Thursday, April 30, 2009

Aperture

Aperture-n
1-a small narrow opening
2-a fixed or adjustable opening in a device, for example, a camera or microscope, that lets light pass through a lens or mirror
3-the diameter of an aperture, for example, in a camera

Synonyms
opening
hole
gap
space
orifice
crack
slit

Aperitif

Aperitif-n
an alcoholic beverage to be drunk before a meal

Apathy

Apathy-n
1-lack of interest in anything, or the absence of any wish to do anything
2-inability to feel normal or passionate human feelings or to respond emotionally

Synonyms
indifference
lack of concern
lethargy
lack of interest
laziness
boredom
ennui
droopiness
interest (antonym)

Antrum

Antrum-n
a cavity within a bone, especially a sinus cavity

Apathetic

Apathetic-adj
not taking any interest in anything, or not bothering to do anything

Synonyms
indifferent
uninterested
listless
droopy
unconcerned
lethargic
lazy
bored
energetic (antonym)

Antithesis

Antithesis-n
1-the complete or exact opposite of something
2-a use of words or phrases that contrast with each other to create a balanced effect
3-a proposition that is the opposite of another already proposed

Synonyms
direct opposite
exact opposite
contrast
converse
reverse

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Antiseptic

Antiseptic-adj
1-reducing or preventing infection, especially by the elimination or reduction of the growth of microorganisms
2-unexciting and unimaginative

n
an agent that prevents or reduces infection, especially by eliminating or reducing the growth of microorganisms

Synonyms
sterile
antibacterial
uncontaminated
clean
pure

Antisepsis

Antisepsis-n
1-eliminating or reducing the spread of microorganisms causing disease or decay, especially with chemicals
2-the condition of being free from microorganisms

Antiquate

Antiquate-vt
to cause something to become out of date or old by replacing it with something newer

Antiquated

Antiquated-adj
quaint, extremely out of date, or badly in need of updating or replacing

Synonyms
out of date
old-fashioned
very old
obsolete
archaic
antediluvian
outdated
outmoded
modern (antonym)

Antiquarian

Antiquarian-adj
dealing with or relating to antiques or antiquities, especially rare and old books

Antipyretic

Antipyretic-adj
acting to reduce fever

n
a drug or other agent that reduces fever

Antipodes

Antipodes-npl
1-places at opposite sides of the world from each other, or the area at the side of the world opposite from a given place
2-2 points, places, or things that are diametrically opposite each other

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Antipode

Antipode-n
an exact or diametrical opposite

Antiphon

Antiphon-n
1-a hymn or psalm performed by 2 groups of singers chanting alternate selections
Also called antiphony
2-a short piece of biblical or devotional text that is chanted or sung before or after a psalm verse in a Roman Catholic or Anglican church service
3-a response or reply (literary)

Antipathy

Antipathy-n
1-anger, hostility, fixed opposition, or disgust directed toward a particular person or thing
2-a source of somebody's anger, hostility, fixed opposition, or disgust

Synonyms
opposition
aversion
hostility
antagonism
hatred
dislike
ill feeling
ill will
good will (antonym)

Antimony

Antimony-n
a toxic crystalline chemical element that occurs in metallic and nonmetallic forms. The metallic form is silver-white, brittle, and lustrous, and is used in alloys and electronics. Symbol Sb.

Antimacassar

Antimacassar-n
a washable piece of fabric, usually embroidered, placed over the back of an armchair to keep it clean where heads rub against it (dated)

Antigen

Antigen-n
a substance, usually a protein, on the surface of a cell or bacterium that stimulates the production of an antibody

Anticlinal

Anticlinal-adj
1-relating to, or in the form of, layers of sedimentary rock pushed up into an arch shape (anticline) by movements in the earth's crust
2-used to describe a plant cell layer that is perpendicular to the surface of a plant part

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Anticlimax

Anticlimax-n
1-an ordinary or unsatisfying event that follows an increasingly exciting, dramatic or unusual series of events or a period of increasing anticipation and excitement
2-an unexpected change in tone or subject matter from the high-minded, serious, or compelling to the trivial, comic, or dull

Synonyms
comedown
letdown
disappointment
climax (antonym)

Anthropomorphize

Anthropomorphize-vt
to give a nonhuman thing a human form or human characteristics

Synonyms
incarnate
personify
humanize
bring to life
breathe life into
give a human face to

Anthropomorphism

Anthropomorephism-n
the attribution of a human form, human characteristics, or human behavior to nonhuman things such as deities in mythology and animals in children's stories

Anthracite

Anthracite-n
a hard shiny black type of coal that is clean-burning, high in carbon content, and low in volatile matter.
Also called hard coal

Anthology

Anthology-n
1-a book that consists of essays, stories, or poems by different writers
2-a printed collection of works from different artists, for example, a collection of songs or prints of paintings
3-anything that brings together various things or ideas

