs, used to convey liquid from a container to a lower level by atmospheric pressure. 2 bottle from which aerated water is forced by the pressure of gas. —v. (often foll. By off) 1 (cause to) flow through a siphon. 2 divert or set aside (funds etc.). [greek, = pipe]
Layman  n. (fem. Laywoman) 1 non-ordained member of a church. 2 person without professional or specialized knowledge.

Flagellant  —n. Person who scourges himself, herself, or others as a religious discipline or as a sexual stimulus. —adj. Of flagellation. [latin flagellum whip]
Pet2  n. Fit of ill-humour. [origin unknown]

Rubble  n. Rough fragments of stone, brick, etc., esp. From a demolished building. [french robe spoils]
Small change  n. Coins, not notes.
Chrysanthemum  n. Garden plant of the daisy family blooming in autumn. [greek, = gold flower]
Self-sealing  adj. 1 (of a tyre etc.) Automatically able to seal small punctures. 2 (of an envelope) self-adhesive.






Red-letter day  n. Day that is pleasantly noteworthy or memorable (orig. A festival marked in red on the calendar).
Redo  v. (redoing; 3rd sing. Present redoes; past redid; past part. Redone) 1 do again. 2 redecorate.


Somehow  adv. 1 for some reason or other (somehow i don't trust him). 2 in some way; by some means.

Amulet  n. Charm worn against evil. [latin]
Hegemony  n. Leadership, esp. By one state of a confederacy. [greek hegemon leader]
Monochrome  —n. Photograph or picture done in one colour or different tones of this, or in black and white only. —adj. Having or using only one colour or in black and white only. [from *mono-, greek khroma colour]
Rooftop  n. 1 outer surface of a roof. 2 (in pl.) Tops of houses etc.  shout it from the rooftops make a thing embarrassingly public.

Calfskin  n. Calf-leather.
Maelstrom  n. 1 great whirlpool. 2 state of confusion. [dutch]




Falconry  n. Breeding and training of hawks.

Cardboard city  n. Area where homeless people make shelters from cardboard boxes etc.
Testamentary  adj. Of, by, or in a will.



Asphalt  —n. 1 dark bituminous pitch. 2 mixture of this with sand, gravel, etc., for surfacing roads etc. —v. Surface with asphalt. [latin from greek]
Glengarry  n. (pl. -ies) brimless scottish hat cleft down the centre and with ribbons at the back. [glengarry in scotland]
Unemotional  adj. Not emotional; lacking emotion.




Jodhpurs  n.pl. Riding breeches tight below the knee. [jodhpur in india]


Picture  —n. 1 a (often attrib.) Painting, drawing, photograph, etc., esp. As a work of art. B portrait. C beautiful object. 2 total mental or visual impression produced; scene. 3 a film. B (the pictures) cinema; cinema performance. —v. (-ring) 1 (also refl.; often foll. By to) imagine (pictured it to herself). 2 represent in a picture. 3 describe graphically.  get the picture colloq. Grasp the drift of information etc. In the picture colloq. Fully informed. [latin pingo pict- paint]
Cub  —n. 1 young of a fox, bear, lion, etc. 2 (cub) (in full cub scout) junior scout. 3 colloq. Young newspaper reporter. —v. (-bb-) (also absol.) Give birth to (cubs). [origin unknown]
Coachload  n. Group of tourists etc. Taken by coach.

Fairy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 (often attrib.) Small winged legendary being. 2 slang offens. Male homosexual. [french: related to *fay, *-ery]

Mettle  n. 1 quality or strength of character. 2 spirit, courage.  on one's mettle keen to do one's best.  mettlesome adj. [from *metal n.]




Anorexia  n. Lack of appetite, esp. (in full anorexia nervosa) an obsessive desire to lose weight by refusing to eat.  anorexic adj. & n. [greek an- without, orexis appetite]
Usage  as an adverb, meantime is less common than meanwhile.




Balance of payments  n. Difference in value between payments into and out of a country.
Grizzled  adj. 1 (of hair) grey or streaked with grey. 2 having grizzled hair. [grizzle grey from french grisel]
Nt  abbr. 1 new testament. 2 northern territory (of australia). 3 national trust.

First light  n. Dawn.
Permissive  adj. 1 tolerant or liberal, esp. In sexual matters. 2 giving permission.  permissiveness n. [french or medieval latin: related to *permit]
Outflank  v. 1 extend beyond the flank of (an enemy). 2 outmanoeuvre, outwit.
Lightning-conductor  n. (also lightning-rod) metal rod or wire fixed to an exposed part of a building or to a mast to divert lightning into the earth or sea.



Pro-1  prefix 1 favouring or supporting (pro-government). 2 acting as a substitute or deputy for (proconsul). 3 forwards (produce). 4 forwards and downwards (prostrate). 5 onwards (progress). 6 in front of (protect).
Apical  adj. Of, at, or forming an apex.

Milestone  n. 1 stone beside a road marking a distance in miles. 2 significant event or point in a life, history, project, etc.


Fable  n. 1 a fictional, esp. Supernatural, story. B moral tale, esp. With animals as characters. 2 legendary tales collectively (in fable). 3 a lie. B thing only supposed to exist. [latin fabula discourse]
Mode  n. 1 way in which a thing is done. 2 prevailing fashion or custom. 3 mus. Any of several types of scale. [french and latin modus measure]

Cern  abbr. European organization for nuclear research. [french conseil européen pour la recherche nucléaire, former title]

Recommence  v. (-cing) begin again.  recommencement n.



Frugal  adj. 1 sparing or thrifty, esp. As regards food. 2 meagre, cheap.  frugality n. Frugally adv. [latin]
Intake  n. 1 action of taking in. 2 a number (of people etc.), or amount, taken in or received. B such people etc. (this year's intake). 3 place where water is taken into a pipe, or fuel or air enters an engine etc.
Magna carta  n. (also magna charta) charter of liberty obtained from king john in 1215. [medieval latin, = great charter]
Boom1  —n. Deep resonant sound. —v. Make or speak with a boom. [imitative]
Successive  adj. Following one after another; consecutive.  successively adv.
Panda  n. 1 (also giant panda) large bearlike black and white mammal native to china and tibet. 2 (also red panda) reddish-brown himalayan racoon-like mammal. [nepali]
Cover charge  n. Service charge per head in a restaurant, nightclub, etc.




Appellant  n. Person who appeals to a higher court. [latin appello address]







-ician  suffix forming nouns denoting persons skilled in subjects having nouns usu. Ending in -ic or -ics (magician; politician). [french -icien]

Shriek  —n. Shrill scream or sound. —v. Make or utter in a shriek. [old norse]
Distant  adj. 1 far away; at a specified distance (three miles distant). 2 remote in time, relationship, etc. (distant prospect; distant relation). 3 aloof. 4 abstracted (distant stare). 5 faint (distant memory).  distantly adv.

Ingest  v. 1 take in (food etc.). 2 absorb (knowledge etc.).  ingestion n. [latin gero carry]
Pair  —n. 1 set of two people or things used together or regarded as a unit. 2 article (e.g. Scissors, trousers, or pyjamas) consisting of two joined or corresponding parts. 3 a engaged or married couple. B mated couple of animals. 4 two horses harnessed side by side (coach and pair). 5 member of a pair in relation to the other (cannot find its pair). 6 two playing-cards of the same denomination. 7 either or both of two mps etc. On opposite sides agreeing not to vote on certain occasions. —v. 1 (often foll. By off) arrange or be arranged in couples. 2 a join or be joined in marriage. B (of animals) mate. [latin paria: related to *par]




Sug-  prefix assim. Form of *sub- before g.

Incubate  v. (-ting) 1 hatch (eggs) by sitting on them or by artificial heat. 2 cause (micro-organisms) to develop. 3 develop slowly. [latin cubo lie]


Germander  n. Plant of the mint family. [greek, = ground-oak]


Charter flight  n. Flight by chartered aircraft.



Skyline  n. Outline of hills, buildings, etc. Against the sky.
Consolation  n. 1 consoling or being consoled. 2 consoling thing or person.  consolatory adj.
Manse  n. Ecclesiastical residence, esp. A scottish presbyterian minister's house. [medieval latin: related to *manor]
Treatment  n. 1 process or manner of behaving towards or dealing with a person or thing. 2 medical care or attention. 3 manner of treating a subject in literature or art. 4 (prec. By the) colloq. The customary way of dealing with a person, situation, etc. (got the full treatment).

Unification church  n. Religious organization founded by sun myung moon.
Knife-edge  n. 1 edge of a knife. 2 position of extreme danger or uncertainty.

Philharmonic  adj. Fond of music (usu. In the names of orchestras etc.). [italian: related to *harmonic]

Pursuant  adv. (foll. By to) in accordance with. [french: related to *pursue]

Interjection  n. Exclamation, esp. As a part of speech (e.g. Ah!, dear me!).

Agrarian  —adj. 1 of the land or its cultivation. 2 of landed property. —n. Advocate of the redistribution of land. [latin ager field]
-age  suffix forming nouns denoting: 1 action (breakage). 2 condition (bondage). 3 aggregate or number (coverage; acreage). 4 cost (postage). 5 result (wreckage). 6 place or abode (anchorage; orphanage). [latin -aticus]
Titter  —v. Laugh covertly; giggle. —n. Covert laugh. [imitative]
Windpipe  n. Air-passage from the throat to the lungs.



Laboratory  n. (pl. -ies) room, building, or establishment for scientific experiments, research, chemical manufacture, etc. [latin: related to *laborious]
Manatee  n. Large aquatic plant-eating mammal. [spanish from carib]

Fabulous  adj. 1 incredible. 2 colloq. Marvellous. 3 legendary.  fabulously adv. [latin: related to *fable]
He'll  contr. He will; he shall.
Nurseling  var. Of *nursling.
Wroth  predic. Adj. Archaic angry. [old english]



Hearing  n. 1 faculty of perceiving sounds. 2 range within which sounds may be heard (within hearing). 3 opportunity to state one's case (a fair hearing). 4 trial of a case before a court.
Archbishop  n. Chief bishop of a province.
Fad  n. 1 craze. 2 peculiar notion.  faddish adj. [probably from fiddle-faddle]

Crush  —v. 1 compress with force or violence, so as to break, bruise, etc. 2 reduce to powder by pressure. 3 crease or crumple. 4 defeat or subdue completely. —n. 1 act of crushing. 2 crowded mass of people. 3 drink from the juice of crushed fruit. 4 (usu. Foll. By on) colloq. Infatuation. [french]
Brisk  —adj. 1 quick, lively, keen (brisk pace, trade). 2 enlivening (brisk wind). —v. (often foll. By up) make or grow brisk.  briskly adv. Briskness n. [probably french *brusque]
Satanism  n. 1 worship of satan. 2 pursuit of evil.  satanist n. & adj.


Tribe  n. 1 group of (esp. Primitive) families or communities, linked by social, religious, or blood ties, and usu. Having a common culture and dialect and a recognized leader. 2 any similar natural or political division. 3 usu. Derog. Set or number of persons, esp. Of one profession etc. Or family.  tribal adj. Tribalism n. [latin tribus]
Sat.  Abbr. Saturday.


Lavender  n. 1 a evergreen shrub with purple aromatic flowers. B its flowers and stalks dried and used to scent linen etc. 2 pale mauve colour. [latin lavandula]
Sal ammoniac  n. Ammonium chloride, a white crystalline salt. [latin sal salt, ammoniacus of jupiter ammon]
Wishing-well  n. Well into which coins are dropped and a wish is made.
Tax evasion  n. Illegal non-payment or underpayment of tax.
Amen  int. (esp. At the end of a prayer etc.) So be it. [church latin from hebrew, = certainly]
Confidence trick  n. Swindle in which the victim is persuaded to trust the swindler.  confidence trickster n.
Deficient  adj. (often foll. By in) incomplete or insufficient in quantity, quality, etc. [latin: related to *defect]
Ethane  n. Gaseous hydrocarbon of the alkane series. [from *ether]


Perspicacious  adj. Having mental penetration or discernment.  perspicacity n. [latin perspicax: related to *perspective]

Comfortless  adj. 1 dreary, cheerless. 2 without comfort.


Yttrium  n. Metallic element resembling the lanthanides. [related to *ytterbium]

Caucus  n. (pl. -es) 1 us meeting of party members, esp. In the senate etc., to decide policy. 2 often derog. A meeting of a group within a larger organization or party. B such a group. [perhaps from algonquian]

Neoclassicism  n. Revival of classical style or treatment in the arts.  neoclassical adj.
Nightmare  n. 1 frightening dream. 2 colloq. Frightening or unpleasant experience or situation. 3 haunting fear.  nightmarish adj. [evil spirit (incubus) once thought to lie on and suffocate sleepers: old english mære incubus]
Usage  complaisant is often confused with complacent.


Recorder  n. 1 apparatus for recording, esp. A video or tape recorder. 2 (also recorder) barrister or solicitor of at least ten years' standing, serving as a part-time judge. 3 wooden or plastic wind instrument with holes covered by the fingers. 4 keeper of records.

Reformed church  n. A protestant (esp. Calvinist) church.
Micturition  n. Formal urination. [latin]
Prosperity  n. Prosperous state; wealth; success.


Hoar-frost  n. Frozen water vapour on vegetation etc. [old english]
Casuist  n. 1 person who uses clever but false reasoning in matters of conscience etc. 2 sophist, quibbler.  casuistic adj. Casuistry n. [latin: related to *case1]
D.sc.  Abbr. Doctor of science.


Creel  n. Fisherman's large wicker basket. [origin unknown]
Alphanumeric  adj. Containing both letters and numbers.
Birth certificate  n. Official document detailing a person's birth.


Fictitious  adj. Imaginary, unreal; not genuine.

Tab1  —n. 1 small flap or strip of material attached for grasping, fastening, or hanging up, or for identification. 2 us colloq. Bill (picked up the tab). 3  distinguishing mark on a staff officer's collar. —v. (-bb-) provide with a tab or tabs.  keep tabs (or a tab) on colloq. 1 keep account of. 2 have under observation or in check. [probably dial.]
Anxiety  n. (pl. -ies) 1 being anxious. 2 worry or concern. 3 eagerness, troubled desire. [latin anxietas from ango choke]

Sketch-map  n. Roughly-drawn map with few details.
Upwind  adj. & adv. In the direction from which the wind is blowing.
Drum majorette  n. Female baton-twirling member of a parading group.
Ourselves  pron. 1 a emphat. Form of *we or *us (we did it ourselves). B refl. Form of *us (we are pleased with ourselves). 2 in our normal state of body or mind (not quite ourselves today).  be ourselves see *oneself. By ourselves see by oneself.



High heels  n.pl. Women's shoes with high heels.

Metallic  adj. 1 of or like metal or metals (metallic taste). 2 sounding like struck metal. 3 shiny (metallic blue).  metallically adv.

Handlebar  n. (usu. In pl.) Steering-bar of a bicycle etc.


Crumble  —v. (-ling) 1 break or fall into small fragments. 2 (of power etc.) Gradually disintegrate. —n. Dish of stewed fruit with a crumbly topping.
Fog-bank  n. Mass of fog at sea.

Roller-coaster  n. 1 switchback at a fair etc. 2 (attrib.) (of emotions etc.) Uncontrollable, unstable.
Molto  adv. Mus. Very. [latin multus much]
Reclothe  v. (-thing) clothe again or differently.



Polyglot  —adj. Knowing, using, or written in several languages. —n. Polyglot person. [greek glotta tongue]
Coat of arms  n. Heraldic bearings or shield of a person, family, or corporation.

Shock2  —n. Group of corn-sheaves in a field. —v. Arrange (corn) in shocks. [origin uncertain]
Artifice  n. 1 trick or clever device. 2 cunning. 3 skill, ingenuity. [latin ars art- art, facio make]
Talcum  n. 1 = *talc 2. 2 (in full talcum powder) powdered talc for toilet use, usu. Perfumed. [medieval latin: see *talc]

Portly  adj. (-ier, -iest) corpulent; stout. [latin porto carry]
Fluvial  adj. Of or found in rivers. [latin fluvius river]
Purl1  —n. 1 knitting stitch made by putting the needle through the front of the previous stitch and passing the yarn round the back of the needle. 2 chain of minute loops decorating the edges of lace etc. —v. (also absol.) Knit with a purl stitch. [origin unknown]
Declining years  n.pl. Old age.
Overcoat  n. Warm outdoor coat.

Folder  n. Folding cover or holder for loose papers.



Bossy  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Domineering.  bossiness n.

Empty-headed  adj. Foolish; lacking sense.
Coaming  n. Raised border round a ship's hatches etc. To keep out water. [origin unknown]

Medulla oblongata  n. Lowest part of the brainstem, formed from a continuation of the spinal cord.
Farrier  n. Smith who shoes horses. [latin ferrum iron, horseshoe]
Limbo1  n. (pl. -s) 1 (in some christian beliefs) supposed abode of the souls of unbaptized infants, and of the just who died before christ. 2 intermediate state or condition of awaiting a decision etc. [latin in limbo: related to *limb2]

Residual  —adj. Left as a residue or residuum. —n. Residual quantity.

Huff  —n. Colloq. Fit of petty annoyance. —v. 1 blow air, steam, etc. 2 (esp. Huff and puff) bluster self-importantly but ineffectually. 3 draughts remove (an opponent's piece) as a forfeit.  in a huff colloq. Annoyed and offended. [imitative of blowing] 
Poison ivy  n. N. American climbing plant secreting an irritant oil from its leaves.


Market-day  n. Day on which a market is regularly held.

Mohair  n. 1 hair of the angora goat. 2 yarn or fabric from this. [ultimately from arabic, = choice]

Tilde  n. Mark (˜) put over a letter, e.g. Over a spanish n when pronounced ny (as in señor). [latin: related to *title]

Soft-spoken  adj. Having a gentle voice.
Pantograph  n. 1 instrument with jointed rods for copying a plan or drawing etc. On a different scale. 2 jointed framework conveying a current to an electric vehicle from overhead wires. [from *pan-, *-graph]
Liquidity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 state of being liquid. 2 availability of liquid assets.

Ling2  n. Any of various heathers. [old norse]
Teasel  n. (also teazel, teazle) 1 plant with large prickly heads that are dried and used to raise the nap on woven cloth. 2 other device used for this purpose.  teaseler n. [old english: related to *tease]

Dietetics  n.pl. (usu. Treated as sing.) The study of diet and nutrition.




Toxin  n. Poison produced by a living organism.
Three-quarters  n.pl. Three parts out of four.

Incommunicative  adj. Uncommunicative.
Idolater  n. 1 worshipper of idols. 2 devoted admirer.  idolatrous adj. Idolatry n. [related to *idol, greek latreuo worship]
Shine  —v. (-ning; past and past part. Shone or shined) 1 emit or reflect light; be bright; glow. 2 (of the sun, a star, etc.) Be visible. 3 cause (a lamp etc.) To shine. 4 (past and past part. Shined) polish. 5 be brilliant; excel. —n. 1 light; brightness. 2 high polish; lustre.  take a shine to colloq. Take a fancy to. [old english]
M 

Fore-  prefix forming: 1 verbs meaning: a in front (foreshorten). B beforehand (forewarn). 2 nouns meaning: a situated in front of (forecourt). B front part of (forehead). C of or near the bow of a ship (forecastle). D preceding (forerunner).

Pean  n. (brit. Paean) song of praise or triumph. [latin from greek]

Asp  n. Small venomous snake of north africa or southern europe. [greek aspis]
Scurry  —v. (-ies, -ied) run or move hurriedly, esp. With short quick steps; scamper. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 act or sound of scurrying. 2 flurry of rain or snow. [abbreviation of hurry-scurry reduplication of *hurry]

Cocktail dress  n. Short evening dress worn at a drinks party.

Bucket-shop  n. 1 unregistered broking agency. 2 colloq. Travel agency specializing in cheap air tickets.
Frosty  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 cold with frost. 2 covered with or as with frost. 3 unfriendly in manner.  frostily adv. Frostiness n.


Pomace  n. Crushed apples in cider-making. [latin pomum apple]



Haunch  n. 1 fleshy part of the buttock with the thigh. 2 leg and loin of a deer etc. As food. [french from germanic]
Sari  n. (pl. -s) length of cloth draped round the body, traditionally worn by women of the indian subcontinent. [hindi]

Usage  various (unlike several) cannot be used with of, as (wrongly) in various of the guests arrived late.


Derive  v. (-ving) 1 (usu. Foll. By from) get or trace from a source (derived satisfaction from work). 2 (foll. By from) arise from, originate in (happiness derives from many things). 3 (usu. Foll. By from) show or state the origin or formation of (a word etc.). [latin rivus stream]
Sermon  n. 1 spoken or written discourse on religion or morals etc., esp. Delivered in church. 2 admonition, reproof. [latin sermo -onis speech]


Transfer  —v. (-rr-) 1 (often foll. By to) a convey, remove, or hand over (a thing etc.). B make over the possession of (property, a ticket, rights, etc.) To a person. 2 change or move to another group, club, department, etc. 3 change from one station, route, etc., to another on a journey. 4 convey (a design) from one surface to another. 5 change (meaning) by extension or metaphor. —n. 1 transferring or being transferred. 2 design etc. Conveyed or to be conveyed from one surface to another. 3 football player etc. Who is transferred. 4 document effecting conveyance of property, a right, etc.  transferable adj. [latin fero lat- bear]

Bubble gum  n. Chewing-gum that can be blown into bubbles.

Banana republic  n. Derog. Small state, esp. In central america, dependent on foreign capital.

Mg  abbr. Milligram(s).
Chopper  n. 1 a short axe with a large blade. B butcher's cleaver. 2 colloq. Helicopter. 3 colloq. Type of bicycle or motor cycle with high handlebars.
Rakish  adj. 1 dashing; jaunty. 2 dissolute.  rakishly adv. [from *rake2]

New world  n. North and south america.



Avocet  n. Long-legged wading bird with an upward-curved bill. [french from italian]
Orangery  n. (pl. -ies) place, esp. A building, where orange-trees are cultivated.




Chary  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 cautious, wary. 2 sparing; ungenerous. [old english: related to *care]
Flight-deck  n. 1 deck of an aircraft-carrier. 2 control room of a large aircraft.




Sacristan  n. Person in charge of a sacristy and church contents. [medieval latin: related to *sacred]

Vocation  n. 1 a strong feeling of suitability for a particular career. B this regarded as a divine call to a career in the church. 2 employment, trade, profession.  vocational adj. [latin voco call]

Chuck1  —v. 1 colloq. Fling or throw carelessly or casually. 2 (often foll. By in, up) colloq. Give up; reject. 3 touch playfully, esp. Under the chin. —n. 1 playful touch under the chin. 2 toss. the chuck slang dismissal; rejection. Chuck out colloq. 1 expel (a person) from a gathering etc. 2 get rid of, discard. [perhaps from french chuquer knock]

Finance  —n. 1 management of (esp. Public) money. 2 monetary support for an enterprise. 3 (in pl.) Money resources of a state, company, or person. —v. (-cing) provide capital for. [french: related to *fine2]
Reconstruct  v. 1 build again. 2 a form an impression of (past events) by assembling the evidence for them. B re-enact (a crime). 3 reorganize.  reconstruction n.

Spin-drier  n. (also spin-dryer) machine for drying clothes by spinning them in a rapidly revolving drum.  spin-dry v.
Coexist  v. (often foll. By with) 1 exist together. 2 (esp. Of nations) exist in mutual tolerance of each other's ideologies etc.  coexistence n. Coexistent adj.



Red card  n. Football card shown by the referee to a player being sent off.


Convent  n. 1 religious community, esp. Of nuns, under vows. 2 premises occupied by this. [latin: related to *convene]

Rising damp  n. Moisture absorbed from the ground into a wall.
Claw-hammer  n. Hammer with one side of the head forked for extracting nails.
Negroid  —adj. (of physical features etc.) Characteristic of black people. —n. Black.
Dime  n. Us ten-cent coin. [latin decima tenth (part)]

Skid-pan  n. Slippery surface for drivers to practise control of skidding.
Civic  adj. 1 of a city. 2 of citizens or citizenship.  civically adv. [latin civis citizen]
Restorative  —adj. Tending to restore health or strength. —n. Restorative medicine, food, etc.
Blackmail  —n. 1 a extortion of payment in return for silence. B payment so extorted. 2 use of threats or moral pressure. —v. 1 (try to) extort money etc. From by blackmail. 2 threaten, coerce.  blackmailer n. [obsolete mail rent]



Whim  n. 1 sudden fancy; caprice. 2 capriciousness. [origin unknown]




Sportive  adj. Playful.

Credo  n. (pl. -s) creed. [latin, = i believe]


Condemn  v. 1 express utter disapproval of. 2 a find guilty; convict. B (usu. Foll. By to) sentence to (a punishment). 3 pronounce (a building etc.) Unfit for use. 4 (usu. Foll. By to) doom or assign (to something unpleasant).  condemnation n. Condemnatory adj. [latin: related to *damn]

Taxpayer  n. Person who pays taxes.
Insular  adj. 1 a of or like an island. B separated or remote. 2 narrow-minded.  insularity n. [latin insula island]




Clapperboard  n. Device in film-making of hinged boards struck together to synchronize the starting of picture and sound machinery.

Cable-car  n. Small cabin suspended on a looped cable, for carrying passengers up and down a mountain etc.



By-  prefix subordinate, incidental (by-effect; byroad).




Baryon  n. Heavy elementary particle (i.e. A nucleon or a hyperon). [greek barus heavy]
Hereafter  —adv. From now on; in the future. —n. 1 the future. 2 life after death.


Censer  n. Vessel for burning incense. [anglo-french: related to *incense1]
Afters  n.pl. Colloq. = *dessert 1.



Contradict  v. 1 deny (a statement). 2 deny a statement made by (a person). 3 be in opposition to or in conflict with.  contradiction n. Contradictory adj. [latin dico dict- say]
Filch  v. Pilfer, steal. [origin unknown]
Revoke  —v. (-king) 1 rescind, withdraw, or cancel. 2 cards fail to follow suit when able to do so. —n. Cards revoking.  revocable adj. Revocation n. [latin voco call]

Iliac  adj. Of the lower body (iliac artery). [latin ilia flanks]
Cash desk  n. Counter etc. Where payment is made in a shop.



Centimetre  n. (us centimeter) 0.01 metre.
Abject  adj. Miserable, wretched; degraded; despicable.  abjection n. [latin jacio -ject- throw]
Flesh  n. 1 a soft, esp. Muscular, substance between the skin and bones of an animal or a human. B plumpness; fat. 2 the body, esp. As sinful. 3 pulpy substance of a fruit etc. 4 a visible surface of the human body. B (also flesh-colour) yellowish pink colour. 5 animal or human life.  all flesh all animate creation. Flesh out make or become substantial. In the flesh in person. One's own flesh and blood near relatives. [old english]

Sin1  —n. 1 a breaking of divine or moral law, esp. Deliberately. B such an act. 2 offence against good taste or propriety etc. —v. (-nn-) 1 commit a sin. 2 (foll. By against) offend. [old english]

Scarlet pimpernel  n. Wild plant with small esp. Scarlet flowers.

Sea bird  n. Bird living near the sea.

Sweet william  n. Cultivated plant with clusters of vivid fragrant flowers.
Fly-post  v. Fix (posters etc.) Illegally on walls etc.
Dewey system  n. Decimal system of library classification. [dewey, name of a librarian]
Mescal  n. Peyote cactus. [spanish from nahuatl]




Cranberry  n. (pl. -ies) 1 shrub with small red acid berries. 2 this berry used in cookery. [german kranbeere crane-berry]
Unchanging  adj. Not changing; remaining the same.
Mid-on  n. Cricket position of the fielder near the bowler on the on side.

Hinder1  v. Impede; delay. [old english]
Water-cooled  adj. Cooled by the circulation of water.
Newborn  adj. Recently born.
Thur.  Abbr. (also thurs.) Thursday.


Cooling-off period  n. Interval to allow for a change of mind.



Indemnify  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 (often foll. By from, against) secure (a person) in respect of harm, a loss, etc. 2 (often foll. By for) exempt from a penalty. 3 compensate.  indemnification n. [latin indemnis free from loss]


Pretty-pretty  adj. Colloq. Too pretty.


Alpine  —adj. Of mountainous regions or (alpine) the alps. —n. 1 plant growing in mountainous regions. 2 = *rock-plant. [latin: related to *alp]
Leotard  n. Close-fitting one-piece garment worn by dancers etc. [léotard, name of a trapeze artist]
Ichthyology  n. The study of fishes.  ichthyological adj. Ichthyologist n. [greek ikhthus fish]

Gymkhana  n. Horse-riding competition. [hindustani gendkhana ball-house, assimilated to *gymnasium]
Tarry1  adj. (-ier, -iest) of, like, or smeared with tar.
Gudgeon1  n. Small freshwater fish often used as bait. [french goujon from latin gobio *goby]
Abstract  —adj. 1 a of or existing in thought or theory rather than matter or practice; not concrete. B (of a word, esp. A noun) denoting a quality, condition, etc., not a concrete object. 2 (of art) achieving its effect by form and colour rather than by realism. —v. 1 (often foll. By from) extract, remove. 2 summarize. —n. 1 summary. 2 abstract work of art. 3 abstraction or abstract term. [latin: related to *tract1]




Conscript  —v. Summon for compulsory state (esp. Military) service. —n. Conscripted person.  conscription n. [latin scribo write]



Incarcerate  v. (-ting) imprison.  incarceration n. [medieval latin carcer prison]
Till3  v. Cultivate (land).  tiller n. [old english, = strive for]
Hereto  adv. Formal to this matter.
Seal1  —n. 1 piece of stamped wax, lead, paper, etc., attached to a document or to a receptacle, envelope, etc., to guarantee authenticity or security. 2 engraved piece of metal etc. For stamping a design on a seal. 3 substance or device used to close a gap etc. 4 anything regarded as a confirmation or guarantee (seal of approval). 5 decorative adhesive stamp. —v. 1 close securely or hermetically. 2 stamp, fasten, or fix with a seal. 3 certify as correct with a seal or stamp. 4 (often foll. By up) confine securely. 5 settle or decide (their fate is sealed). 6 (foll. By off) prevent entry to or exit from (an area).  set one's seal to (or on) authorize or confirm. [latin sigillum]

Hors d'œuvre  n. Food served as an appetizer at the start of a meal. [french, = outside the work]
House  —n. (pl.) 1 building for human habitation. 2 building for a special purpose or for animals or goods (opera-house; summer-house; hen-house). 3 a religious community. B its buildings. 4 a body of pupils living in the same building at a boarding-school. B such a building. C division of a day-school for games, competitions, etc. 5 royal family or dynasty (house of york). 6 a firm or institution. B its premises. 7 a legislative or deliberative assembly. B building for this. 8 audience or performance in a theatre etc. 9 astrol. Twelfth part of the heavens. —v. (-sing) 1 provide with a house or other accommodation. 2 store (goods etc.). 3 enclose or encase (a part or fitting). 4 fix in a socket, mortise, etc.  keep house provide for or manage a household. Like a house on fire 1 vigorously, fast. 2 successfully, excellently. On the house free. Put (or set) one's house in order make necessary reforms. [old english]

Wealth  n. 1 riches. 2 being rich. 3 (foll. By of) abundance. [old english]

Disallow  v. Refuse to allow or accept; prohibit.

Groupie  n. Slang ardent follower of touring pop groups, esp. A young woman seeking sexual relations with them.



Fibrosis  n. Thickening and scarring of connective tissue. [from *fibre, *-osis]
Ace  —n. 1 playing-card etc. With a single spot and generally signifying ‘one’. 2 a person who excels in some activity. B pilot who has shot down many enemy aircraft. 3 (in tennis) unreturnable stroke (esp. A service). —adj. Slang excellent.  within an ace of on the verge of. [latin as unity]

Rep2  n. Colloq. 1 repertory. 2 repertory theatre or company. [abbreviation]

Historiography  n. 1 the writing of history. 2 the study of this.  historiographer n.
Verdict  n. 1 decision of a jury in a civil or criminal case. 2 decision; judgement. [anglo-french verdit from ver true, dit saying]

Directly  —adv. 1 a at once; without delay, immediately (directly after lunch). B presently, shortly. 2 exactly (directly opposite). 3 in a direct manner. —conj. Colloq. As soon as (will tell you directly they come).





Velour  n. (also velours pronunc. Same) plushlike fabric. [french]

Bunk3  n. Slang nonsense, humbug. [shortening of *bunkum]

Riband  n. Ribbon. [french riban]


Warmonger  n. Person who promotes war.  warmongering n. & adj.
Slav  —n. Member of a group of peoples in central and eastern europe speaking slavonic languages. —adj. Of the slavs. [latin sclavus, ethnic name]

Short  —adj. 1 a measuring little from head to foot, top to bottom, or end to end; not long. B not long in duration. C seeming short (a few short years of happiness). 2 a (usu. Foll. By of, on) deficient; scanty (short of spoons). B not far-reaching; acting or being near at hand (short range). 3 a concise; brief. B curt; uncivil. 4 (of the memory) unable to remember distant events. 5  (of a vowel or syllable) having the lesser of the two recognized durations. 6 (of pastry) easily crumbled. 7 (of stocks etc.) Sold or selling when the amount is not in hand, with reliance on getting the deficit at a lower price in time for delivery. 8 (of a drink of spirits) undiluted. 9 (of odds or a chance) nearly even. —adv. 1 before the natural or expected time or place; abruptly. 2 rudely. —n. 1 short circuit. 2 colloq. Short drink. 3 short film.  —v. Short-circuit.  be caught (or taken) short 1 be put at a disadvantage. 2 colloq. Urgently need to use the lavatory. Be short for be an abbreviation for. Come short of = fall short of. For short as a short name (tom for short). In short briefly. Short of 1 see sense 2a of adj. 2 less than (nothing short of a miracle). 3 distant from (two miles short of home). 4 without going so far as (did everything short of resigning). Short on colloq. See sense 2a of adj.  shortish adj. Shortness n. [old english]




Smelt3  n. (pl. Same or -s) small edible green and silver fish. [old english]

Busy  —adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 occupied or engaged in work etc. 2 full of activity; fussy (busy evening, street; busy design). 3 esp. Us (of a telephone line) engaged. —v. (-ies, -ied) (often refl.) Keep busy; occupy.  busily adv. [old english]
Cashmere  n. 1 fine soft wool, esp. That of a kashmir goat. 2 material made from this. [kashmir in asia]


Joker  n. 1 person who jokes. 2 slang person. 3 playing-card used in some games.



Tongue  —n. 1 fleshy muscular organ in the mouth used in tasting, licking, and swallowing, and (in man) for speech. 2 tongue of an ox etc. As food. 3 faculty of or tendency in speech (a sharp tongue). 4 particular language (the german tongue). 5 thing like a tongue in shape or position, esp.: a a long low promontory. B a strip of leather etc. Under the laces in a shoe. C the clapper of a bell. D the pin of a buckle. E a projecting strip on a board etc. Fitting into the groove of another. —v. (-guing) use the tongue to articulate (notes) in playing a wind instrument. find (or lose) one's tongue be able (or unable) to express oneself after a shock etc. Hold one's tongue see *hold1. With one's tongue in one's cheek insincerely or ironically. [old english]
Unassuming  adj. Not pretentious; modest.

Crutch  n. 1 usu. T-shaped support for a lame person fitting under the armpit. 2 support, prop. 3 crotch. [old english]
Teflon  n. Propr. Non-stick coating for kitchen utensils. [from tetra-, fluor-, -on]
Earl  n. British nobleman ranking between marquis and viscount.  earldom n. [old english]



Ta  abbr. Territorial army.
Mishear  v. (past and past part. -heard) hear incorrectly or imperfectly.
Prostrate  —adj. 1 a lying face downwards, esp. In submission. B lying horizontally. 2 overcome, esp. By grief, exhaustion, etc. 3 growing along the ground. —v. (-ting) 1 lay or throw (esp. A person) flat. 2 refl. Throw (oneself) down in submission etc. 3 overcome; make weak.  prostration n. [latin prosterno -strat- throw in front]




Wasteful  adj. 1 extravagant. 2 causing or showing waste.  wastefully adv.
Abnegation  n. Denial; renunciation of a doctrine.
Great war  n. World war of 1914–18.
Rd.  Abbr. Road.

Gal.  Abbr. (also gall.) Gallon(s).

Working capital  n. Capital actually used in a business.
Video shop  n. Shop hiring out or selling video films etc.
Hemp  n. 1 (in full indian hemp) asian herbaceous plant. 2 its fibre used to make rope and stout fabrics. 3 narcotic drug made from the hemp plant. [old english]
Coloured  (us colored) —adj. 1 having colour. 2 (coloured) often offens. A wholly or partly of non-white descent. B s.afr. Of mixed descent. —n. 1 (coloured) often offens. A coloured person. B s.afr. Person of mixed descent. 2 (in pl.) Coloured clothing etc. For washing.

Protector  n. (fem. Protectress) 1 person or thing that protects. 2 hist. Regent ruling during the minority or absence of the sovereign.  protectorship n.


Squidgy  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Squashy, soggy. [imitative]
Squish  colloq. —n. Slight squelching sound. —v. Move with a squish.  squishy adj. (-ier, -iest). [imitative]
Hemophilia  n. (brit. Haem-) hereditary failure of the blood to clot normally with the tendency to bleed severely from even a slight injury. [greek haima blood, philia loving]


Platter  n. Large flat dish or plate. [anglo-french plater: related to *plate]
Bossa nova  n. 1 dance like the samba. 2 music for this. [portuguese, = new flair]
Defrost  v. 1 remove frost or ice from (a refrigerator, windscreen, etc.). 2 unfreeze (frozen food). 3 become unfrozen.
Head-on  adj. & adv. 1 with the front foremost (head-on crash). 2 in direct confrontation.
Cut-out  n. 1 figure cut out of paper etc. 2 device for automatic disconnection, the release of exhaust gases, etc.
Overlook  v. 1 fail to notice; tolerate. 2 have a view of from above. 3 supervise.




Romany  —n. (pl. -ies) 1 gypsy. 2 language of the gypsies. —adj. Of gypsies or the romany language. [romany rom gypsy]
She's  contr. 1 she is. 2 she has.

Register office  n. State office where civil marriages are conducted.

Voluptuous  adj. 1 of, tending to, occupied with, or derived from, sensuous or sensual pleasure. 2 (of a woman) curvaceous and sexually desirable.  voluptuously adv. [latin voluptas pleasure]


Suppurate  v. (-ting) 1 form pus. 2 fester.  suppuration n. [latin: related to *pus]


Dotage  n. Feeble-minded senility (in his dotage).
Misbegotten  adj. 1 illegitimate, bastard. 2 contemptible, disreputable.

Nursery rhyme  n. Simple traditional song or rhyme for children.

Sidekick  n. Colloq. Friend, associate; henchman.



Red indian  n. Offens. American indian.

Scottie  n. (also scottie dog) colloq. Scotch terrier.

Westernize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) influence with, or convert to, the ideas and customs etc. Of the west.
Scow  n. Esp. Us flat-bottomed boat. [dutch]



Uncharitable  adj. Censorious, severe in judgement.  uncharitably adv.



Linesman  n. Umpire's or referee's assistant who decides whether a ball has fallen within the playing area or not.



Tele-  comb. Form 1 at or to a distance (telekinesis, telescope). 2 television (telecast). 3 by telephone (telesales). [greek tele far off]
Coven  n. Assembly of witches. [related to *convent]
Stegosaurus  n. (pl. -ruses) plant-eating dinosaur with a double row of bony plates along the spine. [greek stege covering, sauros lizard]

Transcendental  adj. 1 philos. A priori, not based on experience; intuitively accepted; innate in the mind. 2 a visionary, abstract. B vague, obscure.  transcendentally adv.


Preferable  adj. To be preferred; more desirable.  preferably adv.


Third-rate  adj. Inferior; very poor.
Seashell  n. Shell of a salt-water mollusc.



Disturb  v. 1 break the rest, calm, or quiet of. 2 agitate; worry. 3 move from a settled position (disturbed my papers). 4 (as disturbed adj.) Emotionally or mentally unstable. [latin: related to *dis-, turba tumult]
Jurisprudence  n. Science or philosophy of law.  jurisprudential adj.


Physics  n.pl. (treated as sing.) Branch of science dealing with the properties and interactions of matter and energy. [latin physica (pl.) From greek: related to *physic]
Chutney  n. (pl. -s) pungent condiment of fruits, vinegar, spices, etc. [hindi]

Anew  adv. 1 again. 2 in a different way. [earlier of newe]




Isomer  n. One of two or more compounds with the same molecular formula but a different arrangement of atoms.  isomeric adj. Isomerism n. [greek *iso-, meros share]
Implore  v. (-ring) 1 (often foll. By to + infin.) Entreat (a person). 2 beg earnestly for. [latin ploro weep]
Knife  —n. (pl. Knives) 1 metal blade for cutting or as a weapon, with usu. One long sharp edge fixed in a handle. 2 cutting-blade in a machine. 3 (as the knife) surgical operation. —v. (-fing) cut or stab with a knife.  at knife-point threatened with a knife or an ultimatum etc. Get (or have got) one's knife into treat maliciously, persecute. [old english]
Over-abundance  n. Excessive quantity.  over-abundant adj.

Invective  n. Strong verbal attack. [latin: related to *inveigh]
Vain  adj. 1 having too high an opinion of one's looks, abilities, etc. 2 empty, trivial (vain triumphs). 3 useless; futile (in the vain hope of finding it).  in vain 1 without success. 2 lightly or profanely (take his name in vain).  vainly adv. [latin vanus]

Wheat germ  n. Embryo of the wheat grain, extracted as a source of vitamins.


Award  —v. Give or order to be given as a payment or prize. —n. 1 thing or amount awarded. 2 judicial decision. [french]
Undisclosed  adj. Not revealed or made known.
Groove  —n. 1 channel or elongated hollow, esp. One made to guide motion or receive a corresponding ridge. 2 spiral track cut in a gramophone record. —v. (-ving) 1 make a groove or grooves in. 2 slang enjoy oneself. [dutch]
Passenger  n. 1 (often attrib.) Traveller in or on a vehicle (other than the driver, pilot, crew, etc.) (passenger seat). 2 colloq. Idle member of a team, crew, etc. [french passager: related to *passage]




Volatile  adj. 1 changeable in mood; fickle. 2 (of trading conditions etc.) Unstable. 3 (of a political situation etc.) Likely to erupt in violence. 4 chem. Evaporating rapidly.  volatility n. [latin volo fly]

Hara-kiri  n. Ritual suicide by disembowelment with a sword, formerly practised by samurai to avoid dishonour. [japanese hara belly, kiri cutting]
Elevator  n. 1 us lift. 2 movable part of a tailplane for changing an aircraft's altitude. 3 hoisting machine.


Parenting  n. (skill of) bringing up children.


Undamaged  adj. Intact.

Perception  n. 1 act or faculty of perceiving. 2 (often foll. By of) intuitive recognition of a truth, aesthetic quality, etc.; way of seeing, understanding.  perceptual adj.
Poorhouse  n. Hist. = *workhouse.
Waste pipe  n. Pipe to carry off waste material.


Mushroom cloud  n. Mushroom-shaped cloud from a nuclear explosion.
Barrel-organ  n. Mechanical musical instrument with a rotating pin-studded cylinder.
Catacomb  n. (often in pl.) Underground cemetery, esp. Roman. [french from latin]
Male  —adj. 1 of the sex that can beget offspring by fertilization. 2 of men or male animals, plants, etc.; masculine. 3 (of plants or flowers) containing stamens but no pistil. 4 (of parts of machinery etc.) Designed to enter or fill the corresponding hollow part (male screw). —n. Male person or animal.  maleness n.  [latin masculus from mas a male]


Trustee  n. Person or member of a board managing property in trust with a legal obligation to administer it solely for the purposes specified.  trusteeship n.



Palaeontology  n. (us paleontology) the study of life in the geological past.  palaeontologist n. [greek on ont- being]


Dead loss  n. Colloq. Useless person or thing.

Buckram  n. Coarse linen etc. Stiffened with paste etc. [french boquerant]



Pen-pal  n. Colloq. = *pen-friend.

Exhilarate  v. (often as exhilarating adj. Or exhilarated adj.) Enliven, gladden; raise the spirits of.  exhilaration n. [latin hilaris cheerful]


Briquette  n. Block of compressed coal-dust as fuel. [french diminutive: related to *brick]
By  —prep. 1 near, beside (sit by me; path by the river). 2 through the agency or means of (by proxy; poem by donne; by bus; by cheating; divide by two; killed by robbers). 3 not later than (by next week). 4 a past, beyond (drove by the church). B through; via (went by paris). 5 during (by day; by daylight). 6 to the extent of (missed by a foot; better by far). 7 according to; using as a standard or unit (judge by appearances; paid by the hour). 8 with the succession of (worse by the minute; day by day). 9 concerning; in respect of (did our duty by them; smith by name). 10 used in mild oaths (by god). 11 expressing dimensions of an area etc. (three feet by two). 12 avoiding, ignoring (passed us by). 13 inclining to (north by north-west). —adv. 1 near (sat by). 2 aside; in reserve (put £5 by). 3 past (marched by). —n. (pl. Byes) = *bye1.  by and by before long; eventually. By and large on the whole. By the by (or bye) incidentally. By oneself 1 a unaided. B unprompted. 2 alone. [old english]


Vermiculite  n. A hydrous silicate mineral used esp. As a moisture-holding medium for plant growth. [latin vermiculatus worm-eaten, from vermis worm]
Christianity  n. 1 christian religion. 2 being a christian; christian quality or character.
Shilling  n. 1 hist. Former british coin and monetary unit worth one-twentieth of a pound. 2 monetary unit in kenya, tanzania, and uganda. [old english]
Advisable  adj. To be recommended, expedient.  advisability n.
Inspector  n. 1 person who inspects. 2 official employed to supervise. 3 police officer next above sergeant in rank.  inspectorate n.
Ravel  v. (-ll-; us -l-) 1 entangle or become entangled. 2 fray out. 3 (often foll. By out) disentangle, unravel, separate into threads. [probably dutch ravelen]

Amputate  v. (-ting) cut off surgically (a limb etc.).  amputation n. Amputee n. [latin amb- about, puto prune]

Capriole  —n. Leap, caper, esp. Of a trained horse. —v. (-ling) perform this. [italian: related to *capricorn]
Horsefly  n. Any of various biting insects troublesome esp. To horses.
Porcine  adj. Of or like pigs. [latin: related to *pork]
Consultant  n. 1 person providing professional advice etc. 2 senior medical specialist in a hospital.

Cyclo-  comb. Form circle, cycle, or cyclic.

Depravity  n. (pl. -ies) moral corruption; wickedness.
Rack1  —n. 1 framework, usu. With rails, bars, etc., for holding things. 2 cogged or toothed bar or rail engaging with a wheel or pinion etc. 3 hist. Instrument of torture stretching the victim's joints. —v. 1 (of disease or pain) inflict suffering on. 2 hist. Torture (a person) on the rack. 3 place in or on a rack. 4 shake violently. 5 injure by straining.  on the rack suffering acute mental or physical pain. Rack one's brains make a great mental effort.  [low german or dutch]
Equalizer  n. (also -iser) equalizing score or goal etc.
Inept  adj. 1 unskilful. 2 absurd, silly. 3 out of place.  ineptitude n. Ineptly adv. [latin: related to *apt]
Roughneck  n. Colloq. 1 worker on an oil rig. 2 rough or rowdy person.



Bootblack  n. Us person who polishes boots and shoes.






Xylophone  n. Musical instrument of graduated wooden or metal bars struck with small wooden hammers.  xylophonist n. [greek xulon wood]

Cuff2  —v. Strike with an open hand. —n. Such a blow. [perhaps imitative]
Secretive  adj. Inclined to make or keep secrets; uncommunicative.  secretively adv. Secretiveness n.

Jack  —n. 1 device for raising heavy objects, esp. Vehicles. 2 court-card with a picture of a soldier, page, etc. 3 ship's flag, esp. Showing nationality. 4 device using a single-pronged plug to connect an electrical circuit. 5 small white target ball in bowls. 6 a = *jackstone. B (in pl.) Game of jackstones. 7 (jack) familiar form of john, esp. Typifying the common man, male animal, etc. (i'm all right, jack). —v. (usu. Foll. By up) 1 raise with or as with a jack (in sense 1). 2 colloq. Raise (e.g. Prices).  every man jack every person. Jack in slang abandon (an attempt etc.). [familiar form of the name john]
Vigilance  n. Watchfulness, caution.  vigilant adj. [latin: related to *vigil]



Alkaloid  n. Nitrogenous organic compound of plant origin, e.g. Morphine, quinine.
Misstate  v. (-ting) state wrongly or inaccurately.  misstatement n.





Stirrup-leather  n. (also stirrup-strap) strap attaching a stirrup to a saddle.
Non-combatant  n. Person not fighting in a war, esp. A civilian, army chaplain, etc.

Matchbox  n. Box for holding matches.
Secular  adj. 1 not concerned with religion; not sacred; worldly (secular education; secular music). 2 (of clerics) not monastic.  secularism n. Secularize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing). Secularization n. [latin saeculum an age]


Tradesman  n. (fem. Tradeswoman) person engaged in trade, esp. A shopkeeper.


Calibrate  v. (-ting) 1 mark (a gauge) with a scale of readings. 2 correlate the readings of (an instrument or system of measurement) with a standard. 3 determine the calibre of (a gun).  calibration n.



Pin-tuck  n. Very narrow ornamental tuck.



Pulchritude  n. Literary beauty.  pulchritudinous adj. [latin pulcher beautiful]
Millpond  n. Pool of water retained by a dam for operating a mill-wheel.  like a millpond (of water) very calm.


Mercerize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) treat (cotton) with caustic alkali to strengthen and make lustrous. [mercer, name of its alleged inventor]





Heroic  —adj. Of, fit for, or like a hero; very brave. —n. (in pl.) 1 high-flown language or sentiments. 2 unduly bold behaviour.  heroically adv.

Paper  —n. 1 material made in thin sheets from the pulp of wood etc., used for writing, drawing, or printing on, or as wrapping material etc. 2 (attrib.) A made of or using paper. B flimsy like paper. 3 = *newspaper. 4 a printed document. B (in pl.) Identification etc. Documents.

Xerox  —n. Propr. 1 machine for copying by xerography. 2 copy thus made. —v. (xerox) reproduce by this process.
Unenterprising  adj. Not enterprising.








Ballroom dancing  n. Formal social dancing.

Higher education  n. Education at university etc.

Upstairs  —adv. To or on an upper floor. —attrib. Adj. Situated upstairs. —n. Upper floor.





Air-cushion  n. 1 inflatable cushion. 2 layer of air supporting a hovercraft etc.



Universe  n. 1 all existing things; creation. 2 all mankind. 3 statistics & logic all the objects under consideration. [latin universus combined into one]

Tangly  adj. (-ier, -iest) tangled.
Preschool  adj. Of the time before a child is old enough to go to school.

Bay1  n. Broad curving inlet of the sea. [spanish bahia]
Paid  past and past part. Of *pay.
Herbaceous  adj. Of or like herbs.
Decagon  n. Plane figure with ten sides and angles.  decagonal adj. [greek: related to *deca-, -gonos -angled]
Golden age  n. Period of a nation's greatest prosperity, cultural merit, etc.
Flyleaf  n. Blank leaf at the beginning or end of a book.

Test1  —n. 1 critical examination or trial of a person's or thing's qualities. 2 means, procedure, or standard for so doing. 3 minor examination, esp. In school (spelling test). 4 colloq. Test match. —v. 1 put to the test. 2 try or tax severely. 3  examine by means of a reagent.  put to the test cause to undergo a test. Test out put to a practical test.  testable adj. [latin testu(m) = testa: related to *test2]
Viscera  n.pl. Internal organs of the body. [latin]
Usage  although the senses of emotive and emotional overlap, emotive is more common in the sense ‘arousing emotion’, as in an emotive issue, and is not used at all in sense 2 of emotional.
Mineralize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) impregnate (water etc.) With a mineral substance.




Gynecology  n. (brit. Gynaecology) science of the physiological functions and diseases of women.  gynaecological adj. Gynaecologist n. [greek gune gunaik- woman, *-logy]
Immunize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) make immune, usu. By inoculation.  immunization n.
Self-worth  n. = *self-esteem.


Obedient  adj. 1 obeying or ready to obey. 2 submissive to another's will.  obedience n. Obediently adv. [latin: related to *obey]
Ottoman  —adj. 1 of the dynasty of osman (or othman) i or the empire ruled by his descendants. 2 turkish. —n. (pl. -s) 1 turk of the ottoman period. 2 (ottoman) upholstered seat without back or arms, sometimes a box with a padded top. [french from arabic] 
G  abbr. (also g.) 1 gram(s). 2 a gravity. B acceleration due to gravity.

Fore and aft  —adv. At bow and stern; all over the ship. —adj. (fore-and-aft) (of a sail or rigging) lengthwise.
Gig1  n. 1 light two-wheeled one-horse carriage. 2 light ship's boat for rowing or sailing. 3 rowing-boat esp. For racing. [probably imitative]
Cauliflower  n. Cabbage with a large white flower-head. [french chou fleuri flowered cabbage]





Dulcet  adj. Sweet-sounding. [latin dulcis sweet]
Tutelage  n. 1 guardianship. 2 being under this. 3 tuition. [latin tutela: related to *tutor]

Fierce  adj. (fiercer, fiercest) 1 violently aggressive or frightening. 2 eager, intense. 3 unpleasantly strong or intense (fierce heat).  fiercely adv. Fierceness n. [latin ferus savage]

Slug2  us —v. (-gg-) hit hard. —n. Hard blow.  slug it out fight it out. [origin unknown]
Take-home pay  n. Employee's pay after the deduction of tax etc.

Heterodox  adj. Not orthodox.  heterodoxy n. [from *hetero-, greek doxa opinion]



Mock  —v. 1 (often foll. By at) ridicule; scoff (at); act with scorn or contempt for. 2 mimic contemptuously. 3 defy or delude contemptuously. —attrib. Adj. 1 sham, imitation. 2 as a trial run (mock exam). —n. (in pl.) Colloq. Mock examinations.  mockingly adv. [french moquer]
Forced labour  n. Compulsory labour, esp. In prison.


Prospectus  n. (pl. -tuses) printed document advertising or describing a school, commercial enterprise, forthcoming book, etc. [latin, = prospect, from prospicio -spect- look forward]





Grenade  n. Small bomb thrown by hand (hand-grenade) or shot from a rifle. [french: related to *pomegranate]

Gaucherie  n. Gauche manners or act. [french: related to *gauche]
Metaphysical  adj. 1 of metaphysics. 2 colloq. Excessively abstract or theoretical. 3 (of esp. 17th-c. English poetry) subtle and complex in imagery.
Oblivion  n. State of having or being forgotten. [latin obliviscor forget]
Dead heat  n. 1 race in which competitors tie. 2 result of such a race.



Oz  abbr. Ounce(s). [italian onza ounce]

Deerskin  n. (often attrib.) Leather from a deer's skin.
Bazaar  n. 1 oriental market. 2 fund-raising sale of goods, esp. For charity. [persian]
Bliss  n. 1 perfect joy. 2 being in heaven.  blissful adj. Blissfully adv. [old english]


Ibis  n. (pl. -es) wading bird with a curved bill, long neck, and long legs. [greek, from egyptian]
Back-to-back  adj. (of houses) with a party wall at the rear.

Climax  —n. 1 event or point of greatest intensity or interest; culmination. 2 orgasm. —v. Colloq. Reach or bring to a climax.  climactic adj. [greek, = ladder]
Precede  v. (-ding) 1 come or go before in time, order, importance, etc. 2 (foll. By by) cause to be preceded. [latin: related to *cede]

Decorate  v. (-ting) 1 beautify, adorn. 2 paint, wallpaper, etc. (a room or building). 3 give a medal or award to. [latin decus -oris beauty]

Butchery  n. (pl. -ies) 1 needless or cruel slaughter (of people). 2 butcher's trade.
Dowry  n. (pl. -ies) property or money brought by a bride to her husband. [anglo-french, = french douaire *dower]

Chilblain  n. Painful itching swelling on a hand, foot, etc., caused by exposure to cold. [from *chill, blain inflamed sore, blister]
Tuppenny  adj. = *twopenny. [phonetic spelling]

Pollack  n. (also pollock) (pl. Same or -s) edible marine fish related to the cod. [origin unknown]

Elicit  v. (-t-) draw out (facts, a response, etc.), esp. With difficulty. [latin elicio]
Preposterous  adj. 1 utterly absurd; outrageous. 2 contrary to nature, reason, or sense.  preposterously adv. [latin, = before behind]
Anus  n. (pl. Anuses) excretory opening at the end of the alimentary canal. [latin]


Campaign  —n. 1 organized course of action, esp. To gain publicity. 2 military operations towards a particular objective. —v. Take part in a campaign.  campaigner n. [latin: related to *camp1]
Trumpery  —n. (pl. -ies) 1 worthless finery. 2 worthless thing; rubbish. —adj. Showy but worthless; trashy; shallow. [french tromperie deceit]
Ll m  abbr. Master of laws. [latin legum magister]
Rasp  —n. 1  coarse kind of file having separate teeth. 2 grating noise or utterance. —v. 1 a scrape with a rasp. B scrape roughly. C (foll. By off, away) remove by scraping. 2 a make a grating sound. B say gratingly. 3 grate upon (a person or feelings). [french raspe(r)]


Pounder  n. (usu. In comb.) 1 thing or person weighing a specified number of pounds (a five-pounder). 2 gun firing a shell of a specified number of pounds.

Hippy1  var. Of *hippie.
Unchristian  adj. Contrary to christian principles, esp. Uncaring or selfish.
Yellow pepper  n. Ripe yellow fruit of the capsicum plant.
Mascara  n. Cosmetic for darkening the eyelashes. [italian, = mask]
Faulty  adj. (-ier, -iest) having faults; imperfect.  faultily adv. Faultiness n.







Larder  n. Room or large cupboard for storing food.

Augur  —v. Portend, serve as an omen (augur well or ill). —n. Hist. Roman religious official interpreting natural phenomena in order to pronounce on proposed actions. [latin]


Recusant  —n. Person who refuses submission to an authority or compliance with a regulation, esp. Hist. One who refused to attend services of the church of england. —adj. Of or being a recusant.  recusancy n. [latin recuso refuse]
Turkish carpet  n. Wool carpet with a thick pile and traditional bold design.
Copyright  —n. Exclusive legal right to print, publish, perform, film, or record material. —adj. Protected by copyright. —v. Secure copyright for (material).
Extreme  —adj. 1 of a high, or the highest, degree (extreme danger). 2 severe (extreme measures). 3 outermost. 4 on the far left or right of a political party. 5 utmost; last. —n. 1 (often in pl.) Either of two things as remote or as different as possible. 2 thing at either end. 3 highest degree. 4 math. First or last term of a ratio or series.  go to extremes take an extreme course of action. In the extreme to an extreme degree.  extremely adv. [french from latin]


Sit-in  n. Protest involving sitting in.
Pinko  adj. (pl. -s) esp. Us slang socialist.


Cleanly2  adj. (-ier, -iest) habitually clean; with clean habits.  cleanliness n.





Maiden  n. 1 a archaic or poet. Girl; young unmarried woman. B (attrib.) Unmarried (maiden aunt). 2  = *maiden over. 3 (attrib.) (of a female animal) unmated. 4 (often attrib.) A horse that has never won a race. B race open only to such horses. 5 (attrib.) First (maiden speech; maiden voyage).  maidenhood n. Maidenly adj.  [old english]



Nest  —n. 1 structure or place where a bird lays eggs and shelters its young. 2 any creature's breeding-place or lair. 3 snug retreat or shelter. 4 brood or swarm. 5 group or set of similar objects, often of different sizes and fitting one inside the other (nest of tables). —v. 1 use or build a nest. 2 take wild birds' nests or eggs. 3 (of objects) fit together or one inside another. [old english]
Water-clock  n. Clock measuring time by the flow of water.
Sulphate  n. (us sulfate) salt or ester of sulphuric acid. [latin *sulphur]
Bound2  —n. (usu. In pl.) 1 limitation; restriction. 2 border, boundary. —v. 1 limit. 2 be the boundary of.  out of bounds outside a permitted area. [french from medieval latin]


Tonne  n. = *metric ton. [french: related to *ton]
Sell  —v. (past and past part. Sold) 1 exchange or be exchanged for money (these sell well). 2 stock for sale (do you sell eggs?). 3 (foll. By at, for) have a specified price (sells at £5). 4 (also refl.) Betray or prostitute for money etc. 5 (also refl.) Advertise or publicize (a product, oneself, etc.). 6 cause to be sold (name alone will sell it). 7 colloq. Make (a person) enthusiastic about (an idea etc.). —n. Colloq. 1 manner of selling (soft sell). 2 deception; disappointment.  sell down the river see *river. Sell off sell at reduced prices. Sell out 1 (also absol.) Sell (all one's stock, shares, etc.). 2 betray; be treacherous or disloyal. Sell short disparage, underestimate. Sell up sell one's business, house, etc. [old english]





Stomach-pump  n. Syringe for forcing liquid etc. Into or out of the stomach.
Stock-still  adj. Motionless.
Down3  n. 1 open rolling land. 2 (in pl.) Chalk uplands, esp. In s. England. [old english]
Flowerpot  n. Pot for growing a plant in.

Methanal  n. = *formaldehyde. [from *methane, *aldehyde]
Echinoderm  n. (usu. Spiny) sea animal of the group including the starfish and sea urchin. [greek ekhinos sea-urchin, derma skin]


Comparison  n. 1 comparing. 2 illustration or example of similarity. 3 capacity for being likened (there's no comparison). 4 (in full degrees of comparison) gram. Positive, comparative, and superlative forms of adjectives and adverbs.  bear (or stand) comparison (often foll. By with) be able to be compared favourably. Beyond comparison 1 totally different in quality. 2 greatly superior; excellent.
H.  Abbr. (also h) 1 hecto-. 2 (also h) height. 3 hot. 4 hour(s).
Forever  adv. Continually, persistently (is forever complaining) (cf. For ever).



Open-mouthed  adj. Aghast with surprise.
Voltage  n. Electromotive force expressed in volts.

Tackle-block  n. Pulley over which a rope runs.


Emollient  —adj. That softens or soothes the skin, feelings, etc. —n. Emollient substance. [latin mollis soft]
Strain1  —v. 1 stretch tightly; make or become taut or tense. 2 injure by overuse or excessive demands. 3 exercise (oneself, one's senses, a thing, etc.) Intensely; press to extremes. 4 strive intensively. 5 (foll. By at) tug, pull. 6 distort from the true intention or meaning. 7 a clear (a liquid) of solid matter by passing it through a sieve etc. B (foll. By out) filter (solids) out from a liquid. —n. 1 a act of straining. B force exerted in this. 2 injury caused by straining a muscle etc. 3 severe mental or physical demand or exertion (suffering from strain). 4 snatch of music or poetry. 5 tone or tendency in speech or writing (more in the same strain). [french estrei(g)n- from latin stringo]

Marshal of the royal air force  n. Highest rank in the raf.


Catwalk  n. Narrow footway or platform.


Coulomb  n. Si unit of electric charge. [coulomb, name of a physicist]

Meddle  v. (-ling) (often foll. By with, in) interfere in others' concerns.  meddler n. [latin: related to *mix]

Provident society  n. = *friendly society.
Frisson  n. Emotional thrill. [french]
Variable  —adj. 1 changeable, adaptable. 2 apt to vary; not constant. 3 math. (of a quantity) indeterminate; able to assume different numerical values. —n. Variable thing or quantity.  variability n. Variably adv.
Force majeure  n. 1 irresistible force. 2 unforeseeable circumstances excusing a person from the fulfilment of a contract. [french]
Rift-valley  n. Steep-sided valley formed by subsidence between nearly parallel faults.


Handshake  n. Clasping of a person's hand as a greeting etc.
Ampere  n. Si base unit of electric current. [ampère, name of a physicist]


Seismogram  n. Record given by a seismograph.


Single-minded  adj. Having or intent on only one aim.  single-mindedly adv. Single-mindedness n.

Arachnid  n. Arthropod of a class comprising spiders, scorpions, etc. [greek arakhne spider]




Opalescent  adj. Iridescent.  opalescence n.


Horn  n. 1 a hard outgrowth, often curved and pointed, on the head of esp. Hoofed animals. B each of two branched appendages on the head of (esp. Male) deer. C hornlike projection on animals, e.g. A snail's tentacle. 2 substance of which horns are made. 3 mus. A = *french horn. B wind instrument played by lip vibration, orig. Made of horn, now usu. Of brass. 4 instrument sounding a warning. 5 receptacle or instrument made of horn. 6 horn-shaped projection. 7 extremity of the moon or other crescent. 8 arm of a river etc.  horn in slang intrude, interfere.  horned adj. Hornist n. (in sense 3 of n.). [old english]
Keypunch  —n. Device for recording data by means of punched holes or notches on cards or paper tape. —v. Record (data) thus.
Category  n. (pl. -ies) class or division (of things, ideas, etc.). [greek, = statement]
Brainwave  n. 1 (usu. In pl.) Electrical impulse in the brain. 2 colloq. Sudden bright idea.




Footprint  n. Impression left by a foot or shoe.





He  abbr. 1 his or her excellency. 2 his eminence. 3 high explosive.

Ma  n. Colloq. Mother. [abbreviation of *mama]
Tea-leaf  n. 1 dried leaf of tea. 2 (esp. In pl.) These as dregs. 3 rhyming sl. Thief.




Boss1  colloq. —n. Employer, manager, or supervisor. —v. (usu. Foll. By about, around) give orders to; order about. [dutch baas]




He  symb. Helium.
Mime  —n. 1 acting without words, using only gestures. 2 performance using mime. 3 (also mime artist) mime actor. —v. (-ming) 1 (also absol.) Convey by mime. 2 (often foll. By to) mouth words etc. In time with a soundtrack (mime to a record). [greek mimos]
Verve  n. Enthusiasm, vigour, spirit. [french]

Defrock  v. Deprive (esp. A priest) of office. [french: related to *de-, *frock]



P.a.  Abbr. Per annum.

Painting  n. 1 process or art of using paint. 2 painted picture.

Criterion  n. (pl. -ria) principle or standard of judgement. [greek, = means of judging]

News-stand  n. Stall for the sale of newspapers.
Brash  adj. Vulgarly self-assertive; impudent.  brashly adv. Brashness n. [dial.]
Carat  n. 1 unit of weight for precious stones (200 mg). 2 measure of purity of gold (pure gold = 24 carats). [french ultimately from greek keras horn]

Ado  n. Fuss, busy activity; trouble. [from *at, *do1: originally in much ado = much to do]


Lapel  n. Part of either side of a coat-front etc., folded back against itself. [from *lap1]






Unencumbered  adj. 1 (of an estate) not having liabilities (e.g. A mortgage). 2 free; not burdened.
Trustful  adj. Full of trust or confidence.  trustfully adv.
Swordstick  n. Hollow walking-stick containing a blade that can be used as a sword.
Hun  n. 1 offens. German (esp. In military contexts). 2 member of a warlike asiatic nomadic people who ravaged europe in the 4th–5th c. 3 vandal.  hunnish adj. [old english]
Pore1  n. Esp. Biol. Minute opening in a surface through which fluids etc. May pass. [greek poros]
Ideograph  n. = *ideogram.  ideographic adj. Ideography n.
Hearty  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 strong, vigorous. 2 (of a meal or appetite) large. 3 warm, friendly.  heartiness n.

Untangle  v. (-ling) disentangle.





Maw  n. 1 stomach of an animal or colloq. Greedy person. 2 jaws or throat of a voracious animal. [old english]

Sunshade  n. Parasol; awning.




Must1  —v.aux. (present must; past had to or in indirect speech must) (foll. By infin., or absol.) 1 a be obliged to (you must go to school). B in ironic questions (must you slam the door?). 2 be certainly (you must be her sister). 3 ought to (must see what can be done). 4 expressing insistence (must ask you to leave). 5 (foll. By not + infin.) A not be permitted to, be forbidden to (must not smoke). B ought not; need not (mustn't think he's angry; must not worry). C expressing insistence that something should not be done (they must not be told). —n. Colloq. Thing that should not be missed (this exhibition is a must).  i must say often iron. I cannot refrain from saying (i must say he tries hard; a fine way to behave, i must say). Must needs see *needs. [old english]


Switched-on  adj. Colloq. 1 up to date; aware of what is going on. 2 excited; under the influence of drugs.

Guidebook  n. Book of information about a place for tourists etc.
Bathing-costume  n. (also bathing-suit) garment worn for swimming.
Freefone  n. (also freefone, -phone) system whereby certain telephone calls, esp. On business, can be made without cost to the caller.







Downward  —adv. (also downwards) towards what is lower, inferior, less important, or later. —adj. Moving or extending downwards.

Truth  n. (pl. Truths) 1 quality or state of being true. 2 what is true.  in truth literary truly, really. [old english: related to *true]
Warrior  n. 1 person experienced or distinguished in fighting. 2 fighting man, esp. Of primitive peoples. 3 (attrib.) Martial (warrior nation). [french werreior: related to *war]
Stainless steel  n. Chrome steel resisting rust or tarnish.
Alias  —adv. Also named or known as. —n. Assumed name. [latin, = at another time]
Educated  adj. 1 having had an (esp. Good) education. 2 resulting from this (educated accent). 3 based on experience or study (educated guess).

Vista  n. 1 long narrow view as between rows of trees. 2 mental view of a long series of events. [italian]



Far  (further, furthest or farther, farthest) —adv. 1 at, to, or by a great distance (far away; far off; far out). 2 a long way (off) in space or time (are you travelling far?). 3 to a great extent or degree; by much (far better; far too early). —adj. 1 remote; distant (far country). 2 more distant (far end of the hall). 3 extreme (far left).  as far as 1 right up to (a place). 2 to the extent that. By far by a great amount. A far cry a long way. Far from very different from being; almost the opposite of (far from being fat). Go far 1 achieve much. 2 contribute greatly. Go too far overstep the limit (of propriety etc.). So far 1 to such an extent; to this point. 2 until now. So (or in so) far as (or that) to the extent that. So far so good satisfactory up to now. [old english]

Seller's market  n. (also sellers' market) trading conditions favourable to the seller.
Registered post  n. Postal procedure with special precautions for safety and for compensation in case of loss.

Blank  —adj. 1 a (of paper) not written or printed on. B (of a document) with spaces left for a signature or details. 2 a empty (blank space). B unrelieved (blank wall). 3 a without interest, result, or expression (blank face). B having (temporarily) no knowledge etc. (mind went blank). 4 complete (a blank refusal; blank despair). —n. 1 a unfilled space, esp. In a document. B document having blank spaces. 2 (in full blank cartridge) cartridge containing gunpowder but no bullet. 3 dash written instead of a word or letter. —v. (usu. Foll. By off, out) screen, obscure.  draw a blank get no response; fail.  blankly adv. Blankness n. [french blanc white, from germanic]
Conga  —n. 1 latin-american dance, with a line of dancers one behind the other. 2 tall narrow drum beaten with the hands. —v. (congas, congaed or conga'd, congaing) perform the conga. [spanish conga (feminine), = of the congo]
-scopy  comb. Form indicating viewing or observation, usu. With an instrument ending in -scope (microscopy).

Nettle-rash  n. Skin eruption like nettle stings.
Cloak  —n. 1 outdoor usu. Long and sleeveless over-garment. 2 covering (cloak of snow). —v. 1 cover with a cloak. 2 conceal, disguise.  under the cloak of using as pretext. [ultimately from medieval latin clocca bell]
Hairnet  n. Piece of netting for confining the hair.
Colleen  n. Ir. Girl. [irish cailín]
Retying  pres. Part. Of *retie.
Rolling-stock  n. 1 locomotives, carriages, etc. Used on a railway. 2 us road vehicles of a company.
Soupçon  n. Small quantity; trace. [french: related to *suspicion]
Ymca  abbr. Young men's christian association.
Intoxicant  —adj. Intoxicating. —n. Intoxicating substance.
Fuzzy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 like fuzz, fluffy. 2 blurred, indistinct.  fuzzily adv. Fuzziness n.

Acquiesce  v. (-cing) 1 agree, esp. By default. 2 (foll. By in) accept (an arrangement etc.).  acquiescence n. Acquiescent adj. [latin: related to *ad-, *quiet]

Duck1  —n. (pl. Same or -s) 1 a swimming-bird, esp. The domesticated form of the mallard or wild duck. B female of this. C its flesh as food. 2 score of 0 in cricket. 3 (also ducks) colloq. (esp. As a form of address) dear. —v. 1 bob down, esp. To avoid being seen or hit. 2 a dip one's head briefly under water. B plunge (a person) briefly in water. 3 colloq. Dodge (a task etc.).  like water off a duck's back colloq. Producing no effect. [old english]
Heliotrope  n. Plant with fragrant purple flowers. [greek: related to *helio-, trepo turn]
Society  n. (pl. -ies) 1 organized and interdependent community. 2 system and organization of this. 3 aristocratic part of this; its members (polite society; society would not approve). 4 mixing with others; companionship, company. 5 club, association (music society; building society).  societal adj. [latin societas]

Statement  n. 1 stating or being stated; expression in words. 2 thing stated. 3 formal account of facts. 4 record of transactions in a bank account etc. 5 notification of the amount due to a tradesman etc.


Bureau  n. (pl. -x or -s) 1 a desk with drawers and usu. An angled hinged top. B us chest of drawers. 2 a office or department for specific business. B government department. [french, originally = baize]

Materialize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 become actual fact; happen. 2 colloq. Appear or be present. 3 represent in or assume bodily form.  materialization n.

Glue  —n. Adhesive substance. —v. (glues, glued, gluing or glueing) 1 fasten or join with glue. 2 keep or put very close (eye glued to the keyhole).  gluey adj. (gluier, gluiest). [latin glus: related to *gluten]

Borderline  —n. 1 line dividing two conditions. 2 line marking a boundary. —adj. 1 on the borderline. 2 barely acceptable.
Anabolic steroid  n. Synthetic steroid hormone used to increase muscle size.
Highball  n. Us drink of spirits and soda etc., served with ice in a tall glass.
Wrasse  n. Bright-coloured marine fish. [cornish wrach]
Succession  n. 1 a process of following in order; succeeding. B series of things or people one after another. 2 a right of succeeding to the throne, an office, inheritance, etc. B act or process of so succeeding. C those having such a right.  in succession one after another. In succession to as the successor of.
Inland revenue  n. Government department assessing and collecting taxes.

Cheesecloth  n. Thin loosely-woven cloth.



Rhapsodize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) talk or write rhapsodies.

Waive  v. (-ving) refrain from insisting on or using (a right, claim, opportunity, etc.). [anglo-french weyver: related to *waif]
Glider  n. Light aircraft without an engine.
Toddle  —v. (-ling) 1 walk with short unsteady steps like a small child. 2 colloq. A walk, stroll. B (usu. Foll. By off or along) depart. —n. Act of toddling. [origin unknown]
Buffoon  n. Clownish or stupid person.  buffoonery n. [latin buffo clown]

Dramatist  n. Writer of dramas.



Public-address system  n. Set of loudspeakers, microphones, amplifiers, etc., used in addressing large audiences.

Rna  abbr. Ribonucleic acid.
Etiology  n. (brit. Aetiology) study of causation or of the causes of disease.  aetiological adj. [greek aitia cause]
Sank  past of *sink.


Field mouse  n. Small long-tailed rodent.



Centrefold  n. (us centerfold) centre spread of a magazine etc., esp. With nude photographs.
Helicopter  n. Wingless aircraft obtaining lift and propulsion from horizontally revolving overhead blades. [greek: related to *helix, pteron wing]

Clientele  n. 1 clients collectively. 2 customers. [french and latin: related to *client]

Go-getter  n. Colloq. Aggressively enterprising person.

Lemon balm  n. Bushy plant smelling and tasting of lemon.
Tiddly2  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Little. [origin unknown]
Hear  v. (past and past part. Heard) 1 (also absol.) Perceive with the ear. 2 listen to (heard them on the radio). 3 listen judicially to (a case etc.). 4 be told or informed. 5 (foll. By from) be contacted by, esp. By letter or telephone. 6 be ready to obey (an order). 7 grant (a prayer).  have heard of be aware of the existence of. Hear! Hear! Int. Expressing agreement. Hear a person out listen to all a person says. Will not hear of will not allow.  hearer n. [old english]
Unclassified  adj. 1 not classified. 2 (of state information) not secret.
Pickle  —n. 1 a (often in pl.) Food, esp. Vegetables, preserved in brine, vinegar, mustard, etc. B the liquid used for this. 2 colloq. Plight (in a pickle). —v. (-ling) 1 preserve in or treat with pickle. 2 (as pickled adj.) Slang drunk. [low german or dutch pekel]
Usage  this term has now been replaced by detention centre and youth custody centre.
Argumentation  n. Methodical reasoning; arguing.
Nervous  adj. 1 easily upset, timid, highly strung. 2 anxious. 3 affecting the nerves. 4 (foll. By of + verbal noun) afraid (am nervous of meeting them).  nervously adv. Nervousness n.
Hh  abbr. 1 her or his highness. 2 his holiness. 3 (of pencil-lead) double-hard.

Silver sand  n. Fine pure sand used in gardening.

Reprehend  v. Formal rebuke; find fault with. [latin prehendo seize]
Petition  —n. 1 supplication, request. 2 formal written request, esp. One signed by many people, appealing to an authority. 3 law application to a court for a writ etc. —v. 1 make or address a petition to. 2 (often foll. By for, to) appeal earnestly or humbly. [latin peto petit- ask]

Biro  n. (pl. -s) propr. A kind of ball-point pen. [biró, name of its inventor]

Unqualified  adj. 1 not legally or officially qualified. 2 complete (unqualified success). 3 not competent (unqualified to say).

Lysergic acid diethylamide  n. = *lsd. [from hydrolysis, ergot, *-ic]



Fascicle  n. Section of a book that is published in instalments. [latin diminutive: related to *fasces]
Hibiscus  n. (pl. -cuses) cultivated shrub with large bright-coloured flowers. [greek hibiskos marsh mallow]
Wildcat  —n. 1 hot-tempered or violent person. 2 exploratory oil well. —adj. (attrib.) 1 (of a strike) sudden and unofficial. 2 reckless; financially unsound.


Companion  n. 1 a person who accompanies or associates with another. B (foll. By in, of) partner, sharer. C person employed to live with and assist another. 2 handbook or reference book. 3 thing that matches another. 4 (companion) member of some orders of knighthood. [latin panis bread]
Breech birth  n. (also breech delivery) delivery of a baby with the buttocks or feet foremost.





Accommodate  v. (-ting) 1 provide lodging or room for (flat accommodates two). 2 adapt, harmonize, reconcile (must accommodate himself to new ideas). 3 a do favour to, oblige (a person). B (foll. By with) supply (a person) with. [latin: related to *commode]

Spec1  n. Colloq. Speculation.  on spec as a gamble. [abbreviation]


Tire2  n. Band of metal placed round the rim of a wheel to strengthen it.  [perhaps = archaic tire ‘headdress’]
Plo  abbr. Palestine liberation organization.

Acceptable  adj. 1 worth accepting, welcome. 2 tolerable.  acceptability n. Acceptably adv. [french: related to *accept]
Sainfoin  n. Pink-flowered fodder-plant. [latin sanctus holy, foenum hay]

Oompah  n. Colloq. Rhythmical sound of deep brass instruments. [imitative]
Clean bill of health  n. Declaration that there is no disease or defect.
Lighting  n. 1 equipment in a room or street etc. For producing light. 2 arrangement or effect of lights.




Angle2  v. (-ling) 1 fish with hook and line. 2 (foll. By for) seek an objective indirectly (angled for a loan).  angler n. [old english]





Eventing  n. Participation in equestrian competitions, esp. Dressage and showjumping. [see *event 3]


Saraband  n. 1 slow stately spanish dance. 2 music for this. [spanish zarabanda]
Apply  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 (often foll. By for, to, or to + infin.) Formally request. 2 be relevant. 3 a make use of; employ (apply the rules; apply common sense). B operate (apply the brakes). 4 (often foll. By to) put or spread on. 5 refl. (often foll. By to) devote oneself. [latin applico fasten to]
Twelvefold  adj. & adv. 1 twelve times as much or as many. 2 consisting of twelve parts.

Intramural  adj. 1 situated or done within the walls of an institution etc. 2 forming part of normal university etc. Studies.  intramurally adv. [latin murus wall]

Runaway  n. 1 fugitive. 2 bolting animal, vehicle out of control. 3 (attrib.) That is running away or out of control (runaway slave; runaway inflation).




Backcomb  v. Comb (the hair) towards the scalp to give it fullness.
Constellation  n. 1 group of fixed stars. 2 group of associated persons etc. [latin stella star]
Railroad  —n. Esp. Us = *railway. —v. (often foll. By into, through, etc.) Coerce; rush (railroaded into agreeing; railroaded through the cabinet).
Umpteen  colloq. —adj. Indefinitely many; a lot of. —pron. Indefinitely many.  umpteenth adj. [jocular formation on *-teen]
Consonant  —n. 1 speech sound in which the breath is at least partly obstructed, and which forms a syllable by combining with a vowel. 2 letter(s) representing this. —adj. (foll. By with, to) consistent; in agreement or harmony.  consonantal adj.


Fifteen  adj. & n. 1 one more than fourteen. 2 symbol for this (15, xv, xv). 3 size etc. Denoted by fifteen. 4 team of fifteen players, esp. In rugby. 5 (15) (of a film) for persons of 15 and over.  fifteenth adj. & n. [old english: related to *five, *-teen]
Fibreboard  n. (us fiberboard) board of compressed wood or other plant fibres.
Tack2  n. Saddle, bridle, etc., of a horse. [from *tackle]
Ignorance  n. Lack of knowledge. [french from latin: related to *ignore]

Hard labour  n. Heavy manual work as a punishment, esp. In a prison.

Allergic  adj. 1 (foll. By to) a having an allergy to. B colloq. Having a strong dislike for. 2 caused by an allergy.
King's highway  n. = *queen's highway.

Hypo-  prefix 1 under (hypodermic). 2 below normal (hypotension). 3 slightly. [greek hupo under]
Fast2  —v. Abstain from food, or certain food, for a time. —n. Act or period of fasting. [old english]

Stilt  n. 1 either of a pair of poles with foot supports for walking at a distance above the ground. 2 each of a set of piles or posts supporting a building etc. [low german or dutch]

Verdant  adj. 1 (of grass, a field, etc.) Green, lush. 2 (of a person) unsophisticated, green.  verdancy n. [perhaps from french verdeant from viridis green]
Rerun  —v. (-nn-; past reran; past part. Rerun) 1 run (a race, film, etc.) Again. 2 repeat (a course of action). —n. 1 act of rerunning. 2 film etc. Shown again. 3 repetition (of events).

Hire  —v. (-ring) 1 purchase the temporary use of (a thing) (hired a van). 2 esp. Us employ (a person). —n. 1 hiring or being hired. 2 payment for this.  for (or on) hire ready to be hired. Hire out grant the temporary use of (a thing) for payment.  hireable adj. Hirer n. [old english]



Bombshell  n. 1 overwhelming surprise or disappointment. 2 artillery bomb. 3 slang very attractive woman.


Corpus  n. (pl. -pora) body or collection of writings, texts, etc. [latin, = body]

Manacle  —n. (usu. In pl.) 1 fetter for the hand; handcuff. 2 restraint. —v. (-ling) fetter with manacles. [latin manus hand]
Tenure  n. 1 condition, or form of right or title, under which (esp. Real) property is held. 2 (often foll. By of) a holding or possession of an office or property. B period of this. 3 guaranteed permanent employment, esp. As a teacher or lecturer.  tenured adj. [latin teneo]

Tedious  adj. Tiresomely long; wearisome.  tediously adv. Tediousness n. [latin: related to *tedium]
Effete  adj. Feeble, lanquid; effeminate.  effeteness n. [latin]




Supposedly  adv. Allegedly; as is generally believed.

Purdah  n. Ind. Screening of women from strangers by a veil or curtain in some muslim and hindu societies. [urdu]



Touch-type  v. Type without looking at the keys.  touch-typist n.
Ice-rink  n. = *rink n. 1.
Char3  n. Slang tea. [chinese cha]

Spillway  n. Passage for surplus water from a dam.


Average  —n. 1 usual amount, extent, or rate. 2 amount obtained by adding two or more numbers and dividing by how many there are. 3 (with ref. To speed etc.) Ratio obtained by subtracting the inital from the final value of each element of the ratio (average of 50 miles per hour). 4 law damage to or loss of a ship or cargo. —adj. 1 a usual, ordinary. B mediocre. 2 constituting an average (the average age is 72). —v. (-ging) 1 amount on average to. 2 do on average. 3 estimate the average of.  average out (at) result in an average (of). Law of averages principle that if one of two extremes occurs the other will also. On (or on an) average as an average rate or estimate. [arabic, = damaged goods]







Penchant  n. (followed by for) inclination or liking. [french]
Tooth  n. (pl. Teeth) 1 each of a set of hard bony enamel-coated structures in the jaws of most vertebrates, used for biting and chewing. 2 toothlike part or projection, e.g. The cog of a gearwheel, the point of a saw or comb, etc. 3 (often foll. By for) taste; appetite. 4 (in pl.) Force, effectiveness.  armed to the teeth completely and elaborately armed. Fight tooth and nail fight very fiercely. Get one's teeth into devote oneself seriously to. In the teeth of 1 in spite of (opposition or difficulty etc.). 2 contrary to (instructions etc.). 3 directly against (the wind etc.).  toothed adj. (also in comb.). Toothless adj. [old english]
Lammas  n. (in full lammas day) first day of august, formerly kept as harvest festival. [old english: related to *loaf1, *mass2]
Public prosecutor  n. Law officer acting on behalf of the state or in the public interest.

Polymer  n. Compound of one or more large molecules formed from repeated units of smaller molecules.  polymeric adj. Polymerize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing). Polymerization n. [greek polumeros having many parts]
Ambassador  n. 1 diplomat sent to live abroad to represent his or her country's interests. 2 promoter (ambassador of peace).  ambassadorial adj. [latin ambactus servant]
Mixed  adj. 1 of diverse qualities or elements. 2 containing persons from various backgrounds etc. 3 for persons of both sexes (mixed school). [latin misceo mix]


Irritate  v. (-ting) 1 excite to anger; annoy. 2 stimulate discomfort in (a part of the body). 3 biol. Stimulate (an organ) to action.  irritating adj. Irritation n. Irritative adj. [latin irrito]






Gullible  adj. Easily persuaded or deceived.  gullibility n. [from *gull2]
Adventist  n. Member of a christian sect believing in the imminent second coming of christ.
Pocket knife  n. = *penknife.

Pastille  n. Small sweet or lozenge. [french from latin]

Unicellular  adj. (of an organism etc.) Consisting of a single cell.


Fruitful  adj. 1 producing much fruit. 2 successful, profitable.  fruitfully adv.
Linguistic  adj. Of language or the study of languages.  linguistically adv.
Montage  n. 1 selection, cutting, and piecing together as a consecutive whole, of separate sections of cinema or television film. 2 a composite whole made from juxtaposed photographs etc. B production of this. [french: related to *mount1]



Shiny  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 having a shine. 2 (of clothing) with the nap worn off.  shininess n.
Kosher  —adj. 1 (of food or a food-shop) fulfilling the requirements of jewish law. 2 colloq. Correct, genuine, legitimate. —n. Kosher food or shop. [hebrew, = proper]
Ignore  v. (-ring) refuse to take notice of; intentionally disregard. [latin ignoro not know]
Procreate  v. (-ting) (often absol.) Produce (offspring) naturally.  procreation n. Procreative adj. [latin: related to *create]


Whopping  adj. Colloq. (esp. As an intensifier) huge (a whopping success; a whopping great lie).
Handyman  n. Person able to do occasional repairs etc.; odd-job man.
Pre-raphaelite  —n. Member of a group of 19th-c. Artists emulating italian art before the time of raphael. —adj. 1 of the pre-raphaelites. 2 (pre-raphaelite) (esp. Of a woman) like a type painted by the pre-raphaelites (e.g. With long thick curly auburn hair).
Norman conquest  n. Conquest of england by william of normandy in 1066.

Chaperon  —n. Person, esp. An older woman, ensuring propriety by accompanying a young unmarried woman on social occasions. —v. Act as chaperon to.  chaperonage n. [french from chape cope: related to *cape1]

Mishmash  n. Confused mixture. [reduplication of *mash]
Amphora  n. (pl. -phorae) narrow-necked greek or roman vessel with two handles. [greek amphoreus]
Secret police  n. Police force operating secretly for political ends.
Bask  v. 1 relax in warmth and light. 2 (foll. By in) revel in (basking in glory). [old norse: related to *bathe]

Handgun  n. Small firearm held in and fired with one hand.
Well-connected  adj. Associated, esp. By birth, with persons of good social position.

Winter jasmine  n. Jasmine with yellow flowers in winter.

Boarding-house  n. Unlicensed establishment providing board and lodging, esp. To holiday-makers.
Wriggle  —v. (-ling) 1 (of a worm etc.) Twist or turn its body with short writhing movements. 2 make wriggling motions. 3 (foll. By along, through, etc.) Go thus (wriggled through the gap). 4 be evasive. —n. Act of wriggling.  wriggle out of colloq. Avoid on a pretext.  wriggly adj. [low german wriggelen]



Unsought  adj. 1 not sought for. 2 without being requested.
Vaseline  n. Propr. Type of petroleum jelly used as an ointment etc. [german wasser water, greek elaion oil]

Opp.  Abbr. Opposite.

Genital  —adj. Of animal reproduction or the reproductive organs. —n. (in pl.) External reproductive organs. [latin gigno genit- beget]
Cricket1  n. Team game played on a grass pitch, with bowling at a wicket defended by a batting player of the other team.  not cricket colloq. Unfair behaviour.  cricketer n. [origin uncertain]
Futile  adj. 1 useless, ineffectual. 2 frivolous.  futility n. [latin futilis leaky, futile]
Multi-storey  attrib. Adj. Having several storeys.




Pigtail  n. Plait of hair hanging from the back of the head.
Flat1  —adj. (flatter, flattest) 1 a horizontally level. B even; smooth; unbroken. C level and shallow (flat cap). 2 unqualified; downright (flat refusal). 3 a dull; lifeless; monotonous (in a flat tone). B dejected. 4 (of a fizzy drink) having lost its effervescence. 5 (of an accumulator, battery, etc.) Having exhausted its charge. 6 mus. A below true or normal pitch (violins are flat). B (of a key) having a flat or flats in the signature. C (as b, e, etc. Flat) semitone lower than b, e, etc. 7 (of a tyre) punctured; deflated. —adv. 1 at full length; spread out (lay flat; flat against the wall). 2 colloq. A completely, absolutely (flat broke). B exactly (in five minutes flat). 3 mus. Below the true or normal pitch (sings flat). —n. 1 flat part or thing (flat of the hand). 2 level ground, esp. A plain or swamp. 3 mus. A note lowered a semitone below natural pitch. B sign indicating this. 4 (as the flat) flat racing or its season. 5 theatr. Flat scenery on a frame. 6 esp. Us colloq. Flat tyre.  flat out 1 at top speed. 2 using all one's strength etc. That's flat colloq. That is definite.  flatly adv. Flatness n. Flattish adj. [old norse]
Wrecker  n. 1 person or thing that wrecks or destroys. 2 esp. Us person employed in demolition or breaking up damaged vehicles. 3 esp. Hist. Person on the shore who tries to bring about a shipwreck for plunder or profit.
Gerontology  n. The study of old age and the process of ageing. [greek geron geront- old man]
Joie de vivre  n. Exuberance; high spirits. [french, = joy of living]

Hand-to-hand  adj. (of fighting) at close quarters.



Attachment  n. 1 thing attached, esp. For a purpose. 2 affection, devotion. 3 attaching or being attached. 4 legal seizure. 5 temporary position in an organization.
Sententious  adj. 1 pompously moralizing. 2 affectedly formal in style. 3 aphoristic; using maxims.  sententiousness n. [latin: related to *sentence]
Slain  past part. Of *slay.
Wagon  n. (also waggon) 1 four-wheeled vehicle for heavy loads. 2 railway vehicle, esp. An open truck. 3 tea trolley.  on the wagon (or water-wagon) slang teetotal. [dutch: related to *wain]

Pom  n. Austral. & nz slang offens. = *pommy. [abbreviation]





Principal  —adj. 1 (usu. Attrib.) First in rank or importance; chief. 2 main, leading. —n. 1 chief person. 2 head of some schools, colleges, and universities. 3 leading performer in a concert, play, etc. 4 capital sum as distinct from interest or income. 5 person for whom another is agent etc. 6 civil servant of the grade below secretary. 7 person directly responsible for a crime.  principally adv. [latin: related to *prince]



Swept  past and past part. Of *sweep.

Rudder  n. Flat piece hinged vertically to the stern of a ship or on the tailplane of an aircraft etc., for steering.  rudderless adj. [old english]



Sex change  n. Apparent change of sex by hormone treatment and surgery.

Longing  —n. Intense desire. —adj. Having or showing this.  longingly adv.

Lawful  adj. Conforming with or recognized by law; not illegal.  lawfully adv. Lawfulness n.
Creaky  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 liable to creak. 2 a stiff or frail. B decrepit, outmoded.  creakiness n.
Cowardice  n. Lack of bravery.
Hives  n.pl. Skin-eruption, esp. Nettle-rash. [origin unknown]
Shed2  v. (-dd-; past and past part. Shed) 1 let, or cause to, fall off (trees shed their leaves). 2 take off (clothes). 3 reduce (an electrical power load) by disconnection etc. 4 cause to fall or flow (shed blood; shed tears). 5 disperse, diffuse, radiate (shed light). 6 get rid of (ibm are shedding 200 jobs; shed your inhibitions).  shed light on help to explain. [old english]
Sprout  —v. 1 put forth (shoots, hair, etc.). 2 begin to grow. —n. 1 shoot of a plant. 2 = *brussels sprout. [old english]
Signature tune  n. Tune used regularly to introduce a particular broadcast or performer.
Screen  —n. 1 fixed or movable upright partition for separating, concealing, or protecting from heat etc. 2 thing used to conceal or shelter. 3 a concealing stratagem. B protection thus given. 4 a blank surface on which a photographic image is projected. B (prec.
Hug  —v. (-gg-) 1 squeeze tightly in one's arms, esp. With affection. 2 (of a bear) squeeze (a person) between its forelegs. 3 keep close to; fit tightly around. —n. 1 strong clasp with the arms. 2 squeezing grip in wrestling. [probably scandinavian]
Cubicle  n. 1 small screened space. 2 small separate sleeping-compartment. [latin cubo lie]
Quotidian  adj. 1 occurring or recurring daily. 2 commonplace, trivial. [latin cotidie daily]
Habitable  adj. Suitable for living in.  habitability n. [latin habito inhabit]
Kelvin  n. Si unit of thermodynamic temperature. [kelvin, name of a physicist]


Bite  —v. (-ting; past bit; past part. Bitten) 1 cut or puncture with the teeth. 2 (foll. By off, away, etc.) Detach thus. 3 (of an insect etc.) Sting. 4 (of a wheel etc.) Grip, penetrate. 5 accept bait or an inducement. 6 be harsh in effect, esp. Intentionally. 7 (in passive) a swindle. B (foll. By by, with, etc.) Be infected by (enthusiasm etc.). 8 colloq. Worry, perturb. 9 cause smarting pain (biting wind). 10 be sharp or effective (biting wit). 11 (foll. By at) snap at. —n. 1 act of biting. 2 wound etc. Made by biting. 3 a mouthful of food. B snack. 4 taking of bait by a fish. 5 pungency (esp. Of flavour). 6 incisiveness, sharpness. 7 position of the teeth when the jaws are closed.  bite the dust slang die. Bite a person's head off colloq. Respond angrily. Bite one's lip repress emotion etc. [old english]
Footage  n. 1 a length of tv or cinema film etc. 2 length in feet.

Geometric progression  n. Progression with a constant ratio between successive quantities (as 1, 3, 9, 27).
Penny-pinching  —n. Meanness. —adj. Mean.  penny-pincher n.

Majorette  n. = *drum majorette. [abbreviation]


Threw  past of *throw.



Doughnutting  n. The clustering of politicians round a speaker during a televised debate to make him or her appear well supported.
So-called  adj. Commonly called, often incorrectly.
Underlying  pres. Part. Of *underlie.





Buggery  n. 1 anal intercourse. 2 = *bestiality 2.


Contraceptive  —adj. Preventing pregnancy. —n. Contraceptive device or drug.

Golf  —n. Game in which a small hard ball is driven with clubs into a series of 18 or 9 holes with the fewest possible strokes. —v. Play golf.  golfer n. [origin unknown]
Percussion cap  n. Small amount of explosive powder contained in metal or paper and exploded by striking.
Tremor  n. 1 shaking, quivering. 2 thrill (of fear, exultation, etc.). 3 (in full earth tremor) slight earthquake. [latin tremo tremble]
Scallop  (also scollop) —n. 1 edible mollusc with two fan-shaped ridged shells. 2 (in full scallop shell) single shell of a scallop, often used for cooking or serving food in. 3 (in pl.) Ornamental edging of semicircular curves. —v. (-p-) ornament with scallops.  scalloping n. (in sense 3 of n.). [french *escalope]
Mar  v. (-rr-) spoil; disfigure. [old english]
Cod3  n. Slang nonsense. [abbreviation of *codswallop]
Sharpish  colloq. —adj. Fairly sharp. —adv. 1 fairly sharply. 2 quite quickly.

Gun dog  n. Dog trained to retrieve game shot by sportsmen.




Bigot  n. Obstinate believer who is intolerant of others.  bigoted adj. Bigotry n. [french]
Moonstone  n. Feldspar of pearly appearance.

Index finger  n. Forefinger.





Ploy  n. Cunning manoeuvre to gain advantage. [origin unknown]
Roebuck  n. Male roe-deer.

Hadj  var. Of *hajj.


Traction  n. 1 act of hauling or pulling a thing over a surface. 2 sustained therapeutic pulling on a limb etc. With pulleys, weights, etc. [french or medieval latin: related to *tract1]
Social contract  n. Agreement between the state and population for mutual advantage.
Diaphragm  n. 1 muscular partition between the thorax and abdomen in mammals. 2 = *dutch cap. 3 a photog. Plate or disc pierced with a circular hole to cut off marginal beams of light. B vibrating disc in a microphone, telephone, loudspeaker, etc. 4 device for varying the lens aperture in a camera etc. 5 thin sheet as a partition etc. [greek phragma fence]


Chimney-stack  n. Number of chimneys grouped in one structure.
Race2  n. 1 each of the major divisions of humankind, each having distinct physical characteristics. 2 fact or concept of division into races. 3 genus, species, breed, or variety of animals or plants. 4 group of persons, animals, or plants connected by common descent. 5 any great division of living creatures (the human race). [italian razza]








Usage  affect should not be confused with effect, meaning ‘to bring about’. Note also that effect is used as a noun as well as a verb.

Well-intentioned  adj. Having or showing good intentions.


Onside  adj. (of a player in a field game) not offside.
South-east  n. Part of a country or town to the south-east.



Goldcrest  n. Tiny bird with a golden crest.
Crêpe  n. 1 fine gauzy wrinkled fabric. 2 thin pancake with a savoury or sweet filling. 3 hard-wearing wrinkled sheet rubber used for the soles of shoes etc.  crêpey adj. Crêpy adj. [latin: related to *crisp]



Vernier  n. Small movable graduated scale for obtaining fractional parts of subdivisions on a fixed scale. [vernier, name of a mathematician]
Bias  —n. 1 (often foll. By towards, against) predisposition or prejudice. 2 statistics distortion of a statistical result due to a neglected factor. 3 edge cut obliquely across the weave of a fabric. 4 sport a irregular shape given to a bowl. B oblique course this causes it to run. —v. (-s- or -ss-) 1 (esp. As biased adj.) Influence (usu. Unfairly); prejudice. 2 give a bias to.  on the bias obliquely, diagonally. [french]


Suborn  v. Induce by bribery etc. To commit perjury etc. [latin orno equip]
Confirmation  n. 1 confirming or being confirmed. 2 rite confirming a baptized person as a member of the christian church.
Zed  n. Letter z. [greek *zeta]
Waterman  n. 1 boatman plying for hire. 2 oarsman as regards skill in keeping the boat balanced.


Forceps  n. (pl. Same) surgical pincers. [latin]


Thrips  n. (pl. Same) an insect harmful to plants. [greek, = woodworm]


Why  —adv. 1 for what reason or purpose (why did you do it?; i do not know why you came). 2 (prec. By reason etc.) For which (the reasons why i did it). —int. Expressing: 1 surprised discovery or recognition (why, it's you!). 2 impatience (why, of course i do!). 3 reflection (why, yes, i think so). 4 objection (why, what is wrong with it?).  whys and wherefores reasons; explanation. [old english: related to *what]
Bring  v. (past and past part. Brought) 1 come carrying; lead, accompany; convey. 2 cause or result in (war brings misery). 3 be sold for; produce as income. 4 a prefer (a charge). B initiate (legal action). 5 cause to become or to reach a state (brings me alive; cannot bring myself to agree). 6 adduce (evidence, an argument, etc.).  bring about cause to happen. Bring back call to mind. Bring down 1 cause to fall. 2 lower (a price). Bring forth 1 give birth to. 2 cause. Bring forward 1 move to an earlier time. 2 transfer from the previous page or account. 3 draw attention to. Bring home to cause to realize fully. Bring the house down receive rapturous applause. Bring in 1 introduce. 2 yield as income or profit. Bring off achieve successfully. Bring on cause to happen, appear, or make progress. Bring out 1 emphasize; make evident. 2 publish. Bring over convert to one's own side. Bring round 1 restore to consciousness. 2 persuade. Bring through aid (a person) through adversity, esp. Illness. Bring to restore to consciousness (brought him to). Bring up 1 rear (a child). 2 vomit. 3 call attention to. 4 (absol.) Stop suddenly. [old english]
Meteor  n. 1 small solid body from outer space that becomes incandescent when entering the earth's atmosphere. 2 streak of light from a meteor. [greek meteoros lofty]


Four-stroke  adj. (of an internal-combustion engine) having a cycle of four strokes of the piston with the cylinder firing once.
Corollary  n. (pl. -ies) 1 proposition that follows from one already proved. 2 (often foll. By of) natural consequence. [latin, = gratuity: related to *corolla]


Kilo-  comb. Form 1,000 (esp. In metric units). [greek khilioi]
Hurdle  —n. 1 a each of a series of light frames to be cleared by athletes in a race. B (in pl.) Hurdle-race. 2 obstacle or difficulty. 3 portable rectangular frame used as a temporary fence etc. —v. (-ling) 1 run in a hurdle-race. 2 fence off etc. With hurdles. [old english]






Undermentioned  adj. Mentioned later in a book etc.

Andiron  n. Metal stand (usu. One of a pair) for supporting logs in a fireplace. [french andier]



Rondel  n. Rondeau, esp. One of special form. [french: related to *round: cf. *roundel]



Full-blooded  adj. 1 vigorous, hearty, sensual. 2 not hybrid.

Hide1  —v. (-ding; past hid; past part. Hidden) 1 put or keep out of sight. 2 conceal oneself. 3 (usu. Foll. By from) keep (a fact) secret. 4 conceal. —n. Camouflaged shelter used for observing wildlife.  hider n. [old english]
Early days  n.pl. Too soon to expect results etc.
Jolly roger  n. Pirates' black flag, usu. With skull and crossbones.
Sweatshop  n. Factory where sweated labour is used.

Self-taught  adj. Self-educated.
Tasteless  adj. 1 lacking flavour. 2 having, or done in, bad taste.  tastelessly adv. Tastelessness n.

Incite  v. (-ting) (often foll. By to) urge or stir up.  incitement n. [latin cito rouse]
Incivility  n. (pl. -ies) 1 rudeness. 2 impolite act.








Indentation  n. 1 indenting or being indented. 2 notch.
Emerald green  adj. & n. (as adj. Often hyphenated) bright green.
Blond  (of a woman usu. Blonde) —adj. (of a person, hair, or complexion) light-coloured, fair. —n. Blond person. [latin blondus yellow]



Jig  —n. 1 a lively leaping dance. B music for this. 2 device that holds a piece of work and guides the tools operating on it. —v. (-gg-) 1 dance a jig. 2 (often foll. By about) move quickly and jerkily up and down; fidget. 3 work on or equip with a jig or jigs. [origin unknown]


Usage  see note at zoology.
Theism  n. Belief in gods or a god, esp. A god supernaturally revealed to man.  theist n. Theistic adj. [greek theos god]
Common or garden  adj. Colloq. Ordinary.
Legitimate  adj. 1 (of a child) born of parents married to each other. 2 lawful, proper, regular. 3 logically acceptable.  legitimacy n. Legitimately adv. [latin legitimo legitimize, from lex legis law]
First cousin  see *cousin.

Mother's day  n. Day when mothers are honoured with presents, (in the uk) the fourth sunday in lent, (in the us) the second sunday in may.

Gelignite  n. Explosive made from nitroglycerine. [from *gelatin, *igneous]
Lord lieutenant  n. 1 chief executive authority and head of magistrates in each county. 2 hist. Viceroy of ireland.
Vanity unit  n. Wash-basin set into a unit with cupboards beneath.


Ninepin  n. 1 (in pl.; usu. Treated as sing.) Game in which nine pins are bowled at. 2 pin used in this game.
Double act  n. Comedy act by a duo.

Outstation  n. Remote branch or outpost.

High explosive  n. Extremely explosive substance used in shells, bombs, etc.
Submerge  v. (-ging) 1 place, go, or dive under water. 2 inundate with work, problems, etc.  submergence n. Submersion n. [latin mergo mers- dip]

Rusticate  v. (-ting) 1 send down (a student) temporarily from university. 2 retire to or live in the country. 3 make rustic.  rustication n.
Northeaster  n. North-east wind.
Static  —adj. 1 stationary; not acting or changing. 2 physics concerned with bodies at rest or forces in equilibrium. —n. 1 static electricity. 2 atmospherics.  statically adv. [greek statikos from sta- stand]


Siding  n. Short track at the side of a railway line, used for shunting.
Curlicue  n. Decorative curl or twist. [from *curly, *cue2 or *q1]
Handicapped  adj. Suffering from a physical or mental disability.



Sudanese  —adj. Of sudan. —n. (pl. Same) 1 native, national, or inhabitant of sudan. 2 person of sudanese descent. [sudan in ne africa]






Sidetrack  v. Divert or diverge from the main course or issue.


Raj  n. (prec. By the) hist. British sovereignty in india. [hindi]
Ellipsis  n. (pl. Ellipses) 1 omission of words needed to complete a construction or sense. 2 set of three dots etc. Indicating omission.
Headmaster  n. (fem. Headmistress) = *head teacher.
Wishful  adj. (often foll. By to + infin.) Desiring.  wishfully adv.
Undervest  n. Vest.
Sensor  n. Device for detecting or measuring a physical property. [from *sensory]
Jar2  —v. (-rr-) 1 (often foll. By on) (of sound, manner, etc.) Sound discordant, grate (on the nerves etc.). 2 a (often foll. By against, on) (cause to) strike (esp. Part of the body) with vibration or shock (jarred his neck). B vibrate with shock etc. 3 (often foll. By with) be at variance or in conflict. —n. 1 jarring sound or sensation. 2 physical shock or jolt. [imitative]

Fragment  —n. 1 part broken off. 2 extant remains or unfinished portion (of a book etc.). —v. Break or separate into fragments.  fragmental adj. Fragmentary adj. Fragmentation n. [latin: related to *fraction]

Bicentennial  esp. Us —n. Bicentenary. —adj. Occurring every two hundred years.
Cincture  n. Literary girdle, belt, or border. [latin cingo gird]
Tb  symb. Terbium.
Fiber  n. (brit. Fibre) 1 thread or filament forming tissue or textile. 2 piece of threadlike glass. 3 substance formed of fibres, or able to be spun, woven, etc. 4 structure; character (moral fibre). 5 roughage. [french from latin fibra]

Tvei  abbr. Technical and vocational educational initiative.






Ringmaster  n. Person directing a circus performance.

Disputable  adj. Open to question; uncertain.  disputably adv.
Collagen  n. Protein found in animal connective tissue, yielding gelatin on boiling. [greek kolla glue]
Bolt2  v. (also boult) sift (flour etc.). [french]




Fully  adv. 1 completely, entirely (am fully aware). 2 at least (fully 60).
Sids  abbr. Sudden infant death syndrome; cot-death.
Inculcate  v. (-ting) (often foll. By upon, in) urge or impress (a habit or idea) persistently.  inculcation n. [latin calco tread]

Feeble-minded  adj. Mentally deficient.
Income  n. Money received, esp. Periodically or in a year, from one's work, investments, etc. [from *in, *come]
Struck  past and past part. Of *strike.
Crisp  —adj. 1 hard but brittle. 2 a (of air) bracing. B (of style or manner) lively, brisk and decisive. C (of features etc.) Neat, clear-cut. D (of paper) stiff and crackling. E (of hair) closely curling. —n. (in full potato crisp) potato sliced thinly, fried, and sold in packets. —v. Make or become crisp.  crisply adv. Crispness n. [latin crispus curled]
Nincompoop  n. Foolish person. [origin unknown]
Dishearten  v. Cause to lose courage, hope, or confidence.  disheartenment n.
Soothe  v. (-thing) 1 calm (a person, feelings, etc). 2 soften or mitigate (pain etc.). [old english]
Transcendentalism  n. Transcendental philosophy.  transcendentalist n.
Wsw  abbr. West-south-west.
Kent  past and past part. Of *ken.


Snoop  colloq. —v. 1 pry into another's affairs. 2 (often foll. By about, around) investigate transgressions of rules, the law, etc. —n. Act of snooping.  snooper n. Snoopy adj. [dutch]
Rebus  n. (pl. Rebuses) representation of a word (esp. A name) by pictures etc. Suggesting its parts. [latin rebus, ablative pl. Of res thing]
Fireside  n. 1 area round a fireplace. 2 home or home-life.



Diurnal  adj. 1 of the day or daytime. 2 daily. 3 occupying one day.  diurnally adv. [latin diurnalis from dies day]
Dairy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 place for processing, distributing, or selling milk and its products. 2 (attrib.) Of, containing, or used for, dairy products (and sometimes eggs) (dairy cow). [old english]

Off colour  predic. Adj. 1 unwell. 2 us somewhat indecent.

Kissogram  n. (also kissagram propr.) Novelty telegram or greeting delivered with a kiss.

Tooth powder  n. Powder for cleaning the teeth.
Web  n. 1 a woven fabric. B amount woven in one piece. 2 complex series (web of lies). 3 cobweb, gossamer, or a similar product of a spinning creature. 4 membrane between the toes of a swimming animal or bird. 5 large roll of paper used in printing. 6 thin flat connecting part in machinery etc.  webbed adj. [old english]
Existence  n. 1 fact or manner of being or existing. 2 continuance in life or being. 3 all that exists.  existent adj.

Emulsify  v. (-ies, -ied) convert into an emulsion.  emulsification n. Emulsifier n.


Conformity  n. 1 accordance with established practice. 2 agreement, suitability.
Melanin  n. Dark pigment in the hair, skin, etc., causing tanning in sunlight. [greek melas black]



Chilli  n. (also chili) (pl. -es) hot-tasting dried red capsicum pod. [spanish from aztec]
Fetching  adj. Attractive.  fetchingly adv.





Inhabit  v. (-t-) dwell in; occupy.  inhabitable adj. [latin: related to *habit]


Mitigate  v. (-ting) make less intense or severe.  mitigation n. [latin mitis mild]

Hassle  colloq. —n. Trouble; problem; argument. —v. (-ling) harass, annoy. [originally a dial. Word]
Ruse  n. Stratagem, trick. [french]


Ministration  n. 1 (usu. In pl.) Help or service (kind ministrations). 2 ministering, esp. In religious matters. 3 (usu. Foll. By of) supplying of help, justice, etc.  ministrant adj. & n. [latin: related to *minister]

Resplendent  adj. Brilliant, dazzlingly or gloriously bright.  resplendence n. [latin resplendeo shine]
Distance  —n. 1 being far off; remoteness. 2 space between two points. 3 distant point or place. 4 aloofness; reserve. 5 remoter field of vision (in the distance). 6 interval of time. —v. (-cing) (often refl.) 1 place or cause to seem far off; be aloof. 2 leave far behind in a race etc.  at a distance far off. Keep one's distance remain aloof. [latin: related to *dis-, sto stand]



Cot-death  n. Unexplained death of a sleeping baby.
Ban  —v. (-nn-) forbid, prohibit, esp. Formally. —n. Formal prohibition (ban on smoking). [old english, = summon]

Stinker  n. Slang objectionable or difficult person or thing.

Carnelian  var. Of *cornelian.

Water bus  n. Boat carrying passengers on a regular run on a river, lake, etc.


Comer  n. Person who comes as an applicant etc. (offered it to the first comer).
Mail1  —n. 1 a letters and parcels etc. Carried by post. B postal system. C one complete delivery or collection of mail. 2 email. 3 vehicle carrying mail. —v. Send by post or email. [french male wallet]

Zit  n. Esp. Us slang pimple. [origin unknown]
Checker2  n. 1 var. Of *chequer. 2 us a (in pl., usu. Treated as sing.) Draughts. B piece used in this game.
Westbound  adj. Travelling or leading westwards.
Trial run  n. Preliminary operational test.


Storehouse  n. Storage place.
Forget  v. (forgetting; past forgot; past part. Forgotten or us forgot) 1 (often foll. By about) lose remembrance of; not remember. 2 neglect or overlook. 3 cease to think of.  forget oneself 1 act without dignity. 2 act selflessly.  forgettable adj. [old english]

Adjacent  adj. (often foll. By to) lying near; adjoining.  adjacency n. [latin jaceo lie]
Reversing light  n. White light at the rear of a vehicle showing that it is in reverse gear.
Apostasy  n. (pl. -ies) renunciation of a belief or faith, abandoning of principles, etc. [greek, = defection]


Mews  n. (treated as sing.) Stabling round a yard etc., now used esp. For housing. [originally sing. Mew ‘cage for hawks’: french from latin muto change]

None  —pron. 1 (foll. By of) a not any of (none of this concerns me; none of them have found it). B not any one of (none of them has come). 2 a no persons (none but fools believe it). B no person (none but a fool believes it). 3 (usu. With the preceding noun implied) not any (you have money and i have none). —adv. (foll. By the + compar., or so, too) by no amount; not at all (am none the wiser). [old english, = not one]
U1  n. (also u) (pl. Us or u's) 1 twenty-first letter of the alphabet. 2 u-shaped object or curve.
Unbridle  v. (-ling) remove a bridle, constraints, etc., from (a horse, one's tongue, etc.) (unbridled insolence).
Lunar  adj. Of, like, concerned with, or determined by the moon. [latin luna moon]
Cosine  n. Ratio of the side adjacent to an acute angle (in a right-angled triangle) to the hypotenuse.
Perch2  n. (pl. Same or -es) edible european spiny-finned freshwater fish. [latin perca from greek]

-metric  comb. Form (also -metrical) forming adjectives corresponding to nouns in -meter and -metry (thermometric; geometric).
Rhizome  n. Underground rootlike stem bearing both roots and shoots. [greek rhizoma]

Cervical screening  n. Mass routine examination for cervical cancer.
Queen's highway  n. Public road, regarded as being under the sovereign's protection.

Overweight  —adj. Above an allowed or suitable weight. —n. Excess weight; preponderance.
Memorandum  n. (pl. -da or -s) 1 note or record for future use. 2 informal written message, esp. In business, diplomacy, etc. [see *memorable]
Operational  adj. 1 of or engaged in or used for operations. 2 able or ready to function.  operationally adv.



Stick-in-the-mud  n. Colloq. Unprogressive or old-fashioned person.
Bone-marrow  n. = *marrow 2.

Nirvana  n. (in buddhism) perfect bliss attained by the extinction of individuality. [sanskrit, = extinction]
Ester  n. Chem. A compound produced by replacing the hydrogen of an acid by an organic radical. [german]
Fortunate  adj. 1 lucky. 2 auspicious.  fortunately adv. [latin fortunatus: related to *fortune]
Wrinkle  —n. 1 crease in the skin, esp. Caused by age. 2 similar mark in another flexible surface. 3 colloq. Useful tip or clever expedient. —v. (-ling) 1 make wrinkles in. 2 form wrinkles. [probably related to old english gewrinclod sinuous]


Ready money  n. 1 actual coin or notes. 2 payment on the spot.

Impish  adj. Of or like an imp; mischievous.  impishly adv. Impishness n.



Deportment  n. Bearing, demeanour. [french: related to *deport]


Cole  n. (usu. In comb.) Cabbage. [latin caulis]


Punter  n. Colloq. 1 person who gambles or lays a bet. 2 a customer or client; member of an audience. B prostitute's client.
Happy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 feeling or showing pleasure or contentment. 2 a fortunate; characterized by happiness. B (of words, behaviour, etc.) Apt, pleasing.  happily adv. Happiness n.
Archaic  adj. 1 a antiquated. B (of a word etc.) No longer in ordinary use. 2 of an early period of culture.  archaically adv. [greek arkhe beginning]
Jerusalem artichoke  n. 1 a kind of sunflower with edible tubers. 2 this as a vegetable. [corruption of italian girasole sunflower]
Bisque2  n. Advantage of one free point or stroke in certain games. [french]
Preparedness  n. Readiness, esp. For war.
Scripture  n. 1 sacred writings. 2 (scripture or the scriptures) the bible.  scriptural adj. [latin: related to *script]



Nissen hut  n. Tunnel-shaped hut of corrugated iron with a cement floor. [nissen, name of an engineer]


Corrosion  n. 1 corroding or being corroded. 2 corroded area.  corrosive adj. & n.

Jibe1  var. Of *gibe.



Driveway  n. = *drive n. 2b.
Twin bed  n. Each of a pair of single beds.  twin-bedded adj.

Hatpin  n. Long pin for securing a hat to the hair.

Glad  adj. (gladder, gladdest) 1 (predic.) Pleased. 2 expressing or causing pleasure (glad cry; glad news). 3 ready and willing (am glad to help).  be glad of find useful.  gladly adv. Gladness n. [old english]

Reliable  adj. Of consistently good character or quality; dependable.  reliability n. Reliably adv.
Prognosticate  v. (-ting) 1 (often foll. By that) foretell, foresee, prophesy. 2 (of a thing) betoken, indicate.  prognostication n. Prognosticator n. [medieval latin: related to *prognostic]
Stormy petrel  var. Of *storm petrel.


Drag-net  n. 1 net drawn through a river or across the ground to trap fish or game. 2 systematic hunt for criminals etc.

Frantic  adj. 1 wildly excited; frenzied. 2 hurried, anxious; desperate, violent. 3 colloq. Extreme.  frantically adv. [latin: related to *frenetic]

Repoint  v. Point (esp. Brickwork) again.



Compete  v. (-ting) 1 take part in a contest etc. 2 (often foll. By with, against a person, for a thing) strive. [latin peto seek]

High-tech  adj. 1 employing, requiring, or involved in high technology. 2 imitating styles more usual in industry etc.

Sodium  n. Soft silver-white metallic element. [from *soda]




Reverential  n. Of the nature of, due to, or characterized by reverence.  reverentially adv. [medieval latin: related to *reverence]
Script  —n. 1 text of a play, film, or broadcast. 2 handwriting; written characters. 3 type imitating handwriting. 4 alphabet or system of writing. 5 examinee's written answers. —v. Write a script for (a film etc.). [latin scriptum from scribo write]


Telecast  —n. Television broadcast. —v. Transmit by television.  telecaster n.
Denounce  v. (-cing) 1 accuse publicly; condemn. 2 inform against. 3 announce withdrawal from (an armistice, treaty, etc.).  denouncement n. [latin nuntius messenger]
Jest  —n. 1 joke; fun. 2 a raillery, banter. B object of derision. —v. Joke; fool about.  in jest in fun. [latin gesta exploits]



-fy  suffix forming: 1 verbs from nouns, meaning: a make, produce (pacify). B make into (deify; petrify). 2 verbs from adjectives, meaning ‘bring or come into a state’ (frenchify; solidify). 3 verbs in a causative sense (horrify; stupefy). [french -fier from latin facio make]

Monday  —n. Day of the week following sunday. —adv. Colloq. 1 on monday. 2 (mondays) on mondays; each monday. [old english]

Yawl  n. A kind of ship's boat or sailing- or fishing-boat. [low german jolle or dutch jol]
Gastric flu  n. Colloq. Intestinal disorder of unknown cause.






Weir  n. Dam across a river to raise the level of water upstream or regulate its flow. [old english]


Emirate  n. Rank, domain, or reign of an emir.
Reboot  v. (often absol.) Computing boot up (a system) again.

Audio-  comb. Form hearing or sound.
Crave  v. (-ving) (often foll. By for) long or beg for. [old english]



Patchouli  n. 1 strongly scented e. Indian plant. 2 perfume from this. [native name in madras]

Calceolaria  n. Plant with slipper-shaped flowers. [latin calceus shoe]
Head wind  n. Wind blowing from directly in front.


Aloft  predic. Adj. & adv. 1 high up, overhead. 2 upwards. [old norse á lopti in air]
Daemon  var. Of *demon 4.


Eightsome  n. (in full eightsome reel) lively scottish dance for eight people.
Someplace  adv. Us colloq. = *somewhere.
Bum-bag  n. Slang small pouch worn on a belt round the waist or hips.

-ive  suffix forming adjectives meaning ‘tending to’, and corresponding nouns (suggestive; corrosive; palliative). [latin -ivus]






Quit  —v. (-tting; past and past part. Quitted or quit) 1 (also absol.) Give up, let go, abandon (a task etc.). 2 us cease, stop (quit grumbling). 3 leave or depart from. —predic. Adj. (foll. By of) rid of (glad to be quit of the problem). [latin: related to *quiet]
Pinhole  n. 1 hole made by a pin. 2 hole into which a peg fits.





Clubland  n. Area where there are many nightclubs.
Poly-  comb. Form 1 many (polygamy). 2 polymerized (polyunsaturated; polyester). [greek polus many]
Silicon chip  n. Silicon microchip.
Constrict  v. Make narrow or tight; compress.  constriction n. Constrictive adj. [latin: related to *constrain]
Usage  amend is often confused with emend, a more technical word used in the context of textual correction.


High-minded  adj. Having high moral principles.  high-mindedly adv. High-mindedness n.
Night-life  n. Entertainment available at night in a town.



Kale  n. Variety of cabbage, esp. With wrinkled leaves and no heart. [northern var. Of *cole]
High heels  n.pl. Women's shoes with high heels.

Forename  n. First or christian name.


Unexampled  adj. Without precedent.



Swivel  —n. Coupling between two parts enabling one to revolve without turning the other. —v. (-ll-; us -l-) turn on or as on a swivel. [old english]


Where  —interrog. Adv. 1 in or to what place or position? 2 in what respect? (where does it concern us?). —rel. Adv. (prec. By place etc.) In or to which (places where they meet). —conj. 1 in or to the or any place, direction, or respect in which (go where you like; tick where applicable). 2 and there (reached crewe, where the car broke down). —pron. What place? (where do you come from?). —n. Place; scene of something (see *when n.). [old english]

Evacuee  n. Person evacuated.

Jewess  n. Often offens. Woman or girl of hebrew descent or whose religion is judaism.


Possessive  —adj. 1 wanting to retain what one has, reluctant to share. 2 jealous and domineering. 3 gram. Indicating possession. —n. (in full possessive case) gram. Case of nouns and pronouns expressing possession.  possessiveness n.
Trophy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 cup etc. As a prize in a contest. 2 memento or souvenir of success in hunting, war, etc. [greek tropaion]
Dekko  n. (pl. -s) slang look, glance. [hindi]

Briton  n. 1 inhabitant of s. Britain before the roman conquest. 2 native or inhabitant of great britain. [latin britto -onis]

Pacify  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 appease (a person, anger, etc.). 2 bring (a country etc.) To a state of peace.  pacification n. Pacificatory adj.
Inadequate  adj. 1 not adequate; insufficient. 2 (of a person) incompetent; weak.  inadequacy n. (pl. -ies). Inadequately adv.

Forest  —n. 1 (often attrib.) Large area of trees and undergrowth. 2 trees in this. 3 large number or dense mass. —v. 1 plant with trees. 2 convert into a forest. [latin forestis: related to *foreign]
Square brackets  n.pl. Brackets of the form [ ].

Mm  abbr. 1 messieurs. 2 military medal.




Outrageous  adj. 1 immoderate. 2 shocking. 3 immoral, offensive.  outrageously adv.


Wolves  pl. Of *wolf.

Gentian  n. Mountain plant usu. With blue flowers. [latin gentiana from gentius, king of illyria]



Robe  —n. 1 a long loose outer garment. B (often in pl.) This worn as an indication of rank, office, profession, etc. 2 esp. Us dressing-gown. —v. (-bing) clothe in a robe; dress. [french]
Boodle  n. Slang money, esp. Gained or used dishonestly. [dutch boedel possessions]
Face value  n. 1 nominal value of money. 2 superficial appearance or implication.


Intrust  var. Of *entrust.



Form  —n. 1 shape; arrangement of parts; visible aspect. 2 person or animal as visible or tangible. 3 mode of existence or manifestation. 4 kind or variety (a form of art). 5 printed document with blank spaces for information to be inserted. 6 class in a school. 7 customary method. 8 set order of words. 9 etiquette or specified adherence to it (good or bad form). 10 (prec. By the) correct procedure (knows the form). 11 a (of an athlete, horse, etc.) Condition of health and training. B racing history of a horse etc. 12 state or disposition (in great form). 13 any of the spellings, inflections, etc. Of a word. 14 arrangement and style in a literary or musical composition. 15 long low bench. 16 hare's lair. —v. 1 make or be made (formed a straight line; puddles formed). 2 make up or constitute. 3 develop or establish as a concept, institution, or practice (form an idea; form a habit). 4 (foll. By into) mould or organize to become (formed ourselves into a circle). 5 (often foll. By up) (of troops etc.) Bring or move into formation. 6 train or instruct.  off form not playing or performing well. On form playing or performing well. Out of form not fit for racing etc. [latin forma]
Trivialize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) make or treat as trivial; minimize.  trivialization n.
Book club  n. Society in which selected books are available cheaply.





Pursuit  n. 1 act of pursuing. 2 occupation or activity pursued.  in pursuit of pursuing. [french: related to *suit]

Yeah  adv. Colloq. Yes. [a casual pronunciation of *yes]
Unfeasible  adj. Not feasible; impractical.
Ethical  adj. 1 relating to morals, esp. As concerning human conduct. 2 morally correct. 3 (of a drug etc.) Not advertised to the general public, and usu. Available only on prescription.  ethically adv.

Ophthalmic optician  n. Optician qualified to prescribe as well as dispense spectacles etc.
Extenuate  v. (often as extenuating adj.) Make (guilt or an offence) seem less serious by reference to another factor.  extenuation n. [latin tenuis thin]

Black ice  n. Thin hard transparent ice on a road etc.


Luddite  —n. 1 person opposed to industrial progress or new technology. 2 hist. Member of a band of english artisans who destroyed machinery (1811–16). —adj. Of the luddites.  ludditism n. [ned lud, destroyer of machinery]

Cymric  adj. Welsh. [welsh cymru wales]
Inference  n. 1 act of inferring. 2 thing inferred.  inferential adj.



Hearing-aid  n. Small device to amplify sound, worn by a partially deaf person.
Kl  abbr. Kilolitre(s).
Compile  v. (-ling) 1 a collect and arrange (material) into a list, book, etc. B produce (a book etc.) Thus. 2 computing translate (a programming language) into machine code.  compilation n. [latin compilo plunder]




Dish  —n. 1 a shallow flat-bottomed container for food. B its contents. C particular kind of food or food prepared to a particular recipe (meat dish). 2 (in pl.) Crockery, pans, etc. After a meal (wash the dishes). 3 a dish-shaped object or cavity. B = *satellite dish. 4 colloq. Sexually attractive person. —v. 1 colloq. Outmanoeuvre, frustrate. 2 make dish-shaped.  dish out colloq. Distribute. Dish up 1 put (food) in dishes for serving. 2 colloq. Present as a fact or argument. [old english from latin *discus]
Super-  comb. Form forming nouns, adjectives, and verbs, meaning: 1 above, beyond, or over (superstructure; supernormal). 2 to an extreme degree (superabundant). 3 extra good or large of its kind (supertanker). 4 of a higher kind (superintendent). [latin] 
Aftertaste  n. Taste after eating or drinking.


Ponderable  adj. Literary having appreciable weight or significance. [latin: related to *ponder]
Redwood  n. Very large californian conifer yielding red wood.


Red lead  n. Red form of lead oxide used as a pigment.

British thermal unit  n. Amount of heat needed to raise 1 lb of water through one degree fahrenheit, equivalent to 1.055 x 103 joules.

Scholar  n. 1 learned person, academic. 2 holder of a scholarship. 3 person of specified academic ability (poor scholar).  scholarly adj. [latin: related to *school1]
Mot  abbr. (in full mot test) compulsory annual test of vehicles of more than a specified age. [ministry of transport]
Consanguineous  adj. Descended from the same ancestor; akin.  consanguinity n. [latin sanguis blood]


Well-advised  adj. (usu. Foll. By to + infin.) Prudent.


Forehead  n. The part of the face above the eyebrows.
Impeccable  adj. Faultless, exemplary.  impeccability n. Impeccably adv. [related to *in-1, latin pecco sin]
Large as life  adj. Colloq. In person, esp. Prominently.

Off  —adv. 1 away; at or to a distance (drove off; 3 miles off). 2 out of position; not on, touching, or attached; loose, separate, gone (has come off; take your coat off). 3 so as to be rid of (sleep it off). 4 so as to break continuity or continuance; discontinued, stopped (turn off the radio; take a day off; the game is off). 5 not available on a menu etc. (chips are off). 6 to the end; entirely; so as to be clear (clear off; finish off; pay off). 7 situated as regards money, supplies, etc. (well off). 8 off stage (noises off). 9 (of food etc.) Beginning to decay. —prep. 1 a from; away, down, or up from (fell off the chair; took something off the price). B not on (off the pitch). 2 a temporarily relieved of or abstaining from (off duty). B temporarily not attracted by (off his food). C not achieving (off form). 3 using as a source or means of support (live off the land). 4 leading from; not far from (a street off the strand). 5 at a short distance to sea from (sank off cape horn). —adj. 1 far, further (off side of the wall). 2 (of a part of a vehicle, animal, or road) right (the off front wheel). 3 cricket designating the half of the field (as divided lengthways through the pitch) to which the striker's feet are pointed. 4 colloq. A annoying, unfair (that's really off). B somewhat unwell (feeling a bit off).  —n. 1 the off side in cricket. 2 start of a race.  off and on intermittently; now and then. Off the cuff see *cuff1. Off the peg see *peg. [var. Of *of]





Poor law  n. Hist. Law concerning public support of the poor.

Choreography  n. Design or arrangement of a ballet etc.  choreographic adj. [greek khoreia dance]






Disinformation  n. False information, propaganda.

Come-on  n. Slang enticement.
Unclouded  adj. 1 clear; bright. 2 untroubled (unclouded serenity).
Jive  —n. 1 lively dance popular esp. In the 1950s. 2 music for this. —v. (-ving) dance to or play jive music.  jiver n. [origin uncertain]

Tone poem  n. Orchestral composition with a descriptive or rhapsodic theme.

Ichneumon  n. 1 (in full ichneumon fly) small wasp depositing eggs in or on the larva of another as food for its own larva. 2 mongoose noted for destroying crocodile eggs. [greek from ikhnos footstep]
Fisticuffs  n.pl. Fighting with the fists. [probably from obsolete fisty (from *fist), *cuff2]
Unpremeditated  adj. Not deliberately planned, unintentional.

Relax  v. 1 make or become less stiff, rigid, or tense. 2 make or become less formal or strict (rules were relaxed). 3 reduce or abate (one's attention, efforts, etc.). 4 cease work or effort. 5 (as relaxed adj.) At ease; unperturbed. [latin relaxo: related to *lax]



Pro tem  adj. & adv. Colloq. = *pro tempore. [abbreviation]
Viscountess  n. 1 viscount's wife or widow. 2 woman holding the rank of viscount.

Miscellaneous  adj. 1 of mixed composition or character. 2 (foll. By a plural noun) of various kinds.  miscellaneously adv. [latin misceo mix]

Circadian  adj. Physiol. Occurring about once per day. [from *circa, latin dies day]
Clinical  adj. 1 of or for the treatment of patients. 2 dispassionate, coolly detached. 3 (of a room, building, etc.) Bare, functional.  clinically adv. [greek: related to *clinic]
Queen's english  n. (prec. By the) english language correctly written or spoken.
Book token  n. Voucher exchangeable for books.

Crocodile tears  n.pl. Insincere grief.






Ballpark  n. Us 1 baseball ground. 2 colloq. Sphere of activity, etc. 3 (attrib.) Colloq. Approximate.  in the right ballpark colloq. Approximately correct.

Slick  —adj. Colloq. 1 a skilful or efficient. B superficially or pretentiously smooth and dexterous; glib. 2 sleek, smooth. —n. Large patch of oil etc., esp. On the sea. —v. Colloq. 1 (usu. Foll. By back, down) flatten (one's hair etc.). 2 (usu. Foll. By up) make sleek or smart.  slickly adv. Slickness n. [old english]
Hinterland  n. 1 district beyond a coast or river's banks. 2 area served by a port or other centre. [german]
Uncontrolled  adj. Not controlled; unrestrained.
Ringleader  n. Leading instigator of a crime, mischief, etc.
Cultivar  n. Plant variety produced by cultivation. [from *cultivate, *variety]
Mustard  n. 1 a plant with slender pods and yellow flowers. B seeds of this crushed into a paste and used as a spicy condiment. 2 plant eaten at the seedling stage, often with cress. 3 brownish-yellow colour. [romanic: related to *must2]
Disabuse  v. (-sing) (usu. Foll. By of) free from a mistaken idea; disillusion.


Fire-guard  n. Protective screen placed in front of a fireplace.
Soothsayer  n. Seer, prophet.

M.phil.  Abbr. Master of philosophy.
Funerary  adj. Of or used at funerals.

Heed  —v. Attend to; take notice of. —n. Careful attention.  heedful adj. Heedless adj. Heedlessly adv. [old english]
Plus-fours  n.pl. Men's long wide knickerbockers. [the length was increased by 4 inches to create an overhang]
Spindrift  n. Spray on the surface of the sea. [scots var. Of spoondrift from obsolete spoon scud]
Thin-skinned  adj. Sensitive to criticism.




Cosmetic  —adj. 1 beautifying, enhancing. 2 superficially improving or beneficial. 3 (of surgery or a prosthesis) imitating, restoring, or enhancing normal appearance. —n. Cosmetic preparation, esp. For the face.  cosmetically adv. [greek, = ornament]

Domesticity  n. 1 being domestic. 2 domestic or home life.
Circum-  comb. Form round, about. [latin]
Sweet talk  colloq. —n. Flattery, blandishment. —v. (sweet-talk) flatter in order to persuade.
Fortissimo  mus. —adj. Very loud. —adv. Very loudly. —n. (pl. -s or -mi) very loud playing or passage. [italian, superlative of *forte2]
Attendee  n. Person who attends (a meeting etc.).



Plead  v. 1 (foll. By with) make an earnest appeal to. 2 (of an advocate) address a lawcourt. 3 maintain (a cause) in a lawcourt. 4 (foll. By guilty or not guilty) declare oneself to be guilty or not guilty of a charge. 5 allege as an excuse (plead insanity). 6 (often as pleading adj.) Make an appeal or entreaty (in a pleading voice). [anglo-french pleder: related to *plea]
Baize  n. Usu. Green woollen felted material, used for coverings. [french pl. Baies chestnut-coloured]

Tervalent  adj. Having a valency of three. [from *tercentenary, *valence1]

Bully2  (in full bully off) —n. (pl. -ies) start of play in hockey in which two opponents strike each other's sticks three times and then go for the ball. —v. (-ies, -ied) start play in this way. [origin unknown]
Tabular  adj. Of or arranged in tables or lists. [latin: related to *table]

Sackcloth  n. 1 coarse fabric of flax or hemp used for sacks. 2 clothing for penance or mourning (esp. Sackcloth and ashes).
Correspondence course  n. Course of study conducted by post.
Goodly  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 handsome. 2 of imposing size etc.  goodliness n. [old english]



Igbo  var. Of *ibo.
Prerequisite  —adj. Required as a precondition. —n. Prerequisite thing.

Puppy love  n. = *calf-love.

Young  —adj. (younger; youngest) 1 not far advanced in life, development, or existence; not yet old. 2 a immature, inexperienced. B youthful. 3 of or characteristic of youth (young love). 4 representing young people (young farmers). 5 a distinguishing a son from his father (young george). B as a familiar or condescending form of address (listen, young lady). 6 (younger) distinguishing one person from another of the same name (the younger pitt). —n. (collect.) Offspring, esp. Of animals.  youngish adj. [old english]
Thunderstorm  n. Storm with thunder and lightning and usu. Heavy rain or hail.



Gum-tree  n. Tree exuding gum, esp. A eucalyptus.  up a gum-tree colloq. In great difficulties.
Turkeycock  n. Male turkey.
Garfish  n. (pl. Same or -es) fish with a long spearlike snout. [old english, = spear-fish]


Dirndl  n. 1 dress with a close-fitting bodice and full skirt. 2 full skirt of this kind. [german]

Alpha particle  n. Helium nucleus emitted by a radioactive substance.
Lessee  n. (often foll. By of) person holding a property by lease. [french: related to *lease]
Gazette  —n. 1 newspaper (used in the title). 2 official publication with announcements etc. —v. (-tting) announce or name in an official gazette. [french from italian]
Costume  —n. 1 style of dress, esp. Of a particular place or time. 2 set of clothes. 3 clothing for a particular activity (swimming-costume). 4 actor's clothes for a part. —v. (-ming) provide with a costume. [latin: related to *custom]

Dolman sleeve  n. Loose sleeve cut in one piece with a bodice. [turkish]

Tar1  —n. 1 dark thick inflammable liquid distilled from wood or coal etc., used as a preservative of wood and iron, in making roads, as an antiseptic, etc. 2 similar substance formed in the combustion of tobacco etc. —v. (-rr-) cover with tar.  tar and feather smear with tar and then cover with feathers as a punishment. Tarred with the same brush having the same faults. [old english]
Shetland pony  n. Pony of a small hardy rough-coated breed. [shetland islands, nne of scotland]


Well-tried  adj. Often tested with good results.
Medallion  n. 1 large medal. 2 thing so shaped, e.g. A decorative panel etc. [italian: related to *medal]
Brown rice  n. Unpolished rice.
Gammy  adj. (-ier, -iest) slang = *game2. [dial. Form of *game2]


Preclude  v. (-ding) 1 (foll. By from) prevent. 2 make impossible. [latin praecludo: related to *close1]

Evening primrose  n. Plant with pale-yellow flowers that open in the evening.
Hard tack  n. Naut. Ship's biscuit.





Disyllable  n. (also dissyllable) prosody word or metrical foot of two syllables.  disyllabic adj.

Madeira  n. 1 fortified white wine from madeira. 2 (in full madeira cake) a kind of sponge cake.
God-forsaken  adj. Dismal.





Sloe  n. 1 = *blackthorn. 2 its small sour bluish-black fruit. [old english]
German shepherd  n. (also german shepherd dog) = *alsatian.


Gutta-percha  n. Tough rubbery substance obtained from latex. [malay]
Voluntary  —adj. 1 acting, done, or given willingly; not compulsory; intentional. 2 unpaid (voluntary work). 3 (of an institution) supported by charity. 4 (of a school) built by a charity but maintained by a local education authority. 5 brought about by voluntary action. 6 (of a movement, muscle, or limb) controlled by the will. —n. (pl. -ies) organ solo played before or after a church service.  voluntarily adv. Voluntariness n. [latin voluntas will]


Mole2  n. Small permanent dark spot on the skin. [old english]

Slight  —adj. 1 a small; insignificant. B inadequate. 2 slender, frail-looking. 3 (in superl.) Any whatever (if there were the slightest chance). —v. Treat disrespectfully; ignore. —n. Act of slighting.  slightly adv. Slightness n. [old norse]
Angostura  n. Aromatic bitter bark used as a flavouring. [angostura (= ciudad bolívar) in venezuela]

Lignum vitae  n. A hard-wooded tree. [latin, = wood of life]


Refresher course  n. Course reviewing or updating previous studies.

Friendly  —adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 outgoing, well-disposed, kindly. 2 a (often foll. By with) on amicable terms. B not hostile. 3 (in comb.) Not harming; helping (ozone-friendly; user-friendly). 4 = *user-friendly. —n. (pl. -ies) = *friendly match. —adv. In a friendly manner.  friendliness n.

Oleaginous  adj. 1 like or producing oil. 2 oily. [latin: related to *oil]

Evolve  v. (-ving) 1 develop gradually and naturally. 2 devise (a theory, plan, etc.). 3 unfold. 4 give off (gas, heat, etc.). [latin volvo volut- roll]

Brain drain  n. Colloq. Loss of skilled personnel by emigration.

Engage  v. (-ging) 1 employ or hire (a person). 2 a (usu. In passive) occupy (are you engaged tomorrow?). B hold fast (a person's attention). 3 (usu. In passive) bind by a promise, esp. Of marriage. 4 arrange beforehand to occupy (a room, seat, etc.). 5 a interlock (parts of a gear etc.). B (of a gear etc.) Become interlocked. 6 a come into battle with. B bring (troops) into battle with. C come into battle with (an enemy etc.). 7 take part (engage in politics). 8 (foll. By that + clause or to + infin.) Undertake. [french: related to *gage1]
Coitus  n. Sexual intercourse.  coital adj. [latin: related to *coition]
Peddler  n. 1 person who sells drugs illegally. 2 us var. Of *pedlar.
Shaddock  n. 1 largest citrus fruit, with a thick yellow skin and bitter pulp. 2 tree bearing these. [capt. Shaddock, who introduced it to the w. Indies in the 17th c.]
-o  suffix forming usu. Slang or colloq. Variants or derivatives (beano; wino). [perhaps from *oh]
Disciplinarian  n. Enforcer of or believer in firm discipline.
Bred  past and past part. Of *breed.
Thulium  n. Metallic element of the lanthanide series. [latin thule region in the remote north]
Unalike  adj. Not alike; different.



Lop  v. (-pp-) 1 a (often foll. By off, away) cut or remove (a part or parts) from a whole, esp. Branches from a tree. B remove branches from (a tree). 2 (often foll. By off) remove (items) as superfluous. [old english]

Titan  n. (often titan) person of very great strength, intellect, or importance. [greek, = member of a race of giants]
Highness  n. 1 state of being high (highness of taxation). 2 (highness) title used when addressing or referring to a prince or princess (her highness; your royal highness).

Bid  —v. (-dd-; past bid, archaic bade; past part. Bid, archaic bidden) 1 (past and past part. Bid) a (esp. At an auction) make an offer (of) (bid for the vase; bid £20). B offer a service for a stated price. 2 literary command; invite (bid the soldiers shoot; bade her start). 3 literary utter (a greeting or farewell) to (i bade him welcome). 4 (past and past part. Bid) cards state before play how many tricks one intends to make. —n. 1 act of bidding. 2 amount bid. 3 colloq. Attempt; effort (bid for power).  bidder n. [old english]
Honeymoon  —n. 1 holiday taken by a newly married couple. 2 initial period of enthusiasm or goodwill. —v. Spend a honeymoon.  honeymooner n.


Shock troops  n.pl. Troops specially trained for assault.

Megastar  n. Colloq. Very famous entertainer etc.
Screen test  n. Audition for a part in a film.

Scollop  var. Of *scallop.

Closed book  n. Subject one does not understand.



Cry  —v. (cries, cried) 1 (often foll. By out) make a loud or shrill sound, esp. To express pain, grief, etc., or to appeal for help. 2 shed tears; weep. 3 (often foll. By out) say or exclaim loudly or excitedly. 4 (foll. By for) appeal, demand, or show a need for. 5 (of an animal, esp. A bird) make a loud call. —n. (pl. Cries) 1 loud shout or scream of grief, pain, etc. 2 spell of weeping. 3 loud excited utterance. 4 urgent appeal. 5 a public demand or opinion. B rallying call. 6 call of an animal.  cry down disparage. Cry off withdraw from an undertaking. Cry out for need as an obvious requirement or solution. Cry wolf see *wolf. [latin quirito]


February  n. (pl. -ies) second month of the year. [latin februa purification feast]

Discern  v. 1 perceive clearly with the mind or senses. 2 make out with effort.  discernible adj. [latin cerno cret- separate]

Mound  n. 1 raised mass of earth, stones, etc. 2 heap or pile; large quantity. 3 hillock. [origin unknown]
Immobile  adj. 1 not moving. 2 unable to move or be moved.  immobility n.
Fishnet  n. (often attrib.) Open-meshed fabric (fishnet stockings).
Three-point turn  n. Method of turning a vehicle round in a narrow space by moving forwards, backwards, and forwards again.
Ensue  v. (-sues, -sued, -suing) happen later or as a result. [latin sequor follow]
Joust  hist. —n. Combat between two knights on horseback with lances. —v. Engage in a joust.  jouster n. [french jouste from latin juxta near]

Mewl  v. 1 whimper. 2 mew like a cat. [imitative]
Clarify  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 make or become clearer. 2 a free (liquid etc.) From impurities. B make transparent.  clarification n. [latin: related to *clear]
Tutorial  —adj. Of a tutor or tuition. —n. Period of undergraduate tuition individually or in a small group. [latin tutorius: related to *tutor]
Premonition  n. Forewarning; presentiment.  premonitory adj. [latin moneo warn]



Horsehair  n. Hair from the mane or tail of a horse, used for padding etc.



Wig  n. Artificial head of hair. [abbreviation of *periwig]

Volition  n. Act or power of willing.  of one's own volition voluntarily.  volitional adj. [latin volo wish]


Lout  n. Rough-mannered person.  loutish adj. [origin uncertain]
Uncharted  adj. Not mapped or surveyed.



Health food  n. Natural food, thought to promote good health.
Digestion  n. 1 process of digesting. 2 capacity to digest food.
Greasepaint  n. Make-up used by actors.





Ordinal  n. (in full ordinal number) number defining position in a series, e.g. ‘first’, ‘second’, ‘third’, etc. [latin: related to *order]
Re-elect  v. Elect again, esp. To a further term of office.  re-election n.
Scraping  n. (esp. In pl.) Fragment produced by scraping.
Ginger group  n. Group urging a party or movement to stronger policy or action.
Playgoer  n. Person who goes often to the theatre.


Expanse  n. Wide continuous area of land, space, etc.


Potting shed  n. Shed in which plants are potted and tools etc. Are stored.

Undernourished  adj. Insufficiently nourished.  undernourishment n.



Harry  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 ravage or despoil. 2 harass. [old english]
Dick2  n. Slang detective. [perhaps an abbreviation]
Highway code  n. Official booklet of guidance for road-users.
Depoliticize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) make non-political.  depoliticization n.
Sensationalism  n. Use of or interest in the sensational.  sensationalist n. & adj.
Cattery  n. (pl. -ies) place where cats are boarded or bred.




Mystery  n. (pl. -ies) 1 secret, hidden, or inexplicable matter. 2 secrecy or obscurity. 3 (attrib.) Secret, undisclosed (mystery guest). 4 practice of making a secret of things (engaged in mystery and intrigue). 5 (in full mystery story) fictional work dealing with a puzzling event, esp. A murder. 6 a religious truth divinely revealed. 7 (in pl.) A secret religious rites of the ancient greeks, romans, etc. B archaic eucharist. [greek musterion: related to *mystic]
Meringue  n. 1 sugar, whipped egg-whites, etc., baked crisp. 2 small cake of this, esp. Filled with whipped cream.  [french]
Cosmology  n. Science or theory of the universe.  cosmological adj. Cosmologist n. [from *cosmos, *-logy]
Mouthful  n. (pl. -s) 1 quantity of food etc. That fills the mouth. 2 small quantity. 3 colloq. Long or complicated word or phrase.
Turtle  n. 1 aquatic reptile with flippers and a horny shell. 2 its flesh, used for soup.  turn turtle capsize. [alteration of earlier tortue: related to *tortoise]
Administer  v. 1 manage (business affairs etc.). 2 a deliver or dispense, esp. Formally (a punishment, sacrament, etc.). B (usu. Foll. By to) direct the taking of (an oath). [latin: related to *ad-, *minister]

Usage  ec is the more correct term.





Lake1  n. Large body of water surrounded by land. [latin lacus]
Casket  n. 1 small often ornamental box for jewels etc. 2 us coffin. [latin: related to *case2]
-ship  suffix forming nouns denoting: 1 quality or condition (friendship; hardship). 2 status, office, etc. (authorship; lordship). 3 tenure of office (chairmanship). 4 specific skill (workmanship). 5 members of a group (readership). [old english]





Meaningless  adj. Having no meaning or significance.  meaninglessly adv. Meaninglessness n.
Roost  —n. Branch or perch for a bird, esp. To sleep. —v. Settle for rest or sleep.  come home to roost (of a scheme etc.) Recoil unfavourably. [old english hrost]

Sleigh  —n. Sledge, esp. For riding on. —v. Travel on a sleigh. [dutch slee: related to *sledge]

Rebirth  n. 1 new incarnation. 2 spiritual enlightenment. 3 revival.  reborn adj.

Coffer-dam  n. Watertight enclosure pumped dry to permit work below the waterline, e.g. Building bridges etc. Or repairing a ship.
Offshore  adj. 1 at sea some distance from the shore. 2 (of the wind) blowing seawards.
Syncopate  v. (-ting) 1 displace the beats or accents in (music). 2 shorten (a word) by dropping interior letters.  syncopation n. [latin: related to *syncope]

Ms-dos  abbr. Propr. Computing microsoft disk operating system.
Pin-table  n. Table used in playing pinball.
Mini-  comb. Form miniature; small of its kind (minibus).
Pin  abbr. Personal identification number (for use with a cashcard etc.).
Hole-and-corner  adj. Secret; underhand.





Suckling  n. Unweaned child or animal.
Blitt.  Abbr. Bachelor of letters. [latin baccalaureus litterarum]

Unenlightened  adj. Not enlightened.
Wrick  var. Of *rick2.
Dapple  —v. (-ling) mark or become marked with spots of colour or shade. —n. Dappled effect. [origin unknown]
Skeleton  n. 1 hard framework of bones etc. Of an animal. 2 supporting framework or structure of a thing. 3 very thin person or animal. 4 useless or dead remnant. 5 outline sketch, epitome. 6 (attrib.) Having only the essential or minimum number of persons, parts, etc. (skeleton staff).  skeletal adj. [greek skello dry up]



Prose  —n. 1 ordinary written or spoken language not in verse. 2 passage of prose, esp. For translation into a foreign language. 3 dull or matter-of-fact quality (prose of existence). —v. (-sing) talk tediously. [latin prosa from oratio straightforward (discourse)]
Self-seed  v. (of a plant) propagate itself by seed.  self-seeder n.



Temptation  n. 1 tempting or being tempted; incitement, esp. To wrongdoing. 2 attractive thing or course of action. 3 archaic putting to the test.

Cultured pearl  n. Pearl formed by an oyster after the insertion of a foreign body into its shell.
Unlace  v. (-cing) 1 undo the lace(s) of. 2 unfasten or loosen in this way.

Continuation  n. 1 continuing or being continued. 2 part that continues something else.
Fanfare  n. Short showy or ceremonious sounding of trumpets etc. [french]
Subaquatic  adj. Underwater.

Natural  —adj. 1 a existing in or caused by nature (natural landscape). B uncultivated (in its natural state). 2 in the course of nature (died of natural causes). 3 not surprising; to be expected (natural for her to be upset). 4 unaffected, spontaneous. 5 innate (natural talent for music). 6 not disguised or altered (as by make-up etc.). 7 likely or suited by its or their nature to be such (natural enemies; natural leader). 8 physically existing (the natural world). 9 illegitimate. 10 mus. (of a note) not sharpened or flattened (b natural). —n. 1 colloq. (usu. Foll. By for) person or thing naturally suitable, adept, etc. 2 mus. A sign denoting a return to natural pitch. B natural note.  naturalness n. [latin: related to *nature]



Burgher  n. Citizen of a continental town. [german or dutch]

Clog  —n. Shoe with a thick wooden sole. —v. (-gg-) 1 (often foll. By up) obstruct or become obstructed; choke. 2 impede. [origin unknown]



Hearsay  n. Rumour, gossip.
Nimble  adj. (-bler, -blest) quick and light in movement or function; agile.  nimbly adv. [old english, = quick to seize]

Prisoner  n. 1 person kept in prison. 2 (in full prisoner at the bar) person in custody on a criminal charge and on trial. 3 person or thing confined by illness, another's grasp, etc. 4 (in full prisoner of war) person captured in war.  take prisoner seize and hold as a prisoner. [anglo-french: related to *prison]




In-patient  n. Patient who lives in hospital while under treatment.
Counsellor  n. (us counselor) 1 adviser. 2 person giving professional guidance on personal problems. 3 us barrister.
Traumatic  adj. 1 of or causing trauma. 2 colloq. Distressing (traumatic experience).  traumatically adv. [greek: related to *trauma]


Precession of the equinoxes  n. 1 slow retrograde motion of equinoctial points along the ecliptic. 2 resulting earlier occurrence of equinoxes in each successive sidereal year.
Polish  —v. (often foll. By up) 1 make or become smooth or glossy by rubbing. 2 (esp. As polished adj.) Refine or improve; add the finishing touches to. —n. 1 substance used for polishing. 2 smoothness or glossiness produced by friction. 3 refinement, elegance.  polish off finish (esp. Food) quickly. [latin polio]
Prank  n. Practical joke; piece of mischief. [origin unknown]


Cinnamon  n. 1 aromatic spice from the bark of a se asian tree. 2 this tree. 3 yellowish-brown. [greek kinnamon]

Clamp1  —n. 1 device, esp. A brace or band of iron etc., for strengthening or holding things together. 2 device for immobilizing an illegally parked vehicle. —v. 1 strengthen or fasten with a clamp; fix firmly. 2 immobilize (a vehicle) with a clamp.  clamp down (usu. Foll. By on) become stricter (about); suppress. [low german or dutch]



Herewith  adv. With this (esp. Of an enclosure in a letter etc.).

Pourboire  n. Gratuity, tip. [french]
Hairy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 covered with hair. 2 slang frightening, dangerous.  hairiness n.
Wishful thinking  n. Belief founded on wishes rather than facts.
Intrude  v. (-ding) (foll. By on, upon, into) 1 come uninvited or unwanted. 2 force on a person. [latin trudo trus- thrust]
However  adv. 1 a in whatever way (do it however you want). B to whatever extent (must go however inconvenient). 2 nevertheless.
Mujahidin  n.pl. (also mujahedin, -deen) guerrilla fighters in islamic countries, esp. Muslim fundamentalists. [persian and arabic: related to *jihad]
Tangle  —v. (-ling) 1 intertwine (threads or hairs etc.) Or become entwined in a confused mass; entangle. 2 (foll. By with) colloq. Become involved (esp. In conflict) with (don't tangle with me). 3 complicate (tangled affair). —n. 1 confused mass of intertwined threads etc. 2 confused state. [origin uncertain]

Home office  n. British government department dealing with law and order, immigration, etc., in england and wales.

Heatwave  n. Period of unusually hot weather.
Triforium  n. (pl. -ria) gallery or arcade above the arches of the nave, choir, and transepts of a church. [anglo-latin]
Colourful  adj. (us color-) 1 full of colour; bright. 2 full of interest; vivid.  colourfully adv.

Kiloliter  n. (brit. -litre) 1,000 litres (220 imperial gallons).

Themselves  pron. 1 emphat. Form of *they or *them. 2 refl. Form of *them.  be themselves act in their normal, unconstrained manner. By themselves see by oneself.
Ooh  int. Expressing surprise, delight, pain, etc. [natural exclamation]
Lathe  n. Machine for shaping wood, metal, etc., by rotating the article against cutting tools. [origin uncertain]

Retrospect  n.  in retrospect when looking back. [from *retro-, *prospect]

Tocsin  n. Alarm bell or signal. [provençal tocasenh]

Flea-bite  n. 1 bite of a flea. 2 trivial injury or inconvenience.


Musket  n. Hist. Infantryman's (esp. Smooth-bored) light gun. [italian moschetto crossbow bolt]

High road  n. Main road.
Firth  n. (also frith) 1 narrow inlet of sea. 2 estuary. [old norse: related to *fiord]

Teensy  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. = *teeny.
Ko  abbr. Knockout.





Clunk  —n. Dull sound as of thick pieces of metal meeting. —v. Make such a sound. [imitative]
Kayak  n. 1 eskimo one-man canoe of wood and sealskins. 2 small covered canoe. [eskimo]
Sole3  adj. One and only; single, exclusive. [french from latin solus]

Slowcoach  n. Colloq. Slow person.

Transient  adj. Of short duration; passing.  transience n. [latin: related to *trance]
Epoxy resin  n. Synthetic thermosetting resin.

Fraternity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 religious brotherhood. 2 group with common interests, or of the same professional class. 3 us male students' society. 4 brotherliness. [latin: related to *fraternal]
Remarkable  adj. Worth notice; exceptional; striking.  remarkably adv. [french remarquable: related to *remark]






Labyrinth  n. 1 complicated network of passages etc. 2 intricate or tangled arrangement. 3 the complex structure of the inner ear.  labyrinthine adj. [latin from greek]



Spanking  —adj. 1 brisk. 2 colloq. Striking; excellent. —adv. Colloq. Very (spanking new). —n. Slapping on the buttocks.
Misgovern  v. Govern badly.  misgovernment n.
Holography  n. The study or production of holograms.



Delinquent  —n. Offender (juvenile delinquent). —adj. 1 guilty of a minor crime or misdeed. 2 failing in one's duty.  delinquency n. [latin delinquo offend]
Upfront  colloq. —adv. (usu. Up front) 1 at the front; in front. 2 (of payments) in advance. —adj. 1 honest, frank, direct. 2 (of payments) made in advance.

Skydiving  n. Sport of performing acrobatic manoeuvres under free fall before opening a parachute.  skydiver n.

Edge  —n. 1 boundary-line or margin of an area or surface. 2 narrow surface of a thin object. 3 meeting-line of surfaces. 4 a sharpened side of a blade. B sharpness. 5 brink of a precipice. 6 edge-like thing, esp. The crest of a ridge. 7 effectiveness, incisiveness; excitement. —v. (-ging) 1 advance, esp. Gradually or furtively. 2 a provide with an edge or border. B form a border to. 3 sharpen (a tool etc.).  have the edge on (or over) have a slight advantage over. On edge tense and irritable. Set a person's teeth on edge (of taste or sound) cause an unpleasant nervous sensation. Take the edge off make less intense. [old english]


At-home  n. Social reception in a person's home.
Handcraft  —n. = *handicraft. —v. Make by handicraft.
Charge card  n. = *credit card.

Kr  symb. Krypton.

Airfield  n. Area with runway(s) for aircraft.
Portfolio  n. (pl. -s) 1 a folder for loose sheets of paper, drawings, etc. B samples of an artist's work. 2 range of investments held by a person, company, etc. 3 office of a minister of state (cf. *minister without portfolio). [italian portafogli sheet-carrier]
Yea  archaic —adv. 1 yes. 2 indeed (ready, yea eager). —n. Utterance of ‘yea’; ‘yes’ vote. [old english]
Stonechat  n. Small brown bird with black and white markings.
Territorial army  n. Local volunteer reserve force.

Quits  predic. Adj. On even terms by retaliation or repayment.  call it quits acknowledge that things are now even; agree to stop quarrelling. [probably related to *quit]

Oligarch  n. Member of an oligarchy. [greek oligoi few]
Quern  n. Hand-mill for grinding corn. [old english]
Comedienne  n. Female comedian. [french feminine]
Free-standing  adj. Not supported by another structure.
Detest  v. Hate violently, loathe.  detestation n. [latin detestor from testis witness]


D-notice  n. Government notice to news editors not to publish certain items for security reasons. [defence, *notice]
Rubik's cube  n. Cube-shaped puzzle in which composite faces must be restored to single colours by rotation. [rubik, name of its inventor]
Laid  past and past part. Of *lay1.
Invoke  v. (-king) 1 call on (a deity etc.) In prayer or as a witness. 2 appeal to (the law, a person's authority, etc.). 3 summon (a spirit) by charms etc. 4 ask earnestly for (vengeance etc.). [latin voco call]

Ragged  adj. 1 torn; frayed. 2 in ragged clothes. 3 with a broken or jagged outline or surface. 4 faulty, imperfect; lacking finish, smoothness, or uniformity. [old norse]

Run-off  n. Additional election, race, etc., after a tie.
Droll  adj. Quaintly amusing; strange, odd.  drollery n. (pl. -ies). Drolly adv. [french]
Authoritarian  —adj. Favouring or enforcing strict obedience to authority. —n. Authoritarian person.


Gt  n. High-performance saloon car. [italian gran turismo great touring]
Wireworm  n. Destructive larva of a kind of beetle.
Silky  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 soft and smooth like silk. 2 suave.  silkily adv. Silkiness n.
Staunch2  var. Of *stanch.


Self-absorption  n. Absorption in oneself.  self-absorbed adj.
Calamine  n. Powdered form of zinc carbonate and ferric oxide used as a skin lotion. [french from latin]
Swimming-bath  n. (also swimming-pool) artificial pool for swimming.

Chinless  adj. Colloq. Weak or feeble in character.

Error  n. 1 mistake. 2 condition of being morally wrong (led into error).  3 degree of inaccuracy in a calculation etc. (2% error). [latin: related to *err]

Conditional  adj. 1 (often foll. By on) dependent; not absolute; containing a condition. 2 gram. (of a clause, mood, etc.) Expressing a condition.  conditionally adv. [latin: related to *condition]
Test card  n. Still television picture outside normal programme hours used for adjusting brightness, definition, etc.



Crepuscular  adj. 1 a of twilight. B dim. 2 zool. Appearing or active in twilight. [latin crepusculum twilight]


Boxing glove  n. Each of a pair of heavily padded gloves worn in boxing.

Uncorroborated  adj. (esp. Of evidence etc.) Not corroborated.

Heavy petting  n. Erotic fondling that stops short of intercourse.
Repair2  v. (foll. By to) resort; have recourse; go. [latin: related to *repatriate]


Boxwood  n. = *box3 2.

Lesion  n. 1 damage. 2 injury. 3 morbid change in the functioning or texture of an organ etc. [latin laedo laes- injure]

New mathematics  n.pl. (also new maths) (also treated as sing.) System of elementary maths teaching with an emphasis on investigation and set theory.
Wassail  archaic —n. Festive occasion; drinking-bout. —v. Make merry. [old norse ves heill be in health: related to *whole]

Swindle  —v. (-ling) (often foll. By out of) 1 cheat of money etc. 2 cheat a person of (money etc.) (swindled £200 out of him). —n. 1 act of swindling. 2 fraudulent person or thing.  swindler n. [back-formation from swindler from german]

Inflate  v. (-ting) 1 distend with air or gas. 2 (usu. Foll. By with; usu. In passive) puff up (with pride etc.). 3 a cause inflation of (the currency). B raise (prices) artificially. 4 (as inflated adj.) (esp. Of language, opinions, etc.) Bombastic, overblown, exaggerated. [latin inflo -flat-]





Pyrotechnics  n.pl. 1 art of making fireworks. 2 display of fireworks. 3 any brilliant display.  pyrotechnic adj.

Excrescence  n. 1 abnormal or morbid outgrowth on the body or a plant. 2 ugly addition.  excrescent adj. [latin cresco grow]
Ware  n. 1 (esp. In comb.) Things of a specified kind made usu. For sale (chinaware; hardware). 2 (usu. In pl.) Articles for sale. 3 ceramics etc. Of a specified kind (delft ware). [old english]
Stair-rod  n. Rod securing a carpet between two steps.
Spectra  pl. Of *spectrum.
High school  n. 1 grammar school. 2 us & scot. Secondary school.



Headbanger  n. Slang 1 person who shakes his or her head violently to the rhythm of music; fan of loud music. 2 crazy or eccentric person.



Hgv  abbr. Heavy goods vehicle.

Capacitor  n. Device able to store electric charge.

Hock1  n. Joint of a quadruped's hind leg between the knee and the fetlock. [old english]
Greengrocery  n. (pl. -ies) 1 greengrocer's business. 2 goods sold by a greengrocer.
Hyacinth  n. 1 bulbous plant with racemes of bell-shaped (esp. Purplish-blue) fragrant flowers. 2 purplish-blue. [greek huakinthos]
Perch1  —n. 1 bar, branch, etc. Used by a bird to rest on. 2 high place for a person or thing to rest on. 3  hist. Measure of length, esp. For land, of 51/2 yards. —v. (usu. Foll. By on) settle or rest on or as on a perch etc. [latin pertica pole]
Proprietor  n. (fem. Proprietress) 1 holder of property. 2 owner of a business etc., esp. Of a hotel.  proprietorial adj. [related to *proprietary]
Hue and cry  n. Loud outcry. [french huer shout]


Jcr  abbr. Junior common (or combination) room.
Hedge-hop  v. Fly at a very low altitude.

Globe-trotter  n. Colloq. Person who travels widely.  globe-trotting n. & attrib. Adj.


Fug  n. Colloq. Close stuffy atmosphere.  fuggy adj. [origin unknown]
Gnomon  n. Rod or pin etc. On a sundial, showing the time by its shadow. [greek, = indicator]
Usage  see note at emotive.
Consul  n. 1 official appointed by a state to protect its citizens and interests in a foreign city. 2 hist. Either of two chief magistrates in ancient rome.  consular adj. Consulship n. [latin]

Proffer  v. Offer. [french: related to *pro-1, *offer]


Workforce  n. 1 workers engaged or available. 2 number of these.


Flask  n. 1 narrow-necked bulbous bottle for wine etc. Or used in chemistry. 2 = *hip-flask. 3 = *vacuum flask. [latin flasca, flasco: cf. *flagon]
Laid paper  n. Paper with the surface marked in fine ribs.
Saye  abbr. Save-as-you-earn.

Sag  —v. (-gg-) 1 sink or subside, esp. Unevenly. 2 have a downward bulge or curve in the middle. 3 fall in price. —n. State or extent of sagging.  saggy adj. [low german or dutch]
Pygmy  n. (also pigmy) (pl. -ies) (often attrib.) 1 member of a dwarf people of esp. Equatorial africa. 2 very small person, animal, or thing. 3 insignificant person. [latin from greek]
Peak-load  n. Maximum of electric power demand etc.
Mae west  n. Slang inflatable life-jacket. [name of a film actress]

Unsavoury  adj. (us unsavory) 1 disgusting, unpleasant. 2 morally offensive.

Ballistics  n.pl. (usu. Treated as sing.) Science of projectiles and firearms.
D.mus.  Abbr. Doctor of music.


Schoolmaster  n. Head or assistant male teacher.

Guestimate  n. (also guesstimate) colloq. Estimate based on a mixture of guesswork and calculation. [from *guess, *estimate]
Pylon  n. Tall structure, esp. As a support for electric-power cables etc. [greek pule gate]

Thallium  n. Rare soft white metallic element. [greek thallos green shoot]

Lu  symb. Lutetium.
Ideal  —adj. 1 answering to one's highest conception; perfect. 2 existing only in idea; visionary. —n. Perfect type, thing, concept, principle, etc., esp. As a standard to emulate. [french: related to *idea]
Deplorable  adj. Exceedingly bad.  deplorably adv.




Transducer  n. Any device for converting a non-electrical signal into an electrical one, e.g. Pressure into voltage. [latin: related to *duct]
Actuality  n. (pl. -ies) 1 reality. 2 (in pl.) Existing conditions.

Gynaecology  n. (us gynecology) science of the physiological functions and diseases of women.  gynaecological adj. Gynaecologist n. [greek gune gunaik- woman, *-logy]
Necessity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 indispensable thing. 2 pressure of circumstances. 3 imperative need. 4 want; poverty. 5 constraint or compulsion regarded as a natural law governing all human action.  of necessity unavoidably.
Knit  v. (-tt-; past and past part. Knitted or (esp. In senses 2–4) knit) 1 (also absol.) A make (a garment etc.) By interlocking loops of esp. Wool with knitting-needles or a knitting-machine. B make (a plain stitch) in knitting (knit one, purl one). 2 momentarily wrinkle (the forehead) or (of the forehead) become momentarily wrinkled. 3 (often foll. By together) make or become close or compact. 4 (often foll. By together) (of a broken bone) become joined; heal.  knit up make or repair by knitting.  knitter n. [old english]




Primp  v. 1 make (the hair, clothes, etc.) Tidy. 2 refl. Make (oneself) smart. [var. Of *prim]
Human rights  n.pl. Rights held to be common to all.

Runt  n. 1 smallest pig etc. In a litter. 2 weakling; undersized person. [origin unknown]


Disenfranchise  v. (also disfranchise) (-sing) 1 deprive of the right to vote or to be represented. 2 deprive of rights as a citizen or of a franchise held.  disenfranchisement n.
Energy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 capacity for activity, force, vigour. 2 capacity of matter or radiation to do work. [greek ergon work]






Re-count  —v. Count again. —n. Re-counting, esp. Of votes in an election.
Unused  adj. 1  a not in use. B never having been used. 2  (foll. By to) not accustomed.
Recorded delivery  n. Post office service in which the dispatch and receipt of an item are recorded.
Sapper  n. 1 person who digs saps. 2 soldier of the royal engineers (esp. As the official term for a private).

Lent  past and past part. Of *lend.

Pah  int. Expressing disgust or contempt. [natural exclamation]


Roly-poly  —n. (pl. -ies) (also roly-poly pudding) pudding made of a rolled strip of suet pastry covered with jam etc. And boiled or baked. —adj. Podgy, plump. [probably *roll]

Hedonism  n. 1 belief in pleasure as mankind's proper aim. 2 behaviour based on this.  hedonist n. Hedonistic adj. [greek hedone pleasure]

Backbiting  n. Malicious talk.  backbite v.
Heart-lung machine  n. Machine that temporarily takes over the functions of the heart and lungs.

Gr  abbr. (also gr.) 1 gram(s). 2 grains. 3 gross.
Yardage  n. Number of yards of material etc.
Literati  n.pl. The class of learned people.

Backrest  n. Support for the back.

Ectomorph  n. Person with a lean body. [greek morphe form]


Traveller  n. (us traveler) 1 person who travels or is travelling. 2 travelling salesman. 3 gypsy.




Franc  n. Unit of currency of france, belgium, switzerland, etc. [french: related to *frank]


Billow  —n. 1 wave. 2 any large mass. —v. Rise, fill, or surge in billows.  billowy adj. [old norse]

Fortification  n. 1 act of fortifying. 2 (usu. In pl.) Defensive works, walls, etc.
Rheumatoid  adj. Having the character of rheumatism.
Looker-on  n. (pl. Lookers-on) spectator.
Stonewall  v. 1 obstruct (a discussion or investigation) with evasive answers etc. 2 cricket bat with excessive caution.
Sweet-brier  n. Wild rose with small fragrant leaves.
Salmonella  n. (pl. -llae) 1 bacterium causing food poisoning. 2 such food poisoning. [salmon, name of a veterinary surgeon]
Cavity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 hollow within a solid body. 2 decayed part of a tooth. [latin: related to *cave]




Prospective  adj. Some day to be; expected; future (prospective bridegroom). [latin: related to *prospectus]

Firry  see *fir.
North-west  —n. 1 point of the horizon midway between north and west. 2 direction in which this lies. —adj. Of, towards, or coming from the north-west. —adv. Towards, at, or near the north-west.
Zebra crossing  n. Striped street-crossing where pedestrians have precedence.

Cabin  n. 1 small shelter or house, esp. Of wood. 2 room or compartment in an aircraft or ship for passengers or crew. 3 driver's cab. [french from latin]


Expropriate  v. (-ting) 1 take away (property) from its owner. 2 (foll. By from) dispossess.  expropriation n. Expropriator n. [latin proprium property]






Equipment  n. 1 necessary articles, clothing, etc. 2 equipping or being equipped. [french: related to *equip]



Ruc  abbr. Royal ulster constabulary.


Provide  v. (-ding) 1 supply, furnish (provided me with food; provided a chance). 2 a (usu. Foll. By for, against) make due preparation. B (usu. Foll. By for) take care of a person etc. With money, food, etc. (provides for a large family). 3 (usu. Foll. By that) stipulate in a will, statute, etc.  provider n. [latin provideo -vis- foresee]
Scan  —v. (-nn-) 1 look at intently or quickly. 2 (of a verse etc.) Be metrically correct. 3 a examine (a surface etc.) To detect radioactivity etc. B traverse (a particular region) with a radar etc. Beam. 4 resolve (a picture) into its elements of light and shade for esp. Television transmission. 5 analyse the metrical structure of (verse). 6 obtain an image of (part of the body) using a scanner. —n. 1 scanning. 2 image obtained by scanning. [latin scando climb, scan]

Smash-and-grab  n. Robbery in which a shop-window is smashed and goods seized.

Scuttle2  —v. (-ling) scurry; flee from danger etc. —n. Hurried gait; precipitate flight. [perhaps related to dial. Scuddle frequentative of *scud]
Muscular  adj. 1 of or affecting the muscles. 2 having well-developed muscles. 3 robust.  muscularity n.

Ninth  adj. & n. 1 next after eighth. 2 any of nine equal parts of a thing.  ninthly adv.
Threesome  n. Group of three persons.
Chloral  n. 1 colourless liquid aldehyde used in making ddt. 2 (in full chloral hydrate) pharm. Crystalline solid made from this and used as a sedative. [french: related to *chlorine, *alcohol]

Prolegomenon  n. (pl. -mena) (usu. In pl.) Preface to a book etc., esp. When critical or discursive. [greek lego say]
Surplice  n. Loose white vestment worn by clergy and choristers. [anglo-french surplis]



Told  past and past part. Of *tell.

Enuresis  n. Involuntary urination. [greek enoureo urinate in]

Paleocene  (brit. Palaeocene) geol. —adj. Of the earliest epoch of the tertiary period. —n. This epoch or system. [from *palaeo-, greek kainos new]
Pontiff  n. Pope. [latin pontifex -fic- priest]

Pelvis  n. Basin-shaped cavity in most vertebrates, formed from the hip-bone with the sacrum and other vertebrae.  pelvic adj. [latin, = basin]


Photo opportunity  n. Organized opportunity for the press etc. To photograph a celebrity.
Slip-up  n. Colloq. Mistake.
Unmarked  adj. 1 not marked. 2 not noticed.
Weeds  n.pl. (in full widow's weeds) archaic deep mourning worn by a widow. [old english, = garment]

Yashmak  n. Veil concealing the face except the eyes, worn by some muslim women. [arabic]
Half-caste  n. Offens. Person of mixed race.
Pullet  n. Young hen, esp. One less than one year old. [latin pullus]
Dentifrice  n. Toothpaste or tooth powder. [latin: related to *dental, frico rub]
Early  —adj. & adv. (-ier, -iest) 1 before the due, usual, or expected time. 2 a not far on in the day or night, or in time (early evening; at the earliest opportunity). B prompt (early payment appreciated). 3 not far on in a period, development, or process of evolution; being the first stage (early english architecture; early spring). 4 forward in flowering, ripening, etc. (early peaches). —n. (pl. -ies) (usu. In pl.) Early fruit or vegetable.  earliness n. [old english: related to *ere]

Paedo-  comb. Form (us pedo-) child. [greek pais paid- child]



Archangel  n. Angel of the highest rank.
Din  —n. Prolonged loud confused noise. —v. (-nn-) (foll. By into) force (information) into a person by constant repetition; make a din. [old english]
Tsar  n. (also czar) (fem. Tsarina) hist. Title of the former emperors of russia.  tsarist n. (usu. Attrib.). [latin caesar]



Mailbag  n. Large sack for carrying mail.
Hot dog  n. Colloq. Hot sausage in a soft roll.


Lowbrow  —adj. Not intellectual or cultured. —n. Lowbrow person.

Meltdown  n. 1 melting of a structure, esp. The overheated core of a nuclear reactor. 2 disastrous event, esp. A rapid fall in share values.
Brooch  n. Ornamental hinged pin. [french broche: related to *broach]

Misc.  Abbr. Miscellaneous.

Lotus-eater  n. Person given to indolent enjoyment.
Tee-hee  (also te-hee) —int. Expressing esp. Derisive amusement. —n. Titter, giggle. —v. (-hees, -heed) titter, giggle. [imitative]
British english  n. English as used in great britain.
Halt2  —v. (esp. As halting adj.) Proceed hesitantly. —adj. Archaic lame.  haltingly adv. [old english]


Chimera  n. 1 (in greek mythology) monster with a lion's head, goat's body, and serpent's tail. 2 bogey. 3 wild or fantastic conception.  chimerical adj. [latin from greek]


Tambour  n. 1 drum. 2 circular frame holding fabric taut for embroidering. [french: related to *tabor]
Tomfool  —n. Foolish person. —attrib. Adj. Silly, foolish.

Britannia  n. Personification of britain, esp. As a helmeted woman with shield and trident. [latin]
Swing  —v. (past and past part. Swung) 1 a (cause to) move with a to-and-fro or curving motion, as of an object attached at one end and hanging free at the other; sway. B hang so as to be free to swing. 2 oscillate or revolve. 3 move by gripping something and leaping etc. (swung from tree to tree). 4 walk with a swing. 5 (foll. By round) move to face the opposite direction. 6 change one's opinion or mood. 7 (foll. By at) attempt to hit. 8  (also swing it) play (music) with a swing rhythm. 9 colloq. (of a party etc.) Be lively etc. 10 have a decisive influence on (voting etc.). 11 colloq. Achieve, manage. 12 colloq. Be executed by hanging. —n. 1 act, motion, or extent of swinging. 2 swinging or smooth gait, rhythm, or action. 3 a seat slung by ropes etc. For swinging on or in. B period of swinging on this. 4 a jazz or dance music with an easy flowing rhythm. B rhythmic feeling or drive of this. 5 discernible change, esp. In votes or points scored etc.  swings and roundabouts situation affording equal gain and loss.  swinger n. [old english]
Combo  n. (pl. -s) slang small jazz or dance band. [abbreviation of *combination]

Lse  abbr. London school of economics.


Stigma  n. (pl. -s or, esp. In sense 3, stigmata) 1 shame, disgrace. 2 part of the pistil that receives the pollen in pollination. 3 (in pl.) (in christian belief) marks like those on christ's body after the crucifixion, appearing on the bodies of certain saints etc. [greek stigma -mat- brand, dot]


Fund  —n. 1 permanently available stock (fund of knowledge). 2 sum of money, esp. Set apart for a purpose. 3 (in pl.) Money resources. —v. 1 provide with money. 2 make (a debt) permanent at fixed interest.  in funds colloq. Having money to spend. [latin fundus bottom]
Closed-circuit  adj. (of television) transmitted by wires to a restricted set of receivers.



Hieratic  adj. 1 of priests. 2 of the ancient egyptian hieroglyphic writing as used by priests. [greek hiereus priest]




Pop.  Abbr. Population.
Invitation  n. 1 inviting or being invited. 2 letter or card etc. Used to invite.
Dietitian  n. (also dietician) expert in dietetics.

Chapatti  n. (also chapati, chupatty) (pl. Chapat(t)is or chupatties) flat thin cake of unleavened bread. [hindi]
-ly1  suffix forming adjectives, esp. From nouns, meaning: 1 having the qualities of (princely). 2 recurring at intervals of (daily). [old english]

Sr.  Abbr. 1 senior. 2 señor. 3 signor.
-or  suffix forming nouns denoting esp. An agent (actor; escalator) or condition (error; horror). [latin]
Ordination  n. Conferring of holy orders, ordaining.

Upper crust  n. Colloq. (prec. By the) the aristocracy.

Don't  —contr. Do not. —n. Prohibition (dos and don'ts).

Tinsmith  n. Worker in tin and tin plate.

Touch-line  n. (in various sports) either of the lines marking the side boundaries of the pitch.
Represent2  v. Submit (a cheque etc.) Again for payment.
Rowel  n. Spiked revolving disc at the end of a spur. [latin rotella diminutive: related to *rota]
Steam  —n. 1 a gas into which water is changed by boiling. B condensed vapour formed from this. 2 a power obtained from steam. B colloq. Power or energy. —v. 1 a cook (food) in steam. B treat with steam. 2 give off steam. 3 a move under steam power. B (foll. By ahead, away, etc.) Colloq. Proceed or travel fast or with vigour. 4 (usu. Foll. By up) a cover or become covered with condensed steam. B (as steamed up adj.) Colloq. Angry or excited. [old english]
Hallelujah  var. Of *alleluia.

Inaugurate  v. (-ting) 1 admit formally to office. 2 begin (an undertaking) or initiate the public use of (a building etc.), with a ceremony. 3 begin, introduce.  inauguration n. Inaugurator n.
Deduce  v. (-cing) (often foll. By from) infer logically.  deducible adj. [latin duco duct- lead]

Deride  v. (-ding) mock.  derision n. [latin rideo laugh]
Theft  n. Act of stealing. [old english: related to *thief]

Turgid  adj. 1 swollen, inflated. 2 (of language) pompous, bombastic.  turgidity n. [latin turgeo swell]

Reinvest  v. Invest again (esp. Proceeds or interest).  reinvestment n.
Decipher  v. 1 convert (coded information) into intelligible language. 2 determine the meaning of (unclear handwriting etc.).  decipherable adj.

Chisel  —n. Hand tool with a squared bevelled blade for shaping wood, stone, or metal. —v. 1 (-ll-; us -l-) cut or shape with a chisel. 2 (as chiselled adj.) (of facial features) clear-cut, fine. 3 slang cheat. [latin caedo cut]






Far-fetched  adj. Unconvincing, incredible.
Brown coal  n. = *lignite.

Sanitarium  n. (pl. -s or -ria) us = *sanatorium. [related to *sanitary]
Sassenach  n. Scot. & ir. Usu. Derog. English person. [gaelic sasunnoch]

Wallaby  n. (pl. -ies) marsupial similar to but smaller than a kangaroo. [aboriginal]

Time capsule  n. Box etc. Containing objects typical of the present time, buried for future discovery.



Mongolism  n. = *down's syndrome.

Zend-avesta  n. Zoroastrian sacred writings of the avesta (or text) and zend (or commentary).
Ambition  n. 1 determination to succeed. 2 object of this. [latin, = canvassing: related to *ambience]

Un-american  adj. 1 uncharacteristic of americans. 2 contrary to us interests, treasonable.
Halfwit  n. Foolish or stupid person.  halfwitted adj.

Exclaim  v. 1 cry out suddenly. 2 (foll. By that) utter by exclaiming. [latin: related to *claim]
Imago  n. (pl. -s or imagines) fully developed stage of an insect, e.g. A butterfly. [latin: see *image]



Midnight  n. Middle of the night; 12 o'clock at night. [old english]



Coffee-mill  n. Small machine for grinding roasted coffee beans.

Inconclusive  adj. (of an argument, evidence, or action) not decisive or convincing.
So-and-so  n. (pl. -so's) 1 particular but unspecified person or thing. 2 colloq. Objectionable person.
Unsafe  adj. Not safe.
Out-  prefix in senses 1 so as to surpass or exceed (outdo). 2 external, separate (outline). 3 out of; away from; outward (outgrowth).
Jobber  n. 1 person who jobs. 2 hist. Principal or wholesaler on the stock exchange.




Erectile  adj. That can become erect (esp. Of body tissue in sexual excitement). [french: related to *erect]

Chiltern hundreds  n.pl. Crown manor, whose administration is a nominal office for which an mp applies as a way of resigning from the house of commons. [chiltern hills in s. England]
Flame-thrower  n. Weapon for throwing a spray of flame.
Direct current  n. Electric current flowing in one direction only.
Service industry  n. Industry providing services, not goods.

Planchette  n. Small board on castors with a pencil, said to write spirit messages when a person's fingers rest lightly on it. [french diminutive: related to *plank]
Changeling  n. Child believed to be substituted for another.

Pantheism  n. 1 belief that god is in all nature. 2 worship that admits or tolerates all gods.  pantheist n. Pantheistic adj. [greek theos god]
Residence  n. 1 process of residing or being resident. 2 a place where a person resides. B house, esp. One of pretension.  in residence living or working at a specified place, esp. For the performance of duties (artist in residence).
Disparage  v. (-ging) 1 criticize; belittle. 2 bring discredit on.  disparagement n. [french: related to *dis-, parage rank]





Polysaccharide  n. Any of a group of complex carbohydrates, e.g. Starch. [see *saccharin]


Fantail  n. Pigeon with a broad tail.

Corselette  n. Combined corset and bra. [french corslet armour covering trunk]
Ocarina  n. Small egg-shaped musical wind-instrument. [italian oca goose]


Flitter-mouse  n. = *bat2.
Hermitage  n. 1 hermit's dwelling. 2 secluded dwelling.

Self-reliance  n. Reliance on one's own resources etc.; independence.  self-reliant adj.

Elf  n. (pl. Elves) mythological being, esp. One that is small and mischievous.  elfish adj. Elvish adj. [old english]
Mollycoddle  v. (-ling) coddle, pamper. [related to *moll, *coddle]

Yoghurt  n. (also yogurt) semi-solid sourish food made from milk fermented by added bacteria. [turkish]

Affiliation order  n. Legal order against the supposed father of an illegitimate child for support.
Backdrop  n. = *backcloth.

Midsummer madness  n. Extreme folly.

Promising  adj. Likely to turn out well; hopeful, full of promise (promising start).  promisingly adv.
Hit-and-run  attrib. Adj. 1 (of a driver, raider, etc.) Causing damage or injury and leaving the scene immediately. 2 (of an accident, attack, etc.) Perpetrated by such a person or people.


Baa  —v. (baas, baaed or baa'd) bleat. —n. Sheep's cry. [imitative]
Damp squib  n. Unsuccessful attempt to impress etc.

Anglo-norman  —adj. English and norman. —n. Norman dialect used in england after the norman conquest.
Weepy  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Inclined to weep; tearful.
Veleta  n. Ballroom dance in triple time. [spanish, = weather-vane]
Epaulet  n. (brit. Epaulette) ornamental shoulder-piece on a coat etc., esp. On a uniform. [french épaule shoulder]

Treble clef  n. Clef placing the g above middle c on the second lowest line of the staff.


Khan  n. Title of rulers and officials in central asia, afghanistan, etc.  khanate n. [turki, = lord]



Countervail  v. Literary 1 counterbalance. 2 (often foll. By against) oppose, usu. Successfully. [latin valeo have worth]


Darn1  —v. Mend (cloth etc.) By filling a hole with stitching. —n. Darned area. [origin uncertain]




Cilium  n. (pl. Cilia) 1 minute hairlike structure on the surface of many animal cells. 2 eyelash.  ciliary adj. Ciliate adj. [latin, = eyelash]

Inflight  attrib. Adj. Occurring or provided during a flight.
Metre1  n. (us meter) metric unit and the base si unit of linear measure, equal to about 39.4 inches.  metreage n. [greek metron measure]
Ribald  adj. Coarsely or disrespectfully humorous; obscene. [french riber be licentious]
Buckskin  n. 1 leather from a buck's skin. 2 thick smooth cotton or woollen cloth.

Gravity  n. 1 a force that attracts a body to the centre of the earth etc. B degree of intensity of this. C gravitational force. 2 property of having weight. 3 a importance, seriousness. B solemnity. [latin: related to *grave2]

Oust  v. Drive out or expel, esp. By seizing the place of. [latin obsto oppose]

Tenosynovitis  n. Injury of esp. A wrist tendon resulting from repetitive strain. [greek tenon tendon, *synovia]
Means test  —n. Inquiry into income as a basis for eligibility for state benefit etc. —v. (means-test) subject to or base on a means test.
Parent company  n. Company of which others are subsidiaries.
Divvy  colloq. —n. (pl. -ies) dividend. —v. (-ies, -ied) (often foll. By up) share out. [abbreviation]
Gala  n. Festive occasion or gathering (swimming gala). [ultimately from french gale rejoicing from germanic]
Communication(s) satellite  n. Artificial satellite used to relay telephone circuits or broadcast programmes.
Cockerel  n. Young cock. [diminutive of *cock1]
Wolverine  n. N. American animal of the weasel family. [related to *wolf]
Vitamin b complex  n. Any of a group of vitamins often found together in foods.

Drill3  n. Coarse twilled cotton or linen fabric. [latin trilix having three threads]

Dept.  Abbr. Department.
Blood donor  n. Person giving blood for transfusion.

Tablespoon  n. 1 large spoon for serving food. 2 amount held by this.  tablespoonful n. (pl. -s).
Haystack  n. (also hayrick) packed pile of hay with a pointed or ridged top.
Emphysema  n. Disease of the lungs causing breathlessness. [greek emphusao puff up]



Skua  n. Large predatory sea bird. [old norse]

Continental breakfast  n. Light breakfast of coffee, rolls, etc.
Non-event  n. Insignificant event, esp. Contrary to hopes or expectations.
Federate  —v. (-ting) unite on a federal basis. —adj. Federally organized.  federative adj.



Unclear  adj. 1 not clear or easy to understand. 2 (of a person) uncertain (i'm unclear as to what you mean).
Spill1  —v. (past and past part. Spilt or spilled) 1 fall or run or cause (liquid, powder, etc.) To fall or run out of a container, esp. Accidentally. 2 a throw from a vehicle, saddle, etc. B (foll. By into, out etc.) (esp. Of a crowd) leave a place quickly. 3 slang disclose (information etc.). 4 shed (blood). —n. 1 spilling or being spilt. 2 tumble, esp. From a horse, bicycle, etc.  spill the beans colloq. Divulge information etc. Spill over overflow.  spillage n. [old english]
Tie  —v. (tying) 1 attach or fasten with string or cord etc. 2 a form (a string, ribbon, shoelace, necktie, etc.) Into a knot or bow. B form (a knot or bow) in this way. 3 (often foll. By down) restrict (a person) in some way (is tied to his job). 4 (often foll. By with) achieve the same score or place as another competitor (tied with her for first place). 5 hold (rafters etc.) Together by a crosspiece etc. 6 mus. Unite (written notes) by a tie. —n. 1 cord or wire etc. Used for fastening. 2 strip of material worn round the collar and tied in a knot at the front. 3 thing that unites or restricts persons (family ties). 4 draw, dead heat, or equality of score among competitors. 5 match between any pair from a group of competing players or teams. 6 (also tie-beam etc.) Rod or beam holding parts of a structure together. 7 mus. Curved line above or below two notes of the same pitch indicating that they are to be played without a break between them.  tie in (foll. By with) bring into or have a close association or agreement. Tie up 1 bind securely with cord etc. 2 invest or reserve (capital etc.) So that it is not immediately available for use. 3 (often foll. By with) = tie in. 4 (usu. In passive) fully occupy (a person). 5 bring to a satisfactory conclusion. [old english]
Impertinent  adj. 1 insolent, disrespectful. 2 esp. Law irrelevant.  impertinence n. Impertinently adv.
Wooded  adj. Having woods or many trees.




Interpreter  n. Person who interprets, esp. One who translates foreign speech orally.


Fosse  n. Long ditch or trench, esp. In a fortification. [latin fossa]
Mixer  n. 1 machine for mixing foods etc. 2 person who manages socially in a specified way (a good mixer). 3 (usu. Soft) drink to be mixed with another. 4 device that receives two or more separate signals from microphones etc. And combines them in a single output.

Double-think  n. Capacity to accept contrary opinions at the same time.


Rebellion  n. Open resistance to authority, esp. Organized armed resistance to an established government. [latin: related to *rebel]
Duty-free shop  n. Shop at an airport etc. Selling duty-free goods.







Impolite  adj. (impolitest) ill-mannered, uncivil, rude.  impolitely adv. Impoliteness n.

Histogram  n. Statistical diagram of rectangles with areas proportional to the value of a number of variables. [greek histos mast]
En  n. Printing unit of measurement equal to half an em. [name of the letter n]


Bull3  n. 1 slang a nonsense. B unnecessary routine tasks. 2 absurdly illogical statement. [origin unknown]


Floodlight  —n. Large powerful light (usu. One of several) to illuminate a building, sports ground, etc. —v. Illuminate with floodlights.  floodlit adj.
Sperm whale  n. Large whale yielding spermaceti.
Far-reaching  adj. Widely influential or applicable.



Raven  —n. Large glossy blue-black crow with a hoarse cry. —adj. Glossy black. [old english]




Effusion  n. 1 outpouring. 2 derog. Unrestrained flow of words. [latin: related to *effuse]

World-beater  n. Person or thing surpassing all others.
Birthmark  n. Unusual coloured mark on one's body at or from birth.



Silicon  n. Chem. Non-metallic element occurring widely in silica and silicates.




Entail  —v. 1 necessitate or involve unavoidably (entails much effort). 2 law bequeath (an estate) to a specified line of beneficiaries so that it cannot be sold or given away. —n. Law 1 entailed estate. 2 succession to such an estate. [related to *tail2] 
Prefer  v. (-rr-) 1 (often foll. By to, or to + infin.) Like better (prefers coffee to tea). 2 submit (information, an accusation, etc.) For consideration. 3 promote or advance (a person). [latin praefero -lat-]
Cassis  n. Blackcurrant flavouring for drinks etc. [french]

Effervesce  v. (-cing) 1 give off bubbles of gas. 2 be lively.  effervescence n. Effervescent adj. [latin: related to *fervent]
Splendour  n. (us splendor) dazzling brightness; magnificence. [latin splendeo shine]
Swag  n. 1 slang booty of burglars etc. 2 austral. & nz traveller's bundle. 3 festoon of flowers, foliage, drapery, etc.  swagged adj. [probably scandinavian]
Prude  n. Excessively (often affectedly) squeamish or sexually modest person.  prudery n. Prudish adj. Prudishly adv. Prudishness n. [french: related to *proud]
Crown prince  n. Male heir to a throne.
Blast-furnace  n. Smelting furnace into which hot air is driven.



Pendent  adj. Formal 1 a hanging. B overhanging. 2 undecided, pending.  pendency n.
Reinforced concrete  n. Concrete with metal bars or wire etc. Embedded to increase its strength.

Resoluble  adj. 1 that can be resolved. 2 (foll. By into) analysable into. [latin: related to *resolve]
Personify  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 represent (an abstraction or thing) as having human characteristics. 2 symbolize (a quality etc.) By a figure in human form. 3 (usu. As personified adj.) Be a typical example of; embody (she personifies youthful arrogance; he was niceness personified).  personification n.
Sheikh  n. 1 chief or head of an arab tribe, family, or village. 2 muslim leader.  sheikhdom n. [arabic]

Argon  n. Inert gaseous element. [greek argos idle]

Pedant  n. Derog. Person who insists on adherence to formal rules or literal meaning.  pedantic adj. Pedantically adv. Pedantry n.  [french from italian]



Die-hard  n. Conservative or stubborn person.


Unpronounceable  adj. That cannot be pronounced.


Undaunted  adj. Not daunted.



Nonagon  n. Plane figure with nine sides and angles. [latin nonus ninth, after *hexagon]



Barley water  n. Drink made from a boiled barley mixture.

Plot  —n. 1 defined and usu. Small piece of land. 2 interrelationship of the main events in a play, novel, film, etc. 3 conspiracy or secret plan. —v. (-tt-) 1 make a plan or map of. 2 (also absol.) Plan or contrive secretly (a crime etc.). 3 mark on a chart or diagram. 4  make (a curve etc.) By marking out a number of points. 5  provide (a play, novel, film, etc.) With a plot.  plotter n. [old english and french complot]

Rice-paper  n. Edible paper made from the pith of an oriental tree and used for painting and in cookery.



Drawback  n. Disadvantage.



Hyperthyroidism  n. Overactivity of the thyroid gland, resulting in an increased rate of metabolism.

Usage  in 1968 larceny was replaced as a statutory crime in english law by theft.
Displacement  n. 1 displacing or being displaced. 2 amount of fluid displaced by an object floating or immersed in it.
Scrumpy  n. Colloq. Rough cider. [dial. Scrump small apple]


Filing  n. (usu. In pl.) Particle rubbed off by a file.
Battering-ram  n. Hist. Beam used in breaching fortifications.
Philology  n. The study of language, esp. In its historical and comparative aspects.  philological adj. Philologist n. [french from latin from greek: related to *philo-, *-logy]


Matchboard  n. Tongued and grooved board fitting with similar boards.

Pincer movement  n. Movement by two wings of an army converging to surround an enemy.

Stray  —v. 1 wander from the right place or from one's companions; go astray. 2 deviate morally or mentally. —n. Strayed person, animal, or thing. —adj. 1 strayed, lost. 2 isolated, occasional. 3 physics wasted or unwanted. [anglo-french strey: related to *astray]



Eagle  n. 1 a large bird of prey with keen vision and powerful flight. B this as a symbol, esp. Of the us. 2 score of two strokes under par at any hole in golf. [latin aquila]

Solicitor  n. Lawyer qualified to advise clients and instruct barristers. [french: related to *solicit]
Usage  worth while (two words) is used only predicatively, as in thought it worth while to ring the police, whereas worthwhile is used both predicatively and attributively.
Parkinson's disease  n. (also parkinsonism) progressive disease of the nervous system with tremor, muscular rigidity, and emaciation. [parkinson, name of a surgeon]
Solitary  —adj. 1 living or being alone; not gregarious; lonely. 2 secluded. 3 single, sole. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 recluse. 2 colloq. = *solitary confinement.   solitariness n. [latin solitarius from solus alone]
Desirable  adj. 1 worth having or doing. 2 sexually attractive.  desirability n. Desirableness n. Desirably adv.



Regime  n. (also régime) 1 method or system of government. 2 prevailing order or system of things. 3 regimen. [french: related to *regimen]
Eider  n. Any of various large northern ducks. [icelandic]
Zulu  —n. (pl. -s) 1 member of a s. African bantu people. 2 their language. —adj. Of this people or language. [native name]



Actionable  adj. Giving cause for legal action.
Screenwriter  n. Person who writes for the cinema.
Brace and bit  n. Revolving tool for boring, with a d-shaped central handle.
Military honours  n.pl. Burial rites of a soldier, royalty, etc., performed by the military.
Sty2  n. (also stye) (pl. Sties or styes) inflamed swelling on the edge of an eyelid. [old english]


Dust  —n. 1 finely powdered earth or other material etc. (pollen dust). 2 dead person's remains. 3 confusion, turmoil. —v. 1 wipe the dust from (furniture etc.). 2 a sprinkle with powder, sugar, etc. B sprinkle (sugar, powder, etc.).  dust down 1 dust the clothes of. 2 colloq. Reprimand. 3 = dust off. Dust off 1 remove the dust from. 2 use again after a long period. When the dust settles when things quieten down. [old english]

Square-rigged  adj. With the principal sails at right angles to the length of the ship.
Salaam  —n. 1 (chiefly as a muslim greeting) peace! 2 muslim low bow with the right palm on the forehead. 3 (in pl.) Respectful compliments. —v. Make a salaam (to). [arabic]
Pill  n. 1 a ball or flat disc of solid medicine for swallowing whole. B (usu. Prec. By the) colloq. Contraceptive pill. 2 unpleasant or painful necessity. [latin pila ball]
Decameter  n. (brit. -metre) metric unit of length, equal to 10 metres.
Locus classicus  n. (pl. Loci classici) best known or most authoritative passage on a subject. [latin: related to *locus]

Increase  —v. (-sing) make or become greater or more numerous. —n. 1 growth, enlargement. 2 (of people, animals, or plants) multiplication. 3 amount or extent of an increase.  on the increase increasing. [latin cresco grow]
Laid up  adj. Confined to bed or the house.
Subterranean  adj. Underground. [latin terra land]

Stockyard  n. Enclosure for the sorting or temporary keeping of cattle.

Shoplift  v. Steal goods while appearing to shop.  shoplifter n.
Missive  n. 1 joc. Letter. 2 official letter. [latin: related to *missile]
Unguarded  adj. 1 incautious, thoughtless (unguarded remark). 2 not guarded.

De luxe  adj. Luxurious; superior; sumptuous. [french, = of luxury]
Cf.  Abbr. Compare. [latin confer]
Gipsy  var. Of *gypsy.




Fetch  —v. 1 go for and bring back (fetch a doctor). 2 be sold for (a price) (fetched £10). 3 cause (blood, tears, etc.) To flow. 4 draw (breath), heave (a sigh). 5 colloq. Give (a blow etc.) (fetched him a slap). —n.


H1  n. (also h) (pl. Hs or h's) 1 eighth letter of the alphabet (see *aitch). 2 anything having the form of an h (esp. In comb.: h-girder).
Glacial  adj. 1 of ice. 2 geol. Characterized or produced by ice. [latin glacies ice]
Supremo  n. (pl. -s)  person in overall charge. [spanish, = *supreme]


Unseen  —adj. 1 not seen. 2 invisible. 3 (of a translation) to be done without preparation. —n. Unseen translation.

Strychnine  n. Highly poisonous alkaloid used in small doses as a stimulant. [greek strukhnos nightshade]

Jiff  n. (also jiffy, pl. -ies) colloq. Short time; moment (in a jiffy). [origin unknown]
Cromlech  n. 1 dolmen. 2 prehistoric stone circle. [welsh]

Certified cheque  n. Cheque guaranteed by a bank.

Colorless  adj. (brit. Colour-) 1 without colour. 2 lacking character or interest.
Altercate  v. (-ting) (often foll. By with) dispute, wrangle.  altercation n. [latin]

Maundy  n. Distribution of maundy money. [french mandé from latin mandatum command]


Usage  the use of owing to as a preposition meaning ‘because of’ is entirely acceptable (e.g. Couldn't come owing to the snow), unlike this use of due to.

Binoculars  n.pl. Instrument with a lens for each eye, for viewing distant objects.
Widower  n. Man who has lost his wife by death and not married again.

Pharmacist  n. Person qualified to prepare and dispense drugs.
Interracial  adj. Between or affecting different races.
Stairway  n. = *staircase.
Laud  —v. Praise or extol. —n. 1 praise; hymn of praise. 2 (in pl.) The first morning prayer of the roman catholic church. [latin laus laud-]
Patriarchate  n. 1 office, see, or residence of a church patriarch. 2 rank of a tribal patriarch.
Cyst  n. Sac formed in the body, containing liquid matter. [greek kustis bladder]

Hellish  —adj. 1 of or like hell. 2 colloq. Extremely difficult or unpleasant. —adv. Colloq. Extremely (hellish expensive).  hellishly adv.
Import  —v. 1 bring in (esp. Foreign goods or services) to a country. 2 imply, indicate, signify. —n. 1 (esp. In pl.) Imported article or service. 2 importing. 3 what is implied; meaning. 4 importance.  importation n. Importer n. [latin importo carry in] 


Smoothie  n. Colloq., often derog. Smooth person.





Mush  n. 1 soft pulp. 2 feeble sentimentality. 3 us maize porridge. [apparently var. Of *mash]







Ovoid  adj. (of a solid) egg-shaped. [related to *ovum]
Chronicle  —n. Register of events in order of occurrence. —v. (-ling) record (events) thus. [greek khronika: related to *chronic]

Lower2  v. 1 let or haul down. 2 make or become lower. 3 degrade.


Penalize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 subject (a person) to a penalty or disadvantage. 2 make or declare (an action) penal.

Hulking  adj. Colloq. Bulky; clumsy.
Underlay2  past of *underlie.

Spur  —n. 1 small spike or spiked wheel worn on a rider's heel for urging on a horse. 2 stimulus, incentive. 3 spur-shaped thing, esp.: a a projection from a mountain or mountain range. B a branch road or railway. C a hard projection on a cock's leg. —v. (-rr-) 1 prick (a horse) with spurs. 2 incite or stimulate.  on the spur of the moment on impulse. [old english]






Sec1  abbr. Secant.

Guest  n. 1 person invited to visit another's house or to have a meal etc. At another's expense. 2 person lodging at a hotel etc. 3 outside performer invited to take part with a regular body of performers. [old norse]


Elevate  v. (-ting) 1 raise, lift up. 2 exalt in rank etc. 3 (usu. As elevated adj.) Raise morally or intellectually. [latin levo lift]

Inscribe  v. (-bing) 1 a (usu. Foll. By in, on) write or carve (words etc.) On a surface, page, etc. B (usu. Foll. By with) mark (a surface) with characters. 2 (usu. Foll. By to) write an informal dedication in or on (a book etc.). 3 enter the name of (a person) on a list or in a book. 4 geom. Draw (a figure) within another so that points of it lie on the boundary of the other. [latin scribo write]
Parotid  —adj. Situated near the ear. —n. (in full parotid gland) salivary gland in front of the ear. [greek: related to *para-1, ous ot- ear]

Carton  n. Light esp. Cardboard box or container. [french: related to *cartoon]

Controversy  n. (pl. -ies) prolonged argument or dispute. [latin: related to *controvert]

Gay  —adj. 1 light-hearted, cheerful. 2 brightly coloured. 3 colloq. Homosexual. 4 colloq. Careless, thoughtless (gay abandon). —n. Colloq. (esp. Male) homosexual.  gayness n. [french]

Smoke  —n. 1 visible vapour from a burning substance. 2 act of smoking tobacco. 3 colloq. Cigarette or cigar. —v. (-king) 1 a inhale and exhale the smoke of (a cigarette etc.). B do this habitually. 2 emit smoke or visible vapour. 3 darken or preserve with smoke (smoked salmon).  go up in smoke colloq. Come to nothing. Smoke out 1 drive out by means of smoke. 2 drive out of hiding etc. [old english]
Utmost  —attrib. Adj. Furthest, extreme, greatest. —n. Utmost point or degree etc.  do one's utmost do all that one can. [old english, = outmost]
Icon  n. (also ikon) 1 painting of christ etc., esp. In the eastern church. 2 image or statue. 3 symbol on a vdu screen of a program, option, or window, esp. For selection.  iconic adj. [greek eikon image]



Adage  n. Traditional maxim, proverb. [french from latin]
Eventful  adj. Marked by noteworthy events.  eventfully adv.
Curd cheese  n. Soft smooth cheese made from skimmed milk curds.

Iris  n. 1 circular coloured membrane behind the cornea of the eye, with a circular opening (pupil) in the centre. 2 plant of a family with bulbs or tuberous roots, sword-shaped leaves, and showy flowers. 3 adjustable diaphragm for regulating the size of a central hole, esp. For the admission of light to a lens. [greek iris iridos rainbow]
Bally  adj. & adv. Slang mild form of bloody (see *bloody adj. 3). [alteration of *bloody]
Intimate2  v. (-ting) 1 (often foll. By that) state or make known. 2 imply, hint.  intimation n. [latin intimo announce: related to *intimate1]
Artillery  n. (pl. -ies) 1 heavy guns used in land warfare. 2 branch of the army using these.  artilleryman n. [french artiller equip]
Smallholder  n. Farmer of a smallholding.


Gybe  v. (us jibe) (-bing) 1 (of a fore-and-aft sail or boom) swing across. 2 cause (a sail) to do this. 3 (of a ship or its crew) change course so that this happens. [dutch]

Legal aid  n. State assistance for legal advice or action.


Electrostatics  n.pl. (treated as sing.) The study of electricity at rest.

Suffocate  v. (-ting) 1 choke or kill by stopping breathing, esp. By pressure, fumes, etc. 2 (often foll. By by, with) produce a choking or breathlessness in. 3 be or feel suffocated.  suffocating adj. Suffocation n. [latin suffoco from fauces throat]

Steal  —v. (past stole; past part. Stolen) 1 (also absol.) Take (another's property) illegally or without right or permission, esp. In secret. 2 obtain surreptitiously, insidiously, or artfully (stole a kiss). 3 (foll. By in, out, away, up, etc.) Move, esp. Silently or stealthily. —n. 1 us colloq. Act of stealing or theft. 2 colloq. Easy task or good bargain.  steal a march on get an advantage over by surreptitious means. Steal the show outshine other performers, esp. Unexpectedly. Steal a person's thunder take away the attention due to someone else by using his or her words, ideas, etc. [old english]

Underwent  past of *undergo.


Swimsuit  n. Swimming-costume, esp. One-piece for women and girls.




Loader  n. 1 loading-machine. 2 (in comb.) Gun, machine, lorry, etc., loaded in a specified way (breech-loader; front-loader).  -loading adj. (in comb.) (in sense 2).
Freezing point  n. Temperature at which a liquid, esp. Water, freezes.


Distiller  n. Person who distils, esp. Alcoholic liquor.
Time bomb  n. Bomb designed to explode at a pre-set time.


Established church  n. The church recognized by the state.
Knack  n. 1 acquired faculty or trick of doing a thing. 2 habit (a knack of offending people). [origin unknown]




Unsavory  adj. (brit. Unsavoury) 1 disgusting, unpleasant. 2 morally offensive.

Balderdash  n. Nonsense. [origin unknown]
Simile  n. 1 esp. Poetical comparison of one thing with another using the words ‘like’ or ‘as’ (e.g. As brave as a lion). 2 use of this. [latin, neuter of similis like]

Cosmos  n. The universe as a well-ordered whole. [greek]


Gauss  n. (pl. Same) unit of magnetic flux density. [gauss, name of a mathematician]
Bogey2  n. (also bogy) (pl. -eys or -ies) 1 evil or mischievous spirit; devil. 2 awkward thing. 3 slang piece of dried nasal mucus. [originally (old) bogey the devil]
Usage  the second pronunciation given, with the stress on the first syllable, is considered incorrect by some people.
Inflammatory  adj. 1 tending to cause anger etc. 2 of inflammation.


Mixed grill  n. Dish of various grilled meats and vegetables etc.



Delight  —v. 1 (often as delighted adj.) Please greatly (her singing delighted us; delighted to help). 2 (foll. By in) take great pleasure in (delights in surprising everyone). —n. 1 great pleasure. 2 thing that delights.  delighted adj. Delightful adj. Delightfully adv. [latin delecto]


Allocate  v. (-ting) (usu. Foll. By to) assign or devote to (a purpose, person, or place).  allocation n. [latin: related to *local]

Arbutus  n. Tree or shrub with clusters of flowers and strawberry-like berries. [latin]
Unwrap  v. (-pp-) 1 remove the wrapping from. 2 open, unfold. 3 become unwrapped.



Jaunting car  n. Light horse-drawn vehicle formerly used in ireland.
-genous  comb. Form forming adjectives meaning ‘produced’ (endogenous).


Chatelaine  n. 1 mistress of a large house. 2 hist. Set of short chains attached to a woman's belt, for carrying keys etc. [medieval latin castellanus: related to *castle]
Mitre  (us miter) —n. 1 tall deeply-cleft headdress worn by bishops and abbots, esp. As a symbol of office. 2 joint of two pieces of wood etc. At an angle of 90°, such that the line of junction bisects this angle. —v. (-ring) 1 bestow a mitre on. 2 join with a mitre. [greek mitra turban]

Harvest festival  n. Christian thanksgiving service for the harvest.
Succumb  v. (usu. Foll. By to) 1 surrender (succumbed to temptation). 2 die (from) (succumbed to his injuries). [latin cumbo lie]
Heraldry  n. 1 art or knowledge of a herald. 2 coats of arms.
Buddhism  n. Asian religion or philosophy founded by gautama buddha.  buddhist n. & adj.

Undercroft  n. Crypt. [obsolete croft from latin]
Overshoe  n. Outer protective shoe worn over an ordinary one.

Stumpy  adj. (-ier, -iest) short and thick.  stumpiness n.

Gamelan  n. 1 se asian orchestra mainly of percussion instruments. 2 type of xylophone used in this. [javanese]




Hake  n. (pl. Same) marine fish resembling the cod, used as food. [origin uncertain]
Resin  —n. 1 adhesive substance secreted by some plants and trees. 2 (in full synthetic resin) organic compound made by polymerization etc. And used in plastics. —v. (-n-) rub or treat with resin.  resinous adj. [latin]
Lope  —v. (-ping) run with a long bounding stride. —n. Long bounding stride. [old norse: related to *leap]




Tremendous  adj. 1 colloq. Remarkable, considerable, excellent. 2 awe-inspiring, overpowering.  tremendously adv. [latin tremendus to be trembled at: related to *tremor]

Goose  n. (pl. Geese) 1 a large water-bird with webbed feet and a broad bill. B female of this (opp. *gander 1). C flesh of a goose as food. 2 colloq. Simpleton. [old english]







Drafty  adj. (brit. Draughty) (-ier, -iest) (of a room etc.) Letting in sharp currents of air.  draughtiness n.
Streamline  v. (-ning) 1 give (a vehicle etc.) The form which presents the least resistance to motion. 2 make simple or more efficient.



Leery  adj. (-ier, -iest) slang 1 knowing, sly. 2 (foll. By of) wary.
Sam  abbr. Surface-to-air missile.

Baptize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 administer baptism to. 2 give a name or nickname to.
Craze  —v. (-zing) 1 (usu. As crazed adj.) Make insane (crazed with grief). 2 produce fine surface cracks on (pottery glaze etc.); develop such cracks. —n. 1 usu. Temporary enthusiasm (craze for skateboarding). 2 object of this. [perhaps from old norse]
Slam2  n. Cards winning of every trick in a game. [origin uncertain]



Bail2  n. 1 cricket either of two crosspieces bridging the stumps. 2 bar holding the paper against a typewriter platen. 3 bar separating horses in an open stable. [french]
Frog-spawn  n. Frog's eggs.
Pavlova  n. Meringue cake with cream and fruit. [pavlova, name of a ballerina]
Stubble  n. 1 stalks of corn etc. Left in the ground after the harvest. 2 short stiff hair or bristles.  stubbly adj. [latin stupula]
Rufous  adj. (esp. Of animals) reddish-brown. [latin rufus]

Fluorite  n. Mineral form of calcium fluoride. [italian: related to *fluorspar]
Directory enquiries  n.pl. Telephone service providing a subscriber's number on request.

Semen  n. Reproductive fluid of males. [latin semen semin- seed]

Execrable  adj. Abominable. [latin: related to *execrate]
Lax  adj. 1 lacking care or precision. 2 not strict.  laxity n. Laxly adv. Laxness n. [latin laxus loose]
Fellatio  n. Oral stimulation of the penis. [latin fello suck]
Errand  n. 1 short journey, esp. On another's behalf, to take a message, collect goods, etc. 2 object of such a journey. [old english]





Slim  —adj. (slimmer, slimmest) 1 not fat, slender. 2 small, insufficient (slim chance). —v. (-mm-) (often foll. By down) 1 become slimmer by dieting, exercise, etc. 2 make smaller (slimmed it down to 40 pages).  slimmer n. Slimming n. & adj. Slimmish adj. [low german or dutch]


Airway  n. Recognized route of aircraft.


Translucent  adj. Allowing light to pass through; semi-transparent.  translucence n. Translucency n. [latin luceo shine]
Misguided  adj. Mistaken in thought or action.  misguidedly adv. Misguidedness n.






Buck's fizz  n. Cocktail of champagne and orange juice. [buck's club in london]
Swish  —v. 1 swing (a thing) audibly through the air, grass, etc. 2 move with or make a swishing sound. —n. Swishing action or sound. —adj. Colloq. Smart, fashionable. [imitative]

Ex2  n. Colloq. Former husband or wife. [see *ex-1 2]
Prime1  —adj. 1 chief, most important. 2 first-rate, excellent. 3 primary, fundamental. 4 math. A (of a number etc.) Divisible only by itself and unity (e.g. 2, 3, 5, 7, 11). B (of numbers) having no common factor but unity. —n. 1 state of the highest perfection (prime of life). 2 (prec. By the; foll. By of) the best part.  [latin primus first]
Mucus  n. Slimy substance secreted by a mucous membrane. [latin]
Portraiture  n. 1 making portraits. 2 description in words. 3 portrait.
Impolitic  adj. Inexpedient, unwise.  impoliticly adv.

Vital statistics  n.pl. 1 joc. Measurements of a woman's bust, waist, and hips. 2 the number of births, marriages, deaths, etc.
Reverie  n. Fit of abstracted musing, day-dream. [french]
Timberline  n. Line or level above which no trees grow.
Polo  n. Game like hockey played on horseback with a long-handled mallet. [balti, = ball]
Hinge  —n. 1 movable joint on which a door, lid, etc., turns or swings. 2 principle on which all depends. —v. (-ging) 1 (foll. By on) depend (on a principle, an event, etc.). 2 attach or be attached by a hinge. [related to *hang]
Stem1  —n. 1 main body or stalk of a plant. 2 stalk of a fruit, flower, or leaf. 3 stem-shaped part, as: a the slender part of a wineglass. B the tube of a tobacco-pipe. C a vertical stroke in a letter or musical note. 4 gram. Root or main part of a noun, verb, etc., to which inflections are added. 5 main upright timber at the bow of a ship (from stem to stern). —v. (-mm-) (foll. By from) spring or originate from. [old english]


Dregs  n.pl. 1 sediment; grounds, lees. 2 = *scum n. 2 (dregs of humanity). [old norse]





Dariole  n. Dish cooked and served in a small mould. [french]
Fire brigade  n. Body of professional firefighters.
Spiv  n. Colloq. Man, esp. A flashily-dressed one, living from shady dealings.  spivvish adj. Spivvy adj. [origin unknown]

Commute  v. (-ting) 1 travel some distance to and from work. 2 (usu. Foll. By to) change (a punishment) to one less severe. 3 (often foll. By into, for) change (one kind of payment or obligation) for another. 4 exchange.  commutable adj. Commutation n. [latin muto change]
Chilli con carne  n. Dish of chilli-flavoured mince and beans.


Roadworthy  adj. Fit to be used on the road.  roadworthiness n.
Keyhole surgery  n. Colloq. Minimally invasive surgery carried out through a very small incision.

Superlative  —adj. 1 of the highest quality or degree; excellent. 2 gram. (of an adjective or adverb) expressing the highest degree of a quality (e.g. Bravest, most fiercely). —n. 1 gram. Superlative form of an adjective or adverb. 2 (in pl.) High praise; exaggerated language. [french from latin]
Visage  n. Literary face. [latin visus sight]






Ordinary seaman  n. Sailor of the lowest rank.

Agonize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 undergo (esp. Mental) anguish; suffer or cause to suffer agony. 2 (as agonized adj.) Expressing agony (an agonized look).
Hooray henry  n. Slang loud upper-class young man.
Axis  n. (pl. Axes) 1 a imaginary line about which a body rotates. B line which divides a regular figure symmetrically. 2 fixed reference line for the measurement of coordinates etc. 3 (the axis) alliance of germany, italy, and later japan, in the war of 1939–45. [latin, = axle]

Cocaine  n. Drug from coca, used as a local anaesthetic and as a stimulant.


Pointless  adj. Lacking purpose or meaning; ineffective, fruitless.  pointlessly adv. Pointlessness n.

Verso  n. (pl. -s) 1 left-hand page of an open book. 2 back of a printed leaf. [latin verso (folio) on the turned (leaf)]
Molding  n. (brit. Moulding) 1 ornamentally shaped outline of plaster etc. As an architectural feature, esp. In a cornice. 2 similar feature in woodwork etc.

Canonist  n. Expert in canon law.


Impresario  n. (pl. -s) organizer of public entertainment, esp. A theatrical etc. Manager. [italian]



Raddle  —n. Red ochre. —v. (-ling) 1 colour with raddle or too much rouge. 2 (as raddled adj.) Worn out. [related to *ruddy]
Optician  n. 1 maker, seller, or prescriber of spectacles and contact lenses etc. 2 person trained in the detection and correction of poor eyesight. [medieval latin: related to *optic]
Arbitration  n. Settlement of a dispute by an impartial third party.
Pinnacle  n. 1 culmination or climax. 2 natural peak. 3 small ornamental turret crowning a buttress, roof, etc. [latin pinna *pin]

Militant  —adj. 1 combative; aggressively active in support of a cause. 2 engaged in warfare. —n. Militant person.  militancy n. Militantly adv. [latin: related to *militate]

Honorable  adj. (brit. Honourable) 1 deserving, bringing, or showing honour. 2 (honourable) title indicating distinction, given to certain high officials, the children of certain ranks of the nobility, and (in the house of commons) to mps.  honourably adv.
Relict  n. Object surviving in its primitive form. [french relicte: related to *relic]


Kudos  n. Colloq. Glory; renown. [greek]


Dss  abbr. Department of social security (formerly dhss).





Non-aggression  n. Lack of or restraint from aggression (often attrib.: non-aggression pact).
Kg  abbr. Knight of the order of the garter.

Indefinable  adj. That cannot be defined; mysterious.  indefinably adv.


Free fall  n. Movement under the force of gravity only.

Phenomenon  n. (pl. -mena) 1 fact or occurrence that appears or is perceived, esp. One of which the cause is in question. 2 remarkable person or thing. [greek phaino show]
Opera-house  n. Theatre for operas.

Rateable value  n. Value at which a business etc. Is assessed for rates.

Deter  v. (-rr-) (often foll. By from) discourage or prevent, esp. Through fear.  determent n. [latin terreo frighten]


Lutenist  n. (also lutanist) lute-player. [related to *lute1]
Community singing  n. Singing by a large group, esp. Of old popular songs or hymns.
Mourner  n. Person who mourns, esp. At a funeral.

Master  —n. 1 person having control or ownership (master of the house; dog obeyed his master; master of the hunt). 2 captain of a merchant ship. 3 male teacher. 4 prevailing person. 5 a skilled tradesman able to teach others (often attrib.: master carpenter). B skilled practitioner (master of innuendo). 6 holder of a usu. Post-graduate university degree (master of arts). 7 revered teacher in philosophy etc. 8 great artist. 9 chess etc. Player at international level. 10 original copy of a film, recording, etc., from which others can be made. 11 (master) title for a boy not old enough to be called mr. 12 archaic employer. —attrib. Adj. 1 commanding, superior (master hand).
Latish  adj. & adv. Fairly late.


Budgerigar  n. Small parrot, often kept as a cage-bird. [aboriginal]

Usage  sense 3 is commonly found, but is regarded as incorrect by some people.
Scar2  n. (also scaur) steep craggy outcrop of a mountain or cliff. [old norse, = reef]
Catch-22  n. (often attrib.) Colloq. Unresolvable situation containing conflicting or mutually dependent conditions.
Unedifying  adj. Distasteful, degrading.

Freight  —n. 1 transport of goods in containers or by water or air, or (us) by land. 2 goods transported; cargo, load. 3 charge for the transport of goods. —v. Transport as or load with freight. [low german or dutch vrecht]



Finder  n. 1 person who finds. 2 small telescope attached to a large one to locate an object. 3 viewfinder.
Empress  n. 1 wife or widow of an emperor. 2 woman emperor. [french: related to *emperor]


Depression  n. 1 extreme melancholy, often with a reduction in vitality and physical symptoms. 2 econ. Long period of slump. 3 lowering of atmospheric pressure; winds etc. Caused by this. 4 hollow on a surface. 5 pressing down.
U-boat  n. Hist. German submarine. [german untersee undersea]

Chromium plate  n. Protective coating of chromium.



Monocle  n. Single eyeglass.  monocled adj. [latin: related to *mono-, oculus eye]
Objet d'art  n. (pl. Objets d'art pronunc. Same) small decorative object. [french, = object of art]




Dull  —adj. 1 tedious; not interesting. 2 (of the weather) overcast. 3 (of colour, light, sound, etc.) Not bright, vivid, or clear. 4 (of a pain) indistinct; not acute (a dull ache). 5 slow-witted; stupid. 6 (of a knife-edge etc.) Blunt. 7 a (of trade etc.) Sluggish, slow. B listless; depressed. 8 (of the ears, eyes, etc.) Lacking keenness. —v. Make or become dull.  dullness n. Dully adv. [low german or dutch]

Usage  in standard english, it is not acceptable to use locate to mean merely ‘find’ as in can't locate my key.
Cuirass  n. Armour breastplate and back-plate fastened together. [latin corium leather]


Thicket  n. Tangle of shrubs or trees. [old english: related to *thick]
Parishioner  n. Inhabitant of a parish. [obsolete parishen: related to *parish]
Surface mail  n. Mail carried by land or sea.





Unbeknown  adj. (also unbeknownst) (foll. By to) without the knowledge of (unbeknown to us).



Menu  n. 1 list of dishes available in a restaurant etc., or to be served at a meal. 2 computing list of options displayed on a vdu. [latin: related to *minute2]
Conservation  n. Preservation, esp. Of the natural environment. [latin: related to *conserve]
Bugle  —n. Brass military instrument like a small trumpet. —v. (-ling) 1 sound a bugle. 2 sound (a call etc.) On a bugle.  bugler n. [latin buculus young bull]
Lissom  adj. Lithe, agile. [ultimately from *lithe]

Lash  —v. 1 make a sudden whiplike movement. 2 beat with a whip etc. 3 (often foll. By against, down, etc.) (of rain etc.) Beat, strike. 4 criticize harshly. 5 rouse, incite. 6 (foll. By down, together, etc.) Fasten with a cord etc. —n. 1 sharp blow made by a whip etc. 2 flexible end of a whip. 3 eyelash.  lash out 1 speak or hit out angrily. 2 colloq. Spend money extravagantly. [imitative]


Knockabout  attrib. Adj. 1 (of comedy) boisterous; slapstick. 2 (of clothes) hard-wearing.


Mangy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 having mange. 2 squalid; shabby.

Episode  n. 1 event or group of events as part of a sequence. 2 each of the parts of a serial story or broadcast. 3 incident or set of incidents in a narrative. [greek eisodos entry]

Heavier-than-air  attrib. Adj. (of an aircraft) weighing more than the air it displaces.
Hem2  —int. Calling attention or expressing hesitation by a slight cough. —n. Utterance of this. —v. (-mm-) say hem; hesitate in speech.  hem and haw = hum and haw (see *hum). [imitative]
Irrespective  adj. (foll. By of) not taking into account; regardless of.

Prophesy  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 (usu. Foll. By that, who, etc.) Foretell (an event etc.). 2 speak as a prophet; foretell the future. [french profecier: related to *prophecy]


Resale  n. Sale of a thing previously bought.
Improvise  v. (-sing) (also absol.) 1 compose or perform (music, verse, etc.) Extempore. 2 provide or construct from materials not intended for the purpose.  improvisation n. Improvisational adj. Improvisatory adj. [latin improvisus unforeseen]


Newspeak  n. Ambiguous euphemistic language used esp. In political propaganda. [an artificial official language in orwell's nineteen eighty-four]

Mainstream  n. 1 (often attrib.) Ultimately prevailing trend in opinion, fashion, etc. 2 type of swing jazz, esp. With solo improvisation. 3 principal current of a river etc.
Wee2  n. Colloq. = *wee-wee.
Busybody  n. (pl. -ies) meddlesome person.
Interpolate  v. (-ting) 1 a insert (words) in a book etc., esp. Misleadingly. B make such insertions in (a book etc.). 2 interject (a remark) in a conversation. 3 estimate (values) between known ones in the same range.  interpolation n. Interpolator n. [latin interpolo furbish]


Whit  —n. = *whitsuntide. —attrib. Adj. Of whitsuntide or whit sunday. [old english, = white]
Lean2  —adj. 1 (of a person or animal) thin; having no superfluous fat. 2 (of meat) containing little fat. 3 meagre. —n. Lean part of meat.  leanness n. [old english]


Life guards  n.pl. Regiment of the royal household cavalry.
Mobilize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) esp. Mil. Make or become ready for service or action.  mobilization n.
K1  n. (also k) (pl. Ks or k's) eleventh letter of the alphabet.



Mixer tap  n. Tap through which both hot and cold water can be drawn together.
Heartsick  adj. Despondent.

Steeplechase  n. 1 horse-race with ditches, hedges, etc., to jump. 2 cross-country foot-race.  steeplechasing n.

Site  —n. 1 ground chosen or used for a town or building. 2 place of or for some activity (camping site). —v. (-ting) locate, place. [latin situs]
Grain  —n. 1 fruit or seed of a cereal. 2 (collect.) Wheat or any allied grass used as food; corn. 3 small hard particle of salt, sand, etc. 4 unit of weight, 0.0648 gram. 5 smallest possible quantity (not a grain of truth in it). 6 roughness of surface. 7 texture of skin, wood, stone, etc. 8 a pattern of lines of fibre in wood or paper. B lamination in stone etc. —v. 1 paint in imitation of the grain of wood etc. 2 give a granular surface to. 3 form into grains.  against the grain contrary to one's natural inclination or feeling.  grainy adj. (-ier, -iest). [latin granum]

Plaster  —n. 1 soft mixture of lime, sand, and water etc. Applied to walls, ceilings, etc., to dry into a smooth hard surface. 2  = *sticking-plaster. 3 = *plaster of paris. —v. 1 cover (a wall etc.) With plaster. 2 coat, daub, cover thickly. 3 stick or apply (a thing) thickly like plaster. 4 (often foll. By down) smooth (esp. Hair) with water etc. 5 (as plastered adj.) Slang drunk.  plasterer n.  [greek emplastron]


Patience  n. 1 ability to endure delay, hardship, provocation, etc. 2 perseverance or forbearance. 3 solo card-game. [latin: related to *passion]




Illuminate  v. (-ting) 1 light up; make bright. 2 decorate (buildings etc.) With lights. 3 decorate (a manuscript etc.) With gold, colour, etc. 4 help to explain (a subject etc.). 5 enlighten spiritually or intellectually. 6 shed lustre on.  illuminating adj. Illumination n. Illuminative adj. [latin lumen light]

Blackcurrant  n. 1 cultivated flowering shrub. 2 its small dark edible berry.
Overawe  v. (-wing) overcome with awe.

Uninspired  adj. Not inspired; commonplace, pedestrian.

Catechize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) instruct by using a catechism. [greek katekheo cause to hear]
Hahnium  n. Artificially produced radioactive element. [hahn, name of a chemist]
Patentee  n. 1 person who takes out or holds a patent. 2 person entitled temporarily to the benefit of a patent.
Ag  symb. Silver. [latin argentum]

Blanket bath  n. Body wash given to a bedridden patient.

Incredulous  adj. Unwilling to believe; showing disbelief.  incredulity n. Incredulously adv.
Tail2  law —n. Limitation of ownership, esp. Of an estate limited to a person and that person's heirs. —adj. So limited (estate tail).  in tail under such a limitation. [french taillier cut: related to *tally]



Chiro-  comb. Form hand. [greek kheir]



Self-pity  n. Feeling sorry for oneself.  self-pitying adj.



Kip  slang —n. 1 sleep; nap. 2 bed or cheap lodgings. —v. (-pp-) (often foll. By down) sleep. [cf. Danish kippe mean hut]

Peony  n. (also paeony) (pl. -ies) plant with large globular red, pink, or white flowers. [greek paionia]

Castor oil  n. Oil from the seeds of a tropical plant, used as a purgative and lubricant. [origin uncertain]
Repay  v. (past and past part. Repaid) 1 pay back (money). 2 make repayment to (a person). 3 requite, reward (a service, action, etc.) (repaid their kindness; book repays study).  repayable adj. Repayment n.

Promenade deck  n. Upper deck on a passenger ship.


Dignify  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 confer dignity on; ennoble. 2 give a fine name to. [latin dignus worthy]
Gaily  adv. In a gay or careless manner (gaily decorated; gaily announced their departure).

Open sea  n. Expanse of sea away from land.


Monetary  adj. 1 of the currency in use. 2 of or consisting of money. [latin: related to *money]
-grapher  comb. Form forming nouns denoting a person concerned with a subject (geographer; radiographer). [greek -grapho write]
Clip-on  adj. Attached by a clip.


Lycra  n. Propr. Elastic polyurethane fabric used esp. For sportswear.
Retrograde  —adj. 1 directed backwards. 2 reverting, esp. To an inferior state; declining. 3 reversed (retrograde order). —v. 1 move backwards; recede. 2 decline, revert. [latin retrogradior -gress- move backwards]
Misconceive  v. (-ving) 1 (often foll. By of) have a wrong idea or conception. 2 (as misconceived adj.) Badly planned, organized, etc.   misconception n. [from *mis-1]
Main  —adj. 1 chief, principal. 2 exerted to the full (by main force). —n. 1 principal duct etc. For water, sewage, etc. 2 (usu. In pl.; prec. By the) a central distribution network for electricity, gas, water, etc. B domestic electricity supply as distinct from batteries.  3 poet. High seas (spanish main).  in the main mostly. [old english]
Oilcan  n. Can with a long nozzle for oiling machinery.
Command performance  n. Theatrical or film performance given at royal request.
Sardonyx  n. Onyx in which white layers alternate with yellow or orange ones. [greek sardonux]

Yowl  —n. Loud wailing cry of or as of a cat or dog in distress. —v. Utter a yowl. [imitative]

Discreditable  adj. Bringing discredit; shameful.  discreditably adv.
Musical chairs  n.pl. 1 party game in which the players compete in successive rounds for a decreasing number of chairs. 2 series of changes or political manoeuvring etc.









Flock-paper  n. (also flock-wallpaper) wallpaper with a raised flock pattern.



Rid  v. (-dd-; past and past part. Rid) (foll. By of) free (a person or place) of something unwanted.  be (or get) rid of be freed or relieved of; dispose of. [old norse]
Endpaper  n. Either of the blank leaves of paper at the beginning and end of a book.



Freightliner  n. Train carrying goods in containers.


Hateful  adj. Arousing hatred.
Goofy  adj. (-ier, -iest) slang 1 stupid. 2 having protruding or crooked front teeth.

Grandson  n. Male grandchild.

Omission  n. 1 omitting or being omitted. 2 thing omitted.
Portakabin  n. Propr. Prefabricated room or small building. [from *portable, *cabin]
Footrest  n. Stool, rail, etc. For the feet.

Impotent  adj. 1 powerless, ineffective. 2 (of a male) unable to achieve an erection or orgasm.  impotence n.
Arc welding  n. Use of an electric arc to melt metals to be welded.
Relief map  n. Map indicating hills and valleys by shading etc. Rather than by contour lines alone.




Show-stopper  n. Colloq. Act in a show receiving prolonged applause.

Russo-  comb. Form russian; russian and.

 
Pigmy  var. Of *pygmy.
Gypsy  n. (also gipsy) (pl. -ies) member of a nomadic people of europe and n. America, of hindu origin with dark skin and hair. [from *egyptian]

Laughter  n. Act or sound of laughing. [old english]




Retention  n. 1 retaining or being retained. 2 condition of retaining bodily fluid (esp. Urine) normally evacuated. [latin: related to *retain]

Tupi  —n. (pl. Same or -s) 1 member of an american indian people of the amazon valley. 2 their language. —adj. Of this people or language. [tupi]







Oxygenate  v. (-ting) supply, treat, or mix with oxygen; oxidize.
Yts  abbr. Youth training scheme.
Working lunch  n. Lunch at which business is conducted.
Downpipe  n. Pipe to carry rainwater from a roof.
Ruin  —n. 1 destroyed, wrecked, or spoiled state. 2 downfall or elimination (ruin of my hopes). 3 complete loss of one's property or position (bring to ruin). 4 (in sing. Or pl.) Remains of a building etc. That has suffered ruin. 5 cause of ruin (the ruin of us). —v. 1 a bring to ruin (extravagance has ruined me). B spoil, damage. 2 (esp. As ruined adj.) Reduce to ruins.  in ruins completely wrecked (hopes were in ruins). [latin ruo fall]
Cartwheel  n. 1 wheel of a cart. 2 circular sideways handspring with arms and legs extended.


Onion  n. Vegetable with an edible bulb of a pungent smell and flavour.  oniony adj. [latin unio -onis]
Judgement  n. (also judgment) 1 critical faculty; discernment (error of judgement). 2 good sense. 3 opinion or estimate (in my judgement). 4 sentence of a court of justice. 5 often joc. Deserved misfortune.  against one's better judgement contrary to what one really feels to be advisable.

Fertile  adj. 1 a (of soil) abundantly productive. B fruitful. 2 a (of a seed, egg, etc.) Capable of growth. B (of animals and plants) able to reproduce. 3 (of the mind) inventive. 4 (of nuclear material) able to become fissile by the capture of neutrons.  fertility n. [french from latin]

Soffit  n. Undersurface of an arch, lintel, etc. [french soffite, italian soffitta]

Restraint  n. 1 restraining or being restrained. 2 restraining agency or influence. 3 moderation; self-control. 4 reserve of manner. 5 confinement, esp. Because of insanity.
Untimely  adj. 1 inopportune. 2 (of death) premature.  untimeliness n.




Ecclesiastic  —n. Clergyman. —adj. = *ecclesiastical. [greek ekklesia church]
Playground  n. Outdoor area for children to play in.


Manky  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. 1 bad, inferior, defective. 2 dirty. [obsolete mank defective]
Usage  the phrase in the event that is considered awkward by some people. It can usually be avoided by rephrasing, e.g. In the event that it rains can be replaced by in the event of rain.
Smog  n. Smoke-laden fog.  smoggy adj. (-ier, -iest). [portmanteau word]
Chow mein  n. Chinese-style dish of fried noodles with shredded meat or shrimps etc. And vegetables. [chinese chao mian fried flour]
Pat.  Abbr. Patent.


Weakness  n. 1 being weak. 2 weak point. 3 (foll. By for) self-indulgent liking (weakness for chocolate).


Meany  var. Of *meanie.
F 
Phenomenal  adj. 1 extraordinary, remarkable. 2 of the nature of a phenomenon.  phenomenally adv.

Wad  —n. 1 lump of soft material used esp. To keep things apart or in place or to block a hole. 2 bundle of banknotes or documents. —v. (-dd-) 1 stop up or keep in place with a wad. 2 line, stuff, or protect with wadding. [origin uncertain]







Golliwog  n. Black-faced soft doll with fuzzy hair. [origin uncertain]
Guidance  n. 1 advice or direction for solving a problem etc. 2 guiding or being guided.
Cleave2  v. (-ving) (foll. By to) literary stick fast; adhere. [old english]

Freeze  —v. (-zing; past froze; past part. Frozen) 1 a turn into ice or another solid by cold. B make or become rigid from the cold. 2 be or feel very cold. 3 cover or become covered with ice. 4 (foll. By to, together) adhere by frost. 5 refrigerate (food) below freezing point. 6 a make or become motionless through fear, surprise, etc. B (as frozen adj) devoid of emotion (frozen smile). 7 make (assets etc.) Unrealizable. 8 fix (prices, wages, etc.) At a certain level. 9 stop (the movement in a film). —n. 1 period or state of frost. 2 fixing or stabilization of prices, wages, etc. 3 (in full freeze-frame) still film-shot.  freeze up obstruct or be obstructed by ice. [old english]




Bimetallic  adj. Using or made of two metals. [french]
Strategic  adj. 1 of or promoting strategy. 2 (of materials) essential in war. 3 (of bombing or weapons) done or for use as a longer-term military objective.  strategically adv.
Roof-garden  n. Garden on the flat roof of a building.
Women's rights  n.pl. Position of legal and social equality with men.
Swell  —v. (past part. Swollen or swelled) 1 (cause to) grow bigger, louder, or more intense. 2 (often foll. By up) rise or raise up from the surrounding surface. 3 (foll. By out) bulge. 4 (of the heart etc.) Feel full of joy, pride, relief, etc. 5 (foll. By with) be hardly able to restrain (pride etc.). —n. 1 act or state of swelling. 2 heaving of the sea with unbreaking waves. 3 a crescendo. B mechanism in an organ etc. For producing a crescendo or diminuendo. 4 colloq. Dandy. 5 protuberance. —adj. Colloq. 1 esp. Us fine, excellent. 2 smart, fashionable.  have (or get) a swelled (or swollen) head be (or become) conceited. [old english]



Para-1  prefix (also par-) 1 beside (paramilitary). 2 beyond (paranormal). [greek]
Jeep  n. Propr. Small sturdy esp. Military vehicle with four-wheel drive. [originally us, from the initials of general purposes]

Bogus  adj. Sham, spurious. [origin unknown]
Southern lights  n.pl. Aurora australis.



House of keys  n. (in the isle of man) elected chamber of the tynwald.
Deputize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) (usu. Foll. By for) act as deputy.

Sweetener  n. 1 substance used to sweeten food or drink. 2 colloq. Bribe or inducement.

Indo-  comb. Form indian; indian and.
Unchanged  adj. Not changed; unaltered.

Wood anemone  n. A wild spring-flowering anemone.
Alp  n. 1 a high mountain. B (the alps) high range of mountains in switzerland and adjoining countries. 2 pasture land on a swiss mountainside. [originally alps, from greek alpeis]


Straw  n. 1 dry cut stalks of grain as fodder or material for bedding, packing, etc. 2 single stalk of straw. 3 thin tube for sucking drink through. 4 insignificant thing. 5 pale yellow colour.  clutch at straws try any remedy in desperation. Straw in the wind indication of future developments. [old english]

Exemplary  adj. 1 fit to be imitated; outstandingly good. 2 serving as a warning. 3 illustrative. [latin: related to *example]
Like1  —adj. (more like, most like) 1 a having some or all of the qualities of another, each other, or an original. B resembling in some way, such as (good writers like dickens). 2 characteristic of (not like them to be late). 3 in a suitable state or mood for (felt like working; felt like a cup of tea). —prep. In the manner of; to the same degree as (drink like a fish; acted like an idiot). —adv. 1 slang so to speak (did a quick getaway, like). 2 colloq. Likely, probably (as like as not). —conj. Colloq. 1 as (cannot do it like you do). 2 as if (ate like they were starving). —n. 1 counterpart; equal; similar person or thing. 2 (prec. By the) thing or things of the same kind (will never do the like again).  and the like and similar things. Like anything colloq. Very much, vigorously. The likes of colloq. A person such as. More like it colloq. Nearer what is required. What is he (or it etc.) Like? What sort of person is he (or thing is it etc.)? [old english]
Investment trust  n. Trust that buys and sells shares in selected companies to make a profit for its members.
Overbore  past of *overbear.







Flexible  adj. 1 capable of bending without breaking; pliable. 2 manageable. 3 adaptable; variable (works flexible hours).  flexibility n. Flexibly adv. [latin flexibilis: related to *flex1]
Midway  adv. In or towards the middle of the distance between two points.
Roundelay  n. Short simple song with a refrain. [alteration of french rondelet diminutive: related to *roundel]
Prefix  —n. 1 verbal element placed at the beginning of a word to qualify its meaning (e.g. Ex-, non-). 2 title before a name (e.g. Mr). —v. (often foll. By to) 1 add as an introduction. 2 join (a word or element) as a prefix.
Induction  n. 1 act of inducting or inducing. 2 act of bringing on (esp. Labour) by artificial means. 3 inference of a general law from particular instances. 4 (often attrib.) Formal introduction to a new job etc. (induction course). 5 electr. A production of an electric or magnetic state by the proximity (without contact) of an electrified or magnetized body. B production of an electric current by a change of magnetic field. 6 drawing of the fuel mixture into the cylinders of an internal-combustion engine.
Simply  adv. 1 in a simple manner. 2 absolutely (simply astonishing). 3 merely (was simply trying to please).
Modal  adj. 1 of mode or form, not of substance. 2 gram. A of the mood of a verb. B (of an auxiliary verb, e.g. Would) used to express the mood of another verb. 3 mus. Denoting a style of music using a particular mode. [latin: related to *mode]
Good book  n. (prec. By the) the bible.
Cleavage  n. 1 hollow between a woman's breasts. 2 division, splitting. 3 line along which rocks, crystals, etc. Split.
Equitable  adj. 1 fair, just. 2 law valid in equity as distinct from law.  equitably adv. [french: related to *equity]


Drawing-board  n. Board on which paper is fixed for drawing on.

Municipality  n. (pl. -ies) 1 town or district having local self-government. 2 governing body of this area.
Poach2  v. 1 (also absol.) Catch (game or fish) illegally. 2 (often foll. By on) trespass or encroach on (another's property, territory, etc.). 3 appropriate (another's ideas, staff, etc.).  poacher n. [earlier poche: related to *poach1]
-soever  comb. Form of any kind; to any extent (whatsoever; howsoever).
Luxuriant  adj. 1 growing profusely. 2 exuberant. 3 florid.  luxuriance n. Luxuriantly adv. [latin: related to *luxury]





Malice aforethought  n. Law intention to commit a crime, esp. Murder.




Tanked up  predic. Adj. Colloq. Drunk.
Boast  —v. 1 declare one's virtues, wealth, etc. With excessive pride. 2 own or have with pride (hotel boasts a ballroom). —n. 1 act of boasting. 2 thing one is proud of. [anglo-french]



Lac  n. Resinous substance secreted as a protective covering by a se asian insect. [hindustani]
Foot-fault  n. (in tennis) placing of the foot over the baseline while serving.

Hop1  —v. (-pp-) 1 (of a bird, frog, etc.) Spring with two or all feet at once. 2 (of a person) jump on one foot. 3 move or go quickly (hopped over the fence). 4 cross (a ditch etc.) By hopping. —n. 1 hopping movement. 2 colloq. Informal dance. 3 short journey, esp. A flight.  hop in (or out) colloq. Get into (or out of) a car etc. Hop it slang go away. On the hop colloq. Unprepared (caught on the hop). [old english]

Schematic  —adj. Of or as a scheme or schema; diagrammatic. —n. Diagram, esp. Of an electronic circuit.  schematically adv.



Amphibious  adj. 1 living or operating on land and in water. 2 involving military forces landed from the sea.
Sternum  n. (pl. -na or -nums) breastbone. [greek sternon chest]

Dry run  n. Colloq. Rehearsal.
Non-stick  adj. That does not allow things to stick to it.



Dispirit  v. (esp. As dispiriting, dispirited adjs.) Make despondent, deject.
Highly  adv. 1 in a high degree (highly amusing; commend it highly). 2 favourably (think highly of him).
Let-down  n. Disappointment.

Succor  (brit. Succour) —n. Aid, esp. In time of need. —v. Give succour to. [latin succurro run to help]
Slept  past and past part. Of *sleep.


Hilt  n. Handle of a sword, dagger, etc.  up to the hilt completely. [old english]


Identity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 a condition of being a specified person or thing. B individuality, personality (felt he had lost his identity). 2 identification or the result of it (mistaken identity; identity card). 3 absolute sameness (identity of interests). 4 algebra a equality of two expressions for all values of the quantities. B equation expressing this. [latin identitas from idem same]


Hornbeam  n. Tree with a hard tough wood.
Grazier  n. 1 person who feeds cattle for market. 2 austral. Large-scale sheep-farmer etc. [from *grass]
Unhoped-for  adj. Not hoped for or expected.


High point  n. The maximum or best state reached.




Volume  n. 1 single book forming part or all of a work. 2 a solid content, bulk. B space occupied by a gas or liquid. C (foll. By of) amount or quantity. 3 strength of sound, loudness. 4 (foll. By of) a moving mass of water etc. B (usu. In pl.) Mass of smoke etc. [latin volumen: related to *voluble, ancient books being in roll form]



Consistency  n. (pl. -ies) 1 degree of density, firmness, or viscosity, esp. Of thick liquids. 2 being consistent. [latin: related to *consist]
Polygamy  n. Practice of having more than one wife or (less usu.) Husband at once.  polygamist n. Polygamous adj. [greek gamos marriage]
Quiche  n. Savoury flan. [french]
Oyez  int. (also oyes) uttered, usu. Three times, by a public crier or a court officer to command attention. [anglo-french, = hear!, from latin audio]


Hew  v. (past part. Hewn or hewed) 1 chop or cut with an axe, sword, etc. 2 cut into shape. [old english]
Sin2  abbr. Sine.
Cobalt  n. 1 silvery-white metallic element. 2 a pigment made from this. B its deep-blue colour. [german, probably = kobold demon in mines]
Voluminous  adj. 1 (of drapery etc.) Loose and ample. 2 written or writing at great length. [latin: related to *volume]

Astronaut  n. Crew member of a spacecraft. [greek astron star, nautes sailor]
Calve  v. (-ving) give birth to a calf. [old english: related to *calf1]
Addition  n. 1 adding. 2 person or thing added.  in addition (often foll. By to) also, as well (as). [latin: related to *add]



Barley  n. 1 cereal used as food and in spirits. 2 (also barleycorn) its grain. [old english]

Resent  v. Feel indignation at; be aggrieved by (a circumstance, action, or person). [latin sentio feel]
Headquarters  n. (as sing. Or pl.) Administrative centre of an organization.
Lcd  abbr. 1 liquid crystal display. 2 lowest (or least) common denominator.
Car  n. 1 (in full motor car) motor vehicle for a driver and small number of passengers. 2 (in comb.) Road vehicle or railway carriage esp. Of a specified kind (tramcar; dining-car). 3 us any railway carriage or van. 4 passenger compartment of a lift, balloon, etc. [french from latin]


Bikini  n. (pl. -s) two-piece swimsuit for women. [bikini, pacific atoll]
Concert pitch  n. Pitch internationally agreed whereby the a above middle c = 440 hz.


Self-assured  n. Self-confident.  self-assurance n.
Interject  v. 1 utter (words) abruptly or parenthetically. 2 interrupt. [latin jacio throw]





Conversion  n. 1 converting or being converted. 2 converted building or part of this. [latin: related to *convert]

Rib  —n. 1 each of the curved bones joined to the spine in pairs and protecting the chest. 2 joint of meat from this part of an animal. 3 supporting ridge, timber, rod, etc. Across a surface or through a structure. 4 knitting combination of plain and purl stitches producing a ribbed design. —v.

Riffle  —v. (-ling) 1 (often foll. By through) leaf quickly through (pages). 2 a turn (pages) in quick succession. B shuffle (playing-cards), esp. By flexing and combining the two halves of a pack. —n. 1 act of riffling. 2 us a shallow disturbed part of a stream. B patch of waves or ripples. [perhaps var. Of *ruffle]


Pavement  n. 1 paved path for pedestrians beside a road. 2 covering of a street, floor, etc., made of usu. Rectangular stones. [latin pavimentum: related to *pave]
Eagle eye  n. Keen sight, watchfulness.  eagle-eyed adj.


Usage  in sense 1, senior nursing officer is now the official term.

Cosmonaut  n. Soviet astronaut. [from *cosmos, greek nautes sailor]
Carbon copy  n. 1 copy made with carbon paper. 2 exact copy.


Skive  v. (-ving) (often followed by off) slang evade work; play truant.  skiver n. [old norse]

Vassal  n. 1 hist. Feudal tenant of land. 2 humble dependant.  vassalage n. [medieval latin vassallus retainer]

Dolmen  n. Megalithic tomb with a large flat stone laid on upright ones. [french]
Barm  n. Froth on fermenting malt liquor. [old english]

Testify  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 (often foll. By to) (of a person or thing) bear witness; be evidence of (testified to the facts). 2 give evidence. 3 affirm or declare. [latin testificor from testis witness]
Dbs  abbr. 1 direct-broadcast satellite. 2 direct broadcasting by satellite.




Pavilion  n. 1  building at a sports ground for changing, refreshments, etc. 2 summerhouse or decorative shelter in a park. 3 large tent at a show, fair, etc. 4 building or stand for entertainments, at an exhibition, etc. [latin papilio butterfly]





Mendelevium  n.  Artificially made transuranic radioactive metallic element. [mendeleev, name of a chemist]


Fibre optics  n.pl. Optics using thin glass fibres, usu. For the transmission of modulated light to carry signals.

Clockwork  n. 1 mechanism like that of a clock, with a spring and gears. 2 (attrib.) Driven by clockwork.  like clockwork smoothly, regularly, automatically.
Ballistic  adj. Of projectiles.


Om  abbr. Order of merit.




Trump2  n. Archaic trumpet-blast. [french trompe]
Unerring  adj. Not erring; true, certain.  unerringly adv.
Capability  n. (pl. -ies) 1 ability, power. 2 undeveloped or unused faculty.
Italianate  adj. Of italian style or appearance.



Vestment  n. Ceremonial garment, esp. A chasuble. [latin: related to *vest]
Length  n. 1 measurement or extent from end to end. 2 extent in or of time. 3 distance a thing extends. 4 length of a horse, boat, etc., as a measure of the lead in a race. 5 long stretch or extent. 6 degree of thoroughness in action (went to great lengths). 7 piece of a certain length (length of cloth). 8 prosody quantity of a vowel or syllable. 9 cricket a distance from the batsman at which the ball pitches. B proper amount of this. 10 length of a swimming-pool as a measure of distance swum. at length 1 in detail. 2 after a long time. [old english: related to *long1]
Minion  n. Derog. Servile subordinate. [french mignon]



Underpin  v. (-nn-) 1 support from below with masonry etc. 2 support, strengthen.


Gruelling  adj. (us grueling) extremely demanding or tiring.
Mislay  v. (past and past part. -laid) accidentally put (a thing) where it cannot readily be found.
Skewer  —n. Long pin designed for holding meat together while cooking. —v. Fasten together or pierce (as) with a skewer. [origin uncertain]
Bluegrass  n. A kind of instrumental country-and-western music.
Hexa-  comb. Form six. [greek]
Perfect  —adj. 1 complete; not deficient. 2 faultless. 3 very enjoyable, excellent (perfect evening). 4 exact, precise (perfect circle). 5 entire, unqualified (perfect stranger). 6 gram. (of a tense) denoting a completed action or event (e.g. He has gone). —v. 1 make perfect. 2 complete. —n. Gram. The perfect tense.  perfectible adj. Perfectibility n. [latin perficere -fect- complete (v.)]


Entertaining  adj. Amusing, diverting.  entertainingly adv.
Inflect  v. 1 change the pitch of (the voice). 2 a change the form of (a word) to express grammatical relation. B undergo such a change. 3 bend, curve.  inflective adj. [latin flecto flex- bend]


Tour de force  n. (pl. Tours de force) outstanding feat or performance. [french]


Swill  —v. 1 (often foll. By out) rinse or flush. 2 drink greedily. —n. 1 act of rinsing. 2 mainly liquid refuse as pig-food. [old english]
Seigneur  n. Feudal lord.  seigneurial adj. [french from latin senior *senior]
Memsahib  n. Anglo-ind. Hist. Indian name for a european married woman in india. [from *ma'am, *sahib]
Spring tide  n. Tide just after the new and the full moon when there is the greatest difference between high and low water.

Maroon1  adj. & n. Brownish-crimson. [french marron chestnut]


War dance  n. Dance performed by primitive peoples etc. Before a battle or to celebrate victory.
Copartner  n. Partner or associate.  copartnership n.
Pilgrim fathers  n.pl. English puritans who founded the colony of plymouth, massachusetts, in 1620.





Price war  n. Period of fierce competition among traders cutting prices.
Slurp  colloq. —v. Eat or esp. Drink noisily. —n. Sound of this. [dutch]
Peruse  v. (-sing) 1 read or study carefully. 2 joc. Read or look at desultorily. perusal n. [originally = ‘use up’]
Cloak-and-dagger  adj. Involving intrigue and espionage.

Orator  n. 1 person making a formal speech. 2 eloquent public speaker. [latin: related to *oration]

Quartz clock  n. (also quartz watch) clock or watch operated by vibrations of an electrically driven quartz crystal.

Nosy  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Inquisitive, prying.  nosily adv. Nosiness n.
East-south-east  n. Point or direction midway between east and south-east.
Selfsame  adj. (prec. By the) very same, identical.
Rest1  —v. 1 cease from exertion, action, etc. 2 be still or asleep, esp. To refresh oneself or recover strength. 3 give relief or repose to; allow to rest. 4 (foll. By on, upon, against) lie on; be supported by. 5 (foll. By on, upon) depend or be based on. 6 (foll. By on, upon) (of a look) alight or be steadily directed on. 7 (foll. By on, upon) place for support or foundation on. 8 (of a problem or subject) be left without further investigation or discussion (let the matter rest). 9 a lie in death. B (foll. By in) lie buried in (a churchyard etc.). 10 (as rested adj.) Refreshed by resting. —n. 1 repose or sleep. 2 cessation of exertion, activity, etc. 3 period of resting. 4 support for holding or steadying something. 5 mus. A interval of silence. B sign denoting this.  at rest not moving; not agitated or troubled; dead. Be resting euphem. (of an actor) be out of work. Rest one's case conclude one's argument etc. Rest on one's laurels not seek further success. Rest on one's oars relax one's efforts. Set at rest settle or relieve (a question, a person's mind, etc.). [old english]
Razor-blade  n. Flat piece of metal with a sharp edge, used in a safety razor.


Come-hither  attrib. Adj. Colloq. Flirtatious, inviting.

Dab2  n. (pl. Same) a kind of marine flat-fish. [origin unknown]


Arbor  n. (brit. Arbour) shady garden alcove enclosed by trees etc. [latin herba herb: assimilated to latin arbor tree]

Obscure  —adj. 1 not clearly expressed or easily understood. 2 unexplained. 3 dark. 4 indistinct. 5 hidden; unnoticed. 6 (of a person) undistinguished, hardly known. —v. (-ring) 1 make obscure or unintelligible. 2 conceal.  obscurity n. [french from latin]

Radian  n. Si unit of angle, equal to an angle at the centre of a circle the arc of which is equal in length to the radius (1 radian is approx. 57°).
Tapir  n. Nocturnal central and s. American or malaysian hoofed mammal with a short flexible snout. [tupi]

Conclude  v. (-ding) 1 bring or come to an end. 2 (often foll. By from or that) infer. 3 settle (a treaty etc.). [latin concludo: related to *close1]
Exposure  n. (foll. By to) 1 exposing or being exposed. 2 physical condition resulting from being exposed to the elements. 3 photog. A exposing a film etc. To the light. B duration of this. C section of film etc. Affected by it.
Dungeon  n. Underground prison cell. [earlier donjon keep of a castle; ultimately from latin dominus lord]

Puzzle  —n. 1 difficult or confusing problem. 2 problem or toy designed to test knowledge or ingenuity. —v. (-ling) 1 confound or disconcert mentally. 2 (usu. Foll. By over etc.) Be perplexed (about). 3 (usu. As puzzling adj.) Require much mental effort (puzzling situation). 4 (foll. By out) solve or understand by hard thought.  puzzlement n. [origin unknown]
Mimeograph  —n. 1 machine which duplicates from a stencil. 2 copy so produced. —v. Reproduce by this process. [greek mimeomai imitate]
Attitude  n. 1 opinion or way of thinking; behaviour reflecting this (don't like his attitude). 2 bodily posture; pose. 3 position of an aircraft etc. Relative to given points. [latin aptus fitted]
Luff  v. (also absol.) 1 steer (a ship) nearer the wind. 2 raise or lower (a crane's jib). [french, probably from low german]



Waiting game  n. The delaying of action in order to have a greater effect later.
Brass tacks  n.pl. Slang essential details.

Reserve  —v. (-ving) 1 put aside, keep back for a later occasion or special use. 2 order to be specially retained or allocated for a particular person or at a particular time. 3 retain or secure (reserve the right to). —n. 1 thing reserved for future use; extra amount. 2 limitation or exception attached to something. 3 self-restraint; reticence; lack of cordiality. 4 company's profit added to capital. 5 (in sing. Or pl.) Assets kept readily available. 6 (in sing. Or pl.) A troops withheld from action to reinforce or protect others. B forces in addition to the regular army etc., but available in an emergency. 7 member of the military reserve. 8 extra player chosen as a possible substitute in a team. 9 land reserved for special use, esp. As a habitat (nature reserve).  in reserve unused and available if required. Reserve judgement postpone giving one's opinion. [latin servo keep]


Construction  n. 1 constructing or being constructed. 2 thing constructed. 3 interpretation or explanation. 4 syntactical arrangement of words.  constructional adj.
Broken-down  adj. 1 worn out by age, use, etc. 2 not functioning.


