nab v. catch, capture, arrest, put or place under arrest, seize,
apprehend, pick up, bring in, take into custody, Colloq pinch,
collar, run in, nail, Brit nick: They finally nabbed that cat
burglar in Hampstead.
nag° v. 1 Sometimes, nag at. annoy, irritate, irk, pester,
criticize, ride, scold, carp (at), upbraid, badger, harass,
harry, vex, henpeck, torment, hector, pick at, goad, pick on,
find fault with, berate, nettle, bully, provoke, plague, worry,
bother, Brit chivvy or chivy or chevy, Colloq needle: He nags
her day and night about going on a diet.
--n. 2 scold, harpy, pest, shrew, virago, termagant, fishwife:
You certainly can be a terrible nag, can't you?
nagэ n. jade, Rosinante; horse, hack, pony, dobbin, racehorse,
Thoroughbred, Slang gee-gee, US hayburner, plug, bangtail,
gee-gee: That old nag wouldn't be able to clear the fence.
nagging adj. distressing, chronic, continuous, continual, persistent,
unrelenting, relentless, recurring: He complains of a nagging
pain in his shoulder. I have a nagging feeling that I have an
appointment to be somewhere.
nail n. 1 fastener, fastening, spike, pin: The pieces were held
together by several nails. 2 fingernail, toenail, claw, talon:
The detective found some fibres under the victim's nails. 3
bite one's nails. worry, agonize, fret, lose sleep (over),
chafe, suffer, Colloq stew (over or about): Carl is biting his
nails over the result of his cholesterol test. 4 hard or tough
as nails. a tough, vigorous, hardy: After years of
mountain-climbing, Ren‚ is as hard as nails. b cold,
unsentimental, unsympathetic, unfeeling: The boss, as hard as
nails, doesn't care what you sacrifice to get the job done. 5
hit the nail on the head. be accurate, be correct, be precise,
be right, put (one's) finger on it: When you said they were
fools, you really hit the nail on the head. 6 on the nail.
immediately, at once, straight or right away, promptly, without
delay, on the spot, Colloq US on the barrel-head: He has always
paid his bills right on the nail.
--v. 7 attach, secure, join, pin, tack, clinch or clench;
fasten, fix, focus, rivet, glue: The door to the mysterious
room was nailed shut. His eyes were nailed to the pressure
gauge. 8 See nab, above. 9 hit, strike; punch; shoot: She
nailed him with a left hook and he sank like a stone. 10 nail
down. settle, secure, resolve, complete, conclude, make final;
finalize: Let's celebrate: I nailed down the order for 10,000
air-conditioning units.
na‹ve adj. naive or na‹f, ingenuous, innocent, credulous, childlike,
born yesterday, unaffected, unsophisticated, inexperienced,
green, unworldly, unsuspecting, unenlightened, unsuspicious,
trusting, trustful, gullible, artless, guileless, simple,
simplistic, simple-minded, unpretentious, unpretending, candid,
natural: Is Chatterley na‹ve enough to believe that the
gamekeeper's meetings with his wife were to discuss fox-hunting?
na‹vety n. naivety, na‹vet‚ or na‹vet‚, ingenuousness, innocence,
credulity, credulousness, inexperience, (blind) trust,
gullibility, artlessness, callowness, guilelessness, simplicity,
unpretentiousness, candour, naturalness, frankness, openness,
sincerity: I hope that no one takes advantage of her na‹vety.
naked adj. 1 stark naked, unclothed, undraped, bare, exposed,
stripped, undressed, unclad, uncovered, bared, nude, in the
nude, Colloq in the altogether, in one's birthday suit, in the
buff, in the raw, au naturel, in a state of nature, Brit
starkers, in the nuddy: The two of them stood there, completely
naked. 2 unaided, unassisted: Stars of the seventh magnitude
or brighter are visible to the naked eye. 3 plain, unadorned,
unembellished, stark, overt, patent, obvious, conspicuous,
manifest, sheer, undisguised, unvarnished, unmitigated, evident,
palpable, unconcealed, in plain sight or view, blatant,
barefaced, undeniable, glaring, flagrant, unmistakable or
unmistakeable, unalloyed, unmixed, blunt, unadulterated, pure:
He told her the naked truth about how he felt. 4 unsheathed,
unprotected, bare, exposed: How dare he show a naked sword in
the presence of the Emperor?!
name n. 1 designation, label, appellation, term, tag, style, Colloq
moniker or monicker, handle: His name is Chauncy but they call
him Rusty. 2 reputation; repute, honour, esteem, (high) regard,
respect, rank, standing, rating, pre-eminence, superiority,
eminence, notability, prominence, prestige, favour, distinction,
renown, fame, popularity, celebrity: She has made a name for
herself as a clever business executive. He thinks he has to
protect his name as a ladies' man. 3 personage, somebody,
celebrity, star, superstar, hero, VIP, dignitary, luminary,
Colloq big shot, bigwig, big cheese, big name: The programme
included some well-known names in the entertainment world.
--v. 4 label, tag, style, entitle; call, dub, christen,
baptize: They named their book 'The Alien Tongue'. Why would
people want to name their child 'Quercus'? 5 choose, elect,
select, delegate, nominate, designate, appoint; identify,
denominate, pinpoint, specify: She has been named 'Woman of the
Year'. I asked her to name our wedding day. She refuses to name
her attacker. 6 name names. identify, specify, mention, cite:
In exchange for a lighter sentence, the witness agreed to name
names.
nameless adj. 1 unnamed, innominate, unidentified, anonymous,
pseudonymous, incognito, unknown, unheard-of, unsung: How much
we owe the nameless inventor of the wheel! 2 inexpressible,
indefinable, unidentifiable, unspecified, unspecifiable: A
nameless dread seized him as he entered the cave. 3 ineffable,
unutterable, unspeakable, unmentionable, abominable, horrible,
indescribable, repulsive: Paganism allowed man to sink beneath
a flood of nameless sensualities.
namely adv. specifically, to wit, that is (to say), id est, i.e.,
videlicet, viz., scilicet, sc.; for example, for instance,
exempli gratia, e.g. or eg or eg.: We visited three countries,
namely, France, Italy, and Switzerland.
nap° v. 1 doze, nod (off), catnap, Colloq catch forty winks, drop
off (to sleep), get some shut-eye, snooze, zizz, US catch or log
a few zees (Z's): I nap every afternoon.
--adv. 2 napping. unawares, off guard, unexpectedly, in an
unguarded moment: The ball, hit to his backhand, caught him
napping.
--n. 3 doze, catnap, siesta, Colloq forty winks, shut-eye,
snooze, zizz, Brit lie-down: Take a short nap before dinner.
napэ n. pile, fibre, texture, weave, down, shag: Choose a carpet
with a short nap for areas of heavy wear.
narcotic adj. 1 soporific, stuporific, hypnotic, sedative, somnolent,
sleep-inducing, opiate, dulling, numbing, anaesthetic,
stupefacient, stupefying, stupefactive, tranquillizing, Lethean:
Most narcotic drugs may be sold only with a doctor's
prescription.
--n. 2 drug, soporific, stuporific, hypnotic, sedative, opiate,
anaesthetic, stupefacient, tranquillizer: Many doctors are
reluctant to prescribe narcotics.
narrate v. relate, tell, recount, report, give an account (of), recite,
rehearse, repeat, review, unfold, chronicle, describe, detail,
reveal, retail: She narrated a bone-chilling story of intrigue
and murder. Please narrate the events leading up to your finding
the body, Mrs Easton.
narration n. 1 telling, relating, unfolding, recounting, chronicling,
recording, describing; report, recital, recitation, rehearsal,
relation, chronicle, description, portrayal, detailing,
revelation, story, tale, narrative: His narration was
accompanied by nervous gestures. Her narration disagrees with
her husband's in certain essential respects. 2 reading,
voice-over: The narration did not seem to be coordinated with
the pictures on the screen.
narrative n. 1 story, tale, chronicle, description, revelation,
portrayal, account, report, record, history, recital, statement:
The characterizations were poor, but the narrative was
fascinating.
--adj. 2 storytelling, chronicling, anecdotal: One of her
long, narrative poems has been published in a collection.
narrator n. reporter, storyteller, raconteur, taleteller, teller of
tales, anecdotist or anecdotalist, relator, annalist,
chronicler, describer, author; voice-over: We sat spellbound
waiting for the narrator to continue.
narrow adj. 1 constricted, slender, slim, thin, restricted,
straitened, attenuated, narrowed; narrowing, tapering: We
squeezed through the narrow passage to freedom. 2 confined,
confining, limited, cramped, close, meagre, pinched, tight,
incommodious: I awoke in a cell so narrow I could scarcely
move. 3 strict, careful, close, precise, exact, exacting,
demanding, finicky, finical, sharp, meticulous, scrupulous,
fussy, rigid, searching, critical: The suspected forgeries were
submitted to the narrow scrutiny of several experts. 4
restricted, limited, circumscribed, proscribed, denotative: I
learnt the meaning of charity in its narrowest sense. 5 See
narrow-minded, below. 6 close, hairbreadth, lucky: I'd had a
very narrow escape, for the bullet just grazed my scalp. 7
stingy, niggardly, parsimonious, miserly, tight, sparing,
tight-fisted, mean, mercenary Brit mingy, Dialectal near, Colloq
close: He was so narrow he barely allowed himself the
essentials.
--v. 8 constrict, limit, qualify, reduce, lessen, diminish,
decrease: She narrowed her chances of winning by buying only
one lottery ticket. 9 limit, restrict, focus, confine,
concentrate, narrow down: They have narrowed the search for the
boy to the area near Chester.
--n. 10 narrows. strait(s), channel, passage: The vessel
approached the narrows at dead slow speed.
narrowly adv. 1 barely, (only) just, scarcely, hardly, by a hair's
breadth; by the skin of one's teeth, Colloq by a whisker: The
speeding lorry narrowly missed those children. 2 closely,
carefully, meticulously, scrupulously, searchingly, critically:
She regarded him narrowly before speaking.
narrow-minded
adj. bigoted, prejudiced, illiberal, narrow, biased,
opinionated, one-sided, intolerant, non-objective, conservative,
reactionary, parochial, ultra-conservative, stiff-necked,
conventional, hidebound, fundamentalist, literal-minded,
narrow-spirited, mean-minded, mean-spirited, petty,
pettifogging, small-minded, puritanical, unprogressive,
old-fashioned, old-fogyish or old-fogeyish, strait-laced, Colloq
stuffy, US close-minded, square, screed-bound, red-necked: The
vote reflected a reasonable balance between broad-minded and
narrow-minded factions.
nasty adj. 1 foul, filthy, dirty, unclean, offensive, disgusting,
nauseating, revolting, horrible, loathsome, repugnant,
repellent, vile, odious, obnoxious, objectionable, nauseous,
sickening, vomit-provoking, fetid or foetid, noisome, mephitic,
rank, malodorous, rancid, noxious: The nasty stench of rotting
vegetation assailed our nostrils. 2 unpleasant, disagreeable,
unsavoury, painful, objectionable, annoying, untoward, awkward,
difficult, bad, serious: Lord Petherbridge had some very nasty
experiences in the war. 3 obscene, dirty, pornographic, blue,
smutty, lewd, vulgar, sordid, indecent, licentious, gross,
coarse, crude, rude, ribald, bawdy, risqu‚, off colour,
suggestive, Colloq X-rated, raunchy: The shops are selling some
rather nasty videos that I don't want the children to watch. 4
unpleasant, disagreeable, ugly, bad-tempered, vicious, currish,
surly, abusive, spiteful, irascible, ill-natured, ill-tempered,
cruel, inconsiderate, rude, churlish, obnoxious, crotchety,
curmudgeonly, cantankerous, crabbed, cranky, US and Canadian
mean: Why is your father so nasty to everyone who wants to go
out with you? 5 bad, severe, acute, painful, serious; dangerous,
critical: I got a nasty shock when I opened the cupboard door.
That's a nasty wound you have there.
nation n. country, state, land, political entity, polity, domain,
realm: The countries of Europe are unlikely to become one
nation.
national adj. 1 nationwide, country-wide, state, governmental, civil;
public, popular, US federal: It took years to enact national
clean-air laws. 2 nationalistic, nationalist, patriotic,
jingoistic, chauvinistic: During the war, national feelings ran
high.
--n. 3 citizen, subject, inhabitant, resident; native:
Stephenson left England years ago and is now an Australian
national.
nationalistic
adj. nationalist, patriotic, jingoist(ic), chauvinist(ic),
xenophobic, isolationist: As communications improved,
nationalistic feelings were eroded.
nationality
n. 1 citizenship: Some countries allow their citizens dual
nationality. 2 race, nation, ethnic group, ethnos, clan, tribe;
strain, stock, pedigree, heritage, roots, extraction, bloodline,
breed: The country became a melting-pot of myriad
nationalities.
native adj. 1 innate, natal, inborn, natural, inherent, congenital,
indwelling, inherited, hereditary, in the blood, intrinsic,
constitutional: Early in life, Carla demonstrated a native
ability for music. 2 domestic, local, home-grown; indigenous,
autochthonous, aboriginal: The native oysters in this area are
superb. 3 basic, first, best, original, exclusive: Can you
tell that my native language is Hungarian? 4 national, ethnic,
clan, tribal: We visited a Dutch town where the people wear
traditional native dress. 5 aboriginal, provincial, local: We
soon fell in with the native custom of taking a siesta. 6 born;
by birth: Are you a native Glaswegian?
--n. 7 aborigine, indigene, autochthon; national, citizen,
resident, inhabitant: It is not difficult to distinguish the
natives from the tourists in London.
natural adj. 1 ordinary, common, commonplace, normal, standard,
regular, usual, customary, unexceptional, routine, habitual,
typical, everyday; reasonable, logical, reasonable, sensible,
accepted: They say that Count Dracula could not die a natural
death. The natural thing to do in case of attack is to defend
oneself. 2 normal, ordinary, regular, expected; spontaneous:
The natural motion of the waves carried the bottle out to sea.
3 simple, basic, fundamental, real, unartificial, genuine,
unembellished, unadorned, unpretentious: She has great natural
beauty and needs no cosmetics. 4 unstudied, unconstrained,
candid, frank, spontaneous, unaffected, easy, honest, straight,
straightforward, artless, guileless, impulsive, unpremeditated,
unaffected, ingenuous, unsophisticated, unsophistic(al): His
kindness is quite natural. 5 See native, 1, above: She has a
natural gift for painting. 6 true, real, genuine, actual,
authentic, bona fide: That, believe it or not, is his natural
hair. 7 lifelike, true to life, realistic: Note the natural
colours of the sea in this painting by Whistler. 8
illegitimate, bastard: He was the duke's natural son and had no
claim on the estate. 9 consistent, consonant, consequent,
logical, reasonable, fitting, appropriate, proper, expected, not
incongruous, understandable: In the circumstances, it would
have been natural for her to despise Jonathan. 10 organic,
organically grown, non-chemical, health: They eat only natural
foods, which they grow themselves.
--n. 11 genius, artist, talent: When it comes to chess, Boris
is a natural. 12 Archaic idiot, imbecile, simpleton, fool,
halfwit: One would have to be a natural to give money to that
crook.
naturally adv. 1 (as a matter) of course, needless to say, to be sure,
certainly, surely, not unexpectedly, as expected or anticipated,
obviously, clearly, logically, consequently, as a consequence or
result: He treated her badly, so, naturally, she refuses to see
him again. 2 normally, by nature, by character, really,
actually, genuinely; inherently, instinctively, innately,
congenitally: My hair is naturally curly. He is not aloof, just
naturally shy. 3 unaffectedly, unpretentiously, easily,
candidly, openly, simply, plainly, honestly, straightforwardly,
uncomplicatedly: If only politicians expressed themselves
naturally and not pompously.
nature n. 1 quality, properties, features, character, personality,
make-up, essence, constitution, identity, attributes,
disposition, temperament, complexion: Only detailed analysis
will reveal the nature of this compound. It is not in his
nature to be envious. 2 universe, cosmos, world, creation,
environment: Science fiction deals with phenomena and
contrivances that defy the laws of nature. 3 scenery,
countryside, wildness, primitiveness, simplicity: I often
enjoyed sitting by the river, communing with nature. 4 kind,
variety, description, sort, class, category, type, genre,
species; stamp, cast, mould, feather, kidney, colour, stripe:
The duties of the position are largely of a ceremonial nature.
5 by nature. See naturally, 2, above.
naught n. nought, nothing, nil, zero, aught or ought; ruin,
destruction, disaster, collapse, failure: All my efforts had
come to naught.
naughty adj. 1 mischievous, impish, puckish, roguish, scampish,
devilish; frolicsome, playful: The children would get naughty
the minute the teacher turned her back to the class. 2
disobedient, refractory, insubordinate, bad, perverse, wicked,
fractious, unruly, wayward, unmanageable, ungovernable,
undisciplined, defiant, obstreperous: Naughty pupils in this
school are birched. 3 improper, offensive, vulgar, indecent,
immoral, risqu‚, off colour, ribald, bawdy, blue, pornographic,
smutty, lewd, obscene, dirty, Colloq X-rated, raunchy: The
teacher caught Keith reading a naughty book.
nauseate v. sicken, disgust, repel, revolt, offend: Your hypocrisy
nauseates me. When you get used to it, eating snails no longer
seems nauseating.
nauseated adj. sickened, disgusted, repelled, revolted, offended, sick
(to one's stomach), queasy, squeamish; seasick, carsick,
airsick: They were nauseated when they saw the cadavers. I
became nauseated by the rocking of the boat.
nauseous adj. nauseating, loathsome, sickening, disgusting, repellent,
vomit-provoking, offensive, revolting, repugnant, repulsive,
abhorrent, nasty, foul, unpleasant, stomach-turning, Technical
emetic: A nauseous odour emanated from the crypt.
nautical adj. maritime, marine, seafaring, seagoing; naval; boating,
yachting, sailing; navigational: Britain has always been a
nautical nation. One must observe the nautical rules of the
road.
navel n. Technical umbilicus, omphalos, Colloq belly button: The
dancer wore a ruby in her navel.
navigable adj. 1 passable, traversable, negotiable, unblocked,
unobstructed, clear: The Thames is not navigable above
Lechlade. 2 manoeuvrable, sailable, controllable, steerable,
yare: My boat is navigable when under way at about four knots.
navigate v. 1 sail, voyage, cruise, journey; cross, traverse: After
navigating the Indian Ocean for a month, we reached the
Seychelles. 2 manoeuvre, handle, sail, guide, pilot, steer,
direct, skipper, captain, Nautical con: It was tricky
navigating through the shoals. Richard has navigated the company
through rough waters over the years.
navigation
n. pilotage, helmsmanship, seamanship, steersmanship, steering,
sailing: The navigation of a small vessel in such a storm is no
mean task.
navigator n. pilot, helmsman, seaman, tillerman, wheelman, steersman,
skipper: The navigator without knowledge of local waterways
must engage a pilot.
navy n. fleet, flotilla, naval force(s), armada, Literary argosy:
The entire navy sailed across the Channel to Le Havre.
naysayer n. denier, refuser, disdainer, rejecter or rejector; prophet of
doom, pessimist, sceptic, dissenter, defeatist: Don't expect
any encouragement from a naysayer like Raymond.
near adv. 1 close (by or at hand), not far (off or away), nearby,
nigh, in or into the vicinity or neighbourhood, within (easy)
reach: Draw near and listen to my tale. 2 close to, next to:
Don't go near the edge! 3 nearly, almost, just about, wellnigh,
close to being; not quite, virtually: She was damn near killed
in the car crash.
--adj. 4 close, imminent, immediate, impending, looming,
coming, approaching, forthcoming; in the offing, at hand: We
hope to settle the pollution problem in the near future. The
time is near for me to go. 5 nearby, close, adjacent, next-door,
close-by, adjoining, abutting, neighbouring, contiguous: My
nearest neighbours live a mile away. 6 stingy, mean, niggardly,
miserly, parsimonious, penurious, cheap, penny-pinching,
cheese-paring, selfish, close, tight-fisted, close-fisted: He
is so near he begrudged me even a cup of tea. 7 close,
intimate, connected, related, attached: In case of emergency,
list the name and address of a near relative. 8 close, narrow,
hairbreadth: Although I escaped, it was a near thing.
--prep. 9 close to, in the vicinity or neighbourhood of, next
to, adjacent to, within reach of, within a mile of; a stone's
throw from, not far (away) from: She wouldn't allow the doctor
to come near her. I live near the railway.
--v. 10 approach, draw near or nigh, come close or closer,
verge on, approximate on, lean towards: As summer nears, I
think of going on holiday. The ship neared port. His estimate is
beginning to near mine.
nearby adv. 1 close by, close at hand, not far-off or -away, in the
vicinity or neighbourhood, within (easy) reach, about, around:
Hyenas loitered nearby waiting for the lions to leave the kill.
--adj. 2 close, within reach, handy, accessible, at or to hand,
adjacent: Nearby villagers helped put out the fire. We always
kept a gun nearby because of pirates.
nearly adv. 1 almost, not quite, about, approximately, all but, just
about, virtually, wellnigh, practically, as good as, more or
less; around, approaching, nearing, barely, hardly, scarcely,
close to: We were nearly there but couldn't make it. She was
nearly ninety when her first book was published. 2 closely,
identically, exactly, precisely: Her opinions agree most nearly
with his. His painting most nearly resembles Picasso's.
near-sighted
adj. 1 myopic, short-sighted: Being near-sighted, I must wear
spectacles for driving. 2 Chiefly US short-sighted,
narrow-minded, blinkered, narrow, close-minded, illiberal,
unthinking, heedless, insular, partial, one-sided, parochial,
unsophisticated, unimaginative, biased, unobjective,
opinionated, dogmatic, prejudiced, intolerant, bigoted: They
maintain a near-sighted attitude towards associating with anyone
outside their immediate clique.
neat adj. 1 tidy, orderly, clean, uncluttered, trim, spruce, natty,
fastidious, spick and span, shipshape (and Bristol fashion),
organized, well-organized, well-ordered, systematic, Brit
dialect trig, Colloq neat as a pin, Brit dinky: His room was
always neat - very odd for a teenager. 2 straight,
unadulterated, unmixed, undiluted, uncut, unblended, pure; on
the rocks: He drinks his whisky neat. 3 unembellished,
unadorned, unornamented, simple, elegant, graceful, smart,
uncomplicated, regular, precise, copperplate; calligraphic: An
invitation in her neat handwriting awaited my return from
abroad. 4 deft, adroit, clever, efficient, ingenious, expert,
practised, skilful, dexterous: He contrived a neat plan to
avoid paying taxes. 5 fine, wonderful, marvellous, great,
splendid, excellent, exceptional, capital, grand, first-class,
Colloq cool, smashing, keen, nifty, top-notch, A1 or A-1 or
A-one, Brit top-hole, Chiefly US A-OK or A-okay, Slang swell,
far-out, boss, Brit topping, US and Canadian spiffy: She found
a really neat way to get boys to ask her out. Gordon has a neat
new car.
neaten v. Often, neaten up. tidy (up), straighten (up or out), clean
(up), spruce up, (put in) order, Brit dialect trig: If you
don't neaten up your room, Mandy, you may not borrow the car.
nebulous adj. vague, hazy, clouded, unclear, obscure, indistinct, fuzzy,
muddy, ill-defined, shapeless, amorphous, blurred,
indeterminate, murky, opaque, turbid, dim, foggy, faint, pale:
He has only the most nebulous idea of what the lecture was
about.
necessarily
adv. inevitably, unavoidably, inescapably, axiomatically,
inexorably, ineluctably, irresistibly, incontrovertibly,
automatically, naturally, (as a matter) of course, as a result,
certainly, surely, to be sure, like it or not, willy-nilly,
perforce, of necessity, by definition: If you accept his
premise, then you must, necessarily, accept his conclusion. You
don't necessarily need to be rich to be happy.
necessary adj. 1 indispensable, essential, required, needed, compulsory,
requisite, vital, demanded, imperative, obligatory, needful, of
the essence, important, of the utmost importance, top-priority,
high-priority, urgent, exigent, compelling, life-and-death or
life-or-death: A good diet is necessary for good health. It is
necessary that you come at once. Take the necessary steps to get
the job done. 2 inevitable, unavoidable, inescapable,
ineluctable: In the circumstances, we find it necessary to ask
for your resignation. 3 sure, certain, predetermined,
predestined, fated, inexorable; resulting, resultant: The
necessary outcome of the affair was that the child was returned
to her natural parents.
--n. 4 See necessity, 1, below.
necessity n. 1 requirement, essential, necessary, requisite, need,
prerequisite, basic, fundamental, sine qua non, desideratum,
constraint: I was marooned for a year with only the bare
necessities of life. We regard honesty as a necessity in a bank
manager. 2 indispensability, unavoidability, needfulness,
inexorability: The necessity for exercise is often met by
private health clubs. 3 poverty, want, indigence, need,
destitution, penury, straits, difficulty, difficulties,
pauperism, neediness: The extreme necessity of the unemployed
demands that the government act quickly. 4 urgency, emergency,
crisis, misfortune, exigency, pinch, extreme, matter of life and
death: She has made a virtue of necessity. Electric power is no
longer a matter of choice but of necessity.
need v. 1 require, demand, want, be in want of, call for, have need
of or for; lack, miss, have occasion for: This room needs a
coat of paint. Although she may want more money, she doesn't
need it. Do you need anything to make you more comfortable?
--n. 2 necessity, requirement; call, demand, constraint:
There's no need to shout - I can hear you. There is a need to
keep this matter confidential. This facility will meet our
electricity needs for decades. 3 essential, necessary,
requisite, prerequisite, necessity, basic, fundamental, sine qua
non, necessary, desideratum: I am perfectly capable of taking
care of my family's needs. 4 distress, difficulty, trouble,
(dire or desperate) straits, stress, emergency, exigency,
extremity, neediness, needfulness; poverty, penury,
impecuniousness, destitution, privation, deprivation, indigence,
beggary: She was very supportive in his hour of need. The need
of the people in that district is heart-rending. 5 want, lack,
dearth, shortage, paucity, scarcity, insufficiency, desideratum:
The need for medical supplies was most sharply felt in areas
that were already ravaged by famine.
needless adj. 1 unnecessary, non-essential, unessential, unneeded,
unwanted, useless, uncalled-for, gratuitous, superfluous,
redundant, excess, excessive, tautological, dispensable,
expendable, supererogatory, de trop, pleonastic: He went to a
lot of needless trouble to change the tyre. It is needless to
raise further questions. 2 needless to say. naturally, (as a
matter) of course, obviously, it goes without saying: Needless
to say, he will have to resign when this comes to light.
needy adj. poor, indigent, poverty-stricken, destitute, impoverished,
penniless, impecunious, necessitous, underprivileged, deprived,
disadvantaged, below the poverty level, in dire straits, in or
on the way to the poorhouse, in reduced circumstances,
down-and-out, insolvent, Colloq on one's uppers, dead or flat or
stony-broke, hard up, strapped, pinched, on the breadline, up
against it, Brit on the dole, US dead broke, on welfare, on
relief: It is not enough to look after needy families only at
Christmas time.
negative adj. 1 contradictory, anti, contrary, dissenting, dissentious,
disputing, disputatious, argumentative, adversarial,
adversative, antagonistic, antipathetic, adverse, US adversary:
He has adopted a very negative attitude towards his job. Few
negative voices were heard on the issue. 2 pessimistic,
unenthusiastic, cool, cold, uninterested, unresponsive: The
reaction to our offer has been largely negative. 3 nullifying,
annulling, neutralizing, voiding, cancelling: The laws are
mainly negative, listing only things one must not do. 4
negating, refusing, denying, gainsaying, opposing: The judge
came to a negative decision regarding bail. 5 in the negative.
negatively, 'No': Asked if she wanted to go, she replied in the
negative.
neglect v. 1 disregard, ignore, slight, pay no attention to, be
inattentive to, overlook, pass by, spurn, rebuff, scorn,
disdain, contemn, Colloq cold-shoulder: Scholars neglected his
work for years. 2 fail (in), omit; disregard, let slide or
pass, be remiss (about or in or regarding), abandon, lose sight
of, forget, shirk: Have I neglected telling you how much I love
you? Sybil has neglected her obligations.
--n. 3 disregard, disrespect, inattention, indifference,
slighting, unconcern, oversight, heedlessness, neglectfulness,
carelessness, inadvertence: We lost business to our competitor
through simple neglect. 4 negligence, laxity, laxness,
slackness, neglectfulness, passivity, passiveness, inactivity,
inaction, dereliction, default, failure, failing, remissness:
She has been accused of neglect in looking after her children
properly.
negligence
n. inattention, inattentiveness, indifference, carelessness,
unconcern, dereliction, failure, failing, heedlessness, laxity,
laxness, disregard, oversight, omission, inadvertence, neglect,
remissness, forgetfulness, oscitancy or oscitance: The car
crash was attributed to the lorry driver's negligence.
negligible
adj. insignificant, minor, unimportant, trifling, trivial,
inconsequential, piddling, inappreciable, small, slight, paltry,
nugatory, worthless, petty, niggling, not worth mentioning or
talking about: The differences between the two plans are
negligible.
negotiate v. 1 deal, bargain, dicker, haggle, chaffer, palter; discuss,
debate, mediate, consult, parley, speak, talk, transact, come to
terms: A conglomerate is negotiating to buy our company. The
company asked me to negotiate on our behalf. 2 arrange (for),
organize, orchestrate, conduct, handle, manoeuvre, manage,
engineer, work out, settle, get, obtain, bring off or about,
carry off, accomplish, do, execute, effect, complete, conclude,
Colloq pull off: Will you be able to negotiate a loan for the
car? 3 manoeuvre, clear, get through or past or round or over,
pass, cross, Colloq make (it (through or past or round or
over)): Will you be able to negotiate the barbed-wire fence?
negotiation
n. 1 discussion, mediation, arbitration, bargaining, parley,
parleying, talk, coming to terms: The disarmament negotiations
have dragged on for years. 2 deal, bargain, transaction,
agreement, arrangement, understanding, determination, decision,
settlement; contract, pact, compact, covenant, concordat,
treaty: All parties seem pleased with the final negotiation.
negotiator
n. arbitrator, arbiter, mediator, moderator, diplomat,
ambassador, go-between, middleman, intercessor, interceder,
intervener, agent, broker: An independent negotiator was
invited to the bargaining table with the union and management
representatives.
neighbourhood
n. 1 locality, area, region, vicinity, vicinage, environs,
quarter, district, precinct(s), purlieus, locale; surroundings,
confines: Houses in the neighbourhood of the blast were
levelled. 2 in the neighbourhood of. approximately, about,
around, nearly, practically, close to, almost, more or less,
Colloq in the ballpark of, in the region of, Brit getting on
for, not far off, US within an eyelash of, Slang as near as
dammit to: The playground will cost in the neighbourhood of
њ5,000.
neighbouring
adj. nearby, near, around, adjacent (to), surrounding,
adjoining, contiguous (to), touching, bordering (on), next (to),
nearest: Owners of properties neighbouring the nuclear power
plant worry about radiation. The neighbouring villages will
participate in the f€te at Long Norton.
neighbourly
adj. friendly, cordial, warm, amiable, agreeable, affable,
companionable, well-disposed, kindly, kind, well-wishing,
genial, sociable, social, harmonious, considerate, thoughtful,
helpful, gracious, courteous, civil: It was quite neighbourly
of the Constables to look after our cat.
neologism n. neoterism, coinage, neology, nonce-word; blend, portmanteau
word: Lexicographers must decide the neologisms to be added to
their dictionaries.
nerve n. 1 courage, coolness, boldness, bravery, intrepidity,
determination, valour, daring, fearlessness, dauntlessness,
pluck, mettle, spirit, fortitude, will, tenacity, steadfastness,
staunchness, firmness, doughtiness, resoluteness, Colloq guts,
grit, gumption, spunk, US sand, Brit bottle, US moxie , Taboo
slang balls: It took a lot of nerve to go back into that
burning building. 2 effrontery, brazenness, gall, impertinence,
brass, impudence, insolence, audacity, brashness, presumption,
presumptuousness, temerity, Colloq cheek, sauce, chutzpah, Slang
crust: You have a lot of nerve, talking to your mother that
way! 3 get on someone's nerves. annoy, irritate, upset: That
loud rock music gets on my nerves. 4 nerves. tension,
nervousness, hysteria, anxiety, fretfulness, stress, worry,
apprehension, fright, Colloq the jitters, Slang the willies, the
heebie-jeebies, US the whim-whams: I had a bad case of nerves
before learning the doctor's diagnosis.
nerve-racking
adj. nerve-wracking, harrowing, agonizing, distressing, trying,
vexing, vexatious, troublesome, worrisome, irksome, irritating:
Waiting for the names of the survivors was the most
nerve-racking experience of my life.
nervous adj. 1 highly-strung, excitable, sensitive, tense, agitated,
wrought up, worked up, upset, flustered, ruffled, disturbed,
perturbed, distressed, worried, anxious, troubled, concerned,
disquieted, edgy, on edge, on tenterhooks, fidgety, fretful,
uneasy, apprehensive, frightened, fearful, shaky, scared,
skittish, US on a tightrope, Colloq jumpy, jittery, flappable,
in a stew, in a dither, in a sweat, in a tizzy, in a flap,
uptight, Brit nervy, US on pins and needles, Slang strung out:
Thomas is nervous because he has to give a speech. 2 difficult,
tense, critical: There were a few nervous moments before we
knew if the rope would hold.
nest n. 1 roost, perch, eyrie or US also aerie, den, lair: The
birds, which mate for life, return to the same nest each year.
2 snuggery, retreat, refuge, haunt, hideaway, hide-out; resort:
We have a little nest in the country which we escape to at
weekends.
nestle v. cuddle (up), snuggle (up), huddle, curl up, nuzzle (up):
They nestled close together to keep warm.
net° n. 1 network, netting, mesh, mesh-work, web, webbing, openwork,
lattice, lattice-work, trellis, trellis-work, lace-work,
reticulum, reticle, rete, plexus, grid, grid-work, grille,
grate, grating, fretwork; sieve, screen, strainer, sifter: They
watched the fishermen mending their nets.
--v. 2 catch, capture, trap, entrap, snare, ensnare, bag: As I
bring the fish close to the boat, you net it with this.
netэ n. 1 nett, (net) profit, gain, earnings, return(s), Colloq US
take: The net for the first quarter was 15 per cent higher than
last year's.
--adj. 2 clear, after deductions, after taxes, take-home,
final, bottom-line: The tax increase was greater than my salary
increase, so my net income was lower this year. 3 final, end,
closing, concluding, conclusive, effective, ultimate: The net
result of the advertising campaign was a sales increase of 18
per cent.
--v. 4 make, realize, clear, take home, bring in, earn, pocket,
take in, get: How much did you net last year - after taxes,
that is.
network n. 1 See net°, 1, above. 2 system, arrangement, structure,
organization, complex, grid, criss-cross, web, plexus; maze,
labyrinth, jungle, tangle: She has developed a worldwide
network of contacts for her business. Before transistors, the
back of a radio was a network of multicoloured wires.
neurotic adj. psychoneurotic, unstable, disturbed, confused, irrational,
disordered, maladjusted, distraught, overwrought, anxious,
nervous, obsessive, deviant, abnormal: Many people are neurotic
about something.
neuter adj. 1 asexual, sexless, epicene: Worker bees are neuter,
neither male nor female.
--v. 2 desex or desexualize, doctor; castrate, emasculate,
geld, capon or caponize, eunuchize; spay, ovariectomize,
oophorectomize; Colloq fix, cut, US alter: We had our cat
neutered after her first litter.
neutral adj. 1 non-belligerent, non-combatant, unaligned, non-aligned,
unaffiliated, uninvolved, unallied, non-allied, non-partisan,
impartial, disinterested, indifferent, dispassionate, unbiased,
uncommitted, noncommittal, aloof, withdrawn, detached, remote,
removed: Switzerland has remained neutral during both world
wars. 2 dull, drab, colourless, achromatic, toneless,
indeterminate, washed out, pale, indefinite, indistinct,
indistinguishable, indeterminate, vague, drab, beige, ecru: A
neutral wallpaper colour won't clash with the paintings.
neutralize
v. void, annul, cancel (out), nullify, invalidate, negate,
delete, undo, make or render ineffective, counterbalance,
counteract, offset, equalize, even, square, compensate for, make
up for: The forces on both sides of the sail, being equal,
neutralize each other.
never adv. 1 at no time, not ever, not at any time, on no occasion,
under no circumstances or condition(s), on no account, not at
all, Colloq not in a million years, not till hell freezes over:
You are never to use such language again! 2 in no way, not in
any way, not in the least, not in any degree, not under any
condition, not: Never fear, for I am near.
nevertheless
adv. still, notwithstanding, yet, in spite of that, despite
that, nonetheless, regardless, be that as it may, for all that,
even so, but, however, just or all the same, everything
considered, at any rate, anyway, in any case, in any event, at
all events, Literary withal: He said he dislikes sweets;
nevertheless, he ate a whole bar of chocolate.
new adj. 1 novel, original, unique, unusual, different, fresh,
creative, imaginative, brand-new: Ruth has a new idea for the
sales campaign. 2 latest, late, modern, contemporary, modish,
stylish, fashionable, chic, recent, advanced, up to date,
brand-new, late-model, Colloq trendy, Slang mod, hip: MacGregor
buys a new car every year: it has to be equipped with the newest
gadgets. 3 fresh, further, additional, supplemental,
supplementary: Has the new issue of Verbatim come out yet? 4
unfamiliar, unknown, strange, different; unique, unheard of: I
hear there's a new girl in your office. I want to introduce my
new friend, Dan Hammond. Every year they discover a new virus. 5
revitalized, reborn, renewed, rejuvenated, changed, altered,
redone, restored, redesigned, remodelled: I saw before me a new
Marie. They published a new version of the Bible. 6
inexperienced, green, fresh, callow, unfledged, budding,
immature, unripe, untrained: Let us look over the new recruits,
Sergeant. 7 late, young, recent: We found newer fossils at
higher levels. 8 uncharted, unexplored, untrodden, unknown,
experimental: Astronomers are breaking new ground in the
analysis of pulsars.
newcomer n. 1 alien, immigrant, foreigner, outlander, stranger, settler,
colonist, outsider: The newcomers quickly established
themselves and became self-sufficient. 2 beginner, amateur,
novice, proselyte, neophyte, tiro or tyro, initiate, trainee,
learner, fledgling or Brit also fledgeling, US freshman, Colloq
greenhorn: Though experienced in book publishing, he was a
newcomer to magazine publishing.
news n. 1 tidings, word, information, advice, intelligence; rumour,
talk, gossip, hearsay, dirt, scandal, expos‚, Colloq info,
low-down, scoop, US scuttlebutt, Slang dope: What's the latest
news about the situation in the Middle East? 2 dispatch or
despatch, report, account, story, communication, bulletin,
communiqu‚, announcement, information, message, word, statement,
(press) release, (news)flash: The news from our correspondent
contains no mention of finding a cache of arms. 3 newscast, news
broadcast or telecast, news programme; newsflash: Please be
quiet so that I can listen to the news. 4 (good) copy,
front-page news, (hot) item: The royal family is always news.
nice adj. 1 pleasant, agreeable, amiable, amicable, friendly,
cordial, warm, gracious, warm-hearted, kind, kindly, outgoing,
charming, genial, delightful, courteous, polite, refined,
gentlemanly, ladylike, winsome, likeable, attractive: They are
one of the nicest couples I have ever met. 2 good,
satisfactory, commendable, worthy, worthwhile: The manager said
that I had done a nice job in preparing the specifications. 3
good, fine, superb, superior, attentive, sharp, acute, keen,
careful, exact, exacting, rigorous; precise, accurate, unerring,
scrupulous, meticulous, punctilious, discriminating,
discriminative, perceptive, delicate, fastidious, flawless,
faultless, subtle, strict, close, small, slight, minute,
complex, complicated, intricate: A diamond cutter must have a
nice eye for detail. It is difficult to maintain nice
distinctions of meaning among certain words, given that people
are so careless with their speech these days. 4 delicate,
subtle, sensitive, exquisite, hair-splitting, over-nice, fine,
critical, ticklish, dangerous, precarious, perilous, Colloq
hairy: The matter of Hong Kong requires some nice political
negotiations. 5 trim, well turned out, tidy, neat, fine: Don't
you want to look nice for your birthday party? 6 nice and -
pleasantly, delightfully, pleasingly, agreeably, enjoyably,
gratifyingly, satisfyingly, comfortably: It's nice and warm by
the fire.
niche n. 1 recess, hollow, alcove, nook: A small statue of Buddha
stood in a niche in the wall. 2 place, position, Colloq slot,
pigeon-hole: Humphrey has finally found a niche for himself
working as a tax inspector.
nick n. 1 cut, notch, chip, gouge, gash, scratch, dent, indentation,
flaw, mark, blemish, defect: Be careful of that nick in the rim
of the glass. 2 jail or Brit also gaol; police station: The
police took him to the nick to help them with their inquiries.
--v. 3 steal, purloin, take, appropriate, make off with, Colloq
pinch: Who nicked my biro? 4 arrest, nab, take in, Colloq
collar: Alan was nicked for possession of marijuana. 5 nick
off. depart, go or run off or away, take off, take to one's
heels, show a clean pair of heels, beat a (hasty) retreat,
Colloq scarper, make tracks, beat it: The cops were coming so I
nicked off.
nickname n. 1 pet name, sobriquet, epithet, agnomen, Colloq moniker or
monicker, handle: Her real name is Josephine, but her nickname
is Dusty. 2 diminutive: A common nickname for Terence is
Terry.
nifty adj. 1 smart, stylish, modish, chic, spruce: I borrowed a
nifty outfit from Grandma for the flapper's costume ball. 2
healthy, in good form, spry, energetic, agile, quick: I'm not
as nifty as I was in 1950. 3 excellent, neat, great, splendid,
fine, clever, skilful, apt, suitable: Having a picnic was a
nifty idea. That was as nifty a bit of bargaining as I 've ever
seen. 4 satisfactory, satisfying, good, profitable, substantial,
considerable: He made a nifty profit on the sale of his house
in Chelsea.
niggle v. find fault, nag, carp, fuss, cavil, criticize; complain,
Colloq grouse, Slang bitch, US kvetch: I do wish she would stop
niggling when we cannot do anything about the situation.
niggling adj. 1 irritating, worrying, worrisome, irksome, vexing,
vexatious, annoying, troublesome: There are a few niggling
matters that I must see my accountant about. 2 petty, nugatory,
trifling, trivial, fussy, insignificant, unimportant,
inconsequential, frivolous, Colloq piddling, nit-picking, US and
Canadian picayune: Bill always ignores the core of a problem
and occupies himself with the niggling details.
night n. 1 (Stygian or Cimmerian) dark or darkness or blackness or
gloom; night-time, shades of night, Formal tenebrosity or
tenebrousness or tenebriousness: The strange creature slunk off
into the night. 2 nightfall, gloaming, twilight, dusk,
eventide, evening, evensong, edge of night, sunset, sundown, end
of day, vespers: When night comes, one can hear the frogs
calling from the pond. 3 night and day. all the time,
continually, incessantly, unceasingly, continuously, unendingly,
endlessly, round-the-clock, ceaselessly, non-stop: Those
animals keep up their caterwauling night and day.
nightly adj. 1 every night, each night, each and every night, night
after night: The watchman does his nightly rounds. 2
night-time, nocturnal, bedtime: A nightly glass of warm milk
promotes sound sleep.
--adv. 3 every night, each night, nights, after dark, after
sunset; nocturnally: The bird sings nightly outside my window.
nightmarish
adj. frightening, terrifying, alarming, horrific, horrible,
dreadful, awful, ghastly, dismaying, agonizing, worrisome,
exasperating, frustrating, Kafkaesque, Colloq creepy, scary:
Dealing with officialdom can be a nightmarish experience when
abroad.
nil n. nothing, zero, nought or naught, aught or ought, Tennis,
table tennis, etc. love, Cricket duck, US goose-egg, Slang US
zip: Oxford United: 4; Queens Park Rangers: Nil.
nimble adj. 1 agile, lively, active, light, lithe, limber, spry,
sprightly, brisk, smart, energetic, rapid, quick, swift, adroit,
deft, dexterous; nimble-fingered; nimble-footed: She's as
nimble as a cat on a hot tin roof. 2 agile, alert, acute,
nimble-witted, quick-witted, ready-witted, intelligent, keen,
sharp; smart, brilliant, sparkling, scintillating, coruscating:
Despite his inability to make decisions, Desmond has quite a
nimble mind.
nip° v. 1 bite, nibble; pinch, snip, clip, cut, snap, tweak, twitch,
trim, lop, crop, shear; grip, squeeze: The dog nipped the
postman's ankle. Nip off the suckers to promote healthy growth
of the tomatoes. 2 nip in the bud. stop, arrest, check, thwart,
frustrate, stymie, forestall; quash, squelch, suppress,
extinguish, put down: The revolt of the army officers was
nipped in the bud.
--n. 3 bite, nibble, morsel, pinch, snip: The deer had taken
nips off the tips of the shrubbery. 4 chill, coldness, iciness,
sharpness, tang, bite: There's a definite wintry nip in the air
tonight.
nipэ n. taste, drop, sip, soup‡on, portion, swallow, gulp, mouthful,
finger, Brit peg, tot, draught, Scots dram, US draft, Colloq
snort, shot: I had a few nips of brandy to ward off the cold.
nobility n. 1 nobleness, dignity, grandeur, illustriousness, greatness,
glory, influence, authority, leadership, distinction, probity,
integrity, excellence, goodness, character, rectitude,
righteousness, ethics, honesty, honourableness, decency,
justness, high-mindedness, magnanimity, prestige, loftiness,
primacy, significance: The man's nobility was evident from his
mien and bearing. 2 rank, position, class, birth, blue blood:
Their nobility is recognized only at court and in fashionable
society. 3 the nobility. the gentry, the ‚lite, the aristocracy,
Colloq the upper crust, the ruling class(es), the Establishment,
US the Four Hundred: With a name like Hohenzollern, her family
must be from the European nobility.
noble n. 1 nobleman, noblewoman, aristocrat, patrician, lord, lady,
peer; gentleman, gentlewoman, Colloq blue blood: The nobles
united and forced King John to sign the Magna Carta.
--adj. 2 high-born, high-class, upper-class, aristocratic,
titled, high-ranking, lordly, patrician, Colloq blue-blood(ed):
She came from a noble Austrian family. 3 dignified, eminent,
distinguished, august, grand, lofty, elevated, illustrious,
prestigious, pre-eminent, noted, honoured, esteemed, celebrated,
renowned, acclaimed, respected, venerated: The noble Knights of
the Round Table have become legend throughout the world. 4
upright, righteous, honourable, honest, virtuous, incorruptible,
chivalrous, staunch, steadfast, true, loyal, faithful,
trustworthy, true, principled, moral, good, decent,
self-sacrificing, magnanimous, generous: The qualities that
make a noble friend make a formidable enemy. 5 splendid,
magnificent, imposing, impressive, stately, exquisite, sublime,
grand, striking, stunning, superb, admirable, elegant, rich,
sumptuous, luxurious: The Taj Mahal is probably one of the
noblest works of man.
nobody pron. 1 no one, not anyone, no person: We had to wait because
nobody was in the shop when we entered.
--n. 2 nonentity, unknown, zero, cipher, Colloq nothing:
Overnight, Tony went from being a celebrity to being a nobody.
nod v. 1 greet, acknowledge, recognize: The maЊtre d'h“tel nodded
to me as I entered the restaurant. 2 say yes; consent, assent,
agree, concur, acquiesce: Asked if she had seen Nick, the
barmaid nodded. I asked permission to leave the room and the
teacher nodded. 3 doze (off), nap, drowse, drop off, fall
asleep: Exhausted travellers nodded in their chairs waiting for
their flights to be announced. 4 slip (up), err, make a mistake,
be mistaken or wrong; be careless or negligent or lax or
inattentive: Sometimes, even Homer nods.
--n. 5 signal, sign, cue, indication, gesture: I saw him give
a nod to the barber, who suddenly held a cutthroat razor to my
throat. 6 approval; consent, acquiescence, concurrence, assent,
agreement, Colloq OK or okay: The company has given me the nod
to open an office in Acapulco.
nodding adj. casual, slight, superficial, distant; incomplete: I know
Graham slightly - he's a nodding acquaintance. It was clear that
the violinist had only a nodding acquaintance with Mozart's
concerto.
noise n. 1 sound, clamour, crash, clap, clash, clangour, din,
thunder, thundering, rumble, rumbling, outcry, hubbub, uproar,
hullabaloo, racket, charivari or US and Canadian also shivaree,
rattle, caterwauling, rumpus, blare, blast, blasting, bawling,
babel; commotion, bedlam, fracas, tumult, pandemonium, turmoil;
discordance, dissonance, cacophony; Archaic alarms or alarums
and excursions, Colloq ruckus, ruction, ballyhoo: I couldn't
sleep because of the unbearable noise from the party next door.
You may call acid rock music, but she calls it noise. 2 sound,
disturbance: Did you just hear that strange noise? It's only
the noise of the crickets.
--v. 3 Often, noise about or around. circulate, spread, rumour,
bruit (about): It is being noised about that John and Marsha
are getting a divorce.
noisy adj. loud, deafening, ear-splitting, jarring, grating, harsh,
piercing, shrill, discordant, unmusical, dissonant, cacophonous
or cacophonic, resounding, clarion, clamorous, clangorous,
thunderous, uproarious, blaring, blasting, obstreperous,
vociferous, boisterous, tumultuous, riotous: I could hear
nothing over the noisy aeroplane engines. When she arose to
speak, the noisy crowd fell silent.
nominal adj. 1 titular, in name only, formal, pretended, so-called,
self-styled, soi-disant, professed, purported, supposed,
would-be, representational, represented, supposititious;
proposed, propositional; puppet: Elliot is the nominal
chairman, but Foster actually runs the company. 2
insignificant, trivial, trifling, minor, minuscule, tiny, small,
insubstantial, minimal, inconsiderable, token: We charge a
nominal fee for the analysis if you refuse our recommendation.
nominate v. choose, select, name, appoint, designate, suggest, offer,
submit, recommend, propose, present, put up or forward; forward;
Formal put forth: Baker has been nominated for the presidency.
nominee n. candidate, office-seeker, designee, selectee, appointee,
assignee: We must choose a nominee to run in the next election.
non-aligned
adj. uncommitted, non-allied, non-affiliated, unaligned,
unaffiliated, unallied; neutral, impartial: There are several
non-aligned nations that remain independent of the influence of
the superpowers.
non-believer
n. unbeliever, disbeliever, cynic, doubting Thomas, doubter,
sceptic, freethinker, agnostic, atheist, nullifidian; infidel,
heathen, pagan: During his reign, thousands of non-believers
were put to the sword.
nonchalant
adj. cool, unexcited, unexcitable, unperturbed, imperturbable,
undisturbed, untroubled, unflappable, unruffled, dispassionate,
unemotional, detached, distant, unconcerned, indifferent,
pococurante, insouciant, uninterested, aloof, blas‚, offhand,
calm, collected, composed, easygoing, free and easy,
happy-go-lucky, casual, relaxed, at ease; unenthusiastic,
apathetic; Colloq laid-back, together: How can you be so
nonchalant about important issues that affect all our lives?!
noncommittal
adj. wary, cautious, careful, gingerly, guarded, (playing it)
safe, circumspect, watchful, prudent, canny, tentative, on
guard, reserved, cool; precautionary or precautional,
precautious; Colloq playing it cool, playing it safe, playing it
or one's cards close to the chest: The company is still
noncommittal about the take-over of the American company.
non-completion
n. non-fulfilment, unfulfilment, non-performance,
incompleteness, deficiency: We regret the non-completion of the
work on your house and will refund in full the amount already
paid.
non-compliance
n. disobedience, nonconformity, non-observance, disregard,
disregarding, failure, non-cooperation, uncooperativeness,
unresponsiveness, rejection, refusal, denial: If you fail to
provide the records requested by the tax inspector, you can be
charged with non-compliance.
nonconformist
n. 1 nonconformer, renegade, maverick, rebel, radical,
individualist, heretic, dissenter, dissident, iconoclast, loner,
exception, anomaly: In the 1960s, Alastair counted himself
among the nonconformists who wore unconventional clothes and
flouted conventional behaviour.
--adj. 2 nonconforming, renegade, maverick, rebellious,
radical, individualist(ic), heretical, dissentient, dissident,
iconoclastic: Suffragists were ridiculed for their
nonconformist ideas.
nondescript
adj. indescribable, unclassifiable, unclassified, ordinary,
common-or-garden variety, common, commonplace, unremarkable,
colourless, drab, everyday, bland, uninteresting, insipid,
characterless, undistinctive, unexceptional: He was wearing
nondescript clothing and blended into the crowd.
none pron. no one, not anyone, nobody, no person; not one; not any;
nil: Of all the people I met, none impressed me more than
Kathy. I'd give you a sweet if I had one, but I have none. I'd
even give you money, but I have none.
non-essential
adj. 1 non-vital, unessential, unneeded, unnecessary, needless,
inconsequential, insignificant, unimportant, superfluous,
dispensable, expendable, gratuitous, uncalled-for, extraneous,
peripheral, extra, de trop, adventitious, additional,
supplemental, adscititious, redundant, accessory, subordinate,
secondary, subsidiary: The non-essential industries were
converted to the war effort during the 1940s.
--n. 2 unessential, inessential, nonentity, cipher, zero,
nobody; extra, supernumerary, spear-carrier, Colloq nothing,
Slang US nebbish: She used him as a lackey, a non-essential
whom she could dispose of at will.
nonetheless
adv. See nevertheless, above.
non-event n. anticlimax, Colloq non-starter, lead balloon, dud, Brit damp
squib: Jeremy's party turned out to be the non-event of the
year.
non-existent
adj. unreal, imaginary, imagined, fictional, fictive, fanciful,
fancied, mythical, fabulous, fabled, illusory, chimerical,
delusive: Although the entire Graeco-Roman pantheon became
non-existent overnight, its gods and goddesses continue to
pervade our culture.
non-flammable
adj. non-combustible, incombustible, non-inflammable,
unburnable; fire-retardant: The government recently passed
regulations requiring that non-flammable materials be used in
upholstered furniture.
no-nonsense
adj. serious, unfrivolous, businesslike, practical,
non-trivial, untrivial: Customs officials take a no-nonsense
approach to drug trafficking.
nonpareil n. paragon, model, standard, ne plus ultra, exemplar, ideal,
Literary nonsuch or nonesuch, Colloq oner, one in a million,
Brit one-off: Annabelle was a nonpareil among the artists of
her day.
non-partisan
adj. 1 non-partizan, non-aligned, unaligned, unaffiliated,
independent, non-committed, uncommitted, neutral, uninvolved,
free, (sitting) on the fence: Choose between non-partisan and
coalition candidates. 2 impartial, even-handed, fair, just,
objective, unbiased, unprejudiced, equitable, dispassionate,
disinterested: One could not find a more non-partisan judge
than Sir Ronald.
--n. 3 independent, neutral, mugwump: I am a non-partisan on
the subject of privatization of public utilities.
nonplus v. confound, perplex, puzzle, confuse, dismay, baffle, stop,
check, stun, shock, dumbfound or dumfound, take aback, astonish,
astound, US faze, Colloq bring up short, flummox, stump: She
was nonplussed to learn that Simpson had been arrested.
non-productive
adj. 1 unproductive, barren, sterile, infertile, unfertile,
unfruitful, infecund: Non-productive land was left
uncultivated. 2 ineffectual, bootless, ineffective,
impractical, unavailing, pointless, useless, worthless,
wasteful, time-consuming, time-wasting: Executives should spend
more time working and less in non-productive meetings discussing
the work to be done.
nonsense n. 1 rubbish, drivel, gibberish, gobbledegook or gobbledygook,
twaddle, trash, babble, balderdash, moonshine, bombast, fustian,
rodomontade, puffery, flummery, blather or blether, bunkum,
poppycock, stuff and nonsense, double-talk, jargon, mumbo-jumbo,
jabberwocky, cackle, gas, palaver, Colloq bunk, piffle, rot,
bosh, eyewash, hogwash, malarkey, bilge (water), boloney or
baloney, claptrap, hot air, Brit tosh, Old-fashioned Brit
gammon, waffle, US apple-sauce, horse feathers, garbage, bushwa;
Slang crap, tripe, bull, hooey, double Dutch, Taboo slang
bullshit, horseshit, Brit (a load of old) cobblers: Watson's
speech on the benefits of tobacco was unmitigated nonsense. 2
mischief, clowning, antics, capering, horseplay, pranks, tricks,
jokes, silliness, foolishness, inanity, frivolity, tomfoolery,
joking, jesting, waggishness, buffoonery, shenanigans, Colloq
monkey business, Brit monkey tricks, US monkeyshines: Keep up
this nonsense and you'll get into a lot of trouble!
nonsensical
adj. senseless, meaningless, absurd, ridiculous, ludicrous,
laughable, preposterous, irrational, warped, askew, crazy, mad,
silly, foolish, hare-brained, asinine, idiotic, moronic,
imbecilic, stupid, dumb, Colloq nutty, screwy, cock-eyed, fool,
screwball, Slang loony: What is your nonsensical excuse for
being late this time?
non-stop adj. 1 uninterrupted, continuous, unbroken, direct: Is this a
non-stop flight to New York? 2 unending, endless, interminable,
unceasing, ceaseless, continual, continuous, uninterrupted,
unbroken, persistent, relentless, constant, unremitting, steady,
round-the-clock, ongoing, continuing, unhesitating, unfaltering,
tireless,; regular, habitual: I told my neighbour that his
non-stop rock 'n' roll music was driving me mad.
--adv. 3 unendingly, endlessly, interminably, unceasingly,
ceaselessly, continually, continuously, uninterruptedly,
persistently, relentlessly, constantly, unremittingly, steadily,
round-the-clock, day in and day out, tirelessly; regularly,
habitually: He continues to play his hi-fi non-stop.
nook n. 1 cranny, recess, niche, alcove, corner, cavity, crevice,
crack, opening: Flowers grew from the nooks in the wall. 2
retreat, hide-out, hideaway, nest; inglenook: I curled up with
a book in my nook next to the fireplace.
noon n. twelve o'clock (noon), midday, 1200 hours, noontime, high
noon, Archaic noontide; noonday: We sit down to lunch promptly
at noon. The noon sun is terribly hot in the tropics.
norm n. 1 usual, average, mean, normal: The norm for the day is 12
degrees Celsius. 2 model, standard, type, pattern, criterion,
rule, measure, gauge, yardstick, benchmark: That style of
window became the norm for many years.
normal adj. 1 standard, regular, average, conventional, usual,
run-of-the-mill, ordinary, routine, universal, general, common,
customary, natural, typical, conformist, orthodox; healthy: If
living in this mess seems normal to you, we clearly have
different standards. His temperature and pulse are normal. 2
sane, stable, rational, reasonable, well-adjusted: After he had
set fire to his school, Julian's parents began to wonder if he
was quite normal.
normalize v. regularize, standardize, regulate, control; conform: The
program is directed at normalizing the codes used in keyboarding
text.
nosy adj. nosey, curious, inquisitive, prying, meddlesome, spying,
peeping, eavesdropping, Colloq snooping, snoopy: Mind your own
business and don't be so nosy.
notable adj. 1 noteworthy, noted, famous, famed, well-known, renowned,
illustrious, important, prominent, eminent, outstanding, great,
distinguished, celebrated, acclaimed: Many notable people
attended my college. 2 remarkable, different, distinctive,
singular, unusual, uncommon, pre-eminent, peerless, matchless,
unmatched, unequalled, unparalleled, extraordinary, conspicuous,
outstanding, memorable, unforgettable, striking: She enjoyed a
notable reputation as a cellist. Last night's notable
performance was enjoyed by a capacity audience.
--n. 3 dignitary, personage, worthy, VIP; celebrity, luminary,
Colloq (big) name, big shot: Many notables attended the charity
ball.
notably adv. 1 particularly, especially, markedly, noticeably,
signally, distinctly, remarkably, unusually, uncommonly,
outstandingly, conspicuously, clearly, obviously, evidently,
manifestly, specifically, distinctly, curiously, oddly,
uniquely, strangely, strikingly, shockingly, surprisingly,
stunningly: In the temperate zones, the seasons vary notably in
length. 2 meaningfully, significantly, importantly,
prominently: The viruses changed in notably different ways.
notation n. 1 note, memorandum, jotting, record, reminder, minute(s),
abstract, Colloq memo: I shall make a notation of that in my
diary. 2 symbols, signs, code, characters, symbolism: In
musical notation, a minim represents two beats.
notch n. 1 nick, cut, dent, indentation, groove, cleft, score, mark,
gouge, gash: For every man he killed, the gunfighter cut a
notch in the barrel of his gun. 2 step, grade, level, rung, peg,
degree, stage, gradation: Gillian's promotion moves her up
another notch towards the chairmanship.
--v. 3 nick, cut, dent, indent, groove, score, mark, gash,
gouge: You notch the end of the arrow to admit the bowstring.
4 notch up. gain, win, accomplish, achieve, score, register,
mark (up): The All-India cricket team has notched up another
win.
notched adj. serrate(d), sawtooth(ed), crenellate(d), crenate,
serriform, pinked, scalloped, zigzag, toothed, dentate,
denticulate(d), dentiform: The flower has notched yellow
petals. The vase was decorated with a notched pattern.
note n. 1 See notation, 1, above. 2 message, letter, communication,
(piece of) correspondence, memorandum, epistle, postcard or
(postal) card, fan letter, love-letter, billet doux,
bread-and-butter letter, word, line, thank-you note, Colloq
memo, US old-fashioned mash note: She sent Rob a note only last
week asking him to attend the meeting. 3 comment, commentary,
remark, observation, explanation, annotation, footnote,
side-note, marginalia (pl.), gloss, critique, criticism,
Literary scholium, exegesis, eisegesis, Technical shoulder-note:
Her notes on insect behaviour are of great interest. 4
banknote, money, bill, currency, treasury note; promissory note,
demand note, bill of exchange, letter of credit, (bank) draft,
note of hand; Colloq folding money: I found a packet of notes
dropped by the bank robbers. The bank is holding my note for
њ10,000. 5 theme, characteristic, motif, element, quality, mood,
tone, tenor: There is a note of angry frustration that runs
through her writing. 6 signal, cue, intimation, hint, inkling,
suspicion, clue, suggestion, idea, tip, Slang tip-off: Her
greeting, though warm, contained a note of suspicion. On that
note, I decided to leave. 7 heed, attention, notice, regard,
respect, thought, Colloq US mind: Note of the prosecutor's
objection to that line of questioning has been taken. 8 mark,
consequence, substance, importance, moment, weight, distinction,
merit, prestige, (high) rank or standing, eminence, prominence,
repute, reputation, renown: People of note have been
entertained at our table. 9 tone, sound; key: He knows the
music but gets the notes wrong. 10 notes. jottings,
impressions, record(s), report, (thumbnail) sketch, (rough)
draft, outline, synopsis: The entire account is based on the
notes she made during the trial.
--v. 11 notice, observe, perceive, see, mark, think about, give
thought to, consider, contemplate, study, pay attention to,
attend to; look into, investigate, check out: Have you ever
noted how people try to avoid you because of your bad temper?
Note how quickly the days seem to grow shorter towards the end
of summer. A detective has been assigned to note every move the
suspect makes. 12 record, register, write down, put or set down,
put on record, jot down, put in writing, chronicle: The traffic
warden noted down the number-plate of the car. 13 call
attention to, remark on or about, mention, report, touch on,
comment on or about: The report failed to note the
disappearance of the murder weapon.
noted adj. respected, eminent, distinguished, illustrious, esteemed,
acclaimed; well-known, famous, famed, prominent, celebrated,
notable, popular; notorious: We are pleased to welcome the
noted violinist, David Popov. Was it his aunt or his mother who
ran the noted house of ill repute near Brighton?
noteworthy
adj. notable, exceptional, extraordinary, out of the ordinary,
unusual, rare, uncommon, singular, unique, different: Miss
Byrne has made many a noteworthy contribution to our knowledge
of local Roman sites.
nothing n. 1 naught or nought, nothing at all or whatsoever, no thing,
not anything, Taboo slang Brit bugger-all, (sweet) Fanny Adams
or F.A., SFA: Nothing that you tell me can be held against you
in court. You may think it important, but I tell you it is
nothing. 2 cipher, zero, nobody, nonentity: If it weren't for
her, he would be nothing. 3 trifle, bagatelle, Colloq peanuts:
A million is nothing to him.
notice v. 1 note, take or make note (of), take notice (of), pay or
give attention to, attend (to), heed, take heed (of), give heed
to, mark, remark, mind, observe, perceive, see: Notice how
quickly he retracted his remarks when challenged. I waved to
them, but they didn't notice me. 2 mind, observe, perceive,
discern, see, detect, make out, identify, recognize, Colloq
spot: I noticed signs of illness when I visited her.
--n. 3 attention, awareness, consciousness, perception,
observation, cognizance: Let me bring to your notice the second
paragraph on page six. 4 regard, consideration, respect,
observation, attention, note, heed: They have published many
books worthy of notice. He considers matters of money beneath
his notice. 5 notification, announcement, information, advice;
warning, intimation: A notice showing the currency exchange
rates is posted in the bank. The company let Corbett go without
notice. 6 criticism, critique, review, comment, commentary: The
play has enjoyed excellent notices in the London newspapers. 7
give notice. warn, admonish, notify, announce, advise, inform:
British Rail gave notice of a curtailment of service to this
station. Barry gave notice today of his resignation.
noticeable
adj. 1 discernible, perceivable, observable, perceptible,
recognizable, distinguishable, visible, palpable, manifest,
distinct, evident, clear, clear-cut, conspicuous, obvious;
patent, unmistakable or unmistakeable, undisguised, unconcealed:
Is the scratch noticeable? Wrinkles around the eyes are one of
the first noticeable signs of ageing. 2 noteworthy, notable,
significant, signal, remarkable, important, singular,
exceptional, pronounced, distinct, especial, considerable,
major: After the reprimand, there was a noticeable improvement
in his work.
notify v. 1 inform, tell, advise, alert, apprise, warn: She notified
us that she might come in late today. They wrote to notify
shareholders of the new share offer. 2 announce, publish,
declare, proclaim, give notice of; intimate, hint: The arrival
of the first salmon notified to us the change of season.
notion n. 1 idea, thought, concept, conception, image, impression,
general idea, (mental) picture, inkling: She has a pretty good
notion of who did it. I haven't the slightest notion of what you
are talking about. 2 fancy, whim, crotchet, whimsy, caprice,
impulse, inclination, vagary, conceit, quirk, kink: She
suddenly took a notion to fly to New York and left.
notoriety n. notoriousness, disrepute, dishonour, disgrace, infamy,
shame, discredit, scandal, stain, blot, obloquy, ignominy,
opprobrium: The notoriety attending his latest escapades
displeased the prime minister.
notorious adj. 1 disreputable, dishonourable, disgraceful, infamous,
shameful, shaming, embarrassing, discreditable, scandalous,
naughty, flagrant, ignominious, opprobrious: Charles was yet
again seen in public with a notorious arms dealer. 2
celebrated, renowned, famous, well-known, fabled, legendary,
memorable: Annie was notorious for riding her horse to victory
in every event.
notwithstanding
adv. 1 nevertheless, nonetheless, despite that, in spite of
that, yet, anyway: He was refused permission to go but he left
notwithstanding.
--prep. 2 despite, in spite of, regardless of, in the face of,
against: Notwithstanding his mother's objections, George
married Marsha.
--conj. 3 although, though, even though, despite the fact that:
The product was almost totally unknown, notwithstanding it had
been on the market for years.
nourish v. 1 feed, sustain, support, maintain, keep, provide for, care
for, take care of, look after, nurture, nurse: The child seems
to be thriving and well nourished. 2 foster, cherish, nurse,
maintain, harbour, keep, nurture, sustain: Iago nourished a
terrible hatred for Othello. 3 strengthen, fortify, encourage,
promote, stimulate, cultivate, help, advance, aid: These
malcontents continue to nourish trouble in the party ranks.
nourishment
n. food, sustenance, nutriment, nutrition, victuals: You must
take nourishment to maintain your strength.
novel adj. 1 new, unusual, unfamiliar, unconventional, fresh,
different, original, creative; untested, untried: I have a
novel idea for the design of an ultralight aircraft.
--n. 2 story, tale, narrative, romance; novella, novelette,
best-seller, Colloq blockbuster: The members of our company
board behave like characters out of a novel.
novelty n. 1 originality, newness, uniqueness, freshness,
innovativeness: We are enthusiastic about the novelty of the
new sales campaign. 2 gimmick, gimcrack, trifle, gewgaw,
bauble, knick-knack, toy, trinket, ornament, plaything,
Brummagem, kickshaw: New subscribers receive as a premium some
novelty, like a ball-point pen or a cheap clock.
novice n. beginner, neophyte, newcomer, proselyte, tiro or tyro,
noviciate or novitiate, learner, amateur, initiate, apprentice,
trainee, probationer, fledgling or Brit also fledgeling, US
freshman, Colloq greenhorn, rookie: She is a mere novice at
parachuting.
now adv. 1 at present, just now, right now, at the present time or
moment, at this (very) moment or minute or second or instant:
He's in the shower and cannot come to the phone now. 2 these
days, nowadays, today, in these times, at the moment, in this
day and age, under or in the present circumstances or
conditions, in the present climate, things being what they are,
contemporarily, any more, any longer; for the time being, for
the nonce: What makes you say that the minimum wage is enough
to live on now? Selling now might bring the highest price. 3 at
once, immediately, right away, without delay, instantly,
promptly, Chiefly law instanter, Chiefly Brit straight away: I
want you here now - not in five minutes, but now! 4 now and
then or again. occasionally, from time to time, at times, on
occasion, sometimes, sporadically, once in a while, every now
and then or again, randomly, intermittently; infrequently,
seldom, rarely, once in a blue moon: There was a power cut now
and then. He visits his mother only now and then.
--adj. 5 contemporary, up to date, modern, stylish,
fashionable, trendy, Colloq in, with it: Advertisers must
appeal to the yuppies of the now generation.
nub n. 1 projection, protuberance, knob, boss, lump, bump, knop,
protrusion, bulge, node, knot; excrescence, swelling,
tumescence: Press the small nub on the side to open the door.
2 essence, core, heart, nucleus, crux, point, gist, pith,
kernel, nucleus, meat, (sum and) substance, main issue,
gravamen: Let's get to the nub of the argument.
nuclear adj. atomic: He joined the protest march against nuclear
weapons.
nucleus n. core, heart, centre, kernel, pith, focus, nub: We already
have the nucleus of a very good team. The market square was the
nucleus around which many towns were built.
nude adj. unclothed, undressed, uncovered, au naturel, bare, naked,
in the nude, stark naked, undraped, without a stitch (on),
Colloq in the buff, in the altogether, in one's birthday suit,
Brit starkers, Brit and Australian in the nuddy: A nude man
streaked across the football pitch.
nudge v. 1 jog, poke, elbow, jab, dig, bump, prompt, shove; prod,
push, US encourage: I had to nudge him to stay awake for the
film's thrilling climax.
--n. 2 jog, poke, elbow, jab, dig, bump, shove; prod, push,
encouragement: Nigel just needs a nudge in the right direction.
nuisance n. 1 annoyance, inconvenience, trial, ordeal, burden,
irritation, irritant, thorn in the flesh or side, difficulty,
bother, US bur under the saddle, Colloq pain (in the neck or
rear), headache, hassle, Slang US and Canadian pain in the butt,
Taboo slang pain in the Brit arse, or US ass: Having to paint
the room again was a terrible nuisance. 2 bore, pest, nag,
tease, tormentor or tormenter: James has made a nuisance of
himself by telephoning every fifteen minutes.
numb adj. 1 numbed, benumbed, insensible, insensate, dead, deadened,
without feeling, sensationless, senseless; asleep: My feet are
numb from the cold.
--v. 2 benumb, anaesthetize, drug, deaden, dull, freeze,
paralyse, immobilize, stun: The doctor numbed my hand before
removing the wart. Fear numbed her, and she felt nothing as the
monster approached.
number n. 1 numeral, integer, figure, digit: The columns of numbers
were entered in a neat hand. 2 few, handful, crowd, slew, gang,
bunch, party, bevy, covey, troop, company, platoon, swarm,
horde, multitude, mob, host, army, mass, hundred, thousand,
million, billion; several, many, numbers, legions, US and
Canadian slew(s) or slue(s), Colloq loads, tons: A number of
people attended the meeting. An enormous number of viruses could
fit on the head of a pin. 3 issue; edition, copy: The fourth
number of the quarterly is published at the end of the year.
--v. 4 count, enumerate, compute, calculate, tally, figure
(up), add (up), include, total, tot (up), reckon, sum (up): Who
can number the stars?
numberless
adj. uncountable, uncounted, countless, innumerable,
incalculable, immeasurable, numerous, untold, myriad, infinite:
Although seemingly numberless, the number of grains of sand in
the universe is calculable.
nuptial adj. bridal, matrimonial, wedding, spousal, wedded, marital;
connubial, conjugal, Literary hymeneal: The nuptial
arrangements have been made.
nurse n. 1 angel of mercy, Florence Nightingale, Brit sister: I
awoke to see two nurses bending over me.
--v. 2 care for, look after, tend, attend, minister to, treat;
nurture, foster, coddle, baby, pamper, cherish, preserve, keep
alive, cultivate, develop: During his illness, she nursed him
night and day. We nursed the company along through the first
year. 3 wet-nurse, suckle, breast-feed, nourish: Nursing
mothers must be careful about what they eat. 4 preserve,
harbour, keep alive, nurture, foster: She has nursed a grudge
against him for ten years.
nutritious
adj. healthful, healthy, nutritive, wholesome, life-giving,
beneficial, salutary, nourishing, alimentary, nutrimental: Be
sure you eat a nutritious breakfast every day.
15.0 O
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oar n. 1 paddle, scull: The ancient galleys sometimes had six men
on each oar. 2 oarsman, oarswoman, bencher, sculler, rower,
paddler: With Hanson out because of his back, we'll need a new
oar for tomorrow's race.
oasis n. 1 fertile patch, watering-hole: In the desert, you cannot
always be sure whether you are looking at an oasis or a mirage.
2 haven, refuge, (safe) harbour, sanctuary, retreat, asylum,
resort, sanctum: We escaped to the cottage, a tiny oasis away
from the city's frenetic activity.
oath n. 1 vow, avowal, pledge, promise, word (of honour), promise,
plight, guarantee or guaranty, warrant or warranty, (sworn)
statement, Archaic troth: She has taken an oath to tell the
whole truth. 2 curse, profanity, blasphemous language or
expression or word, imprecation, malediction, swear-word,
expletive, four-letter word, obscenity, dirty word: The door
slammed on his finger and he muttered a foul oath.
obedience n. compliance, dutifulness, observance, respect,
respectfulness, tractability, conformity or conformance,
yielding, conformability, adaptability, agreement, agreeability,
agreeableness, acquiescence, submissiveness, submission,
subservience, docility, passiveness, passivity: The abbot
demanded unquestioning obedience with regard to every rule of
the monastic order.
obedient adj. compliant, dutiful, duteous, observant, respectful,
tractable, yielding, conformable, adaptable, agreeable,
amenable, acquiescent, submissive, subservient, docile, passive,
timid, biddable, pliant: Prunella was always an obedient child.
All matter and energy is obedient to the laws of physics.
obeisance n. deference, respect, respectfulness, homage, submission,
reverence, honour: As she entered the chamber, she made
obeisance to the king.
obese adj. fat, overweight, stout, fleshy, gross, corpulent, heavy,
plump, portly, tubby, pudgy, chubby, paunchy, rotund,
pot-bellied, Rare abdominous: I sat down next to an obese
person who occupied nearly two chairs.
obesity n. corpulence, plumpness, tubbiness, chubbiness, grossness,
embonpoint, rotundity, portliness, paunchiness, size, bulk,
weight, avoirdupois: Risk factors with respect to heart disease
include smoking, bad diet, obesity, and family history of heart
disease.
obey v. 1 comply (with), agree (to), consent (to), submit (to),
abide (by), observe, respect, adhere to, follow, conform (to or
with), acquiesce (to or in), mind, accept, heed, defer to, yield
(to), knuckle under (to), give way (to), surrender (to), succumb
(to), give in (to), truckle to, bow to, bend to, take or accept
orders from: Unfortunately, Ogilvy has obeyed his baser
instincts in making the punishment fit the crime. Everything
must obey the laws of nature. Harold obeys Millie's slightest
whim. 2 discharge, execute, effect, carry out, fulfil, meet,
satisfy, do, perform; serve, act: We obeyed the colonel's
orders to the letter. It is your function to command, mine to
obey.
obituary n. necrology, death notice, eulogy, necrologue, Colloq obit:
Mark Twain is one of the few people ever to have read his own
obituary.
object n. 1 thing, tangible, item; reality, entity, fact, phenomenon:
A number of objects lay on the table. Thoughts may be considered
as objects of the imagination. 2 focus, target, butt, aim,
destination, quarry, goal: The object of my affection has
married someone else. 3 purpose, end, intention, objective,
reason, intent, idea, goal: The object of our visit is to ask
you a few questions.
--v. 4 protest (to or against), interfere (with), raise
objections (to), argue (against), oppose, be against, take
exception (to), disapprove (of), draw the line (at), complain
(about), remonstrate (over or about), take a stand (against),
refuse: I won't object if you want to bring the wine. Would you
object to rereading that passage? If they ask me, I cannot
object.
objection n. protest, opposition, exception, argument, challenge,
interference, demur or demurral or demurrer, question, doubt,
disapproval, interference, complaint, remonstration,
remonstrance, stand, refusal, dislike, antipathy: The meeting
proceeded without further objection from the audience. If you
have no objection, I'd like to leave now. The secretary has
raised an objection to the method of procedure.
objective adj. 1 fair, impartial, just, judicious, equitable, neutral,
disinterested, dispassionate, open-handed, open-minded,
detached, unbiased, unprejudiced, unbigoted, even-handed,
uncoloured, unjaundiced: How can you be objective about the
guilt or innocence of your own child?
--n. 2 target, goal, object, aim, purpose, end (in view),
intent, intention, design, aspiration, ambition, hope: If we
capture the flag, we shall have gained our objective. My
objective is to win the pentathlon.
objectivity
n. impartiality, fairness, fair-mindedness, equitableness,
equitability, even-handedness, neutrality, disinterest,
detachment, indifference, dispassion: The jury's objectivity
was never in doubt.
obligate n. oblige, pledge, commit, bind; require, compel, constrain,
force: I feel deeply obligated to her for her kindness to our
children. We are obligated to do what we are told.
obligation
n. 1 responsibility, duty, charge, burden, onus;
accountability, liability, trust; demand, requirement,
compulsion, Literary devoir: It was Frank's obligation to get
the children home safely. Civil servants have an obligation to
serve the people. I could never fulfil all my obligations. 2
constraint, requirement, contract, promise, pledge, bond,
agreement, covenant: The company is under no obligation to
replace a product because the customer dislikes its colour. I am
under an obligation to her for introducing us. 3 debt,
liability: Denby may be unable to meet all his obligations.
obligatory
adj. required, demanded, necessary, requisite, compulsory,
mandatory; incumbent; indispensable, essential: Has she been
able to meet all the obligatory qualifications?
oblige v. 1 accommodate, indulge, favour, serve, please, cater to,
gratify: The hotelier obliged us with every luxury he had to
offer. Please oblige us by keeping your dog on a lead. 2 make,
require, demand, force, compel, coerce, bind, obligate: What
hold has she over you that obliges you to do her housework?
obliged adj. 1 thankful, grateful, appreciative, beholden, indebted,
obligated: We are deeply obliged to you for lending us your
car. 2 bound, required, compelled, forced, made, obligated:
Under the terms of the agreement, I am obliged to repay the debt
by May.
obliging adj. accommodating, willing, indulgent, gracious, courteous,
civil, considerate, polite, agreeable, amenable, kind, kindly,
helpful, friendly, amiable, neighbourly, supportive: It was
very obliging of you to look after my cat while I was gone.
oblique adj. 1 slanting, slanted, sloping, aslant, inclined, diagonal,
inclining, angled, angling, canted, canting, banked, banking,
cambered, crooked, askew, divergent, diverging, tilted, atilt,
tilting: The roof joins the wall at an oblique angle. 2 awry,
devious, roundabout, indirect, circuitous, circumlocutionary,
evasive, sly, sidelong, offhand, surreptitious, furtive,
implied, clandestine, underhand(ed), deceitful, devious,
deceptive, false: She made some oblique comments about the
candidate's wife.
obliterate
v. 1 erase, expunge, rub out, efface, eradicate, wipe out,
delete, dele, strike off or out, strike from, rule out,
eliminate, write off: After the scandal, that name was
obliterated from the roll of honour. 2 annihilate, destroy,
kill, exterminate, wipe out, eliminate, blot out, eradicate,
extirpate: The entrance to the cave was completely obliterated
by the explosion.
oblivion n. 1 blankness, blackness, darkness, obscurity, nothingness,
nihility, anonymity, extinction, non-existence, void, limbo:
The rock band enjoyed brief fame, then sank into oblivion. 2
unawareness, obliviousness, forgetfulness, heedlessness,
disregard, unconsciousness, insensibility: I sank back into the
sweet oblivion of deep sleep.
oblivious adj. unaware, unconscious, unmindful, disregardful, insensible,
insensitive, distant, unconcerned, detached, removed, unfeeling,
abstracted, absent-minded, forgetful, Lethean: Many are
completely oblivious to the plight of the starving millions in
Africa.
obscure adj. 1 dark, unlit, gloomy, sombre, dismal, murky, dusky,
black, Cimmerian, tenebrous, dim, faint, blurred, veiled,
shadowy, subfusc, subfuscous, umbral, shady, hazy, foggy,
befogged, clouded, nebulous, overcast, cloudy: The traveller's
lantern was barely seen in the obscure reaches of the wood. 2
unclear, uncertain, ambiguous, vague, hazy, doubtful, dubious,
equivocal, indefinite, indistinct, fuzzy, blurred, confused,
confusing, Delphic, puzzling, enigmatic, perplexing, baffling,
mystifying, mysterious, cryptic, incomprehensible, unfamiliar,
foreign, strange: The sorcerer muttered some obscure words, and
a golden horse stood prancing before them. 3 secret, concealed,
hidden, remote, out-of-the-way, inconspicuous, unnoticeable,
secluded, unnoticed: The caped figure scurried down the alley
and disappeared into some obscure doorway. 4 unknown,
unheard-of, anonymous, unnamed, insignificant, unimportant,
inconsequential, humble, lowly, mean, inglorious, inconspicuous,
undistinguished, unnoticed, unsung, minor, little-known: Though
extremely popular, the song was written by an obscure composer.
5 abstruse, arcane, recondite, esoteric, intricate, complex,
occult, out of the ordinary, unfamiliar, Colloq far-out: He is
an authority on some obscure subject like Coptic calligraphy.
--v. 6 cover, conceal, hide, veil, shroud, cloak, mask, screen,
disguise, keep from: Her link with military intelligence was
obscured from her family. 7 dim, bedim, cloud, becloud, dull,
shroud, shade, adumbrate, overshadow, darken, obfuscate, block,
eclipse: The street lamp was obscured by trees.
obscurity n. 1 dimness, darkness, gloom, murk, murkiness, duskiness,
dusk, blackness, faintness, blurriness, shade, shadow, haze,
fog, cloudiness, nebulousness: The two of them vanished into
the obscurity of the night. 2 abstruseness, ambiguousness,
intricacy, complexity, unintelligibility; mystery, arcanum,
secret, esoterica (pl.): Can he truly believe that he has
fathomed all the obscurities of Scripture? 3 insignificance,
unimportance, ingloriousness, inconspicuousness, anonymity,
namelessness, limbo: After a fleeting surge of popularity, punk
rock sank into obscurity.
obsequious
adj. low, cringing, toadying, toadyish, sycophantic(al),
sycophantish, unctuous, truckling, grovelling, crawling,
fawning, deferential, ingratiating, menial, flattering, servile,
slavish, subservient, submissive, abject, mealy-mouthed, slimy,
Colloq boot-licking, Chiefly Brit smarmy, Taboo slang
brown-nosing, Brit arse-kissing, arse-licking, US ass-licking,
ass-kissing: He is surrounded with obsequious followers who
cater to his every whim.
observable
adj. perceptible, perceivable, noticeable, discernible,
recognizable, detectable, visible, apparent, distinct, evident,
manifest, plain, obvious, clear, explicit, transparent, patent,
tangible, unmistakable or unmistakeable: A marked change in
public sentiment became at once observable.
observance
n. 1 observation, observing, obedience, obeying, compliance,
complying, conformity, conforming, adherence, adhering, keeping,
accordance, regard, recognition, recognizing, respect,
respecting, heed, heeding, attention: Observance of the rules
by everyone makes for a happier community. 2 ceremony,
celebration, ceremonial, practice, rite, ritual, service,
performance, form, custom, convention, tradition, formality,
usage, habit, wont, institution: Almost all the fine arts
derived their origin from religious observances. 3 observation,
examination, inspection, scrutiny, looking, watching: His
observance of the passing scene was chronicled in his diary.
observant adj. 1 watchful, alert, attentive, vigilant, on the lookout, on
the qui vive, on guard, wide awake, regardful, mindful, aware,
keen, keen-eyed, sharp-eyed, eagle-eyed, perceptive, sharp,
shrewd: Hannay was observant of all who passed him on the way
to the train. How very observant of you to spot the man in the
crowd! 2 Usually, observant of. obedient (to), compliant (with),
respectful (of), heedful(of), attentive (to or of), conformist
(to), adherent (to): One must be always be observant of the
rules of the road.
observation
n. 1 watching, examination, scrutiny, inspection, viewing,
survey, surveillance; notice, discovery, attention, awareness:
The police put the house under 24-hour observation. The smuggled
weapon escaped the guard's observation. 2 comment, remark, note,
reflection, opinion, sentiment, point of view, impression,
feeling, commentary, criticism; utterance, word, announcement,
pronouncement, proclamation, declaration: She made a number of
trenchant observations concerning life in Britain today.
observe v. 1 obey, abide by, comply with, be heedful of, attend to,
conform to, regard, keep, follow, adhere to, respect, pay
attention to: We observed the prohibition against swimming. 2
watch, look at, examine, monitor, scrutinize, study, regard,
view, inspect, pore over, contemplate, consider , Colloq check
(out or up on), check over, size up, Slang case: The
naturalists went to the Arctic to observe the polar bears. 3
see, mark, notice, look, perceive: Observe how swiftly the skin
forms pustules when this substance is applied. 4 Sometimes,
observe on or upon. comment (on or upon), remark (on or upon),
mention, say, note, refer (to), make reference to, animadvert on
or upon or to; state, declare: It is impolite to observe on
others' manners. He couldn't help observing to his cell-mate how
easy it would be to escape. 5 celebrate, keep, solemnize,
respect, keep holy, mark, commemorate, memorialize, remember,
recognize: We always observe the sabbath.
observer n. witness, eyewitness, spectator, viewer, onlooker, beholder,
watcher, looker-on; non-participant: UN observers reported that
the battle was over.
obsess v. haunt, harass, plague, bedevil, torment, take over,
preoccupy, dominate, control, grip, possess, hold: He was
obsessed by the conviction that he could design a successful
flying machine.
obsession n. fixed idea, id‚e fixe, fixation, conviction, preoccupation,
prepossession, passion, mania, phobia, Colloq hang-up, thing:
Thoughts of death became his constant obsession.
obsessive adj. haunting, harassing, tormenting, dominating, controlling,
possessing, all-encompassing, passionate, unshakeable or
unshakable: She has an obsessive fear of heights.
obsolescent
adj. fading, waning, on the wane, declining, dying, on the way
out, on the decline, going or passing out of use or fashion or
style: Much of yesterday's newest slang is obsolescent today.
obsolete adj. out of date, out of fashion, out-dated, pass‚, out, dead,
outmoded, old, antiquated, antediluvian, ancient, superannuated,
dated, archaic, old-fashioned, d‚mod‚; unused, disused,
discarded, superseded, extinct, Colloq old hat: The expression
'tickety-boo' is obsolete. He plays his 78-rpm records on an
obsolete gramophone.
obstacle n. impediment, hindrance, obstruction, hurdle, hitch, catch,
snag, stumbling-block, barrier, bar, check: The obstacles in
the road prevented our proceeding further. One must often
overcome many obstacles before achieving success.
obstinacy n. obstinateness, stubbornness, doggedness, tenacity,
persistence or persistency, mulishness, pigheadedness,
wilfulness, contrariness, perverseness, perversity,
cantankerousness, recalcitrance, uncooperativeness,
rebelliousness, contumacy, contumaciousness, refractoriness,
intractability, intransigence, pertinacity, pertinaciousness,
obduracy, fixedness, stolidity, inflexibility, firmness, Archaic
frowardness, Colloq Brit bloody-mindedness: His obstinacy and
narrow-mindedness made it impossible to work in any cooperative
way with him.
obstinate adj. stubborn, dogged, tenacious, persistent, mulish, perverse,
headstrong, pigheaded, single-minded, wilful, strong-willed,
self-willed, contrary, recalcitrant, uncooperative, rebellious,
contumacious, refractory, intransigent, pertinacious, obdurate,
fixed, inflexible, stony, adamant, set, unmoving, immovable,
inexorable, intractable, unchangeable, resolute, steadfast,
unyielding, persevering, stiff, rigid, hard, Archaic froward,
Colloq Brit bloody-minded: The obstinate man does not hold
opinions - they hold him.
obstreperous
adj. vociferous, clamorous, noisy, loud, raucous, riotous,
uproarious, tumultuous, boisterous, rowdy, rumbustious,
tempestuous, unruly, disorderly, unmanageable, uncontrollable,
uncontrolled, unrestrained, irrepressible, out of control,
undisciplined, roisterous, wild, turbulent, Colloq rambunctious,
Brit mafficking: The party was getting rough and some of the
guests a bit too obstreperous.
obstruct v. 1 block, bar, check, prevent, stop (up), arrest, halt, clog,
make impassable; bring to a standstill: The vein is obstructed
by a large blood clot. A clogged drain is obstructing the water.
2 hamper, slow, impede, interfere with, retard, hinder,
interrupt, delay, stay, stall: An overturned truck obstructed
traffic on the motorway. 3 preclude, prevent, debar, block,
prohibit, forbid, stop, stand in the way of: They are
manoeuvring to obstruct her from taking over the company.
obstruction
n. 1 obstacle, barrier, bar, check, stumbling-block, hindrance,
impediment, hurdle, hitch, snag, catch, bottleneck, limitation,
constraint, restriction: The fallen trees created an almost
impassable obstruction. 2 checking, stopping, cessation,
proscription, forbidding, forbiddance; hindering, impeding,
limiting, halting, slowing: The obstruction of the bill's
passage can be blamed on the Tories.
obtain v. 1 get, procure, acquire, come by, come into (the) possession
of, secure, get hold of or one's hands on, grasp, capture, take
possession of, seize; buy, purchase: She has been unable to
obtain the job she wants. You can obtain that kind of soap at
the supermarket. 2 earn, gain: We talked to the manager about
obtaining an increase in wages. 3 prevail, be in force, be in
vogue, exist, subsist, have (a) place, be prevalent, be
established, be customary, apply, be relevant, relate: A
different set of regulations obtains here.
obtrude v. thrust (oneself) forward or forth, intrude, impose
(oneself), force (oneself): The best writers never obtrude
between the reader and the story.
obtrusive adj. interfering, intrusive, meddling, officious, meddlesome,
importunate, forward, presumptuous, forceful, Colloq pushy: She
found him somewhat obtrusive - always giving advice when she
least needed it.
obtuse adj. 1 rounded, unpointed, blunt: When mature, the leaves
become more obtuse. 2 dull, insensitive, unfeeling,
imperceptive, thick-skinned, stolid, thick, dense, doltish,
cloddish, thickheaded, dull-witted, dim-witted, slow-witted,
(mentally) retarded, boneheaded, lumpish, loutish, oafish,
simple, simple-minded: Luke is a bit too obtuse to get the
point of the story.
obvious adj. clear, plain, apparent, patent, perceptible, evident,
self-evident, clear-cut, manifest, palpable, (much) in evidence,
conspicuous, open, visible, overt, ostensible, pronounced,
prominent, glaring, undeniable, unconcealed, unhidden, unsubtle,
distinct, simple, bald, bald-faced, straightforward, direct,
self-explanatory, indisputable, unmistakable or unmistakeable:
There are obvious flaws in the fabric. The reason you were
refused seemed obvious to me.
obviously adv. clearly, plainly, apparently, patently, evidently, simply,
certainly, of course, undeniable, unmistakably or unmistakeably,
indubitably, doubtless(ly): You are obviously the right person
for the assignment.
occasion n. 1 time, moment, circumstance, incident, occurrence,
opportunity, chance, opening, advantage: I took the occasion of
the inquiry to leave town. 2 reason, cause, call,
justification, ground(s), warrant, provocation, prompting,
impulse, stimulus, incitement, inducement: Tom gave David no
occasion to doubt his honesty. 3 event, function, happening,
affair, observance, commemoration, ceremony, celebration, gala,
party,: Grandpapa's ninetieth birthday was a great occasion.
This hall is saved for important occasions. 4 on occasion. See
occasionally, below.
--v. 5 give rise to, bring about, cause, bring on, effect,
prompt, provoke, evoke, call forth, elicit, call up, induce,
impel, create, generate, engender, produce, make (for): An
increase in the inflation rate occasions a decrease in the value
of money.
occasional
adj. 1 intermittent, irregular, periodic, random, sporadic,
infrequent, casual, incidental: They staged occasional raids on
the arsenal. He works as an occasional farm hand. 2 additional,
extra, spare, supplementary, incidental, auxiliary, accessory:
We bought a few occasional chairs in case we have company. 3
special, particular, ceremonial, ritual: She writes occasional
verses for memorial services.
occasionally
adv. sometimes, on occasion, (every) now and then, from time to
time, at times, (every) now and again, once in a while, every so
often, periodically, intermittently, sporadically, irregularly,
off and on: We go up the Lake District for a weekend
occasionally. Trevor occasionally drops in at the local pub for
a beer.
occult adj. 1 secret, dark, concealed, private, privy, hidden,
obscure, veiled, obscured, shrouded, vague, abstruse, shadowy,
mystical, mysterious, cabbalistic, esoteric, recondite, arcane:
Printing was kept an occult art for generations. 2 magical,
mystical, alchemic(al), unexplained, unexplainable,
inexplicable, puzzling, baffling, perplexing, mystifying,
mysterious, incomprehensible, inscrutable, indecipherable,
impenetrable, unfathomable, transcendental, supernatural,
preternatural, mystic: They dress in odd clothes and
participate in occult rituals at peculiar times of the day and
night.
--n. 3 Usually, the occult. the supernatural, the unknown, the
black arts; arcana, cabbala or cabala or kabbala; cabbalism or
cabalism or kabbalism, occultism, sorcery, witchcraft, black
magic: Keith has studied the occult for many years.
occupant n. resident, inhabitant, occupier, tenant, lessee, leaseholder,
renter, owner, householder, indweller, dweller, denizen, lodger,
roomer, boarder; addressee; incumbent: The occupant of the flat
upstairs is rarely home.
occupation
n. 1 job, position, post, situation, appointment, employment,
vocation, line (of work), career, field, calling, trade, m‚tier,
craft, skill, profession, business, work: Claverton pursued his
occupation as a miniaturist for some fifty years. 2 possession,
tenure, occupancy, rule, control, suzerainty, subjugation,
subjection, oppression, bondage: Terrible atrocities were
committed while the land was under the occupation of the
Mongols. 3 conquest, seizure, appropriation, take-over:
Francisco Pizarro was responsible for the occupation of Peru.
occupy v. 1 capture, seize, take possession of, conquer, invade, take
over, overrun, garrison, dominate, hold: Rebel forces had
occupied the capital and toppled the governor. 2 live or reside
or dwell in, tenant, be established or ensconced or situated in,
establish or ensconce or situate oneself in, inhabit, be settled
in or into, settle in or into, take up residence in, make one's
home in, move in or into; be located in: She occupies a
luxurious flat in Belgravia. 3 engage, busy, absorb,
monopolize, hold, take up or over, catch, grab, seize, grip;
divert, amuse, entertain, distract, beguile, preoccupy, hold
(someone's) attention, interest, engross, involve: Other
matters occupied my attention last Sunday. While one man was
keeping the shopkeeper occupied, the other man was robbing the
till. 4 fill (in or up), take up, cover, extend over, consume,
use (up), Colloq eat up: The car occupies more garage space
than I thought it would. Housework occupies very little of my
time.
occur v. 1 happen, take place, arise, come about, befall, come to
pass, chance, appear, surface, materialize, develop, become
manifest, manifest itself, Colloq transpire, crop up, come off,
turn up: We reported to the police all that had occurred. What
occurred to make you late this time? 2 occur to. dawn on,
strike, hit, come to, suggest itself to, cross (someone's) mind,
enter (someone's) head, be brought to (someone's) attention:
Has it occurred to you that she might not like opera?
occurrence
n. 1 happening, event, incident, phenomenon, affair, matter,
experience: Earthquakes are frequent occurrences in California.
2 existence, instance, manifestation, materialization,
appearance, development: The occurrence of mutations
diversifies the species. 3 frequency, incidence, rate;
likelihood, chance: What is the recorded occurrence of typhoons
in the South China Sea?
ocean n. 1 (deep blue) sea, (bounding) main, high seas, the deep,
Davy Jones's locker, the depths, Colloq the briny, the drink:
The sails filled, and our tiny craft was swept out into the open
ocean. 2 Often, oceans. flood, abundance, multitude, profusion,
plethora, Colloq scads, loads, tons, lots, oodles, gobs,
zillions: The direct mail campaign yielded oceans of responses.
oceanic adj. marine, pelagic, thalassic; salt-water, deep-water,
aquatic, maritime, sea, ocean: These creatures are chiefly
oceanic, coming ashore only to breed.
odd adj. 1 strange, peculiar, unusual, uncommon, different,
unexpected, unfamiliar, extraordinary, remarkable, atypical,
untypical, exotic, out of the ordinary, unparalleled,
unconventional, exceptional, unique, singular, individual,
anomalous, idiosyncratic, rare, deviant, outlandish, uncanny,
queer, curious, bizarre, weird, eccentric, funny, quaint,
fantastic, freak, abnormal, freakish, Colloq offbeat, screwy,
kinky, freaky, Slang Brit barmy, bent, rum, US and Canadian
kooky or kookie: Ebenezer is an odd name for a dog. Where did
you get that odd hat? I cannot account for his odd behaviour. 2
occasional, casual, part-time, irregular, random, sporadic,
discontinuous, disconnected, various, varied, miscellaneous,
sundry, incidental: After being made redundant, he worked at
odd jobs for a year or so. The odd shower can be expected during
the afternoon. 3 leftover, surplus, remaining, unused, spare,
superfluous, extra: After the patterns were cut, we were
allowed to take the odd scraps of fabric. 4 uneven, unmatched,
unpaired: This gallery has an odd number of columns.
oddity n. 1 peculiarity, strangeness, unnaturalness, curiousness,
incongruity, incongruousness, eccentricity, outlandishness,
extraordinariness, unconventionality, bizarreness, weirdness,
queerness, oddness, unusualness, individuality, singularity,
distinctiveness, anomalousness, anomaly, Colloq kinkiness, US
and Canadian kookiness: What caught my attention was the oddity
of the clothes worn by the students. 2 peculiarity, curiosity,
rarity, freak, original, phenomenon, character, eccentric,
nonconformist, fish out of water, odd bird, rara avis, misfit,
square peg in a round hole, maverick, Colloq card, crank,
weirdie or weirdo, oner, Brit odd fish, US and Canadian kook,
oddball, screwball: The townspeople thought Albert an oddity,
but we knew he was a genius. 3 peculiarity, irregularity,
anomaly, idiosyncrasy, eccentricity, deviation, quirk,
mannerism, twist, kink, crotchet: I suppose people all have
their own oddities when it comes to food.
odds n.pl. 1 chances, likelihood, probability: The odds are that
Janet will finish the job in time. 2 edge, advantage, lead,
superiority: We have won before against greater odds. 3
difference, inequality, disparity, unevenness, discrepancy,
dissimilarity, distinction: It makes no odds who you are, you
may not go in there. 4 at odds. at variance, at loggerheads, at
daggers drawn, at sixes and sevens, at cross purposes, at each
other's throats, in disagreement, in opposition, on bad terms,
not in keeping, out of line, inharmonious, conflicting,
clashing, disagreeing, differing: Teenagers have been at odds
with their parents since time immemorial. 5 odds and ends.
oddments, fragments, debris, leftovers, leavings, remnants, bits
(and pieces), particles, shreds, snippets, scraps, rubbish,
litter, Colloq Brit odds and sods: We managed to pack
everything into boxes except for a few odds and ends.
odour n. 1 smell, scent, aroma, bouquet, fragrance, perfume,
redolence; stench, stink, fetor or foetor: The air was filled
with the odour of orange blossoms. The odour of rotting
vegetation assailed our noses. 2 air, breath, hint, suggestion,
atmosphere, spirit, quality, flavour, savour, aura, tone: She
would never allow the odour of scandal to touch her family.
off adv. 1 away, out, elsewhere: His secretary said that he'd gone
off for the weekend. 2 distant, away, afar, far-off: The
U-boat was a mile off. Christmas is only a month off.
--adj. 3 incorrect, wrong, inaccurate, in error, mistaken,
misguided, misled, off the mark: I'm afraid you're off on the
question of the best way to approach him. 4 mad, insane, crazy,
eccentric, touched (in the head), Colloq dotty, dippy, nutty,
potty: Underwood's aunt is slightly off. 5 remote, distant,
improbable, unlikely: He went to the station on the off chance
that she would be on the midday train. 6 off work, at leisure,
idle, free, open; on holiday: Can you get the day off tomorrow
to go on a picnic with me? 7 sour, mouldy, bad, rotten, rancid,
turned, high: The cream smells a bit off. 8 bad, unpropitious,
disappointing, unsatisfactory, disheartening, displeasing,
slack, slow, substandard, below par, below average, quiet: It
has been an off year for the local football team. 9 cancelled,
postponed: The meeting is off till next week. 10 situated,
fixed, supplied: Is he really that well off? She was much worse
off when they were married.
offbeat adj. strange, eccentric, bizarre, weird, peculiar, odd, queer,
unconventional, unorthodox, Bohemian, idiosyncratic, unusual,
unexpected, outr‚, outlandish, deviant, novel, innovative,
Colloq kinky, way-out, far-out, off-the-wall, freaky, weirdo:
Jasper's offbeat, satirical humour has made him a popular
comedian.
off colour
adj. 1 unwell, ill, off form, out of sorts, queasy, sick, run
down, awful, seedy, Colloq under the weather, poorly, Slang
lousy, rotten: I have been feeling off colour since eating that
fish. 2 indelicate, risqu‚, ribald, bawdy, indecent,
suggestive, broad, indelicate, inelegant, improper,
inappropriate, unseemly, blue: My mother does not tolerate
off-colour remarks at the dinner table.
offence n. 1 violation, breach, crime, felony, misdemeanour,
infraction, transgression, trespass, wrong, wrongdoing, sin,
peccadillo, misdeed, fault, infringement, malefaction;
dereliction, lapse, slip, error: He was accused of offences
against the rights of others. Some regard the splitting of an
infinitive an offence against the Queen's English. 2 give
offence. incur displeasure, create annoyance or irritation or
resentment or pique, evoke indignation or anger; slight, injure,
hurt, harm, offend, insult, outrage, Colloq put (someone) down:
He denied that he meant to give offence in his criticism of the
play. 3 take offence. take umbrage, feel displeasure or
annoyance or resentment or pique or indignation, be angered or
enraged: Why should you take offence at what a fool says?
offend v. 1 hurt (someone's) feelings, affront, insult, slight, snub,
give offence, hurt, pain, displease, disgruntle, chagrin,
humiliate, embarrass; pique, fret, gall, vex, annoy, irritate,
nettle, needle, rankle, provoke, ruffle, outrage, rile, anger ,
Colloq miff, put (someone's) back up, put (someone's) nose out
of joint, tread or step on (someone's) toes, put (someone) out,
rattle: I hope you weren't offended by my saying that you could
do with losing some weight. 2 disgust, sicken, turn (someone's)
stomach, nauseate, repel, repulse, revolt, Colloq turn (someone)
off: I, for one, am offended by seeing explicit sex on
television.
offender n. criminal, malefactor, lawbreaker, outlaw, wrongdoer,
culprit, miscreant, transgressor, sinner, evil-doer, Slang
crook: I don't know if they apprehended the offender.
offensive adj. 1 antagonistic, hostile, contentious, quarrelsome,
attacking, aggressive, threatening, provocative, combative,
martial, belligerent, warlike, bellicose: The minute the enemy
made an offensive move, we attacked. 2 insulting, rude,
disrespectful, uncivil, insolent, discourteous, impolite,
unmannerly, impertinent, impudent, objectionable, displeasing:
Nigel has been asked to leave because of his offensive
behaviour. 3 disgusting, unsavoury, unpalatable, nauseating,
nauseous, noisome, noxious, obnoxious, repugnant, repulsive,
repellent, revolting, abominable, foul, loathsome, vile,
sickening, fetid or foetid, rank, malodorous, mephitic, putrid,
putrescent, putrefying, rancid, rotten: An offensive stench
emanated from the stagnant pond.
--n. 4 attack, offence: At last, our team was on the
offensive. 5 attack, onslaught, drive, assault, offence, push:
The offensive to capture the arsenal will be launched at dawn
tomorrow.
offer v. 1 proffer, propose, tender, bid: They offered twice what I
had paid for it. She offered to buy my old car. 2 make
available, present, tender, put on the market, sell, put up for
sale, put up, furnish: The supermarket is offering lettuce at
half price. 3 proffer, provide, submit, put forward or forth,
advance, tender, extend, make; suggest: Can you offer a
suggestion for improving office efficiency? He offered to forget
the whole thing if I paid him њ1000. 4 volunteer, present
oneself, step or come forward: I offered to help with her
luggage.
--n. 5 proposal, bid, tender, offering: She said she would
double any offer we have already had for the painting. 6
proposal, presentation, proffer, proposition: The company said
they could entertain no offers past the deadline. My offer to
lend the money was contingent on being repaid.
offering n. sacrifice, oblation, contribution, donation, gift, present:
They made offerings to the gods in order to propitiate them.
offhand adj. 1 offhanded, casual, informal, nonchalant, cool, distant,
aloof, easygoing, blas‚, unceremonious, relaxed, easy, smooth,
unconcerned, insouciant, light-hearted, uninterested,
superficial, cursory, cavalier, careless: His offhand reaction
shows that he doesn't care as much about her as we thought. 2
curt, brusque, abrupt, perfunctory, ungracious, glib, smooth:
When asked when he expected to pay, he gave an offhand reply. 3
extempore, impromptu, unpremeditated, unstudied, extemporaneous,
informal, off the cuff, ad lib: She rose to make some offhand
comments about the accomplishments of the guest of honour.
--adv. 4 extempore, impromptu, extemporaneously, informally,
off the cuff, ad lib, on the spur of the moment, at the drop of
a hat: That was a pretty good speech considering it was made
offhand. 5 casually, informally, incidentally, by the way,
offhandedly, by the by, parenthetically, in passing, en passant,
cursorily, superficially: Offhand, I'd say that the two of them
deserve each other.
office n. 1 business, organization, department, firm, house,
establishment, company, corporation: Whenever I'm travelling, I
always try to phone the office once a day. 2 commission,
department, branch; section, division: He was with the overseas
office for years. 3 workplace, offices; room, area: Our new
office is completely air-conditioned. My office is next to the
board room. 4 duty, obligation, responsibility, charge,
commission, service, employment, occupation, position, post,
appointment, assignment, chore, task, job, place, berth, work,
role, function, purpose, part, bit, Colloq thing, Slang shtick:
He was appointed to the office of Minister of Health. In her
office as Minister of Finance, she wields great power. 5
offices. indulgence, intermediation, auspices, support,
advocacy, aegis, help, aid, intercession, mediation, patronage,
favour, backing, backup: She appealed to the police chief's
good offices to allow her to visit her son.
officer n. 1 (public) official, dignitary, office-holder, public
servant, office-bearer, (political) appointee, (government)
agent, bureaucrat, functionary, commissioner, administrator,
manager, director; apparatchik: He was stopped by customs
officers who demanded to search his baggage. The bailiff is an
officer of the court. 2 policeman, policewoman, police officer,
officer of the law, constable, Old-fashioned catchpole, US
lawman, peace officer, G-man, T-Man, Colloq gendarme, Slang cop,
copper, fuzz, US dick, narc, Brit Old Bill, tec: The officer
standing at the door was there to serve a writ.
official adj. 1 authorized, legitimate, lawful, legal, authentic, bona
fide, proper, true, accredited, valid, documented, licensed,
sanctioned, endorsed, certified, verified, recognized, accepted:
I won't believe I've won till I hold the official notification
in my own hands. 2 ceremonial, formal, solemn, ritualistic,
ceremonious, pompous, stiff, proper, seemly, decorous: She has
to make an acceptance speech at the official dinner.
--n. 3 See officer, 1, above.
officiate v. preside, direct, manage, chair, conduct, oversee, head (up),
run, lead, supervise, superintend; umpire, referee, judge,
adjudicate, moderate, mediate: Who will officiate at the annual
meeting? Dennis has been invited to officiate at the football
match on Saturday.
officious adj. dictatorial, intrusive, intruding, meddlesome, meddling,
obtrusive, forward, bold, interfering, aggressive, insistent,
persistent, demanding, importunate: Hamish is one of those
officious little men who are always ready to give unasked-for
advice.
offset v. 1 compensate, counterbalance, countervail, counterpoise,
counteract, balance (out), equalize, even (out or up), square,
cancel (out), neutralize, nullify, make up (for), atone (for),
redress; recompense, repay, make amends or restitution, make
good, reimburse, indemnify: The votes from the Centre offset
those lost to the Far Left. How are you going to offset losses
resulting from pilferage by shop assistants?
--n. 2 compensation, counterbalance, counteraction, check,
equalizer, neutralizer: The bank manager considered the money
owed to the company as sufficient offset for the money owed by
it.
offshoot n. 1 branch, spur; shoot, limb, bough, twig, stem, appendage,
sucker, sprout, sprig, tendril, scion: There is an offshoot of
this road that goes up the hill. The offshoots are trained to
grow along the arms of the espalier. 2 descendant, relation,
relative, kin, kindred, offspring, scion, heir: One offshoot of
the family later emigrated to the United States. 3 outgrowth,
development, branch, spin-off; by-product, derivative: An
offshoot of the company manufactures optical instruments. The
sale of gravel for concrete is an offshoot of our mining
operations.
offspring n. (Often used as plural) child, progeny, issue, seed,
youngster, brood, young, successor, heir: None of the earl's
offspring ever amounted to much.
often adv. frequently, regularly, much, many times, usually,
habitually, commonly; ordinarily, again and again, over and over
again, time after time, repeatedly, time and (time) again, in
many cases or instances, on numerous occasions, day in (and) day
out, continually, Literary oftentimes, oft: How often do you
visit your mother? We often went to the seaside for our summer
holiday. She was often warned not to go too near the edge.
ogle v. 1 leer, eye, make eyes at, Colloq give (someone) the glad
eye, give (someone) the once-over, make sheep's eyes at: The
old lecher is always ogling the pretty young secretaries. 2
gape, gaze, goggle, gawk, stare, Slang Brit gawp or gaup: We
took turns ogling the rings of Saturn through the telescope.
--n. 3 leer, stare, gape, goggle, oeillade, Colloq once-over,
glad eye: They all crowded round the paper for an ogle at the
pin-ups.
ogre n. ogress, monster, giant, fiend, demon, troll, man-eater,
bogey, bogeyman, bugbear, spectre, Minotaur, Cyclops, Gorgon,
Caliban; brute, sadist, villain, cad, scoundrel: The ogre
chased Jack to the beanstalk. The persistent ogre of poverty
threatened him all his life.
oil n. 1 lubricant, grease, lubricator, unguent: A little oil will
stop that squeak. 2 fuel: Miraculously, the lamp burned for
eight days with only one day's supply of oil.
--v. 3 lubricate, grease: Oil the bearings or they will burn
out.
oily adj. 1 greasy, oleaginous, fat, fatty, adipose, pinguid,
sebaceous, soapy, saponaceous, buttery, butyraceous, lardaceous;
slippery, slimy, slithery, smooth, unctuous: The cars slid
about as the tyres failed to grip the oily surface. 2 glib,
smooth, unctuous, servile, obsequious, sycophantic,
ingratiating, flattering, hypocritical; suave, urbane,
sophisticated, Colloq smarmy: Sarah found Curtis's approach
sickeningly oily.
ointment n. unguent, balm, salve, emollient, embrocation, demulcent,
pomade, pomatum, petrolatum; lotion, cream: A little ointment
will keep the sore moist till it heals.
15.8 OK
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
OK interj. 1 O.K.!, Okay!, Fine!, Yes!, Definitely!, Agreed!, Very
well!, All right!: 'Would you have dinner with me?' 'OK!' 'I
think you ought to leave.' 'OK!'
--adj. 2 satisfactory, acceptable, correct, suitable, all
right, fine, good, in order: Is it OK if I go the cinema
tonight? That dress is OK to wear to the dance. 3 adequate,
mediocre, fair, middling, passable, tolerable, Colloq so so,
pretty good, not bad, not great: The film was OK, I suppose. 4
well, healthy; sound, in good condition, in fine fettle, fine,
all right: Now that he's on the proper medication, Sam is OK.
The mechanic assured me that my car would be OK.
--v. 5 approve, sanction, ratify, authorize, endorse, support,
agree to, allow, consent to, agree to, Colloq give the go-ahead
or green light to, give the thumbs up or the nod to,
rubber-stamp: A department head must OK your expense account
before you can be reimbursed.
--n. 6 approval, sanction, ratification, authorization,
endorsement, agreement, support, permission, consent: You need
an OK from the security guard to enter the restricted area.
--adv. 7 all right, satisfactorily, well (enough), adequately:
She can get along OK without me.
old adj. 1 elderly, ageing, aged, advanced in years or age,
long-lived, past one's prime, grey, full of years, getting on
(in years), hoary, superannuated, Colloq over the hill, past it:
Bill is too old to continue working in the mine. 2 ancient,
antiquated, antediluvian, fossil, prehistoric, Noachian,
obsolete, antique, outdated, out of date, old-time, dated,
archaic, stale, out-moded, pass‚, Literary Ogygian: The
archaeological dig has turned up some interesting old artefacts.
3 time-worn, decayed, dilapidated, ramshackle, disintegrated,
crumbling, shabby, worn out, dusty, broken-down, tumbledown,
disused, unused, cast off, cast aside: They have torn down the
old mill near the river. 4 long-standing, well-established,
enduring, lasting, age-old, time-honoured: It is hard to see an
old friendship die. 5 former, olden, bygone, early, primordial,
primitive: In the old days, it took a week to travel from
London to Edinburgh. 6 previous, preceding, prior, former,
quondam, erstwhile, one-time, ex-: The West End was my old
stamping-ground when I lived in London. 7 experienced, veteran,
practised, (well-)versed, knowledgeable, proficient,
accomplished, adept, skilled, expert, old-time: Charles is an
old hand at steam engines. 8 dear, beloved, loved, esteemed,
valued, precious, well-known, intimate, close, familiar:
Penelope is an old friend of the family's.
old-fashioned
adj. antiquated, antique, pass‚, out-moded, out-dated,
unfashionable, stale, out-dated, dated, out of date, tired,
old-time, obsolete, obsolescent, dead, superseded, replaced,
disused, out, old-fangled, old hat: Whoever thought we would
see the day when miniskirts were old-fashioned?
omen n. portent, augury, sign, token, foretoken, indication,
harbinger, forewarning, premonition, foreshadowing, writing on
the wall, prognostic, presage: Solar eclipses were once
regarded as omens, sometimes good, sometimes bad.
ominous adj. 1 foreboding, threatening, fateful, dark, black, gloomy,
lowering or louring, menacing, sinister; unpropitious,
unfavourable, ill-omened, ill-starred, unpromising,
star-crossed, inauspicious: With ominous solemnity, the judge
placed a black cloth square on his head before passing the death
sentence. 2 minatory, warning, admonitory, cautionary: The
whispering had taken on ominous overtones. 3 portentous,
prophetic, oracular, vaticinal, predictive, prognostic, augural,
mantic, sibyllic, meaningful, premonitory, foreshadowing,
foretelling, foretokening, indicative: Virtually everything was
regarded as ominous in ancient times.
omission n. 1 non-inclusion, omitting, leaving out or off, excluding,
eliminating, dropping, skipping; exclusion, exception, deletion,
elimination, excision: The omission of your name from the list
was a mistake. Allowing for inadvertent omissions, the inventory
is complete. 2 failure, default, neglect, dereliction,
oversight, shortcoming, negligence: She is being punished for
her innocent omission in failing to notify the police while he
is at liberty despite his deliberate commission of a crime.
omit v. 1 leave out, exclude, skip, except, pass over; delete,
erase, cancel, eradicate, edit out, strike (out), dele, cut
(out), cross out, obliterate: She was offended because he
omitted any mention of all that she had contributed. 2 neglect,
disregard, fail, forget, overlook, let slide, ignore: I omitted
to tell you that your sister telephoned yesterday.
once adv. 1 once upon a time, formerly, (at) one time, on a former
occasion, previously, before, in days gone by, in olden days, in
the (good) old days, long ago, some time ago, years or ages or
aeons ago, in days of yore: Your hair is as long as mine once
was. He was once a famous film star. That once revered leader
has fallen. 2 one time, on one occasion, a single time: He has
visited his family only once in all these years. 3 once and for
all. finally, positively, definitely, decidedly, conclusively,
for good: We must settle the itinerary once and for all before
we can make the bookings. 4 once in a while. occasionally,
(every) now and then, now and again, at times, sometimes,
periodically, from time to time, at intervals, sporadically: We
go to the theatre once in a while.
--conj. 5 (if) ever, as soon as, at any time: Once the bus
comes, you'd best get on it straight away.
--n. 6 at once. a immediately, straight away, right away,
directly, without delay, promptly, instantly, post-haste; in a
wink, in the twinkling of an eye, in a minute or moment or
second or split second, in no time (at all), before you can turn
around, before you can say 'Jack Robinson', in a trice, Colloq
in a jiffy, in two shakes of a lamb's tail: Watson, come here
at once. I'll be there at once. b together, at the same time,
simultaneously, at a stroke, in the same instant, in the same
breath, Colloq at one go, at a go, in one go: You cannot be in
two places at once.
oncoming adj. 1 advancing, arriving, coming, nearing, approaching,
onrushing, imminent: He swerved and just managed to avoid the
oncoming lorry.
--n. 2 onset, beginning, nearing, arrival, advance, approach:
With the oncoming of spring, the birds returned.
one adj. 1 single, lone, solitary, individual, sole, only: The one
time I kissed Margie it was heaven. 2 unified, united,
inseparable, joined, undivided, one and the same, identical,
equal, at one, harmonious, in unison, whole, entire, complete:
When he went into a trance, he felt one with his God. 3 a
particular, a certain, a given, a specific: I recall one
occasion when she brought all her dogs into work.
--pron. 4 a person, an individual, a man or a woman, everybody,
everyone, anybody, anyone; people; Possibly offensive man: One
ought to treat others as one would like to be treated. One
cannot be too careful these days.
--n. 5 joke, story, anecdote, chestnut, one-liner; limerick,
rhyme, ditty, song; bromide: Have you heard the one that
begins, 'There was a young man from Loch Ness'?
one-sided adj. 1 partial, biased, partisan, prejudiced, bigoted, unfair,
unjust, inequitable, close-minded, narrow-minded, intolerant:
His is a one-sided view of the problem. 2 lopsided, unbalanced,
unequal, unequalized, uneven, disproportionate, Slang cock-eyed:
The swelling on his left cheek made Tom's face look very
one-sided. 3 unilateral, independent, exclusionary, exclusive:
They made a one-sided decision to halt production of nuclear
weapons.
ongoing adj. 1 continuing, continued, continuous, continual, ceaseless,
unbroken, uninterrupted, constant, perpetual, non-stop,
relentless, persistent, unending, endless, interminable,
running: There has been an ongoing dispute with the museum over
the authenticity of the sculpture. 2 developing, evolving,
growing, successive, unfolding, progressing, progressive:
Rather than come to a hasty decision, we decided to monitor
ongoing developments.
onlooker n. spectator, observer, looker-on, eyewitness, witness,
watcher, viewer; bystander, passer-by: She was merely an
onlooker, not a participant. Onlookers reported that the driver
had run away from the accident.
only adj. 1 sole, single, solitary, lone, one and only, exclusive:
He is the only one who can identify the murderer.
--adv. 2 solely, just, exclusively, alone: He has a face that
only a mother could love. They have been here only twice. She
gets her own way only because she has a tantrum if anyone
crosses her. Harry was correct in one respect only. 3 merely,
simply, barely, at best, at worst, at most, just, purely, not or
no more than, not or no greater than: She is only seventeen. I
received your note only today. Don't get excited, it's only a
small present.
--conj. 4 but, however, on the other hand, on the contrary,
contrariwise: The flowers are lovely, only they have no scent.
onset n. 1 attack, assault, onrush, onslaught, charge, strike, hit,
raid, storming, sally, sortie: These troops had to bear the
brunt of the onset. 2 beginning, start, outset, initiation,
inauguration, commencement, inception, dawn, birth, origin,
genesis, appearance, debut: We must leave before the onset of
the monsoon season. The sudden onset of a new policy will throw
the ministers into a panic.
onward adj. forward, advancing, progressive, progressing, moving
onward or forward: They resumed their onward march, laying
waste to the countryside as they went.
onwards adv. onward, forwards or forward, ahead, in front, on, forth:
They marched onwards through the dismal valley. From this day
onwards afternoon visiting hours will be from two to four
o'clock.
ooze n. 1 slime, muck, mud, mire, silt, sludge, sediment, slush,
Colloq goo, gunk, guck, Slang US glop, goop: I stepped into the
bog and the ooze rose over the tops of my shoes.
--v. 2 exude, weep, seep, secrete, bleed, leak, drain, trickle;
emit, discharge: Sap continues to ooze from the gash in the
tree.
opacity n. 1 opaqueness, darkness, murkiness, dimness, obscurity,
impermeability, impenetrability: The opacity of the lens
increases automatically in the presence of sunlight. 2
obscurity, density, impenetrability, unintelligibility,
indefiniteness, vagueness, reconditeness, abstruseness,
ambiguity, equivocation, mystification: For centuries
scientists were unable to penetrate the opacity of the question
of what occurred when substances burned. 3 stupidity, dullness,
denseness, thickness, obtuseness: A light finally dawned
through the thick opacity of his brain.
opalescent
adj. opaline, iridescent, nacreous, pearly, lustrous: The sea
was opalescent in the moonlight.
opaque adj. 1 dark, murky, dim, turbid, muddy, cloudy, obscure,
obscured, obfuscated, black, impermeable, impenetrable, clouded,
non-transparent, untransparent, non-translucent, hazy, blurred,
blurry, smoky: Solar eclipses should be viewed directly only
through special opaque glass. 2 unclear, vague, indefinite,
obscure, unfathomable, unplumbable, baffling, mystifying,
ambiguous, equivocal, impenetrable, cryptic, enigmatic,
puzzling, perplexing, mysterious, elusive, abstruse, arcane,
recondite: Despite years of study, the inscriptions on the tomb
have remained opaque to scholars. 3 unintelligent, dense, thick,
dull, obtuse, stupid, dull-witted, stolid, thickheaded,
dunderheaded, dunderpated, slow, doltish, backward, cloddish:
He was too opaque to notice the jeers of his colleagues.
open adj. 1 ajar, gaping, agape, unfastened, unlocked, unbarred,
unbolted, unlatched, unclosed: Come on in - the door is open.