Synonyms
collection
compilation
album
collected works
omnibus

Anther

Anther-n
a male flower part, the top part of a stamen that bears the pollen in pollen sacs
See also filament

Friday, April 17, 2009

Anteroom

Anteroom-n
a subsidiary room that opens into a larger main room, often used as a waiting area

Synonyms
entrance
foyer
waiting room
lobby
hall
antechamber

Antepenultimate

Antepenultimate-adj
third from last in a series

Anterior

Anterior-adj
1-at or near the front of something (formal)
2-existing or happening before something else (formal)
3-situated at or near the front of the body or of a body part
4-used to describe a leaf or flower part that is situated furthest away or facing away from the stem of a plant

Synonyms
forward
frontal
front
fore
posterior (antonym)

Antepenult

Antepenult-n
the third from last syllable in a word
Also called antepenultimate

Antemeridian

Antemeridian-adj
relating to or taking place in the morning

Antediluvian

Antediluvian-adj
1-in or from the time before the biblical Flood
2-extremely old-fashioned or out-of-date (informal)

Synonyms
prehistoric
ancient
very old
primitive
modern (antonym)

Antedate

Antedate-vt
1-to exist or happen at an earlier date than something else
2-to assign something a date that is earlier than its true or original date

n
a date assigned to something that is earlier than its true or original date

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Antecedent

Antecedent-n
1-something that happened or existed before something else
2-a word or phrase that a subsequent word refers back to. "Mary" is the antecedent of "her" in the sentence "I'll give this to Mary if I see her."
3-the first part of a conditional proposition, which states the condition and is the p component in a propostion phrased "if p then q"

npl-antecedents
1-somebody's ancestors
2-the events or circumstances in somebody's past

adj
happening or existing before something else (formal)

Synonyms
precursor
forerunner
ancestor
predecessor
forebear

Ante

Ante-n
1-an amount a card player puts into the gambling pot before cards are dealt
2-any sum of money that is paid in advance as a contribution (informal)

vti
to put forward betting stakings before cards are dealt

Synonyms
bet
gamble
stake
pot

Antagonize

Antagonize-vt
to cause a person or animal to be hostile

Synonyms
provoke
irritate
annoy
upset
get your back up
rile
alienate
win over (antonym)

Antagonist

Antagonist-n
1-somebody or something opposing or in conflict with another
2-a major character in a book, play, or movie whose values or behavior are in conflict with those of the protagonist or hero
3-a substance, often a drug, that nullifies the effect another substance has on the body
4-a muscle that acts with and limits the action of another muscle

Synonyms
rival
adversary
opponent
enemy
contender
competitor
friend (antonym)

Antagonism

Antagonism-n
1-hostility or hatred causing opposition and ill will
2-opposition between forces or principles
3-the interaction between 2 or more chemical substances in the body that diminishes the effect each of them has individually
4-the opposing force that usually exists between pairs of muscles

Synonyms
rivalry
opposition
aggression
hostility
enmity
animosity
cooperation (antonym)

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Anomic

Anomic-adj
1-unstable because moral and social codes have been eroded or abandoned
2-feeling alienated from the society and disoriented by the perceived absence of a social or moral framework

n
somebody who feels a sense of alienation and disorientation as a result of the perceived absence of a social and moral framework

Anomaly

Anomaly-n
1-something that deviates from the norm or from expectations
2-something strange and difficult to identify or classify
3-the angle between a planet's position, the sun, and the point in the planet's orbit when it is closest to the sun

Synonyms
irregularity
incongruity
difference
variane
glitch
abnormality
inconsistency

Annular

Annular-adj
shaped like or forming a ring

Anodyne

Anodyne-n

1-a medication such as aspirin or codeine that relieves pain
2-something that soothes, comforts, or relaxes (literary)

adj
1-bringing relief from pain or discomfort
2-serving to soothe, relax, or comfort (literary)
3-harmless, inoffensive, or uncontroversial to the point of being dull (literary)

Synonyms
insipid
bland
tame
neutral
inoffensive
colorless
antiseptic
unexciting
anemic
exciting (antonym)

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Annul

Annul-vt
1-to render a legal document or agreement invalid
2-to declare that a marriage was never a true marriage in the eyes of a church, for example, because one of the parties was not completely committed to it
3-to wipe out or destroy the effect or existence of something

Synonyms
cancel
call off
withdraw
end
terminate
dissolve
rescind
invalidate
put an end to
prolong (antonym)

Annotate

Annotate-vt
to add critical or explanatory notes to a text (often passive)