Pedometer  n. Instrument for estimating distance walked by recording the number of steps taken. [latin pes ped- foot: related to *-meter]


-ish  suffix forming adjectives: 1 from nouns, meaning: a having the qualities of (boyish). B of the nationality of (danish). 2 from adjectives, meaning ‘somewhat’ (thickish). 3 colloq. Denoting an approximate age or time of day (fortyish; six-thirtyish). [old english]

Chit2  n. 1 note of requisition, of a sum owed, etc. 2 note or memorandum. [hindi from sanskrit]
Si  abbr. The international system of units of measurement. [french système international]
L.b.w.  Abbr. Leg before wicket.


Recent  —adj. 1 not long past; that happened, began to exist, or existed, lately. 2 not long established; lately begun; modern. 3 (recent) geol. Of the most recent epoch of the quaternary period. —n. (recent) geol. This epoch.  recently adv. [latin recens -ent-]



Rigger  n. 1 worker on an oil rig. 2 person who rigs or who arranges rigging.
Fullness  n. Being full.  the fullness of time the appropriate or destined time.


Rough-dry  v. Dry (clothes) without ironing.
Furbish  v. (often foll. By up) = *refurbish. [french from germanic]
Demote  v. (-ting) reduce to a lower rank or class.  demotion n. [from *de-, *promote]
Si  n. = *te. [french from italian]

Demilitarize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) remove an army etc. From (a frontier, zone, etc.).  demilitarization n.

Sn  symb. Tin. [latin tannun]
Spring equinox  n. (also vernal equinox) equinox about 20 march.
Will-o'-the-wisp  n. 1 phosphorescent light seen on marshy ground. 2 elusive person. [= william of the torch]
Spiteful  adj. Malicious.  spitefully adv.
Milk-powder  n. Dehydrated milk.


Possum  n. 1 colloq. = *opossum 1. 2 austral. & nz colloq. Marsupial resembling an american opossum.  play possum colloq. Pretend to be unconscious; feign ignorance. [abbreviation]
Flying saucer  n. Supposed alien spaceship.
Mountaineer  —n. Person who practises mountain-climbing. —v. Climb mountains as a sport.  mountaineering n.



Southwester  n. South-west wind.
Destroyer  n. 1 person or thing that destroys. 2 fast armed warship escorting other ships.
Gastric juice  n. Digestive fluid secreted by the stomach glands.

Threefold  adj. & adv. 1 three times as much or as many. 2 consisting of three parts.
Spoken  past part. Of *speak. —adj. (in comb.) Speaking in a specified way (well-spoken).  spoken for claimed (this seat is spoken for).
Bleeding  adj. & adv. Coarse slang expressing annoyance or antipathy.


Icicle  n. Hanging tapering piece of ice, formed from dripping water. [from *ice, obsolete ickle icicle]
Endive  n. Curly-leaved plant used in salads. [greek entubon]

Sever  v. Divide, break, or make separate, esp. By cutting (severed artery). [anglo-french severer from latin separo]

Arrangement  n. 1 arranging or being arranged. 2 manner of this. 3 something arranged. 4 (in pl.) Plans, measures (made my own arrangements). 5 mus. Composition adapted for performance in a particular way.

Homeopathy  n. (brit. Homoeopathy) treatment of disease by minute doses of drugs that in a healthy person would produce symptoms of the disease.  homoeopath n. Homoeopathic adj. [greek homoios like: related to *pathos]


Pig  —n. 1 omnivorous hoofed bristly broad-snouted mammal, esp. A domesticated kind. 2 its flesh as food. 3 colloq. Greedy, dirty, or unpleasant person. 4 oblong mass of metal (esp. Iron or lead) from a smelting-furnace. 5 slang derog. Police officer. —v. (-gg-) colloq. Eat (food) greedily.  buy a pig in a poke acquire something without previous sight or knowledge of it. Pig it colloq. Live in a disorderly or filthy fashion. Pig out (often foll. By on) esp. Us slang eat gluttonously. [old english]
Plankton  n. Chiefly microscopic organisms drifting in the sea or fresh water. [greek, = wandering]





Sensual  adj. 1 a of physical, esp. Sexual, pleasure. B enjoying or giving this, voluptuous. 2 showing sensuality (sensual lips).  sensualism n. Sensually adv. [latin: related to *sense]

Trend-setter  n. Person who leads the way in fashion etc.
Vernal equinox  var. Of *spring equinox.

Undeserving  adj. Not deserving.

Trencher  n. Hist. Wooden or earthenware platter for serving food. [anglo-french: related to *trench]
Auto  n. (pl. -s) us colloq. Car. [abbreviation of *automobile]

Antrum  n. (pl. Antra) natural cavity in the body, esp. In a bone. [greek, = cave]

Want  —v. 1 a (often foll. By to + infin.) Desire; wish for possession of; need (wants a drink; wants it done immediately). B require to be attended to; need (garden wants weeding). C (foll. By to + infin.) Colloq. Ought; should (you want to be careful). 2 (usu. Foll. By for) lack; be deficient. 3 be without or fall short by. 4 (as wanted adj.) (of a suspected criminal etc.) Sought by the police. —n. 1 (often foll. By of) lack, absence, or deficiency (could not go for want of time). 2 poverty; need. [old norse]

Maisonette  n. 1 flat on more than one floor. 2 small house. [french maisonnette diminutive of maison house]
Spelt2  n. A kind of wheat giving very fine flour. [old english]
Unction  n. 1 a anointing with oil etc. As a religious rite or medical treatment. B oil, ointment, etc. So used. 2 a soothing words or thought. B excessive or insincere flattery. 3 a emotional fervency. B pretence of this. [latin ungo unct- anoint]
Dropper  n. Device for releasing liquid in drops.
Gargle  —v. (-ling) wash (the throat) with a liquid kept in motion by breathing through it. —n. Liquid for gargling. [french: related to *gargoyle]



Rondo  n. (pl. -s) musical form with a recurring leading theme. [french *rondeau]

Co-worker  n. Person who works with another.

Glutamic acid  n. Amino acid normally found in proteins. [from *gluten, *amine]
Pampas  n.pl. Large treeless plains in s. America. [spanish from quechua]
Mum2  adj. Colloq. Silent (keep mum).  mum's the word say nothing. [imitative]

Floaty  adj. (esp. Of fabric) light and airy. [from *float]


Legalistic  adj. Adhering excessively to a law or formula.  legalism n. Legalist n.

Toothache  n. Pain in a tooth or teeth.
Gourmandise  n. Gluttony.


General certificate of secondary education  n. Examination replacing and combining the gce ordinary level and cse examinations.
Playgroup  n. Organized regular meeting of preschool children for supervised play.


Puff  —n. 1 a short quick blast of breath or wind. B sound of or like this. C small quantity of vapour, smoke, etc., emitted in one blast (puff of smoke). 2 light pastry cake containing jam, cream, etc. 3 gathered material in a dress etc. (puff sleeve). 4 extravagantly enthusiastic review, advertisement, etc., esp. In a newspaper. 5 = *powder-puff. —v. 1 emit a puff of air or breath; blow with short blasts. 2 (usu. Foll. By away, out, etc.) Emit or move with puffs (puffing away at his cigar; train puffed out). 3 (usu. In passive; often foll. By out) colloq. Put out of breath (arrived puffed). 4 breathe hard; pant. 5 (usu. Foll. By up, out) inflate; swell (his eye was puffed up). 6 (usu. Foll. By out, up, away) blow or emit (dust, smoke, etc.) With a puff. 7 smoke (a pipe etc.) In puffs. 8 (usu. As puffed up adj.) Elate; make proud or boastful. 9 advertise or promote with exaggerated or false praise.  puff up = sense 8 of v. [imitative]
Bauble  n. Showy worthless trinket or toy. [french ba(u)bel toy]


Water-vole  n. Aquatic vole.
Teal  n. (pl. Same) small freshwater duck. [origin unknown]


Unscheduled  adj. Not scheduled.
Paratrooper  n. Member of a body of paratroops.


Dependent  —adj. 1 (usu. Foll. By on, upon) depending, conditional. 2 unable to do without (esp. A drug). 3 maintained at another's cost. 4 (of a clause etc.) Subordinate to a sentence or word. —n. Us var. Of *dependant.


Misspell  v. (past and past part. -spelt or -spelled) spell wrongly.
Lying  pres. Part. Of *lie1, *lie2.

Aid  —n. 1 help. 2 person or thing that helps. —v. 1 help. 2 promote (sleep will aid recovery).  in aid of 1 in support of. 2 colloq. For the purpose of (what's it all in aid of?). [latin: related to *ad-, juvo help]

Dashing  adj. 1 spirited, lively. 2 showy.  dashingly adv. Dashingness n.
Depopulate  v. (-ting) reduce the population of.  depopulation n.
Emulsion paint  n. Water-thinned paint.
Self-defeating  adj. (of an action etc.) Doomed to failure because of internal inconsistencies; achieving the opposite of what is intended.
Crumple  —v. (-ling) (often foll. By up) 1 crush or become crushed into creases or wrinkles. 2 collapse, give way. —n. Crease or wrinkle. [obsolete crump curl up]



Commercial  —adj. 1 of or engaged in commerce. 2 having financial profit as its primary aim. 3 (of chemicals) for industrial use. —n. Television or radio advertisement.  commercially adv.
Rabbi  n. (pl. -s) 1 jewish scholar or teacher, esp. Of the law. 2 jewish religious leader.  rabbinical adj. [hebrew, = my master]
Particularly  adv. 1 especially, very. 2 specifically (particularly asked for you). 3 in a particular or fastidious manner.
Bollocking  n. (also ballocking) coarse slang severe reprimand.






Quintessence  n. 1 (usu. Foll. By of) purest and most perfect form, manifestation, or embodiment of a quality etc. 2 highly refined extract.  quintessential adj. Quintessentially adv. [latin quinta essentia fifth substance (underlying the four elements)] 
Slavonic  —adj. 1 of the group of languages including russian, polish, and czech. 2 of the slavs. —n. Slavonic language-group. [related to *slav]
Coney  var. Of *cony.


Hers  poss. Pron. The one or ones belonging to or associated with her (it is hers; hers are over there).  of hers of or belonging to her (friend of hers).
Unrelieved  adj. Not relieved; monotonously uniform.
Lens  n. 1 piece of a transparent substance with one or (usu.) Both sides curved for concentrating or dispersing light-rays esp. In optical instruments. 2 combination of lenses used in photography. 3 transparent substance behind the iris of the eye. 4 = *contact lens. [latin lens lent- lentil (from the similarity of shape)]

Aluminium  n. (us aluminum) silvery light and malleable metallic element resistant to tarnishing by air.


Tt  abbr. 1 tourist trophy. 2 tuberculin-tested. 3 a teetotal. B teetotaller.
Air vice-marshal  n. Raf officer of high rank, just below air marshal.
Separatist  n. Person who favours separation, esp. Political independence.  separatism n.
Oasis  n. (pl. Oases) 1 fertile place in a desert. 2 area or period of calm in the midst of turbulence. [latin from greek]




Brambling  n. The speckled finch. [german: related to *bramble]


Pincers  n.pl. 1 (also pair of pincers) gripping-tool resembling scissors but with blunt jaws. 2 front claws of lobsters and some other crustaceans. [related to *pinch]

Everlasting  —adj. 1 lasting for ever or for a long time. 2 (of flowers) keeping their shape and colour when dried. —n. 1 eternity. 2 everlasting flower.
Paddle1  —n. 1  short broad-bladed oar used without a rowlock. 2 paddle-shaped instrument. 3  fin, flipper. 4 board on a paddle-wheel or mill-wheel. 5 action or spell of paddling. —v. (-ling) 1 move on water or propel a boat by paddles. 2 row gently. [origin unknown]
Watch  —v. 1 keep the eyes fixed on. 2 keep under observation; follow observantly. 3 (often foll. By for) be in an alert state; be vigilant. 4 (foll. By over) look after; take care of. —n. 1 small portable timepiece for carrying on the wrist or in a pocket. 2 state of alert or constant observation or attention. 3 naut. A usu. Four-hour spell of duty. B (in full starboard or port watch) each of the halves into which a ship's crew is divided to take alternate watches. 4 hist. Watchman or watchmen.  on the watch for waiting for (an anticipated occurrence). Watch it (or oneself) colloq. Be careful. Watch out (often foll. By for) be on one's guard.  watcher n. (also in comb.). [old english: related to *wake1]


Mot  n. (pl. Mots pronunc. Same) = *bon mot. [french, = word]

Overpay  v. (past and past part. -paid) pay too highly or too much.  overpayment n.
Offhand  —adj. Curt or casual in manner. —adv. Without preparation or thought (can't say offhand).  offhanded adj. Offhandedly adv. Offhandedness n.


Hippocratic oath  n. Statement of ethics of the medical profession. [hippocrates, name of a greek physician]


Xenophobia  n. Hatred or fear of foreigners.  xenophobic adj. [greek xenos strange, stranger]
Measurement  n. 1 measuring. 2 amount measured. 3 (in pl.) Detailed dimensions.






Elevenses  n. Colloq. Light refreshment taken at about 11 a.m.




Arbiter  n. 1 arbitrator in a dispute. 2 person influential in a specific field (arbiter of taste). [latin from arbitror to judge]

Case-law  n. Law as established by the outcome of former cases.

Seepage  n. 1 act of seeping. 2 quantity that seeps out.
Gazetteer  n. Geographical index. [italian: related to *gazette]



German  —n. 1 a native or national of germany. B person of german descent. 2 language of germany. —adj. Of germany or its people or language. [latin germanus]
Textual  adj. Of, in, or concerning a text.  textually adv.
Charwoman  n. Woman employed as a cleaner in a house.
Burning  adj. 1 ardent, intense. 2 hotly discussed, vital, urgent.
Drawing-room  n. 1 room in a private house for sitting or entertaining in. 2 (attrib.) Restrained, polite (drawing-room manners). [earlier withdrawing-room]

Zipper  n. Esp. Us = *zip 3a.
J'adoube  int. Chess declaration of the intention to adjust a piece without moving it. [french, = i adjust]

Friesian  n. One of a breed of black and white dairy cattle orig. From friesland. [var. Of *frisian]
Sunbathe  v. (-thing) bask in the sun, esp. To tan the body.  sunbather n.


Catalysis  n. (pl. -lyses) acceleration of a chemical reaction by a catalyst. [greek luo set free]

Bull2  n. Papal edict. [latin bulla seal]
Tasteful  adj. Having, or done in, good taste.  tastefully adv. Tastefulness n.


Bracken  n. 1 large coarse fern. 2 mass of these. [old norse]
Dishonor  (brit. Dishonour) —n. 1 loss of honour or respect; disgrace. 2 thing causing this. —v. 1 disgrace (dishonoured his name). 2 refuse to accept or pay (a cheque etc.).
Turbine  n. Rotary motor driven by a flow of water, steam, gas, wind, etc. [latin turbo -in- spinning-top, whirlwind]



Silo  n. (pl. -s) 1 pit or airtight barn etc. In which green crops are kept for fodder. 2 pit or tower for storing grain, cement, etc. 3 underground storage chamber for a guided missile. [spanish from latin]
Plebiscite  n. Referendum. [latin plebiscitum: related to *plebeian]

Hock3  v. Esp. Us colloq. Pawn; pledge.  in hock 1 in pawn. 2 in debt. 3 in prison. [dutch]
Chink  n. Slang offens. A chinese. [abbreviation]
Hoodlum  n. 1 street hooligan, young thug. 2 gangster. [origin unknown]


Delirium tremens  n. Psychosis of chronic alcoholism involving tremors and hallucinations.

Guillemot  n. Fast-flying sea bird nesting on cliffs etc. [french]

Luscious  adj. 1 richly sweet in taste or smell. 2 (of style) over-rich. 3 voluptuously attractive. [perhaps related to *delicious]





Fluctuate  v. (-ting) vary irregularly; rise and fall.  fluctuation n. [latin fluctus wave]
Gaol  var. Of *jail.

Easter  n. Festival (held on a variable sunday in march or april) commemorating christ's resurrection. [old english]
By-law  n. Regulation made by a local authority or corporation. [obsolete by town]




Duchesse potatoes  n.pl. Mashed potatoes mixed with egg, baked or fried, and served as small cakes or used as piping. [french]
Tip-up  attrib. Adj. Able to be tipped, e.g. Of a theatre seat.
Shag1  n. 1 coarse kind of cut tobacco. 2 a rough mass of hair etc. B (attrib.) (of a carpet) with a long rough pile 3 cormorant, esp. The crested cormorant. [old english]
Basset  n. (in full basset-hound) sturdy hunting-dog with a long body and short legs. [french diminutive of bas low]



Ass  n. (brit. Arse) coarse slang buttocks. [old english]
Warring  see *war v.

Hippo  n. (pl. -s) colloq. Hippopotamus. [abbreviation]

Disencumber  v. Free from encumbrance.
Sought  past and past part. Of *seek.

Mama  n. (also mamma) archaic mother. [imitative of child's ma, ma]

Caveat  n. 1 warning, proviso. 2 law process in court to suspend proceedings. [latin, = let him beware]
Car-boot sale  n. Sale of goods from (tables stocked from) the boots of cars.



Failing  —n. Fault, weakness. —prep. In default of.
Reorder  —v. 1 order again. 2 put into a new order. —n. Renewed or repeated order for goods.



Tetrameter  n. Prosody verse of four measures.
Polyvinyl chloride  n. A vinyl plastic used for electrical insulation or as a fabric etc.; pvc.
Parliamentarian  n. Member of a parliament, esp. An expert in its procedures.


Sock1  n. 1 knitted covering for the foot and lower leg. 2 insole.  pull one's socks up colloq. Make an effort to improve. Put a sock in it slang be quiet. [old english socc from greek sukkhos slipper]

Clang  —n. Loud resonant metallic sound. —v. (cause to) make a clang. [imitative: cf. Latin clango resound]



Pigskin  n. 1 hide of a pig. 2 leather made from this.

Jet black  adj. & n. (as adj. Often hyphenated) deep glossy black.
Penalty area  n. Football ground in front of the goal in which a foul by defenders involves the award of a penalty kick.
Deportee  n. Deported person.
Bibliophile  n. Lover or collector of books.
Harlequinade  n. 1 part of a pantomime featuring harlequin. 2 piece of buffoonery.


Rolling stone  n. Unsettled rootless person.


Troubadour  n. 1 singer or poet. 2 french medieval lyric poet singing of courtly love. [provençal trobar find, compose]
Face-cloth  n. Cloth for washing one's face.
Underpopulated  adj. Having an insufficient or very small population.
Heritable  adj. 1 law capable of being inherited or of inheriting. 2 biol. Genetically transmissible from parent to offspring. [french: related to *heir]

Frailty  n. (pl. -ies) 1 frail quality. 2 weakness, foible.
Heart-to-heart  —attrib. Adj. (of a conversation etc.) Candid, intimate. —n. Candid or personal conversation.


Fundamental note  n. Mus. Lowest note of a chord.



Allied  adj. 1 (also allied) associated in an alliance. 2 connected or related.
Shopwalker  n. Supervisor in a large shop.
Transfix  v. 1 paralyse with horror or astonishment. 2 pierce with a sharp implement or weapon. [latin: related to *fix]
Conchology  n. The study of shells. [from *conch]



Nonagenarian  n. Person from 90 to 99 years old. [latin nonageni ninety each]


Karaoke  n. Entertainment in nightclubs etc. With customers singing to a backing track. [japanese, = empty orchestra]
Kohl  n. Black powder used as eye make-up, esp. In eastern countries. [arabic]
Calices  pl. Of *calix.
Adulterer  n. (fem. Adulteress) person who commits adultery.
Porcelain  n. 1 hard fine translucent ceramic with a transparent glaze. 2 objects made of this. [italian diminutive of porca sow]
Daily bread  n. Necessary food; livelihood.
Rogues' gallery  n. Colloq. Collection of photographs of known criminals etc., used for identification.
Deleterious  adj. Harmful. [latin from greek]
Rumbustious  adj. Colloq. Boisterous, noisy, uproarious. [probably var. Of robustious from *robust]


Agrimony  n. (pl. -ies) perennial plant with small yellow flowers. [greek argemone poppy]
Slot  —n. 1 slit in a machine etc. For a thing, esp. A coin, to be inserted. 2 slit, groove, etc. For a thing. 3 allotted place in a schedule, esp. In broadcasting. —v. (-tt-) 1 (often foll. By in, into) place or be placed (as if) into a slot. 2 provide with slots. [french esclot hollow of breast]





Confluent  —adj. Flowing together, uniting. —n. Stream joining another.
High-speed  attrib. Adj. Operating at great speed.

Rush1  —v. 1 go, move, flow, or act precipitately or with great speed. 2 move or transport with great haste (was rushed to hospital). 3 (foll. By at) a move suddenly towards. B begin or attack impetuously. 4 perform or deal with hurriedly (don't rush your dinner). 5 force or induce (a person) to act hastily. 6 attack or capture by sudden assault. 7 slang overcharge (a customer). —n. 1 a rushing; violent or speedy advance or attack. B sudden flow, flood. 2 period of great activity. 3 (attrib.) Done with great haste or speed (a rush job). 4 sudden migration of large numbers. 5 (foll. By on, for) sudden strong demand for a commodity. 6 (in pl.) Colloq. First uncut prints of a film. [french ruser: related to *ruse]



Chief constable  n. Head of the police force of a county etc.

Bream  n. (pl. Same) 1 yellowish arch-backed freshwater fish. 2 (in full sea bream) similar marine fish. [french from germanic]
Assorted  adj. 1 of various sorts, mixed. 2 classified. 3 matched (ill-assorted pair).
Pico-  comb. Form denoting a factor of 10-12 (picometre). [spanish pico beak, peak, little bit]
Czechoslovak  (also czechoslovakian) —n. Native or national of czechoslovakia. —adj. Of czechoslovakia. [from *czech, *slovak]
Desirous  predic. Adj. 1 (usu. Foll. By of) desiring, wanting (desirous of stardom). 2 wanting; hoping (desirous to do the right thing).
Whereas  conj. 1 in contrast or comparison with the fact that. 2 (esp. In legal preambles) taking into consideration the fact that.



Co.  Abbr. 1 company. 2 county.
Aureate  adj. Literary 1 golden. 2 resplendent. [latin aurum gold]


Psalter  n. 1 the book of psalms. 2 (psalter) version or copy of this. [old english and french from greek psalterion stringed instrument]






Hush  —v. Make or become silent or quiet. —int. Calling for silence. —n. Expectant stillness or silence.  hush up suppress public mention of (an affair). [husht, an obsolete exclamation, taken as a past part.]
Apoplexy  n. Sudden paralysis caused by blockage or rupture of a brain artery; stroke. [greek apoplesso disable by stroke]

Madrigal  n. Part-song, usu. Unaccompanied, for several voices. [italian]

Electrostatics  n.pl. (treated as sing.) The study of electricity at rest.


Mecca  n. Place one aspires to visit. [mecca, muslim holy city in arabia]
Jacaranda  n. Tropical american tree with trumpet-shaped blue flowers or hard scented wood. [tupi]
Marketeer  n. 1 supporter of the ec and british membership of it. 2 marketer.

Rubicon  n. Boundary; point from which there is no going back. [rubicon, river on ancient frontier of italy]

Conductive  adj. Transmitting (esp. Heat, electricity, etc.).  conductivity n.
Royal jelly  n. Substance secreted by worker bees and fed by them to future queen bees.
Song and dance  n. Colloq. Fuss, commotion.
Hosiery  n. Stockings and socks.
Listener  n. 1 person who listens. 2 person who listens to the radio.

Oily  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 of or like oil. 2 covered or soaked with oil. 3 (of a manner etc.) Fawning, unctuous, ingratiating.  oiliness n.

Son et lumière  n. Entertainment by night at a historic building etc., using lighting effects and recorded sound to give a dramatic narrative of its history. [french, = sound and light]
Adapt  v. 1 a (foll. By to) fit, adjust (one thing to another). B (foll. By to, for) make suitable for a purpose. C modify (esp. A text for broadcasting etc.). 2 (also refl., usu. Foll. By to) adjust to new conditions.  adaptable adj. Adaptation n. [latin: related to *ad-, *apt]
Skein  n. 1 loosely-coiled bundle of yarn or thread. 2 flock of wild geese etc. In flight. [french escaigne]
Second-degree  adj. Denoting burns that cause blistering but not permanent scars.
Curé  n. Parish priest in france etc. [french]
Tanker  n. Ship, aircraft, or road vehicle for carrying liquids, esp. Oil, in bulk.
Twilight  n. 1 light from the sky when the sun is below the horizon, esp. In the evening. 2 period of this. 3 faint light. 4 period of decline or destruction. [from *two, *light1]


Awning  n. Sheet of canvas etc. Stretched on a frame as a shelter against the sun or rain. [origin uncertain]

Scheme  —n. 1 systematic plan or arrangement (colour scheme). 2 artful plot. 3 timetable, outline, syllabus, etc. —v. (-ming) plan, esp. Secretly or deceitfully.  scheming adj. [greek: related to *schema]





Give  —v. (-ving; past gave; past part. Given) 1 transfer the possession of freely; hand over as a present; donate. 2 a transfer temporarily; provide with (gave him the dog to hold; gave her a new hip). B administer (medicine). C deliver (a message). 3 (usu. Foll. By for) make over in exchange or payment. 4 a confer; grant (a benefit, honour, etc.). B accord; bestow (love, time, etc.). C pledge (gave his word). 5 a perform (an action etc.) (gave a jump; gave a performance; gave an interview). B utter; declare (gave a shriek; gave the batsman out). 6 (in passive; foll. By to) be inclined to or fond of (is given to boasting; is given to strong drink). 7 yield to pressure; collapse. 8 yield as a product or result (gives an average of 7). 9 a consign, put (gave him into custody). B sanction the marriage of (a daughter etc.). 10 devote; dedicate (gave his life to the cause). 11 present; offer; show; hold out (gives no sign of life; gave her his arm; give me an example). 12 impart; be a source of; cause (gave me a cold; gave me trouble; gave much pain). 13 concede (i give you the benefit of the doubt). 14 deliver (a judgement etc.) Authoritatively. 15 provide (a party, meal, etc.) As host. 16 (in past part.) Assume or grant or specify (given the circumstances; in a given situation; given that we earn so little). 17 (absol.) Colloq. Tell what one knows. —n. Capacity to yield or comply; elasticity.  give and take 1 exchange of words, ideas, blows, etc. 2 ability to compromise. Give away 1 transfer as a gift. 2 hand over (a bride) to a bridegroom. 3 reveal (a secret etc.). Give the game (or show) away reveal a secret or intention. Give in 1 yield; acknowledge defeat. 2 hand in (a document etc.) To an official etc. Give it to a person colloq. Scold or punish. Give me i prefer (give me greece any day). Give off emit (fumes etc.). Give oneself up to 1 abandon oneself to (despair etc.). 2 addict oneself to. Give on to (or into) (of a window, corridor, etc.) Overlook or lead into. Give or take colloq. Accepting as a margin of error in estimating. Give out 1 announce; emit; distribute. 2 be exhausted. 3 run short. Give over 1 colloq. Stop or desist. 2 hand over. 3 devote. Give rise to cause. Give a person to understand inform or assure. Give up 1 resign; surrender. 2 part with.
Palm oil  n. Oil from various palms.
Pump1  —n. 1 machine or device for raising or moving liquids, compressing gases, inflating tyres, etc. 2 act of pumping; stroke of a pump. —v. 1 (often foll. By in, out, into, up, etc.) Raise or remove (liquid, gas, etc.) With a pump. 2 (often foll. By up) fill (a tyre etc.) With air. 3 remove (water etc.) With a pump. 4 work a pump. 5 (often foll. By out) (cause to) move, pour forth, etc., as if by pumping. 6 persistently question (a person) to obtain information. 7 a move vigorously up and down. B shake (a person's hand) effusively.  pump iron colloq. Exercise with weights. [origin uncertain]
Guardsman  n. Soldier belonging to a body of guards or regiment of guards.
Mind-boggling  adj. Colloq. Unbelievable, startling.

Résumé  n. Summary. [french: related to *resume]




Undivided  adj. Not divided or shared; whole, entire (undivided attention).
Path  n. (pl. Paths) 1 way or track made for or by walking. 2 line along which a person or thing moves (flight path). 3 course of action. [old english]

Pebble-dash  n. Mortar with stone chippings in it as a coating for external walls.

Warlord  n. Military commander or commander-in-chief.
Bookbinder  n. Person who binds books for a living.  bookbinding n.
Veterinary  —adj. Of or for the diseases and injuries of animals. —n. (pl. -ies) veterinary surgeon. [latin veterinae cattle]

Misty  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 of or covered with mist. 2 dim in outline. 3 obscure, vague (misty idea).  mistily adv. Mistiness n. [old english: related to *mist]
Roadie  n. Colloq. Assistant of a touring band etc., erecting and maintaining equipment.


Darn2  v., int., adj., & adv. Colloq. = *damn (in imprecatory senses). [corruption]

Slung  past and past part. Of *sling1.
Gain  —v. 1 obtain or win (gain advantage; gain recognition). 2 acquire as profits etc., earn. 3 (often foll. By in) get more of, improve (gain momentum; gain in experience). 4 benefit, profit. 5 (of a clock etc.) Become fast; become fast by (a specified amount of time). 6 (often foll. By on, upon) come closer to a person or thing pursued. 7 a reclaim (land from the sea). B win (a battle). 8 reach (a desired place). —n. 1 increase of wealth etc.; profit, improvement. 2 (in pl.) Sums of money got by trade etc. 3 increase in amount.  gain ground 1 advance. 2 (foll. By on) catch up (a person pursued). [french from germanic]

Gear lever  n. (also gear shift) lever used to engage or change gear.
Shelduck  n. (pl. Same or -s; masc. Sheldrake, pl. Same or -s) bright-plumaged wild duck. [probably from dial. Sheld pied, *duck1]


Compound1  —n. 1 mixture of two or more things. 2 word made up of two or more existing words. 3 substance formed from two or more elements chemically united in fixed proportions. —adj. 1 made up of two or more ingredients or parts. 2 combined; collective. —v. 1 mix or combine (ingredients or elements). 2 increase or complicate (difficulties etc.). 3 make up (a composite whole). 4 settle (a matter) by mutual agreement. 5 law condone or conceal (a liability or offence) for personal gain. 6 (usu. Foll. By with) law come to terms with a person. [latin compono -pos- put together]
Hill  n. 1 naturally raised area of land, lower than a mountain. 2 (often in comb.) Heap, mound (anthill). 3 sloping piece of road.  over the hill colloq. Past the prime of life. [old english]
Merchantable  adj. Saleable, marketable.
Antihistamine  n. Drug that counteracts the effects of histamine, used esp. In treating allergies.

Reconnaissance  n. 1 survey of a region, esp. To locate an enemy or ascertain strategic features. 2 preliminary survey. [french: related to *reconnoitre]

Wheeze  —v. (-zing) 1 breathe with an audible whistling sound. 2 utter with this sound. —n. 1 sound of wheezing. 2 colloq. Clever scheme.  wheezy adj. (-ier, -iest). Wheezily adv. Wheeziness n. [probably from old norse, = hiss]
Odour  n. (us odor) 1 smell or fragrance. 2 quality or trace (an odour of intolerance). 3 regard, repute (in bad odour).  odorous adj. Odourless adj. [latin odor]
Hinny  n. (pl. -ies) offspring of a female donkey and a male horse. [greek hinnos]


Overleaf  adv. On the other side of the leaf of a book.

Colour-sergeant  n. Senior sergeant of an infantry company.
Free-handed  adj. Generous.
Objective  —adj. 1 external to the mind; actually existing. 2 dealing with outward things or exhibiting facts uncoloured by feelings or opinions. 3 gram. (of a case or word) in the form appropriate to the object. —n. 1 something sought or aimed at. 2 gram. Objective case.  objectively adv. Objectivity n. [medieval latin: related to *object]
Miscarry  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 (of a woman) have a miscarriage. 2 (of a plan etc.) Fail.
Gateau  n. (pl. -s or -x) large rich cake filled with cream etc. [french]


Cobber  n. Austral. & nz colloq. Companion, friend. [origin uncertain]
Bulimia  n. (in full bulimia nervosa) disorder in which overeating alternates with self-induced vomiting, fasting, etc. [greek bous ox, limos hunger]




Life-support machine  n. Respirator.
Rave  —v. (-ving) 1 talk wildly or furiously in or as in delirium. 2 (usu. Foll. By about, over) speak with rapturous admiration; go into raptures. 3 colloq. Enjoy oneself freely (esp. Rave it up). —n. 1 (usu. Attrib.) Colloq. Highly enthusiastic review. 2 (also rave-up) colloq. Lively party. 3 slang craze. [probably french dial. Raver]
Licensee  n. Holder of a licence, esp. To sell alcoholic liquor.
Nil  n. Nothing; no number or amount (esp. As a score in games). [latin]
Ménage  n. Household. [latin: related to *manor]
Fish-meal  n. Ground dried fish as fertilizer or animal feed.

Junk food  n. Food, such as sweets and crisps, with low nutritional value.



Recheck  —v. Check again. —n. Further check or inspection.
Cuticle  n. Dead skin at the base of a fingernail or toenail. [latin diminutive of cutis skin]

Colleague  n. Fellow worker, esp. In a profession or business. [latin collega]

Boar  n. 1 male wild pig. 2 uncastrated male pig. [old english]
Conferment  n. Conferring of a degree, honour, etc.
Dub2  v. (-bb-) 1 provide (a film etc.) With an, esp. Translated, alternative soundtrack. 2 add (sound effects or music) to a film or broadcast. 3 transfer or make a copy of (recorded sound or images). [abbreviation of *double]




Usage  com- is used before b, m, p, and occasionally before vowels and f; co- esp. Before vowels, h, and gn; col- before l, cor- before r, and con- before other consonants.

Dia.  Abbr. Diameter.




Lentil  n. 1 pea-like plant. 2 its seed, esp. Used as food. [latin lens]


Informed  adj. 1 knowing the facts. 2 having some knowledge.

Darkie  var. Of *darky.
Uncomplicated  adj. Simple; straightforward.
True north  n. North according to the earth's axis, not magnetic north.
Athletic  adj. 1 of athletes or athletics. 2 physically strong or agile.  athletically adv. Athleticism n. [latin: related to *athlete]
Vivisect  v. Perform vivisection on.

Pharmacology  n. The study of the action of drugs on the body.  pharmacological adj. Pharmacologist n.

Selvage  n. (also selvedge) fabric edging woven to prevent cloth from fraying. [from *self, *edge]
Good-hearted  adj. Kindly, well-meaning.
Misfire  —v. (-ring) 1 (of a gun, motor engine, etc.) Fail to go off or start or function smoothly. 2 (of a plan etc.) Fail to have the intended effect. —n. Such failure.

Heighten  v. Make or become higher or more intense.


Orphan  —n. Child whose parents are dead. —v. Bereave (a child) of its parents. [latin from greek, = bereaved]

Cavy  n. (pl. -ies) small s. American rodent, esp. The guinea pig. [latin from galibi]

Hurtful  adj. Causing (esp. Mental) hurt.  hurtfully adv.







Body  n. (pl. -ies) 1 whole physical structure, including the bones, flesh, and organs, of a person or an animal, whether dead or alive. 2 = *trunk 2. 3 main or central part; bulk or majority (body of opinion). 4 a group regarded as a unit. B (usu. Foll. By of) collection (body of facts). 5 quantity (body of water). 6 piece of matter (heavenly body). 7 colloq. Person. 8 full or substantial quality of flavour, tone, etc.  in a body all together. [old english]
Yoicks  int. Cry used by fox-hunters to urge on the hounds. [origin unknown]





Finn  n. Native or national of finland; person of finnish descent. [old english]



Coterie  n. Exclusive group of people sharing interests. [french]

Conscientious  adj. Diligent and scrupulous.  conscientiously adv. Conscientiousness n. [medieval latin: related to *conscience]


Compère  —n. Person who introduces a variety show etc. —v. (-ring) act as compère (to). [french, = godfather]
Fatty acid  n. Organic compound consisting of a hydrocarbon chain and a terminal carboxyl group.
Noh  n. (also no) traditional japanese drama. [japanese]
Spathe  n. Large bract(s) enveloping a flower-cluster. [greek spathe broad blade]





Heteromorphic  adj. (also heteromorphous) biol. Of dissimilar forms.  heteromorphism n.

Heavenly bodies  n.pl. The sun, stars, planets, etc.






Chip  —n. 1 small piece removed by chopping etc. 2 place or mark where a piece has been broken off. 3 a strip of potato, usu. Deep-fried. B us potato crisp. 4 counter used in some games to represent money. 5 = *microchip. —v. (-pp-) 1 (often foll. By off, away) cut or break (a piece) from a hard material. 2 (often foll. By at, away at) cut pieces off (a hard material) to alter its shape etc. 3 be apt to break at the edge. 4 (usu. As chipped adj.) Make (potatoes) into chips.  chip in colloq. 1 interrupt. 2 contribute (money etc.). A chip off the old block child resembling its parent, esp. In character. A chip on one's shoulder colloq. Inclination to feel resentful or aggrieved. When the chips are down colloq. When it comes to the point. [old english]



Intrusion  n. 1 intruding. 2 influx of molten rock between existing strata etc.  intrusive adj.

Attach  v. 1 fasten, affix, join. 2 (in passive; foll. By to) be very fond of. 3 attribute or be attributable; assign (can't attach a name to it; no blame attaches to us). 4 accompany; form part of (no conditions are attached). 5 refl. (usu. Foll. By to) take part in; join (attached himself to the team). 6 seize by legal authority. [french from germanic]
Suntrap  n. Sunny, esp. Sheltered, place.

Sordid  adj. 1 dirty, squalid. 2 ignoble, mercenary.  sordidly adv. Sordidness n. [latin sordidus]
Composite  —adj. 1 made up of parts. 2 of mixed ionic and corinthian style. 3 (of a plant) having a head of many flowers forming one bloom. —n. Composite thing or plant. [latin: related to *compose]
Heartburn  n. Burning sensation in the chest from indigestion.



Yellowhammer  n. Bunting of which the male has a yellow head, neck, and breast.
Sun lounge  n. Room with large windows to receive sunlight.
Forethought  n. 1 care or provision for the future. 2 deliberate intention.
Verger  n. 1 church caretaker and attendant. 2 officer preceding a bishop etc. With a staff. [anglo-french: related to *verge1]





Palliasse  n. Straw mattress. [latin: related to *pallet1]
Lounge  —v. (-ging) 1 recline comfortably; loll. 2 stand or move about idly. —n. 1 place for lounging, esp.: a a sitting-room in a house. B a public room (e.g. In a hotel). C a place in an airport etc. With seats for waiting passengers. 2 spell of lounging. [origin uncertain]

Yom kippur  n. Most solemn religious fast day of the jewish year, day of atonement. [hebrew]
Re-emerge  v. (-ging) emerge again; come back out.  re-emergence n.
Dust-up  n. Colloq. Fight, disturbance.
Snuff2  —n. Powdered tobacco or medicine taken by sniffing. —v. Take snuff. [dutch]
Brogue2  n. Marked accent, esp. Irish. [perhaps related to *brogue1]

Gymnasium  n. (pl. -s or -sia) room or building equipped for gymnastics. [greek gumnos naked]
News  n.pl. (usu. Treated as sing.) 1 information about important or interesting recent events, esp. When published or broadcast. 2 (prec. By the) broadcast report of news. 3 newly received or noteworthy information. [from *new]


Unwarranted  adj. 1 unauthorized. 2 unjustified.
Usage  the second pronunciation given, with the stress on the second syllable, is considered incorrect by some people.

During  prep. Throughout or at some point in. [latin: related to *durable]

Faint  —adj. 1 indistinct, pale, dim. 2 weak or giddy. 3 slight. 4 feeble; timid. 5 (also feint) (of paper) with inconspicuous ruled lines. —v. 1 lose consciousness. 2 become faint. —n. Act or state of fainting.  faintly adv. Faintness n. [french: related to *feign]

Lighten2  v. 1 shed light on. 2 make or grow bright.


We've  contr. We have.






Educate  v. (-ting) 1 give intellectual, moral, and social instruction to. 2 provide education for.  educable adj. Educability n. Educative adj. Educator n. [latin educo -are rear]


Restrictive practice  n. Agreement that limits competition or output in industry.

Safe keeping  n. Preservation in a safe place.

Hurt  —v. (past and past part. Hurt) 1 (also absol.) Cause pain or injury to. 2 cause mental pain or distress to. 3 suffer pain (my arm hurts). —n. 1 injury. 2 harm, wrong. [french hurter knock]
Jar3  n.  on the jar ajar. [obsolete char turn: see *ajar, *char2]




Helix  n. (pl. Helices) spiral curve (like a corkscrew) or coiled curve (like a watch spring). [latin from greek]
He-man  n. Masterful or virile man.
Extramarital  adj. (esp. Of sexual relations) occurring outside marriage.
Pullover  n. Knitted garment put on over the head and covering the top half of the body.


Brow  n. 1 forehead. 2 eyebrow. 3 summit of a hill etc. 4 edge of a cliff etc. [old english]


Cleat  n. 1 piece of metal, wood, etc., bolted on for fastening ropes to, or to strengthen woodwork etc. 2 projecting piece on a spar, gangway, etc. To prevent slipping. [old english]

Bacon  n. Cured meat from the back or sides of a pig. [french from germanic]

Rotter  n. Slang nasty or contemptible person. [from *rot]

Information retrieval  n. The tracing of information stored in books, computers, etc.
Tableau  n. (pl. -x) 1 picturesque presentation. 2 group of silent motionless people representing a scene on stage. [french, = picture, diminutive of *table]







Hone  —n. Whetstone, esp. For razors. —v. (-ning) sharpen on or as on a hone. [old english]
Cannibal  n. Person or animal that eats its own species.  cannibalism n. Cannibalistic adj. [spanish from carib]
Would-be  attrib. Adj. Desiring or aspiring to be.
Flight sergeant  n. Raf rank next above sergeant.

Sallow1  adj. (-er, -est) (esp. Of the skin) yellowish. [old english]

Guru  n. (pl. -s) 1 hindu spiritual teacher or head of a religious sect. 2 influential or revered teacher. [hindi]

L/cpl  abbr. Lance-corporal.

Fish-plate  n. Flat piece of iron etc. Connecting railway rails or positioning masonry.
Auntie  n. (also aunty) (pl. -ies) colloq. = *aunt.

Hoop-la  n. Fairground game with rings thrown to encircle a prize.
Garrulous  adj. Talkative.  garrulity n. Garrulousness n. [latin]



Manpower  n. Number of people available for work, service, etc.

Sweet talk  colloq. —n. Flattery, blandishment. —v. (sweet-talk) flatter in order to persuade.



Gasholder  n. Large receptacle for storing gas; gasometer.


Solicitude  n. Being solicitous. [latin: related to *solicitous]
Sourpuss  n. Colloq. Sour-tempered person.
White sauce  n. Sauce of flour, melted butter, and milk or cream.
Gryphon  var. Of *griffin.

Precedence  n. 1 priority in time, order, importance, etc. 2 right of preceding others.  take precedence (often foll. By over, of) have priority (over).
Finger-dry  v. Dry and style (the hair) by running one's fingers through it.
Yardie  n. Slang member of a jamaican or w. Indian gang engaging in organized crime, esp. Drug-trafficking. [jamaican english, = house, home]
Febrile  adj. Of fever; feverish. [latin febris fever]


Notelet  n. Small folded usu. Decorated sheet of paper for an informal letter.
Oversimplify  v. (-ies, -ied) (also absol.) Distort (a problem etc.) By stating it in too simple terms.  oversimplification n.
Intricate  adj. Very complicated; perplexingly detailed.  intricacy n. (pl. -ies). Intricately adv. [latin: related to *in-2, tricae tricks]






Bistro  n. (pl. -s) small informal restaurant. [french]

Alfalfa  n. Clover-like plant used for fodder. [arabic, = a green fodder]
Human chain  n. Line of people formed for passing things along, as a protest, etc.
Glide  —v. (-ding) 1 move smoothly and continuously. 2 (of an aircraft or pilot) fly without engine-power. 3 pass gradually or imperceptibly. 4 go stealthily. 5 cause to glide. —n. Gliding movement. [old english]

Hallway  n. Entrance-hall or corridor.
Dozy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 drowsy. 2 colloq. Stupid or lazy.
Litany  n. (pl. -ies) 1 a series of supplications to god recited by a priest etc. With set responses by the congregation. B (the litany) that in the book of common prayer. 2 tedious recital (litany of woes). [greek litaneia prayer]

Geminate  —adj. Combined in pairs. —v. (-ting) 1 double, repeat. 2 arrange in pairs.  gemination n. [latin: related to *gemini]


Stairwell  n. Shaft for a staircase.


Brassica  n. Plant of the cabbage family. [latin, = cabbage]
Owlet  n. Small or young owl.
Forecourt  n. 1 part of a filling-station with petrol pumps. 2 enclosed space in front of a building.
Crass  adj. Gross; grossly stupid.  crassly adv. Crassness n. [latin crassus thick]

Antiquarian  —adj. Of or dealing in antiques or rare books. —n. Antiquary.  antiquarianism n.

Ash1  n. 1 (often in pl.) Powdery residue left after burning. 2 (pl.) Human remains after cremation. 3 (the ashes) cricket trophy competed for by australia and england. [old english]
Launch2  n. 1 large motor boat. 2 man-of-war's largest boat. [spanish lancha]


Auction bridge  n. Game in which players bid for the right to name trumps.
Corked  adj. 1 stopped with a cork. 2 (of wine) spoilt by a decayed cork.

Da capo  adv. Mus. Repeat from the beginning. [italian]

Self-financing  adj. (of an institution or undertaking) that pays for itself without subsidy.
Tubing  n. Length of tube or quantity of tubes.


Well1  —adv. (better, best) 1 in a satisfactory way (works well). 2 with some distinction (plays the piano well). 3 in a kind way (treated me well). 4 thoroughly, carefully (polish it well). 5 with heartiness or approval (speak well of). 6 probably, reasonably (you may well be right). 7 to a considerable extent (is well over forty). —adj. (better, best) 1 (usu. Predic.) In good health. 2 (predic.) A in a satisfactory state or position. B advisable (it would be well to enquire). —int. Expressing surprise, resignation, etc., or used to introduce speech.  leave well alone avoid needless change or disturbance. Well and truly decisively, completely. Well away 1 having made considerable progress. 2 colloq. Fast asleep or drunk. Well done! Expressing praise for something done. Well worth certainly worth. [old english]

Mamma  var. Of *mama.
M.p.g.  Abbr. Miles per gallon.
Trundle  v. (-ling) roll or move, esp. Heavily or noisily. [var. Of obsolete or dial. Trendle: related to *trend]









Gaoler  var. Of *jailer.





Punctilious  adj. 1 attentive to formality or etiquette. 2 precise in behaviour.  punctiliously adv. Punctiliousness n. [italian: related to *punctilio]



Citizen  n. 1 member of a state, either native or naturalized. 2 inhabitant of a city. 3 us civilian.  citizenry n. Citizenship n. [anglo-french: related to *city]
Black mark  n. Mark of discredit.
Spirea  n. (brit. Spiraea) shrub with clusters of small white or pink flowers. [greek: related to *spiral]

Globe artichoke  n. The partly edible head of the artichoke plant.


Scribble  —v. (-ling) 1 write or draw carelessly or hurriedly. 2 joc. Be an author or writer. —n. 1 scrawl. 2 hasty note etc. [latin scribillo diminutive: related to *scribe]

Arithmetic mean  n. = *average 2.

Sandal1  n. Shoe with an openwork upper or no upper, usu. Fastened by straps. [latin from greek]
Hoe  —n. Long-handled tool with a blade, used for weeding etc. —v. (hoes, hoed, hoeing) weed (crops); loosen (earth); dig up with a hoe. [french from germanic]
Layout  n. 1 way in which land, a building, printed matter, etc., is arranged or set out. 2 something arranged in a particular way; display.
White flag  n. Symbol of surrender.
Superannuation  n. 1 pension. 2 payment towards this.
Summation  n. 1 finding of a total. 2 a summing-up.

Meteorology  n. The study of atmospheric phenomena, esp. For forecasting the weather.  meteorological adj. Meteorologist n. [greek meteorologia: related to *meteor]

Underskirt  n. Petticoat.
Photograph  —n. Picture formed by means of the chemical action of light or other radiation on sensitive film. —v. (also absol.) Take a photograph of (a person etc.).  photographer n. Photographic adj. Photographically adv.

Cur  n. 1 mangy ill-tempered dog. 2 contemptible person. [perhaps from old norse kurr grumbling]
Bacchanalia  n.pl. 1 roman festival of bacchus. 2 (bacchanalia) drunken revelry.





Color  (brit. Colour) —n. 1 sensation produced on the eye by rays of light when resolved as by a prism into different wavelengths. 2 one, or any mixture, of the constituents into which light can be separated as in a spectrum or rainbow, sometimes including (loosely) black and white. 3 colouring substance, esp. Paint. 4 use of all colours in photography etc. 5 a pigmentation of the skin, esp. When dark. B this as ground for discrimination. 6 ruddiness of complexion. 7 (in pl.) Appearance or aspect (saw them in their true colours). 8 (in pl.) A coloured ribbon or uniform etc. Worn to signify membership of a school, club, team, etc. B flag of a regiment or ship. 9 quality, mood, or variety in music, literature, etc. 10 show of reason; pretext (lend colour to; under colour of). —v. 1 apply colour to, esp. By painting, dyeing, etc. 2 influence. 3 misrepresent, exaggerate. 4 take on colour; blush.  show one's true colours reveal one's true character or intentions. [latin color]



Pressure-cooker  n. Airtight pan for cooking quickly under steam pressure.  pressure-cook v.

-wheeler  comb. Form vehicle with a specified number of wheels (three-wheeler).

Water melon  n. Large dark-green melon with red pulp and watery juice.
Drought  n. Prolonged absence of rain. [old english]

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome  see *aids.
Somewhen  adv. Colloq. At some time.

Exhaustive  adj. Thorough, comprehensive.  exhaustively adv. Exhaustiveness n.
Miscible  adj. Capable of being mixed.  miscibility n. [medieval latin: related to *mix]
Psyche  n. The soul, spirit, or mind. [latin from greek]
Caucasian  —adj. 1 of the white or light-skinned race. 2 of the caucasus. —n. Caucasian person. [caucasus in georgia]

Convocation  n. 1 convoking or being convoked. 2 large formal gathering. [latin: related to *convoke]
Old boy  n. 1 former male pupil of a school. 2 colloq. A elderly man. B (as a form of address) = *old man.

Curry2  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 groom (a horse) with a curry-comb. 2 treat (tanned leather) to improve it.  curry favour ingratiate oneself. [germanic: related to *ready]
Cirrhosis  n. Chronic liver disease, as a result of alcoholism etc. [greek kirrhos tawny]
Alienate  v. (-ting) 1 estrange, make hostile. 2 transfer ownership of.  alienation n.
Footman  n. Liveried servant.

Graveyard  n. Burial ground.



Blood test  n. Examination of blood, esp. For diagnosis.


Palsy  —n. (pl. -ies) paralysis, esp. With involuntary tremors. —v. (-ies, -ied) affect with palsy. [french: related to *paralysis]

Sheet metal  n. Metal rolled or hammered etc. Into thin sheets.


Moulder  v. (us molder) 1 decay to dust. 2 (foll. By away) rot or crumble. 3 deteriorate. [from *mould3]
Overtime  —n. 1 time worked in addition to regular hours. 2 payment for this. —adv. In addition to regular hours.
Impassioned  adj. Filled with passion; ardent. [italian impassionato: related to *passion]
Roam  —v. 1 ramble, wander. 2 travel unsystematically over, through, or about. —n. Act of roaming; ramble.  roamer n. [origin unknown]



Muskrat  n. 1 large n. American aquatic rodent with a musky smell. 2 its fur.
Gender  n. 1 a classification roughly corresponding to the two sexes and sexlessness. B class of noun according to this classification (see *masculine, *feminine, *neuter). 2 a person's sex. [latin *genus]
Surcharge  —n. Additional charge or payment. —v. (-ging) exact a surcharge from. [french: related to *sur-1]
Three-piece  —n. Three-piece suit or suite. —attrib. Adj. (esp. Of a suit or suite) consisting of three items.



Purple  —n. 1 colour between red and blue. 2 (in full tyrian purple) crimson dye obtained from some molluscs. 3 purple robe, esp. Of an emperor or senior magistrate. 4 scarlet official dress of a cardinal. 5 (prec. By the) position of rank, authority, or privilege. —adj. Of a purple colour. —v. (-ling) make or become purple.  purplish adj. [greek porphura, a shellfish yielding dye]
Butt2  n. 1 (often foll. By of) object of ridicule etc. 2 a mound behind a target. B (in pl.) Shooting-range. [french but goal]
Concept  n. General notion; abstract idea. [latin: related to *conceive]
Flamboyant  adj. 1 ostentatious; showy. 2 floridly decorated or coloured.  flamboyance n. Flamboyantly adv. [french: related to *flambé]
Dyslexia  n. Abnormal difficulty in reading and spelling.  dyslectic adj. & n. Dyslexic adj. & n. [greek lexis speech]
Stuffed shirt  n. Colloq. Pompous person.
Baobab  n. African tree with a massive trunk and large pulpy fruit. [probably african dial.]
Surety  n. (pl. -ies) 1 money given as a guarantee of performance etc. 2 (esp. In phr. Stand surety for) person who takes responsibility for another's debt, obligation, etc. [french from latin]

Hilt  n. Handle of a sword, dagger, etc.  up to the hilt completely. [old english]
Bouzouki  n. (pl. -s) greek form of mandolin. [modern greek]
Natural number  n. Whole number greater than 0.


Multiple  —adj. 1 having several parts, elements, or components. 2 many and various. —n. Number that contains another without a remainder (56 is a multiple of 7). [latin multiplus: related to *multiplex]
Dot  abbr. Department of transport.

Green revolution  n. Greatly increased crop production in underdeveloped countries.


Sleeve  n. 1 part of a garment that encloses an arm. 2 cover of a gramophone record. 3 tube enclosing a rod etc.  up one's sleeve in reserve.  sleeved adj. (also in comb.). Sleeveless adj. [old english]





Expansive  adj. 1 able or tending to expand. 2 extensive. 3 (of a person etc.) Effusive, open.  expansively adv. Expansiveness n.

Chromite  n. Mineral of chromium and iron oxides.
Calling  n. 1 profession or occupation. 2 vocation.
Usage  effect should not be confused with affect which, as a verb, has more meanings and is more common, but which does not exist as a noun.

Vent2  n. Slit in a garment, esp. In the lower edge of the back of a jacket. [french fente from latin findo cleave]
Sigma  n. Eighteenth letter of the greek alphabet (s, s, or, when final, v). [latin from greek]


Thyme  n. Any of several herbs with aromatic leaves. [greek thumon]
Capitation  n. Tax or fee paid per person. [latin: related to *capital]


Genetic code  n. Arrangement of genetic information in chromosomes.
Transcontinental  adj. Extending across a continent.
Mice  pl. Of *mouse.



Attractive  adj. 1 attracting (esp. Interest or admiration). 2 aesthetically pleasing; good-looking.  attractively adv.



Tilt  —v. 1 (cause to) assume a sloping position; heel over. 2 (foll. By at) strike, thrust, or run at, with a weapon. 3 (foll. By with) engage in a contest. —n. 1 tilting. 2 sloping position. 3 (of medieval knights etc.) Charging with a lance against an opponent or at a mark. 4 attack, esp. With argument or satire (have a tilt at).
Overland  adj. & adv. 1 by land. 2 not by sea.
Ku klux klan  n. Secret white racist society in the southern us. [origin uncertain]

Venture scout  n. Senior scout.
Stinking  —adj. 1 that stinks. 2 slang very objectionable. —adv. Slang extremely and usu. Objectionably (stinking rich).





Delusion  n. 1 false belief, hope, etc. 2 hallucination.  delusive adj. Delusory adj. [related to *delude]

Worthless  adj. Without value or merit.  worthlessness n.


Unruly  adj. (-ier, -iest) undisciplined, disorderly.  unruliness n. [related to *rule]
Velocity  n. (pl. -ies) speed, esp. Of inanimate things (wind velocity; velocity of light). [latin velox swift]
Spiritual  —adj. 1 of the spirit or soul (spiritual relationship; spiritual home). 2 religious, divine, inspired. 3 refined, sensitive. —n. (also negro spiritual) religious song orig. Of american blacks.  spirituality n. Spiritually adv.
Pun  —n. Humorous use of a word or words with two or more meanings; play on words. —v. (-nn-) (foll. By on; also absol.) Make a pun or puns with (words). [origin unknown]

Counsel of perfection  n. Ideal but impracticable advice.

Lucerne  n. = *alfalfa. [provençal, = glow-worm, referring to its shiny seeds]

Horsetail  n. 1 horse's tail. 2 plant resembling it.
Efl  abbr. English as a foreign language.



Handsome  adj. (handsomer, handsomest) 1 (usu. Of a man) good-looking. 2 (of an object) imposing, attractive. 3 a generous, liberal (handsome present). B (of a price, fortune, etc.) Considerable.  handsomely adv.
Wnw  abbr. West-north-west.
Meddlesome  adj. Interfering.
Quick-tempered  adj. Easily angered.


Parson  n. 1 rector. 2 vicar; clergyman. [latin: related to *person]

Citrate  n. A salt of citric acid.
Rejig  v. (-gg-) 1 re-equip (a factory etc.) For a new kind of work. 2 rearrange.





Scuff  —v. 1 graze or brush against. 2 mark or wear out (shoes) in this way. 3 shuffle or drag the feet. —n. Mark of scuffing. [imitative]


Floe  n. Sheet of floating ice. [norwegian]



Scrabble  —v. (-ling) scratch or grope about, esp. In search of something. —n. 1 act of scrabbling. 2 (scrabble) propr. Game in which players build up words from letter-blocks on a board. [dutch]

Pearly  —adj. (-ier, -iest) like, containing, or adorned with pearls; lustrous. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 pearly king or queen. 2 (in pl.) Pearly king's or queen's clothes.

Pedlar  n. (us peddler) 1 travelling seller of small items. 2 (usu. Foll. By of) retailer (of gossip etc.). [alteration of pedder from ped pannier]

Must2  n. Grape juice before fermentation is complete. [old english from latin]

Hellenism  n. (esp. Ancient) greek character or culture.  hellenist n.

Tamp  v. Ram down hard or tightly. [tampion stopper for gun-muzzle, from french tampon]
Fusty  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 musty, stuffy. 2 antiquated.  fustiness n. [french fust cask, from latin fustis cudgel]
Bruiser  n. Colloq. 1 large tough-looking person. 2 professional boxer.
Invalid2  adj. Not valid.  invalidity n.

Cocksure  adj. Arrogantly confident. [from *cock1]
Butyl  n. The univalent alkyl radical c4h9. [latin butyrum *butter]
Uneatable  adj. Not able to be eaten (cf. *inedible).

Auricula  n. (pl. -s) primula with ear-shaped leaves. [latin, diminutive of auris ear]

Past master  n. Expert.
Breadth  n. 1 distance or measurement from side to side of a thing. 2 freedom from prejudice or intolerance. [old english: related to *broad]

Maharaja  n. (also maharajah) hist. Title of some indian princes. [hindi, = great rajah]

-ing1  suffix forming nouns from verbs denoting: 1 verbal action or its result (asking). 2 material associated with a process etc. (piping; washing). 3 occupation or event (banking; wedding). [old english]
Fresh  —adj. 1 newly made or obtained. 2 a other, different; new (start a fresh page; fresh ideas). B additional (fresh supplies). 3 (foll. By from) lately arrived. 4 not stale, musty, or faded. 5 (of food) not preserved; newly caught, grown, etc. 6 not salty (fresh water). 7 a pure, untainted, refreshing (fresh air). B bright and pure in colour (fresh complexion). 8 (of wind) brisk. 9 colloq. Cheeky; amorously impudent. 10 inexperienced. —adv. Newly, recently (esp. In comb.: fresh-baked).  freshly adv. Freshness n. [old english fersc and french freis]
Ill-favoured  adj. Unattractive.
Water-pistol  n. Toy pistol shooting a jet of water.


Tearaway  n. Colloq. Unruly young person.
Airwaves  n.pl. Colloq. Radio waves used in broadcasting.
Trig  n. Colloq. Trigonometry. [abbreviation]
Blare  —v. (-ring) 1 sound or utter loudly. 2 make the sound of a trumpet. —n. Blaring sound. [low german or dutch, imitative]
Fuck-up  n. Coarse slang bungle or muddle.


Hanger  n. 1 person or thing that hangs. 2 (in full coat-hanger) shaped piece of wood etc. For hanging clothes on.


Electric fire  n. Electrically operated portable domestic heater.

Secure  —adj. 1 untroubled by danger or fear. 2 safe. 3 reliable; stable; fixed. —v. (-ring) 1 make secure or safe. 2 fasten or close securely. 3 succeed in obtaining.  securely adv. [latin se without, cura care]
Talus  n. (pl. Tali) ankle-bone supporting the tibia. [latin, = ankle]


Quarter-final  n. Match or round preceding the semifinal.
Table talk  n. Informal talk at table.
Timekeeper  n. 1 person who records time, esp. Of workers or in a game. 2 a watch or clock as regards accuracy (a good timekeeper). B person as regards punctuality.  timekeeping n.

Payable  adj. That must or may be paid; due (payable in april).
Political  adj. 1 a of or concerning the state or its government, or public affairs generally. B of or engaged in politics. 2 taking or belonging to a side in politics. 3 concerned with seeking power, status, etc. (political decision).  politically adv. [latin: related to *politic]



Tonic water  n. Carbonated water flavoured with quinine.
Oomph  n. Slang 1 energy, enthusiasm. 2 attractiveness, esp. Sex appeal. [origin uncertain]
Unworried  adj. Not worried; calm.


Epicenter  n. (brit. Epicentre) 1 point at which an earthquake reaches the earth's surface. 2 central point of a difficulty. [greek: related to *centre]

Homesick  adj. Depressed by absence from home.  homesickness n.

Dyne  n. Physics force required to give a mass of one gram an acceleration of one centimetre per second per second. [greek dunamis force]

Shore2  —n. Prop or beam set against a ship, wall, etc., as a support. —v. (-ring) (often foll. By up) support (as if) with a shore or shores; hold up. [low german or dutch]

Cockatoo  n. Crested parrot. [dutch from malay]
Zealot  n. Extreme partisan; fanatic.  zealotry n.

Zoo  n. Zoological garden. [abbreviation]

Peter pan  n. Person who remains youthful or is immature. [hero of j. M. Barrie's play (1904)]
Heartbreak  n. Overwhelming distress.  heartbreaking adj. Heartbroken adj.


Orris root  n. Fragrant iris root used in perfumery etc.

Scorpio  n. (pl. -s) 1 constellation and eighth sign of the zodiac (the scorpion). 2 person born when the sun is in this sign. [greek skorpios scorpion]
Fine arts  n.pl. Poetry, music, and the visual arts, esp. Painting, sculpture, and architecture.
Embalm  v. 1 preserve (a corpse) from decay. 2 preserve from oblivion. 3 make fragrant.  embalmment n. [french: related to *balm]


Sleeping-bag  n. Padded bag to sleep in when camping etc.


Detractor  n. Person who criticizes unfairly.  detraction n.


Carmelite  —n. 1 friar of the order of our lady of carmel. 2 nun of a similar order. —adj. Of the carmelites. [mt. Carmel in palestine, where the order was founded]

Needless  adj. 1 unnecessary. 2 uncalled for.  needlessly adv.
Quarter day  n. One of four days on which quarterly payments are due, tenancies begin and end, etc.


Disharmony  n. Lack of harmony; discord.  disharmonious adj.
Rocky1  adj. (-ier, -iest) of, like, or full of rock or rocks.  rockiness n.

Autobiography  n. (pl. -ies) 1 written account of one's own life. 2 this as a literary genre.  autobiographer n. Autobiographical adj.
Neither  —adj. & pron. (foll. By sing. Verb) not the one nor the other (of two things); not either (neither of the accusations is true; neither of them knows; neither wish was granted; neither went to the fair). —adv. 1 not either; not on the one hand (foll. By nor; introducing the first of two or more things in the negative: neither knowing nor caring; neither the teachers nor the parents nor the children). 2 also not (if you do not, neither shall i). —conj. Archaic nor yet; nor (i know not, neither can i guess). [old english: related to *no2, *whether]

Dead duck  n. Slang unsuccessful or useless person or thing.

Duff1  —n. Boiled pudding. —adj. Slang worthless, counterfeit, useless. [var. Of *dough]



Someday  adv. At some time in the future.
Pasque-flower  n. A kind of anemone with bell-shaped purple flowers. [french passe-fleur]
Telly  n. (pl. -ies) colloq. 1 television. 2 television set. [abbreviation]
Wa  abbr. Western australia.


Debt of honour  n. Debt not legally recoverable, esp. A sum lost in gambling.

Curmudgeon  n. Bad-tempered person.  curmudgeonly adj. [origin unknown]
Refusal  n. 1 refusing or being refused. 2 (in full first refusal) right or privilege of deciding to take or leave a thing before it is offered to others.
Cowling  n. Removable cover of a vehicle or aircraft engine.

Jersey  n. (pl. -s) 1 a knitted usu. Woollen pullover. B plain-knitted (orig. Woollen) fabric. 2 (jersey) light brown dairy cow from jersey. [jersey in the channel islands]



Shebeen  n. Esp. Ir. Unlicensed drinking place. [irish]

Ryegrass  n. Forage or coarse lawn grass. [alteration of ray-grass]


Frisian  —adj. Of friesland. —n. Native or language of friesland. [latin frisii (n. Pl.) From old frisian frisa]
Party-wall  n. Wall common to adjoining buildings or rooms.

Lotus position  n. Cross-legged position of meditation with the feet resting on the thighs.

Recover  v. 1 regain possession, use, or control of. 2 return to health, consciousness, or to a normal state or position. 3  obtain or secure by legal process. 4 retrieve or make up for (a loss, setback, etc.). 5 refl. Regain composure, consciousness, or control of one's limbs. 6 retrieve (reusable substances) from waste.  recoverable adj. [latin: related to *recuperate]


Hanoverian  adj. Of british sovereigns from george i to victoria. [hanover in germany]

Free house  n. Public house not controlled by a brewery.


Dishonourable  adj. (us dishonorable) 1 causing disgrace; ignominious. 2 unprincipled.  dishonourably adv.


Strong  —adj. (stronger; strongest) 1 able to resist; not easily damaged, overcome, or disturbed. 2 healthy. 3 capable of exerting great force or of doing much; muscular, powerful. 4 forceful in effect (strong wind). 5 firmly held (strong suspicion). 6 (of an argument etc.) Convincing. 7 intense (strong light). 8 formidable (strong candidate). 9 (of a solution or drink etc.) Not very diluted. 10 of a specified number (200 strong). 11 gram. (of a verb) forming inflections by a change of vowel within the stem (e.g. Swim, swam). —adv. Strongly.  come on strong behave aggressively. Going strong colloq. Continuing vigorously; in good health etc.  strongish adj. Strongly adv. [old english]

Germano-  comb. Form german.



Aroma  n. 1 esp. Pleasing smell, often of food. 2 subtle pervasive quality. [greek, = spice]
Mental  adj. 1 of, in, or done by the mind. 2 caring for mental patients. 3 colloq. Insane.  mentally adv. [latin mens ment- mind]

Boxroom  n. Small room for storing boxes, cases, etc.
Dolor  n. (brit. Dolour) literary sorrow, distress.  dolorous adj. [latin dolor pain]




Cardinal points  n.pl. Four main points of the compass (n., s., e., w.).
Commercial traveller  n. Firm's representative visiting shops etc. To get orders.
Noblewoman  n. Peeress.
Valerian  n. Any of various flowering herbs, esp. Used as a sedative. [french from medieval latin]
Eviscerate  v. (-ting) disembowel.  evisceration n. [latin: related to *viscera]
Clean-shaven  adj. Without beard or moustache.
Glossary  n. (pl. -ies) 1 list or dictionary of technical or special words. 2 collection of glosses. [latin: related to *gloss2]
Hibernian  archaic poet. —adj. Of ireland. —n. Native of ireland. [latin hibernia ireland]
Ingenuity  n. Inventiveness, cleverness.
Loyal  adj. 1 (often foll. By to) faithful. 2 steadfast in allegiance etc.  loyally adv. Loyalty n. (pl. -ies). [latin: related to *legal]
Subscript  —adj. Written or printed below the line. —n. Subscript number etc.


Anybody  n. & pron. 1 any person. 2 person of importance (is he anybody?).



Curator  n. Keeper or custodian of a museum etc.  curatorship n. [anglo-latin: related to *cure]

Musketry  n. 1 muskets; soldiers armed with muskets. 2 knowledge of handling small arms.

 

Iguanodon  n. Large plant-eating dinosaur with small forelimbs. [from *iguana, which it resembles, after mastodon etc.]



Plan  —n. 1 method or procedure for doing something; design, scheme, or intention. 2 drawing etc. Of a building or structure, made by projection on to a horizontal plane. 3 map of a town or district. 4 scheme of an arrangement (seating plan). —v. (-nn-) 1 arrange (a procedure etc.) Beforehand; form a plan; intend. 2 make a plan of or design for. 3 (as planned adj.) In accordance with a plan (planned parenthood). 4 make plans.  plan on (often foll. By pres. Part.) Colloq. Aim at; intend.  planning n. [french]




Twister  n. Colloq. Swindler.





Piggery  n. (pl. -ies) 1 pig farm. 2 = *pigsty.

Tut  var. Of *tut-tut.


Breeze-block  n. Lightweight building block, esp. Of breeze mixed with sand and cement.
Moveable  var. Of *movable.
Dishy  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Sexually attractive.
Arboriculture  n. Cultivation of trees and shrubs. [latin arbor tree, after agriculture]

Peppercorn  n. 1  dried pepper berry. 2 (in full peppercorn rent) nominal rent.
Day  n. 1 time between sunrise and sunset. 2 a 24 hours as a unit of time. B corresponding period on other planets (martian day). 3 daylight (clear as day). 4 time during which work is normally done (eight-hour day). 5 a (also pl.) Historical period (in those days). B (prec. By the) present time (issues of the day). 6 prime of a person's life (have had my day; in my day). 7 a future time (will do it one day). 8 date of a specific festival or event etc. (graduation day; christmas day). 9 battle or contest (win the day).  all in a day's work part of the normal routine. At the end of the day when all is said and done. Call it a day end a period of activity. Day after day without respite. Day and night all the time. Day by day gradually. Day in, day out routinely, constantly. Not one's day day when things go badly (for a person). One of these days soon. One of those days day when things go badly. That will be the day colloq. That will never happen. [old english]
Minutiae  n.pl. Very small, precise, or minor details. [latin: related to *minute1]
Toward  prep. = *towards.
Qm  abbr. Quartermaster.
Lecherous  adj. Lustful, having excessive sexual desire.  lecherously adv.
Catechism  n. 1 a principles of a religion in the form of questions and answers. B book containing this. 2 series of questions. [church latin: related to *catechize]
Sheepish  adj. Embarrassed or shy; ashamed.  sheepishly adv.


Infest  v. (esp. Of vermin) overrun (a place).  infestation n. [latin infestus hostile]
Plymouth brethren  n.pl. Calvinistic religious body with no formal creed and no official order of ministers. [plymouth in devon]
Headphones  n.pl. Set of earphones fitting over the head, for listening to audio equipment etc.
Slab  n. 1 flat thick esp. Rectangular piece of solid material, esp. Stone. 2 mortuary table. [origin unknown]



Sophisticated  adj. 1 (of a person) worldly-wise; cultured; elegant. 2 (of a thing, idea, etc.) Highly developed and complex.  sophistication n.

Achieve  v. (-ving) 1 reach or attain, esp. By effort (achieved victory; achieved notoriety). 2 accomplish (a feat or task). [french achever: related to *chief]
Justify  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 show the justice or correctness of (a person, act, assertion, etc.). 2 (esp. In passive) cite or constitute adequate grounds for (conduct, a claim, etc.); vindicate. 3 (as justified adj.) Just, right (justified in assuming). 4 printing adjust (a line of type) to give even margins.  justification n. Justificatory adj.

Terms of reference  n.pl. Scope of an inquiry etc.; definition of this.

Preliminary  —adj. Introductory, preparatory. —n. (pl. -ies) (usu. In pl.) 1 preliminary action or arrangement (dispense with the preliminaries). 2 preliminary trial or contest. [latin limen threshold]
Flunk  v. Us colloq. Fail (esp. An exam). [origin unknown]

Forester  n. 1 person managing a forest or skilled in forestry. 2 dweller in a forest.
Coextensive  adj. Extending over the same space or time.

Rhythm method  n. Abstention from sexual intercourse near the time of ovulation, as a method of birth control.
Mucilage  n. 1 viscous substance obtained from plants. 2 adhesive gum. [latin: related to *mucus]



Turbo  n. (pl. -s) = *turbocharger.


Compressor  n. Machine for compressing air or other gases.


Jungian  —adj. Of the swiss psychologist carl jung or his theories. —n. Supporter of jung or of his theories.
Baker's dozen  n. Thirteen.

Platitude  n. Commonplace remark, esp. One solemnly delivered.  platitudinous adj. [french: related to *plate]

Halon  n. Any of various gaseous compounds of carbon, bromine, and other halogens, used to extinguish fires. [related to *halogen]
Rt.  Abbr. Right.
Writ1  n. Form of written command to act or not act in some way. [old english: related to *write]
Filament  n. 1 threadlike body or fibre. 2 conducting wire or thread in an electric bulb etc.  filamentous adj. [latin filum thread]

Head-on  adj. & adv. 1 with the front foremost (head-on crash). 2 in direct confrontation.
Darned  adj. & adv. Colloq. = *damned.
Untutored  adj. Uneducated, untaught.
Unrecognizable  adj. (also -isable) that cannot be recognized.
Syn-  prefix with, together, alike. [greek sun with]

Gruff  adj. 1 a (of a voice) low and harsh. B (of a person) having a gruff voice. 2 surly.  gruffly adv. Gruffness n. [low german or dutch grof coarse]
Pirouette  —n. Dancer's spin on one foot or the point of the toe. —v. (-tting) perform a pirouette. [french, = spinning-top]



Fascia  n. (also facia) (pl. -s) 1 a instrument panel of a vehicle. B similar panel etc. For operating machinery. 2 strip with a name etc. Over a shop-front. 3 a long flat surface in classical architecture. B flat surface, usu. Of wood, covering the ends of rafters. 4 stripe or band. [latin, = band, door-frame]
Disservice  n. Harmful action, harm.
Pawnbroker  n. Person who lends money at interest on the security of personal property.

Overfond  adj. (often foll. By of) having too great an affection or liking for (overfond of chocolate; overfond parent).
Munch  v. Eat steadily with a marked action of the jaws. [imitative]
Promenader  n. 1 person who promenades. 2 regular attender at promenade concerts.
Movable  adj. (also moveable) 1 that can be moved. 2 variable in date from year to year (movable feast). [related to *move]
Y2  symb. Yttrium.



Thresh  v. 1 beat out or separate grain from (corn etc.). 2 = *thrash v. 4.  thresher n. [old english]
Amendment  n. Minor alteration or addition in a document, resolution, etc.


Peripatetic  —adj. 1 (of a teacher) working in more than one school or college etc. 2 going from place to place; itinerant. —n. Peripatetic person, esp. A teacher. [greek pateo walk]


Cockney  —n. (pl. -s) 1 native of london, esp. Of the east end. 2 dialect or accent used there. —adj. Of cockneys or their dialect. [cokeney ‘cock's egg’]
Safety  n. Being safe; freedom from danger or risk.
Lawn2  n. Fine linen or cotton. [probably from laon in france]




Whereupon  conj. Immediately after which.

Kiddie  n. (also kiddy) (pl. -ies) slang = *kid1 n. 3.
Indecent  adj. 1 offending against decency. 2 unbecoming; unsuitable (indecent haste).  indecency n. (pl. -ies). Indecently adv.



Raf  abbr. Royal air force.

Old school  n. Traditional attitudes or people having them.


Ordinand  n. Candidate for ordination. [latin: related to *ordain]

Weave2  v. (-ving) move repeatedly from side to side; take an intricate course to avoid obstructions.  get weaving slang begin action; hurry. [old norse: related to *wave]
Grill  —n. 1 a device on a cooker for radiating heat downwards. B = *gridiron. 2 food cooked on a grill. 3 (in full grill room) restaurant specializing in grilled food. —v. 1 cook or be cooked under a grill or on a gridiron. 2 subject or be subjected to extreme heat. 3 subject to severe questioning. [french: related to *griddle]
Shan't  contr. Shall not.

Inquisitor  n. 1 official investigator. 2 hist. Officer of the inquisition.

Venial  adj. (of a sin or fault) pardonable; not mortal.  veniality n. Venially adv. [latin venia forgiveness]

Helping  n. Portion of food at a meal.


Poppycock  n. Slang nonsense. [dutch pappekak]

Misinform  v. Give wrong information to, mislead.  misinformation n. [from *mis-1]
Cut  —v. (-tt-; past and past part. Cut) 1 (also absol.) Penetrate or wound with a sharp-edged instrument. 2 (often foll. By into) divide or be divided with a knife etc. 3 trim or detach by cutting. 4 (foll. By loose, open, etc.) Loosen etc. By cutting. 5 (esp. As cutting adj.) Wound (cutting remark). 6 (often foll. By down) reduce (wages, time, etc.) Or cease (services etc.). 7 a make (a coat, gem, key, record, etc.) By cutting. B make (a path, tunnel, etc.) By removing material. 8 perform, make (cut a caper; cut a sorry figure). 9 (also absol.) Cross, intersect. 10 (foll. By across, through, etc.) Traverse, esp. As a shorter way (cut across the grass). 11 a deliberately ignore (a person one knows). B renounce (a connection). 12 esp. Us deliberately miss (a class etc.). 13 cards a divide (a pack) into two parts. B do this to select a dealer etc. 14 a edit (film or tape). B (often in imper.) Stop filming or recording. C (foll. By to) go quickly to (another shot). 15 switch off (an engine etc.). 16 chop (a ball). —n. 1 cutting. 2 division or wound made by cutting. 3 stroke with a knife, sword, whip, etc. 4 a reduction (in wages etc.). B cessation (of power supply etc.). 5 removal of lines etc. From a play, film, etc. 6 wounding remark or act. 7 style of hair, garment, etc. Achieved by cutting. 8 particular piece of butchered meat. 9 colloq. Commission; share of profits. 10 stroke made by cutting. 11 deliberate ignoring of a person. 12 = *woodcut.  a cut above colloq. Noticeably superior to. Be cut out (foll. By for, or to + infin.) Be suited. Cut across 1 transcend (normal limitations etc.). 2 see sense 10 of v. Cut and run slang run away. Cut back 1 reduce (expenditure etc.). 2 prune (a tree etc.). Cut both ways 1 serve both sides of an argument etc. 2 (of an action) have both good and bad effects. Cut a corner go across it. Cut corners do perfunctorily or incompletely, esp. To save time. Cut a dash make a brilliant show. Cut a person dead deliberately ignore (a person one knows). Cut down 1 a bring or throw down by cutting. B kill by sword or disease. 2 see sense 6 of v. 3 reduce the length of (cut down trousers to make shorts). 4 (often foll. By on) reduce consumption (cut down on beer). Cut a person down to size colloq. Deflate a person's pretensions. Cut in 1 interrupt. 2 pull in too closely in front of another vehicle. Cut it fine allow very little margin of time etc. Cut it out (usu. In imper.) Slang stop doing that. Cut one's losses abandon an unprofitable scheme. Cut no ice slang have no influence. Cut off 1 remove by cutting. 2 a (often in passive) bring to an abrupt end or (esp. Early) death. B intercept, interrupt. C disconnect (a person on the telephone). 3 a prevent from travelling. B (as cut off adj.) Isolated or remote. 4 disinherit. Cut out 1 remove from inside by cutting. 2 make by cutting from a larger whole. 3 omit. 4 colloq. Stop doing or using (something) (cut out chocolate). 5 (cause to) cease functioning (engine cut out). 6 outdo or supplant (a rival). Cut short interrupt; terminate. Cut one's teeth on acquire experience from.
Refill  —v. Fill again. —n. 1 thing that refills, esp. Another drink. 2 act of refilling.  refillable adj.
Fossil  —n. 1 remains or impression of a (usu. Prehistoric) plant or animal hardened in rock. 2 colloq. Antiquated or unchanging person or thing. —attrib. Adj. Of or like a fossil; antiquated.  fossilize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing). Fossilization n. [latin fodio foss- dig]
Quadrilateral  —adj. Having four sides. —n. Four-sided figure.

Brandy-snap  n. Crisp rolled gingerbread wafer usu. Filled with cream.
Jemmy  n. (pl. -ies) burglar's short crowbar. [from the name james]







Contaminate  v. (-ting) 1 pollute, esp. With radioactivity. 2 infect.  contaminant n. Contamination n. Contaminator n. [latin tamen- related to tango touch]
Savoir faire  n. Ability to behave appropriately; tact. [french]

Snivel  —v. (-ll-; us -l-) 1 weep with sniffling. 2 run at the nose; sniffle. 3 show weak or tearful sentiment. —n. Act of snivelling. [old english]
Horse-brass  n. Brass ornament orig. For a horse's harness.



Gumboot  n. Rubber boot.
Scatty  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Scatterbrained.  scattily adv. Scattiness n.
Douche  —n. 1 jet of liquid applied to part of the body for cleansing or medicinal purposes. 2 device for producing such a jet. —v. (-ching) 1 treat with a douche. 2 use a douche. [latin: related to *duct]


Pliant  adj. = *pliable 1.  pliancy n.
Vc  abbr. Victoria cross.




Perineum  n. (pl. -nea) region of the body between the anus and the scrotum or vulva.  perineal adj. [latin from greek]



Museum  n. Building used for storing and exhibiting objects of historical, scientific, or cultural interest. [greek: related to *muse2]
Unban  v. (-nn-) remove prohibited status from; allow.


Pop art  n. Art based on modern popular culture and the mass media.

Turki  —adj. Of a group of languages and peoples including turkish. —n. This group.  turkic adj. [persian: related to *turk]



Last-ditch  attrib. Adj. (of an attempt etc.) Final, desperate.
Leave-taking  n. Act of taking one's leave.


Murrain  n. Infectious disease of cattle. [anglo-french moryn]
Failure  n. 1 lack of success; failing. 2 unsuccessful person or thing. 3 non-performance. 4 breaking down or ceasing to function (heart failure). 5 running short of supply etc. [anglo-french: related to *fail]
Goo  n. Colloq. 1 sticky or slimy substance. 2 sickly sentiment. [origin unknown]
Tallow  n. Hard (esp. Animal) fat melted down to make candles, soap, etc.  tallowy adj. [low german]

Eggplant  n. = *aubergine.

Bannister  var. Of *banister.

Fox-terrier  n. A kind of short-haired terrier.
Tit3  n. 1 coarse slang woman's breast. 2 colloq. Nipple. [old english]
Semi-  prefix 1 half. 2 partly. [latin]

Nowadays  —adv. At the present time or age; in these times. —n. The present time.
Frog3  n. Ornamental coat-fastening of a button and loop. [origin unknown]
Raoc  abbr. Royal army ordnance corps.
Usage  flout is often confused with flaunt which means ‘to display proudly, show off’.
Worldly-wise  adj. Prudent or shrewd in one's dealings with the world.
Protégé  n. (fem. Protégée pronunc. Same) person under the protection, patronage, tutelage, etc. Of another. [french: related to *protect]


Middle name  n. 1 name between first name and surname. 2 colloq. Person's most characteristic quality (tact is my middle name).
Accrue  v. (-ues, -ued, -uing) (often foll. By to) come as a natural increase or advantage, esp. Financial. [latin: related to *accretion]
Empty  —adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 containing nothing. 2 (of a house etc.) Unoccupied or unfurnished. 3 (of a vehicle etc.) Without passengers etc. 4 a hollow, insincere (empty threats). B without purpose (an empty existence). C vacuous (an empty head). 5 colloq. Hungry. —v. (-ies, -ied) 1 remove the contents of. 2 (often foll. By into) transfer (contents). 3 become empty. 4 (of a river) discharge itself. —n. (pl. -ies) colloq. Empty bottle etc.  emptiness n. [old english]

Duckling  n. Young duck.
Smolder  (brit. Smoulder) —v. 1 burn slowly without flame or internally. 2 (of emotions) be fierce but suppressed. 3 (of a person) show silent emotion. —n. Smouldering. [origin unknown]
Hoy  int. Used to call attention. [natural cry]

Serious  adj. 1 thoughtful, earnest. 2 important, demanding consideration. 3 not negligible; dangerous, frightening (serious injury). 4 sincere, in earnest, not frivolous. 5 (of music, literature, etc.) Intellectual in content or appeal; not popular.  seriously adv. Seriousness n. [latin seriosus]
Speak  v. (past spoke; past part. Spoken) 1 utter words in an ordinary voice. 2 utter (words, the truth, etc.). 3 a converse; talk (spoke to her earlier; had to speak to the children about rudeness). B (foll. By of, about) mention in writing etc. C (foll. By for) act as spokesman for. 4 (foll. By to) speak with reference to; support in words (spoke to the resolution). 5 make a speech. 6 use or be able to use (a specified language). 7 a convey an idea (actions speak louder than words). B (usu. Foll. By to) communicate feeling etc.; affect, touch (the sunset spoke to her).  generally (or strictly etc.) Speaking in the general (or strict etc.) Sense. Not (or nothing) to speak of not (or nothing) worth mentioning. On speaking terms friendly enough to converse. Speak for itself be sufficient evidence. Speak out (often followed by against) give one's opinion courageously. Speak up 1 speak loudly or freely; speak louder. 2 (followed by for) defend. Speak volumes be very significant. [old english]

Liken  v. (foll. By to) point out the resemblance of (a person or thing to another). [from *like1]





Vignette  n. 1 short description, character sketch. 2 book illustration not in a definite border. 3 photograph etc. With the background shaded off. [french, diminutive: related to *vine]
Agelong  adj. Existing for a very long time.

Bias binding  n. Strip of fabric cut obliquely and used to bind edges.
Orderly room  n. Room in a barracks used for company business.
Ricotta  n. Soft italian cheese. [latin: related to *re-, coquo cook]





Unfold  v. 1 open the fold or folds of, spread out. 2 reveal (thoughts etc.). 3 become opened out. 4 develop.
Old  adj. (older, oldest) 1 a advanced in age; far on in the natural period of existence. B not young or near its beginning. 2 made long ago. 3 long in use. 4 worn, dilapidated, or shabby from the passage of time. 5 having the characteristics of age (child has an old face). 6 practised, inveterate (old offender). 7 belonging to the past; lingering on; former (old times; old memories; our old house). 8 dating from far back; long established or known; ancient, primeval (an old family; old friends; old as the hills). 9 (appended to a period of time) of age (is four years old; four-year-old boy; a four-year-old). 10 (of a language) as used in former or earliest times. 11 colloq. As a term of affection or casual reference (good old charlie; old thing).  oldish adj. Oldness n. [old english]


Tantamount  predic. Adj. (foll. By to) equivalent to. [italian tanto montare amount to so much]

Asunder  adv. Literary apart.


Sketchy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 giving only a rough outline, like a sketch. 2 colloq. Unsubstantial or imperfect, esp. Through haste.  sketchily adv. Sketchiness n.
Refloat  v. Set (a stranded ship) afloat again.



Ira  abbr. Irish republican army.
Alehouse  n. Hist. Tavern.
Passion  n. 1 strong emotion. 2 outburst of anger (flew into a passion). 3 intense sexual love. 4 a strong enthusiasm (passion for football). B object arousing this. 5 (the passion) a suffering of christ during his last days. B gospel account of this. C musical setting of this.  passionless adj. [latin patior pass- suffer]

Maidenhead  n. 1 virginity. 2 hymen.

Pharaoh  n. 1 ruler of ancient egypt. 2 title of this ruler. [old english from church latin pharao, ultimately from egyptian]

Cursive  —adj. (of writing) with joined characters. —n. Cursive writing. [medieval latin, = running: related to *current]


Filipino  —n. (pl. -s) native or national of the philippines. —adj. Of the philippines or filipinos. [spanish, = philippine]
Snake-charmer  n. Person appearing to make snakes move by music etc.
Fortune  n. 1 a chance or luck in human affairs. B person's destiny. 2 (in sing. Or pl.) Luck that befalls a person or enterprise. 3 good luck. 4 prosperity. 5 colloq. Great wealth.  make a (or one's) fortune become very rich. [latin fortuna]

Gosling  n. Young goose. [old norse: related to *goose]
Cheese plant  n. Climbing plant with holes in its leaves.
Wholemeal  n. (usu. Attrib.) Meal or flour with none of the bran or germ removed.


Gourmet  n. Connoisseur of good food. [french]


Krypton  n. Inert gaseous element used in fluorescent lamps etc. [greek krupto hide]

Maladminister  v. Manage badly or improperly.  maladministration n.
Tubule  n. Small tube in a plant or animal body. [latin tubulus, diminutive: related to *tube]
Transexual  var. Of *transsexual.
Upturn  —n. Upward trend; improvement. —v. Turn up or upside down.
Gpo  abbr. General post office.
Steering committee  n. Committee deciding the order of business, the course of operations, etc.
Helpless  adj. 1 lacking help or protection; defenceless. 2 unable to act without help.  helplessly adv. Helplessness n.


Stink  —v. (past stank or stunk; past part. Stunk) 1 emit a strong offensive smell. 2 (often foll. By out) fill (a place) with a stink. 3 (foll. By out etc.) Drive (a person) out etc. By a stink. 4 colloq. Be or seem very unpleasant. —n. 1 strong or offensive smell. 2 colloq. Row or fuss. [old english]
Caretaker  n. 1 person employed to look after a house, building, etc. 2 (attrib.) Exercising temporary authority (caretaker government).
Welsh  v. (also welch) 1 (of a loser of a bet, esp. A bookmaker) decamp without paying. 2 evade an obligation. 3 (foll. By on) a fail to carry out a promise to (a person). B fail to honour (an obligation). [origin unknown]
Timbered  adj. 1 made wholly or partly of timber. 2 (of country) wooded.
C 
Pietism  n. 1 pious sentiment. 2 exaggerated or affected piety. [german: related to *piety]
Putting-green  n. (in golf) smooth area of grass round a hole.
Jalopy  n. (pl. -ies) colloq. Dilapidated old vehicle. [origin unknown]
Vertex  n. (pl. -tices or -texes) 1 highest point; top, apex. 2 a each angular point of a triangle, polygon, etc. B meeting-point of lines that form an angle. [latin, = whirlpool, crown of a head, from verto turn]
High court  n. (also in england high court of justice) supreme court of justice for civil cases.
Impanel  var. Of *empanel.
Brake2  n. Large estate car. [var. Of *break]
Spoonbill  n. Wading bird with a broad flat-tipped bill.

Punchball  n. Stuffed or inflated ball on a stand for punching as exercise or training.
Tow-path  n. Path by a river or canal, orig. Used for towing a boat by horse.
Arbor1  n. Axle or spindle. [latin, = tree]



Fun  —n. 1 lively or playful amusement. 2 source of this. 3 mockery, ridicule (figure of fun). —attrib. Adj. Colloq. Amusing, enjoyable (a fun thing to do).  for fun (or for the fun of it) not for a serious purpose. In fun as a joke, not seriously. Make fun of (or poke fun at) ridicule, tease. [obsolete fun, fon: related to *fond]




Proficient  adj. (often foll. By in, at) adept, expert.  proficiency n. Proficiently adv. [latin proficio -fect- advance]
Tavern  n. Archaic or literary inn, pub. [latin taberna]




Breakaway  n. (often attrib.) Breaking away; secession (breakaway group).

Saw1  —n. 1 hand tool with a toothed blade used to cut esp. Wood with a to-and-fro movement. 2 power tool with a toothed rotating disk or moving band, for cutting. —v. (past part. Sawn or sawed) 1 cut (wood etc.) Or make (boards etc.) With a saw. 2 use a saw. 3 a move with a sawing motion (sawing away on his violin). B divide (the air etc.) With gesticulations. [old english]
Illustrate  v. (-ting) 1 a provide (a book etc.) With pictures. B elucidate by drawings, pictures, examples, etc. 2 serve as an example of.  illustrator n. [latin lustro light up]
Paean  n. (us pean) song of praise or triumph. [latin from greek]


Antique  —n. Old object, esp. A piece of furniture, of high value. —adj. 1 of or from an early date. 2 old-fashioned. [latin antiquus]
Unflattering  adj. Not flattering.  unflatteringly adv.
Snifter  n. Slang small alcoholic drink. [dial. Snift sniff]



Fishy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 of or like fish. 2 slang dubious, suspect.  fishily adv. Fishiness n.





Inrush  n. Rapid influx.

Deep-fry  v. Immerse in boiling fat to cook.
Honk  —n. 1 sound of a car horn. 2 cry of a wild goose. —v. (cause to) make a honk. [imitative]
Buttery2  adj. Like or containing butter.

Ego-trip  n. Colloq. Activity to boost one's own self-esteem or self-conceit.
Shoe-tree  n. Shaped block for keeping a shoe in shape.


Manful  adj. Brave; resolute.  manfully adv.
Mechanical engineer  n. Person qualified in the design, construction, etc. Of machines.
Desolation  n. 1 desolating or being desolated. 2 loneliness, grief, etc., esp. Caused by desertion. 3 neglected, ruined, or empty state.
Habitué  n. Habitual visitor or resident. [french]
Caveat emptor  n. Principle that the buyer alone is responsible if dissatisfied. [latin, = let the buyer beware]



Revue  n. Entertainment of short usu. Satirical sketches and songs. [french: related to *review]
Self-contained  adj. 1 (of a person) uncommunicative; independent. 2  (of accommodation) complete in itself, having no shared entrance or facilities.



Blue rinse  n. Bluish dye for grey hair.

Dianthus  n. Flowering plant of the genus including the carnation. [greek, = flower of zeus]

Yukky  var. Of *yucky.


Milk and water  n. Feeble or insipid writing, speech, etc.

Hole in the heart  n. Colloq. Congenital defect in the heart membrane.
Diversion  n. 1 diverting or being diverted. 2 a diverting of attention. B stratagem for this. 3 recreation, pastime. 4 alternative route when a road is temporarily closed.  diversionary adj.


Refractor  n. 1 refracting medium or lens. 2 telescope using a lens to produce an image.


Keg beer  n. Beer kept in a metal keg under pressure.
Community spirit  n. Feeling of belonging to a community, expressed in mutual support etc.



Delivery  n. (pl. -ies) 1 delivering or being delivered. 2 regular distribution of letters etc. (two deliveries a day). 3 thing delivered. 4 childbirth. 5 deliverance. 6 style of throwing a ball, delivering a speech, etc. [anglo-french: related to *deliver]



Statuette  n. Small statue.
Romance  —n. 1 idealized, poetic, or unworldly atmosphere or tendency. 2 a love affair. B mutual attraction in this. C sentimental or idealized love. 3 a literary genre concerning romantic love, stirring action, etc. B work of this genre. 4 medieval, esp. Verse, tale of chivalry, common in the romance languages. 5 a exaggeration, lies. B instance of this. 6 (romance) (often attrib.) Languages descended from latin. 7 mus. Short informal piece. —v. (-cing) 1 exaggerate, distort the truth, fantasize. 2 court, woo. [romanic: related to *romanic]



Mew2  n. Gull, esp. The common gull. [old english]
Thrombosis  n. (pl. -boses) coagulation of the blood in a blood-vessel or organ. [greek, = curdling]

Architect  n. 1 designer of buildings etc., supervising their construction. 2 (foll. By of) person who brings about a specified thing (architect of peace). [greek arkhi- chief, tekton builder]
Usage  in sense 1, this word is often confused with definite, which does not imply authority and conclusiveness. A definite no is a firm refusal, while a definitive no is an authoritative judgement or decision that something is not the case.

Cashier1  n. Person dealing with cash transactions in a shop, bank, etc.
Slap and tickle  n. Colloq. Sexual horseplay.

Amplitude  n. 1 maximum departure from average of an oscillation, alternating current, etc. 2 spaciousness; abundance. [latin: related to *ample]

Catchline  n. Short line of type, esp. At the head of copy or as a running headline.


Lamentable  adj. Deplorable, regrettable.  lamentably adv.
Rue1  v. (rues, rued, rueing or ruing) repent of; wish to be undone or non-existent (esp. Rue the day). [old english]
Re-  prefix 1 attachable to almost any verb or its derivative, meaning: a once more; afresh, anew. B back; with return to a previous state. 2 (also red- before a vowel, as in redolent) in verbs and verbal derivatives denoting: a in return; mutually (react). B opposition (resist). C behind or after (relic). D retirement or secrecy (recluse). E off, away, down (recede; relegate; repress). F frequentative or intensive force (redouble; resplendent). G negative force (recant; reveal). [latin]


Hard palate  n. Front part of the palate.

Iodine  n. 1 black crystalline element forming a violet vapour. 2 solution of this as an antiseptic. [french iode from greek iodes violet-like]

Triumphant  adj. 1 victorious, successful. 2 exultant.  triumphantly adv.



C  v. (-ting; past wrote; past part. Written) 1 mark paper or some other surface with symbols, letters, or words. 2 form or mark (such symbols etc.).
Pat1  —v. (-tt-) 1 strike gently with a flat palm, esp. In affection, sympathy, etc. 2 flatten or mould by patting. —n. 1 light stroke or tap, esp. With the hand in affection etc. 2 sound made by this. 3 small mass (esp. Of butter) formed by patting.  pat on the back congratulatory gesture. [probably imitative]
Sub  colloq. —n. 1 submarine. 2 subscription. 3 substitute. 4 sub-editor. —v. (-bb-) 1 (usu. Foll. By for) act as a substitute. 2  sub-edit. [abbreviation]



Neutrino  n. (pl. -s) elementary particle with zero electric charge and probably zero mass. [italian, diminutive of neutro neutral: related to *neuter]


Leaf  —n. (pl. Leaves) 1 each of several flattened usu. Green structures of a plant, growing usu. On the side of a stem. 2 a foliage regarded collectively. B state of bearing leaves (tree in leaf). 3 single thickness of paper. 4 very thin sheet of metal etc. 5 hinged part, extra section, or flap of a table etc. —v. 1 put forth leaves. 2 (foll. By through) turn over the pages of (a book etc.).  leafage n. Leafy adj. (-ier, -iest). [old english]
Uniat  (also uniate) —adj. Of the church in e. Europe or the near east, acknowledging papal supremacy but retaining its own liturgy etc. —n. Member of such a church. [latin unio *union]



Conceited  adj. Vain.  conceitedly adv.


Veterinarian  n. Formal veterinary surgeon.
Gravy train  n. Slang source of easy financial benefit.
Alarm  —n. 1 warning of danger etc. 2 a warning sound or device. B = *alarm clock. 3 apprehension (filled with alarm). —v. 1 frighten or disturb. 2 warn.  alarming adj. Alarmingly adv. [italian all'arme! To arms]
Coxswain  —n. 1 person who steers, esp. A rowing-boat. 2 senior petty officer in a small ship. —v. Act as coxswain (of). [cock ship's boat, *swain]
Unfledged  adj. 1 (of a person) inexperienced. 2 (of a bird) not yet fledged.



Caraway seed  n. Fruit of the caraway as flavouring and a source of oil.
Soutane  n. Cassock worn by a roman catholic priest. [french from italian sotto under]

Coolant  n. Cooling agent, esp. Fluid.
Yak  n. Long-haired tibetan ox. [tibetan]


Its  poss. Pron. Of it; of itself.



Environmentalist  n. Person concerned with the protection of the natural environment.  environmentalism n.
Fuehrer  var. Of *führer.
Ms  n. Title of a married or unmarried woman without a higher title. [combination of *mrs, *miss2]



Brainchild  n. Colloq. Person's clever idea or invention.
Limelight  n. 1 intense white light used formerly in theatres. 2 (prec. By the) the glare of publicity.
Sit-down  —attrib. Adj. 1 (of a meal) eaten sitting at a table. 2 (of a protest etc.) With demonstrators occupying their workplace or sitting down on the ground in a public place. —n. 1 spell of sitting. 2 sit-down protest etc.
Fog-bound  adj. Unable to travel because of fog.


Gull2  v. Dupe, fool. [perhaps from obsolete gull yellow from old norse]
With  prep. Expressing: 1 instrument or means used (cut with a knife). 2 a association or company (lives with his mother; works with shell). B parting of company (dispense with). 3 cause (shiver with fear). 4 possession (man with dark hair; filled with water). 5 circumstances (sleep with the window open). 6 manner (handle with care). 7 agreement (sympathize with). 8 disagreement, antagonism (incompatible with; quarrel with). 9 understanding (are you with me?). 10 reference or regard (be patient with them; how are things with you?).  away (or in or out etc.) With (as int.) Take, send, or put (a person or thing) away (or in or out etc.). With it colloq. 1 up to date. 2 alert and comprehending. With that thereupon. [old english]

Impost1  n. Tax, duty, or tribute. [latin impono impost- impose]
Suspended animation  n. Temporary deathlike condition.
Toleration  n. Tolerating or being tolerated, esp. The allowing of religious differences without discrimination. [latin: related to *tolerate]
Viz.  Adv. Namely; that is to say; in other words. [abbreviation of *videlicet, z = medieval latin symbol for abbreviation of -et]
Retell  v. (past and past part. Retold) tell again or differently.
Dint  —n. Dent. —v. Mark with dints.  by dint of by force or means of. [old english and old norse]
Erstwhile  —adj. Former, previous. —adv. Archaic formerly. [related to *ere]

Christ  —n. 1 title, also now treated as a name, given to jesus. 2 messiah as prophesied in the old testament. —int. Slang expressing surprise, anger, etc. [greek, = anointed]


Nee  adj. (brit. Née) (used in adding a married woman's maiden name after her surname) born (mrs ann hall, née brown). [french, feminine past part. Of naître be born]
Objectify  v. (-ies, -ied) present as an object; express in concrete form.

Decimetre  n. (us -meter) metric unit of length, equal to 0.1 metre.
Eventide  n. Archaic or poet. = *evening. [related to *even2]
Handy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 convenient to handle or use; useful. 2 ready to hand. 3 clever with the hands.  handily adv. Handiness n.
Hurrah  int. & n. (also hurray) exclamation of joy or approval. [earlier huzza, origin uncertain]


Hanky-panky  n. Slang 1 naughtiness, esp. Sexual. 2 double-dealing; trickery. [origin unknown]

Test drive  n. Drive taken to judge the performance of a vehicle.  test-drive v.

Geodesic  adj. (also geodetic) of geodesy.
O 

Rip  abbr. May he, she, or they rest in peace. [latin requiesca(n)t in pace]
Pedigree  n. 1 (often attrib.) Recorded line of descent (esp. A distinguished one) of a person or pure-bred animal. 2 genealogical table. 3 colloq. ‘life history’ of a person, thing, idea, etc.  pedigreed adj. [pedegru from french pie de grue (unrecorded) crane's foot, a mark denoting succession in pedigrees]



Aristocratic  adj. 1 of or like the aristocracy. 2 a distinguished. B grand, stylish.

Booklet  n. Small book usu. With a paper cover.


Constant  —adj. 1 continuous (constant attention). 2 occurring frequently (constant complaints). 3 unchanging, faithful, dependable. —n. 1 anything that does not vary. 2 math. & physics quantity or number that remains the same.  constantly adv. [latin sto stand]
Heir presumptive  n. Heir whose claim may be set aside by the birth of another heir.
Gouda  n. Flat round usu. Dutch cheese. [gouda in holland]

In toto  adv. Completely. [latin]

Intransitive  adj. (of a verb) not taking a direct object.
Inhere  v. (-ring) be inherent. [latin haereo haes- stick]
Sightless  adj. Blind.
Fundamentalism  n. Strict adherence to traditional religious beliefs or doctrines.  fundamentalist n. & adj.
Utter1  attrib. Adj. Complete, absolute.  utterly adv. [old english, comparative of *out]
Groundsheet  n. Waterproof sheet for spreading on the ground.
Ranunculus  n. (pl. -luses or -li) plant of the genus including buttercups. [latin, diminutive of rana frog]
Sketch-book  n. (also sketch-block) pad of drawing-paper for sketching.

Pushover  n. Colloq. 1 something easily done. 2 person easily persuaded, defeated, etc.
Renationalize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) nationalize again (an originally nationalized and more recently privatized industry etc.).  renationalization n.
Tousle  v. (-ling) 1 make (esp. The hair) untidy. 2 handle roughly. [dial. Touse]
Form  comb. Form (usu. As -iform) forming adjectives meaning: 1 having the form of (cruciform). 2 having so many forms (multiform).
Outcast  —n. Person rejected by family or society. —adj. Rejected; homeless.
Transliterate  v. (-ting) represent (a word etc.) In the closest corresponding letters of a different script.  transliteration n. [latin littera letter]
Unnoticeable  adj. Not easily seen or noticed.
Impinge  v. (-ging) (usu. Foll. By on, upon) 1 make an impact or effect. 2 encroach.  impingement n. [latin pango pact- fix]
Iridium  n. Hard white metallic element of the platinum group.


Figure  —n. 1 external form or bodily shape. 2 a silhouette, human form (figure on the lawn). B person of a specified kind or appearance (public figure; cut a poor figure). 3 a human form in drawing, sculpture, etc. B image or likeness. 4 two- or three-dimensional space enclosed by lines or surface(s), e.g. A triangle or sphere. 5 a numerical symbol or number, esp. 0–9. B amount; estimated value (cannot put a figure on it). C (in pl.) Arithmetical calculations. 6 diagram or illustration. 7 decorative pattern. 8 movement or sequence in a set dance etc. 9 mus. Succession of notes from which longer passages are developed. 10 (in full figure of speech) metaphor, hyperbole, etc. —v. (-ring) 1 appear or be mentioned, esp. Prominently. 2 represent pictorially. 3 imagine; picture mentally. 4 embellish with a pattern etc. (figured satin). 5 calculate; do arithmetic. 6 symbolize. 7 esp. Us a understand, consider. B colloq. Make sense; be likely (that figures).  figure on us count on, expect. Figure out work out by arithmetic or logic. [latin figura: related to *feign]

Caller  n. Person who calls, esp. One who pays a visit or makes a telephone call.

Set2  n. 1 group of linked or similar things or persons. 2 section of society. 3 collection of objects for a specified purpose (cricket set; teaset). 4 radio or television receiver. 5 (in tennis etc.) Group of games counting as a unit towards winning a match. 6 math. Collection of things sharing a property. 7 direction or position in which something sets or is set. 8 slip, shoot, bulb, etc., for planting.
Polar  1 adj. Of or near a pole of the earth or of the celestial sphere. 2 having magnetic or electric polarity. 3 directly opposite in character. [latin: related to *pole2]
Hemlock  n. 1 poisonous plant with fernlike leaves and small white flowers. 2 poison made from this. [old english]

Microlight  n. A kind of motorized hang-glider.
Ravenous  adj. 1 very hungry. 2 voracious. 3 rapacious.  ravenously adv. [obsolete raven plunder, from french raviner ravage]


Selves  pl. Of *self.
Retribution  n. Requital, usu. For evil done; vengeance.  retributive adj. [latin: related to *tribute]

Batten1  —n. 1 a long flat strip of squared timber. B horizontal strip of wood to which laths, tiles, etc., are fastened. 2 strip for securing tarpaulin over a ship's hatchway. —v. Strengthen or (often foll. By down) fasten with battens. [french: related to *batter1]
Lock-keeper  n. Person in charge of a river or canal lock.

Vulture  n. 1 large carrion-eating bird of prey, reputed to gather with others in anticipation of a death. 2 rapacious person. [anglo-french from latin]

Modem  n. Combined device for modulation and demodulation, e.g. Between a computer and a telephone line. [portmanteau word]

Henbane  n. Poisonous hairy plant with an unpleasant smell.
Unversed  adj. (usu. Foll. By in) not experienced or skilled.
Lockout  n. Employer's exclusion of employees from the workplace until certain terms are agreed to.
Spring fever  n. Restlessness or lethargy associated with spring.



Yard1  n. 1 unit of linear measure (3 ft., 0.9144 metre). 2 this length of material. 3 square or cubic yard. 4 spar slung across a mast for a sail to hang from. 5 (in pl.; foll. By of) colloq. A great length. [old english, = stick]


Scrump  v. Colloq. Steal from an orchard or garden. [related to *scrumpy]

Calcify  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 harden by the depositing of calcium salts. 2 convert or be converted to calcium carbonate.  calcification n.
Interrogative  —adj. Of, like, or used in a question. —n. Interrogative word (e.g. What?).
Multiple sclerosis  see *sclerosis.






Congest  v. (esp. As congested adj.) Affect with congestion. [latin congero -gest- heap together]




Deprave  v. (-ving) corrupt, esp. Morally. [latin pravus crooked]


Euro-  comb. Form europe, european. [abbreviation]

Lonesome  adj. Esp. Us 1 lonely. 2 making one feel forlorn (a lonesome song).


Three-cornered  adj. 1 triangular. 2 (of a contest etc.) Between three parties.
Charm  —n. 1 power or quality of delighting, arousing admiration, or influencing; fascination, attractiveness. 2 trinket on a bracelet etc. 3 object, act, or word(s) supposedly having magic power. —v. 1 delight, captivate. 2 influence or protect as if by magic (a charmed life). 3 obtain or gain by charm (charmed his way into the bbc).  charmer n. [latin carmen song]
Forlorn hope  n. Faint remaining hope or chance. [dutch verloren hoop lost troop]
Matey  (also maty) —adj. (-tier, -tiest) sociable; familiar, friendly. —n. (pl. -s) colloq. (as a form of address) mate.  mateyness n. (also matiness). Matily adv.




Apostrophe  n. 1 punctuation mark (') indicating: a omission of letters or numbers (e.g. Can't; may '92). B possessive case (e.g. Harry's book; boys' coats). 2 exclamatory passage addressed to (an often absent) person or thing.  apostrophize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) (in sense 2). [greek, = turning away]



Forgo  v. (also forego) (-goes; past -went; past part. -gone) go without; relinquish. [old english]

Denomination  n. 1 church or religious sect. 2 class of measurement or money. 3 name, esp. A characteristic or class name.  denominational adj. [latin: related to *denominate]



Sap1  —n. 1 vital juice circulating in plants. 2 vigour, vitality. 3 slang foolish person. —v. (-pp-) 1 drain or dry (wood) of sap. 2 weaken. [old english]
Haw2  see *hum.
Haulage  n. 1 commercial transport of goods. 2 charge for this.

Boat  —n. 1 small vessel propelled on water by an engine, oars, or sails. 2 any ship. 3 long low jug for sauce etc. —v. Go in a boat, esp. For pleasure.  in the same boat having the same problems. [old english]



Pleonasm  n. Use of more words than are needed (e.g. See with one's eyes).  pleonastic adj. [greek pleon more]
Send-up  n. Colloq. Satire, parody.
New arrival  n. Colloq. Newborn child.
Yeomanry  n. (pl. -ies) 1 body or class of yeomen. 2 hist. Volunteer cavalry force raised from the yeoman class.
Tom, dick, and harry  n. (also tom, dick, or harry) (usu. Prec. By any or every) person taken at random (any tom, dick, or harry can walk in).
S/he  pron. Written representation of ‘he or she’ used to indicate either sex.
Argue  v. (-ues, -ued, -uing) 1 (often foll. By with, about, etc.) Exchange views forcefully or contentiously. 2 (often foll. By that) maintain by reasoning; indicate. 3 (foll. By for, against) reason. 4 treat (a matter) by reasoning. 5 (foll. By into, out of) persuade.  argue the toss colloq. Dispute a choice already made.  arguable adj. Arguably adv. [latin arguo make clear, prove]


Dress circle  n. First gallery in a theatre.
World war  n. War involving many major nations.
Caenozoic  var. Of *cenozoic.
Echelon  n. 1 level in an organization, in society, etc.; those occupying it (often in pl.: upper echelons). 2 wedge-shaped formation of troops, aircraft, etc. [french, = ladder, from latin scala]


Open prison  n. Prison with few restraints on prisoners' movements.
Canteen  n. 1 a restaurant for employees in an office, factory, etc. B shop for provisions in a barracks or camp. 2 case of cutlery. 3 soldier's or camper's water-flask. [italian, = cellar]
Sickness  n. 1 being ill; disease. 2 vomiting or a tendency to vomit.
Antiphon  n. 1 hymn sung alternately by two groups. 2 versicle or phrase from this.  antiphonal adj. [greek phone sound]


Key2  n. Low-lying island or reef, esp. In the w. Indies. [spanish cayo]








Maypole  n. Decorated pole for dancing round on may day.




Vulcanology  n. The study of volcanoes.  vulcanological adj. Vulcanologist n.
Letter-bomb  n. Terrorist explosive device in the form of a postal packet.
Ru  abbr. Rugby union.



Spick and span  adj. 1 neat and clean. 2 smart and new. [earlier span and span new, fresh and new like a shaved chip]
Dicky-bird  n. 1 child's word for a little bird. 2 word (didn't say a dicky-bird).


Factor  n. 1 circumstance etc. Contributing to a result. 2 whole number etc. That when multiplied with another produces a given number. 3 a business agent. B scot. Land-agent, steward. C agent, deputy. [latin: related to *fact]



Hearing-aid  n. Small device to amplify sound, worn by a partially deaf person.


Rani  var. Of *ranee.
Quid pro quo  n. (pl. Quid pro quos) return made (for a gift, favour, etc.). [latin, = something for something]



Accidental  —adj. Happening by chance or accident. —n. Mus. Sign indicating a note's momentary departure from the key signature.  accidentally adv.

Indissoluble  adj. 1 that cannot be dissolved or broken up. 2 firm and lasting.  indissolubly adv.
Commonwealth  n. 1 independent state or community, esp. A democratic republic. 2 (the commonwealth) a association of the uk with states that were previously part of the british empire. B republican government of britain 1649–60. 3 federation of states.


Arbitrate  v. (-ting) decide by arbitration.
Despot  n. 1 absolute ruler. 2 tyrant.  despotic adj. Despotically adv. [greek despotes master]


Assert  v. 1 declare, state clearly. 2 refl. Insist on one's rights. 3 enforce a claim to (assert one's rights). [latin assero -sert-]

Outrun  v. (-nn-; past -ran; past part. -run) 1 run faster or farther than. 2 go beyond (a point or limit).
Elide  v. (-ding) omit (a vowel or syllable) in pronunciation. [latin elido elis- crush out]
Camouflage  —n. 1 a disguising of soldiers, tanks, etc. So that they blend into the background. B such a disguise. 2 the natural blending colouring of an animal. 3 misleading or evasive behaviour etc. —v. (-ging) hide by camouflage. [french camoufler disguise]
Psychology  n. (pl. -ies) 1 the study of the human mind. 2 treatise on or theory of this. 3 a mental characteristics etc. Of a person or group. B mental aspects of an activity, situation, etc. (psychology of crime).  psychologist n.

Molybdenum  n. Silver-white metallic element added to steel to give strength and resistance to corrosion. [greek molubdos lead]

Half-breed  n. Offens. = *half-caste.
Squid  n. (pl. Same or -s) ten-armed marine cephalopod used as food. [origin unknown]
Fatherland  n. One's native country.

Cataract  n. 1 a large waterfall. B downpour; rush of water. 2 eye condition in which the lens becomes progressively opaque. [greek katarrhaktes, = down-rushing]







Restaurant car  n. Dining-car.
Etymology  n. (pl. -ies) 1 a derivation and development of a word in form and meaning. B account of these. 2 the study of word origins.  etymological adj. Etymologist n. [greek etumos true]


Methodology  n. (pl. -ies) 1 body of methods used in a particular activity. 2 science of method.  methodological adj. Methodologically adv.
Addressee  n. Person to whom a letter etc. Is addressed.
Chink1  n. Narrow opening; slit. [related to chine narrow ravine]

Thumping  adj. Colloq. (esp. As an intensifier) huge (a thumping lie; a thumping great house).

Snow goose  n. White arctic goose.
Musculature  n. Muscular system of a body or organ.
Press-stud  n. Small fastening device engaged by pressing its two halves together.


Admirable  adj. Deserving admiration; excellent.  admirably adv. [latin: related to *admire]

Unsigned  adj. Not signed.

Metric  adj. Of or based on the metre. [french: related to *metre1]

Mega-  comb. Form 1 large. 2 one million (106) in the metric system of measurement. 3 slang extremely; very big (mega-stupid; mega-project). [greek megas great]
Heavy petting  n. Erotic fondling that stops short of intercourse.


Capitalist  —n. 1 person investing or possessing capital. 2 advocate of capitalism. —adj. Of or favouring capitalism.  capitalistic adj.
Rampage  —v. (-ging) 1 (often foll. By about) rush wildly or violently about. 2 rage, storm. —n. Wild or violent behaviour.  on the rampage rampaging. [perhaps from *ramp]
Unhallowed  adj. 1 not consecrated. 2 not sacred, wicked.

Press gallery  n. Gallery for reporters, esp. In a legislative assembly.
Arose  past of *arise.
Downwind  adj. & adv. In the direction in which the wind is blowing.




Sarsen  n. Sandstone boulder carried by ice during a glacial period. [from *saracen]
Tinny  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 of or like tin. 2 flimsy, insubstantial. 3 (of sound) thin and metallic.
Townsman  n. (fem. Townswoman) inhabitant of a town.
Pluralism  n. 1 form of society embracing many minority groups and cultural traditions. 2 the holding of more than one office at a time, esp. In the church.  pluralist n. Pluralistic adj.

Cold call  —n. Marketing call on a person who has previously not shown interest in the product. —v. Visit or telephone (a person) in this way.



Sack2  —v. Plunder and destroy (a captured town etc.). —n. Such sacking. [french mettre à sac put in a sack]
Pinion2  n. 1 small cog-wheel engaging with a larger one. 2 cogged spindle engaging with a wheel. [latin pinea pine-cone: related to *pine1]
Near miss  n. 1 bomb etc. Falling close to the target. 2 narrowly avoided collision. 3 not quite successful attempt.
Quieten  v. (often foll. By down) = *quiet v.
Ninefold  adj. & adv. 1 nine times as much or as many. 2 consisting of nine parts.
Excuse  —v. (-sing) 1 try to lessen the blame attaching to (a person, act, or fault). 2 (of a fact) serve as a reason to judge (a person or act) less severely. 3 (often foll. By from) release (a person) from a duty etc. 4 forgive (a fault or offence). 5 (foll. By for) forgive (a person) for (a fault). 6 refl. Leave with apologies. —n. 1 reason put forward to mitigate or justify an offence. 2 apology (made my excuses).  be excused be allowed to leave the room etc. Or be absent. Excuse me polite preface to an interruption etc., or to disagreeing.  excusable adj. [latin causa accusation]

Flying buttress  n. (usu. Arched) buttress running from the upper part of a wall to an outer support and transmitting the thrust of the roof or vault.
Serve  —v. (-ving) 1 do a service for (a person, community, etc.). 2 be a servant to. 3 carry out duties (served on six committees). 4 (foll. By in) be employed in (esp. The armed forces) (served in the navy). 5 a be useful to or serviceable for. B meet requirements; perform a function. 6 a go through a due period of (apprenticeship, a prison sentence, etc.). B go through (a due period) of imprisonment etc. 7 present (food) to eat. 8 (in full serve at table) act as a waiter. 9 a attend to (a customer etc.). B (foll. By with) supply with (goods). 10 treat (a person) in a specified way. 11  a (often foll. By on) deliver (a writ etc.). B (foll. By with) deliver a writ etc. To. 12 (also absol.) (in tennis etc.) Deliver (a ball etc.) To begin or resume play. 13 (of an animal) copulate with (a female). —n. = *service n. 16a, b.  serve a person right be a person's deserved punishment etc. Serve up derog. Offer (served up the same old excuses). [latin servio]
Matériel  n. Means, esp. Materials and equipment in warfare. [french]
Spitting image  n. (foll. By of) colloq. Double of (a person).


Harden  v. 1 make or become hard or harder. 2 become, or make (one's attitude etc.), less sympathetic. 3 (of prices etc.) Cease to fall or fluctuate.  harden off inure (a plant) to the cold by gradually increasing its exposure.

Martinmas  n. St martin's day, 11 nov. [from *mass2]

Suppository  n. (pl. -ies) medical preparation melting in the rectum or vagina. [latin suppositorius placed underneath]
Augean  adj. Filthy. [greek augeas, a mythical king: his filthy stables were cleaned by hercules diverting a river through them]

Philosophers' stone  n. (also philosopher's stone) supreme object of alchemy, a substance supposed to change other metals into gold or silver.


Thro'  var. Of *through.

Unscramble  v. (-ling) make plain, decode, interpret (a scrambled transmission etc.).


Untameable  adj. That cannot be tamed.
Rational  adj. 1 of or based on reason. 2 sensible. 3 endowed with reason. 4 rejecting what is unreasonable or cannot be tested by reason in religion or custom. 5  (of a quantity or ratio) expressible as a ratio of whole numbers.  rationality n. Rationally adv. [latin: related to *ration]
Tuxedo  n. (pl. -s or -es) us 1 dinner-jacket. 2 suit of clothes including this. [tuxedo park in us]
Usage  the form candelabra is, strictly speaking, the plural. However, candelabra (singular) and candelabras (plural) are often found in informal use.
Usage  the use of the verb in sense 1 with round is common and used by good writers, but is still considered incorrect by some people.


Aimless  adj. Without aim or purpose.  aimlessly adv.

Southern cross  n. Southern constellation in the shape of a cross.
Carbonate  —n. Chem. Salt of carbonic acid. —v. (-ting) fill with carbon dioxide. [french: related to *carbon]

Unsaleable  adj. Not saleable.
-ic  suffix 1 forming adjectives (arabic; classic; public) and nouns (critic; epic; mechanic; music). 2 combined in higher valence or degree of oxidation (ferric; sulphuric). [latin -icus, greek -ikos]

Ferroconcrete  —n. Reinforced concrete. —adj. Made of this.
Drip  —v. (-pp-) 1 fall or let fall in drops. 2 (often foll. By with) be so wet as to shed drops. —n. 1 a liquid falling in drops (steady drip of rain). B drop of liquid. C sound of dripping. 2 colloq. Dull or ineffectual person. 3 = *drip-feed.  be dripping with be full of or covered with. [danish: cf. *drop]




Disestablish  v. 1 deprive (a church) of state support. 2 terminate the establishment of.  disestablishment n.
Pre-emptive  adj. 1 pre-empting. 2 (of military action) intended to prevent attack by disabling the enemy.
Post-haste  adv. With great speed.

Bland  adj. 1 a mild, not irritating. B tasteless; insipid. 2 gentle in manner; suave.  blandly adv. Blandness n. [latin blandus smooth]


Transpose  v. (-sing) 1 a cause (two or more things) to change places. B change the position of (a thing) in a series. 2 change the order or position of (words or a word) in a sentence. 3  put (music) into a different key.  transposition n. [french: related to *pose]
Hooligan  n. Young ruffian.  hooliganism n. [origin unknown]


Guernsey  n. (pl. -s) 1 one of a breed of dairy cattle from guernsey in the channel islands. 2 (guernsey) type of thick woollen sweater.
Egret  n. A kind of heron with long white feathers. [french aigrette]
Misfortune  n. 1 bad luck. 2 instance of this.
Likelihood  n. Probability.  in all likelihood very probably.
Hand  —n. 1 a end part of the human arm beyond the wrist. B (in other primates) end part of a forelimb. 2 a (often in pl.) Control, management, custody, disposal (is in good hands). B agency or influence (suffered at their hands). C share in an action; active support (had a hand in it; give me a hand). 3 thing like a hand, esp. The pointer of a clock. 4 right or left side or direction relative to a person or thing. 5 a skill (has a hand for making pastry). B person skilful in some respect. 6 person who does or makes something, esp. Distinctively (picture by the same hand). 7 person's writing or its style. 8 person etc. As a source (at first hand). 9 pledge of marriage. 10 manual worker, esp. At a factory or farm; member of a ship's crew. 11 a playing-cards dealt to a player. B round of play. 12 colloq. Burst of applause. 13 unit of measure of a horse's height, 4 inches (10.16 cm). 14 forehock of pork. 15 (attrib.) A operated by or held in the hand (hand-drill). B done by hand, not machine (hand-knitted). —v. 1 (foll. By in, to, over, etc.) Deliver; transfer by hand or otherwise. 2 colloq. Give away too readily (handed them the advantage).  all hands entire crew or workforce. At hand 1 close by. 2 about to happen. By hand 1 by a person, not a machine. 2 delivered privately, not by post. From hand to mouth satisfying only one's immediate needs. Get (or have or keep) one's hand in become (or be or remain) in practice. Hand down 1 pass ownership or use of to a later generation etc. 2 a transmit (a decision) from a higher court etc. B us express (an opinion or verdict). Hand it to colloq. Award deserved praise to. Hand on pass (a thing) to the next in a series. Hand out 1 serve, distribute.

Casanova  n. Notorious womanizer. [italian adventurer]

Monumental mason  n. Maker of tombstones etc.
Unpromising  adj. Not likely to turn out well.

Lithuanian  —n. 1 a native or national of lithuania in eastern europe. B person of lithuanian descent. 2 language of lithuania. —adj. Of lithuania, its people, or language.
Servant  n. 1 person employed to do domestic duties, esp. In a wealthy household. 2 devoted follower or helper. [french: related to *serve]

Mystic  —n. Person who seeks by contemplation etc. To achieve unity with the deity, or who believes in the spiritual apprehension of truths that are beyond the understanding. —adj. = *mystical.  mysticism n. [greek mustes initiated person]

Eccentric  —adj. 1 odd or capricious in behaviour or appearance. 2 (also excentric) a not placed, not having its axis placed, centrally. B (often foll. By to) (of a circle) not concentric (to another). C (of an orbit) not circular. —n. 1 eccentric person. 2 disc at the end of a shaft for changing rotatory into backward-and-forward motion.  eccentrically adv. Eccentricity n. [greek: related to *centre]
Am  abbr. Amplitude modulation.



Location  n. 1 particular place. 2 locating. 3 natural, not studio, setting for a film etc. (filmed on location).

Jalousie  n. Slatted blind or shutter to keep out rain etc. And control light. [french: related to *jealousy]
Functionary  n. (pl. -ies) official performing certain duties.
Taboo  (also tabu) —n. (pl. -s) 1 ritual isolation of a person or thing as sacred or accursed. 2 prohibition imposed by social custom. —adj. Avoided or prohibited, esp. By social custom (taboo words). —v. (-oos, -ooed or -us, -ued) 1 put under taboo. 2 exclude or prohibit, esp. Socially. [tongan]



Wind-break  n. Thing serving to break the force of the wind.


Talk  —v. 1 (often foll. By to, with) converse or communicate verbally. 2 have the power of speech. 3 (often foll. By about) a discuss; express; utter (talked cricket; talking nonsense). B (in imper.) Colloq. As an emphatic statement (talk about expense!). 4 use (a language) in speech (talking spanish). 5 (foll. By at) address pompously. 6 (usu. Foll. By into, out of) bring into a specified condition etc. By talking (talked himself hoarse; did you talk them into it?). 7 betray secrets. 8 gossip (people will talk). 9 have influence (money talks). —n. 1 conversation, talking. 2 particular mode of speech (baby-talk). 3 informal address or lecture. 4 a rumour or gossip (talk of a merger). B its theme (the talk was all babies). 5 empty promises; boasting. 6 (often in pl.) Discussions or negotiations.  now you're talking colloq. I like what you say, suggest, etc. Talk back reply defiantly. Talk down to speak condescendingly to. Talk a person down 1 silence by loudness or persistence. 2 bring (a pilot or aircraft) to landing by radio. Talk of 1 discuss or mention. 2 (often foll. By verbal noun) express some intention of (talked of moving to london). Talk out block (a bill in parliament) by prolonging discussion to the time of adjournment. Talk over discuss at length. Talk a person over (or round) gain agreement by talking. Talk shop talk about one's occupation etc. Talk to rebuke, scold.  talker n. [from *tale or *tell]
Usage  the use of transpire in sense 2 is considered incorrect by some people.



Metre-kilogram-second  n. Denoting a system of measure using the metre, kilogram, and second.

Deductible  adj. That may be deducted, esp. From tax or taxable income.
Pan-  comb. Form 1 all; the whole of. 2 relating to the whole of a continent, racial group, religion, etc. (pan-american). [greek pan, neuter of pas pantos all]

Modification  n. 1 modifying or being modified. 2 change made.  modificatory adj. [latin: related to *modify]

Hansen's disease  n. Leprosy. [hansen, name of a physician]
Recollect  v. 1 remember. 2 succeed in remembering; call to mind. [latin recolligo: related to *collect1]
Lanyard  n. 1 cord worn round the neck or the shoulder, to which a knife etc. May be attached. 2 naut. Short rope or line used for securing, tightening, etc. [french laniere, assimilated to *yard1]
Millworker  n. Factory worker.

Space-saving  adj. Occupying little space or helping to save space.
Loss  n. 1 losing or being lost. 2 thing or amount lost. 3 detriment resulting from losing.  at a loss (sold etc.) For less than was paid for it. Be at a loss be puzzled or uncertain. [probably back-formation from *lost]


Wisp  n. 1 small bundle or twist of straw etc. 2 small separate quantity of smoke, hair, etc. 3 small thin person etc.  wispy adj. (-ier, -iest). [origin uncertain]

Desolate  —adj. 1 left alone; solitary. 2 uninhabited, ruined, dreary (desolate moor). 3 forlorn; wretched. —v. (-ting) 1 depopulate, devastate; lay waste. 2 (esp. As desolated adj.) Make wretched.  desolately adv. Desolateness n. [latin solus alone]

Twin  —n. 1 each of a closely related or associated pair, esp. Of children or animals born at a birth. 2 exact counterpart of a person or thing. 3 (the twins) zodiacal sign or constellation gemini. —adj. Forming, or being one of, such a pair (twin brothers). —v. (-nn-) 1 a join intimately together. B (foll. By with) pair. 2 bear twins. 3 link (a town) with one in a different country, for friendship and cultural exchange.  twinning n. [old english: related to *two]
South-west  —n. 1 point of the horizon midway between south and west. 2 direction in which this lies. —adj. Of, towards, or coming from the south-west. —adv. Towards, at, or near the south-west.


Accommodate  v. (-ting) 1 provide lodging or room for (flat accommodates two). 2 adapt, harmonize, reconcile (must accommodate himself to new ideas). 3 a do favour to, oblige (a person). B (foll. By with) supply (a person) with. [latin: related to *commode]
Tannic  adj. Of tan (sense 3). [french tannique: related to *tannin]

Thankless  adj. 1 not expressing or feeling gratitude. 2 (of a task etc.) Giving no pleasure or profit; unappreciated.
Festival  n. 1 day or period of celebration. 2 series of cultural events in a town etc. (bath festival). [french: related to *festive]


Forget-me-not  n. Plant with small blue flowers.






Egg1  n. 1 a body produced by females of birds, insects, etc. And capable of developing into a new individual. B egg of the domestic hen, used for food. 2 biol. Ovum. 3 colloq. Person or thing of a specified kind (good egg).  with egg on one's face colloq.

Biosynthesis  n. Production of organic molecules by living organisms.  biosynthetic adj.

Hot  —adj. (hotter, hottest) 1 having a high temperature. 2 causing a sensation of heat (hot flush). 3 (of pepper, spices, etc.) Pungent. 4 (of a person) feeling heat. 5 a ardent, passionate, excited. B (often foll. By for, on) eager, keen (in hot pursuit). C angry or upset. 6 (of news etc.) Fresh, recent. 7 hunting (of the scent) fresh, recent. 8 a (of a player, competitor, or feat) very skilful, formidable. B (foll. By on) knowledgeable about. 9 (esp. Of jazz) strongly rhythmical. 10 slang (of stolen goods) difficult to dispose of because identifiable. 11 slang radioactive. —v. (-tt-) (usu. Foll. By up) colloq. 1 make or become hot. 2 make or become more active, exciting, or dangerous.  have the hots for slang be sexually attracted to. Hot under the collar angry, resentful, embarrassed. Like hot cakes see *cake. Make it (or things) hot for a person persecute a person.  hotly adv. Hotness n. Hottish adj. [old english]
Evoke  v. (-king) inspire or draw forth (memories, a response, etc.).  evocation n. [latin voco call]
Staging  n. 1 presentation of a play etc. 2 a platform or support, esp. Temporary. B shelves for plants in a greenhouse.
Seasoning  n. Salt, herbs, etc. Added to food to enhance its flavour.
Council  n. 1 a advisory, deliberative, or administrative body. B meeting of such a body. 2 a local administrative body of a parish, district, town, etc. B (attrib.) Provided by a local council (council flat). [latin concilium]
Tensile strength  n. Resistance to breaking under tension.
Carp2  v. Find fault; complain pettily.  carper n. [old norse, = brag]


Lychee  n. (also litchi, lichee) 1 sweet white juicy fruit in a brown skin. 2 tree, orig. From china, bearing this. [chinese]
Hostelling  n. (us hosteling) practice of staying in youth hostels.  hosteller n.
Tether  —n. Rope etc. Confining a grazing animal. —v. Tie with a tether.  at the end of one's tether at the limit of one's patience, resources, etc. [old norse]



Infelicity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 inapt expression etc. 2 unhappiness.  infelicitous adj.
-ie  see *-y2.


Elfin  adj. Of elves; elflike.

Profile  —n. 1 a outline, esp. Of a human face, as seen from one side. B representation of this. 2 short biographical or character sketch. —v. (-ling) represent or describe by a profile.  keep a low profile remain inconspicuous. [italian profilare draw in outline]
Quisling  n. Traitor, collaborator. [quisling, name of a norwegian officer and collaborator with the nazis]
Waste disposal unit  n. Device fitted to a sink etc. For disposing of household waste.

Turtle-neck  n. High close-fitting neck on a knitted garment.




Ashcan  n. Us dustbin.
Parka  n. 1 long usu. Green anorak with fur round the hood. 2 hooded skin jacket worn by eskimos. [aleutian]


Black friar  n. Dominican friar.

Up-and-over  adj. (of a door) opening by being raised and pushed back into a horizontal position.


Quiz  —n. (pl. Quizzes) 1 test of knowledge, esp. As entertainment. 2 interrogation, examination. —v. (-zz-) examine by questioning. [origin unknown]



Conformist  —n. Person who conforms to an established practice. —adj. Conforming, conventional.  conformism n.

Weaver  n. 1 person who weaves fabric. 2 (in full weaver-bird) tropical bird building elaborately woven nests.

Loan shark  n. Colloq. Person who lends money at exorbitant rates of interest.


Predicate  —v. 1  (also absol.) Assert (something) about the subject of a proposition. 2 (foll. By on) found or base (a statement etc.) On. —n. Gram. & logic what is said about the subject of a sentence or proposition etc. (e.g. Went home in john went home).  predicable adj. Predication n. [latin praedico -dicat- declare]
No-ball  n. Cricket unlawfully delivered ball.

Unchain  v. Remove the chain(s) from; release.


Lacking  adj. Absent or deficient (money was lacking; is lacking in determination).



Disk  var. Of *disc (esp. Us & computing).
Tootsy  n. (pl. -ies) slang usu. Joc. Foot. [origin uncertain]
All-rounder  n. Versatile person.

Bubbly  —adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 having or like bubbles. 2 exuberant. —n. Colloq. Champagne.
Escapee  n. Person who has escaped.
Jabot  n. Ornamental frill etc. On the front of a shirt or blouse. [french]
Aitchbone  n. 1 rump bone of an animal. 2 cut of beef over this. [originally nache-bone from latin natis buttock]
Rifle-range  n. Place for rifle-practice.
Knowing  adj. 1 suggesting that one has inside information (a knowing look). 2 showing knowledge; shrewd.



Futon  n. Japanese quilted mattress used as a bed; this sold with a low wooden frame, often convertible into a couch. [japanese]
Hirsute  adj. Hairy. [latin]
Abbot  n. Head of a community of monks. [old english from latin abbas]


Outstanding  adj. 1 conspicuous because of excellence. 2 a (of a debt) not yet settled. B still to be dealt with (work outstanding).  outstandingly adv.



Gawk  —v. Colloq. Gawp. —n. Awkward or bashful person. [obsolete gaw *gaze]

Puma  n. Wild american greyish-brown cat. [spanish from quechua]
Autopsy  n. (pl. -ies) post-mortem. [greek autoptes eye-witness]






Spastic  —adj. Of or having cerebral palsy. —n. 1 spastic person. 2 slang offens. Stupid or incompetent person. [greek: related to *spasm]
Outsider  n. 1 non-member of some group, organization, profession, etc. 2 competitor thought to have little chance.

Fiery  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 consisting of or flaming with fire. 2 bright red. 3 hot; burning. 4 a flashing, ardent (fiery eyes). B pugnacious; spirited (fiery temper).  fierily adv. Fieriness n.
Carbolic  n. (in full carbolic acid) phenol. [from *carbon]


Forte1  n. Person's strong point or speciality. [feminine of french *fort]
Dyke2  n. (also dike) slang lesbian. [origin unknown]

Herald  —n. 1 official messenger bringing news. 2 forerunner, harbinger. 3 a hist. Officer responsible for state ceremonial and etiquette. B official concerned with pedigrees and coats of arms. —v. Proclaim the approach of; usher in.  heraldic adj. [french from germanic]
Tail1  —n. 1 hindmost part of an animal, esp. Extending beyond the body. 2 a thing like a tail, esp. An extension at the rear. B rear of a procession etc. 3 rear part of an aeroplane, vehicle, or rocket. 4 luminous trail following a comet. 5 inferior, weaker, or last part of anything. 6 part of a shirt or coat below the waist at the back. 7 (in pl.) Colloq. A tailcoat. B evening dress including this. 8 (in pl.) Reverse of a coin as a choice when tossing. 9 colloq. Person following another. —v. 1 remove the stalks of (fruit). 2 (often foll. By after) colloq. Follow closely.  on a person's tail closely following a person. Tail off (or away) gradually decrease or diminish; end inconclusively. With one's tail between one's legs dejected, humiliated.  tailless adj. [old english]
Lisle  n. Fine cotton thread for stockings etc. [lille in france]

Lepidopterous  adj. Of the order of insects with four scale-covered wings, including butterflies and moths.  lepidopterist n. [greek lepis -idos scale, pteron wing]

Flush3  v. 1 cause (esp. A game-bird) to fly up. 2 (of a bird) fly up and away.  flush out 1 reveal. 2 drive out. [imitative]

Underpart  n. Lower or subordinate part.

Goatee  n. Small pointed beard.
Lieutenant colonel  n. (also lieutenant commander or general) officers ranking next below colonel, commander, or general.
Immolate  v. (-ting) kill or offer as a sacrifice.  immolation n. [latin, = sprinkle with meal]
Prophylactic  —adj. Tending to prevent disease etc. —n. 1 preventive medicine or action. 2 esp. Us condom. [greek, = keeping guard before]

Prince regent  n. Prince who acts as regent, esp. The future george iv.
Statistical  adj. Of statistics.  statistically adv.

House of commons  n. Elected chamber of parliament.

Lifeless  adj. 1 dead. 2 unconscious. 3 lacking movement or vitality.  lifelessly adv. [old english]

Messiah  n. 1  a promised deliverer of the jews. B christ regarded as this. 2 liberator of an oppressed people. [hebrew, = anointed]
Willies  n.pl. Colloq. Nervous discomfort (gives me the willies). [origin unknown]

Sultan  n. Muslim sovereign.  sultanate n. [arabic]

Wicket-keeper  n. Fieldsman stationed close behind a batsman's wicket.
Power cut  n. Temporary withdrawal or failure of an electric power supply.

Isn't  contr. Is not.

Sight-screen  n. Cricket large white screen placed near the boundary in line with the wicket to help the batsman see the ball.
Trumpet-call  n. Urgent summons to action.

Immure  v. (-ring) 1 imprison. 2 refl. Shut oneself away. [latin murus wall]
Hexagon  n. Plane figure with six sides and angles.  hexagonal adj. [greek: related to *hexa-, -gonos angled]



Valency  n. (pl. -ies) combining power of an atom measured by the number of hydrogen atoms it can displace or combine with. [latin valentia power]

Newfangled  adj. Derog. Different from what one is used to; objectionably new. [= new taken]

Commune1  n. 1 group of people sharing accommodation, goods, etc. 2 small district of local government in france etc. [medieval latin: related to *common]
Remove  —v. (-ving) 1 take off or away from the place occupied. 2 a convey to another place; change the situation of. B get rid of; dismiss. 3 cause to be no longer present or available; take away (privileges were removed). 4 (in passive; foll. By from) distant or remote in condition (country is not far removed from anarchy). 5 (as removed adj.) (esp. Of cousins) separated by a specified number of steps of descent (a first cousin twice removed = a grandchild of a first cousin). —n. 1 degree of remoteness; distance. 2 stage in a gradation; degree (several removes from what i expected). 3  form or division in some schools.  removable adj.  [latin removeo -mot-]



Spore  n. Reproductive cell of many plants and micro-organisms. [greek spora seed]
Ball2  n. 1 formal social gathering for dancing. 2 slang enjoyable time (esp. Have a ball). [greek ballo throw]




Rotation  n. 1 rotating or being rotated. 2 recurrence; recurrent series or period; regular succession. 3 the growing of different crops in regular order to avoid exhausting the soil.  rotational adj.

Surly  adj. (-ier, -iest) bad-tempered; unfriendly.   surliness n. [obsolete sirly haughty: related to *sir]



Longbow  n. Bow drawn by hand and shooting a long feathered arrow.
Spin bowler  n. Cricket bowler who imparts spin to a ball.
Cockle  n. 1 a edible bivalve shellfish. B its shell. 2 (in full cockle-shell) small shallow boat. 3 pucker or wrinkle in paper, glass, etc.  warm the cockles of one's heart make one contented. [french coquille from greek: related to *conch]

Lurcher  n. Crossbred dog, usu. A working dog crossed with a greyhound. [related to *lurk]
Deprecate  v. (-ting) express disapproval of; deplore.  deprecation n. Deprecatory adj. [latin: related to *pray]
Usage  in uk usage this term has been replaced by maintenance.

Cornish  —adj. Of cornwall. —n. Celtic language of cornwall.

Marocain  n. Fabric of ribbed crêpe. [french, = moroccan]
Stopcock  n. Externally operated valve regulating the flow through a pipe etc.
Trattoria  n. Italian restaurant. [italian]


Switchboard  n. Apparatus for making connections between electric circuits, esp. In telephony.
Conn  v. (brit. Con) (-nn-) direct the steering of (a ship). [originally cond from french: related to *conduct]
Bookcase  n. Cabinet of shelves for books.
Insubstantial  adj. 1 lacking solidity or substance. 2 not real.
Commination  n. Literary threatening of divine vengeance.  comminatory adj. [latin: related to *menace]
Inimical  adj. 1 hostile. 2 harmful.  inimically adv. [latin inimicus enemy]
Corn on the cob  n. Maize cooked and eaten from the corn-cob.
Self-adhesive  adj. (of an envelope, label, etc.) Adhesive, esp. Without wetting.

Holy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 morally and spiritually excellent or perfect, and to be revered. 2 belonging to or devoted to god. 3 consecrated, sacred. [old english: related to *whole]
Indium  n. Soft silvery-white metallic element occurring in zinc ores. [latin indicum *indigo]
Operative  —adj. 1 in operation; having effect. 2 having the main relevance (‘may’ is the operative word). 3 of or by surgery. —n. Worker, esp. A skilled one. [latin: related to *operate]
Poet  n. (fem. Poetess) 1 writer of poems. 2 highly imaginative or expressive person. [greek poietes: related to *poem]

Pajamas  n.pl. (brit. Pyjamas) 1 suit of loose trousers and jacket for sleeping in. 2 loose trousers worn by both sexes in some asian countries. 3 (pyjama) (attrib.) Of either part of a pair of pyjamas (pyjama jacket). [urdu, = leg-clothing]

Innovate  v. (-ting) bring in new methods, ideas, etc.; make changes.  innovation n. Innovative adj. Innovator n. Innovatory adj. [latin novus new]

Stakhanovite  n. (often attrib.) Exceptionally productive worker. [stakhanov, name of a russian coalminer]


Audience  n. 1 a assembled listeners or spectators, esp. At a play, concert, etc. B people addressed by a film, book, etc. 2 formal interview with a superior. [latin: related to *audible]
Vto  abbr. Vertical take-off.

Kangaroo  n. (pl. -s) australian marsupial with strong hind legs for jumping. [aboriginal]
Occlude  v. (-ding) 1 stop up or close. 2 chem. Absorb and retain (gases). 3 (as occluded adj.) Meteorol. (of a frontal system) formed when a cold front overtakes a warm front, raising warm air from ground level.  occlusion n. [latin occludo occlus- close up]
Nostalgia  n. 1 (often foll. By for) yearning for a past period. 2 severe homesickness.  nostalgic adj. Nostalgically adv. [greek nostos return home]



Expiate  v. (-ting) pay the penalty for or make amends for (wrongdoing).  expiable adj. Expiation n. Expiatory adj. [latin expio: related to *pious]
Usage  crescendo is sometimes wrongly used to mean the climax itself rather than progress towards it.

Denary  adj. Of ten; decimal.
Bleak  adj. 1 exposed, windswept. 2 dreary, grim. [old norse]
Rainwater  n. Water collected from fallen rain.
Survey  —v. 1 view or consider as a whole. 2 examine the condition of (a building etc.). 3 determine the boundaries, extent, ownership, etc. Of (a district etc.). —n. 1 general view or consideration. 2 a act of surveying property. B statement etc. Resulting from this. 3 investigation of public opinion etc. 4 map or plan made by surveying. [latin: related to *super-, video see]

Driest  superl. Of *dry.



Ormolu  n. 1 (often attrib.) Gilded bronze; gold-coloured alloy. 2 articles made of or decorated with ormolu. [french or moulu powdered gold]
Scrawl  —v. 1 write or make (marks) in a hurried untidy way. 2 (foll. By out) cross out by scrawling over. —n. 1 hurried untidy manner of writing. 2 example of this.  scrawly adj. [origin uncertain]
Roaring trade  n. (also roaring business) very brisk trade or business.



Fuse2  (also fuze) —n. 1 device of combustible matter for igniting a bomb or explosive charge. 2 component made of this in a shell, mine, etc. —v. (-sing) fit a fuse to. [latin fusus spindle]
Crampon  n. (us crampoon) (usu. In pl.) Spiked iron plate fixed to a boot for climbing on ice. [french: related to *cramp]
More  —adj. Greater in quantity or degree; additional (more problems than last time; bring some more water). —n. Greater quantity, number, or amount (more than three people; more to it than meets the eye). —adv. 1 to a greater degree or extent. 2 forming the comparative of adjectives and adverbs, esp. Those of more than one syllable (more absurd; more easily).  more and more to an increasing degree. More of to a greater extent. More or less approximately; effectively; nearly. What is more as an additional point. [old english]
Hubbub  n. 1 confused noise of talking. 2 disturbance. [perhaps of irish origin]
Deathbed  n. Bed where a person dies.



Rapid eye movement  n. Type of jerky movement of the eyes during dreaming.
Poise  —n. 1 composure, self-possession. 2 equilibrium. 3 carriage (of the head etc.). —v. (-sing) 1 balance; hold suspended or supported. 2 be balanced or suspended. [latin pendo pens- weigh]
Barrel  —n. 1 cylindrical usu. Convex container. 2 its contents. 3 measure of capacity (30 to 40 gallons). 4 cylindrical tube forming part of an object, e.g. A gun or a pen. —v.

Filthy  —adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 extremely or disgustingly dirty. 2 obscene. 3 colloq. (of weather) very unpleasant. —adv. 1 filthily (filthy dirty). 2 colloq. Extremely (filthy rich).  filthily adv. Filthiness n.
Thorax  n. (pl. -races or -raxes) anat. & zool. Part of the trunk between the neck and the abdomen.  thoracic adj. [latin from greek]
Feather  —n. 1 one of the structures forming a bird's plumage, with a horny stem and fine strands. 2 (collect.) A plumage. B game-birds. —v. 1 cover or line with feathers. 2 turn (an oar) edgeways through the air.  feather in one's cap a personal achievement. Feather one's nest enrich oneself. In fine (or high) feather colloq. In good spirits.  feathery adj. [old english]
Band-saw  n. Mechanical saw with a blade formed by an endless toothed band.

Riding-school  n. Establishment teaching horsemanship.

Hypochondria  n. Abnormal and ill-founded anxiety about one's health. [latin from greek, = soft parts of the body below the ribs, where melancholy was thought to arise]
Dm  abbr. Deutschmark.
Regroup  v. 1 group or arrange again or differently. 2 mil. Prepare for a fresh attack.

Prettify  v. (-ies, -ied) make pretty, esp. In an affected way.

Nanny  n. (pl. -ies) 1 child's nurse. 2 colloq. Grandmother. 3 (in full nanny-goat) female goat. [related to *nancy]
Condiment  n. Seasoning or relish for food. [latin condio pickle]

Lastly  adv. Finally; in the last place.
Numberless  adj. Innumerable.


Unsightly  adj. Ugly.  unsightliness n.
Disapprove  v. (-ving) (usu. Foll. By of) have or express an unfavourable opinion.  disapproval n.
Seise  var. Of *seize 6.



Razzle-dazzle  n. (also razzle) colloq. 1 a excitement; bustle. B spree (esp. On the razzle). 2 extravagant publicity. [reduplication of *dazzle]



Lipstick  n. Stick of cosmetic for colouring the lips.

Steel  —n. 1 strong malleable alloy of iron and carbon, used esp. For making tools, weapons, etc. 2 strength, firmness (nerves of steel). 3 steel rod for sharpening knives. —adj. Of or like steel. —v. (also refl.) Harden or make resolute. [old english]

Cassava  n. 1 plant with starchy roots. 2 starch or flour from these, used e.g. In tapioca. [taino]




Desertification  n. Making or becoming a desert.
Mean3  —n. 1 median point (mean between modesty and pride). 2  a term midway between the first and last terms of an arithmetical etc. Progression. B quotient of the sum of several quantities and their number; average. —adj. 1 (of a quantity) equally far from two extremes. 2 calculated as a mean. [latin medianus *median]

Indeed  —adv. 1 in truth; really. 2 admittedly. —int. Expressing irony, incredulity, etc.


Patron saint  n. Saint regarded as protecting a person, place, activity, etc.
Sideboard  n. Table or esp. A flat-topped cupboard for dishes, table linen, etc.
Speedboat  n. High-speed motor boat.

Fpa  abbr. Family planning association.
Aggregate  —n. 1 sum total, amount assembled. 2 crushed stone etc. Used in making concrete. 3 rock formed of a mass of different particles or minerals. —adj. Combined, collective, total. —v. (-ting) 1 collect, combine into one mass. 2 colloq. Amount to. 3 unite.  in the aggregate as a whole.  aggregation n. Aggregative adj. [latin grex greg- flock]
Basketwork  n. = *basketry.
Conservationist  n. Supporter of environmental conservation.

Dysprosium  n. Metallic element of the lanthanide series. [greek dusprositos hard to get at]



Bath chair  n. Wheelchair for invalids.
Sparrowhawk  n. Small hawk.
Open letter  n. Letter of protest etc. Addressed to an individual and published in a newspaper etc.
Undertook  past of *undertake.
Pioneer  —n. 1 initiator of an enterprise; investigator of a subject etc. 2 explorer or settler; colonist. —v. 1 initiate (an enterprise etc.) For others to follow. 2 be a pioneer. [french pionnier: related to *pawn1]
Friendly society  n. Insurance society insuring against illness etc.
Wizened  adj. Shrivelled-looking. [old english]

Barium meal  n. Mixture swallowed to reveal the abdomen in x-rays.

Masquerade  —n. 1 false show, pretence. 2 masked ball. —v. (-ding) (often foll. By as) appear falsely or in disguise. [spanish máscara mask]
Ce  symb. Cerium.
Ravening  adj. Hungrily seeking prey; voracious. [french raviner from latin: related to *rapine]
Immune  adj. 1 a (often foll. By against, from, to) protected against infection through inoculation etc. B relating to immunity (immune system). 2 (foll. By from, to) exempt from or proof against a charge, duty, criticism, etc. [latin immunis exempt]
Hols  n.pl. Colloq. Holidays. [abbreviation]
Test case  n. Law case setting a precedent for other similar cases.

Smoke bomb  n. Bomb that emits dense smoke on exploding.
New potatoes  n.pl. Earliest potatoes of a new crop.
Hindustani  n. Language based on hindi, used as a lingua franca in much of india. [from *hindu, stan country]
Consonance  n. Agreement, harmony. [latin sono *sound1]

Jury  n. (pl. -ies) 1 body of usu. Twelve people giving a verdict in a court of justice. 2 body of people awarding prizes in a competition.

Postmaster  n. (fem. Postmistress) official in charge of a post office.

Eroticism  n. 1 erotic character. 2 use of or response to erotic images or stimulation.
Comprise  v. (-sing) 1 include. 2 consist of. 3 make up, compose. [french: related to *comprehend]


Witchcraft  n. 1 use of magic. 2 bewitching charm.
Misfield  —v. (also absol.) (in cricket, baseball, etc.) Field (the ball) badly. —n. Instance of this. [from *mis-1]


Stereo-  comb. Form solid; having three dimensions. [greek stereos solid]




Unfair  adj. Not fair, just, or impartial.  unfairly adv. Unfairness n.

Consumer durable  n. Durable household product (e.g. A radio or washing-machine).

Personal property  n. Law all one's property except land and those interests in land that pass to one's heirs.
Lab  n. Colloq. Laboratory. [abbreviation]


Centre spread  n. Two facing middle pages of a newspaper etc.
Fail  —v. 1 not succeed (failed to qualify). 2 be or judge to be unsuccessful in (an examination etc.). 3 be unable; neglect (failed to appear). 4 disappoint. 5 be absent or insufficient.
Isochronous  adj. 1 occurring at the same time. 2 occupying equal time.
Historian  n. 1 writer of history. 2 person learned in history.

Hard sell  n. Aggressive salesmanship.


Cheese-paring  adj. Stingy.
Well-being  n. State of being contented, healthy, etc.



Lovely  —adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 colloq. Pleasing, delightful. 2 beautiful. —n. (pl. -ies) colloq. Pretty woman.  lovely and colloq. Delightfully (lovely and warm).  loveliness n. [old english]
Piazza  n. Public square or market-place. [italian: related to *place]
Ratline  n. (also ratlin) (usu. In pl.) Any of the small lines fastened across a sailing-ship's shrouds like ladder-rungs. [origin unknown]
Laureate  —adj. Wreathed with laurel as a mark of honour. —n. = *poet laureate.  laureateship n. [related to *laurel]


Marjoram  n. Aromatic herb used in cookery. [french from medieval latin]
Erg  n. Unit of work or energy. [greek ergon work]
Queen's counsel  n. Counsel to the crown, taking precedence over other barristers.

Unanimous  adj. 1 all in agreement (committee was unanimous). 2 (of an opinion, vote, etc.) By all without exception (unanimous choice).  unanimity n. Unanimously adv. [latin unus one, animus mind]
Gage1  n. 1 pledge; thing deposited as security. 2 symbol of a challenge to fight, esp. A glove thrown down. [germanic: related to *wed, *wage]



Fundamental particle  n. Elementary particle.

Bollocks  n. (also ballocks) coarse slang 1 (usu. As int.) Nonsense. 2 testicles. [old english: related to *ball1]
Tankard  n. 1 tall beer mug with a handle. 2 contents of or amount held by this (drank a tankard of ale). [probably dutch tankaert]

Mucky  adj. (-ier, -iest) covered with muck, dirty.
Dam1  —n. 1 barrier across river etc., forming a reservoir or preventing flooding. 2 barrier made by beaver. —v. (-mm-) 1 provide or confine with a dam. 2 (often foll. By up) block up; obstruct. [low german or dutch]
Scarlet  —adj. Of brilliant red tinged with orange. —n. 1 scarlet colour or pigment. 2 scarlet clothes or material (dressed in scarlet). [french escarlate]

Unhampered  adj. Not hampered.

Back seat  n. Less prominent or important position.

Halogen  n. Any of the non-metallic elements (fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine, and astatine) which form a salt (e.g. Sodium chloride) when combined with a metal. [greek hals halos salt, *-gen]

Ship-canal  n. Canal large enough for ships.


Point of no return  n. Point in a journey or enterprise at which it becomes essential or more practical to continue to the end.
Eyeball to eyeball  adv. Colloq. Confronting closely.
Pre-record  v. Record (esp. Material for broadcasting) in advance.




Storage battery  n. (also storage cell) battery (or cell) for storing electricity.





Arbutus  n. Tree or shrub with clusters of flowers and strawberry-like berries. [latin]
Time exposure  n. Exposure of photographic film for longer than the slowest normal shutter setting.


He'd  contr. 1 he had. 2 he would.


Underthings  n.pl. Underclothes.
Hot money  n. Capital frequently transferred.
Daphne  n. Any of various flowering shrubs. [greek]

Canny  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 shrewd, worldly-wise; thrifty. 2 scot. & n.engl. Pleasant, agreeable.  cannily adv. Canniness n. [from *can1]

Tiff  n. Slight or petty quarrel. [origin unknown]
Impressionism  n. 1 style or movement in art concerned with conveying the effect of natural light on objects. 2 style of music or writing seeking to convey esp. Fleeting feelings or experience.  impressionist n. Impressionistic adj.

Sarsenet  n. Soft silk material used esp. For linings. [anglo-french from sarzin *saracen]


Inwrought  adj. 1 (often foll. By with) (of a fabric) decorated (with a pattern). 2 (often foll. By in, on) (of a pattern) wrought (in or on a fabric).


Hooray  int. = *hurrah.

Close2  —v. (-sing) 1 a shut. B block up. 2 bring or come to an end. 3 end the day's business. 4 bring or come closer or into contact. 5 make (an electric circuit etc.) Continuous. —n. Conclusion, end.  close down (of a shop etc.) Discontinue business. Close in 1 enclose. 2 come nearer. 3 (of days) get successively shorter. Close up 1 (often foll. By to) move closer. 2 shut. 3 block up. 4 (of an aperture) grow smaller. [latin: related to *close1]

Discountenance  v. (-cing) 1 disconcert. 2 refuse to approve of.
Summer time  n. Period from march to october when clocks are advanced an hour.
Housemaster  n. (fem. Housemistress) teacher in charge of a house, esp. At a boarding-school.
Incurious  adj. Lacking curiosity.

Recce  colloq. —n. Reconnaissance. —v. (recced, recceing) reconnoitre. [abbreviation]
Raw deal  n. Harsh or unfair treatment.
Ageism  n. Prejudice or discrimination on grounds of age.  ageist adj. & n.
Transitory  adj. Not permanent; brief, transient.  transitorily adv. Transitoriness n. [latin: related to *transit]


Innards  n.pl. Colloq. Entrails. [special pronunciation of *inward]
Grammar  n. 1 the study or rules of a language's inflections or other means of showing the relation between words. 2 observance or application of the rules of grammar (bad grammar). 3 book on grammar. [greek gramma letter]
Capillarity  n. The rise or depression of a liquid in a narrow tube. [french: related to *capillary]
Bandanna  n. Large patterned handkerchief or neckerchief. [portuguese from hindi]
Isotherm  n. Line on a map connecting places with the same temperature.  isothermal adj. [from *iso-, greek therme heat]


Heaven-sent  adj. Providential.
Chippendale  adj. (of furniture) of an elegantly ornate 18th-c. Style. [name of a cabinet-maker]

Digitalis  n. Drug prepared from foxgloves, used to stimulate the heart. [related to *digit, from the form of the flowers]


Thorny  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 having many thorns. 2 problematic, causing disagreement.  thornily adv. Thorniness n. [old english: related to *thorn]
Selenium  n. Non-metallic element occurring naturally in various metallic sulphide ores. [greek selene moon]
Thick-skinned  adj. Not sensitive to criticism.

Sincere  adj. (sincerer, sincerest) 1 free from pretence. 2 genuine, honest, frank.  sincerity n. [latin]
Pimpernel  n. = *scarlet pimpernel. [latin piper *pepper]
Investiture  n. Formal investing of a person with honours or rank. [medieval latin: related to *invest]





Piton  n. Peg driven into rock or a crack to support a climber or rope. [french]




-ory  suffix 1 forming nouns denoting a place (dormitory; refectory). 2 forming adjectives and nouns relating to or involving a verbal action (accessory; compulsory). [latin -orius, -orium]

Pubescence  n. 1 beginning of puberty. 2  soft down on plants, or on animals, esp. Insects.  pubescent adj. [latin: related to *pubes1]
Verb  n. Word used to indicate action, a state, or an occurrence (e.g. Hear, be, happen). [latin verbum word]

Fruit juice  n. Juice of fruit, esp. As a drink.


Nictitating membrane  n. Transparent third eyelid in amphibians, birds, and some other animals.

Metamorphic  adj. 1 of metamorphosis. 2  (of rock) transformed naturally, e.g. By heat or pressure.  metamorphism n. [from *meta-, greek morphe form]


Jeopardize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) endanger.

Plurality  n. (pl. -ies) 1 state of being plural. 2 = *pluralism 2. 3 large number. 4 us majority that is not absolute.
Unrepentant  adj. Not repentant, impenitent.  unrepentantly adv.

Commissionaire  n. Uniformed door-attendant. [french: related to *commissioner]
Diplomacy  n. 1 a management of international relations. B skill in this. 2 tact. [french: related to *diplomatic]





Hrs.  Abbr. Hours.
Off-peak  adj. Used or for use at times other than those of greatest demand.

Freighter  n. 1 ship or aircraft for carrying freight. 2 us freight-wagon.
Shear  —v. (past sheared; past part. Shorn or sheared) 1  (also absol.) Clip the wool off (a sheep etc.). 2 remove or take off by cutting. 3 cut with scissors or shears etc. 4 (foll. By of) a strip bare. B deprive. 5 (often foll. By off) distort, be distorted, or break, from structural strain. —n. 1  strain produced by pressure in the structure of a substance. 2 (in pl.) (also pair of shears sing.) Large scissor-shaped clipping or cutting instrument.  shearer n. [old english]
Folk  n. (pl. Same or -s) 1 (treated as pl.) People in general or of a specified class (few folk about; townsfolk). 2 (in pl.) (usu. Folks) one's parents or relatives. 3 (treated as sing.) A people or nation. 4 (in full folk-music) (treated as sing.) Colloq. Traditional music or modern music in this style. 5 (attrib.) Of popular origin (folk art). [old english]

Private enterprise  n. Businesses not under state control.

Concessive  adj. Gram. (of a preposition or conjunction) introducing a phrase or clause which contrasts with the main clause (e.g. In spite of, although). [latin: related to *concede]



Lead-in  n. Introduction, opening, etc.

Trisect  v. Divide into three (usu. Equal) parts.  trisection n. [latin seco sect- cut]

Emboss  v. Carve or decorate with a design in relief.  embossment n. [related to *boss2]
Apropos  —adj. 1 appropriate. 2 colloq. (often foll. By of) in respect of. —adv. 1 appropriately. 2 (absol.) Incidentally. [french à propos]
Arrogant  adj. Aggressively assertive or presumptuous.  arrogance n. Arrogantly adv. [related to *arrogate]
Rap2  n. Small amount, the least bit (don't care a rap). [irish ropaire counterfeit coin]
Quagmire  n. 1 muddy or boggy area. 2 hazardous situation. [from quag bog, *mire]
Dander  n. Colloq. Temper, indignation.  get one's dander up become angry. [origin uncertain]
Timepiece  n. Clock or watch.
Adolescent  —adj. Between childhood and adulthood. —n. Adolescent person.  adolescence n. [latin adolesco grow up]
Loth  var. Of *loath.



Dandruff  n. 1 flakes of dead skin in the hair. 2 this as a condition. [origin uncertain]
Retake  —v. (-king; past retook; past part. Retaken) 1 take (a photograph, exam, etc.) Again. 2 recapture. —n. 1 act of filming a scene or recording music etc. Again. 2 film or recording obtained in this way. 3 act of taking an exam etc. Again.
Thimbleful  n. (pl. -s) small quantity, esp. Of drink.




Retrospective  —adj. 1 looking back on or dealing with the past. 2 (of a statute etc.) Applying to the past as well as the future. —n. Exhibition, recital, etc. Showing an artist's development over his or her lifetime.  retrospectively adv.
Open-minded  adj. Accessible to new ideas; unprejudiced.

Pistachio  n. (pl. -s) 1 edible pale-green nut. 2 tree yielding this. [persian pistah]



Microclimate  n. Small localized climate, e.g. Inside a greenhouse.
Pink2  v. 1 pierce slightly. 2 cut a scalloped or zigzag edge on. [perhaps from low german or dutch]



Serviceman  n. 1 man in the armed forces. 2 man providing service or maintenance.




Amidships  adv. In or into the middle of a ship. [from *amid, alternative form midships]
Sixth former  n. Sixth-form pupil.
Ray3  n. (also re) mus. Second note of a major scale. [latin resonare, word arbitrarily taken]
Folkweave  n. Rough loosely woven fabric.

Nutter  n. Slang crazy person.




Sorrowful  adj. Feeling, causing, or showing sorrow.  sorrowfully adv.

Moderator  n. 1 arbitrator, mediator. 2 presiding officer. 3 presbyterian minister presiding over an ecclesiastical body. 4 physics substance used in a nuclear reactor to retard neutrons.



Ceilidh  n. Informal gathering for music, dancing, etc. [gaelic]

Dresser1  n. Kitchen sideboard with shelves for plates etc. [french dresser prepare]

Gramme  var. Of *gram.

Tone-deaf  adj. Unable to perceive differences of musical pitch accurately.



Buffet2  —v. (-t-) 1 strike repeatedly. 2 contend with (waves etc.). —n. 1 blow, esp. Of the hand. 2 shock. [french diminutive of bufe blow]
Farrago  n. (pl. -s or us -es) medley, hotchpotch. [latin, = mixed fodder, from far corn]
Restart  —v. Start again. —n. Act of restarting.
Electro-shock  attrib. Adj. (of therapy) by means of electric shocks.
Project  —n. 1 plan; scheme. 2 extensive essay, piece of research, etc. By a student. —v. 1 protrude; jut out. 2 throw; cast; impel. 3 extrapolate (results etc.) To a future time; forecast. 4 plan or contrive (a scheme etc.). 5 cause (light, shadow, images, etc.) To fall on a surface. 6 cause (a sound, esp. The voice) to be heard at a distance. 7 (often refl. Or absol.) Express or promote forcefully or effectively. 8  make a projection of (the earth, sky, etc.). 9 a (also absol.) Attribute (an emotion etc.) To an external object or person, esp. Unconsciously. B (refl.) Imagine (oneself) having another's feelings, being in the future, etc. [latin projicio -ject- throw forth]


Creative  adj. 1 inventive, imaginative. 2 able to create.  creatively adv. Creativeness n. Creativity n.
Boycott  —v. 1 refuse to have social or commercial relations with (a person, country, etc.). 2 refuse to handle (goods). —n. Such a refusal. [capt. Boycott, so treated from 1880]


Goby  n. (pl. -ies) small fish with ventral fins joined to form a disc or sucker. [greek kobios *gudgeon1]
Mutual  adj. 1 (of feelings, actions, etc.) Experienced or done by each of two or more parties to or towards the other(s) (mutual affection). 2 colloq. Common to two or more persons (a mutual friend). 3 having the same (specified) relationship to each other (mutual well-wishers).  mutuality n. Mutually adv. [latin mutuus borrowed]
Asphyxia  n. Lack of oxygen in the blood, causing unconsciousness or death; suffocation.  asphyxiant adj. & n. [greek a- not, sphuxis pulse]
Weak-kneed  adj. Colloq. Lacking resolution.


Meals on wheels  n.pl. (usu. Treated as sing.) Regular voluntary esp. Lunch deliveries to old people, invalids, etc.


Secretary  n. (pl. -ies) 1 employee who assists with correspondence, records, making appointments, etc. 2 official of a society or company who writes letters, organizes business, etc. 3 principal assistant of a government minister, ambassador, etc.  secretarial adj. Secretaryship n. [latin secretarius: related to *secret]
Remnant  n. 1 small remaining quantity. 2 piece of cloth etc. Left when the greater part has been used or sold. [french: related to *remain]
Antenna  n. 1 (pl. -tennae) each of a pair of feelers on the heads of insects, crustaceans, etc. 2 (pl. -s) = *aerial n. [latin, = sail-yard]


Liveable  adj. (also livable) 1 colloq. (usu. Liveable-in) (of a house etc.) Fit to live in. 2 (of a life) worth living. 3 colloq. (usu. Liveable-with) (of a person) easy to live with.


Free spirit  n. Independent or uninhibited person.

Subscriber  n. 1 person who subscribes. 2 person hiring a telephone line.
Steelworks  n.pl. (usu. Treated as sing.) Factory producing steel.  steelworker n.

Henpeck  v. (usu. In passive) (of a wife) constantly nag her husband.

Castor  n. (also caster) 1 small swivelled wheel on the leg or underside of a piece of furniture. 2 small perforated container for sprinkling sugar, flour, etc. [from *cast]

Hector  —v. Bully, intimidate. —n. Bully. [from the name hector in the iliad]
Generator  n. 1 machine for converting mechanical into electrical energy. 2 apparatus for producing gas, steam, etc.
Prophetic  adj. 1 (often foll. By of) containing a prediction; predicting. 2 of a prophet.   prophetically adv. [latin: related to *prophet]

Gravel  —n. 1 mixture of coarse sand and small stones, used for paths etc. 2 med. Aggregations of crystals formed in the urinary tract. —v. (-ll-; us -l-) lay or strew with gravel. [french diminutive, perhaps of grave shore]
Disciplinary  adj. Of or enforcing discipline.




Survive  v. (-ving) 1 continue to live or exist. 2 live or exist longer than. 3 remain alive after or continue to exist in spite of (a danger, accident, etc.).  survivor n. [anglo-french survivre from latin supervivo]
Auditory  adj. Of hearing.
Lop-eared  adj. Having drooping ears. [related to *lob]

Tattoo2  —v. (-oos, -ooed) 1 mark (skin) indelibly by puncturing it and inserting pigment. 2 make (a design) in this way. —n. Such a design.  tattooer n. Tattooist n. [polynesian]

League1  —n. 1 people, countries, groups, etc., combining for a particular purpose. 2 agreement to combine in this way. 3 group of sports clubs which compete for a championship. 4 class of contestants etc. —v. (-gues, -gued, -guing) (often foll. By together) join in a league.  in league allied, conspiring. [latin ligo bind]


Refusenik  n. Hist. Soviet jew who has been refused permission to emigrate to israel.
Take-over  n. Assumption of control (esp. Of a business); buying-out.
Crevasse  n. Deep open crack, esp. In a glacier. [latin crepo crack]
Retry  v. (-ies, -ied) try (a defendant or lawsuit) a second or further time.


Thrum2  n. 1 unwoven end of a warp-thread, or the whole of such ends, left when the finished web is cut away. 2 any short loose thread. [old english]
Pepperoni  n. Beef and pork sausage seasoned with pepper. [italian peperone chilli]
Tie-dye  n. (also tie and dye) method of producing dyed patterns by tying string etc. To keep the dye away from parts of the fabric.



Arboretum  n. (pl. -ta) place cultivating and displaying rare trees.


Heritable  adj. 1 law capable of being inherited or of inheriting. 2 biol. Genetically transmissible from parent to offspring. [french: related to *heir]
Sail  —n. 1 piece of material extended on rigging to catch the wind and propel a boat or ship. 2 ship's sails collectively. 3 voyage or excursion in a sailing-boat. 4 ship, esp. As discerned from its sails. 5 wind-catching apparatus of a windmill. —v. 1 travel on water by the use of sails or engine-power. 2 begin a voyage (sails at nine). 3 a navigate (a ship etc.). B travel on (a sea). 4 set (a toy boat) afloat. 5 glide or move smoothly or in a stately manner. 6 (often foll. By through) colloq. Succeed easily (sailed through the exams).  sail close to the wind 1 sail as nearly against the wind as possible. 2 come close to indecency or dishonesty. Sail into colloq. Attack physically or verbally. Under sail with sails set. [old english]



Overqualified  adj. Too highly qualified for a particular job etc.

Mep  abbr. Member of the european parliament.
Optical disc  see *disc.
Christmas tree  n. Evergreen tree or imitation of this set up and decorated at christmas.
Playtime  n. Time for play or recreation.

Automatism  n. 1 involuntary action. 2 unthinking routine. [french: related to *automaton]
Goat  n. 1 hardy domesticated mammal, with horns and (in the male) a beard. 2 lecherous man. 3 colloq. Foolish person. 4 (the goat) zodiacal sign or constellation capricorn.  get a person's goat colloq. Irritate a person. [old english]
Disappointment  n. 1 person or thing that disappoints. 2 being disappointed.





Methylated spirit  n. (also methylated spirits n.pl.) Alcohol treated to make it unfit for drinking and exempt from duty.

Mistress  n. 1 female head of a household. 2 a woman in authority. B female owner of a pet.  3 female teacher. 4 woman having an illicit sexual relationship with a (usu. Married) man. [french maistre *master, *-ess]



Well-bred  adj. Having or showing good breeding or manners.
Usage  as a verb, censure is often confused with censor.


It's  contr. 1 it is. 2 it has.
Knew  past of *know.


Tendentious  adj. Derog. Calculated to promote a particular cause or viewpoint; biased; controversial.  tendentiously adv. Tendentiousness n.
Rascal  n. Dishonest or mischievous person.  rascally adj. [french rascaille rabble]

Factual  adj. Based on or concerned with fact.  factually adv.
Wangle  colloq. —v. (-ling) (often refl.) Contrive to obtain (a favour etc.). —n. Act of wangling. [origin unknown]


Sphinx  n. 1 (sphinx) (in greek mythology) winged monster with a woman's head and a lion's body, whose riddle oedipus guessed. 2 antiq. A ancient egyptian stone figure with a lion's body and a human or animal head.
Recuperate  v. (-ting) 1 recover from illness, exhaustion, loss, etc. 2 regain (health, a loss, etc.).  recuperation n. Recuperative adj. [latin recupero]

Sawtooth  adj. (also sawtoothed) serrated.


Pen-pushing  n. Colloq. Derog. Clerical work.  pen-pusher n.


Hereto  adv. Formal to this matter.

Music-hall  n. 1 variety entertainment with singing, dancing, etc. 2 theatre for this.

Time-lag  n. Interval of time between a cause and effect.

Paddy1  n. (pl. -ies) 1 (in full paddy-field) field where rice is grown. 2 rice before threshing or in the husk. [malay]


Sheep  n. (pl. Same) 1 mammal with a thick woolly coat, esp. Kept for its wool or meat. 2 timid, silly, or easily-led person. 3 (usu. In pl.) Member of a minister's congregation. [old english]

Mince  —v. (-cing) 1 cut up or grind (esp. Meat) finely. 2 (usu. As mincing adj.) Speak or esp. Walk effeminately or affectedly. —n. Minced meat.  mince matters (or one's words) (usu. With neg.) Speak evasively or unduly mildly.  mincer n. [latin minutia something small]


Mould3  n. (us mold) 1 loose earth. 2 upper soil of cultivated land, esp. When rich in organic matter. [old english]

Banns  n.pl. Notice announcing an intended marriage, read out in a parish church. [pl. Of *ban]



Nativity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 (esp. The nativity) a christ's birth. B festival of christ's birth. 2 birth. [latin: related to *native]
Disparate  adj. Essentially different; not comparable.  disparateness n. [latin disparo separate]

Henge  n. Prehistoric monument consisting of a circle of stone or wood uprights. [stonehenge in s. England]

Persuasive  adj. Good at persuading.  persuasively adv. Persuasiveness n. [french or medieval latin: related to *persuade]
Bit part  n. Minor role.
Pi  n. 1 sixteenth letter of the greek alphabet (p, p). 2 (as p) the symbol of the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter (approx. 3.14). [greek]

Apiary  n. (pl. -ies) place where bees are kept.  apiarist n. [latin apis bee]
Appetizing  adj. (also -ising) stimulating the appetite, esp. For food; tasty.
Gorse  n. Spiny yellow-flowered shrub; furze.  gorsy adj. [old english]

Mutt  n. 1 slang ignorant or stupid person. 2 derog. Dog. [abbreviation of *mutton-head]
Hegira  n. (also hejira) 1 muhammad's flight from mecca in ad 622. 2 muslim era reckoned from this date. [arabic hijra departure]
Protocol  —n. 1 official formality and etiquette, esp. As observed on state occasions etc. 2 original draft of esp. The terms of a treaty. 3 formal statement of a transaction. —v. (-ll-) draw up or record in a protocol. [greek kolla glue]
Ennui  n. Mental weariness from idleness or lack of interest; boredom. [french: related to *annoy]


Runnel  n. 1 brook. 2 gutter. [old english]
Vigil  n. 1 keeping awake during the night etc., esp. To keep watch or pray. 2 eve of a festival or holy day. [latin vigilia]



Fire-screen  n. 1 ornamental screen for a fireplace. 2 screen against the direct heat of a fire. 3 fire-guard.

Bathrobe  n. Esp. Us dressing-gown, esp. Of towelling.
Crunchy  adj. (-ier, -iest) hard and crisp.  crunchiness n.


Float  —v. 1 a (cause to) rest or move on the surface of a liquid. B set (a stranded ship) afloat. 2 colloq. A move in a leisurely way. B (often foll. By before) hover before the eye or mind. 3 (often foll. By in) move or be suspended freely in a liquid or gas. 4 a start or launch (a company, scheme, etc.). B offer (stock, shares, etc.) On the stock market. 5 commerce cause or allow to have a fluctuating exchange rate. 6 circulate or cause (a rumour or idea) to circulate. —n. 1 thing that floats, esp.: a a raft. B a light object as an indicator of a fish biting or supporting a fishing-net. C a hollow structure enabling an aircraft to float on water. D a floating device on water, petrol, etc., controlling the level. 2 small esp. Electrically-powered vehicle or cart (milk float). 3 decorated platform or tableau on a lorry in a procession etc. 4 a supply of loose change in a shop, at a fête, etc. B petty cash. 5 theatr. (in sing. Or pl.) Footlights. 6 tool for smoothing plaster.  floatable adj. [old english]
Stipendiary  —adj. Receiving a stipend. —n. (pl. -ies) person receiving a stipend. [latin: related to *stipend]

Twelfth night  n. 5 jan., eve of epiphany.


Suppliant  —adj. Supplicating. —n. Supplicating person. [latin: related to *supplicate]


Satin  —n. Silk etc. Fabric glossy on one side. —adj. Smooth as satin.  satiny adj. [arabic zaituni]
Hexa-  comb. Form six. [greek]
Denunciation  n. Denouncing; public condemnation. [latin: related to *denounce]
Smother  v. 1 suffocate, stifle. 2 (foll. By in, with) overwhelm or cover with (kisses, gifts, kindness, etc.). 3 extinguish (a fire) by covering it. 4 a die of suffocation. B have difficulty breathing. 5 (often foll. By up) suppress or conceal. [old english]



Acacia  n. Tree with yellow or white flowers, esp. One yielding gum arabic. [latin from greek]
Pave  v. (-ving) cover (a street, floor, etc.) With a durable surface.  pave the way (usu. Foll. By for) make preparations.  paving n. [latin pavio ram (v.)]

Swan  —n. Large usu. White water-bird with a long flexible neck. —v. (-nn-) (usu. Foll. By about, off, etc.) Colloq. Move or go aimlessly, casually, or with a superior air. [old english]

Etiolate  v. (-ting) 1 make (a plant) pale by excluding light. 2 give a sickly colour to (a person).  etiolation n. [latin stipula straw]
Nifty  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. 1 clever, adroit. 2 smart, stylish. [origin uncertain]


Fizz  —v. 1 make a hissing or spluttering sound. 2 (of a drink) effervesce. —n. 1 effervescence. 2 colloq. Effervescent drink, esp. Champagne. [imitative]




Packaging  n. 1 wrapping or container for goods. 2 process of packing goods.
Hectare  n. Metric unit of square measure, 100 ares (2.471 acres or 10,000 square metres). [french: related to *hecto-, *are2]




Missis  n. (also missus) colloq. Or joc. 1 form of address to a woman. 2 wife.  the missis my or your wife. [from *mistress]
Money-grubber  n. Colloq. Person greedily intent on amassing money.  money-grubbing n. & adj.

Concentric  adj. Having a common centre.  concentrically adv. [french or medieval latin: related to *centre]
Crowd  —n. 1 large gathering of people. 2 spectators; audience. 3 colloq. Particular set of people. 4 (prec. By the) majority. —v. 1 a (cause to) come together in a crowd. B force one's way (crowded into the cinema). 2 a (foll. By into) force or compress into a confined space. B (often foll. By with; usu. In passive) fill or make full of. 3 colloq. Come aggressively close to.  crowd out exclude by crowding.  crowdedness n. [old english]
Ulcer  n. 1 open sore on or in the body, often forming pus. 2 corrupting influence etc.  ulcerous adj. [latin ulcus -cer-]
Snarl-up  n. Colloq. Traffic jam; muddle.
Duet  n. Musical composition for two performers.  duettist n. [latin duo two]

Skin-tight  adj. (of a garment) very close-fitting.


Letter of credit  n. Letter from a bank authorizing the bearer to draw money from another bank.



Rue2  n. Evergreen shrub with bitter strong-scented leaves. [greek rhute]
Middleman  n. 1 trader who handles a commodity between producer and consumer. 2 intermediary.

Millilitre  n. (us -liter) one-thousandth of a litre (0.002 pint).
Goody  —n. (also goodie) (pl. -ies) 1 colloq. Good or favoured person. 2 (usu. In pl.) Something good or attractive, esp. To eat. —int. Expressing childish delight.




Usage  see note at continual.

Discontinuous  adj. Lacking continuity; intermittent.  discontinuity n.
Doomsday  n. Day of the last judgement.  till doomsday for ever.

Maxi  n. (pl. -s) colloq. Maxi-coat, -skirt, etc. [abbreviation]
Imprint  —v. 1 (often foll. By on) impress firmly, esp. On the mind. 2 a (often foll. By on) make a stamp or impression of (a figure etc.) On a thing. B make an impression on (a thing) with a stamp etc. —n. 1 impression, stamp. 2 printer's or publisher's name etc. Printed in a book.


Bread  —n. 1 baked dough of flour and water, usu. Leavened with yeast. 2 necessary food. 3 slang money. —v. Coat with breadcrumbs for cooking. [old english]


Rock1  n. 1 a hard material of the earth's crust, often exposed on the surface. B similar material on other planets. 2 geol. Any natural material, hard or soft (e.g. Clay), consisting of one or more minerals. 3 a projecting rock forming a hill, cliff, reef, etc. B (the rock) gibraltar. 4 large detached stone. 5 us stone of any size. 6 firm and dependable support or protection. 7 hard sweet usu. In the form of a peppermint-flavoured stick. 8 slang precious stone, esp. A diamond.  get one's rocks off coarse slang achieve (esp. Sexual) satisfaction. On the rocks colloq. 1 short of money. 2 (of a marriage etc.) Broken down. 3 (of a drink) served neat with ice-cubes. [french roque, roche]
Sur-2  prefix assim. Form of *sub- before r.
Burnt offering  n. Offering burnt on an altar as a sacrifice.
Fireman  n. 1 member of a fire brigade. 2 person who tends a steam engine or steamship furnace.

Foray  —n. Sudden attack; raid. —v. Make a foray. [french: related to *fodder]

Briny  —adj. (-ier, -iest) of brine or the sea; salty. —n. (prec. By the) slang the sea.
Hectare  n. Metric unit of square measure, 100 ares (2.471 acres or 10,000 square metres). [french: related to *hecto-, *are2]

Born  adj. 1 existing as a result of birth. 2 a of natural ability or quality (a born leader). B (usu. Foll. By to + infin.) Destined (born lucky; born to be king). 3 (in comb.) Of a certain status by birth (french-born; well-born). [past part. Of *bear1] 

Manipulative  adj. Tending to exploit a situation, person, etc., for one's own ends.  manipulatively adv.

Nephritis  n. Inflammation of the kidneys.

Digs  see *dig n. 5.
Ineluctable  adj. Inescapable, unavoidable. [latin luctor strive]

Outrage  —n. 1 extreme violation of others' rights, sentiments, etc. 2 gross offence or indignity. 3 fierce resentment. —v. (-ging) 1 subject to outrage. 2 commit an outrage against. 3 shock and anger. [french outrer exceed, from latin ultra beyond]


Sound3  v. 1  test the depth or quality of the bottom of (the sea or a river etc.). 2 (often foll. By out) inquire (esp. Discreetly) into the opinions or feelings of (a person). [french sonder from latin sub unda under the wave]


Lord chamberlain  n. Official in charge of the royal household.
Title-deed  n. Legal instrument as evidence of a right.


Relight  v. (past and past part. -lit) light (a fire etc.) Again.
Sisal  n. 1 fibre made from a mexican agave. 2 this plant. [sisal, the port of yucatan]

Augustan  adj. 1 of the reign of augustus, esp. As a flourishing literary period. 2 (of literature) refined and classical in style. [latin: see *august]
Invigilate  v. (-ting) supervise people taking an exam.  invigilation n. Invigilator n. [latin: related to *vigil]
Nightcap  n. 1 hist. Cap worn in bed. 2 hot or alcoholic drink taken at bedtime.
Forewoman  n. 1 female worker with supervisory responsibilities. 2 president and spokeswoman of a jury.
Twofold  adj. & adv. 1 twice as much or as many. 2 consisting of two parts.
Satisfactory  adj. Adequate; giving satisfaction.  satisfactorily adv.

Mil  n. One-thousandth of an inch, as a unit of measure for the diameter of wire etc. [latin mille thousand]








Catmint  n. Pungent plant attractive to cats.
Delta wing  n. Triangular swept-back wing of an aircraft.

Disorganize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 throw into confusion or disorder. 2 (as disorganized adj.) Badly organized; untidy.  disorganization n.

Retired  adj. 1 having retired from employment. 2 withdrawn from society or observation; secluded.
Bismuth  n. 1 reddish-white metallic element used in alloys etc. 2 compound of it used medicinally. [german]



Downstream  adv. & adj. In the direction in which a stream etc. Flows.



Medicine  n. 1 science or practice of the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, esp. As distinct from surgery. 2 drug etc. For the treatment or prevention of disease, esp. Taken by mouth.  take one's medicine submit to something disagreeable. [latin medicina]





Museum piece  n. 1 specimen of art etc. Fit for a museum. 2 derog. Old-fashioned or quaint person or object.


Intensive care  n. 1 constant monitoring etc. Of a seriously ill patient. 2 part of a hospital devoted to this.

Crosspatch  n. Colloq. Bad-tempered person.
Enlist  v. 1 enrol in the armed services. 2 secure as a means of help or support.  enlistment n.


Peon  n. Spanish american day-labourer. [portuguese and spanish: related to *pawn1]


Correspond  v. 1 a (usu. Foll. By to) be similar or equivalent. B (usu. Foll. By with, to) be in agreement, not contradict. 2 (usu. Foll. By with) exchange letters.  correspondingly adv. [french from medieval latin]
Buff  —adj. Of a yellowish beige colour (buff envelope). —n. 1 this colour. 2 (in comb.) Colloq. Enthusiast (railway buff). 3 velvety dull-yellow ox-leather. —v. 1 polish (metal etc.). 2 make (leather) velvety.  in the buff colloq. Naked. [originally = buffalo, from french buffle]




Research  —n. (often attrib.) Systematic investigation and study of materials, sources, etc., in order to establish facts and reach conclusions. —v. Do research into or for.  researcher n. [french: related to *search]




Subheading  n. Subordinate heading or title.
Breaking and entering  n. (formerly) the illegal entering of a building with intent to commit a felony.

Unknowable  —adj. That cannot be known. —n. 1 unknowable thing. 2 (the unknowable) the postulated absolute or ultimate reality.

Tap-dance  —n. Rhythmic dance performed with shoes with metal taps. —v. Perform a tap-dance.  tap-dancer n. Tap-dancing n.



Caddy2  var. Of *caddie.



Razor-bill  n. Auk with a sharp-edged bill.

Name-plate  n. Plate or panel bearing the name of an occupant of a room etc.
Kappa  n. Tenth letter of the greek alphabet (k, k). [greek]
Aesthetic  —adj. 1 of or sensitive to beauty. 2 artistic, tasteful. —n. (in pl.) Philosophy of beauty, esp. In art.  aesthetically adv. Aestheticism n.
Load line  n. = *plimsoll line.

Monotonous  adj. Lacking in variety; tedious through sameness.  monotonously adv. Monotony n.
Cheque card  n. Card issued by a bank to guarantee the honouring of cheques up to a stated amount.

Unsettle  v. (-ling) 1 disturb; discompose. 2 derange.

Filmsetting  n. Typesetting by projecting characters on to photographic film.  film-set v. Film-setter n.




Pow  int. Expressing the sound of a blow or explosion. [imitative]
Trade-in  n. Thing given in part exchange for another.


Terminal  —adj. 1 a (of a condition or disease) fatal. B (of a patient) dying. 2 of or forming a limit or terminus (terminal station). —n. 1 terminating thing; extremity. 2 terminus for trains or long-distance buses. 3 = *air terminal.
Cup  —n. 1 small bowl-shaped container for drinking from. 2 a its contents. B = *cupful. 3 cup-shaped thing. 4 flavoured wine, cider, etc., usu. Chilled. 5 cup-shaped trophy as a prize. 6 one's fate or fortune (a bitter cup). —v. (-pp-) 1 form (esp. The hands) into the shape of a cup. 2 take or hold as in a cup.  one's cup of tea colloq. What interests or suits one. [medieval latin cuppa]






Turning-point  n. Point at which a decisive change occurs.
Legislation  n. 1 law-making. 2 laws collectively. [latin lex legis law, latus past part. Of fero carry]
Missile  n. 1 object or weapon suitable for throwing at a target or for discharge from a machine. 2 weapon directed by remote control or automatically. [latin mitto miss- send]
Com-  prefix (also co-, col-, con-, cor-) with, together, jointly, altogether. [latin com-, cum with]
Salvo  n. (pl. -es or -s) 1 simultaneous discharge of guns etc. 2 round of applause. [italian salva]

Harpy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 mythological monster with a woman's head and body and a bird's wings and claws. 2 grasping unscrupulous person. [greek harpuiai snatchers]
Log2  n. Logarithm. [abbreviation]
Exorcize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 expel (a supposed evil spirit) by prayers etc. 2 (often foll. By of) free (a person or place) in this way.  exorcism n. Exorcist n. [greek horkos oath]

Limbo2  n. (pl. -s) w. Indian dance in which the dancer bends backwards to pass under a horizontal bar which is progressively lowered. [w. Indian word, perhaps = *limber1]
Involve  v. (-ving) 1 (often foll. By in) cause (a person or thing) to share the experience or effect (of a situation, activity, etc.). 2 imply, entail, make necessary. 3 (often foll. By in) implicate (a person) in a charge, crime, etc. 4 include or affect in its operations. 5 (as involved adj.) A (often foll. By in) concerned. B complicated in thought or form. C amorously associated.  involvement n. [latin volvo roll]

Trigonometry  n. Branch of mathematics dealing with the relations of the sides and angles of triangles and with the relevant functions of any angles.  trigonometric adj. Trigonometrical adj. [greek trigonon triangle]


Coot  n. 1 black aquatic bird with a white horny plate on its forehead. 2 colloq. Stupid person. [probably low german]
Zoroastrian  (also zarathustrian) —adj. Of zoroaster (or zarathustra) or the dualistic religious system taught by him. —n. Follower of zoroaster.  zoroastrianism n. [zoroaster, persian founder of the religion]

Push-button  n. 1 button to be pushed, esp. To operate an electrical device. 2 (attrib.) Operated thus.

Purpose-made  var. Of *purpose-built.
Foot  —n. (pl. Feet) 1 a part of the leg below the ankle. B part of a sock etc. Covering this. 2 a lowest part of a page, stairs, etc. B end of a bed where the feet rest. C part of a chair, appliance, etc. On which it rests. 3 step, pace, or tread (fleet of foot). 4 (pl. Feet or foot) linear measure of 12 inches (30.48 cm). 5 metrical unit of verse forming part of a line. 6 hist. Infantry. —v. 1 pay (a bill). 2 (usu. As foot it) go or traverse on foot.  feet of clay fundamental weakness in a respected person. Have one's (or both) feet on the ground be practical. Have one foot in the grave be near death or very old. My foot! Int. Expressing strong contradiction. On foot walking. Put one's feet up colloq. Take a rest. Put one's foot down colloq. 1 insist firmly. 2 accelerate a vehicle. Put one's foot in it colloq. Make a tactless blunder. Under one's feet in the way. Under foot on the ground.  footless adj. [old english]
Disunion  n. Lack of union; separation; dissension.
Con1  slang —n. Confidence trick. —v. (-nn-) swindle; deceive. [abbreviation]
Demotivate  v. (-ting) (also absol.) Cause to lose motivation or incentive.  demotivation n.
Tea  n. 1 a (in full tea plant) asian evergreen shrub or small tree. B its dried leaves. 2 drink made by infusing tea-leaves in boiling water. 3 infusion of other leaves etc. (camomile tea; beef tea). 4 a light afternoon meal of tea, bread, cakes, etc. B = *high tea. [probably dutch tee from chinese]


Convene  v. (-ning) 1 summon or arrange (a meeting etc.). 2 assemble. [latin venio vent- come]
Sceptical  adj. (us skeptical) inclined to doubt accepted opinions; critical; incredulous.  sceptically adv.




Enormity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 monstrous wickedness; monstrous crime. 2 serious error. 3 great size. [latin enormitas]



Afghan  —n. 1 a native or national of afghanistan. B person of afghan descent. 2 official language of afghanistan. —adj. Of afghanistan. [pashto]
Redial  v. (-ll-; us -l-) dial again.
Financier  n. Capitalist; entrepreneur. [french: related to *finance]
Encephalograph  n. = *electroencephalograph.



Skipjack  n. (in full skipjack tuna) (pl. Same or -s) small striped pacific tuna used as food. [from *skip1, *jack]




Twaddle  n. Silly writing or talk; nonsense. [earlier twattle, alteration of *tattle]
Unloving  adj. Not loving.

Egg-flip  n. (also egg-nog) drink of alcoholic spirit with beaten egg, milk, etc.
Boiler-room  n. Room with a boiler and other heating equipment, esp. In a basement.
Outgoing  —adj. 1 friendly. 2 retiring from office. 3 going out. —n. (in pl.) Expenditure.
Trap2  n. (in full trap-rock) dark-coloured igneous rock. [swedish]
Acrid  adj. (-er, -est) bitterly pungent.  acridity n. [latin acer keen, pungent]

Representative  —adj. 1 typical of a class. 2 containing typical specimens of all or many classes (representative sample). 3 a consisting of elected deputies etc. B based on representation by these (representative government). 4 (foll. By of) serving as a portrayal or symbol of. —n. 1 (foll. By of) sample, specimen, or typical embodiment of. 2 a agent of a person or society. B commercial traveller. 3 delegate; substitute. 4 deputy etc. In a representative assembly. [french or medieval latin: related to *represent1]
Reintroduce  v. (-cing) introduce again.  reintroduction n.
Doer  n. 1 person who does something. 2 person who acts rather than theorizing.


Impecunious  adj. Having little or no money.  impecuniosity n. Impecuniousness n. [related to *pecuniary]
Gathering  n. 1 assembly. 2 purulent swelling. 3 group of leaves taken together in bookbinding.
Metre2  n. (us meter) 1 a poetic rhythm, esp. As determined by the number and length of feet in a line. B metrical group or measure. 2 basic rhythm of music. [related to *metre1]
Pied-à-terre  n. (pl. Pieds-à-terre pronunc. Same) (usu. Small) flat, house, etc. Kept for occasional use. [french, literally ‘foot to earth’]





Until  prep. & conj. = *till1. [earlier untill: un from old norse und as far as]


Springer  n. Small spaniel of a breed used to spring game.
Pat2  —adj. 1 prepared or known thoroughly. 2 apposite or opportune, esp. Glibly so (a pat answer). —adv. 1 in a pat manner. 2 appositely.  have off pat know or have memorized perfectly. [related to *pat1]
Divination  n. Supposed supernatural insight into the future etc. [latin: related to *divine]


Hernia  n. Protrusion of part of an organ through the wall of the body cavity containing it. [latin]

Holly  n. (pl. -ies) evergreen shrub with prickly leaves and red berries. [old english]
Squire  —n. 1 country gentleman, esp. The chief landowner of a district. 2 hist. Knight's attendant. —v. (-ring) (of a man) attend or escort (a woman). [related to *esquire]
Flat-fish  n. Sole, plaice, etc. With both eyes on one side of a flattened body.


Coalman  n. Man who carries or delivers coal.
Clout  —n. 1 heavy blow. 2 colloq. Influence, power of effective action. 3 dial. Piece of cloth or clothing. —v. Hit hard. [old english]





Hereof  adv. Formal of this.
Mailing list  n. List of people to whom advertising matter etc. Is posted.
Reeve1  n. Hist. 1 chief magistrate of a town or district. 2 official supervising a landowner's estate. [old english]
Hell's angel  n. Member of a gang of male motor-cycle enthusiasts notorious for outrageous and violent behaviour.
Spacesuit  n. Sealed pressurized suit for an astronaut in outer space.
Pitcher2  n. Player who delivers the ball in baseball.
Racehorse  n. Horse bred or kept for racing.
Blood count  n. Number of corpuscles in a specific amount of blood.






Damsel  n. Archaic or literary young unmarried woman. [french diminutive: related to *dame]

B 


Unworthy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 (often foll. By of) not worthy of or befitting a person etc. 2 discreditable, unseemly.  unworthily adv. Unworthiness n.





Preterit  (brit. Preterite) gram. —adj. Expressing a past action or state. —n. Preterite tense or form. [latin praeteritum past]
Urn  n. 1 vase with a foot and usu. A rounded body, used esp. For the ashes of the dead. 2 large vessel with a tap, in which tea or coffee etc. Is made or kept hot. [latin urna]
Chow  n. 1 slang food. 2 dog of a chinese breed with long woolly hair. [chinese chow-chow]
Windy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 stormy with or exposed to wind. 2 generating or characterized by flatulence. 3 colloq. Wordy. 4 colloq. Nervous, frightened.   windiness n. [old english: related to *wind1]

Unmistakable  adj. Clear, obvious, plain.  unmistakably adv.

Swell  —v. (past part. Swollen or swelled) 1 (cause to) grow bigger, louder, or more intense. 2 (often foll. By up) rise or raise up from the surrounding surface. 3 (foll. By out) bulge. 4 (of the heart etc.) Feel full of joy, pride, relief, etc. 5 (foll. By with) be hardly able to restrain (pride etc.). —n. 1 act or state of swelling. 2 heaving of the sea with unbreaking waves. 3 a crescendo. B mechanism in an organ etc. For producing a crescendo or diminuendo. 4 colloq. Dandy. 5 protuberance. —adj. Colloq. 1 esp. Us fine, excellent. 2 smart, fashionable.  have (or get) a swelled (or swollen) head be (or become) conceited. [old english]
Apr.  Abbr. April.




Galley-slave  n. Drudge.
Dye  —n. 1 substance used to change the colour of hair, fabric, etc. 2 colour so produced. —v. (dyeing, dyed) 1 colour with dye. 2 dye a specified colour (dyed it yellow).  dyer n. [old english]

Squalid  adj. 1 filthy, dirty. 2 mean or poor in appearance. [latin]
Zoological  adj. Of zoology.


Nuncio  n. (pl. -s) papal ambassador. [latin nuntius messenger]
Description  n. 1 a describing or being described. B representation, esp. In words. 2 sort, kind (no food of any description). [latin: related to *describe]
Unreal  adj. 1 not real. 2 imaginary. 3 slang incredible.  unreality n.
Compulsory purchase  n. Enforced sale of land or property to a local authority etc.
Sandstone  n. Sedimentary rock of compressed sand.




Gilt1  —adj. 1 thinly covered with gold. 2 gold-coloured. —n. 1 gilding. 2 gilt-edged security. [from *gild1]
Centre forward  n. Sport middle player or position in a forward line.
Real life  n. 1 life lived by actual people. 2 (attrib.) (real-life) actual, not fictional (her real-life husband).

Coeval  formal —adj. Of the same age; existing at the same time; contemporary. —n. Coeval person or thing.  coevally adv. [latin aevum age]

Fury  n. (pl. -ies) 1 a wild and passionate anger. B fit of rage. 2 violence of a storm, disease, etc. 3 (fury) (usu. In pl.) (in greek mythology) avenging goddess. 4 avenging spirit. 5 angry or malignant woman.  like fury colloq. With great force or effort. [latin furia]




Sassafras  n. 1 small n. American tree. 2 medicinal preparation from its leaves or bark. [spanish or portuguese]
Heuristic  adj. 1 allowing or assisting to discover. 2 proceeding to a solution by trial and error. [greek heurisko find]



Mean1  v. (past and past part. Meant) 1 have as one's purpose or intention (meant no harm by it; i didn't mean to break it). 2 design or destine for a purpose (meant to be used). 3 intend to convey or refer to (i mean richmond in surrey). 4 (often foll. By that) entail, involve, portend, signify (this means war; means that he is dead). 5 (of a word) have as its equivalent in the same or another language. 6 (foll. By to) be of specified importance to (that means a lot to me).  mean business colloq. Be in earnest. Mean it not be joking or exaggerating. Mean well have good intentions. [old english]
Unesco  abbr. (also unesco) united nations educational, scientific, and cultural organization.
Eyesore  n. Ugly thing.

Disputatious  adj. Argumentative.
Oval  —adj. 1 egg-shaped, ellipsoidal. 2 having the outline of an egg, elliptical. —n. 1 egg-shaped or elliptical closed curve. 2 thing with an oval outline. [latin: related to *ovum]
Usage  the second pronunciation given, with the stress on the first syllable, is considered incorrect by some people.

Deliberate  —adj. 1 a intentional. B considered; careful. 2 (of movement, thought, etc.) Unhurried; cautious. —v. (-ting) 1 think carefully; consider. 2 discuss (jury deliberated).  deliberately adv. [latin libra balance]

Rate2  v. (-ting) scold angrily. [origin unknown]
Quill  n. 1 (in full quill-feather) large feather in a wing or tail. 2 hollow stem of this. 3 (in full quill pen) pen made of a quill. 4 (usu. In pl.) Porcupine's spine. [probably low german quiele]
Bodyguard  n. Person or group escorting and protecting another.


Comminuted fracture  n. Fracture producing multiple bone splinters.

Incubator  n. Apparatus providing artificial warmth for hatching eggs, rearing premature babies, or developing micro-organisms.
Unwavering  adj. Not wavering.  unwaveringly adv.
Self-consistent  adj. (of parts of the same whole etc.) Consistent; not conflicting.  self-consistency n.


Hemorrhoids  n.pl. (brit. Haem-) swollen veins in the wall of the anus; piles. [greek haima blood, -rhoos -flowing]


Splodge  colloq. —n. Daub, blot, or smear. —v. (-ging) make a splodge on.  splodgy adj. [alteration of *splotch]
Header  n. 1 football shot or pass made with the head. 2 colloq. Headlong fall or dive. 3 brick etc. Laid at right angles to the face of a wall. 4 (in full header-tank) tank of water etc. Maintaining pressure in a plumbing system.

Rite  n. 1 religious or solemn observance, act, or procedure (burial rites). 2 body of customary observances characteristic of a church etc. (latin rite). [latin ritus]

Wind-jammer  n. Merchant sailing-ship.
Gobble2  v. (-ling) 1 (of a turkeycock) make a characteristic guttural sound. 2 make such a sound when speaking. [imitative]


Rupee  n. Chief monetary unit of india, pakistan, etc. [hindustani]

Ribbon development  n. Building of houses one house deep along a road leading out of a town or village.
Disjunction  n. Separation.
Untouched  adj. 1 not touched. 2 not affected physically, emotionally, etc. 3 not discussed.
Moonscape  n. 1 surface or landscape of the moon. 2 area resembling this; wasteland.

Satrap  n. 1 provincial governor in the ancient persian empire. 2 subordinate ruler. [persian, = protector of the land]
Paraphernalia  n.pl. (also treated as sing.) Miscellaneous belongings, equipment, accessories, etc. [greek: related to *para-1, pherne dower]
Optimize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) make the best or most effective use of.  optimization n.
Furrow  —n. 1 narrow trench made by a plough. 2 rut, groove, wrinkle. 3 ship's track. —v. 1 plough. 2 make furrows in. [old english]
Dressing-table  n. Table with a flat top, mirror, and drawers, used while applying make-up etc.

Heart failure  n. Failure of the heart to function properly, esp. As a cause of death.

Dartboard  n. Circular target in darts.

Thicken  v. 1 make or become thick or thicker. 2 become more complicated (plot thickens).  thickener n.

Blind spot  n. 1 point on the retina insensitive to light. 2 area where vision or understanding is lacking.



Everyone  pron. Everybody.

Lav  n. Colloq. Lavatory. [abbreviation]
Nymph  n. 1 mythological semi-divine spirit regarded as a maiden and associated with an aspect of nature, esp. Rivers and woods. 2 poet. Beautiful young woman. 3 immature form of some insects. [greek numphe nymph, bride]


Micro-organism  n. Microscopic organism, e.g. Bacteria, protozoa, and viruses.


Poker1  n. Metal rod for stirring a fire.





Sc  symb. Scandium.
Romp  —v. 1 play roughly and energetically. 2 (foll. By along, past, etc.) Colloq. Proceed without effort. —n. Spell of romping.  romp in (or home) colloq. Win easily. [perhaps from *ramp]

Hinder2  adj. Rear, hind (the hinder part). [old english]


Atrocious  adj. 1 very bad or unpleasant (atrocious manners). 2 wicked (atrocious cruelty).  atrociously adv. [latin atrox cruel]
Serial  —n. (also attrib.) Story etc. Published, broadcast, or shown in instalments. —adj. 1 of, in, or forming a series. 2 mus. Using transformations of a fixed series of notes (see *series 4).  serially adv. [from *series]



Creep  —v. (past and past part. Crept) 1 move with the body prone and close to the ground. 2 move stealthily or timidly. 3 advance very gradually (a feeling crept over her). 4 colloq. Act obsequiously in the hope of advancement. 5 (of a plant) grow along the ground or up a wall etc. 6 (as creeping adj.) Developing slowly and steadily. 7 (of flesh) shiver or shudder from fear, horror, etc. —n. 1 act or spell of creeping. 2 (in pl.; prec. By the) colloq. Feeling of revulsion or fear. 3 slang unpleasant person. 4 (of metals etc.) Gradual change of shape under stress. [old english]

Water-line  n. Line along which the surface of water touches a ship's side.
Hematology  n. (brit. Haem-) the study of the blood.  haematologist n.
Hammer-toe  n. Toe bent permanently downwards.
Sacristy  n. (pl. -ies) room in a church where vestments, sacred vessels, etc., are kept. [medieval latin: related to *sacred]
Equal  —adj. 1 (often foll. By to, with) the same in quantity, quality, size, degree, level, etc. 2 evenly balanced (an equal contest). 3 having the same rights or status (human beings are essentially equal). 4 uniform in application or effect. —n. Person or thing equal to another, esp. In rank or quality. —v. (-ll-; us -l-) 1 be equal to. 2 achieve something that is equal to.  be equal to have the ability or resources for. [latin aequalis]


Déshabillé  n. (also déshabille, dishabille) state of partial undress. [french, = undressed]
Titled  adj. Having a title of nobility or rank.



Overspend  v. (past and past part. -spent) spend too much or beyond one's means.
Crown court  n. Court of criminal jurisdiction in england and wales.


Puerperal  adj. Of or caused by childbirth. [latin puer boy, pario bear]

Peal  —n. 1 a loud ringing of a bell or bells, esp. A series of changes. B set of bells. 2 loud repeated sound, esp. Of thunder, laughter, etc. —v. 1 (cause to) sound in a peal. 2 utter sonorously. [from *appeal]


Pedicure  n. 1 care or treatment of the feet, esp. The toenails. 2 person practising this for a living. [latin pes ped- foot, cura care]

Sedation  n. Act of calming, esp. By sedatives. [latin: related to *sedate]




Stucco  —n. (pl. -es) plaster or cement for coating walls or moulding into decorations. —v. (-es, -ed) coat with stucco. [italian]





Lancet arch  n. (also lancet light or window) narrow arch or window with a pointed head.
Living-room  n. Room for general day use.





Middle-of-the-road  adj. 1 moderate; avoiding extremes. 2 of general appeal.

Hydrography  n. Science of surveying and charting seas, lakes, rivers, etc.  hydrographer n. Hydrographic adj.

Extemporize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) improvise.  extemporization n.



Decanter  n. Stoppered glass container for decanted wine or spirit.


Lloyd's list  n. Daily publication devoted to shipping news.
Emplacement  n. 1 putting in position. 2 platform for guns. [french: related to *place]
Funereal  adj. 1 of or appropriate to a funeral. 2 dismal, dark.  funereally adv.
Sephardi  n. (pl. Sephardim) jew of spanish or portuguese descent.  sephardic adj. [hebrew, = spaniard]


Pitched roof  n. Sloping roof.
Corrective  —adj. Serving to correct or counteract something harmful. —n. Corrective measure or thing. [latin: related to *correct]

Outsize  adj. Unusually large.
Harmonium  n. Keyboard instrument in which the notes are produced by air driven through metal reeds by foot-operated bellows. [latin: related to *harmony]
Banner headline  n. Large, esp. Front-page, newspaper headline.


Surname  n. Family name, usu. Inherited or acquired by marriage. [obsolete surnoun from anglo-french: related to *sur-1]


Aforethought  adj. Premeditated (following a noun: malice aforethought).
Rag-and-bone man  n. Itinerant dealer in old clothes, furniture, etc.
Gladsome  adj. Poet. Cheerful, joyous.
Vulgarize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 make vulgar. 2 spoil by popularizing.  vulgarization n.


Parallelepiped  n. Solid body of which each face is a parallelogram. [greek: related to *parallel, epipedon plane surface]
Re-enter  v. Enter again; go back in.
Twelfth  adj. & n. 1 next after eleventh. 2 each of twelve equal parts of a thing. [old english: related to *twelve]
Rush hour  n. (often hyphenated when attrib.) Time(s) each day when traffic is heaviest.
Compulsion  n. 1 compelling or being compelled; obligation. 2 irresistible urge. [latin: related to *compel]

Sculler  n. 1 user of sculls. 2 boat for sculling.




Loam  n. Rich soil of clay, sand, and humus.  loamy adj. [old english]

Jailbird  n. (also gaolbird) prisoner or habitual criminal.
High-tech  adj. 1 employing, requiring, or involved in high technology. 2 imitating styles more usual in industry etc.


Relapse  —v. (-sing) (usu. Foll. By into) fall back or sink again (into a worse state after improvement). —n. Relapsing, esp. A deterioration in a patient's condition after partial recovery. [latin labor laps- slip]

Jet engine  n. Engine using jet propulsion, esp. Of an aircraft.

Tax avoidance  n. Minimizing payment of tax by financial manoeuvring.
Sum  —n. 1 total resulting from addition. 2 amount of money (a large sum). 3 a arithmetical problem. B (esp. Pl.) Colloq. Arithmetic work, esp. Elementary. —v. (-mm-) find the sum of.  in sum in brief. Sum up 1 (esp. Of a judge) give a summing-up. 2 form or express an opinion of (a person, situation, etc.). 3 summarize. [latin summa]



Rm  abbr. Royal marines.
Mimetic  adj. Of or practising imitation or mimicry. [greek mimetikos: see *mimeograph]
Unhindered  adj. Not hindered.
Humidify  v. (-ies, -ied) make (air etc.) Humid.

Civil marriage  n. One solemnized without religious ceremony.

Saddlery  n. (pl. -ies) saddler's goods, trade, or premises.
Pork pie  n. Pie of minced pork etc. Eaten cold.
One-horse race  n. Contest in which one competitor is far superior to all the others.
Prop3  n. Colloq. Propeller. [abbreviation]
Inscription  n. 1 words inscribed. 2 inscribing.  inscriptional adj. [latin: related to *inscribe]



Low season  n. Period of fewest visitors at a resort etc.

Amino acid  n. Biochem. Any of a group of nitrogenous organic acids occurring naturally in plant and animal tissues and forming the basic constituents of proteins. [from *amine, *acid]



Overhead projector  n. Projector for producing an enlarged image of a transparency.

Chromosome  n. Threadlike structure, usu. Found in the cell nucleus of animals and plants, carrying genes. [greek: related to *chrome, soma body]


Constructive  adj. 1 a tending to form a basis for ideas. B helpful, positive. 2 derived by inference.  constructively adv.
Hagiography  n. Writing about saints' lives.  hagiographer n.
Westerner  n. Native or inhabitant of the west.

Vend  v. Offer (small wares) for sale.  vendible adj. [latin vendo sell]
Timbre  n. Distinctive character of a musical sound or voice apart from its pitch and volume. [greek: related to *tympanum]

Nimbus  n. (pl. Nimbi or nimbuses) 1 halo. 2 rain-cloud. [latin, = cloud]
Electrician  n. Person who installs or maintains electrical equipment for a living.

Soli  pl. Of *solo.
Diverse  adj. Varied. [latin: related to *di-2, verto vers- turn]
Scowl  —n. Severe frowning or sullen expression. —v. Make a scowl. [scandinavian]
Task force  n. (also task group) armed force or other group organized for a specific operation or task.
Publicize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) advertise; make publicly known.
Get-up  n. Colloq. Style or arrangement of dress etc.
Mercury  n. 1 silvery heavy liquid metallic element used in barometers, thermometers, etc. 2 (mercury) planet nearest to the sun.  mercuric adj. Mercurous adj. [latin mercurius, roman messenger-god]





Olivine  n. Mineral (usu. Olive-green) composed of magnesium-iron silicate.
Action replay  n. Playback of part of a television broadcast, esp. A sporting event, often in slow motion.

Oddity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 strange person, thing, or occurrence. 2 peculiar trait. 3 strangeness.
Haywire  adj. Colloq. Badly disorganized, out of control.
Turps  n. Colloq. Oil of turpentine. [abbreviation]

Incessant  adj. Unceasing, continual, repeated.  incessantly adv. [latin cesso cease]


Prima donna  n. (pl. Prima donnas) 1 chief female singer in an opera. 2 temperamentally self-important person.  prima donna-ish adj. [italian]
Reflexion  var. Of *reflection.




Copula  n. (pl. -s) connecting word, esp. Part of the verb be connecting subject and predicate. [latin]
Barring  prep. Except, not including.


Heathen  —n. 1 person not belonging to a predominant religion, esp. Not a christian, jew, or muslim. 2 person regarded as lacking culture or moral principles. —adj. 1 of heathens. 2 having no religion. [old english]
Torch song  n. Popular song of unrequited love.
Fretwork  n. Ornamental work in wood done with a fretsaw.

Tactile  adj. 1 of the sense of touch. 2 perceived by touch; tangible.  tactility n. [latin: related to *tact]
Lower house  n. Larger and usu. Elected body in a legislature, esp. The house of commons.
Aimless  adj. Without aim or purpose.  aimlessly adv.
Worm-hole  n. Hole left by the passage of a worm.
Hunchback  n. = *humpback 1.  hunchbacked adj.
Taut  adj. 1 (of a rope etc.) Tight; not slack. 2 (of nerves etc.) Tense. 3 (of a ship etc.) In good condition.  tauten v. Tautly adv. Tautness n. [perhaps = *tough]


Pianola  n. Propr. A kind of automatic piano. [diminutive]
Theme  n. 1 subject or topic of a talk, book, etc. 2 mus. Prominent melody in a composition. 3 us school exercise on a given subject.  thematic adj. Thematically adv. [greek thema -mat-]
Acetone  n. Colourless volatile liquid that dissolves organic compounds, esp. Paints, varnishes, etc.


Apart  adv. 1 separately, not together (keep your feet apart). 2 into pieces (came apart). 3 to or on one side. 4 to or at a distance.  apart from 1 excepting, not considering. 2 in addition to (apart from roses we grow irises). [french à part to one side]
Eccles cake  n. Round cake of pastry filled with currants etc. [eccles in n. England]
Wisteria  n. (also wistaria) climbing plant with blue, purple, or white hanging flowers. [wistar, name of an anatomist]


Wiry  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 sinewy, untiring. 2 like wire; tough, coarse.  wiriness n.

Degrees of comparison  see *comparison 4.
Rib-tickler  n. Something amusing, joke.
Clamber  —v. Climb laboriously using hands and feet. —n. Difficult climb. [from *climb]
Crooked  adj. (-er, -est) 1 not straight or level; bent. 2 colloq. Not straightforward; dishonest, criminal.  crookedly adv. Crookedness n.

Oestrus  n. (also oestrum, us estrus) recurring period of sexual receptivity in many female mammals.  oestrous adj. [greek oistros frenzy]

Bony  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 thin with prominent bones. 2 having many bones. 3 of or like bone.  boniness n.
Sick-pay  n. Pay given during sick-leave.

Tooth-comb  n. = *fine-tooth comb.


Forerunner  n. 1 predecessor. 2 herald.

White sugar  n. Purified sugar.
Wrac  abbr. Women's royal army corps.
Legal tender  n. Currency that cannot legally be refused in payment of a debt.

F1  n. (also f) (pl. Fs or f's) 1 sixth letter of the alphabet. 2 mus. Fourth note of the diatonic scale of c major.
Amanuensis  n. (pl. -enses) literary assistant, esp. Writing from dictation. [latin a manu ‘at hand’]
Habituate  v. (-ting) (often foll. By to) accustom.  habituation n. [latin: related to *habit]
Pease-pudding  n. Boiled split peas (served esp. With boiled beef or ham).



Short-range  adj. 1 having a short range. 2 relating to the immediate future.
Prop1  —n. 1 rigid, esp. Separate, support. 2 person or thing that supports, comforts, etc. —v. (-pp-) (often foll. By against, up, etc.) Support with or as if with a prop. [low german or dutch]
Scourge  —n. 1 person or thing seen as causing suffering. 2 whip. —v. (-ging) 1 whip. 2 punish, oppress. [latin corrigia whip]
Divvy  colloq. —n. (pl. -ies) dividend. —v. (-ies, -ied) (often foll. By up) share out. [abbreviation]
Marginal cost  n. Cost added by making one extra copy etc.


Abandon  —v. 1 give up. 2 forsake, desert. 3 (often foll. By to; often refl.) Yield to a passion, another's control, etc. —n. Freedom from inhibitions.  abandonment n. [french: related to *ad-, *ban]

Whacking  colloq. —adj. Very large. —adv. Very.
Ribonucleic acid  n. Nucleic acid in living cells, involved in protein synthesis. [ribose sugar]

Ringworm  n. Fungal skin infection causing circular inflamed patches, esp. On the scalp.
Wrack  n. 1 seaweed cast up or growing on the shore. 2 destruction. [low german or dutch wrak: cf. *wreck]

Green paper  n. Preliminary report of government proposals, for discussion.


Pantheon  n. 1 building in which illustrious dead are buried or have memorials. 2 the deities of a people collectively. 3 temple dedicated to all the gods. [greek theion divine]
Keypad  n. Miniature keyboard etc. For a portable electronic device, telephone, etc.
Abolition  n. Abolishing or being abolished.  abolitionist n.
Soft fruit  n. Small stoneless fruit (a strawberry or currant).

Allowance  n. 1 amount or sum allowed, esp. Regularly for a stated purpose. 2 amount allowed in reckoning. 3 deduction or discount.  make allowances (often foll. By for) 1 consider (mitigating circumstances). 2 make excuses for (a person, bad behaviour, etc.).

Geyser  n. 1 intermittent hot spring. 2 apparatus for heating water. [icelandic geysir from geysa to gush]





-cide  suffix 1 person or substance that kills (regicide; insecticide). 2 killing of (infanticide). [latin caedo kill]


Nux vomica  n. 1 e. Indian tree. 2 seeds of this tree, containing strychnine. [latin, = abscess nut]
Hot air  n. Slang empty or boastful talk.
Incommensurable  adj. (often foll. By with) 1 not commensurable. 2 having no common factor, integral or fractional.  incommensurability n.
Isomorphic  adj. (also isomorphous) exactly corresponding in form and relations. [from *iso-, greek morphe form]

Haircloth  n. Stiff cloth woven from hair.


Pied  adj. Particoloured. [from *pie2]
Northern lights  n.pl. Aurora borealis.


Ashy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 = *ashen. 2 covered with ashes.
Pickaxe  n. (us pickax) = *pick2 1. [french: related to *pike]

Virtual reality  n. Simulation of the real world by a computer.





Outlay  n. Expenditure.

Polio  n. = *poliomyelitis. [abbreviation]








Multiracial  adj. Of several races.


Bruit  v. (often foll. By abroad, about) spread (a report or rumour). [french, = noise]

Pipedream  n. Unattainable or fanciful hope or scheme. [originally as experienced when smoking an opium pipe]

Linnaean  adj. Of linnaeus or his system of classifying plants and animals.

Tow-headed  adj. Having very light or unkempt hair.
Youthful  adj. Young or still having the characteristics of youth.  youthfully adv. Youthfulness n.
Paintwork  n. Painted, esp. Wooden, surface or area in a building etc.
Sew  v. (past part. Sewn or sewed) fasten, join, etc., with a needle and thread or a sewing-machine.  sew up 1 join or enclose by sewing. 2 (esp. In passive) colloq. Satisfactorily arrange or finish; gain control of. [old english]

Vade-mecum  n. Handbook etc. Used constantly. [latin, = go with me]
Cs  symb. Caesium.
Absolute  —adj. 1 complete, utter (absolute bliss). 2 unconditional (absolute authority). 3 despotic (absolute monarch). 4 not relative or comparative (absolute standard). 5 gram. A (of a construction) syntactically independent of the rest of the sentence, as in dinner being over, we left the table. B (of an adjective or transitive verb) without an expressed noun or object (e.g. The deaf, guns kill). 6 (of a legal decree etc.) Final. —n. Philos. (prec. By the) that which can exist independently of anything else. [latin: related to *absolve]



Half-life  n. Time taken for radioactivity etc. To fall to half its original value.



Swollen  past part. Of *swell.


Keep  —v. (past and past part. Kept) 1 have continuous charge of; retain possession of. 2 (foll. By for) retain or reserve for (a future time) (kept it for later). 3 retain or remain in a specified condition, position, place, etc. (keep cool; keep out; keep them happy; knives are kept here). 4 (foll. By from) restrain, hold back. 5 detain (what kept you?). 6 observe, honour, or respect (a law, custom, commitment, secret, etc.) (keep one's word; keep the sabbath). 7 own and look after (animals). 8 a clothe, feed, maintain, etc. (a person, oneself, etc.). B (foll. By in) maintain (a person) with a supply of. 9 carry on; manage (a business etc.). 10 maintain (a diary, house, accounts, etc.) Regularly and in proper order. 11 normally have on sale (do you keep buttons?). 12 guard or protect (a person or place). 13 preserve (keep order). 14 (foll. By verbal noun) continue; repeat habitually (keeps telling me). 15 continue to follow (a way or course). 16 a (esp. Of food) remain in good condition. B (of news etc.) Not suffer from delay in telling. 17 (often foll. By to) remain in (one's bed, room, etc.). 18 maintain (a person) as one's mistress etc. (kept woman). —n. 1 maintenance, food, etc. (hardly earn your keep). 2 hist. Tower, esp. The central stronghold of a castle.  for keeps colloq. Permanently, indefinitely. How are you keeping? How are you? Keep at (cause to) persist with. Keep away (often foll. By from) avoid, prevent from being near. Keep back 1 remain or keep at a distance. 2 retard the progress of. 3 conceal. 4 withhold (kept back £50). Keep down 1 hold in subjection. 2 keep low in amount. 3 stay hidden. 4 not vomit (food eaten). Keep one's hair on see *hair. Keep one's hand in see *hand. Keep in with remain on good terms with. Keep off 1 (cause to) stay away from. 2 ward off. 3 abstain from. 4 avoid (a subject) (let's keep off religion). Keep on 1 continue; do continually (kept on laughing). 2 continue to employ. 3 (foll. By at) nag. Keep out 1 keep or remain outside. 2 exclude. Keep to 1 adhere to (a course, promise, etc.). 2 confine oneself to. Keep to oneself 1 avoid contact with others. 2 keep secret. Keep track of see *track. Keep under repress. Keep up 1 maintain (progress, morale, etc.). 2 keep in repair etc. 3 carry on (a correspondence etc.). 4 prevent from going to bed. 5 (often foll. By with) not fall behind.

Osteo-  comb. Form bone. [greek osteon]

Relentless  adj. Unrelenting, oppressively constant.  relentlessly adv.

Cried  past and past part. Of *cry.


Undersold  past and past part. Of *undersell.
Unpunctual  adj. Not punctual.
Repaint  —v. 1 paint again or differently. 2 restore the paint or colouring of. —n. Act of repainting.

Nutmeg  n. 1 hard aromatic seed used as a spice and in medicine. 2 e. Indian tree bearing this. [french nois nut, mugue *musk]
Cause célèbre  n. (pl. Causes célèbres pronunc. Same) lawsuit that attracts much interest. [french]
Virtual  adj. Being so in practice though not strictly or in name (the virtual manager; a virtual promise). [medieval latin: related to *virtue]
Port4  n. 1 opening in the side of a ship for entrance, loading, etc. 2 porthole. [latin porta gate]
Ganger  n. Foreman of a gang of workers.
Ambulatory  —adj. 1 of or for walking. 2 movable. —n. (pl. -ies) arcade or cloister. [latin: related to *amble]
Backache  n. Ache in the back.
Finger-stall  n. Protective cover for an injured finger.

Finger  —n. 1 any of the terminal projections of the hand (usu. Excluding the thumb). 2 part of a glove etc. For a finger. 3 finger-like object or structure (fish finger). 4 colloq. Small measure of liquor. —v. Touch, feel, or turn about with the fingers.  get (or pull) one's finger out slang start to act. Lay a finger on touch, however slightly. Put one's finger on locate or identify exactly.  fingerless adj. [old english]
Nz  abbr. New zealand.
He  symb. Helium.


Unstained  adj. Not stained.











Smokeless  adj. Producing little or no smoke; free from smoke.



Rough-rider  n. Person who breaks in or rides unbroken horses.
Turn-off  n. 1 turning off a main road. 2 colloq. Something that repels or causes a loss of interest.



Perceive  v. (-ving) 1 apprehend, esp. Through the sight; observe. 2 (usu. Foll. By that, how, etc.) Apprehend with the mind; understand; see or regard.  perceivable adj.  [latin percipio -cept- seize, understand]

She'd  contr. 1 she had. 2 she would.
Suckle  v. (-ling) 1 feed (young) from the breast or udder. 2 feed by sucking the breast etc.
Unblushing  adj. 1 shameless. 2 frank.
Ammeter  n. Instrument for measuring electric current in amperes. [from *ampere, *-meter]
Deserve  v. (-ving) (often foll. By to + infin.) Be worthy of (a reward, punishment, etc.) (deserves a prize).  deservedly adv. [latin servio serve]
Dutiable  adj. Requiring the payment of duty.
Roman empire  n. Hist. That established by augustus in 27 bc and divided by theodosius in ad 395.
Wax1  —n. 1 sticky plastic yellowish substance secreted by bees as the material of honeycomb. 2 this bleached and purified, used for candles, modelling, etc. 3 any similar substance, e.g. The yellow substance secreted by the ear. —v. 1 cover or treat with wax. 2 remove unwanted hair from (legs etc.) Using wax.  waxy adj. (-ier, -iest). [old english]

Sodomite  n. Person who practises sodomy. [greek: related to *sodomy]
Lunch  —n. Midday meal. —v. 1 take lunch. 2 entertain to lunch. [shortening of *luncheon]






Nor'  n., adj., & adv. (esp. In compounds) = *north (nor'wester). [abbreviation]
Twee  adj. (tweer; tweest) derog. Affectedly dainty or quaint. [a childish pronunciation of *sweet]
Demagog  n. (brit. -gogue) political agitator appealing to mob instincts.  demagogic adj. Demagogy n. [greek, = leader of the people]



Erratum  n. (pl. Errata) error in printing or writing. [latin: related to *err]
Knot1  —n. 1 a intertwining of rope, string, hair, etc., so as to fasten. B set method of this (reef knot). C knotted ribbon etc. As an ornament. D tangle in hair, knitting, etc. 2 unit of a ship's or aircraft's speed, equivalent to one nautical mile per hour. 3 (usu. Foll. By of) cluster (knot of journalists). 4 bond, esp. Of marriage. 5 hard lump of organic tissue. 6 a hard mass in a tree-trunk where a branch grows out. B round cross-grained piece in timber marking this. 7 central point in a problem etc. —v. (-tt-) 1 tie in a knot. 2 entangle. 3 unite closely.  at a rate of knots colloq. Very fast. Tie in knots colloq. Baffle or confuse completely. [old english]






Blood sugar  n. Amount of glucose in the blood.
Floodgate  n. 1 gate for admitting or excluding water, esp. In a lock. 2 (usu. In pl.) Last restraint against tears, rain, anger, etc.

Colloid  n. 1 substance consisting of ultramicroscopic particles. 2 mixture of such particles dispersed in another substance.  colloidal adj. [greek kolla glue]


Unanswerable  adj. 1 irrefutable (unanswerable case). 2 unable to be answered (unanswerable question).

Women's libber  n. Colloq. Supporter of women's liberation.

Sodden  adj. 1 saturated; soaked through. 2 stupid or dull etc. With drunkenness. [archaic past part. Of *seethe]


Hinduism  n. Main religious and social system of india, including the belief in reincarnation, several gods, and a caste system.
Biogenesis  n. 1 hypothesis that a living organism arises only from a similar living organism. 2 synthesis of substances by living organisms.


Uncle sam  n. Colloq. Us government.


Rheumatoid arthritis  n. Chronic progressive disease causing inflammation and stiffening of the joints.

Stillbirth  n. Birth of a dead child.
Unsymmetrical  adj. Not symmetrical.
Intelligentsia  n. Class of intellectuals regarded as possessing culture and political initiative. [russian intelligentsiya]

Traverse  —v. (-sing) 1 travel or lie across (traversed the country; pit traversed by a beam). 2 consider or discuss the whole extent of (a subject). —n. 1 sideways movement. 2 traversing. 3 thing that crosses another.  traversal n. [french: related to *transverse]

Conductor  n. 1 person who directs an orchestra etc. 2 (fem. Conductress) person who collects fares in a bus etc. 3 thing that conducts heat or electricity. [latin: related to *conduct]
Extracurricular  adj. Not part of the normal curriculum.



Melody  n. (pl. -ies) 1 single notes arranged to make a distinctive recognizable pattern; tune. 2 principal part in harmonized music. 3 musical arrangement of words. 4 sweet music, tunefulness. [greek melos song: related to *ode]
Spit2  —n. 1 rod for skewering meat for roasting on a fire etc. 2 point of land projecting into the sea. —v. (-tt-) pierce (as) with a spit. [old english]

Pother  n. Literary noise, commotion, fuss. [origin unknown]

Thenceforth  adv. (also thenceforward) archaic or literary from that time onward.
Economical  adj. Sparing; avoiding waste.  economically adv.
Common sense  n. Sound practical sense.

Repatriate   —v. (-ting) return (a person) to his or her native land. —n. Repatriated person.  repatriation n. [latin repatrio go back home, from patria native land]
Defraud  v. (often foll. By of) cheat by fraud. [latin: related to *fraud]



Bowerbird  n. Australasian bird, the male of which constructs elaborate runs.
Coachman  n. Driver of a horse-drawn carriage.
Swarthy  adj. (-ier, -iest) dark, dark-complexioned. [obsolete swarty from swart black, from old english]
Rhombus  n. (pl. -buses or -bi) geom. Parallelogram with oblique angles and equal sides. [greek rhombos]

Absence  n. 1 being away. 2 time of this. 3 (foll. By of) lack of.  absence of mind inattentiveness. [latin absentia]


Tessera  n. (pl. Tesserae) small square block used in mosaic. [latin from greek]


Disingenuous  adj. Insincere, not candid.  disingenuously adv.




Solemnity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 being solemn. 2 rite, ceremony.
Outlook  n. 1 prospect, view. 2 mental attitude.
Nasty piece of work  n. Colloq. Unpleasant or contemptible person.
Retrogress  v. 1 move backwards. 2 deteriorate.  retrogression n. Retrogressive adj.
Sponge cake  n. Light spongy cake.
Dress coat  n. Man's swallow-tailed evening coat.

Appear  v. 1 become or be visible. 2 seem (appeared unwell). 3 present oneself publicly or formally. 4 be published. [latin appareo]
Threat  n. 1 declaration of an intention to punish or hurt if an order etc. Is not obeyed. 2 indication of something undesirable coming (threat of war). 3 person or thing as a likely cause of harm etc. [old english]

Potter2  n. Maker of ceramic vessels. [old english: related to *pot1]
Vacuum brake  n. Brake worked by the exhaustion of air.



Peen  n. Wedge-shaped or thin or curved end of a hammer-head. [latin pinna point]
Rework  v. Revise; refashion; remake.  reworking n.




Statute-book  n. 1 book(s) containing the statute law. 2 body of a country's statutes.

Cunt  n. Coarse slang 1 female genitals. 2 offens. Unpleasant person. [origin uncertain]
Ch  abbr. Companion of honour.





They're  contr. They are.
Railwayman  n. Railway employee.
Gemma  n. (pl. Gemmae) small cellular body in plants such as mosses, that separates from the mother-plant and starts a new one.  gemmation n. [latin, see *gem]
Noose  —n. 1 loop with a running knot. 2 snare, bond. —v. (-sing) catch with or enclose in a noose. [french no(u)s from latin nodus *node]
Sylph  n. 1 elemental spirit of the air. 2 slender graceful woman or girl.  sylphlike adj. [latin]

Print  —v. 1 produce or cause (a book, picture, etc.) To be produced by applying inked types, blocks, or plates, to paper, etc. 2 express or publish in print. 3 a (often foll. By on, in) impress or stamp (a mark on a surface). B (often foll. By with) impress or stamp (a surface with a seal, die, etc.). 4 (often absol.) Write (letters) without joining them up. 5 (often foll. By off, out) produce (a photograph) from a negative. 6 (usu. Foll. By out) (of a computer etc.) Produce output in printed form.




Tenantry  n. Tenants of an estate etc.
Radii  pl. Of *radius.


Acquit  v. (-tt-) 1 (often foll. By of) declare not guilty. 2 refl. A behave or perform in a specified way (acquitted herself well). B (foll. By of) discharge (a duty or responsibility).  acquittal n. [latin: related to *ad-, *quit]


Shot1  n. 1 firing of a gun, cannon, etc. (heard a shot). 2 attempt to hit by shooting or throwing etc. 3 a single non-explosive missile for a gun etc. B (pl. Same or -s) small lead pellet used in quantity in a single charge. C (as pl.) These collectively. 4 a photograph. B continuous film sequence. 5 a stroke or a kick in a ball game. B colloq. Attempt, guess (had a shot at it). 6 colloq. Person of specified shooting skill (a good shot). 7 ball thrown by a shot-putter. 8 launch of a space rocket. 9 range etc. To or at which a thing will carry or act. 10 colloq. A drink of esp. Spirits. B injection of a drug etc.  like a shot colloq. Without hesitation; willingly. [old english]

High-ranking  adj. Of high rank, senior.
Postal  adj. Of or by post. [french: related to *post2]


Approve  v. (-ving) 1 confirm; sanction. 2 (often foll. By of) regard with favour. [latin probo test]
Banyan  n. (also banian) indian fig tree with self-rooting branches. [portuguese from sanskrit, = trader]

Satchel  n. Small shoulder-bag for carrying school-books etc. [latin: related to *sack1]
Mayday  n. International radio distress-signal. [representing pronunciation of french m'aidez help me]
Reme  abbr. Royal electrical and mechanical engineers.
Flare  —v. (-ring) 1 widen gradually (flared trousers). 2 (cause to) blaze brightly and unsteadily. 3 burst out, esp. Angrily. —n. 1 a dazzling irregular flame or light. B sudden outburst of flame. 2 flame or bright light used as a signal or to illuminate a target etc. 3 a gradual widening, esp. Of a skirt or trousers. B (in pl.) Wide-bottomed trousers.  flare up burst into a sudden blaze, anger, activity, etc. [origin unknown]
Upper case  n. Capital letters.




Onshore  adj. 1 on the shore. 2 (of the wind) blowing landwards from the sea.

Opposite sex  n. (prec. By the) either sex in relation to the other.

Pennon  n. 1 long narrow flag, triangular or swallow-tailed. 2 long pointed streamer on a ship. [latin penna feather]

Dais  n. Low platform, usu. At the upper end of a hall. [latin *discus disc, (later) table]
Aphid  n. Small insect infesting and damaging plants, e.g. The greenfly.

Single combat  n. Duel.


Partner  —n. 1 person who shares or takes part with another or others, esp. In a business. 2 companion in dancing. 3 player (esp. One of two) on the same side in a game. 4 either member of a married or unmarried couple. —v. Be the partner of. [alteration of parcener joint heir]

Tidal  adj. Relating to, like, or affected by tides.  tidally adv.


Placebo  n. (pl. -s) 1 medicine with no physiological effect prescribed for psychological reasons. 2 dummy pill etc. Used in a controlled trial. [latin, = i shall be acceptable]
Aural  adj. Of the ear or hearing.  aurally adv. [latin auris ear]

Contributory  adj. 1 that contributes. 2 using contributions.
Explicit  adj. 1 expressly stated, not merely implied; stated in detail. 2 definite. 3 outspoken.  explicitly adv. Explicitness n. [latin: related to *explicate]
Pandemonium  n. 1 uproar; utter confusion. 2 scene of this. [place in hell in milton's paradise lost: related to *pan-, *demon]
Decimal fraction  n. Fraction expressed in tenths, hundredths, etc., esp. By units to the right of the decimal point (e.g. 0.61).

Lab.  Abbr. Labour.


Downgrade  v. (-ding) reduce in rank or status.
Millesimal  —adj. 1 thousandth. 2 of, belonging to, or dealing with, a thousandth or thousandths. —n. Thousandth part. [latin mille thousand]

Big stick  n. Colloq. Display of force.
Back-bencher  n. Mp not holding a senior office.
Landfall  n. Approach to land, esp. After a sea or air journey.






Liege  usu. Hist. —adj. Entitled to receive, or bound to give, feudal service or allegiance. —n. 1 (in full liege lord) feudal superior or sovereign. 2 (usu. In pl.) Vassal, subject. [medieval latin laeticus, probably from germanic]
Pussy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 (also pussy-cat) colloq. Cat. 2 coarse slang vulva.


Pro-1  prefix 1 favouring or supporting (pro-government). 2 acting as a substitute or deputy for (proconsul). 3 forwards (produce). 4 forwards and downwards (prostrate). 5 onwards (progress). 6 in front of (protect). [latin pro in front (of)]
Savings certificate  n. Interest-bearing government certificate issued to savers.
Hecto-  comb. Form hundred. [greek hekaton]
Shin  —n. 1 front of the leg below the knee. 2 cut of beef from this part. —v. (-nn-) (usu. Foll. By up, down) climb quickly by clinging with the arms and legs. [old english]
Reawaken  v. Awaken again.
Rhesus negative  adj. Lacking the rhesus factor.


Uncompromising  adj. Stubborn; unyielding.  uncompromisingly adv.

Wind-cone  n. = *wind-sock.

Confab  colloq. —n. = confabulation (see *confabulate). —v. (-bb-) = *confabulate. [abbreviation]


Uppish  adj. Colloq. Uppity.

Restock  v. (also absol.) Stock again or differently.



X chromosome  n. (in humans and some other mammals) sex chromosome of which the number in female cells is twice that in male cells. [x as an arbitrary label]
Association football  n. Football played with a round ball which may not be handled except by the goalkeepers.
Storekeeper  n. 1 storeman. 2 us shopkeeper.
Speedometer  n. Instrument on a vehicle indicating its speed.
Sunday best  n. Joc. Person's best clothes, esp. For sunday use.
Gesso  n. (pl. -es) gypsum as used in painting or sculpture. [italian: related to *gypsum]
Solitude  n. 1 being solitary. 2 lonely place. [latin solitudo: related to *solitary]
Latitude  n. 1 a angular distance on a meridian north or south of the equator. B (usu. In pl.) Regions or climes. 2 tolerated variety of action or opinion.  latitudinal adj. [latin latus broad]


Hunger  —n. 1 a lack of food. B feeling of discomfort or exhaustion caused by this. 2 (often foll. By for, after) strong desire. —v. 1 (often foll. By for, after) crave or desire. 2 feel hunger. [old english]
Hydrocarbon  n. Compound of hydrogen and carbon.
Centrifugal  adj. Moving or tending to move from a centre.  centrifugally adv. [from *centre, latin fugio flee]



Histamine  n. Chemical compound in body tissues etc., associated with allergic reactions. [from *histology, *amine]
Jay  n. Noisy european bird of the crow family with vivid plumage. [latin gaius, gaia, perhaps from the name gaius: cf. Jackdaw, robin]
Amatory  adj. Of sexual love. [latin amo love]

Fiscal  —adj. Of public revenue. —n. 1 legal official in some countries. 2 scot. = *procurator fiscal. [latin fiscus treasury]
Dingo  n. (pl. -es) wild australian dog. [aboriginal]





Steady  —adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 firmly fixed or supported; unwavering. 2 uniform and regular (steady pace; steady increase). 3 a constant. B persistent. 4 (of a person) serious and dependable. 5 regular, established (steady girlfriend). —v. (-ies, -ied) make or become steady. —adv. Steadily. —n. (pl. -ies) colloq. Regular boyfriend or girlfriend.  go steady (often foll. By with) colloq. Have as a regular boyfriend or girlfriend. Steady on! Be careful!  steadily adv. Steadiness n. [from *stead]
Ingoing  adj. Going in.


Tenpin  n. Pin used in tenpin bowling.




African elephant  n. The elephant of africa, larger than that of india.

Uncompleted  adj. Not completed; incomplete.
Configuration  n. 1 arrangement in a particular form. 2 form or figure resulting from this. 3 computing hardware and its arrangement of connections etc.  configure v. (-ring). [latin: related to *figure]
Rebellious  adj. 1 tending to rebel. 2 in rebellion. 3 defying lawful authority. 4 (of a thing) unmanageable, refractory.  rebelliously adv. Rebelliousness n.
Crèche  n. Day nursery. [french]

Embolden  v. Make bold; encourage.
Frivolous  adj. 1 not serious, silly, shallow. 2 paltry, trifling.  frivolity n. (pl. -ies). Frivolously adv. Frivolousness n. [latin]
Officialese  n. Derog. Language characteristic of official documents.
Hand-over-fist  adv. Colloq. With rapid progress.






Utilize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) use; turn to account.  utilization n. [italian: related to *utility]

Pessimism  n. 1 tendency to be gloomy or expect the worst. 2 philos. Belief that this world is as bad as it could be or that all things tend to evil.  pessimist n. Pessimistic adj. Pessimistically adv. [latin pessimus worst]
Evasive  adj. 1 seeking to evade. 2 not direct in one's answers etc.  evasively adv. Evasiveness n.
Curriculum vitae  n. Brief account of one's education, career, etc.




Thymol  n. Antiseptic obtained from oil of thyme.
Dazzle  —v. (-ling) 1 blind or confuse temporarily with a sudden bright light. 2 impress or overpower with knowledge, ability, etc. —n. Bright confusing light.  dazzling adj. Dazzlingly adv. [from *daze]
B.f.  Abbr. 1 colloq. Bloody fool. 2 brought forward.
Dysentery  n. Inflammation of the intestines, causing severe diarrhoea. [greek entera bowels]




Aniline  n. Colourless oily liquid used in making dyes, drugs, and plastics. [german anil indigo, former source]
Perpetual  adj. 1 lasting for ever or indefinitely. 2 continuous, uninterrupted. 3 colloq. Frequent (perpetual interruptions).  perpetually adv. [latin perpetuus continuous]
Washed up  adj. (also washed-up) esp. Us slang defeated, having failed.
Flabbergast  v. (esp. As flabbergasted adj.) Colloq. Astonish; dumbfound. [origin uncertain]



Stickleback  n. Small spiny-backed fish. [old english, = thorn-back]
Delimit  v. (-t-) fix the limits or boundary of.  delimitation n. [latin: related to *limit]

Premedication  n. Medication to prepare for an operation etc.
Pâté  n. Paste of mashed and spiced meat or fish etc. [french, = *pasty1]
Butterfly nut  n. A kind of wing-nut.
Willow-warbler  n. Small woodland bird with a tuneful song.

Whet  v. (-tt-) 1 sharpen (a tool). 2 stimulate (the appetite or a desire etc.). [old english]
Chock-a-block  predic. Adj. (often foll. By with) crammed together or full.
Gripe  —v. (-ping) 1 colloq. Complain. 2 affect with gastric pain. —n. 1 (usu. In pl.) Colic. 2 colloq. Complaint. 3 grip, clutch. [old english]

E. & o. E.  Abbr. Errors and omissions excepted.
Ringing tone  n. Sound heard after dialling an unengaged number.


Widen  v. Make or become wider.
Sacrum  n. (pl. Sacra or -s) triangular bone between the two hip-bones. [latin os sacrum sacred bone]
Crankpin  n. Pin by which a connecting-rod is attached to a crank.




Alkali  n. (pl. -s) 1 a any of a class of substances that liberate hydroxide ions in water, usu. Form caustic or corrosive solutions, turn litmus blue, and have a ph of more than 7, e.g. Caustic soda.
Reinforce  v. (-cing) strengthen or support, esp. With additional personnel or material or by an increase of numbers or quantity or size etc. [french renforcer]
Bane  n. 1 cause of ruin or trouble. 2 poet. Ruin. 3 archaic (except in comb.) Poison (ratsbane).  baneful adj. [old english]



Profession  n. 1 vocation or calling, esp. Learned or scientific (medical profession). 2 people in a profession. 3 declaration or avowal.  the oldest profession colloq. Prostitution.
Skedaddle  v. (-ling) colloq. Depart quickly, flee. [origin unknown]
Loner  n. Person or animal that prefers to be alone.

Disbelieve  v. (-ving) be unable or unwilling to believe; be sceptical.  disbelief n. Disbelievingly adv.
Henbane  n. Poisonous hairy plant with an unpleasant smell.

Sperm count  n. Number of spermatozoa in one ejaculation or a measured amount of semen.
Comic strip  n. Sequence of drawings telling a story.
Bilge  n. 1 a the almost flat part of a ship's bottom. B (in full bilge-water) filthy water that collects there. 2 slang nonsense. [probably var. Of *bulge]
Moon boot  n. Thickly-padded boot for low temperatures.


Occult  adj. 1 involving the supernatural; mystical. 2 esoteric.  the occult occult phenomena generally. [latin occulo occult- hide]
Inverse  —adj. Inverted in position, order, or relation. —n. 1 inverted state. 2 (often foll. By of) the direct opposite. [latin: related to *invert]
Shrimp  —n. 1 (pl. Same or -s) small edible crustacean, turning pink when boiled. 2 colloq. Very small person. —v. Try to catch shrimps. [origin uncertain]
Watercourse  n. 1 brook or stream. 2 bed of this.

Rewarding  adj. (of an activity etc.) Worthwhile; satisfying.
Readopt  v. Adopt again.  readoption n.

Shrew  n. 1 small mouselike long-nosed mammal. 2 bad-tempered or scolding woman.  shrewish adj. (in sense 2). [old english]

Buddleia  n. Shrub with fragrant flowers attractive to butterflies. [buddle, name of a botanist]
Phrenetic  var. Of *frenetic.
Fire-watcher  n. Person keeping watch for fires, esp. Those caused by bombs.

Pasty2  adj. (-ier, -iest) unhealthily pale (pasty-faced).  pastiness n.
Foment  v. Instigate or stir up (trouble, discontent, etc.).  fomentation n. [latin foveo heat, cherish]
Snowplow  n. (brit. Snowplough) device or vehicle for clearing roads of thick snow.
Road  n. 1 a way with a prepared surface, for vehicles, pedestrians, etc. B part of this for vehicles only (step out into the road). 2 one's way or route. 3 (usu. In pl.) Piece of water near the shore in which ships can ride at anchor.  any road dial. = *anyway 2, 3. Get out of the (or my etc.) Road dial. Stop obstructing a person. In the (or one's) road dial. Forming an obstruction. One for the road colloq. Final (esp. Alcoholic) drink before departure. On the road travelling, esp.
Temp  colloq. —n. Temporary employee, esp. A secretary. —v. Work as a temp. [abbreviation]
Refined  adj. Polished, elegant, cultured.


Wives  pl. Of *wife.

Digitize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) convert (data etc.) Into digital form, esp. For a computer.  digitization n.

Ranch  —n. 1 cattle-breeding establishment, esp. In the us and canada. 2 farm where other animals are bred (mink ranch). —v. Farm on a ranch.  rancher n. [spanish rancho group of persons eating together]

Doppler effect  n. Increase (or decrease) in the frequency of sound, light, etc. Waves caused by moving nearer to (or further from) the source. [doppler, name of a physicist]
Oak  n. 1 acorn-bearing tree with lobed leaves. 2 its durable wood. 3 (attrib.) Of oak. 4 (the oaks) (treated as sing.) Annual race at epsom for fillies. [old english]
Interloper  n. 1 intruder. 2 person who interferes in others' affairs, esp. For profit. [after landloper vagabond, from dutch loopen run]
Down in the mouth  adj. Looking unhappy.
Incumbency  n. (pl. -ies) office or tenure of an incumbent.

Woeful  adj. 1 sorrowful. 2 causing or feeling affliction. 3 very bad.  woefully adv.


Netting  n. 1 netted fabric. 2 piece of this.


Rigid  adj. 1 not flexible; unbendable. 2 (of a person, conduct, etc.) Inflexible, unbending, harsh.  rigidity n. Rigidly adv. Rigidness n. [latin rigidus from rigeo be stiff]

Elephantine  adj. 1 of elephants. 2 a huge. B clumsy.
Swept  past and past part. Of *sweep.


Pisces  n. (pl. Same) 1 constellation and twelfth sign of the zodiac (the fish or fishes). 2 person born when the sun is in this sign. [latin, pl. Of piscis fish]
Goggle  —v. (-ling) 1 a (often foll. By at) look with wide-open eyes. B (of the eyes) be rolled about; protrude. 2 roll (the eyes). —adj. (usu. Attrib.) (of the eyes) protuberant or rolling. —n. (in pl.) Spectacles for protecting the eyes. [probably imitative]
Teens  n.pl. Years of one's age from 13 to 19 (in his teens).



Boa constrictor  n. Species of boa.
Prayer-mat  n. Small carpet on which muslims kneel to pray.
Polytechnic  —n. College offering courses in many (esp. Vocational) subjects up to degree level. —adj. Giving instruction in various vocational or technical subjects. [greek tekhne art]



Sundown  n. Sunset.
Heavenly  adj. 1 of heaven; divine. 2 of the heavens or sky. 3 colloq. Very pleasing; wonderful.


Needs  adv. Archaic (usu. Prec. Or foll. By must) of necessity.
Krugerrand  n. S. African gold coin. [kruger, name of a s. African statesman]

Troublesome  adj. Causing trouble, annoying.


Reprisal  n. Act of retaliation. [medieval latin: related to *reprehend]

Bus-stop  n. 1 regular stopping-place of a bus. 2 sign marking this.
Readmit  v. (-tt-) admit again.  readmission n.




Kin  —n. One's relatives or family. —predic. Adj. Related. [old english]

Holy land  n. Area between the river jordan and the mediterranean sea.

Muffle  v. (-ling) 1 (often foll. By up) wrap or cover for warmth, or to deaden sound. 2 (usu. As muffled adj.) Stifle (an utterance). [perhaps french moufle thick glove, *muff1]
Hard-nosed  adj. Colloq. Realistic, uncompromising.
Member  n. 1 person etc. Belonging to a society, team, group, etc. 2 (member) person elected to certain assemblies etc. 3 part of a larger structure, e.g. Of a group of figures or a mathematical set. 4 a part or organ of the body, esp. A limb. B = *penis. [latin membrum limb]
Christian name  n. Forename, esp. As given at baptism.
Headlamp  n. = *headlight.

Egghead  n. Colloq. Intellectual; expert.






Already  adv. 1 before the time in question (i knew that already). 2 as early or as soon as this (is back already). [from *all, *ready]



Kingfisher  n. Small bird with brightly coloured plumage, diving for fish etc.
New age  n. Set of beliefs replacing traditional western culture, with alternative approaches to religion, medicine, the environment, etc.
Export  —v. Sell or send (goods or services) to another country. —n. 1 exporting. 2 a exported article or service. B (in pl.) Amount exported.  exportation n. Exporter n. [latin porto carry]

Presbyopia  n. Long-sightedness caused by loss of elasticity of the eye lens, occurring esp. In middle and old age.  presbyopic adj. [greek presbus old man, ops eye]
Infuse  v. (-sing) 1 (usu. Foll. By with) fill (with a quality). 2 steep (tea leaves etc.) In liquid to extract the content; be steeped thus. 3 (usu. Foll. By into) instil (life etc.). [latin infundo -fus-: related to *found3]


Graceful  adj. Having or showing grace or elegance.  gracefully adv. Gracefulness n.



Virile  adj. 1 (of a man) vigorous or strong. 2 sexually potent. 3 of a man as distinct from a woman or child.  virility n. [latin vir man]
Octave  n. 1 mus. A interval between (and including) two notes, one having twice or half the frequency of vibration of the other. B eight notes occupying this interval. C each of the two notes at the extremes of this interval. 2 eight-line stanza. [latin octavus eighth]

Afoot  adv. & predic.adj. In operation; progressing.
Honeysuckle  n. Climbing shrub with fragrant yellow or pink flowers.

Staid  adj. Of quiet and steady character; sedate. [= stayed, past part. Of *stay1]

Normalize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 make or become normal. 2 cause to conform.  normalization n.
Philosophy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 use of reason and argument in seeking truth and knowledge of reality, esp. Knowledge of the causes and nature of things and of the principles governing existence. 2 a particular system or set of beliefs reached by this. B personal rule of life. [greek: related to *philo-, sophia wisdom]
Aft  adv. Naut. & aeron. At or towards the stern or tail. [earlier baft]


Flax-seed  n. Linseed.

Candela  n. Si unit of luminous intensity. [latin, = candle]



Untranslatable  adj. That cannot be translated satisfactorily.


Intention  n. 1 thing intended; aim, purpose. 2 intending (done without intention).


Prebend  n. 1 stipend of a canon or member of chapter. 2 portion of land or tithe from which this is drawn.  prebendal adj. [latin praebeo grant]

Unfasten  v. 1 make or become loose. 2 open the fastening(s) of. 3 detach.
Refrain1  v. (foll. By from) avoid doing (an action) (refrain from smoking). [latin frenum bridle]
Tidetable  n. Table indicating the times of high and low tides.
Wool-gathering  n. Absent-mindedness.
Standing committee  n. Committee that is permanent during the existence of the appointing body.
Inoculate  v. (-ting) treat (a person or animal) with vaccine or serum to promote immunity against a disease.  inoculation n. [latin oculus eye, bud]
Monkshood  n. Poisonous plant with hood-shaped flowers.


Unity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 a oneness; being one; interconnected parts constituting a whole (national unity). B such a complex whole (person regarded as a unity). 2 a being united; solidarity. B harmony (lived together in unity). 3 the number ‘one’. [latin unus one]
Enclave  n. Territory of one state surrounded by that of another. [latin clavis key]



Quarterstaff  n. Hist. Stout pole 6–8 feet long, formerly used as a weapon.
Rely  v. (-ies, -ied) (foll. By on, upon) 1 depend on with confidence or assurance. 2 be dependent on. [latin religo bind closely]
Oppressive  adj. 1 oppressing. 2 (of weather) close and sultry.  oppressively adv. Oppressiveness n.



Foreshore  n. Shore between high- and low-water marks.
Ablution  n. (usu. In pl.) 1 ceremonial washing of the hands, sacred vessels, etc. 2 colloq. A ordinary bodily washing. B place for this. [latin ablutio from luo lut- wash]
Civil service  n. Branches of state administration, excluding military and judicial branches and elected politicians.
Understeer  n. Tendency of a vehicle not to turn sharply enough.

Scythe  —n. Mowing and reaping implement with a long handle and curved blade swung over the ground. —v. (-thing) cut with a scythe. [old english]

In-house  adj. & adv. Within an institution, company, etc.
Overstuffed  adj. 1  (of furniture) made soft and comfortable by thick upholstery. 2 stuffed too full.


Pepsin  n. Enzyme contained in the gastric juice. [greek pepsis digestion]





Grown-up  —adj. Adult. —n. Adult person.


Outcome  n. Result.
Fallow deer  n. Small deer with a white-spotted reddish-brown summer coat. [old english fallow pale brownish or reddish yellow]

Violist  n. Viol- or viola-player.
Semi-professional  —adj. 1 (of a footballer, musician, etc.) Paid for an activity but not relying on it for a living. 2 of semi-professionals. —n. Semi-professional person.
High time  n. Time that is overdue (it is high time they arrived).



Mayflower  n. Any of various flowers that bloom in may.

Overrule  v. (-ling) 1 set aside (a decision etc.) By superior authority. 2 reject a proposal of (a person) in this way.
Mutation  n. 1 change, alteration. 2 genetic change which, when transmitted to offspring, gives rise to heritable variations. 3 mutant. [latin muto change]




Reformulate  v. (-ting) formulate again or differently.  reformulation n.

Black spot  n. 1 place of danger or trouble. 2 plant disease producing black spots.
Bow-legs  n.pl. Bandy legs.  bow-legged adj.
Stook  —n. Group of sheaves of grain stood on end in a field. —v. Arrange in stooks. [related to low german stuke]
Broom  n. 1 long-handled brush for sweeping. 2 shrub with bright yellow flowers. [old english]

Spoke1  n. Each of the rods running from the hub to the rim of a wheel.  put a spoke in a person's wheel thwart or hinder a person.  spoked adj. [old english]
 

True  —adj. (truer, truest) 1 in accordance with fact or reality (a true story). 2 genuine; rightly or strictly so called. 3 (often foll. By to) loyal, faithful. 4 (foll. By to) accurately conforming to (a type or standard) (true to form). 5 correctly positioned or balanced; upright, level. 6 exact, accurate (a true copy). —adv.



Usage  the use of refute in sense 3 is considered incorrect by some people. It is often confused in this sense with repudiate.