2 yawning, agape, uncovered, revealed, unsealed, exposed, bare:
Her uncle escaped by hiding for three nights in an open grave.
3 unwrapped, unsealed, unfastened: The package was open and the
contents gone. 4 free, accessible, public, available;
obtainable; unrestricted, unobstructed, unencumbered or
unincumbered, unimpeded, unhindered, unhampered, unregulated,
unconditional, unqualified: The parks are open to all. We were
allowed open access to the library stacks. 5 unprotected,
unenclosed, unsheltered, bare; uncovered, exposed: They spent a
week in an open boat before being rescued. The roof can be
retracted, leaving the interior completely open to the sky. 6
unsettled, unagreed, unsigned, unsealed, unclinched,
unestablished, unconcluded, undecided, pending: As far as I am
concerned, the deal is open till the contract is signed. 7
undecided, unsettled, unresolved, debatable, arguable,
problematic, moot, US up in the air: Whether they should get
married is a question that will remain open until he returns
from abroad. 8 unscheduled, unbooked, unspoken for, unreserved,
uncommitted, free, unpromised: The doctor has an hour open at
noon on Friday. 9 clear, unobstructed, wide open, uncluttered,
roomy, spacious, extensive, expansive; treeless, uncrowded,
unfenced, unenclosed; ice-free, navigable, unblocked, passable:
We travelled through open country for days. In the spring the
shipping lanes will again be open. 10 available, unfilled,
vacant, untaken: There are not many jobs open in this part of
the country. 11 receptive, open-minded, flexible, amenable,
persuasible or persuadable, pliant, willing, responsive: The
management is open to suggestions for improving its products and
services. 12 exposed, public, well-known, widely known,
unconcealed: That they are living together is an open secret.
13 evident, obvious, conspicuous, manifest, clear, unconcealed,
unequivocal, plain, palpable, apparent, patent, downright, out
and out, blatant, flagrant, glaring, brazen: He operates with
open disregard for the law. 14 generous, liberal, charitable,
unreserved, open-handed, liberal, munificent, magnanimous,
big-hearted, beneficent, bounteous, unselfish, unstinting,
humanitarian, altruistic: They are quite open when it comes to
giving to charity. 15 unreserved, candid, frank, outspoken,
straightforward, forthright, direct, honest, sincere, guileless,
artless, fair: He found it difficult to be open with his wife.
16 free, unrestrained, unconstrained, uninhibited, unreserved,
unrestricted: They have an open marriage, each aware of the
other's affairs. 17 unfolded, extended, spread (out),
outstretched, outspread: She ran into my open arms. 18 liable,
subject, susceptible, exposed, inclined, predisposed, disposed:
These fraudulent shipping documents may well leave the captain
open to prosecution for barratry. 19 unprotected, undefended,
unfortified, exposed: With the invaders at the gates, Paris was
declared an open city.
--v. 20 begin, start, initiate, commence, get under way,
inaugurate, launch, put in or into operation, activate, get
going, set in motion; establish, set up; Colloq get or start the
ball rolling, get or put the show on the road, kick off: The
minister opened the proceedings with an interminable speech.
Jeremy is planning to open a restaurant in Pebble Lane. The show
opens in Manchester next week. 21 unlock, unbar, unlatch,
unbolt, unfasten; uncover; uncork, unseal; undo, untie, unwrap;
pull out: Open the door. Open the box. Open the bottle. Open
your present. He opened the drawer. 22 unblock, clear,
unobstruct, unclog, unstop: They had to dig up the yard to open
the drain. The new law has opened the way for increased exports.
23 disclose, unveil, uncover, expose, display, show, exhibit,
reveal, divulge, bring to light, communicate, bring out,
unbosom, explain, present, announce, release, publish, air, make
known, advertise: The wonders of the language were opened to me
by my first dictionary. 24 expand, spread (out), stretch out,
open up or out, unfurl, extend: The flag opened to the breeze.
25 present, offer, furnish, provide, afford, yield, reveal,
uncover, raise, contribute, introduce: Expansion of technology
opens new business opportunities every day.
opening n. 1 break, breach, rent, rift, cleft, crack, crevice, fissure,
cranny, chink, pit, gap, split, slit, slot, aperture, hole,
orifice, separation: Flowers grew from openings in the wall. 2
opportunity, chance, occasion, toe-hold, foothold, Colloq break,
toe or foot in the door, Brit look-in: I was waiting for an
appropriate opening to make my presentation. 3 job, position,
opportunity, vacancy: Is there likely to be an opening in the
art department of your company? 4 beginning, commencement,
start, birth, origin, outset, onset, inauguration, launch,
send-off, initiation, presentation, debut; vernissage, US
start-off, start-up: The opening of the autumn social season
was marked by Malcolm's birthday party. Aren't you going to the
opening at the museum tonight?
openly adv. 1 brazenly, brashly, flagrantly, unabashedly, unashamedly,
unreservedly, boldly, audaciously, flauntingly: She has openly
defied the direct orders of her employer. 2 frankly,
unreservedly, plainly, forthrightly, candidly, directly,
outright, freely, outspokenly: The man admitted openly that he
had stolen the plans for the missile.
operable adj. workable, practicable, serviceable, usable, functional,
fit, operational, in working order or condition: Aircraft
engines that rely on oxygen for burning fuel are not operable
where the air is too thin.
operate v. 1 go, run, perform; work, function, serve, act: This watch
operates even under water. The drug operates to reduce blood
pressure. 2 manage, run, direct, conduct, control, carry on,
ply, manipulate, handle; US drive: Katherine has been operating
as an antiques dealer for years. It is unsafe to operate this
machinery without goggles.
operation n. 1 function, functioning, working, running, performance,
action, motion, movement: The operation of the internal
combustion engine is very simple. 2 manipulation, handling,
direction, running, control, management, managing; manoeuvring:
The operation of the aircraft is under the control of the
captain. 3 undertaking, enterprise, venture, project, affair,
deal, procedure, proceeding, (day-to-day) business, transaction:
Who will be in charge of the operation while the president is
abroad? 4 Often, operations. action, manoeuvre, mission, task,
campaign, exercise: The generals directed military operations
from positions close to enemy lines. 5 in or into operation.
functioning, operative, in effect, in force, operating,
operational, functional, effective, efficacious: Is the factory
in operation yet? The new regulations went into operation last
week.
operative adj. 1 See operation, 5, above.
--n. 2 worker, hand, employee; craftsman, craftswoman, artisan,
mechanic, machinist: We hired two more lathe operatives today.
3 private detective, (private) investigator, Colloq private eye,
sleuth, Brit sleuth-hound, US P.I., gumshoe, Slang (private)
dick, US shamus, eye: Our operatives reported that Jones had
been seen in the company of a known enemy agent. 4 espionage or
intelligence agent, counter-espionage or counter-intelligence
agent, spy, counter-spy, undercover agent or man, (FBI or CIA)
agent, US G-man, Colloq US company man, member of the firm: We
had an operative at the top level of the NKVD.
operator n. 1 (bus or taxi or train) driver; worker, operative,
manipulator, practitioner: These operators are required to take
safety courses. 2 director, administrator, manager, supervisor,
superintendent: Shaughnessey is the operator of a roofing
business in Tring. 3 machinator, faker, fraud, manipulator,
manoeuvrer, Colloq finagler, wise guy, Slang smooth or slick
operator, smoothie, wheeler-dealer, big-shot, big-time operator,
Chiefly US and Canadian big wheel: Claude is a cunning operator
who always gets what he goes after.
opinion n. 1 belief, judgement, thought, sentiment, (point of) view,
viewpoint, conviction, way of thinking, perception, idea,
impression, notion, conception, theory, id‚e re‡u; mind: It is
my opinion that sickness benefits ought to be increased. In her
opinion all men are chauvinists. 2 evaluation, estimation,
estimate, appraisal, appreciation, impression: Myra has a very
low opinion of Ray's taste in architecture.
opinionated
adj. 1 stubborn, pigheaded, obstinate, doctrinaire, inflexible,
dogmatic, single-minded, cocksure, obdurate, dictatorial,
dogged, mulish, bull-headed, overbearing: Felix is too
opinionated to change his mind even if he knows he is wrong. 2
prejudiced, biased, bigoted, one-sided, jaundiced, coloured,
partial, partisan: You can count on Joan for an opinionated
view of social values.
opponent n. antagonist, adversary, disputant, contestant, competitor,
contender, rival, foe, enemy; the opposition: He may be my
opponent in the chess competition, but we are the best of
friends.
opportune adj. 1 favourable, advantageous, auspicious, good, felicitous,
happy, propitious, beneficial, helpful, fortunate, lucky,
profitable: As I need money, and you have it to invest, our
meeting is most opportune. 2 timely, well-timed, seasonable,
apt, appropriate, germane, pertinent, convenient, fitting,
suitable, becoming: If this is not an opportune time to bring
up the matter of the money you owe me, just say so.
opportunistic
adj. expedient, selfish, taking advantage, exploitive or
exploitative, unprincipled, Machiavellian, opportunist: Don't
you agree that it was opportunistic of him to inform on his own
brother for a reward?
opportunity
n. chance, occasion, opening, possibility, moment, time, Slang
break: She has taken advantage of every opportunity to vilify
her ex-employers.
oppose v. 1 resist, counter, object (to), defy, take a stand against,
withstand, resist, combat, contest, attack, counter-attack,
fight, grapple with, contend with or against: If it comes to
that, we must oppose force with force. 2 check, bar, obstruct,
block, hinder, impede, stop, slow, curb, restrain, inhibit,
interfere with, restrict, prevent, obviate, preclude, thwart,
foil, frustrate: Labour seeks to oppose the privatization of
industry. 3 match, offset, counterbalance, contrast, pit or set
against, play off (against), set off: What can they call upon
to oppose the power of the Devil?
opposed adj. Often, opposed to. against, in opposition (to), opposing,
in conflict (with), antipathetic, conflicting, contrary (to), at
variance (with), antithetical (to), hostile (to), inimical (to),
opposite (to), contrasting: Harvey is among those opposed to
abortion. All those who are opposed to the motion raise your
hands.
opposing adj. opposite, conflicting, contrary, antithetical,
antagonistic, antipathetic, hostile, inimical, contrasting,
rival, contradictory, incompatible, irreconcilable, dissident,
discrepant: Those with opposing views will be heard from later.
opposite adj. 1 facing, vis-…-vis, en face: The sniper was on the roof
of the building opposite. 2 opposing, conflicting, contrary,
contrasting, contradictory, antithetical, differing, different,
divergent, diverse, antagonistic, inconsistent, irreconcilable:
William and his wife hold diametrically opposite political
views.
--n. 3 reverse, converse, contrary, antithesis: Whatever you
tell teenagers to do, their first reaction is to do the
opposite.
opposition
n. 1 hostility, antagonism, unfriendliness, resistance,
counteraction, disapproval, objection, conflict, defiance,
contrast, antipathy, adversity, Colloq flak: There is strong
opposition to plans for an amusement arcade. 2 competition,
opponent, adversary, competitor, antagonist, enemy, foe, rival,
other side: We must overcome the opposition in order to win. 3
in opposition. competing, competitive, antagonistic, hostile,
conflicting, in conflict, antithetic(al), opposed, at daggers
drawn, in deadly embrace: Although they agree on some points,
the parties are in opposition on others.
oppress v. 1 burden, afflict, trouble, weigh down, overload, encumber,
wear (down), press, weary, overburden, overwhelm, Brit
pressurize, US pressure: He was oppressed by the heavy burden
of responsibility. 2 crush, repress, put down, suppress,
subjugate, tyrannize (over), subdue, overpower, enslave,
persecute, maltreat, abuse, harry, harass, trample underfoot,
ride roughshod over: The Russian serfs had been oppressed for
centuries before they finally rose up against tyranny.
oppression
n. repression, suppression, subjugation, subjection, tyranny,
despotism, enslavement, persecution, maltreatment, abuse,
torment, torture, hardship, injury, pain, anguish, injustice:
People who have not known oppression cannot imagine the agonies
suffered by the oppressed who once were free.
oppressive
adj. 1 burdensome, overpowering, overwhelming, onerous, heavy,
cumbersome, exhausting, racking, unbearable, intolerable,
agonizing, unendurable, harsh, brutal, severe, tyrannical,
repressive; dispiriting, depressing, disheartening,
discouraging, grievous, distressing, dolorous, miserable,
harrowing, wretched: The conquerors resorted to oppressive
measures to keep the people subjugated. 2 suffocating, stifling,
stuffy, close, airless, unventilated, uncomfortable: The
atmosphere in the tiny cell quickly became oppressive, and a
couple of people fainted.
oppressor n. bully, tyrant, taskmaster, taskmistress, despot, autocrat,
persecutor, slave-driver, dictator, overlord, iron hand,
scourge, tormentor, torturer, intimidator: The citizens finally
banded together and overthrew their oppressors.
optimistic
adj. sanguine, positive, cheerful, buoyant, bright, hopeful,
expectant, confident, bullish, idealistic, Pollyannaish: We
have every reason to be optimistic that the venture will
succeed.
optimum n. 1 best, finest, most favourable, ideal, perfection, model,
paragon, exemplar: In all work, the optimum is difficult to
achieve.
--adj. 2 best, finest, most favourable, ideal, perfect,
choicest, optimal, first-rate, first-class, sterling, prime,
capital, excellent, exceptional, superlative, extraordinary,
unique, peerless, unequalled, unexcelled, unsurpassed: These
instruments keep the chamber at the optimum temperature. After
months of training, Guy is in optimum condition to win the
marathon.
option n. 1 choice, selection, alternative, recourse, opportunity, way
out: There are fewer employment options open to the uneducated.
2 choice, privilege, election, opportunity, chance: Investors
pay for the option to buy at a fixed figure if the price of the
shares goes up.
optional adj. voluntary, discretionary or discretional, elective,
facultative, free, spontaneous, uncoerced, unforced,
non-compulsory, uncompulsory, non-mandatory, unmandatory,
non-requisite, unrequisite: Life insurance is optional for
those who have our hospitalization policy.
opulent adj. 1 wealthy, affluent, rich, prosperous, well-to-do, well
off, comfortable, Colloq flush, well-heeled, loaded, rolling in
it, made of money, in clover, on Easy Street, Brit on velvet, US
in velvet, in the chips: Timothy was fortunate in having met
and wed an opulent widow. 2 luxurious, lavish, sumptuous: That
poor little rich girl was raised in the most opulent of
surroundings. 3 abundant, copious, bountiful, plentiful,
prolific, profuse, plenteous: We enjoyed a most opulent harvest
this year.
opus n. work, composition, production, oeuvre, creation; magnum
opus: Her most important opus will be performed at the Albert
Hall next week.
oracle n. 1 prophet, sibyl, seer, soothsayer, augur, fortune-teller,
diviner, prognosticator, US reader (and adviser or advisor),
Cassandra, Nostradamus; authority, guru, mastermind, mentor,
wizard: He insists on consulting his oracle before making any
final decision. 2 prophecy, augury, prediction, divination,
advice, prognostication, answer, message, divine utterance:
According to the oracle, the travellers would survive the perils
of the journey.
oral adj. spoken, said, verbal, uttered, voiced, vocal, vocalized,
enunciated, pronounced, articulated, word-of-mouth, viva voce:
Tomorrow James must make an oral presentation of his plan to the
entire staff.
oration n. speech, declaration, address, lecture, recitation,
discourse, monologue, declamation; valedictory, eulogy, homily,
panegyric; Colloq spiel: Bentley delivered a long oration on
the future of the economy.
oratory n. public speaking, speech-making, eloquence, rhetoric, way
with words, command of the language, fluency, glibness,
grandiloquence, magniloquence, declamation; elocution, diction,
enunciation, articulation, address; Colloq gift of the gab: The
crowds who thronged to hear Churchill's oratory were seldom
disappointed.
orb n. sphere, ball, globe: The golden orb of the sun sank into
the sea.
orbit n. 1 circuit, course, path, track, revolution, circle, round,
cycle: The earth's orbit round the sun is elliptical.
--v. 2 revolve, go round, circle, encircle, turn: The earth
orbits the sun in a year. Electrons orbit the nucleus of an
atom.
ordeal n. trial, test, tribulation(s), hardship, affliction,
trouble(s), suffering, distress, anguish, nightmare, misery,
grief, misfortune, adversity, tragedy, disaster: She never
fully recovered from her ordeal at the hands of the kidnappers.
order n. 1 organization, arrangement, grouping, disposition, form,
structure, categorization, systematization or systemization,
classification, codification, disposal, layout, array, sequence,
Colloq set-up: The order of the library is of crucial
importance if we are to find anything. 2 organization,
uniformity, regularity, system, pattern, symmetry, harmony,
tidiness, orderliness, neatness: Some believe that there is an
order of things in the universe, others that the universe tends
to chaos. 3 category, class, caste, level, kind, sort, rank,
group, scale, importance, hierarchy, position, status, degree,
Colloq pecking order: Gregory's musical talents are of a very
high order. 4 command, direction, directive, instruction,
commandment, dictate, mandate, edict, behest, request, demand,
ukase, decree, fiat, proclamation, pronouncement,
pronunciamento; rule, regulation, law, ordinance, statute,
requirement: The police have issued an order to surrender all
hand guns. 5 procedure, proceeding(s), discipline, conduct:
The order of the meeting was breached by some rowdies. 6
condition, state (of affairs): Please leave everything in the
order in which you found it. 7 purchase order, request,
requisition, commitment, commission, instruction: We received a
large order for office furniture. 8 calm, peace, peacefulness,
tranquillity, quiet, serenity, law and order, discipline,
lawfulness: After a brief commotion, order was restored. 9
brotherhood, fraternity, sisterhood, sorority, fellowship,
sodality, association, organization, society, guild, sect,
company, community, lodge, body, knighthood: One of her
ancestors was a Knight of the Teutonic Order. 10 in order. a
neat, clean, tidy, shipshape, orderly, (well-)organized, ready,
prepared, arranged: Is everything in order for the wedding
tomorrow? b fitting, suitable, appropriate, correct, right,
apt, called-for; required, demanded, needed: I think that an
apology is in order for the way you behaved. 11 in order that.
so (that), with the aim or purpose that, to the end that: We
invited him in order that you might meet him. 12 in order to.
to, for the purpose of: In order to get there, you have to
drive up the hill. 13 out of order. a disordered,
non-sequential, out of sequence, non-alphabetical, disorganized,
unorganized, in disorder: The cards in this catalogue are out
of order and I cannot find anything. b unseemly, out of place,
improper, uncalled-for, unsuitable, indecorous, Colloq chiefly
Brit not cricket: Your remark about her religion was completely
out of order. c out of commission, broken, in disrepair,
non-functioning, non-functional, not working, broken-down,
inoperative, out of kilter or Brit also kelter, Colloq (gone)
haywire, kaput, bust(ed), US out of whack, on the fritz, shot;
Slang on the blink, Brit wonky, gone phut: The telly is out of
order again.
--v. 14 direct, command, instruct, charge, tell, bid, require,
enjoin; demand, ordain; force, make: The sergeant ordered the
men to run around the drill field with full packs. The council
ordered that garden rubbish should be packed in special bags. 15
requisition, ask for, send (away) for, call for, apply for,
reserve, engage, commission, contract for; purchase, buy: Have
you ordered breakfast for tomorrow? Let's order a take-away from
the Chinese restaurant. 16 organize, systematize, arrange,
classify, categorize, codify, lay out, sort (out), straighten
(out or up): The bottles were ordered in neat rows along the
wall.
orderly adj. 1 in (good) order, (well-)organized, neat, shipshape,
tidy, arranged, methodical, systematic, systematized or
systemized, harmonious, symmetrical, regular, uniform: Before
you leave, make sure that your room is orderly. 2 well-behaved,
disciplined, decorous, law-abiding, well-mannered, peaceable,
tranquil, mannerly, polite, courteous, civil, civilized,
non-violent: Everyone left the burning theatre in an orderly
fashion.
--n. 3 assistant, adjutant, attendant, messenger; menial,
servant; nurse's aide; Brit military batman; US candystriper;
Slang US and Canadian gofer: An orderly arrived with dispatches
from the general. She has a job as a hospital orderly.
ordinarily
adv. usually, normally, as a rule, commonly, generally, in
general, customarily, routinely, typically, habitually, by and
large, for the most part: Ellie is ordinarily at her desk by
nine o'clock.
ordinary adj. 1 usual, normal, expected, common, general, customary,
routine, typical, habitual, accustomed, traditional, regular,
everyday, familiar, set, humdrum: This wine is quite good for
ordinary drinking. Just display ordinary good manners when you
meet the queen. 2 common, conventional, modest, plain, simple,
prosaic, homespun, commonplace, run-of-the-mill, everyday,
average, unpretentious, workaday, mediocre, fair, passable, so
so, undistinguished, unexceptional, unremarkable, uninspired,
pedestrian, bourgeois, peasant, provincial, unrefined, Colloq
Brit common or garden, US common-or-garden variety,
garden-variety: They bought a rather ordinary house in an
inferior neighbourhood.
--n. 3 standard, norm, average, status quo, convention,
expected: Saint-Gaudens' architectural designs are far from the
ordinary. 4 out of the ordinary. extraordinary, unusual,
uncommon, strange, unfamiliar, different, unexpected,
unconventional, curious, eccentric, peculiar, rare, exceptional,
original, singular, unique, odd, bizarre, weird, offbeat,
outlandish, striking, quaint, picturesque: She was looking for
a gift that was a little out of the ordinary, so I suggested a
pet tarantula.
organ n. 1 device, instrument, implement, tool; member, part,
element, unit, component, structure, Technical process: The
eye, come to think of it, is a truly miraculous organ. 2
medium, vehicle, voice, mouthpiece, forum, publication, paper,
magazine, newsletter, house organ, newspaper, annual,
semi-annual, quarterly, monthly, fortnightly, weekly,
hebdomadal, daily, journal, periodical: The official organ of
the Society is published in Abergavenny.
organic adj. 1 living, natural, biological, biotic, animate, breathing:
Though coal may seem to be a mineral, it is organic, for it was
formed from plants. 2 basic, elementary, essential, innate,
inborn, natural, native, ingrained, primary, fundamental,
visceral, constitutional, inherent, structural, integral: The
organic differences between the styles of writing are obvious.
3 organized, systematic, coherent, coordinated, integrated,
structured, methodical, orderly, consistent: The various
elements of the painting blend into an organic whole.
organism n. living thing, structure, body; being, creature: It is the
work of natural scientists to classify all kinds of organisms.
organization
n. 1 organizing, structuring, assembling, assembly, putting
together, coordination, systematizing, systematization,
classifying, classification, categorizing, categorization,
codifying, codification: The organization of the school
timetable took hours to complete. 2 structure, pattern,
configuration, design, plan, scheme, order, system, organism,
composition, arrangement, constitution, make-up, grouping,
framework, format, form, shape: One must consider the
organization as a whole, not merely its constituent elements. 3
body, system, institution, federation, confederacy,
confederation, society, group, league, coalition, conglomerate,
combine, consortium, syndicate, organism: The organization is a
coherent structure made up of an enormous number of disparate
elements.
organize v. 1 structure, coordinate, systematize, systemize, order,
arrange, sort (out), classify, categorize, codify, catalogue,
group, tabulate, pigeon-hole, standardize: These files ought to
be organized so that you can find something when you need it. 2
form, found, set up, establish, institute, start, begin, create,
originate, initiate, put together, build, develop, US pull
together: In 1969, we organized a company to publish reference
books.
orgy n. 1 bacchanalia, bacchanal, Saturnalia, Dionysia, debauch,
carousal, carouse, spree, revel, party, Colloq binge, bender,
drunk, bust, Slang jag, US and Canadian toot, tear: The
journalist represented the earl's party as a wild orgy. 2
overindulgence, splurge, spree, fling, Slang US bender: Trying
to lift himself out of depression, Roger went on a spending
orgy.
orient n. 1 east: Harriet is in the orient on business.
--adj. 2 Literary oriental, eastern: The grass was sown with
orient pearls.
--v. 3 adjust, adapt, acclimatize or acclimate, habituate,
accommodate, condition, accustom, familiarize, feel one's way,
assess, get one's bearings, Colloq orientate: It is a new job
and she needs a few days to orient herself.
orientation
n. 1 placement, bearings, attitude, alignment, lie, placing,
situation, layout, location, position, positioning, arrangement,
set-up: The orientation of the buildings is such that the
windows face south. 2 introduction, training, initiation,
briefing, familiarization, assimilation, acclimatization,
preparation, instruction: The orientation of the new employees
is scheduled for next week. We were given orientation lectures.
origin n. 1 source, derivation, rise, fountain-head, foundation,
basis, base, well-spring, fount, provenance, Chiefly US
provenience: The origins of many English words are unknown. 2
creation, genesis, birth, birthplace, cradle, dawning, dawn,
origination, start, beginning, commencement, outset, launch,
launching, inception, inauguration: The origin of the notion of
democracy can be traced to ancient Greece. 3 Often, origins.
parentage, ancestry, extraction, descent, lineage, pedigree,
genealogy, stock, heritage: We have traced our family's origins
back to the Middle Ages.
original adj. 1 initial, first, earliest, primary, beginning, starting,
basic: The original report made no mention of any missing
jewellery. 2 native, indigenous, autochthonous, aboriginal,
primordial, primeval, primitive: At first, we could find only
slight traces of the original inhabitants. 3 master, actual,
primary, authentic, true, genuine, real, basic; prototypic(al),
archetypal, source: I have the original document and my lawyer
has a copy. 4 creative, novel, innovative, unique, imaginative,
unusual, inventive, ingenious; firsthand, fresh, underived,
unprecedented: The film is based on a highly original story by
Daphne du Maurier. The author has some original insights into
Hamlet's relationship with Ophelia.
--n. 5 prototype, archetype, source, model, pattern; master:
The original hangs in the National Gallery. 6 eccentric,
nonconformist, individualist, Colloq case, card, character, Brit
queer fish: True to his reputation as an original, Wilde
sauntered down the Strand with a lily in his hand.
originality
n. creativeness, creativity, inventiveness, ingenuity,
innovativeness, innovation, novelty, newness, unorthodoxy,
unconventionality, cleverness, daring, resourcefulness,
independence, individuality, uniqueness, nonconformity: One
must admire Dali for his originality.
originally
adv. in or at or from the beginning, (at ) first, from the
first, initially, to begin with, at or from the outset, at or
from the start, in the first place or instance, Colloq from the
word go, from day one: Originally, we were to have gone in
Patrick's car.
originate v. 1 create, bring about, engender, give birth to, beget,
conceive, initiate, inaugurate, start, begin, introduce, launch,
found, set up, institute, establish, invent, coin, devise,
pioneer, design, contrive, concoct, mastermind, compose,
organize, formulate, form, generate, produce, develop, evolve:
Wasn't it the Chinese who originated free public health schemes?
2 arise, rise, begin, start, come, spring, stem, flow, issue,
emerge, emanate, proceed, grow, develop, evolve, derive, result:
Where did the idea of the democratic form of government
originate?
ornament n. 1 enhancement, embellishment, adornment, decoration,
ornamentation, gingerbread, trimming, garnish, garnishment,
frill, embroidery, beautification, accessory; frippery;
knick-knack, furbelow, bauble, gewgaw, Slang US tchotchke: We
spent a pleasant afternoon putting ornaments on the Christmas
tree. The ornaments on the mantelpiece needed dusting.
--v. 2 decorate, embellish, enhance, adorn, trim, garnish,
embroider, elaborate, beautify, accessorize, deck (out), dress
up: The cabinet is ornamented with ormolu fittings in the
Empire style.
ornamental
adj. decorative, beautifying, adorning, garnishing,
embellishing: Nothing in the house is ornamental, everything is
functional.
ornate adj. elaborate, florid, overdone, laboured, rococo, baroque,
gingerbread, arabesque, fancy, lavish, rich, flowery, busy,
fussy, frilly, intricate; high-flown, euphuistic, Ossianic,
bombastic, pompous, pretentious, affected, grandiose, fulsome,
highfalutin or hifalutin, grandiloquent, flamboyant: Louis
Quinze style is far too ornate for my tastes. We find his
writing, with its contorted artificialities, far too ornate to
appeal to the modern reader.
orthodox adj. conformist, accepted, authoritative, authorized,
recognized, received, official, standard, prevailing, prevalent,
common, regular, popular, ordinary, doctrinal, established,
traditional, traditionalist, accustomed, conventional,
customary, conservative: The orthodox view is that he was
killed by an assassin acting on his own.
oscillate v. fluctuate, vibrate, waver, see-saw, swing, sway; vacillate,
equivocate, shilly-shally, hem and haw, tergiversate: The
needle is oscillating between the 'Safe' and 'Danger' marks. I
wish he'd stop oscillating and make up his mind.
ostensibly
adv. outwardly, externally, superficially, patently,
ostensively, demonstrably, apparently, evidently, seemingly;
clearly, plainly, manifestly, conspicuously, obviously,
patently, noticeably, prominently: Ostensibly, he was visiting
his aunt, but we all know he went to see Stella.
ostentation
n. show, display, exhibition, exhibitionism, showing off,
pretension, pretentiousness, flaunting, flashiness, flourish,
flamboyance, parade, window-dressing: His clothes are elegant
without ostentation.
ostentatious
adj. showy, boastful, braggart, vaunting, vain, vainglorious,
flaunting, pretentious, flamboyant, theatrical, Colloq flash:
It's terribly ostentatious of Lady Penny to wear her diamond
tiara to the disco.
ostracize v. blackball, blacklist, banish, exile, boycott, isolate,
segregate, exclude, excommunicate, snub, shun, avoid, Chiefly
Brit send to Coventry, Colloq cut, cold-shoulder, give (someone)
the cold shoulder: Marcus has been ostracized at the club ever
since the court case.
otherwise adv. 1 if not, or else, under other circumstances, in another
situation, on the other hand: I learned something about you
tonight that otherwise I should never have guessed. 2
differently, in another manner or way: You may travel unless
the doctor advises otherwise.
out adv. 1 outside, outdoors, in or into the open air: If you go
out take an umbrella. 2 away (from), abroad, elsewhere, not
(at) home, gone (from), gone away (from), absent (from): She
was out of the house when I phoned. 3 in or into the open, to
or into public notice, for all to see, out of the closet:
Everything will be brought out at the trial. 4 revealed,
exposed, visible, discernible, manifest, in sight, in view: Are
the stars out tonight? 5 short, minus, missing, in default, out
of pocket: He is out the њ2000 he invested in a Welsh diamond
mine. 6 free, at liberty, at large, loose, unconfined: They
let Matilda out after she served her sentence. 7 completely,
thoroughly, effectively, entirely: I was tired out after that
long swim.
--adj. 8 unconscious, senseless, insensible, Colloq out cold,
out like a light: He has been out for almost an hour. 9 dated,
out-dated, out-moded, pass‚, old-fashioned, antiquated, old hat,
d‚mod‚, obsolete, unfashionable: Longer skirts were out in the
mid-1960s. 10 outlying, distant, far-off, peripheral: He was
planning to travel to the outer reaches of his empire. Let's
sail to some of the out islands. 11 exhausted, gone, finished,
ended; over, completed: Our food was out. Rescue came before
the day was out. 12 inaccurate, incorrect, wrong, at fault,
faulty, off, wide of the mark: Your figures are out by a factor
of four. 13 unacceptable, forbidden, prohibited, not allowed,
Colloq not on: Smoking is out in the dining room. 14
extinguished, unlit; off, doused; inoperative, non-functioning,
out of order or commission, unserviceable, broken: Make certain
that all camp-fires are completely out. The light is out in the
corridor.
--n. 15 alibi, excuse, escape, loophole, evasion: She used
your visit as an out to avoid calling on her mother.
out-and-out
adj. complete, unmitigated, unalloyed, undiluted, pure, utter,
perfect, consummate, outright, total, downright, unqualified,
thorough, thoroughgoing, through-and-through, dyed in the wool:
She was an out-and-out fool to turn down his marriage proposal.
outburst n. outbreak, eruption, explosion, blow-up, flare-up,
fulmination; upsurge, surge, outpouring, welling (forth),
upwelling, outflow(ing), rush, flood, effusion, effluence or
efflux; fit, access, attack, spasm, paroxysm, seizure, tantrum:
Another outburst like that, young man, and you'll be sent home.
outcast n. pariah, exile, reject, persona non grata, leper,
untouchable, expatriate, refugee, displaced person, DP, evacuee:
In 1946, Europe swarmed with outcasts, the detritus of the war.
outcome n. result, consequence, end (result or product), after-effect,
effect, upshot, sequel, development, outgrowth, aftermath, wake,
follow-up, Medicine sequela (usually pl. sequelae), Colloq
pay-off, bottom line: One outcome of the new safety regulations
will be higher fares. We eagerly awaited the outcome of the
race.
outcry n. protest, protestation, decrial, complaint, indignation,
uproar, vociferation, clamour, clamouring, commotion, outburst,
noise, hullabaloo, howl, howling, hoot, hooting, boo, booing,
hiss, hissing: The public outcry against terrorism was heard
round the world.
outdo v. exceed, surpass, excel, transcend, beat, outstrip, outshine,
top, cap, trump, overcome, defeat, outweigh: Their prices are
lower because they outdo us in cheapness of labour.
outdoor adj. outside, out of doors, alfresco, open-air: Both of them
enjoy outdoor activities like hiking and bicycling.
outfit n. 1 gear, rig, equipment, equipage, apparatus, accoutrements
or US also accouterments, paraphernalia, trappings, tackle,
tack, utensils: His mountain-climbing outfit turned out to be
extremely expensive. 2 clothes, costume, ensemble; attire,
garb, clothing, dress; Colloq get-up, togs: She was wearing a
very weird outfit that attracted a lot of stares. 3 firm,
concern, business, organization, company, (military) unit,
corporation; party, set, group; Colloq set-up: I joined the
outfit when it consisted of only a hundred people.
--v. 4 fit (out or up), equip, kit out, provision, stock,
accoutre or US also accouter, rig (out or up), supply, furnish:
The shop is prepared to outfit anyone for anything from a walk
in the country to an African safari or an Arctic expedition.
outgoing adj. 1 departing, retiring, ex-, former, past, emeritus,
leaving, withdrawing: It is our custom to honour the outgoing
president with a banquet. 2 genial, friendly, amiable, cordial,
warm, expansive, approachable, affable, accessible, amenable,
easygoing, amicable, sociable, congenial, extrovert, familiar,
informal, communicative: Because of his outgoing attitude,
Keith gets along well with most people.
outing n. jaunt, junket, excursion, trip, expedition, tour, ride,
Colloq spin: This year, the annual church outing will again be
to Torquay.
outlandish
adj. unfamiliar, strange, odd, queer, offbeat, peculiar,
curious, exotic, foreign, alien, unknown, unheard-of, different,
exceptional, extraordinary, quaint, eccentric, bizarre, outr‚,
weird, fantastic, unusual, singular, unique; freakish,
grotesque, barbarous; Colloq far-out, camp(y), kinky: Those
youngsters wear the most outlandish hair-dos you have ever seen.
outlast v. survive, outlive; outwear; weather: Considering her
condition, it seems doubtful that she will outlast her husband.
outlaw n. 1 criminal, gangster, robber, desperado, bandit, highwayman,
brigand, footpad, picaroon, pirate, fugitive (from justice or
the law), renegade, US road-agent: In Westerns, the sheriff
always wins out over the outlaws.
--v. 2 forbid, disallow, ban, interdict, bar, exclude,
prohibit, proscribe: Some countries have outlawed prostitution,
but with little effect.
outlay n. expense, cost, expenditure, spending, disbursement, payment:
The city council refused to approve the outlay for a new
swimming-pool.
outlet n. 1 way out, exit, egress, loophole, relief, escape, escape
hatch, vent, opening, release, safety-valve, discharge: There
seemed to be no outlet for his anger but to throw the cushion at
her. The main outlet of the Great Lakes is the St Lawrence
river. 2 retailer, shop, store, market: The company is having
difficulty finding outlets that will stock its products.
outline n. 1 profile, silhouette, contour, periphery, boundary,
footprint: This outline is of the desk area occupied by the
keyboard and monitor. 2 pr‚cis, synopsis, r‚sum‚, summary,
digest, abstract, conspectus, survey, overview, run-down,
recapitulation, review, (thumbnail) sketch, skeleton, (overall)
plan, layout, framework, draft, scenario: O'Brien presented an
outline of what his company planned to do after the take-over.
--v. 3 trace, draft, sketch, rough out, profile, block (out),
plan (out), lay out, define, delineate: None of the divers was
particularly enthusiastic about the procedure outlined for
bringing up the wreckage.
outlook n. 1 view, position, point of view, viewpoint, prospect,
perspective, slant, angle, standpoint, attitude, opinion: His
outlook on the situation in the Middle East is bound to be
somewhat biased. 2 prospect, forecast, expectation(s): What is
the outlook for the value of the pound sterling over the next
year?
outlying adj. distant, far-off, far-flung, outer, outermost,
out-of-the-way, remote, far-away, peripheral, furthest or
farthest: In those days it took weeks for the news to reach the
outlying parts of the empire.
out-of-the-way
adj. 1 untravelled, unfrequented, isolated, lonely, outlying,
obscure, hidden, secluded, inaccessible: She now lives in some
out-of-the-way village in the Himalayas. 2 unusual, odd,
peculiar, extraordinary, far-fetched, remarkable, outr‚,
exceptional, outlandish, strange, rare, uncommon, exotic,
unheard-of, unconventional, queer, weird, bizarre: His latest
book is a treatise on some out-of-the-way subject.
outpouring
n. effusion, outflow, flow, outburst, flood, deluge, torrent,
spate, emanation, spouting, spurt, gushing, efflux, effluence,
outrush, tide, cascade, cataract, Niagara, Technical
debouchment: We scarcely expected such an outpouring of grief
at her death. This writing appears to reflect the outpourings
of his soul.
output n. 1 production, result, yield, crop, harvest: Nobody was
quite ready for such a massive output. 2 productivity,
achievement, efficiency: Job insecurity has diminished her
output.
--v. 3 put out, produce, generate, create, manufacture, yield,
achieve: Our new laser printer outputs about ten pages a
minute.
outrage n. 1 violence, atrocity, inhumanity, barbarism, enormity, evil,
barbarity, savagery, brutality, malignity, malefaction,
wrongdoing, evil-doing, maltreatment, abuse, cruelty, injury,
harm, damage: Wherever there is war there is misery and
outrage. 2 resentment, affront, bitterness, indignation, hurt,
shock, anger, wrath, ire: The minister felt outrage at being
given a parking ticket. 3 insult, indignity, slight:
Contributors to the charity considered it an outrage that the
fund-raisers should keep so much of the money.
--v. 4 offend, insult, affront, vex, displease, distress,
nettle, chafe, infuriate, anger, enrage, madden, make one's
blood boil, raise (someone's) hackles, rile: He was outraged to
discover that the wretch had proposed to his daughter. 5
violate, desecrate, defile, do violence to, injure, harm, abuse,
damage: Such deeds outrage human feelings. 6 rape, violate,
ravage, ravish, deflower, attack: He seized the unhappy girl
and outraged her.
outrageous
adj. 1 excessive, extravagant, immoderate, exorbitant,
enormous, unreasonable, preposterous, shocking, extreme,
unwarranted, exaggerated, unconscionable, inordinate,
intolerable, disgraceful, shameful, scandalous: The prices at
that restaurant are absolutely outrageous. 2 vicious, cruel,
heinous, atrocious, barbaric, inhuman, abusive, beastly,
horrible, horrid, horrendous, iniquitous, villainous, wicked,
evil, egregious, flagrant, grievous, infamous, execrable,
abominable, grisly, hideous, monstrous, vile, unthinkable, foul,
awful, unspeakable, appalling, offensive, indecent: The
captives suffered the most outrageous treatment at the hands of
their conquerors. 3 indecent, offensive, immoral, rude,
indelicate, obnoxious, profane, obscene, dirty, filthy, lewd,
salacious, foul, smutty, scatological, pornographic,
objectionable, repellent, repulsive, nauseating, nauseous,
nasty, gross, revolting, shocking, repugnant, disgusting,
fulsome, perverted, depraved, dissolute, degenerate, dissipated,
debauched, profligate; explicit, unrestrained; foul-mouthed,
thersitical, insulting; unseemly, inappropriate, indecorous,
improper, naughty, appalling, embarrassing; Literary Fescennine,
US shy-making: The sermon denounced the outrageous films,
books, magazines, and television programmes to which children
are exposed. Warren sometimes says the most outrageous things.
outr‚ adj. unconventional, unusual, extravagant, bizarre, weird,
strange, odd, peculiar, grotesque, outlandish, freakish,
out-of-the-way: The attention of the media was turned upon the
singer's outr‚ behaviour on stage.
outright adj. 1 unqualified, total, unreserved, unrestricted, full,
complete, unconditional, unequivocal, clear, direct, definite,
unmistakable or unmistakeable: The duke is the outright owner
of the property. 2 undisguised, unmitigated, utter, consummate,
pure, out-and-out, all-out, sheer, absolute, stark, bald,
thorough, arrant, thoroughgoing, through-and-through, downright,
direct, definite, unmistakable or unmistakeable: Her outright
refusal to provide further help was met with dismay.
--adv. 3 directly, at once, immediately, instantaneously,
instantly, then and there or there and then, straight or right
away, on the spot, right off: One passenger was killed
outright, the other died later in hospital. 4 completely,
entirely, exactly, precisely, totally, in toto, utterly, baldly,
starkly, consummately, purely, thoroughly, directly,
unhesitatingly, quite, absolutely, explicitly, categorically,
straightforwardly, plainly, openly, forthrightly, unequivocally,
unambiguously, candidly: I wish that Henry wasn't so reticent
and would say outright what he means. 5 unrestrictedly,
unqualifiedly, unreservedly, unconditionally: The duke owns the
property outright.
outset n. beginning, start, inauguration, inception, first, Colloq
kick-off: Had you let them know who you were at the outset,
this wouldn't have happened.
outside n. 1 exterior, face, facing, shell, skin, case, casing,
surface, front; fa‡ade: What is that on the outside of the box?
The outside of the house is painted white. 2 aspect, appearance,
look, demeanour, face, front, fa‡ade, mien, mask, disguise,
false front, pretence: One cannot tell what people are really
like from the outside they present to the world. 3 extreme,
limit, most, maximum, utmost, best, worst, longest: At the
outside, you shouldn't pay more than half your income for
housing. I'll wait for her for an hour at the outside. 4 the
world at large: We had to bring in someone from the outside to
complete the work.
--adj. 5 exterior, external, out of doors, outdoor: They have
added an outside swimming-pool to the house. 6 maximum,
maximal, highest, best, worst, greatest, most, largest, longest,
furthest or farthest: What was their outside estimate for
replacing the roof? The outside time for driving here from
London is about an hour. 7 private, home, cottage, secondary,
peripheral, independent, freelance: Her outside job pays more
than her regular work. 8 unlikely, remote, faint, Colloq slim:
He has an outside chance of beating the world record. 9
foreign, alien, outward; unconnected, excluded, uninvolved,
disinvolved, independent, separate, different: I'm worried that
Phil might be subject to outside influences. An outside
contractor is doing the work.
--adv. 10 outdoors, out of doors: Perhaps you'd like to step
outside to discuss the matter further?
outsider n. non-member, non-initiate, foreigner, alien, outlander,
stranger, newcomer, guest, visitor, trespasser, interloper,
intruder, squatter, invader, Colloq gatecrasher: The others
always treated Peter as an outsider. Why do I feel an outsider
in my own home?
outskirts n.pl. periphery, edge, environs, outer reaches, vicinity,
border(s), suburb(s), exurb(s), general area or neighbourhood,
purlieus, fringes, vicinage, faubourg(s): The university is on
the outskirts of the city.
outsmart v. outwit, outfox, out-think, outmanoeuvre, outmanipulate,
outplay, steal a march on, get the better or best of, trick,
dupe, hoodwink, fool, deceive, hoax, gull, make a fool of;
swindle, cheat, defraud, cozen, Colloq put one over on, pull a
fast one on, take in, make a monkey (out) of, bamboozle, con,
Brit nobble, Slang slip or put one or something over on
(someone): 'I have been outsmarted by bigger fools than you!',
Mr White shouted.
outspoken adj. candid, frank, open, free, direct, unreserved, unreticent,
straightforward, forthright, explicit, specific, plain-spoken,
plain-speaking, unequivocal, unceremonious, unambiguous,
unsubtle, uninhibited, unshrinking, blunt, bold, brusque, brash,
undiplomatic, tactless, crude: Linda was always quite outspoken
in her opinions of her neighbours. Her outspoken observations
are a fruitful source of gossip.
outstanding
adj. 1 prominent, eminent, renowned, famous, famed,
unforgettable, memorable, celebrated, distinguished, special,
choice, noteworthy, notable, noted, important, conspicuous,
exceptional, excellent, superior, first-class, first-rate,
superb, remarkable, extraordinary, marvellous, sensational,
Colloq smashing, super: Liszt was the outstanding
pianist-composer of his time. 2 unsettled, on-going,
unresolved, unpaid, due, owed or owing, receivable or payable;
remaining, leftover: The company has a few outstanding debts.
outstrip v. overcome, surpass, outdo, outperform, outshine, outclass,
better, beat, transcend, best, worst, exceed, excel,
outdistance, overtake, top, cap, put in the shade, eclipse:
Bannister again outstripped everyone in the race.
outward adj. external, exterior, outer, outside, outlying, manifest,
obvious, evident, apparent, visible, observable; superficial,
surface, extrinsic, skin-deep, shallow, pretended, false,
ostensible, formal, physical, bodily, fleshly, carnal, mundane,
worldly, secular, temporal, terrestrial, material,
non-spiritual: She gave every outward sign of being the
bereaved widow. Whatever outward trappings money may buy, A
man's true wealth lies deep inside.
outwardly adv. externally, apparently, visibly, superficially,
ostensibly, evidently, seemingly, on the surface, to all
appearances, to all intents and purposes: Though the town was
outwardly quiet, we had a feeling of ominous foreboding.
outwards adv. outward, outside, away, out, without: The towns of the
early twentieth century centred on the railway station and
radiated outwards.
outweigh v. overcome, outbalance, overbalance, overweigh, tip the
scales, preponderate (over), surpass, prevail (over), override,
take precedence (over), compensate (for), make up for: His
feeling for his wife outweighed all else in his life.
oval adj. egg-shaped, ovoid, ovate, oviform, obovoid, obovate;
elliptical, ellipsoid(al): His mother's picture hung in an oval
frame over the mantel.
ovation n. applause, acclamation, acclaim, plaudits, cheers, cheering,
clapping, laudation, praise, kudos, Colloq (big) hand: At the
conclusion of the concerto, the pianist was given a standing
ovation.
over prep. 1 above, on, upon, on top of, atop (of): She spread a
tarpaulin over the boat to protect it. 2 more than, greater
than, upwards or upward of, in excess of, (over and) above,
(over and) beyond; exceeding: Of the 2000 people questioned in
our survey, over half said they think prunes are funny. The
thieves took over њ50,000-worth of paintings. 3 across, to or
from or on the other side of; beyond: The children crossed over
the river to play in the woods on the other side. 4 for, during,
in or over or during the course of, through, throughout: Over
the next week she will be working in the Paris office. 5 (all)
through, throughout, (all) about, all over: We travelled over
the entire country in the course of our holiday. Have you gone
over the manuscript I left with you?
--adj. 6 done (with), finished, terminated, concluded, ended,
past, settled, closed, at an end, over with: I'm afraid it's
all over between us, Carrie.
--adv. 7 to, onto, past, beyond, across: This room looks out
over the sea. 8 remaining, as a remainder, as surplus,
outstanding: When we finished eating, there wasn't much left
over. 9 (once) again, once more, one more time: This pot will
have to be cleaned over again. 10 down, to the ground or floor:
You almost knocked over the lamp.
overall adj. total, complete, comprehensive, all-inclusive, inclusive,
whole, entire, all-embracing, blanket: The overall cost,
including materials and labour, came to more than I had
expected.
overawe v. overwhelm, intimidate, cow, daunt, awe, bully, hector,
browbeat, dominate, domineer, frighten, scare, terrify,
disconcert, discomfit, upset, abash: The children were overawed
by their father's slightest sign of displeasure.
overbearing
adj. repressive, domineering, bullying, imperious, officious,
high and mighty, high-handed, overweening, magisterial, lordly,
authoritarian, wilful, despotic, dogmatic, autocratic,
tyrannical, dictatorial, peremptory, arbitrary, assertive,
arrogant, cavalier, haughty, superior, supercilious,
pretentious, Colloq bossy, pushy, hoity-toity, highfalutin or
hifalutin, snooty, Slang snotty: His temper was harsh and
severe, his manner haughty and overbearing.
overcast adj. cloudy, clouded, sunless, moonless, starless, murky, grey,
louring or lowering, dull, dark, darkened, dreary, sombre,
gloomy, dismal, threatening, menacing: The sky was overcast
this morning, but the sun is now beginning to shine through.
overcome v. 1 beat, defeat, conquer, overpower, subdue, worst, best,
triumph over, win (out) (over), prevail (over), overthrow,
overwhelm, vanquish, get the better or best of, whip, drub,
rout, break, subjugate, suppress, crush, master, Colloq lick:
If we do not overcome these temptations, they will overcome us.
The superior force easily overcame the tiny group of defenders.
--adj. 2 beaten, defeated, overwhelmed, subdued, worsted,
bested; affected, speechless, swept off one's feet, rendered
helpless, overpowered, moved, influenced, at a loss (for words),
Colloq bowled over: The victim's parents were overcome with
grief when the casualty list was published. Colin was too
overcome to speak at the award presentation.
overconfident
adj. 1 brash, arrogant, cocksure, cocky, brazen, hubristic,
swaggering, audacious, overbearing, vainglorious, Colloq pushy:
It is harmful for a sportsman's morale to be overconfident of
winning. 2 heedless, foolhardy, thoughtless, short-sighted,
hasty: Rock-climbers should not be overconfident and rely
entirely on their ropes.
overcritical
adj. supercritical, hypercritical, captious, carping, niggling,
cavilling, querulous, fault-finding, finicky, fussy,
hair-splitting, difficult, fastidious, harsh, severe, demanding,
exacting, small, small-minded, US and Canadian picayune, Colloq
picky, nit-picking, pernickety or US also persnickety: You
should not be overcritical of Maddy - she's only a child.
overcrowded
adj. jammed, packed, congested, populous, over-populous,
jam-packed, overpopulated; swarming, crawling, choked, packed to
the gunwales: The planet is becoming overcrowded. We squeezed
into an already overcrowded train.
overdo v. 1 carry to excess, overindulge, be intemperate, go or carry
to extremes, overact, exaggerate, carry or go too far,
overreach, not know when to stop, paint the lily, gild refined
gold, out-Herod Herod, Colloq go overboard, do to death, lay it
on thick, lay it on with a trowel; go off the deep end:
Exercise a little judgement and try not to overdo it. 2
overwork, do too much, overtax, exhaust, fatigue, overload,
overburden, Colloq bite off more than one can chew, burn the
candle at both ends: Don't overdo it or you'll feel the results
tomorrow.
overdue adj. late, tardy, behindhand, behind, unpunctual, belated, US
past due: As it is now December, payment is long overdue. I've
got an overdue library book to return.
overeat v. gorge, binge, gormandize, stuff oneself, overindulge,
guzzle, feast, wolf down, overfeed, do the gavage, Colloq pack
away, Brit pig, US pig out: People not only overeat but they
tend to eat the wrong foods.
overgrown adj. covered, overrun, overspread, luxuriant, weedy, abundant:
The walls are all overgrown with ivy.
overhang v. 1 jut (out), beetle, bulge (out), project (out), protrude,
stick out, loom (out), extend (out), hang (out) over: The
balcony overhangs the sea. 2 impend, threaten, menace, imperil,
loom: His life was overhung by the threat of blackmail.
--n. 3 ledge, projection, bulge, protrusion, extension: A
swallow nested under the overhang of the roof.
overhaul v. 1 overtake, pass, gain on or upon, draw ahead of, catch up
with, get ahead of, outstrip, outdistance, leave behind, lap:
We overhauled the ketch and were beginning to close on the yawl
when the squall hit us. 2 renovate, refurbish, recondition,
rebuild, restore, repair, service, adjust, patch (up), mend, fix
(up): The car engine needs to be thoroughly overhauled.
--n. 3 reconditioning, overhauling, refurbishing, rebuilding,
renovation, servicing, adjustment, mending, fixing (up): The
overhaul of the die-stamping machine will require two months to
complete.
overhead adv. 1 (up) above, (up) in the air or sky, high up, on high,
aloft, skyward: The aeroplanes passed overhead at dawn.
--adj. 2 elevated, raised, upper: The crane travels on an
overhead track.
--n. 3 Brit overheads, US overhead. (basic or fixed) costs,
operating cost(s), expense(s), outlay, disbursement(s), running
cost(s), expenditure(s), maintenance, cost(s) of doing business:
One way to increase profits is by reducing overheads.
overjoyed adj. delighted, ecstatic, elated, happy, rapturous, euphoric,
jubilant, thrilled, cock-a-hoop, transported, Colloq tickled
pink, in seventh heaven, on cloud nine, Brit over the moon: We
were overjoyed to hear your news and to receive the invitation
to your wedding.
overlap v. 1 lap (over), overlie, overlay, shingle, Technical
imbricate, strobilate: Note how the upper tiles overlap the
lower to keep the rain out. 2 coincide, correspond, intersect:
Our work shifts overlap by four hours.
--n. 3 lap, flap, overlay, fly (front) or Brit flies,
imbrication: The overlap conceals the buttons that close the
skirt on the side.
overload v. 1 weigh down, burden, overburden, load (up), overtax, saddle
with, tax, strain, impede, handicap, oppress, encumber, cumber,
overcharge: They overloaded me with so much work that I'll
never finish.
--n. 2 surcharge, overcharge, overburden, dead weight,
oppression, handicap, tax, load, encumbrance, impediment,
hindrance: We had to hire extra people at Christmas to help
deal with the overload.
overlook v. 1 miss, slip up on, omit, neglect, slight, disregard, fail
to notice, ignore, pass over, leave out, forget, Colloq pass up:
You overlooked an error on the first page. 2 blink at, wink at,
let go (by), let pass, let ride, turn a blind eye to, shut
(one's) eyes to, pretend not to notice, take no notice of,
ignore, disregard, forgive, pardon, excuse, permit, allow,
forget about, write off, condone, make allowances (for), let
bygones be bygones, gloss over: I shall overlook your slowness
if you will work late to compensate for it. 3 front on (to),
face, give upon, command or afford a view of, look out on or
over, have as a vista or view: My room overlooks the lake.
overly adv. excessively, too, exceedingly, immoderately,
disproportionately, unduly, inordinately, extraordinarily, very,
Colloq damned: She seemed overly anxious for us to leave.
overpower v. 1 overcome, overwhelm, beat, vanquish, conquer, defeat,
crush, put down, worst, best, prevail, master, quell, subdue,
subjugate: The thugs easily overpowered the elderly couple and
took their money. 2 overcome, overwhelm, dumbfound or dumfound,
daze, stagger, amaze, stun, stupefy, nonplus, strike, Colloq
floor: I was quite overpowered by the grandeur of the house.
overpowering
adj. overwhelming, irresistible, powerful, telling, compelling,
unendurable, unbearable, oppressive: They presented an
overpowering argument against the use of asbestos as an
insulator.
overrate v. overvalue, make too much of, exaggerate the worth or value
of, attach too much importance to, overprize, assess too highly:
They insist that his value to the company is overrated and that
he should be dismissed.
overreact v. exaggerate, make much ado about nothing, make too much of
(something), make a mountain out of a molehill, lose all or
one's sense of proportion, blow (up) out of (all) proportion:
I'd say that she overreacted by leaving him because he forgot
her birthday.
overriding
adj. dominant, dominating, predominant, predominating,
compelling, prevailing, primary, prime, most important,
overruling, overwhelming, paramount, preponderant, principal,
cardinal, main, chief: His overriding reason for buying the
larger dictionary was that it made a better doorstop.
overrun v. invade, defeat, attack, ravage, destroy, overwhelm, conquer,
harry, vandalize, plunder, maraud, scourge, despoil, sack,
strip, pillage, storm, Colloq blitz: Within a week the armies
had overrun the country and captured the capital city.
overseas adv. abroad: Did you serve overseas during the war?
oversee v. direct, manage, watch (over), keep an eye on, administer,
superintend, run, supervise, operate, manipulate, handle,
control: We employed Gertrude to oversee our offices in
Frankfurt.
overseer n. superintendent, supervisor, manager, foreman, forewoman,
superior, Colloq boss, chief, super, Brit gaffer, US straw boss,
(head or chief) honcho: Simon is too hard a taskmaster to be
overseer of that sensitive operation.
overshadow
v. 1 dominate, outshine, eclipse, dwarf, diminish, minimize,
put in or throw into or leave the shade, steal the limelight
from, tower over or above, excel: The Crown, overshadowed by
the great barons, turned for aid to the Church. 2 spoil, blight,
ruin, mar, take (all) the pleasure from, put a damper on, take
the edge off, impair, take the enjoyment out of: The news from
the east overshadowed everyone's spirits at the party.
oversight n. 1 omission, inadvertence, neglect, laxity, laxness, fault,
failure, dereliction, error, mistake, blunder, carelessness,
heedlessness: It was owing to an oversight by a clerk that the
flight booking was not made. 2 supervision, superintendence,
surveillance, management, direction, guidance, administration;
charge, care, custody, keeping, hands, protection, auspices:
The matter of expenses must be left to the oversight of the
committee established to deal with such things.
overstate v. exaggerate, magnify, hyperbolize, embroider, overstress,
colour, make (too) much of, overdraw, overemphasize, stretch,
enlarge, inflate, blow up: They might have overstated the
problem by asking for a 24-hour police guard.
overstep v. exceed, transcend, surpass, go beyond: Again Hortense has
overstepped the bounds of propriety by inviting herself to the
reception.
overt adj. apparent, evident, plain, clear, obvious, manifest,
clear-cut, unconcealed, patent, open, visible, observable,
public: Moving the troops to the border may be considered an
act of overt hostility.
overtake v. 1 catch (up with or to), reach, draw level or even with,
overhaul, gain on or upon, move by or past, pass, leave behind,
outstrip, outdistance: The express train overtakes the local
one at Amersham. 2 come upon, seize, catch (unprepared),
befall, strike, hit, overwhelm: The weaknesses of old age
overtook the actress before she could finish writing her
memoirs.
overthrow v. 1 defeat, beat, rout, conquer, overpower, master, bring
down, depose, oust, overwhelm, unseat, unhorse, topple,
overturn, dethrone, thrash, worst, best: The new leader was
overthrown by the partisans in two weeks. Cotswold Rangers
overthrew Kent United in last night's match at Hurley.
--n. 2 defeat, rout, conquest, deposing, ousting, unseating,
toppling, overturn, overturning, downfall, end, ruin, fall,
collapse, destruction, suppression, quashing, crushing,
subjugation, US ouster: The overthrow of the military regime
was followed by weeks of rioting and looting.
overtone n. undertone, connotation, hint, suggestion, innuendo,
insinuation, intimation, indication, implication: Do I detect
overtones of regret now that you are finally leaving?
overture n. Often, overtures. approach, advance, offer, proposal,
proposition, tender: While they were winning, they rejected all
peace overtures.
overturn v. 1 turn over, knock down or over, tip over, capsize, up-end,
upset, turn turtle, turn upside down, turn topsy-turvy, invert:
The tanks overturned when they tried to drive past the huge
concrete barriers. On his first day as a waiter, he overturned
the soup in a guest's lap. 2 bring down, overthrow, throw over,
upset, depose, unthrone, unseat, oust, eject: The dictatorship
was overturned and the country returned to being a democratic
republic.
--n. 3 overturning, overthrow, unseating, ousting, toppling,
fall, destruction, ruin, defeat, US ouster: Could the overturn
of the present regime be effected without force of arms?
overwhelm v. 1 overpower, overcome, overtax, devastate, stagger, crush,
defeat, destroy, subdue, suppress, quash, quell, conquer, beat,
bring down, prostrate, weigh down, oppress: Overwhelmed by
grief, she dissolved into tears. 2 inundate, overcome, engulf,
submerge, flood (over); deluge, swamp, bury, immerse: A feeling
of terror suddenly overwhelmed me as I watched my safety rope
fray and break. In only a few hours the rising waters had
completely overwhelmed the house. 3 overcome, stagger, astound,
astonish, dumbfound or dumfound, shock, stun, bewilder, confuse,
confound, nonplus, surprise, take aback, Colloq bowl over, knock
off one's feet or pins, blow one's mind, discombobulate, Brit
knock for six: We were overwhelmed by the friendly reception
that awaited our return.
overwhelming
adj. 1 overpowering, uncontrollable, irresistible, devastating,
unendurable, unbearable, crushing, burdensome, formidable: He
had an overwhelming sense of shame for what he had said. 2
awesome, awe-inspiring, stupefying, astounding, astonishing,
staggering, bewildering, mind-shattering, prodigious,
mind-boggling, Colloq mind-blowing: When I first went to live
in London, I found its sheer size totally overwhelming.
overwork v. 1 overexert, overstrain, overburden, oppress, overtax,
overload, overuse: We were so overworked that the quality had
to suffer. 2 slave (away), burn the midnight oil, lucubrate:
She insisted on overworking in order to get the project finished
on time.
--n. 3 overexertion, overstrain, strain: I was ready to drop
from overwork.
overwrought
adj. 1 tense, nervous, jittery, jumpy, fidgety, touchy, in a
dither or twitter, all a-twitter, overexcited, on edge,
over-stimulated, frantic, frenetic, distracted, Brit strung up,
US strung out, Colloq (all) worked up, edgy, in a tizzy, wound
up, uptight: They were quite overwrought worrying about the
children's safety. 2 overworked, ornate, elaborate, baroque,
rococo, florid, flowery, fussy, ostentatious, busy, gaudy,
garish: Some of the Victorian houses were characterized by
overwrought gingerbread decoration. A few of his poems are
overwrought and difficult to digest.
owe v. 1 be in debt to, be indebted to, be beholden to: It must be
a good feeling not to owe anyone any money at all. 2 owing to.
because of, on account of, thanks to; through, as a result of,
resulting from, Colloq due to: Owing to my schedule, I cannot
stay the night. The higher tides are owing to the positions of
the sun and moon.
owner n. possessor, holder; proprietor, proprietress: The papers
have been returned to their rightful owner. Who is the owner of
the property?
16.0 P
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pace n. 1 step, stride: Please walk forward two paces. 2 rate (of
speed), tempo, speed, velocity, Colloq clip: We were proceeding
at a pace of five miles per hour.
--v. 3 walk, stride, tread; traverse: Alistair paced up and
down nervously, waiting for word from the surgeon. 4 measure,
gauge or gage, judge, rate, estimate, determine, reckon, figure,
compute: I was trying to pace myself to conserve some energy
for a sprint finish.
pack n. 1 parcel, package, packet, bundle, bale, backpack, knapsack,
rucksack, haversack, kitbag, kit, duffle or duffel bag: The
stranger hoisted his pack onto his shoulder and loped off. 2
load, lot, bunch, multitude, heap, pile, accumulation, mass,
amassment, mess, barrel, peck: She told the jury a pack of
lies. 3 group, collection, assembly, assemblage, congregation,
gathering, crowd, number, throng, horde, mass, crew, gang, body,
lots, loads, band, company, party, set, flock, herd, drove, mob,
swarm, bevy, covey, circle, coterie, clique: A huge pack of
people were waiting at the stage door for the star to emerge. 4
deck: We ought to have two packs of cards for bridge.
--v. 5 Often, pack in or into. package, bale, bundle, compact,
crowd, cram, jam, fill, stuff, squeeze, ram, press, wedge, tamp:
They packed us into the train like sardines. I packed as much as
I could into the short time I had left. 6 pack it in. stop,
cease, end, finish, quit, wind up, terminate, give up, call it a
day, Colloq chuck: Edward finally packed it in because they
were giving him too much trouble. 7 pack off. dismiss, send off
or away, bundle off or out, hustle off or out or away, get rid
of, drive off or away, order off or away or out, send (someone)
about his or her business: At the beginning of the war, Sally's
mother packed her off to America to stay with her aunt. 8 pack
up. a get or gather together, put away, store: Pack up your
troubles in your old kit bag and smile, smile, smile. b quit,
stop, break down, fail, give out, stall, die, give up the ghost,
Colloq conk out, have had it: After three days crossing the
desert, the engine finally packed up.
package n. 1 packet, parcel, box, container, case, carton, bundle: I
am donating a package of clothing to the relief fund. 2
combination, unit, package deal: Included in the package from
the car dealer are several luxury features.
--v. 3 wrap, pack, containerize, carton, case, encase, enclose,
include; combine, unite, coupled, incorporate: More and more
merchandise comes packaged in plastic these days. A special
sponge is packaged with the cleaning liquid.
packed adj. filled, full, loaded, crowded, stuffed, jammed, crammed,
brim-full, chock-a-block, chock-full, jam-packed, overloaded,
overflowing, loaded or filled to the gunwales, up to there,
bursting, groaning, swollen, replete, Colloq wall-to-wall: The
gallery was packed with the soprano's relatives, who cheered
every note. The publicity for the show promised a packed
programme of mirth and merriment.
packet n. 1 package, parcel, pack, batch: We found a packet of your
old love-letters in a trunk in the lumber room. 2 loads, lot(s),
great deal, fortune, mint, Colloq bundle, pretty penny, pile(s),
tidy sum, king's ransom, Brit bomb: He lost a packet on that
property when they built a sewage plant alongside it.
pact n. agreement, treaty, bargain, alliance, contract, compact,
concord, covenant, concordat, entente, understanding,
arrangement, deal: The companies entered into an illegal pact
not to compete in the same markets.
pad n. 1 cushion, pillow, wad, wadding, stuffing, padding, filling,
filler: Wrap a soft cotton pad over the wound to protect it. 2
writing-pad, note-pad, memo pad, block (of paper), jotter, US
filler: You'd best take a pad with you to make notes at the
lecture. 3 flat, apartment, room(s), home, place, quarters,
Colloq hang-out, Brit digs or diggings, Slang US flop: A few
friends are crashing at my pad while they're in town.
--v. 4 cushion, wad, stuff, fill; upholster: The chair seats
are padded with foam rubber, but the arms are bare. 5 Sometimes,
pad out. expand, inflate, stretch, dilate, lengthen, protract,
extend, blow up, flesh out, puff up, augment, spin out, amplify:
He pads his weekly newspaper column with trivia in order to fill
the space.
paddle n. 1 oar, sweep, scull: A 'crab' occurs when you catch the
water with the paddle blade on the return stroke.
--v. 2 row, scull, oar: Deftly she paddled the canoe over to
the pier. 3 wade: The children were paddling at the water's
edge. 4 spank, paddywhack, thrash, beat, whip, flog: Dad
threatened to paddle me if he caught me playing hookey again.
paddy n. rage, (fit of) temper, fit, tantrum, Colloq Brit paddywhack
or paddywack, wax: She was in a proper paddy when she found out
what you'd done.
pagan n. 1 heathen, unbeliever, idolater, polytheist, infidel,
Gentile: He joined the religion of the pagans and worshipped
the golden calf.
--adj. 2 heathen, infidel, idolatrous, polytheistic,
heathenish, Gentile: Many churchmen condemned Renaissance
scholars for their interest in pagan and pre-Christian writers.
page° n. 1 leaf, folio, side, sheet, verso or recto: On which page
does the index begin? 2 episode, phase, period, time, stage,
point, era, epoch, age, chapter: The early 1940s were among the
darkest pages in Britain's history.
--v. 3 paginate, folio, number: Roman numerals were used in
paging the preface to the book.
pageэ n. 1 attendant, page-boy, servant, errand-boy, messenger, Brit
foot-boy, US bellman, bellhop, Offensive used of an adult
bellboy: Please have a page deliver this message to Mr
Simmonds.
--v. 2 announce, summon (forth), send for or after, call, call
for, call out: They are paging your wife now to give her your
message.
pageant n. spectacle, display, grandeur, tableau, show, parade,
procession, ceremony, formality, ritual, event, affair,
extravaganza, presentation, gala: The children stage a medieval
mystery play as a part of the annual Christmas pageant.
pageantry n. pomp, ceremony, display, magnificence, extravagance,
panorama, showiness, show: The pageantry of the Oberammergau
passion play should be experienced at least once.
pain n. 1 hurt, suffering, discomfort, soreness, ache, aching, pang,
spasm, smarting, cramp: I feel the pain in my back from lifting
that box. 2 anguish, agony, affliction, distress, grief, woe,
suffering, misery, travail, wretchedness, despair, torment,
tribulation, trial, torture, dolour, discomposure, ordeal,
disquiet: No one who has not experienced it can imagine the
pain of losing a child. 3 irritation, vexation, annoyance,
bother, nuisance, pest, Colloq pain in the neck, headache, drag,
bore, Taboo slang pain in the Brit arse or US ass: What a pain
it is that you have forgotten your keys again! David can really
be a pain when he goes on about the book he's writing. 4 pains.
effort, trouble, exertion, toil, labour: She went to great
pains to make our stay comfortable.
--v. 5 hurt, distress, grieve, wound, injure; trouble, depress,
sadden, sorrow, cut to the quick: It pained us to learn of Mrs
McArthur's illness.
painful adj. 1 hurting, grievous, hurtful, sore, distressing,
distressful, excruciating, torturous, agonizing, smarting,
stinging, aching, achy, throbbing, burning, piercing, stabbing,
sharp, tender, sensitive, raw, bitter, Formal nociceptive: The
bullet caused a painful wound in the knee. Mother's arthritis
can be quite painful at times. 2 vexing, vexatious, annoying,
harassing, irritating, irksome, aggravating, galling,
exasperating, unpleasant, afflictive, harrowing, worrisome,
worrying, troubling, disquieting, disturbing, distressing:
Fighting in the front lines was a painful experience for Rupert.
3 painstaking, laborious, careful, rigorous, arduous, assiduous,
sedulous, diligent, earnest, conscientious, meticulous,
scrupulous, detailed, thorough, thoroughgoing, exacting,
demanding: A great deal of painful research went into
discovering the cause of yellow fever.
painfully adv. agonizingly, distressingly, disagreeably, unpleasantly,
unfortunately, sadly, woefully, lamentably, ruefully, unhappily:
I became painfully aware that much of the relief destined for
the poor never reached them.
painkiller
n. anodyne, analgesic, anaesthetic, sedative, palliative: When
he wrenched his back, the doctor gave him a painkiller so that
he could walk.
painless adj. trouble-free, easy, simple, comfortable, effortless,
Colloq easy as 1, 2, 3 or as ABC, easy as pie, a piece of cake,
pushover, child's play, Slang cinch, no sweat: The procedure
for assembling the bicycle is relatively painless.
painstaking
adj. See painful, 3, above.
paint n. 1 colour, tint, dye, colouring, pigment, stain: I bought
the paint and brushes, and started work on the kitchen walls. 2
coating, coat, surface; enamel: The rust has come through the
paint here and there. 3 make-up, cosmetics, maquillage,
greasepaint, Colloq warpaint, face: Sheila is in her room
putting on some paint before we go out.
--v. 4 depict, portray, picture, show, represent, delineate,
render, draw, limn, characterize, describe: Whistler painted a
portrait of my grandmother. Correspondents painted a very grim
picture of the plight of the hostages. 5 coat, brush, apply,
cover, daub: The doctor painted the area with some medication
that soothed the pain. 6 colour, tint, dye, stain, decorate: We
are planning to paint the nursery pale blue. 7 paint the town
red. make merry, carouse, revel, go on a spree, go out on the
town, Colloq whoop it up, live it up, (go on a) pub-crawl, step
out, Slang make whoopee, go on a bender or drunk or binge, booze
it up: Saturday nights a few of the boys would go out and paint
the town red till the wee hours.
pair n. 1 couple, twosome, two of a kind, set of two, matched set,
duo, dyad, twins, double, doublet; brace, span, yoke, team,
tandem: A pair of silver candelabra disappeared during the
party.
--v. 2 match (up), mate, pair off or up, team (up), put
together, partner, twin, double, join, unite, yoke; wed, marry,
join in wedlock or in holy matrimony: Pair these gloves for me,
would you? Husbands may not pair off with wives for the next
dance.
pal n. 1 friend, consort, comrade, alter ego, crony, companion,
amigo, playmate, classmate, Colloq chum, sidekick, mate, Chiefly
US and Canadian buddy: Jim left a little while ago with a few
of his pals.
--v. 2 pal (up) with or about or US around (with). associate
(with), be or become friendly or friends (with), be or get or
become on friendly or intimate terms (with), go (around or
about) with, fraternize (with), consort (with), spend time
together or with, keep company (with), Colloq hang out or about
or around (with), knock about or around (with): Fiona and
Isabel palled up last year. Do you still pal about with Timothy?
palace n. mansion, castle, stately or palatial home or residence,
manor (house), (country) estate, chѓteau, palazzo, villa: After
the wedding, they went to the prince's palace and lived happily
ever after.
palatial adj. luxurious, de luxe, magnificent, splendid, stately,
sumptuous, opulent, majestic, magnificent, grand, elegant,
palatine, Slang posh, ritzy, swanky, classy: After winning the
pools, they moved into a palatial house in Belgravia.
palaver n. 1 nuisance, procedure, red tape, to-do, rigmarole or
rigamarole, Colloq song and dance, bother, nonsense, business,
carry-on, performance: He lost the certificates, so she now has
to go through all the palaver of getting new ones. 2 chatter,
babble, jabber, (empty or small) talk, blather or blether,
gossip, prating, prattle, prattling, palavering, Brit natter,
nattering, Scots clishmaclaver, Colloq jawing, hot air, Colloq
Brit witter, wittering: There is so much palaver at the annual
meeting that nothing important ever gets said. 3 parley, talk,
conference, discussion, colloquy, conversation, confabulation,
meeting, get-together, round table, powwow, Colloq confab,
huddle, chin-wag: The annual palaver of the regional general
managers is scheduled for next week.
--v. 4 chatter, babble, jabber, blather or blether, gossip,
prattle, prate, chit-chat, gabble, Brit natter, witter, Colloq
jaw, chin-wag, US and Canadian shoot the breeze, Slang yack,
yackety-yack: Peter and I were palavering outside the
supermarket when Sophie came along. 5 confer, consult, discuss,
parley, talk, converse, powwow, meet, get together, sit down
(together), confabulate, negotiate, Colloq confab, huddle, chew
the fat or the rag: Management and union representatives will
palaver tomorrow.
pale° adj. 1 colourless, white, wan, sallow, waxen, livid, ashen,
ashy, pallid, bloodless, whitish, pasty, whey-faced, washed out,
anaemic, blanched, drained, ghostly, ghastly, peaky or peakish,
peaked, cadaverous: If you had been through an ordeal like
that, you'd look pale, too. 2 faint, light, dim, washed out,
pastel: She was wearing a pale green evening gown tonight. 3
feeble, weak, flimsy, meagre, enfeebled, ineffective,
ineffectual, puny, insignificant, paltry, lame, poor,
inadequate, half-hearted, tame, spiritless, whey-faced, empty,
sterile, lifeless, uninspired, anaemic, Colloq half-baked: The
sequel was a pale imitation of the original film.
--v. 4 blanch, blench, dim, whiten: He paled when they told
him of the car crash. 5 diminish, lessen, fade (away),
decrease, abate: The works of most modern writers pale in
comparison with those of the Elizabethans.
paleэ n. 1 paling, palisade, picket, upright, post, stake: The pales
are attached to horizontal rails to form a fence. 2 boundary,
limit(s), restriction, bounds, border(s), confines: Nothing is
outside the pale of the imagination of a great novelist. 3
beyond the pale. improper, irregular, unseemly, unsuitable,
indecent, unacceptable, inadmissible, forbidden, anathema,
disallowed, prohibited, verboten, interdicted; US unusual,
bizarre, peculiar, outr‚, weird, abnormal, strange: The
committee have found your behaviour to be beyond the pale,
Frances, and we demand your resignation.
pall° n. 1 shroud, covering, mantle, cloth, veil: A black velvet
pall covered the coffin. 2 gloomy or melancholy or sombre or
grave or depressing air or mood or atmosphere; damper, cold
water, Colloq wet blanket: The recently uncovered scandals have
cast a pall over his successes in office.
pallэ v. 1 Often, pall on or upon. bore, tire, weary, jade, irk,
irritate, sicken: His position lost all its charm when the work
began to pall on him. 2 sate, satiate, cloy, glut, surfeit,
gorge: I had reached the point where even the finest foods
began to pall me.
paltry adj. trifling, trivial, petty, small, insignificant, worthless,
pitiful, pathetic, pitiable, puny, sorry, wretched, miserable,
inconsequential, inconsiderable, unimportant, meagre, mean,
beggarly, base, low, contemptible, Colloq piddling, Brit
twopenny, twopenny-halfpenny, mingy, US penny-ante, Slang Mickey
Mouse: Despite his wealth, his charitable contributions are
paltry. We all recognize Denison for the paltry pedant he is.
pamper v. baby, coddle, cosset, (over)indulge, spoil, mollycoddle,
cater to, pet, Rare cocker, Irish cosher: The Simpsons pamper
their children far too much.
pamphlet n. booklet, brochure, tract, essay, folder, leaflet, circular;
handbill, bill, notice, bulletin, advertisement, hand-out, ad,
Brit advert, US flyer, throw-away: He was arrested for printing
a pamphlet that denounced the government's repression of free
speech. Yesterday we received our sixteenth pamphlet promoting
replacement windows.
pan n. 1 saucepan, frying-pan, skillet, pot, casserole, US spider:
Melt a teaspoonful of butter in the pan, add the mixture, and
stir briskly over a medium heat. 2 face, visage, mien, fa‡ade,
Slang kisser, mug, puss: The worst part of Alf's not working is
that I have to look at his ugly pan all day. 3 depression,
indentation, concavity, cavity, hollow, pit, hole, crater: In a
rain-shower, the pans fill with water and the desert blooms.
--v. 4 wash, separate, sift: For years prospectors have panned
for gold in these hills. 5 criticize, censure, find fault, put
down, reject, flay, excoriate, Brit hammer, Colloq knock, roast,
slate, Slang Brit rubbish, US trash: The critics panned the
play and it closed after a week. 6 pan out. succeed, thrive,
prosper, flourish, fare well, make it; work out, turn out,
result, come out, end (up), conclude, culminate, eventuate:
Your grandiose plans for irrigating the Sahara didn't pan out,
either! How did the election pan out?
panache n. flourish, dash, ‚lan, ‚clat, chic, sophistication, savoir
faire, savoir vivre, flamboyance, verve, style, cultivation,
(good) taste, flair, smartness, boldness, self-assurance,
swagger, vigour, liveliness, spirit, brio, gusto, zest,
animation, enthusiasm, energy: Whatever needs to be done, you
can count on Irena to carry it off with panache.
pandemonium
n. bedlam, chaos, turmoil, disorder, tumult, frenzy, uproar,
Brit furore or US furor, confusion: Pandemonium reigned after
the first bomb struck.
pander v. 1 Usually, pander to. satisfy, gratify, humour, indulge,
fulfil, bow to, yield to, truckle to, cater to: She is tired of
pandering to his every wish. 2 procure, pimp, solicit: I
didn't believe he would sink so low as to pander for his
business clients.
--n. 3 panderer, pimp, procurer, solicitor, whoremonger, White
slaver, Slang flesh-pedlar or US also flesh-peddler or
flesh-pedler, Brit ponce, mack: The word pander is an eponym
for Pandarus, who acted as a sycophantic go-between for Troilus
in Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde .
pane n. panel, sheet, glass, window-pane, light, quarrel,
bull's-eye: Ring up the glazier and have that pane replaced in
the door.
pang n. 1 pain, stab, ache, pinch, twinge, stitch, spasm: I felt a
sharp pang of hunger. 2 qualm, hesitation, scruple, misgiving,
remorse, regret, contrition, contriteness, self-reproach,
mortification, guilt, anguish, discomfort, malaise: Does Claire
feel the slightest pangs for treating him badly?
panic n. 1 terror, alarm, fear, fright, dread, horror, dismay,
consternation, hysteria; anxiety, apprehension,
apprehensiveness, nervousness: As the speeding car veered
towards us, a feeling of panic gripped me.
--v. 2 be terrified or alarmed or fearful or frightened or
terror-stricken or terror-struck, dread, fear, lose one's nerve;
frighten, scare; Colloq go to pieces, fall apart, Brit lose
one's bottle: I panicked, turned the wheel the wrong way, and
crashed the car into a tree. Gregory panics at the slightest
sign of danger. 3 frighten, scare, alarm, terrify, unnerve:
Something panicked the horses and one kicked out his stall door.
panic-stricken
adj. panic-struck, terrified, alarmed, horrified, aghast,
terror-stricken or terror-struck, panicky, frenzied, in a
frenzy, hysterical, besides oneself with fear or terror,
fearful, afraid, scared (stiff), petrified, horror-struck or
horror-stricken, frightened or scared out of one's wits,
appalled, stunned, stupefied, perturbed, unnerved, nervous,
distressed, upset, jittery, jumpy, (all) worked up, Colloq in a
cold sweat, in a flap, in a tizzy, Taboo slang scared shitless,
shitting green: At the news of the leak at the nuclear plant,
hundreds of panic-stricken people fled from the area.
panoramic adj. sweeping, commanding, extensive, comprehensive, wide,
overall, scenic, far-reaching, all-embracing, far-ranging,
all-encompassing, inclusive, bird's-eye, general: This room
affords a panoramic view of the sea-coast.
pant v. 1 gasp, huff (and puff), blow, heave, breathe hard, wheeze:
He was panting when he came into the room, having run up the
stairs. 2 Usually, pant for or after. crave, hanker after,
hunger or thirst for or after, yearn for, ache for, want,
desire, covet, wish for, long or pine or sigh for, have one's
heart set on, die for, be dying for, Colloq have a yen for, give
one's eye-teeth or right arm for: Margery was the girl that all
the boys panted after when we were ten.
pants n.pl. 1 In Britain (men's) drawers, small-clothes, smalls,
drawers, underpants, boxer shorts, trunks, undershorts,
Y-fronts, briefs, Colloq smalls; (women's) knickers,
camiknickers, panties, drawers, bloomers, pantalettes, tights,
pantihose, undies: The baby was dressed in a frilly dress and
matching pants. 2 In US: trousers, slacks, breeches, (Oxford)
bags, knickerbockers, flannels, shorts, Bermuda shorts or
Bermudas, pedal pushers, bell-bottoms, peg-tops, hip-huggers,
(blue) jeans, dungarees, denims, Trade Mark Levis, Scots trews;
Scots and No. Eng. breeks, US knickers, Colloq cut-offs:
Americans who go into British shops asking for a pair of pants
are embarrassed to be offered only underwear.
paper n. 1 newspaper, tabloid, daily, weekly, journal, gazette,
publication, periodical, newsletter, organ, Colloq rag, sheet:
She is feature editor of a paper in Manchester. 2 Often,
papers. a document(s), instrument, legal papers, form,
certificate, deed, ownership papers; credential(s),
identification: Bring the papers to my office for signing. His
papers are not in order. Many people lost their papers during
the war. b docket, files, dossier, record(s), archive(s): Your
papers seem to have disappeared from our office. 3 stationery,
letterhead, writing-paper, letter-paper, notepaper; foolscap;
scrap or US also scratch paper; wrapping paper; gift-wrapping,
gift-wrap; wallpaper: She wrote to me on the most beautiful
engraved paper. We buy our Christmas paper from a museum shop. 4
article, composition, essay, assignment, report, thesis, study,
tract, analysis, critique, exegesis, treatise, dissertation,
disquisition, manuscript, MS or ms, autograph, holograph,
typescript, script, speech: Adelaide will present her paper at
the meeting of the Royal Academy this year.
--v. 5 (hang) wallpaper, line; post, distribute: The entire
area was papered with posters announcing the meeting.
par adj. 1 standard, normal, average, expected: A success rate of
two per cent is par for these candidates.
--n. 2 level, rank, standing, scale, standard: How can you
place yourself on a par with her as a tennis player? 3 above
par. above average, superior, outstanding, excellent,
exceptional; choice, select, prime: Since I stopped taking that
medication, I've been feeling above par. I am pleased to
announce that the test results were above par for the school as
a whole. 4 at par. average, level, even, equal, equivalent,
standard; par value: The shares are selling at par, or below
their true market value. 5 below or under par. a below
average, substandard, inferior, second-rate, mediocre, middling,
not up to par, poor, inadequate, unsatisfactory, wanting, bad,
wretched, miserable, awful, terrible, Colloq lousy, not up to
snuff or scratch: Ian's goal-keeping has been below par all
season. b ill, sickly, unhealthy, unwell, not (very) well, not
oneself, not in good or the best shape, in bad shape, Brit off
form, off colour; Colloq under the weather, poorly, not up to
snuff: I was feeling below par. 6 up to par. all right,
adequate, average, satisfactory, good enough, passable,
acceptable, Colloq OK or okay, up to scratch or snuff, fair to
middling: If your game had been up to par, Davis would not have
won.
parable n. allegory, fable, lesson, morality tale: When we first read
Aesop's Fables we didn't know they were parables.
parade n. 1 procession, march, train, file, promenade, cortЉge,
column; entourage: They held a parade to celebrate the
soldiers' safe return from the war. 2 exhibition, (ostentatious)
display, show, spectacle, array, pomp, splash: She often makes
a parade of her knowledge of architecture. 3 promenade, walk,
(pedestrian) way, mall, esplanade: Let's meet in the Parade
when you have finished shopping.
--v. 4 march, pass in review, promenade, walk, file: The
generals saluted smartly as the troops paraded past. 5 strut,
flaunt, show (off), brandish, wave, vaunt, display, air: Why
does he feel it necessary to parade every new girlfriend in
front of all the neighbours?
paradise n. 1 heaven, City of God, Zion, Elysium, Elysian Fields, happy
hunting-grounds, Abraham's bosom, heavenly kingdom, Promised
Land, Celestial City, New Jerusalem, Avalon, Valhalla,
Hesperides, Isles or Islands of the Blessed, seventh heaven:
People all have their own ideas of paradise, but everyone agrees
it's a nice place to be. 2 heaven on earth, (Garden of) Eden,
(land of) Goshen, Utopia, Shangri-La, Land of Beulah: Early
settlers of California thought it a paradise. 3 bliss,
happiness, rapture, heaven, delight, blessedness, ecstasy,
seventh heaven, joy, dreamland, nirvana: Being with you has
been sheer paradise.
paradox n. contradiction, self-contradiction, incongruity,
inconsistency, absurdity, ambiguity, enigma, puzzle, mystery,
quandary, problem, dilemma: Can you explain away Zeno's paradox
of Achilles and the tortoise? The paradox was that although it
was Edward's fifth birthday, he was 20 years old.
paradoxical
adj. contradictory, self-contradictory, conflicting,
oxymoronic, impossible, improbable, incongruous, illogical,
inconsistent, absurd, ambiguous, confusing, equivocal,
enigmatic, puzzling, baffling, incomprehensible, bewildering,
perplexing, mysterious, problematic: It would be true, though
it might sound paradoxical, to say that the Norman Conquest made
England Saxon.
paragon n. epitome, archetype, model, prototype, quintessence, pattern,
standard, exemplar, ideal, beau id‚al, criterion: He had
previously regarded Michael as a paragon of virtue and was
deeply shocked by the revelations.
parallel adj. 1 similar, corresponding, congruent, analogous,
analogic(al), correspondent, like, matching, homologous,
coordinate, equivalent, coequal, proportional, proportionate,
pari passu, mutatis mutandis, in proportion, uniform;
contemporary or cotemporary, contemporaneous or cotemporaneous:
The situation in Northern Ireland could be compared with a
parallel situation in Lebanon.
--n. 2 analogue, match, homologue, equivalent, complement,
counterpart, equal, coequal: Campbell found many parallels
among the legendary heroes of other cultures. 3 analogy,
parallelism, equivalence, complementarity, relationship,
kinship, correspondence, resemblance, likeness, similarity,
symmetry, equality, coequality, parity, correlation; proportion,
balance, equiponderance, equipoise, counterbalance, offset: One
can draw parallels between the human arm, the fish's fin, and
the bird's wing. By way of parallel, consider the flood in the
Bible and that in the Gilgamesh epic.
--v. 4 correspond to or with, match, equate to or with, be
likened to, correlate to or with, compare with or to, imitate,
repeat, echo, iterate, reiterate, duplicate, follow, agree with;
keep pace with, conform (to), balance, set off, offset, even off
or up, be accompanied by, coincide with, Colloq jibe with: In
many respects, your attitudes towards life parallel mine when I
was your age. A decrease in the rate of inflation supposedly
parallels a rise in interest rates.
paralyse v. 1 immobilize, inactivate, deactivate, transfix; halt, stop:
The stroke paralysed his entire left side. As the thing
approached, the children became paralysed by fear. 2 deaden,
numb, freeze, anaesthetize, benumb, render insensible: This
injection will paralyse your thumb so that we can operate on it.
3 disable, cripple, incapacitate, disenable: His left leg was
paralysed in the accident.
paramount adj. pre-eminent, chief, supreme, dominant, main, predominant,
cardinal, first, prime, primary, principal, essential, vital,
requisite, basic: The company feel that the independence of
researchers is paramount. It is of paramount importance that
you study trigonometry before calculus.
paramour n. lover, love, inamorato or inamorata, amorist, mistress,
gigolo, concubine, cicisbeo, kept woman, Colloq flame,
sugar-daddy, US POSSLQ (= 'Person of the Opposite Sex Sharing
Living Quarters'), Slang fancy man or woman: At eighty, she
liked to reminisce about her many paramours.
paraphernalia
n. usually pl equipment, apparatus, accessories, outfit,
appliances, utensils, gear, rig, material(s), mat‚riel, things,
tackle, equipage, accoutrements, effects, chattels, possessions,
belongings, appurtenances, trappings, property, baggage,
impedimenta, supplies, stuff, Colloq junk, Brit rubbish,
clobber, Slang crap, Taboo slang US shit: Bring along your
scuba paraphernalia. It took us a month just to pack up all the
paraphernalia we had in the flat.
paraphrase
n. 1 rephrasing, rephrase, rewording, restatement, rewriting,
rewrite, rehash, rendition, rendering, version, Technical
paraphrasis: The editor wanted a revision, not merely a
paraphrase of the original.
--v. 2 rephrase, reword, restate, rewrite, explicate, explain:
Please paraphrase the specialized jargon to make it
understandable to non-professionals.
parasite n. leech, hanger-on, Colloq freeloader, sponger or sponge,
bloodsucker, cadger, scrounger or scrounge, barnacle, jackal,
hyena or hyaena: That parasite lives off Gemma's money and has
never worked a day in his life.
parcel n. 1 package, packet, carton, box, container, case: We are
sending food parcels to the needy. 2 portion, plot, plat, lot,
piece, section, tract: We have bought a small parcel of land
and plan to build on it next year. 3 lot, group, batch,
collection, pack, bundle, set: She gathered a parcel of
drawings and published them as a travel sketchbook.
--v. 4 Often, parcel out. apportion, allot, deal (out), dole
(out), mete (out), hand out, distribute, share (out), divide,
Colloq divvy (up): Before he died he parcelled out his fortune
amongst his grandchildren.
parch v. dry (out or up), desiccate, dehydrate, exsiccate; scorch,
sear, burn, bake; shrivel (up), wither: The earth was parched
by the unrelenting sun.
pardon n. 1 forgiveness, forgiving, amnesty, remission, release,
reprieval, absolution, indulgence, excuse, excusal, allowance,
overlooking, condonation, exoneration, exculpation: Should
there be any pardon for crimes against humanity?
--v. 2 forgive, remit, release, reprieve, absolve, indulge,
allow, overlook, let off, excuse, condone, exonerate, exculpate:
There are some crimes that ought not be pardoned.
pare v. 1 trim, peel, skin, shave (off), shuck; decorticate,
excoriate: Pare the apples and then grate them coarsely. 2
Often, pare down. reduce, diminish, decrease, cut (back or
down), curtail, slash (back), lower, lessen: Since his illness,
Bob has pared down his time at the office. We'll have to pare
our prices to stay competitive in the present climate.
parent n. 1 father or mother, progenitor, progenitrix, procreator,
begetter, materfamilias or paterfamilias; foster-parent,
stepmother or stepfather, guardian, Colloq old lady or old man,
Brit old-fashioned or facetiousmater or pater: Most teenagers
clash with their parents sooner or later. 2 source, origin,
originator, well-spring, fountain-head, root: The liturgy of St
James is undoubtedly the parent of the Armenian Rite.
parentage n. lineage, ancestry, line, family, extraction, descent,
origin, pedigree, stock, birth, strain, bloodline, heritage,
roots: As he was separated from his mother at birth, he knows
nothing of his royal parentage.
parenting n. (of children) rearing, upbringing, raising, nurturing:
Brian and Betty take their parenting very seriously.
parity n. 1 equality, equivalence, consistency, uniformity, par,
likeness, similarity, analogy, congruity, similitude,
conformity, congruence: The ministers agreed that they would
observe parity of power amongst themselves at the conference. 2
proportion, parallelism, analogy, balance, correspondence: We
are trying to maintain parity between the Deutschmark and the
pound sterling.
park n. 1 garden, green(s), common(s), preserve, reserve,
greensward, parkland, woodland, estate, Chiefly Brit
reservation: Twice a day he strolls through the nearby park. 2
Brit car park, US and Canadian and New Zealand parking-lot: I
shall meet you in the car park at the railway station.
--v. 3 leave, put, deposit, store: It is illegal to park in
this street.
parlance n. way or manner of talking or speaking, fa‡on de parler,
phrasing, phraseology, speech, wording, language, idiom,
dialect, jargon, Colloq lingo: In the parlance of the yuppies,
that's a ballpark figure.
parley n. 1 conference, discussion, dialogue, palaver, deliberation,
meeting, colloquy, colloquium, confabulation, powwow, talk(s),
Colloq huddle, confab: The issue will be decided at the
executive council's parley.
--v. 2 confer, discuss, palaver, deliberate, talk (over),
negotiate, deal, Colloq huddle: Would Sitting Bull parley with
General Custer?
parliament
n. 1 Parliament. Houses of Parliament, House of Lords and House
of Commons, Westminster, the House, Mother of Parliaments: The
new health bill got its second reading in Parliament today. 2
legislature, council, congress, diet, council, assembly, Upper
and Lower House or chamber: The United States parliament
consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
parliamentary
adj. formal, ordered, orderly, procedural, conforming,
conformist, US according to Roberts Rules of Order: The debate
must follow parliamentary procedure.
parlour n. living-room, Old-fashioned or Brit drawing-room, Chiefly
Brit sitting-room, reception (room), lounge: She invited us
into the parlour where tea was laid out.
parlous adj. perilous, risky, precarious, uncertain, dangerous,
hazardous, difficult, ticklish, awkward, Colloq chancy, iffy,
Slang hairy: These are parlous times in the Middle East.
parody n. 1 burlesque, lampoon, satire, caricature, mockery, mimicry,
Colloq take-off, spoof, Brit send-up: The more serious the
intent of the original author's work, the easier it is to write
a parody of it. 2 travesty, mockery, feeble or poor imitation,
distortion, perversion, corruption, debasement: The Inquisition
was a parody of justice and of religion.
--v. 3 burlesque, lampoon, satirize, caricature, mock, mimic,
ape, ridicule, deride, laugh at, poke fun at, guy, scoff at,
sneer at, rib, tease, twit, roast, pillory, make a
laughing-stock (of), make sport of, make fun of, make a monkey
(out) of, Archaic fleer, Colloq take off, spoof, kid, Brit send
up: Swift parodied English political figures and policies of
the day in Gulliver's Travels .
paroxysm n. fit, convulsion, spasm, throe, seizure, spell, outburst,
eruption, explosion, Colloq flare-up: At the sight of George
dressed as Madame Pompadour Melissa rolled on the floor in a
paroxysm of hysterical laughter.
parrot n. 1 imitator, mimic, Colloq copycat: She never has an
original idea of her own: she's a mere parrot of others'
fashions and fancies.
--v. 2 imitate, mimic, ape, copy, echo, repeat, reiterate:
Mick doesn't understand the issues and just parrots what he
hears on TV.
part n. 1 piece, portion, division, allotment, share, percentage,
participation, interest; parcel, fragment, scrap, shard; some:
I bought a part of the company when it was available. I want no
part of the deal now. 2 portion, component, factor, constituent,
element, ingredient: A part of her problem is that she doesn't
speak Japanese. 3 role, function, duty, responsibility, share;
say, voice, influence, participation, involvement, business:
Every man must do his part. Don't thank me! I had no part in
your getting the contract. 4 role, character: He plays the part
of Tweedledum in the school play. 5 side, interest, cause,
behalf, faction, party: Which part did you support in the
argument? No explanation has been offered on either part. 6
neighbourhood, quarter, section, district, region, area, corner,
vicinity, vicinage, Colloq neck of the woods: I come from the
same part of the country as you. 7 piece, portion, segment,
section; department, division, component, unit: Which part of
the turkey do you prefer? In which part of the company do you
work? 8 for the most part. mostly, generally, usually, mainly,
in the main, by and large, on the whole, chiefly, principally,
essentially, for all practical purposes, to all intents and
purposes, in most cases or instances: The shops are for the
most part closed on Sunday. 9 in part. partly, partially, to
some extent or degree, in some measure, relatively,
comparatively, somewhat: He is himself in part responsible for
the present state of affairs. 10 on the part of (someone) or on
(someone's or one's) part. by, on or US also in behalf of, (as)
for, as regards, as far as (someone) is concerned, in the name
of, for the sake of, in support of: Tyrannical acts on the part
of the king were not condoned. For my part, I want nothing to do
with it. 11 take (a) part (in). participate (in), join (in), be
(a) party to, play a part or role (in), be involved (in or
with), associate oneself (with), have or take a hand in, partake
(of), contribute (to): Why insist that she take part in your
nefarious plot? People began to sing, but she didn't feel like
taking part.
--v. 12 separate, part company, split up, go his or her (or
their) separate way(s), break up, say or bid goodbye (or adieu,
etc.); leave, depart, go (away or off): We parted on the best
of terms. 13 separate, divide, put or pull apart, put asunder:
I saw a pale hand part the curtains for a brief moment. A fool
and his money are soon parted. 14 part with. give up, yield,
relinquish, release, sacrifice, forgo, renounce, forsake, let
go, surrender: I doubt that you'll persuade Rover to part with
his bone.
--adj. 15 partial, fractional, limited: Ronald is a part owner
of the company.
partake v. 1 Usually, partake in. share (in), participate (in), take
(a) part (in), enter (in or into): We share each other's
burdens and partake in each other's joys. 2 Usually, partake
of. a receive, get, have a share or portion or part (of),
share: We were invited to partake of a meagre repast. b evoke,
suggest, hint at, intimate, imply, possess or have the quality
of: Greater knowledge often partakes of insolence.
partial adj. 1 incomplete, fragmentary, not total or whole, imperfect:
They were able to afford only a partial restoration of the
house. There will be a partial solar eclipse at noon. 2
prejudiced, biased, partisan, inclined, influenced, one-sided,
jaundiced, unfair, discriminatory: It will be difficult to find
a judge who is not partial. 3 partial to. in favour of,
predisposed to, fond of, having a soft spot or weakness for,
having a liking or taste or predilection for, having a fondness
for, feeling an attraction or affinity to or toward(s), finding
enjoyment in: She used to be partial to punk rockers. I am
partial to Scotch beef.
partiality
n. 1 prejudice, bias, inclination, favouritism, predilection,
predisposition, leaning, preference: The losers of the contest
accused the judges of partiality. 2 preference, taste, relish,
liking, fondness, appreciation, fancy, love, eye, weakness, soft
spot, penchant; fetish or fetich: Alas, my wife has acquired a
partiality for emeralds.
partially adv. partly, in part, to some extent or degree, to a limited or
a certain extent or degree, not totally or wholly or entirely,
restrictedly, incompletely, in some measure, relatively,
comparatively, moderately, (up) to a (given or certain) point,
somewhat: Jon found the meal only partially satisfying and
ordered another bread pudding.
participant
n. 1 participator, partaker, sharer, party, contributor, prime
mover: The chief participants in the recent terrorist attack
are in custody.
--adj. 2 Usually, participant in or of. participating,
partaking, sharing: As a shareholder, he will be participant in
the profits.
participate
v. Often, participate in. take part (in), share (in), partake
(in or of), join (in), engage (in), get or become involved (in),
be or become associated (with), enter (in or into), contribute
(to): We invited her to join the group, but she refuses to
participate. I would like to participate in the venture.
particle n. atom, molecule, scintilla, spark, mote, suggestion, hint,
suspicion, gleam, bit, crumb, jot, tittle, whit, mite, speck,
dot, spot, iota, grain, morsel, shred, sliver, scrap, Colloq
smidgen or smidgin: There isn't the slightest particle of
evidence linking them with the murder.
particular
adj. 1 certain, specific, special, peculiar, singular, single,
isolated, individual, distinct, discrete, separate, definite,
precise, express: These are not his particular sentiments but
those of thousands of his followers. In this particular instance
your theory does not apply. 2 marked, special, especial,
exceptional, remarkable, noteworthy, notable, outstanding,
unusual: The commendation is for her particular contribution to
the treatment of nervous disorders. Vintage port is a particular
favourite of mine. 3 detailed, itemized, item-by-item, thorough,
minute, precise, exact, exacting, painstaking, nice, rigorous,
close, blow-by-blow: The inscriptions reveal the particular
care taken in keeping daily records. 4 fussy, meticulous,
finicky, finical, fastidious, discriminating, selective,
demanding, hypercritical, critical, Colloq pernickety or US also
persnickety, choosy, picky: Daphne is very particular about
whom she invites to dinner.
--n. 5 Usually, particulars. detail, minutia, fine point, item,
specific, element, fact, circumstance, information: The
particulars may never be revealed, but we know in general what
took place that fateful night. 6 in particular. particularly,
specifically, precisely, exactly, especially, specially;
particular, specific, special, definite: I told mother that I
was just going out, not anywhere in particular.
particularly
adv. 1 especially, specially, exceptionally, peculiarly,
singularly, distinctively, uniquely, unusually, uncommonly,
notably, outstandingly, markedly, extraordinarily, very,
extremely, strikingly, surprisingly, amazingly: Susannah went
through a particularly bad patch but she's better now. Holroyd
is a good writer, particularly of biography. 2 in particular,
specifically, especially, principally, mainly, exceptionally,
expressly, explicitly, notably, markedly; only, solely:
Maeterlinck was particularly interested in bees.
parting n. 1 separating, splitting, dividing, breaking (up or apart),
sundering, cleaving; separation, split, division, break-up,
rift, rupture: The high point of the film was the parting of
the Red Sea. The parting between Harriet and Sam after twenty
turbulent years was to be expected. 2 leave-taking, farewell,
saying goodbye, departure, leaving, going (away), making one's
adieus or adieux; valediction: Parting is such sweet sorrow.
--adj. 3 closing, final, concluding, last, departing,
valedictory; deathbed, dying: Her parting comment was, 'If
you're leaving, take the rubbish'.
partisan n. 1 partizan, devotee, follower, supporter, adherent, backer,
champion, enthusiast, fan, zealot, fanatic, Chiefly US and
Canadian booster, Colloq US rooter: He has long been a partisan
of surrealism. 2 guerrilla or guerilla, freedom fighter,
underground or resistance fighter, irregular: During the war
the Yugoslav partisans were led by Marshal Tito.
--adj. 3 one-sided, factional, biased, tendentious, sectarian,
opinionated, partial, bigoted, prejudiced, parochial, myopic,
short-sighted, near-sighted, narrow, narrow-minded, limited:
She refuses to become involved in partisan politics. 4
guerrilla or guerilla, freedom, underground, resistance,
irregular: They were both members of the Maquis, the French
partisan group who fought against the Nazis.
partition n. 1 separation, division, splitting (up), split-up,
partitionment, break-up, breaking up, segmenting, segmentation:
One of the results of World War II was the partition of Germany.
2 allotment, allotting, apportionment, apportioning,
distribution, distributing, meting out, doling out, rationing
(out), sharing (out), dividing (up), giving or handing or
passing out, parcelling out, Colloq divvying up: The partition
of the estate is in the hands of our solicitors. 3 (room)
divider, (dividing) wall, barrier, screen, separator: Let's put
up a partition to divide this office into two. 4 compartment,
room, chamber, section, part, area, division, subdivision, cell,
stall, booth: In open floor planning, furniture, plantings, and
other movables are used to create the partitions where people
work.
--v. 5 divide (up), separate, cut up, subdivide, split (up):
It is always a mistake to partition a country into smaller,
potentially quarrelsome units. 6 Often, partition off. divide,
separate, subdivide, wall off, screen (off), fence off: We must
partition off the machine room so that the office staff are not
disturbed by the noise.
partly adv. See partially, above.
partner n. 1 sharer, partaker, associate, colleague, participant,
accomplice, accessory, confederate, comrade, ally, collaborator,
companion, team-mate, fellow, alter ego, friend, Colloq pal,
sidekick, mate, US and Canadian buddy, cohort: His partner in
the bank robbery was arrested this morning. 2 wife or husband,
spouse, mate, helpmate, helpmeet, consort: She became my life
partner more than 50 years ago. 3 companion, fellow-dancer:
Won't you change partners and dance with me?
party n. 1 (social) gathering, (cocktail or dinner) party,
celebration, f€te or fete, function, reception, soir‚e, levee,
festivity, festivities, festival, frolic, spree, romp, carousal
or carouse, saturnalia, bacchanalia, debauch, orgy, Colloq
get-together, bash, bust, shindig or shindy, ball, at-home, do,
Brit beanfeast, beano, knees-up, US blow-out, Slang Brit rave or
rave-up, Chiefly US and Canadian wingding, bust-up, US hop:
Campbell said he had a marvellous time at your birthday party.
2 group, company, band, body, corps, gang, crew, team, squad,
troop, platoon, detachment, detail, cadre, unit, Colloq bunch,
outfit: A small party of men is trapped on the other side of
the river. 3 side, interest, faction, league, club, coalition,
bloc, division, sect, denomination, clique, coterie, set, cabal,
junta or junto, partisans, adherents, confederacy,
confederation, federation, Chiefly US and Canadian caucus: The
proliferation of political parties confuses the electorate. 4
participant, participator, confederate, associate, ally,
accomplice, accessory, approver, ratifier, upholder,
contributor, supporter, advocate, backer, aid, helper, seconder,
promoter, partisan, defender, exponent, proponent, champion: I
refuse to be a party to any illegal act. 5 individual, person,
litigant, plaintiff, defendant, side, interest, signer,
signatory, co-signatory, participant, US co-signer: The party
of the first part accuses the party of the second part of
infidelity. How many parties are there to this contract?
parvenu n. 1 parvenue, upstart, arriviste, nouveau riche, intruder,
adventurer, social climber: Usually one generation has to pass
before a parvenu is accepted by the class with which his money
associates him.
--adj. 2 nouveau riche, upstart, intrusive: This parvenu
industrialist tried to use his wealth to make up for his lack of
refinement.
pass v. 1 Often, pass by. proceed or move past, go by or past: She
passed me in the street. I didn't recognize her till she had
passed. We met like ships that pass in the night. 2 proceed,
move (onwards), go (ahead), progress, extend, lie, run, flow,
fly, roll, course, stream, drift, sweep: A flock of geese
passed overhead. 3 let pass, let go (by), overlook, disregard,
ignore, pay no heed, omit, skip: I think I'll pass on making a
decision till the proper time comes. 4 qualify (in), pass
muster (in), get or come through, succeed: Deirdre didn't
believe she would pass chemistry, but pass she did. 5 spend,
devote, use (up), expend, employ, occupy, fill, while away, take
(up); dissipate, waste, fritter away, kill: He passed his time
on Devil's Island planning ways to escape. 6 surpass, exceed,
outdo, transcend, go beyond, overshoot, outstrip, outrun,
surmount, outdistance: She passed her own expectations in
winning the scholarship. How Alan ever got a degree passes all
comprehension. 7 allow, tolerate, permit, approve, sanction,
accept, authorize, endorse, carry, agree to, confirm: The
customs inspectors passed my luggage without question. The bill
passed the committee and came up for voting. 8 give, hand round
or along or over, transfer, pass on or over, deliver, convey,
Sports US hand off, Colloq toss, throw, reach: Please pass the
salt. The sweeper passed the ball back to the goalkeeper. 9
utter, express, issue, declare, pronounce, deliver, set forth,
offer: Who is she to pass judgement on abstract paintings? 10
go away, disappear, vanish, evaporate, fade away, melt away,
evanesce, cease (to exist), (come to an) end, die out, go by the
board, terminate, Literary evanish, Colloq blow over: For an
instant I was gripped by a horrible fear, but the feeling
passed. 11 go (by), expire, elapse; slip by or away, fly; crawl,
creep, drag: Weeks have passed since we last met. Time passes
quickly when you're having fun. 12 evacuate, void, eliminate,
excrete, defecate, urinate: The tests showed that he had passed
some gravel in his urine. 13 come to pass. befall, happen,
occur, take place, come about, arise, Colloq come off: And it
came to pass that a great pestilence was abroad in the land. 14
pass away. a die, expire, perish, succumb, breathe one's last,
pass on, go to one's reward, go to one's final or last
resting-place, (go to) meet one's Maker, Colloq go west, give up
the ghost, Slang croak, kick the bucket, Chiefly US bite the
dust, turn up one's toes: He was the sole beneficiary when she
passed away. b vanish, disappear, go away, stop, cease, end:
The feeling of vertigo simply passed away when the plane landed.
15 pass by. See 1, above: The strikers were urging people to
pass by the shop. 16 pass for or as. a be taken for, be
mistaken for, be regarded as, be accepted as: He wrote a book
about being a man who passed for a woman. b impersonate,
imitate, mimic, pass (oneself) off as, come or go as, be
disguised as, disguise oneself as, assume the guise of,
masquerade as, pose as, assume the role of, act the part of, act
like, pretend to be, play: Using her best cockney accent, she
tried to pass as a Londoner. 17 pass off. evaporate, disappear,
evanesce, be emitted: The water passes off as steam, leaving
the distillate in the flask. 18 pass on. a proceed, continue,
progress: Let us now pass on to the next lesson. b bequeath,
hand down or on, transfer, make over, will, cede, give: The old
gambler passed on to me the secret of never losing - Don't
gamble. c See 14, (a), above. 19 pass (oneself) off as. See 16,
(b), above. 20 pass out. a faint, collapse, swoon, black out,
drop, Colloq conk out, keel over: When they told her of the
accident, she passed out on the spot. b distribute, dole out,
mete out, deal (out), hand out: After we took our seats, the
cabin staff passed out glasses of champagne. 21 pass over. See
3, above: I shall pass over his latest misdeeds without
comment. 22 pass up. reject, decline, refuse, waive, turn down,
dismiss, spurn, renounce; deny (oneself), skip, give up, forgo,
let go (by), abandon, forswear, forsake, let pass, ignore, pay
no heed, disregard, pay no heed, omit: If you don't buy this
car, you are passing up an opportunity of a lifetime.
--n. 23 defile, gorge, col, cwm, cut, canyon or ca¤on, notch,
gap, gully, couloir; passage, opening, way, route, road: We had
mined the pass to prevent the enemy's advance. 24
authorization, permit, licence, approval, safe conduct, green
light, go-ahead; permission, freedom, liberty, authority,
clearance; Colloq OK or okay: He bribed an official for a pass
to leave the country. 25 free pass, complimentary ticket, Slang
US twofer, Annie Oakley: I have two passes to the opera tonight
- Want to go? 26 state (of affairs), condition, situation,
stage, juncture, status, crux; predicament, crisis: At that
critical pass, it was too late to change policy. Things had come
to a pretty pass. 27 attempt, trial, try, effort, endeavour:
Anita's first pass at a perfect score resulted in disaster. We
made a pass at docking while under sail. 28 (sexual or indecent)
overture or advance(s), proposition, indecent proposal: That
lecher has made a pass at every secretary he's ever had. 29
manoeuvre, approach; passage, flight, fly-by, transit: The
pilot's first pass over the airfield was at 500 feet. 30
transfer, toss, throw, US hand-off: A forward pass is illegal
in rugby.
passable adj. 1 satisfactory, acceptable, tolerable, all right,
adequate, admissible, allowable, presentable, average, fair
(enough), fair to middling, fairly good, middling, not bad,
unexceptional, sufficient, indifferent, Colloq OK or okay, so
so: I thought the play passable, but not up to his usual
standard. 2 traversable, navigable, open, unobstructed,
unblocked: The channel is passable till October, when the river
freezes over.
passage n. 1 movement, moving, going, transition, transit, traversal,
traverse, progress, crossing, passing: The queen's passage
through the town was attended by much jubilation. We observed
the passage of Mercury across the sun's disc. 2 extract,
excerpt, selection, section, part, portion, text, paragraph,
canto, stanza, verse, line, sentence, phrase, citation,
quotation: I recognize this passage from The Faerie Queene . 3
way, route, avenue, course, channel; road, thoroughfare:
Amundsen found a navigable passage between the Atlantic and
Pacific across North America. 4 corridor, hall, passageway,
hallway, vestibule, lobby, foyer: As I stepped into the passage
outside my room I heard a door slam. 5 change, mutation, shift,
conversion, progression, passing: In sublimation, the passage
is directly between the solid and gaseous or vaporous states,
without an intermediate liquid stage. 6 passing, elapse,
progress, progression, flow, march, advance: She may become
more tractable with the passage of time. 7 voyage, trip,
journey, cruise, crossing, sail, run, travel, travelling; Brit
accommodation or US accommodations, arrangement(s), facilities:
In 1942 the trans-Atlantic passage was fraught with danger. The
refugees were guaranteed safe passage to the border. We have
been unable to book a passage to Majorca for tomorrow. 8 safe
conduct, permission, privilege, liberty, freedom, visa,
authorization, allowance: Our troops were denied passage
through Nepal. 9 enactment, ratification, sanction, approval,
acceptance, passing, adoption, endorsement, endorsing,
legitimatization or legitimization, legalization, legislation,
constitutionalization, ordainment: It appears that there is
enough support to ensure passage of the bill. 10 traffic,
trafficking, dealing, shipment, shipping, commerce, trade,
exchange, transaction: Representatives of several governments
discussed putting a halt to the passage of narcotics from
Colombia. 11 aperture, hole, orifice, opening; entry, access,
inlet; exit, outlet: We found a tiny passage through which the
termites were entering and leaving.
pass‚ adj. old-fashioned, unfashionable, dated, out of date, behind
the times, outmoded, obsolete, obsolescent, antiquated, archaic,
d‚mod‚, quaint, antique, superseded, Colloq out, not or no
longer in, old hat, back number: She persisted in dressing in a
style that had been pass‚ at the turn of the century.
passenger n. rider, fare, traveller, voyager, commuter: The cruise ships
have very comfortable accommodation for their passengers.
passing adj. 1 disappearing, vanishing, ephemeral, brief, going, fading
(away), slipping away, short-lived, expiring, transient,
transitory, temporary, momentary, fleeting, transitional,
impermanent: I hope that Anne's obsession with acid rock is a
passing fancy. 2 hasty, superficial, cursory, casual, quick,
fleeting, brief, summary, abrupt, dismissive; glancing: The
speaker paid only passing attention to those he disagreed with.
3 in passing. by the way, incidentally, by the by,
parenthetically, en passant: I might mention, in passing, that
my train was late owing to the strike.
--n. 4 death, dying, demise, end, loss, expiry, expiration,
dying out, extinction, disappearance, vanishment: Her passing
is a great sorrow to all of us. Who thought we would live to see
the passing of the steam engine?
passion n. 1 Often, passions. ardour, ardency, eagerness, intensity,
fervour, fervency, fervidness, zeal, zealousness, avidity,
avidness, zest, zestfulness, vivacity, vivaciousness, gusto,
verve, emotion, feeling, animation, spirit, spiritedness,
vigour, enthusiasm, eagerness; zealotry, fanaticism,
feverishness: The passions of the mob are uncontrollable.
Passion and prejudice govern the world. Passions ran high at the
political convention. 2 fit, outburst, frenzy, paroxysm,
seizure, spasm, convulsion, eruption, whirlwind, tempest, storm,
ferment, fury, furore or US furor: Henry fell on his knees in a
passion of grief. 3 infatuation, mania, obsession, craze,
craving, lust, (unquenchable) thirst, (insatiable) hunger, itch,
yearning, longing, desire, concupiscence, love, affection,
enthusiasm, compulsion, fondness, predilection, keenness, fancy,
fascination, partiality, liking, interest, weakness, Colloq yen:
Would the world be a better place if the passion for spiritual
values were as great as for material things? She has a passion
for chocolates. 4 love, heart's desire, beloved, idol, hero or
heroine, obsession, Colloq heartthrob, dream-girl or dream-boy:
He may not look much to you but he is the passion of every
teenage girl. 5 Usually, Passion. pain, suffering, agony,
martyrdom: Christ underwent his Passion at Calvary.
passionate
adj. 1 ardent, eager, intense, fervid, zealous, avid, eager,
earnest, zestful, feverish, fanatic(al), vehement, impassioned,
emotional, animated, spirited, enthusiastic, vigorous,
invigorated, energetic: Passionate environmentalists campaign
for better governmental control of carbon dioxide emissions. 2
aroused, lustful, lecherous, erotic, sexual, amorous, sensual,
Colloq hot: She tried to resist his passionate advances. 3
quick-tempered, irascible, hotheaded, fiery, testy, huffy or
huffish, peevish, cranky, peppery, choleric, touchy, bilious,
snappish, volatile, cross, temperamental, irritable,
quarrelsome, pugnacious, argumentative, contentious,
belligerent, Rare atrabilious or atrabiliar: Valerie gets into
a passionate mood whenever she thinks she is being treated
unjustly.
passive adj. 1 inactive, non-aggressive, inert, motionless,
unresponsive, quiet, calm, tranquil, serene, placid, still,
idle, unmoving, unmoved, impassive, untouched, cool,
indifferent, phlegmatic, uninterested, uninvolved,
dispassionate, apathetic, lifeless, listless, quiescent,
unperturbed, unaffected, imperturbable, unshaken, Colloq
laid-back, out of it: The comic was unable to get a reaction
from the passive audience. 2 submissive, repressed,
deferential, yielding, compliant, complaisant, receptive,
flexible, malleable, pliable, tractable, docile, subdued,
sheepish, ovine, lamblike, cow-like, bovine, tame, gentle, meek,
patient, unresisting, unassertive, forbearing, tolerant,
resigned, long-suffering, Colloq US excuse-me-for-living:
People tend to bully those of a more passive nature. 3
unexpressed, tacit, unrevealed, undisclosed, implicit,
unasserted: We can no longer take a passive position regarding
crime. Your passive support, while welcome, is not as effective
as active campaigning.
password n. watchword, shibboleth, open sesame, countersign: If you
don't know the password, the guard won't let you in.
past adj. 1 over, done, finished, (over and) done with, gone (and
forgotten), dead (and buried or gone), defunct: The day of the
horse and carriage is past. 2 late, former, one-time, sometime,
previous, prior, erstwhile, quondam, whilom; last, recent: Past
owners of the house had no idea that this treasure was buried in
the basement.
--adv. 3 on, (close) by, nearby: I was standing here when he
ran past. 4 ago, before, heretofore, since: The previous
owners moved out two years past.
--n. 5 history, background, life, lifetime, existence, career,
lifestyle, biography: She reveals all about her past in her new
book. 6 days or years or times gone by, days of yore, old
times, olden times or days, former times, (good) old days, days
of old, days beyond recall: In the past, life proceeded at a
more leisurely pace.
pastiche n. mixture, medley, blend, compound, composite, patchwork, olla
podrida, pot-pourri, motley, miscellany, omnium gatherum,
m‚lange, gallimaufry, farrago, mishmash, hotchpotch or US and
Canadian hodgepodge, tangle, Colloq mess: The room was
furnished in a pastiche of styles from every imaginable period.
pastime n. hobby, avocation, recreation, diversion, distraction,
amusement, entertainment, fun, play, leisure-time activity,
relaxation, leisure, sport, divertissement: As a pastime, she
collects books.
pastor n. vicar, clergyman, clergywoman, parson, minister, churchman,
churchwoman, rector, canon, reverend, father, divine,
ecclesiastic, priest, bishop: The pastor led the congregation
in prayer.
pastoral adj. 1 bucolic, idyllic, Edenic, innocent, simple, tranquil,
serene, quiet, restful, peaceful, peaceable, placid, pacific,
harmonious, simple, uncomplicated, Literary Arcadian, georgic:
After a week in those pastoral surroundings, she felt inspired.
Theocritus is noted for his pastoral poetry. 2 country, rural,
rustic, provincial, farming, agricultural, agrarian; humble: He
has chosen a pastoral setting for the play, which contrasts
sharply with the emotional intensity of the characters. 3
clerical, ministerial, ecclesiastic(al), church(ly): Our vicar
discharges his pastoral duties with energy and sincerity.
--n. 4 idyll, eclogue, georgic: Flambeau did these marvellous
engravings for a book of pastorals.
pasture n. meadow, meadow-land, pasture land, grassland, grass, lea,
range; pasturage: How much pasture is needed for 200 head of
cattle?
pasty adj. wan, pallid, pasty-faced, sallow, pale, pale-faced,
whey-faced, sickly, anaemic: He had the pasty complexion of a
child raised in an industrial city.
pat° v. 1 tap, touch, dab, pet, stroke, caress: Being short, he
hated it when people affectionately patted him on the head. Pat
down the coverlet to smooth out the wrinkles. 2 pat on the back.
congratulate, commend, praise, compliment, encourage, reassure:
The sales manager patted me on the back for clinching the
contract.
--n. 3 tap, touch, dab, stroke, caress: Give the dog a pat and
he'll leave you alone. 4 (small) piece, patty, lump, cake,
portion; patty: The waiter put a pat of butter on my plate. 5
pat on the back. commendation, praise, compliment, flattery,
encouragement, credit, reassurance, approval, endorsement,
recognition; honeyed words: I was expecting a big bonus, but
all I got was a pat on the back.
patэ adv. 1 perfectly, exactly, precisely, faultlessly, flawlessly,
just so or right, Brit off pat: She has the new technique pat.
2 aptly, suitably, appositely, readily, appropriately,
fittingly, relevantly: His reply came out a little too pat.
--adj. 3 apt, suitable, apposite, ready, appropriate, fitting,
relevant: The poet made a very pat comparison.
patch n. 1 piece, scrap, reinforcement; shred, snip, snippet, tatter;
pad: Mother sewed colourful patches over the holes in my jeans.
2 area, section, segment, plat, plot, lot, tract, ground,
parcel, field: All he ever wanted was a little house on a
little patch of land. 3 responsibility, area, bailiwick,
territory: The handling of customer complaints is in your
patch, Gordon. 4 period, interval, spell, stage, episode, time;
experience: She went through a bad patch shortly after Starkey
died.