Synonyms
gloss
add footnotes to
interpret
explain
make notes on
comment on

Annex

Annex-vt
1-to attach something subsidiary to a larger thing (usually passive)
2-to take over territory and incorporate it into another political entity, for example, a country or state
3-to add something as a consequence, quality, or condition (usually passive)
4-to take something without permission (informal)

n-U.K. term annexe
1-a building added on to another building or serving as an auxiliary building to a larger one
2-an appendix, epilogue, or other additional material attaced to a larger document

Synonyms
take possession of
seize
take over
occupy
capture
invade
take control of
appropriate
commandeer
surrender (antonym)

Monday, April 13, 2009

Annelid

Annelid-n
an invertebrate with a flat body that is divided into segments. Earthworms and leeches or annelids. Phylum: Anelida

Anneal

Anneal-v
1-(vti) to subject an alloy, metal, or glass to a process of heating and slow cooling to make it tougher, and less brittle
2-(vti) to subject nucleic acid to a process of heating and cooling in order to separate strands
3-(vt) to make something, especially an opinion, a feeling, or an intention, stronger, firmer, or more resolute (literary)

Aniseed

Anissed-n
the licorice-flavored seeds of anise, used whole or in ground spice mixtures as a flavoring in foods, especially candy and cakes, and in drinks, for example, pastis and ouzo.

Anise

Anise-n
1-an aromatic Mediterranean plant with licorice-flavored seeds (aniseed), used in medicines and for flavoring food and drinks. Latin name: Pimpinella anisum
2-see aniseed

Animism

Animism-n
1-the belief that things in nature, for example, trees, mountains, and the sky, have souls or conciousness
2-the belief that a supernatural force animates and organizes the universe
3-the belief that people have spirits that do or can exist separately from their bodies

Animus

Animus-n
1-a feeling or display of animosity
2-an attitude or feeling that motivates somebody's actions
3-in Jungian psychology, the masculine aspect of a woman's personaility

Animosity

Animosity-n
a feeling or spirit of hostility and resentment

Synonyms
hostility
hatred
loating
ill will
ill feeling
enmity
bitterness
acrimony
rancor
dislike
antagonism
good will (antonym)

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Animadversion

Animadversion-n
a critical comment or comments, especially those reproaching somebody

Animadvert

Animadvert-vi
to comment critically or unfavorably

Anhydrous

Anhydrous-adj
used to describe compounds that contain no water, or crystals that lack chemically bound water (water of crystallization)

Anguish

Anguish-n
extreme anxiety or emotional torment

vti
to feel or cause somebody to feel anguish

Synonyms
suffering
torment
agony
torture
pain
distress
grief
sorrow
angst
content (antonym)

Angstrom/angstrom unit

Angstrom/angstrom unit-n
a unit of length equal to one ten-billionth of a meter, used to measure the wavelengths of electromagnetic radiations

Angst

Angst-n
1-in existentialist philosophy, a feeling of dread arising from an awareness of free choice
2-any feeling of dread or anxiety

Synonyms
anguish
torment
anxiety
trouble
sorrow
worry
fear
calm (antonym)

Anglicize/anglicize

Anglicize/anglicize-vti
to become or make somebody or something more English

Anglophile

Anglophile-n
somebody who greatly admires England or the English

Anemometer

Anemometer-n
an instrument that measures the force and direction of the wind

Aneroid

Aneroid-adj
not containing or using liquid

Monday, April 6, 2009

Androgynous

Androgynous-adj
1-neither male nor female in appearance but having both conventially masculine and feminine traits and giving an impression of ambiguous sexual identity
2-used to describe a plant species in which both male and female flowers occur in the same flower head
3-see hermaphrodite

Synonyms
genderless
asexual
neuter
sexless
hermaphrodite

Anathema

Anathema-n
1-somebody or something that is greatly disliked or detested and is therefore shunned
2-a curse from a religious authority that denounces something or excommunicates somebody
3-any forceful curse or denunciation
4-somebody or something cursed, denounced, or excommunicated by a religious authority

Synonyms
abhorrence
abomination

Anaphylaxis

Anaphylaxis-n
extreme sensitivity to a particular substance such as a specific protein or drug

Anaphylactic

Anaphylactic-adj
relating to or caused or characterized by extreme sensitivity to a substance (anaphylaxis)

Analytic/Analytical

Analytic/Analytical-adj
1-connected with or involving analysis
2-able or inclined to separate things into their constituent elements in order to study or examine them, draw conclusions, or solve problems
3-true by definition or by virtue of the meaning of the words used
4-used to describe a function of a complex variable that is differentiable at all points in its domain
5-expressing grammatical relationships by means of function words or word order rather than inflections

Synonyms
logical
investigative
diagnostic
systematic
critical
methodical
questioning
reasoned
rational
analytical
illogical (antonym)

Sunday, April 5, 2009

Analogous

Analogous-adj
1-similar in some respects, allowing an analogy to be drawn
2-used to describe body parts and organs that have equivalent functions but that appeared independently of one onther in different plants or animals