Stanchion  n. 1 upright post or support. 2 upright bar or frame for confining cattle in a stall. [anglo-french]

Waffle-iron  n. Utensil, usu. Of two shallow metal pans hinged together, for baking waffles.
Compress  —v. 1 squeeze together. 2 bring into a smaller space or shorter time. —n. Pad of lint etc. Pressed on to part of the body to relieve inflammation, stop bleeding, etc.  compressible adj. [latin: related to *press1]
Zucchini  n. (pl. Same or -s) esp. Us & austral. Courgette. [italian, pl. Of zucchino, diminutive of zucca gourd]

Excess baggage  n. (also excess luggage) baggage exceeding a weight allowance and liable to an extra charge.
Destruction  n. 1 destroying or being destroyed. 2 cause of this. [latin: related to *destroy]

Usage  up to oct. 1986 jobbers were permitted to deal only with brokers, not directly with the public. From oct. 1986 the name ceased to be in official use (see *broker 2).


Kiddo  n. (pl. -s) slang = *kid1 n. 3.
Pink3  v. (of a vehicle engine) emit high-pitched explosive sounds caused by faulty combustion. [imitative]
Season  —n. 1 each of the climatic divisions of the year (spring, summer, autumn, winter). 2 proper or suitable time. 3 time when something is plentiful, active, etc. 4 (usu. Prec. By the) = *high season. 5 time of year for an activity or for social life generally (football season; london in the season). 6 indefinite period. 7 colloq. = *season ticket. —v. 1 flavour (food) with salt, herbs, etc. 2 enhance with wit etc. 3 moderate. 4 (esp. As seasoned adj.) Make or become suitable by exposure to the weather or experience (seasoned wood; seasoned campaigner).  in season 1 (of food) plentiful and good. 2 (of an animal) on heat. [latin satio sowing]
Containment  n. Action or policy of preventing the expansion of a hostile country or influence.


Ravishing  adj. Lovely, beautiful.  ravishingly adv.
Sexagesima  n. Sunday before quinquagesima. [latin, = sixtieth]


Open house  n. Hospitality for all visitors.
Telephonist  n. Operator in a telephone exchange or at a switchboard.

Disown  v. Deny or give up any connection with; repudiate.
Diver  n. 1 person who dives, esp. Working under water. 2 diving bird.




Option  n. 1 a choosing; choice. B thing that is or may be chosen. 2 liberty to choose. 3 right to buy or sell at a specified price within a set time.  keep (or leave) one's options open not commit oneself. [latin: related to *opt]
Interest  —n. 1 a concern; curiosity (have no interest in fishing). B quality exciting curiosity etc. (this book lacks interest). 2 subject, hobby, etc., in which one is concerned. 3 advantage or profit (it is in my interest to go). 4 money paid for the use of money lent. 5 a thing in which one has a stake or concern (business interests). B financial stake (in an undertaking etc.). C legal concern, title, or right (in property). 6 a party or group with a common interest (the brewing interest). B principle or cause with which this is concerned. —v. 1 excite the curiosity or attention of. 2 (usu. Foll. By in) cause (a person) to take a personal interest. 3 (as interested adj.) Having a private interest; not impartial or disinterested. [latin, = it matters]

Aborigine  n. (usu. In pl.) 1 aboriginal inhabitant. 2 (usu. Aborigine) aboriginal inhabitant of australia.

Groats  n.pl. Hulled or crushed grain, esp. Oats. [old english]
Quietude  n. State of quiet.

Merchant ship  n. Ship carrying merchandise.


Rocketry  n. Science or practice of rocket propulsion.


Slip-road  n. Road for entering or leaving a motorway etc.
Disintegrate  v. (-ting) 1 separate into component parts or fragments, break up. 2 colloq. Break down, esp. Mentally. 3 (of an atomic nucleus) emit particles or divide into smaller nuclei.  disintegration n.

Stake-out  n. Esp. Us colloq. Period of surveillance.
Technocrat  n. Exponent or advocate of technocracy.  technocratic adj.
Counterpane  n. Bedspread. [medieval latin culcita puncta quilted mattress]
Niche  n. 1 shallow recess, esp. In a wall. 2 comfortable or apt position in life or employment. 3 position from which an entrepreneur exploits a gap in the market; profitable corner of the market. [latin nidus nest]
Daisy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 small wild plant with white-petalled flowers. 2 plant with similar flowers. [old english, = day's eye]

Enterprise  n. 1 undertaking, esp. A challenging one. 2 readiness to engage in such undertakings. 3 business firm or venture. [latin prehendo grasp]
Doesn't  contr. Does not.
Can2  —n. 1 metal vessel for liquid. 2 sealed tin container for the preservation of food or drink. 3 (in pl.) Slang headphones. 4 (prec. By the) slang a prison. B us lavatory. —v. (-nn-) put or preserve in a can.  in the can colloq. Completed, ready. [old english]




Full1  —adj. 1 holding all it can (bucket is full; full of water). 2 having eaten all one can or wants. 3 abundant, copious, satisfying (a full life; full details). 4 (foll. By of) having an abundance of (full of vitality). 5 (foll. By of) engrossed in (full of himself). 6 complete, perfect (full membership; in full bloom). 7 (of tone) deep and clear. 8 plump, rounded (full figure). 9 (of clothes) ample, hanging in folds. —adv. 1 very (knows full well). 2 quite, fully (full six miles). 3 exactly (full on the nose).  full up colloq. Completely full. In full 1 without abridgement. 2 to or for the full amount
Middle c  n. C near the middle of the piano keyboard, (in notation) the note between the treble and bass staves.
Ignorant  adj. 1 (often foll. By of, in) lacking knowledge (esp. Of a fact or subject). 2 colloq. Uncouth.  ignorantly adv.
Black rod  n. Principal usher of the house of lords etc.



Heel1  —n. 1 back of the foot below the ankle. 2 a part of a sock etc. Covering this. B part of a shoe etc. Supporting this. 3 thing like a heel in form or position. 4 crust end of a loaf of bread. 5 colloq. Scoundrel. 6 (as int.) Command to a dog to walk close to its owner's heel. —v. 1 fit or renew a heel on (a shoe etc.). 2 touch the ground with the heel as in dancing. 3 (foll. By out) rugby pass the ball with the heel.  at heel 1 (of a dog) close behind. 2 (of a person etc.) Under control. At (or on) the heels of following closely after (a person or event). Cool (or kick) one's heels be kept waiting. Down at heel 1 (of a shoe) with the heel worn down. 2 (of a person) shabby. Take to one's heels run away. To heel 1 (of a dog) close behind. 2 (of a person etc.) Under control. Turn on one's heel turn sharply round. [old english]
Hair-splitting  adj. & n. Quibbling.


Genera  pl. Of *genus.
Pine1  n. 1 evergreen coniferous tree with needle-shaped leaves growing in clusters. 2 its wood. 3 (attrib.) Made of pine. [latin pinus]
Skyward  —adv. (also skywards) towards the sky. —adj. Moving skyward.






Hmi  abbr. Her (or his) majesty's inspector (of schools).

Head-butt  —n. Thrust with the head into the chin or body of another person. —v. Attack with a head-butt.
Administrator  n. Manager of a business, public affairs, or a person's estate.
Me2  n. (also mi) mus. Third note of a major scale. [latin mira, word arbitrarily taken]
Cue-ball  n. Ball to be struck with a cue.
Mesozoic  —adj. Of the geological era marked by the development of dinosaurs, and the first mammals, birds, and flowering plants. —n. This era. [greek zoion animal]
Essential  —adj. 1 necessary; indispensable. 2 of or constituting the essence of a person or thing. —n. (esp. In pl.) Basic or indispensable element or thing.  essentially adv. [latin: related to *essence]

Godson  n. Male godchild.






Evaporate  v. (-ting) 1 turn from solid or liquid into vapour. 2 (cause to) lose moisture as vapour. 3 (cause to) disappear.  evaporable adj. Evaporation n. [latin: related to *vapour]






Chiefly  adv. Above all; mainly but not exclusively.


Intercept  v. 1 seize, catch, or stop (a person or thing) going from one place to another. 2 (usu. Foll. By from) cut off (light etc.).  interception n. Interceptive adj. Interceptor n. [latin intercipio -cept- from capio take]
Whinny  —n. (pl. -ies) gentle or joyful neigh. —v. (-ies, -ied) give a whinny. [imitative]


Immature  adj. 1 not mature. 2 undeveloped, esp. Emotionally. 3 unripe.  immaturely adv. Immaturity n.

Unspeakable  adj. 1 that cannot be expressed in words. 2 indescribably bad.  unspeakably adv.
Tow-bar  n. Bar for towing esp. A caravan.


Boundary  n. (pl. -ies) 1 line marking the limits of an area etc. 2 cricket hit crossing the limits of the field, scoring 4 or 6 runs. [related to *bound2]


Garage  —n. 1 building for housing a vehicle. 2 establishment selling petrol etc., or repairing and selling vehicles. —v. (-ging) put or keep in a garage. [french]
Supine  —adj. 1 lying face upwards. 2 inert, indolent. —n. Latin verbal noun used only in the accusative and ablative. [latin]
Unscientific  adj. Not scientific in method etc.  unscientifically adv.


Light-footed  adj. Nimble.

Micro  n. (pl. -s) colloq. 1 = *microcomputer. 2 = *microprocessor.
Unmentionable  —adj. Unsuitable for polite conversation. —n. (in pl.) Joc. Undergarments.
Ukrainian  —n. 1 native or language of ukraine. 2 person of ukrainian descent. —adj. Of ukraine, its people, or language. [ukraine in eastern europe]
Headlock  n. Wrestling hold with an arm round the opponent's head.
Pantaloons  n.pl. (esp. Women's) baggy trousers gathered at the ankles. [french from italian]
Downhill  —adv. In a descending direction. —adj. Sloping down, declining. —n. 1 downhill race in skiing. 2 downward slope.  go downhill colloq. Deteriorate.
Erasure  n. 1 erasing. 2 erased word etc.
Reception room  n. Room for receiving guests, clients, etc.
Equinoctial  —adj. Happening at or near the time of an equinox. —n. (in full equinoctial line) = *celestial equator. [latin: related to *equinox]
Colour  (us color) —n. 1 sensation produced on the eye by rays of light when resolved as by a prism into different wavelengths. 2 one, or any mixture, of the constituents into which light can be separated as in a spectrum or rainbow, sometimes including (loosely) black and white. 3 colouring substance, esp. Paint. 4 use of all colours in photography etc. 5 a pigmentation of the skin, esp. When dark. B this as ground for discrimination. 6 ruddiness of complexion. 7 (in pl.) Appearance or aspect (saw them in their true colours). 8 (in pl.) A coloured ribbon or uniform etc. Worn to signify membership of a school, club, team, etc. B flag of a regiment or ship. 9 quality, mood, or variety in music, literature, etc. 10 show of reason; pretext (lend colour to; under colour of). —v. 1 apply colour to, esp. By painting, dyeing, etc. 2 influence. 3 misrepresent, exaggerate. 4 take on colour; blush.  show one's true colours reveal one's true character or intentions. [latin color]
Strong point  n. (also strong suit) thing at which one excels.
Swizz  n. (also swiz) colloq. 1 something unfair or disappointing. 2 swindle. [origin unknown]

Lemon  n. 1 a yellow oval citrus fruit with acidic juice. B tree bearing it. 2 pale yellow colour. 3 colloq. Person or thing regarded as a failure.  lemony adj. [arabic laimun]

Gamester  n. Gambler.




Doh  n. (also do) mus. First note of a major scale. [italian do]



Subsidy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 money granted esp. By the state to keep down the price of commodities etc. 2 any monetary grant. [latin subsidium help]
Instability  n. 1 lack of stability. 2 unpredictability in behaviour etc.
Liver1  n. 1 large glandular organ in the abdomen of vertebrates. 2 liver of some animals as food. [old english]
Dally  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 delay; waste time. 2 (often foll. By with) flirt, trifle.  dalliance n. [french]
Landslip  n. = *landslide 1.

Demodulate  v. (-ting) extract (a modulating signal) from its carrier.  demodulation n.
Uk  abbr. United kingdom.
Ampersand  n. The sign ‘&’ (= and). [corruption of and *per se and]
Cowl  n. 1 monk's cloak. 2 hood-shaped covering of a chimney or ventilating shaft. [latin cucullus]
Tension  —n. 1 stretching or being stretched; tenseness. 2 mental strain or excitement. 3 strained (political, social, etc.) State or relationship. 4 stress produced by forces pulling apart. 5 degree of tightness of stitches in knitting and machine sewing. 6 voltage (high tension; low tension). —v. Subject to tension.  tensional adj
Round table  n. 1 international charitable association. 2 (round table) assembly for discussion, esp. At a conference (often attrib.: round-table talks).
Malinger  v. Pretend to be ill, esp. To escape work.  malingerer n.  [french malingre sickly]
Spasm  n. 1 sudden involuntary muscular contraction. 2 convulsive movement or emotion etc. 3 (usu. Foll. By of) colloq. Brief spell. [greek spasma from spao pull]

Stag  n. 1 adult male deer. 2 stock exch. Slang person who applies for new shares, intending to sell at once for a profit. [old english]


Pepper  —n. 1 hot aromatic condiment from the dried berries of certain plants. 2 anything pungent. 3 a capsicum plant, grown as a vegetable. B its fruit. —v. 1 sprinkle or treat with or as if with pepper. 2 pelt with missiles. [sanskrit pippali]
Peritonitis  n. Inflammatory disease of the peritoneum.


Balmy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 mild and fragrant; soothing. 2 slang = *barmy.  balmily adv. Balminess n.
Thong  n. Narrow strip of hide or leather. [old english]

Helio-  comb. Form sun. [greek helios sun]
Chelsea bun  n. Currant bun in the form of a flat spiral. [chelsea in london]
Piffling  adj. Colloq. Trivial; worthless.


Aircraft  n. (pl. Same) machine capable of flight, esp. An aeroplane or helicopter.


Fly in the ointment  n. Minor irritation or setback.
Forum  n. 1 place of or meeting for public discussion. 2 court or tribunal. 3 hist. Public square in an ancient roman city used for judicial and other business. [latin]
Flagellate  v. (-ting) scourge, flog.  flagellation n.
Lateral  —adj. 1 of, at, towards, or from the side or sides. 2 descended from the sibling of a person in direct line. —n. Lateral shoot or branch.  laterally adv. [latin latus later- side]
Sabot  n. 1 shoe carved from wood. 2 wooden-soled shoe. [french]
Hemipterous  adj. Of the insect order including aphids, bugs, and cicadas, with piercing or sucking mouthparts. [greek pteron wing]
Escalate  v. (-ting) 1 increase or develop (usu. Rapidly) by stages. 2 make or become more intense.  escalation n. [from *escalator]
Ladder  —n. 1 set of horizontal bars fixed between two uprights and used for climbing up or down. 2 vertical strip of unravelled stitching in a stocking etc. 3 hierarchical structure, esp. As a means of career advancement. —v. 1 cause a ladder in (a stocking etc.).
Imperfect  —adj. 1 not perfect; faulty, incomplete. 2 gram. (of a tense) denoting action in progress but not completed (e.g. They were singing). —n. Imperfect tense.  imperfectly adv.

Flaming  adj. 1 emitting flames. 2 very hot (flaming june). 3 colloq. A passionate (flaming row). B expressing annoyance (that flaming dog). 4 bright-coloured.
Maya  n. 1 (pl. Same or -s) member of an ancient indian people of central america. 2 their language.  mayan adj. & n. [native name]


Carborundum  n. Compound of carbon and silicon used esp. As an abrasive. [from *carbon, *corundum]

Sex appeal  n. Sexual attractiveness.
Smidgen  n. (also smidgin) colloq. Small bit or amount. [perhaps from smitch in the same sense]
Fish farm  n. Place where fish are bred for food.

Tribunal  n. 1 board appointed to adjudicate in some matter. 2 court of justice. 3 seat or bench for a judge or judges. [latin: related to *tribune]
Extract  —v. 1 remove or take out, esp. By effort or force. 2 obtain (money, an admission, etc.) Against a person's will. 3 obtain (a natural resource) from the earth. 4 select or reproduce for quotation or performance. 5 obtain (juice etc.) By pressure, distillation, etc. 6 derive (pleasure etc.). 7 find (the root of a number). —n. 1 short passage from a book etc. 2 preparation containing a concentrated constituent of a substance (malt extract). [latin traho tract- draw]
Testimony  n. (pl. -ies) 1 witness's statement under oath etc. 2 declaration or statement of fact. 3 evidence, demonstration (produce testimony). [latin testimonium from testis witness]
Milometer  n. Instrument for measuring the number of miles travelled by a vehicle.

Ton  n. 1 (in full long ton) unit of weight equal to 2,240 lb (1016.05 kg). 2 (in full short ton) unit of weight equal to 2,000 lb (907.19 kg). 3 = *metric ton. 4 (in full displacement ton) unit of measurement of a ship's weight or volume. 5 (usu. In pl.) Colloq. Large number or amount (tons of people). 6 slang a speed of 100 m.p.h. B £100.  weigh a ton colloq. Be very heavy. [originally the same word as *tun]




Servitor  n. Archaic servant, attendant. [latin: related to *serve]


Myrtle  n. Evergreen shrub with shiny leaves and white scented flowers. [greek murtos]
Cassia  n. 1 tree from the leaves of which senna is extracted. 2 cinnamon-like bark of this used as a spice. [greek kasia from hebrew]




Trappist  —n. Monk of an order vowed to silence. —adj. Of this order. [la trappe in normandy]
Cold-hearted  adj. Lacking sympathy or kindness.  cold-heartedly adv. Cold-heartedness n.

Fervid  adj. Ardent, intense.  fervidly adv. [latin: related to *fervent]
Feminine  —adj. 1 of women. 2 having womanly qualities. 3 of or denoting the female gender. —n. Feminine gender or word.  femininity n. [latin: related to *female]
Pigmentation  n. 1 natural colouring of plants, animals, etc. 2 excessive colouring of tissue by the deposition of pigment.

Current account  n. Instantly accessible bank account.
Archiepiscopal  adj. Of an archbishop. [church latin from greek]
Falsies  n.pl. Colloq. Pads worn to make the breasts seem larger.
Jackal  n. 1 african or asian wild animal of the dog family, scavenging in packs for food. 2 colloq. Menial. [persian]



Supernumerary  —adj. 1 in excess of the normal number; extra. 2 engaged for extra work. 3 (of an actor) appearing on stage but not speaking. —n. (pl. -ies) supernumerary person or thing. [latin: related to *number]

Head start  n. Advantage granted or gained at an early stage.

Easy chair  n. Large comfortable armchair.


Tranny  n. (pl. -ies) colloq. Transistor radio. [abbreviation]


Non-fattening  adj. (of food) not containing many calories.
Steel wool  n. Abrasive substance consisting of a mass of fine steel shavings.



Grease  —n. 1 oily or fatty matter, esp. As a lubricant. 2 melted fat of a dead animal. —v. (-sing) smear or lubricate with grease.  grease the palm of colloq. Bribe. [latin crassus (adj.) Fat]
Problematic  adj. (also problematical) attended by difficulty; doubtful or questionable.  problematically adv. [greek: related to *problem]
Ec  abbr. 1 east central. 2 european community.
Usage  excepting should be used only after not and always; otherwise, except should be used.

Ll b  abbr. Bachelor of laws. [latin legum baccalaureus]
Cold-blooded  adj. 1 having a body temperature varying with that of the environment. 2 callous; deliberately cruel.  cold-bloodedly adv. Cold-bloodedness n.
Main yard  n.  Yard on which the mainsail is extended.
Bq  abbr. Becquerel.

Pharmaceutical  adj. 1 of or engaged in pharmacy. 2 of the use or sale of medicinal drugs. [latin from greek pharmakon drug]
Paintbrush  n. Brush for applying paint.

Repent  v. 1 (often foll. By of) feel deep sorrow about one's actions etc. 2 (also absol.) Wish one had not done; resolve not to continue (a wrongdoing etc.).  repentance n. Repentant adj. [latin paeniteo]
Duct  —n. Channel or tube for conveying a fluid, cable, bodily secretions, etc. (tear ducts). —v. Convey through a duct. [latin ductus from duco duct- lead]
Billy1  n. (pl. -ies) (in full billycan) austral. Tin or enamel outdoor cooking-pot. [perhaps from aboriginal billa water]
Outskirts  n.pl. Outer area of a town etc.
Toboggan  —n. Long light narrow sledge for sliding downhill over snow or ice. —v. Ride on a toboggan. [canadian french from algonquian]
Drat  colloq. —v. (-tt-) (usu. As int.) Curse (drat the thing!). —int. Expressing anger or annoyance.  dratted adj. [(go)d rot]

House music  n. Style of pop music, typically using drum machines and synthesized bass lines with sparse repetitive vocals and a fast beat.
Harvest moon  n. Full moon nearest to the autumn equinox (22 or 23 sept.).
Dewdrop  n. Drop of dew.

All-in  attrib. Adj. Inclusive of all.
Applicant  n. Person who applies for something, esp. A job.

Who'd  contr. 1 who had. 2 who would.




Opinionated  adj. Dogmatic in one's opinions.
Taxi rank  n. (us taxi stand) place where taxis wait to be hired.

Quiver1  —v. Tremble or vibrate with a slight rapid motion. —n. Quivering motion or sound. [obsolete quiver nimble]

Crude  —adj. 1 a in the natural state; not refined. B unpolished; lacking finish. 2 a rude, blunt. B offensive, indecent. 3 inexact. —n. Natural mineral oil.  crudely adv. Crudeness n. Crudity n. [latin crudus raw]

Backlist  n. Publisher's list of books still in print.
Injured  adj. 1 harmed or hurt. 2 offended.


Inoffensive  adj. Not objectionable; harmless.
Prince consort  n. (title conferred on) the husband of a reigning queen who is himself a prince.

Gms  abbr. Grant maintained status.



Galumph  v. (esp. As galumphing adj.) Colloq. Move noisily or clumsily. [coined by lewis carroll, perhaps from *gallop, *triumph]
Automotive  adj. Of motor vehicles.




Curve  —n. 1 line or surface of which no part is straight or flat. 2 curved form or thing. 3 curved line on a graph. —v. (-ving) bend or shape to form a curve.  curved adj. [latin curvus curved]
Manifest  —adj. Clear or obvious to the eye or mind. —v. 1 show (a quality or feeling) by one's acts etc. 2 show plainly to the eye or mind. 3 be evidence of; prove. 4 refl. (of a thing) reveal itself. 5 (of a ghost) appear. —n. Cargo or passenger list.  manifestation n. Manifestly adv. [latin manifestus]

Yugoslav  (also jugoslav) —n. 1 native or national of yugoslavia. 2 person of yugoslav descent. —adj. Of yugoslavia.  yugoslavian adj. & n. [serbo-croat jug south: related to *slav]
Grange  n. Country house with farm-buildings. [latin granica: related to *grain]


Broadsheet  n. 1 large-sized newspaper. 2 large sheet of paper printed on one side only.

Tsp.  Abbr. (pl. Tsps.) Teaspoonful.
Cicatrice  n. Scar left by a wound. [latin]
Anneal  v. Heat (metal or glass) and cool slowly, esp. To toughen it. [old english ælan bake]
Aide-de-camp  n. (pl. Aides-de-camp pronunc. Same) officer assisting a senior officer. [french]
Jostle  —v. (-ling) 1 (often foll. By away, from, against, etc.) Push against; elbow, esp. Roughly or in a crowd. 2 (foll. By with) struggle roughly. —n. Jostling. [from *joust]
Candida  n. Fungus causing thrush. [latin candidus: related to *candid]







Safe period  n. Time during the month when conception is least likely.
Helicopter  n. Wingless aircraft obtaining lift and propulsion from horizontally revolving overhead blades. [greek: related to *helix, pteron wing]
Cretin  n. 1 deformed and mentally retarded person, esp. As the result of thyroid deficiency. 2 colloq. Stupid person.  cretinism n. Cretinous adj. [french crétin: related to *christian]
Nova  n. (pl. Novae or -s) star showing a sudden burst of brightness and then subsiding. [latin, = new]
Sty2  n. (also stye) (pl. Sties or styes) inflamed swelling on the edge of an eyelid. [old english]
Semiprecious  adj. (of a gem) less valuable than a precious stone.
Grudge  —n. Persistent feeling of ill will or resentment. —v. (-ging) 1 be resentfully unwilling to give or allow. 2 (foll. By verbal noun or to + infin.) Be reluctant to do. [french]
Interstate  adj. Existing or carried on between states, esp. Those of the us.
Waltz  —n. 1 ballroom dance in triple time performed by couples revolving with sliding steps. 2 music for this. —v. 1 dance a waltz. 2 (often foll. By in, out, round, etc.) Colloq. Move easily, lightly, casually, etc.  waltz off with colloq. 1 steal. 2 win easily. [german walzer from walzen revolve]

Flab  n. Colloq. Fat; flabbiness. [imitative, or from *flabby]


Usage  pater is now only found in jocular or affected use.
Starter  n. 1 device for starting a vehicle engine etc. 2 first course of a meal. 3 person giving the signal for the start of a race. 4 horse or competitor starting in a race.  for starters colloq. To start with.


Cleanly1  adv. In a clean way.


Resemble  v. (-ling) be like; have a similarity to, or the same appearance as. [french sembler seem]
Yuk  var. Of *yuck.
Ginseng  n. 1 plant found in e. Asia and n. America. 2 root of this used as a medicinal tonic. [chinese]


Dif-  prefix = *dis-.
Uptight  adj. Colloq. 1 nervously tense or angry. 2 us rigidly conventional.
Ferrel  var. Of *ferrule.

Twilight zone  n. 1 decrepit urban area. 2 undefined or intermediate zone or area.
Hydrochloric acid  n. Solution of the colourless gas hydrogen chloride in water.
Epidemiology  n. The study of epidemic diseases and their control.  epidemiologist n.


Sloppy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 wet, watery, too liquid. 2 careless, untidy. 3 foolishly sentimental.  sloppily adv. Sloppiness n.
Smattering  n. Slight superficial knowledge of a language etc. [origin unknown]

Phone book  n. = *telephone directory.

Their  poss. Pron. (attrib.) Of or belonging to them. [old norse]



Motor scooter  see *scooter.
Quota  n. 1 share to be contributed to, or received from, a total. 2 number of goods, people, etc., stipulated or permitted. [latin quotus from quot how many]
Loft  —n. 1 attic. 2 room over a stable. 3 gallery in a church or hall. 4 pigeon-house. 5 backward slope on the face of a golf-club. 6 lofting stroke. —v. Send (a ball etc.) High up. [old english, = air, upper room]
Drama  n. 1 play for stage or broadcasting. 2 art of writing, acting, or presenting plays. 3 dramatic event or quality (the drama of the situation). [latin from greek drao do]
Crook  —n. 1 hooked staff of a shepherd or bishop. 2 a bend, curve, or hook. B hooked or curved thing. 3 colloq. Rogue; swindler; criminal. —v. Bend, curve. [old norse]
Gap  n. 1 empty space, interval; deficiency. 2 breach in a hedge, fence, etc. 3 wide divergence in views etc.  gappy adj. [old norse]





Dipper  n. 1 diving bird, esp. The water ouzel. 2 ladle.





Flute  —n. 1 a high-pitched woodwind instrument held sideways. B any similar wind instrument. 2 ornamental vertical groove in a column. —v. (-ting) 1 play, or play (a tune etc.) On, the flute. 2 speak or sing etc. In a high voice. 3 make grooves in.  fluting n. Fluty adj. (in sense 1a of n.). [french]
Cleaver  n. Butcher's heavy chopping tool.

Integral calculus  n. Mathematics concerned with finding integrals, their properties and application, etc.






Clock1  —n. 1 instrument for measuring and showing time. 2 a measuring device resembling this. B colloq. Speedometer, taximeter, or stopwatch. 3 slang person's face. 4 seed-head of the dandelion. —v. 1 colloq. A (often foll. By up) attain or register (a stated time, distance, or speed). B time (a race) with a stopwatch. 2 slang hit.  clock in (or on) register one's arrival at work. Clock off (or out) register one's departure from work. Round the clock all day and (usu.) Night. [medieval latin clocca bell] 
Bomber  n. 1 aircraft equipped to drop bombs. 2 person using bombs, esp. Illegally.
Astute  adj. Shrewd.  astutely adv. Astuteness n. [latin astus craft]
Ticklish  adj. 1 sensitive to tickling. 2 (of a matter or person) difficult to handle.

Veracious  adj. Formal 1 truthful by nature. 2 (of a statement etc.) True.  veracity n. [latin verax from verus true]

Teaching  n. 1 profession of a teacher. 2 (often in pl.) What is taught; doctrine.

Canned  adj. 1 pre-recorded (canned music). 2 sold in a can (canned beer). 3 slang drunk.
Disembark  v. Put or go ashore; get off an aircraft, bus, etc.  disembarkation n.
Weekender  n. Person who spends the weekend away from home; weekend visitor.
Pacifism  n. Belief that war and violence are morally unjustifiable.  pacifist n. & adj.



Attentive  adj. 1 concentrating; paying attention. 2 assiduously polite.  attentively adv. Attentiveness n.





Tl  symb. Thallium.


Far-out  adj. 1 distant. 2 slang avant-garde, unconventional. 3 slang excellent.
Thundering  adj. Colloq. (esp. As an intensifier) huge (a thundering nuisance; a thundering great bruise).
Yellow spot  n. Point of acutest vision in the retina.
Restate  v. (-ting) express again or differently, esp. For emphasis.  restatement n.


Domino  n. (pl. -es) 1 any of 28 small oblong pieces marked with 0–6 pips in each half. 2 (in pl.) Game played with these. 3 loose cloak with a mask. [french, probably as *dominion]


Puck2  n. Mischievous or evil sprite.  puckish adj. Puckishly adv. Puckishness n. [old english]





Fledge  v. (-ging) 1 provide or deck (an arrow etc.) With feathers. 2 bring up (a young bird) until it can fly. 3 (as fledged adj.) A able to fly. B independent; mature. [obsolete adj. Fledge fit to fly]



Plume  —n. 1 feather, esp. A large one used for ornament. 2 ornament of feathers etc. Worn on a helmet or hat or in the hair. 3 something resembling this (plume of smoke). —v. (-ming) 1 decorate or provide with a plume or plumes. 2 refl. (foll. By on, upon) pride (oneself on esp. Something trivial). 3 (of a bird) preen (itself or its feathers). [latin pluma]

Helter-skelter  —adv. & adj. In disorderly haste. —n. (at a fairground) external spiral slide round a tower. [imitative]
Heavy-duty  adj. Intended to withstand hard use.
Showroom  n. Room used to display goods for sale.
Fly-away  adj. (of hair) fine and difficult to control.


Undefined  adj. Not defined; vague, indefinite.


Sup1  —v. (-pp-) 1 take by sips or spoonfuls. 2 esp. N.engl. Colloq. Drink (alcohol). —n. Sip of liquid. [old english]



Shoot  —v. (past and past part. Shot) 1  a (also absol.) Cause (a weapon) to fire. B kill or wound with a bullet, arrow, etc. 2 send out, discharge, etc., esp. Swiftly. 3 (often foll. By out, along, forth, etc.) Come or go swiftly or vigorously. 4  a (of a plant etc.) Put forth buds etc. B (of a bud etc.) Appear. 5 hunt game etc. With a gun. 6  film or photograph. 7 (also absol.) Esp. Football a score (a goal). B take a shot at (the goal). 8  (of a boat) sweep swiftly down or under (a bridge, rapids, etc.). 9 (usu. Foll. By through, up, etc.) (of a pain) seem to stab. 10 (often foll. By up; also absol.) Slang inject (a drug). —n. 1 a young branch or sucker. B new growth of a plant. 2  a hunting party, expedition, etc. B land shot over for game. 3 = *chute1. —int. Colloq. Invitation to ask questions etc.  shoot down 1 kill by shooting. 2 cause (an aircraft etc.) To crash by shooting. 3 argue effectively against. Shoot one's bolt colloq. Do all that is in one's power. Shoot one's mouth off slang talk too much or indiscreetly. Shoot up 1 grow rapidly. 2 rise suddenly. 3 terrorize by indiscriminate shooting. The whole shoot (or the whole shooting match) colloq. Everything. [old english]
Freshet  n. 1 rush of fresh water flowing into the sea. 2 flood of a river.
Dirham  n. Principal monetary unit of morocco and the united arab emirates. [arabic]
Nuclear reactor  n. Device in which a nuclear fission chain reaction is used to produce energy.

Kirby-grip  n. (also kirbigrip propr.) Type of sprung hairgrip. [kirby, name of the manufacturer]

Jew's harp  n. Small musical instrument held between the teeth.

N 

Head-butt  —n. Thrust with the head into the chin or body of another person. —v. Attack with a head-butt.

A cappella  adj. & adv. (of choral music) unaccompanied. [italian, = in church style]
Donna  n. Title of an italian, spanish, or portuguese lady. [latin domina mistress]
Sanserif  n. (also sans-serif) form of type without serifs. [apparently from sans without, *serif]

Ditto  n. (pl. -s) 1 (in accounts, inventories, etc.) The aforesaid, the same. 2 colloq. (used to avoid repetition) the same (came late today and ditto yesterday). [latin *dictum]


A priori  —adj. 1 (of reasoning) from causes to effects; deductive. 2 (of concepts etc.) Logically independent of experience; not derived from experience. 3 assumed without investigation (an a priori conjecture). —adv. 1 deductively. 2 as far as one knows. [latin, = from what is before]
Indian elephant  n. The elephant of india, smaller than the african elephant.

Insensate  adj. 1 without physical sensation. 2 without sensibility. 3 stupid. [latin: related to *sense]
Standing joke  n. Object of permanent ridicule.

Ephemera  n.pl. Things of only short-lived relevance. [latin: related to *ephemeral]

Manure  —n. Fertilizer, esp. Dung. —v. (-ring) apply manure to (land etc.). [anglo-french mainoverer *manoeuvre]
Backchat  n. Colloq. Verbal insolence.
Cud  n. Half-digested food returned to the mouth of ruminants for further chewing. [old english]
Halfway  —adv. 1 at a point midway between two others (halfway to rome). 2 to some extent, more or less (is halfway acceptable). —adj. Situated halfway (reached a halfway point).

Elephant  n. (pl. Same or -s) largest living land animal, with a trunk and ivory tusks. [greek elephas]

Slovak  —n. 1 native of slovakia in czechoslovakia. 2 language of slovakia, one of the two official languages of czechoslovakia. —adj. Of the slovaks or their language. [native name]

Built-in  adj. Integral.
Dauntless  adj. Intrepid, persevering.
Admixture  n. 1 thing added, esp. A minor ingredient. 2 adding of this.
Linguist  n. Person skilled in languages or linguistics.
Europium  n. Metallic element of the lanthanide series. [from the name europe]

Fizzle  —v. (-ling) make a feeble hiss. —n. Such a sound.  fizzle out end feebly. [imitative]
Quickset   —attrib. Adj. (of a hedge etc.) Formed of cuttings, esp. Hawthorn. —n. Hedge formed in this way.
Audiovisual  adj. (of teaching methods etc.) Using both sight and sound.
Rondeau  n. (pl. Rondeaux pronunc. Same or) poem of ten or thirteen lines with only two rhymes throughout and with the opening words used twice as a refrain. [french: related to *rondel]

Celebrity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 well-known person. 2 fame. [latin: related to *celebrate]
Elaborate  —adj. 1 minutely worked out. 2 complicated. —v. (-ting) work out or explain in detail.  elaborately adv. Elaborateness n. Elaboration n. [latin: related to *labour]

Colonialism  n. 1 policy of acquiring or maintaining colonies. 2 derog. Exploitation of colonies.  colonialist n. & adj.



Revenge  —n. 1 retaliation for an offence or injury. 2 act of retaliation. 3 desire for this; vindictive feeling. 4 (in games) win after an earlier defeat. —v. (-ging) 1 (in refl. Or passive; often foll. By on, upon) inflict retaliation for (an offence). 2 avenge (a person). [latin: related to *vindicate]

Low-down  —adj. Mean, dishonourable. —n. Colloq. (prec. By the; usu. Foll. By on) relevant information.



R & d  abbr. Research and development.



Hearing  n. 1 faculty of perceiving sounds. 2 range within which sounds may be heard (within hearing). 3 opportunity to state one's case (a fair hearing). 4 trial of a case before a court.


Hereford  n. Animal of a breed of red and white beef cattle. [hereford in england]

Paleolithic  adj. (brit. Palaeolithic) of the early part of the stone age. [greek lithos stone]


Diesel  n. 1 (in full diesel engine) internal-combustion engine in which heat produced by the compression of air in the cylinder ignites the fuel. 2 vehicle driven by a diesel engine. 3 fuel for a diesel engine. [diesel, name of an engineer]
Alcoholism  n. Condition resulting from addiction to alcohol.


Tab2  n. = *tabulator 2. [abbreviation]
Hardy annual  n. Annual plant that may be sown in the open.
Latex  n. (pl. -xes) 1 milky fluid of esp. The rubber tree. 2 synthetic product resembling this. [latin, = liquid]
Mute swan  n. Common white swan.


Paradigm  n. Example or pattern, esp. A set of noun or verb inflections.  paradigmatic adj. [latin from greek]

Sue  v. (sues, sued, suing) 1 (also absol.) Begin a law suit against. 2 (often foll. By to, for) make application to a lawcourt for redress. 3 (often foll. By to, for) make entreaty to a person for a favour. [anglo-french suer from latin sequor follow]


Petroleum jelly  n. Translucent solid mixture of hydrocarbons used as a lubricant, ointment, etc.
Income tax  n. Tax levied on income.

Utter2  v. 1 emit audibly. 2 express in words. 3 law put (esp. Forged money) into circulation. [dutch]



Dago  n. (pl. -s) slang offens. Foreigner, esp. A spaniard, portuguese, or italian. [spanish diego = james]
Slow motion  n. 1 speed of a film at which actions etc. Appear much slower than usual. 2 simulation of this in real action.
Blaze1  —n. 1 bright flame or fire. 2 violent outburst (of passion etc.). 3 brilliant display (blaze of scarlet, of glory). —v. (-zing) 1 burn or shine brightly or fiercely. 2 be consumed with anger, excitement, etc.  blaze away (often foll. By at) 1 shoot continuously. 2 work vigorously. [old english, = torch]
Puffin  n. N. Atlantic and n. Pacific sea bird with a large head and brightly coloured triangular bill. [origin unknown]
Woven  past part. Of *weave1.








Gold-field  n. District in which gold occurs naturally.

Health centre  n. Building containing various local medical services and doctors' practices.

Arcadian  —n. Idealized country dweller. —adj. Poetically rural. [greek arkadia in the peloponnese]


Flashing  n. (usu. Metal) strip used to prevent water penetration at a roof joint etc. [dial.]
Quilt  —n. Coverlet, esp. Of quilted material. —v. Line a coverlet or garment with padding enclosed between layers of cloth by lines of stitching.  quilter n. Quilting n.  [latin culcita cushion]
Unrewarding  adj. Not rewarding or satisfying.




Tactical  adj. 1 of tactics (tactical retreat). 2 (of bombing etc.) Done in direct support of military or naval operations. 3 adroitly planning or adroitly planned.  tactically adv.


Qt  abbr. Quart(s).
Erotic  adj. Of or causing sexual love, esp. Tending to arouse sexual desire or excitement.  erotically adv. [greek eros sexual love]
Reinstate  v. (-ting) 1 replace in a former position. 2 restore (a person etc.) To former privileges.  reinstatement n.



Clay pigeon  n. Breakable disc thrown up from a trap as a target for shooting.





Minesweeper  n. Ship for clearing explosive mines from the sea.
Eolithic  adj. Of the period preceding the palaeolithic age. [greek eos dawn, lithos stone]
Tokay  n. A sweet hungarian wine. [tokaj in hungary]

Die-stamping  n. Embossing paper etc. With die.

Pre-war  adj. Existing or occurring before a war.
Fanny  n. (pl. -ies) 1 coarse slang the female genitals. 2 us slang the buttocks. [origin unknown]
Helices  pl. Of *helix.

Fair play  n. Just treatment or behaviour.
Pith  n. 1 spongy white tissue lining the rind of an orange etc. 2 essential part. 3 spongy tissue in the stems and branches of plants. 4 strength; vigour; energy. [old english]

Ex-directory  adj. Not listed in a telephone directory, at one's own request.
Nitrous oxide  n. Colourless gas used as an anaesthetic. [latin: related to *nitre]
Counteract  v. Hinder or neutralize by contrary action.  counteraction n. Counteractive adj.

Superconductivity  n. Physics property of zero electrical resistance in some substances at very low absolute temperatures.  superconducting adj.



Mountain ash  n. Tree with scarlet berries; rowan.

Follow-up  n. Subsequent or continued action.

Covey  n. (pl. -s) 1 brood of partridges. 2 small group of people. [latin cubo lie]
Sate  v. (-ting) formal gratify fully; surfeit. [probably dial. Sade satisfy]
Pan1  —n. 1 a broad usu. Metal vessel used for cooking etc. B contents of this. 2 panlike vessel in which substances are heated etc. 3 similar shallow container, e.g. The bowl of a pair of scales. 4 lavatory bowl. 5 part of the lock in old guns. 6 hollow in the ground (salt-pan). —v. (-nn-) 1 colloq. Criticize severely. 2 a (foll. By off, out) wash (gold-bearing gravel) in a pan. B search for gold thus.  pan out 1 (of an action etc.) Turn out; work out well or in a specified way. 2 (of gravel) yield gold.  panful n. (pl. -s). Panlike adj. [old english]
Teamster  n. 1 us lorry-driver. 2 driver of a team of animals.
Gut  —n. 1 the intestine. 2 (in pl.) The bowel or entrails. 3 (in pl.) Colloq. Personal courage and determination; perseverance. 4 slang stomach, belly. 5 (in pl.) A contents. B essence. 6 a material for violin strings etc. B material for fishing-lines made from the silk-glands of silkworms. 7 (attrib.) A instinctive (a gut reaction). B fundamental (a gut issue). —v. (-tt-) 1 remove or destroy the internal fittings of (a house etc.). 2 remove the guts of (a fish).  hate a person's guts colloq. Dislike a person intensely. [old english]
Monitory  adj. Literary giving or serving as a warning. [latin monitorius: related to *monitor]


Undercharge  v. (-ging) 1 charge too little to (a person). 2 give too little charge to (a gun, electric battery, etc.).
Leader  n. 1 a person or thing that leads. B person followed by others. 2 principal player in a music group or of the first violins in an orchestra. 3 = *leading article. 4 shoot of a plant at the apex of a stem or of the main branch.  leadership n.

Town hall  n. Headquarters of local government, with public meeting rooms etc.

Comeuppance  n. Colloq. Deserved punishment. [come up, *-ance]

Saltpeter  n. (brit. Saltpetre) white crystalline salty substance used in preserving meat and in gunpowder. [latin sal petrae, = salt of rock]

Saracen  n.  Hist. Arab or muslim at the time of the crusades. [greek sarakenos]

Extent  n. 1 space over which a thing extends. 2 range, scope, degree. [anglo-french: related to *extend]


Revolting  adj. Disgusting, horrible.  revoltingly adv.

Dean1  n. 1 a head of the chapter of a cathedral or collegiate church. B (usu. Rural dean) clergyman supervising parochial clergy. 2 a college or university official with disciplinary and advisory functions. B head of a university faculty or department or of a medical school. [latin decanus]

Contact print  photographic print made by placing a negative directly on to printing paper and exposing it to light.

E 
Signwriter  n. Person who paints signboards etc.



Cruet  n. 1 set of small salt, pepper, etc. Containers for use at table. 2 such a container. [anglo-french diminutive: related to *crock2]

Teething troubles  n.pl. Initial difficulties in an enterprise etc.

Housebreaking  n. Act of breaking into a building, esp. In daytime, to commit a crime.  housebreaker n.
Unbreakable  adj. Not breakable.

Purulent  adj. Of, containing, or discharging pus.  purulence n. [latin: related to *pus]


Hepta-  comb. Form seven. [greek]

Unprincipled  adj. Lacking or not based on moral principles.







Conic  adj. Of a cone. [greek: related to *cone]

Drool  v. 1 slobber, dribble. 2 (often foll. By over) admire extravagantly. [from *drivel]




Aground  predic. Adj. & adv. On or on to the bottom of shallow water (run aground).

Double-barrelled  adj. 1 (of a gun) having two barrels. 2 (of a surname) hyphenated.


Demurrer  n. Law objection raised or exception taken.

Scald  —v. 1 burn (the skin etc.) With hot liquid or steam. 2 heat (esp. Milk) to near boiling point. 3 (usu. Foll. By out) clean with boiling water. —n. Burn etc. Caused by scalding. [latin excaldo from calidus hot]
Efficient  adj. 1 productive with minimum waste or effort. 2 (of a person) capable; acting effectively.  efficiency n. Efficiently adv. [latin facio make]



Tympanum  n. (pl. -s or -na) 1 middle ear. 2 eardrum. 3 archit. A vertical triangular space forming the centre of a pediment. B similar space over a door between the lintel and the arch. [greek tumpanon drum]



Pms  abbr. Premenstrual syndrome.
Prohibitive  adj. 1 prohibiting. 2 (of prices, taxes, etc.) Extremely high (prohibitive price).  prohibitively adv.


Persona  n. (pl. -nae) aspect of the personality as shown to or perceived by others. [latin, = actor's mask]
Flaky pastry  n. Crumblier version of puff pastry.



Cocoa butter  n. Fatty substance obtained from the cocoa bean.




Rose1  —n. 1 prickly bush or shrub bearing usu. Fragrant red, pink, yellow, or white flowers. 2 this flower. 3 flowering plant resembling this (christmas rose). 4 a pinkish-red colour. B (usu. In pl.) Rosy complexion (roses in her cheeks). 5 sprinkling-nozzle of a watering-can etc. 6 circular electric light mounting on a ceiling. 7 a representation of a rose in heraldry etc. B rose-shaped design. 8 (in pl.) Used to express luck, ease, success, etc. (roses all the way; everything's roses). —adj. = *rose-coloured 1. [latin rosa]
Confidence  n. 1 firm trust. 2 a feeling of reliance or certainty. B sense of self-reliance; boldness. 3 something told as a secret.  in confidence as a secret. In a person's confidence trusted with a person's secrets. Take into one's confidence confide in. [latin: related to *confide]
Enliven  v. Make lively or cheerful; brighten (a picture etc.); inspirit.  enlivenment n.

Stood  past and past part. Of *stand.
Allocate  v. (-ting) (usu. Foll. By to) assign or devote to (a purpose, person, or place).  allocation n. [latin: related to *local]
Hibernate  v. (-ting) (of an animal) spend the winter in a dormant state.  hibernation n. [latin hibernus wintry]
Absolute zero  n. Theoretical lowest possible temperature calculated as –273.15° c (or 0° k).
Canto  n. (pl. -s) division of a long poem. [latin cantus: related to *chant]
Finagle  v. (-ling) colloq. Act or obtain dishonestly.  finagler n. [dial. Fainaigue cheat]

Japan  —n. Hard usu. Black varnish, orig. From japan. —v. (-nn-) 1 varnish with japan. 2 make black and glossy. [japan in e. Asia]



Man friday  n. Male helper or follower.
Contestant  n. Person taking part in a contest.


Chine  —n. 1 a backbone. B joint of meat containing all or part of this. 2 ridge. —v. (-ning) cut (meat) through the backbone. [latin spina *spine]


Plonker  n. Coarse slang 1 fool. 2 penis.
Fly-fish  v. Fish with a fly.

Exculpate  v. (-ting) formal (often foll. By from) free from blame; clear of a charge.  exculpation n. Exculpatory adj. [latin culpa blame]




Gleam  —n. Faint or brief light or show. —v. Emit gleams, shine. [old english]



Stammer  —v. 1 speak haltingly, esp. With pauses or rapid repetitions of the same syllable. 2 (often foll. By out) utter (words) in this way. —n. 1 tendency to stammer. 2 instance of stammering. [old english]

Shortfall  n. Deficit.

Volleyball  n. Game for two teams of six hitting a large ball by hand over a high net.


Cavalry  n. (pl. -ies) (usu. Treated as pl.) Soldiers on horseback or in armoured vehicles. [related to *cavalcade]



Laudatory  adj. Praising.










Miskey  v. (-keys, -keyed) key (data) wrongly.

Fling  —v. (past and past part. Flung) 1 throw or hurl forcefully or hurriedly. 2 (foll. By on, off) put on or take off (clothes) carelessly or rapidly. 3 put or send suddenly or violently (was flung into jail). 4 rush, esp. Angrily (flung out of the room). 5 (foll. By away) discard rashly. —n. 1 act of flinging; throw. 2 bout of wild behaviour. 3 whirling scottish dance, esp. The highland fling. [old norse]
Side-splitting  adj. Causing violent laughter.

Regimen  n. Prescribed course of exercise, way of life, and diet. [latin rego rule]
Well-balanced  adj. Sane, sensible.




Granule  n. Small grain. [latin diminutive of granum: related to *grain]
Trudge  —v. (-ging) 1 go on foot, esp. Laboriously. 2 traverse (a distance) in this way. —n. Trudging walk. [origin unknown]
Psych  v. Colloq. 1 (usu. Foll. By up; often refl.) Prepare (oneself or another) mentally for an ordeal etc. 2 (often foll. By out) intimidate or frighten (a person), esp. For one's own advantage. 3 (usu. Foll. By out) analyse (a person's motivation etc.) For one's own advantage (can't psych him out). [abbreviation]

Prostitute  —n. 1 woman who engages in sexual activity for payment. 2 (usu. Male prostitute) man or boy who engages in sexual activity, esp. With homosexual men, for payment. —v. (-ting) 1 (esp. Refl.) Make a prostitute of (esp. Oneself). 2 misuse or offer (one's talents, skills, name, etc.) For money etc.  prostitution n. [latin prostituo -tut- offer for sale]
Testa  n. (pl. Testae)  seed's protective outer covering. [latin: related to *test2]
Nest egg  n. Sum of money saved for the future.
Chat show  n. Television or radio broadcast in which celebrities are interviewed informally.
Maid of honour  n. 1 unmarried lady attending a queen or princess. 2 esp. Us principal bridesmaid.


Crossword  n. (also crossword puzzle) printed grid of squares and blanks for vertical and horizontal words to be filled in from clues.
Retort1  —n. Incisive, witty, or angry reply. —v. 1 a say by way of a retort. B make a retort. 2 repay (an insult or attack) in kind. [latin retorqueo -tort- twist]
Queer  —adj. 1 strange, odd, eccentric. 2 shady, suspect, of questionable character. 3 slightly ill; faint. 4 slang offens. (esp. Of a man) homosexual. —n. Slang offens. Homosexual. —v. Slang spoil, put out of order.  in queer street slang in difficulty, esp. In debt. Queer a person's pitch colloq. Spoil a person's chances. [origin uncertain]
Agony column  n. Colloq. 1 column in a magazine etc. Offering personal advice to correspondents. 2 = *personal column.

Argue  v. (-ues, -ued, -uing) 1 (often foll. By with, about, etc.) Exchange views forcefully or contentiously. 2 (often foll. By that) maintain by reasoning; indicate. 3 (foll.

Reminiscent  adj. 1 (foll. By of) reminding or suggestive of. 2 concerned with reminiscence.
Fledgling  n. (also fledgeling) 1 young bird. 2 inexperienced person.
Rash1  adj. Reckless, impetuous, hasty.  rashly adv. Rashness n.  [probably old english]
Elder1  —attrib. Adj. (of persons, esp. When related) senior; of greater age. —n. 1 older of two persons (is my elder by ten years). 2 (in pl.) Persons of greater age or venerable because of age. 3 official in the early christian church and some modern churches. [old english: related to *old]

Untitled  adj. Having no title.


Caution  —n. 1 attention to safety; prudence, carefulness. 2 a law warning, esp. A formal one. B warning and reprimand. 3 colloq. Amusing or surprising person or thing. —v. 1 warn or admonish. 2 issue a caution to. [latin caveo take heed]


Warlock  n. Archaic sorcerer. [old english, = traitor]






Iron lung  n. Rigid case fitted over a patient's body for administering prolonged artificial respiration.
Snide  adj. Sneering; slyly derogatory. [origin unknown]





Greenfinch  n. Finch with green and yellow plumage.




Paternal  adj. 1 of, like, or appropriate to a father; fatherly. 2 related through the father. 3 (of a government etc.) Limiting freedom and responsibility by well-meant regulations.  paternally adv. [latin: related to *pater]
Eloquence  n. Fluent and effective use of language. [latin loquor speak]
Sane  adj. 1 of sound mind; not mad. 2 (of views etc.) Moderate, sensible. [latin sanus healthy]

Stencil  —n. 1 (in full stencil-plate) thin sheet in which a pattern is cut, placed on a surface and printed or inked over etc. To reproduce the pattern. 2 pattern so produced. 3 waxed sheet etc. From which a stencil is made by a typewriter. —v. (-ll-; us -l-) 1 (often foll. By on) produce (a pattern) with a stencil. 2 mark (a surface) in this way. [french estanceler sparkle, from latin scintilla spark]
Peroxide  —n. 1 a = *hydrogen peroxide. B (often attrib.) Solution of hydrogen peroxide used esp. To bleach the hair. 2 compound of oxygen with another element containing the greatest possible proportion of oxygen. —v. (-ding) bleach (the hair) with peroxide. [from *per-, *oxide]
Howitzer  n. Short gun for the high-angle firing of shells. [czech houfnice catapult]

Heavier-than-air  attrib. Adj. (of an aircraft) weighing more than the air it displaces.
Snp  abbr. Scottish national party.
Hotelier  n. Hotel-keeper.
Concession  n. 1 a conceding. B thing conceded. 2 reduction in price for a certain category of persons. 3 a right to use land etc. B right to sell goods in a particular territory.  concessionary adj. [latin: related to *concede]
Rethink  —v. (past and past part. Rethought) consider again, esp. With a view to making changes. —n. Reassessment; rethinking.
Sister-in-law  n. (pl. Sisters-in-law) 1 sister of one's wife or husband. 2 wife of one's brother.


Flooring  n. Material of which a floor is made.


Salting  n. (esp. In pl.) Marsh overflowed by the sea.

Long-running  adj. Continuing for a long time (a long-running musical).
Untested  adj. Not tested or proved.


Console1  v. (-ling) comfort, esp. In grief or disappointment. [latin: related to *solace]

Blood-money  n. 1 money paid as compensation for a death. 2 money paid to a killer.


Sequencer  n. Programmable electronic device for storing sequences of musical notes, chords, etc., and transmitting them when required to an electronic musical instrument.  sequencing n.
Hyphenate  v. (-ting) 1 write (a compound word) with a hyphen. 2 join (words) with a hyphen.  hyphenation n.



Opportune  adj. 1 well-chosen or especially favourable (opportune moment). 2 (of an action or event) well-timed. [latin opportunus (of the wind) driving towards the *port1]

Byroad  n. Minor road.

Monastery  n. (pl. -ies) residence of a community of monks. [latin monasterium from greek monazo alone]



Camcorder  n. Combined video camera and sound recorder. [from *camera, *recorder]

Anatomy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 science of animal or plant structure. 2 such a structure. 3 analysis.  anatomical adj. Anatomist n. [greek ana- up, temno cut]
Simulate  v. (-ting) 1 pretend to be, have, or feel. 2 imitate or counterfeit. 3 reproduce the conditions of (a situation etc.), e.g. For training. 4 produce a computer model of (a process).  simulation n. Simulator n. [latin: related to *similar]
Decimal point  n. Dot placed before the fraction in a decimal fraction.
Vegan  —n. Person who does not eat animals or animal products. —adj. Using or containing no animal products. [shortening of *vegetarian]
Dramatic  adj. 1 of drama. 2 sudden and exciting or unexpected. 3 vividly striking. 4 (of a gesture etc.) Theatrical.  dramatically adv. [greek: related to *drama]
Narwhal  n. Arctic white whale, the male of which has a long tusk. [dutch from danish]
Dunnock  n. Hedge sparrow. [apparently from *dun]
Het up  predic. Adj. Colloq. Excited, overwrought. [het, a dial. Word = heated]



Pot-boiler  n. Piece of art, writing, etc. Done merely to earn money.

Elevenses  n. Colloq. Light refreshment taken at about 11 a.m.

Recoup  v. 1 recover or regain (a loss). 2 compensate or reimburse for a loss.  recoupment n. [french recouper cut back]


Counter-espionage  n. Action taken against enemy spying.
 
Glutamate  n. Salt or ester of glutamic acid, esp. A sodium salt used to enhance the flavour of food.
Spring onion  n. Young onion eaten raw.


Niggardly  adj. Stingy.  niggardliness n.
Back-breaking  adj. (esp. Of manual work) extremely hard.

Barracouta  n. (pl. Same or -s) long slender fish of southern oceans. [var. Of *barracuda]
Gigolo  n. (pl. -s) young man paid by an older woman to be her escort or lover. [french]
Expel  v. (-ll-) (often foll. By from) 1 deprive (a person) of membership etc. Of a school, society, etc. 2 force out, eject. 3 order or force to leave a building etc. [latin pello puls- drive]
Baggy  adj. (-ier, -iest) hanging loosely.  baggily adv. Bagginess n.

Endocrine  adj. (of a gland) secreting directly into the blood. [greek krino sift]
Chevron  n. V-shaped line or stripe. [latin caper goat]



Coaxial  adj. 1 having a common axis. 2 electr. (of a cable or line) transmitting by means of two concentric conductors separated by an insulator.
Stalk2  —v. 1 pursue (game or an enemy) stealthily. 2 stride, walk in a haughty manner. 3 formal or rhet. Move silently or threateningly through (a place) (fear stalked the land). —n. 1 stalking of game. 2 haughty gait. [old english: related to *steal]
Ballroom  n. Large room for dancing.
Parry  —v. (-ies, -ied) 1 avert or ward off (a weapon or attack), esp. With a countermove. 2 deal skilfully with (an awkward question etc.). —n. (pl. -ies) act of parrying. [italian parare ward off]
Broad-minded  adj. Tolerant, liberal.
Interpreter  n. Person who interprets, esp. One who translates foreign speech orally.
Connoisseur  n. (often foll. By of, in) expert judge in matters of taste. [french connaître know]


Chrysolite  n. Precious variety of olivine. [greek khrusos gold, lithos stone]
Small hours  n.pl. Period soon after midnight.

Nocturnal  adj. Of or in the night; done or active by night.  [latin nox noct- night]




Cucumber  n. 1 long green fleshy fruit, used in salads. 2 climbing plant yielding this. [french from latin]
Creed  n. 1 set of principles or beliefs. 2 system of religious belief. 3 (often the creed) formal summary of christian doctrine. [latin: related to *credo]





Jerky  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 moving suddenly or abruptly. 2 spasmodic.  jerkily adv. Jerkiness n.
Aa  abbr. 1 automobile association. 2 alcoholics anonymous. 3 anti-aircraft.
Gallo-  comb. Form french. [latin]
Perihelion  n. (pl. -lia) point of a planet's or comet's orbit where it is nearest the sun's centre. [related to *peri-, greek helios sun]
Browbeat  v. (past -beat; past part. -beaten) intimidate, bully.
Achievement  n. 1 something achieved. 2 act of achieving.
Townee  var. Of *townie.
Haunt  —v. 1 (of a ghost) visit (a place) regularly. 2 frequent (a place). 3 linger in the mind of. —n. Place frequented by a person or animal. [french from germanic]
Glandular  adj. Of a gland or glands.
Felony  n. (pl. -ies) serious, usu. Violent, crime.  felonious adj.




Cheque  n. 1 written order to a bank to pay the stated sum from the drawer's account. 2 printed form on which this is written. [from *check]






Boxer  n. 1 person who boxes, esp. As a sport. 2 medium-size short-haired dog with a puglike face.
Oblige  v. (-ging) 1 constrain, compel. 2 be binding on. 3 do (a person) a small favour, help. 4 (as obliged adj.) Indebted, grateful.  much obliged thank you. [latin obligo bind]

Lactation  n. 1 secretion of milk. 2 suckling. [latin: related to *lactic]
Viola2  n. Any plant of the genus including the pansy and violet, esp. A cultivated hybrid. [latin, = violet]

Unbending  adj. 1 inflexible. 2 firm; austere.
Softie  n. (also softy) (pl. -ies) colloq. Weak, silly, or soft-hearted person.



Dual carriageway  n. Road with a dividing strip between traffic flowing in opposite directions.

Regenerate  —v. (-ting) 1 bring or come into renewed existence; generate again. 2 improve the moral condition of. 3 impart new, more vigorous, or spiritually higher life or nature to. 4 biol.

Reformism  n. Policy of reform rather than abolition or revolution.  reformist n. & adj.






Royal marine  n. British marine (see *marine n. 1).

Vying  pres. Part. Of *vie.


Procurator  n. Agent or proxy, esp. With power of attorney. [latin procurator agent]
Panda car  n. Police patrol car.




Usage  in sense 1a, the negative (i.e. Lack of obligation) is expressed by not have to or need not; must not denotes positive forbidding, as in you must not smoke.

Lives  pl. Of *life.

Differ  v. 1 (often foll. By from) be unlike or distinguishable. 2 (often foll. By with) disagree. [latin differo, dilat- bring apart]

Topsy-turvy  adv. & adj. 1 upside down. 2 in utter confusion. [from *top1, obsolete terve overturn]
Fourth  adj. & n. 1 next after third. 2 any of four equal parts of a thing.  fourthly adv. [old english: related to *four]

Fiesta  n. Holiday, festivity, or religious festival. [spanish]
Meritocracy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 government by those selected for merit. 2 group selected in this way. 3 society governed thus.


Pentatonic  adj. Consisting of five musical notes.


Mahatma  n. 1 (in india etc.) Revered person. 2 one of a class of persons supposed by some buddhists to have preternatural powers. [sanskrit, = great soul]



Tranquil  adj. Calm, serene, undisturbed.  tranquillity n. Tranquilly adv. [latin]



Humdrum  adj. Commonplace, dull, monotonous. [a reduplication of *hum]

Drug  —n. 1 medicinal substance. 2 (esp. Addictive) narcotic, hallucinogen, or stimulant. —v. (-gg-) 1 add a drug to (food or drink). 2 a give a drug to. B stupefy. [french]




Usage  feasible should not be used to mean ‘possible’ or ‘probable’ in the sense ‘likely’. ‘possible’ or ‘probable’ should be used instead.
Mole1  n. 1 small burrowing mammal with dark velvety fur and very small eyes. 2  slang spy established in a position of trust in an organization. [low german or dutch]
Lynch law  n. Procedure followed when a person is lynched.
Whiff  n. 1 puff or breath of air, smoke, etc. 2 smell. 3 (foll. By of) trace of scandal etc. 4 small cigar. [imitative]



Cogitate  v. (-ting) ponder, meditate.  cogitation n. Cogitative adj. [latin cogito]

Liaise  v. (-sing) (foll. By with, between) colloq. Establish cooperation, act as a link. [back-formation from *liaison]

Bridge2  n. Card-game derived from whist. [origin unknown]
Doodle  —v. (-ling) scribble or draw, esp. Absent-mindedly. —n. Such a scribble or drawing. [originally = foolish person]



Surtax  n. Additional tax, esp. On high incomes. [french: related to *sur-1]

Slipped disc  n. Displaced disc between vertebrae causing lumbar pain.

Sharp practice  n. Dishonest or dubious dealings.
Zero-rated  adj. On which no vat is charged.
Station-wagon  n. Esp. Us estate car.
I 
Premeditate  v. (-ting) think out or plan beforehand (premeditated murder).  premeditation n. [latin: related to *meditate]
Necromancy  n. 1 divination by supposed communication with the dead. 2 magic.  necromancer n. [from *necro-, mantis seer]


Silvery  adj. 1 like silver in colour or appearance. 2 having a clear gentle ringing sound.




Sidle  v. (-ling) (usu. Foll. By along, up) walk timidly or furtively. [shortening of *sidelong]
Greyhound  n. Dog of a tall slender breed capable of high speed. [old english, = bitch-hound]





Toll-road  n. Road maintained by the tolls collected on it.

Softly-softly  adj. (also softly, softly) (of strategy) cautious and cunning.
Mistle thrush  n. (also missel thrush) large thrush with a spotted breast, feeding on mistletoe berries.  [old english]
Cure  —v. (-ring) 1 (often foll. By of) restore to health; relieve (cured of pleurisy). 2 eliminate (disease, evil, etc.). 3 preserve (meat, fruit, etc.) By salting, drying, etc. 4 vulcanize (rubber); harden (plastic etc.). —n. 1 restoration to health. 2 thing effecting a cure. 3 course of treatment. 4 curacy. [latin cura care]


Pale2  n. 1 pointed piece of wood for fencing etc.; stake. 2 boundary.  beyond the pale outside the bounds of acceptable behaviour. [latin palus]



Hachures  n.pl. Parallel lines on a map indicating the degree of steepness of hills. [french: related to *hatch3]
Highway  n. 1 a public road. B main route. 2 direct course of action (on the highway to success).
Resat  past and past part. Of *resit.
Double standard  n. Rule or principle not impartially applied.



Signora  n. Title used of or to an italian-speaking esp. Married woman.


Speed  —n. 1 rapidity of movement. 2 rate of progress or motion. 3 gear appropriate to a range of speeds of a bicycle. 4 photog. A sensitivity of film to light. B light-gathering power of a lens. C duration of an exposure. 5 slang amphetamine drug. 6 archaic success, prosperity. —v. (past and past part. Sped) 1 go or send quickly. 2 (past and past part. Speeded) travel at an illegal or dangerous speed. 3 archaic be or make prosperous or successful.  at speed moving quickly. Speed up move or work faster.  speeder n. [old english]

Sola  n. Pithy-stemmed e. Indian swamp plant. [urdu]
Implication  n. 1 thing implied. 2 implicating or implying.

Magical  adj. 1 of magic. 2 resembling, or produced as if by, magic. 3 wonderful, enchanting.  magically adv.

Roe2  n. (pl. Same or -s) (also roe-deer) small kind of deer. [old english]
Hit list  n. Slang list of prospective victims.
Recordist  n. Person who records sound.

Valour  n. (us valor) courage, esp. In battle.  valorous adj. [latin valeo be strong]
Ju-jitsu  n. (also jiu-jitsu, ju-jutsu) japanese system of unarmed combat and physical training. [japanese jujutsu gentle skill]
Headgear  n. Hat or headdress.
Aesthete  n. Person who has or professes a special appreciation of beauty. [greek aisthanomai perceive]
Dealer  n. 1 trader in (esp. Retail) goods (car-dealer; dealer in tobacco). 2 player dealing at cards. 3 jobber on the stock exchange.


Unleaded  adj. (of petrol etc.) Without added lead.
Tiger lily  n. Tall garden lily with dark-spotted orange flowers.



Woke  past of *wake1.

Confederate  —adj. Esp. Polit. Allied. —n. 1 ally, esp. (in a bad sense) accomplice. 2 (confederate) supporter of the confederate states. —v. (-ting) (often foll. By with) bring or come into alliance. [latin: related to *federal]


Asparagus  n. 1 plant of the lily family. 2 edible shoots of this. [latin from greek]

Gyrfalcon  n. Large falcon of the northern hemisphere. [french from old norse]

Have-not  n. (usu. In pl.) Colloq. Person lacking wealth or resources.
House of cards  n. Insecure scheme etc.
Lich-gate  n. (also lych-gate) roofed gateway to a churchyard where a coffin awaits the clergyman's arrival. [from lich = corpse]

Redirect  v. 1 direct again; send in a different direction. 2 readdress (a letter etc.).

Declination  n. 1 downward bend or turn. 2 angular distance of a star etc. North or south of the celestial equator. 3 deviation of a compass needle from true north.  declinational adj. [latin: related to *decline]

Mawkish  adj. Feebly sentimental; sickly.  mawkishly adv. Mawkishness n. [obsolete mawk *maggot]
Rosewood  n. Any of several fragrant close-grained woods used in making furniture.

Heliotrope  n. Plant with fragrant purple flowers. [greek: related to *helio-, trepo turn]
Drop-out  n. Colloq. Person who has dropped out of conventional society, a course of study, etc.


Banger  n. 1 slang sausage. 2 slang noisy old car. 3 firework designed to go bang.

Imprecise  adj. Not precise.  imprecisely adv. Impreciseness n. Imprecision n.

Gneiss  n. Coarse-grained metamorphic rock of feldspar, quartz, and mica. [german]
Waggish  adj. Playful, facetious.  waggishly adv. Waggishness n.
Rancour  n. (us rancor) inveterate bitterness, malignant hate.  rancorous adj. [latin rancor: related to *rancid]



Seneschal  n. Steward of a medieval great house. [french, = old servant]

Handbag  n. Small bag carried esp. By a woman.

Consummate  —v. (-ting) 1 complete; make perfect. 2 complete (a marriage) by sexual intercourse. —adj. Complete, perfect; fully skilled.  consummation n. [latin summus utmost]
Typify  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 be typical of. 2 represent by or as a type or symbol.  typification n. [latin: related to *type]
Repartee  n. 1 practice or skill of making witty retorts. 2 conversation characterized by such retorts. [french repartie from repartir reply promptly: related to *part]
Apparition  n. Remarkable or unexpected thing that appears; ghost or phantom.
Pederast  n. (also paederast) man who engages in pederasty.
Broker  n. 1 agent; middleman. 2 member of the stock exchange dealing in stocks and shares. 3 official appointed to sell or appraise distrained goods.  broking n. [anglo-french]



Uncivilized  adj. (also -ised) 1 not civilized. 2 rough; uncultured.
Scorched earth policy  n. Policy of destroying anything that might be of use to an invading enemy.
Seclude  v. (-ding) (also refl.) 1 keep (a person or place) apart from others. 2 (esp. As secluded adj.) Screen from view. [latin secludo -clus-]
Torn  past part. Of *tear1.
Overborne  past part. Of *overbear.
Back-boiler  n. Boiler behind a domestic fire.


Pharisee  n. 1 member of an ancient jewish sect, distinguished by strict observance of the traditional and written law. 2 self-righteous person; hypocrite.  pharisaic adj. [hebrew parûs]
Assist  v. (often foll. By in + verbal noun) help.  assistance n. [latin assisto stand by]
Hill-billy  n. Us colloq., often derog. Person from a remote rural area in a southern state.
Shim  —n. Thin wedge in machinery etc. To make parts fit. —v. (-mm-) fit or fill up with a shim. [origin unknown]

Schoolhouse  n. School building, esp. In a village.
Patchy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 uneven in quality. 2 having or existing in patches.  patchily adv. Patchiness n.

Clavicle  n. Collar-bone. [latin clavis key]

Unhinge  v. (-ging) 1 take (a door etc.) Off its hinges. 2 (esp. As unhinged adj.) Make mad or crazy.



Bradawl  n. Small pointed tool for boring holes by hand.
 
Good-tempered  adj. Having a good temper; not easily annoyed.







Trotskyism  n. Political principles of l. Trotsky, esp. As urging worldwide socialist revolution.  trotskyist n. Trotskyite n. Derog.



Portal  n. Doorway or gate etc., esp. An elaborate one. [latin: related to *port4]
Needle  —n. 1 a very thin pointed rod of smooth steel etc. With a slit (‘eye’) for thread at the blunt end, used in sewing. B larger plastic, wooden, etc. Slender rod without an eye, used in knitting etc. 2 pointer on a dial. 3 any of several small thin pointed instruments, esp.: a the end of a hypodermic syringe. B = *stylus 1. 4 a obelisk (cleopatra's needle). B pointed rock or peak. 5 leaf of a fir or pine tree. 6 (the needle) slang fit of bad temper or nervousness. —v. (-ling) colloq. Irritate; provoke. [old english]
Snap  —v. (-pp-) 1 break suddenly or with a cracking sound. 2 (cause to) emit a sudden sharp crack. 3 open or close with a snapping sound. 4 speak or say irritably. 5 (often foll. By at) make a sudden audible bite. 6 move quickly (snap into action). 7  photograph. —n. 1 act or sound of snapping. 2 crisp biscuit (brandy snap). 3 snapshot. 4 (in full cold snap) sudden brief spell of cold weather. 5  a card-game in which players call ‘snap’ when two similar cards are exposed. B (as int.) On noticing an (often unexpected) similarity. 6 vigour, liveliness. —adv. With a snap (heard it go snap). —adj. Done without forethought (snap decision).  snap out of slang get rid of (a mood, etc.) By a sudden effort. Snap up accept (an offer etc.) Quickly or eagerly. [low german or dutch snappen seize]
Pathology  n. The study or symptoms of disease.  pathologist n. [greek pathos: related to *pathetic]
Collegiate  adj. 1 of, or constituted as, a college; corporate. 2 (of a university) consisting of different colleges.


Long shot  n. 1 wild guess or venture. 2 bet at long odds.






Foul  —adj. 1 offensive; loathsome, stinking. 2 soiled, filthy. 3 colloq. Disgusting, awful. 4 a noxious (foul air). B clogged, choked. 5 obscenely abusive (foul language). 6 unfair; against the rules (by fair means or foul). 7 (of the weather) rough, stormy. 8 (of a rope etc.) Entangled. —n. 1 sport foul stroke or play. 2 collision, entanglement. —adv. Unfairly. —v. 1 make or become foul. 2 (of an animal) foul with excrement. 3 sport commit a foul against (a player). 4 (often foll. By up) a (cause to) become entangled or blocked. B bungle. 5 collide with.  foully adv. Foulness n. [old english]







Decimal  —adj. 1 (of a system of numbers, weights, measures, etc.) Based on the number ten. 2 of tenths or ten; reckoning or proceeding by tens. —n. Decimal fraction. [latin decem ten]
Ghastly  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 horrible, frightful. 2 colloq. Unpleasant. 3 deathlike, pallid.   ghastliness n. [obsolete gast terrify]
Inextinguishable  adj. That cannot be extinguished or destroyed.

Fibrous  adj. Of or like fibres.

Winkle  —n. Small edible sea snail. —v. (-ling) (foll. By out) extract with difficulty. [abbreviation of *periwinkle2]
Fusspot  n. Colloq. Person given to fussing.
Half-baked  adj. Colloq. 1 not thoroughly thought out; foolish. 2 (of enthusiasm etc.) Only partly committed.




Mongoose  n. (pl. -s) small flesh-eating civet-like mammal. [marathi]
Irascible  adj. Irritable; hot-tempered.  irascibility n. Irascibly adv. [latin irascor grow angry, from ira anger]




Equidistant  adj. At equal distances.
Bridgework  n. Dentistry dental structure covering a gap, joined to the teeth on either side.
Usage  when ever is used with a question word for emphasis it is written separately (see sense 2). When used with a relative pronoun or adverb to give it indefinite or general force, ever is written as one word with the relative pronoun or adverb, e.g. However it's done, it's difficult.


Dynamic  adj. 1 energetic; active. 2 physics a of motive force. B of force in actual operation. 3 of dynamics.  dynamically adv. [greek dunamis power]
Archbishop  n. Chief bishop of a province.

Autobahn  n. (pl. -s) german, austrian, or swiss motorway. [german]

 



Gaulish  —adj. Of the gauls. —n. Their language.
Gas fire  n. Domestic heater burning gas.
Rattle  —v. (-ling) 1 a give out a rapid succession of short sharp hard sounds. B cause to do this. C cause such sounds by shaking something. 2 (often foll. By along) a move with a rattling noise. B move or travel briskly. 3 a (usu. Foll. By off) say or recite rapidly. B (usu. Foll. By on) talk in a lively thoughtless way. 4 colloq. Disconcert, alarm. —n. 1 rattling sound. 2 device or plaything made to rattle.  rattly adj. [probably low german or dutch]

Inquisitorial  adj. 1 of or like an inquisitor. 2 prying.  inquisitorially adv.
Cbe  abbr. Commander of the order of the british empire.
Swallow-tail  n. 1 deeply forked tail. 2 butterfly etc. With this.
Nautical  adj. Of sailors or navigation. [greek nautes sailor]
Anoint  v. 1 apply oil or ointment to, esp. Ritually. 2 (usu. Foll. By with) smear. [latin inungo anoint]
Aerodynamics  n.pl. (usu. Treated as sing.) Dynamics of solid bodies moving through air.  aerodynamic adj.
Striate  —adj. (also striated) marked with striae. —v. (-ting) mark with slight ridges.  striation n.
Unmixed  adj. Not mixed.


Pipe-cleaner  n. Piece of flexible tufted wire for cleaning a tobacco-pipe.



Serio-comic  adj. Combining the serious and the comic.








Cllr.  Abbr. Councillor.



Caramel  n. 1 a burnt sugar or syrup as a flavouring or colouring. B a kind of soft toffee. 2 light-brown colour.  caramelize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing). [french from spanish]

Caucasoid  adj. Of caucasians.


Intersection  n. 1 intersecting. 2 place where two roads intersect. 3 point or line common to lines or planes that intersect.
Count2  n. Foreign noble corresponding to an earl. [latin comes companion]


Qc  abbr. Queen's counsel.

Tricolor  n. (brit. Tricolour) flag of three bands of different colours, esp. The french or irish national flags. [french: related to *tri-]

Fraudulent  adj. Of, involving, or guilty of fraud.  fraudulence n. Fraudulently adv. [latin: related to *fraud]
Flood  —n. 1 a overflowing or influx of water, esp. Over land; inundation. B the water that overflows. 2 outpouring; torrent (flood of tears). 3 inflow of the tide (also in comb.: flood-tide).

Spawn  —v. 1 a (of a fish, frog, etc.) Produce (eggs). B be produced as eggs or young. 2 produce or generate in large numbers. —n. 1 eggs of fish, frogs, etc. 2 mycelium of mushrooms or other fungi. [anglo-french espaundre: related to *expand]


Tigress  n. Female tiger.




Doubtless  adv. Certainly; probably.



Alternate  —v. (-ting) 1 (often foll. By with) occur or cause to occur by turns. 2 (foll. By between) go repeatedly from one to another (alternated between hope and fear). —adj. 1 (with noun in pl.) Every other (on alternate days). 2 (of things of two kinds) alternating (alternate joy and misery).  alternately adv. Alternation n. [latin alterno do by turns: related to *alter]
Spaghetti western  n. Cowboy film made cheaply in italy.
Cosy  (us cozy) —adj. (-ier, -iest) comfortable and warm; snug. —n. (pl. -ies) cover to keep a teapot etc. Hot.  cosily adv. Cosiness n. [origin unknown]
Ringside  n. Area immediately beside a boxing or circus ring etc. (often attrib.: ringside view).
Day-to-day  adj. Mundane, routine.

-lysis  comb. Form forming nouns denoting disintegration or decomposition (electrolysis). [greek lusis loosening]



Three-way  adj. Involving three directions or participants.
Arris  n. Archit. Sharp edge at the junction of two surfaces. [french areste, = *arête]
Molecule  n. 1 smallest fundamental unit (usu. A group of atoms) of a chemical compound that can take part in a chemical reaction. 2 (in general use) small particle. [latin diminutive: related to *mole3]


Thrown  past part of *throw.
Flesh-wound  n. Superficial wound.
Disjunctive  adj. 1 involving separation. 2 (of a conjunction) expressing an alternative, e.g. Or in is it wet or dry?
Bucket seat  n. Seat with a rounded back for one person, esp. In a car.
Measles  n.pl. (also treated as sing.) Infectious viral disease marked by a red rash. [low german masele or dutch masel]
Upholster  v. Provide (furniture) with upholstery. [back formation from *upholsterer]

Verily  adv. Archaic really, truly. [from *very]
Tm  symb. Thulium.
Hatchet  n. Light short-handled axe. [french hachette]
Restaurant car  n. Dining-car.


Railing  n. (usu. In pl.) Fence or barrier made of rails.
Irritant  —adj. Causing irritation. —n. Irritant substance.
Vice2  n. (us vise) clamp with two jaws holding an object so as to leave the hands free to work on it. [vis screw, from latin vitis vine]
Ufo  n. (also ufo) (pl. -s) unidentified flying object.
Soldier of fortune  n. Mercenary.
Condor  n. Large s. American vulture. [spanish from quechua]
Milk shake  n. Drink of whisked milk, flavouring, etc.
Nominee  n. Person who is nominated.
Abrupt  adj. 1 sudden, hasty (abrupt end). 2 (of manner etc.) Curt. 3 steep, precipitous.  abruptly adv. Abruptness n. [latin: related to *rupture]
Contractible  adj. That can be shrunk or drawn together.
Cartouche  n. 1 scroll-like ornamentation. 2 oval ring enclosing the name and title of a pharaoh. [french: related to *cartoon]
Concerted  adj. 1 jointly arranged or planned. 2 mus. Arranged in parts for voices or instruments.
Spat3  n. Colloq. Petty or brief quarrel. [probably imitative]


Academic  —adj. 1 scholarly, of learning. 2 of no practical relevance; theoretical. —n. Teacher or scholar in a university etc.  academically adv.
Bob3  n.  bob's your uncle slang expression of completion or success. [pet form of robert]
Sub rosa  adj. & adv. In secrecy or confidence. [latin, = under the rose]

Saw2  past of *see1.
Radon  n. Gaseous radioactive inert element arising from the disintegration of radium.
Ampelopsis  n. (pl. Same) climbing plant related to the vine. [greek ampelos vine, opsis appearance]
Arthropod  n. Invertebrate with a segmented body and jointed limbs, e.g. An insect, spider, or crustacean. [greek arthron joint, pous pod- foot]




Abhorrence  n. Disgust; detestation.


Civil disobedience  n. Refusal to comply with certain laws as a peaceful protest.
Veggie  n. (also vegie) colloq. Vegetarian. [abbreviation]

Peatbog  n. Bog composed of peat.
Necktie  n. Esp. Us = *tie n. 2.


Rapier  n. 1 light slender sword for thrusting. 2 (attrib.) Sharp (rapier wit). [french rapière]
Pail  n. 1 bucket. 2 amount contained in this.  pailful n. (pl. -s). [old english]

Apology  n. (pl. -ies) 1 statement of regret for an offence or failure. 2 explanation or defence. 3 (foll. By for) poor specimen of. [greek apologia from apologeomai speak in defence]
Slantwise  adv. Aslant.
Mystical  adj. 1 of mystics or mysticism. 2 mysterious; occult; of hidden meaning. 3 spiritually allegorical or symbolic.  mystically adv.

Obstreperous  adj. 1 turbulent, unruly. 2 noisy.  obstreperously adv. Obstreperousness n. [latin obstrepo shout at]




Anklet  n. Ornament or fetter worn round the ankle.
Stuck  past and past part. Of *stick2.


Puberty  n. Period of sexual maturation.  pubertal adj. [latin puber adult]
Reduce  v. (-cing) 1 make or become smaller or less. 2 (foll. By to) bring by force or necessity (to some undesirable state or action) (reduced them to tears; reduced to begging). 3 convert to another (esp. Simpler) form (reduced it to a powder). 4 convert (a fraction) to the form with the lowest terms. 5 (foll. By to) bring, simplify, or adapt by classification or analysis (the dispute may be reduced to three issues). 6 make lower in status or rank. 7 lower the price of. 8 lessen one's weight or size. 9 weaken (is in a very reduced state). 10 impoverish. 11 subdue, bring back to obedience. 12 chem. A (cause to) combine with hydrogen. B (cause to) undergo addition of electrons. 13 a (in surgery) restore (a dislocated etc. Part) to its proper position. B remedy (a dislocation etc.) In this way.  reducible adj. [latin duco bring]

Heartbeat  n. Pulsation of the heart.
Unwritten  adj. 1 not written. 2 (of a law etc.) Based on custom or judicial decision, not on statute.

A/c  abbr. Account. [account current]
Barnyard  n. Area around a barn.


Astrology  n. Study of supposed planetary influence on human affairs.  astrologer n. Astrological adj. Astrologist n. [greek astron star]
Hyssop  n. 1 small bushy aromatic herb, formerly used medicinally. 2 bibl. Plant whose twigs were used for sprinkling in jewish rites. [ultimately from greek hyssopos, of semitic origin]


Cannon-fodder  n. Soldiers regarded as expendable.
Rend  v. (past and past part. Rent) archaic tear or wrench forcibly. [old english]
Rotate  v. (-ting) 1 move round an axis or centre, revolve. 2 take or arrange (esp. Crops) in rotation. 3 act or take place in rotation (chairmanship will rotate).  rotatable adj. Rotatory adj. [latin: related to *rota]
Pleasantry  n. (pl. -ies) 1 amusing or polite remark. 2 humorous speech. 3 jocularity.
Overeat  v. (past -ate; past part. -eaten) eat too much.



Embrasure  n. 1 bevelling of a wall at the sides of a window etc. 2 opening in a parapet for a gun etc.  embrasured adj. [french embraser splay]
Foolproof  adj. (of a procedure, mechanism, etc.) Incapable of misuse or mistake.


Standard-bearer  n. 1 soldier who carries a standard. 2 prominent leader in a cause.
Ecu  n. (also ecu) (pl. -s) european currency unit. [abbreviation]


Tunnel  —n. 1 underground passage dug through a hill or under a road, river, etc., esp. For a railway or road. 2 underground passage dug by an animal. —v. (-ll-; us -l-) 1 (foll. By through, into, etc.) Make a tunnel through. 2 make (one's way) by tunnelling. [french diminutive of tonne *tun]
Libra  n. 1 constellation and seventh sign of the zodiac (the scales). 2 person born when the sun is in this sign. [latin, = pound weight]


Oarsman  n. (fem. Oarswoman) rower.  oarsmanship n.



Intercontinental  adj. Connecting or travelling between continents.
Green-room  n. Room in a theatre for actors and actresses who are off stage.

Ball-and-socket joint  n. Joint in which a rounded end lies in a concave socket.
Safe conduct  n. 1 immunity given from arrest or harm. 2 document securing this.




Reef-knot  n. Symmetrical double knot.
Superannuate  v. (-ting) 1 pension (a person) off. 2 dismiss or discard as too old. 3 (as superannuated adj.) Too old for work or use. [latin annus year]
Tzatziki  n. Greek side dish of yoghurt with cucumber. [modern greek]

Anathema  n. (pl. -s) 1 detested thing (is anathema to me). 2 ecclesiastical curse. [greek, = thing devoted (i.e. To evil)]



Carving knife  n. Knife for carving meat.
Seabed  n. Ocean floor.

Commissary  n. (pl. -ies) 1 deputy, delegate. 2 us mil. Store for supplies of food etc. [latin: related to *commit]
Biretta  n. Square usu. Black cap worn by roman catholic priests. [latin birrus cape]

Cold feet  n.pl. Colloq. Loss of nerve.
Colonnade  n. Row of columns, esp. Supporting an entablature or roof.  colonnaded adj. [french: related to *column]
Chafe  —v. (-fing) 1 make or become sore or damaged by rubbing. 2 make or become annoyed; fret. 3 rub (esp. The skin to restore warmth or sensation). —n. Sore caused by rubbing. [latin calefacio make warm]
Archaism  n. 1 use of the archaic esp. In language or art. 2 archaic word or expression.  archaistic adj.

Window-seat  n. 1 seat below a window, esp. In an alcove. 2 seat next to a window in an aircraft, train, etc.
Chosen  past part. Of *choose.
Unforeseen  adj. Not foreseen.
Naval  adj. 1 of the or a navy. 2 of ships. [latin navis ship]


Rising  —adj. 1 advancing to maturity or high standing (rising young lawyer). 2 approaching a specified age (rising five). 3 (of ground) sloping upwards. —n. Revolt or insurrection.

Spanish  —adj. Of spain, its people, or language. —n. 1 the language of spain and spanish america. 2 (the spanish) (pl.) The people of spain. [spain in europe]
Committal  n. Act of committing, esp. To prison.
Indue  var. Of *endue.
Nether regions  n.pl. (also nether world) hell; the underworld.
Fire-power  n. Destructive capacity of guns etc.
Impropriety  n. (pl. -ies) 1 lack of propriety; indecency. 2 instance of this. 3 incorrectness.





Full moon  n. 1 moon with its whole disc illuminated. 2 time of this.
Nat.  Abbr. 1 national. 2 nationalist. 3 natural.
Legend  n. 1 a traditional story; myth. B these collectively. 2 colloq. Famous or remarkable event or person. 3 inscription. 4 explanation on a map etc. Of symbols used. [latin legenda what is to be read]
Ad hoc  adv. & adj. For one particular occasion or use. [latin]
Slavish  adj. 1 like slaves. 2 without originality.  slavishly adv.
Ny  abbr. Us new york.
Rearm  v. (also absol.) Arm again, esp. With improved weapons.  rearmament n.
Sugar cane  n. Tropical grass yielding sugar.


Vigilante  n. Member of a self-appointed group maintaining order etc. [spanish, = vigilant]

Careworn  adj. Showing the effects of prolonged worry.

Pliocene  geol. —adj. Of the last epoch of the tertiary period. —n. This epoch. [greek pleion more, kainos new]


White noise  n. Noise containing many frequencies with equal intensities.
Mexican  —n. 1 native or national of mexico. 2 person of mexican descent. —adj. Of mexico or its people. [spanish]
Trochee  n. Prosody metrical foot consisting of one long followed by one short syllable (&trochee.).  trochaic adj. [greek, = running]



Clobber2  n. Slang clothing, belongings. [origin unknown]


Peristalsis  n. Involuntary muscular wavelike movement by which the contents of the digestive tract are propelled along it. [greek peristello wrap around]
Card-table  n. (esp. Folding) table for card-playing.
Bad blood  n. Ill feeling.

Vernacular  —n. 1 language or dialect of a particular country. 2 language of a particular class or group. 3 homely speech. —adj. (of language) native; not foreign or formal. [latin vernaculus native]
Pep talk  n. (usu. Short) talk intended to enthuse, encourage, etc.
Inconceivable  adj. 1 that cannot be imagined. 2 colloq. Most unlikely.  inconceivably adv.

Descent  n. 1 act or way of descending. 2 downward slope. 3 lineage, family origin. 4 decline; fall. 5 sudden attack.

Front bench  n. Seats in parliament occupied by leading members of the government and opposition.
Bubble  —n. 1 a thin sphere of liquid enclosing air etc. B air-filled cavity in a liquid or solidified liquid. 2 transparent domed canopy. 3 visionary or unrealistic project. —v. (-ling) 1 rise in or send up bubbles. 2 make the sound of boiling.  bubble over (often foll. By with) be exuberant. [imitative]


Emotive  adj. 1 arousing emotion. 2 of emotion. [latin: related to *motion]
Dictatorial  adj. 1 of or like a dictator. 2 overbearing.  dictatorially adv. [latin: related to *dictator]
Still2  n. Apparatus for distilling spirits etc. [obsolete still (v.) = *distil]
Office  n. 1 room or building used as a place of business, esp. For clerical or administrative work. 2 room or area for a particular business (ticket office). 3 local centre of a large business (our london office). 4 position with duties attached to it. 5 tenure of an official position (hold office). 6 (office) quarters, staff, or collective authority of a government department etc. (foreign office). 7 duty, task, function. 8 (usu. In pl.) Piece of kindness; service (esp. Through the good offices of). 9 authorized form of worship. [latin officium from opus work, facio fic- do]

Ca  symb. Calcium.
Wherewithal  n. Colloq. Money etc. Needed for a purpose.
Interlocutory  adj. Formal 1 of dialogue. 2 (of a decree etc.) Given provisionally in a legal action.

Filter tip  n. 1 filter on a cigarette removing some impurities. 2 cigarette with this.  filter-tipped adj.
Anon.  Abbr. Anonymous.
Varicoloured  adj. (us varicolored) 1 variegated in colour. 2 of various colours. [latin varius *various]
Mayhem  n. Destruction; havoc. [anglo-french mahem: related to *maim]
Mine2  —n. 1 excavation to extract metal, coal, salt, etc. 2 abundant source (of information etc.). 3 military explosive device placed in the ground or in the water. —v. (-ning) 1 obtain (metal, coal, etc.) From a mine. 2 (also absol., often foll. By for) dig in (the earth etc.) For ore etc. Or to tunnel. 3 lay explosive mines under or in.  mining n. [french]


Theme song  n. (also theme tune) 1 recurrent melody in a musical play or film. 2 signature tune.
Shuttle service  n. Transport service operating to and fro over a short route.

Unattractive  adj. Not attractive.  unattractively adv.
Chapter of accidents  n. Series of misfortunes.

Snowmobile  n. Motor vehicle, esp. With runners or caterpillar tracks, for travel over snow.

Pop-eyed  adj. Colloq. 1 having bulging eyes. 2 wide-eyed (with surprise etc.).

Shiest  superl. Of *shy1.


Akimbo  adv. (of the arms) with hands on the hips and elbows turned outwards. [originally in kenebowe, probably from old norse]
Viscid  adj. Glutinous, sticky. [latin: related to *viscous]
Rename  v. (-ming) name again; give a new name to.
Unfinished  adj. Not finished; incomplete.
Declassify  v. (-ies, -ied) declare (information etc.) To be no longer secret.  declassification n.









Strengthen  v. Make or become stronger.
Upright  —adj. 1 erect, vertical. 2 (of a piano) with vertical strings. 3 honourable or honest. —n. 1 upright post or rod, esp. As a structural support. 2 upright piano. [old english]
Soil pipe  n. Discharge-pipe of a lavatory.
Sprig  —n. 1 small branch or shoot. 2 ornament resembling this, esp. On fabric. —v. (-gg-) ornament with sprigs (sprigged muslin). [low german sprick]

Undershoot  v. (past and past part. -shot) land short of (a runway etc.).


Emir  n. (also amir) title of various muslim rulers. [french from arabic 'amir]
Hebdomadal  adj. Formal weekly, esp. Meeting weekly. [greek hepta seven]




Thermometer  n. Instrument for measuring temperature, esp. A graduated glass tube containing mercury or alcohol. [french: related to *thermo-, *-meter]
Gazpacho  n. (pl. -s) cold spanish soup. [spanish]

Grapple  —v. (-ling) 1 (often foll. By with) fight in close combat. 2 (foll. By with) try to manage (a difficult problem etc.). 3 a grip with the hands; come to close quarters with. B seize with or as with a grapnel. —n. 1 a hold or grip in or as in wrestling. B contest at close quarters. 2 clutching-instrument; grapnel. [french grapil: related to *grapnel]
Tenet  n. Doctrine, principle. [latin, = he holds]






Turmoil  n. 1 violent confusion; agitation. 2 din and bustle. [origin unknown]

Hook  —n. 1 a bent or curved piece of metal etc. For catching hold or for hanging things on. B (in full fish-hook) bent piece of wire for catching fish. 2 curved cutting instrument (reaping-hook). 3 bend in a river, curved strip of land, etc. 4 a hooking stroke. B boxing short swinging blow. —v. 1 grasp or secure with hook(s). 2 catch with or as with a hook. 3 slang steal. 4 (in sports) send (the ball) in a curve or deviating path. 5 rugby secure (the ball) and pass it backward with the foot in the scrum.  by hook or by crook by one means or another. Off the hook 1 colloq. Out of difficulty or trouble. 2 (of a telephone receiver) not on its rest.  [old english]
Congruous  adj. Suitable, agreeing; fitting.  congruity n. [latin: related to *congruent]

High treason  n. = *treason.

Mom  n. Us colloq. Mother. [abbreviation of *momma]

Retail  —n. Sale of goods in small quantities to the public, and usu. Not for resale. —adj. & adv. By retail; at a retail price. —v. 1 sell (goods) by retail. 2 (often foll. By at, of) (of goods) be sold in this way (esp. For a specified price). 3  recount; relate details of.  retailer n. [french taillier cut: related to *tally]

Opossum  n. 1 tree-living american marsupial. 2 austral. & nz = *possum 2. [virginian indian]





Nb  symb. Niobium.


Profit margin  n. Profit after the deduction of costs.
Ante-room  n. Small room leading to a main one.

Abacus  n. (pl. -cuses) 1 frame with wires along which beads are slid for calculating. 2 archit. Flat slab on top of a capital. [latin from greek from hebrew]
Sledge  —n. Vehicle on runners for use on snow. —v. (-ging) travel or convey by sledge. [dutch sleedse]


Herbarium  n. (pl. -ria) 1 systematically arranged collection of dried plants. 2 book, room, etc. For these.
Unholy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 impious, wicked. 2 colloq. Dreadful; outrageous (unholy row).


Envious  adj. Feeling or showing envy.  enviously adv. [anglo-french: related to *envy]

Lemon curd  n. (also lemon cheese) creamy conserve made from lemons.
Anchorage  n. 1 place for anchoring. 2 anchoring or lying at anchor.

Sulphurous acid  n. A weak acid used as a reducing and bleaching acid.
Hafnium  n. Silvery lustrous metallic element. [latin hafnia copenhagen]
Heavy industry  n. Industry producing metal, machinery, etc.
Diwali  n. Hindu and jainist festival with illuminations, held between september and november. [sanskrit dipa lamp]

Crack-up  n. Colloq. Mental breakdown.


Concomitant  —adj. (often foll. By with) accompanying; occurring together. —n. Accompanying thing.  concomitance n. [latin comes comit- companion]


Maj.  Abbr. Major.
Day-dream  —n. Pleasant fantasy or reverie. —v. Indulge in this.  day-dreamer n.



Henceforth  adv. (also henceforward) from this time onwards.
Sing  —v. (past sang; past part. Sung) 1 utter musical sounds, esp. Words with a set tune. 2 utter or produce by singing. 3 (of the wind, a kettle, etc.) Hum, buzz, or whistle. 4 (of the ears) hear a humming sound. 5 slang turn informer. 6 (foll. By of) literary celebrate in verse. —n. Act or spell of singing.  sing out shout. Sing the praises of praise enthusiastically.  singer n. [old english]


Fly1  —v. (flies; past flew; past part. Flown) 1 a (of an aircraft, bird, etc.) Move through the air or space under control, esp. With wings. B travel through the air or space. 2 control the flight of or transport in (esp. An aircraft). 3 a cause to fly or remain aloft. B (of a flag, hair, etc.) Wave or flutter. 4 pass, move, or rise quickly. 5 a flee; flee from. B colloq. Depart hastily. 6 be driven, forced, or scattered (sent me flying). 7 (foll. By at, upon) a hasten or spring violently. B attack or criticize fiercely. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 (usu. In pl.) A concealing flap, esp. Over a trouser-fastening. B this fastening. 2 flap at a tent entrance. 3 (in pl.) Space above a stage where scenery and lighting are suspended. 4 act of flying.  fly high be ambitious; prosper. Fly in the face of disregard or disobey. Fly a kite test opinion. Fly off the handle colloq. Lose one's temper. [old english]



Splenic  adj. Of or in the spleen. [latin from greek: related to *spleen]

Wheelbarrow  n. Small handcart with one wheel and two shafts.

Unman  v. (-nn-) make weak, cowardly, etc.; cause to weep etc.

High water  n. = *high tide.
Ingredient  n. Component part in a mixture. [latin ingredior enter into]



Shadowy  adj. 1 like or having a shadow. 2 vague, indistinct.

Cruzado  n. (pl. -s) chief monetary unit of brazil. [portuguese]
Foul-mouthed  adj. Using obscene or offensive language.



Starlit  adj. 1 lit by stars. 2 with stars visible.

Libel  —n. 1 law a published false statement that is damaging to a person's reputation. B act of publishing this. 2 false and defamatory misrepresentation or statement. —v. (-ll-; us -l-) 1 defame by libellous statements. 2 law publish a libel against.  libellous adj. [latin libellus diminutive of liber book]



Aplomb  n. Skilful self-assurance. [french, = straight as a plummet]
Iron age  n. Period when iron replaced bronze in the making of tools and weapons.
Epilepsy  n. Nervous disorder with convulsions and often loss of consciousness. [greek lambano take]

Watercress  n. Pungent cress growing in running water and used in salad.

Corporal punishment  n. Physical punishment.
Eastern  adj. Of or in the east.  easternmost adj.




Srn  abbr. State registered nurse.

Congressman  n. (fem. Congresswoman) member of the us congress.
Trojan horse  n. 1 hollow wooden horse used by the greeks to enter troy. 2 person or device planted to bring about an enemy's downfall.
Declaration  n. 1 declaring. 2 formal, emphatic, or deliberate statement. [latin: related to *declare]

Bolero  n. (pl. -s) 1  spanish dance, or the music for it, in triple time. 2  woman's short open jacket. [spanish]
Case2  —n. 1 container or enclosing covering. 2 this with its contents. 3 protective outer covering. 4 item of luggage, esp. A suitcase. —v. (-sing) 1 enclose in a case. 2 (foll. By with) surround. 3 slang reconnoitre (a house etc.) Before burgling it. [latin capsa box]
Baccarat  n. Gambling card-game. [french]
Burner  n. Part of a gas cooker, lamp, etc. That emits the flame.




Free vote  n. Parliamentary vote not subject to party discipline.
Demean  v. (usu. Refl.) Lower the dignity of (would not demean myself). [from *mean2]

Manx cat  n. Tailless variety of cat.

Blessed  adj. (also poet. Blest) 1 holy. 2 euphem. Cursed (blessed nuisance!). 3 rc ch. Beatified.  blessedness n.
Humph  int. & n. Inarticulate sound of doubt or dissatisfaction. [imitative]
Shitty  adj. (-ier, -iest) coarse slang 1 disgusting, contemptible. 2 covered with excrement.

Rear2  v. 1 a bring up and educate (children). B breed and care for (animals). C cultivate (crops). 2 (of a horse etc.) Raise itself on its hind legs. 3 a set upright. B build. C hold upwards. 4 extend to a great height. [old english]

Obscurantism  n. Opposition to knowledge and enlightenment.  obscurantist n. & adj. [latin obscurus dark]



Joystick  n. 1 colloq. Control column of an aircraft. 2 lever controlling movement of an image on a vdu screen etc.
Limn  v. Archaic paint. [french luminer from latin lumino *illuminate]
Crustacean  —n. Esp. Aquatic arthropod with a hard shell, e.g. The crab, lobster, and shrimp. —adj. Of crustaceans.
Prayer-wheel  n. Revolving cylindrical box inscribed with or containing prayers, used esp. By tibetan buddhists.

Porthole  n. Aperture (esp. Glazed) in a ship's side for letting in light.


United states  n. (in full united states of america) federal republic of 50 states, mostly in n. America and including alaska and hawaii.

Hanky  n. (also hankie) (pl. -ies) colloq. Handkerchief. [abbreviation]

Nylon  n. 1 tough light elastic synthetic fibre. 2 nylon fabric. 3 (in pl.) Stockings of nylon. [invented word]

Espalier  n. 1 lattice-work along which the branches of a tree or shrub are trained. 2 tree or shrub so trained. [french from italian]
Soil1  n. 1 upper layer of earth in which plants grow. 2 ground belonging to a nation; territory (on french soil). [latin solium seat, solum ground]


Metricate  v. (-ting) convert to a metric system.  metrication n.


Plain chocolate  n. Dark chocolate without added milk.


Private soldier  n. Ordinary soldier other than the officers.
Boa  n. 1 large snake which kills by crushing and suffocating. 2 long stole of feathers or fur. [latin]



Polyethylene  n. = *polythene.


Proviso  n. (pl. -s) 1 stipulation. 2 clause containing this.  provisory adj. [latin, = it being provided]
Unite  v. (-ting) 1 join together; combine, esp. For a common purpose or action (united in their struggle). 2 join in marriage. 3 (cause to) form a physical or chemical whole (oil will not unite with water). [latin unio -it- from unus one]
Olive  —n. 1 small oval hard-stoned fruit, green when unripe and bluish-black when ripe. 2 tree bearing this. 3 its wood. 4 olive green. —adj. 1 olive-green. 2 (of the complexion) yellowish-brown. [latin oliva from greek]
Splotch  n. & v. = *splodge.  splotchy adj. [origin uncertain]
Sprinkling  n. Small sparse number or amount.

Seed-pearl  n. Very small pearl.
Groom  —n. 1 person employed to take care of horses. 2 = *bridegroom. 3 mil. Any of certain officers of the royal household. —v. 1 a curry or tend (a horse). B give a neat appearance to (a person etc.).








Idée fixe  n. (pl. Idées fixes pronunc. Same) dominating idea; obsession. [french, = fixed idea]
Parboil  v. Boil until partly cooked. [latin par- = *per-, confused with *part]

Catachresis  n. (pl. -chreses) incorrect use of words.  catachrestic adj. [greek khraomai use]
Struggle  —v. (-ling) 1 violently try to get free of restraint. 2 (often foll. By for, or to + infin.) Try hard under difficulties (struggled for power; struggled to win). 3 (foll. By with, against) contend; fight. 4 (foll. By along, up, etc.) Progress with difficulty. 5 (esp. As struggling adj.) Have difficulty in gaining recognition or a living (struggling artist). —n. 1 act or spell of struggling. 2 hard or confused contest. [origin uncertain]
Flounder2  n. (pl. Same) 1 edible european flat-fish. 2 n. American flat-fish. [anglo-french, probably scandinavian]
Uncured  adj. 1 not cured. 2 (of pork etc.) Not salted or smoked.
First lady  n. (in the us) wife of the president.

Arrest  —v. 1 lawfully seize (a suspect etc.). 2 stop or check the progress of. 3 attract (a person's attention). —n. 1 arresting or being arrested. 2 stoppage (cardiac arrest). [latin resto remain]


Wt  abbr. Weight.
Crinkle-cut  adj. (of vegetables) with wavy edges.

Hair-raising  adj. Terrifying.

Still-room  n. 1 room for distilling. 2 housekeeper's storeroom or pantry.


Hemstitch  —n. Decorative stitch. —v. Hem with this stitch.
Polysyllabic  adj. 1 having many syllables. 2 using words of many syllables. [medieval latin from greek]
Ogre  n. (fem. Ogress) 1 man-eating giant in folklore. 2 terrifying person.  ogreish adj. (also ogrish). [french]


Chutzpah  n. Slang shameless audacity. [yiddish]

Sessile  adj. 1 (of a flower, leaf, eye, etc.) Attached directly by its base without a stalk or peduncle. 2 fixed in one position; immobile. [latin: related to *session]
Gild1  v. (past part. Gilded or as adj. In sense 1 gilt) 1 cover thinly with gold. 2 tinge with a golden colour. 3 give a false brilliance to.  gild the lily try to improve what is already satisfactory. [old english: related to *gold]

Micron  n. One-millionth of a metre. [greek mikros small]
Chauffeur  —n. (fem. Chauffeuse) person employed to drive a car. —v. Drive (a car or person) as a chauffeur. [french, = stoker]
-ate2  suffix forming adjectives with the sense ‘having, full of’ (foliate; passionate). [latin participial ending -atus]
Perimeter  n. 1 a circumference or outline of a closed figure. B length of this. 2 outer boundary of an enclosed area. [greek: related to *-meter]
Extra cover  n. Cricket 1 fielding position on a line between cover-point and mid-off, but beyond these. 2 fielder at this position.
Runny  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 tending to run or flow. 2 excessively fluid.

Undated  adj. Without a date.
Bats  predic. Adj. Slang crazy. [originally pl. Of *bat2]
Pendulum  n. (pl. -s) weight suspended so as to swing freely, esp. A rod with a weighted end regulating a clock. [latin neuter adjective: related to *pendulous]
Heavy-hearted  adj. Sad, doleful.

Bountiful  adj. 1 generous. 2 ample.
Someone  n. & pron. = *somebody.
Pirate  —n. 1 a seafaring robber attacking ships. B ship used by pirates. 2 (often attrib.) Person who infringes another's copyright or business rights or who broadcasts without official authorization (pirate radio station). —v. (-ting) reproduce (a book etc.) Or trade (goods) without permission.  piratical adj. [latin pirata from greek]
Miller's thumb  n. Small spiny freshwater fish.
Hg  abbr. Hectogram(s).




Sacrosanct  adj. Most sacred; inviolable.  sacrosanctity n. [latin: related to *sacred, *saint]

Cutting  —n. 1 piece cut from a newspaper etc. 2 piece cut from a plant for propagation. 3 excavated channel in a hillside etc. For a railway or road. —adj. See *cut v. 5.  cuttingly adv.
Cablegram  n. Telegraph message sent by undersea cable.
Headphones  n.pl. Set of earphones fitting over the head, for listening to audio equipment etc.


Eden  n. Place or state of great happiness, with reference to the abode of adam and eve at the creation. [hebrew, originally = delight]

Bob-sled  n. Us = *bob-sleigh.
Lord chancellor  n. (also lord high chancellor) highest officer of the crown, presiding in the house of lords etc.
Borax  n. Salt used in making glass and china, and as an antiseptic. [french ultimately from persian]

Prosy  adj. (-ier, -iest) tedious, commonplace, dull (prosy talk).  prosily adv. Prosiness n.


Pecking order  n. Social hierarchy, orig. As observed among hens.


Hemstitch  —n. Decorative stitch. —v. Hem with this stitch.
Southern  adj.  Of or in the south.  southernmost adj.
Hereditary  adj. 1 (of a disease, instinct, etc.) Able to be passed down genetically from one generation to another. 2 a descending by inheritance. B holding a position by inheritance. [latin: related to *heir]


Carpet  —n. 1 a thick fabric for covering floor or stairs. B piece of this. 2 thing resembling this etc. (carpet of snow). —v. (-t-) 1 cover with or as with carpet. 2 colloq. Reprimand.  on the carpet colloq. 1 being reprimanded. 2 under consideration. Sweep under the carpet conceal (a problem or difficulty). [latin carpo pluck]

Colour code  —n. Use of colours as a means of identification. —v. (colour-code) identify by means of a colour code.
Dixie  n. Large iron cooking-pot used by campers etc. [hindustani from persian]
Sixpenny  adj. Costing or worth sixpence, esp. Before decimalization.


Projectile  —n. 1 missile, esp. Fired by a rocket. 2 bullet, shell, etc. —adj. 1 capable of being projected by force, esp. From a gun. 2 projecting or impelling.

Thistledown  n. Light down containing thistle-seeds and blown about in the wind.

Pawnshop  n. Pawnbroker's shop.
Hotchpotch  n. (also hodgepodge) confused mixture or jumble, esp. Of ideas. [french hochepot shake pot]
Adviser  n. (also advisor) person who advises, esp. Officially.

Machine-readable  adj. In a form that a computer can process.
Barrier cream  n. Protective skin cream.





Oxford blue  adj. & n. (as adj. Often hyphenated) a dark blue, often with a purple tinge.



White paper  n. Government report giving information.



Crofter  n. Person who farms a croft.


Guardian  n. 1 protector, keeper. 2 person having legal custody of another, esp. A minor.  guardianship n. [french: related to *ward, *warden]

Franglais  n. Corrupt version of french using many english words and idioms. [french français french, anglais english]
Menopause  n. 1 ceasing of menstruation. 2 period in a woman's life (usu. 45–55) when this occurs.  menopausal adj. [greek men month, *pause]






Dissolve  v. (-ving) 1 make or become liquid, esp. By immersion or dispersion in a liquid. 2 (cause to) disappear gradually. 3 dismiss (an assembly, esp. Parliament). 4 annul or put an end to (a partnership, marriage, etc.). 5 (often foll. By into) be overcome (by tears, laughter, etc.). [latin: related to *dis-, solvo solut- loosen]

Checker1  n. Person etc. That examines, esp. In a factory etc.



Merciless  adj. Showing no mercy.  mercilessly adv.
Brook2  v. (usu. With neg.) Literary tolerate, allow. [old english]

Train-spotter  n. Person who collects locomotive numbers as a hobby.  train-spotting n.


Sweater  n. Jersey or pullover.

Self-deception  n. Deceiving of oneself, esp. About one's motives or feelings.  self-deceit n.
Glair  n. 1 white of egg. 2 adhesive preparation made from this. [french]
Netball  n. Team game in which goals are scored by throwing a ball through a high horizontal ring from which a net hangs.
Acclimatize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) adapt to a new climate or conditions.  acclimatization n. [french acclimater: related to *climate]
Joint  —n. 1 place at which two or more things or parts of a structure are joined; device for joining these. 2 point at which two bones fit together. 3 division of an animal carcass as meat. 4 slang restaurant, bar, etc. 5 slang marijuana cigarette. 6 geol. Crack in rock. —adj. 1 held, done by, or belonging to, two or more persons etc. (joint mortgage; joint action). 2 sharing with another (joint author; joint favourite). —v. 1 connect by joint(s). 2 divide at a joint or into joints.  out of joint 1 (of a bone) dislocated. 2 out of order.  jointly adv. [french: related to *join]
Woofer  n. Loudspeaker for low frequencies. [from *woof1]
Occur  v. (-rr-) 1 come into being as an event or process. 2 exist or be encountered in some place or conditions. 3 (foll. By to) come into the mind of. [latin occurro befall]

Mild-mannered  adj. = *mild 1.

Snot  n. Slang nasal mucus. [probably low german or dutch: related to *snout]

Half holiday  n. Half a day as holiday.

Pallet1  n. 1 straw mattress. 2 mean or makeshift bed. [latin palea straw]
Uncrown  v. 1 deprive of a crown, a position, etc. 2 (as uncrowned adj.) A not crowned. B having the status but not the name of (uncrowned king of boxing).

Thermosetting  adj. (of plastics) setting permanently when heated.
Penguin  n. Flightless black and white sea bird of the southern hemisphere, with wings developed into flippers for swimming underwater. [origin unknown]



March1  —v. 1 (cause to) walk in a military manner with a regular tread (army marched past; marched him away). 2 a walk purposefully. B (often foll. By on) (of events etc.) Continue unrelentingly (time marches on). 3 (foll. By on) advance towards (a military objective). —n. 1 a act of marching. B uniform military step (slow march). 2 long difficult walk. 3 procession as a demonstration. 4 (usu. Foll. By of) progress or continuity (march of events). 5 a music to accompany a march. B similar musical piece.  marcher n. [french marcher]
Legacy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 gift left in a will. 2 thing handed down by a predecessor. [latin lego bequeath]
Likewise  adv. 1 also, moreover. 2 similarly (do likewise).
Retexture  v. (-ring) treat (material, a garment, etc.) So as to restore its original texture.
Invocation  n. 1 invoking or being invoked, esp. In prayer. 2 summoning of supernatural beings, e.g. The muses, for inspiration. 3 eccl. The words ‘in the name of the father’ etc. Used to preface a sermon etc.  invocatory adj. [latin: related to *invoke] 
Grassland  n. Large open area covered with grass, esp. Used for grazing.

Quickie  n. Colloq. Thing done or made quickly.

Brokerage  n. Broker's fee or commission.


Upgrade  v. (-ding) 1 raise in rank etc. 2 improve (equipment etc.).



Ingenuous  adj. 1 artless. 2 frank.  ingenuously adv. [latin ingenuus free-born, frank]

Anticlockwise  adj. & adv. Moving in a curve opposite in direction to the hands of a clock.


Leather-bound  adj. Bound in leather.
Steamboat  n. Steam-driven boat.

Colic  n. Severe spasmodic abdominal pain.  colicky adj. [latin: related to *colon2]
Orgasm  —n. Climax of sexual excitement. —v. Have a sexual orgasm.  orgasmic adj. [greek, = excitement]
Riot  —n. 1 a violent disturbance by a crowd of people. B (attrib.) Involved in suppressing riots (riot police). 2 loud uncontrolled revelry. 3 (foll. By of) lavish display or sensation (riot of colour and sound). 4 colloq. Very amusing thing or person. —v. Make or engage in a riot.  read the riot act act firmly to suppress insubordination; give warning.
Double-quick  adj. & adv. Colloq. Very quick or quickly.
Vermicide  n. Drug that kills intestinal worms. [latin vermis worm]
Cartoon  n. 1 humorous, esp. Topical, drawing in a newspaper etc. 2 sequence of drawings telling a story. 3 animated sequence of these on film. 4 full-size preliminary design for a tapestry etc.  cartoonist n. [italian: related to *card1]
Exterminate  v. (-ting) destroy utterly (esp. A living thing).  extermination n. Exterminator n. [latin: related to *terminal]
Dumbfound  v. Nonplus, make speechless with surprise. [from *dumb, *confound]

Feature  —n. 1 distinctive or characteristic part of a thing. 2 (usu. In pl.) Part of the face. 3 (esp. Specialized) article in a newspaper etc. 4 (in full feature film) main film in a cinema programme. —v. (-ring) 1 make a special display of; emphasize. 2 have as or be a central participant or topic in a film, broadcast, etc.  featureless adj. [latin factura formation: related to *fact]
Calisthenics  var. Of *callisthenics.
Unforced  adj. 1 easy, natural. 2 not compelled or constrained.

En suite  —adv. Forming a single unit (bedroom with bathroom en suite). —adj. 1 forming a single unit (en suite bathroom). 2 with a bathroom attached (seven en suite bedrooms). [french, = in sequence]

Heated  adj. Angry; impassioned.  heatedly adv.
Scalpel  n. Surgeon's small sharp knife. [latin scalpo scratch]


Flews  n.pl. Hanging lips of a bloodhound etc. [origin unknown]


Affluent  adj. Wealthy, rich.  affluence n. [latin: related to *fluent]







Afflict  v. Distress physically or mentally. [latin fligo flict- strike down]
Armor  (brit. Armour) —n. 1 protective usu. Metal covering formerly worn in fighting. 2 a (in full armour-plate) protective metal covering for an armed vehicle, ship, etc. B armed vehicles collectively. 3 protective covering or shell of an animal or plant. 4 heraldic devices. —v. (usu. Asarmoured adj.) Provide with protective covering, and often guns (armoured car; armoured train). [latin armatura: related to *arm2]
Bookish  adj. 1 studious; fond of reading. 2 having knowledge mainly from books.


Jumper2  n. 1 person or animal that jumps. 2 short wire used to make or break an electrical circuit.

Rat  —n. 1 a rodent like a large mouse. B similar rodent (muskrat; water-rat). 2 turncoat. 3 colloq. Unpleasant or treacherous person. 4 (in pl.) Slang exclamation of annoyance etc. —v. (-tt-) 1 hunt or kill rats. 2 (also foll. By on) inform (on); desert, betray. [old english]
Upheaval  n. Violent or sudden change or disruption. [from upheave, = heave or lift up]

Floor show  n. Nightclub entertainment.
Stepchild  n. One's husband's or wife's child by a previous partner.
Denature  v. (-ring) 1 change the properties of (a protein etc.) By heat, acidity, etc. 2 make (alcohol) undrinkable. [french]

Unwitting  adj. 1 not knowing or aware (an unwitting offender). 2 unintentional.  unwittingly adv. [old english: related to *wit]
Higher education  n. Education at university etc.
Dump  —n. 1 place or heap for depositing rubbish. 2 colloq. Unpleasant or dreary place. 3 temporary store of ammunition etc. —v. 1 put down firmly or clumsily. 2 deposit as rubbish. 3 colloq. Abandon or get rid of. 4 sell (excess goods) to a foreign market at a low price. 5 copy (the contents of a computer memory etc.) As a diagnostic aid or for security.  dump on esp. Us criticize or abuse; get the better of. [origin uncertain]

Folk-singer  n. Singer of folk-songs.
Span2  see *spick and span.

Abundance  n. 1 plenty; more than enough; a lot. 2 wealth. [latin: related to *abound]

Fore  —adj. Situated in front. —n. Front part; bow of a ship. —int. (in golf) warning to a person in the path of a ball.  to the fore in or into a conspicuous position. [old english]





Poor  adj. 1 without enough money to live comfortably. 2 (foll. By in) deficient in (a possession or quality). 3 a scanty, inadequate. B less good than is usual or expected (poor visibility; is a poor driver). C paltry; inferior (came a poor third). 4 deserving pity or sympathy; unfortunate (you poor thing). 5 spiritless, despicable.  poor man's inferior or cheaper substitute for. [latin pauper]


Nice  adj. 1 pleasant, satisfactory. 2 (of a person) kind, good-natured. 3 iron. Bad or awkward (nice mess). 4 fine or subtle (nice distinction). 5 fastidious; delicately sensitive. 6 (foll. By an adj., often with and) satisfactory in terms of the quality described (a nice long time; nice and warm).  nicely adv. Niceness n. Nicish adj. (also niceish). [originally = foolish, from latin nescius ignorant]
Charlady  n. = *charwoman.




Whichever  adj. & pron. Any which (take whichever you like).
Soundtrack  n. 1 the sound element of a film or videotape. 2 recording of this made available separately. 3 any single track in a multi-track recording.
Backlash  n. 1 violent, usu. Hostile, reaction. 2 sudden recoil in a mechanism.



Perspective  —n. 1 a art of drawing solid objects on a two-dimensional surface so as to give the right impression of relative positions, size, etc. B picture so drawn. 2 apparent relation between visible objects as to position, distance, etc. 3 mental view of the relative importance of things. 4 view, esp. Stretching into the distance. —adj. Of or in perspective.  in (or out of) perspective 1 drawn or viewed according (or not according) to the rules of perspective. 2 correctly (or incorrectly) regarded in terms of relative importance. [latin perspicio -spect- look at]



Direct debit  n. Regular debiting of a bank account at the request of the payee.
Churlish  adj. Surly; mean.  churlishly adv. Churlishness n. [from *churl]


National  —adj. 1 of a, or the, nation. 2 characteristic of a particular nation. —n. 1 citizen of a specified country. 2 fellow-countryman. 3 (the national) = *grand national.  nationally adv.
Shirtwaister  n. Woman's dress with a bodice like a shirt.
Weakly  —adv. In a weak manner. —adj. (-ier, -iest) sickly, not robust.
Precisely  adv. 1 in a precise manner; exactly. 2 (as a reply) quite so, as you say.

Digital audio tape  n. Magnetic tape on which sound is recorded digitally.
Title role  n. Part in a play etc. That gives it its name (e.g. Othello).




Impala  n. (pl. Same or -s) small african antelope. [zulu]

Dan  n. 1 grade of proficiency in judo. 2 holder of such a grade. [japanese]

Half-light  n. Dim imperfect light.
Abeam  adv. At right angles to a ship's or an aircraft's length.
Eolian harp  n. (brit. Aeolian) stringed instrument or toy sounding when the wind passes through it. [latin aeolus wind-god, from greek]

Demesne  n. 1 a territory; domain. B land attached to a mansion etc. C landed property. 2 (usu. Foll. By of) region or sphere. 3 law hist. Possession (of real property) as one's own. [latin dominicus from dominus lord]


Childlike  adj. Having the good qualities of a child, such as innocence, frankness, etc.
Make-up  n. 1 cosmetics, as used generally or by actors. 2 character, temperament, etc. 3 composition (of a thing).
Proportional  adj. In due proportion; comparable (proportional increase in the expense).  proportionally adv.



Bop2  colloq. —v. (-pp-) hit or punch, esp. Lightly. —n. Esp. Light blow or hit. [imitative]
Divisible  adj. Capable of being divided.  divisibility n.







Ussr  abbr. Hist. Union of soviet socialist republics.
Thumb  —n. 1 short thick finger on the human hand, set apart from the other four. 2 part of a glove etc. For a thumb. —v. 1 wear or soil (pages etc.) With a thumb. 2 turn over pages with or as with a thumb (thumbed through the directory). 3 request or get (a lift) by signalling with a raised thumb. 4 use the thumb in a gesture.  thumb one's nose = cock a snook (see *snook). Thumbs down indication of rejection. Thumbs up indication of satisfaction or approval. Under a person's thumb completely dominated by a person. [old english]

Leger line  n. Mus. Short line added for notes above or below the range of a staff. [var. Of *ledger]
Cyanide  n. Highly poisonous substance used in the extraction of gold and silver.
Roundsman  n.  Tradesman's employee delivering goods.



Accomplished  adj. Clever, skilled.


Calligraphy  n. 1 handwriting, esp. When fine. 2 art of this.  calligrapher n. Calligraphic adj. Calligraphist n. [greek kallos beauty]

Mizen  n. (also mizzen) (in full mizen-sail) lowest fore-and-aft sail of a fully rigged ship's mizen-mast. [italian: related to *mezzanine]
Hobnail  n. Heavy-headed nail for boot-soles. [from *hob]

Club class  n. Class of fare on an aircraft etc. Designed for business travellers.
Prizewinner  n. Winner of a prize.  prizewinning attrib. Adj.
Respire  v. (-ring) 1 (also absol.) Breathe (air etc.); inhale and exhale. 2 (of a plant) carry out respiration.  respiratory adj.
Methylated spirit  n. (also methylated spirits n.pl.) Alcohol treated to make it unfit for drinking and exempt from duty.
Alluvial  —adj. Of alluvium. —n. Alluvium, esp. Containing a precious metal.

Coomb  n. (also combe) 1 valley on the side of a hill. 2 short valley running up from the coast. [old english]
Scribe  —n. 1 ancient or medieval copyist of manuscripts. 2 ancient jewish record-keeper or professional theologian and jurist. 3 pointed instrument for making marks on wood etc. 4 colloq. Writer, esp. A journalist. —v. (-bing) mark with a scribe.  scribal adj. [latin scriba from scribo write]


Terrify  v. (-ies, -ied) fill with terror (terrified of dogs).  terrifying adj. Terrifyingly adv.




Comfortable  adj. 1 giving ease. 2 free from discomfort; at ease. 3 having an easy conscience. 4 a having an adequate standard of living; free from financial worry. B sufficient (comfortable income). 5 a with a wide margin (comfortable win). B appreciable (comfortable margin).  comfortably adv.
Popgun  n. Child's toy gun shooting pellets etc. By the compression of air.

Overindulge  v. (-ging) indulge to excess.  overindulgence n. Overindulgent adj.

Hobgoblin  n. Mischievous imp; bogy. [from *hobby, *goblin]


Ahead  adv. 1 further forward in space or time. 2 in the lead (ahead on points).



Aspidistra  n. House-plant with broad tapering leaves. [greek aspis shield]
Quadrate  —adj. Esp. Anat. & zool. Square or rectangular. —n. Rectangular object. —v. (-ting) make square.  [latin quadro make square]

Engaged  adj. 1 pledged to marry. 2 (of a person) occupied, busy. 3 (of a telephone line, toilet, etc.) In use.
Capital sum  n. Lump sum, esp. Payable to an insured person.






Epithet  n. 1 adjective etc. Expressing a quality or attribute. 2 this as a term of abuse. [greek tithemi place]
Calico  —n. (pl. -es or us -s) 1 cotton cloth, esp. Plain white or unbleached. 2 us printed cotton fabric. —adj. 1 of calico. 2 us multicoloured. [calicut in india]
Massacre  —n. 1 mass killing. 2 utter defeat or destruction. —v. (-ring) 1 kill (esp. Many people) cruelly or violently. 2 colloq. Defeat heavily. [french]
Televise  v. (-sing) broadcast on television.

Water-softener  n. Apparatus for softening hard water.
Them  —pron. 1 objective case of *they. 2 colloq. They (it's them again). —demons. Adj. Slang or dial. Those. [old norse]




Unsportsmanlike  adj. Unsporting.
Unpredictable  adj. That cannot be predicted.  unpredictability n. Unpredictably adv.
Hair  n. 1 a any of the fine threadlike strands growing from the skin of mammals, esp. From the human head. B these collectively (has long hair). 2 thing resembling a hair. 3 elongated cell growing from a plant. 4 very small quantity or extent (also attrib.: hair crack).  get in a person's hair colloq. Annoy a person. Keep one's hair on colloq. Keep calm; not get angry. Let one's hair down colloq. Enjoy oneself by abandoning restraint. Make one's hair stand on end colloq. Horrify one. Not turn a hair remain unmoved or unaffected.  hairless adj. [old english]

Long jump  n. Athletic contest of jumping as far as possible along the ground in one leap.


Edgeways  adv. (also edgewise) with edge uppermost or foremost.  get a word in edgeways contribute to a conversation when the dominant speaker pauses.

Confederation  n. 1 union or alliance, esp. Of states. 2 confederating or being confederated.

Renunciation  n. 1 renouncing or giving up. 2 self-denial.

Populate  v. (-ting) 1 inhabit, form the population of. 2 supply with inhabitants. [medieval latin: related to *people]
Fire-raiser  n. Arsonist.  fire-raising n.

Registration mark  n. (also registration number) combination of letters and numbers identifying a vehicle etc.

Boundless  adj. Unlimited.
Circular saw  n. Power saw with a rapidly rotating toothed disc.
Nuzzle  v. (-ling) 1 prod or rub gently with the nose. 2 (foll. By into, against, up to) press the nose gently. 3 nestle; lie snug. [from *nose]
Briefcase  n. Flat document case.

Tragic  adj. 1 disastrous; greatly distressing; very sad. 2 of tragedy.  tragically adv.
Bunting2  n. 1 flags and other decorations. 2 loosely-woven fabric for these. [origin unknown]

-ey  var. Of *-y2.
Magnification  n. 1 magnifying or being magnified. 2 degree of this.

Calliper  n. (also caliper) 1 (in pl.) Compasses for measuring diameters. 2 metal splint to support the leg. [var. Of *calibre]

Hajji  n. (also hadji) (pl. -s) muslim who has made the pilgrimage to mecca. [persian from arabic]
Luminescence  n. Emission of light without heat.  luminescent adj.
Caliph  n. Esp. Hist. Chief muslim civil and religious ruler.  caliphate n. [arabic, = successor (of muhammad)]

Golden retriever  n. Retriever with a thick golden-coloured coat.
Puritanical  adj. Strictly religious or moral in behaviour.  puritanically adv.




Pall2  v. (often foll. By on) become uninteresting (to).  [from *appal]

Unrealized  adj. (also -ised) not realized.


Nr.  Abbr. Near.
Painless  adj. Not causing pain.  painlessly adv.


Adhesive  —adj. Sticky, causing adhesion. —n. Adhesive substance.  adhesiveness n.


Dread  —v. Fear greatly, esp. In advance. —n. Great fear or apprehension. —adj. 1 dreaded. 2 archaic awe-inspiring, dreadful. [old english]
Simple  adj. (simpler, simplest) 1 understood or done easily and without difficulty. 2 not complicated or elaborate; plain. 3 not compound or complex. 4 absolute, unqualified, straightforward (the simple truth). 5 foolish; gullible, feeble-minded.  simpleness n. [latin simplus]
Crochet  —n. Needlework in which yarn is hooked to make a lacy patterned fabric. —v. (crocheted; crocheting) (also absol.) Make using crochet. [french: related to *crotchet]



December  n. Twelfth month of the year. [latin decem ten, originally 10th month of roman year]

Stunner  n. Colloq. Stunning person or thing.




Amusement arcade  n. Indoor area with slot-machines.
Serving  n. Quantity of food for one person.


Agree  v. (-ees, -eed, -eeing) 1 hold the same opinion (i agree with you). 2 consent (agreed to go). 3 (often foll. By with) a become or be in harmony. B suit (fish didn't agree with him). C gram. Have the same number, gender, case, or person as. 4 reach agreement about (agreed a price). 5 (foll. By on) decide mutually on (agreed on a compromise).  be agreed be of one opinion. [latin: related to *ad-, gratus pleasing]
Formica  n. Propr. Hard durable plastic laminate used for surfaces. [origin uncertain]

Nitrify  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 impregnate with nitrogen. 2 convert into nitrites or nitrates.  nitrification n. [french: related to *nitre]
Grand opera  n. Opera on a serious theme, or in which the entire libretto (including dialogue) is sung.
Card1  n. 1 thick stiff paper or thin pasteboard. 2 a piece of this for writing or printing on, esp. To send greetings, to identify a person, or to record information. B small rectangular piece of plastic used for identity etc. 3 a = *playing-card. B (in pl.) Card-playing. 4 (in pl.) Colloq. Tax and national insurance documents etc., held by an employer. 5 programme of events at a race-meeting etc. 6 colloq.

Percussion  n. 1  a (often attrib.) Playing of music by striking instruments with sticks etc. (percussion instrument). B such instruments collectively. 2  gentle tapping of the body in medical diagnosis. 3 forcible striking of one esp. Solid body against another.  percussionist n. Percussive adj. [latin percutio -cuss- strike]







Girder  n. Iron or steel beam or compound structure for bridge-building etc.
Harlequin  —n. (harlequin) name of a mute character in pantomime, usu. Masked and dressed in a diamond-patterned costume. —attrib. Adj. In varied colours. [french]


Terrapin  n. 1 n. American edible freshwater turtle. 2 (terrapin) propr. Type of prefabricated one-storey building. [algonquian]
Sarcoma  n. (pl. -s or -mata) malignant tumour of connective tissue. [greek sarx sark- flesh]

Well-paid  adj. 1 (of a job) that pays well. 2 (of a person) amply rewarded for a job.
Haiku  n. (pl. Same) japanese three-part poem of usu. 17 syllables. [japanese]


Palaeolithic  adj. (us paleolithic) of the early part of the stone age. [greek lithos stone]


Queen's scout  n. Scout who has reached the highest standard of proficiency.


Derestrict  v. Remove restrictions (esp. Speed limits) from.  derestriction n.
Cradle-song  n. Lullaby.


Skillet  n. 1 small long-handled metal cooking-pot. 2 us frying-pan. [french]
Titmouse  n. (pl. Titmice) small active tit. [old english tit little, mase titmouse, assimilated to *mouse]
Rochet  n. Surplice-like vestment of a bishop or abbot. [french from germanic]


Consortium  n. (pl. -tia or -s) association, esp. Of several business companies. [latin: related to *consort1]
Comprehensive  —adj. 1 including all or nearly all, inclusive. 2 (of motor insurance) providing protection against most risks. —n. (in full comprehensive school) secondary school for children of all abilities.  comprehensively adv. Comprehensiveness n.

Relabel  v. (-ll-; us -l-) label (esp. A commodity) again or differently.



Regain  v. Obtain possession or use of after loss (regain consciousness).

Impatient  adj. 1 lacking or showing a lack of patience or tolerance. 2 restlessly eager. 3 (foll. By of) intolerant of.  impatience n. Impatiently adv.
Episiotomy  n. (pl. -ies) surgical cut made at the vaginal opening during childbirth, to aid delivery. [greek epision pubic region]
Amoral  adj. 1 beyond morality. 2 without moral principles.
Flummery  n. (pl. -ies) 1 flattery; nonsense. 2 sweet dish made with beaten eggs, sugar, etc. [welsh llymru]
Expenditure  n. 1 spending or using up. 2 thing (esp. Money) expended.



Salad-dressing  n. = *dressing 2a.


Unimpeachable  adj. Beyond reproach or question.

Radiology  n. The study of x-rays and other high-energy radiation, esp. As used in medicine.  radiologist n.

Newsletter  n. Informal printed report issued periodically to members of a club etc.


Dorsal  adj. Of or on the back (dorsal fin). [latin dorsum back]
Meridional  adj. 1 of or in the south (esp. Of europe). 2 of a meridian.

Homestead  n. House, esp. A farmhouse, and outbuildings.
Derecognize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) cease to recognize the status of (esp. A trade union).  derecognition n.



Pine cone  n. Fruit of the pine.


Place-setting  n. Set of cutlery etc. For one person at a table.

Horn-rimmed  adj. (esp. Of spectacles) having rims made of horn or a similar substance.
Stoic  —n. 1 member of the ancient greek school of philosophy which sought virtue as the greatest good and taught control of one's feelings and passions. 2 (stoic) stoical person. —adj. 1 of or like the stoics. 2 (stoic) = *stoical. [greek stoa portico]
Moisturize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) make less dry (esp. The skin by use of a cosmetic).  moisturizer n.


Marmoset  n. Small monkey with a long bushy tail. [french]
Reconsider  v. Consider again, esp. For a possible change of decision.  reconsideration n.
Overrider  n. Each of a pair of projecting pieces on the bumper of a car.
Via  prep. Through (london to rome via paris; send it via your son). [latin, ablative of via way]

Lard  —n. Pig fat used in cooking etc. —v. 1 insert strips of fat or bacon in (meat etc.) Before cooking. 2 (foll. By with) garnish (talk etc.) With strange terms. [french = bacon, from latin lardum]
Fat  —n. 1 natural oily or greasy substance found esp. In animal bodies. 2 part of meat etc. Containing this. —adj. (fatter, fattest) 1 corpulent; plump. 2 containing much fat. 3 fertile. 4 a thick (fat book). B substantial (fat cheque). 5 colloq. Iron. Very little; not much (a fat chance; a fat lot). —v. (-tt-) make or become fat.  the fat is in the fire trouble is imminent. Kill the fatted calf celebrate, esp. At a prodigal's return (luke 15). Live off (or on) the fat of the land live luxuriously.  fatless adj. Fatness n. Fattish adj. [old english]


Obscene  adj. 1 offensively indecent. 2 colloq. Highly offensive. 3 law (of a publication) tending to deprave or corrupt.  obscenely adv. Obscenity n. (pl. -ies). [latin obsc(a)enus abominable]

Wea  abbr. Workers' educational association.
Altruism  n. Unselfishness as a principle of action.  altruist n. Altruistic adj. [italian altrui somebody else]
Toastmaster  n. (fem. Toastmistress) person responsible for announcing toasts at a public occasion.
Gossip  —n. 1 a unconstrained talk or writing, esp. About persons or social incidents. B idle talk. 2 person who indulges in gossip. —v. (-p-) talk or write gossip.  gossipy adj. [old english, originally ‘godparent’, hence ‘familiar acquaintance’]



Usage  the form farther is used esp. With reference to physical distance, although further is preferred by many people even in this sense.

Endowment  n. 1 endowing. 2 endowed income. 3 (attrib.) Denoting forms of life insurance with payment of a fixed sum on a specified date, or on the death of the insured person if earlier.
Clear-sighted  adj. Seeing, thinking, or understanding clearly.

Unavailing  adj. Achieving nothing.  unavailingly adv.

Wonder  —n. 1 emotion, esp. Admiration, excited by what is unexpected, unfamiliar, or inexplicable. 2 strange or remarkable thing, specimen, event, etc. 3 (attrib.) Having marvellous or amazing properties etc. (wonder drug; wonder woman). —v. 1 be filled with wonder or great surprise. 2 (foll. By that) be surprised to find. 3 desire or be curious to know (i wonder what the time is).  i shouldn't wonder colloq. I think it likely. No (or small) wonder one cannot be surprised. Work (or do) wonders 1 do miracles. 2 be remarkably effective. [old english]

Cabinet-maker  n. Skilled joiner.

Covetous  adj. (usu. Foll. By of) coveting; grasping.  covetously adv.
High-water mark  n. Level reached at high water.


Gearing  n. Set or arrangement of gears.
Drench  —v. 1 wet thoroughly. 2 force (an animal) to take medicine. —n. Dose of medicine for an animal. [old english]
Disinfectant  —n. Substance that destroys germs etc. —adj. Disinfecting.

Forth  adv. Archaic except in set phrases 1 forward; into view (bring forth; come forth). 2 onwards in time (from this time forth). 3 forwards (back and forth). 4 out from a starting-point (set forth).  and so forth see *so1. [old english]

Redpoll  n. Finch with a red forehead, similar to a linnet.

Tender mercies  n.pl. Iron. Harsh treatment.



Oversexed  adj. Having unusually strong sexual desires.
Over-anxious  adj. Excessively anxious.
Indecorous  adj. 1 improper, undignified. 2 in bad taste.  indecorously adv.
Kite  n. 1 light framework with a thin covering flown on a string in the wind. 2 soaring bird of prey. [old english]
Global  adj. 1 worldwide (global conflict). 2 all-embracing.  globally adv. [french: related to *globe]
Alphabet  n. 1 set of letters used in writing a language. 2 symbols or signs for these.  alphabetical adj. [greek *alpha, *beta]
Hillock  n. Small hill, mound.
Samarium  n. Metallic element of the lanthanide series. [ultimately from samarski, name of an official]



Wife  n. (pl. Wives) 1 married woman, esp. In relation to her husband. 2 archaic woman.  wifely adj. [old english, = woman]
Initial  —adj. Of or at the beginning. —n. Initial letter, esp. (in pl.) Those of a person's names. —v. (-ll-; us -l-) mark or sign with one's initials.  initially adv. [latin initium beginning]
Seizure  n. 1 seizing or being seized. 2 sudden attack, esp. Of epilepsy or apoplexy.

Catchpenny  attrib. Adj. Intended merely to sell quickly; superficially attractive.


Per annum  adv. For each year. [latin]

Chorister  n. Member of a choir, esp. A choirboy. [french: related to *choir]




Overspread  v. (past and past part. -spread) 1 cover the surface of. 2 (as overspread adj.) (usu. Foll. By with) covered.



Dusk  n. Darker stage of twilight. [old english]
Casual  —adj. 1 accidental; chance. 2 not regular or permanent (casual work). 3 a unconcerned. B careless; unthinking. 4 (of clothes) informal. —n. 1 casual worker. 2 (usu. In pl.) Casual clothes or shoes.  casually adv. Casualness n. [french and latin: related to *case1]

Lexicography  n. Compiling of dictionaries.  lexicographer n. [from *lexicon, *-graphy]
Caw  —n. Harsh cry of a rook, crow, etc. —v. Utter this cry. [imitative]

Ingenious  adj. 1 clever at inventing, organizing, etc. 2 cleverly contrived.  ingeniously adv. [latin ingenium cleverness]
Knee-length  adj. Reaching the knees.
Shanks's mare  n. (also shanks's pony) one's own legs as transport.
Paperweight  n. Small heavy object for keeping loose papers in place.
Crew2  past of *crow2.
Mange  n. Skin disease in hairy and woolly animals. [french mangeue itch, from latin manduco chew]

Airplane  n. Us = *aeroplane.

Mint2  —n. 1 (esp. State) establishment where money is coined. 2 colloq. Vast sum (making a mint). —v. 1 make (a coin) by stamping metal. 2 invent, coin (a word, phrase, etc.).  in mint condition as new. [latin moneta]



Unadorned  adj. Plain.


Arch-enemy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 chief enemy. 2 the devil.
Mal-  comb. Form 1 a bad, badly (malpractice; maltreat). B faulty (malfunction). 2 not (maladroit). [french mal badly, from latin male]
Low-level  adj. (of a computer language) close in form to machine code.



Admiral  n. 1 a commander-in-chief of a navy. B high-ranking naval officer, commander. 2 any of various butterflies. [arabic: related to *amir]
Pre-christian  adj. Before christianity.

Gaseous  adj. Of or like gas.
Quack1  —n. Harsh sound made by ducks. —v. Utter this sound. [imitative]




Reefer  n. 1 slang marijuana cigarette. 2 thick double-breasted jacket. [from *reef2]


Subsistence  n. 1 state or instance of subsisting. 2 a means of support; livelihood. B (often attrib.) Minimal level of existence or income.
Publicity  n. 1 public exposure. 2 a advertising. B material used for this. [french: related to *public]


Insouciant  adj. Carefree; unconcerned.  insouciance n. [french souci care]
Iron rations  n.pl. Small emergency supply of food.



Electric eye  n. Colloq. Photoelectric cell operating a relay when a beam of light is broken.
Could  past of *can1. —v. Colloq. Feel inclined to (i could murder him).



Pelmet  n. Narrow border of cloth, wood, etc. Fitted esp. Above a window to conceal the curtain rail. [probably french]
Gauntlet2  n.  run the gauntlet 1 undergo harsh criticism. 2 pass between two rows of people and receive blows from them, as a punishment or ordeal. [swedish gatlopp from gata lane, lopp course]

Farmhouse  n. House attached to a farm.
Wharfage  n. 1 accommodation at a wharf. 2 fee for this.
Extrapolate  v. (-ting) (also absol.) Calculate approximately from known data etc. (others which lie outside the range of those known).  extrapolation n. [from *extra-, *interpolate]
Restrain  v. 1 (often refl., usu. Foll. By from) check or hold in; keep in check, under control, or within bounds. 2 repress, keep down. 3 confine, imprison. [latin restringo -strict-]

Trug  n. Shallow oblong garden-basket usu. Of wood strips. [perhaps a dial. Var. Of *trough]


Cellulite  n. Lumpy fat, esp. On the hips and thighs of women. [french: related to *cell]
Cabriole  n. A kind of esp. 18th-c. Curved table or chair leg. [french: related to *capriole]


Byssinosis  n. Lung disease caused by textile fibre dust. [greek bussinos made of linen]
Caesar  n. 1 title of roman emperors. 2 autocrat. [latin (c. Julius) caesar]
Univalent  adj. Having a valency of one. [from *uni-, *valence1]
Raceme  n. Flower cluster with separate flowers attached by short stalks at equal distances along the stem. [latin racemus grape-bunch]
Terrene  adj. 1 of the earth; worldly. 2 of earth, earthy. 3 terrestrial. [latin terrenus from terra earth]


Z 
Evidence  —n. 1 (often foll. By for, of) available facts, circumstances, etc. Indicating whether or not a thing is true or valid. 2 law a information tending to prove a fact or proposition. B statements or proofs admissible as testimony in a lawcourt. —v. (-cing) be evidence of.  in evidence conspicuous. Queen's (or king's or state's) evidence law evidence for the prosecution given by a participant in the crime at issue. [latin video see]
Sylvan  adj. (also silvan) 1 a of the woods. B having woods. 2 rural. [latin silva a wood]


Bullfinch  n. Pink and black finch.
Crystal ball  n. Glass globe used in crystal-gazing.

Paleozoic  (brit. Palaeozoic) —adj. Of an era of geological time marked by the appearance of plants and animals, esp. Invertebrates. —n. This era. [greek zoion animal]



Usage  where there is a danger of inflammable being understood to mean the opposite, i.e. ‘not easily set on fire’, flammable can be used to avoid confusion.

Elm  n. 1 tree with rough serrated leaves. 2 its wood. [old english]


Indoctrinate  v. (-ting) teach to accept a particular belief uncritically.  indoctrination n.



Wealthy  adj. (-ier, -iest) having an abundance, esp. Of money.

Friend  n. 1 person one likes and chooses to spend time with (usu. Without sexual or family bonds). 2 sympathizer, helper. 3 ally or neutral person (friend or foe?). 4 person already mentioned (our friend at the bank). 5 regular supporter of an institution. 6 (friend) quaker. [old english]



Follow  v. 1 (often foll. By after) go or come after (a person or thing ahead). 2 go along (a road etc.). 3 come after in order or time (dessert followed; proceed as follows). 4 take as a guide or leader. 5 conform to. 6 practise (a trade or profession). 7 undertake (a course of study etc.). 8 understand (a speaker, argument, etc.). 9 take an interest in (current affairs etc.). 10 (foll. By with) provide with a sequel or successor. 11 happen after something else; ensue. 12 a be necessarily true as a consequence. B (foll. By from) result.  follow on 1 continue. 2 (of a cricket team) have to bat twice in succession. Follow out carry out (instructions etc.). Follow suit 1 play a card of the suit led. 2 conform to another's actions. Follow through 1 continue to a conclusion. 2 continue the movement of a stroke after hitting the ball. Follow up (foll. By with) 1 develop, supplement. 2 investigate further. [old english]
Rookie  n. Slang new recruit. [corruption of recruit]




Cavalcade  n. Procession or assembly of riders, vehicles, etc. [italian: related to *chevalier]







Arbiter  n. 1 arbitrator in a dispute. 2 person influential in a specific field (arbiter of taste). [latin from arbitror to judge]

Cfc  abbr. Chlorofluorocarbon, a usu. Gaseous compound of carbon, hydrogen, chlorine, and fluorine, used in refrigerants, aerosol propellants, etc., and thought to harm the ozone layer.



Muscatel  n. 1 = *muscat. 2 raisin from a muscat grape.
Reupholster  v. Upholster anew.
Capacious  adj. Roomy.  capaciousness n. [latin capax: related to *capable]
Self-examination  n. 1 the study of one's own conduct etc. 2 examining of one's own body for signs of illness.
Severe  adj. 1 rigorous and harsh (severe critic). 2 serious (severe shortage). 3 forceful (severe storm). 4 extreme (severe winter). 5 exacting (severe competition). 6 plain in style.  severely adv. Severity n. [latin severus]
Debtor  n. Person owing money etc.



Situation  n. 1 place and its surroundings. 2 circumstances; position; state of affairs. 3 formal paid job.  situational adj.




Rule of thumb  n. Rule based on experience or practice rather than theory.
Ledge  n. Narrow horizontal or shelflike projection. [origin uncertain]

Temperance  n. 1 moderation, esp. In eating and drinking. 2 (often attrib.) Abstinence, esp. Total, from alcohol (temperance hotel). [latin: related to *temper]

Wistful  adj. Yearning, mournfully expectant or wishful.  wistfully adv. Wistfulness n. [apparently an assimilation of obsolete wistly ‘intently’ to wishful]

Marrowbone  n. Bone containing edible marrow.
Steep1  —adj. 1 sloping sharply. 2 (of a rise or fall) rapid. 3 (predic.) Colloq. A exorbitant; unreasonable. B exaggerated; incredible. —n. Steep slope; precipice.  steepen v. Steepish adj. Steeply adv. Steepness n. [old english]

Vanguard  n. 1 foremost part of an advancing army etc. 2 leaders of a movement etc. [french avan(t)garde from avant before: related to *guard]
Continuance  n. 1 continuing in existence or operation. 2 duration.


Savoy  n. Cabbage with wrinkled leaves. [savoy in se france]
Cyclo-  comb. Form circle, cycle, or cyclic.


Dishonest  adj. Fraudulent or insincere.  dishonestly adv. Dishonesty n.
Zarathustrian  var. Of *zoroastrian.


Tootle  v. (-ling) 1 toot gently or repeatedly. 2 (usu. Foll. By along, around, etc.) Colloq. Move casually.
Grateful  adj. 1 thankful; feeling or showing gratitude. 2 pleasant, acceptable.  gratefully adv. [obsolete grate from latin gratus]


Interstitial  adj. Of, forming, or occupying interstices.  interstitially adv.

Adamant  adj. Stubbornly resolute; unyielding.  adamantly adv. [greek adamas adamant- untameable]


Thoroughgoing  attrib. Adj. Thorough; complete.




Sky blue  adj. & n. (as adj. Often hyphenated) bright clear blue.
Temperament  n. Person's or animal's nature and character (nervous temperament). [latin: related to *temper]

Top-level  adj. Of the highest level of importance, prestige, etc.



Long-range  adj. 1 having a long range. 2 relating to a period of time far into the future (long-range weather forecast).

Ground-rent  n. Rent for land leased for building.
Spellbind  v. (past and past part. Spellbound) 1 (esp. As spellbinding adj.) Hold the attention as if with a spell; entrance. 2 (as spellbound adj.) Entranced, fascinated.


Tannin  n. Any of various organic compounds found in tree-barks and oak-galls, used in leather production. [french tanin: related to *tan1]

Dimension  —n. 1 measurable extent, as length, breadth, depth, etc. 2 (in pl.) Size (of huge dimensions). 3 aspect, facet (gained a new dimension). —v. (usu. As dimensioned adj.) Mark dimensions on (a diagram etc.).  dimensional adj. [latin metior mens- measure]

Reincarnation  n. Rebirth of a soul in a new body.  reincarnate v. (-ting). Reincarnate adj.


Wittingly  adv. Aware of what one is doing; intentionally. [from *wit]
Backbone  n. 1 spine. 2 chief support. 3 firmness of character.
Plaudit  n. (usu. In pl.) 1 round of applause. 2 expression of approval. [latin plaudite, imperative of plaudo plaus- clap]
Diplomatic immunity  n. Exemption of diplomatic staff abroad from arrest, taxation, etc.
Muscle-man  n. Man with highly developed muscles.


Par-  var. Of *para-1 before a vowel or h (parody).

Multiple sclerosis  see *sclerosis.
Quarter sessions  n.pl. Hist. Court of limited criminal and civil jurisdiction, usu. Held quarterly.
Confess  v. 1 a (also absol.) Acknowledge or admit (a fault, crime, etc.). B (foll. By to) admit to. 2 admit reluctantly. 3 a (also absol.) Declare (one's sins) to a priest. B (of a priest) hear the confession of. [latin confiteor -fess-]
Gross domestic product  n. Total value of goods produced and services provided in a country in one year.

Reanimate  v. (-ting) 1 restore to life. 2 restore to activity or liveliness.  reanimation n.

Journalese  n. Hackneyed writing characteristic of newspapers.


Ripsaw  n. Coarse saw for sawing wood along the grain.
Ironic  adj. (also ironical) using or displaying irony.  ironically adv.



Nosedive  —n. 1 steep downward plunge by an aeroplane. 2 sudden plunge or drop. —v. (-ving) make a nosedive.

Rotarian  —n. Member of rotary. —adj. Of rotary.
Handbell  n. Small bell for ringing by hand, esp. One of a set.
Er  int. Expressing hesitation. [imitative]






Procure  v. (-ring) 1 obtain, esp. By care or effort; acquire (managed to procure a copy). 2 bring about (procured their dismissal). 3 (also absol.) Obtain (women) for prostitution.  procurement n. [latin curo look after]
Heavy industry  n. Industry producing metal, machinery, etc.
Regalia  n.pl. 1 insignia of royalty used at coronations. 2 insignia of an order or of civic dignity. [medieval latin: related to *regal]
Avarice  n. Extreme greed for wealth.  avaricious adj. [latin avarus greedy]
Rotary  —adj. Acting by rotation (rotary drill). —n. (pl. -ies) 1 rotary machine. 2 (rotary) (in full rotary international) worldwide charitable society of businessmen, orig. Entertaining in rotation. [medieval latin: related to *rota]

Scientist  n. Student or expert in science.
Flight1  n. 1 a act or manner of flying. B movement or passage through the air. 2 a journey through the air or in space. B timetabled airline journey. 3 flock of birds, insects, etc. 4 (usu. Foll. By of) series, esp. Of stairs. 5 imaginative excursion or sally (flight of fancy). 6 (usu. Foll. By of) volley (flight of arrows). 7 tail of a dart. [old english: related to *fly1]
Yonks  n.pl. Slang a long time (yonks ago). [origin unknown]
Secret ballot  n. Ballot in which votes are cast in secret.
Lowest  adj. (superl. Of *low1) least high in position or status.
Wall bar  n. One of a set of parallel bars attached to the wall of a gymnasium, on which exercises are performed.
Sprinkle  —v. (-ling) 1 scatter in small drops or particles. 2 (often foll. By with) subject to sprinkling with liquid etc. 3 (of liquid etc.) Fall on in this way. 4 distribute in small amounts. —n. (usu. Foll. By of) 1 light shower. 2 = *sprinkling. [origin uncertain]
Right-minded  adj. (also right-thinking) having sound views and principles.
Fallopian tube  n. Either of two tubes along which ova travel from the ovaries to the womb. [fallopius, name of an anatomist]
Well-groomed  adj. With carefully tended hair, clothes, etc.
Rowan  n. (in full rowan-tree) 1 scot. & n.engl. Mountain ash. 2 (in full rowan-berry) its scarlet berry. [scandinavian]


Superintendent  n. 1 police officer above the rank of chief inspector. 2 a person who superintends. B director of an institution etc.
Fuddle  —v. (-ling) confuse or stupefy, esp. With alcohol. —n. 1 confusion. 2 intoxication. [origin unknown]
-ibility  suffix forming nouns from, or corresponding to, adjectives in -ible.
Salmon  —n. (pl. Usu. Same or -s) large expensive edible fish with orange-pink flesh. —adj. Salmon-pink. [latin salmo]


Fever pitch  n. State of extreme excitement.




Quick-freeze  v. Freeze (food) rapidly so as to preserve its natural qualities.

Adze  n. (us adz) tool like an axe, with an arched blade at right angles to the handle. [old english]
Flag-pole  n. = *flagstaff.


Red meat  n. Meat that is red when raw (e.g. Beef or lamb).

Minster  n. 1 large or important church. 2 church of a monastery. [old english: related to *monastery]
Tufa  n. 1 porous limestone rock formed round mineral springs. 2 = *tuff. [italian: related to *tuff]
Poll  —n. 1 a (often in pl.) Voting or the counting of votes at an election (go to the polls). B result of voting or number of votes recorded. 2 = *opinion poll. 3 human head. —v. 1 a take the vote or votes of. B receive (so many votes). C give (a vote). 2 record the opinion of (a person or group) in an opinion poll. 3 cut off the top of (a tree or plant), esp. Make a pollard of. 4 (esp. As polled adj.) Cut the horns off (cattle). [perhaps from low german or dutch]

Deacon  n. (fem. (in senses 2 and 3) deaconess) 1 (in episcopal churches) minister below bishop and priest. 2 (in nonconformist churches) lay officer. 3 (in the early church) minister of charity. [greek diakonos servant]
Companion-way  n. Staircase from a ship's deck to the saloon or cabins.

Silvan  var. Of *sylvan.

Jnr.  Abbr. Junior.
Travail  literary —n. 1 painful effort. 2 pangs of childbirth. —v. Make a painful effort, esp. In childbirth. [french travaillier]

Barnacle  n. 1 marine crustacean clinging to rocks, ships' bottoms, etc. 2 tenacious attendant or follower. [french or medieval latin]
Soft-boiled  adj. (of an egg) boiled leaving the yolk soft.
Byroad  n. Minor road.



Longshore  attrib. Adj. 1 existing on or frequenting the shore. 2 directed along the shore. [from along shore]
Cuvée  n. Blend or batch of wine. [french, = vatful]
Thief  n. (pl. Thieves) person who steals, esp. Secretly. [old english]
Churchgoer  n. Person attending church regularly.
Embrace  —v. (-cing) 1 a hold closely in the arms. B (absol., of two people) embrace each other. 2 clasp, enclose. 3 accept eagerly (an offer etc.). 4 adopt (a cause, idea, etc.). 5 include, comprise. 6 take in with the eye or mind. —n. Act of embracing, clasp.  embraceable adj. [latin: related to *brace]

Asterisk  —n. Symbol (*) used to mark words or to indicate omission etc. —v. Mark with an asterisk. [greek, = little star]

Usage  scenario should not be used in standard english to mean ‘situation’, as in it was an unpleasant scenario.
Free wheel  n. Driving wheel of a bicycle, able to revolve with the pedals at rest.


Obsequies  n.pl. Funeral rites. [latin obsequiae]

Strontium  n. Soft silver-white metallic element. [strontian in scotland]
Bandwidth  n. Range of frequencies within a given band.


Firebox  n. Place where fuel is burned in a steam engine or boiler.
Contraband  —n. 1 smuggled goods. 2 smuggling; illegal trade. —adj. Forbidden to be imported or exported. [spanish from italian]
Whirlpool  n. Powerful circular eddy of water.


Aperient  —adj. Laxative. —n. Laxative medicine. [latin aperio open]
Maintain  v. 1 cause to continue; keep up (an activity etc.). 2 support by work, expenditure, etc. 3 assert as true. 4 preserve (a house, machine, etc.) In good repair. 5 provide means for. [latin manus hand, teneo hold]
Shop-soiled  adj. Soiled or faded by display in a shop.
L1  n. (also l) (pl. Ls or l's) 1 twelfth letter of the alphabet. 2 (as a roman numeral) 50.

Leavings  n.pl. Things left over.
Tug  —v. (-gg-) 1 (often foll. By at) pull hard or violently; jerk. 2 tow (a ship etc.) By a tugboat. —n. 1 hard, violent, or jerky pull. 2 sudden strong emotion. 3 small powerful boat for towing ships. [related to *tow1]
Rubicund  adj. (of a face, complexion, etc.) Ruddy, high-coloured. [latin rubeo be red]



Machine code  n. (also machine language) computer language for a particular computer.
Unget-at-able  adj. Colloq. Inaccessible.

Senior nursing officer  n. Person in charge of nursing services in a hospital.
Heat  —n. 1 condition of being hot. 2 physics form of energy arising from the motion of bodies' molecules. 3 hot weather. 4 warmth of feeling; anger or excitement. 5 (foll. By of) most intense part or period of activity (heat of battle). 6 (usu. Preliminary or trial) round in a race etc. —v. 1 make or become hot or warm. 2 inflame.  on heat (of mammals, esp.
Hussar  n. Soldier of a light cavalry regiment. [magyar huszár]


Parody  —n. (pl. -ies) 1 humorous exaggerated imitation of an author, literary work, style, etc. 2 feeble imitation; travesty. —v. (-ies, -ied) 1 compose a parody of. 2 mimic humorously.  parodist n. [latin or greek: related to *para-1, *ode]



Stony  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 full of stones. 2 a hard, rigid. B unfeeling, uncompromising.  stonily adv. Stoniness n.








Kafkaesque  adj. Impenetrably oppressive or nightmarish, as in the fiction of franz kafka.
Road fund licence  n. Disc displayed on a vehicle certifying payment of road tax.
Indigestion  n. 1 difficulty in digesting food. 2 pain caused by this.
Acrimonious  adj. Bitter in manner or temper.  acrimony n.
Annul  v. (-ll-) 1 declare invalid. 2 cancel, abolish.  annulment n. [latin nullus none]

Fait accompli  n. Thing that has been done and is not capable of alteration. [french]
Griffin  n. (also gryphon) fabulous creature with an eagle's head and wings and a lion's body. [latin gryphus from greek]


Triple jump  n. Athletic contest comprising a hop, step, and jump.
Inductance  n. Property of an electric circuit generating an electromotive force by virtue of the current flowing through it.
Snafu  slang —adj. In utter confusion. —n. This state. [acronym of ‘situation normal: all fouled (or fucked) up’]

Stoke  v. (-king) (often foll. By up) 1 feed and tend (a fire or furnace etc.). 2 colloq. Fill oneself with food. [back-formation from *stoker]

Yaws  n.pl. (usu. Treated as sing.) Contagious tropical skin-disease with large red swellings. [origin unknown]

Aqueous humour  n. Clear fluid in the eye between the lens and the cornea.






Husky1  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 (of a person or voice) dry in the throat; hoarse. 2 of or full of husks. 3 dry as a husk. 4 tough, strong, hefty.  huskily adv. Huskiness n.



Fibrositis  n. Rheumatic inflammation of fibrous tissue. [from *fibre, *-itis]
Sleet  —n. 1 snow and rain falling together. 2 hail or snow melting as it falls. —v. (prec. By it as subject) sleet falls (it is sleeting).  sleety adj. [old english]
Kid1  —n. 1 young goat. 2 leather from this. 3 colloq. Child. —v. (-dd-) (of a goat) give birth.  handle with kid gloves treat carefully. [old norse]
Racegoer  n. Person who frequents horse-races.
Deputy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 person appointed to act for another (also attrib.: deputy manager). 2 parliamentary representative in some countries. [var. Of *depute]







Sputnik  n. Russian artificial satellite orbiting the earth. [russian]




Himself  pron. 1 a emphat. Form of *he or *him (he himself will do it). B refl. Form of *him (he has hurt himself). 2 in his normal state of body or mind (does not feel quite himself today).  be himself see *oneself. By himself see by oneself. [old english: related to *him, *self]

Riparian  adj. Of or on a river-bank (riparian rights). [latin ripa bank]

Kingcup  n. Marsh marigold.

Harmonica  n. Small rectangular musical instrument played by blowing and sucking air through it.

Apocrypha  n.pl. 1 books included in the septuagint and vulgate versions of the old testament but not in the hebrew bible. 2 (apocrypha) writings etc. Not considered genuine. [greek apokrupto hide away]
Gable  n. 1 triangular upper part of a wall at the end of a ridged roof. 2 gable-topped wall.  gabled adj. [old norse and french]
Trolley bus  n. Electric bus using a trolley-wheel.
Cracking  slang —adj. 1 excellent. 2 (attrib.) Fast and exciting. —adv. Outstandingly.
Talking-point  n. Topic for discussion.
Heartbeat  n. Pulsation of the heart.
Seemly  adj. (-ier, -iest) in good taste; decorous.  seemliness n. [old norse: related to *seem]

Cradle  —n. 1 a baby's bed or cot, esp. On rockers. B place in which something begins, esp. Civilization (cradle of democracy). 2 supporting framework or structure. —v. (-ling) 1 contain or shelter as in a cradle. 2 place in a cradle. [old english]


Taskmaster  n. (fem. Taskmistress) person who makes others work hard.


Unmindful  adj. (often foll. By of) not mindful.



Wadi  n. (pl. -s) rocky watercourse in n. Africa etc., dry except in the rainy season. [arabic]
Oboe  n. Woodwind double-reed instrument with a piercing plaintive tone.  oboist n. [french hautbois from haut high, bois wood]


Balkan  adj. 1 of the region of se europe bounded by the adriatic, aegean, and black sea. 2 of its peoples or countries. [turkish]


Dutch barn  n. Roof for hay etc., set on poles.

Dew  n. 1 condensed water vapour forming on cool surfaces at night. 2 similar glistening moisture.  dewy adj. (-ier, -iest). [old english]

Prolate  adj. Geom. (of a spheroid) lengthened in the direction of a polar diameter. [latin, = brought forward, prolonged]


Clove3  past of *cleave1.

Bole  n. Trunk of a tree. [old norse]



High frequency  n. Frequency, esp. In radio, of 3 to 30 megahertz.
Soil2  —v. 1 make dirty; smear or stain. 2 defile; discredit. —n. 1 dirty mark. 2 filth; refuse. [french soill(i)er]
Gaiety  n. (us gayety) 1 being gay; mirth. 2 merrymaking. 3 bright appearance. [french: related to *gay]




Chubb  n. (in full chubb lock) propr. Lock with a device for fixing the bolt immovably should someone try to pick it. [chubb, name of a locksmith]
Roller bearing  n. Bearing like a ball-bearing but with small cylinders instead of balls.
Hi-tech  adj. = *high-tech. [abbreviation]

Bob1  —v. (-bb-) 1 move quickly up and down. 2 (usu. Foll. By back, up) bounce or emerge buoyantly or suddenly. 3 cut (the hair) in a bob. 4 curtsy. —n. 1 jerking or bouncing movement, esp. Upward. 2 hairstyle with the hair hanging evenly above the shoulders. 3 weight on a pendulum etc. 4 horse's docked tail. 5 curtsy. [imitative]




Nitrate  —n. 1 any salt or ester of nitric acid. 2 potassium or sodium nitrate as a fertilizer. —v. (-ting) treat, combine, or impregnate with nitric acid.  nitration n. [french: related to *nitre]
Countersign  —v. Add a signature to (a document already signed by another). —n. 1 password spoken to a person on guard. 2 mark used for identification etc. [italian: related to *sign]



 

Hide-and-seek  n. Game in which players hide and another searches for them.

Earthworm  n. Common worm living in the ground.







Ham  —n. 1 a upper part of a pig's leg salted and dried or smoked for food. B meat from this. 2 back of the thigh; thigh and buttock. 3 colloq. (often attrib.) Inexpert or unsubtle actor or piece of acting. 4 colloq. Operator of an amateur radio station. —v. (-mm-) (usu. In ham it up) colloq. Overact. [old english]

Ha1  (also hah) —int. Expressing surprise, derision, triumph, etc. (cf. *ha ha). —v. In hum and ha: see *hum. [imitative]
Administrative  adj. Of the management of affairs.
Overhead  —adv. 1 above head height. 2 in the sky. —adj. Placed overhead. —n. (in pl.) Routine administrative and maintenance expenses of a business.




Helter-skelter  —adv. & adj. In disorderly haste. —n. (at a fairground) external spiral slide round a tower. [imitative]


Duteous  adj. Literary dutiful.  duteously adv.
Atomic mass  n. Mass of an atom measured in atomic mass units.

Exacting  adj. 1 making great demands. 2 requiring much effort.
Elecampane  n. Plant with bitter aromatic leaves and roots. [latin enula this plant, campana of the fields]

Hee-haw  —n. Bray of a donkey. —v. Make a braying sound. [imitative]

Tomography  n. Method of radiography displaying details in a selected plane within the body. [greek tome a cutting]
Rural dean  see *dean1.
Pantechnicon  n. Large furniture removal van. [from *technic: originally as the name of a bazaar]
Last1  —adj. 1 after all others; coming at or belonging to the end. 2 most recent; next before a specified time (last christmas). 3 only remaining (last chance). 4 (prec. By the) least likely or suitable (the last person i'd want). 5 lowest in rank (last place). —adv. 1 after all others (esp. In comb.: last-mentioned). 2 on the most recent occasion (when did you last see him?). 3 lastly. —n. 1 person or thing that is last, last-mentioned, most recent, etc. 2 (prec. By the) last mention or sight etc. (shall never hear the last of it). 3 last performance of certain acts (breathed his last). 4 (prec. By the) the end; death (fighting to the last).  at last (or long last) in the end; after much delay. [old english, = latest]
Indistinguishable  adj. (often foll. By from) not distinguishable.




Accompaniment  n. 1 instrumental or orchestral support for a solo instrument, voice, or group. 2 accompanying thing.  accompanist n. (in sense 1).
Way back  adv. Colloq. Long ago.
Timid  adj. (timider, timidest) easily frightened; apprehensive.  timidity n. Timidly adv. [latin timeo fear]


Manhunt  n. Organized search for a person, esp. A criminal.




Overdue  adj. Past the due time for payment, arrival, return, etc.

Second chamber  n. Upper house of a parliament.



Shotgun  n. Gun for firing small shot at short range.
Pancake landing  n. Colloq. Emergency aircraft landing with the undercarriage still retracted.

Reactive  adj. 1 showing reaction. 2 reacting rather than taking the initiative. 3 susceptible to chemical reaction.

Uncivil  adj. Ill-mannered; impolite.  uncivilly adv.

Ligneous  adj. 1 (of a plant) woody. 2 of the nature of wood. [latin lignum wood]
Rescind  v. Abrogate, revoke, cancel.  rescission n. [latin rescindo -sciss- cut off]
Fox  —n. 1 a wild canine animal with a bushy tail and red or grey fur. B its fur. 2 cunning person. —v. 1 deceive, baffle, trick. 2 (usu. As foxed adj.) Discolour (leaves of a book etc.) With brownish marks.  foxlike adj. [old english]
Three-legged race  n. Running-race between pairs, one member of each pair having the left leg tied to the right leg of the other.

Pitiful  adj. 1 causing pity. 2 contemptible.  pitifully adv.

Quaint  adj. Attractively odd or old-fashioned.  quaintly adv. Quaintness n.  [french cointe from latin cognosco ascertain]
Tracheotomy  n. (pl. -ies) incision of the trachea to relieve an obstruction.
Charter  —n. 1 a document granting rights, issued esp. By a sovereign or legislature. B written constitution or description of an organization's functions etc. 2 contract to hire an aircraft, ship, etc., for a special purpose. —v. 1 grant a charter to. 2 hire (an aircraft, ship, etc.). [latin chartula: related to *chart]

Paradiddle  n. Drum roll with alternate beating of sticks. [imitative]




 


Head first  adv. 1 with the head foremost. 2 precipitately.



Lloyd's  n. Incorporated society of underwriters in london. [lloyd, proprietor of the coffee-house where the society originally met]
Hem1  —n. Border of cloth where the edge is turned under and sewn down. —v. (-mm-) turn down and sew in the edge of (cloth etc.).  hem in confine; restrict the movement of. [old english]
Cse  abbr. Hist. Certificate of secondary education.

Gibe  (also jibe) —v. (-bing) (often foll. By at) jeer, mock. —n. Jeering remark, taunt. [perhaps from french giber handle roughly]

Reinterpret  v. (-t-) interpret again or differently.  reinterpretation n.
Mover  n. 1 person, animal, or thing that moves or dances, esp. In a specified way. 2 person who moves a proposition. 3 (also prime mover) originator.
Topee  var. Of *topi.
Periwinkle2  n. = *winkle. [origin unknown]

Notary  n. (pl. -ies) (in full notary public) solicitor etc. Who attests or certifies deeds etc.  notarial adj. [latin notarius secretary]
Role-playing  n. (also role-play) acting of characters or situations as an aid in psychotherapy, language-teaching, etc.  role-play v.



Audio typist  n. Person who types from a tape-recording.
Parallax  n. 1 apparent difference in the position or direction of an object caused when the observer's position is changed. 2 angular amount of this. [greek, = change]
Scat2  —n. Wordless jazz singing. —v. (-tt-) sing scat. [probably imitative]




Monolith  n. 1 single block of stone, esp. Shaped into a pillar etc. 2 person or thing like a monolith in being massive, immovable, or solidly uniform.  monolithic adj. [greek lithos stone]

Narrow-minded  adj. Rigid or restricted in one's views, intolerant.  narrow-mindedness n.
Cumin  n. (also cummin) 1 plant with aromatic seeds. 2 these as flavouring. [greek kuminon]

Grizzle  v. (-ling) colloq. 1 (esp. Of a child) cry fretfully. 2 complain whiningly.  grizzly adj. [origin unknown]








Opulent  adj. 1 wealthy. 2 luxurious. 3 abundant.  opulence n. [latin opes wealth]

Imposture  n. Fraudulent deception.

Carbohydrate  n. Energy-producing organic compound of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen (e.g. Starch, sugar).
Unfrock  v. = *defrock.


Envy  —n. (pl. -ies) 1 discontent aroused by another's better fortune etc. 2 object of this feeling. —v. (-ies, -ied) feel envy of (a person etc.). [latin invidia, from video see]

Comity  n. (pl. -ies) formal 1 courtesy, friendship. 2 a association of nations etc. B (in full comity of nations) mutual recognition by nations of the laws and customs of others. [latin comis courteous]
Hold2  n. Cavity in the lower part of a ship or aircraft for cargo. [old english: related to *hollow]
Goddess  n. 1 female deity. 2 adored woman.
Right  —adj. 1 (of conduct etc.) Just, morally or socially correct (do the right thing). 2 true, correct (which is the right way?). 3 suitable or preferable (right person for the job). 4 sound or normal; healthy; satisfactory (engine doesn't sound right). 5 on or towards the east side of the human body, or of any object etc., when facing north. 6 (of a side of fabric etc.) Meant for display or use. 7 colloq. Real; complete (made a right mess of it). 8 (also right) polit. Of the right. —n. 1 that which is correct or just; fair treatment (often in pl.: rights and wrongs of the case). 2 justification or fair claim (has no right to speak). 3 legal or moral entitlement; authority to act (human rights; right of reply). 4 right-hand part, region, or direction. 5 boxing a right hand. B blow with this. 6 (often right) a conservative political group or section. B conservatives collectively. 7 side of a stage to the right of a person facing the audience. —v. 1 (often refl.) Restore to a proper, straight, or vertical position. 2 correct or avenge (mistakes, wrongs, etc.); set in order; make reparation. —adv. 1 straight (go right on). 2 colloq. Immediately (do it right now). 3 a (foll. By to, round, through, etc.) All the way (sank right to the bottom). B (foll. By off, out, etc.) Completely (came right off its hinges). 4 exactly, quite (right in the middle). 5 justly, properly, correctly, truly, satisfactorily (not holding it right; if i remember right). 6 on or to the right side. —int. Colloq. Expressing agreement or assent.   by right (or rights) if right were done. Do right by act dutifully towards (a person). In one's own right through one's own position or effort etc. In the right having justice or truth on one's side. In one's right mind sane. Of (or as of) right having legal or moral etc. Entitlement. On the right side of colloq. 1 in the favour of (a person etc.). 2 somewhat less than (a specified age). Put (or set) right 1 restore to order, health, etc. 2 correct the mistaken impression etc. Of (a person). Put (or set) to rights make correct or well ordered. Right away (or off) immediately. Right oh! (or ho!) = *righto. Right on! Slang expression of strong approval or encouragement. A right one colloq. Foolish or funny person. Right you are! Colloq. Exclamation of assent. Too right slang expression of agreement.  rightness n. [old english]

Antinomy  n. (pl. -ies) contradiction between two reasonable beliefs or conclusions.
Fret2  —n. Ornamental pattern of straight lines joined usu. At right angles. —v. (-tt-) embellish with a fret or with carved or embossed work. [french freter]



Fingerprint  —n. Impression of a fingertip on a surface, used in detecting crime. —v. Record the fingerprints of.





Concentration  n. 1 concentrating or being concentrated. 2 mental attention. 3 something concentrated. 4 weight of a substance in a given amount of material.
Depreciate  v. (-ting) 1 diminish in value. 2 belittle.  depreciatory adj. [latin: related to *price]
Bah  int. Expressing contempt or disbelief. [french]

Incriminate  v. (-ting) 1 make (a person) appear to be guilty. 2 charge with a crime.  incrimination n. Incriminatory adj. [latin: related to *crime]

Eye-catching  adj. Colloq. Striking.

Phantasmagoria  n. Shifting series of real or imaginary figures as seen in a dream.  phantasmagoric adj. [probably from french fantasmagorie: related to *phantasm]
Indistinct  adj. 1 not distinct. 2 confused, obscure.  indistinctly adv.
Serpent  n. 1  snake, esp. Large. 2 sly or treacherous person. [latin serpo creep]

Mccarthyism, mccoy  see at macc-.
Lateral thinking  n. Method of solving problems other than by using conventional logic.

Misdeed  n. Evil deed, wrongdoing, crime. [old english]



-less  suffix forming adjectives and adverbs: 1 from nouns, meaning ‘not having, without, free from’ (powerless). 2 from verbs, meaning ‘not accessible to, affected by, or performing the action of the verb’ (fathomless; ceaseless). [old english]
-ine  suffix 1 forming adjectives, meaning ‘belonging to, of the nature of’ (alpine; asinine). 2 forming feminine nouns (heroine). [latin -inus]
Throng  —n. (often foll. By of) crowd, esp. Of people. —v. 1 come in great numbers (crowds thronged to the stadium). 2 flock into or crowd round; fill with or as with a crowd. [old english]
Stockbroker  n. = *broker 2.  stockbroking n.
Hibernian  archaic poet. —adj. Of ireland. —n. Native of ireland. [latin hibernia ireland]



Bit on the side  n. Slang sexual relationship involving infidelity.
Rasher  n. Thin slice of bacon or ham. [origin unknown]
Irreverent  adj. Lacking reverence.  irreverence n. Irreverently adv.
Riff-raff  n. (often prec. By the) rabble; disreputable people. [french rif et raf]

Fight  —v. (past and past part. Fought) 1 (often foll. By against, with) contend or contend with in war, battle, single combat, etc. 2 engage in (a battle, duel, etc.). 3 contend (an election); maintain (a lawsuit, cause, etc.) Against an opponent. 4 strive to achieve something or to overcome (disease, fire, etc.). 5 make (one's way) by fighting. —n. 1 a combat. B boxing-match. C battle. 2 conflict, struggle, or effort. 3 power or inclination to fight (no fight left).  fight back 1 counter-attack. 2 suppress (tears etc.). Fight for 1 fight on behalf of. 2 fight to secure. Fight a losing battle struggle without hope of success. Fight off repel with effort. Fight out (usu. Fight it out) settle by fighting. Fight shy of avoid. Put up a fight offer resistance. [old english]
Mural  —n. Painting executed directly on a wall. —adj. Of, on, or like a wall. [latin murus wall]
Gin2  —n. 1 snare, trap. 2 machine separating cotton from its seeds. 3 a kind of crane and windlass. —v. (-nn-) 1 treat (cotton) in a gin. 2 trap. [french: related to *engine]

Secret  —adj. 1 kept or meant to be kept private, unknown, or hidden. 2 acting or operating secretly. 3 fond of secrecy. —n. 1 thing kept or meant to be kept secret. 2 mystery. 3 effective but not generally known method (what's their secret?; the secret of success).  in secret secretly.  secretly adv. [latin secerno secret- separate]
Epidiascope  n. Optical projector capable of giving images of both opaque and transparent objects. [from *epi-, *dia-, *-scope]



Clematis  n. Climbing plant with white, pink, or purple flowers. [greek]


Enthuse  v. (-sing) colloq. Be or make enthusiastic.

Kitchenette  n. Small kitchen or cooking area.

Cantata  n. Mus. Composition with vocal solos and usu. Choral and orchestral accompaniment. [italian: related to *chant]
Groundwork  n. Preliminary or basic work.
Stay2  n. 1 naut. Rope or guy supporting a mast, flagstaff, etc. 2 supporting cable on an aircraft etc. [old english from germanic]

Encyclopedic  adj. (also -paedic) (of knowledge or information) comprehensive.
Divide  —v. (-ding) 1 (often foll. By in, into) separate into parts; break up; split. 2 (often foll. By out) distribute; deal; share. 3 a separate (one thing) from another. B classify into parts or groups. 4 cause to disagree. 5 a find how many times (a number) contains or is contained in another (divide 20 by 4; divide 4 into 20). B (of a number) be contained in (a number) without remainder (4 divides into 20). 6 parl. Vote (by members entering either of two lobbies) (the house divided). —n. 1 dividing line. 2 watershed. [latin divido -vis-]
Hyper-  prefix meaning: 1 over, beyond, above (hypersonic). 2 too (hypersensitive). [greek huper over]
Derris  n. 1 tropical climbing plant. 2 insecticide made from its root. [latin from greek]



Shingles  n.pl. (usu. Treated as sing.) Acute painful viral inflammation of the nerve ganglia, with a rash often encircling the body. [latin cingulum girdle]

Well-read  adj. Knowledgeable through much reading.


Sex offender  n. Person who commits a sexual crime.
Lone hand  n. 1 hand played or player playing against the rest at cards. 2 person or action without allies.
Virtuoso  n. (pl. -si or -s) (often attrib.) Highly skilled artist, esp. A musician (virtuoso performance).  virtuosic adj. Virtuosity n. [italian: related to *virtuous]
Dairymaid  n. Woman employed in a dairy.


Operatic  adj. Of or like an opera or opera singer (an operatic voice).  operatically adv.

Spew  v. (also spue) 1 (often foll. By up) vomit. 2 (often foll. By out) (cause to) gush. [old english]

Bottom  —n. 1 a lowest point or part. B base. C underneath part. D furthest or inmost part. 2 colloq. A buttocks. B seat of a chair etc. 3 a less honourable end of a table, class, etc. B person occupying this (he's bottom of the class). 4 ground below water. 5 basis or origin. 6 essential character. —adj. Lowest, last. —v. 1 put a bottom to (a chair etc.). 2 find the extent of. 3 touch the bottom or lowest point (of).  at bottom basically. Be at the bottom of have caused. Bottom out reach the lowest level. Get to the bottom of fully investigate and explain. [old english]


Cloakroom  n. 1 room where outdoor clothes or luggage may be left. 2 euphem. Lavatory.
Us  abbr. United states.
Aquilegia  n. (usu. Blue-flowered) columbine. [latin]
Double dutch  n. Colloq. Gibberish.
Unformed  adj. 1 not formed; undeveloped. 2 shapeless.
Incendiary  —adj. 1 (of a bomb) designed to cause fires. 2 a of arson. B guilty of arson. 3 inflammatory. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 incendiary bomb. 2 arsonist.  incendiarism n. [latin incendo -cens- set fire to]


Rugby league  n. Partly professional rugby with teams of 13.






Cadaver  n. Esp. Med. Corpse. [latin cado fall]
Wet blanket  n. Colloq. Gloomy person hindering others' enjoyment.
Wintry  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 characteristic of winter. 2 lacking warmth; unfriendly.  wintriness n.









Peer group  n. Group of people of the same age, status, etc.
Scot  n. 1 native of scotland. 2 person of scottish descent. [latin scottus]



Depredation  n. (usu. In pl.) Despoiling, ravaging. [latin: related to *prey]
Topiary  —adj. Concerned with or formed by clipping shrubs, trees, etc. Into ornamental shapes. —n. Topiary art. [greek topos place]
Beverage  n. Formal drink. [latin bibo drink]




Barber-shop  n. Colloq. Close harmony singing for four male voices.


Damask rose  n. Old sweet-scented rose used to make attar.
Literalism  n. Insistence on a literal interpretation; adherence to the letter.  literalist n.
Chagrin  —n. Acute annoyance or disappointment. —v. Affect with chagrin. [french]
Instant  —adj. 1 occurring immediately. 2 (of food etc.) Processed for quick preparation. 3 urgent; pressing. 4 commerce of the current month (the 6th instant). —n. 1 precise moment (come here this instant). 2 short space of time (in an instant). [latin insto be urgent]


Condense  v. (-sing) 1 make denser or more concentrated. 2 express in fewer words. 3 reduce or be reduced from a gas or vapour to a liquid. [latin: related to *dense]

Contuse  v. (-sing) bruise.  contusion n. [latin tundo tus- thump]

Usage  in sense 3 of the adverb, the word ‘past’ is often omitted in colloquial usage, e.g. Came at half two. In some parts of scotland and ireland this means ‘half past one’.

Eyewitness  n. Person who saw a thing happen and can tell of it.

Foul-up  n. Muddle, bungle.


Padding  n. Soft material used to pad or stuff.
Progesterone  n. A steroid hormone which stimulates the preparation of the uterus for pregnancy and maintains the uterus in the event of fertilization. [german: related to *pro-1, *gestation]
White whale  n. Northern cetacean, white when adult.


Localize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 restrict or assign to a particular place. 2 invest with the characteristics of a particular place. 3 decentralize.

Gore1  n. Blood shed and clotted. [old english, = dirt]
Aspect  n. 1 viewpoint, feature, etc. To be considered (one aspect of the problem). 2 appearance or look (cheerful aspect). 3 side of a building or location facing a particular direction (southern aspect). [latin adspicio look at]

Tortoiseshell cat  n. Domestic cat with markings resembling tortoiseshell.
Bake  v. (-king) 1 cook or become cooked by dry heat, esp. In an oven. 2 colloq. (usu. As be baking) (of weather, a person, etc.) Be very hot. 3 harden by heat. [old english]



Remedial  adj. 1 affording or intended as a remedy. 2 (of teaching etc.) For slow or disadvantaged pupils. [latin: related to *remedy]


Boot2  n.  to boot as well, in addition. [old english]
Kleptomania  n. Obsessive apparently motiveless urge to steal.  kleptomaniac n. & adj. [greek kleptes thief]
Two  adj. & n. 1 one more than one. 2 symbol for this (2, ii, ii). 3 size etc. Denoted by two. 4 two o'clock.  in two in or into two pieces. Put two and two together infer from known facts. [old english]
Cloche  n. 1 small translucent cover for protecting outdoor plants. 2 (in full cloche hat) woman's close-fitting bell-shaped hat. [french, = bell, medieval latin clocca]



Saltpetre  n. (us saltpeter) white crystalline salty substance used in preserving meat and in gunpowder. [latin sal petrae, = salt of rock]
Incorruptible  adj. 1 that cannot be corrupted, esp. By bribery. 2 that cannot decay.  incorruptibility n. Incorruptibly adv.


Litre  n. (us liter) metric unit of capacity equal to 1 cubic decimetre (1.76 pints). [greek litra]

Amplifier  n. Electronic device for increasing the strength of electrical signals, esp. For conversion into sound.
Slapdash  —adj. Hasty and careless. —adv. In this manner.
Senator  n. Member of a senate.  senatorial adj. [latin: related to *senate]


Blackjack  n. = *pontoon1.
Architectonic  adj. 1 of architecture. 2 of the systematization of knowledge.
Allegedly  adv. As is alleged.

Carbonic  adj. Containing carbon.

Macerate  v. (-ting) 1 soften by soaking. 2 waste away by fasting.  maceration n. [latin]


Rompers  n. Pl. (also romper suit) young child's one-piece garment covering the legs and trunk.

Acrylic acid  n. A pungent liquid organic acid.
Artificial insemination  n. Non-sexual injection of semen into the uterus.

Moslem  var. Of *muslim.
Disembowel  v. (-ll-; us -l-) remove the bowels or entrails of.  disembowelment n.


Tappet  n. Lever or projecting part in machinery giving intermittent motion. [from *tap2]

Spoonfeed  v. (past and past part. -fed) 1 feed with a spoon. 2 give such extensive help etc. To (a person) that he or she need make no effort.

Coffee morning  n. Morning gathering, esp. For charity, at which coffee is served.

Ascribe  v. (-bing) (usu. Foll. By to) 1 attribute (ascribes his health to exercise). 2 regard as belonging.  ascription n. [latin scribo write]

Walkabout  n. 1 informal stroll among a crowd by a visiting dignitary. 2 period of wandering in the bush by an australian aboriginal.
Cellar  —n. 1 storage room below ground level in a house. 2 stock of wine in a cellar. —v. Store in a cellar. [latin cellarium: related to *cell]
Stoup  n. 1 basin for holy-water. 2 archaic flagon, beaker. [old norse]

Bassoon  n. Bass instrument of the oboe family.  bassoonist n. [italian: related to *bass1]







Methanoic acid  n. = *formic acid. [related to *methane]
Quandary  n. (pl. -ies) 1 perplexed state. 2 practical dilemma. [origin uncertain]
Gratuity  n. (pl. -ies) = *tip3 n. 1. [latin: related to *grateful]

Ajar  adv. & predic.adj. (of a door) slightly open. [from *a2, obsolete char from old english cerr a turn]
Refit  —v. (-tt-) esp. Naut. Make or become serviceable again by repairs, renewals, etc. —n. Refitting.
Hallo  var. Of *hello.
Fee  n. 1 payment made for professional advice or services etc. 2 a charge for a privilege, examination, admission to a society, etc. (enrolment fee). B money paid for the transfer to another employer of a footballer etc. 3 (in pl.) Regular payments (esp. To a school). 4 law inherited estate, unlimited (fee simple) or limited (fee tail) as to category of heir. [medieval latin feudum]
Aardvark  n. Mammal with a tubular snout and a long tongue, feeding on termites. [afrikaans]

Astatine  n. Radioactive element, the heaviest of the halogens. [greek astatos unstable]
Propitious  adj. 1 (of an omen etc.) Favourable, auspicious. 2 (often foll. By for, to) suitable, advantageous. [latin propitius]
Mumps  n.pl. (treated as sing.) Infectious disease with swelling of the neck and face. [imitative of mouth-shape]

Jolly1  —adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 cheerful; merry. 2 festive, jovial. 3 colloq. Pleasant, delightful. —adv. Colloq. Very. —v. (-ies, -ied) (usu. Foll. By along) colloq. Coax or humour in a friendly way. —n. (pl. -ies) colloq. Party or celebration.  jollily adv. Jolliness n. [french jolif gay, pretty: perhaps related to *yule]
Wolfsbane  n. Aconite.
High jump  n. 1 athletic event consisting of jumping over a high bar. 2 colloq. Drastic punishment (he's for the high jump).
Cu  symb. Copper. [latin cuprum]
Au pair  n. Young foreigner, esp. A woman, helping with housework etc. In exchange for board and lodging. [french]

Time-and-motion  adj. (usu. Attrib.) Measuring the efficiency of industrial and other operations.

French bean  n. Kidney or haricot bean as unripe sliced pods or ripe seeds.
Lap3  —v. (-pp-) 1 a (esp. Of an animal) drink with the tongue. B (usu. Foll. By up, down) consume (liquid) greedily. C (usu. Foll. By up) consume (gossip, praise, etc.) Greedily. 2 (of waves etc.) Ripple; make a lapping sound against (the shore). —n. 1 a act of lapping. B amount of liquid taken up. 2 sound of wavelets. [old english]

Hz  abbr. Hertz.
Shave  —v. (-ving; past part. Shaved or (as adj.) Shaven) 1 remove (bristles or hair) with a razor. 2 (also absol.) Remove bristles or hair with a razor from (a person, face, leg, etc.). 3 reduce by a small amount. 4 pare (wood etc.) To shape it. 5 miss or pass narrowly. —n. 1 shaving or being shaved. 2 narrow miss or escape. 3 tool for shaving wood etc. [old english]
Volute  n. Spiral stonework scroll as an ornament of esp. Ionic capitals. [latin volvo -ut- roll]
Share-out  n. Act of sharing out, distribution.

Peculiarly  adv. 1 more than usually, especially (peculiarly annoying). 2 oddly.
Undiplomatic  adj. Tactless.


Draughtboard  n. = *chessboard.
Tennis elbow  n. Sprain caused by overuse of forearm muscles.
Straddle  v. (-ling) 1 a sit or stand across (a thing) with the legs spread. B be situated on both sides of. 2 part (one's legs) widely. [from *stride]
B. & b.  Abbr. Bed and breakfast.
Cute  adj. Colloq. 1 esp. Us attractive, quaint. 2 clever, ingenious.  cutely adv. Cuteness n. [shortening of *acute]


Imbalance  n. 1 lack of balance. 2 disproportion.
Oblivious  adj. Unaware or unconscious.  obliviously adv. Obliviousness n.
Sprat  n. Small edible marine fish. [old english]

Pinpoint  —n. 1 point of a pin. 2 something very small or sharp. 3 (attrib.) Precise, accurate. —v. Locate with precision.
Hank  n. Coil or skein of wool or thread etc. [old norse]

Stoat  n. Mammal of the weasel family with brown fur turning mainly white in the winter. [origin unknown]

Microscope  n. Instrument with lenses for magnifying objects or details invisible to the naked eye. [from *micro-, *-scope]

Indicative  —adj. 1 (foll. By of) suggestive; serving as an indication. 2 gram. (of a mood) stating a fact. —n. Gram. 1 indicative mood. 2 verb in this mood.
Harmful  adj. Causing or likely to cause harm.  harmfully adv. Harmfulness n.

Lumbago  n. Rheumatic pain in the muscles of the lower back. [latin lumbus loin]
Leaf-mould  n. Soil or compost consisting chiefly of decayed leaves.
Pipette  n. Chem slender tube for transferring or measuring small quantities of liquids. [french diminutive: related to *pipe]

Tongue-in-cheek  —adj. Ironic. —adv. Insincerely or ironically.



Spot check  n. Sudden or random check.






Close1  —adj. 1 (often foll. By to) situated at a short distance or interval. 2 a having a strong or immediate relation or connection (close friend). B in intimate friendship or association. C corresponding almost exactly (close resemblance). 3 in or almost in contact (close combat). 4 dense, compact, with no or only slight intervals. 5 (of a contest etc.) In which competitors are almost equal. 6 leaving no gaps or weaknesses, rigorous (close reasoning). 7 concentrated, searching. 8 (of air etc.) Stuffy, humid. 9 closed, shut. 10 limited to certain persons etc. (close corporation). 11 hidden, secret; secretive. 12 niggardly. —adv. At only a short distance or interval. —n. 1 street closed at one end. 2 precinct of a cathedral.  at close quarters very close together.  closely adv. Closeness n. [latin clausus from claudo shut]

Herbal  —adj. Of herbs in medicinal and culinary use. —n. Book describing the medicinal and culinary uses of herbs.
Disrobe  v. (-bing) literary undress.
Larva  n. (pl. -vae) stage of an insect's development between egg and pupa.  larval adj. [latin, = ghost]

Raillery  n. Good-humoured ridicule. [french raillerie: related to *rail2]

Extraterrestrial  —adj. Outside the earth or its atmosphere. —n. (in science fiction) being from outer space.
Half-hearted  adj. Lacking enthusiasm.  half-heartedly adv. Half-heartedness n.
Titrate  v. (-ting) chem. Ascertain the amount of a constituent in (a solution) by reaction with a known concentration of reagent.  titration n. [french titre title]
Profitable  adj. 1 yielding profit. 2 beneficial.  profitability n. Profitably adv.
Graft1  —n. 1 bot. A shoot or scion inserted into a slit of stock, from which it receives sap. B place where a graft is inserted. 2 surgery piece of living tissue, organ, etc., transplanted surgically. 3 slang hard work. —v. 1 (often foll. By into, on, together, etc.) Insert (a scion) as a graft. 2 transplant (living tissue). 3 (foll. By in, on) insert or fix (a thing) permanently to another. 4 slang work hard. [greek graphion stylus]
Noble gas  n. Any of a group of gaseous elements that almost never combine with other elements.
Extemporaneous  adj. Spoken or done without preparation.  extemporaneously adv. [from *extempore]


Loveable  var. Of *lovable.

Bezel  n. 1 sloped edge of a chisel. 2 oblique faces of a cut gem. 3 groove holding a watch-glass or gem. [french]
Gust  —n. 1 sudden strong rush of wind. 2 burst of rain, smoke, emotion, etc. —v. Blow in gusts.  gusty adj. (-ier, -iest). [old norse]
Majority  n. (pl. -ies) 1 (usu. Foll. By of) greater number or part. 2  a number of votes by which a candidate wins. B party etc. Receiving the greater number of votes. 3 full legal age. 4 rank of major. [medieval latin: related to *major]
School age  n. Age-range of school attendance.
Oil  —n. 1 any of various viscous, usu. Inflammable liquids insoluble in water (cooking oil; drill for oil). 2 petroleum. 3 (in comb.) Using oil as fuel (oil-heater). 4 a (usu. In pl.) = *oil-paint. B picture painted in oil-paints. —v. 1 apply oil to; lubricate. 2 impregnate or treat with oil (oiled silk).  oil the wheels help make things go smoothly. [latin oleum olive oil]
Aureole  n. (also aureola) 1 halo or circle of light, esp. In a religious painting. 2 corona round the sun or moon. [latin, = golden (crown)]

Tartaric acid  n. Natural acid found esp. In unripe grapes, used in baking powders etc.

Troy  n. (in full troy weight) system of weights used for precious metals and gems, with a pound of 12 ounces or 5,760 grains; 1 oz. Troy = 31.1035 g. [probably troyes in france]
Hang-glider  n. Glider with a fabric wing on a light frame, from which the operator is suspended.  hang-glide v. Hang-gliding n.

Sinn fein  n. Political wing of the ira. [irish, = we ourselves]

Diadem  n. 1 crown or headband as a sign of sovereignty. 2 sovereignty. 3 crowning distinction. [greek deo bind]


Mare1  n. Female equine animal, esp. A horse. [old english]
Hob  n. 1 flat heating surface with hotplates or burners, on a cooker or as a separate unit. 2 flat metal shelf at the side of a fireplace for heating a pan etc. [perhaps var. Of *hub]

Episodic  adj. 1 consisting of separate episodes. 2 irregular, sporadic. episodically adv.

Chlorine  n. Poisonous gaseous element used for purifying water etc. [greek khloros green]
High-octane  adj. (of fuel used in internal-combustion engines) not detonating readily during the power stroke.

Famed  adj. (foll. By for) famous; much spoken of.



Poly  n. (pl. -s) colloq. Polytechnic. [abbreviation]
Helical  adj. Having the form of a helix.

Allay  v. 1 diminish (fear, suspicion, etc.). 2 alleviate (pain etc.). [old english a- intensive prefix, *lay1]
Holy roman empire  n. Western part of the roman empire as revived by charlemagne in 800 ad.


Smith  n. 1 blacksmith. 2 (esp. In comb.) Worker in metal (goldsmith). 3 (esp. In comb.) Craftsman (wordsmith). [old english]







Führer  n. (also fuehrer) tyrannical leader. [german]
Public relations  n.pl. (usu. Treated as sing.) Professional promotion of a favourable public image, esp. By a company, famous person, etc.
Vingt-et-un  n. = *pontoon1. [french, = twenty-one]

Star wars  n.pl. Colloq. Strategic defence initiative.
Apex  n. (also apex) (often attrib.) System of reduced fares for scheduled flights. [advance purchase excursion]

Erode  v. (-ding) wear away, destroy gradually.  erosion n. Erosive adj. [latin rodo ros- gnaw]



Hysteric  n. 1 (in pl.) A fit of hysteria. B colloq. Overwhelming laughter (we were in hysterics). 2 hysterical person.



Meritorious  adj. Praiseworthy.
Foxy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 foxlike. 2 sly or cunning. 3 reddish-brown.  foxily adv. Foxiness n.
Aggravate  v. (-ting) 1 make worse or more serious. 2 annoy.  aggravation n. [latin gravis heavy]

Hereinafter  adv. Esp. Law formal 1 from this point on. 2 in a later part of this document etc.


Structural  adj. Of a structure.  structurally adv.


Old hat  adj. Colloq. Hackneyed.

Cantonment  n. 1 lodging assigned to troops. 2 hist. Permanent military station in india. [french: related to *canton]



Jaded  adj. Tired out; surfeited.
Supple  adj. (suppler, supplest) flexible, pliant.  suppleness n. [latin supplex]
Doorway  n. Opening filled by a door.




High church  n. Section of the church of england emphasizing ritual, priestly authority, and sacraments.


Pulmonary  adj. 1 of the lungs. 2 having lungs or lunglike organs. 3 affected with or susceptible to lung disease. [latin pulmo -onis lung]

Ikon  var. Of *icon.
Angel  n. 1  a attendant or messenger of god. B representation of this in human form with wings. 2 virtuous or obliging person. 3 slang financial backer of a play etc. [greek aggelos messenger]

Rolled gold  n. Thin coating of gold applied to a base metal by rolling.
Southern hemisphere  n. The half of the earth south of the equator.

Yard2  n. 1 piece of enclosed ground, esp. Attached to a building or used for a particular purpose. 2 us & austral. Garden of a house. [old english, = enclosure]



Oxen  pl. Of *ox.





Kauri  n. (pl. -s) coniferous new zealand tree yielding timber and resin. [maori]





Reorganize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) organize differently.  reorganization n.
Showing  n. 1 display, performance. 2 quality of performance. 3 presentation of a case; evidence.
Difference  n. 1 being different or unlike. 2 degree of this. 3 way in which things differ. 4 a quantity by which amounts differ. B remainder left after subtraction. 5 disagreement, dispute.  make a (or all the, no, etc.) Difference have a significant (or a very significant, or no etc.) Effect. With a difference having a new or unusual feature.



Progestogen  n. 1 steroid hormone (e.g. Progesterone) maintaining pregnancy and preventing further ovulation. 2 similar synthetic hormone.
Mentality  n. (pl. -ies) mental character or disposition; kind or degree of intelligence.


Terry  n. (often attrib.) Looped pile fabric used esp. For towels and nappies. [origin unknown]
Delete  v. (-ting) remove (a letter, word, etc.), esp. By striking out.  deletion n. [latin deleo]
Char4  n. (pl. Same) a kind of small trout. [origin unknown]


Loom1  n. Apparatus for weaving. [old english]

Usage  synchronize should not be used in standard english to mean ‘coordinate’ or ‘combine’.

Tetra-  comb. Form four. [greek tettares four]

Invasion  n. Invading or being invaded.
Croat  (also croatian) —n. 1 a native of croatia in se europe. B person of croatian descent. 2 slavonic dialect of the croats. —adj. Of the croats or their dialect. [serbo-croatian hrvat]


Sitting-room  n. Room for relaxed sitting in.
Plop  —n. Sound as of a smooth object dropping into water without a splash. —v. (-pp-) fall or drop with a plop. —adv. With a plop. [imitative]


Calm  —adj. 1 tranquil, quiet, windless. 2 serene; not agitated. —n. Calm condition or period. —v. (often foll. By down) make or become calm.  calmly adv. Calmness n. [greek kauma heat]
Coconut shy  n. Fairground sideshow where balls are thrown to dislodge coconuts.
Pinking shears  n.pl. Dressmaker's serrated shears for cutting a zigzag edge.





Disk drive  n. Computing mechanism for rotating a disk and reading or writing data from or to it.
Jigsaw  n. 1 a (in full jigsaw puzzle) picture on board or wood etc. Cut into irregular interlocking pieces to be reassembled as a pastime. B problem consisting of various pieces of information. 2 mechanical fretsaw with a fine blade.
To-do  n. (pl. -s) commotion or fuss.
Nip  n. Slang offens. Japanese person. [abbreviation of nipponese from japanese nippon japan]

Celestial  adj. 1 of the sky or heavenly bodies. 2 heavenly; divinely good; sublime. [latin caelum sky]
Coolie  n. Unskilled native labourer in eastern countries. [perhaps from kuli, tribe in india]
Ruler  n. 1 person exercising government or dominion. 2 straight usu. Graduated strip of wood, metal, or plastic used to draw or measure.
Ice hockey  n. Form of hockey played on ice.

Saline  —adj. 1 containing salt or salts. 2 tasting of salt. 3 of chemical salts. 4 of the nature of a salt. —n. 1 salt lake, spring, etc. 2 saline solution.  salinity n. Salinization n. [latin sal salt]

Check-up  n. Thorough (esp. Medical) examination.
Mobster  n. Slang gangster.
Prefabricate  v. (-ting) manufacture sections of (a building etc.) Prior to their assembly on site.




Cystic fibrosis  n. Hereditary disease usu. With respiratory infections.


Vocal  —adj. 1 of or uttered by the voice. 2 outspoken (very vocal about his rights). —n. (in sing. Or pl.) Sung part or piece of music.  vocally adv. [latin: related to *voice]




Prig  n. Self-righteous or moralistic person.  priggish adj. Priggishness n. [origin unknown]


Non-smoker  n. 1 person who does not smoke. 2 train compartment etc. Where smoking is forbidden.  non-smoking adj.

Debit  —n. 1 entry in an account recording a sum owed. 2 sum recorded. 3 total of such sums. 4 debit side of an account. —v. (-t-) 1 (foll. By against, to) enter on the debit side of an account (debit £50 to my account). 2 (foll. By with) charge (a person) with a debt (debited me with £500). [latin debitum *debt]

Steamship  n. Steam-driven ship.
Foliar feed  n. Fertilizer supplied to the leaves of plants.



Roll  —v. 1 (cause to) move or go in some direction by turning on an axis (ball rolled under the table; rolled the barrel into the cellar). 2 a make cylindrical or spherical by revolving between two surfaces or over on itself (rolled a newspaper). B make thus (rolled a cigarette). C gather into a mass or shape (rolled the dough into a ball; rolled himself into a ball). 3 (often foll. By along, by, etc.) (cause to) move, advance, or be conveyed on or (of time etc.) As if on wheels etc. (bus rolled past; rolled the tea trolley; years rolled by; rolled by in his car). 4 flatten or form by passing a roller etc. Over or by passing between rollers (roll the lawn; roll pastry). 5 rotate (his eyes rolled; he rolled his eyes). 6 a wallow (dog rolled in the dust). B (of a horse etc.) Lie on its back and kick about. 7 (of a moving ship, aircraft, vehicle, or person) sway to and fro sideways or walk unsteadily (rolled out of the pub). 8 a undulate (rolling hills; rolling mist). B carry or propel with undulations (river rolls its waters to the sea). 9 (cause to) start functioning or moving (cameras rolled). 10 sound or utter with vibrations or a trill (thunder rolled; rolls his rs). —n. 1 rolling motion or gait; undulation (roll of the hills). 2 a spell of rolling (roll in the mud).

Junta  n. (usu. Military) clique taking power in a coup d'état. [spanish: related to *join]
Hearken  v. Archaic (often foll. By to) listen. [old english: related to *hark]


Full-blown  adj. Fully developed.


Policy1  n. (pl. -ies) 1 course of action adopted by a government, business, individual, etc. 2 prudent conduct; sagacity. [latin politia *polity]
Bravura  n. 1 brilliance of execution. 2 (often attrib.) Passage of (esp. Vocal) music requiring brilliant technique. [italian]
Tax disc  n. Road tax receipt displayed on the windscreen of a vehicle.
Cesarean  (brit. Caesarean) —adj. (of birth) effected by caesarean section. —n. Caesarean section. [from *caesar: julius caesar was supposedly born this way]

Relievo  n. (pl. -s) = *relief 6. [italian rilievo: related to *relief]

Bottle-feed  v. Feed (a baby) from a bottle as opposed to the breast.
Clinical death  n. Death judged by professional observation of a person's condition.
Fear  —n. 1 a panic or distress caused by a sense of impending danger, pain, etc. B cause of this. C state of alarm (in fear). 2 (often foll. By of) dread, awe (towards) (fear of heights). 3 danger (little fear of failure). —v. 1 feel fear about or towards. 2 (foll. By for) feel anxiety about (feared for my life). 3 (often foll. By that) foresee or expect with unease, fear, or regret (fear the worst; i fear that you are wrong). 4 (foll. By verbal noun) shrink from (feared meeting his ex-wife). 5 revere (esp. God).  for fear of (or that) to avoid the risk of (or that). No fear colloq. Certainly not! [old english]

Outpatient  n. Non-resident hospital patient.

Semi-skilled  adj. (of work or a worker) needing or having some training.



Trident  n. Three-pronged spear. [latin dens dent- tooth]
Spray1  —n. 1 water etc. Flying in small drops. 2 liquid sprayed with an aerosol etc. 3 device for this. —v. 1 (also absol.) Throw (liquid) as spray. 2 (also absol.) Sprinkle (an object) thus, esp. With insecticide. 3  (of a tom-cat) mark its environment with urine, to attract females.  sprayer n. [origin uncertain]


Cane sugar  n. Sugar from sugar-cane.
Won't  contr. Will not.

Non-standard  adj. Not standard.
Toady  —n. (pl. -ies) sycophant. —v. (foll. By to) (-ies, -ied) behave servilely to; fawn upon.  toadyism n. [contraction of toad-eater]



Back  —n. 1 a rear surface of the human body from shoulder to hip. B upper surface of an animal's body. C spine (broke his back). D keel of a ship. 2 backlike surface (back of the head, chair, shirt). 3 reverse or more distant part (back of the room; sat in the back; write it on the back). 4 defensive player in football etc. —adv. 1 to the rear (go back a bit; looked back). 2 in or into a previous state, place, or time (came back; put it back; back in june). 3 at a distance (stand back). 4 in return (pay back). 5 in check (hold him back). —v. 1 a give moral or financial support to. B bet on (a horse etc.). 2 (often foll. By up) move backwards. 3 a put or serve as a back, background, or support to. B mus. Accompany. 4 lie at the back of (beach backed by cliffs). 5 (of the wind) move anticlockwise. —adj. 1 situated to the rear; remote, subsidiary (back teeth). 2 past; not current (back pay; back issue). 3 reversed (back flow).  back and forth to and fro. Back down withdraw from confrontation. The back of beyond very remote place. Back off 1 draw back, retreat. 2 = back down. Back on to have its back adjoining (backs on to a field). Back out (often foll. By of) withdraw from a commitment. Back-pedal reverse one's action or opinion. Back to back with backs adjacent and facing each other (stood back to back). Back up 1 give (esp. Moral) support to. 2 computing make a backup of (data, a disk, etc.). Get (or put) a person's back up annoy a person. Get off a person's back stop troubling a person. Turn one's back on abandon; ignore.  backer n. (in sense 1 of v.). Backless adj. [old english]
Fatigue  —n. 1 extreme tiredness. 2 weakness in metals etc. Caused by repeated stress. 3 a non-military army duty. B (in pl.) Clothing worn for this. —v. (-gues, -gued, -guing) cause fatigue in. [latin fatigo exhaust]
Gallantry  n. (pl. -ies) 1 bravery. 2 devotion to women. 3 polite act or speech.
Making  n. (in pl.) 1 earnings; profit. 2 essential qualities or ingredients (has the makings of a pilot).  be the making of ensure the success of. In the making in the course of being made or formed. [old english: related to *make]
-ing2  suffix 1 forming the present participle of verbs (asking; fighting), often as adjectives (charming; strapping). 2 forming adjectives from nouns (hulking) and verbs (balding). [old english]
Referred pain  n. Pain felt in a part of the body other than its actual source.

Shortly  adv. 1 (often foll. By before, after) soon. 2 in a few words; curtly. [old english]







Heretofore  adv. Formal before this time.

Wormwood  n. 1 plant with a bitter aromatic taste. 2 bitter mortification; source of this. [old english: cf. *vermouth]

Hydrogen bomb  n. Immensely powerful bomb utilizing the explosive fusion of hydrogen nuclei.
Aerodrome  n. Small airport or airfield. [from *aero-, greek dromos course]
Heartily  adv. 1 in a hearty manner. 2 very (am heartily sick of it).





Ethanal  n. = *acetaldehyde.
Jain  —n. Adherent of an indian religion resembling buddhism. —adj. Of this religion.  jainism n. Jainist n. & adj. [hindi]


Cabaret  n. Entertainment in a nightclub or restaurant. [french, = tavern]

Ostler  n. Hist. Stableman at an inn. [related to *hostel]

Warm work  n. 1 work etc. That makes one warm through exertion. 2 dangerous conflict etc.


Deny  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 declare untrue or non-existent. 2 repudiate or disclaim. 3 (often foll. By to) withhold (a thing) from (denied him the satisfaction; denied it to me).  deny oneself be abstinent. [latin: related to *negate]
Trans-  prefix 1 across, beyond. 2 on or to the other side of. 3 through. [latin]
Donkey  n. (pl. -s) 1 domestic ass. 2 colloq. Stupid person. [perhaps from duncan: cf. *neddy]


Frig  v. (-gg-) coarse slang 1 = *fuck v. 2 masturbate. [perhaps imitative]
Culture vulture  n. Colloq. Person eager for cultural pursuits.
Eating apple  etc. N. Apple etc. Suitable for eating raw.


Mandrill  n. Large w. African baboon. [probably from *man, *drill4]
Breton  —n. 1 native of brittany. 2 celtic language of brittany. —adj. Of brittany, its people, or language. [french, = *briton]
Earpiece  n. Part of a telephone etc. Applied to the ear.
Quirk  n. 1 peculiar feature, peculiarity. 2 trick of fate.  quirky adj. (-ier, -iest). [origin unknown]

Heliograph  —n. 1 signalling apparatus reflecting sunlight in flashes. 2 message sent by means of this. —v. Send (a message) by heliograph.


Tunic  n. 1 close-fitting short coat of police or military etc. Uniform. 2 loose often sleeveless garment reaching to the knees. [latin]
Heighten  v. Make or become higher or more intense.
Soft option  n. Easier alternative.

Arid  adj. 1 dry, parched. 2 uninteresting.  aridity n. [latin areo be dry]



Hefty  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 (of a person) big and strong. 2 (of a thing) large, heavy, powerful.  heftily adv. Heftiness n. [heft weight: related to *heave]


Unvarnished  adj. 1 not varnished. 2 plain and straightforward (the unvarnished truth).

Norse  —n. 1 norwegian language. 2 scandinavian language-group. —adj. Of ancient scandinavia, esp. Norway.  norseman n. [dutch noor(d)sch northern]


Head teacher  n. Teacher in charge of a school.



Cheep  —n. Weak shrill cry of a young bird. —v. Make such a cry. [imitative]

Boolean logic  n. Use of ‘and’, ‘or’, and ‘not’ in retrieving information from a database.
Unclasp  v. 1 loosen the clasp(s) of. 2 release the grip of (a hand etc.).
Walrus  n. (pl. Same or -es) large amphibious long-tusked arctic mammal. [dutch]
Ombudsman  n. (pl. -men) official appointed to investigate complaints against public authorities. [swedish, = legal representative]
Truism  n. Statement too hackneyed to be worth making, e.g. ‘nothing lasts for ever’.


Reciprocity  n. 1 condition of being reciprocal. 2 mutual action. 3 give and take, esp. The interchange of privileges.



Undemanding  adj. Not demanding; easily done or satisfied (undemanding reading).
Kinsfolk  n.pl. One's blood relations.
Midships  adv. = *amidships.

Transship  v. (-pp-)  transfer from one ship or form of transport to another.  transshipment n.
Synapse  n. Anat. Junction of two nerve-cells. [greek hapto join]
Hieratic  adj. 1 of priests. 2 of the ancient egyptian hieroglyphic writing as used by priests. [greek hiereus priest]

Split-level  adj. (of a room etc.) With more than one level.
Red-hot  adj. 1 heated until red. 2 colloq. Highly exciting. 3 colloq. (of news) fresh; completely new. 4 intensely excited. 5 enraged.
Omen  —n. 1 event or object portending good or evil. 2 prophetic significance (of good omen). —v. (usu. In passive) portend.  [latin]
Spaghetti junction  n. Multi-level road junction, esp. On a motorway.


Speech therapy  n. Treatment for defective speech.
Teff  n. An african cereal. [amharic]

Assiduous  adj. 1 persevering, hard-working. 2 attending closely.  assiduity n. Assiduously adv. [latin: related to *assess]

Hammerlock  n. Wrestling hold in which the arm is twisted and bent behind the back.

Inviolate  adj. 1 not violated. 2 safe (from violation or harm).  inviolacy n.
Caterpillar  n. 1 larva of a butterfly or moth. 2 (caterpillar) a (in full caterpillar track or tread) propr. Steel band passing round the wheels of a tractor etc. For travel on rough ground. B vehicle with these. [anglo-french, = hairy cat]
Bait  —n. 1 food used to entice prey. 2 allurement. —v. 1 harass, torment, or annoy (a person or chained animal). 2 put bait on (a hook, trap, etc.). [old norse]

Displace  v. (-cing) 1 move from its place. 2 remove from office. 3 take the place of; oust.

Panache  n. Assertive flamboyance; confidence of style or manner. [french, = plume]
Bat3  v. (-tt-)  not (or never) bat an eyelid colloq. Show no reaction or emotion. [var. Of obsolete bate flutter]
Materially  adv. Substantially, significantly.

Derelict  —adj. 1 (esp. Of a property) dilapidated. 2 abandoned, ownerless. —n. 1 vagrant. 2 abandoned property. [latin: related to *relinquish]

Woodworm  n. 1 wood-boring larva of a kind of beetle. 2 condition of wood affected by this.
Flightless  adj. (of a bird etc.) Unable to fly.
Waterway  n. Navigable channel.
Tricot  n. Knitted fabric. [french]
Nutcracker  n. (usu. In pl.) Device for cracking nuts.

Heart failure  n. Failure of the heart to function properly, esp. As a cause of death.
Object-lesson  n. Striking practical example of some principle.
Mummy1  n. (pl. -ies) colloq. Mother. [imitative of a child's pronunciation]


Nightshade  n. Any of various plants with poisonous berries. [old english]


Hnc  abbr. Higher national certificate.

Great bear  see *bear2.
Dissonant  adj. 1 harsh-toned; unharmonious. 2 incongruous.  dissonance n. [latin: related to *dis-, sono *sound1]
Classroom  n. Room where a class of students is taught.
Collectivism  n. Theory and practice of collective ownership of land and the means of production.  collectivist n. & adj.
Weave1  —v. (-ving; past wove; past part. Woven or wove) 1 a form (fabric) by interlacing long threads in two directions. B form (thread) into fabric in this way. 2 make fabric in this way. 3 a (foll. By into) make (facts etc.) Into a story or connected whole. B make (a story) in this way. —n. Style of weaving. [old english]

Gruesome  adj. Horrible, grisly, disgusting.  gruesomely adv. [scandinavian]



Interrupter  n. (also interruptor) 1 person or thing that interrupts. 2 device for interrupting, esp. An electric circuit.
Public works  n.pl. Building operations etc. Done by or for the state.

Parquetry  n. Use of wooden blocks to make floors or inlay for furniture.
Perigee  n. Point of a planet's or comet's orbit where it is nearest the earth. [greek perigeion]

Streak  —n. 1 long thin usu. Irregular line or band, esp. Of colour. 2 strain in a person's character. 3 spell or series (winning streak). —v. 1 mark with streaks. 2 move very rapidly. 3 colloq. Run naked in public.  streaker n. [old english, = pen-stroke]
Decease  formal esp. Law —n. Death. —v. (-sing) die. [latin cedo go]
Productive  adj. 1 of or engaged in the production of goods. 2 producing much (productive writer). 3 producing commodities of exchangeable value (productive labour). 4 (foll. By of) producing or giving rise to (productive of great annoyance).  productively adv. Productiveness n. [latin: related to *produce]
Hedonism  n. 1 belief in pleasure as mankind's proper aim. 2 behaviour based on this.  hedonist n. Hedonistic adj. [greek hedone pleasure]





Immaculate  adj. 1 perfectly clean and tidy. 2 perfect (immaculate timing). 3 innocent, faultless.  immaculately adv. Immaculateness n. [latin: related to *in-1, macula spot]
Fortify  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 provide with fortifications. 2 strengthen physically, mentally, or morally. 3 strengthen (wine) with alcohol. 4 increase the nutritive value of (food, esp. With vitamins). [latin fortis strong]
Kumquat  n. (also cumquat) 1 small orange-like fruit. 2 shrub or small tree yielding this. [chinese kin kü gold orange]

Versicle  n. Each of a priest's short sentences in a liturgy, answered by the congregation. [latin diminutive: related to *verse]



Sulfate  n. (brit. Sulphate) salt or ester of sulphuric acid. [latin *sulphur]

Cupidity  n. Greed; avarice. [latin: related to *cupid]

Stationery office  n. The government's publishing house.


Lobworm  n. Large earthworm used as fishing-bait. [from *lob in obsolete sense ‘pendulous object’]
Otherwise  —adv. 1 or else; in different circumstances (hurry, otherwise we'll be late). 2 in other respects (is otherwise very suitable). 3 in a different way (could not have acted otherwise). 4 as an alternative (otherwise known as jack). —adj. (predic.) Different (the matter is quite otherwise). [old english: related to *wise2]
Panjandrum  n. 1 mock title for an important person. 2 pompous official etc. [invented word]

Psychedelic  adj. 1 a expanding the mind's awareness etc., esp. With hallucinogenic drugs. B hallucinatory; bizarre. C (of a drug) producing hallucinations. 2 colloq. A producing a hallucinatory effect; vivid in colour or design etc. B (of colours, patterns, etc.) Bright, bold, and often abstract. [greek psukhe mind, delos clear]
Wash  —v. 1 cleanse with liquid, esp. Water. 2 (foll. By out, off, away, etc.) A remove (a stain) in this way. B (of a stain etc.) Be removed by washing. 3 wash oneself or one's hands and face. 4 wash clothes, dishes, etc. 5 (of fabric or dye) bear washing without damage. 6 (of an argument etc.) Stand scrutiny; be believed or acceptable. 7  (of a river, waters, etc.) Touch. 8 (of liquid) carry along in a specified direction (was washed overboard; washed up on the shore). 9 (foll. By over, along, etc.) Sweep, move, or splash. 10 (foll. By over) occur all around without greatly affecting (a person). 11 sift (ore) by the action of water. 12 brush watery paint or ink over. 13 poet. Moisten, water. —n. 1 a washing or being washed. B (prec. By the) a laundry etc. (sent them to the wash). 2 clothes etc. For washing or just washed. 3 motion of agitated water or air, esp.
Promissory note  n. Signed document containing a written promise to pay a stated sum.
Rope  —n. 1 a stout cord made by twisting together strands of hemp, wire, etc. B piece of this. 2 (foll. By of) quantity of onions, pearls, etc. Strung together. 3 (prec. By the) a halter for hanging a person. B execution by hanging. —v. (-ping) 1 fasten, secure, or catch with rope. 2 (usu. Foll. By off, in) enclose with rope. 3 mountaineering connect with or attach to a rope.  know (or learn or show) the ropes know (or learn or show) how to do a thing properly. Rope in persuade to take part. Rope into persuade to take part in (roped into washing up). [old english]




Mean2  adj. 1 niggardly; not generous. 2 ignoble, small-minded. 3 (of capacity, understanding, etc.) Inferior, poor. 4 shabby; inadequate (mean hovel). 5 a malicious, ill-tempered. B us vicious or aggressive in behaviour. 6 us colloq. Skilful, formidable (a mean fighter).  no mean a very good (no mean feat).  meanly adv. Meanness n. [old english]
Caboodle  n.  the whole caboodle slang the whole lot. [origin uncertain]



Sect  n. 1 group sharing (usu. Unorthodox) religious, political, or philosophical doctrines. 2 (esp. Exclusive) religious denomination. [latin sequor follow]

Curia  n. (also curia) papal court; government departments of the vatican. [latin]

Ponce  slang —n. 1 man who lives off a prostitute's earnings; pimp. 2 offens. Homosexual or effeminate man. —v. (-cing) act as a ponce.  ponce about move about effeminately or ineffectually. [origin unknown]
Charybdis  see *scylla and charybdis.
Antagonize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) make hostile; provoke.

Tiger-cat  n. Any moderate-sized feline resembling the tiger, e.g. The ocelot.
Destination  n. Place a person or thing is bound for. [latin: related to *destine]
P 

Nervy  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Nervous; easily excited.





Flip side  n. Colloq. 1 reverse side of a gramophone record. 2 reverse or less important side of something.





Resurrect  v. 1 colloq. Revive the practice, use, or memory of. 2 raise or rise from the dead. [back-formation from *resurrection]


Psalm  n. 1 (also psalm) sacred song, esp. From the book of psalms, esp. Metrically chanted in a service. 2 (the psalms or the book of psalms) old testament book containing the psalms. [latin psalmus from greek]
Villainous  adj. Wicked.
Operations research  n. = *operational research.

Labor  etc. Us & austral. Var. Of *labour etc.
Tirade  n. Long vehement denunciation or declamation. [french from italian]
Thunderclap  n. 1 crash of thunder. 2 something startling or unexpected.

Floppy  —adj. (-ier, -iest) tending to flop; flaccid. —n. (pl. -ies) (in full floppy disk) computing flexible disc for the storage of data.  floppiness n.
Trail-blazer  n. 1 person who marks a new track through wild country. 2 pioneer.  trail-blazing n.

Retinue  n. Body of attendants accompanying an important person. [french: related to *retain]
Unkind  adj. Not kind; harsh, cruel.  unkindly adv. Unkindness n.

Mummy2  n. (pl. -ies) body of a human being or animal embalmed for burial, esp. In ancient egypt. [persian mum wax]

Erbium  n. Metallic element of the lanthanide series. [ytterby in sweden]


Barberry  n. (pl. -ies) 1 shrub with yellow flowers and red berries. 2 its berry. [french berberis]

Trial and error  n. Repeated (usu. Unsystematic) attempts continued until successful.

Dom  n. Title of some roman catholic dignitaries, and benedictine and carthusian monks. [latin dominus master]
Vituperate  v. (-ting) criticize abusively.  vituperation n. Vituperative adj. [latin]

Trench warfare  n. War carried on from trenches.


Heroine  n. 1 woman noted or admired for nobility, courage, outstanding achievements, etc. 2 chief female character in a play, story, etc. [greek: related to *hero]


Graft2  colloq. —n. 1 practices, esp. Bribery, used to secure illicit gains in politics or business. 2 such gains. —v. Seek or make such gains. [origin unknown]


Waste  —v. (-ting) 1 use to no purpose or with inadequate result or extravagantly. 2 fail to use (esp. An opportunity). 3 (often foll. By on) a give (advice etc.) Without effect. B (often in passive) fail to be appreciated or used properly (she was wasted on him; feel wasted in this job). 4 wear gradually away; make or become weak. 5 devastate. —adj. 1 superfluous; no longer needed. 2 not inhabited or cultivated. —n. 1 act of wasting. 2 waste material. 3 waste region. 4 being used up; diminution by wear. 5 = *waste pipe.

Binnacle  n. Case for a ship's compass. [latin habitaculum dwelling]
Rspca  abbr. Royal society for the prevention of cruelty to animals.
Dereliction  n. 1 (usu. Foll. By of) neglect; failure to carry out obligations. 2 abandoning or being abandoned.

Torrent  n. 1 rushing stream of liquid. 2 (in pl.) Great downpour of rain. 3 (usu. Foll. By of) violent or copious flow (torrent of abuse).  torrential adj. [french from italian]
Tintinnabulation  n. Ringing or tinkling of bells. [latin tintinnabulum bell]

Prevent  v. (often foll. By from + verbal noun) stop from happening or doing something; hinder; make impossible (the weather prevented me from going).  preventable adj. (also preventible). Prevention n. [latin praevenio -vent- hinder]

Workmanship  n. Degree of skill in doing a task or of finish in the product made.
Integrity  n. 1 moral excellence; honesty. 2 wholeness; soundness. [latin: related to *integer]

Veritable  adj. Real; rightly so called (a veritable feast).  veritably adv. [french: related to *verity]

Plexus  n. (pl. Same or plexuses) anat. Network of nerves or vessels (solar plexus). [latin plecto plex- plait]


Whale  —n. (pl. Same or -s) very large marine mammal with a streamlined body and horizontal tail. —v. (-ling) hunt whales.  a whale of a colloq. An exceedingly good or fine etc. [old english]
Education  n. 1 systematic instruction. 2 particular kind of or stage in education (a classical education; further education). 3 development of character or mental powers.  educational adj. Educationally adv.
Fibroid  —adj. Of, like, or containing fibrous tissue or fibres. —n. Benign fibrous tumour growing in the womb.
Kilt  —n. Pleated knee-length usu. Tartan skirt, traditionally worn by highland men. —v. 1 tuck up (the skirts) round the body. 2 (esp. As kilted adj.) Gather in vertical pleats. [scandinavian]


Persiflage  n. Light raillery, banter. [french]



Addictive  adj. Causing addiction.

Cap  —n. 1 a soft brimless hat, usu. With a peak. B head-covering worn in a particular profession. C cap as a sign of membership of a sports team. D mortarboard. 2 a cover like a cap (kneecap). B top for a bottle, jar, pen, camera lens, etc. 3 = *dutch cap. 4 = *percussion cap. 5 dental crown. —v. (-pp-) 1 a put a cap on. B cover the top or end of. C set a limit to (charge-capping). 2 award a sports cap to. 3 form the top of. 4 surpass, excel.  cap in hand humbly. If the cap fits (of a remark) if it applies to you, so be it. To cap it all after everything else. [latin cappa]

Orotund  adj. 1 (of the voice) full, round; imposing. 2 (of writing, style, etc.) Pompous; pretentious. [latin ore rotundo with rounded mouth]
Standing order  n. Instruction to a banker to make regular payments, or to a retailer for a regular supply of goods.


P.p.  Abbr. (also pp) per pro.



Glare  —v. (-ring) 1 look fiercely or fixedly. 2 shine dazzlingly or oppressively. —n. 1 a strong fierce light, esp. Sunshine. B oppressive public attention (glare of publicity). 2 fierce or fixed look. 3 tawdry brilliance. [low german or dutch]


Unreasonable  adj. 1 excessive (unreasonable demands). 2 not heeding reason.  unreasonably adv.

Flaunt  v. (often refl.) Display proudly; show off; parade. [origin unknown]






Enfilade  —n. Gunfire directed along a line from end to end. —v. (-ding) direct an enfilade at. [french: related to *file1]



Second sight  n. Clairvoyance.

Arrange  v. (-ging) 1 put into order; classify. 2 plan or provide for; take measures (arranged a meeting; arrange to see him; arranged for a taxi). 3 agree (arranged it with her). 4 mus. Adapt (a composition) for a particular manner of performance. [french: related to *range]
Hermaphrodite  —n. Person, animal, or plant having both male and female reproductive organs. —adj. Combining both sexes.  hermaphroditic adj. [from hermaphroditus, son of hermes and aphrodite who became joined in one body to a nymph]
Partnership  n. 1 state of being a partner or partners. 2 joint business. 3 pair or group of partners.
Atomic mass unit  n. Unit of mass used to express atomic and molecular weights, equal to one-twelfth of the mass of an atom of carbon-12.

Hiding1  n. Colloq. A thrashing.  on a hiding to nothing with no chance of succeeding. [from *hide2]
Knee-breeches  n.pl. Close-fitting trousers to the knee or just below.

Motley  —adj. (-lier, -liest) 1 diversified in colour. 2 of varied character (a motley crew). —n. Hist. Jester's particoloured costume. [origin unknown]


Cock-fight  n. Fight between cocks as sport.

Saxe  n. & adj. (in full saxe blue; as adj. Often hyphenated) light greyish-blue colour. [french, = saxony]

Shortbread  n. Rich biscuit of butter, flour, and sugar.

Hackle  n. 1 a (in pl.) Erectile hairs on an animal's neck, rising when it is angry or alarmed. B feather(s) on the neck of a domestic cock etc. 2 steel comb for dressing flax.  make one's hackles rise cause one to be angry or indignant. [old english]
Flounce2  —n. Frill on a dress, skirt, etc. —v. (-cing) trim with flounces. [alteration of frounce pleat, from french]
Lobar  adj. Of a lobe, esp. Of the lung (lobar pneumonia).
Raffish  adj. 1 disreputable, rakish. 2 tawdry. [raff rubbish]
Priest  n. 1 ordained minister of the roman catholic or orthodox church, or of the anglican church (above a deacon and below a bishop). 2 (fem. Priestess) official minister of a non-christian religion.  priesthood n. Priestly adj.  [latin *presbyter]

Leguminous  adj. Of the family of plants with seeds in pods (e.g. Peas and beans).
Languid  adj. Lacking vigour; idle; inert.  languidly adv. [related to *languish]

Non-cooperation  n. Failure to cooperate.
Outrider  n. Mounted guard or motor cyclist riding ahead of a procession etc.
Amuse  v. (-sing) 1 cause to laugh or smile. 2 interest or occupy.  amusing adj. [french a cause to, muser stare]

Infidel  —n. Unbeliever in esp. The supposed true religion. —adj. 1 of infidels. 2 unbelieving. [latin fides faith]
Indo-european  —adj. 1 of the family of languages spoken over most of europe and asia as far as n. India. 2 of the hypothetical parent language of this family. —n. 1 indo-european family of languages. 2 hypothetical parent language of these.
Spouse  n. Husband or wife. [latin sponsus sponsa betrothed]
Song thrush  n. Common thrush, noted for singing.
Word-perfect  adj. Knowing one's part etc. By heart.


Black belt  n. 1 highest grade of proficiency in judo, karate, etc. 2 holder of this grade, entitled to wear a black belt.
Square meal  n. Substantial meal.




Distil  v. (us distill) (-ll-) 1 purify or extract the essence from (a substance) by vaporizing and condensing it and collecting the resulting liquid. 2 extract the essential meaning of (an idea etc.). 3 make (whisky, essence, etc.) By distilling raw materials. 4 fall or cause to fall in drops.  distillation n. [latin: related to *de-, stillo drip]
Aerate  v. (-ting) 1 charge (a liquid) with carbon dioxide. 2 expose to air.  aeration n. [latin aer *air]


Triad  n. 1 group of three (esp. Notes in a chord). 2 the number three. 3 (also triad) chinese secret society, usu. Criminal.  triadic adj. [latin from greek]


Region  n. 1 geographical area or division, having definable boundaries or characteristics (fertile region). 2 administrative area, esp. In scotland. 3 part of the body (lumbar region). 4 sphere or realm (region of metaphysics).  in the region of approximately.  regional adj. Regionally adv. [latin rego rule]





Pellet  n. 1 small compressed ball of paper, bread, etc. 2 pill. 3 piece of small shot. [french pelote from latin pila ball]

Poet laureate  n. (pl. Poets laureate) poet appointed to write poems for state occasions.
Level-headed  adj. Mentally well-balanced, sensible.  level-headedness n.
Tabloid  n. Small-sized, often popular or sensational, newspaper. [from *tablet]

Teleprompter  n. Device beside a television or cinema camera that slowly unrolls a speaker's script out of sight of the audience.
Twin town  n. Town twinned with another.
Proterozoic  geol. —adj. Of the later part of the precambrian era. —n. This time. [greek proteros former, zoe life]

Pretzel  n. Crisp knot-shaped salted biscuit. [german]
Herein  adv. Formal in this matter, book, etc.
Flight path  n. Planned course of an aircraft etc.
I1  n. (also i) (pl. Is or i's) 1 ninth letter of the alphabet. 2 (as a roman numeral) 1.
Christmas-box  n. Present or gratuity given at christmas.



Novelist  n. Writer of novels.


Automotive  adj. Of motor vehicles.


Assembly  n. (pl. -ies) 1 assembling. 2 assembled group, esp. As a deliberative body. 3 assembling of components.
Fast neutron  n. Neutron with high kinetic energy.
Doe  abbr. Department of the environment.

Handstand  n. Supporting oneself on one's hands with one's feet in the air.

Tatter  n. (usu. In pl.) Rag; irregularly torn cloth or paper etc.  in tatters colloq. 1 torn in many places. 2 destroyed, ruined. [old norse]

Unruffled  adj. Calm.



Hematite  n. (brit. Haem-) a ferric oxide ore. [latin: related to *haemal]
Rechristen  v. 1 christen again. 2 give a new name to.

Emery  n. Coarse corundum for polishing metal etc. [greek smeris polishing powder]
Promiscuous  adj. 1 having frequent, esp. Casual, sexual relationships. 2 mixed and indiscriminate. 3 colloq. Carelessly irregular; casual.  promiscuity n. Promiscuously adv. [latin misceo mix]


Inelegant  adj. 1 ungraceful. 2 unrefined.  inelegance n. Inelegantly adv.
Hose  —n. 1 (also hose-pipe) flexible tube for conveying water. 2 a (collect.; as pl.) Stockings and socks. B hist. Breeches (doublet and hose). —v. (-sing) (often foll. By down) water, spray, or drench with a hose. [old english]
Fluent  adj. 1 (of speech, style, etc.) Flowing, natural. 2 verbally facile, esp. In a foreign language (fluent in german).  fluency n. Fluently adv. [latin fluo flow]
Peak2  v. 1 waste away. 2 (as peaked adj.) Sharp-featured; pinched. [origin unknown]



Fraternize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) (often foll. By with) 1 associate; make friends. 2 enter into friendly relations with enemies etc.  fraternization n. [french and latin: related to *fraternal]



Tuner  n. 1 person who tunes musical instruments, esp. Pianos. 2  a part of a radio or television receiver for tuning. B radio receiver as a separate unit in a high-fi system. 3 electronic device for tuning a guitar etc.
Scampi  n.pl. Large prawns. [italian]
Hippy1  var. Of *hippie.
Perk1  v.  perk up 1 recover confidence, courage, life, or zest. 2 restore confidence, courage, or liveliness in. 3 smarten up. 4 raise (one's head etc.) Briskly. [origin unknown]
Master-stroke  n. Skilful tactic etc.

Innocent  —adj. 1 free from moral wrong. 2 (usu. Foll. By of) not guilty (of a crime etc.). 3 simple; guileless. 4 harmless. —n. Innocent person, esp. A young child.  innocence n. Innocently adv. [latin noceo hurt]
Roman  —adj. 1 of ancient rome, its territory, people, etc. 2 of medieval or modern rome. 3 = *roman catholic. 4 (roman) (of type) plain and upright, used in ordinary print. 5 (of the alphabet etc.) Based on the ancient roman system with letters a–z. —n. 1 citizen or soldier of the ancient roman republic or empire. 2 citizen of modern rome. 3 = *roman catholic. 4 (roman) roman type. [latin]
Reforest  v. = *reafforest.  reforestation n.
Divorcee  n. Divorced person.
Herd instinct  n. (prec. By the) tendency to think and act as a crowd.
Substantive  —adj. 1 genuine, actual, real. 2 not slight; substantial. —n. Gram. = *noun.  substantively adv.
Medieval history  n. History of the 5th–15th c.
Mescaline  n. (also mescalin) hallucinogenic alkaloid present in mescal buttons.
Stirrup-pump  n. Hand-operated water-pump with a foot-rest, used to extinguish small fires.
Midsummer day  n. (also midsummer's day) 24 june.
Laudanum  n. Solution prepared from opium. [perhaps from medieval latin]
Sleepwalk  v. Walk about while asleep.  sleepwalker n.


Antagonism  n. Active hostility. [french: related to *agony]



Prayer-book  n. Book of set prayers.
Shoo  —int. Exclamation used to frighten away animals etc. —v. (shoos, shooed) 1 utter the word ‘shoo!’. 2 (usu. Foll. By away) drive away by shooing. [imitative]

Abandoned  adj. 1 deserted, forsaken. 2 unrestrained, profligate.
Passion-fruit  n. Edible fruit of some species of passion-flower.



Usage  see note at community charge.

Sellotape  —n. Propr. Adhesive usu. Transparent tape. —v. (sellotape) (-ping) fix with sellotape. [from *cellulose]
Samurai  n. (pl. Same) 1 japanese army officer. 2 hist. Member of a japanese military caste. [japanese]
Death-mask  n. Cast taken of a dead person's face.




Let1  —v. (-tt-; past and past part. Let) 1 a allow to, not prevent or forbid. B cause to (let me know). 2 (foll. By into) allow to enter. 3 grant the use of (rooms, land, etc.) For rent or hire. 4 allow or cause (liquid or air) to escape (let blood). 5 aux. Supplying the first and third persons of the imperative in exhortations (let us pray), commands (let it be done at once; let there be light), assumptions, etc. (let ab equal cd). —n. Act of letting a house, room, etc.  let alone 1 not to mention, far less or more (hasn't got a television, let alone a video). 2 = let be. Let be not interfere with, attend to, or do. Let down 1 lower. 2 fail to support or satisfy, disappoint. 3 lengthen (a garment). 4 deflate (a tyre). Let down gently reject or disappoint without humiliating. Let drop (or fall) drop (esp. A word or hint) intentionally or by accident. Let go 1 release. 2 a (often foll. By of) lose one's hold. B lose hold of. Let oneself go 1 act spontaneously. 2 neglect one's appearance or habits. Let in 1 allow to enter (let the dog in; let in a flood of light). 2 (foll. By for) involve (a person, often oneself) in loss or difficulty. 3 (foll. By on) allow (a person) to share a secret, privileges, etc. Let loose release, unchain. Let off 1 a fire (a gun). B explode (a bomb). 2 allow or cause (steam etc.) To escape. 3 a not punish or compel. B (foll. By with) punish lightly.

Deal2  n. 1 fir or pine timber, esp. As boards of a standard size. 2 board of this. [low german]
Halal  n. (also hallal) (often attrib.) Meat from an animal killed according to muslim law. [arabic]

Afterpains  n.pl. Pains caused by contraction of the womb after childbirth.

Bicentenary  n. (pl. -ies) 1 two-hundredth anniversary. 2 celebration of this.



Phoney  (also phony) colloq. —adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 sham; counterfeit. 2 fictitious. —n. (pl. -eys or -ies) phoney person or thing.  phoniness n. [origin unknown]
Incoming  —adj. 1 coming in (incoming telephone calls). 2 succeeding another (incoming tenant). —n. (usu. In pl.) Revenue, income.



Movement  n. 1 a moving or being moved. B instance of this (watched his every movement). 2 moving parts of a mechanism (esp. A clock or watch). 3 a body of persons with a common object (peace movement). B campaign undertaken by them. 4 (in pl.) Person's activities and whereabouts. 5 mus. Principal division of a longer musical work. 6 motion of the bowels. 7 rise or fall in price(s) on the stock market. 8 progress.


Delude  v. (-ding) deceive, mislead. [latin ludo mock]
Toy boy  n. Colloq. Woman's much younger boyfriend.


Hydrophilic  adj. 1 having an affinity for water. 2 wettable by water. [greek philos loving]

Gluten  n. Mixture of proteins present in cereal grains; sticky protein substance left when starch is washed out of flour. [latin gluten -tin- glue]
Bothersome  adj. Causing bother.




Cream soda  n. Carbonated vanilla-flavoured soft drink.
Hemp  n. 1 (in full indian hemp) asian herbaceous plant. 2 its fibre used to make rope and stout fabrics. 3 narcotic drug made from the hemp plant. [old english]

Supper  n. 1 late evening snack. 2 evening meal, esp. Light. [french souper]

Roman candle  n. Firework discharging flaming coloured balls.










Accustomed  adj. 1 (usu. Foll. By to) used to a thing. 2 customary, usual.

Vicar  n. Clergyman of a church of england parish where he formerly received a stipend rather than tithes: cf. *rector 1. [latin vicarius substitute: related to *vice3]


Tights  n.pl. 1 thin close-fitting wool or nylon etc. Garment covering the legs, feet, and the lower part of the torso, worn by women and girls. 2 similar garment worn by a dancer, acrobat, etc.


Crabbed  adj. 1 = *crabby. 2 (of handwriting) ill-formed; illegible. [from *crab2]
Electioneer  v. Take part in an election campaign.

Landed  adj. 1 owning land. 2 consisting of land.
Teutonic  adj. 1 of the germanic peoples or languages. 2 german. [latin: related to *teuton]

Microchip  n. Small piece of semiconductor (usu. Silicon) used to carry integrated circuits.
Cactus  n. (pl. -ti or cactuses) plant with a thick fleshy stem and usu. Spines but no leaves. [latin from greek]

Slavery  n. 1 condition of a slave. 2 drudgery. 3 practice of having slaves.
Spinet  n. Hist. Small harpsichord with oblique strings. [italian spinetta]
Strong-arm  attrib. Adj. Using force (strong-arm tactics).
Cry-baby  n. Person who weeps frequently.



Ms  abbr. 1 (pl. Mss) manuscript. 2 multiple sclerosis.







Shelves  pl. Of *shelf.


Hearten  v. Make or become more cheerful.  heartening adj.
Ionizer  n. Device producing ions to improve the quality of the air.
Choose  v. (-sing; past chose; past part. Chosen) 1 select out of a greater number. 2 (usu. Foll. By between, from) take or select one or another. 3 (usu. Foll. By to + infin.) Decide, be determined. 4 select as (was chosen leader).  nothing (or little) to choose between them they are very similar. [old english]
Kinky  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 colloq. A sexually perverted or unconventional. B (of clothing etc.) Bizarre and sexually provocative. 2 having kinks.  kinkily adv. Kinkiness n.
Breeches  n.pl. Short trousers, esp. Fastened below the knee.



Domain  n. 1 area under one rule; realm. 2 estate etc. Under one control. 3 sphere of control or influence. [french: related to *demesne]
Numerator  n. Number above the line in a vulgar fraction showing how many of the parts indicated by the denominator are taken (e.g. 2 in 2/3). [latin: related to *number]


Pathfinder  n. Explorer; pioneer.
Long-life  adj. (of milk etc.) Treated to prolong its period of usability.



Flog  v. (-gg-) 1 a beat with a whip, stick, etc. B make work through violent effort (flogged the engine). 2 (often foll. By off) slang sell.  flog a dead horse waste one's efforts. Flog to death colloq. Talk about or promote at tedious length. [origin unknown]

Arbour  n. (us arbor) shady garden alcove enclosed by trees etc. [latin herba herb: assimilated to latin arbor tree]
Rhea  n. S. American flightless ostrich-like bird. [greek rhea mother name of zeus]

Oxonian  —adj. Of oxford or oxford university. —n. 1 member of oxford university. 2 native or inhabitant of oxford. [oxonia latinized name of ox(en)ford]

Cassowary  n. (pl. -ies) large flightless australasian bird. [malay]
Cripple  —n. Permanently lame person. —v. (-ling) 1 make a cripple of; lame. 2 disable, weaken, or damage seriously (crippled by strikes). [old english]
Thrash  —v. 1 beat or whip severely. 2 defeat thoroughly. 3 deliver repeated blows. 4 (foll. By about, around) move or fling (esp. The limbs) about violently. 5 = *thresh 1. —n. 1 act of thrashing. 2 slang (esp. Lavish) party.  thrash out discuss to a conclusion. [old english]
Allspice  n. 1 aromatic spice obtained from the berry of the pimento plant. 2 the berry.

Eleventh  adj. & n. 1 next after tenth. 2 each of eleven equal parts of a thing.  eleventh hour last possible moment.



Full2  v. Clean and thicken (cloth). [from *fuller]
Cockchafer  n. Large pale-brown beetle. [from *cock1]

Tarpaulin  n. 1 heavy-duty cloth waterproofed esp. With tar. 2 sheet or covering of this. [from *tar1, *pall1]


Marsh mallow  n. Shrubby herbaceous plant.
Roof-tree  n. Ridge-piece of a roof.
Well-informed  adj. Having much knowledge or information about a subject.
Coyote  n. (pl. Same or -s) n. American wolflike wild dog. [mexican spanish]


Assurance  n. 1 emphatic declaration; guarantee. 2 insurance, esp. Life insurance. 3 certainty. 4 self-confidence; assertiveness.



Coverall  n. Esp. Us 1 thing that covers entirely. 2 (usu. In pl.) Full-length protective garment.
Off-licence  n. 1 shop selling alcoholic drink. 2 licence for this.
Grating  n. 1 framework of parallel or crossed metal bars. 2 optics set of parallel wires, lines ruled on glass, etc.




Varicose  adj. (esp. Of a vein etc.) Permanently and abnormally dilated. [latin varix varicose vein]

Sailing-boat  n. (also sailing-ship) vessel driven by sails.


Floorboard  n. Long wooden board used for flooring.

Liaison  n. 1 communication or cooperation. 2 illicit sexual relationship. [french lier bind: see *liable]


Nourish  v. 1 sustain with food. 2 foster or cherish (a feeling etc.).  nourishing adj. [latin nutrio to feed]
Cerebral  adj. 1 of the brain. 2 intellectual; unemotional. [related to *cerebrum]

Rightmost  adj. Furthest to the right.


Bamboo shoot  n. Young shoot of bamboo, eaten as a vegetable.


Swimwear  n. Clothing for swimming in.
Ism  n. Colloq. Usu. Derog. Any distinctive doctrine or practice. [from *-ism]
Autonomy  n. 1 self-government. 2 personal freedom.

Arabic numeral  n. Any of the numerals 0-9.

Counter-attack  —n. Attack in reply to a preceding attack. —v. Attack in reply.
Rubber1  n. 1 tough elastic substance made from the latex of plants or synthetically. 2 piece of this or a similar substance for erasing esp. Pencil marks. 3 colloq. Condom. 4 (in pl.) Us galoshes.  rubbery adj. Rubberiness n. [from *rub]
Implacable  adj. Unable to be appeased.  implacability n. Implacably adv.




Night  n. 1 period of darkness between one day and the next; time from sunset to sunrise. 2 nightfall. 3 darkness of night. 4 night or evening appointed for some activity regarded in a certain way (last night of the proms). [old english]
Virago  n. (pl. -s) fierce or abusive woman. [latin, = female warrior]

Moor1  n. 1 open uncultivated upland, esp. When covered with heather. 2 tract of ground preserved for shooting. [old english]





Soft soap  —n. Colloq. Persuasive flattery. —v. (soft-soap) colloq. Persuade with flattery.




Stomacher  n. Hist. Pointed bodice of a dress, often jewelled or embroidered. [probably french: related to *stomach]





Chatter  —v. 1 talk quickly, incessantly, trivially, or indiscreetly. 2 (of a bird, monkey, etc.) Emit short quick sounds. 3 (of teeth) click repeatedly together. —n. Chattering talk or sounds. [imitative]





Acellular  adj. Having no cells; not consisting of cells.




Picaresque  adj. (of a style of fiction) dealing with the episodic adventures of rogues etc. [spanish pícaro rogue]
Ambrosia  n. 1 (in classical mythology) the food of the gods. 2 sublimely delicious food etc. [greek, = elixir of life]

Oncogene  n. Gene which can transform a cell into a cancer cell. [greek ogkos mass]
Leatherback  n. Large marine turtle with a leathery shell.

Communal  adj. 1 shared between members of a group or community; for common use. 2 (of conflict etc.) Between esp. Ethnic or religious communities.  communally adv. [latin: related to *commune1]
Bi-  comb. Form forming nouns, adjectives, and verbs, meaning: 1 division into two (biplane; bisect). 2 a occurring twice in every one or once in every two (bi-weekly). B lasting for two (biennial). 3 chem. Substance having a double proportion of what is indicated by the simple word (bicarbonate). 4 bot. & zool. Having divided parts which are themselves similarly divided (bipinnate). [latin]
Woodpile  n. Pile of wood, esp. For fuel.

Dilatory  adj. Given to or causing delay. [latin dilatorius: related to *differ]
Fixings  n.pl. Us 1 apparatus or equipment. 2 trimmings for a dish, dress, etc.


Faze  v. (-zing) (often as fazed adj.) Colloq. Disconcert, disorientate. [origin unknown]
Sow2  n. Adult female pig. [old english]
Afterlife  n. Life after death.



Inmost  adj. Most inward. [old english]



Gamine  n. 1 girl gamin. 2 girl with mischievous charm. [french]
Crony  n. (pl. -ies) friend, companion. [greek khronios long-lasting]



Scrambler  n. Device for scrambling telephone conversations.


Shavian  —adj. Of or like the writings of g. B. Shaw. —n. Admirer of shaw. [shavius, latinized form of shaw]
Bicameral  adj. (of a legislative body) having two chambers. [from *bi-, latin camera chamber]
High-class  adj. Of high quality.
Epigram  n. 1 short poem with a witty ending. 2 pointed saying.  epigrammatic adj. [greek: related to *-gram]


Acknowledgement  n. 1 act of acknowledging. 2 a thing given or done in gratitude. B letter confirming receipt of something. 3 (usu. In pl.) Author's statement of gratitude, prefacing a book.

Padlock  —n. Detachable lock hanging by a pivoted hook on the object fastened. —v. Secure with a padlock. [origin unknown]


Ruckus  n. Esp. Us informal row, commotion. [perhaps from *ruction or *rumpus]

Se  symb. Selenium.

Peat  n. 1 partly carbonized vegetable matter used for fuel, in horticulture, etc. 2 cut piece of this.  peaty adj. [perhaps celtic: related to *piece]
Usage  in 1968 housebreaking was replaced as a statutory crime in english law by burglary.



Protestant  —n. Member or follower of any of the churches separating from the roman catholic church after the reformation. —adj. Of the protestant churches or their members etc.  protestantism n. [related to *protest]


Receivership  n. 1 office of official receiver. 2 state of being dealt with by a receiver (esp. In receivership).
Chesterfield  n. Sofa with arms and back of the same height and curved outwards at the top. [earl of chesterfield]
Publication  n. 1 a preparation and issuing of a book, newspaper, etc. To the public. B book etc. So issued. 2 making something publicly known. [latin: related to *public]


Responsibility  n. (pl. -ies) 1 a (often foll. By for, of) being responsible. B authority; managerial freedom (job with more responsibility). 2 person or thing for which one is responsible; duty, commitment. 3 capacity for rational conduct (diminished responsibility).
Clean-cut  adj. 1 sharply outlined or defined. 2 (of a person) clean and tidy.
Congeal  v. 1 make or become semi-solid by cooling. 2 (of blood etc.) Coagulate.  congelation n. [french from latin gelo freeze]
Assay  —n. Testing of a metal or ore to determine its ingredients and quality. —v. Make an assay of (a metal or ore). [french, var. Of essai *essay]
Heterogeneous  adj. 1 diverse in character. 2 varied in content.  heterogeneity n. [latin from greek genos kind]

Tan2  abbr. Tangent.

Spotlight  —n. 1 beam of light directed on a small area. 2 lamp projecting this. 3 full publicity. —v. (past and past part. -lighted or -lit) 1 direct a spotlight on. 2 draw attention to.
Soigné  adj. (fem. Soignée pronunc. Same) well-groomed. [french]

Heliocentric  adj. 1 regarding the sun as centre. 2 considered as viewed from the sun's centre.
Claw  —n. 1 a pointed nail on an animal's foot. B foot armed with claws. 2 pincers of a shellfish. 3 device for grappling, holding, etc. —v. Scratch, maul, or pull with claws or fingernails. [old english]










Reconnoiter  v. (brit. Reconnoitre) (-ring) make a reconnaissance (of). [french: related to *recognize]
Roustabout  n. 1 labourer on an oil rig. 2 unskilled or casual labourer. [roust rout out, rouse]


Impale  v. (-ling) transfix or pierce with a sharp stake etc.  impalement n. [latin palus *pale2]
Preceptor  n. Teacher, instructor.  preceptorial adj. [latin: related to *precept]

Helical  adj. Having the form of a helix.

Licentiate  n. Holder of a certificate of professional competence. [medieval latin: related to *licence]
Perennial  —adj. 1 lasting through a year or several years. 2 (of a plant) lasting several years. 3 lasting a long time or for ever. —n. Perennial plant.  perennially adv. [latin perennis from annus year]



Toggle switch  n. Electric switch with a lever to be moved usu. Up and down.


Cobol  n. Computer language for use in commerce. [common business oriented language]




Wb  abbr. Weber(s).
Unanticipated  adj. Not anticipated.


Ne  abbr. 1 north-east. 2 north-eastern.
B.th.u.  Abbr. (also b.t.u., btu, b.th.u.) British thermal unit(s).

Heirloom  n. 1 piece of personal property that has been in a family for several generations. 2 piece of property as part of an inheritance.
Theorem  n. Esp. Math. 1 general proposition that is not self-evident but is proved by reasoning. 2 rule in algebra etc., esp. One expressed by symbols or formulae. [greek theoreo look at]
Unstudied  adj. Easy, natural, spontaneous.
Cupro-nickel  n. Alloy of copper and nickel.
Oxygen  n. Tasteless odourless gaseous element essential to plant and animal life. [greek oxus sharp, *-gen (because it was thought to be present in all acids)]


Stick2  v. (past and past part. Stuck) 1 (foll. By in, into, through) insert or thrust (a thing or its point). 2 stab. 3 (foll. By in, into, on, etc.) A fix or be fixed on a pointed thing. B fix or be fixed (as) by a pointed end. 4 fix or be fixed (as) by adhesive etc. 5 remain (in the mind).




Rp  abbr. Received pronunciation.
Numb  —adj. (often foll. By with) deprived of feeling; paralysed. —v. 1 make numb. 2 stupefy, paralyse.  numbness n. [obsolete nome past part. Of nim take: related to *nimble]
Ridden  past part. Of *ride.


Infra  adv. Below, further on (in a book etc.). [latin, = below]

Masking tape  n. Adhesive tape used in decorating to protect areas where paint is not wanted.









Blind man's buff  n. Game in which a blindfold player tries to catch others.


Morganatic  adj. 1 (of a marriage) between a person of high rank and one of lower rank, the spouse and children having no claim to the possessions or title of the person of higher rank. 2 (of a spouse) married in this way. [latin morganaticus from germanic, = ‘morning gift’, from a husband to his wife on the morning after consummation of a marriage]





Abridge  v. (-ging) shorten (a book, film, etc.).  abridgement n. [latin: related to *abbreviate]

Such  —adj. 1 (often foll. By as) of the kind or degree indicated (such people; people such as these). 2 so great or extreme (not such a fool as that). 3 of a more than normal kind or degree (such awful food). —pron. Such a person or persons; such a thing or things.  as such as being what has been indicated or named; in itself (there is no theatre as such). Such as for example. [old english, = so like]





Calliper  n. (also caliper) 1 (in pl.) Compasses for measuring diameters. 2 metal splint to support the leg. [var. Of *calibre]
Sacrifice  —n. 1 a voluntary relinquishing of something valued. B thing so relinquished. C the loss entailed. 2 a slaughter of an animal or person or surrender of a possession, as an offering to a deity. B animal, person, or thing so offered. —v. (-cing) 1 give up (a thing) as a sacrifice. 2 (foll. By to) devote or give over to. 3 (also absol.) Offer or kill as a sacrifice.  sacrificial adj. [latin: related to *sacred]
Volley  —n. (pl. -s) 1 a simultaneous firing of a number of weapons. B bullets etc. So fired. 2 (usu. Foll. By of) torrent (of abuse etc.). 3 playing of a ball in tennis, football, etc., before it touches the ground. —v. (-eys, -eyed) return or send by or in a volley. [french volée from latin volo fly]



Flattery  n. Exaggerated or insincere praise.
Pubis  n. (pl. Pubes) either of a pair of bones forming the two sides of the pelvis. [latin os pubis bone of the *pubes1]



Foible  n. Minor weakness or idiosyncrasy. [french: related to *feeble]
Ideologue  n. Often derog. Adherent of an ideology. [french: related to *idea]

Personal equity plan  n. Scheme for tax-free personal investments through financial institutions.

Playfellow  n. Playmate.
Co-  prefix added to: 1 nouns, with the sense ‘joint, mutual, common’ (co-author; coequality). 2 adjectives and adverbs, with the sense ‘jointly, mutually’ (coequal). 3 verbs, with the sense ‘together with another or others’ (cooperate). [var. Of *com-]
Loudspeaker  n. Apparatus that converts electrical signals into sound.



Pre-amp  n. = *preamplifier. [abbreviation]

Haversack  n. Stout canvas bag carried on the back or over the shoulder. [german habersack, = oats-sack]
Holy ghost  n. = *holy spirit.






Appellative  adj. 1 naming. 2 gram. (of a noun) designating a class, common.
Warfare  n. Waging war, campaigning.






Moral  —adj. 1 a concerned with goodness or badness of human character or behaviour, or with the distinction between right and wrong. B concerned with accepted rules and standards of human behaviour. 2 a virtuous in general conduct. B capable of moral action. 3 (of rights or duties etc.) Founded on moral not actual law. 4 associated with the psychological rather than the physical (moral courage; moral support). —n. 1 moral lesson of a fable, story, event, etc. 2 (in pl.) Moral behaviour, e.g. In sexual conduct.  morally adv. [latin mos mor- custom]
Helpful  adj. Giving help; useful.  helpfully adv. Helpfulness n.
Hem1  —n. Border of cloth where the edge is turned under and sewn down. —v. (-mm-) turn down and sew in the edge of (cloth etc.).  hem in confine; restrict the movement of. [old english]
Indirect question  n. Gram. Question in indirect speech.