--v. 5 patch up or over, mend, repair, vamp, revamp, darn, sew
(up), reinforce, cover: I had my trousers patched where the dog
bit me. Her father always wore the same patched jacket to the
club. 6 Often, patch up. fix (up), doctor, jury-rig, improvise,
knock together or up: Can you patch it up so I can drive it
home? 7 patch up. settle, set right or straight, straighten
out, reconcile, resolve, heal; come or bring to terms, bury the
hatchet, kiss and make up, call a truce: Will the two girls
ever patch up their differences?
patchwork n. pastiche or pasticcio, mixture, confusion, hotchpotch or US
also hodgepodge, gallimaufry, olio, olla podrida, mishmash,
jumble, m‚lange, medley, hash, US crazy quilt, Colloq mixed bag:
The landscape is a patchwork of ploughland and pasture, with
little copses and rivers. The concerto by Lindslade is
'derivative' - that is, it is a patchwork.
patent n. 1 certificate of invention, letters patent, trade name,
trade mark, copyright, US service mark; licence, permit,
charter, franchise, grant; control: My brother holds the patent
on a new piece of laboratory equipment. You think you have a
patent on misery, but I have news for you.
--adj. 2 obvious, clear, transparent, manifest, apparent,
plain, evident, self-evident, unmistakable or unmistakeable,
unequivocal, explicit, palpable, tangible, physical,
conspicuous, flagrant, blatant, prominent: The results are as
patent as the fact that two and two make four.
paternal adj. 1 fatherly, kindly, indulgent, solicitous, fond,
concerned, devoted, loving; patriarchal: Uncle Charles takes a
paternal interest in the welfare of his nieces and nephews. 2
patrilineal or patrilinear, patriclinous or patroclinous or
patriclinal or patroclinal or patriclinic or patroclinic,
patrilateral, patrimonial: She resembles her paternal
grandmother. His fortune is partly paternal, partly acquired.
paternity n. fatherhood, fathership; parentage, descent, heritage, line,
lineage, extraction, family, stock, strain, blood, patrilineage:
The child's paternity was established through DNA tests.
path n. 1 footpath, pathway, tow-path, track, trail, walk, walkway,
Brit footway: A little kitten was sitting on the garden path.
2 way, course, track, route, road; orbit, trajectory, circuit:
She had to overcome many obstacles in her path to the
directorship. The path of the missile will take it outside the
atmosphere. 3 course, approach, channel, direction, procedure,
process, way, avenue, means, method, technique, strategy,
scheme, plan, Colloq US game plan, scenario: What path would
you follow to accomplish your ends?
pathetic adj. 1 moving, stirring, affecting, affective, touching,
emotional, emotive, poignant, tragic, heart-rending,
heart-breaking, pitiful, pitiable, piteous, plaintive, wretched,
miserable, sorrowful, grievous, sad, doleful, dolorous,
mournful, woeful, lamentable: The boat people told a pathetic
tale of the hardship of weeks in the open sea. 2 meagre, paltry,
feeble, inadequate, poor, petty, puny, sorry, piddling, Colloq
measly, Slang crummy: He made a pathetic effort to pull himself
together. A return of three per cent a year is pathetic.
patience n. 1 tolerance, forbearance, restraint, toleration, sufferance,
leniency, submission, resignation, self-control,
imperturbability, even temper, unflappability, composure,
calmness, serenity, equanimity: Many parents lose their
patience when dealing with children. 2 diligence, tenacity,
doggedness, indefatigability, endurance, assiduity,
perseverance, constancy, persistence, steadfastness,
pertinacity, determination, resolve, resolution, firmness,
stoicism, fortitude, Colloq US stick-to-it-iveness: Where do
you get the patience to wait in those long queues?
patient adj. 1 resigned, submissive, stoical, long-suffering,
compliant, acquiescent, passive, self-possessed, philosophical,
serene, unaggressive: The staff who handle complaints must be
extremely patient. 2 diligent, dogged, tenacious, persistent,
assiduous, sedulous, steadfast, staunch, perseverant,
unwavering, unswerving, constant, unfaltering, unfailing,
untiring, tireless, indefatigable, pertinacious, determined,
resolved, resolute, firm, unyielding: Be patient, and don't do
anything rash. 3 forbearing, tolerant, forgiving, lenient,
accommodating: We have been patient long enough and must now
put a stop to the vandalism.
--n. 4 invalid, sufferer, case, valetudinarian: Doctors were
called in to treat patients who developed the symptoms.
patriot n. nationalist, loyalist; flag-waver, jingo, jingoist,
chauvinist: She was among the patriots ready to do battle for
their country.
patriotic adj. nationalist(ic), loyalist; flag-waving, jingoist(ic),
chauvinist(ic): The fact that they criticize the government may
show that they are more rather than less patriotic.
patrol n. 1 guard, sentry, watch, watchman, sentinel, patrolman: The
patrol passes here once every hour. 2 rounds, policing,
patrolling, beat; protecting, protection, guarding,
safeguarding, defending, watchfulness, vigilance: The patrol
must be maintained night and day.
--v. 3 police, guard, protect, defend, watch over, walk a beat,
make (the) rounds, stand or keep guard or watch (over), keep
vigil: Some of the local residents have taken to patrolling the
neighbourhood at night.
patron n. 1 patroness, benefactor, benefactress, philanthropist,
Maecenas, protector, supporter, defender, advocate, champion,
guardian (angel), sponsor, backer, promoter, sympathizer,
friend, US booster; friend at court; Colloq angel: Lady Agnes
is a well-known patron of the arts. 2 customer, client,
purchaser, buyer, patronizer, habitu‚, regular, frequenter: The
patrons habituate her shop because of the bargains to be found
there.
patronage n. 1 sponsorship, support, backing, promotion, encouragement,
boosting, aid, help, sympathy, financing, auspices, protection,
guardianship, aegis: The exhibition was organized with the
duke's patronage. 2 trade, business, custom, trading, traffic:
The shop could never succeed with our patronage. 3
condescension, disdain, scorn, contempt, contumely, superiority,
patronizing, stooping, deigning, humiliation: There is an air
of patronage about him when he finally does allow me a visit. 4
favouritism, partiality, preference, bias, nepotism, political
patronage, granting of indulgences, US spoils (system):
Politicians have always used patronage to reward support.
patronize v. 1 look down on, scorn, look down one's nose at, treat
condescendingly, talk down to, treat as (an) inferior, disdain,
demean, put down, humiliate, Formal contemn: He patronizes
people by patting them on the head. 2 bring trade to, deal or
trade or do or transact business with, buy or purchase from,
frequent, shop at, be a customer or client of: You should
patronize the local merchants in your town. 3 sponsor, support,
back, promote, encourage, boost, aid, assist, help, fund,
contribute or subscribe to, underwrite, foster: The fund has
patronized the arts in this town for many years.
patter° v. 1 tiptoe; scurry, scuttle, skip, trip: I could hear the
squirrels pattering across the metal roof. 2 spatter,
pitter-patter, tap, pit-a-pat; beat, pelt: The rain pattered on
the tent with increasing intensity.
--n. 3 spatter, spattering, pit-a-pat, pitter-patter, tattoo,
drum, thrum, beat, beating, tap, ratatat, tap-tap: The
rhythmical patter of the rain lulled me to sleep.
patterэ n. 1 pitch, sales talk, spiel, line: Anyone listening to his
patter might be inclined to buy a time-share holiday. 2 chatter,
prattle, prate, babbling, babble, gabble, gabbling, cackle,
cackling, palaver, jabber, jabbering, chit-chat, small talk,
gossip, blather or blether, gibberish or gibber, Chiefly Brit
natter, nattering, Scots clishmaclaver, Colloq gab, gabbing,
Slang gas, hot air, yackety-yack, yack: The chap tapping our
phone had to listen to the teenagers' patter for hours on end.
--v. 3 chatter, prattle, prate, babble, gabble, cackle,
palaver, jabber, rattle (on), chit-chat, chaffer, gossip,
blather or blether, gibber, Chiefly Brit natter, witter (on),
Colloq gab, Slang gas, yackety-yack, yack, jibber-jabber: They
just patter on about nothing in particular.
pattern n. 1 model, original, archetype, prototype, exemplar, paragon,
ideal, standard, yardstick, criterion, gauge, measure: Their
life together could serve as a pattern for any couple. 2
figure, motif, design, device, decoration, ornament: The
pattern of the wallpaper clashes with that of the curtains. 3
system, order, arrangement, plan, theme; repetition,
consistency, orderliness, regularity, sequence, cycle: By
carefully noting the movements of the heavenly bodies, ancient
observers were able to detect a pattern. 4 blueprint, diagram,
plan, layout, design, draft, guide, template or templet,
stencil, mould, matrix: These new lighting fixtures are made to
a 19th-century pattern. 5 sample, example, instance, specimen,
representation: Were you able to match up your fabric pattern
with one of those in the tailor's book? 6 layout, configuration,
figure, formation, composition: The geese often flew in a
V-shaped pattern.
--v. 7 Often, pattern on. model on, imitate, copy, mimic,
duplicate, follow, emulate, simulate: She tried to pattern her
behaviour on that of her older sister. 8 decorate, figure,
ornament: Cynthia's gifts were wrapped in a beautifully
patterned paper.
paunch n. belly, pot-belly, Colloq corporation, US bay window, Slang
beer-belly: Capitalism is often conventionalized as a
top-hatted older man, in tails, with a huge paunch and a cigar.
pauper n. have-not, indigent, down-and-out(er), bankrupt, insolvent;
beggar, mendicant; tramp, hobo, vagrant, US bum: The mortgage
payments on such a lavish house soon made him a pauper.
pause v. 1 hesitate, interrupt, delay, hold up, discontinue, break,
wait, mark time, suspend, intermit, falter, rest: He paused for
a moment to allow late-comers to take their seats.
--n. 2 hesitation, interruption, delay, lull, lapse,
moratorium, hold-up, wait, break, breather, breathing-space,
discontinuity, lacuna, hiatus, abeyance, discontinuation,
discontinuance, Prosody caesura, Music fermata, Colloq let-up:
There was a brief pause, then the altercation in the
neighbouring flat resumed.
pave v. 1 macadamize, tarmac, asphalt, tile, flag, concrete, cover,
surface: Europeans thought that the streets of America were
paved with gold. 2 pave the way for or to. prepare or smooth the
way for, open the door for, make easy or easier for; facilitate,
ease: If I talk to him first, perhaps I can pave the way for
you to make your proposal.
pawn° v. 1 pledge, mortgage, hypothecate, plight, deposit, Formal
pignorate, Archaic gage, Colloq Brit pop, Chiefly US and
Canadian hock: I had to pawn my watch to get enough money to
eat. 2 venture, stake, risk, gamble, hazard, chance,
jeopardize: By agreeing to donate one of his kidneys, he pawned
his life to save hers.
--n. 3 collateral, guaranty or guarantee, pledge, surety,
security, assurance, bond, bail, deposit: She gave her jewels
as pawn for the safe return of the children.
pawnэ n. tool, cat's-paw, puppet, instrument, dummy, dupe, Colloq
stooge: He's not important: he's just being used as a pawn by
the powerful interests involved.
pay v. 1 recompense, compensate, remunerate, reward, indemnify;
repay, refund, reimburse; pay off, pay out, pay up, satisfy,
clear, remit, discharge, liquidate, settle, honour, meet: Do
you think that nurses are poorly paid? You have 30 days to pay
this invoice. 2 reward, benefit, recompense, requite,
compensate: Thurlew has been amply paid by having his name
engraved on the roll of honour. 3 extend, bestow, transmit, pass
on, give, deliver: Please pay my respects to your wife. 4
benefit, profit, avail, (turn out to) be or prove profitable or
worthwhile, yield a return, be advantageous, produce results,
pay off: It no longer pays to complain about the service in the
shops. Honesty pays. 5 pay back, repay, retaliate, settle
(accounts) (with), even the score or a score, reciprocate,
requite, take or get revenge on, avenge oneself for or on, treat
in kind, hit or strike or get back (at), settle or pay off or
even a score or the score (with), exact one's pound of flesh
(from), make (someone) pay (for), punish, chastise, castigate,
Brit pay out, Colloq get even (with): If I catch him, I'll pay
him for turning informer. 6 suffer (the consequences), answer
(for), make amends (for), atone (for), get one's (just) deserts,
undergo punishment (for), be punished (for): If I catch him,
I'll make him pay. Society requires that he pay for his crime. 7
produce or make or generate or earn money, yield a return, pay
off: His vending-machine business certainly pays well. 8 pay
back. a recompense, compensate, remunerate, reward, indemnify;
repay, pay off, refund, reimburse: I paid back every penny I
borrowed from the bank. I'll pay her back if it's the last thing
I do. b See 5, above. 9 pay for. See 6, above. 10 pay off. a
See 4 and 7, and 8(a), above. b bribe, suborn, buy off, grease
(someone's) palm, give (someone) a bribe or a rebate, Colloq
give (someone) a kickback, slip (someone) something: Did he
really pay off the judges to select his daughter as Miss
Tyneside? 11 pay out. a distribute, deal out, give out,
disperse, disburse: The managing director paid out bonuses to
the entire staff. b disburse, expend, spend, contribute, Colloq
shell out, lay out, US and Canadian and Australian and New
Zealand kick in with, Slang cough up, fork out or over or up:
In the office, we are forever paying out for leaving presents.
c release, loosen, let out, slack or slacken off (on): Pay out
more rope so that he can reach it. d See 5, above: We'll pay
him out for everything he's done to you, never fear!
--n. 12 payment, compensation, recompense, settlement, return;
remuneration, consideration, reward, money, wages, salary, fee,
honorarium, remittance, stipend, income, takings, take-home
(pay), gain, profit, Colloq US take: His sole pay for painting
the kitchen was a big hug and a kiss. The work is tedious, but
the pay isn't bad.
payable adj. due, owed, owing, outstanding, unpaid, receivable, mature:
This bill is payable at the end of the month.
payment n. 1 See pay, 12, above. 2 expenditure, disbursement,
distribution, outlay, fee, contribution, charge, expense,
payout: You are not authorized to make payment of any amount
over њ100.
pay-off n. 1 See pay, 12, above. 2 result, outcome, upshot,
conclusion, wind-up, settlement, final reckoning, Colloq
punch-line, crunch, grand finale, Slang US and Canadian kicker:
The pay-off was that permission to march on Sunday was denied.
3 bribe, graft, rebate; ransom, blood-money, Colloq kickback,
hush money, Chiefly US payola, US plugola: The pay-off was
always made in cash, in used notes.
peace n. 1 serenity, tranquillity, calm, calmness, placidity or
placidness, peace of mind, quiet, peacefulness, peaceableness,
stillness: For a summer holiday, we enjoy the peace of the
Lakes. 2 harmony, accord, harmoniousness, concord, amity,
peacefulness, peacetime; cease-fire, armistice, truce: Since
the Second World War, Europe has enjoyed more than 45 years of
relative peace.
peaceable adj. 1 See peaceful, 1, below. 2 pacific, inoffensive, dovish,
peace-loving, mild, non-violent, non-belligerent, unbelligerent,
unwarlike, non-warring, non-combative, temperate, agreeable,
compatible, congenial, genial, friendly, amiable, amicable,
cordial, civil: Despite cultural differences, the two countries
maintained peaceable relations.
peaceful adj. 1 peaceable, serene, placid, calm, quiet, quiescent,
gentle, restful, tranquil, untroubled, undisturbed, unruffled:
After our week-end guests left, the house was again peaceful. 2
See peaceable, 2, above.
peacemaker
n. conciliator, pacifier, reconciler, propitiator, placater,
pacificator, mediator, arbitrator, intermediator, intermediary,
diplomat, appeaser, interceder, go-between, referee, umpire,
adjudicator; peacemonger: The ambassador was called upon to act
as peacemaker between the warring nations.
peak n. 1 top, pinnacle, crest, ridge, tor, mountain top, summit,
mountain, eminence, elevation, hill: We were just able to make
out the snow-capped peaks in the distance. 2 top, tip, tiptop,
apex, acme, culmination, apogee, zenith, high point, crown,
extreme, utmost, uttermost, perfection, ne plus ultra,
consummation, climax: Irene has brought the office to a peak of
efficiency. 3 visor, brim, US bill, nib: The peak of the
fisherman's cap serves as an eyeshade.
--v. 4 rise, crest, culminate, (reach a) climax, top (out):
Prices peaked during the Christmas shopping season.
peaky adj. peakish, pinched, unhealthy, sickly, ailing, ill, unwell,
infirm, unwholesome, pale, pallid, wan, waxen, anaemic, pasty,
sallow, whey-faced, ashen, washed out, drained, emaciated,
wasted, gaunt, hollow-eyed, haggard, drawn, weak, feeble, US
peaked: Paul has been looking a bit peaky of late.
peal n. 1 ringing, ring, carillon, chime, chiming, toll, tolling,
clang, clangour, tintinnabulation, clamour, reverberation;
knell; clap, crash, roar, rumble, thunder: The constant peal of
the bells nearly drove him mad. The doleful peal rang out for
yet another fisherman lost at sea. A resounding peal of thunder
shook the house.
--v. 2 ring, toll, chime, clang, tintinnabulate, reverberate,
resonate, resound; knell; boom, crash, roar, roll, rumble,
thunder: The cowbells pealed plaintively, reminding me of my
youth in the Alps. Lightning flashed, and the echoing thunder
pealed through the valley.
pearl n. gem, treasure, prize, cream, flower, wonder, nonpareil:
Wasn't Cuba once called the Pearl of the Antilles?
pearly adj. nacreous, pearl-like, perlaceous, lustrous,
mother-of-pearl: The dress was trimmed with pink lace and
little pearly buttons.
peasant n. rustic, countryman, countrywoman, farmer, provincial, (farm)
worker, (country) bumpkin, bucolic; peon, fellah, muzhik or
mouzhik or mujik; Historical esne, serf, Archaic swain, hind,
churl, Derogatory yokel, hill-billy, bog-trotter, oaf, lump,
lout, boor, churl, clod, clodhopper; Colloq US and Canadian
hick, galoot or galloot, Derogatory hayseed, rube, Derogatory
and offensive US poor white (trash): Regimes came and went, but
the life of the medieval peasant endured.
peccadillo
n. slip, error, lapse, mistake, infraction, violation, misdeed,
shortcoming, misstep, blunder, faux pas, indiscretion, gaffe,
botch, stumble, fault, petty sin, (minor) transgression,
trespass, Colloq slip-up, goof: We have to forgive the
occasional peccadillo.
peculiar adj. 1 odd, curious, strange, queer, bizarre, weird, unusual,
abnormal, anomalous, aberrant, deviant or deviate, eccentric,
uncommon, outlandish, exceptional, extraordinary, out of the
ordinary, offbeat, unorthodox, atypical, idiosyncratic,
unconventional, out-of-the-way, quaint, unique, singular, one of
a kind, sui generis, distinct, distinguished, special,
particular, quirky, funny, freakish, Slang far-out, freaky, Brit
rum: Don't you agree that anyone who by choice goes barefoot in
winter is a bit peculiar? She enjoys a peculiar immunity to
colds. 2 Usually, peculiar to. typical of, characteristic of,
characterized by, natural to, symptomatic of, appropriate to or
for, distinctive of, restricted to, specific to, indicative of,
denotative of, limited to, individual to, personal to, special
to, unique to; seen or observed (only) in, local to, native to,
indigenous to: Such behaviour is peculiar to those who have
served long prison sentences.
--n. 3 Typography arbitrary, sort: Characters with diacritical
marks are called 'peculiars' in the printing trades.
peculiarity
n. 1 idiosyncrasy, oddity, eccentricity, abnormality,
irregularity, quirk, kink, crotchet, caprice: Keeping
alligators was only one of Jess's peculiarities. 2 feature,
characteristic, property, quality, trait, attribute, earmark,
hallmark, mark, particularity, singularity, Brit speciality, US
specialty: One of the peculiarities of the books is their wide
margins.
pedantic adj. 1 didactic, doctrinaire, donnish, pedagogic, pedantical,
preachy, professorial, bookish, ostentatious, pretentious,
sententious, pompous, vain, stuffy, stilted, stiff, dry: A
pedantic approach to marketing may be all right in the
classroom, but it doesn't sell products. 2 perfectionist,
scrupulous, overscrupulous, finicky or finical, fussy,
punctilious, fastidious, meticulous, exact, chop-logic,
hair-splitting, quibbling, Colloq nit-picking: His secretary
left because of his pedantic criticisms of her work.
peddle v. sell, hawk, market, vend, huckster, Colloq push, flog: He
is a publishing tycoon today, but he started by peddling books
door-to-door.
pedestal n. 1 foundation, base, platform, stand, substructure, mounting,
pier, foot, mounting, support, Technical plinth, socle, dado:
The statue crumbled away and only its pedestal remained. 2 put
or place or set on a pedestal. glorify, exalt, worship, deify,
revere, idolize, dignify, apotheosize, ennoble, elevate, raise:
No woman is worth putting on a pedestal.
pedestrian
n. 1 walker, stroller, ambler, rambler, footslogger; itinerant,
peripatetic: A special crossing has been installed for
pedestrians.
--adj. 2 boring, dull, banal, tiresome, commonplace, mundane,
tedious, unimaginative, uninteresting, monotonous,
run-of-the-mill, humdrum, stock, prosaic, insipid, dry, flat,
jejune, colourless, dreary, pale, ordinary, hackneyed, trite,
(as) dull as ditch-water or US also dishwater, vapid, stale,
uninspired, uninspiring, spiritless, lifeless, dead: The dean
delivered his customary pedestrian lecture to the new students.
3 walking, strolling, ambulatory, on foot, rambling,
peripatetic: We were exhausted after taking a pedestrian tour
of London.
pedigree n. (line of) descent, ancestry, genealogy, blood, bloodline,
line, extraction, lineage, stock, heritage, family, derivation,
birth, parentage, strain, roots: His pedigree is all right, but
does he have brains as well as money?
pedlar n. hawker, (door-to-door) salesman or saleswoman or
salesperson, vendor, huckster, seller, colporteur, US peddler,
drummer, Archaic chapman, Colloq cheapjack: How can you expect
the watch to work if you bought it from a street pedlar?
peek v. 1 peer, peep, glimpse, look, squint (at), squinny (at),
Scots keek, Colloq take or have a gander (at), Brit take a dekko
(at): A small boy peeked out from under the blanket.
--n. 2 look, glimpse, peep, glance, Scots keek, Colloq gander,
look-see: I've had a peek at what Father hid in the cupboard.
peel v. 1 Sometimes, peel off. skin, strip (off), pare, flay, flake
off, descale, decorticate; shuck, hull, bark, scale; desquamate:
Beulah, peel me a grape. 2 strip, undress, disrobe; do a
striptease: In the last act, everyone peels to the bare skin.
3 peel off. take off or doff, strip off: I peeled off my coat
and dived into the canal to save her.
--n. 4 skin, rind, coating, peeling: Don't you like candied
orange peel?
peep v. 1 chirp, tweet, cheep, squeak, twitter, pipe, chirrup: The
birds peeped excitedly when they saw the cat.
--n. 2 chirp, tweet, cheep, squeak, twitter, pipe, chirrup,
chirr or chirre or churr: The night was filled with the peep of
the frogs at the pond. 3 sound, complaint, outcry, protest,
protestation, grumble, murmur: The students didn't let out a
peep when ordered to remain after class.
peer° n. 1 noble, nobleman or noblewoman, lord or lady, aristocrat;
duke or duchess, marquess or marchioness, earl or countess,
viscount or viscountess, baron or baroness: As a peer of the
realm, she had certain rights. 2 equal, coequal, compeer, like,
match, confrЉre, associate, colleague: Under law, he is
entitled to trial by a jury of his peers.
peerэ v. 1 peep, peek, squint (at), squinny (at), look, examine; spy:
Scrooge peered closely at the accounts ledger. 2 appear, peep
through or out, break through, show, become visible, emerge:
Now and then, the moon peered through the clouds.
peerless adj. without equal, unequalled, matchless, unmatched,
unrivalled, unique, incomparable, beyond compare, unparalleled,
nonpareil, inimitable, unexcelled, unsurpassed, superior,
superb, excellent, supreme, superlative, finest, best, ne plus
ultra, sovereign, consummate, pre-eminent, paramount: James's
mother was a peerless beauty and the toast of her generation.
peevish adj. irritable, testy, touchy, fretful, ill-humoured, waspish,
petulant, crabbed, churlish, querulous, short-tempered,
ill-natured, tetchy, cross, bad-tempered, ill-tempered,
fault-finding, captious, carping, cavilling, crusty,
curmudgeonly, crotchety, cantankerous, grumpy or grumpish,
pettish, acrimonious, splenetic, Colloq bilious, US and Canadian
and Irish cranky: He's very peevish today, so don't get on his
wrong side.
peg v. 1 pin, dowel, rod, stick, bolt; thole or thole-pin;
clothes-peg, hook: Pegs and glue are often used for fastening
good furniture together. Hang your coat on the peg. 2 off the
peg. ready-made, ready-to-wear, stock: As bespoke clothing is
so dear, I buy mine off the peg. 3 take down a peg (or two).
humble, diminish, lower, subdue, suppress, downgrade, dishonour,
mortify, humiliate, put down, abase, debase, devalue or
devaluate: He was acting a bit high and mighty, so she took him
down a peg or two.
--v. 4 fasten, secure, make fast, fix, attach, pin: They
pegged the tent firmly to the ground. 5 fix, attach, pin, set
(by), control by, limit by, restrict, confine, freeze, bind,
regulate, govern: In indexing, the rate of inflation is often
used for pegging wages. 6 toss, throw, shy, flip, sling, cast:
I'll bet a fiver you can't peg that stone across the river. 7
peg away or US also along. work (away) (at), persevere (at),
apply oneself (to), persist (in or at), go to or at (it), keep
at (it), stick to or with or at (it), stay with or at (it),
carry on (with or at), Colloq plug away (at), beaver away (at),
hammer or bang or peck away (at): Trevor pegs away at his
homework every evening.
pell-mell adv. 1 helter-skelter, slapdash, rashly, feverishly,
incautiously, confusedly, chaotically, wildly, impulsively,
recklessly, slap-bang, impetuously, hastily, hurriedly,
precipitately, spontaneously: The ice-cream vendor pedalled
down the street with the children running pell-mell after him.
--adj. 2 helter-skelter, slapdash, rash, feverish, incautious,
confused, disordered, disorderly, disorganized, wild, mad,
chaotic, tumultuous, panicky, impulsive, reckless, precipitate,
impetuous, hasty, hurried: Quick action by the soldiers was
responsible for the pell-mell rout of the attackers.
--n. 3 confusion, disorder, chaos, tumult, pandemonium,
turmoil, m€l‚e or melee, furore or US furor, commotion, bedlam,
brouhaha, hubbub, excitement: In the pell-mell that followed,
several bystanders were injured.
pelt° v. 1 bombard, shower, bomb, pepper, strafe, batter, shell,
assail, assault, attack, US pummel or pommel, belabour, pound,
Old-fashioned lay about, Slang US clobber, wallop, paste, work
over: The hooligans pelted the crowd with sticks and stones. 2
Often, pelt down. beat, dash, pound, hit; come down, teem, pour,
Colloq rain cats and dogs, bucket down, US rain pitchforks: The
rain came pelting down just as we were ready to go out. 3 pelt
along or over. hurry, rush, run, dash, shoot, scoot, scurry:
The constables pelted along after the escaping thief.
--n. 4 stroke, blow, whack, hit, smack, slap, thwack, bang,
thump, Colloq wallop, belt: Chris received a pelt on the head
from a rock.
peltэ n. skin, hide, coat, fur, fleece: The trappers traded the fox
pelts for supplies.
pen° n. 1 writing instrument, fountain-pen, ball-point (pen), Brit
trade mark Biro, Old-fashioned quill: Dearest, I have finally
found time to put pen to paper. I prefer a pen with a fine
point.
--v. 2 write (down or up or out), jot down, (make a) note (of),
draft, draw up, compose, put on paper, commit to paper, commit
to writing, put in writing, scribble, scrawl, scratch, Formal
indite: While he was in prison, he penned letters to many men
of influence.
penэ n. 1 coop, enclosure, hutch, (pig)sty, pound, fold, stall,
confine, US and Canadian corral: We kept the geese in a pen by
the barn.
--v. 2 Often, pen up. enclose, confine, coop up, shut up,
impound, round up, US and Canadian corral: It took three of us
to pen the sheep. During the blockade, the ships remained penned
up at Gibraltar.
penal adj. correctional, punitive, disciplinary: Crime and its
punishment are covered in the penal code. He was sent to a penal
colony for life.
penalize v. punish, discipline, mulct, amerce, fine, handicap, impose or
invoke a penalty against, impose a penalty on, Formal amerce;
sentence: This judge penalizes speeders mercilessly.
penalty n. punishment, discipline, penance, sentence; forfeit, fine,
handicap, price, mulct, Formal amercement; imprisonment,
incarceration: The prosecution demanded the maximum penalty
allowable under law for the crimes.
penance n. 1 punishment, penalty, reparation, amends, atonement,
self-punishment, self-mortification, regret, repentance,
contrition, suffering, penitence: A year of public service was
fair penance for the offence. 2 do penance. pay, suffer, make
amends or reparation(s), atone, wear sackcloth and ashes or a
hair-shirt: She has done penance enough for her crime.
penchant n. inclination, bent, proclivity, leaning, bias,
predisposition, predilection, partiality, proneness, propensity,
tendency, affinity, liking, preference, fondness, taste: Agnes
has a penchant for tennis and for men who play tennis.
pendant n. ornament, tassel, lavaliere or lavaliЉre, medallion, locket,
necklace, riviЉre, ear-drop, tear-drop, drop, Old-fashioned
carcanet: I recognized the pendant she wore at her neck as my
mother's.
pending prep. 1 awaiting, waiting (for), depending on, till, until,
'til, till such time as; while, during: Pending the outcome of
the trial, he was remanded in custody.
--adj. 2 unsettled, undetermined, undecided, unconfirmed,
unfinished, inconclusive, up in the air, hanging fire, in the
balance, in abeyance; forthcoming, imminent, impending, in the
offing, Colloq US in a holding pattern, on hold: The pending
negotiations on the rent will determine whether we stay or move
house. While the matter is pending, we can do nothing.
pendulous adj. 1 pendent, hanging, drooping, sagging, dangling,
suspended, pensile: The weaver-bird's pendulous nest is a
marvel of engineering. 2 swinging, swaying, waving, undulating,
undulatory, oscillating, oscillatory: I was hypnotized by the
pendulous motion of the bell.
penetrate v. 1 enter, go or pass through or into, pierce, bore (into),
lance, spear, go through or into, probe, stab, puncture,
perforate, drill: The shell penetrated the tank's heavy armour.
2 permeate, diffuse, suffuse, pervade, filter or seep through,
percolate through: The soothing balm penetrated my aching body
and I relaxed into a deep sleep. 3 reach, get to, get at, touch,
affect, hit, strike: Her cruel words penetrated the darkest
recesses of my soul. 4 sink in, be absorbed, be understood,
register, come or get through, become clear, come across, be
realized, Colloq soak in, seep in: It took a while for it to
penetrate that she did not wish to see him again. 5 understand,
sense, become aware or conscious of, see (through), gain insight
(in)to, discern, uncover, discover, find (out), comprehend,
grasp, work out, unravel, fathom, perceive, Colloq get, figure
out, dig, Brit suss out: Will we ever penetrate all of nature's
secrets?
penetrating
adj. 1 incisive, trenchant, keen, searching, deep, acute,
sharp, perceptive, perspicuous, percipient, quick,
discriminating, intelligent, sensitive, clever, smart,
discerning: This is a penetrating analysis of the situation
which clarifies many of the issues. 2 piercing, shrill,
strident, ear-splitting, ear-shattering, pervasive; pungent,
harsh, biting, mordant, strong, stinging: I was awakened by a
penetrating scream. The penetrating odour of ammonia assailed my
nostrils.
penetration
n. 1 piercing, perforation, puncturing, incision, puncture,
penetrating; inroad, entry, entrance: Penetration of the skull
required great effort on the part of the surgeon. Tentatively we
attempted the penetration of the jungle. 2 insight, keenness,
perception, percipience, intelligence, perspicacity,
perspicuity, perspicaciousness, perceptiveness, acuteness,
incisiveness, sensitivity, sentience, understanding, acuteness,
discernment, discrimination, cleverness, shrewdness, wit,
quick-wittedness: We all admired the penetration that was shown
by the examiner in the questions she asked.
penitence n. penance, contrition, regret, repentance, regretfulness,
compunction, remorse, sorrow, sorrowfulness, ruefulness, grief,
sadness, shame, self-reproach: Brendan's penitence for his
former misdeeds was shown by his selfless devotion to good
causes.
penitent adj. contrite, regretful, repentant, remorseful, sorrowful,
sorry, rueful, grief-stricken, sad, shame-faced,
self-reproachful, apologetic, conscience-stricken: He said that
he was truly penitent for all the heinous crimes of his youth.
penmanship
n. calligraphy, hand, fine Italian or Italic hand, handwriting,
script, writing, longhand, chirography: One must admire the
penmanship of the medieval scribes.
pennant n. flag, banner, pennon, streamer, banderole, gonfalon, ensign,
colours, standard, labarum, Chiefly nautical jack, Nautical and
yachting burgee, Technical vexillum: We saw from her pennant
that she was a Spanish frigate.
pension n. 1 benefit, allowance, annuity, subsistence, superannuation,
allotment, old-age pension, US social security, Colloq golden
handshake: She finds that her pension is not enough to live on.
--v. 2 Usually, pension off. (cause to) retire, superannuate;
dismiss; Colloq shelve, put out to pasture: The company cut
back on staff by pensioning off everyone over 60.
pensioner n. retiree, veteran, senior citizen, Brit OAP (= 'old-age
pensioner'), US golden-ager, Colloq Brit wrinkly: The housing
units were specially designed for pensioners' needs.
pensive adj. thoughtful, meditative, musing, in a brown study,
cogitative, contemplative, reflective, preoccupied, ruminative,
wistful, day-dreaming, in a trance, in a reverie, brooding,
sober, serious, grave: I found the professor in a pensive mood,
staring out the window.
pent-up adj. restrained, constrained, repressed, stifled, bottled-up,
corked-up, held in, checked, held back, curbed, inhibited,
restricted: After weeks of frustration, he wanted to release
his pent-up emotions in a scream. They went jogging to try to
work off their pent-up energy.
penurious adj. 1 stingy, mean, penny-pinching, miserly, tight,
tight-fisted, close-fisted, cheese-paring, niggardly, cheap,
ungenerous, parsimonious, skinflinty, thrifty, begrudging,
grudging, Scrooge-like, Colloq near, Brit mingy, US chintzy:
Even today, he is so penurious that he gives his children an
allowance of only 50 pence a week. 2 poor, poverty-stricken,
destitute, impoverished, penniless, indigent, needy,
impecunious, necessitous, beggarly, bankrupt, Colloq (dead or
flat) broke, stony-broke, hard up: They lived in penurious
circumstances.
people n.pl. 1 persons, individuals, men and women, ladies and
gentlemen, males and females, living souls; mortals; bodies:
How many people can this aeroplane carry? 2 relations,
relatives, kin, kinsmen, kinsfolk or US and Canadian kinfolk,
family, kith and kin; ancestors, forebears: His people left
Russia in 1917. 3 masses, (general) public, hoi polloi,
consumers, multitude, populace, common people, common man,
commoners, subjects, citizenry, plebeians, grass roots,
proletariat, rank and file, the crowd, commonalty or
commonality, mobile vulgus, bourgeoisie; man or woman in the
street, Everyman, Everywoman, Mr or Mrs Average, Brit A. N.
Other, Joe Bloggs, man or woman on the Clapham omnibus, US John
Doe, Mary Doe, Richard Roe, John Q. Public; Colloq and often
derogatory proles, the rabble, ragtag and bobtail, silent
majority, common herd, Brit plebs, admass: Politicians unable
to communicate with the people are seldom elected.
--n.sing. 4 race, community, clan, tribe, folk, nation,
population, society: On the subject of religion, they were a
people divided. The anthropologists were studying the peoples
south of the Sahara.
--v. 5 populate, colonize, settle, occupy: The area was once
peopled with Berber tribesmen.
pep n. 1 vigour, vim (and vigour), spirit, animation, vivacity,
energy, verve, zest, fire, sprightliness, life, effervescence,
sparkle, ebullience, dash, enthusiasm, brio, ‚lan, Colloq zip,
zing: He certainly has a lot of pep for an octogenarian.
--v. 2 pep up. stimulate, invigorate, animate, enliven,
vitalize, vivify, energize, exhilarate, quicken, arouse, breathe
(some) life into, inspire, activate, actuate, fire, cheer up,
Colloq buck up, spark, work or fire up, US wind up: After those
defeats, the team needed to be pepped up.
pepper v. sprinkle, scatter, dot, speckle, fleck, spot, spray,
bespeckle, speckle, spatter, stipple, mottle: The letter was
peppered with ink-spots. Their speech was peppered with
swear-words.
perceive v. 1 see, make out, discern, catch sight of, glimpse, spot,
espy, apprehend, take in, notice, note, discover, descry,
observe, mark, remark, identify, distinguish, detect: I
perceived his hesitation when a solo flight was suggested. She
perceived a strange odour emanating from the cupboard. 2
appreciate, grasp, feel, sense, apprehend, understand, gather,
comprehend, deduce, infer, figure out, ascertain, determine,
conclude, decipher, Colloq dig, catch on: She perceived that he
was going to renege on his promise to take her to the Riviera. 3
Often, perceive of. regard, view, look on, consider,
contemplate, judge, deem, believe, think: Calthorpe perceives
of himself as a great actor, but he is dreadful. This gesture
is often perceived as threatening.
percentage
n. share, part, portion, proportion, interest, piece, Colloq
cut: We are to get a percentage of the profits in return for
our investment.
perceptible
adj. discernible, detectable, observable, perceivable,
noticeable, distinguishable, recognizable, apparent, evident,
notable, obvious, patent, manifest, palpable, plain, clear,
prominent, unmistakable or unmistakeable: There are perceptible
differences between your playing and Heifetz's.
perception
n. 1 appreciation, grasp, apprehension, understanding,
comprehension, knowledge, perspective, view: Mrs Hart's
perception of the situation is quite different from mine. 2
intuition, insight, instinct, feel, feeling, sense, impression,
awareness, idea, notion, consciousness, realization: Norton
hasn't the slightest perception of what is going on behind his
back at the office.
perceptive
adj. astute, alert, attentive, quick, alive, quick-witted,
intelligent, acute, sharp, sensitive, sensible, percipient,
discerning, observant, perspicacious; on the qui vive; Colloq on
the ball: No one was sufficiently perceptive to predict the
full extent of the recession. She is perhaps the most perceptive
journalist writing on French politics today.
perch n. 1 roost, rest, seat; spot, location, position, place, site,
vantage point, perspective: From his perch at the top of the
cliff, Martin had a clear view of the cave entrance.
--v. 2 roost, rest, sit, nest; place, put, set, situate,
locate, position, site: The owl was perched in the tree,
waiting for the vole to appear from its burrow.
percolate v. seep, steep, transfuse, leach, drip, drain, strain, filter,
pervade, infuse, ooze, transude, filtrate, trickle, permeate,
suffuse, penetrate: The earth is too hard for the rainwater to
percolate to the roots below. It slowly percolated through to me
that Clare had told the police where I was hiding.
perdition n. damnation, hell, hell-fire, doom, ruin, condemnation,
destruction, ruination, downfall: If what divines call lust be
punished with perdition, who is pure?
peremptory
adj. 1 commanding, imperative, compelling, obligatory,
mandatory, irrefutable, incontrovertible, decretal: After the
sound of marching came a peremptory knock at the door. 2
decisive, final, preclusive, arbitrary, categorical,
unequivocal, dogmatic, unconditional, unreserved, flat,
out-and-out, outright, unqualified, unmitigated: The juror was
subject to peremptory dismissal because he was the defendant's
cousin. 3 imperious, authoritative, tyrannical, despotic,
dictatorial, autocratic, emphatic, positive, firm, insistent,
Colloq bossy: How dare you take such a peremptory tone when
speaking to your father!
perennial adj. 1 durable, lasting, continuing, enduring, constant,
stable, lifelong, persistent, incessant, uninterrupted,
continual, continuous, chronic: Once we expected our rivers to
yield a perennial supply of fresh water. Bing Crosby has been a
perennial favourite since the 1930s. 2 permanent, unfailing,
never-failing, endless, unending, ceaseless, unceasing,
imperishable, undying, perpetual, everlasting, timeless,
eternal, immortal, Literary sempiternal: The artificial flowers
at her grave symbolize Ingrid's perennial youth.
perfect adj. 1 complete, absolute, finished, (fully) realized,
fulfilled, consummate, pure, entire, whole, perfected, best,
ideal: Many have called the building a perfect example of the
Palladian style. 2 sublime, ideal, superb, supreme, superlative,
best, flawless, faultless, pre-eminent, excellent, exquisite,
unexcelled, unrivalled, unequalled, unmatched, matchless,
incomparable, nonpareil, peerless, inimitable: At her throat
she wore the most perfect emerald I had ever seen. 3 blameless,
righteous, holy, faultless, flawless, spotless, immaculate:
Nobody's perfect. 4 fitting, appropriate, (just) right, apt,
suitable, correct, proper, made-to-order, best, Brit spot on:
Arthur would be perfect for the role of Quasimodo. 5 precise,
exact, accurate, correct, unerring, true, authentic, lifelike,
right on, excellent, superlative, superb, reliable, Brit spot
on: These copies are perfect replicas of the original. 6
utter, absolute, complete, mere, thorough, out-and-out,
through-and-through; 24-carat, categorical, unqualified,
unalloyed, unmitigated: We were perfect strangers at the time.
Once again, he's shown himself to be a perfect idiot. 7 expert,
proficient, accomplished, experienced, practised, skilful,
skilled, gifted, talented, adept, deft, adroit, polished,
professional, masterly, masterful: The admirable Crichton was
the perfect butler.
--v. 8 complete, finish, realize, fulfil, consummate,
accomplish, achieve, effect, execute, carry out or through,
bring (to perfection): The design of the bicycle was not to be
perfected for several years. 9 rectify, correct, emend, (put or
set) right, improve, refine, polish, cultivate, better,
ameliorate: Viniculture has been perfected in the Bordeaux
region of France.
perfection
n. 1 purity, flawlessness, faultlessness, sublimity,
superiority, excellence, pre-eminence, transcendence: Though we
strive for perfection, we never can achieve it. 2 completion,
completeness, achievement, fulfilment, realization,
consummation, accomplishment, attainment: The building doesn't
reach perfection till the last roof-tile is in place. 3 ideal,
paragon, model, archetype, pattern, mould, standard,
idealization, essence, quintessence, acme, pinnacle, summit:
Machiavelli probably achieved the perfection of political
cunning.
perfectionist
n. 1 purist, pedant, precisian, precisionist, stickler, Colloq
fusspot, US fuss-budget: The foreman is such a perfectionist
that there's no satisfying him.
--adj. 2 meticulous, precise, punctilious, scrupulous,
exacting, particular, demanding, fastidious, fussy; obsessive;
Colloq picky, nit-picking: She takes a perfectionist attitude
towards everything she does.
perfectly adv. 1 completely, purely, entirely, absolutely, utterly,
totally, wholly, consummately, thoroughly, quite, definitely,
positively, unambiguously, unequivocally, unmistakably or
unmistakeably, explicitly, truly, very, extremely,
extraordinarily, remarkably: Your instructions for finding the
house were perfectly clear. 2 superbly, superlatively,
flawlessly, faultlessly, impeccably, inimitably, incomparably,
sublimely, exquisitely, marvellously, admirably, wonderfully:
Sally plays that Chopin ‚tude perfectly. 3 exactly, precisely,
flawlessly, faultlessly, accurately, literally, line for line,
word for word, verbatim, letter for letter, to the letter,
literatim: He knows the entire Koran perfectly. 4 very, full,
quite, Dialect right, Brit jolly, Slang damned, bloody: You
know perfectly well that I hate cauliflower.
perfidious
adj. treacherous, deceitful, traitorous, treasonous,
treasonable, disloyal, faithless, false, unfaithful, untrue,
insidious, hypocritical, two-faced, Janus-faced, corrupt,
dishonest: His perfidious brother betrayed him to his enemies.
perfidy n. perfidiousness, treachery, deceit, traitorousness, treason,
disloyalty, faithlessness, falseness, falsity, unfaithfulness,
infidelity, insidiousness, hypocrisy, betrayal: The name of
Judas is a byword for perfidy.
perforate v. riddle, puncture, pierce, honeycomb, drill, bore, punch;
enter, penetrate, pass into: A perforated metal screen let
through a pattern of light. The bullet perforated his lung but
he survived.
perform v. 1 execute, complete, bring off or about, accomplish, effect,
carry out, discharge, dispatch, conduct, carry on, do, fulfil,
Colloq pull off, knock off, polish off; put up or shut up:
Postmen perform their duties despite hazards such as vicious
dogs. 2 do, act, behave, operate, function, run, work, go,
respond: How does your new car perform? 3 present, stage,
produce, put on, mount, do; act, depict, take, play, appear as:
The repertory group performs six shows weekly. He is performing
the role of Scrooge.
performance
n. 1 execution, completion, bringing off or about,
accomplishment, effectuation, carrying out, discharge, dispatch,
conduct, carrying-on, doing, fulfilment: The soldiers acquitted
themselves nobly in the performance of their duties. 2 show,
exhibition, exhibit, play, playing, engagement, act, appearance,
Colloq gig: She does three performances nightly at the Blue
Angel. 3 playing, acting, interpretation, presentation,
portrayal: His performance in the courtroom scene was
outstanding. 4 behaviour, conduct, deportment, demeanour: Her
performance in the pub last night was outrageous. 5 scene,
show, exhibition, display: The lad put on quite a performance
till threatened with punishment by the headmaster.
performer n. actor or actress, artiste, Thespian, trouper, player: They
received their training as performers in a repertory company.
perfume n. 1 essence, extract, parfum, eau-de-Cologne, toilet water,
scent, fragrance; aroma, odour, smell, bouquet, nose: What is
that wonderful perfume you're wearing? The perfume of the wine
wafted over to me.
--v. 2 scent: Orange blossoms perfumed the air.
perfunctory
adj. 1 routine, mechanical, automatic, robot-like, unthinking,
businesslike, unspontaneous, formal, dismissive, inattentive,
uninvolved, apathetic, indifferent, unconcerned, removed,
distant, d‚gag‚, offhand, heedless, uninterested, hasty,
hurried, superficial, cursory, fleeting, rushed: I don't care
for the perfunctory service in those fast-food restaurants. 2
careless, slipshod, slovenly, negligent, sketchy, spotty: The
bill, made out in a perfunctory fashion, was incorrect.
perhaps adv. maybe, possibly, it is possible that, conceivably, as the
case may be, it may be, Archaic or literary perchance,
peradventure, Archaic or dialect mayhap: Perhaps she'll be on
the next train.
peril n. danger, threat, risk, jeopardy, exposure, vulnerability,
susceptibility, uncertainty, insecurity: You enter there at
your peril. It was a time of peril for us all. The child's life
was in peril.
perilous adj. dangerous, risky, hazardous, vulnerable, susceptible,
uncertain, insecure, unsafe, unsure: Why undertake such a
perilous journey alone?
perimeter n. boundary, border, borderline, margin, periphery, limit(s),
bounds, ambit, circumference, edge, verge, fringe(s), Archaic or
literary bourn or bourne: The perimeter of the military base is
patrolled by sentry dogs.
period n. 1 interval, time, term, span, duration, spell, space,
stretch; while; Colloq chiefly Brit patch: During the period of
his absence, his children had grown up. I waited a short period,
then phoned again. We went through a bad period last year. 2
era, days, epoch, aeon, age, years: During the Old English
period, very little was written down. 3 full stop: Place
periods at the ends of sentences.
periodic adj. periodical, intermittent, regular, recurrent, repetitive,
iterative, cyclic(al), repeated; episodic, sporadic, occasional:
We called in the plumber because of the periodic hammering in
the pipes. The next periodic return of Halley's comet is
expected in 2061-62.
periodical
n. magazine, journal, paper, publication, newsletter, organ,
serial, weekly, fortnightly, semi-monthly, monthly, bi-monthly,
quarterly, semi-annual, annual, yearbook, almanac, Rare
hebdomadal or hebdomadary: Nicole's story will soon be
published in an important literary periodical.
peripheral
adj. 1 incidental, unimportant, minor, secondary, inessential
or unessential, non-essential, unnecessary, superficial,
tangential, irrelevant, beside the point: Let's ignore the
peripheral issues for the time being and concentrate on the
important ones. 2 circumferential, external, perimetric,
outside, outer: The peripheral measurement of the figure is
seven inches.
periphery n. 1 perimeter, circumference, border, edge, rim, brim, ambit,
boundary, bound, margin: Trees will be planted along the
periphery of the car park. 2 surface, edge, superficies: Your
analysis deals with the periphery, not the core, of the problem.
perish v. die, expire, lose (one's) life, be killed, be lost, meet
(one's) death, be destroyed: Three gnus perished in the fire at
the zoo.
perjury n. lying, mendacity, mendaciousness, forswearing,
prevarication, bearing false witness: The defendant was
acquitted and the prosecution witnesses charged with perjury.
perk n. See perquisite, below.
perk up v. cheer up, become jaunty, brighten, liven up, invigorate,
smarten up, quicken, (re)vitalize, pep up, revive, inspirit,
Colloq buck up: The old lady perks up when her grandchildren
come to visit. To perk up the party, Peter suggested we should
all play a game.
perky adj. lively, cheery, cheerful, jaunty, bouncy, bright,
invigorated, vigorous, vitalized, peppy, spirited, sprightly,
frisky, animated, vivacious, effervescent, bubbly, buoyant, gay,
Colloq bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, full of pep: Sue's been
quite perky since she started going with Trevor.
permanence
n. permanency, stability, durability, fixedness,
changelessness, lasting quality, longevity, endurance,
persistence, dependability, reliability, survival: The new
roofing material is being tested for permanence.
permanent adj. 1 everlasting, eternal, unending, endless, perpetual,
unceasing, constant, undying, imperishable, indestructible,
stable, abiding, long-lasting, lasting, enduring, perennial,
long-lived, durable: The satellite is in permanent orbit around
the earth. 2 unchanging, invariable, changeless, fixed,
unchangeable, immutable, unalterable, stable, persistent: This
stain is permanent and will not come out in the wash. Bonham is
a permanent member of the executive committee.
permanently
adv. forever, for good, once and for all, forevermore, always,
eternally, everlastingly; perpetually, constantly, incessantly,
non-stop, continuously, endlessly, ceaselessly, unendingly,
interminably: Is the boy permanently disabled? According to one
theory the universe will not continue to expand permanently.
permeate v. imbue, diffuse, penetrate, pervade, infiltrate, enter,
spread through(out), saturate, seep through(out), percolate
through, soak through: He felt the warmth permeate every limb.
Greed seemed to permeate every level of society.
permissible
adj. allowable, admissible, acceptable, allowed, permitted,
tolerable, legal, licit, lawful, legitimate, authorized, proper,
(all) right; pardonable, excusable, venial, Colloq OK or okay,
kosher, legit: Some things that are permissible are not
necessarily honourable.
permission
n. consent, assent, leave, acquiescence, sufferance, tolerance,
laxity, leniency or lenience, leave, licence, sanction,
acceptance, authorization, approval, approbation, countenance,
allowance, liberty, indulgence, sufferance; franchise,
enfranchisement: Have you permission to watch television? She
eats anything she likes with the doctor's permission.
permissive
adj. assenting, consenting, indulgent, lenient, latitudinarian,
acquiescent, lax, easygoing, liberal, tolerant,
non-constraining, non-restrictive, libertarian: Allison grew up
in the permissive society of the 1960s.
permit v. 1 Often, permit to. allow, agree (to), consent (to), give
permission or leave (to), authorize, sanction, license,
tolerate, countenance, suffer, brook, admit, grant, enable,
empower, franchise, enfranchise; let: He permitted me to use
his name as a reference. Do they permit smoking here?
--n. 2 licence, authority, authorization, franchise, warrant;
pass, passport, visa: Your parking permit expired last week.
Shirley has a permit to visit Tibet.
perpendicular
adj. 1 erect, upright, vertical, plumb, straight (up and down):
The plumb-line shows that the wall isn't perpendicular. 2
Often, perpendicular to. at right angles (to), at 90 degrees
(to): The two paths are perpendicular to one another.
perpetrate
v. commit, execute, perform, carry out or through, effect,
effectuate, accomplish, do, be responsible for, practise, Colloq
pull (off): Atrocities were perpetrated on both sides in the
war.
perpetual adj. 1 eternal, infinite, everlasting, never-ending, unending,
perennial, ageless, timeless, long-lived, permanent, unceasing,
lasting, enduring, unvarying, unchanging, immutable, invariable,
undeviating, Literary sempiternal: They declared their
perpetual love for each other. 2 constant, uninterrupted,
continuous, unfailing, incessant, persistent, unremitting,
unending, non-stop, endless, recurrent, continual, repetitive:
Why should we have to listen to the neighbours' perpetual
bickering?
perpetuate
v. continue, maintain, extend, keep (on or up), keep going,
preserve, memorialize, immortalize, eternalize: Thoughtless
jokes can perpetuate damaging stereotypes.
perpetuity
n. permanence, constancy, timelessness; eternity: The estate
was bequeathed to the townspeople in perpetuity.
perplex v. confuse, bewilder, puzzle, mystify, distract, baffle,
befuddle, confound, muddle, disconcert, stump, nonplus, stymie,
stupefy, stun, daze, dumbfound or dumfound, flabbergast, Colloq
bamboozle, hornswoggle, Chiefly US and Canadian discombobulate,
throw for a loop: The more I tried to understand bathymetric
semiotics, the more perplexed I became. Anne-Marie's reticence
perplexed us all.
perplexing
adj. confusing, bewildering, puzzling, mystifying, baffling,
confounding, disconcerting, stupefying, flabbergasting,
enigmatic, paradoxical, incomprehensible, unfathomable,
impenetrable, recondite, arcane, labyrinthine, complex,
complicated, Byzantine, intricate, involved, convoluted,
twisted, knotty, Gordian: The writing is filled with perplexing
references to the author's personal experiences, of which the
reader is told nothing.
perplexity
n. 1 confusion, bewilderment, bafflement, distress, doubt,
difficulty: My perplexity grew as he related his version of the
event. 2 intricacy, complexity, complicatedness, arcaneness,
reconditeness, impenetrability, impenetrableness, involvement,
unfathomability, obscurity, difficulty: The more deeply the
enigma was probed, the greater its perplexity. 3 puzzle,
enigma, mystery, dilemma, problem, paradox, catch-22, quandary,
predicament, bind: Because of the interlocking directorships of
the companies, we faced many perplexities in trying to sort out
what had happened to the funds.
perquisite
n. consideration, emolument, bonus, (fringe) benefit, extra,
bonus, dividend, gratuity, tip, douceur, baksheesh, token (of
appreciation), US lagniappe or lagnappe, Colloq perk: It was
traditional to provide each director with a company car as a
perquisite.
persecute v. 1 oppress, suppress, subjugate, maltreat, ill-treat, abuse,
outrage, molest, victimize, tyrannize, afflict, punish, martyr,
torment, torture: For years black people had been persecuted.
2 bother, annoy, pester, plague, hector, bully, badger, harry,
harass, irritate, worry, vex, trouble, worry, importune, hound:
Her lawyers continually persecuted him for non-payment of
alimony.
persecution
n. 1 oppression, suppression, subjugation, maltreatment,
ill-treatment, abuse, outrage, molestation, victimization,
tyranny, affliction, punishment, torment, torture: They
suffered persecution because of their difference of religion. 2
bother, annoyance, hectoring, bullying, badgering, harrying,
harassing, irritation, worry, vexation, trouble: The press is
often guilty of the persecution of famous people.
perseverance
n. persistence, steadfastness, determination, resolution,
resolve, decisiveness, decision, firmness, purposefulness,
pertinacity, staying power, stamina, sedulousness, assiduity,
grit, pluck, tirelessness, indefatigableness, indefatigability,
patience, endurance, diligence, devotion, tenacity, doggedness,
stubbornness, inflexibility, obstinacy, obstinateness,
obdurateness, Colloq guts, US stick-to-it-iveness: Perseverance
is essential for success in the theatre.
persevere v. Often, persevere in or with or at. persist, resolve, decide,
endure, continue, carry on or through, keep at or on or up, be
steadfast or staunch or constant, keep going, stand fast or
firm, see through, be or remain determined or resolved or
resolute or stalwart or purposeful or uncompromising, be
tenacious or persistent or constant or pertinacious or assiduous
or sedulous, be tireless or untiring or indefatigable, show
determination or pluck or grit, be plucky, be patient or
diligent or stubborn or inflexible or adamant or obstinate or
obdurate, show or exhibit or demonstrate patience or diligence
or stubbornness or inflexibility or obstinacy or obduracy,
remain dogged, pursue doggedly, be intransigent or intractable,
cling to, stick to, support, stop at nothing, sustain, Colloq
stick with, stick (it) out: We must persevere if we are to win.
I shall persevere in my loyalty.
persist v. 1 Often, persist in or at. persevere, be persistent, insist
(on), stand firm or fast, be steadfast or staunch, strive, toil,
labour, work (hard) (at): She persists in arguing her
innocence. Only those who persist will succeed. 2 remain,
continue, endure, carry on, keep up or on, last, linger, stay:
The bad weather persisted through the weekend.
persistence
n. perseverance, resolve, determination, resolution,
steadfastness, tenacity, constancy, assiduity, stamina,
tirelessness, indefatigability, indefatigableness, tirelessness,
pluck, grit, patience, diligence, pertinacity, doggedness,
stubbornness, obstinacy, obduracy: By sheer persistence he got
his own way.
persistent
adj. 1 persisting, persevering, tenacious, steadfast, firm,
fast, fixed, staunch, resolute, resolved, determined,
unfaltering, unswerving, undeviating, unflagging, tireless,
untiring, indefatigable, dogged, unwavering, stubborn,
obstinate, obdurate, inflexible, rigid: He was persistent in
his demands for justice. The inspector never gave up his
persistent pursuit of criminals. 2 continuing, constant,
continuous, continual, unending, interminable, unremitting,
unrelenting, perpetual, incessant, unceasing, non-stop: The
persistent rainy weather began to depress us. At last he gave in
to her persistent complaints and bought a washing machine.
person n. 1 individual, human (being), being, man or woman or child,
(living) soul; mortal: Not a single person knew the answer to
my question. 2 in person. physically, personally, bodily,
actually, myself or yourself or himself or herself or ourselves
or yourselves, or themselves, Colloq in the flesh: The
correspondent visited the battlefield in person to see for
himself the extent of the carnage. I know their records, but I
have never seen them in person.
persona n. face, front, fa‡ade, mask, guise, exterior, role, part,
character, identity, self: Her office persona is quite
different from the one she displays at home.
personage n. celebrity, luminary, VIP, name, notable, somebody,
personality, star, superstar, magnate, mogul, Colloq big-shot,
big wheel, hotshot, hot stuff, Brit big noise, Theatre US
headliner: My cousin is fast becoming a personage in the
financial world.
personal adj. 1 individual, physical, bodily, actual, live; in person,
in the flesh: The star is scheduled to make a personal
appearance on tonight's chat show. 2 intimate, exclusive,
private, special, particular: Would you do me a personal
favour? I hear they are having personal problems. 3 intimate,
close, dear, bosom, familiar, special: Wendy happens to be a
personal friend of ours. 4 intimate, individual; disparaging,
slighting, offensive, derogatory, critical, deprecating,
belittling, adverse, unfriendly, insulting: He should confine
his criticism to her acting and avoid personal remarks.
personality
n. 1 character, nature, temperament, disposition, make-up,
persona; identity, psyche: Miles has an extremely abrasive
personality that has upset many people. 2 celebrity, luminary,
star, superstar, name, headliner, somebody: Whom shall we get
as a personality to attract the crowds?
personalized
adj. monogrammed, initialled, individualized; signed: They
ordered personalized stationery with their new address on it.
personally
adv. 1 in person, alone, by oneself, on one's own, myself or
yourself or himself or herself or ourselves or yourselves or
themselves, Colloq in the flesh: She has not met them
personally, but we have. They will see to the matter personally.
2 in one's own view or opinion, for one's part, for oneself, as
far as one is concerned, from one's own viewpoint, from where
one stands, as one sees it or things, as for oneself:
Personally, I wasn't sure I would make it. 3 as an individual,
as a person, privately, in private: I like him personally but
would never have him as my dentist.
personify v. 1 embody, typify, exemplify, epitomize, be the embodiment
of, manifest, represent, stand for, symbolize, Archaic
impersonate, personate: In my view, he personifies everything
that is evil. 2 humanize, personalize: In literature,
personifying inanimate things in nature with human attributes is
called the pathetic fallacy.
perspective
n. 1 (point of) view, viewpoint, standpoint, prospect, vantage
point, position, angle, Colloq where one is coming from: I can
see that my view would be illogical from his perspective. 2
attitude, position, angle, approach, sentiment, outlook,
lookout: Management has a different perspective on what is good
for the company.
perspiration
n. sweat, dampness, wetness; sweating; Technical sudor;
diaphoresis: I could feel the perspiration stand out on my
forehead. They say that perspiration makes one cooler on a hot
day.
persuade v. 1 urge, induce, prevail upon, influence, exhort, importune,
dispose, incline, prompt, sway, press: The officer persuaded
him to surrender. 2 bring round, convince, win over, talk or
argue into, convert: We persuaded her to open the door. He was
persuaded to vote Labour.
persuasion
n. 1 inducement, inducing, influence, influencing, exhortation,
exhorting, persuading: At the bank's persuasion, the company
tightened up its cashflow management. She has extraordinary
powers of persuasion at her command. 2 opinion, belief, creed,
faith, set of beliefs, faith, religion, (religious) conviction;
sect, denomination, faction, school (of thought), affiliation:
Till he met Maggie, he had always been of the Baptist
persuasion.
persuasive
adj. convincing, telling, influential, effective, productive,
impressive, efficacious, cogent, weighty, compelling, forceful,
valid, winning, authoritative, dynamic: His most persuasive
argument for our leaving was that if we stayed we'd be shot.
pert adj. 1 forward, brash, brazen, cheeky, insolent, impertinent,
flippant, saucy, bold, presumptuous, impudent, disrespectful,
audacious, rude, impolite, uncivil, ill-mannered, unmannerly,
Archaic malapert, Colloq fresh, flip, out of line, brassy,
big-mouthed, wise-guy, Slang Brit smart-arsed, US smart-ass(ed),
wise-ass(ed): He's a clever child, but I don't like his pert
manner. 2 lively, jaunty, ebullient, vivacious, enthusiastic,
bouncy, sprightly, brisk, cheerful, jolly, bright, perky,
animated, nimble: She is usually quite pert in the morning,
becoming depressed as the day wears on.
pertain v. Often, pertain to. concern, refer to, regard, have reference
or relation (to), apply (to), relate (to), include, cover,
affect, appertain (to), be appropriate (to), be fitting (for),
befit, bear on, have bearing (on): The sign, 'Keep Off the
Grass', does not pertain to the people who mow the lawn, Morris.
pertinent adj. pertaining, appropriate, fitting, suitable, apt, relevant,
germane, apropos, apposite: Try to keep your comments pertinent
to the subject under discussion.
perturb v. upset, disturb, fluster, ruffle, unsettle, disconcert, make
uneasy, discomfit, vex, worry, agitate, shake up, alarm,
disquiet, confuse, discompose, unnerve, addle, disorganize: He
became quite perturbed when the police asked him to help with
their inquiries.
perusal n. reading, scrutiny, check, examination, study, inspection,
scanning, review: I saw nothing blasphemous in my perusal of
the text.
peruse v. read, study, scan, scrutinize, examine, inspect, review,
browse, run one's eye over: As Gregory was perusing the ancient
manuscript, a sudden draught blew out the candle.
pervasive adj. penetrating, pervading, omnipresent, general, inescapable,
prevalent, universal, widespread, ubiquitous, permeating,
permeative: A pervasive sense of doom in the castle made
everyone feel uneasy.
perverse adj. 1 wrong, wrong-headed, awry, contrary, wayward, incorrect,
irregular, unfair, improper, contradictory: It was most
perverse of you to change your mind after all the arrangements
had been made. 2 cantankerous, testy, curmudgeonly, churlish,
crusty, bad-tempered, petulant, captious, cross, cross-grained,
peevish, waspish, snappish, bilious, splenetic, fractious,
ill-tempered, quarrelsome, irascible, sullen, contentious,
touchy, obstreperous, crabby, crabbed, irritable, surly, Colloq
grouchy, Brit stroppy, US and Canadian cranky: With everything
going wrong, Catherine feels particularly perverse today. 3
stubborn, self-willed, wrong-headed, intractable, wilful,
obdurate, obstinate, pigheaded, adamant, inflexible, unbending,
refractory, unyielding: I refuse to give in to a perverse child
just because he has a tantrum.
perversion
n. 1 deviation, irregularity, misdirection, corruption,
subversion, distortion, twisting, falsification,
misrepresentation, diversion, sidetracking: The conduct of this
trial has been a perversion of the course of true justice. 2
unnatural act, deviation, deviance or deviancy, abnormality,
depravity, vice, aberration, debauchery, Colloq kinkiness, Brit
kink: Every kind of perversion flourished in ancient Rome.
pervert v. 1 deflect, divert, sidetrack, turn aside or away, subvert,
misdirect, distort, twist, abuse, falsify, misapply,
misconstrue, misrepresent, corrupt: By withholding evidence,
you have perverted the course of justice. 2 seduce, lead
astray, debauch, degrade, corrupt, demoralize, subvert: He was
accused of perverting young girls. 3 deviant, degenerate,
debauchee, US deviate, Colloq weirdo: I worry about your being
out late, when there are so many perverts about.
perverted adj. deviant, deviate, abnormal, amoral, unmoral, immoral, bad,
depraved, unnatural, warped, twisted, profligate, dissolute,
delinquent, degenerate, evil, wicked, malign, malicious,
malefic, malevolent, evil-minded, sinful, iniquitous, base,
foul, corrupt, unprincipled: Members of the Hell-Fire Club
yielded themselves up to the most perverted, abandoned
behaviour.
pessimistic
n. gloomy, negative, despairing, hopeless, inauspicious,
depressed, despondent, dejected, melancholy, downhearted,
heavy-hearted, defeatist, glum, sad, blue, unhappy, cheerless,
joyless, cynical, bleak, forlorn: The bears in the Stock
Exchange take a pessimistic view of share prices.
pest n. nuisance, annoyance, nag, irritant, bother, gadfly, bane,
trial, heckler, vexation, curse, thorn in one's flesh, Colloq
pain (in the neck), Slang US (Yiddish) nudge or noodge or nudzh,
nudnik, Taboo slang pain in the Brit arse or US ass: That man
is such a pest, I wish he'd leave me alone.
pester v. annoy, nag, irritate, irk, bother, get at or to, badger,
plague, vex, fret, hector, harass, harry, heckle, nettle, chafe,
peeve, pique, provoke, exasperate, bedevil, get or grate on
(someone's) nerves, get under (someone's) skin, get in
(someone's) hair, try (someone's patience), torment, persecute,
Brit chivvy, Colloq drive (someone) up the wall, needle, give
(someone) the needle, hassle, ride, give (someone) a hard or bad
time, bug: Please stop pestering me about going to the football
game.
pestilence
n. 1 plague, epidemic, pandemic, Black Death, Rare pest: The
pestilence raged throughout all Europe, killing 50 million
people. 2 scourge, blight, curse, cancer, canker, bane,
affliction: How are we to overcome the pestilence of greed?
pet° n. 1 darling, favourite, idol, apple of (one's) eye, Colloq
Brit blue-eyed boy, US fair-haired boy: You know that you were
always Father's pet.
--adj. 2 tame, trained, domesticated: Doesn't the landlord
take a dim view of your keeping a pet alligator in the bath? 3
favourite, favoured, preferred, cherished, special, particular;
indulged, prized, treasured, precious, dearest, adored, darling:
Building the summer-house was Desmond's pet project. Elizabeth's
pet pupil is Anne.
--v. 4 caress, fondle, stroke, pat; cuddle, nuzzle, nestle,
snuggle, Colloq neck, smooch or Australian and New Zealand also
smoodge or smooge, Chiefly US and Canadian make out: Small
children need to be petted a lot. Two teenagers were petting in
the back seat of the car. 5 humour, pamper, favour, baby,
coddle, cosset, mollycoddle, cocker, spoil, indulge, dote on:
His mother pets him far too much.
petэ n. (bad or ill) temper, pique, sulk, (bad) mood, fume, Colloq
Brit paddy or paddywhack or paddywack: He's in a terrible pet
because they forgot to cancel the milk when they went on
holiday.
peter out v. diminish, evaporate, wane, come to nothing or naught or US
also nought, die out, disappear, fail, fade (out or away),
dwindle (into nothing), run out, give out, flag, melt away: The
path petered out after a mile or so and they realized that they
had lost their bearings.
petite adj. delicate, dainty, mignon(ne), diminutive, small, little,
slight, tiny, small-boned, Colloq Brit dinky: It was
incongruous to see the basketball player with a petite blonde.
petition n. 1 request, application, solicitation, suit, entreaty,
supplication, plea, appeal: An anti-pollution petition, signed
by thousands of people, was delivered to the Department of the
Environment.
--v. 2 request, ask, apply to, apply for, solicit, sue, call
upon, entreat, supplicate, plead, appeal (to), appeal (for),
beseech, implore, importune, Rare obsecrate: The shopkeepers
petitioned the council for better police protection.
petrified adj. 1 horrified, horror-stricken, terrified, terror-stricken,
panic-stricken, frightened, afraid, paralysed, numbed, benumbed,
frozen: The maiden stood petrified as the dragon, breathing
fire, approached. 2 shocked, speechless, dumbfounded or
dumfounded, dumbstruck, stunned, thunderstruck, astonished,
astounded, confounded, stupefied, appalled, aghast, Colloq
flabbergasted: The firemen rescued three petrified children who
were huddled in a corner. 3 ossified, fossilized: These were
not stones but the petrified remains of ancient trees.
petrify v. 1 frighten, scare, horrify, terrify, paralyse, numb, benumb:
I was petrified by the noise of the explosion. 2 shock,
dumbfound or dumfound, stun, astonish, astound, amaze, confound,
disconcert, stupefy, appal, Colloq flabbergast: The sight of so
much destruction petrified even hardened reporters. 3 ossify,
fossilize, turn to stone: Over thousands of years the desert
conditions petrify the wood.
petty adj. 1 insignificant, trivial, paltry, minor, inferior,
niggling, trifling, negligible, puny, inessential,
non-essential, inconsequential, unimportant, slight, nugatory,
of no account, US dinky, Colloq piddling, measly, no great
shakes, no big deal, small-time, Brit twopenny-halfpenny or
tuppenny-halfpenny, US and Canadian picayune: He has been
convicted only of petty crimes. 2 miserly, mean, mingy, stingy,
cheese-paring, grudging, small-minded, cheap, niggardly,
parsimonious, tight, tight-fisted, close, close-fisted: It was
very petty of you to refuse the beggar a few pence.
petulant adj. peevish, pettish, impatient, ill-humoured, testy, waspish,
irascible, choleric, cross, captious, ill-tempered,
bad-tempered, splenetic, moody, sour, bilious, crabby, crabbed,
irritable, huffish, huffy, perverse, snappish, crotchety,
cantankerous, curmudgeonly, grouchy, grumpy: With a petulant
gesture she hurled the rose away.
phantom n. 1 apparition, spectre, ghost, spirit, phantasm, shade,
wraith, revenant, vision, Formal eidolon, phantasma, Colloq
spook: The so-called phantom of the opera turned out to be a
real person. 2 figment (of the imagination), illusion,
delusion, chimera or chimaera, hallucination, fancy, mirage:
She was a phantom of delight When first she gleamed upon my
sight.
Pharisaic adj. Pharisaical, hypocritical, insincere, self-righteous,
pretentious, holier-than-thou, sanctimonious, pietistic(al),
formalistic, canting, unctuous, oily, slimy, Literary
Tartuffian, Pecksniffian, Colloq goody-goody , Chiefly Brit
smarmy: I cannot tolerate his Pharisaic preaching.
Pharisee n. hypocrite, pretender, dissembler, humbug, fraud, whited
sepulchre, pietist, formalist, canter, Literary Tartuffe,
Pecksniff, Colloq phoney or US also phony: She is such a
Pharisee with her pious little anecdotes.
pharmacist
n. pharmacologist, Rather old-fashioned or formal apothecary,
Brit (pharmaceutical) chemist, US and Canadian druggist, Formal
posologist, Colloq pill pusher, US pill roller: The pharmacist
said that those pills have bad side-effects.
pharmacy n. 1 dispensary, Rather formal or old-fashioned apothecary,
Brit chemist's (shop), US and Canadian drugstore, druggist's:
Stop off at the pharmacy and get me something for this headache,
please. 2 pharmaceutics, pharmacopoeia: Research has vastly
expanded modern pharmacy.
phase n. 1 stage, period, development, step: The boy is just going
through a phase. 2 time, moment, juncture, occasion: At this
phase of the discussion, I should like to introduce a new
subject. 3 state, form, shape, configuration, aspect,
appearance, look, condition, status: Here is a diagram of the
phases of the moon at various points in its orbit. 4 facet,
side, angle, viewpoint, point of view, Colloq slant: Only one
phase of the argument has so far been presented.
--v. 5 phase in. (gradually) introduce, usher in, work in,
inject, insert, insinuate, include, incorporate: The new work
schedules will be phased in over the next month. 6 phase out.
ease out or off, taper off, wind up, put a stop to, (gradually)
eliminate, remove, withdraw, discontinue, end: The use of
non-biodegradable and non-recyclable packaging is being phased
out.
phenomenal
adj. outstanding, remarkable, exceptional, extraordinary,
unusual, freakish, rare, uncommon, singular, unorthodox,
unprecedented, unheard-of, unparalleled, unbelievable,
incredible, marvellous, wonderful, amazing, astonishing,
astounding, staggering, stunning, prodigious, miraculous,
fantastic, Colloq mind-boggling, mind-blowing,: She made a
phenomenal recovery and can walk again.
phenomenon
n. 1 event, happening, occurrence, incident, occasion,
experience, fact: Everyone knows the phenomenon of the souring
of milk. 2 wonder, curiosity, spectacle, sight, sensation,
marvel, rarity, exception, miracle, Slang stunner: An
eight-year-old chess champion is truly a phenomenon, even in
Russia.
philanderer
n. flirt, gallant, rou‚, rake, Casanova, Lothario, Don Juan,
Romeo, lover, playboy, gay dog, Colloq lady-killer, womanizer,
Old-fashioned wolf, Slang stud: In his memoirs it emerged what
a philanderer he had been, often dallying with six women at
once.
philanthropic
adj. charitable, eleemosynary, generous, magnanimous,
munificent, benevolent, open-handed, ungrudging, unstinting,
beneficent, humanitarian, altruistic, humane: Finlay was always
philanthropic, and spent much of his fortune on worthy causes.
philanthropist
n. contributor, donor, benefactor or benefactress, patron or
patroness, sponsor, Maecenas, Good Samaritan, humanitarian,
altruist: Some anonymous philanthropist provided the funds for
the new school swimming-pool.
philanthropy
n. 1 generosity, benevolence, charity, patronage, magnanimity,
charitableness, public-spiritedness, big-heartedness,
thoughtfulness, alms-giving, kind-heartedness, beneficence,
benignity, liberality, open-handedness: Carnegie's philanthropy
was focused on libraries and education. 2 donation,
contribution, largesse, aid, grant, assistance, help: Mrs
Ander's recent philanthropy allows us to offer six new
scholarships.
philistine
n. 1 boor, barbarian, yahoo, lowbrow, Boeotian, vulgarian,
ignoramus, bourgeois, US Babbitt: Charlotte never could abide
the philistines who put love of money above love of culture.
--adj. 2 uncultured, uncultivated, tasteless, commonplace,
unenlightened, unrefined, unread, unlettered, uneducated,
untutored, unlearned, narrow-minded, anti-intellectual, boorish,
lowbrow, dull, prosaic, boring, bourgeois, crass, commercial,
materialistic: The television companies were accused of
pandering to the basest appetites of the philistine viewer.
philosophical
adj. 1 philosophic, abstract, esoteric, learned, scholarly,
erudite, theoretical, rational, logical, impractical: The
person who is out of a job cares nothing about philosophical
reasons for unemployment. 2 detached, unconcerned, unemotional,
unimpassioned, composed, thoughtful, reflective, meditative,
cogitative, contemplative, judicious, sober, level-headed,
realistic, practical, pragmatic(al), down-to-earth, cool, calm,
serene, placid, stoical, patient, unruffled, cool-headed,
tranquil, unperturbed, even-tempered, temperate, moderate,
equable, equanimous, imperturbable: Over the years, Evelyn had
learned to take a philosophical attitude towards her husband's
shortcomings.
philosophy
n. 1 metaphysics, epistemology, logic, natural or moral or
metaphysical philosophy, rationalism, thinking, aesthetics: He
views philosophy as the attempt to describe and codify universal
truths. 2 viewpoint, (point of) view, outlook, opinion,
attitude, feeling, sentiment, idea, notion, ideology, (set of)
beliefs or values, tenets, Weltanschauung, world-view: Harold's
philosophy of life is 'Live and let live'. 3 stoicism,
sang-froid, control, self-control, restraint, coolness,
composure, calmness, serenity, placidity, cool-headedness,
equanimity, thoughtfulness, imperturbability, self-possession,
aplomb, dispassion, patience, resignation: You may be sure that
Paul allows nothing to disturb his philosophy.
phlegmatic
adj. 1 phlegmatical, stoic(al), unemotional, unenthusiastic,
unanimated, sluggish, apathetic, uninvolved, lethargic,
unfeeling, uncaring, cold, unresponsive, stolid, unmoved,
insensitive, unaffected, insensible, indifferent, unconcerned,
uninterested, listless, torpid, indolent, inactive, passive,
Rare hebetudinous: Hutton is far too phlegmatic to be stirred
by the fervour of the revolutionaries. 2 phlegmatical,
self-possessed, self-controlled, controlled, restrained,
composed, calm, serene, tranquil, placid, cool-headed,
equanimous, cool, undisturbed, unperturbed, unruffled,
imperturbable, even-tempered, philosophical, temperate,
moderate: One has to learn to be phlegmatic about things going
wrong at the office.
phobia n. fear, horror, terror, dread, hatred, detestation,
abhorrence, loathing, execration, aversion, revulsion,
repugnance, dislike, distaste, antipathy; disquiet, nervousness,
qualm, distrust, suspicion, apprehension, worry: He suffers
from claustrophobia, which means that he has a phobia for
enclosed places, and he avoids lifts and telephone booths.
phoney adj. 1 unreal, fake, synthetic, artificial, factitious, false,
fraudulent, imitation, bogus, spurious, counterfeit, mock,
ersatz, paste, trumped up; sham, pretended, insincere,
hypocritical, dissimulating, deceitful, dishonest; US also
phony, Colloq pseudo or Brit pseud: They were caught trying to
collect insurance on the theft of a string of phoney pearls.
Every time she wanted something, she'd turn on the phoney charm.
--n. 2 fake, fraud, imitation, counterfeit, forgery, hoax,
sham, US also phony: The diamond she's wearing is a phoney. 3
trickster, faker, humbug, impostor, pretender, charlatan,
mountebank, double-dealer, counterfeiter, quack, deceiver, US
also phony, Colloq Brit pseud, Slang US paper-hanger: Madame
Tatiana claims to be able to communicate with the dead, but I
think she's a phoney.
photograph
n. 1 snapshot, print, picture, slide, transparency; negative,
positive, Colloq photo, snap, shot, pic (pl. pix): Heinrich has
taken some marvellous photographs of the children.
--v. 2 take a picture (of), shoot, film, take, Colloq snap: He
photographed Jennifer holding her kitten.
photographer
n. lensman, lenswoman, cameraman, camerawoman, cinematographer,
paparazzo (pl., paparazzi), Old-fashioned photographist: The
photographers clustered round the prime minister.
photographic
adj. 1 vivid, natural, realistic, graphic, accurate, exact,
precise, faithful, detailed, lifelike, true to life: Many such
neo-realist paintings are virtually photographic. 2 cinematic,
filmic, pictorial: Uncannily, a photographic image appeared on
the Shroud under certain light.
phrase n. 1 clause, noun phrase, verb phrase, prepositional phrase,
adverbial phrase, adjectival phrase: When asked for an example
of a verb phrase, the student responded, 'Shut up'. 2
expression, word-group, collocation, locution, idiom, idiomatic
expression, collocution, proverb, motto, slogan, saying,
catch-phrase, adage, maxim, axiom, saw, colloquialism, clich‚,
platitude, commonplace, Colloq chestnut: Do you know the source
of Churchill's famous phrase, 'Blood, sweat, and tears'? 3
phraseology, phrasing, wording, language, usage, way or manner
of speaking, diction, parlance, fa‡on de parler, modus loquendi,
modus scribendi, speech habit, style, choice of words, word
choice, syntax, vocabulary: He was to 'let slip', to use
Shakespeare's phrase, 'the dogs of war'.
--v. 4 express, term, word, put, frame, formulate, couch, put
into words, put or set forth, verbalize, articulate, voice,
utter, say, write; describe, delineate: I am pondering over the
best way to phrase this example.
physical adj. bodily, corporeal, corporal, fleshly, incarnate, carnal,
mortal, earthly, natural, somatic; material, tangible, palpable,
real, actual, true, concrete, manifest, solid: Curtis doesn't
have the physical strength to lift that weight. As a chemist,
James deals with the physical, not the spiritual universe.
physician n. doctor, medical doctor, M.D., doctor of medicine, medical
practitioner, general practitioner, G.P., medical man or woman,
specialist, diplomate, Brit navy surgeon, Colloq doc, medico,
medic, US man, Slang sawbones, bones: You ought to see a
physician if the pain persists.
physique n. build, figure, body, frame, shape, bodily structure, form,
Slang chassis, US bod, built: She has the physique of an Amazon
but the disposition of a lamb.
pick v. 1 Often, pick out. select, choose, cull, sort out,
hand-pick, single out, opt for, fix or decide upon or on, elect,
settle upon or on, screen (out), sift (out): Melanie was picked
to succeed Hubert as president. 2 pluck, gather, collect,
harvest, bring or take in, garner: Scores of extra workers were
brought in to pick apples. 3 provoke, foment, incite, start,
initiate, work or stir up: He tried to pick an argument with me
about who is taller. 4 pick at. a criticize, carp at, find
fault with, cavil (at or about), quibble (at or about), pick on,
nag (at), niggle (at), harass, pester, annoy, irritate, bother:
Stop picking at your brother! b nibble (at), peck at: We can't
get him to eat a thing, he just picks at his food. 5 pick off.
shoot (down), kill: We picked them off one by one as they
emerged from the trench. 6 pick on. bully, ride, intimidate,
abuse, browbeat, badger, harry, hector, harass, tease, taunt,
needle, torment: Robert must learn not to pick on the smaller
boys. 7 pick out. a See 1, above. b discern, distinguish,
tell apart, make out, recognize, separate, discriminate: I was
able to pick out a distant rider, approaching swiftly. From
amongst the forest sounds she picked out the song of the
nightingale. 8 pick up. a raise (up), lift (up), heft, hoist,
take up: The stone is too heavy to pick up. Please pick up that
piece of paper. b gather, collect, glean, take up: I wish you
would pick up your clothes. c tidy (up), neaten, straighten up
or out, clean (up): She refuses to continue to pick up after
him. d acquire, learn, become acquainted with; master; Colloq
get the hang of: We picked up a little Spanish on our holiday.
e acquire, find, come by, get hold of, obtain; buy, purchase,
get: Basil picked up a few bad habits in the army. Let's pick
up a bottle of wine on the way. f improve, get better, gain,
make headway, recover, perk up, rally, recoup, (make) progress,
move ahead, increase, Colloq make a comeback: Business usually
picks up before Christmas. g accelerate, speed up: The pace
picked up as they approached the finish line. h arrest,
apprehend, take into custody, Colloq pinch, collar, nab, bust,
run in, pull in, Brit nick: Two men were picked up trying to
break into the bank. i call for, give a lift or ride to,
collect, go for or US also after, go to get: I'll pick you up
at the railway station at noon. j meet, introduce oneself to,
strike up an acquaintance with, accost, make advances to: I
think she picked him up in a wine bar. k catch, come down with,
contract, get: He picked up a mystery virus in the Tropics.
--n. 9 selection, choice, option, preference: She could have
had the pick of any man in the place. Take your pick. 10
choicest, best, crЉme de la crЉme, cream: The early shoppers
had already taken the pick of the crop.
picket n. 1 stake, pale, post, peg, stanchion, upright, vertical,
palisade, paling: The walls of the fort were of strong pickets
tapered to a point at the top. 2 demonstrator, protester,
striker: The police prevented the pickets from attacking
workers who entered the factory. 3 picquet, sentinel, watchman,
guard, observer, patrol, vedette or vidette or vedette boat:
The picket reported no unusual activity.
--v. 4 enclose, shut in, wall in, fence (in), hem in, box in:
We picketed the camp for the night. 5 protest, demonstrate,
blockade: Strikers picketed the factory 24 hours a day.
picnic n. 1 garden party, f€te champ€tre, meal alfresco, barbecue, US
clam-bake, US and Canadian cookout: The clouds had gone, and it
was a great day for a picnic. 2 child's play, Colloq pushover,
snap, cinch, piece of cake, walk-over, US and Canadian breeze,
lead-pipe cinch: Sailing home with a quartering wind - it was a
picnic all the way. 3 no picnic. difficult, arduous, torture,
torturous, agony, agonizing, painful, disagreeable,
discomfiting, misfortune, Colloq tough, tough luck, tough going,
rough, a pain in the neck, US tough sledding, Taboo slang pain
in the Brit arse or US ass: Being marooned on a desert island
for a month was no picnic, I assure you.
pictorial adj. 1 graphic, picturesque, vivid, telling, striking,
expressive, plain, explicit, clear, lucid: Many of the poet's
images are amazingly pictorial. 2 illustrated: They published
a pictorial history of biblical lands just for children.
picture n. 1 drawing, painting, representation, portrait, depiction,
artwork, illustration, sketch, photograph: Here is a picture of
our cottage in the Cotswolds. 2 image, (perfect or exact)
likeness, (carbon) copy, double, duplicate, twin, (exact)
replica, look-alike, facsimile, Colloq spitting image or spit
and image, Slang (dead) ringer: Isn't she just the picture of
her mother? 3 impression, idea, notion, understanding, image:
I think I have a pretty good picture of the situation. 4 model,
prototype, epitome, essence, embodiment, incarnation,
personification, perfect example: From her autobiography, you
might believe her to be the picture of sweet innocence. 5 put
(someone) in or into the picture. inform or advise fully, Colloq
fill (someone) in: Put me into the picture about what went on
here last night.
--v. 6 envision, envisage, visualize, imagine, fancy, conceive
of, see in the mind's eye: Picture yourself lying on a beach in
the Bahamas. 7 depict, draw, portray, paint, represent, show,
illustrate, display: In this fresco, Salome is pictured dancing
before Herod Antipas.
picturesque
adj. 1 colourful, interesting, intriguing, unusual, unique,
original, charming, idyllic, fetching, attractive, pretty,
lovely, quaint, delightful, pleasing, scenic: We came upon a
picturesque village in which all the houses were half-timbered
Tudor style with thatched roofs. 2 colourful, graphic,
realistic, vivid, striking: Bernard has written a picturesque
account of a walking trip through Bavaria.
piece n. 1 bit, morsel, scrap, chunk, hunk, sliver, lump, portion,
particle, fragment, shred, shard or sherd, remnant, quantity:
All the beggar wanted was a piece of bread. A piece of shrapnel
is still embedded in my arm. 2 wedge, slice, serving, helping,
portion: You may not have a piece of pie till you've eaten your
vegetables. 3 share, portion, fraction, part, division,
segment, section, interest, holding, percentage, proportion: It
turned out that a piece of the company had been sold without
shareholders' approval. 4 (short) story, article, essay, report,
theme, draft; poem; music, opus, (musical) number, composition,
arrangement, tune, melody, song, air, jingle, ditty; production,
play, drama, sketch, show: I read that piece about cholesterol
in yesterday's paper. He wrote a piece for the flute. Which
piece by Strindberg will you put on next? 5 man, token,
chessman, chess-piece, chequer, Brit draughtsman: Once you have
touched a piece you must move it. 6 go to pieces. fall apart,
disintegrate, crumble, shatter; be shattered, be upset, be
disturbed, have a nervous breakdown, go out of or lose control,
break down, Colloq crack up: Another earthquake and this wall
will go to pieces. At the news of his son's death, Joe simply
went to pieces. 7 in pieces. smashed, destroyed, ruined,
shattered, broken, in smithereens, smashed: The vase lay in
pieces at my feet. Though I had won the case, my life was in
pieces. 8 of a piece (with). similar, similarly constituted,
alike, of the same sort or kind or type, uniform, the same, part
and parcel (of the same thing), identical; in harmony, in
agreement, harmonious, in keeping: This book is of a piece with
the others in the same series. All his paintings are of a piece.
9 piece of cake. Colloq snap, cinch, US and Canadian lead-pipe
cinch, breeze: The French exam was a piece of cake. 10 piece
of (one's) mind. Colloq scolding, rebuke, lecture, reprimand,
tongue-lashing, chiding, rap over or on the knuckles, Colloq
hell, what for, dressing-down, US bawling-out, chewing-out: She
gave him a piece of her mind about the amount of time he spent
in the pub. 11 piece of the action. share, portion, interest,
stake, percentage, holding, quota: For њ1000 you can have a
piece of the action. 12 speak (one's) piece. have (one's) say,
express (one's) opinion, say what is on (one's) mind; vent
(one's) spleen, Colloq get a load off (one's) mind or chest:
All were given a chance to speak their piece.
--v. 13 piece together. assemble, put together, connect,
gather, compose; fix, unite, restore, mend: We pieced together
what happened from the witnesses' accounts. You'll never be
able to piece together the bits of that lamp.
piЉce de r‚sistance
n. highlight, (special or main) feature or attraction,
sp‚cialit‚ (de la maison), masterpiece, chef-d'oeuvre, Brit
speciality, US specialty: The piЉce de r‚sistance of the meal
was a magnificent gateau.
piecemeal adv. 1 piece by piece, little by little, inch by inch, bit by
bit, inchmeal, gradually, by degrees, slowly, in bits and
pieces, by fits and starts, fitfully, intermittently,
sporadically, disjointedly: The ministry insisted that the
plans should remain as one package and not be introduced
piecemeal over the next two years. 2 into fragments or shreds or
pieces: He angrily took the cheque and tore it up piecemeal.
--adj. 3 fragmentary, bit by bit, inchmeal, gradual,
disjointed, sporadic: The South-east could become one huge
traffic jam unless the Government drops its piecemeal approach
to planning.
pier n. 1 wharf, landing (stage or place), jetty, quay, floating
dock, Technically inaccurate dock: The ship is tied up at the
pier. 2 pile, piling, post, upright, column, support, buttress:
Owing to lack of maintenance, the piers supporting the building
have crumbled.
pierce v. 1 stab, puncture, penetrate, thrust or poke into, lance,
spear, spit, run through or into, skewer, impale, fix, transfix:
The arrow pierced his heart and he dropped down dead. 2 bore
into or through, penetrate, drill, perforate, riddle, punch
through, hole, tunnel into: The wall is pierced to provide
ventilation. 3 penetrate, fathom, see, understand, comprehend,,
grasp, discover, realize: His keen analytical mind allowed him
to pierce the mysteries of nature. 4 affect (keenly), touch,
move, melt, stir, rouse, pain, cut to the quick, wound, strike:
It pierced my heart to hear the child weep.
piercing adj. 1 strident, shrill, harsh, ear-splitting, ear-shattering,
high-pitched, screaming, shrieking, screeching, loud, blaring:
The piercing sound of the police siren made me sit bolt-upright
in bed. 2 probing, searching, penetrating, sharp, keen;
arresting, gripping, spellbinding, enthralling, fascinating,
entrancing: I was completely transfixed by her piercing green
eyes. 3 penetrating, icy, frosty, frigid, chilling, freezing,
cold, numbing, keen, wintry, arctic, raw, bitter, fierce,
biting, nipping, nippy: Shivering in that piercing wind I
thought I'd never be warm again. 4 stabbing, shooting,
excruciating, exquisite, acute, sharp, severe, agonizing,
fierce, intense, painful, racking: I suddenly felt a piercing
pain in my left ear.
piety n. 1 devotion, devotedness, respect, deference, dedication,
dutifulness, loyalty, affection: In filial piety he hung the
painting of his parents prominently over the mantelpiece. 2
piousness, reverence, veneration, devoutness, holiness,
godliness, pietism, devotedness, devotion, observance,
religiousness, grace, sanctity: His life of piety had marked
him out as a likely candidate for sainthood.
pile° n. 1 heap, mound, stack, accumulation, stockpile, mass, supply,
deposit, collection, assemblage, batch, hoard, aggregation,
congeries, conglomeration, assortment, agglomeration,
concentration, amassment: A huge pile of gravel was delivered
today for the builders. 2 money, fortune, wealth, holdings,
Colloq bundle, loot, mint, Slang packet, tidy sum, US bankroll,
roll, wad: She made her pile selling arms to terrorists. 3
Usually, piles. abundance, over-abundance, superabundance,
plenty, great deal, quantity, ocean(s), lot(s), stack(s),
plethora, Colloq oodles, ton(s), bag(s), heap(s), bundle(s): He
made piles of money in the black market. 4 See pier, 2, above.
--v. 5 Often, pile up. stack (up), heap (up), mound,
accumulate, stockpile, amass, collect, assemble, hoard,
aggregate, cumulate: Please pile the cartons in the corner. 6
pile in or into. enter, get in or into, crowd in or into, pack
in or into, flood in or into, jam in or into, crush in or into,
Colloq jump in or into: All of us piled into my car to go to
the cinema. 7 pile it on. exaggerate: Ronnie was really piling
it on about how much his new job pays. 8 pile on or onto. a
get in or into or on or onto, crowd on or onto, jump on or onto:
We piled on the train after the game. They piled onto the hay
wagon for a ride home. b attack, assault, jump on, overwhelm:
They all piled on me and I had to give up. 9 pile out. leave,
get out (of) or down (from), exit: When we arrived, we all
piled out of the bus. Hordes of people piled out of the theatre.
10 pile up. accumulate, amass, collect: The rubbish kept piling
up during the strike.
pileэ n. nap, shag, plush; fuzz, bristles, fleece: The feet of the
chairs have left marks in the carpet pile.
piles n.pl. haemorrhoids.
pile-up n. 1 (road) accident, smash, crash, (multiple) (rear-end)
collision, Colloq smash-up: Thirty cars were involved in that
pile-up on the motorway. 2 accumulation, heap, stack, mass,
Colloq mountain: How will you ever get through that pile-up of
work on your desk?
pilfer v. steal, rob, plunder, thieve, filch, embezzle,
misappropriate, purloin, take, walk off with, palm, Colloq
appropriate, pinch, snatch, grab, lift, borrow, Brit nick,
snaffle, US boost, Slang hook, snitch, swipe, rip off: The
auditors found that he had pilfered small sums from the company
for years.
pilgrim n. hajji or hadji or haji, Medieval history palmer; crusader:
The pilgrims visited holy places in and near Jerusalem.
pilgrimage
n. hajj or hadj, holy expedition, crusade; expedition, journey,
trek, voyage, tour, trip, excursion: Every year the entire
family made a pilgrimage to grandfather's grave.
pill n. 1 tablet, capsule, bolus, pellet, pilule; medicine,
medication, medicament, drug, pharmaceutical, remedy, cure;
cough drop, pastille, lozenge, troche: Doctor, can't you give
me some kind of pill for this headache? 2 nuisance, bore, pest,
Colloq pain (in the neck), crank, drag: I don't understand what
she sees in Leonard - he's such a pill.
pillage v. 1 plunder, raid, ravage, sack, despoil, rob, loot, ransack,
rifle, maraud, depredate, devastate, vandalize, ruin, demolish,
raze, level, strip: The Goths pillaged every community they
conquered and carried off the booty.
--n. 2 plunder, rapine, despoliation, looting, robbery, sack,
sacking, ransacking, marauding, brigandage, piracy, freebooting,
buccaneering, banditry, depredation, devastation, vandalization,
defilement, destruction, laying waste, destruction, razing,
demolition, levelling, ruin, stripping: Pirates from Tripoli
were responsible for the pillage of one coastal town after
another. 3 plunder, loot, booty, spoils: In the cave Ali Baba
found the pillage from a thousand robberies.
pillar n. 1 column, pilaster, pile, piling, pier, upright, post,
shaft, prop; atlas, caryatid: The roof is supported by a single
pillar. Lot's wife was turned into a pillar of salt. 2 mainstay,
supporter, worthy, upholder, backbone, (tower of) strength,
leader: Cummings has been a pillar of strength in our
community.
pilot n. 1 aviator, aviatrix, flier, airman, airwoman, aeronaut,
captain: The pilot announced that we would land in five
minutes. 2 steersman, helmsman, navigator, US wheelman or
wheelsman; guide, leader, cicerone, conductor: The pilot knows
his way through the shoals. A student acted as our pilot in our
tour of Oxford.
--v. 3 guide, steer, run, direct, shepherd, control, lead,
navigate, drive; fly: Only someone with local knowledge can
pilot the ship into that harbour. The chairman piloted the
company through turbulent times.
pimp n. 1 procurer, panderer or pander, White slaver, whoremonger,
Slang US hustler: The police rounded up the pimps and
prostitutes for questioning.
--v. 2 procure, pander, solicit, Slang US hustle: He was well
known as having pimped for three generations of the nobility.
pimple n. pustule, papula, boil, swelling, eruption, blackhead or
technical comedo, excrescence, Brit spot, Scots plouk or plook,
US whitehead, Old-fashioned US hickey: The old witch had a
pimple at the end of her nose.
pin n. 1 peg, dowel, bolt, thole, thole-pin, spike, rivet; Brit
drawing-pin, US push-pin: The table is held together by wooden
pins. We need some more pins for the notice-board. 2 brooch,
clip; stickpin, tie-pin, scarf-pin, US tie tack: She is wearing
the cameo pin that her mother gave her. I had George's pin made
into a brooch.
--v. 3 attach, fix, affix, fasten, secure, tack; hold, staple,
clip: Let's play 'Pin the tail on the donkey'. Pin these papers
together. 4 pin down. a force, make, compel, coerce,
constrain, press, Brit pressurize, US pressure: We must pin him
down to give his decision by tomorrow. b define, specify,
pinpoint, name, identify, determine, name, put or lay one's
finger on, home or zero in on, focus on: The doctor was unable
to pin down what is wrong with her. c confine, hold (down),
fix, immobilize, tie down, constrain: We were pinned down by
enemy fire. 5 pin on. blame, hold responsible or accountable,
point the finger at, accuse; lay at (someone's) door: They'll
never be able to pin the murder on Drayton.
pincers n.pl. pliers, nippers, tweezers: Can you get the nail out with
these pincers?
pinch v. 1 squeeze, nip, tweak, press, compress, grip, grasp: I
pinched my finger in the drawer. 2 squeeze, cramp, confine,
crush, hurt: These shoes really pinch badly. 3 steal, thieve,
rob, take, shoplift, filch, pilfer, purloin, Colloq lift, Brit
nick, US boost, Slang swipe, knock off: I think it was Andrew
who pinched my book. 4 arrest, apprehend, take into custody,
Colloq nab, run in, collar, bust, run in, Brit nick: She was
pinched for driving while under the influence. 5 pinch pennies.
scrimp, save, skimp, economize: We're pinching pennies now so
that we can afford a nice holiday later.
--n. 6 squeeze, nip, tweak, twinge: Montrose gave the girl's
cheek an affectionate pinch. 7 touch, (tiny or wee) bit,
soup‡on, jot, mite, taste, Colloq US tad, smidgen or smidgin:
Add a pinch of salt to the boiling water. 8 predicament,
emergency, crisis, difficulty, dilemma, (ticklish or delicate)
situation, complication, Colloq pickle, jam, scrape, Chiefly
Brit crunch: Sue will help me out in a pinch.
pink° n. 1 in the pink. at one's best, healthy, hearty, in the best
of health, in top form, in good shape, Colloq US up: I saw Rob
the other day, and he's in the pink.
--adj. 2 rosy, rose, rose-coloured, pinkish, flesh-colour(ed),
salmon(-colour(ed)): The designer suggests pink curtains for
the bedroom.
pinkэ v. serrate, notch, scallop; perforate, puncture, prick: Pink
the edge of the fabric to prevent fraying.
pinnacle n. top, peak, apex, acme, summit, zenith, maximum, climax,
crowning point, consummation, utmost, extreme, perfection; tip,
cap, crest, crown: Being elected chairman was the pinnacle of
Mark's career. The climbers reached the pinnacle, where they
will rest overnight.
pioneer n. 1 pathfinder, frontiersman, frontierswoman, trail-blazer,
explorer, colonist, (early) settler; ground-breaker, forerunner,
precursor, predecessor, innovator, leader, trend-setter,
pacemaker, pace-setter: The pioneers who explored and settled
the American west were daring men and women. Marconi was a
pioneer in the development of radio.
--v. 2 create, originate, invent, initiate, take the first
step, introduce, institute, actuate, trigger, set off,
inaugurate, start, begin, launch, establish, found, set up,
develop, lay the groundwork or foundation, set or put in motion,
take the lead, lead or show the way, blaze the trail, be a prime
mover, open up, Colloq kick off, get the ball rolling: Our
company has pioneered systems for automatic typesetting.
pious adj. 1 devout, religious, reverent, reverential, worshipful,
dutiful, God-fearing, godly, faithful, holy, dedicated, devoted,
spiritual, moral, good, virtuous, right-minded, saintly, holy,
angelic, seraphic, Christ-like, godlike: Francis is a pious boy
who attends church regularly. 2 hypocritical, sanctimonious,
pietistic, self-righteous, Pharisaic, mealy-mouthed, pretended,
fraudulent, goody-goody, unctuous, oily, Colloq Brit smarmy:
You are rationalizing your bad behaviour with a lot of pious
cant.
pipe n. 1 pipeline, tube, duct, hose, line, main, conduit, passage,
conveyor, channel: The pipes are inspected regularly for
corrosion. 2 briar, meerschaum, corn-cob, calabash, clay pipe,
water-pipe, hookah, narghile, chibouk or chibouque, peace-pipe
or pipe of peace or calumet, Colloq Irish briar, Brit
hubble-bubble, US bong: He slowly tamped down the tobacco in
his pipe, then lit it. 3 pan-pipe, whistle, boatswain's pipe,
tooter, horn, wind, wind instrument, woodwind, brass: They play
the pipes in the London Symphony.
--v. 4 tootle, tweet, skirl, warble, whistle, peep, cheep: One
was piping away on a flute, the other was dancing a jig. 5
transmit, deliver, channel, conduct, convey, supply: The gas is
piped directly into our homes. 6 US look at, notice, spot,
note, look at, Colloq get a load of: Pipe the guy trying to
climb up the outside of that building. 7 pipe down. become
quieter, quieten down, make less noise, hush (up), shush (up),
whisper, Colloq belt up, shut up: I wish they'd pipe down, I
can't sleep. 8 pipe up. speak (up), say, raise one's voice,
make oneself heard, offer, volunteer: Sally piped up with the
correct answer from the back of the classroom.
pipeline n. 1 pipe, tube, duct, hose, line, main, conduit, passage,
conveyor, channel: Pipelines carry gas from the North Sea
throughout Britain. Very little information was flowing through
the pipeline from Beirut. 2 in the pipeline. on the way, under
way, in the offing, ready, imminent, coming, Colloq in the
works, cooking, US in work: They said that the contract was in
the pipeline and should arrive soon.
pirate n. 1 buccaneer, sea rover, corsair, privateer, freebooter,
sea-robber, filibuster, Archaic picaroon: Captain Kidd and
Blackbeard were actual pirates who looted shipping in the
Americas in the 17th century. 2 plagiarist, plagiarizer,
infringer: Some of these pirates offer unauthorized cheap
reprints of expensive textbooks.
--v. 3 plagiarize, infringe, copy, reproduce, steal,
appropriate, poach, Colloq lift, pinch, crib: Our government
has no jurisdiction over those who pirate books in countries
with which we have no treaty.
pirouette n. 1 spin, whirl, twirl, turn, revolution, pivoting:
Antoinette did a beautiful pirouette followed by a pas de chat.
--v. 2 spin, whirl, turn (round), revolve, pivot: He was so
happy that he fairly pirouetted round the room.
pistol n. gun, handgun, revolver, automatic, Slang rod, piece,
shooting-iron, Chiefly US gat, US Saturday-night special,
heater, roscoe: In the United States, law enforcement officers
are required to carry a pistol.
piston n. plunger: The piston in a bicycle pump is worked by hand.
pit° n. 1 hole, excavation, shaft, cavity, mine, mine-shaft, quarry,
working, ditch, trench, trough: Pits had been dug for the
extraction of gravel. 2 pothole, hollow, depression, dent,
indentation, dimple, pock-mark: His face was disfigured by the
pits left by teenage acne. 3 abyss, chasm, well, crevasse,
crater: We found a bottomless pit that led to the centre of the
earth. 4 the pits. awful, terrible, the worst, Slang lousy:
That TV show last night was the pits. He thought that going to
school was the pits.
--v. 5 dent, pock-mark, dig, scar, hollow out, gouge: The salt
air has pitted the metal parts of my car. 6 Often, pit against.
match, oppose, set against; contrast: Shirley doesn't stand a
chance if they pit her against Maria.
pitэ n. stone, seed, pip: I prefer seedless grapes, the ones
without pits.
pitch° v. 1 toss, throw, cast, fling, hurl, heave, sling, fire,
launch, shoot, send, let fly, Cricket bowl, Colloq chuck, peg,
lob, Brit bung: He rolled the paper into a ball and pitched it
into the basket. 2 erect, raise, set or put up, position, fix,
place: We ought to pitch the tent in a level area. 3 plunge,
fall (headlong), dive, drop, plummet, (take a) nosedive: I
caught my toe on the kerb and pitched forward onto the pavement.
4 Chiefly nautical toss about, lurch, plunge, flounder, go head
over heels, go keel over truck, US pitchpole or pitchpoll: The
wind reached force ten as we pitched and rolled and yawed in the
heavy seas. 5 pitch in. contribute, cooperate, help, assist,
Colloq chip in: Everyone pitched in to make the church fair a
success. 6 pitch into. a attack, lay into, assail, lash out
at, abuse, rail against, Colloq lace into, tear into, jump down
(someone's) throat, jump on: Reggie's wife really pitched into
him about going out with other women. b attack, assault, set
upon, belabour, Colloq light into, sail into, tear into: They
pitched into each other and fought like Kilkenny cats. 7 pitch
on or upon. determine, decide on, select, pick, choose, opt for,
elect, nominate, name, Colloq light on: They pitched on Carrie
to be the best candidate for treasurer.
pitchэ n. tar, bitumen, asphalt: Peter patched potholes with pitch.
pitch-black
adj. black, dark, ebon(y), Stygian, inky(-black), unlit,
unlighted, pitch-dark, coal-black, jet-black; raven, sable: The
cellar was pitch-black. Her pale complexion was in stark
contrast to her pitch-black hair.
pitched adj. organized, planned, deliberate, coordinated, arranged,
systematized: The two armies fought a pitched battle on the
plain.
piteous adj. pitiable, pathetic, pitiful, plaintive, miserable,
heart-rending, poignant, distressing, grievous, heart-breaking,
mournful, sad, doleful, dolorous, tearful, lamentable,
deplorable, regrettable, rueful, woeful, moving, emotional: We
heard the piteous wailing of the mothers who had lost children
in the disaster.
pitfall n. 1 trap, pit: Pitfalls were often used in Burma for trapping
tigers. 2 danger, peril, hazard, catch, difficulty, snag: You
might well encounter pitfalls, but don't be discouraged.
pith n. 1 core, heart, kernel, nucleus, crux, gist, focus, focal
point, essence, meat, marrow, nub, point, spirit, substance,
quintessence: As usual, Randolph came immediately to the pith
of the argument. 2 weight, burden, gravamen, gravity, force,
moment, import, importance, significance, substance, depth,
matter: I have something of great pith to tell you about.
pitiable adj. See piteous, above.
pitiful adj. 1 See piteous, above. 2 small, little, insignificant,
trifling, unimportant, beggarly, sorry, mean, contemptible:
Does Hodges seriously expect us to praise him for that pitiful
contribution of his?
pittance n. mite, shoestring, Slang peanuts, chicken-feed, small
potatoes: The miserable pittance that she receives does not
even cover the necessities of life. He's trying to run that
business on a pittance.
pitted adj. eaten away, corroded, eroded, pock-marked, defaced,
marred, pierced, perforated: The chrome plating is all pitted
where the acid splashed.
pity n. 1 sympathy, commiseration, sorrow, condolence, compassion,
tenderness, Archaic ruth: I really feel pity for Betty, being
married to such a brute. 2 (crying or damned) shame, sad thing,
disgrace, misfortune, sin, sacrilege, Colloq crime: It's a pity
that no one can do anything.
--v. 3 sympathize, feel for, commiserate with, feel sorry for,
feel or have compassion or tenderness for, bleed for, weep for:
I pity any mother whose son goes off to war.
pivot n. 1 pintle, gudgeon, hinge, swivel, pin, kingpin, spindle,
fulcrum: Use this stone as a pivot for the lever to lift the
rock. 2 centre, heart, focal point, hub, nave, crux: The
finance minister regards the interest rate as the pivot on which
the economy turns.
--v. 3 rotate, revolve, turn, spin, twirl, whirl, swivel: The
flywheel pivots on a bearing that requires constant lubrication.
4 hinge, depend, hang, be contingent, revolve around, rely: The
whole deal pivots on the cooperation of the banks.
pivotal adj. critical, central, focal, crucial, significant, important,
essential, vital, pressing, urgent, radical: The attitude of
the judge is pivotal in the jury's decision.
place n. 1 location, site, position, point, spot, locus, area,
locale, scene, setting: This looks like a nice place for a
picnic. She likes to see a place for everything and everything
in its place. 2 locale, area, neighbourhood, vicinity, district,
section, part of the country, quarter, region; city, town,
village, hamlet: She comes from some place near Glasgow. 3
status, station, standing, grade, rank, position, niche, slot,
situation, estate, state, circumstance(s): Angela was just
saying how difficult it is today to find a servant who knows his
place. 4 function, role, part, purpose, duty, obligation, task,
responsibility, charge, chore, burden, concern, mission: It is
scarcely my place to remind you of your appointments with the
dentist. 5 position, job, post, berth, appointment, livelihood;
employment, occupation, Colloq billet: Is there a chance of my
earning a place in your new company? 6 home, house, flat,
apartment, room(s), quarters, lodgings, Rather formal residence,
domicile, dwelling, abode, Colloq digs or diggings, pad: Why
not stop by my place for tea on Sunday? 7 stead; lieu: As I
cannot go, would you go in place of me? 8 position, situation,
circumstances, condition: Put yourself in my place and I think
you would have done exactly the same. 9 seat, chair, position:
Kevin, please take your place at the head of the table. 10 go
places. succeed, become successful, get ahead, advance, prosper,
thrive, flourish, go up in the world, make good, strike it rich,
Colloq arrive, make a splash, US and Canadian hit pay dirt, luck
out: That boy will go places one day. 11 in place. a fitting,
suitable, appropriate, right, proper, correct, good form: I
don't think it in place for you to tell me what to do. b in
situ, in (the right or proper or correct) position, ready, all
set, set up, in order, all right, Colloq OK or okay: Is
everything in place for tonight's party? 12 out of place.
awkward, uncomfortable, unsuitable, inappropriate, wrong,
improper, misplaced: Compassion is out of place when dealing
with war criminals. 13 put (someone) in his or her or their
place. humble, mortify, bring down, embarrass, squelch, Colloq
cut down to size, take down a peg (or two): Aunt Agatha used to
put Uncle Wilfred in his place by reminding him who held the
purse-strings. 14 take place. happen, occur, go on, come about;
arise, Colloq transpire: We shall never know what took place
behind those locked doors.
--v. 15 put (out), position, situate, locate, dispose, arrange,
order, set (out), lay, deposit; station, post, spot, pinpoint,
Colloq stick, Brit bung: Place the forks on the left and the
knives on the right. They placed guards at the door of my room.
16 class, classify, sort, order, arrange, rank, group,
categorize, bracket, grade; regard, view, see, consider: She
places love of family above love of country. Critics place him
among the best writers of the century. 17 identify, put one's
finger on, recall, remember, recognize; associate: I just can't
place her for the moment. He finally placed me with those who
had ragged him at school. 18 put, set, assign, give: People
place too much importance on material things.
placement n. 1 arrangement, placing, position, distribution, array,
disposition, deployment, positioning, stationing, organization,
order, ordering, location, locating, arraying, emplacement,
emplacing: The placement of the chairs is all wrong for
tonight's meeting. 2 employment, appointment, engagement,
hiring: Placement of qualified engineers has not been a
problem.
plagiarism
n. plagiarizing, plagiary, piracy, pirating, theft, purloining,
stealing, copying, appropriating, appropriation, thievery,
usurpation, infringing, infringement, imitation, Euphemistic
borrowing, Colloq lifting, cribbing: The similarities between
the two books could only be explained by plagiarism.
plague n. 1 scourge, epidemic, pestilence, affliction, pandemic,
calamity, curse, evil, bane, blight, visitation: The
inhabitants turned a plague of locusts to advantage by eating
them. 2 irritation, annoyance, nuisance, pest, vexation, bother,
thorn in one's side or flesh, torment, torture, Colloq pain (in
the neck), headache, aggravation, Slang drag, bitch, hassle,
Taboo slang pain in the Brit arse or US ass: It's a plague
trying to find a place to park the car.
--v. 3 badger, harry, hound, pester, annoy, vex, irritate,
bother, harass, nag, nettle, exasperate, gall, annoy, irk,
torment, torture, anguish, distress, Brit chivvy or chivy or
chevy: I wish the police would stop plaguing me with questions
about Jonathan's whereabouts.
plain adj. 1 flat, smooth, even, featureless, level, plane: I'd
rather have a paper with a plain surface, not an embossed one,
for the bedroom walls. 2 clear, evident, simple, distinct,
crystal clear, lucid, vivid, transparent, apparent, obvious,
patent, self-evident, manifest, distinct, unmistakable or
unmistakeable, unequivocal, unambiguous, understandable,
intelligible, graphic, direct, in black and white: His
intentions regarding my daughter are plain enough. The plain
fact is that she despises him. 3 open, honest, straightforward,
forthright, direct, frank, candid, blunt, outspoken, ingenuous,
sincere, guileless, artless, unreserved: I want to see some
plain talk between the two of us. 4 simple, unadorned,
undecorated, unembellished, basic, austere, stark,
unostentatious, colourless, drab, bare, unvarnished, Spartan:
Don't you find the average business suit a very plain affair? 5
homely, unattractive, ordinary-looking, unlovely, ugly: Who
would believe that such a plain child could become such a
beautiful woman?
--n. 6 prairie, grassland, pasture, meadow-land, veld or veldt,
pampas, campo, llano, savannah or savanna, steppe, tundra,
champaign or campagna; heath; moor, moorland; plateau, flatland;
down, downland, Literary wold, Archaic or literary mead: The
plain stretched out before us as far as the eye could see.
plan n. 1 design, layout, blueprint, scheme, method, procedure,
system, arrangement, programme, project, formula, pattern,
Colloq script, scenario: The plan called for monthly progress
meetings. The best laid plans of mice and men gang aft agley. 2
drawing, sketch, design, layout, blueprint, chart, map, diagram,
representation: This plan shows where the furniture will be
placed.
--v. 3 lay out or down, design, arrange, devise, outline,
organize, plot, map out, delineate, develop: She has been
invited to plan the new shopping mall. 4 intend, expect,
envisage, envision, foresee, aim, contemplate, propose: Were
you planning to go to the cinema tonight?
plane n. 1 flat or level (surface): The lines meet in the same
plane. 2 aeroplane, aircraft, airliner, jet (plane): I caught
the next plane for Marrakesh.
--adj. 3 flat, even, level, smooth, plain, regular, unbroken,
uninterrupted, uniform, horizontal: We landed on the plane
surface of the glacier.
--v. 4 glide, skim, skate, skid, slip, slide: I swiftly planed
along on my sailboard.
plank n. board, timber, slab: The flooring was made up of wide
planks laid side by side.
plant n. 1 flower, vegetable, herb, bush, shrub, tree, vine, weed:
Because of all the rain, the plants are flourishing this summer.
2 factory, mill, shop, works, workshop, foundry: The new plant
in Crawley is hiring lathe operators. 3 equipment, machinery,
apparatus; gear, fixtures: The plant includes heavy cranes,
JCBs, earth movers, and bulldozers. 4 spy, (undercover or
secret) agent, informer, informant: The new assistant is a
plant, sent in by management to report on union activities.
--v. 5 bed (out), sow, seed, set (out), transplant: We planted
a herbaceous border along the south wall of the garden. 6
implant, establish, root, fix, ingrain, lodge, instil,
insinuate, inject, introduce, impress, imprint: Who planted the
idea in your mind that you were a gifted writer? 7 place, put,
position, station, assign, situate: Watch-towers are planted at
50-foot intervals around the prison. 8 hide, secrete, conceal:
The company has planted detectives in the store to watch out for
shoplifters.
planter n. flowerpot, cache-pot: He poured the drugged wine into a
nearby planter.
plaque n. 1 tablet, medallion, plate, panel, marker, slab, plaquette:
The plaque on the house marks it as the birthplace of Thomas
Carlyle. 2 badge, brooch, pin, patch, medallion, medal,
insignia or insigne: The plaque shows him to be a member of the
Royal Yacht Squadron. 3 prize, honour, award, trophy: At the
annual dinner, she was presented with a plaque to mark her many
years of service.
plaster v. smear, daub, bedaub, spread, coat, cover, overlay,
superimpose: The mud was plastered all over my boots. They
plastered the walls with posters.
plastic adj. 1 mouldable, shapable or shapeable, fictile, soft,
malleable, workable, ductile, flexible, soft, pliant, supple,
pliable, clayey, waxy: The clay must be worked into the desired
form while it is still plastic. 2 impressionable, receptive,
open, persuadable or persuasible, susceptible, tractable,
compliant, responsive, manageable, unformed, inexperienced: One
encounters the children at an age when their minds and
personalities are still plastic enough to be influenced. 3
artificial, synthetic, imitation, fake, counterfeit, ersatz,
paste, bogus, meretricious, sham; cheap, pinchbeck, shoddy;
Colloq phoney or US also phony, crummy, US chintzy: She was
wearing a tawdry plastic brooch.
plate n. 1 platter, dish, Archaic trencher, charger: I left the cold
mashed potato on my plate. 2 course, serving, portion, dish,
platter: I ordered their speciality, a plate of spaghetti. 3
layer, leaf, sheet, pane, panel, lamina, slab: In the
condenser, insulation separates the thin metal plates. 4
coating, coat, plating, layer, lamination: The plate on our
cutlery is wearing thin. 5 illustration, picture, print, US
cut: The book contains many beautiful colour plates of flowers.
--v. 6 cover, coat, overlay, face, laminate: All the serving
dishes were plated with gold.
plateau n. 1 tableland, upland, highland, mesa: We climbed till we
reached a grassy plateau. 2 level, lull, pause, levelling off:
At 39, Julia seemed to have reached a plateau in her career.
platform n. 1 stand, dais, stage, podium, rostrum: After the
introduction, the speaker mounted the platform. 2 policy, party
line, principle(s), tenet(s), programme, plank: The main
elements of our platform will be revealed at the party
conference.
platonic adj. non-physical, asexual, non-sexual, celibate, chaste,
dispassionate, detached, spiritual, ideal, intellectual: Some
say that their relationship has not always been purely platonic.
platoon n. company, squad, squadron, group, patrol, team, cadre, body,
formation, unit, Colloq outfit: A platoon of soldiers was
marched to the barracks in close-order drill.
platter n. serving dish, server, salver, tray, plate, dish: Waiters
walked among the guests with platters of hot hors-d'oeuvres.
plausible adj. 1 likely, believable, reasonable, credible, tenable,
conceivable, thinkable, probable, imaginable, admissible, sound,
sensible, rational, logical, acceptable, trustworthy,
presentable: The police regarded our alibi as plausible. 2
specious, deceptive, meretricious, misleading, deceitful,
casuistic, sophistical, Jesuitical, smooth, empty: He was a
cunning, plausible sort of fellow.
play v. 1 amuse oneself, frolic, frisk, cavort, gambol, caper,
sport, have fun, have a good time, enjoy oneself, disport
(oneself), carouse: Ken's mother won't let him go out and play.
2 participate (in), take part (in), join (in), be occupied (in
or with); engage in, contend in, take up, take part in, occupy
oneself in or with, undertake: He was invited for a game of
poker, but he refused to play. I understand that you play
bridge. 3 engage, contend with, compete with or against,
challenge, vie with, pit oneself against, take on, rival: The
stranger played me at snooker, and I lost three games out of
three. 4 portray, depict, perform, act or take the role or part
of, act: In the new production of Othello she plays Desdemona.
5 perform (upon or on); put on: Play 'Misty' for me. She plays
the piccolo very well. Could you play that Caruso record? 6
operate: I wish they wouldn't play their hi-fi so loud. 7
gamble, bet, wager, stake, place, put: He played his last chip
on number 14. 8 play along. a Often, play along with.
cooperate, participate, go along (with), do or play one's part,
be a party to: I agreed to play along with her charade. b
manipulate, jolly along: She played him along till he bought
her a car. 9 play around. a fool around, tease, Colloq monkey
about or around, horse around or about: Stop playing around and
get to work. b dally, flirt, be unfaithful; philander,
womanize; Colloq fool around, run around, sleep around, play the
field: She found out about his playing around and filed for
divorce. 10 play at. pretend, make believe, fake, feign,
simulate, affect: She's merely playing at enjoying skiing to
please you. 11 play ball. cooperate, agree, work together, work
hand in glove, play along: They want him to smuggle diamonds,
but he won't play ball. 12 play by ear. improvise, extemporize,
ad lib , Colloq wing it: She can't read music and just plays by
ear. With no definite plan of action, I'll just play it by ear.