Synonyms
similar
equivalent
parallel
corresponding
comparable
like
related
akin
different (antonym)

Anaerobe

Anaerobe-n
a microorganism that does not require oxygen for metabolism

Anachronism

Anachronism-n
1-something from a different period of time, for example, a modern idea or invention wrongly placed in a historical setting in fiction or drama
2-a person, thing, idea, or custom that seems to belong to a different time in history
3-the representation of somebody or something out of chronological order or in the wrong historical setting

Synonyms
relic
survival
leftover
holdover

Amperage

Amperage-n
the number of amperes measured in an electric current

Ampere

Ampere-n
the basic unit of electric current in the SI system, equal to a current that produces a force of 2x10 (-7) newtons per meter between 2 parallel conductors in a vacuum. Symbol A

Amortize

Amortize-vt
1-to reduce a debt by making payments against the principal balance in installments or regular transfers
2-to write off the cost of an asset over a period of time in a statement of accounts
3-to transfer land or other assets to an ecclesiastical body (archaic)

Synonyms
repay
pay back pay off

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Amorphous

Amorphous-adj
1-without any clear shape, form, or structure
2-not obviously belonging to any particular category or type
3-without a crystalline structure

Synonyms
formless
shapeless
nebulous
vague
unstructured
fluid
defined (antonym)

Amorous

Amorous-adj
showing or feeling romantic love or sexual attraction

Synonyms
ardent
passionate
affectionate
loving
romantic
sentimental

Amoral

Amoral-adj
1-not concerned with or amenable to moral judgments
2-not caring about good behavior or morals

Synonyms
unprincipled
unethical
dishonorable
uscrupulous
immoral
principled (antonym)

Amok/Amuck

Amok/Amuck-adj
frenzied and out of control

adv
1-in a very frenzied way
2-in or into a confused or disorganized state

Amnion

Amnion-n
1-the inner of the 2 membranes enclosing the embryo of a bird, reptile, or mammal and its surrounding fluid
see also chorion
2-the fluid-filled sac within which the embryo of a bird, reptile, or mammal develops
also called amniotic sac

Ammeter

Ammeter-n
an instrument used for measuring electric current in aperes

Amensty

Amnesty-n
1-a general pardon, especially for those who have committed political crimes
2-a period during which crimes can be admitted or illegal weapons handed in without prosecution

vt
to gran amnesty to somebody

Synonyms
official pardon
general pardon
reprieve
forgiveness

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Amiss

Amiss-adv
incorrectly or inappropriately

adj
incorrect, inappropriate, or not as it should be

Synonyms
wrong
muddled
incorrect

Amity

Amity-n
friendliness and peaceful relations (formal)

Synonyms
friendship
peace
good relations
goodwill
harmony
hostility (antonym)

Amicable

Amicable-adj
characterized by or done in friendliness, without anger or bad feelings

Synonyms
friendly
good-natured
harmonious
cordial
agreeable
good-humored
kind
polite
disagreeable (antonym)

Amendatory

Amendatory-adj
intended or serving to correct or improve something

Amiable

Amiable-adj
1-friendly and pleasant to be with
2-characterized by friendly feelings

Synonyms
friendly
sociable
good-natured
agreeable
affable
cordial
kind
likable
good-humored
genial
disagreeable (antonym)

Amenable

Amenable-adj
1-responsive to suggestion and likely to cooperate
2-required to account for your behavior to an authority
3-likely or available to be tested or judged

Synonyms
agreeable
open to
willing
acquiescent
unwilling (antonym)

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Ameliorate

Ameliorate-vti
to improve something or make it better (formal)

Synonyms
improve
amend
restructure
restore
revolutionize
remodel
reorganize
modernize
rearrange
upgrade

Ambuscade

Ambuscade-n
an ambush set for somebody (literary)

vt
to ambush somebody (literary)

Ambivalent

Ambivalent-adj
having mixed, uncertain, or conflicting feelings about something

Synonyms
unsure
of 2 minds
undecided
hesitant
in 2 minds
decisive (antonym)

Ambiguous

Ambiguous-adj
1-having more than one possible meaning or interpretation
2-causing uncertainty or confusion

Synonyms
vague
unclear
uncertain
indefinite
confusing
indistinct
hazy
wooly
clear (antonym)

Ambient

Ambient-adj
in the immediately surrounding area

n
ambient music

a type of music that is usually instrumental and repetitive and often contains soothing electronic sounds. It is used to create an atmosphere of calm or relaxation.

Ambiane/Ambience

Ambiance/Ambience-n
the typical atmosphere or mood of a place

Synonyms
atmosphere
feel
character
setting
environment
tone
mood
vibes
air
quality

Amanuensis

Amenuensis-n
1-somebody employed by an individual to write from his or her dictation or to copy manuscripts
2-a writer's assistant with research and secretarial duties