Sterile  adj. 1 unable to produce a crop, fruit, or young; barren. 2 unproductive (sterile discussion). 3 free from living micro-organisms etc.  sterility n. [latin]
Infirm  adj. Physically weak, esp. Through age.
Guilty  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 culpable of or responsible for a wrong. 2 conscious of or affected by guilt. 3 causing a feeling of guilt (a guilty secret). 4 (often foll. By of) having committed a (specified) offence.  guiltily adv. Guiltiness n. [old english: related to *guilt]

Dryad  n. Wood nymph. [greek drus tree]
Contretemps  n. (pl. Same) 1 unfortunate occurrence. 2 unexpected mishap. [french]
First-day cover  n. Envelope with stamps postmarked on their first day of issue.
Retrod  past of *retread.

Dainty  —adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 delicately pretty. 2 delicate or small. 3 (of food) choice. 4 fastidious; discriminating. —n. (pl. -ies) choice delicacy.  daintily adv. Daintiness n. [latin dignitas *dignity]
Knowingly  adv. 1 consciously; intentionally (wouldn't knowingly hurt him). 2 in a knowing manner (smiled knowingly).
Bike  colloq. —n. Bicycle or motor cycle. —v. (-king) ride a bike.  biker n. [abbreviation]


Stereophonic  adj. Using two or more channels, giving the effect of naturally distributed sound.
Progression  n. 1 progressing. 2 succession; series. [latin: related to *progress]

Workpiece  n. Thing worked on with a tool or machine.
Lead2  —n. 1 heavy bluish-grey soft metallic element. 2 a graphite. B thin length of this in a pencil. 3 lump of lead used in sounding water. 4 (in pl.) A strips of lead covering a roof. B piece of lead-covered roof. 5 (in pl.) Lead frames holding the glass of a lattice etc. 6 blank space between lines of print. —v. 1 cover, weight, or frame with lead. 2 space (printed matter) with leads. [old english]
Loot  —n. 1 spoil, booty. 2 slang money. —v. 1 rob or steal, esp. After rioting etc. 2 plunder.  looter n. [hindi]
Apprise  v. (-sing) formal inform. [french appris(e) learnt, taught]
Mustang  n. Small wild horse of mexico and california. [spanish]

Celsius  adj. Of a scale of temperature on which water freezes at 0° and boils at 100°. [name of an astronomer]





Shameful  adj. Disgraceful, scandalous.  shamefully adv. Shamefulness n.


Teak  n. 1 a hard durable timber. 2 large indian or se asian deciduous tree yielding this. [portuguese from malayalam]




Melamine  n. 1 white crystalline compound producing resins. 2 (in full melamine resin) plastic made from this and used esp. For laminated coatings. [from arbitrary melam, *amine]





Jettison  —v. 1 a throw (esp. Heavy material) overboard to lighten a ship etc. B drop (goods) from an aircraft. 2 abandon; get rid of. —n. Jettisoning. [anglo-french getteson: related to *jet1]
Dormer  n. (in full dormer window) projecting upright window in a sloping roof. [french: related to *dormant]
Hammock  n. Bed of canvas or rope network suspended by cords at the ends. [spanish from carib]


Live wire  n. Spirited person.
Chicanery  n. (pl. -ies) 1 clever but misleading talk. 2 trickery, deception. [french]
Pearl  —n. 1 a (often attrib.) Rounded usu. White or bluish-grey lustrous solid formed within the shell of certain oysters, highly prized as a gem. B imitation of this. C (in pl.) Necklace of pearls.
Neckerchief  n. Square of cloth worn round the neck. [from *kerchief]
Cartel  n. Union of suppliers etc. To control prices. [italian diminutive: related to *card1]

Friendship  n. Friendly relationship or feeling.
Gmt  abbr. Greenwich mean time.
Frenetic  adj. (also phrenetic) 1 frantic, frenzied. 2 fanatic.  frenetically adv. [greek phren mind]
Lay reader  n. Lay person licensed to conduct some religious services.
Boatman  n. Person who hires out boats or provides transport by boat.


Invariable  adj. 1 unchangeable. 2 always the same. 3 math. Constant.  invariably adv.






Step-  comb. Form denoting a relationship resulting from a parent's later marriage. [old english, = orphaned]


Foreword  n. Introductory remarks at the beginning of a book, often not by the author.
Gulp  —v. 1 (often foll. By down) swallow hastily, greedily, or with effort. 2 swallow gaspingly or with difficulty; choke. 3 (foll. By down, back) suppress (esp. Tears). —n. 1 act of gulping. 2 large mouthful of a drink. [dutch gulpen, imitative]





Honour  (us honor) —n. 1 high respect, public regard. 2 adherence to what is right or an accepted standard of conduct. 3 nobleness of mind, magnanimity (honour among thieves). 4 thing conferred as a distinction, esp. An official award for bravery or achievement. 5 privilege, special right (had the honour of being invited). 6 a exalted position. B (honour) (prec. By your, his, etc.) Title of a circuit judge etc. 7 (foll. By to) person or thing that brings honour (an honour to her profession). 8 a chastity (of a woman). B reputation for this. 9 (in pl.) Specialized degree course or special distinction in an examination. 10 (in card-games) the four or five highest-ranking cards. 11 golf the right of driving off first. —v. 1 respect highly. 2 confer honour on. 3 accept or pay (a bill or cheque) when due.  do the honours perform the duties of a host to guests etc. In honour of as a celebration of. On one's honour (usu. Foll. By to + infin.) Under a moral obligation. [latin honor repute]

Turco-  comb. Form (also turko-) turkish; turkish and. [medieval latin: related to *turk]


Heartthrob  n. Colloq. Person for whom one has (esp. Immature) romantic feelings.

Birdseed  n. Blend of seeds for caged birds.
Aromatic  —adj. 1 fragrant, spicy. 2 chem. Of organic compounds having an unsaturated ring, esp. Containing a benzene ring. —n. Aromatic substance. [latin: related to *aroma]
Ping-pong  n. Colloq. = *table tennis. [imitative]

Settler  n. Person who settles abroad.
Chancellor of the exchequer  n. Uk finance minister.


Tournament  n. 1 large contest of many rounds (chess tournament). 2 display of military exercises etc. (royal tournament). 3 hist. Pageant with jousting. [french: related to *tourney]

Verisimilitude  n. Appearance of being true or real. [latin verus true, similis like]

Adventurous  adj. Venturesome, enterprising.


Breast  —n. 1 a either of two milk-secreting organs on a woman's chest. B corresponding part of a man's body. 2 a chest. B corresponding part of an animal. 3 part of a garment that covers the breast. 4 breast as a source of nourishment or emotion. —v. 1 contend with. 2 reach the top of (a hill).  make a clean breast of confess fully. [old english]




-acy  suffix forming nouns of state or quality (accuracy; piracy), or an instance of it (conspiracy; fallacy). [french -acie, latin -acia, -atia, greek -ateia]

Mindful  adj. (often foll. By of) taking heed or care; giving thought (to).  mindfully adv.
Improvident  adj. 1 lacking foresight. 2 profligate; wasteful. 3 incautious.  improvidence n. Improvidently adv.

Dice  —n.pl. 1 a small cubes with faces bearing 1–6 spots, used in games or gambling. B (treated as sing.) One of these cubes (see *die2). 2 game played with dice. —v. (-cing) 1 take great risks, gamble (dicing with death). 2 cut into small cubes. [pl. Of *die2]
High wire  n. High tightrope.
M1  n. (pl. Ms or m's) 1 thirteenth letter of the alphabet. 2 (as a roman numeral) 1,000.
Miscellany  n. (pl. -ies) 1 mixture, medley. 2 book containing various literary compositions. [latin: related to *miscellaneous]
Ain't  contr. Colloq. 1 am, is, or are not. 2 have or has not.
Picayune  us colloq. —n. 1  small coin. 2 insignificant person or thing. —adj. Mean; contemptible; petty. [french picaillon]
Quarrel  —n. 1 severe or angry dispute or contention. 2 break in friendly relations. 3 cause of complaint (have no quarrel with him). —v. (-ll-; us -l-) 1 (often foll. By with) find fault. 2 dispute; break off friendly relations. [latin querela from queror complain]
Schoolmistress  n. Head or assistant female teacher.





Vexation  n. 1 vexing or being vexed. 2 annoying or distressing thing.
Varlet  n. Archaic menial; rascal. [french var. Of vaslet *valet]
Wartime  n. Period during which a war is being waged.


Interline  v. (-ning) put an extra layer of material between the fabric of (a garment) and its lining.
Refuse2  n. Items rejected as worthless; waste. [french: related to *refuse1]
Bowl1  n. 1 a usu. Round deep basin for food or liquid. B contents of a bowl. 2 hollow part of a tobacco-pipe, spoon, etc.  bowlful n. (pl. -s). [old english]


Topi  n. (also topee) (pl. -s) hat, esp. A sola topi. [hindi, = hat]

Menthol  n. Mint-tasting organic alcohol found in oil of peppermint etc., used as a flavouring and to relieve local pain. [latin: related to *mint1]

Maltese  —n. (pl. Same) native or language of malta. —adj. Of malta.
Now  —adv. 1 at the present or mentioned time. 2 immediately (i must go now). 3 by this time. 4 under the present circumstances (i cannot now agree). 5 on this further occasion (what do you want now?). 6 in the immediate past (just now). 7 (esp. In a narrative) then, next (the police now arrived). 8 (without reference to time, giving various tones to a sentence) surely, i insist, i wonder, etc. (now what do you mean by that?; oh come now!). —conj. (often foll. By that) as a consequence of the fact (now that i am older). —n. This time; the present.  for now until a later time (goodbye for now). Now and again (or then) from time to time; intermittently. [old english]

Wasp  n. Stinging insect with black and yellow stripes. [old english]



Underdone  adj. Undercooked.



Mull3  n. Scot. Promontory. [origin uncertain]



Misdoing  n. Misdeed.

Affliction  n. 1 distress, suffering. 2 cause of this.
Tear-jerker  n. Colloq. Sentimental story, film, etc.






Cd-rom  abbr. Compact disc read-only memory (for the retrieval of text or data on a vdu screen).
Blunder  —n. Serious or foolish mistake. —v. 1 make a blunder. 2 move clumsily; stumble. [probably scandinavian]
Gyrate  v. (-ting) move in a circle or spiral; revolve, whirl.  gyration n. Gyratory adj. [greek: related to *gyro-]



Bloom  —n. 1 a flower, esp. Cultivated. B state of flowering (in bloom). 2 one's prime (in full bloom). 3 a healthy glow of the complexion. B fine powder on fresh fruit and leaves. —v. 1 bear flowers; be in flower. 2 be in one's prime; flourish. [old norse]


Therapeutics  n.pl. (usu. Treated as sing.) Branch of medicine concerned with cures and remedies.


Mouth-organ  n. = *harmonica.
Play-back  n. Playing back of a sound.

Petit four  n. (pl. Petits fours) very small fancy cake. [french, = small oven]
Ballyhoo  n. 1 loud noise or fuss. 2 noisy publicity. [origin unknown]


Selling-point  n. Advantageous feature.
Ld.  Abbr. Lord.
Blasted  colloq. —attrib. Adj. Damned; annoying. —adv. Damned; extremely.
Fig2  n. 1 dress or equipment (in full fig). 2 condition or form (in good fig). [obsolete feague: related to *fake]
Ruffian  n. Violent lawless person. [italian ruffiano]
Roadster  n. Open car without rear seats.
Picnic  —n. 1 outing including an outdoor meal. 2 meal eaten out of doors. 3 (usu. With neg.) Colloq. Something agreeable or easily accomplished etc. —v. (-ck-) take part in a picnic. [french pique-nique]
Emit  v. (-tt-) give or send out (heat, light, a smell, sound, etc.); discharge.  emission n. [latin emitto emiss-]

Interregnum  n. (pl. -s) 1 interval when the normal government or leadership is suspended, esp. Between successive reigns or regimes. 2 interval, pause. [latin regnum reign]




Meal-ticket  n. Colloq. Person or thing that is a source of maintenance or income.

Gunnel  var. Of *gunwale.
Cellular radio  n. System of mobile radio-telephone transmission with an area divided into ‘cells’, each served by a small transmitter.

Sturdy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 robust; strongly built. 2 vigorous (sturdy resistance).  sturdily adv. Sturdiness n. [french esturdi]
Off-season  n. Time of the year when business etc. Is slack.


Shop-floor  n. 1 production area in a factory etc. 2 workers as distinct from management.
Gill3  n. (also ghyll) 1 deep usu. Wooded ravine. 2 narrow mountain torrent. [old norse]


Saucy  adj. (-ier, -iest) impudent, cheeky.  saucily adv. Sauciness n.


Aussie  slang —n. 1 australian. 2 australia. —adj. Australian. [abbreviation]
Turncoat  n. Person who changes sides.



Moonstruck  adj. Slightly mad.
Genocide  n. Deliberate extermination of a people or nation.  genocidal adj. [greek genos race, *-cide]
Nuisance  n. Person, thing, or circumstance causing trouble or annoyance. [french, = hurt, from nuire nuis- injure, from latin noceo to hurt]
Cyclist  n. Rider of a bicycle.




Computer-literate  adj. Able to use computers.



Triumvirate  n. Ruling group of three men, esp. In ancient rome. [latin tres three, vir man]

Coincide  v. (-ding) 1 occur at the same time. 2 occupy the same portion of space. 3 (often foll. By with) agree or be identical. [latin: related to *incident]

Prestige  n. 1 respect or reputation derived from achievements, power, associations, etc. 2 (attrib.) Having or conferring prestige.  prestigious adj. [latin praestigiae juggler's tricks]
Heated  adj. Angry; impassioned.  heatedly adv.
Filthy lucre  n. 1 dishonourable gain. 2 joc. Money.



Mingle  v. (-ling) 1 mix, blend. 2 (often foll. By with) mix socially. [old english]

Wayward  adj. Childishly self-willed; capricious.  waywardness n. [from *away, *-ward]

Lambada  n. Fast erotic brazilian dance in which couples dance with their stomachs touching each other. [portuguese, = a beating]


Big  —adj. (bigger, biggest) 1 a of considerable size, amount, intensity, etc. B of a large or the largest size (big toe). 2 important (my big day). 3 adult, elder (big sister). 4 colloq. A boastful (big words). B often iron. Generous (big of him). C ambitious (big ideas). 5 (usu. Foll. By with) advanced in pregnancy (big with child). —adv. Colloq. Impressively or grandly (think big).  in a big way colloq. With great enthusiasm, display, etc.  biggish adj. [origin unknown]
Dt  abbr. (also dt's) delirium tremens.



Cutaneous  adj. Of the skin. [latin: related to *cuticle]
Play-off  n. Match played to decide a draw or tie.
Chalybeate  adj. (of water etc.) Impregnated with iron salts. [latin chalybs steel, from greek]

Analogy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 correspondence; partial similarity. 2 arguing or reasoning from parallel cases.  analogical adj. [greek analogia proportion]


Patient  —adj. Having or showing patience. —n. Person receiving or registered to receive medical treatment.  patiently adv.

Graphics  n.pl. (usu. Treated as sing.) 1 products of the graphic arts. 2 use of diagrams in calculation and design.

Bun  n. 1 small sweet bread roll or cake, often with dried fruit. 2 hair coiled and pinned to the head. [origin unknown]


Disinter  v. (-rr-) dig up (esp. A corpse).  disinterment n.
Appropriate  —adj. Suitable, proper. —v. (-ting) 1 take, esp. Without authority. 2 devote (money etc.) To special purposes.  appropriately adv. Appropriation n. [latin proprius own]


Nook  n. Corner or recess; secluded place. [origin unknown]
Usage  the number of words that can be formed from the suffix non- is unlimited; consequently, only the most current and noteworthy can be given here.
Obelisk  n. Tapering usu. Four-sided stone pillar as a monument or landmark. [greek diminutive: related to *obelus]





Reprobate  n. Unprincipled or immoral person. [latin: related to *prove]
Re  symb. Rhenium.



Blue cheese  n. Cheese with veins of blue mould.
Amusement  n. 1 thing that amuses. 2 being amused. 3 mechanical device (e.g. A roundabout) for entertainment at a fairground etc.
Danish pastry  n. Yeast cake topped with icing, fruit, nuts, etc.




Quinquereme  n. Ancient roman galley with five files of oarsmen on each side. [latin quinque five, remus oar]

Placenta  n. (pl. -tae or -s) organ in the uterus of pregnant mammals nourishing the foetus through the umbilical cord and expelled after birth.  placental adj. [greek, = flat cake]
Staircase  n. Flight of stairs and the supporting structure.
Weightless  adj. (of a body, esp. In an orbiting spacecraft etc.) Not apparently acted on by gravity.  weightlessness n.
Touch  —v. 1 come into or be in physical contact with (a thing, each other, etc.). 2 (often foll. By with) bring the hand etc. Into contact with. 3 bring (two things) into mutual contact. 4 rouse tender or painful feelings in. 5 strike lightly. 6 (usu. With neg.) A disturb, harm, or affect. B have any dealings with. C consume, use (i don't touch alcohol). 7 concern. 8 a reach as far as, esp. Momentarily. B (usu. With neg.) Approach in excellence etc. (can't touch him for style). 9 modify (pity touched with fear). 10 (as touched adj.) Colloq. Slightly mad. 11 (usu. Foll.
Meniscus  n. (pl. Menisci) 1 curved upper surface of liquid in a tube. 2 lens convex on one side and concave on the other. [greek meniskos crescent, from mene moon]

Sink  —v. (past sank or sunk; past part. Sunk or as adj. Sunken) 1 fall or come slowly downwards. 2 disappear below the horizon. 3 a go or penetrate below the surface esp. Of a liquid. B (of a ship) go to the bottom of the sea etc. 4 settle comfortably. 5 a decline in strength etc. B (of the voice) descend in pitch or volume. 6 cause or allow to sink or penetrate. 7 cause (a plan, person, etc.) To fail. 8 dig (a well) or bore (a shaft).

Snick  —v. 1 make a small notch or incision in. 2 cricket deflect (the ball) slightly with the bat. —n. 1 small notch or cut. 2 cricket slight deflection of the ball. [snickersnee long knife, ultimately from dutch]

Along  —prep. Beside or through (part of) the length of. —adv. 1 onward, into a more advanced state (come along; getting along nicely). 2 with oneself or others (bring a book along). 3 beside or through part or the whole length of a thing.  along with in addition to; together with. [old english, originally adj. = facing against]

Surgical  adj. 1 of or by surgeons or surgery. 2 a used in surgery. B worn to correct a deformity etc. 3 (esp. Of military action) swift and precise. surgically adv.

Especial  adj. Notable. [latin: related to *special]
Gash  —n. Long deep slash, cut, or wound. —v. Make a gash in; cut. [french]


Involution  n. 1 involving. 2 intricacy. 3 curling inwards. 4 part that curls inwards.

Proselyte  n. 1 person converted, esp. Recently, from one opinion, creed, party, etc., to another. 2 convert to judaism.  proselytism n. [latin proselytus from greek]


Signify  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 be a sign or indication of. 2 mean; symbolize. 3 make known. 4 be of importance; matter.  signification n. [latin: related to *sign]


Dissimulate  v. (-ting) dissemble.  dissimulation n. [latin: related to *dissemble]
Tabby  n. (pl. -ies) 1  grey or brownish cat with dark stripes. 2 a kind of watered silk. [french from arabic]
Codswallop  n. Slang nonsense. [origin unknown]
Necessitous  adj. Poor; needy.
Debauchee  n. Debauched person.



Heatwave  n. Period of unusually hot weather.

Governor  n. 1 ruler. 2 a official governing a province, town, etc. B representative of the crown in a colony. 3 executive head of each state of the us. 4 officer commanding a fortress etc. 5 head or member of the governing body of an institution. 6 official in charge of a prison. 7 a slang one's employer. B slang one's father. 8 mech. Automatic regulator controlling the speed of an engine etc.  governorship n.
Solan  n. (in full solan goose) large gooselike gannet. [old norse]


Relevant  adj. (often foll. By to) bearing on or having reference to the matter in hand.  relevance n. [latin relevo: related to *relieve]
Affiliate  —v. (-ting) (foll. By to, with) attach, adopt, or connect as a member or branch. —n. Affiliated person etc. [latin: related to *filial]

Geocentric  adj. 1 considered as viewed from the earth's centre. 2 having the earth as the centre.  geocentrically adv.


Stay1  —v. 1 continue in the same place or condition; not depart or change. 2 (often foll. By at, in, with) reside temporarily. 3 archaic or literary a stop or check. B (esp. In imper.) Pause. 4 postpone (judgement etc.). 5 assuage (hunger etc.), esp. Temporarily. —n. 1 act or period of staying. 2 suspension or postponement of a sentence, judgement, etc. 3 prop, support. 4 (in pl.) Hist. (esp. Boned) corset.  stay the course endure to the end. Stay in remain indoors. Stay the night remain overnight. Stay put colloq. Remain where it is placed or where one is. Stay up not go to bed (until late). [anglo-french from latin sto stand: sense 3 of n. From french, formed as *stay2]


P1  n. (also p) (pl. Ps or p's) sixteenth letter of the alphabet.
Recovery  n. (pl. -ies) recovering or being recovered. [anglo-french recoverie: related to *recover]

Sheepfold  n. Pen for sheep.
Unafraid  adj. Not afraid.

Farmer  n. Owner or manager of a farm.

Lap1  n. 1 front of the body from the waist to the knees of a sitting person. 2 clothing covering this.   in the lap of the gods beyond human control. In the lap of luxury in extremely luxurious surroundings. [old english]



White feather  n. Symbol of cowardice.


Spillikin  n. 1 splinter of wood etc. 2 (in pl.) Game in which thin rods are removed one at a time from a heap without moving the others. [from *spill2]

Veteran car  n. Car made before 1916, or (strictly) before 1905.

Big-head  n. Colloq. Conceited person.  big-headed adj.



Financial  adj. Of finance.  financially adv.
Varnish  —n. 1  resinous solution used to give a hard shiny transparent coating. 2 similar preparation (nail varnish). 3 deceptive outward appearance or show. —v. 1 apply varnish to. 2 give a deceptively attractive appearance to. [french vernis, probably ultimately from berenice in cyrenaica]
Window  n. 1 a opening in a wall etc., usu. With glass to admit light etc. B the glass itself. 2 space for display behind the window of a shop. 3 window-like opening. 4 opportunity to learn from observation. 5 transparent part in an envelope showing an address. 6 vdu display showing a particular part of the data.  windowless adj. [old norse, = wind-eye]



Battle-cruiser  n. Hist. Warship of higher speed and lighter armour than a battleship.

Sabre-rattling  n. Display or threat of military force.




Autopilot  n. = *automatic pilot.
Partly  adv. 1 with respect to a part or parts. 2 to some extent.
Parfait  n. 1 rich iced pudding of whipped cream, eggs, etc. 2 layers of ice-cream, meringue, etc., served in a tall glass. [french parfait *perfect]

Caribou  n. (pl. Same) n. American reindeer. [french from american indian]
Toccata  n. Musical composition for a keyboard instrument, designed to exhibit the performer's touch and technique. [italian, = touched]

Vermiform  adj. Worm-shaped. [medieval latin: related to *vermicide]

Didn't  contr. Did not.

Noodle1  n. Strip or ring of pasta. [german]
Prox.  Abbr. Proximo.
Prognosis  n. (pl. -noses) forecast, esp. Of the course of a disease. [greek gignosko know]
Kingdom come  n. Colloq. The next world.
Standing  —n. 1 esteem or repute, esp. High; status. 2 duration (of long standing). —adj. 1 that stands, upright. 2 established, permanent (a standing rule; a standing army). 3 (of a jump, start, etc.) Performed with no run-up. 4 (of water) stagnant.




Punch-bowl  n. 1 bowl for punch. 2 deep round hollow in a hill.
Facing  n. 1 layer of material covering part of a garment etc. For contrast or strength. 2 outer covering on a wall etc.

Toll-bridge  n. Bridge at which a toll is charged.
Embattled  adj. 1 prepared or arrayed for battle. 2 fortified with battlements. 3 under heavy attack or in trying circumstances.



Cod-liver oil  n. Oil from cod livers, rich in vitamins d and a.
Voodoo  —n. Religious witchcraft as practised esp. In the w. Indies. —v. (-doos, -dooed) affect by voodoo; bewitch. [dahomey]




Fraught  adj. 1 (foll. By with) filled or charged with (danger etc.). 2 colloq. Distressing; tense. [dutch vracht *freight]
Unpunished  adj. Not punished.

Uncommercial  adj. Not commercial.
Dna  abbr. Deoxyribonucleic acid, esp. Carrying genetic information in chromosomes.





Equation  n. 1 equating or making equal; being equal. 2 statement that two mathematical expressions are equal (indicated by the sign =). 3 formula indicating a chemical reaction by means of symbols.


Preamplifier  n. Electronic device that amplifies a weak signal (e.g. From a microphone or pickup) and transmits it to a main amplifier.

-ism  suffix forming nouns, esp. Denoting: 1 action or its result (baptism; organism). 2 system or principle (conservatism; jingoism). 3 state or quality (heroism; barbarism). 4 basis of prejudice or discrimination (racism; sexism). 5 peculiarity in language (americanism). [greek -ismos]
Snakeskin  —n. Skin of a snake. —adj. Made of snakeskin.
Broadsword  n. Broad-bladed sword, for cutting rather than thrusting.



Recession  n. 1 temporary decline in economic activity or prosperity. 2 receding or withdrawal from a place or point. [latin: related to *recess]
Inviolable  adj. Not to be violated or dishonoured.  inviolability n. Inviolably adv.


Hemi-  comb. Form half. [greek, = latin semi-]



Ceefax  n. Propr. Teletext service provided by the bbc. [representing a pronunciation of seeing + facsimile]

All-time  attrib. Adj. (of a record etc.) Unsurpassed.


Persist  v. 1 (often foll. By in) continue firmly or obstinately (in an opinion or action) esp. Despite obstacles, remonstrance, etc. 2 (of a phenomenon etc.) Continue in existence; survive.  persistence n. Persistent adj. Persistently adv. [latin sisto stand]
Sat  past and past part. Of *sit.

Pucker  —v. (often foll. By up) gather into wrinkles, folds, or bulges (this seam is puckered up). —n. Such a wrinkle, bulge, fold, etc. [origin unknown]
Talking  —adj. 1 that talks, or is able to talk (talking parrot). 2 expressive (talking eyes). —n. In senses of *talk v.  talking of while we are discussing.



Wanton  —adj. 1 licentious; sexually promiscuous. 2 capricious; arbitrary; motiveless (wanton wind; wanton destruction). 3 luxuriant; unrestrained (wanton profusion). —n. Literary licentious person.  wantonly adv. [from obsolete wantowen, = undisciplined]
Soccer  n. Association football. [from *assoc.]

Dress-shirt  n. Man's shirt worn with evening dress, usu. White with concealed buttons or studs.
Plummet  —n. 1 plumb, plumb-line. 2 sounding-line. 3 weight attached to a fishing-line to keep the float upright. —v. (-t-) fall or plunge rapidly. [french: related to *plumb]
Minister of the crown  n. Parl. Member of the cabinet.
Stop press  n. (often attrib.) Late news inserted in a newspaper after printing has begun.

Backspin  n. Backward spin making a ball bounce erratically.





Nonsense  n. 1 (often as int.) Absurd or meaningless words or ideas. 2 foolish or extravagant conduct.  nonsensical adj. Nonsensically adv.

Kerb  n. Stone edging to a pavement or raised path. [var. Of *curb]








Lashings  n.pl. Colloq. (foll. By of) plenty.

Anyone  pron. Anybody.

Albumin  n. Water-soluble protein found in egg-white, milk, blood, etc.  albuminous adj.
Maintenance  n. 1 maintaining or being maintained. 2 a provision of the means to support life. B alimony. [french: related to *maintain]
Slinky  adj. (-ier, -iest) (of a garment) close-fitting and sinuous.
Treble  —adj. 1 a threefold. B triple. C three times as much or many (treble the amount). 2 high-pitched. —n. 1 treble quantity or thing. 2 hit on the narrow band between the two middle circles of a dartboard, scoring treble. 3 a mus. = *soprano (esp. A boy's voice or part, or an instrument). B high-pitched voice. 4 high-frequency output of a radio, record-player, etc. —v. (-ling) make or become three times as much or many; increase threefold; multiply by three.  trebly adv. [latin: related to *triple]
Wire netting  n. Netting of meshed wire.
Treasury  n. (pl. -ies) 1 place or building where treasure is stored. 2 funds or revenue of a state, institution, or society. 3 (treasury) a department managing the public revenue of a country. B offices and officers of this.

Barge  —n. 1 long flat-bottomed cargo boat on a canal or river. 2 long ornamental pleasure boat. —v. (-ging) 1 (foll. By in, into) a intrude rudely or awkwardly (barged in on him). B collide with (barged into her). 2 (often foll. By around) move clumsily about. [french: related to *barque]
Slimline  adj. 1 of slender design. 2 (of a drink) not fattening.
Ooze1  —v. (-zing) 1 trickle or leak slowly out. 2 (of a substance) exude fluid. 3 (often foll. By with) exude (a feeling) freely (oozed (with) charm). —n. Sluggish flow.  oozy adj. [old english]
Gruel  n. Liquid food of oatmeal etc. Boiled in milk or water. [french from germanic]





Global warming  n. Increase in the temperature of the earth's atmosphere caused by the greenhouse effect.
Sitter  n. 1 person who sits, esp. For a portrait. 2 = babysitter (see *babysit). 3 colloq. Easy catch or shot.

Diet2  n. 1 legislative assembly in certain countries. 2 hist. Congress. [latin dieta]




Mystery play  n. Miracle play.






Non-violence  n. Avoidance of violence, esp. As a principle.  non-violent adj.


Umbrage  n. Offence taken (esp. Take umbrage at). [latin: related to *umbra]
Recopy  v. (-ies, -ied) copy again.
Diy  abbr. Do-it-yourself.
Socket  n. Hollow for something to fit into etc., esp. A device receiving an electric plug, light-bulb, etc. [anglo-french]

Phonecard  n. Card containing prepaid units for use with a cardphone.
Indolent  adj. Lazy; averse to exertion.  indolence n. Indolently adv. [latin doleo suffer pain]
Healthy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 having, showing, or promoting good health. 2 indicative of (esp. Moral or financial) health (a healthy sign). 3 substantial (won by a healthy 40 seconds).  healthily adv. Healthiness n.
Re-establish  v. Establish again or anew.  re-establishment n.

Reminisce  v. (-cing) indulge in reminiscence.
Overreach  v. Outwit, cheat.  overreach oneself fail by attempting too much.
Pimento  n. (pl. -s) 1 tree native to jamaica. 2 berries of this, usu. Crushed for culinary use; allspice. 3 = *pimiento. [latin: related to *pigment]
Cutwater  n. 1 forward edge of a ship's prow. 2 wedge-shaped projection from a pier or bridge.


Bypass  —n. 1 main road passing round a town or its centre. 2 a secondary channel or pipe etc. Used in emergencies. B alternative passage for the circulation of blood through the heart. —v. Avoid, go round (a town, difficulty, etc.).



Bricklayer  n. Person who builds with bricks, esp. For a living.  bricklaying n.
Cannery  n. (pl. -ies) canning-factory.
Appliqué  —n. Cutting out of fabric patterns and attaching them to another fabric. —v. (-qués, -quéd, -quéing) decorate with appliqué. [french, = applied]
Discretion  n. 1 being discreet. 2 prudence; good judgement. 3 freedom or authority to act according to one's judgement.  use one's discretion act according to one's own judgement.  discretionary adj. [latin: related to *discern]



Enlarger  n. Apparatus for enlarging photographs.

Topple  v. (-ling) 1 (often foll. By over, down) (cause to) fall as if top-heavy. 2 overthrow. [from *top1]
Jekyll and hyde  n. Person having opposing good and evil personalities. [names of a character in a story by r. L. Stevenson]


Conscience money  n. Sum paid to relieve one's conscience, esp. Regarding a payment previously evaded.









Crotchety  adj. Peevish, irritable.

Social work  n. Professional or voluntary work with disadvantaged groups.  social worker n.
Bogey1  n. (pl. -eys) golf 1 score of one stroke more than par at any hole. 2 (formerly) par. [perhaps from bogey, as an imaginary player]

Steroid  n. Any of a group of organic compounds including many hormones, alkaloids, and vitamins. [from *sterol]
Drupe  n. Fleshy stone-fruit, e.g. The olive and plum. [latin from greek]



Vespers  n.pl. Evensong. [latin vesper evening]
Automobile  n. Us motor car. [french]
Savior  n. (brit. Saviour) 1 person who saves from danger etc. 2 (saviour) (prec. By the, our) christ. [latin: related to *save1]


Palaeozoic  (us paleozoic) —adj. Of an era of geological time marked by the appearance of plants and animals, esp. Invertebrates. —n. This era. [greek zoion animal]


Minute2  adj. (-est) 1 very small. 2 accurate, detailed.  minutely adv. [latin minutus: related to *minute1]
Early bird  n. Colloq. Person who arrives, gets up, etc. Early.
Opaque  adj. (opaquer, opaquest) 1 not transmitting light. 2 impenetrable to sight. 3 unintelligible. 4 unintelligent, stupid.  opaquely adv. Opaqueness n. [latin opacus shaded]
Buccaneer  n. 1 pirate. 2 unscrupulous adventurer.  buccaneering n. & adj. [french]
Recessive  adj. 1 tending to recede. 2  (of an inherited characteristic) appearing in offspring only when not masked by an inherited dominant characteristic.
Blush  —v. 1 a become pink in the face from embarrassment or shame. B (of the face) redden thus. 2 feel embarrassed or ashamed. 3 redden. —n. 1 act of blushing. 2 pink tinge. [old english]
Costal  adj. Of the ribs. [latin costa rib]
Mistook  past of *mistake.
Perfection  n. 1 making, becoming, or being perfect. 2 faultlessness. 3 perfect person, thing, or example.  to perfection exactly; completely. [latin: related to *perfect]
Sheaf  —n. (pl. Sheaves) bundle of things laid lengthways together and usu. Tied, esp. Reaped corn or a collection of papers. —v. Make into sheaves. [old english]
 
Noticeable  adj. Perceptible; noteworthy.  noticeably adv.
Cheesecake  n. 1 tart filled with sweetened curds etc. 2 slang portrayal of women in a sexually stimulating manner.
Cad  abbr. Computer aided design.

Refashion  v. Fashion again or differently.

Well-appointed  adj. Having all the necessary equipment.


House-martin  n. Black and white bird nesting on house walls etc.
Pulp  —n. 1 soft fleshy part of fruit etc. 2 soft thick wet mass, esp. From rags, wood, etc., used in paper-making. 3 (often attrib.) Cheap fiction etc., orig. Printed on rough paper. —v. Reduce to or become pulp.  pulpy adj. Pulpiness n. [latin]
Permutation  n. 1 one of the possible ordered arrangements or groupings of a set of things. 2 combination or selection of a specified number of things from a larger group, esp. Matches in a football pool. [latin permuto change thoroughly]
Canvass  —v. 1 solicit votes, esp. From a constituency electorate. 2 a ascertain the opinions of. B seek custom from. 3 propose (an idea or plan etc.). —n. Canvassing, esp. Of electors.  canvasser n. [originally = toss in sheet, from *canvas]
We'd  contr. 1 we had. 2 we should; we would.

Propene  n. Chem. = *propylene. [from *propane, *alkene]
Fatstock  n. Livestock fattened for slaughter.



Pace1  —n. 1 a single step in walking or running. B distance covered in this. 2 speed in walking or running. 3 rate of movement or progression. 4 way of walking or running; gait (ambling pace). —v. (-cing) 1 a walk slowly and evenly (pace up and down). B (of a horse) amble. 2 traverse by pacing. 3  set the pace for (a rider, runner, etc.). 4 (foll. By out) measure by pacing.  keep pace (often foll. By with) advance at an equal rate (to). Put a person etc. Through his (or her) paces test a person's qualities in action etc. Set the pace determine the speed; lead. [french pas from latin passus]



Teen  attrib. Adj. = *teenage. [abbreviation]
Sense-organ  n. Bodily organ conveying external stimuli to the sensory system.

Parasite  n. 1 organism living in or on another and feeding on it. 2 person exploiting another or others.  parasitic adj. Parasitically adv. Parasitism n. [greek: related to *para-1, sitos food]

Underweight  —adj. Below normal weight. —n. Insufficient weight.


Merrymaking  n. Festivity, fun.  merrymaker n.
Mason  n. 1 person who builds with stone. 2 (mason) freemason. [french]
Bolt-hole  n. Means of escape.

Pipeline  n. 1 long, usu. Underground, pipe for conveying esp. Oil. 2 channel supplying goods, information, etc.  in the pipeline being dealt with or prepared; under discussion, on the way.
Hunch  —v. Bend or arch into a hump. —n. 1 intuitive feeling or idea. 2 hump. [origin unknown]


Hexagon  n. Plane figure with six sides and angles.  hexagonal adj. [greek: related to *hexa-, -gonos angled]



Inedible  adj. Not suitable for eating.
Deathblow  n. 1 blow etc. Causing death. 2 event etc. That destroys or ends something.
Caress  —v. Touch or stroke gently or lovingly. —n. Loving or gentle touch. [latin carus dear]
Christendom  n. Christians worldwide.
Leisurely  —adj. Unhurried, relaxed. —adv. Without hurry.  leisureliness n.


Top drawer  n. Colloq. High social position or origin.

Darnel  n. Grass growing in cereal crops. [origin unknown]
Bilharzia  n. Chronic tropical disease caused by a parasitic flatworm. [bilharz, name of a physician]



Dynamite  —n. 1 high explosive mixture containing nitroglycerine. 2 potentially dangerous person etc. —v. (-ting) charge or blow up with dynamite.
Housewife  n. 1 woman who manages a household and usu. Does not have a full-time paid job. 2  case for needles, thread, etc.  housewifely adj. [from *house, *wife = woman]
Patina  n. (pl. -s) 1 film, usu. Green, formed on old bronze. 2 similar film on other surfaces. 3 gloss produced by age on woodwork.  [latin: related to *paten]


Wolfhound  n. Dog of a kind used orig. To hunt wolves.

Perfectionism  n. Uncompromising pursuit of excellence.  perfectionist n. & adj.
May queen  n. Girl chosen to preside over may day festivities.
Soporific  —adj. Inducing sleep. —n. Soporific drug or influence.  soporifically adv. [latin sopor sleep]


Landslide  n. 1 sliding down of a mass of land from a mountain, cliff, etc. 2 overwhelming victory in an election.






Owner  n. Person who owns something.  ownership n.

Pole1  n. 1 long slender rounded piece of wood, metal, etc., esp. With the end placed in the ground as a support etc. 2 = *perch1 3.  up the pole slang 1 crazy. 2 in difficulty. [latin palus stake]
Cleft palate  n. Congenital split in the roof of the mouth.
Scarlatina  n. = *scarlet fever. [italian: related to *scarlet]


Hillside  n. Sloping side of a hill.




Lachrymal  adj. (also lacrimal) of or for tears (lacrimal duct). [latin lacrima tear]



Colour supplement  n. Magazine with colour printing, as a supplement to a newspaper.
Effluvium  n. (pl. -via) unpleasant or noxious outflow. [latin: related to *effluence]
Public figure  n. Famous person.
Batrachian  —n. Amphibian that discards its gills and tail, esp. A frog or toad. —adj. Of batrachians. [greek batrakhos frog]
Minimize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 reduce to, or estimate at, the smallest possible amount or degree. 2 estimate or represent at less than true value or importance.  minimization n.





Casserole  —n. 1 covered dish for cooking food in the oven. 2 food cooked in this. —v. (-ling) cook in a casserole. [greek kuathion little cup]
Electrotherapy  n. Treatment of diseases by use of electricity.

Abdicate  v. (-ting) 1 (usu. Absol.) Give up or renounce (the throne). 2 renounce (a duty, right, etc.).  abdication n. [latin dico declare]
Gazelle  n. (pl. Same or -s) small graceful antelope. [arabic gazal]
Songbird  n. Bird with a musical call.
Resonate  v. (-ting) produce or show resonance; resound.  resonator n. [latin: related to *resonant]
Erase  v. (-sing) 1 rub out; obliterate. 2 remove all traces of. 3 remove recorded material from (magnetic tape or disk). [latin rado ras- scrape]
Itinerary  n. (pl. -ies) 1 detailed route. 2 record of travel. 3 guidebook.
Café  n. Small coffee-house or restaurant. [french]


Sovereign  —n. 1 supreme ruler, esp. A monarch. 2 hist. British gold coin nominally worth £1. —adj. 1 supreme (sovereign power). 2 self-governing (sovereign state). 3 royal (our sovereign lord). 4 excellent; effective (sovereign remedy). 5 unmitigated (sovereign contempt). [french so(u)verain: -g- by association with reign]
Night-watchman  n. 1 person employed to keep watch at night. 2 cricket inferior batsman sent in near the close of a day's play.







Fritillary  n. (pl. -ies) 1 plant with bell-like flowers. 2 butterfly with red-brown wings chequered with black. [latin fritillus dice-box]

Arm2  —n. 1 (usu. In pl.) Weapon. 2 (in pl.) Military profession. 3 branch of the military (e.g. Infantry, cavalry). 4 (in pl.) Heraldic devices (coat of arms). —v. 1 supply, or equip oneself, with weapons etc., esp. In preparation for war. 2 make (a bomb etc.) Ready.  take up arms go to war. Under arms equipped for war. Up in arms (usu. Foll. By against, about) actively resisting, highly indignant. [latin arma arms]


Alms  n.pl. Hist. Donation of money or food to the poor. [greek eleemosune pity]
Pursue  v. (-sues, -sued, -suing) 1 follow with intent to overtake, capture, or do harm to; go in pursuit. 2 continue or proceed along (a route or course of action). 3 follow or engage in (study or other activity). 4 proceed according to (a plan etc.). 5 seek after, aim at. 6 continue to investigate or discuss (a topic). 7 importune (a person) persistently. 8 (of misfortune etc.) Persistently assail.  pursuer n. [latin sequor follow]





Lambswool  n. Soft fine wool from a young sheep.
Foodie  n. Colloq. Person who makes a cult of food; gourmet.

Mélange  n. Mixture, medley. [french mêler mix]




Greenhorn  n. Inexperienced person; new recruit.



Sac  n. Membranous bag in an animal or plant. [latin: related to *sack1]
Dog-eat-dog  adj. Colloq. Ruthlessly competitive.


Verbalize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) put into words.
Vice1  n. 1 immoral conduct. 2 form of this (the vice of gluttony). 3 weakness; indulgence (brandy is my one vice). [latin vitium]
Homogeneous  adj. 1 of the same kind. 2 consisting of parts all of the same kind; uniform.  homogeneity n. Homogeneously adv. [from *homo-, greek genos kind]
Handlebar moustache  n. Thick moustache with curved ends.

Psychoanalysis  n. Treatment of mental disorders by bringing repressed fears and conflicts into the conscious mind over a long course of interviews.  psychoanalyse v. (-sing). Psychoanalyst n. Psychoanalytic adj. Psychoanalytical adj.


Hood2  n. Us slang gangster, gunman. [abbreviation of *hoodlum]
Transuranic  adj. (of a chemical element) having a higher atomic number than uranium.

Partook  past of *partake.



Depreciation  n. 1  a decline in value, esp. Due to wear and tear. B allowance made for this. 2 belittlement.


Expurgate  v. (-ting) 1 remove objectionable matter from (a book etc.). 2 remove (such matter).  expurgation n. Expurgator n. [latin: related to *purge]

Fig1  n. 1 soft pulpy fruit with many seeds. 2 (in full fig-tree) tree bearing figs.  not care (or give) a fig not care at all. [latin ficus]


Roughen  v. Make or become rough.


Suggestive  adj. 1 (usu. Foll. By of) hinting (at). 2 (of a remark, joke, etc.) Indecent.  suggestively adv.

Chevalier  n. Member of certain orders of knighthood, or of the french legion of honour etc. [medieval latin caballarius horseman]


Look  —v. 1 a (often foll. By at, down, up, etc.) Use one's sight; turn one's eyes in some direction. B turn one's eyes on; examine (looked me in the eyes; looked us up and down). 2 a make a visual or mental search (i'll look in the morning). B (foll. By at) consider, examine (must look at the facts). 3 (foll. By for) search for, seek, be on the watch for. 4 inquire (when one looks deeper). 5 have a specified appearance; seem (look a fool; future looks bleak). 6 (foll. By to) a consider; be concerned about (look to the future). B rely on (look to me for support). 7 (foll. By into) investigate. 8 (foll. By what, where, whether, etc.) Ascertain or observe by sight. 9 (of a thing) face some direction. 10 indicate (emotion etc.) By one's looks. 11 (foll. By that) take care; make sure. 12 (foll. By to + infin.) Aim (am looking to finish it soon). —n. 1 act of looking; gaze, glance. 2 (in sing. Or pl.) Appearance of a face; expression. 3 appearance of a thing (by the look of it). 4 style, fashion (this year's look; the wet look). —int. (also look here!) Calling attention, expressing a protest, etc.  look after attend to; take care of. Look one's age appear as old as one really is. Look back 1 (foll. By on, to) turn one's thoughts to (something past). 2 (usu. With neg.) Cease to progress (he's never looked back). Look down on (or look down one's nose at) regard with contempt or superiority.





Enthusiast  n. Person full of enthusiasm. [church latin: related to *enthusiasm]



T 



Emaciate  v. (-ting) (esp. As emaciated adj.) Make abnormally thin or feeble.  emaciation n. [latin macies leanness]

Morish  var. Of *moreish.
Protest  —n. 1 statement or act of dissent or disapproval. 2 law written declaration that a bill has been presented and payment or acceptance refused. —v. 1 (usu. Foll. By against, at, about, etc.) Make a protest. 2 affirm (one's innocence etc.) Solemnly. 3 law write or obtain a protest in regard to (a bill). 4 us object to (a decision etc.).  under protest unwillingly.  protester n. (also protestor). [latin protestor declare formally]
Trousseau  n. (pl. -s or -x) bride's collection of clothes etc. [french: related to *truss]


Overload  —v. 1 load excessively (with baggage, work, etc.). 2 put too great a demand on (an electrical circuit etc.). —n. Excessive quantity or demand.



Mispronounce  v. (-cing) pronounce (a word etc.) Wrongly.  mispronunciation n. [from *mis-1]


Flee  v. (past and past part. Fled) 1 (often foll. By from, before) a run away (from); leave abruptly (fled the room). B seek safety by fleeing. 2 vanish. [old english]
Overcrowd  v. (usu. As overcrowded adj.) Fill beyond what is usual or comfortable.  overcrowding n.
Gage2  (brit. Gauge: see also sense 6) —n. 1 standard measure, esp. Of the capacity or contents of a barrel, fineness of a textile, diameter of a bullet, or thickness of sheet metal. 2 instrument for measuring pressure, width, length, thickness, etc. 3 distance between rails or opposite wheels. 4 capacity, extent. 5 criterion, test. 6 (usu. Gage) naut. Position relative to the wind. —v. (-ging) 1 measure exactly. 2 measure the capacity or content of. 3 estimate (a person, situation, etc.). [french]


Terra firma  n. Dry land, firm ground. [latin]
Penny black  n. First adhesive postage stamp (1840, price one penny).

Sc.d.  Abbr. Doctor of science. [latin scientiae doctor]



Veg  n. Colloq. Vegetable(s). [abbreviation]
Electromotive  adj. Producing or tending to produce an electric current.
Logistics  n.pl. 1 organization of (orig. Military) services and supplies. 2 organization of any complex operation.  logistic adj. Logistical adj. Logistically adv. [french loger lodge]


Jet lag  n. Exhaustion etc. Felt after a long flight across time zones.





Tenant  n. 1 person who rents land or property from a landlord. 2 (often foll. By of) occupant of a place. [french: related to *tenable]
Fiancé  n. (fem. Fiancée pronunc. Same) person one is engaged to. [french]

Gusher  n. 1 oil well from which oil flows without being pumped. 2 effusive person.
Rentier  n. Person living on income from property, investments, etc. [french]

Malthusian  adj. Of malthus's doctrine that the population should be restricted so as to prevent an increase beyond its means of subsistence.  malthusianism n. [malthus, name of a clergyman]
Strobe  n. Colloq. Stroboscope. [abbreviation]

Tin foil  n. Foil made of tin, aluminium, or tin alloy, used for wrapping food.


Practice  —n. 1 habitual action or performance. 2 a repeated activity undertaken in order to improve a skill. B session of this. 3 action as opposed to theory. 4 the work, business, or place of business of a doctor, lawyer, etc. (has a practice in town). 5 procedure, esp. Of a specified kind (bad practice). —v. Us var. Of *practise.  in practice 1 when actually applied; in reality. 2 skilful from recent practice. Out of practice lacking a former skill from lack of practice. [from *practise]
Parsley  n. Herb with crinkly aromatic leaves, used to season and garnish food. [greek petra rock, selinon parsley]
Practical  —adj. 1 of or concerned with practice rather than theory (practical difficulties). 2 suited to use; functional (practical shoes). 3 (of a person) good at making, organizing, or mending things. 4 sensible, realistic. 5 that is such in effect, virtual (in practical control). —n. Practical examination or lesson.  practicality n. (pl. -ies). [greek praktikos from prasso do]


Caraway  n. Plant with tiny white flowers. [spanish from arabic]
Ill-bred  adj. Badly brought up; rude.

Complement  —n. 1 thing that completes; counterpart. 2 full number needed. 3 word(s) added to a verb to complete the predicate of a sentence. 4 amount by which an angle is less than 90°. —v. 1 complete. 2 form a complement to. [latin compleo fill up]

Barn  n. Large farm building for storing grain etc. [old english, = barley house]
Affront  —n. Open insult. —v. Insult openly; offend, embarrass. [latin: related to *front]
Candle  n. Cylinder or block of wax or tallow with a central wick which gives light when burning.  cannot hold a candle to is much inferior to. Not worth the candle not justifying cost or trouble. [latin candela]

Firm2  n. Business concern or its partners. [latin firma: cf. *firm1]
Systemic  adj. 1 physiol. Of the whole body. 2 (of an insecticide etc.) Entering the plant via the roots or shoots and freely transported within its tissues.  systemically adv.
Foreclose  v. (-sing) 1 stop (a mortgage) from being redeemable. 2 repossess the mortgaged property of (a person) when a loan is not duly repaid. 3 exclude, prevent.  foreclosure n. [latin foris outside, *close2]

Trading  n. Act of engaging in trade.
Levee  n. Us 1 embankment against river floods. 2 natural embankment built up by a river. 3 landing-place. [french levée past part. Of lever raise: related to *levy]



Superphosphate  n. Fertilizer made from phosphate rock.




Eternal  adj. 1 existing always; without an end or (usu.) Beginning. 2 unchanging. 3 colloq. Constant; too frequent (eternal nagging).  eternally adv. [latin aeternus]


Circulate  v. (-ting) 1 be in circulation; spread. 2 a put into circulation. B send circulars to. 3 move about among guests etc. [latin: related to *circle]




Lanky  adj. (-ier, -iest) ungracefully thin and long or tall.  lankiness n.
Quarterly  —adj. Produced or occurring once every quarter of a year. —adv. Once every quarter of a year. —n. (pl. -ies) quarterly journal.
Uncork  v. 1 draw the cork from (a bottle). 2 vent (feelings etc.).

Probability  n. (pl. -ies) 1 being probable. 2 likelihood of something happening. 3 probable or most probable event. 4 math. Extent to which an event is likely to occur, measured by the ratio of the favourable cases to the total number of possible cases.  in all probability most probably.
Chafing-dish  n. Vessel in which food is cooked or kept warm at table.


Ship  —n. 1 large seagoing vessel. 2 us aircraft. 3 spaceship. —v. (-pp-) 1 put, take, or send away in a ship. 2 a take in (water) over a ship's side etc. B lay (oars) at the bottom of a boat. C fix (a rudder etc.) In place. 3 a embark. B (of a sailor) take service on a ship. 4 deliver (goods) to an agent for forwarding.  ship off send away.

Off-street  adj. (esp. Of parking) other than on a street.


Turnip-top  n. Turnip leaves as a vegetable.
Moonbeam  n. Ray of moonlight.

Old testament  n. Part of the bible containing the scriptures of the hebrews.

Bran-tub  n. Lucky dip with prizes hidden in bran.
Ott  abbr. Colloq. Over-the-top.
Laudable  adj. Commendable.  laudability n. Laudably adv.
Continental shelf  n. Area of shallow seabed bordering a continent.
Subculture  n. Distinct cultural group within a larger culture.




Punctuation  n. 1 system of marks used to punctuate a written passage. 2 use of, or skill in using, these.
Dalmatian  n. Large white spotted short-haired dog. [dalmatia in croatia]
Antigen  n. Foreign substance (e.g. Toxin) which causes the body to produce antibodies. [greek -genes of a kind]
Retro-  comb. Form 1 denoting action back or in return. 2 anat. & med. Denoting location behind. [latin]
Epigraph  n. Inscription. [greek: related to *-graph]
Pipeclay  n. Fine white clay used for tobacco-pipes, whitening leather, etc.





Afro-american  —adj. Of american blacks or their culture. —n. American black.

Uncalled-for  adj. (of a remark, action, etc.) Rude, unnecessary.
Unappetizing  adj. Not appetizing.
Giro  —n. (pl. -s) 1 system of credit transfer between banks, post offices, etc. 2 cheque or payment by giro. —v. (-es, -ed) pay by giro. [german from italian]
Misery  n. (pl. -ies) 1 condition or feeling of wretchedness. 2 cause of this. 3 colloq. Constantly depressed or discontented person. [latin: related to *miser]
Indefinitely  adv. 1 for an unlimited time (was postponed indefinitely). 2 in an indefinite manner.



Russet  —adj. Reddish-brown. —n. 1 russet colour. 2 rough-skinned russet-coloured apple. [latin russus]



Starchy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 of, like, or containing starch. 2 prim, formal.  starchily adv. Starchiness n.

Tuneful  adj. Melodious, musical.  tunefully adv.




Water-cannon  n. Device using a jet of water to disperse a crowd etc.
Dendrology  n. The study of trees.  dendrological adj. Dendrologist n. [greek dendron tree]
Accidental  —adj. Happening by chance or accident. —n. Mus. Sign indicating a note's momentary departure from the key signature.  accidentally adv.

Far and wide  adv. Over a large area.
Henna  —n. 1 tropical shrub. 2 reddish dye made from it and used to colour hair. —v. (hennaed, hennaing) dye with henna. [arabic]


Swaddling-clothes  n.pl. Narrow bandages formerly used to wrap and restrain a baby.
Ermine  n. (pl. Same or -s) 1 stoat, esp. When white in winter. 2 its white fur, used to trim robes etc. [french]
Recipient  n. Person who receives something. [italian or latin: related to *receive]
Her  —pron. 1 objective case of *she (i like her). 2 colloq. She (it's her all right; am older than her). —poss. Pron. (attrib.) Of or belonging to her or herself (her house; her own business). [old english dative and genitive of *she]

Order in council  n. Executive order, often approved by parliament but not debated.

Breathless  adj. 1 panting, out of breath. 2 holding the breath. 3 still, windless.  breathlessly adv.

Arsenic  —n. 1 non-scientific name for arsenic trioxide, a highly poisonous white powder used in weed-killers etc. 2 chem. Brittle semi-metallic element. —adj. Of or containing arsenic. [french, ultimately from persian zar gold]
Sexagenarian  n. Person from 60 to 69 years old. [latin -arius from sexaginta sixty]
Cotton  n. 1 soft white fibrous substance covering the seeds of certain plants. 2 such a plant. 3 thread or cloth from this.  cotton on (often foll. By to) colloq. Begin to understand. [french from arabic]

Mangel-wurzel  n. (also mangold-) large beet used as cattle food. [german mangold beet, wurzel root]

Sap2  —n. Tunnel or trench dug to get nearer to the enemy. —v. (-pp-) 1 dig saps. 2 undermine. [french sappe or italian zappa spade]
Reign  —v. 1 be king or queen. 2 prevail (confusion reigns). 3 (as reigning attrib. Adj.) (of a winner, champion, etc.) Currently holding the title etc. —n. 1 sovereignty, rule. 2 period during which a sovereign rules.
Self-satisfied  adj. Complacent; self-righteous.  self-satisfaction n.
Capuchin  n. 1 franciscan friar. 2 (capuchin) a monkey with cowl-like head hair. B pigeon with a cowl-like head and neck. [italian cappuccio cowl]


Womankind  n. (also womenkind) women in general.
Levitate  v. (-ting) 1 rise and float in the air (esp. With reference to spiritualism). 2 cause to do this.  levitation n. [latin levis light, after *gravitate]

Remould  (us remold) —v. 1 mould again; refashion. 2 re-form the tread of (a tyre). —n. Remoulded tyre.
Smarten  v. (usu. Foll. By up) make or become smart.

Heirloom  n. 1 piece of personal property that has been in a family for several generations. 2 piece of property as part of an inheritance.
Gander  n. 1 male goose. 2 slang look, glance (take a gander). [old english]
Irrepressible  adj. That cannot be repressed or restrained.  irrepressibly adv.


Product  n. 1 thing or substance produced, esp. By manufacture. 2 result. 3 quantity obtained by multiplying. [latin: related to *produce]

Jag2  n. Slang 1 drinking bout. 2 period of indulgence in an activity, emotion, etc. [originally dial., = load]
Poetic licence  n. Writer's or artist's transgression of established rules for effect.

Saga  n. 1 long heroic story, esp. Medieval icelandic or norwegian. 2 series of connected novels concerning a family's history etc. 3 long involved story. [old norse: related to *saw3]
Endowment mortgage  n. Mortgage linked to endowment insurance.
Solarium  n. (pl. -ria) room with sun-lamps or a glass roof etc. [latin: related to *solar]
Capercaillie  n. (also capercailzie) large european grouse. [gaelic, = horse of the forest]


Yogi  n. (pl. -s) devotee of yoga. [hindustani: related to *yoga]
Touchstone  n. 1 dark schist or jasper used for testing alloys by marking it with them. 2 criterion.


Calabrese  n. Variety of broccoli. [italian, = calabrian]


Callous  adj. 1 unfeeling, insensitive. 2 (also calloused) (of skin) hardened.  callously adv. Callousness n. [latin: related to *callus]


Nonpareil  —adj. Unrivalled or unique. —n. Such a person or thing. [french pareil]
Señorita  n. Title used of or to a young esp. Unmarried spanish-speaking woman.
Rit.  Abbr. Mus. Ritardando.
Charioteer  n. Chariot-driver.
Spay  v. Sterilize (a female animal) by removing the ovaries. [anglo-french: related to *épée]
Billy2  n. (pl. -ies) (in full billy-goat) male goat. [from the name billy]


Photocopy  —n. (pl. -ies) photographic copy of printed or written material. —v. (-ies, -ied) make a photocopy of.


Nose-to-tail  adj. & adv. (of vehicles) one close behind another.

Sporadic  adj. Occurring only sparsely or occasionally.  sporadically adv. [greek sporas -ad- scattered]
Procurer  n. (fem. Procuress) person who obtains women for prostitution. [latin *procurator]

Birthing pool  n. Large bath for giving birth in.

Time  —n. 1 indefinite continued progress of existence, events, etc., in the past, present, and future, regarded as a whole. 2 progress of this as affecting persons or things. 3 portion of time belonging to particular events or circumstances (the time of the plague; prehistoric times). 4 allotted or available portion of time (had no time to eat). 5 point of time, esp. In hours and minutes (the time is 7.30). 6 (prec. By a) indefinite period. 7 time or an amount of time as reckoned by a conventional standard (eight o'clock new york time; the time allowed is one hour). 8 occasion (last time). 9 moment etc. Suitable for a purpose etc. (the time to act). 10 (in pl.) Expressing multiplication (five times six is thirty). 11 lifetime (will last my time). 12 (in sing. Or pl.) Conditions of life or of a period (hard times). 13 slang prison sentence (is doing time). 14 apprenticeship (served his time). 15 period of gestation. 16 date or expected date of childbirth or death. 17 measured time spent in work. 18 a any of several rhythmic patterns of music. B duration of a note. —v. (-ming) 1 choose the time for. 2 do at a chosen or correct time. 3 arrange the time of arrival of. 4 ascertain the time taken by.  against time with utmost speed, so as to finish by a specified time. Ahead of time earlier than expected. All the time 1 during the whole of the time referred to (often despite some contrary expectation etc.). 2 constantly. At one time 1 in a known but unspecified past period. 2 simultaneously. At the same time 1 simultaneously. 2 nevertheless. At times intermittently. For the time being until some other arrangement is made. Half the time colloq. As often as not. Have no time for 1 be unable or unwilling to spend time on. 2 dislike. Have a time of it undergo trouble or difficulty. In no time 1 very soon. 2 very quickly. In time 1 not late, punctual. 2 eventually. 3 in accordance with a given rhythm. Keep time move or sing etc. In time. Pass the time of day colloq. Exchange a greeting or casual remarks. Time after time 1 on many occasions. 2 in many instances. Time and (or time and time) again on many occasions. The time of one's life period of exceptional enjoyment. Time out of mind a longer time than anyone can remember. Time was there was a time. [old english]
Old gold  adj. & n. (as adj. Often hyphenated) dull brownish-gold colour.





Course  —n. 1 onward movement or progression. 2 direction taken (changed course). 3 stretch of land or water for races; golf-course. 4 series of lessons etc. In a particular subject. 5 each successive part of a meal. 6 sequence of medical treatment etc. 7 line of conduct. 8 continuous horizontal layer of masonry, brick, etc. 9 channel in which water flows. —v. (-sing) 1 (esp. Of liquid) run, esp. Fast. 2 (also absol.) Use hounds to hunt (esp. Hares).  in course of in the process of. In the course of during. Of course naturally; as is or was to be expected; admittedly. [latin cursus: related to *courier]
Tartaric  adj. Of or from tartar.

Ruby wedding  n. Fortieth wedding anniversary.
Uncurl  v. Straighten out, untwist.
Retrospection  n. Looking back into the past.


Hydrogenate  v. (-ting) charge with or cause to combine with hydrogen.  hydrogenation n.
Cranny  n. (pl. -ies) chink, crevice.  crannied adj. [french]



Flying squad  n. Rapidly mobile police detachment etc.


Pteridophyte  n. Flowerless plant, e.g. Ferns, club-mosses, etc. [greek pteris fern]
Helmsman  n. Person who steers a ship.
Waiting-room  n. Room for people to wait in, esp. To see a doctor etc. Or at a station.
Incestuous  adj. 1 of or guilty of incest. 2 having relationships restricted to a particular group or organization.  incestuously adv.

Airstrip  n. Strip of ground for the take-off and landing of aircraft.

Cell  n. 1 small room, esp. In a prison or monastery. 2 small compartment, e.g. In a honeycomb. 3 small, active, esp. Subversive, political group. 4 a smallest structural and functional unit of living matter, consisting of cytoplasm and a nucleus enclosed in a membrane. B enclosed cavity in an organism etc. 5 vessel containing electrodes for current-generation or electrolysis. [latin cella]
Thick  —adj. 1 of great or specified extent between opposite surfaces. 2 (of a line etc.) Broad; not fine. 3 arranged closely; crowded together; dense. 4 (usu. Foll. By with) densely covered or filled (air thick with smoke). 5 a firm in consistency; containing much solid matter. B made of thick material (a thick coat). 6 a muddy, cloudy; impenetrable by sight. B (of one's head) suffering from a hangover, headache, etc. 7 colloq. Stupid. 8 a (of a voice) indistinct. B (of an accent) very marked. 9 colloq. Intimate, very friendly. —n. Thick part of anything. —adv. Thickly (snow was falling thick).  a bit thick colloq. Unreasonable or intolerable. In the thick of at the busiest part of. Through thick and thin under all conditions; in spite of all difficulties.  thickish adj. Thickly adv. [old english]

Manoeuvre  (us maneuver) —n. 1 planned and controlled movement of a vehicle or body of troops etc. 2 (in pl.) Large-scale exercise of troops, ships, etc. 3 agile or skilful movement. 4 artful plan. —v. (-ring) 1 move (a thing, esp. A vehicle) carefully. 2 perform or cause (troops etc.) To perform manoeuvres. 3 a (usu. Foll. By into, out of, etc.) Manipulate (a person, thing, etc.) By scheming or adroitness. B use artifice.  manoeuvrable adj. Manoeuvrability n. [medieval latin manu operor work with the hand]


Mullet  n. (pl. Same) any of several kinds of marine fish valued for food. [greek mullos]
Lace  —n. 1 fine open fabric or trimming, made by weaving thread in patterns. 2 cord etc. Passed through holes or hooks for fastening shoes etc. —v. (-cing) 1 (usu. Foll. By up) fasten or tighten with a lace or laces. 2 add spirits to (a drink). 3 (often foll. By through) pass (a shoelace etc.) Through. [latin laqueus noose]
Palestinian  —adj. Of palestine. —n. 1 native of palestine. 2 arab, or a descendant of one, born or living in the area formerly called palestine.

Rearguard action  n. 1 engagement undertaken by a rearguard. 2 defensive stand or struggle, esp. When losing.

Ostentation  n. 1 pretentious display of wealth etc. 2 showing off.  ostentatious adj. Ostentatiously adv.


Official  —adj. 1 of an office or its tenure. 2 characteristic of officials and bureaucracy. 3 properly authorized. —n. Person holding office or engaged in official duties.  officialdom n. Officially adv.




Gadolinium  n. Metallic element of the lanthanide series. [gadolin, name of a mineralogist]


Unfulfilled  adj. Not fulfilled.

First thing  adv. Colloq. Before anything else; very early.


Decarbonize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) remove the carbon etc. From (an internal-combustion engine etc.).  decarbonization n.
Coventry  n.  send a person to coventry refuse to associate with or speak to a person. [coventry in england]


Mainland  n. Large continuous extent of land, excluding neighbouring islands.
Maria  pl. Of *mare2.


Meadowsweet  n. Fragrant meadow and marsh plant with creamy-white flowers.
Adore  v. (-ring) 1 love intensely. 2 worship as divine. 3 colloq. Like very much.  adoration n. Adorer n. [latin adoro worship]

Somewhat  adv. To some extent.
Rain check  n. Esp. Us ticket given for later use when an outdoor event is interrupted or postponed by rain.  take a rain check on reserve the right not to take up (an offer) until convenient.
In-service  attrib. Adj. (of training) for those actively engaged in the profession or activity concerned.

Ruction  n. Colloq. 1 disturbance or tumult. 2 (in pl.) Row, heated arguments. [origin unknown]

Dressing-gown  n. Loose robe worn when one is not fully dressed.


Spumante  n. Italian sparkling white wine. [italian, = sparkling]
Hostess  n. 1 woman who receives or entertains a guest. 2 woman employed to entertain customers at a nightclub etc. 3 stewardess on an aircraft etc. [related to *host2]


Predict  v. (often foll. By that) foretell, prophesy.  predictor n. [latin praedico -dict- foretell]
Bus station  n. Centre where buses depart and arrive.

Transatlantic  adj. 1 beyond the atlantic, esp.: a american. B us european. 2 crossing the atlantic.

Hitchhike  v. (-king) travel by seeking free lifts in passing vehicles.  hitchhiker n.
Sensuality  n. (esp. Sexual) gratification of the senses.
Mute button  n. Device on a telephone to temporarily prevent the caller from hearing what is being said at the receiver's end, or on a television etc. To temporarily turn off the sound.



End  —n. 1 a extreme limit. B extremity (to the ends of the earth). 2 extreme part or surface of a thing (strip of wood with a nail in one end). 3 a finish (no end to his misery). B latter part. C death, destruction (met an untimely end). D result. 4 goal (will do anything to achieve his ends). 5 remnant (cigarette-end). 6 (prec.
Double-check  v. Verify twice.
Antidote  n. 1 medicine etc. Used to counteract poison. 2 anything counteracting something unpleasant. [greek antidotos given against]




Cufic  var. Of *kufic.






Car park  n. Area for parking cars.

Helping  n. Portion of food at a meal.

Druggist  n. Pharmacist. [related to *drug]
Grasp  —v. 1 a clutch at; seize greedily. B hold firmly. 2 (foll. By at) try to seize; accept avidly. 3 understand or realize (a fact or meaning). —n. 1 firm hold; grip. 2 (foll. By of) a mastery (a grasp of the situation). B mental hold.  grasp the nettle tackle a difficulty boldly. [earlier grapse: related to *grope]
Rivet  —n. Nail or bolt for joining metal plates etc., with the headless end beaten out when in place. —v. (-t-) 1 a join or fasten with rivets. B beat out or press down the end of (a nail or bolt). C fix, make immovable. 2 a (foll. By on, upon) direct intently (one's eyes or attention etc.). B (esp. As riveting adj.) Engross (a person or the attention). [french river fasten]
Fatal  adj. 1 causing or ending in death (fatal accident). 2 (often foll. By to) ruinous (fatal mistake). 3 fateful.  fatally adv. [latin: related to *fate]
Consequential  adj. 1 consequent; resulting indirectly. 2 important.




Km  abbr. Kilometre(s).
Brittle-bone disease  n. = *osteoporosis.
Bunting2  n. 1 flags and other decorations. 2 loosely-woven fabric for these. [origin unknown]
Lawsuit  n. Bringing of a dispute, claim, etc. Before a lawcourt.



Prize3  var. Of *prise.

Heinous  adj. Utterly odious or wicked. [french haïr hate]

Gift-wrap  v. Wrap attractively as a gift.

Defunct  adj. 1 no longer existing or used. 2 dead or extinct.  defunctness n. [latin fungor perform]

Bathyscaphe  n. Manned vessel for deep-sea diving. [greek bathus deep, skaphos ship]

Woodcock  n. Game-bird related to the snipe.
Commandment  n. Divine command.
Tank engine  n. Steam engine with integral fuel and water containers.





Futuristic  adj. 1 suitable for the future; ultra-modern. 2 of futurism.
Blindworm  n. = *slow-worm.

Unspecific  adj. Not specific; general, inexact.




Joe bloggs  n. Colloq. Hypothetical average man.

Heartburn  n. Burning sensation in the chest from indigestion.



De novo  adv. Starting again; anew. [latin]
Freehand  —adj. (of a drawing etc.) Done without special instruments. —adv. In a freehand manner.


Complex  —n. 1 building, series of rooms, etc., made up of related parts (shopping complex). 2 psychol. Group of usu. Repressed feelings or thoughts which cause abnormal behaviour or mental states. 3 preoccupation; feeling of inadequacy. —adj. 1 complicated. 2 consisting of related parts; composite.  complexity n. (pl. -ies). [latin complexus]
Anteater  n. Any of various mammals feeding on ants and termites.


Porn  (also porno) —n. Colloq. Pornography. —attrib. Adj. Pornographic. [abbreviation]
Dryly  var. Of *drily.

Bungle  —v. (-ling) 1 mismanage or fail at (a task). 2 work badly or clumsily. —n. Bungled attempt or work. [imitative]
Pastrami  n. Seasoned smoked beef. [yiddish]
Son  n. 1 boy or man in relation to his parent(s). 2 male descendant. 3 (foll. By of) male member of a family, etc. 4 male descendent or inheritor of a quality etc. (sons of freedom). 5 form of address, esp. To a boy. [old english]
Soakaway  n. Pit into which liquids may flow and then percolate slowly into the subsoil.
Dehydrate  v. (-ting) 1 remove water from (esp. Foods). 2 make or become dry, esp. Too dry.  dehydration n. [greek hudor water]

Broken-hearted  adj. Overwhelmed with grief.



Dab1  —v. (-bb-) 1 (often foll. By at) repeatedly press briefly and lightly with a cloth etc. (dabbed at her eyes). 2 press (a cloth etc.) Thus. 3 (foll. By on) apply by dabbing. 4 (often foll. By at) aim a feeble blow; strike lightly. —n. 1 dabbing. 2 small amount thus applied (dab of paint). 3 light blow. 4 (in pl.) Slang fingerprints. [imitative]

Ski-lift  n. Device for carrying skiers up a slope, usu. A cable with hanging seats.


Lousy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 colloq. Very bad; disgusting; ill (feel lousy). 2 (often foll. By with) colloq. Well supplied, teeming. 3 infested with lice.  lousily adv. Lousiness n.
Broadcloth  n. Fine cloth of wool, cotton, or silk.
-cule  suffix forming (orig. Diminutive) nouns (molecule). [latin -culus]

Ice lolly  n. (also iced lolly) flavoured ice on a stick.



Locust  n. African or asian grasshopper migrating in swarms and consuming all vegetation. [latin locusta locust, *lobster]
Banister  n. (also bannister) (usu. In pl.) Uprights and handrail beside a staircase. [corruption of *baluster]
Hellene  n. 1 native of modern greece. 2 ancient greek.  hellenic adj. [greek]
Well2  —n. 1 shaft sunk into the ground to obtain water, oil, etc. 2 enclosed space like a well-shaft, e.g. In the middle of a building for stairs or a lift, or for light or ventilation. 3 (foll. By of) source. 4 (in pl.) Spa. 5 = *ink-well. 6 archaic water-spring. 7 railed space in a lawcourt. —v. (foll. By out, up) spring as from a fountain. [old english]
Riding2  n. Hist. Former administrative division (east, north, west riding) of yorkshire. [old english from old norse, = third part]

Precarious  adj. 1 uncertain; dependent on chance. 2 insecure, perilous.  precariously adv. Precariousness n. [latin precarius: related to *pray]


Baleen  n. Whalebone. [latin balaena whale]
Aristocracy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 ruling class or élite; nobility. 2 a government by an élite. B state so governed. 3 (often foll. By of) best representatives. [greek aristokratia rule by the best]

Dosh  n. Slang money. [origin unknown]
Primary feather  n. Large flight-feather of a bird's wing.
Ground frost  n. Frost on the surface of the ground or in the top layer of soil.



Earl marshal  n. President of the college of heralds, with ceremonial duties.
Hinder2  adj. Rear, hind (the hinder part). [old english]


Submarine  —n. Vessel, esp. An armed warship, capable of operating under water. —attrib. Adj. Existing, occurring, done, or used under the sea.  submariner n.

Dispatch-box  n. Case for esp. Parliamentary documents.


Unpatriotic  adj. Not patriotic.
Piss-taking  n. Mockery.  piss-take n. Piss-taker n.


Sun-up  n. Esp. Us sunrise.
Thump  —v. 1 beat or strike heavily, esp. With the fist. 2 throb strongly. 3 (foll. By at, on, etc.) Knock loudly. —n. 1 heavy blow. 2 dull sound of this. [imitative]


Spunky  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Brave, spirited.
Ipa  abbr. International phonetic alphabet.







Shortage  n. (often foll. By of) deficiency; lack.
Reprieve  —v. (-ving) 1 remit or postpone the execution of (a condemned person). 2 give respite to. —n. 1 a reprieving or being reprieved. B warrant for this. 2 respite. [repry from french reprendre -pris take back]

Hindsight  n. Wisdom after the event.
Fine-spun  adj. 1 delicate. 2 (of theory etc.) Too subtle, unpractical.
Woodpecker  n. Bird that taps tree-trunks in search of insects.


Shellfish  n. (pl. Same) 1 aquatic mollusc with a shell. 2 crustacean.


Leisure centre  n. Public building with sports facilities etc.
Agog  predic. Adj. Eager, expectant. [french gogue fun]
Chandler  n. Dealer in candles, oil, soap, paint, etc. [french: related to *candle]
Well-born  adj. Of noble family.

Caldron  var. Of *cauldron.

Air letter  n. Sheet of light paper forming a letter for sending by airmail.



Mach one  n. (also mach two etc.) The speed (or twice etc. The speed) of sound.

North-westerly  adj. & adv. = *north-west.



Thundercloud  n. Cumulus cloud charged with electricity and producing thunder and lightning.
Dry battery  n. (also dry cell) electric battery or cell in which electrolyte is absorbed in a solid.

Second person  see *person.
Higgledy-piggledy  adv. & adj. In confusion or disorder. [origin uncertain]
Window-dressing  n. 1 art of arranging a display in a shop-window etc. 2 adroit presentation of facts etc. To give a deceptively favourable impression.
Supportive  adj. Providing (esp. Emotional) support or encouragement.  supportively adv. Supportiveness n.


Rosemary  n. Evergreen fragrant shrub used as a herb. [rosmarine from latin ros dew: related to *marine]

Effortless  adj. Easily done, requiring no effort.  effortlessly adv. Effortlessness n.

Effective  adj. 1 producing the intended result. 2 impressive, striking. 3 actual, existing. 4 operative.  effectively adv. Effectiveness n.
Monetarism  n. Control of the supply of money as the chief method of stabilizing the economy.  monetarist n. & adj.
Deport  v. 1 remove forcibly or exile to another country; banish. 2 refl. Behave (in a specified manner) (deported himself well).  deportation n. (in sense 1). [latin porto carry]
Muckle  var. Of *mickle.

Frock-coat  n. Man's long-skirted coat.
Causation  n. 1 act of causing. 2 = *causality.

Devilry  n. (pl. -ies) 1 wickedness; reckless mischief. 2 black magic.
Oviduct  n. Tube through which an ovum passes from the ovary.

Demotic  —n. 1 colloquial form of a language. 2 simplified form of ancient egyptian writing (cf. *hieratic). —adj. 1 (esp. Of language) colloquial or vulgar. 2 of ancient egyptian or modern greek demotic. [greek demos the people]
Riding-light  n. Light shown by a ship at anchor.

Cellphone  n. Small portable radio-telephone.
Slap on the back  n. Congratulations.
Dower  n. 1 widow's share for life of a husband's estate. 2 archaic dowry. [latin dos dowry]

Nape  n. Back of the neck. [origin unknown]

Exchange rate  n. Value of one currency in terms of another.
Disobedient  adj. Disobeying; rebellious.  disobedience n. Disobediently adv.
Low frequency  n. Frequency, esp. In radio, 30 to 300 kilohertz.

Cohere  v. (-ring) 1 (of parts or a whole) stick together, remain united. 2 (of reasoning etc.) Be logical or consistent. [latin haereo haes- stick]

Purity  n. Pureness, cleanness.




Diamond wedding  n. 60th (or 75th) wedding anniversary.


Package  —n. 1 a bundle of things packed. B parcel, box, etc., in which things are packed. 2 (in full package deal) set of proposals or items offered or agreed to as a whole. 3 computing piece of software suitable for a wide range of users. 4 colloq. = *package holiday. —v. (-ging) make up into or enclose in a package.  packager n.
Hollyhock  n. Tall plant with showy flowers. [from *holy, obsolete hock mallow]




Mantelpiece  n. 1 structure of wood, marble, etc. Above and around a fireplace. 2 = *mantelshelf.
Pervade  v. (-ding) 1 spread throughout, permeate. 2 be rife among or through.  pervasion n. Pervasive adj. [latin pervado penetrate]

Middle ages  n. (prec. By the) period of european history from c.1000 to 1453.


Alimentary canal  n. Passage along which food passes during digestion.



Undergarment  n. Piece of underclothing.
Daff  n. Colloq. = *daffodil. [abbreviation]
Herculean  adj. Having or requiring great strength or effort. [from the name hercules, latin alteration of greek herakles]


Stable-companion  n. (also stable-mate) 1 horse of the same stable. 2 member of the same organization.
Chemical engineering  n. Creation and operation of industrial chemical plants.
Tape-measure  n. Strip of marked tape or flexible metal for measuring.
Deck-hand  n. Cleaner on a ship's deck.

Gravy-boat  n. Boat-shaped vessel for serving gravy.

Fabled  adj. Celebrated; legendary.
Bauxite  n. Claylike mineral, the chief source of aluminium. [french from les baux in s. France]
Else  adv. 1 (prec. By indefinite or interrog. Pron.) Besides (someone else; nowhere else; who else?). 2 instead (what else could i say?). 3 otherwise; if not (run, (or) else you will be late).  or else see *or1. [old english]
Muggy  adj. (-ier, -iest) (of weather etc.) Oppressively humid.  mugginess n. [old norse]
Bijou  —n. (pl. -x pronunc. Same) jewel; trinket. —attrib. Adj. (bijou) small and elegant. [french]
Trickle  —v. (-ling) 1 (cause to) flow in drops or a small stream. 2 come or go slowly or gradually (information trickles out). —n. Trickling flow. [probably imitative]
Win  —v. (-nn-; past and past part. Won) 1 secure as a result of a fight, contest, bet, effort, etc. 2 be the victor; be victorious in. —n. Victory in a game etc.  win the day be victorious in battle, argument, etc. Win over persuade, gain the support of. Win one's spurs colloq. Gain distinction or fame.  Win through (or out) overcome obstacles. You can't win colloq. There is no way to succeed or to please.  winnable adj. [old english, = toil]
Groin1  —n. 1 depression between the belly and the thigh. 2 archit. A edge formed by intersecting vaults. B arch supporting a vault. —v. Archit. Build with groins. [origin uncertain]


Intersect  v. 1 divide (a thing) by crossing it. 2 (of lines, roads, etc.) Cross each other. [latin: related to *section]
Ve  abbr. Victory in europe (in 1945).
Agent provocateur  n. (pl. Agents provocateurs pronunc. Same) person used to tempt suspected offenders to self-incriminating action. [french, = provocative agent]








Raindrop  n. Single drop of rain.
Irrelevant  adj. (often foll. By to) not relevant.  irrelevance n. Irrelevancy n. (pl. -ies).

Incommodious  adj. Formal too small for comfort; inconvenient.
Plaque  n. 1 commemorative tablet, esp. Fixed to a building. 2 deposit on teeth where bacteria proliferate. [dutch plak tablet: related to *placard]
Strip1  —v. (-pp-) 1 (often foll. By of) remove the clothes or covering from. 2 (often foll. By off) undress oneself. 3 (often foll. By of) deprive (a person) of property or titles. 4 leave bare. 5 (often foll. By down) remove the accessory fittings of or take apart (a machine etc.). 6 damage the thread of (a screw) or the teeth of (a gearwheel). 7 remove (paint) or remove paint from (a surface) with solvent. 8 (often foll. By from) pull (a covering etc.) Off (stripped the masks from their faces). —n. 1 act of stripping, esp. In striptease. 2 colloq. Distinctive outfit worn by a sports team. [old english]



Didactic  adj. 1 meant to instruct. 2 (of a person) tediously pedantic.  didactically adv. Didacticism n. [greek didasko teach]

Martello  n. (pl. -s) (also martello tower) small circular coastal fort. [cape mortella in corsica]
Phono-  comb. Form sound. [greek phone voice, sound]

Empire-building  n. Purposeful accumulation of territory, authority, etc.
Electroencephalogram  n. Record traced by an electroencephalograph. [german: related to *electro-]



Hi-fi  colloq. —adj. Of high fidelity. —n. (pl. -s) set of high-fidelity equipment. [abbreviation]






Free church  n. Nonconformist church.
Treetop  n. Topmost part of a tree.

Understand  v. (past and past part. -stood) 1 perceive the meaning of (words, a person, a language, a subject, etc.) (understood you perfectly; cannot understand algebra). 2 perceive the significance or cause of (do not understand why he came). 3 (often absol.) Sympathize with, know how to deal with (quite understand your difficulty; ask her, she understands). 4 (often foll. By that or absol.) Infer, take as implied (am i to understand that you refuse?; he is old, i understand).
Silver medal  n. Medal of silver, usu. Awarded as second prize.
Waterlogged  adj. Saturated or filled with water.
Emu  n. (pl. -s) large flightless australian bird. [portuguese]
Narcissus  n. (pl. -cissi) any of several flowering bulbs, including the daffodil. [latin from greek]
Diagnosis  n. (pl. Diagnoses) 1 a identification of a disease from its symptoms. B formal statement of this. 2 identification of the cause of a mechanical fault etc. [greek gignosko recognize]
Sceptic  n. (us skeptic) 1 person inclined to doubt accepted opinions. 2 person who doubts the truth of religions. 3 philosopher who questions the possibility of knowledge.  scepticism n. [greek skeptomai observe]

Housekeeper  n. Person, esp. A woman, employed to manage a household.
Underrate  v. (-ting) have too low an opinion of.

Usage  interment is sometimes confused with internment, which means ‘confinement’.
Half-and-half  adj. Being half one thing and half another.


Presume  v. (-ming) 1 (often foll. By that) suppose to be true; take for granted. 2 (often foll. By to + infin.) A take the liberty, be impudent enough (presumed to question their authority). B dare, venture (may i presume to ask?). 3 be presumptuous. 4 (foll. By on, upon) take advantage of or make unscrupulous use of (a person's good nature etc.). [latin praesumo]


Constituency  n. (pl. -ies) 1 body of voters who elect a representative. 2 area so represented.

Root1  —n. 1 a part of a plant normally below the ground, conveying nourishment from the soil. B (in pl.) Branches or fibres of this. C small plant with a root for transplanting. 2 a plant with an edible root. B such a root. 3 (in pl.) Emotional attachment or family ties to a place or community. 4 a embedded part of a hair, tooth, nail, etc. B part of a thing attaching it to a greater whole. 5 (often attrib.) Basic cause, source, nature, or origin (root of all evil; roots in the distant past; root cause; the root of things). 6 a number that when multiplied by itself a usu. Specified number of times gives a specified number or quantity (cube root of eight is two). B square root. C value of an unknown quantity satisfying a given equation. 7 core of a word, without prefixes, suffixes, etc. —v. 1 (cause to) take root; grow roots (root them firmly). 2 (esp. As rooted adj.) Fix firmly; establish (rooted objection to; reaction rooted in fear). 3 (usu. Foll.
Soapstone  n. Steatite.
Mock turtle soup  n. Soup made from a calf's head etc. To resemble turtle soup.

High spot  n. Important place or feature.

Sub judice  adj. Law under judicial consideration and therefore prohibited from public discussion elsewhere. [latin]


Reunion  n. 1 reuniting or being reunited. 2 social gathering, esp. Of people formerly associated.


Demonstrate  v. (-ting) 1 show (feelings etc.). 2 describe and explain by experiment, practical use, etc. 3 logically prove or be proof of the truth or existence of. 4 take part in a public demonstration. 5 act as a demonstrator. [latin monstro show]
Diversify  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 make diverse; vary. 2 spread (investment) over several enterprises. 3 (often foll. By into) expand one's range of products.  diversification n.

Pilau  n. (also pilaff, pilaf) middle eastern or indian dish of rice boiled with meat, vegetables, spices, etc. [turkish]
Toque  n. Woman's small brimless hat. [french]
Centenarian  —n. Person a hundred or more years old. —adj. A hundred or more years old.
Heckle  —v. (-ling) interrupt and harass (a public speaker). —n. Act of heckling.  heckler n. [var. Of *hackle]

Interplanetary  adj. 1 between planets. 2 of travel between planets.

Buyout  n. Purchase of a controlling share in a company etc.

Piteous  adj. Deserving or arousing pity; wretched.  piteously adv. Piteousness n. [romanic: related to *pity]

Hearth  n. 1 floor of a fireplace. 2 the home. [old english]
Declivity  n. (pl. -ies) downward slope. [latin clivus slope]

Ga  symb. Gallium.

Dune  n. Drift of sand etc. Formed by the wind. [dutch: related to *down3]
Bridging loan  n. Loan to cover the interval between buying a house etc. And selling another.


Popular music  n. Any music that appeals to a wide public.

Middlebrow  colloq. —adj. Having or appealing to non-intellectual or conventional tastes. —n. Middlebrow person.

Counterfeit  —adj. Made in imitation; not genuine; forged. —n. A forgery or imitation. —v. Imitate fraudulently; forge. [french]
Acerbic  adj. Harsh and sharp, esp. In speech or manner.  acerbity n. (pl. -ies). [latin acerbus sour]

Infra dig  predic. Adj. Colloq. Beneath one's dignity. [latin infra dignitatem]

Library  n. (pl. -ies) 1 collection of books. 2 room or building where these are kept. 3 a similar collection of films, records, computer routines, etc. B place where these are kept. 4 set of books issued in similar bindings. [latin liber book]
Sixty  adj. & n. (pl. -ies) 1 six times ten. 2 symbol for this (60, lx, lx). 3 (in pl.) Numbers from 60 to 69, esp. The years of a century or of a person's life.  sixtieth adj. & n. [old english]


Within  —adv. 1 inside. 2 indoors. 3 in spirit (pure within). —prep. 1 inside. 2 a not beyond or out of. B not transgressing or exceeding. 3 not further off than (within three miles; within ten days).  within one's grasp close enough to be obtained.
Unilateral  adj. Done by or affecting only one person or party (unilateral disarmament).  unilaterally adv.
Dispassionate  adj. Free from emotion; impartial.  dispassionately adv.

Instrument  n. 1 tool or implement, esp. For delicate or scientific work. 2 (in full musical instrument) device for producing musical sounds. 3 a thing used in performing an action. B person made use of. 4 measuring-device, esp. In an aeroplane. 5 formal, esp. Legal, document. [latin instrumentum: related to *instruct]
Oedipus complex  n. Child's, esp. A boy's, subconscious sexual desire for the parent of the opposite sex.  oedipal adj. [greek oidipous, who unknowingly married his mother]


Senescent  adj. Growing old.  senescence n. [latin senex old]



Night-time  n. Time of darkness.


Mallard  n. (pl. Same) a kind of wild duck. [french]

Assassinate  v. (-ting) kill for political or religious motives.  assassination n.
Orgy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 wild party with indiscriminate sexual activity. 2 excessive indulgence in an activity.  orgiastic adj. [greek orgia pl.]




Three rs  n.pl. (prec. By the) reading, writing, and arithmetic.


Home rule  n. Government of a country or region by its own citizens.
Bull-terrier  n. Cross between a bulldog and a terrier.


Lied  n. (pl. Lieder) german song, esp. Of the romantic period. [german]
Hindu  —n. (pl. -s) follower of hinduism. —adj. Of hindus or hinduism. [urdu hind india]
Aboard  adv. & prep. On or into (a ship, aircraft, etc.). [from *a2]


Pantry  n. (pl. -ies) 1 small room or cupboard in which crockery, cutlery, table linen, etc., are kept. 2 larder. [latin panis bread]
Vacuum  —n. (pl. -s or -cua) 1 space entirely devoid of matter. 2 space or vessel from which all or some of the air has been pumped out. 3 absence of the normal or previous content, activities, etc. 4 (pl. -s) colloq. Vacuum cleaner. —v. Colloq. Clean with a vacuum cleaner. [latin vacuus empty]
Periphrasis  n. (pl. -phrases) 1 roundabout way of speaking; circumlocution. 2 roundabout phrase.  periphrastic adj. [greek: related to *phrase]




Unstitch  v. Undo the stitches of.
Steward  —n. 1 passengers' attendant on a ship, aircraft, or train. 2 official supervising a meeting, show, etc. 3 person responsible for supplies of food etc. For a college or club etc. 4 property manager. —v. Act as a steward (of).  stewardship n. [old english, = house-warden]
Ratchet  n. 1 set of teeth on the edge of a bar or wheel with a catch ensuring motion in one direction only. 2 (in full ratchet-wheel) wheel with a rim so toothed. [french rochet lance-head]
Borage  n. Plant with leaves used as flavouring. [french ultimately from arabic]
Fixture  n. 1 a something fixed in position. B colloq. Seemingly immovable person or thing (seems to be a fixture). 2 a sporting event, esp. A match, race, etc. B date agreed for this. 3 (in pl.) Articles attached to a house or land and regarded as legally part of it.
Titanium  n. Grey metallic element. [greek: related to *titan]


Oughtn't  contr. Ought not.

Forgave  past of *forgive.


Endearment  n. 1 an expression of affection. 2 liking, affection.



Intellect  n. 1 a faculty of reasoning, knowing, and thinking. B understanding. 2 clever or knowledgeable person. [latin: related to *intelligent]




Theology  n. (pl. -ies) the study or a system of theistic (esp. Christian) religion.  theological adj. Theologically adv. [greek: related to *theo-]

Wagoner  n. (also waggoner) driver of a wagon.

Phosphate  n. Salt or ester of phosphoric acid, esp. Used as a fertilizer. [french: related to *phosphorus]




Unseasonal  adj. Not typical of, or appropriate to, the time or season.  unseasonally adv.



Stew  —v. 1  cook by long simmering in a closed vessel. 2 fret, be anxious. 3 colloq. Swelter. 4 (of tea etc.) Become bitter or strong from infusing too long. 5 (as stewed adj.) Colloq. Drunk. —n. 1 dish of stewed meat etc. 2 colloq. Agitated or angry state.  stew in one's own juice suffer the consequences of one's actions. [french estuver]
Av  abbr. Authorized version.



Kink  —n. 1 a twist or bend in wire etc. B tight wave in hair. 2 mental twist or quirk, esp. When perverse. —v. (cause to) form a kink. [low german or dutch]
Percolator  n. Machine making coffee by circulating boiling water through ground beans.
Pompon  n. (also pompom) 1 ornamental tuft or bobble on a hat, shoes, etc. 2 (often attrib.) Dahlia etc. With small tightly-clustered petals. [french]




Ikebana  n. Art of japanese flower arrangement. [japanese, = living flowers]

Grandfather clock  n. Clock in a tall wooden case, driven by weights.

Lord mayor  n. Title of the mayor in some large cities.

Self-conscious  adj. Nervous, shy, or embarrassed.  self-consciously adv. Self-consciousness n.

Scrutiny  n. (pl. -ies) 1 critical gaze. 2 close investigation. 3 official examination of ballot-papers. [latin scrutinium from scrutor examine]


Monarchy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 form of government with a monarch at the head. 2 state with this.  monarchial adj. [greek: related to *monarch]
Encomium  n. (pl. -s) formal or high-flown praise. [greek komos revelry]
Slash  —v. 1 cut or gash with a knife etc. 2 (often foll. By at) deliver or aim cutting blows. 3 reduce (prices etc.) Drastically. 4 censure vigorously. —n. 1 slashing cut or stroke. 2 printing oblique stroke; solidus. 3 slang act of urinating. [origin unknown]

Workstation  n. 1 location of a stage in a manufacturing process. 2 computer terminal or the desk etc. Where this is located.
Harbinger  n. 1 person or thing that announces or signals the approach of another. 2 forerunner. [germanic: related to *harbour]


Diversity  n. Variety.




Zebra  n. (pl. Same or -s) black-and-white striped african animal of the family including the ass and horse. [italian or portuguese from congolese]
Cunning  —adj. (-er, -est) 1 deceitful, clever, or crafty. 2 ingenious (cunning device). 3 us attractive, quaint. —n. 1 craftiness; deception. 2 skill, ingenuity.  cunningly adv. [old norse: related to *can1]
Sedition  n. Conduct or speech inciting to rebellion.  seditious adj. [latin seditio]


Carminative  —adj. Relieving flatulence. —n. Carminative drug. [latin carmino heal by *charm]
Hopscotch  n. Children's game of hopping over squares marked on the ground to retrieve a stone etc. [from *hop1, *scotch]





Washer-up  n. (pl. Washers-up) (also washer-upper) person who washes up dishes etc.
Rhymester  n. Writer of (esp. Simple) rhymes.
Abate  v. (-ting) make or become less strong etc.; diminish.  abatement n. [french abatre from latin batt(u)o beat]

Inventory  —n. (pl. -ies) 1 complete list of goods etc. 2 goods listed in this. —v. (-ies, -ied) 1 make an inventory of. 2 enter (goods) in an inventory. [medieval latin: related to *invent]
Philander  v. Flirt or have casual affairs with women.  philanderer n. [greek aner andr- male person]
Phyllo pastry  var. Of *filo pastry.
North pole  n. Northernmost point of the earth's axis of rotation.




Recompense  —v. (-sing) 1 make amends to (a person) or for (a loss etc.). 2 requite; reward or punish (a person or action). —n. 1 reward, requital. 2 retribution. [latin: related to *compensate]
Commensurate  adj. 1 (usu. Foll. By with) coextensive. 2 (often foll. By to, with) proportionate.

Inapplicable  adj. (often foll. By to) not applicable or relevant.  inapplicability n.

Pulsar  n. Cosmic source of regular rapid pulses of radiation, e.g. A rotating neutron star. [from pulsating star, after quasar]
Pouffe  n. Large firm cushion used as a low seat or footstool. [french]






K3  symb. Potassium. [latin kalium]

Bull-headed  n. Obstinate, blundering.
Gen  slang —n. Information. —v. (-nn-) (foll. By up) gain or give information. [probably general information]



Last name  n. Surname.
Stock exchange  n. 1 place for dealing in stocks and shares. 2 dealers working there.
Chub  n. (pl. Same) thick-bodied river fish. [origin unknown]
Tannery  n. (pl. -ies) place where hides are tanned.
Rabbet  —n. Step-shaped channel cut along the edge or face of a length of wood etc., usu. To receive the edge or tongue of another piece. —v. (-t-) 1 join or fix with a rabbet. 2 make a rabbet in. [french rab(b)at: related to *rebate1]



Winter solstice  n. About 22 dec.


Sostenuto  mus. —adv. & adj. In a sustained or prolonged manner. —n. (pl. -s) passage to be played in this way. [italian]


Morning dress  n. Man's morning coat and striped trousers.

Ba  symb. Barium.
Also-ran  n. 1 loser in a race. 2 undistinguished person.

Piglet  n. Young pig.
Crash-land  v. Land or cause (an aircraft etc.) To land hurriedly with a crash.  crash landing n.
Crown princess  n. 1 wife of a crown prince. 2 female heir to a throne.

Gnp  abbr. Gross national product.
Cement  —n. 1 powdery substance of calcined lime and clay, mixed with water to form mortar or used in concrete. 2 similar substance. 3 uniting factor or principle. 4 substance used in filling teeth, doing hip replacements, etc. —v. 1 a unite with or as with cement. B establish or strengthen (a friendship etc.). 2 apply cement to. 3 line or cover with cement.  cementation n. [latin caedo cut]


Visual aid  n. Film etc. As a teaching aid.
Cappuccino  n. (pl. -s) frothy milky coffee. [italian, = *capuchin]




Tb  abbr. 1 tubercle bacillus. 2 tuberculosis.
Reschedule  v. (-ling) alter the schedule of; replan.
Boob2  n. Slang woman's breast. [origin uncertain]



Pie1  n. 1 baked dish of meat, fish, fruit, etc., usu. With a top and base of pastry. 2 thing resembling a pie (mud pie).  easy as pie very easy. [origin uncertain]
Conceive  v. (-ving) 1 become pregnant (with). 2 a (often foll. By of) imagine, think. B (usu. In passive) formulate (a belief, plan, etc.). [latin concipio -cept-]
Potato  n. (pl. -es) 1 starchy plant tuber used for food. 2 plant bearing this. [spanish patata from taino batata]
Seaward  —adv. (also seawards) towards the sea. —adj. Going or facing towards the sea.
Unlock  v. 1 a release the lock of (a door, box, etc.). B release or disclose by unlocking. 2 release thoughts, feelings, etc. From (one's mind etc.).


Sol-fa  n. System of syllables representing musical notes. [sol var. Of *soh, *fa]
Unambitious  adj. Not ambitious.

Good-for-nothing  —adj. Worthless. —n. Worthless person.
Swerve  —v. (-ving) (cause to) change direction, esp. Abruptly. —n. Swerving movement. [old english, = scour]

Gantry  n. (pl. -ies) structure supporting a travelling crane, railway or road signals, rocket-launching equipment, etc. [probably gawn, a dial. Form of *gallon, + *tree]


Pulpwood  n. Timber suitable for making paper-pulp.
Torso  n. (pl. -s) 1 trunk of the human body. 2 statue of this. [latin thyrsus rod]
Bushman  n. 1 traveller or dweller in the australian bush. 2 (bushman) member or language of a s.african aboriginal people.
Radio  —n. (pl. -s) 1 (often attrib.) A transmission and reception of sound messages etc. By electromagnetic waves of radio frequency. B apparatus for receiving, broadcasting, or transmitting radio signals. 2 a sound broadcasting (prefers the radio). B broadcasting station or channel (radio one). —v. (-es, -ed) 1 a send (a message) by radio. B send a message to (a person) by radio. 2 communicate or broadcast by radio. [short for radio-telegraphy etc.]

Wine  —n. 1 fermented grape juice as an alcoholic drink. 2 fermented drink resembling this made from other fruits etc. 3 dark-red colour of red wine. —v. (-ning) (esp. In phr. Wine and dine) 1 drink wine. 2 entertain with wine. [old english]
Fission  —n. 1 splitting of a heavy atomic nucleus, with a release of energy. 2 cell division as a mode of reproduction. —v. (cause to) undergo fission.  fissionable adj. [latin: related to *fissure]


Public convenience  n. Public lavatory.



Boffin  n. Colloq. Research scientist. [origin unknown]
N3  symb. Nitrogen.
Amperage  n. Strength of an electric current in amperes.
Lexicon  n. 1 dictionary, esp. Of greek, hebrew, syriac, or arabic. 2 vocabulary of a person etc. [greek lexis word]
Nuance  n. Subtle shade of meaning, feeling, colour, etc. [latin nubes cloud]




Commence  v. (-cing) formal begin. [latin: related to *com-, *initiate]
Mastoid  —adj. Shaped like a breast. —n. 1 = *mastoid process. 2 (usu. In pl.) Colloq. Inflammation of the mastoid process. [greek mastos breast]



Wykehamist  —adj. Of winchester college. —n. Past or present member of winchester college. [william of wykeham, name of the founder]

Masque  n. Musical drama with mime, esp. In the 16th and 17th c. [var. Of *mask]



Hacker  n. 1 person or thing that hacks or cuts roughly. 2 colloq. A person whose hobby is computing or computer programming. B person who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to a computer network.
Luck  n. 1 good or bad fortune. 2 circumstances of life (beneficial or not) brought by this. 3 good fortune; success due to chance (in luck; out of luck).  no such luck colloq. Unfortunately not. [low german or dutch]
General meeting  n. Meeting open to all the members of a society etc.
Centre half  n. = *centre back.
Isolationism  n. Policy of holding aloof from the affairs of other countries or groups.  isolationist n.
Dead shot  n. Person who shoots extremely accurately.

Scarce  —adj. 1 (usu. Predic.) (esp. Of food, money, etc.) In short supply. 2 rare. —adv. Archaic or literary scarcely.  make oneself scarce colloq. Keep out of the way; surreptitiously disappear. [french scars latin excerpto *excerpt]


Undersea  adj. Below the sea or its surface.
Rock and roll  n. (also rock 'n' roll) popular dance-music originating in the 1950s with a heavy beat and often a blues element.

Ob-  prefix (also oc- before c, of- before f, op- before p) esp. In words from latin, meaning: 1 exposure. 2 meeting or facing. 3 direction. 4 resistance. 5 hindrance or concealment. 6 finality or completeness. [latin ob towards, against, in the way of]


Rhodium  n.  Hard white metallic element used in making alloys and plating jewellery. [greek rhodon rose]



Tercel  n. (also tiercel) male hawk, esp. A peregrine or goshawk. [latin tertius third]
Manner  n. 1 way a thing is done or happens. 2 (in pl.) A social behaviour (good manners). B polite behaviour (has no manners). C modes of life; social conditions. 3 outward bearing, way of speaking, etc. 4 style (in the manner of rembrandt). 5 kind, sort (not by any manner of means).  in a manner of speaking in a way; so to speak. To the manner born colloq. Naturally at ease in a particular situation etc. [latin manus hand]
Claret  n. 1 red wine, esp. From bordeaux. 2 purplish-red. [french: related to *clarify]
Inguinal  adj. Of the groin. [latin inguen groin]

Headscarf  n. Scarf worn round the head and tied under the chin.
Post-  prefix after, behind. [latin post (adv. And prep.)]

Pathway  n. Path or its course.


Vanity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 conceit about one's appearance or attainments. 2 futility, unsubstantiality, unreal thing (the vanity of human achievement). 3 ostentatious display. [latin: related to *vain]
Toadflax  n. Plant with yellow or purple flowers.
Inboard  —adv. Within the sides or towards the centre of a ship, aircraft, or vehicle. —adj. Situated inboard.


Last rites  n.pl. Rites for a person about to die.
Spool  —n. 1 reel for winding magnetic tape, yarn, etc., on. 2 revolving cylinder of an angler's reel. —v. Wind on a spool. [french espole or germanic spole]

Cozy  (brit. Cosy) —adj. (-ier, -iest) comfortable and warm; snug. —n. (pl. -ies) cover to keep a teapot etc. Hot.  cosily adv. Cosiness n. [origin unknown]
Prism  n. 1 solid figure whose two ends are equal parallel rectilinear figures, and whose sides are parallelograms. 2 transparent body in this form, usu. Triangular with refracting surfaces at an acute angle with each other, which separates white light into a spectrum of colours. [greek prisma -mat- thing sawn]
Legionnaires' disease  n. Form of bacterial pneumonia.

Tonsillitis  n. Inflammation of the tonsils.
Eyelash  n. Each of the hairs growing on the edges of the eyelids.

Mezzo  mus. —adv. Half, moderately. —n. (in full mezzo-soprano) (pl. -s) 1 female singing-voice between soprano and contralto. 2 singer with this voice. [latin medius middle]
Natural gas  n. Gas found in the earth's crust, not manufactured.



Republish  v. Publish again or in a new edition etc.  republication n.

Spell1  v. (past and past part. Spelt or spelled) 1 (also absol.) Write or name correctly the letters of (a word etc.). 2 a (of letters) form (a word etc.). B result in (spell ruin).  spell out 1 make out (words etc.) Letter by letter. 2 explain in detail.  speller n. [french espeller related to *spell2]
Ganglion  n. (pl. -lia or -s) structure containing an assemblage of nerve cells.  ganglionic adj. [greek]

Ate  past of *eat.



Scuba-diving  n. Swimming underwater using a scuba.  scuba-dive v. Scuba-diver n.




Bookstall  n. Stand selling books, newspapers, etc.

Wield  v. Hold and use; command, exert (a weapon, tool, power, etc.). [old english]
Unsocial  adj. 1 not social; not suitable for or seeking society. 2 outside the normal working day (unsocial hours). 3 antisocial.
Inspire  v. (-ring) 1 stimulate (a person) to esp. Creative activity. 2 a (usu. Foll. By with) animate (a person) with a feeling. B create (a feeling) in a person (inspires confidence). 3 prompt; give rise to (a poem inspired by love). 4 (as inspired adj.) Characterized by inspiration.  inspiring adj. [latin spiro breathe]

Flock1  —n. 1 animals of one kind as a group or unit. 2 large crowd of people. 3 people in the care of a priest or teacher etc. —v. (usu. Foll. By to, in, out, together) congregate; mass; troop. [old english]
Pout  —v. 1 push the lips forward as a sign of displeasure or sulking. 2 (of the lips) be pushed forward. —n. This action. [origin unknown]

Turkey  n. (pl. -s) 1 large orig. American bird bred for food. 2 its flesh as food. 3 us slang theatrical failure; flop.  talk turkey us colloq. Talk frankly; get down to business. [originally of the guinea-fowl, imported from turkey]



Air speed  n. Aircraft's speed relative to the air.
Homologous  adj. 1 a having the same relation, relative position, etc. B corresponding. 2 biol. (of organs etc.) Similar in position and structure but not necessarily in function. [from *homo-, greek logos ratio]

Meter1  —n. 1 instrument that measures or records, esp. Gas, electricity, etc. Used, distance travelled, etc. 2 = *parking-meter. —v. Measure or record by meter. [from *mete]
Metro  n. (pl. -s) underground railway system, esp. In paris. [french shortened from métropolitain metropolitan]


Head first  adv. 1 with the head foremost. 2 precipitately.
Poverty  n. 1 being poor; want. 2 (often foll. By of, in) scarcity or lack. 3 inferiority, poorness. [latin pauper]
Able-bodied  adj. Fit, healthy.
Home economics  n.pl. The study of household management.


Nausea  n. 1 inclination to vomit. 2 revulsion. [greek naus ship]
New wave  n. A style of rock music.

Mayonnaise  n. 1 thick creamy dressing of egg-yolks, oil, vinegar, etc. 2 dish dressed with this (egg mayonnaise). [french]
Phial  n. Small glass bottle, esp. For liquid medicine. [greek phiate broad flat dish]
Interweave  v. (-ving; past -wove; past part. -woven) 1 weave together. 2 blend intimately.
Recording  n. 1 process by which audio or video signals are recorded for later reproduction. 2 material or a programme recorded.





Crop-eared  adj. With the ears (esp. Of animals) or hair cut short.
Mortice  var. Of *mortise.
Swore  past of *swear.
Ripper  n. 1 person or thing that rips. 2 murderer who mutilates the victims' bodies.
Surtitle  n. Explanatory caption projected on to a screen above the stage during an opera.

Crabwise  adv. & attrib.adj. Sideways or backwards.



Bolshevik  —n. 1 hist. Member of the radical faction of the russian social democratic party becoming the communist party in 1918. 2 russian communist. 3 any revolutionary socialist. —adj. 1 of the bolsheviks. 2 communist.  bolshevism n. Bolshevist n. [russian, = member of the majority]
Hide-out  n. Colloq. Hiding-place.
Limestone  n.  Rock composed mainly of calcium carbonate.

Glove compartment  n. Recess for small articles in the dashboard of a car etc.
Aubergine  n. Plant with white or purple egg-shaped fruit used as a vegetable; eggplant. [french, ultimately from sanskrit]

Pricey  adj. (-cier, -ciest) colloq. Expensive.
Toot  —n. Short sharp sound as made by a trumpet. —v. 1 sound (a trumpet etc.) With a short sharp sound. 2 give out such a sound. [probably imitative]
Solo  —n. (pl. -s) 1 (pl. -s or soli) musical piece or passage, or a dance, performed by one person. 2 thing done by one person, esp. An unaccompanied flight. 3 (in full solo whist) type of whist in which one player may oppose the others. —v. (-es, -ed) perform a solo. —adv. Unaccompanied, alone. [italian from latin: related to *sole3]
Mature  —adj. (maturer, maturest) 1 a fully developed, adult. B sensible, wise. 2 ripe; seasoned. 3 (of thought etc.) Careful, considered. 4 (of a bill, insurance policy, etc.) Due, payable. —v. (-ring) 1 develop fully; ripen. 2 perfect (a plan etc.). 3 (of a bill, insurance policy, etc.) Become due or payable.  maturely adv. Matureness n. Maturity n. [latin maturus timely]
Inexpiable  adj. That cannot be expiated or appeased.
Usage  the spelling is north pole and south pole when used as geographical designations.

Pace bowler  n. Cricket fast bowler.
Fishing-line  n. Thread with a baited hook etc. For catching fish.


Oldie  n. Colloq. Old person or thing.


Two-ply  —adj. Of two strands or layers etc. —n. 1 two-ply wool. 2 two-ply wood.
Pleiades  n.pl. Cluster of seven stars in the constellation taurus. [latin from greek]

Civilization  n. (also -isation) 1 advanced stage or system of social development. 2 peoples of the world that are regarded as having this. 3 a people or nation (esp. Of the past) regarded as an element of social evolution (inca civilization).


Shiver1  —v. Tremble with cold, fear, etc. —n. 1 momentary shivering movement. 2 (in pl., prec. By the) attack of shivering.  shivery adj. [origin uncertain]
Pinprick  n. Trifling irritation.


Courtly  adj. (-ier, -iest) dignified, refined.  courtliness n.

Hot-tempered  adj. Impulsively angry.


Absurd  adj. Wildly illogical or inappropriate; ridiculous.  absurdity n. (pl. -ies). Absurdly adv. [latin: related to *surd]
Money's worth  see *one's money's-worth.

Atonement  n. 1 atoning. 2 (the atonement) expiation by christ of mankind's sins. [at one + *-ment]


Funfair  n. Fair with amusements and sideshows.
Defeatism  n. Excessive readiness to accept defeat.  defeatist n. & adj.
Crème de menthe  n.  Peppermint liqueur.
Regale  v. (-ling) 1 entertain lavishly with feasting. 2 (foll. By with) entertain with (talk etc.). [french régaler: related to *gallant]

Excrement  n. Faeces.  excremental adj. [latin: related to *excrete]
Scurvy  —n. Disease caused by a deficiency of vitamin c. —adj. (-ier, -iest) paltry, contemptible.  scurvily adv. [from *scurf]


Substantial  adj. 1 a of real importance or value. B large in size or amount. 2 solid; sturdy. 3 commercially successful; wealthy. 4 essential; largely true. 5 real; existing.  substantially adv. [latin: related to *substance]
Tribesman  n. (fem. -woman) member of a tribe.
Evangelist  n. 1 writer of one of the four gospels. 2 preacher of the gospel.  evangelistic adj.

Match point  n. Tennis etc. 1 position when one side needs only one more point to win the match. 2 this point.



Gynae  n. (also gynie) colloq. Gynaecology. [abbreviation]
Tractable  adj. (of a person or material) easily handled; manageable.  tractability n. [latin tracto handle]

Mash  —n. 1 soft or confused mixture. 2 mixture of boiled grain, bran, etc., fed to horses etc. 3  colloq. Mashed potatoes. 4 mixture of malt and hot water used in brewing. 5 soft pulp made by crushing, mixing with water, etc. —v. 1 crush (potatoes etc.) To a pulp. 2 dial. A infuse (tea). B (of tea) draw.  masher n. [old english]
Compute  v. (-ting) 1 reckon or calculate. 2 use a computer.  computation n. [latin puto reckon]
Unpack  v. 1 (also absol.) Open and empty (a package, luggage, etc.). 2 take (a thing) from a package etc.
Husbandry  n. 1 farming. 2 management of resources.
Wilderness  n. 1 desert; uncultivated region or garden area. 2 (foll. By of) confused assemblage. [old english: related to *wild, *deer]
Impedimenta  n.pl. 1 encumbrances. 2 baggage, esp. Of an army.
Aquarium  n. (pl. -s) tank of water for keeping and showing fish etc. [latin aquarius of water]

Somber  adj. (also brit. Sombre) dark, gloomy, dismal.  sombrely adv. Sombreness n. [latin sub ombra under shade]
Ignoble  adj. (-bler, -blest) 1 dishonourable. 2 of low birth, position, or reputation.  ignobly adv. [latin: related to *in-1, *noble]







Sdi  abbr. Strategic defence initiative.
Heathen  —n. 1 person not belonging to a predominant religion, esp. Not a christian, jew, or muslim. 2 person regarded as lacking culture or moral principles. —adj. 1 of heathens. 2 having no religion. [old english]



Interview  —n. 1 oral examination of an applicant. 2 conversation with a reporter, for a broadcast or publication. 3 meeting face to face, esp. For consultation. —v. Hold an interview with.  interviewee n. Interviewer n. [french entrevue: related to *inter-, vue sight]

Pepper-and-salt  adj. With small patches of dark and light colour intermingled.
Till1  —prep. 1 up to or as late as (wait till six o'clock). 2 up to the time of (faithful till death). —conj. 1 up to the time when (wait till i return). 2 so long that (laughed till i cried). [old norse: related to *till3]
Pink gin  n. Gin flavoured with angostura bitters.
Taproom  n. Room in a pub serving drinks on tap.



Ash2  n. 1 tree with silver-grey bark. 2 its hard, pale wood. [old english]
Bunker  n. 1 container for fuel. 2 reinforced underground shelter. 3 sandy hollow in a golf-course. [origin unknown]
Biology  n. The study of living organisms.  biologist n. [german: related to *bio-]


Unblemished  adj. Not blemished.

Starlet  n. Promising young performer, esp. A film actress.
Apologize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) make an apology, express regret.


Intemperate  adj. 1 immoderate. 2 a given to excessive drinking of alcohol. B excessively indulgent in one's appetites.  intemperance n.
Shiver2  —n. (esp. In pl.) Small fragment or splinter. —v. Break into shivers. [related to dial. Shive slice]
Blusher  n. Rouge.
Histrionic  —adj. (of behaviour) theatrical, dramatic. —n. (in pl.) Insincere and dramatic behaviour designed to impress. [latin histrio actor]

Default  —n. 1 failure to appear, pay, or act as one should. 2 preselected option adopted by a computer program when no alternative is specified. —v. Fail to fulfil (esp. A legal) obligation.  by default because of lack of an alternative or opposition. In default of because of the absence of.  defaulter n. [french: related to *fail]
Wormy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 full of worms. 2 wormeaten.  worminess n.

Few  —adj. Not many (few doctors smoke). —n. (as pl.) 1 (prec. By a) some but not many (a few of his friends were there). 2 not many (few are chosen). 3 (prec. By the) a the minority. B the elect.  a good few colloq. Fairly large number. No fewer than as many as (a specified number). Not a few a considerable number. [old english]
Bituminous  adj. Of or like bitumen.
Piles  n.pl. Colloq. Haemorrhoids. [latin pila ball]
Digress  v. Depart from the main subject in speech or writing.  digression n. [latin digredior -gress-]
Hazy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 misty. 2 vague, indistinct. 3 confused, uncertain.  hazily adv. Haziness n. [origin unknown]


Pervious  adj. 1 permeable. 2 (usu. Foll. By to) a affording passage. B accessible (to reason etc.). [latin via road]
Time-server  n. Derog. Person who changes his or her view to suit the prevailing circumstances, fashion, etc.  time-serving adj.
Saddleback  n. 1 roof of a tower with two opposite gables. 2 hill with a concave upper outline. 3 black pig with a white stripe across the back.  saddlebacked adj.
Day care  n. Care of young children, the elderly, the handicapped, etc. During the working day.
Reach  —v. 1 (often foll. By out) stretch out, extend. 2 (often foll. By for) stretch out the hand etc.; make a stretch or effort. 3 get as far as. 4 get to or attain. 5 make contact with the hand etc., or by telephone etc. (could not be reached). 6 hand, pass (reach me that book). 7 take with an outstretched hand. 8 naut. Sail with the wind abeam or abaft the beam. —n. 1 extent to which a hand etc. Can be reached out, influence exerted, motion carried out, or mental powers used. 2 act of reaching out. 3 continuous extent, esp. Of river between two bends or of canal between locks. 4 naut. Distance traversed in reaching.  reachable adj. [old english]
Mange-tout  n. A kind of pea eaten in the pod. [french, = eat-all]


Unwished  adj. (usu. Foll. By for) not wished for.


Man-at-arms  n. (pl. Men-at-arms) archaic soldier.
Precipice  n. 1 vertical or steep face of a rock, cliff, mountain, etc. 2 dangerous situation. [latin praeceps -cipit- headlong]
Untraceable  adj. That cannot be traced.


Presentiment  n. Vague expectation; foreboding (esp. Of misfortune).
Raise  —v. (-sing) 1 put or take into a higher position. 2 (often foll. By up) cause to rise or stand up or be vertical. 3 increase the amount, value, or strength of. 4 (often foll. By up) construct or build up. 5 levy, collect, or bring together (raise money). 6 cause to be heard or considered (raise an objection). 7 set going or bring into being (raise hopes). 8 bring up, educate. 9 breed, grow. 10 promote to a higher rank. 11 (foll. By to) multiply a quantity to a power. 12 cause (bread) to rise. 13 cards bet more than (another player). 14 end (a siege etc.). 15 remove (a barrier etc.). 16 cause (a ghost etc.) To appear. 17 colloq. Get hold of, find. 18 rouse from sleep or death, or from a lair. —n. 1 cards increase in a stake or bid. 2 esp. Us increase in salary.  raise cain colloq. = raise the roof. Raise one's eyebrows see *eyebrow. Raise from the dead restore to life. Raise a laugh cause others to laugh. Raise the roof be very angry; cause an uproar. [old norse]

Multicultural  adj. Of several cultural groups.  multiculturalism n.
Clamour  (us clamor) —n. 1 loud or vehement shouting or noise. 2 protest, demand. —v. 1 make a clamour. 2 utter with a clamour.  clamorous adj. [latin: related to *claim]
Drink-driver  n. Person who drives with excess alcohol in the blood.  drink-driving n.

Spotless  adj. Absolutely clean or pure.  spotlessly adv.
Twine  —n. 1 strong coarse string of twisted strands of fibre. 2 coil, twist. —v. (-ning) 1 form (a string etc.) By twisting strands. 2 weave (a garland etc.). 3 (often foll. By with) garland (a brow etc.). 4 (often foll. By round, about) coil or wind. 5 refl. (of a plant) grow in this way. [old english]



Magistracy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 magisterial office. 2 magistrates collectively.

Gallop  —n. 1 fastest pace of a horse etc., with all the feet off the ground together in each stride. 2 ride at this pace. —v. (-p-) 1 a (of a horse etc. Or its rider) go at a gallop. B make (a horse etc.) Gallop. 2 read, talk, etc., fast. 3 progress rapidly (galloping inflation). [french: related to *wallop]
Wail  —n. 1 prolonged plaintive high-pitched cry of pain, grief, etc. 2 sound like this. —v. 1 utter a wail. 2 lament or complain persistently or bitterly. [old norse]
Abrasive  —adj. 1 a tending to rub or graze. B capable of polishing by rubbing or grinding. 2 harsh or hurtful in manner. —n. Abrasive substance.
Life peer  n. Peer whose title lapses on death.
Smokeless zone  n. District where only smokeless fuel may be used.


Talking book  n. Recorded reading of a book, esp. For the blind.
Headboard  n. Upright panel at the head of a bed.
Renumber  v. Change the number or numbers given or allocated to.

Subfusc  —adj. Formal dull; dusky. —n. Formal clothing at some universities. [latin fuscus dark brown]

Kipper  —n. Fish, esp. A herring, split, salted, dried, and usu. Smoked. —v. Cure (a herring etc.) Thus. [origin uncertain]
Cargo  n. (pl. -es or -s) goods carried on a ship or aircraft. [spanish: related to *charge]






Whitlow  n. Inflammation near a fingernail or toenail. [originally white *flaw1]
Rubber band  n. Loop of rubber for holding papers etc. Together.

Preordain  v. Ordain or determine beforehand.
Curacy  n. (pl. -ies) curate's office or tenure of it.
Eternal triangle  n. Two people of one sex and one person of the other involved in a complex emotional relationship.
Abeyance  n. (usu. Prec. By in, into) temporary disuse. [french: related to *ad-, beer gape]


Slip-knot  n. 1 knot that can be undone by a pull. 2 running knot.




Maharishi  n. (pl. -s) great hindu sage. [hindi]
Intervene  v. (-ning) 1 occur in time between events. 2 interfere; prevent or modify events. 3 be situated between things. 4 come in as an extraneous factor. [latin venio vent- come]



Fever  —n. 1 a abnormally high temperature, often with delirium etc. B disease characterized by this (scarlet fever). 2 nervous excitement; agitation. —v. (esp. As fevered adj.) Affect with fever or excitement. [latin febris]


Misanthrope  n. (also misanthropist) 1 person who hates mankind. 2 person who avoids human society.  misanthropic adj. Misanthropically adv. [greek misos hatred, anthropos man]

Effectual  adj. 1 producing the required effect. 2 valid.  effectually adv.


Whipping-top  n. Top kept spinning by blows of a lash.

Dignity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 composed and serious manner. 2 worthiness, nobleness (dignity of work). 3 high rank or position.  beneath one's dignity not worthy enough for one. Stand on one's dignity insist on being treated with respect. [latin dignus worthy] 
Tho'  (also tho) var. Of *though.




Barbed wire  n. Wire with interwoven sharp spikes, used in fences and barriers.

Jollity  n. (pl. -ies) merrymaking; festivity. [french joliveté: related to *jolly1]



Sciatic  adj. 1 of the hip. 2 of the sciatic nerve. 3 suffering from or liable to sciatica. [greek iskhion hip]

Metonymy  n. Substitution of the name of an attribute or adjunct for that of the thing meant (e.g. Crown for king, the turf for horse-racing). [greek: related to *meta-, onuma name]
Tripper  n. Person who goes on a pleasure trip.
Light meter  n. Instrument for measuring the intensity of the light, esp. To show the correct photographic exposure.

Waterfront  n. Part of a town adjoining a river etc.

Linguistics  n. The study of language and its structure.

Apostate  n. Person who renounces a former belief etc.  apostatize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing).

Sombre  adj. (also us somber) dark, gloomy, dismal.  sombrely adv. Sombreness n. [latin sub ombra under shade]
Rest room  n. Esp. Us public lavatory.
Infirmary  n. (pl. -ies) 1 hospital. 2 sick-quarters in a school etc.

Debunk  v. Colloq. Expose (a person, claim, etc.) As spurious or false.  debunker n.

Cecum  n. (brit. Caecum) (pl. -ca) blind-ended pouch at the junction of the small and large intestines. [latin caecus blind]
Blanket  —n. 1 large esp. Woollen sheet used as a bed-covering etc. 2 thick covering mass or layer. —attrib. Adj. Covering everything; inclusive. —v. (-t-) 1 cover. 2 stifle, suppress. [french: related to *blank]
Gutter press  n. Sensational newspapers.


Partizan  var. Of *partisan.



Bond paper  n. High-quality writing-paper.


Hollandaise sauce  n. Creamy sauce of melted butter, egg-yolks, vinegar, etc. [french]

Welter1  —v. 1 roll, wallow. 2 (foll. By in) lie prostrate or be soaked in. —n. 1 general confusion. 2 (foll. By of) disorderly mixture or contrast. [low german or dutch]

Portland stone  n. Building limestone from the isle of portland.


Marriageable  adj. Free, ready, or fit for marriage.  marriageability n.
Shagreen  n. 1 a kind of untanned granulated leather. 2 sharkskin. [var. Of *chagrin]



Half-crown  n. (also half a crown) former coin and monetary unit worth 2s. 6d. (121/2p).

High-octane  adj. (of fuel used in internal-combustion engines) not detonating readily during the power stroke.





Mumble  —v. (-ling) speak or utter indistinctly. —n. Indistinct utterance or sound. [related to *mum2]
Korean  —n. 1 native or national of n. Or s. Korea. 2 language or korea. —adj. Of korea, its people, or language.

Sequential  adj. Forming a sequence or consequence.  sequentially adv. [from *sequence]


Callosity  n. (pl. -ies) area of hard thick skin. [latin: related to *callous]
Legless  adj. 1 having no legs. 2 slang very drunk.










Angst  n. Anxiety, neurotic fear; guilt, remorse. [german]


Shrewd  adj. Astute; clever and judicious.  shrewdly adv. Shrewdness n. [perhaps from obsolete shrew to curse, from *shrew]

Piper  n. Person who plays a pipe, esp. The bagpipes.
Otiose  adj. Serving no practical purpose; not required. [latin otium leisure]


Percale  n. Closely woven cotton fabric. [french]
Special effects  n.pl. Illusions created by props, camera-work, etc.



Protoplasm  n. Material comprising the living part of a cell, consisting of a nucleus in membrane-enclosed cytoplasm.  protoplasmic adj. [greek: related to *proto-, *plasma]
Patio  n. (pl. -s) 1 paved usu. Roofless area adjoining a house. 2 inner roofless court in a spanish or spanish-american house. [spanish]

Exempt  —adj. (often foll. By from) free from an obligation or liability etc. Imposed on others. —v. (foll. By from) make exempt.  exemption n. [latin eximo -empt- take out]
Santa claus  n. Person said to bring children presents on christmas eve. [dutch, = st nicholas]


Inheritance  n. 1 thing that is inherited. 2 inheriting.
Fathomless  adj. Too deep to fathom.

Bother  —v. 1 trouble; worry, disturb. 2 (often foll. By about, with, or to + infin.) Take the time or trouble (didn't bother to tell me; shan't bother with dessert). —n. 1 a person or thing that bothers. B minor nuisance. 2 trouble, worry. —int. Expressing irritation. [irish bodhraim deafen]

West  —n. 1 a point of the horizon where the sun sets at the equinoxes. B compass point corresponding to this. C direction in which this lies. 2 (usu. The west) a european civilization. B states of western europe and n. America. C western part of a country, town, etc. —adj. 1 towards, at, near, or facing the west. 2 from the west (west wind). —adv. 1 towards, at, or near the west. 2 (foll. By of) further west than.  go west slang be killed or destroyed etc. To the west (often followed by of) in a westerly direction. [old english]

Ore  n. Solid rock or mineral from which metal or other valuable minerals may be extracted. [old english]
Crumbs  int. Slang expressing dismay or surprise. [euphemism for *christ]
Methinks  v. (past methought) archaic it seems to me. [old english: related to *me1, *think]
Rocky2  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Unsteady, tottering, unstable.  rockiness n.

Academy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 place of specialized training (military academy). 2 (usu. Academy) society or institution of distinguished scholars, artists, scientists, etc. (royal academy). 3 scot. Secondary school. [greek akademeia the place in athens where plato taught]
Conciliate  v. (-ting) 1 make calm and amenable; pacify; gain the goodwill of. 2 reconcile.  conciliation n. Conciliator n. Conciliatory adj. [latin: related to *council]
Chinese lantern  n. 1 collapsible paper lantern. 2 plant with an orange-red papery calyx.
Fuss  —n. 1 excited commotion, bustle. 2 excessive concern about a trivial thing. 3 sustained protest or dispute. —v. 1 behave with nervous concern. 2 agitate, worry.  make a fuss complain vigorously.



Syllable  n. 1 unit of pronunciation forming the whole or part of a word and usu. Having one vowel sound often with consonant(s) before or after (e.g. Water has two, inferno three). 2 character(s) representing a syllable. 3 the least amount of speech or writing.  in words of one syllable plainly, bluntly. [greek sullabe]

Inlet  n. 1 small arm of the sea, a lake, or a river. 2 piece inserted. 3 way of entry. [from *in, *let1]

Mullah  n. Muslim learned in theology and sacred law. [ultimately arabic mawla]
Hallucinate  v. (-ting) experience hallucinations.  hallucinant adj. & n. [greek alusso be uneasy]







Prehensile  adj. Zool. (of a tail or limb) capable of grasping. [latin prehendo -hens- grasp]
Primrose path  n. Pursuit of pleasure.


Moquette  n. Thick pile or looped material used for upholstery etc. [french]


Accredited  adj. 1 officially recognized. 2 generally accepted.
Thickset  adj. 1 heavily or solidly built. 2 set or growing close together.
Collection  n. 1 collecting or being collected. 2 things collected, esp. Systematically. 3 money collected, esp. At a meeting or church service.
Absolutely  adv. 1 completely, utterly. 2 in an absolute sense (god exists absolutely). 3  colloq. (used in reply) quite so; yes.

Instep  n. 1 inner arch of the foot between the toes and the ankle. 2 part of a shoe etc. Over or under this. [ultimately from *in-2, *step]
Acoustic  adj. 1 of sound or the sense of hearing. 2 (of a musical instrument etc.) Without electrical amplification (acoustic guitar).  acoustically adv. [greek akouo hear]



Refreeze  v. (-zing; past refroze; past part. Refrozen) freeze again.
Cadmium  n. Soft bluish-white metallic element. [greek kadmia cadmean (earth)]
Guardroom  n. Room serving the same purpose as a guardhouse.
Rip-cord  n. Cord for releasing a parachute from its pack.
Threepence  n. Sum of three pence.

Emblazon  v. 1 portray or adorn conspicuously. 2 adorn (a heraldic shield).  emblazonment n.
Tabla  n. Pair of small drums played with the hands, esp. In indian music. [arabic, = drum]
Phalanx  n. (pl. Phalanxes or phalanges) 1 gk antiq. Line of battle, esp. A body of infantry drawn up in close order. 2 set of people etc. Forming a compact mass, or banded for a common purpose. [latin from greek]
Posthumous  adj. 1 occurring after death. 2 (of a book etc.) Published after the author's death. 3 (of a child) born after the death of its father.  posthumously adv. [latin postumus last]

Large-scale  adj. Made or occurring on a large scale.


Friday  —n. Day of the week following thursday. —adv. Colloq. 1 on friday. 2 (fridays) on fridays; each friday. [old english]

Matriarchy  n. (pl. -ies) female-dominated system of society, with descent through the female line.

Escapism  n. Pursuit of distraction and relief from reality.  escapist n. & adj.
Stunk  past and past part. Of *stink.

Gingham  n. Plain-woven cotton cloth, esp. Striped or checked. [dutch from malay]


Downfall  n. 1 fall from prosperity or power. 2 cause of this.

Hard shoulder  n. Hard surface alongside a motorway for stopping on in an emergency.
Dowdy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 (of clothes) unattractively dull. 2 dressed dowdily.  dowdily adv. Dowdiness n. [origin unknown]
Squalor  n. Filthy or squalid state. [latin]

Help  —v. 1 provide with the means towards what is needed or sought (helped me with my work; helped me (to) pay my debts; helped him on with his coat). 2 (often absol.) Be of use or service to (does that help?). 3 contribute to alleviating (a pain or difficulty). 4 prevent or remedy (it can't be helped). 5 (usu. With neg.) A refrain from (can't help it; could not help laughing). B refl. Refrain from acting (couldn't help himself). 6 (often foll. By to) serve (a person with food). —n. 1 helping or being helped (need your help; came to our help). 2 person or thing that helps. 3 colloq. Domestic assistant or assistance. 4 remedy or escape (there is no help for it).  help oneself (often foll. By to) 1 serve oneself (with food etc.). 2 take without permission. Help a person out give a person help, esp. In difficulty.  helper n. [old english]



Suds  n.pl. Froth of soap and water.  sudsy adj. [low german sudde or dutch sudse marsh, bog]
Contiguous  adj. (usu. Foll. By with, to) touching; in contact.  contiguity n. [latin: related to *contact]
Pistol  n. Small handgun. [czech pist'al]
Deteriorate  v. (-ting) become worse.  deterioration n. [latin deterior worse]




Shelled  adj. 1 having a shell. 2 with its shell removed.
Cross-grained  adj. 1 having a cross-grain. 2 perverse, intractable.

Strip club  n. Club at which striptease is performed.


Environs  n.pl. District round a town etc.



Unequivocal  adj. Not ambiguous, plain, unmistakable.  unequivocally adv.
Huge  adj. 1 extremely large; enormous. 2 (of an abstract thing) very great.  hugeness n. [french ahuge]



Descendant  n. Person or thing descended from another. [french: related to *descend]
Accumulator  n. 1 rechargeable electric cell. 2 bet placed on a sequence of events, with the winnings and stake from each placed on the next.
Aqueduct  n. Water channel, esp. A bridge on columns across a valley. [latin aquae ductus conduit]
Eventuality  n. (pl. -ies) possible event or outcome.

Integument  n. Natural outer covering, as a skin, husk, rind, etc. [latin tego cover]
Ascendant  —adj. 1 rising. 2 astron. Rising towards the zenith. 3 astrol. Just above the eastern horizon. 4 predominant. —n. Astrol. Ascendant point of the sun's apparent path.  in the ascendant gaining or having power or authority.
Roaring twenties  n.pl. Decade of the 1920s.
Invigorate  v. (-ting) give vigour or strength to.  invigorating adj. [medieval latin: related to *vigour]

Vacuum flask  n. Vessel with a double wall enclosing a vacuum, ensuring that the contents remain hot or cold.

Undiscriminating  adj. Lacking good judgement.
Mourning  n. 1 expressing of sorrow for a dead person, esp. By wearing black clothes. 2 such clothes.

Usage  use of disinterested in sense 2 is common in informal use, but is widely regarded as incorrect. The use of the noun disinterest to mean ‘lack of interest’ is also objected to but it is rarely used in any other sense and the alternative uninterest is rare.
November  n. Eleventh month of the year. [latin novem nine, originally the 9th month of the roman year]
Ford  —n. Shallow place where a river or stream may be crossed by wading, in a vehicle, etc. —v. Cross (water) at a ford.  fordable adj. [old english]

Stone  —n. 1 a solid non-metallic mineral matter; rock. B small piece of this. 2 (often in comb.) Piece of stone of a definite shape or for a particular purpose. 3 a thing resembling stone, e.g. The hard case of the kernel in some fruits. B (often in pl.) Hard morbid concretion in the body. 4 (pl. Same) unit of weight equal to 14 lb. 5 = *precious stone. 6 (attrib.) Made of stone. —v. (-ning) 1 pelt with stones. 2 remove the stones from (fruit).  cast (or throw) stones speak ill of a person. Leave no stone unturned try all possible means. A stone's throw a short distance. [old english]
Mediocre  adj. 1 indifferent in quality. 2 second-rate. [latin mediocris]


Underfoot  adv. (also under foot) 1 under one's feet. 2 on the ground.


Infanticide  n. 1 killing of an infant, esp. Soon after birth. 2 person who kills an infant.


Debacle  n. (brit. Débâcle) 1 a utter defeat or failure. B sudden collapse. 2 confused rush or rout. [french]

Ambit  n. Scope, extent, or bounds. [latin: related to *ambience]
Megaton  n. Unit of explosive power equal to one million tons of tnt.

Pony-trekking  n. Travelling across country on ponies for pleasure.




Getaway  n. Escape, esp. After a crime.
Reservoir  n. 1 large natural or artificial lake as a source of water supply. 2 receptacle for fluid. 3 supply of information etc. [french: related to *reserve]
Gladstone bag  n. Bag with two compartments joined by a hinge. [gladstone, name of a statesman]

Slipway  n. Ramp for building ships or landing boats.
Postage  n. Charge for sending a letter etc. By post.
Emerge  v. (-ging) 1 come up or out into view. 2 (of facts etc.) Become known, be revealed. 3 become recognized or prominent. 4 (of a question, difficulty, etc.) Become apparent.  emergence n. Emergent adj. [latin: related to *merge]


Usage  see note at *die2.
Not  adv. Expressing negation, esp.: 1 (also n't joined to a preceding verb) following an auxiliary verb or be or (in a question) the subject of such a verb (i cannot say; she isn't there; am i not right?). 2 used elliptically for a negative phrase etc. (is she coming? — i hope not; do you want it? — certainly not!).  not at all (in polite reply to thanks) there is no need for thanks. Not half see *half. Not quite 1 almost. 2 noticeably not (not quite proper). [contraction of *nought]

Mannish  adj. 1 (of a woman) masculine in appearance or manner. 2 characteristic of a man.  mannishly adv.


Tourist class  n. Lowest class of passenger accommodation in a ship, aircraft, etc.
Greetings card  n. Decorative card sent to convey greetings.
Grand total  n. Sum of other totals.
Traffic-light  n. (also traffic-lights n.pl.) Signal controlling road traffic by coloured lights.


Trek  orig. S.afr. —v. (-kk-) 1 travel or make one's way arduously. 2 esp. Hist. Migrate or journey with one's belongings by ox-wagon. —n. 1 a long or arduous journey or walk (quite a trek to the launderette). B each stage of this. 2 organized migration of a body of people.  trekker n. [dutch, = draw]
Lactate2  n. Salt or ester of lactic acid.



Libertine  —n. Licentious person, rake. —adj. Licentious. [latin, = freedman, from liber free]

Flat race  n. Horse race without jumps, over level ground.  flat racing n.
Agoraphobia  n. Abnormal fear of open spaces or public places.  agoraphobic adj. & n. [greek agora market-place]
Glam  adj. Colloq. Glamorous. [abbreviation]


Ptolemaic  adj. Hist. Of ptolemy or his theories. [greek ptolemaios, name of a 2nd-c. Astronomer]


Brown bear  n. Large n. American brown bear.
Underworld  n. 1 those who live by organized crime and vice. 2 mythical abode of the dead under the earth.

Decadence  n. 1 moral or cultural decline. 2 immoral behaviour.  decadent adj. & n. Decadently adv. [latin: related to *decay]
Usage  the use of from whence rather than simply whence (as in the place from whence they came), though common, is generally considered incorrect.

Vulgarity  n. (pl. -ies) vulgar act, expression, or state.
Chasm  n. 1 deep cleft or opening in the earth, rock, etc. 2 wide difference of feeling, interests, etc. [latin from greek]




Caterer  n. Professional supplier of food for social events.
Defoliate  v. (-ting) destroy the leaves of (trees or plants).  defoliant n. Defoliation n. [latin: related to *foil2]


Magnolia  n. 1 tree with dark-green foliage and waxy flowers. 2 creamy-pink colour. [magnol, name of a botanist]

Expedite  v. (-ting) 1 assist the progress of. 2 accomplish (business) quickly. [latin expedio from pes ped- foot]
Magnox  n. Magnesium-based alloy used to enclose uranium fuel elements in some nuclear reactors. [magnesium no oxidation]




Slavic  adj. & n. = *slavonic.


Congratulation  n. 1 congratulating. 2 (usu. In pl.) Expression of this.
Inaccurate  adj. Not accurate.  inaccuracy n. (pl. -ies). Inaccurately adv.

Mike  n. Colloq. Microphone. [abbreviation]
Mandatory  adj. 1 compulsory. 2 of or conveying a command.  mandatorily adv. [latin: related to *mandate]

Herbivore  n. Animal that feeds on plants.  herbivorous adj. [latin voro devour]
Reassign  v. Assign again or differently.  reassignment n.

Contemplative  —adj. Of or given to (esp. Religious) contemplation; thoughtful. —n. Person devoted to religious contemplation. [latin: related to *contemplate]
Shipbuilder  n. Person, company, etc., that constructs ships.  shipbuilding n.

Reverberate  v. (-ting) 1 (of sound, light, or heat) be returned, echoed, or reflected repeatedly. 2 return (a sound etc.) In this way. 3 (of an event etc.) Produce a continuing effect, shock, etc.  reverberant adj. Reverberation n. Reverberative adj. [latin verbero beat]
Deformed  adj. (of a person or limb) misshapen.
Vestry  n. (pl. -ies) church room or building for keeping vestments etc. In.
Diminutive  —adj. 1 tiny. 2 (of a word or suffix) implying smallness or affection. —n. Diminutive word or suffix.

Snowblower  n. Machine that clears snow by blowing.
Ho  int. Expressing triumph, derision, etc., or calling attention. [natural exclamation]
Hip-pocket  n. Trouser-pocket just behind the hip.
Trial  n. 1 judicial examination and determination of issues between parties by a judge with or without a jury. 2 test (will give you a trial). 3 trying thing or person (trials of old age). 4 match held to select players for a team. 5 (often in pl.) Contest involving performance by horses, dogs, motor cycles, etc.  on trial 1 being tried in a court of law. 2 being tested; to be chosen or retained only if suitable. [anglo-french: related to *try]




Boxer shorts  n.pl. Men's loose underpants like shorts.
Patrol  —n. 1 act of walking or travelling around an area, esp. Regularly, for security or supervision. 2 guards, police, etc. Sent out on patrol. 3 a troops sent out to reconnoitre. B such reconnaissance. 4 unit of six to eight scouts or guides. —v. (-ll-) 1 carry out a patrol of. 2 act as a patrol. [german patrolle from french]
Barrow1  n. 1 two-wheeled handcart. 2 = *wheelbarrow. [old english: related to *bear1]
Gaggle  n. 1 flock of geese. 2 colloq. Disorganized group of people. [imitative]
Onto  prep. = on to.
Sass  us colloq. —n. Impudence, cheek. —v. Be impudent to. [var. Of *sauce]
Tonight  —adv. On the present or approaching evening or night. —n. The evening or night of the present day. [old english]
Soc.  Abbr. 1 socialist. 2 society.
Parascending  n. Sport in which participants wearing open parachutes are towed behind a vehicle or motor boat to gain height before release for a conventional descent.


Uric acid  n. Constituent of urine.
Mesh  —n. 1 network fabric or structure. 2 each of the open spaces in a net or sieve etc. 3 (in pl.) A network. B snare. —v. 1 (often foll. By with) (of the teeth of a wheel) be engaged. 2 be harmonious. 3 catch in a net.  in mesh (of the teeth of wheels) engaged. [dutch]
Potassium  n. Soft silver-white metallic element. [from *potash]
Virgo  n. (pl. -s) 1 constellation and sixth sign of the zodiac (the virgin). 2 person born when the sun is in this sign. [latin: related to *virgin]


Boom2  —n. Period of economic prosperity or activity. —v. Be suddenly prosperous. [perhaps from *boom1]
Individual  —adj. 1 of, for, or characteristic of, a single person etc. 2 a single (individual words). B particular; not general. 3 having a distinct character. 4 designed for use by one person. —n. 1 single member of a class. 2 single human being. 3 colloq. Person (a tiresome individual). 4 distinctive person. [medieval latin: related to *divide]


Special  —adj. 1 a exceptional. B peculiar; specific. 2 for a particular purpose. 3 for children with special needs (special school). —n. Special constable, train, edition of a newspaper, dish on a menu, etc.  specially adv. Specialness n. [latin: related to *species]


Formless  adj. Without definite or regular form.  formlessness n.

Pastern  n. Part of a horse's foot between fetlock and hoof. [french from latin]
Brilliantine  n. Dressing for making the hair glossy. [french: related to *brilliant]

Umbelliferous  adj. (of a plant) bearing umbels, such as parsley and carrot.
Greenwich mean time  n. Local time on the meridian of greenwich, used as an international basis of time-reckoning.
De trop  predic. Adj. Not wanted, in the way. [french, = excessive]
Odd man out  n. Person or thing differing from the others in a group in some respect.
Announce  v. (-cing) 1 make publicly known. 2 make known the arrival or imminence of (a guest, dinner, etc.). 3 be a sign of.  announcement n. [latin nuntius messenger]


Gelding  n. Gelded animal, esp. A horse.
Body language  n. Communication through gestures and poses.
Insufferable  adj. 1 intolerable. 2 unbearably conceited etc.  insufferably adv.



Social security  n. State assistance to the poor and unemployed etc.
Window-box  n. Box placed outside a window for growing flowers.
Eligible  adj. 1 (often foll. By for) fit or entitled to be chosen (eligible for a rebate). 2 desirable or suitable, esp. For marriage.  eligibility n. [latin: related to *elect]
Train-bearer  n. Person holding up the train of a robe etc.
Fare  —n. 1 a price of a journey on public transport. B fare-paying passenger. 2 range of food. —v. (-ring) progress; get on (how did you fare?). [old english]
Fretful  adj. Anxious, irritable.  fretfully adv.


Expresso  var. Of *espresso.


Litotes  n. (pl. Same) ironic understatement, esp. Using the negative (e.g. I shan't be sorry for i shall be glad). [greek litos plain, meagre]
Black art  n. = *black magic.
Scabious  n. Plant with esp. Blue pincushion-shaped flowers. [medieval latin scabiosa (herba) named as curing scabies]


Dislike  —v. (-king) have an aversion to; not like. —n. 1 feeling of repugnance or not liking. 2 object of this.

Live-in  attrib. Adj. (of a sexual partner, employee, etc.) Cohabiting; resident.



Sobriquet  n. (also soubriquet) nickname. [french]
Run-down  —n. 1 reduction in numbers. 2 detailed analysis. —adj. 1 decayed, dilapidated. 2 exhausted (from overwork, illness, etc.).
Soever  adv. Literary of any kind; to any extent (how great soever it may be).

Auctioneer  n. Person who conducts auctions, esp. For a living.
Patois  n. (pl. Same) regional dialect, differing from the literary language. [french]

Slay  v. (past slew; past part. Slain) 1 literary = *kill 1. 2 = *kill 4. slayer n. [old english]

Ribaldry  n. Ribald talk or behaviour.
Periodontics  n.pl. (treated as sing.) Branch of dentistry concerned with the structures surrounding and supporting the teeth. [greek odous tooth]
 



Dicey  adj. (dicier, diciest) slang risky, unreliable.
Quadruplicate  —adj. 1 fourfold. 2 of which four copies are made. —v. (-ting) multiply by four.

Diacritic  n. Sign (e.g. An accent or cedilla) indicating different sounds or values of a letter. [greek: related to *critic]

Dog-rose  n. Wild hedge-rose.



Filling-station  n. Garage selling petrol etc.

Leaf-stalk  n. Stalk joining a leaf to a stem.



Parturition  n. Formal giving birth.



Statue  n. Sculptured figure of a person or animal, esp. Life-size or larger. [latin statua]
Subtitle  —n. 1 secondary or additional title of a book etc. 2 caption on a film etc., esp. Translating dialogue. —v. (-ling) provide with a subtitle or subtitles.
Neath  prep. Poet. Beneath. [from *beneath]

Allow  v. 1 (often foll. By to + infin.) Permit. 2 assign a limited amount etc. (was allowed £500). 3 (usu. Foll. By for) provide or set aside for a purpose; add or deduct in consideration (allow £50 for expenses; allow for wastage). [originally = commend, from french: related to *ad-, latin laudo praise, loco place]

Wild card  n. 1 card having any rank chosen by the player holding it. 2 computing character that will match any character or combination of characters. 3 person or thing that can be used in several different ways.

Turbot  n. (pl. Same or -s) large european flat-fish prized as food. [french from swedish]

P2  abbr. (also p.) 1 (on road signs) parking. 2 chess pawn. 3 proprietary.
Discrepancy  n. (pl. -ies) difference; inconsistency.  discrepant adj. [latin discrepo be discordant]
Trustworthy  adj. Deserving of trust; reliable.  trustworthiness n.

Sawn-off  adj. (us sawed-off) (of a shotgun) with part of the barrel sawn off.



Frankincense  n. Aromatic gum resin burnt as incense. [french: related to *frank in obsolete sense ‘high quality’, *incense1]
Sesame  n. 1 e. Indian plant with oil-yielding seeds. 2 its seeds.  open sesame magic phrase for opening a locked door or gaining access. [greek]
Quiver2  n. Case for arrows. [anglo-french from germanic]

Buffalo  n. (pl. Same or -es) 1 wild ox of africa or asia. 2 n. American bison. [greek boubalos ox]
Denote  v. (-ting) 1 (often foll. By that) be a sign of; indicate; mean. 2 stand as a name for; signify.  denotation n. [latin: related to *note]
Slant  —v. 1 slope; lie or (cause to) go obliquely. 2 (often as slanted adj.) Present (information) in a biased or particular way. —n. 1 slope; oblique position. 2 point of view, esp. A biased one. —adj. Sloping, oblique.  on a (or the) slant aslant. [scandinavian]
Memorial  —n. Object etc. Established in memory of a person or event. —attrib. Adj. Commemorating (memorial service). [latin: related to *memory]

Convertible  —adj. Able to be converted. —n. Car with a folding or detachable roof.  convertibility n. [latin: related to *convert]
Chuffed  adj. Slang delighted. [dial. Chuff]

Lamplight  n. Light from a lamp.


First  —adj. 1 earliest in time or order (took the first bus). 2 foremost in rank or importance (first lord of the treasury). 3 most willing or likely (the first to admit it). 4 basic or evident (first principles). —n. 1 (prec. By the) person or thing first mentioned or occurring. 2 first occurrence of something notable. 3 place in the first class in an examination. 4 first gear. 5 a first place in a race. B winner of this. —adv. 1 before any other person or thing (first of all; first and foremost). 2 before someone or something else (get this done first). 3 for the first time (when did you first see her?). 4 in preference; rather (will see him damned first).  at first at the beginning. At first hand directly from the original source.
Toecap  n. (usu. Strengthened) outer covering of the toe of a boot or shoe.
Analyst  n. 1 person skilled in (esp. Chemical or computer) analysis. 2 psychoanalyst.
Enter  v. 1 go or come in or into. 2 come on stage (also as a direction: enter macbeth). 3 penetrate (bullet entered his arm). 4 write (name, details, etc.) In a list, book, etc. 5 register, record the name of as a competitor (entered for the long jump). 6 a become a member of (a society or profession). B enrol in a school etc. 7 make known; present for consideration (enter a protest). 8 record formally (before a court of law etc.). 9 (foll. By into) a engage in (conversation etc.). B subscribe to; bind oneself by (an agreement, contract, etc.). C form part of (a calculation, plan, etc.). D sympathize with (feelings). 10 (foll. By on, upon) a begin; begin to deal with. B assume the functions of (an office) or possession of (property). [latin intra within]

Distingué  adj. Distinguished in appearance, manner, etc. [french]


Cipher  (also cypher) —n. 1 a secret or disguised writing. B thing so written. C key to it. 2 arithmetical symbol (0) used to occupy a vacant place in decimal etc. Numeration. 3 person or thing of no importance. —v. Write in cipher. [arabic sifr]

Shocking  adj. 1 causing shock; scandalous. 2 colloq. Very bad.  shockingly adv.

Double cream  n. Thick cream with a high fat-content.




Silkworm  n. Caterpillar that spins a cocoon of silk.


Instinct  —n. 1 a innate pattern of behaviour, esp. In animals. B innate impulse. 2 intuition. —predic. Adj. (foll. By with) imbued, filled (with life, beauty, etc.).  instinctive adj. Instinctively adv. Instinctual adj. [latin stinguo prick]
Toast  —n. 1 sliced bread browned on both sides by radiant heat. 2 a person or thing in whose honour a company is requested to drink. B call to drink or an instance of drinking in this way. —v. 1 brown by radiant heat. 2 warm (one's feet, oneself, etc.) At a fire etc. 3 drink to the health or in honour of (a person or thing). [french toster roast]
Nominate  v. (-ting) 1 propose (a candidate) for election. 2 appoint to an office. 3 name or appoint (a date or place).  nomination n. Nominator n. [latin: related to *nominal]
Nectar  n. 1 sugary substance produced by plants and made into honey by bees. 2 (in greek and roman mythology) the drink of the gods. 3 drink compared to this.  nectarous adj. [latin from greek]

Rarefy  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 make or become less dense or solid. 2 purify or refine (a person's nature etc.). 3 make (an idea etc.) Subtle.  rarefaction n. [french or medieval latin: related to *rare1]
Conning tower  n. 1 superstructure of a submarine containing the periscope. 2 armoured wheel-house of a warship. [from *con4]


Pascal  n. 1  si unit of pressure. 2 (pascal) computing programming language used esp. In education. [pascal, name of a scientist]

Polygyny  n. Polygamy in which a man has more than one wife.  polygynous adj. [greek gune woman]
Public utility  n. Organization supplying water, gas, etc. To the community.

Heavy-hearted  adj. Sad, doleful.
Incontrovertible  adj. Indisputable, undeniable.  incontrovertibly adv.

Facet  n. 1 aspect. 2 side of a cut gem etc. [french: related to *fact]
Fiver  n. Colloq. Five-pound note.
Tracery  n. (pl. -ies) 1 ornamental stone openwork, esp. In the upper part of a gothic window. 2 fine decorative pattern.

Soap flakes  n.pl. Thin flakes of soap for washing clothes etc.




Brains trust  n. Group of experts answering questions, usu. Publicly and impromptu.
Peaceful  adj. 1 characterized by peace; tranquil. 2 not infringing peace (peaceful coexistence).  peacefully adv. Peacefulness n.
Foodstuff  n. Substance used as food.
Innkeeper  n. Person who keeps an inn.
Usage  see note at egoism.
Coping-stone  n. Stone used in coping.





Fontanel  n. (brit. Fontanelle) membranous space in an infant's skull at the angles of the parietal bones. [latin fontanella little *fountain]
Hippy2  adj. Having large hips.

Assemble  v. (-ling) 1 gather together; collect. 2 esp. Mech. Fit together (components, a whole). [latin ad to, simul together]
Shone  past and past part. Of *shine.
Calculator  n. Device (esp. A small electronic one) for making mathematical calculations.



Christian science  n. Christian sect believing in the power of healing by prayer alone.  christian scientist n.
Inaction  n. Lack of action.
Purpose  —n. 1 object to be attained; thing intended. 2 intention to act. 3 resolution, determination. —v. (-sing) have as one's purpose; design, intend.  on purpose intentionally. To no purpose with no result or effect. To the purpose 1 relevant. 2 useful. [latin propono *propose]


Vulgar  adj. 1 a coarse; indecent; tasteless. B of or characteristic of the common people. 2 common; prevalent (vulgar errors).  vulgarly adv. [latin vulgus common people]
Self-supporting  adj. Financially self-sufficient.
Lamprey  n. (pl. -s) eel-like aquatic animal with a sucker mouth. [latin lampreda]





Mission  n. 1 a task or goal assigned to a person or group. B journey undertaken as part of this. C person's vocation. 2 military or scientific operation or expedition. 3 body of persons sent to conduct negotiations or propagate a religious faith. 4 missionary post. [latin: related to *missile]

C.p.  Abbr. Candlepower.
Sandblast  —v. Roughen, treat, or clean with a jet of sand driven by compressed air or steam. —n. This jet.  sandblaster n.

Smooth-tongued  adj. Insincerely flattering.


Requisite  —adj. Required by circumstances; necessary to success etc. —n. (often foll. By for) thing needed (for some purpose). [latin: related to *require]
Outmatch  v. Be more than a match for.

Heavy-duty  adj. Intended to withstand hard use.

Presumably  adv. As may reasonably be presumed.
Hear  v. (past and past part. Heard) 1 (also absol.) Perceive with the ear. 2 listen to (heard them on the radio). 3 listen judicially to (a case etc.). 4 be told or informed. 5 (foll. By from) be contacted by, esp. By letter or telephone. 6 be ready to obey (an order). 7 grant (a prayer).  have heard of be aware of the existence of. Hear! Hear! Int. Expressing agreement. Hear a person out listen to all a person says. Will not hear of will not allow.  hearer n. [old english]

Tailspin  n. 1 spin by an aircraft with the tail spiralling. 2 state of chaos or panic.

Tarry2  v. (-ies, -ied) archaic linger, stay, wait. [origin unknown]



Chap2  —v. (-pp-) 1 (esp. Of the skin) develop cracks or soreness. 2 (of the wind, cold, etc.) Cause to chap. —n. (usu. In pl.) Crack in the skin etc. [origin uncertain]



Caravanserai  n. Eastern inn with a central court. [persian, = caravan place]
Lifebelt  n. Buoyant belt for keeping a person afloat.
Culminate  v. (-ting) (usu. Foll. By in) reach its highest or final point (culminate in war).  culmination n. [latin culmen top]



Worm  —n. 1 any of various types of creeping invertebrate animals with long slender bodies and no limbs. 2 larva of an insect, esp. In fruit or wood. 3 (in pl.) Intestinal parasites. 4 insignificant or contemptible person. 5 spiral part of a screw. —v. 1 (often refl.) Move with a crawling motion. 2 refl. (foll. By into) insinuate oneself into favour etc. 3 (foll. By out) obtain (a secret etc.) By cunning persistence. 4 rid (a dog etc.) Of worms. [old english]
Rusty  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 rusted or affected by rust. 2 stiff with age or disuse. 3 (of knowledge etc.) Impaired, esp. By neglect (my french is rusty). 4 rust-coloured. 5 (of black clothes) discoloured by age.  rustiness n.


Stair  n. 1 each of a set of fixed indoor steps. 2 (usu. In pl.) Set of these. [old english]


Derogate  v. (-ting) (foll. By from) formal detract from (merit, right, etc.).  derogation n. [latin rogo ask]

Twice  adv. 1 two times; on two occasions. 2 in double degree or quantity (twice as good). [old english: related to *two]

Mere2  n. Dial. Or poet. Lake. [old english]
Job's comforter  n. Person who intends to comfort but increases distress. [job in the old testament]

Tureen  n. Deep covered dish for soup. [from *terrine]

Tot2  v. (-tt-) 1 (usu. Foll. By up) add (figures etc.). 2 (foll. By up) (of items) mount up.  tot up to amount to. [abbreviation of *total or of latin totum the whole]
Politic  —adj. 1 (of an action) judicious, expedient. 2 (of a person) prudent, sagacious. 3 political (now only in body politic). —v. (-ck-) engage in politics. [greek: related to *polity]
Venereal  adj. 1 of sexual desire or intercourse. 2 of venereal disease. [latin venus veneris sexual love]

Isbn  abbr. International standard book number.
Easter egg  n. Artificial usu. Chocolate egg given at easter.
Individualize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 give an individual character to. 2 (esp. As individualized adj.) Personalize (individualized notepaper).
Third reich  n. Nazi regime, 1933-45.
Longitudinal  adj. 1 of or in length. 2 running lengthwise. 3 of longitude.  longitudinally adv.

Paper-boy  n. (also paper-girl) boy or girl who delivers or sells newspapers.

Baksheesh  n. Gratuity, tip. [persian]
Electroplate  —v. (-ting) coat with a thin layer of chromium, silver, etc., by electrolysis. —n. Electroplated articles.

Squill  n. Bulbous plant resembling a bluebell. [latin squilla]

Pitiable  adj. Deserving or arousing pity or contempt.  pitiably adv. [french: related to *pity]
Repeater  n. 1 person or thing that repeats. 2 firearm which fires several shots without reloading. 3 watch or clock which repeats its last strike when required. 4 device for the re-transmission of an electrical message.


Strong language  n. Swearing.
Moussaka  n. (also mousaka) greek dish of minced meat, aubergine, etc. [greek or turkish]
Smart  —adj. 1 well-groomed, neat. 2 brightly coloured, newly painted, etc. 3 stylish, fashionable. 4 (esp. Us) clever, ingenious, quickwitted. 5 quick, brisk. 6 painfully severe; sharp, vigorous. —v. 1 feel or give pain. 2 rankle. 3 (foll. By for) suffer the consequences of. —n. Sharp pain; stinging sensation. —adv. Smartly.  smartish adj. & adv. Smartly adv. Smartness n. [old english]


Double-dealing  —n. Deceit, esp. In business. —adj. Practising deceit.


Ray1  n. 1 single line or narrow beam of light from a small or distant source. 2 straight line in which radiation travels to a given point. 3 (in pl.) Radiation of a specified type (x-rays). 4 trace or beginning of an enlightening or cheering influence (ray of hope). 5 any of a set of radiating lines, parts, or things. 6 marginal floret of a composite flower, e.g. A daisy. [latin *radius]

Okapi  n. (pl. Same or -s) african giraffe-like mammal but with a shorter neck and striped body. [mbuba]



Flounce1  —v. (-cing) (often foll. By away, about, off, out) go or move angrily or impatiently (flounced out in a huff). —n. Flouncing movement. [origin unknown]
Habitat  n. Natural home of an animal or plant. [latin, = it dwells]
Indecisive  adj. 1 (of a person) not decisive; hesitating. 2 not conclusive (an indecisive battle).  indecisively adv. Indecisiveness n.
Mattress  n. Stuffed, or air- or water-filled cushion the size of a bed. [arabic almatrah]
Curie  n. Unit of radioactivity. [p. Curie, name of a scientist]

Coelacanth  n. Large sea fish formerly thought to be extinct. [greek koilos hollow, akantha spine]
Keyword  n. 1 key to a cipher etc. 2 a word of great significance. B significant word used in indexing.
Anger  —n. Extreme or passionate displeasure. —v. Make angry. [old norse angr grief]
Couchette  n. 1 railway carriage with seats convertible into sleeping-berths. 2 berth in this. [french, = little bed]



Deniable  adj. That may be denied.



Camomile  n. (also chamomile) aromatic plant with daisy-like flowers used esp. To make tea. [greek, = earth-apple]



Kinetic energy  n. Energy of motion.
Dreamy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 given to day-dreaming or fantasy. 2 dreamlike; vague. 3 colloq. Delightful.  dreamily adv. Dreaminess n.




Chair  —n. 1 seat for one person usu. With a back. 2 professorship. 3 a chairperson. B seat or office of a chairperson. 4 us = *electric chair. —v. 1 preside over (a meeting). 2 carry (a person) aloft in triumph.  take the chair preside over a meeting. [greek kathedra]
Usage  the second pronunciation given, with the stress on the second syllable, is considered incorrect by some people, even though it is much used in broadcasting.

Palpate  v. (-ting) examine (esp. Medically) by touch.  palpation n.
Grecian nose  n. Straight nose that continues the line of the forehead without a dip.
Leisurewear  n. Informal clothes, esp. Sportswear.


Sprite  n. Elf, fairy. [sprit, contraction of *spirit]

Glue ear  n. Blocking of the eustachian tube, esp. In children.
Hearty  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 strong, vigorous. 2 (of a meal or appetite) large. 3 warm, friendly.  heartiness n.
Laundress  n. Woman who launders, esp. Professionally.

Carriage clock  n. Portable clock with a handle.


Door  n. 1 a esp. Hinged barrier for closing and opening the entrance to a building, room, cupboard, etc. B this as representing a house etc. (lives two doors away). 2 a entrance or exit; doorway. B means of access.  close (or open) the door to exclude (or create) an opportunity for. [old english]

Rearward  —n. (esp. In prepositional phrases) rear (to the rearward of; in the rearward). —adj. To the rear. —adv. (also rearwards) towards the rear. [anglo-french rerewarde = *rearguard]
Walk of life  n. Occupation, profession.
Zionism  n. Movement for the re-establishment and development of a jewish nation in what is now israel.  zionist n. & adj.

Banjo  n. (pl. -s or -es) guitar-like stringed instrument with a circular body.  banjoist n. [us southern corruption of bandore from greek pandoura lute]

Gold plate  n. 1 vessels made of gold. 2 material plated with gold.

Real1  —adj. 1 actually existing or occurring. 2 genuine; rightly so called; not artificial. 3 law consisting of immovable property such as land or houses (real estate). 4 appraised by purchasing power (real value). 5 math. (of a quantity) having no imaginary part (see *imaginary 2). —adv. Scot. & us colloq. Really, very.  for real colloq. Seriously, in earnest. The real thing (of an object or emotion) genuine, not inferior. [anglo-french and latin realis from res thing]
Bouffant  adj. (of a dress, hair, etc.) Puffed out. [french]
Circuitous  adj. 1 indirect. 2 going a long way round.
Streetwise  n. Knowing how to survive modern urban life.
Leveret  n. Young hare, esp. One in its first year. [latin lepus lepor- hare]

Warranty  n. (pl. -ies) 1 undertaking as to the ownership or quality of a thing sold etc., often accepting responsibility for defects or repairs over a specified period. 2 (usu. Foll. By for + verbal noun) authority or justification. [anglo-french warantie: related to *warrant]

Footplate  n. Platform for the crew in a locomotive.



Bastinado  —n. Beating with a stick on the soles of the feet. —v. (-es, -ed) punish in this way. [spanish baston stick]
Gunshot  n. 1 shot fired from a gun. 2 range of a gun (within gunshot).
Data bank  n. Store or source of data.
Brain  —n. 1 organ of soft nervous tissue in the skull of vertebrates, the centre of sensation and of intellectual and nervous activity. 2 a colloq. Intelligent person. B (often in pl.) Intelligence. 3 (usu. In pl.; prec. By the) colloq. Cleverest person in a group; mastermind. 4 electronic device functioning like a brain. —v. 1 dash out the brains of. 2 colloq. Strike hard on the head.  on the brain colloq. Obsessively in one's thoughts. [old english]
Depth-charge  n. Bomb exploding under water.

Mixed bag  n. Diverse assortment.





Size1  —n. 1 relative dimensions, magnitude. 2 each of the classes into which similar things are divided according to size. —v. (-zing) sort in sizes or according to size.  the size of it colloq. The truth of the matter. Size up colloq. Form a judgement of.  sized adj. (also in comb.). [french sise]

Sr  symb. Strontium.

Pine2  v. (-ning) 1 (often foll. By away) decline or waste away from grief etc. 2 long eagerly. [old english]
Thistly  adj. Overgrown with thistles.
Credibility gap  n. Apparent difference between what is said and what is true.
Redbreast  n. Colloq. Robin.


Stationer  n. Dealer in stationery.


Sorghum  n. Tropical cereal grass. [italian sorgo]
K.p.h.  Abbr. Kilometres per hour.
Palimpsest  n. 1 writing-material or manuscript on which the original writing has been effaced for re-use. 2 monumental brass turned and re-engraved on the reverse side. [greek palin again, psestos rubbed]

Unwholesome  adj. 1 detrimental to physical or moral health. 2 unhealthy-looking.
Underscore  v. (-ring) = *underline.
Punch1  —v. 1 strike, esp. With a closed fist. 2 a pierce a hole in (metal, paper, etc.) As or with a punch. B pierce (a hole) thus. —n. 1 blow with a fist. 2 ability to deliver this. 3 colloq. Vigour, momentum; effective force. 4 tool, machine, or device for punching holes or impressing a design in leather, metal, etc.  puncher n. [var. Of pounce emboss]

Fenugreek  n. Leguminous plant with aromatic seeds used for flavouring. [latin, = greek hay]
Namesake  n. Person or thing having the same name as another. [probably from for the name's sake]

Croup1  n. Childhood inflammation of the larynx etc., with a hard cough. [imitative]
Demagogue  n. (us -gog) political agitator appealing to mob instincts.  demagogic adj. Demagogy n. [greek, = leader of the people]






Plump2  —v. 1 (foll. By for) decide on, choose. 2 (often foll. By down) drop or fall abruptly. —n. Abrupt or heavy fall. —adv. Colloq. With a plump. [low german or dutch plompen, imitative]


Nozzle  n. Spout on a hose etc. From which a jet issues. [diminutive of *nose]
Shelf-mark  n. Code on a library book showing where it is kept.
Repurchase  —v. (-sing) purchase again. —n. Act of purchasing again.




Understanding  —n. 1 ability to understand or think; intelligence. 2 individual's perception of a situation etc. 3 agreement, esp. Informal (had an understanding). 4 sympathy; tolerance. —adj. 1 having understanding or insight. 2 sympathetic.  understandingly adv.
Baron of beef  n. Double sirloin.
Marigold  n. Plant with golden or bright yellow flowers. [mary (probably the virgin), gold (dial.) Marigold]

Pneumoconiosis  n. Lung disease caused by the inhalation of dust or small particles. [greek pneumon lung, konis dust]
Spoof  n. & v. Colloq. 1 parody. 2 hoax, swindle. [invented word]

Stage whisper  n. 1 an aside. 2 loud whisper meant to be overheard.

Value added tax  n. Tax levied on the rise in value of services and goods at each stage of production.



Heredity  n. 1 a passing on of physical or mental characteristics genetically. B these characteristics. 2 genetic constitution.
Princely  adj. (-ier, iest) 1 of or worthy of a prince. 2 sumptuous, generous, splendid.

Die-casting  n. Process or product of casting from metal moulds.




Mastectomy  n. (pl. -ies) surgical removal of a breast. [greek mastos breast]
Predicament  n. Difficult or unpleasant situation. [latin: related to *predicate]
Thyself  pron. Archaic emphat. & refl. Form of *thou1, *thee.
Decrescendo  adv., adj., & n. (pl. -s) = *diminuendo. [italian: related to *decrease]

Landscape  —n. 1 scenery as seen in a broad view. 2 (often attrib.) Picture representing this; this genre of painting. —v. (-ping) improve (a piece of land) by landscape gardening. [dutch landscap]

Derv  n. Diesel oil for road vehicles. [diesel-engined road-vehicle]

Bumf  n. Colloq. Usu. Derog. Papers, documents. [abbreviation of bum-fodder = toilet-paper]

Guild  n. (also gild) 1 association of people for mutual aid or the pursuit of a common goal. 2 medieval association of craftsmen or merchants. [low german or dutch gilde]



Appendicitis  n. Inflammation of the appendix.

Psychical  adj. 1 concerning psychic phenomena or faculties (psychical research). 2 of the soul or mind.  psychically adv.
Gold-dust  n. Gold in fine particles as often found naturally.
Rehearsal  n. 1 trial performance or practice of a play, music, etc. 2 process of rehearsing.
Truncheon  n. Short club carried by a police officer. [french tronchon stump: related to *trunk]

Dissyllable  var. Of *disyllable.
Portland cement  n. Cement manufactured from chalk and clay. [isle of portland in dorset]



Unexpressed  adj. Not expressed or made known (unexpressed fears).




Mountain sickness  n. Sickness caused by thin air at great heights.


Disdain  —n. Scorn, contempt. —v. 1 regard with disdain. 2 refrain or refuse out of disdain.  disdainful adj. Disdainfully adv. [latin: related to *de-, *deign]
Cornet  n. 1 brass instrument resembling a trumpet but shorter and wider. 2 conical wafer for holding ice-cream.  cornetist n. (also cornettist). [latin cornu: related to *corn2]
Yesterday  —adv. 1 on the day before today. 2 in the recent past. —n. 1 the day before today. 2 the recent past. [old english]
Bewail  v. Lament; wail over.


Owl  n. 1 nocturnal bird of prey with large eyes and a hooked beak. 2 solemn or wise-looking person.  owlish adj. [old english]
Transition  n. 1 passing or change from one place, state, condition, etc., to another. 2 art change from one style to another, esp. Archit. From norman to early english.  transitional adj. Transitionally adv. [latin: related to *transit]
Bully3  n. (in full bully beef) corned beef. [french: related to *boil1]


Croaky  adj. (-ier, -iest) croaking; hoarse.  croakily adv. Croakiness n.




Macramé  n. 1 art of knotting cord or string in patterns to make decorative articles. 2 work so made. [arabic, = bedspread]

Venture  —n. 1 risky undertaking. 2 commercial speculation. —v. (-ring) 1 dare; not be afraid. 2 dare to go, make, or put forward (venture out; venture an opinion). 3 a expose to risk; stake. B take risks. [from *adventure]


Orch.  Abbr. 1 orchestrated by. 2 orchestra.




English  —adj. Of england or its people or language. —n. 1 language of england, now used in the uk, us, and most commonwealth countries. 2 (prec. By the; treated as pl.) The people of england. [old english]
Cat's-eye  n. Precious stone.
Demagnetize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) remove the magnetic properties of.  demagnetization n.

Rebut  v. (-tt-) 1 refute or disprove (evidence or a charge). 2 force or turn back; check.  rebuttal n. [anglo-french rebuter: related to *butt1]



Gamboge  n. Gum resin used as a yellow pigment and as a purgative. [cambodia in se asia]

Schizophrenia  n. Mental disease marked by a breakdown in the relation between thoughts, feelings, and actions, and often with delusions and retreat from social life.  schizophrenic adj. & n. [greek skhizo split, phren mind]

Standing orders  n.pl. Rules governing procedure in a parliament, council, etc.
Pocket  —n. 1 small bag sewn into or on clothing, for carrying small articles. 2 pouchlike compartment in a suitcase, car door, etc. 3 one's financial resources (beyond my pocket). 4 isolated group or area (pockets of resistance). 5 cavity in the earth containing ore, esp. Gold. 6 pouch at the corner or on the side of a billiard- or snooker-table into which balls are driven. 7 = *air pocket. 8 (attrib.) A small enough or intended for carrying in a pocket.

Alliteration  n. Repetition of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words (e.g. Cool, calm, and collected).  alliterate v. (-ting). Alliterative adj. [latin: related to *letter]
Redevelop  v. Replan or rebuild (esp. An urban area).  redevelopment n.

All-rounder  n. Versatile person.

Good nature  n. Friendly disposition.

Photofit  n. Reconstructed picture of a suspect made from composite photographs.

Fled  past and past part. Of *flee.
Abound  v. 1 be plentiful. 2 (foll. By in, with) be rich; teem. [latin unda wave]
Gannet  n. 1 large diving sea bird. 2 slang greedy person. [old english]
Madcap  —adj. Wildly impulsive. —n. Wildly impulsive person.
Hnc  abbr. Higher national certificate.



Mongrel  —n. 1 dog of no definable type or breed. 2 other animal or plant resulting from the crossing of different breeds or types. —adj. Of mixed origin, nature, or character. [related to *mingle]



Walrus moustache  n. Long thick drooping moustache.


Demented  adj. Mad.  dementedly adv. [latin mens mind]
Bogie  n. Wheeled undercarriage below a locomotive etc. [origin unknown]
Tarsus  n. (pl. Tarsi) 1 bones of the ankle and upper foot. 2 shank of a bird's leg.  [greek]


Cortisone  n. Hormone used esp. In treating inflammation and allergy. [abbreviation of chemical name]


Menagerie  n. Small zoo. [french: related to *ménage]
Grant-maintained  adj. (of a school) funded by central rather than local government.
Organza  n. Thin stiff transparent silk or synthetic dress fabric. [origin uncertain]

Ppm  abbr. Parts per million.

Unconstrained  adj. Not constrained or compelled.

Hedge-hop  v. Fly at a very low altitude.
Surveyor  n. Person who surveys land and buildings, esp. For a living.
Pedophilia  n. (brit. Paedophilia) sexual attraction felt towards children.



Mahout  n. (in india etc.) Elephant-driver. [hindi from sanskrit]
Slate  —n. 1 (esp. Bluish-grey) metamorphic rock easily split into flat smooth plates. 2 piece of this as a tile or hist. For writing on. 3 bluish-grey colour of slate. 4 list of nominees for office etc. —v. (-ting) 1 roof with slates. 2 colloq. Criticize severely. 3 us make arrangements for (an event etc.). 4 us nominate for office etc. —adj.

Buckshot  n. Coarse lead shot.

Cussed  adj. Colloq. Stubborn.  cussedness n.
Stepdaughter  n. Female stepchild.
Unify  v. (-ies, -ied) make or become united or uniform. [latin: related to *uni-]

Rostrum  n. (pl. Rostra or -s) platform for public speaking, an orchestral conductor, etc. [latin]


Unfamiliar  adj. Not familiar.  unfamiliarity n.
Talon  n. Claw, esp. Of a bird of prey. [latin talus ankle]
Toil  —v. 1 work laboriously or incessantly. 2 make slow painful progress. —n. Intensive labour; drudgery. [anglo-french toil(er) dispute]





Provided  conj. (often foll. By that) on the condition or understanding that.
River  n. 1 copious natural stream of water flowing to the sea or a lake etc. 2 copious flow (rivers of blood).  sell down the river colloq. Betray or let down. [latin ripa bank]


Lurid  adj. 1 bright and glaring in colour. 2 sensational, shocking (lurid details). 3 ghastly, wan (lurid complexion).  luridly adv. [latin]


Green  —adj. 1 of the colour between blue and yellow in the spectrum; coloured like grass. 2 covered with leaves or grass. 3 (of fruit etc. Or wood) unripe or unseasoned. 4 not dried, smoked, or tanned. 5 inexperienced, gullible. 6 a (of the complexion) pale, sickly-hued. B jealous, envious. 7 young, flourishing. 8 not withered or worn out (a green old age).

Serif  n. Slight projection at the extremities of a printed letter (cf. *sanserif). [origin uncertain]


Pay phone  n. Coin-box telephone.
Heck  int. Colloq. Mild exclamation of surprise or dismay. [a form of *hell]


Satellite  —n. 1 celestial or artificial body orbiting the earth or another planet. 2 (in full satellite state) small country controlled by another. —attrib. Adj. Transmitted by satellite (satellite television). [latin satelles -lit- attendant]

Maharanee  n. (also maharani) (pl. -s) hist. Maharaja's wife or widow. [hindi, = great ranee]
Enquiry  n. (pl. -ies) 1 act of asking or seeking information. 2 = *inquiry.


Herewith  adv. With this (esp. Of an enclosure in a letter etc.).
Sit  v. (-tt-; past and past part. Sat) 1 support the body by resting the buttocks on the ground or a seat etc. 2 cause to sit; place in a sitting position. 3 a (of a bird) perch or warm the eggs in its nest. B (of an animal) rest with the hind legs bent and the buttocks on the ground. 4 (of a committee etc.) Be in session. 5 (usu. Foll. By for) pose (for a portrait). 6 (foll. By for) be a member of parliament for (a constituency). 7 (often foll. By for) take (an examination). 8 be in a more or less permanent position or condition (left sitting in rome; parcel sitting on the doorstep). 9 (of clothes etc.) Fit or hang in a certain way. 10 babysit.  be sitting pretty be comfortably placed. Sit at a person's feet be a person's pupil. Sit back relax one's efforts. Sit down 1 sit after standing. 2 cause to sit. 3 (foll. By under) submit tamely to (an insult etc.). Sit in 1 occupy a place as a protest. 2 (foll. By for) take the place of. 3 (foll. By on) be present as a guest or observer at (a meeting etc.). Sit in judgement be censorious or self-righteous. Sit on 1 be a member of (a committee etc.). 2 hold a session or inquiry concerning. 3 colloq. Delay action about. 4 colloq. Repress, rebuke, or snub. Sit on the fence remain neutral or undecided. Sit out 1 take no part in (a dance etc.). 2 stay till the end of (esp. An ordeal). 3 sit outdoors. Sit tight colloq. 1 remain firmly in one's place. 2 not yield. Sit up 1 rise from lying to sitting. 2 sit firmly upright. 3 go to bed late. 4 colloq. Become interested or aroused etc. Sit well on suit or fit. [old english]


Warbler  n. Bird that warbles.



Cod1  n. (pl. Same) large sea fish. [origin unknown]



Eocene  geol. —adj. Of the second epoch of the tertiary period. —n. This epoch. [greek eos dawn, kainos new]
Indecent assault  n. Sexual attack not involving rape.
 


Far-away  adj. 1 remote. 2 (of a look or voice) dreamy, distant.
Sumptuous  adj. Rich, lavish, costly.  sumptuously adv. Sumptuousness n. [latin: related to *sumptuary]

Scot-free  adv. Unharmed, unpunished. [obsolete scot tax]
Gauge  (us gage: see also sense 6) —n. 1 standard measure, esp. Of the capacity or contents of a barrel, fineness of a textile, diameter of a bullet, or thickness of sheet metal. 2 instrument for measuring pressure, width, length, thickness, etc. 3 distance between rails or opposite wheels. 4 capacity, extent. 5 criterion, test. 6 (usu. Gage) naut. Position relative to the wind. —v. (-ging) 1 measure exactly. 2 measure the capacity or content of. 3 estimate (a person, situation, etc.). [french]



Histogram  n. Statistical diagram of rectangles with areas proportional to the value of a number of variables. [greek histos mast]

Hideous  adj. 1 very ugly, revolting. 2 colloq. Unpleasant.  hideosity n. (pl. -ies). Hideously adv. [anglo-french hidous]


Write  v. (-ting; past wrote; past part. Written) 1 mark paper or some other surface with symbols, letters, or words. 2 form or mark (such symbols etc.). 3 form or mark the symbols of (a word or sentence, or document etc.). 4 fill or complete (a sheet, cheque, etc.) With writing. 5 transfer (data) into a computer store. 6 (esp.
Re-examine  v. (-ning) examine again or further.  re-examination n.

Access time  n. Computing time taken to retrieve data from storage.
Court-house  n. 1 building in which a judicial court is held. 2 us building containing the administrative offices of a county.
Externalize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) give or attribute external existence to.  externalization n.
Hard disk  n. Computing large-capacity rigid usu. Magnetic storage disk.
Gismo  n. (also gizmo) (pl. -s) slang gadget. [origin unknown]

Ruble  var. Of *rouble.
Unmoral  adj. Not concerned with morality (cf. *immoral).  unmorality n.





Head teacher  n. Teacher in charge of a school.
Melba toast  n. Very thin crisp toast. [melba, name of a soprano]



Matins  n. (also mattins) (as sing. Or pl.) Morning prayer, esp. In the church of england. [latin matutinus of the morning]




Saxifrage  n. Rock-plant with small white, yellow, or red flowers. [latin saxum rock, frango break]



Usage  condole is often confused with console1.


Woodland  n. (often attrib.) Wooded country, woods.
Phloem  n. Tissue conducting sap in plants. [greek phloos bark]


Riposte  —n. 1 quick retort. 2 quick return thrust in fencing. —v. (-ting) deliver a riposte. [italian: related to *respond]
Aircraft-carrier  n. Warship carrying and used as a base for aircraft.
Darkroom  n. Darkened room for photographic work.
Cottager  n. Person who lives in a cottage.

Hepta-  comb. Form seven. [greek]
Vaccine  n. Preparation, orig. Cowpox virus, used in vaccination. [latin vacca cow]




Righto  int. Colloq. Expressing agreement or assent.
Ragged robin  n. Pink-flowered campion with tattered petals.


Afterthought  n. Thing thought of or added later.
Typhus  n. Infectious fever with a purple rash, headaches, and usu. Delirium. [greek, = stupor]

Crust  —n. 1 a hard outer part of bread. B hard dry scrap of bread. C slang livelihood. 2 pastry covering of a pie. 3 hard casing over a soft thing. 4 outer portion of the earth. 5 deposit, esp. From wine on a bottle. —v. Cover or become covered with or form into a crust. [latin crusta rind, shell]

Narrow boat  n. Canal boat.


Freemason  n. Member of an international fraternity for mutual help and fellowship with elaborate secret rituals.  freemasonry n.
Elfin  adj. Of elves; elflike.


Star-gazer  n. Colloq. Usu. Derog. Or joc. Astronomer or astrologer.


Carouse  —v. (-sing) have a lively drinking-party. —n. Such a party.  carousal n. Carouser n. [german gar aus (drink) right out]


Legal separation  see *separation.


Equilibrium  n. (pl. -ria or -s) 1 state of physical balance. 2 state of composure. [latin libra balance]
Drier2  n. (also dryer) device for drying hair, laundry, etc.

Fishing  n. Catching fish.
Galantine  n. White meat boned, stuffed, spiced, etc., and served cold. [french from latin]
Lime1  —n. 1 (in full quicklime) white substance (calcium oxide) obtained by heating limestone. 2 (in full slaked lime) calcium hydroxide obtained by reacting quicklime with water, used as a fertilizer and in making mortar. —v. (-ming) treat with lime.  limy adj. (-ier, -iest). [old english]




Patna rice  n. Rice with long firm grains. [from patna in india]
Alkalinity n. [arabic, = the calcined ashes]
Subway  n. 1 pedestrian tunnel beneath a road etc. 2 esp. Us underground railway.




Inconvenient  adj. Causing trouble, difficulty, or discomfort; awkward.  inconveniently adv.
Zit  n. Esp. Us slang pimple. [origin unknown]

Deploy  v. 1 spread out (troops) into a line ready for action. 2 use (arguments, forces, etc.) Effectively.  deployment n. [latin plico fold]

Top hat  n. Tall silk hat.
Absent  —adj. 1 not present. 2 not existing; lacking. 3 inattentive. —v.refl. Go, or stay, away.  absently adv. (in sense 3 of adj.).
Fireproof  —adj. Able to resist fire or great heat. —v. Make fireproof.
Anapaest  n. Metrical foot consisting of two short syllables followed by one long syllable (&anapaest.). [greek anapaistos reversed (dactyl)]









Linchpin  n. 1 pin passed through an axle-end to keep a wheel in position. 2 person or thing vital to an organization etc. [old english lynis = axle-tree]
Fey  adj. 1 a strange, other-worldly; whimsical. B clairvoyant. 2 scot. Fated to die soon. [old english, = doomed to die]

Moratorium  n. (pl. -s or -ria) 1 (often foll. By on) temporary prohibition or suspension (of an activity). 2 a legal authorization to debtors to postpone payment. B period of this postponement. [latin moror delay]

Hinge  —n. 1 movable joint on which a door, lid, etc., turns or swings. 2 principle on which all depends. —v. (-ging) 1 (foll. By on) depend (on a principle, an event, etc.). 2 attach or be attached by a hinge. [related to *hang]
Prosper  v. Be successful, thrive. [latin prospero]

Bash  —v. 1 a strike bluntly or heavily. B (often foll. By up) colloq. Attack violently. C (often foll. By down, in, etc.) Damage or break by striking forcibly. 2 (foll. By into) collide with. —n. 1 heavy blow. 2 slang attempt. [imitative]



Garish  adj. Obtrusively bright; showy; gaudy.  garishly adv. Garishness n. [obsolete gaure stare]
Foghorn  n. 1 horn warning ships in fog. 2 colloq. Loud penetrating voice.
Subgroup  n. Subset of a group.


Trammel  —n. 1 (usu. In pl.) Impediment; hindrance (trammels of domesticity). 2 triple drag-net for fishing. —v. (-ll-; us -l-) hamper. [medieval latin tremaculum]
Bay window  n. Window projecting outwards from a wall.


Valentine  n. 1 card sent, often anonymously, as a mark of love on st valentine's day (14 feb.). 2 sweetheart chosen on this day. [valentine, name of two saints]

Child  n. (pl. Children) 1 a young human being below the age of puberty. B unborn or newborn human being. 2 one's son or daughter. 3 (foll. By of) descendant, follower, or product of. 4 childish person.  childless adj.  [old english]
Capillary action  n. = *capillarity.
Attune  v. (-ning) 1 (usu. Foll. By to) adjust to a situation etc. 2 mus. Tune. [related to *tune]
Lymphatic system  n. Network of vessels conveying lymph.

Éclat  n. 1 brilliant display. 2 social distinction; conspicuous success. [french]
Bantamweight  n. 1 weight in certain sports between flyweight and featherweight, in amateur boxing 51–4 kg. 2 sportsman of this weight.
Complaisant  adj. Formal 1 deferential. 2 willing to please; acquiescent.  complaisance n. [french: related to *complacent]



Kindness  n. 1 being kind. 2 kind act.
Important  adj. 1 (often foll. By to) of great effect or consequence; momentous. 2 (of a person) having high rank or authority. 3 pompous.  importance n. Importantly adv. [latin importo carry in, signify]
Commune2  v. (-ning) (usu. Foll. By with) 1 speak intimately. 2 feel in close touch (with nature etc.). [french: related to *common]

Strict  adj. 1 precisely limited or defined; undeviating (strict diet). 2 requiring complete obedience or exact performance.  strictly speaking applying words or rules in their strict sense. strictly adv. Strictness n. [latin stringo strict- draw tight] 

Salad  n. Cold mixture of usu. Raw vegetables, often with a dressing. [french salade from latin sal salt]

Sole2  n. (pl. Same or -s) flat-fish used as food. [latin solea sandal, which the shape of fish resembles]

Imf  abbr. International monetary fund.

Chick-pea  n. Yellow pea-like seed used as a vegetable. [latin cicer]


Atomic energy  n. Nuclear energy.
Interim  —n. Intervening time. —adj. Provisional, temporary. [latin, = in the interim]


Boracic acid  n. = *boric acid.


Fatherly  adj. Like or of a father.

Caul  n. 1 membrane enclosing a foetus. 2 part of this occasionally found on a child's head at birth. [french]

Taro  n. (pl. -s) tropical plant with tuberous roots used as food. [polynesian]



Knowledgeable  adj. (also knowledgable) well-informed; intelligent.  knowledgeability n. Knowledgeably adv.
Unflagging  adj. Tireless, persistent.
Afore  prep. & adv. Archaic before; previously; in front (of). [old english: related to *a2]
Leak  —n. 1 a hole through which matter passes accidentally in or out. B matter passing through thus. C act of passing through thus. 2 a similar escape of electrical charge. B charge that escapes. 3 disclosure of secret information. —v. 1 a pass through a leak. B lose or admit through a leak. 2 disclose (secret information). 3 (often foll. By out) become known.  have (or take) a leak slang urinate.  leaky adj. (-ier, -iest). [low german or dutch]
Chlorophyll  n. Green pigment found in most plants. [greek khloros green, phullon leaf]
Grouse2  colloq. —v. (-sing) grumble or complain. —n. Complaint. [origin unknown]

Ill-natured  adj. Churlish, unkind.


Woe  n. 1 affliction; bitter grief. 2 (in pl.) Calamities.  woe betide see *betide. Woe is me alas. [old english]

Blithe  adj. 1 cheerful, happy. 2 careless, casual.  blithely adv. [old english]

Pupil1  n. Person taught by another, esp. A schoolchild or student. [latin pupillus, -illa diminutives of pupus boy, pupa girl]
Oversee  v. (-sees; past -saw; past part. -seen) officially supervise (workers etc.); superintend.  overseer n.



Epileptic  —adj. Of epilepsy. —n. Person with epilepsy. [french: related to *epilepsy]


Race meeting  n. Sequence of horse-races at one place.

Chaconne  n. 1 musical variations over a ground bass. 2 dance performed to this. [french from spanish]
Hostelry  n. (pl. -ies) archaic inn.

Gormless  adj. Colloq. Foolish, lacking sense.  gormlessly adv. [originally gaumless from dial. Gaum understanding]



Largely  adv. To a great extent (largely my own fault).



Obtain  v. 1 acquire, secure; have granted to one, get. 2 be in vogue, prevail.  obtainable adj. [latin teneo hold]
Mess kit  n. Soldier's cooking and eating utensils.
Tabletop  n. Surface of a table.
Gramophone record  = *record n. 3.
Octane number  n. (also octane rating) figure indicating the antiknock properties of a fuel.
Conditioned reflex  n. Reflex response to a non-natural stimulus, established by training.
Roughage  n. Coarse fibrous material in food, stimulating intestinal action.

Usage  the use of dilemma in sense 2 is considered incorrect by some people.
Kibbutz  n. (pl. Kibbutzim) communal esp. Farming settlement in israel. [hebrew, = gathering]


Cathedral  n. Principal church of a diocese. [greek kathedra seat]
Fermentation  n. 1 breakdown of a substance by yeasts and bacteria etc., esp. Of sugar in making alcohol. 2 agitation, excitement.  fermentative adj. [latin: related to *ferment]
Capricorn  n. 1 constellation and tenth sign of the zodiac (the goat). 2 person born when the sun is in this sign. [latin caper -pri goat, cornu horn]

Inset  —n. 1 a extra section inserted in a book etc. B small map etc. Within the border of a larger one. 2 piece let into a dress etc. —v. (insetting; past and past part. Inset or insetted) 1 put in as an inset. 2 decorate with an inset.
Waitress  n. Woman who serves at table in a hotel or restaurant etc.

Cat's-paw  n. 1 person used as a tool by another. 2 slight breeze.
Nubile  adj. (of a woman) marriageable or sexually attractive.  nubility n. [latin nubo become the wife of]

Tongue-tied  adj. 1 too shy or embarrassed to speak. 2 having a tongue-tie.
Sea level  n. Mean level of the sea's surface, used in reckoning the height of hills etc. And as a barometric standard.
Leading note  n. Mus. Seventh note of a diatonic scale.
Vice3  prep. In the place of; succeeding. [latin, ablative of (vix) vicis change]






Slink  v. (past and past part. Slunk) (often foll. By off, away, by) move in a stealthy or guilty manner. [old english]

Camphor  n. Pungent white crystalline substance used in making celluloid, medicine, and mothballs. [french ultimately from sanskrit]



Plywood  n. Strong thin board made by gluing layers of wood with the direction of the grain alternating.
Hizbollah  var. Of *hezbollah.

Veteran  n. 1 (often attrib.) Old soldier or long-serving member of any group (war veteran; veteran actor). 2 us ex-serviceman or servicewoman. [latin vetus -er- old]
Barney  n. (pl. -s) colloq. Noisy quarrel. [perhaps dial.]

Punster  n. Person who makes puns, esp. Habitually.

Small-time  adj. Colloq. Unimportant, petty.



Cold war  n. Hostility between nations without actual fighting.
Hebrew  —n. 1 member of a semitic people orig. Centred in ancient palestine. 2 a their language. B modern form of this, used esp. In israel. —adj. 1 of or in hebrew. 2 of the hebrews or the jews. [hebrew, = one from the other side of the river]
Quell  v. 1 crush or put down (a rebellion etc.). 2 suppress (fear etc.). [old english]
Wide  —adj. 1 having sides far apart, broad, not narrow (wide river; wide sleeve; wide angle). 2 (following a measurement) in width (a metre wide). 3 a extending far (wide range; wide experience). B considerable (wide margin). 4 not restricted (a wide public). 5 a liberal; unprejudiced (takes wide views). B not specialized; general. 6 open to the full extent (wide eyes). 7 (foll. By of) not within a reasonable distance of, far from (wide shot; wide of the target). 8 (in comb.) Extending over the whole of (nationwide). —adv. 1 widely. 2 to the full extent. 3 far from the target etc. (shooting wide). —n. = *wide ball.  give a wide berth to see *berth. Wide of the mark see *mark1. Wide open (often foll. By to) exposed (to attack etc.). The wide world all the world, great as it is. [old english]
Hard-wearing  adj. Able to stand much wear.

Hitch  —v. 1 fasten or be fastened with a loop, hook, etc.; tether. 2 move (a thing) slightly or with a jerk. 3 colloq. A = *hitchhike. B obtain (a lift) by hitchhiking. —n. 1 temporary obstacle or snag. 2 abrupt pull or push. 3 noose or knot of various kinds. 4 colloq. Free ride in a vehicle.  get hitched colloq. Marry. Hitch up lift (esp. Clothing) with a jerk. [origin uncertain]



Mountie  n. Colloq. Member of the royal canadian mounted police. [abbreviation]

Supersonic  adj. Of or having a speed greater than that of sound.  supersonically adv.

Menhir  n. Usu. Prehistoric monument of a tall upright stone. [breton men stone, hir long]
Ungenerous  adj. Mean.  ungenerously adv.
Whine  —n. 1 complaining long-drawn wail as of a dog. 2 similar shrill prolonged sound. 3 querulous tone or complaint. —v. (-ning) emit or utter a whine; complain. [old english]
Fine-tune  v. Make small adjustments to (a mechanism etc.).
Unenthusiastic  adj. Not enthusiastic.  unenthusiastically adv.
Judder  —v. Shake noisily or violently. —n. Juddering. [imitative: cf. Shudder]


Usage  in sense 1, different from is more widely acceptable than different to, which is common in less formal use.
Overemphasize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) give too much emphasis to.
Torpedo-boat  n. Small fast warship armed with torpedoes.
Spark  —n. 1 fiery particle thrown from a fire, alight in ashes, or produced by a flint, match, etc. 2 (often foll. By of) small amount (spark of interest). 3  a flash of light between electric conductors etc. B this serving to ignite the explosive mixture in an internal-combustion engine. 4 a flash of wit etc. B (also bright spark) witty or lively person. —v. 1 emit a spark or sparks. 2 (often foll. By off) stir into activity; initiate.  sparky adj. [old english]
Chivalrous  adj. 1 gallant, honourable. 2 of or showing chivalry.  chivalrously adv. [latin: related to *chevalier]




Infighting  n. 1 conflict or competitiveness between colleagues. 2 boxing within arm's length.

Methodist  —n. Member of a protestant denomination originating in the 18th-c. Wesleyan evangelistic movement. —adj. Of methodists or methodism.  methodism n.
Counter-  comb. Form denoting: 1 retaliation, opposition, or rivalry (counter-threat). 2 opposite direction (counter-clockwise). 3 correspondence (counterpart; countersign). [latin contra against]

Right-hand man  n. Indispensable or chief assistant.



Penknife  n. Small folding knife.

Pseud  colloq. —adj. (esp. Intellectually) pretentious; not genuine. —n. Such a person; poseur. [from *pseudo-]



Dimple  —n. Small hollow, esp. In the cheek or chin. —v. (-ling) form dimples (in).  dimply adj. [probably old english]




Coastline  n. Line of the seashore, esp. With regard to its shape.

Vegetable  —n. 1 plant, esp. A herbaceous plant used for food, e.g. A cabbage, potato, or bean. 2 colloq. Derog. A offens. Person who is severely mentally incapacitated, esp. Through brain injury etc. B dull or inactive person. —adj. Of, derived from, or relating to plant life or vegetables as food. [latin: related to *vegetate]

Incidental  —adj. (often foll. By to) 1 small and relatively unimportant, minor; supplementary. 2 not essential. —n. (usu. In pl.) Minor detail, expense, event, etc.
Tumulus  n. (pl. -li) ancient burial mound. [latin: related to *tumour]






Heebie-jeebies  n.pl. (prec. By the) slang nervous anxiety, tension. [origin unknown]
Permanent  adj. Lasting, or intended to last or function, indefinitely.  permanence n. Permanency n. Permanently adv. [latin permaneo remain to the end]
Bon vivant  n. (pl. Bon or bons vivants pronunc. Same) person fond of good food and drink. [french]
Pagoda  n. 1 hindu or buddhist temple etc., esp. A many-tiered tower, in india and the far east. 2 ornamental imitation of this. [portuguese]


Deep-rooted  adj. (also deep-seated) firmly established, profound.

Continental quilt  n. Duvet.



Jape  —n. Practical joke. —v. (-ping) play a joke. [origin unknown]

Lawcourt  n. Court of law.

Transponder  n. Device for receiving a radio signal and automatically transmitting a different signal. [from *transmit, *respond]
Gully  n. (pl. -ies) 1 water-worn ravine. 2 gutter or drain. 3 cricket fielding position between point and slips. [french goulet: related to *gullet]

Forge1  —v. (-ging) 1 make or write in fraudulent imitation. 2 shape (metal) by heating and hammering. —n. 1 furnace or workshop etc. For melting or refining metal. 2 blacksmith's workshop; smithy.  forger n. [latin fabrica: related to *fabric]

Slattern  n. Slovenly woman.  slatternly adj. [origin uncertain]

Endangered species  n. Species in danger of extinction.

Dining-car  n. Restaurant on a train.

Piston-rod  n. Rod or crankshaft by which a piston imparts motion.


Franco-  comb. Form french and (franco-german). [latin: related to *frank]


Four  adj. & n. 1 one more than three. 2 symbol for this (4, iv, iv). 3 size etc. Denoted by four. 4 team or crew of four; four-oared rowing-boat. 5 four o'clock.  on all fours on hands and knees. [old english]
Chump  n. 1 colloq. Foolish person. 2 thick end of a loin of lamb or mutton (chump chop). 3 short thick block of wood.  off one's chump slang crazy. [blend of *chunk, *lump1]
Dress rehearsal  n. Final rehearsal in full costume.

Cpu  abbr. Computing central processing unit.
Letterhead  n. 1 printed heading on stationery. 2 stationery with this.
Suave  adj. Smooth; polite; sophisticated.  suavely adv. Suavity n. [latin suavis]
Witless  adj. Foolish, crazy. [old english: related to *wit]





Cubby-hole  n. 1 very small room. 2 snug space. [low german]

Catch  —v. (past and past part. Caught) 1 capture in a trap, one's hands, etc. 2 detect or surprise (esp. A guilty person). 3 a intercept and hold (a moving thing) in the hands etc. B cricket dismiss (a batsman) by catching the ball before it reaches the ground. 4 a contract (a disease) from an infected person. B acquire (a quality etc.) From another. 5 a reach in time and board (a train, bus, etc.). B be in time to see etc. (a person or thing about to leave or finish). 6 apprehend with the senses or mind (esp. A thing occurring quickly or briefly). 7 (of an artist etc.) Reproduce faithfully. 8 a (cause to) become fixed, entangled, or checked. B (often foll. By on) hit, deal a blow to (caught his elbow on the table). 9 draw the attention of; captivate (caught his eye; caught her fancy). 10 begin to burn. 11 reach or overtake (a person etc. Ahead). 12 (foll. By at) try to grasp. —n. 1 a act of catching. B cricket etc. Chance or act of catching the ball. 2 a amount of a thing caught, esp. Of fish. B thing or person caught or worth catching, esp. In marriage. 3 a question, trick, etc., intended to deceive, incriminate, etc. B unexpected or hidden difficulty or disadvantage. 4 device for fastening a door or window etc. 5 mus. Round, esp. With words arranged to produce a humorous effect.  catch fire see *fire. Catch hold of grasp, seize. Catch it slang be punished. Catch on colloq. 1 become popular. 2 understand what is meant. Catch out 1 detect in a mistake etc. 2 take unawares. 3 = sense 3b of v. Catch up 1 a (often foll. By with) reach a person etc. Ahead (caught us up; caught up with us). B (often foll. By with, on) make up arrears. 2 pick up hurriedly. 3 (often in passive) a involve; entangle (caught up in crime). B fasten up (hair caught up in a ribbon). [latin capto try to catch]

Indignant  adj. Feeling or showing indignation.  indignantly adv. [latin dignus worthy]
Usage  with reference to sense 1, the functions of this department in the uk now belong to the treasury, although the name formally survives, esp. In the title chancellor of the exchequer.




Untainted  adj. Not tainted.
Viaticum  n. (pl. -ca) eucharist given to a dying person. [latin via road]
What  —interrog. Adj. 1 asking for a choice from an indefinite number or for a statement of amount, number, or kind (what books have you read?). 2 colloq. = *which interrog.adj. (what book have you chosen?). —adj. (usu. In an exclamation) how great or remarkable (what luck!). —rel. Adj. The or any … that (will give you what help i can). —pron. (corresponding to the functions of the adj.) 1 what thing or things? (what is your name?; i don't know what you mean). 2 (asking for a remark to be repeated) = what did you say? 3 how much (what you must have suffered!). 4 (as rel. Pron.) That or those which; a or the or any thing which (what followed was worse; tell me what you think). —adv. To what extent (what does it matter?).  what about what is the news or your opinion of. What-d'you-call-it colloq. Substitute for a name not recalled. What ever what at all or in any way (what ever do you mean?) (see also *whatever). What for colloq. 1 for what reason? 2 severe reprimand (esp. Give a person what for). What have you (prec. By or or and) colloq. Anything else similar. What not (prec. By and) other similar things. What's-his (or -her or -its) -name colloq. Substitute for a name not recalled. What's what colloq. What is useful or important etc. What with colloq. Because of (usu. Several things). [old english]
Marxism  n. Political and economic theories of marx, predicting the overthrow of capitalism and common ownership of the means of production in a classless society.  marxist n. & adj.


Skid row  n. Us slang part of a town frequented by vagrants etc.


Dengue  n. Infectious tropical viral fever. [w. Indian spanish from swahili]
Confetti  n. Small bits of coloured paper thrown by wedding guests at the bride and groom. [italian]

Coarse fish  n. Freshwater fish other than salmon and trout.
Chilly  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 somewhat cold. 2 sensitive to the cold. 3 unfriendly; unemotional.
Hg  symb. Mercury.


Bronze  —n. 1 alloy of copper and tin. 2 its brownish colour. 3 thing of bronze, esp. A sculpture. —adj. Made of or coloured like bronze. —v. (-zing) make or become brown; tan. [french from italian]
Gymnast  n. Person who does gymnastics, esp. An expert.
Coalmine  n. Mine in which coal is dug.  coalminer n.

Hardback  —adj. Bound in boards covered with cloth etc. —n. Hardback book.

Nasty  —adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 highly unpleasant. 2 difficult to negotiate. 3 (of a person or animal) ill-natured. —n. (pl. -ies) colloq. Horror film, esp. One on video and depicting cruelty or killing.  nastily adv. Nastiness n. [origin unknown]
Unitarian  —n. 1 person who believes that god is one, not a trinity. 2 member of a religious body so believing. —adj. Of unitarians.  unitarianism n. [latin unitas *unity]

Whop  v. (-pp-) slang 1 thrash. 2 defeat. [origin unknown]
Hamburger  n. Cake of minced beef, usu. Eaten in a soft bread roll. [hamburg in germany]
Pica  n. 1 unit of type-size (1/6 inch). 2 size of letters in typewriting (10 per inch). [latin: related to *pie2]
Bye1  n. 1 cricket run scored from a ball that passes the batsman without being hit. 2 status of an unpaired competitor in a sport, who proceeds to the next round by default. [from *by as a noun]

Heartache  n. Mental anguish.








Chili  var. Of *chilli.
Usage  see note at masterful.


Midfield  n. Football central part of the pitch, away from the goals.  midfielder n.



Quicksand  n. (often in pl.) 1 area of loose wet sand that sucks in anything placed on it. 2 treacherous situation etc.
Lineage  n. Lineal descent; ancestry. [latin: related to *line1]
Vocalist  n. Singer.
Forced landing  n. Emergency landing of an aircraft.
Plectrum  n. (pl. -s or -tra) thin flat piece of plastic etc. For plucking the strings of a guitar etc. [greek plesso strike]



Hypocaust  n. Space for underfloor hot-air heating in ancient roman houses. [from *hypo-, kaustos burnt]


Booby prize  n. Prize given for coming last.
Alloy  —n. 1 mixture of two or more metals. 2 inferior metal mixed esp. With gold or silver. —v. 1 mix (metals). 2 debase by admixture. 3 moderate (pleasure alloyed with pain). [french: related to *ally]

Bind  —v. (past and past part. Bound) 1 tie or fasten tightly. 2 restrain forcibly. 3 (cause to) cohere. 4 compel; impose a duty on. 5 a edge with braid etc. B fasten (the pages of a book) in a cover. 6 constipate. 7 ratify (a bargain, agreement, etc.). 8 (often foll. By up) bandage. —n. Colloq. Nuisance; restriction.  bind over law order (a person) to do something, esp. Keep the peace. [old english]

Yawn  —v. 1 open the mouth wide and inhale, esp. When sleepy or bored. 2 gape, be wide open. —n. 1 act of yawning. 2 colloq. Boring idea, activity, etc. [old english]

K.p.h.  Abbr. Kilometres per hour.


Whimsical  adj. Capricious, fantastic.  whimsicality n. Whimsically adv.

-ling  suffix 1 denoting a person or thing: a connected with (hireling). B having the property of being (weakling) or undergoing (starveling). 2 denoting a diminutive (duckling), often derogatory (lordling). [old english]

South-south-west  n. Point or direction midway between south and south-west.
Feeder  n. 1 person or thing that feeds, esp. In specified manner. 2 baby's feeding-bottle. 3 bib. 4 tributary stream. 5 branch road, railway line, etc. Linking with a main system. 6 main carrying electricity to a distribution point. 7 feeding apparatus in a machine.

Guitar  n. Usu. Six-stringed musical instrument played with the fingers or a plectrum.  guitarist n. [greek kithara harp]
Telling  adj. Having a marked effect; striking; impressive.  tellingly adv.


Lumpish  adj. 1 heavy and clumsy. 2 stupid, lethargic.

Meso-  comb. Form middle, intermediate. [greek mesos middle]

Fromage frais  n. Smooth low-fat soft cheese.
King-post  n. Upright post from the tie-beam of a roof to the apex of a truss.

Susceptibility  n. (pl. -ies) 1 being susceptible. 2 (in pl.) Person's feelings.


Natured  adj. (in comb.) Having a specified disposition (good-natured).

Abta  abbr. Association of british travel agents.
Magistrate  n. 1 civil officer administering the law. 2 official conducting a court for minor cases and preliminary hearings. [latin: related to *master]

Compassion  n. Pity inclining one to help or be merciful. [church latin: related to *passion]


Spinneret  n. 1 spinning-organ in a spider etc. 2 device for forming synthetic fibre.



Boo  —int. 1 expression of disapproval etc. 2 sound intended to surprise. —n. Utterance of boo, esp. To a performer etc. —v. (boos, booed) 1 utter boos. 2 jeer at by booing. [imitative]
Hurdy-gurdy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 droning musical instrument played by turning a handle. 2 colloq. Barrel-organ. [imitative]

High jump  n. 1 athletic event consisting of jumping over a high bar. 2 colloq. Drastic punishment (he's for the high jump).


Memory  n. (pl. -ies) 1 faculty by which things are recalled to or kept in the mind. 2 a this in an individual (my memory is failing). B store of things remembered (deep in my memory). 3 recollection; remembrance, esp. Of a person etc.; person or thing remembered (memory of better times; his mother's memory). 4 storage capacity of a computer etc. 5 posthumous reputation (his memory lives on; of blessed memory). 6 length of remembered time of a specific person, group, etc. (within living memory). 7 remembering (deed worthy of memory).  from memory as remembered (without checking). In memory of to keep alive the remembrance of. [latin memoria from memor mindful]



Syringa  n. 1 = *mock orange. 2 lilac or similar related plant. [related to *syringe]
Heir  n. (fem. Heiress) person entitled to property or rank as the legal successor of its former holder. [latin heres hered-]
Cover note  n. Temporary certificate of insurance.
Multiplication sign  n. Sign (×) to indicate that one quantity is to be multiplied by another.
Presbyter  n. 1 (in the episcopal church) minister of the second order; priest. 2 (in the presbyterian church) elder. [church latin from greek, = elder]
Patter2  —n. 1 rapid speech used by a comedian. 2 salesman's persuasive talk. —v. Talk or say glibly or mechanically. [originally pater, = *paternoster]

Alimentary  adj. Of or providing food or nourishment. [latin alo nourish]
Walkman  n. (pl. -s) propr. Type of personal stereo.
Way  —n. 1 road, track, path, etc., for passing along. 2 course or route for reaching a place (asked the way to london; the way out). 3 method or plan for attaining an object. 4 style, manner (i like the way you dress). 5 person's chosen or habitual course of action. 6 normal course of events (that is always the way). 7 travelling distance; length traversed or to be traversed. 8 unimpeded opportunity or space to advance (make way). 9 advance in some direction; impetus, progress (under way). 10 being engaged in movement from place to place; time spent in this (on the way home). 11 specified direction (step this way). 12 colloq. Scope or range. 13 line of occupation or business. 14 specified condition or state (things are in a bad way). 15 respect (is useful in some ways). 16 (in pl.) Part into which a thing is divided (split it three ways). 17 (in pl.) Structure of timber etc. Down which a new ship is launched. —adv. Colloq. Far (way off).  by the way incidentally. By way of 1 by means of. 2 as a form of. 3 passing through. Come one's way become available to one. Get out of the (or my etc.) Way stop obstructing a person. Go out of one's way make a special effort. In a way to some extent. In the (or one's) way forming an obstruction. Lead the way act as guide or leader. Look the other way ignore what one should notice. On the (or one's) way 1 in the course of a journey etc. 2 having progressed. 3 colloq. (of a child) conceived but not yet born. On the way out colloq. Going out of fashion or favour. Out of the way 1 no longer an obstacle. 2 disposed of. 3 unusual. 4 (of a place) remote. [old english]

Pit bull terrier  n. Small american dog noted for ferocity.


Thrust  —v. (past and past part. Thrust) 1 push with a sudden impulse or with force. 2 (foll. By on) impose (a thing) forcibly; enforce acceptance of (a thing). 3 (foll. By at, through) pierce, stab; lunge suddenly. 4 make (one's way) forcibly. 5 (as thrusting adj.) Aggressive, ambitious. —n. 1 sudden or forcible push or lunge. 2 propulsive force produced by a jet or rocket engine. 3 strong attempt to penetrate an enemy's line or territory. 4 remark aimed at a person. 5 stress between the parts of an arch etc. 6 (often foll. By of) chief theme or gist of remarks etc. [old norse]
Trim  —v. (-mm-) 1 a make neat or of the required size or form, esp. By cutting away irregular or unwanted parts. B set in good order. 2 (foll. By off, away) cut off (unwanted parts). 3 ornament, decorate. 4 adjust the balance of (a ship or aircraft) by arranging its cargo etc. 5 arrange (sails) to suit the wind. 6  a associate oneself with currently prevailing views, esp. To advance oneself. B hold a middle course in politics or opinion. 7 colloq. A rebuke sharply. B thrash. C get the better of in a bargain etc. —n. 1 state of readiness or fitness (in perfect trim). 2 ornament or decorative material. 3 trimming of a person's hair. —adj. (trimmer, trimmest) 1 neat or spruce. 2 in good order; well arranged or equipped. [old english, = make firm]
Abm  abbr. Anti-ballistic missile.

Touch-and-go  adj. Critical, risky.

Dredger2  n. Container with a perforated lid, for sprinkling flour, sugar, etc.


Unilateralism  n. Unilateral disarmament.  unilateralist n. & adj.

Deposit account  n. Bank account that pays interest but is not usu. Immediately accessible.
Four-poster  n. Bed with four posts supporting a canopy.

Collate  v. (-ting) 1 assemble and arrange systematically. 2 compare (texts, statements, etc.).  collator n. [latin: related to *confer]
Porterhouse steak  n. Choice cut of beef.
Organist  n. Organ-player.









Arrow  n. 1 pointed slender missile shot from a bow. 2 representation of this, esp. Indicating direction. [old english]


Choler  n. 1 hist. One of the four humours, bile. 2 poet. Or archaic anger, irascibility. [greek khole bile]
Comment  —n. 1 brief critical or explanatory remark or note; opinion. 2 commenting; criticism (aroused much comment; his art is a comment on society). —v. (often foll. By on or that) make (esp. Critical) remarks.  no comment colloq. I decline to answer your question. [latin]
Mass production  n. Mechanical production of large quantities of a standardized article.  mass-produce v.
Artistic  adj. 1 having natural skill in art. 2 skilfully or tastefully done. 3 of art or artists.  artistically adv.



Schooling  n. Education, esp. At school.

Flag of convenience  n. Foreign flag under which a ship is registered, usu. To avoid regulations or financial charges.
Chihuahua  n. Dog of a very small smooth-haired breed. [chihuahua in mexico]
Secret service  n. Government department concerned with espionage.
Overthrow  —v. (past -threw; past part. -thrown) 1 remove forcibly from power. 2 conquer, overcome. —n. Defeat, downfall.
Long2  v. (foll. By for or to + infin.) Have a strong wish or desire for. [old english, = seem *long1 to]
Metaphysic  n. System of metaphysics.
Audiotape  n. (also audio tape) 1 a magnetic tape for recording sound. B a length of this. 2 a sound recording on tape.
Sumac  n. (also sumach) 1 shrub with reddish conical fruits used as a spice. 2 dried and ground leaves of this used in tanning and dyeing. [french from arabic]



Herbaceous border  n. Garden border containing esp. Perennial flowering plants.


Apprentice  —n. 1 person learning a trade by working in it for an agreed period at low wages. 2 novice. —v. (-cing) (usu. Foll. By to) engage as an apprentice (apprenticed to a builder).  apprenticeship n. [french apprendre learn]

Stabling  n. Accommodation for horses.


Stand-by  n. (pl. -bys) 1 (often attrib.) Person or thing ready if needed in an emergency etc. 2 readiness for duty (on stand-by).
Flageolet  n. Small flute blown at the end. [french from provençal]

B.  Abbr. 1 born. 2 cricket a bowled by. B bye.


Heal  v. 1 (often foll. By up) become sound or healthy again. 2 cause to heal. 3 put right (differences etc.). 4 alleviate (sorrow etc.).  healer n. [old english: related to *whole]
Killer  n. 1 a person, animal, or thing that kills. B murderer. 2 colloq. A impressive, formidable, or excellent thing. B hilarious joke.
Drop  —n. 1 a globule of liquid that hangs, falls, or adheres to a surface. B very small amount of liquid (just a drop left). C glass etc. Of alcohol. 2 a abrupt fall or slope. B amount of this (drop of fifteen feet). C act of dropping. D fall in prices, temperature, etc. E deterioration (drop in status). 3 drop-shaped thing, esp. A pendant or sweet. 4 curtain or scenery let down on to a stage. 5 (in pl.) Liquid medicine used in drops (eye drops). 6 minute quantity. 7 slang hiding-place for stolen goods etc. 8 slang bribe. —v. (-pp-) 1 fall or let fall in drops, shed (tears, blood). 2 fall or allow to fall; let go. 3 a sink down from exhaustion or injury. B die. C fall naturally (drop asleep; drop into the habit). 4 a (cause to) cease or lapse; abandon. B colloq. Cease to associate with or discuss. 5 set down (a passenger etc.) (drop me here). 6 utter or be uttered casually (dropped a hint). 7 send casually (drop a line). 8 a fall or allow to fall in direction, amount, condition, degree, pitch, etc. (voice dropped; wind dropped; we dropped the price). B (of a person) jump down lightly; let oneself fall. C allow (trousers etc.) To fall to the ground. 9 omit (a letter) in speech (drop one's h's). 10 (as dropped adj.) In a lower position than usual (dropped handlebars; dropped waist). 11 give birth to (esp. A lamb). 12 lose (a game, point, etc.). 13 deliver by parachute etc. 14 football send (a ball), or score (a goal), by a drop-kick. 15 colloq. Dismiss or omit (dropped from the team).  at the drop of a hat promptly, instantly. Drop back (or behind) fall back; get left behind. Drop a brick colloq. Make an indiscreet or embarrassing remark. Drop a curtsy curtsy. Drop in (or by) colloq. Visit casually. Drop off 1 fall asleep. 2 drop (a passenger). Drop out colloq. Cease to participate.  droplet n. [old english]
Sensational  adj. 1 causing or intended to cause great public excitement etc. 2 dazzling; wonderful (you look sensational).  sensationalize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing). Sensationally adv.

Karma  n. Buddhism & hinduism person's actions in previous lives, believed to decide his or her fate in future existences. [sanskrit, = action, fate]

Plastic surgery  n. Reconstruction or repair of damaged or unsightly skin, muscle, etc., esp. By the transfer of tissue.  plastic surgeon n.
Bk  symb. Berkelium.

Roadway  n. 1 road. 2 part of a road intended for vehicles.

Glucose  n. Sugar found in the blood or in fruit juice etc., and as a constituent of starch, cellulose, etc. [greek gleukos sweet wine]
Tailgate  n. 1 esp. Us = *tailboard. 2 rear door of an estate car or hatchback.
Honestly  adv. 1 in an honest way. 2 really (i don't honestly know).


Alone  —predic. Adj. 1 without the presence or help of others. 2 lonely (felt alone). —adv. Only, exclusively. [earlier al one: related to *all, *one]
Mew2  n. Gull, esp. The common gull. [old english]
Greenery  n. Green foliage or growing plants.


Obsolete  adj. No longer used, antiquated.
Kinetics  n.pl. 1 = *dynamics 1a. 2 (usu. Treated as sing.) Branch of physical chemistry measuring and studying the rates of chemical reactions.

Undesigned  adj. Unintentional.




Aperient  —adj. Laxative. —n. Laxative medicine. [latin aperio open]
Battleship  n. Heavily armoured warship.

Fool1  —n. 1 rash, unwise, or stupid person. 2 hist. Jester; clown. 3 dupe. —v. 1 deceive. 2 (foll. By into or out of) trick; cheat. 3 joke or tease. 4 (foll. By about, around) play or trifle.  act (or play) the fool behave in a silly way. Be no (or nobody's) fool be shrewd or prudent. Make a fool of make (a person or oneself) look foolish; trick, deceive. [latin follis bellows]
Heath robinson  adj. Absurdly ingenious and impracticable. [name of a cartoonist]

Logbook  n. 1 book containing a detailed record or log. 2 vehicle registration document.


Usage  the eskimos of n. America prefer the name inuit.
Peke  n. Colloq. Pekingese. [abbreviation]
Nationality  n. (pl. -ies) 1 status of belonging to a particular nation (has british nationality). 2 condition of being national; distinctive national qualities. 3 ethnic group forming a part of one or more political nations.
Shipwright  n. 1 shipbuilder. 2 ship's carpenter.

Whig  n. Hist. Member of the british reforming and constitutional party succeeded in the 19th c. By the liberal party.  whiggery n. Whiggish adj. Whiggism n. [whiggamer, -more, nickname of 17th-c. Scots rebels]



Whitebait  n. (pl. Same) (usu. In pl.) Small silvery-white young of herrings and sprats, esp. As food.

Englishman  n. (fem. Englishwoman) person who is english by birth or descent.
High altar  n. Chief altar in a church.
Fanciful  adj. 1 imaginary. 2 indulging in fancies.  fancifully adv.


Sola topi  n. Sun-helmet made from the pith of the sola plant.







Rugger  n. Colloq. Rugby.
Imponderable  —adj. 1 not able to be estimated. 2 very light; weightless. —n. (usu. In pl.) Imponderable thing.  imponderability n. Imponderably adv.
Scanner  n. 1 device for scanning or systematically examining all the parts of something. 2 machine for measuring radiation, ultrasound reflections, etc., from the body as a diagnostic aid.


Detach  v. 1 (often foll. By from) unfasten or disengage and remove. 2 send (troops etc.) On a separate mission. 3 (as detached adj.) A impartial; unemotional. B (esp. Of a house) standing separate.  detachable adj. [french: related to *attach]

Seven seas  n. (prec. By the) the oceans of the world.
Transit  n. 1 going, conveying, or being conveyed, esp. Over a distance. 2 passage or route. 3 apparent passage of a celestial body across the meridian of a place, or across the sun or a planet.  in transit while going or being conveyed. [latin: related to *trance]

Air-bed  n. Inflatable mattress.
Decompress  v. Subject to decompression.

Glycogen  n. Polysaccharide serving as a store of carbohydrates, esp. In animal tissues.
Magnum  n. (pl. -s) wine bottle twice the normal size. [latin, neuter of magnus great]
Hard-done-by  adj. Unfairly treated.
Formaldehyde  n. Colourless pungent gas used as a disinfectant and preservative. [from *formic acid, *aldehyde]



Lambent  adj. 1 (of a flame or a light) playing on a surface. 2 (of the eyes, sky, wit, etc.) Lightly brilliant.  lambency n. [latin lambo lick]

Kbe  abbr. Knight commander of the order of the british empire.
Commissariat  n. 1 esp. Mil. A department for the supply of food etc. B food supplied. 2 hist. Government department of the ussr. [related to *commissary]
Trawler  n. Boat used for trawling.


Whinchat  n. Small songbird.
Fold1  —v. 1 a bend or close (a flexible thing) over upon itself. B (foll. By back, over, down) bend part of (a thing) (fold down the flap). 2 become or be able to be folded. 3 (foll. By away, up) make compact by folding. 4 (often foll. By up) colloq. Collapse, cease to function. 5 enfold (esp. Fold in the arms or to the breast). 6 (foll. By about, round) clasp (the arms). 7 (foll. By in) mix (an ingredient with others) gently. —n. 1 folding. 2 line made by folding. 3 folded part. 4 hollow among hills. 5 curvature of geological strata.
Capital gain  n. Profit from the sale of investments or property.
Radio-  comb. Form 1 denoting radio or broadcasting. 2 connected with radioactivity. 3 connected with rays or radiation.


Viburnum  n. A shrub, usu. With white flowers. [latin, = wayfaring-tree]
Grilse  n. (pl. Same or -s) young salmon that has returned to fresh water from the sea for the first time. [origin unknown]


Common or garden  adj. Colloq. Ordinary.
Buckwheat  n. Seed of a plant related to rhubarb, used to make flour, or as an alternative to rice. [dutch, = beech-wheat]

Thespian  —adj. Of drama. —n. Actor or actress. [greek thespis, name of a greek tragedian]

Sphincter  n. Ring of muscle surrounding and closing an opening in the body. [greek sphiggo bind tight]
Barrister  n. Advocate entitled to practise in the higher courts. [from *bar1: cf. *minister]
Sung  past part. Of *sing.

Expressive  adj. 1 full of expression (expressive look). 2 (foll. By of) serving to express.  expressively adv. Expressiveness n.

Fate  —n. 1 supposed power predetermining events. 2 a the future so determined. B individual's destiny or fortune. 3 death, destruction. —v. (-ting) 1 (usu. In passive) preordain (fated to win). 2 (as fated adj.) Doomed.  fate worse than death see *death. [italian and latin fatum]
Latch  —n. 1 bar with a catch and lever as a fastening for a gate etc. 2 spring-lock preventing a door from being opened from the outside without a key. —v. Fasten with a latch.  latch on (often foll. By to) colloq. 1 attach oneself (to). 2 understand. On the latch fastened by the latch (sense 1) only. [old english]

Status quo  n. Existing state of affairs. [latin]

Arboretum  n. (pl. -ta) place cultivating and displaying rare trees.

Civvies  n.pl. Slang civilian clothes. [abbreviation]
Panelling  n. (us paneling) 1 panelled work. 2 wood for making panels.
Charabanc  n. Hist. Early form of motor coach. [french char à bancs seated carriage]






Spine  n. 1 vertebrae extending from the skull to the coccyx; backbone. 2 needle-like outgrowth of an animal or plant. 3 part of a book enclosing the page-fastening. 4 sharp ridge or projection. [latin spina]





Elver  n. Young eel. [from *eel, *fare]
Salt  —n. 1 (also common salt) sodium chloride, esp. Mined or evaporated from sea water, and used for seasoning or preserving food. 2 chemical compound formed from the reaction of an acid with a base. 3 piquancy; wit. 4 (in sing. Or pl.) A substance resembling salt in taste, form, etc. (bath salts). B (esp. In pl.) Substance used as a laxative. 5 (also old salt) experienced sailor. 6 = *salt-cellar. —adj. Containing, tasting of, or preserved with salt. —v. 1 cure, preserve, or season with salt or brine. 2 sprinkle (a road etc.) With salt.  salt away (or down) slang put (money etc.) By. The salt of the earth most admirable or honest person or people (matt. 5:13). Take with a pinch (or grain) of salt regard sceptically. Worth one's salt efficient, capable. [old english]

Phew  int. Expression of relief, astonishment, weariness, etc. [imitative]

Frogmarch  v. Hustle forward with the arms pinned behind.
Kookaburra  n. Australian kingfisher with a strange laughing cry. [aboriginal]
Opium  n. Drug made from the juice of a certain poppy, used esp. As an analgesic and narcotic. [latin from greek opion]
Coming  —attrib. Adj. 1 approaching, next (the coming week). 2 of potential importance (coming man). —n. Arrival.
Sodium nitrate  n. White powdery compound used in fertilizers etc.

January  n. (pl. -ies) first month of the year. [latin janus, guardian god of doors]

Dear  —adj. 1 a beloved or much esteemed. B as a merely polite or ironic form (my dear man). 2 as a formula of address, esp. Beginning a letter (dear sir). 3 (often foll. By to) precious; cherished. 4 (usu. In superl.) Earnest (my dearest wish). 5 a expensive. B having high prices. —n. (esp. As a form of address) dear person. —adv. At great cost (will pay dear). —int. Expressing surprise, dismay, pity, etc. (dear me!; oh dear!).  for dear life desperately.  dearly adv. [old english]

Decidedly  adv. Undoubtedly, undeniably.




Distressed  adj. 1 suffering from distress. 2 impoverished. 3 (of furniture, clothing, etc.) Aged, torn, etc. Artificially.
Postwar  adj. Occurring or existing after a war.
Cack-handed  adj. Colloq. 1 clumsy. 2 left-handed. [dial. Cack excrement]


Lightship  n. Moored or anchored ship with a beacon light.
Arch2  adj. Self-consciously or affectedly playful.  archly adv. [from *arch-, originally in arch rogue etc.]
Headlight  n. 1 strong light at the front of a vehicle. 2 beam from this.

Bandsman  n. Player in a band.

Contest  —n. 1 contending; strife. 2 a competition. —v. 1 dispute (a decision etc.). 2 contend or compete for; compete in (an election). [latin testis witness]

Corset  n. Closely-fitting undergarment worn to shape the body or to support it after injury.  corsetry n. [french diminutive: related to *corpse]
Fought  past and past part. Of *fight.
Sexual intercourse  n. Method of reproduction involving insertion of the penis into the vagina, usu. Followed by ejaculation.
Chiffon  n. Light diaphanous fabric of silk, nylon, etc. [french chiffe rag]
Terminology  n. (pl. -ies) 1 system of specialized terms. 2 science of the use of terms.  terminological adj. [german: related to *terminus]
W/cdr.  Abbr. Wing commander.
Multiply  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 (also absol.) Obtain from (a number) another that is a specified number of times its value (multiply 6 by 4 and you get 24). 2 increase in number, esp. By procreation. 3 produce a large number of (instances etc.). 4 a breed (animals). B propagate (plants). [latin multiplico: related to *multiplex]
Mollusk  n. (brit. Mollusc) invertebrate with a soft body and usu. A hard shell, e.g. Snails and oysters. [latin molluscus soft]
Patricide  n. = *parricide (esp. With reference to the killing of one's father).  patricidal adj. [latin, alteration of parricida]
Velvet  —n. 1 soft fabric with a thick short pile on one side. 2 furry skin on a growing antler. —adj. Of, like, or soft as velvet.  on velvet in an advantageous or prosperous position.  velvety adj. [latin villus tuft, down]
Xenon  n. Heavy inert gaseous element. [greek, neuter of xenos strange]
Issue  —n. 1 a act of giving out or circulating shares, notes, stamps, etc. B quantity of coins, copies of a newspaper, etc., circulated at one time. C each of a regular series of a magazine etc. (the may issue). 2 a outgoing, outflow. B way out, outlet, esp. The place of the emergence of a stream etc. 3 point in question; important subject of debate or litigation. 4 result; outcome. 5 law children, progeny (without male issue). —v. (issues, issued, issuing) 1 literary go or come out. 2 a send forth; publish; put into circulation. B supply, esp. Officially or authoritatively (foll. By to, with: issued passports to them; issued them with passports). 3 a (often foll. By from) be derived or result. B (foll. By in) end, result. 4 (foll. By from) emerge from a condition.  at issue under discussion; in dispute. Join (or take) issue (foll. By with a person etc., about, on, over a subject) disagree or argue. [latin exitus: related to *exit]

Collective noun  n. Singular noun denoting a collection or number of individuals (e.g. Assembly, family, troop).


Slough2  —n. Part that an animal casts or moults, esp. A snake's cast skin. —v. (often foll. By off) cast or drop off as a slough. [origin unknown]




High-level  adj. 1 (of negotiations etc.) Conducted by high-ranking people. 2 computing (of a programming language) not machine-dependent and usu. At a level of abstraction close to natural language.

Dj  abbr. 1 dinner-jacket. 2 disc jockey.

Advertisement  n. 1 public announcement, esp. Of goods etc. For sale or wanted, vacancies, etc. 2 advertising. [french avertissement: related to *adverse]

Unexplained  adj. Not explained.
Sleeping-car  n. (also sleeping-carriage) railway coach with berths.

Okra  n. Tall, orig. African plant with long ridged seed-pods used for food. [west african native name]

Unviable  adj. Not viable.
Amity  n. Friendship. [latin amicus friend]
Holy spirit  n. Third person of the trinity, god as spiritually acting.

Chink2  —v. (cause to) make a sound like glasses or coins striking together. —n. This sound. [imitative]
Stumble  —v. (-ling) 1 involuntarily lurch forward or almost fall. 2 (often foll. By along) walk with repeated stumbles. 3 speak haltingly. 4 (foll. By on, upon, across) find by chance. —n. Act of stumbling. [related to *stammer]
Fell5  n. Animal's hide or skin with its hair. [old english]




Periodic  adj. Appearing or occurring at intervals.  periodicity n.
Water-bearer  var. Of *water-carrier.

Bin  n. Large receptacle for rubbish or storage. [old english]


Herbaceous  adj. Of or like herbs.












Clean  —adj. 1 free from dirt or impurities, unsoiled. 2 clear; unused; pristine (clean air; clean page). 3 not obscene or indecent. 4 attentive to personal hygiene and cleanliness. 5 complete, clear-cut. 6 showing no record of crime, disease, etc. 7 fair (a clean fight). 8 streamlined; well-formed. 9 adroit, skilful. 10 (of a nuclear weapon) producing relatively little fallout. —adv. 1 completely, outright, simply. 2 in a clean manner. —v. Make or become clean. —n. Act or process of cleaning.  clean out 1 clean thoroughly. 2 slang empty or deprive (esp. Of money). Clean up 1 a clear away (a mess). B (also absol.) Put (things) tidy. C make (oneself) clean. 2 restore order or morality to. 3 slang acquire as or make a profit. Come clean colloq. Confess fully. Make a clean breast of see *breast. [old english]
Content2  n. 1 (usu. In pl.) What is contained, esp. In a vessel, book, or house. 2 amount (of a constituent) contained (high fat content). 3 substance (of a speech etc.) As distinct from form. 4 capacity or volume. [medieval latin: related to *contain]
Demo  n. (pl. -s) colloq. = *demonstration 2, 3. [abbreviation]

Peaky  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 sickly; puny. 2 white-faced.



Blind drunk  adj. Colloq. Extremely drunk.


Chartism  n. Hist. Uk parliamentary reform movement of 1837–48.  chartist n. [from *charter: name taken from ‘people's charter’]
Crystallography  n. Science of crystal formation and structure.  crystallographer n.


French letter  n. Colloq. Condom.
Clove2  n. Small segment of a compound bulb, esp. Of garlic. [old english: related to *cleave1]

Enchant  v. 1 charm, delight. 2 bewitch.  enchantedly adv. Enchanting adj. Enchantingly adv. Enchantment n.




Positivism  n. Philosophical system recognizing only facts and observable phenomena.  positivist n. & adj.
Muleteer  n. Mule-driver. [french muletier: related to *mule1]
Nematode  n. Worm with a slender unsegmented cylindrical shape. [greek nema thread]
Waterspout  n. Gyrating column of water and spray between sea and cloud.




Fault-finder  n. Complaining person.



Abc  n. 1 the alphabet. 2 rudiments of a subject. 3 alphabetical guide.

Miras  abbr. Mortgage interest relief at source.
Passerine  —n. Perching bird such as the sparrow and most land birds. —adj. Of passerines. [latin passer sparrow]






Airport  n. Airfield with facilities for passengers and goods.


Mismanage  v. (-ging) manage badly or wrongly.  mismanagement n. [from *mis-1]
Ne'er  adv. Poet. = *never. [contraction]








Usage  see note at intense.
Cart-horse  n. Thickset horse.
Proactive  adj. (of a person, policy, etc.) Taking the initiative. [from *pro-2, after *reactive]
Catnip  n. = *catmint. [from *cat, dial. Nip catmint]

Mesembryanthemum  n. S. African fleshy-leaved plant with bright daisy-like flowers that open fully in sunlight. [greek, = noon flower]
Glide path  n. Aircraft's line of descent to land.
Vice squad  n. Police department concerned with prostitution etc.

Rake3  —v. (-king) 1 set or be set at a sloping angle. 2 (of a mast or funnel) incline from the perpendicular towards the stern. —n. 1 raking position or build. 2 amount by which a thing rakes. [origin unknown]
Capital goods  n.pl. Machinery, plant, etc.

Quixotic  adj. Extravagantly and romantically chivalrous.  quixotically adv. [don quixote, in cervantes' romance]

Bhang  n. Indian hemp used as a narcotic. [portuguese from sanskrit]
Watching brief  n. Brief of a barrister who follows a case for a client not directly concerned.
Spaniard  n. 1 native or national of spain. 2 person of spanish descent. [french espaigne spain]


Star turn  n. Main item in an entertainment etc.



Hyperbola  n. (pl. -s or -lae) plane curve produced when a cone is cut by a plane that makes a larger angle with the base than the side of the cone makes.  hyperbolic adj. [greek hyperbole, = excess: related to *hyper-, ballo throw]


Revenue  n. 1 a income, esp. A substantial one. B (in pl.) Items constituting this. 2 state's annual income from which public expenses are met. 3 department of the civil service collecting this. [french revenu from latin revenio return]
Nobility  n. (pl. -ies) 1 nobleness of character, mind, birth, or rank. 2 class of nobles, highest social class.
Broke  past of *break. —predic. Adj. Colloq. Having no money.
Wrestle  —n. 1 contest in which two opponents grapple and try to throw each other to the ground, esp. As an athletic sport. 2 hard struggle. —v. (-ling) 1 (often foll. By with) take part or fight in a wrestle. 2 a (foll. By with, against) struggle. B (foll. By with) do one's utmost to deal with (a task, difficulty, etc.).  wrestler n. Wrestling n. [old english]
Centiliter  n. (brit. Centilitre) 0.01 litre.


Bold  adj. 1 confidently assertive; adventurous, brave. 2 impudent. 3 vivid (bold colours).  make (or be) so bold as to presume to; venture to.  boldly adv. Boldness n. [old english]

Morrow  n. (usu. Prec. By the) literary the following day. [related to *morn]
Horse-drawn  adj. (of a vehicle) pulled by a horse or horses.

Inarticulate  adj. 1 unable to express oneself clearly. 2 (of speech) not articulate; indistinct. 3 dumb. 4 esp. Anat. Not jointed.  inarticulately adv.
Observer  n. 1 person who observes. 2 interested spectator. 3 person who attends a meeting etc. To note the proceedings but does not participate.
Paid-up  adj. Having paid one's subscription to a trade-union, club, etc., or having done what is required to be considered a full member of a particular group (paid-up feminist).
American football  n. Football evolved from rugby.
Adopt  v. 1 legally take (a person) into a relationship, esp. Another's child as one's own. 2 choose (a course of action etc.). 3 take over (another's idea etc.). 4 choose as a candidate for office. 5 accept responsibility for the maintenance of (a road etc.). 6 accept or approve (a report, accounts, etc.).  adoption n. [latin: related to *ad-, *opt]
Knurl  n. Small projecting knob, ridge, etc. [low german or dutch]
Tittup  —v. (-p- or -pp-) go about friskily or jerkily; bob up and down; canter. —n. Such a gait or movement. [perhaps imitative]

Sulfur  n. (brit. Sulphur) 1 pale-yellow non-metallic element burning with a blue flame and a suffocating smell. 2 pale greenish-yellow colour. [anglo-french from latin]
Lark1  n. Small bird with a tuneful song, esp. The skylark. [old english]
Wish-fulfilment  n. Tendency for subconscious desire to be satisfied in fantasy.
Slip-on  —attrib. Adj. Easily slipped on and off. —n. Slip-on shoe or garment.
I'll  contr. I shall; i will.
Pinhead  n. 1 head of a pin. 2 very small thing or spot. 3 colloq. Stupid person.
Hieroglyphic  —adj. Of or written in hieroglyphs. —n. (in pl.) Hieroglyphs; hieroglyphic writing.
Raffia  n. 1 palm-tree native to madagascar. 2 fibre from its leaves, used for weaving and for tying plants etc. [malagasy]
Herr  n. (pl. Herren) 1 title of a german man; mr. 2 german man. [german]



Fell1  past of *fall v.



Multilingual  adj. In, speaking, or using several languages.



Eliminate  v. (-ting) 1 remove, get rid of. 2 exclude from consideration. 3 exclude from a further stage of a competition through defeat etc.  elimination n. Eliminator n. [latin limen limin- threshold] (-ting) 1 remove, get rid of. 2 exclude from consideration. 3 exclude from a further stage of a competition through defeat etc.  elimination n. Eliminator n. [latin limen limin- threshold]
Cuff-link  n. Two joined studs etc. For fastening a cuff.
Spinnaker  n. Large triangular sail opposite the mainsail of a racing-yacht. [sphinx, name of the yacht first using it]


Vacuum-packed  adj. Sealed after the partial removal of air.
Homicide  n. 1 killing of a human being by another. 2 person who kills a human being.  homicidal adj. [latin homo man]

Enable  v. (-ling) 1 (foll. By to + infin.) Give (a person etc.) The means or authority. 2 make possible. 3 esp. Computing make (a device) operational; switch on.
Bottleneck  n. 1 narrow congested area, esp. On a road. 2 impeding thing.
Instrumentality  n. Agency or means.
Debauch  —v. 1 (as debauched adj.) Dissolute. 2 corrupt, deprave. 3 debase (taste or judgement). —n. Bout of sensual indulgence. [french]



Hamitic  —n. Group of african languages including ancient egyptian and berber. —adj. Of this group. [from the name ham (gen. 10:6 ff.)]
Soft-centred  adj. 1 (of a sweet) having a soft centre. 2 soft-hearted; sentimental.




Rip-off  n. Colloq. Swindle, financial exploitation.

Native  —n. 1 a (usu. Foll. By of) person born in a specified place. B local inhabitant. 2 often offens. Member of a non-white indigenous people, as regarded by colonial settlers. 3 (usu. Foll. By of) indigenous animal or plant. —adj. 1 inherent; innate. 2 of one's birth (native country). 3 (usu. Foll. By to) belonging to a specified place. 4 (esp. Of a non-european) indigenous; born in a place. 5 (of metal etc.) Found in a pure or uncombined state. [latin: related to *natal]
Legging  n. (usu. In pl.) 1  close-fitting knitted trousers for women or children. 2 stout protective outer covering for the lower leg.
Sheraton  n. (often attrib.) Style of english furniture c.1790. [name of a furniture-maker]
Cos1  n. Lettuce with crisp narrow leaves. [kos, greek island]

Enough  —adj. As much or as many as required (enough apples). —n. Sufficient amount or quantity (we have enough). —adv. 1 adequately (warm enough). 2 fairly (sings well enough). 3 quite (you know well enough what i mean).  have had enough of want no more of; be satiated with or tired of. Sure enough as expected. [old english]
Rebound  —v. 1 spring back after impact. 2 (foll. By upon) (of an action) have an adverse effect upon (the doer). —n. Act of rebounding; recoil, reaction.  on the rebound while still recovering from an emotional shock, esp. Rejection by a lover. [french rebonder: related to *bound1]



Purée  —n. Smooth pulp of vegetables or fruit etc. —v. (-ées, -éed) make a purée of. [french]
Nerve-centre  n. 1 group of closely connected nerve-cells. 2 centre of control.
Tweak  —v. 1 pinch and twist sharply; jerk. 2 make fine adjustments to (a mechanism). —n. Act of tweaking. [probably dial. Twick, *twitch]
Gaudy  adj. (-ier, -iest) tastelessly showy.  gaudily adv. Gaudiness n. [obsolete gaud ornament, from latin gaudeo rejoice]
Muslin  n. Fine delicately woven cotton fabric. [italian mussolo mosul in iraq]
Drip-dry  —v. Dry or leave to dry crease-free when hung up. —adj. Able to be drip-dried.
Foreign  adj. 1 of, from, in, or characteristic of, a country or language other than one's own. 2 dealing with other countries (foreign service). 3 of another district, society, etc. 4 (often foll. By to) unfamiliar, alien. 5 coming from outside (foreign body).  foreignness n. [latin foris outside]
Stigmatize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) (often foll. By as) brand as unworthy or disgraceful. [greek stigmatizo: related to *stigma]

Blue-pencil  v. Censor or cut (a manuscript, film, etc.).


Punt4  n. Chief monetary unit of the republic of ireland. [irish, = pound]
Manual  —adj. 1 of or done with the hands (manual labour). 2 a worked by hand, not automatically (manual gear-change). B (of a vehicle) worked by manual gear-change. —n. 1 reference book. 2 organ keyboard played with the hands, not the feet. 3 colloq. Vehicle with manual transmission.  manually adv. [latin manus hand]

Saint  —n. (abbr. St or s; pl. Sts or ss) 1 holy or (in some churches) formally canonized person regarded as worthy of special veneration. 2 very virtuous person. —v. (as sainted adj.) Saintly.  sainthood n. Saintlike adj. [latin sanctus holy]
Populist  n. Politician claiming to represent the ordinary people. [latin populus people]


Spatial  adj. Of space.  spatially adv. [latin: related to *space]


Drew  past of *draw.
Surveillance  n. Close observation undertaken by the police etc. [french: related to *sur-1, veiller watch]

Joist  n. Supporting beam in a floor, ceiling, etc. [french giste from latin jaceo lie]
Nothingness  n. 1 non-existence. 2 worthlessness, triviality.
Round dance  n. Dance in which couples move in circles or dancers form one large circle.
Pernicious anaemia  n. Defective formation of red blood cells through lack of vitamin b.
Hobble  —v. (-ling) 1 walk lamely; limp. 2 tie together the legs of (a horse etc.) To prevent it from straying. —n. 1 uneven or infirm gait. 2 rope etc. For hobbling a horse etc. [probably low german]

Ensemble  n. 1 a thing viewed as the sum of its parts. B general effect of this. 2 set of clothes worn together. 3 group of performers working together. 4 mus. Concerted passage for an ensemble. [latin simul at the same time]

Punch-line  n. Words giving the point of a joke or story.
High jinks  n.pl. Boisterous fun.


Box camera  n. Simple box-shaped camera.


Viceregal  adj. Of a viceroy.

Pip4  n. 1 any of the spots on a playing-card, dice, or domino. 2  star (1–3 according to rank) on the shoulder of an army officer's uniform. [origin unknown]
Hawthorn  n. Thorny shrub with small dark-red berries. [related to *haw1]



Acoustics  n.pl. 1 properties or qualities (of a room etc.) In transmitting sound. 2 (usu. As sing.) Science of sound.


Crevice  n. Narrow opening or fissure, esp. In rock etc. [french: related to *crevasse]





Simmer  —v. 1 bubble or boil gently. 2 be in a state of suppressed anger or excitement. —n. Simmering condition.  simmer down become less agitated. [perhaps imitative]
Untrammelled  adj. Not trammelled, unhampered.
Dumb show  n. Gestures; mime.

Fellow-traveller  n. 1 person who travels with another. 2 sympathizer with the communist party.


Felloe  n. (also felly) (pl. -s or -ies) outer circle (or a section of it) of a wheel. [old english]
Rhesus positive  adj. Having the rhesus factor.
Flak  n. 1 anti-aircraft fire. 2 adverse criticism; abuse. [german, fliegerabwehrkanone, ‘aviator-defence-gun’]
Eponym  n. 1 word, place-name, etc., derived from a person's name. 2 person whose name is used in this way.  eponymous adj. [greek onoma name]

Depositary  n. (pl. -ies) person to whom a thing is entrusted. [latin: related to *deposit]

Vestibule  n. 1 hall or lobby of a building. 2 us enclosed space between railway-carriages. [latin]
Specialty  n. (pl. -ies) esp. Us = *speciality.
Cyclamate  n. Former artificial sweetener. [chemical name]
Off-centre  adj. & adv. Not quite centrally placed.


Unseal  v. Break the seal of; open (a letter, receptacle, etc.).
Nosebag  n. Bag containing fodder, hung on a horse's head.
Hippopotamus  n. (pl. -muses or -mi) large african mammal with short legs and thick skin, living by rivers, lakes, etc. [greek hippos horse, potamos river]

Watering-can  n. Portable container with a long spout, for watering plants.

Exhume  v. (-ming) dig up (esp. A buried corpse).  exhumation n. [latin humus ground]
Usage  see note at polity.
Mold1  (brit. Mould) —n. 1 hollow container into which a substance is poured or pressed to harden into a required shape. 2 a vessel for shaping puddings etc. B pudding etc. Made in this way. 3 form or shape. 4 frame or template for producing mouldings. 5 character or type (in heroic mould). —v. 1 make (an object) in a required shape or from certain ingredients (moulded out of clay). 2 give shape to. 3 influence the development of. [french modle from latin *modulus]
Merger  n. Combining, esp. Of two commercial companies etc. Into one.


Trout  n. (pl. Same or -s) fish related to the salmon, valued as food. [latin tructa]

Future perfect  n. Gram. Tense giving the sense ‘will have done’.


Everyday  attrib. Adj. 1 occurring every day. 2 used on ordinary days. 3 commonplace.


Coral island  n. (also coral reef) island (or reef) formed by the growth of coral.
Odds  n.pl. 1 ratio between the amounts staked by the parties to a bet, based on the expected probability either way. 2 balance of probability or advantage (the odds are against it; the odds are in your favour). 3 difference giving an advantage (it makes no odds).  at odds (often foll. By with) in conflict or at variance. Over the odds above the normal price etc. [apparently from *odd]
Flamenco  n. (pl. -s) 1 style of spanish gypsy guitar music with singing. 2 dance performed to this. [spanish, = flemish]

Room service  n. Provision of food etc. In a hotel bedroom.
Radioisotope  n. Radioactive isotope.

Lingual  adj. 1 of or formed by the tongue. 2 of speech or languages.  lingually adv. [latin lingua tongue, language]
Chanticleer  n. Name given to a domestic cock in stories. [french: related to *chant, *clear]

Leap-frog  —n. Game in which players vault with parted legs over others bending down. —v. (-gg-) 1 perform such a vault (over). 2 overtake alternately.


Violence  n. 1 being violent. 2 violent conduct or treatment. 3 unlawful use of force.  do violence to act contrary to; outrage. [latin: related to *violent]
Myth  n. 1 traditional story usu. Involving supernatural or imaginary persons and embodying popular ideas on natural or social phenomena etc. 2 such narratives collectively. 3 widely held but false notion. 4 fictitious person, thing, or idea. 5 allegory (platonic myth).  mythical adj. Mythically adv. [greek muthos]


Nimby  —adj. Objecting to the siting of unpleasant developments in one's own locality. —n. (pl. -ies) person who so objects. [not in my back yard]

Yourself  pron. (pl. Yourselves) 1 a emphat. Form of *you. B refl. Form of *you. 2 in your normal state of body or mind (are quite yourself again).  be yourself see *oneself.
Recognition  n. Recognizing or being recognized. [latin: related to *recognize]
Sparkler  n. 1 hand-held sparkling firework. 2 colloq. Diamond.
High chair  n. Infant's chair with long legs and a tray for meals.


Aquamarine  —n. 1 bluish-green beryl. 2 its colour. —adj. Bluish-green. [latin aqua marina sea water]
Industrialism  n. System in which manufacturing industries are prevalent.
Magnify  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 make (a thing) appear larger than it is, as with a lens. 2 exaggerate. 3 intensify. 4 archaic extol.  magnifiable adj. Magnifier n. [latin: related to *magnificent]

Sampler2  n. 1 person or thing that samples. 2 us collection of representative items etc.
Flatten  v. 1 make or become flat. 2 colloq. A humiliate. B knock down.


Dip. Ed.  Abbr. Diploma in education.



Coinage  n. 1 coining. 2 a coins. B system of coins in use. 3 invention, esp. Of a word.
Pax  n. 1 kiss of peace. 2 (as int.) Slang call for a truce (used esp. By schoolchildren). [latin, = peace]
Convivial  adj. Fond of good company; sociable and lively.  conviviality n. [latin vivo live]
Catarrh  n. 1 inflammation of the mucous membrane of the nose, air-passages, etc. 2 mucus caused by this.  catarrhal adj. [greek rheo flow]
Direct tax  n. Tax that one pays directly to the government, esp. On income.
Lifelong  adj. Lasting a lifetime.
Valise  n. Us small portmanteau. [french from italian]

Ferrous  adj. 1 containing iron. 2 containing iron in a divalent form.

They'll  contr. 1 they will. 2 they shall.

Guardhouse  n. Building used to accommodate a military guard or to detain prisoners.
Kiwi fruit  n. Green-fleshed fruit of a climbing plant.


Dipole  n. 1 two equal and oppositely charged or magnetized poles separated by a distance. 2 molecule in which a concentration of positive charges is separated from a concentration of negative charges. 3 aerial consisting of a horizontal metal rod with a connecting wire at its core.
Herbarium  n. (pl. -ria) 1 systematically arranged collection of dried plants. 2 book, room, etc. For these.
Six  adj. & n. 1 one more than five. 2 symbol for this (6, vi, vi). 3 size etc. Denoted by six. 4 cricket hit scoring six runs. 5 six o'clock.  at sixes and sevens in confusion or disagreement. Knock (or hit) for six colloq. Utterly surprise or overcome. [old english]


Marabou  n. 1 large w. African stork. 2 its down as trimming etc. [french from arabic]

Jcb  n. Propr. Mechanical excavator with a shovel and a digging arm. [j. C. Bamford, name of the makers]
Mazurka  n. 1 lively polish dance in triple time. 2 music for this. [french or german from polish]


Vaulting  n. Arched work in a vaulted roof or ceiling.




Lucid  adj. 1 expressing or expressed clearly. 2 sane.  lucidity n. Lucidly adv. Lucidness n. [latin lux luc- light]



Chunky  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 consisting of or resembling chunks; thick, substantial. 2 small and sturdy.  chunkiness n.
Haute couture  n. High fashion; leading fashion houses or their products. [french]

Hop2  n. 1 climbing plant bearing cones. 2 (in pl.) Its ripe cones, used to flavour beer. [low german or dutch]


Milk  —n. 1 opaque white fluid secreted by female mammals for the nourishment of their young. 2 milk of cows, goats, or sheep as food. 3 milklike juice of the coconut etc. —v. 1 draw milk from (a cow etc.). 2 exploit (a person or situation) to the utmost. [old english]






Swear-word  n. Profane or indecent word.

Hornpipe  n. 1 lively dance (esp. Associated with sailors). 2 music for this.

Inventive  adj. Able to invent; imaginative.  inventively adv. Inventiveness n.

Emerald  —n. 1 bright-green gem. 2 colour of this. —adj. Bright green. [greek smaragdos]
Trinity term  n. University and law term beginning after easter.





Golden eagle  n. Large eagle with yellow-tipped head-feathers.
Nelson  n. Wrestling-hold in which one arm is passed under the opponent's arm from behind and the hand is applied to the neck (half nelson), or both arms and hands are applied (full nelson). [apparently from the name nelson]
Bridegroom  n. Man on his wedding day and during the period just before and after it. [old english]


Hurly-burly  n. Boisterous activity; commotion. [a reduplication of *hurl]



Pre-empt  v. 1 a forestall. B appropriate in advance. 2  obtain by pre-emption. [back-formation from *pre-emption]
Undiscovered  adj. Not discovered.
Tang  n. 1 strong taste or smell. 2 characteristic quality. 3 projection on the blade of esp. A knife, by which it is held firm in the handle. [old norse tange point]


Incurable  —adj. That cannot be cured. —n. Incurable person.  incurability n. Incurably adv.



Stunning  adj. Colloq. Extremely attractive or impressive.  stunningly adv.
Popper  n. 1 colloq. Press-stud. 2 thing that pops (party popper).
One-horse  attrib. Adj. 1 using a single horse. 2 colloq. Small, poorly equipped.



Martingale  n. Strap(s) preventing a horse from rearing etc. [french, origin uncertain]


Sporran  n. Pouch worn in front of the kilt. [gaelic sporan]



Undemonstrative  adj. Not emotionally expressive; reserved.
Infill  —n. 1 material used to fill a hole, gap, etc. 2 filling gaps (esp. In a row of buildings). —v. Fill in (a cavity etc.).



Inattentive  adj. 1 not paying attention. 2 neglecting to show courtesy.  inattention n. Inattentively adv.
Diet1  —n. 1 range of foods habitually eaten by a person or animal. 2 limited range of food to which a person is restricted. 3 thing regularly offered (diet of half-truths). —v. (-t-) restrict oneself to a special diet, esp. To slim.  dietary adj. Dieter n. [greek diaita way of life]

Handle  —n. 1 part by which a thing is held, carried, or controlled. 2 fact that may be taken advantage of (gave a handle to his critics). 3 colloq. Personal title. —v. (-ling) 1 touch, feel, operate, or move with the hands. 2 manage, deal with (can handle people). 3 deal in (goods). 4 treat (a subject). [old english: related to *hand]
Deprivation  n. Depriving or being deprived (suffered many deprivations).
Reproach  —v. Express disapproval to (a person or oneself) for a fault. —n. 1 rebuke or censure. 2 (often foll. By to) thing that brings disgrace or discredit. 3 state of disgrace or discredit.  above (or beyond) reproach perfect, blameless. [french reprochier]


Clothier  n. Seller of men's clothes.

Accelerator  n. 1 device for increasing speed, esp. The pedal controlling the speed of a vehicle's engine. 2 physics apparatus for imparting high speeds to charged particles.

Trigger  —n. 1 movable device for releasing a spring or catch and so setting off a mechanism (esp. That of a gun). 2 event, occurrence, etc., that sets off a chain reaction. —v. (often foll. By off) set (an action or process) in motion; precipitate.  quick on the trigger quick to respond. [tricker from dutch trekker from trekken pull]

Electrodynamics  n.pl. (usu. Treated as sing.) The study of electricity in motion.  electrodynamic adj.
Rhinestone  n. Imitation diamond. [river rhine in germany]


Speedway  n. 1 a motor-cycle racing. B arena for this. 2 us road or track for fast traffic.
Tiling  n. 1 process of fixing tiles. 2 area of tiles.
Orbital  adj. 1 of an orbit or orbits. 2 (of a road) passing round the outside of a town.

Ketch  n. Small two-masted sailing-boat. [probably from *catch]


Needy  adj. (-ier, -iest) poor; destitute.  neediness n.



Hard core  n. 1 irreducible nucleus. 2 colloq. A the most committed members of a society etc. B conservative or reactionary minority (see also *hardcore).
Anarchy  n. Disorder, esp. Political.  anarchic adj. [greek an- without, arkhe rule]
Scarify1  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 a make slight incisions in. B cut off skin from. 2 hurt by severe criticism etc. 3 loosen (soil).  scarification n. [greek skariphos stylus]
Tinder  n. Dry substance that readily catches fire from a spark.  tindery adj. [old english]


Right of way  n. 1 right established by usage to pass over another's ground. 2 path subject to such a right. 3 right of a vehicle to precedence.
Annex  v. 1 (often foll. By to) add as a subordinate part. 2 incorporate (territory) into one's own. 3 add as a condition or consequence. 4 colloq. Take without right.  annexation n. [latin necto bind]
Mother tongue  n. Native language.