13 play down. belittle, minimize, diminish, disparage, make
light of, deprecate, decry, de-emphasize: He has always played
down his role in the affair. 14 play for time. delay,
procrastinate, stall (for time), temporize, hesitate, Colloq
drag one's feet: They don't yet have the money to pay, so they
are playing for time. 15 play on or upon. use, misuse, abuse,
trade on, exploit, take advantage of, impose on: He plays on
women's affections then persuades them to give him money. 16
play the game. behave, conduct oneself, deport oneself, act: It
makes no difference whether you win or lose, it's how you play
the game. 17 play up. a stress, emphasize, underscore,
underline, accentuate, call attention to, highlight, spotlight,
dramatize, build up: Always try to play up your assets and play
down your liabilities. b act up, misbehave, give or cause
trouble, malfunction, Colloq go on the blink or US fritz, Brit
be wonky: The bloody engine started playing up again, right in
the middle of a rainstorm. 18 play up to. curry favour with,
flatter, toady to, ingratiate oneself with, butter up, truckle
to, court, Colloq soft-soap, suck up to, boot-lick, US
apple-polish, Taboo slang brown-nose: Ray is always playing up
to the teacher, trying to get a better mark. 19 play with. a
toy with, trifle with, treat cavalierly or lightly, make light
of, think nothing of, dally with, amuse oneself with: He's just
playing with her till he gets what he's after. b consider,
think about, toy with, not treat seriously: We were playing
with the idea of a winter holiday this year. c mess with,
fiddle with, toy with, fidget with: Stop playing with your
food!
--n. 20 drama, stage play, show, piece, production,
entertainment: We have tickets to a different play for every
night this week. 21 behaviour, actions, deportment, conduct,
demeanour: In the game of life, many have no regard for the
rules of fair play. The police suspect foul play. 22 amusement,
frivolity, entertainment, recreation, fun, pleasure, sport,
merrymaking, revelry, tomfoolery, Colloq horseplay, skylarking,
monkey business, Brit monkey tricks or US monkeyshines: The
time for play is past, and we must get down to serious business.
23 move, manoeuvre, action: That last play might have won you
the game. 24 flexibility, looseness, freedom, leeway, margin,
room, space, movement, motion, Colloq give: There's too much
play in this gear lever. 25 treatment, coverage, attention:
The newspapers gave Connie's new book a big play.
playboy n. man about town, rou‚, rake, debauchee, gay dog, womanizer,
Don Juan, Casanova, Lothario, Romeo, Colloq wolf, lady-killer:
He fancies himself as a playboy, but no women seem to agree.
player n. 1 contestant, participant, competitor, contender; athlete,
sportswoman, sportsman, Colloq US jock: Chess players from all
over the world came together for the championship. The referee
sent three players off. 2 actor or actress, performer,
entertainer, trouper, Thespian: The local drama group is the
Allen Arts Players. 3 gambler, better or especially US bettor,
gamester, speculator, Brit punter: J.B. is a big player in the
commodities market. 4 musician, instrumentalist, performer,
virtuoso: Gladys is one of the best tuba players in the band.
playful adj. 1 (high-)spirited, cheerful, frisky, frolicsome,
kittenish, sprightly, fun-loving, sportive, coltish,
mischievous, puckish, impish, elfish, devilish: The cat didn't
mean to scratch you, she was just being playful. 2 joking,
facetious, teasing, roguish, waggish, jesting, humorous,
tongue-in-cheek: Cleo's in a playful mood today, isn't she?
playmate n. playfellow, friend, comrade, Colloq pal, chum, US and
Canadian buddy: Some of Molly's playmates are asking if she can
come out to play.
plaything n. 1 toy, game, knick-knack, pastime: Please pick up your
playthings before supper. 2 tool, cat's-paw, dupe, pigeon,
pawn, Colloq US and Canadian fall guy: She had no use for Gerry
except as a plaything.
playwright
n. dramatist, dramaturge or dramaturgist, scriptwriter,
screenwriter, scenarist: The playwright has deftly caught the
way people talk to each other.
plea n. 1 request, entreaty, appeal, petition, supplication, suit,
cry, solicitation: Teenagers' mischievous behaviour is an
earnest plea for attention. 2 answer, defence, argument: She
entered a plea of 'not guilty' to the charge. 3 excuse, reason,
explanation, justification; pretext: His plea was that he had
not received the bill and therefore couldn't pay it.
plead v. 1 Often, plead for. request, appeal (for), cry (for), ask
(for), seek, beg (for), pray (for), supplicate (for): It was a
hot day and the children were pleading for ice-creams every half
hour. 2 Usually, plead with. request (of), entreat, appeal to,
petition, ask, apply to, implore, beseech, beg, importune,
solicit; demand: Bryan pleaded with us to let him go to the
rock concert. 3 assert, say, aver, allege, argue, maintain,
offer, put forward, declare, affirm, avow, swear: She pleaded
that she was unaware that the goods she was selling had been
stolen.
pleasant adj. 1 pleasing, pleasurable, nice, enjoyable, satisfying,
good, lovely, attractive, inviting, enjoyable, gratifying,
delightful, charming, agreeable, suitable, fitting, appropriate;
harmonious, euphonious, melodic, mellifluous; delicious,
delectable, palatable, savoury, toothsome: Travelling on the
Orient Express was a most pleasant experience. The bedroom is
decorated in a combination of pleasant colours. He simply
doesn't find sunbathing particularly pleasant. That sauce has a
very pleasant taste. 2 friendly, affable, amiable, amicable,
gregarious, companionable, sociable, engaging, attractive,
winning, open, approachable, outgoing, welcoming, hospitable,
agreeable, gracious, charming, congenial, genial, nice,
likeable, urbane, cultivated, genteel, polite, courteous,
well-mannered, suave, debonair, polished, well-bred, cultured:
Murray always has a pleasant expression on his face. He is quite
a pleasant fellow, once you get to know him. 3 fair, sunny,
clear, bright, cloudless, balmy, nice, fine: What a pleasant
day for an outing in the country!
please v. 1 delight, gratify, satisfy, suit, humour, content, cheer,
gladden, amuse, divert, interest, entertain: I cannot tell you
how much it pleases me to see you again. 2 like, prefer,
choose, desire, want, see fit, wish, will, elect, opt: She may
have her birthday party wherever she pleases.
pleased adj. happy, delighted, glad, gratified, satisfied, contented,
thrilled; Colloq tickled pink, pleased as Punch, on cloud nine,
in seventh heaven, on top of the world, walking on air, Brit
over the moon, chuffed: His pleased look comes from his having
won first prize.
pleasing adj. 1 See pleasant, 1, above. 2 See pleasant, 2, above.
pleasurable
adj. See pleasant, 1, above.
pleasure n. 1 enjoyment, happiness, delight, joy, satisfaction,
fulfilment, contentment, gratification; comfort, recreation,
amusement, entertainment, diversion: It is a pleasure to meet
you at last. Fred derives so much pleasure from tinkering with
his model railways. 2 choice, option, desire, wish, preference,
fancy, inclination, discretion: Feel free to come and go at
your pleasure.
plebeian adj. 1 proletarian, working-class, blue-collar, low-class,
lower-class, lowly, low-born, common, mean, humble, inferior,
peasant-like, Colloq non-U: What would you expect from someone
with such a plebeian background? 2 unrefined, coarse, vulgar,
ignoble, lowbrow, unpolished, uncouth, crass, brutish, gauche,
provincial, rustic, popular, commonplace, undistinguished: The
entertainment caters to the most plebeian tastes.
--n. 3 proletarian, common man or woman, commoner, man or woman
in the street, (any or every) Tom, Dick, or Harry, Brit man or
woman on the Clapham omnibus, Colloq pleb, prole: This art
exhibition is not going to mean very much to the plebeians.
plebiscite
n. popular vote or ballot, referendum, poll: The plebiscite
revealed that the people were in favour of joining the Common
Market.
pledge n. 1 promise, oath, vow, word (of honour), covenant, assurance,
guaranty, guarantee, warrant, warranty: They have our solemn
pledge that we will return within the hour. 2 bail, surety,
collateral, security, deposit, earnest (money), pawn, gage,
bond, guaranty, guarantee: They wanted something besides my
signature as a pledge for the money. 3 toast, tribute, cheer,
health: They drank a pledge to the success of the voyage.
--v. 4 swear, vow, promise, give one's word (of honour),
contract, undertake, agree, vouch, vouchsafe: I pledge
allegiance to the nation. 5 deposit, pawn, mortgage, Archaic
gage, Colloq US and Canadian hock: He pledged his gold watch to
pay for her birthday present. 6 toast, drink (to), drink
(someone's) health: Drink to me only with thine eyes And I will
pledge with mine.
plentiful adj. 1 ample, abundant, profuse, copious, lavish, plenteous,
bountiful, generous, bounteous: We found a plentiful supply of
food in the markets. 2 fertile, fruitful, productive, bumper,
luxuriant, thriving, prolific: We thanked the Lord for a
plentiful harvest.
plenty n. 1 abundance, more than enough, great deal, mass(es),
quantity or quantities, multitude(s), number(s), load(s), mess,
scores, Colloq lot(s), mountain(s), heap(s), stack(s), pile(s),
load(s), ton(s), ocean(s), oodles, US and Canadian slew(s):
There is plenty of food, so it is just as well that plenty of
people are coming. There's plenty of time before your bus
arrives. 2 plentifulness, fertility, copiousness, abundance,
plenteousness, wealth, profusion, lavishness, prodigality,
plenitude, bountifulness: It was a land of plenty, a land of
milk and honey.
pliable adj. 1 flexible, pliant, elastic, plastic, fictile, malleable,
workable, bendable, bendy, ductile, flexuous, supple; lithe,
limber: This substance remains pliable only while it is warm.
2 tractable, adaptable, flexible, pliant, compliant, persuadable
or persuasible, impressionable, susceptible, responsive,
receptive, docile, manageable, yielding: The other directors
may not be as pliable when it comes to improving employee
benefits.
plight n. condition, state, circumstances, situation, case;
difficulty, predicament, quandary, dilemma, catch-22, straits,
trouble, extremity, Colloq hole, jam, pickle, spot, scrape, fix,
bind, hot water, mess, fine kettle of fish, fine state of
affairs: As soon as Elliott's sorry plight became known, we all
rallied round to help.
plod v. 1 Often, plod along. trudge (along), tramp, slog, drag,
tread, lumber, labour, Colloq stomp, galumph: We plodded
wearily up the road carrying our heavy packs. 2 Often, plod
along or away. labour, work, drudge, toil, moil, slave (away),
grind (away or along), grub (on or along), plug (along or away),
Brit peg away (at) or along: Plodding through the compilation
of the Oxford Thesaurus, he was only halfway through the letter
P.
plot° n. 1 scheme, plan, intrigue, machination, cabal; conspiracy:
The plot to blow up the Houses of Parliament was uncovered at a
late stage. 2 story (line), chain of events, theme, outline,
scenario, thread, skeleton: Most operas have weak plots, but
the music can be sublime.
--v. 3 scheme, plan, intrigue, machinate, cabal, collude,
conspire, hatch, devise, design, arrange, organize, concoct,
dream up, conceive, Colloq cook up: Martin's wife had been
plotting to murder him since their wedding night. 4 draw, plan,
diagram, lay down, outline, calculate, compute, figure, chart,
map (out), find, determine, depict, show: The navigator plotted
our position as being in the Strait of Malacca.
plotэ n. lot, plat, patch or parcel (of land), tract, acreage, area,
Brit allotment: I have a small plot by the canal which is ideal
for growing potatoes.
plough v. 1 till, cultivate, furrow, harrow, Literary delve: They
ought to finish ploughing the south field by tomorrow. 2 drive,
plunge, push, bulldoze, lunge, dive, shove, hurtle, crash: Out
of control, a bus ploughed through the fence and into my garden.
pluck n. 1 courage, spirit, bravery, grit, boldness, intrepidity,
backbone, mettle, determination, gameness, resolve, resolution,
steadfastness, hardiness, sturdiness, stout-heartedness,
stoutness, fortitude, nerve, Colloq guts, spunk, US sand, Slang
Brit bottle, US moxie: She certainly showed pluck standing up
to the boss like that.
--v. 2 pick, remove, withdraw, draw out, extract: The children
plucked flowers in the garden and made posies. 3 snatch, grab,
yank, jerk, tear (away): She was plucked from the jaws of death
by Tarzan, who happened to be swinging by on a vine. 4 tug (at),
pull (at), catch (at), clutch (at); vellicate: An ancient crone
plucked at his sleeve as he passed.
plug n. 1 stopper, stopple, bung, cork: If you pull the plug out,
the water will run out. 2 chew, twist, quid, wad, pigtail,
cavendish: As they forbade smoking, he would take snuff or chew
a plug of tobacco. 3 publicity, mention, promotion,
recommendation, puff, blurb, PR; advertisement, Colloq advert,
hype: His book was given a plug on yesterday's evening news.
--v. 4 Often, plug up. stop (up), close (up or off), seal (off
or up), cork, stopper, bung, block, jam, stuff, clog, obstruct,
dam (up): A piece of soap has plugged the drain. 5 publicize,
mention, promote, push, advertise, puff, commend, Colloq boost,
beat the drum for: It wasn't right to plug her brother's
company in her article on double glazing. 6 See plod, 2, above.
plum n. find, catch, coup, prize, treasure; bonus, cream: Harvey's
landed a plum job as overseas buyer.
plumb n. 1 weight, (plumb-)bob, plummet, lead, sinker: The plumb
holds the string taut and exactly vertical.
--adj. 2 vertical, perpendicular, straight up and down: Make
sure the jamb is plumb before hanging the door.
--adv. 3 vertically, perpendicularly, straight up and down:
The cord doesn't hang plumb because the shelf is in the way. 4
exactly, precisely, dead, right, accurately, Colloq slap, Brit
bang, spot: The navigator checked our position and we were
plumb on course.
--v. 5 sound, fathom, measure, probe, explore, measure, gauge,
delve, penetrate: The bathyscaphe has plumbed the deeps of the
Indian Ocean. I plumb the depths of depression thinking of
starving people everywhere.
plummet v. See plunge, 1, below.
plump° adj. 1 chubby, stout, fleshy, ample, full-bodied, portly,
tubby, rotund, squat, chunky, buxom, corpulent, roly-poly, fat,
obese, overweight, steatopygous, Brit podgy or US pudgy, Colloq
busty, beamy, hippy, beefy, well-upholstered: They went on a
diet because they were getting a bit plump.
--v. 2 puff up or out: When you get up, please plump up the
pillows on the sofa.
plumpэ v. 1 drop, plummet, fall, plunge, dive, sink, collapse, flop:
I was so tired that all I could do was plump down in an armchair
and watch TV. 2 deposit, set or put (down), plunk, plop: She
plumped down the defective mixer on the counter and asked for a
refund. 3 plump for. support, choose, select, back, side with,
campaign for: Given the choice, they plumped for a film rather
than the circus.
--n. 4 drop, plunk, flop, thump, clunk, clump, thud, bump: He
dropped the book on the floor with a plump.
--adv. 5 abruptly, suddenly, directly, unhesitatingly, at once,
unexpectedly, surprisingly, without warning, (all) of a sudden,
plunk, bang: As I came out of the bank, I ran plump into a
policeman.
--adj. 6 direct, unequivocal, unmistakable or unmistakeable,
unambiguous, definite, definitive, blunt, simple, plain,
forthright, downright, straight, matter-of-fact: He asked her
to marry him and she gave him a plump 'no'.
plunder v. 1 pillage, loot, rob, ravage, ransack, rifle, despoil,
spoil, vandalize, sack, strip, maraud, devastate, desolate, lay
waste: The attacking army plundered the villages. 2 prey on or
upon, pirate, capture, seize: The buccaneers plunder the
Spanish treasure ships on the high seas.
--n. 3 pillage, looting, robbery, depredation, rapine,
despoliation, spoliation, vandalization, sack, vandalism,
vandalizing, sacking: It is said that the plunder of Rome took
no more than a fortnight. 4 booty, loot, spoils, prizes, Slang
boodle: The police displayed an Aladdin's cave of plunder
recovered from the thieves.
plunge v. 1 descend, drop, plummet, dive, pitch, nosedive, fall
(headlong): They lost their footing, and both Holmes and
Moriarty plunged into the abyss. 2 submerge, sink, immerse;
engulf, overwhelm: I plunged my hand in the icy water to
retrieve the keys. She plunged herself into her work to try to
forget him.
--n. 3 dive, nosedive, fall, pitch, plummet, drop, descent;
submersion, immersion: After the scandal his career took a
plunge from which it never recovered. Every winter they take a
plunge into the icy waters of the Serpentine. 4 gamble, wager,
bet, risk: Are you taking the plunge with an investment in
South America?
plus prep. 1 and, added to, increased by, with the addition of, with
an increment of, (coupled) with, together with: Two plus three
equals five. Your initial deposit plus accumulated interest will
make a substantial sum.
--adj. 2 added, additional, supplementary, extra: One must
take into account the plus value of the good publicity.
--n. 3 addition, bonus, extra, gain, benefit, asset, advantage,
profit, return: Improvements constitute a big plus in
evaluating the building.
plush adj. luxurious, posh, costly, (de) luxe, palatial, lavish,
rich, opulent, sumptuous, regal, elegant, Colloq ritzy, classy,
Old-fashioned swank(y): I had no idea that you lived in such
plush surroundings.
ply n. layer, leaf, thickness, fold: These seams are sewn through
two plies of fabric.
pocket n. 1 pouch, sack, bag, receptacle, reticule, satchel: You
should always have a clean handkerchief in your pocket. 2
cavity, pit, hollow, crater: We found water that had collected
in pockets in the surface of the rock. 3 area, island, camp,
centre, cluster, concentration: Leaders encountered pockets of
resistance to the new policies among the farmers.
--v. 4 take, appropriate, keep; filch, embezzle, steal,
purloin, thieve, pilfer, help oneself to, palm, Colloq walk off
or away with, pinch, swipe, rip off, hook, lift, snitch, Brit
nick, snaffle: While collecting for charity, Johnson was known
to have pocketed occasional contributions.
poem n. verse, lyric, rhyme or archaic rime, song, ode, rhapsody,
jingle, ditty: The anthology contains poems by politicians.
poet n. poetess, versifier, metrist, lyricist or lyrist, versemaker,
sonneteer, elegist, bard, minstrel; rhymester or rimester or
rhymer or rimer, poetaster: A widely published poet, Constance
is often invited to give readings.
poetic adj. 1 poetical, lyric(al), metrical, musical, melodic;
idyllic, elegiac, georgic, rhapsodic, epic, dithyrambic: She
bought a volume of the poetic works of John Keats. 2 artistic,
aesthetic, Parnassian, Hippocrenian, melodious: The novel
contains some poetic passages of surpassing quality.
poetry n. verse, versification, metrical composition, metrics, rhyme,
Archaic poesy: Modern poetry is often rather obscure.
po-faced adj. stern-visaged, austere, dour, disapproving, frowning,
grave, saturnine, solemn, sombre, humourless, grim, forbidding,
severe, strait-laced, uncompromising, puritanical, prim,
prudish, gruff, bluff, curmudgeonly: Despite having a po-faced
approach to his work, William has a keen sense of humour when
off duty.
poignant adj. 1 distressing, upsetting, agonizing, grievous, painful,
woeful, melancholy, blue, sad, sorrowful, tragic, disastrous,
heart-rending, heart-breaking, excruciating, bitter, pathetic,
pitiable, piteous, pitiful, miserable, moving, touching: The
biography also covers the poignant early years, spent largely in
orphanages and foster homes. 2 keen, acute, intense, incisive,
sharp, stinging, pointed, piercing, penetrating, barbed,
cutting, caustic, acid, acerbic, bitter, biting, mordant,
sarcastic, sardonic, severe: The headmaster's poignant remarks
about honesty and loyalty really hurt. 3 sincere, earnest,
heartfelt, deep, profound, dramatic, deeply felt, stirring,
moving, touching, emotional: The reunion of the little boy and
his dog was the most poignant moment in the film.
point n. 1 dot, mark, speck; (full) stop, period; decimal point: The
writing is smudged, but that looks like a point at the end of
the line. 2 tip, peak, apex, spike, spur, prong, sharp end: Be
careful of the point of that knife. 3 spot, place, stage,
position; site, station, location, locale: We have reached the
point of no return on that subject. I stopped at a few points
along the way to admire the view. 4 time, moment, instant,
juncture: At that point, we were summoned by the dinner bell.
5 focus, essence, meat, pith, quiddity, substance, heart,
nucleus, crux, nub, core, bottom, details, Colloq guts,
nitty-gritty: I wish he would stop all the palaver and get to
the point. 6 purpose, intent, intention, aim, goal, object,
objective, sense: What was the point of bringing that piece of
gossip into the discussion? 7 thrust, drift, theme, purport,
burden, import, implication, significance, signification, sense,
meaning; application, applicability, relevancy, appropriateness:
We found it difficult to see the point of the argument. 8
promontory, projection, headland, cape, peninsula: It may take
us a day to sail round the point. 9 brink, verge: We were on
the point of leaving when the guest of honour finally arrived.
10 detail, particular, item, element, nicety, aspect, facet,
matter, issue, subject, question; specifics: Some of the points
in her speech need clarification. 11 pointer, hint, suggestion,
piece of advice, tip: The golf pro at the club gave me some
good points on improving my swing. 12 thought, idea,
consideration; notion, view, plan, tactic; something: That's a
point to keep in mind if you buy another sailing-boat. 13 unit,
tally, score: She made her point and went on to win the match.
14 attribute, characteristic, feature, aspect, trait, quality,
side, property: I suppose he has his good points, too. 15
beside the point. irrelevant, inapt, inappropriate, malapropos,
incidental, immaterial, unimportant, pointless, inconsequential:
The fact that she's my sister is beside the point. 16 in point
of. in reference to, regarding, as regards, in the matter of,
concerning, with respect to: In point of date, the two events
coincide perfectly. 17 make a point of or US also make (it) a
point to. make an effort (to), put or place emphasis on, go out
of one's way (to); emphasize, single out, stress: He made a
point of apologizing to the hostess for his behaviour. She made
a special point of forgiving him. 18 to the point. relevant,
pertinent, appropriate, fitting, apropos, germane, apt,
applicable, apposite: The speech was short and to the point.
--v. 19 Often, point to. indicate, call or direct attention to:
Desir‚e pointed to the building and asked what it was. 20
direct, level, aim, train: I awoke to find her pointing a gun
at my head. 21 point out. a designate, call or direct
attention to, show, exhibit, indicate, identify: The taxi
driver pointed out all the sights as we drove along. b say,
bring up, mention, allude to, bring up, emphasize, stress, point
up, single out; allude to, call attention to, remind: I'd like
to point out that you have rarely won at bridge. She pointed out
the fallacy in his argument. 22 point up. emphasize, stress,
accentuate, underline, underscore, accent, spotlight: Such
errors point up the need to double-check everything.
point-blank
adj. 1 direct, straight, blunt, flat, straightforward, abrupt,
categorical, explicit, uncompromising, unmitigated, unalloyed,
downright, outright, to the point, straight from the shoulder,
(open and) above-board, unreserved: I asked her out to dinner
and got a point-blank refusal. 2 close, short, nearby: He was
shot at point-blank range.
--adv. 3 directly, straight (away), right away, bluntly, flat,
flatly, abruptly, categorically, unqualifiedly, explicitly,
uncompromisingly, unmitigatedly, outright,, unreservedly,
plainly, frankly, openly, candidly: He turned her down
point-blank when she offered him the job. 4 directly, straight:
He fired point-blank at the target.
pointed adj. 1 needle-shaped, sharp, acute, barbed, peaked, spiked,
spiky, Technical acuminate, cuspidate, aciform, acicular,
aciculiform, aculeous, apiculate, spiculate, serrate(d),
acuminate, mucroniform, mucronulate, mucronate(d), muricate,
hebetate: The child was poking holes in the sand with a pointed
stick. 2 incisive, piercing, cutting, sharp, pungent, keen,
penetrating, telling, trenchant, biting, unmistakable or
unmistakeable: The critic made a few pointed remarks about the
actors' reading of the lines.
pointer n. 1 indicator, rod, stick; index, sign, arrow, Typography
fist: The pointer is used to call attention to something
important. 2 tip, advice, hint, suggestion, recommendation,
piece of advice: McLeod gave me a few pointers on how to
improve the restaurant service.
pointless adj. purposeless, aimless, worthless, ineffective, meaningless,
ineffectual, futile, unproductive, fruitless, bootless, useless,
vain, senseless, absurd, silly, stupid, inane, asinine, fatuous,
preposterous, nonsensical, ridiculous, empty, hollow: After her
paper, someone rose and wasted half an hour making pointless
remarks.
point of view
n. 1 viewpoint, perspective, approach, position, angle, slant,
orientation, outlook, stance, standpoint, vantage point: From
his point of view, I can see why Fred thinks the research is a
waste of time. 2 opinion, view, belief, (way of) thinking,
principle, doctrine: Shouldn't everyone be entitled to express
a point of view?
poise n. 1 balance, equilibrium, equipoise, equiponderance, parity,
par: The chariots of the gods in even poise, obeying the rein,
glide rapidly. 2 composure, control, self-possession, aplomb,
assurance, dignity, equanimity, sang-froid, cool-headedness,
imperturbability, presence of mind, coolness, staidness,
reserve, sedateness, calmness, serenity, tranquillity, Colloq
cool: Jane's poise is remarkable, despite the heckling by the
audience.
--v. 3 balance, be balanced, hover, hang, float; make or be or
get ready, prepare: The boulder was poised on the edge of the
cliff.
poised adj. 1 composed, controlled, self-possessed, unflappable,
(self-)confident, (self-)assured, dignified, cool-headed,
imperturbable, unruffled, cool, staid, reserved, sedate, calm,
serene, tranquil, Colloq together: For a lad of eleven, Richard
is quite poised. 2 ready, standing by, waiting, prepared: Our
commando unit is poised to attack at your signal. 3 teetering,
hovering, tottering, wavering, suspended, trembling, wobbling,
balanced: In the present business climate, the company is
poised on the brink of bankruptcy.
poison n. 1 toxin, venom, bane; miasma, mephitis: The chemical plant
was found to be releasing poisons into the atmosphere. He kills
rats using poison. 2 virus, bane, cancer, canker, corrupt or
evil influence, pestilence, plague, blight: The drug barons
continue to spread their poison throughout the world.
--v. 3 defile, adulterate, infect, taint, pollute; contaminate,
debase, pervert, vitiate, subvert, warp, envenom: Chemicals
from the nearby plant have poisoned the drinking-water. Why
have you poisoned the child's mind against eating spinach? 4
murder, kill, do away with, destroy, dispatch or despatch:
Lucrezia Borgia poisoned her enemies in ingenious ways.
poisonous adj. 1 lethal, deadly, fatal, mortal, toxic, septic, virulent,
noxious or rare nocuous, venomous, malignant, pernicious,
miasmic, mephitic: Poisonous effluents were leaked into the
rivers by the chemical plant. 2 malicious, malevolent,
malignant, corruptive, vicious, baleful, evil, foul,
diabolic(al), defamatory, libellous, slanderous, dangerous,
deleterious,: They have been spreading poisonous gossip about
him again.
poke v. 1 jab, stick, prod, dig, goad, stab, thrust, push, elbow,
nudge, jog, jostle, butt, shove: Be careful not to poke someone
in the eye with your umbrella. He tells a joke, then pokes me
in the ribs to make sure I've got it. 2 punch, hit, strike, box,
cuff, smite, smack: I made a suggestive remark and she poked me
in the jaw. 3 pry, nose (about or around), stick one's nose
into, intrude, dig, probe, investigate; meddle, interfere, butt
in, tamper; Colloq snoop: I wish they would stop poking into my
affairs. 4 poke fun (at). tease, ridicule, mock, make fun of,
jeer (at), chaff, taunt, twit, make sport of, needle, Colloq
kid, rib, Brit send up, take the mickey out of: People who
don't understand something often poke fun at it. Stop poking fun
at my hat.
--n. 5 jab, prod, dig, stab, thrust, push, elbow, finger,
nudge, jog, jostle, butt, shove: Every time Rodney wants to
emphasize a point, he gives you a poke. 6 punch, hit, box, jab,
cuff, smack, blow: If anyone says anything bad about you, I'll
give him a poke in the nose.
polar adj. 1 Arctic, Antarctic, frigid, icy, glacial, freezing,
frozen, numbing, Siberian, hibernal, hyperborean, brumal,
wintry: It is positively polar in the house without the heat
turned on. 2 opposite, opposed, antithetical, contrary,
contradictory, diametric, antipodal, antagonistic, hostile:
Dante felt Good and Evil to be the two polar elements of the
Creation, on which it all turns.
pole° n. rod, stick, staff, spar, shaft, mast, standard, upright;
flag-pole, flagstaff, jackstaff; beanpole, hop-pole: We had to
use a long pole to get the kite down from the tree.
poleэ n. 1 extremity, end, limit, extreme: Their views are at
opposite poles and they cannot agree. 2 from pole to pole.
everywhere, all over, far and wide, high and low, leaving no
stone unturned, throughout the world or the length and breadth
of the land, Colloq US everyplace: He searched for her from
pole to pole. 3 poles apart. (very or completely) different,
worlds apart, at opposite extremes, at opposite ends of the
earth, at odds, irreconcilable: I'm afraid that the union and
management remain poles apart on the issue of working hours.
police n. 1 constabulary, policemen, policewomen, police officers,
Colloq boys in blue, the (long arm of the) law, the cops, the
gendarmes, Slang the coppers, the fuzz, Brit the (Old) Bill, US
the heat: There was a bit of an argument, so we called the
police.
--v. 2 patrol, guard, watch, protect: Additional officers were
assigned to police the neighbourhood. 3 enforce, regulate,
administer, oversee, control, observe, supervise, monitor: A
unit was established to police the terms of the agreement.
police officer
n. officer, policeman, policewoman, constable, Brit police
constable, PC, WPC, Chiefly US peace officer, patrolman,
patrolwoman, Colloq cop, gendarme, Brit bobby; Slang copper,
fuzz, flatfoot, Brit rozzer, Old Bill, Offensive and derogatory
pig, Historical peeler, US bull, fuzz ball: The police officers
then asked if I wouldn't mind helping with their inquiries.
policy n. approach, procedure, (game) plan, design, scheme, programme,
method, system, management, conduct, behaviour, strategy,
tactic(s), principle(s), protocol, regulation, rule, custom,
way, practice, ways and means, action: What policy should we
follow regarding interest rates?
polish v. 1 shine, brighten, burnish, buff, furbish, wax, clean,
smooth, rub, gloss: He polished up the handles so carefully
That now he is the ruler of the Queen's navy. 2 Often, polish
up. refine, improve, perfect, finish, cultivate, ameliorate,
enhance; correct, emend: If you polish up the article we might
consider it for publication. 3 polish off. a conclude, end,
terminate, finish: Ned polished off his homework in less than
an hour. b kill, slay, murder, dispatch or despatch, destroy,
dispose of, do away with, liquidate, eliminate, Slang bump off,
rub out, do in, take for a ride: Three platoons were polished
off quickly. c dispose of, put away, eat, consume, wolf (down):
In a few minutes, MacGregor had polished off the entire meal. 4
polish up. study, review, learn, Archaic con, Colloq bone up
(on), Slang Brit swot up (on): If you're going to M laga, you'd
better polish up your Spanish.
--n. 5 gloss, shine, lustre, sheen, glaze, smoothness,
brilliance, sparkle, gleam, glow, brightness, radiance: You
cannot imagine what a fine polish she put on that old table. 6
wax, oil: The new polish really put a shine on the desk.
polished adj. 1 accomplished, adept, proficient, expert, fine,
outstanding, skilful, gifted, masterful, masterly, virtuoso,
excellent, superior, superb, superlative; flawless, faultless,
perfect, impeccable: Edna is quite a polished cellist. She gave
a polished performance. 2 refined, elegant, cultivated,
graceful, debonair, sophisticated, urbane, soign‚(e), courtly,
genteel, cultured, civilized, well-bred, well-mannered, polite:
Under her guidance, James has become a polished gentleman.
polite adj. 1 civil, respectful, well-mannered, mannerly, courteous,
deferential, diplomatic, tactful, formal, proper, cordial: We
asked our new neighbours to tea but were met with a polite
refusal. 2 See polished, 2, above.
politic adj. 1 ingenious, shrewd, crafty, canny, cunning, designing,
scheming, clever, wily, foxy, tricky, artful, Macchiavellian,
evasive, shifty, Colloq cagey: Daniel is politic enough to know
how to manoeuvre situations to his benefit. 2 tactful,
diplomatic, discreet, prudent, judicious, wise, sage, sagacious,
sensible, intelligent, percipient, discriminating, far-sighted,
expedient, perceptive: It was politic of the winner to share
the prize with those who had helped him most.
political adj. 1 governmental, civic, civil, public, state, national,
federal; administrative, bureaucratic: The movement began as an
attempt to gain political freedom. 2 partisan, factious,
factional: A coalition government was formed by the major
political parties.
politician
n. legislator, lawmaker, statesman, stateswoman; minister, Brit
Member of Parliament, MP, US public or civil servant,
administrator, official, bureaucrat, office-bearer, senator,
congressman, congresswoman, representative, assembly-man,
assembly-woman, selectman; Colloq US derogatory politico,
(political) boss or hack, machine politician, ward-heeler,
wirepuller: Some politicians have given a bad name to the art
of politics.
politics n. 1 public affairs, political science, civics, civil affairs,
government, statecraft, diplomacy, statesmanship: Hume viewed
politics as people united in society and dependent on each
other. 2 manoeuvring, manipulation, wirepulling, machination:
Office politics are such that they wouldn't dare dismiss that
department head.
poll n. 1 voting, vote, returns, tally, figures: The poll shows
that the incumbents are not as secure as they thought. 2
opinion poll, survey, canvass, census, ballot, count: A poll of
home-owners shows that most would like to own washing machines.
--v. 3 sample, survey, question, canvass, ballot, ask,
interview; count, enumerate, tally, register, record: We polled
teenagers to determine their reaction to a youth centre; those
in favour polled 73 per cent. 4 receive, get, win, register,
tally: Cavendish polled more than 60 per cent of the votes
cast.
pollute v. 1 contaminate, adulterate, befoul, foul, soil, spoil, taint,
stain, dirty, sully, blight, poison: These factories must be
prevented from continuing to pollute the atmosphere. 2 corrupt,
desecrate, profane, defile, violate: The altar was polluted
because it had been touched by a non-believer.
pollution n. contamination, adulteration, corruption, polluting, fouling,
befouling, soiling, spoiling, tainting, staining, dirtying,
sullying, blighting, poisoning, vitiation: Laws were passed to
prosecute those responsible for the pollution of the
environment.
pomp n. glory, grandeur, magnificence, splendour, show,
extravaganza, pageantry, ceremony, spectacle, brilliance,
ceremoniousness: The Chinese court's pomp and display of wealth
had never before been seen by a westerner.
pompous adj. 1 vain, vainglorious, proud, arrogant, pretentious,
ostentatious, showy, grandiose, haughty, overbearing, conceited,
egotistical, self-important, boastful, braggart, inflated,
snobbish, magisterial, imperious, pontifical, affected,
exhibitionist, Colloq uppity, highfalutin or hifalutin,
hoity-toity, high-hat, Slang snooty, snotty: Don't you despise
the pompous way Marshall struts about in that ridiculous
uniform? 2 bombastic, flowery, grandiloquent, pedantic, stuffy,
fustian, orotund, ornate, embroidered, flatulent, windy, turgid,
inflated, high-flown, euphuistic: He's always making
long-winded, pompous speeches because he loves the sound of his
own voice.
ponder v. consider, muse (over or on), brood (over or upon or on),
mull over, deliberate (over), meditate (upon or on), think (over
or on or about), weigh, ruminate (over), chew over, cogitate,
excogitate, reflect (on or over), contemplate: I shall need a
while to ponder the answer to that question. Give me a little
more time to ponder.
ponderous adj. 1 weighty, unwieldy, heavy, massive, huge, big, large,
awkward, clumsy, cumbersome or cumbrous: A ponderous juggernaut
bore down on us, completely out of control. 2 dull, tedious,
laboured, laborious, tiresome, turgid, boring, dreary,
pedestrian, stilted, windy, inflated, long-winded, wordy,
verbose, prolix, elephantine, pompous, grandiloquent, overdone:
Many students faced with textbooks written in ponderous prose
become disenchanted with learning.
pool n. 1 pond, lake, tarn, mere, lagoon; swimming-pool, leisure
pool, wading pool, Brit paddling pool, US wading pool, Formal
natatorium: We found an icy mountain pool where we went for a
swim. 2 collection, fund(s), purse, stakes, reserve(s), bank,
Colloq pot, jackpot, kitty: So far we have too little money in
the pool for an office party at Christmas. 3 syndicate, trust,
group, consortium, cartel, combine: The object of the pool was
the private regulation of market prices, which is illegal.
--v. 4 accumulate, collect, gather, combine, merge,
consolidate, amalgamate, league, bring or come or band or get
together, team (up) with: We would do better if we pooled our
resources.
poor adj. 1 needy, destitute, indigent, in want, in need, penniless,
poverty-stricken, impoverished, badly off, necessitous, poor as
a church-mouse, straitened, pinched, in reduced circumstances,
impecunious, financially embarrassed, down and out, out of
pocket, ruined, insolvent, bankrupt, Colloq broke, hard up, on
one's uppers, short, US wiped out, Brit in Queer Street, Slang
Brit skint: They were poor and didn't know where their next
meal was coming from. 2 low, bad, skimpy, meagre, scant, scanty,
inadequate, deficient, insufficient, sparse: How can a family
of five survive on such a poor salary? These days, 3 per cent
would be considered a poor return on investment. 3 barren,
unproductive, unfruitful, fruitless, infertile, sterile;
depleted, exhausted, impoverished: This is poor soil, and no
amount of cultivation is likely to make it productive. 4 bad,
awful, inadequate, unsatisfactory, unacceptable, bumbling,
inefficient, amateurish, unprofessional, inferior, second-rate,
third-rate, low-grade, shabby, shoddy, mediocre, defective,
faulty, flawed, substandard, sorry, not up to par or snuff,
slipshod, below or under par, Colloq rotten, lousy: They did a
poor job repairing my car. Her latest recital was pretty poor. 5
insignificant, slight, paltry, inconsequential, mean, modest,
trivial, trifling: They made only a poor attempt to correct the
problem. 6 unfortunate, unlucky, pathetic, luckless, pitiful,
pitiable, ill-fated, miserable, wretched, ill-starred,
star-crossed, jinxed, hapless: The poor chap lost his entire
family in the disaster. 7 bad, ill: Aunt Theresa has been in
poor health lately.
poorly adv. 1 badly, inadequately, unsatisfactorily, incompetently,
inexpertly, improperly, crudely, unprofessionally, amateurishly:
The decorators you recommended have done their work very poorly
indeed.
--adj. Colloq 2 unwell, indisposed, ailing, sick, below par,
Colloq rotten, under the weather: Charles is rather poorly, I'm
afraid.
pop v. 1 burst, explode, bang, go off: The balloon popped, making
me jump. 2 Often, pop in or out or by. visit, stop, call,
appear, Colloq drop in, Brit nip in: Guess who popped in to see
me on his way to the airport. 3 bulge, protrude, stick out, US
bug out: The little boy's eyes popped when they brought in the
birthday cake.
--n. 4 explosion, bang, report, crack: The Christmas cracker
went off with a loud pop. 5 soft drink, soda (water); cola,
Brit fizzy drink, lemonade, US soda (pop): A bottle of pop for
my daughter and a pint of bitter for me, please.
populace n. people, masses, commonalty, (general) public, commoners,
multitude, hoi polloi, crowd, throng, rabble, peasantry,
proletariat, common folk, rank and file, working class,
bourgeoisie, mob, Derogatory great unwashed, riff-raff, rabble,
canaille, ragtag and bobtail: Some MPs act on behalf of their
own constituencies rather than the populace at large.
popular adj. 1 favourite, favoured, in favour, accepted, well-received,
approved, (well-)liked, fashionable, in fashion, stylish, in
vogue, celebrated, renowned, acclaimed, famous, in demand,
sought-after, all the rage, Colloq trendy, in, hot: You would
become a millionaire overnight if you could accurately predict
the popular music of the coming year. 2 conventional, stock,
commonplace, public, normal, standard, general, universal,
average, everyday, ordinary, routine, common, habitual,
prevalent, current, prevailing, dominant, predominant,
predominating, customary: His films cater to popular tastes in
science fiction. 3 lay, non-professional, amateur,
understandable, accessible, popularized, simplified: He
presents a popular astronomy programme on TV.
popularity
n. favour, acceptance, approval, esteem, regard, repute,
reputation, vogue, trend, stylishness, renown, acclaim, fame,
celebrity, lionization, (hero-) worship, Colloq trendiness: The
immense popularity of her novels in America has made her very
rich.
popularly adv. commonly, generally, ordinarily, usually, universally,
widely, regularly, customarily, prevalently, habitually: It is
a popularly held belief among the French that their wine is the
best in the world.
populate v. colonize, settle, people, occupy; inhabit, dwell in, reside
in, live in: Shiploads of families braved the voyage to
populate the New World.
population
n. people, populace, inhabitants, residents, natives, denizens,
citizenry, citizens, folk: In those days there was no one to
look after the legal rights of the population.
populous adj. crowded, (heavily) populated, peopled, teeming, thronged,
crawling, swarming, jammed, jam-packed, packed: The populous
cities contrast with the sparsely inhabited rural areas.
pore° v. pore over. study, examine, scrutinize, peruse, read, go
over, Colloq con: Hamilton sits in the library, day after day,
poring over books of forgotten lore.
poreэ n. opening, orifice, hole, aperture, vent, perforation,
Technical spiracle, stoma: A hot bath opens the pores in the
skin.
pornographic
adj. obscene, lewd, offensive, indecent, prurient, smutty,
taboo, blue, dirty, salacious, licentious, nasty, X-rated,
Colloq porno, US raunchy: Some prudes consider anything
concerning sex to be pornographic.
pornography
n. obscenity, smut, filth, dirt, erotica, Colloq porn: The
council voted to forbid the sale of pornography within the town
precincts.
porous adj. spongy, spongelike, permeable, pervious, penetrable: The
rainwater runs through the porous rock and collects in the pools
below.
port n. harbour, haven, seaport; mooring, anchorage; refuge: We
were bound east for the port of Cardiff.
portable adj. transportable, manageable, carriable, handy, light,
lightweight, compact, pocket, pocket-sized, little, small, US
carry-on, vest-pocket, shirt-pocket: He needs a van just to
transport his portable television, portable radio, portable
hi-fi, portable typewriter, portable computer, and portable
calculator.
portentous
adj. 1 ominous, threatening, momentous, sinister, fateful,
alarming, menacing, foreboding, ill-omened, inauspicious,
unfavourable, ill-starred, ill-fated, star-crossed, lowering or
louring, gloomy, unpromising, unpropitious: Precisely at
midnight they appeared with the most portentous news. 2
extraordinary, amazing, astonishing, astounding, prodigious,
awesome, awe-inspiring, remarkable, marvellous, phenomenal,
fabulous, fantastic, mind-boggling, wondrous, miraculous: The
coronation of a British monarch is truly a portentous event.
porter° n. bearer, (baggage) carrier or attendant, US airports skycap,
US railways redcap: I tipped the porter to carry our bags to a
taxi.
porterэ n. 1 concierge, cleaner, caretaker, Chiefly US and Canadian
janitor, superintendent, Colloq US super: When we are away, the
porter keeps our mail for us. 2 door-keeper, watchman, doorman,
gatekeeper, concierge, US tiler: He went to my club, but the
porter would not let him in.
portico n. porch, veranda or verandah, gallery, colonnade, galilee: At
the front of the mansion, six corinthian pillars support a wide
portico.
portion n. 1 segment, part, section, division, subdivision, parcel,
piece, hunk, chunk, lump, wedge, slice, sliver, fraction,
fragment, bit, morsel, scrap: A portion of the masonry fell
into the street in the earthquake. 2 share, part, allotment,
quota, ration, apportionment, allowance, allocation, assignment,
percentage, measure, division, quantity: The size of an
investor's portion depends on the amount invested. 3 helping,
serving; ration, plate, platter: He complained that the
portions in nouvelle cuisine are too small.
--v. 4 Often, portion out. apportion, share out, allocate,
ration, allot, partition, assign, consign, dole out, deal (out),
parcel out, distribute, administer, dispense, disperse, divide,
split up, carve up, cut up, break up, section, Colloq divvy up:
The conquered territories were then portioned out among the
victors.
portrait n. picture, likeness, image,sketch, rendering, vignette;
representation, description, profile, thumbnail sketch,
portrayal, picturization, depiction; account, story,
characterization, study, record, file, dossier: We have the
culprit's portrait in our rogues' gallery. We need a more
accurate portrait of the kidnapper.
portray v. 1 represent, picture, show, depict, paint, render,
characterize, describe, delineate: She is portrayed wearing the
Castelli tiara. Why must I always be portrayed as the villain? 2
act or play (the part or role of), take the part or role of,
represent, pose as, impersonate: She portrays an aged crone who
regains her youth in the last act.
pose v. 1 sit, model; position, place, arrange, set (up), put:
Would you let your husband or wife pose in the nude? She posed
the model standing, looking out of the window. 2 Usually, pose
as. portray, act or play (the part or role of), take the part or
role of, represent, impersonate, be disguised as, masquerade as,
pretend or profess to be, pass (oneself off) as, pass for,
imitate, mimic; attitudinize, posture, put on airs, Colloq show
off: She posed as an art expert from Switzerland. She thinks
him a rou‚, but he's only posing. 3 set, put, ask, submit,
broach, posit, advance, present, predicate, postulate: The
interviewer posed some questions that were quite embarrassing.
--n. 4 position, attitude, posture, stance: Her profile is not
shown to best advantage in that pose. 5 affectation, act,
pretence, attitudinizing, affectedness, display, fa‡ade, show,
ostentation: His interest in art is just a pose to impress her.
poseur n. posturer, exhibitionist, pretender, impostor, masquerader,
attitudinizer; fake, faker, dissembler, fraud, Colloq show-off,
phoney or US also phony: He talks about literature, but he's a
poseur who just spouts the opinions of others.
posh adj. (de) luxe, luxurious, elegant, sumptuous, lavish, opulent,
rich, royal, regal, luxury, grand, fashionable, Colloq swank(y),
classy, ritzy, Slang snazzy: You ought to see what a posh
office my son has!
posit v. postulate, hypothesize, propound, put or set forth, put
forward, advance, propose, pose, offer, submit, predicate: If
we posit a downturn in prices next year, how does that affect
our profit forecasts?
position n. 1 posture, attitude, stance, pose; disposition, arrangement,
disposal: Once in a while, he would change his position so that
he faced the sun. With the pieces in this position the chess
game is a draw. 2 site, placement, situation, whereabouts,
placing, emplacement, location: Those bearings put his present
position about 20 miles west of C diz. 3 viewpoint, point of
view, outlook, attitude, angle, slant, stance, stand, opinion,
inclination, leaning, bent, sentiment, feeling, way of thinking:
My solicitor is pessimistic about my position in this case. 4
status, condition, state, circumstances, situation: Our
financial position vis-…-vis investment in gilt bonds has
changed. 5 class, caste, place, rank, standing, station, status,
importance: They insist on knowing the social position of the
girl's family. 6 job, occupation, situation, post, office,
function, appointment, capacity, place, role, Colloq billet,
berth, Australian possie or possy My mother's position as
managing director had nothing to do with my getting a promotion.
7 hypothesis, thesis, principle, contention, assertion,
predication, belief, proposition, postulate: His position is
based on the implications of the third law of thermodynamics.
--v. 8 put, place, situate, site, set, fix, settle, dispose,
arrange: The pointer is again positioned at zero. Position your
forces along this ridge and stay on full alert. 9 place, locate,
establish, determine, fix, localize: The scientists positioned
the seismic activity as being along the San Andreas fault.
positive adj. 1 sure, certain, definite, unequivocal, categorical,
absolute, unqualified, unambiguous, unmistakable or
unmistakeable, clear-cut, clear, explicit, express, decisive,
indisputable, indubitable, unquestionable, unquestioned,
incontestable, uncontested, undeniable, reliable, persuasive,
convincing, irrefutable: The police have positive evidence that
the men are innocent of any crime. Spending this evening with
you has been a positive delight. 2 definitive, emphatic,
decided, forceful, firm, peremptory, definite: He gave a
positive denial when asked if he had agreed to let the hostages
go. She made a positive commitment to meet me here at noon. 3
sure, certain, confident, convinced, satisfied: Are you
positive that the last train is at midnight? 4 beneficial,
favourable, complimentary, productive, useful: I heard many
positive things about the way she handled herself at the
interview. 5 overconfident, dogmatic, doctrinaire, pontifical,
opinionated, pigheaded, stubborn, obstinate, obdurate,
arbitrary, overweening, arrogant, assertive, dictatorial,
despotic, imperious, Rare thetic(al): His problem is that he is
quite positive about things that simply are not so. 6 practical,
realistic, utilitarian, productive, functional, pragmatic(al),
realistic, matter-of-fact, Colloq hard-nosed: They have taken a
positive approach to studying the economics of small businesses.
7 encouraging, supportive, constructive, reassuring,
enthusiastic, favourable, affirmative, yes, confirming: Our
plan to buy out the company has received a positive reaction
from our bankers. Asked if they would buy our product,
businessmen gave a positive response. 8 auspicious, promising,
propitious, encouraging; optimistic, favourable, cheerful,
confident; Colloq bullish, upbeat: In the long run, the picture
for home-owners looks positive. It pays to maintain a positive
outlook and not get depressed. 9 complete, utter, total,
perfect, out-and-out, consummate, unmitigated, thorough,
thoroughgoing; egregious, glaring, stark, sheer, outright,
unqualified, unequivocal: You were a positive idiot not to let
me know you needed help. All attempts at reconciliation ended
in positive disaster.
positively
adv. definitely, absolutely, unquestionably, certainly, (most)
assuredly, undeniably, undoubtedly, surely, to be sure,
emphatically, unmistakably or unmistakeably, unqualifiedly,
categorically, indisputably, beyond or without (a shadow of) a
doubt, indubitably, beyond question: The wine list at Le
MaЊtre's is positively the best in the area.
possess v. 1 be possessed or in possession of, have, own, enjoy, be
blessed or endowed with: In the 19th century, the family
possessed great wealth. 2 have, be born or gifted or endowed
with, contain, embody, embrace, include: He possesses a talent
to amuse people. Man does not possess as keen a sense of smell
as many animals. 3 dominate, control, govern, consume, take
control of, preoccupy, obsess; charm, captivate, enchant, cast a
spell over, bewitch, enthral: What possessed her to think that
I could help? He behaves as if he is possessed by the devil. 4
be possessed with or of. have, be held or influenced or
dominated by, be imbued or inspired or permeated or affected
with: She became possessed with the notion that she could sing.
Fiona believes herself the only person possessed of reason. 5
possess oneself of. acquire, achieve, get, come by, gain, come
into, win, obtain, procure, secure, take, seize, take or gain
possession of: Kevin has possessed himself of the only
comfortable bed in the place.
possessed adj. obsessed, driven, controlled, dominated, ridden,
bedevilled, consumed, haunted, pressed, maddened, crazed,
demented, frenzied, Colloq eaten up: He behaved like a man
possessed.
possession
n. 1 ownership, title, proprietorship, control, hold, tenure,
keeping, care, custody, guardianship, protection: The paintings
are now in my possession. 2 holding, territory, province,
dominion, colony, protectorate: How long will the Falkland
Islands remain a possession of the Crown? 3 possessions.
belongings, property, effects, chattels, assets, worldly goods,
things: The prison clerk placed all my possessions in an
envelope, explaining that they would be returned when I was
released. 4 take or gain possession of. seize, capture, take,
conquer, occupy, acquire, win, possess oneself of, secure,
obtain; repossess: The raiding party gained possession of the
port and surrounding area. The finance company has taken
possession of my car.
possessive
adj. 1 greedy, unyielding, selfish, ungiving, ungenerous,
stingy, niggardly, materialistic, covetous, acquisitive: He
refuses to see anyone, as he is very possessive of his time. 2
overprotective, controlling, grasping, dominating, domineering,
overbearing: Anyone with a possessive parent finds it difficult
to leave home.
possibility
n. 1 chance, odds, prospect, conceivability, feasibility,
plausibility, likelihood, admissibility: There is a possibility
of my leaving work early to meet you. What is the possibility
that he might be honest? They deny even the possibility of God's
existence. 2 Often, possibilities. opportunity, potentiality,
potential, capacity, promise: The old house has many large
rooms and offers great possibilities.
possible adj. 1 feasible, plausible, imaginable, conceivable, thinkable,
credible, tenable, reasonable, admissible: It is remotely
possible, though improbable, that she committed the crime. 2
realizable, practicable, workable, practical, doable,
achievable, attainable, reachable, accomplishable, viable,
Colloq on: In the present state of the art, a fully interactive
computer, operating in real time, is still not possible.
possibly adv. 1 maybe, perhaps, God willing, Deo volente, if possible,
Archaic or literary perchance, mayhap, peradventure: She is
possibly the best person for the job. 2 in any way, under any
circumstances, by any chance, by any means, at all: Could you
possibly help me find my contact lens? The weather forecast
couldn't possibly be correct.
post° n. 1 pole, stake, upright, column, pillar, pale, picket, shaft,
standard, newel, pier, pylon, pile, piling, strut, shore,
stanchion, leg, prop, stay, support, brace: A huge central post
held up the roof.
--v. 2 advertise, announce, proclaim, publish, circulate,
propagate, promulgate; put or pin or tack or stick or hang up,
affix: The notice of the meeting has been posted for all to
see.
postэ n. 1 assignment, appointment, position, situation, job, place,
duty, role, function, employment, work, task, chore: Clarke was
given a post as consul in some forgotten country.
--v. 2 place, put, station, assign, appoint, position, situate,
set, locate: Guards have been posted around the enclosure.
post° n. 1 postal service, mail; delivery; collection: I am
expecting an important letter in the post. It hasn't come in the
first post.
--v. 2 send, dispatch or despatch, transmit, Chiefly US and
Canadian mail: I posted your cheque this morning. 3 record,
enter, register, list: We post the daily receipts in this
ledger. 4 keep (someone) posted. inform, advise, brief, notify,
Colloq fill (someone) in on: Our observers have kept me posted
as to your whereabouts every step of the way.
poster n. placard, notice, bill, advertisement, announcement,
broadside, broadsheet; circular, flier: Who designed that
striking poster for the new play?
posterior adj. 1 hind, rear, back, after, hinder, rearward, Nautical aft:
The posterior legs are somewhat longer. 2 later, after, latter,
ensuing, following, succeeding, subsequent: Analysis has
yielded evidence of the posterior origin of the lava.
--n. 3 buttocks, bottom, rump, seat, derriЉre, Colloq behind,
rear, backside, tail, Colloq hinie, Slang Brit bum, Taboo slang
Brit arse, US ass, butt, Yiddish tokus or tochis or tuchis: The
term describing a person with a fat posterior is 'steatopygous'.
posterity n. descendants, successors, heirs, children, offspring, issue,
progeny: It is good that these buildings will be preserved for
posterity. Posterity will be the judge of our success.
post-haste
adv. quickly, at once, without delay, immediately, directly,
straightaway, right away, promptly, speedily, swiftly,
instantly, before one can say 'Jack Robinson', before you can
say 'knife', rapidly, at full tilt, in a wink, in a trice, in
the twinkling of an eye, Colloq pronto, chop-chop, p.d.q. (=
'pretty damned quick'), US and Canadian lickety-split, like
greased lightning: He got me the report post-haste.
post-mortem
n. 1 autopsy, necropsy: We'll know the cause of death after
the post-mortem. 2 review, analysis, Slang US Monday-morning
quarterbacking: We can do without the post-mortem on every
bridge hand.
postpone v. delay, adjourn, defer, keep in abeyance, put off or aside,
lay aside, suspend, shelve, put or keep on ice, temporize,
dally, Colloq put on the back burner, US table: We ought to
postpone further discussion till we have the facts.
postponement
n. delay, adjournment, abeyance, suspension, stay, deferment,
deferral, moratorium: There has been a postponement of the
meeting till Monday.
posture n. 1 pose, position, attitude, stance, appearance, carriage:
She stood there in a defiant posture, with arms akimbo. 2
position, condition, situation, state, disposition; arrangement,
organization, layout, array, format: The government adopted a
conciliatory posture in the matter. 3 attitude, stance,
position, feeling, sentiment, outlook, (point of) view,
viewpoint, orientation, disposition, frame of mind, mood: The
interviewer tried to determine the general's posture on
disarmament.
--v. 4 pose, attitudinize, affect, put on a show, do for
effect, Colloq show off: Despite all her posturing, we believe
her to be sincere.
pot n. 1 pan, saucepan, cauldron, cook-pot, stewpot; kettle: How
many politicians have promised the people 'a chicken in every
pot'? 2 jackpot, bank, kitty: You will have to add њ5 to the
pot to see my hand. 3 pot-belly, paunch, gut, Colloq
corporation, beer belly, spare tyre, US bay window: If he
exercised more, Patrick wouldn't have such a pot.
potent adj. 1 powerful, strong; mighty, vigorous, forceful,
formidable, authoritative, influential, Literary puissant: A
potent poison will kill those weeds. We have to reckon with an
enemy that is quite potent. 2 effective, convincing, cogent,
persuasive, compelling, efficacious, telling, sound, valid,
impressive: Their argument is potent enough to convince the
biggest sceptics.
potential adj. 1 possible, likely, implicit, implied, imminent,
developing, budding, embryonic, dormant, hidden, concealed,
covert, latent, quiescent, passive, future, unrealized,
undeveloped: We are dealing with a potential threat to our
liberty.
--n. 2 capacity, capability, possibility, aptitude, potency,
Colloq the (right) stuff, what it takes: All teenagers have
potential; the problem is to teach them to exploit it to the
best advantage.
potion n. draught, brew, beverage, drink, philtre, potation, elixir,
tonic, cup, dose, concoction, decoction: The old crone gave him
a tiny bottle containing the love potion.
pot-pourri
n. mixture, medley, miscellany, assortment, olla podrida,
smorgasbord or sm”rg†sbord, gallimaufry, salmagundi, patchwork,
collection, hotchpotch or US and Canadian hodgepodge, m‚lange or
melange, motley, pastiche or pasticcio, mishmash, jumble, mess:
What a pot-pourri of styles is represented in that art gallery!
potter v. Chiefly Brit dabble (in or with), toy with, trifle with,
fribble, fool (with or about or around), fritter (away), mess
(about or around or with), tinker (with), meddle (with), monkey
(about or around or with), fidget (with), US putter (around or
with), Colloq fiddle (about or around or with), footle (around
or about): On Sundays I like to potter about in the garden.
pottery n. earthenware, ceramics, terracotta, crockery, stoneware,
porcelain, china, delftware: Ornamented pottery has been found
in pre-Columbian digs.
pouch n. pocket, sack, bag, purse, reticule, Dialect poke: A
Highlander's pouch is called a sporran. As I was going out, I
filled my tobacco pouch.
pounce v. 1 Often, pounce on or upon. spring (on or upon), leap (at or
on), swoop down (on or upon), fall upon, jump (at or on),
strike, take by surprise or unawares, attack, ambush, Colloq
mug: As I rounded the corner, three youths pounced on me, stole
my bag, and ran off.
--n. 2 spring, leap, swoop, jump: The cat was on the mantel
shelf in a single pounce.
pound° v. 1 beat, batter, pelt, hammer, pummel; thump, belabour,
thrash, bludgeon, cudgel, maul, strike, Colloq lambaste, Slang
paste, clobber, work over, give (someone) the works or a
pasting: She pounded on the door till someone came. It was
satisfying to see him pound the class bully into submission. 2
crush, powder, pulverize, bray, comminute, triturate, mash,
pulp: The corn must be pounded into a fine meal before use. 3
beat, throb, hammer, pulse, pulsate, palpitate: My heart was
pounding, waiting to see if the tiger would attack. 4 pound
into. instil, din into, drill into, drub into, hammer into, beat
into: Her parents have pounded into her that she must show
respect to her elders. 5 pound out. rid, expel, clear, cleanse,
empty, purge, beat out, hammer out: The last bit of
stubbornness was pounded out of me at school. 6 beat out;
hammer out, produce: The jungle drums pounded out the message
that Tarzan was coming.
--n. 7 pounding, beat, beating, thump, thumping: The pound of
horses' hooves heralded the arrival of the cavalry.
poundэ n. enclosure, pen, compound, confine, yard: My car was towed
to the pound, and it cost a fortune to retrieve it.
pour v. 1 flow, run, gush, rush, flood, stream, course, spout,
discharge, spurt, spew out, cascade: Water was pouring from a
crack in the dam. 2 empty, discharge, let out: Pour the
boiling water over the tea leaves and let them steep for a few
minutes. 3 rain, teem, Colloq come down in buckets or by the
bucketful, bucket down, rain cats and dogs, US rain pitchforks:
It poured all night. 4 stream, swarm, crowd, throng, teem,
emerge, sally forth, issue (forth), go (forth): The show over,
people poured into the streets.
pout v. 1 mope, brood, sulk, make a moue, pull a long face, frown,
lour or lower, knit one's brows: Don't pout - I'll buy you an
ice-cream.
--n. 2 frown, moue, long face: Her pout was occasioned by her
father's scolding.
poverty n. 1 want, penury, indigence, insolvency, destitution,
pauperism, impecuniousness, neediness, beggary: Her childhood
was spent in poverty. 2 scarcity, scarceness, want, need, lack,
meagreness, insufficiency, shortage, dearth, paucity,
inadequacy: They criticized the poverty of talent among the
current crop of actors.
powder n. 1 dust; talc: I couldn't remember whether the jar contained
cornflour or baking powder. She dabbed her body all over with
scented powder. 2 take a (run-out) powder. run away, abscond,
escape, vanish, disappear, Slang Brit scarper, do a moonlight
flit, US take it on the lam: The cops are coming, so I'm taking
a powder.
--v. 3 pulverize, bray, grind, crush, pound, granulate,
triturate, comminute, levigate: The rocks must first be
crushed, then powdered. 4 sprinkle, besprinkle, dust, dredge,
cover, coat: Lightly powder the top of the cake with icing
sugar, and it is ready to serve.
power n. 1 Sometimes, powers. capacity, capability, ability,
potential, faculty, competency or competence, faculty,
potentiality, Colloq what it takes, US the (right) stuff, the
goods: Fishes have the power to change their buoyancy. He has
remarkable powers of observation. 2 control, dominance,
authority, mastery, rule, influence, sway, command, ascendancy,
sovereignty, dominion, weight, clout, Colloq pull, US drag: He
maintains a Svengali-like power over her. The prime minister has
the power to appoint and dismiss cabinet ministers. 3 control,
command, authority: The party might not be in power for very
long. 4 strength, might, vigour, energy, force, mightiness,
potency, forcefulness, brawn, muscle, Literary puissance: His
speech was delivered with great power and a certain wit. Has she
the power it takes to toss the caber? 5 talent, skill, ability,
faculty, gift, aptitude, genius, knack: They say that she has
the power to see into the future. 6 authority, licence, right,
authorization, privilege, warrant, prerogative: By the power
vested in me, I now declare you man and wife. It is within her
power to grant a stay of execution. 7 Often, powers. activity,
effectiveness, effect, ability, capacity, active ingredient(s):
This mushroom has hallucinogenic powers. 8 energy, momentum,
impetus, drive, force, inertia: The car rolled halfway up the
next hill under its own power. 9 (mechanical or electrical or
atomic) energy, electricity, fuel: Yesterday there was another
demonstration against the use of nuclear power. 10 powers that
be. government, administration, authorities, incumbents: It is
up to the powers that be to investigate corruption.
powerful adj. 1 potent, strong, mighty, vigorous, robust, energetic,
sturdy, stalwart, tough, resilient, dynamic: Leslie has a
powerful physique. The cities of the Hanseatic League had
powerful economies. 2 influential, strong, compelling, forceful,
potent, substantial, weighty, authoritative, effective;
important, impressive, telling, effectual, formidable,
persuasive: Powerful arguments have been brought to bear
against taking such action. She has many powerful friends. 3
strong, potent; intense, substantial, great, high: The drug is
too powerful to be taken regularly. A powerful electrical charge
was sent through the wire to test the connection.
powerless adj. 1 helpless, incapable, unable, unfit, incompetent,
ineffectual, ineffective: Without his wand, the magician was
powerless. 2 incapacitated, helpless, weak, feeble,
debilitated, crippled, paralysed, disabled: He is completely
powerless without the use of his right hand.
practicable
adj. doable, feasible, workable, performable, achievable,
attainable, accomplishable, possible, viable: We climbed up the
glacier as far as was practicable. At last we had a practicable
flying machine.
practical adj. 1 pragmatic, useful, usable or useable, functional,
realistic, reasonable, sound, utilitarian, applicable,
serviceable, empirical, efficient: Whether the device is
practical will depend on its cost effectiveness. 2 sensible,
reasonable, common-sense or common-sensical, everyday, ordinary,
down-to-earth, expedient, matter-of-fact, mundane,
business-like, hard-headed, judicious, Colloq hard-nosed: Put
theory aside and focus on a practical solution to the problem.
3 applied, field, hands-on, personal, everyday: She has had
practical experience in nursing the elderly.
practically
adv. 1 almost, (very) nearly, wellnigh, virtually, in effect,
just about, essentially, fundamentally, at bottom, basically,
when all is said and done, at the end of the day, to all intents
and purposes: We are practically there. I have practically
finished the ironing. 2 realistically, matter-of-factly,
clearly, simply, reasonably, rationally, sensibly: Practically,
there was nothing to be done except let the fire burn itself
out.
practice n. 1 custom, wont, habit, routine, convention, tradition, rule,
procedure, usage, mode, style, way, modus operandi, technique or
technic, Formal praxis, Colloq MO (= 'modus operandi'): She
makes a practice of swimming for an hour every day. It is our
practice to get patients out of bed as soon as possible after
surgery. 2 exercise, discipline, drill, practising, repetition,
rehearsal, training, preparation; workout, warm-up; application,
study: She needs more practice on the beginner's slope before
going down the main piste. 3 pursuit, exercise, work,
profession, career, vocation, conduct; business, office: He
genuinely enjoys the practice of law. I heard of a veterinary
practice for sale in Yorkshire. 4 in practice. practically,
actually, day-to-day, realistically, in real life: In practice
no one would ever treat an injury the way this book recommends.
5 out of practice. inexperienced, unpractised, unaccustomed,
rusty: I once played a good game of chess, but I'm out of
practice now.
practise v. 1 drill, exercise, work out, train, prepare, rehearse, run
through, repeat, study, US practice: I am practising for
Sunday's tennis tournament. She practises the piano every day.
You should practise your routine for the show. 2 carry on, make
a practice of, perform, do, act, carry out, put into practice,
US practice: She practises law. You should practise what you
preach.
practised adj. 1 accomplished, proficient, expert, skilled, experienced,
capable, adept, seasoned, able, qualified, gifted, talented,
skilful, masterful, consummate, superb, superior, US practiced:
She is a practised liar. 2 trained, rehearsed, versed,
cultivated, schooled, finished, perfected, US practiced: He
greeted them with the practised air of an veteran diplomat.
praise n. 1 acclaim, approval, approbation, applause, plaudits, kudos,
endorsement, acclamation, tribute, accolade, compliments,
commendation, encomium, eulogy, panegyric, ovation: Sheila has
received well-deserved praise for her work with paraplegic
children. Would you expect me to sing the praises of my rival? 2
honour, glorification, adoration, exaltation, devotion, homage,
worship, veneration, adulation, reverence, glory, hymn or song
of praise, paean, hosanna: The king rejoiced and said, 'Praise
be to God'.
--v. 3 acclaim, approve, laud, applaud, endorse, pay tribute
to, compliment, commend, eulogize, extol, honour, sing the
praises (of): The speaker praised Read for his many
contributions to linguistics. 4 worship, revere, reverence,
exalt, glorify, adore, pay homage to, venerate, give thanks to,
hallow: Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition.
praiseworthy
adj. commendable, laudable, admirable, creditable, worthy,
meritorious, deserving, exemplary: However praiseworthy your
motives were, you did not stop to consider the consequences.
prance v. caper, dance, gambol, skip, cavort, romp, leap, frisk, jump,
spring, bound, Dressage curvet, capriole: Ahead of the royal
coach came a dozen riders on prancing horses.
prank n. trick, (practical) joke, frolic, escapade, antic, caper,
stunt, lark, jest, jape, monkey tricks or esp. US monkeyshines,
mischief: Those schoolboy pranks we once thought hilarious now
seem quite silly.
prattle v. 1 prate, babble, blather or blether, blither, gibber,
jabber, jibber-jabber, palaver, tattle, twaddle, gabble,
chatter, patter, drivel, twitter, rattle on, go on (and on),
maunder, Brit natter, Colloq witter (on), gas, gab, spout, gush,
run (on), US run off at the mouth, Slang jaw, ya(c)k,
ya(c)kety-ya(c)k, shoot off one's mouth: Do I have to listen to
him prattle on and on about his grandchildren?
--n. 2 prate, prating, babble, babbling, blather or blether,
blathering or blethering, gibber, gibbering, jabber, jabbering,
palaver, palavering, tattle, tattling, twaddle, chatter,
chattering, gabble, gabbling, patter, drivel, twitter,
twittering, rattling on, going on, maundering, cackle, US
jibber-jabbering, twattle, clack, Colloq gas, gab, running off
at the mouth, Slang jawing, ya(c)kety-ya(c)k: We were treated
to constant prattle about eating healthy foods. 3 jabberwocky,
gobbledegook or gobbledygook, mumbo-jumbo, rubbish, balderdash,
(stuff and) nonsense, humbug, bunkum, tommy-rot, trash, rot,
foolishness, Colloq pish and tush, hot air, flapdoodle,
rigmarole or rigamarole, bunk, piffle, moonshine, poppycock,
claptrap, bull, hogwash, swill, Brit tosh, fiddle-faddle,
boloney, Chiefly US garbage, horse feathers, Slang crap, hooey,
guff, Taboo slang bullshit, US crock (of shit): What they told
you about guaranteeing your job is just a lot of prattle.
pray v. 1 beseech, ask, call upon or on, entreat, implore, request,
appeal to, plead (with), beg (for), importune, solicit,
petition, supplicate, Rare obsecrate: I pray you to find it in
your heart to approve my work. 2 say one's prayers, offer a
prayer: We prayed for her safe return.
prayer n. 1 petition, supplication, request, entreaty, plea, suit,
appeal, Rare obsecration: Our prayers were answered, and she
returned safely. 2 devotion, praying, invocation, (divine)
service, Literary orison: Man ascends to God through prayer.
preach v. 1 deliver a sermon, evangelize, spread the Word or the
Gospel; catechize: The Most Reverend John Attwood will preach
next week at Winchester. 2 moralize, sermonize, advise,
counsel, admonish, reprimand, lecture, harangue, pontificate;
urge, inculcate, advocate: Mother used to preach to us about
being charitable. Father preached restraint in all things.
preacher n. minister, evangelist, clergyman, clergywoman, cleric,
ecclesiastic, reverend, divine, Colloq tub-thumper: He studied
for many years to become a preacher.
preamble n. introduction, foreword, prologue, preface, Formal proem,
prolegomenon, exordium: As a preamble to today's proceedings, I
should like to welcome our honoured guests.
precarious
adj. uncertain, unreliable, unsure, risky, hazardous,
unpredictable, insecure, unstable, unsteady, unsettled, shaky,
doubtful, dubious, questionable, tricky, delicate, ticklish,
sensitive, slippery, touch-and-go, (hanging) in the balance,
hanging by a thread, Damoclean, perilous, treacherous,
dangerous, difficult, problematic, Colloq chancy, Brit dodgy,
dicey, US iffy, Slang hairy: If sales continue to drop, the
company will be in precarious condition. We followed a
precarious trail down the mountainside.
precaution
n. 1 provision, preventive measure, safety measure, safeguard,
insurance, protection, cover, escape: Unfortunately, he had
failed to take any precautions against storm damage. 2
foresight, prudence, providence, forethought, caution,
cautiousness, circumspection, care, attention, watchfulness,
vigilance, alertness, wariness, chariness, apprehension,
far-sightedness, anticipation: Precaution is wiser than
hindsight.
precede v. come or go or proceed before or first, go ahead or in
advance (of), lead (the way), pave the way (for), herald, usher
in, introduce, antecede; foreshadow, antedate, predate: His
wife preceded him into the room. The Decameron preceded The
Canterbury Tales by about fifty years.
precedence
n. precedency, priority, pre-eminence, superiority, supremacy,
preference, privilege, prerogative, importance, rank, position,
primacy: Your school work must take precedence over football
practice.
precedent n. prototype, model, example, exemplar, pattern, paradigm,
yardstick, criterion, standard, lead: The French considered the
War of American Independence a precedent for their revolution.
preceding adj. foregoing, former, previous, above, prior, earlier,
above-mentioned, aforementioned, above-stated, above-named: The
defendant in the preceding action was remanded in custody for a
week.
precept n. 1 rule, guide, principle, unwritten law, canon, guideline,
dictate, code, injunction, law, commandment, instruction,
injunction, directive, prescription, mandate, charge; statute,
regulation, edict, ukase, decree, order, fiat, ordinance: The
Ten Commandments provide basic precepts of moral behaviour. 2
maxim, proverb, axiom, motto, slogan, saying, byword, aphorism,
apophthegm or apothegm: Does anyone follow the precepts set
forth in Scripture?
precinct n. 1 Usually, precincts. area, territory, region, province,
environs, purlieus, borders, bounds, confines: Does he have any
authority outside the precincts of the city? 2 sphere,
neighbourhood, zone, sector, section, quarter, district, locale:
In some US cities, the area covered by a police station is
called a precinct.
precious adj. 1 dear, dearest, costly, expensive, high-priced, valuable,
invaluable, prized, priceless, irreplaceable, Colloq pricey:
The entire cabinet was filled with precious jewels. 2 esteemed,
choice, cherished, beloved, idolized, adored, loved, valued,
prized, revered, venerated, venerable, hallowed: The church
keeps its most precious relics in a special vault. 3 precise,
exquisite, overrefined, chichi, over-nice, studied, artificial,
effete, affected, overdone, pretentious, euphuistic,
alembicated, Colloq Brit twee, Slang US cutesy: His style is
characterized by somewhat precious language.
precipice n. cliff, escarpment, bluff, crag: We looked nervously over
the edge of the precipice at the raging sea below.
precipitate
v. 1 accelerate, hasten, speed (up), advance, hurry, quicken,
expedite, bring on or about, trigger, provoke, instigate,
incite, facilitate, further, press, push forward: The rise in
interest rates precipitated many bankruptcies. 2 hurl, fling,
cast, launch, project: The force of the impact precipitated him
through the windscreen.
--adj. 3 headlong, violent, rapid, swift, quick, speedy,
meteoric, fast: A powerful counter-attack brought about the
enemy's precipitate rout. 4 sudden, abrupt, unannounced,
unexpected, unanticipated: Today's fall in share prices was as
precipitate as yesterday's rise. 5 rash, impetuous, hasty,
volatile, hotheaded, careless, reckless, incautious,
injudicious, foolhardy, impulsive, unrestrained: The selection
of a career should not be a precipitate decision.
precipitation
n. showers, drizzle, downpour, rain, rainfall, snow, snowfall,
hail, sleet: Precipitation can be expected in advance of the
low-pressure area pushing down from the north.
precipitous
adj. 1 abrupt, steep, perpendicular, sheer, bluff, acclivitous,
declivitous: I cannot see how anyone can climb up the
precipitous face of that crag. 2 See precipitate, 5, above.
pr‚cis n. outline, summary, synopsis, aper‡u, r‚sum‚, conspectus,
survey, overview, abstract, abridgement, digest, compendium,
recapitulation; table of contents: As I haven't the time to
read the entire study document, let me have a pr‚cis of it.
precise adj. 1 correct, exact, definite, well-defined, explicit,
word-for-word, verbatim, literal, letter-for-letter, literatim,
faithful, specific, unambiguous, unequivocal, strict, authentic,
perfect, true, veracious, truthful, unerring, error-free,
accurate: Errors show that medieval scribes did not always
succeed in making precise copies. 2 strict, meticulous,
scrupulous, careful, conscientious, exact, unconditional,
rigorous, rigid, puritanical, unbending, inflexible, unyielding,
demanding, severe, prim, absolute: He has been very precise
about dates and facts. Margaret is precise in insisting on
obedience to her orders. 3 fastidious, particular, finicky,
finical, fussy, meticulous, scrupulous, careful, conscientious,
nice, exacting, critical, demanding: Painting miniatures is
very precise work. 4 exact, very: This is the precise spot
where I found the body.
precisely adv. 1 exactly, just, strictly, Colloq on the nail, smack,
slap, on the nose, Brit bang on, spot on: His view is precisely
the opposite of hers. We left precisely at five o'clock. You
phoned, and that is precisely why I came. The two paintings are
not precisely the same. 2 exactly, exactingly, correctly,
rigorously, absolutely, punctiliously, minutely, carefully,
meticulously, scrupulously, conscientiously, strictly, rigidly,
inflexibly; in all respects, in every way: This judge follows
the letter of the law precisely.
precision n. 1 correctness, exactness, fidelity, faithfulness,
exactitude, preciseness, accuracy, rigour, perfection,
flawlessness, faultlessness, literalism, faithfulness,
unerringness: This copy follows the original with precision. 2
definiteness, care, nicety, meticulousness, rigorousness,
rigour, fastidiousness, punctiliousness, scrupulousness,
unambiguousness, nicety, strictness, explicitness: The
precision of the wording leaves no doubt about what the writer
intended.
preclude v. obviate, bar, prevent, stop, exclude, prohibit, shut out,
forestall, rule out, debar, check, block, obstruct, avert,
avoid, thwart, frustrate, impede, inhibit, hinder, interfere
with: To preclude misunderstanding, please repeat what you
said. They may not engage in activities that preclude them from
performing their regular duties.
precocious
adj. advanced, mature, bright, gifted, intelligent, smart,
quick: It is hard to believe that Oliver was a precocious
child.
preconceived
adj. beforehand, predisposed, prejudged, predetermined,
prejudiced, biased, anticipatory: He has many false
preconceived notions about people.
preconception
n. predisposition, prejudgement, predetermination, prejudice,
bias, presumption, presupposition, assumption, id‚e fixe,
prepossession, preconceived notion or idea: This production of
King Lear will challenge your preconceptions of the play.
precondition
n. prerequisite, stipulation, condition, essential, must, sine
qua non, imperative, requirement, proviso, provision,
qualification, necessity: The release of the prisoners is a
precondition for talks. Is great humanity a precondition of
great music, or is it just a matter of the notes?
precursor n. 1 harbinger, herald, vanguard: The glow on the eastern
horizon is the precursor of another day. 2 See predecessor, 1,
below
predatory adj. 1 predacious or predaceous, carnivorous, preying,
raptorial: Despite domestication, dogs and cats are predatory
animals. 2 rapacious, ravenous, plundering, robbing, pillaging,
marauding, despoiling, looting, piratical, vulturine,
avaricious, greedy, voracious, larcenous, thieving,
extortionate, usurious: Predatory pirates once ravaged the
Mediterranean. Keep out of the hands of predatory money-lenders,
my son.
predecessor
n. 1 forerunner, predecessor, antecedent: I could not match
the accomplishments of my predecessor in this post. 2 forebear,
forefather, ancestor, antecedent: Can you name the Tudor
predecessors of Elizabeth I?
predestination
n. destiny, future, lot, fortune, kismet, karma; doom, fate;
foreordainment, foreordination: Meeting like this must have
been predestination.
predetermined
adj. 1 fixed, prearranged, pre-established, set (up), foregone,
preplanned, pre-set: A predetermined amount of milk is
automatically poured into each cup of coffee. 2 fated, doomed,
destined, ordained, foreordained, Colloq cut and dried, Brit on
the cards, US in the cards: One gets the feeling that the
outcome was predetermined.
predicament
n. dilemma, quandary, difficulty, trial, situation, state,
condition, imbroglio, emergency, crisis, impasse, Colloq pickle,
jam, fix, pinch, scrape, spot, bind, corner, hole, mess, US box:
I was hoping that you might help me out of a very awkward
predicament.
predict v. foretell, prophesy, forecast, foresee, augur, prognosticate,
forewarn, presage, vaticinate; portend, foreshadow, foretoken,
forebode; intimate, hint, suggest: My mother predicted that
there would be moments like this. If only I could predict the
winner of the 2.30!
predictable
adj. foreseeable, foreseen, probable, likely, liable, expected,
anticipated, (reasonably) sure or certain, Colloq Brit on the
cards, US in the cards: Her angry reaction at being dismissed
was quite predictable.
prediction
n. forecast, prophecy, augury, prognosis; intimation, hint,
suggestion: The weatherman's predictions are more accurate than
one might think. The prediction that he might be released the
next day did not come true.
predominance
n. predominancy, superiority, influence, dominance,
pre-eminence, preponderance, ascendancy, precedence, power,
supremacy, hold, sway, hegemony, leadership, mastery, control,
dominion, sovereignty, transcendence or transcendency,
authority, the upper hand, the whip hand, advantage, the edge:
We must re-establish the predominance of intellectual vigour
over crass commercialism.
predominant
adj. dominant, predominating, controlling, sovereign, ruling,
pre-eminent, preponderant, ascendant, superior, supreme,
leading, paramount, main, chief, transcendant, important,
telling, influential, primary, prevailing, prevalent: England
was the predominant power in the world during the 19th century.
The phlogiston theory was once predominant among scientists.
predominate
v. Often, predominate over. dominate, control, rule, reign,
preponderate, outweigh, obtain, prevail, overshadow, get or have
the upper hand, lord it over, hold sway, overrule: Though the
American president is a Republican, the Democrats predominate in
Congress.
pre-eminence
n. 1 See predominance, above. 2 peerlessness, magnificence,
excellence, distinction, eminence, inimitability, superiority:
There is no gainsaying the pre-eminence of Shakespeare as a poet
and playwright.
pre-eminent
adj. 1 See predominant, above. 2 peerless, excellent,
distinguished, eminent, inimitable, superb, unequalled,
matchless, incomparable, outstanding, unique, unrivalled,
unsurpassed, supreme, superior: In her opinion, Craig is the
pre-eminent authority on the subject.
pre-eminently
adv. primarily, principally, by far, far and away, manifestly,
eminently, notably, conspicuously, prominently, signally,
uniquely, extraordinarily, supremely, superbly, matchlessly,
incomparably, outstandingly: There is no doubt that Nathalie is
pre-eminently qualified to direct the play.
pre-empt v. appropriate, usurp, arrogate, take over, assume, take
possession of, seize, acquire, take, possess, expropriate: All
the seats on the committee had been pre-empted by the ruling
faction.
preen v. 1 trim, clean, plume, groom: The gliding swans stopped now
and then to preen their feathers. 2 primp, dress up, titivate
or tittivate, prettify, beautify, prink, spruce up, deck (out),
Colloq doll up, Brit tart up: He made Sonia wait while he
preened himself before the mirror.
preface n. 1 introduction, foreword, prologue, preamble, Formal proem,
prolegomenon, exordium: By way of preface, I should like to say
how happy I am to be here. The preface to the book is far too
long.
--v. 2 precede, introduce, prefix, begin, open: The speaker
prefaced his acceptance speech with a tribute to his
predecessor.
prefatory adj. opening, introductory, preliminary, preparatory: Would
you like to make a few prefatory remarks introducing this
evening's speaker?
prefer v. 1 favour, like better, fancy, lean or incline towards or on
the side of, be inclined, be partial to, pick, select, opt for,
choose, single out, take a fancy to, embrace, espouse, approve,
esteem: Which flavour do you prefer, chocolate or coffee? I
should prefer to take my own car. 2 present, offer, propose,
proffer, advance, submit, tender, put forward, file, lodge,
enter: They preferred charges against the hooligans for
criminal damage.
preference
n. 1 favourite, choice, selection, desire, option, pick: My
preference is the Dover sole meuniЉre. 2 partiality,
proclivity, prejudice, favouritism, predilection, liking, fancy,
predisposition, bent, inclination, leaning: She shows a marked
preference for short men.
preferential
adj. advantageous, biased, prejudiced, favourable, privileged,
partial, better, favoured, superior: What entitles her to
preferential treatment?
pregnant adj. 1 gravid, parturient, expectant, (heavy) with child,
enceinte, Colloq expecting, in a family way, Brit preggers,
Slang having a bun in the oven, Brit in the (pudding) club, up
the spout: Her twins are only seven months old and now she's
pregnant again. 2 charged, fraught, loaded, weighty,
significant, meaningful, suggestive, eloquent, expressive,
pointed: Although she said nothing, her smile was pregnant with
meaning. 3 fruitful, teeming, fertile, fecund, rich, abounding,
replete, productive: My mind was so pregnant with ideas that I
couldn't wait to get down to work.
prehistoric
adj. 1 primordial, primal, primeval, primitive, earliest,
early, antediluvian, Noachian or Noachic, fossil, ancient: The
prehistoric remains of yet another skeleton have been found in
the peat bogs. 2 antiquated, out-dated, old-fashioned, pass‚:
My mother makes me wear these absolutely prehistoric clothes to
school.
prejudice n. 1 partiality, preconception, prejudgement, bias, leaning,
warp, twist, preconceived notion, predisposition, predilection,
jaundiced eye, jaundice: The judge showed an unfortunate
prejudice against my client. 2 bigotry, unfairness, bias,
partisanship, favouritism, cronyism, discrimination,
intolerance, inequality; racism, racialism, apartheid, Jim
Crowism, sexism, (male) chauvinism: There is still prejudice
against many minority groups in society.
--v. 3 bias, influence, warp, twist, distort, slant; colour,
jaundice, poison: Stop trying to prejudice me against the book,
and let me form my own opinion. Are you prejudiced in favour of
Anita's getting the job?
prejudiced
adj. 1 unfair, one-sided, biased, jaundiced, opinionated,
predisposed, partial, partisan, non-objective, unobjective: The
prosecution objected to him as a prejudiced witness. 2 bigoted,
intolerant, narrow-minded, closed-minded, parochial, sexist,
racist, chauvinistic: We have no room in our organization for
people who are prejudiced.
prejudicial
adj. injurious, damaging, detrimental, harmful, unfavourable,
inimical, deleterious, disadvantageous, counter-productive,
pernicious: Such an investment decision might prove prejudicial
to her financial security.
preliminary
adj. 1 advance, prior, introductory, beginning, initial,
opening, preparatory, prefatory, preceding, antecedent,
forerunning; premonitory; Formal or technical prodromal or
prodromic: The preliminary design for the swimming-pool is
ready. After some preliminary remarks, the ceremonies got under
way.
--n. 2 introduction, beginning, opening, preparation,
groundwork, prelude, precedence; overture: We insist on
rigorous training as a preliminary to working in the field. 3
prelims. Rarely, preliminaries. introduction, preface, foreword,
preamble, prologue, front matter, Formal proem, exordium,
prolegomenon, prodromus, prodrome: The manuscript is finished
and we are waiting for the prelims.
premature adj. 1 immature, undeveloped, underdeveloped, unfledged,
untimely, unready, early, unripe, green: Much premature fruit
has been blown down in the winds. 2 hasty, untimely, ill-timed,
too early, too soon, beforehand, unseasonable, overhasty,
impulsive, inopportune: The post may be slow, but still I think
September a bit premature to send Christmas cards. The discovery
that money was missing accounts for his premature departure.
prematurely
adv. 1 untimely, too soon, too early: He died prematurely at
the age of 46. 2 rashly, (over-)hastily, at half-cock,
half-cocked: She dismissed him prematurely, before he had the
time to prove himself. The gun went off prematurely, with no
chance to aim it.
premeditated
adj. planned, conscious, intentional, intended, wilful,
deliberate, studied, purposive; contrived, preplanned,
calculated, preconceived: The murder was coldly premeditated. I
admit to being wrong, and I have no premeditated excuses.
premier n. 1 prime minister, PM, head of state, chief executive,
president, chancellor: The premiers of the Commonwealth met at
Kuala Lumpur in 1989.
--adj. 2 first, prime, primary, chief, principal, head, main,
foremost, top-ranking, highest-ranking, ranking, leading, top,
pre-eminent: He is the premier expert in his field.
premiЉre n. 1 premiere, first night, opening (night), debut: The
premiЉre of A‹da was at the opening of the Suez Canal.
--v. 2 open, debut: The film will premiЉre at the Festival
Cinema tomorrow.
--adj. 3 opening, debut, first, original, initial: The
premiЉre West-End performance is scheduled for May after a
provincial tour.
premise n. 1 premiss, assumption, proposition, postulate, hypothesis,
conjecture, assertion, supposition, thesis, presupposition,
proposal, theorem, surmise, basis, ground: He started out with
the premise that time had a beginning and will have an end.
--v. 2 assume, propose, postulate, hypothesize, hypothecate,
conjecture, posit, assert, suppose, presuppose, theorize,
surmise, put or set forth, predicate, argue: If you accept what
Einstein premised in the Special Theory of Relativity, then you
accept that space is curved.
premium n. 1 bonus, extra, dividend, prize, award, reward, perquisite:
In our slimming competition, a premium will be paid for each
pound that you lose beyond five. 2 incentive, inducement,
stimulus, incitement, lure, bait, spur, goad, reward, Colloq
come-on, Slang US and Canadian freebie: Many Building Societies
offer premiums to first-time buyers. 3 value, importance,
regard, stock, store, appreciation: We place a premium on the
way our staff treat customers. 4 at a premium. a scarce, rare,
scant, scanty, sparse, hard to come by, in short supply, Colloq
scarce as hen's teeth, Chiefly Brit thin on the ground:
Proficient, literate, experienced editors are at a premium these
days. b costly, expensive, dear, high-priced, Colloq steep,
stiff: The convertible model of this car is at a premium.
premonition
n. intuition, foreboding, presentiment, forewarning, suspicion,
feeling, hunch, Colloq funny feeling, sneaking suspicion: I had
a premonition that something terribly evil was lurking in store
for me.
preoccupied
adj. 1 engrossed, lost in thought, rapt, thoughtful, pensive,
absorbed, cogitating, cogitative, meditating, musing,
reflecting, reflective, contemplative, contemplating, pondering,
brooding, ruminating, in a brown study: John is preoccupied,
thinking about the speech he has to deliver tonight. 2 vague,
offhand, far-away, absent-minded, abstracted, oblivious,
unaware, wrapped up, immersed, inattentive, distracted,
distrait, Colloq turned off, US out of it: From her preoccupied
air it was obvious that something was wrong.
preparation
n. 1 Often, preparations. a groundwork, spadework,
provision(s), foundation, preparing, measures, proceedings:
Nothing will interfere with our preparation for the royal visit.
b plans, arrangements: We are making preparations to leave
tomorrow. 2 fitness, readiness, readying, preparing, training,
education, teaching, instruction, instructing, tuition,
briefing, grooming, Colloq gearing up, prep, US prepping: The
preparation of the students was your responsibility. 3 drawing
up, draughting, planning, setting up, putting together,
organizing, organization, composing, making: How is your
preparation of the new proposal coming along? 4 work,
preparing, getting ready, study, studying, practising, practice,
Colloq cramming, Brit swotting: All my preparation for the exam
was to no avail. 5 substance, compound, concoction, mixture,
product, material, stuff, composition: This preparation is a
furniture wax, not a suntan lotion.
preparatory
adj. 1 preparative, preliminary, introductory, prefatory,
opening: After some preparatory warnings about safety, the
scuba-diving lessons began. 2 elementary, basic, essential,
fundamental, primary, rudimentary: His preparatory training
left him ill equipped to deal with such a major problem. 3
preparatory to. before, in preparation for, preceding:
Preparatory to the mission, we were briefed by MI5.
prepare v. 1 (get or make) ready, prime, arrange, (put in) order,
organize, provide for, make provision(s) for, lay the groundwork
(for), (make) fit, fit (out), equip, outfit, adapt: Have you
prepared adequately for the meeting? We prepared the house to
receive guests. 2 train, (get or make) ready, study, practise,
Colloq cram, Brit swot, get up: He is preparing to take an
exam. 3 train, educate, teach, (get or make) ready, groom,
brief, develop: Her mother is preparing her for the next
Olympics. 4 cook (up), make, do, Colloq whip up, US and
Canadian fix: I shall prepare dinner for eight o'clock. 5
manufacture, fabricate, produce, make, put out, build,
construct, assemble, put together, turn out, fashion, forge,
mould: Our company prepares components for the printing
industry. 6 brace, strengthen, steel, fortify, ready: When I
saw the doctor's face, I prepared myself for bad news. 7
process, produce, make, treat, change, modify, transform: This
fabric has been specially prepared to repel stains.
prepared adj. 1 ready, set, advance, prearranged, planned: We have six
prepared questions for the interview. 2 treated, processed,
modified, changed: Using an etching needle, incise the lines on
the prepared surface of the steel plate. 3 willing, disposed,
predisposed, able, inclined, of a mind; ready, (all) set: Are
you prepared to apologize? 4 oven-ready, microwave-ready,
microwavable, instant, convenience, ready-to-eat,
ready-to-serve, precooked, ready-made: He lives alone and
usually buys prepared dinners that just need reheating.
preparedness
n. vigilance, alertness, readiness, fitness: The armed forces
were kept in a continuous state of preparedness.
preponderance
n. 1 majority, greater part, bulk, mass, lion's share: The
preponderance of voters want a change of government. 2 weight,
influence, weightiness, superiority, supremacy, predominance,
primacy, ascendancy, sway, strength, force, power, advantage,
control, authority, hegemony, leadership, rule: Good has always
appeared to have an incontestable preponderance over evil.
prepossessing
adj. attractive, appealing, pleasing, favourable, engaging,
charming, captivating, fascinating, winsome, winning, magnetic,
alluring, bewitching, taking, fetching, inviting, good-looking,
handsome, lovely, beautiful: She is a woman of prepossessing
appearance and a delightful nature.
preposterous
adj. absurd, ridiculous, ludicrous, laughable, risible,
asinine, foolish, senseless, irrational, nonsensical, fatuous,
fatuitous, mindless, insane, crazy, crack-brained, mad, idiotic,
moronic, imbecilic, incredible, unbelievable, outrageous,
extravagant, extraordinary, extreme, exorbitant, outlandish,
outr‚, weird, bizarre, Slang barmy, nutty, screwy, batty, dotty,
wacky, loony, cuckoo, US balmy: To claim that it is all my
fault is simply preposterous!
prerequisite
adj. 1 essential, necessary, requisite, imperative,
indispensable, obligatory, required, called-for, demanded:
Naval service is a prerequisite condition for joining the club.
--n. 2 precondition, requirement, qualification, requisite,
condition, sine qua non, proviso, provision, necessity: A
thorough grounding in mathematics is a prerequisite for the
study of advanced physics.
prerogative
n. privilege, right, liberty, power, due, advantage, licence,
franchise, claim, sanction, authority, authorization: As
managing director, she exercises her prerogative to park her car
closest to the door.
prescribe v. ordain, order, direct, dictate, demand, decree, require,
enjoin, rule, set (down), stipulate, command, instruct, define,
specify, impose, lay down, exact, constrain: The doctor
prescribed rest. An independent journalist, Healey would not let
anyone prescribe what he could or could not write.
prescription
n. 1 formula, recipe, instruction, direction: The prescription
is for three tablets a day, and this dose must not be exceeded.
2 remedy, medication, medicine, drug, preparation, medicament:
That prescription had no effect at all on my headache.
prescriptive
adj. dictatorial, constrictive, didactic, restrictive,
dogmatic, authoritarian, overbearing, autocratic, imperious: As
grammar is a description of how language works, it cannot be
prescriptive.
presence n. 1 proximity, nearness, closeness, adjacency, vicinity,
Formal propinquity: The presence of a hospital near her home
made Aunt Mary feel more secure. 2 attendance, company,
companionship, society, association, existence, manifestation,
manifestness, being: The Queen honoured us by her presence at
the unveiling of the plaque. 3 poise, self-assurance, bearing,
self-possession, confidence, mien, carriage, comportment,
deportment, air, personality, aspect, aura, appearance: When
Geoffrey entered, his presence created quite a stir. 4 spirit,
wraith, spectre, shade: I had the vague but pervading sense
that a unidentifiable presence was with me in the empty room. 5
presence of mind. aplomb, sophistication, coolness,
cool-headedness, composure, imperturbability, phlegm,
sang-froid, self-possession, self-assurance, calm, equanimity,
level-headedness, quick-wittedness, alertness, Colloq cool:
With great presence of mind, Grainger walked up to the man and
took the gun from him.
present° adj. 1 current, contemporary, present-day, existing, existent,
up to date, Colloq now: Do you understand the present
generation? 2 nearby, nearest, immediate, closest, adjacent,
proximate, propinquitous; close, remaining; accounted for:
Everybody has been awful to me - present company excepted. All
those present heard what she said to me.
--n. 3 at present. (right or just) now, for the time being, for
the present, today, these days, Non-Standard presently, Colloq
at this point in time: I am not ready to invest at present. 4
the present. the time being, the moment, the hour, the nonce,
this juncture, these days, our times; today, (right) now,
nowadays; Colloq this point in time: She lives for the present,
and never thinks of the consequences.
presentэ n. 1 gift: May I open my birthday presents now? 2 donation,
offering, bounty, grant, largesse, contribution, endowment:
I'll make you a present of the painting if you like it. 3 tip,
gratuity, pourboire, baksheesh or backsheesh, bonus; alms,
hand-out, dole, aid, allowance: She gave the maЊtre d'h“tel a
present for looking after us so well.
--v. 4 introduce, acquaint with, make known: I'd like to
present my wife, Cordelia, who has been looking forward to
meeting you. 5 offer, give, stage, show, exhibit, put on (show),
mount, produce: The local players will present a new production
of Blithe Spirit tonight. 6 give (out), award, confer (on),
bestow (on), turn or hand over, grant, provide, furnish;
dispense, distribute, dole out, pass out, deal out, mete out:
They presented her with a prize for the best poem. Is it tonight
that they present the awards? 7 offer, bring (in or up),
proffer, tender, introduce, produce, submit, set or put forth,
put forward, adduce; register, file, record: The lawyer for the
defence presented evidence of his client's alibi. 8 introduce,
announce, Brit compЉre, Colloq emcee: And here, to present our
show, is the inimitable Reginald Norton!
presentable
adj. 1 fit, fitting, suitable, acceptable, satisfactory,
adequate, passable, tolerable, admissible, all right, allowable,
up to par or standard or the mark, good enough, Colloq up to
scratch, OK or okay, up to snuff: Whether that argument is
presentable in a court of law is disputable. 2 decent, proper,
polite, decorous, respectable, well-bred, well-mannered, fit to
be seen: After a bath, shave, and change of clothing he looked
quite presentable.
presentation
n. 1 giving, bestowal, offering, proffering, presenting, award,
awarding, conferral, conferring, delivery; donation: The
presentation of the prizes will be at the annual dinner. 2
appearance, image, display, visual(s), spectacle, show,
performance, demonstration, production: The text of the
proposal was fine, but the presentation could be improved. 3
debut, launch, introduction, unveiling, disclosure: We attended
the presentation of the latest electric car.
presently adv. soon, by and by, in a little while, shortly, after a short
time, in due course, after a while or a time, before long, in a
moment or a minute or a while, Archaic or literary anon, Colloq
in a jiffy, in two shakes (of a lamb's tail), Non-Standard now,
at present: The show opens presently in the West End. I shall
be with you presently.
preservation
n. 1 upkeep, maintenance, care, conservation: The preservation
of old paintings has become an art in itself. 2 keeping,
retention, retaining, perpetuation, perpetuating, continuation,
safe keeping, security, safeguarding, protection, protecting,
conservation: Several charities are dedicated to the
preservation of our heritage.
preserve v. 1 keep safe, protect, guard, take care of, care for,
safeguard, watch over, shield, shelter, defend, spare: What can
we do to preserve ourselves from this terrible pestilence? May
God preserve me, I never expected to see you again! 2 keep (up),
maintain, conserve, spare, perpetuate; continue, support,
sustain, save: We developed a technique to preserve antique
furniture. The sea preserves much of the heat it absorbs in the
summer. It is difficult to preserve one's sanity in this
madhouse. 3 conserve, put up, pickle, cure, smoke, kipper, salt,
corn, marinate, can, freeze, freeze-dry, refrigerate, dry,
dehydrate, vacuum-pack; embalm, mummify: The berries were
preserved by bottling and freezing. Some of the remains were
preserved for hundreds of years.
--n. 4 Often, preserves. conserve(s), jam, jelly, confiture,
marmalade: Susan likes thick toast with butter and preserves
for tea. 5 (game) reserve, reservation, sanctuary, Brit park:
No hunting is allowed in this preserve.
preside v. supervise, run, oversee, direct, operate, lead, head (up),
govern, rule, manage, handle, control, direct, chair,
administer, administrate, regulate, officiate: Melissa presides
over the meetings of the board.
press v. 1 subject to or exert pressure or force, force, push, impel,
thrust, bear (on), weigh on or upon, jam, cram, crush; pressure
or Brit also pressurize: The crowd was pressing against the
door. Although hard pressed at first, we eventually won. 2
squeeze, compress, depress, push: When the picture is in focus,
press this button to release the shutter. 3 squeeze, crush,
compress, mash: After harvesting, the grapes are pressed to
extract the juice. 4 iron, smooth, flatten, put through a
mangle; steam: I shall have to press my jacket before going out
to dinner. 5 clasp, embrace, hug, hold (close or tight(ly)),
take in one's arms, throw one's arms about or around, cleave to,
Archaic clip: She pressed the child to her with great
affection. 6 constrain, urge, force, pressure, compel, demand,
persuade, induce, prod, provoke, importune, beseech, ask,
request, beg, entreat: They pressed me to tell where the money
was hidden. 7 crowd, flock, gather, mill, swarm, throng,
seethe, cluster, congregate, meet, converge, huddle: The
reporters pressed round the chancellor to catch every word.
--n. 8 crowding, gathering, thronging, converging, convergence,
crowd, throng, swarm, cluster, huddle, pack, herd, host,
multitude, horde, mob, crush: When the doors opened, the huge
press of people pushed onto the train. 9 urgency, haste, hurry,
hustle, bustle, pressure, stress: The press of business
required me to postpone my trip to Paris. 10 the press. a
newspapers, the papers, Fleet Street, the fourth estate, the
media, the wire or news services, broadcasting, television,
radio: The press will have a field-day when this news gets out.
b newspaper people, newspapermen or newspaperwomen, newsmen or
newswomen, reporters, correspondents, ladies or gentlemen of the
press, journalists, commentators, paparazzi, Brit
leader-writers, US editorial writers, Colloq news-hounds, Brit
journos: The doors were opened and the press were invited in.
pressing adj. urgent, compelling, crucial, pivotal, burning, grave,
serious, major, important, vital, high-priority, critical,
portentous, momentous, profound, significant: Some pressing
matters kept me late at the office.
pressure n. 1 force, compression; weight, power, strength: The air
pressure in your tyres is low. The pressure of the water burst
the pipe. 2 compression, pressing, squeezing, compressing,
tension, stress, crushing: The pressure of a tourniquet has to
be loosened now and then. 3 affliction, oppression, press,
weight, burden, load, albatross, strain, stress, urgency,
demands, exigency or exigencies, vexation, distress, trouble(s),
adversity, difficulty or difficulties, straits, constraint(s),
problem(s): Pressure of work prevents me from taking any time
away from the office. When interest rates increase, we all feel
financial pressure. 4 influence, power, sway, constraint,
insistence, coercion, intimidation, arm-twisting; inducement,
persuasion, urging, pressing: Without more pressure from local
residents, the roadworks will not be completed in time.
--v. 5 persuade, influence; prevail upon or on, press, urge,
sway, intimidate, bring pressure to bear (on), apply pressure
(on or to), coerce, force, compel, constrain, require, demand,
make, insist upon or on, Brit pressurize, Colloq twist
(someone's) arm, lean on, turn the heat on, Slang put the screws
on or to: They pressured him to take the assignment in New
Zealand.
prestige n. status, reputation, standing, rank, stature, importance,
significance, eminence, esteem, pre-eminence, prominence,
predominance, primacy, superiority, supremacy, ascendancy,
distinction, renown, regard, fame, cachet, repute, celebrity,
glamour, stardom: To raise money, someone with prestige must be
found to serve as director of the charity.
prestigious
adj. important, significant, eminent, estimable, imposing,
impressive, pre-eminent, prominent, distinguished, august,
dignified, renowned, famous, famed, well-known, illustrious,
acclaimed, respected, celebrated, noted, notable, noteworthy,
outstanding, glorious, honoured, glamorous: She may be a
prestigious author, but she does not live at a very prestigious
address.
presumably
adv. probably, in all likelihood, (very or most) likely, in all
probability, seemingly, doubtless(ly), indubitably, no doubt,
undoubtedly, unquestionably, without a doubt, surely, certainly,
on the face of it, all things considered, all things being
equal: Presumably, you have heard the one about the colonel's
poodle.
presume v. 1 assume, take for granted, suppose, surmise, infer,
suppose, presuppose, take it, gather, understand, think,
believe, imagine, suspect, fancy, conjecture, postulate, posit,
theorize, speculate, hypothesize, hypothecate, US and Canadian
guess: For some unaccountable reason, we presumed that your
train would arrive on time. Dr Livingstone, I presume? 2 dare,
take the liberty, be so presumptuous as, make (so) bold (as),
have the audacity or effrontery, go so far as, venture: Who is
he to presume to judge others? 3 Often, presume on or upon.
encroach (on or upon), impose (on or upon), take liberties
(with), intrude (on or upon or into): I hate to presume on our
friendship, but could you lend me some money?
presumption
n. 1 arrogance, pride, effrontery, audacity, boldness,
brazenness, impudence, impertinence, insolence, temerity,
overconfidence, presumptuousness, forwardness, immodesty, Colloq
pushiness, cheek, cheekiness, nerve, gall, chutzpah, brass, Brit
brass neck: He had the presumption to ask my age. 2
assumption, supposition, presupposition, preconception, premise
or premiss, surmise, proposition, postulation; probability,
likelihood, plausibility, feasibility: The presumption of the
innocence of a person accused of a crime is established in law.
3 assumption, stand, position, inference, feeling, deduction,
conclusion, conviction, bias, guess, theory, hypothesis,
conjecture, belief, thought; suspicion: Having examined the
evidence, the pathologist's presumption was that the victim had
died of natural causes. 4 ground(s), reason, basis, evidence:
What is your presumption for thinking that you might win the
lottery?
presumptive
adj. 1 likely, reasonable, plausible, tenable, believable,
credible, conceivable, acceptable, justifiable, sensible,
rational, sound: There is strong presumptive evidence, but we
need proof. 2 inferred, presumed, assumed, supposed,
understood, predicted, predicated: As King Richard was
childless, his brother was heir presumptive to the Crown.
presumptuous
adj. arrogant, proud, prideful, audacious, bold, brazen, saucy,
impudent, impertinent, insolent, temerarious, brash,
overconfident, overweening, forward, presuming, immodest,
egotistical, Colloq pushy, cheeky, too big for one's boots, Brit
uppish: He is presumptuous enough to think he can do no wrong.
presuppose
v. See presume, 1, above.
presupposition
n. See presumption, 1, 2, above.
pretence n. 1 show, display, pretension, ostentation, airs, front,
fa‡ade, appearance, make-believe, fiction, hypocrisy, fakery,
faking, feigning, humbuggery, humbug, deception, artifice,
pretext, posturing, pretentiousness, pretending, camouflage,
cover-up: Her charming manner was all pretence, for in reality
she despised him. 2 hoax, humbug, artifice, pretext, sham, show,
pose, fa‡ade, front, cover-up, cover, cloak, veil, mask,
masquerade, disguise, guise, deception, ruse, dodge, blind,
fabrication, invention, fiction, story, fable, make-believe,
fairy tale, figment, falsification, impression: His loyalty was
a pretence under which he carried on many liaisons. 3 excuse,
pretext, pretension: They would ring for the butler on the
slightest pretence, just to impress us.
pretend v. 1 feign, profess, represent, allege, make believe, make out:
Let's pretend that we are royalty. Often, he pretends to be me.
2 try, attempt, endeavour, venture, presume, undertake: I could
not pretend to guess the number of people attending last night's
meeting. 3 make believe, act or play, play-act, fake, feign, put
on an act, dissemble, sham, sail under false colours: Is she
serious about wanting you to leave or was she just pretending?
pretended adj. so-called, alleged, asserted, reputed, professed,
ostensible, purported, so-called, imaginary, make-believe,
fictitious, fictional, sham, false, fake, feigned, bogus,
counterfeit, spurious, Colloq phoney or US also phony, pseudo,
pretend: So this is the pretended hero of yesterday's battle!
pretender n. claimant, aspirant, candidate, suitor, rival, seeker: He
was the pretender to the Scottish throne.
pretension
n. 1 Often, pretensions. claim(s), pretence(s), aspiration(s),
ambitiousness, ambition(s): He is known to have pretensions to
the chancellorship. 2 pretext, pretence, pretentiousness,
ostentation, pretending, affectation, hypocrisy: Gladys has
behaved without pretension and with great sincerity.
pretentious
adj. 1 ostentatious, showy, superficial, pompous, arrogant,
bombastic, inflated, high-flown, exaggerated, vainglorious,
fastuous, grandiose, grandiloquent, extravagant, magniloquent:
The minister's pretentious language is a bit too much to take.
2 snobbish, lofty, haughty, flaunting, Colloq high and mighty,
highfalutin or hifalutin, hoity-toity, high-hat, Slang snotty,
Brit toffee-nosed: That new couple next door are so pretentious
- they think that nobody is good enough to associate with them!
pretext n. 1 pretence, excuse, camouflage, guise, disguise, cover,
veil, cloak, colour: They carried on the surveillance under
pretext of working on the sewer. 2 ruse, red herring, cover
(story), rationale, pretence, rationalization, explanation:
What pretext did the thief use that made you let him in?
pretty adj. 1 comely, attractive, good-looking, nice-looking,
appealing, lovely, cute, mignon(ne), graceful, fair, bonny,
fetching, charming, winsome, beautiful, pulchritudinous, Colloq
easy on the eye(s): A pretty girl is like a melody. That's a
very pretty cottage. 2 tuneful, melodic, melodious, dulcet,
musical, lyrical, harmonious, catchy, mellifluous, euphonious:
He played a pretty tune on the piano.
--adv. 3 rather, quite, fairly, moderately, reasonably,
tolerably; somewhat; very, extremely, unbelievably, incredibly:
The children put on a pretty good performance, I thought. He had
become pretty fat since we last saw him.
prevail v. 1 hold sway, win (out), predominate, succeed, triumph, gain
or achieve a victory, prove superior, gain mastery or control:
It is sometimes disappointing to learn that right does not
always prevail. 2 predominate, be prevalent or widespread or
current, preponderate, dominate, be the order of the day: As
usual during Oktoberfest in Bavaria, revelry prevailed. 3
prevail on or upon. persuade, induce, influence, sway, dispose;
incline, win over, bring round, convince: We prevailed on the
guard to let us through the gate.
prevailing
adj. 1 dominant, predominant, prevalent, main, chief,
principal, common(est), usual, customary, universal: The
prevailing winds are westerlies. 2 influential, effective,
effectual, dominating, affecting, powerful, potent, forceful,
ruling, telling, main, principal: The prevailing religion there
is Buddhism.
prevalence
n. 1 prevalency, frequency, commonness, currency, universality,
ubiquitousness, ubiquity, pervasiveness, omnipresence,
extensiveness; predominance, practice, acceptance, popularity:
The prevalence of disease among the population is distressing.
2 sway, control, rule, primacy, ascendancy, mastery,
predominance: The prevalence of bushido in Japan has diminished
little since 1945.
prevalent adj. universal, catholic, common, frequent, prevailing,
current, ubiquitous, pervasive, omnipresent, general, usual,
customary, commonplace, extensive, widespread, established,
ascendant, dominant, predominant, governing, ruling: A desire
for change is prevalent throughout the country.
prevent v. anticipate, preclude, obviate, forestall, avert, avoid,
prohibit, ban, bar, forbid, interdict, taboo, enjoin, proscribe,
foil, frustrate, obstruct, debar, intercept, nip in the bud,
abort, thwart, check, block, ward or fend or stave off, baffle,
balk or baulk, (put a) stop (to), arrest, (bring to a) halt,
hinder, impede, curb, restrain, hamper, inhibit, delay, retard,
slow, mitigate, control: Some diseases can be prevented by
inoculation or vaccination. There is nothing to prevent us from
leaving. The barrier was built to prevent flooding.
prevention
n. preventing, anticipation, preclusion, obviation,
forestalling, avoidance, avoiding, prohibition, prohibiting,
ban, banning, bar, barring, forbiddance, forbidding,
interdiction, interdicting, taboo, tabooing, enjoining,
injunction, proscription, proscribing, foiling, frustration,
frustrating, obstruction, obstructing, debarment, debarring,
interception, intercepting, abortion, aborting, thwarting,
checking, check, blocking, block, warding or fending or staving
off, balk or baulk, balking or baulking, stopping, arrest,
arresting, halt, halting, hindrance, hindering, impedance,
impeding, curb, curbing, restraint, restraining, hampering,
inhibition, inhibiting, delay, delaying, retardation, retarding,
slowing, mitigation, mitigating, control, controlling: The
first item on the agenda is the prevention of cruelty to
children. As the total prevention of crime is impossible, we
must at least try to curb it.
preventive
adj. 1 preventative, preventing, hindering, impeding,
restraining, hampering, inhibitive or inhibitory, inhibiting,
restrictive: We must take preventive steps to ensure the
stability of the rate of exchange. 2 preventative, prophylactic,
precautionary, anticipatory or anticipative, protective,
counteractive: Preventive means are available to limit heart
disease.
--n. 3 preventative, hindrance, curb, inhibition, impediment,
block, barrier, obstacle, obstruction: Caffeine is one of the
most powerful preventives of sleep that exists. 4 preventative,
prophylactic, protection, shield, safeguard, prevention,
countermeasure, counteractant, counter-agent, inoculum or
inoculant, vaccine, serum, antidote, remedy: Heart specialists
have recommended an aspirin every other day as a preventive to
arterial blood clotting.
preview n. advance showing, private showing; opening, vernissage: We
saw the Picasso exhibition at a preview held for friends of the
gallery.
previous adj. 1 former, prior, past, earlier, one-time, foregoing,
sometime, erstwhile, preceding, Literary quondam, Archaic
whilom: A previous owner of the house filled in the fish-pond.
2 prior, former, foregoing, above, preceding, Formal antecedent,
anterior, aforementioned, above-mentioned, before-mentioned,
aforesaid, above-named: Please see the previous examples in the
Foreword. 3 premature, untimely, too soon or early: Isn't
putting up Christmas decorations in October being a bit
previous? 4 previous to. previously to, before, prior to,
preceding, anterior to, antecedent to: Previous to the advent
of motor cars, we had traffic jams of horse-drawn vehicles.
previously
adv. before, once, formerly, earlier, at one time, then,
beforehand, heretofore, theretofore, hitherto, thitherto, in the
past, in days gone by, in days of old, in days or time past, in
the old days, some time ago, a while ago, once upon a time,
yesterday, Literary in days of yore, in olden days or times:
The same thing had happened previously when I was in London.
Previously, people lived more relaxed lives - or so we like to
think.
prey n. 1 quarry, kill, game, objective, target: The lioness
singled out her prey from the herd of zebra. 2 victim, target,
objective; dupe, Colloq mark, Slang fall guy, pushover, Brit
mug: A public company with huge cash reserves, United Vector
seemed easy prey for a take-over bid.
--v. 3 prey on or upon. a live off, feed on or upon, eat,
consume, devour, kill, destroy, stalk, pursue, hunt, seize:
These snakes prey mostly upon other snakes. b victimize, go
after, exploit, use, take advantage of, intimidate, bully,
cheat, dupe, swindle, gull, trick, snooker, defraud, outwit,
outsmart, outfox, hoodwink, Literary cozen, Colloq rook,
bamboozle, flimflam: An unscrupulous gang is preying on the
elderly, persuading them to invest in non-existent properties. c
oppress, weigh on or upon, burden, depress, distress, strain,
vex, worry: His wretched condition preyed very much on her
mind.
price n. 1 charge, cost, expense, expenditure, outlay, payment,
amount, figure, fee; quotation, appraisal, value, valuation,
evaluation, worth: The price of this lamp is too high. What is
the price of that box? Can he afford the price of a ticket? The
current price of a London flat is out of my reach. 2 sacrifice,
toll, penalty, cost, consequence: Loss of his freedom was too
high a price for standing by his principles. 3 reward, bounty,
premium, prize, payment, bonus, honorarium, Literary guerdon:
The gunfighter had a price of њ1000 on his head. 4 without
price. See priceless, 1, below.
--v. 5 value, evaluate, rate, assay, assess, cost (out): How
would you price a piece of furniture like this chair?
priceless adj. 1 costly, dear, expensive, high-priced, valuable,
invaluable, precious, inestimable, incalculable; irreplaceable,
unique: The vaults in the Vatican contain a king's ransom in
priceless jewels. 2 hilarious, riotous, (screamingly) funny,
side-splitting, hysterical, droll, comical, amusing: The
expression on his face when he realized it was a joke was
priceless.
pricey adj. pricy, expensive, dear, costly, exorbitant, outrageous,
excessive, extortionate, Colloq steep, Brit over the odds: The
restaurant where she took him was certainly pricey, but the food
was excellent.
prick n. 1 puncture, pinhole, pinprick; hole, perforation: For the
blood test, the doctor made a tiny prick in my finger with a
needle. 2 sting, pinch, twinge, prickle, tingle, pain: The
teacher leapt from her chair the instant she felt the prick of
the tack.
--v. 3 puncture, pierce, stab, jab, punch, perforate, riddle;
lance: Using a pin, prick tiny holes in the paper to let the
steam escape. The doctor pricked a boil on my neck. 4 stab,
sting, hurt, prickle, pinch, bite, smart: The hypodermic needle
really pricked me when it went in.
prickle n. 1 spine, bristle, barb, thorn, bur, needle, tine, spike,
spur, prong: The prickles make the brambles cling to your
clothes. 2 pricking, prickliness, itch, itchiness, sting,
tingling, tingle: I felt the prickle of the rough wool against
my skin.
--v. 3 tingle, sting, itch, smart: Sloane complained that the
beard he had to grow for the pirate role made his face prickle.
4 stick, jab, prick: The child's hands had been prickled by the
chestnuts.
prickly adj. 1 bristly, thorny, brambly, spiny, barbed, briery,
spinous, spiky, Technical setaceous, setose, acanthoid,
aciculate, aculeate, muricate, spiculate: Dad's face is all
prickly when he hasn't shaved. 2 tingling, stinging, pricking,
prickling, itchy, crawly, crawling: The squeak of the chalk on
the blackboard gives me a prickly feeling. 3 touchy, irritable,
petulant, cantankerous, testy, waspish, bad-tempered, peevish,
fractious, short-tempered, curmudgeonly, Colloq cranky: Moira
gets a bit prickly if you ask her why she married Noel. 4
nettlesome, thorny, ticklish, touchy, troublesome, intricate,
complicated, complex, knotty, hard, difficult, contentious: The
prickly problem of how to pay for the university must still be
faced.
pride n. 1 honour, proudness, self-esteem, self-respect, amour
propre, dignity: It is gratifying to be able to look with pride
on one's children's achievements. 2 conceit, egotism,
self-importance, vanity, hubris, arrogance, overconfidence,
overweeningness, self-admiration, self-love, self-importance,
smugness, haughtiness, hauteur, snobbery, snobbishness, Colloq
uppitiness: Pride goeth before a fall. Her pride stems from an
exaggerated notion of her own worth. 3 boast, flower, best,
prize, pride and joy, treasure, jewel, gem: Those model railway
trains are Eustace's pride and joy.
--v. 4 Usually, pride oneself on. be proud of, take pride in,
delight in, revel in, celebrate, glory in: Irena prides herself
on having made her own way in life, without anyone's help.
priest n. priestess, clergyman or clergywoman, ecclesiastic, cleric,
churchman or churchwoman, reverend, vicar, divine, man or woman
of the cloth, man or woman of God, curate, confessor, minister
(of the Gospel), servant of God, father, mother, holy man or
woman, preacher, missionary, evangelist, abb‚, abbot or abbess,
Colloq padre: The high priest muttered some incantations over
the body of the sacrificial victim.
priestly adj. clerical, ecclesiastic, pastoral, hieratic, sacerdotal;
ministerial, canonical, missionary: She has taken her priestly
vows.
prig n. (ultra-)conservative, prude, purist, pedant, school-ma'm,
puritan, (Mrs) Grundy, Grundyite, Grundyist, precisionist,
precisian, conformist, formalist, Colloq stuffed shirt,
stick-in-the-mud, goody-goody: A terrible prig, the headmaster
forbade even the slightest hint of slang usage.
priggish adj. (ultra-)conservative, prim, demure, prudish, purist,
puristic, pedantic, school-marmish, strait-laced, hidebound,
stiff-necked, puritanical, conformist, (Mrs) Grundyish,
punctilious, formal, formalistic, strict, severe, fastidious,
fussy, particular; precious, pr‚cieux or pr‚cieuse,
niminy-piminy, over-nice, Colloq stick-in-the-mud, goody-goody,
prissy, old-maidish, stuffed-shirt, stuffy, uptight,
nit-picking, Brit twee: Victorians were less priggish in their
private behaviour than in their public image.
primarily adv. 1 principally, mainly, chiefly, especially, at bottom,
particularly, first of all, pre-eminently, basically,
essentially, fundamentally, on the whole, for the most part,
mostly, predominantly or predominately, generally: The rain in
Spain falls primarily in the plain. 2 initially, originally,
from or at the start, first (and foremost, in the first
instance, ab initio: The colonists, primarily refugees from
England, began to settle the New World in the 17th century.
primary adj. 1 first, prime, principal, chief, main, leading,
pre-eminent, cardinal, fundamental, basic, essential,
predominant, elementary, elemental, underlying: The primary
reason I want to see you is to discuss your future with the
company. The primary meaning of a word is given first. 2
earliest, first, original, initial, primitive, primeval,
primordial, embryonic, germinal, beginning, ultimate: The
primary source of life was possibly a sort of soup containing
proteins and other molecules. 3 firsthand, direct, immediate:
Bauxite is the primary source of aluminium ore. 4 elementary,
basic, rudimentary, fundamental: One of the primary lessons we
are taught is consideration for others. 5 unmixed,
unadulterated, pure, simple, rudimentary, fundamental,
principal: The primary colours in art are red, yellow, and
blue.
prime adj. 1 See primary, 1, above. 2 best, foremost, chief;
first-rate, first-class, choice, select, superior, pre-eminent,
leading, ranking, predominant, unparalleled, matchless,
peerless, noteworthy, outstanding, admirable, worthy,
exceptional, excellent, extraordinary, exceptional: She is a
prime example of the results of a modern education. Arthur is
certainly a prime candidate for the position. 3 original,
fundamental, basic, elemental, elementary: The prime cause of
scurvy is lack of fresh fruit and vegetables.
--n. 4 youth, springtime; best years, heyday, pinnacle, acme,
peak, zenith: Some people reach the prime of life at 60.
--v. 5 (make or get) ready, prepare, educate, teach, instruct,
coach, train, tutor, drill: Has Sonia been fully primed to take
over the chairmanship when Sir William steps down? 6 inform,
advise, notify, apprise, brief: Having read your book, I am
fully primed on American history.
primitive adj. 1 first, original, aboriginal, earliest, primordial,
primal, primeval or Brit also primaeval, pristine, prehistoric;
antediluvian, Noachian or Noachic, old, ancient: In its most
primitive state, life probably originated from some random
strings of molecules. The most primitive farming tools date from
some 10,000 years ago. 2 crude, rude, unrefined, raw, barbaric,
uncultured, barbarian, coarse, rough, uncivilized, savage,
uncultivated, unsophisticated, uncouth: I cannot tolerate
Nigel's primitive table manners. 3 simple, basic, simplistic,
na‹ve, childlike, unsophisticated, uncultivated, unrefined,
unpolished, rough, untutored, untaught, untrained, unschooled,
undeveloped: Gary collects paintings of the primitive school
and has one by Grandma Moses.
primp v. preen, prink, prettify, titivate or tittivate, plume, dress
up, groom, Colloq doll up, get (all) dolled up, spruce up, put
on one's best bib and tucker, Chiefly Brit tart up, get (all)
tarted up, Slang deck out, trick out or up, put on one's glad
rags, Brit fig out, US gussy up, get (all) gussied up, dude up:
She was primping before the mirror, awaiting the arrival of her
beau.
princely adj. 1 lavish, bountiful, generous, liberal, ample,
substantial, huge, enormous: They paid a princely sum for their
stately home in Surrey. 2 lavish, magnificent, splendid,
luxurious, majestic, royal, regal, sumptuous, superb, Colloq
ritzy, swank(y), posh, plush: The hotel laid on princely
accommodation for us with rooms overlooking the sea. 3 royal,
noble, regal, sovereign, of royal or noble blood or rank: Who
would have thought that our humble home would ever shelter a
princely guest?
principal adj. 1 chief, primary, prime, paramount, main, first, foremost,
ranking, pre-eminent, predominant, dominant, prevailing;
leading, starring: The principal reason I'm here is to see you.
The principal food of the people is corn. The principal role was
sung by Pavarotti. 2 important, prominent, leading, key,
cardinal: Cuba is a principal source of sugar.
--n. 3 owner, proprietor, chairman, chairwoman, chairperson,
(managing) director, head, president, chief, chief executive
officer, CEO, manager or Brit manageress, superintendent,
supervisor, Colloq boss, US (head or chief) honcho: We should
talk to the principals about buying that company. 4 dean,
director, Chiefly Brit headmaster, headmistress, master, rector,
(vice-)chancellor: His appointment as principal is for a
two-year period. 5 (working) capital, capital funds, resources,
investment, backing, (cash) reserve(s), assets; money: She is
fortunate to be able to live on the income from her investments,
without touching the principal. 6 star, lead, heroine, hero,
leading lady or man, leading role, main part; diva, premiЉre
danseuse, premier danseur, prima donna, prima ballerina: The
principal in the ballet company was a Russian.
principally
adv. chiefly, mainly, first (and foremost), primarily, above
all, in the main, mostly, for the most part, largely,
predominantly, on the whole, at bottom, in essence, essentially,
basically, fundamentally; especially, particularly: He seems to
be interested principally in money, with little regard for
anything else.
principle n. 1 truth, given, precept, tenet, fundamental, grounds, law,
rule, dictum, canon, doctrine, teaching, dogma, proposition,
(basic) assumption, postulate, axiom, maxim, truism, guide,
standard, criterion, model: The perpetual-motion machine
violates a basic principle of physics. 2 Often, principles.
philosophy, code, attitude, (point of) view, viewpoint,
sentiment, belief, credo, creed, idea, notion, ethic, sense of
right and wrong: He cynically conducts his life on the
principle, 'Do unto others before they do unto you'. I am not
sure I can condone his principles. 3 (sense of) honour,
uprightness, honesty, morality, morals, probity, integrity,
conscience: If you don't think him a man of principle, don't do
business with him. 4 in principle. on principle, in theory,
theoretically, basically, fundamentally, at bottom, in essence,
essentially, ideally: I like your plan in principle, but in
practice it cannot be accomplished that way.
principled
adj. moral, righteous, right-minded, virtuous, noble,
high-minded, ethical, honourable, proper, correct, right, just,
upright, honest, scrupulous: Michael is too highly principled
to take bribes.
print v. 1 impress, imprint, stamp, publish, issue, run off, put out;
copy; (pull a) proof: We decided to print 500 copies of the
book. You may have your name printed on the cover for an
additional amount.
--n. 2 reproduction, copy, replica, facsimile; positive,
photograph, etching, (steel or wood-)engraving, lithograph,
woodcut, linocut, silk screen, rotogravure, Trade Mark Xerox;
picture, illustration; Colloq photo, cut, pic (pl. pix): Today,
a good print of a Picasso costs more than an original did fifty
years ago. 3 text, printed matter, type, writing; language,
wording, (choice of) words, phrasing: You'd be well advised to
read the small print before signing the agreement.
prior adj. 1 former, previous, earlier, one-time, ex, erstwhile; old,
last, late, latest, Literary quondam, whilom: If you overdraw
your account without prior arrangement, you will automatically
be charged a higher rate of interest. 2 prior to. before,
previous to, previously to, till, until, preceding: Prior to
the earthquake, Valdivia was a river port.
priority n. precedence, precedency, primacy, urgency, immediacy,
predominance, pre-eminence, preference, rank, superiority,
prerogative, right, seniority, importance, weight, immediacy:
The applications for aid will be processed in order of priority.
prison n. jail or Brit also gaol, dungeon, oubliette, lock-up, penal
institution, house of correction, correctional institution,
reformatory, house of detention; confinement, detention;
Old-fashioned reform school, Military guardhouse; Brit remand
centre, detention centre, remand home, community home, Military
glasshouse, Formal CHE (= 'community home with education on the
premises'), Old-fashioned approved school; US penitentiary,
Military brig; Archaic Brit bridewell; Slang clink, can, cooler,
jug, stir, Brit quod, chokey or choky, US and Canadian pokey or
poky; US pen, calaboose, slammer, hoosegow, Old-fashioned big
house: He was released from prison last Friday after serving
six months for burglary.
prisoner n. convict, trusty; internee, detainee; Colloq jailbird or Brit
also gaolbird, lifer, Slang con, Brit (old) lag, Old-fashioned
ticket-of-leave man, US two-time or three-time loser:
Prisoners' letters were censored.
prissy adj. fussy, precious, over-nice, finicky or finical,
strait-laced, school-marmish, prim (and proper), prudish,
squeamish, fastidious, Colloq old-maidish: He is awfully prissy
about changing on the beach.
pristine adj. 1 original, primal, basic, primeval or Brit also
primaeval, primitive, primordial, earliest, first, initial: It
is impractical to try to return the world to what some regard as
its pristine purity. 2 uncorrupted, pure, unsullied, undefiled,
virginal, virgin, chaste, untouched, unspoiled, unpolluted,
untarnished, spotless, immaculate, natural: One must travel far
today to experience the pristine beauty of nature. The car was
in pristine condition.
privacy n. 1 seclusion, retirement, solitude, isolation, retreat,
sequestration, reclusiveness, reclusion, solitariness;
monasticism: Coleman very much enjoys the privacy of living
alone. 2 secrecy, secretiveness, clandestineness,
confidentiality, surreptitiousness, covertness, concealment:
Many feel that the questions on census forms invade their
privacy.
private adj. 1 (top) secret, confidential, undisclosed, hidden,
clandestine, concealed, covert, surreptitious, off the record,
not for publication, unofficial, Colloq hush-hush: I think our
relationship should be kept private for the time being. What I
am about to tell you is strictly private. 2 privileged,
restrictive, restricted, exclusive, special, reserved, personal,
inaccessible, non-public; hidden, secluded, concealed, secret,
sneaking: The house is situated on a private road. I had a
private suspicion that they would cancel their trip. 3 personal,
individual, own, intimate, particular: My private affairs are
none of your business. 4 solitary, seclusive, reclusive,
withdrawn, retiring, reticent, ungregarious, non-gregarious,
unsocial, unsociable, antisocial, reserved, uncommunicative,
hermitic(al), hermit-like, eremitic(al); sequestered, secluded,
retired: You have to bear in mind that Edmund is a very private
person.
--n. 5 private soldier, infantryman, foot-soldier, US enlisted
man, Colloq Brit Tommy, Tommy Atkins, squaddie, US GI (Joe),
Slang US grunt: Before cashiering him, they reduced him from
colonel to private. 6 in private. in secret, secretly,
privately, sub rosa, personally, confidentially, behind closed
doors, in camera, off the record, US on the q.t. or Q.T.;
clandestinely, secretively, sneakily, sneakingly,
surreptitiously, furtively, covertly, on the sly: Family
matters should be discussed only in private. They met in private
with agents of the rebel forces. 7 private parts or privates.
genitals, sexual or sex organs, genitalia. The natives wore
loincloths to cover their private parts.
privation n. need, neediness, want, deprivation, hardship, indigence,
necessity, poverty, penury, destitution, strait(s), pauperism,
beggary; distress, misery: The lower classes in Victorian
England suffered terrible privation.
privilege n. benefit, advantage, right, prerogative, concession,
allowance, indulgence, immunity, exemption, dispensation,
freedom, liberty, franchise, permission, consent, leave,
authorization, sanction, authority, licence, carte blanche: The
children were given the privilege of choosing where the family
should go on holiday.
privileged
adj. 1 favoured, advantaged, indulged, entitled, ‚lite,
special, honoured: John was one of the privileged few to be
told her private telephone number. 2 protected, exempt(ed),
immune; licensed, empowered, admitted, permitted, sanctioned,
authorized, enfranchised, chartered: This is a privileged
institution as far as the dispensation of grants is concerned. 3
powerful, ruling; wealthy, rich: He despised the privileged
class till he became wealthy enough to be a member of it. 4
confidential, secret, private, privy, inside, off the record,
not for publication, restricted, Colloq hush-hush: What I am
about to tell you is privileged information.
privy adj. 1 See privileged, 4, above. 2 privy to. aware of, in on,
on to or onto, sharing (in), cognizant of, apprised of, informed
or advised about or of, informed on, knowledgeable about, Colloq
in the know about, Slang hip to, wise to, Old-fashioned hep to:
Was the minister's wife privy to what was discussed at cabinet
meetings?
--n. 3 lavatory, (outside or outdoor) toilet, latrine,
water-closet, WC, US outhouse, Colloq chiefly Brit loo, Slang
Brit bog, US crapper, Taboo slang US shithouse: In those days,
almost every home had an outside privy, as there was no interior
plumbing.
prize° n. 1 reward, award, trophy, premium; honour, accolade, Literary
guerdon: The first prize was a week's holiday in the Bahamas.
2 winnings, jackpot, purse, receipts, gain, windfall, stakes,
Colloq haul, Chiefly US take: He used his prize from winning
the lottery to buy a new car. 3 aim, goal: The prize they all
strove for was a grant to carry on lexicographic research. 4
loot, booty, spoil(s), trophy, plunder, pickings: The pirates
took the galleon as their prize.
--adj. 5 choice, excellent, (prize)winning, best, champion,
outstanding, select, superior, superlative, first-rate: This
dairy owns a prize herd of Guernseys.
prizeэ v. value, treasure, esteem, cherish, appreciate, rate highly,
hold dear: I prize your friendship above all things.
probability
n. likelihood, likeliness, odds, expectation, chance(s),
(distinct) possibility, presumption: There is a high
probability that it will rain.
probable adj. (most) likely, apt, (quite) possible, presumed, plausible,
undoubted, indubitable, apparent, unquestionable, evident,
ostensible, odds-on, feasible, believable, credible: The
probable cause of the flooding was a blockage in the drains. It
is probable that most medieval churches had paintings round the
walls.
probably adv. (very) likely, in all likelihood, in all probability,
undoubtedly, doubtlessly, indubitably, unquestionably,
presumably, quite, all things considered, to all intents and
purposes, possibly, perhaps, Colloq as likely as not, quite:
She is probably the best tennis player in the world at the
moment.
probe v. 1 explore, examine, scrutinize, investigate, search (into),
look into, go into, study, dig into, delve into, poke about or
around, Colloq poke into: They probed his background thoroughly
but found nothing unusual. 2 poke, prod, explore, examine;
plumb, dig: Snipe use their long bills to probe for worms in
soft mud.
--n. 3 investigation, examination, exploration, scrutiny,
search, study, inquiry or enquiry, inquest: There will be a
governmental probe into the mismanagement of the department.
probity n. integrity, uprightness, honesty, morality, rectitude,
virtue, goodness, decency, righteousness, right-mindedness,
sincerity, trustworthiness, honour, equity, justness, justice,
fairness: Lord Chancellors have consistently been men of
unquestioned probity.
problem n. 1 difficulty, trouble, question, dilemma, quandary,
predicament, complication, hornet's nest, imbroglio, mess,
muddle, stew, Colloq can of worms, fine kettle of fish, (pretty)
pickle, Brit facer: The Chancellor must constantly deal with
the problems of the country's economy. 2 puzzle, conundrum,
poser, riddle, question, enigma, puzzler, Colloq mind-boggler,
hard or tough nut to crack: The problem is how to get the yolk
out without breaking the shell.
--adj. 3 unruly, unmanageable, intractable, uncontrollable,
difficult, ungovernable, refractory, incorrigible, obstreperous,
delinquent, maladjusted, disturbed, emotionally upset: He
teaches at a school where most of the students are problem
children.
problematic
adj. problematical, difficult, uncertain, questionable,
questioned, doubtful, doubted, debatable, disputable, disputed,
unsettled, moot, undecided, controversial, tricky, touchy,
sensitive, Colloq hairy, iffy: The value of treating colds with
massive doses of vitamin C is problematic.
procedure n. way, conduct, course, action, course of action, method,
methodology, mode, form, system, approach, strategy, plan (of
action), scheme, modus operandi, operation, policy, ways and
means; routine, tradition, practice, custom, wont, standard
operating procedure, Colloq MO (= 'modus operandi'), SOP (=
'standard operating procedure'), Chiefly Brit drill: What
procedure will you follow to regain the stolen property? The
procedure in ballroom dancing has always been for the man to
lead.
proceed v. 1 Sometimes, proceed with. go or move (on or ahead or
forward), advance, continue, progress, carry on, get or move
along, get going or moving or under way, start, pass on, make
progress or headway, push or press on or onward(s), forge ahead;
resume, renew, go on with, pick up (where one left off):
Proceed to the T-junction, then turn left. If the membership
committee has finished, let us proceed to the report of the
finance committee. After the break, the performance will
proceed. 2 Often, proceed from or out of. result from, arise
(from), come (from), stem from, spring from, develop (from),
issue (from or forth), derive from, be derived (from), descend
from, emerge (from), grow (from or out of), originate (in or
from or with), begin (with), start (with or from): The
outcropping proceeds from glaciation and erosion. They say that
more than half of a person's happiness proceeds from hope.
--n. 3 proceeds. profit(s), gain, yield; income, receipts,
return(s), gate, box office, US take: The proceeds from the
charity auction were better than ever this year.
proceeding
n. 1 measure, act, (course of) action, move, step, undertaking,
deed, procedure, process, operation, transaction, manoeuvre,
feat, accomplishment: Grace Darling's rescue of the shipwrecked
men was truly a heroic proceeding. 2 proceedings. a
transactions, report(s), minutes, record(s), annals, affairs,
dealings, business, account(s), archives, Formal acta: The
proceedings of the Society are published annually. b events,
goings-on, doings; celebration(s); performance(s): The
proceedings were briefly interrupted while the hecklers were
ejected from the hall.
process n. 1 procedure, proceeding, operation, system, method,
approach, technique; course of action: I am sure you understand
how the process works. What process do they use to make paper
out of wood? 2 activity, function, development: The process of
photosynthesis is the means by which plants synthesize
carbohydrates.
--v. 3 treat, prepare, (make or get) ready, change, modify,
transform, convert, alter: This is the room where the
ingredients are processed before mixing. 4 handle, take care
of, organize, deal with, manage; dispose of, answer, manipulate:
After the earthquake the insurance companies processed thousands
of claims.
procession
n. 1 parade, march, cavalcade, motorcade, cortege or cortЉge,
column, line, file, train, march past: A strange procession of
thousands of beggars silently wound its way through the city. 2
succession, cycle, sequence, string, train, chain, series,
course, run, progression, cavalcade: He began to recount the
procession of events that led up to the murder.
proclaim v. 1 announce, advertise, circulate, declare, broadcast,
pronounce, make known, bruit (about), trumpet, publish,
promulgate, herald; profess, protest, enunciate, articulate:
Edgar was proclaimed king. She proclaimed her innocence. 2
brand, accuse of being, stigmatize as, pronounce, rule, decree,
characterize, report: She found herself proclaimed a traitor.
proclamation
n. 1 announcement, advertisement, declaration, publication,
promulgation, statement, manifesto, pronunciamento,
notification, notice: A proclamation was issued granting
amnesty to all political prisoners. 2 proclaiming, announcing,
advertising, declaring, broadcasting, publishing, promulgating,
heralding, making known, bruiting about: The proclamation of
his appointment as Chancellor came at a bad time.
procrastinate
v. 1 temporize, act evasively, play for time, dally, delay,
stall; postpone, defer, put off or aside, shelve, US table: I
wish he would stop procrastinating and say what he plans to do.
2 hesitate, pause, waver, vacillate, be undecided, equivocate,
tergiversate, shilly-shally: Helen procrastinates every time
she is faced with making a decision.
procure v. 1 obtain, acquire, get, come by, secure, get or lay one's
hands on, get (a) hold of, gain, win, come into, pick up, find,
appropriate, requisition; buy, purchase: I have been trying to
procure early editions of Defoe's works. 2 accomplish, bring
about, effect, cause, produce: Using every resource available
to her, she finally procured his release.
procurer n. pander or panderer, pimp, White slaver, flesh-pedlar or US
also flesh-peddler or flesh-pedler, Archaic whoremaster, bawd;
madam, procuress: He became a procurer for the wealthy men in
the village.
prod v. 1 jab, dig, poke, nudge, elbow: Every time the comedian
said something risqu‚, Aunt Flora would giggle and prod me in
the ribs. 2 spur, urge, impel, egg on, push, thrust, prompt,
rouse, stir, incite, move, motivate, actuate, activate, provoke,
encourage, stimulate: My uncle keeps prodding me to continue
with my studies. 3 incite, goad, needle, irritate, irk, annoy,
pester, harass, hector, badger, plague, nag, hound, carp at,
cavil; henpeck: My parents are constantly prodding me to go out
and get a job.
--n. 4 jab, dig, poke, nudge, elbow, push: I was quite black
and blue from those prods I was getting from Aunt Flora. 5 goad,
spur; needle, rowel: These days electrified cattle prods are
available. 6 stimulus, push, prompt, reminder, signal, cue:
Calvin needed that prod to make him finally go home after the
party.
prodigal adj. 1 wasteful, extravagant, spendthrift, lavish, excessive,
profligate, squandering, immoderate, intemperate, wanton,
improvident, reckless: If the government were less prodigal, it
would be possible to have a balanced budget. 2 generous,
bountiful, copious, profuse, bounteous, lavish, liberal,
luxuriant, sumptuous, abundant, abounding, rich, plentiful,
plenteous, superabundant, thriving, swarming, teeming: He was
prodigal of both compliments and criticism.
--n. 3 wastrel, spendthrift, profligate, squanderer, waster,
big spender: That prodigal went through his inheritance in less
than a year.
prodigality
n. 1 wastefulness, waste, extravagance, excess, excessiveness,
immoderation, intemperateness, wantonness, recklessness,
profligacy, improvidence, dissipation, squandering: Surely his
contemporaries must have condemned Shah Jehan's prodigality in
building the Taj Mahal. 2 lavishness, profuseness, luxury,
luxuriousness, luxuriance, abundance, plenty, bounty,
bountifulness, bounteousness, copiousness, profusion,
profuseness, sumptuousness, richness, plentifulness,
plenteousness, superabundance, exuberance: The prodigality of
Nature is unbounded.
prodigious
adj. 1 vast, immeasurable, colossal, enormous, huge, giant,
gigantic, immense, mammoth, monumental, tremendous, stupendous,
titanic, Brobdingnagian, gargantuan, Herculean, cyclopean,
leviathan, monstrous, extensive, Colloq US ginormous, humongous:
There is a prodigious amount of water vapour contained in a
cloudy sky. You may accuse her of being a workaholic, but
consider the prodigious amount she gets done in a day. 2
amazing, astonishing, astounding, startling, extraordinary,
exceptional, marvellous, wonderful, wondrous, fabulous,
miraculous, phenomenal, spectacular, fantastic, sensational,
unusual, staggering, striking, dumbfounding or dumfounding,
remarkable, noteworthy, notable, Colloq flabbergasting,
mind-boggling, mind-blowing: In those days, running a mile in
four minutes was considered a prodigious feat.
prodigy n. 1 (child or girl or boy) genius, wonder child, Wunderkind,
mastermind, talent, intellect, intellectual or mental giant,
wizard, virtuoso, Colloq brain, Einstein, whiz-kid or whizz-kid,
whiz or whizz, walking dictionary or encyclopedia or
encyclopaedia: She was a prodigy at the age of six and went on
to become a great concert performer. 2 wonder, marvel,
phenomenon, sensation, miracle: Some regarded the painting Nude
Descending a Staircase a prodigy of cubist art.
produce v. 1 make, develop, turn out, put or bring out, manufacture,
fabricate, generate, create; construct, assemble, put together,
compose; mould, cast; extrude: This machine is capable of
producing 10,000 units an hour. 2 yield, give rise to, cause,
bring up, bring forth, spark, initiate, occasion, bring about,
prompt, evoke, start, create, generate, beget, originate: He
was unprepared for the laughter produced by his slip of the
tongue. 3 generate, beget, create, put out or forth, breed,
propagate, bear, give birth to, hatch, grow: See how the plant
is producing buds at these nodes? 4 bring forward or in or out,
introduce, present, offer, show, exhibit, display, stage, put
on, mount: She was the first to produce Japanese Noh drama in
the west. 5 disclose, reveal, bring to light, show, display,
draw: When I refused to give him the money, he produced a gun.
6 supply, furnish, provide, deliver, distribute: They are
accused of continuing to produce fluorocarbons despite the
government ban.
--n. 7 vegetables, fruit, Chiefly Brit greengrocery: The
produce is delivered to the markets from the farms at the crack
of dawn.
producer n. 1 maker, manufacturer, fabricator, processor, creator;
grower, farmer: That company is the largest producer of
microchips in the world. 2 (in Britain) director, auteur,
impresario, regisseur; (in US and Canada) entrepreneur,
(business or financial) manager, organizer, impresario: He was
a producer of TV soap operas.
product n. 1 result, consequence, output, outcome, issue, effect,
fallout, yield, upshot; spin-off, offshoot, by-product: It is
evident that this work is the product of much thought. One
product of her interest in literature is a new publishing
company. 2 artefact or US artifact, good(s), produce, commodity,
output, merchandise, offering, work: It doesn't matter how good
the product is if nobody knows about it.
production
n. 1 producing, manufacture, manufacturing, making,
fabrication, preparation, origination, creation, output, putting
out, development; formation, forming, forging, shaping,
moulding, casting, assembly, building, construction: Our
business is the production of insulating materials. 2 product,
(end) result, work, effort, handiwork, output, opus, oeuvre:
These paintings are clearly productions of a fertile
imagination. 3 (in Britain) artistry, direction, staging; (in
US and Canada) display, presentation, staging, mise en scЉne,
setting: Both the acting and the production were superb. 4
drama, play, (stage or television or radio) show, performance;
film, motion or moving picture, movie: Our repertory company is
putting on a production of Othello next week.
productive
adj. 1 fruitful, fertile, rich, fecund, plentiful, plenteous,
abundant, bountiful, bounteous, prolific, dynamic: Owing to a
perfect balance of rain and sunshine, the earth has proved
productive this year. 2 imaginative, creative, inventive,
resourceful, generative, ingenious, fertile, vigorous: Her
latest science-fiction trilogy is certainly evidence of a highly
productive mind. 3 profitable, remunerative, rewarding,
valuable, worthwhile: Years ago he made an investment in
computer shares that has turned out to be very productive.
Discussing sales strategy is not as productive as getting out
there and selling.
profane adj. 1 irreverent, sacrilegious, blasphemous, idolatrous,
irreligious, infidel, heathen, unbelieving, disbelieving, pagan,
atheist(ic), impious, godless, ungodly, sinful, wicked,
iniquitous, contemptuous, disrespectful: The faithful attacked
anyone who was seen to perform a profane act. 2 unsanctified,
unholy, unconsecrated, defiled, impure, unclean, unhallowed,
non-religious, non-sacred, unsacred; lay, non-clerical, secular,
temporal; Judaism tref or treif or treifa, non-kosher: The
missionaries persuaded them to abandon their profane rites and
practices. 3 bad, dirty, filthy, smutty, foul, foul-mouthed,
obscene, vulgar, coarse, uncouth, low, taboo, blasphemous,
bawdy, ribald, scurrilous, off colour, immodest, improper,
naughty, indecent, unprintable, unmentionable, indecorous,
indelicate, common; abusive, vituperative, venomous,
thersitical, Literary Fescennine, Colloq blue: The boy was sent
home from school for using profane language.
--v. 4 debase, contaminate, pollute, taint, vitiate, degrade,
defile, desecrate, violate, pervert, corrupt: They swore
undying retribution against those who had profaned their temple.
profanity n. blasphemy, obscenity, cursing, curse-word(s), swearing,
swear-word(s), foul or bad or dirty or vulgar or coarse or
filthy or smutty or taboo language, four-letter word(s),
billingsgate: The film was held to be unfit for broadcasting as
it contained so much obscenity and profanity.
profess v. 1 assert, claim, aver, asseverate, state, affirm, confirm,
confess, declare, say, hold, maintain, present, offer, proffer,
tender, set forth, put forward, pronounce, enounce, enunciate,
announce, utter, vow, avow: He professed himself satisfied with
the judge's decision. 2 pretend, lay claim, make a pretence,
purport, act as if, simulate: They professed to be legitimate
businessmen, but I was always suspicious.
professed adj. 1 pretended, ostensible, apparent, alleged, purported,
so-called, would-be, self-styled, soi-disant(e): He was a
professed wine 'expert' but the bottle he recommended turned out
to be awful. 2 confessed, avowed, sworn, admitted, acknowledged,
confirmed, certified, declared: What do you do when a professed
friend betrays you?
profession
n. 1 occupation, calling, work, field, vocation, employment,
m‚tier, trade, business, craft, line, sphere, speciality or US
specialty, job, position, post, situation, Slang racket: I know
that she's a doctor, but what is her husband's profession? 2
confession, affirmation, statement, avowal, assertion,
asseveration, declaration, acknowledgement, testimony, averment,
admission, announcement: I was uncertain whether to believe his
professions of love.
professional
adj. 1 trained, educated, practised, veteran, experienced,
seasoned, able, skilled, skilful, gifted, talented, qualified,
knowledgeable, licensed, official, expert, masterful, masterly,
master, efficient, adept, proficient, competent, polished,
finished: He is a professional ambulance driver who has to work
as a plumber to make ends meet. 2 excellent, proficient,
efficient, skilful, masterly, thorough, prompt, conscientious,
authoritative, businesslike: She did a very professional job of
repairing my car.
--n. 3 master, expert, maestro, virtuoso, past master or
mistress, specialist, authority, Colloq wizard, pro, whiz or
whizz, US maven or mavin, Brit dab hand: You can always tell
when the work has been done by a professional.
proficiency
n. facility, skill, talent, adeptness, expertise, expertness,
skilfulness, aptitude, capability, ability, dexterity,
capability, competence or competency, ingenuity, knack, savoir
faire, Colloq know-how: The proficiency he displayed as a
racing-car driver was second to none.
proficient
adj. skilful, skilled, talented, adept, gifted, expert,
experienced, practised, au fait, veteran, well-versed, (highly)
trained, professional, qualified, capable, able, accomplished,
dexterous, competent, knowledgeable, top-notch, first-rate,
Colloq ace, crack, whiz-bang or whizz-bang, Brit wizard: She is
an extremely proficient surgeon.
profile n. 1 outline, silhouette, contour, side-view: His aquiline
nose shows up prominently in this profile. 2 biography,
(biographical or thumbnail or character) sketch, life, portrait,
vignette: That profile of Allen in a well-known magazine did
not do him justice. 3 analysis, study, survey, examination;
graph, diagram, chart, list, statistics: The profile of the
average newspaper reader revealed some interesting anomalies.
--v. 4 describe, draw, sketch, limn: The editor phoned to say
that they want to profile you in the Gazette's Sunday colour
supplement.
profit n. 1 Often, profits. gross or net profit, net or Brit also
nett, return(s), gain, yield, revenue, proceeds, bottom line,
surplus, excess, US take, Slang gravy, US vigorish: The profits
are down in the third quarter owing to the higher interest rate.
2 advantage, avail, good, benefit, welfare, gain, value,
interest, use, usefulness, Archaic or literary behoof: Let me
recommend a book that you will find of some profit.
--v. 3 advance, further, be of profit to, benefit, promote,
aid, help, be advantageous or of advantage, serve, avail,
improve: A few lessons from the club professional could profit
your golf game. 4 Often, profit from. take advantage of, use,
turn to advantage or account, exploit, utilize, make (good) use
of, make capital (out) of, capitalize on, maximize, make the
most of, Slang cash in on: I hope you profit from the
experience. 5 clear, realize, earn, gain, Colloq make a
killing, clean up, rake it in, make a bundle or a packet:
Ernestine profited to the tune of њ100,000 on the sale of her
house.
profitable
adj. 1 beneficial, productive, lucrative, fruitful,
(well-)paying, well-paid, worthwhile, effective, cost-effective,
gainful, remunerative, money-making, rewarding: I had never
thought of being a pavement artist as a profitable enterprise.
Playing professional golf can be very profitable - if you win
tournaments. 2 beneficial, helpful, useful, utilitarian,
valuable, worthwhile, advantageous, productive, rewarding: She
gave me a lot of good advice that I found profitable in my
professional life.
profiteer n. 1 racketeer, exploiter, extortionist, blackmarketeer: The
profiteers turned to selling sugar at exorbitant prices.
--v. 2 overcharge, fleece, exploit, milk, make the most of;
extort; US gouge: The arms dealers are profiteering by selling
banned mat‚riel to the guerrillas.
profligacy
n. 1 debauchery, vice, immorality, sin, sinfulness, wickedness,
evil, dissipation, dissoluteness, degeneracy, licentiousness,
depravity, corruption, promiscuity, lechery, lasciviousness,
lewdness, indecency, perversion, carnality, libertinism,
wantonness, unrestraint, eroticism, sybaritism, voluptuousness,
sensuality: Soho's reputation for profligacy is now much less
deserved. 2 prodigality, extravagance, excess, waste,
wastefulness, recklessness, exorbitance, lavishness,
improvidence, squandering: The profligacy of the French court
at the end of the 17th century was remarkable.
profligate
adj. 1 debauched, vice-ridden, immoral, unprincipled, sinful,
shameless, evil, iniquitous, wicked, dissipative, dissolute,
degenerate, loose, licentious, depraved, corrupt, promiscuous,
lecherous, lascivious, lewd, indecent, perverted, carnal,
libertine, wanton, unrestrained, erotic, sybaritic, voluptuous,
sensual, wild, abandoned: The duke suddenly gave up his
profligate life and became a monk. 2 extravagant, prodigal,
wasteful, reckless, squandering, improvident, spendthrift,
immoderate, excessive: As the family fortunes waned, my aunt
had to curb her profligate ways.
--n. 3 debauchee, sinner, degenerate, pervert, sodomite,
reprobate, rake, rakehell, libertine, lecher, whoremonger, rou‚,
wanton, sybarite, voluptuary, sensualist: With the restraints
removed, the profligate abandoned himself to every excess
imaginable. 4 prodigal, spendthrift, wastrel, waster,
squanderer: Such are the extravagances indulged in by the
profligates who never learnt the value of money.
profound adj. 1 deep, unfathomable, abstruse, recondite, arcane,
esoteric, intricate, knotty, involved, tricky, inscrutable,
indecipherable, cabbalistic, incomprehensible, obscure, subtle,
occult, secret, cryptic, puzzling, enigmatic, mystifying,
mysterious: Some aspects of the theory of thought are even too
profound for many specialists. 2 learned, scholarly,
intellectual, erudite, discerning, astute, sagacious, sage,
wise, penetrating, sharp, keen, insightful, analytical,
knowledgeable, informed, well-informed, well-read: Russell was
one of the most profound thinkers of his day. 3 deep, great,
intense, sincere; heartfelt, keen, acute, utter, extreme,
overpowering, overwhelming: He gave a profound sigh and fell
asleep at once. It is with profound regret that I must tender my
resignation. 4 utter, complete, total, perfect, absolute,
thorough, thoroughgoing, out-and-out, downright, consummate;
awful, terrible: Her casual attitude stems from her profound
lack of awareness of how important the work is. I was
immediately struck by the profound silence in the house.
Profound changes are under way.
profoundly
adv. very, extremely, deeply, greatly, keenly, acutely,
intensely, sincerely; terribly, awfully: We are profoundly
sorry to have been so much trouble to you.
profundity
n. 1 depth, profoundness, abstruseness, reconditeness,
arcaneness, intricacy, subtlety, complexity, complicatedness,
difficulty, inscrutability, involvement, involvedness;
indecipherability, incomprehensibility, incomprehensibleness,
obscurity: I wouldn't claim to have fully grasped the
profundity of his ideas. 2 erudition, discernment, scholarship,
scholarliness, sagacity, wisdom, sharpness, keenness,
astuteness, acumen, insightfulness, knowledgeableness,
knowledgeability: I was amazed by the profundity of the
argument of one so young.
profuse adj. 1 abundant, ample, plentiful, copious, unstinting,
unsparing, ungrudging: My profuse apologies if I have offended
you in any way. 2 extravagant, lavish, bountiful, bounteous,
prolific, luxuriant, abundant, exuberant, superabundant, lush,
thick, teeming, overflowing, bursting, thriving, productive,
fruitful, rich: From the seventh year onwards, the trees
yielded profuse crops of pears and plums. 3 excessive, copious,
considerable, prolific, liberal, lavish, free, abundant, ample:
This stage of the fever is accompanied by profuse sweating. 4
generous, abundant, plentiful, copious, unsparing, unselfish,
unstinting, exuberant, magnanimous, liberal: The audience was
profuse in its applause and cries of 'Bravo!' and 'Encore!'
profusion n. profuseness, quantity, abundance, plenty, plentifulness,
plenteousness, bounty, copiousness, superabundance; mass, host,
hoard, number, multitude, lot, mountain, load, mess, stack,
pile, heap, agglomeration, conglomeration, accumulation, wealth,
glut, surplus, oversupply, surfeit, plethora, superfluity,
Formal nimiety: Ivy grew in profusion over the front of the
house. We had never seen such a profusion of bric-…-brac as they
had collected.
progenitor
n. 1 progenitrix, ancestor, forefather, forebear: They
regarded the snake god as the progenitor of the human race. 2
predecessor, forerunner, precursor, antecedent, foregoer,
source, originator; origin, original, prototype, archetype,
pattern, guide: The ancient philosophers were progenitors of
many modern ideas. Some regard da Vinci's designs as the
progenitors of some of today's machines.
progeny n. offspring, children, descendants, issue, young, posterity,
heirs, scions, successors, sons and daughters, Colloq kids,
spawn, fry, US sprouts: He dreamed that his progeny might have
a freer, healthier life than his.
prognosis n. forecast, forecasting, prediction, prophecy,
prognostication, projection: The doctor has recorded his
prognosis for the course of the disease.
prognosticate
v. 1 predict, foretell, prophesy, forecast, presage, divine,
forebode: Those prophets of doom are always prognosticating
disaster. 2 betoken, augur, herald, foreshadow, foretoken,
announce, harbinger, signal, portend: The freshening breeze
from the east prognosticates some rainy periods ahead.
programme n. 1 schedule, plan, scheme, agenda, order of the day, routine,
protocol, slate, list, listing, description, outline, abstract,
pr‚cis, calendar, menu, bill of fare, curriculum, syllabus,
synopsis, summary, prospectus: The programme shows the sequence
of events. You cannot tell what is being offered without a
programme. 2 performance, production, show, presentation, (radio
or television) play, telecast, broadcast, recital, concert:
Television programmes seem to cater to lower levels of taste and
intelligence every year. 3 proceedings, events, affairs,
activities: The programme includes an hour of exercise before
breakfast every day.
--v. 4 organize, arrange, prearrange, plan, lay out, map (out),
design, formulate, set (up), schedule, book, US slate: The solo
pianist is programmed to follow the chamber orchestra.
progress n. 1 (forward) movement, going forward, progression, advance,
headway, advancement: Progress through the dense underbrush was
very slow. 2 advancement, advance, promotion, improvement,
betterment, elevation, rise, development, furtherance: Her
progress in the company might have been impeded by the fact that
she was a woman. 3 advancement, course, development, growth,
expansion, increase, evolution, maturation, ripening, burgeoning
or bourgeoning, amplification, enlargement, spread, extension,
broadening, promotion, furtherance, advance, encouragement: Our
publishing credo is that every book must contribute to the
progress of culture or knowledge. 4 in progress. under way,
ongoing, going on, happening, occurring, taking place, at work,
in operation, being done, proceeding, Colloq in the works: Some
of the plans for reorganization are already in progress.
--v. 5 advance, move or go (forwards or onwards), proceed,
continue, go or forge ahead, go or move along, make (one's) way,
make headway, travel, go or push or press on: Throughout the
19th century wagon trains of pioneers progressed across the
prairies to settle the American West. I haven't progressed far
enough in my reading to say whether I like the book or not. 6
advance, improve, get well, get better, develop, grow, expand,
increase, evolve, mature, ripen, burgeon or bourgeon, amplify,
enlarge, spread, extend, broaden, rise, move up, upgrade:
Sarah's condition progressed to the point where she could get
out of bed. Christmas sales of the new toy are progressing
nicely. In only ten years, Michael progressed to a directorship
in the company.
progression
n. 1 movement forward or forward movement, advance,
advancement, (making or gaining) headway, progress, ascension,
rise, elevation: This mode of progression requires enormous
effort. It was interesting to watch her progression through the
corridors of power. 2 progress, development, advance,
advancement, spread, spreading, extension, extending,
broadening, enlargement, headway, intensification, rise: It
seemed impossible to halt the progression of the disease. 3
order, sequence, succession, train, chain, concatenation,
course, flow: The report traces the progression of events
leading up to the war.
progressive
adj. 1 advancing, continuing, developing, increasing, growing,
ongoing, continuous, step by step, gradual: The doctors noted
the progressive deterioration in his condition. With the onset
of spring, we shall see progressive improvement in the weather.
2 reformist, revisionist, liberal, radical, revolutionary,
avant-garde, advanced, dynamic: Carrie was soon regarded as one
of the more progressive thinkers of her day.
--n. 3 reformist, reformer, revisionist, liberal, leftist,
left-winger: Once a conservative, he did a complete volte-face
after the war and became a progressive.
prohibit v. 1 bar, ban, forbid, disallow, interdict, outlaw, taboo,
debar, proscribe: Fishing without a permit is prohibited. 2
prevent, stop, preclude, rule out, obstruct, block, impede,
hinder, hamper, inhibit, frustrate, foil, thwart, restrain,
check: A turnstile prohibits entry through the exit doors.
prohibition
n. 1 forbiddance, barring, bar, banning, ban, disallowance,
disallowing, interdiction, interdicting, outlawing, outlawry,
taboo, debarment, debarring, proscription, proscribing: Did the
members vote for the prohibition of smoking on club premises? 2
bar, interdict, injunction, debarment, embargo, proscription,
ban: Imposition of an excessively high tariff on imported
computer components has amounted to the prohibition of their use
in this country.
prohibitive
adj. 1 discouraging, suppressive, repressive, restrictive,
prohibitory, inhibitory, restraining: Prohibitive legislation
has forced capital out of some profitable areas and into others
less productive. 2 excessive, exorbitant, outrageous, dear,
high, outlandish, abusive, extortionate, insupportable,
criminal: The prices of new designer dresses are prohibitive.
project n. 1 proposal, plan, scheme, design, layout: The project for
housing low-income families had to be modified to allow for car
parking. 2 activity, enterprise, programme, undertaking,
venture, assignment, commitment, obligation, contract,
engagement; occupation, job, work: What project will you move
on to when you complete this one?
--v. 3 plan, scheme, prepare, devise, conjure up, concoct,
think up, contemplate, contrive, invent, work up or out,
propose, present, outline, design, draft, draw up, delineate,
describe, put forth or forward, Colloq cook up: In his theory,
he projects a quite different causal relationship. 4 cast,
hurl, fling, throw, toss, launch, propel, discharge; shoot,
transmit; Colloq chuck, lob: A body projected into space will
keep on travelling unless it strikes something. This device
projects stereoscopic pictures on a screen. 5 jut out, stick
out, protrude, stand out, bulge (out), extend (out), poke out,
beetle (out), overhang: The cornice projects a full six feet
over the street. 6 estimate, reckon, calculate, predict,
forecast: The economists projected a decline in inflation over
the coming months.
projectile
n. missile, shell, bullet, rocket: Projectiles rained down on
the enemy gun emplacement.
projection
n. 1 protrusion, protuberance, bulge, extension, overhang,
ledge, flange; ridge, eminence, prominence, spur, crag,
outcropping: The safety line caught on a projection of the
building, and the man was saved. That projection off to the
north is covered with ice all year long. 2 proposal, outlining,
mapping, mapping out, presenting, presentation: The projection
of the plan for the new development must be effective for the
council to accept it. 3 plan, scheme, blueprint, programme,
design, proposal, outline, diagram, map, representation,
planning: The council has approved the projection for the
development of the waterfront. 4 estimate, prognostication,
forecast, prediction, calculation, reckoning: These sales
projections for next year are quite optimistic.
proliferate
v. grow, increase, burgeon or bourgeon, multiply, mushroom,
snowball; breed, reproduce: Fast-food restaurants are
proliferating everywhere. Failure to disinfect the wound allows
germs to proliferate.
proliferation
n. growth, increase, burgeoning or bourgeoning, expansion,
spread, escalation, build-up, rise: Some attribute the increase
in violent crime to the proliferation of hand-guns.
prolific adj. 1 fertile, fecund, productive, fruitful, abundant,
copious, bountiful, bounteous, profuse, plentiful, plenteous,
lush, rich, rife: The more perilous its natural survival, the
more prolific a species is likely to be. 2 productive, creative,
fertile: He is a prolific author, and has more than 200 novels
to his credit.
prolong v. extend, lengthen, elongate, stretch (out), draw or drag out,
drag (on), keep up, string out, protract: Not wishing to
prolong the agony, we left after the first act. Aunt Caroline
prolonged her visit by yet another week.
promenade n. 1 walk, parade, esplanade, boulevard: We strolled along the
promenade as far as the pier. 2 walk, stroll, saunter, ramble,
turn, constitutional, airing, turn: After a brief promenade
round the garden, she returned to the house.
--v. 3 walk, stroll, saunter, amble, ramble, parade,
perambulate, take a walk or stroll: Every Sunday, regardless of
the weather, he promenades for an hour in the park. 4 flaunt,
show (off), display, parade, strut: Why he promenaded that
awful person before all his friends is beyond me!
prominence
n. 1 celebrity, eminence, fame, distinction, notability,
reputation, pre-eminence, standing, position, rank, prestige,
renown, repute, importance, weight, influence, account, name,
consequence: They are a family of considerable prominence in
the county. She rose to prominence as an actress just last year.
2 hill, hillock, rise, hummock, outcrop, outcropping, spur, tor,
crag, ar€te, spine, ridge, peak, mount, pinnacle; headland,
point, promontory: We planted our flag on the prominence and
constructed a small cairn. 3 protuberance, projection,
protrusion, growth, excrescence, swelling, tumefaction,
tumescence, extrusion, outshoot, outgrowth, spur, bulge: If
that prominence on your elbow doesn't disappear in a day or so,
I should see a doctor.
prominent adj. 1 conspicuous, obvious, evident, recognizable, pronounced,
discernible, distinguishable, identifiable, noticeable,
remarkable, noteworthy, eye-catching, striking, outstanding,
chief, main, principal, significant, important; apparent,
unmistakable or unmistakeable, patent, glaring, salient,
flagrant, egregious: The most prominent peak in the region is
Annapurna. Some of the prominent shortcomings of the plan can be
rectified easily. 2 eminent, pre-eminent, distinguished,
notable, noteworthy, noted, leading, foremost, first,
outstanding, eminent, well-known, famed, illustrious, famous,
celebrated, renowned, acclaimed, honoured, honourable,
respected, well-thought-of, prestigious, reputable, creditable:
A prominent politician is to be invited to cut the ribbon
opening the new bridge. 3 protuberant, protruding, protrusive,
projecting, jutting (out); excrescent, bulging, raised,
elevated: She has a rather prominent chin. There is one
prominent spot on the tabletop that needs more sanding.
promiscuous
adj. 1 indiscriminate, undiscriminating, unselective,
non-selective, non-discriminatory, unconscientious, heedless,
haphazard, indifferent, uncaring, uncritical, unfussy,
unfastidious, disregardful, neglectful, negligent, slipshod,
slovenly, irresponsible, careless, cursory, perfunctory,
unthinking, thoughtless, unconsidered: The promiscuous massacre
of civilians caused an international outcry. 2 lax, loose,
unchaste, wanton, wild, uninhibited, unrestrained, ungoverned,
uncontrolled, unbridled, uncurbed, immoderate, abandoned,
amoral, immoral, indecent, libertine, licentious, dissipated,
dissolute, depraved, profligate, debauched, fast; unfaithful,
faithless, dishonourable: Nothing you say could persuade me to
condone your promiscuous behaviour. 3 mixed, miscellaneous,
heterogeneous, random, intermixed, jumbled, disorderly,
disordered, confused, chaotic, motley, intermixed, intermingled,
scrambled, unorganized, disorganized, unsystematic,
unsystematized, helter-skelter, higgledy-piggledy, hotchpotch or
US also hodgepodge: There is a somewhat promiscuous collection
of books in his library that well reflects the eclecticism of
his tastes.
promise n. 1 assurance, (solemn) word (of honour), pledge, vow, oath,
undertaking, engagement, bond, commitment, guaranty, guarantee,
warranty; agreement, contract, covenant, compact: You have my
promise that the book will be completed by the deadline. She
broke her promise to marry him. Unlike a contract, a promise
does not imply a mutual commitment. 2 expectation, potential,
capability; likelihood, probability: This first novel shows a
lot of promise. There is little promise that compensation will
be paid to the victims by the government.
--v. 3 assure, give one's word (of honour), pledge, swear, vow,
take an oath, undertake, engage, commit oneself, guarantee or
guaranty, warrant, cross one's heart (and hope to die): Harold
promised to do what cannot be done. We were promised a free ride
on the roundabout. She promises she will repay the loan
promptly. Make him pay for the damage as he promised. 4 give
indication of, hint at, suggest, foretell, augur, indicate, show
signs of, be in store for, look like, seem or appear likely or
probable, Brit be on the cards, US be in the cards, Literary bid
fair, betoken, bespeak: Though the economic situation promised
to improve, many were disappointed that it took so long.
promising adj. hopeful, encouraging, favourable, auspicious, positive,
rosy, optimistic, propitious, cheering, full of promise,
reassuring, heartening: I see a promising future for you as a
dancer.
promote v. 1 help, further, encourage, assist, advance, support,
forward, back, sanction, abet, aid, boost, foster, patronize,
nurture, develop, inspirit, strengthen, stimulate, inspire:
Their continual bickering did little to promote domestic
harmony. The sale of portable appliances has done much to
promote the battery business. 2 advance, move up, raise,
upgrade, elevate, exalt, Colloq kick upstairs: He is to be
promoted to floor manager next month. 3 recommend, endorse,
sponsor, support, espouse, commend, advocate, advance, champion,
talk up, speak for, side with, present, call attention to: She
is promoting the cause of ecology in her campaign. 4 advertise,
publicize, push, sell, Colloq beat the drum for, plug, Slang
hype, Chiefly US ballyhoo: They are promoting the new
chewing-gum by giving out free samples in Trafalgar Square.
promotion n. 1 furtherance, advancement, advance, encouragement, support,
backing, sanction, sanctioning, abetting, aiding, helping,
assisting, boosting, fostering, nurturing, cultivation,
development, developing, improvement, improving, inspiration,
inspiriting, strengthening, stimulation, stimulating: The
Society exists for the promotion of learning in a number of
subjects. 2 advancement, advance, upgrading, upgrade, rise,
elevation, preferment, exaltation: He was envied for his
promotion to the highest ranking post in the department. 3
promoting, recommendation, presentation, espousal, commendation,
advocacy, championing: I am grateful for your promotion of my
name for the job. 4 advertising, publicity, public relations,
propaganda, selling, hard or soft sell, fanfare, plugging,
Colloq puffery, Slang (media) hype, Chiefly US ballyhoo,
hoop-la: The manufacturer spent millions on the promotion of
the new cola. 5 advertisement, advertising, circular, brochure,
handbill, bill, hand-out, leaflet, poster, affiche, placard,
publicity, space, (publicity) release, hoarding, US and Canadian
flier or flyer, billboard, broadside, Colloq US puff piece, poop
sheet: The promotions for the new detergent use the celebrity
endorsement technique.
prompt adj. 1 quick, ready, immediate, instantaneous, unhesitating,
rapid, fast, swift, speedy, punctual, timely, on time, instant,
summary, brisk, alacritous: No matter what the question, Gemma
gave a prompt response. 2 alert, eager, ready, quick,
expeditious, ready and willing, disposed, predisposed,
unhesitating, keen, avid: Slow to praise, Alan was always
prompt to criticize.
--v. 3 urge, egg (on), prod, nudge, spur, exhort, incite,
induce, impel, provoke, rouse, arouse, encourage, work or stir
or fire up, move, motivate, cause, influence, put (someone) up
to (something), coax, persuade, cajole, prevail upon or on, talk
(someone) into (something): If he hadn't prompted her, she
never would have apologized. 4 cue, remind, feed lines (to),
help: She never could remember her lines and needed to be
prompted. 5 bring about, inspire, occasion, give rise to,
elicit, evoke, provoke, call forth, stimulate, awaken: The
mention of hostages prompted a question about what was being
done to gain their release.
--n. 6 reminder, cue, hint, stimulus: He always needs a prompt
to remind him to send his mother flowers on her birthday.
promptly adv. quickly, at once, straightaway or straight away, directly,
right away, immediately, without delay or hesitation,
unhesitatingly, swiftly, speedily, readily, instantly,
instantaneously, punctually, expeditiously, with celerity, with
alacrity, Colloq US and Canadian momentarily: If this bill is
not paid promptly, we shall have to discontinue your credit
arrangements.
prone adj. 1 face down or downwards or chiefly US downward,
prostrate, lying down, reclining, recumbent, horizontal,
procumbent, Formal or technical decumbent, accumbent: She was
lying prone, resting between push-ups. 2 inclined, apt, likely,
liable, disposed, predisposed, of a mind, subject, given,
tending, leaning: They are prone to petty squabbles.
pronounce v. 1 declare, utter, say, voice, express, articulate,
enunciate, vocalize, put into words: He pronounced a curse on
the family. Try to pronounce it one syllable at a time. 2
declare, affirm, proclaim, announce, decree, judge, aver, state,
asseverate, assert, say to be: I now pronounce you man and
wife. The doctor pronounced mother to be out of danger. 3
announce, proclaim, promulgate, publicize, publish, deliver,
broadcast, make known, let (something) be known, put out or
forth, set forth; pass: The judge will pronounce sentence
tomorrow.
pronounced
adj. 1 definite, clear, plain, well-defined, decided,
conspicuous, noticeable, recognizable, identifiable, obvious,
striking, prominent, notable, distinct, unmistakable or
unmistakeable, marked, strong: There was a pronounced odour of
bitter almonds in the room. Sophie spoke with a pronounced lisp.
2 definite, distinct, unequivocal, unambiguous, specific,
unqualified, undisguised, downright, outright, out-and-out,
decided, complete, total, unmitigated, strong, utter, unalloyed,
unmixed, clear, clear-cut, unmistakable or unmistakeable: A
pronounced prejudice against fuzzy thinking emerges from his
writings.
pronouncement
n. 1 statement, assertion, observation, comment, opinion,
announcement, proclamation, pronunciamento, manifesto,
declaration, avowal, affirmation, asseveration, averment,
promulgation: Occasionally he would issue a pronouncement on
the sad state of English usage. 2 judgement, decree, edict,
proclamation, dictum, command, ukase, (papal) bull, imperative,
order, ordinance: The authorities made several official
pronouncements regarding travel restrictions.
pronunciation
n. enunciation, articulation, elocution, diction, speech,
speech pattern, manner of speaking, delivery, accent,
accentuation, intonation, inflection, modulation: Standard
pronunciations of English are so diverse that it is sometimes
difficult for one native speaker to understand another. Rock
singers seem always to imitate a Texan pronunciation.
proof n. 1 evidence, verification, corroboration, confirmation,
validation, authentication, ratification, substantiation;
documentation, document, facts, data, certification, testimony,
Colloq ammunition: Is there any proof that she was with you?
The prosecution claims to have enough proof of his guilt to
convict him of embezzlement. 2 test, trial, measure, standard,
touchstone, criterion: Do you intend to put his loyalty to the
proof? The proof of the pudding is in the eating.
--adj. 3 impervious, impenetrable, able to withstand or resist,
protective, strong, tough, impregnable, resistant, tempered:
They maintain that this armour is proof against a nine-inch
shell.
prop v. 1 Often, prop up. support, brace, hold (up), buttress, stay,
bolster, uphold, bear, sustain, shore up, keep up: A longer
post is needed to prop up this end of the roof. 2 lean, stand,
rest: Do you mind if I prop my crutches against the desk while
I sit down?
--n. 3 support, brace, truss, stay, buttress, mainstay,
upright, vertical, shore: Can you use this broomstick as a prop
to support the shelf temporarily?
propaganda
n. 1 agitprop, disinformation, Newspeak, rumours, lies: The
state-controlled media spread propaganda about minorities to
foster nationalism. 2 advertising, promotion, publicity, public
relations, puff, fanfare, Colloq puffery, ballyhoo, Slang hype,
US hoop-la, whoop-de-do or whoop-de-doo: All that propaganda
was merely to launch a new washing-powder!
propagate v. 1 breed, generate, reproduce, multiply, proliferate,
deliver, bring forth, bear, procreate: Biologists are studying
ways of making the species propagate at a faster rate. 2
multiply, increase, spread, grow, develop: These plants
propagate very rapidly. 3 publicize, promote, disseminate,
dispense, distribute, spread, publish, broadcast, circulate,
make known, transmit, disperse, propagandize, proclaim,
promulgate, bruit about, noise abroad, herald: The purpose of
the organization is to propagate information about the state of
the environment.
propel v. drive, impel, move, actuate, set in motion, get moving,
move, push, thrust, force, send, launch, start: Each galley was
propelled by huge oars. The capsule is propelled by a rocket.
Job opportunities propelled her to move to Bristol.
proper adj. 1 right, appropriate, apropos, apt, suitable, fit,
fitting, befitting, becoming, suited, apposite, de rigueur,
comme il faut, adapted, Literary meet: Is this the proper time
to ask for a salary increase? 2 correct, accurate, exact,
right, precise, orthodox, formal, expected, normal, usual,
accepted, established, Old-fashioned Brit tickety-boo: Some
insist that the only proper way to pronounce 'controversy' is
with the stress on the first syllable. 3 decorous, dignified,
genteel, fitting, right, de rigueur, appropriate, becoming,
suitable, decent, seemly, due, correct, apt, comme il faut,
conformist; gentlemanly, ladylike, polite, refined, punctilious,
respectable: Jeans are not proper attire for dinner at La
Hacienda. Do you call that proper behaviour for the president of
a learned society? 4 fitting, suitable, correct, right,
satisfactory, good, sensible: The kitchen is a proper place for
the dishwasher, not the garage. Proper nutrition is very
important. 5 complete, perfect, utter, thorough, thoroughgoing,
out-and-out, unmitigated: He felt a proper fool for having
locked his keys inside his car. 6 own, individual, separate,
distinct, correct, specific, special, particular, respective;
characteristic, distinctive, peculiar, singular, unique: When
you have finished, return each book to its proper place.
--quasi-adv. 7 strictly speaking or so-called, in the
strict(est) or narrow(est) sense, only, solely, alone, on (its
or someone's) own: Does the deed refer only to the house proper
or are the outbuildings also included?
properly adv. 1 appropriately, fittingly, correctly, well, becomingly,
suitably, politely, decently, decorously, nicely: If you cannot
behave properly I shall have to ask you to leave. 2 duly,
appropriately, well, suitably, rightly, correctly, aptly: Are
they properly equipped for the rescue mission?
property n. 1 possessions, belongings, effects, gear, paraphernalia,
chattels: All his worldly property fitted into the small
Gladstone bag he carried everywhere. 2 assets, means, resources,
holdings, capital (goods), fortune, riches, estate, worth: We
look on all our shares, personal belongings, and real estate as
part of our property. 3 land, acreage, realty, real estate or
property: That property on the high street was recently sold to
developers. 4 characteristic, attribute, quality, feature,
trait, mark, hallmark, idiosyncrasy, peculiarity, oddity, quirk,
Formal haecceity, quiddity: A property of iodine is that it
changes directly from a solid to a vapour - and vice versa -
without first liquefying.
prophecy n. 1 forecasting, foretelling, prediction, fortune-telling,
divination, soothsaying, augury, prognostication,
crystal-gazing, Formal vaticination: The prophecy of future
events lies outside the realm of science. 2 prediction,
forecast, prognosis, revelation: Her prophecy warned of ice
storms that would ravage the earth.
prophesy v. 1 predict, foretell, forecast, forewarn, prognosticate,
vaticinate: His father prophesied that he would come to no good
if he quit college. 2 augur, foretell (of), presage, foreshadow,
portend, bode, harbinger, herald, promise, vaticinate: The
early disappearance of the swallows prophesies a long, cold
winter.
prophet n. prophetess, oracle, forecaster, seer, soothsayer,
clairvoyant, prognosticator, fortune-teller, augur, diviner,
witch, warlock, sibyl, haruspex, vaticinator; (of doom)
Cassandra: Statistically, the weather prophets have a fair
record of accuracy.
prophetic adj. predictive, prognostic, divinatory, oracular, inspired,
prescient, sibylline, Literary fatidic, vatic: His warnings of
a drought proved to be prophetic.
propitiatory
adj. 1 conciliatory, pacifying, appeasing, expiatory,
placative, propitiative, pacificatory, placatory: He said that
he was truly sorry and held out a propitiatory hand. 2
deferential, ingratiating, obliging, obeisant, acquiescent,
compliant, tractable: He was most propitiatory in his treatment
of his stepchildren.
propitious
adj. advantageous, timely, well-timed, opportune, lucky,
fortunate, happy, providential, favourable, bright, encouraging,
auspicious, promising, rosy: It was not a propitious moment to
ask her to marry him,.
proponent n. proposer, promoter, supporter, upholder, backer, subscriber,
patron, espouser, adherent, enthusiast, champion, friend,
partisan, defender, advocate, exponent, pleader, apologist,
spokesman, spokeswoman, spokesperson: Ashley is a staunch
proponent of the literacy movement.
proportion
n. 1 ratio, (comparative) relation, relationship, comparison:
The proportion of men to women on the course is three to one.
The demand is out of all proportion to the supply. 2 balance,
agreement, concord, harmony, suitableness, symmetry, congruity,
correspondence, correlation, arrangement, distribution: The
beauty of the building is at once apparent in the elegant
proportion of its parts. 3 portion, division, share, part,
percentage, quota, allotment, ration, Colloq cut: Water covers
a large proportion of the surface. 4 proportions. size,
magnitude, dimensions, measurements, extent; volume, capacity,
mass, bulk, area, expanse, scope, range, degree: The dragon
suddenly assumed gigantic proportions.
--v. 5 adjust, modify, change, modulate, poise, balance, shape,
fit, match, conform, equate: The punishment should be
proportioned to the crime.
proportional
adj. proportionate, proportioned, comparable, analogous,
analogical, relative, related, correlated, balanced,
symmetrical, corresponding, compatible, harmonious, consistent,
commensurate, in accordance with: The zeal with which their
ideals are defended is directly proportional to the fierceness
with which they are attacked.
proposal n. 1 offer, presentation, bid, tender, proposition,
recommendation, suggestion, Literary proffer: Her proposal was
to provide the funding if we would do the work. 2 plan, scheme,
outline, draft, design, layout; programme, proposition, project:
The proposal for the new civic centre was rejected as too
expensive.
propose v. 1 offer, tender, proffer; present, introduce, submit,
advance, set forth, put forward, propound, bid, recommend,
suggest, come up with, call attention to, broach, Brit table:
Management proposed a wage increase of five per cent. The
architect proposed that we consider an addition to the north
wing. 2 offer, mean, intend, plan, expect, aim: We propose to
make a start on the decorating once we have had our lunch. 3
nominate, name, put forward or forth, suggest, introduce,
submit, put up: His boss proposed him for membership of the
golf club.
proposition
n. 1 See proposal, 1, above. 2 See proposal, 2, above.
--v. 3 accost, solicit, make an indecent or sexual advance or
proposal or overture, Colloq make a pass at: She said she had
been propositioned by him, but we never learnt if she accepted
or not.
propound v. put or set forth or forward, propose, offer, proffer,
suggest, postulate: It was she who first propounded the idea of
a unified country.
proprietor
n. 1 proprietress, owner, landowner, landlady, landlord,
landholder, title-holder, deed-holder, property owner: He is
the proprietor of a large house in Chiswick. 2 owner, partner,
landlord, restaurateur, innkeeper, hotel-keeper, hotelier,
licensee, manager, Brit publican: The proprietor greeted us
warmly and showed us to our rooms.
propriety n. 1 correctness, properness, conformity, suitableness,
appropriateness, suitability, aptness, fitness, seemliness,
decorum; advisability, wisdom: I questioned the propriety of
concealing this information from shareholders. 2 protocol, good
or proper form, punctilio, etiquette, politeness, courtesy,
politesse, refinement, sedateness, dignity, modesty, decorum,
decency, breeding, respectability, gentility, grace,
mannerliness: He always behaved with the utmost propriety in
the presence of his aunt. 3 the proprieties. the social graces,
the amenities, the civilities, formality or the formalities,
social convention or the social conventions, social procedure or
codes, accepted practice, tradition, ceremony, ritual: He only
observes the proprieties when he wants to make a good
impression.
propulsion
n. drive, impulse, impetus, thrust, power, driving or
propelling or propulsive force, pressure, momentum, push:
Enormous propulsion is required to lift the space shuttle into
orbit.
prosaic adj. dull, banal, overdone, tedious, clich‚d, commonplace,
stereotyped, pedestrian, flat, stereotypical, hackneyed, stock,
routine, everyday, ordinary, common, workaday, mediocre,
undistinguished, bland, characterless, homely, plain, trite,
stale, threadbare, tired, lifeless, dead, dry, jejune, boring,
tiresome, unimaginative, unpoetic, unromantic, uninspiring,
uninspired, insipid, uninteresting, humdrum, monotonous,
Literary ennuyant, Colloq ho-hum, run-of-the-mill, mouldy: She
found the law too prosaic and trained to become a jockey.
prose n. (expository) writing, text, language: It came as a great
revelation to learn that he had been speaking prose all his
life.
prosecute v. 1 arraign, indict, charge, put on or bring to trial, try,
take to court, sue, bring suit or action against, accuse, Brit
put in the dock: She threatened to prosecute him for slander.
2 pursue, follow up or through, see or carry through, persist,
go on with: Will the same policy will be prosecuted in other
countries? 3 carry on or out, perform, do, exercise, conduct,
follow, engage in, practise, continue: The government needs
popular support if it is to continue to prosecute the war
successfully.
prospect n. 1 view, scene, panorama, landscape, seascape, outlook,
vista, sight, spectacle, perspective, aspect: The sitting-room
window offered a splendid prospect of the sea and cliffs below.
2 anticipation, contemplation, outlook, promise, plan, design,
intention, expectancy, expectation, thought, likelihood: The
prospect of spending the Christmas holidays with your family is
quite daunting. 3 Often, prospects. future, outlook, chance(s),
hope(s), possibility or possibilities, likelihood, opportunity
or opportunities: The prospects for her advancement are
excellent. 4 in prospect. in sight or view, in the offing, on
the horizon, in store, in the wind, projected, in store, likely,
probable, possible, Brit on the cards, on the table, US in the
cards: As a doctor, he has a number of opportunities in
prospect.
--v. 5 Often, prospect for. explore, search (for), look (for):
In 1896, his grandfather went to the Klondike to prospect for
gold.
prospectus
n. announcement, plan, scheme, programme, outline, conspectus,
description: According to the prospectus for the fund, the
minimum investment is њ1000.
prosper v. flourish, thrive, succeed, fare well, progress, get ahead,
grow, develop; profit, gain, become wealthy, grow rich, make
one's fortune, make good, Colloq make it, make one's pile: With
hard work, thrift, and perseverance, MacIntosh prospered and was
soon able to buy the house he wanted.
prosperity
n. success, (good) fortune, wealth, riches, affluence, money,
luxury, plenty, prosperousness, opulence, bounty, Colloq life of
Riley: The basis of the family's prosperity was huge land
holdings in Australia.
prosperous
adj. 1 rich, wealthy, moneyed or monied, affluent, well-to-do,
well off, Colloq well-heeled, loaded, flush, in the money,
rolling in it or wealth or money, in clover, on Easy Street,
Slang stinking rich: Anyone who owns six houses and four yachts
must be prosperous. 2 successful, thriving, flourishing,
booming, prospering: Frank owns a prosperous chain of video
shops.
prostitute
n. 1 whore, call-girl, streetwalker, strumpet, trollop, harlot,
lady of the night or US also evening, fallen or loose woman,
demi-mondaine, cocotte, fille de joie, painted woman, woman of
ill repute, camp-follower, Archaic catamite, Literary hetaera or
hetaira, courtesan or courtezan, Brit rent-boy, toy boy, US boy
toy, Archaic bawd, quean, trull, cotquean, Colloq tart, hustler,
Slang pro, moll, Brit brass, hooker, US bimbo, working girl,
chippy or chippie, roundheels: There was a terrible scandal
when the MP was found to have consorted with prostitutes.
--v. 2 Often, prostitute oneself. degrade, demean, lower,
cheapen, debase, profane, defile, desecrate, pervert, abuse,
misuse, devalue, Colloq sell out: To ward off starvation, he
prostituted his talent by drawing comic strips.
prostitution
n. 1 whoredom, harlotry, the oldest profession, Mrs Warren's
profession, streetwalking, vice: They argued strongly against
the legalization of prostitution, saying that it would lead to a
decline in public morals. 2 degradation, debasement,
profanation, defilement, desecration, misuse, abuse,
devaluation, lowering, perversion, corruption: Don't you regard
pornography as a prostitution of the principle of freedom of
expression?
prostrate v. 1 Usually, prostrate oneself. lie down, kowtow, bow (down),
bow and scrape, grovel, kneel, fall to or on one's knees,
truckle, crawl, cringe, submit, abase oneself: The captives
were forced to prostrate themselves before the emperor. 2
overwhelm, overcome, overpower, crush, lay or bring low,
paralyse, fell, bowl over, floor, bring down, humble, make
helpless, ruin; exhaust, fatigue, weary, wear down or out, tire
(out): They were prostrated by grief at the loss of their son.
Having been prostrated for months by glandular fever, she
finally recovered and returned to work.
--adj. 3 prone, horizontal, lying down, laid low, stretched
out, procumbent, recumbent, Formal or technical accumbent,
decumbent: The prostrate bodies of the worshippers in their
multicoloured garb resembled a huge patchwork quilt. 4
overwhelmed, overcome, overpowered, crushed, brought or laid
low, paralysed, felled, bowled over, brought down, humbled,
helpless, ruined, brought to one's knees, powerless, impotent,
defenceless, disarmed, Colloq floored: She was prostrate at the
news of the car crash. After the long war, the countries were
struggling to revitalize their prostrate economies. 5 exhausted,
drained, fatigued, spent, worn out, wearied, weary, tired (out),
dead tired, dog-tired, played out, Colloq fagged out, knocked
out, all in, beat, bushed, US wiped out, Slang shagged out, US
and Canadian pooped (out): We were prostrate after the long
climb.
prostration
n. 1 genuflection or Brit also genuflexion, kowtowing, kowtow,
kneeling, bowing, bow, salaaming, salaam, submission:
Prostration before a superior was a mark of honour. 2
servility, veneration, worship, humiliation, respect, adulation,
deference, obeisance, homage: Their silence betokened the
profound prostration they felt before her superior intellect. 3
despair, misery, desolation, desperation, dejection, depression,
despondency, wretchedness, unhappiness, grief, woe, woefulness:
Years of poverty created in him a spiritual prostration from
which he never recovered. 4 weariness, exhaustion, weakness,
debility, feebleness, enervation, lassitude, paralysis,
collapse, breakdown: The diagnosis was nervous prostration and
the treatment was bed rest for a week or more.
protagonist
n. 1 hero, heroine, anti-hero, anti-heroine, principal, leading
character; lead, leading role, title role: Mother was always
the protagonist in our little domestic dramas. 2 leader,
supporter, advocate, backer, prime mover, moving spirit,
champion, mainstay, standard-bearer, exponent: He is considered
the chief protagonist of reformist policies in the party.
protean adj. variable, ever-changing, multiform, variable, mutable,
changeable, labile, polymorphous or polymorphic, kaleidoscopic:
The magic ring gave him protean powers to appear now as an
eagle, now as a serpent.
protect v. 1 defend, guard, safeguard, keep safe, shield, cover,
screen: Company rules require the wearing of safety goggles to
protect the eyes when operating any machine. 2 care for,
preserve, keep, shelter, watch over, safeguard, take care of,
conserve, take under one's wing, foster, nurture, tend, mind:
The best way of protecting wildlife is to conserve natural
habitats.
protection
n. 1 defence, screen, shield, barrier, guard, safeguard,
immunity, bulwark, buffer, shelter, refuge, haven, sanctuary,
security, safe keeping, safety, preservation: They have not yet
developed any protection from the common cold. How can we offer
these fledglings protection against predators? 2 care,
guardianship, aegis, custody, charge, safe keeping, patronage,
sponsorship, keeping: Even under the protection of the
government, elephants continue to be slaughtered. 3 extortion,
blackmail, protection money: If we refuse to pay protection,
they say that they will bomb the restaurant.
protective
adj. defensive, jealous, vigilant, watchful, heedful, careful,
possessive; preservative, shielding, sheltering, safeguarding:
She is fiercely protective of her independence and will not
accept help. Many animals rely on protective colouring as a
defence against predators.
protector n. protectress, defender, benefactor, benefactress, patron,
patroness, guardian (angel), champion, knight in shining armour,
paladin, bodyguard, Slang Brit minder: She came to regard him
as her friend and protector.
prot‚g‚ n. prot‚g‚e, ward, charge, dependant; discovery, student,
pupil: He became her prot‚g‚ and she has taught him everything
he knows.
protest n. 1 objection, opposition, complaint, grumble, grievance,
dissent, disapproval, protestation, exception, disagreement,
demur or demurral, demurrer, disclaimer, denial, scruple,
compunction, qualm, Colloq gripe, grouse, squawk, US kick, Slang
beef, bitch: The Home Office has received many protests about
the treatment of prisoners. 2 under protest. unwillingly,
reluctantly, involuntarily: I paid the fine under protest.
--v. 3 object, oppose, complain, grumble, dissent, disapprove,
take exception, take issue with, disagree, demur, disclaim,
deny, scruple, Colloq gripe, grouse, squawk, Brit kick
(against), US kick, Slang beef, bitch: Bank employees protested
at being expected to work on Saturday mornings. 4 assert,
confirm, declare, aver, asseverate, affirm, announce, profess,
insist on, avow, avouch: The convicted man went to the gallows
protesting his innocence.
protocol n. 1 rule(s) or code(s) or standard(s) of behaviour or conduct,
convention(s), custom(s), diplomacy, formality, formalities,
form, etiquette, politesse, manners, practice, usage, authority:
According to protocol, the lady stands at the right of the
gentleman. Which protocol are you following, the British or the
French? 2 treaty, pact, compact, covenant, agreement, concordat;
memorandum, minute, note, draft, outline: The original protocol
must be checked before the ministers attach their signatures.
prototype n. 1 model, archetype, first, original, pattern, exemplar,
precedent, mould: Many improvements were made as a result of
tests on the original prototype. 2 example, instance,
illustration, sample, norm, paragon, epitome, model, standard,
analogue, referent, metaphor: Mrs Grundy is a common prototype
for narrow-mindedness and prudishness.
protracted
adj. long, long-drawn-out, interminable, prolonged, over-long,
never-ending, extended, stretched out, marathon, endless,
everlasting, long-winded: The protracted union negotiations
delayed the start of the work by six months.
protrude v. stick out, jut (out), project, extend, poke out, stand out,
thrust out or forward, start (from), exsert, Rare extrude;
bulge, balloon, bag (out), belly (out); (of the eyes) pop,
goggle, Colloq US bug (out): Only the very tops of the plants
protruded from the snow.
protrusion
n. projection, protuberance, prominence, swelling, excrescence,
tumescence, bump, lump, knob, bulge; (condition of the eyes)
Technical exophthalmic goitre: I can feel the slight protrusion
of the nail-heads above the smooth surface.
protuberant
adj. protrusive, protruding, bulging, gibbous, jutting,
bulbous, swelling, swollen, turgid, tumescent, distended, tumid,
extrusive, excrescent, extruding, projecting, beetling,
overhanging, prominent: She has large brown eyes that are a
little protuberant.
proud adj. 1 Often, proud of. pleased (with), satisfied (with),
contented (with), glad (about), happy (with or about), delighted
(with or about), elated (with or about); honoured, gratified:
He is very proud of his children and what they have achieved. I
am proud to be your friend. 2 conceited, boastful,
self-satisfied, narcissistic, self-important, egotistical, vain,
vainglorious, prideful, self-centred, complacent, snobbish,
haughty, supercilious, smug, arrogant, cocky, cocksure,
boastful, braggart, Colloq high and mighty, snooty, stuck-up,
Slang snotty, Brit toffee-nosed: She's far too proud to have
anything to do with the likes of us. 3 lofty, dignified,
lordly, noble, great, respected, honoured, honourable,
important, glorious, august, illustrious, estimable, creditable,
eminent, prominent, distinguished, reputable, worthy, notable,
noted, noteworthy: His will always be a proud name in British
military history. 4 stately, majestic, magnificent, splendid,
grand: Proud Edinburgh earned the sobriquet, 'Athens of the
north'.
prove v. 1 verify, authenticate, confirm, make good, corroborate,
demonstrate, show, validate, establish, substantiate, certify,
affirm; support, sustain, back (up), uphold: Prove that he lied
under oath, and we shall have him for perjury. If you cannot
prove her guilt, she must be presumed innocent. 2 try, test,
examine, check, analyse, assay: Division can easily be proved
by multiplication, and vice versa. The proving ground for
military vehicles is off limits to the public. Come live with
me and be my love, And we shall all the pleasures prove. 3 turn
out, be found, be shown, be established, end up; develop,
result: The child proved to be his long-lost grandson. 4 show,
evince, demonstrate: He proved his love many times over during
their fifty years of marriage.
provender n. 1 provisions, food, supplies, victuals, rations, foodstuffs,
groceries, eatables, edibles, comestibles, aliment, nourishment,
sustenance, Colloq grub, eats: The armies relied for their
provender on farms they passed on the march. 2 fodder, forage,
feed, hay, silage, corn, grain: Provender for the livestock was
running low because of the long winter.
proverb n. saying, maxim, aphorism, saw, adage, apophthegm or apothegm,
axiom, moral, moralism, homily, dictum, gnome, epigram,
commonplace, platitude, truism, clich‚, bromide: According to
the old proverb, 'A fool and his money are soon parted'.
proverbial
adj. 1 axiomatic, aphoristic, epigrammatic, apophthegmatic or
apothegmatic, homiletic, moralistic; acknowledged, well-known,
accepted, time-honoured, traditional: The language is full of
proverbial sayings reflecting popular wisdom. 2 typical,
archetypal, exemplary: The humanitarianism of Albert Schweitzer
is proverbial.
provide v. 1 supply, furnish, equip, outfit, fix up (with) provision,
contribute, accommodate, purvey, cater, stock (up), victual,
provender: After providing us with a map and a compass, they
sent us off across the moor. 2 produce, yield, afford, lend,
give, present, offer, accord: The fertile land provided food in
plentiful abundance. During those bleak years, the radio
provided us not only with news but also entertainment. 3
stipulate, lay down, require, demand, specify, state: The lease
provided that the rent be reviewed every five years. 4 provide
for. look after, care for, support, take care of, take under
one's wing, minister to, attend (to): The bequest ensured that
his widow would be amply provided for. 5 provide for or
against. arrange for, prepare for, anticipate, forearm, make or
get ready for, plan for, take precautions, take measures: It
would seem that you have provided for any eventuality.
providence
n. 1 foresight, forethought, preparation, anticipation,
readiness, far-sightedness, caution, precaution, discretion,
prudence, care; thrift, frugality, husbandry, thriftiness,
conservation, economy: Because of the providence of our
founders, we were able to weather severe financial set backs. 2
Usually, (divine) Providence. protection, care, concern,
beneficence, direction, control, divine intervention, guidance;
destiny, fate, lot, fortune, karma, kismet: Providence is
always on the side of those who help themselves.
provident adj. 1 cautious, wary, discreet, canny, prudent, careful,
vigilant, prepared, far-sighted, thoughtful, wise, shrewd,
sagacious, sage, judicious: In the fable, the grasshopper
learns from the ant what it means to be provident. 2 frugal,
economic(al), thrifty, prudent: Because he is not a provident
man, he will always be poor.
providential
adj. fortunate, lucky, blessed, felicitous, happy, opportune,
timely: It is providential that we left the house just before
the earthquake.
providing conj. Sometimes, providing that. provided (that), on (the)
condition (that), if (only), only if, as long as, in the event
(that), with the proviso (that), in case, with the understanding
(that): Simon is always ready to go out to dinner, providing
someone else pays for it.
province n. 1 territory, state, zone, region, quarter, area, district,
domain, dependency or US also dependancy, division, section,
district: Quebec is one of the administrative provinces of
Canada. 2 country, territory, region, dominion, realm, strand,
tract: During the war, those who escaped fled to distant
provinces. 3 sphere or area (of responsibility),
responsibility, bailiwick, concern, function, charge, business,
field; Colloq thing, headache, worry: The payroll falls within
the province of my department. 4 provinces. outlying districts,
countryside, hinterland(s), Chiefly US exurbia, Slang US and
Canadian boondocks, boonies, hicksville: Once a year, people
flock into London from the provinces to do their Christmas
shopping.
provincial
adj. 1 local, regional: Provincial administration is the
responsibility of the sheriff. 2 uncultured, uncultivated,
unsophisticated, limited, uninformed, na‹ve, innocent,
ingenuous, unpolished, unrefined, homespun, rustic, rude,
country, parochial, insular, narrow-minded, boorish, loutish,
cloddish, awkward, ungraceful, oafish, backwood(s), Brit parish
pump, US small-town, Colloq US and Canadian hick, hick-town:
These paintings are unlikely to appeal to provincial tastes.
--n. 3 rustic, country cousin, (country) bumpkin, yokel, US and
Canadian out-of-towner, hick, hayseed: One could tell they were
provincials by the cut of their clothes.
provincialism
n. 1 dialectalism, localism, regionalism; idiom, patois,
dialect: His northern speech is peppered with provincialisms
unfamiliar to those who live in the south. 2 narrow-mindedness,
insularity, parochialism, narrowness, benightedness;
unsophisticatedness, simplicity, lack of awareness, na‹vety,
ingenuousness, innocence, inexperience: Their provincialism
made them suspicious of city people. There was something
charming about the provincialism of this rough man from the
outback.
provision n. 1 providing, supplying, furnishing; catering, victualling,
provisioning, purveyance, purveying, furnishing, equipping,
fitting out, outfitting, accoutrement, equipment: The school is
responsible for the provision of textbooks. The provision of a
cruise ship of that size requires days. 2 stipulation, proviso,
condition, restriction, qualification, clause, term, exception,
demand, requirement, prerequisite, Colloq catch, string, US
hooker: This provision of the contract calls for a penalty for
each day's delay beyond the guaranteed completion date. 3
preparation, prearrangement, arrangement, measures, steps: They
had failed to make provision for so many customers and soon ran
out of food. 4 Usually, provisions. supplies, stores, stockpile,
stock(s), quantity; food, foodstuffs, eatables, edibles,
drinkables, potables, victuals, viands, comestibles, rations,
groceries, provender, staples: We had enough provisions to last
a year.
--v. 5 stockpile, stock, supply, victual, cater, purvey: They
provisioned the expedition for a three-month period.
provisional
adj. 1 temporary, interim, provisionary, transitional, stopgap,
Colloq pro tem: The provisional government was expected to be
in place for less than a month. 2 conditional, contingent,
provisory, qualified, stipulatory, provisionary, probationary:
The appointment is provisional and will be reviewed in six
months.
proviso n. See provision, 2. above.
provocation
n. 1 grounds, reason, cause, justification, instigation,
initiation, incitement, stimulus, incentive, motivation, motive,
inducement: What was the provocation for that unpleasant
outburst? 2 insult, offence, taunt, irritation: After a series
of provocations, the final straw was his remark about my mother.
provocative
adj. 1 inviting, alluring, tempting, charming, tantalizing,
teasing, intriguing, fascinating, seductive, stimulating,
voluptuous, sensual, sensuous, suggestive, erotic, arousing,
exciting, entrancing, irresistible, bewitching, Colloq sexy:
The council found the film too provocative to be shown to
schoolchildren. 2 irritating, annoying, galling, irksome,
nettlesome, harassing, plaguing, exasperating, infuriating,
angering, incensing, maddening, enraging, vexing, vexatious,
disquieting, challenging, upsetting, distressing, disturbing,
outrageous, wounding, stinging, offensive, humiliating,
mortifying: She is given to making provocative remarks that
drive him to distraction.
provoke v. 1 stir (up), stimulate, move, motivate, push, impel, drive,
get, spur (on), egg on, goad, force, compel, prompt, rouse,
arouse, waken, awaken, enliven, animate, activate, induce,
encourage: She did her best to provoke him to start his new
novel. 2 start, incite, instigate, produce, promote, foment,
kindle, work up: Are you trying to provoke an argument? 3
irritate, annoy, irk, pester, vex, pique, anger, enrage, madden,
incense, infuriate, gall, rile, nettle, harass, hector, plague,
badger, exasperate, get on one's nerves, try one's patience,
frustrate, upset, disturb, perturb, distress, outrage, offend,
insult, affront: If he continues to provoke me I shall punch
him.
prowess n. 1 ability, skill, skilfulness, aptitude, adroitness,
dexterity, dexterousness, adeptness, facility, finesse,
expertise, mastery, genius, talent, know-how, ingenuity,
capability, proficiency: Her prowess as a sculptor is
unquestioned. 2 bravery, valour, courage, boldness, daring,
intrepidity, dauntlessness, mettle, stout-heartedness, valiance,
lion-heartedness, fearlessness, gallantry, doughtiness,
fortitude: He was famed for his prowess in single combat.
prowl v. 1 lurk, sneak, skulk, steal, slink: I thought I saw someone
prowling about in your back garden. 2 scour, scavenge, range
over, rove, roam, patrol, cruise, cover: The police continued
to prowl the waterfront looking for smugglers.
--n. 3 on the prowl. lurking or sneaking or skulking or
stealing or slinking about or around, searching, seeking,
hunting, tracking, stalking: The lioness was on the prowl for
wildebeest. After a few drinks, the boys went on the prowl for
some female companionship.
proximity n. nearness, closeness, adjacency, neighbourhood, vicinity,
vicinage, contiguity, contiguousness, propinquity: The
proximity of the airport kept housing prices relatively low.
proxy n. substitute, agent, delegate, surrogate, representative,
factor: As I was unable to attend the owners' meeting, I sent
Jane as my proxy.
prude n. prig, puritan, Mrs Grundy, Colloq goody-goody, US bluenose:
He was a bit of a prude and disapproved of anything even
slightly suggestive.
prudence n. 1 discretion, wisdom, sagacity, judgement, discrimination,
common sense, canniness, presence of mind, awareness, wariness,
care, tact, carefulness, caution, cautiousness, circumspection,
watchfulness, vigilance, heedfulness: You should proceed with
prudence in this hazardous business. 2 planning, preparation,
preparedness, foresightedness, forethought, foresight,
providence, precaution, far-sightedness; economy, husbandry,
thrift, (good or careful) management: Owing to the prudence of
her investments, Clara had accumulated a substantial nest egg.
prudent adj. 1 careful, cautious, discreet, discerning, wise, sage,
sagacious, politic, judicious, discriminating, sensible,
reasonable, canny, shrewd, cautious, circumspect, watchful,
vigilant, heedful, wary, attentive, alert, guarded: James had
always found it prudent to listen to others before speaking his
mind. 2 provident, thrifty, economic(al), frugal, prudential:
Father favours prudent, conservative management of the family
business.
prudery n. prudishness, priggishness, puritanicalness, puritanism,
squeamishness, Grundyism, primness, stuffiness, old-maidishness,
precisianism: She said that censorship was the result of
prudery rather than concern for moral welfare.
prudish adj. priggish, puritanical, old-maidish, prissy, prim, fussy,
squeamish, strait-laced, stiff, rigid, over-nice, over-modest,
over-coy, proper, demure, decorous, formal: Victorian society
was both prudish and prurient.
prune v. clip, cut back, lop, dock, pare (down), trim: If you prune
fruit trees, they bear more abundantly. We have to prune the
entertainment budget.
prurient adj. 1 libidinous, lecherous, lascivious, lewd, lubricious or
lubricous, salacious, lustful, concupiscent, licentious, carnal,
debauched, rakehell, sensual, randy, voluptuous, loose, goatish,
ruttish, Literary Cyprian, Paphian, Archaic lickerish or
liquorish, Slang horny, hot: The press takes a prurient
interest in the private lives of famous people. 2 dirty, lewd,
filthy, pornographic, smutty, obscene, foul, scurrilous, vile,
indecent, gross, lurid, blue, bawdy, ribald, titillating,
suggestive, coarse, vulgar, low, crude, Literary Fescennine:
The police raid uncovered a store of prurient literature, films,
and videos.
pry v. 1 investigate, ferret about, examine, peer, peek, be
inquisitive, inquire or enquire: They pried into her past but
found nothing revealing. 2 intrude, meddle, interfere, Colloq
poke or stick one's nose in or into, snoop, be nosy, nose about
or around, poke about or around: They have no right to pry into
my private affairs.
pseudonym n. nom de plume, nom de guerre, alias, pen-name, stage name,
incognito: 'George Eliot' was the pseudonym of Mary Ann Evans.
psyche n. soul, spirit, mind, ‚lan vital, divine spark, life-force,
anima, self, subconscious, unconscious, personality, (essential)
nature, inner man or woman or person, Philosophy pneuma: To
Homer, the psyche was more like an alter ego, or conscience.
psychic adj. 1 psychical, mental, spiritual, psychologic(al),
subjective, psychogenic, cognitive, metaphysic(al),
intellectual, cerebral; philosophic(al): The psychic effect of
losing a loved one can have physical repercussions. 2
psychical, extrasensory, supernatural, occult, magical,
telepathic, telekinetic, preternatural, spiritualistic,
unearthly, extramundane, supermundane: Many psychic phenomena
have never been satisfactorily explained.
--n. 3 medium, spiritualist, clairvoyant, mind-reader,
telepathist, seer, seeress, crystal-gazer, soothsayer,
astrologer, fortune-teller, prophet, prophetess, sibyl: We were
disturbed to learn that our political leaders consulted
psychics.
psychological
adj. mental, intellectual, cerebral, cognitive, psychic(al),
spiritual, subjective, subconscious, unconscious, subliminal,
psychogenic; philosophic(al): He has plenty of money, so there
must be psychological reasons for his stealing.
psychology
n. (mental) make-up, constitution, attitude, behaviour, thought
processes, thinking, psyche, nature, feeling(s), emotion(s),
rationale, reasoning: I cannot understand the psychology of
fascism.
psychotic adj. 1 mad, insane, psychopathic, deranged, demented, lunatic,
paranoiac or paranoid, abnormal, unbalanced, (mentally) ill or
esp. US sick, disturbed, non compos mentis, of unsound mind,
exceptional, certifiable, daft, unhinged, raving, Slang crazy,
nuts, nutty, loony or looney or luny, off one's rocker or
trolley or chump or head, cracked, crack-brained, mental, out to
lunch, batty, bats, having bats in one's belfry, having a screw
loose, not all there, touched (in the head), bonkers: The
doctors diagnosed him as psychotic and insisted he be
hospitalized.
--n. 2 madman, madwoman, maniac, psychopath, lunatic, paranoid
or paranoiac, schizophrenic, bedlamite, Slang nut, nutter,
screwball, crackpot, crazy, loony or looney or luny, schizo, US
kook: How many psychotics do you think are wandering about
loose?
pub n. public house, alehouse, tavern, inn, bar, cocktail lounge,
saloon, taproom, hostelry, Brit saloon or lounge bar, US
bar-room, Colloq Brit local, Slang boozer, watering-hole, joint,
dive, Chiefly Brit gin-palace, US barrelhouse, gin-mill,
honky-tonk: We went down to the pub for a pint and a game of
darts.
puberty n. pubescence, sexual maturity, adolescence, juvenescence,
teens; nubility: The anxiety of parents for the health of an
infant is as nothing compared with their concerns when their
child reaches puberty.
public adj. 1 communal, community, common, general, collective,
universal, catholic, popular, worldwide: One need only compare
early and new films to see how public taste has changed. 2
civil, civic, social, societal, community, communal: Although
they may seem restrictive, these laws are for the public good. 3
accessible, open, free, unrestricted, non-exclusive, communal,
community, available: He does much of his research in the
public library. 4 open, manifest, exposed, overt, projected,
plain, obvious, apparent, patent, clear, clear-cut,
acknowledged, known, admitted, visible, viewable, conspicuous:
Her public image is quite different from her private persona. 5
visible, viewable, conspicuous, unconcealed, unshrouded,
flagrant, blatant: Has Alfie made a public spectacle of himself
again? 6 well-known, prominent, eminent, celebrated, famous,
renowned, noted, notable, influential, illustrious; notorious,
disreputable, infamous: Invite a well-known public figure to
open the exhibition if you can. 7 make public. See publish.
--n. 8 community, people (at large or in general), citizenry,
citizens, nation, populace, population, society, masses,
multitude, hoi polloi, bourgeoisie, plebeians, proletariat, rank
and file, middle class, third estate, commonalty, voters, man or
woman in the street, Brit admass, US John Q. Public, Mr or Mrs
Average, Colloq (any or every) Tom, Dick, and Harry: The public
has responded generously to the charity appeal. 9 clientele or
Brit also clientage, customers, custom, patrons, followers,
supporters, buyers, consumers, purchasers, following, business,
trade: How can you expect to attract the public without
advertising? 10 sector, segment, special-interest group,
portion: The commuting public will no longer tolerate these
excessive train delays. 11 in public. publicly, openly, in the
open, Colloq out of the closet: Jarvis has finally confessed in
public what we long suspected privately.
publication
n. 1 dissemination, promulgation, publicizing, publishing,
proclamation, issuance, reporting, announcement, advertisement,
advertising, pronouncement, airing, putting out, revelation,
declaration, appearance: The publication of the news about the
sale of the company was no surprise to us. 2 book, booklet,
pamphlet, brochure, leaflet, broadside or broadsheet, flier or
flyer, handbill, hand-out; periodical, magazine, journal,
newsletter, newspaper, paper, broadsheet, tabloid; annual,
semi-annual, quarterly, bimonthly, monthly, semi-monthly,
fortnightly, biweekly, weekly, hebdomadal or hebdomedary,
semi-weekly, daily: He buys every publication he can find
dealing with model railways.
publicize v. promote, advertise, give publicity to, Colloq beat the drum
for, plug, puff, US push, Slang hype: They once hired an
elephant to publicize a huge department-store sale.
publish v. make public, put out, broadcast, spread (about or around),
advertise, make known, let (something) be known, announce,
publicize, report, proclaim, promulgate, bruit about, reveal,
divulge, disclose, break the news (about), Colloq leak: The
minister resigned the day the news of the scandal was published.
pucker v. 1 gather, draw together, compress, purse, crinkle, ruck,
shirr, ruffle, corrugate, furrow, wrinkle, crease, screw up,
tighten, contract, squeeze: Pucker up your mouth and give me a
kiss. The shirring is done by puckering up the fabric and
stitching it through with decorative thread.
--n. 2 gather, tuck, pleat, pleating, shirr, shirring, ruffle,
ruck, ruche, ruckle, wrinkle, wrinkling, fold, crinkle,
crinkling: The curtains have some puckers that need ironing.
puerile adj. childish, immature, babyish, infantile, juvenile, silly,
asinine, foolish, trivial, ridiculous, irresponsible, shallow,
inconsequential, insignificant, US sophomoric: Stop that
puerile horseplay and settle down.
puff n. 1 blow, breath, wind, whiff, draught, gust, blast, huff: A
slight puff through the open window stirred the curtains. 2
draught, draw, pull, Colloq drag: She took a puff from her
cigarette and blew the smoke in his face. 3 advertisement,
praise, mention, word, item, review, notice, publicity, puffery,
Colloq plug, blurb, Slang hype: The late editions of the papers
carry puffs for your new restaurant.
--v. 4 blow, breathe, huff, pant, gasp, wheeze: Victor came
huffing and puffing up to the finishing line. 5 draw, pull (at
or on), inhale, suck, smoke, Colloq drag: Holmes was puffing
silently on his pipe. 6 Usually, puff up or out. inflate,
distend, bloat, swell (up or out), stretch, balloon, expand,
pump up, enlarge: Calvin swaggered in, all puffed up with pride
about his new job. 7 publicize, advertise, promote, push,
trumpet, ballyhoo, extol, commend, praise, Colloq plug, beat the
drum (for): He has been shamelessly puffing his book on every
radio and TV show.
pugilism n. boxing, prizefighting; the manly art of self-defence,
fisticuffs; Colloq the boxing or fight game: His career in
pugilism came to an abrupt end in the second minute of the third
round.
pugilist n. boxer, prizefighter, fighter, contender, contestant,
battler, combatant, Colloq bruiser, scrapper, champ, Slang
slugger, pug: The pugilists came out of their corners and at
once started jabbing away at each other.
pugnacious
adj. aggressive, belligerent, combative, quarrelsome,
bellicose, antagonistic, argumentative, hostile, litigious,
contentious, disputatious, disagreeable, fractious, petulant,
testy, irascible, hot-tempered, choleric, unfriendly,
curmudgeonly, irritable, short-tempered: The Gothic tribes were
very pugnacious, always ready to fight with little or no
provocation.
pukka adj. 1 pukkah or pucka, well done or made, properly or
perfectly done, first class: That was a pukka meal. 2 pukkah
or pucka, genuine, good, authentic, reliable, honourable, fair,
right, proper, thorough, out-and-out: They always referred to
him as 'pukka sahib'.
puling adj. whining, wailing, querulous, whimpering, snivelling,
weeping, caterwauling: The third-class carriage was filled with
chickens, pigs, and puling infants.
pull v. 1 draw, haul, drag, lug, tow, trail: Do you think the car
is strong enough to pull that load? 2 tug, jerk, yank, wrench,
pluck: He suddenly pulled on the door and it opened. 3
Sometimes, pull out or up. pluck (out), withdraw, extract,
uproot, pick (up or out), snatch out or up, tear or rip out or
up, cull, select, draw out, take out, remove: We pulled out all
the weeds and threw them on the compost heap. He has a
collection of jokes pulled from his speeches. 4 Often, pull
apart. tear or rip (up or apart), rend, pull asunder, wrench
(apart), stretch, strain: This fabric is so weak it pulled
apart as soon as I touched it. I think I pulled a muscle in my
calf. 5 Often, pull in. attract, draw, lure, entice, allure,
catch, captivate, fascinate, capture: We need something besides
the 'Sale' sign to pull the customers into the shop. 6 pull
apart. pull to pieces or shreds, criticize, attack, pick or take
apart or to pieces, flay, run down, Colloq put down, pan, knock,
devastate, destroy, slate, Slang slam: The critics really
pulled apart her new play. 7 pull away. withdraw, draw or drive
or go or move away; outrun, outpace, draw ahead of: She pulled
away abruptly when he touched her hand. The green car is pulling
away from the others. 8 pull back. a withdraw, draw back, back
off or away, recoil, shrink (away or back) from, shy, flinch
(from), jump, start: The burglar pulled back when he saw the
ferocious dog. b withdraw, (beat a) retreat, take flight, flee,
turn tail, drop or fall back, back out: We cheered when we saw
the enemy troops pulling back. 9 pull down. a demolish, raze,
level, destroy, wreck: It takes only hours to pull down a house
that it has taken generations to build. b draw, receive, get, be
paid, earn: He pulls down much more at his new job. c lower,
debase, diminish, reduce, degrade, dishonour, disgrace,
discredit, humiliate: When his fortunes declined, he pulled
down all his friends with him. 10 pull for. hope or pray for, be
enthusiastic for, be supportive of, support, campaign for, cheer
for, encourage, boost, US root for: We are all pulling for you
to win. 11 pull in. a drive up, arrive, come, draw up or in,
reach: The train finally pulled in at midnight. We need petrol,
so pull in at the next filling station. b arrest, apprehend,
take into custody, Colloq pinch, nab, collar, nail, Brit nick,
Slang bust: The cops pulled him in for possession of narcotics.
12 pull off. a detach, rip or tear off, separate, wrench off or
away: When he was cashiered from the army, they pulled off all
his insignia and medals. b accomplish, do, complete, succeed,
carry out, bring off, manage, perform: Three men pulled off the
robbery in broad daylight. 13 pull oneself together. recover,
get a grip on oneself, get over it, recuperate, Colloq snap out
of it, buck up: Try to pull yourself together and stop crying.
14 pull out. a uproot, extract, withdraw: In the ensuing
scrap, someone tried to pull out his hair. Two survivors were
pulled out of the rubble. b withdraw, retreat, beat a retreat,
recede, draw back, leave, depart, go or run away or off,
evacuate, Colloq beat it, do a bunk, Brit do a moonlight flit:
The artillery unit pulled out yesterday. c leave, go, depart,
take off: When that train pulls out, I want you on it! d
withdraw, quit, abandon, resign (from), give up, relinquish:
You can still pull out of the deal if you want to. 15 pull
someone's leg. tease, chaff, rib, have on, rag, twit, poke fun
at, make fun of, hoodwink, ridicule: He said that I'd just
eaten a fly, but he was pulling my leg. 16 pull strings. use
influence or connections, US use pull, pull wires: His uncle
pulled strings to get him the job. 17 pull through. survive,
recover, improve, get better, get over (it or some affliction),
rally; live: Murphy was at death's door, but luckily he pulled
through. 18 pull up. a stop, halt, come to a standstill: We
pulled up in a lay-by for a few minutes' rest. b uproot, root
out, dig out, deracinate, eradicate: Your dog has pulled up all
the flowers in my garden. c draw even or level with, come up
to, reach: On the fifth lap, Manson pulled up to, then passed
Sabbatini.
--n. 19 draw, tug; yank, jerk: Give the bell-rope a strong,
steady pull, and try not to yank it suddenly. 20 attraction,
draw, magnetism, appeal, drawing or pulling power,
seductiveness, seduction, lure: The pull that golf has on
certain people is hard to explain. 21 influence, authority,
connections, prestige, weight, leverage, Colloq clout, muscle:
You'd better treat her nicely, for she has a lot of pull with
the boss. 22 puff, draw, inhalation, Colloq drag: He took a
long, meditative pull on his cigarette and blew some smoke
rings.
pulley n. sheave, block: The rope is run through a system of pulleys,
called a tackle, for lifting weights.
pulp n. 1 marrow, pith, heart, soft part, flesh: After removing the
seeds, add two tablespoonfuls of sugar and mix into the pulp. 2
mush, paste, mash, pap, pomace, mass, Technical triturate:
Water is added to the waste paper, which the machines then
reduce to a pulp.
--v. 3 mash, squash, pulverize, Technical levigate, triturate:
The entire print run of the book was pulped after she threatened
to sue the publishers.
--adj. 4 lurid, sensational, trashy, cheap: What he considers
great literature you would call pulp fiction.
pulsate v. beat, pulse, throb, pound, thrum, drum, thump, thud,
reverberate, hammer, palpitate, vibrate; oscillate, quiver:
Throughout the voyage, I could feel the ship's engines
pulsating.
pulse n. 1 beat, beating, throb, throbbing, pulsing, pulsating,
pulsation, pounding, thrumming, drumming, thumping, thudding,
reverberation, reverberating, hammering, palpitation,
palpitating, vibration, vibrating: The pulse of the jungle
drums became louder and faster.
--v. 2 See pulsate, above.
pulverize v. 1 powder, comminute, grind, crush, mill, granulate, crumble,
break up, bray, pound, Technical triturate, levigate: This
machine pulverizes the rock, after which the binding agents are
added. 2 devastate, destroy, demolish, crush, smash, shatter,
ruin, wreck, annihilate: The four battalions were pulverized in
the attack.
pump v. 1 send, force, deliver, push: The heart pumps blood around
the body. 2 interrogate, question, examine, cross-examine,
quiz, probe, Colloq grill, give (someone) the third degree:
They pumped her for hours, but she told them nothing about my
whereabouts. 3 pump out. pump dry or empty, empty, drain, bail
out, draw or drive or force out, siphon (out): After the flood
it took two days to pump out my basement. 4 pump up. a
inflate, blow up; dilate, swell, bloat, expand, puff out or up:
If you don't repair the tyre, pumping it up will accomplish
nothing. b excite, inspire, stimulate, animate, inspirit,
electrify, galvanize, energize, motivate, Colloq enthuse: The
coach is talking to the team, trying to pump them up before the
big game. c intensify, concentrate, emphasize, stress, increase:
We ought to pump up our promotion campaign just before
Christmas.
pun n. play on words, quip, (bon) mot, witticism, double entendre,
Literary equivoque, Technical paronomasia: Dennis made some
awful pun on 'nose' and 'knows' that nobody got.
punch° v. 1 hit, clip, jab, whack, thwack, knock, smack, box, pummel,
strike, cuff, Colloq clout, bop, slug, wallop, thump, lambaste,
slam, Slang sock, biff, plug, belt, lace (into), US paste:
Anyone says anything about my girl, I'll punch him in the jaw!
--n. 2 clip, jab, whack, thwack, knock, smack, box, cuff,
upper-cut, left or right, Colloq clout, bop, slug, wallop,
thump, slam, Slang sock, belt, biff, haymaker, plug, paste: The
punch knocked him down. 3 effect, impact, effectiveness, force,
forcefulness, power, vitality, gusto, vigour, life, vim, zest,
ginger, Colloq it, oomph, what it takes, Slang zing, zip: These
advertisements are pretty, but they are lacking in punch.
punchэ n. 1 awl, auger, bodkin, perforator; drill, brace and bit: Use
the punch to make another hole in your belt.
--v. 2 pierce, stab, puncture, perforate; bore, drill: She
uses a needle to punch a tiny hole in each end of the egg.
punctual adj. on time, timely, prompt, Colloq on the dot: Please be
punctual, as I don't fancy waiting about in the street.
punctuate v. 1 interrupt, break, intersperse; pepper, sprinkle: The
speeches were punctuated by frequent shouts from the audience.
2 accent, accentuate, underline, underscore, emphasize, stress,
mark: He punctuated each element of his argument with a sharp
rap of his pencil on the lectern.
puncture n. 1 hole, perforation, opening, leak; flat (tyre): I haven't
the tools needed to patch the puncture in the tyre. 2
perforation, perforating, holing, puncturing, piercing,
stabbing, punching: The puncture of the balloon means that we
shall have to postpone our trip.
--v. 3 perforate, hole, pierce, stab, penetrate, go through,
prick, nick, rupture: An arrow punctured the side of the tent.
4 deflate, disillusion, bring up short, discourage, humble,
dash, destroy, ruin: Any hopes I had of winning the marathon
were punctured when I tripped and fell, spraining my ankle.
pungent adj. 1 spicy, hot, sharp, strong, penetrating, aromatic,
seasoned, peppery, piquant, tangy, flavourful, tasty, sapid:
The pungent odours of devilled kidneys dominated the
dining-room. 2 sharp, biting, stinging, caustic, severe,
astringent, stern, acrid, harsh, sour, acid, tart, acrimonious,
bitter, cutting, keen, barbed, trenchant, scathing, incisive,
mordant, sarcastic: This week's Review carries a pungent
criticism of his new novel. 3 distressing, upsetting, poignant,
painful, hurtful, penetrating, piercing, stabbing, intense,
severe, acute, agonizing, oppressive, excruciating, racking,
consuming: Only when surgery eased the pressure was he relieved
of the pungent pain.
punish v. 1 penalize, chastise, castigate, discipline, chasten, scold,
rebuke, take to task, reprove, dress down, admonish, correct,
teach someone a lesson, give a lesson to, throw the book at, rap
(someone's) knuckles, slap (someone's) wrist, have or US call on
the carpet, Colloq take it out on (someone): A child's first
taste of injustice is being punished for something she did not
do. 2 imprison, jail or Brit also gaol, incarcerate, lock up;
fine, mulct, amerce; lash, flog, beat, scourge, spank, whip,
cane, birch, put across or US also turn over (one's) knee, US
paddle; pillory, crucify; tar and feather, exile, banish,
excommunicate, cashier, drum out of the corps; hang, execute,
electrocute, draw and quarter, send to the gas chamber, Colloq
put away, Slang Brit send down, US send up: They were punished
for their crimes. 3 hurt, harm, injure, damage, abuse,
maltreat, rough up, knock about or around, maul, thrash, beat,
trounce, manhandle, batter, Slang beat up: The challenger
punished the champion so badly that he could not come out for
the tenth round.
punishing adj. gruelling, hard, arduous, strenuous, laborious,
exhausting, tiring, wearying, fatiguing, wearing, taxing,
demanding, burdensome, back-breaking, torturous: Laying railway
track was the most punishing job I ever had. This punishing
schedule is beginning to tell on me.
punishment
n. 1 chastisement, chastising, castigation, castigating,
discipline, disciplining, chastening, scolding, rebuke, reproof,
dressing-down, admonishment, admonition, correction, punitive
measures: Every society must continually revise its approach to
the punishment of criminals. 2 penance, penalty, sentence,
sentencing, just deserts; imprisonment, incarceration, jailing
or Brit also gaoling; lashing, flogging, beating, whipping,
scourging, spanking, caning, birching, US paddling; exile,
banishment, excommunication, cashiering; hanging, execution,
electrocution, drawing and quartering: Her punishment is to
perform 20 hours a week of public service for a year. Stop
whimpering and take your punishment like a man. 3 injury, harm,
damage, abuse, maltreatment, mauling, beating, thrashing,
trouncing, manhandling, battering, torture: How are
professional wrestlers able to withstand so much punishment?
punitive adj. chastening, castigatory, disciplinary, retributive,
punitory, retaliatory, correctional: A punitive expedition was
sent there to quell the colonists' uprising.
punk n. 1 ruffian, hoodlum, hooligan, delinquent, tough, thug,
vandal, yahoo, barbarian, Colloq goon, mug: A couple of young
punks were standing at the bar, trying to look important.
--adj. 2 inferior, rotten, unimportant, worthless, bad, poor,
awful, Colloq lousy: I thought that the lead in the play was a
punk actor.
punt v. 1 bet, wager, stake, gamble, speculate, lay a bet or stake
or wager: Herbert spends all the grocery money punting at the
races.
--n. 2 bet, wager, stake, gamble: In roulette, Janet always
placed her punt on number 14.
punter n. 1 Brit better or US also bettor, gambler, gamester, player,
speculator, backer, wagerer, Brit punt, Colloq crap-shooter:
The punters are putting all their money on United to win the
cup. 2 fellow, chap, person, individual, man or woman in the
street; customer, client, buyer, Colloq guy, Brit bloke, geezer:
The average punter likes a beer now and then.
puny adj. 1 small, little, insignificant, petty, unimportant,
inconsequential, paltry, trivial, trifling, minor, negligible,
nugatory, of little or no account, inferior, worthless, useless,
Colloq piddling, Slang Brit not much cop: Farr's contribution
to the success of the business was really quite puny. 2 small,
little, diminutive, tiny, minute: Mattson looks so puny
alongside that sumo wrestler. 3 weak, feeble, frail, sickly,
weakly, underfed, undernourished, undersized, underdeveloped,
stunted, dwarf, midget, pygmy: You cannot expect such a puny
chap to lift such a great weight.
pup n. puppy, whelp, upstart, whippersnapper, popinjay, cub,
jackanapes, show-off, braggart: That young pup had the gall to
tell me I was too old to be running the company.
pupil n. student, learner, scholar, schoolchild, schoolgirl,
schoolboy, disciple, apprentice; beginner, novice, neophyte,
tiro or tyro, Chiefly ecclesiastical catechumen: A number of
Geoffrey's former pupils have organized a dinner to honour him.
puppet n. 1 hand puppet, finger-puppet, glove puppet, doll;
marionette, string puppet: The children built a little theatre
and put on a puppet show. 2 figurehead, cat's-paw, pawn, dupe,
tool, hireling, yes-man Colloq front (man), Slang stooge,
sucker, patsy: He is without authority and is merely a puppet
of the drug dealers. The army of occupation set up a puppet
government to rule the country.
purchase v. 1 buy, acquire, procure, obtain, get, secure, pay for: He
recently purchased a new personal computer and cannot get it to
work. Not long ago, a shilling purchased a loaf of bread. 2 win,
gain, achieve, realize, attain, obtain: His liberty was
purchased by the betrayal of his colleagues.
--n. 3 acquisition, acquiring, buying, purchasing, obtaining,
securing, procurement: The purchase of books for the university
library is the responsibility of Monica Turnbull. 4 buy,
acquisition: Tom returned from the shop carrying his purchases.
5 grip, hold, support, toe-hold, foothold, grasp; leverage,
position, advantage, edge: The climber was having trouble
getting a good purchase on the icy ledge.
pure adj. 1 unmixed, unadulterated, unalloyed, simon-pure; 24-carat
or US also 24-karat, sterling, solid; real, genuine, authentic,
flawless, faultless, perfect, natural, true, simple: We have
made every effort to keep the blood-line of these horses
completely pure. Pure gold is not used for coins or jewellery
because it is too soft. She wore a dress of the purest white. 2
uncontaminated, clear, clean, wholesome, sanitary, uninfected,
disinfected, pasteurized, sterilized, sterile, antiseptic,
unpolluted, spotless, immaculate, unsullied, unbesmirched,
unblemished, unmarred, unstained, untainted: It was refreshing
to breathe pure air again. Stringent tests ensure that the
substances are pure before they go on the market. 3 chaste,
virginal, virgin, intact, maidenly, vestal, undefiled, innocent,
guileless, virtuous, modest, moral, correct, proper, decent,
decorous, uncorrupted, blameless, sinless, impeccable: As far
as we can tell, she led a totally pure life. 4 theoretical,
hypothetical, conjectural, speculative, abstract, conceptual,
notional, philosophical, academic(al): His field is pure
science, and he cares little how the results of his work might
be applied to everyday life. 5 unalloyed, simple, unmitigated,
sheer, utter, absolute, unqualified, complete, total, perfect,
thorough, outright, downright, out-and-out, mere: Many regarded
the notion that man could ever fly as pure nonsense. Any
resemblance to a living person is pure coincidence. 6
honourable, (highly) principled, righteous, upright, honest,
straightforward, high-minded, pious, worthy, good, ethical,
virtuous, sincere, above suspicion, above reproach, like
Caesar's wife: Can anyone doubt that their motives in striving
for international peace are pure?
pure-bred adj. full-blooded, thoroughbred, pedigreed: We raise only
pure-bred Angus cattle.
purgative n. 1 laxative, cathartic, aperient, purge, physic, depurative:
The doctor prescribed a mild purgative, and she felt much better
next day.
--adj. 2 laxative, cathartic, aperient, evacuant, diuretic,
depurative; abstergent: We were totally unprepared for the
purgative effects of the spicy food.
purge v. 1 cleanse, purify, clean (out), clear, scour (out),
depurate, deterge, wash (out): The tanks must be purged before
filling them with the new fuel. 2 eject, eradicate, expel,
eliminate, get rid of, dismiss, clear out or away, sweep away or
out, oust, remove, rout out, weed out, root out; do away with,
exterminate, liquidate, kill, destroy: After the coup, the old
guard was purged from all the governmental agencies. The rebels
purged the entire council of elders. 3 clear, exonerate,
absolve, forgive, purify, pardon, exculpate: He was given every
opportunity to purge himself of the charge of contempt of court.
--n. 4 ejection, eradication, expulsion, elimination,
dismissal, clearing out or away, ousting, ouster, removal,
routing out, weeding out, rooting out, unseating;
defenestration; extermination, liquidation, killing, murder,
slaughter: The bloody purge of dissidents was carried out by
the secret police. 5 See purgative, 1, above.
purify v. 1 cleanse, clean, clarify, wash, sanitize, depurate,
decontaminate, freshen, disinfect; fumigate: The water is then
purified by passing it through sand. 2 exonerate, exculpate,
absolve, clear, redeem, shrive, lustrate, acquit, pardon,
forgive, excuse: Before the aspirants can be admitted to the
church they must be purified.
purist n. pedant, precisian, formalist, stickler, blue-stocking,
dogmatist, Pharisee, fanatic, Colloq die-hard, stuffed shirt:
Language purists are often unaware of their own grammatical and
semantic blunders.
puritan n. 1 moralist, pietist, religionist, fanatic, zealot, purist:
It seems to me that all religions have their puritans.
--adj. 2 prudish, puritanical, prim, proper, strait-laced,
ascetic, austere, moralistic, pietistic, intolerant,
disapproving, bigoted, narrow-minded, stuffy, stiff-necked,
rigid, uncompromising, hard-line, stern, severe, strict, Colloq
uptight, hard-nosed: Puritan notions about women's clothing
have often put propriety before practicality.
purity n. 1 pureness, faultlessness, correctness, flawlessness,
perfection, spotlessness, cleanness, cleanliness, clarity;
healthfulness, wholesomeness, salubrity; innocuousness,
harmlessness: The purity of the drinking-water has been
affected by the nearby chemical plant. 2 chastity, chasteness,
virginity, virtuousness, virtue, morality, propriety, honesty,
integrity, rectitude, properness, innocence, guilelessness,
decency, decorousness, modesty, blamelessness, sinlessness: We
never had any reason to doubt the purity of their character.
purpose n. 1 object, intention, intent, end, goal, ambition, objective,
target, aim, principle, point, rationale, reason; scheme, plan,
design, motive, motivation, view: What purpose was served by
her confession? If your purpose in inviting me was to insult me,
I shall leave now. I fail to understand Laura's purpose in
warning me against David. 2 resolution, firmness, determination,
persistence, drive, single-mindedness, deliberation,
deliberateness, purposefulness, steadfastness, tenacity,
doggedness, will, resolve, resoluteness, perseverance,
stubbornness: She admired the strong purpose behind his refusal
to compromise with quality. 3 use, practicality, avail, effect,
utility, usefulness, outcome, result; advantage, profit, gain,
good, benefit: To what purpose are you planning to put this
knowledge? I cannot see the purpose in pursuing this line of
questioning. 4 on purpose. a purposely, intentionally,
deliberately, wilfully, by design, consciously, knowingly,
designedly, wittingly: That was no accident: you kicked me on
purpose! b especially, specially, expressly, exactly,
precisely, specifically, in particular: He kicked me on
purpose, Mum, just to make me cry!
--v. 5 plan, intend, design, resolve, mean, aim, have in mind
or view, have a mind, propose, consider, contemplate, aspire,
long, yearn: They purpose to open an office of their own.
purposeful
adj. intentional, intended, planned, deliberate, resolved,
settled, determined, resolute, decided, confirmed, affirmed,
sure, certain, positive, definite, staunch, steadfast,
persistent, strong-willed, dogged, tenacious, pertinacious,
unfailing, unfaltering, firm, fixed: Her purposeful manner
inclines other people to defer to her.
purposeless
adj. pointless, bootless, meaningless, empty, vacuous,
senseless, aimless, rambling, discursive, wandering,
disorganized, unorganized: He made what we thought was a
purposeless trip to the branch office, but it ultimately proved
invaluable.
purse n. 1 pouch, (money-)bag, wallet, pocket, Dialect poke, Highland
dress sporran, US and Canadian (woman's) handbag, pocketbook,
bag: The money goes out so fast I think there is a hole in my
purse. 2 money, wealth, resources, funds, finances, exchequer,
treasury, capital, revenue, income, means, cash, riches; pounds,
shillings, and pence, L.S.D., dollars, shekels, Derogatory
Mammon, pelf, (filthy) lucre, US almighty dollar, Slang Brit
ready or readies, lolly, dosh, loot, dough, US and Canadian
bucks, scratch: The spread of capitalism shows that the power
of a man's purse can transcend his political idealism. 3 prize,
reward, award, present, gift: The purse for the next race will
be 5,000 guineas.
--v. 4 pucker (up), contract, wrinkle, compress, press
together: Robert pursed his lips thoughtfully.
pursue v. 1 follow, chase, go or run after, hunt (after or down or for
or up), trace, trail, track, run down, take off after, dog,
stalk, shadow, Brit chivvy or chivy or chevy, Colloq tail: The
police pursued the escaped convicts across the moor. 2 follow
(up or on with), trace, carry on with, continue, conduct, devote
or dedicate oneself to, cultivate, undertake, practise, persist
or persevere in, maintain, exercise, proceed with, adhere to,
stay with, apply oneself to, Colloq stick with: If you pursue
such a course, you are certain to land in jail. 3 aspire to,
aim for, work for or toward(s), try or strive for, purpose,
seek, search for, go in search of, quest after or for, be intent
on, be bent upon or on: Jonathan is pursuing a doctorate in
history at Oxford. 4 woo, (pay) court (to), seek the hand of,
set (one's) cap for, Formal press (one's) suit with, pay suit or
court or (one's) addresses to, Colloq set one's cap for, Slang
chase (after): Jack is pursuing Jacquelyn with matrimony in
mind.
pursuit n. 1 pursuing, chasing, following, hunting, hunt, going or
running after, tracing, trailing, tracking, running down,
dogging, stalking, shadowing, Brit chivvy or chivy or chevy,
Colloq tailing: We all joined in the pursuit of the animal. The
police set off in hot pursuit of the thieves. 2 pursuance,
striving after, seeking, searching, search, looking for: Many
think that the pursuit of wealth is the only worthwhile thing in
life. 3 work, line (of work), employment, field, area,
speciality or US and Canadian only specialty, specialization,
business, profession, trade, vocation, calling, career,
life-work, activity; hobby, pastime, avocation, interest; Slang
racket: What pursuits are open to Jack Ketch now that hanging
has been abolished?
push v. 1 thrust, shove, drive, move, set in motion, get moving,
propel; press: Push the boat away from the pier. He pushed the
door shut. 2 press, depress: Push the button if you want
anything. 3 shove, thrust, elbow, shoulder, force, jostle,
nudge: We pushed our way through the crowd. 4 urge, encourage,
press, induce, ask, persuade, get, egg on, press, prod, spur,
goad, rouse, prompt, incite, move, motivate, stimulate,
influence, impel, make, compel, force, dragoon, coerce,
constrain; badger, hound, pester, harass, plague, nag, browbeat;
beg, importune, entreat: His family is pushing him to find
work. I'll soon have the work done, but stop pushing me. 5
force, strain, overstrain, tax, overtax, burden, overburden:
You might have got away with it this time, but don't push your
luck. 6 promote, publicize, advertise, boost, propagandize,
puff, Colloq plug, Slang ballyhoo, hype: Because we have too
much stock, we are pushing suntan oil this week. 7 push about or
around. intimidate, bully, cow, domineer, tyrannize, bullyrag,
torment, force, coerce: Don't push people about if you want
them to do what you want. 8 push away. reject, deny, brush off
or aside, give (someone) the cold shoulder, rebuff, distance
oneself from: She pushes everyone away and then wonders why she
has no friends. 9 push off. a shove off, sail away or off: We
stepped into the dinghy and pushed off. b leave, depart, go
away, Colloq light out, take off, hit the road, skedaddle,
scram, make oneself scarce, Slang beat it: I have to push off
now if I'm to make that train. 10 push on or forward or along.
move onwards or onward or ahead or forward, continue, proceed,
advance, press on or onwards or onward: If we stay the night
here, we shall have to push on first thing in the morning. 11
push through. force, press, Colloq railroad: The bill was
pushed through committee without delay. 12 push (up) daisies.
be dead (and buried), be six feet under: Her husband's pushing
up daisies.
--n. 13 shove, thrust, nudge: My car needs a push to get it
started. 14 effort, energy, dynamism, drive, force, enterprise,
ambition, vigour, determination, initiative, eagerness, spirit,
enthusiasm, zeal, verve, Colloq get-up-and-go, zing, zip,
gumption, go: If he had a bit more push, he might succeed. 15
campaign, attack, assault, advance, offensive, charge,
onslaught, foray, sortie, invasion, incursion, raid, sally,
blitzkrieg, blitz, strike: The troops were massed along the
coast, ready for the big push inland. 16 the push. dismissal,
notice, Colloq marching orders, Chiefly Brit the sack, the boot,
Chiefly US and Canadian walking papers, a pink slip: He'd been
with the company for twenty years, but they still gave him the
push when sales fell.
pushover n. 1 sure thing, Colloq piece of cake, child's play, snap,
cinch, picnic, walk-over, US breeze, Slang cinch, Brit doddle,
US lead-pipe cinch: The Latin exam was a pushover. 2 Colloq
walk-over, chump, soft touch, soft or easy mark, easy prey or
game, Slang patsy, sucker, stooge, sap, Brit mug, US and
Canadian milquetoast: I spotted him at once as a pushover for
the find-the-lady con.
pushy adj. forward, (self-)assertive, forceful, aggressive,
obnoxious, arrogant, bumptious, brassy, brazen, impertinent,
insolent, pushing, presumptuous, officious, loud, showy, cocky,
brash, offensive, bold, Colloq cheeky: I hate pushy salesmen
who won't take 'No' for an answer.
pussyfoot v. 1 sneak, creep, slink, prowl, steal, tiptoe: I wish she'd
stop pussyfooting about the house. 2 beat about the bush, hem
or hum and haw, equivocate, hesitate, be evasive, evade the
issue, prevaricate, tergiversate, be noncommittal, be or sit on
the fence, blow hot and cold: Don't pussyfoot with me - just
come out and say what you really think.
put v. 1 place, position, situate, set, lay, station, stand,
deposit, rest, settle; locate: Please put all books where they
belong. 2 assign, commit, cause, set, consign, subject: I
joined the army to fight for my country, and they put me to work
peeling potatoes. 3 subject, cause to experience or undergo or
suffer, consign, send: He was put to death for his beliefs, not
his actions. 4 express, word, phrase; say, utter, write: How
did they put it? - 'We hold these truths to be self-evident,
that all men are created equal...' To put it to you straight,
shape up or ship out! Can you put that into French? 5 offer,
advance, bring forward, present, propose, submit, tender, set
before: I put it to you that you have been lying to the court
and that you did leave your house that night. 6 bet, gamble,
wager, stake, play, chance, risk, hazard: I put two pounds on
the horse to win. 7 throw, heave, toss, fling, cast, pitch,
bowl, lob, send, shy, shoot, snap, catapult: How far did you
say you can put a 10-pound shot? 8 place, assign, attribute,
lay, pin, attach, fix: They try to put the blame on me for
everything that goes wrong around here. 9 put about. broadcast,
publish, make known, publicize, announce, spread about or
around: They have been putting about some story linking the two
of us romantically. 10 put across or over. make clear, get
across, make (something or oneself) understood or
understandable, explain, spell out, convey, communicate: She is
quite adept at putting across her ideas. 11 put aside. set or
lay aside, ignore, disregard, pay no heed to, push aside, shrug
off: They put aside their differences and discovered they had
much in common. Isn't it time you put aside childish things? 12
put aside or by or away. lay aside or by, set aside; save,
store, stow or store or salt or squirrel away, lay away, cache,
bank: You ought to put a little money aside for a rainy day.