Storm in a teacup  n. Great excitement over a trivial matter.
Wolves  pl. Of *wolf.

Sniffer-dog  n. Colloq. Dog trained to sniff out drugs or explosives.
Monotone  —n. 1 sound or utterance continuing or repeated on one note without change of pitch. 2 sameness of style in writing. —adj. Without change of pitch.
Presentation  n. 1 a presenting or being presented. B thing presented. 2 manner or quality of presenting. 3 demonstration or display of materials, information, etc.; lecture.
Powder-puff  n. Soft pad for applying powder to the skin, esp. The face.

Nail  —n. 1 small metal spike hammered in to join things together or as a peg or decoration. 2 horny covering on the upper surface of the tip of the human finger or toe. —v. 1 fasten with a nail or nails. 2 secure or get hold of (a person or thing). 3 keep (attention etc.) Fixed. 4 expose or discover (a lie or liar).  nail down 1 bind (a person) to a promise etc. 2 define precisely. 3 fasten (a thing) with nails. Nail in a person's coffin something thought to increase the risk of death. On the nail (esp. Of payment) without delay. [old english]
Krone  n. (pl. Kroner) chief monetary unit of denmark and norway. [danish and norwegian, = *crown]



Syn-  prefix with, together, alike. [greek sun with]
Pyramid  n. 1 monumental, esp. Stone, structure, with a square base and sloping triangular sides meeting at an apex, esp. An ancient egyptian royal tomb. 2 solid of this shape with esp. A square or triangular base. 3 pyramid-shaped thing or pile of things.  pyramidal adj. [greek puramis -mid-]
Patristic  adj. Of the early christian writers or their work. [latin: related to *pater]







Hitherto  adv. Until this time, up to now.
Heelball  n. 1 mixture of hard wax and lampblack used by shoemakers for polishing. 2 this or a similar mixture used in brass-rubbing.
Oil slick  n. Patch of oil, esp. On the sea.
Disguise  —v. (-sing) 1 conceal the identity of; make unrecognizable. 2 conceal (disguised my anger). —n. 1 a costume, make-up, etc., used to disguise. B action, manner, etc., used to deceive. 2 disguised state. 3 practice of disguising. [french: related to *dis-]
Pronunciation  n. 1 pronouncing of a word, esp. With reference to a standard. 2 act of pronouncing. 3 way of pronouncing words etc. [latin: related to *pronounce]





Human shield  n. Person(s) placed in the line of fire in order to discourage attack.
Deemster  n. Judge in the isle of man. [from *deem]
Yep  adv. & n. (also yup) us colloq. = *yes.
Inaudible  adj. Unable to be heard.  inaudibly adv.


Inhibition  n. 1 psychol. Restraint on the direct expression of an instinct. 2 colloq. Emotional resistance to a thought, action, etc. 3 inhibiting or being inhibited.






Unmanned  adj. 1 not manned. 2 overcome by emotion etc.
Re-sign  v. Sign again.
Agony  n. (pl. -ies) 1 extreme mental or physical suffering. 2 severe struggle. [greek agon struggle]

Overlap  —v. (-pp-) 1 (cause to) partly cover and extend beyond (don't overlap them). 2 (of two things) be placed so that one overlaps the other (overlapping tiles). 3 partly coincide. —n. 1 overlapping. 2 overlapping part or amount.
Jeroboam  n. Wine bottle of 4–12 times the ordinary size. [jeroboam in the old testament]

Left wing  —n. 1 more socialist section of a political party or system. 2 left side of a football etc. Team on the field. —adj. (left-wing) socialist, radical.  left-winger n.
Vending-machine  n. Slot-machine selling small items.

Fruit  —n. 1 a seed-bearing part of a plant or tree; this as food. B these collectively. 2 (usu. In pl.) Vegetables, grains, etc. As food (fruits of the earth). 3 (usu. In pl.) Profits, rewards. —v. (cause to) bear fruit. [latin fructus from fruor enjoy]
Hearsay  n. Rumour, gossip.

Chastity  n. Being chaste.
Debrief  v. Colloq. Question (a diplomat, pilot, etc.) About a completed mission or undertaking.  debriefing n.

Ingrained  adj. 1 deeply rooted; inveterate. 2 (of dirt etc.) Deeply embedded.
Own goal  n. 1 goal scored by mistake against the scorer's own side. 2 act etc. That has the unintended effect of harming one's own interests.
Hybrid  —n. 1 offspring of two plants or animals of different species or varieties. 2 thing composed of diverse elements, e.g. A word with parts taken from different languages. —adj. 1 bred as a hybrid. 2 heterogeneous.  hybridism n. [latin]

Staff sergeant  n. Senior sergeant of a non-infantry company.

Lent  n. Eccl. Period of fasting and penitence from ash wednesday to holy saturday.  lenten adj. [old english, = spring]
Usage  see note at comprise.

Dia-  prefix (also di- before a vowel) 1 through (diaphanous). 2 apart (diacritical). 3 across (diameter). [greek dia through]
Plaintiff  n. Person who brings a case against another into court. [french plaintif: related to *plaintive]

Gunboat  n. Small vessel with heavy guns.



Reacquaint  v. Make acquainted again.  reacquaintance n.
Most  —adj. 1 greatest in quantity or degree. 2 the majority of (most people think so). —n. 1 greatest quantity or number (this is the most i can do). 2 the majority (most of them are missing). —adv. 1 in the highest degree. 2 forming the superlative of adjectives and adverbs, esp. Those of more than one syllable (most absurd; most easily). 3 us colloq. Almost.  at most no more or better than (this is at most a makeshift). At the most 1 as the greatest amount. 2 not more than. For the most part 1 mainly. 2 usually.
Character  n. 1 collective qualities or characteristics that distinguish a person or thing. 2 a moral strength. B reputation, esp. Good reputation. 3 a person in a novel, play, etc. B part played by an actor; role. 4 colloq. Person, esp. An eccentric one. 5 printed or written letter, symbol, etc. 6 written description of a person's qualities. 7 characteristic (esp. Of a biological species).  in (or out of) character consistent (or inconsistent) with a person's character.  characterless adj. [greek kharakter]
Mat1  —n. 1 small piece of coarse material on a floor, esp. For wiping one's shoes on. 2 piece of cork, rubber, etc., to protect a surface from a hot dish etc. Placed on it. 3 padded floor covering in gymnastics, wrestling, etc. —v. (-tt-) (esp. As matted adj.) Entangle or become entangled in a thick mass (matted hair).  on the mat slang being reprimanded. [old english]
Ave.  Abbr. Avenue.


Feat  n. Remarkable act or achievement. [latin: related to *fact]
Ywca  abbr. Young women's christian association.





Therefore  adv. For that reason; accordingly, consequently.
Deponent  —adj. (of esp. A latin or greek verb) passive in form but active in meaning. —n. 1 deponent verb. 2 person making deposition under oath. [latin depono put down, lay aside]


Dud  slang —n. 1 useless or broken thing. 2 counterfeit article. 3 (in pl.) Clothes, rags. —adj. Useless, defective. [origin unknown]
Rift  —n. 1 crack, split; break (in cloud etc.). 2 disagreement; breach. 3 cleft in earth or rock. —v. Tear or burst apart. [scandinavian: related to *riven]

Pp.  Abbr. Pages.


Unimpaired  adj. Not impaired.



Archivist  n. Keeper of archives.
Haggle  —v. (-ling) (often foll. By about, over) bargain persistently. —n. Haggling. [old norse]

Necrosis  n. Death of tissue.  necrotic adj. [greek nekroo kill]

Froze  past of *freeze.



Said  past and past part. Of *say.
Long-winded  adj. (of a speech or writing) tediously lengthy.

Publish  v. 1 (also absol.) Prepare and issue (a book, newspaper, etc.) For public sale. 2 make generally known. 3 announce formally. [latin: related to *public]
Eyesight  n. Faculty or power of seeing.
Spectacles  n.pl. Pair of lenses in a frame resting on the nose and ears, used to correct defective eyesight.
Follow-through  n. Action of following through.


Couple  —n. 1 a two (a couple of girls). B about two (a couple of hours). 2 a two people who are married to, or in a sexual relationship with, each other. B pair of partners in a dance etc. —v. (-ling) 1 link together. 2 associate in thought or speech. 3 copulate. [latin *copula]
Illegal  adj. 1 not legal. 2 criminal.  illegality n. (pl. -ies). Illegally adv.
Strenuous  adj. 1 requiring or using great effort. 2 energetic.  strenuously adv. [latin]
Communist party  n. Political party advocating communism or communism.
Funny-bone  n. Part of the elbow over which a very sensitive nerve passes.

Kw  abbr. Kilowatt(s).
Sleeping policeman  n. Ramp etc. In the road to make traffic slow down.
Jackknife  —n. 1 large clasp-knife. 2 dive in which the body is bent and then straightened. —v. (-fing) (of an articulated vehicle) fold against itself in an accident.
Airworthy  adj. (of an aircraft) fit to fly.

Twelve  adj. & n. 1 one more than eleven. 2 symbol for this (12, xii, xii). 3 size etc. Denoted by twelve. 4 twelve o'clock. 5 (the twelve) the apostles. [old english]
Wolf in sheep's clothing  n. Hostile person who pretends friendship.



Spurious  adj. Not genuine, fake. [latin]
Drumstick  n. 1 stick for beating drums. 2 lower leg of a dressed fowl.

Two-step  n. Dance in march or polka time.

Secede  v. (-ding) withdraw formally from a political federation or religious body. [latin secedo -cess-]





Henna  —n. 1 tropical shrub. 2 reddish dye made from it and used to colour hair. —v. (hennaed, hennaing) dye with henna. [arabic]

Sensation  n. 1 feeling in one's body (sensation of warmth). 2 awareness, impression (sensation of being watched). 3 a intense interest, shock, etc. Felt among a large group. B person, event, etc., causing this. 4 sense of touch. [medieval latin: related to *sense]
Paramount  adj. 1 supreme; most important. 2 in supreme authority. [anglo-french par by, amont above: see *amount]


Uxorial  adj. Of a wife. [latin uxor wife]

Message  n. 1 communication sent by one person to another. 2 exalted or spiritual communication. 3 (in pl.) Scot., ir., & n.engl. Shopping.  get the message colloq. Understand (a hint etc.). [latin mitto miss- send]
Fan belt  n. Belt driving a fan to cool the radiator in a vehicle.
Cedar  n. 1 spreading evergreen conifer. 2 its hard fragrant wood. [greek kedros]
Mega  slang —adj. 1 excellent. 2 enormous. —adv. Extremely.
B1  n. (pl. Bs or b's) 1 (also b) second letter of the alphabet. 2 mus. Seventh note of the diatonic scale of c major. 3 second hypothetical person or example. 4 second highest category (of roads, academic marks, etc.). 5 (usu. B) algebra second known quantity.
Mass2  n. (often mass) 1 eucharist, esp. In the roman catholic church. 2 celebration of this. 3 liturgy used in this. 4 musical setting of parts of this. [latin missa dismissal]



Stern1  adj. Severe, grim; authoritarian.  sternly adv. Sternness n. [old english]
Headwaters  n.pl. Streams flowing from the sources of a river.
Anesthetic  (brit. Anaes-)—n. Substance producing anesthesia. —adj.producing anesthesia
Precaution  n. Action taken beforehand to avoid risk or ensure a good result.  precautionary adj. [latin: related to *caution]
Crayfish  n. (pl. Same) 1 small lobster-like freshwater crustacean. 2 crawfish. [french crevice]


Canonical  —adj. (also canonic) 1 a according to canon law. B included in the canon of scripture. 2 authoritative, accepted. 3 of a cathedral chapter or a member of it. —n. (in pl.) Canonical dress of clergy. [medieval latin: related to *canon]
Scalene  adj. (esp. Of a triangle) having unequal sides. [greek skalenos unequal]
Evolution  n. 1 gradual development. 2 development of species from earlier forms, as an explanation of their origins. 3 unfolding of events etc. (evolution of the plot). 4 change in the disposition of troops or ships.  evolutionary adj. [latin: related to *evolve]
Anti-  prefix 1 opposed to (anticlerical). 2 preventing (antifreeze). 3 opposite of (anticlimax). 4 unconventional (anti-hero). [greek]


Army  n. (pl. -ies) 1 organized armed land force. 2 (prec. By the) the military profession. 3 (often foll. By of) very large number (army of locusts). 4 organized civilian body (salvation army). [french: related to *arm2]
Population  n. 1 inhabitants of a place, country, etc. 2 total number of these or any group of living things.

Senile dementia  n. Illness of old people with loss of memory and control of bodily functions etc.
Turkish  —adj. Of turkey, the turks, or their language. —n. This language.
Private bill  n. Parliamentary bill affecting an individual or corporation only.


Mothball  n. Ball of naphthalene etc. Placed in stored clothes to deter moths.  in mothballs stored unused for a considerable time.


Love-bird  n. Parrot, esp. One seeming to show great affection for its mate.

Churchman  n. Member of the clergy or of a church.
Flycatcher  n. Bird catching insects during short flights from a chosen perch.
Melanoma  n. Malignant skin tumour.
Mizen-mast  n. Mast next aft of the mainmast.

Industrial estate  n. Area of land zoned for factories etc.

Daredevil  —n. Recklessly daring person. —adj. Recklessly daring.  daredevilry n.
Decalogue  n. Ten commandments. [greek: related to *deca-, logos word, reason]

Zone  —n. 1 area having particular features, properties, purpose, or use (danger zone; smokeless zone). 2 well-defined region of more or less beltlike form. 3 area between two concentric circles. 4 encircling band of colour etc. 5 archaic belt, girdle. —v. (-ning) 1 encircle as or with a zone. 2 arrange or distribute by zones. 3 assign as or to a particular area.  zonal adj. [greek zone girdle]


Sick-leave  n. Leave granted because of illness.



Bomb-site  n. Area where bombs have caused destruction.

Simple-minded  adj. Foolish; feeble-minded.  simple-mindedness n.

Wicked  adj. (-er, -est) 1 sinful, iniquitous, immoral. 2 spiteful. 3 playfully malicious. 4 colloq. Very bad. 5 slang excellent.  wickedly adv. Wickedness n. [origin uncertain]

Wasn't  contr. Was not.
Corn-cob  n. Cylindrical centre of a maize ear on which the grains grow.


Cartridge paper  n. Thick paper for drawing etc.
Psittacosis  n. Contagious viral disease of esp. Parrots, transmissible to human beings. [greek psittakos parrot]
Arms race  n. Competitive accumulation of weapons by nations.
Whore-house  n. Brothel.



Top2  n. Toy spinning on a point when set in motion. [old english]


See1  v. (past saw; past part. Seen) 1 perceive with the eyes. 2  have or use this power. 3 discern mentally; understand. 4 watch (a film, game, etc.). 5 ascertain, learn (will see if he's here). 6 imagine, foresee (see trouble ahead). 7 look at for information (see page 15). 8 meet and recognize (i saw your mother in town). 9 a meet socially or on business; visit or be visited by (is too ill to see anyone; must see a doctor). B meet regularly as a boyfriend or girlfriend. 10 reflect, wait for clarification (we shall have to see). 11 experience (i never thought to see it). 12 find attractive (can't think what she sees in him). 13 escort, conduct (saw them home). 14 witness (an event etc.) (see the new year in). 15 ensure (see that it is done). 16  a (in poker etc.) Equal (a bet). B equal the bet of (a player).  see about 1 attend to. 2 consider. See the back of colloq. Be rid of. See fit see *fit1. See the light 1 realize one's mistakes etc. 2 undergo religious conversion. See off 1 be present at the departure of (a person). 2 colloq. Ward off, get the better of. See out 1 accompany out of a building etc. 2 finish (a project etc.) Completely. 3 survive (a period etc.). See over inspect; tour. See red colloq. Become enraged. See stars colloq. See lights as a result of a blow on the head. See things colloq. Have hallucinations. See through detect the truth or true nature of. See a person through support a person during a difficult time. See a thing through finish it completely. See to it (foll. By that) ensure. [old english]
Chatterbox  n. Talkative person.

Pushful  adj. Pushy; arrogant.  pushfully adv.


Spirit-lamp  n. Lamp burning methylated spirit etc. Instead of oil.
Mace2  n. Dried outer covering of the nutmeg as a spice. [latin macir]
Mangle1  —n. Machine of two or more cylinders for squeezing water from and pressing wet clothes. —v. (-ling) press (clothes etc.) In a mangle. [dutch mangel]

Exhibition  n. 1 display (esp. Public) of works of art etc. 2 exhibiting or being exhibited. 3 scholarship, esp. From the funds of a school, college, etc.
Persona non grata  n. (pl. Personae non gratae) unacceptable person.
Polling-booth  n. Compartment in which a voter stands to mark the ballot-paper.
Socialize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 mix socially. 2 make social. 3 organize on socialistic principles.  socialization n.
Pwr  abbr. Pressurized-water reactor.

Workaday  adj. Ordinary, everyday, practical.
Inside information  n. Information not normally accessible to outsiders.

Roll-top desk  n. Desk with a flexible cover sliding in curved grooves.
Inri  abbr. Jesus of nazareth, king of the jews. [latin iesus nazarenus rex iudaeorum]

Confer  v. (-rr-) 1 (often foll. By on, upon) grant or bestow. 2 (often foll. By with) converse, consult.  conferrable adj. [latin confero collat- bring together]
Gun  —n. 1 weapon consisting of a metal tube from which bullets or other missiles are propelled with great force, esp. By a contained explosion. 2 starting pistol. 3 device for discharging insecticide, grease etc., in the required direction. 4 member of a shooting-party. 5 us gunman. —v. (-nn-) 1 a (usu. Foll. By down) shoot (a person) with a gun. B shoot at with a gun. 2 go shooting. 3 (foll. By for) seek out determinedly to attack or rebuke.  go great guns colloq. Proceed vigorously or successfully. Stick to one's guns colloq. Maintain one's position under attack. [perhaps an abbreviation of the scandinavian woman's name gunnhildr, applied to cannon etc.]
Deodorize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) remove or destroy the smell of.  deodorization n.




Pinny  n. (pl. -ies) colloq. Pinafore. [abbreviation]
Rip-roaring  adj. 1 wildly noisy or boisterous. 2 excellent, first-rate.

Acolyte  n. 1 person assisting a priest. 2 assistant; beginner. [greek akolouthos follower]
Suchlike  colloq. —attrib. Adj. Of such a kind. —n. Things, people, etc. Of such a kind.
Scrutinize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) subject to scrutiny.

Childhood  n. State or period of being a child.
Ramshackle  adj. Tumbledown, rickety. [related to *ransack]

Norn  n. Any of three goddesses of destiny in scandinavian mythology. [old norse]
Usage  the alternative pronunciation given for the noun, with the stress on the first syllable, is considered incorrect by some people.




Computer  n. Electronic device for storing and processing data, making calculations, or controlling machinery.
Globe  n. 1 a (prec. By the) the earth. B spherical representation of it with a map on the surface. 2 spherical object, e.g. A fish-bowl, lamp, etc. [latin globus]
Clipboard  n. Small board with a spring clip for holding papers etc.



Neighborly  adj. (brit. Neighbourly) like a good neighbour; friendly; kind.  neighbourliness n.
Piecemeal  —adv. Piece by piece; gradually. —adj. Gradual; unsystematic. [from *piece, *meal1]
Dowsing-rod  n. Rod for dowsing.
Ted  n. (also ted) colloq. Teddy boy. [abbreviation]

Laughing-gas  n. Nitrous oxide as an anaesthetic.
Reform  —v. 1 make or become better by the removal of faults and errors. 2 abolish or cure (an abuse or malpractice). —n. 1 removal of faults or abuses, esp. Moral, political, or social. 2 improvement made or suggested.  reformative adj.
Sawyer  n. Person who saws timber, esp. For a living.


Shallot  n. Onion-like plant with a cluster of small bulbs. [french: related to *scallion]
Capital  —n. 1 chief town or city of a country or region. 2 a money etc. With which a company starts in business. B accumulated wealth. 3 capitalists collectively. 4 capital letter. 5 head of a column or pillar. —adj. 1 a principal, most important. B colloq. Excellent. 2 a involving punishment by death. B (of an error etc.) Vitally harmful, fatal. 3 (of letters of the alphabet) large in size, used to begin sentences and names etc.  make capital out of use to one's advantage. [latin caput -itis head]

Igneous  adj. 1 of fire; fiery. 2 (esp. Of rocks) volcanic. [latin ignis fire]
Mill-wheel  n. Wheel used to drive a water-mill.
Footway  n. Path for pedestrians.
Psychedelia  n.pl. 1 psychedelic phenomena. 2 subculture associated with these.
Incidence  n. 1 (often foll. By of) range, scope, extent, or rate of occurrence or influence (of disease, tax, etc.). 2 falling of a line, ray, particles, etc., on a surface. 3 coming into contact with a thing. [latin cado fall]
Br  symb. Bromine.

Apex  n. (also apex) (often attrib.) System of reduced fares for scheduled flights. [advance purchase excursion]

Hike  —n. 1 long walk, esp. In the country for pleasure. 2 rise in prices etc. —v. (-king) 1 go for a hike. 2 walk laboriously. 3 (usu. Foll. By up) hitch up (clothing etc.); become hitched up. 4 (usu. Foll. By up) raise (prices etc.).  hiker n. [origin unknown]


Bistre  n. (us bister) brownish pigment from wood soot. [french]

'Twixt  prep. Archaic = *betwixt. [contraction]
Digger  n. 1 person or machine that digs, esp. A mechanical excavator. 2 colloq. Australian or new zealander.




Action point  n. Proposal for action.
Frowzy  adj. (also frowsy) (-ier, -iest) 1 fusty. 2 slatternly, dingy. [origin unknown]


Wodge  n. Colloq. Chunk, lump. [alteration of *wedge]
Butter muslin  n. Thin loosely-woven cloth, orig. For wrapping butter.


Canal  n. 1 artificial inland waterway. 2 tubular duct in a plant or animal. [latin canalis]
Close harmony  n. Harmony in which the notes of a chord are close together.






Polypropene  n. = *polypropylene.
Diatonic  adj. Mus. (of a scale, interval, etc.) Involving only notes belonging to the prevailing key. [greek: related to *tonic]

Spoilt  past and past part. Of *spoil.
Repel  v. (-ll-) 1 drive back; ward off (repel an attacker). 2 refuse to accept (repelled offers of help). 3 be repulsive or distasteful to. 4 resist mixing with or admitting (oil and water repel each other; surface repels moisture). 5 (of a magnetic pole) push away from itself (like poles repel).  repellent adj. & n. [latin repello -puls-]

Gunfight  n. Us fight with firearms.  gunfighter n.
Anyhow  adv. 1 anyway. 2 in a disorderly manner or state (does his work anyhow).


Filofax  n. Propr. A type of loose-leaf personal organizer. [from *file1, *fact]
Prohibited degrees  var. Of *forbidden degrees.
Substantiate  v. (-ting) prove the truth of (a charge, claim, etc.).  substantiation n.



Sextuple  —adj. 1 sixfold. 2 having six parts. 3 being six times as many or as much. —n. Sixfold number or amount. [medieval latin from latin sex six]
Wee1  adj. (weer; weest) 1 esp. Scot. Little. 2 colloq. Tiny. [old english]
Commodore  n. 1 naval officer above captain and below rear-admiral. 2 commander of a squadron or other division of a fleet. 3 president of a yacht-club. [french: related to *commander]

Bantam  n. 1 a kind of small domestic fowl. 2 small but aggressive person. [apparently from bantan in java]


Mademoiselle  n. (pl. Mesdemoiselles) 1 miss or madam (used of or to an unmarried french-speaking woman). 2 (mademoiselle) a young frenchwoman. B french governess. [french ma my, demoiselle *damsel]
Ram  abbr. 1 royal academy of music. 2 random-access memory.
Welfare state  n. 1 system whereby the state undertakes to protect the health and well-being of its citizens by means of grants, pensions, etc. 2 country practising this system.
Arise  v. (-sing; past arose; past part. Arisen) 1 originate. 2 (usu. Foll. By from, out of) result. 3 come to one's notice; emerge. 4 rise, esp. From the dead or from kneeling. [old english a- intensive prefix]
Fixation  n. 1 state of being fixated. 2 obsession, monomania. 3 coagulation. 4 process of assimilating a gas to form a solid compound.
Jotting  n. (usu. In pl.) Jotted note.



Directress  n. Woman director.



Treadle  n. Lever worked by the foot and imparting motion to a machine. [old english: related to *tread]

Never  adv. 1 a at no time; on no occasion; not ever. B colloq. As an emphatic negative (i never heard you come in). 2 not at all (never fear). 3 colloq. (expressing surprise) surely not (you never left the door open!).  well i never! Expressing great surprise. [old english, = not ever]



Linnet  n. Brown-grey finch. [french linette from lin flax, because it eats flax-seed]

Weather-vane  n. 1 revolving pointer on a church spire etc. To show the direction of the wind. 2 inconstant person.


True-love  n. Sweetheart.
Wonted  attrib. Adj. Habitual, usual.
Semtex  n.  Malleable odourless plastic explosive. [from semtín in czechoslovakia, where it was originally made]
Elasticated  adj. (of fabric) made elastic by weaving with rubber thread.
Child's play  n. Easy task.


Impregnable  adj. Strong enough to be secure against attack.  impregnability n. Impregnably adv. [french: related to *in-1, latin prehendo take]





Pianoforte  n. Formal or archaic = *piano1. [italian, earlier piano e forte soft and loud]


C. & w.  Abbr. Country-and-western (music).
Elvish  see *elf.
Checkout  n. 1 act of checking out. 2 pay-desk in a supermarket etc.
Unlisted  adj. Not in a published list, esp. Of stock exchange prices or telephone numbers.
Great deal  n. = *deal1 n. 1.
Declutch  v. Disengage the clutch of a motor vehicle.

Errant  adj. 1 erring. 2 literary or archaic travelling in search of adventure (knight errant).  errantry n. (in sense 2). [from *err: sense 2 ultimately from latin iter journey]
Doh  abbr. Department of health.


Gherkin  n. Small pickled cucumber. [dutch]



Holmium  n. Metallic element of the lanthanide series. [latin holmia stockholm]




Midstream  —n. Middle of a stream etc. —adv. (also in midstream) in the middle of an action etc. (abandoned the project midstream).
Acquire  v. (-ring) gain for oneself; come into possession of. [latin: related to *ad-, quaero quisit- seek]
Cockpit  n. 1 a compartment for the pilot (and crew) of an aircraft or spacecraft. B driver's seat in a racing car. C space for the helmsman in some yachts. 2 arena of war or other conflict. 3 place for cock-fights.
Directive  —n. Order from an authority. —adj. Serving to direct.








Cain  n.  raise cain colloq. = raise the roof. [cain, eldest son of adam (gen. 4)]
Tatting  n. 1 a kind of handmade knotted lace used for trimming etc. 2 process of making this. [origin unknown]



Sudden death  n. Colloq. Decision in a tied game etc. Dependent on one move, card, etc.
Rolling drunk  predic. Adj. Swaying or staggering from drunkenness.

Elision  n. Omission of a vowel or syllable in pronunciation (e.g. In we'll). [latin: related to *elide]


Foreboding  n. Expectation of trouble.



Mc  abbr. 1 master of ceremonies. 2 military cross. 3 member of congress.
Skerry  n. (pl. -ies) scot. Reef, rocky island. [old norse]

Living  —n. 1 being alive (that's what living is all about). 2 livelihood. 3 position held by a clergyman, providing an income. —adj. 1 contemporary; now alive. 2 (of a likeness) exact, lifelike. 3 (of a language) still in vernacular use.  within living memory within the memory of people still alive.

Encourage  v. (-ging) 1 give courage or confidence to. 2 urge. 3 promote.  encouragement n. [french: related to *en-1]

Removal  n. 1 removing or being removed. 2 transfer of furniture etc. On moving house.

Parallel  —adj. 1 a (of lines or planes) continuously side by side and equidistant. B (foll. By to, with) (of a line or plane) having this relation (to or with another). 2 (of circumstances etc.) Precisely similar, analogous, or corresponding. 3 a (of processes etc.) Occurring or performed simultaneously. B computing involving the simultaneous performance of operations. —n. 1 person or thing precisely analogous to another. 2 comparison (drew a parallel between them). 3 (in full parallel of latitude) a each of the imaginary parallel circles of constant latitude on the earth's surface. B corresponding line on a map (49th parallel). 4 printing two parallel lines (||) as a reference mark. —v. (-l-) 1 be parallel, or correspond, to. 2 represent as similar; compare. 3 cite as a parallel instance.  in parallel (of electric circuits) arranged so as to join at common points at each end.  parallelism n. [greek, = alongside one another]
Levy  —v. (-ies, -ied) 1 impose or collect compulsorily (payment etc.). 2 enrol (troops etc.). 3 wage (war). —n. (pl. -ies) 1 a collecting of a contribution, tax, etc. B contribution etc. Levied. 2 a act of enrolling troops etc. B (in pl.) Troops enrolled. [latin levo raise]
Bobble  n. Small woolly ball on a hat etc. [diminutive of *bob1]
Overlay  —v. (past and past part. -laid) 1 lay over. 2 (foll. By with) cover (a thing) with (a coating etc.). —n. Thing laid over another.



Nourishment  n. Sustenance, food.


Whole number  n. Number without fractions; integer.

Polygon  n. Figure with many (usu. Five or more) sides and angles.  polygonal adj. [greek -gonos angled]
Aphasia  n. Loss of verbal understanding or expression, owing to brain damage. [greek aphatos speechless]

Brit  n. Colloq. British person. [abbreviation]
Hubris  n. Arrogant pride or presumption.  hubristic adj. [greek]
Howsoever  adv. Formal 1 in whatsoever way. 2 to whatsoever extent.

T-bone  n. T-shaped bone, esp. In steak from the thin end of a loin.
Agglutinate  v. (-ting) stick as with glue.  agglutination n. Agglutinative adj. [latin: related to *gluten]


Grandeur  n. 1 majesty, splendour; dignity of appearance or bearing. 2 high rank, eminence. 3 nobility of character. [french: related to *grand]

Safari  n. (pl. -s) expedition, esp. In africa, to observe or hunt animals (go on safari). [swahili from arabic safara to travel]

Queen-anne  n. (often attrib.) Style of english architecture, furniture, etc., in the early 18th c.


Jesus  int. Colloq. Exclamation of surprise, dismay, etc. [name of the founder of the christian religion]

Predestine  v. (-ning) 1 determine beforehand. 2 ordain in advance by divine will or as if by fate.  predestination n. [french or church latin: related to *pre-]
Slob  n. Colloq. Derog. Lazy, untidy, or fat person. [irish slab mud]


Savant  n. (fem. Savante,) learned person. [french]




Debark  v. Land from a ship.  debarkation n. [french débarquer]

Chicane  —n. 1 artificial barrier or obstacle on a motor racecourse. 2 chicanery. —v. (-ning) archaic 1 use chicanery. 2 (usu. Foll. By into, out of, etc.) Cheat (a person). [french]
Escalator  n. Moving staircase consisting of a circulating belt forming steps. [latin scala ladder]
Neighbour  (us neighbor) —n. 1 person living next door to or near or nearest another. 2 fellow human being. 3 person or thing near or next to another. —v. Border on; adjoin. [old english: related to *nigh, *boor]
Saliva  n. Colourless liquid secreted into the mouth by glands.  salivary adj. [latin]
Loathe  v. (-thing) detest, hate.  loathing n. [old english]
Solicitor-general  n. (pl. Solicitors-general) law officer below the attorney-general or the lord advocate.


Fryer  n. (also frier) 1 person who fries. 2 vessel for frying esp. Fish.
Anabaptist  n. Member of a religious group believing in baptism only of adults. [greek ana again]
Film-goer  n. Person who frequents the cinema.
Pilgrimage  n. 1 pilgrim's journey. 2 any journey taken for sentimental reasons.
Arterial  adj. 1 of or like an artery. 2 (esp. Of a road) main, important. [french: related to *artery]
Sec.  Abbr. Second(s).
Controvert  v. Dispute, deny. [latin verto vers- turn]
Atomic number  n. Number of protons in the nucleus of an atom.

Golly1  int. Expressing surprise. [euphemism for *god]

Carapace  n. Upper shell of a tortoise or crustacean. [french from spanish]
Company  n. (pl. -ies) 1 a number of people assembled. B guest(s). 2 person's associate(s). 3 a commercial business. B partners in this. 4 actors etc. Working together. 5 subdivision of an infantry battalion. 6 body of people combined for a common purpose (the ship's company). 7 being with another or others.  in company with together with. Keep a person company remain with a person to be sociable. Part company (often foll. By with) cease to associate; separate; disagree. [french: related to *companion]
Recount  v. 1 narrate. 2 tell in detail. [anglo-french reconter: related to *re-, *count1]
Unimaginable  adj. Impossible to imagine.
Saintly  adj. (-ier, -iest) very holy or virtuous.  saintliness n.
Random  adj. Made, done, etc., without method or conscious choice.  at random without a particular aim.  randomize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing). Randomization n. Randomly adv. Randomness n. [french randon from randir gallop]
Genetics  n.pl. (treated as sing.) The study of heredity and the variation of inherited characteristics.  geneticist n.
Research and development  n. Work directed towards the innovation, introduction, and improvement of products and processes.



Arcadian  —n. Idealized country dweller. —adj. Poetically rural. [greek arkadia in the peloponnese]


Headdress  n. Covering for the head.

Croup2  n. Rump, esp. Of a horse. [french: related to *crop]
Arctic circle  n. Parallel of latitude 66° 33´ n, forming an imaginary line round the arctic region.



Vice-  comb. Form forming nouns meaning: 1 substitute, deputy (vice-president). 2 next in rank to (vice admiral). [related to *vice3]
Goldsmith  n. Worker in gold.
Courtship  n. 1 courting, wooing. 2 courting behaviour of animals, birds, etc.


Bsi  abbr. British standards institution.


Took  past of *take.
Visa  n. Endorsement on a passport etc., esp. Allowing entrance to or exit from a country. [latin, = seen]
Physical jerks  n.pl. Colloq. Physical exercises.






Flamingo  n. (pl. -s or -es) tall long-necked wading bird with mainly pink plumage. [provençal: related to *flame]


Elevate  v. (-ting) 1 raise, lift up. 2 exalt in rank etc. 3 (usu. As elevated adj.) Raise morally or intellectually. [latin levo lift]

Way-out  adj. Colloq. Unusual; eccentric.
Factory farm  n. Farm using intensive or industrial methods of livestock rearing.  factory farming n.
Per se  adv. By or in itself; intrinsically. [latin]

Troll2  v. Fish by drawing bait along in the water. [perhaps related to french troller to quest]


Foolish  adj. Lacking good sense or judgement; unwise.  foolishly adv. Foolishness n.

Peril  n. Serious and immediate danger.  perilous adj. Perilously adv. [latin peric(u)lum]
French leave  n. Absence without permission.

Kindly2  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 kind, kind-hearted. 2 (of a climate etc.) Pleasant, mild.  kindlily adv. Kindliness n.



-ar  suffix forming adjectives (angular; linear). [latin -aris]


Asylum  n. 1 sanctuary; protection, esp. For fugitives from the law (seek asylum). 2 hist. Institution for the mentally ill or destitute. [greek a- not, sulon right of seizure]


Sw  abbr. 1 south-west. 2 south-western.
Mince pie  n. Pie containing mincemeat.
Heliport  n. Place where helicopters take off and land.

Feeble  adj. (feebler, feeblest) 1 weak, infirm. 2 lacking strength, energy, or effectiveness.  feebly adv. [latin flebilis lamentable]
Kick-start  —n. (also kick-starter) device to start the engine of a motor cycle etc. By the downward thrust of a pedal. —v. Start (a motor cycle etc.) In this way.


Tort  n. Law breach of duty (other than under contract) leading to liability for damages.  tortious adj. [latin torqueo tort- twist]
Finale  n. Last movement or section of a piece of music or drama etc. [italian: related to *final]
Temper  —n. 1 mental disposition, mood (placid temper). 2 irritation or anger (fit of temper). 3 tendency to lose one's temper (have a temper). 4 composure, calmness (lose one's temper). 5 hardness or elasticity of metal. —v. 1 bring (metal or clay) to a proper hardness or consistency. 2 (foll. By with) moderate, mitigate (temper justice with mercy).  in a bad (or out of) temper irritable, angry. In a good temper amicable, happy. [latin tempero mingle]

Axle  n. Spindle on which a wheel is fixed or turns. [old norse]

Certifiable  adj. 1 able or needing to be certified. 2 colloq. Insane.
Vesicle  n. Small bladder, bubble, or blister. [latin]

Diaper  n. Us baby's nappy. [greek aspros white]
Pickaninny  n. (brit. Piccaninny) (pl. -ies) often offens. Small black or australian aboriginal child. [west indian negro from spanish pequeño or portuguese pequeno little]


Sweet pea  n. Climbing plant with fragrant flowers.






Unequaled  adj. (brit. -alled) superior to all others.




Flight-recorder  n. Device in an aircraft recording technical details of a flight.
Unvoiced  adj. 1 not spoken. 2 (of a consonant etc.) Not voiced.
Elysium  n. 1 (also elysian fields) (in greek mythology) abode of the blessed after death. 2 place of ideal happiness.  elysian adj. [latin from greek]

Trapeze  n. Crossbar suspended by ropes as a swing for acrobatics etc. [latin: related to *trapezium]
Fathom  —n. (pl. Often fathom when prec. By a number) measure of six feet, esp. In depth soundings. —v. 1 comprehend. 2 measure the depth of (water).  fathomable adj. [old english]
Oaf  n. (pl. -s) 1 awkward lout. 2 stupid person.  oafish adj. Oafishly adv. Oafishness n. [old norse: related to *elf]
Puissance  n. Competitive jumping of large obstacles in showjumping. [french: related to *puissant]

Triennial  adj. Lasting, or recurring every, three years. [latin annus year]
Bobtail  n. 1 docked tail. 2 horse or dog with this.
Transit camp  n. Camp for the temporary accommodation of soldiers, refugees, etc.
Spring greens  n.pl. Young cabbage leaves.
Doublet  n. 1 hist. Man's short close-fitting jacket. 2 one of a pair of similar things. [french: related to *double]



Granddaughter  n. Female grandchild.


Pungent  adj. 1 sharp or strong in taste or smell, esp. Producing a smarting or pricking sensation. 2 (of remarks) penetrating, biting, caustic. 3 mentally stimulating.  pungency n. [latin: related to *point]



Cock1  —n. 1 male bird, esp. Of the domestic fowl. 2 slang (as a form of address) friend; fellow. 3 coarse slang penis. 4 slang nonsense. 5 a firing lever in a gun, raised to be released by the trigger. B cocked position of this. 6 tap or valve controlling flow. —v. 1 raise or make upright or erect. 2 turn or move (the eye or ear) attentively or knowingly.
Fig2  n. 1 dress or equipment (in full fig). 2 condition or form (in good fig). [obsolete feague: related to *fake]
Liposuction  n. Technique in cosmetic surgery for removing excess fat from under the skin by suction.

Display  —v. 1 exhibit; show. 2 reveal; betray. —n. 1 displaying. 2 a exhibition or show. B thing(s) displayed. 3 ostentation. 4 mating rituals of some birds etc. 5 what is shown on a visual display unit etc. [latin plico fold]
Drudge  —n. Person who does dull, laborious, or menial work. —v. (-ging) work laboriously, toil.  drudgery n. [origin uncertain]
Liverish  adj. 1 suffering from a liver disorder. 2 peevish, glum.


Low pressure  n. 1 low degree of activity or exertion. 2 atmospheric condition with the pressure below average.

Spondee  n. Metrical foot consisting of two long syllables (&spondee.).  spondaic adj. [greek sponde libation, with which songs in this metre were associated]



Grand piano  n. Large full-toned piano with horizontal strings.
Infallible  adj. 1 incapable of error. 2 unfailing; sure to succeed. 3 (of the pope) incapable of doctrinal error.  infallibility n. Infallibly adv.

Whittle  v. (-ling) 1 (often foll. By at) pare (wood etc.) With repeated slicing with a knife. 2 (often foll. By away, down) reduce by repeated subtractions. [dial. Thwittle]
Opec  abbr. Organization of petroleum exporting countries.
Convector  n. Heating appliance that circulates warm air by convection.

Side-saddle  —n. Saddle for a woman riding with both legs on the same side of the horse. —adv. Riding in this position.
Northerly  —adj. & adv. 1 in a northern position or direction. 2 (of wind) from the north. —n. (pl. -ies) such a wind.



Ageless  adj. 1 never growing or appearing old. 2 eternal.
Sanhedrin  n. Highest court of justice and the supreme council in ancient jerusalem. [greek sunedrion council]
Waddle  —v. (-ling) walk with short steps and a swaying motion. —n. Waddling gait. [from *wade]
Desegregate  v. (-ting) abolish racial segregation in.  desegregation n.


Lemur  n. Tree-dwelling primate of madagascar. [latin lemures ghosts]

Hammerhead  n. Shark with a flattened head and with eyes in lateral extensions of it.

Timorous  adj. 1 timid. 2 frightened.  timorously adv. [medieval latin: related to *timid]

Lay-off  n. Temporary discharge of workers; a redundancy.


Peroration  n. Concluding part of a speech. [latin oro speak]

Formula  n. (pl. -s or (esp. In senses 1, 2) -lae) 1 chemical symbols showing the constituents of a substance. 2 mathematical rule expressed in symbols. 3 a fixed form of esp. Ceremonial or polite words. B words used to formulate a treaty etc. 4 a list of ingredients. B us infant's food. 5 classification of a racing car, esp. By engine capacity.

Nominal  adj. 1 existing in name only; not real or actual. 2 (of a sum of money etc.) Very small. 3 of or in names (nominal and essential distinctions). 4 of, as, or like a noun.  nominally adv. [latin nomen name]
Usage  scots or scottish is preferred to scotch in scotland, except in the compound nouns scotch broth, egg, fir, mist, terrier, and whisky.

Fancy man  n. Slang derog. 1 woman's lover. 2 pimp.
Theodolite  n. Surveying-instrument for measuring horizontal and vertical angles with a rotating telescope. [origin unknown]

Hydrocephalus  n. Accumulated fluid in the brain, esp. In young children.  hydrocephalic adj. [greek kephale head]

Inflatable  —adj. That can be inflated. —n. Inflatable object.

Usage  see note at liberal.

 
Mistrial  n. Trial rendered invalid by error.

Hardtop  n. Car with a rigid (usu. Detachable) roof.

Pint-sized  adj. Colloq. Very small.
Hemline  n. Lower edge of a skirt etc.


Cross-hatch  v. Shade with crossing parallel lines.


Rawlplug  n. Propr. Cylindrical plug for holding a screw or nail in masonry. [rawlings, name of the engineers]
Dementia praecox  n. Formal schizophrenia.

Close-knit  adj. Tightly interlocked; closely united in friendship.

Intoxicate  v. (-ting) 1 make drunk. 2 excite or elate beyond self-control.  intoxication n. [medieval latin: related to *toxic]


Par  n. 1 average or normal amount, degree, condition, etc. (feel below par). 2 equality; equal status or footing (on a par with). 3 golf number of strokes a first-class player should normally require for a hole or course. 4 face value of stocks and shares etc. (at par). 5 (in full par of exchange) recognized value of one country's currency in terms of another's.  par for the course colloq. What is normal or to be expected. [latin, = equal]

Leviathan  n. 1 bibl. Sea-monster. 2 very large or powerful thing. [latin from hebrew]
Doner kebab  n. Spiced lamb cooked on a spit and served in slices, often with pitta bread. [turkish: related to *kebab]
Palette-knife  n. 1 thin flexible steel blade with a handle for mixing colours or applying or removing paint. 2 blunt round-ended flexible kitchen knife.
Mw  abbr. 1 megawatt(s). 2 medium wave.

Tie-in  n. 1 connection or association. 2 joint promotion of related commodities etc. (e.g. A book and a film).
Printed circuit  n. Electric circuit with thin strips of conductor printed on a flat insulating sheet.
Implicit  adj. 1 implied though not plainly expressed. 2 absolute, unquestioning (implicit belief).  implicitly adv. [latin: related to *implicate]
Reconnoitre  v. (us reconnoiter) (-ring) make a reconnaissance (of). [french: related to *recognize]

Saleswoman  n. Woman employed to sell goods.
Summer solstice  n. Solstice about 21 june.
Wheelwright  n. Person who makes or repairs wheels.
Marriage settlement  n. Legal property arrangement between spouses.


Mule1  n. 1 offspring of a male donkey and a female horse, or (in general use) of a female donkey and a male horse (cf. *hinny). 2 stupid or obstinate person. 3 (in full spinning mule) a kind of spinning-machine. [latin mulus]

Unromantic  adj. Not romantic.
Bay3  n. 1 recess; alcove in a wall. 2 compartment (bomb bay). 3 area specially allocated (loading bay). [french baer gape]

Differential gear  n. Gear enabling a vehicle's rear wheels to revolve at different speeds on corners.
Ruddy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 (of a person, complexion, etc.) Freshly or healthily red. 2 reddish. 3 colloq. Bloody, damnable.  ruddily adv. Ruddiness n. [old english]


Compositor  n. Person who sets up type for printing. [latin: related to *compose]

Storeroom  n. Storage room.
Z  n. (also z) (pl. Zs or z's) 1 twenty-sixth letter of the alphabet. 2 (usu. Z) algebra third unknown quantity.



Earthbound  adj. 1 attached to the earth or earthly things. 2 moving towards the earth.
Remonstrate  v. (-ting) (foll. By with) make a protest; argue forcibly.  remonstrance n. Remonstration n. [medieval latin monstro show]
Suffer  v. 1 undergo pain, grief, damage, etc. 2 undergo, experience, or be subjected to (pain, loss, grief, defeat, change, etc.). 3 tolerate (does not suffer fools gladly). 4 (usu. Foll. By to + infin.) Archaic allow.  sufferer n. [latin suffero]
Quoit  n. 1 ring thrown to encircle an iron peg. 2 (in pl.) Game using these. [origin unknown]
Practically  adv. 1 virtually, almost. 2 in a practical way.
Equipoise  n. 1 equilibrium. 2 counterbalancing thing.






Wineglass  n. Glass for wine, usu. With a stem and foot.

Pooh  int. Expressing impatience, contempt, or disgust at a bad smell. [imitative]



Ransack  v. 1 pillage or plunder (a house, country, etc.). 2 thoroughly search. [old norse rannsaka from rann house, -saka seek]

Elephantine  adj. 1 of elephants. 2 a huge. B clumsy.
Amnion  n. (pl. Amnia) innermost membrane enclosing an embryo.  amniotic adj. [greek, = caul]
Grasshopper  n. Jumping and chirping insect.

Putt  —v. (-tt-) strike (a golf ball) gently on a putting-green. —n. Putting stroke. [from *put]
Spiritless  adj. Lacking vigour.
Touchwood  n. Readily inflammable wood etc., esp. When made soft by fungi.
Marmot  n. Heavy-set burrowing rodent with a short bushy tail. [latin mus mouse, mons mountain]

Professed  adj. 1 self-acknowledged (professed christian). 2 alleged, ostensible.  professedly adv.
Skimpy  adj. (-ier, -iest) meagre; insufficient.  skimpiness n.
Sisyphean  adj. (of toil) endless and fruitless like that of sisyphus (who endlessly pushed a stone uphill in hades). [latin from greek]







Ultra vires  adv. & predic.adj. Beyond one's legal power or authority. [latin]
Penury  n. (pl. -ies) 1 destitution; poverty. 2 lack; scarcity. [latin]

Lardy  adj. Like lard.
Gruyère  n. A firm pale cheese. [gruyère in switzerland]
Credibility  n. 1 being credible. 2 reputation, status.
Kilo  n. (pl. -s) kilogram. [french, abbreviation]
Drill4  n. W. African baboon related to the mandrill. [probably native]





Governance  n. 1 act or manner of governing. 2 function of governing. [french: related to *govern]





-ee  suffix forming nouns denoting: 1 person affected by the verbal action (employee; payee). 2 person concerned with or described as (absentee; refugee). 3 object of smaller size (bootee). [french -é in past part.]

Significant figure  n. Digit conveying information about a number containing it.
Bull's-eye  n. 1 centre of a target. 2 hard minty sweet. 3 hemispherical ship's window. 4 small circular window. 5 a hemispherical lens. B lantern with this. 6 boss of glass in a blown glass sheet.
Russian salad  n. Salad of mixed diced vegetables with mayonnaise.

Lower case  n. Small letters.
Inoperable  adj. Surgery that cannot successfully be operated on.
Oncology  n. The study of tumours. [greek ogkos mass]
Lymphoma  n. (pl. -s or -mata) tumour of the lymph nodes.

Cf  symb. Californium.
Fondle  v. (-ling) caress. [related to *fond]


Rifle-shot  n. 1 shot fired with a rifle. 2 distance coverable by this.







Epos  abbr. Electronic point-of-sale (equipment recording stock, sales, etc. In shops).
Colored  (brit. Coloured) —adj. 1 having colour. 2 (coloured) often offens. A wholly or partly of non-white descent. B s.afr. Of mixed descent. —n. 1 (coloured) often offens. A coloured person. B s.afr. Person of mixed descent. 2 (in pl.) Coloured clothing etc. For washing.
Frisk  —v. 1 leap or skip playfully. 2 slang search (a person) for a weapon etc. By feeling. —n. 1 playful leap or skip. 2 slang frisking of a person. [french frisque lively]
Letter  —n. 1 character representing one or more of the sounds used in speech. 2 a written or printed message, usu. Sent in an envelope by post. B (in pl.) Addressed legal or formal document. 3 precise terms of a statement, the strict verbal interpretation (letter of the law). 4 (in pl.) A literature. B acquaintance with books, erudition. —v. 1 inscribe letters on. 2 classify with letters.  to the letter with adherence to every detail. [french from latin littera]
Tacky1  adj. (-ier, -iest) slightly sticky.  tackiness n. [from *tack1]
Among  prep. (also amongst) 1 surrounded by, with (lived among the trees; be among friends). 2 included in (among us were dissidents). 3 in the category of (among his best works). 4 a between; shared by (divide it among you). B from the joint resources of (among us we can manage it). 5 with one another (talked among themselves). [old english, = in a crowd]
Middle ear  n. Cavity behind the eardrum.
Police force  n. Body of police of a country, district, or town.
Slave  —n. 1 person who is owned by and has to serve another. 2 drudge, hard worker. 3 (foll. By of, to) obsessive devotee (slave of fashion). 4 machine, or part of one, directly controlled by another. —v. (-ving) (often foll. By at, over) work very hard. [french esclave from latin sclavus *slav (captive)]
Feller  n. = *fellow 1.


Limekiln  n. Kiln for heating limestone.

Gingerly  —adv. In a careful or cautious manner. —adj. Showing great care or caution. [perhaps from french gensor delicate]
Gamma radiation  n. (also gamma rays) electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength than x-rays.
Usage  in sense 1, majority is strictly used only with countable nouns, as in the majority of people, and not (e.g.) The majority of the work.


Sampling  n. Technique of digitally encoding a piece of sound and re-using it as part of a composition or recording.


Tog2  n. Unit of thermal resistance used to express the insulating properties of clothes and quilts. [arbitrary, probably from *tog1]



Sober  —adj. (soberer, soberest) 1 not drunk. 2 not given to drink. 3 moderate, tranquil, sedate, serious. 4 not exaggerated. 5 (of a colour etc.) Quiet; dull. —v. (often foll. By down, up) make or become sober.  soberly adv. [french from latin]


Shush  —int. Hush! —v. 1 quieten (a person or people) by saying “shush”. 2 fall silent. [imitative]



Unprepared  adj. Not prepared; not ready.
Cistercian  —n. Monk or nun of the order founded as a stricter branch of the benedictines. —adj. Of the cistercians. [french cîteaux in france]



Regrow  v. Grow again, esp. After an interval.  regrowth n.
Historian  n. 1 writer of history. 2 person learned in history.
Laconic  adj. Terse, using few words.  laconically adv. [greek lakon spartan]
Show business  n. Colloq. Theatrical profession.
Walking-stick  n. Stick carried for support when walking.


Hydroxyl  n. (attrib.) Univalent group containing hydrogen and oxygen.
Syndic  n. Any of various university or government officials. [greek sundikos, = advocate]


You've  contr. You have.
Enthral  v. (us enthrall) (-ll-) captivate, please greatly.  enthralment n. [from *en-1, *thrall]


Covert  —adj. Secret or disguised (covert glance). —n. 1 shelter, esp. A thicket hiding game. 2 feather covering the base of a bird's flight-feather.  covertly adv. [french: related to *cover]

Knacker  —n. Buyer of useless horses etc. For slaughter, or of old houses, ships, etc. For the materials. —v. Slang (esp. As knackered adj.) Exhaust, wear out. [origin unknown]
Usage  in sense 2, construction with as (e.g. Equally as important) is often found, but is considered incorrect by some people.




Convulse  v. (-sing) 1 (usu. In passive) affect with convulsions. 2 cause to laugh uncontrollably.  convulsive adj. Convulsively adv. [latin vello vuls- pull]
Recluse  n. Person given to or living in seclusion or isolation; hermit.  reclusive adj. [latin recludo -clus- shut away]

Bloodshot  adj. (of an eyeball) inflamed.

Mycelium  (pl. -lia) microscopic threadlike parts of a fungus. [greek mukes mushroom]

Cor anglais  n. (pl. Cors anglais) alto woodwind instrument of the oboe family. [french]


In flagrante delicto  adv. In the very act of committing an offence. [latin, = in blazing crime]
Service  —n. 1 work, or the doing of work, for another or for a community etc. (often in pl.: the services of a lawyer). 2 work done by a machine etc. (has given good service). 3 assistance or benefit given. 4 provision or supplying of a public need, e.g. Transport, or (often in pl.) Of water, gas, electricity, etc. 5 employment as a servant. 6 state or period of employment (resigned after 15 years' service). 7 public or crown department or organization (civil service). 8 (in pl.) The armed forces.
House-warming  n. Party celebrating a move to a new home.
Djellaba  n. (also jellaba) loose hooded cloak (as) worn by arab men. [arabic]

Gossip column  n. Section of a newspaper devoted to gossip about well-known people.  gossip columnist n.
Trencherman  n. Person who eats well, or in a specified manner.


Physique  n. Bodily structure and development. [french: related to *physic]
Synth  n. Colloq. = *synthesizer.


Handwork  n. Work done with the hands.  handworked adj.
Thirsty  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 feeling thirst. 2 (of land, a season, etc.) Dry or parched. 3 (often foll. By for or after) eager. 4 colloq. Causing thirst (thirsty work).  thirstily adv. Thirstiness n. [old english: related to *thirst]


Flintlock  n. Hist. Old type of gun fired by a spark from a flint.

Gentleman  n. 1 man (in polite or formal use). 2 chivalrous well-bred man. 3 man of good social position (country gentleman). 4 man of gentle birth attached to a royal household (gentleman in waiting). 5 (in pl.) (as a form of address) male audience or part of this.
Seen  past part. Of *see1.


Vacation  —n. 1 fixed holiday period, esp. In universities and lawcourts. 2 us holiday. 3 vacating or being vacated. —v. Us take a holiday. [latin: related to *vacate]
Decibel  n. Unit used in the comparison of sound levels or power levels of electrical signals.
In-2  prefix (also il-, im-, ir-) in, on, into, towards, within (induce; influx; insight; intrude). [from *in, or from latin in (prep.)]
Marcasite  n. 1 yellowish crystalline iron sulphide. 2 crystals of this used in jewellery. [arabic markashita]




Premier  —n. Prime minister or other head of government. —adj. First in importance, order, or time.  premiership n. [french, = first]


Airless  adj. Stuffy; still, calm.
Acute accent  n. Diacritical mark (´) placed over certain letters in french etc., esp. To show pronunciation.



Historical  adj. 1 of or concerning history (historical evidence). 2 (of the study of a subject) showing its development over a period. 3 factual, not fictional or legendary. 4 belonging to the past, not the present. 5 (of a novel etc.) Dealing with historical events.  historically adv.


Bum1  n. Slang buttocks. [origin uncertain]

Disqualify  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 debar from a competition or pronounce ineligible as a winner. 2 make or pronounce ineligible, unsuitable, or unqualified (disqualified from driving).  disqualification n.

Monophonic  adj. (of sound-reproduction) using only one channel of transmission. [greek phone sound]


Monitor  —n. 1 person or device for checking or warning. 2 school pupil with disciplinary or other special duties. 3 a television receiver used in a studio to select or verify the picture being broadcast. B = *visual display unit. 4 person who listens to and reports on foreign broadcasts etc. 5 detector of radioactive contamination. —v. 1 act as a monitor of. 2 maintain regular surveillance over. 3 regulate the strength of (a recorded or transmitted signal). [latin moneo warn]
Plasticine  n. Propr. Pliant material used for modelling.



Privacy  n. 1 a being private and undisturbed. B right to this. 2 freedom from intrusion or public attention.
Fervour  n. (us fervor) passion, zeal. [latin: related to *fervent]

Linseed oil  n. Oil extracted from linseed and used in paint and varnish.

Barathea  n. Fine wool cloth. [origin unknown]

Patriarchy  n. (pl. -ies) male-dominated social system, with descent through the male line.
Conceivable  adj. Capable of being grasped or imagined.  conceivably adv.




Grandma  n. Colloq. Grandmother.
Expose  v. (-sing) (esp. As exposed adj.) 1 leave uncovered or unprotected, esp. From the weather. 2 (foll. By to) a put at risk of. B subject to (an influence etc.). 3 photog. Subject (a film) to light, esp. By operation of a camera. 4 reveal the identity or fact of. 5 exhibit, display.  expose oneself display one's body, esp. One's genitals, indecently in public. [latin pono put]

Eucalyptus  n. (pl. -tuses or -ti) (also eucalypt pl. -s) 1 tall evergreen australasian tree. 2 its oil, used as an antiseptic etc. [from *eu-, greek kaluptos covered]

Steer2  n. = *bullock. [old english]




Newsprint  n. Low-quality paper on which newspapers are printed.

Rucksack  n. Bag carried on the back, esp. By hikers. [german]




Sale or return  n. Arrangement by which a purchaser may return surplus goods to the supplier without payment.

Horrific  adj. Horrifying.  horrifically adv.

Mackerel sky  n. Sky dappled with rows of small white fleecy clouds.


Lurch1  —n. Stagger; sudden unsteady movement or leaning. —v. Stagger; move or progress unsteadily. [originally naut., of uncertain origin]


Alley  n. (pl. -s) 1 narrow street or passageway. 2 enclosure for skittles, bowling, etc. 3 walk or lane in a park etc. [french aller go]






Marmoreal  adj. Of or like marble. [latin: related to *marble]
Byre  n. Cowshed. [old english]
Gauze  n. 1 thin transparent fabric of silk, cotton, etc. 2 fine mesh of wire etc.  gauzy adj. (-ier, -iest). [french from gaza in palestine]


Alligator  n. Large reptile of the crocodile family with a head broader and shorter than a crocodile's. [spanish el lagarto the lizard]


Accommodation address  n. Postal address used by a person unable or unwilling to give a permanent address.
Bazooka  n. Anti-tank rocket-launcher. [origin unknown]


Potentate  n. Monarch or ruler. [latin: related to *potent]
Desert2  —n. Dry barren, esp. Sandy, tract. —adj. Uninhabited, desolate, barren. [latin desertus: related to *desert1]
Censor  —n. Official authorized to suppress or expurgate books, films, news, etc., on grounds of obscenity, threat to security, etc. —v. 1 act as a censor of. 2 make deletions or changes in.  censorial adj. Censorship n. [latin censeo assess]





Polynomial  —n. Expression of more than two algebraic terms. —adj. Of or being a polynomial. [from *poly-, *binomial]
Pasha  n. Hist. Title (placed after the name) of a turkish military commander, governor, etc. [turkish]


Structure  —n. 1 a constructed unit, esp. A building. B way in which a building etc. Is constructed. 2 framework (new wages structure). —v. (-ring) give structure to; organize. [latin struo struct- build]
Divot  n. Piece of turf cut out by a blow, esp. By the head of a golf club. [origin unknown]
Perpendicular  —adj. 1 a (usu. Foll. By to) at right angles (to a given line, plane, or surface). B at right angles to the plane of the horizon. 2 upright, vertical. 3 (of a slope etc.) Very steep. 4 (perpendicular) archit. Of the third stage of english gothic (15th–16th c.) With vertical tracery in large windows. —n. 1 perpendicular line. 2 (prec. By the) perpendicular line or direction (is out of the perpendicular).  perpendicularity n. [latin perpendiculum plumb-line]

Hydride  n. Compound of hydrogen with an element.
Twopenny-halfpenny  attrib. Adj. Cheap, insignificant.
Revitalize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) imbue with new life and vitality.


Pcb  abbr. 1 polychlorinated biphenyl, any of several toxic aromatic compounds formed as waste in industrial processes. 2 computing printed circuit board.


Court-card  n. Playing-card that is a king, queen, or jack.
Crosier  n. (also crozier) bishop's ceremonial hooked staff. [french croisier cross-bearer and crossier crook-bearer]
Victor  n. Winner in a battle or contest. [latin vinco vict- conquer]
Conscience  n. Moral sense of right and wrong, esp. As affecting behaviour.  in all conscience colloq. By any reasonable standard. On one's conscience causing one feelings of guilt. Prisoner of conscience person imprisoned by the state for his or her political or religious views. [latin: related to *science]
Wed  v. (-dd-; past and past part. Wedded or wed) 1 usu. Formal or literary marry. 2 unite. 3 (as wedded adj.) Of or in marriage (wedded bliss). 4 (as wedded adj.) (foll. By to) obstinately attached or devoted to (a pursuit etc.). [old english, = pledge]
Draught beer  n. Beer from the cask, not bottled or canned.


Water-hole  n. Shallow depression in which water collects.

Promo  n. (pl. -s) colloq. 1 (often attrib.) Promotion, advertising (promo video). 2 promotional video, trailer, etc. [abbreviation]

All-purpose  attrib. Adj. Having many uses.
Merlin  n. Small falcon. [anglo-french]



Toing and froing  n. Constant movement to and fro; bustle; dispersed activity. [from *to, *fro]
Blow-job  n. Coarse slang instance of fellatio or cunnilingus.
Cluck  —n. Guttural cry like that of a hen. —v. Emit cluck(s). [imitative]

Median  —adj. Situated in the middle. —n. 1 straight line drawn from any vertex of a triangle to the middle of the opposite side. 2 middle value of a series. [latin: related to *medial]


Organization  n. (also -isation) 1 organizing or being organized. 2 organized body, system, or society.  organizational adj.
Scrawny  adj. (-ier, -iest) lean, scraggy. [dial.]

Waged  adj. In regular paid employment.




Empanel  v. (also impanel) (-ll-; us -l-) enter (a jury) on a panel.
Enhance  v. (-cing) intensify (qualities, powers, etc.); improve (something already good).  enhancement n. [anglo-french from latin altus high]

Twig2  v. (-gg-) colloq. Understand; realize. [origin unknown]

Evergreen  —adj. Retaining green leaves all year round. —n. Evergreen plant.




Learn  v. (past and past part. Learned or learnt) 1 gain knowledge of or skill in. 2 commit to memory. 3 (foll. By of) be told about. 4 (foll. By that, how, etc.) Become aware of. 5 receive instruction. 6 archaic or dial. Teach. [old english]

Production line  n. Systematized sequence of operations involved in producing a commodity.
Power station  n. Building where electrical power is generated for distribution.
Pedagogue  n. Archaic or derog. Schoolmaster; teacher.  pedagogic adj. Pedagogical adj. [greek pais paid- child, ago lead]

Bloody mary  n. Mixture of vodka and tomato juice.






Word  —n. 1 meaningful element of speech, usu. Shown with a space on either side of it when written or printed. 2 speech, esp. As distinct from action. 3 one's promise or assurance. 4 (in sing. Or pl.) Thing said, remark, conversation. 5 (in pl.) Text of a song or an actor's part. 6 (in pl.) Angry talk (have words). 7 news, message (send word). 8 command (gave the word to begin). —v. Put into words; select words to express.  in other words expressing the same thing differently. In so many words in those very words; explicitly. In a (or one) word briefly. My (or upon my) word exclamation of surprise etc. Take a person at his or her word interpret a person's words literally. Take a person's word for it believe a person's statement without investigation etc. The word (or word of god) the bible. Word for word in exactly the same or (of translation) corresponding words.  wordless adj. [old english]
Fatty  adj. (-ier, -iest) like or containing fat.


Intervention  n. 1 intervening. 2 interference, esp. By a state. 3 mediation.




Algebra  n. Branch of mathematics that uses letters etc. To represent numbers and quantities.  algebraic adj. [ultimately from arabic al-jabr, = reunion of broken parts]
Sombrero  n. (pl. -s) broad-brimmed hat worn esp. In latin america. [spanish: related to *sombre]
Devil's advocate  n. Person who argues against a proposition to test it.
Exit poll  n. Poll of people leaving a polling-station, asking how they voted.
Thieve  v. (-ving) 1 be a thief. 2 steal (a thing). [old english: related to *thief]

Studio  n. (pl. -s) 1 workroom of a painter, photographer, etc. 2 place for making films, recordings, or broadcast programmes. [italian]
Fusible  adj. That can be melted.  fusibility n. [latin: related to *fuse1]



Abortive  adj. Fruitless, unsuccessful.
Schnapps  n. Any of various spirits drunk in n. Europe. [german]

I'd  contr. 1 i had. 2 i should; i would.




House-plant  n. Plant grown indoors.



Chiaroscuro  n. 1 treatment of light and shade in drawing and painting. 2 use of contrast in literature etc. [italian, = clear dark]



Decoration  n. 1 decorating. 2 thing that decorates. 3 medal etc. Worn as an honour. 4 (in pl.) Flags, tinsel, etc., put up on a festive occasion.
Deign  v. (foll. By to + infin.) Think fit, condescend. [latin dignus worthy]
Dung  —n. Excrement of animals; manure. —v. Apply dung to (land). [old english]
Spume  n. & v. (-ming) froth, foam.  spumy adj. (-ier, -iest). [latin spuma]


Metre-kilogram-second  n. Denoting a system of measure using the metre, kilogram, and second.

Guiltless  adj. (often foll. By of an offence) innocent.

Haymaking  n. Mowing grass and spreading it to dry.  haymaker n.




Broad gauge  n. Railway track with a wider than standard gauge.
Hair-trigger  n. Trigger of a firearm set for release at the slightest pressure.
Pelisse  n. Hist. 1 woman's long cloak with armholes or sleeves. 2 fur-lined cloak as part of a hussar's uniform. [latin pellicia (garment) of fur, from pellis skin]


Five o'clock shadow  n. Beard-growth visible in the latter part of the day.

Drift-net  n. Net for sea fishing, allowed to drift.
Metonymy  n. Substitution of the name of an attribute or adjunct for that of the thing meant (e.g. Crown for king, the turf for horse-racing). [greek: related to *meta-, onuma name]
Square measure  n. Measure expressed in square units.

Censure  —v. (-ring) criticize harshly; reprove. —n. Hostile criticism; disapproval. [latin: related to *censor]
User-friendly  adj. (of a computer etc.) Easy to use.



Dead wood  n. Colloq. Useless person(s) or thing(s).
Hip1  n. Projection of the pelvis and the upper part of the thigh-bone. [old english]


Summary  —n. (pl. -ies) brief account. —adj. Without details or formalities; brief.  summarily adv. [latin: related to *sum]

Oatcake  n. Thin oatmeal biscuit.
Optimum  —n. (pl. Optima) 1 most favourable conditions (for growth etc.). 2 best practical solution. —adj. = *optimal. [latin, neuter of optimus best]
Ha-ha  n. Ditch with a wall in it, forming a boundary or fence without interrupting the view. [french]

Elementary  adj. 1 dealing with the simplest facts of a subject. 2 unanalysable.
Carillon  n. 1 set of bells sounded either from a keyboard or mechanically. 2 tune played on bells. [french]




Heaven-sent  adj. Providential.


Bawdy-house  n. Brothel.





Panacea  n. Universal remedy. [greek: related to *pan-, akos remedy]
Knee  —n. 1 a (often attrib.) Joint between the thigh and the lower leg in humans. B corresponding joint in other animals. C area around this. D lap (sat on his knee). 2 part of a garment covering the knee. —v. (knees, kneed, kneeing) 1 touch or strike with the knee (kneed him in the groin). 2 colloq. Make (trousers) bulge at the knee.  bring a person to his (or her) knees reduce a person to submission. [old english]

Irishwoman  n. Woman who is irish by birth or descent.


Matchstick  n. Stem of a match.

Robotics  n.pl. (usu. Treated as sing.) Art, science, or study of robot design and operation.
Toluene  n. Colourless aromatic liquid hydrocarbon derivative of benzene, used in the manufacture of explosives etc. [tolu in colombia]

Actually  adv. 1 as a fact, really (not actually very rich). 2 strange as it may seem (he actually refused!).

Science fiction  n. Fiction with a scientific theme, esp. Concerned with the future, space, other worlds, etc.
Thrive  v. (-ving; past throve or thrived; past part. Thriven or thrived) 1 prosper, flourish. 2 grow rich. 3 (of a child, animal, or plant) grow vigorously. [old norse]

Incense2  v. (-sing) make angry. [latin: related to *incendiary]

Arcane  adj. Mysterious, secret. [latin arceo shut up]




Built-up  adj. 1 (of a locality) densely developed. 2 increased in height etc. By addition. 3 made of prefabricated parts.
Scrimmage  —n. Tussle; brawl. —v. (-ging) engage in this. [from *skirmish]





One-night stand  n. 1 single performance of a play etc. In a place. 2 colloq. Sexual liaison lasting only one night.


Bourbon  n. Us whisky from maize and rye. [bourbon county, kentucky]
Rival  —n. (often attrib.) 1 person competing with another. 2 person or thing that equals another in quality. —v. (-ll-; us -l-) be, seem, or claim to be the rival of or comparable to. [latin rivus stream]



White tie  n. Man's white bow-tie as part of full evening dress.

Ground cover  n. Low-growing plants covering the surface of the earth.


Casting  n. Cast, esp. Of molten metal.

Drift  —n. 1 a slow movement or variation. B this caused by a current. 2 intention, meaning, etc. Of what is said etc. 3 mass of snow etc. Heaped up by the wind. 4 esp. Derog. State of inaction. 5 slow deviation of a ship, aircraft, etc., from its course. 6 fragments of rock heaped up (glacial drift). 7 s.afr. Ford. —v. 1 be carried by or as if by a current of air or water. 2 progress casually or aimlessly (drifted into teaching). 3 pile or be piled into drifts. 4 (of a current) carry, cause to drift. [old norse and germanic trift movement of cattle]




Swing-boat  n. Boat-shaped swing at fairs.

Carpal  —adj. Of the bones in the wrist. —n. Wrist-bone. [from *carpus]
Invertebrate  —adj. (of an animal) not having a backbone. —n. Invertebrate animal.
Mammary  adj. Of the breasts.
Cheque-book  n. Book of forms for writing cheques.









Herb  n. 1 any non-woody seed-bearing plant. 2 plant with leaves, seeds, or flowers used for flavouring, food, medicine, scent, etc.  herby adj. (-ier, -iest). [latin herba]
Senior citizen  n. Old-age pensioner.
Passim  adv. Throughout; at several points in a book, article, etc. [latin]
Inbreeding  n. Breeding from closely related animals or persons.  inbreed v. (past and past part. -bred).
Minister of state  n. Government minister, esp. Holding a rank below that of head of department.

Upcurved  adj. Curved upwards.


Foolscap  n. Large size of paper, about 330 x 200 (or 400) mm. [from a watermark of a fool's cap]
Mood2  n. 1 gram. Form or set of forms of a verb indicating whether it expresses a fact, command, wish, etc. (subjunctive mood). 2 distinction of meaning expressed by different moods. [alteration of *mode]
Presentable  adj. Of good appearance; fit to be presented.  presentability n. Presentably adv.


All comers  n.pl. Anyone who applies, takes up a challenge, etc.
Maulstick  n. (also mahlstick) stick held to support the hand in painting. [dutch malen paint]
Subsoil  n. Soil immediately under the surface soil.
Signpost  —n. 1 post on a road etc. Indicating direction etc. 2 indication, guide. —v. Provide with a signpost or signposts.

Real2  n. Hist. Coin and monetary unit in spanish-speaking countries. [spanish: related to *royal]
Mortise lock  n. Lock recessed in the frame of a door etc.
Near-sighted  adj. = *short-sighted.





Stylish  adj. 1 fashionable; elegant. 2 superior.  stylishly adv. Stylishness n.

Seaborne  adj. Transported by sea.

Tupperware  n. Propr. Range of plastic containers for storing food. [tupper, name of the manufacturer]
Child care  n. The care of children, esp. By a local authority.



Hardy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 robust; capable of enduring difficult conditions. 2 (of a plant) able to grow in the open air all year.  hardiness n. [french hardi made bold]

Cosec  abbr. Cosecant.
Bulrush  n. 1 a kind of tall rush. 2 bibl. Papyrus. [perhaps from *bull1 = coarse + *rush2]

Consumptive  archaic —adj. Suffering or tending to suffer from consumption. —n. Consumptive person. [medieval latin: related to *consumption]
Horseplay  n. Boisterous play.



Fibril  n. Small fibre. [diminutive of *fibre]
Nuclear fusion  n. Nuclear reaction in which atomic nuclei of low atomic number fuse to form a heavier nucleus with the release of energy.
Divulge  v. (-ging) disclose, reveal (a secret etc.).  divulgence n. [latin divulgo publish]


Pick1  —v. 1 (also absol.) Choose carefully. 2 detach or pluck (a flower, fruit, etc.) From a stem, tree, etc. 3 a probe with the finger, an instrument, etc. To remove unwanted matter. B clear (a bone, carcass, etc.) Of scraps of meat etc. 4 (also absol.) (of a person) eat (food, a meal, etc.) In small bits. —n. 1 act of picking. 2 a selection, choice. B right to select (had first pick of the prizes). 3 (usu. Foll. By of) best (the pick of the bunch).  pick and choose select fastidiously. Pick at 1 eat (food) without interest. 2 find fault with. Pick a person's brains extract ideas, information, etc., from a person for one's own use. Pick holes in find fault with (an idea etc.). Pick a lock open a lock with an instrument other than the proper key, esp. With criminal intent. Pick off 1 pluck (leaves etc.) Off. 2 shoot (people etc.) One by one without haste. Pick on 1 find fault with; nag at. 2 select. Pick out 1 take from a larger number. 2 distinguish from surrounding objects; identify. 3 play (a tune) by ear on the piano etc. 4 (often foll. By in, with) accentuate (decoration, a painting, etc.) With a contrasting colour. Pick over select the best from. Pick a person's pockets steal from a person's pockets. Pick a quarrel start an argument deliberately. Pick to pieces = take to pieces (see *piece). Pick up 1 grasp and raise. 2 a acquire by chance or without effort. B learn effortlessly. 3 stop for and take along with one. 4 become acquainted with (a person) casually, esp for sexual purposes. 5 (of one's health, the weather, share prices, etc.) Recover, improve, etc. 6 (of an engine etc.) Recover speed. 7 (of the police etc.) Arrest. 8 detect by scrutiny or with a telescope, radio, etc. 9 accept the responsibility of paying (a bill etc.). 10 resume, take up anew (picked up where we left off).  picker n. [from *pike]
Norm  n. 1 standard, pattern, or type. 2 standard amount of work etc. 3 customary behaviour etc. [latin norma carpenter's square]
Felicity  n. (pl. -ies) formal 1 intense happiness. 2 a capacity for apt expression. B well-chosen phrase. [latin felix happy]


This  —demons. Pron. (pl. These) 1 person or thing close at hand or indicated or already named or understood (can you see this?; this is my cousin). 2 (contrasted with that) the person or thing nearer to hand or more immediately in mind. —demons. Adj. (pl. These) 1 designating the person or thing close at hand etc. (cf. Senses 1, 2 of pron.). 2 (of time) the present or current (am busy all this week). 3 colloq. (in narrative) designating a person or thing previously unmentioned (then up came this policeman). —adv. To the degree or extent indicated (knew him when he was this high).  this and that colloq. Various unspecified things. [old english]

If  —conj. 1 introducing a conditional clause: a on the condition or supposition that; in the event that (if he comes i will tell him; if you are tired we can rest). B (with past tense) implying that the condition is not fulfilled (if i knew i would say). 2 even though (i'll finish it, if it takes me all day). 3 whenever (if i am not sure i ask). 4 whether (see if you can find it). 5 expressing a wish, surprise, or request (if i could just try!; if it isn't my old hat!; if you wouldn't mind?). —n. Condition, supposition (too many ifs about it).  if only 1 even if for no other reason than (i'll come if only to see her). 2 (often ellipt.) Expression of regret; i wish that (if only i had thought of it). [old english]



Precision  n. 1 accuracy. 2 degree of refinement in measurement etc. 3 (attrib.) Marked by or adapted for precision (precision instruments).

Barometer  n. 1 instrument measuring atmospheric pressure, used in meteorology. 2 anything which reflects change.  barometric adj. [related to *barograph]


Delirious  adj. 1 affected with delirium. 2 wildly excited, ecstatic.  deliriously adv.
Moiré pattern  n. Pattern observed when one pattern of lines etc. Is superimposed on another.

Regardful  adj. (foll. By of) mindful of.
Barely  adv. 1 scarcely (barely escaped). 2 scantily (barely furnished).
Virtually  adv. In effect, nearly, almost.
Muscle-bound  adj. With muscles stiff and inelastic through excessive exercise.



Ladies' man  n. (also lady's man) man fond of female company.


Caa  abbr. Civil aviation authority.
Magnificat  n. Hymn of the virgin mary used as a canticle.  [from its opening word]
Retina  n. (pl. -s or -nae) layer at the back of the eyeball sensitive to light.  retinal adj. [latin rete net]

Bargain  —n. 1 a agreement on the terms of a sale etc. B this from the buyer's viewpoint (a bad bargain). 2 cheap thing. —v. (often foll. By with, for) discuss the terms of a sale etc. (bargained with me; bargain for the table).  bargain for (or colloq. On) be prepared for; expect. Bargain on rely on. Into the bargain moreover. [french from germanic]

Cryogenics  n. Branch of physics dealing with very low temperatures.  cryogenic adj. [greek kruos frost, -genes born]



Python  n. Large tropical constricting snake. [greek puthon, name of a monster]

Home secretary  n. Secretary of state in charge of the home office.
Boarding-school  n. School in which pupils live in term-time.
Mexican  —n. 1 native or national of mexico. 2 person of mexican descent. —adj. Of mexico or its people. [spanish]

Citronella  n. 1 a fragrant oil. 2 grass from s. Asia yielding it.

Ionic  adj. Of or using ions.  ionically adv.
Doyley  var. Of *doily.

Dexter  adj. Esp. Heraldry on or of the right-hand side (observer's left) of a shield etc. [latin, = on the right]

Groundnut  n. = *peanut 1, 2.
Doyen  n. (fem. Doyenne) senior member of a group. [french: related to *dean1]



Start  —v. 1 begin. 2 set in motion or action (started a fire). 3 set oneself in motion or action. 4 begin a journey etc. 5 (often foll. By up) (cause to) begin operating. 6 a cause or enable (a person) to make a beginning (started me in business). B (foll. By pres. Part.) Cause (a person) to begin (started me coughing). 7 (often foll. By up) establish. 8 give a signal to (competitors) to start in a race. 9 (often foll. By up, from, etc.) Jump in surprise, pain, etc. 10 spring out, up, etc. 11  conceive (a baby). 12  rouse (game etc.). 13 a (of timbers etc.) Spring out; give way. B cause (timbers etc.) To do this. —n. 1 beginning. 2 place from which a race etc. Begins. 3 advantage given at the beginning of a race etc. 4 advantageous initial position in life, business, etc. 5 sudden movement of surprise, pain, etc.  for a start colloq. As a beginning. Start off begin; begin to move. Start out begin a journey. Start up arise; occur. [old english]



Calor gas  n. Propr. Liquefied butane gas stored under pressure in containers for domestic use. [latin calor heat]
Astir  predic. Adj. & adv. 1 in motion. 2 out of bed.

Fall guy  n. Slang easy victim; scapegoat.
Prissy  adj. (-ier, -iest) prim, prudish.  prissily adv. Prissiness n. [perhaps from *prim, *sissy]
Prescript  n. Ordinance, law, command. [latin: related to *prescribe]
Filial  adj. Of or due from a son or daughter.  filially adv. [latin filius, -a son, daughter]

Earplug  n. Piece of wax etc. Placed in the ear to protect against water, noise, etc.



Ream  n. 1 twenty quires of paper. 2 (in pl.) Large quantity of writing. [arabic, = bundle]
Numerate  adj. Acquainted with the basic principles of mathematics.  numeracy n. [latin numerus number, after literate]
Bought  past and past part. Of *buy.

Cock2  n. Conical heap of hay or straw. [perhaps from scandinavian]



Folk-dance  n. Dance of popular origin.
Zing  colloq. —n. Vigour, energy. —v. Move swiftly, esp. With a high-pitched ringing sound. [imitative]
Her  —pron. 1 objective case of *she (i like her). 2 colloq. She (it's her all right; am older than her). —poss. Pron. (attrib.) Of or belonging to her or herself (her house; her own business). [old english dative and genitive of *she]
Zircon  n. Zirconium silicate of which some translucent varieties are cut into gems. [german zirkon]

Billposter  n. (also billsticker) person who pastes up advertisements on hoardings.
Tolerant  adj. 1 disposed to tolerate others or their acts or opinions. 2 (foll. By of) enduring or patient.


Pestle  n. Club-shaped instrument for pounding substances in a mortar. [latin pistillum from pinso pound]


Extrasensory  adj. Derived by means other than the known senses, e.g. By telepathy.
Flotilla  n. 1 small fleet. 2 fleet of small ships. [spanish]
Punctilio  n. (pl. -s) 1 delicate point of ceremony or honour. 2 etiquette of such points. 3 petty formality. [italian and spanish: related to *point]

Middle east  n. (prec. By the) area covered by countries from egypt to iran inclusive.  middle eastern adj.
Avesta  n. (usu. Prec. By the) sacred writings of zoroastrianism (cf. *zend). [persian]
Water-hammer  n. Knocking noise in a water-pipe when a tap is suddenly turned off.

Ill-tempered  adj. Morose, irritable.
Stage-manage  v. 1 be the stage-manager of. 2 arrange and control for effect.
Ems  abbr. European monetary system.
Satiate  v. (-ting) = *sate.  satiable adj. Satiation n. [latin satis enough]
Travesty  —n. (pl. -ies) grotesque misrepresentation or imitation (travesty of justice). —v. (-ies, -ied) make or be a travesty of. [french travestir disguise, from italian]

Pentagon  n. 1 plane figure with five sides and angles. 2 (the pentagon) a pentagonal washington headquarters of the us forces. B leaders of the us forces.  pentagonal adj. [greek pentagonon: related to *penta-]
Armour  —n. 1 protective usu. Metal covering formerly worn in fighting. 2 a (in full armour-plate) protective metal covering for an armed vehicle, ship, etc. B armed vehicles collectively. 3 protective covering or shell of an animal or plant. 4 heraldic devices. —v. (usu. As armoured adj.) Provide with protective covering, and often guns (armoured car; armoured train). [latin armatura: related to *arm2]
Enkindle  v. (-ling) cause to flare up, arouse.



Traduce  v. (-cing) speak ill of; misrepresent.  traducement n. Traducer n. [latin, = disgrace]



Summit  n. 1 highest point, top. 2 highest degree of power, ambition, etc. 3 (in full summit meeting, talks, etc.) Conference of heads of government. [latin summus highest]
Fourteen  adj. & n. 1 one more than thirteen. 2 symbol for this (14, xiv, xiv). 3 size etc. Denoted by fourteen.  fourteenth adj. & n. [old english: related to *four, *-teen]

Exceedingly  adv. Extremely.
Pen-name  n. Literary pseudonym.
Galleria  n. Collection of small shops under a single roof. [italian]
Row3  colloq. —n. 1 loud noise or commotion. 2 fierce quarrel or dispute. 3 severe reprimand. —v. 1 make or engage in a row. 2 reprimand. [origin unknown]
Wrong side  n. Worse or undesired or unusable side of esp. Fabric.




Clarinet  n. Woodwind instrument with a single reed.  clarinettist n. (us clarinetist). [french diminutive of clarine, a kind of bell]
Thaw  —v. 1 (often foll. By out) pass from a frozen into a liquid or unfrozen state. 2 (usu. Prec. By it as subject) (of the weather) become warm enough to melt ice etc. 3 become warm enough to lose numbness etc.
Miasma  n. (pl. -mata or -s) archaic infectious or noxious vapour. [greek, = defilement]
Episcopate  n. 1 the office or tenure of a bishop. 2 (prec. By the) the bishops collectively. [church latin: related to *bishop]

Ancestor  n. 1 person, animal, or plant from which another has descended or evolved. 2 prototype or forerunner. [latin ante- before, cedo go]
Dwell  v. (past and past part. Dwelt or dwelled) live, reside.  dwell on (or upon) think, write, or speak at length on.  dweller n. [old english, = lead astray]



Gift token  n. (also gift voucher) voucher used as a gift and exchangeable for goods.




Accost  v. 1 approach and address (a person), esp. Boldly. 2 (of a prostitute) solicit. [latin costa rib]
Inversion  n. 1 turning upside down. 2 reversal of a normal order, position, or relation.

Simple interest  n. Interest payable on a capital sum only.
Droppings  n.pl. 1 dung of animals or birds. 2 thing that falls or has fallen in drops.


Rutherfordium  n. Artificial metallic element. [rutherford, name of a physicist]


Maori  —n. (pl. Same or -s) 1 member of the aboriginal people of new zealand. 2 their language. —adj. Of this people. [native name]
Garbage  n. 1 esp. Us refuse. 2 colloq. Nonsense. [anglo-french]

Caviare  n. (us caviar) pickled roe of sturgeon or other large fish. [italian from turkish]
Tumbledown  adj. Falling or fallen into ruin; dilapidated.

Spread eagle  —n. Figure of an eagle with legs and wings extended as an emblem. —v. (spread-eagle) 1 (usu. As spread-eagled adj.) Place (a person) with arms and legs spread out. 2 defeat utterly.


Tendon  n. Cord of strong connective tissue attaching a muscle to a bone etc.  tendinitis n.  [latin tendo stretch]

Ocean-going  adj. (of a ship) able to cross oceans.



Tutor  —n. 1 private teacher. 2 university teacher supervising the studies or welfare of assigned undergraduates. —v. 1 act as tutor to. 2 work as a tutor. tutorship n. [latin tueor tut- watch]

Supercomputer  n. Powerful computer capable of dealing with complex mathematical problems.
Rose-coloured  adj. 1 pinkish-red. 2 optimistic, cheerful (wears rose-coloured glasses).

Respectively  adv. For each separately or in turn, and in the order mentioned (she and i gave £10 and £1 respectively).





Prosperous  adj. 1 successful; rich; thriving. 2 auspicious (prosperous wind).  prosperously adv. [french from latin]
Lamppost  n. Tall post supporting a street-light.

Worker  n. 1 person who works, esp. For an employer. 2 neuter bee or ant. 3 person who works hard.
Smitten  past part. Of *smite.
Scrape  —v. (-ping) 1 a move a hard or sharp edge across (a surface), esp. To make smooth. B apply (a hard or sharp edge) in this way. 2 (foll. By away, off, etc.) Remove by scraping. 3 a rub (a surface) harshly against another. B scratch or damage by scraping. 4 make (a hollow) by scraping. 5 a draw or move with a scraping sound. B make such a sound. C produce such a sound from. 6 (often foll. By along, by, through, etc.) Move almost touching surrounding obstacles etc. (scraped through the gap). 7 narrowly achieve (a living, an examination pass, etc.). 8 (often foll. By by, through) a barely manage. B pass an examination etc. With difficulty. 9 (foll. By together, up) bring, provide, or amass with difficulty. 10 be economical. 11 draw back a foot in making a clumsy bow. 12 (foll. By back) draw (the hair) tightly back. —n. 1 act or sound of scraping. 2 scraped place; graze.

Stagy  adj. (also stagey) (-ier, -iest) theatrical, artificial, exaggerated.
Wham  int. Colloq. Expressing forcible impact. [imitative]

Rada  abbr. Royal academy of dramatic art.
Unethical  adj. Not ethical, esp. Unscrupulous or unprofessional.  unethically adv.
Peculiarity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 idiosyncrasy; oddity. 2 characteristic. 3 being peculiar.



Discovery  n. (pl. -ies) 1 discovering or being discovered. 2 person or thing discovered.




Liberal  —adj. 1 abundant, ample. 2 giving freely, generous. 3 open-minded. 4 not strict or rigorous. 5 for the general broadening of the mind (liberal studies). 6 a favouring moderate political and social reform. B (liberal) of or characteristic of liberals. —n. 1 person of liberal views. 2 (liberal) supporter or member of a liberal party.  liberalism n. Liberality n. Liberally adv. [latin liber free]


Hanging  n. 1 execution by suspending by the neck. 2 (usu. In pl.) Draperies hung on a wall etc.



Hobo  n. (pl. -es or -s) us wandering worker; tramp. [origin unknown]
Jug  —n. 1 deep vessel for liquids, with a handle and a lip for pouring. 2 contents of this. 3 slang prison. —v. (-gg-) (usu. As jugged adj.) Stew or boil (esp. Hare) in a casserole etc.  jugful n. (pl. -s). [origin uncertain]



Blackfly  n. 1 dark coloured thrips or aphid. 2 these collectively.
Amateur  n. Person who engages in a pursuit as a pastime rather than a profession, or performs with limited skill.  amateurish adj. Amateurism n. [latin amator lover: related to *amatory]
Apparent  adj. 1 readily visible; obvious. 2 seeming.  apparently adv. [latin: related to *appear]



Pre-eminent  adj. 1 excelling others. 2 outstanding.  pre-eminence n. Pre-eminently adv.

Carnal  adj. 1 of the body or flesh; worldly. 2 sensual, sexual.  carnality n. [latin caro carn- flesh]
Compline  n. 1 last of the canonical hours of prayer. 2 service during this. [latin: related to *comply]
Corona  n. (pl. -nae) 1 a halo round the sun or moon. B gaseous envelope of the sun, seen as an area of light around the moon during a total solar eclipse. 2 anat. Crownlike structure. 3 crownlike outgrowth from the inner side of a corolla. 4 glow around an electric conductor.  coronal adj. [latin, = crown]

Pasty1  n. (pl. -ies) pastry shaped around esp. A meat and vegetable filling. [latin: related to *paste]

Doss  v. 1 (often foll. By down) slang sleep roughly or in a doss-house. 2 (often foll. By about, around) spend time idly. [probably originally = ‘seat-back cover’: from latin dorsum back]
Tyre  n. (us tire) rubber covering, usu. Inflated, placed round a wheel to form a soft contact with the road. [var. Of *tire2]
Austral  adj. 1 southern. 2 (austral) of australia or australasia. [latin auster south]
Frier  var. Of *fryer.
Urinal  n. Place or receptacle for urination by men. [latin: related to *urine]
Unhurt  adj. Not hurt.
Tannoy  n. Propr. Type of public-address system. [origin uncertain]


Rye  n. 1 a cereal plant. B grain of this used for bread and fodder. 2 (in full rye whisky) whisky distilled from fermented rye. [old english]

Fritter2  n. Fruit, meat, etc. Coated in batter and fried. [french friture from latin frigo *fry1]

Trapezium  n. (pl. -s or -zia) 1 quadrilateral with only one pair of sides parallel. 2 us = *trapezoid 1. [greek trapezion]

Intrepid  adj. Fearless; very brave.  intrepidity n. Intrepidly adv. [latin trepidus alarmed]
Hot potato  n. Colloq. Contentious matter.


Snowflake  n. Each of the flakes in which snow falls.
Abjure  v. (-ring) renounce on oath (an opinion, cause, etc.).  abjuration n. [latin juro swear]
Dyke1  (also dike) —n. 1 embankment built to prevent flooding. 2 low wall of turf or stone. —v. (-king) provide or protect with dyke(s). [related to *ditch]

Far-sighted  adj. 1 having foresight, prudent. 2 esp. Us = *long-sighted.
Curvet  —n. Horse's frisky leap. —v. (-tt- or -t-) perform a curvet. [italian diminutive: related to *curve]

Tremolo  n. Tremulous effect in music. [italian: related to *tremulous]



Torsion  n. Twisting, esp. Of one end of a body while the other is held fixed.  torsional adj. [latin: related to *tort]
Alchemy  n. Medieval chemistry, esp. Seeking to turn base metals into gold.  alchemist n. [arabic]



Pushchair  n. Folding chair on wheels, for pushing a young child along in.
Cephalopod  n. Mollusc with a distinct tentacled head, e.g. The octopus. [from *cephalic, greek pous pod- foot]
Golden  adj. 1 a made or consisting of gold. B yielding gold. 2 coloured or shining like gold (golden hair). 3 precious; excellent.

Unnatural  adj. 1 contrary to nature; not normal. 2 lacking natural feelings, esp. Cruel or wicked. 3 artificial. 4 affected.  unnaturally adv.

Seance  n. Meeting at which a spiritualist attempts to make contact with the dead. [french]
Petticoat  n. 1 woman's or girl's undergarment hanging from the waist or shoulders. 2 (attrib.) Often derog. Feminine. [petty coat]
Mid-life crisis  n. Crisis of self-confidence in early middle age.
T2  symb. Tritium.
Goalpost  n. Either of the two upright posts of a goal.

Heliograph  —n. 1 signalling apparatus reflecting sunlight in flashes. 2 message sent by means of this. —v. Send (a message) by heliograph.


Arrester  n. Device for slowing an aircraft after landing.
Agenda  n. (pl. -s) 1 list of items to be considered at a meeting. 2 things to be done.

Mow  v. (past part. Mowed or mown) 1 (also absol.) Cut (grass, hay, etc.) With a scythe or machine. 2 cut down the produce of (a field) or the grass etc. Of (a lawn) by mowing.  mow down kill or destroy randomly or in great numbers.  mower n. [old english]

Old master  n. 1 great artist of former times, esp. Of the 13th–17th c. In europe. 2 painting by such a painter.

Insight  n. (usu. Foll. By into) 1 capacity of understanding hidden truths etc. 2 instance of this.

Backyard  n. Yard behind a house etc.


Pension2  n. European, esp. French, boarding-house. [french: related to *pension1]
Geodesy  n. The study of the shape and area of the earth. [greek geodaisia]
Battery  n. (pl. -ies) 1 usu. Portable container of an electrically charged cell or cells as a source of current. 2 (often attrib.) Series of cages for the intensive breeding and rearing of poultry or cattle. 3 set of similar units of equipment; series, sequence. 4 emplacement for heavy guns. 5 law unlawful physical violence against a person. [latin: related to *battle]
Pay-packet  n. Envelope etc. Containing an employee's wages.




Reliquary  n. (pl. -ies) esp. Relig. Receptacle for a relic or relics. [french reliquaire: related to *relic]
Domicile  —n. 1 dwelling-place. 2 law a place of permanent residence. B residing. —v. (-ling) (usu. As domiciled adj.) (usu. Foll. By at, in) settle in a place. [latin domus home]
Oscilloscope  n. Device for viewing oscillations by a display on the screen of a cathode-ray tube.
Ice-breaker  n. 1 ship designed to break through ice. 2 joke, incident, etc. That breaks the ice.

Can1  v.aux. (3rd sing. Present can; past could) 1 a be able to; know how to. B be potentially capable of (these storms can last for hours). 2 be permitted to. [old english, = know]
Arteriosclerosis  n. Loss of elasticity and thickening of artery walls, esp. In old age. [from *artery, *sclerosis]

Causeway  n. 1 raised road across low ground or water. 2 raised path by a road. [anglo-french caucée from latin *calx]
Tremulous  adj. Trembling.  tremulously adv. [latin tremulus: related to *tremor]
Perish  v. 1 be destroyed; suffer death or ruin. 2 a (esp. Of rubber) lose its normal qualities; deteriorate, rot. B cause to rot or deteriorate. 3 (in passive) suffer from cold. [latin pereo]


Next  —adj. 1 (often foll. By to) being, positioned, or living nearest. 2 nearest in order of time; soonest encountered (next friday; ask the next person you see). —adv. 1 (often foll. By to) in the nearest place or degree (put it next to mine). 2 on the first or soonest occasion (when we next meet). —n. Next person or thing. —prep. Colloq. Next to.  next to almost (next to nothing left). [old english, superlative of *nigh]
Understaffed  adj. Having too few staff.
Defend  v. (also absol.) 1 (often foll. By against, from) resist an attack made on; protect. 2 uphold by argument. 3 conduct a defence in a lawsuit. 4 compete to retain (a title etc.) In a contest.  defender n. [latin defendo -fens-]





Renegade  n. Person who deserts a party or principles. [medieval latin: related to *renege]
Seedsman  n. Dealer in seeds.




Remodel  v. (-ll-; us -l-) 1 model again or differently. 2 reconstruct.
Caper1  —v. Jump or run playfully. —n. 1 playful leap. 2 a prank. B slang illicit activity.  cut a caper frolic. [abbreviation of *capriole]

Historicity  n. Historical truth or authenticity.
Pair of scales  n. Simple balance.

Forsake  v. (-king; past forsook; past part. Forsaken) literary 1 give up; renounce. 2 desert, abandon. [old english]
Grower  n. 1 (often in comb.) Person growing produce (fruit-grower). 2 plant that grows in a specified way (fast grower).


Advise  v. (-sing) 1 (also absol.) Give advice to. 2 recommend (advised me to rest). 3 (usu. Foll. By of, or that + clause) inform. [latin: related to *ad-, video vis- see]

Negotiate  v. (-ting) 1 (usu. Foll. By with) confer in order to reach an agreement. 2 arrange (an affair) or bring about (a result) by negotiating. 3 find a way over, through, etc. (an obstacle, difficulty, etc.). 4 convert (a cheque etc.) Into money.  negotiation n. Negotiator n. [latin negotium business]
Drowsy  adj. (-ier, -iest) very sleepy, almost asleep.  drowsily adv. Drowsiness n. [probably old english]

Equatorial  adj. Of or near the equator.
British legion  n. = *royal british legion.

Keeping  n. 1 custody, charge (in safe keeping). 2 agreement, harmony (esp. In or out of keeping (with)).

Honor  (brit. Honour) —n. 1 high respect, public regard. 2 adherence to what is right or an accepted standard of conduct. 3 nobleness of mind, magnanimity (honour among thieves). 4 thing conferred as a distinction, esp. An official award for bravery or achievement. 5 privilege, special right (had the honour of being invited). 6 a exalted position. B (honour) (prec. By your, his, etc.) Title of a circuit judge etc. 7 (foll. By to) person or thing that brings honour (an honour to her profession). 8 a chastity (of a woman). B reputation for this. 9 (in pl.) Specialized degree course or special distinction in an examination. 10 (in card-games) the four or five highest-ranking cards. 11 golf the right of driving off first. —v. 1 respect highly.
Fly-tip  v. Illegally dump (waste).  fly-tipper n.

Salutary  adj. Having a good effect. [latin: related to *salute]
Killer instinct  n. 1 innate tendency to kill. 2 ruthless streak.

Eye  —n. 1 organ of sight. 2 eye characterized by the colour of the iris (has blue eyes). 3 region round the eye (eyes swollen from weeping). 4 (in sing. Or pl.) Sight. 5 particular visual ability (a straight eye). 6 thing like an eye, esp.: a a spot on a peacock's tail. B a leaf bud of a potato. 7 calm region at the centre of a hurricane etc. 8 hole of a needle. —v. (eyes, eyed, eyeing or eying) (often foll. By up) watch or observe closely, esp. Admiringly or with suspicion.  all eyes watching intently. An eye for an eye retaliation in kind. Have an eye for be discerning about. Have one's eye on wish or plan to procure. Have eyes for be interested in; wish to acquire. Keep an eye on 1 watch. 2 look after. Keep an eye open (or out) (often foll. By for) watch carefully. Keep one's eyes open (or peeled or skinned) watch out; be on the alert. Make eyes (or sheep's eyes) (foll. By at) look amorously or flirtatiously at. One in the eye (foll. By for) disappointment or setback. See eye to eye (often foll. By with) agree. Set eyes on see. Up to the (or one's) eyes in deeply engaged or involved in. With one's eyes shut (or closed) with little effort. With an eye to with a view to. [old english]
Eugenics  n.pl. (also treated as sing.) Improvement of the qualities of a race by control of inherited characteristics.  eugenic adj. Eugenically adv. [from *eu-, greek gen- produce]
Undersexed  adj. Having unusually weak sexual desires.

Crossing  n. 1 place where things (esp. Roads) cross. 2 place for crossing a street etc. 3 journey across water.




Plus  —prep. 1  with the addition of (symbol +). 2 (of temperature) above zero (plus 2°). 3 colloq. With; having gained; newly possessing. —adj. 1 (after a number) at least (fifteen plus). 2 (after a grade etc.) Rather better than (beta plus). 3 math. Positive. 4 having a positive electrical charge. 5 (attrib.) Additional, extra. —n. 1 the symbol +.
Disillusion  —v. Free from an illusion or mistaken belief. —n. Disillusioned state.  disillusionment n.
Accessory  n. (pl. -ies) 1 additional or extra thing. 2 (usu. In pl.) Small attachment, fitting, or subsidiary item of dress (e.g. Shoes, gloves). 3 (often foll. By to) person who abets or is privy to an (esp. Illegal) act. [medieval latin: related to *accede]
Unloved  adj. Not loved.


Forgotten  past part. Of *forget.
World cup  n. Competition between football teams from various countries.
Emotional  adj. 1 of or expressing emotions. 2 especially liable to emotion. 3 arousing emotion.  emotionalism n. Emotionally adv.
Brickbat  n. 1 piece of brick, esp. As a missile. 2 insult.

Ineradicable  adj. That cannot be rooted out.
Privet  n. Bushy evergreen shrub used for hedges. [origin unknown]
Hcf  abbr. Highest common factor.

Sneeze  —n. Sudden loud involuntary expulsion of air from the nose and mouth caused by irritation of the nostrils. —v. (-zing) make a sneeze.  not to be sneezed at colloq. Worth having or considering. [old english]
Um  int. Expressing hesitation or a pause in speech. [imitative]

Ration  —n. 1 official allowance of food, clothing, etc., in a time of shortage. 2 (usu. In pl.) Fixed daily allowance of food, esp. In the armed forces. —v. 1 limit (persons or provisions) to a fixed ration. 2 (usu. Foll. By out) share out (food etc.) In fixed quantities. [latin: related to *ratio]
Battlebus  n. Colloq. Bus used by a politician during an election campaign as a mobile centre of operations.
Tea trolley  n. (us tea wagon) small trolley from which tea is served.



Jukebox  n. Coin-operated record-playing machine. [black juke disorderly]
L  abbr. (also l.) 1 left. 2 line. 3 litre(s).
Unfortunate  —adj. 1 unlucky. 2 unhappy. 3 regrettable. —n. Unfortunate person.
Wrap-over  —attrib. Adj. (of a garment) overlapping when worn. —n. Such a garment.


Name-day  n. Feast-day of the saint after whom a person is named.


Quarry1  —n. (pl. -ies) place from which stone etc. May be extracted. —v. (-ies, -ied) extract (stone) from a quarry. [latin quadrum square]
Pure  adj. 1 unmixed, unadulterated (pure white; pure malice). 2 of unmixed origin or descent (pure-blooded). 3 chaste. 4 not morally corrupt. 5 guiltless. 6 sincere. 7 (of a sound) perfectly in tune. 8 (of a subject of study) abstract, not applied.  pureness n. [latin purus]
Mack  var. Of *mac.
Haslet  n. Pieces of (esp. Pig's) offal cooked together, usu. As a meat loaf. [french hastelet]
Suspender  n. 1 attachment to hold up a stocking or sock by its top. 2 (in pl.) Us braces.
Sight unseen  adv. Without previous inspection.

Inessential  —adj. Not necessary; dispensable. —n. Inessential thing.
Usage  the use of fun as an attributive adjective is common in informal use, but is considered incorrect by some people.
Unapproachable  adj. 1 inaccessible. 2 (of a person) unfriendly.




Run-out  n. Dismissal of a batsman by being run out.
Spring roll  n. Chinese fried pancake filled with vegetables.
Intersperse  v. (-sing) 1 (often foll. By between, among) scatter. 2 (foll. By with) vary (a thing) by scattering other things among it.  interspersion n. [latin: related to *sparse]

Carver  n. 1 person who carves. 2 carving knife. 3 chair with arms, for a person carving.
Rocking-chair  n. Chair mounted on rockers or springs for gently rocking in.
Mad  adj. (madder, maddest) 1 insane; frenzied. 2 wildly foolish. 3 (often foll. By about, on) colloq. Wildly excited or infatuated. 4 colloq. Angry. 5 (of an animal) rabid. 6 wildly light-hearted.  like mad colloq. With great energy or enthusiasm.  madness n.  [old english]
Spinal  adj. Of the spine. [latin: related to *spine]
Queen bee  n. 1 fertile female bee. 2 woman who behaves as if she is the most important person in a group.
Knitting-needle  n. Thin pointed rod used esp. In pairs for knitting by hand.


Re-emphasize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) place renewed emphasis on.
Xe  symb. Xenon.



Unsolved  adj. Not solved.


Tattle  —v. (-ling) prattle, chatter, gossip. —n. Gossip; idle talk. [flemish tatelen, imitative]

Mirage  n. 1 optical illusion caused by atmospheric conditions, esp. The appearance of a pool of water in a desert etc. From the reflection of light. 2 illusory thing. [latin miro look at]
Coroner  n. Official holding inquests on deaths thought to be violent or accidental. [anglo-french: related to *crown]


Fulfill  v. (brit. Fulfil) (-ll-) 1 carry out (a task, prophecy, promise, etc.). 2 a satisfy (conditions, a desire, prayer, etc.). B (as fulfilled adj.) Completely happy. 3 answer (a purpose).  fulfil oneself realize one's potential.  fulfilment n. [old english: related to *full1, *fill]




Premenstrual  adj. Of the time shortly before each menstruation (premenstrual tension).

Vicuña  n. 1 s. American mammal like a llama, with fine silky wool. 2 a cloth from its wool. B imitation of this. [spanish from quechua]

Balaclava  n. (in full balaclava helmet) usu. Woollen covering for the whole head and neck, except for the face. [balaclava in the crimea, the site of a battle in 1854]


Loggerhead  n.  at loggerheads (often foll. By with) disagreeing or disputing. [probably dial. From logger wooden block]
Dada  n. Early 20th-c. Artistic and literary movement repudiating conventions.  dadaism n. Dadaist n. & adj. Dadaistic adj. [french dada hobby-horse]

Plumy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 plumelike, feathery. 2 adorned with plumes.



Zeitgeist  n. The spirit of the times. [german]
Swung  past and past part. Of *swing.

Overbook  v. (also absol.) Make too many bookings for (an aircraft, hotel, etc.).

Leasehold  n. 1 holding of property by lease. 2 property held by lease.  leaseholder n.
Usage  the second pronunciation given, with the stress on the second syllable, is considered incorrect by some people.
Sulfureous  adj. (brit. Sulphureous) of or like sulphur.

Picket line  n. Boundary established by workers on strike, esp. At the entrance to the place of work, which others are asked not to cross.

Mommy  n. (pl. -ies) esp. Us colloq. = *mummy1.



Caloric  adj. Of heat or calories.
Unmanly  adj. Not manly.


Arty  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Pretentiously or affectedly artistic.
Memory lane  n. (usu. Prec. By down, along) joc. Sentimental remembering.


Smacker  n. Slang 1 loud kiss. 2 a £1. B us $1.
Dissident  —adj. Disagreeing, esp. With the established government, system, etc. —n. Dissident person.  dissidence n. [latin: related to *dis-, sedeo sit]




Porch  n. Covered entrance to a building. [latin porticus]


Activity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 being active; busy or energetic action. 2 (often in pl.) Occupation or pursuit (outdoor activities). 3 = *radioactivity.







Dame-school  n. Hist. Primary school kept by an elderly woman.

Pointing  n. 1 cement filling the joints of brickwork. 2 facing produced by this.
Sleeper  n. 1 person or animal that sleeps. 2 horizontal beam supporting a railway track. 3 a sleeping-car. B berth in this. 4 ring or stud worn in a pierced ear to keep the hole open.


Inhospitable  adj. 1 not hospitable. 2 (of a region etc.) Not affording shelter, favourable conditions, etc.  inhospitably adv.
Quarto  n. (pl. -s) 1 size of a book or page given by folding a sheet of standard size twice to form four leaves. 2 book or sheet of this size. [latin: related to *quart]

Morass  n. 1 entanglement; confusion. 2 literary bog. [french marais related to *marsh]

Ice-field  n. Expanse of ice, esp. In polar regions.
Wheaten  adj. Made of wheat.


Muesli  n. Breakfast food of crushed cereals, dried fruits, nuts, etc., eaten with milk. [swiss german]
Oration  n. Formal or ceremonial speech. [latin oratio discourse, prayer, from oro speak, pray]
Purr  —v. 1 (of a cat) make a low vibratory sound expressing contentment. 2  (of machinery etc.) Run smoothly and quietly. 3 (of a person) express pleasure; utter purringly. —n. Purring sound. [imitative]

Seep  v. Ooze out; percolate. [old english]

Germanium  n. Brittle greyish-white semi-metallic element. [related to *german]


Riviera  n. Coastal subtropical region, esp. That of se france and nw italy. [italian, = sea-shore]

Track shoe  n. Runner's spiked shoe.
Fir  n. 1 (in full fir-tree) evergreen coniferous tree with needles growing singly on the stems. 2 its wood.  firry adj. [old norse]
Write-off  n. Thing written off, esp. A vehicle too badly damaged to be repaired.

Spermaceti  n. White waxy substance from the sperm whale, used for ointments etc. [medieval latin, = whale sperm]


Superstructure  n. Structure built on top of another.



Expletive  n. Swear-word or exclamation. [latin expleo fill out]

Exploit  —n. Daring feat. —v. 1 make use of (a resource etc.). 2 usu. Derog. Utilize or take advantage of (esp. A person) for one's own ends.  exploitation n. Exploitative adj. Exploiter n. [latin: related to *explicate]

Chyle  n. Milky fluid of food materials formed in the intestine after digestion. [greek khulos juice]
Personnel  n. Staff of an organization, the armed forces, a public service, etc. [french, = personal]




Automation  n. 1 use of automatic equipment in place of manual labour. 2 production of goods etc. By this.



Sartorial  adj. Of men's clothes or tailoring.  sartorially adv. [latin sartor tailor]
Dote  v. (-ting) (foll. By on) be excessively fond of.  dotingly adv. [origin uncertain]
Plaster of paris  n. Fine white gypsum plaster for plaster casts etc.
Kinetic  adj. Of or due to motion.  kinetically adv. [greek kineo move]

Chrome  n. 1 chromium, esp. As plating. 2 (in full chrome yellow) yellow pigment got from a certain compound of chromium. [greek khroma colour]

Outsmart  v. Outwit, be cleverer than.
Ducks and drakes  n.pl. (usu. Treated as sing.) Game of making a flat stone skim the surface of water.  play ducks and drakes with colloq. Squander.


Chastise  v. (-sing) 1 rebuke severely. 2 punish, esp. By beating.  chastisement n.
Student  n. 1 person who is studying, esp. At a place of higher or further education. 2 (attrib.) Studying in order to become (student nurse).  studentship n. [latin: related to *study]




Rayon  n. Textile fibre or fabric made from cellulose. [from *ray1]
Unplanned  adj. Not planned.


Hydraulic  adj. 1 (of water, oil, etc.) Conveyed through pipes or channels. 2 (of a mechanism etc.) Operated by liquid moving in this way (hydraulic brakes).  hydraulically adv. [greek hudor water, aulos pipe]



Whortleberry  n. (pl. -ies) bilberry. [origin unknown]
Praise  —v. (-sing) 1 express warm approval or admiration of. 2 glorify (god) in words. —n. Praising; commendation. [french preisier from latin pretium price]
Fruit machine  n. Coin-operated gaming machine using symbols representing fruit.
Quadruped  n.  Four-footed animal, esp. A mammal. [latin: related to *quadri-, pes ped- foot]
Psi1  n. Twenty-third letter of the greek alphabet (y, y). [greek]
Dry-shod  adj. & adv. Without wetting one's shoes.
Rheumatism  n. Disease marked by inflammation and pain in the joints, muscles, or fibrous tissue, esp. Rheumatoid arthritis.
Teapot  n. Pot with a handle, spout, and lid, for brewing and then pouring tea.
Felucca  n. Small mediterranean coasting vessel with oars and/or sails. [arabic fulk]


Van1  n. 1 small covered goods vehicle. 2 railway carriage for luggage and for the guard. [abbreviation of *caravan]
Faux pas  n. (pl. Same) tactless mistake; blunder. [french, = false step]
Urinary  adj. Of or relating to urine.

Egg2  v. (foll. By on) urge. [old norse: related to *edge]




Butterscotch  n. Brittle toffee made from butter, brown sugar, etc.


Caribbean  adj. Of the caribs or the w. Indies generally.



Scrutineer  n. Person who scrutinizes ballot-papers.
Newscaster  n. = *newsreader.

Cameraman  n. Person who operates a camera professionally, esp. In film-making or television.

Sentry-box  n. Cabin for sheltering a standing sentry.

Camp2  colloq. —adj. 1 affected, effeminate, theatrically exaggerated. 2 homosexual. —n. Camp manner or style. —v. Behave or do in a camp way.  camp it up overact; behave affectedly.  campy adj. (-ier, -iest). [origin uncertain]
Apostolic  adj. 1 of the apostles or their teaching. 2 of the pope.





Immunology  n. The study of immunity.  immunological adj. Immunologist n.

Pavement artist  n. Artist who draws in chalk on paving-stones for tips.

Earphone  n. Device applied to the ear to receive a radio etc. Communication.
Vest  —n. 1 undergarment worn on the trunk. 2 us & austral. Waistcoat. —v. 1 (foll. By with) bestow (powers, authority, etc.) On. 2 (foll. By in) confer (property or power) on (a person) with an immediate fixed right of future possession. 3 clothe (oneself), esp. In vestments. [latin vestis garment]


Gaff1  —n. 1 a stick with an iron hook for landing large fish. B barbed fishing-spear. 2 spar to which the head of a fore-and-aft sail is bent. —v. Seize (a fish) with a gaff. [provençal gaf hook]








Pickax  n. (brit. Pickaxe) = *pick2 1. [french: related to *pike]
Unionize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) organize in or into a trade union.  unionization n.
Floating voter  n. Voter without fixed allegiance.
Saw3  n. Proverb; maxim. [old english: related to *say]
Like2  —v. (-king) 1 find agreeable or enjoyable. 2 a choose to have; prefer (like my tea weak). B wish for or be inclined to (would like a nap; should like to come). —n. (in pl.) Things one likes or prefers. [old english]
Shatter  v. 1 break suddenly in pieces. 2 severely damage or destroy. 3 (esp. In passive) greatly upset or discompose. 4 (usu. As shattered adj.) Colloq. Exhaust. [origin unknown]
Excursive  adj. Literary digressive.
Usage  as a verb, discomfort is sometimes confused with discomfit.



Minus sign  n. The symbol –, indicating subtraction or a negative value.
Precursor  n. 1 a forerunner. B person who precedes in office etc. 2 harbinger. [latin praecurro -curs- run before]




Lenient  adj. Merciful, not severe.  lenience n. Leniency n. Leniently adv. [latin lenis gentle]

Exception  n. 1 excepting or being excepted. 2 thing that has been or will be excepted. 3 instance that does not follow a rule.  take exception (often foll. By to) object. With the exception of except.


Line of fire  n. Expected path of gunfire etc.
Direct  —adj. 1 extending or moving in a straight line or by the shortest route; not crooked or circuitous. 2 straightforward; frank. 3 with nothing or no-one in between; personal (direct line). 4 (of descent) lineal, not collateral. 5 complete, greatest possible (the direct opposite). —adv. 1 in a direct way or manner (dealt with them direct). 2 by the direct route (sent direct to london). —v. 1 control; govern or guide (duty directs me). 2 (foll. By to + infin., or that + clause) order (a person) to. 3 (foll. By to) a address (a letter etc.). B tell or show (a person) the way to (a place). 4 (foll. By at, to, towards) point, aim, or turn (a blow, attention, or remark). 5 (also absol.) Supervise the performing, staging, etc., of (a film, play, etc.).  directness n. [latin dirigo from rego rect- guide]
Drumbeat  n. Stroke or sound of a stroke on a drum.
Paracetamol  n. 1 drug used to relieve pain and reduce fever. 2 tablet of this. [from para-acetylaminophenol]

Peep2  —v. Make a shrill feeble sound as of young birds, mice, etc. —n. 1 such a sound. 2 slight sound, utterance, or complaint (not a peep out of them). [imitative]


Tall ship  n. Sailing-ship with a high mast.
Buck1  —n. 1 male deer, hare, rabbit, etc. 2 archaic dandy. 3 (attrib.) Slang male. —v. 1 (of a horse) jump upwards with its back arched. 2 (usu. Foll. By off) throw (a rider) in this way. 3 (usu. Foll. By up) colloq. A cheer up. B hurry up; make an effort. [old english]


Million  n. & adj. (pl. Same or (in sense 2) -s) (in sing. Prec. By a or one) 1 thousand thousand. 2 (in pl.) Colloq. Very large number. 3 million pounds or dollars.  millionth adj. & n. [french, probably from italian mille thousand]
Headword  n. Word forming a heading.
Autostrada  n. (pl. -s or -strade) italian motorway. [italian]
Agriculture  n. Cultivation of the soil and rearing of animals.  agricultural adj. Agriculturalist n. [latin ager field]

Merchant bank  n. Bank dealing in commercial loans and finance.

Cranium  n. (pl. -s or -nia) 1 skull. 2 part of the skeleton enclosing the brain.  cranial adj. Craniology n. [medieval latin from greek]
Quantum  n. (pl. Quanta) 1 physics discrete amount of energy proportional to the frequency of radiation it represents. 2 a required or allowed amount. [latin quantus how much]




Duffle bag  n. Cylindrical canvas bag closed by a drawstring.

Dial  —n. 1 plate with a scale for measuring weight, volume, etc., indicated by a pointer. 2 movable numbered disc on a telephone for making connection. 3 face of a clock or watch, marking the hours etc. 4 a plate or disc etc. On a radio or television for selecting a wavelength or channel. B similar device on other equipment. —v. (-ll-; us -l-) 1 (also absol.) Select (a telephone number) with a dial. 2 measure, indicate, or regulate with a dial. [medieval latin diale from dies day]

Copper1  —n. 1 malleable red-brown metallic element. 2 bronze coin. 3 large metal vessel for boiling esp. Laundry. —adj. Made of or coloured like copper. —v. Cover with copper. [latin cuprum]


Stone age  n. Prehistoric period when weapons and tools were made of stone.
Span1  —n. 1 full extent from end to end. 2 each part of a bridge between supports. 3 maximum lateral extent of an aeroplane or its wing, or a bird's wing, etc. 4 a maximum distance between the tips of the thumb and little finger. B this as a measure of 9 in. —v. (-nn-) 1 stretch from side to side of; extend across. 2 bridge (a river etc.). [old english]

Spam  n. Propr. Tinned meat made from ham. [spiced ham]
Servo  n. (pl. -s) 1 powered mechanism producing motion at a higher level of energy than the input level. 2 (in comb.) Involving this. [latin servus slave]






Apparent  adj. 1 readily visible; obvious. 2 seeming.  apparently adv. [latin: related to *appear]


Nitrite  n. Any salt or ester of nitrous acid. [from *nitre]

Bouquet garni  n. (pl. Bouquets garnis) bunch or bag of herbs for seasoning.
Fatten  v. Make or become fat.

Molten  adj. Melted, esp. Made liquid by heat. [from *melt]
All-in wrestling  n. Wrestling with few or no restrictions.

Dogmatism  n. Tendency to be dogmatic.  dogmatist n.

Lady day  n. Feast of the annunciation, 25 mar.
Attract  v. 1 (also absol.) (of a magnet etc.) Draw to itself or oneself. 2 arouse interest or admiration in. [latin traho draw]



Egg-white  n. White part round the yolk of an egg.
Shrike  n. Bird with a strong hooked and toothed bill. [old english]
Caffeine  n. Alkaloid stimulant in tea-leaves and coffee beans. [french café coffee]

Hypothermia  n. Abnormally low body-temperature. [from *hypo-, greek therme heat]
Walkway  n. Passage or path (esp. Raised) for walking along.


Heartstrings  n.pl. One's deepest feelings.




Facia  var. Of *fascia.

Self-reproach  n. Reproach directed at oneself.
Reliance  n. (foll. By in, on) trust, confidence.  reliant adj.


Infrastructure  n. 1 a basic structural foundations of a society or enterprise. B roads, bridges, sewers, etc., regarded as a country's economic foundation. 2 permanent installations as a basis for military etc. Operations.
Starboard  —n. Right-hand side of a ship or aircraft looking forward. —v. (also absol.) Turn (the helm) to starboard. [old english, = steer board]




Vibrant  adj. 1 vibrating. 2 (often foll. By with) thrilling, lively. 3 (of sound) resonant. 4 (of colours) bright and striking.  vibrancy n. Vibrantly adv. [latin: related to *vibrate]
Kinetic art  n. Sculpture etc. Designed to move.

Vacant  adj. 1 not filled or occupied. 2 not mentally active; showing no interest.  vacantly adv. [latin: related to *vacate]
Dry rot  n. Decayed state of unventilated wood; fungi causing this.



Choux pastry  n. Very light pastry enriched with eggs. [french]

Floribunda  n. Plant, esp. A rose, bearing dense clusters of flowers. [related to *floret: cf. *moribund]






Plainsong  n. Unaccompanied church music sung in unison in medieval modes and in free rhythm corresponding to the accentuation of the words.
Sardonic  adj. Bitterly mocking or cynical.  sardonically adv. [greek sardonios sardinian]
Eleven  adj. & n. 1 one more than ten. 2 symbol for this (11, xi, xi). 3 size etc. Denoted by eleven. 4 team of eleven players at cricket, football, etc. 5 eleven o'clock. [old english]

Be  symb. Beryllium.
Safety-belt  n. 1 = *seat-belt. 2 belt or strap worn to prevent injury.
Payola  n. Esp. Us slang bribe offered for unofficial promotion of a product etc. In the media.
Press conference  n. Interview given to a number of journalists.



Glaciated  adj. 1 marked or polished by the action of ice. 2 covered by glaciers or ice sheets.  glaciation n. [glaciate freeze, from latin: related to *glacial]

Miniaturize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) produce in a smaller version; make small.  miniaturization n.
Tree ring  n. Ring in a cross-section of a tree, from one year's growth.
Depend  v. 1 (often foll. By on, upon) be controlled or determined by (it depends on luck). 2 (foll. By on, upon) a need (depends on his car). B rely on (i'm depending on good weather). [latin pendeo hang]
Liquor  n. 1 alcoholic (esp. Distilled) drink. 2 other liquid, esp. That produced in cooking. [latin: related to *liquid]

He-man  n. Masterful or virile man.
Glamorize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) make glamorous or attractive.


Industry  n. (pl. -ies) 1 a branch of production or manufacture; commercial enterprise. B these collectively. 2 concerted activity (a hive of industry). 3 diligence. [latin industria]
Redskin  n. Colloq. Offens. American indian.

Pug  n. (in full pug-dog) dog of a dwarf breed with a broad flat nose and wrinkled face. [origin unknown]
Hmi  abbr. Her (or his) majesty's inspector (of schools).

Tummy  n. (pl. -ies) colloq. Stomach. [a childish pronunciation]


Tenpin bowling  n. Game in which ten pins or skittles are bowled at in an alley.

Consist  v. 1 (foll. By of) be composed; have as ingredients. 2 (foll. By in, of) have its essential features as specified. [latin sisto stop]


Edit  v. (-t-) 1 assemble, prepare, or modify (written material for publication). 2 be editor of (a newspaper etc.). 3 take extracts from and collate (a film etc.) To form a unified sequence. 4 a prepare (data) for processing by a computer. B alter (a text entered in a word processor etc.). 5 a reword in order to correct, or to alter the emphasis. B (foll. By out) remove (a part) from a text etc. [latin edo edit- give out]
Peppery  adj. 1 of, like, or containing pepper. 2 hot-tempered. 3 pungent.
Wrapper  n. 1 cover for a sweet, book, posted newspaper, etc. 2 loose enveloping robe or gown.

Roughshod  adj. (of a horse) having shoes with nail-heads projecting to prevent slipping.  ride roughshod over treat inconsiderately or arrogantly.



Heyday  n. Time of greatest success or prosperity. [low german]
Spearmint  n. Common garden mint, used in cookery and to flavour chewing-gum etc.

Cart-wright  n. Maker of carts.

Reforge  v. (-ging) forge again or differently.
Enthrall  v. (brit. Enthral) (-ll-) captivate, please greatly.  enthralment n. [from *en-1, *thrall]


Collect2  n. Short prayer of the anglican or roman catholic church. [latin collecta: related to *collect1]
Word processor  n. Computer program, or device incorporating a computer, used for storing text entered from a keyboard, making corrections, and providing a printout.  word-process v. Word processing n.




Fickle  adj. Inconstant, changeable, disloyal.  fickleness n. Fickly adv. [old english]
Scrapie  n. Viral disease of sheep, characterized by lack of coordination.


Compendious  adj. Comprehensive but brief. [latin: related to *compendium]
Cloth  n. 1 woven or felted material. 2 piece of this, esp. For a particular purpose; tablecloth, dishcloth, etc. 3 fabric for clothes. 4 a status, esp. Of the clergy, as shown by clothes. B (prec. By the) the clergy. [old english]

Crackpot  slang —n. Eccentric person. —adj. Mad, unworkable.
Tyrant  n. 1 oppressive or cruel ruler. 2 person exercising power arbitrarily or cruelly. [greek turannos]

Stifle  v. (-ling) 1 suppress. 2 feel or make unable to breathe easily; suffocate. 3 kill by suffocating.  stifling adj. & adv. [origin uncertain]


Gaul  n. Inhabitant of ancient gaul. [french from germanic]
Cloy  v. Satiate or sicken with sweetness, richness, etc. [obsolete acloy from anglo-french: related to *enclave]


Muddle-headed  adj. Mentally disorganized, confused.
Donkey-work  n. Laborious part of a job.


Spinach  n. Green vegetable with edible leaves. [french espinache]



War  —n. 1 a armed hostilities between esp. Nations; conflict. B specific instance or period of this. C suspension of international law etc. During this. 2 hostility or contention between people, groups, etc. 3 (often foll. By on) sustained campaign against crime, poverty, etc. —v. (-rr-) 1 (as warring adj.) Rival; fighting. 2 make war.  at war (often foll. By with) engaged in a war. Go to war declare or begin a war.
Ld.  Abbr. Lord.


Spin-off  n. Incidental result or benefit, esp. From technology.
Coffin  n. Box in which a corpse is buried or cremated. [latin: related to *coffer]
Indigo  n. (pl. -s) 1 colour between blue and violet in the spectrum. 2 dye of this colour. [greek indikon indian dye]
Daiquiri  n. (pl. -s) cocktail of rum, lime juice, etc. [daiquiri in cuba]

Lord's supper  n. Eucharist.
Bilingual  —adj. 1 able to speak two languages. 2 spoken or written in two languages. —n. Bilingual person.  bilingualism n. [latin lingua tongue]
Milkmaid  n. Girl or woman who milks cows or works in a dairy.

Cata-  prefix 1 down. 2 wrongly. [greek]


Thalidomide  n. Sedative drug found in 1961 to cause foetal malformation when taken early in pregnancy. [from phthalimidoglutarimide]

Pta  abbr. Parent-teacher association.

Peacock  n. (pl. Same or -s) male peafowl, with brilliant plumage and an erectile fanlike tail with eyelike markings. [from latin pavo peacock, *cock1]
Ours  poss. Pron. The one or ones belonging to or associated with us (it is ours; ours are best; a friend of ours).



Cat  n. 1 small soft-furred four-legged domesticated animal. 2 wild animal of the same family, e.g. Lion, tiger. 3 colloq. Malicious or spiteful woman. 4 = *cat-o'-nine-tails.  the cat's whiskers colloq. Excellent person or thing. Let the cat out of the bag reveal a secret. Like a cat on hot bricks very agitated. Put (or set) the cat among the pigeons cause trouble. Rain cats and dogs rain hard. [latin cattus]

Denouement  n. (also dénouement) 1 final unravelling of a plot or complicated situation. 2 final scene in a play, novel, etc. [french, from latin nodus knot]

Zeal  n. Earnestness or fervour; hearty persistent endeavour. [greek zelos]

Preen  v. 1 (of a bird) tidy (the feathers or itself) with its beak. 2 (of a person) smarten or admire (oneself, one's hair, clothes, etc.). 3 (often foll. By on) congratulate or pride (oneself). [origin unknown]
-ency  suffix forming nouns denoting quality or state (efficiency; fluency; presidency). [latin -entia]




Hele  v. (-ling) (also heel) (foll. By in) set (a plant) in the ground temporarily and cover its roots. [old english]
Crumby  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 like or covered in crumbs. 2 = *crummy.
Spend  v. (past and past part. Spent) 1 pay out (money). 2 a use or consume (time or energy). B use up (material etc.). 3 (as spent adj.) Having lost its original force or strength; exhausted.  spend a penny colloq. Go to the lavatory.  spender n. [latin: related to *expend]
Gizzard  n. 1 second part of a bird's stomach, for grinding food. 2 muscular stomach of some fish etc. [french]
Myna  n. (also mynah, mina) talking bird of the starling family. [hindi]
Drag queen  n. Slang derog. Male homosexual transvestite.
Petrodollar  n. Notional unit of currency earned by a petroleum-exporting country.
Monastic  adj. Of or like monasteries or monks, nuns, etc.  monastically adv. Monasticism n. [greek: related to *monastery]
Slovenly  —adj. Careless and untidy; unmethodical. —adv. In a slovenly manner.  slovenliness n.
No one  n. No person; nobody.


Copyist  n. Person who makes (esp. Written) copies.


Parley  —n. (pl. -s) conference of disputants, esp. To discuss peace terms etc. —v. (-leys, -leyed) (often foll. By with) hold a parley. [french parler: related to *parlance]

Haircut  n. 1 act of cutting the hair (needs a haircut). 2 style in which the hair is cut.
Chipmunk  n. Striped n. American ground squirrel. [algonquian]
Wine vinegar  n. Vinegar made from wine as distinct from malt etc.

Bonny  adj. (-ier, -iest) esp. Scot. & n.engl. 1 a physically attractive. B healthy-looking. 2 good, pleasant. [perhaps from french bon good]



Airbus  n. Propr. Short-haul passenger aircraft.

Black hole  n. Region of space from which matter and radiation cannot escape.

Waffle2  n. Small crisp batter cake. [dutch]


Ear2  n. Seed-bearing head of a cereal plant. [old english]
Heebie-jeebies  n.pl. (prec. By the) slang nervous anxiety, tension. [origin unknown]
De facto  —adv. In fact (whether by right or not). —adj. Existing or so in fact (a de facto ruler). [latin]
Yeoman of the guard  n. Member of the sovereign's bodyguard.
Unbearable  adj. Unendurable.  unbearably adv.
Tonsil  n. Either of two small organs, one on each side of the root of the tongue. [latin]



Imitative  adj. 1 (often foll. By of) imitating; following a model or example. 2 (of a word) reproducing a natural sound (e.g. Fizz), or otherwise suggestive (e.g. Blob).
Cling film  n. Thin transparent plastic covering for food.
Evensong  n. Service of evening prayer in the church of england. [from *even2]
Titbit  n. (us tidbit) 1 dainty morsel. 2 piquant item of news etc. [perhaps from dial. Tid tender]
Hemisphere  n. 1 half a sphere. 2 half of the earth, esp. As divided by the equator (into northern and southern hemisphere) or by a line passing through the poles (into eastern and western hemisphere).  hemispherical adj. [greek: related to *hemi-, *sphere]
Soapsuds  n.pl. = *suds.


Gutless  adj. Colloq. Lacking courage or energy.
Socratic method  n. Dialectic, procedure by question and answer.
Attenuate  v. (-ting) 1 make thin. 2 reduce in force, value, etc.  attenuation n. [latin tenuis thin]

Oilstone  n. Fine-grained flat stone used with oil for sharpening flat tools, e.g. Chisels, planes, etc.

Witch-doctor  n. Tribal magician of primitive people.




Trinity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 state of being three. 2 group of three. 3 (the trinity or holy trinity) theol. The three persons of the christian godhead (father, son, and holy spirit). [latin trinitas from trinus threefold]
Morpheme  n. Linguistics meaningful unit of a language that cannot be further divided (e.g. In, come, -ing, forming incoming). [greek morphe form]
Dogmatic  adj. Asserting or imposing personal opinions; intolerantly authoritative; arrogant.  dogmatically adv.




Non-intervention  n. (esp. Political) principle or practice of not becoming involved in others' affairs.
Heritable  adj. 1 law capable of being inherited or of inheriting. 2 biol. Genetically transmissible from parent to offspring. [french: related to *heir]
Hyperthermia  n. Abnormally high body-temperature. [from *hyper-, greek therme heat]
Indeclinable  adj. Gram. That cannot be declined; having no inflections.

Portmanteau word  n. Word combining the sounds and meanings of two others (e.g. Motel, oxbridge).








Antiviral  adj. Effective against viruses.
Baseline  n. 1 line used as a base or starting-point. 2 line marking each end of a tennis-court.
Curvature  n. 1 curving. 2 curved form. 3 deviation of a curve or curved surface from a plane. [french from latin: related to *curve]
Lump sugar  n. Sugar in cubes.

Miff  v. Colloq. (usu. As miffed adj.) Offend. [origin uncertain]

Undress  —v. 1 take off one's clothes. 2 take the clothes off (a person). —n. 1 ordinary or casual dress, esp. As opposed to full dress or uniform. 2 naked or scantily clad state.
Anywhere  —adv. In or to any place. —pron. Any place (anywhere will do).
Prat  n. Slang 1 fool. 2 buttocks. [origin unknown]
Mormon  n. Member of the church of jesus christ of latter-day saints.  mormonism n. [mormon, name of the supposed author of the book on which mormonism is founded]


Scrap heap  n. 1 pile of scrap. 2 state of being discarded as useless.
Patronize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 treat condescendingly. 2 be a patron or customer of.  patronizing adj. Patronizingly adv.

Hit man  n. Slang hired assassin.

Complain  v. 1 express dissatisfaction. 2 (foll. By of) a say that one is suffering from (an ailment). B state a grievance concerning. 3 creak under strain. [latin plango lament]
Stewardess  n. Female steward, esp. On a ship or aircraft.








Overpass  n. Road or railway line that passes over another by means of a bridge.
Driver  n. 1 person who drives a vehicle. 2 golf-club for driving from a tee.


Forbidding  adj. Stern, threatening.  forbiddingly adv.

Usage  until, as opposed to till, is used esp. At the beginning of a sentence and in formal style, e.g. Until you told me, i had no idea; he resided there until his decease.
Rodent  n. Mammal with strong incisors and no canine teeth, e.g. The rat, mouse, squirrel, beaver, and porcupine. [latin rodo gnaw]



Sync  (also synch) colloq. —n. Synchronization. —v. Synchronize.  in (or out of) sync (often foll. By with) according or agreeing well (or badly). [abbreviation]
Hundred  adj. & n. (pl. Hundreds or (in sense 1) hundred) (in sing., prec. By a or one) 1 ten times ten. 2 symbol for this (100, c, c). 3 (in sing. Or pl.) Colloq. A large number. 4 (in pl.) The years of a specified century (the seventeen hundreds). 5 hist. Subdivision of a county or shire, having its own court.  hundredfold adj. & adv. Hundredth adj. & n. [old english]




Packed out  adj. Full, crowded.
Carbonaceous  adj. 1 consisting of or containing carbon. 2 of or like coal or charcoal.
Anaesthetize  v. (us anes-) (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) administer an anaesthetic to.

Alcove  n. Recess, esp. In the wall of a room. [arabic, = the vault]
Custody  n. 1 guardianship; protective care. 2 imprisonment.  take into custody arrest.  custodial adj. [latin custos -od- guard]

Testator  n. (fem. Testatrix) (esp. Deceased) person who has made a will. [latin: related to *testate]

Suspicious  adj. 1 prone to or feeling suspicion. 2 causing suspicion.  suspiciously adv.
Stevedore  n. Person employed in loading and unloading ships. [spanish estivador]


Chive  n. Small plant with long onion-flavoured leaves. [latin cepa onion]
Candidate  n. 1 person nominated for or seeking office, an award, etc. 2 person or thing likely to gain some distinction or position. 3 person entered for an examination.  candidacy n. Candidature n. [latin, = white-robed]
Lease  —n. Contract by which the owner of property allows another to use it for a specified time, usu. In return for payment. —v. (-sing) grant or take on lease.  new lease of (us on) life improved prospect of living, or of use after repair. [anglo-french lesser let, from latin laxo loosen]
Hornbill  n. Bird with a hornlike excrescence on its large curved bill.
Skinhead  n. Youth with a shaven head, esp. One of an aggressive gang.

Caustic  —adj. 1 corrosive; burning. 2 sarcastic, biting. —n. Caustic substance.  caustically adv. Causticity n. [greek kaio burn]
Bodice  n. 1 part of a woman's dress above the waist. 2 woman's vest-like undergarment. [originally pair of bodies]







Palmistry  n. Fortune-telling from lines etc. On the palm of the hand.  palmist n.

Soup  —n. Liquid food made by boiling meat, fish, or vegetables. —v. (usu. Foll. By up) colloq. 1 increase the power of (an engine). 2 enliven (a souped-up version of the original).  in the soup colloq. In difficulties. [french]
Handler  n. 1 person who handles or deals in something. 2 person who trains and looks after an animal (esp. A police dog).



Bakewell tart  n. Open pastry case lined with jam and filled with almond paste. [bakewell in derbyshire]
Mental deficiency  n. Abnormally low intelligence.

Philippic  n. Bitter verbal attack. [greek from philip ii of macedon]
Secret society  n. Society whose members are sworn to secrecy about it.

Gemini  n. (pl. -s) 1 constellation and third sign of the zodiac (the twins). 2 person born when the sun is in this sign. [latin, = twins]
Scum  —n. 1 layer of dirt, froth, etc. At the top of liquid. 2 derog. Worst part, person, or group (scum of the earth). —v. (-mm-) 1 remove scum from. 2 form a scum (on).  scummy adj. (-ier, -iest). [low german or dutch]



Immigrant  —n. Person who immigrates. —adj. 1 immigrating. 2 of immigrants.
Headway  n. 1 progress. 2 ship's rate of progress. 3 headroom.


Linden  n. Lime-tree. [old english lind(e)]
Byway  n. 1 byroad or secluded path. 2 minor activity.

Épée  n. Sharp-pointed sword, used (with the end blunted) in fencing. [french: related to *spathe]

Dire  adj. 1 a calamitous, dreadful. B ominous. C (predic) colloq. Very bad. 2 urgent (in dire need). [latin]

Subjoin  v. Add (an illustration, anecdote, etc.) At the end. [latin subjungo -junct-]
Warren  n. 1 network of rabbit burrows. 2 densely populated or labyrinthine building or district. [anglo-french warenne from germanic]
Lagging  n. Material used to lag a boiler etc. Against loss of heat.


Propitiate  v. (-ting) appease (an offended person etc.).  propitiable adj. Propitiation n. Propitiator n. Propitiatory adj.  [latin: related to *propitious]


Eloquent  adj. 1 having eloquence. 2 (often foll. By of) expressive.  eloquently adv.

Couture  n. Design and manufacture of fashionable clothes. [french]

German measles  n.pl. Disease like mild measles; rubella.

Afforest  v. 1 convert into forest. 2 plant with trees.  afforestation n. [latin: related to *forest]
Strapping  adj. Large and sturdy.

Pillar  n. 1 slender vertical structure of stone etc. Used as a support or for ornament. 2 person regarded as a mainstay (pillar of the faith). 3 upright mass of air, water, rock, etc.  from pillar to post (rushing etc.) From one place to another. [latin pila pillar]
Unfitting  adj. Not suitable, unbecoming.
Sexology  n. The study of sexual relationships or practices.  sexologist n.
Fist  n. Tightly closed hand.  fistful n. (pl. -s). [old english]
Presidium  n. (also praesidium) standing committee in a communist country. [latin: related to *preside]
Solidify  v. (-ies, -ied) make or become solid.  solidification n.
Timetable  —n. List of times at which events are scheduled to take place, esp. The arrival and departure of transport or a sequence of lessons. —v. (-ling) include in or arrange to a timetable; schedule.

Microprocessor  n. Integrated circuit containing all the functions of a computer's central processing unit.
Tentative  adj. 1 experimental. 2 hesitant, not definite (tentative suggestion).  tentatively adv. Tentativeness n. [medieval latin: related to *tempt]
Breakdown  n. 1 a mechanical failure. B loss of (esp. Mental) health. 2 collapse (breakdown of communication). 3 analysis (of statistics etc.).

Bustle1  —v. (-ling) 1 (often foll. By about) (cause to) move busily and energetically. 2 (as bustling adj.) Active, lively. —n. Excited or energetic activity. [perhaps from obsolete busk prepare]
Nullify  v. (-ies, -ied) neutralize, invalidate.  nullification n.


Pestilence  n. Fatal epidemic disease, esp. Bubonic plague. [latin pestis plague]

Machinist  n. 1 person who operates a machine, esp. A sewing-machine or a machine tool. 2 person who makes machinery.

Antitoxin  n. Antibody counteracting a toxin.  antitoxic adj.
Spiraea  n. (us spirea) shrub with clusters of small white or pink flowers. [greek: related to *spiral]


Imbed  var. Of *embed.
Very light  n. Flare projected from a pistol for signalling or illuminating part of a battlefield etc. [very, name of its inventor]
Loggia  n. Open-sided gallery or arcade. [italian, = *lodge]

Unemployment benefit  n. State payment made to an unemployed person.

Sallow2  n. 1 low-growing willow. 2 a shoot or the wood of this. [old english]
Wireless  n. Radio; radio receiving set.


Decisive  adj. 1 conclusive, settling an issue. 2 quick to decide.  decisively adv. Decisiveness n. [medieval latin: related to *decide]

Tell-tale  n. 1 person who reveals secrets about another. 2 (attrib.) That reveals or betrays (tell-tale smile). 3 automatic monitoring or registering device.
Pittance  n. Very small allowance or remuneration. [romanic: related to *pity]
Negative  —adj. 1 expressing or implying denial, prohibition, or refusal (negative answer). 2 (of a person or attitude) lacking positive attributes. 3 marked by the absence of qualities (negative reaction). 4 of the opposite nature to a thing regarded as positive. 5 (of a quantity) less than zero, to be subtracted from others or from zero. 6 electr. A of the kind of charge carried by electrons. B containing or producing such a charge. —n. 1 negative statement or word. 2 photog. A image with black and white reversed or colours replaced by complementary ones, from which positive pictures are obtained. B developed film or plate bearing such an image. —v. (-ving) 1 refuse to accept or countenance; veto. 2 disprove. 3 contradict (a statement). 4 neutralize (an effect).  in the negative with negative effect.  negatively adv. Negativity n.



House-husband  n. Man who does a wife's traditional household duties.


Meat  n. 1 animal flesh as food. 2 (often foll. By of) substance; chief part.  meatless adj. [old english]
Turbocharger  n. Supercharger driven by a turbine powered by the engine's exhaust gases.
Mah-jong  n. (also -jongg) game played with 136 or 144 pieces called tiles. [chinese dial. Ma-tsiang sparrows]
Sword of damocles  n. An immediate danger. [from damokles, who had a sword hung by a hair over him]


Somebody  —pron. Some person. —n. (pl. -ies) important person.

Binocular  adj. For both eyes. [latin bini two together, oculus eye]





Mod cons  n.pl. Modern conveniences.
Nevus  n. (brit. Naevus) (pl. Naevi) 1 raised red birthmark. 2 = *mole2. [latin]
Soap  —n. 1 cleansing agent yielding lather when rubbed in water. 2 colloq. = *soap opera. —v. Apply soap to. [old english]
Corny  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. 1 banal. 2 feebly humorous. 3 sentimental.  cornily adv. Corniness n. [from *corn1]

Rainy  adj. (-ier, -iest) (of weather, a climate, day, etc.) In or on which rain is falling or much rain usually falls. [old english: related to *rain]
Mildly  adv. In a mild fashion.  to put it mildly as an understatement.
Knee-deep  adj. 1 (usu. Foll. By in) a immersed up to the knees. B deeply involved. 2 so deep as to reach the knees.

Stratify  v. (-ies, -ied) (esp. As stratified adj.) Arrange in strata or grades etc.  stratification n. [french: related to *stratum]


Sloane  n. (in full sloane ranger) slang fashionable and conventional upper-class young person.  sloaney adj. [sloane square in london, and lone ranger, cowboy hero]
Ell  n. Hist. Measure = 45 in. [old english, = forearm]

Consubstantial  adj. Theol. Of one substance. [church latin: related to *substance]
Protrude  v. (-ding) thrust forward; stick out; project.  protrusion n. Protrusive adj. [latin trudo trus- thrust]





Recapitulate  v. (-ting) 1 go briefly through again; summarize. 2 go over the main points or headings of. [latin: related to *capital]

Phoneme  n. Unit of sound in a specified language that distinguishes one word from another (e.g. P, b, d, t as in pad, pat, bad, bat, in english).  phonemic adj. [greek phoneo speak]
Wale  n. 1 = *weal1. 2 ridge on corduroy etc. 3 naut. A broad thick timber along a ship's side. [old english]
Pier  n. 1 a structure built out into the sea, a lake, etc., as a promenade and landing-stage. B breakwater. 2 a support of an arch or of the span of a bridge; pillar. B solid masonry between windows etc. [latin pera]
Criticize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) (also absol.) 1 find fault with; censure. 2 discuss critically.
Countersink  v. (past and past part. -sunk) 1 shape (the rim of a hole) so that a screw or bolt can be inserted flush with the surface. 2 sink (a screw etc.) In such a hole.
Gimlet  n. Small tool with a screw-tip for boring holes. [french]

High fidelity  n. High-quality sound reproduction with little distortion.
Match2  n. 1 short thin piece of wood etc. With a combustible tip. 2 wick or cord etc. For firing a cannon etc. [french mesche]
Fearsome  adj. Frightening.  fearsomely adv.
Furrier  n. Dealer in or dresser of furs. [french]
Usage  as a verb, censor is often confused with censure.


Defeat  —v. 1 overcome in battle, a contest, etc. 2 frustrate, baffle. 3 reject (a motion etc.) By voting. —n. Defeating or being defeated. [latin: related to *dis-, *fact]
Herbage  n. Vegetation collectively, esp. As pasture.
Personal  adj. 1 one's own; individual; private. 2 done or made in person (my personal attention). 3 directed to or concerning an individual (personal letter). 4 referring (esp. In a hostile way) to an individual's private life or concerns (personal remarks; no need to be personal). 5 of the body and clothing (personal hygiene). 6 existing as a person (a personal god). 7 gram. Of or denoting one of the three persons (personal pronoun).
State of the art  —n. Current stage of esp. Technological development. —attrib. Adj. (usu. State-of-the-art) absolutely up-to-date (state-of-the-art weaponry).


Allen screw  n. Propr. Screw with a hexagonal socket in the head.





Plea  n. 1 appeal, entreaty. 2 law formal statement by or on behalf of a defendant. 3 excuse. [latin placitum decree: related to *please]
Abhor  v. (-rr-) detest; regard with disgust. [latin: related to *horror




Contrariwise  adv. 1 on the other hand. 2 in the opposite way. 3 perversely.



Whipper-in  n. (pl. Whippers-in) huntsman's assistant who manages the hounds.
Extended family  n. Family including relatives living near.

Blancmange  n. Sweet opaque jelly of flavoured cornflour and milk. [french, = white food]
Dunlin  n. Red-backed sandpiper. [probably from *dun]

Winsome  adj. Attractive, engaging.  winsomely adv. Winsomeness n. [old english, = joyous]
Git  n. Slang silly or contemptible person. [get (noun), = fool]

Cease  formal —v. (-sing) stop; bring or come to an end. —n. (in without cease) unending. [latin cesso]
Usage  the form -ize has been in use in english since the 16th c.; it is widely used in american english, but is not an americanism. The alternative spelling -ise (reflecting a french influence) is in common use, esp. In british english, and is obligatory in certain cases: (a) where it forms part of a larger word-element, such as -mise (= sending) in compromise, and -prise (= taking) in surprise; and (b) in verbs corresponding to nouns with -s- in the stem, such as advertise and televise.
Exchequer  n. 1 former government department in charge of national revenue. 2 royal or national treasury. 3 money of a private individual or group. [medieval latin scaccarium chessboard]

À la carte  adv. & adj. With individually priced dishes. [french]
Next of kin  n.sing. & pl. Closest living relative(s).
Bad debt  n. Debt that is not recoverable.
Lodger  n. Person paying for accommodation in another's house.

Fustian  —n. 1 thick usu. Dark twilled cotton cloth. 2 bombast. —adj. 1 made of fustian. 2 bombastic. 3 worthless. [french]


Snowball  —n. Ball of compressed snow for throwing in play. —v. 1 throw or pelt with snowballs. 2 increase rapidly.





Oct.  Abbr. October.
Musquash  n. = *muskrat. [algonquian]


Scrub1  —v. (-bb-) 1 clean by rubbing, esp. With a hard brush and water. 2 (often foll. By up) (of a surgeon etc.) Clean and disinfect the hands and arms before operating. 3 colloq. Scrap or cancel. 4 use water to remove impurities from (gases etc.). —n. Scrubbing or being scrubbed. [low german or dutch]
Flora  n. (pl. -s or florae) 1 plant life of a region or period. 2 list or book of these. [latin flora, name of the goddess of flowers]

Redouble  —v. (-ling) 1 make or grow greater or more intense or numerous. 2 bridge double again a bid already doubled by an opponent. —n. Bridge redoubling of a bid.



Mantissa  n. Part of a logarithm after the decimal point. [latin, = makeweight]


Solipsism  n. Philosophical theory that the self is all that exists or can be known.  solipsist n. [latin solus alone, ipse self]
Occasional  adj. 1 happening irregularly and infrequently. 2 made or meant for, or acting on, a special occasion.  occasionally adv.
Exemplar  n. 1 model. 2 typical or parallel instance. [latin: related to *example]
Dispense  v. (-sing) 1 distribute; deal out. 2 administer. 3 make up and give out (medicine etc.). 4 (foll. By with) do without; make unnecessary. [french from latin pendo pens- weigh]
Ever  adv. 1 at all times; always (ever hopeful; ever after). 2 at any time (have you ever smoked?; nothing ever happens). 3 (used for emphasis) in any way; at all (how ever did you do it?). 4 (in comb.) Constantly (ever-present). 5 (foll. By so, such) colloq. Very; very much (ever so easy; thanks ever so).  did you ever? Colloq. Did you ever hear or see the like? Ever since throughout the period since. [old english]




Acquisitive  adj. Keen to acquire things.


Hypotenuse  n. Side opposite the right angle of a right-angled triangle. [greek, = subtending line]
Fahrenheit  adj. Of a scale of temperature on which water freezes at 32° and boils at 212°. [fahrenheit, name of a physicist]
Trust  —n. 1 firm belief in the reliability, truth, or strength etc. Of a person or thing. 2 confident expectation. 3 responsibility (position of great trust). 4 commercial credit (obtained goods on trust). 5 law a arrangement whereby a person or group manages property on another's behalf. B property so held. C body of trustees. 6 association of companies for reducing competition etc. —v. 1 place trust in; believe in; rely on the character or behaviour of.
Burbot  n. (pl. Same) eel-like freshwater fish. [french]
Usage  imprimatur is sometimes confused with sense 2 of imprint.

Prior  —adj. 1 earlier. 2 (often foll. By to) coming before in time, order, or importance. —adv. (foll. By to) before (left prior to his arrival). —n. (fem. Prioress) 1 superior of a religious house or order. 2 (in an abbey) deputy of an abbot. [latin, = earlier]




Hip4  adj. (also hep) (-pper, -ppest) slang trendy, stylish. [origin unknown]
Arborescent  adj. Treelike in growth or form.
Civility  n. (pl. -ies) 1 politeness. 2 act of politeness. [latin: related to *civil]
Desert3  n. 1 (in pl.) Deserved reward or punishment (got his deserts). 2 being worthy of reward or punishment. [french: related to *deserve]
In-law  n. (often in pl.) Relative by marriage.

Titular  adj. 1 of or relating to a title. 2 existing, or being, in name or title only (titular ruler). [french: related to *title]





Quanta  pl. Of *quantum.
Working hypothesis  n. Hypothesis as a basis for action.

Mattock  n. Agricultural tool like a pickaxe, with an adze and a chisel edge. [old english]


Archive  —n. (usu. In pl.) 1 collection of documents or records. 2 store for these. —v. (-ving) 1 place or store in an archive. 2 computing transfer (data) to a less frequently used file. [greek arkheia public records]

Pull-out  n. Removable section of a magazine etc.



Fishwife  n. 1 coarse-mannered or noisy woman. 2 woman who sells fish.
Rheumatics  n.pl. (treated as sing.; often prec. By the) colloq. Rheumatism.



Mutineer  n. Person who mutinies. [romanic: related to *move]


Mini-  comb. Form miniature; small of its kind (minibus).
Corvette  n. 1 small naval escort-vessel. 2 hist. Warship with one tier of guns. [french from dutch]

Duplicity  n. Double-dealing; deceitfulness.  duplicitous adj. [latin: related to *duplex]



Hideous  adj. 1 very ugly, revolting. 2 colloq. Unpleasant.  hideosity n. (pl. -ies). Hideously adv. [anglo-french hidous]
Codependency  n. Addiction to a supportive role in a relationship.  codependent adj. & n.
Laundry  n. (pl. -ies) 1 a place for washing clothes etc. B firm washing clothes etc. Commercially. 2 clothes or linen for laundering or newly laundered.


Nutrient  —n. Substance that provides essential nourishment. —adj. Serving as or providing nourishment. [latin nutrio nourish]


Urge  —v. (-ging) 1 (often foll. By on) drive forcibly; hasten. 2 encourage or entreat earnestly or persistently. 3 (often foll. By on, upon) advocate (an action or argument etc.) Emphatically (to a person). —n. 1 urging impulse or tendency. 2 strong desire. [latin urgeo]

Arbitrary  adj. 1 random. 2 capricious; despotic.  arbitrarily adv.

Doggy  —adj. 1 of or like a dog. 2 devoted to dogs. —n. (also doggie) (pl. -ies) pet name for a dog.

Heptagon  n. Plane figure with seven sides and angles.  heptagonal adj. [greek: related to *hepta-, -gonos angled]



Usage  antisocial is sometimes used mistakenly instead of unsocial in the phrase unsocial hours. This should be avoided.


Bring-and-buy sale  n. Charity sale at which people bring items for sale and buy those brought by others.

Goon  n. Slang 1 stupid person. 2 esp. Us ruffian hired by racketeers etc. [origin uncertain]

Manège  n. (also manege) 1 riding-school. 2 movements of a trained horse. 3 horsemanship. [italian: related to *manage]
Set-to  n. (pl. -tos) colloq. Fight, argument.
City  n. (pl. -ies) 1 large town, strictly one created by charter and containing a cathedral. 2 (the city) a part of london governed by the lord mayor and corporation. B business part of this. C commercial circles. [latin civitas: related to *civic]


Shape  —n. 1 effect produced by a thing's outline. 2 external form or appearance. 3 specific form or guise (in the shape of an excuse). 4 good or specified condition (back in shape; in poor shape). 5 person or thing seen in outline or indistinctly. 6 mould or pattern. 7 moulded jelly etc. 8 piece of material, paper, etc., made or cut in a particular form. —v. (-ping) 1 give a certain shape or form to; fashion, create. 2 influence (one's life, course, etc.). 3 (usu. Foll. By up) show signs of developing; show promise. 4 (foll. By to) adapt or make conform.  in any shape or form in any form at all (don't like jazz in any shape or form). Take shape take on a definite form. [old english]


Stabilize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) make or become stable.  stabilization n.
Turnout  n. 1 number of people attending a meeting, voting at an election, etc. 2 set or display of equipment, clothes, etc.

Venn diagram  n. Diagram using overlapping and intersecting circles etc. To show the relationships between mathematical sets. [venn, name of a logician]


Free world  n. Hist. Non-communist countries' collective name for themselves.


Helpless  adj. 1 lacking help or protection; defenceless. 2 unable to act without help.  helplessly adv. Helplessness n.


Chronometer  n. Time-measuring instrument, esp. One used in navigation. [from *chronology, *-meter]
Hall  n. 1 area into which the front entrance of a house etc. Opens. 2 large room or building for meetings, concerts, etc. 3 large country house or estate. 4 (in full hall of residence) residence for students. 5 (in a college etc.) Dining-room. 6 premises of a guild (fishmongers' hall). 7 large public room in a palace etc. [old english]

Fully-fashioned  adj. (of women's clothing) shaped to fit closely.
Fo  abbr. Flying officer.
Coastguard  n. 1 member of a group of people employed to keep watch on coasts to save life, prevent smuggling, etc. 2 such a group.
Telefax  n. = *fax. [abbreviation of telefacsimile]
Role model  n. Person on whom others model themselves.
Reprogram  v. (also reprogramme) (-mm-; us -m-) program (esp. A computer) again or differently.  reprogramable adj. (also reprogrammable).
Excel  v. (-ll-) 1 surpass. 2 be pre-eminent. [latin excello be eminent]





Self-justification  n. Justification or excusing of oneself.
Portion  —n. 1 part or share. 2 amount of food allotted to one person. 3 one's destiny or lot. —v. 1 divide (a thing) into portions. 2 (foll. By out) distribute. [latin portio]

Terrorist  n. (often attrib.) Person using esp. Organized violence against a government etc.  terrorism n. [french: related to *terror]


Troika  n. 1 a russian vehicle with a team of three horses abreast. B this team. 2 group of three people, esp. As an administrative council. [russian]
Poult  n. Young domestic fowl, turkey, pheasant, etc. [contraction of *pullet]
Overeager  adj. Excessively eager.

Pee  colloq. —v. (pees, peed) urinate. —n. 1 act of urinating. 2 urine. [from *piss]


Risky  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 involving risk. 2 = *risqué.  riskily adv. Riskiness n.

Dialogue  n. (us dialog) 1 a conversation. B this in written form. 2 discussion between people with different opinions. [greek lego speak]
Wysiwyg  adj. (also wysiwyg) computing denoting a form of text onscreen exactly corresponding to its printout. [acronym of what you see is what you get]

Marquise  n. 1 wife or widow of a marquis. 2 woman holding the rank of marquis.

Rc  abbr. Roman catholic.

Deface  v. (-cing) disfigure.  defacement n. [french: related to *face]


World  n. 1 a the earth, or a planetary body like it. B its countries and people. 2 the universe, all that exists. 3 a the time, state, or scene of human existence. B (prec. By the, this) mortal life. 4 secular interests and affairs. 5 human affairs; active life. 6 average, respectable, or fashionable people or their customs or opinions. 7 all that concerns or all who belong to a specified class or sphere of activity (the world of sport). 8 (foll. By of) vast amount. 9 (attrib.) Affecting many nations, of all nations (world politics; world champion).  bring (or come) into the world give birth (or be born). For all the world (foll. By like, as if) precisely. In the world of all; at all (what in the world is it?). Man (or woman) of the world person experienced and practical in human affairs. Out of this world colloq. Extremely good etc. Think the world of have a very high regard for. [old english]
Tic  n. (in full nervous tic) occasional involuntary contraction of the muscles, esp. Of the face. [french from italian]

Band  —n. 1 flat, thin strip or loop of paper, metal, cloth, etc., put round something esp. To hold or decorate it. 2 a strip of material on a garment. B stripe. 3 group of esp. Non-classical musicians. 4 organized group of criminals etc. 5 range of frequencies, wavelengths, or values. 6 belt connecting wheels or pulleys. —v. 1 (usu. Foll. By together) unite. 2 put a band on. 3 mark with stripes. [old norse (related to *bind) and french]
Fc  abbr. Football club.


Décolletage  n. Low neckline of a woman's dress etc. [french collet collar]



Moral law  n. The conditions to be satisfied by any right course of action.
Indiaman  n. (pl. -men) hist. Ship engaged in trade with india or the east indies.

Roadblock  n. Barrier set up on a road in order to stop and examine traffic.


Forceful  adj. Vigorous, powerful, impressive.  forcefully adv. Forcefulness n.
Hypo2  n. (pl. -s) slang = *hypodermic n. [abbreviation]
Nub  n. 1 point or gist (of a matter or story). 2 (also nubble) small lump, esp. Of coal.  nubbly adj. [related to *knob]

Triceratops  n. Dinosaur with three sharp horns on the forehead and a wavy-edged collar round the neck. [greek, = three-horned face]

Biplane  n. Aeroplane with two sets of wings, one above the other.


Group captain  n. Raf officer next below air commodore.
Swim  —v. (-mm-; past swam; past part. Swum) 1 propel the body through water with limbs, fins, or tail. 2 traverse (a stretch of water or distance) by swimming. 3 perform (a stroke) by swimming. 4 float on a liquid. 5 appear to undulate, reel, or whirl. 6 feel dizzy (my head swam). 7 (foll. By in, with) be flooded. —n. Period or act of swimming.  in the swim colloq. Involved in or aware of what is going on.  swimmer n. [old english]

Peg-leg  n. Colloq. 1 artificial leg. 2 person with this.

Reductio ad absurdum  n. Proof of the falsity of a premiss by showing that its logical consequence is absurd. [latin, = reduction to the absurd]


Epaulette  n. (us epaulet) ornamental shoulder-piece on a coat etc., esp. On a uniform. [french épaule shoulder]

Heinous  adj. Utterly odious or wicked. [french haïr hate]
Last3  n. Shoemaker's model for shaping a shoe etc.  stick to one's last not meddle in what one does not understand. [old english]
Farrow  —n. 1 litter of pigs. 2 birth of a litter. —v. (also absol.) (of a sow) produce (pigs). [old english]
Element  n. 1 component part; contributing factor. 2 any of the substances that cannot be resolved by chemical means into simpler substances. 3 a any of the four substances (earth, water, air, and fire) in ancient and medieval philosophy. B a being's natural abode or environment. 4 electr. Wire that heats up in an electric heater, kettle, etc. 5 (in pl.) Atmospheric agencies, esp. Wind and storm. 6 (in pl.) Rudiments of learning or of an art etc. 7 (in pl.) Bread and wine of the eucharist.  in one's element in one's preferred situation, doing what one does well and enjoys. [french from latin]
Catch-all  n. (often attrib.) Thing designed to be all-inclusive.

Buggy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 small, sturdy, esp. Open, motor vehicle. 2 lightweight push-chair. 3 light, horse-drawn vehicle for one or two people. [origin unknown]
Mast2  n. Fruit of the beech, oak, etc., esp. As food for pigs. [old english]
Abominable  adj. 1 detestable, loathsome. 2 colloq. Very unpleasant (abominable weather).  abominably adv. [latin abominor deprecate]

Archway  n. Arched entrance or passage.

V 

Ventilate  v. (-ting) 1 cause air to circulate freely in (a room etc.). 2 air (a question, grievance, etc.). 3 med. A oxygenate (the blood). B admit or force air into (the lungs).  ventilation n. [latin ventilo blow, winnow: related to *vent1]
Gouge  —n. Chisel with a concave blade. —v. (-ging) 1 cut with or as with a gouge. 2 (foll. By out) force out (esp. An eye with the thumb) with or as with a gouge. [latin gubia]
Jugular  —adj. Of the neck or throat. —n. = *jugular vein. [latin jugulum collar-bone]

Infer  v. (-rr-) 1 deduce or conclude. 2 imply.  inferable adj. [latin fero bring]
Flying  —adj. 1 fluttering, waving, or hanging loose. 2 hasty, brief (flying visit). 3 designed for rapid movement. 4 (of an animal) leaping with winglike membranes etc. —n. Flight, esp. In an aircraft.  with flying colours with distinction.


Firebrand  n. 1 piece of burning wood. 2 person causing trouble or unrest.
Envelop  v. (-p-) 1 wrap up or cover completely. 2 completely surround.  envelopment n. [french]


Coupe  n. (brit. Coupé) car with a hard roof, two doors, and usu. A sloping rear. [french couper cut]




Might2  n. Strength, power.  with might and main with all one's power. [old english: related to *may]
Cozen  v. Literary 1 cheat, defraud. 2 beguile. 3 act deceitfully.  cozenage n. [cant]


Sampan  n. Small boat used in the far east. [chinese]
Moment of truth  n. Time of crisis or test.

Screed  n. 1 long usu. Tiresome piece of writing or speech. 2 layer of cement etc. Applied to level a surface. [probably from *shred]
Questionnaire  n. Formulated series of questions, esp. For statistical analysis. [french: related to *question]



Synagogue  n. 1 building for jewish religious observance and instruction. 2 jewish congregation. [greek, = assembly]

Rac  abbr. Royal automobile club.







Co-respondent  n. Person cited in a divorce case as having committed adultery with the respondent.




Immunotherapy  n. Prevention or treatment of disease with substances that stimulate the immune response.
Deoxyribonucleic acid  see *dna. [from *de-, *oxygen, *ribonucleic acid]
Recreant  literary —adj. Craven, cowardly. —n. Coward. [medieval latin: related to *creed]
Ashram  n. Place of religious retreat for hindus. [sanskrit]
Registration  n. Registering or being registered. [french or medieval latin: related to *register]
Rafter  n. Each of the sloping beams forming the framework of a roof. [old english]

Forbid  v. (forbidding; past forbade or forbad; past part. Forbidden) 1 (foll. By to + infin.) Order not (i forbid you to go). 2 refuse to allow (a thing, or a person to have a thing). 3 refuse a person entry to.  god forbid! May it not happen! [old english: related to *bid]
Stamp-duty  n. Duty imposed on certain legal documents.



Stymie  (also stimy) —n. (pl. -ies) 1 golf situation where an opponent's ball lies between one's ball and the hole. 2 difficult situation. —v. (-mies, -mied, -mying or -mieing) 1 obstruct; thwart. 2 golf block with a stymie. [origin unknown]
Black  —adj. 1 reflecting no light, colourless from lack of light (like coal or soot); completely dark. 2 (black) of the human group with dark-coloured skin, esp. African. 3 (of the sky etc.) Heavily overcast. 4 angry; gloomy (black look, mood). 5 implying disgrace etc. (in his black books). 6 wicked, sinister, deadly. 7 portending trouble (things look black). 8 comic but sinister (black comedy). 9 (of tea or coffee) without milk. 10 (of industrial labour or its products) boycotted, esp. By a trade union, in a strike etc. —n. 1 black colour or pigment. 2 black clothes or material (dressed in black). 3 a (in a game) black piece, ball, etc. B player of this. 4 credit side of an account (in the black).

Arsenal  n. 1 store, esp. Of weapons. 2 place for the storage and manufacture of weapons and ammunition. [arabic, = workshop]
Other woman  n. (prec. By the) married man's mistress.
Espouse  v. (-sing) 1 adopt or support (a cause, doctrine, etc.). 2 archaic a (usu. Of a man) marry. B (usu. Foll. By to) give (a woman) in marriage. [latin spondeo betroth]

Tricksy  adj. (-ier, -iest) full of tricks; playful.
Couch2  n. (in full couch grass) a grass with long creeping roots. [var. Of *quitch]
Ante-post  adj. (of betting) done at odds determined at the time of betting, in advance of the event concerned. [from *ante-, *post1]

Gallup poll  n. = *opinion poll. [gallup, name of a statistician]


Monotheism  n. Doctrine that there is only one god.  monotheist n. Monotheistic adj.
Certificate of secondary education  n. Hist. Secondary-school leaving examination in england, wales, and northern ireland.
Meal2  n. 1 grain or pulse ground to powder. 2 scot. Oatmeal. 3 us maize flour. [old english]
Thought1  n. 1 process or power of thinking; faculty of reason. 2 way of thinking associated with a particular time, group, etc. 3 sober reflection or consideration. 4 idea or piece of reasoning produced by thinking. 5 (foll. By of + verbal noun or to + infin.) Partly formed intention (had no thought to go). 6 (usu. In pl.) What one is thinking; one's opinion. 7 (prec. By a) somewhat (a thought arrogant).  in thought meditating. [old english: related to *think]
Migrant  —adj. Migrating. —n. Migrant person or animal, esp. A bird.
Pact  n. Agreement; treaty. [latin pactum]

Pomelo  n. (pl. -s) 1 = *shaddock. 2 us = *grapefruit. [origin unknown]
Individualism  n. 1 social theory favouring free action by individuals. 2 being independent or different.  individualist n. Individualistic adj.
Far east  n. (prec. By the) china, japan, and other countries of e. Asia.

-cratic  comb. Form (also -cratical) denoting a type of government etc. (autocratic).  -cratically comb. Form forming adverbs. [forming adverbs]
Heave  —v. (-ving; past and past part. Heaved or esp. Naut. Hove) 1 lift or haul with great effort. 2 utter with effort (heaved a sigh). 3 colloq. Throw. 4 rise and fall rhythmically or spasmodically. 5 naut. Haul by rope. 6 retch. —n. Heaving.  heave in sight come into view. Heave to esp. Naut. Bring or be brought to a standstill. [old english]
Medal  n. Commemorative metal disc etc., esp. Awarded for military or sporting prowess. [latin: related to *metal]
Dfc  abbr. Distinguished flying cross.


Shield  —n. 1 a piece of armour held in front of the body for protection when fighting. B person or thing giving protection. 2 shield-shaped trophy. 3 protective plate or screen in machinery etc. 4 heraldry stylized representation of a shield for displaying a coat of arms etc. —v. Protect or screen. [old english]
Unlawful  adj. Illegal, not permissible.  unlawfully adv.
Copse  n. = *coppice. [shortened form]
Life  n. (pl. Lives) 1 capacity for growth, functional activity, and continual change until death. 2 living things and their activity (insect life; is there life on mars?). 3 a period during which life lasts, or the period from birth to the present time or from the present time to death (have done it all my life; will regret it all my life). B duration of a thing's existence or ability to function. 4 a person's state of existence as a living individual (sacrificed their lives). B living person (many lives were lost). 5 a individual's actions or fortunes; manner of existence (start a new life). B particular aspect of this (private life). 6 business and pleasures of the world (in paris you really see life). 7 energy, liveliness (full of life). 8 biography. 9 colloq. = *life sentence.  for dear (or one's) life as if or in order to escape death. For life for the rest of one's life. Not on your life colloq. Most certainly not. [old english]
Written  past part. Of *write.
Strathspey  n. 1 slow scottish dance. 2 music for this. [strathspey, valley of the river spey]
Hide2  n. 1 animal's skin, esp. When tanned or dressed. 2 colloq. The human skin, esp. The backside. [old english]

Contingent  —adj. 1 (usu. Foll. By on, upon) conditional, dependent (on an uncertain event or circumstance). 2 a that may or may not occur. B fortuitous. —n. 1  body (of troops, ships, etc.) Forming part of a larger group. 2 group of people sharing an interest, origin, etc. (the oxford contingent). [latin: related to *contact]

Relativity  n. 1 being relative. 2 physics a (special theory of relativity) theory based on the principle that all motion is relative and that light has a constant velocity. B (general theory of relativity) theory extending this to gravitation and accelerated motion.
Repot  v. (-tt-) move (a plant) to another, esp. Larger, pot.
Coq au vin  n. Casserole of chicken pieces in wine. [french]

Curtsy  (also curtsey) —n. (pl. -ies or -eys) bending of the knees and lowering of the body made by a girl or woman in acknowledgement of applause or as a respectful greeting etc. —v. (-ies, -ied or -eys, -eyed) make a curtsy. [var. Of *courtesy]



Incommunicado  adj. 1 without means of communication. 2 (of a prisoner) in solitary confinement. [spanish incomunicado]
Shakespearian  adj. (also shakespearean) of shakespeare.
Aflame  adv. & predic.adj. 1 in flames. 2 very excited.
Who's who  n. 1 who or what each person is (know who's who). 2 list with facts about notable persons.

Crown wheel  n. Wheel with teeth at right angles to its plane.




Mushroom  —n. 1 edible fungus with a stem and domed cap. 2 pinkish-brown colour of this. —v. Appear or develop rapidly. [french mousseron from latin]
Lowest common denominator  n. 1 math. Lowest common multiple of the denominators of several fractions. 2 the worst or most vulgar common feature of members of a group.
Fusilier  n. Member of any of several british regiments formerly armed with fusils. [french: related to *fusil]
Culvert  n. Underground channel carrying water under a road etc. [origin unknown]
Snowy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 of or like snow. 2 (of the weather etc.) With much snow.


Dummy  —n. (pl. -ies) 1 model of a human figure, esp. As used to display clothes or by a ventriloquist or as a target. 2 (often attrib.) Imitation object used to replace a real or normal one. 3 baby's rubber or plastic teat. 4 colloq. Stupid person. 5 figurehead. 6 imaginary player in bridge etc., whose cards are exposed and played by a partner. —attrib. Adj.

Ab-  prefix off, away, from (abduct). [latin]

Fluorescence  n. 1 light radiation from certain substances. 2 property of absorbing invisible light and emitting visible light. [from *fluorspar, after opalescence]
Prefect  n. 1 chief administrative officer of a district, esp. In france. 2 senior pupil in a school, helping to maintain discipline. [latin praeficio -fect- set in authority over]
Plainchant  n. = *plainsong.
Revelation  n. 1 a revealing, esp. The supposed disclosure of knowledge to man by a divine or supernatural agency. B knowledge disclosed in this way. 2 striking disclosure. 3 (revelation or colloq. Revelations) (in full the revelation of st john the divine) last book of the new testament.

Dike1  var. Of *dyke1.

Stagger  —v. 1 (cause to) walk unsteadily. 2 shock, confuse. 3 arrange (events etc.) So that they do not coincide. 4 arrange (objects) so that they are not in line. —n. 1 tottering movement. 2 (in pl.) Disease, esp. Of horses and cattle, causing staggering. [old norse]

Valediction  n. Formal 1 bidding farewell. 2 words used in this.  valedictory adj. & n. (pl. -ies). [latin vale farewell]
Psychiatry  n. The study and treatment of mental disease.  psychiatric adj.  Psychiatrist n. [from *psycho-, greek iatros physician]
United nations  n.pl. (as sing. Or pl.) Supranational peace-seeking organization.


Geometry  n. Science of the properties and relations of lines, surfaces, and solids.   geometrician n. [from *geo-, *-metry]
Null  adj. 1 (esp. Null and void) invalid. 2 non-existent. 3 without character or expression.  nullity n. [latin nullus none]
Yon  adj. & adv. Literary & dial. Yonder. [old english]
Tear2  n. 1 drop of clear salty liquid secreted by glands from the eye, and shed esp. In grief. 2 tearlike thing; drop.  in tears crying. [old english]

Stupid  adj. (stupider, stupidest) 1 unintelligent, foolish (a stupid fellow). 2 typical of stupid persons (stupid mistake). 3 uninteresting, boring. 4 in a stupor.  stupidity n. (pl. -ies). Stupidly adv. [latin: related to *stupendous]
Integrate  v. (-ting) 1 a combine (parts) into a whole. B complete by the addition of parts. 2 bring or come into equal membership of society, a school, etc. 3 desegregate, esp. Racially (a school etc.). 4 math. Find the integral of.  integration n.

Light2  —adj. 1 not heavy. 2 a relatively low in weight, amount, density, intensity, etc. (light arms, traffic, metal, rain). B deficient in weight (light coin). 3 a carrying or suitable for small loads (light railway). B (of a ship) unladen. C carrying only light arms, armaments, etc. 4 (of food) easy to digest. 5 (of entertainment, music, etc.) Intended for amusement only; not profound. 6 (of sleep or a sleeper) easily disturbed. 7 easily borne or done (light duties). 8 nimble; quick-moving (light step; light rhythm). 9 (of a building etc.) Graceful, elegant. 10 a free from sorrow; cheerful (light heart). B giddy (light in the head). —adv. 1 in a light manner (tread light; sleep light). 2 with a minimum load (travel light). —v. (past and past part. Lit or lighted) (foll. By on, upon) come upon or find by chance.  make light of treat as unimportant.  lightish adj. Lightly adv. Lightness n. [old english]


Unsophisticated  adj. Artless, simple, natural.
Nectarine  n. Smooth-skinned variety of peach. [from *nectar]
Fur  —n. 1 a short fine soft animal hair. B hide with fur on it, used esp. For clothing. 2 garment of or lined with fur. 3 (collect.) Animals with fur. 4 fur-like coating on the tongue, in a kettle, etc. —v. (-rr-) 1 (esp. As furred adj.) Line or trim with fur. 2 (often foll. By up) (of a kettle etc.) Become coated with fur.  make the fur fly colloq. Cause a disturbance, stir up trouble. [french from germanic]

Insistent  adj. 1 (often foll. By on) insisting. 2 forcing itself on the attention.  insistence n. Insistently adv.

Vested interest  n. 1 personal interest in a state of affairs, usu. With an expectation of gain. 2 law interest (usu. In land or money held in trust) recognized as belonging to a person.
Top-flight  adj. Of the highest rank of achievement.





Nordic  —adj. Of the tall blond long-headed germanic people of scandinavia. —n. Nordic person. [french nord north]

Hereford  n. Animal of a breed of red and white beef cattle. [hereford in england]

Uphold  v. (past and past part. Upheld) 1 confirm (a decision etc.). 2 support, maintain (a custom etc.).  upholder n.
Bounder  n. Colloq. Cad.

Lupus  n. Autoimmune inflammatory skin disease. [latin, = wolf]

Greasy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 a of or like grease. B smeared or covered with grease. C containing or having too much grease. 2 a slippery. B (of a person or manner) unpleasantly unctuous.  greasily adv. Greasiness n.
Diskette  n. Computing = *floppy n.

Semifinal  n. Match or round preceding the final.  semifinalist n





Badly  adv. (worse, worst) 1 in a bad manner. 2 colloq. Very much (wants it badly). 3 severely (badly defeated).

Ring road  n. Bypass encircling a town.

Tripartite  adj. 1 consisting of three parts. 2 shared by or involving three parties. [latin partior divide]

Paschal  adj. 1 of the jewish passover. 2 of easter. [hebrew pesah]



Juvenile court  n. Court for children under 17.

Courtyard  n. Area enclosed by walls or buildings.


Formative  adj. Serving to form or fashion; of formation (formative years).


Ref1  n. Colloq. Referee in sports. [abbreviation]


Grammar school  n. Esp. Hist. Selective state secondary school with a mainly academic curriculum.

Public ownership  n. State ownership of the means of production, distribution, or exchange.
Healthy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 having, showing, or promoting good health. 2 indicative of (esp. Moral or financial) health (a healthy sign). 3 substantial (won by a healthy 40 seconds).  healthily adv. Healthiness n.
Companionship  n. Friendship; being together.



Entry  n. (pl. -ies) 1 a going or coming in. B liberty to do this. 2 place of entrance; door, gate, etc. 3 passage between buildings. 4 a item entered in a diary, list, etc. B recording of this. 5 a person or thing competing in a race etc. B list of competitors. [romanic: related to *enter]
Palaeo-  comb. Form (us paleo-) ancient; prehistoric. [greek palaios]

Depress  v. 1 make dispirited or sad. 2 push down; lower. 3 reduce the activity of (esp. Trade). 4 (as depressed adj.) A miserable. B suffering from depression.  depressing adj. Depressingly adv. [latin: related to *press1]
Cooler  n. 1 vessel in which a thing is cooled. 2 us refrigerator. 3 slang prison cell.
Platelayer  n. Person employed in fixing and repairing railway rails.
Golden jubilee  n. Fiftieth anniversary.
Assagai  var. Of *assegai.
Mrs  n. (pl. Same) title of a married woman without a higher title (mrs jones). [abbreviation of *mistress]


First-foot  scot. —n. First person to cross a threshold in the new year. —v. Be a first-foot.

High-powered  adj. 1 having great power or energy. 2 important or influential.
Duplicate  —adj. 1 identical. 2 a having two identical parts. B doubled. 3 (of card-games) with the same hands played by different players. —n. 1 identical thing, esp. A copy. 2 copy of a letter etc. —v. (-ting) 1 multiply by two; double. 2 make or be an exact copy of. 3 repeat (an action etc.), esp. Unnecessarily.  in duplicate in two exact copies.  duplication n. [latin: related to *duplex]

Fruit sugar  n. Fructose.


Co-signatory  n. (pl. -ies) person or state signing a treaty etc. Jointly with others.

Tribology  n. The study of friction, wear, lubrication, and the design of bearings. [greek tribo rub]


Greylag  n. (in full greylag goose) european wild goose. [from *grey]


Soda bread  n. Bread leavened with baking-soda.
Fundamental  —adj. Of or being a base or foundation; essential, primary. —n. 1 (usu. In pl.) Fundamental principle. 2 mus. Fundamental note.  fundamentally adv. [latin: related to *found2]
Pile1  —n. 1 heap of things laid upon one another. 2 large imposing building. 3 colloq. A large quantity. B large amount of money. 4 a series of plates of dissimilar metals laid one on another alternately to produce an electric current. B = *nuclear reactor. 5 funeral pyre. —v. (-ling) 1 a (often foll. By up, on) heap up. B (foll. By with) load. 2 (usu. Foll. By in, into, on, out of, etc.) Crowd hurriedly or tightly.  pile it on colloq. Exaggerate. Pile up 1 accumulate; heap up. 2 colloq. Cause (a vehicle etc.) To crash. [latin pila]
Un-1  prefix 1 added to adjectives and participles and their derivative nouns and adverbs, meaning: a not (unusable). B reverse of (esp. With implied approval etc.) (unselfish; unsociable). 2 (less often) added to nouns, meaning ‘a lack of’, ‘the reverse of’ (unrest; untruth). [old english]
Mineral  n. (often attrib.) 1 inorganic substance. 2 substance obtained by mining. 3 (often in pl.)  Artificial mineral water or similar carbonated drink. [french or medieval latin: related to *mine2]

Midland  —n. 1 (the midlands) inland counties of central england. 2 middle part of a country. —adj. Of or in the midland or midlands.



Castor sugar  n. Finely granulated white sugar.

Murphy's law  n. Joc. Any of various maxims about the perverseness of things. [murphy, irish surname]


Tenderloin  n. 1 middle part of pork loin. 2 us undercut of sirloin.
Skeptical  adj. (brit. Sceptical) inclined to doubt accepted opinions; critical; incredulous.  sceptically adv.
Dismount  v. 1 a alight from a horse, bicycle, etc. B unseat. 2 remove (a thing) from its mounting.
Bursar  n. 1 treasurer, esp. Of a college. 2 holder of a bursary. [medieval latin bursarius from bursa purse]





Steeple  n. Tall tower, esp. With a spire, above the roof of a church. [old english: related to *steep1]
Top-heavy  adj. Disproportionately heavy at the top.

Sea cow  n. 1 sirenian. 2 walrus.

Ginger ale  n. Ginger-flavoured non-alcoholic drink.

Innocuous  adj. Harmless. [latin innocuus: related to *innocent]
Indeterminable  adj. That cannot be ascertained or settled.  indeterminably adv.
Ju-jutsu  var. Of *ju-jitsu.




Éclair  n. Small elongated iced cake of choux pastry filled with cream. [french, = lightning]


Carer  n. Person who cares for a sick or elderly person, esp. A relative at home.


Windburn  n. Inflammation of the skin caused by exposure to the wind.



Platinum blonde  (also platinum blond) —adj. Silvery-blond. —n. Person with such hair.

Territorial waters  n.pl. Area of sea under the jurisdiction of a state, esp. Within a stated distance of the shore.
Oil-paint  n. (also oil-colour) paint made by mixing powdered pigment in oil.  oil-painting n.


Infamous  adj. Notoriously bad.  infamously adv. Infamy n. (pl. -ies).

Latchkey  n. (pl. -s) key of an outer door.




Heart-rending  adj. Very distressing.

North-easterly  adj. & adv. = *north-east.
Expat  n. & adj. Colloq. Expatriate. [abbreviation]

Opt  v. (usu. Foll. By for) make a choice, decide.  opt out (often foll. By of) choose not to participate (in). [latin opto choose, wish]

Ensign  n. 1 banner or flag, esp. The military or naval flag of a nation. 2 standard-bearer. 3 a hist. Lowest commissioned infantry officer. B us lowest commissioned naval officer. [french: related to *insignia]

Combining form  n. Linguistic element used in combination with another to form a word (e.g. Anglo- = english).
Preparatory school  n. Private primary school or us secondary school.
Tyrannize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) (often foll. By over) treat despotically or cruelly. [french: related to *tyrant]
Eustachian tube  n. Tube from the pharynx to the cavity of the middle ear. [eustachio, name of an anatomist]

Light-headed  adj. Giddy, delirious.  light-headedness n.

Fret1  —v. (-tt-) 1 be worried or distressed. 2 worry, vex. 3 wear or consume by gnawing or rubbing. —n. Worry, vexation. [old english: related to *for, *eat]
Reunite  v. (-ting) (cause to) come together again.

Outfield  n. Outer part of a cricket or baseball pitch.  outfielder n.









Replete  adj. (often foll. By with) 1 well-fed, gorged. 2 filled or well-supplied.  repletion n. [latin pleo fill]
Elbow-room  n. Sufficient room to move or work in.
Lush2  n. Slang alcoholic, drunkard. [origin uncertain]

Frosting  n. Icing.

History  n. (pl. -ies) 1 continuous record of (esp. Public) events. 2 a the study of past events, esp. Human affairs. B total accumulation of past events, esp. Relating to human affairs or a particular nation, person, thing, etc. 3 eventful past (this house has a history). 4 (foll. By of) past record (had a history of illness). 5 a systematic or critical account of or research into past events etc. B similar record or account of natural phenomena. 6 historical play.  make history do something memorable. [greek historia inquiry]
Anode  n. Positive electrode in an electrolytic cell etc. [greek anodos way up]
Terracotta  n. 1 a unglazed usu. Brownish-red earthenware. B statuette of this. 2 its colour. [italian, = baked earth]
Three-ply  —adj. Of three strands or layers etc. —n. 1 three-ply wool. 2 three-ply wood.
Metalanguage  n. 1 form of language used to discuss language. 2 system of propositions about propositions.

Peppermint  n. 1 a mint plant grown for its strong-flavoured oil. B this oil. 2 sweet flavoured with peppermint.
Salmon trout  n. Large silver-coloured trout.
Lampblack  n. Pigment made from soot.


Felicitous  adj. Formal apt; pleasantly ingenious; well-chosen.
Moccasin  n. Soft flat-soled shoe orig. Worn by n. American indians. [american indian]
Hrt  abbr. Hormone replacement therapy.


Deceit  n. 1 deception, esp. By concealing the truth. 2 dishonest trick. [latin capio take]
Swimsuit  n. Swimming-costume, esp. One-piece for women and girls.


Unpleasing  adj. Not pleasing.
Celestial sphere  n. Imaginary sphere, of any radius, of which the observer is the centre and in which celestial bodies are represented as lying.
Jasmine  n. Ornamental shrub with white or yellow flowers. [french from arabic from persian]


Abbé  n. (in france) abbot or priest. [french from latin: related to *abbot]

Overuse  —v. (-sing) use too much. —n. Excessive use.

Weekend  n. 1 sunday and saturday or part of saturday. 2 this period extended slightly esp. For a holiday or visit etc.


Actual  adj. (usu. Attrib.) 1 existing in fact; real. 2 current. [latin: related to *act]
South-westerly  adj. & adv. = *south-west.
You  pron. (obj. You; poss. Your, yours) 1 the person or persons addressed. 2 (as int. With a noun) in an exclamatory statement (you fools!). 3 (in general statements) one, a person, people (you get used to it).  you and yours you and your family, property, etc. [old english, originally objective case of *ye1]

Composure. 3 moral support. —v. (-cing) support, approve. [french: related to *contain]

Uncover  v. 1 remove a cover or covering from. 2 disclose (uncovered the truth).

Forte2  mus. —adj. Loud. —adv. Loudly. —n. Loud playing or passage. [italian: related to *fort]





Coiffeur  n. (fem. Coiffeuse) hairdresser. [french]

Rook1  —n. Black bird of the crow family nesting in colonies. —v. 1 colloq. Charge (a customer) extortionately. 2 win money at cards etc., esp. By swindling. [old english]
Cosmogony  n. (pl. -ies) 1 origin of the universe. 2 theory about this. [greek -gonia -begetting]

Samphire  n. Edible maritime rock-plant. [french, = st peter('s herb)]
Heartbreak  n. Overwhelming distress.  heartbreaking adj. Heartbroken adj.

Nunnery  n. (pl. -ies) religious house of nuns.



Taper  —n. 1 wick coated with wax etc. For conveying a flame. 2 slender candle. —v. (often foll. By off) 1 diminish or reduce in thickness towards one end. 2 make or become gradually less. [old english]
Taffrail  n. Rail round a ship's stern. [dutch taffereel panel]
Clinic  n. 1 private or specialized hospital. 2 place or occasion for giving medical treatment or specialist advice. 3 gathering at a hospital bedside for medical teaching. [greek kline bed]

Southerner  n. Native or inhabitant of the south.

Back-burner  n.  on the back-burner receiving little attention.


Ultimo  adj. Commerce of last month (the 28th ultimo). [latin, = in the last (mense month)]


Positron  n. Physics elementary particle with the same mass as but opposite (positive) charge to an electron. [positive electron]
Hilltop  n. Top of a hill.
Alexander technique  n. Technique for controlling posture as an aid to well-being. [alexander, name of a physiotherapist]
Thyroid cartilage  n. Large cartilage of the larynx, forming the adam's apple.

Minicab  n. Car used as a taxi, hireable only by telephone.
Bain-marie  n. (pl. Bains-marie pronunc. Same) pan of hot water holding a pan containing sauce etc. For slow heating. [french, translation of medieval latin balneum mariae bath of maria (a supposed alchemist)]




Platelet  n. Small colourless disc of protoplasm found in blood and involved in clotting.
Gloom  n. 1 darkness; obscurity. 2 melancholy; despondency. [origin unknown]
Subliminal  adj. Psychol. (of a stimulus etc.) Below the threshold of sensation or consciousness.  subliminally adv. [latin limen -min- threshold]


Heaven-sent  adj. Providential.


Tribute  n. 1 thing said or done or given as a mark of respect or affection etc. 2 (foll. By to) indication of (some praiseworthy quality) (their success is a tribute to their perseverance). 3 hist. A periodic payment by one state or ruler to another, esp. As a sign of dependence. B obligation to pay this. [latin tributum neuter past part. Of tribuo -ut- assign, originally divide between *tribes]



Maladjusted  adj. (of a person) unable to adapt to or cope with the demands of a social environment.  maladjustment n.



Biological  adj. Of biology or living organisms.  biologically adv.
Pester  v. Trouble or annoy, esp. With frequent or persistent requests. [probably french empestrer encumber: influenced by *pest]

Illumine  v. (-ning) literary 1 light up; make bright. 2 enlighten.
-most  suffix forming superlative adjectives and adverbs from prepositions and other words indicating relative position (foremost; uttermost). [old english]




Soap opera  n. Broadcast drama serial with domestic themes (orig. Sponsored in the us by soap manufacturers).
Transom  n. 1 horizontal bar of wood or stone across a window or the top of a door. 2 us = *transom window. [french traversin: related to *traverse]
By-product  n. 1 incidental product made in the manufacture of something else. 2 secondary result.
Low-born  adj. Of humble birth.
Glut  —v. (-tt-) 1 feed (a person, one's stomach, etc.) Or indulge (a desire etc.) To the full; satiate. 2 fill to excess. 3 overstock (a market). —n. 1 supply exceeding demand. 2 full indulgence; surfeit. [french gloutir swallow: related to *glutton]
Relent  v. Relax severity, abandon a harsh intention, yield to compassion. [medieval latin lentus flexible]
Aconite  n. 1 any of various poisonous plants, esp. Monkshood. 2 drug from these. [greek akoniton]
Jetsam  n. Objects washed ashore, esp. Jettisoned from a ship. [contraction of *jettison]
Catalyst  n. 1 substance that does not itself change, but speeds up a chemical reaction. 2 person or thing that precipitates change.

Cigarette  n. Finely-cut tobacco rolled in paper for smoking. [french diminutive]
Precambrian  geol. —adj. Of the earliest geological era. —n. This era.



Fragrant  adj. Sweet-smelling.
Nick  —n. 1 small cut or notch. 2 slang a prison. B police station. 3 colloq. Condition (in good nick). —v. 1 make a nick or nicks in. 2 slang a steal. B arrest, catch.  in the nick of time only just in time. [origin uncertain]
Tedium  n. Tediousness. [latin taedium from taedet it bores]
Yum-yum  int. Expressing pleasure from eating or the prospect of eating. [natural exclamation]
Homburg  n. Man's felt hat with a narrow curled brim and a lengthwise dent in the crown. [homburg in germany]
Painful  adj. 1 causing bodily or mental pain. 2 (esp. Of part of the body) suffering pain. 3 causing trouble or difficulty; laborious (painful climb).  painfully adv.
Current  —adj. 1 belonging to the present; happening now (current events). 2 (of money, opinion, rumour, etc.) In general circulation or use. —n. 1 body of moving water, air, etc., esp. Passing through still water etc. 2 a ordered movement of electrically charged particles. B quantity representing the intensity of this. 3 (usu. Foll. By of) general tendency or course (of events, opinions, etc.).  currentness n. [latin curro curs- run]
Lager  n. A kind of light effervescent beer. [german, = store]


Despise  v. (-sing) regard as inferior, worthless, or contemptible. [latin: related to *despicable]




Meridian  n. 1 a circle of constant longitude, passing through a given place and the terrestrial poles. B corresponding line on a map. 2 (often attrib.) Prime; full splendour. [latin meridies midday]
Collocate  v. (-ting) juxtapose (a word etc.) With another.  collocation n. [latin: related to *locus]

Pit-a-pat  (also pitter-patter) —adv. 1 with a sound like quick light steps. 2 falteringly (heart went pit-a-pat). —n. Such a sound. [imitative]
Yorkist  —n. Hist. Follower of the house of york, esp. In the wars of the roses. —adj. Of the house of york.
Double helix  n. Pair of parallel helices with a common axis, esp. In the structure of a dna molecule.
High school  n. 1 grammar school. 2 us & scot. Secondary school.


Pitch2  —n. Dark resinous substance from the distillation of tar or turpentine, used for making ships watertight etc. —v. Coat with pitch.  pitchy adj. (-ier, -iest). [latin pix pic-]
Pride of place  n. Most important or prominent position.


Artificial intelligence  n. Use of computers for tasks normally regarded as needing human intelligence.



Though  (also tho') —conj. 1 despite the fact that; in spite of being (though it was early we left; though annoyed, i agreed). 2 (introducing a possibility) even if (ask him though he may refuse). 3 and yet; nevertheless. —adv. Colloq. However; all the same. [old norse]
Iterate  v. (-ting) repeat; state repeatedly.  iteration n. Iterative adj. [latin iterum again]
Obsession  n. 1 obsessing or being obsessed. 2 persistent idea dominating a person's mind.  obsessional adj. Obsessionally adv.
Implicate  v. (-ting) 1 (often foll. By in) show (a person) to be involved (in a crime etc.). 2 imply. [latin plico fold]


Enrol  v. (us enroll) (-ll-) 1 enlist. 2 a write the name of (a person) on a list. B incorporate as a member. C enrol oneself, esp. For a course of study.  enrolment n. [french: related to *en-1]
Especially  adv. 1 in particular. 2 much more than in other cases. 3 particularly.
Ordure  n. Dung. [latin horridus: related to *horrid]
Engaging  adj. Attractive, charming.  engagingly adv.

South african  —adj. Of the republic of south africa. —n. 1 native or national of south africa. 2 person of south african descent.

Antedate  v. (-ting) 1 precede in time. 2 assign an earlier than actual date to.
Totalizator  n. (also totalisator) 1 device showing the number and amount of bets staked on a race, to facilitate the division of the total among those backing the winner. 2 system of betting based on this.


Funeral  —n. 1 ceremonial burial or cremation of a corpse. 2 slang one's (usu. Unpleasant) concern (that's your funeral). —attrib. Adj. Of or used at funerals. [latin funus funer-]


Pressurize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 (esp. As pressurized adj.) Maintain normal atmospheric pressure in (an aircraft cabin etc.) At a high altitude. 2 raise to a high pressure. 3 pressure (a person).  pressurization n.

Loophole  n. 1 means of evading a rule etc. Without infringing it. 2 narrow vertical slit in the wall of a fort etc.
Whosoever  pron. (obj. Whomsoever; poss. Whosesoever) archaic = *whoever.
Lighting-up time  n. Time after which vehicles must show the prescribed lights.


Bortsch  n. Russian soup of beetroot, cabbage, etc. [russian]

Heavy-handed  adj. 1 clumsy. 2 overbearing, oppressive.  heavy-handedly adv. Heavy-handedness n.






-fication  suffix (usu. As -ification) forming nouns of action from verbs in -fy (purification; simplification).

Outing  n. Pleasure trip, excursion.
Tiro  n. (also tyro) (pl. -s) beginner, novice. [latin, = recruit]
Gloucester  n. (usu. Double gloucester, orig. A richer kind) cheese made in gloucestershire. [gloucester in england]
Outage  n. Period during which a power-supply etc. Is not operating.
Greenwood  n. A wood in summer.

Flash in the pan  n. Promising start followed by failure.

Aircrew  n. Crew of an aircraft.
Bursary  n. (pl. -ies) grant, esp. A scholarship. [medieval latin: related to *bursar]
Usage  the term negress is often considered offensive; black is usually preferred.

Air hostess  n. Stewardess in a passenger aircraft.
Convener  n. (also convenor) 1 person who convenes a meeting. 2 senior trade union official at a workplace.


Wetland  n. (often in pl.) Swamps and other damp areas of land.

Yahweh  n. (also yahveh) = *jehovah.
Main chance  n. (prec. By the) one's own interests.
Internalize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) psychol. Make (attitudes, behaviour, etc.) Part of one's nature by learning or unconscious assimilation.  internalization n.
Hog  —n. 1 castrated male pig. 2 colloq. Greedy person. —v. (-gg-) colloq. Take greedily; hoard selfishly; monopolize.  go the whole hog colloq. Do something completely or thoroughly.  hoggish adj. [old english]

Canker  —n. 1 destructive disease of trees and plants. 2 ulcerous ear disease of animals. 3 corrupting influence. —v. 1 infect with canker. 2 corrupt. 3 (as cankered adj.) Soured, malignant.  cankerous adj. [latin: related to *cancer]


Concerto  n. (pl. -s or -ti) composition for solo instrument(s) and orchestra. [italian]

Shawl  n. Large usu. Rectangular piece of fabric worn over the shoulders or head, or wrapped round a baby. [urdu from persian shal]
Pressure point  n. Point where an artery can be pressed against a bone to inhibit bleeding.
Pelican  n. Large water-bird with a large bill and a pouch in its throat for storing fish. [greek pelekan]

Informer  n. Person who informs, esp. Against others.

Bodkin  n. Blunt thick needle for drawing tape etc. Through a hem. [origin uncertain]
Arthropod  n. Invertebrate with a segmented body and jointed limbs, e.g. An insect, spider, or crustacean. [greek arthron joint, pous pod- foot]
Cainozoic  var. Of *cenozoic.



Blurb  n. Promotional description, esp. Of a book. [coined by g. Burgess 1907]
Unedited  adj. Not edited.


Lie-down  n. Short rest.


Footbridge  n. Bridge for pedestrians.


Hulk  n. 1 body of a dismantled ship. 2 colloq. Large clumsy-looking person or thing. [old english]
Back-crawl  n. = *backstroke.
Introspection  n. Examination of one's own thoughts.  introspective adj. [latin specio spect- look]
Attire  formal —n. Clothes, esp. Formal. —v. (-ring) (usu. As attired adj.) Dress, esp. Formally. [french à tire in order]


Flu  n. Colloq. Influenza. [abbreviation]

Penis  n.  Male organ of copulation and (in mammals) urination. [latin]
M2  abbr. (also m.) 1 master. 2 monsieur. 3 motorway. 4 mega-.

Kurchatovium  n. = *rutherfordium. [kurchatov, name of a russian physicist]
Pleb  n. Colloq. Usu. Derog. = *plebeian 2.  plebby adj. [abbreviation of *plebeian]
Time clock  n. Clock with a device for recording workers' hours of work.
Immensely  adv. 1 colloq. Very much (enjoyed myself immensely). 2 to an immense degree (immensely rich).
Cryer  var. Of *crier.


Reverence  —n. 1 revering or being revered. 2 capacity for revering. —v. (-cing) regard or treat with reverence. [latin: related to *revere]


Animated  adj. 1 lively, vigorous. 2 having life. 3 (of a film etc.) Using animation.
Smile  —v. (-ling) 1 have or assume a happy, kind, or amused expression, with the corners of the mouth turned up. 2 express by smiling (smiled a welcome). 3 give (a smile) of a specified kind (smiled a sardonic smile). 4 (foll. By on, upon) favour (fortune smiled on me). —n. 1 act of smiling. 2 smiling expression or aspect. [perhaps from scandinavian]
Broken home  n. Family disrupted by divorce or separation.

Angel-fish  n. Fish with winglike fins.


Lumber  —n. 1 disused and cumbersome articles. 2 partly prepared timber. —v. 1 (usu. Foll. By with) leave (a person etc.) With something unwanted or unpleasant. 2 (usu. Foll. By up) obstruct, fill inconveniently. 3 cut and prepare forest timber. 4 move in a slow clumsy way. [origin uncertain]
Intensifier  n. 1 thing that makes something more intense. 2 word or prefix used to give force or emphasis, e.g. Thundering in a thundering nuisance.

Shareholder  n. Owner of shares in a company.
Ground glass  n. 1 glass made non-transparent by grinding etc. 2 glass ground to a powder.
Overcame  past of *overcome.
Freeway  n. Us motorway.


Ahem  int. Used to attract attention, gain time, etc. [from *hem2]
Sawdust  n. Powdery wood particles produced in sawing.
Disc brake  n. Brake employing the friction of pads against a disc.

Place-name  n. Name of a town, village, etc.


Trades union congress  n. Official representative body of british trade unions.


Suppress  v. 1 put an end to, esp. Forcibly. 2 prevent (information, feelings, a reaction, etc.) From being seen, heard, or known. 3 a partly or wholly eliminate (electrical interference etc.). B equip (a device) to reduce the interference caused by it.  suppressible adj. Suppression n. Suppressor n. [latin: related to *press1]
Capillary  —attrib. Adj. 1 of or like a hair, esp. (of a tube) of very small diameter. 2 of the branching blood-vessels connecting arteries and veins. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 capillary tube. 2 capillary blood vessel. [latin capillus hair]
Yoke  —n. 1 wooden crosspiece fastened over the necks of two oxen etc. And attached to the plough or wagon to be pulled. 2 (pl. Same or -s) pair (of oxen etc.). 3 object like a yoke in form or function, e.g. A wooden shoulder-piece for carrying a pair of pails, the top section of a garment from which the rest hangs. 4 sway, dominion, or servitude. 5 bond of union, esp. Of marriage. —v. (-king) 1 put a yoke on. 2 couple or unite (a pair). 3 (foll. By to) link (one thing) to (another). 4 match or work together. [old english]
Redefine  v. (-ning) define again or differently.  redefinition n.
Full-scale  adj. Not reduced in size, complete.

Allen key  n. Propr. Spanner designed to turn an allen screw. [allen, name of the us manufacturer]
Crupper  n. 1 strap looped under a horse's tail to hold the harness back. 2 hindquarters of a horse. [french: related to *croup2]

Catalytic  adj. Of or involving catalysis.


Non-contributory  adj. Not involving contributions.

Random-access  adj. Computing (of a memory or file) having all parts directly accessible, so that it need not read sequentially.
Edelweiss  n. Alpine plant with white flowers. [german, = noble-white]

Manageress  n. Woman manager, esp. Of a shop, hotel, etc.
Accordance  n.  in accordance with in conformity to.  accordant adj.

Puerperal fever  n. Fever following childbirth and caused by uterine infection.

Firing-squad  n. 1 soldiers ordered to shoot a condemned person. 2 group firing the salute at a military funeral.
Separator  n. Machine for separating, e.g. Cream from milk.
Clap2  n. Coarse slang venereal disease, esp. Gonorrhoea. [french]
Devout  adj. Earnestly religious or sincere.  devoutly adv. Devoutness n. [latin: related to *devote]
Left bank  n. Bank of a river on the left facing downstream.



Ark  n. Ship in which noah escaped the flood with his family and animals. [old english from latin arca]


Transcribe  v. (-bing) 1 copy out. 2 write out (shorthand, notes, etc.) In full. 3 record for subsequent reproduction. 4 arrange (music) for a different instrument etc.  transcriber n. Transcription n. [latin transcribo -script-]
Trig point  n. Reference point on high ground, used in triangulation.
Chick  n. 1 young bird. 2 slang young woman. [old english: related to *chicken]




Stodge  n. Colloq. Heavy fattening food. [imitative, after stuff and podge]
Producer  n. 1 person who produces goods etc. 2 person who supervises the production of a play, film, broadcast, etc.
Birthplace  n. Place where one was born.

Show of hands  n. Raised hands indicating a vote for or against.



Attic  —adj. Of ancient athens or attica, or the form of greek used there. —n. Greek as used by the ancient athenians. [greek attikos]



Foundation  n. 1 a solid ground or base beneath a building. B (usu. In pl.) Lowest part of a building, usu. Below ground level. 2 material base. 3 basis, underlying principle. 4 a establishing (esp. An endowed institution). B college, hospital, etc. So founded; its revenues. 5 (in full foundation garment) woman's supporting undergarment, e.g. A corset. [latin: related to *found2]
Moving  adj. Emotionally affecting.  movingly adv.
Derivative  —adj. Derived; not original (his music is derivative). —n. 1 derived word or thing. 2 math. Quantity measuring the rate of change of another.


Confection  n. Dish or delicacy made with sweet ingredients. [latin conficio prepare]
Brainwash  v. Implant ideas or esp. Ideology into (a person) by repetition etc.  brainwashing n.
Elegy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 sorrowful poem or song, esp. For the dead. 2 poem in elegiac metre. [latin from greek]


Repeat  —v. 1 say or do over again. 2 recite, rehearse, or report (something learnt or heard). 3 recur; appear again. 4 (of food) be tasted after being swallowed due to belching. —n. 1 a repeating. B thing repeated (often attrib.: repeat prescription). 2 repeated broadcast. 3 mus. A passage intended to be repeated. B mark indicating this. 4 pattern repeated in wallpaper etc.  repeat itself recur in the same form. Repeat oneself say or do the same thing over again.  repeatable adj. Repeatedly adv. [latin peto seek]

Rebroadcast  —v. (past -cast or -casted; past part. -cast) broadcast again. —n. Repeat broadcast.

Dutch elm disease  n. Fungus disease of elms.
Slacken  v. Make or become slack.  slacken off = slack off (see *slack1).


Leonine  adj. 1 like a lion. 2 of or relating to lions. [latin: related to *leo]
Celeriac  n. Variety of celery. [from *celery]




Widdershins  adv. (also withershins) esp. Scot. 1 in a direction contrary to the sun's course (considered unlucky). 2 anticlockwise. [german, = contrary]








Processional  —adj. 1 of processions. 2 used, carried, or sung in processions. —n. Eccl. Processional hymn or hymn book.
Talc  n. 1 talcum powder. 2 magnesium silicate formed as soft flat plates, used as a lubricator etc. [arabic from persian talk]



Maroon2  v. 1 leave (a person) isolated, esp. On an island. 2 (of weather etc.) Cause (a person) to be forcibly detained. [french marron wild person, from spanish cimarrón]
Double-decker  n. 1 bus having an upper and lower deck. 2 colloq. Sandwich with two layers of filling.


Scots fir  var. Of *scotch fir.
Mignonette  n. Plant with fragrant grey-green flowers. [french, diminutive of mignon small]
Interweave  v. (-ving; past -wove; past part. -woven) 1 weave together. 2 blend intimately.
Plaster cast  n. 1 bandage stiffened with plaster of paris and applied to a broken limb etc. 2 statue or mould made of plaster.

Advocate  —n. 1 (foll. By of) person who supports or speaks in favour. 2 person who pleads for another, esp. In a lawcourt. —v. (-ting) recommend by argument. [latin: related to *ad-, voco call]
Uncensored  adj. Not censored.


Deciduous  adj. 1 (of a tree) shedding leaves annually. 2 (of leaves, horns, teeth, etc.) Shed periodically. [latin cado fall]


Argent  n. & adj. Heraldry silver; silvery-white. [latin argentum]


Decompression sickness  n. Condition caused by the sudden lowering of air pressure.

Hermit  n. Person (esp. An early christian) living in solitude and austerity.  hermitic adj. [greek eremos solitary]
Contort  v. Twist or force out of its normal shape.  contortion n. [latin torqueo tort- twist]


New year  n. Year just begun or about to begin; first few days of a year.
Mycenaean  —adj. Of the late bronze age civilization in greece (c.1500–1100 bc), depicted in the homeric poems. —n. Person of this civilization. [latin mycenaeus]
Conspiracy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 secret plan to commit a crime; plot. 2 conspiring. [latin: related to *conspire]
Seafarer  n. 1 sailor. 2 traveller by sea.  seafaring adj. & n.
Jellify  v. (-ies, -ied) turn into jelly; make or become like jelly.  jellification n.
Saxophone  n. Metal woodwind reed instrument used esp. In jazz.  saxophonist n. [sax, name of the maker]
Long-sighted  adj. 1 having long sight. 2 far-sighted.  long-sightedness n.
Pillage  —v. (-ging) (also absol.) Plunder, sack. —n. Pillaging, esp. In war. [french piller plunder]


Trinitarian  —n. Believer in the trinity. —adj. Of this belief.  trinitarianism n.

Familiar  —adj. 1 a (often foll. By to) well known. B often met (with). 2 (foll. By with) knowing a thing well. 3 (often foll. By with) well acquainted (with a person). 4 informal, esp. Presumptuously so. —n. 1 close friend. 2 (in full familiar spirit) supposed attendant of a witch etc.  familiarity n. Familiarly adv. [latin: related to *family]
Fire-alarm  n. Device warning of fire.

Illness  n. 1 disease. 2 being ill.


Forced march  n. Long and vigorous march, esp. By troops.
Strongbox  n. Small strongly made chest for valuables.
Parrot-fashion  adv. (learning or repeating) mechanically, by rote.

Juvenile delinquency  n. Offences committed by people below the age of legal responsibility.  juvenile delinquent n.

Duff2  v.  duff up slang beat; thrash. [perhaps from *duffer]






Dandy-brush  n. Brush for grooming a horse.
Unbar  v. (-rr-) 1 unlock, open. 2 remove a bar from (a gate etc.).
Altarpiece  n. Painting etc. Above or behind an altar.
Gallinaceous  adj. Of the order including domestic poultry, pheasants, etc. [latin gallina hen]
Bantustan  n. S.afr. Often offens. = *homeland 2.


Vogue  n. 1 (prec. By the) prevailing fashion. 2 (often attrib.) Popular use (had a great vogue).  in vogue in fashion.  voguish adj. [french from italian]


Monopoly  n. (pl. -ies) 1 a exclusive possession or control of the trade in a commodity or service. B this conferred as a privilege by the state. 2 (foll. By of, us on) exclusive possession, control, or exercise. [greek poleo sell]


Throve  past of *thrive.


Clank  —n. Sound as of metal on metal. —v. (cause to) make a clank. [imitative]


Hind2  n. Female (esp. Red) deer, esp. In and after the third year. [old english]
Force2  n. N.engl. Waterfall. [old norse]


Messrs  pl. Of *mr. [abbreviation of *messieurs]


Unto  prep. Archaic = *to (in all uses except signalling the infinitive). [from *until, with to replacing til]
Irredeemable  adj. 1 not able to be redeemed. 2 hopeless.  irredeemably adv.
Fire  —n. 1 a combustion of substances with oxygen, giving out light and heat. B flame or incandescence. 2 destructive burning (forest fire). 3 a burning fuel in a grate, furnace, etc. B = *electric fire. C = *gas fire. 4 firing of guns. 5 a fervour, spirit, vivacity. B poetic inspiration. 6 burning heat, fever. —v. (-ring) 1 (often foll. By at, into, on) a shoot (a gun, missile, etc.). B shoot a gun or missile etc. 2 produce (a broadside, salute, etc.) By shooting guns etc. 3 (of a gun etc.) Be discharged. 4 explode or kindle (an explosive). 5 deliver or utter rapidly (fired insults at us). 6 slang dismiss (an employee). 7 set fire to intentionally. 8 catch fire. 9 (of esp. An internal-combustion engine) undergo ignition. 10 supply (a furnace, engine, etc.) With fuel. 11 stimulate; enthuse. 12 bake, dry, or cure (pottery, bricks, tea, tobacco, etc.). 13 become or cause to become heated, excited, red, or glowing.  catch fire begin to burn. Fire away colloq. Begin; go ahead. On fire 1 burning. 2 excited. Set fire to (or set on fire) ignite, kindle. Set the world (or thames) on fire do something remarkable or sensational. Under fire 1 being shot at. 2 being rigorously criticized or questioned. [old english]


Devote  v. (-ting) (often refl.; foll. By to) apply or give over to (a particular activity etc.). [latin voveo vot- vow]

Promised land  n. (prec. By the) 1 bibl. Canaan (gen. 12:7 etc.). 2 any desired place, esp. Heaven.
Bloodstain  n. Stain caused by blood.  bloodstained adj.


Geriatric  —adj. 1 of old people. 2 colloq. Old, outdated. —n. Old person. [greek geras old age, iatros doctor]
Long face  n. Dismal expression.

Vacuum cleaner  n. Machine for removing dust etc. By suction.  vacuum-clean v.




Gamecock  n. Cock bred and trained for cock-fighting.
Pregnant  adj. 1 having a child or young developing in the uterus. 2 full of meaning; significant; suggestive (a pregnant pause).  pregnancy n. (pl. -ies). [latin praegnans]

Churchyard  n. Enclosed ground around a church used for burials.
High technology  n. Advanced technological development, esp. In electronics.
Epitome  n. 1 person or thing embodying a quality etc. 2 thing representing another in miniature. [greek temno cut]



Philosophical  adj. (also philosophic) 1 of or according to philosophy. 2 skilled in or devoted to philosophy. 3 calm in adversity.  philosophically adv.

Egoism  n. 1 self-interest as the moral basis of behaviour. 2 systematic selfishness. 3 = *egotism.  egoist n. Egoistic adj. Egoistical adj. Egoistically adv.
August  adj. Venerable, imposing. [latin]
Drachm  n. Weight formerly used by apothecaries, = 1/8 ounce. [latin from greek]
Monkey  —n. (pl. -eys) 1 any of various primates, including marmosets, baboons etc., esp. A small long-tailed kind. 2 mischievous person, esp. A child.  —v. (-eys, -eyed) 1 (often foll. By with) tamper or play mischievous tricks. 2 (foll. By around, about) fool around. [origin unknown]
Interface  —n. 1 surface forming a boundary between two regions. 2 means or place of interaction between two systems etc.; interaction (the interface between psychology and education). 3 esp. Computing apparatus for connecting two pieces of equipment so that they can be operated jointly. —v. (-cing) (often foll. By with) 1 connect with (another piece of equipment etc.) By an interface. 2 interact.

Slurry  n. Thin semi-liquid cement, mud, manure, etc. [related to dial. Slur thin mud]

Shiatsu  n. Japanese therapy in which pressure is applied, chiefly with fingers and hands, to specific points on the body. [japanese, = finger pressure]
Compass  n. 1 instrument showing the direction of magnetic north and bearings from it. 2 (usu. In pl.) Instrument for taking measurements and describing circles, with two arms connected at one end by a hinge. 3 circumference or boundary. 4 area, extent; scope; range. [latin passus pace]


Underseal  —v. Seal the underpart of (esp. A vehicle against rust etc.). —n. Protective coating for this.


Golden rod  n. Plant with a spike of yellow flowers.
Flinch  v. Draw back in fear etc.; wince. [french from germanic]

Pickaback  var. Of *piggyback.
Cleft1  adj. Split, partly divided. [past part. Of *cleave1]
Dy  symb. Dysprosium.
Chargé d'affaires  n. (pl. Chargés pronunc. Same) 1 ambassador's deputy. 2 envoy to a minor country. [french]
Jar1  n. 1 a container, usu. Of glass and cylindrical. B contents of this. 2 colloq. Glass of beer. [french from arabic]
Residuary  adj. 1 of the residue of an estate (residuary bequest). 2 residual.


Medalist  n. (brit. Medallist) winner of a (specified) medal (gold medallist).





Verdigris  n. Greenish-blue substance that forms on copper or brass. [french, = green of greece]

Sun  —n. 1 a the star round which the earth orbits and from which it receives light and warmth. B this light or warmth. 2 any star. —v. (-nn-) refl. Bask in the sun.  under the sun anywhere in the world.  sunless adj. [old english]





Principle  n. 1 fundamental truth or law as the basis of reasoning or action. 2 a personal code of conduct (person of high principle). B (in pl.) Personal rules of conduct (has no principles). 3 general law in physics etc. 4 law of nature forming the basis for the construction or working of a machine etc. 5 fundamental source; primary element.  in principle in theory. On principle on the basis of a moral attitude. [latin principium source]
Malleable  adj. 1 (of metal etc.) That can be shaped by hammering. 2 easily influenced; pliable.  malleability n. Malleably adv. [medieval latin: related to *mallet]
Bric-à-brac  n. (also bric-a-brac) cheap ornaments, trinkets, etc. [french]

Insole  n. Fixed or removable inner sole of a boot or shoe.
Garble  v. (-ling) 1 (esp. As garbled adj.) Unintentionally distort or confuse (facts, messages, etc.). 2 make a (usu. Unfair) selection from (facts, statements, etc.). [italian from arabic]

Motorway  n. Road for fast travel, with separate carriageways and limited access.


Crossbill  n. Finch with a bill with crossed mandibles for opening pine cones.
Shin-bone  n. = *tibia.
Table  —n. 1 flat surface on a leg or legs, used for eating, working at, etc. 2 a food provided in a household (keeps a good table). B group seated for dinner etc. 3 a set of facts or figures in columns etc. (table of contents). B matter contained in this. C = *multiplication table. —v. (-ling) 1 bring forward for discussion etc. At a meeting. 2 esp. Us postpone consideration of (a matter).  at table taking a meal at a table. On the table offered for discussion. Turn the tables (often foll. By on) reverse circumstances to one's advantage (against). Under the table colloq. 1 very drunk.


Formic acid  n. Colourless irritant volatile acid contained in fluid emitted by ants; methanoic acid. [latin formica ant]

Arch1  —n. 1 curved structure as an opening, as a support for a bridge, floor, etc., or as an ornament. 2 any arch-shaped curve. —v. 1 provide with or form into an arch. 2 span like an arch. 3 form an arch. [latin arcus arc]
Mercifully  adv. 1 in a merciful manner. 2 fortunately (mercifully, the sun came out).

Catcall  —n. Shrill whistle of disapproval. —v. Make a catcall.
Negritude  n. 1 state of being black. 2 affirmation of black culture. [french]

Common ground  n. Point or argument accepted by both sides in a dispute.
Massif  n. Compact group of mountain heights. [french: related to *massive]
Oar  n. 1 pole with a blade used to propel a boat by leverage against the water. 2 rower.  put one's oar in interfere. [old english]
Arm1  n. 1 upper limb of the human body from shoulder to hand. 2 forelimb or tentacle of an animal. 3 a sleeve of a garment. B arm support of a chair etc. C thing branching from a main stem (an arm of the sea). D control, means of reaching (arm of the law).  arm in arm with arms linked. At arm's length at a distance. With open arms cordially.  armful n. (pl. -s). [old english]
Mm  abbr. Millimetre(s).

Sos  n. (pl. Soss) 1 international code-signal of extreme distress. 2 urgent appeal for help. [letters easily recognized in morse]







Bachelor  n. 1 unmarried man. 2 person with a university first degree.  bachelorhood n. [related to *baccalaureate]





Statuesque  adj. Like, or having the dignity or beauty of, a statue.
Antonym  n. Word opposite in meaning to another. [greek onoma name]



Squad car  n. Police car.
Made to measure  adj. Tailor-made.



Scholasticism  n. Hist. Medieval western church philosophy.

Ironwork  n. 1 things made of iron. 2 work in iron.

Mouth-watering  adj. (of food etc.) Having a delicious smell or appearance.
Waste-paper basket  n. Receptacle for waste paper.
Critical  adj. 1 a fault-finding, censorious. B expressing or involving criticism. 2 skilful at or engaged in criticism. 3 providing textual criticism (critical edition of milton). 4 a of or at a crisis; dangerous, risky (in a critical condition). B decisive, crucial (at the critical moment). 5 a math. & physics marking a transition from one state etc. To another (critical angle). B (of a nuclear reactor) maintaining a self-sustaining chain reaction.  critically adv. Criticalness n.



Disconcert  v. Disturb the composure of; fluster.
Clarion  n. 1 clear rousing sound. 2 hist. Shrill war-trumpet. [latin: related to *clear]

Snub  —v. (-bb-) rebuff or humiliate with sharp words or coldness. —n. Act of snubbing. —adj. Short and blunt in shape. [old norse, = chide]



Barrier reef  n. Coral reef separated from the shore by a channel.
Dado  n. (pl. -s) 1 lower, differently decorated, part of an interior wall. 2 plinth of a column. 3 cube of a pedestal between the base and the cornice. [italian: related to *die2]
Cerise  n. Light clear red. [french: related to *cherry]
Chain reaction  n. 1 chemical or nuclear reaction forming products which initiate further reactions. 2 series of events, each caused by the previous one.
Usage  the use of thankfully in sense 2 is common, but is considered incorrect by some people.
Rv  abbr. Revised version (of the bible).
Occupational therapy  n. Programme of mental or physical activity to assist recovery from disease or injury.
Assess  v. 1 estimate the size or quality of. 2 estimate the value of (property etc.) For taxation.  assessment n. [latin assideo -sess- sit by]
Reflex  —adj. 1 (of an action) independent of the will, as an automatic response to the stimulation of a nerve. 2 (of an angle) exceeding 180°. —n. 1 reflex action. 2 sign or secondary manifestation (law is a reflex of public opinion). 3 reflected light or image. [latin: related to *reflect]

Family planning  n. Birth control.
Recognize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 identify as already known. 2 realize or discover the nature of. 3 (foll. By that) realize or admit. 4 acknowledge the existence, validity, character, or claims of. 5 show appreciation of; reward. 6 (foll. By as, for) treat.  recognizable adj. [latin recognosco]
Present-day  attrib. Adj. Of this time; modern.
Hematology  n. (brit. Haem-) the study of the blood.  haematologist n.


Concordat  n. Agreement, esp. Between the church and a state. [latin: related to *concord]

Merchant navy  n. Nation's commercial shipping.

Salt-pan  n. Vessel, or depression near the sea, used for getting salt by evaporation.



Headrest  n. Support for the head, esp. On a seat.

Freepost  n. System of business post where postage is paid by the addressee.
Plain sailing  n. Uncomplicated situation or course of action.
Advert  n. Colloq. Advertisement. [abbreviation]
Pizzicato  mus. —adv. Plucking. —adj. (of a note, passage, etc.) Performed pizzicato. —n. (pl. -s or -ti) note, passage, etc. Played pizzicato. [italian]

Foist  v. (foll. By on) force (a thing or oneself) on to an unwilling person. [dutch vuisten take in the hand]



Hectic  adj. 1 busy and confused; excited. 2 feverish.  hectically adv. [greek hektikos habitual]
Sepsis  n. Septic condition. [greek: related to *septic]




Postcard  n. Card for sending by post without an envelope.
Noble  —adj. (nobler, noblest) 1 belonging to the aristocracy. 2 of excellent character; magnanimous. 3 of imposing appearance. —n. Nobleman, noblewoman.  nobleness n. Nobly adv. [latin (g)nobilis]
Underplay  v. 1 make little of. 2 theatr. Underact.





Pater  n. Colloq. Father. [latin]
Sunni  —n. (pl. Same or -s) 1 one of the two main branches of islam, accepting law based not only on the koran, but on muhammad's words and acts. 2 adherent of this branch. —adj. (also sunnite) of or relating to sunni. [arabic sunna = way, rule]

List price  n. Price of something as shown in a published list.




Milage  var. Of *mileage.
Obloquy  n. 1 being generally ill spoken of. 2 abuse. [latin obloquium contradiction, from loquor speak]



Downtrodden  adj. Oppressed; badly treated.


Momentous  adj. Very important.  momentously adv. Momentousness n.

Seals of office  n.pl. Seals held, esp. By the lord chancellor or a secretary of state.




Jobbery  n. Corrupt dealing.

Bacterium  n. (pl. -ria) unicellular micro-organism lacking an organized nucleus, esp. Of a kind causing disease.  bacterial adj. [greek, = little stick]
Audition  —n. Test of a performer's suitability or ability. —v. Assess or be assessed at an audition. [latin audio hear]
Clip-joint  n. Slang club etc. Charging exorbitant prices.
Strung  past and past part. Of *string.
Kit  —n. 1 articles, equipment, etc. For a specific purpose (first-aid kit). 2 specialized, esp. Sports, clothing or uniform (football kit). 3 set of parts needed to assemble furniture, a model, etc. —v. (-tt-) (often foll.




Stunt1  v. Retard the growth or development of. [obsolete stunt foolish, short]
Hemoglobin  n. (brit. Haem-) oxygen-carrying substance in the red blood cells of vertebrates. [from *globulin]
Receive  v. (-ving) 1 take or accept (a thing offered, sent, or given). 2 acquire; be provided with. 3 have conferred or inflicted on one. 4 react to (news, a play, etc.) In a particular way. 5 a stand the force or weight of. B bear up against; encounter with opposition. 6 consent to hear (a confession or oath) or consider (a petition). 7 (also absol.) Accept (stolen goods knowingly). 8 admit; consent or prove able to hold; provide accommodation for. 9 (of a receptacle) be able to hold. 10 greet or welcome, esp. In a specified manner. 11 entertain as a guest etc. 12 admit to membership. 13 convert (broadcast signals) into sound or pictures. 14 (often as received adj.) Give credit to; accept as authoritative or true.  be at (or on) the receiving end colloq. Bear the brunt of something unpleasant. [latin recipio -cept- get back again]
Ultramicroscopic  adj. Too small to be seen by an ordinary optical microscope.
Cornflake  n. 1 (in pl.) Breakfast cereal of toasted maize flakes. 2 flake of this cereal.

Non-driver  n. Person who does not drive a motor vehicle.

Cornerstone  n. 1 a stone in the projecting angle of a wall. B foundation-stone. 2 indispensable part or basis.
Wince  —n. Start or involuntary shrinking movement of the face, showing pain or distress. —v. (-cing) give a wince. [germanic: related to *wink]

Television  n. 1 system for reproducing on a screen visual images transmitted (usu. With sound) by radio signals or cable. 2 (in full television set) device with a screen for receiving these signals. 3 television broadcasting.  televisual adj.
Descale  v. (-ling) remove scale from.


Firm1  —adj. 1 a solid or compact. B fixed, stable, steady. 2 a resolute, determined. B steadfast, constant (firm belief; firm friend). 3 (of an offer etc.) Definite; not conditional. —adv. Firmly (stand firm). —v. (often foll. By up) make or become firm, secure, compact, or solid.  firmly adv. Firmness n. [latin firmus]
Genteel  adj. 1 affectedly refined or stylish. 2 upper-class.  genteelly adv. [french gentil: related to *gentle]

Sarnie  n. Colloq. Sandwich. [abbreviation]
Lunacy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 insanity. 2 mental unsoundness. 3 great folly. [latin: related to *lunar]

Heartily  adv. 1 in a hearty manner. 2 very (am heartily sick of it).
Scamper  —v. Run and skip. —n. Act of scampering. [perhaps from *scamp]
Lye  n. 1 water made alkaline with wood ashes. 2 any alkaline solution for washing. [old english]
Seed  —n. 1 a part of a plant capable of developing into another such plant. B seeds collectively, esp. For sowing. 2 semen. 3 prime cause, beginning. 4 offspring, descendants. 5  (in tennis etc.) Seeded player. —v. 1 a place seeds in. B sprinkle (as) with seed. 2  sow seeds. 3 produce or drop seed. 4 remove seeds from (fruit etc.). 5  place a crystal etc. In (a cloud) to produce rain. 6 sport a so position (a strong competitor in a knockout competition) that he or she will not meet other strong competitors in early rounds. B arrange (the order of play) in this way.  go (or run) to seed 1 cease flowering as seed develops. 2 become degenerate, unkempt, etc.  seedless adj. [old english]


Chirpy  adj. Colloq. (-ier, -iest) cheerful, lively.  chirpily adv. Chirpiness n.
Deferred payment  n. Payment by instalments.





Oblate  adj. Geom. (of a spheroid) flattened at the poles. [latin: related to *ob-; cf. *prolate]

Fraud  n. 1 criminal deception. 2 dishonest artifice or trick. 3 person or thing that is not what it claims to be. [latin fraus fraud-]
Horror  —n. 1 painful feeling of loathing and fear. 2 a (often foll. By of) intense dislike. B (often foll. By at) colloq. Intense dismay. 3 a person or thing causing horror. B colloq. Bad or mischievous person etc. 4 (in pl.; prec. By the) fit of depression, nervousness, etc. —attrib. Adj. (of films etc.) Designed to interest by arousing feelings of horror.





Relish  —n. 1 (often foll. By for) great liking or enjoyment. 2 a appetizing flavour. B attractive quality. 3 condiment eaten with plainer food to add flavour. 4 (foll. By of) distinctive taste or tinge. —v. 1 get pleasure out of; enjoy greatly. 2 anticipate with pleasure.




Peer1  v. (usu. Foll. By into, at, etc.) Look closely or with difficulty. [origin unknown]
Precipitate  —v. (-ting) 1 hasten the occurrence of; cause to occur prematurely. 2 (foll. By into) send rapidly into a certain state or condition (was precipitated into war). 3 throw down headlong. 4 chem. Cause (a substance) to be deposited in solid form from a solution. 5 physics condense (vapour) into drops and so deposit it. —adj. 1 headlong; violently hurried (precipitate departure).
Double  —adj. 1 consisting of two parts or things; twofold. 2 twice as much or many (double thickness). 3 having twice the usual size, quantity, strength, etc. (double bed). 4 a being double in part. B (of a flower) with two or more circles of petals. 5 ambiguous, deceitful (double meaning; a double life). —adv. 1 at or to twice the amount etc. (counts double). 2 two together (sleep double). —n.


Camphorate  v. (-ting) impregnate or treat with camphor.


Plantain2  n. 1 a kind of banana plant, grown for its fruit. 2 banana-like fruit of this. [spanish]
Débâcle  n. (us debacle) 1 a utter defeat or failure. B sudden collapse. 2 confused rush or rout. [french]


Skull and crossbones  n.pl. Representation of a skull with two crossed thigh-bones as an emblem of piracy or death.
Stand-in  n. Deputy or substitute.
Quince  n. 1 acid pear-shaped fruit used in jams etc. 2 tree bearing this. [originally a plural, from french cooin, from cydonia in crete]


Traveller's tale  n. Incredible and probably untrue story.
Heliocentric  adj. 1 regarding the sun as centre. 2 considered as viewed from the sun's centre.




Mop  —n. 1 bundle of yarn or cloth or a sponge on the end of a stick, for cleaning floors etc. 2 similarly-shaped implement for various purposes. 3 thick mass of hair. 4 mopping or being mopped (gave it a mop). —v. (-pp-) 1 wipe or clean with or as with a mop. 2 a wipe tears or sweat etc. From (one's face etc.). B wipe away (tears etc.).  mop up 1 wipe up with or as with a mop. 2 colloq. Absorb. 3 dispatch; make an end of. 4  a complete the occupation of (a district etc.) By capturing or killing enemy troops left there. B capture or kill (stragglers). [origin uncertain]
Swelter  —v. Be uncomfortably hot. —n. Sweltering condition. [old english]

Tailored  adj. 1 (of clothing) well or closely fitted. 2 = *tailor-made.



Firstly  adv. In the first place, first (cf. *first adv.).
Valiant  adj. Brave.  valiantly adv. [latin valeo be strong]

Platform  n. 1 raised level surface, esp. One from which a speaker addresses an audience or one alongside the line at a railway station. 2 floor area at the entrance to a bus etc. 3 thick sole of a shoe. 4 declared policy of a political party. [french: related to *plate, *form]


Encroach  v. 1 (foll. By on, upon) intrude on another's territory etc. 2 advance gradually beyond due limits.  encroachment n. [french croc *crook]
Merino  n. (pl. -s) 1 (in full merino sheep) variety of sheep with long fine wool. 2 soft cashmere-like material, orig. Of merino wool. 3 fine woollen yarn. [spanish]

Vault  —n. 1 arched roof. 2 vaultlike covering (vault of heaven). 3 underground storage chamber or place of interment beneath a church or in a cemetery etc. 4 act of vaulting. —v. 1 leap, esp. Using the hands or a pole. 2 spring over in this way. 3 (esp. As vaulted) a make in the form of a vault. B provide with a vault or vaults. [latin volvo roll]
Leaven  —n. 1 substance causing dough to ferment and rise. 2 pervasive transforming influence; admixture. —v. 1 ferment (dough) with leaven. 2 permeate and transform; modify with a tempering element. [latin levo lift]
Irate  adj. Angry, enraged.  irately adv. Irateness n. [latin iratus from ira anger]

Impend  v. (often foll. By over) 1 (of a danger, event, etc.) Be threatening or imminent. 2 hang.  impending adj. [latin pendeo hang]


Cupful  n. (pl. -s) 1 amount held by a cup, esp. Us a half-pint or 8-ounce measure. 2 full cup.
Imprimatur  n. 1 rc ch. Licence to print (a religious book etc.). 2 official approval. [latin, = let it be printed]


Square dance  n. Dance with usu. Four couples facing inwards from four sides.
President  n. 1 head of a republican state. 2 head of a society or council etc. 3 head of certain colleges. 4 us head of a university, company, etc. 5 person in charge of a meeting.  presidential adj.

Forensic  adj. 1 of or used in courts of law (forensic science; forensic medicine). 2 of or involving forensic science (sent for forensic examination). forensically adv. [latin forensis: related to *forum]

Shake  —v. (-king; past shook; past part. Shaken) 1 move forcefully or quickly up and down or to and fro. 2 (cause to) tremble or vibrate. 3 agitate, shock, or upset the composure of. 4 weaken or impair in courage, effectiveness, etc. 5 (of a voice, note, etc.) Tremble; trill. 6 gesture with (one's fist, a stick, etc.). 7 colloq. Shake hands (they shook on the deal). —n. 1 shaking or being shaken. 2 jerk or shock. 3 (in pl.; prec. By the) colloq. Fit of trembling. 4 mus. Trill. 5 = *milk shake.  no great shakes colloq. Mediocre, poor. Shake down 1 settle or cause to fall by shaking. 2 settle down; become established. Shake hands (often foll. By with) clasp hands as a greeting, farewell, in congratulation, as confirmation of a deal, etc. Shake one's head turn one's head from side to side in refusal, denial, disapproval, or concern. Shake off get rid of or evade (a person or thing). Shake out 1 empty by shaking. 2 open (a sail, flag, etc.) By shaking. Shake up 1 mix by shaking. 2 restore to shape by shaking.

Matter-of-fact  adj. 1 unimaginative, prosaic. 2 unemotional.  matter-of-factly adv. Matter-of-factness n.

Blooming  —adj. 1 flourishing; healthy. 2 slang an intensifier (blooming miracle). —adv. Slang an intensifier (blooming difficult).




Centre of gravity  n. (also centre of mass) point at which the weight of a body may be considered to act.
Optimal  adj. Best or most favourable. [latin optimus best]
Testate  —adj. Having left a valid will at death. —n. Testate person.  testacy n. (pl. -ies). [latin testor testify, from testis witness]
Ungulate  —adj. Hoofed. —n. Hoofed mammal. [latin ungula hoof, claw]
Maty  var. Of *matey.
Uplift  —v. 1 raise. 2 (esp. As uplifting adj.) Elevate morally or emotionally. —n. 1 colloq. Elevating influence. 2 support for the bust etc.
Dutch treat  n. Party, outing, etc., at which people pay for themselves.
Quitter  n. 1 person who gives up easily. 2 shirker.

Owner-occupier  n. Person who owns and occupies a house.
Lea  abbr. Local education authority.






Recoil  —v. 1 suddenly move or spring back in fear, horror, or disgust. 2 shrink mentally in this way. 3 rebound after an impact. 4 (foll. By on, upon) have an adverse reactive effect on (the originator). 5 (of a gun) be driven backwards by its discharge. —n. Act or sensation of recoiling. [french reculer from latin culus buttocks]
Channel  —n. 1 a piece of water wider than a strait, joining esp. Two seas. B (the channel) the english channel. 2 medium of communication; agency. 3 band of frequencies used in radio and television transmission, esp. By a particular station. 4 course in which anything moves. 5 a hollow bed of water. B navigable part of a waterway. 6 passage for liquid. 7 lengthwise strip on recording tape etc. —v. (-ll-; us -l-) 1 guide, direct. 2 form channel(s) in. [latin: related to *canal]
Footling  adj. Colloq. Trivial, silly.
Claimant  n. Person making a claim, esp. In a lawsuit, or claiming state benefit.



Heed  —v. Attend to; take notice of. —n. Careful attention.  heedful adj. Heedless adj. Heedlessly adv. [old english]

Gentile  —adj. Not jewish; heathen. —n. Person who is not jewish. [latin gentilis from gens family]
Cps  abbr. (also c.p.s.) 1 computing characters per second. 2 sci. Cycles per second.





Free port  n. 1 port without customs duties. 2 port open to all traders.
Rickshaw  n. (also ricksha) light two-wheeled hooded vehicle drawn by one or more persons. [abbreviation of jinrickshaw from japanese]

Fluorescent lamp  n. (also fluorescent bulb) esp. Tubular lamp or bulb radiating largely by fluorescence.
Propound  v. Offer for consideration; propose. [propo(u)ne from latin: related to *propose]
Marine  —adj. 1 of, found in, or produced by the sea. 2 a of shipping or naval matters (marine insurance). B for use at sea. —n. 1 soldier trained to serve on land or sea. 2 country's shipping, fleet, or navy (merchant marine). [latin mare sea]
Ketchup  n. (us catsup) spicy esp. Tomato sauce used as a condiment. [chinese]
Bondsman  n. Serf, slave. [old english bonda husbandman]

Squirt  —v. 1 eject (liquid etc.) In a jet. 2 be ejected in this way. 3 splash with a squirted substance. —n. 1 a jet of water etc. B small quantity squirted. 2 syringe. 3 colloq. Insignificant but self-assertive person. [imitative]

Orca  n. Any of various cetaceans, esp. The killer whale. [latin]


Hiss  —v. 1 make a sharp sibilant sound, as of the letter s. 2 express disapproval of by hisses. 3 whisper urgently or angrily. —n. 1 sharp sibilant sound as of the letter s. 2 electronics interference at audio frequencies. [imitative]

Stepfather  n. Male step-parent.


Dory  n. (pl. Same or -ies) any of various edible marine fish, esp. The john dory. [french dorée = gilded]

Denier  n. Unit of weight measuring the fineness of silk, nylon, etc. [originally the name of a small coin, from latin *denarius]

Lift  —v. 1 (often foll. By up, off, out, etc.) Raise or remove to a higher position. 2 go up; be raised; yield to an upward force. 3 give an upward direction to (the eyes or face). 4 elevate to a higher plane of thought or feeling. 5 (of fog etc.) Rise, disperse. 6 remove (a barrier or restriction). 7 transport (supplies, troops, etc.) By air. 8 colloq. A steal. B plagiarize (a passage of writing etc.). 9 dig up (esp. Potatoes etc.). —n. 1 lifting or being lifted. 2 ride in another person's vehicle (gave them a lift).




Sling-back  n. Shoe held in place by a strap above the heel.
Gaff2  n. Slang  blow the gaff reveal a plot or secret. [origin unknown]


Hustings  n. Election campaign or proceedings. [old english, = house of assembly, from old norse]

Cor  int. Slang expressing surprise etc. [corruption of god]

Phraseology  n. (pl. -ies) 1 choice or arrangement of words. 2 mode of expression.  phraseological adj.

Spindle tree  n. Tree with hard wood used for spindles.
Pastoral  —adj. 1 of shepherds, flocks, or herds. 2 (of land) used for pasture. 3 (of a poem, picture, etc.) Portraying (esp. Romanticized) country life. 4 of a pastor. —n. 1 pastoral poem, play, picture, etc. 2 letter from a pastor (esp. A bishop) to the clergy or people. [latin pastoralis: related to *pastor]
Pilfer  v. (also absol.) Steal (objects), esp. In small quantities. [french pelfre]
Old man's beard  n. Wild clematis, with grey fluffy hairs round the seeds.
Undersigned  adj. (usu. Absol.) Whose signature is appended (we, the undersigned).


Anything  pron. Any thing; thing of any sort.  anything but not at all.


Flagship  n. 1 ship with an admiral on board. 2 leader in a category etc.; exemplar.
Board-game  n. Game played on a board.

Run-around  n. (esp. In phr. Give a person the run-around) colloq. Deceit or evasion.
Leaved  adj. Having a leaf or leaves, esp. (in comb.) Of a specified kind or number (four-leaved clover).

Pathological  adj. 1 of pathology. 2 of or caused by physical or mental disorder (pathological fear of spiders).  pathologically adv.



Gland  n. 1 organ or similar structure secreting substances for use in the body or for ejection. 2 bot. Similar organ in a plant. [latin glandulae pl.]
Insecticide  n. Substance for killing insects.
Mainline  v. (-ning) slang 1 take drugs intravenously. 2 inject (drugs) intravenously.  mainliner n.

Philtre  n. (us philter) love-potion. [greek phileo to love]

Rosebud  n. 1 bud of a rose. 2 pretty young woman.
Pvc  abbr. Polyvinyl chloride.


Mud-slinger  n. Colloq. Person given to making abusive or disparaging remarks.  mud-slinging n.




Quatrefoil  n. Four-pointed or -leafed figure, esp. As an architectural ornament. [anglo-french quatre four: related to *foil2]
See of rome  n. The papacy.
Autocrat  n. 1 absolute ruler. 2 dictatorial person.  autocratic adj. Autocratically adv.
Sandman  n. Imaginary person causing tiredness in children.
Indicator  n. 1 flashing light on a vehicle showing the direction in which it is about to turn. 2 person or thing that indicates. 3 device indicating the condition of a machine etc. 4 recording instrument. 5 board giving information, esp. Times of trains etc.


Concentrate  —v. (-ting) 1 (often foll. By on) focus one's attention or thought. 2 bring together to one point. 3 increase the strength of (a liquid etc.) By removing water etc. 4 (as concentrated adj.) Intense, strong. —n. Concentrated substance. [latin: related to *centre]

Rotovator  var. Of *rotavator.
Degenerate  —adj. 1 having lost its usual or good qualities; immoral, degraded. 2 biol. Having changed to a lower type. —n. Degenerate person or animal. —v. (-ting) become degenerate.  degeneracy n. [latin genus race]
Lieutenant  n. 1 a army officer next in rank below captain. B naval officer next in rank below lieutenant commander. 2 deputy.  lieutenancy n. (pl. -ies). [french: related to *lieu place, *tenant holder]
Intestate  —adj. Not having made a will before death. —n. Person who has died intestate.  intestacy n. [latin: related to *testament]


Prepaid  past and past part. Of *prepay.
Well-preserved  adj. 1 in good condition. 2 (of an old person) showing little sign of age.


Take-up  n. Acceptance of a thing offered.
Halva  n. Confection of sesame flour and honey etc. [yiddish from turkish helva from arabic halwa]
Sailplane  n. Glider designed for sustained flight.
Tuba  n. (pl. -s) low-pitched brass wind instrument. [latin, = trumpet]
Peculate  v. (-ting) embezzle (money).  peculation n. Peculator n. [latin: related to *peculiar]


Tall story  n. Colloq. Extravagant story that is difficult to believe.

Snaffle  —n. (in full snaffle-bit) simple bridle-bit without a curb. —v. (-ling) colloq. Steal; seize. [low german or dutch perhaps from snavel beak]

Transgress  v. (also absol.) Go beyond the bounds or limits set by (a commandment, law, etc.); sin.  transgression n. Transgressor n. [latin transgredior -gress-]
Aspirant  —adj. Aspiring. —n. Person who aspires. [latin: related to *aspire]
Buffet1  n. 1 room or counter where refreshments are sold. 2 self-service meal of several dishes set out at once. 3 also sideboard or recessed cupboard. [french, = stool]

Non-drinker  n. Person who does not drink alcoholic liquor.


Javanese  —n. (pl. Same) 1 a native of java. B person of javanese descent. 2 language of java. —adj. (also javan) of java, its people, or its language. [java in indonesia]

Epoch-making  adj. Remarkable; very important.





Blame  —v. (-ming) 1 assign fault or responsibility to. 2 (foll. By on) fix responsibility for (an error etc.) On (blamed it on his brother). —n. 1 responsibility for an error etc. 2 blaming or attributing of responsibility (got all the blame).  be to blame be responsible; deserve censure.  blameable adj. Blameless adj. Blameworthy adj. [french: related to *blaspheme]


Sieve  —n. Perforated or meshed utensil for separating solids or coarse material from liquids or fine particles, or for pulping. —v. (-ving) sift. [old english]
Shovel  —n. 1 spadelike tool with raised sides, for shifting coal etc. 2 (part of) a machine with a similar form or function. —v. (-ll-; us -l-) 1 move (as if) with a shovel. 2 colloq. Move in large quantities or roughly (shovelled peas into his mouth).  shovelful n. (pl. -s). [old english]

Methought  past of *methinks.
Left-hander  n. 1 left-handed person. 2 left-handed blow.





Platoon  n. 1 subdivision of a military company. 2 group of persons acting together. [french peloton diminutive of pelote *pellet]

Brunette  n. Woman with dark brown hair. [french diminutive]
Butter-cream  n. Mixture of butter, icing sugar, etc., as a filling etc. For a cake.
Naked  adj. 1 without clothes; nude. 2 without its usual covering. 3 undisguised (the naked truth). 4 (of a light, flame, sword, etc.) Unprotected or unsheathed.  nakedly adv. Nakedness n. [old english]
Cereal  —n. 1 a grain used for food. B wheat, maize, rye, etc. Producing this. 2 breakfast food made from a cereal. —adj. Of edible grain. [latin ceres goddess of agriculture]


Praseodymium  n.  Soft silvery metallic element of the lanthanide series. [greek prasios green]
Mainsail  n. 1 (in a square-rigged vessel) lowest sail on the mainmast. 2 (in a fore-and-aft rigged vessel) sail set on the after part of the mainmast.

Forewarn  v. Warn beforehand.
Chicle  n. Milky juice of a tropical tree, used in chewing-gum. [spanish from nahuatl]
Clerihew  n. Short comic biographical verse in two rhyming couplets. [e. Clerihew bentley, name of its inventor]


Ice blue  adj. & n. (as adj. Often hyphenated) very pale blue.

Outrank  v. Be superior in rank to.

Medicinal  adj. (of a substance) healing.  medicinally adv.



Unpractical  adj. 1 not practical. 2 (of a person) without practical skill.

Trestle  n. 1 supporting structure for a table etc., consisting of two frames fixed at an angle or hinged, or of a bar with two divergent pairs of legs. 2 (in full trestle-table) table of a board or boards on trestles etc. 3 (in full trestle-work) open braced framework to support a bridge etc. [latin transtrum cross-beam]
Pressie  n. (also prezzie) colloq. Present, gift. [abbreviation]
Herewith  adv. With this (esp. Of an enclosure in a letter etc.).
Connive  v. (-ving) 1 (foll. By at) disregard or tacitly consent to (a wrongdoing). 2 (usu. Foll. By with) conspire.  connivance n. [latin conniveo shut the eyes]
Voice-over  n. Commentary in a film etc. By an unseen narrator.


Calix  var. Of *calyx.
Forme  n. Printing body of type secured in a chase ready for printing. [var. Of *form]
Highbrow  colloq. —adj. Intellectual; cultural. —n. Intellectual or cultured person.

Freckle  —n. Small light brown spot on the skin. —v. (-ling) (usu. As freckled adj.) Spot or be spotted with freckles.  freckly adj. [old norse]
Speakeasy  n. (pl. -ies) us hist. Slang place where alcoholic liquor was sold illicitly.
Hyperactive  adj. (of a person) abnormally active.

Neighbourly  adj. (us neighborly) like a good neighbour; friendly; kind.  neighbourliness n.
Carsick  adj. Nauseous from car travel.  carsickness n.
Standard of living  n. Degree of material comfort of a person or group.

Madly  adv. 1 in a mad manner. 2 colloq. A passionately. B extremely.
Well-rounded  adj. Complete and symmetrical.
Progeny  n. 1 offspring; descendant(s). 2 outcome, issue. [latin: related to *progenitor]

Rick2  (also wrick) —n. Slight sprain or strain. —v. Sprain or strain slightly. [low german wricken]
Retread  —v. 1 (past retrod; past part. Retrodden) tread (a path etc.) Again. 2 (past, past part. Retreaded) put a fresh tread on (a tyre). —n. Retreaded tyre.



Veranda  n. (usu. Covered) platform along the side of a house. [hindi from portuguese varanda]
Puppet state  n. Country that is nominally independent but actually under the control of another power.

Hem2  —int. Calling attention or expressing hesitation by a slight cough. —n. Utterance of this. —v. (-mm-) say hem; hesitate in speech.  hem and haw = hum and haw (see *hum). [imitative]
Obstetrics  n.pl. (treated as sing.) Branch of medicine and surgery dealing with childbirth.  obstetric adj. [latin obstetrix midwife, from obsto be present]



Ice-skate  —n. Boot with a blade beneath, for skating on ice. —v. Skate on ice.  ice-skater n.
Supply  —v. (-ies, -ied) 1 provide (a thing needed). 2 (often foll. By with) provide (a person etc. With a thing). 3 meet or make up for (a deficiency or need etc.). —n. (pl. -ies) 1 providing of what is needed. 2 stock, store, amount, etc., of something provided or obtainable. 3 (in pl.) Provisions and equipment for an army, expedition, etc. 4 (often attrib.) Schoolteacher etc. Acting as a temporary substitute for another.  in short supply scarce. Supply and demand econ. Quantities available and required, as factors regulating price.






Unpublished  adj. Not published.



Ember  n. (usu. In pl.) Small piece of glowing coal etc. In a dying fire. [old english]
Costermonger  n. Person who sells produce from a barrow. [costard large apple: related to *costal]
Err  v. 1 be mistaken or incorrect. 2 do wrong; sin. [latin erro stray]
Compact2  n. Agreement, contract. [latin: related to *pact]



Overfly  v. (-flies; past -flew; past part. -flown) fly over or beyond (a place or territory).




Driving-licence  n. Licence permitting one to drive a vehicle.


Incontinent  adj. 1 unable to control the bowels or bladder. 2 lacking self-restraint (esp. In sexual matters).  incontinence n.

Dunderhead  n. Stupid person. [origin unknown]
Allotment  n. 1 small piece of land rented by a local authority for cultivation. 2 share. 3 allotting.

Wendy house  n. Children's small houselike tent or structure for playing in. [wendy, name of a character in barrie's peter pan]



Minx  n. Pert, sly, or playful girl. [origin unknown]
Ghost  —n. 1 supposed apparition of a dead person or animal; disembodied spirit. 2 shadow or semblance (not a ghost of a chance). 3 secondary image in a defective telescope or television picture. —v. (often foll. By for) act as ghost-writer of (a work).  ghostliness n. Ghostly adj. (-ier, -iest). [old english]

Black power  n. Movement for black rights and political power.
Lothario  n. (pl. -s) libertine. [name of a character in a play]




Galore  adv. In plenty (whisky galore). [irish]
Implausible  adj. Not plausible.  implausibility n. Implausibly adv.
Ladybird  n. Small beetle, usu. Red with black spots.
Airliner  n. Large passenger aircraft.



Put  —v. (-tt-; past and past part. Put) 1 move to or cause to be in a specified place or position (put it in your pocket; put the children to bed). 2 bring into a specified condition or state (puts me in great difficulty). 3 (often foll. By on, to) impose, enforce, assign, or apply (put a tax on beer; where do you put the blame?; put a stop to it; put it to good use). 4 place (a person) or (refl.) Imagine (oneself) in a specified position (put them at their ease; put yourself in my shoes). 5 (foll. By for) substitute (one thing) for (another). 6 express in a specified way (to put it mildly). 7 (foll. By at) estimate (an amount etc.) At so much (put the cost at £50). 8 (foll. By into) express or translate in (words, or another language). 9 (foll. By into) invest (money in an asset, e.g. Land). 10 (foll. By on) stake (money) on (a horse etc.). 11 (foll. By to) submit for attention (put it to a vote). 12 throw (esp. A shot or weight) as a sport. 13 (foll. By back, off, out to sea, etc.) (of a ship etc.) Proceed in a specified direction. —n. Throw of the shot etc.  put about 1 spread (information, a rumour, etc.). 2 naut. Turn round; put (a ship) on the opposite tack. Put across 1 communicate (an idea etc.) Effectively. 2 (often in put it (or one) across) achieve by deceit. Put away 1 restore (a thing) to its usual or former place. 2 lay (money etc.) Aside for future use. 3 imprison or commit to a home etc.







Inane  adj. 1 silly, senseless. 2 empty, void.  inanely adv. Inanity n. (pl. -ies). [latin inanis]

Fr.  Abbr. Franc(s).
Hackney carriage  n. Taxi.
Mimosa  n. 1 shrub with globular usu. Yellow flowers. 2 acacia plant with showy yellow flowers. [latin: related to *mime]
Dog in the manger  n. Person who stops others using a thing for which he or she has no use.
Private sector  n. The part of the economy free of direct state control.
Ginkgo  n. (pl. -s) tree with fan-shaped leaves and yellow flowers. [chinese, = silver apricot]

Mbo  abbr. Management buyout.
Unpolished  adj. Not polished or refined; rough.
Following  —prep. After in time; as a sequel to. —n. Supporters or devotees. —adj. That follows or comes after.  the following 1 what follows. 2 now to be given or named (answer the following).
Another  —adj. 1 an additional; one more (another cake). 2 person like (another hitler). 3 a different (another matter). 4 some other (another man's work). —pron. Additional, other, or different person or thing. [earlier an other]

Butcher  —n. 1 a person who deals in meat. B slaughterer. 2 brutal murderer. —v. 1 slaughter or cut up (an animal) for food. 2 kill wantonly or cruelly. 3 colloq. Ruin through incompetence. [french boc *buck1]

Trunk road  n. Important main road.
Peach melba  n. Dish of peaches, ice-cream, and raspberry sauce.
Overcome  v. (-ming; past -came; past part. -come) 1 prevail over, master, be victorious. 2 (usu. As overcome adj.) A make faint (overcome by smoke). B (usu. Foll. By with, by) make weak or helpless (overcome with grief).
Ect  abbr. Electroconvulsive therapy.

Rose-hip  n. = *hip2.
Thai  —n. (pl. Same or -s) 1 a native or national of thailand. B person of thai descent. 2 language of thailand. —adj. Of thailand. [thai, = free]




D 



Head  —n. 1 upper part of the human body, or foremost or upper part of an animal's body, containing the brain, mouth, and sense-organs. 2 a seat of intellect (use your head). B mental aptitude or tolerance (a good head for business; no head for heights). 3 thing like a head in form or position, esp.: a the operative part of a tool. B the top of a nail. C the leaves or flowers at the top of a stem. D foam on the top of a glass of beer etc. 4 a person in charge, esp. The principal teacher of a school. B position of command. 5 front part of a queue etc. 6 upper end of a table or bed etc. 7 top or highest part of a page, stairs, etc. 8 a individual person as a unit (£10 per head). B (pl. Same) individual animal as a unit (20 head). 9 a side of a coin bearing the image of a head. B (usu. In pl.) This as a choice when tossing a coin. 10 a source of a river etc. B end of a lake at which a river enters it. 11 height or length of a head as a measure. 12 part of a machine in contact with or very close to what is being worked on, esp.: a the part of a tape recorder that touches the moving tape and converts signals. B the part of a record-player that holds the playing cartridge and stylus. 13 (usu. In phr. Come to a head) climax, crisis. 14 a confined body of water or steam in an engine etc. B pressure exerted by this. 15 promontory (esp. In place-names) (beachy head). 16 heading or headline. 17 fully developed top of a boil etc. 18 colloq. Headache. 19 (attrib.) Chief, principal. —v. 1 be at the head or front of. 2 be in charge of. 3 provide with a head or heading. 4 (often foll. By for) face, move, or direct in a specified direction (is heading for trouble). 5 hit (a ball etc.) With the head.  above (or over) one's head beyond one's understanding. Come to a head reach a crisis. Get it into one's head (foll. By that) 1 adopt a mistaken idea. 2 form a definite plan. Give a person his (or her) head allow a person to act freely. Go to one's head 1 make one slightly drunk. 2 make one conceited. Head off 1 get ahead of so as to intercept and turn aside. 2 forestall. Keep (or lose) one's head remain (or fail to remain) calm. Off one's head slang crazy. Off the top of one's head colloq. Impromptu. On one's (or one's own) head as one's own responsibility. Out of one's head slang crazy. Over one's head 1 beyond one's understanding. 2 without one's rightful knowledge or involvement, esp. Of action taken by a subordinate consulting one's own superior. 3 with disregard for one's own (stronger) claim (was promoted over my head). Put heads together consult together. Take it into one's head (foll. By that + clause or to + infin.) Decide, esp. Impetuously. Turn a person's head make a person conceited. [old english]


Reduction  n. 1 reducing or being reduced. 2 amount by which prices etc. Are reduced. 3 smaller copy of a picture etc.  reductive adj.
Incorrect  adj. 1 not correct or true. 2 improper, unsuitable.  incorrectly adv.