13 put away. a See 12, above. b jail or Brit also gaol,
imprison, incarcerate, Colloq send, jug, confine, commit,
institutionalize, remand, Brit send down, US send up: She wants
rapists and child molesters put away for a long, long time. c
See 16 (d), below. d consume, gorge, gormandize or US also
gourmandize: It is unbelievable how much that man can put away
at one sitting. 14 put back. return, replace, restore: He
insists that he put back all the money he took. Put the pictures
back where they belong. 15 put by. See 12, above. 16 put down.
a record, register, write down, set down, enter, list; log, note
(down), jot down, make a note or notation of: You may put me
down for a contribution of њ5. Please put down your name and
address in the box provided. b depose, put an end to, topple,
crush, overthrow, subdue, suppress, check, quash, quell: The
loyalists put down the rebellion in short order. c ascribe,
assign, attribute: The doctor put my feelings of fatigue and
listlessness down to anaemia. d kill, exterminate, destroy, put
to death, put to sleep, put away, do away with: We had to have
our cat put down, which was very upsetting for us all. e abash,
humiliate, crush, silence, mortify, lower, take down (a peg or a
notch), shame, snub, deflate, slight, reject, dismiss: Waiters
have a way of putting people down if they behave presumptuously.
f take for, reckon, account, count, categorize, regard: Don't
put Martin down as a dunce just because he acts the fool now and
then. g belittle, diminish, disparage, deprecate, depreciate,
criticize, disdain, look down on, despise, contemn: They deny
being prejudiced, but they put down everyone who isn't exactly
like them. 17 put forth. a propose, offer, set forth, advance:
Several theories have been put forth on the function of
mitochondrial DNA. b grow, produce, send out or forth, bud,
flower: When the plant puts forth suckers, they must be pinched
back. c begin, set out, set forth, start: We put forth on our
voyage with great enthusiasm. d promulgate, issue, publish,
make known, make public: The committee have not put forth any
suggestions for improving traffic flow. 18 put forward. a
propose, present, tender, nominate, name; recommend: Your name
has been put forward as chair for next year's committee. b
suggest, offer, propose, set forth, put forth, present, submit,
tender, proffer, introduce, advance, propound, air, make known,
announce: No new solutions to the problem were put forward. 19
put in. a insert, introduce: Why did you put in a reference to
your mother? b spend, devote: During the holiday season I plan
to put in a lot of time to reading. c make: So, you finally
decided to put in an appearance. 20 put in for. a apply for,
request, ask for, petition for: He has put in for a transfer
twice and has been refused both times. b seek, apply for,
pursue, file: Do you really think that Jamieson will put in for
re-election? 21 put off. a postpone, delay, defer, put back,
stay, hold off, shelve, put or set aside, Chiefly US put over,
table: Consideration of your request has been put off till
tomorrow. b dismiss, get rid of, send away, turn away;
discourage, Colloq give (someone) the brush-off, US brush off:
The manager put me off when I went in to ask about a salary
increase. c dismay, disconcert, upset, confuse, disturb,
perturb, abash, distress, Colloq throw, rattle: Curiously,
Michael didn't seem a bit put off to learn about the murder. d
repel, disgust, sicken, revolt, nauseate: That television
programme on open-heart surgery really put me off. e leave,
depart, go (off), set off: We put off tomorrow morning for
Rockall. 22 put on. a don, clothe or attire or dress (oneself)
in, get dressed in, change or slip into: We put on our best
clothes to come to your party. b assume, take on, pretend,
affect, feign, bluff, make a show of: She puts on an air of
indifference, but she really does care. c add, gain: Bill put
on quite a bit of weight when he stopped smoking. d stage,
mount, produce, present, perform: Our local repertory group is
putting on Hedda Gabler this weekend. e tease, mock, Colloq
kid, pull (someone's) leg, rib, rag, Brit have on: When he told
you that all holidays had been cancelled he was only putting you
on. 23 put out. a inconvenience, discommode, disturb,
embarrass, trouble, bother, impose upon or on, Colloq put on the
spot: Her arriving an hour early didn't put me out one bit. b
annoy, vex, irritate, anger, exasperate, irk, perturb, provoke,
Slang bug: Donald was very much put out to discover that the
appointment had gone to someone else. c snuff out, extinguish,
blow out, douse, quench, smother: We put out the fire on the
stove before it could spread. d exert, put forth, expend, use,
exercise: We put out considerable effort moving the furniture
before she decided she liked it the way it had been. e publish,
issue, broadcast, make public, circulate, spread, make known,
release: The information office put out the news that the
summit meeting had been a great success. 24 put out of (one's)
misery. release, relieve, free, deliver, rescue, save, spare:
Just tell him what they said and put him out of his misery. 25
put over. a put or get across, convey, communicate, set or put
forth, relate: I am trying to put the point over to you that I
cannot leave now. b See 21 (a), above. 26 put (one or
something) over on (someone). fool (someone), pull (someone's)
leg, deceive (someone), mislead (someone), pull the wool over
(someone's) eyes, trick (someone), hoodwink (someone): She
really put one over on me when she said she loved me. I think
that Manfred is trying to put something over on you. 27 put
through. a carry out or through, execute, (put into) effect,
bring off, accomplish, complete, finish, conclude, Colloq pull
off: If they succeed in putting through their plan, the company
will be bankrupt. b process, handle, organize, see to, follow up
on: I will personally see that your application is put through
the proper channels. c connect, hook up: I asked the operator
to put me through to the chairman himself. 28 put up. a erect,
build, construct, raise, set up, put together, fabricate: They
demolished a row of Georgian houses and put up some ugly County
offices in their place. b accommodate, lodge, board, house, take
in, quarter, Chiefly military billet: As our house is small, we
were able to put up only three people. c preserve, can; cure,
pickle: There are many foods that can be put up for later
consumption. d contribute, pledge, offer (as collateral),
stake, mortgage, post: We put up the house as security for the
loan. e contribute, give, supply, donate, ante (up), advance,
pay, invest: We put up all our savings to secure our retirement
pension. f increase, raise, boost, elevate: As soon as there
is a hint of an oil shortage, they put up the price of petrol. g
See 18 (a), above. h offer, tender, put or place on the market:
They put their house up for sale and are planning to move to the
Riviera. 29 put up to. incite, urge, goad, spur, egg on,
encourage, prompt, instigate: Was it you who put Reggie up to
playing that prank on the teacher? 30 put up with. tolerate,
abide, take, brook, stand (for), stomach, accept, resign oneself
to, bear, endure, swallow: Why do you put up with his
outrageous behaviour?
put-down n. dig, sneer, snub, disparaging or denigrating remark, slight,
offence, insult: The worst put-down was to tell her she looks
like her sister, whom she hates.
put-on n. 1 deception, hoax, trick, leg-pull, jest, (practical) joke,
prank, pretence, Colloq spoof: He was completely taken in by my
put-on about being from the Nobel prize committee. 2 take-off,
parody, satire, burlesque, caricature, act, Brit send-up, Colloq
spoof: You shouldn't be offended, it was only a put-on.
putrefy v. rot, decompose, decay, moulder, go bad, spoil, deteriorate,
go off: The battlefield was strewn with putrefying bodies.
putrid adj. rotten, rotting, decomposed, decomposing, decayed,
decaying, mouldy, mouldering, spoilt or spoiled, putrefied,
putrescent, putrefying, foul, fetid, rank, tainted, corrupt:
Only the vultures continued to hover about the putrid carcass.
put-up adj. (secretly) preconceived, prearranged, plotted,
preconcerted: If the butler had a hand in it, you know it was a
put-up job.
put-upon adj. imposed upon, inconvenienced, put out, taken advantage of,
exploited, abused: I shall be happy to help, and I don't feel
put-upon at all.
puzzle v. 1 baffle, bewilder, confuse, confound, mystify, flummox,
perplex, nonplus, stymie, stump: I am completely puzzled by
what you wrote in your last letter. 2 Usually, puzzle over.
study, ponder (over), mull over, contemplate, meditate on or
upon or over, consider, muse over or on, reflect on or over,
think about or over or on: If you puzzle over it long enough,
the problem may vanish of its own accord. 3 puzzle out. solve,
decipher, crack (the code), unravel, work out, figure out, think
through, sort out, unlock: I finally puzzled out the
inscription on this old coin. It might take a while, but I can
puzzle out the solution to this crossword.
--n. 4 enigma, problem, question, paradox, poser, mystery,
riddle, conundrum, Colloq brain-teaser: The puzzle is how the
murder was committed when the door was locked from the inside.
puzzling adj. mystifying, enigmatic(al), bewildering, baffling,
confounding, perplexing, confusing, ambiguous, contradictory,
abstruse: It is a bit puzzling to see Catherine so often in the
company of the husband she recently divorced.
quack n. 1 charlatan, impostor, pretender, fake(r), fraud, Colloq
phoney or US also phony: The quack diagnosed Franny as having
appendicitis, but it turned out that she was pregnant.
--adj. 2 fake, fraudulent, sham, counterfeit, Colloq phoney or
US also phony: Are you still going to see that quack doctor -
the one who told you to take aspirin to relieve the pain from
your ulcer?
quaint adj. 1 curious, odd, strange, bizarre, peculiar, unusual,
queer, uncommon, singular, unorthodox, eccentric, whimsical,
offbeat, fanciful, outlandish, unconventional, fantastic: Her
sitting-room was furnished in a quaint mixture of Gothic and
Victorian styles. 2 old-fashioned, archaic, antiquated,
out-dated, picturesque, antique: A rotund little figure
appeared, dressed in the quaint clothing of another era.
quake v. 1 tremble, shake, quiver, shudder; vibrate, stagger: The
children were quaking with fear that their teacher would come
back and catch them red-handed. 2 earthquake, tremor, temblor or
trembler or tremblor, seismic(al) activity, Rare seism: In a
few moments the quake levelled three cities that had stood for
thousands of years.
qualification
n. 1 Often, qualifications. fitness, ability, aptitude,
capability, competence or competency, capacity, suitableness,
suitability, eligibility, proficiency, skill, knowledge, Colloq
know-how: You cannot persuade me that Powell has the
qualifications needed to do the job. 2 limitation, restriction,
modification, reservation, caveat, condition, stipulation,
proviso, prerequisite, requirement: The only qualification for
use of the club's facilities is that one must be a member. My
support for the proposal is without qualification.
qualified adj. 1 able, suitable, capable, competent, fit, fitted,
equipped, prepared, ready, trained, proficient, accomplished,
expert, talented, adept, skilful, skilled, experienced,
practised, knowledgeable, well-informed: Is Kimble qualified to
become foreman? 2 contingent, conditional, restricted,
modified, limited, provisional: The chairman has given his
qualified approval to the scheme.
qualify v. 1 equip, fit (out), ready, prepare, condition, make
eligible; certify: His training in the air force qualified him
to be a pilot. 2 be eligible, meet the requirements, be fit or
suitable or equipped or ready or prepared, make the grade: Sue
will qualify as a doctor if she passes just one more exam. 3
temper, mitigate, modify, moderate, modulate, restrict, limit:
In light of their later behaviour, I shall have to qualify my
recommendation that you accept them as students.
quality n. 1 property, attribute, characteristic, mark, distinction, je
ne sais quoi, trait: Can you describe the qualities needed to
be a good musician? 2 grade, calibre, rank, status, importance,
value, worth: In the curiosity shop items of high and low
quality are mixed together haphazardly. 3 Old-fashioned
eminence, prominence, importance, excellence, superiority,
distinction, standing, supremacy, dignity, grandeur, nobility,
blue blood: Despite her shabby appearance, from her bearing and
speech the woman was clearly a person of quality.
qualm n. second thought, doubt, uncertainty, misgiving, hesitation,
scruple, uneasiness, compunction, reluctance, disinclination,
queasiness, apprehension, apprehensiveness, twinge, pang, worry,
concern, Colloq funny feeling, sinking feeling: He had some
qualms about leaving the town where he had lived for over thirty
years.
quandary n. dilemma, predicament, difficulty, plight, cleft stick,
uncertainty: The management is in a quandary: should it risk
overstretching the company by making further capital investment,
or should it risk being left behind by its competitors by
playing safe?
quantity n. amount, extent, volume; sum, number, total; weight, measure:
There seemed to be no limit to the quantity of gold in the mine.
The person who most accurately guesses the quantity of beans in
the jar wins a prize. What quantity of flour should I buy to
make enough cakes for fifty people?
quarrel n. 1 dispute, argument, disagreement, debate, controversy,
discord, difference (of opinion), contention, misunderstanding;
wrangle, tiff, row, squabble, altercation, set-to, scuffle,
feud, fight, fray, fracas, brawl, Donnybrook, m€l‚e or melee,
riot, battle (royal), Colloq dust-up, barney, scrap, US spat: I
have no quarrel with my accountant - it's the tax man that's the
problem. A quarrel broke out over whose turn it was to wash the
dishes.
--v. 2 argue, disagree, dispute, altercate, have an
altercation, differ, wrangle, be at odds or loggerheads, clash,
squabble, feud, fight, brawl, battle, Colloq fall out, scrap:
When we were children, my sister and I quarrelled all the time,
but we still loved each other.
quarrelsome
adj. testy, petulant, irascible, irritable, disagreeable,
fractious, querulous, peevish, cross, choleric, curmudgeonly,
contrary, dyspeptic, cranky, grouchy, argumentative, combative,
squabbling, disputatious, hostile, antagonistic, dissentious,
dissentient, dissident, pugnacious, bellicose, belligerent,
contentious: I have to listen to the continual bickering of my
quarrelsome neighbours.
quarry° n. prey, game, prize, object: The hunter's dogs had run their
quarry to ground. Wealthy widows were regarded as fair quarry by
the swindlers.
quarryэ n. 1 mine, pit, excavation: Only one quarry yielded the
statuary marble needed by those sculptors.
--v. 2 mine, extract, obtain, get: Gault's ideas were all
quarried from the jottings of obscure writers.
quarter n. 1 fourth: Statistics showed that a quarter of the
population attended church regularly. 2 three-month period,
three months, ninety days, thirteen weeks; fifteen minutes;
phase (of the moon), quadrature: The first quarter's rent is
now due. We waited a quarter of an hour. The moon is in its
third quarter. 3 area, region, part, section, district, zone,
division, territory, place, neighbourhood, locality, locale,
location, point, spot; direction: The army was called in to
patrol the quarter of the city where looting had occurred. It
was difficult to tell from which quarter the wind was blowing. 4
mercy, compassion, mercifulness, clemency, leniency,
forgiveness, favour, humanity, pity: The hostages expected no
quarter from their captors. 5 quarters. living quarters,
lodging(s), dwelling-place, dwelling, accommodation(s), rooms,
chambers, residence, shelter, habitation, domicile, home, house,
abode; Military billet, barracks, cantonment, casern or caserne:
We found comfortable quarters in which we remained during our
stay in the area.
--v. 6 lodge, accommodate, house, board, shelter, put up;
Military billet, post, station: The tour guide stayed at the
best hotel, while we were quartered in a youth hostel.
quarterly adj. 1 trimonthly, three-monthly: She is editor of a quarterly
medical journal.
--adv. 2 every three months, every ninety days, every thirteen
weeks, four times a year: The landlady insisted on being paid
quarterly, in advance.
quash v. 1 annul, nullify, void, declare or render null and void,
invalidate, revoke, vacate, set aside, rescind, cancel, reject,
throw out, reverse, overthrow, discharge, overrule: When the
real culprit confessed, my conviction was quashed and I was set
free. 2 suppress, subdue, quell, put down, squelch, repress,
overthrow, crush, overwhelm: The rebellion was quashed by the
secret police.
quasi- adv. 1 Sometimes, quasi. as if, as it were, seemingly,
apparently, partly, to some extent, to all intents and purposes,
more or less, virtually, almost: Her apology seemed only
quasi-sincere to me. His function in the proceedings was
quasi-judicial.
--adj. 2 Often, quasi. so to speak, kind of, sort of;
pretended, fake, pseudo, so-called, supposed, artificial, mock,
sham, Colloq phoney or US also phony: His quasi excuse does not
diminish the horror of what he did.
quaver v. 1 tremble, quiver, shake, shiver, vibrate, waver, shudder,
fluctuate, oscillate, flutter: His voice quavered with emotion
as he described his rescue.
--n. 2 trembling, tremble, quiver, quivering, tremor, shaking,
vibration, wavering, break, fluctuation, oscillation: Only a
slight quaver in her voice betrayed her feeling of panic.
queasy adj. 1 uncomfortable, uneasy, nervous, apprehensive, ill at
ease, troubled, worried, discomfited; doubtful, hesitant: I had
a queasy feeling that I was being watched. The manager was a bit
queasy about giving Denis so much responsibility. 2 sick,
nauseous, nauseated, ill, bilious, queer, Colloq green around or
about the gills, groggy, woozy: Catherine felt very queasy
after the ride on the roller coaster.
queen n. 1 sovereign, monarch, ruler; empress; queen consort; queen
mother; queen dowager: She was absolutely thrilled when she was
invited to a garden party at Buckingham Palace and met the
Queen. 2 beauty queen, movie queen, star, prima donna, diva;
epitome, model, idol, leading light, cynosure, leader: At the
height of her career, she was known as 'the Queen of the Silver
Screen'. 'Queen of the Antilles' was once a nickname of Cuba.
queer adj. 1 odd, strange, different, peculiar, funny, curious,
uncommon, unconventional, unorthodox, atypical, singular,
exceptional, anomalous, extraordinary, unusual, weird, bizarre,
uncanny, unnatural, freakish, remarkable, offbeat, irregular,
unparalleled, incongruous, outlandish, outr‚, exotic, eccentric,
fey, quaint, absurd, ridiculous, ludicrous, unexampled: How do
you explain Basil's queer behaviour at the office party? Her
attire could only be described as queer, given her age and
status. 2 questionable, dubious, suspicious, suspect, doubtful,
puzzling, mysterious, Colloq fishy, shady: We had a feeling
that something queer was going on when the clocks started
running backwards. 3 (slightly) ill, queasy, sick, unwell,
poorly, faint, uneasy, dizzy, giddy, vertiginous, light-headed:
It's not surprising that you feel queer after drinking all that
wine. 4 mad, unbalanced, unhinged, demented, deranged, insane,
daft, touched, Colloq dotty, potty, nutty, nuts, loony, batty,
cracked: Francis seems to have gone a bit queer - fancies
himself a reincarnation of Cicero.
--v. 5 ruin, spoil, bungle, botch, muddle, muff, mar, wreck,
destroy, Colloq make a hash or mess of, gum up (the works),
Slang muck up, screw up, louse up, US ball up, Taboo slang Brit
balls up: Grimstone queered the deal by telling the buyer the
company was worth half what we were asking.
quell v. 1 suppress, put down, repress, subdue, quash, overcome,
crush, squelch: The army arrived to quell the uprising at the
prison. 2 moderate, mollify, soothe, assuage, alleviate,
mitigate, allay, quiet, calm; pacify, tranquillize, compose:
Any feelings of bitterness were quelled by her comforting words.
quench v. 1 satisfy, slake, sate, surfeit, satiate, allay, appease:
My thirst isn't quenched by those sweet fizzy drinks. 2 put
out, extinguish, douse, smother, snuff out, stifle, kill,
destroy, suppress, squelch, repress, overcome, subdue: Even the
most totalitarian regime cannot entirely quench the fire of
freedom in the hearts of the oppressed.
querulous adj. complaining, carping, critical, criticizing,
hypercritical, fault-finding, finicky, finical, fussy,
over-particular, censorious, petulant, whining, murmuring,
grumbling, peevish, testy, touchy, irritable, irritated,
annoyed, piqued, in a pique, irascible, fractious, perverse,
quarrelsome, ill-natured, ill-humoured, cantankerous,
curmudgeonly, crusty, crotchety, fretful, bad-tempered,
ill-tempered, waspish, crabby, cross, splenetic, choleric, sour,
dyspeptic, grumpy, Colloq grousing, pernickety or US also
persnickety, Slang bitching: He objected to almost all the
television programmes and sent querulous letters to the
broadcasters telling them so.
query n. 1 question, inquiry or enquiry: The information office will
answer any query you may have about social security benefits. 2
doubt, uncertainty, scepticism, reservation, problem: She wants
to see the manager about some query concerning her bank balance.
--v. 3 ask (about), inquire or enquire (about), question;
challenge, doubt, dispute: I am writing to query the third item
on your latest bill.
quest n. 1 search, pursuit, exploration, expedition, voyage (of
discovery), pilgrimage, mission, crusade; chase, hunt: When a
child, he was inspired by the legend of Sir Launcelot's quest
for the Holy Grail.
--v. 2 Usually, quest after or for. seek (after or for), search
after or for, hunt (for), track down, pursue, stalk: In 1928,
joined by his father, he quested for gold along the Orinoco
river.
question n. 1 query, inquiry or enquiry: I asked you a simple question,
'Where were you last night?', and I expect a civil answer. 2
problem, difficulty, confusion, doubt, dubiousness, uncertainty,
query, mystery, puzzle: Is there some question about the
qualifications of the new employee? 3 matter, issue, point,
subject, topic, theme, proposition: Whether you stay is not the
question. The question remains, How are you going to earn a
living? 4 beyond (all or any) question. beyond (the shadow of) a
doubt, without question, without a doubt, indubitably,
undoubtedly, doubtlessly, definitely, certainly, assuredly: He
is guilty beyond all question. 5 call in or into question.
question, doubt, query, challenge, dispute, harbour or entertain
or have doubts or suspicions about, suspect, cast doubt or
suspicion on: I cannot see why he has called her loyalty into
question. 6 in question. a under discussion or consideration:
The person in question never worked for this company. b
questionable, debatable, at issue, in doubt, doubtful, open to
debate: Her honesty was never in question. 7 out of the
question. unthinkable, impossible, absurd, ridiculous,
preposterous, inconceivable, beyond consideration,
insupportable: An increase in salary at this time is out of the
question. 8 without question. See 4, above.
--v. 9 ask, examine, interrogate, query, interview, sound out,
quiz, Colloq pump, grill, Slang give (someone) the third degree:
He was questioned for six hours as to his whereabouts. 10 call
in or into question, doubt, query, mistrust, distrust, cast
doubt upon, dispute, suspect: Investigators have long
questioned the relationship between the banks and the drug
barons.
questionable
adj. doubtful, dubious, debatable, moot, disputable,
borderline, suspect, suspicious, shady; open to question, in
question, in dispute, problematic(al), uncertain, arguable,
unsure, unreliable, ambiguous: The evidence shows that the
defendant engaged in questionable banking practices while a
director of Offshore Ltd. The advantages of quick divorce are
questionable.
queue n. 1 line, row, file, column, string, train, cortege or
cortЉge, retinue, procession, succession, chain, concatenation,
series, order, cordon, Brit tailback, Colloq Brit crocodile,
Military picket: There were dozens of people in the queue in
front of me. 2 pigtail, braid, plait; tail, pony-tail: Not
long ago, Chinese men wore their hair in a queue.
--v. 3 Often, queue up. line up, get in or into or form a line
or queue or file, get into or in line, Military fall in: All he
remembers about the war is that everyone had to queue up for
everything and wait.
quibble v. 1 equivocate, split hairs, evade, be evasive, palter, chop
logic, bandy words, cavil, pettifog, Colloq nit-pick: While
people continued to be kept in slavery, the politicians quibbled
over the difference between 'liberty' and 'freedom'.
--n. 2 quibbling, equivocation, hair-splitting, splitting
hairs, evasion, paltering, sophistry, Colloq nit-picking:
Lawyers often become involved in a quibble over the mot juste
and forget their clients. 3 cavil, sophism, subtlety, nicety:
It's a quibble whether you say 'either' and 'neither' to rhyme
with 'peek' or 'pike'.
quick adj. 1 rapid, fast, speedy, swift, fleet; expeditious, express:
We made a quick descent to reach the camp before dark. The hand
is quicker than the eye. Can you arrange the quick delivery of
this parcel to Aylesbury? 2 sudden, precipitate, hasty, brisk,
short, abrupt, hurried, perfunctory, summary; immediate, prompt,
timely, instantaneous: There is no quick answer to your
question about the causes of World War II. Don't be so quick to
criticize others. I had a quick response to my letter
complaining about service. 3 agile, lively, nimble, energetic,
vigorous, alert, animated, keen, sharp, acute, spry, spirited,
vivacious, rapid, swift: In three quick steps she was at my
side. Antonia is known for her quick mind. 4 intelligent,
bright, brilliant, facile, adept, adroit, dexterous, apt, able,
expert, skilful, deft, astute, clever, shrewd, smart, ingenious,
perceptive, perspicacious, discerning, far-sighted, responsive;
nimble-witted, quick-witted: You can rely on Rob's quick
thinking to come up with a solution to the problem. 5 excitable,
touchy, testy, petulant, irascible, irritable, impatient: She
said that I have a quick temper because of my red hair.
quicken v. 1 accelerate, hasten, speed up: As we neared the house, our
pace quickened. 2 expedite, hurry, accelerate, hasten, speed
(up): We did everything we could to quicken her departure. 3
stimulate, arouse, kindle, spark, invigorate, excite, animate,
vitalize, vivify, galvanize, enliven, awaken, energize, revive,
resuscitate, reinvigorate: Olivia's inspiring lectures
quickened the imagination of everyone who heard them.
quickly adv. 1 rapidly, swiftly, speedily, fast: Although share prices
dropped in the morning, they recovered quickly during afternoon
trading. 2 rapidly, swiftly, speedily, fast, with dispatch or
despatch, apace, post-haste, at or on the double, with all
speed, quick, Colloq US and Canadian lickety-split: Run
quickly, and you'll get there before the shop closes. 3
instantly, promptly, hastily, at once, immediately, straight
away, right away, shortly, without delay, (very) soon,
hurriedly, quick, Colloq pronto: You'll have to leave quickly
to catch your train.
quick-tempered
adj. excitable, impulsive, temperamental, hot-tempered,
waspish, choleric, splenetic, impatient, short-tempered, touchy,
irascible, irritable, snappish, abrupt, short, short-spoken,
quarrelsome, testy, volatile, hot-blooded, bad-tempered,
ill-tempered, churlish, highly-strung, US high-keyed: Len is
very quick-tempered these days and flies into a rage at the
slightest provocation.
quick-witted
adj. acute, sharp, clever, smart, nimble-witted, alert, keen,
astute, perceptive, perspicacious: Hallam is known for his
quick-witted responses to hecklers in the audience.
quiet adj. 1 silent, soundless, noiseless, hushed, still: We have to
be very quiet so as not to wake the children. 2 still, serene,
silent, peaceful, unperturbed, calm, tranquil, placid, pacific,
smooth, mild, restful, unagitated: The sea was very quiet as we
rowed towards the beach. 3 dormant, quiescent, inactive,
retired, withdrawn, unobtrusive: His last days were spent
living a quiet life in the Outer Hebrides. 4 still, motionless,
unmoving, fixed, stationary, at rest, inactive, composed,
temperate, unexcited, calm: There was a knock at the door and
everyone suddenly became quiet.
--n. 5 silence, stillness, soundlessness, noiselessness, hush,
quietness, quietude, ease, rest, calmness, serenity,
tranquillity, peace, peace of mind, repose: In the quiet of the
cave I could hear my heart beating.
--v. 6 See quieten, below.
quieten v. Often, quieten down. quiet (down), still, silence, hush,
calm, tranquillize, lull: He gradually quietened down the
audience, and the curtain rose.
quietly adv. 1 silently, soundlessly, noiselessly, inaudibly, in
silence, softly: She tiptoed quietly out of the room. 2 in
hushed tones, in whispers: In a corner of the room a young
couple were quietly conversing. 3 peacefully, calmly, serenely,
peaceably, meekly, mildly: When the police explained they only
wanted him to help in their inquiries, he went with them
quietly. 4 modestly, humbly, demurely, unpretentiously,
unostentatiously, unobtrusively, unassumingly, sedately: The
applicants sat quietly, waiting to be called in for the
interview.
quintessence
n. essence, heart, core, quiddity, essentialness, essentiality,
pith, marrow, sum and substance, epitome, nonpareil, embodiment,
personification, model, prototype, exemplar, ideal, beau id‚al,
paragon: Hernandez considered the ancient Greek temple the
quintessence of classic design.
quip n. 1 (bon) mot, witticism, sally, jest, ad lib, joke, gibe,
barb, aphorism, epigram, apophthegm or apothegm, pun, double
entendre, equivoque or equivoke, Colloq gag, one-liner, crack,
wisecrack, wheeze, chestnut: In his worst quip he attributed
the breakdown of his computer to a slipped diskette.
--v. 2 joke, jest, gibe, Colloq wisecrack, US crack wise: As
Mae West quipped, 'It's not the men in my life that count; it's
the life in my men'.
quirk n. peculiarity, caprice, vagary, eccentricity, fancy, twist,
warp, aberration, idiosyncrasy, oddity, kink, characteristic,
crotchet, whim, trick: By some strange quirk of fate, after
weeks in an open boat I was cast ashore at Cap d'Antibes.
quit v. 1 leave, depart from, go (away) from, get away from, decamp,
exit, desert, flee, forsake, abandon, Colloq take off, beat it,
skip: They think that he will try to quit the country if he is
released on bail. 2 resign, give up, relinquish, leave,
renounce, retire from, withdraw from: Would you really quit
your job to sail around the world? 3 cease, stop, discontinue,
leave off, desist from: They would always quit laughing when I
walked into the room.
--adj. 4 free, clear, discharged, rid of, released (from),
exempt (from): When my ex-wife remarried I was quit of the
burden of paying alimony.
quite adv. 1 completely, very, totally, utterly, entirely, from head
to toe, from A to Z, fully, wholly, thoroughly, unequivocally,
absolutely, perfectly, altogether, unreservedly: Her trouble is
that she is quite certain of many things that are simply not the
case. The last time I saw him, he was quite drunk. 2 rather,
fairly, moderately, somewhat, relatively, to some or a certain
extent or degree, noticeably: I thought that the paintings were
quite well done. 3 rather: We had quite a good dinner last
night. 4 very much, totally, entirely, wholly, altogether;
really, actually, truly, definitely, positively, undoubtedly,
indubitably, absolutely, unequivocally, certainly, surely,
unreservedly, honestly: What you are talking about is quite
another matter. Your home-made chutney is quite the best I have
ever tasted.
quiver v. 1 shake, tremble, vibrate, shiver, quaver; shudder, tremor,
oscillate, fluctuate, wobble: He felt his lips quivering as he
told her that he was dying. The outcome of the contest quivered
in the balance.
--n. 2 tremble, quaver, shudder, spasm, shake, tremor, shiver:
Pierced by the dart, the tiny bird fell to the earth, gave a
little quiver, and lay still.
quixotic adj. idealistic, impractical, impracticable, unrealistic,
unrealizable, visionary, romantic, fantastic, chimerical,
fanciful, dreamlike, dreamy, nephelococcygeal, starry-eyed,
optimistic, rash, absurd, mad, foolhardy, reckless, wild,
preposterous, ridiculous: When he was young, he had a quixotic
notion that he could improve the world.
quiz n. 1 examination, test, Colloq exam: We have a ten-minute quiz
every week on our reading assignment.
--v. 2 question, interrogate, ask, examine, Colloq grill, pump:
The police have quizzed everyone in the neighbourhood about what
they might have seen.
quizzical adj. curious, queer, odd, inquiring or enquiring, questioning,
puzzled: The interviewer had a quizzical expression, as if he
didn't quite understand his own questions.
quota n. apportionment, portion, allotment, allocation, allowance,
ration, share, part, proportion, percentage, equity, interest,
Colloq cut: Each shareholder is allowed a quota of the new
shares based on the number now held.
quotation n. 1 quote, passage, citation, reference, allusion, extract,
excerpt, selection: For many years Frances collected quotations
from the speeches of politicians. 2 quote, (bid or asking or
offer or market) price, charge, fixed price, rate, cost; value:
The quotation for Universal General International stood at 486
pence at the close of the market on Friday.
quote v. 1 cite, mention, recite, repeat, retell, reproduce,
duplicate, call up, bring up, bring in, instance, exemplify,
refer to, reference, extract, excerpt: Let me quote to you the
relevant passage from Paradise Lost .
--n. 2 See quotation, above.
18.0 R
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rabble n. 1 mob, crowd, horde, throng, swarm, gang: We narrowly
escaped the wrath of the rabble fighting the police in the
square. 2 the rabble. Derogatory masses, proletariat, hoi
polloi, commoners, peasantry, ragtag and bobtail, vermin,
outcasts, riff-raff, scum, dregs (of society), lower classes,
canaille, commonalty, Colloq trash, the great unwashed: He
always refers to blue-collar workers as 'the rabble'.
rabble-rouser
n. agitator, demagogue, instigator, inciter, firebrand,
incendiary, radical, troublemaker, agent provocateur,
revolutionary, insurrectionist, Colloq hell-raiser: The crowd
was whipped into a frenzy by a rabble-rouser who was not
identified.
rabid adj. 1 unreasonable, unreasoning, extreme, fanatical; raging,
furious, violent, crazed, frenzied, maniacal, wild, mad,
infuriated, frenetic, berserk: Please don't mention politics to
Nigel - he gets rabid on the subject. 2 hydrophobic, mad:
Animals from abroad are kept in quarantine to make sure they are
not rabid.
race° n. 1 foot-race, horse-race, marathon, rally or rallye;
competition, contest, rivalry, contention: How many will be
running in Saturday's race? Several countries had joined the
race to complete a workable anti-gravity device. 2 sluice,
flume, chute, watercourse, course, channel, bed, mill-race,
raceway, spillway; track: The water in the race enabled us to
wash the sand in order to extract the gold. The ball-bearings
don't fall out because they are retained in the race. 3 the
races. horse-races, dog-races, the dogs, the track, the turf,
Brit racecourse, race meeting, US racetrack: We're off to the
races at Newmarket.
--v. 4 speed, hurry, hasten, dash, sprint, fly, rush, scramble,
step lively, Colloq tear, rip, zip, step on the gas, step on it,
hop to it, get a move on, Brit hare, US get a wiggle on: You're
going to have to race to catch the last bus. 5 compete (with):
I'll race you to the gate and back.
raceэ n. 1 stock, line, lineage, type, tribe, nation, people, folk,
clan, family: The citizens constitute a mix of all imaginable
races. 2 blood, descent, breed, kin, family, stock, line,
lineage: You say you are liberal, but how would you feel about
your daughter's marrying someone of a different race?
racial adj. ethnic, genetic, genealogical, ethnological, folk; tribal;
national: Bigots emphasize racial differences rather than
racial similarities.
rack n. 1 framework, frame, trestle, holder, support; stand,
scaffold, scaffolding, structure, hat-rack, hatstand, coat-rack,
Technical stretcher, tenter, US hat-tree: The fish are hung out
on long racks in the sun to dry. Please take your luggage off
the seat and put it on the overhead rack. 2 suffering, torment,
torture, agony, anguish, pain, misery, distress, affliction,
scourge, adversity: Only those who have experienced it can know
the severe rack of gout.
--v. 3 distress, torment, torture, agonize, oppress, pain,
persecute, anguish, beleaguer, plague, harass, harrow, hurt:
Gruber was racked by the feeling that he had been responsible
for the road accident. Quentin has been racked by the pain of
arthritis for ten years. 4 beat, strain, wrench, tear at, lash
(at), batter, shake, damage: Winds of hurricane force racked
villages along the coast last night.
racket n. 1 noise, din, uproar, disturbance, clamour, hubbub, row,
rumpus, hullabaloo, fuss, ado, commotion, to-do, hue and cry,
outcry, brouhaha, tumult, babel, pandemonium, Elizabethan
theatre alarums and excursions, Colloq ballyhoo: How can you
sleep through the racket from your neighbour's all-night
parties? 2 (organized) crime, criminal or illegal activity or
enterprise, trickery, trick, dodge, scheme, swindle, stratagem,
artifice, game, ruse, Slang caper, scam, gyp: Their racket is
selling 'protection' to shop-owners. 3 business, line,
profession, occupation, trade, vocation, calling, job,
employment, livelihood: I'm in commodities; what's your racket?
racketeer n. mobster, gangster, Mafioso: The Chicago racketeers of the
1930s seem tame compared with today's terrorists.
raconteur n. storyteller, anecdotalist or anecdotist, narrator, relater
or relator, Colloq spinner of yarns: The after-dinner speaker
was a marvellous raconteur with a wealth of stories about the
theatre.
racy adj. 1 fresh, lively, animated, spirited, sprightly, buoyant,
vivacious, energetic, vigorous, dynamic, zestful, stimulating,
mettlesome or mettled, Colloq full of vim and vigour, peppy,
full of pep, full of beans: Tabloid journalists are told that
their writing must be racy - straightforward reporting is out of
fashion. 2 risqu‚, ribald, bawdy, naughty, lusty, earthy, gross,
off colour, salty, suggestive, sexual, immodest, indelicate,
indecent, blue, smutty, lewd, salacious, vulgar, dirty, filthy,
pornographic, obscene, sex-oriented, adult, rude, crude, coarse,
Colloq raunchy, sexy, spicy, hot: By mistake my name got on the
mailing list of some company selling racy videos. 3 spicy,
piquant, tasty, flavourful, pungent, strong, savoury, sharp,
zesty, tangy, tart, hot: That curry you served last night had
quite a racy flavour.
radiance n. 1 radiancy, splendour, brightness, brilliance, resplendence,
luminosity, luminousness, dazzle, sparkle, coruscation,
scintillation, twinkle, effulgence, refulgence, incandescence,
glow, phosphorescence, gleam, lustre, shimmer, shine: As
Aladdin rubbed the ring, it began to glow with an inner radiance
and then - suddenly - a genie appeared. 2 warmth, gladness, joy,
pleasure, happiness, cheeriness, delight: It was good to see
again the radiance of the family at Christmas dinner.
radiant adj. 1 shining, bright, beaming, burning, ablaze, blazing,
brilliant, luminous, resplendent, splendid, splendorous,
lustrous, gleaming, glowing, phosphorescent, shimmering, shiny,
glossy, glistening, incandescent, alight, effulgent, refulgent,
sparkling, dazzling, glittering, coruscating, scintillating,
twinkling; aglow: In her hair she wore a diamond tiara, a
radiant crown whose glory was diminished only by her beauty. The
room was radiant with sunshine. 2 happy, overjoyed, ecstatic,
rapturous, delighted, joyful, blithe, blithesome, blissful,
beatific, glad, gleeful, joyous, gay, bubbling, bubbly,
jubilant, elated, rhapsodic, exultant, exhilarated, in seventh
heaven, in heaven, Colloq on cloud nine, Brit over the moon:
Carrie was absolutely radiant when she learned she was pregnant.
radiate v. 1 shine, beam, burn, blaze, gleam, glow, shimmer, glisten,
sparkle, dazzle, glitter, coruscate, scintillate, twinkle: The
jewel seemed to radiate with an inner light. 2 emanate,
disseminate, disperse, spread, diffuse, shed, send out, emit,
give off or out, Rare irradiate: He radiated goodwill the way a
fire radiates heat and light.
radiation n. emission, emanation, diffusion, dispersal, shedding:
Because the night was cloudless, unhindered radiation of the
earth's heat rapidly cooled the air.
radical adj. 1 basic, fundamental, elementary, inherent,
constitutional, elemental, essential, cardinal, principal,
primary, deep, deep-seated, profound, underlying, organic,
natural, rudimentary: There is a radical error in your approach
to the problem. There are radical differences in the ways we
regard the English language. 2 thorough, thoroughgoing,
complete, entire, total, exhaustive, sweeping, (all-)inclusive,
comprehensive, all-embracing, out-and-out, drastic, severe,
extreme, extremist, revolutionary: We have made radical changes
in the way we live. Every political party that is not in power
promises radical reform. 3 extremist, revolutionary,
fanatic(al), militant, anarchist(ic), immoderate: A staunch
conservative, Vincent regarded as radical anyone who disagreed
with him.
--n. 4 extremist, revolutionary, fanatic, zealot, immoderate,
anarchist, militant: The radicals favour reform, the
conservatives the status quo - but there is nothing new in that.
5 communist, leftist, left-winger, red, Bolshevik, Bolshevist,
pink, Slang US pinko: Carlo, recently arrested as a spy, had
been a radical since his days at university.
radio n. 1 receiver, portable (radio), Old-fashioned crystal set,
Brit and US old-fashioned wireless, Colloq transistor, Slang
ghetto-blaster, Brit tranny or trannie, US boom box: He listens
to BBC World Service on his short-wave radio.
--v. 2 transmit, broadcast, air, disseminate, announce,
present: Weather reports are radioed continuously to ships at
sea and aircraft.
raffle n. lottery, draw, sweepstake or US sweepstakes, sweep or US
sweeps: The church is holding a raffle for a new car next week.
rag° n. 1 tatter, piece, shred, scrap, fragment, bit, Dialect clout:
Take a clean rag and dust the bookshelves when you get the
chance. 2 newspaper, periodical, magazine, publication,
journal: You can't believe anything you read in that rag. 3
rags. Facetious clothes, clothing, attire, dress, garments,
Old-fashioned duds: I bought some new rags at the
post-Christmas sales. 4 rag trade. garment-industry, clothing
business, fashion industry: Peggy has been a model in the rag
trade for years. 5 chew the rag. a converse, talk, gossip,
chat: We bought a bottle of wine and just sat about chewing the
rag all evening. b Brit argue, wrangle: They are constantly
chewing the rag over trivial nonsense.
ragэ v. tease, taunt, belittle, twit, ridicule, mock, make fun of,
pull (someone's) leg, Brit rally, Colloq kid: The boys at
school were always ragging him about his lisp.
ragamuffin
n. (street) urchin, (street) Arab, waif, mudlark, gamin, little
lost lamb, babe in the wood, stray, guttersnipe, scarecrow: We
took in a poor little ragamuffin who was shaking from the cold.
rage n. 1 anger, fury, wrath, ire, high dudgeon, exasperation,
vehemence, passion: Imagine her rage when Simon phoned to say
that he couldn't make it home for dinner! 2 fury, passion,
frenzy, hysterics, tantrum, fit, temper, Brit paddy or
paddywhack or paddywack, Colloq Brit wax: He flies into a rage
if Grace is as little as five minutes late for an appointment. 3
fashion, craze, vogue, the (latest or newest) thing, last word,
dernier cri, mode, Colloq fad: Miniskirts were all the rage in
the 1960s.
--v. 4 rant, rave, storm, go mad or crazy or bonkers or wild or
out of one's mind, go berserk, run amok or amuck, behave or act
or be like one possessed, fret, be beside oneself (with anger or
fury), lose one's temper, go berserk, have a tantrum, fulminate,
explode; fume, foam at the mouth, stew, smoulder, boil, seethe,
simmer, Colloq have kittens, lose one's cool, fly off the
handle, go off the deep end, Slang get into or work oneself up
into a lather or stew or sweat, get all worked up, blow one's
top, blow a gasket, blow up, flip one's top or lid, hit the
ceiling or roof, freak out, be fit to be tied, be ready for a
strait-jacket, Brit throw a wobbly, US and Canadian blow one's
stack, flip one's wig, blow a fuse, have a haemorrhage, go ape,
do a slow burn, have a conniption fit: Father raged for hours
when he found that Donald had borrowed the car without
permission.
ragged adj. 1 rough, shaggy, shabby, seedy, tattered, unkempt,
scraggy, torn, rent, ripped, frayed, worn (out), threadbare,
patched, patchy, ravelled, Chiefly Brit tatty, Brit down at
heel, US down at the heel(s), Colloq US frazzled, beat-up: On
weekends, Charles put on his most ragged clothes to work in the
garden. 2 rough, uneven, irregular, nicked, jagged; serrated,
sawtooth(ed), zigzag, notched, toothed, denticulate(d), ridged:
Every morning on his way to work, his first sight of the factory
was the ragged edge of its roof. 3 worn out, tired, exhausted,
on one's last legs, the worse for wear, dead tired, overtired,
fatigued, weary, fagged out, spent, Colloq all in, dog-tired,
Slang dead (on one's feet), (dead) beat, Brit knackered, US and
Canadian pooped (out): The emergency crew was run ragged by
thirty hours on duty without rest. 4 bad, rough, patchy,
imperfect, shabby, messy, disordered, disorderly, run-down,
battered, broken-down, neglected, deteriorated, dilapidated,
Colloq beat-up: From its ragged condition, it's clear that the
building isn't properly maintained. 5 rough, harsh, discordant,
grating, rasping, hoarse, scratchy, croaking: His voice, once a
beautiful lyric tenor, was ragged after years of alcoholism. 6
uneven, bad, poor, shabby, patchy: The guests gave a ragged
rendition of 'Happy Birthday' as their host entered the room.
ragman n. rag-dealer, rag-picker, scrap dealer, Brit rag-and-bone man,
knacker, US junk dealer, junkman: When the ragman comes round,
give him those old curtains.
raid n. 1 (surprise) attack, incursion, invasion, onset, onslaught,
blitz, sortie, sally, expedition, Slang (police) bust: The
partisans made a raid on the arsenal last night and got away
with guns and ammunition.
--v. 2 attack, invade, assault, storm, set upon, descend upon,
swoop down on or upon, pounce upon, Military forage; sack,
plunder, pillage, loot, ransack, rifle, strip, maraud,
depredate, Slang bust: The commandos raided the enemy
stronghold and destroyed it.
rail° n. 1 bar, rod, handrail, foot-rail , towel-rail; railing,
banisters, balustrade, baluster, fence: Don't lean on the rail
or it will break. 2 by or via rail. by train, by railway or US
also railroad: We travelled by rail from Paris to Geneva.
railэ v. Usually, rail at or against. vituperate, vociferate,
fulminate, be or become abusive, revile, attack, berate, scold,
upbraid, criticize, censure, decry, condemn, denounce: She
continues to rage and rail against those who would deny equal
rights to women.
raillery n. banter, badinage, persiflage, repartee, frivolity, joking,
jesting, chaffing, teasing, ridicule, Colloq kidding: You
shouldn't get upset over what was nothing more than some
good-natured raillery.
railroad n. 1 See railway, below.
--v. 2 force, compel, expedite, coerce, intimidate, push
(through), Brit pressurize, US pressure, bully, hector,
tyrannize, dragoon, browbeat, bullyrag, Colloq bulldoze,
squeeze, lean on: Clayton was railroaded into appointing
Pinbury to head the committee to investigate corruption.
railway n. train, rail, rolling-stock, Archaic iron horse, US railroad:
Railway service could be improved on some suburban lines.
Diamond Jim Brady, the American millionaire, made his money from
the railway.
rain n. 1 precipitation, drizzle, sprinkle, downpour, shower,
thunder-shower, cloudburst, rainstorm, squall, deluge, US
sunshower: After the rain the sun came out. 2 rainfall,
precipitation: The rain in Spain falls mainly in the plain. 3
flood, torrent, shower, volley, stream, outpouring: Arriving
home, she could barely shield herself from the rain of
children's kisses.
--v. 4 come down, pour, teem, sprinkle, drizzle, spit, Brit
dialect mizzle, Colloq come down in buckets, rain cats and dogs:
The weatherman said it would rain today, so take an umbrella. 5
trickle, pour, run, fall: Tears rained down her sallow cheeks.
6 descend, shower: Blows rained on him from the tiny fists of
the furious child. 7 bestow, lavish, shower: He rained kisses
on her upturned face.
raise v. 1 lift (up), elevate; hoist, pull up, haul up, run up,
Literary upraise: She raised the glass to her lips. We raised
the mainsail and sailed out of the harbour. 2 erect, put up,
construct, build, produce, create, put together, assemble,
frame: With the help of some neighbours, the barn was raised in
less than a day. 3 farm, grow, cultivate, plant, bring up,
nurture, harvest, propagate: During that year's mild winter, we
were able to raise three crops. 4 bring up, nurture, rear;
mother, father, parent: His grandmother raised ten children,
six girls and four boys. 5 assemble, gather, bring or gather or
get together, muster, mobilize, round up, rally, collect,
convene, recruit, Colloq pull together: Do you think you could
raise an army quickly enough to defend us against attack? 6
increase, boost, advance, put up, jack up, run up, inflate,
escalate: Why are consumer petrol prices always raised at the
vaguest hint of an increase in oil prices? 7 cultivate, foster,
nurture, heighten, stimulate, buoy, lift, uplift, boost, arouse,
quicken, encourage, develop: The news about the new company
raised our hopes of finding jobs. 8 open, introduce, initiate,
broach, bring up, bring or put forward, present, suggest,
mention, moot: It is regrettable that you saw fit to raise such
a delicate issue. 9 remove, relieve, lift, abandon, eliminate,
discontinue, (bring to an) end, terminate: Restrictions on
travel to south-east Asia were about to be raised. 10 cause,
provoke, evoke, occasion, put or set in motion, institute,
prompt, engender, stir up, instigate, inspire, give rise to,
bring about, arouse, originate: Objections to the relaxation of
safety regulations were raised by relatives of the victims of
the earlier disaster. 11 utter, express, bring up, put forward,
shout, call: Was it you who raised the alarm at the first sign
of smoke? 12 assemble, obtain, get, collect, amass, solicit:
We raised twice as much for charity as last year. 13
invigorate, animate, vitalize, vivify, buoy, lift, uplift, cheer
(up), exhilarate, elate: Our spirits were raised considerably
by the news from head office.
rake° v. 1 Often, rake up. scrape together, gather (together or up),
collect, draw together: You really must rake up the leaves from
the lawn and burn them. 2 scrape, comb, scratch, grate, graze:
Don't you just hate the sound of a fingernail being raked across
a blackboard? 3 rake in. collect, gather (up or in), pull in,
make: Pamela is raking in the royalties from her latest
thriller. 4 rake it in. coin money, make money
(hand-over-fist), Brit coin it in: The new record shop in the
mall is really raking it in. 5 rake out. sift (out), screen,
remove, clear, eliminate: Please rake out the cinders from the
grate. 6 rake over or through. search, probe, ransack, scour,
comb, rummage through, pick through or over, go through or over
(with a fine-tooth(ed) comb), rifle (through): The police raked
through her entire flat but found nothing incriminating. 7 rake
up. a See 1, above. b revive, resuscitate, resurrect, raise,
bring up, recall: Must you persist in raking up those bad
memories? 8 rake up or together. gather, scrape up or together,
collect, drag together, pick up, dig up, dredge up, find,
unearth: Were you able to rake up the others for a game of
poker tonight?
rakeэ n. libertine, womanizer, lecher, rou‚, playboy, ladies' man,
Don Juan, Casanova, Lothario, debauchee, voluptuary, profligate,
prodigal; scoundrel, rascal, cad, Archaic rakehell, masher;
Colloq lady-killer, Colloq old-fashioned wolf, Brit bounder:
Lady Anne was led stray by some young rake, a friend of the
Prince Regent's.
rake-off n. kickback, commission; discount, mark-down, rebate, Colloq
cut, piece: Does Mac get a rake-off for every buyer he sends to
the shop?
rakish adj. dashing, jaunty, dapper, spruce, debonair, raffish, smart,
breezy, flashy, chic, fashionable, elegant; dandy, foppish:
Adjusting his trilby to a rakish angle, Peter strode along the
boulevard.
rally n. 1 gathering, (mass) meeting, meet, convocation, convention,
assemblage, assembly, muster: There is to be a political rally
tonight in the town square. Are you taking your Daimler to the
vintage car rally? 2 recovery, improvement, revival, turn for
the better, recuperation, renewal: His doctors said that the
rally might be only temporary.
--v. 3 Often, rally round. bring or call or get together, round
up, assemble, convene, group, congregate, organize, come
together, troop; marshal, mobilize, summon, gather, muster: All
Sally's friends rallied round her when her father died. He
rallied every last ounce of strength in the dash for the
finishing line. 4 revive, rouse, recover, improve, get better,
take a turn for the better, recuperate, perk up, pick up, Colloq
snap out of it, make a comeback: According to the nurse, he
rallied during the night and asked for something to eat.
ram v. 1 jam, force, drive, cram, crowd, pack, compress, stuff,
squeeze, thrust, tamp, pound, hammer: We rammed as much filler
as we could into the crevices. 2 butt, bump, strike, hit,
collide with, dash, crash, slam: Their car rammed into mine in
the garage.
ramble v. 1 amble, wander (off), stroll, saunter, walk, perambulate,
go (off or away), travel, drift, range, rove, go or move about,
hike, trek, Colloq mosey: Don't ramble too far as dinner will
be ready soon. We used to ramble over those hills, but the area
is now an industrial site. 2 meander, wander, digress, maunder:
Fiona tends to ramble off the main topic of conversation. 3
Sometimes, ramble on. babble, chatter, gibber, rave, go on (and
on), rattle on, Colloq Brit witter on, rabbit on or away: If
you didn't stop him, Hugh would ramble on for ever about his
grandchildren.
--n. 4 stroll, amble, saunter, walk, promenade, constitutional,
walkabout, tour, tramp, hike, trek: We went on a short ramble
through the park.
rambling adj. 1 discursive, roundabout, circuitous, tortuous,
incoherent, diffuse, unsettled, disconnected, disjointed,
disorganized, unorganized, illogical, maundering, aimless,
confused, muddled, jumbled, scrambled, unintelligible,
inarticulate, periphrastic, circumlocutory, circumlocutional,
circumlocutionary, ambagious, wordy, verbose, prolix, endless,
interminable: We couldn't make heads or tails of the
professor's rambling lecture. 2 unplanned, straggling,
irregular, sprawling, spread out, spreading, straggly: The
Wilsons live in that big old rambling Victorian house down the
road. 3 roving, wandering, travelling, peripatetic, itinerant,
wayfaring, migratory, nomadic: For five years he led a rambling
life as a folk-singing banjo player.
ramification
n. 1 consequence, result, effect, upshot, implication,
subtlety; complication, difficulty: Have you considered the
ramifications of your decision to retire? 2 branch, extension,
outgrowth, subdivision, offshoot: Courier services may be
considered a ramification of services that were once performed
by the post office.
ramp n. slope, grade, gradient, incline; rise, ascent, acclivity;
descent, dip, declivity: There is a special ramp in the theatre
for wheelchair access.
rampage n. 1 excitement, agitation, recklessness, riot, tumult, uproar,
frenzy, fury, rage, furore or US furor, turmoil: His latest
rampage was prompted by their serving him a cup of cold coffee.
2 Brit on the rampage, US on a rampage. berserk, mad, crazy,
amok or amuck, wild, out of control: Pete regularly drank too
much whisky and then went on the rampage.
--v. 3 storm, rage, rant, rave, go berserk, run amok or amuck:
He rampaged like a man possessed when he got his second parking
ticket of the day.
rampant adj. 1 unchecked, uninhibited, unrestrained, wild,
uncontrolled, out of control, out of hand, frenzied, unbridled,
uncontrollable, violent: He was a victim of rampant jealousy.
Jennie could hardly be described as a rampant feminist. 2
profuse, unbounded, abounding, flourishing, rife, widespread,
everywhere, epidemic, pandemic, prevalent, unrestrained,
unchecked, running wild, uninhibited, indiscriminate, wild,
uncontrolled; in control, holding sway, in full sway, dominant,
predominant; exuberant, rank, luxuriant: Before Masterson
became sheriff, vice and crime were rampant in the town.
rampart n. defence, bastion, guard, fortification, security,
stronghold, bulwark, barricade, wall; earthwork, breastwork,
parados, gabion: The old town is surrounded by seven rows of
ramparts leading up to the cathedral at the summit. They regard
religion as an impenetrable rampart against immorality.
ramshackle
adj. dilapidated, tumbledown, crumbling, broken-down, rickety,
unsteady, jerry-built, decrepit, flimsy, shaky, unstable,
tottering, unsubstantial or insubstantial, ruined, in disrepair,
beyond repair, run-down, neglected, derelict: He lives in a
ramshackle hut on the outskirts of town.
rancid adj. stinking or reeking (to high heaven), foul-smelling,
ill-smelling, evil-smelling, noisome, mephitic, miasmic or
miasmal or miasmatic(al), smelly, rank, malodorous, fusty;
nasty, disagreeable, odious, fetid or foetid, rotten, decayed,
spoilt or spoiled, turned, bad, awful, sour, tainted, high,
gamy, ripe, putrid, corrupt, stale: To rid your fridge of that
rancid smell, wash it out with a solution of baking soda.
rancorous adj. hateful, spiteful, resentful, hostile, malign, malignant,
bitter, malevolent, malicious, venomous, vindictive, vengeful,
splenetic, acrimonious: Olivia felt rancorous towards her
brother-in-law when he refused to lend her money.
rancour n. hatred, hate, antipathy, spite, resentment, resentfulness,
antagonism, hostility, malignity, bitterness, malevolence,
malice, venomousness, venom, vindictiveness, vengefulness,
spleen, acrimony, animus, animosity, enmity, bad feeling, bad
blood: Owing to the rancour between them, the brothers had not
exchanged a word in forty years.
random adj. 1 haphazard, chance, fortuitous, serendipitous, aleatory,
arbitrary, casual, stray, occasional, indefinite,
indiscriminate, non-specific, unspecific, unspecified,
unordered, unorganized, undirected, unpremeditated, unplanned,
accidental, uncalculated, unsystematic, adventitious,
incidental, hit-or-miss: He used a computer program to generate
random numbers. A random selection of slips was drawn from the
drum and Madelaine's name was on one of them. 2 at random.
randomly, haphazardly, fortuitously, by chance, serendipitously,
arbitrarily, casually, occasionally, (every) now and then,
(every) once in a while, irregularly, indefinitely, erratically,
indiscriminately, unsystematically, adventitiously,
incidentally, unpremeditatedly: They picked names from a hat at
random. They drove up and down the road, firing at random.
randy adj. aroused, lustful, lecherous, Brit on heat or US in heat,
Brit in oestrus or US in estrus, Slang hot, horny, in rut,
rutting, at stud: Seeing Betty always made Len feel terribly
randy.
range n. 1 scope, sweep, reach, limit, extent, span, area, radius,
distance, compass, latitude, stretch, sphere, orbit: The gun
has a range of about 200 yards. This radio transmitter is
effective only within a thirty-mile range. The minister is
trying to broaden the range of his influence. 2 assortment,
series, collection, lot, spread, selection, choice, number,
variety, kind, sort, scale, gamut, register: The courses
offered cater to a wide range of interests. 3 rank, row, tier,
line, file, series, string, chain: From my window I could see
the range of hills stretching away into the distance. 4 kitchen
range, (cooking-) stove, Chiefly Brit cooker, Brit trade mark
Aga, US cook-stove: In every French farmhouse there was always
a pot of soup on the range.
--v. 5 line up, rank, order, align, order, array: The teacher
ranged the children according to their height. 6 vary,
fluctuate, spread, run the gamut, extend, stretch, run, go: The
students range in age from eight to eighty. 7 organize,
categorize, catalogue, arrange, classify, sort, class, group,
rank, bracket, pigeon-hole, file, index, break down, grade,
distribute: The books are ranged according to their
subject-matter. 8 cover, traverse, roam, rove, travel over or
across, go or pass over, drift, migrate, wander, move, extend:
The wildebeest ranges far and wide over vast tracts of grazing
land in Africa.
rank° n. 1 status, standing, position, place, level, stratum, class,
caste, circumstances, echelon, grade: It is virtually
impossible to determine rank simply by looking at a person. 2
weight, authority, power, superiority, seniority, ascendancy,
priority, influence, eminence: Caldwell uses the privilege of
rank to cover up some of his more questionable transactions. 3
nobility, title, high birth, aristocracy, dignity, prestige,
(blue) blood; peerage: Gentlemen of rank should behave with
honour, my boy. 4 line, row, column, queue, series, formation;
sequence: We gazed on the serried ranks of warriors, golden
shields glistening in the sun. 5 ranks. soldiers, workers,
staff, employees: Smithers rose from the ranks to become chief
executive officer.
--v. 6 grade, rate, classify, class, categorize; dispose,
organize, order, sort, assort, arrange, array, align, range,
graduate: He was ranked among the best in the school. The
applicants are ranked according to their test scores. 7 rate,
count, stand, have standing or value or prestige, be important
or distinguished: To Janet, character ranks far above wealth.
Phil is so mean that Scrooge would rank high on a list of
charitable men in comparison with him.
rankэ adj. 1 lush, luxuriant, abundant, flourishing, profuse,
prolific, dense, superabundant, exuberant, fertile, productive,
fructuous: The expedition could hardly make its way through the
rank undergrowth of th jungle. 2 corrupt, foul, low, base,
gross; downright, utter, sheer, absolute, complete, out-and-out,
blatant, flagrant, unalloyed, unmitigated, undiluted: I cannot
understand the rank treachery of the man after all that we have
done for him. I ventured my opinion, even though a rank
outsider. 3 offensive, loathsome, disgusting, gross, foul,
corrupt, indecent, shocking, immodest, indecorous, shameless,
risqu‚, lurid, off colour, outrageous, blue, nasty, vulgar,
vile, dirty, filthy, smutty, scatological, pornographic,
obscene: Those bigots always resort to the rank vocabulary of
malice and hate. In a secret cupboard was a collection of the
rankest literature. 4 offensive, loathsome, disgusting, gross,
foul, foul-smelling, smelly, rancid, noisome, stinking, reeky,
reeking, mephitic, miasmic or miasmal or miasmatic(al), fetid or
foetid, noxious, rotten, putrid, musty, stale, disagreeable,
strong, pungent: The rank stench from the open sewers pervades
the air in those pockets of poverty.
rank and file
n. (general) membership, members, majority: The union's rank
and file must now vote on whether to accept management's pay
offer.
rankle v. gall, fester, irk, vex, plague, chafe, grate, nettle,
torment, pain, hurt, provoke, anger, exasperate, get (to),
upset: Although she had forgiven him, the insult still rankled.
ransack v. 1 search, examine, go through or over (with a fine-tooth(ed)
comb), comb, rake or rummage through, scour, explore,
scrutinize, turn inside out: I ransacked the second-hand
bookshops for a copy but had no success. 2 rob, plunder,
pillage, sack, despoil, loot, strip; burgle, US and Canadian
burglarize: The thieves who ransacked the shop apparently
missed the most valuable jewel.
ransom n. 1 redemption, rescue, deliverance; release, liberation: The
envoy was held to ransom by a fanatical band of zealots. 2
payment, payout, pay-off, price: The police refuse to reveal
the amount of the ransom given to the kidnappers.
--v. 3 redeem, rescue, release, deliver: The boy was ransomed
for њ10,000.
rant v. 1 declaim, hold forth, expound, expatiate, orate, perorate,
pontificate, trumpet, preach, harangue, lecture, deliver
(oneself of) a tirade or diatribe or speech, speak: The
minister ranted pompously about his accomplishments. 2
vociferate, bluster, rave, rant and rave, bellow, rage: The
master kept ranting on about his newspaper having been creased.
--n. 3 tirade, philippic, bluster, flatulence, rhetoric,
bombast, pomposity, turgidity, gasconade, rodomontade,
theatrics, histrionics, act: As he carried on his rant, the
theatre gradually emptied till he was alone.
rap v. 1 knock, strike, tap, hit: The policeman rapped smartly at
the door with his truncheon. 2 criticize, rebuke, scold,
reprimand, rap over the knuckles, Colloq knock, Brit tick off:
We were severely rapped for dropping litter on the pavement. 3
converse, talk, chat, gossip, Colloq gab, Slang chew the fat or
the rag: That guy was so fascinating - we could rap with him
for hours.
--n. 4 knock, tap, hit, blow, crack, stroke, cuff, whack,
thwack, punch, Colloq belt, clout, Slang sock, slug, biff: The
punishment for failing to complete the assignment was a severe
rap on the knuckles. 5 conversation, discussion, chat,
confabulation, talk, dialogue, discourse, colloquy, Colloq
confab, Slang chiefly US and Canadian bull session, rap session:
We used to get together for a nice long rap now and then. 6
responsibility, blame; punishment, sentence; charge, accusation,
indictment: Why should he have to take the rap for something
you did? The witness failed to show up, so Baxter beat the rap.
rapacious adj. greedy, covetous, grasping, avaricious, mercenary,
usurious, acquisitive, predatory, predacious, ravenous,
ravening, voracious, insatiable, insatiate, wolfish, wolflike,
lupine, vulturine, raptorial: That rapacious swindler took
everything they had in the world.
rapacity n. greed, greediness, cupidity, covetousness, avarice,
acquisitiveness, predaciousness, ravenousness, voracity,
voraciousness, insatiability, insatiableness, rapaciousness:
The rapacity of the invading hordes of Mongols knew no bounds.
rape n. 1 ravishment, defloration, deflowering, violation, sexual
assault, defilement: The police are investigating reports of
rape by a masked man. 2 rapine, despoliation, spoliation,
despoilment, pillage, depredation, ravagement, ravaging,
plunder, plundering, sack, sacking, looting, ransacking: He
travelled in disguise to document the rape of the war-torn
areas. 3 abduction, carrying-off, kidnapping, seizure, capture,
snatching: History debates whether the ancient Romans were
truly responsible for the rape of the Sabine women.
--v. 4 violate, ravish, assault sexually, deflower, defile,
force to submit to sexual intercourse, have one's way with, take
advantage of: The defendant raped three women before he was
caught. 5 despoil, spoliate, pillage, depredate, ravage,
plunder, sack, loot: Throughout history the city has been raped
by marauding tribes.
rapid adj. quick, fast, swift, speedy, high-speed, brisk,
expeditious, prompt, express, fleet, lightning(-fast),
alacritous; hurried, hasty, precipitate, impetuous, immediate,
instantaneous, instant, sudden: The company we use offers rapid
delivery service. What do you suppose occasioned Flannery's
rapid departure?
rapidity n. quickness, swiftness, speed, speediness, briskness,
expeditiousness, promptness, promptitude, alacrity, celerity,
immediateness, dispatch or despatch, instantaneousness: The
rapidity with which they responded to our request is truly
commendable.
rapidly adv. 1 quickly, fast, swiftly, speedily, briskly,
expeditiously, like a shot, at the speed of light, double-quick,
at full speed, like one possessed, at a gallop, tantivy, Colloq
like blazes, like (greased) lightning, US lickety-split, Slang
like a bat out of hell, like mad: He cycled down the High
Street as rapidly as he could go. 2 promptly, instantly,
instantaneously, instanter, without delay, at once, straight
away, right away, in a moment, in a trice, like a shot, in a
wink, in (less than) no time, double-quick, in a flash, at the
speed of light, before you (can) turn around, Colloq in a jiffy,
in two shakes (of a lamb's tail), like (greased) lightning,
before you can say 'Jack Robinson', US and Canadian (right) off
the bat, lickety-split, Slang like a bat out of hell: When I
mentioned that you were coming, she left rapidly.
rapport n. empathy, relationship, sympathy, harmony, affinity, accord,
bond, relationship, (mutual) understanding, camaraderie: The
minute we met we established a rapport.
rapprochement
n. reconciliation, understanding, settlement: The party needs
to bring about a rapprochement between the radicals and the
reactionaries.
rapt adj. 1 entranced, fascinated, spellbound, mesmerized,
hypnotized, engrossed, enthralled, bewitched, absorbed,
transported, captivated, delighted: She gave her last
performance of 'Giselle' before a rapt audience. 2 enraptured,
rapturous, delighted, elated, happy, ecstatic, blissful,
overjoyed, joyous, joyful, beatific: You should have seen the
rapt expression on the child's face when Santa Claus appeared.
rapture n. ecstasy, delight, joy, joyfulness, joyousness, pleasure,
exaltation, elation, thrill, enchantment, euphoria, beatitude,
transport, enchantment: Nothing could compare with the rapture
he felt at seeing his daughter win the Nobel prize.
rapturous adj. ecstatic, delighted, joyful, joyous, elated, thrilled,
enchanted, euphoric, in seventh heaven, overjoyed, rhapsodic,
Colloq on cloud nine, Brit over the moon: He was rapturous over
qualifying for the Olympics.
rare° adj. 1 uncommon, unfamiliar, unusual, exceptional, out of the
ordinary, extraordinary, atypical; scarce, unparalleled, choice,
recherch‚, phenomenal, infrequent, few and far between, sparse,
scanty, limited, seldom encountered or met with or seen; unique,
singular, one of a kind; Chiefly Brit thin on the ground: It
was rare to see Liz in such good humour. Specimens in such
perfect condition are rare. A copy of the first edition in this
condition is rare. 2 fine, good, admirable, excellent, choice,
select, special, first-rate, first-class, exquisite, superior,
superlative, peerless, unequalled, matchless, incomparable, in a
class by itself or herself or himself or themselves, sui
generis, outstanding; collectible or collectable: O, rare Ben
Jonson! On exhibit was a black pearl of rare beauty and
remarkable size. Consideration for others seems a rare quality
these days.
rareэ adj. underdone, undercooked, bleu(e), saignant(e): Do you want
your steak rare, medium, or well-done?
rarefied adj. 1 thin, lean, attenuated, diluted, sparse, scant, scanty:
As we climbed higher, the rarefied atmosphere made breathing
more difficult. 2 exalted, lofty, elevated, high, sublime,
noble, high: I feel out of place in the rarefied atmosphere of
academia. 3 cliquish, clannish, exclusive, private, select,
esoteric: Clarence copes well in the rarefied atmosphere of
Whitehall's corridors of power.
rarely adv. seldom, infrequently, on rare occasions, hardly (ever),
scarcely (ever), almost never, Colloq once in a blue moon: He
rarely attends formal dinners at his club.
rarity n. 1 curiosity, oddity, curio, collector's item, find,
treasure, conversation piece, Brit one-off, Colloq Brit oner:
Among the rarities in his collection is a stuffed dodo. 2
unusualness, uncommonness, rareness, uniqueness, scarcity: The
rarity of the first edition makes this book all the more
valuable.
rascal n. imp, devil, scamp, mischief-maker; rapscallion, rogue,
scoundrel, cad, villain, blackguard, knave, good-for-nothing,
ne'er-do-well, wastrel, scapegrace, dastard, wretch, Colloq
scallywag or scalawag, Brit rotter, blighter, bounder: That
little rascal has eaten all the cherry tarts. They've caught the
rascals who were vandalizing parked cars.
rash° adj. impetuous, impulsive, unthinking, thoughtless, foolhardy,
unconsidered, ill-considered, ill-advised, injudicious,
imprudent, indiscreet, precipitate, hasty, careless, heedless,
reckless, headlong, wild, madcap, hare-brained, hotheaded,
adventurous, quixotic, venturesome, audacious, bold, dashing,
brash, devil-may-care: It was rash of him to try to sail round
the world single-handed, but he did it.
rashэ n. 1 eruption, eczema, redness, efflorescence, dermatitis: One
of the symptoms of measles is a skin rash. 2 number(s),
quantity, lot(s), multitude, profusion, outbreak, series,
succession, spate, wave, flood, deluge, plague, epidemic:
There's been a rash of burglaries in the neighbourhood.
rasp n. 1 grating, scrape, scraping, scratch, scratching, grinding,
stridulation: One could hear the rasp of the file as they tried
to cut through the door. 2 file, grater: The coarser rasp is
for use on wood.
--v. 3 scrape, abrade, grate, file: First, rasp the
horseradish, then combine the gratings with a little vinegar. 4
irritate, jar (upon), grate upon or against, rub (someone) (up)
the wrong way, nettle, irk, annoy, vex, wear on, get, Literary
gride: She has a rasping metallic voice that gets on my nerves.
5 croak, squawk, screech: The sergeant rasped out another
command and the company marched forward.
rate° n. 1 measure, pace, gait, speed, velocity, Colloq clip: We
moved along at a pretty fast rate. Rates of production must
increase. 2 charge, price, fee, tariff, figure, amount; toll:
The rate for a hotel room has increased enormously in the past
few years. 3 percentage, scale, proportion: What is the current
rate of interest on government savings bonds? 4 Usually, -rate.
rank, grade, place, standing, status, position, class,
classification, kind, sort, type, rating, status, worth, value,
valuation, evaluation: After a few years, he had improved from
a second-rate typist to a first-rate secretary. 5 at any rate.
in any case, in any event, anyway, at all events, anyhow, under
any circumstances, regardless, notwithstanding: At any rate,
with their last child out of university, they have no more
worries about paying education costs.
--v. 6 rank, grade, class, classify, evaluate, estimate,
calculate, compute, count, reckon, judge, gauge, assess,
appraise, measure: How do you rate your chances of beating the
champion? 7 merit, be entitled to, deserve, be worthy of, have
a claim to: The play doesn't rate all the attention it's been
getting in the press. 8 count, place, measure: She rates very
high among her friends.
rateэ v. scold, berate, reprimand, rebuke, reproach, reprove, take to
task, upbraid, censure, Colloq bawl out, dress down, US and
Canadian chew out: I was rated severely for staying out after
midnight.
rather adv. 1 quite, very, somewhat, fairly, moderately, to a certain
extent or degree or measure, to some extent or degree or
measure, more or less, pretty, slightly, Colloq sort of, kind
of: I suppose she was rather good-looking, but at that age I
didn't pay much attention to girls. This coffee tastes rather
strange. 2 preferably, sooner, instead, more readily or
willingly: Given an option, I choose to live alone rather than
marry. 3 would or Colloq US had rather. prefer, choose: Given
a choice, I would rather live alone.
ratify v. approve, sanction, endorse, support, corroborate, uphold,
back (up), sustain, establish, validate, substantiate, verify,
authenticate, guarantee, warrant, certify, affirm, ensure,
clinch, settle: The pact was ratified by all members.
ratio n. proportion, relationship, correlation, correspondence: What
is the ratio of male to female students at Oxford University?
In that area, the ratio of tenants to home-owners is about two
to one.
ration n. 1 share, quota, allotment, portion, helping, part,
provision, measure, dole, percentage, amount: Each person is
permitted a weekly fixed ration of butter, sugar, coffee, meat,
etc. We shall have to go on short rations till we are rescued. 2
rations. supplies, provisions, food, provender, victuals,
viands, eatables, edibles, comestibles, Brit commons: It was
not till the third week with our rations running low that we
really began to worry.
--v. 3 Often, ration out. allot, apportion, dole (out), give
out, distribute, deal out, mete out, parcel out, measure out,
hand out: As water was in short supply, we had to ration it.
One cup was rationed out to each of us every morning. 4 budget,
schedule, restrict, control, limit: Water had to be rationed to
one cup a day for each of us.
rational adj. 1 well-balanced, sane, sound, normal, reasonable,
reasoning, logical, ratiocinative, clear-headed, clear-eyed,
sober; of sound mind, Colloq all there: Desmond is a rational
human being who would be able to advise you about your problem.
2 discriminating, intelligent, thinking, enlightened, prudent,
wise, knowledgeable, informed: We could not have elected a more
rational representative for our cause than Robert Brown. 3
sensible, common-sense, commonsensical, practical, pragmatic,
down-to-earth, everyday, acceptable, reasonable, logical:
Philippa thinks she has a rational explanation for the strange
light we saw in the sky last night.
rationale n. reason, explanation, logical basis, grounds, logic,
reasoning, philosophy, principle, theory: Do you understand the
rationale of a policy for curbing inflation that sets interest
rates at a level where business, initiative, and productivity
are stifled?
rationalize
v. 1 make plausible or believable or understandable or
acceptable or reasonable, make allowance(s) or excuses for,
vindicate, account for, justify, excuse, reason away, explain
away: How can you rationalize taking my car without my
permission? 2 think through, reason out; apply logic to,
ratiocinate: He warps the statistics to rationalize his
argument. The fundamentalists make no attempt to rationalize
their literal interpretation of the Scripture.
rattle v. 1 clatter: An acorn dropped from an overhanging tree and
rattled down the tin roof. 2 shake, vibrate, jar, joggle,
jiggle: The wind was strong enough to rattle the windows in
their frames. 3 unnerve, disconcert, discomfit, disturb,
perturb, shake, discountenance, upset, agitate, put off, Chiefly
US and Canadian faze: They are only trying to rattle us by
saying that we might lose our jobs if we strike. 4 jounce,
bounce, bump, jolt, speed, hurtle: The stagecoach came rattling
down the road, swaying wildly. 5 rattle off. recite, list,
utter, reel off, run through, enumerate, call off: The
announcer rattled off a long list of trains cancelled because of
the storm. 6 rattle on. chatter, babble, jabber, gibber, prate,
prattle, blabber, cackle, blather, ramble, Chiefly Brit witter,
natter, Slang US run off at the mouth: The speaker kept
rattling on and on about the delights of collecting beer cans.
--n. 7 clatter, racket, noise; rale or rѓle, crackle,
crackling; death-rattle: I heard the rattle of the beans and
knew you were about to grind the coffee. The doctor said he
didn't like the rattle in my chest. 8 clapper, sistrum, US
noise-maker: Rattles have been used as musical instruments for
thousands of years.
rattletrap
n. flivver, rattler, Colloq jalopy, tin Lizzie, US Model T:
This old rattletrap won't get us all the way to Hawkhurst.
ratty adj. 1 irritable, cross, testy, touchy, annoyed, crabbed,
irritated, angry, short-tempered, impatient, disagreeable: He's
always ratty in the mornings when he has a hangover. 2 dirty,
greasy, straggly, unkempt, matted: His hair was all ratty and
he hadn't bathed in a month.
raucous adj. harsh, rasping, rough, husky, hoarse, grating, scratching,
scratchy, discordant, dissonant, jarring; strident, shrill,
noisy, loud, ear-splitting, piercing: You could hear Ramsay's
raucous voice above the others. A raucous scream came from the
parrot's cage.
ravage v. 1 lay waste, devastate, ruin, destroy, demolish, raze,
wreck, wreak havoc (up)on, damage: The hurricane ravaged
outlying areas but did little damage in the city. 2 pillage,
plunder, despoil, ransack, sack, loot: The police tried to
prevent hooligans from ravaging the shops in the town centre.
--n. 3 Usually, ravages. destruction, damage, depredation(s),
devastation, wrecking, ruin, demolition: All about us we saw
the ravages of war.
rave v. 1 rant, rage, storm, fulminate, roar, thunder, howl, yell,
caterwaul, yowl, bellow, shout, scream, fly off the handle,
Colloq flip one's top or lid, Slang raise hell: He kept raving
on about his coffee mug having been pinched. 2 rave about.
praise, laud, rhapsodize over, applaud, gush over: Bernard
can't stop raving about that new Thai restaurant.
--n. 3 praise, acclaim, favour, enthusiastic reception,
tribute, testimonial, encomium, bouquet, plaudits, accolade,
admiration, US hosanna: The play got raves in all the
newspapers when it opened. 4 rage, fashion, vogue, trend,
thing, last word, dernier cri, craze, mania, Colloq fad: The
rave that year was for stiletto heels. 5 party, f€te, soir‚e,
Colloq do, Slang bash, blow-out, Brit rave-up , US wingding,
blast: Monica threw quite a rave to celebrate her new job.
ravenous adj. 1 hungry, famished, starving, starved: We were ravenous
after the long hike. 2 voracious, gluttonous, greedy,
insatiable, ravening, swinish, piggish, hoggish, edacious,
wolfish: With my family's ravenous appetites, there are rarely
any leftovers.
ravine n. gorge, canyon or ca¤on, pass, cleft, defile, gully or
gulley, valley, Brit dialect clough, Scots linn, US gap, gulch,
arroyo: At the spring thaw, torrents filled the ravines.
raving adj. 1 mad, insane, berserk, raging, crazy, crazed, irrational,
manic, maniacal, frantic, frenzied, delirious, hysterical; out
of one's mind or head: He stood there shouting and screaming,
like a raving lunatic. 2 extraordinary, outstanding, unusual,
rare, uncommon, phenomenal, great, striking, ravishing, Colloq
stunning: Diana had been a raving beauty in her time.
--n. 3 Often, ravings. rant, ranting, bombast, pomposity,
grandiloquence, magniloquence, rodomontade, rhetoric, bluster,
blustering, claptrap, balderdash, puffery, bunkum, flatulence,
hyperbole, vapouring, fustian, Colloq hot air, bunk: Why must
we be subjected to the ravings of this politician? 4 gabble,
babble, babbling, gibberish, Colloq gab: This is nothing more
than the raving of a maniac.
ravish v. 1 enrapture, delight, captivate, enthral, fascinate, charm,
entrance, spellbind, bewitch, transport: I was ravished at the
prospect of seeing you again. 2 rape, violate, have one's way
with, deflower, defile: The soldiers attacked the village and
ravished the women.
ravishing adj. dazzling, beautiful, gorgeous, striking, radiant,
charming, alluring, attractive, entrancing, captivating,
enthralling, bewitching, spellbinding, Colloq stunning: Daphne
was even more ravishing than her sister Diana.
raw adj. 1 uncooked, unprepared, fresh: Many vegetables can be
eaten raw. 2 unprocessed, untreated, unrefined, unfinished,
natural, crude: The raw sugar is shipped to the plant where it
is refined. The raw statistics revealed that many women had
refused to respond to the questionnaire. 3 new, inexperienced,
unseasoned, immature, green, untried, fresh, untrained,
unskilled, untested: They sent us raw recruits who had never
seen battle. 4 exposed, unprotected, uncovered, open; sore,
tender, inflamed, painful, sensitive: When he mentioned her
name, it was as if he had touched a raw nerve. 5 chill, chilly,
chilling, cold, damp, frigid, freezing, biting, stinging, nippy,
nipping, sharp, keen, piercing, penetrating: You should wrap up
warmly if you're going out in that raw wind. 6 brutal, frank,
candid, blunt, direct, unvarnished, unmollified, unembellished,
realistic, honest, plain, unreserved, unrestrained, uninhibited,
bluff, straightforward: The producer felt that no domestic
audience could stomach a raw depiction of the horrors of war.
--n. 7 in the raw. naked, stark naked, undressed, unclothed,
nude, in the nude, Brit starkers, Colloq in the buff, in the
altogether, in one's birthday suit: For punishment, they made
us stand outside, in the freezing cold, in the raw.
raw-boned adj. gaunt, lean, gangling, thin, skinny, spare, meagre,
scrawny, underfed, bony, emaciated, half-starved, wasted,
hollow-cheeked, cadaverous: They'll take that raw-boned
youngster into the army and put some meat on him.
ray n. 1 beam, shaft, bar, streak, pencil, gleam, flash: A single
ray from the setting sun illuminated the head of the statue. 2
glimmer, trace, spark, scintilla, flicker: As he had not ben
rejected outright, there was still a ray of hope that he might
be accepted.
raze v. tear or pull or bring or knock or throw down, demolish,
destroy, level, flatten, bulldoze: As usual, beautiful old
buildings were razed to make way for a new shopping centre.
reach v. 1 Often, reach out. hold out, extend, stretch (out), stick
out, thrust out, outstretch, outreach: He reached out his hand
and graped mine warmly. 2 arrive at, get to, come to, go to,
end up at or in; land at or in, Colloq make (it to): I won't
reach the office till noon today. Have we reached the point of
no return? 3 get, get in touch with, communicate with, establish
or make contact with, get through to, get (a) hold of: I tried
to reach her at home, but she was out. 4 attain, achieve,
accomplish, make, get or go to, get or go as far as: Do you
think that McClintock will reach the semi-finals? 5 come or go
or get up to, amount to, attain, climb to, rise to, run to,
equal, match: It looks as though the trade deficit might reach
last year's figure. 6 get through or across to, register with,
communicate with, reach into the mind of, impress, influence,
sway, move, stir, carry weight with: It is very difficult for
teachers to reach teenagers, who have a natural suspicion of
adults.
--n. 7 range, ambit, scope, orbit, compass, sphere, territory:
Those outlying areas are beyond our reach. Padua is within easy
reach of Venice. 8 capability, capacity: Tragedy often occurs
when one's ambition exceeds one's reach.
react v. 1 act, behave, conduct oneself, proceed; retaliate,
reciprocate, get even: I wonder how you would have reacted if
someone had insulted you! 2 respond, answer, reply, retort:
The crowd reacted to the police presence by becoming very nasty.
She reacted with surprise on learning of his arrest.
reaction n. 1 response, reply, answer, effect, feedback: Did you get
any reaction when you told her I had been arrested? Her
reaction was to turn over and go back to sleep. 2 repulsion,
resistance, counteraction, counterbalance, compensation: A
rocket derives forward thrust by reaction against its own
exhaust, hence can operate in a vacuum. 3 retaliation,
reciprocation, reprisal, revenge: He shot her in reaction to
her announcement that she was leaving him.
reactionary
adj. 1 (ultra-)conservative, right, rightist, right-wing,
blimpish; traditionalist; South African verkrampte: Reactionary
governments tend to reduce social services.
--n. 2 (ultra-)conservative, rightist, right-winger, Colonel
Blimp; traditionalist; South African verkrampte: As a
reactionary, he feels that the status quo is fine and change
unnecessary.
read v. 1 peruse, scan, skim, review, study, look over, pore over:
I have read the article twice but still cannot understand it. 2
understand, know, be familiar with, comprehend, interpret,
decipher: Can you read Greek? Madame Sonja reads tea leaves. 3
announce, present, deliver: Anna reads the news on TV at six
o'clock every evening. 4 read into. assign to, impute (to),
infer (from), assume (from), presume (from), conclude (from):
You might be reading too much into that letter of commendation.
readable adj. 1 intelligible, comprehensible, understandable, easy to
understand, easily understood, plain: Surprisingly, the
instructions for operating the computer are fairly readable. 2
entertaining, easy to read, enjoyable, pleasurable, absorbing,
interesting, engaging, stimulating, worthwhile: Her latest
thriller is so readable that I stayed up all night to finish it.
3 legible, decipherable, distinct: The print on that microfiche
is too small to be readable.
readily adv. 1 cheerfully, willingly, eagerly, ungrudgingly,
unhesitatingly, freely, gladly, happily, agreeably, graciously,
charitably: He always gave readily of his time to anyone who
sought his help, and we shall miss him sorely. 2 effortlessly,
easily, smoothly, without difficulty: I was able to get the
wheel off readily enough, getting it back on was the problem. 3
promptly, quickly, speedily, swiftly, apace, at once, without
delay, in no time, immediately, instantly, instantaneously,
instanter, straight away, right away, at or on short notice,
Colloq pronto: The police came readily but were unable to catch
the thieves, who had already escaped.
readiness n. 1 willingness, cheerfulness, good will, eagerness,
agreeableness, graciousness: Her readiness to help marked her
as truly charitable. 2 promptness, quickness; facility, ease,
skill, adroitness, expertness, proficiency: The readiness with
which he gave expert advice on gardening made him very popular
with his neighbours. 3 in readiness. See ready, 1, below.
ready adj. 1 prepared, (all) set, in readiness, in (proper) shape;
up, primed, ripe, fit, in condition; Colloq psyched (up): The
charge is ready for detonation. I'm ready for a good run in the
park. Are these apples ready for eating? Are you ready to meet
the girl of your dreams? 2 agreeable, consenting, acquiescent,
willing, content, eager, keen, happy, cheerful, genial,
gracious, cordial, friendly, well-disposed, enthusiastic, Colloq
game: Tim was always a ready accomplice to any mischief devised
by his brother. 3 apt, likely, inclined, disposed, given, prone:
She was all too ready to believe anything she was told. 4
about, liable, likely, apt; on the verge of, subject to, in
danger of, on the brink of, on the point of, close to: The
volcano seemed ready to erupt at any moment. 5 prompt, rapid,
quick, immediate, speedy, swift, punctual, timely: Alistair
seems to have a ready answer for everything. 6 clever, keen,
sharp, agile, deft, skilful, adroit, alert, bright, intelligent,
perceptive, quick: It was Carlotta's ready wit that first
attracted me. 7 on or at or to hand, handy, available,
accessible, at (one's) fingertips, at the ready, close at hand,
convenient: I don't have the ready cash for a new car at the
moment.
--n. 8 readies. money, cash, wherewithal: If you have the
readies, please pay me what you owe me. 9 at the ready. a
waiting, on tap, expectant, in position, poised: Keep your
pistol at the ready in case there's trouble. b See 8, above.
--v. 10 prepare, make or get ready, set, fit out, equip,
organize, psych up: He readied himself as best he could for the
ordeal.
ready-made
adj. 1 ready-to-wear, finished, prefabricated, Brit off the
peg: Ready-made clothes fit me better than custom-made. 2
convenient, expedient, serviceable, usable, handy, useful,
suitable, adaptable; plausible, credible, believable: The storm
provided a ready-made excuse for cancelling the appointment. 3
stereotyped, stereotypic(al), hackneyed, time-worn, trite,
stale, conventional, unoriginal, stock, pedestrian, routine,
run-of-the-mill: His speeches are always full of ready-made
clich‚s.
real adj. 1 genuine, true, actual, authentic, verified, verifiable,
legitimate, right, bona fide, official; legal, legitimate,
licit, natural, valid, veritable: He says that his name is
Smith, but what is his real name? Her diamonds are not real. It
has been proved beyond the shadow of a doubt that he is the real
father. 2 genuine, actual, true, existent, authentic, natural;
material, physical, tangible, palpable, corporeal: How can one
distinguish between the real object and what one sees, which is
merely its image? 3 genuine, sincere, heartfelt, true, actual,
unfeigned, unaffected, earnest, honest, truthful, legitimate,
valid: Deirdre's face is so impassive that it is impossible to
tell what her real feelings are. What's the real reason that
you're here? 4 genuine, actual, true, loyal, trustworthy,
trusted, honest: You are a real friend, and I know I can count
on you. 5 intrinsic, actual, true, genuine, proper, essential:
The њ150 million sale of the company fell significantly below
its real value.
--adv. 6 See really, below.
realistic adj. 1 practical, matter-of-fact, down-to-earth, pragmatic,
common-sense, sensible, reasonable, level-headed, rational,
sane, hard-headed, business-like, no-nonsense, unromantic,
unsentimental, tough, tough-minded, Colloq hard-nosed,
hard-boiled: Kevin's realistic grasp of the problems may make
the company profitable at last. 2 natural, lifelike, true to
life, naturalistic, vivid, genuine, real, graphic: This
painting is so realistic that it looks like a photograph.
Harriet's description was so realistic that I felt I had
actually been to Benidorm.
reality n. 1 actuality, fact, truth, genuineness, authenticity,
Aristotelianism entelechy: It is important to deal with the
reality not the potentiality of the situation. 2 in reality. See
really, below.
realization
n. 1 conception, understanding, comprehension, apprehension,
awareness, appreciation, perception, recognition, cognizance:
Full realization of what he had done finally dawned on him. 2
actualization, consummation, accomplishment, achievement,
establishment, fulfilment, materialization, effectuation: The
realization of the dream of a united Europe seems possible in
the last decade of the 20th century.
realize v. 1 make real, effect, bring about, make happen, make a
reality, actualize, accomplish, produce, achieve, fulfil,
materialize, effectuate: Many of Leonardo da Vinci's inventions
were not realized in his lifetime. 2 understand, appreciate,
comprehend, be aware of, conceive of, grasp, perceive, discern,
be or become conscious or aware or appreciative of, recognize,
see, Colloq catch on (to), cotton (on) to, Brit twig: Did Clare
fully realize the consequences of her actions? 3 return, gain,
clear, profit, make, earn, bring or take in, net, produce, get:
We have realized a substantial profit on the sale of the shares
bought when the company was privatized.
really adv. 1 genuinely, actually, truly, honestly, in reality, in
actuality, in (point of) fact, as a matter of fact, surely,
indeed, absolutely, definitely: Is he really going to do the
high-wire act without a net? 2 indeed, actually, absolutely,
unqualifiedly, positively, categorically, unquestionably,
definitely, undeniably: She is really the musical one in the
family. 3 in effect, in reality, actually, in fact, de facto,
in the end, at bottom, in the final analysis, at the end of the
day, Colloq deep down: Despite the sergeant's protests to the
contrary, it was really Andrews who saved the platoon. 4 very,
extremely, quite, exceptionally, remarkably, unusually,
uncommonly, extraordinarily, exceedingly, Non-Standard real: I
saw a really good film last night.
realm n. 1 domain, kingdom, empire, monarchy, principality,
palatinate, duchy or dukedom: They searched the realm for a
girl whose foot would fit into the glass slipper. 2 territory,
area, bailiwick, department, responsibility, jurisdiction:
Collecting taxes is not within the realm of our office. 3 area,
confines, sphere, limits: Cooperation with foreign companies is
certainly well within the realms of possibility.
ream v. drill (out), bore (out), open up, tap: The carpenter reamed
three holes in the beam.
reap v. 1 harvest, garner, glean, gather (in), mow, take in or up:
The land was fertile, and a bountiful crop was reaped. As ye
sow, so shall ye reap. 2 profit, bring in, gain, procure,
acquire, get, obtain, take in: It is impossible to reap much
when there is so small a margin between cost and selling price.
rear° n. 1 back (part), end, hind part, Nautical stern, Colloq tail
(end), fag-end, US and Canadian tag end: The rear of the column
was attacked as it marched through the defile. We took seats at
the rear of the auditorium. 2 hindquarters, posterior, rump,
buttocks, Colloq bottom, behind, backside, rear end, Slang Brit
arse, bum, US and Canadian ass, tokus, tochis; Babytalk US and
Canadian tushie or tushy or tush, hinie: As he left, he felt
someone give him a pat on the rear.
--adj. 3 back, last, end, rearmost, Nautical aft, after, stern:
The rear window is all misted over. The troop was bringing up
the rear echelon.
rearэ v. 1 raise, bring up, care for, nurture, nurse; cultivate,
educate, train; breed, produce: They reared six children in
that tiny house. Is this where they rear Aberdeen Angus cattle?
2 erect, raise, build, put up, construct, fabricate, create:
The family reared an elaborate mausoleum in memory of Lord
Percy. 3 raise, lift, put up, upraise, uplift, hold up: He
said that ‚litism was rearing its ugly head again, and that
equality of opportunity was proving a myth.
reason n. 1 justification, argument, case, explanation, rationale,
ground(s), pretext, vindication, defence, why (and wherefore),
Literary apologia, apology: What reason did they give for
confiscating our luggage? 2 judgement, common sense,
intelligence, sanity, sense(s), saneness, insight, perspicacity,
percipience, understanding, rationality, reasoning, mind,
intellect: He must have lost his reason to accuse you of
embezzlement. 3 purpose, aim, intention, object, objective,
goal, motive, end, point: His reason for leaving now is to be
on time for the curtain. 4 excuse, rationalization: Ignorance
of the law is not an accepted reason for breaking it. 5 by
reason of. because of, on account of, owing to, by virtue of, as
a result of; due to: He was declared unfit to stand trial by
reason of insanity. 6 within or in reason. reasonable,
sensible, justifiable, rational, fitting, proper, acceptable:
We will consider any offer for the house that is within reason.
--v. 7 think, conclude, calculate, reckon, estimate, figure
(out), work out, deduce, act or think rationally or logically,
ratiocinate, use (one's) judgement or common sense, use (one's)
head, put two and two together: I reasoned that she would be
arriving at the station at that very moment. Roy certainly
hasn't lost his powers of reasoning. 8 reason with. argue with,
remonstrate with, debate with, discuss with, talk over with,
plead with, convince; persuade, dissuade, urge, prevail upon:
George is very stubborn and can't be reasoned with.
reasonable
adj. 1 sensible, rational, sane, logical, sober, sound,
judicious, wise, intelligent, thinking: I had always thought
Philip a reasonable man. 2 credible, believable, plausible,
tenable, reasoned, arguable, well-thought-out, well-grounded:
Her story about having found the child wandering in the street
doesn't sound very reasonable to me. 3 moderate, tolerable,
acceptable, within reason, equitable, fair; inexpensive,
unexcessive, unextravagant, economical, conservative:
Considering inflation, we thought the price increases were
reasonable. 4 appropriate, suitable, proper, sensible, right:
The car was travelling at a reasonable speed, considering
conditions.
reasoning n. 1 thinking, logic, analysis, rationalization: The entire
argument falls to pieces because of faulty reasoning. 2
reasons, arguments, premises, rationale, postulate, hypothesis,
theory, explanation, explication: His reasoning had no effect
on her - she simply refused to listen.
reassure v. comfort, encourage, hearten, buoy (up), bolster, cheer,
uplift, inspirit, brace, support, restore confidence to, set or
put (someone's) mind at rest, set or put (someone) at ease,
settle (someone's) doubts: The minister reassured the public
regarding the safety of public transport.
rebate n. 1 discount, reduction, deduction, allowance, mark-down,
cut-back, refund, repayment, Colloq US rake-off: This coupon
entitles you to a rebate of ten per cent on the purchase of four
new tyres. 2 kickback, percentage, rake-off, commission, cut,
bribe, graft, Colloq chiefly US payola, US plugola: He gets a
rebate of five per cent on every client he refers to the
solicitor.
--v. 3 discount, reduce, deduct, mark down, refund, repay; kick
back: Periodicals rebate fifteen per cent of their gross
advertising revenue to the agencies that place ads.
rebel v. 1 revolt, mutiny, rise up: The people will rebel if
subjected to more oppression. 2 Often, rebel against. defy,
flout, dare, challenge; disobey, dissent: It is in the nature
of young people to rebel against authority and the status quo.
--n. 3 revolutionary, revolutionist, insurgent,
insurrrectionist, mutineer, resister, resistance fighter,
freedom fighter: We call ourselves fighters for justice, but
the unjust call us rebels and traitors. 4 heretic,
nonconformist, apostate, dissenter, recusant, schismatic:
James's problem was that he was a rebel without a cause.
rebellion n. 1 uprising, revolution, mutiny, insurrection, revolt,
insurgence or insurgency: Rebellion is the last recourse
against tyranny. 2 insubordination, disobedience, defiance,
resistance, rebelliousness, contumacy: Her rebellion against
parental authority led her to leave home at sixteen.
rebellious
adj. 1 insubordinate, defiant, mutinous, revolutionary,
contumacious, insurgent, insurrectionary, seditious: The more
rebellious students organized mass meetings against the
university authorities. 2 unmanageable, disobedient,
incorrigible, ungovernable, unruly, difficult, refractory,
stubborn, obstinate, recalcitrant: They resented being treated
as rebellious children.
rebirth n. renaissance or renascence, revival, renewal, reawakening,
resurgence, revitalization, resurrection, regeneration,
rejuvenation, restoration, new beginning, reincarnation;
metempsychosis, palingenesis: The 15th century marked the
rebirth of learning in Europe after the so-called Dark Ages.
rebound v. 1 spring back, bounce, recoil, ricochet, resile: The ball
rebounded from the goalpost.
--n. 2 bounce, recoil, ricochet, return, comeback,
repercussion, backlash, reflex: Carter caught the ball on the
rebound.
rebuff n. 1 rejection, snub, check, denial, repulse, refusal,
dismissal, defeat, repudiation, slight, discouragement, Colloq
cold shoulder, cut, put-down, brush-off, Slang US brush:
Ellie's friendly approach was met with an abrupt rebuff.
--v. 2 reject, snub, check, deny, repel, drive away, spurn,
repulse, refuse, dismiss, defeat, repudiate, slight, ignore,
send (someone) to Coventry, Colloq give (someone) the cold
shoulder, cut, put (someone) down, brush (someone) off, give
(someone) the brush-off, tell (someone) where to go or get off,
tell (someone) where to get lost, Slang give (someone) his or
her walking papers, freeze (someone) out , US give (someone) the
brush, show (someone) the door: She rebuffed everyone who
proposed marriage to her, preferring to remain a spinster.
rebuke v. 1 scold, reproach, admonish, reprove, reprimand, lecture,
censure, chide, reprehend, berate, castigate, criticize, take to
task, upbraid, revile, Colloq dress down, bawl out, give
(someone) a piece of one's mind, haul (someone) over the coals,
let (someone) have it, give (someone) hell or what for, tell
(someone) off, tell (someone) where to get off, Brit carpet,
tear (someone) off a strip, tick (someone) off, wig, blow
(someone) up, give (someone) a wigging, US and Canadian rake
(someone) over the coals, give (someone) the business, chew out:
The headmaster severely rebuked those boys who had violated the
school curfew.
--n. 2 scolding, reproach, admonition, reproof, reprimand,
lecture, censure, chiding, reprehension, berating, castigation,
criticism, upbraiding, revilement, tongue-lashing, Colloq
dressing-down, what for, Brit wigging, blow-up or blowing up,
Slang hell: Rawlings was let off with nothing more than a
rebuke.
rebut v. refute, deny, disprove, confute, invalidate, negate,
discredit, belie, contradict, controvert, puncture, expose,
destroy, ruin, devastate, Colloq shoot full of holes, knock the
bottom out of, shoot down, blow sky-high: We have all the
evidence needed to rebut the contention that our client was
anywhere near the scene of the crime.
rebuttal n. answer, reply, retort, response, rejoinder,
counter-argument, riposte, retaliation, denial, refutation,
contradiction, confutation, Colloq comeback: In rebuttal, the
defence tried to prove that the witness for the prosecution had
been bribed.
recalcitrant
adj. stubborn, obstinate, wilful, defiant, refractory,
headstrong, perverse, contrary, contumacious, mutinous,
rebellious, fractious, unruly, unmanageable, ungovernable,
uncontrollable, wayward, insubordinate, intractable,
unsubmissive, unyielding, unbending, adamant, immovable,
inflexible, stiff, firm: Recalcitrant students who refuse to
obey the rules risk expulsion.
recall v. 1 remember, recollect, think back to, reminisce over or
about, call to mind: I like to recall the happy days we had at
Biarritz. 2 withdraw, retract, call back, summon: The legions
guarding the frontier provinces were recalled to Rome. 3
rescind, cancel, annul, nullify, retract, withdraw, revoke,
recant, take back, call back; disavow, disown, deny: Despite
the fact that you might have been hasty, you cannot recall your
promise.
--n. 4 memory, recollection, remembering, remembrance: He had
a loving and near-photographic recall of their holiday in the
Alps. 5 withdrawal, recantation, cancellation, revocation,
annulment, nullification, recision, rescission, retraction,
repeal, disavowal, denial: The decision was made without any
possibility of recall. 6 withdrawal, retraction, return: The
manufacturer's recall of the shipment of defective toasters was
voluntary.
recant v. recall, forswear, deny, rescind, repudiate, disavow,
disclaim, withdraw, revoke, retract, forsake, abandon,
apostasize, renounce, abjure, take back: He was given three
days to recant: otherwise, he would be executed for heresy.
recapitulate
v. summarize, sum up; repeat, go over (again), reiterate,
restate, review; recount, enumerate, recite, relate, list,
Colloq recap: I shall begin by recapitulating some of the
issues which I covered in my last lecture.
recede v. 1 ebb, subside, fall or go or move back, abate, return,
withdraw, retreat, back up: As the flood waters receded, people
began to go back to their homes. 2 diminish, lessen, decline,
dwindle, shrink, wane, fade, become more distant or less likely:
The likelihood of our being rescued receded with each passing
day.
receipt n. 1 sales receipt, register receipt, sales slip, ticket, stub,
counterfoil, proof of purchase, voucher: Any request for a
return or exchange must be accompanied by a receipt. 2 delivery,
acceptance, reception, arrival: He has acknowledged receipt of
the merchandise. 3 receipts. income, proceeds, gate, takings,
gains, return, Colloq take: The receipts from ticket sales were
below expectations.
receive v. 1 get, obtain, come by, collect, take (into one's
possession), accept, be given, acquire, come into, inherit,
gain, profit, make: She received a large sum of money from the
sale of the house. What will he receive when his aunt dies? 2
earn, be paid, make, draw, gross, net, clear, pocket, Colloq
take home, walk off or away with, US pull down: He receives a
bigger weekly salary than I make in a year. 3 greet, meet,
welcome; show in, give entr‚e, let in, admit: We received our
guests in the foyer. 4 experience, undergo, endure, suffer,
bear, sustain, be subjected to, meet with: In return for
helping him all I received was a punch in the nose. 5 gather,
hear, learn, ascertain, be told, be informed or notified of,
find out, pick up: We only received the information yesterday
that you were coming to stay for a month.
recent adj. late, latest, new, just out, brand-new, fresh; current,
modern, up to date, late-model: This feature is now supplied as
standard on all our more recent models. Recent arrivals will be
interviewed by the committee.
receptacle
n. container, holder, repository; box, tin, can, case, casket,
chest, reliquary, vessel, bag, basket: Please put the rubbish
into the receptacle. She kept the diamond in a velvet-lined
receptacle which she always carried with her.
reception n. 1 welcome, greeting, treatment, reaction, response: My
suggestion that we open a bottle of champagne met with a warm
reception. 2 party, levee, social, soir‚e, function; opening,
preview, vernissage, Colloq do: Would you like to go to a
reception at the new art gallery next week?
receptive adj. 1 open, hospitable, amenable, pervious, persuasible,
tractable, flexible, pliant, interested, willing, responsive: I
have always found Peggy receptive to suggestions on improving
productivity and efficiency. 2 quick, alert, perceptive, astute,
intelligent, keen, sharp, bright, sensitive: Julia has a
receptive mind.
recess n. 1 alcove, niche, nook, cranny, bay, hollow: The statuette
fits perfectly in that recess outside the library. 2 respite,
rest, interlude, time off, break, intermission, breather,
breathing-spell, pause; holiday, vacation: A brief recess has
been scheduled to allow us to relax before continuing. 3
recesses. innermost reaches, corners, secret places, depths,
penetralia: I searched for her name in the recesses of my mind.
recession n. set-back, (economic) downturn, slump, decline, dip,
depression: The slowing of the economy led to a recession which
soon deepened into a depression.
recipe n. 1 formula, prescription: Elizabeth gave me a marvellous
recipe for chocolate cake. 2 plan, procedure, method, approach,
technique, way, means, system, programme, modus operandi, Colloq
US MO: The minister insists that his recipe for conquering
inflation will work.
recipient n. receiver, beneficiary, heir or heiress, legatee: Who is the
current recipient of her favours?
reciprocal
adj. mutual, exchanged, returned, complementary, correlative,
common, shared, joint, requited: The reciprocal courtesies
enjoyed among our neighbours benefit us all.
reciprocate
v. repay, recompense, requite, exchange, return, trade, match,
equal, correspond: You have always been very kind to me and I
want to reciprocate in any way I can.
recital n. 1 (solo) concert, performance, musicale, presentation, show,
entertainment: We have tickets to a recital for that night. 2
report, narration, account, recitation, description, relation,
telling, recounting, narrative, rendition, interpretation,
version, recapitulation, rehearsal, repetition, Colloq recap: A
reporter who was on the flight provided us with a recital of the
events leading up to the crash.
recitation
n. 1 reciting, performance, reading, monologue: At the age of
four Simon delighted his parents with his recitation of 'The
Charge of the Light Brigade'. 2 See recital, 2, above.
recite v. 1 quote, repeat, present: In the old days, children were
often called upon to recite poems they had learned by heart. 2
report, narrate, recount, relate, tell, describe, detail,
chronicle, list, share, recapitulate, repeat, Colloq recap:
Again I recited every particular of the hold-up that I could
recall.
reckless adj. careless, rash, thoughtless, incautious, heedless,
foolhardy, imprudent, unwise, injudicious, impulsive,
irresponsible, negligent, unmindful, foolish, devil-may-care,
daredevil, wild, breakneck, dangerous, madcap, mad,
hare-brained: I won't go with Oliver because he's a reckless
driver.
reckon v. 1 Often, reckon up. calculate, compute, add (up), figure
(up), tally (up), sum up, total (up), work out or up: If you
reckon up the bill, I'll pay it at once. 2 include, count,
number, enumerate, list, name, consider, account, judge, deem,
look upon, regard, view, think of, hold, gauge, estimate,
appraise, value, rank, rate, class: I have always reckoned
Arthur as being among my closest friends. 3 suppose, think,
assume, presume, dare say, venture, imagine, fancy, consider,
conclude, be of the opinion, US or colloq guess: She reckoned
that no one could accuse her of idle chatter. 4 reckon on or
upon. count on, rely on, depend on, lean on, trust in, take for
granted, Colloq bank on: I was reckoning on your help, and I
hope you won't disappoint me. 5 reckon with. a settle
(accounts) with, take care of, look after, see or attend to,
deal with, handle, pay attention to, think about: I have to go
now, but I'll reckon with you later. b take into account or
consideration, consider, contemplate, account for, remember,
bear in mind: He thought he had got away with it, but he failed
to reckon with Inspector Harris of the CID.
reckoning n. 1 counting, calculating, calculation, computation,
enumeration, addition: The reckoning of Old Style dates used
the Julian calendar. 2 bill, account, invoice, US check, Colloq
chiefly US and Canadian tab: If you let me have the reckoning,
I'll pay it with my credit card. 3 (last) judgement,
retribution, final account(ing) or settlement, doom: On the day
of reckoning we must all face the music.
reclaim v. restore, recover, rescue, redeem, salvage, save, regain,
retrieve, regenerate, rejuvenate: Much of the farmland was
reclaimed from the sea.
recline v. lie (down), lie back, lean back, lounge, rest, repose,
sprawl, loll, stretch out: Just recline on the sofa and make
yourself comfortable.
recluse n. hermit, anchorite or anchoress, monk or nun, eremite: For
the past ten years, he has been living the life of a recluse.
reclusive adj. solitary, lone, secluded, isolated, eremitic(al),
hermitic, anchoritic, monastic, cloistered, sequestered,
retiring, shut off: She insists that she enjoys her reclusive
existence.
recognition
n. 1 identification, detection: Her recognition of the man on
TV led to his arrest. 2 acknowledgement, notice, attention,
cognizance, acceptance, awareness, perception, admission;
honour, appreciation: The award was a recognition of his
contributions to scientific knowledge.
recognize v. 1 identify, detect, place, recall, remember, recollect, know
(again): I recognized him from seeing his picture in the
newspaper. 2 acknowledge, perceive, understand, realize, see,
admit, accept, own, concede, allow, grant, appreciate, respect,
be aware of: He refuses to recognize that he is responsible for
his own actions. 3 approve, sanction, endorse, accept,
validate, ratify: A totalitarian government refuses to
recognize the rights of the individual. 4 honour, give
recognition to, salute, show gratitude or appreciation, reward,
distinguish, pay respect, do homage: The society recognizes Dr
Jackson for his many contributions to science.
recoil v. 1 jerk or jump or spring back, start, flinch, wince, shrink,
blench, balk or baulk, shy (away) (from): He recoiled when
confronted with the evidence of the gruesome experiments with
live animals. 2 rebound, bounce back, resile, kick back: When
fired, the gun recoiled, bruising his shoulder.
--n. 3 kick, rebound, repercussion, backlash: He was
unprepared for the violent recoil of the old gun.
recollect v. recall, remember, call to mind: Now that you mention it, I
do recollect your asking me to buy some milk when I went out.
recollection
n. memory, recall, remembrance, impression, reminiscence: My
brother's recollection of our grandparents is quite different
from mine.
recommend v. 1 counsel, advise, guide, urge, exhort, suggest, advocate,
propose, (put) forward, propound, persuade: He recommended that
the entire system should be changed. 2 endorse, praise,
commend, mention favourably, vouch for, second, subscribe to,
back, push, favour, approve, underwrite, stand up for, support,
promote, Colloq tout, plug: I wish Charles would stop
recommending his brother-in-law for a job with us. 3 make
attractive or advisable or interesting or acceptable: Wendover
has little to recommend it as a tourist spot.
recommendation
n. 1 counsel, advice, guidance, urging, exhortation, direction,
encouragement, suggestion, prompting, advocacy, proposal: It
was on your recommendation that we tried that restaurant. 2
endorsement, praise, commendation, favourable mention, backing,
blessing, approval, approbation, support, promotion, good word,
testimonial, say-so: The chairman of the board gave Caswell's
brother-in-law his personal recommendation.
reconcile v. 1 get or bring (back) together, unite, reunite, settle or
resolve differences between, restore harmony between, make peace
between, placate, make compatible: Do you think that a marriage
counsellor could help reconcile John and Martha? 2 resign,
submit, accommodate, adjust: Lady Mary Wortley Montague wrote
that she was reconciled to being a woman when she reflected that
she was thus in no danger of ever marrying one.
reconciliation
n. 1 conciliation, appeasement, propitiation, pacification,
placation, rapprochement, reconcilement, understanding, d‚tente,
reunion, harmony, concord, accord, amity, rapport: It was with
great effort that the reconciliation between the two families
was finally arranged. 2 compromise, settlement, agreement,
arbitration, conformity, compatibility, adjustment:
Reconciliation of their differences seems difficult but not
impossible.
recondite adj. abstruse, arcane, obscure, esoteric, deep, profound,
incomprehensible, unfathomable, impenetrable, undecipherable,
opaque, dark, occult, cabbalistic or cabalistic or kabbalistic,
inexplicable, enigmatic: I have difficulty following the more
recondite aspects of information theory.
reconnaissance
n. survey, examination, scouting, exploration, reconnoitring,
investigation, inspection, scrutiny, Slang Brit recce: Their
reconnaissance showed that the enemy forces had withdrawn.
reconnoitre
v. survey, examine, scout (out), scan, explore, investigate,
inspect, scrutinize, check out, check up (on), Slang Brit recce:
We reconnoitred the territory and reported the enemy troop
movements.
record v. 1 write (down), transcribe, document, register, note, make a
notation (of), take down, put or set down, log, chronicle,
report, itemize, list, enumerate: I recorded the events of the
day in my diary. 2 tell of, relate, recount, narrate, recite:
The chronicle records an eyewitness account of the battle.
--n. 3 recording, report, document, log, journal, memorandum,
note, notation, minute(s), transactions, archive(s), annal(s),
chronicle, diary, account, dossier, register, list, catalogue:
Patricia has kept a careful record of all the men whose books
she has ever read. 4 documentation, data, information, evidence;
memorial, memento, souvenir: There is no record of your birth
in the church archive. I took away a piece of the Berlin Wall as
a record of my visit. 5 (best) performance, track record,
accomplishment; time; distance; height: Her records for the
110-metre hurdles and the high jump still stand. 6
accomplishment(s), deed(s), history, reputation, curriculum
vitae, CV, Colloq track record: He has a record of being late
everywhere. His criminal record is none too savoury. 7 disc,
recording, album, release, LP (= 'long playing'), 78, 331/3, 45,
EP (= 'extended play'), maxisingle, compact disc, CD, Brit
gramophone record, US phonograph record, Colloq single, Slang US
platter: We put a jazz combo together and cut a few records
last year. 8 off the record. confidential(ly), private(ly), not
for publication, secret(ly), in confidence, unofficial(ly), sub
rosa: We cannot publish his statement, which was off the
record. Off the record, I'll tell you where Hazel is staying.
--adj. 9 record-breaking, extreme: Last week we had a record
snowfall.
recount v. 1 relate, narrate, tell, recite, report, communicate,
impart, unfold: The old man recounted for us the legend of the
two-headed lamb. 2 particularize, review, detail, describe,
enumerate, specify: Must I recount every particular all over
again?
recoup v. regain, make good, make up, recompense, repay, recover;
refund, redeem, reimburse, remunerate: From his profits on the
Culpepper deal, he recouped all the losses he had sustained when
Cranston Ltd failed.
recourse n. 1 resort, access, entr‚e, admittance, availability: They
are completely isolated and without recourse to help from the
outside world. 2 resource, backup, reserve, refuge, place to
turn, alternative, remedy: The company has no recourse against
the authorities.
recover v. 1 regain, get or take or win or make back (again), recoup,
repossess, retake, recapture, restore, retrieve, reclaim,
redeem: It was impossible to recover the time lost. After a
fierce battle, the territory was recovered. 2 get well or
better, recuperate, convalesce, mend, return to health, regain
one's strength or health, be on the mend, heal, improve, revive,
rally, take a turn for the better, get back on one's feet, pull
through: It took me a week to recover from the operation. Lucy
had a virus, but she's recovering now. 3 save, salvage, deliver,
rescue, return, bring back, reclaim, retrieve: They never did
recover the gold from the sunken ship.
recovery n. 1 recuperation, convalescence, restoration, improvement,
healing, rally, turn for the better; rise, revival, increase,
amelioration, bettering, betterment, advance, gain, advance,
advancement, Colloq pick-up, comeback: After so serious an
illness, Bentley has made a remarkable recovery. Share prices
staged a recovery after the reduction in interest rates. 2
retrieval, recouping, repossession, retaking, restoration,
reclamation; recapture, redemption: The recovery of the stolen
gems was credited to excellent detective work. Hard fighting
resulted in the recovery of the land west of the river. 3
salvage, delivery, deliverance, rescue, return, saving,
reclamation, retrieval: Recovery of the climbers' bodies from
the ravine was very hazardous.
recreation
n. entertainment, amusement, enjoyment, diversion, distraction,
fun and games, leisure (activity), pastime, relaxation, sport,
play: What do you like to do for recreation? His favourite
recreation is building model aeroplanes.
recrimination
n. counter-accusation, countercharge, retaliation,
counter-attack, blaming, aspersion, reprisal: Recriminations
for real and imagined ills were continually exchanged throughout
their marriage.
recruit v. 1 draft, induct, enlist, enrol, muster, raise, call up,
conscript, mobilize, impress, levy: Owing to the nefarious
enemy attack, there was little time to recruit men for a strong
fighting force.
--n. 2 conscript, trainee, beginner, apprentice, initiate,
novice, neophyte, tiro or tyro, US draftee, enlistee, Colloq
greenhorn, rookie: The new recruits have to be issued with
their uniforms and other gear.
rectify v. correct, revise, redress, put or set right, cure, repair,
remedy, improve, emend, fix, adjust, square, ameliorate: What
do you intend to do to rectify the damage you have done?
rectitude n. propriety, correctness, morality, uprightness, probity,
virtue, decency, goodness, honesty, integrity, incorruptibility,
righteousness, principle, good character, respectability,
unimpeachability: Fred's unquestioned moral rectitude makes him
an outstanding candidate for membership.
recumbent adj. reclining, lying down, flat on one's back, horizontal,
lying, reposing, accumbent, decumbent, supine, stretched out;
leaning (back): Oscar resumed his recumbent posture, sprawled
out on the cushions.
recuperate
v. improve, recover, convalesce, get better, rally, revive,
mend, heal, get back on one's feet, regain one's health, pull
through, survive, take a turn for the better: Paul went to
Ibiza to recuperate from his illness.
recur v. return, happen or occur again, reoccur, repeat, come (back)
again, reappear: The condition recurred after a year, and he
was obliged to have another operation.
recurrent adj. repeated, recurring, returning, reoccurring, reappearing,
frequent, periodic, cyclical, regular, repetitive, repetitious,
persistent, incessant, continual, intermittent, habitual,
iterative: She told the psychiatrist about her recurrent dream
of flying.
redeem v. 1 reclaim, recover, regain, repossess, retrieve, get back,
buy back, repurchase; pay off, Brit clear: He went into the
pawn shop to redeem the gold watch. 2 rescue, ransom, deliver,
free, save, liberate, set free, emancipate, release: He was
able to redeem the boy only after paying the kidnappers. 3
exchange, cash (in), collect on, trade in: These coupons must
be redeemed before the end of the month. 4 rehabilitate, save,
reform, convert, absolve, restore to favour, reinstate: She can
be redeemed only by atoning for her sins. 5 make amends for,
make up for, atone for, redress, compensate for, offset, make
restitution for: Do you think that 200 hours of community
service was enough to redeem his crime of snatching handbags in
the shopping centre? 6 perform, fulfil, keep, make good (on),
discharge, satisfy, abide by, keep faith with, be faithful to,
hold to, carry out, see through: Helen is here to redeem her
promise to help at the charity bazaar.
red-handed
adj. in the (very) act, (in) flagrante delicto, Colloq with
one's hand in the till, US with one's hand in the cookie-jar:
There's no doubt that Rick did it - he was caught red-handed.
redolent adj. 1 fragrant, sweet-smelling, aromatic, perfumed, odorous,
scented, savoury: The entire house was redolent with the odour
of pine needles. 2 redolent with or of. reminiscent of,
suggestive of, evocative of, remindful of, characteristic of,
having the earmarks or hallmark of: The style of the film is
redolent of 1930s Hollywood.
reduce v. 1 cut (back), cut down (on), decrease, diminish, moderate,
abate, lessen, shorten, truncate, abbreviate, abridge, curtail,
crop, trim, compress, restrict, limit, stunt: We must reduce
expenses this year. 2 ease (up on), let up (on), decrease,
mitigate, tone down, slacken up (on): It will reduce the burden
of your costs if you share with me. 3 lose weight, slim (down),
diet, trim down, Chiefly US slenderize: You'll have to reduce
to fit into that dress, Betty. 4 change, modify, adjust, turn,
convert; break down or up, grind, rub, triturate, pulp, powder:
Payment of the debt reduced me to poverty. The first step is to
reduce the liquid to a thick extract. 5 cut, decrease, trim,
bring down, lower, drop, mark down, slash, Colloq knock down:
The prices on these shoes have been reduced for a quick sale. 6
demote, degrade, lower, downgrade, break; humble; Military US
and Canadian bust: He was reduced in rank from sergeant to
private. 7 diminish, lessen, bring down, depreciate, subdue,
belittle, minimize: He was reduced in her estimation when she
saw the deprecating way his friends treated him. 8 Medicine set,
adjust, reset: The doctor caused little pain when he reduced
her dislocated finger.
redundant adj. 1 superfluous, unnecessary, surplus, inessential or
unessential, non-essential, unneeded, unwanted, de trop, in
excess, excessive: He was made redundant at the age of
forty-five and was unable to find another job. 2 wordy, verbose,
prolix, over-long, long-winded, repetitious, tautologic(al) or
tautologous, circumlocutory, roundabout: The book would be
improved if certain redundant passages were improved.
reek v. 1 stink or smell (to high heaven), Slang Brit pong, hum:
Allie reeks from cleaning out the stable. 2 smoke, steam: It
is because it used to reek so badly that Edinburgh acquired its
nickname, 'Auld Reekie'.
--n. 3 stink, stench, fetor or foetor, miasma, mephitis, odour,
smell, Slang Brit hum, pong: The reek of rotting vegetation
permeated the atmosphere. 4 fumes, smoke, steam, vapour,
exhalation, cloud, mist: He delighted in the redolent reek that
arose from the haggis.
reel v. 1 stagger, totter, waver, stumble, lurch, falter, roll,
rock, sway, flounder, pitch: Chris came reeling down the lane,
dead drunk. 2 reel off. list, recite, rattle off, enumerate,
review, itemize, name, read off, call off, run through, run
over: Under questioning, the suspect began to reel off the
names of his accomplices.
refer v. 1 Often, refer to. allude to, make reference to, mention,
make mention of, touch on, bring up, advert to, speak of, turn
or call or direct attention to, direct to, point to, indicate,
specify, name, concern, quote, cite, make a note of, take note
of, note: A footnote refers to the author's article on
netsukes. 2 assign, hand over, pass on or over, send, direct,
commit: I was referred to your office for information about
rates. The question will be referred to committee. 3 Usually,
refer to. look at, use, study, check, consult, resort to, have
recourse to, turn to, appeal to, confer with; talk to, ask,
inquire or enquire of, apply to: For information about words,
you should refer to a dictionary. Refer to the departmental
office for Professor Clarke's address. 4 Usually, refer to.
mean, signify, denote, say: What are you referring to?
reference n. 1 allusion, mention, remark, referral, direction,
indication, specification, naming, quotation, citation, note,
notation, notification, hint, intimation, innuendo, insinuation:
I can't find a reference in any footnote. Few readers make use
of the bibliographical references in scholarly articles. Her
persistent references to my baldness embarrass me. 2 regard,
concern, connection, respect, relation, relevance, pertinence:
People are selected without reference to race, creed, colour,
sex, or age. 3 endorsement, recommendation, testimonial,
certification; credentials: I relied on my former employer to
give me a good reference. We shall not be needing to take up
your references.
refine v. 1 purify, cleanse, clear, clarify, decontaminate: They
continued to refine the liquid till all the impurities were
gone. 2 cultivate, civilize, polish, improve, elevate, perfect:
He is trying to refine his speech by getting rid of his country
accent. 3 hone, sharpen, concentrate, focus, subtilize: We
ought to refine our argument for higher wages before approaching
the management.
refined adj. 1 cultivated, cultured, civilized, polished,
sophisticated, urbane, elegant, well-bred, genteel, courtly,
ladylike, gentlemanly, polite, courteous, mannerly,
well-mannered, gracious, gentle, noble, aristocratic, dignified,
elevated, Colloq posh: It is seldom that I find myself in such
refined company. 2 subtle, discriminating, discerning,
sensitive, fastidious, nice, precise, exacting, cultured,
educated, cultivated, knowledgeable, advanced, sophisticated:
Her taste in the visual arts is fairly refined, but she knows
little about music. 3 exact, precise, fine, subtle, sensitive,
nice, sophisticated: In his poetry one encounters an extremely
refined use of metaphor. These new devices are far more refined
than any previously available. 4 purified, clarified, cleansed,
pure, clean; distilled: Only refined chemicals may be used in
pharmaceuticals.
refinement
n. 1 culture, polish, elegance, sophistication, urbanity,
urbaneness, breeding, cultivation, gentility, propriety,
courtliness, civility, politeness, politesse, delicacy, tact,
diplomacy, finesse, suavity, suaveness, taste, tastefulness,
discrimination, discernment, sensitivity: He drank thirstily,
with no pretence at refinement. 2 subtlety, nicety, nuance,
distinction, detail, fine point, delicacy, minutia;
fastidiousness, finickiness: The latest version contains
refinements that are beyond the appreciation of all but a few. 3
refining, purification, purifying, clarification, clarifying,
cleaning, cleansing; filtration, distillation: The sugar must
undergo refinement before being sold commercially. 4
improvement, betterment, bettering, enhancement, development,
perfection: She is working on the refinement of her technique
before performing in public.
reflect v. 1 mirror, send or throw back, reproduce, return; echo: The
smooth surface of the lake reflected the sunlight. The radio
waves are reflected and focused by this parabolic dish. 2 show,
demonstrate, exhibit, illustrate, exemplify, reveal, lay bare,
expose, display, disclose, bring to light, uncover, point to,
indicate, suggest, evidence: They say that your true emotions
are reflected in your dreams. His crime reflects the depths of
depravity to which a person can sink. 3 Often, reflect about or
on. think (about or over or on), contemplate, muse (about or
on), consider, ponder (about or over or on), deliberate (on or
over), ruminate or meditate (about or on or over), cogitate
(about or on or over); mull over, weigh, evaluate, examine: I
was just sitting here reflecting. I was reflecting on what you
said about wanting to quit your job. 4 reflect on or upon.
result in, end in, bring, attract, cast, throw: The success of
the team reflects credit on the coach.
reflection
n. 1 image, echo, Brit reflexion: Sonar works by detecting the
reflection of generated sound waves. 2 thought, thinking,
meditation, meditating, consideration, cogitation, rumination,
deliberation, deliberating, pondering, study, cerebration:
After a moment's reflection, I arrived at the same conclusion as
you had. 3 aspersion, imputation; effect: Any reflection on his
reputation might harm his career. 4 result, sign, token,
symbol, mark; evidence, testimony, testament, proof,
substantiation, corroboration: Her tears are a reflection of
how she feels about having betrayed me.
reflective
adj. reflecting, thoughtful, pensive, contemplative,
meditating, musing, meditative, cogitating, cogitative,
ruminating, deliberative, deliberating, pondering: I found Alan
in a reflective mood, staring out of the window.
reform v. 1 improve, better, ameliorate, meliorate, emend, rectify,
correct, mend, repair, fix, remedy, redo, revise, revolutionize,
rehabilitate, remodel, refashion, renovate, reorganize, rebuild,
recover: The first thing to be done was to reform the political
system. 2 mend one's ways, turn over a new leaf, Colloq go
straight: After three convictions in as many years, there
seemed little chance that he would reform.
--n. 3 improvement, betterment, amelioration, melioration,
emendation, rectification, correction, rehabilitation, change,
modification, perestroika, reorganization, renovation, recovery:
Many believe that prison reform would reduce crime by second
offenders. The many reforms introduced by the president were
condemned by hard-line party members.
reform school
n. Brit youth custody centre, CHE (= 'community home (with
education on the premises')), Formerly Borstal, approved school,
US reformatory: He was sent to a reform school because of his
persistent misbehaviour.
refrain° v. 1 Usually, refrain from. keep (from), forbear, abstain
(from), eschew, avoid: Whatever you do, refrain from whistling
on board his boat. 2 stop, cease, give up, discontinue, desist,
quit, leave off, renounce: You must refrain from calling the
headmaster, 'Pops', even if he is your father.
refrainэ n. melody, song, tune, chorus, burden, reprise: It was one of
those long boring folk songs with a refrain that we were all
supposed to join in.
refresh v. 1 enliven, renew, revive, freshen (up), resuscitate, bring
back to life, breathe new life into, invigorate, vitalize,
energize, brace, fortify, exhilarate, revitalize, reinvigorate,
reanimate: I felt fully refreshed after a short nap. 2 arouse,
rouse, awaken, waken, reawaken, stimulate, jog, prod, activate:
Would you mind refreshing my memory as to when and where we last
met? 3 fix up, repair, redo, revamp, overhaul, spruce up,
recondition, renovate, refurbish, refurnish; renew, restock,
restore: All the rooms in the hotel have been recently
refreshed. We took the opportunity of the ship's arrival to
refresh our supplies.
refreshing
adj. invigorating, stimulating, bracing, exhilarating, fresh,
inspiriting, fortifying, tonic, like a breath of fresh air,
rejuvenating, enlivening, vitalizing, revitalizing; cooling,
thirst-quenching, slaking: It's refreshing to be around young
people. I would love a cool refreshing glass of beer right now.
refreshment
n. 1 Usually, refreshments. nourishment, nutriment, sustenance,
restorative, food, drink(s), edibles, eatables, bite, snack(s),
titbit(s), Slang grub, eats, chow, nosh: Will they be serving
refreshments after the meeting? 2 stimulation, invigoration,
exhilaration, tonic, rejuvenation, enlivenment, revival,
restoration, renewal, resuscitation, fortification,
reinforcement: The library provides an oasis of mental
refreshment.
refrigerate
v. cool, chill, keep cool or cold or chilled, ice, freeze: The
souffl‚ must be refrigerated for three hours to allow it to set.
refuge n. 1 sanctuary, shelter, haven, asylum, protection, cover,
retreat, harbour, security, safe house, stronghold, citadel,
bolt-hole, hideaway, hide-out, Colloq hidy-hole or hidey-hole:
The abandoned mine served as a refuge from the storm. 2 excuse,
pretext, resort, recourse, ruse, trick, stratagem, subterfuge,
dodge, evasion, expedient: Patriotism is often the last refuge
of a scoundrel.
refugee n. fugitive, runaway, escapee, displaced person, DP, exile,
‚migr‚: The problem of the refugees was most acute after the
war.
refurbish v. restore, refurnish, redecorate, clean (up), polish, renew,
renovate, spruce up, remodel, refit, overhaul, repair,
recondition, revamp, rebuild, Colloq do up, US fix up: The
person who bought the house refurbished it completely, at
enormous expense.
refusal n. 1 denial, rejection, disapproval, turn-down: She pleaded
against the grand vizier's refusal to grant amnesty to her
brother. 2 option, choice, privilege, disposal: We were
promised first refusal on the house should it come on the
market.
refuse° v. 1 decline, reject, spurn, repudiate, turn down, rebuff, give
(something) the thumbs down, US turn thumbs down on, Colloq pass
by or up: They refused our application to build a hotel here.
Did he actually refuse a knighthood? 2 deny, deprive (of),
withhold, disallow, not allow or permit: They refused me my
right to vote.
refuseэ n. rubbish, sweepings, waste, litter, dust, dirt, dregs, dross,
garbage, debris, detritus, cast-offs, junk, Chiefly US trash:
Refuse collection is scheduled for once a week.
regal adj. 1 royal, kingly, queenly, princely, fit for or befitting a
king or queen, noble, lordly, sovereign, majestic, imperial,
stately, splendid, magnificent, grand, resplendent, palatial,
exalted: The regal throne was decorated with gold and precious
stones. 2 disdainful, haughty, proud, scornful, contumelious,
contemptuous, derisory, derisive, pompous, lordly: She was
dismissed with a regal wave of the hand.
regale v. entertain, amuse, delight, divert, indulge, please, gratify,
captivate, fascinate, entrance, enchant, spellbind, bewitch,
charm, enrapture: She regaled them with entertaining tales of
her travels.
regalia n. finery, decorations, insignia, emblems, accoutrements,
furnishings, apparatus, gear, paraphernalia, trappings, tackle,
appurtenances, equipment, equipage: The Bishop was dressed in
full regalia with mitre and crook.
regard v. 1 view, look at or upon or on, observe, note, notice, watch,
eye, keep an eye on, gaze at or upon, stare at: The children
regarded the magician's performance with great interest. 2
contemplate, consider, perceive, view, look upon or on, treat:
The lion looked at me as if he regarded me as his dinner. Smith
appears to regard his appointment as treasurer as a licence to
steal. 3 respect, esteem, value: Gwen's friends regard her very
highly indeed. 4 consider, view, look upon or on, think (of),
judge, deem, rate, believe (to be), gauge, see, pay heed or
attention to, esteem, account, take into account, imagine,
reckon, evaluate: I don't regard her as a likely suspect. He
regards his professor as his mentor. 5 concern, relate to, be
relevant to, pertain to, apply to, refer to, affect, have (a)
bearing on, bear on or upon, involve, have to do with, go for:
Our discussion regarded the disappearance of њ10 from petty
cash.
--n. 6 reference, relation, relevance, relevancy, association,
pertinence, application, bearing, connection, link, tie-in: We
would like to talk to you with regard to your application for
the post of assistant editor. 7 respect, consideration,
attention, reverence, veneration, awe, deference, honour,
favour, esteem, high opinion, approval, approbation,
appreciation, admiration, affection, fondness: They have no
regard for the law. 8 point, particular, respect, aspect,
detail, matter: In this regard, I must take your past record
into consideration. 9 care, concern, thought, consideration,
respect, sympathy, feeling, sentiment; heed, attention, notice,
mind: The police behave as if they have no regard for the
safety of the hostages. This work reflects the artisan's regard
for detail. 10 regards. best wishes, good wishes, compliments,
greetings, respects, salutations, Archaic devoirs: Please give
my regards to your father.
regarding adj. concerning, about, respecting, with regard to, with
respect to, with reference to, on or in the matter of,
pertaining to, on the subject of, apropos, re, Law in re,
Archaic or Scots anent, Dialect anenst: We have received your
letter regarding poor service. Regarding your claim, the
processing of it has been delayed because you failed to sign the
form.
regardless
adj. 1 Sometimes, regardless of. despite, notwithstanding; in
spite of, heedless of, Non-Standard irregardless: Regardless of
her father's protestations, she continued to go out with
William.
--adv. 2 notwithstanding, nevertheless, no matter what, in any
event, in any case, at all events, anyway, anyhow, Non-Standard
irregardless: She heard his threats but is going out with
William regardless.
regime n. r‚gime, regimen, reign, government, rule, regulation,
administration, direction, order, leadership, management,
system, discipline: Persistent offenders were given harsh
penalties under the new regime.
regiment v. discipline, order, organize, systematize, whip into shape,
standardize, regulate, control: I dislike the way management
regiments people in this establishment, as if they were
schoolchildren.
region n. 1 district, area, zone, territory, division, locality,
sector, section, tract, part, dominion, precinct, province,
quarter, department: Each region is under the suzerainty of a
powerful dictator. 2 sphere, territory, domain, province,
field, ambit, pale, jurisdiction, bailiwick: She is an expert
in the region of climatology.
register n. 1 record, roll, roster, rota, catalogue, annal(s),
archive(s), journal, daybook, diary, appointment book, calendar,
chronicle, schedule, programme, directory, ledger, file, index,
inventory, list, listing, poll, tally,: The council holds a
register of all houses sold since 1900 with the names of both
sellers and buyers. 2 cash register, till, money box, cash-box:
The money in the register does not agree with the figures for
receipts.
--v. 3 record, write or jot or take or put or set down, list,
enrol, sign in or on or up, enter, catalogue, log, index,
chronicle, note, make or take note (of): All transactions must
be registered. 4 show, display, express, indicate, manifest,
reveal, betray, divulge, record, reflect: James pretended to
like my book, but his contempt for it was registered on his
face. 5 make known, inform of, advise, transmit, communicate,
record, note, make note of, report, write down, minute: I wish
to register my disapproval of the way prisoners are treated
here. 6 check in, sign in or on, log in: In the US, all aliens
are required to register each year in January. We registered in
the hotel as man and wife. 7 Sometimes, register with or on.
sink in, impress, become apparent (to), make an impression (on),
come home (to), get through (to); dawn on or upon, occur to: I
heard what you said, but it just didn't register. The name
didn't register with me at first, but I now know who you are. 8
indicate, read, mark, represent, measure, point to, specify,
exhibit, show, manifest: The earthquake registered 7 on the
Richter scale.
regret v. 1 rue, mourn, lament, bemoan, bewail, repent, be or feel
sorry for, feel remorse for, feel or be remorseful over, be or
feel upset, never forgive oneself, deplore, deprecate, weep or
cry over: You will regret speaking to me that way! The
management regrets any inconvenience caused by the redecoration
of the restaurant.
--n. 2 Sometimes, regrets. repentance, guilt, sorrow,
disappointment, contrition, remorse, regretfulness, (pang or
pangs of) conscience, self-reproach, self-condemnation, qualm,
second thoughts, rue, ruefulness, grief, woe, sadness,
mournfulness, Literary dolour: He felt no regret for his evil
deeds. Do you ever have any regrets over the way you treated
him? 3 regrets. refusal, non-acceptance, non-consent, US
turn-down: Thank you for the invitation, but I must tender my
regrets.
regretful adj. rueful, mournful, sad, repentant, guilty, sorry,
sorrowful, disappointed, contrite, remorseful, apologetic,
penitent: He was most regretful for the way he had behaved.
regrettable
adj. lamentable, deplorable, woeful, sad, distressing,
upsetting, unhappy, unfortunate, unlucky, too bad, awful,
terrible, execrable, reprehensible, wrong, shameful, shaming,
Colloq tough, rough: It is regrettable that he had the car
crash, but he had been warned about drinking and driving.
regular adj. 1 routine, ordinary, common, everyday, customary,
accustomed, wonted, commonplace, normal, usual, traditional,
time-honoured, conventional, typical, habitual, natural,
familiar, standard, predictable, scheduled, fixed, unvarying,
invariable, methodical: The attack occurred while Eric was
taking his regular evening stroll. 2 scheduled, routine,
systematic, ordered, steady, consistent, rhythmic(al),
automatic, uniform, periodic, cyclic(al); hourly, daily, weekly,
hebdomadal, semi-weekly, biweekly, fortnightly, semi-monthly,
monthly, bimonthly, seasonal, quarterly, semi-annual, annual:
The patrol made their regular rounds, as usual. The printers'
strike might delay regular publication of the magazine. 3
symmetrical, uniform, even, even-sided, equal-sided,
equilateral, equal-angled, equiangular; harmonious: Any
six-sided plane figure is a hexagon, but if it has six equal
angles and six sides equal in length, it is a regular hexagon. 4
undistorted, even, well-proportioned, proportional, symmetrical,
classic: He was classically good-looking, with regular
features. 5 even, smooth, level, straight, uniform,
uninterrupted, unvarying, continuous, flat, plane, plumb: The
surface of the wing is regular except for the spoilers. 6
dependable, methodical, (well-)regulated, (well-)ordered,
orderly; proper, correct, legal, official, bona fide,
legitimate, established, recognized, orthodox, approved, Colloq
kosher, OK or okay: Everything about the council election was
entirely regular. 7 usual, expected, normal, habitual,
accustomed, familiar: Our regular doctor was on holiday, and we
had to see a locum. 8 acceptable, accepted, estimable, fine,
good, likeable, popular, pleasant: We all consider Bob to be a
regular fellow and a friend. 9 complete, utter, thoroughgoing,
unmitigated, unalloyed, unqualified, consummate, perfect,
thorough, absolute, well-known, acknowledged: The man is a
regular dunce when it comes to repairing cars. 10 permanent,
career: She's in the regular navy. 11 conventional, usual,
common, conformable, ordinary, systematic, Colloq US ruly:
Regular English verbs form their past by the addition of -d or
-ed to the infinitive.
--n. 12 fixture, habitu‚, (steady) customer, patron, client,
frequenter: Jan has been a regular at the Star and Garter pub
for years.
regularity
n. 1 consistency, constancy, uniformity, evenness, sameness,
symmetry, balance, harmony, harmoniousness, orderliness, order,
stability, predictability: To the casual observer, nothing
interferes with the regularity of planetary movement. 2 routine,
reliability, dependability, steadiness, invariability; pace,
rhythm, cadence: Mr Warbridge listens to the six o'clock
evening news with unfailing regularity. Our business depends on
the regularity of the postal service. The regularity of the
ticking of the clock is driving me mad.
regulate v. 1 adjust, modify, modulate, control, balance, set, fix,
order, govern, organize, maintain, manage: The mixture of air
and fuel in modern cars is regulated by an injection system. The
responsibility of this department is to regulate prices. 2
control, monitor, govern, run, operate, administer, handle,
guide, steer, conduct, direct, supervise, superintend, oversee,
manage: The foreman's job is to regulate the work on the
assembly line.
regulation
n. 1 adjustment, modification, modulation, control, balance,
balancing, setting, fixing, organization, maintenance: The
regulation of the temperature is accomplished by the thermostat.
2 rule, ruling, law, code, by-law or bye-law, edict, order,
ordinance, statute, decree, directive, dictate: There are
strict regulations governing the sale, disposal, and movement of
radioactive materials. 3 edict, ukase, pronouncement, fiat,
(papal) bull, proclamation: A regulation was issued against
meetings of more than five people.
--adj. 4 standard, accepted, official, required, prescribed,
mandatory: The soldier was not wearing a regulation uniform. 5
usual, normal, ordinary, customary, typical: If you use
anything but regulation accessories, the guarantee will be null
and void.
regurgitate
v. vomit, disgorge, return one's dinner, spew up, (of birds of
prey) cast; retch, gag; Colloq throw up, upchuck, Slang puke, US
spiff one's biscuits, barf: The child regurgitated its dinner
all over the inside of the car.
rehabilitate
v. 1 restore, save, reclaim, rescue, redeem, re-establish,
reinstate, re-educate, reorient, reform, US straighten out,
Colloq US rehab: They have had marked success at rehabilitating
criminals. 2 renew, redecorate, renovate, refurbish, restore,
fix (up), repair, reconstruct, rebuild, change, transform: Sam
has plans to rehabilitate vintage cars for a living.
rehash v. 1 rework, go over again, restate, redo, rearrange,
reshuffle, reuse: Heverton has nothing new to offer - he just
keeps on rehashing the same old material.
--n. 2 reworking, restatement, redoing, rearrangement,
reshuffle, reshuffling, reuse, rewording: Her speech was a mere
rehash of what she's said scores of times already.
rehearsal n. 1 practice, exercise, dry run, drill, run-through,
read-through, dress rehearsal, Technical undress rehearsal: Is
there a rehearsal of the school play scheduled for tonight? 2
narration, recounting, relation, recital, telling, description,
enumeration, account, repetition, repeat: Do we have to listen
to yet another rehearsal of your great-uncle's exploits in the
war?
rehearse v. 1 practise, exercise, run through, read through, study,
repeat: Sorry, Annie, but we are going to have to rehearse the
scene till you get it right. 2 repeat, relate, recite, tell,
describe, recount, review, go through or over, review, report,
recapitulate, Colloq recap: I shall go mad if I hear him again
rehearse the events leading up to the final acceptance of his
novel.
reign n. 1 rule, sovereignty, ascendancy, power, hegemony, influence,
command, suzerainty, administration, jurisdiction, leadership,
government, direction, control, domination, mastery; kingdom,
monarchy, empire: During her reign, the kingdom saw its
greatest prosperity.
--v. 2 rule, control, command, govern, lead, direct, dominate,
supervise, manage, hold sway, wear the crown, wield the sceptre,
occupy the throne, Colloq run the show, rule the roost, Slang
call the shots: During the sixth Egyptian dynasty, Pepi II
Nefektare reigned for 94 years, the longest in recorded history.
3 prevail, be or become prevalent, predominate, hold sway,
obtain, be or become rampant, be or become universal: An
argument broke out, which developed into a fist fight, and soon
pandemonium reigned.
reimburse v. repay, recompense, refund, pay back, compensate, remunerate,
indemnify: Don't worry - we'll reimburse you for any money you
spent.
rein n. 1 check, curb, control, restraint, constraint, limitation,
harness, bridle, brake: You are going to have to put a rein on
your expenses. 2 reins. control, command, control,
administration, running, leadership, power, rule, tiller, helm:
He should hand over the reins to a younger person.
--v. 3 rein in. check, curb, control, restrain, limit, harness,
bridle, restrict, pull back on: You will have to rein in your
passions: it is not becoming to behave in this way at your age.
reinforce v. strengthen, buttress, bolster, support, fortify, prop (up),
shore up, augment, brace, stay, steel: The bookshelf needs to
be reinforced with another bracket, or it'll fall down.
reinforcement
n. 1 buttress, support, prop, brace, stay, bolster: This iron
reinforcement ought to be strong enough to secure the wall. 2
strengthening, buttressing, bolstering, shoring (up),
augmentation, bracing: This shelf is wobbly and in need of
reinforcement. 3 reinforcements. reserves, auxiliaries, men,
soldiers, forces, personnel: We cannot hold out till
reinforcements arrive.
reiterate v. repeat, restate, iterate, labour, harp on, dwell on, rehash,
recapitulate, Colloq recap: I must reiterate my warning to you
to be careful.
reject v. 1 decline, refuse, disallow, spurn, veto, turn down, give
(something) the thumbs down, set aside, US turn thumbs down
(on); deny, repudiate, renounce, rebuff, shun, brush aside, turn
a deaf ear to, will not hear of: Jim has rejected my plan for a
holiday in Torremolinos. She rejects any suggestion that she
might be wrong. 2 refuse, repel, repulse, spurn, rebuff, say no
to, turn down, decline, brush aside; jilt, drop, dismiss, throw
over, give (someone) the cold shoulder, show (someone) the door,
send (someone) away or on his or her or their way, turn one's
back on, Slang give (someone) the brush-off or US also the
brush, give (someone) his or her walking papers, Brit give
(someone) the boot: Ted proposed, but Alice rejected him. 3
throw away or out, discard, disown, jettison, eliminate, scrap,
Colloq junk, scratch: The inspector rejects all defective
merchandise.
--n. 4 second, irregular, discard, cast-off: The rejects are
sold at reduced prices in the factory shop.
rejection n. refusal, denial, repudiation, rebuff, dismissal, spurning,
renunciation, turn-down; cold shoulder, Slang brush-off or US
also brush, the (old) heave-ho: The union voted for the
rejection of management's offer of a 9.2 per cent increase. Her
advances were met with rejection.
rejoice v. delight, exult, glory, celebrate, revel, be happy or
delighted or pleased or overjoyed or elated or glad, Colloq be
tickled (pink): We all rejoiced to be home once again after the
ordeal.
rejuvenate
v. restore, refresh, reinvigorate, revitalize, revivify, renew,
reanimate, regenerate, recharge, breathe new life into: I think
a week in Barbados would rejuvenate me.
relapse v. 1 get back, backslide, fall back, lapse, slip back, regress,
retrogress, recidivate; go back, return, retreat, revert:
Lottie has relapsed into her bad habits. 2 decline,
deteriorate, weaken, degenerate, fail, fade, sink, sicken,
worsen, get or become worse: Just when we thought he was
improving, he relapsed into a coma and died.
--n. 3 backsliding, falling or going back, lapse, lapsing,
return, returning, reversion, reverting, regression, regressing,
retrogression, retrogressing, recidivism, apostasy: The
church's main concern was a relapse into idolatry. 4 decline,
deterioration, weakening, degeneration, failing, failure,
fading, sinking, worsening: Barry was getting better but has
now suffered a relapse.
relate v. 1 associate, connect, couple, link, tie, ally, correlate,
coordinate: Volta first enabled us to relate the forces of
chemistry and electricity. 2 recount, narrate, tell, report,
present, describe, recite, detail, set forth, communicate,
divulge, impart, reveal, delineate, make known, give an account
of, rehearse: It was not till years later that Olivia related
to me the strange events of that night. 3 apply to, coordinate
with, respect, regard, bear upon or on, have a bearing on, have
reference to, have to do with, pertain to, refer to, appertain
to, belong with or to: Does your comment really relate to the
matter in hand? 4 Often, relate to. be in or en rapport with,
understand, empathize, sympathize, communicate with, identify
with, grasp, comprehend, be in tune with, deal with, handle,
cope with, Colloq dig, tune in to, be hip to, be turned on to,
be or get into: I have been having trouble relating to my new
psychiatrist. Your favourite music is reggae? - Man, I can
relate to that.
related adj. 1 associate(d), affiliate(d), connected, coupled, linked,
tied up, allied, correlated, coordinate(d), interconnected,
interrelated, interdependent, mutual, reciprocal, common, joint,
cognate: She and her husband work for related companies. 2
kin, kindred, consanguineous, cognate, agnate; akin: Just how
are you two related? Are you cousins?
relation n. 1 relationship, connection, affiliation, association,
bearing, link, tie, tie-in, reference, pertinence,
interconnection, interdependence, correspondence, kinship: The
relation between time and money is rarely disputed these days.
2 kinship, relationship: Just what is your relation to this
lady? 3 relative, kinsman or kinswoman, blood relative, in-law,
family member: Is she a relation of yours? 4 narration,
narrative, telling, recounting, description, report, recital,
recitation, delineation, portrayal, story, recapitulation: She
amused them all with her relation of what had happened to her
that night. 5 in relation to. concerning, about, regarding,
respecting, pertaining to, with regard to, with respect to,
referring to, with reference to, on or in the matter or subject
of, apropos, re, Archaic or Scots anent, Dialect anenst: I
should like to talk to you in relation to the matter of company
expenses. 6 relations. a sexual intercourse, coitus, sex,
criminal conversation; carnal knowledge: It is well known that
he had relations with his secretary. b dealings, intercourse,
link(s), association(s), liaison, relationship, Colloq doings,
truck: We have no relations with that company.
relationship
n. See relation, 1, 2, above.
relative adj. 1 related, connected, associated, allied, affiliated,
interconnected, interrelated, pertinent, relevant, germane,
applicable; apropos: Your comments are not relative to the
matter at hand. 2 Sometimes, relative to. comparative,
comparable, proportionate, proportional, commensurate; analogous
to, contingent on, dependent on, reliant on, conditioned by,
subject to, attendant on, correspondent or corresponding to,
provisional on, appurtenant to; subordinate to, ancillary to:
Well, as they say, everything is relative. Relative humidity
depends on the temperature of the air. The yield is relative to
the effort.
--n. 3 See relation, 3, above.
relatively
adv. more or less, somewhat, comparatively, rather, to some
degree or extent: Business has been relatively quiet lately.
relax v. 1 loosen, let go, release, let up (on), relieve, ease,
reduce, moderate, slacken, remit, Colloq ease up on, slacken up
on: He relaxed his grip on the rope and fell to his death on
the rocks below. 2 diminish, decrease, lessen, reduce, abate,
weaken, mitigate, modify, tone down, moderate, modulate, lighten
(up on), check, temper, curb: We must not relax our vigilance.
I hope that they don't relax the regulations concerning smoking
in the office. 3 ease up, slow down, loosen up, put one's feet
up, rest, unbend, Colloq take it easy, unwind: Why not come for
a weekend and relax a bit? 4 calm down, cool down, quiet down,
stay calm, cool and collected, Colloq take it easy, Slang cool
it: You ought to relax and not get so excited.
relaxation
n. 1 ease, repose, rest, leisure, recreation, amusement,
entertainment, fun, pleasure, diversion, Colloq R and R ('rest
and relaxation'): For relaxation we usually charter a boat and
go sailing. 2 easing (up or off), relief, alleviation,
abatement, diminution, lessening, mitigation, moderation,
slackening, remission, weakening, letting up, Colloq let-up:
What do you think about the proposed relaxation of the laws
against pornography?
relaxed adj. nonchalant, easygoing, calm, peaceful, tranquil, serene,
pacific, carefree, insouciant, blas‚, languorous, languid,
devil-may-care, free and easy, happy-go-lucky, mellow, at ease,
composed, cool: Richard takes a relaxed view of life.
release v. 1 let go, (set) free, liberate, (set or let or turn) loose,
unloose, untie, unchain, unfetter, unshackle, deliver, let out,
disenthral, discharge, let off, emancipate, manumit, rescue,
save: They kept up a strenuous campaign until all the political
prisoners were released. 2 issue, publish, make available, put
out, pass out, hand out, come out with, circulate, distribute,
disseminate; launch, unveil, present: The government refuses to
release information that is considered harmful to its interests.
The band's new album will be released tomorrow.
--n. 3 freeing, releasing, liberating, loosing, unloosing,
delivering, emancipating, manumitting, rescuing, saving,
freedom, liberation, deliverance, discharge, emancipation,
manumission, rescue, remission, salvation: The release of the
prisoner is scheduled for noon. It would be a great release to
be rid of housework. 4 press or publicity release, announcement,
publicity, notice, story, report: The press office sent out a
release to the media about Randolph's appointment.
relegate v. 1 consign, banish, exile, transfer, dispatch or despatch:
Owing to his disagreement with the Foreign Office, Kendall was
relegated to some outpost in the Indian Ocean. 2 downgrade,
demote: I fear that Corporal Jones has been relegated to
private. 3 assign, commit, hand over, refer, transfer, pass on:
She relegates most of her everyday correspondence to her
secretary for reply.
relent v. relax, soften, yield, give, give way or ground, bend,
comply, acquiesce, compromise, capitulate, come round, be
merciful, show pity or compassion, melt, show mercy, succumb:
They finally relented and allowed me to have visitors.
relentless
adj. 1 unyielding, inexorable, unstoppable, unrelenting,
dogged, implacable, inflexible, unbending, unmoving, unmoved,
unrelieved, stiff, hard, stiff-necked, rigid, obstinate,
adamant, obdurate, intransigent, determined, unswerving,
undeviating, intractable, persevering, steely, tough,
intransigent, unsparing, uncompromising, pitiless, unforgiving,
ruthless, merciless, cruel, unmerciful, remorseless: The novel
is about the relentless horde of Mongols that swept across
Europe in the 13th century. 2 non-stop, persistent, incessant,
unrelenting, unremitting, unstoppable, perpetual, unfaltering,
unfailing, unflagging, unrelieved, unabated, unrelieved,
unbroken, continual, continuous, ceaseless, constant, unceasing,
steady, habitual, regular: Won't you ever stop your relentless
nagging?
relevance n. relevancy, appropriateness, aptness, pertinence, bearing,
connection, affinity, tie-in, relation, significance,
suitability, suitableness, applicability, application,
applicableness: What you just said has no relevance whatsoever
to the issue under discussion.
relevant adj. pertinent, appropriate, apt, related, relative,
significant, suited, applicable, fitting, proper, germane, akin,
allied, associated, apposite, to the point: Alan's suggestion
is not strictly relevant to our plans.
reliable adj. dependable, trustworthy, honest, trusty, trusted,
principled, conscientious, punctilious, honourable, credible,
believable, safe, sure, certain, secure, sound, responsible,
predictable, stable, unfailing, infallible, reputable: Would a
reliable employee like Susan abscond with the money?
reliance n. confidence, trust, faith, dependence: You may be placing
too much reliance on the smoke alarm.
relic n. 1 memento, keepsake, memorial, remembrance, souvenir,
heirloom, token, artefact or artifact: It has been argued again
and again that the Turin shroud, though old, is not a genuine
relic of Christ. 2 remains; fragment, trace, scrap, shard or
sherd, remnant: Deep in the jungle, archaeologists unearthed
relics of a previously unknown civilization.
relief n. 1 ease, easing, abatement, easement, deliverance, remedy,
redress, alleviation, release, remission, assuagement,
liberation, recess: We would all welcome relief from this
blistering heat. Contributions for the relief of famine in
Africa would be most welcome. 2 aid, help, support, assistance,
succour; comfort: How many troops can we send for the relief of
the besieged garrison? 3 elevation, projection, contrast,
prominence; bas-relief or basso-rilievo ('low relief'),
mezzo-rilievo ('medium relief'), alto-rilievo ('high relief'):
The Greek reliefs brought to England by Lord Elgin are on
display at the British Museum. 4 substitute, surrogate,
replacement, alternate, locum (tenens), stand-in; understudy,
double: I wish that my relief would arrive so I could go home.
relieve v. 1 ease, lessen, reduce, diminish, abate, lift, raise,
alleviate, mitigate, palliate, soften, soothe: Business will
suffer if nothing is done to relieve the burden of high interest
rates. The doctor gave me something to relieve the pain. 2
disburden, free, rid, liberate, disencumber, unburden, rescue,
save, release: Winning the lottery relieved me of any immediate
worries of poverty. 3 help, aid, assist, support, succour,
rescue, save, deliver: Will the cavalry arrive in time to
relieve the fort, which is under attack? 4 stand in (for),
replace, substitute for, take over for or from, US spell, Colloq
sub for: I thought you were coming to relieve me at noon.
religion n. creed, belief, faith; doctrine, dogma: People must be
treated equally, regardless of their religion.
religious adj. 1 devout, churchgoing, pious, God-fearing, holy,
spiritual-minded: You never struck me as a particularly
religious person. 2 scrupulous, exact, precise, conscientious,
rigorous, strict, fastidious, meticulous, faithful, punctilious,
unerring, unswerving, undeviating: Edmund's work is
characterized by religious devotion to detail.
relinquish
v. 1 yield, give up, cede, waive, leave, quit, abandon, drop,
forsake, forswear, desert, abdicate, resign, renounce, let go,
surrender, vacate, retire from: Richard was forced to
relinquish the throne. 2 let go, give up, release, unloose,
loose, free: He refused to relinquish his grasp on her arm.
relish n. 1 enjoyment, pleasure, delight, gusto, eagerness, avidity,
anticipation, taste, appetite, zest, liking, appreciation,
fondness, fancy, partiality, preference: The children attacked
the birthday cake with great relish.
--v. 2 enjoy, delight in, take pleasure in, fancy, be partial
to, appreciate, savour, look forward to, anticipate: After all
that dining out, I'd really relish a home-cooked meal. I don't
relish having to tell her she is being made redundant.
reluctance
n. unwillingness, disinclination, aversion, dislike, disrelish,
hesitancy: Cooper's reluctance to leave before the end of the
play was understandable.
reluctant adj. unwilling, disinclined, averse, hesitant, loath,
unenthusiastic, indisposed, opposed, antagonistic; cautious,
chary, wary, leery, circumspect, careful: I remember how
reluctant you were to try raw oysters, and then you couldn't get
enough of them.
rely v. rely on or upon. depend on or upon, lean on or upon, count
on or upon, bank on or upon, have confidence in, bet on, trust
in, swear by, be sure or certain of: You can rely on Philippa
to come through when you need a friend. I am relying on the
fact that interest rates are likely to stay at their present
levels.
remain v. 1 stay (behind), be left, tarry, linger, wait, Colloq stay
put: I remained to help with the washing-up. 2 be left, be
there: How many days remain before your trip? 3 stay,
continue, carry on, abide; endure, persist, last, persevere:
She refuses to remain with him another minute. His last book
will remain a monument to his scholarship.
--n. 4 remains. a leavings, remnants, crumbs, debris,
detritus, remainder, balance, residue, leftovers, scraps,
vestiges, traces, fragments, oddments, odds and ends: The
remains of a half-eaten meal were on the table. b body,
cadaver, corpse; carcass: The remains of the impala were being
picked over by vultures.
remainder n. 1 rest, balance, remains, residue: He spent the remainder
of his life in penury. 2 excess, overage, surplus, residue,
residuum, leftovers: I have used all I needed and don't know
what to do with the remainder.
remaining adj. 1 left (over), extant, outstanding: I did as much as I
could in the time remaining. 2 leftover, surviving, residual;
unused, uneaten, unconsumed: The remaining books will be sold
at auction.
remark n. 1 note, notice, observe, perceive, regard, look at, take
notice or note of: His friends remarked his tired and
overworked appearance and suggested that he should take a
holiday. 2 comment (on or upon), say, observe, reflect, mention,
declare, state, assert: Carrie remarked that she had seen Ted
the night before.
remarkable
adj. 1 extraordinary, unusual, singular, exceptional,
noteworthy, notable, uncommon, incredible, unbelievable,
impressive, phenomenal, astonishing, astounding, surprising:
With remarkable swiftness the falcon dropped on its prey. 2
striking, distinguished, signal, special, wonderful, marvellous,
out of the ordinary, special, unique, significant, outstanding,
rare, memorable, unforgettable, never-to-be-forgotten: This
novel is truly a remarkable achievement. 3 strange, different,
odd, peculiar, curious: Contortionists can do truly remarkable
things with their bodies.
remedy n. 1 cure, treatment, therapy, antidote, counteractant,
countermeasure, medication, medicament, medicine, prescription,
drug, pharmaceutical, cure-all, panacea, nostrum, restorative,
specific: What remedy did the doctor recommend? 2 cure,
antidote, cure-all, panacea, nostrum, countermeasure, relief,
redress, answer, solution: Knowledge is the only remedy for
superstition.
--v. 3 cure, treat, heal, mend, restore, relieve, soothe,
control, ease, mitigate, alleviate: The ointment will remedy
the itching but not the infection causing it. 4 correct,
rectify, reform, improve, ameliorate, redress, repair, put or
set right, straighten out: How can I remedy a situation that
has already gone too far?
remember v. 1 call to mind, bear in mind; recall, recollect: Can you
remember her funny little laugh? Yes, I remember. 2 muse (on or
about), reminisce over or about, think back on or about,
memorialize, commemorate, recognize: He will be remembered for
his many achievements. 3 retain, keep in mind, recall: He was
unable to remember his own name or where he lived. 4 tip,
reward: The Elliotts always remembered the servants at
Christmas.
remembrance
n. 1 memory, recollection; reminiscence: My remembrance of her
is quite different from yours. 2 memento, reminder, souvenir,
keepsake, memorial: I keep this piece of shrapnel as a
remembrance of being wounded in the war.
remind v. prompt, cue, cause to remember, jog the memory, put in mind
of: Remind me to set the clock back an hour tonight.
reminder n. mnemonic, refresher; cue, prompt: I tied this string round
my finger as a reminder, but I don't know of what.
reminisce v. Sometimes, reminisce about. remember, recollect, think back,
look back, turn one's mind or thoughts back; call to mind, hark
back, return: Most of the time we just sit about and reminisce.
The other day we were reminiscing about the time Alex was
arrested for shoplifting.
reminiscence
n. Usually, reminiscences. anecdote(s), memory or memories,
reflection(s), memoir(s): The Sunday Clarion has paid a
six-figure sum to Charlotte for her reminiscences as a cleaner
at Whitehall.
reminiscent
adj. Usually, reminiscent of. recalling, redolent of, evocative
of, indicative of, suggestive of, similar to, comparable with or
to: The odour of burning cabbage is reminiscent of my husband's
cooking.
remiss adj. slack, careless, negligent, neglectful, heedless,
unheeding, inattentive, unmindful, thoughtless, forgetful,
unthinking, slow, indolent, lazy, dilatory, delinquent: You
were remiss in failing to turn off the bath water.
remission n. 1 forgiveness, pardon, deliverance, amnesty, reprieve,
exoneration, release, absolution, exculpation, indulgence,
excuse, exemption, acquittal: As we were granted remission of
our crimes, we were freed. 2 diminution, abatement, decrease,
lessening, subsidence, alleviation, mitigation, assuagement,
ebbing, relaxation, easing: Remission of the disease may occur,
but most sufferers deteriorate rapidly.
remit v. 1 send, transmit, forward, dispatch or despatch; pay,
compensate, settle, liquidate: We have remitted in full the
amount requested. 2 abate, diminish, slacken, decrease, lessen,
subside, alleviate, mitigate, assuage, ebb, dwindle, reduce,
relax, ease (up or off), fall off: The fever ought to remit on
the sixth day.
remittance
n. payment, settlement: allowance, consideration: Remittance
was made regularly on the tenth of the month. He lives on
remittances he receives from home.
remnant n. 1 scrap, shred, fragment, end, bit, piece, trace, vestige,
relic: A silver button was the only remnant of the splendid
uniform. 2 leftover, remainder, residue, rest, remains, part:
The surviving remnant of the battalion made its way across the
desert to Djibouti.
remorse n. regret, repentance, ruefulness, sorrow, woe, anxiety, guilty
or bad conscience, pangs of conscience, humiliation,
embarrassment, guilt, self-reproach, mortification, shame,
contrition, contriteness, penitence, compunction, bitterness:
It is impossible to describe the remorse he felt at having run
over the little girl's puppy.
remorseful
adj. regretful, repentant, rueful, sorry, apologetic,
sorrowful, woeful, anxious, guilty, bad, conscience-stricken,
guilt-ridden, humiliated, humbled, embarrassed, mortified,
shamefaced, shameful, ashamed, shamed, contrite, penitent,
bitter: Harold made a remorseful confession of all his sins.
remorseless
adj. 1 cruel, heartless, callous, harsh, hard-hearted,
stony-hearted, savage, merciless, unmerciful, pitiless,
ruthless: The heavyweight champion administered a remorseless
beating to the challenger. 2 relentless, unrelenting,
unremitting, unstoppable, inexorable, implacable: The
remorseless storm thrashed at our tiny vessel, tearing away
every last shred of rigging.
remote adj. 1 distant, far-away, far-off, removed, outlying,
inaccessible: The more remote the transmitter, the weaker the
signal. 2 lonely, isolated, God-forsaken, secluded,
out-of-the-way, sequestered, tramontane, ultramontane: They
spent their holiday on a remote island in the Indian Ocean. 3
unfamiliar, obscure, arcane, recondite, subtle, alien,
far-fetched, unusual, unlikely: Her writing is scattered with
references remote to the average reader's experience. 4
unrelated, irrelevant, inappropriate, unconnected, outside: Her
conclusions were not remote from what we now know to be the
truth. 5 slight, faint, foggy: I haven't the remotest idea what
you're talking about. 6 slight, faint, slender, insignificant,
slim, small, meagre, outside, poor, inconsiderable, negligible,
improbable, unlikely, implausible: There is only a remote
chance that the experiment will succeed. 7 aloof, detached,
withdrawn, reserved, indifferent, standoffish, abstracted: He
keeps himself quite remote from the hurly-burly of everyday
life. 8 early, ancient, far-removed, distant: The archaeopteryx
is a remote ancestor of modern birds.
removal n. 1 elimination, removing, eradication, taking away: The
removal of the wallpaper revealed that the plaster underneath
was in very poor condition. 2 extermination, murder,
elimination, killing, slaying, assassination, execution,
liquidation, eradication, massacre, slaughter, purge, doing away
with, Slang bumping off, rubbing out, doing in, US rub-out,
wasting: The removal of the finance minister was accomplished
by the secret police. 3 dismissal, transfer, transference,
transferral, shifting, discharge, throwing over, throwing out,
deposition, unseating, dethroning, dethronement, displacement,
expulsion, ouster, ousting, riddance, purge, Colloq firing,
sacking: The company functions better since the removal of the
former chairman. 4 move, transfer, departure, moving: Her
removal to a branch office was requested by top management. 5
moving, house-moving: We hired a removal van when we moved to
Shropshire.
remove v. 1 take off, doff, shed, cast off: Gentlemen are requested
to remove their hats in her presence. 2 take away, get rid of,
carry away or off, shift; transfer: When I arrived this
morning, my desk had been removed. The threat of war has been
removed. Kindly remove your elbows from the table. 3 obliterate,
delete, erase, expunge, eradicate, efface, eliminate, take off,
wipe or rub out, wipe or rub off, get rid of: Use chemicals to
remove the graffiti from the wall. 4 murder, assassinate, kill,
slay, execute, exterminate, eliminate, liquidate, eradicate,
massacre, slaughter, do away with, dispose of, get rid of,
purge, Slang rub or wipe out, do in, bump off, US waste: We
brought in some of the boys to remove the competition. 5
discharge, dismiss, depose, unseat, displace, expel, oust, turn
out, get rid of, purge, Colloq fire, sack, kick out: Andrews
must be removed from his job before he does any more harm. 6
relocate, move, transfer, shift: I removed to a quieter place
where I could write in peace. 7 take out, unfasten, detach,
disconnect, separate, undo: They have to remove the
transmission to overhaul it.
--n. 8 distance, space, interval, separation: They tried to
keep the girls and the boys at some remove from one another.
remuneration
n. 1 payment, compensation, salary, wages, earnings, emolument,
income, pay, stipend, consideration, reward: What remuneration
will she expect to receive if appointed? 2 recompense,
repayment, reimbursement, restitution, reparation(s), damages,
indemnity, indemnification, redress: Have they received any
remuneration for their loss of property during the earthquake?
renaissance
n. renascence, rebirth, revival, reawakening, restoration,
resumption, renewal, resurgence, return, regeneration,
rejuvenation, new dawn, new birth: The Renaissance is so called
because of the return to classical tradition. Hugh seems to have
undergone a renaissance since taking that rest cure.
rend v. 1 rip or tear or pull (to pieces or apart or asunder),
wrench, mangle, shred: The bully threatened to rend me limb
from limb. 2 split, tear, rip, rupture, cleave, split, rive,
separate, slice, lacerate: When the balloon was rent from top
to bottom, the basket fell to the ground. 3 pain, distress,
pierce, stab, smite, wound, afflict, torment, wring, hurt: My
heart was rent by conflicting emotions.
render v. 1 depict, picture, represent, reproduce, portray, create,
produce, do, execute, make, accomplish, achieve: The artist
rendered this portrait of the family from a photograph. 2 make,
cause to be or become: The news of winning the lottery rendered
me speechless. 3 give (up), yield (up), surrender, relinquish,
resign, cede, deliver, hand over, tender, offer, proffer,
present, furnish, provide: The inscription on the tomb has
still not rendered up its secret. To Caesar will I render my
legions and my horse. 4 play, perform: She rendered a fugue
most beautifully on a harpsichord. 5 deliver, return: The jury
rendered a verdict of Guilty. 6 translate, decode, decipher,
transcribe, convert, explain, interpret, put, restate, reword,
rephrase: She rendered the passage into idiomatic English. 7
deliver, hand in, present, offer, proffer, furnish, provide,
tender: They rendered their invoice for the work already done.
8 Usually, Brit render down. melt, clarify, extract: The fat
must be rendered down before it can be used for making soap.
rendering n. depiction, showing, presentation, interpretation,
conception, version, rendition, representation, delineation,
portrayal, picture: This is the architect's rendering of what
the building will look like when completed.
rendition n. 1 performance, interpretation, execution, conception,
concept, understanding, construction, reading, rendering: I
have never before heard such an exquisite rendition of a Bach
cantata. 2 See rendering, above.
renegade n. 1 deserter, turncoat, heretic, defector, traitor, apostate,
Archaic renegado: The renegade has organized a conspiracy
against us.
--adj. 2 traitorous, treacherous, perfidious, treasonous,
apostate, heretical, disloyal: A renegade band of deserters has
turned against the army leaders.
renege v. 1 Cards revoke: When you renege you fail to follow suit. 2
go back on, back out, default, repudiate, go back on or break
(one's) promise or word, recant, abrogate, abjure, Slang welsh
(on): You swore you would keep your word, and now you're
reneging.
renew v. 1 restore, refresh, rejuvenate, revitalize, reinvigorate,
resuscitate, revamp, redo, rehabilitate, transform, regenerate,
refurbish, refurnish, renovate, refit, overhaul, recondition,
modernize, redecorate, do over: The entire interior of the
hotel has been renewed at considerable expense. 2 resume,
resurrect, restart, pick or take up again, recommence, return
to, reopen: They renewed their argument in favour of the
teaching of Latin. 3 restore, replace, restock, replenish: We
must renew our supply of claret. 4 repeat, reiterate, reaffirm,
confirm, reconfirm, restate, reassert: Each autumn she renews
her promise to return in the spring.
renounce v. give up, forswear, surrender, abandon, desert, abjure,
reject, repudiate, spurn, swear off, abstain from, deny, forgo,
forsake, eschew, disown, throw off or out, shun, avoid: He
renounced his claim to the throne and retired to a monastery.
renovate v. redecorate, modernize, do over, refurbish, refurnish, refit,
remodel; recondition, rehabilitate, restore, repair, revamp,
overhaul, patch up, Colloq do up, US fix up: We are having the
entire house renovated by an interior decorator. It was quite
costly to have those paintings renovated.
renown n. fame, celebrity, glory, distinction, esteem, acclaim,
reputation, prominence, eminence, note, mark, honour, prestige,
repute, ‚clat, lustre, illustriousness, stardom: She enjoys
great renown as a rock star.
renowned adj. famous, famed, celebrated, distinguished, acclaimed,
prominent, eminent, well-known, noted, notable, honoured,
illustrious: He was one of the most renowned authors of the
19th century.
rent° v. 1 let (out), lease, hire (out), charter (out), farm out:
Eric owns a three-bedroom house that he rents out. I should like
to rent a yacht for a cruise this summer.
--n. 2 rental, hire, lease, fee: The rent comes to about a
quarter of my salary.
rentэ n. tear, rip, split, gash, slash, hole, slit: The skirt has a
six-inch rent in it.
repair v. 1 mend, patch (up); renew, put or set right, restore, fix
(up), service, put (back) in or into working order, vamp,
revamp, adjust: Can you repair the tear in my trousers? I must
remember to ask the garage to repair the brakes on my car.
--n. 2 mend, patch; restoration, fixing (up), servicing,
improvement, adjustment, renovation, revamping, renewal: The
cost of the repairs to our roof after the storm was covered by
our insurance. 3 form, condition, fettle, state, working order,
Colloq shape, Brit nick: The engine, I'm afraid, has not been
kept in good repair.
repartee n. banter, badinage, persiflage, patter, (witty) conversation,
wordplay, raillery, give and take, Literary deipnosophism:
Simon's witty repartee makes him a most welcome dinner guest.
repay v. pay back, recompense, compensate, requite, reciprocate,
return the favour or compliment, reward, square with, settle
(up) with; refund, give back, return, reimburse, restore: How
can I ever repay you for what you have done? Alan repaid the
money he borrowed from me.
repeal v. 1 revoke, recall, rescind, reverse, cancel, annul, nullify,
invalidate, void, set aside, abolish, abrogate, Law vacate:
They have repealed the rule forbidding guests to wear shorts in
the restaurant.
--n. 2 revocation, recall, rescission, rescindment, reversal,
cancellation, annulment, nullification, invalidation, voiding,
abolition, abrogation: Alcoholic beverages were forbidden in
the US until the repeal of Prohibition.
repeat v. 1 reiterate, restate, echo, retell, recite, quote, rehearse,
recount, recapitulate, Colloq recap: Would you please repeat to
Anne what you told me? 2 duplicate, reproduce, replicate:
History repeated itself on the playing field here today, when
Queens Park Rangers defeated Manchester United, 2-0.
--n. 3 repetition, duplicate, copy, duplication, replication,
reproduction, replica, rerun, rebroadcast, replay, encore,
reprise: This is a repeat of a show we saw last year.
repeatedly
adv. again and again, over again, over and over, frequently,
often, time and (time) again, time after time, recurrently,
repetitively, repetitiously: The needle stuck, and the record
player kept playing the same thing repeatedly.
repel v. 1 repulse, drive back or away or off, reject, fend off,
parry, ward off, hold off, rebuff, resist, withstand, keep at
bay or arm's length: They were completely defenceless and
unable to repel attackers. 2 revolt, offend, disgust, sicken,
nauseate, turn one's stomach, make one's skin crawl, Colloq give
one the creeps, turn one off: The idea of eating sheep's eyes
repels me.
repellent adj. repulsive, repelling, revolting, disgusting, nauseating,
nauseous, stomach-turning, sickening, offensive, loathsome,
repugnant, distasteful, vomit-provoking, sick-making,
disagreeable, obnoxious, off-putting: He described some of the
more repellent examples of vivisection he had encountered.
repent v. regret, feel contrition, lament, bemoan, bewail, be sorry,
rue, feel remorse, feel remorseful or penitent, show penitence:
She repented having reported him to the police. Now that the
evil deed is done he can but repent.
repentant adj. regretful, contrite, rueful, remorseful, apologetic,
sorry, ashamed, embarrassed, penitent: It was terrible that she
wasn't the least bit repentant for what she had done.
repercussion
n. Often, repercussions. reaction, response, effect, outcome,
consequence, reverberation, result, aftermath, after-effect,
upshot, fallout, backlash, echo: We were dealing with the
repercussions of that decision long afterwards.
repertory n. repertoire, store, reservoir, collection, hoard, cache,
repository, stock, supply, inventory, stockpile: Cosgrove felt
compelled to run through his entire repertory of jokes at
dinner.
repetition
n. 1 Often, repetitions. reiteration(s), duplication(s),
redundancy or redundancies, repeats, tautology or tautologies:
The book is full of boring repetitions. 2 reiteration, repeat,
echo, echoing, repeating, duplication, duplicating, rehearsal,
recapitulation, restatement, replication, rereading, retelling,
relisting, recital, reprise, rerun, rerunning: We sat through a
repetition of every name for the benefit of any who might have
missed it the first time.
repetitious
adj. tiresome, tedious, boring, redundant, prolix, windy,
long-winded, wordy, tautological, pleonastic: Streatham's
lectures are very repetitious - he makes the same point over and
over again.
repetitive
adj. iterative, repetitious, incessant, monotonous, repeated,
redundant, humdrum, unceasing, ceaseless, relentless,
unremitting, persistent, recurrent, non-stop, uninterrupted,
continual, constant, continuous: The repetitive beat of that
rock music is driving me mad.
replace v. 1 change, put in place of, substitute, supplant, renew: If
the toy won't work, try replacing the batteries. 2 succeed,
supersede, substitute for, take over from, supplant: Tim will
be replacing David as department head. 3 restore, return, put
back, make good (on), repay, refund, make restitution for: Are
you going to replace the money you took?
replenish v. refill, restock, restore, renew, replace, fill, top up;
furnish, provide: They stopped off in Bordeaux to replenish
their supplies.
replete adj. 1 Often, replete with. full (of), filled up (with),
overflowing (with), well supplied or well provided or well
stocked (with), chock-full (of), crammed or jammed or jam-packed
(with), brim-full (with), chock-a-block, bursting, teeming,
loaded, overloaded (with), gorged (with), stuffed (with), Colloq
up to the eyes or ears (in), up to here or there (in), US up to
the old wazoo (in), Slang lousy (with), Taboo slang up to the
Brit arse (in) or US ass (in): His speech was replete with
names, dates, and precise quotations, all delivered without a
note of any kind. 2 satisfied, sated, satiated: After a meal
like that, anybody would feel replete.
replica n. copy, duplicate, facsimile, reproduction, likeness,
imitation, carbon copy, photocopy, duplication, Colloq dupe, US
knock-off: The hall was dominated by a replica of
Michelangelo's David.
reply v. 1 answer, respond, rejoin, retort, return, come back,
acknowledge: When I asked where he had been, he refused to
reply and walked out of the room.
--n. 2 answer, response, rejoinder, retort, comeback, riposte,
reaction, US rise: I have written to the prime minister but as
yet have had no reply.
report n. 1 account, description, story, article, write-up, piece,
statement, dispatch or despatch, communication, communiqu‚,
announcement, narrative, record; news, information: Stanley
hasn't yet sent in the full report of his meeting with John. Is
there any report from the front? 2 explosion, bang, boom, shot,
gunshot, gunfire, backfire, discharge, crack, blast, detonation:
In the distance we heard the report of a gun, and later a
muffled explosion.
--v. 3 relate, recount, describe, narrate, tell of, detail,
give an account of, write up, document: Our man in Kuala Lumpur
reported a disturbance in a remote village. 4 publish,
promulgate, publicize, put out, announce, set forth, reveal,
disclose, divulge, announce, circulate, make public, broadcast:
Two newspapers and a television station reported the arrest of
the suspect. 5 arrive, appear, surface, check in, sign in, clock
in or on, turn up, come in, US report in: We were asked to
report for duty at 0800 on Friday. 6 report on. investigate,
cover, examine, explore, look into, inquire into, check into or
on, check (up) on, research, study, probe, scrutinize, Slang
check out, Brit suss out: The new journalist was assigned to
report on allegations of bribery in the council.
reporter n. journalist, newspaperman, newspaperwoman, newsman,
newswoman, correspondent, columnist, newswriter, gentleman or
lady of the press, gentleman or lady of the fourth estate, Brit
pressman, presswoman; newscaster, news-presenter, commentator,
broadcaster, anchorman, anchorwoman; photojournalist, cameraman,
camerawoman, Colloq news-hound, news-hawk, news-hen, stringer:
Reporters swarmed around the footballers who had returned home
with the World Cup.
repose n. 1 rest, inactivity, calm, respite, tranquillity, quiet,
restfulness, peace, relaxation: A half hour's repose would be
welcome after a long day coping with lively toddlers. 2 sleep,
nap, doze, catnap, siesta, slumber, Colloq forty winks, snooze,
Slang zizz, shut-eye: The short repose refreshed, and she felt
ready to tackle anything. 3 composure, calmness, calm,
serenity, equanimity, poise, self-possession: He became angry
in a flash, his face changing from quiet repose to livid
distortion.
--v. 4 lie, abide, be, lodge, rest: The power to make the
modifications reposes with you.
represent v. 1 substitute for, stand (in) for, replace, act for: I have
appointed her to represent me in all legal matters. 2 Often,
represent oneself as. present (oneself), depict (oneself), put
or set (oneself) forth, masquerade as, take (on) or assume the
guise or role or part of, characterize as, impersonate, pretend
to be, pose as, imitate, mimic: He represents himself as a
plumber in order to get into houses to rob them. His wife was
represented to me as a social worker. 3 describe, delineate,
reproduce, report, assert, state, put or set forth, show,
reflect, mirror, characterize, define, note, outline, sketch,
depict, picture, portray, draw, paint; pretend: What took place
that fateful day is not as represented in Inspector Taylor's
testimony. 4 symbolize, stand for, typify, exemplify, embody,
epitomize; illustrate: He represents all that is good in the
world today.
representation
n. 1 reproduction, image, likeness, portrait, picture,
depiction, portrayal, semblance, model, manifestation: This is
an accurate representation of the town's appearance in the 18th
century. 2 agency: The sales representation for this area is
under Wright's direction. 3 statement, account, exposition,
declaration, deposition, assertion, presentation, undertaking:
Certain representations have been made concerning harassment by
the police. 4 replica, reproduction, figure, figurine, statue,
statuette, bust, head, model, effigy: This representation of
the goddess Athena was found in Kios.
representative
adj. 1 symbolic, typical, characteristic, emblematic,
archetypal, evocative, illustrative: Is this a representative
sample? These poems are not representative of your best work. 2
elected, chosen, democratic: They are struggling to establish a
representative form of government.
--n. 3 agent, deputy, legate, ambassador, (papal) nuncio,
spokesman, spokeswoman, proxy, delegate, envoy, emissary,
missionary, commissioner; Member of Parliament, MP, Councillor,
Congressman, Assemblyman, Assemblywoman: We like to think that
our representatives are acting on our behalf. 4 agent,
(travelling) salesman or saleswoman, Colloq rep: We have hired
a new representative to sell refrigerators in the north of the
country.
repress v. suppress, put down, (keep in) check, curb, quash, stifle,
overcome, squelch, (keep under) control, contain, restrain,
constrain, limit, keep back, quell, hold back or in, subdue,
inhibit, hamper, hinder, deter, frustrate, discourage, disallow:
The government tried to repress freedom of expression.
repression
n. 1 restraint, suppression, subjugation: Increasing
repression of their liberties finally led the people to revolt.
2 check, squelching, control, inhibition, hampering, hindering,
hindrance, stifling, deterring, frustration, frustrating: The
repression of the revolt was unsuccessful.
repressive
adj. tyrannical, oppressive, dictatorial, despotic, brutal,
suppressive, authoritarian, totalitarian; Fascist(ic): In some
countries, the people were unable to rebel against the
repressive regime.
reprieve v. 1 respite, rescue, save; let off, spare: The Home Secretary
reprieved the prisoner from execution pending further
investigation.
--n. 2 delay, postponement, suspension, remission, respite,
stay, amnesty: The governor granted the condemned man a
reprieve at the eleventh hour.
reprimand n. 1 scolding, reproof, rebuke, admonition, upbraiding,
castigation, reproach, lecture, censure, criticism, disapproval,
remonstrance, remonstration, reprehension, tongue-lashing,
Colloq dressing-down, talking-to, telling-off, ticking-off, rap
over or on the knuckles, slap on the wrist, Brit slating, US and
Canadian chewing-out, Slang Brit wigging: Brown received a
severe reprimand for violating the curfew.
--v. 2 scold, chide, reprove, rebuke, admonish, upbraid,
castigate, reproach, berate, lecture, censure, criticize, find
fault with, attack, flay (alive), reprehend, read (someone) the
riot act, slap on the wrist, rap over the knuckles, take to
task, Colloq bawl out, dress down, give a dressing-down, tell
off, tick off, haul over the coals, give (someone) a piece of
(one's) mind, Brit slate, give (someone) a row, send (someone)
away or off with a flea in his or her ear, tell (someone) a
thing or two, carpet, wig, skin (alive), US and Canadian chew
out, rake over the coals, call on the carpet, pin (someone's)
ears back: Nigel deserves to be reprimanded for what he did.
reprisal n. retaliation, revenge, retribution, redress, requital,
vengeance, repayment, recompense, vindication, getting even,
indemnity: She refused to be named because she feared
reprisals. How many hostages did they shoot in reprisal?
reproachful
adj. fault-finding, critical, censorious, disapproving,
disparaging, upbraiding, reproving, scolding, admonitory,
condemnatory, hypercritical: She was quite reproachful after
seeing what I had written about her in my book.
reprobate adj. 1 unprincipled, immoral, amoral, abandoned, depraved,
despicable, dissolute, low, low-life, base, mean, debased,
damned, accursed, cursed, degenerate, profligate, shameful,
shameless, vile, evil, wicked, villainous, sinful, irredeemable,
foul, iniquitous, reprehensible: Such reprobate behaviour soon
brought him to the attention of the church fathers.
--n. 2 scoundrel, blackguard, miscreant, rake, profligate,
rou‚, villain, wastrel, wretch, degenerate, unprincipled person,
villain, evil-doer, debauchee, libertine, good-for-nothing,
ne'er-do-well, cur, rapscallion, scamp, knave, rascal, US
low-life, Colloq scallywag or scalawag: I can't understand what
she sees in that old reprobate.
reproduce v. 1 duplicate, copy, replicate, match, recreate, repeat,
imitate, simulate: The printer thinks he can reproduce
successfully the colours of the original picture in a print. 2
breed, multiply, propagate, procreate, spawn, produce or bring
forth or beget young; regenerate: These animals normally
reproduce twice a year.
reproduction
n. 1 duplication, copying, printing: Unlicensed reproduction
of this film is against the law. 2 duplicate, copy, print,
clone, carbon (copy), facsimile, replica, look-alike, double,
twin, imitation: The reproductions look better than the
original. 3 propagation, breeding, spawning, proliferation,
production: Today's lecture concerns reproduction and breeding
habits of large sea-mammals.
reproof n. See reprimand, 1, above.
reprove v. See reprimand, 2, above.
repudiate v. reject, scorn, turn down, renounce, retract, rescind,
reverse, abandon, abrogate, forswear, forgo, deny, disown,
discard: The government has repudiated its earlier policy of
refusing to negotiate with the strikers.
repugnant adj. repulsive, abhorrent, disgusting, off-putting, offensive,
repellent, revolting, vile, abominable, loathsome, foul,
distasteful, unpalatable, unsavoury, execrable, intolerable,
obnoxious, noisome, nauseating, nauseous, sickening, unpleasant,
objectionable: I find the very thought of seeing them again
repugnant.
repulse v. 1 repel, rebuff, drive back, ward off, fight or beat off,
check: With a mighty effort, they were able to repulse the
attacking forces. 2 refuse, spurn, snub, reject, rebuff, fend
off, resist, turn down, give the cold shoulder to: She repulsed
his offer of marriage, and he left, never to see her again.
--n. 3 rejection, rebuff, refusal, denial, snub, cold shoulder,
spurning: Alistair told himself he could not accept another
repulse.
repulsive adj. disgusting, revolting, abhorrent, loathsome, repugnant,
repellent, offensive, obnoxious, objectionable, gross,
unsavoury, distasteful, nasty, unpleasant, displeasing,
disagreeable, ugly, off-putting, sickening, nauseating,
nauseous, beastly, vile, dreadful, awful, rotten, feculent,
foul, odious, horrible, horrid, abominable, execrable, fulsome:
I have seldom had so repulsive an experience as the tour of that
abattoir. The repulsive sights and smells were more than I could
bear.
reputable adj. respectable, honourable, well-thought-of, estimable,
respected, trustworthy, trusted, honest, reliable, dependable,
principled, virtuous, good, worthy: Alan is one of Aylesbury's
most reputable businessmen.
reputation
n. 1 repute, name, standing, stature, position, status: Jean
is a woman of excellent reputation in the community. 2 have a
reputation for. be known or noted or notorious or famous for:
The company has a reputation for dismissing employees without
notice.
reputed adj. alleged, purported, supposed, assumed, presumed; rumoured,
said, deemed, held, regarded, viewed, looked on or upon, judged,
considered, thought, believed: The police arrested three
reputed gang members. They are reputed to be international drug
dealers.
request v. 1 ask for, seek, plead for, apply for, put in for,
requisition, call for, demand, insist on, solicit, beg, entreat,
beseech, importune: They request my cooperation. I requested to
be excused. He requested her to open the door for him.
--n. 2 plea, petition, application, requisition, call, demand,
solicitation, entreaty: We receive many requests for
information.
require v. 1 order, command, ask (for), call (for), press (for),
instruct, coerce, force; insist, demand; make: I am required to
appear in court on Monday. The teacher required that I bring my
mother to school. 2 need, want, lack, be lacking, be missing, be
short (of); desire: We require one more trainee in order to
fill our quota.
requirement
n. 1 requisite, prerequisite, demand, precondition, condition,
qualification, stipulation, sine qua non, provision, proviso,
demand, necessity, essential, desideratum, must: It is a
requirement of the loan agreement that you maintain an account
with this bank. 2 need, want, demand: We hope the new design
will meet all your requirements.
requisition
n. 1 request, order, demand, call, authorization, mandate,
voucher: A requisition was issued by headquarters for the
delivery of 200 desks and chairs.
--v. 2 request, order, demand, call, authorize, mandate: Have
you requisitioned the office furniture we need? 3 seize,
appropriate, commandeer, confiscate, take possession of, take
(over), occupy; expropriate: The army of occupation has
requisitioned all available sleeping accommodation in the town.
requital n. 1 repayment, return, recompense, redress, restitution,
reparation, remuneration, quittance, amends, satisfaction,
compensation, payment: I look forward to an opportunity to make
requital for all the favours you have done for me. 2 revenge,
retaliation, retribution, reprisal, vengeance; quid pro quo,
Roland for an Oliver: In requital for his shameful treachery,
MacFallon was sent into exile.
requite v. 1 repay, reward, reciprocate, recompense, compensate for,
respond to: Her years of tender care were requited with abuse
and scorn. 2 retaliate for, revenge, avenge, make restitution
for, redress, pay back for, give tit for tat for, make amends
for: Who can requite the wrongs inflicted on these poor people?
rescue v. 1 save, deliver, (set) free, liberate, let go (free),
release, (let) loose: We rescued all the men who were being
held prisoner. Jane was rescued by a very handsome lifeguard.
--n. 2 deliverance, saving; freeing, liberating, release: The
seaman's rescue was conducted by a navy helicopter team. Because
of the heavy guard, the prisoners' rescue is out of the
question.
research n. 1 investigation, investigating, exploration, delving,
digging, enquiry or inquiry, fact-finding, scrutinization,
scrutiny, examination, inspection, probing, analysis,
experimentation: Her research into the causes of the disease
have yielded good results. The government no longer supports
much research.
--v. 2 investigate, explore, delve into, dig into, enquire or
inquire into, scrutinize, examine, study, analyse, inspect,
check in or into or (up) on, probe, experiment with, Colloq
check out: We are researching ways in which the virus attacks
the blood cells.
resemblance
n. likeness, similarity; correspondence, congruity,
coincidence, conformity, accord, agreement, equivalence,
comparableness, comparability, comparison: There is a striking
resemblance between your wife and mine. Any resemblance is
purely a matter of chance.
resemble v. look or sound or taste or seem or be like or similar to,
bear (a) resemblance to, approximate, smack of, correspond to,
have (all) the hallmarks or earmarks of, take after, Colloq
favour: You are right, the taste does resemble that of
liquorice. Does she resemble her mother?
resent v. feel embittered or bitter about, feel envious or jealous of,
begrudge, have hard feelings about, be displeased or disgruntled
at, be angry about: I resent having to go to work while you sit
about the house all day.
resentful adj. embittered, bitter, acrimonious, spiteful, envious,
jealous, begrudging, vindictive, indignant, displeased,
disgruntled, dissatisfied, unsatisfied, unhappy, peeved,
irritated, irked, annoyed, provoked, riled, angry, piqued,
irate, furious, incensed, agitated, upset, worked up,
antagonistic, hostile: Ronald is resentful because you got the
promotion that he considered rightfully his.
resentment
n. bitterness, acrimony, rancour, envy, jealousy, grudge,
indignation, displeasure, dissatisfaction, unhappiness,
irritation, annoyance, provocation, pique, anger, ire, fury,
agitation, upset, anxiety, ill will, malice, antagonism,
hostility, animosity, enmity, antipathy, hate: Some believe
that inequality among people provokes resentment.
reservation
n. 1 keeping or holding back, withholding, reticence,
reluctance, hesitation, hesitancy, hedging: It was not without
some reservation that I gave the book my endorsement. 2 qualm,
scruple, qualification, hesitancy, limitation, exception,
objection, demur or demurral or demurrer, condition, proviso,
provision: He has no reservations about revealing the most
intimate details in his autobiography. 3 booking, appointment,
arrangement: I'll make a reservation for dinner for the two of
us. 4 preserve, sanctuary, reserve, area, tract, territory,
region, section, plot: In North America, many Indians still
live on reservations.
reserve v. 1 keep or hold (back), withhold, save, set or put aside,
conserve, preserve, retain, keep (to or for oneself), hold over,
postpone, delay, put off, defer: Reserve judgement till you
have heard all the facts. I shall reserve my answer to that
question for another day. 2 hold, keep, book, register, save,
put or set aside, charter, engage, secure, contract for: I have
reserved two seats for the matinee.
--n. 3 Often, reserves. store, stock, stockpile, inventory,
supply, nest egg, reservoir, fund, hoard, cache: We prayed for
rain, as our water reserves were getting low. 4 reticence,
(self-)restraint, (self-)control, taciturnity, aplomb,
formality, coolness, aloofness, guardedness, standoffishness,
remoteness, detachment: I had to admire Paul's reserve in the
face of such insults. 5 Often, reserves. auxiliary, alternate,
substitute, reinforcements, backup, spare: If battle goes
badly, we shall have to call out the reserves. 6 See
reservation, 4, above. 7 reservation, restriction, restraint,
hesitancy, hesitation, limit, limitation, hedging, avoidance,
evasion, dodging, fudging: The lawyer acknowledged without
reserve that the case was weak. 8 in reserve. ready, in
readiness, on hand, available, on call, accessible, as backup,
in store, on tap, at (one's) fingertips: We have huge resources
in reserve should we require them.
reserved adj. reticent, restrained, unresponsive, controlled, silent,
taciturn, uncommunicative, unforthcoming, close-mouthed,
unresponsive, undemonstrative, unemotional, poker-faced, cool,
formal, aloof, guarded, standoffish, unsocial, antisocial,
distant, remote, detached, retiring, withdrawn, sedate, demure,
dignified, guarded, prim, rigid, strait-laced, icy, frigid,
ice-cold: She was always very reserved, not showing any
emotion.
residence n. 1 abode, home, domicile, dwelling, dwelling-place, place,
house, habitation, (living) quarters: A crowd was waiting to
greet them outside their residence. 2 residency, stay, sojourn,
visit, tenancy: During his residence in Cape Province, he
became bilingual in Xhosa. 3 mansion, villa, manor (house),
stately home, estate, chѓteau, castle, palace, Brit hall: The
ambassadorial residence was a very imposing structure.
resident adj. 1 in residence, residing, living, staying, abiding,
dwelling, remaining: Is he resident in this country? 2 local,
neighbourhood, district, regional, neighbouring: Our resident
astronomer mentioned there would be an eclipse of the moon
tonight.
--n. 3 denizen, dweller, inhabitant, citizen, householder,
home-owner, tenant, local: Parking permits are available only
to residents.
residual adj. remaining, leftover, surplus, spare, extra, residuary:
Residual units of the army are still bivouacked in the field.
How would we survive nuclear fall-out and the subsequent
residual contamination?
residue n. remainder, leftover, surplus, remains, rest, excess, dregs,
residuum: The residue of the tatterdemalion force escaped into
the forest.
resign v. 1 quit, leave, go, abdicate, give notice; retire (from),
abandon, give up, forsake, hand over, yield up, renounce,
relinquish, let go, release, vacate, surrender, deliver up, turn
over: Amanda resigned because she was offered a better job
elsewhere. Anthony refused to resign the last of his
responsibilities till he was ninety. 2 resign (oneself) (to).
reconcile (oneself) (to), be or become resigned or reconciled
(to), accommodate (oneself) (to), adjust (oneself) (to), adapt
(oneself) (to), acclimatize or acclimate (oneself) (to), submit
(oneself) (to): Knowing that no one had ever escaped from the
prison, he resigned himself to his fate.
resignation
n. 1 notice; abandonment, abdication, resigning, renunciation,
forgoing, relinquishment: After the incident in the boardroom,
Kim was asked for her resignation. Stuart's resignation of his
responsibilities led to a severe reprimand. 2 reconciliation,
reconcilement, adjustment, adaptation, acclimatization or
acclimation, submission, acceptance, compliance, capitulation,
abandonment, acquiescence, passivity: His resignation to his
fate won admiration from those around him.
resilience
n. rebound, recoil, bounce, elasticity, springiness, spring,
buoyancy, flexibility, suppleness, ability to recover: The
resilience of youth is astonishing, and William was soon on his
feet again.
resist v. 1 stop, hinder, prevent, hold out (against), be proof
(against), keep or hold at bay, hold the line (against), thwart,
impede, block, obstruct, inhibit, restrain, preclude, check,
control, curb, stem, bridle, hold back, withstand, weather, last
(against), endure, outlast, stand up (to or against); combat,
fight (against), battle, countervail (against), counteract,
oppose, rebuff, defy: He was jailed for attempting to resist
arrest. It is pointless to resist. 2 refuse, deny, turn down,
forgo: I cannot resist a rich sweet for dessert.
resistance
n. 1 opposition, defiance, refusal, denial, obstruction,
intransigence, rebelliousness, recalcitrance, stubbornness: The
child puts up considerable resistance to any form of discipline.
2 defences: My resistance is low, I can deny you nothing. 3
Resistance. underground, partisans, freedom fighters, guerrilla
or guerilla movement, guerrillas or guerillas, irregulars,
Maquis, US resisters: During the war, he was a member of the
Resistance and engaged in sabotage against the invaders.
resistant adj. 1 opposed, against, defiant, averse, unsubmissive;
impervious, unaffected: The organisms are resistant to any
change. 2 recalcitrant, stubborn, obstinate, intransigent,
rebellious, immovable, intractable, refractory, wilful,
ungovernable, unmanageable, unruly, uncompliant, uncooperative:
We have run up against a highly resistant group of activists. 3
Often, resistant to. impervious (to), impenetrable (to),
repellent (to); proof (against); shedding: You need a more
resistant material. This fabric is resistant to rain and snow.
resolution
n. 1 resolve, resoluteness, determination, purpose,
purposefulness, steadfastness, firmness, decidedness, decision,
staunchness, boldness, doggedness, dauntlessness, stubbornness,
obstinacy, perseverance, persistence, relentlessness,
pertinacity, tenacity, single-mindedness, dedication, devotion,
constancy, devotedness, deliberation, deliberateness,
inflexibility, inflexibleness, unshakeability or unshakability,
fixedness, indefatigability, indefatigableness, irreversibility,
changelessness, unchangeability, immutability, immutableness,
unalterability, Colloq US stick-to-it-iveness: The boys showed
extraordinary resolution in deciding to continue despite the
hardships. 2 promise, commitment, pledge, word (of honour),
oath, vow, undertaking, obligation; intention: I find that my
New Year's resolutions last till about January 5th. 3 motion,
resolve, proposal, proposition, plan, suggestion, idea, notion;
determination, verdict, decision, judgement: The committee
votes today on the resolution to increase membership fees. 4
answer, answering, solution, solving, unravelling,
disentanglement, sorting out, explication; outcome, issue,
result, end (result): The resolution of a family problem is
seldom easy. Can there be a final resolution of the question of
a free market economy? 5 acutance, sharpness, precision,
accuracy, exactness, exactitude, fineness, discrimination,
detailing, distinguishability: The new optical system provides
for a much better resolution.
resolve v. 1 determine, decide, make up one's mind, agree, undertake,
settle, fix, conclude: When did you resolve to move to
Australia? Let us resolve never to let this happen again. 2 work
out, figure out, solve, clear up, answer: How have you resolved
the problem of looking after the cats while you are away? 3
adopt, pass, approve, decide: It was resolved that membership
fees should be raised. 4 resolve into. change into, convert
into, alter into, transform into, transmute into, metamorphose
into, be convert(ed) into, become, dissolve into, break down
into, liquefy into, disintegrate into, reduce to or into: O,
that this too too solid flesh would melt, Thaw, and resolve
itself into a dew!
--n. 5 See resolution, 1, above. 6 See resolution, 2, above:
She kept her resolve never to marry again.
resonant adj. vibrating, vibrant, resounding, (re-)echoing,
reverberating, reverberant, pulsating, ringing, booming,
thundering, thunderous, loud: The resonant pealing of the bells
almost drove me mad.
resort n. 1 spa, retreat, Chiefly Brit watering-place: We go to a
lovely resort in the Alps every summer. 2 resource, backup,
reserve, refuge, place to turn, alternative, remedy: He will
see a doctor only as a last resort.
--v. 3 resort to. have recourse to, turn to, look to, fall back
on, repair to, take to, frequent, patronize, attend; visit,
haunt, hang out in: I have to resort to father for a small
loan. She was said to be resorting to the lowest dens in the
Casbah.
resound v. boom, resonate, ring (out), boom (out), (re-)echo,
reverberate, pulsate, thunder: The laughter resounded around
the entire office.
resource n. 1 Often, resources. initiative, ingenuity, talent,
inventiveness, imagination, imaginativeness, cleverness,
quick-wittedness, capability, resourcefulness, aptitude,
qualifications, strength, quality, forte, Colloq Brit gumption,
Slang guts: Has he the inner resources for the job that lies
ahead? 2 Often, resources. capital, assets, money, possessions,
wealth, property, cash, funds: She has sufficient resources to
retire at fifty if she wants to.
resourceful
adj. ingenious, inventive, imaginative, clever, Daedalian,
creative, skilful, smart, slick: Sylvia is resourceful enough
to get out of any situation.
respect n. 1 regard, consideration, admiration, esteem, (high) opinion,
appreciation: We have great respect for Samuel Simpson, our
president. 2 regard, consideration, courtesy, politeness,
civility, attentiveness, thoughtfulness, etiquette, deference,
reverence, veneration: Few treat Alastair with the respect he
deserves. 3 reference, relation, connection, comparison,
regard, bearing: What are they planning to do with respect to
the flooding? 4 detail, point, element, aspect, characteristic,
feature, quality, trait, particular, matter, attribute,
property: Describe the respects in which the War of American
Independence and the French Revolution were similar. 5 respects.
regards, good or best wishes, greetings, compliments, Formal
salutations, Formal or archaic devoirs: I went to pay my
respects to my aunt on her 90th birthday.
--v. 6 consider, admire, esteem, honour, appreciate, value,
defer to, pay homage to, think highly or well of, look up to,
revere, reverence, venerate: I am not sure that I like Mrs
Horne, but I certainly respect her for what she has done for the
poor. 7 heed, obey, show consideration or regard for, pay
attention to, attend to, be considerate or polite or courteous
to, defer to: Children are no longer taught to respect their
elders.
respectable
adj. 1 proper, demure, decorous, seemly, estimable, worthy,
dignified, decent, upright, honest, respected, genteel, refined,
reputable, above-board, unimpeachable, law-abiding: Patricia
Smythe is a very respectable member of the community. I'll have
you know that I run a respectable boarding house! 2 moderate,
appreciable, goodly, reasonable, fair, not inconsiderable,
considerable, tolerable, satisfactory, sizeable, good-sized,
substantial, not insignificant, significant, Colloq tidy: She
earns a respectable living. A respectable number of people
showed up. Climbing Annapurna, though it is not Everest, is a
respectable feat. 3 presentable, moral, decent, proper, modest,
chaste, innocent, pure, clean: The board decided that the film
is not respectable enough to be shown to schoolchildren.
respectful
adj. courteous, polite, well-mannered, well-behaved, mannerly,
civil, cordial, gentlemanly, ladylike, gracious, obliging,
accommodating, considerate, thoughtful: On entering, Captain
Gregory made a respectful bow to the ladies.
respective
adj. separate, individual, particular, pertinent, specific,
special, personal, own, relevant, corresponding, several: Each
retired to his respective room for the night. All of you know
your respective duties.
respectively
adv. separately, individually, singly, severally, mutatis
mutandis, each to each: Ron and Daniel are, respectively,
president and secretary of the association.
respite n. 1 interval, intermission, break, interruption, recess,
breather, rest; holiday, Chiefly US and Canadian vacation: I
haven't had a moment's respite since six o'clock this morning.
We are planning a brief respite from work in August. 2 pause,
delay, hiatus, stay, extension, reprieve, postponement: After a
ten-minute respite, the infernal noise began again.
respond v. 1 answer, reply, come back, return, react, reciprocate,
counter; rejoin, retort: When Sean insulted her, Una responded
with a slap to his face. I said, 'Good morning!' and Adrian
responded, 'What's good about it?' 2 Often, respond to. be
responsive (to), react (to), empathize (with), sympathize
(with), commiserate (with), feel for, pity, be affected or moved
or touched (by): Many respond to those charity appeals for the
crippled and disabled.
response n. answer, reply, retort, rejoinder; reaction, effect,
feedback, return, Colloq comeback: Whatever you say to Ronnie
Farrago, he always has a snappy response. The response to our
advertising has been quite good.
responsibility
n. 1 accountability, liability, chargeability, answerability,
obligation: Responsibility is one of the burdens a parent must
undertake. 2 charge, duty, onus, burden, trust, job, role,
task: Has Ted taken on more responsibilities than he can
handle? It is your responsibility to see that the children are
awakened in time for school. 3 blame, guilt, fault, culpability:
Professor Davies assumed full responsibility for the failure of
the experiment. 4 dependability, reliability, trustworthiness,
stability, accountability, creditability: Before accommodating
you with a loan, Mr Stokes, we must confirm your financial
responsibility.
responsible
adj. 1 accountable, answerable, liable, chargeable: The court
determined that she was not responsible for her actions. 2
reliable, trustworthy, dependable, stable, creditable,
accountable, ethical, honest: If teenagers can show that they
are sufficiently responsible, the bank will lend them money for
their enterprise. 3 executive, leading, authoritative,
administrative, important, decision-making, managerial,
directorial, principal, chief, top, US front-office: Oliver
played a responsible role in the running of the company. 4
guilty, to blame, at fault, culpable: We never found out who
was responsible for putting the frog in the teacher's desk.
responsive
adj. alert, alive, (wide-)awake, reactive, communicative,
sharp, keen, receptive, sensitive, open, sympathetic: I was
delighted to find students who were so responsive to the ideas
put forth in my lectures.
rest° n. 1 repose, sleep, nap, doze, siesta, slumber, Chiefly Brit
lie-down, Colloq forty winks, zizz, snooze; shut-eye: I think
I'll have a bit of a rest before dinner. 2 relaxation,
intermission, interval, interlude, entr'acte, rest period,
cessation, (tea or coffee) break, recess, breather,
breathing-spell, respite, time off, holiday, Chiefly US and
Canadian vacation: Why don't you take a rest for a while? 3
ease, relaxation, leisure, indolence, idleness, inactivity,
loafing, dozing: His well-deserved rest was disturbed by an
urgent request from Interpol to investigate a smuggling
operation. 4 prop, support, holder, brace, trestle, shelf,
bracket: Those old guns were too heavy to hold and fire without
using a rest. 5 come to rest. stop, end up, turn up, arrive:
The ball rolled down the slope and came to rest in a puddle.
--v. 6 (go to) sleep, doze, relax, take a rest, (take one's)
repose, lie down, recline, go or take to one's bed, take one's
ease, unwind, loll, languish, laze about, be idle, idle about,
lounge, (take a) nap, put one's feet up, Colloq take it easy,
snooze, count sheep, have a zizz, catch or grab some shut-eye,
get or take forty winks, US catch or log a few zees (Z's), Slang
Brit kip, doss down, hit the sack, hit the hay, US sack out:
Rest now - you'll feel better tomorrow. 7 reside, be situated,
be lodged, lie, be placed, hinge, be found, remain, stay: The
responsibility for passenger safety rests with the captain and
the crew. The blame for this fiasco rests on you. 8 place,
position, put, lay, set, lean, prop: Rest your head on my
shoulder. 9 lie, remain, stay: Can't you let the matter rest?
10 allay, calm, quiet, still, stay: Rest your fears - I shall
let nothing happen to you.
restэ n. 1 remainder, balance; remains, remnants, leftovers, residue,
residuum, excess, surplus, overage: If you carry these bags,
I'll take the rest. Martin bought up all the best books and left
the rest for us.
--v. 2 (continue to) be, remain, keep on being: Rest assured,
the situation is bound to get easier as we go along.
restful adj. 1 relaxing, soothing, comforting, tranquillizing,
sedative, calming, sleep-inducing, hypnotic, soporific,
somnolent: Don't you find the sound of the waves restful? 2
tranquil, calm, peaceful, quiet, still, serene, pacific,
comfortable, relaxed, reposeful: After a hectic day in the
city, I was happy to return to the restful atmosphere of the
country.
restitution
n. 1 amends, compensation, redress, recompense, remuneration,
reparation, requital, indemnification, indemnity: It was agreed
that victims of the raids were entitled to restitution for what
had been taken from them. 2 restoration, return,
re-establishment, reinstatement, recovery: A commission is to
investigate the restitution of plundered property.
restive adj. See restless, below.
restless adj. restive, uneasy, edgy, on edge, on tenterhooks, fidgety,
nervous, skittish, excitable, highly-strung, high-strung, worked
up, agitated, fretful, jumpy, apprehensive, itchy, Colloq
jittery, Slang uptight, US antsy, hyper: The crowd in the
square were becoming restless as they waited for the speeches to
start.
restoration
n. 1 See restitution, 2, above. 2 renovation, refurbishment,
rehabilitation, renewal, repair, rejuvenation, reconstruction,
resurrection, reconversion, revival: The programme for the
restoration of ancient buildings suffers from lack of funding.
restore v. 1 give or hand back, return, make restitution, bring back:
We must restore to the people the land that is rightfully
theirs. 2 revive, rejuvenate, re-establish, renew, bring back,
give (someone) back, resuscitate, resurrect, rekindle,
reinvigorate, refresh, stimulate, revitalize, strengthen: Your
kindness has restored my faith in mankind. 3 renovate,
refurbish, renew, repair, rejuvenate, resurrect, revive,
reconstruct, rehabilitate, rebuild; mend, fix, retouch, touch
up; Colloq US fix up: They live in a 17th-century cottage that
has been lovingly restored. Antiques often lose their value
entirely if they are restored. 4 replace, reinstate, put back;
return, bring back: They said that they would not rest until
they had restored the rightful king on the throne. The doctor
said she would soon be restored to good health. 5 replace,
reimburse, repay, return, pay or put or give back: Even though
he has restored all the money he took, she refuses to forgive
him.
restrain v. 1 (keep under or in) control, (keep or hold in) check, hold
(back or in), curb, govern: A poor rider, he was unable to
restrain his horse. Something must be done to restrain the
general's power. 2 limit, restrict, inhibit, regulate, suppress,
repress, bar, debar, curtail, stifle, hinder, interfere with,
hamper, handicap: Trade between the two countries was
restrained because of tariff disputes. 3 (place under) arrest,
confine, imprison, incarcerate, detain, hold, lock up, jail or
Brit also gaol, shut in or up: For his most recent offence, he
was restrained for two months.
restraint n. 1 control, check, curb, rein, bridle, restriction,
constraint, limit, limitation, curtailment, taboo, ban,
interdict or interdiction, proscription, delimitation, bound(s),
embargo: The law places restraints on executives' buying and
selling shares in their own companies. In 1863, a bill for the
restraint of the press was brought before the House of Commons.
2 control, restriction, constraint, confinement; bondage, bonds,
fetters, shackles, handcuffs, gyves, bilboes, pinions, manacles,
ball and chain, strait-jacket, Colloq cuffs, bracelets: Despite
the restraints to his liberty, he felt a free man. He became
violent and had to be put under restraint. 3 control, reserve,
self-control, self-possession, poise, equanimity,
self-discipline, self-restraint: Heather Gorse exhibited
admirable restraint in remaining silent when teased her about
her name.
restrict v. limit, confine, bound, circumscribe, delimit, mark off,
demarcate, regulate; qualify, restrain, impede: Smoking is
allowed only in restricted areas. The opposition party said that
they would restrict the movement of heavy goods by road.
restriction
n. 1 condition, provision, proviso, qualification, stipulation:
One restriction is that purchasers of shares in the utility must
be resident in the UK. 2 See restraint, 1, above.
result n. 1 outcome, consequence, effect, end (result), fruit;
conclusion, upshot, issue, development, sequel, follow-up,
consequence, denouement or d‚nouement: It will take years to
evaluate the results of the new educational curriculum. As a
result of his speeding ticket, his driving licence was
suspended.
--v. 2 Often, result from. develop, emerge, follow, happen,
occur, come (about), come to pass, arise, evolve, be produced:
Severe burns can result from allowing children to play with
matches. The mixture that results may be highly volatile. 3
result in. end, conclude, culminate, terminate: The explosion
resulted in a heavy loss of life. The experience gained often
results in better safety devices.
resume v. continue, carry on, take up again, pick up (where one left
off): After prison, it is not easy to resume one's life where
it left off. When the audience quieted, the speaker resumed.
r‚sum‚ n. 1 summary, digest, abstract, synopsis, pr‚cis, outline,
review, recapitulation, epitome, Colloq run-down, recap: Give
me a r‚sum‚ of what went on at the board meeting. 2 curriculum
vitae, CV, summary, biography, work or job history, career
description, Formal prosopography, Colloq bio, US vita:
Suitably qualified candidates are invited to send their r‚sum‚s
to the address below.
resurgence
n. renaissance, renascence, rebirth, revival, reawakening,
restoration, renewal, resumption, return, resurrection,
regeneration, rejuvenation, new dawn, new birth: Simone is
banking her entire future on a resurgence of interest in
seventies' fashion.
resurrect v. revive, bring back, return, reawaken, restore (to life),
reintroduce, renew, regenerate, rejuvenate, raise (from the
dead), resuscitate, breathe new life into, reanimate,
reincarnate: Some antiquated law was resurrected in order to
prevent their using the land for grazing.
retain v. 1 keep (possession of), hold (on to), save, preserve, Colloq
hang on to: Retain the receipt in case you wish to exchange the
merchandise. 2 engage, hire, employ, commission, take on: We
have retained a caretaker to look after the estate. 3 hold,
absorb, contain, soak up, preserve: This type of soil retains
little water. 4 remember, keep or bear or have in mind, recall,
remain aware of, memorize, impress on the memory, recollect: As
he aged, he found it increasingly difficult to retain even the
simplest information such as names and dates.
retaliate v. repay, pay back (in kind), counter, strike back (at), take
revenge (on), wreak vengeance (on), revenge oneself (on),
avenge, reciprocate, settle a score (with); give a Roland for an
Oliver, give tit for tat, take an eye for an eye (and a tooth
for a tooth), give as good as one gets, give (someone) a taste
of his or her or their own medicine, pay (someone) back in his
or her own coin; Colloq get even (with), get back (at): After
government forces bombed their mountain headquarters, the
guerrillas retaliated by destroying bridges and railway lines.
retard v. 1 slow (down or up), hold up or back, set back, hinder,
impede, delay, keep back, stall, thwart, balk, block, restrict,
hold in check, frustrate, interfere with: Growth of the economy
was severely retarded by the war.
--n. 2 Offensive and derogatory idiot, moron, fool, imbecile,
dunce, Slang chiefly US and Canadian jerk: Why she invites that
retard to her parties I can't imagine.
reticent adj. quiet, shy, timid, retiring, reserved; taciturn, silent,
unresponsive, tight-lipped, unforthcoming: If you are proud of
your accomplishments, why be reticent about saying so? Colin is
reticent about how he acquired his gold earring.
retinue n. entourage, escort, convoy, cortЉge, company, train, suite,
followers, attendants, following, hangers-on, Colloq groupies:
The rock band arrived at the airport accompanied by a retinue of
flunkeys.
retire v. 1 withdraw, rusticate, go off or away, take off, retreat;
hibernate, aestivate or US estivate, seclude or sequester or
cloister oneself: I think I'll retire to some mountain-top to
finish my book. 2 stop or give up work(ing), be pensioned off,
(be) put out to grass or pasture, take the golden handshake, be
given the gold watch, go on social security, go on a pension, be
superannuated, go out of circulation: Gemma Frobisher has
retired from her job in the bakery, and is now living with her
daughter in Norfolk. 3 go or take to (one's) bed or bedroom, (go
to) sleep, lie down, (take one's) repose, (take a) nap, put
one's feet up, Colloq take it easy, snooze, count sheep, have a
zizz, catch or grab some shut-eye, get or take forty winks, US
catch or log a few zees (Z's), Slang hit the sack, sack out, hit
the hay, Brit kip, doss down: I usually retire around midnight.
retiring adj. shy, bashful, coy, demure, modest, diffident, timid,
unpretentious, unassuming, humble, self-effacing, timorous,
meek, reticent, reserved, unsocial, unsociable, aloof, removed,
standoffish, distant, reclusive, eremitic(al): Howard is of a
retiring disposition, preferring to keep to himself.
retort n. 1 response, reply, rejoinder, answer, riposte, rebuttal,
Colloq comeback: Faced with criticism of the novel, the
author's retort was a four-letter word.
--v. 2 fling or hurl back, rejoin, answer back, riposte, rebut,
counter, come back with, return, respond, answer, reply,
retaliate: 'And don't expect a Christmas present from me,
either!', she retorted vehemently.
retouch v. touch up, correct, restore, repair, recondition, refresh,
brush up, adjust, improve, finish, put the finishing touches on:
Only an expert restorer could have retouched the damaged
painting so skilfully.
retract v. 1 withdraw, pull or draw back: The instant he felt the
heat, he retracted his hand. 2 take back, withdraw, rescind,
revoke, repeal, deny, disavow, recant, renounce, abjure, cancel,
forswear, repudiate, disclaim, disown, reverse: If they refuse
to retract their statement, I shall sue them for libel.
retreat n. 1 retirement, withdrawal, pulling or falling or drawing
back, giving ground, evacuation, flight: The regiment's retreat
in the face of overwhelming odds is complete. 2 retirement,
seclusion, withdrawal, isolation, solitude, rustication: Since
her retreat from public life, she has devoted herself to
painting. 3 sanctuary, sanctum (sanctorum), refuge, shelter,
den, haven, asylum, resort, hideaway, hide-out: Antonia
insisted on having her own retreat where she could occasionally
escape from the children.
--v. 4 withdraw, decamp, run (away), turn tail, depart, give or
lose ground, pull or fall or draw back, retire, evacuate, flee,
take flight: We must retreat to the shelter of the hills, where
we can regroup. 5 ebb, draw or move back, recede: The waves,
constantly advancing and retreating across the pebbly strand,
lulled me to sleep.
retribution
n. vengeance, revenge, reprisal, retaliation, requital,
redress, quid pro quo, satisfaction, punishment, justice, just
deserts, recompense, compensation: It is a moral question
whether society's treatment of malefactors should be an act of
retribution or the setting of an example to others.
retrieve v. 1 bring or get (back), fetch, come back with: Simon trained
his dog to retrieve his slippers. 2 recover, save, rescue, take
back, recoup, regain, reclaim: I tried using a fishing line to
retrieve my hat from the lake. 3 make up, make amends for,
recover, cover, redeem, repay, pay for, return, get back,
regain, be repaid or reimbursed for: Will we be able to
retrieve our losses when we sell the business?
retrospect
n. hindsight, reconsideration, review, remembering,
afterthought, recollection, looking back: In retrospect, I am
not sure we did the right thing.
return v. 1 come or go back, revert, turn back: She is returning to
her old habits. I shall return to this subject later if I have
time. 2 come back, reappear, resurface, crop up again, turn or
show up again, put in an appearance again; recur, reoccur,
Colloq pop up again: Will he return before March? The symptoms
returned. 3 replace, put back, restore, give back, bring or
carry back: The missing books have mysteriously been returned.
4 exchange, bring back or carry back: You may return any
merchandise, for any reason, for refund or exchange, within ten
days of its purchase. 5 yield, earn, gain, profit, benefit:
Where else can you find a secure investment that returns more
than 15 per cent? 6 deliver, render, give, offer, turn in,
proffer, report: The jury returned a verdict of Not Guilty.
--n. 7 recurrence, reappearance, repetition, renewal,
recrudescence, resurfacing, re-emergence: There was a return of
the symptoms when I stopped taking the medicine. 8 replacement,
replacing, restoration, restoring, restitution: We shall see to
the return of the stolen items to their rightful places. 9
Sometimes, returns. yield, earnings, profit, gain, benefit,
income, revenue, proceeds, interest, takings, results: The
return on my investment was almost 100 per cent! 10 arrival,
advent, coming, home-coming: A small crowd had gathered to
await his return. 11 reciprocity, reciprocation, repayment,
recompense, reimbursement, compensation, payment, reparation,
indemnity, indemnification, consideration, amends, redress,
requital: If I give you my bike, what will I get in return?
revamp v. overhaul, redo, recondition, renovate, repair, fix, do up,
refit, refurbish, restore, rehabilitate, US fix up: To bring it
into line with the 21st century, the constitution may need to be
revamped completely.
reveal v. expose, display, divulge, disclose, show; make known, let
on, let out, let it be known, let slip, communicate, give vent
to, air, ventilate, leak (out): The increasing light of dawn
revealed a no-man's-land of utter devastation. The book is said
to reveal everything you would prefer not to know about
factory-farming.
revel v. 1 Usually, revel in. (take) delight (in), take pleasure
(in), rejoice (in), luxuriate (in), bask (in), wallow(in), lap
up, crow (about or over), glory (in), savour, relish: Gavin
revelled in the news that his ex-wife was remarrying and he
would no longer have to pay her alimony. 2 make merry, carouse,
celebrate, cut loose, go on a spree, Colloq live it up, whoop it
up, make whoopee, whoop it up, paint the town red, party, Brit
push the boat out, Slang Brit have a rave or rave-up: The night
after exams finish, the students traditionally revel till dawn.
--n. 3 spree, party, merrymaking, debauch, carouse, festival,
f€te, carousal, celebration, gala, ball, romp, fling, carnival,
jamboree, bacchanal, saturnalia: Everyone joined in the revels
on New Year's Eve, and had a good time.
revelation
n. news, information, proclamation, publication, bulletin,
communiqu‚, announcement, pronouncement, declaration, statement,
leak; admission, confession; discovery, unveiling, uncovering,
exposure, disclosure, expos‚: We were shocked at the revelation
that they had been married all these years. Scientists'
revelations about the depletion of the ozone layer are causing
widespread concern.
revelry n. merrymaking, fun, revelling, carousal, carousing, gaiety,
festivity, jollity, mirth, celebration, ball, high jinks or
hijinks, spree, Colloq partying, Slang Brit rave or rave-up:
The revelry went on into the wee hours of the morning.
revenge n. 1 vengeance, retaliation, reprisal, retribution,
vindictiveness, spitefulness, repayment, satisfaction: They
think he set fire to the place in revenge for having been
dismissed.
--v. 2 avenge, get even for, take revenge for, make reprisal
for, exact retribution or payment or repayment for: She was
seeking ways to revenge the murder of her brother. 3 revenge
oneself (on). settle a score or an old score (with), pay
(someone) back in his or her own coin, give a Roland for an
Oliver, give tit for tat, take an eye for an eye (and a tooth
for a tooth), punish, Colloq get, get even (with), give
(someone) his or her or their comeuppance, give (someone) a
taste of his or her or their own medicine: He found ways to
revenge himself on them for all that they had done to him.
revenue n. (gross) income, proceeds, receipts, return(s), yield,
interest, takings, net (income), gate; profits, gain, Colloq
chiefly US take: The revenue from the drugs operation must run
into billions.
revere v. adore, adulate, reverence, venerate, worship, idolize,
enshrine, sanctify, beatify, glorify, esteem, admire, respect,
honour: He was revered as the founding father of British
psychology.
reverence n. 1 honour, respect, esteem, admiration, glorification,
beatification, sanctification, idolization, worship, veneration,
adulation, adoration, homage, fealty, obeisance, deference, awe:
Their totalitarian discipline was able to succeed because of the
people's reverence for authority.
--v. 2 See revere, above.
reverie n. day-dream, fantasy, brown study, wool-gathering,
absent-mindedness; meditation, thought: I shouldn't disturb
Kevin - he's deep in a reverie.
reversal n. 1 reverse, turn-about, turn-round, U-turn, change,
volte-face, (complete) switch, Brit about-turn, US about-face:
This represents a reversal of former policy, doesn't it? 2 See
reverse, 8, below. 3 annulment, nullification, nulling,
cancellation, revocation, repeal, rescission: The present case
is an appeal against the reversal of an earlier judgement.
reverse adj. 1 opposite, contrary, inverse, converse; inverted, upside
down, mirror, reversed, backward: Now try turning the wheel in
the reverse direction. What appears on the retina is a reverse
image, which the brain inverts.
--v. 2 invert, overturn, turn upside down, turn topsy-turvy,
turn over, up-end; exchange, change, interchange, transpose:
Using your finger to keep the mercury from running out, reverse
the tube in the dish of mercury. Perhaps the car will start if
you reverse the leads to the battery. 3 overturn, overthrow,
upset, set aside, quash, override, annul, nullify, vacate,
abandon, revoke, negate, veto, declare null and void, disaffirm,
invalidate, cancel, repeal, rescind, overrule, countermand,
undo: The superior tribunal reversed the decision of the
lower-court judge. 4 alter, change, modify; renounce, recant,
take back: Reverse the polarity of the wiring. I reversed my
opinion after hearing her sing. 5 back up, move or go backwards
or US also backward, backtrack, Nautical make sternway: You
will be in the right spot if you reverse a yard or two.
--n. 6 opposite, contrary, converse, antithesis: Whatever she
tells you, I suggest you do the reverse. 7 back, rear, wrong
side, verso, underside; flip side, B-side; tail side: Read what
it says on the reverse. 8 set-back, disappointment, misfortune,
reversal, mishap, misadventure, trouble, problem, difficulty,
vicissitude, adversity, defeat; disaster, catastrophe, d‚bacle,
rout, Colloq washout: We suffered a temporary reverse or two in
business, but we're all right now. United suffered a humiliating
reverse against Wanderers in the cup last week.
revert v. return, come or go back, take or pick up again, lapse,
backslide, regress, relapse, retreat: He reverted to his old
beliefs about male superiority.
review v. 1 survey, examine, regard, look at, study, con, consider,
weigh, inspect, look over, scrutinize: Would you be good enough
to review the work of the new employees? She is coming to
review the troops this weekend. 2 re-examine, reconsider, go
over again, look at or over again, reassess: Billings reviewed
once more all the bad things he had done in his lifetime. 3
criticize, critique, assess, judge, evaluate, give one's opinion
of, comment on or upon, discuss: Who reviewed your latest book?
--n. 4 criticism, critique, review article, assessment,
judgement, evaluation, commentary, study, comment, notice: The
play received rave reviews from almost all the critics. 5
survey, examination, study, consideration, inspection, scrutiny,
analysis; reviewing, reading: After a detailed review of the
circumstances, we have decided to let you off easy this time,
Finnegan. 6 re-examination, reconsideration, rehashing or
rehash, post-mortem, reassessment, rethinking, rethink: Why do
you always insist on a review of all the bidding on every hand,
whenever we play bridge? 7 periodical, journal, magazine: Have
you read Stonehouse's article in the latest Birmingham Review?
8 parade, procession, array, cavalcade, march past, fly-past or
chiefly US flyover: A great naval review was held at Spithead.
revise v. 1 edit, emend, improve, correct, rectify, modify, revamp,
redact, rework, overhaul, update; rewrite: A revised edition of
the dictionary has been published every ten years. 2 alter,
change, amend: Since hearing him sing, I have been forced to
revise my taste in music.
revision n. editing, revising, emendation, improvement, correction,
rectification, modification, revamping, reappraisal,
re-examination, reinterpretation, reassessment, redaction,
reworking, overhaul, overhauling, updating, update; rewrite,
edition, version, rendition: Her revision of the text is based
on a newly discovered manuscript. The fourth revision will be
available next April.
revival n. 1 resurrection, resuscitation, renewal, restoration,
revitalization, resurfacing, return, returning: How much more
often we see the revival of out-moded fashions than the
introduction of new ideas! 2 rebirth, renaissance or renascence,
resurgence, awakening, quickening, reanimation: Do you regard
the current trend towards fundamentalism as a genuine revival of
religion? 3 recovery, improvement, increase, upsurge, upturn,
boost, upswing, advance, advancement, progress, rise,
escalation, Colloq pick-up, comeback: This week saw a revival
in the metals market.
revive v. 1 (re)awaken, wake (up), come or bring (a)round, waken,
resuscitate; recover, (re)gain consciousness: Dashing cold
water in his face revived him at once. I revived to find her
leaning over me. 2 reawaken, stir up again, renew, resume,
reopen, refresh: You can blame Andy for reviving the feud
between our families. 3 bring back, reactivate, renew,
resurrect, re-establish, resume, reopen, revitalize, breathe
life into, reinvigorate, rejuvenate: Perhaps we ought to revive
the practice of putting hooligans, vandals, and delinquents into
stocks in the market square.
revoke v. cancel, deny, invalidate, annul, declare null and void,
void, nullify, negate, repudiate, renounce, rescind, repeal,
recall, recant, quash, veto, set aside, abrogate, abolish,
withdraw, take back, retract: He warned that if they refused to
comply with local authority rulings he had the power to revoke
their licence.
revolt n. 1 rebellion, revolution, uprising, mutiny, insurrection,
coup d'‚tat, putsch, take-over: The council ordered the secret
police to suppress the revolt.
--v. 2 rebel, rise up, mutiny; protest, dissent: After years
of oppression, the people revolted and deposed their leaders. 3
repel, offend, disgust, shock, horrify, repulse, nauseate,
sicken: I was revolted by the poverty and sickness I saw in
that country.
revolting adj. disgusting, sickening, nauseating, nauseous,
stomach-turning, stomach-churning, vomit-provoking, sick-making,
foul, loathsome, abhorrent, horrid, horrible, nasty, vile,
obnoxious, repulsive, appalling, abominable, repellent,
offensive, objectionable, off-putting, beastly, gross, rotten,
rancid, inedible, disagreeable, unpleasant, Slang icky, yucky:
Rick served up some revolting mess for dinner and then took
offence when we didn't eat it.
revolution
n. 1 mutiny, revolt, rebellion, coup (d'‚tat), uprising,
insurgency, insurrection, putsch, take-over, overthrow: If the
government fails to ensure that the people have food, there will
be a revolution. 2 upheaval, cataclysm, transformation, (drastic
or radical or major) change, sea change, metamorphosis: Recent
successes of capitalism have sparked a revolution in the
political philosophies of communist nations. 3 rotation, turn,
orbit, circuit, spin, lap, round, cycle, circle, gyration;
wheel, whirl, pirouette: At each revolution of the gear (A ) ,
the ratchet (B ) moves one notch. The rapid revolutions of the
ice-skater dissolved her into a blur of colour.
revolutionary
adj. 1 mutinous, rebellious, insurgent, insurrectionist,
insurrectionary, radical, rebel, seditious, subversive: They
had dreamed for years of the revolutionary overthrow of the
government. 2 novel, innovative, creative, new, different,
original, avant-garde: The firm hopes that its revolutionary
new product will make a clean sweep in the market-place.
--n. 3 rebel, mutineer, insurgent, insurrectionist,
insurrectionary, revolutionist, sansculotte or sansculottist,
anarchist, radical, extremist, terrorist: In his younger days
at university, Charles fancied himself a revolutionary, without
quite knowing what he might rebel against.
revolve v. 1 spin, turn, pivot, rotate, gyrate, whirl, twirl, reel,
wheel, go (a)round, circle, cycle, orbit; swivel: As the earth
revolves on its axis, the moon revolves round the earth. 2 turn,
depend, pivot, rely: His decision to buy a new car revolves on
his finances. 3 turn over (in one's mind), ponder, weigh,
consider, meditate upon or on, think about, reflect upon or on,
ruminate over or on, chew over, contemplate: I have been
revolving in my mind your most attractive proposal, but I regret
I must turn it down.
revolver n. pistol, gun, side-arm, firearm, Chiefly US and Canadian
handgun, Colloq US six-gun, six-shooter, Slang US rod, gat,
roscoe, piece, Saturday-night special, shooting-iron: How do
you explain the fact that your fingerprints were found on the
revolver with which she was shot?
revulsion n. loathing, detestation, disgust, repugnance, abomination,
abhorrence, aversion, hatred, antipathy, odium, execration: I
cannot describe the revulsion I felt at seeing those elephants
slaughtered for their ivory.
reward n. 1 award, favour, recompense, compensation, return, payment,
pay, requital: For your good deeds you will have to seek your
reward in heaven; dishonesty is recompensed here on earth. 2
prize, award, tribute, honour, Literary guerdon: The Victoria
Cross was instituted as a reward for military valour in 1856. 3
retribution, punishment, just deserts, Colloq comeuppance:
Hanging was the reward of treason.
--v. 4 recompense, compensate, pay, repay, remunerate, redress,
requite, make (something or it) worth someone's while: Only if
they reward him will Fuller give information leading to the
capture of the thief.
rewarding adj. satisfying, gratifying, worthwhile, enriching, enriched,
fruitful, worthwhile; profitable, advantageous, productive,
gainful: Laurence says that his most rewarding experience has
been seeing his children again.
reword v. paraphrase, rephrase, put into different words, put another
way, express differently, revise, recast, rewrite: Perhaps if
you reworded your request in politer terms it might get more
sympathetic consideration.
rhapsodic adj. rhapsodical, ecstatic, enthusiastic, elated, overjoyed,
effusive, rapturous, thrilled, blissful, transported, orgasmic,
intoxicated, euphoric, walking on air, delighted, intoxicated,
happy as a sandboy, happy as a pig in clover, (sitting) on top
of the world, Brit in the seventh heaven, US in seventh heaven,
happy as a cow in clover, Taboo slang US happy as a pig in shit:
What kind of society have we that is scornful of intellect and
rhapsodic about celebrities?
rhetoric n. 1 eloquence, expressiveness, elocution, way with words,
Colloq gift of the gab: His rhetoric, though it defied
analysis, exactly reflected the emotions of the Labour movement.
2 bombast, bluster, fustian, rodomontade, grandiloquence,
magniloquence, oratory, windiness, high-flown poppycock,
wordiness, sesquipedality, verbosity, prolixity,
long-windedness, turgidity, flatulence, gasconade, Colloq hot
air, puffery: Her threats are mere rhetoric and I refuse to
take notice of them.
rhetorical
adj. 1 stylistic, linguistic, poetic, expressive, oratorical:
Zeugma, hysteron proteron, and anacoluthon are all terms for
rhetorical devices. 2 artificial, contrived, for effect,
unanswerable, not literal: The question, 'Why don't you drop
dead', was purely rhetorical. 3 pretentious, bombastic,
flamboyant, extravagant, florid, fustian, high-flown, inflated,
grandiose, euphuistic, turgid, grandiloquent, magniloquent,
long-winded, windy, orotund, wordy, prolix, sesquipedalian,
Colloq highfalutin or hifalutin: The rhetorical style of
Crampton's parliamentary speeches appear to be doing the party
more harm than good.
rhyme n. 1 rime, poem, poetry, verse, versification, metrical
composition, song: The art of rhyme may well be coincident with
the earliest stages of language. 2 rhyme or reason. (common)
sense, logic, intelligence, meaning, wisdom, rationality,
rationale, soundness, organization, structure: There appears to
be no rhyme or reason behind the bombing of the library.
rhythm n. tempo, beat, cadence or cadency, throb, throbbing, accent,
accentuation, time, timing, stress or rhythmic(al) pattern,
measure, metre, pulse, lilt, Music downbeat, thesis, upbeat,
arsis: The song is in samba rhythm.
rhythmic adj. rhythmical, measured, cadenced, throbbing, pulsing,
pulsating, regular, steady, beating: The rhythmic sound of the
waves soon sent me to sleep.
ribaldry n. vulgarity, immodesty, indelicacy, indecency, coarseness,
bawdiness, earthiness, wantonness, raciness, naughtiness,
shamelessness, lustfulness, rakishness, rascality,
dissoluteness, lubricity, lasciviousness, looseness, scurrility
or scurrilousness, lewdness, salaciousness, licentiousness,
grossness, offensiveness, rankness, rudeness, smuttiness, smut,
dirt, filth, foulness, obscenity: The ribaldry of some of
Chaucer's tales makes them not altogether suitable for
schoolchildren.
rich adj. 1 wealthy, affluent, prosperous, well-to-do, well off,
well provided for, opulent, moneyed, in clover, on velvet,
Colloq flush, loaded, on Easy Street, rolling in it or money or
wealth, in the chips or the dough or the money, well-heeled, US
well-fixed: A year ago Montmorency was a rich man, but that was
before Blue Thursday on the Stock Exchange. 2 Sometimes, rich
in. abundant (in), overflowing (with), fertile (in), fecund
(in), productive (of), copious (in), abounding in, well supplied
(with), well stocked (with), rife (with), replete (with),
profuse (in or with): The rich prairie land was soon yielding
abundant harvests. The surrounding mountains were rich in
minerals of all kinds. 3 valuable, precious, invaluable,
priceless: For centuries the islanders have enjoyed the rich
bounty of the seas. The thieves who broke into the vaults got a
rich haul. 4 costly, expensive, dear, valuable, invaluable,
precious, priceless, lavish, sumptuous, lush, luxurious,
palatial, elaborate, splendid, exquisite, superb, elegant: The
caravans returned laden with rich treasures of the Orient -
silks, jewels, spices, rare woods, and other luxuries. 5
intense, dark, deep, warm, vibrant, strong, lustrous: At the
rajah's court the rich colours of the carpets and hangings
dazzle the eye. 6 fat, fattening, heavy, creamy, succulent,
savoury, mouth-watering, luscious, sapid, delicious: When Vicky
complained that her sweet was too rich, Arthur ate hers, too. 7
mellow, mellifluous, resonant, sonorous, full: Edgar's rich
basso filled the cavernous amphitheatre. 8 aromatic, ambrosial,
savoury, fragrant, redolent, pungent, strong: The house was
filled with the rich odour of freshly made coffee. 9
productive, plentiful, abundant, ample, bountiful, prolific,
fruitful, fertile, fecund, copious, profitable, potent: The
letters proved a rich source of intimate details about their
private life. 10 laughable, funny, hilarious, comic(al),
humorous, amusing, Colloq side-splitting: He had many rich
anecdotes to relate about the practical jokes they used to play
on one another. 11 ridiculous, preposterous, outlandish,
ludicrous, absurd, nonsensical: One particularly rich episode
involved a chimpanzee.
riches n.pl. wealth, affluence, opulence, plenty, prosperity,
abundance, fortune, means, resources; lucre, pelf: It was
rumoured that the family had acquired its apparently endless
riches in the slave trade, in the 18th century.
richly adv. 1 sumptuously, lavishly, luxuriously, splendidly,
elaborately, exquisitely, elegantly, superbly: The flat was
richly appointed with Chinese antiques, thick oriental carpets,
and silk hangings. 2 well, thoroughly, amply, fully,
appropriately, fittingly, condignly: Shirley's work was at last
given the recognition it so richly deserved.
rickety adj. wobbly, unsteady, broken-down, decrepit, shaky, tottering,
teetering, ramshackle, flimsy, frail, precarious, dilapidated,
in disrepair, tumbledown, unsecure: Don't put such a heavy lamp
on that rickety table!
rid v. 1 rid of. deliver from, relieve of, free from or of, rescue,
save: What can we do to rid ourselves of that appalling smell?
--adj. 2 be or get rid of. banish, exile, eject, expel, dispose
of, throw out or away, eliminate, dispense with; refuse, reject,
dismiss, shrug off: If she had wanted to be rid of him, she
would have divorced him long ago. I am having a spot of bother
trying to get rid of my old car: nobody wants to buy it.
-ridden adj. afflicted or harassed or affected or dominated by,
infected or infested with: They were shocked when they first
came to this drought-ridden province of Northern Ethiopia. Only
foreign aid can salvage the debt-ridden economy of this state.
riddle° n. conundrum, puzzle, enigma, poser, question, mystery,
problem, brain-teaser or Brit brain-twister: The cracker
contained a whistle, paper hat, and the inevitable riddle.
riddleэ v. 1 perforate, pepper, puncture, pierce, honeycomb: The back
of the bookcase was riddled with tiny worm-holes. 2 penetrate,
infest, infect, pervade, permeate, fill, spread: An
investigation revealed that the entire department was riddled
with corruption.
--n. 3 sieve, colander or cullender, strainer, grating, screen,
sifter, filter: He shovelled the dirt through the riddle to
sift out the larger stones.
ride v. 1 sit on or in, travel or journey or go or proceed on or in,
be borne or carried or conveyed (on or in), take; propel or
control or drive (a horse or a bicycle or a motor cycle): They
ride the bus to work each day. The film began with a witch
riding a broomstick. Do you know how to ride a motor bike? 2
float, lie: The yacht is riding at anchor off Portsmouth. 3
tyrannize, terrorize, intimidate, dominate, oppress; bully, rag,
harry, harass, hector, nag, provoke, heckle, badger, plague,
pester, annoy, irritate, Colloq hassle: He has been ridden by
obsessive ambition all his life.
--n. 4 drive, journey, trip, excursion, tour, jaunt, outing,
expedition, Colloq spin: Let's go for a ride in the country! 5
take for a ride. a delude, swindle, trick, deceive, defraud,
humbug, defraud, gull, take in, cheat, bamboozle: Those
tricksters with the loaded dice certainly took Charlie for a
ride last night! b (kidnap and) murder or kill or execute or do
in, Slang bump off, US (snatch and) rub out or waste: They said
that if he identified them, they would take him for a ride.
ridge n. crest, line, strip, top edge, ar€te: The mountain ridge was
partly obscured by clouds.
ridicule n. 1 derision, deriding, jeer, jeering, taunt, taunting,
mockery, mocking, gibe or jibe, gibing or jibing, raillery,
Colloq ribbing, US and Canadian razzing, joshing: Nick was
often subjected to ridicule because of his outlandish clothes.
--v. 2 deride, jeer at, taunt, tease, mock, gibe or jibe, guy,
chaff, laugh at, caricature, poke fun at, make fun or sport of,
lampoon, burlesque, travesty, parody, make a laughing-stock
(of), Colloq rib, roast, Brit send up, take the mickey out of,
US and Canadian razz, josh: In a democracy, it is an
inalienable right of the people to ridicule their leaders and
government.
ridiculous
adj. absurd, laughable, preposterous, weird, comical, funny,
humorous, ludicrous, farcical, droll, amusing, mirthful,
hilarious, side-splitting, risible; silly, inane, nonsensical,
foolish, stupid, outlandish, bizarre, grotesque, queer, crazy,
insane, zany, wild, Slang far-out: You look absolutely
ridiculous in that outfit! Where did she ever get the ridiculous
notion that she would marry a prince?
riff-raff n. rabble, hoi polloi, ragtag and bobtail, scum, canaille,
masses, dregs (of society), Colloq great unwashed: I am shocked
that you continue your membership in a club to which riff-raff
like Trevor Barnes belong.
rifle v. 1 rob, loot, ransack, plunder, despoil, burgle, pillage, US
burglarize: We caught the man who had rifled the till. 2
search, ransack, go through, rummage through: She rifled
through the files till the will was found.
rift n. 1 separation, break, split, schism, cleft, gulf, gap;
disagreement, conflict, disruption, difference, breach,
break-up, division, distance, alienation: The continued
bitterness served only to intensify the rift between them. 2
tear, rent, opening, hole, crack, chink, crevice, cleavage,
fracture, flaw, fault: Water was pouring through an
ever-widening rift in the dam.
rig v. 1 Often, rig out or up. fit (out or up), equip, set up,
outfit, supply, provision, accoutre or US also accouter,
caparison, set up, Chiefly Brit kit out: Good Sports was the
shop that rigged us out completely for our Himalayan climbing
expedition. 2 falsify, manipulate, doctor, juggle, fix, tamper
with, fake, Colloq fiddle (with), cook: The accountants rigged
the books to make the company appear profitable enough to merit
a bank loan.