Ex officio  adv. & attrib. Adj. By virtue of one's office. [latin]
Overbid  —v. (-dd-; past and past part. -bid) make a higher bid than. —n. Bid that is higher than another, or higher than is justified.
Dotted line  n. Line of dots on a document etc., esp. For writing a signature on.
Buffer2  n. Slang silly or incompetent old man. [perhaps from *buffer1]

Baguette  n. Long thin french loaf. [french]


Aeolian harp  n. Stringed instrument or toy sounding when the wind passes through it. [latin aeolus wind-god, from greek]

Bombast  n. Pompous language; hyperbole.  bombastic adj. [earlier bombace cotton wool]


Seize  v. (-zing) 1 (often foll. By on, upon) take hold of forcibly or suddenly. 2  take possession of forcibly or by legal power. 3 affect suddenly (panic seized us). 4 (often foll. By on, upon) take advantage of (an opportunity etc.). 5 (often foll. By on, upon) comprehend quickly or clearly. 6 (also seise) (usu. Foll. By of) law put in possession of.  seized (or seised) of 1 possessing legally. 2 aware or informed of. Seize up 1 (of a mechanism) become jammed. 2 (of part of the body etc.) Become stiff. [french saisir]

Redesign  v. Design again or differently.

Panel  —n. 1 distinct, usu. Rectangular, section of a surface (e.g. Of a wall, door, or vehicle). 2 strip of material in a garment. 3 team in a broadcast game, discussion, etc. 4 a list of available jurors. B jury. —v. (-ll-; us -l-) fit, cover, or decorate with panels. [latin diminutive of pannus: related to *pane]
Willie  var. Of *willy.


Humid  adj. (of the air or climate) warm and damp. [latin humidus]



Mayn't  contr. May not.
Obsess  v. Fill the mind of (a person) continually; preoccupy.  obsessive adj. & n. Obsessively adv. Obsessiveness n. [latin obsideo obsess- besiege]
Mixed blessing  n. Thing having advantages and disadvantages.


Modiste  n. Milliner; dressmaker. [french: related to *mode]
Injustice  n. 1 lack of fairness. 2 unjust act.  do a person an injustice judge a person unfairly. [french from latin: related to *in-1]

School year  n. Period from september to july.





Noughts and crosses  n.pl. Pencil-and-paper game in which players seek to complete a row of three noughts or three crosses.

Metal detector  n. Electronic device for locating esp. Buried metal.
Shortcake  n. 1 = *shortbread. 2 cake of short pastry filled with fruit and cream.

Exit  —n. 1 passage or door by which to leave a room etc. 2 act or right of going out. 3 place where vehicles can leave a motorway etc. 4 actor's departure from the stage. —v. (-t-) 1 go out of a room etc. 2 leave the stage (also as a direction: exit macbeth). [latin exeo exit- go out]



Wrought  archaic past and past part. Of *work. —adj. (of metals) beaten out or shaped by hammering.
Thermoelectric  adj. Producing electricity by a difference of temperatures.
Paper round  n. 1 job of regularly delivering newspapers. 2 route for this.
Al  symb. Aluminium.
Blotch  —n. 1 discoloured or inflamed patch on the skin. 2 irregular patch of colour. —v. Cover with blotches.  blotchy adj. (-ier, -iest). [obsolete plotch, *blot]
Twenty-twenty vision  n. (also 20/20 vision) 1 vision of normal acuity. 2 colloq. Good eyesight.
Signal1  —n. 1 a sign (usu. Prearranged) conveying information etc. B message of such signs. 2 immediate cause of action etc. (her death was a signal for hope). 3 a electrical impulse or impulses or radio waves transmitted as a signal. B sequence of these. 4 device on a railway giving instructions or warnings to train-drivers etc. —v. (-ll-; us -l-) 1 make signals. 2 a (often foll. By to + infin.) Make signals to; direct. B transmit or express by signal; announce.  signaller n. [latin: signum sign]
Pinch  —v. 1 a squeeze tightly, esp. Between finger and thumb. B (often absol.) (of a shoe etc.) Constrict painfully. 2 (of cold, hunger, etc.) Affect painfully. 3  slang a steal. B arrest. 4 (as pinched adj.) (of the features) drawn. 5 a (usu. Foll. By in, of, for, etc.) Stint. B be niggardly. 6 (usu. Foll. By out, back, down) remove (leaves, buds, etc.) To encourage bushy growth. —n. 1 act of pinching. 2 amount that can be taken up with fingers and thumb (pinch of snuff). 3 the stress caused by poverty etc.  at (or in) a pinch in an emergency. [french pincer]

Yonder  —adv. Over there; at some distance in that direction; in the place indicated. —adj. Situated yonder.
Folklore  n. Traditional beliefs and stories of a people; the study of these.


Unprompted  adj. Spontaneous.
Grand jury  n. Esp. Us jury selected to examine the validity of an accusation prior to trial.


Ritzy  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. High-class, luxurious, showily smart. [from ritz, name of luxury hotels]
Comic  —adj. 1 of or like comedy. 2 funny. —n. 1 comedian. 2 periodical in the form of comic strips.  comical adj. Comically adv. [greek komos revel]
Pictograph  n. (also pictogram) 1 pictorial symbol for a word or phrase. 2 pictorial representation of statistics etc.  pictographic adj. [latin pingo pict- paint]







Lapidary  —adj. 1 concerned with stone or stones. 2 engraved upon stone. 3 concise, well-expressed, epigrammatic. —n. (pl. -ies) cutter, polisher, or engraver, of gems. [latin lapis lapid- stone]
Totting-up  n. 1 adding of separate items. 2 adding up of convictions for driving offences, possibly resulting in disqualification.
Note  —n. 1 brief written record as an aid to memory (often in pl.: make notes). 2 observation, usu. Unwritten, of experiences etc. (compare notes). 3 short or informal letter. 4 formal diplomatic communication. 5 short annotation or additional explanation in a book etc. 6 a = *banknote. B written promise of payment. 7 a notice, attention (worthy of note). B eminence (person of note). 8  a single musical tone of definite pitch. B written sign representing its pitch and duration. C key of a piano etc. 9 quality or tone of speaking, expressing mood or attitude etc. (note of optimism). —v. (-ting) 1 observe, notice; give attention to. 2 (often foll. By down) record as a thing to be remembered or observed. 3 (in passive; often foll. By for) be well known.  hit (or strike) the right note speak or act in exactly the right manner. [latin nota mark (n.), noto mark (v.)]
Test match  n. International cricket or rugby match, usu. In a series.
Cress  n. Any of various plants with pungent edible leaves. [old english]
Touchdown  n. Act of touching down by an aircraft.

Earnest  adj. Intensely serious.  in earnest serious, seriously, with determination.  earnestly adv. Earnestness n. [old english]
Eh  int. Colloq. 1 expressing enquiry or surprise. 2 inviting assent. 3 asking for repetition or explanation. [instinctive exclamation]


Mit  abbr. Massachusetts institute of technology.

Thatch  —n. 1 roof-covering of straw, reeds, etc. 2 colloq. Hair of the head. —v. (also absol.) Cover with thatch.  thatcher n. [old english]
Octagon  n. Plane figure with eight sides and angles.  octagonal adj. [greek: related to *octa-, -gonos -angled]

Cat burglar  n. Burglar who enters by climbing to an upper storey.
Brazil  n. 1 tall s. American tree. 2 (in full brazil nut) its large three-sided nut. [brazil in s. America]
Tax  —n. 1 money compulsorily levied by the state or local authorities on individuals, property, or businesses. 2 (usu. Foll. By on, upon) strain, heavy demand, or burdensome obligation. —v. 1 impose a tax on. 2 deduct tax from (income etc.).


Catholic  —adj. 1 all-embracing; of wide sympathies or interests. 2 of interest or use to all; universal. 3 (catholic) a roman catholic. B including all christians, or all of the western church. —n. (catholic) roman catholic.  catholicism n. Catholicity n. [greek holos whole]
Chalcedony  n. (pl. -ies) type of quartz with many varieties, e.g. Onyx. [latin from greek]

Brisket  n. Animal's breast, esp. As a joint of meat. [french]
Vox pop  n. (often attrib.)  Colloq. Popular opinion as represented by informal comments from the public. [abbreviation of *vox populi]
Hempen  adj. Made of hemp.
Royal blue  adj. & n. (as adj. Often hyphenated) deep vivid blue.




Polyester  n. Synthetic fibre or resin.

Subzero  adj. (esp. Of temperature) lower than zero.

Staghound  n. Large dog used for hunting deer.
Many  —adj. (more; most) great in number; numerous (many people). —n. (as pl.) 1 many people or things. 2 (prec. By the) the majority of people.  a good (or great) many a large number. Many's the time often. Many a time many times. [old english]

Retook  past of *retake.
Paper money  n. Banknotes.
Elder2  n. Tree with white flowers and dark berries. [old english]

Aggressor  n. Person or party that attacks without provocation.
Rightward  —adv. (also rightwards) towards the right. —adj. Going towards or facing the right.

Solar day  n. Interval between meridian transits of the sun.
Landlord  n. 1 man who owns and lets land or premises. 2 man who keeps a public house, boarding-house, etc.
Labour-saving  adj. Designed to reduce or eliminate work.

Die1  v. (dies, died, dying) 1 cease to live; expire, lose vital force. 2 a come to an end, fade away (his interest died). B cease to function. C (of a flame) go out. 3 (foll. By on) die or cease to function while in the presence or charge of (a person). 4 (usu. Foll. By of, from, with) be exhausted or tormented (nearly died of boredom).  be dying (foll. By for, or to + infin.) Wish for longingly or intently (was dying for a drink). Die away fade to the point of extinction. Die back (of a plant) decay from the tip towards the root. Die down become fainter or weaker. Die hard die reluctantly (old habits die hard). Die off die one after another. Die out become extinct, cease to exist. [old norse]


Jeopardy  n. Danger, esp. Severe. [obsolete french iu parti divided play]


Tabernacle  n. 1 hist. Tent used as a sanctuary by the israelites during the exodus. 2 niche or receptacle, esp. For the eucharistic elements. 3 nonconformist meeting-house. [latin: related to *tavern]
Counter-intelligence  n. = *counter-espionage.



Vorticist  n.  Futuristic painter, writer, etc., of a school based on the so-called ‘vortices’ of modern civilization.  vorticism n.

Industrious  adj. Hard-working.  industriously adv.
Spritsail  n. Sail extended by a sprit.





Double-cross  —v. Deceive or betray (a supposed ally). —n. Act of doing this.  double-crosser n.
Desiccate  v. (-ting) remove moisture from (esp. Food) (desiccated coconut).  desiccation n. [latin siccus dry]


Tempi  pl. Of *tempo.


Money market  n.  Trade in short-term stocks, loans, etc.

Neaten  v. Make neat.
Killer whale  n. Dolphin with a prominent dorsal fin.

Songwriter  n. Writer of songs or the music for them.
Orthography  n. (pl. -ies) spelling (esp. With reference to its correctness).  orthographic adj. [greek orthographia]
Bow-wow  —int. Imitation of a dog's bark. —n. Colloq. Dog. [imitative]


Ex post facto  adj. & adv. With retrospective action or force. [latin, = in the light of subsequent events]
Arboreal  adj. Of or living in trees. [latin arbor tree]



Specimen  n. 1 individual or sample taken as an example of a class or whole, esp. In experiments etc. 2 sample of urine for testing. 3 colloq. Usu. Derog. Person of a specified sort. [latin specio look]
Amaze  v. (-zing) surprise greatly, fill with wonder.  amazement n. Amazing adj. [earlier amase from old english amasod]
Uvula  n. (pl. Uvulae) fleshy part of the soft palate hanging above the throat.  uvular adj. [latin diminutive of uva grape]

Springtime  n. Season of spring.


Condominium  n. 1 joint rule or sovereignty. 2 us building containing individually owned flats. [latin dominium lordship]
Misshapen  adj. Ill-shaped, deformed, distorted. [from *mis-1, shapen (archaic) = shaped]
Stake1  —n. 1 stout sharpened stick driven into the ground as a support, boundary mark, etc. 2 hist. A post to which a condemned person was tied to be burnt alive. B (prec. By the) such death as a punishment. —v. (-king) 1 secure or support with a stake or stakes. 2 (foll. By off, out) mark off (an area) with stakes. 3 establish (a claim).  stake out colloq. Place under surveillance. [old english]
Potential difference  n. Difference of electric potential between two points.
Skew-whiff  adj. & adv. Colloq. Askew.
Collector's item  n. (also collector's piece) thing of interest to collectors.
Dirty  —adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 soiled, unclean. 2 causing dirtiness (dirty job). 3 sordid, lewd, obscene. 4 unpleasant, dishonourable, unfair (dirty trick). 5 (of weather) rough, squally. 6 (of colour) muddied, dingy. —adv. Slang 1 very (a dirty great diamond). 2 in a dirty manner (talk dirty; act dirty) (esp. In senses 3 and 4 of adj.). —v. (-ies, -ied) make or become dirty.  do the dirty on colloq. Play a mean trick on.  dirtily adv. Dirtiness n.


Perforate  v. (-ting) 1 make a hole or holes through; pierce. 2 make a row of small holes in (paper etc.) So that a part may be torn off easily.  perforation n. [latin perforo pierce through]
Connubial  adj. Of marriage or the relationship of husband and wife. [latin nubo marry]

Rom.  Abbr. Roman (type).

Chunk  n. 1 thick piece cut or broken off. 2 substantial amount. [var. Of *chuck2]


Doric  —adj. 1 archit. Of the oldest and simplest of the greek orders. 2 (of a dialect) broad, rustic. —n. Rustic english or esp. Scots. [from doris in greece]

Shibboleth  n. Long-standing formula, doctrine, or phrase, etc., held to be true by a party or sect. [hebrew (judg. 12:6)]
Entrepôt  n. Warehouse for goods in transit. [french]


Weep  —v. (past and past part. Wept) 1 shed tears. 2 (often foll. By for) bewail, lament over. 3 a be covered with or send forth drops. B come or send forth in drops; exude liquid. 4 (as weeping adj.) (of a tree) having drooping branches. —n. Spell of weeping. [old english]
Tawny owl  n. Reddish-brown european owl.
Enfold  v. 1 (usu. Foll. By in, with) wrap; envelop. 2 clasp, embrace.

Brake1  —n. 1 (often in pl.) Device for stopping or slowing a wheel, vehicle, etc. 2 thing that impedes. —v. (-king) 1 apply a brake. 2 slow or stop with a brake. [probably obsolete brake = curb]
Solder  —n. Fusible alloy used to join metals or wires etc. —v. Join with solder. [latin: related to *solid]
Bodily  —adj. Of the body. —adv. 1 as a whole body (threw them bodily). 2 in the flesh, in person.
Heavy water  n. Water composed of deuterium and oxygen.
Seductive  adj. Alluring, enticing.  seductively adv. Seductiveness n.


Corned  adj.  (esp. Of beef) preserved in salt or brine. [from *corn1]

Occupier  n. Person living in a house etc. As its owner or tenant.

Batten2  v. (foll. By on) thrive at the expense of (another). [old norse]

Scuba  n. (pl. -s) aqualung. [acronym of self-contained underwater breathing apparatus]
Foolery  n. Foolish behaviour.

Sprawl  —v. 1 a sit, lie, or fall with limbs flung out untidily. B spread (one's limbs) thus. 2 (of writing, a plant, a town, etc.) Be irregular or straggling. —n. 1 sprawling movement, position, or mass. 2 straggling urban expansion. [old english]
Kopek  (also kopeck) var. Of *copeck.
Booty  n. 1 loot, spoil. 2 colloq. Prize or gain. [german]

Proto-  comb. Form first. [greek protos]
Flutter  —v. 1 flap (the wings) in flying or trying to fly. 2 fall quiveringly (fluttered to the ground). 3 wave or flap quickly. 4 move about restlessly. 5 (of a pulse etc.) Beat feebly or irregularly. —n. 1 act of fluttering. 2 tremulous excitement (caused a flutter). 3 slang small bet, esp. On a horse. 4 abnormally rapid heartbeat. 5 rapid variation of pitch, esp. Of recorded sound. [old english]


Knees-up  n. Colloq. Lively party or gathering.

Luncheon voucher  n. Voucher issued to employees and exchangeable for food at many restaurants and shops.



Fire-engine  n. Vehicle carrying hoses, firefighters, etc.
Nugatory  adj. 1 futile, trifling. 2 inoperative; not valid. [latin nugae jests]





Pod  —n. Long seed-vessel, esp. Of a pea or bean. —v. (-dd-) 1  bear or form pods. 2  remove (peas etc.) From pods. [origin unknown]
Sky-rocket  —n. = *rocket 1. —v. (esp. Of prices) rise very rapidly.



Mag  n. Colloq. = *magazine 1. [abbreviation]



Exceed  v. 1 (often foll. By by an amount) be more or greater than. 2 go beyond or do more than is warranted by (a set limit, esp. Of one's authority, instructions, or rights). 3 surpass. [latin excedo -cess- go beyond]
Production  n. 1 producing or being produced, esp. In large quantities (go into production). 2 total yield. 3 thing produced, esp. A film, play, book, etc. [latin: related to *produce]




Junk shop  n. Second-hand or cheap antiques shop.





Upbringing  n. Rearing of a child. [obsolete upbring to rear]
Headword  n. Word forming a heading.
Arabian  —adj. Of or relating to arabia (esp. In geographical contexts) (arabian desert). —n. Native of arabia.
Binaural  adj. 1 of or used with both ears. 2 (of sound) recorded using two microphones and usu. Transmitted separately to the two ears. [from *bi-, *aural]
Hood1  —n. 1 a covering for the head and neck, esp. As part of a garment. B separate hoodlike garment. 2 folding top of a car etc. 3 us bonnet of a car etc. 4 protective cover. —v. Cover with or as with a hood. [old english]

Unsupervised  adj. Not supervised.
Photo  n. (pl. -s) = *photograph n. [abbreviation]
Commandant  n. Commanding officer, esp. Of a military academy. [french or italian or spanish: related to *command]
Wryneck  n. Small woodpecker able to turn its head over its shoulder.
Condition  —n. 1 stipulation; thing upon the fulfilment of which something else depends. 2 a state of being or fitness of a person or thing. B ailment, abnormality (heart condition). 3 (in pl.) Circumstances, esp. Those affecting the functioning or existence of something (good working conditions). —v. 1 a bring into a good or desired state. B make fit (esp. Dogs or horses). 2 teach or accustom. 3 a impose conditions on. B be essential to.  in (or out of) condition in good (or bad) condition. On condition that with the stipulation that. [latin dico say]

Marquis  n. (pl. -quises) foreign nobleman ranking between duke and count. [french: related to *march2]

Baseball  n. 1 game played esp. In the us with a circuit of four bases which batsmen must complete. 2 ball used in this.

Self-service  —adj. (often attrib.) (of a shop, restaurant, etc.) With customers serving themselves and paying at a checkout etc. —n. Colloq. Self-service restaurant etc.
Infield  n. Cricket the part of the ground near the wicket.
Commentator  n. 1 person who provides a commentary. 2 person who comments on current events. [latin]
Toe-hold  n. 1 small foothold. 2 small beginning or advantage.

Blouson  n. Short blouse-shaped jacket. [french]
Bay4  —adj. (esp. Of a horse) dark reddish-brown. —n. Bay horse. [latin badius]

Cladding  n. Covering or coating on a structure or material etc.





Halve  v. (-ving) 1 divide into two halves or parts; share equally between two. 2 reduce by half. 3 golf use the same number of strokes as one's opponent in (a hole or match).





Barbaric  adj. 1 uncultured; brutal, cruel. 2 primitive.


Over-large  adj. Too large.
Encrust  v. 1 cover with or form a crust. 2 coat with a hard casing or deposit, sometimes for decoration. [french: related to *en-1]
Vdu  abbr. Visual display unit.

Fuse1  —v. (-sing) 1 melt with intense heat. 2 blend into one whole by melting. 3 provide (an electric circuit) with a fuse. 4 a (of an appliance) fail owing to the melting of a fuse. B cause to do this. —n. Device with a strip or wire of easily melted metal placed in an electric circuit so as to interrupt an excessive current by melting. [latin fundo fus- melt]

Fairy story  n. (also fairy tale) 1 tale about fairies. 2 incredible story; lie.






Free speech  n. Right of expression.
Anglican  —adj. Of the church of england. —n. Member of the anglican church.  anglicanism n. [latin anglicanus: related to *angle]
Grout  —n. Thin fluid mortar. —v. Provide or fill with grout. [origin uncertain]
Bailey bridge  n. Prefabricated military bridge for rapid assembly. [sir d. Bailey, name of its designer]


Unchangeable  adj. Unable to be changed.
Care  —n. 1 worry, anxiety. 2 cause of this. 3 serious attention; caution. 4 a protection, looking after, charge. B = *child care. 5 thing to be done or seen to. —v. (-ring) 1 (usu. Foll. By about, for, whether) feel concern or interest. 2 (usu. Foll. By for) like, be fond of (don't care for jazz). 3 (foll. By to + infin.) Wish or be willing (would you care to try?).  care for provide for; look after. Care of at the address of. In care (of a child) in local authority care. Not care a damn etc. = not give a damn etc. (see *give). Take care 1 be careful. 2 (foll. By to + infin.) Not fail or neglect. Take care of 1 look after. 2 deal with, dispose of. [old english, = sorrow]

Idolize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 venerate or love excessively. 2 make an idol of.  idolization n.
Machination  n. (usu. In pl.) Plot, intrigue.  machinate v. (-ting). [latin: related to *machine]

Blue funk  n. Colloq. Terror or panic.


Bound4  past and past part. Of *bind.  bound to certain to (he's bound to come). Bound up with closely associated with.

Street credibility  n. (also street cred) slang familiarity with a fashionable urban subculture.
Tote bag  n. Woman's large bag for shopping etc.
Peer of the realm  n. Peer entitled to sit in the house of lords.

Compromise  —n. 1 settlement of a dispute by mutual concession. 2 (often foll. By between) intermediate state between conflicting opinions, actions, etc. —v. (-sing) 1 a settle a dispute by mutual concession. B modify one's opinions, demands, etc. 2 bring into disrepute or danger by indiscretion. [latin: related to *promise]
Lifeguard  n. Expert swimmer employed to rescue bathers from drowning.



Thereupon  adv. 1 in consequence of that. 2 immediately after that.


Figurehead  n. 1 nominal leader. 2 wooden bust or figure at a ship's prow.
Piscatorial  adj. Of fishermen or fishing.  piscatorially adv. [latin piscator angler, from piscis fish]


Pastry  n. (pl. -ies) 1 dough of flour, fat, and water used as a base and covering for pies etc. 2 cake etc. Made wholly or partly of this. [from *paste]




Harm  —n. Hurt, damage. —v. Cause harm to.  out of harm's way in safety. [old english]

Soft-hearted  adj. Tender, compassionate.  soft-heartedness n.
Heavy going  n. Slow or difficult progress.

Imprecation  n. Formal oath, curse. [latin precor pray]
Seed-bed  n. 1 bed prepared for sowing. 2 place of development.
Antinomian  —adj. Believing that christians need not obey the moral law. —n. (antinomian) hist. Person believing this. [greek nomos law]



Sentimental  adj. 1 of or showing sentiment. 2 showing or affected by emotion rather than reason.  sentimentalism n. Sentimentalist n. Sentimentality n. Sentimentalize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing). Sentimentally adv.
Linen basket  n. Basket for dirty washing.


Frontal  adj. 1 of or on the front (frontal view; frontal attack). 2 of the forehead (frontal bone).


Butterfat  n. Essential fats of pure butter.
Continent2  adj. 1 able to control one's bowels and bladder. 2 exercising self-restraint, esp. Sexually.  continence n. [latin: related to *contain]
Miracle play  n. Medieval play on biblical themes.
Dirty old man  n. Colloq. Lecherous man.


-let  suffix forming nouns, usu. Diminutive (flatlet) or denoting articles of ornament or dress (anklet). [french]

Community charge  n. Tax levied locally on every adult.

Rocker  n. 1 curved bar etc. On which something can rock. 2 rocking-chair. 3 devotee of rock music, esp. A leather-clad motor cyclist. 4 a device for rocking. B pivoted switch operating between ‘on’ and ‘off’ positions.  off one's rocker slang crazy.
Naafi  abbr. 1 navy, army, and air force institutes. 2 canteen for servicemen run by the naafi.
Celtic  —adj. Of the celts. —n. Group of celtic languages, including gaelic and irish, welsh, cornish, and breton.


Thumbnail  n. 1 nail of a thumb. 2 (attrib.) Concise (thumbnail sketch).
Family man  n. Man who has a wife and children, esp. One fond of family life.





Standing ovation  n. Prolonged applause from an audience which has risen to its feet.

Vulnerable  adj. 1 easily wounded or harmed. 2 (foll. By to) exposed to damage, temptation, etc.  vulnerability n. Vulnerably adv. [latin vulnus -er- wound]

Quantify  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 determine the quantity of. 2 express as a quantity.  quantifiable adj. Quantification n. [medieval latin: related to *quantity]
Non-party  adj. Independent of political parties.

Impediment  n. 1 hindrance or obstruction. 2 speech defect, e.g. A stammer. [latin: related to *impede]
Majolica  var. Of *maiolica.
Luggage  n. Suitcases, bags, etc., for a traveller's belongings. [from *lug]
Armourer  n. 1 maker of arms or armour. 2 official in charge of arms.
Duchy  n. (pl. -ies) territory of a duke or duchess; royal dukedom of cornwall or lancaster. [medieval latin ducatus: related to *duke]
Woof2  n. = *weft 1. [old english: related to *web]
Rsj  abbr. Rolled steel joist.

Morocco  n. (pl. -s) fine flexible leather of goatskin tanned with sumac. [morocco in nw africa]

Heir presumptive  n. Heir whose claim may be set aside by the birth of another heir.

Chrysoprase  n. Apple-green variety of chalcedony. [greek khrusos gold, prason leek]

Carol  —n. Joyous song, esp. A christmas hymn. —v. (-ll-; us -l-) 1 sing carols. 2 sing joyfully. [french]


Hermetic  adj. With an airtight closure.  hermetically adv. [from the greek god hermes, regarded as the founder of alchemy]
News-sheet  n. Simple form of newspaper; newsletter.
Rem  abbr. Rapid eye movement.
Deductive  adj. Of or reasoning by deduction.  deductively adv. [medieval latin: related to *deduce]



Unfurl  v. 1 unroll, spread out (a sail, umbrella, etc.). 2 become unrolled.

Fleabag  n. Slang shabby or unattractive person or thing.

Indirect speech  n. = *reported speech.


Claptrap  n. Insincere or pretentious talk, nonsense.

Unblinking  adj. 1 not blinking. 2 steadfast; stolid.
Lesser  adj. (usu. Attrib.) Not so great as the other(s) (lesser evil; lesser mortals).

Conflate  v. (-ting) blend or fuse together (esp. Two variant texts into one).  conflation n. [latin flo flat- blow]

Sander  n. Power tool for sanding.

Perspiration  n. 1 sweat. 2 sweating. [french: related to *perspire]
Ancien régime  n. (pl. Anciens régimes pronunc. Same) 1 political and social system of pre-revolutionary (before 1787) france. 2 any superseded regime. [french, = old rule]

Organ-loft  n. Gallery for an organ.
Rusk  n. Slice of bread rebaked as a light biscuit, esp. As baby food. [spanish or portuguese rosca twist]
Superficial  adj. 1 of or on the surface; lacking depth. 2 swift or cursory (superficial examination). 3 apparent but not real (superficial resemblance). 4 (esp. Of a person) shallow.  superficiality n. Superficially adv. [latin: related to *face]




Superabundant  adj. Abounding beyond what is normal or right.  superabundance n. [latin: related to *super-, *abound]



Hideaway  n. Hiding-place or place of retreat.
Dapple grey  n. Dapple-grey horse.
Quadrangle  n. 1 four-sided plane figure, esp. A square or rectangle. 2 four-sided court, esp. In colleges.  quadrangular adj. [latin: related to *quadri-, *angle1]
Related  adj. Connected, esp. By blood or marriage.
Greengrocer  n. Retailer of fruit and vegetables.
Bar mitzvah  n. 1 religious initiation ceremony of a jewish boy at 13. 2 boy undergoing this. [hebrew, = son of the commandment]





Brigand  n. Member of a robber band; bandit.  brigandage n. [italian brigante: related to *brigade]




Singsong  —n. Informal singing party. —adj. Monotonously rising and falling. [from *sing, *song]


Treasonable  adj. Involving or guilty of treason.

Probative  adj. Formal affording proof. [latin: related to *prove]

Oatmeal  n. 1 meal ground from oats. 2 greyish-fawn colour flecked with brown.
Casemate  n. 1 embrasured room in a fortress wall. 2 armoured enclosure for guns on a warship. [french and italian]


Hermit-crab  n. Crab that lives in a mollusc's cast-off shell.
V.g.c.  Abbr. Very good condition.
Cross-bench  n. Seat in the house of lords for non-party members.  cross-bencher n.
Monoplane  n. Aeroplane with one set of wings.





Trigger-happy  adj. Apt to shoot on the slightest provocation.
Miscreant  n. Vile wretch, villain. [french: related to *mis-2, creant believer]

European  —adj. 1 of or in europe. 2 originating in, native to, or characteristic of europe. —n. 1 a native or inhabitant of europe. B person descended from natives of europe. 2 person favouring european integration. [greek europe europe]
Double-breasted  adj. (of a coat etc.) Overlapping across the body.

Diarrhea  n. (esp. Brit. Diarrhoea) condition of excessively frequent and loose bowel movements. [greek rheo flow]
Jobs for the boys  n.pl. Colloq. Appointments for members of one's own group etc.
Sweetmeal  n. Sweetened wholemeal.
Intramuscular  adj. In or into muscle tissue.

Sanguinary  adj. 1 bloody. 2 bloodthirsty. [latin sanguis -guin- blood]
Stepsister  n. Daughter of one's step-parent by a previous partner.


Cowherd  n. Person who tends cattle.
Apache  n. Member of a n. American indian tribe. [mexican spanish]

Approval  n. 1 approving. 2 consent; favourable opinion.  on approval (of goods supplied) returnable if not satisfactory.




Panel-beater  n. Person who beats out the metal panels of vehicles.


Ramadan  n. Ninth month of the muslim year, with strict fasting from sunrise to sunset. [arabic]
Blockbuster  n. Slang 1 thing of great power, esp. A very successful film, book, etc. 2 highly destructive bomb.

Anguish  n. 1 severe mental suffering. 2 pain, agony.  anguished adj. [latin angustia tightness]



Chamber  n. 1 a hall used by a legislative or judicial body. B body that meets in it, esp. Any of the houses of a parliament. 2 (in pl.) A rooms used by a barrister or barristers, esp. In inns of court. B judge's room for hearing cases not needing to be taken in court. 3 archaic room, esp. A bedroom. 4 mus. (attrib.) Of or for a small group of instruments. 5 cavity or compartment in the body, machinery, etc. (esp. The part of a gun-bore that contains the charge). [greek kamara vault]

Glean  v. 1 acquire (facts etc.) In small amounts. 2 gather (corn left by reapers). [french]

Analysis  n. (pl. -lyses) 1 a detailed examination of elements or structure. B statement of the result of this. 2 chem. Determination of the constituent parts of a mixture or compound. 3 psychoanalysis. [greek ana up, luo loose]

Tansy  n. (pl. -ies) plant with yellow flowers and aromatic leaves. [greek athanasia immortality]
Clove1  n. Dried bud of a tropical plant used as a spice. [latin clavus nail (from its shape)]
Codex  n. (pl. Codices) 1 ancient manuscript text in book form. 2 collection of descriptions of drugs etc. [latin, = tablet, book]
Barber  n. Person who cuts men's hair etc. By profession. [medieval latin barba beard]
Bamboozle  v. (-ling) colloq. Cheat; mystify.  bamboozlement n. [origin unknown]
Feldspar  n. (also felspar) common aluminium silicate of potassium, sodium, or calcium.  feldspathic adj. [german feld field, spat(h) *spar3]

Loiter  v. 1 stand about idly; linger. 2 go slowly with frequent stops.  loiter with intent linger in order to commit a felony.  loiterer n. [dutch]
Sworn  past part. Of *swear. —attrib. Adj. Bound (as) by an oath (sworn enemies).


Jugoslav  var. Of *yugoslav.
Demobilize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) disband (troops, ships, etc.).  demobilization n.

Ex-2  prefix out (exodus). [greek]
Ditty  n. (pl. -ies) short simple song. [latin: related to *dictate]
Highland fling  see *fling n. 3.
Blade  n. 1 cutting part of a knife etc. 2 flattened part of an oar, propeller, etc. 3 a flat narrow leaf of grass etc. B broad thin part of a leaf. 4 flat bone, e.g. In the shoulder. [old english]
Hostile  adj. 1 of an enemy. 2 (often foll. By to) unfriendly, opposed.  hostilely adv. [latin: related to *host1]





Renaissance  n. 1 revival of art and literature in the 14th–16th c. 2 period of this. 3 (often attrib.) Style of art, architecture, etc. Developed by it. 4 (renaissance) any similar revival. [french naissance birth]
Spider plant  n. House plant with long narrow striped leaves.
Possess  v. 1 hold as property; own. 2 have (a faculty, quality, etc.). 3 occupy or dominate the mind of (possessed by the devil; possessed by fear).  be possessed of own, have. What possessed you? An expression of incredulity.  possessor n. [latin possideo possess-]
Atom  n. 1 a smallest particle of a chemical element that can take part in a chemical reaction. B this as a source of nuclear energy. 2 minute portion or thing (atom of pity). [greek atomos indivisible]


Mick  n. Slang offens. Irishman. [pet form of michael]
Unlearn  v. (past and past part. Unlearned or unlearnt) 1 forget deliberately. 2 rid oneself of (a habit, false information, etc.).
Hen-party  n. Colloq. Social gathering of women only.
Candyfloss  n. Fluffy mass of spun sugar round a stick.
Erogenous  adj. (of a part of the body) particularly sensitive to sexual stimulation. [greek (as *erotic), *-genous]
Visitation  n. 1 official visit of inspection. 2 trouble etc. Seen as divine punishment. 3 (visitation) a visit of the virgin mary to elizabeth. B festival of this.

Heinous  adj. Utterly odious or wicked. [french haïr hate]
Segregate  v. (-ting) 1 put apart; isolate. 2 separate (esp. An ethnic group) from the rest of the community. [latin grex greg- flock]






August  n. Eighth month of the year. [latin augustus, first roman emperor]




Cough  —v. 1 expel air etc. From the lungs with a sudden sharp sound. 2 (of an engine etc.) Make a similar sound. 3 slang confess. —n. 1 act of coughing. 2 condition of respiratory organs causing coughing.  cough up 1 eject with coughs. 2 slang bring out or give (money or information) reluctantly. [imitative, related to dutch kuchen]

Tester  n. 1 person or thing that tests. 2 bottle etc. Containing a cosmetic for trial in a shop.






Polarity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 tendency of a magnet etc. To point with its extremities to the magnetic poles of the earth, or of a body to lie with its axis in a particular direction. 2 state of having two poles with contrary qualities. 3 state of having two opposite tendencies, opinions, etc. 4 electrical condition of a body (positive or negative). 5 attraction towards an object.
Smote  past of *smite.

Borderer  n. Person living near a border.

Non-resistance  n. Practice or principle of not resisting authority.
Dispatch-rider  n. Messenger on a motor cycle.

Adventure  —n. 1 unusual and exciting experience. 2 enterprise (spirit of adventure). —v. (-ring) dare, venture; engage in adventure. [latin: related to *advent]
Grown  past part. Of *grow.



Globulin  n. Molecule-transporting protein in plant and animal tissues.

Abbess  n. Head of a community of nuns.



Seer  n. 1 person who sees. 2 prophet; visionary.










Imperialism  n. 1 imperial rule or system. 2 usu. Derog. Policy of dominating other nations by acquiring dependencies etc.  imperialist n. & adj. Imperialistic adj.
Rouge  —n. Red cosmetic for colouring the cheeks. —v. (-ging) 1 colour with or apply rouge. 2 become red, blush. [latin rubeus red]

Maniac  —n. 1 colloq. Person behaving wildly (too many maniacs on the road). 2 colloq. Obsessive enthusiast. 3  person suffering from mania. —adj. Of or behaving like a maniac.  maniacal adj. Maniacally adv.
Butter  —n. 1 solidified churned cream, used as a spread and in cooking. 2 substance of similar texture (peanut butter). —v. Spread, cook, or serve with butter.  butter up colloq. Flatter. [greek bouturon]

Grand master  n. Chess-player of the highest class.
Reorient  v. 1 give a new direction or outlook to (ideas, a person, etc.). 2 help (a person) find his or her bearings again. 3 (refl., often foll. By to) adjust oneself to or come to terms with something.
Semibreve  n. Mus. Note equal to four crochets.
Severance  n. 1 act of severing. 2 severed state.
Ramekin  n. 1 small dish for baking and serving an individual portion of food. 2 food served in this. [french ramequin]
Reluctant  adj. (often foll. By to + infin.) Unwilling or disinclined.  reluctance n. Reluctantly adv. [latin luctor struggle]
Pronto  adv. Colloq. Promptly, quickly. [latin: related to *prompt]
-ance  suffix forming nouns expressing: 1 quality or state or an instance of one (arrogance; resemblance). 2 action (assistance). [french -ance, latin -antia]
Vitality  n. 1 liveliness, animation. 2 ability to survive or endure. [latin: related to *vital]


Nacre  n. Mother-of-pearl from any shelled mollusc.  nacreous adj. [french]



Heavenly  adj. 1 of heaven; divine. 2 of the heavens or sky. 3 colloq. Very pleasing; wonderful.
Safety-catch  n. Device preventing a gun-trigger or machinery from being operated accidentally.









Tract2  n. Pamphlet, esp. Propagandist. [apparently latin tractatus from tracto handle]
Minima  pl. Of *minimum.
Medical certificate  n. Certificate of fitness or unfitness for work etc.
Housing estate  n. Residential area planned as a unit.
Ostrich  n. 1 large african swift-running flightless bird. 2 person who refuses to acknowledge an awkward truth. [latin avis bird, struthio (from greek) ostrich]
Iota  n. 1 ninth letter of the greek alphabet (i, i). 2 (usu. With neg.) A jot. [greek iota]


Half-brother  n. Brother with whom one has only one parent in common.

Low1  —adj. 1 not high or tall (low wall). 2 a not elevated in position (low altitude). B (of the sun) near the horizon. 3 of or in humble rank or position (of low birth).


South-easterly  adj. & adv. = *south-east.



Divers  adj. Archaic various; several. [latin: related to *diverse]
Internationalize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 make international. 2 bring under the protection or control of two or more nations.







Cream cheese  n. Soft rich cheese made from cream and unskimmed milk.

Finnan  n. (in full finnan haddock) smoke-cured haddock. [findhorn, findon, in scotland]
Whooping cough  n. Infectious bacterial disease, esp. Of children, with a series of short violent coughs followed by a whoop.



Addle  v. (-ling) 1 muddle, confuse. 2 (usu. As addled adj.) (of an egg) become rotten. [old english, = filth]


Toff  n. Slang upper-class person. [perhaps from tuft, = titled undergraduate]
Clay  n. 1 stiff sticky earth, used for making bricks, pottery, etc. 2 poet. Substance of the human body.  clayey adj. [old english]

Double chin  n. Chin with a fold of loose flesh below it.
Reprice  v. (-cing) price again or differently.



-like  comb. Form forming adjectives from nouns, meaning ‘similar to, characteristic of’ (doglike; shell-like; tortoise-like).

Bullring  n. Arena for bullfights.


Him  pron. 1 objective case of *he (i saw him). 2 colloq. He (it's him again; taller than him). [old english, dative of *he]









Purely  adv. 1 in a pure manner. 2 merely, solely, exclusively.


Upper2  n. Slang amphetamine or other stimulant.
Taxon  n. (pl. Taxa) any taxonomic group. [back-formation from *taxonomy]
Jugular vein  n. Any of several large veins in the neck carrying blood from the head.

Nob2  n. Slang head. [from *knob]

Hiding1  n. Colloq. A thrashing.  on a hiding to nothing with no chance of succeeding. [from *hide2]

Wage-earner  n. Person who works for wages.


Earth  —n. 1 a (also earth) the planet on which we live. B land and sea, as distinct from sky. 2 a the ground (fell to earth). B soil, mould. 3 relig. This world, as distinct from heaven or hell. 4 connection to the earth as the completion of an electrical circuit. 5 hole of a fox etc. 6 (prec. By the) colloq. Huge sum; everything (cost the earth; want the earth). —v. 1 cover (plant-roots) with earth. 2 connect (an electrical circuit) to the earth.  come back (or down) to earth return to realities. Gone to earth in hiding. On earth colloq. Existing anywhere; emphatically (the happiest man on earth; looked like nothing on earth; what on earth have you done?). Run to earth find after a long search.  earthward adj. & adv. Earthwards adv. [old english]
Stonemason  n. Person who cuts, prepares, and builds with stone.

Paralytic  —adj. 1 affected by paralysis. 2 slang very drunk. —n. Person affected by paralysis.
Mezzo piano  adj. & adv. Fairly soft(ly).


Knotgrass  n. Wild plant with creeping stems and small pink flowers.
Hothead  n. Impetuous person.  hotheaded adj. Hotheadedness n.


Lugger  n. Small ship with four-cornered sails. [from *lugsail]



Motherly  adj. Kind or tender like a mother.  motherliness n.

Pansy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 cultivated plant with flowers of various rich colours. 2 colloq. Offens. A effeminate man. B male homosexual. [french pensée thought, pansy]
Demolish  v. 1 a pull down (a building). B destroy. 2 overthrow (an institution). 3 refute (an argument, theory, etc.). 4 joc. Eat up voraciously.  demolition n. [latin moles mass]
Boulder  n. Large smooth rock. [scandinavian]
Poetic  adj. (also poetical) of or like poetry or poets.  poetically adv.
Wen  n. Benign tumour on the skin, esp. On the scalp. [old english]

Traipse  colloq. —v. (-sing) tramp or trudge wearily. —n. Tedious journey on foot. [origin unknown]
Muon  n. Physics unstable elementary particle like an electron, but with a much greater mass. [m (*mu), the symbol for it]
Harelip  n. Often offens. Congenital cleft in the upper lip.





Sulphureous  adj. (us sulfureous) of or like sulphur.

Self-esteem  n. Good opinion of oneself.


Greeny  adj. Greenish.





Cloudy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 (of the sky, weather) covered with clouds, overcast. 2 not transparent; unclear.  cloudily adv. Cloudiness n.
Firefly  n. Beetle emitting phosphorescent light, e.g. The glow-worm.
Unexceptional  adj. Usual, normal, ordinary.

Arachnid  n. Arthropod of a class comprising spiders, scorpions, etc. [greek arakhne spider]

Dachshund  n. Dog of a short-legged long-bodied breed. [german, = badger-dog]


Bathos  n. Lapse in mood from the sublime to the absurd or trivial; anticlimax.  bathetic adj. Bathotic adj. [greek, = depth]
Post-modern  adj. (in the arts etc.) Of the movement reacting against modernism, esp. By drawing attention to former conventions.  post-modernism n. Post-modernist n. & adj.


Overwhelm  v. 1 overpower with emotion or a burden. 2 overcome by force of numbers. 3 bury or drown beneath a huge mass.
Glottal stop  n. Sound produced by the sudden opening or shutting of the glottis.
Full board  n. Provision of bed and all meals at a hotel etc.
Gimbals  n.pl. Contrivance of rings and pivots for keeping instruments horizontal in ships, aircraft, etc. [var. Of gimmal from french gemel double finger-ring]
Thereafter  adv. Formal after that.
Spelt1  past and past part. Of *spell1.

Thiosulphate  n. Sulphate in which one oxygen atom is replaced by sulphur. [greek theion sulphur]

Naïve  adj. (also naive) 1 innocent; unaffected. 2 foolishly credulous. 3 (of art) produced in a sophisticated society but lacking conventional expertise.  naïvely adv. Naïvety n. (also naïveté). [latin nativus *native]


Brandy  n. (pl. -ies) strong alcoholic spirit distilled from wine or fermented fruit juice. [dutch brandewijn]


Holding company  n. Company created to hold the shares of other companies, which it then controls.


Dolma  n. (pl. -s or dolmades) e. European delicacy of spiced rice or meat etc. Wrapped in vine or cabbage leaves. [modern greek]
Sash-cord  n. Strong cord attaching the sash-weights to a window sash.

Queen's proctor  n. Official who has the right to intervene in probate, divorce, and nullity cases when collusion or the suppression of facts is alleged.
Russian  —n. 1 a native or national of russia or (loosely) the former soviet union. B person of russian descent. 2 language of russia. —adj. 1 of russia or (loosely) the former soviet union or its people. 2 of or in russian.


Self-fulfilling  adj. (of a prophecy etc.) Bound to come true as a result of its being made.
Oculist  n. Specialist in the treatment of the eyes.
Monsieur  n. (pl. Messieurs) title used of or to a french-speaking man, corresponding to mr or sir. [french mon my, sieur lord]
Bookie  n. Colloq. = *bookmaker. [abbreviation]

Active service  n. Military service in wartime.
Glory-hole  n. Colloq. Untidy room, cupboard, etc.



Wadding  n. Soft fibrous material used in quilt-making etc., or to pack fragile articles.
Flesh and blood  —n. 1 the body or its substance. 2 humankind. 3 human nature, esp. As fallible. —adj. Real, not imaginary.
Psychological block  n. Mental inhibition caused by emotional factors.




World-famous  adj. Known throughout the world.



Photo-  comb. Form denoting: 1 light. 2 photography. [greek phos phot- light]
Frisky  adj. (-ier, -iest) lively, playful.  friskily adv. Friskiness n.

Parent  —n. 1 person who has or adopts a child; father or mother. 2 animal or plant from which others are derived. 3 (often attrib.) Source, origin, etc. —v. (also absol.) Be the parent of.  parental adj.  Parenthood n. [latin pario bring forth]

Reticulate  —v. (-ting) divide or be divided in fact or appearance into a network. —adj. Reticulated.  reticulation n. [latin reticulum diminutive of rete net]

Cheetah  n. Swift-running spotted leopard-like feline. [hindi]



P.d.q.  Abbr. Colloq. Pretty damn quick.

Splendid  adj. 1 magnificent, sumptuous. 2 impressive, glorious, dignified (splendid isolation). 3 excellent; fine.  splendidly adv. [latin: related to *splendour]
Spectrometer  n. Instrument for measuring observed spectra.

Executioner  n. Official who carries out a death sentence.

Miss2  n. 1 (miss) a title of an unmarried woman or girl. B title of a beauty queen (miss world). 2 title used to address a female schoolteacher, shop assistant, etc. 3 girl or unmarried woman. [from *mistress]
Diatribe  n. Forceful verbal attack or criticism; invective. [greek tribo rub]
Barrier  n. 1 fence etc. That bars advance or access. 2 obstacle (class barriers). [romanic: related to *bar1]
Grampus  n. (pl. -puses) a kind of dolphin with a blunt snout. [latin crassus piscis fat fish]


Endeavour  (us endeavor) —v. (foll. By to + infin.) Try earnestly. —n. Earnest attempt. [from *en-1, french devoir owe]

Oesophagus  n. (us esophagus) (pl. -gi or -guses) passage from the mouth to the stomach; gullet. [greek]
Attributive  adj. Gram. (of an adjective or noun) preceding the word described, as old in the old dog.
Prevalent  adj. 1 generally existing or occurring. 2 predominant.  prevalence n. [related to *prevail]




Gun-metal  n. 1 a dull bluish-grey colour. 2 alloy formerly used for guns.



Baloney  var. Of *boloney.
Opposable  adj. Zool. (of the thumb in primates) capable of facing and touching the other digits on the same hand.

Unobserved  adj. Not observed.

Chasuble  n. Loose sleeveless usu. Ornate outer vestment worn by a celebrant at mass or the eucharist. [latin casubla]
Republic  n. State in which supreme power is held by the people or their elected representatives or by an elected or nominated president, not by a monarch etc. [latin res concern: related to *public]
Carolingian  —adj. Of the frankish dynasty founded by charlemagne. —n. Member of this dynasty. [latin carolus charles]
Pixie  n. (also pixy) (pl. -ies) fairy-like being. [origin unknown]
Competent  adj. 1 adequately qualified or capable. 2 effective.  competently adv. [latin: related to *compete]

Bronze medal  n. Medal, usu. Awarded as third prize.





Reek  —v. (often foll. By of) 1 smell strongly and unpleasantly. 2 have unpleasant or suspicious associations (reeks of corruption). —n. 1 foul or stale smell. 2 esp. Scot. Smoke. 3 vapour, visible exhalation. [old english]



Boloney  n. (also baloney) slang nonsense. [origin uncertain]


Queasy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 a (of a person) nauseous. B (of the stomach) easily upset, weak of digestion. 2 (of the conscience etc.) Overscrupulous.  queasily adv. Queasiness n. [origin uncertain]


Pot-herb  n. Herb grown in a kitchen garden.
Chain store  n. One of a series of similar shops owned by one firm.
Rose-window  n. Circular window with roselike tracery.


Precious  —adj. 1 of great value or worth. 2 beloved; much prized (precious memories). 3 affectedly refined. 4 colloq. Often iron. A considerable (a precious lot of good). B expressing contempt or disdain (keep your precious flowers!). —adv. Colloq. Extremely, very (had precious little left).  preciousness n. [latin pretium price]





Foundation-stone  n. 1 stone laid ceremonially at the founding of a building. 2 basis.


Bide  v. (-ding)  bide one's time wait for a good opportunity. [old english]


Debris  n. 1 scattered fragments, esp. Of wreckage. 2 accumulation of loose rock etc. [french briser break]
Sub-lieutenant  n. Officer ranking next below lieutenant.
Gallstone  n. Small hard mass forming in the gall-bladder.

Send  v. (past and past part. Sent) 1 a order or cause to go or be conveyed. B propel (sent him flying). C cause to become (sent me mad). 2 send a message etc. (he sent to warn me). 3 (of god, etc.) Grant, bestow, or inflict; bring about; cause to be. 4 slang put into ecstasy.  send away for order (goods) by post. Send down 1 rusticate or expel from a university. 2 send to prison. Send for 1 summon. 2 order by post. Send in 1 cause to go in. 2 submit (an entry etc.) For a competition etc. Send off 1 dispatch (a letter, parcel, etc.). 2 attend the departure of (a person) as a sign of respect etc. 3 sport (of a referee) order (a player) to leave the field. Send off for = send away for. Send on transmit further or in advance of oneself. Send up 1 cause to go up. 2 transmit to a higher authority. 3 colloq. Ridicule by mimicking. Send word send information.  sender n. [old english]





Paradox  n. 1 a seemingly absurd or contradictory though often true statement. B self-contradictory or absurd statement. 2 person or thing having contradictory qualities etc. 3 paradoxical quality.  paradoxical adj. Paradoxically adv. [greek: related to *para-1, doxa opinion]


Trick  —n. 1 action or scheme undertaken to deceive or outwit. 2 illusion (trick of the light). 3 special technique; knack. 4 a feat of skill or dexterity. B unusual action (e.g. Begging) learned by an animal. 5 foolish or discreditable act; practical joke (a mean trick to play). 6 idiosyncracy (has a trick of repeating himself). 7 a cards played in one round of a card-game. B point gained in this. 8 (attrib.) Done to deceive or mystify (trick photography; trick question). —v. 1 deceive by a trick; outwit. 2 (often foll. By out of) swindle (tricked out of his savings). 3 (foll. By into) cause to do something by trickery (tricked into marriage; tricked me into agreeing). 4 foil, baffle; take by surprise.  do the trick colloq. Achieve the required result. How's tricks? Colloq. How are you? Trick or treat esp. Us children's custom of calling at houses at hallowe'en with the threat of pranks if they are not given a small gift. Trick out (or up) dress or deck out. [french]

Hr.  Abbr. Hour.
Eiderdown  n. Quilt stuffed with soft material, esp. Down.

Marmalade  n. Preserve of citrus fruit, usu. Oranges. [portuguese marmelo quince]
Hull1  n. Body of a ship, airship, etc. [perhaps related to *hold2]
Profuse  adj. 1 (often foll. By in, of) lavish; extravagant. 2 exuberantly plentiful; copious (profuse variety).  profusely adv. Profusion n. [latin fundo fus- pour]
Inhabitant  n. Person etc. Who inhabits a place.

Glebe  n. Piece of land as part of a clergyman's benefice and providing income. [latin gl(a)eba clod, soil]

Luncheon meat  n. Tinned meat loaf of pork etc.
Tetrahedron  n. (pl. -dra or -s) four-sided solid; triangular pyramid.  tetrahedral adj. [greek hedra base]

Fl.  Abbr. 1 floruit. 2 fluid.

Patrician  —n. Hist. Member of the nobility in ancient rome. —adj. 1 aristocratic. 2 hist. Of the ancient roman nobility. [latin patricius: related to *pater]
Jellyfish  n. (pl. Same or -es) marine animal with a jelly-like body and stinging tentacles.



Arable  adj. (of land) suitable for crop production. [latin aro to plough]

Self-possessed  adj. Calm and composed.  self-possession n.

Bar code  n. Machine-readable striped code on packaging etc.
Dog-tired  adj. Tired out.
Bs  abbr. 1 bachelor of surgery. 2 british standard(s).


Plantation  n. 1 estate on which cotton, tobacco, etc. Is cultivated. 2 area planted with trees etc. 3 hist. Colony. [latin: related to *plant]
Hit-and-run  attrib. Adj. 1 (of a driver, raider, etc.) Causing damage or injury and leaving the scene immediately. 2 (of an accident, attack, etc.) Perpetrated by such a person or people.






Spare-rib  n. Closely-trimmed ribs of esp. Pork. [low german ribbesper, associated with *spare]


Parch  v. 1 make or become hot and dry. 2 roast (peas, corn, etc.) Slightly. [origin unknown]
Slime  n. Thick slippery mud or sticky substance produced by an animal or plant. [old english]


Sidestep  —n. Step to the side. —v. (-pp-) 1 avoid by stepping sideways. 2 evade.
Bluff2  —adj. 1 blunt, frank, hearty. 2 vertical or steep and broad in front. —n. Steep cliff or headland. [origin unknown]
Twin set  n. Woman's matching cardigan and jumper.
Heating  n. 1 imparting or generation of heat. 2 equipment used to heat a building etc.



Rack3  v. (often foll. By off) draw off (wine, beer, etc.) From the lees. [provençal arracar from raca stems and husks of grapes, dregs]
Room-mate  n. Person sharing a room.

Common  —adj. (-er, -est) 1 a occurring often. B ordinary; without special rank or position. 2 a shared by, coming from, more than one (common knowledge). B belonging to the whole community; public. 3 derog. Low-class; vulgar; inferior. 4 of the most familiar type (common cold). 5 math. Belonging to two or more quantities (common denominator). 6 gram. (of gender) referring to individuals of either sex. —n. 1 piece of open public land. 2 slang = *common sense.  in common 1 in joint use; shared. 2 of joint interest. In common with in the same way as. [latin communis]
Wheeler-dealer  n. Person who wheels and deals.

Tool-pusher  n. Worker directing the drilling on an oil rig.
Highfalutin  adj. (also highfaluting) colloq. Pompous, pretentious. [origin unknown]

Assessor  n. 1 person who assesses (esp. For tax or insurance). 2 legal adviser on technical questions.

Sinhalese  (also singhalese) —n. (pl. Same) 1 member of a n. Indian people now forming the majority of the population of sri lanka. 2 their language. —adj. Of this people or language. [sanskrit]



Irish  —adj. Of ireland or its people. —n. 1 celtic language of ireland. 2 (prec. By the; treated as pl.) The people of ireland. [old english]





Ashcan  n. Us dustbin.

Selfish  adj. Concerned chiefly with one's own interests or pleasure; actuated by or appealing to self-interest.  selfishly adv. Selfishness n.
Age  —n. 1 length of time that a person or thing has existed. 2 a colloq. (often in pl.) A long time (waited for ages). B distinct historical period (bronze age). 3 old age. —v. (ageing) 1 show or cause to show signs of advancing age. 2 grow old. 3 mature.  come of age reach adult status (esp. Law at 18, formerly 21). [latin aetas]
Underexpose  v. (-sing) expose (film) for too short a time etc.  underexposure n.

Clockwise  adj. & adv. In a curve corresponding in direction to that of the hands of a clock.
Blacking  n. Black polish, esp. For shoes.

Blockade  —n. Surrounding or blocking of a place by an enemy to prevent entry and exit. —v. (-ding) subject to a blockade.

Fivestones  n. Jacks played with five pieces of metal etc. And usu. No ball.
Silhouette  —n. 1 picture showing the outline only, usu. In black on white or cut from paper. 2 dark shadow or outline against a lighter background. —v. (-ting) represent or (usu. In passive) show in silhouette. [silhouette, name of a politician]




Mesmerize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 hypnotize. 2 fascinate, spellbind.  mesmerism n. Mesmerizingly adv. [mesmer, name of a physician]

Drive-in  —attrib. Adj. (of a bank, cinema, etc.) Used while sitting in one's car. —n. Such a bank, cinema, etc.
Trellis  n. (in full trellis-work) lattice of light wooden or metal bars, esp. As a support for climbing plants. [french trelis]




Scrub2  n. 1 a brushwood or stunted forest growth. B land covered with this. 2 (attrib.) Small or dwarf variety (scrub pine).  scrubby adj. [from *shrub]
Caliber  n. (brit. Calibre) 1 a internal diameter of a gun or tube. B diameter of a bullet or shell. 2 strength or quality of character; ability, importance. [french from italian from arabic, = mould]


Sub-editor  n. 1 assistant editor. 2 person who edits material for printing.  sub-edit v. (-t-).
House party  n. Group of guests staying at a country house etc.
Rightly  adv. Justly, properly, correctly, justifiably.
Cant2  —n. 1 slanting surface, bevel. 2 oblique push or jerk. 3 tilted position. —v. Push or pitch out of level; tilt. [low german or dutch, = edge]


Oast-house  n. Building containing an oast.
Postal order  n. Money order issued by the post office.
Eurasian  —adj. 1 of mixed european and asian parentage. 2 of europe and asia. —n. Eurasian person.

Nominalism  n. Doctrine that universals or general ideas are mere names.  nominalist n. Nominalistic adj.




Onrush  n. Onward rush.

Classmate  n. Person in the same class at school.
Fingertip  n. Tip of a finger.  have at one's fingertips be thoroughly familiar with (a subject etc.).
Cashew  n. 1 evergreen tree bearing kidney-shaped nuts. 2 this edible nut. [portuguese from tupi]

Cal  abbr. Small calorie(s).

Wraf  abbr. Women's royal air force.
Self-opinionated  adj. Stubbornly adhering to one's opinions.
Unswerving  adj. Steady, constant.  unswervingly adv.
Detainee  n. Person kept in custody, esp. For political reasons.



Adroit  adj. Dexterous, skilful. [french à droit according to right]
Anniversary  n. (pl. -ies) 1 date of an event in a previous year. 2 celebration of this. [latin annus year, verto vers- turn]


Bit1  n. 1 small piece or quantity. 2 (prec. By a) fair amount (sold quite a bit). 3 often colloq. Short or small time, distance, or amount (wait a bit; move up a bit; a bit tired; a bit of an idiot).  bit by bit gradually. Do one's bit colloq. Make a useful contribution. [old english]



Unspecified  adj. Not specified.

Poppy day  n. = *remembrance sunday.
Whether  conj. Introducing the first or both of alternative possibilities (i doubt whether it matters; i do not know whether they have arrived or not).  whether or no whether it is so or not. [old english]
Inexact  adj. Not exact.  inexactitude n. Inexactly adv.

Last word  n. (prec. By the) 1 final or definitive statement. 2 (often foll. By in) latest fashion.
Colorful  adj. (brit. Colour-) 1 full of colour; bright. 2 full of interest; vivid.  colourfully adv.
Maple  n. 1 any of various trees or shrubs grown for shade, ornament, wood, or sugar. 2 its wood. [old english]
Wesleyan  —adj. Of or relating to a protestant denomination founded by john wesley. —n. Member of this denomination.



Substructure  n. Underlying or supporting structure.

O'  prep. Of, on (esp. In phrases: o'clock; will-o'-the-wisp). [abbreviation]
Second-rate  adj. Mediocre; inferior.

Wake1  —v. (-king; past woke or waked; past part. Woken or waked) 1 (often foll. By up) (cause to) cease to sleep. 2 (often foll. By up) (cause to) become alert or attentive. 3 archaic (except as waking adj. & n.) Be awake (waking hours). 4 disturb with noise. 5 evoke (an echo). —n. 1 watch beside a corpse before burial; attendant lamentation and (less often) merrymaking. 2 (usu. In pl.) Annual holiday in (industrial) northern england. [old english]

Ring-fence  v. (-cing) protect or guarantee (funds).
Heath robinson  adj. Absurdly ingenious and impracticable. [name of a cartoonist]
Pap2  n. Archaic or dial. Nipple. [scandinavian]
Murmur  —n. 1 subdued continuous sound, as made by waves, a brook, etc. 2 softly spoken or nearly inarticulate utterance. 3 subdued expression of discontent. —v. 1 make a murmur. 2 utter (words) in a low voice. 3 (usu. Foll. By at, against) complain in low tones, grumble. [latin]
Seersucker  n. Linen, cotton, etc. Fabric with a puckered surface. [persian]

Amplify  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 increase the strength of (sound, electrical signals, etc.). 2 add detail to, expand (a story etc.).  amplification n. [latin: related to *ample]



Lords spiritual  n.pl. Bishops in the house of lords.



St bernard  n. (in full st bernard dog) very large dog of a breed orig. Kept in the alps to rescue travellers.
Carpel  n. Female reproductive organ of a flower. [greek karpos fruit]
Coop  —n. Cage for keeping poultry. —v. (often foll. By up, in) confine (a person). [latin cupa cask]
Revision  n. 1 revising or being revised. 2 revised edition or form. [latin: related to *revise]

Apothecary  n. (pl. -ies) archaic dispensing chemist. [greek apotheke storehouse]






National anthem  n. Song adopted by a nation, intended to inspire patriotism.

Foreleg  n. Front leg of an animal.



Re-enlist  v. Enlist again, esp. In the armed services.
Women  pl. Of *woman.

Megalomania  n. 1 mental disorder producing delusions of grandeur. 2 passion for grandiose schemes.  megalomaniac adj. & n. [greek megas great, *mania]
Appellate  attrib. Adj. (esp. Of a court) concerned with appeals.

Verbose  adj. Using more words than are needed.  verbosity n. [latin verbosus from verbum word]

Manhandle  v. (-ling) 1 colloq. Handle (a person) roughly. 2 move by human effort.
It'd  contr. Colloq. 1 it had. 2 it would.
Monocular  adj. With or for one eye. [related to *monocle]
Heavyweight  n. 1 a weight in certain sports, in amateur boxing over 81 kg. B sportsman of this weight. 2 person etc. Of above average weight. 3 colloq. Person of influence or importance.
Khz  abbr. Kilohertz.

Dewberry  n. (pl. -ies) bluish fruit like the blackberry.
Defalcation  n. Formal 1 a misappropriation of money. B amount misappropriated. 2 shortcoming.
Freelance  —n. 1 (also freelancer) person, usu. Self-employed, working for several employers on particular assignments. 2 (attrib.) (freelance editor). —v. (-cing) act as a freelance. —adv. As a freelance. [free lance, a medieval mercenary]
Poignant  adj. 1 painfully sharp to the emotions or senses; deeply moving. 2 arousing sympathy. 3 sharp or pungent in taste or smell. 4 pleasantly piquant.  poignance n. Poignancy n. Poignantly adv. [latin: related to *point]
Bon-bon  n. Sweet. [french bon good]
Menial  —adj. (of esp. Work) degrading, servile. —n. Domestic servant. [anglo-french meinie retinue]



Stingray  n. Broad flat-fish with a poisonous spine at the base of its tail.
Pally  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Friendly.
Fay  n. Literary fairy. [latin fata pl., = goddesses of destiny]

Ephedrine  n. Alkaloid drug used to relieve asthma, etc. [ephedra, genus of plants yielding it]

Shower  —n. 1 brief fall of rain, snow, etc. 2 a brisk flurry of bullets, dust, etc. B sudden copious arrival of gifts, honours, etc. 3 (in full shower-bath) a cubicle, bath, etc. In which one stands under a spray of water. B apparatus etc. Used for this. C act of bathing in a shower. 4 us party for giving presents to a prospective bride etc. 5 slang contemptible person or group. —v. 1 discharge (water, missiles, etc.) In a shower. 2 take a shower. 3 (usu. Foll. By on, upon) lavishly bestow (gifts etc.). 4 descend in a shower.  showery adj. [old english]


Pep  abbr. Personal equity plan.


Hebraic  adj. Of hebrew or the hebrews.
Boil1  —v. 1 a (of a liquid) start to bubble up and turn into vapour on reaching a certain temperature. B (of a vessel) contain boiling liquid (kettle is boiling). 2 a bring to boiling point. B cook in boiling liquid. C subject to boiling water, e.g. To clean. 3 a move or seethe like boiling water. B be very angry. —n. Act or process of boiling; boiling-point (on the boil; bring to the boil).  boil down 1 reduce in volume by boiling. 2 reduce to essentials. 3 (foll. By to) amount to. Boil over 1 spill over in boiling. 2 lose one's temper. [latin bullio to bubble]
Escape  —v. (-ping) 1 (often foll. By from) get free of restriction or control. 2 (of gas etc.) Leak. 3 succeed in avoiding punishment etc. 4 get free of (a person, grasp, etc.). 5 avoid (a commitment, danger, etc.). 6 elude the notice or memory of (nothing escapes you; name escaped me). 7 (of words etc.) Issue unawares from (a person etc.). —n. 1 act or instance of escaping. 2 means of escaping (often attrib.: escape hatch). 3 leakage of gas etc. 4 temporary relief from unpleasant reality. [latin cappa cloak]
Photometer  n. Instrument for measuring light.  photometric adj. Photometry n.
Stain  —v. 1 discolour or be discoloured by the action of liquid sinking in. 2 spoil, damage (a reputation, character, etc.). 3 colour (wood, glass, etc.) With a penetrating substance. 4 impregnate (a specimen) with a colouring agent for microscopic examination. —n. 1 discoloration; spot, mark. 2 blot, blemish; damage to a reputation etc. 3 substance used in staining. [earlier distain from french desteindre]




Small-scale  adj. Made or occurring on a small scale.


Deus ex machina  n. Unlikely agent resolving a seemingly hopeless situation, esp. In a play or novel. [latin, = god from the machinery, i.e. In a theatre]
Tetragon  n. Plane figure with four angles and sides.  tetragonal adj. [greek -gonos -angled]
Enfeeble  v. (-ling) make feeble.  enfeeblement n.
Hint  —n. 1 slight or indirect indication or suggestion. 2 small piece of practical information. 3 very small trace; suggestion (a hint of perfume). —v. Suggest slightly or indirectly.  hint at give a hint of; refer indirectly to. Take a hint heed a hint. [obsolete hent grasp]

Leg warmer  n. Either of a pair of tubular knitted garments covering the leg from ankle to knee or thigh.
Box girder  n. Hollow girder square in cross-section.


Zimmer frame  n. Propr. A kind of walking-frame. [zimmer, name of the maker]


Torque  n. 1 mech. Twisting or rotating force, esp. In a machine. 2 hist. Necklace of twisted metal, esp. Of the ancient gauls and britons. [latin: related to *tort]
Brotherhood  n. 1 relationship between brothers. 2 association of people with a common interest. 3 community of feeling between human beings.

Arrack  n. (also arak) alcoholic spirit, esp. Made from coco sap or rice. [arabic]
Go-slow  n. Working slowly, as a form of industrial action.

Prolactin  n. Hormone that stimulates milk production after childbirth. [from *pro-1, *lactation]
Heighten  v. Make or become higher or more intense.
Malicious  adj. Given to or arising from malice.  maliciously adv.

Providential  adj. 1 of or by divine foresight or interposition. 2 opportune, lucky.  providentially adv.


Piece-work  n. Work paid for according to the amount produced.
Rummy  n. Card-game played usu. With two packs. [origin unknown]
Telemetry  n. Process of recording the readings of an instrument and transmitting them by radio.  telemeter n.

Viaduct  n. Long bridge, esp. A series of arches, carrying a road or railway across a valley or hollow. [latin via way, after *aqueduct]


Equine  adj. Of or like a horse. [latin equus horse]


Irrecoverable  adj. Not able to be recovered or remedied.  irrecoverably adv.
Defy  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 resist openly; refuse to obey. 2 (of a thing) present insuperable obstacles to (defies solution). 3 (foll. By to + infin.) Challenge (a person) to do or prove something. [latin fides faith]
Place  —n. 1 a particular portion of space. B portion of space occupied by a person or thing. C proper or natural position. 2 city, town, village, etc. 3 residence, home. 4 group of houses in a town etc., esp. A square. 5 (esp. Large) country house. 6 rank or status. 7 space, esp. A seat, for a person. 8 building or area for a specific purpose (place of work). 9 point reached in a book etc. (lost my place). 10 particular spot on a surface, esp. Of the skin (sore place). 11 a employment or office. B duties or entitlements of office etc. (not my place to criticize). 12 position as a member of a team, student in a college, etc. 13  any of the first three (or four) positions in a race, esp. Other than the winner. 14 position of a digit in a series indicated in decimal or similar notation. —v. (-cing) 1 put in a particular or proper place or state or order; arrange. 2 identify, classify, or remember correctly. 3 assign to a particular place, class, or rank; locate. 4 find employment or a living etc. For. 5 make or state (an order or bet etc.). 6 (often foll. By in, on, etc.) Have (confidence etc.). 7 state the position of (any of the first three or four runners) in a race. 8 (as placed adj.) Among the first three (or four) in a race.  give place to 1 make room for. 2 yield precedence to. 3 be succeeded by. Go places colloq. Be successful. In place in the right position; suitable. In place of in exchange for; instead of. In places at only some places or parts. Out of place 1 in the wrong position. 2 unsuitable. Put a person in his (or her) place deflate a person. Take place occur. Take the place of be substituted for.  placement n. [latin platea broad way]
Vowel  n. 1 speech-sound made with vibration of the vocal cords but without audible friction. 2 letter(s) representing this, as a, e, i, o, u, aw, ah. [latin: related to *vocal]
Theo-  comb. Form god or god(s). [greek theos god]

Village  n. 1 country settlement, larger than a hamlet and smaller than a town. 2 self-contained village-like community within a city etc. (greenwich village; olympic village).  villager n. [latin: related to *villa]

Chord2  n. 1 straight line joining the ends of an arc or curve. 2 poet. String of a harp etc.  strike a chord elicit sympathy. [var. Of *cord]

Cal  abbr. Large calorie(s).


Black and blue  adj. Bruised.




Impermeable  adj. Not permeable, not allowing fluids to pass through.  impermeability n.
Epic  —n. 1 long poem narrating the adventures or deeds of one or more heroic or legendary figures. 2 book or film based on an epic narrative. —adj. 1 of or like an epic. 2 grand, heroic. [greek epos song]


Plenty  —n. (often foll. By of) abundance, sufficient quantity or number (we have plenty; plenty of time; a time of plenty). —adj. Colloq. Plentiful. —adv. Colloq. Fully, quite. [latin plenitas: related to *plenary]
Attendee  n. Person who attends (a meeting etc.).
License2  v. (-sing) 1 grant a licence to. 2 authorize the use of (premises) for a certain purpose.

Sash1  n. Strip or loop of cloth etc. Worn over one shoulder or round the waist. [arabic, = muslin]
Insider  n. 1 person who is within an organization etc. 2 person privy to a secret.
Card-game  n. Game using playing-cards.

Urea  n. Soluble nitrogenous compound contained esp. In urine. [french urée from greek ouron urine]

Lip-read  v. Understand (speech) from observing a speaker's lip-movements.
Northern  adj. Of or in the north.  northernmost adj.  [old english]


Horizontal  —adj. 1 parallel to the plane of the horizon, at right angles to the vertical. 2 of or concerned with the same work, status, etc. (it was a horizontal move rather than promotion). —n. Horizontal line, plane, etc.  horizontality n. Horizontally adv.

Dhal  n. (also dal) 1 a kind of split pulse common in india. 2 dish made with this. [hindi]



Marimba  n. 1 xylophone played by natives of africa and central america. 2 modern orchestral instrument derived from this. [congo]


Unsoiled  adj. Not soiled or dirtied.

Fail-safe  adj. Reverting to a safe condition when faulty etc.
Yuck  int. (also yuk) slang expression of strong distaste. [imitative]


Bow-window  n. Curved bay window.
Spooky  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Ghostly, eerie.  spookily adv. Spookiness n.

Zodiac  n. 1 belt of the heavens including all apparent positions of the sun, moon, and planets as known to ancient astronomers, and divided into twelve equal parts (signs of the zodiac). 2 diagram of these signs.  zodiacal adj. [greek zoion animal]
Pithy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 (of style, speech, etc.) Terse and forcible. 2 of or like pith.  pithily adv. Pithiness n.
Geode  n. 1 cavity lined with crystals. 2 rock containing this. [greek geodes earthy]
Stentorian  adj. Loud and powerful. [stentor, name of a herald in homer's iliad]
Furnace  n. 1 enclosed structure for intense heating by fire, esp. Of metals or water. 2 very hot place. [latin fornax from fornus oven]

Tent-stitch  n. 1 series of parallel diagonal stitches. 2 such a stitch.
Lounge bar  n. More comfortable bar in a pub etc.
Anglicism  n. Peculiarly english word or custom. [latin anglicus: related to *angle]
Marguerite  n. Ox-eye daisy. [latin margarita pearl]
Predicative  adj. 1 gram. (of an adjective or noun) forming or contained in the predicate, as old in the dog is old. 2 that predicates. [latin: related to *predicate]





Calves  pl. Of *calf1, *calf2.


Purge  —v. (-ging) 1 (often foll. By of, from) make physically or spiritually clean. 2 remove by cleansing. 3 rid (an organization, party, etc.) Of unacceptable members. 4 a empty (the bowels). B empty the bowels of (a person). 5 law atone for (an offence, esp. Contempt of court). —n. 1 act of purging. 2 purgative. [latin purgo purify]


Inconstant  adj. 1 fickle, changeable. 2 variable, not fixed.  inconstancy n. (pl. -ies).



As  symb. Arsenic.





Boat people  n.pl. Refugees travelling by sea.
Burgomaster  n. Mayor of a dutch or flemish town. [dutch]


Outright  —adv. 1 altogether, entirely. 2 not gradually. 3 without reservation, openly. —adj. 1 downright, complete. 2 undisputed (outright winner).

Helpmate  n. Helpful companion or partner.
Amuck  var. Of *amok.



Culture  —n. 1 a intellectual and artistic achievement or expression (city lacking in culture). B refined appreciation of the arts etc. (person of culture). 2 customs, achievements, etc. Of a particular civilization or group (chinese culture). 3 improvement by mental or physical training. 4 cultivation of plants; rearing of bees etc. 5 quantity of micro-organisms and nutrient material supporting their growth. —v. (-ring) maintain (bacteria etc.) In suitable growth conditions. [latin: related to *cultivate] 
Aye  —adv. Archaic or dial. Yes. —n. Affirmative answer or vote. [probably from i, expressing assent]
-metry  comb. Form forming nouns denoting procedures and systems involving measurement (geometry).
Pan2  —v. (-nn-) 1 swing (a film camera) horizontally to give a panoramic effect or to follow a moving object. 2 (of a camera) be moved thus. —n. Panning movement. [from *panorama]
Bridal  adj. Of a bride or wedding. [old english]

Storeman  n. Person in charge of a store of goods.
Homey  adj. (also homy) (-mier, -miest) suggesting home; cosy.

Sweetbread  n. Pancreas or thymus of an animal, esp. As food.
Deodorant  n. (often attrib.) Substance applied to the body or sprayed into the air to conceal smells. [related to *odour]
Hassock  n. Thick firm cushion for kneeling on. [old english]
Ask  v. 1 call for an answer to or about (ask her about it; ask him his name). 2 seek to obtain from someone (ask a favour of). 3 (usu. Foll. By out, in, or over, or to (a function etc.)) Invite (must ask them over; asked her to dinner). 4 (foll. By for) seek to obtain, meet, or be directed to (ask for help; asking for you; ask for the bar).  ask after inquire about (esp. A person). Ask for it slang invite trouble. [old english]
Piss artist  n. 1 drunkard. 2 person who fools about.




Scree  n. (in sing. Or pl.) 1 small loose stones. 2 mountain slope covered with these. [old norse, = landslip]
Bubble car  n. Small domed car.

Disc  n. (also disk esp. Us and in sense 4a) 1 a flat thin circular object. B round flat or apparently flat surface or mark. 2 layer of cartilage between vertebrae. 3 gramophone record. 4 a (usu. Disk; in full magnetic disk) flat circular computer storage device. B (in full optical disc) disc for data recorded and read by laser. [latin *discus]
Upwardly  adv. In an upward direction.

Neighbourhood watch  n. Organized local vigilance by householders to discourage crime.


Splashback  n. Panel behind a sink etc. To protect the wall from splashes.
Microwave  —n. 1 electromagnetic wave with a wavelength in the range 0.001–0.3m. 2 (in full microwave oven) oven using microwaves to cook or heat food quickly. —v. (-ving) cook in a microwave oven.

Scotch  v. 1 put an end to; frustrate. 2 archaic wound without killing. [origin unknown]


Puttee  n. Hist. Long strip of cloth wound round the leg from ankle to knee for protection and support, worn esp. By soldiers. [hindi]

Explanation  n. 1 explaining. 2 statement or circumstance that explains something.
Barker  n. Tout at an auction, sideshow, etc. [from *bark1]

Tot1  n. 1 small child. 2 dram of liquor. [originally dial.]
Shanty town  n. Area with makeshift housing.

Mouldy  adj. (us moldy) (-ier, -iest) 1 covered with mould. 2 stale; out of date. 3 colloq. Dull, miserable.  mouldiness n.

Dissoluble  adj. That can be disintegrated, loosened, or disconnected.
Oligocene  —adj. Of the third geological epoch of the tertiary period. —n. This epoch. [greek oligos little, kainos new]





Install  v. (also instal) (-ll-) 1 place (equipment etc.) In position ready for use. 2 place (a person) in an office or rank with ceremony. 3 establish (oneself, a person, etc.).  installation n. [latin: related to *stall1]

Propulsion  n. 1 driving or pushing forward. 2 impelling influence.  propulsive adj. [related to *propel]






Room  —n. 1 space for, or occupied by, something; capacity (takes up too much room; room for improvement). 2 a part of a building enclosed by walls, floor, and ceiling. B (in pl.) Apartments or lodgings. C people in a room (room fell silent). —v. Us have room(s); lodge, board. [old english]
Pyjamas  n.pl. (us pajamas) 1 suit of loose trousers and jacket for sleeping in. 2 loose trousers worn by both sexes in some asian countries. 3 (pyjama) (attrib.) Of either part of a pair of pyjamas (pyjama jacket). [urdu, = leg-clothing]

Tar2  n. Colloq. Sailor. [from *tarpaulin]
Great dane  n. Dog of a large short-haired breed.



Citron  n. 1 tree with large lemon-like fruits. 2 this fruit. [french from latin *citrus]
Hype  slang —n. Extravagant or intensive promotion of a product etc. —v. (-ping) promote with hype. [origin unknown]

Patch test  n. Test for allergy by applying patches of allergenic substances to the skin.


Commission-agent  n. Bookmaker.
Anise  n. Plant with aromatic seeds. [greek anison]
Blow-up  n. 1 colloq. Enlargement (of a photograph etc.). 2 explosion.
Fellow-feeling  n. Sympathy.
Cert.  Abbr. 1 certificate. 2 certified.

Drove1  past of *drive.
Cadre  n. 1 basic unit, esp. Of servicemen. 2 group of esp. Communist activists. [french from latin quadrus square]
Old country  n. (prec. By the) native country of colonists etc.


Heart-warming  adj. Emotionally rewarding or uplifting.
Smell  —n. 1 faculty of perceiving odours. 2 quality in substances that is perceived by this. 3 unpleasant odour. 4 act of inhaling to ascertain smell. —v. (past and past part. Smelt or smelled) 1 perceive or examine by smell. 2 emit an odour; stink. 3 seem by smell to be (smells sour). 4 (foll. By of) a emit the odour of (smells of fish). B be suggestive of (smells of dishonesty). 5 perceive; detect (smell a bargain). 6 have or use a sense of smell.  smell a rat suspect trickery etc. Smell out detect by smell or investigation. [old english]

 


Headline  n. 1 heading at the top of an article or page, esp. In a newspaper. 2 (in pl.) Summary of the most important items in a news bulletin.


Disapprobation  n. Formal disapproval.
Petty officer  n. Naval nco.

Plight1  n. Unfortunate condition or state. [anglo-french plit *plait]
Acquirement  n. Thing acquired, esp. A mental attainment.
Scotch broth  n. Meat soup with pearl barley etc.



Auto-suggestion  n. Hypnotic or subconscious suggestion made to oneself.

Mothproof  —adj. (of clothes) treated so as to repel moths. —v. Treat (clothes) in this way.



Windswept  adj. Exposed to or swept back by the wind.
Can't  contr. Can not.
Fruitless  adj. 1 not bearing fruit. 2 useless, unsuccessful.  fruitlessly adv.





Long-suffering  adj. Bearing provocation patiently.


Pre-embryo  n. (pl. -s) potential human embryo in the first fourteen days after fertilization.
Predate  v. (-ting) precede in time.
Shirt  n. Upper-body garment of cotton etc., usu. Front-opening.  keep one's shirt on colloq. Keep one's temper. Put one's shirt on colloq. Bet all one has on.  shirting n. Shirtless adj. [old english]
Joke  —n. 1 thing said or done to cause laughter; witticism. 2 ridiculous person or thing. —v. (-king) make jokes; tease (only joking).  no joke colloq. Serious matter.  jokingly adv. Joky adj. (also jokey). Jokily adv. Jokiness n. [probably latin jocus jest]

Udder  n. Baglike mammary organ of cattle etc., with several teats. [old english]


Peso  n. (pl. -s) chief monetary unit of several latin american countries and of the philippines. [spanish]
Sod1  n. 1 turf, piece of turf. 2 surface of the ground. [low german or dutch]


Right honourable  n. Title given to certain high officials, e.g. Privy counsellors.
Schema  n. (pl. Schemata or -s) synopsis, outline, or diagram. [greek skhema -at- form, figure]
Comb  —n. 1 a toothed strip of rigid material for tidying the hair. B similar curved decorative strip worn in the hair. 2 thing like a comb, esp. A device for tidying and straightening wool etc. 3 red fleshy crest of a fowl, esp. A cock. 4 honeycomb. —v. 1 draw a comb through (the hair). 2 dress (wool etc.) With a comb. 3 colloq. Search (a place) thoroughly.  comb out 1 arrange (the hair) loosely by combing. 2 remove with a comb. 3 search out and get rid of. [old english]

Foremast  n. Mast nearest the bow of a ship.
Verdure  n. Literary green vegetation or its colour. [french verd green]
Stoop2  n. Us porch, small veranda, or steps in front of a house. [dutch stoep]


Landing  n. 1 platform at the top of or part way up a flight of stairs. 2 coming to land. 3 place where ships etc. Land.
Catherine wheel  n. Flat coiled firework spinning when lit. [st catherine, who was martyred on a spiked wheel]

Wishy-washy  adj. Colloq. 1 feeble in quality or character. 2 weak, watery. [from *wash]



Barefaced  adj. Shameless, impudent.
Unmethodical  adj. Not methodical.
Alive  adj. (usu. Predic.) 1 living. 2 lively, active. 3 (foll. By to) aware of; alert. 4 (foll. By with) swarming or teeming with. [old english: related to *a2, *life]
Flare-up  n. Sudden outburst.
Delicate  adj. 1 a fine in texture, quality, etc.; slender, slight. B (of a colour, flavour, etc.) Subtle, hard to discern. 2 susceptible; weak, tender. 3 a requiring tact; tricky (delicate situation). B (of an instrument) highly sensitive. 4 deft (delicate touch). 5 modest. 6 (esp. Of actions) considerate.  delicately adv. [latin]
Guise  n. 1 assumed appearance; pretence. 2 external appearance. [germanic: related to *wise2]



Table d'hôte  n. (often attrib.) Meal from a set menu at a fixed price. [french, = host's table]

Wrong-foot  v. Colloq. 1 (in tennis, football, etc.) Catch (an opponent) off balance. 2 disconcert; catch unprepared.
Essay  —n. 1 short piece of writing on a given subject. 2 (often foll. By at, in) formal attempt. —v. Attempt.  essayist n. [latin exigo weigh: cf. *assay]


Dialect  n. 1 regional form of speech. 2 variety of language with non-standard vocabulary, pronunciation, or grammar.  dialectal adj. [greek lego speak]
Outpost  n. 1 detachment posted at a distance from an army. 2 distant branch or settlement (outpost of empire).

Intrigue  —v. (-gues, -gued, -guing) 1 (foll. By with) a carry on an underhand plot. B use secret influence. 2 arouse the curiosity of. —n. 1 underhand plot or plotting. 2 secret arrangement (amorous intrigues).  intriguing adj. Esp. In sense 2 of v. Intriguingly adv. [french from italian intrigo]
Bundle  —n. 1 things tied or fastened together. 2 set of nerve fibres etc. 3 slang large amount of money. —v. (-ling) 1 (usu. Foll. By up) tie or make into a bundle. 2 (usu. Foll. By into) throw or move carelessly. 3 (usu. Foll. By out, off, away, etc.) Send away hurriedly.  be a bundle of nerves (or fun etc.) Be extremely nervous (or amusing etc.). Go a bundle on slang admire; like. [low german or dutch]

Lingerie  n. Women's underwear and nightclothes. [french linge linen]
Ungracious  adj. Discourteous; grudging.  ungraciously adv.

Ursine  adj. Of or like a bear. [latin ursus bear]
Data processing  n. Series of operations on data, esp. By a computer.  data processor n.


Demarcation  n. 1 marking of a boundary or limits. 2 trade-union practice of restricting a specific job to one union.  demarcate v. (-ting). [spanish marcar *mark1]
Sealant  n. Material for sealing, esp. To make airtight or watertight.


Hele  v. (-ling) (also heel) (foll. By in) set (a plant) in the ground temporarily and cover its roots. [old english]

Safari park  n. Park where wild animals are kept in the open for viewing from vehicles.


Appro  n. Colloq.  on appro = on approval (see *approval). [abbreviation]

Conduce  v. (-cing) (foll. By to) contribute to (a result). [latin: related to *conduct]
Mf  abbr. Mezzo forte.

Unconscious  —adj. Not conscious (fell unconscious; unconscious prejudice). —n. Normally inaccessible part of the mind affecting the emotions etc.  unconsciously adv. Unconsciousness n.

Stodgy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 (of food) heavy and glutinous. 2 dull and uninteresting.  stodgily adv. Stodginess n.
Stand  —v. (past and past part. Stood) 1 have, take, or maintain an upright position, esp. On the feet or a base. 2 be situated (here once stood a village). 3 be of a specified height. 4 be in a specified state (stands accused; it stands as follows). 5 set in an upright or specified position (stood it against the wall). 6 a move to and remain in a specified position (stand aside). B take a specified attitude (stand aloof). 7 maintain a position; avoid falling, moving, or being moved. 8 assume a stationary position; cease to move. 9 remain valid or unaltered. 10 naut. Hold a specified course. 11 endure, tolerate. 12 provide at one's own expense (stood him a drink). 13 (often foll. By for) be a candidate (for office etc.) (stood for parliament). 14 act in a specified capacity (stood proxy). 15 undergo (trial). —n. 1 cessation from progress, stoppage. 2 a mil. Halt made to repel an attack. B resistance to attack or compulsion (esp. Make a stand). C cricket prolonged period at the wicket by two batsmen. 3 position taken up; attitude adopted. 4 rack, set of shelves, etc. For storage. 5 open-fronted stall or structure for a trader, exhibitor, etc. 6 standing-place for vehicles. 7 a raised structure to sit or stand on. B us witness-box. 8 each halt made for a performance on a tour. 9 group of growing plants (stand of trees).  as it stands 1 in its present condition. 2 in the present circumstances. Stand by 1 stand nearby; look on without interfering. 2 uphold, support (a person). 3 adhere to (a promise etc.). 4 be ready for action. Stand a chance see *chance. Stand corrected accept correction. Stand down withdraw from a position or candidacy. Stand for 1 represent, signify, imply. 2 colloq. Endure, tolerate. Stand one's ground not yield. Stand in (usu. Foll. By for) deputize. Stand off 1 move or keep away. 2 temporarily dismiss (an employee). Stand on insist on, observe scrupulously. Stand on one's own feet (or own two feet) be self-reliant or independent. Stand out 1 be prominent or outstanding. 2 (usu. Foll. By against, for) persist in opposition or support. Stand to 1 mil. Stand ready for an attack. 2 abide by. 3 be likely or certain to. Stand to reason be obvious. Stand up 1 a rise to one's feet. B come to, remain in, or place in a standing position. 2 (of an argument etc.) Be valid. 3 colloq. Fail to keep an appointment with.

Prompt  —adj. Acting, made, or done with alacrity; ready (prompt reply). —adv. Punctually (at six o'clock prompt). —v. 1 (usu. Foll. By to, or to + infin.) Incite; urge (prompted them to action). 2 a (also absol.) Supply a forgotten word etc. To (an actor etc.). B assist (a hesitating speaker) with a suggestion. 3 give rise to; inspire (feeling, thought, action, etc.). —n. 1 a act of prompting. B thing said to prompt an actor etc. C = *prompter. 2 computing sign on a vdu screen to show that the system is waiting for input.  promptitude n. Promptly adv. Promptness n. [latin]

Unmarried  adj. Not married, single.


Penny  n. (pl. For separate coins -ies, for a sum of money pence) 1 british coin and monetary unit equal to one-hundredth of a pound. 2 hist. British bronze coin and monetary unit equal to one-two-hundred-and-fortieth of a pound.  in for a penny, in for a pound exhortation to total commitment to an undertaking. Pennies from heaven unexpected benefits. The penny drops colloq. One understands at last. Penny wise and pound foolish mean in small expenditures but wasteful of large amounts. A pretty penny a large sum of money. Two a penny easily obtained and so almost worthless. [old english]
Cañon  var. Of *canyon.

Nicotine  n. Poisonous alkaloid present in tobacco. [french from nicot, introducer of tobacco into france]



Incredible  adj. 1 that cannot be believed. 2 colloq. Amazing, extremely good.  incredibility n. Incredibly adv.



Ember days  n.pl. Days of fasting and prayer in the christian church, associated with ordinations. [old english]
Mudflap  n. Flap hanging behind the wheel of a vehicle, to prevent splashes.
Dripping  n. Fat melted from roasted meat.

Nutcase  n. Slang crazy person.
Marbling  n. 1 colouring or marking like marble. 2 streaks of fat in lean meat.



Jollify  v. (-ies, -ied) make merry.  jollification n.
Very  —adv. 1 in a high degree (did it very easily). 2 in the fullest sense (foll. By own or superl. Adj.: do your very best; my very own room). —adj. Actual; truly such (the very thing we need; his very words; the very same).  not very in a low degree, far from being. Very good (or well) formula of consent or approval. Very high frequency (in radio) 30-300 megahertz. Very reverend title of a dean. [latin verus true]

Chancery  n. (pl. -ies) 1 (chancery) lord chancellor's division of the high court of justice. 2 records office. 3 chancellery. [contraction of *chancellery]

Abscess  n. (pl. Abscesses) swelling containing pus. [latin: related to *ab-, *cede]
Stagecoach  n. Hist. Large closed horse-drawn coach running on a regular route by stages.
Tarot  n. (often attrib.) 1 (in sing. Or pl.) A pack of mainly picture cards used in fortune-telling. B any game played with a similar pack of 78 cards. 2 any card from a tarot pack. [french]

Dithyramb  n. 1 wild choral hymn in ancient greece. 2 passionate or inflated poem etc.  dithyrambic adj. [latin from greek]
Market value  n. Value if offered for sale.



Cartridge-belt  n. Belt with pockets or loops for cartridges.


Handful  n. (pl. -s) 1 quantity that fills the hand. 2 small number or amount. 3 colloq. Troublesome person or task.

Animadvert  v. (foll. By on) literary criticize, censure.  animadversion n. [latin animus mind, *adverse]


Respell  v. (past and past part. Respelt or respelled) spell again or differently, esp. Phonetically.
Program  (brit. Programme) —n. 1 list of events, performers, etc. At a public function etc. 2 radio or television broadcast. 3 plan of events (programme is dinner and an early night). 4 course or series of studies, lectures, etc. 5 (usu. Program) series of coded instructions for a computer etc. —v. (-mm-; us -m-) 1 make a programme of. 2 (usu. Program) express (a problem) or instruct (a computer) by means of a program.  programmable adj. Programmatic adj. Programmer n. (in sense 5 of n.). [greek grapho write]


Employment  n. 1 employing or being employed. 2 person's trade or profession.
Scatterbrain  n. Person lacking concentration.  scatterbrained adj.

Duckbill  n. (also duck-billed platypus) = *platypus.


Aspirate  —adj. Pronounced with an exhalation of breath; blended with the sound of h. —n. Sound of h; consonant pronounced in this way. —v. (-ting) 1 pronounce with breath or with initial h. 2 draw (fluid) by suction from a cavity etc.

Re1  prep. 1 in the matter of (as the first word in a heading). 2 commerce about, concerning (in letters). [latin, ablative of res thing]
Long sight  n. Ability to see clearly only what is comparatively distant.
Stability  n. Being stable. [latin: related to *stable]





Discriminating  adj. Showing good judgement or taste.
R2  abbr. (also r.) 1 regina (elizabeth r). 2 rex. 3 river. 4 (also ®) registered as a trademark. 5 chess rook.

Enroll  v. (brit. Enrol) (-ll-) 1 enlist. 2 a write the name of (a person) on a list. B incorporate as a member. C enrol oneself, esp. For a course of study.  enrolment n. [french: related to *en-1]
Email  n. (also e-mail) = *electronic mail.

Dinner  n. 1 main meal of the day, either at midday or in the evening. 2 (in full dinner-party) formal evening meal, esp. With guests. [french: related to *dine]

Septuple  —adj. 1 sevenfold, having seven parts. 2 being seven times as many or as much. —n. Sevenfold number or amount. [latin septem seven]
Collude  v. (-ding) conspire together.  collusion n. Collusive adj. [latin ludo lus- play]
Derange  v. (-ging) 1 make insane. 2 disorder, disturb.  derangement n. [french: related to *rank1]


Crow1  n. 1 large black bird with a powerful black beak. 2 similar bird, e.g. The raven, rook, and jackdaw.  as the crow flies in a straight line. [old english]
Old guard  n. Original, past, or conservative members of a group.
Shot2  past and past part. Of *shoot. —adj. (of coloured material) woven so as to show different colours at different angles.  shot through (usu. Foll. By with) permeated or suffused.


Plonk2  n. Colloq. Cheap or inferior wine. [origin unknown]
Provision  —n. 1 a act of providing (provision of nurseries). B preparation, esp. For the future (made provision for their old age). 2 (in pl.) Food, drink, etc., esp. For an expedition. 3 legal or formal stipulation or proviso. —v. Supply with provisions. [latin: related to *provide]





Low countries  n.pl. The netherlands, belgium, and luxembourg.



Embryo  n. (pl. -s) 1 a unborn or unhatched offspring. B human offspring in the first eight weeks from conception. 2 rudimentary plant in a seed. 3 thing in a rudimentary stage. 4 (attrib.) Undeveloped, immature.  in embryo undeveloped.  embryonic adj. [greek bruo grow]


Fry1  —v. (fries, fried) cook or be cooked in hot fat. —n. (pl. Fries) 1 offal, usu. Eaten fried (lamb's fry). 2 fried food, esp. Meat. [latin frigo]


Stinging-nettle  n. Nettle with stinging hairs.


Witches' sabbath  n. Supposed midnight orgy of the devil and witches.
Vegetate  v. (-ting) 1 live an uneventful or monotonous life. 2 grow as plants do. [latin vegeto animate]
Manhood  n. 1 state of being a man. 2 a manliness; courage. B a man's sexual potency. 3 men of a country etc.

Sybarite  n. Self-indulgent or voluptuous person.  sybaritic adj. [sybaris, ancient city in s. Italy]

Unrelated  adj. Not related.

Understate  v. (-ting) 1 express mildly or in a restrained way. 2 represent as less than it actually is.  understatement n.
Caret  n. Mark (^) indicating a proposed insertion in printing or writing. [latin, = is lacking]
Ozone layer  n. Layer of ozone in the stratosphere that absorbs most of the sun's ultraviolet radiation.
Canary  n. (pl. -ies) small songbird with yellow feathers. [canary islands]

Hair-drier  n. (also hair-dryer) device for drying the hair with warm air.

Inalienable  adj. That cannot be transferred to another or taken away (inalienable rights).
Suffragan  n. 1 bishop assisting a diocesan bishop. 2 bishop in relation to his archbishop or metropolitan. [medieval latin suffraganeus]

Strip cartoon  n. = *comic strip.

Calends  n.pl. (also kalends) first of the month in the ancient roman calendar. [latin kalendae]
Char1  v. (-rr-) 1 make or become black by burning; scorch. 2 burn to charcoal. [from *charcoal]
Heifer  n. Young cow, esp. One that has not had more than one calf. [old english]

Davit  n. Small crane on board ship, esp. For moving or holding a lifeboat. [french diminutive of david]
Crossroad  n. (usu. In pl.) Intersection of two or more roads.  at the crossroads at the critical point.
Repaper  v. Paper (a wall etc.) Again.



Dilate  v. (-ting) 1 make or become wider or larger. 2 speak or write at length.  dilation n. [latin latus wide]
Supertax  n. Additional tax on incomes above a certain level.



Short cut  n. 1 route shorter than the usual one. 2 quick method.




Magus  n. (pl. Magi) 1 priest of ancient persia. 2 sorcerer. 3 (the magi) the ‘wise men’ from the east (matt. 2:1–12). [persian magus]


Private detective  n. Detective engaged privately, outside an official police force.
Massive  adj. 1 large and heavy or solid. 2 (of the features, head, etc.) Relatively large or solid. 3 exceptionally large or severe (massive heart attack). 4 substantial, impressive.  massively adv. Massiveness n. [latin: related to *mass1]


Bloke  n. Slang man, fellow. [shelta]
North-western  adj. On the north-west side.
Rewind  v. (past and past part. Rewound) wind (a film or tape etc.) Back.

Activism  n. Policy of vigorous action, esp. For a political cause.  activist n.

Shameless  adj. 1 having or showing no shame. 2 impudent.  shamelessly adv.
Wondrous  poet. —adj. Wonderful. —adv. Wonderfully (wondrous kind).
German silver  n. White alloy of nickel, zinc, and copper.


Back-formation  n. 1 formation of a word from its seeming derivative (e.g. Laze from lazy). 2 word so formed.





Shouldn't  contr. Should not.

Mirror image  n. Identical image or reflection with left and right reversed.
Byelorussian  (also belorussian) —n. Native or language of byelorussia in eastern europe. —adj. Of byelorussia, its people, or language. [russian from belyi white, russiya russia]

Minority  n. (pl. -ies) 1 (often foll. By of) smaller number or part, esp. In politics. 2 state of having less than half the votes or support (in the minority). 3 small group of people differing from others in race, religion, language, etc. 4 (attrib.) Of or done by the minority (minority interests).  5 a being under full legal age.
Skivvy  —n. (pl. -ies) colloq. Derog. Female domestic servant. —v. (-ies, -ied) work as a skivvy. [origin unknown]
Os  symb. Osmium.

Snook  n. Slang contemptuous gesture with the thumb to the nose and the fingers spread.  cock a snook (often foll. By at) 1 make this gesture. 2 register one's contempt. [origin unknown]
Tsetse  n. African fly feeding on blood and transmitting esp. Sleeping-sickness. [tswana]




Monody  n. (pl. -ies) 1 ode sung by a single actor in a greek tragedy. 2 poem lamenting a person's death.  monodist n. [greek: related to *mono-, *ode]





Blemish  —n. Flaw, defect, or stain. —v. Spoil, mark, or stain. [french]


Queen mother  n. Dowager who is mother of the sovereign.
Satyr  n. 1 (in greek and roman mythology) woodland god with some horselike or goatlike features. 2 lecherous man. [greek saturos]
Auxiliary  —adj. 1 subsidiary, additional. 2 giving help. —n. (pl. -ies) 1 auxiliary person or thing. 2 (in pl.) Foreign or allied troops in the service of a nation at war. 3 verb used to form tenses or moods of other verbs (e.g. Have in i have seen). [latin auxilium help]



Transparency  n. (pl. -ies) 1 being transparent. 2 picture, esp. A photograph, to be viewed by light passing through it. [medieval latin: related to *transparent]
Judaism  n. Religion of the jews.

Centenary  —n. (pl. -ies) 1 hundredth anniversary. 2 celebration of this. —adj. 1 of a centenary. 2 occurring every hundred years. [latin centeni 100 each]



Synchronism  n. 1 being or treating as synchronic or synchronous. 2 process of synchronizing sound and picture.


Diacritical  —adj. Distinguishing, distinctive. —n. (in full diacritical mark or sign) = *diacritic.
Doorpost  n. Upright of a door-frame, on which the door is hung.


Ohms  abbr. On her (or his) majesty's service.

Stiff-necked  adj. Obstinate; haughty.

Barrow2  n. Ancient grave-mound. [old english]
Radiation  n. 1 radiating or being radiated. 2 physics a emission of energy as electromagnetic waves or as moving particles. B energy transmitted in this way, esp. Invisibly. 3 (in full radiation therapy) treatment of cancer etc. Using radiation, e.g. X-rays or ultraviolet light.





Swimming-bath  n. (also swimming-pool) artificial pool for swimming.
Lupin  n. Cultivated plant with long tapering spikes of flowers. [related to *lupine]


Extinct  adj. 1 that has died out. 2 a no longer burning. B (of a volcano) that no longer erupts. 3 obsolete. [latin ex(s)tinguo -stinct- quench]


Unanswered  adj. Not answered.
Ultrasound  n. Ultrasonic waves.


Shire  n. County. [old english]
-osis  suffix denoting a process or condition (apotheosis; metamorphosis), esp. A pathological state (neurosis; thrombosis). [latin or greek]



Happy hour  n. Time of the day when goods, esp. Drinks, are sold at reduced prices.
Unfriendly  adj. (-ier, -iest) not friendly; hostile.

Demi-monde  n. 1 class of women considered to be of doubtful morality. 2 any semi-respectable group. [french, = half-world]

Plump1  —adj. Full or rounded in shape; fleshy. —v. (often foll. By up, out) make or become plump (plumped up the cushion).  plumpness n. [low german or dutch plomp blunt]
Immovable  adj. (also immoveable) 1 not able to be moved. 2 steadfast, unyielding. 3 emotionless. 4 not subject to change (immovable law). 5 motionless. 6 (of property) consisting of land, houses, etc.  immovability n. Immovably adv.


Network  —n. 1 arrangement of intersecting horizontal and vertical lines. 2 complex system of railways etc. 3 people connected by the exchange of information etc., professionally or socially. 4 system of connected electrical conductors. 5 group of broadcasting stations connected for the simultaneous broadcast of a programme. 6 chain of interconnected computers. —v. Broadcast on a network.

-fold  suffix forming adjectives and adverbs from cardinal numbers, meaning: 1 in an amount multiplied by (repaid tenfold). 2 with so many parts (threefold blessing). [originally = ‘folded in so many layers’]

Atrocity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 wicked or cruel act. 2 extreme wickedness. [latin: related to *atrocious]


Birdie  n. 1 colloq. Little bird. 2 golf hole played in one under par.
Re-echo  v. (-es, -ed) echo repeatedly; resound.

Ill-treat  v. Treat badly; abuse.



Response  n. 1 answer given in a word or act; reply. 2 feeling, movement, or change caused by a stimulus or influence. 3 (often in pl.) Any part of the liturgy said or sung in answer to the priest. [latin: related to *respond]
Pollen  n. Fine dustlike grains discharged from the male part of a flower, each containing the fertilizing element. [latin]
Red  —adj. (redder, reddest) 1 of the colour ranging from that of blood to deep pink or orange. 2 flushed in the face with shame, anger, etc. 3 (of the eyes) bloodshot or red-rimmed. 4 (of the hair) reddish-brown, tawny. 5 having to do with bloodshed, burning, violence, or revolution. 6 colloq. Communist or socialist. 7 (red) hist. Russian, soviet. —n. 1 red colour or pigment. 2 red clothes or material. 3 colloq. Communist or socialist.  in the red in debt or deficit.  reddish adj. Redness n. [old english]
Debag  v. (-gg-) slang remove the trousers of (a person), esp. As a joke.

Elicit  v. (-t-) draw out (facts, a response, etc.), esp. With difficulty. [latin elicio]
Waxwork  n. 1 object, esp. A lifelike dummy, modelled in wax. 2 (in pl.) Exhibition of wax dummies.
Continuum  n. (pl. -nua) thing having a continuous structure. [latin: related to *continuous]


Chicken-feed  n. 1 food for poultry. 2 colloq. Trivial amount, esp. Of money.
Valance  n. (also valence) short curtain round the frame or canopy of a bedstead, above a window, etc. [anglo-french valer descend]

Health service  n. Public service providing medical care.

Inflorescence  n. 1 a complete flower-head of a plant. B arrangement of this. 2 flowering. [latin: related to *in-2, *flourish]





Marksman  n. Skilled shot, esp. With a pistol or rifle.  marksmanship n.


Pole  n. 1 native or national of poland. 2 person of polish descent. [german from polish]

Sci-fi  n. (often attrib.) Colloq. Science fiction. [abbreviation]


Sunspot  n. Dark patch on the sun's surface.
Wizard  —n. 1 sorcerer; magician. 2 person of remarkable powers, genius. —adj. Slang wonderful.  wizardry n. [from *wise1]
Comprehend  v. 1 grasp mentally; understand. 2 include. [latin comprehendo seize]
Hypnotic  —adj. 1 of or producing hypnosis. 2 inducing sleep. —n. Hypnotic drug or influence.  hypnotically adv. [greek: related to *hypnosis]
Coffee  n. 1 a drink made from roasted and ground beanlike seeds of a tropical shrub. B cup of this. 2 a the shrub. B its seeds. 3 pale brown. [turkish from arabic]



Kernel  n. 1 (usu. Soft) edible centre within the hard shell of a nut, fruit stone, seed, etc. 2 whole seed of a cereal. 3 essence of anything. [old english: related to *corn1]
Traffic warden  n. Official employed to help control road traffic and esp. Parking.
Flirt  —v. 1 (usu. Foll. By with) try to attract sexually but without serious intent. 2 (usu. Foll. By with) superficially engage in; trifle. —n. Person who flirts.  flirtation n. Flirtatious adj. Flirtatiously adv. Flirtatiousness n. [imitative]

Cider  n. Drink of fermented apple juice. [hebrew, = strong drink]
Nom de plume  n. (pl. Noms de plume pronunc. Same) writer's assumed name. [sham french, = pen-name]


Lumbar puncture  n. Withdrawal of spinal fluid from the lower back for diagnosis.
Suitcase  n. Case for carrying clothes etc., with a handle and a flat hinged lid.
Misgive  v. (-ving; past -gave; past part. -given) (of a person's mind, heart, etc.) Fill (a person) with suspicion or foreboding.
Ankle  n. 1 joint connecting the foot with the leg. 2 this part of the leg. [old norse]


Roll-call  n. Calling out a list of names to establish who is present.
Gbh  abbr. Grievous bodily harm.

Pigment  —n. 1 colouring-matter used as paint or dye. 2 natural colouring-matter of animal or plant tissue. —v. Colour with or as if with pigment.  pigmentary adj. [latin pingo paint]

Mending  n. 1 action of repairing. 2 things, esp. Clothes, to be mended.

Transporter  n. Vehicle used to transport other vehicles or heavy machinery etc. By road.

Marginalia  n.pl. Marginal notes.

Closure  n. 1 closing. 2 closed state. 3 procedure for ending a debate and taking a vote. [latin: related to *close2]
Nebula  n. (pl. Nebulae) cloud of gas and dust seen in the night sky, sometimes glowing and sometimes appearing as a dark silhouette.   nebular adj. [latin, = mist]

Alumnus  n. (pl. Alumni; fem. Alumna, pl. Alumnae) former pupil or student. [latin, = nursling, pupil]


Fish-hook  n. Barbed hook for catching fish.
Demerara  n. Light-brown cane sugar. [demerara in guyana]
Mankind  n. 1 human species. 2 male people.
Soft palate  n. Rear part of the palate.


Multidirectional  adj. Of, involving, or operating in several directions.



Galaxy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 independent system of stars, gas, dust, etc., in space. 2 (the galaxy) milky way. 3 (foll. By of) brilliant company (galaxy of talent). [greek gala milk]
Ex-1  prefix (also before some consonants e-, ef- before f) 1 forming verbs meaning: a out, forth (exclude; exit). B upward (extol). C thoroughly (excruciate). D bring into a state (exasperate). E remove or free from (expatriate; exonerate). 2 forming nouns from titles of office, status, etc., meaning ‘formerly’ (ex-president; ex-wife). [latin from ex out of]

Repercussion  n. 1 indirect effect or reaction following an event or act. 2 recoil after impact. 3 echo. [latin: related to *re-]
Lighter1  n. Device for lighting cigarettes etc.
-tron  suffix physics forming nouns denoting: 1 elementary particle (positron). 2 particle accelerator. [from *electron]


Zappy  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Lively, energetic.
Crotchet  n. Mus. Note equal to a quarter of a semibreve and usu. One beat. [french diminutive of croc: related to *crook]



Even1  —adj. (evener, evenest) 1 level; smooth. 2 a uniform in quality; constant. B equal in amount or value etc. C equally balanced. 3 (of a person's temper etc.) Equable, calm. 4 a (of a number) divisible by two without a remainder. B bearing such a number (no parking on even dates). C not involving fractions; exact (in even dozens). —adv. 1 inviting comparison of the assertion, negation, etc., with an implied one that is less strong or remarkable (never even opened [let alone read] the letter; ran even faster [not just as fast as before]). 2 introducing an extreme case (even you must realize it). —v. (often foll. By up) make or become even.  even now 1 now as well as before. 2 at this very moment. Even so nevertheless. Even though despite the fact that. Get (or be) even with have one's revenge on.  evenly adv. Evenness n. [old english]
Fondue  n. Dish of melted cheese. [french, = melted: related to *fuse1]
Strew  v. (past part. Strewn or strewed) 1 scatter or spread about over a surface. 2 (usu. Foll. By with) spread (a surface) with scattered things. [old english: related to *straw]



Drawstring  n. String or cord threaded through a waistband, bag opening, etc.
Popcorn  n. Maize which bursts open when heated.
Cut and thrust  n. Lively argument etc.



Cheese  n. 1 a food made from curds of milk. B cake of this with rind. 2 conserve with the consistency of soft cheese.  cheesy adj. [latin caseus]


Back-seat driver  n. Person eager to advise without taking responsibility.


Well-heeled  adj. Colloq. Wealthy.
Gamesmanship  n. Art of winning games by gaining psychological advantage.
Biodegradable  adj. Capable of being decomposed by bacteria or other living organisms.
Kestrel  n. Small hovering falcon. [origin uncertain]
Newton  n. Si unit of force that, acting on a mass of one kilogram, increases its velocity by one metre per second every second. [newton, name of a scientist]
Hypothyroidism  n. Subnormal activity of the thyroid gland, resulting in cretinism.  hypothyroid n. & adj.
Double agent  n. Spy working for rival countries.
Rag doll  n. Stuffed cloth doll.
Cost-effective  adj. Effective in relation to its cost.


Pennant  n. 1 tapering flag, esp. That flown at the masthead of a vessel in commission. 2 = *pennon. [blend of *pendant and *pennon]



Groyne  n. (us groin) timber, stone, or concrete wall built at right angles to the coast to check beach erosion. [dial. Groin snout, from french]


Sky  —n. (pl. Skies) (in sing. Or pl.) Atmosphere and outer space as seen from the earth. —v. (skies, skied) cricket etc. Hit (a ball) high.  to the skies without reserve (praise to the skies). [old norse, = cloud]



Dominion  n. 1 sovereignty, control. 2 realm; domain. 3 hist. Self-governing territory of the british commonwealth. [latin dominus lord]
Harrier  n. 1 hound used for hunting hares. 2 group of cross-country runners. 3 hawklike bird of prey. [from *hare, *harry]
Unlovely  adj. Not attractive; unpleasant.
Swop  var. Of *swap.
Euphoria  n. Intense feeling of well-being and excitement.  euphoric adj. [greek phero bear]



Martyr  —n. 1 a person killed for persisting in a belief. B person who suffers for a cause etc. C person who suffers or pretends to suffer to get pity etc. 2 (foll. By to) colloq. Constant sufferer from (an ailment). —v. 1 put to death as a martyr. 2 torment.  martyrdom n. [greek martur witness]

Heavenly  adj. 1 of heaven; divine. 2 of the heavens or sky. 3 colloq. Very pleasing; wonderful.






Winner  n. 1 person etc. That wins. 2 colloq. Successful or highly promising idea etc.

Cash crop  n. Crop produced for sale.




Breeding  n. 1 raising of offspring; propagation. 2 social behaviour; ancestry.
Inconsequent  adj. 1 irrelevant. 2 lacking logical sequence. 3 disconnected.  inconsequence n.
Station of the cross  n. Rc ch. Each of a series of images representing the events in christ's passion before which prayers are said.
Usage  telemessage has been in uk official use since 1981 for inland messages, replacing telegram.

Strangulate  v. (-ting) compress (a vein, intestine, etc.), preventing circulation. [latin: related to *strangle]

Queen's evidence  see *evidence.
Commendable  adj. Praiseworthy.  commendably adv.
Schist  n. Layered crystalline rock. [greek skhizo to split]

Align  v. 1 put or bring into line. 2 (usu. Foll. By with) ally (oneself etc.) With (a cause, party, etc.).  alignment n. [french à ligne into line]

Insomuch  adv. 1 (foll. By that) to such an extent. 2 (foll. By as) inasmuch. [originally in so much]


Footbrake  n. Foot-operated brake on a vehicle.

Tranquillize  v. (us tranquilize, -ise) (-zing or -sing) make tranquil, esp. By a drug etc.



Frequentative  gram. —adj. (of a verb etc.) Expressing frequent repetition or intensity. —n. Frequentative verb etc.
Crone  n. Withered old woman. [dutch croonje carcass]
Haycock  n. Conical heap of hay.

Bladderwrack  n. Brown seaweed with air bladders.
Marshal  —n. 1 (marshal) high-ranking officer of state or in the armed forces (earl marshal; field marshal). 2 officer arranging ceremonies, controlling racecourses, crowds, etc. —v. (-ll-) 1 arrange (soldiers, one's thoughts, etc.) In due order.



Gallicism  n. French idiom. [related to *gallic]
Male menopause  n. Colloq. Crisis of potency, confidence, etc., supposed to afflict some men in middle life.




Leaflet  —n. 1 sheet of paper, pamphlet, etc. Giving information. 2 young leaf. 3 bot. Division of a compound leaf. —v. (-t-) distribute leaflets (to).
Lance  —n. Long spear, esp. One used by a horseman. —v. (-cing) 1 prick or cut open with a lancet. 2 pierce with a lance. [french from latin]
Pace-setter  n. 1 leader. 2 = *pacemaker 1.
Primer2  n. 1 elementary textbook for teaching children to read. 2 introductory book. [latin: related to *prime1]
Civvy street  n. Slang civilian life. [abbreviation]

Crossbow  n. Bow fixed on a wooden stock, with a groove for an arrow.

Nurseryman  n. Owner of or worker in a plant nursery.
Dudgeon  n. Resentment, indignation.  in high dudgeon very angry. [origin unknown]
Bitter-sweet  —adj. Sweet with a bitter aftertaste. —n. 1 such sweetness. 2 = *woody nightshade.

Drumhead  n. Part of a drum that is hit.



Dwindle  v. (-ling) 1 become gradually less or smaller. 2 lose importance. [old english]
Elastic band  n. = *rubber band.



Laissez-faire  n. (also laisser-faire) policy of non-interference. [french, = let act]
Kelson  var. Of *keelson.





Indirect object  n. Gram. Person or thing affected by a verbal action but not primarily acted on (e.g. Him in give him the book).

Minoan  —adj. Of the bronze age civilization centred on crete (c.3000–1100 bc). —n. Person of this civilization. [minos, legendary king of crete]


Label  —n. 1 piece of paper etc. Attached to an object to give information about it. 2 short classifying phrase applied to a person etc. 3 logo, title, or trademark of a company. —v. (-ll-; us -l-) 1 attach a label to. 2 (usu. Foll. By as) assign to a category. 3 replace (an atom) by an atom of a usu. Radioactive isotope as a means of identification. [french]


Latent heat  n. Physics heat required to convert a solid into a liquid or vapour, or a liquid into a vapour, without change of temperature.
Labour party  n. Political party formed to represent the interests of working people.

Parcel  —n. 1 goods etc. Wrapped up in a package for posting or carrying. 2 piece of land. 3 quantity dealt with in one commercial transaction. —v. (-ll-; us -l-) 1 (foll. By up) wrap as a parcel. 2 (foll. By out) divide into portions. [latin: related to *particle]

Eyehole  n. Hole to look through.
Woo  v. (woos, wooed) 1 court; seek the hand or love of. 2 try to win (fame, fortune, etc.). 3 seek the favour or support of. 4 coax or importune.  wooer n. [old english]
Embezzle  v. (-ling) divert (money etc.) Fraudulently to one's own use.  embezzlement n. Embezzler n. [anglo-french]
Ve day  n. 8 may, the day marking victory in europe (in 1945).


High sea  n. (also high seas) open seas not under any country's jurisdiction.
Shelta  n. Ancient hybrid secret language used by irish tinkers, gypsies, etc. [origin unknown]
Hydrolyze  v. (brit. -lyse)  decompose by hydrolysis.





Cooper  n. Maker or repairer of casks, barrels, etc. [low german or dutch: related to *coop]
Starry  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 full of stars. 2 like a star.

Christian  —adj. 1 of christ's teaching. 2 believing in or following the religion of christ. 3 showing the associated qualities. 4 colloq. Kind. —n. Adherent of christianity. [latin christianus of *christ]

Cadi  n. (pl. -s) judge in a muslim country. [arabic]


Herd  —n. 1 a number of animals, esp. Cattle, feeding or travelling or kept together. 2 (prec. By the) derog. Large number of people; mob (tends to follow the herd). —v. 1 (cause to) go in a herd (herded together for warmth; herded the cattle into the field). 2 look after (sheep, cattle, etc.). [old english]

Cape2  n. 1 headland, promontory. 2 (the cape) the cape of good hope. [latin caput head]

Anther  n. Part of a stamen containing pollen. [greek anthos flower]


Molecular  adj. Of, relating to, or consisting of molecules.  molecularity n.


Rangy  adj. (-ier, -iest) tall and slim.


Twist  —v. 1 a change the form of by rotating one end and not the other or the two ends in opposite directions. B undergo such a change. C wrench or pull out of shape with a twisting action (twisted my ankle). 2 a wind (strands etc.) About each other. B form (a rope etc.) In this way. 3 a give a spiral form to. B take a spiral form. 4 (foll. By off) break off by twisting. 5 misrepresent the meaning of (words). 6 a take a winding course. B make (one's way) in a winding manner. 7 colloq. Cheat. 8 (as twisted adj.) Derog. (of a person or mind) neurotic; perverted. 9 dance the twist. —n. 1 act of twisting. 2 twisted state. 3 thing formed by twisting. 4 point at which a thing twists or bends. 5 usu. Derog. Peculiar tendency of mind or character etc. 6 unexpected development of events, esp. In a story etc. 7 (prec. By the) popular 1960s dance with a twisting movement of the hips.  round the twist slang crazy. Twist a person's arm colloq. Coerce, esp. Using moral pressure. Twist round one's finger easily persuade or dominate (a person).  twisty adj. (-ier, -iest). [related to *twin, *twine]




Vector  n. 1 math. & physics quantity having direction as well as magnitude. 2 carrier of disease. [latin veho vect- convey]
Signor  n. (pl. -nori) title used of or to an italian-speaking man. [latin senior *senior]


Pekingese  n. (also pekinese) (pl. Same) lap-dog of a short-legged breed with long hair and a snub nose. [from peking (beijing) in china]
Wrought iron  n. Tough malleable form of iron suitable for forging or rolling, not cast.
Interpose  v. (-sing) 1 (often foll. By between) insert (a thing) between others. 2 say (words) as an interruption; interrupt. 3 exercise or advance (a veto or objection) so as to interfere. 4 (foll. By between) intervene (between parties).  interposition n. [latin pono put]
Leek  n. 1 plant of the onion family with flat leaves forming a cylindrical bulb, used as food. 2 this as a welsh national emblem. [old english]
Posh  colloq. —adj. Smart; upper-class. —adv. In an upper-class way (talk posh).  posh up smarten up.  poshly adv. Poshness n. [perhaps from slang posh a dandy, money]



Touché  int. 1 acknowledgement of a justified accusation or retort. 2 acknowledgement of a hit by a fencing-opponent. [french, = touched]

Catamaran  n. 1 boat with parallel twin hulls. 2 raft of yoked logs or boats. [tamil]
Southbound  adj. Travelling or leading southwards.
Domineer  v. (often as domineering adj.) Behave arrogantly or tyrannically. [french: related to *dominate]
Sale of work  n. Sale of home-made goods etc. For charity.

Burp  colloq. —v. 1 belch. 2 make (a baby) belch. —n. Belch. [imitative]
Toll2  —v. 1 a (of a bell) sound with slow uniform strokes. B ring (a bell) in this way. C (of a bell) announce or mark (a death etc.) In this way. 2 strike (the hour). —n. 1 tolling. 2 stroke of a bell. [(now dial.) Toll entice, pull, from an old english root]
Contrived  adj. Artificial, forced.
Self-aggrandizement  n. Process of enriching oneself or making oneself powerful.  self-aggrandizing adj.
Gobbledegook  n. (also gobbledygook) colloq. Pompous or unintelligible jargon. [probably imitative of a turkeycock]

-mania  comb. Form 1 denoting a special type of mental disorder (megalomania). 2 denoting enthusiasm or admiration (beatlemania).

Scriptwriter  n. Person who writes scripts for films, tv, etc.  scriptwriting n.


Book  —n. 1 a written or printed work with pages bound along one side. B work intended for publication. 2 bound blank sheets for notes, records, etc. 3 bound set of tickets, stamps, matches, etc. 4 (in pl.) Set of records or accounts. 5 main division of a large literary work. 6 telephone directory. 7 colloq. Magazine. 8 libretto, script, etc. 9 record of bets. —v. 1 a (also absol.) Reserve (a seat etc.) In advance. B engage (an entertainer etc.). 2 a take the personal details of (an offender or rule-breaker). B enter in a book or list.  book in register at a hotel etc. Book up 1 buy tickets in advance. 2 (as booked up) with all places reserved. Bring to book call to account. Go by the book proceed by the rules. In a person's good (or bad) books in (or out of) favour with a person. [old english]
Coach  —n. 1 single-decker bus, usu. Comfortably equipped for long journeys. 2 railway carriage. 3 closed horse-drawn carriage. 4 a instructor or trainer in a sport. B private tutor. —v. Train or teach as a coach. [french from magyar]
Artesian well  n. Well in which water rises to the surface by natural pressure through a vertically drilled hole. [artois, old french province]
Flashback  n. Scene set in an earlier time than the main action.
Unfitted  adj. 1 not fit. 2 not fitted or suited. 3 having no fittings.
Midst  —prep. Poet. Amidst. —n. Middle.  in the midst of among; in the middle of. In our (or your or their) midst among us (or you or them). [related to *mid]




Litigious  adj. 1 fond of litigation. 2 contentious. [latin: related to *litigate]


Refract  v. (of water, air, glass, etc.) Deflect (a ray of light etc.) At a certain angle when it enters obliquely from another medium.  refraction n. Refractive adj. [latin refringo -fract- break open]

Monopolist  n. Person who has or advocates a monopoly.  monopolistic adj.
Foxtrot  —n. 1 ballroom dance with slow and quick steps. 2 music for this. —v. (-tt-) perform this.
Nutritive  adj. 1 of nutrition. 2 nutritious.

Dissolution  n. 1 dissolving or being dissolved, esp. Of a partnership or of parliament for a new election. 2 breaking up, abolition (of an institution). 3 death.

Mudguard  n. Curved strip over a bicycle wheel etc. To protect the rider from splashes.
Ballistic missile  n. Missile that is powered and guided but falls by gravity.







Fez  n. (pl. Fezzes) man's flat-topped conical red cap worn by some muslims. [turkish]
Mid  attrib. Adj. (usu. In comb.) The middle of (mid-air; mid-june). [old english]


Tail-light  n. (also tail-lamp) us rear light on a vehicle etc.
Usage  the use of prevent without ‘from’ as in prevented me going is informal. An acceptable alternative is prevented my going.
Rectilinear  adj.  1 bounded or characterized by straight lines. 2 in or forming a straight line. [latin: related to *rectify]




Moose  n. (pl. Same) n. American deer; elk. [narragansett]
Hokum  n. Esp. Us slang 1 sentimental, sensational, or unreal material in a film or play etc. 2 bunkum; rubbish. [origin unknown]
Right turn  n. Turn of 90 degrees to the right.





Tore  past of *tear1.
Well-built  adj. Big, strong, and well-proportioned.
Numeral  —n. Symbol or group of symbols denoting a number. —adj. Of or denoting a number. [latin: related to *number]
Test-tube baby  n. Colloq. Baby conceived by in vitro fertilization.
Revere  v. (-ring) hold in deep and usu. Affectionate or religious respect. [latin vereor fear]
Single-handed  adv. Without help.  single-handedly adv.


Encircle  v. (-ling) 1 surround. 2 form a circle round.  encirclement n.
Dogmatize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 speak dogmatically. 2 express (a principle etc.) As dogma.
Hernia  n. Protrusion of part of an organ through the wall of the body cavity containing it. [latin]
Plastic bomb  n. Bomb containing plastic explosive.

Cold  —adj. 1 of or at a low temperature. 2 not heated; cooled after heat. 3 feeling cold. 4 lacking ardour, friendliness, or affection. 5 a depressing, uninteresting. B (of colour) suggestive of cold. 6 a dead. B colloq. Unconscious. 7 (of a scent in hunting) grown faint. 8 (in games) far from finding what is sought. —n. 1 a prevalence of low temperature. B cold weather or environment. 2 infection of the nose or throat with sneezing, catarrh, etc. —adv. Unrehearsed.  in cold blood without emotion, deliberately. Out in the cold ignored, neglected. Throw (or pour) cold water on be discouraging about.  coldly adv. Coldness n. [old english]
Vole  n. Small plant-eating rodent. [originally vole-mouse from norwegian voll field]
Forsythia  n. Shrub with bright yellow flowers in early spring. [forsyth, name of a botanist]
Yeasty  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 of, like, or tasting of yeast; frothy. 2 in a ferment. 3 working like yeast. 4 (of talk etc.) Light and superficial.
Witness-box  n. (us witness-stand) enclosure in a lawcourt from which witnesses give evidence.
Speedy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 rapid. 2 done without delay; prompt.  speedily adv. Speediness n.
Carrot  n. 1 a plant with a tapering orange-coloured root. B this as a vegetable. 2 incentive.  carroty adj. [greek karoton]

Sanctuary  n. (pl. -ies) 1 holy place. 2 a holiest part of a temple etc. B chancel. 3 place where birds, wild animals, etc., are bred and protected. 4 place of refuge.
Lifer  n. Slang person serving a life sentence.





Lifeline  n. 1 rope etc. Used for life-saving. 2 sole means of communication or transport.
Headland  n. Promontory.
Miniskirt  n. Very short skirt.
Industrial relations  n.pl. Relations between management and workers.
Sound1  —n. 1 sensation caused in the ear by the vibration of the surrounding air or other medium. 2 vibrations causing this sensation. 3 what is or may be heard. 4 idea or impression conveyed by words (don't like the sound of that). 5 mere words. —v. 1 (cause to) emit sound. 2 utter, pronounce (sound a warning note). 3 convey an impression when heard (sounds worried). 4 give an audible signal for (an alarm etc.). 5  test (the lungs etc.) By the sound produced.  sound off talk loudly or express one's opinions forcefully.  soundless adj. [latin sonus]
Polka  —n. 1 lively dance of bohemian origin. 2 music for this. —v. (-kas, -kaed or -ka'd, -kaing) dance the polka. [czech pulka]


Compartment  n. 1 space within a larger space, separated by partitions. 2 watertight division of a ship. 3 area of activity etc. Kept apart from others in a person's mind. [latin: related to *part]
Brush  —n. 1 implement with bristles, hair, wire, etc. Set into a block, for cleaning, painting, arranging the hair, etc. 2 act of brushing. 3 (usu. Foll. By with) short esp. Unpleasant encounter. 4 fox's bushy tail. 5 piece of carbon or metal as an electrical contact esp. With a moving part. 6 = *brushwood 2. —v. 1 sweep, scrub, treat, or tidy with a brush. 2 remove or apply with a brush. 3 graze in passing.  brush aside dismiss curtly or lightly. Brush off dismiss abruptly. Brush up 1 clean up or smarten. 2 revise (a subject). [french]
Aetiology  n. (us etiology) study of causation or of the causes of disease.  aetiological adj. [greek aitia cause]

Exchange  —n. 1 giving of one thing and receiving of another in its place. 2 giving of money for its equivalent in the money of the same or another country. 3 centre where telephone connections are made. 4 place where merchants, bankers, etc. Transact business. 5 a office where information is given or a service provided. B employment office. 6 system of settling debts without the use of money, by bills of exchange. 7 short conversation. —v. (-ging) 1 (often foll. By for) give or receive (one thing) in place of another. 2 give and receive as equivalents. 3 (often foll. By with) make an exchange.  in exchange (often foll. By for) as a thing exchanged (for).  exchangeable adj. [french: related to *change]

Carbon paper  n. Thin carbon-coated paper used for making copies.
Obligation  n. 1 constraining power of a law, duty, contract, etc. 2 duty, task. 3 binding agreement. 4 indebtedness for a service or benefit (be under an obligation). [latin: related to *oblige]


Borzoi  n. Large silky-coated dog. [russian, = swift]
Tuberous  adj. Having tubers; of or like a tuber.
Heart attack  n. Sudden occurrence of coronary thrombosis.

Tree  —n. 1 perennial plant with a woody self-supporting main stem or trunk and usu. Unbranched for some distance above the ground. 2 piece or frame of wood etc. For various purposes (shoe-tree). 3 = *family tree. —v. (trees; treed) force to take refuge in a tree.

Sudden  adj. Done or occurring unexpectedly or abruptly.  all of a sudden suddenly.  suddenly adv. Suddenness n. [latin subitaneus]

Work-to-rule  n. Working to rule.

Circularize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) distribute circulars to.



Capitalize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 (foll. By on) use to one's advantage. 2 convert into or provide with capital. 3 a write (a letter of the alphabet) as a capital. B begin (a word) with a capital letter.  capitalization n. [french: related to *capital]
Control  —n. 1 power of directing. 2 power of restraining, esp. Self-restraint. 3 means of restraint. 4 (usu. In pl.) Means of regulating. 5 (usu. In pl.) Switches and other devices by which a machine is controlled. 6 place where something is controlled or verified. 7 standard of comparison for checking the results of an experiment. —v. (-ll-) 1 have control of, regulate. 2 hold in check. 3 check, verify.  in control (often foll. By of) directing an activity. Out of control no longer manageable. Under control being controlled; in order.  controllable adj. [medieval latin, = keep copy of accounts: related to *contra-, *roll]
Tartar  —n. 1 a member of a group of central asian peoples including mongols and turks. B turkic language of these peoples. 2 (tartar) harsh or formidable person. —adj. 1 of tartars. 2 of central asia east of the caspian sea. [french or medieval latin]
Daily  —adj. Done, produced, or occurring every day or every weekday. —adv. 1 every day. 2 constantly. —n. (pl. -ies) colloq. 1 daily newspaper. 2 cleaning woman.
Unrest  n. Disturbed or dissatisfied state (industrial unrest).


Consultancy  n. (pl. -ies) practice or position of a consultant.


Time signal  n. Audible signal of the exact time of day.


Sunrise  n. 1 sun's rising. 2 time of this.


Indian ink  n. 1 black pigment. 2 ink made from this.

K 
Flashy  adj. (-ier, -iest) showy; gaudy; cheaply attractive.  flashily adv. Flashiness n.

Stop  —v. (-pp-) 1 a put an end to the progress, motion, or operation of. B effectively hinder or prevent. C discontinue (stop playing). 2 come to an end (supplies suddenly stopped). 3 cease from motion, speaking, or action. 4 defeat. 5 slang receive (a blow etc.). 6 remain; stay for a short time. 7 (often foll. By up) block or close up (a hole, leak, etc.). 8 not permit or supply as usual (stop their wages). 9 (in full stop payment of or on) instruct a bank to withhold payment on (a cheque). 10 fill (a tooth). 11 press (a violin etc. String) to obtain the required pitch. —n. 1 stopping or being stopped. 2 designated stopping-place for a bus or train etc. 3 = *full stop. 4 device for stopping motion at a particular point. 5 change of pitch effected by stopping a string. 6 a (in an organ) row of pipes of one character. B knob etc. Operating these. 7 optics & photog. = *diaphragm 3a. 8 a effective diameter of a lens. B device for reducing this. 9 (of sound) = *plosive.  pull out all the stops make extreme effort. Put a stop to cause to end. Stop at nothing be ruthless. Stop off (or over) break one's journey. [old english]
Stranger  n. 1 person new to a particular place or company. 2 (often foll. By to) person one does not know. 3 (foll. By to) person unaccustomed to (no stranger to controversy).



To , before a vowel, when stressed —prep. 1 introducing a noun expressing: a what is reached, approached, or touched (fell to the ground; went to paris; five minutes to six). B what is aimed at (throw it to me). C as far as (went on to the end). D what is followed (made to order). E what is considered or affected (am used to that; that is nothing to me). F what is caused or produced (turn to stone). G what is compared (nothing to what it once was; equal to the occasion). H what is increased (add it to mine). I what is involved or composed as specified (there is nothing to it). 2 introducing the infinitive: a as a verbal noun (to get there is the priority). B expressing purpose, consequence, or cause (we eat to live; left him to starve; i'm sorry to hear that). C as a substitute for to + infinitive (wanted to come but was unable to). —adv. 1 in the normal or required position or condition (come to; heave to). 2 (of a door) in a nearly closed position.  to and fro 1 backwards and forwards. 2 repeatedly between the same points. [old english]
Heart-rending  adj. Very distressing.
Particularity  n. 1 quality of being individual or particular. 2 fullness or minuteness of detail.

Roaster  n. 1 oven, dish, apparatus, etc. For roasting. 2 fowl, potato, etc. For roasting.

Usage  this phrase is often preceded by the, which is, strictly speaking, unnecessary, since hoi means ‘the’.
Electrotechnology  n. Science of the application of electricity in technology.
Toxemia  n. (brit. Toxaemia) 1 blood-poisoning. 2 increased blood pressure in pregnancy. [related to *toxic, greek haima blood]
Negligence  n. 1 lack of proper care and attention. 2 culpable carelessness.  negligent adj. Negligently adv. [latin: related to *neglect]

Phagocyte  n. Leucocyte capable of engulfing and absorbing foreign matter. [greek phag- eat, kutos cell]
Flout  —v. Disobey (the law etc.) Contemptuously; mock; insult. —n. Flouting speech or act. [dutch fluiten whistle: related to *flute]
Uncombed  adj. (of hair or a person) not combed.
Bone-dry  adj. Completely dry.


Domino effect  n. (also domino theory) effect whereby (or theory that) one event precipitates others in causal sequence.
Reflate  v. (-ting) cause reflation of (a currency or economy etc.). [from *re-, after inflate, deflate]

Broth  n. Thin soup of meat or fish stock. [old english]


Unread  adj. 1 (of a book etc.) Not read. 2 (of a person) not well-read.
Stronghold  n. 1 fortified place. 2 secure refuge. 3 centre of support for a cause etc.



Jew  n. 1 person of hebrew descent or whose religion is judaism. 2 slang offens. Miserly person. [greek ioudaios]

Insult  —v. 1 speak to or treat with scornful abuse. 2 offend the self-respect or modesty of. —n. Insulting remark or action.  insulting adj. Insultingly adv. [latin insulto leap on, assail]
Barytes  n. Mineral form of barium sulphate. [greek barus heavy]
Imperious  adj. Overbearing, domineering.  imperiously adv. Imperiousness n.

Ho-ho  int. 1 representing a deep jolly laugh. 2 expressing surprise, triumph, or derision. [reduplication of *ho]
Chukka boot  n. Ankle-high leather boot.
Headlight  n. 1 strong light at the front of a vehicle. 2 beam from this.
Stimulus  n. (pl. -li) thing that rouses to activity. [latin, = goad]
Development  n. 1 developing or being developed. 2 a stage of growth or advancement. B thing that has developed; new event or circumstance etc. (latest developments). 3 full-grown state. 4 developed land; group of buildings.  developmental adj.




Mannered  adj. 1 (in comb.) Having specified manners (ill-mannered). 2 esp. Art full of mannerisms.

Novelette  n. Short novel.
Haver  v. 1 vacillate, hesitate. 2 dial. Talk foolishly. [origin unknown]

Underlay1  —v. (past and past part. -laid) lay something under (a thing) to support or raise it. —n. Thing so laid (esp. Under a carpet).
Sperm bank  n. Store of semen for artificial insemination.

Fish1  —n. (pl. Same or -es) 1 vertebrate cold-blooded animal with gills and fins living wholly in water. 2 any of various non-vertebrate animals living wholly in water, e.g. The cuttlefish, shellfish, and jellyfish. 3 fish as food. 4 colloq. Person of a specified, usu. Unpleasant, kind (an odd fish). 5 (the fish or fishes) sign or constellation pisces. —v. 1 try to catch fish. 2 fish in (a certain river, pool, etc.). 3 (foll. By for) a search for. B seek indirectly (fishing for compliments). 4 (foll. By up, out, etc.) Retrieve with effort.  drink like a fish drink alcohol excessively. Fish out of water person out of his or her element. Other fish to fry other matters to attend to. [old english]


Amp1  n. Ampere. [abbreviation]

Openly  adv. 1 frankly. 2 publicly.
Frump  n. Dowdy unattractive woman.  frumpish adj. Frumpy adj. (-ier, -iest). [perhaps dial. Frumple wrinkle]
Neuritis  n. Inflammation of a nerve or nerves.
Bingo  n. Gambling game in which each player has a card with numbers to be marked off as they are called. [origin uncertain]

Taught  past and past part. Of *teach.
Vapid  adj. Insipid; dull; flat.  vapidity n. [latin vapidus]

Usage  console is often confused with condole, which is different in that it is always followed by with.


Principled  adj. Based on or having (esp. Praiseworthy) principles of behaviour.

Slip3  n. Clay and water mixture for decorating earthenware. [old english, = slime]



Upstream  adv. & adj. In the direction contrary to the flow of a stream etc.
Dexterity  n. 1 skill in using one's hands. 2 mental adroitness. [latin: related to *dexter]

Manage  v. (-ging) 1 organize; regulate; be in charge of. 2 succeed in achieving; contrive (managed to come; managed a smile; managed to ruin the day). 3 (often foll. By with) succeed with limited resources etc.; be able to cope. 4 succeed in controlling. 5 (often prec. By can etc.) A cope with (couldn't manage another bite). B be free to attend on or at (can manage monday). 6 use or wield (a tool etc.).  manageable adj. [latin manus hand]
Tourism  n. Commercial organization and operation of holidays.

Jejune  adj. 1 intellectually unsatisfying; shallow, meagre, scanty, dry. 2 puerile. 3 (of land) barren. [latin jejunus]




Parish register  n. Book recording christenings, marriages, and burials, at a parish church.

Tomb  n. 1 burial-vault. 2 grave. 3 sepulchral monument. [greek tumbos]


Famous  adj. 1 (often foll. By for) celebrated; well-known. 2 colloq. Excellent.  famously adv. [latin: related to *fame]

Shingle1  n. Small smooth pebbles, esp. On the sea-shore.  shingly adj. [origin uncertain]
Basement  n. Floor of a building below ground level.

Fitting  —n. 1 trying-on of a garment etc. For adjustment before completion. 2 (in pl.) Fixtures and fitments of a building. —adj. Proper, becoming, right.  fittingly adv.
Girlfriend  n. 1 person's regular female companion or lover. 2 female friend.

Sliding scale  n. Scale of fees, taxes, wages, etc., that varies according to some other factor.

Overfull  adj. Filled excessively.








Palisade  —n. 1 fence of pales or iron railings. 2 strong pointed wooden stake. —v. (-ding) enclose or provide with a palisade. [french: related to *pale2]
Indefinite  adj. 1 vague, undefined. 2 unlimited. 3 (of adjectives, adverbs, and pronouns) not determining the person etc. Referred to (e.g. Some, someone, anyhow).

Hypo1  n. Sodium thiosulphate (incorrectly called hyposulphite) used as a photographic fixer. [abbreviation]
Pampas-grass  n. Tall s. American ornamental grass.
Community charge  n. Tax levied locally on every adult.

Weaponry  n. Weapons collectively.





Pauper  n. Poor person.  pauperism n. [latin, = poor]




Organism  n. 1 individual plant or animal. 2 living being with interdependent parts. 3 system made up of interdependent parts. [french: related to *organize]
Slave-driver  n. 1 overseer of slaves. 2 demanding boss.
Castanet  n. (usu. In pl.) Each of a pair of hand-held pieces of wood etc., clicked together as an accompaniment, esp. By spanish dancers. [latin: related to *chestnut]

Jenny-wren  n. Female wren.
Travelled  adj. (us traveled) experienced in travelling (also in comb.: much-travelled).
Combination lock  n. Lock that can be opened only by a specific sequence of movements.




Damselfly  n. Insect like a dragonfly but with wings folded when resting.



Distraught  adj. Distracted with worry, fear, etc.; extremely agitated. [related to *distrait]


Home counties  n.pl. The counties closest to london.
Interstice  n. 1 intervening space. 2 chink or crevice. [latin interstitium from sisto stand]
Whirlwind  n. 1 rapidly whirling mass or column of air. 2 (attrib.) Very rapid.





Don juan  n. Seducer of women.
South-south-east  n. Point or direction midway between south and south-east.




Overfeed  v. (past and past part. -fed) feed excessively.
Butty  n. (pl. -ies) n.engl. Sandwich. [from *butter]

Merit  —n. 1 quality of deserving well. 2 excellence, worth. 3 (usu. In pl.) A thing that entitles one to reward or gratitude. B intrinsic rights and wrongs (merits of a case).  —v. (-t-) deserve. [latin meritum value, from mereor deserve]
L 
Executive  —n. 1 person or body with managerial or administrative responsibility. 2 branch of a government etc. Concerned with executing laws, agreements, etc. —adj. Concerned with executing laws, agreements, etc., or with other administration or management. [medieval latin: related to *execute]


Atropine  n. Poisonous alkaloid in deadly nightshade. [greek atropos, the fate who cut the thread of life]

Doing  pres. Part. Of *do1. —n. 1 a action (famous for his doings). B effort (takes a lot of doing). 2 (in pl.) Slang unspecified things (have we got all the doings?).
Non-swimmer  n. Person who cannot swim.

Mold2  n. (brit. Mould) furry growth of fungi occurring esp. In moist warm conditions. [old norse]


Heavy going  n. Slow or difficult progress.

Flood-tide  n. Exceptionally high tide caused esp. By the moon.



Backward  —adv. = *backwards. —adj. 1 towards the rear or starting-point (backward look). 2 reversed (backward roll). 3 slow to develop or progress. 4 hesitant, shy.



Introvert  —n. 1 person predominantly concerned with his or her own thoughts. 2 shy thoughtful person. —adj. (also introverted) characteristic of an introvert.  introversion n.

Sports coat  n. (also sports jacket) man's informal jacket.

Stuff  —n. 1 material; fabric. 2 substance or things not needing to be specified (lot of stuff on the news). 3 particular knowledge or activity (know one's stuff). 4 woollen fabric. 5 trash, nonsense. 6 (prec. By the) a colloq. Supply, esp. Of drink or drugs. B slang money. —v. 1 pack (a receptacle) tightly (stuff a cushion with feathers). 2 (foll. By in, into) force or cram (a thing). 3 fill out the skin of (an animal etc.) With material to restore the original shape. 4 fill (food, esp. Poultry) with a mixture, esp. Before cooking. 5 (also refl.) Fill with food; eat greedily. 6 push, esp. Hastily or clumsily. 7 (usu. In passive; foll. By up) block up (the nose etc.).

Selector  n. 1 person who selects, esp. A team. 2 device in a vehicle, machinery, etc. That selects the required gear etc.
Barcarole  n. 1 gondoliers' song. 2 music imitating this. [italian barca boat]
Shun  v. (-nn-) avoid; keep clear of. [old english]
Usage  the form congery, formed under the misapprehension that congeries is plural only, is incorrect.

Entwine  v. (-ning) twine round, interweave.

King's english  n. = *queen's english.


Triumph  —n. 1 a state of victory or success (returned in triumph). B a great success or achievement. 2 supreme example (a triumph of engineering). 3 joy at success; exultation (triumph in her face). 4 processional entry of a victorious general into ancient rome. —v. 1 (often foll. By over) gain a victory; be successful. 2 (of an ancient roman general) ride in triumph. 3 (often foll. By over) exult.  triumphal adj. [french from latin]




Hen-party  n. Colloq. Social gathering of women only.



Moisten  v. Make or become moist.

Agglomerate  —v. (-ting) collect into a mass. —n. Mass, esp. Of fused volcanic fragments. —adj. Collected into a mass.  agglomeration n. [latin glomus -meris ball]
Typescript  n. Typewritten document.

Lord's prayer  n. The our father.


Jubilant  adj. Exultant, rejoicing.  jubilance n. Jubilantly adv. Jubilation n. [latin jubilo shout]




Sunstroke  n. Acute prostration from excessive exposure to the sun.

Tokenism  n. 1 granting of minimum concessions, esp. To minority groups. 2 making of only a token effort.


Untoward  adj. 1 inconvenient, unlucky. 2 awkward. 3 perverse, refractory. 4 unseemly.

Title-holder  n. Person who holds a title, esp. A sporting champion.
Racial  adj. 1 of or concerning race. 2 on the grounds of or connected with difference in race.  racially adv.


Usage  this tax was introduced in 1986 to replace capital transfer tax.
Installment  n. (brit. Instalment) 1 any of several usu. Equal payments for something. 2 any of several parts, esp. Of a broadcast or published story. [anglo-french estaler fix]

Linseed  n. Seed of flax. [old english: related to *line1]



Electron microscope  n. Microscope with high magnification and resolution, using electron beams instead of light.


Centigrade  adj. 1 = *celsius. 2 having a scale of a hundred degrees. [latin gradus step]


Wither  v. 1 (often foll. By up) make or become dry and shrivelled. 2 (often foll. By away) deprive of or lose vigour or freshness. 3 (esp. As withering adj.) Blight with scorn etc.  witheringly adv. [apparently var. Of *weather]

Fray2  n. 1 conflict, fight. 2 brawl. [related to *affray]

Self-knowledge  n. Understanding of oneself.
Political prisoner  n. Person imprisoned for political reasons.
Welt  —n. 1 leather rim sewn round the edge of a shoe-upper for the sole to be attached to. 2 = *weal1. 3 ribbed or reinforced border of a garment. 4 heavy blow. —v. 1 provide with a welt. 2 raise weals on; thrash. [origin unknown]
Housing  n. 1 a dwelling-houses collectively. B provision of these. 2 shelter, lodging. 3 rigid casing for machinery etc. 4 hole or niche cut in one piece of wood for another to fit into.
Grass widow  n. (also grass widower) person whose husband (or wife) is away for a prolonged period.
Wayfarer  n. Traveller, esp. On foot.  wayfaring n. & adj.




Hospital  n. 1 institution providing medical and surgical treatment and nursing care for ill and injured people. 2 hist. Hospice. [latin: related to *host2]
Velveteen  n. Cotton fabric with a pile like velvet.

Henchman  n. Usu. Derog. Trusted supporter. [old english hengst horse, *man]
Snort  —n. 1 explosive sound made esp. By horses by the sudden forcing of breath through the nose. 2 similar human sound showing contempt, incredulity, etc. 3 colloq. Small drink of liquor. 4 slang inhaled dose of powdered cocaine etc. —v. 1 make a snort. 2 (also absol.) Slang inhale (esp. Cocaine). 3 express or utter with a snort. [imitative]

Forebear  n. (also forbear) (usu. In pl.) Ancestor. [from *fore, obsolete beer: related to *be]
Sacral  adj. 1 anat. Of the sacrum. 2 of or for sacred rites. [latin sacrum sacred]

Hiv  abbr. Human immunodeficiency virus, either of two viruses causing aids.
Bonhomie  n. Good-natured friendliness. [french]

Stage-hand  n. Person moving stage scenery etc.
Unspoiled  adj. (also unspoilt) not spoilt.


Parking-lot  n. Us outdoor car park.
Unaccustomed  adj. 1 (usu. Foll. By to) not accustomed. 2 unusual (unaccustomed silence).
Creepy  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Feeling or causing horror or fear.  creepily adv. Creepiness n.

Wren  n. Small usu. Brown short-winged songbird with an erect tail. [old english]



Airs and graces  n.pl. Affected manner.


Washerwoman  n. Laundress.


Crêpe suzette  n. Small dessert pancake flamed in alcohol.

Contour  —n. 1 outline. 2 (in full contour line) line on a map joining points of equal altitude. —v. Mark with contour lines. [italian contornare draw in outline]
Kneel  v. (past and past part. Knelt or esp. Us kneeled) fall or rest on the knees or a knee. [old english: related to *knee]
Cease-fire  n. 1 period of truce. 2 order to stop firing.
Cassoulet  n. Ragout of meat and beans. [french]
Mew1  —n. Characteristic cry of a cat, gull, etc. —v. Utter this sound. [imitative]

Humidifier  n. Device for keeping the atmosphere moist in a room etc.
Paraphrase  —n. Expression of a passage in other words. —v. (-sing) express the meaning of (a passage) thus. [greek: related to *para-1]

Saturation point  n. Stage beyond which no more can be absorbed or accepted.



Freesia  n. African bulb with fragrant flowers. [freese, name of a physician]
Wino  n. (pl. -s) slang alcoholic.

Probation  n. 1 law system of supervising and monitoring the behaviour of (esp. Young) offenders, as an alternative to prison. 2 period of testing the character or abilities of esp. A new employee.  on probation undergoing probation.  probationary adj. [latin: related to *prove]


Actuary  n. (pl. -ies) statistician, esp. One calculating insurance risks and premiums.  actuarial adj. [latin actuarius bookkeeper]

Protractor  n. Instrument for measuring angles, usu. In the form of a graduated semicircle.
Clotted cream  n. Thick cream obtained by slow scalding.
Dingle  n. Deep wooded valley or dell. [origin unknown]


Bbc  abbr. British broadcasting corporation.
Collective ownership  n. Ownership of land etc., by all for the benefit of all.

Generic  adj. 1 characteristic of or relating to a class; general, not specific or special. 2 biol. Characteristic of or belonging to a genus.  generically adv. [latin: related to *genus]

Seed-potato  n. Potato kept for seed.


Transport café  n. Roadside café for (esp. Commercial) drivers.


Responsible  adj. 1 (often foll. By to, for) liable to be called to account (to a person or for a thing). 2 morally accountable for one's actions; capable of rational conduct. 3 of good credit, position, or repute; respectable; evidently trustworthy. 4 (often foll. By for) being the primary cause. 5 involving responsibility.  responsibly adv.
Recess  —n. 1 space set back in a wall. 2 (often in pl.) Remote or secret place. 3 temporary cessation from work, esp. Of parliament. —v. 1 make a recess in. 2 place in a recess. 3 us take a recess; adjourn. [latin recessus: related to *recede]
Omniscient  adj. Knowing everything or much.  omniscience n. [latin scio know]
Writhe  v. (-thing) 1 twist or roll oneself about in or as in acute pain. 2 suffer mental torture or embarrassment (writhed with shame). [old english]
Tie-break  n. (also tie-breaker) means of deciding a winner from competitors who have tied.

Amok  adv.  run amok (or amuck) run wild. [malay]
Presently  adv. 1 soon; after a short time. 2 esp. Us & scot. At the present time; now.


Captivate  v. (-ting) fascinate; charm.  captivation n. [latin: related to *captive]


Fie  int. Archaic expressing disgust, shame, etc. [french from latin]
Terminate  v. (-ting) 1 bring or come to an end. 2 (foll. By in) (of a word) end in (a specified letter etc.).




Escapement  n. Part of a clock etc. That connects and regulates the motive power. [french: related to *escape]

Mountainous  adj. 1 having many mountains. 2 huge.
Headband  n. Band worn round the head as decoration or to confine the hair.






Hm  abbr. Her (or his) majesty('s).
Prosthesis  n. (pl. -theses) 1 artificial leg etc; false tooth, breast, etc. 2 branch of surgery dealing with prostheses.  prosthetic adj.  [greek, = placing in addition]

Poppet  n. Colloq. (esp. As a term of endearment) small or dainty person. [latin pup(p)a doll]

Sedate  —adj. Tranquil and dignified; serious. —v. (-ting) put under sedation. sedately adv. Sedateness n. [latin sedo settle, calm]
Quotient  n. Result of a division sum. [latin quotiens -ent- how many times]
Viand  n. Formal (usu. In pl.) Article of food. [latin vivo live]





Decontaminate  v. (-ting) remove contamination from.  decontamination n.
Irrational  adj. 1 illogical; unreasonable. 2 not endowed with reason. 3 math. Not commensurate with the natural numbers.  irrationality n. Irrationally adv.
Nomenclature  n. 1 person's or community's system of names for things. 2 terminology of a science etc. [latin nomen name, calo call]

Corpuscle  n. Minute body or cell in an organism, esp. (in pl.) The red or white cells in the blood of vertebrates.  corpuscular adj. [latin diminutive of *corpus]
Unmerciful  adj. Merciless.  unmercifully adv.
Zeta  n. Sixth letter of the greek alphabet (z, z). [greek]

Mr  n. (pl. Messrs) 1 title of a man without a higher title (mr jones). 2 title prefixed to a designation of office etc. (mr president; mr speaker). [abbreviation of *mister]

Self-drive  adj. (of a hired vehicle) driven by the hirer.
Tendril  n. Slender leafless shoot by which some climbing plants cling. [probably from french tendrillon]
Royalist  n. Supporter of monarchy, or hist. Of the royal side in the english civil war.  royalism n.



Back number  n. 1 out-of-date issue of a periodical. 2 slang out-of-date person or thing.
Crock1  n. Colloq. Old or worn-out person or vehicle. [originally scots]

Wring  —v. (past and past part. Wrung) 1 a squeeze tightly. B (often foll. By out) squeeze and twist, esp. To remove liquid. 2 break by twisting. 3 distress, torture. 4 extract by squeezing. 5 (foll. By out, from) obtain by pressure or importunity; extort. —n. Act of wringing.  wring one's hands clasp them as a gesture of distress. Wring the neck of kill (a chicken etc.) By twisting its neck. [old english]

Façade  n. 1 face or front of a building. 2 outward appearance, esp. A deceptive one. [french: related to *face]
Butt3  n. 1 thicker end, esp. Of a tool or weapon. 2 stub of a cigarette etc. 3 esp. Us slang buttocks. [dutch]


Deuterium  n. Stable isotope of hydrogen with a mass about double that of the usual isotope. [greek deuteros second]
Twirl  —v. Spin, swing, or twist quickly and lightly round. —n. 1 twirling motion. 2 flourish made with a pen. [origin uncertain]

Post2  —n. 1 official conveyance of parcels, letters, etc. (send it by post). 2 single collection or delivery of these; the letters etc. Dispatched (has the post arrived?). 3 place where letters etc.

Vulcanite  n. Hard black vulcanized rubber. [related to *vulcanize]

Spit1  —v. (-tt-; past and past part. Spat or spit) 1 a (also absol.) Eject (esp. Saliva) from the mouth. B do this in contempt or anger. 2 utter vehemently. 3 (of a fire, gun, etc.) Throw out with an explosion. 4 (of rain) fall lightly. 5 make a spitting noise. —n. 1 spittle. 2 act of spitting.  spit it out colloq. Say it quickly and concisely. [old english]






Breast-stroke  n. Swimming stroke made by extending both arms forward and sweeping them back.

Tectonic  adj. 1 of building or construction. 2  of the deformation and subsequent structural changes of the earth's crust (see *plate tectonics). [greek tekton craftsman]
Sparring partner  n. 1 boxer employed to spar with another as training. 2 person with whom one enjoys arguing.
Nihilism  n. 1 rejection of all religious and moral principles. 2 belief that nothing really exists.  nihilist n. Nihilistic adj. [latin nihil nothing]


Radiant  —adj. 1 emitting rays of light. 2 (of eyes or looks) beaming with joy, hope, or love. 3 (of beauty) splendid or dazzling. 4 (of light) issuing in rays. —n. Point or object from which light or heat radiates.  radiance n. Radiantly adv.

Taxa  pl. Of *taxon.
Mongolian  —n. 1 native or inhabitant of mongolia. 2 language of mongolia. —adj. Of or relating to mongolia or its people or language.


Sunny  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 bright with or warmed by sunlight. 2 cheery, bright.  sunnily adv. Sunniness n.



Athlete  n. Person who engages in athletics, exercise, etc. [greek athlon prize]







Lo  int. Archaic look.  lo and behold joc. Formula introducing mention of a surprising fact. [old english]
Convey  v. 1 transport or carry (goods, passengers, etc.). 2 communicate (an idea, meaning, etc.). 3 transfer the title to (a property). 4 transmit (sound etc.).  conveyable adj. [latin via way]


Damson  n. 1 (in full damson plum) small dark-purple plum. 2 dark-purple colour. [latin: related to *damascene]




Pabulum  n. Food, esp. For the mind. [latin]

Intercommunicate  v. (-ting) 1 communicate reciprocally. 2 (of rooms etc.) Open into each other.  intercommunication n.



Draftsman  n. 1 person who drafts documents. 2 = *draughtsman 1. [phonetic spelling of *draughtsman]



Lithium  n. Soft silver-white metallic element. [greek lithion from lithos stone]
Umbilical  adj. Of the navel. [from *umbilicus]
Pie in the sky  n. (used without an article) unrealistic prospect of future happiness.
Courtesy light  n. Light in a car switched on by opening a door.
Scapular  —adj. Of the shoulder or shoulder-blade. —n. Short monastic cloak.

Button mushroom  n. Young unopened mushroom.

Adduce  v. (-cing) cite as an instance or as proof or evidence.  adducible adj. [latin: related to *ad-, duco lead]

Punch2  n. Drink of wine or spirits mixed with water, fruit juices, spices, etc., and usu. Served hot. [origin unknown]
Smooch  colloq. —n. 1  period of slow close dancing. 2 period of kissing and caressing. —v. Engage in a smooch.  smoochy adj. [imitative]
Rabbit  —n. 1 a burrowing plant-eating mammal of the hare family. B us hare. 2 its fur. —v. (-t-) 1 hunt rabbits. 2 (often foll. By on, away) colloq. Talk pointlessly; chatter. [origin uncertain]

Sympathy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 a sharing of another's feelings. B capacity for this. 2 a (often foll. By with) sharing or tendency to share (with a person etc.) In an emotion, sensation, or condition. B (in sing. Or pl.) Compassion or commiseration; condolences. 3 (often foll. By for) approval. 4 (in sing. Or pl.; often foll. By with) agreement (with a person etc.) In opinion or desire.  in sympathy (often foll. By with) having, showing, or resulting from sympathy. [greek, = fellow-feeling]
Commode  n. 1 chamber-pot in a chair with a cover. 2 chest of drawers. [latin commodus convenient]

Staff  —n. 1 a stick or pole for use in walking or as a weapon. B stick or rod as a sign of office etc. C person or thing that supports. 2 a people employed in a business etc. B those in authority in a school etc. C body of officers assisting an officer in high command (general staff). 3 (pl. -s or staves) mus. Set of usu. Five parallel lines on or between which notes are placed to indicate their pitch. —v. Provide (an institution etc.) With staff. [old english]



Aleatory  adj. Depending on chance. [latin alea *die2]
Optimism  n. 1 inclination to hopefulness and confidence. 2 philos. Belief that this world is as good as it could be or that good must ultimately prevail over evil.  optimist n. Optimistic adj. Optimistically adv. [latin optimus best]

Tap root  n. Tapering root growing vertically downwards.
Cheapen  v. Make or become cheap; depreciate, degrade.
Shirty  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Angry; annoyed.  shirtily adv. Shirtiness n.

Burble  v. 1 talk ramblingly. 2 make a bubbling sound. [imitative]

Setter  n. Dog of a long-haired breed trained to stand rigid when scenting game.




Mythology  n. (pl. -ies) 1 body of myths. 2 the study of myths.  mythological adj. Mythologize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing). [greek: related to *myth]
Henna  —n. 1 tropical shrub. 2 reddish dye made from it and used to colour hair. —v. (hennaed, hennaing) dye with henna. [arabic]

Chopsuey  n. (pl. -s) chinese-style dish of meat fried with vegetables and rice. [chinese, = mixed bits]

Plight2  v. Archaic 1 pledge. 2 (foll. By to) engage (oneself) in marriage.  plight one's troth see *troth. [old english]




Under-  prefix in senses of *under: 1 below, beneath (underground). 2 lower; subordinate (under-secretary). 3 insufficiently, incompletely (undercook; underdeveloped).
Impiety  n. (pl. -ies) 1 lack of piety or reverence. 2 act etc. Showing this.
Praiseworthy  adj. Worthy of praise.

Soldiery  n. Soldiers, esp. Of a specified character.
Fillet  —n. 1 a boneless piece of meat or fish. B (in full fillet steak) undercut of a sirloin. 2 ribbon etc. Binding the hair. 3 thin narrow strip or ridge. 4 narrow flat band between mouldings. —v. (-t-) 1 remove bones from (fish or meat) or divide into fillets. 2 bind or provide with fillet(s). [latin filum thread]




Contravene  v. (-ning) 1 infringe (a law etc.). 2 (of things) conflict with.  contravention n. [latin venio come]

Uncompetitive  adj. Not competitive.
Jabber  —v. 1 chatter volubly. 2 utter (words) in this way. —n. Chatter; gabble. [imitative]
Hymnal  n. Book of hymns. [medieval latin: related to *hymn]



Sonar  n. 1 system for the underwater detection of objects by reflected sound. 2 apparatus for this. [sound navigation and ranging]
Numskull  n. Stupid person. [from *numb]

Tantalum  n. Rare hard white metallic element.  tantalic adj. [related to *tantalize]


Wellington  n. (in full wellington boot) waterproof boot usu. Reaching the knee. [duke of wellington]
Moor  n. Member of a muslim people of nw africa.  moorish adj. [greek mauros]




Showcase  —n. 1 glass case for exhibiting goods etc. 2 event etc. Designed to exhibit someone or something to advantage. —v. (-sing) display in or as if in a showcase.


Mumbo-jumbo  n. (pl. -s) 1 meaningless or ignorant ritual. 2 meaningless or unnecessarily complicated language; nonsense. [mumbo jumbo, name of a supposed african idol]


Laggard  n. Person who lags behind.

Mull2  v. Warm (wine or beer) with added sugar, spices, etc. [origin unknown]
Centurion  n. Commander of a century in the ancient roman army. [latin: related to *century]


Profit and loss account  n. Account showing net profit or loss at any time.
Wart-hog  n. African wild pig.
Mortgagee  n. Creditor in a mortgage.

Numerical  adj. Of or relating to a number or numbers.  numerically adv. [medieval latin: related to *number]
Iodide  n. Any compound of iodine with another element or group.






Stalemate  —n. 1 chess position counting as a draw, in which a player cannot move except into check. 2 deadlock. —v. (-ting) 1 chess bring (a player) to a stalemate. 2 bring to a deadlock. [obsolete stale: related to *stale, *mate2]

Senior school  n. School for children esp. Over the age of 11.
Impoverish  v. Make poor.  impoverishment n. [french: related to *poverty]

Omnibus  —n. 1 formal bus. 2 volume containing several literary works previously published separately. —adj. 1 serving several purposes at once. 2 comprising several items. [latin, = for all]
Reunify  v. (-ies, -ied) restore (esp. Separated territories) to a political unity.  reunification n.
Flow  —v. 1 glide along as a stream. 2 (of liquid, blood, etc.) Gush out; be spilt. 3 (of blood, money, electric current, etc.) Circulate. 4 move smoothly or steadily. 5 (of a garment, hair, etc.) Hang gracefully. 6 (often foll. By from) be caused by. 7 (esp. Of the tide) be in flood. 8 (of wine) be plentiful. 9 (foll. By with) archaic be plentifully supplied with (flowing with milk and honey). —n. 1 a flowing movement or mass. B flowing liquid (stop the flow). C outpouring; stream (flow of complaints). 2 rise of a tide or river (ebb and flow). [old english]
Plant  —n. 1 a organism usu. Containing chlorophyll enabling it to live wholly on inorganic substances, and lacking the power of voluntary movement. B small organism of this kind, as distinguished from a shrub or tree. 2 a machinery, fixtures, etc., used in industry. B factory. 3 colloq. Something deliberately placed so as to incriminate another. —v. 1 place (seeds, plants, etc.) In soil for growing. 2 (often foll. By in, on, etc.) Put or fix in position. 3 (often refl.) Station (a person etc.), esp. As a spy. 4 cause (an idea etc.) To be established, esp. In another person's mind. 5 deliver (a blow, kiss, etc.) With a deliberate aim. 6 colloq. Place (something incriminating) for later discovery.   plant out transfer from a pot or frame to the open ground; set out (seedlings) at intervals.  plantlike adj. [latin planta]
Espy  v. (-ies, -ied) catch sight of. [french: related to *spy]
Lose  v. (-sing; past and past part. Lost) 1 be deprived of or cease to have, esp. By negligence. 2 be deprived of (a person) by death. 3 become unable to find, follow, or understand (lose one's way). 4 let or have pass from one's control or reach (lost my chance; lost his composure). 5 be defeated in (a game, lawsuit, battle, etc.). 6 get rid of (lost our pursuers; lose weight). 7 forfeit (a right to a thing). 8 spend (time, efforts, etc.) To no purpose.
Taoism  n. Chinese philosophy advocating humility and religious piety.  taoist n. [chinese dao right way]
Jackanapes  n. Archaic rascal. [earlier jack napes, supposed to refer to the duke of suffolk]
Headlamp  n. = *headlight.

Pina colada  n. Cocktail of pineapple juice, rum, and coconut. [spanish]
Antidepressant  —n. Drug etc. That alleviates depression. —adj. Alleviating depression.


Demoniac  —adj. 1 fiercely energetic or frenzied. 2 supposedly possessed by an evil spirit. 3 of or like demons. —n. Demoniac person.  demoniacal adj. Demoniacally adv. [church latin: related to *demon]
Unreel  v. Unwind from a reel.
Range  —n. 1 a region between limits of variation, esp. Scope of effective operation. B such limits. 2 area relevant to something. 3 a distance attainable by a gun or projectile. B distance between a gun or projectile and its objective. 4 row, series, etc., esp. Of mountains. 5 area with targets for shooting. 6 fireplace with ovens and hotplates for cooking. 7 area over which a thing is distributed. 8 distance that can be covered by a vehicle without refuelling. 9 distance between a camera and the subject to be photographed. 10 large area of open land for grazing or hunting. —v. (-ging) 1 reach; lie spread out; extend; be found over a specified district; vary between limits. 2 (usu. In passive or refl.) Line up, arrange. 3 rove, wander. 4 traverse in all directions. [french: related to *rank1]
Barratry  n. Fraud or gross negligence by a ship's master or crew. [french barat deceit]
Accommodation  n. 1 lodgings. 2 adjustment, adaptation. 3 convenient arrangement; settlement, compromise.



Fungoid  —adj. Fungus-like. —n. Fungoid plant.
Spandrel  n. Space between the curve of an arch and the surrounding rectangular moulding, or between the curves of adjoining arches and the moulding above. [origin uncertain]

Elective  adj. 1 chosen by or derived from election. 2 (of a body) having the power to elect. 3 optional, not urgently necessary.

Hobby  n. (pl. -ies) leisure-time activity pursued for pleasure. [from the name robin]
Browning  n. Additive to colour gravy.
Feckless  adj. 1 feeble, ineffective. 2 unthinking, irresponsible. [scots feck from effeck var. Of *effect]





Debt  n. 1 money etc. Owed (debt of gratitude). 2 state of owing (in debt; get into debt).  in a person's debt under obligation to a person. [latin debeo debit- owe]
Élan  n. Vivacity, dash. [french]
Reputable  adj. Of good repute; respectable. [french or medieval latin: related to *repute]
Cumulus  n. (pl. -li) cloud formation of rounded masses heaped up on a flat base. [latin, = heap]
Undetected  adj. Not detected.

Peddle  v. (-ling) 1 a sell (goods) as a pedlar. B advocate or promote. 2 sell (drugs) illegally. 3 engage in selling, esp. As a pedlar. [back-formation from *pedlar]



Topknot  n. Knot, tuft, crest, or bow of ribbon, worn or growing on the head.

Honky-tonk  n. Colloq. 1 ragtime piano music. 2 cheap or disreputable nightclub etc. [origin unknown]
Wether  n. Castrated ram. [old english]
Clubbable  adj. Sociable; fit for club membership.
Hook and eye  n. Small metal hook and loop as a fastener on a garment.







Proper  adj. 1 a accurate, correct (gave him the proper amount). B fit, suitable, right (at the proper time). 2 decent; respectable, esp. Excessively so (not quite proper). 3 (usu. Foll. By to) belonging or relating (respect proper to them). 4 (usu. Placed after the noun) strictly so called; genuine (this is the crypt, not the cathedral proper). 5 colloq. Thorough; complete (a proper row). [latin proprius one's own]
Am  1st person sing. Present of *be.

Glorious  adj. 1 possessing or conferring glory; illustrious. 2 colloq. Often iron. Splendid, excellent (glorious day; glorious muddle).  gloriously adv.
Jurassic  geol. —adj. Of the second period of the mesozoic era. —n. This era or system. [french from jura mountains]





Astronomical  adj. (also astronomic) 1 of astronomy. 2 vast, gigantic.  astronomically adv.


Dead language  n. Language no longer spoken, e.g. Latin.
Coronet  n. 1 small crown. 2 circlet of precious materials, esp. As a headdress. [french diminutive: related to *crown]



Turner  n. Person who works with a lathe.

Stipple  —v. (-ling) 1 draw or paint or engrave etc. With dots instead of lines. 2 roughen the surface of (paint, cement, etc.). —n. 1 stippling. 2 effect of stippling. [dutch]
Gig2  colloq. —n. Engagement to play music etc., usu. For one night. —v. (-gg-) perform a gig. [origin unknown]

Cool-bag  n. (also cool-box) insulated container for keeping food cool.
Soliloquy  n. (pl. -quies) 1 talking without or regardless of hearers, esp. In a play. 2 this part of a play.  soliloquist n. Soliloquize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing). [latin solus alone, loquor speak]
Balls-up  n. Coarse slang bungle, mess.
Hepatic  adj. Of the liver. [greek hepar -atos liver]
Grand slam  n. 1 sport winning of all of a group of matches etc. 2 bridge winning of 13 tricks.






Unpopulated  adj. Not populated.
Tapeworm  n. Parasitic intestinal flatworm with a segmented body.





Caste  n. 1 any of the hindu hereditary classes whose members have no social contact with other classes. 2 exclusive social class or system of classes.  lose caste descend in social order. [spanish and portuguese: related to *chaste]
Candid  adj. 1 frank; open. 2 (of a photograph) taken informally, usu. Without subject's knowledge.  candidly adv. Candidness n. [latin candidus white]




Stretch  —v. 1 draw, be drawn, or be able to be drawn out in length or size. 2 make or become taut. 3 place or lie at full length or spread out. 4 (also absol.) A extend (a limb etc.). B thrust out one's limbs and tighten one's muscles after being relaxed. 5 have a specified length or extension; extend. 6 strain or exert extremely; exaggerate (stretch the truth). —n. 1 continuous extent, expanse, or period. 2 stretching or being stretched. 3 (attrib.) Elastic (stretch fabric). 4 colloq. Period of imprisonment etc. 5 us straight side of a racetrack.  at a stretch in one period. Stretch one's legs exercise oneself by walking. Stretch out 1 extend (a limb etc.). 2 last; prolong. Stretch a point agree to something not normally allowed.  stretchy adj. (-ier, -iest). [old english]
Ophthalmia  n. Inflammation of the eye. [greek ophthalmos eye]

Luxurious  adj. 1 supplied with luxuries. 2 extremely comfortable. 3 fond of luxury.  luxuriously adv. [latin: related to *luxury]
Bubo  n. (pl. -es) inflamed swelling in the armpit or groin. [greek boubon groin]
Chassis  n. (pl. Same) 1 base-frame of a motor vehicle, carriage, etc. 2 frame to carry radio etc. Components. [latin: related to *case2]



Teaset  n. Set of crockery for serving tea.

Garden party  n. Party held on a lawn or in a garden.
Intense  adj. (intenser, intensest) 1 existing in a high degree; violent; forceful; extreme (intense joy; intense cold). 2 very emotional.  intensely adv. Intenseness n. [latin intensus stretched]
Doge  n. Hist. Chief magistrate of venice or genoa. [italian from latin dux leader]



Dash  —v. 1 rush. 2 strike or fling forcefully, esp. So as to shatter (dashed it to the ground). 3 frustrate, dispirit (dashed their hopes). 4 colloq. (esp. Dash it or dash it all) = *damn v. 1. —n. 1 rush or onset; sudden advance. 2 horizontal stroke (–) in writing or printing to mark a pause etc. 3 impetuous vigour; capacity for or appearance of this. 4 us sprinting-race. 5 longer signal of two in morse code (cf. *dot n. 2). 6 slight admixture, esp. Of a liquid. 7 = *dashboard.  dash off write or draw hurriedly. [imitative]



Shut  v. (-tt-; past and past part. Shut) 1 a move (a door, window, lid, etc.) Into position to block an opening. B close or seal (a room, box, eye, etc.) By moving a door etc. 2 become or be capable of being closed or sealed. 3 become or make closed for trade. 4 fold or contract (a book, telescope, etc.). 5 (usu. Foll. By in, out) keep in or out of a room etc. 6 (usu. Foll. By in) catch (a finger, dress, etc.) By shutting something on it. 7 bar access to.  be (or get) shut of slang be (or get) rid of. Shut down 1 stop (a factory etc.) From operating. 2 (of a factory etc.) Stop operating. Shut off 1 stop the flow of (water, gas, etc.). 2 separate from society etc. Shut out 1 exclude. 2 screen from view. 3 prevent. 4 block from the mind. Shut up 1 close all doors and windows of. 2 imprison. 3 put (a thing) away in a box etc. 4 (esp. In imper.) Colloq. Stop talking. Shut up shop close a business, shop, etc., temporarily or permanently. [old english]



Radar trap  n. Device using radar to detect speeding vehicles.

Emulsion  n. 1 fine dispersion of one liquid in another, esp. As paint, medicine, etc. 2 mixture of a silver compound in gelatin etc. For coating photographic plate or film. 3 emulsion paint. [latin mulgeo milk]
Smarm  —v. Colloq. 1 (often foll. By down) smooth, plaster flat (hair etc.). 2 be ingratiating. —n. Colloq. Obsequiousness. [dial.]
St vitus's dance  n. Disease producing involuntary convulsive movements of the body.
Marxism-leninism  n. Marxism as developed by lenin.  marxist-leninist n. & adj.

Ramify  v. (-ies, -ied) (cause to) form branches, subdivisions, or offshoots; branch out. [latin ramus branch]


Majestic  adj. Stately and dignified; imposing.  majestically adv.
Umber  —n. 1 natural pigment like ochre but darker and browner. 2 colour of this. —adj. Of this colour. [latin umbra shadow]
Musketeer  n. Hist. Soldier armed with a musket.
Eyebright  n. Plant used as a remedy for weak eyes.
Maiden over  n.  Over in cricket in which no runs are scored.

Mental age  n. Degree of mental development in terms of the average age at which such development is attained.
Pearly nautilus  see *nautilus.
Spunk  n. 1 colloq. Courage, mettle, spirit. 2 coarse slang semen. 3 touchwood. [origin unknown]

Foreshadow  v. Be a warning or indication of (a future event).

Red herring  n. Misleading clue; distraction.
Muggins  n. (pl. Same or mugginses) colloq. Gullible person (often meaning oneself: so muggins had to pay). [perhaps from the surname]


Rh  symb. Rhodium.

Periscope  n. Apparatus with a tube and mirrors or prisms, by which an observer in a trench, submerged submarine, or at the back of a crowd etc., can see things otherwise out of sight.  periscopic adj.
Sudorific  —adj. Causing sweating. —n. Sudorific drug. [latin sudor sweat]
Alliteration  n. Repetition of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words (e.g. Cool, calm, and collected).  alliterate v. (-ting). Alliterative adj. [latin: related to *letter]
Throe  n. (usu. In pl.) Violent pang, esp. Of childbirth or death.  in the throes of struggling with the task of. [old english, alteration of original throwe, perhaps by association with woe]

Folksy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 of or like folk art, culture, etc. 2 friendly, unpretentious.  folksiness n.
Excessive  adj. Too much or too great.  excessively adv.
Are2  n. Metric unit of measure, 100 square metres. [latin: related to *area]
Difficult  adj. 1 a needing much effort or skill. B troublesome, perplexing. 2 (of a person) demanding. 3 problematic.
Mould1  (us mold) —n. 1 hollow container into which a substance is poured or pressed to harden into a required shape. 2 a vessel for shaping puddings etc. B pudding etc. Made in this way. 3 form or shape. 4 frame or template for producing mouldings. 5 character or type (in heroic mould). —v. 1 make (an object) in a required shape or from certain ingredients (moulded out of clay). 2 give shape to. 3 influence the development of. [french modle from latin *modulus]

Transplant  —v. 1 plant in another place (transplanted the daffodils). 2  transfer (living tissue or an organ) to another part of the body or to another body. —n. 1  a transplanting of an organ or tissue. B such an organ etc. 2 thing, esp. A plant, transplanted.  transplantation n. [latin]


Money  n. 1 coins and banknotes as a medium of exchange. 2 (pl. -eys or -ies) (in pl.) Sums of money. 3 a wealth. B wealth as power (money talks). C rich person or family (married into money).  for my money in my opinion; for my preference. In the money colloq. Having or winning a lot of money. Money for jam (or old rope) colloq. Profit for little or no trouble. [latin moneta]

High-rise  —attrib. Adj. (of a building) having many storeys. —n. Such a building.


-er3  suffix used in a slang distortion of the word (rugger). [probably an extension of *-er1]







Bugbear  n. 1 cause of annoyance. 2 object of baseless fear. [bug = bogey]

Bore1  —v. (-ring) 1 make (a hole), esp. With a revolving tool. 2 make a hole in, hollow out. —n. 1 hollow of a firearm barrel or of a cylinder in an internal-combustion engine. 2 diameter of this. 3 deep hole made esp. To find water. [old english]
Talkback  n. (often attrib.) System of two-way communication by loudspeaker.


Wastrel  n. Good-for-nothing person.
Dope  —n. 1 a slang narcotic. B drug etc. Given to a horse, athlete, etc., to improve performance. 2 thick liquid used as a lubricant etc. 3 varnish. 4 slang stupid person. 5 slang information. —v.
Inglorious  adj. 1 shameful. 2 not famous.
Amid  prep. In the middle of, among. [old english: related to *on, *mid]
Principality  n. (pl. -ies) 1 state ruled by or government of a prince. 2 (the principality) wales.
Shallow  —adj. 1 of little depth. 2 superficial, trivial. —n. (often in pl.) Shallow place.  shallowness n. [old english]



Dal segno  adv. Mus. Repeat from the point marked by a sign. [italian, = from the sign]
Hand-pick  v. Choose carefully or personally.
Min.  Abbr. 1 minute(s). 2 minimum. 3 minim (fluid measure).
Pasteurize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) partially sterilize (milk etc.) By heating.  pasteurization n. [pasteur, name of a chemist]
Dairyman  n. Dealer in dairy products.


Paedophile  n. (us pedophile) person who displays paedophilia.
Gobbet  n. 1 piece or lump of flesh, food, etc. 2 extract from a text, esp. One set for translation or comment. [french diminutive of gobe *gob2]
Familiarize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) (usu. Foll. By with) make (a person or oneself) conversant or well acquainted.  familiarization n.

Allude  v. (-ding) (foll. By to) refer to, esp. Indirectly or briefly. [latin: related to *ad-, ludo play]
Tailplane  n. Horizontal aerofoil at the tail of an aircraft.
Lutheran  —n. 1 follower of luther. 2 member of the lutheran church. —adj. Of luther, or the protestant reformation and the doctrines associated with him.  lutheranism n. [martin luther, religious reformer]

Icelander  n. 1 native or national of iceland. 2 person of icelandic descent.
Inorganic  adj. 1 chem. (of a compound) not organic, usu. Of mineral origin. 2 without organized physical structure. 3 extraneous.


False  adj. 1 wrong, incorrect. 2 spurious, artificial. 3 improperly so called (false acacia). 4 deceptive. 5 (foll. By to) deceitful, treacherous, or unfaithful.  falsely adv. Falseness n. [latin falsus: related to *fail]

Toilet soap  n. Soap for washing oneself.

Tritium  n. Radioactive isotope of hydrogen with a mass about three times that of ordinary hydrogen. [greek tritos third]

Illegible  adj. Not legible.  illegibility n. Illegibly adv.
Hellenistic  adj. Of greek history, language, and culture of the late 4th to the late 1st c. Bc.


Strife  n. Conflict; struggle. [french estrif: related to *strive]


Pile-up  n. Colloq. Multiple crash of road vehicles.


Powder-room  n. Euphem. Women's lavatory in a public building.
Refresh  v. 1 give new spirit or vigour to. 2 revive (the memory), esp. By consulting the source of one's information.  refreshing adj. Refreshingly adv. [french: related to *fresh]
Scandalize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) offend morally; shock.

Mirth  n. Merriment, laughter.  mirthful adj. [old english: related to *merry]
Half measures  n.pl. Unsatisfactory compromise or inadequate policy.

Sphagnum  n. (pl. -na) (in full sphagnum moss) moss growing in bogs, used as packing etc. [greek sphagnos]
Civilize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 bring out of a barbarous or primitive stage of society. 2 enlighten; refine and educate. [french: related to *civil]
Oiled  adj. Slang drunk.


Highfalutin  adj. (also highfaluting) colloq. Pompous, pretentious. [origin unknown]

Booby trap  n. 1 practical joke in the form of a trap. 2 disguised explosive device triggered by the unknowing victim.
Versed  adj. (foll. By in) experienced or skilled in. [latin versor be engaged in]
Peeve  colloq. —v. (-ving) (usu. As peeved adj.) Irritate, annoy. —n. Cause or state of irritation. [back-formation from *peevish]
Wanting  adj. 1 lacking (in quality or quantity); not equal to requirements. 2 absent, not supplied.
Clement  adj. 1 (of weather) mild. 2 merciful.  clemency n. [latin clemens]
Fair2  n. 1 stalls, amusements, etc., for public entertainment. 2 periodic market, often with entertainments. 3 exhibition, esp. Commercial. [latin feriae holiday]


Mathematical tables  n.pl. Tables of logarithms and trigonometric values etc.
Residential  adj. 1 suitable for or occupied by dwellings (residential area). 2 used as a residence (residential hotel). 3 based on or connected with residence (residential course).

Precocious  adj. 1 often derog. (of esp. A child) prematurely developed in some respect. 2 (of an action etc.) Indicating such development.  precociously adv. Precociousness n. Precocity n. [latin praecox -cocis early ripe]


Unsmiling  adj. Not smiling.

Seduce  v. (-cing) 1 entice into sexual activity or wrongdoing. 2 coax or lead astray.  seducer n. [latin se- away, duco duct- lead]
Accident  n. 1 unfortunate esp. Harmful event, caused unintentionally. 2 event that is unexpected or without apparent cause.  by accident unintentionally. [latin cado fall]
Succinct  adj. Brief; concise.  succinctly adv. Succinctness n. [latin cingo cinct- gird]




Wire wool  n. Mass of fine wire for scouring or rubbing down.

Apish  adj. 1 of or like an ape. 2 foolishly imitating.
Which  —interrog. Adj. Asking for choice from a definite set of alternatives (which john do you mean?; say which book you prefer). —rel. Adj. Being the one just referred to; and this or these (ten years, during which time they admitted nothing). —interrog. Pron. 1 which person or persons? (which of you is responsible?). 2 which thing or things? (say which you prefer). —rel. Pron. (poss. Of which, whose) 1 which thing or things, usu. Introducing a clause not essential for identification (the house, which is empty, has been damaged). 2 used in place of that after in or that (there is the house in which i was born; that which you have just seen). [old english]
Hf  symb. Hafnium.
Architecture  n. 1 design and construction of buildings. 2 style of a building. 3 buildings etc. Collectively.  architectural adj.


Flag2  —n. (also flagstone) 1 flat usu. Rectangular paving stone. 2 (in pl.) Pavement of these. —v. (-gg-) pave with flags. [probably scandinavian]


Snub nose  n. Short turned-up nose.  snub-nosed adj.
Camp-bed  n. Portable folding bed.

Christian era  n. Era reckoned from christ's birth.

Quotable  adj. Worth quoting.
Knock-down  attrib. Adj. 1 overwhelming. 2 (of a price) very low. 3 (of a price at auction) reserve. 4 (of furniture etc.) Easily dismantled and reassembled.
Sufi  n. (pl. -s) muslim mystic.  sufic adj. Sufism n. [arabic]
Cough mixture  n. Liquid medicine to relieve a cough.


Cracknel  n. Light crisp biscuit. [dutch: related to *crack]
Anorak  n. Waterproof usu. Hooded jacket. [eskimo]
Armhole  n. Each of two holes for arms in a garment.


Definite  adj. 1 certain, sure. 2 clearly defined; not vague; precise.  definitely adv. [latin: related to *define]
Vervain  n. Any of several verbenas, esp. One with small blue, white, or purple flowers. [latin: related to *verbena]

Bone  —n. 1 any piece of hard tissue making up the skeleton in vertebrates. 2 (in pl.) A skeleton, esp. As remains. B body. 3 material of bones or similar material, e.g. Ivory. 4 thing made of bone. 5 (in pl.) Essentials (the bones of an agreement). 6 strip of stiffening in a corset etc. —v. (-ning) 1 remove the bones from. 2 stiffen with bone etc.  bone up (often foll. By on) colloq. Study intensively. Have a bone to pick (usu. Foll. By with) have cause for dispute (with a person). Make no bones about 1 be frank about. 2 not hesitate or scruple.  boneless adj. [old english]
Solely  adv. 1 alone (solely responsible). 2 only (did it solely out of duty).

Clue  —n. 1 fact or idea that serves as a guide, or suggests a line of inquiry, in a problem or investigation. 2 piece of evidence etc. In the detection of a crime. 3 verbal formula as a hint to what is to be inserted in a crossword. —v. (clues, clued, cluing or clueing) provide a clue to.  clue in (or up) slang inform. Not have a clue colloq. Be ignorant or incompetent. [var. Of old english clew]

Century  n. (pl. -ies) 1 a 100 years. B any century reckoned from the birth of christ (twentieth century = 1901–2000; fifth century bc = 500–401 bc). 2 score etc. Of 100 esp. By one batsman in cricket. 3 company in the ancient roman army, orig. Of 100 men. [latin centuria: related to *cent]






Neurotic  —adj. 1 caused by or relating to neurosis. 2 suffering from neurosis. 3 colloq. Abnormally sensitive or obsessive. —n. Neurotic person.  neurotically adv.





Nne  abbr. North-north-east.
Railcard  n. Pass entitling the holder to reduced rail fares.
Pass1  —v. 1 (often foll. By along, by, down, on, etc.) Move onward, esp. Past something. 2 a go past; leave on one side or behind. B overtake, esp. In a vehicle. 3 (cause to) be transferred from one person or place to another (title passes to his son; pass the butter). 4 surpass; exceed (passes all understanding). 5 get through. 6 a go unremarked or uncensured (let the matter pass). B (foll. By as, for) be accepted or known as. 7 move; cause to go (passed her hand over her face). 8 a be successful or adequate, esp. In an examination. B be successful in (an examination). C (of an examiner) judge (a candidate) to be satisfactory. 9 a (of a bill) be approved by (parliament etc.). B cause or allow (a bill) to proceed. C (of a bill or proposal) be approved. 10 occur, elapse; happen (time passes slowly; heard what passed). 11 (cause to) circulate; be current. 12 spend (time or a period) (passed the afternoon reading). 13 (also absol.) (in field games) send (the ball) to a team-mate. 14 a forgo one's turn or chance. B leave a quiz question etc. Unanswered. 15 (foll. By to, into, from) change (from one form or state to another). 16 come to an end. 17 discharge (esp. Faeces or urine) from the body. 18 (foll. By on, upon) utter (legal sentence, criticism) upon; adjudicate. —n. 1 act of passing. 2 a success in an examination. B university degree without honours. 3 a permit, esp. For admission, leave, etc. B ticket or permit giving free entry, access, travel, etc. 4 (in field games) transference of the ball to a team-mate. 5 desperate position (come to a fine pass).  in passing in the course of conversation etc. Make a pass at colloq. Make sexual advances to. Pass away 1 euphem. Die. 2 cease to exist. Pass by 1 go past. 2 disregard, omit. Pass muster see *muster. Pass off 1 (of feelings etc.) Disappear gradually. 2 (of proceedings) be carried through (in a specified way). 3 (foll. By as) misrepresent or disguise (a person or thing) as something else. 4 evade or lightly dismiss (an awkward remark etc.). Pass on 1 proceed. 2 euphem. Die. 3 transmit to the next person in a series. Pass out 1 become unconscious. 2 complete military training. Pass over 1 omit, ignore, or disregard. 2 ignore the claims of (a person) to promotion etc. 3 euphem. Die. Pass round 1 distribute. 2 give to one person after another.  Pass the time of day see *time. Pass up colloq. Refuse or neglect (an opportunity etc.). Pass water urinate. [latin passus *pace1]
Sour grapes  n.pl. Resentful disparagement of something one covets.
Multitude  n. 1 (often foll. By of) great number. 2 large gathering of people; crowd. 3 (the multitude) the common people. [french from latin]
Delouse  v. (-sing) rid of lice.

Tudor  adj. 1 of the royal family of england 1485–1603 or this period. 2 of the architectural style of this period, esp. With half-timbering. [owen tudor, name of the grandfather of henry vii]
Cross-section  n. 1 a a cutting across a solid. B plane surface so produced. C drawing etc. Of this. 2 representative sample.  cross-sectional adj.
Plagiarize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 (also absol.) Take and pass off (another's thoughts, writings, etc.) As one's own. 2 pass off the thoughts etc. Of (another person) as one's own.  plagiarism n. Plagiarist n. Plagiarizer n. [latin plagiarius kidnapper]
Extend  v. 1 lengthen or make larger in space or time. 2 stretch or lay out at full length. 3 (foll. By to, over) reach or be or make continuous over a specified area. 4 (foll. By to) have a specified scope (permit does not extend to camping). 5 offer or accord (an invitation, hospitality, kindness, etc.). 6 (usu. Refl. Or in passive) tax the powers of (an athlete, horse, etc.).  extendible adj. (also extensible). [latin extendo -tens-: related to *tend1]

Humidity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 dampness. 2 degree of moisture, esp. In the atmosphere.


Explanatory  adj. Serving or designed to explain.





Wade  —v. (-ding) 1 walk through water, mud, etc., esp. With difficulty. 2 (foll. By through) go through (a tedious task, book, etc.). 3 (foll. By into) colloq. Attack (a person or task) vigorously. —n. Spell of wading.  wade in colloq. Make a vigorous attack or intervention. [old english]
High water  n. = *high tide.

Sonic barrier  n. = *sound barrier.
Ferris wheel  n. Tall revolving vertical wheel with passenger cars in fairgrounds etc. [ferris, name of its inventor]


Subsonic  adj. Of speeds less than that of sound.


Primary school  n. School for children below the age of 11.
Swig  —v. (-gg-) colloq. Drink in large draughts. —n. Swallow of drink, esp. Large. [origin unknown]
Midriff  n. Front of the body just above the waist. [old english, = mid-belly]


Bint  n. Slang, usu. Offens. Girl or woman. [arabic]
Prussian blue  n. & adj. (as adj. Often hyphenated) deep blue (pigment).

Foil2  n. 1 metal rolled into a very thin sheet. 2 person or thing setting off another to advantage. [latin folium leaf]

Punitive  adj. 1 inflicting or intended to inflict punishment. 2 (of taxation etc.) Extremely severe. [french or medieval latin: related to *punish]
Slacker  n. Shirker.
Foetus  n. (us fetus) (pl. -tuses) unborn mammalian offspring, esp. A human embryo of eight weeks or more.  foetal adj. [latin fetus offspring]

Old-time  attrib. Adj. Belonging to former times (old-time dancing).
Well-founded  adj. (of suspicions etc.) Based on good evidence.
Queue-jump  v. Push forward out of turn in a queue.


Spurn  v. Reject with disdain or contempt.  [old english]
Rule  —n. 1 compulsory principle governing action. 2 prevailing custom or standard; normal state of things. 3 government or dominion (under british rule). 4 graduated straight measure; ruler. 5 code of discipline of a religious order. 6 order made by a judge or court with reference to a particular case only. 7 printing thin line or dash. —v. (-ling) 1 dominate; keep under control. 2 (often foll. By over) have sovereign control of (rules over a vast kingdom). 3 (often foll. By that) pronounce authoritatively. 4 a make parallel lines across (paper). B make (a straight line) with a ruler etc.  as a rule usually. Rule out exclude; pronounce irrelevant or ineligible. Rule the roost be in control. [latin regula]
Bargee  n. Person sailing a barge.
Bonsai  n. (pl. Same) 1 dwarfed tree or shrub. 2 art of growing these. [japanese]



Font2  var. Of *fount2.

Stalking-horse  n. 1 horse concealing a hunter. 2 pretext concealing one's real intentions or actions. 3 weak political candidate forcing an election in the hope of a more serious contender coming forward.

Jojoba  n. Plant with seeds yielding an oily extract used in cosmetics etc. [mexican spanish]




List1  —n. 1 number of items, names, etc., written or printed together as a record or aid to memory. 2 (in pl.) A palisades enclosing an area for a tournament. B scene of a contest. —v. 1 make a list of. 2 enter in a list. 3 (as listed adj.) A (of securities) approved for dealings on the stock exchange. B (of a building) of historical importance and officially protected.  enter the lists issue or accept a challenge. [old english]




Remedy  —n. (pl. -ies) (often foll. By for, against) 1 medicine or treatment. 2 means of counteracting or removing anything undesirable. 3 redress; legal or other reparation. —v. (-ies, -ied) rectify; make good.  remediable adj. [latin remedium from medeor heal]

Oversteer  —n. Tendency of a vehicle to turn more sharply than was intended. —v. (of a vehicle) exhibit oversteer.

Hereford  n. Animal of a breed of red and white beef cattle. [hereford in england]
Doorman  n. Person on duty at the door to a large building.
Ham-fisted  adj. (also ham-handed) colloq. Clumsy.
Freethinker  n. Person who rejects dogma or authority, esp. In religious belief.  freethinking n. & adj.

Nitro-  comb. Form of or containing nitric acid, nitre, or nitrogen. [greek: related to *nitre]
Syphilis  n. Contagious venereal disease.  syphilitic adj. [syphilus, name of a character in a poem of 1530]
Antiseptic  —adj. 1 counteracting sepsis, esp. By destroying germs. 2 sterile, uncontaminated. 3 lacking character. —n. Antiseptic agent.
Viva1  colloq. —n. (pl. -s) = *viva voce. —v. (vivas, vivaed, vivaing) = viva-voce. [abbreviation]


Worcester sauce  n. A pungent sauce. [worcester in england]
Première  —n. First performance or showing of a play or film. —v. (-ring) give a première of. [french feminine: related to *premier]
Follicle  n. Small sac or vesicle in the body, esp. One containing a hair-root.  follicular adj. [latin diminutive of follis bellows]

Earthly  adj. 1 of the earth or human life on it; terrestrial. 2 (usu. With neg.) Colloq. Remotely possible (is no earthly use; there wasn't an earthly reason).  not an earthly colloq. No chance or idea whatever.
Pillion  n. Seating for a passenger behind a motor cyclist.  ride pillion travel seated behind a motor cyclist. [gaelic pillean small cushion]


Whip  —n. 1 lash attached to a stick for urging on animals or punishing etc. 2 a member of a political party in parliament appointed to control its discipline and tactics. B whips' written notice requesting or requiring attendance for voting at a division etc., variously underlined according to the degree of urgency (three-line whip). C (prec. By the) party discipline and instructions (asked for the labour whip). 3 dessert made with whipped cream etc. 4 = *whipper-in. —v. (-pp-) 1 beat or urge on with a whip. 2 beat (cream or eggs etc.) Into a froth. 3 take or move suddenly, unexpectedly, or rapidly (whipped out a knife; whipped behind the door). 4 slang steal. 5 slang a excel. B defeat. 6 bind with spirally wound twine. 7 sew with overcast stitches.  whip in bring (hounds) together. Whip on urge into action. Whip up excite or stir up. [low german or dutch]

Id  n. Person's inherited unconscious psychological impulses. [latin, = that]




Physiology  n. 1 science of the functions of living organisms and their parts. 2 these functions.  physiological adj. Physiologist n. [latin: related to *physic, *-logy]




Assign  —v. 1 (usu. Foll. By to) a allot as a share or responsibility. B appoint to a position, task, etc. 2 fix (a time, place, etc.). 3 (foll. By to) ascribe to (a reason, date, etc.) (assigned the manuscript to 1832). 4 (foll. By to) law transfer formally (esp. Property) to (another). —n. Assignee.  assigner n. Assignor n. Law. [latin assigno mark out]
Shoelace  n. Cord for lacing up shoes.
Fellowship  n. 1 friendly association with others, companionship. 2 body of associates. 3 status or income of a fellow of a college or society.
Hammer  —n. 1 a tool with a heavy metal head at right angles to its handle, used for driving nails etc. B similar device, as for exploding the charge in a gun, striking the strings of a piano, etc. 2 auctioneer's mallet. 3 metal ball attached to a wire for throwing in an athletic contest. —v. 1 a hit or beat with or as with a hammer. B strike loudly. 2 a drive in (nails) with a hammer. B fasten or secure by hammering (hammered the lid down). 3 (usu. Foll. By in) inculcate (ideas, knowledge, etc.) Forcefully or repeatedly. 4 colloq. Defeat utterly; beat up. 5 (foll. By at, away at) work hard or persistently at.  come under the hammer be sold at auction. Hammer out 1 make flat or smooth by hammering. 2 work out details of (a plan etc.) Laboriously. 3 play (a tune, esp. On the piano) loudly or clumsily.  hammering n. (esp. In sense 4 of v.). [old english]
Headline  n. 1 heading at the top of an article or page, esp. In a newspaper. 2 (in pl.) Summary of the most important items in a news bulletin.


Provoke  v. (-king) 1 (often foll. By to, or to + infin.) Rouse or incite (provoked him to fury). 2 call forth; instigate; cause (indignation, an inquiry, process, etc.). 3 (usu. Foll. By into + verbal noun) irritate or stimulate (a person) (provoked him into retaliating). 4 tempt; allure.
Bouillon  n. Clear broth. [french bouillir to boil]

Hillock  n. Small hill, mound.


Boer  —n. South african of dutch descent. —adj. Of the boers. [dutch, = farmer]

Handset  n. Telephone mouthpiece and earpiece as one unit.
Ebullient  adj. Exuberant.  ebullience n. Ebulliency n. Ebulliently adv. [latin: related to *boil1]





Limp2  adj. 1 not stiff or firm. 2 without energy or will.  limply adv. Limpness n. [perhaps from *limp1]
Curio  n. (pl. -s) rare or unusual object. [abbreviation of *curiosity]




Ground control  n. Personnel directing the landing etc. Of aircraft etc.





Footstool  n. Stool for resting the feet on when sitting.


Pleura  n. (pl. -rae) membrane enveloping the lungs.  pleural adj. [greek pleura rib]
Plane3  n. Tall tree with maple-like leaves and bark which peels in uneven patches. [greek platanos]

Border terrier  n. Small rough-haired terrier.
Fervent  adj. Ardent, intense (fervent admirer).  fervency n. Fervently adv. [latin ferveo boil]
Lawrencium  n. Artificially made transuranic metallic element. [lawrence, name of a physicist]



Aweigh  predic. Adj. (of an anchor) clear of the bottom.
Water-closet  n. Lavatory that can be flushed.

Police dog  n. Dog, esp. An alsatian, used in police work.
Inverted commas  n.pl. = *quotation marks.

Harlot  n. Archaic prostitute.  harlotry n. [french, = knave]
Usage  this examination was replaced in 1988 by the general certificate of secondary education (gcse).



Set-back  n. Reversal or arrest of progress; relapse.
Brontosaurus  n. (pl. -ruses) large plant-eating dinosaur with a long whiplike tail. [greek bronte thunder, sauros lizard]
Erythrocyte  n. Red blood cell. [greek eruthros red, *-cyte]
Ingratiate  v.refl. (-ting) (usu. Foll. By with) bring oneself into favour.  ingratiating adj. Ingratiatingly adv. [latin in gratiam into favour]


Rest2  —n. (prec. By the) the remaining part or parts; the others; the remainder of some quantity or number. —v. 1 remain in a specified state (rest assured). 2 (foll. By with) be left in the hands or charge of (the final arrangements rest with you).  for the rest as regards anything else. [french rester remain]
Flower power  n. Peace and love, esp. As a political idea.

Whip-round  n. Colloq. Informal collection of money among a group of people.

Foreign office  n. Hist. Or informal = *foreign and commonwealth office.

Editorial  —adj. 1 of editing or editors. 2 written or approved by an editor. —n. Article giving a newspaper's views on a current topic.  editorially adv.
Easy  —adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 not difficult; not requiring great effort. 2 free from pain, trouble, or anxiety. 3 free from constraint; relaxed and pleasant. 4 compliant. —adv. With ease; in an effortless or relaxed manner. —int. Go or move carefully.  easy on the eye (or ear etc.) Colloq. Pleasant to look at (or listen to etc.). Go easy (foll. By with, on) be sparing or cautious. I'm easy colloq. I have no preference. Take it easy 1 proceed gently. 2 relax; work less.  easiness n. [french: related to *ease]






Undiluted  adj. 1 not diluted. 2 complete, utter.

Economize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 be economical; make economies; reduce expenditure. 2 (foll. By on) use sparingly.
Check  —v. 1 a examine the accuracy or quality of. B make sure, verify. 2 a stop or slow the motion of; curb. B colloq. Rebuke. 3 chess directly threaten (the opposing king). 4 us agree on comparison. 5 us mark with a tick etc. 6 us deposit (luggage etc.). —n. 1 means or act of testing or ensuring accuracy, quality, etc. 2 a stopping or slowing of motion. B rebuff or rebuke. C person or thing that restrains. 3 a pattern of small squares. B fabric so patterned. C (attrib.) So patterned. 4 (also as int.) Chess exposure of a king to direct attack. 5 us restaurant bill. 6 us = *cheque. 7 esp. Us token of identification for left luggage etc. 8 us cards counter used in games. 9 temporary loss of the scent in hunting.  check in 1 arrive or register at a hotel, airport, etc. 2 record the arrival of. Check into register one's arrival at (a hotel etc.). Check off mark on a list etc. As having been examined. Check on examine, verify, keep watch on. Check out 1 (often foll. By of) leave a hotel etc. With due formalities. 2 esp. Us investigate. Check up make sure, verify. Check up on = check on. [persian, = king]

Parachute  —n. Rectangular or umbrella-shaped apparatus allowing a slow and safe descent esp. From an aircraft, or used to retard forward motion etc. (often attrib.: parachute troops). —v. (-ting) convey or descend by parachute.  parachutist n. [french: related to *para-2, *chute1]
Wrist-watch  n. Small watch worn on a strap etc. Round the wrist.


Stole1  n. 1 woman's garment like a long wide scarf, worn over the shoulders. 2 strip of silk etc. Worn similarly by a priest. [greek stole equipment, clothing]


Value  —n. 1 worth, desirability, or utility, or the qualities on which these depend. 2 worth as estimated (set a high value on my time). 3 amount for which a thing can be exchanged in the open market. 4 equivalent of a thing. 5 (in full value for money) something well worth the money spent. 6 effectiveness (news value). 7 (in pl.) One's principles, priorities, or standards. 8 mus. Duration of a note. 9 math. Amount denoted by an algebraic term. —v. (-ues, -ued, -uing) 1 estimate the value of, esp. Professionally. 2 have a high or specified opinion of.  valueless adj. Valuer n. [french past part. Of valoir be worth, from latin valeo]


Ready reckoner  n. Book or table listing standard numerical calculations as used esp. In commerce.



Prizefight  n. Boxing-match fought for a prize of money.  prizefighter n.
Expend  v. Spend or use up (money, time, etc.). [latin pendo pens- weigh]


-ist  suffix forming personal nouns denoting: 1 adherent of a system etc. In -ism: (marxist; fatalist). 2 person pursuing, using, or concerned with something as an interest or profession (balloonist; tobacconist). 3 person who does something expressed by a verb in -ize (plagiarist). 4 person who subscribes to a prejudice or practises discrimination (racist; sexist). [greek -istes]
Spirochaete  n. Any of various flexible spiral-shaped bacteria. [latin from greek speira coil, khaite long hair]

Tape  —n. 1 narrow strip of woven material for tying up, fastening, etc. 2 this across the finishing line of a race. 3 (in full adhesive tape) strip of adhesive plastic etc. For fastening, masking, insulating, etc. 4 a = *magnetic tape. B reel or cassette containing this. C tape recording. 5 = *tape-measure. —v. (-ping) 1 a fasten or join etc. With tape. B apply tape to. 2 (foll. By off) seal or mark off with tape. 3 record on magnetic tape. 4 measure with tape.  have (or get) a person or thing taped colloq. Understand (him, it, etc.) Fully. [old english]
Wee-wee  colloq. —n. 1 act of urinating. 2 urine. —v. (-wees, -weed) urinate. [origin unknown]
Confront  v. 1 a face in hostility or defiance. B face up to and deal with. 2 (of a difficulty etc.) Present itself to. 3 (foll. By with) bring (a person) face to face with (an accusation etc.). 4 meet or stand facing.  confrontation n. Confrontational adj. [french from medieval latin]





Drugget  n. Coarse woven fabric used for floor coverings etc. [french]



Rpo  abbr. Royal philharmonic orchestra.

Tosa  n. Dog of a breed of mastiff, orig. Kept for dog-fighting. [japanese]
Fm  abbr. 1 field marshal. 2 frequency modulation.


Tannic acid  n. Natural yellowish organic compound used as a mordant and astringent.
Thesaurus  n. (pl. -ri or -ruses) book that lists words in groups of synonyms and related concepts. [greek: related to *treasure]

Statistics  n.pl. 1 (usu. Treated as sing.) Science of collecting and analysing significant numerical data. 2 such analysed data.  statistician n.
Value judgement  n. Subjective estimate of worth etc.
Squeamish  adj. 1 easily nauseated or disgusted. 2 fastidious.  squeamishly adv. Squeamishness n. [anglo-french escoymos]


Conflagration  n. Great and destructive fire. [latin: related to *flagrant]
Heron  n. Long-legged wading bird with a long s-shaped neck. [french from germanic]



Tonnage  n. 1 ship's internal cubic capacity or freight-carrying capacity. 2 charge per ton on freight or cargo. [related to *ton]

Chaparral  n. Us dense tangled brushwood. [spanish]
Hick  n. (often attrib.) Esp. Us colloq. Country bumpkin, provincial. [familiar form of richard]


Cockroach  n. Flat dark-brown beetle-like insect infesting kitchens, bathrooms, etc. [spanish cucaracha]


Bail3  v. (also bale) 1 (usu. Foll. By out) scoop water out of (a boat etc.). 2 scoop (water etc.) Out.  bail out var. Of bale out 1 (see *bale1). [french]
Life cycle  n. Series of changes in the life of an organism, including reproduction.
Vernal  adj. Of or in spring. [latin ver spring]
Oil well  n. Well from which mineral oil is drawn.
Partake  v. (-king; past partook; past part. Partaken) 1 (foll. By of, in) take a share or part. 2 (foll. By of) eat or drink some or colloq. All (of a thing). [back-formation from partaker = part-taker]


Typo  n. (pl. -s) colloq. Typographical error. [abbreviation]
Chiropractic  n. Treatment of disease by manipulation of esp. The spinal column.  chiropractor n. [greek pratto do]
Episcopalian  —adj. 1 of episcopacy. 2 of an episcopal church or (episcopalian) the episcopal church. —n. 1 adherent of episcopacy. 2 (episcopalian) member of the episcopal church.  episcopalianism n.

Leveller  n. (us leveler) 1 person who advocates the abolition of social distinctions. 2 person or thing that levels.

Reafforest  v. Replant (former forest land) with trees.  reafforestation n.
Repugnance  n. 1 antipathy; aversion. 2 inconsistency or incompatibility of ideas etc. [latin pugno fight]

Hiding2  n. 1 act of hiding. 2 state of remaining hidden (go into hiding). [from *hide1]
Unceremonious  adj. 1 abrupt; discourteous. 2 informal.  unceremoniously adv.

Strode  past of *stride.
Sunken  adj. 1 at a lower level; submerged. 2 (of the cheeks etc.) Hollow, depressed. [past part. Of *sink]

Smithy  n. (pl. -ies) blacksmith's workshop, forge. [related to *smith]

X-ray  —n. 1 (in pl.) Electromagnetic radiation of short wavelength, able to pass through opaque bodies. 2 photograph made by x-rays, esp. Showing the position of bones etc. By their greater absorption of the rays. —v. Photograph, examine, or treat with x-rays. [x, originally with ref. To the unknown nature of the rays]
Pettifog  v. (-gg-) 1 practise legal trickery. 2 quibble or wrangle about trivial points. [origin unknown]

Caddis-fly  n. Small nocturnal insect living near water. [origin unknown]
Predominant  adj. 1 predominating. 2 being the strongest or main element.  predominance n. Predominantly adv.




Comprehensible  adj. That can be understood. [latin: related to *comprehend]

Planner  n. 1 person who plans new towns etc. 2 person who makes plans. 3 list, table, etc., with information helpful in planning.

Loafer  n. 1 idle person. 2 (loafer) propr. Flat soft-soled leather shoe. [origin uncertain]
Diplodocus  n. (pl. -cuses) giant plant-eating dinosaur with a long neck and tail. [greek diplous double, dokos wooden beam]
Khaki  —adj. Dull brownish-yellow. —n. (pl. -s) 1 khaki fabric or uniform. 2 dull brownish-yellow colour. [urdu, = dusty]
Second wind  n. 1 recovery of normal breathing during exercise after initial breathlessness. 2 renewed energy to continue.
Rotor  n. 1 rotary part of a machine. 2 rotary aerofoil on a helicopter, providing lift. [related to *rotate]
Virgin birth  n. 1 (usu. Preceded by the) doctrine of christ's birth from a virgin mother. 2 parthenogenesis.


Peacemaker  n. Person who brings about peace.  peacemaking n. & adj.
Naphtha  n. Inflammable hydrocarbon distilled from coal etc. [latin from greek]

Subscription  —n. 1 a act of subscribing. B money subscribed. 2 membership fee, esp. Paid regularly. —attrib. Adj. Paid for mainly by advance sales of tickets (subscription concert).
Sounding-rod  n. Rod used in sounding water in a ship's hold.
Rent1  —n. 1 tenant's periodical payment to an owner for the use of land or premises. 2 payment for the use of equipment etc. —v. 1 (often foll. By from) take, occupy, or use at a rent. 2 (often foll. By out) let or hire (a thing) for rent. 3 (foll. By at) be let at a specified rate. [french rente: related to *render]



Curdle  v. (-ling) form into curds; congeal.  make one's blood curdle horrify one. [from *curd]

Allusion  n. (often foll. By to) passing or indirect reference.  allusive adj. [latin: related to *allude]
Starting price  n. Odds ruling at the start of a horse-race.
Samson  n. Person of great strength. [samson in the old testament]
Askance  adv. Sideways or squinting.  look askance at regard suspiciously. [origin unknown]
Strafe  v. (-fing) bombard; attack with gunfire. [german, = punish]

Vicious  adj. 1 bad-tempered, spiteful (vicious dog, remark). 2 violent (vicious attack). 3 corrupt, depraved. 4 (of reasoning etc.) Faulty, unsound.  viciously adv. Viciousness n. [latin: related to *vice1]

Scrimp  v. Skimp. [origin unknown]

Glanders  n.pl. Contagious disease of horses. [french glandre: related to *gland]


Crystalloid  n. Substance that in solution is able to pass through a semipermeable membrane.
Disconsolate  adj. Forlorn, unhappy, disappointed.  disconsolately adv. [latin: related to *dis-, *solace]





Strand1  —v. 1 run aground. 2 (as stranded adj.) In difficulties, esp. Without money or transport. —n. Foreshore; beach. [old english]

Light middleweight  n. 1 weight in amateur boxing of 67–71 kg. 2 amateur boxer of this weight.
Knives  pl. Of *knife.

Radius  n. (pl. Radii or radiuses) 1 a straight line from the centre to the circumference of a circle or sphere. B length of this. 2 distance from a centre (within a radius of 20 miles). 3 a thicker and shorter of the two bones in the human forearm. B corresponding bone in a vertebrate's foreleg or a bird's wing. [latin]

Sleazy  adj. (-ier, -iest) squalid, tawdry.  sleazily adv. Sleaziness n. [origin unknown]
Gosh  int. Expressing surprise. [euphemism for *god]

Hácek  n. Diacritic (  ) placed over a letter to modify its sound in some languages. [czech, diminutive of hák hook]
Emperor  n. Sovereign of an empire. [latin impero command]

Blether  var. Of *blather.

Interconnect  v. Connect with each other.  interconnection n.
Spoliation  n. Plundering, pillage. [latin: related to *spoil]
Oscillate  v. (-ting) 1 (cause to) swing to and fro. 2 vacillate; vary between extremes. 3  (of an electric current) undergo high-frequency alternations.  oscillation n. Oscillator n. [latin oscillo swing]


Skirt  —n. 1 woman's garment hanging from the waist. 2 the part of a coat etc. Hanging below the waist. 3 hanging part at the base of a hovercraft. 4 (in sing. Or pl.) Edge, border, extreme part. 5 (also bit of skirt) slang offens. Woman. 6 (in full skirt of beef etc.) Cut of meat from the flank or diaphragm. —v. (often foll. By around) 1 go or lie along or round the edge of. 2 avoid dealing with (an issue etc.). [old norse: related to *shirt]
Bankrupt  —adj. 1 legally declared insolvent. 2 (often foll. By of) exhausted or drained (of emotion etc.). —n. Insolvent person, esp. One whose assets are used to repay creditors. —v. Make bankrupt.  bankruptcy n. (pl. -ies). [italian banca rotta broken bench: related to *bank2]

Barrage balloon  n. Large anchored balloon used as a defence against low-flying aircraft.
One-way  adj. Allowing movement, travel, etc., in one direction only.
Blue book  n. Report issued by parliament or the privy council.


Leading light  n. Prominent and influential person.
Rite of passage  n. (often in pl.) Event marking a change or stage in life, e.g. Marriage.
Bibulous  adj. Tending to drink alcohol. [latin bibo drink]



Propensity  n. (pl. -ies) inclination, tendency. [latin propensus inclined]

Bulwark  n. 1 defensive wall, esp. Of earth. 2 protecting person or thing. 3 (usu. In pl.) Ship's side above deck. [low german or dutch]
Division  n. 1 dividing or being divided. 2 dividing one number by another. 3 disagreement (division of opinion). 4 parl. Separation of members for counting votes. 5 one of two or more parts into which a thing is divided. 6 unit of administration, esp. A group of army brigades, regiments, or teams in a sporting league.  divisional adj.


Rn  abbr. Royal navy.
Central nervous system  n. Brain and spinal cord.
Basketball  n. 1 game in which goals are scored by putting the ball through high nets. 2 ball used in this.



Conjunction  n. 1 joining; connection. 2 gram. Word used to connect clauses or sentences or words in the same clause (e.g. And, but, if). 3 combination (of events or circumstances). 4 apparent proximity to each other of two bodies in the solar system.


Number-plate  n. Plate on a vehicle showing its registration number.

Dinette  n. Small room or alcove for eating meals.

Twang  —n. 1 sound made by a plucked string or released bowstring. 2 nasal quality of a voice. —v. (cause to) emit this sound.  twangy adj. [imitative]

Insidious  adj. 1 proceeding inconspicuously but harmfully. 2 crafty.  insidiously adv. Insidiousness n. [latin insidiae ambush]

Hip hop  n. (also hip-hop) subculture combining rap music, graffiti art, and break-dancing. [from *hip4]

Inconsistent  adj. Not consistent.  inconsistency n. (pl. -ies). Inconsistently adv.
Sniffer  n. Person who sniffs, esp. A drug etc. (often in comb.: glue-sniffer).


Appetite  n. 1 natural craving, esp. For food or sexual activity. 2 (usu. Foll. By for) inclination or desire. [latin peto seek]
Snorkel   —n. 1 breathing-tube for an underwater swimmer. 2 device for supplying air to a submerged submarine. —v. (-ll-; us -l-) use a snorkel. [german schnorchel]
Strikebreaker  n. Person working or employed in place of strikers.

Hypersonic  adj. 1 of speeds of more than five times that of sound. 2 of sound-frequencies above about a thousand million hertz.





Householder  n. 1 person who owns or rents a house. 2 head of a household.
Unidentified  adj. Not identified.
Land line  n. Means of telecommunication over land.
Pep pill  n. Pill containing a stimulant drug.
Coo  —n. Soft murmuring sound as of a dove. —v. (coos, cooed) 1 emit a coo. 2 talk or say in a soft or amorous voice. —int. Slang expressing surprise or disbelief. [imitative]

Theatre  n. (us theater) 1 building or outdoor area for dramatic performances. 2 writing and production of plays. 3 room or hall for lectures etc. With seats in tiers. 4 operating theatre. 5 a scene or field of action (the theatre of war). B (attrib.) Designating weapons intermediate between tactical and strategic. [greek theatron]
Kaleyard  n. Scot. Kitchen garden.
Momma  n. Us colloq. Mother. [var. Of *mama]
Spoiler  n. 1 retarding device on an aircraft, interrupting the air flow. 2 similar device on a vehicle to increase contact with the ground at speed.
High-rise  —attrib. Adj. (of a building) having many storeys. —n. Such a building.
Cahoots  n.pl.  in cahoots slang in collusion. [origin uncertain]
Helpful  adj. Giving help; useful.  helpfully adv. Helpfulness n.
Wrist  n. 1 joint connecting the hand with the arm. 2 part of a garment covering this. [old english]



Living wage  n. Wage on which one can live without privation.

Dividend  n. 1 share of profits paid to shareholders or to winners in a football pool etc. 2 number to be divided. 3 benefit from an action. [anglo-french: related to *divide]
Waffle1  colloq. —n. Verbose but aimless or ignorant talk or writing. —v. (-ling) indulge in waffle. [dial., = yelp]


Marble cake  n. Mottled cake of light and dark sponge.
Phi  n. Twenty-first letter of the greek alphabet (f, f). [greek]

Collective  —adj. Of, by, or relating to a group or society as a whole; joint; shared. —n. 1 cooperative enterprise; its members. 2 = *collective noun.  collectively adv.
Palanquin  n. (also palankeen) (in india and the east) covered litter for one. [portuguese]


Death certificate  n. Official statement of a person's death.


Bi  symb. Bismuth.

Prate  —v. (-ting) 1 chatter; talk too much. 2 talk foolishly or irrelevantly. —n. Prating; idle talk. [low german or dutch]

Sonic  adj. Of or using sound or sound waves. [latin sonus sound]
Unquestioned  adj. Not disputed or doubted; definite, certain.

Impressionable  adj. Easily influenced.  impressionability n. Impressionably adv.

Vizier  n. Hist. High official in some muslim countries. [ultimately from arabic]
Insalubrious  adj. (of a climate or place) unhealthy.
Nuclear energy  n. Energy obtained by nuclear fission or fusion.


Cross-grain  n. Grain in timber, running across the regular grain.
Mosquito  n. (pl. -es) biting insect, esp. One of which the female punctures the skin with a long proboscis to suck blood. [spanish and portuguese, diminutive of mosca fly]
Non-aligned  adj. (of a state) not aligned with a major power.  non-alignment n.


Fetid  adj. (also foetid) stinking. [latin feteo stink]
Unwashed  adj. Not washed or clean.  the great unwashed colloq. The rabble.
Harmony  n. (pl. -ies) 1 combination of simultaneously sounded musical notes to produce chords and chord progressions, esp. As creating a pleasing effect. 2 a apt or aesthetic arrangement of parts. B pleasing effect of this. 3 agreement, concord.  in harmony 1 in agreement. 2 (of singing etc.) Producing chords; not discordant. [greek harmonia joining]



Toaster  n. Electrical device for making toast.


Wheelchair  n. Chair on wheels for an invalid or disabled person.
Secant  n. Math. 1 ratio of the hypotenuse to the shorter side adjacent to an acute angle (in a right-angled triangle). 2 line cutting a curve at one or more points. [french]
Straight eye  n. Ability to detect deviation from the straight.
Sterling silver  n. Silver of 921/2% purity.

Standing-room  n. Space to stand in.
Grinder  n. 1 person or thing that grinds, esp. A machine. 2 molar tooth.
Banderole  n. 1 long narrow flag with a cleft end. 2 ribbon-like inscribed scroll. [italian: related to *banner]




Journal  n. 1 newspaper or periodical. 2 daily record of events; diary. 3 book in which transactions and accounts are entered. 4 part of a shaft or axle that rests on bearings. [latin diurnalis *diurnal]


L/cpl  abbr. Lance-corporal.
Breve  n. 1 mus. Note twice the length of a semibreve. 2 mark (  ) indicating a short or unstressed vowel. [var. Of *brief]

Decennial  adj. Lasting, recurring every, ten years. [latin decem ten, annus year]


Weary  —adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 very tired after exertion or endurance. 2 (foll. By of) no longer interested in, tired of. 3 tiring, tedious. —v. (-ies, -ied) make or grow weary.  wearily adv. Weariness n. [old english]
Wherefore  —adv. Archaic 1 for what reason? 2 for which reason. —n. See *why.

Spangle  —n. Small piece of glittering material, esp. One of many used to ornament a dress etc.; sequin. —v. (-ling) (esp. As spangled adj.) Cover with or as with spangles (star-spangled). [obsolete spang from dutch]
Undisputed  adj. Not disputed or called in question.



Bulkhead  n. Upright partition in a ship, aircraft, etc.



Sago  n. (pl. -s) 1 a starch used in puddings etc. 2 (in full sago palm) any of several tropical palms and cycads yielding this. [malay]

Rode  past of *ride.

Cognac  n. High-quality brandy, properly that distilled in cognac in w. France.
Caries  n. (pl. Same) decay of a tooth or bone. [latin]
Deci-  comb. Form one-tenth. [latin decimus tenth]
Breastwork  n. Low temporary defence or parapet.



Sympathetic  adj. 1 of or expressing sympathy. 2 pleasant, likeable. 3 (foll. By to) favouring (a proposal etc.).  sympathetically adv.
He's  contr. 1 he is. 2 he has.



Hit-or-miss  adj. Liable to error, random.




Applicator  n. Device for applying ointment etc.
Crayon  —n. Stick or pencil of coloured chalk, wax, etc. —v. Draw with crayons. [french craie chalk]
Centralize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 concentrate (esp. Administration) at a single centre. 2 subject (a state) to this system.  centralization n.
E-  prefix see *ex-1 before some consonants.
Synoptic gospels  n.pl. Gospels of matthew, mark, and luke.
Mandarin  n. 1 (mandarin) official language of china. 2 hist. Chinese official. 3 powerful person, esp. A top civil servant. 4 (in full mandarin orange) = *tangerine 1. [hindi mantri]
Akela  n. Adult leader of cub scouts. [name of the leader of the wolf-pack in kipling's jungle book]
Mucous  adj. Of or covered with mucus.  mucosity n. [latin mucosus: related to *mucus]



Base1  —n. 1 a part supporting from beneath or serving as a foundation. B notional support or foundation (power base). 2 principle or starting-point. 3 esp. Mil. Headquarters. 4 main or important ingredient. 5 number in terms of which other numbers or logarithms are expressed. 6 substance capable of combining with an acid to form a salt. 7 baseball etc. Each of the four stations on a pitch. —v. (-sing) 1 (usu. Foll. By on, upon) found or establish (a theory, hope, etc.). 2 station (troops based in malta). [greek basis stepping]


Mania  n. 1 mental illness marked by excitement and violence. 2 (often foll. By for) excessive enthusiasm; obsession. [greek mainomai be mad]



Namby-pamby  —adj. Insipidly pretty or sentimental; weak. —n. (pl. -ies) namby-pamby person. [fanciful formulation on the name of the writer ambrose philips]
Technocracy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 rule or control by technical experts. 2 instance or application of this. [greek tekhne art]

Volcano  n. (pl. -es) 1 mountain or hill from which lava, steam, etc. Escape through openings in the earth's crust. 2 volatile situation. [latin volcanus vulcan, roman god of fire]





Acquaint  v. (usu. Foll. By with) make aware of or familiar with (acquaint me with the facts).  be acquainted with have personal knowledge of; know slightly. [latin: related to *ad-, *cognizance]
Sewing  n. Material or work to be sewn.
Love affair  n. Romantic or sexual relationship between two people.
Megawatt  n. One million watts, esp. As a measure of electrical power.
Shoulder  —n. 1 part of the body at which the arm, foreleg, or wing is attached. 2 either of the two projections below the neck. 3 upper foreleg of an animal as meat. 4 (often in pl.) Shoulder regarded as supportive, comforting, etc. (a shoulder to cry on; has broad shoulders). 5 strip of land next to a road. 6 the part of a garment covering the shoulder. —v. 1 a push with the shoulder. B make one's way thus. 2 take on (a burden etc.).  put one's shoulder to the wheel make a great effort. Shoulder arms hold a rifle with the barrel against the shoulder and the butt in the hand. Shoulder to shoulder 1 side by side. 2 with united effort. [old english]
Handrail  n. Narrow rail for holding as a support.
Jan.  Abbr. January.
Unit cost  n. Cost of producing one item.

Explosion  n. 1 exploding. 2 loud noise caused by this. 3 sudden outbreak of feeling. 4 rapid or sudden increase. [latin: related to *explode]
Meek  adj. Humble and submissive or gentle.  meekly adv. Meekness n. [old norse]


Forestry  n. Science or management of forests.
Retype  v. (-ping) type again, esp. To correct errors.
Footing  n. 1 foothold; secure position (lost his footing). 2 operational basis. 3 relative position or status (on an equal footing). 4 (often in pl.) Foundations of a wall.
Millionaire  n. (fem. Millionairess) person who has over a million pounds, dollars, etc. [french millionnaire: related to *million]


Il-  prefix assim. Form of *in-1, *in-2 before l.








Spearhead  —n. 1 point of a spear. 2 person or group leading an attack etc. —v. Act as the spearhead of (an attack etc.).
Scarlet fever  n. Infectious bacterial fever with a scarlet rash.

-free  comb. Form free of or from (worry-free; duty-free).
Giga-  comb. Form one thousand million (109). [greek: related to *giant]

Duckboard  n. (usu. In pl.) Path of wooden slats over muddy ground, in a trench, etc.
Sou'wester  n. 1 waterproof hat with a broad flap covering the neck. 2 south-west wind. [from *southwester]
Unnerve  v. (-ving) deprive of confidence etc.


Skulduggery  n. Trickery; unscrupulous behaviour. [origin unknown]

Black mass  n. Travesty of the mass, in worship of satan.



Retro  slang —adj. Reviving or harking back to the past. —n. Retro fashion or style.
Spartan  —adj. 1 of sparta in ancient greece. 2 austere, rigorous, frugal. —n. Citizen of sparta. [latin]
Fantastic  adj. 1 colloq. Excellent, extraordinary. 2 extravagantly fanciful. 3 grotesque, quaint.  fantastically adv. [greek: related to *fantasy]





Indubitable  adj. That cannot be doubted.  indubitably adv. [latin dubito doubt]




Vacancy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 being vacant. 2 unoccupied job. 3 available room in a hotel etc.
Strike  —v. (-king; past struck; past part. Struck or archaic stricken) 1 deliver (a blow) or inflict a blow on; hit. 2 come or bring sharply into contact with (ship struck a rock). 3 propel or divert with a blow. 4 (cause to) penetrate (struck terror into him). 5 ignite (a match) or produce (sparks etc.) By friction. 6 make (a coin) by stamping. 7  produce (a musical note) by striking. 8 a (also absol.) (of a clock) indicate (the time) with a chime etc. B (of time) be so indicated. 9 a attack suddenly. B (of a disease) afflict. 10 cause to become suddenly (struck dumb). 11 reach or achieve (strike a balance). 12 agree on (a bargain). 13 assume (an attitude) suddenly and dramatically. 14 discover or find (oil etc.) By drilling etc. 15 occur to or appear to (strikes me as silly). 16  (of employees) engage in a strike. 17 lower or take down (a flag or tent etc.). 18 take a specified direction. 19 (also absol.) Secure a hook in the mouth of (a fish) by jerking the tackle. —n. 1 act of striking. 2 a organized refusal to work until a grievance is remedied. B similar refusal to participate. 3 sudden find or success. 4 attack, esp. From the air.  on strike taking part in an industrial etc. Strike. Strike home 1 deal an effective blow. 2 have the intended effect. Strike off 1 remove with a stroke. 2 delete (a name etc.) From a list, esp. A professional register. Strike out 1 hit out. 2 act vigorously. 3 delete (an item or name etc.). 4 set off (struck out eastwards). Strike up 1 start (an acquaintance, conversation, etc.), esp. Casually. 2 (also absol.) Begin playing (a tune etc.). Struck on colloq. Infatuated with. [old english, = go, stroke]



Rush2  n. 1 marsh plant with slender tapering pith-filled stems, used for making chair-bottoms, baskets, etc. 2 stem of this.  rushy adj. [old english]
Fizzy  adj. (-ier, -iest) effervescent.  fizziness n.
Usage  in formations not generally current the hyphen should be used. It may be omitted when the first element is of one syllable, unless it ends in -l.

Bottle green  adj. & n. (as adj. Often hyphenated) dark green.
Quid2  n. Lump of tobacco for chewing. [a dialect word, = *cud]
Gas ring  n. Hollow ring perforated with gas jets, for cooking etc.
Trousers  n.pl. 1 two-legged outer garment reaching from the waist usu. To the ankles. 2 (trouser) (attrib.) Designating part of this (trouser leg).  wear the trousers (esp. Of a wife) dominate in a marriage.  trousered adj. [in pl. After drawers: irish and gaelic triubhas trews]

Distort  v. 1 pull or twist out of shape. 2 misrepresent (facts etc.). 3 transmit (sound etc.) Inaccurately.  distortion n. [latin torqueo tort- twist]
Yd  abbr. (pl. Yds) yard (measure).
Cocoon  —n. 1 silky case spun by insect larvae for protection as pupae. 2 protective covering. —v. Wrap or coat in a cocoon. [provençal coca shell]

Sextet  n. 1 mus. A composition for six performers. B the performers. 2 any group of six. [alteration of *sestet after latin sex six]
Zinnia  n. Garden plant with showy flowers. [zinn, name of a physician and botanist]
Thereby  adv. By that means, as a result of that.  thereby hangs a tale much could be said about that.
Frost  —n. 1 a frozen dew or vapour. B consistent temperature below freezing point. 2 cold dispiriting atmosphere. —v. 1 (usu. Foll. By over, up) become covered with frost. 2 a cover with or as with frost. B injure (a plant etc.) With frost. 3 make (glass) non-transparent by roughening its surface. [old english: related to *freeze]


Stamping-ground  n. Colloq. Favourite haunt.



Three  adj. & n. 1 a one more than two. B symbol for this (3, iii, iii). 2 size etc. Denoted by three. [old english]
Tamarind  n. 1 tropical evergreen tree. 2 fruit pulp from this used as food and in drinks. [arabic, = indian date]
Ulster  n. Long loose overcoat of rough cloth. [ulster in ireland]
Affiliation  n. Affiliating or being affiliated.



Cure-all  n. Panacea.
Asinine  adj. Like an ass, esp. Stupid or stubborn.  asininity n. [latin asinus ass]


Nomad  n. 1 member of a tribe roaming from place to place for pasture. 2 wanderer.  nomadic adj. [greek nomas nomad- from nemo to pasture]
Passionate  adj. Dominated, displaying, or caused by strong emotion.  passionately adv.




Feudal system  n. Medieval system of land tenure with allegiance and service due to the landowner.
Juvenile  —adj. 1 a youthful. B of or for young people. 2 often derog. Immature (juvenile behaviour). —n. 1 young person. 2 actor playing a juvenile part. [latin juvenis young]
Fifa  abbr. International football federation. [french fédération internationale de football association]
Rampant  adj. 1 unchecked, flourishing excessively. 2 rank, luxuriant. 3 (placed after the noun) heraldry (of an animal) standing on its left hind foot with its forepaws in the air (lion rampant). 4 violent, fanatical.  rampancy n. [french: related to *ramp]
Drop-shot  n. (in tennis) shot dropping abruptly over the net.
Tug of love  n. Colloq. Dispute over the custody of a child.



Sweeten  v. 1 make or become sweet or sweeter. 2 make agreeable or less painful.  sweetening n.
Impressive  adj. Arousing respect, approval, or admiration.  impressively adv. Impressiveness n.
Taxidermy  n. Art of preparing, stuffing, and mounting the skins of animals.  taxidermist n. [greek taxis arrangement, derma skin]

Apprehend  v. 1 seize, arrest. 2 understand, perceive. [latin prehendo grasp]
Plasterboard  n. Two boards with a filling of plaster for partitions, walls, etc.
Male chauvinist  n. = *chauvinist 2.

Originate  v. (-ting) 1 cause to begin; initiate. 2 have as an origin; begin.  origination n. Originator n.
Resolute  adj. Determined, decided, firm of purpose.  resolutely adv. [latin: related to *resolve]
Blink  —v. 1 shut and open the eyes quickly. 2 (often foll. By back) prevent (tears) by blinking. 3 shine unsteadily, flicker. —n. 1 act of blinking. 2 momentary gleam or glimpse.  blink at 1 look at while blinking. 2 ignore, shirk. On the blink slang not working properly; out of order. [dutch, var. Of *blench]

Roomy  adj. (-ier, -iest) having much room, spacious.  roominess n.

Likeable  adj. (also likable) pleasant; easy to like.  likeably adv.

Shire-horse  n. Heavy powerful draught-horse.

Hippie  n. (also hippy) (pl. -ies) colloq. (esp. In the 1960s) person rejecting convention, typically with long hair, jeans, beads, etc., and taking hallucinogenic drugs. [from *hip4]





Isotope  n. One of two or more forms of an element differing from each other in relative atomic mass, and in nuclear but not chemical properties.  isotopic adj. [from *iso-, greek topos place]
Sprain  —v. Wrench (an ankle, wrist, etc.), causing pain or swelling. —n. Such a wrench. [origin unknown]
Jovial  adj. Merry, convivial, hearty.  joviality n. Jovially adv. [latin jovialis: related to *jove]
Salvia  n. Garden plant of the sage family with red or blue flowers. [latin, = *sage1]

Loose  —adj. 1 not tightly held, fixed, etc. (loose handle; loose stones). 2 free from bonds or restraint. 3 not held together (loose papers). 4 not compact or dense (loose soil). 5 inexact (loose translation). 6 morally lax. 7 (of the tongue) indiscreet. 8 tending to diarrhoea. 9 (in comb.) Loosely (loose-fitting). —v. (-sing) 1 free; untie or detach; release. 2 relax (loosed my hold). 3 discharge (a missile).  at a loose end unoccupied. On the loose 1 escaped from captivity. 2 enjoying oneself freely.  loosely adv. Looseness n. Loosish adj. [old norse]


Abominable snowman  n. Supposed manlike or bearlike himalayan animal; yeti.
Signorina  n. Title used of or to an italian-speaking esp. Unmarried woman.
Ring finger  n. Third finger, esp. Of the left hand, on which a wedding ring is usu. Worn.
Trouser suit  n. Woman's suit of trousers and jacket.
Antiquary  n. (pl. -ies) student or collector of antiques etc. [latin: related to *antique]
Town  n. 1 a densely populated built-up defined area, between a city and a village in size. B densely populated area, esp. As opposed to the country. 2 a london or the chief city or town in an area (went up to town). B central business area in a neighbourhood.  go to town colloq. Do something with great energy or enthusiasm. On the town colloq. Enjoying night-life in a town. [old english]
Blessing  n. 1 invocation of (esp. Divine) favour. 2 grace said at a meal. 3 benefit.

Chaff  —n. 1 separated husks of corn etc. 2 chopped hay or straw. 3 light-hearted teasing. 4 worthless things. —v. Tease, banter. [old english]


Will-power  n. Control by deliberate purpose over impulse.
Impound  v. 1 confiscate. 2 take legal possession of. 3 shut up (animals) in a pound.

Snazzy  adj. (-ier, -iest) slang smart, stylish, showy.  snazzily adv. Snazziness n. [origin unknown]


Tipper  n. (often attrib.) Road haulage vehicle that tips at the back to discharge its load.
'Twill  archaic it will. [contraction]


Sabbath  n. Religious day of rest kept by christians on sunday and jews on saturday. [hebrew, = rest]

Tolerable  adj. 1 endurable. 2 fairly good.  tolerably adv. [latin: related to *tolerate]
Dick1  n. 1 colloq. (in certain set phrases) person (clever dick). 2 coarse slang penis. [dick, pet form of richard]
Cheshire  n. A kind of firm crumbly cheese.  like a cheshire cat with a broad fixed grin. [cheshire in england]
Proboscis monkey  n. Monkey of borneo, the male of which has a large pendulous nose.

Suicide  n. 1 a intentional killing of oneself. B person who commits suicide. 2 self-destructive action or course (political suicide). [latin sui of oneself, *-cide]
Stardust  n. 1 multitude of stars looking like dust. 2 romance, magic feeling.


Locomotion  n. Motion or the power of motion from place to place. [latin *locus, *motion]
Tenor  n. 1 a male singing-voice between baritone and alto or counter-tenor. B singer with this voice. 2 (often attrib.) Instrument with a similar range. 3 (usu. Foll. By of) general meaning. 4 (usu. Foll. By of) prevailing course, esp. Of a person's life or habits. [latin teneo hold]
Guttering  n. 1 gutters of a building etc. 2 material for gutters.
Erroneous  adj. Incorrect.  erroneously adv. [latin: related to *err]

Run-through  n. 1 rehearsal. 2 brief survey.

Except  —v. Exclude from a general statement, condition, etc. —prep. (often foll. By for) not including; other than (all failed except him; is all right except that it is too long). —conj. Archaic unless (except he be born again). [latin excipio -cept- take out]
Anemia  n. (brit. Anaemia) deficiency of red blood cells or their haemoglobin, causing pallor and weariness. [greek, = want of blood]
Iconostasis  n. (pl. -stases) (in the eastern church) screen bearing icons. [greek: related to *icon]

Mightn't  contr. Might not.

Barren  adj. (-er, -est) 1 a unable to bear young. B (of land, a tree, etc.) Unproductive. 2 unprofitable, dull.  barrenness n. [french]
Diary  n. (pl. -ies) 1 daily record of events or thoughts. 2 book for this or for noting future engagements. [latin dies day]
Common noun  n. Gram. Name denoting a class of objects or a concept, not a particular individual.
Monochromatic  adj. 1 (of light or other radiation) of a single colour or wavelength. 2 containing only one colour.  monochromatically adv.
Washboard  n. 1 ribbed board on which clothes are scrubbed. 2 this as a percussion instrument.

Sebaceous  adj. Fatty; secreting oily matter. [latin sebum tallow]

Oilcake  n. Compressed linseed from which the oil has been extracted, used as fodder or manure.


Orthopedics  n.pl. (treated as sing.) (brit. -paedics) branch of medicine dealing with the correction of diseased, deformed, or injured bones or muscles.  orthopaedic adj. Orthopaedist n. [greek pais paid- child]


Slender  adj. (-er, -est) 1 a of small girth or breadth. B gracefully thin. 2 relatively small, scanty, inadequate. [origin unknown]



Souse  —v. (-sing) 1 immerse in pickle or other liquid. 2 (as soused adj.) Colloq. Drunk. 3 (usu. Foll. By in) soak (a thing) in liquid. —n. 1 a pickle made with salt. B us food in pickle. 2 plunge or drench in water. [french sous]

Hot gospeller  n. Colloq. Eager preacher of the gospel.
Screw  —n. 1 thin cylinder or cone with a spiral ridge or thread running round the outside (male screw) or the inside (female screw). 2 (in full wood-screw) metal male screw with a slotted head and a sharp point. 3 (in full screw-bolt) blunt metal male screw on which a nut is threaded to bolt things together. 4 straight screw used to exert pressure. 5 (in sing. Or pl.) Instrument of torture acting in this way. 6 (in full screw-propeller) propeller with twisted blades acting like a screw on the water or air. 7 one turn of a screw. 8 (foll. By of) small twisted-up paper (of tobacco etc.). 9 (in billiards etc.) An oblique curling motion of the ball. 10 slang prison warder. 11 coarse slang a act of sexual intercourse. B partner in this. —v. 1 fasten or tighten with a screw or screws. 2 turn (a screw). 3 twist or turn round like a screw. 4 (of a ball etc.) Swerve. 5 (foll. By out of) extort (consent, money, etc.) From. 6 (also absol.) Coarse slang have sexual intercourse with. 7 swindle.  have a screw loose colloq. Be slightly crazy. Put the screws on colloq. Pressurize, intimidate. Screw up 1 contract or contort (one's face etc.). 2 contract and crush (a piece of paper etc.) Into a tight mass. 3 summon up (one's courage etc.). 4 slang a bungle. B spoil (an event, opportunity, etc.). C upset, disturb mentally. [french escroue]



Ruination  n. 1 bringing to ruin. 2 ruining or being ruined.


Cowboy  n. 1 (fem. Cowgirl) person who tends cattle, esp. In the western us. 2 colloq. Unscrupulous or incompetent person in business.
Clear-headed  adj. Thinking clearly, sensible.
Clime  n. Literary 1 region. 2 climate. [latin: related to *climate]
Randy  adj. (-ier, -iest) eager for sexual gratification, lustful.  randily adv. Randiness n. [perhaps related to *rant]



Warning  n. 1 in senses of *warn. 2 thing that warns. [old english]




 


Carbide  n. 1 binary compound of carbon. 2 = *calcium carbide.



Laughing jackass  n. = *kookaburra.
Locution  n. 1 word, phrase, or idiom. 2 style of speech. [latin loquor locut- speak]
Set piece  n. 1 formal or elaborate arrangement, esp. In art or literature. 2 fireworks arranged on scaffolding etc.
Radioactivity  n. Spontaneous disintegration of atomic nuclei, with the emission of usu. Penetrating radiation or particles.
Frontage  n. 1 front of a building. 2 land next to a street or water etc. 3 extent of a front. 4 a the way a thing faces. B outlook.

Alleluia  (also hallelujah) —int. God be praised. —n. Song or shout of praise to god. [hebrew]

Unicameral  adj. Having a single legislative chamber. [related to *chamber]


Spinner  n. 1 spin bowler. 2 person or thing that spins, esp. A manufacturer engaged in cotton-spinning. 3 revolving bait.





Crystal  —n. 1 a transparent colourless mineral, esp. Rock crystal. B piece of this. 2 a highly transparent glass; flint glass. B articles of this. 3 crystalline piece of semiconductor. 4 aggregation of molecules with a definite internal structure and the external form of a solid enclosed by symmetrically arranged plane faces. —adj. (usu. Attrib.) Made of, like, or clear as crystal. [greek krustallos]


Procurator fiscal  n. (in scotland) local coroner and public prosecutor.

Chorale  n. 1 simple stately hymn tune; harmonized form of this. 2 esp. Us choir. [german: related to *choral]
Elementary particle  n. Physics subatomic particle, esp. One not known to consist of simpler ones.

Duple time  n. Mus. Rhythm with two beats to the bar.


Aspic  n. Savoury jelly used esp. To contain game, eggs, etc. [french, = *asp, suggested by the colours of the jelly]

Banner  n. 1 large sign bearing a slogan or design, esp. In a demonstration or procession; flag. 2 slogan, esp. Political. [latin bandum standard]





Hydrocyanic acid  n. Highly poisonous liquid smelling of bitter almonds; prussic acid.


Twat  n. Coarse slang 1 female genitals. 2 contemptible person. [origin unknown]



Shipshape  adv. & predic.adj. Trim, neat, tidy.
Rile  v. (-ling) colloq. Anger, irritate. [french from latin]
C.v.  Abbr. (also cv) curriculum vitae.

Nibble  —v. (-ling) 1 (foll. By at) a take small bites at. B take cautious interest in. 2 eat in small amounts. 3 bite at gently, cautiously, or playfully. —n. 1 act of nibbling. 2 very small amount of food. [low german or dutch]
Looker  n. 1 person of a specified appearance (good-looker). 2 colloq. Attractive woman.
Evening star  n. Planet, esp. Venus, conspicuous in the west after sunset.




Weekly  —adj. Done, produced, or occurring once a week. —adv. Once a week. —n. (pl. -ies) weekly newspaper or periodical.





Pineal body  n. (also pineal gland) conical gland in the brain, secreting a hormone-like substance.

Grief  n. 1 intense sorrow. 2 cause of this.  come to grief meet with disaster. [french: related to *grieve]
Superb  adj. 1 colloq. Excellent. 2 magnificent.  superbly adv. [latin, = proud]
Squeeze  —v. (-zing) 1 (often foll. By out) a exert pressure on, esp. To extract moisture etc. B extract (moisture) by squeezing. 2 reduce in size or alter in shape by squeezing. 3 force or push into or through a small or narrow space. 4 a harass or pressure (a person). B (usu. Foll. By out of) obtain by extortion, entreaty, etc. 5 press (a person's hand) in sympathy etc. —n. 1 squeezing or being squeezed. 2 close embrace. 3 crowd, crowded state. 4 small quantity produced by squeezing (squeeze of lemon). 5 restriction on borrowing, investment, etc., in a financial crisis.  put the squeeze on colloq. Coerce or pressure. [origin unknown]
Studio flat  n. One-roomed flat.
Concretion  n. 1 hard solid mass. 2 forming of this by coalescence. [latin: related to *concrete]
Angstrom  n. Unit of length equal to 10-10 metre. [ångström, name of a physicist]
St.  Abbr. Stone (in weight).
Nonetheless  adv. (also none the less) nevertheless.

Hand in hand  adv. 1 in close association (power and money go hand in hand). 2 (hand-in-hand) holding hands.
Pitchfork  —n. Long-handled two-pronged fork for pitching hay etc. —v. 1 throw with or as if with a pitchfork. 2 (usu. Foll. By into) thrust (a person) forcibly into a position, office, etc.


Lean-to  n. (pl. -tos) building with its roof leaning against a larger building or a wall.

Android  n. Robot with a human appearance. [greek aner andr- man, *-oid]



Acetaldehyde  n. Colourless volatile liquid aldehyde. [from *acetic, *aldehyde]


Bigamy  n. (pl. -ies) crime of marrying while still married to another person.  bigamist n. Bigamous adj. [greek gamos marriage]

 

Drum kit  n. Set of drums in a band etc.



Bury  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 place (a corpse) in the earth, a tomb, or the sea. 2 lose by death (buried two sons). 3 a put or hide under ground. B cover up; conceal. 4 consign to obscurity; forget. 5 (refl. Or passive) involve deeply (buried in a book).  bury the hatchet cease to quarrel. [old english]
Hello  (also hallo, hullo) —int. Expression of informal greeting, or of surprise, or to call attention. —n. (pl. -s) cry of ‘hello’. [var. Of earlier hollo]
Case-harden  v. 1 harden the surface of (esp. Iron by carbonizing). 2 make callous.


Humanize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) make human or humane.  humanization n. [french: related to *human]
Our  poss. Pron. 1 of or belonging to us or society (our children's future). 2 colloq. Indicating a relative, friend, etc. Of the speaker (our barry works there; our friend here). [old english]
Decant  v. 1 gradually pour off (esp. Wine), esp. Leaving the sediment behind. 2 transfer as if by pouring. [greek kanthos lip of jug]
Grievous bodily harm  n. Law serious injury inflicted intentionally.

Monocotyledon  n. Flowering plant with one cotyledon.  monocotyledonous adj.



Terrace  —n. 1 flat area made on a slope for cultivation. 2 level paved area next to a house. 3 row of houses built in one block of uniform style. 4 tiered standing accommodation for spectators at a sports ground. —v. (-cing) form into or provide with a terrace or terraces. [latin terra earth]
Interrupt  v. 1 break the continuous progress of (an action, speech, person speaking, etc.). 2 obstruct (a person's view etc.).  interruption n. [latin: related to *rupture]

Desuetude  n. Formal state of disuse (fell into desuetude). [latin suesco be accustomed]
Astronautics  n.pl. (treated as sing.) Science of space travel.  astronautical adj.




Crosstalk  n. 1 unwanted signals between communication channels. 2 witty repartee.
Impostor  n. (also imposter) 1 person who assumes a false character or pretends to be someone else. 2 swindler.
Frenchman  n. Man of french birth or nationality.

Remorseless  adj. Without compassion.  remorselessly adv.

Counter1  n. 1 long flat-topped fitment in a shop etc., across which business is conducted. 2 a small disc for playing or scoring in board-games etc. B token representing a coin. 3 apparatus for counting.  under the counter surreptitiously, esp. Illegally. [related to *count1]



Step-parent  n. Mother's or father's spouse who is not one's own parent.
Secrete  v. (-ting) 1 (of a cell, organ, etc.) Produce and discharge (a substance). 2 conceal.  secretory adj. [from *secret]

Vacuous  adj. 1 expressionless. 2 showing absence of thought or intelligence, inane.  vacuity n. Vacuously adv. [latin vacuus empty]
Degrade  v. (-ding) 1 humiliate, dishonour. 2 reduce to a lower rank. 3 chem. Reduce to a simpler molecular structure.  degradation n. Degrading adj. [latin: related to *grade]





Poleax  (brit. -axe) —n. 1 hist. = *battleaxe 1. 2 butcher's axe. —v. (-xing) 1 hit or kill with a poleaxe. 2 (esp. As poleaxed adj.) Colloq. Dumbfound, overwhelm. [low german or dutch: related to *poll, *axe]






Anti-nuclear  adj. Opposed to the development of nuclear weapons or power.



Accusative  gram. —n. Case expressing the object of an action. —adj. Of or in this case.
Bowsprit  n. Spar running forward from a ship's bow.

Mhz  abbr. Megahertz.
Feast  —n. 1 large or sumptuous meal. 2 sensual or mental pleasure. 3 religious festival. 4 annual village festival. —v. 1 (often foll. By on) partake of a feast; eat and drink sumptuously. 2 regale.  feast one's eyes on look with pleasure at. [latin festus joy]

Final solution  n. Nazi policy (1941–5) of exterminating european jews.






Planter  n. 1 manager or owner of a plantation. 2 container for house-plants.






Apparel  n. Formal clothing, dress.  apparelled adj. [romanic, = make fit, from latin par equal]

Guided missile  n. Missile under remote control or directed by equipment within itself.
Suffrage  n. Right of voting in political elections. [latin suffragium]
Ninny  n. (pl. -ies) foolish person. [origin uncertain]
Cold cream  n. Ointment for cleansing and softening the skin.

Public spirit  n. Willingness to engage in community action.  public-spirited adj.
Sec2  n. Colloq. (in phrases) second, moment (wait a sec). [abbreviation]

Pyro-  comb. Form 1 denoting fire. 2 denoting a mineral etc. Changed under the action of heat, or fiery in colour. [greek pur fire]
Tag1  —n. 1 label, esp. On an object to show its address, price, etc. 2 metal etc. Point on a shoelace etc. 3 loop or flap for handling or hanging a thing. 4 loose or ragged end. 5 trite quotation or stock phrase. —v. (-gg-) 1 provide with a tag or tags. 2 (often foll. By on, on to) join or attach.  tag along (often foll. By with) go along, accompany passively. [origin unknown]
Cruciform  adj. Cross-shaped. [latin crux crucis cross]
Scone  n. Small cake of flour, fat, and milk, baked quickly. [origin uncertain]

Move  —v. (-ving) 1 (cause to) change position or posture. 2 put or keep in motion; rouse, stir. 3 a take a turn in a board-game. B change the position of (a piece) in a board-game. 4 (often foll. By about, away, off, etc.) Go or proceed. 5 take action, esp. Promptly (moved to reduce crime). 6 make progress (project is moving fast). 7 (also absol.) Change (one's home or place of work). 8 (foll. By in) be socially active in (a specified group etc.) (moves in the best circles). 9 affect (a person) with (usu. Tender) emotion. 10 (foll. By to) provoke (a person to laughter etc.) (was moved to tears). 11 (foll. By to, or to + infin.) Prompt or incline (a person to a feeling or action). 12 (cause to) change one's attitude (nothing can move me on this issue). 13 a cause (the bowels) to be evacuated. B (of the bowels) be evacuated. 14 (often foll. By that) propose in a meeting, etc. 15 (foll. By for) make a formal request or application. 16 sell; be sold. —n. 1 act or process of moving. 2 change of house, premises, etc. 3 step taken to secure an object. 4 a changing of the position of a piece in a board-game. B player's turn to do this.  get a move on colloq. Hurry up. Make a move take action. Move along (or on) advance, progress, esp. To avoid crowding etc. Move away go to live in another area. Move heaven and earth (foll. By to + infin.) Make extraordinary efforts. Move in 1 take up residence in a new home. 2 get into a position of readiness or proximity (for an offensive action etc.). Move in with start to share accommodation with (an existing resident). Move out leave one's home. Move over (or up) adjust one's position to make room for another. On the move moving. [latin moveo]
Butler  n. Principal manservant of a household. [french bouteille bottle]


Potty1  adj. (-ier, -iest) slang 1 foolish, crazy. 2 insignificant, trivial.  pottiness n. [origin unknown]
Riddance  n. Getting rid of something.  good riddance expression of relief at getting rid of something.


Consulate  n. 1 official building of a consul. 2 position of consul.
Scorbutic  adj. Of, like, or affected with scurvy. [latin scorbutus scurvy]
Tactics  n.pl. 1 (also treated as sing.) Disposition of armed forces, esp. In warfare. 2 short-term procedure adopted in carrying out a scheme or achieving an end.  tactician n.
Zygote  n. Biol. Cell formed by the union of two gametes. [greek zugotos yoked: related to *zeugma]
Inflexible  adj. 1 unbendable. 2 unbending.  inflexibility n. Inflexibly adv.
U2  adj. Colloq. Upper class or supposedly upper class. [abbreviation]
Locum tenens  n. (pl. Locum tenentes) (also colloq. Locum) deputy acting esp. For a doctor or clergyman. [latin, = (one) holding a place]
Byplay  n. Secondary action, esp. In a play.




Address  —n. 1 a place where a person lives or an organization is situated. B particulars of this, esp. For postal purposes. C computing location of an item of stored information. 2 discourse to an audience. —v. 1 write postal directions on (an envelope etc.). 2 direct (remarks etc.). 3 speak or write to, esp. Formally. 4 direct one's attention to. 5 golf take aim at (the ball).  address oneself to 1 speak or write to. 2 attend to. [french: related to *ad-, *direct]
Bird of passage  n. 1 migrant. 2 habitual traveller.
Turning  n. 1 a road that branches off another. B place where this occurs. 2 a use of a lathe. B (in pl.) Chips or shavings from a lathe.
Well-head  n. Source.
Wise1  adj. 1 having, showing, or dictated by wisdom. 2 prudent, sensible. 3 having knowledge (often in comb.: streetwise; worldly-wise). 4 suggestive of wisdom. 5 us colloq. Alert, crafty.  be (or get) wise to colloq. Be (or become) aware of. None the wiser knowing no more than before. Put wise (often foll. By to) colloq. Inform (of). Wise up esp. Us colloq. Put or get wise.  wisely adv. [old english]
Tepid  adj. 1 lukewarm. 2 unenthusiastic.  tepidity n. Tepidly adv. [latin]
Self-portrait  n. Portrait or description of oneself by oneself.
Photogenic  adj. 1 looking attractive in photographs. 2 biol. Producing or emitting light.

Succulent  —adj. 1 juicy; palatable. 2 bot. (of a plant, its leaves, or stems) thick and fleshy. —n. Bot. Succulent plant.  succulence n. [latin succus juice]

Prime minister  n. Head of an elected government; principal minister.

Plate-rack  n. Rack in which plates are placed to drain.

Negate  v. (-ting) 1 nullify. 2 assert or imply the non-existence of. [latin nego deny]
Decorum  n. Polite dignified behaviour. [as *decorous]

Overgrown  adj. 1 grown too big. 2 wild; covered with weeds etc.  overgrowth n.
Unmanageable  adj. Not easily managed or controlled.
Substitute  —n. 1 (also attrib.) Person or thing acting or used in place of another. 2 artificial alternative to a food etc. —v. (-ting) (often foll. By for) (cause to) act as a substitute.  substitution n. [latin substituo -tut-]

Grime  —n. Soot or dirt ingrained in a surface. —v. (-ming) blacken with grime; befoul.  griminess n. Grimy adj. (-ier, -iest). [low german or dutch]



Unshaken  adj. Not shaken.
Outburst  n. 1 verbal explosion of anger etc. 2 bursting out (outburst of steam).








Violet  —n. 1 sweet-scented plant with usu. Purple, blue, or white flowers. 2 bluish-purple colour at the end of the spectrum opposite red. 3 pigment or clothes or material of this colour. —adj. Of this colour. [french diminutive of viole *viola2]
Interlock  —v. 1 engage with each other by overlapping. 2 lock or clasp within each other. —n. 1 machine-knitted fabric with fine stitches. 2 mechanism for preventing a set of operations from being performed in any but the prescribed sequence.

Stopoff  n. Break in a journey.
Mask  —n. 1 covering for all or part of the face as a disguise or for protection against infection etc. 2 respirator. 3 likeness of a person's face, esp. One from a mould (death-mask).

Demure  adj. (demurer, demurest) 1 quiet, reserved; modest. 2 coy.  demurely adv. Demureness n. [french: related to *demur]
Shark1  n. Large voracious marine fish. [origin unknown]
Cordon  —n. 1 line or circle of police, soldiers, guards, etc., esp. Preventing access. 2 ornamental cord or braid. 3 fruit-tree trained to grow as a single stem. —v. (often foll. By off) enclose or separate with a cordon of police etc. [italian and french: related to *cord]


Splice  —v. (-cing) 1 join (ropes) by interweaving strands. 2 join (pieces of wood or tape etc.) By overlapping. 3 (esp. As spliced adj.) Colloq. Join in marriage. —n. Join made by splicing.  splice the main brace naut. Hist. Slang issue an extra tot of rum. [probably dutch splissen]
Tick2  n. 1 parasitic arachnid on the skin of dogs, cattle, etc. 2 parasitic insect on sheep and birds etc. [old english]




Spidery  adj. Elongated and thin (spidery handwriting).
Hedgerow  n. Row of bushes etc. Forming a hedge.

Presence  n. 1 being present. 2 place where a person is (admitted to their presence). 3 person's appearance or bearing, esp. When imposing. 4 person or spirit that is present (the royal presence; aware of a presence in the room). [latin: related to *present1]

Kilowatt-hour  n. Electrical energy equivalent to a power consumption of 1,000 watts for one hour.
Strontium-90  n. Radioactive isotope of strontium found in nuclear fallout and concentrated in bones and teeth when ingested.


Baker day  n. Colloq. Day set aside for in-service training of teachers. [baker, name of the education secretary responsible for introducing them]
Ponderous  adj. 1 slow and awkward, esp. Because of great weight. 2 (of style etc.) Laborious; dull.  ponderously adv. Ponderousness n. [latin pondus -der- weight]

Paper-hanger  n. Person who hangs wallpaper, esp. For a living.

Spectrum  n. (pl. -tra) 1 band of colours as seen in a rainbow etc. 2 entire or wide range of a subject, emotion, etc. 3 distribution of electromagnetic radiation in which the parts are arranged according to wavelength. [latin specio look]
Panic-stricken  adj. (also panic-struck) affected with panic.
Stripy  adj. (-ier, -iest) striped.
Symbolism  n. 1 a use of symbols. B symbols collectively. 2 artistic and poetic movement or style using symbols to express ideas, emotions, etc.  symbolist n.






Tax-free  adj. Exempt from tax.

Foggy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 full of fog. 2 of or like fog. 3 vague, indistinct.  not have the foggiest colloq. Have no idea at all.  fogginess n. [perhaps from fog long grass]

Trompe-l'œil  n. (often attrib.) Painting etc. Designed to give an illusion of reality. [french, literally ‘deceives the eye’]


Dashboard  n. Instrument panel of a vehicle or aircraft.
Po  n. (pl. -s) colloq. Chamber-pot. [from *pot1]

Robust  adj. (-er, -est) 1 strong and sturdy, esp. In physique or construction. 2 (of exercise, discipline, etc.) Vigorous, requiring strength. 3 (of mental attitude, argument, etc.) Straightforward, vigorous. 4 (of a statement, reply, etc.) Bold, firm, unyielding.  robustly adv. Robustness n. [latin robur strength]


Dinner-jacket  n. Man's short usu. Black formal jacket for evening wear.

Millibar  n. Unit of atmospheric pressure equivalent to 100 pascals.
Service flat  n. Flat in which domestic service and sometimes meals are provided for an extra fee.
Allah  n. The muslim and arab name of god. [arabic]
Hep  var. Of *hip4.






Swerve  —v. (-ving) (cause to) change direction, esp. Abruptly. —n. Swerving movement. [old english, = scour]
Joss  n. Chinese idol. [ultimately from latin deus god]

Productivity  n. 1 being productive, capacity to produce. 2 amount produced by an industry, workforce, etc.
Pepper-mill  n. Device for grinding pepper by hand.
Punkah  n. Large swinging cloth fan on a frame, worked by a cord or electrically. [hindi]
Cyanosis  n. Bluish skin due to oxygen-deficient blood.

Hypnotize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 produce hypnosis in. 2 fascinate; capture the mind of.
Phrenology  n. Hist. The study of the shape and size of the cranium as a supposed indication of character and mental faculties.  phrenological adj. Phrenologist n. [greek phren mind]

Vhf  abbr. Very high frequency.
Treat  —v. 1 act or behave towards or deal with (a person or thing) in a certain way (treated me kindly; treat it as a joke). 2 apply a process to (treat it with acid). 3 apply medical care or attention to. 4 present or deal with (a subject) in literature or art. 5 (often foll. By to) provide with food, drink, or entertainment at one's own expense (treated us to dinner). 6 (often foll. By with) negotiate terms (with a person). 7 (often foll. By of) give a spoken or written exposition. —n. 1 event or circumstance (esp. When unexpected or unusual) that gives great pleasure. 2 meal, entertainment, etc., designed to do this. 3 (prec. By a) extremely good or well (they looked a treat; has come on a treat).  treatable adj. [latin tracto handle]

Bullion  n. Gold or silver in bulk before coining, or valued by weight. [french: related to *boil1]
Co-op  n. Colloq. Cooperative society or shop. [abbreviation]

Principal parts  n.pl. Gram. Parts of a verb from which all other parts can be deduced.


P3  symb.  Phosphorus.
Flex2  n. Flexible insulated electric cable. [abbreviation of *flexible]


Kismet  n. Destiny, fate. [turkish from arabic]

Spaghetti  n. Pasta in long thin strands. [italian]




Colon2  n. Lower and greater part of the large intestine. [latin from greek]



Robin  n. 1 (also robin redbreast) small brown red-breasted bird. 2 us red-breasted thrush. [pet form of robert]
Deficiency  n. (pl. -ies) 1 being deficient. 2 (usu. Foll. By of) lack or shortage. 3 thing lacking. 4 deficit, esp. Financial.

In re  prep. = *re1. [latin]
Headshrinker  n. Slang psychiatrist.



Magenta  —n. 1 shade of crimson. 2 aniline crimson dye. —adj. Of or coloured with magenta. [magenta in n. Italy]
Red pepper  n. 1 cayenne pepper. 2 ripe red fruit of the capsicum plant.
Cabin-boy  n. Boy steward on a ship.

Sewage  n. Waste matter conveyed in sewers. [from *sewer]


Supranational  adj. Transcending national limits.



Anaesthetist  n. (us anes-) specialist in the administration of anaesthetics.



Semi  n. (pl. -s) colloq. Semi-detached house. [abbreviation]
Incident  —n. 1 occurrence, esp. A minor one. 2 public disturbance (the march took place without incident). 3 clash of armed forces (frontier incident). 4 distinct piece of action in a play, film, etc. —adj. 1 (often foll. By to) apt to occur; naturally attaching. 2 (often foll. By on, upon) (of light etc.) Falling. [latin cado fall]
Lust  —n. 1 strong sexual desire. 2 (usu. Foll. By for, of) passionate desire for or enjoyment of (lust for power; lust of battle). 3 sensuous appetite regarded as sinful (lusts of the flesh). —v. (usu. Foll. By after, for) have a strong or excessive (esp. Sexual) desire.  lustful adj. Lustfully adv. [old english]
Churn  —n. 1 large milk-can. 2 butter-making machine. —v. 1 agitate (milk or cream) in a churn. 2 produce (butter) in a churn. 3 (usu. Foll. By up) upset, agitate.  churn out produce in large quantities. [old english]
Elixir  n. 1 a alchemist's preparation supposedly able to change metals into gold or (in full elixir of life) to prolong life indefinitely. B remedy for all ills. 2 aromatic medicinal drug. [latin from arabic]
Huckleberry  n. 1 low-growing n. American shrub. 2 blue or black fruit of this. [probably an alteration of hurtleberry, *whortleberry]

Knickerbocker glory  n. Ice-cream served with fruit etc. In a tall glass.
Axis  n. (pl. Axes) 1 a imaginary line about which a body rotates. B line which divides a regular figure symmetrically. 2 fixed reference line for the measurement of coordinates etc. 3 (the axis) alliance of germany, italy, and later japan, in the war of 1939–45. [latin, = axle]

Stern2  n. Rear part, esp. Of a ship or boat. [old norse: related to *steer1]
Coefficient  n. 1 math. Quantity placed before and multiplying an algebraic expression. 2 physics multiplier or factor by which a property is measured (coefficient of expansion). [related to *co-, *efficient]
Ma'am  n. Madam (used esp. In addressing royalty).   [contraction]
Mother-in-law  n. (pl. Mothers-in-law) husband's or wife's mother.
Rootstock  n. 1 rhizome. 2 plant into which a graft is inserted. 3 primary form from which offshoots have arisen.




Anodize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) coat (metal) with a protective layer by electrolysis.


Brother  n. 1 man or boy in relation to his siblings. 2 close male friend or associate. 3 (pl. Also brethren) a member of a male religious order, esp. A monk. B fellow christian etc. 4 fellow human being.  brotherly adj. [old english]
Undercoat  n. 1 a layer of paint under a topcoat. B paint for this. 2 animal's under layer of hair etc.

Lorry  n. (pl. -ies) large vehicle for transporting goods etc. [origin uncertain]


Fogy  n. (also fogey) (pl. -ies or -eys) dull old-fashioned person (esp. Old fogy). [origin unknown]
Deli  n. (pl. -s) colloq. Delicatessen shop. [abbreviation]
Catchword  n. 1 phrase, word, or slogan in frequent current use. 2 word so placed as to draw attention.





Wrest  v. 1 wrench away from a person's grasp. 2 (foll. By from) obtain by effort or with difficulty. [old english]



Eu-  comb. Form well, easily. [greek]


Flux  n. 1 process of flowing or flowing out. 2 discharge. 3 continuous change (state of flux). 4 substance mixed with a metal etc. To aid fusion. [latin fluxus from fluo flux- flow]


Unpolitical  adj. Not concerned with politics.


Received pronunciation  n. The form of educated spoken english used in southern england.

Oral  —adj. 1 by word of mouth; spoken; not written (oral examination). 2 done or taken by the mouth (oral sex; oral contraceptive). —n. Colloq. Spoken examination.  orally adv. [latin os oris mouth]
Fixed star  n. Astron. Seemingly motionless star.

Incentive  —n. 1 motive or incitement. 2 payment or concession encouraging effort in work. —attrib. Adj. Serving to motivate or incite (incentive scheme). [latin incentivus that sets the tune]

Transistorize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) equip with transistors (rather than valves).

Song cycle  n. Set of linked songs.



Untamed  adj. Not tamed, wild.


C2  symb. Carbon.

Stateless  adj. Having no nationality or citizenship.
Cutlass  n. Hist. Short sword with a slightly curved blade. [latin cultellus: related to *cutler]
Inundate  v. (-ting) (often foll. By with) 1 flood. 2 overwhelm.  inundation n. [latin unda wave]
Narrative  —n. Ordered account of connected events. —adj. Of or by narration.



Earn  v. 1 bring in as income or interest. 2 be entitled to or obtain as the reward for work or merit.  earner n. [old english]


Underling  n. Usu. Derog. Subordinate.
Biscuit  n. 1 flat thin unleavened cake, usu. Crisp and sweet. 2 fired unglazed pottery. 3 light brown colour. [latin bis twice, coquo cook]
Feathering  n. 1 bird's plumage. 2 feathers of an arrow. 3 feather-like structure or marking.
Registry  n. (pl. -ies) place where registers or records are kept. [medieval latin: related to *register]
Myalgia  n. Muscular pain.  myalgic adj. [greek mus muscle]



Backstitch  n. Sewing with each stitch starting behind the end of the previous one.

S.  Abbr. 1 second(s). 2 hist. Shilling(s). 3 son. [sense 2 originally from latin solidus]
Contemptible  adj. Deserving contempt.  contemptibly adv.
Usual  adj. 1 customary, habitual (the usual time). 2 (absol., prec. By the, my, etc.) Colloq. Person's usual drink etc.  as usual as (or was) usual.  usually adv. [latin: related to *use]

Jerboa  n. Small jumping desert rodent. [arabic]
Counterpoint  n. 1 a art or practice of combining melodies according to fixed rules. B melody combined with another. 2 contrasting argument, plot, literary theme, etc. [medieval latin contrapunctum marked opposite]
Whiz-kid  n. Colloq. Brilliant or highly successful young person.
Kid2  v. (also refl.) (-dd-) colloq. Deceive, trick, tease (don't kid yourself; only kidding).  no kidding slang that is the truth. [origin uncertain]

Allege  v. (-ging) 1 declare, esp. Without proof. 2 advance as an argument or excuse. [latin lis lit- lawsuit]

Hooch  n. Us colloq. Alcoholic liquor, esp. Inferior or illicit whisky. [alaskan]
Victorious  adj. 1 conquering, triumphant. 2 marked by victory.  victoriously adv. [latin: related to *victor]
Esquire  n. 1 (usu. As abbr. Esq.) Title added to a man's surname when no other title is used, esp. As a form of address for letters. 2 archaic = *squire. [french from latin scutum shield]



Hart  n. (pl. Same or -s) male of the (esp. Red) deer, esp. After its 5th year. [old english]
Nouvelle cuisine  n. Modern style of cookery avoiding heaviness and emphasizing presentation. [french, = new cookery]
Junk bond  n. Bond bearing high interest but deemed to be a risky investment.




Defiant  adj. Showing defiance; disobedient.  defiantly adv.

Vtol  abbr. Vertical take-off and landing.



Gene  n. Unit in a chromosome determining heredity. [german]
Depressive  —adj. 1 tending to depress (depressive drug, influence). 2 of or tending towards depression (depressive illness; depressive father). —n. Person suffering from depression.
Pit2  v. (-tt-) (usu. As pitted adj.) Remove stones from (fruit). [origin uncertain]


Crick  —n. Sudden painful stiffness, esp. In the neck. —v. Cause this in. [origin unknown]
Powerful  adj. Having much power or influence.  powerfully adv. Powerfulness n.
Desecrate  v. (-ting) violate (a sacred place etc.) With violence, profanity, etc.  desecration n. Desecrator n. [from *de-, *consecrate]









Direction  n. 1 directing; supervision. 2 (usu. In pl.) Order or instruction. 3 line along which, or point to or from which, a person or thing moves or looks. 4 tendency or scope of a theme, subject, etc.
Malformation  n. Faulty formation.  malformed adj.
Mental block  n. Inability due to subconscious mental factors.

Yo-yo  n. (pl. Yo-yos) 1 toy consisting of a pair of discs with a deep groove between them in which string is attached and wound, and which can be made to fall and rise. 2 thing that repeatedly falls and rises. [origin unknown]

Bruise  —n. 1 discolouration of the skin caused esp. By a blow. 2 similar damage on a fruit etc. —v. (-sing) 1 a inflict a bruise on. B hurt mentally. 2 be susceptible to bruising. [originally = crush, from old english]


Vexed  adj. (of a question) much discussed; problematic.

Confine  —v. (-ning) 1 keep or restrict (within certain limits). 2 imprison. —n. (usu. In pl.) Limit, boundary. [latin finis limit]
Macédoine  n. Mixed vegetables or fruit, esp. Diced or jellied. [french]
Eleventh  adj. & n. 1 next after tenth. 2 each of eleven equal parts of a thing.  eleventh hour last possible moment.


Nefarious  adj. Wicked. [latin nefas wrong n.]

Cottage  n. Small simple house, esp. In the country. [anglo-french: related to *cot2]



Epithelium  n. (pl. -s or -lia) tissue forming the outer layer of the body and lining many hollow structures.  epithelial adj. [greek thele teat]
Fun run  n. Colloq. Uncompetitive sponsored run for charity.
Azimuth  n. Angular distance from a north or south point of the horizon to the intersection with the horizon of a vertical circle passing through a given celestial body.  azimuthal adj. [french from arabic]

Kingpin  n. 1 main, large, or vertical bolt, esp. As a pivot. 2 essential person or thing.
Squeaky clean  adj. (usu. Hyphenated when attrib.) Colloq. 1 completely clean. 2 above criticism.
Reception  n. 1 receiving or being received. 2 way in which a person or thing is received (cool reception). 3 social occasion for receiving guests, esp. After a wedding. 4 place where guests or clients etc. Report on arrival at a hotel, office, etc. 5 a receiving of broadcast signals. B quality of this. [latin: related to *receive]
Refectory  n. (pl. -ies) dining-room, esp. In a monastery or college. [latin reficio renew]



Headstone  n. Stone set up at the head of a grave.
Unlined2  adj. Without a lining.
Chain-gang  n. Hist. Team of convicts chained together to work out of doors.


Box and cox  n. Two people sharing accommodation etc. In shifts. [names of characters in a play (1847)]

Double entendre  n. Ambiguous phrase open to usu. Indecent interpretation. [obsolete french]

Recant  v. (also absol.) Withdraw and renounce (a former belief or statement) as erroneous or heretical.  recantation n. [latin: related to *chant]


Villain  n. 1 wicked person. 2 chief evil character in a play, story, etc. 3 colloq. Professional criminal. 4 colloq. Rascal. [latin: related to *villa]

Sloth  n. 1 laziness, indolence. 2 slow-moving s. American mammal that hangs upside down in trees. [from *slow]


Mistrust  —v. 1 be suspicious of. 2 feel no confidence in. —n. 1 suspicion. 2 lack of confidence.  mistrustful adj. Mistrustfully adv.

Ballad  n. 1 poem or song narrating a popular story. 2 slow sentimental song. [provençal: related to *ball2]



Exact  —adj. 1 accurate; correct in all details (exact description). 2 precise. —v. 1 demand and enforce payment of (money etc.). 2 demand; insist on; require.  exactness n. [latin exigo exact- require]


Blood-letting  n. Surgical removal of blood.

Bifid  adj. Divided by a deep cleft into two parts. [latin findo cleave]


Antinovel  n. Novel avoiding the conventions of the form.

Governess  n. Woman employed to teach children in a private household.

Jeremiah  n. Dismal prophet, denouncer of the times. [lamentations of jeremiah, in the old testament]
Diabolical  adj. (also diabolic) 1 of the devil. 2 devilish; inhumanly cruel or wicked. 3 extremely bad, clever, or annoying.  diabolically adv. [latin: related to *devil]
Laver  n. Edible seaweed. [latin]
Moist  adj. Slightly wet; damp. [french]
Skimp  v. 1 (often followed by on) economize; use a meagre or insufficient amount of, stint. 2 (often foll. By in) supply (a person etc.) Meagrely with food etc. 3 do hastily or carelessly. [cf. *scrimp]


Resound  v. 1 (often foll. By with) (of a place) ring or echo. 2 (of a voice, instrument, sound, etc.) Produce echoes; go on sounding; fill a place with sound. 3 a (of a reputation etc.) Be much talked of. B (foll. By through) produce a sensation. 4 (of a place) re-echo (a sound). [latin: related to *sound1]

Scrofula  n. Disease with glandular swellings, probably a form of tuberculosis.  scrofulous adj. [latin scrofa a sow]
Hessian  n. Strong coarse sacking made of hemp or jute. [hesse in germany]
Paten  n. Shallow dish for bread at the eucharist. [latin patina]


Trinity sunday  n. Sunday next after whit sunday.
Turk's head  n. Turban-like ornamental knot.
Tearoom  n. Small unlicensed café serving tea etc.

Interventionist  n. Person who favours intervention.



Eternity ring  n. Finger-ring esp. Set with gems all round.

Vulcanize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) treat (rubber etc.) With sulphur at a high temperature to strengthen it.  vulcanization n. [vulcan: related to *volcano]
Waiter  n. Man who serves at table in a hotel or restaurant etc.




Moonlit  adj. Lit by the moon.
Unwanted  adj. Not wanted.
Shellac  —n. Resin used for making varnish. —v. (-ck-) varnish with shellac. [from *shell, *lac]
Answerable  adj. 1 (usu. Foll. By to, for) responsible (answerable to them for any accident). 2 that can be answered.

Wp  abbr. Word processor.

Suspend  v. 1 hang up. 2 keep inoperative or undecided for a time. 3 debar temporarily from a function, office, etc. 4 (as suspended adj.) (of particles or a body in a fluid) floating between the top and bottom. [latin suspendo -pens-]

Milady  n. (pl. -ies) (esp. As a form of address) english noblewoman. [french from my lady]
Holy communion  see *communion.
Wrick  var. Of *rick2.
Indefensible  adj. That cannot be defended or justified.  indefensibility n. Indefensibly adv.
-nik  suffix forming nouns denoting a person associated with a specified thing or quality (beatnik). [russian (as *sputnik) and yiddish]





Bleach  —v. Whiten in sunlight or by a chemical process. —n. Bleaching substance or process. [old english]
Hillside  n. Sloping side of a hill.
Consolidate  v. (-ting) 1 make or become strong or secure. 2 combine (territories, companies, debts, etc.) Into one whole.  consolidation n. Consolidator n. [latin: related to *solid]
Catkin  n. Small spike of usu. Hanging flowers on a willow, hazel, etc. [dutch, = kitten]


Ohm  n. Si unit of electrical resistance. [ohm, name of a physicist]
Answering machine  n. Tape recorder which answers telephone calls and takes messages.

Goodie  var. Of *goody n.
Clearing bank  n. Bank which is a member of a clearing-house.
Metallize  v. (also -ise; us metalize) (-zing or -sing) 1 render metallic. 2 coat with a thin layer of metal.
Water jump  n. Jump over water in a steeplechase etc.




Stained glass  n. Coloured glass in a leaded window etc.
Traction-engine  n. Steam or diesel engine for drawing heavy loads on roads, fields, etc.
Addendum  n. (pl. -da) 1 thing to be added. 2 material added at the end of a book.

Bipartisan  adj. Of or involving two parties.

Pinhole camera  n. Camera with a pinhole aperture and no lens.
Crossbones  see *skull and crossbones.
Entrant  n. Person who enters (an examination, profession, etc.). [french: related to *enter]
Science park  n. Area containing science-based industries.

Pewit  var. Of *peewit.

North-west  n. Part of a country or town to the north-west.
Snooker  —n. 1 game played on an oblong cloth-covered table with a cue-ball, 15 red, and 6 coloured balls. 2 position in this game in which a direct shot would lose points. —v. 1 (also refl.) Subject (oneself or an opponent) to a snooker. 2 (esp. As snookered adj.) Slang thwart, defeat. [origin unknown]
Writing-desk  n. Desk for writing at, esp. With compartments for papers etc.


High-speed  attrib. Adj. Operating at great speed.
Hepatitis  n. Inflammation of the liver. [related to *hepatic]

Impassive  adj. Incapable of or not showing emotion; serene.  impassively adv. Impassiveness n. Impassivity n.



Topper  n. Colloq. = *top hat.
First mate  n. (on a merchant ship) second in command.
Depict  v. 1 represent in drawing or painting etc. 2 portray in words; describe.  depicter n. (also -tor). Depiction n. [latin: related to *picture]
Affect  v. 1 a produce an effect on. B (of disease etc.) Attack. 2 move emotionally. 3 pretend (affected ignorance). 4 pose as or use for effect (affects the aesthete; affects fancy hats).  affecting adj. Affectingly adv. [latin afficio affect- influence]

Daunt  v. Discourage, intimidate.  daunting adj. [latin domito from domo tame]
Basilisk  n. 1 mythical reptile with lethal breath and glance. 2 small american crested lizard. [greek, diminutive of basileus king]

Healthful  adj. Conducive to good health; beneficial.

Heart attack  n. Sudden occurrence of coronary thrombosis.

Baked beans  n.pl. Baked haricot beans, usu. Tinned in tomato sauce.
Elegant  adj. 1 tasteful, refined, graceful. 2 ingeniously simple.  elegance n. Elegantly adv. [latin: related to *elect]
Gendarme  n. (in french-speaking countries) police officer. [french gens d'armes men of arms]


Safety curtain  n. Fireproof curtain between a stage and auditorium.
Dissatisfy  v. (-ies, -ied) make discontented; fail to satisfy.  dissatisfaction n.



Audit  —n. Official scrutiny of accounts. —v. (-t-) conduct an audit of.

Usage  with reference to the last example, it is also legitimate to say you are older than him, with than treated as a preposition, esp. In less formal contexts.
Decongestant  n. Medicine etc. That relieves nasal congestion.


Interrogate  v. (-ting) question (a person), esp. Closely or formally.  interrogation n. Interrogator n. [latin rogo ask]
Jazz  —n. 1 rhythmic syncopated esp. Improvised music of black us origin. 2 slang pretentious talk or behaviour (all that jazz). —v. Play or dance to jazz.  jazz up brighten or enliven.  jazzer n. [origin uncertain]
Candelabrum  n. (also -bra) (pl. -bra, us -brums, -bras) large branched candlestick or lamp-holder. [latin: related to *candela]
Afghan hound  n. Tall hunting dog with long silky hair.


Cornflower  n. Plant with deep-blue flowers originally growing among corn.
Peck2  n. Measure of capacity for dry goods, equal to 2 gallons or 8 quarts.  a peck of large number or amount of. [anglo-french]
Outward bound  adj. Going away from home.

Lie-detector  n. Instrument supposedly determining whether a person is lying, by testing for certain physiological changes.





Incomprehensible  adj. That cannot be understood.



Chemical warfare  n. Warfare using poison gas and other chemicals.
Reverent  adj. Feeling or showing reverence.  reverently adv. [latin: related to *revere]

Hear  v. (past and past part. Heard) 1 (also absol.) Perceive with the ear. 2 listen to (heard them on the radio). 3 listen judicially to (a case etc.). 4 be told or informed. 5 (foll.
Fr.  Abbr. 1 father. 2 french.




Manic  adj. 1 of or affected by mania. 2 colloq. Wildly excited; frenzied; excitable.  manically adv.

Transfigure  v. (-ring) change in form or appearance, esp. So as to elevate or idealize. [latin]
Knight errant  n. 1 medieval knight in search of chivalrous adventures. 2 chivalrous or quixotic man.  knight-errantry n.
Unlit  adj. Not lit.
Analytical  adj. (also analytic) of or using analysis.
Medusa  n. (pl. Medusae or -s) jellyfish. [greek medousa, name of a gorgon]
Diagnose  v. (-sing) make a diagnosis of (a disease, fault, etc.).
Karabiner  n. Coupling link used by mountaineers. [german, literally ‘carbine’]
Interbreed  v. (past and past part. -bred) 1 (cause to) breed with members of a different race or species to produce a hybrid. 2 breed within one family etc.



Hair shirt  n. Shirt of haircloth, worn formerly by penitents and ascetics.
Morello  n. (pl. -s) sour kind of dark cherry. [italian, = blackish]
Law lord  n. Member of the house of lords qualified to perform its legal work.
Reference  n. 1 referring of a matter for decision or settlement or consideration to some authority. 2 scope given to this authority. 3 (foll. By to) a relation, respect, or correspondence. B allusion. C direction to a book etc. (or a passage in it) where information may be found. D book or passage so cited. 4 act of looking up a passage etc., or referring to a book or person for information. 5 a written testimonial supporting an applicant for employment etc. B person giving this.  with (or in) reference to regarding; as regards; about.  referential adj.
Kittenish  adj. Playful, lively, or flirtatious.

Sulphonamide  n. (us sulfonamide) any of a class of antibiotic drugs containing sulphur. [german sulfon (related to *sulphur), amide a derivative of *ammonia]

Bubble bath  n. Foaming preparation for adding to bath water.
Exigency  n. (pl. -ies) (also exigence) 1 urgent need or demand. 2 emergency.  exigent adj. [latin exigo *exact]


Create  v. (-ting) 1 bring into existence; cause. 2 originate (actor creates a part). 3 invest with rank (created him a lord). 4 slang make a fuss. [latin creo]
Biochemistry  n. The study of the chemistry of living organisms.  biochemical adj. Biochemist n.
Headache  n. 1 continuous pain in the head. 2 colloq. Worrying problem.  headachy adj.
 saffron  —n. 1 deep yellow food colouring and flavouring made from dried crocus stigmas. 2 colour of this. —adj. Deep yellow. [french from arabic]

Hopping mad  predic. Adj. Colloq. Very angry.

Leeway  n. 1 allowable scope of action. 2 sideways drift of a ship to leeward of the desired course.
Glove puppet  n. Small puppet fitted on the hand and worked by the fingers.
Woodlouse  n. (pl. -lice) small land crustacean with many legs.


Trace element  n. Chemical element required only in minute amounts by living organisms for normal growth.

Cunnilingus  n. Oral stimulation of the female genitals. [latin cunnus vulva, lingo lick]

Ding-dong  n. 1 sound of two chimes, esp. As a doorbell. 2 colloq. Heated argument or fight. [imitative]

Elementary  adj. 1 dealing with the simplest facts of a subject. 2 unanalysable.
Marriage  n. 1 legal union of a man and a woman for cohabitation and often procreation. 2 act or ceremony marking this. 3 particular such union (a happy marriage). 4 intimate union, combination. [french marier *marry]
Lodestar  n. 1 star used as a guide in navigation, esp. The pole star. 2 a guiding principle. B object of pursuit. [from *lode in obsolete sense ‘way, journey’]


Shish kebab  n. Pieces of meat and vegetables grilled on skewers. [turkish: related to *kebab]
Formality  n. (pl. -ies) 1 a formal, esp. Meaningless, act, regulation, or custom. B thing done simply to comply with a rule. 2 rigid observance of rules or convention.



Music centre  n. Equipment combining radio, record-player, tape recorder, etc.

Anyhow  adv. 1 anyway. 2 in a disorderly manner or state (does his work anyhow).
Shockproof  adj. Resistant to the effects of (esp. Physical) shock.
Gourmand  n. 1 glutton. 2 gourmet. [french]
Macroeconomics  n. The study of the economy as a whole.  macroeconomic adj.
Thud  —n. Low dull sound as of a blow on a non-resonant surface. —v. (-dd-) make or fall with a thud. [probably old english]

Twenty  adj. & n. (pl. -ies) 1 product of two and ten. 2 symbol for this (20, xx, xx). 3 (in pl.) Numbers from 20 to 29, esp. The years of a century or of a person's life.  twentieth adj. & n. [old english]
Pa  n. Colloq. Father. [abbreviation of *papa]

Re  abbr. 1  religious education. 2 royal engineers.



Fashionable  adj. 1 following or suited to current fashion. 2 of or favoured by high society.  fashionableness n. Fashionably adv.


Canalize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 provide with or convert into a canal or canals. 2 channel.  canalization n. [french: related to *canal]
Soubriquet  var. Of *sobriquet.
Thinner  n. Solvent for diluting paint etc.
Trinket  n. Trifling ornament, esp. A piece of jewellery.  trinketry n. [origin unknown]


Pro2  —adj. (of an argument or reason) for; in favour. —n. (pl. -s) reason in favour. —prep. In favour of. [latin, = for, on behalf of]
Usage  the use of alibi in sense 2 is considered incorrect by some people.

Bilk  v. Slang 1 cheat. 2 elude. 3 avoid paying (a creditor or debt). [origin uncertain]
Satsuma  n. Variety of tangerine. [satsuma, province in japan]
Rack2  n. Destruction (esp. Rack and ruin). [from *wrack]

Rear admiral  n. Naval officer ranking below vice admiral.





Marl  —n. Soil of clay and lime, used as fertilizer. —v. Apply marl to.  marly adj. [medieval latin margila]
Tam-o'-shanter  n. Floppy round esp. Woollen beret, of scottish origin. [hero of a poem by burns]


Dim-wit  n. Colloq. Stupid person.  dim-witted adj.
Antitrades  n.pl. Winds blowing in the opposite direction to (and usu. Above) trade winds.

Freudian slip  n. Unintentional verbal error revealing subconscious feelings.
Evidential  adj. Of or providing evidence.
Stunt2  n. 1 something unusual done for publicity. 2 trick or daring feat. [origin unknown]
May  n. 1 fifth month of the year. 2 (may) hawthorn, esp. In blossom. [latin maius of the goddess maia]
Well-received  adj. Welcomed; favourably received.
Single-decker  n. Bus with only one deck.



Clothe  v. (-thing; past and past part. Clothed or formal clad) 1 put clothes on; provide with clothes. 2 cover as with clothes. [old english]


Admissible  adj. 1 (of an idea etc.) Worth accepting or considering. 2 law allowable as evidence. [latin: related to *admit]


Lecturer  n. Person who lectures, esp. As a teacher in higher education.
Supra-  prefix above.

Tarboosh  n. Cap like a fez. [arabic from persian]
Cool  —adj. 1 of or at a fairly low temperature, fairly cold. 2 suggesting or achieving coolness. 3 calm, unexcited. 4 lacking enthusiasm. 5 unfriendly (a cool reception). 6 calmly audacious. 7 (prec. By a) colloq. At least (cost a cool thousand). 8 slang esp. Us marvellous. —n. 1 coolness. 2 cool air or place. 3 slang calmness, composure. —v. (often foll. By down, off) make or become cool.  cool it slang relax, calm down.  coolly adv. Coolness n. [old english]
Oak-apple  n. (also oak-gall) a kind of growth formed on oak trees by the larvae of certain wasps.

Dunk  v. 1 dip (food) into liquid before eating. 2 immerse. [german tunken dip]
Ion  n. Atom or group of atoms that has lost one or more electrons (= *cation), or gained one or more electrons (= *anion). [greek, = going]
Pot-pourri  n. (pl. -s) 1 scented mixture of dried petals and spices. 2 musical or literary medley. [french, = rotten pot]
Courage  n. Ability to disregard fear; bravery.  courage of one's convictions courage to act on one's beliefs. [latin cor heart]
Aberration  n. 1 aberrant behaviour; moral or mental lapse. 2 biol. Deviation from a normal type. 3 distortion of an image because of a defect in a lens or mirror. 4 astron. Apparent displacement of a celestial body.
Gb  abbr. Great britain.
Closet  —n. 1 small room. 2 cupboard. 3 = *water-closet. 4 (attrib.) Secret (closet homosexual). —v. (-t-) shut away, esp. In private conference or study. [french diminutive: related to *close2]





-cyte  comb. Form mature cell (leucocyte). [greek kutos vessel]


Albeit  conj. Literary though. [all be it]
Courteous  adj. Polite, considerate.  courteously adv. Courteousness n. [french: related to *court]
Vine  n. 1 climbing or trailing plant with a woody stem, esp. Bearing grapes. 2 stem of this. [latin vinea vineyard]

Bullock  n. Castrated male of domestic cattle. [old english diminutive of *bull1]
Selection  n. 1 selecting or being selected. 2 selected person or thing. 3 things from which a choice may be made. 4 evolutionary process by which some species thrive better than others.

Police officer  n. Member of a police force.





Leg-of-mutton sleeve  n. Sleeve which is full and loose on the upper arm but close-fitting on the forearm.
Turmeric  n. 1 e. Indian plant of the ginger family. 2 its powdered rhizome used as a spice in curry etc. Or for yellow dye. [perhaps from french terre mérite]

Action  n. 1 process of doing or acting (demanded action). 2 forcefulness or energy. 3 exertion of energy or influence (action of acid on metal). 4 deed, act (not aware of his actions). 5 (the action) a series of events in a story, play, etc. B slang exciting activity (missed the action). 6 battle, fighting (killed in action). 7 a mechanism of an instrument. B style of movement of an animal or human. 8 lawsuit.  out of action not working. [latin: related to *act]
Regency  n. (pl. -ies) 1 office of regent. 2 commission acting as regent. 3 a period of office of a regent or regency commission. B (regency) (in the uk) 1811 to 1820. [medieval latin regentia: related to *regent]

Part of speech  n. Grammatical class of words (in english noun, pronoun, adjective, adverb, verb, etc.).


Liana  n. Climbing plant of tropical forests. [french]
Purchase  —v. (-sing) 1 buy. 2 (often foll. By with) obtain or achieve at some cost. —n. 1 buying. 2 thing bought. 3 a firm hold to prevent slipping; leverage. B device or tackle for moving heavy objects. 4 annual rent or return from land.  purchaser n. [anglo-french: related to *pro-1, *chase1]


Touch-paper  n. Paper impregnated with nitre, for igniting etc.

Rood  n. 1 crucifix, esp. One raised on a rood-screen. 2 quarter of an acre. [old english]
They'd  contr. 1 they had. 2 they would.
Reword  v. Express in different words.

Tapas  n.pl. (often attrib.) Small savoury esp. Spanish dishes. [spanish]
Jack plane  n. Medium-sized joinery plane.
Barony  n. (pl. -ies) domain or rank of a baron.


Heed  —v. Attend to; take notice of. —n. Careful attention.  heedful adj. Heedless adj. Heedlessly adv. [old english]
Fateful  adj. 1 important, decisive. 2 controlled by fate.  fatefully adv.
Snap-fastener  n. = *press-stud.

Soaking  adj. (in full soaking wet) wet through.

Toxic  adj. 1 poisonous. 2 of poison.  toxicity n. [greek toxikon poison for arrows]



Candlelight  n. Light from candles.  candlelit adj.
Graphology  n. The study of handwriting, esp. As a supposed guide to character.  graphologist n. [greek: related to *graphic]
Ed.  Abbr. 1 edited by. 2 edition. 3 editor. 4 educated.

Opening  —n. 1 aperture or gap. 2 opportunity. 3 beginning; initial part. —attrib. Adj. Initial, first (opening remarks).
Ravioli  n. Small pasta envelopes containing minced meat etc. [italian]

Henchman  n. Usu. Derog. Trusted supporter. [old english hengst horse, *man]
Dry dock  n. Dock that can be pumped dry for building or repairing ships.
Flange  n. Projecting flat rim etc., for strengthening or attachment. [origin uncertain]




Dusky  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 shadowy; dim. 2 dark-coloured; dark-skinned.  duskily adv. Duskiness n.
-some2  suffix forming nouns from numerals, meaning ‘a group of’ (foursome). [old english]
Aquatint  n. Etched print resembling a water-colour. [italian acqua tinta coloured water]

Roundel  n. 1 circular mark, esp. Identifying military aircraft. 2 small disc, esp. A medallion. [french rondel(le): related to *round]

Sagebrush  n. Growth of shrubby aromatic plants in some semi-arid regions of western n. America.

Medical examination  n. Examination to determine a person's physical fitness.
Undies  n.pl. Colloq. (esp. Women's) underclothes. [abbreviation]
Dicky  —n. (pl. -ies) colloq. False shirt-front. —adj. (-ier, -iest) slang unsound; unhealthy. [dicky, pet form of richard]

Kg  abbr. Kilogram(s).



Pearly king  n. (also pearly queen) london costermonger (or his wife) wearing clothes covered with pearl buttons.

Circumlocution  n. 1 a roundabout expression. B evasive talk. 2 verbosity.  circumlocutory adj.
Undue  adj. Excessive, disproportionate.  unduly adv.
Elongate  v. (-ting) lengthen, extend.  elongation n. [latin longus long]


Order-paper  n. Written or printed order of the day's proceedings, esp. In parliament.

Slow-down  n. Action of slowing down.






Fast food  n. Restaurant food that is quickly produced and served.



Read  —v. (past and past part. Read) 1 (also absol.) Reproduce mentally or (often foll. By aloud, out, off, etc.) Vocally the written or printed words of (a book, author, etc.). 2 convert or be able to convert into the intended words or meaning (written or other symbols or the things expressed in this way) (can't read music). 3 understand by observing; interpret (read me like a book; read his silence as consent; read my mind; reads tea-leaves). 4 find (a thing) stated in print etc. (read that you were leaving). 5 (often foll. By into) assume as intended or deducible (read too much into it). 6 bring into a specified state by reading (read myself to sleep). 7 a (of a recording instrument) show (a specified figure etc.). B interpret (a recording instrument) (read the meter). 8 convey meaning when read; have a certain wording (it reads persuasively; reads from left to right). 9 sound or affect a hearer or reader when read (the book reads like a parody). 10 study by reading (esp. A subject at university). 11 (as read adj.) Versed in a subject (esp. Literature) by reading (well-read person). 12 (of a computer) copy or transfer (data). 13 hear and understand (over a radio) (are you reading me?). 14 replace (a word etc.) With the correct one(s) (for ‘this’ read ‘these’). —n. 1 spell of reading. 2 colloq. Book etc. As regards readability (is a good read).  read between the lines look for or find hidden meaning. Read up (often followed by on) make a special study of (a subject). Take as read treat (a thing) as if it has been agreed. [old english]
Unstinted  adj. Not stinted.

Catharsis  n. (pl. Catharses) 1 emotional release in drama or art. 2 psychol. Freeing and elimination of repressed emotion. 3 emptying of the bowels. [greek katharos clean]
Yours  poss. Pron. 1 the one or ones belonging to you (it is yours; yours are over there). 2 your letter (yours of the 10th). 3 introducing a formula ending a letter (yours ever; yours truly).  of yours of or belonging to you (friend of yours).




Problem  n. 1 doubtful or difficult matter requiring a solution. 2 something hard to understand or accomplish. 3 (attrib.) Causing problems (problem child). 4 puzzle or question for solution; exercise. [greek problema -mat-]

Undercook  v. Cook insufficiently.

Bister  n. (brit. Bistre) brownish pigment from wood soot. [french]
Commonality  n. (pl. -ies) 1 sharing of an attribute. 2 common occurrence. 3 = *commonalty. [var. Of *commonalty]



Click  —n. Slight sharp sound. —v. 1 (cause to) make a click. 2 colloq. A become clear or understood. B be popular. C (foll. By with) strike up a rapport. [imitative]
Overestimate  —v. (-ting) form too high an estimate of. —n. Too high an estimate.  overestimation n.
Faience  n. Decorated and glazed earthenware and porcelain. [french from faenza in italy]
Gab  n. Colloq. Talk, chatter. [var. Of *gob1]
Inferiority  n. Being inferior.

Zen  n. Form of buddhism emphasizing meditation and intuition. [japanese, = meditation]
Archimandrite  n. 1 superior of a large monastery in the orthodox church. 2 honorary title of a monastic priest. [greek arkhi- chief, mandrites monk]
Rapture  n. 1 ecstatic delight. 2 (in pl.) Great pleasure or enthusiasm or the expression of it.  rapturous adj. [french or medieval latin: related to *rape1]
Helpline  n. Telephone service providing help with problems.


Windscreen  n. Screen of glass at the front of a motor vehicle.
Traveler  n. (brit. Traveller) 1 person who travels or is travelling. 2 travelling salesman. 3 gypsy.





Surmise  —n. Conjecture. —v. (-sing) (often foll. By that) infer doubtfully; guess; suppose. [latin supermitto -miss- accuse]
Perpetuate  v. (-ting) 1 make perpetual. 2 preserve from oblivion.  perpetuation n. Perpetuator n. [latin perpetuo]


Footfall  n. Sound of a footstep.






Self-advancement  n. Advancement of oneself.
Cantabile  mus. —adv. & adj. In smooth flowing style. —n. Cantabile passage or movement. [italian, = singable]



In absentia  adv. In (his, her, or their) absence. [latin]

Dead set  n. Determined attack.  be dead set against strongly oppose. Be dead set on be determined to do or get.



-ed2  suffix forming: 1 past tense and past participle of weak verbs (needed). 2 participial adjectives (escaped prisoner). [old english]
Mosey  v. (-eys, -eyed) (often foll. By along) slang go in a leisurely manner. [origin unknown]
Cheval-glass  n. Tall mirror swung on an upright frame. [latin caballus horse]
Scurrilous  adj. Grossly or indecently abusive.  scurrility n. (pl. -ies). Scurrilously adv. Scurrilousness n. [latin scurra buffoon]
Chimney-pot  n. Earthenware or metal pipe at the top of a chimney.

Loose cover  n. Removable cover for an armchair etc.


Suburban  adj. 1 of or characteristic of suburbs. 2 derog. Provincial in outlook.  suburbanite n.


Traffic island  n. Raised area in a road to divide traffic streams and for pedestrians to use in crossing.
Inborn  adj. Existing from birth; natural, innate.
Incubation  n. 1 incubating. 2 period between infection and the appearance of the first symptoms.
Action-packed  adj. Full of action or excitement.


Roof-rack  n. Framework for luggage on top of a vehicle.
Hepatitis  n. Inflammation of the liver. [related to *hepatic]

Saccharin  n. A sugar substitute. [medieval latin saccharum sugar]



Welfare work  n. Organized effort for the welfare of the poor, disabled, etc.



Alleluia  (also hallelujah) —int. God be praised. —n. Song or shout of praise to god. [hebrew]
Box number  n. Number for replies to a private advertisement in a newspaper.

Airy-fairy  adj. Colloq. Unrealistic, impractical.


Self-important  adj. Conceited; pompous.  self-importance n.
Consign  v. (often foll. By to) 1 hand over; deliver. 2 assign; commit. 3 transmit or send (goods).  consignee n. Consignor n. [latin: related to *sign]




Void  —adj. 1 empty, vacant. 2 (of a contract etc.) Invalid, not legally binding (null and void). —n. Empty space, vacuum. —v. 1 render void. 2 excrete; empty (the bowels etc.).  void of lacking, free from. [french]


Spinal column  n. Spine.
Scent  —n. 1 distinctive, esp. Pleasant, smell. 2 = *perfume 2. 3 a perceptible smell left by an animal. B clues etc. Leading to a discovery. C power of detecting esp. Smells. —v. 1 a discern by scent. B sense (scented danger). 2 (esp. As scented adj.) Make fragrant (scented soap).  put (or throw) off the scent deceive by false clues etc. Scent out discover by smelling or searching. [french sentir perceive]
Shanty2  n. (pl. -ies) (in full sea shanty) sailors' work song. [probably french chanter: related to *chant]

Vip  abbr. Very important person.



Zoom lens  n. Lens allowing a camera to zoom by varying the focal length.
Drummer  n. Player of drums.
Bight  n. 1 bay, inlet, etc. 2 loop of rope. [old english]

Had  past and past part. Of *have.
Cotangent  n. Ratio of the side adjacent to an acute angle (in a right-angled triangle) to the opposite side.
Polychromatic  adj. 1 many-coloured. 2 (of radiation) containing more than one wavelength.  polychromatism n.
Foil1  v. Frustrate, baffle, defeat. [perhaps from french fouler trample]

Orchestra  n. 1 large group of instrumentalists combining strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion. 2 (in full orchestra pit) part of a theatre etc. Where the orchestra plays, usu. In front of the stage and on a lower level.  orchestral adj. [greek, = area for the chorus in drama]
Copperhead  n. Venomous n. American or australian snake.


Polity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 form or process of civil government. 2 organized society; state. [greek polites citizen, from polis city]


Geisha  n. (pl. Same or -s) japanese woman trained to entertain men. [japanese]

Incidentally  adv. 1 by the way. 2 in an incidental way.
Pyrites  n. (in full iron pyrites) lustrous yellow mineral that is a sulphide of iron. [greek: related to *pyre]


Venue  n. Place for a match, meeting, concert, etc. [french, from venir come]
Ob.  Abbr. He or she died. [latin obiit]
Audible  adj. Able to be heard.  audibility n. Audibly adv. [latin audio hear]



Sop  —n. 1 thing given or done to pacify or bribe. 2 piece of bread etc. Dipped in gravy etc. —v. (-pp-) 1 (as sopping adj.) Drenched (came home sopping; sopping wet clothes). 2 (foll. By up) soak or mop up. [old english]
Afrikaans  n. Language derived from dutch, used in s. Africa. [dutch, = ‘african’]
Sm  symb. Samarium.

Shard  n. Broken piece of pottery or glass etc. [old english]
Membrane  n. 1 pliable sheetlike tissue connecting or lining organs in plants and animals. 2 thin pliable sheet or skin.  membranous adj. [latin membrana skin, parchment: related to *member]
Pharynx  n. (pl. Pharynges or -xes) cavity behind the nose and mouth.  pharyngeal adj. Pharyngitis n. [latin from greek]
Oilcloth  n. Fabric, esp. Canvas, waterproofed with oil or another substance.
Moron  n. 1 colloq. Very stupid person. 2 adult with a mental age of 8–12.  moronic adj. [greek moros foolish]
Calabash  n. 1 gourd-bearing tree of tropical america. 2 such a gourd, esp. As a vessel for water, etc. [french from spanish]


Juicy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 full of juice; succulent. 2 colloq. Interesting; racy, scandalous. 3 colloq. Profitable.  juicily adv. Juiciness n.
Acrobat  n. Entertainer performing gymnastic feats.  acrobatic adj. Acrobatically adv. [greek akrobates from akron summit, baino walk]
Debouch  v. 1 (of troops or a stream) come out into open ground. 2 (often foll. By into) (of a river, road, etc.) Merge into a larger body or area.  debouchment n. [french bouche mouth]
Guide-dog  n. Dog trained to guide a blind person.





Unforthcoming  adj. Not forthcoming.



Suspense  n. State of anxious uncertainty or expectation.  suspenseful adj. [french, = delay]

Try-on  n. Colloq. 1 act of trying it on or trying on (clothes etc.). 2 attempt to deceive.

Saurian  adj. Of or like a lizard. [greek saura lizard]

Amoeba  n. (pl. -s) microscopic aquatic amorphous one-celled organism.  amoebic adj. [greek, = change]
Reappear  v. Appear again or as previously.  reappearance n.
Teaser  n. 1 person who teases. 2 colloq. Hard question or task.
Death duty  n. Hist. Property tax levied after death.
Future  —adj. 1 about to happen, be, or become. 2 a of time to come. B gram. (of a tense) describing an event yet to happen. —n. 1 time to come. 2 future events. 3 future condition of a person, country, etc. 4 prospect of success etc. (no future in it). 5 gram. Future tense. 6 (in pl.) Stock exch. Goods etc. Sold for future delivery.  in future from now onwards. [latin futurus future part. Of sum be]
Airspace  n. Air above a country and subject to its jurisdiction.
Brass band  n. Band of brass instruments.

Designate  —v. (-ting) 1 (often foll. By as) appoint to an office or function. 2 specify (designated times). 3 (often foll. By as) describe as; style. 4 serve as the name or symbol of. —adj. (after the noun) appointed to office but not yet installed. [latin: related to *design]
Informant  n. Giver of information.
Xerography  n. Dry copying process in which powder adheres to areas remaining electrically charged after exposure of the surface to light from an image of the document to be copied. [greek xeros dry]
Accusatory  adj. Of or implying accusation.
Show-piece  n. 1 item presented for display. 2 outstanding specimen.

Hardboard  n. Stiff board made of compressed and treated wood pulp.
Carotene  n. Orange-coloured pigment found in carrots, tomatoes, etc., acting as a source of vitamin a. [latin: related to *carrot]
Baron  n. 1 member of the lowest order of the british or foreign nobility. 2 powerful businessman, entrepreneur, etc. 3 hist. Person holding lands from the sovereign.  baronial adj. [medieval latin, = man]



Ruck2  —v. (often foll. By up) make or become creased or wrinkled. —n. Crease or wrinkle. [old norse]
Furious  adj. 1 very angry. 2 raging, frantic.  furiously adv. [latin: related to *fury]


Emf  abbr. (also e.m.f.) Electromotive force.



Danger money  n. Extra payment for dangerous work.
Evening  n. End part of the day, esp. From about 6 p.m. To bedtime. [old english: related to *even2]


Piggyback  (also pickaback) —n. Ride on the back and shoulders of another person. —adv. On the back and shoulders of another person. [origin unknown]



Perestroika  n. (in the former ussr) reform of the economic and political system. [russian, = restructuring]



Harsh  adj. 1 unpleasantly rough or sharp, esp. To the senses. 2 severe, cruel.  harshen v. Harshly adv. Harshness n. [low german]
Dead weight  n. (also dead-weight) 1 a inert mass. B heavy burden. 2 debt not covered by assets. 3 total weight carried on a ship.
Pie-eyed  adj. Slang drunk.
Decrepit  adj. 1 weakened by age or infirmity. 2 dilapidated.  decrepitude n. [latin crepo creak]

Militia  n. Military force, esp. One conscripted in an emergency.  militiaman n. [latin, = military service]
Blench  v. Flinch, quail. [old english]
Fellow  n. 1 colloq. Man or boy (poor fellow!). 2 (usu. In pl.) Person in a group etc.; comrade (separated from their fellows). 3 counterpart; one of a pair. 4 equal; peer. 5 a incorporated senior member of a college. B elected graduate paid to do research. 6 member of a learned society. 7 (attrib.) Of the same group etc. (fellow-countryman). [old english from old norse]
Relative molecular mass  n. The ratio of the average mass of one molecule of an element or compound to one-twelfth of the mass of an atom of carbon-12.





Unopened  adj. Not opened.
Dynamometer  n. Instrument measuring energy expended. [greek: related to *dynamic]

Uncross  v. 1 remove from a crossed position. 2 (as uncrossed adj.) (of a cheque) not crossed.

Homograph  n. Word spelt like another but of different meaning or origin (e.g. *pole1, *pole2).
Creditor  n. Person to whom a debt is owing. [latin: related to *credit]
Negligée  n. (also negligee, négligé) woman's flimsy dressing-gown. [french, past part. Of négliger *neglect]


Potage  n. Thick soup. [french: related to *pot1]
Jackpot  n. Large prize, esp. Accumulated in a game, lottery, etc.  hit the jackpot colloq. 1 win a large prize. 2 have remarkable luck or success.

Blueprint  n. 1 photographic print of plans in white on a blue background. 2 detailed plan.
Enigma  n. 1 puzzling thing or person. 2 riddle or paradox.  enigmatic adj. Enigmatically adv. [latin from greek]


Node  n. 1  a part of a plant stem from which leaves emerge. B knob on a root or branch. 2  natural swelling. 3  either of two points at which a planet's orbit intersects the plane of the ecliptic or the celestial equator. 4  point of minimum disturbance in a standing wave system. 5 point at which a curve intersects itself. 6 component in a computer network.  nodal adj. [latin nodus knot]


Open verdict  n. Verdict affirming that a crime has been committed but not specifying the criminal or (in case of violent death) the cause.

Simultaneous  adj. (often foll. By with) occurring or operating at the same time.  simultaneity n. Simultaneously adv. [latin simul at the same time]




Special branch  n. Police department dealing with political security.



Affection  n. 1 goodwill, fond feeling. 2 disease; diseased condition.

Mogadon  n. Propr. Hypnotic drug used to treat insomnia.

Hydrology  n. Science of the properties of water, esp. Of its movement in relation to land.  hydrologist n.


Trotter  n. 1 (usu. In pl.) Animal's foot as food. 2 horse bred or trained for trotting.
Richly  adv. 1 in a rich way. 2 fully, thoroughly (richly deserves success).
Cheddar  n. A kind of firm smooth cheese. [cheddar in somerset]
Debonair  adj. 1 cheerful, self-assured. 2 pleasant-mannered. [french]
E-number  n. E plus a number, the ec designation for food additives.
Interne  var. Of *intern n.


Overwrought  adj. 1 overexcited, nervous, distraught. 2 too elaborate.


Condescend  v. 1 be gracious enough (to do a thing) esp. While showing one's sense of dignity or superiority (condescended to attend). 2 (foll. By to) pretend to be on equal terms with (an inferior). 3 (as condescending adj.) Patronizing.  condescendingly adv. Condescension n. [latin: related to *descend]


Glazier  n. Person whose trade is glazing windows etc.


Contumely  n. 1 insolent language or treatment. 2 disgrace. [latin: related to *contumacious]
Slop  —v. (-pp-) 1 (often foll. By over) spill over the edge of a vessel. 2 wet (the floor etc.) By slopping. —n. 1 liquid spilled or splashed. 2 sloppy language. 3 (in pl.) Dirty waste water or wine etc. From a kitchen, bedroom, or prison vessels. 4 (in sing. Or pl.) Unappetizing weak liquid food.  slop about move about in a slovenly manner. Slop out carry slops out (in prison etc.). [old english]
Photocopier  n. Machine for producing photocopies.

Load  —n. 1 a what is carried or to be carried. B amount usu. Or actually carried (often in comb.: lorry-load of bricks). 2 burden or commitment of work, responsibility, care, etc. 3 colloq. A (in pl.; often foll. By of) plenty, a lot (loads of money, people). B (a load of) a quantity (a load of nonsense). 4 amount of power carried by an electric circuit or supplied by a generating station. —v. 1 a put a load on or aboard. B place (a load) aboard a ship, on a vehicle, etc. 2 (often foll. By up) (of a vehicle or person) take a load aboard. 3 (often foll. By with) burden, strain (loaded with food). 4 (also load up) (foll. By with) overburden, overwhelm (loaded us with work, with abuse). 5 a put ammunition in (a gun), film in (a camera), a cassette in (a tape recorder), a program in (a computer), etc. B put (a film, cassette, etc.) Into a device. 6 give a bias to.  get a load of slang take note of. [old english, = way]
Lest  conj. Formal 1 in order that not, for fear that (lest he forget). 2 that (afraid lest we should be late). [old english: related to *less]

Bloater  n. Bloated herring.


Tepee  n. (also teepee) n. American indian's conical tent. [dakota]
Irrigate  v. (-ting) 1 a water (land) by means of channels etc. B (of a stream etc.) Supply (land) with water. 2 supply (a wound etc.) With a constant flow of liquid.  irrigable adj. Irrigation n. Irrigator n. [latin rigo moisten]

Purloin  v. Formal or joc. Steal, pilfer. [anglo-french purloigner from loign far]
Hinny  n. (pl. -ies) offspring of a female donkey and a male horse. [greek hinnos]
Goatherd  n. Person who tends goats.



Circa  prep. (preceding a date) about. [latin]
Father's day  n. Day on which cards and presents are given to fathers.

Liquefy  v. (-ies, -ied) make or become liquid.  liquefaction n. [latin: related to *liquid]
Shrill  —adj. 1 piercing and high-pitched in sound. 2 derog. Sharp, unrestrained. —v. Utter with or make a shrill sound.  shrillness n. Shrilly adv. [origin uncertain]
Unsung  adj. Not celebrated, unrecognized (unsung heroes).
Cruiser  n. 1 high-speed warship. 2 = *cabin cruiser.

Rapine  n. Rhet. Plundering. [latin: related to *rape1]



Christmas pudding  n. Rich boiled pudding of flour, suet, dried fruit, etc.
Josh  slang —v. 1 tease, banter. 2 indulge in ridicule. —n. Good-natured or teasing joke. [origin unknown]
Transfuse  v. (-sing) 1 a transfer (blood) from one person or animal to another. B inject (liquid) into a blood-vessel to replace lost fluid. 2 permeate.  transfusion n. [latin: related to *found3]
Liberalize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) make or become more liberal or less strict.  liberalization n.
Expectation  n. 1 expecting or anticipation. 2 thing expected. 3 (foll. By of) probability of an event. 4 (in pl.) One's prospects of inheritance.

Mastiff  n. Dog of a large strong breed with drooping ears. [latin mansuetus tame]




Sharpen  v. Make or become sharp.  sharpener n.
Crypt  n. Vault, esp. Beneath a church, used usu. As a burial-place. [latin crypta from greek kruptos hidden]
Uttermost  attrib. Adj. Utmost.

Grammatical  adj. Of or conforming to the rules of grammar.  grammatically adv.
Ns  abbr. New style.

Chromatic  adj. 1 of colour; in colours. 2 mus. A of or having notes not belonging to a particular diatonic scale. B (of a scale) ascending or descending by semitones.  chromatically adv. [greek khroma -mat- colour]
Unworkable  adj. Not workable; impracticable.
Deputation  n. Delegation. [latin: related to *depute]

Knee-jerk  n. 1 sudden involuntary kick caused by a blow on the tendon just below the knee. 2 (attrib.) Predictable, automatic, stereotyped.
Citation  n. 1 citing; passage cited. 2 mil. Mention in dispatches. 3 description of the reasons for an award.
Assembly line  n. Machinery arranged so that a product can be progressively assembled.


Nevermore  adv. At no future time.
Ghost-writer  n. Person who writes on behalf of the credited author.

Paneling  n. (brit. Panelling) 1 panelled work. 2 wood for making panels.
Lion  n. 1 (fem. Lioness) large tawny flesh-eating wild cat of africa and s. Asia. 2 (the lion) zodiacal sign or constellation leo. 3 brave or celebrated person. [latin leo]
Haberdasher  n. Dealer in dress accessories and sewing-goods.  haberdashery n. (pl. -ies). [probably anglo-french]


Sorrel1  n. Sour-leaved herb. [germanic: related to *sour]

Marriage certificate  n. Certificate verifying a legal marriage.




Graph paper  n. Paper printed with a network of lines as a basis for drawing graphs.
Thereabouts  adv. (also thereabout) 1 near that place. 2 near that number, quantity, etc.


Spadework  n. Hard preparatory work.

Think-tank  n. Colloq. Body of experts providing advice and ideas on national or commercial problems.
Concourse  n. 1 crowd, gathering. 2 large open area in a railway station etc. [latin: related to *concur]
Encumber  v. 1 be a burden to. 2 hamper. [french from romanic]

Absentee landlord  n. One who lets a property while living elsewhere.

Confession  n. 1 a act of confessing. B thing confessed. 2 (in full confession of faith) declaration of one's beliefs or principles.

Cathode ray  n. Beam of electrons from the cathode of a vacuum tube.

Jiffy bag  n. Propr. Padded envelope.
Ski-jump  n. Steep slope levelling off before a sharp drop to allow a skier to leap through the air.  ski-jumping n.
Tame  —adj. 1 (of an animal) domesticated; not wild or shy. 2 insipid; dull (tame entertainment). 3 (of a person) amenable. —v. (-ming) 1 make tame; domesticate. 2 subdue, curb.  tameable adj. Tamely adv. Tameness n. Tamer n. (also in comb.). [old english]







Provincial  —adj. 1 of a province or provinces. 2 unsophisticated or uncultured. —n. 1 inhabitant of a province or the provinces. 2 unsophisticated or uncultured person.  provincialism n.
Crash barrier  n. Barrier at the side or centre of a road etc.
Nursery school  n. School for children between the ages of three and five.
Pumice  n. (in full pumice-stone) 1 light porous volcanic rock used in cleaning or polishing. 2 piece of this used for removing hard skin etc. [latin pumex pumic-]
Example  n. 1 thing characteristic of its kind or illustrating a general rule. 2 person, thing, or piece of conduct, in terms of its fitness to be imitated. 3 circumstance or treatment seen as a warning to others. 4 problem or exercise designed to illustrate a rule.  for example by way of illustration. [latin exemplum: related to *exempt]

Aerial  —n. Device for transmitting or receiving radio waves. —adj. 1 by or from the air; involving aircraft (aerial attack). 2 existing in the air. 3 of or like air. [greek: related to *air]

Flatworm  n. Worm with a flattened body, e.g. Flukes.
Bum2  us slang —n. Loafer or tramp; dissolute person. —v. (-mm-) 1 (often foll. By around) loaf or wander around. 2 cadge. —attrib. Adj. Of poor quality. [german bummler loafer]
Ni  abbr. 1 northern ireland. 2 national insurance.

Pain  —n. 1 any unpleasant bodily sensation produced by illness, accident, etc. 2 mental suffering. 3 (also pain in the neck or arse) colloq. Troublesome person or thing; nuisance. —v. 1 cause pain to. 2 (as pained adj.) Expressing pain (pained expression).  be at (or take) pains take great care. In pain suffering pain.
Chestnut  —n. 1 a glossy hard brown edible nut. B tree bearing it. 2 = *horse chestnut. 3 wood of any chestnut. 4 horse of a reddish-brown colour. 5 colloq. Stale joke etc. 6 reddish-brown. —adj. Reddish-brown. [greek kastanea nut]
Mildew  —n. 1 destructive growth of minute fungi on plants. 2 similar growth on damp paper, leather, etc. —v. Taint or be tainted with mildew.  mildewy adj. [old english]
Transputer  n. Microprocessor with integral memory designed for parallel processing. [from *transistor, *computer]
Bridge roll  n. Small soft bread roll.



Revolution  n. 1 forcible overthrow of a government or social order. 2 any fundamental change or reversal of conditions. 3 revolving. 4 a single completion of an orbit or rotation. B time taken for this. 5 cyclic recurrence. [latin: related to *revolve]

Dialectical materialism  n. Marxist theory that political and historical events are due to the conflict of social forces arising from economic conditions.
Unexplored  adj. Not explored.

Pt  abbr. Physical training.
Validate  v. (-ting) make valid; ratify.  validation n.

Black widow  n. Venomous spider of which the female devours the male.


Thermostat  n. Device that automatically regulates or responds to temperature.  thermostatic adj. Thermostatically adv. [from *thermo-, greek statos standing]




Blank verse  n. Unrhymed verse, esp. Iambic pentameters.

Quarry tile  n. Unglazed floor-tile.
Megalith  n. Large stone, esp. As a prehistoric monument or part of one.  megalithic adj. [greek lithos stone]

Bloomer2  n. Long loaf with diagonal marks. [origin uncertain]
Dandy  —n. (pl. -ies) 1 man greatly devoted to style and fashion. 2 colloq. Excellent thing. —adj. (-ier, -iest) esp. Us colloq. Splendid. [perhaps from the name andrew]

Light-year  n. Distance light travels in one year, nearly 6 million million miles.



Stampede  —n. 1 sudden flight or hurried movement of animals or people. 2 response of many persons at once to a common impulse. —v. (-ding) (cause to) take part in a stampede. [spanish estampida crash, uproar]

Horizon  n. 1 line at which the earth and sky appear to meet. 2 limit of mental perception, experience, interest, etc.  on the horizon (of an event) just imminent or becoming apparent. [greek horizo bound]
X1  n. (also x) (pl. Xs or x's) 1 twenty-fourth letter of the alphabet. 2 (as a roman numeral) ten. 3 (usu. X) algebra first unknown quantity. 4 unknown or unspecified number or person etc. 5 cross-shaped symbol used esp. To indicate position (x marks the spot) or incorrectness, or to symbolize a kiss or a vote, or as the signature of a person who cannot write.
Monster  n. 1 imaginary creature, usu. Large and frightening, made up of incongruous elements. 2 inhumanly cruel or wicked person. 3 misshapen animal or plant. 4 large, usu. Ugly, animal or thing. 5 (attrib.) Huge. [latin monstrum from moneo warn]
Time-shift  —v. Move from one time to another, esp. Record (a television programme) for later viewing. —n. Movement from one time to another (the continual time-shifts make the plot difficult to follow).
Summer pudding  n. Pudding of soft fruit pressed in a bread case.


Top1  —n. 1 highest point or part. 2 a highest rank or place. B person occupying this. C upper end or head (top of the table). 3 upper surface or part of a thing. 4 stopper of a bottle, lid of a jar, etc. 5 garment for the upper part of the body. 6 utmost degree; height (at the top of his voice). 7 (in pl.) Colloq. Person or thing of the best quality. 8 (esp. In pl.) Leaves etc. Of a plant grown esp. For its root (turnip-tops). 9 naut. Platform round the head of the lower mast. 10 = *top gear (climbed the hill in top). —attrib. Adj. 1 highest in position. 2 highest in degree or importance. —v. (-pp-) 1 provide with a top, cap, etc. 2 be higher or better than; surpass; be at the top of (topped the list). 3 reach the top of (a hill etc.). 4 slang kill. 5 golf hit (a ball) above the centre.   off the top of one's head see *head. On top in a superior position; above. On top of 1 fully in command of. 2 in close proximity to. 3 in addition to. On top of the world colloq. Exuberant. Over the top 1 over the parapet of a trench (and into battle). 2 beyond what is normally acceptable (that joke was over the top). Top off (or up) put an end or the finishing touch to.

Crow's-nest  n. Shelter at a sailing-ship's masthead for a lookout man.





Fern  n. (pl. Same or -s) flowerless plant usu. Having feathery fronds.  ferny adj. [old english]
Refinery  n. (pl. -ies) place where oil, sugar, etc. Is refined.
Other half  n. Colloq. One's wife or husband.

Barmy  adj. (-ier, -iest) slang crazy, stupid. [from *barm: earlier, = frothy]
Tricky  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 requiring care and adroitness (tricky job). 2 crafty, deceitful.  trickily adv. Trickiness n.

Assagai  var. Of *assegai.

Limited company  n. (also limited liability company) company whose owners are legally responsible only to a specified amount for its debts.




Greet1  v. 1 address politely or welcomingly on meeting or arrival. 2 receive or acknowledge in a specified way. 3 (of a sight, sound, etc.) Become apparent to or noticed by. [old english]
Stylized  adj. (also -ised) painted, drawn, etc. In a conventional non-realistic style.

Putative  adj. Formal reputed, supposed (his putative father). [latin puto think]


Lockjaw  n. Form of tetanus in which the jaws become rigidly closed.
Well-spoken  adj. Articulate or refined in speech.
Magnetic needle  n. Piece of magnetized steel used as an indicator on the dial of a compass etc.


Evanescent  adj. Quickly fading.  evanescence n.




Metropolis  n. Chief city, capital. [greek meter mother, polis city]
Sightly  adj. Attractive to look at.
Diabetes  n. Disease in which sugar and starch are not properly absorbed by the body. [latin from greek]



Camellia  n. Evergreen shrub with shiny leaves and showy flowers. [camellus, name of a botanist]



Episcopacy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 government by bishops. 2 (prec. By the) the bishops.



Flannel  —n. 1 a woven woollen usu. Napless fabric. B (in pl.) Flannel garments, esp. Trousers. 2 face-cloth, esp. Towelling. 3 slang nonsense; flattery. —v. (-ll-; us -l-) 1 slang flatter. 2 wash with a flannel. [welsh gwlanen from gwlan wool]


Stem2  v. (-mm-) check or stop. [old norse]
D. And c.  N. Dilatation (of the cervix) and curettage (of the uterus).
Sumo  n.  Japanese wrestling in which a wrestler is defeated by touching the ground with any part of the body except the soles of the feet or by moving outside the ring. [japanese]


Undermine  v. (-ning) 1 injure (a person, reputation, health, etc.) Secretly or insidiously. 2 wear away the base of (banks were undermined). 3 make an excavation under.
All-time  attrib. Adj. (of a record etc.) Unsurpassed.
Unawares  adv. 1 unexpectedly. 2 inadvertently.

Small-minded  adj. Petty; narrow in outlook.

Goiter  n. (brit. Goitre) morbid enlargement of the thyroid gland. [latin guttur throat]

Home help  n. Person helping with housework etc., esp. One provided by a local authority.

Frustrate  v. (-ting) 1 make (efforts) ineffective. 2 prevent (a person) from achieving a purpose. 3 (as frustrated adj.) A discontented because unable to achieve one's aims. B sexually unfulfilled.  frustrating adj. Frustratingly adv. Frustration n. [latin frustra in vain]

Apex  n. (pl. -es) 1 highest point. 2 tip or pointed end. [latin]

Eyeful  n. (pl. -s) colloq. 1 (esp. In phr. Get an eyeful (of)) good look; as much as the eye can take in. 2 visually striking person or thing. 3 thing thrown or blown into the eye.

Roadside  n. (often attrib.) Strip of land beside a road.
Polystyrene  n. A polymer of styrene, a kind of hard plastic, often foamed for packaging. [styrene from greek sturax a resin]

Article  —n. 1 item or thing. 2 non-fictional journalistic essay. 3 clause or item in an agreement or contract. 4 definite or indefinite article. —v. (-ling) employ under contract as a trainee. [latin articulus from artus joint]

Intolerable  adj. That cannot be endured.  intolerably adv.
Stag-party  n. Colloq. All-male celebration held esp. For a man about to marry.
Ethereal  adj. 1 light, airy. 2 highly delicate, esp. In appearance. 3 heavenly.  ethereally adv. [greek: related to *ether]




Telesales  n.pl. Selling by telephone.
Lamentation  n. 1 lamenting. 2 lament.
Tec  n. Colloq. Detective. [abbreviation]
Wop  n. Slang offens. Italian or other s. European. [origin uncertain]


Atoll  n. Ring-shaped coral reef enclosing a lagoon. [maldive]
Outflow  n. 1 outward flow. 2 amount that flows out.

Clip1  —n. 1 device for holding things together or for attaching something. 2 piece of jewellery fastened by a clip. 3 set of attached cartridges for a firearm. —v. (-pp-) fix with a clip. [old english]



Wind-sock  n. Canvas cylinder or cone on a mast to show the direction of the wind at an airfield etc.
Wall-to-wall  adj. 1 (of a carpet) fitted to cover a whole room etc. 2 colloq. Ubiquitous (wall-to-wall pop music).



Complete  —adj. 1 having all its parts; entire. 2 finished. 3 total, in every way. —v. (-ting) 1 finish. 2 make complete. 3 fill in (a form etc.). 4 conclude the sale or purchase of property.  complete with having (as an important feature) (comes complete with instructions).  completely adv. Completeness n. Completion n. [latin: related to *complement]
Prognostic  —n. 1 (often foll. By of) advance indication, esp. Of the course of a disease. 2 prediction, forecast. —adj. (often foll. By of) foretelling, predictive. [latin: related to *prognosis]

Immediate  adj. 1 occurring or done at once (immediate reply). 2 nearest, next; direct (immediate vicinity; immediate future; immediate cause of death). 3 most pressing or urgent (our immediate concern).  immediacy n. Immediateness n. [latin: related to *in-1, *mediate]
Vitamin  n. Any of various substances present in many foods and essential to health and growth (vitamin a, b, c, etc.). [latin vita life, *amine]
Glamor  n. (brit. Glamour) 1 physical, esp. Cosmetic, attractiveness. 2 alluring or exciting beauty or charm.  glamorous adj. Glamorously adv. [var. Of *grammar in obsolete sense ‘magic’]
Willing  adj. 1 ready to consent or undertake. 2 given or done etc. By a willing person.  willingly adv. Willingness n.
Destruct  us esp. Astronaut. —v. Destroy (one's own rocket etc.) Or be destroyed deliberately, esp. For safety. —n. Destructing.



Slow  —adj. 1 a taking a relatively long time to do a thing (also foll. By of: slow of speech). B acting, moving, or done without speed, not quick. 2 not conducive to speed (slow route). 3 (of a clock etc.) Showing a time earlier than is correct. 4 (of a person) not understanding or learning readily. 5 dull, tedious. 6 slack, sluggish (business is slow). 7 (of a fire or oven) giving little heat. 8 photog. (of a film) needing long exposure. 9 reluctant; not hasty (slow to anger). —adv. Slowly (also in comb.: slow-moving traffic). —v. (usu. Foll. By down, up) 1 reduce one's speed or the speed of (a vehicle etc.). 2 reduce one's pace of life.  slowish adj. Slowly adv. Slowness n. [old english]

Dumpling  n. 1 ball of dough boiled in stew or containing apple etc. 2 small fat person. [dump small round object]



Face-pack  n. Skin preparation for the face.

Dressage  n. Training of a horse in obedience and deportment; display of this. [french]
Heart failure  n. Failure of the heart to function properly, esp. As a cause of death.
Rough house  n. Slang disturbance or row; boisterous play.




Cerebellum  n. (pl. -s or -bella) part of the brain at the back of the skull. [latin diminutive of *cerebrum]






Frizzle2  —v. (-ling) form into tight curls. —n. Frizzled hair. [perhaps related to *frizz]

Unearthly  adj. 1 supernatural, mysterious. 2 colloq. Absurdly early or inconvenient (unearthly hour).  unearthliness n.


Gastro-enteritis  n. Inflammation of the stomach and intestines.
Aeronautics  n.pl. (usu. Treated as sing.) Science or practice of motion in the air.  aeronautic adj. Aeronautical adj. [from *aero-, *nautical]
Broad-leaved  adj. (of a tree) deciduous and hard-timbered.
Ardour  n. (us ardor) zeal, enthusiasm, passion.
P. & p.  Abbr. Postage and packing.
Hebrew  —n. 1 member of a semitic people orig. Centred in ancient palestine. 2 a their language. B modern form of this, used esp. In israel. —adj. 1 of or in hebrew. 2 of the hebrews or the jews. [hebrew, = one from the other side of the river]
Bronze age  n. Archaeol. Period when weapons and tools were usu. Made of bronze.
Universal coupling  n. (also universal joint) coupling or joint which can transmit rotary power by a shaft at any angle.

Mucker  n. Slang friend, mate. [probably from muck in: related to *muck]
Tin-opener  n. Tool for opening tins.

Collapse  —n. 1 falling down or in of a structure; folding up; giving way. 2 sudden failure of a plan etc. 3 physical or mental breakdown; exhaustion. —v. (-sing) 1 (cause to) undergo collapse. 2 colloq. Lie or sit down and relax, esp. After prolonged effort. 3 fold up.  collapsible adj. [latin labor laps- slip]


Reveille  n. Military waking-signal. [french réveillez wake up]


Plonk1  —v. 1 set down hurriedly or clumsily. 2 (usu. Foll. By down) set down firmly. —n. Heavy thud. [imitative]

Wording  n. Form of words used.



Uncooperative  adj. Not cooperative.
Lux  n. (pl. Same)  the si unit of illumination. [latin]





Costume jewellery  n. Artificial jewellery.




Hatchback  n. Car with a sloping back hinged at the top to form a door.
Soundbox  n. The hollow body of a stringed musical instrument, providing resonance.
Diametrical  adj. (also diametric) 1 of or along a diameter. 2 (of opposites etc.) Absolute.  diametrically adv. [greek: related to *diameter]
Iceberg  n. Large floating mass of ice.  the tip of the iceberg small perceptible part of something very large or complex. [dutch]
All-round  attrib. Adj. (of a person) versatile.
Involuntary  adj. 1 done without exercising the will; unintentional. 2 (of a muscle) not under the control of the will.  involuntarily adv. Involuntariness n.
Diction  n. Manner of enunciation in speaking or singing. [latin dictio from dico dict- say]

Painter1  n. Person who paints; artist or decorator.



Discontent  —n. Lack of contentment; dissatisfaction, grievance. —v. (esp. As discontented adj.) Make dissatisfied.  discontentment n.
Kaftan  var. Of *caftan.

Eyewash  n. 1 lotion for the eyes. 2 slang nonsense; insincere talk.
Compos mentis  adj. Sane. [latin]
Maiolica  n. (also majolica) white tin-glazed earthenware decorated with metallic colours or enamelled. [italian, from the former name of majorca]
Warden  n. 1 (often in comb.) Supervising official (traffic warden). 2 president or governor of a college, hospital, etc. [anglo-french and french: related to *guardian]

Patchwork  n. 1 (often. Attrib.) Stitching together of small pieces of variegated cloth to form a pattern (patchwork quilt). 2 thing composed of fragments etc.

Draft  —n. 1 preliminary written version of a speech, document, etc., or outline of a scheme. 2 a written order for payment of money by a bank. B drawing of money by this. 3 a detachment from a larger group. B selection of this. 4 us conscription. 5 us = *draught. —v. 1 prepare a draft of (a document, scheme, etc.). 2 select for a special duty or purpose. 3 us conscript. [phonetic spelling of *draught]





Almond  n. 1 nutlike kernel of a fruit allied to the peach and plum. 2 tree bearing this. [greek amugdale]
Directorate  n. 1 board of directors. 2 office of director.
Revival  n. 1 reviving or being revived. 2 new production of an old play etc. 3 revived use of an old practice, style, etc. 4 a reawakening of religious fervour. B campaign to promote this.
Sodium chloride  n. Common salt.

Untried  adj. 1 not tried or tested. 2 inexperienced.
Duvet  n. Thick soft quilt used instead of sheets and blankets. [french]
Tearing hurry  n. Colloq. Great hurry.


Taffy  n. (pl. -ies) colloq. Often offens. Welshman. [a supposed pronunciation of davy = david]


Marital  adj. Of marriage or marriage relations. [latin maritus husband]
Perpetrate  v. (-ting) commit (a crime, blunder, or anything outrageous).  perpetration n. Perpetrator n. [latin perpetro perform]

Tundra  n. Vast level treeless arctic region with underlying permafrost. [lappish]
Night-long  adj. & adv. Throughout the night.



Bogyman  var. Of *bogeyman.

Composer  n. Person who composes (esp. Music).



Obstruct  v. 1 block up; make hard or impossible to pass along or through. 2 prevent or retard the progress of. [latin obstruo obstruct- block up]

Highland  —n. (usu. In pl.) 1 area of high land. 2 (the highlands) mountainous part of scotland. —adj. Of or in a highland or the highlands.  highlander n. (also highlander). [old english, = promontory: related to *high]


Target  —n. 1 mark fired or aimed at, esp. A round object marked with concentric circles. 2 person or thing aimed or fired at etc. (an easy target). 3 objective or result aimed at. 4 butt for criticism, abuse, etc. —v. (-t-) 1 identify or single out as a target. 2 aim or direct (missiles targeted on major cities). [french targe shield]

East-north-east  n. Point or direction midway between east and north-east.

Excite  v. (-ting) 1 a rouse the emotions of (a person). B arouse (feelings etc.). C arouse sexually. 2 provoke (an action etc.). 3 stimulate (an organism, tissue, etc.) To activity. [latin cieo stir up]
Preponderate  v. (-ting) (often foll. By over) be greater in influence, quantity, or number; predominate.  preponderance n. Preponderant adj. [latin pondus -der- weight]


Unsatisfying  adj. Not satisfying.

Small talk  n. Light social conversation.




Livelihood  n. Means of living; job, income. [old english: related to *life]
Viral  adj. Of or caused by a virus.
Displaced person  n. Refugee in war etc., or from persecution.


Grand  —adj. 1 splendid, magnificent, imposing, dignified. 2 main; of chief importance. 3 (grand) of the highest rank (grand duke). 4 colloq. Excellent, enjoyable. 5 belonging to high society. 6 (in comb.) (in names of family relationships) denoting the second degree of ascent or descent (granddaughter). —n. 1 = *grand piano. 2 (pl. Same) (usu. In pl.) Esp. Us slang a thousand dollars or pounds.  grandly adv. Grandness n. [latin grandis full-grown]
Cockscomb  n. Crest of a cock.
Queue  —n. Line or sequence of persons, vehicles, etc. Waiting their turn. —v. (queues, queued, queuing or queueing) (often foll. By up) form or join a queue. [latin cauda tail]








Passive resistance  n. Non-violent refusal to cooperate.

Bunting1  n. Small bird related to the finches. [origin unknown]



Preternatural  adj. Extraordinary, exceptional; supernatural. [latin praeter beyond]
Toe  —n. 1 any of the five terminal projections of the foot. 2 corresponding part of an animal. 3 part of a shoe etc. That covers the toes. 4 lower end or tip of an implement etc. —v. (toes, toed, toeing) touch (a starting-line etc.) With the toes.  on one's toes alert. Toe the line conform, esp. Under pressure. [old english]
Lib  n. Colloq. (in names of political movements) liberation. [abbreviation]










Ailment  n. Minor illness or disorder.
Oppugn  v. Literary controvert, call in question. [latin oppugno fight against]


Upkeep  n. 1 maintenance in good condition. 2 cost or means of this.







Outer space  n. Universe beyond the earth's atmosphere.


Maiden name  n. Woman's surname before marriage.

Rail1  —n. 1 level or sloping bar or series of bars: a used to hang things on. B as the top of banisters. C forming part of a fence or barrier as protection. 2 steel bar or continuous line of bars laid on the ground, usu. As a railway. 3 (often attrib.) Railway. —v. 1 furnish with a rail or rails. 2 (usu. Foll. By in, off) enclose with rails.  off the rails disorganized; out of order; deranged. [french reille from latin regula *rule]

John bull  n. England or the typical englishman. [name of a character in an 18th-c. Satire]

Expatriate  —adj. 1 living abroad. 2 exiled. —n. Expatriate person. —v. (-ting) 1 expel (a person) from his or her native country. 2 refl. Renounce one's citizenship.  expatriation n. [latin patria native land]

Obstructive  adj. Causing or intended to cause an obstruction.  obstructively adv. Obstructiveness n.
Detain  v. 1 keep waiting; delay. 2 keep in custody, lock up.  detainment n. [latin teneo hold]


Turd  n. Coarse slang 1 lump of excrement. 2 contemptible person. [old english]



Cobble2  v. (-ling) 1 mend or patch up (esp. Shoes). 2 (often foll. By together) join or assemble roughly. [from *cobbler]
Irreconcilable  adj. 1 implacably hostile. 2 (of ideas etc.) Incompatible.  irreconcilability n. Irreconcilably adv.





Whisper  —v. 1 a speak very softly without vibration of the vocal cords. B talk or say in a barely audible tone or in a secret or confidential way. 2 rustle or murmur. —n. 1 whispering speech or sound. 2 thing whispered.  it is whispered there is a rumour. [old english]
Psychotherapy  n. Treatment of mental disorder by psychological means.  psychotherapeutic adj. Psychotherapist n.
Administrate  v. (-ting) administer (esp. Business affairs); act as an administrator.



Pusillanimous  adj. Formal cowardly, timid.  pusillanimity n. [church latin pusillanimis from pusillus very small, animus mind]

Push  —v. 1 exert a force on (a thing) to move it or cause it to move away. 2 exert such a force (do not push against the door). 3 a thrust forward or upward. B (cause to) project (pushes out new roots). 4 move forward or make (one's way) by force or persistence. 5 exert oneself, esp. To surpass others. 6 (often foll. By to, into, or to + infin.) Urge, impel, or press (a person) hard; harass. 7 (often foll.

Eyeglass  n. Lens to assist defective sight.
Water chestnut  n. Corm from a sedge, used in chinese cookery.

Medical  —adj. Of medicine in general or as distinct from surgery (medical ward). —n. Colloq. Medical examination.  medically adv.
Axe  (us ax) —n. 1 chopping-tool with a handle and heavy blade. 2 (the axe) dismissal (of employees); abandonment of a project etc. —v. (axing) cut (esp. Costs or staff) drastically; abandon (a project).  an axe to grind private ends to serve. [old english]






Voltmeter  n. Instrument measuring electric potential in volts.

Widow  —n. 1 woman who has lost her husband by death and not married again. 2 woman whose husband is often away on a specified activity (golf widow). —v. 1 make into a widow or widower. 2 (as widowed adj.) Bereft by the death of a spouse.  widowhood n. [old english]
Sentient  adj. Capable of perception and feeling.  sentience n. Sentiency n. Sentiently adv. [latin sentio feel]
Vanity bag  n. (also vanity case) woman's make-up bag or case.

Caller  n. Person who calls, esp. One who pays a visit or makes a telephone call.
Unlike signs  n.pl. Math. Plus and minus.
High colour  n. Flushed complexion.


Backwards  adv. 1 away from one's front (lean backwards). 2 a with the back foremost (walk backwards). B in reverse of the usual way (count backwards). 3 a into a worse state. B into the past. C (of motion) back towards the starting-point (roll backwards).  backwards and forwards to and fro. Bend (or fall or lean) over backwards colloq. Make every effort, esp. To be fair or helpful.
Decree  —n. 1 official legal order. 2 legal judgement or decision, esp. In divorce cases. —v. (-ees, -eed, -eeing) ordain by decree. [latin decretum from cerno sift]

Window-shop  v. Look at goods displayed in shop-windows, without buying anything.
Ill health  n. Poor physical or mental condition.
Desperate  adj. 1 reckless from despair; violent and lawless. 2 a extremely dangerous, serious, or bad (desperate situation). B staking all on a small chance (desperate remedy). 3 (usu. Foll. By for) needing or desiring very much (desperate for recognition).  desperately adv. Desperateness n. Desperation n. [latin: related to *despair]

Anemic  adj. (brit. Anaemic) 1 of or suffering from anemia. 2 pale, listless.
Possession  n. 1 possessing or being possessed. 2 thing possessed. 3 holding or occupancy. 4 law power or control similar to ownership but which may exist separately from it (prosecuted for possession of drugs). 5 (in pl.) Property, wealth, subject territory, etc. 6 football etc. Control of the ball by a player.
Labourer  n. (us laborer) person doing unskilled, usu. Manual, work for wages.


Usage  the senses of egoism and egotism overlap, but egoism alone is used as a term in philosophy and psychology to mean self-interest (often contrasted with altruism).

Altogether  adv. 1 totally, completely. 2 on the whole. 3 in total.  in the altogether colloq. Naked. [from *all, *together]
Apeman  n. Extinct primate held to be the forerunner of present-day man.
Person  n. 1 individual human being. 2 living body of a human being (found on my person). 3 gram. Any of three classes of personal pronouns, verb-forms, etc.: the person speaking (first person); the person spoken to (second person); the person spoken of (third person). 4 (in comb.) Used to replace -man in offices open to either sex (salesperson). 5 (in christianity) god as father, son, or holy ghost.  in person physically present. [latin: related to *persona]


Interfacing  n. Stiffish material between two layers of fabric in collars etc.
Slosh  —v. 1 (often foll. By about) splash or flounder. 2 slang hit, esp. Heavily. 3 colloq. A pour (liquid) clumsily. B pour liquid on. —n. 1 slush. 2 act or sound of splashing. 3 slang heavy blow. [var. Of *slush]
Temporize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 avoid committing oneself so as to gain time; procrastinate. 2 comply temporarily; adopt a time-serving policy.
Psychopath  n. 1 mentally deranged person, esp. Showing abnormal or violent social behaviour. 2 mentally or emotionally unstable person.  psychopathic adj.
Deliverance  n. Rescuing or being rescued.

Dreamboat  n. Colloq. Sexually attractive or ideal person.

Bleep  —n. Intermittent high-pitched electronic sound. —v. 1 make a bleep. 2 summon with a bleeper. [imitative]
Double feature  n. Cinema programme with two full-length films.
Levis  n.pl. (also levi's propr.) Type of (orig. Blue) denim jeans or overalls reinforced with rivets. [levi strauss, name of the manufacturer]
Dolphin  n. Large porpoise-like sea mammal with a slender pointed snout. [greek delphis -in-]
Aback  adv.  take aback surprise, disconcert. [old english: related to *a2]
Triplex  adj. Triple, threefold. [latin]
Pong  v. Colloq. Stink.  pongy adj. (-ier, -iest). [origin unknown]




Introductory  adj. Serving as an introduction; preliminary.

Size2  —n. Sticky solution used in glazing paper, stiffening textiles, etc. —v. (-zing) treat with size. [perhaps = *size1]
Accident-prone  adj. Clumsy.
Serial killer  n. Person who murders continually with no apparent motive.

Management  n. 1 managing or being managed. 2 a administration of business or public undertakings. B people engaged in this, esp. Those controlling a workforce.
Flew  past of *fly1.


Subatomic  adj. Occurring in, or smaller than, an atom.



Diddums  int. Often iron. Expressing commiseration. [= did 'em, i.e. Did they (tease you etc.)?]
Hey  int. Calling attention or expressing joy, surprise, inquiry, etc. [imitative]


Instead  adv. 1 (foll. By of) in place of. 2 as an alternative.
Julian calendar  n. Calendar introduced by julius caesar, with a year of 365 days, every fourth year having 366.
Anti-semite  n. Person who is prejudiced against jews.  anti-semitic adj. Anti-semitism n.
Yb  symb. Ytterbium.

Interment  n. Burial.
Tungsten  n. Dense metallic element with a very high melting point. [swedish, = heavy stone]



Analog  n. (brit. Analogue) 1 analogous thing. 2 (attrib.) (usu. Analog) (of a computer etc.) Using physical variables, e.g. Voltage, to represent numbers (cf. *digital).

Henchman  n. Usu. Derog. Trusted supporter. [old english hengst horse, *man]



Solar  adj. Of or reckoned by the sun. [latin sol sun]
Refine  v. (-ning) 1 free from impurities or defects. 2 make or become more polished, elegant, or cultured.


Amass  v. Heap together; accumulate. [french: related to *ad-, *mass1]
Kaiser  n. Hist. Emperor, esp. Of germany, austria, or the holy roman empire. [latin *caesar]


Apocryphal  adj. Of doubtful authenticity.
Uneconomic  adj. Not economic; unprofitable.

Buttercup  n. Wild plant with yellow cup-shaped flowers.
Inmate  n. Occupant of a hospital, prison, institution, etc. [probably from *inn, *mate1]
Lugsail  n. Four-cornered sail on a yard. [probably from *lug]






Lynx-eyed  adj. Keen-sighted.

Brae  n. Scot. Hillside. [old norse]

Class  —n. 1 any set of persons or things grouped together, or graded or differentiated from others esp. By quality (first class; economy class). 2 division or order of society (upper class). 3 colloq. Distinction, high quality. 4 a group of students taught together. B occasion when they meet. C their course of instruction. 5 division of candidates by merit in an examination. 6 biol. Next grouping of organisms below a division or phylum. —v. Assign to a class or category.  in a class of (or on) its (or one's) own unequalled.  classless adj. [latin classis assembly]


Gnome  n. 1 a dwarfish legendary spirit or goblin living underground. B figure of this as a garden ornament. 2 (esp. In pl.) Colloq. Person with sinister influence, esp. Financial (gnomes of zurich).  gnomish adj. [french]
Moire  n. (in full moire antique) watered fabric, usu. Silk. [french: related to *mohair]
Competence  n. (also competency) 1 ability; being competent. 2 income large enough to live on. 3 legal capacity.



Midwest  n. Region of the us adjoining the northern mississippi.
Indiscipline  n. Lack of discipline.

Rage  —n. 1 fierce or violent anger. 2 fit of this. 3 violent action of a natural force. —v. (-ging) 1 be full of anger. 2 (often foll. By at, against) speak furiously or madly. 3 (of wind, battle, etc.) Be violent; be at its height. 4 (as raging adj.) Extreme, very painful (raging thirst; raging headache).  all the rage very popular, fashionable. [latin *rabies]
Yell  —n. Loud sharp cry; shout. —v. Cry, shout. [old english]
Wonderment  n. Surprise, awe.




Tent  n. 1 portable canvas etc. Shelter or dwelling supported by poles and cords attached to pegs driven into the ground. 2 tentlike enclosure, e.g. Supplying oxygen to a patient. [latin: related to *tend1]
Convection  n. Heat transfer by upward movement of a heated and less dense medium. [latin veho vect- carry]




Maenad  n. 1 bacchante. 2 frenzied woman.  maenadic adj. [greek mainomai rave]

Swimming-costume  n. = *bathing-costume.

Patent  —n. 1 official document conferring a right or title, esp. The sole right to make, use, or sell a specified invention. 2 invention or process so protected. —adj. 1  obvious, plain. 2 conferred or protected by patent. 3 a proprietary. B to which one has a proprietary claim. —v. Obtain a patent for (an invention).  patently adv. (in sense 1 of adj.). [latin pateo lie open]

'Ll  v. (usu. After pronouns) shall, will (i'll; that'll). [abbreviation]


Wreathe  v. (-thing) 1 encircle or cover as, with, or like a wreath. 2 (foll. By round) wind (one's arms etc.) Round (a person etc.). 3 (of smoke etc.) Move in wreaths.
Lucky  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 having or resulting from good luck. 2 bringing good luck (lucky charm).  luckily adv.
Lieu  n.  in lieu 1 instead. 2 (foll. By of) in the place of. [latin locus place]

Achilles tendon  n. Tendon connecting the heel with the calf muscles.

Whatsoever  adj. & pron. = *whatever.
Accordingly  adv. 1 as circumstances suggest or require (please act accordingly). 2 consequently (accordingly, he left the room).
Divisor  n. Number by which another is divided.


Punt3  v. 1 colloq. A bet on a horse etc. B speculate in shares etc. 2 (in some card-games) lay a stake against the bank. [french ponter]





Slum  —n. 1 house unfit for human habitation. 2 (often in pl.) Overcrowded and squalid district in a city. —v. (-mm-) visit slums, esp. Out of curiosity.  slum it colloq. Put up with conditions less comfortable than usual.  slummy adj. [originally cant] 

Hypocrite  n. Person given to hypocrisy.  hypocritical adj. Hypocritically adv.

Thither  adv. Archaic or formal to or towards that place. [old english]

Magpie  n. 1 a kind of crow with a long tail and black and white plumage. 2 chatterer. 3 indiscriminate collector. [from mag, abbreviation of margaret, *pie2]

Strength  n. 1 being strong; degree or manner of this. 2 a person or thing giving strength. B positive attribute. 3 number of people present or available; full number.  from strength to strength with ever-increasing success. In strength in large numbers. On the strength of on the basis of. [old english: related to *strong]
Needlewoman  n. 1 seamstress. 2 woman or girl with specified sewing skill.

Hashish  n. Resinous product of hemp, smoked or chewed as a narcotic. [arabic]
Empyrean  —n. The highest heaven, as the sphere of fire or abode of god. —adj. Of the empyrean.  empyreal adj. [greek pur fire]


Re-form  v. Form again.  re-formation n.

Micky  var. Of *mickey.


Leaves  pl. Of *leaf.
Shantung  n. Soft undressed chinese silk. [shantung, chinese province]
Compunction  n. 1 pricking of conscience. 2 slight regret; scruple. [church latin: related to *point]
Red-light district  n. District where many prostitutes work.
Socratic  adj. Of socrates or his philosophy.

Sociology  n. The study of society and social problems.  sociological adj. Sociologist n. [french: related to *social]
Blatant  adj. 1 flagrant, unashamed. 2 loudly obtrusive.  blatantly adv. [coined by spenser]

Trade mark  n. 1 device or name secured by law or custom as representing a company, product, etc. 2 distinctive characteristic etc.

Col-  see *com-.

High-pitched  adj. 1 (of a sound) high. 2 (of a roof) steep.
Onward  —adv. (also onwards) 1 forward, advancing. 2 into the future (from 1985 onwards). —adj. Forward, advancing.
Track  —n. 1 a mark(s) left by a person, animal, vehicle, etc. B (in pl.) Such marks, esp. Footprints. 2 rough path, esp. One beaten by use. 3 continuous railway line. 4 a racecourse; circuit. B prepared course for runners etc. 5 a groove on a gramophone record. B section of a record, cd, or magnetic tape containing one song etc. C lengthwise strip of magnetic tape containing a single sequence of signals. 6 line of travel (track of the comet). 7 band round the wheels of a tank etc. 8 line of thought or action. —v. 1 follow the track of. 2 trace (a course, development, etc.) By vestiges. 3 (often foll. By back, in, etc.) (of a film or television camera) move in relation to the subject being filmed.  in one's tracks colloq. Where one stands, instantly (stopped him in his tracks). Keep (or lose) track of follow (or fail to follow) the course of. Make tracks colloq. Depart. Make tracks for colloq. Go in pursuit of or towards. Off the track away from the subject. Track down reach or capture by tracking.  tracker n. [french trac]

Hot-water bottle  n. (usu. Rubber) container filled with hot water to warm a bed.

Usage  in the last two examples of sense 2 whom is correct, but who is common in less formal contexts.


Historic  adj. 1 famous or important in history or potentially so (historic moment). 2 gram. (of a tense) used to narrate past events.

Writ2  archaic past part. Of *write.  writ large in magnified or emphasized form.
Trickery  n. Deception, use of tricks.

Kibosh  n. Slang nonsense.  put the kibosh on put an end to. [origin unknown]




Extrinsic  adj. 1 not inherent or intrinsic. 2 (often foll. By to) extraneous; not belonging.  extrinsically adv. [latin extrinsecus outwardly]
Hypercritical  adj. Excessively critical.  hypercritically adv.

Jet-propelled  adj. 1 having jet propulsion. 2 very fast.



Breast-feed  v. Feed (a baby) from the breast.

Frowsty  adj. (-ier, -iest) fusty, stuffy. [var. Of *frowzy]


Bosom friend  n. Intimate friend.



Haven't  contr. Have not.


Rhyming slang  n. Slang that replaces words by rhyming words or phrases, e.g. Suit by whistle and flute.
Fettle  n. Condition or trim (in fine fettle). [old english]


Title  n. 1 name of a book, work of art, etc. 2 heading of a chapter, document, etc. 3 a = *title-page. B book, magazine, etc., in terms of its title (brought out two new titles). 4 (usu. In pl.) Caption or credit in a film etc. 5 name indicating a person's status (e.g. Queen, professor) or used as a form of address or reference (e.g. Lord, mr, your grace). 6 championship in sport. 7 law a right to ownership of property with or without possession. B facts constituting this. C (foll. By to) just or recognized claim. [latin titulus]
Cock-and-bull story  n. Absurd or incredible account.
Paella  n. Spanish dish of rice, saffron, chicken, seafood, etc., cooked and served in a large shallow pan. [latin *patella]
Hackneyed  adj. (of a phrase etc.) Made trite by overuse.
Analogous  adj. (usu. Foll. By to) partially similar or parallel. [greek analogos proportionate]



Prole  adj. & n. Derog. Colloq. Proletarian. [abbreviation]





Godspeed  int. Expression of good wishes to a person starting a journey.


Drive  —v. (-ving; past drove; past part. Driven) 1 urge forward, esp. Forcibly. 2 a compel (was driven to complain). B force into a specified state (drove him mad). C (often refl.) Urge to overwork. 3 a operate and direct (a vehicle, locomotive, etc.). B convey or be conveyed in a vehicle. C be competent to drive (a vehicle) (does he drive?). D travel in a private vehicle. 4 (of wind etc.) Carry along, propel, esp. Rapidly (driven snow; driving rain). 5 a (often foll. By into) force (a stake, nail, etc.) Into place by blows. B bore (a tunnel etc.). 6 effect or conclude forcibly (drove a hard bargain; drove his point home). 7 (of power) operate (machinery). 8 (usu. Foll. By at) work hard; dash, rush. 9 hit (a ball) forcibly. —n. 1 journey or excursion in a vehicle. 2 a (esp. Scenic) street or road. B private road through a garden to a house. 3 a motivation and energy. B inner urge (sex-drive). 4 forcible stroke of a bat etc. 5 organized effort (membership drive). 6 a transmission of power to machinery, wheels, etc. B position of the steering-wheel in a vehicle (left-hand drive). C computing = *disk drive. 7 organized whist, bingo, etc. Competition.  drive at seek, intend, or mean (what is he driving at?). [old english]
Stephanotis  n. Fragrant tropical climbing plant. [greek]
Poison-pen letter  n. Malicious anonymous letter.


Sweet potato  n. 1 tropical climbing plant with sweet tuberous roots used for food. 2 root of this.




Distract  v. 1 (often foll. By from) draw away the attention of. 2 bewilder, perplex. 3 (as distracted adj.) Confused, mad, or angry. 4 amuse, esp. To divert from pain etc. [latin: related to *dis-, traho tract- draw]
Perisher  n. Slang annoying person.
Bannock  n. Scot. & n.engl. Round flat loaf, usu. Unleavened. [old english]
Stormy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 of or affected by storms. 2 (of a wind etc.) Violent. 3 full of angry feeling or outbursts (stormy meeting).  stormily adv. Storminess n.


-logist  comb. Form forming nouns meaning ‘person skilled in -logy’ (geologist).

Arse  n. (us ass) coarse slang buttocks. [old english]

Stockpot  n. Pot for making soup stock.
Shady  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 giving shade. 2 situated in shade. 3 disreputable; of doubtful honesty.  shadily adv. Shadiness n.



Numerable  adj. That can be counted. [latin: related to *number]


Red crescent  n. Equivalent of the red cross in muslim countries.


Enmesh  v. Entangle in or as in a net.



Hyped up  adj. Slang nervously excited or stimulated. [shortening of *hypodermic]


Volte-face  n. Sudden reversal of one's attitude or opinion. [french from italian]
Apartment  n. 1 (in pl.) Suite of rooms. 2 single room. 3 us flat. [italian a parte, apart]

Sound4  n. Strait (of water). [old english, = swimming]

Thirty  adj. & n. (pl. -ies) 1 three times ten. 2 symbol for this (30, xxx, xxx). 3 (in pl.) Numbers from 30 to 39, esp. The years of a century or of a person's life.  thirtieth adj. & n. [old english: related to *three]

Hell-bent  adj. (foll. By on) recklessly determined.

Marten  n. Weasel-like carnivore with valuable fur. [dutch from french]
Frenzy  —n. (pl. -ies) wild or delirious excitement, agitation, or fury. —v. (-ies, -ied) (usu. As frenzied adj.) Drive to frenzy.  frenziedly adv. [medieval latin: related to *frenetic]
Point of view  n. 1 position from which a thing is viewed. 2 way of considering a matter.
Damn  —v. 1 (often absol. Or as int. Of anger or annoyance, = may god damn) curse (a person or thing). 2 doom to hell; cause the damnation of. 3 condemn, censure (review damning the book). 4 a (often as damning adj.) (of circumstance, evidence, etc.) Show or prove to be guilty. B be the ruin of. —n. 1 uttered curse. 2 slang negligible amount. —adj. & adv. Colloq. = *damned.  damn all slang nothing at all. Damn well colloq. (for emphasis) simply (damn well do as i say). Damn with faint praise commend feebly, and so imply disapproval. I'm (or i'll be) damned if colloq. I certainly do not, will not, etc. Not give a damn see *give. Well i'm (or i'll be) damned colloq. Exclamation of surprise etc. [latin damnum loss]
Lawyer  n. Legal practitioner, esp. A solicitor.
Lambaste  v. (-ting) (also lambast) colloq. Thrash, beat. [from *lam, *baste1]
Billhook  n. Pruning tool with a hooked blade.

Flabby  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 (of flesh etc.) Limp; flaccid. 2 feeble.  flabbiness n. [alteration of flappy: related to *flap]
Rollmop  n. Rolled uncooked pickled herring fillet. [german rollmops]
Heartfelt  adj. Sincere; deeply felt.




Centerfold  n. (brit. Centrefold) centre spread of a magazine etc., esp. With nude photographs.





Nos.  Pl. Of *no.


Ostracize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) exclude from society; refuse to associate with.  ostracism n. [greek (ostrakon potsherd, on which a vote was recorded in ancient athens to expel a powerful or unpopular citizen)]
Sustain  v. 1 support, bear the weight of, esp. For a long period. 2 encourage, support. 3 (of food) nourish. 4 endure, stand. 5 suffer (defeat or injury etc.). 6 (of a court etc.) Uphold or decide in favour of (an objection etc.). 7 corroborate (a statement or charge). 8 maintain (effort etc.).  sustainable adj. [latin sustineo keep up]
Circumvent  v. 1 evade, find a way round. 2 baffle, outwit.  circumvention n. [latin venio vent- come]


Log1  —n. 1 unhewn piece of a felled tree; any large rough piece of wood, esp. Cut for firewood. 2 hist. Floating device for gauging a ship's speed. 3 record of events occurring during the voyage of a ship or aircraft. 4 any systematic record of deeds, experiences, etc. 5 = *logbook. —v. (-gg-) 1 a enter (a ship's speed, or other transport details) in a logbook. B enter (data etc.) In a regular record. 2 attain (a distance, speed, etc., thus recorded) (had logged over 600 miles). 3 cut into logs.  log in = log on. Log on (or off) open (or close) one's online access to a computer system. Sleep like a log sleep soundly. [origin unknown]




Funk1  slang —n. 1 fear, panic. 2 coward. —v. 1 evade through fear. 2 be afraid (of). [origin uncertain]


Troubleshooter  n. 1 mediator in a dispute. 2 person who traces and corrects faults in machinery or in an organization etc.  troubleshooting n.


Dreamland  n. Ideal or imaginary land.




Bath bun  n. Round spiced bun with currants, often iced. [bath in s. England]
Statute law  n. 1 (collect.) Body of principles and rules of law laid down in statutes. 2 a statute.
Bow3  n. 1 (often in pl.) Front end of a boat. 2 rower nearest this. [low german or dutch: related to *bough]
Cope1  v. (-ping) (often foll. By with) deal effectively or contend; manage. [french: related to *coup]
Round brackets  n.pl. Brackets of the form ( ).

Funeral parlour  n. Establishment where corpses are prepared for funerals.
Bad lot  n. Person of bad character.

Flannelette  n. Napped cotton fabric like flannel.

Silence  —n. 1 absence of sound. 2 abstinence from speech or noise. 3 avoidance of mentioning a thing, betraying a secret, etc. —v. (-cing) make silent, esp. By force or superior argument.  in silence without speech or other sound. [latin: related to *silent]

Usage  the use of plus as a conjunction, as in they arrived late, plus they wanted a meal, is considered incorrect by some people.
Gangly  adj. (-ier, -iest) = *gangling.
Inveterate  adj. 1 (of a person) confirmed in a habit etc. 2 (of a habit etc.) Long-established.  inveteracy n. [latin vetus old]
Bilateral  adj. 1 of, on, or with two sides. 2 affecting or between two parties, countries, etc.  bilaterally adv.
Metalliferous  adj. (of rocks) containing metal.




Axiom  n. 1 established or accepted principle. 2 self-evident truth.  axiomatic adj. [greek axios worthy]

Parish  n. 1 area having its own church and clergyman. 2 (in full civil parish) local government district. 3 inhabitants of a parish. [latin parochia from greek oikos dwelling]
Remark  —v. 1 (often foll. By that) a say by way of comment. B archaic take notice of; regard with attention. 2 (usu. Foll. By on, upon) make a comment. —n. 1 written or spoken comment; anything said. 2 a noticing (worthy of remark). B commenting (let it pass without remark). [french remarquer: related to *mark1]



Riboflavin  n. (also riboflavine) vitamin of the b complex, found in liver, milk, and eggs. [ribose sugar, latin flavus yellow]
Outspoken  adj. Saying openly what one thinks; frank.  outspokenly adv. Outspokenness n.
Slumber  v. & n. Poet. Or joc. Sleep. [old english]




Attainment  n. 1 (often in pl.) Accomplishment or achievement. 2 attaining.
Pathos  n. Evocation of pity or sadness in speech, writing, etc. [greek: related to *pathetic]
Uncaring  adj. Neglectful, lacking compassion.
Ejector  n. Device for ejecting.
Winning  —adj. 1 having or bringing victory. 2 attractive (winning smile). —n. (in pl.) Money won.  winningly adv.

General practice  n. Work of a general practitioner.
Thane  n. Hist. 1 man who held land from an english king or other superior by military service. 2 man who held land from a scottish king and ranked with an earl's son; chief of a clan. [old english]

Possible  —adj. 1 capable of existing, happening, being done, etc. 2 potential (a possible way of doing it). —n. 1 possible candidate, member of a team, etc. 2 highest possible score, esp. In shooting.


Inhumane  adj. = *inhuman.  inhumanely adv.




Sorcerer  n. (fem. Sorceress) magician, wizard.  sorcery n. (pl. -ies). [french sourcier: related to *sort]






Drosophila  n. Fruit fly used in genetic research. [greek, = dew-loving]
Cardamom  n. Seeds of an aromatic se asian plant used as a spice. [latin from greek]
Lw  symb. Lawrencium.
Flex1  v. 1 bend (a joint, limb, etc.) Or be bent. 2 move (a muscle) or (of a muscle) be moved to bend a joint. [latin flecto flex- bend]
Bucket  —n. 1 a round open container with a handle, for carrying or drawing water etc. B amount contained in this. 2 (in pl.) Colloq. Large quantities, esp. Of rain or tears. 3 scoop in a water wheel, dredger, etc. —v. (-t-) colloq. 1 (often foll. By down) (esp. Of rain) pour heavily. 2 (often foll. By along) move or drive fast or bumpily. [anglo-french]
Johnny  n. (pl. -ies) 1 slang condom. 2 colloq. Fellow; man. [diminutive of john]

Harpsichord  n. Keyboard instrument with horizontal strings plucked mechanically.  harpsichordist n. [latin harpa harp, chorda string]
Showdown  n. Final test or confrontation.

Uni  n. (pl. -s) esp. Austral. & nz colloq. University. [abbreviation]
Encapsulate  v. (-ting) 1 enclose in or as in a capsule. 2 express briefly, summarize.  encapsulation n. [related to *capsule]






Tour  —n. 1 a journey from place to place as a holiday; sightseeing excursion. B a walk round; inspection (made a tour of the garden). 2 spell of duty on military or diplomatic service. 3 series of performances, matches, etc., at different places. —v. 1 (usu. Foll. By through) make a tour. 2 make a tour of (a country etc.).  on tour (esp. Of a team, theatre company, etc.) Touring. [latin: related to *turn]


Face-lift  n. 1 (also face-lifting) cosmetic surgery to remove wrinkles etc. 2 improvement to appearance, efficiency, etc.

Piping  n. 1 pipelike fold or cord for edging or decorating clothing, upholstery, etc. 2 ornamental lines of icing, cream, potato, etc. On a cake etc. 3 lengths of pipe, system of pipes.  piping hot (of food, water, etc.) Very hot.
Dog days  n.pl. Hottest period of the year.

Priority  n. (pl. -ies) 1 thing that is regarded as more important than others. 2 high(est) place among various things to be done (gave priority to). 3 right to do something before other people. 4 right to proceed ahead of other traffic. 5 (state of) being more important.  prioritize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing). [medieval latin: related to *prior]



Dredge2  v. (-ging) sprinkle with flour, sugar, etc. [earlier = sweetmeat, from french]


Mate1  —n. 1 friend or fellow worker. 2 colloq. Form of address, esp. To another man. 3 a each of a breeding pair, esp. Of birds. B colloq. Partner in marriage. C (in comb.) Fellow member or joint occupant of (team-mate; room-mate). 4 officer on a merchant ship. 5 assistant to a skilled worker (plumber's mate). —v. (-ting) (often foll. By with) 1 come or bring together for breeding. 2 mech. Fit well. [low german]



Blarney  —n. Cajoling talk; flattery. —v. (-eys, -eyed) flatter, cajole. [blarney, castle near cork]
Vamp2  colloq. —n. Woman who uses sexual attraction to exploit men. —v. Allure and exploit (a man). [abbreviation of *vampire]

Knight  —n. 1 man awarded a non-hereditary title (sir) by a sovereign. 2 hist. A man, usu. Noble, raised to honourable military rank after service as a page and squire. B military follower, attendant, or lady's champion in a war or tournament. 3 man devoted to a cause, woman, etc. 4 chess piece usu. Shaped like a horse's head. —v. Confer a knighthood on.  knighthood n. Knightly adj. Poet. [old english, originally = boy]
Headache  n. 1 continuous pain in the head. 2 colloq. Worrying problem.  headachy adj.
Occupational  adj. 1 of or connected with one's occupation. 2 (of a disease, hazard, etc.) Connected with one's occupation.
Blood group  n. Any of the types of human blood.




Overcharge  v. (-ging) 1 charge too high a price to (a person). 2 put too much charge into (a battery, gun, etc.). 3 put excessive detail into (a description, picture, etc.).
Vas deferens  n. (pl. Vasa deferentia) sperm duct of the testicle.


Faculty  n. (pl. -ies) 1 aptitude for a particular activity. 2 inherent mental or physical power. 3 a group of related university departments. B us teaching staff of a university or college. 4 authorization, esp. By a church authority. [latin: related to *facile]
-th  suffix (also -eth) forming ordinal and fractional numbers from four onwards. [old english]
Mousy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 of or like a mouse. 2 (of a person) timid, feeble. 3 nondescript light brown.
Heelball  n. 1 mixture of hard wax and lampblack used by shoemakers for polishing. 2 this or a similar mixture used in brass-rubbing.
Choosy  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Fastidious.  choosiness n.
Immunodeficiency  n. Reduction in normal immune defences.
Aids  n. (also aids) acquired immune deficiency syndrome, an often fatal viral syndrome marked by severe loss of resistance to infection. [abbreviation]



Gall.  Abbr. Var. Of *gal.

Double figures  n.pl. Numbers from 10 to 99.
Garb  —n. Clothing, esp. Of a distinctive kind. —v. (usu. In passive or refl.) Dress. [germanic: related to *gear]
Silly  —adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 foolish, imprudent. 2 weak-minded. 3 cricket (of a fielder or position) very close to the batsman. —n. (pl. -ies) colloq. Foolish person.  sillily adv. Silliness n. [old english, = happy]


Dwarf  —n. (pl. -s or dwarves) 1 person, animal, or plant much below normal size. 2 small mythological being with magical powers. 3 small usu. Dense star. —v. 1 stunt in growth. 2 make seem small.  dwarfish adj. [old english]

Charleston  n. (also charleston) lively dance of the 1920s with side-kicks from the knee. [charleston in s. Carolina]
Glacé  adj. 1 (of fruit, esp. Cherries) preserved in sugar. 2 (of cloth etc.) Smooth; polished. [french]
So1  —adv. 1 to such an extent (stop complaining so; so small as to be invisible; not so late as i expected). 2 in this or that way; in the manner, position, or state described or implied (place your feet so; am not cold but may become so). 3 also (he went and so did i). 4 indeed, actually (you said it was good, and so it is). 5 very (i am so glad). 6 (with verbs of saying or thinking etc.) Thus, this, that (i think so; so he said). —conj. (often foll. By that) 1 consequently (was ill, so couldn't come). 2 in order that (came early so that i could see you). 3 and then; as the next step (so then i gave up; and so to bed). 4 (introducing a question) then; after that (so what did you do?).  and so on (or forth) 1 and others of the same kind. 2 and in other similar ways. Or so approximately (50 or so). So as to in order to. So be it expression of acceptance or resignation. So long! Colloq. Goodbye. So much 1 a certain amount (of). 2 nothing but (so much nonsense). So much for that is all that need be done or said about (a thing). So so adj. & adv. Colloq. Only moderately good or well. So what? Colloq. That is not significant. [old english]


Particular  —adj. 1 relating to or considered as one thing or person as distinct from others; individual (in this particular case). 2 more than is usual; special (took particular care).

Citizen's band  n. System of local intercommunication by individuals on special radio frequencies.
Self-discovery  n. Process of acquiring insight into one's character, desires, etc.

Van2  n. Vanguard, forefront. [abbreviation]

Undertaking  n. 1 work etc. Undertaken, enterprise (serious undertaking). 2 promise. 3  professional funeral management.
Ricochet  —n. 1 rebounding of esp. A shell or bullet off a surface. 2 hit made after this. —v. (-cheted; -cheting or -chetted; -chetting) (of a projectile) make a ricochet. [french]

Pastor  n. Minister, esp. Of a nonconformist church. [latin pasco past- feed]

Tale  n. 1 (usu. Fictitious) narrative or story. 2 allegation, often malicious or in breach of confidence. [old english]



Griffon  n. 1 dog of a small terrier-like breed. 2 large vulture. 3 = *griffin. [french, = *griffin]

Bowling-green  n. Lawn for playing bowls.




Hard and fast  adj. (of a rule or distinction) definite, unalterable, strict.


Penultimate  adj. & n. Last but one. [latin paenultimus from paene almost, ultimus last]
Sportswear  n. Clothes for sports or informal wear.
Common noun  n. Gram. Name denoting a class of objects or a concept, not a particular individual.
Teat  n. 1 mammary nipple, esp. Of an animal. 2 rubber nipple for sucking from a bottle. [french from germanic]



Dr  abbr. Doctor.

Decanal  adj. 1 of a dean. 2 of the south side of a choir (where the dean sits). [latin: related to *dean1]
Quartz  n. Silica in various mineral forms. [german from slavonic]
Overcook  v. Cook too much or for too long.



Herbage  n. Vegetation collectively, esp. As pasture.
Water main  n. Main pipe in a water-supply system.

Trade union  n. (also trades union) organized association of workers in a trade, profession, etc., formed to protect and further their rights and interests.  trade-unionism n. Trade-unionist n.

Excommunicate  —v. (-ting) officially exclude (a person) from membership and esp. Sacraments of the church. —adj. Excommunicated. —n. Excommunicated person.  excommunication n. [latin: related to *common]
Thwart  —v. Frustrate or foil (a person, plan, etc.). —n. Rower's seat. [old norse, = across]





Break-out  n. Forcible escape.


Water-ice  n. Flavoured and frozen water and sugar etc.
Client  n. 1 person using the services of a lawyer, architect, or other professional person. 2 customer. [latin cliens]
Interdepartmental  adj. Concerning more than one department.


Expo  n. (also expo) (pl. -s) large international exhibition. [abbreviation of *exposition 4]
Insurance  n. 1 insuring. 2 a sum paid for this. B sum paid out as compensation for theft, damage, etc. [french: related to *ensure]

Woodshed  n. Shed where wood for fuel is stored.  something nasty in the woodshed colloq. Shocking thing kept secret.



Sashay  v. Esp. Us colloq. Walk or move ostentatiously, casually, or diagonally. [french chassé]
Irony  n. (pl. -ies) 1 expression of meaning, often humorous or sarcastic, using language of a different or opposite tendency. 2 apparent perversity of an event or circumstance in reversing human intentions. 3 theatr. Use of language with one meaning for a privileged audience and another for those addressed or concerned. [greek eironeia pretended ignorance]

Tommy-gun  n. Sub-machine-gun. [thompson, name of its co-inventor]

Dionysian  adj. Wildly sensual; unrestrained. [greek dionusos god of wine]


Figurative  adj. 1 metaphorical, not literal. 2 characterized by figures of speech. 3 of pictorial or sculptural representation.  figuratively adv. [latin: related to *figure]
Arrowroot  n. 1 nutritious starch. 2 plant yielding this.

Scenic  adj. 1 a picturesque. B of natural scenery. 2 of or on the stage.  scenically adv.
Cudgel  —n. Short thick stick used as a weapon. —v. (-ll-; us -l-) beat with a cudgel. [old english]



Crowbar  n. Iron bar with a flattened end, used as a lever.
Figurine  n. Statuette. [italian: related to *figure]


Milt  n. 1 spleen in mammals. 2 sperm-filled reproductive gland or the sperm of a male fish. [old english]

Apathy  n. Lack of interest; indifference.  apathetic adj. [greek a- without, *pathos]
Banksia  n. Australian evergreen flowering shrub. [banks, name of a naturalist]
Primula  n. Cultivated plant bearing primrose-like flowers in a wide variety of colours. [latin diminutive: related to *prime1]
Thy  poss. Pron. (attrib.) (also thine predic. Or before a vowel) archaic of or belonging to thee. [from *thine]


Ball1  —n. 1 sphere, esp. For use in a game. 2 a ball-shaped object; material in the shape of a ball (ball of snow, wool). B rounded part of the body (ball of the foot). 3 cannon-ball. 4 single delivery or pass of a ball in cricket, baseball, football, etc. 5 (in pl.) Coarse slang a testicles. B (usu. As int.) Nonsense. C = *balls-up. D courage, ‘guts’. —v. Form into a ball.  balls up coarse slang bungle; make a mess of. On the ball colloq. Alert. [old norse]





Kebab  n. Pieces of meat, vegetables, etc. Cooked on a skewer (cf. *doner kebab, *shish kebab). [urdu from arabic]

Incapacitate  v. (-ting) make incapable or unfit.

Skewbald  —adj. (esp. Of a horse) with irregular patches of white and another colour. —n. Skewbald animal. [origin uncertain]
Peccadillo  n. (pl. -es or -s) trifling offence; venial sin. [spanish pecadillo, from latin pecco to sin (v.)]
Odoriferous  adj. Diffusing a (usu. Agreeable) odour. [latin: related to *odour]
Suzerain  n. 1 hist. Feudal overlord. 2 archaic sovereign or state partially controlling another state that is internally autonomous.  suzerainty n. [french]
Twin-engined  adj. Having two engines.

You'd  contr. 1 you had. 2 you would.




Stubby  adj. (-ier, -est) short and thick.
Baleful  adj. 1 menacing in look, manner, etc. 2 malignant, destructive.  balefully adv. [archaic bale evil]


Ivy  n. (pl. -ies) climbing evergreen shrub with shiny five-angled leaves. [old english]




Fed  past and past part. Of *feed.  fed up (often foll. By with) discontented or bored.
Pita  var. Of *pitta.

Field-glasses  n.pl. Outdoor binoculars.

Lascivious  adj. 1 lustful. 2 inciting to lust.  lasciviously adv. [latin]

Quash  v. 1 annul; reject as invalid, esp. By a legal procedure. 2 suppress, crush. [french quasser from latin]
Miser  n. 1 person who hoards wealth and lives miserably. 2 avaricious person.  miserly adj. [latin, = wretched]
Md  symb. Mendelevium.

Quantity surveyor  n. Person who measures and prices building work.
Fetter  —n. 1 shackle for the ankles. 2 (in pl.) Captivity. 3 restraint. —v. 1 put into fetters. 2 restrict. [old english]



Spook  —n. Colloq. Ghost. —v. Esp. Us frighten, unnerve. [low german or dutch]

Unkempt  adj. Untidy, dishevelled. [= uncombed]
Catty  adj. (-ier, -iest) spiteful.  cattily adv. Cattiness n.
Inca  n. Member of a people of peru before the spanish conquest. [quechua, = lord]
Razor-edge  n. (also razor's edge) 1 keen edge. 2 sharp mountain-ridge. 3 critical situation. 4 sharp line of division.
Optative  gram. —adj. (esp. Of a mood in greek) expressing a wish. —n. Optative mood or form. [latin: related to *opt]
Compartmental  adj. Of or divided into compartments or categories.
Veronica  n. Speedwell. [medieval latin, probably from st veronica]

Gratuitous  adj. 1 given or done free of charge. 2 uncalled-for; lacking good reason.  gratuitously adv. Gratuitousness n. [latin, = spontaneous]


Veer  —v. 1 change direction, esp. (of the wind) clockwise. 2 change in course or opinion etc. —n. Change of direction. [french virer]

Subconscious  —adj. Of the part of the mind which is not fully conscious but influences actions etc. —n. This part of the mind.  subconsciously adv.
-some1  suffix forming adjectives meaning: 1 producing (fearsome). 2 characterized by being (gladsome). 3 apt to (tiresome; meddlesome). 4 suitable for (cuddlesome). [old english]



Warble  —v. (-ling) 1 sing in a gentle trilling manner. 2 speak in a warbling manner. —n. Warbled song or utterance. [french werble(r)]



Case history  n. Record of a person's life or medical history for use in professional treatment.



Earache  n. Pain in the inner ear.


Hand in glove  adj. In collusion or association.

Contemplate  v. (-ting) 1 survey visually or mentally. 2 regard (an event) as possible. 3 intend (he is not contemplating retiring). 4 meditate.  contemplation n. [latin]
Flash bulb  n. Photog. Bulb for a flashlight.
Acidulous  adj. Somewhat acid.
Glib  adj. (glibber, glibbest) speaking or spoken quickly or fluently but without sincerity.  glibly adv. Glibness n. [obsolete glibbery slippery, perhaps imitative]

Purple passage  n. (also purple patch) ornate or elaborate literary passage.
Septet  n. 1 mus. A composition for seven performers. B the performers. 2 any group of seven. [latin septem seven]
Cinematography  n. Art of making films.  cinematographer n. Cinematographic adj.

Crucial  adj. 1 decisive, critical. 2 very important.  crucially adv. [latin crux crucis cross]

Arabic  —n. Semitic language of the arabs. —adj. Of the arabs (esp. Their language or literature).
Goody-goody  colloq. —n. (pl. -ies) smug or obtrusively virtuous person. —adj. Obtrusively or smugly virtuous.





Dual  —adj. 1 in two parts; twofold. 2 double (dual ownership). —n. Gram. Dual number or form.  duality n. [latin duo two]
Cashcard  n. Plastic card for withdrawing money from a cash dispenser.

Carvel-built  adj. (of a boat) made with planks flush, not overlapping.



Hydrostatics  n.pl. (usu. Treated as sing.) Mechanics of the hydrostatic properties of liquids.
Subversive  —adj. Seeking to subvert (esp. A government). —n. Subversive person.  subversion n. Subversively adv. Subversiveness n. [medieval latin subversivus: related to *subvert]


Gifted  adj. Talented; intelligent.
Smear test  n. = *cervical smear.


Soapy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 of or like soap. 2 containing or smeared with soap. 3 unctuous, flattering.  soapily adv. Soapiness n.






Bases  pl. Of *base1, *basis.


Agreement.  chime in 1 interject a remark. 2 join in harmoniously. 3 (foll. By with) agree with. [old english: related to *cymbal]
Seismograph  n. Instrument that records the force, direction, etc., of earthquakes.  seismographic adj.

Ocelot  n. Leopard-like cat of s. And central america. [french from nahuatl]
Sunday  —n. 1 first day of the week, a christian holiday and day of worship. 2 colloq. Newspaper published on sundays. —adv. Colloq. 1 on sunday. 2 (sundays) on sundays; each sunday. [old english]

Brew-up  n. Instance of making tea.
Retune  v. (-ning) 1 tune (a musical instrument) again or differently. 2 tune (a radio etc.) To a different frequency.
Faeces  n.pl. (us feces) waste matter discharged from the bowels.  faecal adj. [latin]
Sediment  n. 1 grounds; dregs. 2  matter deposited on the land by water or wind.  sedimentary adj. Sedimentation n. [latin sedeo sit]
Locket  n. Small ornamental case for a portrait or lock of hair, worn on a chain round the neck. [french diminutive of loc latch, *lock1]
Hefty  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 (of a person) big and strong. 2 (of a thing) large, heavy, powerful.  heftily adv. Heftiness n. [heft weight: related to *heave]




Mohican  —adj. (of a hairstyle) with the head shaved except for a strip of hair from the middle of the forehead to the back of the neck, often worn in long spikes. —n. Such a hairstyle. [mohicans, n. American indian people]

Going-over  n. (pl. Goings-over) 1 colloq. Inspection or overhaul. 2 slang thrashing.


Hemorrhage  (brit. Haem-) —n. 1 profuse loss of blood from a ruptured blood-vessel. 2 damaging loss, esp. Of people or assets. —v. (-ging) suffer a haemorrhage. [greek haima blood, rhegnumi burst]

Hip3  int. Introducing a united cheer (hip, hip, hooray). [origin unknown]
Parlous  adj. Archaic or joc. Dangerous or difficult. [from perilous (*peril)]









Unfaithful  adj. 1 not faithful, esp. Adulterous. 2 treacherous; disloyal.  unfaithfully adv. Unfaithfulness n.


Alsatian  n. Large dog of a breed of wolfhound (also called *german shepherd). [latin alsatia alsace]




Covet  v. (-t-) desire greatly (esp. A thing belonging to another person). [french: related to *cupid]



Grave accent  n. A mark (`) placed over a vowel to denote pronunciation, length, etc.
Death penalty  n. Punishment by death.
Godfather  n. 1 male godparent. 2 esp. Us person directing an illegal organization, esp. The mafia.
Archipelago  n. (pl. -s) 1 group of islands. 2 sea with many islands. [greek arkhi- chief, pelagos sea]
Overshoot  v. (past and past part. -shot) 1 pass or send beyond (a target or limit). 2 fly beyond or taxi too far along (the runway) when landing or taking off.  overshoot the mark go beyond what is intended or proper.
Magnetic  adj. 1 a having the properties of a magnet. B produced or acting by magnetism. 2 capable of being attracted by or acquiring the properties of a magnet. 3 strongly attractive (magnetic personality).  magnetically adv.

Antic  n. (usu. In pl.) Foolish behaviour or action. [italian antico *antique]


Solar plexus  n. Complex of nerves at the pit of the stomach.
Supremacy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 being supreme. 2 highest authority.


Metacarpus  n. (pl. -carpi) 1 part of the hand between the wrist and the fingers. 2 set of five bones in this.  metacarpal adj. [related to *meta-, *carpus]
Poltroon  n. Spiritless coward.  poltroonery n. [italian poltro sluggard]
Disjoint  v. 1 take apart at the joints. 2 (as disjointed adj.) Incoherent; disconnected. 3 disturb the working of; disrupt.
Darning  n. 1 act of darning. 2 things to be darned.


Engineering  n. Application of science to the design, building, and use of machines etc. (civil engineering).
Summons  —n. (pl. Summonses) authoritative call to attend or do something, esp. To appear in court. —v. Esp. Law serve with a summons.

Criminal  —n. Person guilty of a crime. —adj. 1 of, involving, or concerning crime. 2 guilty of crime. 3 law of or concerning criminal offences (criminal code; criminal lawyer). 4 colloq. Scandalous, deplorable.  criminality n. Criminally adv. [latin: related to *crime]



Dictator  n. 1 usu. Unelected omnipotent ruler. 2 omnipotent person in any sphere. 3 domineering person.  dictatorship n. [latin: related to *dictate]
Iranian  —adj. 1 of iran (formerly persia). 2 of the group of languages including persian. —n. 1 native or national of iran. 2 person of iranian descent.


Thermonuclear  adj. 1 relating to nuclear reactions that occur only at very high temperatures. 2 (of weapons) using thermonuclear reactions.


Side-swipe  —n. 1 glancing blow on or from the side. 2 incidental criticism etc. —v. Hit (as if) with a side-swipe.
Guillotine  —n. 1 machine with a blade sliding vertically in grooves, used for beheading. 2 device for cutting paper etc. 3 method of preventing delay in the discussion of a legislative bill by fixing times at which various parts of it must be voted on. —v. (-ning) use a guillotine on. [guillotin, name of a physician]
Lexical  adj. 1 of the words of a language. 2 of or as of a lexicon. [greek lexikos, lexikon: see *lexicon]


Hatter  n. Maker or seller of hats.

Wine cellar  n. 1 cellar for storing wine. 2 its contents.

Helical  adj. Having the form of a helix.
No-win  attrib. Adj. Of or designating a situation in which success is impossible.


Marge  n. Colloq. Margarine. [abbreviation]


Through  (also thro', us thru) —prep. 1 a from end to end or side to side of. B going in one side or end and out the other of. 2 between or among (swam through the waves). 3 from beginning to end of (read through the letter; went through many difficulties). 4 because of; by the agency, means, or fault of (lost it through carelessness). 5 us up to and including (monday through friday). —adv. 1 through a thing; from side to side, end to end, or beginning to end. 2 so as to be connected by telephone (will put you through). —attrib. Adj. 1 (of a journey, route, etc.) Done without a change of line or vehicle etc. Or with one ticket. 2 (of traffic) going through a place to its destination. 3 (of a road) open at both ends.  be through colloq. 1 (often foll. By with) have finished. 2 (often foll. By with) cease to have dealings. 3 have no further prospects. Through and through thoroughly, completely. [old english]



Wrvs  abbr. Women's royal voluntary service.
Favouritism  n. (us favoritism) unfair favouring of one person etc. At the expense of another.
Baptism  n. Symbolic admission to the christian church, with water and usu. Name-giving.  baptismal adj. [greek baptizo baptize]
Usage  see note at other.
Cholecalciferol  n. A vitamin (d3) produced by the action of sunlight on a steroid in the skin. [from *choler, *calciferol]
Diner  n. 1 person who dines. 2 dining-car. 3 us small restaurant. 4 small dining-room.
Keep-fit  n. Regular physical exercises.
Link-up  n. Act or result of linking up.

Heater  n. Stove or other heating device.
Telegraph  —n. (often attrib.) Device or system for transmitting messages or signals to a distance, esp. By making and breaking an electrical connection (telegraph wire). —v. 1 (often followed by to) send a message by telegraph to. 2 send or communicate by telegraph (telegraphed my concern). 3 give advance indication of (telegraphed his punch).  telegraphist n.
Durex  n. Propr. Condom. [origin uncertain]
High day  n. Festal day.

Teem1  v. 1 be abundant. 2 (foll. By with) be full of or swarming with (teeming with ideas). [old english, = give birth to]
Rudiment  n. 1 (in pl.) Elements or first principles of a subject. 2 (in pl.) Imperfect beginning of something undeveloped or yet to develop. 3 vestigial or undeveloped part or organ.  rudimentary adj. [latin: related to *rude]
Point-of-sale  adj. (usu. Attrib.) Of the place at which goods are retailed.
Muscular dystrophy  n. Hereditary progressive wasting of the muscles.

Tact  n. 1 skill in dealing with others, esp. In delicate situations. 2 intuitive perception of the right thing to do or say. [latin tango tact- touch]
Sepulture  n. Burying, interment. [latin: related to *sepulchre]

Cafeteria  n. Self-service restaurant. [american spanish, = coffee-shop]
Chest of drawers  n. Piece of furniture consisting of a set of drawers in a frame.
Wigwam  n. N. American indian's hut or tent. [ojibwa]

Cost of living  n. Level of prices esp. Of basic necessities.



Puppet  n. 1 small figure moved esp. By strings as entertainment. 2 person controlled by another.  puppetry n. [var. Of *poppet]
Tetanus  n. Bacterial disease causing painful spasm of the voluntary muscles. [greek teino stretch]
Functionalism  n. Belief that a thing's function should determine its design.  functionalist n. & adj.
Kilocycle  n. Hist. Kilohertz.

Contemporaneous  adj. (usu. Foll. By with) existing or occurring at the same time.  contemporaneity n. [latin: related to *com-, tempus time]




Grotto  n. (pl. -es or -s) 1 picturesque cave. 2 artificial ornamental cave. [italian grotta from greek krupte *crypt]
Confirmed  adj. Firmly settled in some habit or condition (confirmed bachelor).
Handcuff  —n. Each of a pair of linked metal rings for securing a prisoner's wrist(s). —v. Put handcuffs on.

Capo  n. (pl. -s) device fitted across the strings of a guitar etc. To raise their pitch equally. [italian capo tasto head stop]


Trimeter  n. Prosody line of verse of three measures. [greek: see *tri-, *-meter]



Dog-tooth  n. V-shaped pattern or moulding; chevron.
Rare2  adj. (rarer, rarest) (of meat) cooked so that the inside is still red and juicy; underdone. [old english]

Lock-up  —n. 1 house or room for the temporary detention of prisoners. 2 premises that can be locked up, esp. A small shop. —attrib. Adj. That can be locked up (lock-up garage).
Topspin  n. Spinning motion imparted to a ball in tennis etc. By hitting it forward and upward.

Invalidate  v. (-ting) make (a claim etc.) Invalid.  invalidation n.
Pantile  n. Curved roof-tile. [from *pan1]

Simplistic  adj. Excessively or affectedly simple.  simplistically adv.
Insect  n. Small invertebrate of a class characteristically having a head, thorax, abdomen, two antennae, three pairs of thoracic legs, and usu. One or two pairs of thoracic wings. [latin: related to *section]



Jogtrot  n. Slow regular trot.


Map  —n. 1 a flat representation of the earth's surface, or part of it. B diagram of a route etc. 2 similar representation of the stars, sky, moon, etc. 3 diagram showing the arrangement or components of a thing. —v. (-pp-) 1 represent on a map. 2 math. Associate each element of (a set) with one element of another set.  map out plan in detail. [latin mappa napkin]

Ionic  adj. Of the order of greek architecture characterized by a column with scroll-shapes on either side of the capital. [from ionia in greek asia minor]

Fatwa  n. Legal decision or ruling by an islamic religious leader. [arabic]
Wader  n. 1 long-legged water-bird that wades. 2 (in pl.) High waterproof boots.


Soul-searching  n. Introspection.



Hell for leather  adv. At full speed.
Liter  n. (brit. Litre) metric unit of capacity equal to 1 cubic decimetre (1.76 pints). [greek litra]

Lollipop man  n. (also lollipop lady) colloq. Warden using a circular sign on a pole to stop traffic for children to cross the road.
Went  past of *go1.

Hereinafter  adv. Esp. Law formal 1 from this point on. 2 in a later part of this document etc.

It'll  contr. Colloq. It will; it shall.


Paddy  n. (pl. -ies) colloq. Often offens. Irishman. [irish padraig patrick]

John dory  n. (pl. Same or -ies) edible marine fish. [see *dory]
Vile  adj. 1 disgusting. 2 depraved. 3 colloq. Abominable (vile weather).  vilely adv. Vileness n. [latin vilis cheap, base]
Caddis-worm  n. (also caddis) larva of the caddis-fly. [origin unknown]

-tude  suffix forming abstract nouns (altitude; solitude). [latin -tudo]
Sprang  past of *spring.
Kick-off  n. Football start or resumption of a match.



Premise  n. 1 logic = *premiss. 2 (in pl.) A house or other building with its grounds, outbuildings, etc. B law houses, lands, or tenements previously specified in a document etc.  on the premises in the building etc. Concerned. [latin praemissa set in front]



Ba  abbr. 1 bachelor of arts. 2 british airways.


Tee2  —n. 1  a cleared space from which the golf ball is struck at the start of play for each hole. B small wooden or plastic support for a golf ball used then. 2 mark aimed at in bowls, quoits, curling, etc. —v. (tees, teed) (often foll. By up) place (a ball) on a golf tee.  tee off 1  play a ball from a tee. 2 colloq. Start, begin. [origin unknown]

Canvas  —n. 1 strong coarse cloth used for sails and tents etc. And for oil-painting. 2 a painting on canvas, esp. In oils. —v. (-ss-; us -s-) cover with canvas.  under canvas 1 in tents. 2 with sails spread. [latin: related to *cannabis]
Guerrilla  n. (also guerilla) member of a small independently acting (usu. Political) group taking part in irregular fighting. [spanish diminutive: related to *war]
Goad  —v. 1 urge on with a goad. 2 (usu. Foll. By on, into) irritate; stimulate. —n. 1 spiked stick used for urging cattle forward. 2 anything that torments or incites. [old english]

Sits vac  abbr. Situations vacant.


Gentrification  n. Upgrading of a working-class urban area by the arrival of more affluent residents.  gentrify v. (-ies, -ied).

Gratify  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 a please, delight. B please by compliance. 2 yield to (a feeling or desire).  gratification n. [latin: related to *grateful]
Psychic  —adj. 1 a (of a person) considered to have occult powers such as telepathy, clairvoyance, etc. B supernatural. 2 of the soul or mind. —n. Person considered to have psychic powers; medium. [greek psukhe soul, mind]

In-depth  adj. Thorough.
Dissertation  n. Detailed discourse, esp. One submitted towards an academic degree. [latin disserto discuss]
Migrate  v. (-ting) 1 move from one place and settle in another, esp. Abroad. 2 (of a bird or fish) change its habitation seasonally. 3 move under natural forces.  migration n. Migrator n. Migratory adj. [latin migro]
Wholefood  n. Food which has not been unnecessarily processed or refined.
Misrule  —n. Bad government; disorder. —v. (-ling) govern badly.




Finesse  —n. 1 refinement. 2 subtle manipulation. 3 artfulness; tact. 4 cards attempt to win a trick with a card that is not the highest held. —v. (-ssing) 1 use or achieve by finesse. 2 cards a make a finesse. B play (a card) as a finesse. [french: related to *fine1]
Veld  n. (also veldt) s.afr. Open country. [afrikaans: related to *field]
Impugn  v. Challenge or call in question.  impugnment n. [latin pugno fight]
Oho  int. Expressing surprise or exultation. [from *o4, *ho]
Apprehension  n. 1 uneasiness, dread. 2 understanding. 3 arrest, capture.
Vanishing-point  n. 1 point at which receding parallel lines appear to meet. 2 stage of complete disappearance.
Animalize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) make (a person) bestial, sensualize.
Obviate  v. (-ting) get round or do away with (a need, inconvenience, etc.). [latin obvio prevent]
Civil  adj. 1 of or belonging to citizens. 2 of ordinary citizens; non-military. 3 polite, obliging, not rude. 4 law concerning private rights and not criminal offences. 5 (of the length of a day, year, etc.) Fixed by custom or law, not natural or astronomical.  civilly adv. [latin civilis: related to *civic]
Telegram  n. Message sent by telegraph and delivered in printed form.

Medium-range  adj. (of an aircraft, missile, etc.) Able to travel a medium distance.

Cover  —v. 1 (often foll. By with) protect or conceal with a cloth, lid, etc. 2 a extend over; occupy the whole surface of. B (often foll. By with) strew thickly or thoroughly. C lie over. 3 a protect; clothe. B (as covered adj.) Wearing a hat; having a roof. 4 include; comprise; deal with. 5 travel (a specified distance). 6 describe as a reporter. 7 be enough to defray (£20 should cover it). 8 a refl. Take measures to protect oneself. B (absol.; foll. By for) stand in for. 9 a aim a gun etc. At. B (of a fortress, guns, etc.) Command (territory). C protect (an exposed person etc.) By being able to return fire. 10 a esp. Cricket stand behind (another player) to stop any missed balls. B mark (an opposing player). 11 (of a stallion etc.) Copulate with. —n. 1 thing that covers, esp.: a lid. B book's binding. C either board of this. D envelope or wrapping (under separate cover). 2 shelter. 3 a pretence; screen. B pretended identity. C mil. Supporting force protecting an advance party from attack. 4 a funds, esp. Obtainable from insurance to meet a liability or secure against loss. B insurance protection (third-party cover). 5 person acting as a substitute. 6 place-setting at table. 7 cricket = *cover-point.  cover up completely cover or conceal. Take cover find shelter. [latin cooperio]
Thee  objective case of *thou1.
Distich  n. Verse couplet. [greek stikhos line]

Powerhouse  n. 1 = *power station. 2 person or thing of great energy.

Usage  it is incorrect to use strata as the singular noun instead of stratum.
Shandy  n. (pl. -ies) beer with lemonade or ginger beer. [origin unknown]
Rugged  adj. 1 (esp. Of ground) rough, uneven. 2 (of features) wrinkled, furrowed, irregular. 3 a unpolished; lacking refinement (rugged grandeur). B harsh in sound. 4 robust, hardy.  ruggedly adv. Ruggedness n. [probably scandinavian]
Relate  v. (-ting) 1 narrate or recount. 2 (usu. Foll. By to, with) connect (two things) in thought or meaning; associate. 3 (foll. By to) have reference to. 4 (foll. By to) feel connected or sympathetic to. [latin: related to *refer]
Ashtray  n. Small receptacle for cigarette ash, stubs, etc.
Graph  —n. Diagram showing the relation between variable quantities, usu. Of two variables, each measured along one of a pair of axes. —v. Plot or trace on a graph. [abbreviation of graphic formula]

Frozen  past part. Of *freeze.
Alight2  v. 1 (often foll. By from) descend from a vehicle. 2 come to earth, settle. [old english]

Burton  n.  go for a burton slang be lost, destroyed, or killed. [origin uncertain]

Unaltered  adj. Not altered; remaining the same.
Keystone  n. 1 central principle of a system, policy, etc. 2 central locking stone in an arch.


Re-enact  v. Act out (a past event).  re-enactment n.



Headboard  n. Upright panel at the head of a bed.
Laser  n. Device that generates an intense beam of coherent light, or other electromagnetic radiation, in one direction. [light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation]
Jingle  —n. 1 mixed ringing or clinking noise. 2 a repetition of sounds in a phrase etc. B short catchy verse or song in advertising etc. —v. (-ling) 1 (cause to) make a jingling sound. 2 (of writing) be full of alliteration, rhymes, etc. [imitative]
Maternity  n. 1 motherhood. 2 motherliness. 3 (attrib.) For women during pregnancy and childbirth (maternity leave; maternity dress). [french from medieval latin: related to *maternal]
Telepathy  n. Supposed paranormal communication of thoughts.  telepathic adj. Telepathically adv.
Rake1  —n. 1 implement consisting of a pole with a toothed crossbar at the end for drawing together hay etc. Or smoothing loose soil or gravel. 2 similar implement used (e.g.) To draw in money at a gaming-table. —v. (-king) 1 collect or gather with or as with a rake. 2 make tidy or smooth with a rake. 3 use a rake. 4 search thoroughly, ransack. 5 direct gunfire along (a line) from end to end. 6 scratch or scrape.  rake in colloq. Amass (profits etc.). Rake up revive the (unwelcome) memory of. [old english]

He  —pron. (obj. Him; poss. His; pl. They) 1 the man, boy, or male animal previously named or in question. 2 person etc. Of unspecified sex (if anyone comes he will have to wait; he who hesitates). —n. 1 male; man. 2 (in comb.) Male (he-goat). [old english]
Trade price  n. Price charged to the retailer.

Overdraft  n. 1 overdrawing of a bank account. 2 amount by which an account is overdrawn.
Zenith  n. 1 point of the heavens directly above an observer. 2 highest point (of power or prosperity etc.). [latin from arabic]

Matinée coat  n. (also matinée jacket) baby's short knitted coat.

Danish blue  n. White blue-veined cheese.
Shipyard  n. Place where ships are built etc.
Gunboat diplomacy  n. Political negotiation backed by the threat of force.
Untwist  v. Open from a twisted or spiralled state.


Thievish  adj. Given to stealing.
Aero-  comb. Form air; aircraft. [greek aero- from aer air]

Binge  slang —n. Bout of excessive eating, drinking, etc.; spree. —v. (-ging) indulge in a binge. [probably dial., = soak]


Bridgehead  n. Fortified position held on the enemy's side of a river etc.
Polysyllable  n. Polysyllabic word.


Tuberculosis  n. Infectious bacterial disease marked by tubercles, esp. In the lungs.
Swede  n. 1 a native or national of sweden. B person of swedish descent. 2 (swede) large yellow-fleshed turnip orig. From sweden. [low german or dutch]







Gun-carriage  n. Wheeled support for a gun.
Cornice  n. Ornamental moulding, esp. Round a room just below the ceiling or as the topmost part of an entablature. [french from italian]


Crap  coarse slang —n. 1 (often as int. Or attrib.) Nonsense, rubbish. 2 faeces. —v. (-pp-) defecate.  crappy adj. (-ier, -iest). [dutch]
Nones  n.pl. Day of the ancient roman month (the 7th day of march, may, july, and october, the 5th of other months). [latin nonus ninth]





Patten  n. Hist. Shoe or clog with a raised sole or set on an iron ring, for walking in mud etc. [french patin]

Melancholia  n. Depression and anxiety. [latin: related to *melancholy]
Linear  adj. 1 of or in lines. 2 long and narrow and of uniform breadth.  linearity n. Linearly adv.
Ob  abbr. Outside broadcast.

Fall  —v. (past fell; past part. Fallen) 1 go or come down freely; descend. 2 (often foll. By over) come suddenly to the ground from loss of balance etc. 3 a hang or slope down. B (foll. By into) (of a river etc.) Discharge into. 4 a sink lower; decline, esp. In power, status, etc. B subside. 5 occur (falls on a monday). 6 (of the face) show dismay or disappointment. 7 yield to temptation. 8 take or have a particular direction or place (his eye fell on me; accent falls on the first syllable). 9 a find a place; be naturally divisible. B (foll. By under, within) be classed among. 10 come by chance or duty (it fell to me to answer). 11 a pass into a specified condition (fell ill). B become (fall asleep). 12 be defeated or captured. 13 die. 14 (foll. By on, upon) a attack. B meet with. C embrace or embark on avidly. 15 (foll. By to + verbal noun) begin (fell to wondering). —n. 1 act of falling. 2 that which falls or has fallen, e.g. Snow. 3 recorded amount of rainfall etc. 4 overthrow (fall of rome). 5 a succumbing to temptation. B (the fall) adam's sin and its results. 6 (also fall) us autumn. 7 (esp. In pl.) Waterfall etc. 8 wrestling-bout; throw in wrestling.  fall about colloq. Be helpless with laughter. Fall away 1 (of a surface) incline abruptly. 2 become few or thin; gradually vanish. 3 desert. Fall back retreat. Fall back on have recourse to in difficulty. Fall behind 1 be outstripped; lag. 2 be in arrears. Fall down (often foll. By on) colloq. Fail. Fall for colloq. Be captivated or deceived by. Fall foul of come into conflict with. Fall in 1 take one's place in military formation. 2 collapse inwards. Fall in with 1 meet by chance. 2 agree with. 3 coincide with. Fall off 1 become detached. 2 decrease, deteriorate. Fall out 1 quarrel. 2 (of the hair, teeth, etc.) Become detached. 3 mil. Come out of formation. 4 result; occur. Fall over backwards see *backwards. Fall over oneself colloq. 1 be eager. 2 stumble through haste, confusion, etc. Fall short be deficient. Fall short of fail to reach or obtain. Fall through fail; miscarry. Fall to begin, e.g. Eating or working. [old english]

Chariot  n. Hist. Two-wheeled vehicle drawn by horses, used in ancient warfare and racing. [french: related to *car]
Campanology  n. 1 the study of bells. 2 bell-ringing.  campanologist n. [latin campana bell]
Purler  n. Colloq. Headlong fall. [purl overturn]
High-minded  adj. Having high moral principles.  high-mindedly adv. High-mindedness n.

Crock2  n. 1 earthenware pot or jar. 2 broken piece of this. [old english]
Key-ring  n. Ring for keeping keys on.
Backdate  v. (-ting) 1 make retrospectively valid. 2 put an earlier date to than the actual one.
Hemlock  n. 1 poisonous plant with fernlike leaves and small white flowers. 2 poison made from this. [old english]
Melting-pot  n. Place for mixing races, theories, etc.

Sub-machine-gun  n. Hand-held lightweight machine-gun.
Advice  n. 1 recommendation on how to act. 2 information given; news. 3 formal notice of a transaction.
Unresisting  adj. Not resisting.
Poetaster  n. Inferior poet. [from *poet, latin -aster derogatory suffix]


Phlox  n. (pl. Same or -es) plant with scented clusters of esp. White, blue, or red flowers. [greek phlox, name of a plant (literally ‘flame’)]
Granivorous  adj. Feeding on grain. [latin: related to *grain]
Utopia  n. Imagined perfect place or state of things.  utopian adj. (also utopian). [title of a book by thomas more, from greek ou not, topos place]
Plain flour  n. Flour containing no raising agent.
Coronary thrombosis  n. Blockage caused by a blood clot in a coronary artery.

Buy  —v. (buys, buying; past and past part. Bought) 1 a obtain for money etc. B serve to obtain (money can't buy happiness; the best that money can buy). 2 a procure by bribery etc. B bribe. 3 get by sacrifice etc. 4 slang believe in, accept. 5 be a buyer for a store etc. —n. Colloq. Purchase.  buy in buy a stock of. Buy into pay for a share in (an enterprise). Buy off pay to get rid of. Buy oneself out obtain one's release (esp. From the armed services) by payment. Buy out pay (a person) for ownership, an interest, etc. Buy up 1 buy as much as possible of. 2 absorb (a firm etc.) By purchase. [old english]
Ill-defined  adj. Not clearly defined.



Mechanic  n. Person skilled in using or repairing machinery. [latin: related to *machine]
Sponsor  —n. 1 person who pledges money to a charity etc. In return for another person fulfilling a sporting etc. Challenge. 2 a patron of an artistic or sporting activity etc. B company etc. Supporting a broadcast in return for advertising time. 3 person who introduces legislation. 4 godparent at a baptism or (esp. Rc ch.) Person who presents a candidate for baptism. —v. Be a sponsor for.  sponsorial adj. Sponsorship n. [latin spondeo spons- pledge]


Bittern  n. Wading bird of the heron family. [french butor from latin butio]
Lullaby  n. (pl. -ies) soothing song to send a child to sleep. [related to *lull]
Copilot  n. Second pilot in an aircraft.
Matinée  n. (us matinee) afternoon performance in the theatre, cinema, etc. [french from matin morning: related to *matins]
Wire  —n. 1 a metal drawn out into a thread or thin flexible rod. B piece of this. C (attrib.) Made of wire. 2 length of this for fencing or to carry an electric current etc. 3 colloq. Telegram. —v. (-ring) 1 provide, fasten, strengthen, etc., with wire. 2 (often foll. By up) install electrical circuits in (a building, equipment, etc.). 3 colloq. Telegraph.  get one's wires crossed become confused and misunderstood. [old english]
Turpitude  n. Formal depravity, wickedness. [latin turpis disgraceful]
Bass2  n. (pl. Same or -es) 1 common perch. 2 other spiny-finned fish of the perch family. [old english]

Cartridge  n. 1 case containing an explosive charge or bullet for firearms or blasting. 2 sealed container of film etc. 3 component carrying the stylus on a record-player. 4 ink-container for insertion in a pen. [french: related to *cartoon]

Winepress  n. Press in which grapes are squeezed in making wine.

Tnt  abbr. Trinitrotoluene, a high explosive formed from toluene.
Semi-detached  —adj. (of a house) joined to one other on one side only. —n. Such a house.

Detour  n. Divergence from a usual route; roundabout course. [french: related to *turn]
Atlas  n. Book of maps or charts. [greek atlas, the titan who held up the universe]
Trike  n. Colloq. Tricycle. [abbreviation]


Shock3  n. Unkempt or shaggy mass of hair. [origin unknown]




Water-power  n. Mechanical force derived from the weight or motion of water.


Gulf  n. 1 stretch of sea consisting of a deep inlet with a narrow mouth. 2 deep hollow; chasm. 3 wide difference of feelings, opinion, etc. [greek kolpos]
Avatar  n. (in hindu mythology) descent of a deity etc. To earth in bodily form. [sanskrit, = descent]

Family  n. (pl. -ies) 1 set of relations, esp. Parents and children. 2 a members of a household. B person's children. 3 all the descendants of a common ancestor. 4 group of similar objects, people, etc. 5 group of related genera of animals or plants.  in the family way colloq. Pregnant. [latin familia]


Template  n. Piece of thin board or metal plate etc., used as a pattern in cutting or drilling etc. [originally templet, diminutive of temple, device in a loom to keep the cloth stretched]
Wren  n. Small usu. Brown short-winged songbird with an erect tail. [old english]

Legality  n. (pl. -ies) 1 lawfulness. 2 (in pl.) Obligations imposed by law.
Cradle-snatcher  n. Slang admirer or lover of a much younger person.
'D  v. Colloq. (usu. After pronouns) had, would (i'd; he'd). [abbreviation]
-ize  suffix (also -ise) forming verbs, meaning: 1 make or become such (americanize; realize). 2 treat in such a way (monopolize; pasteurize). 3 a follow a special practice (economize). B have a specified feeling (sympathize).  -ization suffix forming nouns. [greek -izo]
Paperwork  n. Routine clerical or administrative work.
Sure  —adj. 1 (often foll. By of or that) convinced. 2 having adequate reason for a belief or assertion. 3 (foll. By of) confident in anticipation or knowledge of. 4 reliable or unfailing. 5 (foll. By to + infin.) Certain. 6 undoubtedly true or truthful. —adv. Colloq. Certainly.  be sure (in imper. Or infin.; foll. By that + clause or to + infin.) Take care to; not fail to. For sure colloq. Certainly. Make sure make or become certain; ensure. Sure enough colloq. In fact; certainly. To be sure admittedly; indeed, certainly.  sureness n. [french from latin securus]

Nobel prize  n. Any of six international prizes awarded annually for physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature, economics, and the promotion of peace. [from nobel, swedish chemist and engineer, who endowed them]


Afrikaner  n. Afrikaans-speaking white person in s. Africa, esp. Of dutch descent.



Window-pane  n. Pane of glass in a window.
Unfunny  adj. (-ier, -iest) failing to amuse.
Lovemaking  n. 1 sexual play, esp. Intercourse. 2 archaic courtship.
Phlegm  n. 1 thick viscous substance secreted by the mucous membranes of the respiratory passages, discharged by coughing. 2 a calmness. B sluggishness. 3 hist. Phlegm regarded as one of the four bodily humours. [greek phlegma]

Unseeded  adj. Sport (of a player) not seeded.
Alliance  n. 1 union or agreement to cooperate, esp. Of states by treaty or families by marriage. 2 (alliance) political coalition party. 3 relationship; friendship. [french: related to *ally]
Hide1  —v. (-ding; past hid; past part. Hidden) 1 put or keep out of sight. 2 conceal oneself. 3 (usu. Foll. By from) keep (a fact) secret. 4 conceal. —n. Camouflaged shelter used for observing wildlife.  hider n. [old english]
Treadmill  n. 1 device for producing motion by the weight of persons or animals stepping on steps attached to a revolving upright wheel. 2 similar device used for exercise. 3 monotonous routine work.



Underclothes  n.pl. Clothes worn under others, esp. Next to the skin.
Oft  adv. Archaic often. [old english]

Acclimatize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) adapt to a new climate or conditions.  acclimatization n. [french acclimater: related to *climate]
Hydro  n. (pl. -s) colloq. 1 hotel or clinic etc., orig. Providing hydropathic treatment. 2 hydroelectric power plant. [abbreviation]




Lithography  n. Process of printing from a plate so treated that ink adheres only to the design to be printed.  lithographer n. Lithographic adj. Lithographically adv.
Logger  n. Us lumberjack.
Cbi  abbr. Confederation of british industry.
Snicker  n. & v. = *snigger. [imitative]



Darky  n. (also darkie) (pl. -ies) slang offens. Black person.

Forebode  v. (-ding) 1 be an advance sign of, portend. 2 (often foll. By that) have a presentiment of (usu. Evil).
Vouch  v. (foll. By for) answer for, be surety for (will vouch for the truth of this; can vouch for him). [french vo(u)cher summon, invoke]


Bagpipe  n. (usu. In pl.) Musical instrument consisting of a windbag connected to reeded pipes.

Heatproof  —adj. Able to resist great heat. —v. Make heatproof.

Frazzle  colloq. —n. Worn, exhausted, or shrivelled state (burnt to a frazzle). —v. (-ling) (usu. As frazzled adj.) Wear out; exhaust. [origin uncertain]



Breeze2  n. Small cinders. [french: related to *braise]
Fortran  n. (also fortran) computer language used esp. For scientific calculations. [from formula translation]

Cast  —v. (past and past part. Cast) 1 throw, esp. Deliberately or forcefully. 2 (often foll. By on, over) a direct or cause (one's eyes, a glance, light, a shadow, a spell, etc.) To fall. B express (doubts, aspersions, etc.). 3 throw out (a fishing-line etc.) Into the water. 4 let down (an anchor etc.). 5 a throw off, get rid of. B shed or lose (horns, skin, a horseshoe, etc.). 6 register (a vote). 7 a shape (molten metal etc.) In a mould. B make thus. 8 a (usu. Foll. By as) assign (an actor) to a role. B allocate roles in (a play etc.). 9 (foll. By in, into) arrange (facts etc.) In a specified form. 10 reckon, add up (accounts or figures). 11 calculate (a horoscope). —n. 1 throwing of a missile, dice, line, net, etc. 2 a object made in a mould. B moulded mass of solidified material, esp. Plaster for a broken limb. 3 actors in a play etc. 4 form, type, or quality. 5 tinge or shade of colour. 6 slight squint. 7 worm-cast.  cast about (or around) search. Cast adrift leave to drift. Cast aside abandon. Cast loose detach (oneself). Cast lots see *lot. Cast off 1 abandon. 2 finish a piece of knitting. 3 set a ship free from a quay etc. Cast on make the first row of a piece of knitting. Cast up 1 deposit on the shore. 2 add up (figures etc.). [old norse]


Cut-off  n. 1 (often attrib.) Point at which something is cut off. 2 device for stopping a flow.
Purlieu  n. (pl. -s) 1 person's bounds, limits, or usual haunts. 2 hist. Tract on the border of a forest. 3 (in pl.) Outskirts, outlying region. [anglo-french puralé from aller go]
Jr.  Abbr. Junior.
Calx  n. (pl. Calces) powdery substance formed when an ore or mineral has been heated. [latin calx calc- lime]


Postilion  n. (also postillion) person riding on the near horse of a team drawing a coach when there is no coachman. [italian: related to *post2]
Seismology  n. The study of earthquakes.  seismological adj. Seismologist n.
Monkey tricks  n.pl. Colloq. Mischief.



Homework  n. 1 work to be done at home, esp. By a school pupil. 2 preparatory work or study.




Infatuate  v. (-ting) (usu. As infatuated adj.) 1 inspire with intense usu. Transitory fondness or admiration. 2 affect with extreme folly.  infatuation n. [latin: related to *fatuous]

Single parent  n. Person bringing up a child or children alone.




Reinsert  v. Insert again.
Risible  adj. Laughable, ludicrous. [latin rideo ris- laugh]
Hegira  n. (also hejira) 1 muhammad's flight from mecca in ad 622. 2 muslim era reckoned from this date. [arabic hijra departure]
Whiten  v. Make or become white.  whitener n.
Treble chance  n. Method of competing in a football pool in which the chances of winning depend on the number of draws and home and away wins predicted by the competitors.


Interplay  n. Reciprocal action.
Toothpaste  n. Paste for cleaning the teeth.
Motorize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 equip with motor transport. 2 provide with a motor.
Gouache  n. 1 method of painting in opaque pigments ground in water and thickened with a gluelike substance. 2 these pigments. [french from italian]


Combings  n.pl. Hairs combed off.
Hearsay  n. Rumour, gossip.

Rerecord  v. Record again.
Open university  n. University teaching mainly by broadcasting and correspondence, and open to those without academic qualifications.
Ocher  n. (brit. Ochre) 1 earth used as yellow, brown, or red pigment. 2 pale brownish-yellow colour.  ochreous adj. [greek okhra]
Chain  —n. 1 a connected flexible series of esp. Metal links. B thing resembling this. 2 (in pl.) Fetters; restraining force. 3 sequence, series, or set. 4 group of associated hotels, shops, etc. 5 badge of office in the form of a chain worn round the neck. 6 unit of length (66 ft). —v. (often foll. By up) secure or confine with a chain. [latin catena]

Carrageen  n. (also carragheen) edible red seaweed. [origin uncertain]
Sauté  —attrib. Adj. (esp. Of potatoes) fried quickly in a little fat. —n. Food so cooked. —v. (sautéd or sautéed) cook in this way. [french sauter jump]

Barricade  —n. Barrier, esp. Improvised. —v. (-ding) block or defend with this. [french barrique cask]


Decorator  n. Person who decorates for a living.











Propane  n. Gaseous hydrocarbon used as bottled fuel. [propionic acid: related to *pro-2, greek pion fat]

Sunlight  n. Light from the sun.
National curriculum  n. Common programme of study for pupils in the maintained schools of england and wales, with tests at specified ages.

Prearrange  v. (-ging) arrange beforehand.  prearrangement n.
Undid  past of *undo.



Eke  v. (eking)  eke out 1 supplement (income etc.). 2 make (a living) or support (an existence) with difficulty. [old english]
Maltese cross  n. Cross with the arms broadening outwards, often indented at the ends.

Unhelpful  adj. Not helpful.  unhelpfully adv.
Brevity  n. 1 economy of expression; conciseness. 2 shortness (of time etc.). [anglo-french: related to *brief]
Marchioness  n. 1 wife or widow of a marquess. 2 woman holding the rank of marquess. [medieval latin: related to *march2]
Plumbing  n. 1 system or apparatus of water-supply etc. 2 work of a plumber. 3 colloq. Lavatory installations.
Copal  n. Resin of a tropical tree, used for varnish. [spanish from aztec]
Pliable  adj. 1 bending easily; supple. 2 yielding, compliant.  pliability n. [french: related to *ply1]
Yummy  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Tasty, delicious. [from *yum-yum]

Back-to-nature  attrib. Adj. Seeking a simpler way of life.



Vixen  n. 1 female fox. 2 spiteful woman. [old english: related to *fox]
Pension1  —n. 1 regular payment made by a government to people above a specified age, to widows, or to the disabled. 2 similar payments made by an employer, private pension fund, etc. On the retirement of an employee. —v. Grant a pension to.  pension off 1 dismiss with a pension. 2 cease to employ or use. [latin pendo pens- pay]

Swansong  n. Person's last work or act before death or retirement etc.

Fco  abbr. Foreign and commonwealth office.

Fumigate  v. (-ting) disinfect or purify with fumes.  fumigation n. Fumigator n. [latin: related to *fume]
Plough  (us plow) —n. 1 implement for cutting furrows in the soil and turning it up. 2 implement resembling this (snowplough). 3 (the plough) the great bear (see *bear2) or its seven bright stars. —v. 1 (also absol.) Turn up (the earth) with a plough. 2 (foll. By out, up, etc.) Turn or extract with a plough. 3 furrow or scratch (a surface) as with a plough. 4 produce (a furrow or line) thus. 5 (foll. By through) advance laboriously, esp. Through work, a book, etc. 6 (foll. By through, into) move violently like a plough. 7 colloq. Fail in an examination.  plough back 1 plough (grass etc.) Into the soil to enrich it.



Misunderstanding  n. 1 failure to understand correctly. 2 slight disagreement or quarrel.
Ego  n. (pl. -s) 1 the self; the part of the mind that reacts to reality and has a sense of individuality. 2 self-esteem; self-conceit. [latin, = i]
Musk deer  n. Small hornless asian deer.

N2  abbr. (also n.) 1 north; northern. 2 new.




Obligatory  adj. 1 binding. 2 compulsory.  obligatorily adv. [latin: related to *oblige]


Format  —n. 1 shape and size (of a book, etc.). 2 style or manner of procedure etc. 3 computing arrangement of data etc. —v. (-tt-) 1 arrange or put into a format. 2 computing prepare (a storage medium) to receive data. [latin formatus shaped: related to *form]



Late  —adj. 1 after the due or usual time; occurring or done after the proper time. 2 a far on in the day or night or in a specified period. B far on in development. 3 flowering or ripening towards the end of the season. 4 no longer alive; no longer having the specified status, former (my late husband; the late prime minister). 5 of recent date. —adv. 1 after the due or usual time. 2 far on in time. 3 at or till a late hour. 4 at a late stage of development. 5 formerly but not now (late of the scillies).  late in the day colloq. At a late stage in the proceedings.  lateness n. [old english]
Geezer  n. Slang person, esp. An old man. [dial. Guiser mummer]
Postprandial  adj. Formal or joc. After dinner or lunch. [latin prandium a meal]
Hell-bent  adj. (foll. By on) recklessly determined.
Tempt  v. 1 entice or incite (a person) to do what is wrong or forbidden (tempted him to steal it). 2 allure, attract. 3 risk provoking (fate etc.).  be tempted to be strongly disposed to.  tempter n. Temptress n. [latin tempto, tento try, test]
Parturient  adj. Formal about to give birth. [latin pario part- bring forth]


Sounding-balloon  n. Balloon used to obtain information about the upper atmosphere.

Polytheism  n. Belief in or worship of more than one god.  polytheist n. Polytheistic adj. [greek theos god]
Salsify  n. (pl. -ies) plant with long fleshy edible roots. [french from italian]

Rearmost  adj. Furthest back.
Microscopy  n. Use of microscopes.
Dynamics  n.pl. 1 (usu. Treated as sing.) A mathematical study of motion and the forces causing it. B branch of any science concerned with forces or changes. 2 motive forces in any sphere. 3 mus. Variation in loudness.

Self-perpetuating  adj. Perpetuating itself or oneself without external agency.
Carrion  n. 1 dead putrefying flesh. 2 something vile or filthy. [latin caro flesh]

Contemporary  —adj. 1 living or occurring at the same time. 2 of approximately the same age. 3 modern in style or design. —n. (pl. -ies) contemporary person or thing. [medieval latin: related to *contemporaneous]



Poverty trap  n. Situation in which an increase of income incurs a loss of state benefits, making real improvement impossible.

Landfill  n. 1 waste material etc. Used to landscape or reclaim land. 2 process of disposing of rubbish in this way.
Rumpus  n. Colloq. Disturbance, brawl, row, or uproar. [origin unknown]


Pea-souper  n. Colloq. Thick yellowish fog.


Menfolk  n.pl. Men, esp. The men of a family.

Oxtail  n. Tail of an ox, often used in making soup.

Goal  n. 1 object of ambition or effort; destination. 2 a structure into or through which the ball has to be sent to score in certain games. B point won. 3 point marking the finish of a race. [origin unknown]

Sweat  —n. 1 moisture exuded through the pores, esp. From heat or nervousness. 2 state or period of sweating. 3 colloq. State of anxiety (in a sweat). 4 colloq. A drudgery, effort. B laborious task.

Houseman  n. Resident junior doctor at a hospital etc.
Low-lying  adj. Near to the ground or sea level.
Black eye  n. Bruised skin around the eye.



Prove  v. (-ving; past part. Proved or proven) 1 (often foll. By that) demonstrate the truth of by evidence or argument. 2 a (usu. Foll. By to + infin.) Be found (it proved to be untrue). B emerge as (will prove the winner). 3 test the accuracy of (a calculation). 4  establish the validity of (a will). 5  (of dough) rise in bread-making.  not proven (in scottish law) verdict that there is insufficient evidence to establish guilt or innocence. Prove oneself show one's abilities, courage, etc.  provable adj. [latin probo test, approve]

Infantryman  n. Soldier of an infantry regiment.
Swain  n. 1 archaic country youth. 2 poet. Young lover or suitor. [old norse, = lad]


Phonetics  n.pl. (usu. Treated as sing.) 1 vocal sounds. 2 the study of these.  phonetician n.
Meat loaf  n. Minced meat etc. Moulded and baked.
Bill of lading  n. Detailed list of a ship's cargo.
Heritage  n. 1 what is or may be inherited. 2 inherited circumstances, benefits, etc. 3 a nation's historic buildings, monuments, countryside, etc., esp. When regarded as worthy of preservation.
Hanker  v. (foll. By for, after, or to + infin.) Long for; crave.  hankering n. [from obsolete hank]


Wren  n. Member of the women's royal naval service. [from the abbreviation wrns]
Sunbeam  n. Ray of sunlight.
Past  —adj. 1 gone by in time (in past years; the time is past). 2 recently gone by (the past month). 3 of a former time (past president). 4 gram. Expressing a past action or state. —n. 1 (prec. By the) a past time. B past events (cannot undo the past). 2 person's past life, esp. If discreditable (man with a past). 3 past tense or form. —prep. 1 beyond in time or place (is past two o'clock; lives just past the pub). 2 beyond the range, duration, or compass of (past endurance). —adv. So as to pass by (ran past).  not put it past believe it possible of (a person). Past it colloq. Old and useless. [from *pass1]

Perjure  v.refl. (-ring) law 1 wilfully tell a lie when on oath. 2 (as perjured adj.) Guilty of or involving perjury.  perjurer n. [french from latin juro swear]
For  —prep. 1 in the interest or to the benefit of; intended to go to (did it all for my country; these flowers are for you). 2 in defence, support, or favour of. 3 suitable or appropriate to (a dance for beginners; not for me to say). 4 in respect of or with reference to; regarding (usual for ties to be worn; ready for bed). 5 representing or in place of (mp for lincoln; here for my uncle). 6 in exchange with, at the price of, corresponding to (swapped it for a cake; give me £5 for it; bought it for £5; word for word). 7 as a consequence of (fined for speeding; decorated for bravery; here's £5 for your trouble). 8 a with a view to; in the hope or quest of; in order to get (go for a walk; send for a doctor; did it for the money). B on account of (could not speak for laughing). 9 to reach; towards (left for rome). 10 so as to start promptly at (meet at seven for eight). 11 through or over (a distance or period); during (walked for miles). 12 as being (for the last time; i for one refuse). 13 in spite of; notwithstanding (for all your fine words). 14 considering or making due allowance in respect of (good for a beginner). —conj. Because, since, seeing that.  be for it colloq. Be about to be punished etc. For all (that) in spite of, although. For ever for all time (cf. *forever). [old english reduced form of *fore]
Dreary  adj. (-ier, -iest) dismal, dull, gloomy.  drearily adv. Dreariness n. [old english]
Thought-reader  n. Person supposedly able to perceive another's thoughts.
Jogger  n. Person who jogs, esp. For exercise.

Winter  —n. 1 coldest and last season of the year. 2 (attrib.) Characteristic of or fit for winter. —v. (usu. Foll. By at, in) pass the winter. [old english]
Longitude  n. 1 angular distance east or west from a standard meridian such as greenwich to the meridian of any place. 2 angular distance of a celestial body, esp. Along the ecliptic. [latin longitudo length, from longus long]
Nevertheless  adv. In spite of that; notwithstanding.
Irremediable  adj. That cannot be remedied.  irremediably adv.
Lag3  n. Slang habitual convict. [origin unknown]



Sensible  adj. 1 having or showing wisdom or common sense. 2 a perceptible by the senses. B great enough to be perceived. 3 (of clothing etc.) Practical. 4 (foll. By of) aware.  sensibly adv.
Taking  —adj. Attractive, captivating. —n. (in pl.) Amount of money taken at a show, in a shop, etc.
Specify  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 (also absol.) Name or mention expressly or as a condition (specified a two-hour limit). 2 include in specifications. [latin: related to *specific]
Storm centre  n. 1 point to which the wind spirals inward in a cyclonic storm. 2 centre of controversy etc.
Hele  v. (-ling) (also heel) (foll. By in) set (a plant) in the ground temporarily and cover its roots. [old english]
Mantle  —n. 1 loose sleeveless cloak. 2 covering (mantle of snow). 3 fragile lacelike tube fixed round a gas-jet to give an incandescent light. 4 region between the crust and the core of the earth. —v. (-ling) clothe; conceal, envelop. [latin mantellum cloak]
Barley sugar  n. Sweet made from sugar, usu. In twisted sticks.




Coruscate  v. (-ting) sparkle.  coruscation n. [latin]
Georgette  n. Thin dress-material similar to crêpe. [georgette de la plante, name of a dressmaker]


Obnoxious  adj. Offensive, objectionable.  obnoxiously adv. Obnoxiousness n. [latin noxa injury]

Place-mat  n. Small table-mat for a person's plate.
Lignite  n. Brown coal of woody texture.



Frenchwoman  n. Woman of french birth or nationality.

Rubberize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) treat or coat with rubber.


Bicarb  n. Colloq. = *bicarbonate 2. [abbreviation]
Radio telescope  n. Directional aerial system for collecting and analysing radiation in the radio frequency range from stars etc.

Samba  —n. 1 ballroom dance of brazilian origin. 2 music for this. —v. (-bas, -baed or -ba'd, -baing) dance the samba. [portuguese]


-ful  comb. Form forming: 1 adjectives from a nouns, meaning full of or having qualities of (beautiful; masterful). B adjectives (direful). C verbs, meaning ‘apt to’ (forgetful). 2 nouns (pl. -fuls) meaning ‘amount that fills’ (handful; spoonful).
Drop scone  n. Scone made by dropping a spoonful of mixture into the pan etc.

Usage  in the sense ‘native of arabia’, the usual term is now arab.
Felspar  var. Of *feldspar.



Radiant heat  n. Heat transmitted by radiation.
Illegitimate  adj. 1 born of parents not married to each other. 2 unlawful. 3 improper. 4 wrongly inferred.  illegitimacy n. Illegitimately adv.
Antediluvian  adj. 1 of the time before the flood. 2 colloq. Very old or out of date. [from *ante-, latin diluvium deluge]

Non-belligerent   —adj. Not engaged in hostilities. —n. Non-belligerent state etc.



Wild-goose chase  n. Foolish or hopeless quest.
Good friday  n. Friday before easter sunday, commemorating the crucifixion.
Swallow1  —v. 1 cause or allow (food etc.) To pass down the throat. 2 perform the muscular movement required to do this. 3 accept meekly or credulously. 4 repress (a feeling etc.) (swallow one's pride). 5 articulate (words etc.) Indistinctly. 6 (often foll. By up) engulf or absorb; exhaust. —n. 1 act of swallowing. 2 amount swallowed. [old english]



Hazard  —n. 1 danger or risk. 2 source of this. 3 golf obstacle, e.g. A bunker. —v. 1 venture (hazard a guess). 2 risk. [arabic az-zahr chance, luck]





Divining-rod  n. = *dowsing-rod.




Inverse proportion  n. (also inverse ratio) relation between two quantities such that one increases in proportion as the other decreases.



Sun-lamp  n. Lamp giving ultraviolet rays for therapy, to tan, etc.


Hare-brained  adj. Rash, wild.

Parlour  n. (us parlor) 1 archaic sitting-room in a private house.  2 esp. Us shop providing specified goods or services (beauty parlour; ice-cream parlour). [anglo-french: related to *parley]
Unrepresentative  adj. Not representative.
Cajole  v. (-ling) persuade by flattery, deceit, etc.  cajolery n. [french]



Rorqual  n. Whale with a dorsal fin. [french from norwegian]
Daisy wheel  n. Spoked disc bearing printing characters, used in word processors and typewriters.
Insist  v. (usu. Foll. By on or that; also absol.) Maintain or demand assertively (insisted on my going; insisted that he was innocent). [latin sisto stand]
Rector  n. 1 (in the church of england) incumbent of a parish where all tithes formerly passed to the incumbent (cf. *vicar). 2 rc ch. Priest in charge of a church or religious institution. 3 head of some universities and colleges.  rectorship n. [latin rego rect- rule]


Muniment  n. (usu. In pl.) Document kept as evidence of rights or privileges etc. [latin munio fortify]
Non-partisan  adj. Not partisan.
Physiognomy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 a cast or form of a person's features, expression, etc. B supposed art of judging character from facial characteristics etc. 2 external features of a landscape etc. [greek: related to *physic, *gnomon]
Davy jones  n. Slang (in full davy jones's locker) bottom of the sea, esp. As the sailors' graveyard. [origin unknown]

Rest-cure  n. Rest usu. Of some weeks as a medical treatment.

Slur  —v. (-rr-) 1 pronounce indistinctly with sounds running into one another. 2 mus. Perform (notes) legato. 3 archaic or us put a slur on (a person or a person's character). 4 (usu. Foll. By over) pass over (a fact, fault, etc.) Lightly. —n. 1 imputation of wrongdoing. 2 act of slurring. 3 mus. Curved line joining notes to be slurred. [origin unknown]
Corbel  n. Projection of stone, timber, etc., jutting out from a wall to support a weight.  corbelled adj. [latin corvus crow]
Huss  n. Dogfish as food. [origin unknown]


Renounce  v. (-cing) 1 consent formally to abandon (a claim, right, etc.). 2 repudiate; refuse to recognize any longer. 3 decline further association or disclaim relationship with. [latin nuntio announce]

Religious  —adj. 1 devoted to religion; pious, devout. 2 of or concerned with religion. 3 of or belonging to a monastic order. 4 scrupulous, conscientious. —n. (pl. Same) person bound by monastic vows.  religiously adv. [latin religiosus: related to *religion]

Indoors  adv. Into or in a building.

Unscrupulous  adj. Having no scruples, unprincipled.  unscrupulously adv. Unscrupulousness n.
Batter2  n. Mixture of flour, egg, and milk or water, used for pancakes etc. [french: related to *batter1]


Untaught  adj. (of a person, knowledge, etc.) Not taught.

Sucker  n. 1 a gullible person. B (foll. By for) person susceptible to. 2 a rubber cup etc. Adhering by suction. B similar organ of an organism. 3 shoot springing from a root or stem below ground.

Soixante-neuf  n. Slang mutual oral stimulation of the genitals. [french, = sixty-nine]
Sizeable  adj. (also sizable) large or fairly large.

Catamite  n. Passive partner (esp. A boy) in homosexual practices. [latin, = ganymede]

Catalogue  (us catalog) —n. 1 complete alphabetical or otherwise ordered list of items, often with a description of each. 2 extensive list (catalogue of disasters). —v. (-logues, -logued, -loguing; us -logs, -loged, -loging) 1 make a catalogue of. 2 enter in a catalogue. [greek lego choose]
Canopy  —n. (pl. -ies) 1 a covering suspended over a throne, bed, etc. B sky. C overhanging shelter. 2 archit. Rooflike projection over a niche etc. 3 expanding part of a parachute. —v. (-ies, -ied) supply or be a canopy to. [greek, = mosquito-net]
Authorship  n. 1 origin of a book etc. 2 profession of an author.
Aught  n. Archaic anything. [old english]

Non-commissioned  adj.  (of an officer) not holding a commission.


Irreligious  adj. Lacking or hostile to religion; irreverent.


Rugby union  n. Amateur rugby with teams of 15.

Saddler  n. Maker of or dealer in saddles etc.
Eec  abbr. European economic community.
Mummer  n. Actor in a traditional mime. [french momeur: cf. *mum2]
First-rate  adj. 1 excellent. 2 colloq. Very well (feeling first-rate).


Catalyze  v. (brit. -yse) produce (a reaction) by catalysis.
Sell-by date  n. Latest recommended date of sale.




Hero-worship  —n. Idealization of an admired person. —v. Idolize.


Bon voyage  int. Expression of good wishes to a departing traveller. [french]

High commission  n. Embassy from one commonwealth country to another.  high commissioner n.

Immediately  —adv. 1 without pause or delay. 2 without intermediary. —conj. As soon as.
Guide  —n. 1 person who leads or shows the way. 2 person who conducts tours. 3 adviser. 4 directing principle. 5 book with essential information on a subject, esp. = *guidebook. 6 thing marking a position or guiding the eye. 7 bar etc. Directing the motion of something. 8 (guide) member of a girls' organization similar to the scouts. —v. (-ding) 1 act as guide to. 2 be the principle or motive of. [french from germanic]
Passer-by  n. (pl. Passers-by) person who goes past, esp. By chance.
Tranquilize  v. (brit. Tranquillize, -ise) (-zing or -sing) make tranquil, esp. By a drug etc.


Alternator  n. Dynamo that generates an alternating current.
Dissent  —v. (often foll. By from) 1 disagree, esp. Openly. 2 differ, esp. From the established or official opinion. —n. 1 such difference. 2 expression of this. [latin: related to *dis-, sentio feel]

Buzz-word  n. Colloq. Fashionable technical or specialist word; catchword.

Uneven  adj. 1 not level or smooth. 2 of variable quality etc. 3 (of a contest) unequal.  unevenly adv. Unevenness n.
Palindrome  n. Word or phrase reading the same backwards as forwards (e.g. Nurses run).  palindromic adj. [greek palindromos running back: related to *palimpsest, drom- run]
Lime2  n. 1 a fruit like a lemon but green, rounder, smaller, and more acid. B tree which produces this fruit. 2 (in full lime-green) yellowish-green colour. [french from arabic]




Ample  adj. (ampler, amplest) 1 a plentiful, abundant, extensive. B euphem. Large, stout. 2 more than enough.  amply adv. [latin amplus]





Walk  —v. 1 a progress by lifting and setting down each foot in turn, never having both feet off the ground at once. B (of a quadruped) go with the slowest gait. 2 a travel or go on foot. B take exercise in this way. 3 traverse on foot at walking speed, tread the floor or surface of. 4 cause to walk with one (walk the dog). —n. 1 a act of walking, the ordinary human gait. B slowest gait of an animal. C person's manner of walking. 2 a distance which can be walked in a (usu. Specified) time (ten minutes' walk from here). B excursion on foot. 3 place or track intended or suitable for walking.  walk all over colloq. 1 defeat easily. 2 take advantage of. Walk away from 1 easily outdistance. 2 refuse to become involved with. Walk away with colloq. = walk off with. Walk into colloq. 1 encounter through unwariness. 2 get (a job) easily. Walk off with colloq. 1 steal. 2 win easily. Walk on air feel elated.
Patent medicine  n. Proprietary medicine available without prescription.



Creamery  n. (pl. -ies) 1 factory producing butter and cheese. 2 dairy.

Unrealistic  adj. Not realistic.  unrealistically adv.

First floor  n. (us second floor) floor above the ground floor.

Butch  adj. Slang masculine; tough-looking. [origin uncertain]
Gastritis  n. Inflammation of the stomach.
Atrium  n. (pl. -s or atria) 1 a central court of an ancient roman house. B (usu. Skylit) central court rising through several storeys. 2 each of the two upper cavities of the heart. [latin]

Jitterbug  —n. 1 nervous person. 2 hist. Fast popular dance. —v. (-gg-) hist. Dance the jitterbug.

Engrave  v. (-ving) 1 (often foll. By on) carve (a text or design) on a hard surface. 2 inscribe (a surface) thus. 3 (often foll. By on) impress deeply (on a person's memory).  engraver n. [from *grave3]
Unquote  v. (as int.) Verbal formula indicating closing quotation marks.
Nem. Con.  Abbr. With no one dissenting. [latin nemine contradicente]


Kitemark  n. Official kite-shaped mark on goods approved by the british standards institution.
Blackhead  n. Black-topped pimple on the skin.

Freeze-up  n. Period or state of extreme cold.

Jenny  n. (pl. -ies) 1 hist. = *spinning-jenny. 2 female donkey. [from the name janet]
Similar  adj. 1 like, alike. 2 (often foll. By to) having a resemblance. 3 geom. Shaped alike.  similarity n. (pl. -ies). Similarly adv. [latin similis like]

Distributor  n. 1 person or thing that distributes, esp. Goods. 2 device in an internal-combustion engine for passing current to each spark-plug in turn.

Wincey  n. (pl. -s) lightweight fabric of wool and cotton or linen. [apparently an alteration of woolsey in *linsey-woolsey]
Chiffchaff  n. Small european warbler. [imitative]
Sore point  n. Subject causing distress or annoyance.


Sailboard  n. Board with a mast and sail, used in windsurfing.  sailboarder n. Sailboarding n.

Dotty  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. 1 crazy; eccentric. 2 (foll. By about) infatuated with.  dottiness n.
Constabulary  n. (pl. -ies) police force. [medieval latin: related to *constable]




Coalfield  n. Extensive area yielding coal.

Methanol  n. Colourless volatile inflammable liquid hydrocarbon, used as a solvent. [from *methane, *alcohol]


Cm  abbr. Centimetre(s).
Culinary  adj. Of or for cooking. [latin culina kitchen]
Image  —n. 1 representation of an object, e.g. A statue. 2 reputation or persona of a person, company, etc. 3 appearance as seen in a mirror or through a lens. 4 mental picture or idea. 5 simile or metaphor. —v. (-ging) 1 make an image of; portray. 2 reflect, mirror. 3 describe or imagine vividly.  be the image of be or look exactly like. [latin imago imagin-]


Freezer  n. Refrigerated cabinet etc. For preserving frozen food at very low temperatures.

Obfuscate  v. (-ting) 1 obscure or confuse (a mind, topic, etc.). 2 stupefy, bewilder.  obfuscation n. [latin fuscus dark]

Water-diviner  n. Dowser.

Cowardly  adj. 1 of or like a coward; lacking courage. 2 (of an action) done against one who cannot retaliate.

Naff  adj. Slang 1 unfashionable. 2 rubbishy. [origin unknown]

Falcon  n. Small hawk sometimes trained to hunt. [latin falco]
Cl  abbr. Centilitre(s).
Hex  —v. 1 practise witchcraft. 2 bewitch. —n. Magic spell. [german]


Immoderate  adj. Excessive; lacking moderation.  immoderately adv.

Death-rattle  n. Gurgling in the throat sometimes heard at death.
Jump suit  n. One-piece garment for the whole body.


Simplicity  n. Fact or condition of being simple.
Untrained  adj. Not trained.

Incongruous  adj. 1 out of place; absurd. 2 (often foll. By with) out of keeping.  incongruity n. (pl. -ies). Incongruously adv.


Underslung  adj. Supported from above.

-an  suffix (also -ian) forming adjectives and nouns, esp. From names of places, systems, classes, etc. (mexican; anglican; crustacean). [french -ain, latin -anus]

Usage  inchoate is sometimes used incorrectly to mean ‘chaotic’ or ‘incoherent’.



Suspicion  n. 1 unconfirmed belief; distrust. 2 suspecting or being suspected. 3 (foll. By of) slight trace of.  above suspicion too obviously good etc. To be suspected. Under suspicion suspected. [latin: related to *suspect]
Working party  n. Group of people appointed to study and advise on a particular problem.



Porous  adj. 1 full of pores. 2 letting through air, water, etc.  porosity n. [latin: related to *pore1]

Delve  v. (-ving) 1 (often foll. By in, into) search or research energetically or deeply (delved into his pocket, his family history). 2 poet. Dig. [old english]
Ominous  adj. 1 threatening. 2 of evil omen; inauspicious.  ominously adv. [latin: related to *omen]
Gazunder  v. Colloq. Lower an offer made to (a seller) for a property just before the exchange of contracts. [from *gazump, *under]
Crystalline  adj. 1 of, like, or clear as crystal. 2 having the structure and form of a crystal.  crystallinity n.

Fair dos  n.pl. (esp. As int.) Colloq. Fair shares; fair treatment.



Two-time  v. Colloq. 1 be unfaithful to (a lover). 2 swindle.  two-timer n.



Knapweed  n. Plant with thistle-like purple flowers. [from knop ornamental knob or tuft]

Two-faced  adj. Insincere; deceitful.
Hectic  adj. 1 busy and confused; excited. 2 feverish.  hectically adv. [greek hektikos habitual]
Upswept  adj. (of hair) combed to the top of the head.


Furnishings  n.pl. Furniture and fitments in a house, room, etc.


Serjeant  n. (in full serjeant-at-law, pl. Serjeants-at-law) hist. Barrister of the highest rank. [var. Of *sergeant]

Blowlamp  n. Device with a very hot flame for burning off paint, plumbing, etc.


Godless  adj. 1 impious; wicked. 2 without a god. 3 not recognizing god.  godlessness n.

Fraction  n. 1 part of a whole number (e.g. 1/2, 0.5). 2 small part, piece, or amount. 3 portion of a mixture obtained by distillation etc.  fractional adj. Fractionally adv. [latin frango fract- break]


Seduction  n. 1 seducing or being seduced. 2 thing that tempts or attracts.

Shuttlecock  n. Cork with a ring of feathers, or a similar plastic device, struck to and fro in badminton.

Dalai lama  n. Spiritual head of tibetan buddhism. [mongolian dalai ocean]
Sub-plot  n. Secondary plot in a play etc.

Gobsmacked  adj. Slang flabbergasted.
Dismal  adj. 1 gloomy; miserable. 2 dreary; sombre. 3 colloq. Feeble, inept (dismal attempt).  dismally adv. [medieval latin dies mali unlucky days]






Vice ring  n. Group of criminals organizing prostitution.

Truck2  n. Dealings.  have no truck with avoid dealing with. [french troquer]



Spat2  n. (usu. In pl.) Hist. Short gaiter covering a shoe. [abbreviation of spatterdash: related to *spatter]




Sentiment  n. 1 mental feeling. 2 (often in pl.) What one feels, opinion. 3 opinion or feeling, as distinct from its expression (the sentiment is good). 4 emotional or irrational view. 5 such views collectively, esp. As an influence. 6 tendency to be swayed by feeling. 7 a mawkish or exaggerated emotion. B display of this.
Aid  abbr. Artificial insemination by donor.
White horses  n.pl. White-crested waves at sea.
Hangar  n. Building for housing aircraft etc. [french]
Developing country  n. Poor or primitive country.


Aficionado  n. (pl. -s) devotee of a sport or pastime. [spanish]
China clay  n. Kaolin.
Catalan  —n. Native or language of catalonia in spain. —adj. Of catalonia. [french from spanish]
Octogenarian  n. Person from 80 to 89 years old. [latin octogeni 80 each]

Hazelnut  n. Nut of the hazel.
Water-mill  n. Mill worked by a water-wheel.



Two-handed  adj. 1 having, using, or requiring the use of two hands. 2 (of a card-game) for two players.
Border  —n. 1 edge or boundary, or the part near it. 2 a line or region separating two countries. B (the border) boundary between scotland and england (usu. The borders), or n. Ireland and the irish republic. 3 esp. Ornamental strip round an edge. 4 long narrow flower-bed (herbaceous border). —v. 1 be a border to. 2 provide with a border. 3 (usu. Foll. By on, upon) a adjoin; come close to being. B resemble. [french from germanic: related to *board]

Aster  n. Plant with bright daisy-like flowers. [greek, = star]

Immense  adj. 1 extremely large; huge. 2 considerable (immense difference).  immenseness n. Immensity n. [latin metior mens- measure]

Specula  pl. Of *speculum.
Toxocara  n. Parasitic worm in dogs and cats.


Sunburn  n. Inflammation and tanning of the skin from exposure to the sun.  sunburnt adj. (also sunburned).


Bush telegraph  n. Rapid spreading of information, rumour, etc.


Sleuth  colloq. —n. Detective. —v. Investigate crime etc. [old norse]
Dog-collar  n. 1 collar for a dog. 2 colloq. Clerical collar.
Balance of trade  n. Difference in value between imports and exports.
Bicuspid  —adj. Having two cusps. —n. The premolar tooth in humans. [from *bi-, *cusp]
Hard up  adj. Short of money.




Matricide  n. 1 killing of one's mother. 2 person who does this. [latin: related to *mater, *-cide]

High wire  n. High tightrope.
Staple2  —n. 1 principal or important article of commerce (staples of british industry). 2 chief element or main component. 3 fibre of cotton or wool etc. With regard to its quality (cotton of fine staple). —attrib. Adj. 1 main or principal (staple diet). 2 important as a product or export. [french estaple market]
Get-at-able  adj. Colloq. Accessible.
Committee  n. 1 body of persons appointed for a special function by (and usu. Out of) a larger body. 2 (committee) house of commons sitting as a committee. [from *commit, *-ee]

Mien  n. Literary person's look or bearing. [probably obsolete demean]



Aren't  contr. 1 are not. 2 (in interrog.) Am not (aren't i coming too?).
Hypochondriac  —n. Person given to hypochondria. —adj. Of or affected by hypochondria.

Family allowance  n. Former name for *child benefit.



Hate  —v. (-ting) 1 dislike intensely. 2 colloq. A dislike. B be reluctant (to do something) (i hate to disturb you; i hate fighting). —n. 1 hatred. 2 colloq. Hated person or thing. [old english]
Er  abbr. Queen elizabeth. [latin elizabetha regina]
Graph  —n. Diagram showing the relation between variable quantities, usu. Of two variables, each measured along one of a pair of axes. —v. Plot or trace on a graph. [abbreviation of graphic formula]
Canoodle  v. (-ling) colloq. Kiss and cuddle. [origin unknown]


All saints' day  n. 1 nov., christian festival in honour of saints.




Anecdote  n. Short, esp. True, account or story.  anecdotal adj. [greek anekdota things unpublished]
Decriminalize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) cease to treat as criminal.  decriminalization n.


Thing  n. 1 entity, idea, action, etc., that exists or may be thought about or perceived. 2 inanimate material object (take that thing away). 3 unspecified item (a few things to buy). 4 act, idea, or utterance (silly thing to do). 5 event (unfortunate thing to happen). 6 quality (patience is a useful thing). 7 person regarded with pity, contempt, or affection (poor thing!). 8 specimen or type (latest thing in hats). 9 colloq. One's special interest (not my thing). 10 colloq. Something remarkable (there's a thing!). 11 (prec. By the) colloq. A what is proper or fashionable. B what is needed (just the thing). C what is to be considered (the thing is, shall we go or not?). D what is important. 12 (in pl.) Personal belongings or clothing (where are my things?). 13 (in pl.) Equipment (painting things). 14 (in pl.) Affairs in general (not in the nature of things). 15 (in pl.) Circumstances, conditions (things look good). 16 (in pl. With a following adjective) all that is so describable (things greek).  do one's own thing colloq. Pursue one's own interests or inclinations. Have a thing about colloq. Be obsessed or prejudiced about. Make a thing of colloq. 1 regard as essential. 2 cause a fuss about. [old english]



Finis  n. End, esp. Of a book. [latin]
Workbench  n. Bench for manual work, esp. Carpentry.




Distinguish  v. 1 (often foll. By from, between) differentiate; see or draw distinctions. 2 be a mark or property of; characterize. 3 discover by listening, looking, etc. 4 (usu. Refl.; often foll. By by) make prominent (distinguished himself by winning).  distinguishable adj. [latin: related to *dis-, stinguo stinct- extinguish]


Brass-rubbing  n. 1 practice of taking impressions by rubbing heelball etc. Over paper laid on engraved brasses. 2 impression obtained by this.
Pert  adj. 1 saucy, impudent. 2 jaunty.  pertly adv. Pertness n. [latin apertus open]
Warm  —adj. 1 of or at a fairly high temperature. 2 (of clothes etc.) Affording warmth. 3 a sympathetic, friendly, loving. B hearty, enthusiastic. 4 colloq. Iron. Dangerous, difficult, hostile. 5 colloq. A (in a game) close to the object etc. Sought. B near to guessing. 6 (of a colour etc.) Reddish or yellowish; suggestive of warmth. 7 hunting (of a scent) fresh and strong. —v. 1 make warm. 2 a (often foll. By up) warm oneself. B (often foll. By to) become animated or sympathetic. —n. 1 act of warming. 2 warmth of the atmosphere etc.  warm up 1 make or become warm. 2 prepare for a performance etc. By practising. 3 reach a temperature for efficient working. 4 reheat (food).  warmly adv. Warmth n. [old english]
Sexy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 sexually attractive, stimulating, or aroused. 2 colloq. (of a project etc.) Exciting, trendy.  sexily adv. Sexiness n.

Requite  v. (-ting) 1 make return for (a service). 2 reward or avenge (a favour or injury). 3 (often foll. By for) make return to (a person). 4 repay with good or evil.  requital n. [from *re-, quite = *quit]
Marshmallow  n. Soft sticky sweet made of sugar, albumen, gelatin, etc. [*marsh mallow]


Indisputable  adj. That cannot be disputed.  indisputably adv.

Poplin  n. Plain-woven fabric usu. Of cotton, with a corded surface. [french papeline]
Unprejudiced  adj. Not prejudiced.
Ha ha  int. Representing laughter (iron. When spoken). [old english]
Romanian  (also rumanian) —n. 1 a native or national of romania. B person of romanian descent. 2 language of romania. —adj. Of romania, its people, or language.
Terrier  n. Small dog of various breeds originally used for digging out foxes etc. [french chien terrier dog that chases to earth]

Cesspit  n. (also cesspool) covered pit for the temporary storage of liquid waste or sewage. [origin uncertain]


Elderberry  n. (pl. -ies) berry of the elder tree.




Ca.  Abbr. Circa.


Wry  adj. (wryer, wryest or wrier, wriest) 1 distorted or turned to one side. 2 (of a face, smile, etc.) Contorted in disgust, disappointment, or mockery. 3 (of humour) dry and mocking.  wryly adv. Wryness n. [old english]
Usage  homogeneous is often confused with homogenous which is a term in biology meaning ‘similar owing to common descent’.

Any  —adj. 1 a one, no matter which, of several (cannot find any answer). B some, no matter how much or many or of what sort (if any books arrive; have you any sugar?). 2 a minimal amount of (hardly any difference). 3 whichever is chosen (any fool knows). 4 an appreciable or significant (did not stay for any length of time; has any amount of money). —pron. 1 any one (did not know any of them). 2 any number or amount (are any of them yours?). —adv. (usu. With neg. Or interrog.) At all (is that any good?). [old english ænig: related to *one, *-y1]
Synopsis  n. (pl. Synopses) summary or outline. [greek opsis view]
Wide awake  adj. 1 fully awake. 2 colloq. Wary, knowing.
Siesta  n. Afternoon sleep or rest, esp. In hot countries. [spanish from latin sexta (hora) sixth hour]

Luncheon  n. Formal lunch. [origin unknown]
Humoresque  n. Short lively piece of music. [german humoreske]
Line1  —n. 1 continuous mark made on a surface. 2 similar mark, esp. A furrow or wrinkle. 3 use of lines in art. 4 a straight or curved continuous extent of length without breadth. B track of a moving point. 5 contour or outline (has a slimming line). 6 a curve connecting all points having a specified common property. B (the line) the equator. 7 a limit or boundary.
Nip1  —v. (-pp-) 1 pinch, squeeze, or bite sharply. 2 (often foll. By off) remove by pinching etc. 3 (of the cold etc.) Cause pain or harm to. 4 (foll. By in, out, etc.) Colloq. Go nimbly or quickly. —n. 1 a pinch, sharp squeeze. B bite. 2 biting cold.  nip in the bud suppress or destroy (esp. An idea) at an early stage. [low german or dutch]




Dank  adj. Disagreeably damp and cold.  dankly adv. Dankness n. [probably scandinavian]

Hell-fire  n. Fire(s) regarded as existing in hell.

Oilfield  n. Area yielding mineral oil.

Unavailable  adj. Not available.  unavailability n.

Geography  n. 1 science of the earth's physical features, resources, climate, population, etc. 2 features or arrangement of an area, rooms, etc.  geographer n. [latin from greek]



Weak point  n. (also weak spot) 1 place where defences are assailable. 2 flaw in an argument or character or in resistance to temptation.
Latter-day saints  n.pl. Mormons' name for themselves.

Usage  in sense 1, the word ditto is often replaced by " under the word or sum to be repeated.


Gone  adj. 1 (of time) past (not until gone nine). 2 a lost; hopeless. B dead. 3 colloq. Pregnant for a specified time (already three months gone). 4 slang completely enthralled or entranced, esp. By rhythmic music, drugs, etc.  be gone depart; leave temporarily (cf. *begone). Gone on slang infatuated with. [past part. Of *go1]


Paraplegia  n. Paralysis below the waist.  paraplegic adj. & n. [greek: related to *para-1, plesso strike]

Roadstead  n. = *road 3.
Rollicking  adj. Jovial, exuberant. [origin unknown]

Quinquagesima  n. Sunday before lent. [latin quinquagesimus fiftieth]
Processor  n. Machine that processes things, esp.: 1 = *central processor. 2 = *food processor.
Quart  n. Liquid measure equal to a quarter of a gallon; two pints (0.946 litre). [latin quartus fourth]
Incompatible  adj. Not compatible.  incompatibility n.



Titter  —v. Laugh covertly; giggle. —n. Covert laugh. [imitative]


Knelt  past and past part. Of *kneel.
Unmerited  adj. Not merited.
Gerrymander  —v. Manipulate the boundaries of (a constituency etc.) So as to give undue influence to some party or class. —n. This practice. [governor gerry of massachusetts]

Frogman  n. Person with a rubber suit, flippers, and an oxygen supply for underwater swimming.


Yesteryear  n. Archaic or rhet. 1 last year. 2 the recent past. [old english yester- that is last past, *year]



Exact science  n. A science in which absolute precision is possible.
Met1  past and past part. Of *meet1.
Loan  —n. 1 thing lent, esp. A sum of money. 2 lending or being lent. —v. Lend (money, works of art, etc.).  on loan being lent. [old english]
Tactic  n. 1 tactical manoeuvre. 2 = *tactics. [greek from tasso arrange]


Conversant  adj. (foll. By with) well acquainted with. [french: related to *converse1]
Centripetal force  n. Force acting on a body causing it to move towards a centre.

Fringe  —n. 1 border of tassels or loose threads. 2 front hair hanging over the forehead. 3 outer limit of an area, population, etc. (often attrib.: fringe theatre). 4 unimportant area or part. —v. (-ging) 1 adorn with a fringe. 2 serve as a fringe to. [latin fimbria]

Coal  n. 1 hard black rock, mainly carbonized plant matter, found underground and used as a fuel. 2 piece of this, esp. One that is burning.  coals to newcastle something brought to a place where it is already plentiful. Haul (or call) over the coals reprimand. [old english]
Occasion  —n. 1 a special event or happening. B time of this. 2 reason, need. 3 suitable juncture, opportunity. 4 immediate but subordinate cause. —v. Cause, esp. Incidentally.  on occasion now and then; when the need arises. [latin occido occas- go down]
Gamble  —v. (-ling) 1 play games of chance for money. 2 a bet (a sum of money) in gambling. B (often foll. By away) lose by gambling. 3 risk much in the hope of great gain. 4 (foll. By on) act in the hope of. —n. 1 risky undertaking. 2 spell of gambling.  gambler n.
Incommode  v. (-ding) formal 1 inconvenience. 2 trouble, annoy.


Potation  n. 1 a drink. 2 drinking. [latin: related to *potion]
Her  —pron. 1 objective case of *she (i like her). 2 colloq. She (it's her all right; am older than her). —poss. Pron. (attrib.) Of or belonging to her or herself (her house; her own business). [old english dative and genitive of *she]

S3  symb. Sulphur.


Stupefy  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 make stupid or insensible. 2 astonish, amaze.  stupefaction n. [french from latin stupeo be amazed]
Ending  n. 1 end or final part, esp. Of a story. 2 inflected final part of a word.




Hiccup  (also hiccough) —n. 1 involuntary spasm of the diaphragm causing a characteristic sound ‘hic’. 2 temporary or minor stoppage or difficulty. —v. (-p-) make a hiccup. [imitative]
Unpaired  adj. 1 not being one of a pair. 2 not united or arranged in pairs.
Noxious  adj. Harmful, unwholesome. [latin noxa harm]
Archaic  adj. 1 a antiquated. B (of a word etc.) No longer in ordinary use. 2 of an early period of culture.  archaically adv. [greek arkhe beginning]
Impatiens  n. Any of several plants including the busy lizzie. [latin: related to *impatient]
Instrumentalist  n. Performer on a musical instrument.
Bureaucrat  n. 1 official in a bureaucracy. 2 inflexible administrator.  bureaucratic adj. Bureaucratically adv.
Gangway  n. 1 passage, esp. Between rows of seats. 2 a opening in a ship's bulwarks. B bridge from ship to shore.

Base rate  n. Interest rate set by the bank of england, used as the basis for other banks' rates.

Well-earned  adj. Fully deserved.
Diaconal  adj. Of a deacon. [church latin: related to *deacon]

Demeanour  n. (us demeanor) outward behaviour or bearing. [latin minor threaten]
Eschew  v. Formal avoid; abstain from.  eschewal n. [germanic: related to *shy1]



Trading post  n. Store etc. In a remote or unsettled region.
Hibernate  v. (-ting) (of an animal) spend the winter in a dormant state.  hibernation n. [latin hibernus wintry]





New testament  n. Part of the bible concerned with the life and teachings of christ and his earliest followers.
Ogle  —v. (-ling) look amorously or lecherously (at). —n. Amorous or lecherous look. [probably low german or dutch]



Fbi  abbr. Federal bureau of investigation.
Residuum  n. (pl. -dua) 1 substance left after combustion or evaporation. 2 residue. [latin: related to *reside]

Fife  n. Small shrill flute used in military music.  fifer n. [german pfeife *pipe or french fifre]
Pyrethrum  n. 1 aromatic chrysanthemum. 2 insecticide from its dried flowers. [latin from greek]


Buddy  —n. (pl. -ies) esp. Us colloq. Friend or mate. [perhaps from *brother]


Determinate  adj. Limited, of definite scope or nature.
Unwary  adj. (often foll. By of) not cautious.  unwarily adv. Unwariness n.


Aphelion  n. (pl. -lia) point in a celestial body's orbit where it is furthest from the sun. [greek aph'heliou from the sun]
Vso  abbr. Voluntary service overseas.

Jealousy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 jealous state or feeling. 2 instance of this. [french: related to *jealous]
Sandwich  —n. 1 two or more slices of bread with a filling. 2 layered cake with jam or cream. —v. 1 put (a thing, statement, etc.) Between two of another character. 2 squeeze in between others (sat sandwiched in the middle). [from the earl of sandwich]
Au fait  predic. Adj. (usu. Foll. By with) conversant (au fait with the rules). [french]
Jog  —v. (-gg-) 1 run slowly, esp. As exercise. 2 push or jerk, esp. Unsteadily. 3 nudge, esp. To alert. 4 stimulate (the memory). 5 (often foll. By on, along) trudge; proceed ploddingly (must jog on somehow). 6 (of a horse) trot. —n. 1 spell of jogging; slow walk or trot. 2 push, jerk, or nudge. [probably imitative]
Ivf  abbr. In vitro fertilization.


Bay5  —v. Bark or howl loudly and plaintively. —n. Sound of this, esp. Of hounds in close pursuit.  at bay cornered, unable to escape. Keep at bay hold off (a pursuer). [french bayer to bark]

Vainglory  n. Boastfulness; extreme vanity.  vainglorious adj. [french vaine gloire]


Inexpert  adj. Unskilful; lacking expertise.
Fancy dress  n. Costume for masquerading at a party.

Amiss  —predic. Adj. Wrong, out of order. —adv. Wrong(ly), inappropriately (everything went amiss).  take amiss be offended by. [old norse à mis so as to miss]


Per  prep. 1 for each (two sweets per child; five miles per hour). 2 by means of; by; through (per post). 3 (in full as per) in accordance with (as per instructions).  as per usual colloq. As usual. [latin]
Unpalatable  adj. (of food, an idea, suggestion, etc.) Disagreeable, distasteful.



Couch potato  n. Us slang person who likes lazing at home.
Intensive  adj. 1 thorough, vigorous; directed to a single point, area, or subject (intensive study; intensive bombardment). 2 of or relating to intensity. 3 serving to increase production in relation to costs (intensive farming). 4 (usu. In comb.) Econ. Making much use of (labour-intensive). 5 (of an adjective, adverb, etc.) Expressing intensity, e.g. Really in my feet are really cold.  intensively adv. Intensiveness n.
Era  n. 1 system of chronology reckoning from a noteworthy event (christian era). 2 large period, esp. Regarded historically. 3 date at which an era begins. 4 major division of geological time. [latin, = number (pl. Of aes money)]




Pump2  n. 1 plimsoll. 2 light dancing shoe. 3 us court shoe. [origin unknown]
Watering-place  n. 1 pool from which animals regularly drink. 2 spa or seaside resort.

Lie-in  n. Prolonged stay in bed in the morning.
Emissary  n. (pl. -ies) person sent on a diplomatic mission. [latin: related to *emit]

E.g.  Abbr. For example. [latin exempli gratia]
Tetralogy  n. (pl. -ies) group of four related novels, plays, operas, etc.
Hygiene  n. 1 conditions or practices, esp. Cleanliness, conducive to maintaining health. 2 science of maintaining health.  hygienic adj. Hygienically adv. Hygienist n. [greek hugies healthy]

Ink  —n. 1 coloured fluid or paste used for writing, printing, etc. 2 black liquid ejected by a cuttlefish etc. —v. 1 (usu. Foll. By in, over, etc.) Mark with ink. 2 cover (type etc.) With ink. [greek egkauston purple ink used by roman emperors]
Scale2  n. 1 a (often in pl.) Weighing machine. B (also scale-pan) each of the dishes on a simple balance. 2 (the scales) zodiacal sign or constellation libra.  tip (or turn) the scales 1 be the decisive factor. 2 (usu. Foll. By at) weigh. [old norse skál bowl]




Silviculture  n. (also sylviculture) cultivation of forest trees. [latin silva a wood: related to *culture]
Anti-lock  attrib. Adj. (of brakes) set up so as to prevent locking and skidding when applied suddenly.

Rear1  —n. 1 back part of anything. 2 space behind, or position at the back of, anything. 3 colloq. Buttocks. —adj. At the back.  bring up the rear come last. [probably from *rearward or *rearguard]
Mainly  adv. Mostly; chiefly.
Cardiogram  n. Record of heart movements. [greek kardia heart]
Orb  n. 1 globe surmounted by a cross as part of coronation regalia. 2 sphere, globe. 3 poet. Celestial body. 4 poet. Eye. [latin orbis ring]


Long-drawn  adj. (also long-drawn-out) prolonged.



Gibbon  n. Long-armed se asian anthropoid ape. [french]
Decode  v. (-ding) decipher.  decoder n.


Clergy  n. (pl. -ies) (usu. Treated as pl.) Those ordained for religious duties. [french (related to *cleric) and church latin]
Suite  n. 1 set, esp. Of rooms in a hotel etc. Or a sofa and armchairs. 2 mus. Set of instrumental pieces performed as a unit. [french: related to *suit]

Reserved  adj. 1 reticent; slow to reveal emotion or opinions; uncommunicative. 2 set apart, destined for a particular use.
Apolitical  adj. Not interested in or concerned with politics.
Wicket  n. 1 cricket a three stumps with the bails in position defended by a batsman. B ground between two wickets. C state of this. D instance of a batsman being got out (bowler has taken four wickets). 2 (in full wicket-door or -gate) small door or gate, esp. Beside or in a larger one or closing the lower part only of a doorway. [anglo-french wiket = french guichet]
Roguery  n. (pl. -ies) conduct or action characteristic of rogues.
Unhorse  v. (-sing) throw (a rider) from a horse.

Drystone  attrib. Adj. (of a wall etc.) Built without mortar.
Vim  n. Colloq. Vigour. [perhaps from latin, accusative of vis energy]

Philistine  —n. 1 member of a people of ancient palestine. 2 (usu. Philistine) person who is hostile or indifferent to culture. —adj. (usu. Philistine) hostile or indifferent to culture.  philistinism n. [hebrew pelistî]
Shirtsleeve  n. (usu. In pl.) Sleeve of a shirt.  in shirtsleeves without one's jacket on.
Final cause  n. Philos. Ultimate purpose.
Devilment  n. Mischief, wild spirits.
Interpersonal  adj. Between persons, social (interpersonal skills).

Aqua regia  n. Highly corrosive mixture of acids, attacking many substances unaffected by other reagents. [latin, = royal water]
Prie-dieu  n. (pl. Prie-dieux pronunc. Same) kneeling-desk for prayer. [french, = pray god]








Schoolgirl  n. Girl attending school.
Pertain  v. 1 (foll. By to) a relate or have reference to. B belong to as a part, appendage, or accessory. 2 (usu. Foll. By to) be appropriate to. [latin pertineo belong to]
Neodymium  n. Metallic element of the lanthanide series. [from *neo-, greek didumos twin]
Trickle charger  n. Electrical charger for batteries that works at a steady slow rate.
Warm-hearted  adj. Kind, friendly.  warm-heartedness n.
Nasal  —adj. 1 of the nose. 2 (of a letter or a sound) pronounced with the breath passing through the nose, e.g. M, n, ng. 3 (of the voice or speech) having many nasal sounds. —n. Nasal letter or sound.  nasalize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing). Nasally adv. [latin nasus nose]
Parish council  n. Administrative body in a civil parish.
Cistern  n. 1 tank for storing water. 2 underground reservoir. [latin cista box, from greek]
Squab  —n. 1 young (esp. Unfledged) pigeon or other bird. 2 short fat person. 3 stuffed cushion, esp. As part of a car-seat. 4 sofa, ottoman. —adj. Short and fat, squat. [perhaps from scandinavian]
Atmosphere  n. 1 a gases enveloping the earth, any other planet, etc. B air in a room etc., esp. If fetid. 2 pervading tone or mood of a place, situation, or work of art. 3 unit of pressure equal to mean atmospheric pressure at sea level, 101,325 pascals.  atmospheric adj. [greek atmos vapour, *sphere]
Glycerol  n. = *glycerine.
Biosphere  n. Regions of the earth's crust and atmosphere occupied by living things. [german: related to *bio-]
German  adj. (placed after brother, sister, or cousin) having both parents the same, or both grandparents the same on one side (brother german; cousin german). [latin germanus]

Cash  —n. 1 money in coins or notes. 2 (also cash down) full payment at the time of purchase. 3 colloq. Wealth. —v. Give or obtain cash for (a note, cheque, etc.).  cash in 1 obtain cash for. 2 colloq. (usu. Foll. By on) profit (from); take advantage (of). Cash up count and check the day's takings. [latin: related to *case2]

Ethos  n. Characteristic spirit or attitudes of a community etc. [greek ethos character]


Muezzin  n. Muslim crier who proclaims the hours of prayer. [arabic]


Lodestone  n. (also loadstone) 1 magnetic oxide of iron. 2 a piece of this used as a magnet. B thing that attracts.
Peptic  adj. Concerning or promoting digestion. [greek peptikos able to digest]

Rhubarb  n. 1 a plant with long fleshy dark-red leaf-stalks cooked as a dessert. B these stalks. 2 a colloq. Indistinct conversation or noise, from the repeated use of the word ‘rhubarb’ by a crowd. B slang nonsense. [greek rha rhubarb, barbaros foreign]
Unperson  n. Person said not to exist, esp. By the state.
Rep1  n. Colloq. Representative, esp. A commercial traveller. [abbreviation]
Untapped  adj. Not (yet) tapped or used (untapped resources).

Loose-leaf  adj. (of a notebook etc.) With pages that can be removed and replaced.
Chloroform  —n. Colourless volatile liquid formerly used as a general anaesthetic. —v. Render unconscious with this. [from *chlorine, *formic acid]
Charnel-house  n. Repository of corpses or bones. [latin: related to *carnal]
Moss  n. 1 small flowerless plant growing in dense clusters in bogs, on the ground, trees, stones, etc. 2 scot. & n.engl. Bog, esp. A peatbog.  mossy adj. (-ier, -iest). [old english]
Karakul  n. (also caracul) 1 asian sheep with a dark curled fleece when young. 2 fur of or like this. [russian]

Engross  v. 1 absorb the attention of; occupy fully. 2 write out in larger letters or in legal form.  engrossment n. [anglo-french: related to *en-1]
Angel cake  n. Light sponge cake.
Made  past and past part. Of *make. —adj. 1 built or formed (well-made). 2 successful (self-made man; be made).  have (or have got) it made colloq. Be sure of success. Made for ideally suited to. Made of consisting of. Made of money colloq. Very rich.



Plover  n. Plump-breasted wading bird, e.g. The lapwing. [latin pluvia rain]

Hunt  —v. 1 (also absol.) A pursue and kill (wild animals, esp. Foxes, or game) for sport or food. B use (a horse or hounds) for hunting. C (of an animal) chase (its prey). 2 (foll. By after, for) seek, search. 3 (of an engine etc.) Run alternately too fast and too slow. 4 scour (a district) for game. 5 (as hunted adj.) (of a look etc.) Terrified as if being hunted. —n. 1 practice or instance of hunting. 2 a association of people hunting with hounds. B area for hunting.  hunt down pursue and capture.  hunting n. [old english]




Ballocks  var. Of *bollocks.
Cadaverous  adj. Corpselike; very pale and thin.
Restyle  v. (-ling) reshape; remake in a new style.
Money order  n. Order for payment of a specified sum, issued by a bank or post office.
Whensoever  conj. & adv. Formal = *whenever.
Marron glacé  n. (pl. Marrons glacés pronunc. Same) chestnut preserved in syrup. [french]
Skint  adj. Slang having no money left. [= skinned]





Comptroller  n. Controller (used in the title of some financial officers). [var. Of *controller]
Succeed  v. 1 a (often foll. By in) have success. B be successful. 2 follow; come next after. 3 (often foll. By to) come into an inheritance, office, title, or property (succeeded to the throne). [latin succedo -cess- come after]
Sedum  n. Fleshy-leaved plant with yellow, pink, or white flowers, e.g. The stonecrop. [latin, = houseleek]

Plumber  n. Person who fits and repairs the apparatus of a water-supply, heating, etc.
High table  n. Dining-table for the most important guests or members.


Puffy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 swollen, puffed out. 2 colloq. Short-winded.  puffily adv. Puffiness n.
Di-3  prefix form of *dia- before a vowel.
Expunge  v. (-ging) erase, remove (objectionable matter) from a book etc. [latin expungo prick out (for deletion)]

Googly  n. (pl. -ies) cricket ball bowled so as to bounce in an unexpected direction. [origin unknown]
Turn-round  n. 1 a unloading and reloading between trips. B receiving, processing, and sending out again; progress through a system. 2 reversal of an opinion or tendency.
Canasta  n. Card-game using two packs and resembling rummy. [spanish, = basket]
Ripen  v. Make or become ripe.
Spatter  —v. Splash or scatter in drips. —n. 1 splash. 2 pattering. [imitative]
Paring  n. Strip or piece cut off.
Disquiet  —v. Make anxious. —n. Anxiety; uneasiness.
Topical  adj. Dealing with the news, current affairs, etc.  topicality n. Topically adv.
Duly  adv. 1 in due time or manner. 2 rightly, properly.


Mount1  —v. 1 ascend; climb on to. 2 a get up on (a horse etc.) To ride it. B set on horseback. C (as mounted adj.) Serving on horseback (mounted police). 3 a (often foll. By up) accumulate. B (of a feeling) increase. 4 (often foll. By on, in) set (an object) on a support or in a backing, frame, etc., esp. For viewing. 5 organize, arrange, set in motion (a play, exhibition, attack, guard, etc.). 6 (of a male animal) get on to (a female) to copulate. —n. 1 backing, etc. On which a picture etc. Is set for display. 2 horse for riding. 3 setting for a gem etc. [latin: related to *mount2]

Dual control  n. Two linked sets of controls, enabling operation by either of two persons.
Restive  adj. 1 fidgety; restless. 2 (of a horse) jibbing; refractory. 3 (of a person) resisting control.  restively adv. Restiveness n. [french: related to *rest2]




Scatology  n. Excessive interest in excrement or obscenity.  scatological adj. [greek skor skat- dung]
Amp2  n. Colloq. Amplifier. [abbreviation]
-ial  var. Of *-al.
D2  symb. Deuterium.
-y1  suffix forming adjectives: 1 from nouns and adjectives, meaning: a full of; having the quality of (messy). B addicted to (boozy). 2 from verbs, meaning ‘inclined to’, ‘apt to’ (sticky). [old english]


Missus  var. Of *missis.
Cubic  adj. 1 cube-shaped. 2 of three dimensions. 3 involving the cube (and no higher power) of a number (cubic equation).
Paint  —n. 1 pigment, esp. In liquid form, for colouring a surface. 2 this as a dried film or coating (paint peeled off). —v. 1 a cover (a wall, object, etc.) With paint. B apply paint of a specified colour to (paint the door green). 2 depict (an object, scene, etc.) In paint; produce (a picture) thus. 3 describe vividly (painted a gloomy picture). 4 joc. Or archaic a apply make-up to (the face, skin, etc.). B apply (a liquid to the skin etc.).  paint out efface with paint. Paint the town red colloq. Enjoy oneself flamboyantly. [latin pingo pict-]
Petal  n. Each of the parts of the corolla of a flower.  petalled adj. [greek petalon leaf]
Grotty  adj. (-ier, -iest) slang unpleasant, dirty, shabby, unattractive. [shortening of *grotesque]



Variegated  adj. 1 with irregular patches of different colours. 2 having leaves of two or more colours.  variegation n. [latin: related to *various]



Nasa  abbr. (in the us) national aeronautics and space administration.
Origan  n. (also origanum) wild marjoram.  [latin from greek]
Tithe  —n. 1 one-tenth of the annual produce of land or labour, formerly taken as a tax for the church. 2 tenth part. —v. (-thing) 1 subject to tithes. 2 pay tithes. [old english, = tenth]



Feral  adj. 1 wild; uncultivated. 2 (of an animal) escaped and living wild. 3 brutal. [latin ferus wild]
Dearie  n. My dear.  dearie me! Int. Expressing surprise, dismay, etc.

Banquet  —n. Sumptuous, esp. Formal, feast or dinner. —v. (-t-) attend, or entertain with, a banquet; feast. [french diminutive of banc bench]





Chapter  n. 1 main division of a book. 2 period of time (in a person's life etc.). 3 a canons of a cathedral or members of a religious community. B meeting of these. [latin diminutive of caput head]
Expansionism  n. Advocacy of expansion, esp. Of a state's territory.  expansionist n. & adj.


Hard-core  adj. 1 forming a nucleus. 2 blatant, uncompromising. 3 (of pornography) explicit, obscene.


Mortgage rate  n. Rate of interest charged by a mortgagee.
Hedge  —n. 1 fence or boundary of dense bushes or shrubs. 2 protection against possible loss. —v. (-ging) 1 surround or bound with a hedge. 2 (foll. By in) enclose. 3 a reduce one's risk of loss on (a bet or speculation) by compensating transactions on the other side. B avoid committing oneself. [old english]


Floret  n. 1 each of the small flowers making up a composite flower-head. 2 each stem of a head of cauliflower, broccoli, etc. 3 small flower. [latin flos *flower]
Binder  n. 1 cover for loose papers etc. 2 substance that binds things together. 3 hist. Reaping-machine that binds grain into sheaves. 4 bookbinder.
Dahlia  n. Large-flowered showy garden plant. [dahl, name of a botanist]
Glycerine  n. (also glycerol, us glycerin) thick sweet colourless liquid used as medicine, ointment, etc., and in explosives. [greek glukeros sweet]
Gardenia  n. Tree or shrub with large fragrant flowers. [garden, name of a naturalist]
Ddt  abbr. Colourless chlorinated hydrocarbon used as insecticide. [from the chemical name]

Due  —adj. 1 owing or payable. 2 (often foll. By to) merited; appropriate. 3 (foll. By to) that ought to be given or ascribed to (a person, cause, etc.) (first place is due to milton; difficulty due to ignorance). 4 (often foll.
Conformation  n. Way a thing is formed; shape.
Helot  n. Serf, esp. (helot) of a class in ancient sparta. [latin from greek]
Astride  —adv. 1 (often foll. By of) with a leg on each side. 2 with legs apart. —prep. Astride of; extending across.



Last straw  n. (prec. By the) slight addition to a burden that makes it finally unbearable.

Upside down  adv. & adj. 1 with the upper and lower parts reversed; inverted. 2 in or into total disorder. [from up so down, perhaps = ‘up as if down’]
Wrecker  n. 1 person or thing that wrecks or destroys. 2 esp. Us person employed in demolition or breaking up damaged vehicles. 3 esp. Hist. Person on the shore who tries to bring about a shipwreck for plunder or profit.


Floorcloth  n. Cloth for washing the floor.

Megavolt  n. One million volts, esp. As a unit of electromotive force.






Grocery  n. (pl. -ies) 1 grocer's trade or shop. 2 (in pl.) Goods, esp. Food, sold by a grocer.

Tug of war  n. 1 trial of strength between two sides pulling opposite ways on a rope. 2 decisive or severe contest.
Catalpa  n. Tree with long pods and showy flowers. [n. American indian]
Short sight  n. Inability to focus on distant objects.
Duple  adj. Of two parts. [latin duplus]

Ribcage  n. Wall of bones formed by the ribs round the chest.



Fixer  n. 1 person or thing that fixes. 2 photog. Substance for fixing a photographic image etc. 3 colloq. Person who makes esp. Illicit deals.
Operetta  n. 1 light opera. 2 one-act or short opera. [italian, diminutive of *opera1]
Bo  abbr. Colloq. Body odour.

Hangnail  n. = *agnail.

Accommodating  adj. Obliging, compliant.

Jurisdiction  n. 1 (often foll. By over, of) administration of justice. 2 a legal or other authority. B extent of this; territory it extends over.  jurisdictional adj.



Imply  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 (often foll. By that) strongly suggest or insinuate without directly stating (what are you implying?). 2 signify, esp. As a consequence (silence implies guilt). [latin: related to *implicate]




Grapevine  n. 1 vine. 2 colloq. The means of transmission of a rumour.
Pulse2  n. (as sing. Or pl.) 1 edible seeds of various leguminous plants, e.g. Chick-peas, lentils, beans, etc. 2 plant producing these. [latin puls]
Orbicular  adj. Formal circular or spherical. [latin orbiculus diminutive of orbis ring]
Conduction  n. Transmission of heat, electricity, etc. Through a substance. [latin: related to *conduct]
Back passage  n. Colloq. Rectum.
High colour  n. Flushed complexion.
Sarcophagus  n. (pl. -phagi) stone coffin. [greek, = flesh-consumer]

Eldest  adj. First-born; oldest surviving.

Serried  adj. (of ranks of soldiers etc.) Close together. [french serrer to close]

Reciprocate  v. (-ting) 1 requite (affection etc.). 2 (foll. By with) give in return. 3 give and receive mutually; interchange. 4 (of a part of a machine) move backwards and forwards.  reciprocation n.

Servery  n. (pl. -ies) room or counter from which meals etc. Are served.
Usage  the second pronunciation is considered incorrect by some people.
Selfless  adj. Unselfish.  selflessly adv. Selflessness n.

Suspended sentence  n. Judicial sentence left unenforced subject to good behaviour during a specified period.
Phonic  adj. Of sound; of vocal sounds. [greek phone voice]
Hardwood  n. Wood from a deciduous broad-leaved tree.
Redeemer  n. 1 person who redeems. 2 (the redeemer) christ.


Ambience  n. Surroundings or atmosphere. [latin ambio go round]
Puce  adj. & n. Dark red or purple-brown. [latin pulex flea]


Center  (brit. Centre) —n. 1 middle point. 2 pivot or axis of rotation. 3 a place or buildings forming a central point or a main area for an activity (shopping centre; town centre). B (with a preceding word) equipment for a number of connected functions (music centre). 4 point of concentration or dispersion; nucleus, source. 5 political party or group holding moderate opinions. 6 filling in chocolate etc. 7 sport a middle player in a line in some field games. B kick or hit from the side to the centre of a pitch. 8 (attrib.) Of or at the centre. —v. (-ring) 1 (foll. By in, on, round) have as its main centre. 2 place in the centre. 3 (foll. By in etc.) Concentrate. [greek kentron sharp point]
Motet  n. Mus. Short religious choral work. [french: related to *mot]




Amiable  adj. (esp. Of a person) friendly and pleasant, likeable.  amiably adv. [latin: related to *amicable]
Cannibalize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) use (a machine etc.) As a source of spare parts.  cannibalization n.

Insobriety  n. Intemperance, esp. In drinking.
Sunbed  n. 1 long lightweight, usu. Folding, chair for sunbathing. 2 bed for lying on under a sun-lamp.
Eraser  n. Thing that erases, esp. A piece of rubber etc. For removing pencil etc. Marks.

Round-up  n. 1 systematic rounding up. 2 summary or résumé.
Shot-put  n. Athletic contest in which a shot is thrown.  shot-putter n.

Mutagen  n. Agent promoting genetic mutation.  mutagenic adj. Mutagenesis n. [from *mutation, *-gen]


Herbarium  n. (pl. -ria) 1 systematically arranged collection of dried plants. 2 book, room, etc. For these.



Herring-gull  n. Large gull with dark wing-tips.
Lewd  adj. 1 lascivious. 2 obscene. [old english, originally = lay, vulgar]
Food value  n. Nourishing power of a food.

Yale lock  n. Propr. Type of lock with a revolving barrel, used for doors etc. [yale, name of its inventor]
Unsure  adj. Not sure.
Was  1st & 3rd sing. Past of *be.



Context  n. 1 parts that surround a word or passage and clarify its meaning. 2 relevant circumstances.  in (or out of) context with (or without) the surrounding words or circumstances.  contextual adj. Contextualize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing). [latin: related to *text]


Extraction  n. 1 extracting or being extracted. 2 removal of a tooth. 3 lineage, descent (of indian extraction). [latin: related to *extract]





Ma  abbr. Master of arts.


Unaccountable  adj. 1 without explanation; strange. 2 not answerable for one's actions.  unaccountably adv.

Gîte  n. Furnished holiday house in the french countryside. [french]








Nineteen  adj. & n. 1 one more than eighteen. 2 symbol for this (19, xix, xix). 3 size etc. Denoted by nineteen.  talk nineteen to the dozen see *dozen.  nineteenth adj. & n. [old english]
Repetition  n. 1 a repeating or being repeated. B thing repeated. 2 copy.  repetitious adj. Repetitive adj.
A.s.a.p.  Abbr. As soon as possible.
Open-handed  adj. Generous.
Esteem  —v. 1 (usu. In passive) have a high regard for. 2 formal consider (esteemed it an honour). —n. High regard; favour. [latin: related to *estimate]
Pitch-pine  n. Pine-tree yielding much resin.
Colliery  n. (pl. -ies) coalmine and its buildings.

Teacake  n. Light usu. Toasted sweet bun eaten at tea.






Q.v.  Abbr. Which see (in references). [latin quod vide]
Garnet  n. Glassy silicate mineral, esp. A red kind used as a gem. [medieval latin granatum *pomegranate]

Lcm  abbr. Lowest (or least) common multiple.
Go1  —v. (3rd sing. Present goes; past went; past part. Gone) 1 a start moving or be moving from one place or point in time to another; travel, proceed. B (foll. By and + verb) colloq. Expressing annoyance (you went and told him). 2 (foll. By verbal noun) make a special trip for; participate in (went skiing; goes running). 3 lie or extend in a certain direction (the road goes to london). 4 leave; depart (they had to go). 5 move, act, work, etc. (clock doesn't go). 6 a make a specified movement (go like this with your foot). B make a sound (often of a specified kind) (gun went bang; door bell went). C (of an animal) make (its characteristic cry) (the cow went ‘moo’). D colloq. Say (so he goes to me ‘why didn't you like it?’). 7 be in a specified state (go hungry; went in fear of his life). 8 a pass into a specified condition (gone bad; went to sleep). B colloq. Die. C proceed or escape in a specified condition (poet went unrecognized). 9 (of time or distance) pass, elapse; be traversed (ten days to go before easter; the last mile went quickly). 10 a (of a document, verse, song, etc.) Have a specified content or wording (the tune goes like this). B be current or accepted (so the story goes). C be suitable; fit; match (the shoes don't go with the hat; those pinks don't go). D be regularly kept or put (the forks go here). E find room; fit (this won't go into the cupboard). 11 a turn out, proceed; take a course or view (things went well; liverpool went labour). B be successful (make the party go). 12 a be sold (went for £1; went cheap). B (of money) be spent. 13 a be relinquished or abolished (the car will have to go). B fail, decline; give way, collapse (his sight is going; the bulb has gone). 14 be acceptable or permitted; be accepted without question (anything goes; what i say goes). 15 (often foll. By by, with, on, upon) be guided by; judge or act on or in harmony with (have nothing to go on; a good rule to go by). 16 attend regularly (goes to school). 17 (foll. By pres. Part.) Colloq. Proceed (often foolishly) to do (went running to the police; don't go making him angry). 18 act or proceed to a certain point (will go so far and no further; went as high as £100). 19 (of a number) be capable of being contained in another (6 into 5 won't go). 20 (usu. Foll. By to) be allotted or awarded; pass (first prize went to the girl). 21 (foll. By to, towards) amount to; contribute to (12 inches go to make a foot; this will go towards your holiday). 22 (in imper.) Begin motion (a starter's order in a race) (ready, steady, go!). 23 (usu. Foll. By by, under) be known or called (goes by the name of droopy). 24 colloq. Proceed to (go jump in the lake). 25 (foll. By for) apply to (that goes for me too). —n. (pl. Goes) 1 mettle; animation (has a lot of go in her). 2 vigorous activity (it's all go). 3 colloq. Success (made a go of it). 4 colloq. Turn; attempt (i'll have a go; it's my go). —adj. Colloq. Functioning properly (all systems are go).  go about 1 set to work at. 2 be socially active. 3 (foll. By pres. Part.) Make a habit of doing. Go ahead proceed without hesitation. Go along with agree to or with. Go back on fail to keep (a promise etc.). Go begging see *beg. Go down 1 a (of an amount) become less through use (coffee has gone down). B subside (the flood went down). C decrease in price. 2 a (of a ship) sink. B (of the sun) set. C (of a curtain) fall. 3 deteriorate; (of a computer system etc.) Cease to function. 4 be recorded in writing. 5 be swallowed. 6 (often foll. By with) find acceptance. 7 colloq. Leave university.



Knitting  n. Work being knitted.

Tray  n. 1 flat board, usu. With a raised rim, for carrying dishes. 2 shallow lidless box for papers or small articles, sometimes forming a drawer in a cabinet etc. [old english]



Arc  —n. 1 part of the circumference of a circle or other curve. 2 electr. Luminous discharge between two electrodes. —v. (arced; arcing) form an arc; move in a curve. [latin arcus bow]

Inefficient  adj. 1 not efficient or fully capable. 2 (of a machine etc.) Wasteful.  inefficiency n. Inefficiently adv.
Helmsman  n. Person who steers a ship.
Overt  adj. Done openly; unconcealed.  overtly adv. [french, past part. Of ouvrir open]

Otter  n. 1 aquatic fish-eating mammal with webbed feet and thick brown fur. 2 its fur. [old english]
Bust1  n. 1 human chest, esp. Of a woman; bosom. 2 sculpture of a person's head, shoulders, and chest.  busty adj. (-ier, -iest). [french from italian]
Ploughman  n. (us plowman) person who uses a plough.
Antiquity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 ancient times, esp. Before the middle ages. 2 great age. 3 (usu. In pl.) Relics from ancient times. [latin: related to *antique]
Deflect  v. 1 bend or turn aside from a course or purpose. 2 (often foll. By from) (cause to) deviate.  deflection n. (also deflexion). Deflector n. [latin flecto bend]
Taramasalata  n. (also taramosalata) pâté made from roe with olive oil, seasoning, etc. [greek taramas roe, salata *salad]
Stockinet  n. (also stockinette) elastic knitted fabric. [probably from stocking-net]

Persuade  v. (-ding) 1 (often foll. By of or that) cause (another person or oneself) to believe; convince. 2 (often foll. By to + infin.) Induce.  persuadable adj. Persuasible adj. [latin persuadeo -suas- induce]
Get  v. (getting; past got; past part. Got or us gotten) (and in comb.) 1 come into possession of; receive or earn (get a job; got £200 a week; got first prize). 2 fetch or procure (get my book for me; got a new car). 3 go to reach or catch (a bus, train, etc.). 4 prepare (a meal etc.). 5 (cause to) reach some state or become (get rich; get married; get to be famous; got them ready; got him into trouble). 6 obtain as a result of calculation. 7 contract (a disease etc.). 8 establish contact by telephone etc. With; receive (a broadcast signal). 9 experience or suffer; have inflicted on one; receive as one's lot or penalty (got four years in prison). 10 a succeed in bringing, placing, etc. (get it round the corner; get it on to the agenda). B (cause to) succeed in coming or going (will get you there somehow; got absolutely nowhere; got home). 11 (prec. By have) a possess (have not got a penny). B (foll. By to + infin.) Be bound or obliged (have got to see you). 12 (foll. By to + infin.) Induce; prevail upon (got them to help me). 13 colloq. Understand (a person or an argument) (have you got that?; i get your point; do you get me?). 14 colloq. Harm, injure, kill, esp. In retaliation (i'll get you for that). 15 colloq. A annoy. B affect emotionally. C attract. 16 (foll. By to + infin.) Develop an inclination (am getting to like it). 17 (foll. By verbal noun) begin (get going). 18 establish (an idea etc.) In one's mind. 19 archaic beget.  get about 1 travel extensively or fast; go from place to place. 2 begin walking etc. (esp. After illness). Get across 1 communicate (an idea etc.). 2 (of an idea etc.) Be communicated. Get ahead make progress (esp. In a career etc.). Get along (or on) (foll. By together, with) live harmoniously. Get around = get about. Get at 1 reach; get hold of. 2 colloq. Imply. 3 colloq. Nag, criticize. Get away 1 escape, start. 2 (as int.) Colloq. Expressing disbelief or scepticism. 3 (foll. By with) escape blame or punishment for. Get back at colloq. Retaliate against. Get by colloq. Manage, even if with difficulty. Get cracking see *crack. Get down 1 alight, descend (from a vehicle, ladder, etc.). 2 record in writing.

Longeron  n. Longitudinal member of a plane's fuselage. [french]
Pommel  —n. 1 knob, esp. At the end of a sword-hilt. 2 upward projecting front of a saddle. —v. (-ll-; us -l-) = *pummel. [latin pomum apple]
Knitwear  n. Knitted garments.


Fag1  —n. 1 colloq. Tedious task. 2 slang cigarette. 3 (at public schools) junior boy who runs errands for a senior. —v. (-gg-) 1 (often foll. By out) colloq. Exhaust. 2 (at public schools) act as a fag. [origin unknown]


Recognizance  n. 1 bond by which a person undertakes before a court or magistrate to observe some condition, e.g. To appear when summoned. 2 sum pledged as surety for this. [french: related to *re-]


Welch  var. Of *welsh.


Centaur  n. Creature in greek mythology with the upper half of a man and the lower half of a horse. [latin from greek]
Pit-head  n. 1 top of a mineshaft. 2 area surrounding this (also attrib.: pit-head ballot).

Immeasurable  adj. Not measurable; immense.  immeasurably adv.



Indelible  adj. That cannot be rubbed out or removed.  indelibly adv. [latin deleo efface]

Jerrycan  n. (also jerrican) a kind of (orig. German) petrol- or water-can. [from *jerry]
Disgorge  v. (-ging) 1 eject from the throat. 2 pour forth.  disgorgement n.
Outline  —n. 1 rough draft. 2 summary. 3 sketch consisting of only contour lines. 4 (in sing. Or pl.) A lines enclosing or indicating an object. B contour. C external boundary. 5 (in pl.) Main features or principles. —v. (-ning) 1 draw or describe in outline. 2 mark the outline of.
Break-dancing  n. Acrobatic style of street-dancing.
Skirl  —n. Shrill sound, esp. Of bagpipes. —v. Make a skirl. [probably scandinavian]
Shoreline  n. Line where shore and water meet.
Multi-purpose  attrib. Adj. Having several purposes.

Nightbird  n. Person who is most active at night.

Sealskin  n. 1 skin or prepared fur of a seal. 2 (often attrib.) Garment made from this.
Lorgnette  n. Pair of eyeglasses or opera-glasses on a long handle. [french lorgner to squint]




Pontoon2  n. 1 flat-bottomed boat. 2 each of several boats etc. Used to support a temporary bridge. [latin ponto pont- punt]



Semite  n. Member of the peoples said to be descended from shem (gen. 10), including esp. The jews and arabs. [greek sem shem]
Leopard  n. Large african or asian animal of the cat family with a black-spotted yellowish or all black coat, panther. [greek leon lion, pardos panther]

Objectionable  adj. 1 unpleasant, offensive. 2 open to objection.  objectionably adv.

Tea break  n. Pause in work etc. To drink tea.
Douse  v. (also dowse) (-sing) 1 a throw water over. B plunge into water. 2 extinguish (a light). [origin uncertain]
Umpire  —n. Person enforcing rules and settling disputes in esp. Cricket or between disputants. —v. (-ring) (often foll. By for, in, etc.) Act as umpire (in). [french nonper not equal: related to *peer2]

Curable  adj. Able to be cured.  curability n.
Alma mater  n. One's university, school, or college. [latin, = bounteous mother]




Cinque  n. The five on dice. [latin quinque five]
Direct object  n. Primary object of the action of a transitive verb.




Ginger beer  n. Mildly alcoholic or non-alcoholic cloudy drink made from fermented ginger and syrup.
Inglenook  n. Space within the opening on either side of a large fireplace. [perhaps gaelic aingeal fire, light]
Savoury  (us savory) —adj. 1 having an appetizing taste or smell. 2 (of food) salty or piquant, not sweet. 3 pleasant; acceptable. —n. (pl. -ies) savoury dish.  savouriness n.
Flunkey  n. (also flunky) (pl. -eys or -ies) usu. Derog. 1 liveried footman. 2 toady; snob. 3 us cook, waiter, etc. [origin uncertain]
Orient  —n. (the orient) countries east of the mediterranean, esp. E. Asia. —v. 1 a place or determine the position of with the aid of a compass; find the bearings of. B (often foll. By towards) direct.
Rime2  archaic var. Of *rhyme.
Counterweight  n. Counterbalancing weight.



Accentuate  v. (-ting) emphasize, make prominent.  accentuation n. [medieval latin: related to *accent]
Ghyll  var. Of *gill3.

Pedestal  n. 1 base supporting a column or pillar. 2 stone etc. Base of a statue etc.  put on a pedestal admire disproportionately, idolize. [italian piedestallo, = foot of stall]

Pork pie hat  n. Hat with a flat crown and a brim turned up all round.


Borstal  n. Hist. Residential institution for youth custody. [borstal in kent]
Headstrong  adj. Self-willed.

Frond  n. Leaflike part of a fern or palm. [latin frons frond- leaf]



Greensward  n. Expanse of grassy turf.
Sepal  n. Division or leaf of a calyx. [perhaps from *separate, *petal]

Committee stage  n. Third of five stages of a bill's progress through parliament.
Incoherent  adj. 1 unintelligible. 2 lacking logic or consistency; not clear.  incoherence n. Incoherently adv.
Interrogatory  —adj. Questioning (interrogatory tone). —n. (pl. -ies) formal set of questions.
Pounce  —v. (-cing) 1 spring or swoop, esp. As in capturing prey. 2 (often foll. By on, upon) a make a sudden attack. B seize eagerly upon a remark etc. —n. Act of pouncing. [origin unknown]
Repudiate  v. (-ting) 1 a disown, disavow, reject. B refuse dealings with. C deny. 2 refuse to recognize or obey (authority or a treaty). 3 refuse to discharge (an obligation or debt).  repudiation n. [latin repudium divorce]
Poverty line  n. Minimum income needed for the necessities of life.

Creature comforts  n.pl. Good food, warmth, etc.


Un  abbr. United nations.
Red admiral  n. Butterfly with red bands.

Year  n. 1 time occupied by the earth in one revolution round the sun, approx. 3651/4 days. 2 = *calendar year. 3 period of twelve months, starting at any point (four years ago; tax year). 4 (in pl.) Age, time of life (young for his years). 5 (usu. In pl.) Colloq. Very long time. 6 group of students entering college etc. In the same academic year. [old english]



Usage  see note at refute.
Sea pink  n. Maritime plant with bright pink flowers.
Full stop  n. 1 punctuation mark (.) At the end of a sentence or an abbreviation. 2 complete cessation.



Coachwork  n. Bodywork of a road or rail vehicle.
Outmoded  adj. 1 outdated. 2 out of fashion.
Kiloton  n. (also kilotonne) unit of explosive power equivalent to 1,000 tons of tnt.
















Peer2  n. 1 a (fem. Peeress) member of one of the degrees of the nobility in britain or ireland, i.e. A duke, marquis, earl, viscount, or baron. B noble of any country. 2 person who is equal in ability, standing, rank, or value. [latin par equal]
Commentary  n. (pl. -ies) 1 descriptive spoken esp. Broadcast account of an event or performance as it happens. 2 set of explanatory notes on a text etc. [latin]
Gaunt  adj. 1 lean, haggard. 2 grim, desolate.  gauntness n. [origin unknown]
Arena  n. 1 central part of an amphitheatre etc. 2 scene of conflict; sphere of action. [latin, = sand]
Sulk  —v. Be sulky. —n. (also in pl., prec. By the) period of sullen silence. [perhaps a back-formation from *sulky]
Lengthways  adv. In a direction parallel with a thing's length.
Biotin  n. Vitamin of the b complex, found in egg-yolk, liver, and yeast. [greek bios life]


Conviction  n. 1 convicting or being convicted. 2 a being convinced. B firm belief. [latin: related to *convict]




Neptunium  n. Transuranic metallic element produced when uranium atoms absorb bombarding neutrons. [neptune, name of a planet]



Usage  use of kinsman in sense 2 is considered incorrect by some people.

You're  contr. You are.



Illogical  adj. Devoid of or contrary to logic.  illogicality n. (pl. -ies). Illogically adv.

Papaya  var. Of *pawpaw. [earlier form of *pawpaw]
Lever  —n. 1 bar resting on a pivot, used to prise. 2 bar pivoted about a fulcrum (fixed point) which can be acted upon by a force (effort) in order to move a load. 3 projecting handle moved to operate a mechanism. 4 means of exerting moral pressure. —v. 1 use a lever. 2 (often foll. By away, out, up, etc.) Lift, move, etc. With a lever. [latin levo raise]
Precast  adj. (of concrete) cast in its final shape before positioning.


Philo-  comb. Form (also phil- before a vowel or h) denoting a liking for what is specified. [greek philos friend]

Separable  adj. Able to be separated.  separability n. [latin: related to *separate]
Delectable  adj. Esp. Literary delightful, delicious.  delectably adv. [latin: related to *delight]
Usage  perspicuous is sometimes confused with perspicacious.
Septuagesima  n. Sunday before sexagesima. [latin, = seventieth]

Surgical spirit  n. Methylated spirit used for cleansing etc.
Unintelligible  adj. Not intelligible.
Book-end  n. Prop used to keep books upright.

Worry beads  n.pl. String of beads manipulated with the fingers to occupy or calm oneself.
Unit price  n. Price charged for each unit of goods supplied.

Conservation of energy  n. Principle that the total quantity of energy in any system that is not subject to external action remains constant.
Amaranth  n. 1 plant with small green, red, or purple tinted flowers. 2 imaginary unfading flower. 3 purple colour.  amaranthine adj. [greek amarantos unfading]
Bionic  adj. Having electronically operated body parts or the resulting superhuman powers. [from *bio- after *electronic]
Hereupon  adv. After this; in consequence of this.

Sixth sense  n. Supposed intuitive or extrasensory faculty.

National insurance  n. System of compulsory payments by employed persons (supplemented by employers) to provide state assistance in sickness etc.
Phut  n. Dull abrupt sound as of impact or an explosion.  go phut colloq. (esp. Of a plan) collapse, break down. [perhaps from hindi phatna to burst]
Defence mechanism  n. 1 body's resistance to disease. 2 usu. Unconscious mental process to avoid anxiety.
Blood  —n. 1 usu. Red fluid circulating in the arteries and veins of animals. 2 bloodshed, esp. Killing. 3 passion, temperament. 4 race, descent, parentage (of the same blood). 5 relationship; relations (blood is thicker than water). 6 dandy. —v. 1 give (a hound) a first taste of blood. 2 initiate (a person).  in one's blood inherent in one's character. [old english]
Headroom  n. Space or clearance above a vehicle, person's head, etc.

Nuclear  adj. 1 of, relating to, or constituting a nucleus. 2 using nuclear energy.
Retrodden  past part. Of *retread.
Lovey-dovey  adj. Colloq. Fondly affectionate, sentimental.


Second nature  n. Acquired tendency that has become instinctive.


Gall2  —n. 1 sore made by chafing. 2 mental soreness or its cause. 3 place rubbed bare. —v. 1 rub sore. 2 vex, humiliate. [low german or dutch galle]
Swap  (also swop) —v. (-pp-) exchange or barter. —n. 1 act of swapping. 2 thing for swapping or swapped. [originally = ‘hit’, imitative]
Br  abbr. British rail.

Accent  —n. 1 particular (esp. Local or national) mode of pronunciation. 2 distinctive feature or emphasis (accent on speed). 3 prominence given to a syllable by stress or pitch. 4 mark on a letter or word to indicate pitch, stress, or vowel quality. —v. 1 emphasize (a word or syllable etc.). 2 write or print accents on (words etc.). 3 accentuate. [latin cantus song]
Maidservant  n. Female servant.
Remain  v. 1 be left over after others or other parts have been removed, used, or dealt with. 2 be in the same place or condition during further time; stay (remained at home). 3 (foll. By compl.) Continue to be (remained calm; remains president). [latin remaneo]

Pet1  —n. 1 domestic or tamed animal kept for pleasure or companionship. 2 darling, favourite. —attrib. Adj. 1 kept as a pet (pet lamb). 2 of or for pet animals (pet food). 3 often joc. Favourite or particular (pet hate). 4 expressing fondness or familiarity (pet name). —v. (-tt-) 1 fondle erotically. 2 treat as a pet; stroke, pat. [origin unknown]


Hail mary  n. The ave maria (see *ave).



Drawl  —v. Speak with drawn-out vowel sounds. —n. Drawling utterance or way of speaking. [low german or dutch]


Public servant  n. State official.
Partridge  n. (pl. Same or -s) game-bird, esp. European or asian. [greek perdix]
Offend  v. 1 cause offence to, upset. 2 displease, anger. 3 (often foll. By against) do wrong; transgress.  offender n. Offending adj. [latin offendo offens- strike against, displease]
Muse1  v. (-sing) 1 (usu. Foll. By on, upon) ponder, reflect. 2 say meditatively. [french]




Bill1  —n. 1 statement of charges for goods or services. 2 draft of a proposed law. 3 poster, placard. 4 programme of entertainment. 5 us banknote. —v. 1 send a statement of charges to. 2 put in the programme; announce. 3 (foll. By as) advertise as. [medieval latin bulla seal]
Legionary  —adj. Of a legion or legions. —n. (pl. -ies) member of a legion.


Herbicide  n. Poison used to destroy unwanted vegetation.


Tie-up  n. Connection, association.
Painty  adj. Of or covered in paint (painty smell).

Multiplication table  n. List of multiples of a particular number, usu. From 1 to 12.




Should  v.aux. (3rd sing. Should) past of *shall, used esp.: 1 in reported speech (i said i should be home soon). 2 a to express obligation or likelihood (i should tell you; you should have read it; they should have arrived by now). B to express a tentative suggestion (i should like to add). 3 a expressing the conditional mood in the 1st person (i should have been killed if i had gone). B forming a conditional clause (if you should see him).
Seldom  adv. Rarely, not often. [old english]

Wintergreen  n. A kind of plant remaining green all winter.
Star  —n. 1 celestial body appearing as a luminous point in the night sky. 2 large naturally luminous gaseous body such as the sun. 3 celestial body regarded as influencing fortunes etc. 4 thing like a star in shape or appearance. 5 decoration or mark of rank or excellence etc., usu. With radiating points. 6 a famous or brilliant person; principal performer (star of the show).





Strangle  v. (-ling) 1 squeeze the windpipe or neck of, esp. So as to kill. 2 hamper, suppress.  strangler n. [latin strangulo]
Paprika  n. 1 red pepper. 2 condiment made from this. [magyar]
Ancestral  adj. Belonging to or inherited from one's ancestors.


Creditworthy  adj. Considered suitable to receive commercial credit.  creditworthiness n.

They  pron. (obj. Them; poss. Their, theirs) 1 pl. Of *he, *she, *it. 2 people in general (so they say). 3 those in authority (they have raised taxes). [old norse]




Candlestick  n. Holder for one or more candles.



Apace  adv. Literary swiftly. [french à pas]


Malediction  n. 1 curse. 2 utterance of a curse.  maledictory adj. [latin maledictio: related to *mal-]
V3  symb. Vanadium.



Scrappy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 consisting of scraps. 2 incomplete; carelessly arranged or put together.



Matutinal  adj. Of the morning; early. [latin: related to *matins]
Representational  adj. Art depicting a subject as it appears to the eye.
Largesse  n. (also largess) money or gifts freely given. [latin largus: related to *large]


Ante-  prefix before, preceding. [latin, = before]
Strait-jacket  —n. 1 strong garment with long sleeves for confining a violent prisoner etc. 2 restrictive measures. —v. (-t-) 1 restrain with a strait-jacket. 2 severely restrict.


Heart-searching  n. Examination of one's own feelings and motives.
Yellow pages  n.pl. Propr. Telephone directory on yellow paper, listing and classifying business subscribers.


Snowman  n. Figure resembling a human, made of compressed snow.
Irish bull  n. = *bull3.



Health service  n. Public service providing medical care.


N't  see *not.


Carbine  n. Short rifle orig. For cavalry use. [french]


Nipple  n. 1 small projection in which the mammary ducts of either sex of mammals terminate and from which in females milk is secreted for the young. 2 teat of a feeding-bottle. 3 device like a nipple in function. 4 nipple-like protuberance. [perhaps from neb tip]
Demisemiquaver  n. Mus. Note equal to half a semiquaver.


Figment  n. Invented or imaginary thing. [latin: related to *feign]
Fiddling  adj. 1 petty, trivial. 2 colloq. = *fiddly.
Fob2  v. (-bb-)  fob off 1 (often foll. By with a thing) deceive into accepting something inferior. 2 (often foll. By on or on to a person) offload (an unwanted thing). [cf. Obsolete fop dupe]
Handspring  n. Gymnastic feat consisting of a handstand, somersaulting, and landing in a standing position.



Resultant  —adj. Resulting, esp. As the total outcome of more or less opposed forces. —n.  Force etc. Equivalent to two or more acting in different directions at the same point.

Subcontract  —v. 1 employ another contractor to do (work) as part of a larger project. 2 make or carry out a subcontract. —n. Secondary contract.  subcontractor n.

Tasty  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 pleasing in flavour; appetizing. 2 colloq. Attractive.  tastily adv. Tastiness n.
Sanctify  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 consecrate; treat as holy. 2 free from sin. 3 justify; sanction.  sanctification n. [latin sanctus holy]


L-plate  n. Sign bearing the letter l, attached to a vehicle to show that it is being driven by a learner. [from *plate]
Amidst  var. Of *amid.
Ha2  abbr. Hectare(s).


Aryan  —n. 1 speaker of any of the languages of the indo-european family. 2 improperly (in nazi ideology) non-jewish caucasian. —adj. Of aryans. [sanskrit]

Each way  adj. (of a bet) backing a horse etc. To win or to come second or third.

Usage  see note at exceptionable.
Witter  v. (often foll. By on) colloq. Chatter annoyingly or on trivial matters. [origin unknown]

Parietal bone  n. Either of a pair of bones in the skull.
Oakum  n. Loose fibre obtained by picking old rope to pieces and used esp. In caulking. [old english, = off-comb]
Activate  v. (-ting) 1 make active. 2 chem. Cause reaction in. 3 make radioactive.

Venous  adj. Of, full of, or contained in, veins. [latin: related to *vein]
Fifty-fifty  —adj. Equal. —adv. Equally, half and half.






Descend  v. 1 go or come down. 2 sink, fall. 3 slope downwards. 4 (usu. Foll. By on) make a sudden attack or visit. 5 (of property etc.) Be passed on by inheritance. 6 a sink in rank, quality, etc. B (foll. By to) stoop to (an unworthy act).  be descended from have as an ancestor.  descendent adj. [latin scando climb]
Plushy  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Stylish, luxurious.  plushiness n.
Tobacco  n. (pl. -s) 1 plant of american origin with narcotic leaves used for smoking, chewing, or snuff. 2 its leaves, esp. As prepared for smoking. [spanish tabaco, of american indian origin]

Mp  abbr. Member of parliament.



Bright  —adj. 1 emitting or reflecting much light; shining. 2 intense, vivid. 3 clever. 4 cheerful. —adv. Esp. Poet. Brightly.  brightly adv. Brightness n. [old english]
Flipping  adj. & adv. Slang expressing annoyance, or as an intensifier.
Danger list  n. List of those dangerously ill.







Scotch terrier  n. (also scottish terrier) small rough-haired terrier.
Deity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 god or goddess. 2 divine status or nature. 3 (the deity) god. [french from church latin]
Unfavorable  adj. (brit. Unfavourable) not favourable; adverse, hostile.  unfavourably adv.
Row2  —v. 1 (often absol.) Propel (a boat) with oars. 2 convey (a passenger) thus. —n. 1 spell of rowing. 2 trip in a rowing-boat.  rower n. [old english]
Bifocal  —adj. Having two focuses, esp. Of a lens with a part for distant and a part for near vision. —n. (in pl.) Bifocal spectacles.
Arum  n. Plant with arrow-shaped leaves. [greek aron]
Encumbrance  n. 1 burden. 2 impediment.

Totalitarian  adj. Of a one-party form of government requiring complete subservience to the state.  totalitarianism n.
Testament  n. 1 will (esp. Last will and testament). 2 (usu. Foll. By to) evidence, proof (is testament to his loyalty). 3 bibl. A covenant, dispensation. B (testament) division of the bible (see *old testament, *new testament). [latin testamentum will: related to *testate]
Heretic  n. 1 person believing in or practising religious heresy. 2 holder of an unorthodox opinion.  heretical adj.

Weak-minded  adj. 1 mentally deficient. 2 lacking in resolution.
Efficacious  adj. Producing the desired effect.  efficacy n. [latin efficax: related to *efficient]

Calciferol  n. Vitamin (d2) promoting calcium deposition in the bones. [related to *calx]




About-turn  —n. 1 turn made so as to face the opposite direction. 2 change of opinion or policy etc. —int. (about turn) mil. Command to make an about-turn.
Fruit cake  n. Cake containing dried fruit.


Blackthorn  n. Thorny shrub bearing white blossom and sloes.
Falsify  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 fraudulently alter. 2 misrepresent.  falsification n. [french or medieval latin: related to *false]

Modify  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 make less severe or extreme. 2 make partial changes in. 3 gram. Qualify or expand the sense of (a word etc.). [latin: related to *mode]


Grummet  var. Of *grommet.

Horse chestnut  n. 1 large tree with upright conical clusters of flowers. 2 dark brown fruit of this.


Slimy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 like, covered with, or full of slime. 2 colloq. Disgustingly obsequious.  sliminess n.


Daddy  n. (pl. -ies) colloq. Father. [from *dad]
Burly  adj. (-ier, -iest) large and sturdy. [old english]
Entreat  v. Ask earnestly, beg. [related to *en-1]


Trod  past and past part. Of *tread.


Skim  —v. (-mm-) 1 a take a floating layer from the surface of (a liquid). B take (cream etc.) From the surface of a liquid. 2 a barely touch (a surface) in passing over. B (often followed by over) deal with or treat (a matter) superficially. 3 (often foll. By over, along) go or glide lightly. 4 (often followed by through) read or look over cursorily. —n. Skimming. [french: related to *scum]

U4  symb. Uranium.
High and dry  adj. Stranded; aground.

Democratic  adj. 1 of, like, practising, or being a democracy. 2 favouring social equality.  democratically adv.
Shirr  —n. Elasticated gathered threads in a garment etc. Forming smocking. —v. Gather (material) with parallel threads.  shirring n. [origin unknown]
Birdbrain  n. Colloq. Stupid or flighty person.  birdbrained adj.

Rhapsody  n. (pl. -ies) 1 enthusiastic or extravagant speech or composition. 2 piece of music in one movement, often based on national, folk, or popular melodies.  rhapsodic adj. [greek rhapto stitch: related to *ode]


Champ2  n. Slang champion. [abbreviation]
Salubrious  adj. Health-giving; healthy.  salubrity n. [latin salus health]
Raspberry  n. (pl. -ies) 1 a red blackberry-like fruit. B bramble bearing this. 2 colloq. Sound made by blowing through the lips, expressing derision or disapproval. [origin unknown]

King of birds  n. Eagle.


Hatstand  n. Stand with hooks for hanging hats etc. On.

Unique  adj. 1 being the only one of its kind; having no like, equal, or parallel. 2 remarkable (unique opportunity).  uniquely adv. [latin unicus from unus one]

Slouch hat  n. Hat with a wide flexible brim.

Loony  slang —n. (pl. -ies) lunatic. —adj. (-ier, -iest) crazy.  looniness n. [abbreviation]
Bar sinister  n. = *bend sinister.


Death-trap  n. Colloq. Dangerous building, vehicle, etc.

Mistral  n. Cold n or nw wind in s. France. [latin: related to *master]
Prise  v. (also prize) (-sing or -zing) force open or out by leverage. [french: related to *prize2]
Andante  mus. —adv. & adj. In a moderately slow tempo. —n. Such a passage or movement. [italian, = going]

Lackey  n. (pl. -s) 1 servile follower; toady. 2 footman, manservant. [catalan alacay]

Amphitheatre  n. Esp. Circular unroofed building with tiers of seats surrounding a central space. [greek amphi- round]
Stonker  n. Slang excellent person or thing.  stonking adj. [20th c.: origin unknown]


Scar1  —n. 1 usu. Permanent mark on the skin from a wound etc. 2 emotional damage from grief etc. 3 sign of damage. 4 mark left on a plant by the loss of a leaf etc. —v. (-rr-) 1 (esp. As scarred adj.) Mark with a scar or scars (scarred for life). 2 form a scar. [french eschar(r)e]


Inexperience  n. Lack of experience, knowledge, or skill.  inexperienced adj.
Telephone number  n. Number used to call a particular telephone.
Skipper  —n. 1  captain of a ship or aircraft. 2 captain of a sporting team. —v. Be captain of. [low german or dutch schipper]



Absolute pitch  n. Ability to recognize or sound any given note.
Causal  adj. 1 of or forming a cause. 2 relating to cause and effect.  causally adv.
Lethargy  n. 1 lack of energy. 2 morbid drowsiness.  lethargic adj. Lethargically adv. [greek lethargos forgetful]
Shamble  —v. (-ling) walk or run awkwardly, dragging the feet. —n. Shambling gait. [perhaps related to *shambles]
Undigested  adj. 1 not digested. 2 (of facts etc.) Not properly arranged or considered.


Meteoric  adj. 1 rapid; dazzling (meteoric rise to fame). 2 of meteors.  meteorically adv.
Contact  —n. 1 state or condition of touching, meeting, or communicating. 2 person who is or may be communicated with for information, assistance, etc. 3 connection for the passage of an electric current. 4 person likely to carry a contagious disease through being near an infected person. —v. 1 get in touch with (a person). 2 begin correspondence or personal dealings with. [latin tango tact- touch]


Rhyme  —n. 1 identity of sound between words or their endings, esp. In verse. 2 (in sing. Or pl.) Verse or a poem having rhymes. 3 use of rhyme. 4 word providing a rhyme. —v. (-ming) 1 a (of words or lines) produce a rhyme. B (foll. By with) act as or treat (a word) as a rhyme (with another). 2 make or write rhymes. 3 put or make (a story etc.) Into rhyme.  rhyme or reason sense, logic. [latin: related to *rhythm]


Willowy  adj. 1 lithe and slender. 2 having willows.
Fertilize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 make (soil etc.) Fertile. 2 cause (an egg, female animal, etc.) To develop by mating etc.  fertilization n.





Consume  v. (-ming) 1 eat or drink. 2 destroy. 3 preoccupy, possess (consumed with rage). 4 use up.  consumable adj. & n. [latin consumo -sumpt-]
Apiculture  n. Bee-keeping.  apiculturist n. [latin apis bee, *culture]

Nonentity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 person or thing of no importance. 2 a non-existence. B non-existent thing. [medieval latin]
Elemental  adj. 1 of or like the elements or the forces of nature; powerful. 2 essential, basic.

Unconfirmed  adj. Not confirmed.


Expeditionary  adj. Of or used in an expedition.
Torpid  adj. 1 sluggish, inactive, apathetic. 2 numb. 3 (of a hibernating animal) dormant.  torpidity n. [latin: related to *torpor]
Natty  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Trim; smart.  nattily adv. [cf. *neat]

Sine die  adv. Formal indefinitely (postponed sine die). [latin]
Crenelate  v. (brit. Crenellate) (-ting) provide (a tower etc.) With battlements.  crenellation n. [french crenel embrasure]
Pest  n. 1 troublesome or annoying person or thing. 2 destructive animal, esp. One which attacks food sources. [latin pestis plague]

Menstrual  adj. Of menstruation. [latin menstruus monthly]

Swallow2  n. Migratory swift-flying bird with a forked tail. [old english]

Feeble-minded  adj. Mentally deficient.

Chablis  n. (pl. Same) very dry white wine from chablis in e. France.
Youth hostel  n. Any of a chain of cheap lodgings for holiday-makers, esp. Walkers and cyclists.

Turf  —n. (pl. -s or turves) 1 a layer of grass etc. With earth and matted roots as the surface of grassland. B piece of this cut from the ground. 2 slab of peat for fuel. 3 (prec. By the) a horse-racing generally. B general term for racecourses. —v. 1 cover (ground) with turf. 2 (foll. By out) colloq. Expel or eject (a person or thing).  turfy adj. [old english]
Ironing-board  n. Narrow folding table on which clothes etc. Are ironed.
Far-off  adj. Remote.
Moral victory  n. Defeat that has some of the satisfactory elements of victory.
Awesome  adj. Inspiring awe; dreaded.
Farther  var. Of *further (esp. Of physical distance).
Carnivorous  adj. (of an animal or plant) feeding on flesh. [latin: related to *carnal, voro devour]


Baby grand  n. Small grand piano.

Medic  n. Colloq. Medical practitioner or student. [latin medicus physician]
Matinee  n. (brit. Matinée) afternoon performance in the theatre, cinema, etc. [french from matin morning: related to *matins]
Sateen  n. Glossy cotton fabric like satin. [satin after velveteen]
Speciality  n. (pl. -ies) 1 special subject, product, activity, etc. 2 special feature or skill.

Database  n. Structured set of data held in a computer.
Cork  —n. 1 buoyant light-brown bark of a s. European oak. 2 bottle-stopper of cork etc. 3 float of cork. 4 (attrib.) Made of cork. —v. (often foll. By up) 1 stop or confine. 2 restrain (feelings etc.). [spanish alcorque]




Baha'i  n. (pl. -s) member of a monotheistic religion emphasizing religious unity and world peace. [persian bahá splendour]

Latecomer  n. Person who arrives late.



Harum-scarum  colloq. —adj. Wild and reckless. —n. Such a person. [rhyming formation on *hare, *scare]

Expressway  n. Us motorway.

Hatch2  —v. 1 a (often foll. By out) (of a young bird or fish etc.) Emerge from the egg. B (of an egg) produce a young animal. 2 incubate (an egg). 3 (also foll. By up) devise (a plot etc.). —n. 1 act of hatching. 2 brood hatched. [earlier hacche, from germanic]
Selective  adj. 1 of or using selection (selective schools). 2 able to select. 3 (of memory etc.) Selecting what is convenient. selectively adv. Selectivity n.


Maritime  adj. 1 connected with the sea or seafaring (maritime insurance). 2 living or found near the sea. [latin: related to *marine]

Disco  colloq. —n. (pl. -s) = *discothèque. —v. (-es, -ed) dance to disco music. [abbreviation]


Airlift  —n. Emergency transport of supplies etc. By air. —v. Transport thus.
Muffler  n. 1 wrap or scarf worn for warmth. 2 thing used to deaden sound. 3 us silencer of a vehicle.




Demi-  prefix half; partly. [latin dimidius half]


Diploma  n. 1 certificate of qualification awarded by a college etc. 2 document conferring an honour or privilege. [greek, = folded paper, from diplous double]

Hunky-dory  adj. Esp. Us colloq. Excellent. [origin unknown]
Fractious  adj. Irritable, peevish. [from *fraction in obsolete sense ‘brawling’]



Unregulated  adj. Not regulated.
Auditorium  n. (pl. -s) part of a theatre etc. For the audience. [latin]
Typography  n. 1 printing as an art. 2 style and appearance of printed matter.  typographer n. Typographical adj. Typographically adv. [french: related to *type]
Cross-country  —adj. & adv. 1 across open country. 2 not keeping to main roads. —n. (pl. -ies) cross-country race.
Cup final  n. Final match in a (esp. Football) competition.
Correlative  —adj. 1 (often foll. By with, to) having a mutual relation. 2 (of words) corresponding to each other and used together (as neither and nor). —n. Correlative word or thing.

Active  —adj. 1 marked by action; energetic; diligent (an active life). 2 working, operative (active volcano). 3 not merely passive or inert; positive (active support; active ingredients). 4 radioactive. 5 gram. Designating the form of a verb whose subject performs the action (e.g. Saw in he saw a film). —n. Gram. Active form or voice of a verb.  actively adv. [latin: related to *act]


Sus-  prefix assim. Form of *sub- before c, p, t.

Engineer  —n. 1 person skilled in a branch of engineering. 2 person who makes or is in charge of engines etc. (ship's engineer). 3 person who designs and constructs military works; soldier so trained. 4 contriver. —v. 1 contrive, bring about. 2 act as an engineer. 3 construct or manage as an engineer. [medieval latin: related to *engine]



Over  —adv. Expressing movement, position, or state above or beyond something stated or implied: 1 outward and downward from a brink or from any erect position (knocked me over). 2 so as to cover or touch a whole surface (paint it over). 3 so as to produce a fold or reverse position (bend it over; turn it over).
Flush2  n. Hand of cards all of one suit, esp. In poker. [latin fluxus *flux]
Fly-half  n. Rugby stand-off half.

Brake4  n. Thicket or clump of brushwood. [old english]
Acne  n. Skin condition with red pimples. [latin]


Tanner  n. Person who tans hides.
Chatty  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 fond of chatting. 2 resembling chat.  chattily adv. Chattiness n.
Mainstay  n. 1 chief support. 2 stay from the maintop to the foot of the foremast.
Colloquial  adj. Of ordinary or familiar conversation, informal.  colloquially adv. [latin: related to *colloquy]

Bitch  —n. 1 female dog or other canine animal. 2 slang offens. Spiteful woman. 3 slang unpleasant or difficult thing. —v. 1 speak scathingly or spitefully. 2 complain. [old english]

Sacred cow  n. Colloq. Traditionally hallowed idea or institution.




Bourgeoisie  n. 1 capitalist class. 2 middle class. [french]
Lyric  —adj. 1 (of poetry) expressing the writer's emotions, usu. Briefly and in stanzas. 2 (of a poet) writing in this manner. 3 meant or fit to be sung, songlike. —n. 1 lyric poem. 2 (in pl.) Words of a song. [latin: related to *lyre]
Wear  —v. (past wore; past part. Worn) 1 have on one's person as clothing or an ornament etc. 2 exhibit or present (a facial expression etc.) (wore a frown). 3 colloq. (usu. With neg.) Tolerate. 4 (often foll. By away, down) a injure the surface of, or partly obliterate or alter, by rubbing, stress, or use. B undergo such injury or change. 5 (foll. By off, away) rub or be rubbed off. 6 make (a hole etc.) By constant rubbing or dripping etc. 7 (often foll. By out) exhaust. 8 (foll. By down) overcome by persistence. 9 (foll. By well etc.) Endure continued use or life. 10 (of time) pass, esp. Tediously. 11 (of a ship) fly (a flag). —n. 1 wearing or being worn. 2 things worn; fashionable or suitable clothing (sportswear; footwear). 3 (in full wear and tear) damage from continuous use.  wear one's heart on one's sleeve show one's feelings openly. Wear off lose effectiveness or intensity. Wear out 1 use or be used until useless. 2 tire or be tired out. Wear thin (of patience, excuses, etc.) Begin to fail. Wear the trousers see *trousers.  wearer n. [old english]
Pr.  Abbr. Pair.
Devilish  —adj. 1 of or like a devil; wicked. 2 mischievous. —adv. Colloq. Very.  devilishly adv.
Self-deprecation  n. Belittling of oneself.  self-deprecating adj.


Heterosexual  —adj. Feeling or involving sexual attraction to the opposite sex. —n. Heterosexual person.  heterosexuality n.
Sergeant  n. 1 non-commissioned army or raf officer next below warrant-officer. 2 police officer below inspector. [french sergent from latin serviens -ent- servant]
Draught  n. (us draft) 1 current of air in a room or chimney etc. 2 pulling, traction. 3 depth of water needed to float a ship. 4 drawing of liquor from a cask etc. 5 a single act of drinking or inhaling. B amount drunk thus. 6 (in pl.) Game for two with 12 pieces each on a draughtboard. 7 a drawing in of a fishing-net. B fish so caught.  feel the draught colloq. Suffer from esp. Financial hardship. [related to *draw]
Outdistance  v. (-cing) leave (a competitor) behind completely.
Treasure  —n. 1 a precious metals or gems. B hoard of these. C accumulated wealth. 2 thing valued for its rarity, workmanship, associations, etc. (art treasures). 3 colloq. Much loved or highly valued person. —v. (-ring) 1 value highly. 2 (often foll. By up) store up as valuable. [greek thesauros]
Deception  n. 1 deceiving or being deceived. 2 thing that deceives. [latin: related to *deceive]
Cavity wall  n. Double wall with a space between.
Would  v.aux. (3rd sing. Would) past of *will1, used esp.: 1 in reported speech (he said he would be home by evening). 2 to express a condition (they would have been killed if they had gone). 3 to express habitual action (would wait every evening). 4 to express a question or polite request (would they like it?; would you come in, please?). 5 to express probability (she would be over fifty by now). 6 to express consent (they would not help).


Bangle  n. Rigid bracelet or anklet. [hindi bangri]

Shoveller  n. (also shoveler) duck with a shovel-like beak.
Phlebitis  n. Inflammation of a vein.  phlebitic adj. [greek phleps phleb- vein]
Unsuspecting  adj. Not suspecting.  unsuspected adj.
Telemessage  n. Message sent by telephone or telex and delivered in printed form.
Venerate  v. (-ting) respect deeply.  veneration n. Venerator n. [latin veneror revere]



Pot2  n. Slang marijuana. [mexican spanish potiguaya]
Vanilla  n. 1 a tropical fragrant climbing orchid. B (in full vanilla-pod) fruit of this. 2 extract from the vanilla-pod, or a synthetic substance, used as flavouring. [spanish diminutive of vaina pod]
Lactic  adj. Of milk. [latin lac lactis milk]






Hauteur  n. Haughtiness. [french]




Lese-majesty  n. 1 treason. 2 insult to a sovereign or ruler. 3 presumptuous conduct. [french lèse-majesté injured sovereignty]
Prayer2  n. Person who prays.
Hem2  —int. Calling attention or expressing hesitation by a slight cough. —n. Utterance of this. —v. (-mm-) say hem; hesitate in speech.  hem and haw = hum and haw (see *hum). [imitative]
Osier  n. 1 willow used in basketwork. 2 shoot of this. [french]
Overkill  n. 1 excess of capacity to kill or destroy. 2 excess.


Reticence  n. 1 avoidance of saying all one knows or feels, or more than is necessary. 2 disposition to silence; taciturnity.  reticent adj. [latin reticeo keep silent]
Diachronic  adj. Of a thing's historical development.  diachronically adv. [greek khronos time]

White elephant  n. Useless possession.
Preterite  (us preterit) gram. —adj. Expressing a past action or state. —n. Preterite tense or form. [latin praeteritum past]
Railman  n. = *railwayman.

Fräulein  n. (often as a title or form of address) unmarried german-speaking woman. [german]
Cosset  v. (-t-) pamper. [dialect cosset = pet lamb, probably from old english, = cottager]




Inter-city  adj. Existing or travelling between cities.


Simper  —v. 1 smile in a silly or affected way. 2 express by or with simpering. —n. Such a smile. [origin unknown]
Statute  n. 1 written law passed by a legislative body. 2 rule of a corporation, founder, etc., intended to be permanent. [latin statutum from statuo set up]


Nigh  adv., prep., & adj. Archaic or dial. Near. [old english]








Crimplene  n. Propr. Synthetic crease-resistant fabric.
Cation  n. Positively charged ion.  cationic adj. [from *cata-, *ion]

Seam bowler  n. Cricket bowler who makes the ball deviate by bouncing it off its seam.

Jonquil  n. Narcissus with small fragrant yellow or white flowers. [ultimately from latin juncus rush plant]


Sally  (pl. -ies) —n. 1 sudden military charge; sortie. 2 excursion. 3 witticism. —v. (-ies, -ied) 1 (usu. Foll. By out, forth) set out on a walk, journey, etc. 2 (usu. Foll. By out) make a military sally. [french saillie from latin salio leap]
Sluggard  n. Lazy person. [related to *slug1]

Perspicuous  adj. 1 easily understood; clearly expressed. 2 expressing things clearly.  perspicuity n. [latin: related to *perspective]
Smokescreen  n. 1 cloud of smoke concealing (esp. Military) operations. 2 ruse for disguising one's activities.
Mess  —n. 1 dirty or untidy state of things. 2 state of confusion, embarrassment, or trouble. 3 something spilt etc. 4 disagreeable concoction. 5 a soldiers etc. Dining together. B army dining-hall. C meal taken there. 6 domestic animal's excreta. 7 archaic portion of liquid or pulpy food. —v. 1 (often foll. By up) make a mess of; dirty; muddle.





Melodic  adj. Of melody; melodious.  melodically adv. [greek: related to *melody]
Excavate  v. (-ting) 1 a make (a hole or channel) by digging. B dig out material from (the ground). 2 reveal or extract by digging. 3 (also absol.) Archaeol. Dig systematically to explore (a site).  excavation n. Excavator n. [latin excavo: related to *cave]
Cribbage  n. Card-game for up to four players. [origin unknown]
Undying  adj. Immortal; never-ending (undying love).

Common-law husband  n. (also common-law wife) partner recognized by common law without formal marriage.



Number crunching  n. Colloq. Process of making complex calculations.
Technicolor  n. (often attrib.) 1 propr. Process of colour cinematography. 2 (usu. Technicolor) colloq. A vivid colour. B artificial brilliance.
In extremis  adj. 1 at the point of death. 2 in great difficulties; in an emergency. [latin]
Mealy-mouthed  adj. Afraid to speak plainly.



Garotte  var. Of *garrotte.
Crankcase  n. Case enclosing a crankshaft.



Highlighter  n. Marker pen for emphasizing a printed word etc. By overlaying it with colour.

Hoover  —n. Propr. Vacuum cleaner. —v. (hoover) 1 (also absol.) Clean with a vacuum cleaner. 2 (foll. By up) a suck up with a vacuum cleaner. B clean a room etc. With a vacuum cleaner. [name of the manufacturer]
Minimalism  n. 1 art use of simple or primary forms, often geometric and massive. 2 mus. Repetition of short phrases incorporating changes very gradually.  minimalist n. & adj.
Summer school  n. Course of summer lectures etc. Held esp. At a university.
Courageous  adj. Brave.  courageously adv.





Cast-iron  adj. 1 of cast iron. 2 very strong; rigid; unchallengeable.
Snow  —n. 1 frozen atmospheric vapour falling to earth in light white flakes. 2 fall or layer of this. 3 thing resembling snow in whiteness or texture etc. 4 slang cocaine. —v. 1 (prec. By it as subject) snow falls (it is snowing; if it snows). 2 (foll. By in, over, up, etc.) Confine or block with snow.  be snowed under be overwhelmed, esp. With work. [old english]
Aide  n. 1 aide-de-camp. 2 esp. Us assistant. [french]


Courier  n. 1 person employed to guide and assist tourists. 2 special messenger. [latin curro curs- run]
Glottis  n. Opening at the upper end of the windpipe and between the vocal cords. [greek]
Fiend  n. 1 evil spirit, demon. 2 a wicked or cruel person. B mischievous or annoying person. 3 slang devotee (fitness fiend). 4 difficult or unpleasant thing.  fiendish adj. Fiendishly adv. [old english]


Trepan  —n. Cylindrical saw formerly used by surgeons for removing part of the skull. —v. (-nn-) perforate (the skull) with a trepan. [greek trupanon auger]

Tomboy  n. Boisterous girl who enjoys activities traditionally associated with boys.  tomboyish adj. [from *tom]
Indefeasible  adj. Literary (esp. Of a claim, rights, etc.) That cannot be forfeited or annulled.  indefeasibly adv.
Rectal  adj. Of or by means of the rectum.


Modest  adj. 1 having or expressing a humble or moderate estimate of one's own merits. 2 diffident, bashful. 3 decorous. 4 moderate or restrained in amount, extent, severity, etc. 5 unpretentious, not extravagant.  modestly adv. Modesty n. [french from latin]




District attorney  n. (in the us) prosecuting officer of a district.
Stretcher  n. 1 two poles with canvas etc. Between, for carrying a person in a lying position. 2 brick etc. Laid along the face of a wall.
Dead end  n. 1 closed end of road, passage, etc. 2 (often, with hyphen, attrib.) Hopeless situation, job, etc.
Swing  —v. (past and past part. Swung) 1 a (cause to) move with a to-and-fro or curving motion, as of an object attached at one end and hanging free at the other; sway. B hang so as to be free to swing. 2 oscillate or revolve. 3 move by gripping something and leaping etc. (swung from tree to tree). 4 walk with a swing. 5 (foll. By round) move to face the opposite direction. 6 change one's opinion or mood. 7 (foll. By at) attempt to hit. 8  (also swing it) play (music) with a swing rhythm. 9 colloq. (of a party etc.) Be lively etc. 10 have a decisive influence on (voting etc.). 11 colloq. Achieve, manage. 12 colloq. Be executed by hanging. —n. 1 act, motion, or extent of swinging. 2 swinging or smooth gait, rhythm, or action. 3 a seat slung by ropes etc. For swinging on or in. B period of swinging on this. 4 a jazz or dance music with an easy flowing rhythm. B rhythmic feeling or drive of this. 5 discernible change, esp. In votes or points scored etc.  swings and roundabouts situation affording equal gain and loss.  swinger n. [old english]
Conjunctivitis  n. Inflammation of the conjunctiva.

Zephyr  n.  Literary mild gentle breeze.  [greek, = west wind]


Avid  adj. Eager, greedy.  avidity n. Avidly adv. [latin aveo crave]




Teller  n. 1 person working at the counter of a bank etc. 2 person who counts votes. 3 person who tells esp. Stories (teller of tales).



Lagoon  n. Stretch of salt water separated from the sea by a sandbank, reef, etc. [latin *lacuna pool]
Fuchsia  n. Shrub with drooping red, purple, or white flowers. [fuchs, name of a botanist]
Milliner  n. Person who makes or sells women's hats.  millinery n. [milan in italy]
Diplomatic service  n. Branch of the civil service concerned with the representation of a country abroad.
Lolly  n. (pl. -ies) 1 colloq. Lollipop. 2 = *ice lolly. 3 slang money. [abbreviation]

Skylight  n. Window in a roof.
Firing  n. 1 discharge of guns. 2 fuel.



Terrazzo  n. (pl. -s) smooth flooring-material of stone chips set in concrete. [italian, = terrace]
Threshing-floor  n. Hard level floor for threshing esp. With flails.
Fag2  n. Us slang offens. Male homosexual. [abbreviation of *faggot]




Nearby  —adj. Near in position. —adv. Close; not far away.





Short-winded  adj. Easily becoming breathless.
Libidinous  adj. Lustful. [latin: related to *libido]
Rake2  n. Dissolute man of fashion. [rakehell: related to *rake1, *hell]

Womanhood  n. 1 female maturity. 2 womanly instinct. 3 womankind.
Servicewoman  n. Woman in the armed forces.

Annulate  adj. Marked with or formed of rings.
Health visitor  n. Trained nurse who visits mothers and babies, or the sick or elderly, at home.

Damnable  adj. Hateful, annoying.  damnably adv.

Hardbitten  adj. Colloq. Tough and cynical.
Faff  v. Colloq. (often foll. By about, around) fuss, dither. [imitative]
Peashooter  n. Small tube for blowing dried peas through as a toy.
Tux  n. Us colloq. = *tuxedo. [abbreviation]





Usage  a cupful is a measure, and so three cupfuls is a quantity regarded in terms of a cup; three cups full denotes the actual cups as in brought us three cups full of water.



Foal  —n. Young of a horse or related animal. —v. Give birth to (a foal).  in (or with) foal (of a mare etc.) Pregnant. [old english]
End-product  n. Final product of manufacture etc.



Superglue  n. Exceptionally strong glue.
Cotoneaster  n. Shrub bearing usu. Bright red berries. [latin cotoneum *quince]
Transformer  n. Apparatus for reducing or increasing the voltage of an alternating current.


Overdress  v. Dress with too much formality.

Tin whistle  n. = *penny whistle.
Nostrum  n. 1 quack remedy, patent medicine. 2 pet scheme, esp. For political or social reform. [latin, = ‘of our own make’]



Pig-iron  n. Crude iron from a smelting-furnace.


Board  —n. 1 a flat thin piece of sawn timber, usu. Long and narrow. B material resembling this, of compressed fibres. C thin slab of wood etc. D thick stiff card used in bookbinding. 2 provision of regular meals, usu. With accommodation, for payment. 3 directors of a company; official administrative body. 4 (in pl.) Stage of a theatre. 5 side of a ship. —v. 1 go on board (a ship, train, etc.). 2 receive, or provide with, meals and usu. Lodging. 3 (usu. Foll. By up) cover with boards; seal or close.  go by the board be neglected or discarded. On board on or on to a ship, aircraft, oil rig, etc. Take on board consider, take notice of; accept. [old english]

Cardinal number  n. Number denoting quantity (1, 2, 3, etc.), as opposed to an ordinal number.
Hitchhike  v. (-king) travel by seeking free lifts in passing vehicles.  hitchhiker n.

World-weary  adj. Bored with human affairs.  world-weariness n.
Cine-  comb. Form cinematographic (cine-camera). [abbreviation]
Prepack  v. (also pre-package) pack (goods) on the site of production or before retail.
Tenterhook  n. Hook to which cloth is fastened on a tenter.  on tenterhooks in a state of suspense or agitation due to uncertainty.

Iconoclast  n. 1 person who attacks cherished beliefs. 2 hist. Person destroying religious images.  iconoclasm n. Iconoclastic adj. [greek: related to *icon, klao break]
Azure  —n. 1 deep sky-blue colour. 2 poet. Clear sky. —adj. Deep sky-blue. [arabic]

Bloat  v. 1 inflate, swell. 2 (as bloated adj.) Inflated with pride, wealth, or food. 3 cure (a herring) by salting and smoking lightly. [old norse]
Slaver1  n. Hist. Ship or person engaged in the slave-trade.
Treasure hunt  n. 1 search for treasure. 2 game in which players seek a hidden object from a series of clues.
Lib.  Abbr. Liberal.
New broom  n. New employee etc. Eager to make changes.



Zillion  n. Colloq. Indefinite large number. [probably after million]

Sequel  n. 1 what follows (esp. As a result). 2 novel, film, etc., that continues the story of an earlier one. [latin sequor follow]

Unpardonable  adj. That cannot be pardoned.  unpardonably adv.



Rabble  n. 1 disorderly crowd, mob. 2 contemptible or inferior set of people. 3 (prec. By the) the lower or disorderly classes of the populace. [origin uncertain]

Unbridgeable  adj. Unable to be bridged.
Protein  n. Any of a group of organic compounds composed of one or more chains of amino acids and forming an essential part of all living organisms. [greek protos first]

Libation  n. 1 pouring out of a drink-offering to a god. 2 such a drink-offering. [latin]
Inviting  adj. 1 attractive. 2 tempting.  invitingly adv.
Videotape  —n. Magnetic tape for recording moving pictures and sound. —v. (-ping) record on this.
Instrumental  adj. 1 serving as an instrument or means. 2 (of music) performed on instruments. 3 of, or arising from, an instrument (instrumental error).
Suspender belt  n. Woman's undergarment with suspenders.
Relinquish  v. 1 surrender or resign (a right or possession). 2 give up or cease from (a habit, plan, belief, etc.). 3 relax hold of.  relinquishment n. [latin relinquo -lict- leave behind]

Legato  mus. —adv. & adj. In a smooth flowing manner. —n. (pl. -s) 1 legato passage. 2 legato playing. [italian, = bound, from ligo bind]
Enprint  n. Standard-sized photograph. [enlarged print]
Agency  n. (pl. -ies) 1 business or premises of an agent. 2 action; intervention (free agency; by the agency of god). [latin: related to *act]

Hagiology  n. Literature dealing with the lives and legends of saints.
Minefield  n. 1 area planted with explosive mines. 2 colloq. Hazardous subject or situation.

Unbusinesslike  adj. Not businesslike.
Constituent  —adj. 1 composing or helping to make a whole. 2 able to make or change a constitution (constituent assembly). 3 electing. —n. 1 member of a constituency. 2 component part. [latin: related to *constitute]
Enfant terrible  n. (pl. Enfants terribles pronunc. Same) indiscreet or unruly person. [french, = terrible child]


Ceramics  n.pl. 1 ceramic products collectively. 2 (usu. Treated as sing.) Art of making ceramic articles.
Dupe  —n. Victim of deception. —v. (-ping) deceive, trick. [french]
Sortie  —n. 1 sally, esp. From a besieged garrison. 2 operational military flight. —v. (-ties, -tied, -tieing) make a sortie. [french]



Coalface  n. Exposed working surface of coal in a mine.

Well-judged  adj. Opportunely, skilfully, or discreetly done.






Math  n. Us colloq. Mathematics. [abbreviation]
Sampler1  n. Piece of embroidery using various stitches as a specimen of proficiency. [french: related to *exemplar]
Racing driver  n. Driver of a racing car.
Hereof  adv. Formal of this.


Impose  v. (-sing) 1 (often foll. By on, upon) lay (a tax, duty, charge, or obligation) on. 2 enforce compliance with. 3 also refl. (foll. By on, upon, or absol.) Take advantage of (will not impose on you any longer). 4 (often foll. By on, upon) inflict (a thing) on. [latin impono]

Gondolier  n. Oarsman on a gondola. [italian: related to *gondola]




Doorbell  n. Bell on a door rung by visitors to signal arrival.



Donkey jacket  n. Thick weatherproof workman's jacket or fashion garment.

Detention centre  n. Short-term prison for young offenders.
Sheath  n. (pl. -s) 1 close-fitting cover, esp. For the blade of a knife or sword. 2 condom. 3 enclosing case, covering, or tissue. 4 woman's close-fitting dress. [old english]


Since  —prep. Throughout or during the period after (has been here since june; happened since yesterday). —conj. 1 during or in the time after (what have you done since we met?). 2 because. —adv. 1 from that time or event until now (has not seen him since). 2 ago (many years since). [old english, = after that]




Racecourse  n. Ground for horse-racing.
Anticipate  v. (-ting) 1 deal with or use before the proper time. 2 expect, foresee (did not anticipate a problem). 3 forestall (a person or thing). 4 look forward to.  anticipation n. Anticipatory adj. [latin anti- before, capio take]


Canon  n. 1 a general law, rule, principle, or criterion. B church decree or law. 2 member of a cathedral chapter. 3 body of (esp. Sacred) writings accepted as genuine. 4 the part of the roman catholic mass containing the words of consecration. 5 mus. Piece with different parts taking up the same theme successively. [greek kanon rule]
Gift of the gab  n. Colloq. Eloquence, loquacity.

Commandeer  v. 1 seize (esp. Goods) for military use. 2 take arbitrary possession of. [afrikaans kommanderen]

Jiu-jitsu  var. Of *ju-jitsu.






Stallion  n. Uncastrated adult male horse. [french estalon]

Talmud  n. Body of jewish civil and ceremonial law and legend.  talmudic adj. Talmudist n. [hebrew, = instruction]










Toreador  n. Bullfighter, esp. On horseback. [latin taurus]
Second fiddle  see *fiddle.
Underbelly  n. (pl. -ies) undersurface of an animal, vehicle, etc., esp. As vulnerable to attack.
Compose  v. (-sing) 1 create in music or writing. 2 constitute; make up. 3 arrange artistically, neatly, or for a specified purpose. 4 a (often refl.) Calm; settle. B (as composed adj.) Calm, self-possessed. 5 printing a set up (type). B arrange (an article etc.) In type.  composed of made up of, consisting of.  composedly adv. [french: related to *pose]

Dignitary  n. (pl. -ies) person of high rank or office. [from *dignity]




Non-payment  n. Failure to pay; lack of payment.

Divalent  adj. Chem. Having a valency of two.
Cabbage white  n. Butterfly whose caterpillars feed on cabbage leaves.
Actress  n. Female actor.

Adversity  n. Misfortune, distress.
Riven  adj. Literary split, torn. [past part. Of rive from old norse]


Bulb  n. 1 a globular base of the stem of some plants, sending roots downwards and leaves upwards. B plant grown from this, e.g. A daffodil. 2 = *light-bulb. 3 object or part shaped like a bulb. [latin bulbus from greek, = onion]
Light welterweight  n. 1 weight in amateur boxing of 60–63.5 kg. 2 amateur boxer of this weight.
Breadcrumb  n. Small fragment of bread, esp. (in pl.) For use in cooking.
Eu  symb. Europium.



Stud1  —n. 1 large-headed projecting nail, boss, or knob, esp. For ornament. 2 double button, esp. For use with two buttonholes in a shirt-front. —v. (-dd-) 1 set with or as with studs. 2 (as studded adj.) (foll. By with) thickly set or strewn with. [old english]

Apace  adv. Literary swiftly. [french à pas]



Rad  n. Unit of absorbed dose of ionizing radiation. [from radiation absorbed dose]
Estrus  n. (also estrum, brit. Oestrus) recurring period of sexual receptivity in many female mammals  oestrous adj. [greek oistros frenzy]
Hard-headed  adj. Practical; not sentimental.  hard-headedness n.


Watch-night service  n. Religious service held on the last night of the year.
Marathon  n. 1 long-distance running race, usu. Of 26 miles 385 yards (42.195 km). 2 long-lasting or difficult undertaking etc. [marathon in greece, scene of a decisive battle in 490 bc: a messenger supposedly ran with news of the outcome to athens]

Usage  laudatory is sometimes confused with laudable.

Aphorism  n. Short pithy maxim.  aphoristic adj. [greek aphorismos definition]
Coverage  n. 1 area or amount covered. 2 amount of publicity received by an event etc.
Procrastinate  v. (-ting) defer action.  procrastination n. Procrastinator n. [latin cras tomorrow]




Mighty  —adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 powerful, strong. 2 massive, bulky. 3 colloq. Great, considerable. —adv. Colloq. Very (mighty difficult).  mightily adv. Mightiness n. [old english: related to *might2]

Hand-me-down  n. Article of clothing etc. Passed on from another person.

Pimple  n. 1 small hard inflamed spot on the skin. 2 anything resembling a pimple.  pimply adj. [old english]



Tonsillectomy  n. (pl. -ies) surgical removal of the tonsils.
Aspiration  n. 1 ambition or desire. 2 drawing breath or phonet. Aspirating.

Workmate  n. Person working alongside another.

Illiberal  adj. 1 intolerant, narrow-minded. 2 without liberal culture; vulgar. 3 stingy; mean.  illiberality n. Illiberally adv.
Dreadlocks  n.pl. Rastafarian hairstyle with hair hanging in tight braids on all sides.



Cathartic  —adj. 1 effecting catharsis. 2 laxative. —n. Laxative.
Licentious  adj. Sexually promiscuous. [latin: related to *licence]
Daylight saving  n. Longer summer evening daylight, achieved by putting clocks forward.

Price tag  n. 1 label on an item showing its price. 2 cost of an undertaking.



Ultra-  comb. Form 1 extreme(ly), excessive(ly) (ultra-modern). 2 beyond. [latin ultra beyond]
Speech  n. 1 faculty, act, or manner of speaking. 2 formal public address. 3 language of a nation, group, etc. [old english: related to *speak]


Pip3  v. (-pp-) colloq. 1 hit with a shot. 2 (also pip at the post) defeat narrowly or at the last moment. [origin unknown]

Doggo  adv.  lie doggo slang lie motionless or hidden.
Thermosphere  n. Region of the atmosphere beyond the mesosphere.
Uda  abbr. Ulster defence association (a loyalist paramilitary organization).

Gradate  v. (-ting) 1 (cause to) pass gradually from one shade to another. 2 arrange in steps or grades of size etc.



Rt. Hon.  Abbr. Right honourable.
Panicle  n.  Loose branching cluster of flowers, as in oats. [latin paniculum diminutive of panus thread]

Fat-headed  adj. Stupid.
M.sc.  Abbr. Master of science.

Hiv  abbr. Human immunodeficiency virus, either of two viruses causing aids.

Saving grace  n. Redeeming quality.

Hagio-  comb. Form of saints. [greek hagios holy]

Sharkskin  n. 1 skin of a shark. 2 smooth slightly shiny fabric.
Firedog  n. Andiron.
Chintz  n. Printed multicoloured usu. Glazed cotton fabric. [hindi from sanskrit]
Cold sweat  n. Sweating induced by fear or illness.
Morsel  n. Mouthful; small piece (esp. Of food). [latin morsus bite]


Herpes  n. Virus disease causing skin blisters. [greek herpo creep]

Hearse  n. Vehicle for conveying the coffin at a funeral. [french herse harrow, from latin hirpex large rake]






Heavenly bodies  n.pl. The sun, stars, planets, etc.
Lotion  n. Medicinal or cosmetic liquid preparation applied externally. [latin lavo lot- wash]
Mental reservation  n. Silent qualification made while seeming to agree.

Unearth  v. Discover by searching, digging, or rummaging.

Skateboard  —n. Short narrow board on two pairs of trucks, for riding on while standing. —v. Ride on a skateboard.  skateboarder n.



Protuberant  adj. Bulging out; prominent.  protuberance n. [latin: related to *tuber]



High tension  n. = *high voltage.
Tau  n. Nineteenth letter of the greek alphabet (t, t). [greek]


Slough1  n. Swamp, miry place. [old english]

Away  —adv. 1 to or at a distance from the place, person, or thing in question (go, give, look, away; 5 miles away). 2 into non-existence (explain, fade, away). 3 constantly, persistently (work away). 4 without delay (ask away). —attrib. Adj. Sport not played on one's own ground (away match). —n. Sport away match or win. [old english: related to *a2, *way]
Physical science  n. Science(s) used in the study of inanimate natural objects.
Argot  n. Jargon of a group or class. [french]
Flour  —n. 1 meal or powder from ground wheat etc. 2 any fine powder. —v. Sprinkle with flour.  floury adj. (-ier, -iest). Flouriness n. [different spelling of *flower ‘best part’]

Glottal  adj. Of the glottis.


Soggy  adj. (-ier, -iest) sodden, saturated; too moist (soggy bread).   sogginess n. [dial. Sog marsh]
Jack frost  n. Frost personified.


Bone china  n. Fine china made of clay mixed with bone ash.

Cyclotron  n. Apparatus for the acceleration of charged atomic and subatomic particles revolving in a magnetic field.


Flashpoint  n. 1 temperature at which vapour from oil etc. Will ignite in air. 2 point at which anger etc. Is expressed.


Carve  v. (-ving) 1 produce or shape by cutting. 2 a cut patterns etc. In. B (foll. By into) form a pattern etc. From (carved it into a bust). 3 (absol.) Cut (meat etc.) Into slices.  carve out 1 take from a larger whole. 2 establish (a career etc.) Purposefully. Carve up 1 subdivide. 2  drive aggressively into the path of (another vehicle). [old english]

Francium  n. Radioactive metallic element. [france, the discoverer's country]
Salsa  n. A kind of dance music of cuban origin, with jazz and rock elements. [spanish: related to *sauce]
Toilette  n. = *toilet 2. [french]
China  —n. 1 fine white or translucent ceramic ware, porcelain, etc. 2 things made of this. —adj. Made of china. [china in asia]







Mezzo forte  adj. & adv. Fairly loud(ly).



Stilton  n. Propr. Strong rich esp. Blue-veined cheese. [stilton in england]
Status  n. 1 rank, social position, relative importance. 2 superior social etc. Position. [latin: related to *stature]


Authorize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 officially approve, sanction. 2 (foll. By to + infin.) Give authority to (a person to do a thing).  authorization n.
Love-lies-bleeding  n. Cultivated plant with drooping spikes of purple-red blooms.
Heath  n. 1 area of flattish uncultivated land with low shrubs. 2 plant growing on a heath, esp. Heather. [old english]


Incandesce  v. (-cing) (cause to) glow with heat.
Tulle  n. Soft fine silk etc. Net for veils and dresses. [tulle in france]
Parochial  adj. 1 of a parish. 2 (of affairs, views, etc.) Merely local, narrow, or provincial.  parochialism n. Parochially adv. [latin: related to *parish]
White spirit  n. Light petroleum as a solvent.
Cemetery  n. (pl. -ies) burial ground, esp. One not in a churchyard. [greek koimao put to sleep]

Slack1  —adj. 1 (of rope etc.) Not taut. 2 inactive or sluggish. 3 negligent, remiss. 4 (of tide etc.) Neither ebbing nor flowing. —n. 1 slack part of a rope (haul in the slack). 2 slack period. 3 (in pl.) Informal trousers. —v. 1 loosen (rope etc.). 2 colloq. Take a rest, be lazy.  slack off 1 loosen. 2 (also slack up) reduce one's level of activity; reduce speed.  slackness n. [old english]
-ways  suffix forming adjectives and adverbs of direction or manner (sideways).
Canard  n. Unfounded rumour or story. [french, = duck]

Personal stereo  n. Small portable cassette player, often with radio or cd player, used with lightweight headphones.








Cow-parsley  n. Hedgerow plant with lacelike umbels of flowers.

Consumer  n. 1 person who consumes, esp. One who uses a product. 2 purchaser of goods or services.
Cutaway  attrib. Adj. (of a diagram etc.) With parts of the exterior left out to reveal the interior.


Strained  adj. 1 constrained, artificial. 2 (of a relationship) mutually distrustful or tense.

Ear-piercing  —adj. Shrill. —n. Piercing of the ears for wearing earrings.

Respondent  —n. Defendant, esp. In an appeal or divorce case. —adj. In the position of defendant.

Cove2  n. Slang fellow, chap. [cant: origin unknown]
Flambé  adj. (of food) covered with alcohol and set alight briefly (following a noun: pancakes flambé). [french: related to *flame]



Uefa  abbr. Union of european football associations.


Uncomfortable  adj. 1 not comfortable. 2 uneasy; disquieting (uncomfortable silence).  uncomfortably adv.
Body-blow  n. Severe setback.


Hgv  abbr. Heavy goods vehicle.
Freedom fighter  n. Terrorist or rebel claiming to fight for freedom.
Backstreet  —n. Side-street, alley. —attrib. Adj. Illicit; illegal (backstreet abortion).

Jockey  —n. (pl. -s) rider in horse-races, esp. Professional. —v. (-eys, -eyed) 1 trick, cheat, or outwit. 2 (foll. By away, out, into, etc.) Manoeuvre (a person).  jockey for position manoeuvre for advantage. [diminutive of *jock]

Shack  —n. Roughly built hut or cabin. —v. (foll. By up) slang cohabit, esp. As lovers. [perhaps from mexican jacal wooden hut]
Unaware  —adj. 1 (usu. Foll. By of or that) not aware. 2 unperceptive. —adv. = *unawares.  unawareness n.
Impute  v. (-ting) (foll. By to) attribute (a fault etc.) To.  imputation n. [latin puto reckon]
-ion  suffix (usu. As -sion, -tion, -xion) forming nouns denoting: 1 verbal action (excision). 2 instance of this (a suggestion). 3 resulting state or product (vexation; concoction). [latin -io]


Gangue  n. Valueless earth etc. In which ore is found. [german: related to *gang]
Nasturtium  n. Trailing plant with edible leaves and bright orange, yellow, or red flowers. [latin]
Prospect  —n. 1 a (often in pl.) Expectation, esp. Of success in a career etc. (job with no prospects). B something one expects (don't relish the prospect of meeting him). 2 extensive view of landscape etc. (striking prospect). 3 mental picture. 4 possible or probable customer, subscriber, etc. —v. (usu. Foll. By for) explore, search (esp. A region) for gold etc.  prospector n. [latin: related to *prospectus]
Shop assistant  n. Person serving in a shop.







Symbolize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 be a symbol of. 2 represent by symbols. [french: related to *symbol]
Tenter  n. Machine for stretching cloth to dry in shape. [medieval latin tentorium: related to *tend1]





Ply1  n. (pl. -ies) 1 thickness or layer of cloth or wood etc. 2 strand of yarn or rope etc. [french pli: related to *plait]
Spell3  n. 1 short or fairly short period (a cold spell). 2 period of some activity or work. [old english, = substitute]

Bulldoze  v. (-zing) 1 clear with a bulldozer. 2 colloq. A intimidate. B make (one's way) forcibly.

Locker  n. (usu. Lockable) cupboard or compartment, esp. For public use.
Proletarian  —adj. Of the proletariat. —n. Member of the proletariat. [latin proles offspring]
Cocotte  n. Small fireproof dish for cooking and serving an individual portion. [french]
Hotfoot  —adv. In eager haste. —v. Hurry eagerly (esp. Hotfoot it).


Sonorous  adj. 1 having a loud, full, or deep sound; resonant. 2 (of language, style, etc.) Imposing.  sonority n. [latin]
Tamarisk  n. Seashore shrub usu. With small pink or white flowers. [latin]
Manganese  n. 1 grey brittle metallic element. 2 black mineral oxide of this used in glass-making etc. [italian: related to *magnesia]


Mickle  n. (also muckle) archaic or scot. Large amount.  many a little makes a mickle (orig. Erroneously many a mickle makes a muckle) small amounts accumulate. [old norse]



Misdirect  v. Direct wrongly.  misdirection n.

Republican  —adj. 1 of or constituted as a republic. 2 characteristic of a republic. 3 advocating or supporting republican government. —n. 1 person advocating or supporting republican government. 2 (republican) a us supporter of the republican party. B ir. Supporter of the ira or sinn féin.  republicanism n.



Fire-ball  n. 1 large meteor. 2 ball of flame or lightning. 3 energetic person.
Dingbat  n. Slang us & austral. Stupid or eccentric person. [perhaps from ding to beat + *bat1]
Impair  v. Damage, weaken.  impairment n. [latin, = make worse, from pejor]
Revel  —v. (-ll-; us -l-) 1 have a good time; be extravagantly festive. 2 (foll. By in) take keen delight in. —n. (in sing. Or pl.) Revelling.  reveller n. Revelry n. (pl. -ies). [latin: related to *rebel]

Carpus  n. (pl. -pi) small bones forming the wrist in humans and similar parts in other mammals. [latin from greek]

Stomp  —v. Tread or stamp heavily. —n. Lively jazz dance with heavy stamping. [var. Of *stamp]

Britannia metal  n. Silvery alloy of tin, antimony, and copper.
Classify  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 a arrange in classes or categories. B assign to a class or category. 2 designate as officially secret or not for general disclosure.  classifiable adj. Classification n. Classificatory adj. [french: related to *class]
Shark2  n. Colloq. Swindler, profiteer. [origin unknown]

Fairing  n. Streamlining structure added to a ship, aircraft, vehicle, etc.


-o-  suffix terminal vowel of comb. Forms (neuro-; franco-). [originally greek]

Procession  n. 1 people or vehicles etc. Advancing in orderly succession, esp. At a ceremony, demonstration, or festivity. 2 movement of such a group (go in procession). [latin: related to *proceed]


Tourniquet  n. Device for stopping the flow of blood through an artery by constriction. [french]
Unthinkable  adj. 1 unimaginable, inconceivable. 2 colloq. Highly unlikely or undesirable.  unthinkably adv.
Polarize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 restrict the vibrations of (light-waves etc.) To one direction. 2 give magnetic or electric polarity to. 3 divide into two opposing groups.  polarization n.
Tandoori  n. Food spiced and cooked over charcoal in a tandoor (often attrib.: tandoori chicken). [hindustani]
Strategy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 long-term plan or policy (economic strategy). 2 art of war. 3 art of moving troops, ships, aircraft, etc. Into favourable positions.  strategist n.


Annular eclipse  n. Solar eclipse in which a ring of light remains visible.


Coat  —n. 1 outer garment with sleeves, usu. Extending below the hips; overcoat or jacket. 2 animal's fur or hair. 3 covering of paint etc. Laid on a surface at one time. —v. 1 (usu. Foll. By with, in) cover with a coat or layer. 2 (of paint etc.) Form a covering to. [french from germanic]
Dutch uncle  n. Kind but firm adviser.

Hutch  n. Box or cage for rabbits etc. [french huche]
Diorama  n. 1 scenic painting lit to simulate sunrise etc. 2 small scene with three-dimensional figures, viewed through a window etc. 3 small-scale model or film-set. [from *dia-, greek horao see]

-ible  suffix forming adjectives meaning ‘that may or may be’ (forcible; possible). [latin]
Dilemma  n. 1 situation in which a difficult choice has to be made. 2 difficult situation, predicament. [greek lemma premiss]

Swimming-costume  n. = *bathing-costume.
Cypress  n. Conifer with hard wood and dark foliage.  [greek kuparissos]
Meatball  n. Small round ball of minced meat.
Suitor  n. 1 man wooing a woman. 2 plaintiff or petitioner in a lawsuit. [anglo-french from latin]
Home and dry  predic. Adj. Having achieved one's aim.
Overstretch  v. 1 stretch too much. 2 (esp. As overstretched adj.) Make excessive demands on (resources, a person, etc.).

Opprobrium  n. 1 disgrace. 2 cause of this. [latin, = infamy, reproach]

Parabola  n. Open plane curve formed by the intersection of a cone with a plane parallel to its side.  parabolic adj. [greek parabole placing side by side: related to *parable]
Tomato  n. (pl. -es) 1 glossy red or yellow pulpy edible fruit. 2 plant bearing this. [ultimately from mexican tomatl]


Old man  n. Colloq. 1 one's husband or father. 2 affectionate form of address to a boy or man.
Moribund  adj. 1 at the point of death. 2 lacking vitality. [latin morior die]
Wine bar  n. Bar or small restaurant where wine is the main drink available.

-ate1  suffix forming nouns denoting status, function, or office (doctorate; consulate). [latin]
Racy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 lively and vigorous in style. 2 risqué. 3 of distinctive quality (a racy wine).  raciness n. [from *race2]
Stroke  —n. 1 act of striking; blow, hit. 2 sudden disabling attack caused esp. By thrombosis; apoplexy. 3 a action or movement, esp. As one of a series. B slightest action (stroke of work). 4 single complete motion of a wing, oar, etc. 5 (in rowing) the mode or action of moving the oar (row a fast stroke). 6 whole motion of a piston in either direction. 7 specified mode of swimming. 8 specially successful or skilful effort (a stroke of diplomacy).
Neo-  comb. Form 1 new, modern. 2 new form of. [greek neos new]
There  —adv. 1 in, at, or to that place or position (lived there for a year; goes there daily). 2 at that point (in speech, performance, writing, etc.). 3 in that respect (i agree with you there). 4 used for emphasis in calling attention (you there!). 5 used to indicate the fact or existence of something (there is a house on the corner). —n. That place (lives near there). —int. 1 expressing confirmation, triumph, etc. (there! What did i tell you?). 2 used to soothe a child etc. (there, there, never mind).  there and then = then and there. [old english]



Dispensable  adj. That can be dispensed with.
Anti-abortion  adj. Opposing abortion.  anti-abortionist n.
Mealtime  n. Usual time of eating.
Fluff  —n. 1 soft fur, feathers, or fabric particles etc. 2 slang mistake in a performance etc. —v. 1 (often foll. By up) shake into or become a soft mass. 2 colloq. Make a fluff; bungle.  bit of fluff slang offens. Attractive woman.  fluffy adj. (-ier, -iest). Fluffiness n. [probably dial. Alteration of flue fluff]

Swizzle  n. 1 colloq. Frothy mixed alcoholic drink esp. Of rum or gin and bitters. 2 slang = *swizz. [origin unknown]
Stocking  n. 1 long knitted covering for the leg and foot, of nylon, wool, silk, etc. 2 differently-coloured lower leg of a horse etc.  in one's stocking (or stockinged) feet without shoes. [from *stock]
Cornucopia  n. 1 horn overflowing with flowers, fruit, and corn, as a symbol of plenty. 2 abundant supply. [latin: related to *corn2, *copious]
Awl  n. Small tool for piercing holes, esp. In leather. [old english]
Monstrance  n. Rc ch. Vessel in which the host is exposed for veneration. [latin monstro show]

Checkmate  —n. (also as int.) Chess check from which a king cannot escape. —v. (-ting) 1 chess put into checkmate. 2 frustrate. [french: related to *check, persian mat is dead]
Gluttony  n. Greed or excess in eating. [french: related to *glutton]

Tacit  adj. Understood or implied without being stated (tacit consent).  tacitly adv. [latin taceo be silent]


Blister  —n. 1 small bubble on the skin filled with watery fluid and caused by heat or friction. 2 similar swelling on plastic, wood, etc. —v. 1 come up in blisters. 2 raise a blister on. 3 attack sharply. [origin uncertain]
Clutch2  n. 1 set of eggs for hatching. 2 brood of chickens. [old norse, = hatch]





Familial  adj. Of a family or its members.
Sleight of hand  n. Dexterity, esp. In conjuring. [old norse: related to *sly]

Peep-show  n. Small exhibition of pictures etc. Viewed through a lens or hole set into a box etc.
Grass  —n. 1 a any of a group of wild plants with green blades that are eaten by ruminants. B plant of the family which includes cereals, reeds, and bamboos. 2 pasture land. 3 grass-covered ground, lawn. 4 grazing (out to grass). 5 slang marijuana. 6 slang informer. —v. 1 cover with turf. 2 us provide with pasture. 3 slang a betray, esp. To the police. B inform the police.  grassy adj. (-ier, -iest). [old english]

Dumbo  n. (pl. -s) slang stupid person. [from *dumb, *-o]
Strain2  n. 1 breed or stock of animals, plants, etc. 2 tendency; characteristic. [old english, = begetting]



Unscripted  adj. (of a speech etc.) Delivered impromptu.



Consolation prize  n. Prize given to a competitor who just fails to win a main prize.

Levant  n. (prec. By the) archaic eastern mediterranean countries. [french, = point of sunrise, from latin levo lift]


Indifferent  adj. 1 (foll. By to) showing indifference or lack of interest. 2 neither good nor bad. 3 of poor quality or ability.  indifferently adv.



Drawing  n. 1 art of representing by line with a pencil etc. 2 picture etc. Made thus.
Absolution  n. Formal forgiveness of sins.





Catgut  n. Material used for the strings of musical instruments and surgical sutures, made of intestines of the sheep, horse, etc. (but not cat).




Pay-claim  n. (esp. A trade union's) demand for a pay increase.


Ergo  adv. Therefore. [latin]
Outstay  v. Stay longer than (one's welcome etc.).


Cumulative  adj. 1 increasing or increased progressively in amount, force, etc. (cumulative evidence). 2 formed by successive additions (learning is a cumulative process).  cumulatively adv.



Womenkind  var. Of *womankind.








Dogcart  n. Two-wheeled driving-cart with cross seats back to back.
Pipsqueak  n. Colloq. Insignificant or contemptible person or thing. [imitative]


Calciferous  adj. Yielding calcium salts, esp. Calcium carbonate.
Footsore  adj. With sore feet, esp. From walking.
Translate  v. (-ting) 1 (also absol.) (often foll. By into) express the sense of (a word, text, etc.) In another language or in another, esp. Simpler, form. 2 be translatable, bear translation (does not translate well). 3 interpret (translated his silence as dissent). 4 move or change, esp. From one person, place, or condition, to another.  translatable adj. Translation n. Translator n. [latin: related to *transfer]








Mass noun  n. Gram. Noun that is not normally countable and cannot be used with the indefinite article (e.g. Bread).

Domestic science  n. = *home economics.




Salesmanship  n. Skill in selling.

Intelligence quotient  n. Number denoting the ratio of a person's intelligence to the average.





Palate  n. 1 structure closing the upper part of the mouth cavity in vertebrates. 2 sense of taste. 3 mental taste; liking. [latin palatum]


Mule2  n. Backless slipper. [french]



Irritable  adj. 1 easily annoyed. 2 (of an organ etc.) Very sensitive to contact.  irritability n. Irritably adv. [latin: related to *irritate]







Blackcap  n. Small warbler, the male of which has a black-topped head.
Crop  —n. 1 a produce of cultivated plants, esp. Cereals. B season's yield. 2 group, yield, etc., of one time or place (a new crop of students). 3 handle of a whip. 4 a very short haircut. B cropping of hair. 5 pouch in a bird's gullet where food is prepared for digestion. —v. (-pp-) 1 a cut off. B bite off. 2 cut (hair etc.) Short. 3 (foll. By with) sow or plant (land) with a crop. 4 (of land) bear a crop.  crop up occur unexpectedly. [old english]

Unlovable  adj. Not lovable.

Feint  —n. 1 sham attack or diversionary blow. 2 pretence. —v. Make a feint. —adj. = *faint adj. 5. [french: related to *feign]


Halo  —n. (pl. -es) 1 disc or circle of light shown surrounding the head of a sacred person. 2 glory associated with an idealized person etc. 3 circle of white or coloured light round a luminous body, esp. The sun or moon. —v. (-es, -ed) surround with a halo. [greek halos threshing-floor, disc of the sun or moon]
Paperback  n. (often attrib.) Book bound in paper or card, not boards.



Extravaganza  n. 1 spectacular theatrical or television production. 2 fanciful literary, musical, or dramatic composition. [italian]



Proprietary  adj. 1 a of or holding property (proprietary classes). B of a proprietor (proprietary rights). 2 held in private ownership. [latin proprietarius: related to *property]


Dominant  —adj. 1 dominating, prevailing. 2 (of an inherited characteristic) appearing in offspring even when the opposite characteristic is also inherited. —n. Mus. Fifth note of the diatonic scale of any key.  dominance n. Dominantly adv.


Lucrative  adj. Profitable.  lucratively adv. Lucrativeness n. [latin: related to *lucre]

Courtroom  n. Room in which a court of law meets.
According  adv. 1 (foll. By to) a as stated by (according to mary). B in proportion to (lives according to his means). 2 (foll. By as + clause) in a manner or to a degree that varies as (pays according as he is able).
Heath  n. 1 area of flattish uncultivated land with low shrubs. 2 plant growing on a heath, esp. Heather. [old english]
Knob  n. 1 rounded protuberance, esp. At the end or on the surface of a thing, e.g. The handle of a door, drawer, a radio control, etc. 2 small piece (of butter etc.).  with knobs on slang that and more (same to you with knobs on).  knobby adj. Knoblike adj. [low german knobbe knot, knob]

Hullabaloo  n. Uproar. [reduplication of hallo, hullo, etc.]
Hygroscopic  adj. 1 of the hygroscope. 2 (of a substance) tending to absorb moisture from the air.
Again  adv. 1 another time; once more. 2 as previously (home again; well again). 3 in addition (as much again). 4 further, besides (again, what about you?). 5 on the other hand (i might, and again i might not).  again and again repeatedly. [old english]
Resemblance  n. Likeness or similarity. [anglo-french: related to *resemble]

Fluid ounce  n. One-twentieth, or us one-sixteenth, of a pint.


Duenna  n. Older woman acting as a chaperon to girls, esp. In spain. [spanish from latin domina *don1]

Nw  abbr. 1 north-west. 2 north-western.
Milk pudding  n. Pudding, esp. Of rice, baked with milk.
Disrespect  n. Lack of respect; discourtesy.  disrespectful adj. Disrespectfully adv.
Nuclear physics  n.pl. (treated as sing.) Physics of atomic nuclei.
Narcosis  n. 1 state of insensibility. 2 induction of this. [greek narke numbness]
Intensity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 intenseness. 2 amount of some quality, e.g. Force, brightness, etc.
Micro-electronics  n. Design, manufacture, and use of microchips and microcircuits.
Wrathful  adj. Literary extremely angry.  wrathfully adv.
Marvelous  adj. (brit. Marvellous) 1 astonishing. 2 excellent.  marvellously adv. [french: related to *marvel]

Codfish  n. (pl. Same) = *cod1.

Fetal  us var. Of foetal (*fetus).

Antifreeze  n. Substance added to water to lower its freezing point, esp. In a vehicle's radiator.
Floating kidney  n. Abnormally movable kidney.



Mere1  attrib. Adj. (merest) being solely or only what is specified (a mere boy; no mere theory).  merely adv.  [latin merus unmixed]
Starve  v. (-ving) 1 (cause to) die of hunger or suffer from malnourishment. 2 colloq. Feel very hungry (i'm starving). 3 a suffer from mental or spiritual want. B (foll. By for) feel a strong craving for. 4 (foll. By of) deprive of. 5 compel by starving (starved into surrender).  starvation n. [old english, = die]




Striker  n. 1 employee on strike. 2 football attacking player positioned forward.

Pop2  n. Colloq. 1 (in full pop music) highly successful commercial music, esp. Since the 1950s. 2 (attrib.) Of or relating to pop music (pop concert, group, song). 3 pop record or song (top of the pops). [abbreviation]

Autarky  n. Self-sufficiency, esp. Economic. [greek autos self, arkeo suffice]
Mercenary  —adj. Primarily concerned with or working for money etc. —n. (pl. -ies) hired soldier in foreign service.  mercenariness n. [latin from merces reward]
Be  v. (sing. Present am; are; is; past was; were; pres. Part. Being; past part. Been) 1 exist, live (i think, therefore i am; there is no god). 2 a occur; take place (dinner is at eight).

Strine  n. 1 comic transliteration of australian pronunciation. 2 (esp. Uneducated) australian english. [= australian in strine]



Federation  n. 1 federal group. 2 act of federating. [latin: related to *federal]




Pogrom  n. Organized massacre (orig. Of jews in russia). [russian]
Usage  sensibility should not be used in standard english to mean ‘possession of good sense’.

Puny  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 undersized. 2 weak, feeble. [french puisné born afterwards]






Stride  —v. (-ding; past strode; past part. Stridden) 1 walk with long firm steps. 2 cross with one step. 3 bestride. —n. 1 a single long step. B length of this. 2 gait as determined by the length of stride. 3 (usu. In pl.) Progress (great strides). 4 steady progress (get into one's stride).  take in one's stride manage easily. [old english]

Outwork  n. 1 advanced or detached part of a fortification. 2 work done off the premises of the firm etc. Which supplies it.  outworker n. (in sense 2).
Brolly  n. (pl. -ies) colloq. Umbrella. [abbreviation]
Blacklead  n. Graphite.
Paranormal  adj. Beyond the scope of normal scientific investigation or explanation.
Noisome  adj. Literary 1 harmful, noxious. 2 evil-smelling. [from *annoy]
Have  —v. (-ving; 3rd sing. Present has; past and past part. Had) 1 as an auxiliary verb with past part. Or ellipt., to form the perfect, pluperfect, and future perfect tenses, and the conditional mood (has, had, will have, seen; had i known, i would have gone; yes, i have). 2 own or be able to use; be provided with (has a car; had no time). 3 hold in a certain relationship (has a sister; had no equals). 4 contain as a part or quality (box has a lid; has big eyes). 5 a experience (had a good time, a shock, a pain). B be subjected to a specified state (had my car stolen; book has a page missing). C cause (a person or thing) to be in a particular state or take particular action (had him sacked; had us worried; had my hair cut; had a copy made; had them to stay). 6 a engage in (an activity) (have an argument, sex). B hold (a meeting, party, etc.). 7 eat or drink (had a beer). 8 (usu. In neg.) Accept or tolerate; permit to (i won't have it; won't have you say that). 9 a feel (have no doubt; has nothing against me). B show (mercy, pity, etc.). C (foll. By to + infin.) Show by action that one is influenced by (a feeling, quality, etc.) (have the sense to stop). 10 a give birth to (offspring). B conceive mentally (an idea etc.). 11 receive, obtain (had a letter from him; not a ticket to be had). 12 be burdened with or committed to (has a job to do). 13 a have obtained (a qualification) (has six o levels). B know (a language) (has no latin). 14 slang a get the better of (i had him there). B (usu. In passive) cheat, deceive (you were had). 15 coarse slang have sexual intercourse with. —n. 1 (usu. In pl.) Colloq. Person with wealth or resources. 2 slang swindle.  had best see *best. Had better see *better. Have got to colloq. = have to. Have had it colloq. 1 have missed one's chance. 2 have passed one's prime. 3 have been killed, defeated, etc. Have it 1 (foll. By that) maintain that. 2 win a decision in a vote etc. 3 colloq. Have found the answer etc. Have it away (or off) coarse slang have sexual intercourse. Have it in for colloq. Be hostile or ill-disposed towards. Have it out (often foll. By with) colloq. Attempt to settle a dispute by argument. Have on 1 wear (clothes). 2 have (an engagement). 3 colloq. Tease, hoax. Have to be obliged to, must. Have up colloq. Bring (a person) before a judge, interviewer, etc. [old english]
Congregation  n. 1 gathering of people, esp. For religious worship. 2 body of persons regularly attending a particular church etc. [latin: related to *congregate]
Addicted  adj. 1 (usu. Foll. By to) dependent on a drug etc. As a habit. 2 devoted to an interest.  addiction n.

I've  contr. I have.
Genitive  gram. —n. Case expressing possession or close association, corresponding to of, from, etc. —adj. Of or in this case. [latin: related to *genital]


Jailbreak  n. (also gaolbreak) escape from jail.

Tawny  adj. (-ier, -iest) orange-brown or yellow-brown. [anglo-french tauné: related to *tan1]
Plow  (us plow) —n. 1 implement for cutting furrows in the soil and turning it up. 2 implement resembling this (snowplough). 3 (the plough) the great bear (see *bear2) or its seven bright stars. —v. 1 (also absol.) Turn up (the earth) with a plough. 2 (foll. By out, up, etc.) Turn or extract with a plough. 3 furrow or scratch (a surface) as with a plough. 4 produce (a furrow or line) thus. 5 (foll. By through) advance laboriously, esp. Through work, a book, etc. 6 (foll. By through, into) move violently like a plough. 7 colloq. Fail in an examination.  plough back 1 plough (grass etc.) Into the soil to enrich it. 2 reinvest (profits) in the business producing them. [old english]

Coloring  n. (brit. Colour-) 1 appearance as regards colour, esp. Facial complexion. 2 use or application of colour. 3 substance giving colour.

Stone-cold sober  predic. Adj. Completely sober.

Heather  n. Any of various shrubs growing esp. On moors and heaths. [origin unknown]
Horrid  adj. 1 horrible, revolting. 2 colloq. Unpleasant (horrid weather).

Serialize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) publish or produce in instalments.  serialization n.



Dress  —v. 1 a (also absol.) Put clothes on. B have and wear clothes (dresses well). 2 put on evening dress. 3 arrange or adorn (hair, a shop window, etc.). 4 treat (a wound) esp. With a dressing. 5 a prepare (poultry, crab, etc.) For cooking or eating. B add dressing to (a salad etc.). 6 apply manure to. 7 finish the surface of (fabric, leather, stone, etc.). 8 correct the alignment of (troops). 9 make (an artificial fly) for fishing. —n. 1 woman's garment of a bodice and skirt. 2 clothing, esp. A whole outfit. 3 formal or ceremonial costume. 4 external covering; outward form.  dress down colloq. 1 reprimand or scold. 2 dress informally. Dress up 1 put on special clothes. 2 make (a thing) more attractive or interesting. [french dresser, ultimately related to *direct]

G2  abbr. (also g.) 1 gauss. 2 giga-. 3 gravitational constant.



Department  n. 1 separate part of a complex whole, esp.: a a branch of administration (housing department). B a division of a school, college, etc., by subject (physics department). C a section of a large store (hardware department). 2 colloq. Area of special expertise. 3 administrative district, esp. In france. [french: related to *depart]

Pullulate  v. (-ting) 1 (of a seed, shoot, etc.) Bud, sprout. 2 swarm, teem. 3 develop; spring up. 4 (foll. By with) abound.  pullulation n. [latin pullulo sprout]


Marseillaise  n. French national anthem. [french marseille in france]
Semicolon  n. Punctuation mark (;) of intermediate value between a comma and full stop.


Squirearchy  n. (pl. -ies) landowners collectively.



Latrine  n. Communal lavatory, esp. In a camp. [latin latrina]






Par excellence  adv. Being the supreme example of its kind (the short story par excellence). [french]




Scurf  n. Dandruff.  scurfy adj. [old english]





Acetic  adj. Of or like vinegar. [latin acetum vinegar]



Gram  n. (also gramme) metric unit of mass equal to one-thousandth of a kilogram. [greek gramma small weight]


Nato  abbr. (also nato) north atlantic treaty organization.
Blazer  n. Jacket without matching trousers, esp. Lightweight and often part of a uniform. [from *blaze1]


Dhoti  n. (pl. -s) loincloth worn by male hindus. [hindi]
Mlle  abbr. (pl. -s) mademoiselle.
Shook  past of *shake.
Basilica  n. 1 ancient roman hall with an apse and colonnades, used as a lawcourt etc. 2 similar building as a christian church. [greek basilike (stoa) royal (portico)]
Hosier  n. Dealer in hosiery.
Waterside  n. Edge of a sea, lake, or river.

Treasury bill  n. Bill of exchange issued by the government to raise money for temporary needs.
Hesitant  adj. Hesitating; irresolute.  hesitance n. Hesitancy n. Hesitantly adv.

Pe  abbr. Physical education.



Bulldog  n. 1 short-haired heavy-jowled sturdy dog. 2 tenacious and courageous person.
Duty  n. (pl. -ies) 1 a moral or legal obligation; responsibility. B binding force of what is right. 2 tax on certain goods, imports, etc. 3 job or function arising from a business or office (playground duty). 4 deference; respect due to a superior.  do duty for serve as or pass for (something else). On (or off) duty working (or not working). [anglo-french: related to *due]




Townscape  n. 1 visual appearance of a town or towns. 2 picture of a town.

Confound  —v. 1 perplex, baffle. 2 confuse (in one's mind). 3 archaic defeat, overthrow. —int. Expressing annoyance (confound you!). [latin confundo -fus- mix up]







Schedule  —n. 1 a list of intended events, times, etc. B plan of work. 2 list of rates or prices. 3 us timetable. 4 tabulated list. —v. (-ling) 1 include in a schedule. 2 make a schedule of. 3 list (a building) for preservation.  according to (or on) schedule as planned; on time. [latin schedula slip of paper]

Arrival  n. 1 arriving; appearance on the scene. 2 person or thing that has arrived.


National front  n. Uk political party with extreme reactionary views on immigration etc.
Swimwear  n. Clothing for swimming in.
Exquisite  adj. 1 extremely beautiful or delicate. 2 keenly felt (exquisite pleasure). 3 highly sensitive (exquisite taste).  exquisitely adv. [latin exquiro -quisit- seek out]

Ozone  n. 1 chem. Unstable form of oxygen with three atoms in a molecule, having a pungent odour. 2 colloq. A invigorating air at the seaside etc. B exhilarating influence. [greek ozo smell (v.)]


Septicaemia  n. (us septicemia) blood-poisoning.  septicaemic adj. [from *septic, greek haima blood]

Handwriting  n. 1 writing done with a pen, pencil, etc. 2 person's particular style of this.  handwritten adj.
Mean3  —n. 1 median point (mean between modesty and pride). 2  a term midway between the first and last terms of an arithmetical etc. Progression. B quotient of the sum of several quantities and their number; average. —adj. 1 (of a quantity) equally far from two extremes. 2 calculated as a mean. [latin medianus *median]

Scrapbook  n. Blank book for sticking cuttings, drawings, etc., in.



Sometimes  adv. Occasionally.


Tropical  adj. Of or typical of the tropics.




Tub-thumper  n. Colloq. Ranting preacher or orator.
-wards  var. Of *-ward.
Airgun  n. Gun using compressed air to fire pellets.
Sleek  —adj. 1 (of hair, skin, etc.) Smooth and glossy. 2 looking well-fed and comfortable. —v. Make sleek.  sleekly adv. Sleekness n. [var. Of *slick]
Justice  n. 1 justness, fairness. 2 authority exercised in the maintenance of right. 3 judicial proceedings (brought to justice; court of justice). 4 magistrate; judge.  do justice to 1 treat fairly. 2 appreciate properly. Do oneself justice perform at one's best. With justice reasonably. [latin justitia]



Interlace  v. (-cing) 1 bind intricately together; interweave. 2 cross each other intricately.  interlacement n.

Walk-in  attrib. Adj. (of a storage area) large enough to walk into.

Fig.  Abbr. Figure.







Reader  n. 1 person who reads. 2 book intended to give reading practice, esp. In a foreign language. 3 device for producing an image that can be read from microfilm etc. 4 (also reader) university lecturer of the highest grade below professor. 5 publisher's employee who reports on submitted manuscripts. 6 printer's proof-corrector. 7 person appointed to read aloud, esp. In church.


Congeries  n. (pl. Same) disorderly collection; mass, heap. [latin congero heap together]




Foster  —v. 1 a promote the growth or development of. B encourage or harbour (a feeling). 2 a bring up (another's child). B (of a local authority etc.) Assign (a child) to be fostered. 3 (of circumstances) be favourable to. —attrib. Adj. 1 having a family connection by fostering (foster-brother; foster-parent). 2 concerned with fostering a child (foster care; foster home). [old english: related to *food]



Demonism  n. Belief in demons.

Navvy  —n. (pl. -ies) labourer employed in building or excavating roads, canals, etc. —v. (-ies, -ied) work as a navvy. [abbreviation of navigator]
First night  n. First public performance of a play etc.



Predilection  n. (often foll. By for) preference or special liking. [latin praediligo prefer]
Knotty  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 full of knots. 2 puzzling (knotty problem).

Lice  pl. Of *louse.


Caudate  adj. Tailed.


Headroom  n. Space or clearance above a vehicle, person's head, etc.
Rectum  n. (pl. -s) final section of the large intestine, terminating at the anus. [latin, = straight]
Courtier  n. Person who attends a sovereign's court. [anglo-french: related to *court]


Mesdames  pl. Of *madame.


Gm  abbr. Gram(s).
Architrave  n. 1 (in classical architecture) main beam resting across the tops of columns. 2 moulded frame around a doorway or window. [italian archi- *arch-, latin trabs beam]

Lore  n. Body of traditions and knowledge on a subject or held by a particular group (bird lore; gypsy lore). [old english: related to *learn]

Neutron  n. Elementary particle of about the same mass as a proton but without an electric charge. [from *neutral]



Man about town  n. Fashionable socializer.


Sitting  —n. 1 continuous period spent engaged in an activity (finished the book in one sitting). 2 time during which an assembly is engaged in business. 3 session in which a meal is served. —adj. 1 having sat down. 2 (of an animal or bird) still. 3 (of an mp etc.) Current.
Heirloom  n. 1 piece of personal property that has been in a family for several generations. 2 piece of property as part of an inheritance.
Diagnostics  n. 1 (treated as pl.) Computing programs etc. Used to identify faults in hardware or software. 2 (treated as sing.) Science of diagnosing disease.
Magazine  n. 1 illustrated periodical publication containing articles, stories, etc. 2 chamber holding cartridges to be fed automatically to the breech of a gun. 3 similar device in a slide projector etc. 4 military store for arms etc. 5 store for explosives. [arabic makazin]

Oxalic acid  n.  Very poisonous and sour acid found in sorrel and rhubarb leaves. [greek oxalis wood sorrel]
Erysipelas  n. Disease causing fever and a deep red inflammation of the skin. [latin from greek]

Accountant  n. Professional keeper or verifier of accounts.  accountancy n. Accounting n.
Interpret  v. (-t-) 1 explain the meaning of (words, a dream, etc.). 2 make out or bring out the meaning of (creative work). 3 act as an interpreter. 4 explain or understand (behaviour etc.) In a specified manner.  interpretation n. Interpretative adj. Interpretive adj. [latin interpres -pretis explainer]


Batch  —n. 1 group of things or persons considered or dealt with together; instalment. 2 loaves produced at one baking. 3 computing group of records processed as one unit. —v. Arrange or deal with in batches. [related to *bake]
Mewl  v. 1 whimper. 2 mew like a cat. [imitative]
Toothpick  n. Small sharp stick for removing food lodged between the teeth.
First class  —n. 1 best group or category. 2 best accommodation in a train, ship, etc. 3 mail given priority. 4 highest division in an examination. —adj. & adv. (first-class) 1 of or by the first class. 2 excellent.
Cold sore  n. Inflammation and blisters in and around the mouth, caused by a virus infection.


Plug-in  attrib. Adj. Designed to be plugged into a socket.
Twitcher  n. Colloq. Bird-watcher seeking sightings of rare birds.

Embrocation  n. Liquid for rubbing on the body to relieve muscular pain. [greek embrokhe lotion]
Blackberry  n. (pl. -ies) black fleshy edible fruit of the bramble.

Appurtenance  n. (usu. In pl.) Belonging; accessory. [latin pertineo belong to]
Merchantman  n. (pl. -men) merchant ship.


Savour  (us savor) —n. 1 characteristic taste, flavour, etc. 2 hint of a different quality etc. In something. —v. 1 appreciate and enjoy (food, an experience, etc.). 2 (foll. By of) imply or suggest (a specified quality). [latin sapor]
Snatch  —v. 1 (often foll. By away, from) seize or remove quickly, eagerly, or unexpectedly. 2 a steal (a handbag etc.) By grabbing. B slang kidnap. 3 secure with difficulty. 4 (foll. By at) a try to seize. B take (an offer etc.) Eagerly. —n. 1 act of snatching. 2 fragment of a song or talk etc. 3 us slang kidnapping. 4 short spell of activity etc. [related to *snack]

Bramble  n. Wild thorny shrub, esp. The blackberry.  brambly adj. [old english]
Cricket2  n. Grasshopper-like chirping insect. [french, imitative]

Noncommittal  adj. Avoiding commitment to a definite opinion or course of action.
Yellow fever  n. Tropical virus disease with fever and jaundice.

Invent  v. 1 create by thought, originate (a method, device, etc.). 2 concoct (a false story etc.).  inventor n. [latin invenio -vent- find]
Copt  n. 1 native egyptian in the hellenistic and roman periods. 2 native christian of the independent egyptian church. [french from arabic]

Litter  —n. 1 a refuse, esp. Paper, discarded in a public place. B odds and ends lying about. 2 young animals brought forth at one birth. 3 vehicle containing a couch and carried on men's shoulders or by animals. 4 a kind of stretcher for the sick and wounded. 5 straw etc., as bedding for animals. 6 granulated material for use as an animal's, esp. A cat's, toilet indoors. —v. 1 make (a place) untidy with refuse. 2 give birth to (whelps etc.). 3  a provide (a horse etc.) With litter as bedding. B spread straw etc. On (a stable-floor etc.). [latin lectus bed]
Dramatics  n.pl. (often treated as sing.) 1 performance of plays. 2 exaggerated behaviour.
Torpedo  —n. (pl. -es) 1 cigar-shaped self-propelled underwater missile that explodes on impact with a ship. 2 similar device dropped from an aircraft. —v. (-es, -ed) 1 destroy or attack with a torpedo. 2 destroy or damage (a policy, institution, plan, etc.). [latin, = electric ray: related to *torpor]
Unhistorical  adj. Not historical.
Noviciate  n. (also novitiate) 1 period of being a novice. 2 religious novice. 3 novices' quarters. [medieval latin: related to *novice]
Seaboard  n. 1 seashore or coastline. 2 coastal region.
Technician  n. 1 person doing practical or maintenance work in a laboratory etc. 2 person skilled in artistic etc. Technique. 3 expert in practical science.
Funicular  —adj. (of a mountain railway) operating by cable with ascending and descending cars counterbalanced. —n. Funicular railway. [latin funiculus diminutive of funis rope]
Recall  —v. 1 summon to return. 2 recollect, remember. 3 bring back to memory; serve as a reminder of. 4 revoke or annul (an action or decision). 5 revive, resuscitate. 6 take back (a gift). —n. 1 summons to come back. 2 act of remembering. 3 ability to remember. 4 possibility of recalling, esp. In the sense of revoking (beyond recall).


Spitfire  n. Person of fiery temper.
Squeak  —n. 1 short high-pitched cry or sound. 2 (also narrow squeak) narrow escape. —v. 1 make a squeak. 2 utter (words) shrilly. 3 (foll. By by, through) colloq. Pass narrowly. 4 slang turn informer. [imitative: related to *squeal, *shriek]
Supra  adv. Above or earlier (in a book etc.). [latin]
Usage  discomfit is sometimes confused with discomfort.

Here  —adv. 1 in or at or to this place or position (come here; sit here). 2 indicating a person's presence or a thing offered (my son here will show you; here is your coat). 3 at this point in the argument, situation, etc. (here i have a question). —n. This place (get out of here; lives near here; fill it up to here). —int. 1 calling attention: short for come here, look here, etc. (here, where are you going with that?). 2 indicating one's presence in a roll-call: short for i am here.  here goes! Colloq. Expression indicating the start of a bold act. Here's to i drink to the health of. Here we are colloq. Said on arrival at one's destination. Here we go again colloq. The same, usu. Undesirable, events are recurring. Here you are said on handing something to somebody. Neither here nor there of no importance. [old english]
Tick1  —n. 1 slight recurring click, esp. That of a watch or clock. 2 colloq. Moment. 3 mark to denote correctness, check items in a list, etc. —v. 1 (of a clock etc.) Make ticks. 2 a mark with a tick. B (often foll. By off) mark (an item) with a tick in checking.  tick off colloq. Reprimand. Tick over 1 (of an engine etc.) Idle. 2 (of a person, project, etc.) Be functioning at a basic level. What makes a person tick colloq. Person's motivation. [probably imitative]
Infarct  n. Small area of dead tissue caused by an inadequate blood supply.  infarction n. [latin farcio farct- stuff]



Veda  n. (in sing. Or pl.) Oldest hindu scriptures.  vedic adj. [sanskrit, = knowledge]


Causality  n. 1 relation of cause and effect. 2 principle that everything has a cause.


Portable  —adj. 1 easily movable, convenient for carrying. 2 (of a right, opinion, etc.) Capable of being transferred or adapted in altered circumstances (portable pension). —n. Portable version of an item, e.g. A television.  portability n. [latin porto carry]
Gong  n. 1 metal disc with a turned rim, giving a resonant note when struck. 2 saucer-shaped bell. 3 slang medal. [malay]
Enshrine  v. (-ning) 1 enclose in a shrine. 2 protect, make inviolable.  enshrinement n.

Toothbrush  n. Brush for cleaning the teeth.



Heraldry  n. 1 art or knowledge of a herald. 2 coats of arms.


Cri de cœur  n. (pl. Cris de cœur pronunc. Same) passionate appeal, protest, etc. [french, = cry from the heart]

Injury time  n. Extra playing-time at a football etc. Match to compensate for time lost in dealing with injuries.




Sea change  n. Notable or unexpected transformation.
Venus fly-trap  n. Insectivorous plant. [latin venus goddess of love]
Incursion  n. Invasion or attack, esp. Sudden or brief.  incursive adj. [latin: related to *incur]

Tiercel  var. Of *tercel.



Billabong  n. (in australia) backwater of a river. [aboriginal]
Wan  adj. (wanner, wannest) pale; exhausted-looking.  wanly adv. Wanness n. [old english, = dark]
Minimal  adj. 1 very minute or slight. 2 being a minimum.  minimally adv.



Painted lady  n. Orange-red spotted butterfly.
Styptic  —adj. Checking bleeding. —n. Styptic substance. [greek stupho contract]




Shaft  n. 1 narrow usu. Vertical space, for access to a mine, or (in a building) for a lift, ventilation, etc. 2 (foll. By of) a ray (of light). B bolt (of lightning). 3 stem or handle of a tool etc. 4 long narrow part supporting, connecting, or driving thicker part(s) etc. 5 a archaic arrow, spear. B its long slender stem. 6 hurtful or provocative remark (shafts of wit). 7 each of the pair of poles between which a horse is harnessed to a vehicle. 8 central stem of a feather. 9 column, esp. Between the base and capital. [old english]
Muzzle  —n. 1 projecting part of an animal's face, including the nose and mouth. 2 guard, usu. Of straps or wire, put over an animal's nose and mouth to stop it biting or feeding. 3 open end of a firearm. —v. (-ling) 1 put a muzzle on. 2 impose silence on. [medieval latin musum]
Smack2  (foll. By of) —v. 1 have a flavour of; taste of. 2 suggest (smacks of nepotism). —n. 1 flavour. 2 barely discernible quality. [old english]
Inwardly  adv. 1 on the inside. 2 in the mind or soul. 3 not aloud.








Hempen  adj. Made of hemp.
Usage  thy has now been replaced by your except in some formal, liturgical, dialect, and poetic uses.


Card2  —n. Wire brush etc. For raising a nap on cloth etc. —v. Brush or comb with a card. [latin caro card (v.)]


Statesman  n. (fem. Stateswoman) distinguished and capable politician or diplomat.  statesmanlike adj. Statesmanship n.


Axil  n. Upper angle between a leaf and stem. [latin axilla armpit]

Unjustified  adj. Not justified.


Pyracantha  n. Evergreen thorny shrub with white flowers and bright red or yellow berries. [latin from greek]
Interrupter  n. (also interruptor) 1 person or thing that interrupts. 2 device for interrupting, esp. An electric circuit.
Comply  v. (-ies, -ied) (often foll. By with) act in accordance (with a request or command). [latin compleo fill up]
Sandbag  —n. Bag filled with sand, used for temporary defences etc. —v. (-gg-) defend or hit with sandbag(s).

Rental  n. 1 amount paid or received as rent. 2 act of renting. [anglo-french or anglo-latin: related to *rent1]
Corrode  v. (-ding) 1 a wear away, esp. By chemical action. B decay. 2 destroy gradually. [latin rodo ros- gnaw]



Hedge  —n. 1 fence or boundary of dense bushes or shrubs. 2 protection against possible loss. —v. (-ging) 1 surround or bound with a hedge. 2 (foll. By in) enclose. 3 a reduce one's risk of loss on (a bet or speculation) by compensating transactions on the other side. B avoid committing oneself. [old english]




Bush2  —n. 1 metal lining for a hole enclosing a revolving shaft etc. 2 sleeve giving electrical insulation. —v. Fit with a bush. [dutch busse box]

Treason  n. Violation by a subject of allegiance to the sovereign or state. [latin: related to *tradition]


Ho  symb. Holmium.


Extrude  v. (-ding) 1 (foll. By from) thrust or force out. 2 shape metal, plastics, etc. By forcing them through a die.  extrusion n. Extrusive adj. [latin extrudo -trus- thrust out]


Disposition  n. 1 natural tendency; temperament. 2 a ordering; arrangement (of parts etc.). B arrangement. 3 (usu. In pl.) Preparations; plans.

Prompter  n. Person who prompts actors.

Girl scout  n. = *scout n. 4.


Middling  —adj. Moderately good. —adv. Fairly, moderately.




Sports car  n. Low-built fast car.
Tightrope  n. Rope stretched tightly high above the ground, on which acrobats perform.
Knock  —v. 1 a strike with an audible sharp blow. B (often foll. By at) strike (a door etc.) To gain admittance. 2 make (a hole etc.) By knocking. 3 (usu. Foll. By in, out, off, etc.) Drive (a thing, person, etc.) By striking (knocked the ball into the hole; knocked those ideas out of him). 4 slang criticize. 5 a (of an engine) make a thumping or rattling noise. B = *pink3. 6 coarse slang offens. = knock off 6. —n. 1 act or sound of knocking. 2 knocking sound in esp. An engine.  knock about (or around) colloq. 1 strike repeatedly; treat roughly. 2 a wander aimlessly or adventurously. B be present, esp. By chance (a cup knocking about somewhere). C (usu. Foll. By with) be associated socially. Knock back 1 slang eat or drink, esp. Quickly. 2 slang disconcert. Knock down 1 strike (esp. A person) to the ground. 2 demolish. 3 (usu. Foll.

Frontier  n. 1 a border between two countries. B district on each side of this. 2 limits of attainment or knowledge in a subject. 3 us borders between settled and unsettled country.  frontiersman n.
Footle  v. (-ling) (usu. Foll. By about) colloq. Potter or fiddle about. [origin uncertain]
Renown  n. Fame, high distinction. [french renomer make famous]
Sandbank  n. Sand forming a shallow place in the sea or a river.





Fingering  n. 1 technique etc. Of using the fingers, esp. In playing music. 2 indication of this in a musical score.
Eventual  adj. Occurring in due course, ultimate.  eventually adv. [from *event]
Zebu  n. (pl. Same or -s) humped ox of asia and africa. [french]
Promethium  n. Radioactive metallic element of the lanthanide series, found in nuclear waste. [prometheus: see *promethean]


Boche  n. Slang derog. German, esp. A soldier. [french]
Ml  abbr. 1 millilitre(s). 2 mile(s).
Unemphatic  adj. Not emphatic.
Heir apparent  n. Heir whose claim cannot be set aside by the birth of another heir.


Coating  n. 1 layer of paint etc. 2 material for coats.

Reformer  n. Person who advocates or brings about (esp. Political or social) reform.

Moiré  adj. 1 (of silk) watered. 2 (of metal) having a clouded appearance. [french: related to *moire]

Blackleg  —n. Derog. Person refusing to join a strike etc. —v. (-gg-) act as a blackleg.


Clangor  n. (brit. Clangour) prolonged clanging.  clangorous adj.
Aqua  n. The colour aquamarine. [abbreviation]

Suburbia  n. Often derog. Suburbs, their inhabitants, and their way of life.
Steppe  n. Level grassy unforested plain. [russian]
Mischance  n. 1 bad luck. 2 instance of this. [french: related to *mis-2]


Diabetic  —adj. 1 of or having diabetes. 2 for diabetics. —n. Person suffering from diabetes.
V2  abbr. Volt(s).
Mixture  n. 1 process or result of mixing. 2 combination of ingredients, qualities, characteristics, etc. [latin: related to *mixed]





Technic  n. 1 (usu. In pl.) A technology. B technical terms, details, methods, etc. 2 technique. [greek tekhne art]

Outlive  v. (-ving) 1 live longer than (a person). 2 live beyond (a period or date).



Mountebank  n. 1 swindler; charlatan. 2 hist. Itinerant quack. [italian, = mount on bench]
Countless  adj. Too many to be counted.
Cortège  n. Procession, esp. For a funeral. [french]
Parson's nose  n. Fatty flesh at the rump of a cooked fowl.
Midsummer  n. Period of or near the summer solstice, about 21 june. [old english]
Interlard  v. (usu. Foll. By with) mix (writing or speech) with unusual words or phrases. [french]

Short temper  n. Temper easily lost.  short-tempered adj.

Recital  n. 1 reciting or being recited. 2 concert of classical music given by a soloist or small group. 3 (foll. By of) detailed account of (connected things or facts); narrative.
Tree surgeon  n. Person who treats decayed trees in order to preserve them.
Moonshot  n. Launching of a spacecraft to the moon.
Pool1  n. 1 small body of still water. 2 small shallow body of any liquid. 3 swimming-pool. 4 deep place in a river. [old english]
Assignation  n. 1 appointment to meet, esp. By lovers in secret. 2 assigning or being assigned.
Vagina  n. (pl. -s or -nae) canal from the uterus to the vulva in female mammals.  vaginal adj. [latin, = sheath]





Ordovician  —adj. Of the second period in the palaeozoic era. —n. This period. [latin ordovices, an ancient british tribe in n. Wales]

Reclassify  v. (-ies, -ied) classify again or differently.  reclassification n.
Zn  symb. Zinc.

Cloven hoof  n. (also cloven foot) divided hoof, esp. Of oxen, sheep, or goats, or of the devil.
Blackout  n. 1 temporary loss of consciousness or memory. 2 loss of electric power, radio reception, etc. 3 compulsory darkness as a precaution against air raids. 4 temporary suppression of news. 5 sudden darkening of a theatre stage.
Filing cabinet  n. Cabinet with drawers for storing files.
Flicker  —v. 1 (of light or flame) shine or burn unsteadily. 2 flutter. 3 (of hope etc.) Waver. —n. 1 flickering movement or light. 2 brief spell (of hope etc.).  flicker out die away. [old english]


Warship  n. Ship used in war.
Palatable  adj. 1 pleasant to taste. 2 (of an idea etc.) Acceptable, satisfactory.

Short wave  n. Radio wave of frequency greater than 3 mhz.

Calculus  n. (pl. -luses or -li) 1 particular method of mathematical calculation or reasoning. 2 stone or mineral mass in the body. [latin, = small stone (used on an abacus)]
Fair-weather friend  n. Unreliable friend or ally.
Spearwort  n. Aquatic plant with narrow spear-shaped leaves and yellow flowers.





Bulky  adj. (-ier, -iest) awkwardly large.  bulkiness n.
Kilogram  n. (also -gramme) si unit of mass, approx. 2.205 lb.
Bustle2  n. Hist. Padding worn under a skirt to puff it out behind. [origin unknown]

Bunkum  n. Nonsense, humbug. [buncombe in us]
Raw-boned  adj. Gaunt.

Prodigy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 exceptionally gifted or able person, esp. A precocious child. 2 marvellous, esp. Extraordinary, thing. 3 (foll. By of) wonderful example (of a quality). [latin prodigium portent]
Grandparent  n. Parent of one's father or mother.

Turk  n. 1 a native or national of turkey. B person of turkish descent. 2 member of a central asian people from whom the ottomans derived, speaking a turkic language. 3 offens. Ferocious or wild person.


Scholarship  n. 1 a academic achievement, esp. Of a high level. B standards of a good scholar (shows great scholarship). 2 financial award for a student etc., given for scholarly achievement.
Dormobile  n. Propr. Motor caravan. [from *dormitory, *automobile]
Crescent  —n. 1 curved sickle shape as of the waxing or waning moon. 2 thing of this shape, esp. A street forming an arc. —adj. Crescent-shaped. [latin cresco grow]
Ligature  —n. 1 tie or bandage. 2 mus. Slur, tie. 3 two or more letters joined, e.g. Æ. 4 bond; thing that unites. —v. (-ring) bind or connect with a ligature. [latin ligo bind]
Untold  adj. 1 not told. 2 immeasurable (untold misery).

Stunt man  n. Man employed to perform dangerous stunts in place of an actor.
Glass  —n. 1 a (often attrib.) Hard, brittle, usu. Transparent substance, made by fusing sand with soda and lime etc. B substance of similar properties. 2 glass objects collectively. 3 a glass drinking vessel. B its contents. 4 mirror. 5 glazed frame for plants. 6 barometer. 7 covering of a watch-face. 8 lens. 9 (in pl.) A spectacles. B binoculars. —v. (usu. As glassed adj.) Fit with glass.  glassful n. (pl. -s). [old english]
Muslim  (also moslem) —n. Follower of the islamic religion. —adj. Of the muslims or their religion. [arabic: related to *islam]

Tom-tom  n. 1 primitive drum beaten with the hands. 2 tall drum used in jazz bands etc. [hindi tamtam, imitative]
Greengage  n. Roundish green variety of plum. [sir w. Gage, name of a botanist]
Mandrel  n. 1 lathe-shaft to which work is fixed while being turned. 2 cylindrical rod round which metal or other material is forged or shaped. [origin unknown]
Heterodox  adj. Not orthodox.  heterodoxy n. [from *hetero-, greek doxa opinion]


Usage  the plural form of criterion, criteria, is often used incorrectly as the singular. In the singular criterion should always be used.
Put-up job  n. Colloq. Fraudulent scheme.
Roving eye  n. Tendency to infidelity.
Blood relation  n. (also blood relative) relative by birth.
Pull-in  n. Roadside café or other stopping-place.




Similitude  n. 1 guise, appearance. 2 comparison; expression of a comparison. [latin: related to *simile]
Detestable  adj. Intensely disliked; hateful.







Misadventure  n. 1 law accident without crime or negligence (death by misadventure). 2 bad luck. 3 a misfortune.

Blob  n. Small drop or spot. [imitative]

Annihilate  v. (-ting) completely destroy or defeat.  annihilation n. [latin nihil nothing]



Inflammable  adj. Easily set on fire or excited.  inflammability n.

Drown  v. 1 kill or die by submersion in liquid. 2 submerge; flood; drench. 3 deaden (grief etc.) By drinking. 4 (often foll. By out) overpower (sound) with louder sound. [probably old english]



Eructation  n. Formal belching. [latin ructo belch]
Banknote  n. Piece of paper money.



Snarl1  —v. 1 growl with bared teeth. 2 speak, say, or express angrily. —n. Act or sound of snarling. [snar from low german]

Alder  n. Tree related to the birch. [old english]
Kj  abbr. Kilojoule(s).
Non-alcoholic  adj. Containing no alcohol.
Heliport  n. Place where helicopters take off and land.

Spray2  n. 1 sprig of flowers or leaves, or a small branch; decoratively arranged bunch of flowers. 2 ornament in a similar form. [old english]


Thrall  n. Literary 1 (often foll. By of, to) slave (of a person, or of a power or influence). 2 slavery (in thrall).  thraldom n. [old english from old norse]
Conger  n. (in full conger eel) large marine eel. [greek goggros]


Satanic  adj. Of or like satan; hellish; evil.  satanically adv.
Allspice  n. 1 aromatic spice obtained from the berry of the pimento plant. 2 the berry.
Atherosclerosis  n. Degeneration of the arteries caused by a build-up of fatty deposits. [greek athere groats]
Gardener  n. Person who gardens, esp. For a living.
Remix  —v. Mix again. —n. Remixed recording.

Tachometer  n. Instrument measuring velocity or rate of rotation of a shaft (esp. In a vehicle).








Side-effect  n. Secondary (usu. Undesirable) effect.



Gold-plate  v. Plate with gold.



First aid  n. Emergency medical treatment.
Fin  n. 1 (usu. Thin) flat external organ of esp. Fish, for propelling, steering, etc. (dorsal fin). 2 similar stabilizing projection on an aircraft, car, etc. 3 underwater swimmer's flipper.  finned adj. [old english]
Interstellar  adj. Between stars.



Flowing  adj. 1 (of style etc.) Fluent; easy. 2 (of a line, curve, etc.) Smoothly continuous. 3 (of hair etc.) Unconfined.  flowingly adv.


Somatic  adj. Of the body, not of the mind.  somatically adv. [greek soma -mat- body]
Screwball  n. Us slang crazy or eccentric person.
Hereto  adv. Formal to this matter.

Existentialism  n. Philosophical theory emphasizing the existence of the individual as a free and self-determining agent.  existentialist n. & adj.

Interstitial  adj. Of, forming, or occupying interstices.  interstitially adv.
Blaze2  —n. 1 white mark on an animal's face. 2 mark cut on a tree, esp. To show a route. —v. (-zing) mark (a tree or a path) with blazes.  blaze a trail show the way for others. [origin uncertain]




Fluke2  n. 1 parasitic flatworm, e.g. The liver fluke. 2 flat-fish, esp. A flounder. [old english]
Rigging  n. Ship's spars, ropes, etc.


Keynesian  adj. Of the economic theories of j. M. Keynes, esp. Regarding state intervention in the economy.

Indecipherable  adj. That cannot be deciphered.
Topology  n. The study of geometrical properties unaffected by changes of shape or size.  topological adj. [greek topos place]
Straightforward  adj. 1 honest or frank. 2 (of a task etc.) Simple.
Skittle  n.  1 pin used in skittles. 2 (in pl.; usu. Treated as sing.) Game of trying to bowl down usu. Nine wooden pins. [origin unknown]
Combustion  n. 1 burning. 2 development of light and heat from the chemical combination of a substance with oxygen.
Rhythm  n. 1 a periodical accent and the duration of notes in music, esp. As beats in a bar. B type of structure formed by this (samba rhythm). 2 measured regular flow of verse or prose determined by the length of and stress on syllables. 3 physiol. Pattern of successive strong and weak movements. 4 regularly recurring sequence of events.  rhythmic adj. Rhythmical adj. Rhythmically adv. [greek rhuthmos]

Litho  colloq. —n. = *lithography. —v. (-oes, -oed) lithograph. [abbreviation]
Rubbish  —n. 1 waste material; refuse, litter. 2 worthless material; trash. 3 (often as int.) Nonsense. —v. Colloq. Criticize contemptuously.  rubbishy adj. [anglo-french rubbous]
Guipure  n. Heavy lace of linen pieces joined by embroidery. [french]
Tout  —v. 1 (usu. Foll. By for) solicit custom persistently; pester customers. 2 solicit the custom of (a person) or for (a thing), esp. Sell (tickets) at a price higher than the official one. 3  spy out the movements and condition of racehorses in training. —n. Person who touts, esp. Tickets. [old english, = peep]




Zend  n. An interpretation of the avesta. [persian]
Setting  n. 1 position or manner in which a thing is set. 2 immediate surroundings of a house etc. 3 period, place, etc., of a story, drama, etc. 4 frame etc. For a jewel. 5 music to which words are set. 6 cutlery etc. For one person at a table. 7 level at which a machine is set to operate (on a high setting).

Shoulder-blade  n.  Either of the large flat bones of the upper back.
Garlic  n. Plant of the onion family with a pungent bulb used in cookery.  garlicky adj. [old english, = spear-leek]








Amine  n. Compound formed from ammonia by replacement of one or more hydrogen atoms by an organic radical or radicals.
Hula  n. (also hula-hula) polynesian dance performed by women, with flowing arm movements. [hawaiian]



Hung-over  adj. Colloq. Suffering from a hangover.

Olfactory  adj. Of the sense of smell (olfactory nerves). [latin oleo smell, facio make]

Nobleman  n. Peer.
Doxology  n. (pl. -ies) liturgical hymn etc. Of praise to god.  doxological adj. [greek doxa glory]

Flick-knife  n. Knife with a blade that springs out when a button is pressed.
King's counsel  n. = *queen's counsel.



Uneaten  adj. Left not eaten.


Latin  —n. Language of ancient rome and its empire. —adj. 1 of or in latin. 2 of the countries or peoples using languages descended from latin. 3 of the roman catholic church. [latin latium district around rome]


Underspend  v. (past and past part. -spent) (usu. Absol.) Spend less than (the expected amount), or too little.
Minder  n. 1 (often in comb.) Person employed to look after a person or thing (child minder). 2 slang bodyguard.
Astound  v. Astonish greatly.



Die2  n. 1 = *dice 1b. 2 (pl. Dies) a engraved device for stamping coins, medals, etc. B device for stamping, cutting, or moulding material.  the die is cast an irrevocable step has been taken. [latin datum from do give]

Sensibility  n. (pl. -ies) 1 capacity to feel. 2 a sensitiveness. B exceptional degree of this. 3 (in pl.) Tendency to feel offended etc.
Fortress  n. Fortified building or town. [latin fortis strong]





Brig1  n. Two-masted square-rigged ship. [abbreviation of *brigantine]

Crack-brained  adj. Crazy.
Converge  v. (-ging) 1 come together or towards the same point. 2 (foll. By on, upon) approach from different directions.  convergence n. Convergent adj. [latin vergo incline]

À deux  adv. & adj. For or between two. [french]


Min.  Abbr. 1 minister. 2 ministry.
Turn-on  n. Colloq. Person or thing that causes (esp. Sexual) excitement.
Aperitif  n. Alcoholic drink taken before a meal. [latin aperio open]


Front  —n. 1 side or part most prominent or important, or nearer the spectator or direction of motion (front of the house). 2  a line of battle. B ground towards an enemy. C scene of actual fighting. 3 a activity compared to a military front. B organized political group. 4 demeanour, bearing. 5 forward or conspicuous position. 6 a bluff. B pretext. 7 person etc. As a cover for subversive or illegal activities. 8 promenade. 9 forward edge of advancing cold or warm air. 10 auditorium of a theatre. 11 breast of a garment (spilt food down his front). —attrib. Adj. 1 of the front. 2 situated in front. —v. 1 (foll. By on, to, towards, upon) have the front facing or directed towards. 2 (foll. By for) slang act as a front or cover for. 3 provide with or have a front (fronted with stone). 4 lead (a band, organization, etc.).  in front in an advanced or facing position. In front of 1 ahead of, in advance of. 2 in the presence of. [latin frons front- face]
Sickbed  n. Invalid's bed.
Lasso  —n. (pl. -s or -es) rope with a noose at one end, esp. For catching cattle. —v. (-es, -ed) catch with a lasso. [spanish lazo: related to *lace]
Correspondence  n. 1 agreement or similarity. 2 a exchange of letters. B letters.
Safe  —adj. 1 free of danger or injury. 2 secure, not risky (in a safe place). 3 reliable, certain. 4 prevented from escaping or doing harm (have got him safe). 5 (also safe and sound) uninjured; with no harm done. 6 cautious, unenterprising. —n. 1 strong lockable cabinet etc. For valuables. 2 = *meat safe.  on the safe side with a margin for error.  safely adv. [french sauf from latin salvus]
Fitted  adj. 1 made to fit closely or exactly (fitted carpet). 2 provided with built-in fittings etc. (fitted kitchen). 3 built-in (fitted cupboards).
Angina  n. (in full angina pectoris) chest pain brought on by exertion, caused by an inadequate blood supply to the heart. [greek agkhone strangling]



Entrée  n. 1 dish served between the fish and meat courses. 2 us main dish. 3 right of admission. [french]
Catalyse  v. (us -yze) (-sing or -zing) produce (a reaction) by catalysis.





Reservist  n. Member of the military reserve.

Groan  —v. 1 a make a deep sound expressing pain, grief, or disapproval. B utter with groans. 2 (usu. Foll. By under, beneath, with) be loaded or oppressed. —n. Sound made in groaning. [old english]


Peradventure  adv. Archaic or joc. Perhaps.  [french: related to *per, *adventure]

Excoriate  v. (-ting) 1 a remove skin from (a person etc.) By abrasion. B strip off (skin). 2 censure severely.  excoriation n. [latin corium hide]


Cowbell  n. Bell worn round a cow's neck.
Cantor  n. 1 church choir leader. 2 precentor in a synagogue. [latin, = singer]
Incommunicable  adj. That cannot be communicated.
Wrns  abbr. Women's royal naval service.



Makeweight  n. 1 small quantity added to make up the weight. 2 person or thing supplying a deficiency.
Uncircumcised  adj. Not circumcised.
Jaunty  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 cheerful and self-confident. 2 sprightly.  jauntily adv. Jauntiness n. [french: related to *gentle]
Fork  —n. 1 pronged item of cutlery. 2 similar large tool used for digging, lifting, etc. 3 forked support for a bicycle wheel. 4 a divergence of a branch, road, etc. Into two parts. B place of this. C either part. —v. 1 form a fork or branch by separating into two parts. 2 take one road at a fork. 3 dig, lift, etc., with a fork.  fork out slang pay, esp. Reluctantly. [latin furca pitchfork]
Chunter  v. Colloq. Mutter, grumble. [probably imitative]
Sepoy  n. Hist. Native indian soldier under european, esp. British, discipline. [persian sipahi soldier]

Appertain  v. (foll. By to) relate, belong, or be appropriate. [latin: related to *pertain]
Net1  —n. 1 open-meshed fabric of cord, rope, etc. 2 piece of net used esp. To restrain, contain, or delimit, or to catch fish etc. 3 structure with a net used in various games. —v. (-tt-) 1 a cover, confine, or catch with a net. B procure as with a net. 2  hit (a ball) into the net, esp. Of a goal. [old english]
Saviour  n. (us savior) 1 person who saves from danger etc. 2 (saviour) (prec. By the, our) christ. [latin: related to *save1]
Imaginary  adj. 1 existing only in the imagination. 2 math. Being the square root of a negative quantity. [latin: related to *image]
Celt  n. (also kelt) member of an ethnic group, including the inhabitants of ireland, wales, scotland, cornwall, and brittany. [latin from greek]
Carpeting  n. 1 material for carpets. 2 carpets collectively.

Withers  n.pl. Ridge between a horse's shoulder-blades. [obsolete wither against (the collar)]

Child-minder  n. Person looking after children for payment.
Lusty  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 healthy and strong. 2 vigorous, lively.  lustily adv. Lustiness n. [from *lust]

Spindle  n. 1 slender rod or bar, often tapered, for twisting and winding thread. 2 pin or axis that revolves or on which something revolves. 3 turned piece of wood used as a banister, chair leg, etc. [old english: related to *spin]

Inclusive  adj. 1 (often foll. By of) including. 2 including the limits stated (pages 7 to 26 inclusive). 3 including all or much (inclusive terms).  inclusively adv. Inclusiveness n.

Cutlet  n. 1 neck-chop of mutton or lamb. 2 small piece of veal etc. For frying. 3 flat cake of minced meat or nuts and breadcrumbs etc. [french diminutive from latin costa rib]

After-effect  n. Delayed effect following an accident, trauma, etc.
Cornea  n. Transparent circular part of the front of the eyeball.  corneal adj. [medieval latin: related to *corn2]
Fine2  —n. Money to be paid as a penalty. —v. (-ning) punish by a fine (fined him £5).  in fine in short. [french fin settlement of a dispute, from latin finis end]
Means  n.pl. 1 (often treated as sing.) Action, agent, device, or method producing a result (means of quick travel). 2 a money resources (live beyond one's means). B wealth (man of means).  by all means certainly. By means of by the agency etc. Of. By no means certainly not. [from *mean3]
Rip3  n. 1 dissolute person; rascal. 2 worthless horse. [origin uncertain]
Uninterrupted  adj. Not interrupted.

Play-act  v. 1 act in a play. 2 pretend; behave insincerely.  play-acting n.

Tall  —adj. 1 of more than average height. 2 of a specified height (about six feet tall). 3 higher than the surrounding objects (tall building). —adv. As if tall; proudly (sit tall).  tallish adj. Tallness n. [old english, = swift]

Esoteric  adj. Intelligible only to those with special knowledge.  esoterically adv. [greek eso within]

Prevaricate  v. (-ting) 1 speak or act evasively or misleadingly. 2 quibble, equivocate.  prevarication n. Prevaricator n. [latin, = walk crookedly]
Onslaught  n. Fierce attack. [dutch: related to *on, slag blow]

Zippy  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Lively, speedy.
Scupper1  n. Hole in a ship's side to drain water from the deck. [french escopir to spit]

Aquatic  —adj. 1 growing or living in water. 2 (of a sport) played in or on water. —n. 1 aquatic plant or animal. 2 (in pl.) Aquatic sports. [latin aqua water]
Pearl barley  n. Barley ground to small rounded grains.



Valet  —n. Gentleman's personal servant. —v. (-t-) 1 work as a valet (for). 2 clean or clean out (a car). [french va(s)let, related to *varlet, *vassal]



Bit4  n. Computing unit of information expressed as a choice between two possibilities. [binary digit]

Abroad  adv. 1 in or to a foreign country or countries. 2 widely (scatter abroad). 3 in circulation (rumour abroad).

Dragon  n. 1 mythical usu. Winged monster like a reptile, able to breathe fire. 2 fierce woman. [greek, = serpent]

Sex chromosome  n. Chromosome determining the sex of an organism.

Ozone-friendly  adj. Not containing chemicals destructive to the ozone layer.
Catechist  n. Religious teacher, esp. One using a catechism.



Saturate  v. (-ting) 1 fill with moisture. 2 (often foll. By with) fill to capacity. 3 cause (a substance etc.) To absorb, hold, etc. As much as possible of another substance etc. 4 supply (a market) beyond demand. 5 (as saturated adj.) (of fat molecules) containing the greatest number of hydrogen atoms. [latin satur full]


Populace  n. The common people. [italian: related to *popular]
Everyman  n. Ordinary or typical human being. [name of a character in a 15th-c. Morality play]


Bull1  n. 1 a uncastrated male bovine animal. B male of the whale, elephant, etc. 2 (the bull) zodiacal sign or constellation taurus. 3 bull's-eye of a target. 4 person who buys shares hoping to sell them at a profit.  take the bull by the horns face danger or a challenge boldly.  bullish adj. [old norse]
Interchange  —v. (-ging) 1 (of two people) exchange (things) with each other. 2 put each of (two things) in the other's place; alternate. —n. 1 (often foll. By of) exchange between two people etc. 2 alternation. 3 road junction where traffic streams do not cross.
Pinnace  n. Ship's small boat. [french]

Seventy  adj. & n. (pl. -ies) 1 seven times ten. 2 symbol for this (70, lxx, lxx). 3 (in pl.) Numbers from 70 to 79, esp. The years of a century or of a person's life.  seventieth adj. & n. [old english]



Anomaly  n. (pl. -ies) anomalous thing; irregularity.

Inkling  n. (often foll. By of) slight knowledge or suspicion; hint. [origin unknown]
Pseudo-  comb. Form (also pseud- before a vowel) 1 false; not genuine (pseudo-intellectual). 2 resembling or imitating (pseudo-acid). [greek pseudes false]


Manuscript  —n. 1 text written by hand. 2 author's handwritten or typed text. 3 handwritten form (produced in manuscript). —adj. Written by hand. [medieval latin manuscriptus written by hand]
Exert  v. 1 bring to bear, use (a quality, force, influence, etc.). 2 refl. (often foll. By for, or to + infin.) Use one's efforts or endeavours; strive.  exertion n. [latin exsero exsert- put forth]
Jargon  n. 1 words or expressions used by a particular group or profession (medical jargon). 2 debased or pretentious language. [french]
Critic  n. 1 person who criticizes. 2 person who reviews literary, artistic, etc. Works. [latin criticus from greek krites judge]
Macho  adj. Aggressively masculine. [from *machismo]

Rating  n. 1 placing in a rank or class. 2 estimated standing of a person as regards credit etc. 3 non-commissioned sailor. 4 amount fixed as a local rate. 5 relative popularity of a broadcast programme as determined by the estimated size of the audience. 

Suggestion  n. 1 suggesting or being suggested. 2 theory, plan, etc., suggested. 3 slight trace, hint. 4 psychol. Insinuation of a belief etc. Into the mind. [latin: related to *suggest]


Vineyard  n. Plantation of grapevines, esp. For wine-making.
Ersatz  adj. & n. Substitute, imitation. [german]

Equivocate  v. (-ting) use ambiguity to conceal the truth.  equivocation n. Equivocator n. [latin: related to *equivocal]
Virulent  adj. 1 strongly poisonous. 2 (of a disease) violent. 3 bitterly hostile.  virulence n. Virulently adv. [latin: related to *virus]

Sundry  —adj. Various; several. —n. (pl. -ies) (in pl.) Items or oddments not mentioned individually. [old english: related to *sunder]

Unbroken  adj. 1 not broken. 2 untamed (unbroken horse). 3 uninterrupted (unbroken sleep). 4 unsurpassed (unbroken record).
Inflow  n. 1 flowing in. 2 something that flows in.
Standpipe  n. Vertical pipe extending from a water supply, esp. One connecting a temporary tap to the mains.

Snip  —v. (-pp-) (also absol.) Cut with scissors etc., esp. In small quick strokes. —n. 1 act of snipping. 2 piece snipped off. 3 slang a something easily done. B  bargain. [low german or dutch snippen]
Furor  n. (brit. Furore) 1 uproar; fury. 2 enthusiastic admiration. [latin: related to *fury]

Gayety  n. (brit. Gaiety) 1 being gay; mirth. 2 merrymaking. 3 bright appearance. [french: related to *gay]
Oddball  n. Colloq. Eccentric person.
Component  —n. Part of a larger whole. —adj. Being part of a larger whole. [latin: related to *compound1]



Sic  adv. (usu. In brackets) used, spelt, etc., as written (confirming, or emphasizing, the quoted or copied words). [latin, = so]




Arm-wrestling  n. Trial of strength in which each party tries to force the other's arm down.






Well off  adj. (also well-off) 1 having plenty of money. 2 in a fortunate situation.
Finnic  adj. Of the group of peoples or languages related to the finns or finnish.


Coronation  n. Ceremony of crowning a sovereign or consort. [medieval latin: related to *corona]



Cheap  —adj. 1 low in price; worth more than its cost. 2 charging low prices; offering good value. 3 of poor quality; inferior. 4 costing little effort and hence of little worth. —adv. Cheaply.  on the cheap cheaply.  cheaply adv. Cheapness n. [old english, = price, bargain]


Hot-air balloon  n. Balloon containing air heated by burners below it, causing it to rise.
Employee  n. Person employed for wages.

Ram  —n. 1 uncastrated male sheep. 2 (the ram) zodiacal sign or constellation aries. 3 hist. = *battering-ram. 4 falling weight of a pile-driving machine. 5 hydraulically operated water pump. —v. (-mm-) 1 force or squeeze into place by pressure. 2 (usu. Foll. By down, in, etc.) Beat down or drive in by heavy blows. 3 (of a ship, vehicle, etc.) Strike violently, crash against. 4 (foll. By against, into) dash or violently impel. [old english]
Borne  past part. Of *bear1. —adj. (in comb.) Carried by (airborne).

Sump  n. 1 casing holding the oil in an internal-combustion engine. 2 pit, well, hole, etc. In which superfluous liquid collects. [low german or dutch]



Buret  n. (brit. Burette) graduated glass tube with an end-tap for measuring liquid in chemical analysis. [french]

Ridge  —n. 1 line of the junction of two surfaces sloping upwards towards each other (ridge of a roof). 2 long narrow hilltop, mountain range, or watershed. 3 any narrow elevation across a surface. 4 elongated region of high barometric pressure. 5 raised strip of esp. Ploughed land. —v. (-ging) mark with ridges.  ridgy adj. [old english]
Halter  n. 1 headstall and rope for leading or tying up a horse etc. 2 a strap round the neck holding a dress etc. Up and leaving the shoulders and back bare. B (also halterneck) dress etc. Held by this. [old english]
Console2  n. 1 panel for switches, controls, etc. 2 cabinet for a television etc. 3 cabinet with the keyboards and stops of an organ. 4 bracket supporting a shelf etc. [french]


Baluster  n. Short post or pillar supporting a rail. [greek balaustion wild-pomegranate flower]
Outsell  v. (past and past part. -sold) 1 sell more than. 2 be sold in greater quantities than.
Compound interest  n. Interest payable on capital and its accumulated interest.




Colony  n. (pl. -ies) 1 a settlement or settlers in a new country, fully or partly subject to the mother country. B their territory. 2 a people of one nationality, occupation, etc., esp. Forming a community in a city. B separate or segregated group (nudist colony). 3 group of animals, plants, etc., living close together. [latin colonia farm]

Small fry  n. Unimportant people; children.




Inextricable  adj. 1 inescapable. 2 that cannot be separated, loosened, or solved.  inextricably adv.



Style  —n. 1 kind or sort, esp. In regard to appearance and form (elegant style of house). 2 manner of writing, speaking, or performing. 3 distinctive manner of a person, artistic school, or period. 4 correct way of designating a person or thing. 5 superior quality or manner (do it in style). 6 fashion in dress etc. 7 pointed tool for scratching or engraving. 8 bot. Narrow extension of the ovary supporting the stigma. —v. (-ling) 1 design or make etc. In a particular (esp. Fashionable) style. 2 designate in a specified way. [latin stilus]
Flat foot  n. Foot with a flattened arch.
Gorsedd  n. Druidic order, meeting before the eisteddfod. [welsh, literally ‘throne’]
Loser  n. 1 person or thing that loses, esp. A contest (is a bad loser). 2 colloq. Person who regularly fails.



Blend  —v. 1 mix together as required. 2 become one. 3 (often foll. By with, in) mingle; mix thoroughly. 4 (esp. Of colours) merge imperceptibly; harmonize. —n. Mixture. [old norse]







Paper tiger  n. Apparently threatening, but ineffectual, person or thing.
Treadwheel  n. = *treadmill 1, 2.


Molest  v. 1 annoy or pester (a person). 2 attack or interfere with (a person), esp. Sexually.  molestation n. Molester n. [latin molestus troublesome]
Cramp  —n. 1 painful involuntary muscular contraction. 2 (also cramp-iron) metal bar with bent ends for holding masonry etc. Together. —v. 1 affect with cramp. 2 (often foll. By up) confine narrowly. 3 restrict. 4 fasten with a cramp.  cramp a person's style prevent a person from acting freely or naturally. [low german or dutch]

Handbrake  n. Brake operated by hand.

Caboose  n. 1 kitchen on a ship's deck. 2 us guard's van on a train etc. [dutch]
Transaction  n. 1 a piece of esp. Commercial business done. B transacting of business etc. 2 (in pl.) Published reports of discussions, papers read, etc., at the meetings of a learned society.



Rake-off  n. Colloq. Commission or share.

Red flag  n. 1 symbol of socialist revolution. 2 warning of danger.
Thigh-bone  n. = *femur.
Boudoir  n. Woman's private room. [french bouder sulk]


Callisthenics  n.pl. (also calisthenics) exercises for fitness and grace.  callisthenic adj. [greek kallos beauty, sthenos strength]

Dine  v. (-ning) 1 a eat dinner. B (foll. By on, upon) eat for dinner. 2 (esp. In phr. Wine and dine) entertain with food.  dine out dine away from home. [french diner as *dis-, latin jejunus fasting]



Dehisce  v. (-cing) (esp. Of a pod, cut, etc.) Gape or burst open.  dehiscence n. Dehiscent adj. [latin hio gape]
Blender  n. Machine for liquidizing, chopping, or puréeing food.



Indigenous  adj. (often foll. By to) native or belonging naturally to a place. [latin: from a root gen- be born]
Desalinate  v. (-ting) remove the salt from (esp. Sea water).  desalination n. [from *saline]



Exordium  n. (pl. -s or -dia) introductory part, esp. Of a discourse or treatise. [latin exordior begin]
See-saw  —n. 1 a long plank balanced on a central support, for children to sit on at each end and move up and down alternately. B this game. 2 up-and-down or to-and-fro motion. 3 close contest with alternating advantage. —v. 1 play on a see-saw. 2 move up and down. 3 vacillate in policy, emotion, etc. —adj. & adv. With up-and-down or backward-and-forward motion. [reduplication of *saw1]

Follow-on  n. Cricket instance of following on.

Ski-run  n. Slope prepared for skiing.
Commonalty  n. (pl. -ies) 1 the common people. 2 the general body (esp. Of mankind). [medieval latin: related to *common]
Width  n. 1 measurement from side to side. 2 large extent. 3 liberality of views etc. 4 strip of material of full width.  widthways adv. [from *wide]
Smithereens  n.pl. Small fragments. [dial. Smithers]


Side-car  n. Passenger compartment attached to the side of a motor cycle.
Californium  n. Artificial radioactive metallic element. [california in us, where first made]



Cadence  n. 1 rhythm; the measure or beat of a sound or movement. 2 fall in pitch of the voice. 3 tonal inflection. 4 close of a musical phrase. [latin cado fall]

Hook, line, and sinker  adv. Entirely.


Eardrum  n. Membrane of the middle ear.


Misconduct  n. Improper or unprofessional behaviour.
Reapply  v. (-ies, -ied) apply again, esp. Submit a further application (for a position etc.).  reapplication n.
Straighten  v. 1 (often foll. By out) make or become straight. 2 (foll. By up) stand erect after bending.

Knobbly  adj. (-ier, -iest) hard and lumpy. [knobble, diminutive of *knob]
Unreadable  adj. Too dull, bad, or difficult to read.
White ant  n. Termite.
Thistle  n. 1 prickly plant, usu. With globular heads of purple flowers. 2 this as the scottish national emblem. [old english]

Hi-fi  colloq. —adj. Of high fidelity. —n. (pl. -s) set of high-fidelity equipment. [abbreviation]
Champers  n. Slang champagne.
Recreation  n. 1 process or means of refreshing or entertaining oneself. 2 pleasurable activity.  recreational adj. [latin: related to *create]



Succubus  n. (pl. -buses or -bi) female demon formerly believed to have sexual intercourse with sleeping men. [latin, = prostitute]

Tax return  n. Declaration of income for taxation purposes.
Tum  n. Colloq. Stomach. [abbreviation of *tummy]
Three-line whip  n. Written notice to mps from their leader insisting on attendance at a debate and voting a certain way.


Artisan  n. Skilled manual worker or craftsman. [latin artio instruct in the arts]
Dismissive  adj. Dismissing rudely or casually; disdainful.  dismissively adv. Dismissiveness n.


Generation gap  n. Differences of outlook between different generations.
Irk  v. Irritate, bore, annoy. [origin unknown]
Countable  adj. 1 that can be counted. 2 gram. (of a noun) that can form a plural or be used with the indefinite article.
Sick  —adj. 1 esp. Us unwell, ill. 2 vomiting or likely to vomit. 3 (often foll. By of) colloq. A disgusted; surfeited. B angry, esp. Because of surfeit. 4 colloq. (of a joke etc.) Cruel, morbid, perverted, offensive. 5 a mentally disordered. B (esp. In comb.) Pining (lovesick). —n. Colloq. Vomit. —v. (usu. Foll. By up) colloq. Vomit.  take (or fall) sick colloq. Be taken ill. [old english]
Steerage  n. 1 act of steering. 2 archaic cheapest part of a ship's accommodation.
High-flown  adj. (of language etc.) Extravagant, bombastic.

Panel game  n. Broadcast quiz etc. Played by a panel.
Australian  —n. 1 native or national of australia. 2 person of australian descent. —adj. Of australia.
Talisman  n. (pl. -s) ring, stone, etc. Thought to have magic powers, esp. To bring good luck.  talismanic adj. [french and spanish from greek]

Sdp  abbr. Hist. Social democratic party.
Uncharacteristic  adj. Not characteristic.  uncharacteristically adv.




Lunation  n. Interval between new moons, about 291/2 days. [medieval latin: related to *lunar]

Sixer  n. 1 cricket hit for six runs. 2 brownie or cub in charge of a group of six.

Lipid  n. Any of a group of fatlike substances that are insoluble in water but soluble in organic solvents, including fatty acids, oils, waxes, and steroids. [greek lipos fat]

Mismatch  —v. Match unsuitably or incorrectly. —n. Bad match.

Septuagint  n. Greek version of the old testament including the apocrypha. [latin septuaginta seventy]

Unaffected  adj. 1 (usu. Foll. By by) not affected. 2 free from affectation.  unaffectedly adv.

Aperitif  n. Alcoholic drink taken before a meal. [latin aperio open]


Recondite  adj. 1 (of a subject or knowledge) abstruse, out of the way, little known. 2 (of an author or style) dealing in abstruse knowledge or allusions, obscure. [latin recondo -dit- put away]

Molecular weight  n. = *relative molecular mass.
Untarnished  adj. Not tarnished.
Chair-lift  n. Series of chairs on a looped cable, for carrying passengers up and down a mountain etc.











Flying start  n. 1 start (of a race etc.) In which the starting-point is crossed at full speed. 2 vigorous start (of an enterprise etc.).

White-out  n. Dense blizzard, esp. In polar regions.
Odor  n. (brit. Odour) 1 smell or fragrance. 2 quality or trace (an odour of intolerance). 3 regard, repute (in bad odour).  odorous adj. Odourless adj. [latin odor]
Dilly-dally  v. (-ies, -ied) colloq. 1 dawdle. 2 vacillate. [reduplication of *dally]
Oven  n. Enclosed compartment for heating or cooking food etc. [old english]
Shorthand typist  n. Typist qualified in shorthand.

Tenon  n. Wooden projection made for insertion into a cavity, esp. A mortise, in another piece. [latin: related to *tenor]



Collectivize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) organize on the basis of collective ownership.  collectivization n.
Academia  n. The academic world; scholastic life.

Brandy butter  n. Mixture of brandy, butter, and sugar.

Milky way  n. Luminous band of stars; the galaxy.
Backhand  —attrib. Adj. (of a stroke) made with the hand across one's body. —n. Such a stroke.
Twit1  n. Slang foolish person. [originally dial., perhaps from *twit2]


Bore3  n. High tidal wave in an estuary. [scandinavian]
Habiliment  n. (usu. In pl.) Archaic clothes. [french from habiller fit out]


Angle  n. (usu. In pl.) Member of a n. German tribe that settled in e. Britain in the 5th c. [latin anglus, from the name angul in germany]
Ankylosis  n. Stiffening of a joint by fusion of the bones. [greek agkulos crooked]
Buttonhole  —n. 1 slit in cloth for a button. 2 flower etc. Worn in a lapel buttonhole. —v. (-ling) colloq. Accost and detain (a reluctant listener).
Inspector of taxes  n. Inland revenue official responsible for assessing taxes.

Quartermaster  n. 1 regimental officer in charge of quartering, rations, etc. 2 naval petty officer in charge of steering, signals, etc.


Coward  n. Person who is easily frightened. [latin cauda tail]
Backslide  v. (-ding; past -slid; past part. -slid or -slidden) return to bad habits etc.


Monosodium glutamate  n. Sodium salt of glutamic acid used to enhance the flavour of food. [latin gluten glue]
Spiritualism  n. Belief in, and supposed practice of, communication with the dead, esp. Through mediums.  spiritualist n. Spiritualistic adj.
Junk1  —n. 1 discarded articles; rubbish. 2 anything regarded as of little value. 3 slang narcotic drug, esp. Heroin. —v. Discard as junk. [origin unknown]
Burglar  n. Person who commits burglary. [anglo-french]
Vast  adj. Immense, huge.  vastly adv. Vastness n. [latin]



Semantic  adj. Of meaning in language.  semantically adv. [greek semaino to mean]


Billion  adj. & n. (pl. Same or (in sense 3) -s) 1 a thousand million (109). 2 (now less often) a million million (1012). 3 (in pl.) Colloq. A very large number (billions of years).  billionth adj. & n. [french]
Crêpe de chine  n. Fine silk crêpe.




Political asylum  n. State protection given to a political refugee from another country.
Rowing-boat  n. Small boat propelled by oars.

Humpback  n. 1 a deformed back with a hump. B person with this. 2 whale with a dorsal fin forming a hump.  humpbacked adj.


Entangle  v. (-ling) 1 catch or hold fast in a snare, tangle, etc. 2 involve in difficulties. 3 complicate.  entanglement n.

Stygian  adj. Literary dark, gloomy. [literally = of the styx, a river round hades in greek mythology]
Roll-up  n. (also roll-your-own) hand-rolled cigarette.

Compare  —v. (-ring) 1 (usu. Foll. By to) express similarities in; liken. 2 (often foll. By to, with) estimate the similarity of. 3 (often foll. By with) bear comparison. 4 gram. Form comparative and superlative degrees of (an adjective or adverb). —n. Literary comparison (beyond compare).  compare notes exchange ideas or opinions. [latin compar equal]
Peg  —n. 1 pin or bolt of wood, metal, etc., for holding things together, hanging garments on, holding up a tent, etc. 2 each of the pins used to tighten or loosen the strings of a violin etc. 3 pin for marking position, e.g. On a cribbage-board. 4 = *clothes-peg. 5 occasion or pretext (peg to hang an argument on). 6  drink, esp. Of spirits. —v. (-gg-) 1 (usu. Foll. By down, in, out, etc.) Fix (a thing) with a peg. 2 stabilize (prices, wages, etc.). 3 mark (the score) with pegs on a cribbage-board.  off the peg (of clothes) ready-made. Peg away (often foll. By at) work consistently. Peg out 1 slang die. 2 mark the boundaries of. Square peg in a round hole misfit. Take a person down a peg or two humble a person. [probably low german or dutch]
Misuse  —v. (-sing) 1 use wrongly; apply to the wrong purpose. 2 ill-treat. —n. Wrong or improper use or application.
Memorize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) commit to memory.
G1  n. (also g) (pl. Gs or g's) 1 seventh letter of the alphabet. 2 mus. Fifth note of the diatonic scale of c major.
Distinguished  adj. 1 eminent; famous. 2 dignified.
Foretaste  n. Small preliminary experience of something.
Ramble  —v. (-ling) 1 walk for pleasure. 2 talk or write incoherently. —n. Walk taken for pleasure. [dutch rammelen]
Jesuit  n. Member of the society of jesus, a roman catholic order. [latin jesus, founder of the christian religion]


Pedo-  us var. Of *paedo-.

Pastorate  n. 1 office or tenure of a pastor. 2 body of pastors.

Inure  v. (-ring) 1 (often in passive; foll. By to) accustom (a person) to an esp. Unpleasant thing. 2 law take effect.  inurement n. [anglo-french: related to *in, eure work, from latin opera]
Stylist  n. 1 a designer of fashionable styles etc. B hairdresser. 2 stylish writer or performer.

Creosote  —n. 1 dark-brown oil distilled from coal tar, used as a wood-preservative. 2 oily fluid distilled from wood tar, used as an antiseptic. —v. (-ting) treat with creosote. [greek kreas flesh, soter preserver, because of its antiseptic properties]




Local time  n. Time in a particular place.
Quintuple  —adj. Fivefold; having five parts. —n. Fivefold number or amount. —v. (-ling) multiply by five. [latin quintus fifth]
Mev  abbr. Mega-electronvolt(s).

Incapable  adj. 1 a not capable. B too honest, kind, etc., to do something (incapable of hurting anyone). 2 not capable of rational conduct (drunk and incapable).  incapability n. Incapably adv.




Veterinary surgeon  n. Person qualified to treat animals.
Kilometre  n. (us -meter) 1,000 metres (approx. 0.62 miles).  kilometric adj.





Cuboid  —adj. Cube-shaped; like a cube. —n. Geom. Rectangular parallelepiped.



Stage-struck  adj. Obsessed with becoming an actor.



High pressure  n. 1 high degree of activity or exertion. 2 atmospheric condition with the pressure above average.

Henbane  n. Poisonous hairy plant with an unpleasant smell.

Shiite  —n. Adherent of the branch of islam rejecting the first three sunni caliphs. —adj. Of this branch. [arabic shiah, = party]
Defalcate  v. (-ting) formal misappropriate, esp. Money.  defalcator n. [latin defalcare lop, from falx sickle]
Elizabethan  —adj. Of the time of queen elizabeth i or ii. —n. Person of this time.
Sparkle  —v. (-ling) 1 a emit or seem to emit sparks; glitter, glisten. B be witty; scintillate. 2 (of wine etc.) Effervesce. —n. 1 glitter. 2 lively quality (the song lacks sparkle).  sparkly adj.

Migraine  n. Recurrent throbbing headache often with nausea and visual disturbance. [greek hemikrania: related to *hemi-, *cranium]
Hearken  v. Archaic (often foll. By to) listen. [old english: related to *hark]

Awe-inspiring  adj. Awesome; magnificent.

Slide-rule  n. Ruler with a sliding central strip, graduated logarithmically for making rapid calculations.


Demigod  n. 1 a partly divine being. B child of a god or goddess and a mortal. 2 colloq. Godlike person.


Inner man  n. (also inner woman) 1 soul or mind. 2 joc. Stomach.
Maybe  adv. Perhaps. [from it may be]
Satisfaction  n. 1 satisfying or being satisfied (derived great satisfaction). 2 thing that satisfies (is a great satisfaction to me). 3 (foll. By for) atonement; compensation (demanded satisfaction).



Tutu  n. Ballet dancer's short skirt of stiffened frills. [french]
Hindi  n. 1 group of spoken dialects of n. India. 2 literary form of hindustani, an official language of india. [urdu hind india]

Sandwich-board  n. Each of two boards worn front and back to carry advertisements.




Hopeful  —adj. 1 feeling hope. 2 causing or inspiring hope. 3 likely to succeed, promising. —n. Person likely to succeed.
Ignoramus  n. (pl. -muses) ignorant person. [latin, = we do not know: related to *ignore]

Woolly  —adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 bearing wool. 2 like wool. 3 woollen (a woolly cardigan). 4 (of a sound) indistinct. 5 (of thought) vague or confused. —n. (pl. -ies) colloq. Woollen garment, esp. A pullover.  woolliness n.
Salary  —n. (pl. -ies) fixed regular wages, usu. Monthly or quarterly, esp. For white-collar work. —v. (-ies, -ied) (usu. As salaried adj.) Pay a salary to. [latin salarium money for buying salt]
Flash-lamp  n. Portable flashing electric lamp.

Pia mater  n. Delicate innermost membrane enveloping the brain and spinal cord. [latin, = tender mother]
Pannier  n. Basket, bag, or box, esp. One of a pair carried by a donkey etc., bicycle, or motor cycle. [latin panis bread]
Superpower  n. Extremely powerful nation.



Sawmill  n. Factory for sawing planks.
Bop1  colloq. —n. 1 a spell of dancing, esp. To pop music. B social occasion for this. 2 = *bebop. —v. (-pp-) dance, esp. To pop music.  bopper n. [abbreviation]
Unutterable  adj. Inexpressible; beyond description.  unutterably adv.
Share1  —n. 1 portion of a whole allotted to or taken from a person. 2 each of the equal parts into which a company's capital is divided, entitling its owner to a proportion of the profits. —v. (-ring) 1 (also absol.) Have or use with another or others; get, have, or give a share of (we shared a room; refused to share; shared his food). 2 (foll. By in) participate. 3 (often foll. By out) divide and distribute (let's share the last cake). 4 have in common (shared the same beliefs). [old english: related to *shear]



Pitch1  —v. 1 erect and fix (a tent, camp, etc.). 2 throw. 3 fix in a definite position. 4 express in a particular style or at a particular level. 5 (often foll. By against, into, etc.) Fall heavily, esp. Headlong. 6 (of a ship etc.) Plunge backwards and forwards in a lengthwise direction. 7 mus. Set at a particular pitch. 8 cricket a cause (a bowled ball) to strike the ground at a specified point etc. B (of a ball) strike the ground thus. —n. 1 area of play in a field-game. 2 height, degree, intensity, etc. (excitement had reached such a pitch). 3 degree of slope, esp. Of a roof. 4 mus. Quality of a sound governed by the rate of vibrations producing it; highness or lowness of a note. 5 act of throwing. 6 pitching motion of a ship etc. 7 colloq.

Lofty  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 (of things) of imposing height. 2 haughty, aloof. 3 exalted, noble (lofty ideals).  loftily adv. Loftiness n.

All-round  attrib. Adj. (of a person) versatile.

Working  —attrib. Adj. 1 a engaged in work (working mother; working man). B while so engaged (all his working life; in working hours). 2 functioning or able to function (working model). —n. 1 activity of work. 2 functioning. 3 mine or quarry. 4 (usu. In pl.) Machinery, mechanism.


Indian summer  n. 1 dry warm weather in late autumn. 2 late tranquil period of life.
Hot cross bun  n. Bun marked with a cross and traditionally eaten on good friday.

Usage  laudable is sometimes confused with laudatory.
Pile-driver  n. Machine for driving piles into the ground.
Neapolitan  —n. Native or citizen of naples. —adj. Of naples. [greek neapolis naples]
Misprision  n. Law 1 (in full misprision of a felony or of treason) deliberate concealment of one's knowledge of a crime, treason, etc. 2 wrong action or omission. [anglo-french: related to *mis-2, prendre take]


Delay  —v. 1 postpone; defer. 2 make or be late; loiter. —n. 1 delaying or being delayed. 2 time lost by this. 3 hindrance. [french]

Stockbreeder  n. Livestock farmer.
Lessor  n. Person who lets a property by lease. [anglo-french: related to *lease]



Suborder  n. Taxonomic category between an order and a family.
Cognate object  n. Gram. Object related in origin and sense to its verb (as in live a good life).

Square  —n. 1 rectangle with four equal sides. 2 object of (approximately) this shape. 3 open (usu. Four-sided) area surrounded by buildings. 4 product of a number multiplied by itself (16 is the square of 4). 5 l- or t-shaped instrument for obtaining or testing right angles. 6 slang conventional or old-fashioned person. —adj. 1 square-shaped. 2 having or in the form of a right angle (square corner). 3 angular, not round. 4 designating a unit of measure equal to the area of a square whose side is one of the unit specified (square metre). 5 (often foll. By with) level, parallel. 6 (usu. Foll. By to) at right angles. 7 sturdy, squat (a man of square frame). 8 arranged; settled (get things square). 9 (also all square) a with no money owed. B (of scores) equal. 10 fair and honest. 11 direct (met with a square refusal). 12 slang conventional or old-fashioned. —adv. 1 squarely (hit me square on the jaw). 2 fairly, honestly. —v. (-ring) 1 make square. 2 multiply (a number) by itself. 3 (usu. Foll. By to, with) adjust; make or be suitable or consistent; reconcile. 4 mark out in squares. 5 settle or pay (a bill etc.). 6 place (one's shoulders etc.) Squarely facing forwards. 7 colloq. Pay or bribe (a person). 8 (also absol.) Make the scores of (a match etc.) Equal.  back to square one colloq. Back to the starting-point with no progress made. Out of square not at right angles. Square the circle 1 construct a square equal in area to a given circle. 2 do what is impossible. Square peg in a round hole see *peg. Square up settle an account etc. Square up to 1 move threateningly towards (a person). 2 face and tackle (a difficulty etc.) Resolutely.  squarely adv. Squareness n. Squarish adj. [french esquare, latin quadra]

Nan  n. (also nana, nanna) colloq. Grandmother. [childish pronunciation]
Pustule  n. Pimple containing pus.  pustular adj. [latin pustula]

Digital  adj. 1 of digits. 2 (of a clock, watch, etc.) Giving a reading by displayed digits. 3 (of a computer) operating on data represented by a series of digits. 4 (of a recording) with sound-information represented by digits for more reliable transmission.  digitally adv. [latin: related to *digit]
Waterloo  n. Decisive defeat or contest. [waterloo in belgium, where napoleon was defeated]

Oxf.  Abbr. Oxford.


Malnourished  adj. Suffering from malnutrition.  malnourishment n.

Relation  n. 1 a the way in which one person or thing is related or connected to another. B connection, correspondence, contrast, or feeling prevailing between persons or things (bears no relation to the facts; enjoyed good relations for many years). 2 relative. 3 (in pl.) A (foll.
Cochineal  n. 1 scarlet dye used esp. For colouring food. 2 insects whose dried bodies yield this. [latin coccinus scarlet, from greek]

Genus  n. (pl. Genera) 1 taxonomic category of animals or plants with common structural characteristics, usu. Containing several species. 2 (in logic) kind of things including subordinate kinds or species. 3 colloq. Kind, class. [latin genus -eris]

Devious  adj. 1 not straightforward, underhand. 2 winding, circuitous.  deviously adv. Deviousness n. [latin via way]







Tornado  n. (pl. -es) violent storm of small extent with whirling winds.  [spanish tronada thunderstorm]
Combination  n. 1 combining or being combined. 2 combined set of things or people. 3 sequence of numbers or letters used to open a combination lock. 4 motor cycle with a side-car attached. 5 (in pl.) Single undergarment for the body and legs. [latin: related to *combine]




Solid  —adj. (-der, -dest) 1 firm and stable in shape; not liquid or fluid. 2 of such material throughout, not hollow. 3 of the same substance throughout (solid silver). 4 sturdily built; not flimsy or slender. 5 a three-dimensional. B of solids (solid geometry). 6 a sound, reliable (solid arguments). B dependable (solid friend). 7 sound but unexciting (solid piece of work). 8 financially sound. 9 uninterrupted (four solid hours). 10 unanimous, undivided. 11 (of printing) without spaces. —n. 1 solid substance or body. 2 (in pl.) Solid food. 3 geom. Three-dimensional body or magnitude. —adv. Solidly (jammed solid).  solidly adv. Solidness n. [latin solidus]



Joule  n. Si unit of work or energy. [joule, name of a physicist]
Unthinking  adj. 1 thoughtless. 2 unintentional, inadvertent.  unthinkingly adv.

Limber1  —adj. 1 lithe. 2 flexible. —v. (usu. Foll. By up) 1 make (oneself or a part of the body etc.) Supple. 2 warm up in preparation for athletic etc. Activity. [origin uncertain]

Inform  v. 1 tell (informed them of their rights). 2 (usu. Foll. By against, on) give incriminating information about a person to the authorities. [latin: related to *form]

Reload  v. (also absol.) Load (esp. A gun) again.


W1  n. (also w) (pl. Ws or w's) twenty-third letter of the alphabet.
Insoluble  adj. 1 incapable of being solved. 2 incapable of being dissolved.  insolubility n. Insolubly adv.
Barbell  n. Iron bar with removable weights at each end, used for weightlifting.
Iou  n. Signed document acknowledging a debt. [from i owe you]


Vein  n. 1 a any of the tubes conveying blood to the heart. B (in general use) any blood-vessel. 2 rib of an insect's wing or leaf. 3 streak of a different colour in wood, marble, cheese, etc. 4 fissure in rock filled with ore. 5 specified character or tendency; mood (spoke in a sarcastic vein).  veined adj. Veiny adj. (-ier, -iest). [latin vena]
Misdial  v. (also absol.) (-ll-; us -l-) dial (a telephone number etc.) Incorrectly.


Say-so  n. Colloq. 1 power of decision. 2 mere assertion (his say-so is not enough).

Urban guerrilla  n. Terrorist operating in an urban area.




Logan  n. (in full logan-stone) poised heavy stone rocking at a touch. [= (dial.) Logging, = rocking]

Extortion  n. 1 act of extorting, esp. Money. 2 illegal exaction.  extortioner n. Extortionist n.


Visor  n. (also vizor) 1 movable part of a helmet covering the face. 2 shield for the eyes, esp. One at the top of a vehicle windscreen. [anglo-french viser: related to *visage]

Won  past and past part. Of *win.




Unfeigned  adj. Genuine, sincere.

Gd  symb. Gadolinium.

Intersperse  v. (-sing) 1 (often foll. By between, among) scatter. 2 (foll. By with) vary (a thing) by scattering other things among it.  interspersion n. [latin: related to *sparse]
Dipsomania  n. Alcoholism.  dipsomaniac n. [greek dipsa thirst]

Gutted  adj. Slang utterly exhausted or fed-up.

Tough  —adj. 1 hard to break, cut, tear, or chew. 2 able to endure hardship; hardy. 3 unyielding, stubborn, difficult (it was a tough job). 4 colloq. A acting sternly; hard (get tough with). B (of circumstances, luck, etc.) Severe, hard. 5 colloq. Criminal or violent. —n. Tough person, esp. A ruffian.  toughen v. Toughness n. [old english]
Nauseate  v. (-ting) affect with nausea.  nauseating adj. Nauseatingly adv.
Sanitize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 make sanitary; disinfect. 2 colloq. Censor (information etc.) To make it more acceptable.

Chartered  attrib. Adj. (of an accountant, engineer, librarian, etc.) Qualified member of a professional body that has a royal charter.
Colourless  adj. (us color-) 1 without colour. 2 lacking character or interest.



Run-up  n. (often foll. By to) preparatory period.
Scarab  n. 1 a sacred dung-beetle of ancient egypt. B a kind of beetle. 2 ancient egyptian gem cut in the form of a beetle. [latin scarabaeus from greek]
Sponge  —n. 1 sea animal with a porous body wall and a rigid internal skeleton. 2 this skeleton or a piece of porous rubber etc. Used in bathing, cleaning, etc. 3 thing like a sponge in consistency etc., esp. A sponge cake. 4 act of sponging. —v. (-ging) 1 wipe or cleanse with a sponge. 2 (often foll. By out, away, etc.) Wipe off or efface (as) with a sponge. 3 (often foll. By up) absorb (as) with a sponge. 4 (often foll. By on, off) live as a parasite.  spongiform adj. (esp. In senses 1, 2 of the n.). [latin spongia]
Unemployed  adj. 1 out of work. 2 not in use.




Grenadier  n. 1 (grenadiers or grenadier guards) first regiment of the royal household infantry. 2 hist. Soldier armed with grenades.

Ack-ack  colloq. —adj. Anti-aircraft. —n. Anti-aircraft gun etc. [formerly signallers' term for aa]
Taupe  adj. & n. Grey tinged with esp. Brown. [french, = *mole1]


Stud-farm  n. Place where horses are bred.
Rebid  —v. (-dd-; past and past part. Rebid) bid again. —n. 1 act of rebidding. 2 bid so made.


Jumble  —v. (-ling) (often foll. By up) confuse; mix up; muddle. —n. 1 confused state or heap; muddle. 2 articles in a jumble sale. [probably imitative]
Fennel  n. Yellow-flowered fragrant herb used for flavouring. [latin fenum hay]
Consecutive  adj. 1 a following continuously. B in an unbroken or logical order. 2 gram. Expressing a consequence.  consecutively adv. [latin sequor secut- follow]
Data capture  n. Entering of data into a computer.

Demonstrative  adj. 1 showing feelings readily; affectionate. 2 (usu. Foll. By of) logically conclusive; giving proof (demonstrative of their skill). 3 gram. (of an adjective or pronoun) indicating the person or thing referred to (e.g. This, that, those).  demonstratively adv. Demonstrativeness n.
Ballot-box  n. Sealed box for completed ballot-papers.
Self-confessed  adj. Openly admitting oneself to be.
Monies  see *money 2.

Clammy  adj. (-ier, -iest) unpleasantly damp and sticky.  clammily adv. Clamminess n. [clam to daub]

Cesium  n. (brit. Caesium) soft silver-white element. [latin caesius blue-grey]


Long.  Abbr. Longitude.
Snake  —n. 1 long limbless reptile. 2 (also snake in the grass) traitor; secret enemy. —v. (-king) move or twist like a snake. [old english]
Microsurgery  n. Intricate surgery using microscopes.
Tartrazine  n. Brilliant yellow dye from tartaric acid, used to colour food etc.
Yeast  n. Greyish-yellow fungus obtained esp. From fermenting malt liquors and used as a fermenting agent, to raise bread, etc. [old english]
Height  n. 1 measurement from base to top or head to foot. 2 elevation above the ground or a recognized level. 3 considerable elevation (situated at a height). 4 high place or area. 5 top. 6 a most intense part or period (battle was at its height). B extreme example (the height of fashion). [old english]


Latin america  n. Parts of central and s. America where spanish or portuguese is the main language.

Curriculum  n. (pl. -la) subjects included in a course of study. [latin, = course]


Self-interest  n. One's personal interest or advantage.  self-interested adj.


Inf  abbr. Intermediate-range nuclear forces.
Smokestack  n. 1 chimney or funnel of a locomotive or steamer. 2 tall chimney.
Pot-hunter  n. 1 person who hunts for game at random. 2 person who competes merely for the prize.
Dawdle  v. (-ling) 1 walk slowly and idly. 2 waste time; procrastinate. [origin unknown]
Accordance  n.  in accordance with in conformity to.  accordant adj.
Liberal democrat  n. Member of the party formed from the liberal party and the social democratic party.

Foreplay  n. Stimulation preceding sexual intercourse.
Surgery  n. (pl. -ies) 1 treatment of bodily injuries or disorders by incision or manipulation etc. As opposed to drugs. 2  place where or time when a doctor, dentist, etc., treats patients, or an mp, lawyer, etc., gives advice. [latin chirurgia, from greek kheir hand, ergo work]

Worksheet  n. 1 paper for recording work done or in progress. 2 paper listing questions or activities for students etc. To work through.

Foreign legion  n. Body of foreign volunteers in the (esp. French) army.
Headgear  n. Hat or headdress.

Paleo-  comb. Form (brit. Palaeo-) ancient; prehistoric. [greek palaios]
Usage  in sense 2 of other than, otherwise is standard except in less formal use.



Errand of mercy  n. Journey to relieve suffering etc.

Untiring  adj. Tireless.  untiringly adv.

Coralline  —n. Seaweed with a hard jointed stem. —adj. Of or like coral. [french and italian: related to *coral]

Homosexual  —adj. Feeling or involving sexual attraction only to people of the same sex. —n. Homosexual person.  homosexuality n. [from *homo-, *sexual]
Op-  see *ob-.
Introduction  n. 1 introducing or being introduced. 2 formal presentation of one person to another. 3 explanatory section at the beginning of a book etc. 4 introductory treatise. 5 thing introduced.
Electron lens  n. Device for focusing a stream of electrons by means of electric or magnetic fields.
Pen-friend  n. Friend communicated with by letter only.
Doughty  adj. (-ier, -iest) archaic valiant.  doughtily adv. Doughtiness n. [old english]
S-bend  n.s-shaped bend in a road or pipe.
Regimental  —adj. Of a regiment. —n. (in pl.) Military uniform, esp. Of a particular regiment.  regimentally adv.
Colour scheme  n. Arrangement of colours, esp. In interior design.

Vantage  n. 1 (also vantage point) place giving a good view. 2 tennis = *advantage. [french: related to *advantage]

Revengeful  adj. Eager for revenge.  revengefully adv.
Rancor  n. (brit. Rancour) inveterate bitterness, malignant hate.  rancorous adj. [latin rancor: related to *rancid]
Stagecraft  n. Theatrical skill or experience.
Ground swell  n. Heavy sea caused by a distant or past storm or an earthquake.
Navel orange  n. Orange with a navel-like formation at the top.
Groggy  adj. (-ier, -iest) incapable or unsteady.  groggily adv. Grogginess n.

Healthful  adj. Conducive to good health; beneficial.


Hypnotherapy  n. Treatment of mental disorders by hypnosis.
Consignment  n. 1 consigning or being consigned. 2 goods consigned.


Snaky  adj. 1 of or like a snake. 2 winding, sinuous. 3 cunning, treacherous.
Role  n. (also rôle) 1 actor's part in a play, film, etc. 2 person's or thing's function. [french: related to *roll]


Cougar  n. Us puma. [french from guarani]


Brake horsepower  n. Power of an engine measured by the force needed to brake it.
Plasma  n. (also plasm) 1 a colourless fluid part of blood, lymph, or milk, in which corpuscles or fat-globules are suspended. B this taken from blood for transfusions. 2 = *protoplasm. 3 gas of positive ions and free electrons in about equal numbers.  plasmic adj. [greek plasso shape (v.)]


Wish  —v. 1 (often foll. By for) have or express a desire or aspiration for (wish for happiness). 2 have as a desire or aspiration (i wish i could sing). 3 want or demand (i wish to go; i wish you to do it). 4 express one's hopes for (wish you success). 5 (foll. By on, upon) colloq. Foist on. —n. 1 a desire, request. B expression of this. 2 thing desired.  best (or good) wishes hopes felt or expressed for another's happiness etc. [old english]
Tiddly1  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Slightly drunk. [origin unknown]
Crying  attrib. Adj. (of injustice etc.) Flagrant, demanding redress.

Psychological  adj. 1 of or arising in the mind. 2 of psychology. 3 colloq. (of an ailment etc.) Imaginary (her cold is psychological).  psychologically adv.
Sully  v. (-ies, -ied) disgrace or tarnish (a reputation etc.). [french souiller: related to *soil2]

Particolored  adj. (brit. -coloured) of more than one colour. [related to *part, *colour]
Corsage  n. Small bouquet worn by women. [french: related to *corpse]
Bloomer1  n. 1 slang blunder. 2 plant that blooms in a specified way.

Pietà  n. Representation of the virgin mary holding the dead body of christ on her lap. [italian, = *piety]

Stout  —adj. 1 rather fat, corpulent, bulky. 2 thick or strong. 3 brave, resolute. —n. Strong dark beer.  stoutly adv. Stoutness n. [anglo-french from germanic]


Subsidize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 pay a subsidy to. 2 partially pay for by subsidy.

Starveling  n. Archaic starving person or animal.

Family name  n. Surname.
Execution  n. 1 carrying out; performance. 2 technique or style of performance in the arts, esp. Music. 3 carrying out of a death sentence. [latin: related to *execute]
O2  abbr. (also o.) Old.



Aerosol  n. 1 pressurized container releasing a substance as a fine spray. 2 system of minute particles suspended in gas (e.g. Fog or smoke). [from *aero-, *solution]
Upsilon  n. Twentieth letter of the greek alphabet (u, u). [greek, = slender u, from psilos slender, with ref. To its later coincidence in sound with greek oi]




Offside  —adj. (of a player in a field game) in a position where he or she may not play the ball. —n. (often attrib.) Right side of a vehicle, animal, etc.
Cessation  n. Ceasing or pause. [latin: related to *cease]


Pollute  v. (-ting) 1 contaminate (the environment). 2 make foul or impure.  pollutant adj. & n. Polluter n. Pollution n. [latin polluo -lut-]

Port2  n. A kind of sweet fortified wine. [oporto in portugal]
Pallbearer  n. Person helping to carry or escort a coffin at a funeral.
Pudgy  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. (esp. Of a person) plump, podgy.  pudginess n. [cf. *podgy]

Bat1  —n. 1 implement with a handle, used for hitting balls in games. 2 turn with this. 3 batsman. —v. (-tt-) 1 hit with or as with a bat. 2 take a turn at batting.  off one's own bat unprompted, unaided. [old english from french]

Chimney-sweep  n. Person who removes soot from inside chimneys.
Laplander  n. Native or inhabitant of lapland; lapp. [as *lapp]
Ravish  v. 1 archaic rape (a woman). 2 enrapture.  ravishment n. [latin: related to *rape1]
Peptic ulcer  n. Ulcer in the stomach or duodenum.


Earthenware  n. Pottery made of fired clay.
Tarnish  —v. 1 (cause to) lose lustre. 2 impair (one's reputation etc.). —n. 1 loss of lustre, esp. As a film on a metal's surface. 2 blemish, stain. [french ternir from terne dark]
Today  —adv. 1 on this present day. 2 nowadays. —n. 1 this present day. 2 modern times. [old english]
Deadlock  —n. 1 state of unresolved conflict. 2 lock requiring a key to open or close it. —v. Bring or come to a standstill.
Cube  —n. 1 solid contained by six equal squares. 2 cube-shaped block. 3 product of a number multiplied by its square. —v. (-bing) 1 find the cube of (a number). 2 cut (food etc.) Into small cubes. [latin from greek]

Whist drive  n. Social occasion with the playing of progressive whist.


Flagstone  n. = *flag2.


Plimsoll  n. (also plimsole) rubber-soled canvas sports shoe. [from *plimsoll line]
Lade  v. (-ding; past part. Laden) 1 a load (a ship). B ship (goods). 2 (as laden adj.) (usu. Foll. By with) loaded, burdened. [old english]
Cruse  n. Archaic earthenware pot. [old english]
Charge  —v. (-ging) 1 a ask (an amount) as a price. B ask (a person) for an amount as a price. 2 a (foll. By to, up to) debit the cost of to (a person or account). B debit (a person or account). 3 a (often foll. By with) accuse (of an offence). B (foll. By that + clause) make an accusation that. 4 (foll. By to + infin.) Instruct or urge. 5 (foll. By with) entrust with. 6 make a rushing attack (on). 7 (often foll. By up) a give an electric charge to. B store energy in (a battery). 8 (often foll. By with) load or fill (a vessel, gun, etc.) To the full or proper extent. 9 (usu. As charged adj.) A (foll. By with) saturated with. B (usu. Foll. By with) pervaded (with strong feelings etc.). —n. 1 a price asked for services or goods. B financial liability or commitment. 2 accusation. 3 a task, duty, commission. B care, custody. C person or thing entrusted. 4 a impetuous rush or attack, esp. In battle. B signal for this. 5 appropriate amount of material to be put into a receptacle, mechanism, etc. At one time, esp. Of explosive for a gun. 6 a property of matter causing electrical phenomena. B quantity of this carried by the body. C energy stored chemically for conversion into electricity. 7 exhortation; directions, orders. 8 heraldic device or bearing.  in charge having command. Take charge (often foll. By of) assume control.  chargeable adj. [latin carrus *car]



Punctuate  v. (-ting) 1 insert punctuation marks in. 2 interrupt at intervals (punctuated his tale with heavy sighs). [medieval latin: related to *punctual]
Scabies  n. Contagious skin disease causing itching. [latin]
Cubic metre  etc. N. Volume of a cube whose edge is one metre etc.



Legendary  adj. 1 of, based on, or described in a legend. 2 colloq. Remarkable.

Scots pine  n. (also scottish pine) a kind of pine tree.



Cobble1  —n. (in full cobblestone) small rounded stone used for paving. —v. (-ling) pave with cobbles. [from *cob]
Acetate  n. 1 salt or ester of acetic acid, esp. The cellulose ester. 2 fabric made from this.
Appendectomy  n. (also appendicectomy) (pl. -ies) surgical removal of the appendix. [from *appendix, *-ectomy]
H 


Hebraic  adj. Of hebrew or the hebrews.
Floating  adj. Not settled; variable (floating population).



Plain-spoken  adj. Frank.


Yule-log  n. 1 large log traditionally burnt on christmas eve. 2 log-shaped chocolate cake eaten at christmas.
Mind-blowing  adj. Slang 1 mind-boggling; overwhelming. 2 (esp. Of drugs etc.) Inducing hallucinations.


Gasbag  n. Slang idle talker.
Open question  n. Matter on which different views are legitimate.

Abuse  —v. (-sing) 1 use improperly, misuse. 2 insult verbally. 3 maltreat. —n. 1 misuse. 2 insulting language. 3 unjust or corrupt practice. 4 maltreatment (child abuse).  abuser n. [latin: related to *use]
Top gear  n. Highest gear.
Tree-fern  n. Large fern with an upright trunklike stem.




Spermatozoon  n. (pl. -zoa) mature sex cell in semen. [from *sperm, greek zoion animal]
Hearken  v. Archaic (often foll. By to) listen. [old english: related to *hark]

Islet  n. 1 small island. 2 anat. Structurally distinct portion of tissue. [french diminutive of *isle]

-so  comb. Form = *-soever.


Breakfast  —n. First meal of the day. —v. Have breakfast.






Bin end  n. One of the last bottles from a bin of wine, usu. Sold at a reduced price.


Mambo  n. (pl. -s) latin american dance like the rumba. [american spanish]


Faith  n. 1 complete trust or confidence. 2 firm, esp. Religious, belief. 3 religion or creed (christian faith). 4 loyalty, trustworthiness. [latin fides]
Ounce  n. 1 unit of weight, 1/16 lb or approx. 28 g. 2 very small quantity. [latin uncia twelfth part of a pound or a foot]
Special licence  n. Licence allowing immediate marriage without banns.


Cobweb  n. 1 fine network spun by a spider from liquid it secretes. 2 thread of this.  cobwebby adj. [obsolete coppe spider]
Drawing-pin  n. Flat-headed pin for fastening paper etc. To a surface.
Bank2  —n. 1 establishment for depositing, withdrawing, and borrowing money. 2 kitty in some gambling games. 3 storage place (blood bank). —v. 1 deposit (money etc.) In a bank. 2 (often foll. By at, with) keep money (at a bank).  bank on colloq. Rely on (i'm banking on you). [french banque or italian banca: related to *bank1]
Prelacy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 church government by prelates. 2 (prec. By the) prelates collectively. 3 office or rank of prelate. [anglo-french from medieval latin: related to *prelate]
General practitioner  n. Community doctor treating cases of all kinds in the first instance.

Honorary  adj. 1 conferred as an honour (honorary degree). 2 (of an office or its holder) unpaid.

Second cousin  n. Son or daughter of one's parent's cousin.
Duplicator  n. Machine for making multiple copies of a text etc.

Litt.d.  Abbr. Doctor of letters. [latin litterarum doctor]
Denim  n. 1 (often attrib.) Hard-wearing usu. Blue cotton twill used for jeans, overalls, etc. 2 (in pl.) Colloq. Jeans etc. Made of this. [french de of, nîmes in france]
Querulous  adj. Complaining, peevish.  querulously adj. [latin queror complain]
Vinyl  n. Plastic made by polymerization, esp. Polyvinyl chloride. [latin vinum wine]



Rank and file  n. (usu. Treated as pl.) Ordinary members of an organization.


Rho  n. Seventeenth letter of the greek alphabet (r, r). [greek]


Voyeur  n. 1 person who derives sexual pleasure from secretly observing others' sexual activity or organs. 2 (esp. Covert) spectator.  voyeurism n. Voyeuristic adj. [french voir see]
Archaean  (us archean) —adj. Of the earliest geological era. —n. This time. [greek arkhaios ancient]

Concord  n. Agreement, harmony.   concordant adj. [latin cor cord- heart]
Participle  n. Word formed from a verb (e.g. Going, gone, being, been) and used in compound verb-forms (e.g. Is going, has been) or as an adjective (e.g. Working woman, burnt toast).  participial adj. [latin: related to *participate]
Fri.  Abbr. Friday.

Lap-dog  n. Small pet dog.

Lump2  v. Colloq. Put up with ungraciously (like it or lump it). [imitative]

Sodomy  n. = *buggery.  sodomize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing). [latin from sodom: gen. 18,19]
Vibration  n. 1 vibrating. 2 (in pl.) A mental, esp. Occult, influence. B atmosphere or feeling communicated.


Municipal  adj. Of a municipality or its self-government.  municipalize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing). Municipally adv. [latin municipium free city]



Gumption  n. Colloq. 1 resourcefulness, initiative. 2 common sense. [origin unknown]
Foregone conclusion  n. Easily predictable result.
Sour  —adj. 1 acid in taste or smell, esp. Because unripe or fermented. 2 morose; bitter. 3 (of a thing) unpleasant; distasteful. 4 (of the soil) dank. —v. Make or become sour.  go (or turn) sour 1 turn out badly. 2 lose one's keenness.  sourly adv. Sourness n. [old english]
Lapse  —n. 1 slight error; slip of memory etc. 2 weak or careless decline into an inferior state. 3 (foll. By of) passage of time. —v. (-sing) 1 fail to maintain a position or standard. 2 (foll. By into) fall back into an inferior or previous state. 3 (of a right or privilege etc.) Become invalid through disuse, failure to renew, etc. 4 (as lapsed adj.) That has lapsed. [latin lapsus from labor laps- slip]
Respectful  adj. Showing deference.  respectfully adv.

C.  Abbr. 1 century. 2 cent(s).




Variance  n. 1 (usu. Prec. By at) difference of opinion; dispute (we were at variance). 2 discrepancy.





Herald  —n. 1 official messenger bringing news. 2 forerunner, harbinger. 3 a hist. Officer responsible for state ceremonial and etiquette. B official concerned with pedigrees and coats of arms. —v. Proclaim the approach of; usher in.  heraldic adj. [french from germanic]
Geology  n. 1 science of the earth's crust, strata, origin of its rocks, etc. 2 geological features of a district.  geological adj. Geologically adv. Geologist n.

Reduplicate  v. (-ting) 1 make double. 2 repeat. 3 repeat (a letter or syllable or word) exactly or with a slight change (e.g. Hurly-burly, see-saw).  reduplication n.
Paparazzo  n. (pl. -zzi) freelance photographer who pursues celebrities to photograph them. [italian]

Caravel  n. (also carvel) hist. Small light fast ship. [greek karabos, literally ‘horned beetle’]

Side-whiskers  n.pl. Whiskers on the cheeks.
Might1  past of *may, used esp.: 1 in reported speech, expressing possibility (said he might come) or permission (asked if i might leave) (cf. *may 1, 2). 2 (foll. By perfect infin.) Expressing a possibility based on a condition not fulfilled (if you'd looked you might have found it). 3 (foll. By present infin. Or perfect infin.) Expressing complaint that an obligation or expectation is not or has not been fulfilled (they might have asked). 4 expressing a request (you might call in at the butcher's). 5 colloq. A = *may 1 (it might be true). B (in tentative questions) = *may 2 (might i have the pleasure of this dance?). C = *may 1 d (who might you be?).  might as well expressing lukewarm acquiescence (might as well try).

Usage  the phrase fulsome praise is sometimes wrongly used to mean generous praise rather than excessive praise.
Indictable  adj. 1 (of an offence) making the doer liable to be charged with a crime. 2 (of a person) so liable.
Denizen  n. 1 (usu. Foll. By of) inhabitant or occupant. 2 foreigner having certain rights in an adopted country. 3 naturalized foreign word, animal, or plant. [latin de intus from within]

Owing  predic. Adj. 1 owed; yet to be paid. 2 (foll. By to) a caused by. B (as prep.) Because of.
Tandoor  n. Clay oven. [hindustani]

Totem-pole  n. Pole on which totems are carved or hung.

Roller-skate  —n. Metal frame with small wheels, fitted to shoes for riding on a hard surface. —v. (-ting) move on roller-skates.  roller-skater n.
Titian  adj. (of hair) bright auburn. [titian, name of a painter]

Roulette  n. Gambling game in which a ball is dropped on to a revolving numbered wheel. [french, = little wheel]

Propylene  n.  Gaseous hydrocarbon used in the manufacture of chemicals. [from propyl, a univalent radical of propane]

Cherub  n. 1 (pl. -im) angelic being of the second order of the celestial hierarchy. 2 a representation of a winged child or its head. B beautiful or innocent child.  cherubic adj. [ultimately from hebrew]


Shat  past and past. Part. Of *shit.



Anchorman  n. Coordinator, esp. As compère in a broadcast.
Organ  n. 1 a musical instrument having pipes supplied with air from bellows and operated by keyboards and pedals. B instrument producing similar sounds electronically. C harmonium. 2 a part of an animal or plant body serving a particular function (vocal organs; digestive organs). B esp. Joc. Penis. 3 medium of communication, esp. A newspaper representing a party or interest. [greek organon tool]
Tare1  n. 1 vetch, esp. As a cornfield weed or fodder. 2 (in pl.) Bibl. An injurious cornfield weed (matt. 13:24-30). [origin unknown]
Life-size  adj. (also -sized) of the same size as the person or thing represented.


White cell  n. Leucocyte.

Spinal cord  n. Cylindrical nervous structure within the spine.


Praesidium  var. Of *presidium.

Pious  adj. 1 devout; religious. 2 sanctimonious. 3 dutiful.  piously adv. Piousness n. [latin]
Deanery  n. (pl. -ies) 1 dean's house or position. 2 parishes presided over by a rural dean.

Theatrical  —adj. 1 of or for the theatre or acting. 2 (of a manner or person etc.) Calculated for effect; showy. —n. (in pl.) Dramatic performances (amateur theatricals).  theatricality n. Theatrically adv.


Citric  adj. Derived from citrus fruit.

Gentle  adj. (gentler, gentlest) 1 not rough or severe; mild, kind (a gentle nature). 2 moderate (gentle breeze). 3 (of birth, pursuits, etc.) Honourable, of or fit for gentlefolk. 4 quiet; requiring patience (gentle art).  gentleness n. Gently adv. [latin: related to *gentile]

Undersell  v. (past and past part. -sold) sell at a lower price than (another seller).
Fire-escape  n. Emergency staircase etc. For use in a fire.
Breakneck  attrib. Adj. (of speed) dangerously fast.


Thine  poss. Pron. Archaic 1 (predic. Or absol.) Of or belonging to thee. 2 (attrib. Before a vowel) = *thy. [old english]

Chameleon  n. 1 small lizard able to change colour for camouflage. 2 variable or inconstant person. [greek, = ground-lion]
Tuppence  n. = *twopence. [phonetic spelling]

Mug2  v. (-gg-) (usu. Foll. By up) slang learn (a subject) by concentrated study. [origin unknown]



Aggression  n. 1 unprovoked attacking or attack. 2 hostile or destructive behaviour. [latin gradior gress- walk]
Compote  n. Fruit preserved or cooked in syrup. [french: related to *compose]
Unenviable  adj. Not enviable.

Furlough  —n. Leave of absence, esp. Military. —v. Us 1 grant furlough to. 2 spend furlough. [dutch: related to *for-, *leave1]


Unsalted  adj. Not salted.
Infanta  n. Hist. Daughter of a spanish or portuguese king. [spanish and portuguese: related to *infant]
Shoehorn  n. Curved implement for easing the heel into a shoe.


Hallucinogen  n. Drug causing hallucinations.  hallucinogenic adj.
Hack1  —v. 1 cut or chop roughly. 2 football etc. Kick the shin of (an opponent). 3 (often foll. By at) deliver cutting blows. 4 cut (one's way) through foliage etc. 5 colloq. Gain unauthorized access to (data in a computer). 6 slang manage, cope with; tolerate. 7 (as hacking adj.) (of a cough) short, dry, and frequent. —n. 1 kick with the toe of a boot. 2 gash or wound, esp. From a kick. 3 a mattock. B miner's pick. [old english]
Jp  abbr. Justice of the peace.
Rapprochement  n. Resumption of harmonious relations, esp. Between states. [french: related to *approach]

Usage  the use of this word in sense 1b is, strictly speaking, incorrect.
First-born  —adj. Eldest. —n. Person's eldest child.


Heather  n. Any of various shrubs growing esp. On moors and heaths. [origin unknown]
Fib  —n. Trivial lie. —v. (-bb-) tell a fib.  fibber n. [perhaps from fible-fable, a reduplication of *fable]

Stance  n. 1 standpoint; attitude. 2 attitude or position of the body, esp. When hitting a ball etc. [italian stanza standing]


Mug shot  n. Slang photograph of a face, esp. For police records.
Teleconference  n. Conference with participants linked by telephone etc.  teleconferencing n.
Transparent  adj. 1 allowing light to pass through so that bodies can be distinctly seen. 2 a (of a disguise, pretext, etc.) Easily seen through. B (of a quality etc.) Evident; obvious. 3 easily understood; frank.  transparently adv. [latin pareo appear] 
Giant  —n. 1 (fem. Giantess) imaginary or mythical being of human form but superhuman size. 2 person or thing of great size, ability, courage, etc. —attrib. Adj. 1 gigantic. 2 of a very large kind. [greek gigas gigant-]
Acre  n. Measure of land, 4,840 sq. Yds., 0.405 ha. [old english]

Veneer  —n. 1 thin covering of fine wood etc. 2 (often foll. By of) deceptively pleasing appearance. —v. 1 apply a veneer to (wood etc.). 2 disguise. [german furnieren to furnish]
Backlog  n. Arrears of work.
Out-tray  n. Tray for outgoing documents etc.

Adrift  adv. & predic.adj. 1 drifting. 2 powerless; aimless. 3 colloq. A unfastened. B out of order, wrong (plans went adrift).
Outlaw  —n. 1 fugitive from the law. 2 hist. Person deprived of the protection of the law. —v. 1 declare (a person) an outlaw. 2 make illegal; proscribe.

Pasteboard  n. 1 stiff material made by pasting together sheets of paper. 2 (attrib.) Flimsy, unsubstantial.
Clear-cut  adj. Sharply defined.

Henceforth  adv. (also henceforward) from this time onwards.
Tri-  comb. Form three or three times. [latin and greek]

Indulgence  n. 1 indulging or being indulgent. 2 thing indulged in. 3 rc ch. Remission of punishment still due after absolution. 4 privilege granted.

Adumbrate  v. (-ting) 1 indicate faintly or in outline. 2 foreshadow. 3 overshadow.  adumbration n. [latin: related to *ad-, umbra shade]

Litmus paper  n. Paper stained with litmus, used to test for acids or alkalis.
Tin  —n. 1  silvery-white metallic element, used esp. In alloys and in making tin plate. 2 container made of tin or tinned iron, esp. Airtight for preserving food. 3 = *tin plate. —v. (-nn-) 1 seal (food) in a tin for preservation. 2 cover or coat with tin. [old english]


Forward  —adj. 1 onward; towards the front. 2 lying in the direction in which one is moving. 3 precocious; bold; presumptuous. 4 relating to the future (forward contract). 5 a approaching maturity or completion. B (of a plant etc.) Early. —n. Attacking player near the front in football, hockey, etc. —adv. 1 to the front; into prominence (come forward; move forward). 2 in advance; ahead (sent them forward). 3 onward so as to make progress (no further forward). 4 towards the future (from this time forward). 5 (also forwards) a towards the front in the direction one is facing. B in the normal direction of motion. C with continuous forward motion (rushing forward). —v. 1 a send (a letter etc.) On to a further destination. B dispatch (goods etc.). 2 help to advance; promote. [old english: related to *forth, *-ward]
Material  —n. 1 matter from which a thing is made. 2 cloth, fabric. 3 (in pl.) Things needed for an activity (building materials). 4 person or thing of a specified kind or suitable for a purpose (officer material). 5 (in sing. Or pl.) Information etc. For a book etc. 6 (in sing. Or pl., often foll. By of) elements, constituent parts, or substance. —adj. 1 of matter; corporeal; not spiritual. 2 of bodily comfort etc. (material well-being). 3 (often foll. By to) important, significant, relevant. [latin materia *matter]
Held  past and past part. Of *hold1.
Ridge-pole  n. Horizontal roof pole of a long tent.


Fluoresce  v. (-scing) be or become fluorescent. [from *fluorescent]
Loud hailer  n. Electronic device for amplifying the voice.
Batman  n. Army officer's servant. [bat pack-saddle, from french]


Postulant  n. Candidate, esp. For admission to a religious order. [latin: related to *postulate]


Mortal sin  n. Sin that deprives the soul of divine grace.
Clinker-built  adj. (of a boat) having external planks overlapping downwards and secured with clinched nails. [clink, northern english var. Of *clinch]
Esperanto  n. An artificial language designed for universal use. [latin spero hope]
Opportunity  n. (pl. -ies) favourable chance or opening offered by circumstances.





Those  pl. Of *that.

Appearance  n. 1 act of appearing. 2 outward form as perceived (appearance of prosperity). 3 semblance.  keep up appearances maintain an impression or pretence of virtue, affluence, etc. Make (or put in) an appearance be present, esp. Briefly.

Glacier  n. Mass of land ice formed by the accumulation of snow on high ground. [french: related to *glacial]
Petrol  n. 1 refined petroleum used as a fuel in motor vehicles, aircraft, etc. 2 (attrib.) Concerned with the supply of petrol (petrol pump). [latin: related to *petroleum]

Pw  abbr. Policewoman.
Gang  n. 1 band of persons associating for some (usu. Antisocial or criminal) purpose. 2 set of workers, slaves, or prisoners.  gang up colloq. 1 (often foll. By with) act together. 2 (foll. By on) combine against. [old norse]
Icosahedron  n. Solid figure with twenty faces. [greek eikosi twenty, hedra base]
Balance sheet  n. Statement giving the balance of an account.
Weak  adj. 1 deficient in strength, power, vigour, resolution, or number. 2 unconvincing. 3 gram. (of a verb) forming inflections by the addition of a suffix to the stem.  weakish adj. [old norse]
Crosse  n. Lacrosse stick. [french]



Bosom  n. 1 a person's (esp. Woman's) breast. B colloq. Each of a woman's breasts. C enclosure formed by the breast and arms. 2 emotional centre (bosom of one's family). [old english]
En masse  adv. All together. [french]


Tailback  n. Long line of traffic caused by an obstruction.
Well-kept  adj. Kept in good order or condition.

Lucre  n. Derog. Financial gain. [latin lucrum gain]
Demerit  n. Fault; blemish.
Omega  n. 1 last (24th) letter of the greek alphabet (w, w). 2 last of a series; final development. [greek o mega = great o]


Jobbing  attrib. Adj. Freelance; pieceworking (jobbing gardener).






Running repairs  n.pl. Minor or temporary repairs etc.




Airline  n. Public air transport system or company.
Casing  n. Protective or enclosing cover or material.


Potential  —adj. Capable of coming into being or action; latent. —n. 1 capacity for use or development. 2 usable resources. 3 physics quantity determining the energy of mass in a gravitational field or of charge in an electric field.  potentiality n. Potentially adv. [latin: related to *potent]

Stickler  n. (foll. By for) person who insists on something (stickler for accuracy). [obsolete stickle be umpire]


Council tax  n. Proposed new local tax based on the value of a property and the number of people living in it, to replace the community charge.
Emote  v. (-ting) show excessive emotion.
Stoker  n. Person who tends a furnace, esp. On a steamship. [dutch]

Perambulator  n. Formal = *pram.







Pre-tax  adj. (of income etc.) Before deduction of taxes.

Villainy  n. (pl. -ies) wicked behaviour or act. [french: related to *villain]
Costly  adj. (-ier, -iest) costing much; expensive.  costliness n.
Nearly  adv. 1 almost. 2 closely.  not nearly nothing like.

Inhalant  n. Medicinal substance for inhaling.
Storm-door  n. Additional outer door.
Gubernatorial  adj. Esp. Us of or relating to a governor. [latin gubernator governor]


Figuration  n. 1 a act or mode of formation; form. B shape or outline. 2 ornamentation. [latin: related to *figure]

Straight fight  n. Polit. Contest between two candidates only.


Expertise  n. Expert skill, knowledge, or judgement. [french]



Pragmatic  adj. Dealing with matters from a practical point of view.   pragmatically adv. [greek pragma -mat- deed]


Knee-high  adj. So high as to reach the knees.



Door-to-door  adj. (of selling etc.) Done at each house in turn.
Hand-out  n. 1 thing given free to a needy person. 2 statement given to the press etc.; notes given out in a class etc.

Indirect  adj. 1 not going straight to the point. 2 (of a route etc.) Not straight. 3 a not directly sought (indirect result). B not primary (indirect cause).  indirectly adv.
Thought2  past and past part. Of *think.
Footmark  n. Footprint.



Short back and sides  n. Short simple haircut.


Riverside  n. (often attrib.) Ground along a river-bank.
Hamper2  v. Prevent the free movement of; hinder. [origin unknown]

Forecastle  n. (also fo'c's'le) forward part of a ship, formerly the living quarters.
Hick  n. (often attrib.) Esp. Us colloq. Country bumpkin, provincial. [familiar form of richard]
Nascent  adj. 1 in the act of being born. 2 just beginning to be; not yet mature.  nascency n. [latin: related to *natal]

Cap  abbr. Common agricultural policy (of the ec).

Ta-ta  int. Colloq. Goodbye. [origin unknown]

Taint  —n. 1 spot or trace of decay, infection, corruption, etc. 2 corrupt condition or infection. —v. 1 affect with a taint; become tainted. 2 (foll. By with) affect slightly. [latin: related to *tinge]
Homophobia  n. Hatred or fear of homosexuals.  homophobe n. Homophobic adj.





Ho  symb. Holmium.





Clinker  n. 1 mass of slag or lava. 2 stony residue from burnt coal. [dutch: related to *clink1]
Recto  n. (pl. -s) 1 right-hand page of an open book. 2 front of a printed leaf. [latin, = on the right]



Whit sunday  n. Seventh sunday after easter, commemorating pentecost.
Represent1  v. 1 stand for or correspond to. 2 (often in passive) be a specimen of. 3 embody; symbolize. 4 place a likeness of before the mind or senses. 5 (often foll. By as, to be) describe or depict as; declare. 6 (foll. By that) allege. 7 show, or play the part of, on stage.
Imbue  v. (-bues, -bued, -buing) (often foll. By with) 1 inspire or permeate (with feelings, opinions, or qualities). 2 saturate. 3 dye. [latin imbuo]


-crat  comb. Form member or supporter of a type of government etc.
Basking shark  n. Large shark which lies near the surface of the sea.

Secretary bird  n. Long-legged crested african bird.


Grimace  —n. Distortion of the face made in disgust etc. Or to amuse. —v. (-cing) make a grimace. [french from spanish]
Oviform  adj. Egg-shaped.
Rubber2  n. Match of esp. Three successive games between the same sides or persons at whist, bridge, cricket, etc. [origin unknown]



Reading  n. 1 a act of reading (reading of the will). B matter to be read (made exciting reading). 2 (in comb.) Used for reading (reading-lamp; reading-room). 3 literary knowledge. 4 entertainment at which a play, poems, etc., are read. 5 figure etc. Shown by a recording instrument. 6 interpretation or view taken (what is your reading of the facts?).


Rarely  adv. 1 seldom, not often. 2 exceptionally.


Scope  n. 1 range or opportunity (beyond the scope of our research). 2 extent of mental ability, outlook, etc. (intellect limited in its scope). [greek, = target]

One-man  attrib. Adj. Involving or operated by only one man.

Lawn tennis  n. Tennis played with a soft ball on outdoor grass or a hard court.



Broomstick  n. Handle of a broom.
Sulky  adj. (-ier, -iest) sullen or silent, esp. From resentment or bad temper.  sulkily adv. Sulkiness n. [perhaps from obsolete sulke hard to dispose of]

Proletariat  n. 1 wage-earners collectively. 2 esp. Derog. Lowest, esp. Uneducated, class. [french: related to *proletarian]
Lady chapel  n. Chapel dedicated to the virgin mary.
Typical  adj. 1 serving as a characteristic example; representative (a typical english pub). 2 (often foll. By of) characteristic of a particular person, thing, or type (typical of him to refuse).  typicality n. Typically adv. [medieval latin: related to *type]
Profanity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 profane act or language; blasphemy. 2 swear-word.
Outset  n.  at (or from) the outset from the beginning.
Civil engineer  n. One who designs or maintains roads, bridges, dams, etc.
Finance company  n. (also finance house) company providing money, esp. For hire-purchase transactions.
Verbena  n. (pl. Same) plant of a genus of usu. Annual or biennial plants with clusters of fragrant flowers. [latin]

Colossal  adj. 1 huge. 2 colloq. Splendid.  colossally adv. [related to *colossus]
Letter-box  n. Box or slot into which letters are posted or delivered.

Squabble  —n. Petty or noisy quarrel. —v. (-ling) engage in this. [probably imitative]
Stutter  —v. 1 stammer, esp. By involuntary repetition of the initial consonants of words. 2 (often foll. By out) utter (words) in this way. —n. Act or habit of stuttering. [dial. Stut]

Assertion  n. Declaration, forthright statement.
Squaddie  n. (also squaddy) (pl. -ies) slang recruit; private.
Lattice window  n. Window with small panes set in diagonally crossing strips of lead.
Orthodox church  n. Eastern church with the patriarch of constantinople as its head, and including the national churches of russia, romania, greece, etc.
Absent-minded  adj. Forgetful or inattentive.  absent-mindedly adv. Absent-mindedness n.
Crimp  —v. 1 press into small folds; corrugate. 2 make waves in (hair). —n. Crimped thing or form. [low german or dutch]

Bungee jumping  n. Sport of jumping from a height while secured by a bungee from the ankles or a harness.
Larboard  n. & adj. Archaic = *port3. [originally ladboard, perhaps ‘side on which cargo was taken in’: related to *lade]
Socratic irony  n. Pose of ignorance to entice others into refutable statements.
Dissimilar  adj. Unlike, not similar.  dissimilarity n. (pl. -ies).


Coquette  n. Woman who flirts.  coquetry n. (pl. -ies). Coquettish adj. [french diminutive: related to *cock1]
Constitute  v. (-ting) 1 be the components or essence of; compose. 2 a amount to (this constitutes a warning). B formally establish (constitutes a precedent). 3 give legal or constitutional form to. [latin constituo establish]
Marginalize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) make or treat as insignificant.  marginalization n.
Cross-eyed  adj. Having one or both eyes turned inwards.





C/o  abbr. Care of.

Travel  —v. (-ll-; us -l-) 1 go from one place to another; make a journey, esp. A long one or abroad. 2 a journey along or through (a country). B cover (a distance) in travelling. 3 colloq. Withstand a long journey (wines that do not travel). 4 go from place to place as a salesman. 5 move or proceed as specified (light travels faster than sound).

Diddle  v. (-ling) colloq. Swindle. [probably from diddler, name of a character in a 19th-c. Play]
Sinker  n. Weight used to sink a fishing-line or sounding-line.

Tat1  n. Colloq. Tatty things; rubbish, junk. [back-formation from *tatty]
Morality  n. (pl. -ies) 1 degree of conformity to moral principles. 2 right moral conduct. 3 science of morals. 4 particular system of morals (commercial morality).


Rack-rent  n. Extortionate rent.


Ionosphere  n. Ionized region of the atmosphere above the stratosphere, reflecting radio waves.  ionospheric adj.




Thunderbolt  n. 1 flash of lightning with a simultaneous crash of thunder. 2 unexpected occurrence or announcement. 3 supposed bolt or shaft as a destructive agent, esp. As an attribute of a god.





Operating system  n. Basic software that enables the running of a computer program.
Air-brick  n. Perforated brick used for ventilation.
Yaw  —v. (of a ship or aircraft etc.) Fail to hold a straight course; go unsteadily. —n. Yawing of a ship etc. From its course. [origin unknown]
Oyster  —n. 1 bivalve mollusc, esp. An edible kind, sometimes producing a pearl. 2 symbol of all one desires (the world is my oyster). 3 oyster white. —adj. Oyster-white. [greek ostreon]





Analogy  n. (pl. -ies) 1 correspondence; partial similarity. 2 arguing or reasoning from parallel cases.  analogical adj. [greek analogia proportion]
Oil of turpentine  n. Volatile pungent oil distilled from turpentine, used as a solvent in mixing paints and varnishes, and in medicine.





Tsunami  n. (pl. -s) long high sea wave caused by underwater earthquakes etc. [japanese]
High day  n. Festal day.
Tin-pan alley  n. World of composers and publishers of popular music.

Wall-eye  n. 1 eye with a streaked or opaque white iris. 2 eye squinting outwards.  wall-eyed adj. [old norse]

Ex cathedra  adj. & adv. With full authority (esp. Of a papal pronouncement). [latin, = from the chair]

T-square  n. T-shaped instrument for drawing right angles.




Heel1  —n. 1 back of the foot below the ankle. 2 a part of a sock etc. Covering this. B part of a shoe etc. Supporting this. 3 thing like a heel in form or position. 4 crust end of a loaf of bread. 5 colloq. Scoundrel. 6 (as int.) Command to a dog to walk close to its owner's heel. —v. 1 fit or renew a heel on (a shoe etc.). 2 touch the ground with the heel as in dancing. 3 (foll. By out) rugby pass the ball with the heel.  at heel 1 (of a dog) close behind. 2 (of a person etc.) Under control. At (or on) the heels of following closely after (a person or event). Cool (or kick) one's heels be kept waiting. Down at heel 1 (of a shoe) with the heel worn down. 2 (of a person) shabby. Take to one's heels run away. To heel 1 (of a dog) close behind. 2 (of a person etc.) Under control. Turn on one's heel turn sharply round. [old english]
Chug  —v. (-gg-) 1 emit a regular muffled explosive sound, as of an engine running slowly. 2 move with this sound. —n. Chugging sound. [imitative]
Subdivide  v. (-ding) divide again after a first division.  subdivision n.

Crashing  adj. Colloq. Overwhelming (crashing bore).

Expense account  n. List of an employee's expenses payable by the employer.
Dilatation  n. 1 dilating of the cervix, e.g. For surgical curettage. 2 dilation. [from *dilate]

Training  n. Process of teaching or learning a skill etc.


Mileage  n. (also milage) 1 number of miles travelled, esp. By a vehicle per unit of fuel. 2 colloq. Profit, advantage.


Classic  —adj. 1 first-class; of lasting value and importance. 2 very typical (a classic case). 3 a of ancient greek and latin literature, art, etc. B (of style) simple, harmonious. 4 famous because long-established. —n. 1 classic writer, artist, work, or example. 2 (in pl.) Ancient greek and latin. [latin classicus: related to *class]
Cake  —n. 1 mixture of flour, butter, eggs, sugar, etc., baked in the oven and often iced and decorated. 2 other food in a flat round shape (fish cake). 3 flattish compact mass (cake of soap). —v. (-king) 1 form into a compact mass. 2 (usu. Foll. By with) cover (with a hard or sticky mass).  have one's cake and eat it colloq. Enjoy both of two mutually exclusive alternatives. A piece of cake colloq. Something easily achieved. Sell (or go) like hot cakes colloq. Be sold (or go) quickly; be popular. [old norse]
Hexameter  n. Line of verse with six metrical feet.
Extravagant  adj. 1 spending money excessively. 2 excessive; absurd. 3 costing much.  extravagance n. Extravagantly adv. [latin vagor wander]


Optical fibre  n. Thin glass fibre through which light can be transmitted to carry signals.

Ambuscade  n. & v. (-ding) = *ambush.


Redivide  v. (-ding) divide again or differently.
Ventral  adj. Of or on the abdomen. [venter abdomen, from latin]

Drill2  —n. 1 machine for making furrows, sowing, and covering seed. 2 small furrow. 3 row of seeds sown by a drill. —v. Plant in drills. [origin unknown]



Scrap1  —n. 1 small detached piece; fragment. 2 rubbish or waste material. 3 discarded metal for reprocessing (often attrib.: scrap metal). 4 (with neg.) Smallest piece or amount. 5 (in pl.) A odds and ends. B uneaten food. —v. (-pp-) discard as useless. [old norse: related to *scrape]





Bout  n. 1 (often foll. By of) a spell (of work or activity). B attack (bout of flu). 2 wrestling- or boxing-match. [obsolete bought bending]
Legible  adj. Clear enough to read; readable.  legibility n. Legibly adv. [latin lego read]
Calcium oxide  n. White crystalline solid from which many calcium compounds are manufactured.






Fountain  n. 1 a spouting jet or jets of water as an ornament or for drinking. B structure for this. 2 spring. 3 (often foll. By of) source. [latin fontana from fons font- spring]
Integer  n. Whole number. [latin, = untouched, whole]


Time-sharing  n. 1 use of a holiday home at contractually agreed different times by several joint owners. 2 operation of a computer system by several users for different operations at the same time.
Flaw2  n. Squall of wind. [low german or dutch]



Mocker  n. Person who mocks.  put the mockers on slang 1 bring bad luck to. 2 put a stop to.
Magnetic field  n. Area of force around a magnet.
Cor-  see *com-.
Hip-flask  n. Small flask for spirits etc.
Reasonable  adj. 1 having sound judgement; moderate; ready to listen to reason. 2 not absurd. 3 a not greatly less or more than might be expected. B inexpensive. C tolerable, fair.  reasonableness n. Reasonably adv.

Invisible exports  n.pl. (also invisible imports etc.) Intangible commodities, esp. Services, involving payment between countries.

Octet  n. (also octette) 1 a musical composition for eight performers. B the performers. 2 group of eight. [italian or german: related to *octa-]
Twopenny  attrib. Adj. 1 costing two pence. 2 colloq. Cheap, worthless.
B3  abbr. (also b.) Black (pencil-lead).
Agent  n. 1 a person who acts for another in business etc. B spy. 2 person or thing that exerts power or produces an effect.

Counter-clockwise  adv. & adj. Us = *anticlockwise.
Eighteen  adj. & n. 1 one more than seventeen. 2 symbol for this (18, xviii, xviii). 3 size etc. Denoted by eighteen. 4 (18) (of films) suitable only for persons of 18 years and over.  eighteenth adj. & n. [old english]

Trilingual  adj. 1 able to speak three languages. 2 spoken or written in three languages.
Neck and neck  adj. & adv. (running) level in a race etc.



Play school  n. Nursery school or kindergarten.

Teddy boy  n. Colloq. Youth, esp. Of the 1950s, wearing edwardian-style clothes, hairstyle, etc. [teddy, pet form of edward]
Stank  past of *stink.

-ry  suffix = *-ery (infantry; rivalry).

Mod  abbr. Ministry of defence.
Tipsy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 slightly drunk. 2 caused by or showing intoxication (a tipsy lurch).  tipsily adv. Tipsiness n. [from *tip2]

Hence  adv. 1 from this time (two years hence). 2 for this reason (hence we seem to be wrong). 3 archaic from here. [old english]
Other-worldly  adj. 1 of another world. 2 dreamily distracted from mundane life.
Protium  n. Ordinary isotope of hydrogen. [latin: related to *proto-]


Arboriculture  n. Cultivation of trees and shrubs. [latin arbor tree, after agriculture]


Nb  abbr. Note well. [latin nota bene]

Prink  v. 1 a (usu. Refl.; often foll. By up) smarten (oneself) up. B dress oneself up. 2 (of a bird) preen. [origin unknown]








Self-discipline  n. 1 ability to apply oneself. 2 self-control.  self-disciplined adj.



Dead beat  adj. Colloq. Exhausted.






Each other  pron. One another.


Induce  v. (-cing) 1 prevail on; persuade. 2 bring about. 3 a bring on (labour) artificially. B bring on labour in (a mother). C speed up the birth of (a baby). 4 produce (a current) by induction. 5 infer; deduce.  inducible adj. [latin duco duct- lead]

Winkle-picker  n. Slang long pointed shoe.
Suntan  n. Brownish skin colour caused by exposure to the sun.  suntanned adj.


Disarmament  n. Reduction by a state of its armaments.

North star  n. Pole star.
Cat flap  n. (also cat door) small swinging flap in an outer door, for a cat to pass in and out.
Lost cause  n. Hopeless undertaking.
Hemal  adj. (brit. Haem-) of the blood. [greek haima blood]
Date1  —n. 1 day of the month, esp. As a number. 2 particular, esp. Historical, day or year. 3 day, month, and year of writing etc., at the head of a document etc. 4 period to which a work of art etc. Belongs. 5 time when an event takes place. 6 colloq. A appointment, esp. Social with a person of the opposite sex. B us person to be met at this. —v. (-ting) 1 mark with a date. 2 a assign a date to (an object, event, etc.). B (foll. By to) assign to a particular time, period, etc. 3 (often foll. By from, back to, etc.) Have its origins at a particular time. 4 appear or expose as old-fashioned (design that does not date; that hat dates you). 5 us colloq. A make a date with. B go out together as sexual partners.  out of date (attrib. Out-of-date) old-fashioned, obsolete. To date until now. Up to date (attrib. Up-to-date) modern; fashionable; current. [french: related to *data]

Sand-dune  n. (also sand-hill) = *dune.

Candy  —n. (pl. -ies) 1 (in full sugar-candy) sugar crystallized by repeated boiling and slow evaporation. 2 us sweets; a sweet. —v. (-ies, -ied) (usu. As candied adj.) Preserve (fruit etc.) In candy. [french from arabic]

Well-disposed  adj. (often foll. By towards) friendly or sympathetic.

Find  —v. (past and past part. Found) 1 a discover or get by chance or effort (found a key). B become aware of. 2 a obtain, succeed in obtaining; receive (idea found acceptance). B summon up (found courage). 3 seek out and provide or supply (will find you a book; finds his own meals). 4 discover by study etc. (find the answer). 5 a perceive or experience (find no sense in it). B (often in passive) discover to be present (not found in shakespeare). C discover from experience (finds england too cold). 6 law (of a jury, judge, etc.) Decide and declare (found him guilty). 7 reach by a natural process (water finds its own level). —n. 1 discovery of treasure etc. 2 valued thing or person newly discovered.  all found (of wages) with board and lodging provided free. Find fault see *fault. Find favour prove acceptable. Find one's feet 1 become able to walk. 2 develop independence. Find oneself 1 discover that one is (found herself agreeing).
Sulphuric acid  n. Dense oily highly corrosive acid.
Joss-stick  n. Incense-stick for burning.
Orange  —n. 1 a roundish reddish-yellow juicy citrus fruit. B tree bearing this. 2 its colour. —adj. Orange-coloured. [arabic naranj]




Sire  —n. 1 male parent of an animal, esp. A stallion. 2 archaic form of address to a king. 3 archaic father or male ancestor. —v. (-ring) (esp. Of an animal) beget. [french from latin senior *senior]
Craggy  adj. (-ier, -iest) (of facial features, landscape, etc.) Rugged; rough-textured.  cragginess n.

Gamete  n. Mature germ cell able to unite with another in sexual reproduction.  gametic adj. [greek, = wife]

Tailcoat  n. Man's coat with a long divided flap at the back, worn as part of formal dress.




Open-heart surgery  n. Surgery with the heart exposed and the blood made to bypass it.
Trembly  adj. (-ier, -iest) colloq. Trembling.


Nature  n. 1 thing's or person's innate or essential qualities or character. 2 (often nature) a physical power causing all material phenomena. B these phenomena. 3 kind or class (things of this nature). 4 inherent impulses determining character or action.  by nature innately. In (or by) the nature of things 1 inevitable. 2 inevitably. [latin natura: related to *natal]

Enzyme  n. Protein catalyst of a specific biochemical reaction. [greek enzumos leavened]


Sort  —n. 1 group of similar things etc.; class or kind. 2 colloq. Person of a specified kind (a good sort). —v. (often foll. By out, over) arrange systematically; put in order.  of a sort (or of sorts) colloq. Barely deserving the name (a holiday of sorts). Out of sorts slightly unwell; in low spirits. Sort of colloq. As it were; to some extent. Sort out 1 separate into sorts. 2 select from a varied group. 3 disentangle or put into order. 4 solve. 5 colloq. Deal with or reprimand. [latin sors sort- lot]

-er2  suffix forming the comparative of adjectives (wider) and adverbs (faster). [old english]

Hellish  —adj. 1 of or like hell. 2 colloq. Extremely difficult or unpleasant. —adv. Colloq. Extremely (hellish expensive).  hellishly adv.
Internal  adj. 1 of or situated in the inside or invisible part. 2 of the inside of the body (internal injuries). 3 of a nation's domestic affairs. 4 (of a student) attending a university etc. As well as taking its examinations. 5 used or applying within an organization. 6 a intrinsic. B of the mind or soul.  internality n. Internally adv. [medieval latin internus internal]
Trite  adj. (of a phrase, observation, etc.) Hackneyed.  tritely adv. Triteness n. [latin tero trit- rub]


Ruck1  n. 1 (prec. By the) main body of competitors not likely to overtake the leaders. 2 undistinguished crowd or group. 3 rugby loose scrum. [apparently scandinavian]
Lb  abbr. Pound(s) (weight). [latin libra]
Anterior  adj. 1 nearer the front. 2 (often foll. By to) prior. [latin from ante before]

Admin  n. Colloq. Administration. [abbreviation]



Indomitable  adj. 1 unconquerable. 2 unyielding.  indomitably adv. [latin: related to *in-1, domito tame]

Prepare  v. (-ring) 1 make or get ready for use, consideration, etc. 2 assemble (a meal etc.). 3 a make (a person or oneself) ready or disposed in some way (prepared them for a shock). B get ready (prepare to jump).  be prepared (often foll. By for, or to + infin.) Be disposed or willing to. [latin paro make ready]
Overshadow  v. 1 appear much more prominent or important than. 2 cast into the shade.
Unsliced  adj. (esp. Of a loaf of bread) not sliced.
Cocoa bean  n. Cacao seed.
Concubine  n. 1 literary or joc. Mistress. 2 (among polygamous peoples) secondary wife.  concubinage n. [latin cubo lie]

Mercator projection  n. (also mercator's projection) map of the world projected on to a cylinder so that all the parallels of latitude have the same length as the equator. [mercator, name of a geographer]
Flitch  n. Side of bacon. [old english]

Calendula  n. Plant with large yellow or orange flowers, esp. The marigold. [latin diminutive of kalendae]


Tenuous  adj. 1 slight, insubstantial (tenuous connection). 2 (of a distinction etc.) Oversubtle. 3 thin, slender, small. 4 rarefied.  tenuity n. Tenuously adv. [latin tenuis]
Atom  n. 1 a smallest particle of a chemical element that can take part in a chemical reaction. B this as a source of nuclear energy. 2 minute portion or thing (atom of pity). [greek atomos indivisible]
Electric  —adj. 1 of, worked by, or charged with electricity; producing or capable of generating electricity. 2 causing or charged with excitement. —n. (in pl.) Colloq. Electrical equipment. [greek elektron amber]
Bale1  —n. Tightly bound bundle of merchandise or hay. —v. (-ling) make up into bales.  bale out 1 (also bail out) (of an airman) make an emergency parachute descent. 2 var. Of *bail1 v. 2. [dutch: related to *ball1]

Majesty  n. (pl. -ies) 1 stateliness, dignity, or authority, esp. Of bearing, language, etc. 2 a royal power. B (majesty) (prec. By his, her, your) forms of description or address for a sovereign or a sovereign's wife or widow (your majesty; her majesty the queen mother). [latin majestas: related to *major]

Goatskin  n. 1 skin of a goat. 2 garment or bottle made of goatskin.
Pram  n. Four-wheeled conveyance for a baby, pushed by a person on foot. [abbreviation of *perambulator]
Usage  see note at baluster.

H3  symb. Hydrogen.


Semiconductor  n. Substance that in certain conditions has electrical conductivity intermediate between insulators and metals.

Disperse  v. (-sing) 1 go, send, drive, or scatter widely or in different directions. 2 send to or station at different points. 3 disseminate. 4 chem. Distribute (small particles) in a medium. 5 divide (white light) into its coloured constituents.  dispersal n. Dispersive adj. [latin: related to *dis-, *sparse]
Pageant  n. 1 a brilliant spectacle, esp. An elaborate parade. B spectacular procession or play illustrating historical events. C tableau etc. On a fixed stage or moving vehicle. 2 empty or specious show. [origin unknown]


Meander  —v. 1 wander at random. 2 (of a stream) wind about. —n. 1 (in pl.) Sinuous windings of a river, path, etc. 2 circuitous journey. [greek maiandros, a winding river in ancient phrygia]
Chop2  n. (usu. In pl.) Jaw. [origin unknown]
Ablaze  predic. Adj. & adv. 1 on fire. 2 glittering, glowing. 3 greatly excited.

Nautilus  n. (pl. Nautiluses or nautili) cephalopod mollusc with a spiral shell, esp. (pearly nautilus) one having a chambered shell. [greek nautilos: related to *nautical]
Unbecoming  adj. 1 unflattering (unbecoming hat). 2 (usu. Foll. By to, for) not fitting; indecorous.  unbecomingly adv.





Contradistinction  n. Distinction made by contrasting.

Spade2  n. 1 a playing-card of a suit denoted by black inverted heart-shaped figures with short stalks. B (in pl.) This suit. 2 slang offens. Black person. [italian spada sword: related to *spade1]

Dustman  n. Person employed to collect household refuse.
Impact  —n. 1 effect of sudden forcible contact between two solid bodies etc.; collision. 2 strong effect or impression. —v. 1 press or fix firmly. 2 (as impacted adj.) (of a tooth) wedged between another tooth and the jaw. 3 (often foll. By on) have an impact on.  impaction n. [latin: related to *impinge]
Necessitate  v. (-ting) make necessary (esp. As a result) (will necessitate some sacrifice).

Mod  colloq. —adj. Modern. —n. Young person (esp. In the 1960s) of a group known for its smart modern dress. [abbreviation]

Turkish bath  n. 1 hot-air or steam bath followed by washing, massage, etc. 2 (in sing. Or pl.) Building for this.
Thrifty  adj. (-ier, -iest) economical.  thriftily adv. Thriftiness n.
Dissect  v. 1 cut into pieces, esp. For examination or post mortem. 2 analyse or criticize in detail.  dissection n. [latin: related to *section]
Jump-lead  n. Cable for conveying current from the battery of one vehicle to that of another.

Macintosh  var. Of *mackintosh.


You'll  contr. You will; you shall.
Adept  —adj. (foll. By at, in) skilful. —n. Adept person. [latin adipiscor adept- attain]


Bashful  adj. Shy, diffident.  bashfully adv. [as *abashed]
Grapeshot  n. Hist. Small balls used as charge in a cannon and scattering when fired.

Hep  var. Of *hip4.







Symbiosis  n. (pl. -bioses) 1 interaction between two different organisms living in close physical association, usu. To the advantage of both. 2 mutually advantageous association between persons.  symbiotic adj. [greek, = living together]
Lumber-room  n. Room where disused things are kept.

Chambermaid  n. Woman who cleans hotel bedrooms.


Adventurer  n. (fem. Adventuress) 1 person who seeks adventure, esp. For personal gain or enjoyment. 2 financial speculator.
Uncut  adj. 1 not cut. 2 (of a book) with the pages sealed or untrimmed. 3 (of a book, film, etc.) Complete; uncensored. 4 (of esp. A diamond) not shaped. 5 (of fabric) with a looped pile.
Febrifuge  n. Medicine or treatment for fever. [latin febris fever]
Mafia  n. 1 organized body of criminals, orig. In sicily, now also in italy and the us. 2 (mafia) group regarded as exerting an intimidating and corrupt power. [italian dial., = bragging]
Spirit  —n. 1 person's essence or intelligence; soul. 2 a rational or intelligent being without a material body. B ghost. 3 a person's character (an unbending spirit). B attitude (took it in the wrong spirit). C type of person (is a free spirit; a kindred spirit). D prevailing tendency (spirit of the age). 4 a (usu. In pl.) Strong distilled liquor, e.g. Whisky or gin. B distilled volatile liquid (wood spirit). C purified alcohol (methylated spirit). 5 a courage, vivacity. B (in pl.) State of mind, mood (in high spirits; his spirits were dashed). 6 essential as opposed to formal meaning (the spirit of the law). —v. (-t-) (usu. Foll. By away, off, etc.) Convey rapidly or mysteriously.  in spirit inwardly. [latin spiritus: related to *spirant]
Fly-blown  adj. Tainted, esp. By flies.

Barb  —n. 1 secondary backward-facing projection from an arrow, fish-hook, etc. 2 hurtful remark. 3 fleshy filament at the mouth of some fish. —v. 1 fit with a barb. 2 (as barbed adj.) (of a remark etc.) Deliberately hurtful. [latin barba beard]




Feed  —v. (past and past part. Fed) 1 a supply with food. B put food into the mouth of. 2 give as food, esp. To animals. 3 (usu. Foll. By on) (esp. Of animals, or colloq. Of people) eat. 4 (often foll. By on) nourish or be nourished by; benefit from. 5 a keep (a fire, machine, etc.) Supplied with fuel etc. B (foll. By into) supply (material) to a machine etc. C (often foll. By into) (of a river etc.) Flow into a lake etc. D keep (a meter) supplied with coins to ensure continuity. 6 slang supply (an actor etc.) With cues. 7 sport send passes to (a player). 8 gratify (vanity etc.). 9 provide (advice, information, etc.) To. —n. 1 food, esp. For animals or infants. 2 feeding; giving of food. 3 colloq. Meal. 4 a raw material for a machine etc. B provision of or device for this.  feed back produce feedback. Feed up fatten. [old english]


Compassionate  adj. Showing compassion, sympathetic.  compassionately adv.
Nursling  n. (also nurseling) infant that is being suckled.
Caliper  var. Of *calliper.
Needlecord  n. Fine-ribbed corduroy fabric.

Sea  n. 1 expanse of salt water that covers most of the earth's surface. 2 any part of this. 3 named tract of this partly or wholly enclosed by land (north sea). 4 large inland lake (sea of galilee). 5 waves of the sea; their motion or state (choppy sea). 6 (foll. By of) vast quantity or expanse. 7 (attrib.) Living or used in, on, or near the sea (often prefixed to the name of a marine animal, plant, etc., having a superficial resemblance to what it is named after) (sea lettuce).  at sea 1 in a ship on the sea. 2 perplexed, confused. By sea in a ship or ships. Go to sea become a sailor. On the sea 1 = at sea 1. 2 on the coast. [old english]

Leg-room  n. Space for the legs of a seated person.
Friary  n. (pl. -ies) monastery for friars.
Heart  n. 1 hollow muscular organ maintaining the circulation of blood by rhythmic contraction and dilation. 2 region of the heart; the breast. 3 a centre of thought, feeling, and emotion (esp. Love). B capacity for feeling emotion (has no heart). 4 a courage or enthusiasm (take heart). B mood or feeling (change of heart). 5 a central or innermost part of something. B essence (heart of the matter). 6 compact tender inner part of a lettuce etc. 7 a heart-shaped thing. B conventional representation of a heart with two equal curves meeting at a point at the bottom and a cusp at the top. 8 a playing-card of the suit denoted by a red figure of a heart. B (in pl.) This suit.  at heart 1 in one's inmost feelings. 2 basically. Break a person's heart overwhelm a person with sorrow. By heart from memory. Give (or lose) one's heart (often foll. By to) fall in love (with). Have the heart (usu. With neg.; foll. By to + infin.) Be insensitive or hard-hearted enough (didn't have the heart to ask him). Take to heart be much affected by. To one's heart's content see *content1. With all one's heart sincerely; with all goodwill. [old english]
Comport  v.refl. Literary conduct oneself; behave.  comport with suit, befit.  comportment n. [latin porto carry]
Hackney  n. (pl. -s) horse for ordinary riding. [hackney in london]



Titfer  n. Slang hat. [abbreviation of tit for tat, rhyming slang]

Deathly  —adj. (-ier, -iest) suggestive of death (deathly silence). —adv. In a deathly way (deathly pale).
Grey friar  n. Franciscan friar.
Minuscule  adj. Colloq. Extremely small or unimportant. [latin diminutive: related to *minus]
Florentine  —adj. Of florence in italy. —n. Native or citizen of florence. [latin]
Circumstance  n. 1 fact, occurrence, or condition, esp. (in pl.) Connected with or influencing an event; (bad) luck (victim of circumstance(s)). 2 (in pl.) One's financial or material condition. 3 ceremony, fuss.  in (or under) the circumstances the state of affairs being what it is. In (or under) no circumstances not at all; never.  circumstanced adj. [latin sto stand]







Provender  n. 1 animal fodder. 2 joc. Food. [latin: related to *prebend]
Deserving  adj. (often foll. By of) worthy (esp. Of help, praise, etc.).

Towards  prep. 1 in the direction of (set out towards town). 2 as regards; in relation to (attitude towards death). 3 as a contribution to; for (put it towards her holiday). 4 near (towards the end of our journey). [old english, = future: related to *to, *-ward]

Hmg  abbr. Her (or his) majesty's government.
Overhang  —v. (past and past part. -hung) project or hang over. —n. 1 overhanging. 2 overhanging part or amount.
Depressed area  n. Area of economic depression.
Off.  Abbr. 1 office. 2 officer.


Old girl  n. 1 former female pupil of a school. 2 colloq. A elderly woman. B affectionate term of address to a girl or woman.


Implant  —v. 1 (often foll. By in) insert or fix. 2 (often foll. By in) instil (an idea etc.) In a person's mind. 3 plant. 4 a insert (tissue etc.) In a living body. B (in passive) (of a fertilized ovum) become attached to the wall of the womb. —n. Thing implanted, esp. A piece of tissue.  implantation n. [latin: related to *plant]
Daylight  n. 1 light of day. 2 dawn. 3 visible gap, e.g. Between boats in a race. 4 (usu. In pl.) Slang life or consciousness (scared the daylights out of me; beat the living daylights out of them).
Usage  the transitive use of lie, meaning lay, as in lie her on the bed, is incorrect in standard english.

Destabilize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 make unstable. 2 subvert (esp. A foreign government).  destabilization n.
Sign of the cross  n. Christian sign made by tracing a cross with the hand.


Booze-up  n. Slang drinking bout.
Remembrance day  n. 1 = *remembrance sunday. 2 hist. Armistice day.

Pastorale  n. (pl. -s or -li) musical work with a rustic theme or atmosphere. [italian: related to *pastoral]

Remind  v. (usu. Foll. By of or to + infin. Or that + clause) cause (a person) to remember or think of (reminds me of her father; reminded them of the time).
Christmas eve  n. 24 dec.
Meadow  n. 1 piece of grassland, esp. One used for hay. 2 low marshy ground, esp. Near a river.  meadowy adj. [old english]
Chez  prep. At the home of. [latin casa cottage]


Hawker  n. Person who travels about selling goods. [low german or dutch]
Thymus  n. (pl. Thymi) lymphoid organ situated in the neck of vertebrates. [greek]

Eightfold  adj. & adv. 1 eight times as much or as many. 2 consisting of eight parts.



Tapestry  n. (pl. -ies) 1 a thick fabric in which coloured weft threads are woven to form pictures or designs. B (usu. Wool) embroidery imitating this. C piece of this. 2 events or circumstances etc. Seen as interwoven etc. (life's rich tapestry).  tapestried adj. [tapissery from french tapis carpet]
Cock-a-doodle-doo  n. Cock's crow.


Busby  n. (pl. -ies) tall fur hat worn by hussars etc. [origin unknown]
Team spirit  n. Willingness to act for the communal good.
After-care  n. Attention after leaving hospital etc.



Estimable  adj. Worthy of esteem; admirable. [latin: related to *esteem]

Heavy petting  n. Erotic fondling that stops short of intercourse.
Cob  n. 1 roundish lump. 2 domed loaf. 3  = *corn-cob. 4 large hazelnut. 5 sturdy riding-horse with short legs. 6 male swan. [origin unknown]
Hemal  adj. (brit. Haem-) of the blood. [greek haima blood]

Wed.  Abbr. (also weds.) Wednesday.
Goy  n. (pl. -im or -s) jewish name for a non-jew. [hebrew, = people]
Generative  adj. 1 of procreation. 2 productive.
Vivid  adj. 1 (of light or colour) strong, intense. 2 (of a memory, description, the imagination, etc.) Clear, lively, graphic.  vividly adv. Vividness n. [latin]
Sinology  n. The study of the chinese language, chinese history, etc.  sinologist n.
Solstice  n. Either of the times when the sun is furthest from the equator. [latin solstitium ‘the sun standing still’]
Westerly  —adj. & adv. 1 in a western position or direction. 2 (of a wind) from the west. —n. (pl. -ies) such a wind.
Inch  —n. 1 linear measure of 1/12 of a foot (2.54 cm). 2 (as a unit of rainfall) 1 inch depth of water. 3 (as a unit of map-scale) so many inches representing 1 mile. 4 small amount (usu. With neg.: would not yield an inch). —v. Move gradually.  every inch entirely (looked every inch a queen). Within an inch of almost to the point of. [old english from latin uncia *ounce]



Stressful  adj. Causing stress.

Privative  adj. 1 consisting in or marked by loss or absence. 2 gram. Expressing privation. [latin: related to *private]
Wayside  n. 1 side of a road. 2 land at the side of a road.

Tease  —v. (-sing) (also absol.) 1 a make fun of playfully, unkindly, or annoyingly; irritate. B allure, esp. Sexually, while withholding satisfaction. 2 pick (wool etc.) Into separate fibres. 3 dress (cloth) esp. With teasels. —n. 1 colloq. Person fond of teasing. 2 act of teasing (only a tease).  tease out separate by disentangling. [old english]



Commission  —n. 1 a authority to perform a task etc. B person(s) entrusted with such authority. C task etc. Given to such person(s). 2 order for something to be produced specially. 3 a warrant conferring the rank of officer in the armed forces. B rank so conferred. 4 pay or percentage paid to an agent. 5 act of committing (a crime etc.). —v. 1 empower by commission.

Chinless wonder  n. Ineffectual esp. Upper-class person.
Endoscope  n. Instrument for viewing internal parts of the body.

Workday  n. Day on which work is usually done.


Cattle-grid  n. Grid over a ditch, allowing people and vehicles but not livestock to pass over.


Scooter  n. 1 child's toy with a footboard on two wheels and a long steering-handle. 2 (in full motor scooter) low-powered motor cycle with a shieldlike protective front.

Ohp  abbr. Overhead projector.

Water-ski  —n. Each of a pair of skis for skimming the surface of the water when towed by a motor boat. —v. Travel on water-skis.  water-skier n.

Lineal  adj. 1 in the direct line of descent or ancestry. 2 linear.  lineally adv.


Teddy  n. (also teddy) (pl. -ies) (in full teddy bear) soft toy bear. [teddy, pet form of theodore roosevelt]

Oxygen tent  n. Tentlike enclosure supplying a patient with air rich in oxygen.


Dirty word  n. 1 offensive or indecent word. 2 word for something disapproved of (profit is a dirty word).



Road sign  n. Sign giving information or instructions to road users.
Inter  v. (-rr-) bury (a corpse etc.). [latin terra earth]
Porter2  n. Gatekeeper or doorman, esp. Of a large building. [latin: related to *port4]

Galosh  n. (also golosh) (usu. In pl.) Overshoe, usu. Of rubber. [french]




Supposition  n. 1 thing supposed. 2 act of supposing.


Fungicide  n. Substance that kills fungus.  fungicidal adj.
Credence  n. Belief.   give credence to believe. [medieval latin: related to *credo]


Artifact  var. Of *artefact.

Lump1  —n. 1 compact shapeless mass. 2 tumour; swelling, bruise. 3 heavy, dull, or ungainly person. 4 (prec. By the) slang casual workers in the building trade. —v. 1 (usu. Foll. By together etc.) Treat as all alike; put together in a lump. 2 (of sauce etc.) Become lumpy.  lump in the throat feeling of pressure there, caused by emotion. [scandinavian]
Travelling salesman  n. = *commercial traveller.
Motor vehicle  n. Road vehicle powered by an internal-combustion engine.
Dentin  n. (brit. Dentine) hard dense tissue forming the bulk of a tooth.
Hernia  n. Protrusion of part of an organ through the wall of the body cavity containing it. [latin]
Pyretic  adj. Of, for, or producing fever. [greek puretos fever]
Unshackle  v. (-ling) 1 release from shackles. 2 set free.
Short weight  n. Weight less than it is alleged to be.

Accolade  n. 1 praise given. 2 touch made with a sword at the conferring of a knighthood. [latin collum neck]
Fearless  adj. (often foll. By of) not afraid, brave.  fearlessly adv. Fearlessness n.

Political economy  n. The study of the economic aspects of government.
Obituary  n. (pl. -ies) 1 notice of a death or deaths. 2 account of the life of a deceased person. 3 (attrib.) Of or serving as an obituary. [latin obitus death]

Feud1  —n. Prolonged hostility, esp. Between families, tribes, etc. —v. Conduct a feud. [germanic: related to *foe]
Either  —adj. & pron. 1 one or the other of two (either of you can go; you may have either book). 2 each of two (houses on either side of the road). —adv. & conj. 1 as one possibility (is either right or wrong). 2 as one choice or alternative; which way you will (either come in or go out). 3 (with neg.) A any more than the other (if you do not go, i shall not either). B moreover (there is no time to lose, either). [old english]


Metaphor  n. 1 application of a name or description to something to which it is not literally applicable (e.g. A glaring error). 2 instance of this.  metaphoric adj. Metaphorical adj. Metaphorically adv. [latin from greek]

Life insurance  n. Insurance for a sum to be paid after a set period or on the death of the insured person if earlier.

Slipshod  adj. Careless, slovenly.
Antepenultimate  adj. Last but two.


Landowner  n. Owner of (esp. Much) land.  landowning adj. & n.
Bodywork  n. Outer shell of a vehicle.


Modern english  n. English from about 1500 onwards.


Death-watch  n. (in full death-watch beetle) small beetle which makes a ticking sound, said to portend death.
Rag2  —n. 1 fund-raising programme of stunts, parades, and entertainment organized by students. 2 prank. 3 a rowdy celebration. B noisy disorderly scene. —v. (-gg-) 1 tease; play rough jokes on. 2 engage in rough play; be noisy and riotous. [origin unknown]

Wrist  n. 1 joint connecting the hand with the arm. 2 part of a garment covering this. [old english]

En-2  prefix (also em- before b, p) in, inside (energy; enthusiasm). [greek]
Bupa  abbr. British united provident association, a private health insurance organization.
Achromatic  adj. Optics 1 transmitting light without separation into constituent colours (achromatic lens). 2 without colour.  achromatically adv. [french: related to *a-, *chrome]
Redraft  v. Draft (a text) again, usu. Differently.



Phrase book  n. Book for travellers, listing useful expressions with their foreign equivalents.

One  —adj. 1 single and integral in number. 2 (with a noun implied) a single person or thing of the kind expressed or implied (one of the best; a nasty one). 3 particular but undefined, esp. As contrasted with another (that is one view; one night last week). 4 only such (the one man who can do it). 5 forming a unity (one and undivided). 6 identical; the same (of one opinion). —n. 1 a lowest cardinal number. B thing numbered with it. 2 unity; a unit (one is half of two; came in ones and twos).

Once-over  n. Colloq. Rapid inspection.

Mediate  v. (-ting) 1 (often foll. By between) intervene (between disputants) to settle a quarrel etc. 2 bring about (a result) thus.  mediation n. Mediator n. [latin medius middle]


Mincemeat  n. Mixture of currants, sugar, spices, suet, etc.  make mincemeat of utterly defeat.

Nymphomania  n. Excessive sexual desire in a woman.  nymphomaniac n. & adj. [from *nymph, *-mania]
Visible  adj. 1 able to be seen, perceived, or ascertained. 2 (of exports etc.) Consisting of actual goods.  visibly adv. [latin: related to *vision]


Inn  n. 1 pub, sometimes with accommodation. 2 hist. House providing accommodation, esp. For travellers. [old english: related to *in]
Cutlery  n. Knives, forks, and spoons for use at table. [anglo-french: related to *cutler]

Day release  n. Part-time education for employees.
Fund-raiser  n. Person raising money for a cause, enterprise, etc.  fund-raising n.

Maternal  adj. 1 of or like a mother; motherly. 2 related through the mother (maternal uncle). 3 of the mother in pregnancy and childbirth.  maternally adv. [latin mater mother]


Helm  n. Tiller or wheel for controlling a ship's rudder.  at the helm in control; at the head of an organization etc. [old english]
Frolic  —v. (-ck-) play about cheerfully. —n. 1 cheerful play. 2 prank. 3 merry party. [dutch vrolijk (adj.) From vro glad]
Tumescent  adj. Swelling.  tumescence n. [latin: related to *tumour]
Costive  adj. Constipated. [latin: related to *constipate]



Resurgent  adj. Rising or arising again.  resurgence n. [latin resurgo -surrect- rise again]

Telephone directory  n. Book listing telephone subscribers and numbers.

Scarify2  v. (-ies, -ied) colloq. Scare.

Assort  v. 1 classify or arrange in sorts. 2 (usu. Foll. By with) suit or harmonize with. [french: related to *sort]

Kindred  —adj. Related, allied, or similar. —n. 1 one's relations collectively. 2 blood relationship. 3 resemblance in character. [old english, = kinship]
Question  —n. 1 sentence worded or expressed so as to seek information or an answer. 2 a doubt or dispute about a matter (no question that he is dead). B raising of such doubt etc. 3 matter to be discussed or decided. 4 problem requiring a solution. —v. 1 ask questions of; interrogate; subject (a person) to examination. 2 throw doubt upon; raise objections to.  be just a question of time be certain to happen sooner or later. Be a question of be at issue, be a problem (it's a question of money). Call in (or into) question express doubts about.



Patent office  n. Office issuing patents.
Ll d  abbr. Doctor of laws. [latin legum doctor]




Midnight sun  n. Sun visible at midnight during the summer in polar regions.
Scut  n. Short tail, esp. Of a hare, rabbit, or deer. [origin unknown]


Tech  n. (also tec) colloq. Technical college. [abbreviation]

Meet2  adj. Archaic fitting, proper. [related to *mete]
Aborigine  n. (usu. In pl.) 1 aboriginal inhabitant. 2 (usu. Aborigine) aboriginal inhabitant of australia.

Consistent  adj. 1 (usu. Foll. By with) compatible or in harmony. 2 (of a person) constant to the same principles.  consistently adv. [latin: related to *consist]
Solute  n. Dissolved substance.
Agape  predic. Adj. Gaping, open-mouthed. [from *a2]


Irishman  n. Man who is irish by birth or descent.
Oxon  abbr. (esp. In degree titles) of oxford university. [latin oxoniensis: related to *oxonian]


Recast  —v. (past and past part. Recast) 1 cast again (a play, net, votes, etc.). 2 put into a new form; improve the arrangement of. —n. 1 recasting. 2 recast form.





Octo-  comb. Form (also oct- before a vowel) eight. [see *octa-]






Necklace  n. 1 chain or string of beads, precious stones, etc., worn round the neck. 2 s.afr. Tyre soaked or filled with petrol, placed round a victim's neck, and set alight.
Extant  adj. Still existing. [latin ex(s)to exist]
Bicycle  —n. Pedal-driven two-wheeled vehicle. —v. (-ling) ride a bicycle. [greek kuklos wheel]
Expeditious  adj. Acting or done with speed and efficiency.
Bachelor girl  n. Independent young single woman.

Treatise  n. A written work dealing formally and systematically with a subject. [anglo-french: related to *treat]

Obdurate  adj. 1 stubborn. 2 hardened.  obduracy n. [latin duro harden]






Mammon  n. Wealth regarded as a god or evil influence. [aramaic mamon]
Lordship  n. 1 (usu. Lordship) title used in addressing or referring to a man with the rank of lord (your lordship; his lordship). 2 (foll. By over) dominion, rule.
Gorgeous  adj. 1 richly coloured, sumptuous. 2 colloq. Very pleasant, splendid (gorgeous weather). 3 colloq. Strikingly beautiful.  gorgeously adv. [french]

Concupiscence  n. Formal lust.  concupiscent adj. [latin cupio desire]
Harebell  n. Plant with pale-blue bell-shaped flowers.
Ancient  adj. 1 of long ago, esp. Before the fall of the roman empire in the west. 2 having lived or existed long.  the ancients people of ancient times, esp. The greeks and romans. [latin ante before]

Shifty  adj. Colloq. (-ier, -iest) evasive; deceitful.  shiftily adv. Shiftiness n.

Antiviral  adj. Effective against viruses.

Public lending right  n. Right of authors to payment when their books etc. Are lent by public libraries.

Eau-de-cologne  n. Toilet water orig. From cologne. [french, = water of cologne]

Way of life  n. Principles or habits governing all one's actions etc.
Smashing  adj. Colloq. Excellent, wonderful.
Merciful  adj. Showing mercy.  mercifulness n.
Suspect  —v. 1 be inclined to think. 2 have an impression of the existence or presence of. 3 (often foll. By of) mentally accuse. 4 doubt the genuineness or truth of. —n. Suspected person. —adj. Subject to or deserving suspicion. [latin suspicio -spect-]



Sodium hydroxide  n. Strongly alkaline compound used in soap etc.; caustic soda.
Foreign and commonwealth office  n. British government department dealing with foreign affairs.


Muscat  n. 1 sweet usu. Fortified white wine made from musk-flavoured grapes. 2 this grape. [provençal: related to *musk]



Pentameter  n. Line of verse with five metrical feet. [greek: see *penta-, *-meter]



Undershot  adj. 1 (of a water-wheel) turned by water flowing under it. 2 (of a lower jaw) projecting beyond the upper jaw.
Hemlock  n. 1 poisonous plant with fernlike leaves and small white flowers. 2 poison made from this. [old english]


Indebted  adj. (usu. Foll. By to) owing gratitude or money.  indebtedness n. [french endetté: related to *debt]
Cola  n. (also kola) 1 w. African tree bearing seeds containing caffeine. 2 carbonated drink usu. Flavoured with these. [west african]


Film star  n. Celebrated film actor or actress.
Undisguised  adj. Not disguised; open.
Senior service  n. Royal navy.
Forearm1  n. The arm from the elbow to the wrist or fingertips.




Jilt  v. Abruptly reject or abandon (esp. A lover). [origin unknown]
Spanner  n. Tool for turning a nut on a bolt etc. [german]

Gyro  n. (pl. -s) colloq. = *gyroscope. [abbreviation]




Ataxia  n. Med. Imperfect control of bodily movements. [greek a- without, taxis order]

Cystitis  n. Inflammation of the bladder usu. Causing frequent painful urination.
Gold-mine  n. 1 place where gold is mined. 2 colloq. Source of great wealth.
Antitetanus  adj. Effective against tetanus.
Shank  n. 1 a leg. B lower part of the leg. C shin-bone. 2 shaft or stem, esp. The part of a tool etc. Joining the handle to the working end. [old english]
Baklava  n. Rich sweetmeat of flaky pastry, honey, and nuts. [turkish]
Outwardness  n. External existence; objectivity.






Regarding  prep. About, concerning; in respect of.
Pollster  n. Person who organizes an opinion poll.

Sino-  comb. Form chinese; chinese and (sino-american). [greek sinai the chinese]
Untreated  adj. Not treated.
Acorn  n. Fruit of the oak, with a smooth nut in a cuplike base. [old english]

Winder  n. Winding mechanism, esp. Of a clock or watch.
Rough justice  n. 1 treatment that is approximately fair. 2 unjust treatment.
Consultation  n. 1 meeting arranged to consult. 2 act or process of consulting.
Flurry  —n. (pl. -ies) 1 gust or squall (of snow, rain, etc.). 2 sudden burst of activity, excitement, etc.; commotion. —v. (-ies, -ied) confuse; agitate. [imitative]

Cid  abbr. Criminal investigation department.
Redistribute  v. (-ting) distribute again or differently.  redistribution n.




Lopsided  adj. Unevenly balanced.  lopsidedness n. [related to *lob]
Connecting-rod  n. Rod between the piston and crankpin etc. In an internal combustion engine.
Lookout  n. 1 watch or looking out (on the lookout). 2 a observation-post. B person etc. Stationed to keep watch. 3 prospect (it's a bad lookout). 4 colloq. Person's own concern (that's your lookout).
Downland  n. = *down3.
Par avion  adv. By airmail. [french, = by aeroplane]


Pen3  n. Female swan. [origin unknown]
Enterprising  adj. Showing enterprise; resourceful, energetic.  enterprisingly adv.

Chief of staff  n. Senior staff officer of a service or command.

Drain  —v. 1 draw off liquid from. 2 draw off (liquid). 3 flow or trickle away. 4 dry or become dry as liquid flows away. 5 exhaust of strength or resources. 6 a drink to the dregs. B empty (a glass etc.) By drinking the contents. —n. 1 a channel, conduit, or pipe carrying off liquid, sewage, etc. B tube for drawing off discharge etc. 2 constant outflow or expenditure.  down the drain colloq. Lost, wasted. [old english: related to *dry]
Minipill  n. Contraceptive pill containing a progestogen only (not oestrogen).

Psycho  colloq. —n. (pl. -s) psychopath. —adj. Psychopathic. [abbreviation]

Travelogue  n. Film or illustrated lecture about travel. [from *travel, after monologue]
Conveyor belt  n. Endless moving belt for conveying articles, esp. In a factory.
Hemophiliac  n. (brit. Haem-) person with haemophilia.
Tittle-tattle  —n. Petty gossip. —v. (-ling) gossip, chatter. [reduplication of *tattle]
Bumpkin  n. Rustic or socially inept person. [dutch]
Remarry  v. (-ies, -ied) marry again.  remarriage n.
Mushy  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 like mush; soft. 2 feebly sentimental.  mushiness n.
Machismo  n. Being macho; masculine pride. [spanish]

Distraint  n. Seizure of goods to enforce payment.
Intercede  v. (-ding) (usu. Foll. By with) intervene on behalf of another; plead. [latin: related to *cede]
Feet  pl. Of *foot.


Revisionism  n. Often derog. Revision or modification of an orthodoxy, esp. Of marxism.  revisionist n. & adj.
Sb  symb. Antimony. [latin stibium]



Unplumbed  adj. 1 not plumbed. 2 not fully explored or understood.
Pewter  n. 1 grey alloy of tin, antimony, and copper. 2 utensils made of this. [french peutre]
Senate  n. 1 legislative body, esp. The upper and smaller assembly in the us, france, etc. 2 governing body of a university or (us) a college. 3 ancient roman state council. [latin senatus from senex old man]

Safety razor  n. Razor with a guard to prevent cutting the skin.
Continuo  n. (pl. -s) mus. Accompaniment providing a bass line, played usu. On a keyboard instrument. [italian]

Participant  n. Participator.
Superfluity  n. (pl. -ies) 1 state of being superfluous. 2 superfluous amount or thing. [latin fluo to flow]
Rolling-pin  n. Cylinder for rolling out pastry, dough, etc.




Trip  —v. (-pp-) 1 a (often foll. By up) (cause to) stumble, esp. By catching the feet. B (foll. By up) (cause to) make a slip or blunder. 2 a move with quick light steps. B (of a rhythm etc.) Run lightly. 3 make an excursion to a place. 4  a operate (a mechanism) suddenly by knocking aside a catch etc. B automatically cut out. 5 slang have a hallucinatory experience caused by a drug. —n. 1 journey or excursion, esp. For pleasure. 2 a stumble or blunder. B tripping or being tripped up. 3 nimble step. 4 slang drug-induced hallucinatory experience. 5 device for tripping a mechanism etc. [dutch trippen skip, hop]

Stertorous  adj. (of breathing etc.) Laboured and noisy. [latin sterto snore]
Sweet william  n. Cultivated plant with clusters of vivid fragrant flowers.
Newsflash  n. Single item of important news, broadcast urgently and often interrupting other programmes.


Hip-flask  n. Small flask for spirits etc.
Anarchist  n. Advocate of anarchism.  anarchistic adj.

Cl  symb. Chlorine.


Unembarrassed  adj. Not embarrassed.
Mayor  n. 1 head of the corporation of a city or borough. 2 head of a district council with the status of a borough.  mayoral adj. [latin: related to *major]
Suspension  n. 1 suspending or being suspended. 2 springs etc. Supporting a vehicle on its axles. 3 substance consisting of particles suspended in a medium.

Overture  n. 1 orchestral piece opening an opera etc. 2 composition in this style. 3 (usu. In pl.) A opening of negotiations. B formal proposal or offer. [french: related to *overt]


Limber2  —n. Detachable front part of a gun-carriage. —v. Attach a limber to. [perhaps from latin limo -onis shaft]
Trap1  —n. 1 device, often baited, for catching animals. 2 trick betraying a person into speech or an act. 3 arrangement to catch an unsuspecting person. 4 device for hurling an object, e.g. A clay pigeon, into the air to be shot at. 5 compartment from which a greyhound is released at the start of a race. 6 device that sends a ball into the air. 7 curve in a downpipe etc. That fills with liquid and forms a seal against the return of gases. 8 two-wheeled carriage (pony and trap). 9 = *trapdoor. 10 slang mouth (esp. Shut one's trap). —v. (-pp-) 1 catch (an animal) in a trap. 2 catch or catch out (a person) by means of a trick etc. 3 stop and retain in or as in a trap. 4 provide (a place) with traps. [old english]





Privation  n. Lack of the comforts or necessities of life. [latin: related to *private]

Straight face  n. Intentionally expressionless face.  straight-faced adj.
Recolour  v. Colour again or differently.
Herbal  —adj. Of herbs in medicinal and culinary use. —n. Book describing the medicinal and culinary uses of herbs.

Mixed metaphor  n. Combination of inconsistent metaphors (e.g. This tower of strength will forge ahead).

Fastback  n. 1 car with a sloping rear. 2 such a rear.


Readable  adj. 1 able to be read. 2 interesting to read.  readability n.


Tympani  var. Of *timpani.
Paki  n. (pl. -s) slang offens. Pakistani. [abbreviation]

Hungry  adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 feeling or showing hunger; needing food. 2 inducing hunger (hungry work). 3 craving (hungry for news).  hungrily adv. [old english]


Subnormal  adj. Below or less than normal, esp. In intelligence.

Presbyterian  —adj. (of a church) governed by elders all of equal rank, esp. With ref. To the church of scotland. —n. Member of a presbyterian church.  presbyterianism n.
Potion  n. Dose of a liquid medicine, drug, poison, etc. [latin poto drink]
Me1  pron. 1 objective case of *i2 (he saw me). 2 colloq. = *i2 (it's me all right; is taller than me). [old english accusative and dative of *i2]

Piecrust  n. Baked pastry crust of a pie.
Neurology  n. The study of nerve systems.  neurological adj. Neurologist n.

Workroom  n. Room for working in.

Turkish delight  n. Sweet of lumps of flavoured gelatine coated in powdered sugar.
Commonplace  —adj. Lacking originality; trite; ordinary. —n. 1 event, topic, etc. That is ordinary or usual. 2 trite remark. [translation of latin locus communis]
Leading aircraftman  n. Rank above aircraftman in the raf.



Wok  n. Bowl-shaped frying-pan used in esp. Chinese cookery. [chinese]
Rapscallion  n. Archaic or joc. Rascal. [perhaps from *rascal]


Endometrium  n. Membrane lining the womb. [greek metra womb]
Geld  v. Castrate. [old norse]
Sirocco  n. (also scirocco) (pl. -s) 1 saharan simoom. 2 warm sultry wind in s. Europe. [arabic sharuk]
Glass fibre  n. Filaments of glass made into fabric or embedded in plastic as reinforcement.
Fifth  adj. & n. 1 next after fourth. 2 any of five equal parts of a thing. 3 mus. Interval or chord spanning five consecutive notes in a diatonic scale (e.g. C to g).  fifthly adv. [old english: related to *five]
Fulfil  v. (us fulfill) (-ll-) 1 carry out (a task, prophecy, promise, etc.). 2 a satisfy (conditions, a desire, prayer, etc.). B (as fulfilled adj.) Completely happy. 3 answer (a purpose).  fulfil oneself realize one's potential.  fulfilment n. [old english: related to *full1, *fill]
Mortarboard  n. 1 academic cap with a stiff flat square top. 2 flat board for holding mortar.
Prophet  n. (fem. Prophetess) 1 teacher or interpreter of the supposed will of god. 2 a person who foretells events. B spokesman; advocate (prophet of the new order). 3 (the prophet) muhammad. [greek prophetes spokesman]








Dáil  n. (in full dáil éireann) lower house of parliament in the republic of ireland. [irish, = assembly (of ireland)]

Usage  the use of due to to mean ‘because of’ as in the example given is regarded as unacceptable by some people and could be avoided by substituting his lateness was due to an accident. Alternatively, owing to could be used.



Neural  adj. Of a nerve or the central nervous system. [greek neuron nerve]
Pearl bulb  n. Translucent electric light bulb.
Seeing  conj. (usu. Foll. By that) considering that, inasmuch as, because.

Trump1  —n. 1 a playing-card of a suit temporarily ranking above the others. B (in pl.) This suit (hearts are trumps). 2 colloq. Generous or loyal person. —v. 1 defeat (a card or its player) with a trump. 2 colloq. Outdo.  come (or turn) up trumps colloq. 1 turn out better than expected. 2 be greatly successful or helpful. Trump up fabricate or invent (an accusation etc.) (trumped-up charge). [corruption of *triumph in the same (now obsolete) sense]



Archbishopric  n. Office or diocese of an archbishop.
Seashore  n. Land next to the sea.


Hoax  —n. Humorous or malicious deception. —v. Deceive (a person) with a hoax. [probably a shortening of hocus in *hocus-pocus]




Protagonist  n. 1 chief person in a drama, story, etc. 2 leading person in a contest etc.; principal performer. 3 (usu. Foll. By of, for) advocate or champion of a cause etc. (protagonist of women's rights). [greek: related to *proto-, agonistes actor]
Exasperate  v. (-ting) irritate intensely.  exasperation n. [latin asper rough]

Countrified  adj. Rustic in manner or appearance.

Saucer  n. 1 shallow circular dish for standing a cup on. 2 thing of this shape.  saucerful n. (pl. -s). [french saussier]

Tit2  n.  tit for tat blow for blow; retaliation. [= earlier tip in tip for tap: see *tip2]

Quotation  n. 1 passage or remark quoted. 2 quoting or being quoted. 3 contractor's estimate. [medieval latin: related to *quote]


Abstracted  adj. Inattentive, distracted.  abstractedly adv.
Muck  —n. 1 colloq. Dirt or filth; anything disgusting. 2 farmyard manure. 3 colloq. Mess. —v. 1 (usu. Foll. By up) colloq. A bungle (a job). B make dirty or untidy. 2 (foll. By out) remove manure from.  make a muck of colloq. Bungle. Muck about (or around) colloq. 1 potter or fool about. 2 (foll. By with) fool or interfere with. Muck in (often foll. By with) colloq. Share tasks etc. Equally. [scandinavian]
Electrolysis  n. 1 chemical decomposition by electric action. 2 destruction of tumours, hair-roots, etc., by this process.  electrolytic adj.
Testimonial  n. 1 certificate of character, conduct, or qualifications. 2 gift presented to a person (esp. In public) as a mark of esteem etc. [french: related to *testimony]


Lounge suit  n. Man's suit for ordinary day (esp. Business) wear.

Aunt  n. 1 sister of one's father or mother. 2 uncle's wife. 3 colloq. (form of address by a child to) parent's female friend. [latin amita]
Impel  v. (-ll-) 1 drive, force, or urge. 2 propel. [latin pello drive]

Classicism  n. 1 following of a classic style. 2 classical scholarship. 3 ancient greek or latin idiom.  classicist n.

Armistice day  n. Anniversary of the armistice of 11 nov. 1918.
Defect  —n. Fault, imperfection, shortcoming. —v. Leave one's country or cause for another.  defection n. Defector n. [latin deficio -fect- fail]


Undismayed  adj. Not dismayed.




Own  —adj. (prec. By possessive) 1 a belonging to oneself or itself; not another's (saw it with my own eyes). B individual, peculiar, particular (has its own charm). 2 used to emphasize identity rather than possession (cooks his own meals). 3 (absol.) Private property (is it your own?). —v. 1 have as property; possess. 2 admit as valid, true, etc. 3 acknowledge paternity, authorship, or possession of.  come into one's own 1 receive one's due. 2 achieve recognition. Get one's own back get revenge. Hold one's own maintain one's position. Of one's own belonging to oneself. On one's own 1 alone, independent. 2 independently, without help. Own up (often foll. By to) confess frankly.  -owned adj. (in comb.). [old english]
Our father  n. Prayer beginning with these words (matt. 6:9-13).
Estimate  —n. 1 approximate judgement, esp. Of cost, value, size, etc. 2 statement of approximate charge for work to be undertaken. —v. (-ting) (also absol.) 1 form an estimate or opinion of. 2 (foll. By that) make a rough calculation. 3 (often foll. By at) form an estimate; adjudge.  estimator n. [latin aestimo fix the price of]
Greek cross  n. Cross with four equal arms.



Reward  —n. 1 a return or recompense for service or merit. B requital for good or evil. 2 sum offered for the detection of a criminal, restoration of lost property, etc. —v. Give a reward to (a person) or for (a service etc.). [anglo-french reward(er) *regard]
Communism  n. 1 a social system in which most property is publicly owned and each person works for the common benefit. B political theory advocating this. 2 (usu. Communism) the form of socialist society established in cuba, china, etc., and previously, the ussr. [french: related to *common]


Envelope  n. 1 folded paper container for a letter etc. 2 wrapper, covering. 3 gas container of a balloon or airship.


Avenge  v. (-ging) 1 inflict retribution on behalf of. 2 take vengeance for (an injury).  be avenged avenge oneself. [latin vindico]
Ups-a-daisy  var. Of *upsy-daisy.
Diverge  v. (-ging) 1 a spread out from a central point, become dispersed. B take different courses (their interests diverged). 2 a (often foll. By from) depart from a set course.



Hunger strike  n. Refusal of food as a protest.





Bird-watcher  n. Person who observes wild birds as a hobby.  bird-watching n.
Wattle and daub  n. Network of rods and twigs plastered with clay or mud as a building material.
Glow-worm  n. Beetle whose wingless female emits light from the end of the abdomen.
Yahoo  n. Bestial person. [name of a race of brutes in gulliver's travels]
Ungrateful  adj. Not feeling or showing gratitude.  ungratefully adv.
Dental surgeon  n. Dentist.
Sewage farm  n. (also sewage works) place where sewage is treated.
Lambda  n. Eleventh letter of the greek alphabet (l, l). [greek]
Motor boat  n. Motor-driven boat.
Annelid  n. Segmented worm, e.g. The earthworm. [latin anulus ring]


Disrepute  n. Lack of good reputation; discredit.
Tight-lipped  adj. With or as with the lips compressed to restrain emotion or speech; determinedly reticent.


Jasper  n. Opaque quartz, usu. Red, yellow, or brown. [french from latin from greek iaspis]
Blimey  int. Coarse slang expression of surprise, contempt, etc. [(god) blind me!]

Hamlet  n. Small village, esp. Without a church. [french hamelet diminutive]
Open-hearted  adj. Frank and kindly.
Landlocked  adj. Almost or entirely enclosed by land.





Sauternes  n. Sweet white wine from sauternes in the bordeaux region of france. [sauternes in france]
Auger  n. Tool with a screw point for boring in wood. [old english]




Sponge pudding  n. Light spongy pudding.

Unhitch  v. 1 release from a hitched state. 2 unhook, unfasten.
Burglary  n. (pl. -ies) 1 illegal entry with intent to commit theft, do bodily harm, or do damage. 2 instance of this.

Hell's angel  n. Member of a gang of male motor-cycle enthusiasts notorious for outrageous and violent behaviour.








Mother-of-pearl  n. Smooth iridescent substance forming the inner layer of the shell of oysters etc.

Bless  v. (past and past part. Blessed, poet. Blest) 1 ask god to look favourably on, esp. By making the sign of the cross over. 2 consecrate (food etc.). 3 glorify (god). 4 attribute one's good luck to (stars etc.); thank. 5 (usu. In passive) make happy or successful (blessed with children).  bless me (or my soul) exclamation of surprise etc. Bless you! Exclamation of endearment, gratitude, etc., or to a person who has just sneezed. [old english]

Sinew  n. 1 tough fibrous tissue uniting muscle to bone; a tendon. 2 (in pl.) Muscles; bodily strength. 3 (in pl.) Strength or framework of a thing.  sinewy adj. [old english]

March past  —n. Marching of troops past a saluting-point at a review. —v. (of troops) carry out a march past.

Disenchant  v. Disillusion.  disenchantment n.

Toad-in-the-hole  n. Sausages baked in batter.




Monumental  adj. 1 a extremely great; stupendous (monumental effort). B (of a work of art etc.) Massive and permanent. 2 of or serving as a monument.  monumentally adv.
Attest  v. 1 certify the validity of. 2 (foll. By to) bear witness to.  attestation n. [latin testis witness]


Whose  —interrog. Pron. Of or belonging to which person (whose is this book?). —interrog. Adj. Of whom or which (whose book is this?) —rel. Pron. Of whom; of which (the man, whose name was tim; the house whose roof was damaged).
Hickory  n. (pl. -ies) 1 n. American tree yielding wood and nutlike edible fruits. 2 the tough heavy wood of this. [virginian pohickery]


Placable  adj. Easily placated; mild; forgiving.  placability n. [latin placo appease]
Formulary  n. (pl. -ies) 1 collection of esp. Religious formulas or set forms. 2 pharm. Compendium of drug formulae. [french or medieval latin: related to *formula]

Blowfly  n. Bluebottle.
Dc  abbr. 1 (also dc) direct current. 2 district of columbia. 3 da capo.

Liliaceous  adj. Of the lily family. [related to *lily]


Jumbo  n. (pl. -s) colloq. 1 (often attrib.) Large animal (esp. An elephant), person, or thing (jumbo packet). 2 (in full jumbo jet) large airliner for several hundred passengers. [probably from *mumbo-jumbo]
Tyrian purple  see *purple n. 2.

Licit  adj. Formal permitted, lawful. [latin: related to *licence]
Tenderize  v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) make (esp. Meat) tender by beating, hanging, marinading, etc.  tenderizer n.
Crab2  n. 1 (in full crab-apple) small sour apple. 2 (in full crab tree or crab-apple tree) tree (esp. Uncultivated) bearing this. 3 sour person. [origin unknown]


Snowcap  n. Snow-covered mountain peak.  snowcapped adj.
Side-door  n. 1 door at the side of a building. 2 indirect means of access.
Field marshal  n. Army officer of the highest rank.

Green pound  n. Exchange rate for the pound for payments for agricultural produce in the ec.

Aunt sally  n. 1 game in which sticks or balls are thrown at a wooden dummy. 2 target of general abuse.
Satisfy  v. (-ies, -ied) 1 a meet the expectations or desires of. B be adequate. 2 meet (an appetite or want). 3 rid (a person) of such an appetite or want. 4 pay (a debt or creditor). 5 adequately fulfil or comply with (conditions etc.). 6 (often foll. By of, that) convince, esp. With proof etc.  satisfy oneself (often foll. By that) become certain. [latin satisfacio]
Parentage  n. Lineage; descent from or through parents.

Diopter  n. (brit. Dioptre) unit of refractive power of a lens. [greek: related to *dia-, opsis sight]
Ascorbic acid  n. Vitamin c, which prevents scurvy. [from *a-, *scorbutic]
Wall game  n. Form of football played at eton.




Orienteering  n. Competitive sport in which runners cross open country with a map, compass, etc. [swedish]
Ungodly  adj. 1 impious, wicked. 2 colloq. Outrageous (ungodly hour).
Ogee  n. S-shaped line or moulding. [apparently from *ogive]
Possibly  adv. 1 perhaps. 2 in accordance with possibility (cannot possibly go).


Bordeaux  n. (pl. Same) wine (esp. Red) from the bordeaux district in sw france.

Bay rum  n. Perfume distilled orig. From bayberry leaves in rum.
Savings bank  n. Bank paying interest on small deposits.
Fipple  n. Plug at the mouth-end of a wind instrument. [origin unknown]
Diaconate  n. 1 position of deacon. 2 body of deacons.


Overexert  v. Exert too much.  overexertion n.

Tuna  n. (pl. Same or -s) 1 large edible marine fish. 2 (in full tuna-fish) its flesh as food. [american spanish]




Ticket  —n. 1 written or printed piece of paper or card entitling the holder to enter a place, participate in an event, travel by public transport, etc. 2 notification of a traffic offence etc. (parking ticket). 3 certificate of discharge from the army. 4 certificate of qualification as a ship's master, pilot, etc. 5 price etc. Label. 6 esp. Us a list of candidates put forward by one group, esp. A political party. B principles of a party. 7 (prec. By the) colloq. What is correct or needed. —v. (-t-) attach a ticket to. [obsolete french étiquet]
Infinitesimal  —adj. Infinitely or very small. —n. Infinitesimal amount.  infinitesimally adv.
Heel2  —v. (often foll. By over) 1 (of a ship etc.) Lean over. 2 cause (a ship etc.) To do this. —n. Act or amount of heeling. [obsolete heeld, from germanic]
Emphasis  n. (pl. Emphases) 1 importance or prominence attached to a thing (emphasis on economy). 2 stress laid on a word or syllable to make the meaning clear or show importance. 3 vigour or intensity of expression, feeling, etc. [latin from greek]
Wait  —v. 1 a defer action or departure for a specified time or until some event occurs (wait a minute; wait till i come; wait for a fine day). B be expectant. 2 await (an opportunity, one's turn, etc.). 3 defer (a meal etc.) Until a person's arrival. 4 (usu. As waiting n.) Park a vehicle for a short time. 5 act as a waiter or attendant. 6 (foll. By on, upon) a await the convenience of. B serve as an attendant to. C pay a respectful visit to. —n. 1 period of waiting. 2 (usu. Foll. By for) watching for an enemy (lie in wait). 3 (in pl.) Archaic street singers of christmas carols.  wait and see await the progress of events. Wait up (often foll. By for) not go to bed until a person arrives or an event happens. You wait! Used to imply a threat, warning, etc. [germanic: related to *wake1]

Lighter2  n. Boat, usu. Flat-bottomed, for transferring goods from a ship to a wharf or another ship. [dutch: related to *light2 in the sense ‘unload’]

Blotto  adj. Slang very drunk. [origin uncertain]
Limpet  n. Marine gastropod with a conical shell, sticking tightly to rocks. [old english]
Calamity  n. (pl. -ies) disaster, great misfortune.  calamitous adj. [french from latin]
Athlete's foot  n. Fungal foot condition.


Tutelary  adj. 1 a serving as guardian. B of a guardian. 2 giving protection. [latin: related to *tutelage]
Trait  n. Characteristic. [latin tractus: related to *tract1]


Hydrolysis  n. Chemical reaction of a substance with water, usu. Resulting in decomposition. [greek lusis dissolving]


Gdr  abbr. Hist. German democratic republic.
Ashlar  n. 1 large square-cut stone used in building; masonry made of these. 2 thin slabs of masonry used for facing walls. [latin axis board]


Staff nurse  n.  Nurse ranking just below a sister.
Certain  —adj. 1 a confident, convinced. B indisputable (it is certain that he is guilty). 2 (often foll. By to + infin.) Sure; destined (it is certain to rain; certain to win). 3 unerring, reliable. 4 that need not be specified or may not be known to the reader or hearer (of a certain age; a certain john smith). 5 some but not much (a certain reluctance). —pron. (as pl.) Some but not all (certain of them knew).  for certain without doubt. [latin certus]
Monk  n. Member of a religious community of men living under vows.  monkish adj. [greek monakhos from monos alone]
Aircraftman  n. Lowest rank in the raf.
Neckline  n. Edge or shape of a garment-opening at the neck.






E1  n. (also e) (pl. Es or e's) 1 fifth letter of the alphabet. 2 mus. Third note of the diatonic scale of c major.