--n. 3 equipment, equipage, gear, tackle, apparatus, outfit,
kit, accoutrements or US also accouterments, paraphernalia,
appurtenances, Colloq things, stuff: It cost a fortune to
transport his diving rig by plane.
right adj. 1 just, moral, good, proper, correct, legal, lawful,
licit, honest, upright, righteous, virtuous, ethical, fair,
true, honourable, right-minded, principled, open, above-board:
There is no doubt in my mind that Simon can be relied on to do
the right thing. 2 correct, fitting, suitable, proper, accurate,
exact, precise, perfect; factual, truthful, veracious, valid,
sound, Colloq Brit bang on, spot on: Have you bought the right
kind of nail to go into plaster? Jennie had nine right answers
out of ten. How many of yours are right? 3 propitious,
convenient, strategic, advantageous, beneficial, favourable,
auspicious, preferred, preferable, promising: It is critical
for the mixture to reach the boiling point at exactly the right
time. 4 sound, sane, normal, rational, lucid, healthy: Is she
right in the head, letting him drive in his condition? 5
right-hand, dextral, dexter, Nautical starboard: In the United
Kingdom, drivers sit on the right side. 6 rightist, right-wing,
conservative, reactionary, Tory: The right wing of the liberal
party is not so very different from the left wing of the
conservatives. 7 face, upper, principal, front: Have you laid
the tablecloth right side up? 8 utter, complete, perfect,
unmitigated, unalloyed, out-and-out, thorough, thoroughgoing,
24-carat or esp. US 24-karat, dyed in the wool, pure, absolute,
real, Brit proper: I've been a right idiot not to realize that
he loved only her.
--n. 9 privilege, prerogative, licence, power, claim, title,
freedom, liberty: We must allow nothing to interfere with our
democratic rights, such as our right to vote. 10 justice,
reason, fact, truth, fairness, equity, good, goodness,
integrity, virtue, virtuousness, honesty, honourableness,
morality, propriety, rectitude, right-mindedness,
high-mindedness, nobility, uprightness: He believes that he has
right on his side. 11 right side or hand or fist, Nautical
starboard: She stood on his right. She gave him a quick right
to the jaw. 12 by rights. properly, fairly, justly, to be just,
to be fair, in fairness, honestly, in all honesty, to be honest:
By rights, because I paid for it, the house is mine.
--adv. 13 directly, straight, straightaway, right away or off,
in a beeline, as the crow flies, forthwith; unhesitatingly,
immediately, promptly, at once, instantly, without hesitating or
hesitation, without delay, quickly, swiftly, speedily, Colloq
pronto, straight off: The minute he walked into the room, he
went right to the wall-safe. Please come over right now. 14
exactly, precisely, unerringly, accurately; just: She hung the
paintings right where they belonged. 15 just, only: I stopped
right now - when you walked in. 16 well, satisfactorily,
advantageously, profitably, favourably, opportunely: I hope
that everything turns out right for you. 17 correctly,
accurately, properly, precisely, well, sensibly, fittingly,
suitably, aptly: If you can't do it right, why bother doing it
at all!
--v. 18 straighten (up or out), set upright or aright: I
righted all the chairs the children had knocked over. 19 put or
set or make right, put or set to rights, correct, straighten
out, redress, amend, make up for, rectify, sort out, repair,
fix: She has always felt that her mission in life was to right
wrongs. 20 avenge, retaliate for, vindicate, repay, revenge,
settle, Colloq get even for: Langdon swore that he would right
the injury done to his father's name.
righteous adj. 1 moral, just, virtuous, upstanding, upright, good,
honest, ethical, honourable, fair, reputable, trustworthy: He
insists that his father was a righteous man who had been
unjustly accused. 2 right, correct, justifiable, justified,
appropriate, condign, fitting, apt, self-righteous: Her
righteous indignation at being criticized stems from her
overweening pride.
rightful adj. 1 legal, lawful, legitimate, licit, de jure, correct,
proper, bona fide, valid, true, authorized, right: If the deed
is in his name, then he is the rightful owner. 2 just, fair,
equitable, right: Emily has supported rightful causes all her
life.
rigid adj. 1 stiff, unbending, unbendable, firm, hard, strong: Are
those brackets rigid enough to support such a heavy shelf? 2
inflexible, inelastic, unyielding, undeviating, unalterable,
set, firm, hard, adamant, hard-line, unbending, adamantine,
steely, iron, strong, uncompromising, rigorous, unrelenting,
intransigent, stringent, severe, strict, rigorous, stern, harsh,
austere: Frank is known to favour rigid discipline in the
classroom. 3 rigorous, exact, precise, unwavering, unqualified,
unswerving, undeviating, demanding, strict, hard and fast,
literal, nice, close, thorough, scrupulous, careful,
conscientious, painstaking, meticulous, punctilious, exacting,
strait-laced: Rigid observance of the regulations produced the
desired results. Pinwell's rigid parsimony met little favour
from his family. 4 obstinate, stubborn, pigheaded, inflexible,
immovable, adamant, adamantine, fixed, set, obdurate, wilful,
headstrong, dogged, persevering, determined, resolute,
steadfast, resolved, tenacious, relentless, unrelenting,
uncompromising, unadaptable, mulish, close-minded: Candida
remained rigid in her opposition to birth control.
rigmarole n. rigamarole, motions, complication(s), formalities, red tape,
bureaucracy, punctilio, ceremoniousness, ceremony, ritual,
procedure, mess, mumbo-jumbo, gobbledegook or gobbledygook,
bunkum or buncombe, bother, balderdash, rubbish, nonsense,
foolishness, Colloq hassle, bunk, Slang crap, US meshugaas or
mishegaas: Why must one go through such a rigmarole just to get
a driving licence?
rigour n. 1 Usually, rigours. severity, harshness, hardship,
inhospitableness, bleakness, inclemency or inclementness,
bitterness, cold: I am not sure that my grandmother can endure
the rigours of another Scottish winter. 2 strictness, rigidity,
precision, preciseness, punctilio, literalness, exactness,
meticulousness, stringency, inflexibility, rigorism, harshness,
severity, hardship, asperity, austerity, sternness: If you work
with radioactive materials, safety regulations must be observed
with rigour. The rigour of monastic life has toughened him over
the years.
rim n. edge, brim, lip, border, periphery, perimeter: To make a
margarita, you first coat the rim of a cocktail glass with
coarse salt.
rind n. peel, skin, husk: Cut the thin outer part of the rind of a
lemon into thin strips and soak them in brandy.
ring° n. 1 loop, hoop, band, circle, ringlet, circlet, annulus,
grommet, eyelet, quoit, noose, cincture, belt, girdle, cestus or
cestos, border, halo, aureole, nimbus, corona, cuff, collar,
necklace, neckband, bandeau, fillet, bracelet, armlet, torque or
torc, crown, coronet, tiara, diadem, (laurel-)wreath, garland,
Mechanics gland, bearing, US and Canadian bushing or Brit also
bush, washer, O-ring, Nautical thimble, Architecture and
heraldry annulet, Literary roundlet, Anatomy cingulum: The
rings brought up from the wreck of the ancient Greek trading
vessel are worth a great deal. 2 rink, enclosure, arena, circus,
bullring, Spanish plaza de toros, boxing ring: I would no
sooner get into the ring with him than with a bull! 3 circle,
organization, gang, band, pack, cell, team, crew, confederacy,
confederation, combination, cartel, mob, bloc, coterie, set,
clan, clique, fraternity, brotherhood, sorority, sisterhood,
guild, (secret) society, junta or junto, cabal, faction, group,
league, alliance, federation, coalition, union, affiliation,
camorra, camarilla, Bund: She was running an international ring
of jewel thieves who worked only in the most exclusive resorts.
--v. 4 encircle, surround, bind, gird, girt, circle; loop,
compass, envelop, encompass, embrace: The swimming-pool is
ringed with dense shrubbery. After the vase is fired, I intend
to ring the base with a gold band.
ringэ v. 1 peal, chime, toll, knell, tintinnabulate, ding-dong, gong,
sound, resonate, resound, echo, re-echo, reverberate; clang,
jangle; tinkle, clink, jingle, ding-a-ling, ring-a-ding-ding,
Archaic or dialect knoll: The bells rang out their joyous
announcement of peace on earth. 2 telephone, ring up, phone,
call, give (someone) a ring, Colloq (give (someone) a) buzz,
give (someone) a tinkle, get (someone) on the blower or horn, US
(give (someone) a) jingle: I'll ring you when I am next in
town.
--n. 3 ringing, peal, pealing, chime, chiming, toll, tolling,
tintinnabulation, knell, sounding, resonating, echo, echoing,
re-echo, re-echoing, reverberation, reverberating; clang,
clanging, jangle, jangling; tinkle, tinkling, clink, clinking,
jingle, jingling, ding-a-ling, ring-a-ding-ding, Archaic or
dialect knoll: I couldn't hear the ring at the door because the
water was running. 4 (telephone or phone) call, Colloq buzz,
tinkle, US jingle: Don't forget to give your mother a ring on
Sunday.
rinse v. 1 wash (out or off), wash up, clean, cleanse, bathe, drench,
flood, flush, irrigate, Chiefly Brit swill (out), Literary lave:
Use plenty of fresh water to rinse all the soap out of the
clothes. 2 tint, dye, touch up, highlight: The hairdresser
rinsed a little blue into Martine's greying hair.
--n. 3 rinsing, wash, washing, bath, bathing, cleaning,
cleansing, ablution, drenching, flood, flushing, irrigation,
Medicine lavage, Literary laving: The softening agent should be
added in the final rinse. 4 tint, dye: I had no idea that she
used a rinse - I thought her hair was naturally reddish.
riot n. 1 rioting, riotous behaviour, disturbance, uproar, tumult,
turmoil, (civil) disorder, lawlessness, hubbub, rumpus,
turbulence, fracas, fray, affray, m€l‚e or melee, pandemonium,
Donnybrook, brawl, row, unrest, commotion, bother, imbroglio,
outburst, anarchy, disruption, violence, strife, Colloq ruckus,
ruction, to-do, do, Brit bovver, punch-up: The government is
unable to quell the food riots, which have become more frequent
and more violent. 2 funny person or woman or man, comedian or
comedienne, hilarious event or bit or shtick or thing or piece
of business, Colloq gas, US panic, laugh-riot: Benny's closing
routine with the model is an absolute riot.
--v. 3 mount the barricades, take to the streets, rebel,
revolt, create or cause a disturbance, brawl, fight, (go on the
or US also a) rampage, run riot, storm: The prisoners rioted to
protest against the crowded conditions.
riotous adj. 1 tumultuous, unrestrained, wild, noisy, uncontrolled,
uncontrollable, unmanageable, chaotic, disorderly, disordered,
lawless, turbulent, violent, brawling, obstreperous: The
headmaster warned that he would not tolerate such riotous
behaviour. 2 rowdy, boisterous, unruly, uproarious, rollicking,
roisterous, wild, rumbustious, unrestrained, uninhibited,
Archaic robustious, Colloq rambunctious, no-holds-barred:
Bernard's retirement party was certainly a riotous affair.
rip v. 1 tear (apart or asunder), rend, be torn or rent, split, cut
(apart): I ripped my trousers on that nail. The paper ripped
because you yanked it out of my hand. 2 rip off. a steal,
purloin, rob, snatch, pilfer, filch, take, shoplift, Colloq
pinch, Brit nick, Slang lift, swipe, US boost, promote: They
broke into my car and ripped off my tape deck. b cheat,
swindle, trick, fleece, bilk, dupe, deceive; defraud, embezzle,
Colloq con, bamboozle, Slang skin, gyp, rook: A smooth couple
got њ100 by using the old 'stuffed wallet' trick to rip me off.
--n. 3 tear, rent, split, gash, slash; rift, cleft, rupture:
The vandals tore a foot-long rip in the top of my new
convertible.
ripe adj. 1 mature, matured, seasoned, (fully) grown,
(well-)ripened, developed, mellow, ready, fit, US (fully) aged,
well-aged: The grapes are ripe for picking. 2 prepared, ready,
fit, appropriate, experienced, veteran, seasoned, sage, wise,
sophisticated, mature, informed, qualified, dependable,
reliable: Henry is ripe in judgement and understanding. 3 ripe
for. a timely, opportune, propitious, favourable, auspicious,
ideal, right, suitable, apt, proper, suitably advanced: Is the
time yet ripe for another revival of Heartbreak House ? b
ready, eager, enthusiastic, prepared, fit, ready, in readiness:
The mob is ripe for revolt.
ripen v. develop, mature, age, season, maturate, bring or come to
maturity; perfect: The peaches need another day to ripen.
rip-off n. 1 stealing, purloining, robbing, pilfering, taking,
filching, pilferage, theft, robbery, larceny; shoplifting,
Colloq pinching, Brit nicking, Slang lifting, swiping, US
boosting: The rip-off of books from the library is a disgrace.
2 swindle, confidence trick, swindling, cheating, cheat, fraud,
deception, defrauding, defalcation; embezzlement, Colloq con
(job or trick): A husband-and-wife team are being sought for
executing a rip-off of thousands from the Outland Bank using a
forged letter of credit. 3 overcharging, exploitation, Colloq
highway or chiefly Brit daylight robbery: It's a rip-off to
charge two pounds for something that costs only three pence to
make.
ripping adj. Rather archaic fine, splendid, marvellous, excellent,
exciting, thrilling, stirring, spine-tingling: Buchan and Henty
and Haggard all wrote ripping adventure novels.
ripple n. 1 wavelet, wave, ruffle, ruffling, cat's-paw, purl, purling,
undulation, US riffle, riffling: There wasn't even the
slightest breath of air to cause a ripple on the mirror-like
surface of the lake. 2 (slight) disturbance, upset,
perturbation, agitation, flurry, flutter, suggestion, hint,
soup‡on: The divorce occasioned only a ripple of dissent in the
royal family.
--v. 3 ruffle, purl, undulate, wave; splash, wash, US riffle:
I sat musing, watching the water ripple over the stones in the
brook.
rise v. 1 get up, arise, stand (up), get to one's feet, Brit be
upstanding: All rise when the judge enters the court. 2 get
up, arise, awaken, waken, wake up, start or begin the day,
Nautical or colloq hit the deck, Colloq turn out: We usually
rise at about six o'clock. 3 ascend, be elevated, arise, climb,
lift, go up, mount: The smoke slowly, almost furtively, rose
from the camp-fire into the still night air. The morning star
can be seen tomorrow rising in the sky just before dawn. Some of
those skyscrapers rise to a height of 110 storeys. 4 Often, rise
(up) (against). rebel, revolt, mutiny, kick over the traces,
take up arms, mount the barricades, take to the streets: If the
food shortages persist, the people are sure to rise up and
overthrow the present regime. 5 swell, flood, increase, grow;
wax: Owing to the heavy rains, the river is rising rapidly. 6
slant or incline or slope (upwards), ascend, climb, go uphill:
The path rises steeply just beyond the cwm. 7 fly, take flight,
take wing, take to the air, take off, arise, lift, climb, soar,
mount: At the roar of the gun, tens of thousands of flamingoes
rose from the lakes. 8 advance, improve one's lot or position,
progress, get ahead, go or get somewhere, succeed, make
something of oneself, be promoted, prosper, thrive, make good,
Colloq make it, make the grade, go places: Fielding could well
have risen in the company had his attitude been different. 9
start, begin, originate, arise, occur, happen, take place: I
cannot explain how so much bad feeling rose between us. 10
increase, be elevated or lifted or boosted, grow, go up, move
upwards, climb, escalate, ascend, snowball: When interest rates
rise, they contribute to the inflation that raising them was
supposed to reduce. 11 arise, be nurtured, be produced, be
generated, be created, spring up, be engendered: The feelings
that rose within him were spurred on by sheer hatred of the man.
12 rise to. a arise, come up, meet, be equal to, prove adequate
to: If you need a good man, you can count on Michael to rise to
the occasion. b come to get, take, swallow, react to, respond
to, succumb to, be tempted by: Sue rose to the bait of a
company car and accepted our offer.
--n. 13 ascent, hill, hillock, knoll, eminence, prominence,
elevation, upland, highland, (upward) slope or incline,
acclivity, US upgrade: As we climbed a slight rise, we saw the
mountains gleaming in the distance. 14 increase, increment,
gain, addition: In return for only a slight rise in wages, they
are being asked to take on much more responsibility. 15 ascent,
ascension, elevation, flight, climb, take-off: The balloon's
rise was suddenly halted when the basket caught in a tree. 16
get or Brit also take a rise out of (someone). provoke,
stimulate, incite, instigate, foment, goad, encourage, press,
push, shake up, waken, awaken, move, motivate, activate,
agitate, stir (up), inflame, impassion: We finally got a rise
out of Sidney by threatening to charge him for cleaning his
room. 17 give rise to. start, engender, generate, begin,
commence, produce, bring out, cause, bring about, bring into
being: We never discovered what gave rise to Tom's dislike of
dogs.
risk n. 1 danger, peril, jeopardy, hazard, chance, gamble: I would
take up skydiving, but my mother won't let me because of the
risk.
--v. 2 endanger, imperil, jeopardize, hazard, chance, gamble:
Would you really risk all your money on one roll of the dice?
risky adj. dangerous, perilous, hazardous, chancy, touch-and-go,
precarious, Colloq iffy, dicey, dodgy, touchy: Futures trading
is a very risky business, as many have discovered to their
dismay.
risqu‚ adj. indelicate, unrefined, indecorous, indecent, improper,
broad, naughty, spicy, salty, off colour, racy, bawdy, erotic,
suggestive, wicked, blue, ribald, daring, salacious, gross,
Colloq Brit near the knuckle: Some of those photographs of
beauty contest queens are pretty risqu‚.
rite n. ceremony, ritual, ceremonial, observance, formality, custom,
practice, routine, procedure, solemnity, solemnization, liturgy:
This weekend I have to perform the annual rite of having tea
with great-aunt Elizabeth at the Ritz.
ritual adj. 1 ceremonial, ceremonious, sacramental: The celebrants
undergo ritual washing before preparing the sacrifice. 2
procedural, formal, conventional, customary, habitual, routine,
prescribed, usual, automatic, perfunctory: Each time they meet,
Harold and Bill have to go through a ritual handshaking routine
- a hangover from their school-days, I think.
--n. 3 formality, routine, custom, practice, convention,
protocol: If everyone goes through this tea-drinking ritual
twice a day, how do you get any work done? 4 See rite, above.
rival n. 1 competitor, opponent, contender, challenger, antagonist,
adversary; opposition: This year there are many formidable
rivals for the championship.
--v. 2 compete with or against, contend with or against,
oppose, challenge, contest, struggle with or against, vie with,
combat, compare with, equal, measure up to, (be a) match (for):
Jan's prowess at tossing the caber rivalled that of anyone else
in Craigie.
rivalry n. competition, competitiveness, contention, vying; dispute,
feud, feuding, conflict, struggle, strife, controversy,
dissension, discord, difference(s): Once again the two local
teams meet in a rivalry that has been traditional for over a
century. It appeared unlikely that the rivalry between the
brothers would be settled amicably.
river n. 1 watercourse, branch, tributary, stream, waterway, estuary,
rivulet, creek, brook, streamlet, runnel, rill, Scots and No.
Eng. burn, Brit beck, US kill: We used to sail our toy boats on
the river here when I was a lad. 2 stream, flood, torrent,
quantity, cataract, flow, cascade: Rivers of sweat poured down
me as I toiled in the humid heat of the jungle.
riveting adj. spellbinding, engrossing, hypnotic, hypnotizing,
transfixing, fascinating, enthralling, gripping, captivating,
absorbing: The programme was absolutely riveting - one of the
best I have ever seen.
road n. 1 way, means, approach, route, procedure, technique, method,
passage, street, avenue, course, track, entr‚e, access,
direction: Our researchers arrived at the identical results via
a completely different road. 2 thoroughfare, way, byway,
highway, roadway, high road, low road, avenue, boulevard,
street, lane, alley(way), Brit motorway, carriageway, US
turnpike, expressway, freeway, parkway, throughway or thruway,
German Autobahn, Italian autostrada, French autoroute, Colloq US
pike: The roads are jammed with traffic on Sunday evenings
during the summer.
roam v. wander, rove, ramble, range, walk, drift, dally, dawdle,
cruise, stroll, amble, meander, saunter, stray, prowl,
perambulate, travel, voyage, peregrinate, circumambulate,
traipse, gallivant, jaunt, Colloq mosey, swan: They spent a
year roaming about the continent, staying wherever they pleased.
roar v. 1 bellow, thunder; howl, bawl, squall, cry, yell, yowl; bay,
snarl, growl: A train roared by. The crowd roared appreciation.
A lion roared once in the night. 2 laugh, guffaw, howl (with
laughter), hoot: They fell about roaring when he told the joke
about the egg and the taxi.
--n. 3 roaring, bellow, thunder, rumble, boom; howl, bawl,
squall, cry, yell, yowl, clamour, outcry; snarl, snarling,
growl, growling: The roar of the falls could be heard miles
away. There was a roar of indignation at the proposal. The
beast's roar was enough to strike terror into our hearts. 4
guffaw, outburst, howl, hoot: Everything she said was met by a
roar of laughter from the gallery.
rob v. 1 burgle, loot, rifle, ransack, plunder, depredate, raid;
hijack; pillage, sack; US burglarize, Colloq hold up, Slang
stick up, rip off: They robbed a jeweller's shop last week. 2
prey upon or on, Colloq hold up, mug, Slang chiefly US stick up,
rip off, Chiefly US and New Zealand roll: These hooligans rob
old ladies in the street. 3 rob (someone) (of). deprive (of),
cheat or swindle (out of), defraud (of), strip (of), fleece
(of), bilk (of), victimize, mulct (of), US euchre ((out) of),
Colloq rook ((out) of), do or diddle (out of), gyp (out of),
Slang Brit nobble (of): I was robbed of my last penny by those
confidence men. We were robbed by a taxi driver who offered to
change our money. She robbed me of my self-respect.
robber n. thief, pickpocket, shoplifter, burglar, bandit,
housebreaker, sneak-thief, cat burglar, safe-breaker,
highwayman, gentleman of the road, brigand, pirate, freebooter,
buccaneer, privateer, corsair, Colloq mugger, hold-up man, Slang
cracksman, rip-off artist, safe-cracker, safe-blower, Chiefly US
stick-up man, US second-story or second-storey man: The police
were making every effort to catch the robbers.
robbery n. robbing, theft, thievery, thieving, burglary, burgling,
pilfering, pilferage, stealing, plundering, plunder, looting,
sack, sacking, ransacking, depredation, pillage, pillaging,
hijacking, hijack, larceny, breaking and entering, Colloq
pinching, hold-up, holding up, mugging, Slang rip-off,
ripping-off, Chiefly US stick-up, sticking-up, Brit nicking, US
heist: The robbery of the paintings took place in broad
daylight. The robbery of the shop was aided by a former
employee. The robbery of elderly persons is on the increase.
robe n. 1 cloak, dress, garment, vestment, habit, frock, cassock,
caftan, muu-muu, surplice, bathrobe, dressing-gown, lounging
robe, housecoat, kimono, house-dress, peignoir, wrapper, French
robe de chambre, costume: A woman wearing a green robe came to
the door and asked what I wanted. 2 robes. costume, habit,
uniform, garb, attire, vestments, apparel, raiment, livery,
clothing, garments, outfit, accoutrements or US also
accouterments, regalia, finery, trappings, panoply, gear,
paraphernalia, appurtenances, equipage, rig, Archaic vesture:
She looked absolutely splendid decked out in the full robes of
state.
--v. 3 cloak, garb, dress, cover, enrobe, clothe: The dish
consists of ladyfingers topped with fresh strawberries robed in
chocolate, with whipped cream spread over the top.
robot n. 1 automaton, mechanical man or monster, android: In the
future, much of the drudgery will be taken over by electronic
robots. 2 drudge, clod, tool, puppet, cat's-paw, myrmidon,
mechanical man, automaton: The company has a number of robots
on its payroll who carry out orders without question.
robust adj. 1 healthy, fit, sound, hale (and hearty), sturdy, hardy,
hearty, strong, stout, tough, able-bodied, strapping, brawny,
sinewy, rugged, muscular, powerful, well-knit, athletic,
staunch, vigorous; in fine or good fettle, Colloq husky: Kelly
was such a robust chap one might have thought he'd live forever.
2 pungent, strong, flavourful, sapid, rich, full-bodied, nutty,
fruity: He gave me a glass of an excellent robust tawny port.
rock° n. 1 stone; boulder: In the avalanche, the rocks thoroughly
destroyed the ski lodge. 2 crag, tor, escarpment, scarp, Brit
outcrop, US outcropping: We used to go rock climbing when I had
the strength. 3 on the rocks. a on ice: I'd like a whisky on
the rocks, thanks. b in (a) shambles, destroyed, in ruins,
ruined, finished, broken-down, beyond repair: He lost his job
and his marriage went on the rocks. c destitute,
poverty-stricken, indigent, penniless, bankrupt: Unable to find
another job, he's been on the rocks for a year, now.
rockэ v. 1 sway, swing, lull: Her father used to rock her to sleep
in his arms. 2 roll, reel, lurch, toss, swing, sway, wobble:
The building rocked so during the earthquake that I thought it
was going to fall down. 3 astound, astonish, shock, surprise,
jar, stagger, amaze, stun, dumbfound or dumfound, daze, stupefy,
overwhelm, disconcert, unnerve, Colloq set (someone) back on his
or her or their heels, throw, rattle, shake up: I was really
rocked by the news that Sue was marrying Craig.
rocket v. zoom, take off, sky-rocket, shoot up, climb, rise rapidly,
soar, spiral upwards, Colloq go through the roof: The day
controls were lifted, prices rocketed, almost doubling
overnight.
rocky° adj. 1 stony, pebbly, shingly, boulder-strewn, craggy; bumpy,
difficult, hard, uncomfortable, arduous: The beach at Nice
might be romantic, but it's very rocky to lie on. The road to
love can be very rocky indeed. 2 stony, adamant, adamantine,
firm, unyielding, rocklike, tough, unbending, flinty, firm,
solid, steadfast, steady, unfaltering, staunch, unflinching,
determined, resolute, unwavering, unchanging, unvarying,
invariant, invariable, reliable, dependable, sure, certain: I
knew we could depend on Charles's rocky determination to see the
project through. 3 stony, flinty, unfeeling, unsympathetic,
unemotional, emotionless, impassive, cold, cool, apathetic,
indifferent, uncaring, detached, d‚gag‚, callous, thick-skinned,
tough, hard: Beneath that rocky exterior beats a tender heart.
rockyэ adj. unstable, tottering, teetering, unsteady, shaky, rickety,
unsure, uncertain, unreliable, weak, flimsy, wobbly, wobbling,
vacillating, dubious, doubtful, questionable, Colloq iffy: The
project will be very rocky till we are assured proper funding.
rod n. 1 bar, pole, baton, wand, staff, stick, dowel, cane, shaft:
Steel rods are used to reinforce the concrete in modern
buildings. 2 cane, birch, switch, scourge, lash; punishment,
chastisement, castigation, discipline, chastening, correction:
As they say, spare the rod and spoil the child.
rogue n. 1 trickster, swindler, cheat, cad, ne'er-do-well, wastrel,
good-for-nothing, miscreant, Rather old-fashioned scamp,
scoundrel, blackguard, knave, rascal, rapscallion, scapegrace,
dastard, cur, churl, wretch, villain, charlatan, mountebank,
Brit bounder; Colloq louse, stinker, rat, creep, Brit rotter,
blighter, Chiefly US and Canadian son of a gun, Slang bastard,
Chiefly US and Canadian son of a bitch, SOB or s.o.b., bum: She
met some clever rogue in Capri who conned her out of fifteen
thousand lire.
--adj. 2 independent, undisciplined, uncontrollable,
ungovernable, unmanageable, unpredictable, disobedient,
incorrigible, fractious, self-willed, unruly, intractable,
unrestrained, wild, lawless, strong-willed, headstrong,
refractory, contumacious, recalcitrant, cross-grained,
rampageous: Part of the village was destroyed when a rogue
elephant ran amok. Perkins quit the company to start up his own
rogue concern.
role n. 1 r“le, part, character, impersonation; lines: She had the
role of Maria in a recent production of Twelfth Night . 2
function, position, situation, place, post, capacity, job, duty,
task, responsibility: Hermione's role in the company is that of
managing director.
roll v. 1 rotate, cycle, turn (over (and over)), wheel, trundle;
revolve, go (a)round, orbit, tumble, somersault or somerset or
summersault or summerset: Th landlord rolled another barrel
beer into the pub. The children loved rolling about in the ride
at the fun fair. 2 pass, go, flow, slip, flit, glide, slide,
move (on); expire, elapse, disappear, vanish, evaporate: The
time certainly rolls by quickly when you're having fun. 3 move,
drive, bowl, be carried or conveyed, cruise, sail, coast, ride,
float, fly: We rolled down the road, singing and laughing. 4
undulate, billow, rise and fall: The countryside rolled away
before us as far as the eye could see. 5 roar, echo, re-echo,
rumble, reverberate, resound, sound, boom, peal, resonate,
thunder: The roar of the explosion rolled over us as we ran for
cover. 6 rob, steal from: They got their money by rolling
drunks. 7 Often, roll out. flatten, level (off or out), smooth
(out), even (out), grade: After cutting, the lawn ought to be
rolled. 8 Usually, roll over. turn (over), rotate, spin: Roll
onto your stomach so I can examine your back. 9 Usually, roll
up. furl, coil, curl, wind (up), wrap (up); enwrap, swathe,
enfold, envelop, shroud, enshroud: Every night he takes down
the banner and carefully rolls it. Cleopatra was rolled up in a
rug to be smuggled past the guards. 10 roll in. a arrive, come
in, pour in, flow in, turn up, show up: The contributions
really started to roll in after the appeal. b luxuriate in,
revel in, wallow in, savour, bask in, delight in, take pleasure
in, indulge in, rejoice in, relish: Basil has been rolling in
unaccustomed wealth since his aunt died. 11 roll out. unroll,
unfurl, spread (out), unfold, uncoil, uncurl, unwind, open
(out): Roll out the bolt of cloth so that we can measure it.
--n. 12 reel, spool, cylinder, scroll; tube: The message was
written on a long roll of paper. 13 list, rota, register,
record, directory, listing, roster, slate, docket, catalogue,
inventory, muster, index, census, annal(s), schedule,
chronicle(s), Sports line-up: With great ceremony, the clerk
read the roll. 14 rolling, billowing, waving, wave action,
wave, billow, swell, undulation, pitching, rocking, tossing:
With each roll of the boat, I felt more seasick. 15 peal,
rumble, reverberation, boom, echo, thunder, roar: A roll of
thunder drowned out her shouts. 16 rotation, spin, toss, whirl,
twirl: I decided to bet everything on one last roll of the
dice. 17 bun; scone, croissant; Brit bread-roll, bap, split:
Waiter, would you please bring some more rolls? 18 bankroll,
money, wad, bundle: He took out a roll of notes and peeled off
five twenties.
roller n. 1 drum, cylinder, barrel, calender; tube; windlass;
rolling-pin; mangle, wringer: Make certain that the roller is
clean. 2 billow, wave, comber, breaker, swell: After the
storm, the heavy rollers continued to pound the sea wall.
romance n. 1 (love) affair, amour, affair of the heart, affaire (de
coeur or d'amour), liaison, relationship, dalliance, intrigue:
Wasn't Rick the one from Canada with whom Diana had a romance?
2 (true) love: You are lucky if you find romance even once in
your lifetime. 3 novel, narrative, fiction, story, mystery,
thriller, horror story, ghost story, science fiction, fantasy,
Western, melodrama, gothic or Gothic or Gothick novel or tale,
(fairy) tale, love story, idyll, epic, legend: It is probably
accurate to say that the romance is the most popular form of
fiction. 4 sentiment, nostalgia, mystery, intrigue, fantasy,
imagination, imaginativeness, adventure, excitement,
fascination, exoticism, glamour, colour, colourfulness: It was
the romance of Morocco that entranced me. 5 tall tale or story,
fantasy, fabrication, fairy tale, exaggeration, prevarication,
concoction, flight of fancy, fib, (white) lie, prevarication,
balderdash, fiction, nonsense, imagination: That episode with
the girl on the train that David told you about was all romance.
--v. 6 make love to; woo, court: Steve has been romancing
Maria ever since they met. 7 pander to, flatter, curry favour
with, toady (up) to, Colloq butter up, soft-soap, Taboo slang
brown-nose: The new restaurant is romancing neighbourhood
office executives, and luring them in for business lunches.
romantic adj. 1 imaginary, imagined, fictitious, fictional, ideal,
idealized, fancied, fabulous, made-up, dreamed-up, dreamt-up,
fantasized, fanciful, fairy-tale, mythical, idyllic, Utopian,
illusory: Vivian isn't a real person - she's just Howard's
romantic notion of the girl he wants to marry. 2 impractical,
visionary, fictitious, unpractical, unrealistic, ideal,
abstract, quixotic, chimerical, absurd, extravagant, wild,
crackpot, mad: She had romantic notions of how she would be
running her own international business by the time she was
thirty. 3 nostalgic, sentimental, emotional, sweet, tender,
picturesque, exotic, glamorous; mawkish, maudlin, saccharine,
Colloq soppy, sugary, mushy, sloppy: I can think of a lot more
romantic places than a hamburger bar to eat on our anniversary.
Fred hates it when I get too romantic. 4 amorous, affectionate,
aroused, impassioned, passionate, libidinous, lustful,
over-friendly, Colloq lovey-dovey; fresh: After a drink or two
Mike starts getting romantic - if you know what I mean.
--n. 5 romanticist, dreamer, Don Quixote, visionary, idealist,
sentimentalist: I've never lost my taste for soft lights and
sweet music - I suppose I'm just a romantic at heart.
room n. 1 space, area, scope, extent, allowance, latitude,
elbow-room, range, leeway, margin: There is room for one more
inside. 2 chamber, apartment, compartment, office, cell,
cubicle: For years Pablo occupied a small room on the top
floor. 3 rooms. quarters, lodgings, accommodation, flat,
dwelling: We had rooms in an old house downtown.
--v. 4 live, lodge, dwell, abide, reside, stay: Did you really
room with the daughter of a prime minister?
roomy adj. spacious, capacious, commodious, large, sizeable, big,
ample: For what appears to be a small car, it has a
surprisingly roomy interior.
root° n. 1 base, basis, foundation, source, seat, cause,
fountain-head, origin, fount, well-spring: Love of money is the
root of all evil. 2 rootstock, rootstalk, tap root, rootlet;
tuber; Technical radix, radicle, radicel, rhizome, rhizomorph:
When transplanting seedlings, special care should be taken not
to damage the roots. 3 root and branch. radically, completely,
utterly, entirely, wholly, totally: The Romans sought to
destroy Carthage root and branch. 4 roots. origins, heritage,
family, lineage, house, antecedents, forefathers, foremothers,
descent, genealogy, family tree, forebears, ancestors,
predecessors, stock, pedigree; birthplace, motherland,
fatherland, native land or country or soil, cradle: Carlotta
spent years tracing her roots to ancient Rome. The roots of
civilization first appeared in Mesopotamia. 5 take root. become
set or established or settled, germinate, sprout, grow, develop,
thrive, burgeon, flourish, spread: Good work habits should take
root at an early age; then they will last a lifetime.
--v. 6 plant, set, establish, found, fix, settle, embed or
imbed; entrench, anchor: The cuttings failed to grow because
they were not properly rooted. Hilary's fear of heights is
rooted in a childhood fall from a tree. 7 root out. a
Sometimes, root up. uproot, eradicate, eliminate, destroy,
extirpate, exterminate: Any subversives in the organization
must be rooted out. b find, uncover, discover, dig up or out,
unearth, turn up, bring to light: The survey of accounts is
aimed at rooting out customers who are slow in paying.
rootэ v. rootle, forage, dig, pry, nose, poke, ferret, burrow,
rummage, delve, search, ransack: Harvey has been rooting about
in the garage looking for his tennis racket.
root° v. Usually, root for. cheer (for), applaud (for); boost,
support, encourage, urge on: I'm rooting for our side to win.
rooted adj. firm, established, set, fixed, fast, settled, deep-rooted,
deep-seated, entrenched, ingrained or engrained, (firmly)
embedded or imbedded, implanted, instilled; chronic, inbred,
inherent, intrinsic, essential, fundamental, basic, radical:
Have you any rooted objections to the principle of living with
someone of the opposite sex without being married?
rope n. 1 line, cord, cable, hawser; strand, string: This rope is
too light for mooring the boat. She wore a rope of baroque
pearls. 2 the ropes. the routine, the procedure, one's way
around, the ins and outs; the truth, the (real) situation;
Colloq what's what, the score, Brit the gen: It didn't take her
long to learn the ropes.
--v. 3 tie, bind, lash, hitch, fasten, secure; tether, attach:
Rope these two crates together. The horses were roped to the
post. 4 rope in. attract, draw (in), tempt, entice, lure,
persuade: They are going to use a lottery to rope the customers
in to supporting our cause.
ropy adj. 1 ropey, viscous, stringy, viscid, glutinous,
mucilaginous, gluey, gummy, thready, fibrous, filamentous: The
plastic resin emerging from the vat looks somewhat ropy, like
mozzarella cheese. 2 questionable, inadequate, inferior,
deficient, indifferent, mediocre, substandard, unsatisfactory,
poor, sketchy: Greenwood's plan for increasing profit margins
looks pretty ropy to me. 3 sickly, ill, unwell, hung-over, below
par, out of sorts, Colloq under the weather, poorly, rough, not
up to snuff, off one's feed: I was feeling pretty ropy on
Saturday morning after that do at your place on Friday.
rostrum n. platform, stage, dais, podium, stand; pulpit; lectern,
reading-stand: As the crowd hooted and booed, the speaker
descended from the rostrum.
rosy adj. 1 pink, rose-coloured, red, roseate, reddish, pinkish,
cherry, cerise, ruddy, flushed, glowing, blushing, ruby,
rubicund, florid; rose-red: During the skiing holiday, they all
developed healthy rosy complexions. 2 optimistic, promising,
favourable, auspicious, hopeful, encouraging, sunny, bright:
Caldwell has a rosy future ahead of him.
rot v. 1 decay, decompose, fester, spoil, go bad or off, be
tainted, be ruined, mould, moulder, putrefy; corrode, rust,
disintegrate, deteriorate, crumble or go or fall to pieces:
When the power went off, all the food in the freezer rotted. The
piers holding up the far end of the bridge have all rotted away.
2 waste away, wither away, languish, die, moulder, decline,
deteriorate, degenerate, decay, atrophy: Despite repeated
appeals for clemency, he's been rotting away in jail all these
years.
--n. 3 decay, decomposition, mould, putrefaction, putrescence,
blight, corrosion, corruption, disintegration, deterioration:
Once the rot has set in, the job of revitalization can be
overwhelming. 4 (stuff and) nonsense, balderdash, rubbish,
bunkum, tommy-rot, twaddle, drivel, hogwash, eyewash, trash,
Colloq claptrap, bunk, boloney or boloney, bosh, malarkey,
moonshine, poppycock, tosh, Slang crap, bull, codswallop, Brit
(a load of (old)) cobblers, Taboo balls, bullshit: He knows
nothing whatsoever about linguistics and is just talking a lot
of rot.
rotate v. 1 turn, revolve, go round, spin, gyrate, pirouette, whirl,
twirl, wheel, pivot, reel: As the gear rotates, its teeth mesh
with those of the other gear, causing it to turn in the opposite
direction. 2 change, exchange, alternate, interchange, switch,
trade places; take turns, Colloq swap or swop: Rotate the
positions of the tyres for more even wear. We rotate the chores
in our family.
rote n. 1 routine, ritual: He acquired a rote knowledge of the
words, without knowing what they mean. 2 by rote. a by heart,
from memory: He can recite the entire Prologue of Canterbury
Tales by rote. b unthinkingly, automatically, mechanically:
She learned the French dialogue by rote but doesn't understand a
word of it.
rotten adj. 1 rotted, decayed, decomposed, decomposing, putrid,
putrescent, putrescing, mouldy, mouldering, spoilt or spoiled,
mildewed, rancid, fetid or foetid, stale, rank, foul, feculent,
tainted, contaminated, festered, festering, corrupt, bad, off,
turned, overripe, soured, sour: One rotten apple in the barrel
can spoil the rest. The stench of rotten meat filled the room. 2
rotted, rusted, corroded, deteriorating, disintegrating,
crumbling, crumbly, falling to pieces, friable: He stepped on a
spot where the wood was rotten and his foot went right through
the stair. 3 immoral, corrupt, dishonest, deceitful, venal,
shameless, degenerate, villainous, iniquitous, evil, wicked,
vile, debased, base, perverted, depraved, unscrupulous,
unprincipled, amoral, warped, Slang bent: These drug dealers
are rotten at the core. 4 heinous, evil, vile, base, miserable,
despicable, wretched, awful, terrible, horrible, horrific,
nasty, contemptible, filthy, mean, low, Colloq lousy, stinking,
low-down, dirty-rotten: Pairing me off with Vera at the dance
was a rotten trick. 5 ill, unwell, sick, nauseated, awful;
hung-over, Colloq lousy, ropy or ropey, rough: I feel really
rotten - maybe it was those mushrooms I ate last night.
rotund adj. 1 round(ed), circular, orbicular, globular, spherical:
His rotund, cherubic little face simply invited a pinch of the
cheek. 2 full, full-toned, deep, resonant, reverberant,
reverberating, sonorous, rich, round, mellow; pear-shaped: They
thrilled to hear the rotund notes issuing from Caruso's lips as
he sang 'Vesti la Giubba'. 3 chubby, podgy or chiefly US pudgy,
(pleasingly) plump, portly, tubby, heavy, fleshy, corpulent,
stout, fat, obese, overweight, Colloq roly-poly: Jack's rotund
figure was easily recognizable waddling up the street.
rou‚ n. playboy, womanizer, ladies' man, rake, lecher, Lothario, Don
Juan, Romeo, Casanova, charmer, flirt, libertine, debauchee,
Old-fashioned masher, gay dog, Colloq wolf, lady-killer, dirty
old man, Taboo slang gash-hound: Alistair was quite a rou‚ in
his youth but has settled down since turning 50.
rough adj. 1 uneven, irregular, coarse, jagged, rugged, bumpy, lumpy,
broken: The next mile or so we slogged over some very rough
terrain. 2 agitated, turbulent, choppy, stormy, storm-tossed,
tempestuous, roiled: We negotiated a very rough patch of water
before sailing into the calm, sheltered bay. 3 brusque, bluff,
curt, short, abrupt, unpleasant, churlish, discourteous,
impolite, rough-spoken, ungracious, surly, disrespectful, rude,
uncouth, loutish, unrefined, uncivil, uncivilized, uncultured,
vulgar, unladylike, ungentlemanly, coarse, ill-mannered,
ill-bred, inconsiderate: Ian can be a bit rough, I know, but
underneath he is a true and loyal friend. 4 tough,
rough-and-tumble, roughneck, rowdy: There are some very rough
characters frequenting that pub. 5 harsh, violent, unfeeling,
unjust, severe, cruel, tough, hard, brutal, extreme; ungentle:
They were subjected to very rough treatment when being
questioned by the police. 6 dirty, obscene, smutty,
pornographic, vulgar, crude, raw, rude: After midnight they
watch the rough shows beamed by satellite from Italy. 7 hard,
tough, Spartan, difficult, arduous, laborious, rugged,
unpleasant: It was pretty rough going with almost no money and
all those expenses. 8 harsh, grating, cacophonous, discordant,
jarring, strident, raucous, rasping, unmusical, inharmonious,
gruff, husky: In acknowledgement he made a rough, growling
noise. 9 unfinished, incomplete, uncompleted, imperfect,
rudimentary, crude, rude, formless, unformed, raw,
rough-and-ready, rough-hewn, roughcast, undeveloped, unshaped,
unworked, unwrought, unprocessed, unrefined; uncut, unpolished;
shapeless, unshaped, undressed: I only saw the sculpture in its
rough state and cannot say how it looked when finished. The
stones are rough, as they were when taken from the ground. 10
general, approximate, inexact, cursory, quick, hasty, sketchy,
vague, hazy; foggy, Colloq ballpark: Can't you give me even a
rough idea of how much you want for the house? 11 unfair,
unjust, bad, tough; unlucky, unfortunate: We went through a
spell of rough luck last year. This is a rough time for
everyone. 12 See rotten, 5, above.
--n. 13 rowdy, tough, hooligan, ruffian, thug, brawler, yahoo,
Slang roughneck, Australian larrikin, US mug: Phil will get
into trouble if he continues to associate with those roughs at
the Lantern. 14 sketch, (rough) draft, mock-up, outline: Let me
see roughs of the presentation before the meeting with the
client.
--v. 15 rough out or in. sketch, draft, mock-up, outline, mark
out, trace, block out: Our escape plan was roughed out by
Captain Gallagher. 16 rough up. beat (up), thrash, attack,
batter, assault, pummel or pommel, lay on, knock about,
belabour, lambaste, Colloq wallop: Some of the boys roughed him
up a bit when they learned that he was an informer.
--adv. 17 violently, savagely, brutally, brutishly: You'd best
not mention Cassie or Henry might cut up rough.
rough-house
n. 1 boisterousness, rowdiness, rowdyism, violence, brawling,
disorderliness, disorderly conduct, ruffianism: The police were
called in to quell the rough-house that broke out at the dance.
--v. 2 brawl: If you want to rough-house, do it outside!
roughly adv. 1 approximately, around; about, nearly: The British
Museum is roughly in the same direction as Euston. It cost
roughly two weeks' wages. Roughly two years later I saw her
again. 2 harshly, unkindly, severely, sternly,
unsympathetically, brutally, violently, savagely, inhumanly,
mercilessly, unmercifully, ruthlessly, pitilessly, cruelly,
heartlessly: The police were accused of dealing too roughly
with those suspected of harming a fellow officer. 3 clumsily,
rudely, crudely, awkwardly, primitively, inexpertly,
amateurishly, maladroitly, heavy-handedly, ineptly,
inefficiently, unskilfully, inartistically: This roughly hewn
block of local granite is what the council paid a fortune for as
'sculpture'.
round adj. 1 circular; disc-shaped, discoid, disc-like: I prefer a
round table to a square one. She made a round motion to
demonstrate the shape. 2 ring-shaped, annular, hoop-shaped,
hoop-like: The track is oval, not round. 3 spherical,
ball-shaped, ball-like, globular, spheroid, spheroidal,
globe-shaped, globelike, globate, orb-shaped, orb-like,
orbicular: You will never convince me that the earth is round -
I know what I see. 4 curved, curvilinear, rounded, arched: The
round chisel is used to cut these grooves. 5 exact, precise,
complete, entire, full: That makes a round hundred times you
have asked me the same question. 6 approximate, rough, rounded
(off or up or down), whole: In round numbers, that makes 40 per
cent For and 60 per cent Against. 7 rounded, mellow, full,
vibrant, reverberant, reverberating, sonorous, rich,
mellifluous, orotund, pear-shaped: Couldn't you listen forever
to those beautiful round tones sung by Fischer-Dieskau? 8 plain,
honest, straightforward, direct, unvarnished, unembellished,
unelaborated, outspoken, candid, truthful, frank, open, blunt,
Colloq upfront: They delivered what they had to say in round,
assertive statements. 9 Chiefly Brit return: We made the round
trip to Bristol in less than three hours.
--n. 10 circle, disc; ring, hoop, annulus; ball, sphere, globe,
orb, bead: The moulding has a repeated pattern of a round
alternating with three vertical grooves. 11 cycle, series,
sequence, succession, bout, spell: The current round of talks
on the economy is expected to last for three days. There was the
usual round of parties on New Year's Eve. 12 Often, rounds.
beat, route, routine, circuit, course, tour, turn, ambit: The
milkman still makes his daily rounds in England. 13 heat,
stage, level, turn: After each round in the tournament, the
losers are eliminated, reducing the competitors by half. 14
spell, period, run, spate, bout, outburst, burst, volley: Each
new acrobat who added to the human pyramid got a round of
applause. 15 bullet, cartridge, charge, shell, (single) shot:
Each man was given only ten rounds of ammunition.
--v. 16 turn, go (a)round: The car rounded the corner on two
wheels. 17 orbit, circumnavigate, go (a)round, circle,
encircle: He rounded the earth in the fastest recorded time.
18 round off or out. complete, close, end, bring to an end or
completion or a close, finish: Tim suggested we round off the
evening with a rubber of bridge. 19 round up. gather, assemble,
muster, draw or pull or get together, collect, herd, marshal, US
and Canadian (of cattle or horses) corral, wrangle: The police
are rounding up witnesses who might have seen the shooting.
More than 10,000 head of cattle have been rounded up for the
drive.
--prep. 20 about, around, encircling, enclosing; orbiting: The
fence round the site ought to keep out the curious. The new
bypass round town ought to reduce local traffic. 21 here and
there in, about, around, throughout, all over, everywhere in:
Dad used to smoke and kept dozens of ash trays round the house.
22 about, around, nearby, in the neighbourhood or vicinity or
(general) area of: Whenever I want to see you alone, there are
always people round you. Just look round you if you don't
believe me.
--adv. 23 around, about, in a circle or ring, on all sides:
Gather round and I'll tell you a story. Pass the hat round for
Harry's farewell party. 24 from beginning to end, from start to
finish, through: He now lives in France the year round. 25 in
perimeter or periphery, around: The indoor track is exactly one
fifth of a mile round. 26 about, around, in the neighbourhood
or vicinity or (general) area: There isn't a soul for miles
round. 27 around, in a circle or circuit, in or by a circular
or circuitous route or path, circuitously: This road goes round
to the other side of the lake.
roundabout
adj. 1 circuitous, circular, indirect, long: We had plenty of
time so we came the more scenic, roundabout way. 2 devious,
circuitous, evasive, indirect, oblique: If you wanted to borrow
some money, asking me for tax advice was quite a roundabout way
of asking.
--n. 3 merry-go-round, carousel or carrousel, Old-fashioned or
dialect whirligig: The children weren't the only ones who
enjoyed themselves on the roundabout. 4 Brit mini-roundabout, US
and Canadian rotary, traffic circle: When you come to the
roundabout, turn right and keep going till you come to a traffic
light.
round-up n. 1 gathering, assembly, rally, collection, herding, US and
Canadian (of cattle or horses) corralling, wrangling: The
round-up of suspects by the police was focused on the
Bournemouth area. 2 summary, synopsis, digest, outline,
recapitulation, review, survey, Colloq recap: And now, with a
round-up of the news, here is Moira Lawley.
rouse v. 1 arouse, call, waken, awaken, wake (up), get up, arise: I
was roused from a deep slumber by a dog's barking. 2 stir (up),
arouse, bestir, stimulate, inspirit, animate, invigorate,
electrify, excite, provoke, prompt, goad, prod, galvanize,
incite, whet, move, work up, fire up: Bruce's unquenchable
enthusiasm roused many to become involved in the campaign.
rousing adj. stimulating, inspiriting, animating, enlivening,
energizing, inspiring, invigorating, vitalizing, electrifying;
fervent, vigorous, energetic, enthusiastic, spirited, brisk,
lively, animated, Colloq peppy: The huge crowd gave the team a
rousing cheer as they jogged out onto the field.
rout n. 1 defeat, trouncing, ruin, overthrow, subjugation,
vanquishment, d‚bѓcle, conquest, thrashing, drubbing, beating;
dispersal, retreat, collapse; Colloq licking, hiding, US and
Canadian shellacking: Owing to the government's overwhelming
forces, there was a complete rout of the rebels.
--v. 2 defeat, win (out) over, trounce, ruin, overthrow, bring
down, subjugate, subdue, suppress, vanquish, conquer, overwhelm,
overpower, put to rout or flight, worst, best, trample, overrun,
thrash, trim, whip, drub, beat, crush, batter, smash, shatter,
cut to pieces or ribbons or shreds, destroy, devastate, wipe
out, eliminate, put down, seal the doom or the fate of,
eradicate, obliterate, Colloq lick, wipe the floor with, polish
off, knock off, Hyperbolic sports jargon pulverize, make
mincemeat of, ride roughshod over, demolish, mangle, ravage,
mutilate, flatten, squash, topple, lay waste, wreak havoc
(up)on, ravage, massacre, murder, exterminate, annihilate,
liquidate, smother, stifle, do away with, Slang clobber, do in,
US skunk, Chiefly US and Canadian cream: Queens Park Rangers
routed Manchester United 6-0.
route n. 1 way, itinerary, course, direction, path, road, avenue: If
you have the time, take the scenic route. John's route to the
chairmanship is strewn with his colleagues' corpses.
--v. 2 direct, convey, carry: Goods destined for Cleveland
will be routed through Northampton.
routine n. 1 custom, habit, procedure, practice, method, schedule,
plan, programme, formula, pattern, way, usage, wont, Colloq
chiefly Brit drill: Chalmers has always been a stickler for
routine. What's the routine here when you want to order a new
chair? 2 act, piece, bit, performance, number, part, Colloq
thing, shtick: The fat lady doesn't sing till after Joe Miller
finishes his routine.
--adj. 3 customary, habitual, usual, rote, accustomed,familiar,
conventional, regular, ordinary, everyday; programmed, assigned,
designated, scheduled: Her routine responsibilities include
proofreading. 4 boring, tedious, tiresome, unimaginative,
uninteresting; hackneyed, trite, stereotypic(al), clich‚d,
run-of-the-mill, ordinary; unvaried, unvarying, unchanging,
monotonous, uneventful, rote, automatic, mechanical,
perfunctory: He has a routine job on the assembly line.
rover n. wanderer, bird of passage, itinerant, traveller, rolling
stone, nomad, gypsy, wayfarer, gadabout, sojourner, tourist;
drifter, tramp, vagabond, vagrant, US hobo, bum: He's a born
rover and will never settle down.
row° n. line, rank, tier, bank, string, series, file: A row of
trees serves as a wind-break along one side of the farm.
rowэ n. 1 altercation, argument, dispute, quarrel, disagreement,
squabble, spat, tiff, conflict, fracas, Colloq shouting match,
scrap, falling-out, Brit slanging-match: We had a silly row
about where we should spend the Christmas holidays. 2
commotion, disturbance, clamour, hubbub, racket, din, rumpus,
tumult, uproar, brouhaha, fuss, stir, turmoil, hullabaloo;
bedlam, pandemonium, chaos; US foofaraw, Colloq ruckus: There
was a tremendous row over the increase in membership fees.
--v. 3 dispute, quarrel, argue, disagree, wrangle, cross
swords, have words, bicker, tiff, Colloq scrap, fall out: They
are constantly rowing over something, usually some insignificant
detail.
rowdy adj. 1 boisterous, uproarious, disorderly, noisy, loud,
obstreperous, unruly: It only takes a couple of rowdy youths to
start trouble at a match.
--n. 2 ruffian, tough, hooligan, yahoo, brawler, lout, Brit
lager lout, skinhead, Chiefly US and Canadian hoodlum, hood,
Slang Brit bovver boy: The police arrested three of the rowdies
involved in last night's fight.
rowdyism n. rowdiness, ruffianism, hooliganism, rough-house, barbarism,
troublemaking, brawling, unruliness, boisterousness, Slang Brit
bovver: Have you any suggestions about what to do to curb
rowdyism at football matches?
royal adj. 1 queenly, kingly, queenlike, kinglike, regal, imperial,
sovereign, princely, majestic: The Royal Family usually spend
their summer holidays at Balmoral. The establishment proudly
boasts royal patronage. 2 grand, splendid, stately, impressive,
august, imposing, superior, superb, magnificent, majestic: She
arrived at the ball in a royal coach drawn by six white horses.
--n. 3 king, queen, prince, princess, duke, earl, duchess,
viscount, viscountess, baron, baroness, noble, nobleman,
noblewoman, peer: Her greatest ambition is to meet a royal in
the flesh. 4 royals. royalty, nobility, nobles, peerage: He
writes the daily column reporting on the activities of the
royals.
royalty n. 1 queenship, kingship, royal house or line or family,
sovereignty: Royalty does have its privileges, doesn't it? 2
percentage, commission, share, payment, compensation: He
receives a royalty every time his song is played or sung
commercially, anywhere in the world. 3 nobility, nobles,
peerage, Colloq Brit royals: It is ironic that Americans are
more impressed than the British with royalty.
rub v. 1 massage, knead, stroke; scour, scrub, scrape, abrade,
chafe, clean; wipe, smooth, polish, shine, buff, burnish: Rub
my back, would you? - Not there, a little lower down. You are
not supposed to rub those plastic baths with abrasive cleansers.
Before the guests arrived, we rubbed the silver till you could
see yourself in it. 2 rub in or on. apply, smooth, smear,
spread, put: The ache may be relieved a bit if you rub on some
liniment. 3 rub (it or something) in. emphasize, stress, make
an issue of, harp on, reiterate, dwell on, hammer away,
dramatize: It's bad enough that Caroline did better than I did
- you don't have to keep rubbing it in. 4 rub off or out.
expunge, erase, remove, delete, cancel, eliminate, eradicate:
It's a pity, Peter, that you rubbed out the right reply and
wrote in the wrong one. The boys were released on the condition
that they would rub the graffiti off the wall. 5 rub off (on).
affect, be transferred (to), be communicated or transmitted
(to), be passed on or along (to), be imparted to: Your mother
and I had hoped that some of our love of music might have rubbed
off on you. 6 rub out. murder, kill, execute, slay: The
Godfather ordered all witnesses to be rubbed out. 7 rub
shoulders with. rub elbows with, associate with, socialize with,
mix with, fraternize with, keep company with, consort with,
Colloq US run or pal or chum around with: Since getting his
knighthood Charles no longer rubs shoulders with the likes of
us. 8 rub (someone) (up) the wrong way. annoy, irritate, irk,
anger, provoke, go against the grain, Colloq bug, get under
one's or someone's skin, peeve: I don't know what it is about
Underbridge, but every time we meet he manages to rub me up the
wrong way.
--n. 9 wipe, stroke, rubbing: You will have to give that stain
a good rub to make it come out. 10 massage, rub-down: After
exercising, Jane always has an alcohol rub. 11 the rub. the or
a catch or hitch or snag or hindrance or set-back, the or an
obstacle or impediment, the or a difficulty or problem or
trouble: The only rub I can see is that Warren may not agree to
resign.
rubberneck
v. 1 gape, stare, goggle, gawk: They spent a weekend in New
York, rubbernecking at the skyscrapers.
--n. 2 tourist, sightseer, rubbernecker, US out-of-towner:
Buses for the rubbernecks leave Trafalgar Square every hour or
so.
rubbish n. 1 refuse, waste, debris, rubble, detritus, litter, garbage,
sweepings, dross, dregs, residue, leftovers, remnants, lees,
scraps, fragments, leavings, residuum, junk, rejects, Chiefly US
trash Slang chiefly US dreck: Private companies are now
contracted to remove household rubbish weekly. 2 (stuff and)
nonsense, balderdash, moonshine, gibberish, gobbledegook or
gobbledygook, tommy-rot, bunkum, trash, garbage, twaddle, Colloq
rot, flapdoodle, crap, hokum, codswallop, bosh, piffle, hooey,
bunk, malarkey, poppycock, boloney or baloney, eyewash, hogwash,
bilge-water, bull, Scots havers, Brit tosh, gammon, US a crock,
horse feathers, gurry, Slang rot, Brit (a load of (old))
cobblers, Taboo slang bullshit, horseshit, US a crock of shit:
What she told you about how I treated her is absolute rubbish.
--v. 3 criticize, attack, destroy, Colloq clobber, pan, Chiefly
US trash, Slang jump on, Chiefly US and Canadian bad-mouth, jump
all over: In his latest book he rubbishes the newspaper that
had given his previous book a bad review.
rude adj. 1 impolite, discourteous, disrespectful, ungracious,
ungallant, unmannerly, ill-mannered, uncivil, bad-mannered,
ungentlemanly, unladylike, ill-bred, unrefined, unpolished,
uncouth, boorish, churlish, oafish, loutish, coarse,
uncivilized, uncultured, unceremonious: It was rude of him not
to get up when she came in, but he doesn't know any better. 2
impertinent, impudent, discourteous, insulting, insolent,
offensive, saucy, bold, disrespectful, uncivil, flippant,
brusque, curt, gruff, tactless, outrageous, Colloq fresh: I
simply asked the chambermaid to make up my room early and she
responded with a rude remark. 3 naughty, unrefined, ribald,
bawdy, indecent, indelicate, vulgar, obscene, dirty, filthy,
lubricious or lubricous, lewd, gross, smutty, taboo,
pornographic: Chris has an extensive collection of rude
photographs. 4 crude, rough, clumsy, awkward, unskilful,
unskilled, artless, inartistic, imperfect, unpolished,
inaccurate, gauche, bumbling, raw, inelegant, makeshift,
homespun, primitive, misshapen, ill-formed, unfinished,
rough-hewn, simple, basic, bare: The replica on view in the
local museum is only a rude approximation of the original.
rudimentary
adj. 1 basic, essential, elementary, fundamental, rudimental,
primary, introductory, abecedarian, formative, first, initial,
elemental, primal, seminal: The purpose of the course is
provide students with a rudimentary knowledge of computer
programming. 2 crude, coarse, unshaped, unfinished, imperfect,
primitive, undeveloped, vestigial, embryonic, primordial,
immature: These fish, which spend their lives in darkness, have
only a rudimentary organ for an eye.
rudiments n.pl. basics, elements, essentials, fundamentals, first
principles: She learnt the rudiments of musical composition
from the maestro himself.
ruffle n. 1 trimming, flounce, frill, ruff, peplum, flare, smocking,
ruche, ruching, gather, gathering: Doesn't that ruffle at the
back of the skirt make it look a bit old-fashioned? 2 ripple,
wavelet, disturbance, flurry, bustle, stir, perturbation,
wrinkle: The news of the divorce caused a slight ruffle at
court.
--v. 3 agitate, disconcert, confuse, discompose, discomfit,
upset, disturb, stir up, perturb, unsettle, disorient, unnerve,
fluster, affect, bother, intimidate, unstring, put out, vex,
trouble, worry, Colloq rattle, throw, shake up, Chiefly US and
Canadian discombobulate, voodoo, hex, psych out, Slang chiefly
US and Canadian get (someone) all shook up, spook: She was
ruffled by questions concerning her relationship with the
deceased. 4 disarrange, dishevel, disorder, rumple, mix up,
tousle, tangle, disorder, Colloq mess or muss (up): His
unpleasant attitude ruffled quite a few feathers in the
department.
rugged adj. 1 rough, uneven, broken, stony, rocky, irregular, bumpy,
pitted, jagged, ragged: The horses picked their way slowly
across the rugged terrain. 2 tough, rough, severe, hard, harsh,
difficult, arduous, Spartan, rigorous, onerous, stern,
demanding, burdensome: It is amazing how that small band of
pioneers withstood the rugged life in the untamed West. 3 hardy,
durable, strong, sturdy, hale, robust, tough, vigorous, hard,
rough-and-ready, stalwart; independent, individualistic,
self-reliant, self-confident, self-sufficient, bold: WANTED:
Five rugged pioneering types to join an expedition to the source
of the Amazon river. 4 rude, uncouth, uncultured, uncivilized,
unrefined, unpolished, crude, ungraceful, churlish: I admit
that Charlie's manners are a bit rugged, but he's one of the
best men we have.
ruin n. 1 downfall, destruction, devastation, havoc, breakdown,
breakup, d‚bѓcle, collapse, fall, disintegration, ruination,
dissolution, wiping out, failure, decay, undoing, end; conquest,
defeat, overthrow; bankruptcy, liquidation, failure: Alexander
was responsible for the ruin of the Persian empire.
Overwhelming debts spelt Theo's financial ruin. 2 degradation,
dishonour, debasement, defilement, corruption, vitiation,
seduction, degrading, dishonouring, debasing, defiling,
corrupting, vitiating, seducing; deflowering, defloration: Who
was the libertine who brought about the ruin of Lord Harecombe's
daughter? 3 nemesis, curse, end, bane, curse: That boy will be
my ruin! 4 gin, mother's ruin, blue ruin, Slang rot-gut: After
eating, we sat down and polished off a bottle of mother's ruin.
5 hag, witch, crone, beldam; dotard, (old) fogy or fogey,
fossil, fuddy-duddy, antique, Brit OAP (= 'old-age pensioner'),
Chiefly US retiree, Colloq (old) geezer, wreck, Slang dodo:
It's hard to understand what those two old ruins see in each
other. 6 ruins. debris, wreckage, fragments, rubble, remains:
He stood among the ruins of the burnt-out house wondering what
to do next. She was trying to piece together the ruins of her
disastrous marriage.
--v. 7 destroy, devastate, demolish, annihilate, dissolve, wipe
out, undo, overthrow, lay waste, raze, shatter, wreck, crush,
flatten, wreak havoc (up)on, reduce to nothing or naught,
pulverize, smash, bring to ruin: The bomb ruined the entire
centre of the city. 8 spoil, disfigure, damage, botch, mess up,
make a mess of, mar, uglify: The county office building
completely ruins the Aylesbury skyline. 9 spoil, destroy,
wreck, nullify, damage, harm, hurt, impair, poison, Slang louse
up, screw up, put the kibosh on, US bollix up, Taboo slang
chiefly Brit make a balls-up of: I think that your behaviour at
the office party may just have ruined your prospects for
promotion. 10 bankrupt, pauperize, impoverish, reduce to penury
or poverty or destitution or indigence: Paying off the loan
virtually ruined me. 11 violate, deflower, ravish, seduce, lead
astray, dishonour, defile, corrupt, debase, defile: She claimed
that it was the local squire who ruined her, despite evidence to
the contrary.
ruinous adj. disastrous, destructive, catastrophic, calamitous,
deleterious, pernicious, crippling, cataclysmic, baleful, fatal,
toxic, poisonous, noxious, harmful, injurious, nasty, Archaic
baneful: Smoking can be ruinous to your health. Who was behind
the ruinous decision to move the factory to the north-east?
rule n. 1 regulation, order, law, ordinance, ruling, decree, ukase,
statute, principle, direction, guide, guideline, precept: We go
by the Golden Rule here, Jim, 'Do unto others before they do
unto you'. 2 dominion, authority, control, sovereignty, sway,
command, ascendancy, direction, oversight, supervision, mastery:
How could such a despised monarch maintain rule over a people
for so long? 3 fact, standard, customs, practice, form, routine,
convention, policy, way things are: Honesty and integrity among
our students are the rule rather than the exception. 4 as a
rule. generally, usually, normally, customarily, for the most
part, mostly, ordinarily, mainly, in the main, chiefly, on the
whole, commonly, more often than not: As a rule, we require
payment in advance.
--v. 5 Sometimes, rule over. reign (over), govern, be in
control or charge or command (of or over), be in power (over),
hold sway (over), wield the sceptre, wear the crown, run;
prevail, hold sway, dominate, predominate, control: The hand
that rocks the cradle rules the world. Supposedly, the majority
rules in a democracy. 6 direct, guide, manage, control, lead,
head (up), preside (over), superintend, oversee, supervise,
regulate, govern, run: The company is ruled by a committee made
up of employees and directors. 7 decide, judge, hand down a
judgement or decision, decree, deem, resolve, settle, determine,
find, declare, pronounce: The referee ruled that Jones had
committed a foul. 8 rule out. ban, bar, prohibit, exclude,
eliminate, forbid, preclude, proscribe, negate, dismiss,
disregard, bypass, ignore, overlook: The programme committee
ruled out Birmingham as the site of next year's conference.
rummage v. 1 search, hunt, comb, scour, scrabble, look through, sift
through, turn inside out or upside down, examine, Colloq
scrounge: We rummaged about in four dustbins before finding the
discarded receipt.
--n. 2 jumble, miscellanea, knick-knacks, odds and ends,
hotchpotch or US also hodgepodge: May we borrow your car to
collect items for the church rummage sale?
rumour n. 1 rumour, news, gossip, hearsay, information, scoop,
tidings, chat, chit-chat, tittle-tattle, on dit; grapevine,
jungle telegraph, Colloq low-down, info, US and Canadian poop,
Slang chiefly US nautical scuttlebutt: The rumour is that they
are moving from Reading to Exeter. Rumour has it that you are
not going with them.
--v. 2 bruit about, noise abroad, circulate, pass around,
intimate, breathe, suggest, whisper, leak, reveal, make known,
put about, say, report, tell: It has been rumoured that she is
going to have his baby.
rumple v. Sometimes, rumple up. wrinkle, crumple, crush, crease, fold,
crinkle, dishevel, ruffle, tousle, scrunch (up), pucker, muss
(up), mess (up): When she stood up, the back of her dress was
all rumpled.
rumpus n. commotion, disturbance, fuss, confusion, uproar, tumult,
to-do, ado, mayhem, bedlam, brouhaha, stir, pother, affray,
fracas, row, m€l‚e or melee, rough-house, brawl: You have no
idea what a rumpus he created just because my dog went in his
garden.
run v. 1 sprint, race, scamper, scurry, scud, dart, bolt, dash,
flit, tear (along), scoot, scuttle, zip, whiz or whizz, gallop,
jog, trot, lope; rush, hurry (up), hasten, scramble, hustle,
step lively, hop (to) it, step on it, put on some speed, Archaic
hie, Colloq get a move on, hoof it, leg it, hotfoot (it), stir
one's stumps, Brit hare, US step on the gas, hump (it), Slang
get cracking, US get the lead out (of one's pants or taboo ass),
Chiefly US get a wiggle on: If you run, you might catch her
before she gets on the train. 2 run away or off, flee, escape,
take flight, take to one's heels, bolt, decamp, make off, clear
out, show a clean pair of heels, abscond, cut and run, (beat a
(hasty)) retreat, retire, make a getaway, (make a) run for it,
Colloq beat it, scram, skedaddle, take off, skip (out), take
French leave, fly the coop, Slang head for the hills, Brit
scarper, do a bunk, US and Canadian take a (run-out) powder, lam
out of (somewhere), take it or go on the lam, US vamoose: The
minute the enemy appeared, the entire troop ran. Cavendish ran,
hoping the police wouldn't catch him. 3 go, cover, pass over,
sprint, race: He ran the mile in just under four minutes. 4
wander, rove, roam, meander, drift: Some farmers allow their
animals to run free, rather than penning them up. 5 Often, run
for. compete (for), be a candidate (for), vie, struggle,
contend, fight (for), stand (for): As she has already said she
would not stand again, I doubt that she will run for re-election
in the council elections. 6 pass, flow, pour, stream, flood,
gush, spill, dribble, spurt, issue, move, trickle, seep,
discharge, cascade, spout: You can see where the rainwater has
run down this crack in the roof and into the room below. 7 flow,
diffuse: The colour ran when he washed his red underwear with
some white shirts in very hot water. 8 melt, liquefy, dissolve,
fuse: It was so hot that the icing on top of the cake began to
melt and run down the sides. 9 keep, maintain, support, sustain,
manage: It is very expensive to run a large house. 10 operate,
manage, direct, supervise, oversee, conduct, superintend,
control, handle, manipulate, head, carry on, lead, regulate,
take care of, look after, administer, be in charge of,
coordinate: She must be a terrifically high achiever to run a
huge international conglomerate like that! 11 operate, perform,
function, work, tick, go: Even after all that abuse, the watch
kept running and kept good time. 12 extend, stretch, reach;
amount, add up, total up, come (up): The balance of payments
deficit is running to twice last year's figure. His bill at the
restaurant last night ran to more than њ200. 13 convey,
transport, give (someone) a lift, drive, take, bring: Tom said
he would run me home in his new car. 14 bootleg, smuggle, deal
or traffic in, Chiefly US and Canadian rustle: During
Prohibition, his father ran whisky from Canada to the US. 15 be
in effect or force, be effective, have force or effect: This
lease has another year to run. 16 incur, invite, encourage,
attract, be subjected to: Aren't you running a risk asking
Sheila to handle your money? 17 propel, drive; steer, guide,
navigate: If you are inept enough to run a boat aground, at
least have the sense to do it at low tide. 18 unravel, come
undone, Chiefly Brit ladder: My stocking ran just before I had
to leave for the dance! 19 Sometimes, run off. print, offset,
lithograph, reproduce, publish, display; imprint, position,
place, locate, lay out: They are going to run his story in the
next issue of The Londoner! We'll run the photographs of the
fire alongside the article on page one. 20 run across. meet (up
with), run into, come across, find, stumble on or upon, hit or
chance or happen upon, Colloq bump into: Guess whom I ran
across at Harrods yesterday. 21 run after. chase, pursue, go
after, court, woo, Colloq set one's cap for: The City is filled
with young men and women running after big money. Mick is
running after this girl half his age, and he hasn't a clue that
she's leading him on. 22 run along. go away, leave, Slang get
lost: Sue wanted to get rid of Wayne and told him to run along.
23 run around. philander, be unfaithful, gallivant, Colloq sleep
around, play the field: How does she cope with his constant
running around? 24 run around with. associate with, spend time
with, dally with, consort with: Cynthia is running around with
a bad crowd these days. 25 run away. See 2, above. 26 run
down. a trace, track, hunt, stalk, follow, pursue, dog, shadow;
find, locate, track down, discover: We ran down the suspect in
an abandoned barn in Little Fakenham. b criticize, decry,
defame, vilify, disparage, deprecate, depreciate, denigrate,
Colloq knock, pan: If you keep running him down like that he'll
develop an inferiority complex before he's seven. c weaken,
tire, expire, play (itself) out, burn out, run out, fail, Colloq
peter out: Once the batteries have run down, we will no longer
be able to transmit a distress-signal. d strike, hit, smash or
crash or slam into, run over, knock over or down, collide with:
On the way home, he almost ran down a boy on a bicycle. 27 run
in. arrest, take into custody, jail, apprehend, take or bring
in, Colloq pinch, nab, pull in, bust, collar, Brit nick: This
is the third time this week that Minette has been run in for
soliciting. 28 run into. See 20, above. 29 run off. a See 2,
above. b duplicate, print, copy, turn out, produce, make,
manufacture, generate, Colloq do, churn out: How quickly can
you run off 1000 copies of this brochure? 30 run out. a be
exhausted, expire, terminate, (come or draw to a) close, end,
cease: The time for renewing your subscription has run out. b
finish, go, be exhausted, be used up, Colloq peter out: The
food had run out and we had no water when we were rescued. 31
run out of. use up, consume, eat up, exhaust, be out of: We've
run out of milk - can you nip down to the shop and get some? 32
run out on. desert, abandon, leave high and dry, forsake, leave
in the lurch, leave holding the baby: Despite all his promises,
Edgar ran out on her when she became pregnant. 33 run over. a
See 26 (d), above. b scan, run through, go over, look over,
flip or leaf or thumb through, look at, skim (through), browse
through, dip into, review: I promised Casey I would run over
his article if I had the time. c overflow, spill (over), brim
over, slosh over, pour over; extend, reach, spread over, stretch
over; exceed, go beyond, overreach, overshoot, surpass,
transcend: She accidentally let the bath run over, ruining the
ceiling below. This article will run over onto the next page.
McClelland always runs over the time allotted to his part of the
proceedings. d rehearse, run through, repeat, practise, review,
go over, study, learn, memorize: You'd best run over your
speech again before the banquet. 34 run through. a pierce,
stab, transfix, stick, spit: In the last scene, the hero runs
the villain through with his sword before succumbing to his own
wounds. b squander, consume, use up, waste, fritter away,
exhaust, deplete, spend, dissipate, throw away, Slang blow: It
didn't take Hugh more than a year to run through his
inheritance. c See 33 (b), above.
--n. 35 sprint, dash, race, jog, trot: They go for a two-mile
run every morning before breakfast. 36 trip, journey, visit,
drive, expedition, trek, outing, excursion, jaunt, junket,
sojourn, Colloq spin, joyride: He has to make a run over to
Paris for the weekend, supposedly on business. 37 route,
routine, circuit, passage, trip, cycle, round; beat: I was on
the Murmansk run during the war. 38 period, spate, interval,
time, spell, stretch, course; engagement, booking, Colloq patch:
Roger has had a run of bad luck and could use some help. The
show had a long run on Broadway. 39 access, freedom, liberty:
The children had the run of the house for a week while their
parents were away. 40 return, satisfaction, reward, recompense,
compensation, requital, expiation, atonement, repayment,
remuneration: Although the odds are never in your favour, you
get a good run for your money at Diamond Lil's Gambling
Emporium. 41 series, sequence, stream, spate, string,
succession, progression: Will attributed his poor showing at
the tournament to a bad run of cards. 42 stream, brook, runnel,
creek, rill, rivulet, Brit beck, Scots burn, US branch, kill:
There is a small run at the bottom of the hill. 43 demand,
call, request: Bouillon cubes seem to have enjoyed quite a run
lately. 44 type, category, class, kind, sort: Mark seems to be
a bit more refined than the usual run of guest at Lisa's
parties. 45 trail, track, piste, path, slope; way, runway: She
skied down the north run in record time. 46 enclosure, yard,
pen, compound, runway; paddock; pound: There is a good-sized
run at the kennel where we board the dogs when we go on holiday.
47 Music roulade, cadenza, arpeggio, riff: The soprano treated
us to a marvellous run in which each note was distinct and pure.
48 in the long run. eventually, finally, after all, ultimately,
in (due) time, in due course, in fine, in the end, at the end of
the day, in the final analysis, all things considered, when all
is said and done: Regardless of early troubles, things always
seem to turn out all right in the long run in his plays. 49 on
the run. a hastily, in haste, hurriedly, while under way, in a
hurry, at speed, in a rush: It isn't supposed to be good for
you to eat breakfast on the run every day. b on the loose,
fleeing, escaping, running, in flight, running (away), Slang US
on the lam: He was on the run from the police and desperate to
find Duncan. c running, retreating, on the move or the go:
They kept the enemy on the run for a week. 50 the runs.
diarrhoea, dysentery, upset stomach, Jocular tummy rot, Delhi
belly, Aztec hop, turista or tourista, Mexican foxtrot or
two-step or toothache, Montezuma's revenge, curse of Montezuma,
Rangoon runs, Tokyo trots, Lambeth run(s): I came down with the
runs when we got to Ankara.
run-around
n. evasive treatment; slip: Every time he applied for help he
was given the run-around.
runaway n. 1 fugitive, escapee, refugee, deserter, truant, absconder:
The lad is a notorious runaway who has escaped four times
before.
--adj. 2 wild, uncontrolled, unchecked, rampant, renegade,
unsuppressed; driverless, riderless, loose; escaped: Runaway
inflation is ruining the economy of the country. The runaway
horses were finally brought back. 3 easy, effortless,
overwhelming, uncontested: The incumbent enjoyed a runaway
victory in yesterday's election.
run-down adj. 1 wearied, exhausted, debilitated, weakened, worn out,
peaked, fatigued, enervated, tired, drained, spent, out of shape
or condition, below par, in bad shape; unhealthy, sickly, ill:
He was found in a badly run-down condition, but was soon back on
his feet. 2 ramshackle, dilapidated, tumbledown, decrepit,
rickety, broken-down: The family lives in a run-down cottage on
the edge of the moor.
--n. 3 run-through, synopsis, summary, survey, pr‚cis, r‚sum‚,
(thumbnail) sketch, outline, rough idea, review, recapitulation,
briefing; highlights, high points: Give me a quick run-down of
what happened while I was gone.
run-in n. disagreement, argument, dispute, altercation, quarrel,
confrontation, contretemps: We had a run-in with our neighbour
about playing his hi-fi too loud.
runner n. 1 sprinter, racer, jogger, hurdler, miler: Gordon is one of
our best runners and ought to make the Olympic team. 2
messenger, courier, errand-boy, errand-girl, messenger-boy,
messenger-girl, page, dispatch-bearer or despatch-bearer,
dispatch-rider or despatch-rider, Colloq US gofer: The runner
said that the package fell off his motor cycle and he lost it. 3
sucker, tendril, creeper, shoot, branch, stem: Tie these
runners to the frame in order to train the vine. 4 blade: The
runners on your skates need sharpening.
running n. 1 operation, management, direction: Who attends to the
everyday running of the business while you are away? 2
competition, contest, meet, tournament, race, match; event,
game: If he is found to take steroids, he'll be out of the
running.
--adj. 3 continuous, on-going, continual, perpetual, sustained,
constant, uninterrupted, ceaseless, unceasing: Where do they
get the energy to keep up a running argument on the same silly
subject?
runt n. dwarf, pygmy, midget: Save the runt of the litter for me.
run-through
n. 1 rehearsal, practice, trial, test: Let's have one more
run-through before tomorrow's dress rehearsal. 2 See run-down,
above.
rupture n. 1 break, rift, split, fissure, fracture, cleavage, bursting;
breaking, splitting, break-up, breach, schism, disunity,
breaking up, severance, division, separation: The rupture was
caused by the expansion of the water on freezing. There was no
rupture in friendly relations between the families. 2 hernia:
He is to undergo surgery for a rupture.
--v. 3 break (up or apart), split, fracture, cleave, divide,
breach, separate; disrupt, part, sunder: The fabric of the
balloon ruptured, the gas escaped, and the basket plummeted
earthward.
rural adj. 1 country, pastoral, sylvan, bucolic, rustic, Arcadian,
exurban; agricultural, agrarian, Literary georgic: They always
preferred rural life to life in the city. Constable painted
mainly rural scenes. He sells farm equipment, strictly a rural
business. 2 See rustic, 2, below.
ruse n. trick, device, deception, manoeuvre or chiefly US maneuver,
dodge, pretence, pretext, subterfuge, stratagem, ploy, hoax,
wile, artifice, imposture: His feigned friendship was only a
ruse to get them to reveal their next move.
rush v. 1 hurry (up), hasten, run, race, hustle, bustle, make haste,
dash, speed, scurry, scramble, scoot, jump, sprint, scamper,
scuttle, Colloq move (it), hotfoot (it), skedaddle, step on it,
make it snappy, US hightail (it), step on the gas , Slang get
moving, get cracking, get a wiggle on, go like a bat out of
hell, shake a leg: If you want the job, you'll have to rush to
send in your application. Don't rush - there's plenty for
everyone. 2 attack, assault, charge, storm, blitz: If we rush
them, we might take them by surprise.
--n. 3 hurry, haste, hustle, bustle, dash, speed, turmoil,
turbulence, flurry, commotion, ferment, pother, ado, to-do,
excitement, pell-mell, harum-scarum: What's the rush? 4 surge,
sensation, thrill, charge: I felt a rush of pleasure when I saw
her coming down the street.
--adj. 5 urgent, hurry-up, exigent, high-priority,
top-priority, emergency: This is a rush job that must be
completed today.
rustic adj. 1 See rural, 1, above. 2 peasant, plain, simple,
uncomplicated, unsophisticated, na‹ve, ingenuous, guileless,
artless, unrefined, unpolished, countrified, uncultivated,
uncultured, boorish, crude, rough, unmannerly, hill-billy,
backwoods, awkward, ungainly, cloddish, plodding, oafish, gawky,
lumpen, loutish: Who could dream that such a rustic homebody
would some day be famous for the most fashionable literary salon
in London?
--n. 3 peasant, bumpkin, boor, yokel, hill-billy, countryman,
countrywoman, country boy or girl, oaf, country cousin, Colloq
clodhopper, Derogatory and offensive bog-trotter, US and
Canadian hayseed, hick: In those days, few rustics ever even
visited a city.
rustle v. 1 whisper, swish, sibilate, susurrate: Outside my window,
the leaves rustled in the evening breeze.
--n. 2 whisper, whispering, rustling, swish, swishing,
sibilation, sibilance, susurration, susurrus: I heard the faint
rustle of satin and knew she was listening at the door.
rut n. 1 groove, furrow, wheel-mark, track, trough: In the winter
the ruts in the lane fill with water and freeze, making driving
difficult. 2 pattern, habit, routine, groove, grind, treadmill,
dead end, Colloq rat race: After 27 years as a horse groom, I'm
beginning to feel I'm stuck in a rut.
ruthless adj. pitiless, unpitying, cruel, unsympathetic, merciless,
unmerciful, harsh, fierce, remorseless, uncompassionate,
vicious, savage, ferocious, hard-hearted, callous, unfeeling,
tough, severe, heartless, inhuman, brutal, brutish, unrelenting,
relentless, Chiefly US and Canadian mean: The jail houses some
of the country's most ruthless criminals. In all of history
there was no more ruthless a tyrant.
19.0 S
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
sabotage n. 1 destruction, damage, wrecking, impairment: Enemy
infiltrators were responsible for the sabotage of our radar. 2
subversion, treachery, treason: When the radar was found
damaged, sabotage was suspected.
--v. 3 undermine, subvert, disrupt, spoil, ruin, cripple;
damage, incapacitate, disable, destroy, wreck, Colloq Brit throw
a spanner in(to) the works, US throw a monkey wrench into the
machinery, Slang Brit queer (someone's pitch): Only someone who
had something to lose would have sabotaged our plan for
reorganization. The engine had been sabotaged by pouring sand
into the fuel tank.
sack n. 1 pouch, bag, Scots and US dialect poke; Technical sac: She
bought a 10-pound sack of potatoes. 2 hit the sack. retire,
turn in, go to bed or to sleep, Slang hit the hay, Brit kip
(down), US sack out: I need my beauty sleep so I'm going to hit
the sack. 3 the sack. dismissal, discharge, firing, Colloq
heave-ho, the axe, marching orders, US pink slip, bounce,
Chiefly US and Canadian walking papers, Slang Brit the boot, the
chop, the push: Ten of us got the sack when the new management
took over.
--v. 4 dismiss, discharge, fire, let go, lay off, Brit make or
declare redundant, Colloq give (someone) the axe or the (old)
heave-ho, give (someone) his or her marching orders, Brit give
(someone) the sack, US bounce, Slang Brit give (someone) the
boot or the chop or the push: Now that he's been sacked, Norman
will be able to spend more time with the children.
sacred adj. 1 consecrated, dedicated, hallowed, holy, blessed, blest,
sanctified, revered, divine, awe-inspiring, venerable,
venerated, sainted, heaven-sent: This is a most sacred Islamic
site. 2 inviolable, inviolate, untouchable, protected,
sacrosanct: They held nothing sacred as they ransacked the
temple. 3 religious, spiritual, ceremonial, church(ly),
ecclesiastical, priestly, hieratic, ritual, solemn, sacramental,
liturgical: He continued to carry out his sacred duties despite
the war.
sacrifice n. 1 immolation, surrender, forfeiture, forgoing, giving up,
yielding up, offering (up), offer, Christian religion oblation:
The Aztec religion demanded the sacrifice of human beings. 2
forfeiture, forgoing, giving up, relinquishment, loss: Mrs
Clinton continues her charitable work at the sacrifice of much
of her time.
--v. 3 immolate, offer (up), yield (up), give up: In their
religion, they were required to sacrifice small animals to
propitiate the gods. 4 give up, forgo, forfeit, relinquish,
surrender, let go, lose, yield, renounce, forswear; forbear,
desist, cease, stop, refrain from: She was quite ready to
sacrifice her inheritance to see justice done. If you sacrificed
smoking you could give the money you save to charity.
sacrificial
adj. 1 sacrificed, immolated, surrendered, given up, yielded:
They led the sacrificial lamb to the slaughter. 2 atoning,
expiatory, propitiatory, conciliatory: The solemn sacrificial
ceremonies were carried out by the high priestess.
sacrilege n. 1 desecration, profanation, debasement, violation,
prostitution, dishonouring, vitiation, defilement, befouling,
fouling, contamination, befoulment, misuse, abuse, perversion,
maltreatment: The horrendous Buckinghamshire county office
building is an example of architectural sacrilege. 2 impiety,
heresy, profanation, outrage, violation, profanity, blasphemy,
impiousness, irreverence, disrespect, secularization: It was an
unscrupulous sacrilege to appropriate to his own use the
offerings to the gods.
sacrilegious
adj. profane, impious, heretical, blasphemous, irreverent,
disrespectful: The inscription contains a curse on any who
perpetrate any sacrilegious act against the remains of the
pharaoh.
sad adj. 1 unhappy, melancholy, downcast, dejected, depressed, low,
sorrowful, gloomy, morose, glum, lugubrious, mournful,
heartsick, crestfallen, chap-fallen, disheartened, downhearted,
blue, despondent, broken-hearted, heartbroken, woebegone,
miserable, wretched: Danny was so sad when his dog died that he
wept for a week. 2 depressing, gloomy, disheartening, dreary,
dismal, funereal, sombre, lugubrious, saddening, heartbreaking,
bleak, distressing, dispiriting, calamitous: It was a sad day
for all of us here when the England team lost the semifinal. 3
unfortunate, unsatisfactory, awful, bad, shabby, dirty,
lamentable, miserable, sorry, wretched, pathetic, pitiful,
pitiable, deplorable, terrible, Colloq lousy, rotten: After two
weeks under water, the sofa was in pretty sad shape.
sadden v. depress, deject, sorrow, dishearten, distress, dispirit,
discourage, grieve, aggrieve: It saddens me to think of all the
starving people.
sadistic adj. cruel, monstrous, brutal, brutish, beastly, ruthless,
perverse, Technical algolagnic: She derives sadistic pleasure
from reminding me of all my failures. The scars and bruises
confirmed the sadistic treatment he had undergone.
sadly adv. 1 unfortunately, alas, unhappily, unluckily, lamentably,
regrettably, deplorably, sad to relate: Sadly, all our oldest
oaks were uprooted in the hurricane. 2 unhappily, gloomily,
morosely, mournfully, despondently, miserably, wretchedly,
dejectedly, dismally, sombrely, lugubriously: He told me sadly
that he did not expect to return to England again.
sadness n. unhappiness, dolour, misery, sorrow, dispiritedness, grief,
depression, dejection, dejectedness, sorrowfulness, despondency,
melancholy, gloom, gloominess: It is hard to describe the
sadness we all felt when she left.
safe adj. 1 unharmed, whole, uninjured, unhurt, (safe and) sound,
secure, protected, shielded, sheltered, out of harm's way, all
right, Colloq OK or okay: You'll be safe here with me. 2
harmless, non-toxic, non-poisonous, innocuous; unpolluted: This
medication is safe if you do not exceed the recommended dosage.
Is the water safe to drink? 3 sure, secure, sound, protected,
risk-free, riskless, safe as the Bank of England, reliable,
dependable, solid, bona fide, conservative, tried and true, Brit
safe as houses: It was previously thought that an investment in
Alfordyce Ltd was safe. 4 all right, allowable, permissible,
acceptable, satisfactory, appropriate, suitable, timely, right,
correct, proper, justifiable, justified, Colloq OK or okay: Is
it safe to come out now? 5 secured, protected: The children
are safe in bed. Your secret is safe with me.
--adv. 6 safely, securely: I won't breathe easy till he's safe
behind bars.
--n. 7 vault, crypt, strongbox, safe-deposit or safety-deposit
box, coffer, chest, repository: The necklace is kept in the
safe and I never get a chance to wear it.
safeguard n. 1 protection, defence, security: Such a flimsy fence to is
hardly a sufficient safeguard.
--v. 2 protect, defend, shield, shelter, keep safe, guard;
conserve, save, keep, care for, look after: What is being done
to safeguard the passengers from attacks by bandits?
safe keeping
n. charge, protection, keeping, custody, care, guardianship:
The deed to the house is in the safe keeping of Mr Williams, my
solicitor.
safety n. safeness, protection, aegis, cover, shelter, security,
refuge; sanctuary, safe keeping: There's safety in numbers, so
the more the merrier. We retreated to the safety of the castle
dungeon.
sag v. 1 droop, sink, slump, bend, dip; swag, bag: The board
sagged precariously under his weight. Without a breath stirring,
the banners sagged in the humid air. 2 drop, decrease, decline,
go or come down, fall, slide, slip, weaken, slump, descend,
diminish, lessen, droop, subside, flag, falter, wilt: The value
of the dollar sagged in world markets today.
--n. 3 sagging, drop, droop, sinking, sinkage, subsidence, dip;
reduction, decrease, decline, fall, slide, weakening, slump,
lessening, flagging, faltering: If you stand over here you can
see a definite sag in the roof. The sag in profits was
attributed to a poor response to the new model.
saga n. (heroic) legend, narrative, epic, Edda, chronicle, romance,
roman-fleuve, story, tale, adventure: Are you really interested
in the continuing saga of the inhabitants of Coronation Street?
sage adj. 1 wise, sagacious, prudent, sensible, perspicacious,
profound, intelligent, discerning, reasonable, logical,
judicious, common-sense, commonsensical: The old woman gave her
some sage advice about men, which she promptly forgot.
--n. 2 wise man, savant, expert, elder, doyen or doyenne, guru,
Nestor, pundit, Solomon, philosopher, oracle, authority: The
sage whose counsel you seek lives deep in the forest.
sail v. 1 navigate, pilot, steer: Sail as close to the shore as
possible to avoid the whirlpool. 2 go sailing or boating or
yachting, cruise, set sail, put (out) to sea: Would you like to
sail to the Isle of Wight for the weekend? 3 drift, move
lightly, breeze, flow, waft, sweep, coast, float, scud, glide,
slide, slip, plane, skim, fly, flit: It was delightful to watch
the tiny boats sailing, tacking, beating, and running in the
brisk wind.
--n. 4 canvas: The schooner was carrying all the sail she
could.
sailor n. seaman, seafarer, seafaring man or woman, seagoing man or
woman, mariner, (old) salt, sea dog, bluejacket, shellback,
yachtsman, yachtswoman, boatman, boatwoman, deck-hand, captain,
skipper, Literary Jack Tar, Colloq tar, Naval US swab, swabbie,
gob: When she said she had married a sailor I didn't know she
meant that he had a 100-foot yacht.
saintly adj. holy, blessed, blest, beatific, godly, sainted, angelic,
seraphic, pure, righteous, virtuous, blameless: Donald was such
a saintly man, it was impossible to think ill of him.
sake n. 1 benefit, welfare, well-being, good, advantage, behalf,
profit, gain, account: Joe and I stayed together for the sake
of the children. She felt pleased, for his sake, that he had
managed to get away. 2 purpose(s), reason(s), objective(s):
Just for the sake of comparison, let us now look at the
situation in Taiwan.
salary n. income, pay, earnings, compensation, remuneration,
emolument; wage(s): I can't afford a new car on my present
salary.
sale n. 1 selling, traffic, vending, marketing, trafficking,
trading; trade, exchange, transaction: The sale of alcoholic
beverages on Sundays is prohibited. Provide a receipt for each
sale. 2 trade, purchase; trading, buying, purchasing: We must
do something to boost sales. The house is very reasonably priced
for a quick sale. 3 sales event, mark-down, white sale, jumble
sale, Brit car-boot sale, US rummage sale, garage sale, tag
sale, yard sale, Colloq sellathon, sales marathon: We are
having a sale to clear out things we no longer want or need. 4
transaction: She hasn't made a sale in a week. 5 on sale. US
marked down, cut-price, bargain-priced; reduced (in price):
Bacon is on sale this week at half price. 6 (up) for sale. on
the market, available, in stock, Chiefly Brit on sale, on offer,
US on the block: Their house is for sale to the highest bidder.
salesperson
n. salesman, saleswoman, saleslady, salesgirl, sales-clerk,
clerk, Chiefly Brit shop-girl, Brit shop assistant,
Old-fashioned counter-jumper: The shop is noted for its wide
range of merchandise and the efficiency and courtesy of its
salespeople.
salient adj. conspicuous, outstanding, pronounced, noticeable,
prominent, significant, important, marked, impressive, striking,
remarkable, distinguishing, distinctive, unique, eminent,
noteworthy, notable, principal, chief, primary: A salient
feature of this policy is that it can be converted at any time
from a straight life to an endowment policy.
salt n. 1 common or table salt, sodium chloride, sea salt,
rock-salt: A little salt will bring out the flavour. 2 spice,
spiciness, zest, zestiness, pungency, vigour, vitality,
liveliness, pep, pepper, poignancy, piquancy, relish, bite,
savour, seasoning, taste, Colloq zip, zing, punch: Yes, do
invite Randolph, for he can be relied on to add a little salt to
the dinner conversation. 3 (Attic) wit, Attic salt, dry humour,
sarcasm: Her conversation is sprinkled with the salt of clever
aphorisms. 4 See sailor, above. 5 with a grain or pinch of
salt. cum grano salis, warily, cautiously, qualifiedly,
qualifyingly, doubtfully, sceptically, suspiciously, reservedly,
with reservation(s) or qualification(s): You have to take what
he says with a grain of salt.
--v. 6 season, spice, flavour, pepper: The pirate's speech was
salted with expressions like 'Shiver me timbers!', 'Avast
there!', and 'Blow me down!' 7 pickle, cure, preserve, corn,
marinate, souse: The book gives several recipes for curing ham
and salting beef. 8 salt away. save (up), hoard, put or lay or
set by or aside, squirrel away, store up, stockpile, amass,
accumulate, pile up, Colloq stash away, US and Canadian sock
away: They were always terribly stingy, claiming they were
salting something away for their old age.
--adj. 9 salty, saline, brackish, briny: The water had a salt
taste. 10 pickled, kippered, marinated, soused; corned; cured:
Do you like salt herring?
salute v. 1 greet, hail, address, accost: The moment I stepped in at
the door I was saluted with the peremptory question, 'Where have
you been?' 2 pay respects or homage or tribute to, honour,
recognize, acknowledge: Wherever she went she was saluted as a
heroine.
--n. 3 greeting, address, salutation: He returned my salute
with a nod.
salvage v. 1 save, recover, rescue, redeem, deliver, retrieve, reclaim:
Were you able to salvage anything of value after the fire?
--n. 2 recovery, rescue, retrieval, redemption, deliverance,
reclamation, salvation: The salvage of a vessel or cargo at sea
invests the salvager with legal rights under certain conditions.
salve n. 1 balm, ointment, unguent, dressing, cream, lotion,
demulcent, embrocation, liniment: The doctor applied a salve to
the wound and bandaged it. 2 emollient, balm, palliative,
tranquillizer, opiate, anodyne, narcotic, relief, assuagement:
The money was more a salve to his conscience than a token of his
charity.
--v. 3 mitigate, relieve, ease, alleviate, assuage, palliate,
soothe, mollify, comfort, appease: There must be something you
can do to allow them to save face and to salve their wounded
pride.
same adj. 1 identical, exact (same), selfsame; very: When I said
they were wearing the same dress I meant that they were wearing
identical dresses. That's the same tie you wore when we first
met. 2 unchanged, unchanging, changeless, unmodified, unaltered,
constant, uniform, unvaried, unvarying; word-for-word, verbatim:
As you can see, it's the same old Charley you used to know and
love. Professor Spicer is still giving the same lecture that he
has given all these years. 3 all the same. at the same time,
nevertheless, nonetheless, even so, yet, but, anyway, anyhow, in
any case, in any event, at any rate, regardless, still (and
all), in spite of or despite the fact, notwithstanding, for all
that, that (having been) said, having said that, after all is
said and done, just the same: Of course you have a right to go;
all the same, I wish you had let me know.
sample n. 1 specimen, example, representative, representation,
illustration, sampling, sampler, cross-section; swatch; bite,
nibble, taste: I should like to see a sample before deciding
whether to place an order with you.
--v. 2 test, try, taste, experience: Anyone is welcome to
sample the merchandise on request.
--adj. 3 representative, specimen, illustrative,
representational, trial, test: A sample copy of the book is
available for examination.
sanatorium
n. rest-home, convalescent home, nursing home, clinic, health
farm, US also sanitarium: After spending a month recuperating
in a Swiss sanatorium, Gladys was as good as new.
sanctify v. 1 consecrate, hallow, make sacred or holy, glorify, exalt,
canonize, enshrine; Rom Cath Ch beatify: The site was
sanctified and is visited by pilgrims throughout the year. 2
purify, cleanse: According to Scripture, some are sanctified
before birth. 3 confirm, sanction, ratify, justify, legitimate,
legitimatize or legitimize, legalize, license: Her family
insisted that the marriage be sanctified at the church in
Suffolk, where they live.
sanctimonious
adj. hypocritical, self-righteous, canting, mealy-mouthed,
holier-than-thou, Pharisaical, pietistic, unctuous, Tartuffian,
Colloq goody-goody, Chiefly Brit smarmy Slang Brit pi: I
wondered what happened to all that sanctimonious talk about
putting his family first?
sanction n. 1 confirmation, ratification, secondment, authorization,
legalization, legitimatization or legitimization, validation,
licence, certification, approval, permission, imprimatur, seal
or stamp (of approval), signet: If you get the sanction of the
rest of the members, then I shall agree. 2 help, aid,
encouragement, support, advocacy, backing, sponsorship, favour,
countenance: You will need the sanction of the entire committee
in order to win a vote of confidence. 3 agreement, concurrence,
acceptance, affirmation, assent, acquiescence, compliance,
approval, OK or okay: He would never have proceeded with the
invasion without the sanction of his generals. 4 ban, penalty,
punishment, retribution, discipline, retaliation, redress: The
government decided to introduce sanctions against the regime on
account of their atrocious record on human rights.
--v. 5 confirm, ratify, second, authorize, legalize,
legitimatize or legitimize, validate, license, certify, approve,
permit, allow, notarize, vouchsafe, subscribe to, commission,
consent to: If the board sanctions the purchase of the company,
it is then up to the shareholders to vote. 6 support, encourage,
advocate, back, sponsor, favour, countenance, help: You know I
cannot be seen to sanction your plan in preference to others.
sanctity n. piety, holiness, saintliness, divinity, grace, sacredness,
godliness, devotion, dedication: The arguments of the
anti-abortionists were based on a belief in the sanctity of all
human life.
sanctuary n. 1 sanctum, shrine, chapel, temple, church, house of worship,
house of God; synagogue, mosque, pagoda: All of us retire at
this time to the sanctuary for evening prayer. 2 asylum,
refuge, retreat, protection, shelter, safety: Formerly,
criminals could seek sanctuary in churches. 3 (nature or
wildlife) reserve or preserve, reservation, conservation area,
national park: If housing is built here, it will destroy the
bird sanctuary.
sanctum n. 1 sanctuary, holy of holies, shrine: No one is allowed into
the sanctum except the high priestess. 2 sanctum sanctorum,
den, study, retreat; hiding-place, hide-out, hideaway,
cubby-hole: After dinner Roger goes to his sanctum to write.
sane adj. normal, of sound mind, rational, compos mentis,
well-balanced, right-minded, level-headed, rational, reasonable,
sensible, judicious, Colloq right in the head, all there: They
decided that the killer was sane and fit to stand trial.
sang-froid
n. cold-bloodedness, coolness, cool-headedness, indifference,
composure, phlegm, self-possession, self-control, poise,
imperturbability, equanimity, Colloq unflappability, cool,
coolth: What amazed us was the remarkable sang-froid displayed
by even the smallest children in the face of bullying.
sanguinary
adj. 1 bloodthirsty, cruel, brutal, brutish, gory, merciless,
remorseless, ruthless, pitiless, heartless, savage, barbarous,
slaughterous, grim, fell, murderous, homicidal: The axe murder
was the most sanguinary crime that the division had ever been
required to investigate. 2 bloody, sanguineous, sanguinolent: I
am unsure how I survived such a sanguinary battle.
sanguine adj. optimistic, rosy, confident, hopeful, forward-looking,
anticipatory, expectant, enthusiastic, fervid, zealous: Some
experts took a more sanguine view, saying that they expected to
see the start of an economic upturn in the next few months.
sanitary adj. clean, sterile, hygienic, antiseptic, disinfected,
aseptic, germ-free, bacteria-free; healthy, unpolluted,
salubrious, healthful, salutary, wholesome: With such shortages
of personnel and equipment, it was impossible to maintain a
sanitary hospital environment.
sanity n. saneness, reason, mental health or soundness, normality,
rationality, reason, reasonableness, stability, balance: Have
you any reason for suspecting her sanity?
sap° n. 1 (vital) juice or fluid, bodily or US also body fluid,
lifeblood, essence, Literary ichor: He apostrophized about how
the sap of youth had shrunk from his veins. 2 fool, idiot,
nincompoop, ninny, ninny-hammer, simpleton, ignoramus, nitwit,
dim-wit, dunce, ass; dupe, gull, US thimble-wit; Colloq chump,
drip, Brit (right) charlie, noddy, noodle, wet, Chiefly Brit
twit, Slang patsy, sucker, (easy) mark, pushover, sap-head, Brit
muggins, US schnook, schlemiel or schlemihl or shlemiel, fall
guy: You certainly were a sap to fall for that old line!
--v. 3 bleed, drain, draw, tap, rob, milk: I could feel the
strength being sapped from my body.
sapэ v. undermine, sabotage, weaken, cripple, wreck, devitalize,
deplete, drain, erode, enervate, debilitate: They did
everything they could to sap my self-confidence.
sarcasm n. scorn, contumely, derision, ridicule, bitterness, acrimony,
acrimoniousness, acerbity, harshness, acridity, acridness,
asperity, venom, poison, venomousness, poisonousness, virulence,
spite, spitefulness, malice, maliciousness, malevolence, satire,
irony, cynicism, disdain: Kathy was too thick-skinned to
appreciate the sarcasm of Tom's cutting commentary on her
acting.
sarcastic adj. scornful, contumelious, derisive, derisory, ridiculing,
bitter, biting, cutting, trenchant, incisive, acrimonious,
acerbic, acid, acidic, acidulous, harsh, acrid, aspersive,
venomous, poisonous, virulent, spiteful, malicious, malefic,
malevolent, satiric(al), ironic(al), cynical, disdainful,
mocking, contemptuous, critical, censorious, captious, carping,
cavilling, sardonic, scathing, caustic, nasty: I don't think he
knows how hurtful his sarcastic remarks can be.
sardonic adj. ironic(al), derisive, derisory, mocking, cynical,
sarcastic: She said that she was leaving him, but his only
response was a sardonic smile.
satellite n. 1 moon, spacecraft, Old-fashioned sputnik: The sky is
crowded with artificial satellites orbiting the earth. 2
follower, attendant, retainer, disciple, acolyte, aide,
aide-de-camp, minion, lieutenant, assistant, helper, hanger-on,
dependant, shadow, right-hand man, vassal, parasite, sycophant,
Colloq sidekick: Boswell became the obsequious satellite of
Samuel Johnson.
satiate v. 1 stuff, glut, gorge, cloy, surfeit, overfill, overstuff,
glut, pall, overindulge, saturate, choke, deluge, flood, choke,
suffocate, weary, exhaust, bore, tire, jade: The travellers
were so satiated with food and drink that nothing could wake
them. 2 slake, satisfy, quench, content, gratify, sate: I felt
the it would take at least a gallon of water to satiate my
thirst.
satiety n. surfeit, glut, superabundance, overindulgence, saturation,
nimiety, excess, superfluity: The painting exudes a mood of
sexual languor and satiety.
satire n. 1 ridicule, irony, sarcasm, mockery, spoofing, exaggeration,
caricature: Often, the best way to comment on a distasteful
political situation is through satire. 2 burlesque, lampoon,
parody, travesty, pasquinade, spoof, cartoon, caricature, Colloq
take-off, Chiefly Brit send-up: For several years he wrote
mainly satires of life among the wealthy.
satirical adj. satiric, ironic, sarcastic, mocking, spoofing, irreverent,
exaggerating, Hudibrastic, derisive, disparaging, abusive,
scornful, flippant, ridiculing, chaffing: After a number of
satirical plays, he returned to writing novels, which, he felt,
reached a wider audience.
satirize v. lampoon, burlesque, parody, caricature, travesty, poke fun
at, (hold up to) ridicule, make fun or sport of, pillory,
deride, mock; mimic, imitate; Colloq take off, put down, Brit
send up: Since ancient times writers have satirized the follies
of their age.
satisfaction
n. 1 gratification, comfort, fulfilment, contentment, delight,
joy, enjoyment, pleasure, happiness: They get a great deal of
satisfaction out of seeing their children happily married. 2
payment, requital, repayment, compensation, recompense,
remuneration, reparation, indemnity, indemnification,
restitution, vindication, damages, amends, redress, atonement,
expiation: The purpose of the lawsuit is to demand satisfaction
for the wrongs done to our family.
satisfactory
adj. adequate, sufficient, acceptable, passable, all right, not
bad, good enough, fair, Colloq OK or okay: I'd say that the
food at Michelle's is satisfactory but not outstanding.
satisfy v. 1 gratify, fulfil, comfort, please, content, placate,
appease, pacify: It takes a lot to satisfy him: he is one of
the fussiest men I have ever worked with. 2 fill, meet, fulfil,
provide for, look after or to, serve, answer, comply with,
resolve, solve, gratify, indulge; slake, quench, sate, satiate:
Your desire for better working conditions can probably only be
satisfied by a change of job. What will it take to satisfy your
thirst for adventure? 3 convince, persuade, reassure, assure,
put (someone's) mind at rest, content: He was satisfied that
emigration to Australia was the only option open to him. 4 pay,
repay, redress, make good, indemnify, write off, liquidate: I
shall see to it that the debt is satisfied at once.
satisfying
adj. gratifying, satisfactory, fulfilling, filling, satiating;
comforting, pleasing, pacifying, pleasurable: That was a very
satisfying meal. It is a satisfying feeling to know that you are
happy.
saturate v. soak, wet, drench, steep, fill, imbue, souse, suffuse,
impregnate, permeate; waterlog; Technical ret: I got caught in
the rain and came home saturated. Make sure that you saturate
the earth round the tree once you have finished planting.
sauce n. 1 gravy, condiment: That sauce on the meat was truly
delicious. 2 impertinence, sauciness, impudence, audacity,
insolence, brazenness, pertness, disrespect, disrespectfulness,
Colloq cheek, cheekiness, lip, back talk, backchat, brass,
nerve, gall, Slang crust, US and Canadian sass, sassiness: She
had the sauce to tell me to pay at once or get out.
saunter v. walk, stroll, amble, meander, ramble, wander, Colloq mosey,
traipse: An oddly dressed man sauntered over and asked if I had
ever bet on a horse before.
savage adj. 1 wild, untamed, undomesticated, feral, unbroken: These
savage beasts had never seen a man before. 2 vicious,
ferocious, fierce, beastly, bestial, brutish, bloodthirsty,
brutal, cruel, ruthless, pitiless, merciless, harsh, bloody,
unmerciful, fell, barbarous, barbaric, murderous, demonic,
demoniac, sadistic: The boy was subjected to a savage attack by
the defendant's dog. The king's guards were selected for their
savage nature. 3 wild, uncivilized, uncultivated, primitive,
inhuman, bestial, barbaric, barbarous, untamed, rude: The
savage behaviour of some New Guinea tribes included cannibalism.
--n. 4 wild man or woman, brute, barbarian; Caliban: When the
explorers landed on the island, they were welcomed by the
savages who lived there.
save v. 1 (come to someone's) rescue, deliver; (set) free, liberate,
release, redeem, bail (someone) out; recover, salvage, retrieve:
What can be done to save me from the drudgery of doing the
laundry? She saved only one thing of value from the fire. 2
keep, preserve, guard, safeguard, protect, conserve, secure,
shelter, shield: One way to save dried flowers is to press them
between the leaves of a book. 3 lay or put aside, lay or put by,
lay or put away, keep, retain, set apart, hold, reserve,
preserve, conserve; economize, scrimp, scrape: Soon he had
saved enough money to buy a new car. If you keep on saving, you
may soon have enough for a new suit. 4 obviate, preclude, spare,
prevent: A little extra care taken now will save a lot of
trouble later on.
saving adj. 1 redeeming, redemptory or redemptive or redemptional,
compensating, compensatory, qualifying, extenuating,
extenuatory: His one saving grace is that he has a lot of
money. 2 parsimonious, economical, thrifty, provident, frugal,
sparing, prudent: It was only because of Alison's saving nature
that we had enough to live on during the strike.
--n. 3 economizing, economization, economy, thrift, providence,
frugality, prudence, scrimping, scraping, sparingness: It was
only by her saving that we survived. 4 savings. resources,
reserve, cache, hoard, nest egg: Our savings are to pay for
your education, not for having a good time.
saviour n. 1 rescuer, salvation, friend in need, Good Samaritan,
liberator, redeemer, deliverer, emancipator, champion, knight
errant, knight in shining armour: Because he gave her a job
when she most needed it, she regarded him as her saviour. 2 the
or our Saviour. Christian religion Christ (the Redeemer),
Jesus, the Messiah, Lamb of God, Our Lord, Son of God, King of
Kings, Prince of Peace, Islam Mahdi.
savoir faire
n. tact, tactfulness, sophistication, finesse, urbanity,
discretion, knowledgeability, diplomacy, urbanity, smoothness,
polish, suavity or suaveness, poise, grace, style, skill,
adroitness, knowledge, comprehension, Slang savvy: She felt a
vague sense of social inferiority, an uneasy lack of savoir
faire.
savoir vivre
n. breeding, upbringing, comity, knowledge, sophistication,
polish: He has at least enough savoir vivre to know that one
doesn't drink red wine with oysters.
savour n. 1 taste, flavour, zest, tang, smack, piquancy: These
poached peaches have a savour of brandy about them. 2 hint,
suggestion, odour, scent, fragrance, smell, perfume, redolence,
bouquet, breath, trace, quality, soup‡on, dash: He preferred
talking about the savour rather than the odour of sanctity, for
alliteration's sake.
--v. 3 taste, sample, perceive, detect, sense, discern, mark,
descry, observe, notice, note, identify; enjoy, luxuriate in,
relish, indulge in, bask in, appreciate, revel in, delight in,
value, cherish, Colloq lick or smack one's lips or chops over:
One could savour a trace of honey in the wine. For a week we
savoured the delights of the Costa Brava.
savoury adj. 1 palatable, delicious, delectable, tasty, toothsome,
appetizing, flavourful, flavorous, flavoursome, ambrosial,
luscious: Pettigrew bit greedily into the savoury flesh of the
ripe melon. 2 tasteful, honest, proper, decent, reputable,
respectable, honourable, creditable, upright, decorous, seemly,
wholesome, innocent: I am not sure that Victoria is travelling
in particularly savoury society.
--n. 3 appetizer, hors-d'oeuvre; dessert, sweet; morsel,
dainty, titbit or US tidbit, Chiefly Brit starter, Archaic
warner: I think I'd like the Welsh rabbit as a savoury.
saw n. proverb, maxim, (old) saying, aphorism, apophthegm or
apothegm, axiom, adage, epigram, gnome; slogan, motto,
catchword, catch-phrase, byword; dictum, platitude, truism,
clich‚, commonplace: She always quoted to him the old saw, 'A
fool and his mother are soon parted'.
say v. 1 state, affirm, declare, maintain, hold, aver, remark,
assert, claim, asseverate, announce: She said that I had to go
at once, and I said, 'I shall never leave you!' 2 assert,
allege, report, mention, rumour, reveal, bruit about, disclose,
divulge, bring to light, put about, noise abroad, suggest, hint,
whisper: It was said that spies had already infiltrated the
party. 3 pronounce, articulate, utter; phrase, rephrase,
translate: How do you say gemЃtlich? How do you say it in
English? 4 tell, put, express, verbalize, communicate, explain,
reveal, bring up, break, impart: I don't quite know how to say
this, Harry, but you have bad breath. 5 reply, respond, answer:
What have you to say to her allegation that it is all your
fault? 6 guess, estimate, conjecture, venture, judge, imagine,
believe, think: I'd say you look about 60 years old. 7 mean or
intend or try to say, think, contemplate, imply, suggest: Are
you saying that you would steal if you had the opportunity? 8
predict, prognosticate, foretell: The newspaper says that
shares will go down. 9 signify, denote, symbolize, communicate,
indicate, convey, suggest, imply, mean: What does a red light
say to you? 10 order, require, demand, bid, stipulate, command,
give the word: If I say that you are to go, then you go - and
quickly. 11 deliver, utter, speak: Say your lines and exit
stage left without waiting for a reply.
--n. 12 voice, authority, influence, power, weight, sway,
clout: Does she have that much say about how the money should
be spent? 13 turn, chance, opportunity, vote: You've had your
say, now let's hear from Ackroyd.
--adv. 14 approximately, about, roughly, circa, nearly: The
snake was, say, twenty feet long. 15 for example, for instance,
as or for an illustration, eg or US e.g.: Take any novel, say,
Wuthering Heights, and analyse the characters.
say-so n. authority, word, say, order, dictum; authorization: I
shouldn't do it just on his say-so if I were you.
scale° n. Often, scales. balance: We need new bathroom scales: the
old one gives too high a reading.
scaleэ n. 1 flake, imbrication; scurf, dandruff; Technical squama,
plate, scute or scutum, lamina, lamella: Scrape the scales off
the fish with a sharp knife before gutting it. 2 coating,
encrustation or incrustation, crust, overlay, layer, cake,
caking, tartar, plaque: The hardness of the water causes the
scale inside the kettle.
scale° n. 1 range, compass, rank, ranking, gradation, graduation,
register, spectrum, calibration, progression, hierarchy, scope,
gamut: As we ascend in the scale of life we rise in the scale
of longevity. 2 proportion, ratio: The scale of these drawings
is One Foot = One Centimetre.
--v. 3 climb, ascend, mount, clamber up, surmount, go up,
escalade: Using grappling hooks and ropes, we scaled the wall
in minutes. 4 regulate, adjust, proportion, Chiefly US and
Canadian prorate: The size of the cable is scaled to the weight
it must carry. 5 scale up or down. increase, enlarge, raise;
decrease, reduce, diminish, lower: Depending on the expanse of
the fa‡ade, the windows ought to be scaled up or down
accordingly.
scaly adj. 1 rough, imbricated, shingly, Technical lamellar, laminar,
lamellate, scutate: The scaly covering of reptiles and fishes
is related to the feathers of birds. 2 scabby, scabrous,
squamous, squamulose, squamosal, squamose, scurfy, furfuraceous,
scruffy: The medication causes the skin to dry and become
temporarily scaly.
scan v. 1 glance at or through, look over, skim, read over, flip or
thumb or leaf through: I didn't have time to read it
thoroughly, but I did scan it. 2 study, pore over, examine,
investigate, scrutinize, inspect, delve into, research, explore
(in depth), sweep, Archaic con: Scan the horizon for hostile
planes.
--n. 3 look, survey, inspection, examination, overview: A
microscopic scan revealed no trace of blood.
scandal n. 1 shame, disgrace, embarrassment, sin, outrage: It is a
scandal how much of the money raised for charity goes into the
pockets of the fund-raisers. 2 discredit, damage, calumny,
ignominy, obloquy, dishonour, degradation, disrepute, infamy:
The scandal resulting from their being found together could
never be lived down. The breath of scandal never touched her. 3
slander, libel, aspersion, innuendo, insinuation, abuse, dirt,
defilement, defamation, slur, smear, taint, blemish, spot,
stigma, smirch, black mark or spot, blot (on the escutcheon),
(badge of) infamy, skeleton in the cupboard, Brit blot on one's
copybook: His cowardice brought scandal to the name that could
never be lived down.
scandalize
v. appal, shock, outrage, affront, offend, horrify, upset,
disturb; rankle, stick in (someone's) craw or throat, gall:
They were scandalized to learn the truth about Cooksley's
father.
scandalous
adj. 1 shocking, disgraceful, ignominious, improper,
indecorous, unseemly, infamous, outrageous, shameful, immodest,
dishonourable, disreputable, sordid, despicable, flagitious,
wicked, sinful, evil, iniquitous, profligate, immoral, indecent,
lewd, lascivious, lustful, licentious, lecherous, atrocious,
heinous, disgusting, fulsome, taboo, unmentionable, unspeakable:
The scandalous goings-on at the Hellfire Club are well
documented. 2 defamatory, libellous, slanderous, calumnious,
calumniatory, aspersive, abusive, scurrilous, injurious,
defamatory: The newspaper published a scandalous article about
him which they refused to retract.
scanty adj. 1 scant, sparse, scarce, little, meagre, minimal; barely
adequate or sufficient, limited, restricted, Colloq measly: The
news from the front was scanty. We received only scanty support
from the Arts Council. 2 skimpy, short, small, sparse, minimal,
meagre, in short supply, Colloq chiefly Brit thin on the ground:
Investor interest in the new share offering seemed to be scanty.
scapegoat n. victim, front, dupe, gull, cat's-paw, whipping-boy, Brit man
of straw, Aunt Sally, US straw man, Colloq fall guy, Slang
sucker: We have to find a scapegoat to take the punishment for
us.
scar n. 1 blemish, mark, damage, disfigurement, wound, injury,
scratch, mar, cut, burn, brand, cicatrix: Fortunately, the cut
is shallow and shouldn't leave a scar.
--v. 2 blemish, mark, damage, disfigure, wound, injure,
scratch, mar, cut, burn, brand; dent: The blow scarred him for
life.
scarce adj. scanty, scant, insufficient, inadequate, deficient,
wanting, lacking, rare, unusual, at a premium, in short supply,
meagre, few and far between, seldom met with, hard to come by,
Chiefly Brit thin on the ground: Good editors are very scarce.
scarcely adv. 1 hardly, barely, (only) just, not quite: He had scarcely
uttered the magic words when the rock split open. 2 (probably
or certainly or surely or definitely) not, in no way, not at
all, not in the least, by no means, on no account, under no
circumstances, nowise, Colloq US noway: I scarcely need remind
you that you are getting married tomorrow.
scarcity n. lack, want, need, paucity, dearth, insufficiency, shortage,
inadequacy, inadequateness: The teaching of foreign languages
is not improved by the scarcity of qualified teachers.
scare v. 1 frighten, alarm, startle, shock, dismay, daunt, appal,
give (someone) a shock or a fright, terrify, terrorize,
threaten, menace, cow, intimidate, horrify, US and Canadian
spook, Colloq scare the pants off, scare the life or the living
daylights or the hell out of, scare out of one's wits, make
one's hair stand on end, make one's flesh creep or crawl, give
one goose bumps or goose-pimples, US scare the bejesus out of,
Taboo slang scare or frighten the shit out of, scare shitless,
US scare shitty: A sudden noise scared me, and I ran out of the
cave as fast as I could. 2 scare up. scrape together or up,
find, gather, collect, raise, dig up, get, come by, scrounge
(up): I can't scare up that much money in one day!
--n. 3 fright, shock, surprise, start: I had a terrible scare
when I saw what I thought was blood.
scared adj. frightened, alarmed, afraid, appalled, shocked, terrified,
horrified, startled: Don't be scared, I won't hurt you.
scary adj. frightening, eerie, terrifying, frightful, hair-raising,
unnerving, blood-curdling, horrifying, spine-chilling,
intimidating, daunting; horrendous, horrid, horrible, creepy,
crawly, Colloq spooky: Aren't you afraid to watch scary movies
on TV when you're home alone?
scathing adj. searing, withering, damaging, harmful, severe, harsh,
stern, nasty, biting, acrid, acrimonious, mordant, incisive,
cutting, sharp, keen, virulent, vitriolic, acid, scorching,
burning, fierce, savage, ferocious: She was totally unprepared
for the critics' scathing attack on her book.
scatter v. 1 spread, diffuse, shower, litter, sprinkle, strew,
circulate, distribute, disseminate, sow, broadcast: As the
seeds of dissent were scattered far and wide, we became aware of
a ground swell of hatred for the regime. 2 disperse, separate,
dissipate, dispel, disband, break up, go off: My notes were
scattered all over the floor. Immediately after dividing up the
loot, the gang scattered to the four winds.
scatterbrained
n. hare-brained, rattle-headed, rattle-brained, frivolous,
flibbertigibbet, giddy, dazed, flighty, wool-gathering, Colloq
dippy, dizzy, dopey or dopy, slap-happy: It irritates me to
think that our lives might depend on such a scatterbrained fool.
scattering
n. smattering, sprinkling, trifle, bit, suggestion, soup‡on,
hint: It is true, there was a scattering of rebellious
sentiment in the town.
scenario n. 1 (master or ground or floor) plan, (grand) scheme, plot,
schema, design, outline, layout, framework, structure; sequence
of events, routine: According to this scenario, the bank will
provide the financing and we shall organize the take-over. 2
(plot) summary, pr‚cis, r‚sum‚, synopsis; (working or shooting)
script, screenplay: The scenario for the film was a joint
venture between the director and the author of the book on which
it was based.
scene n. 1 location, site, place, area, locale, spot, locality,
whereabouts, sphere, milieu, backdrop, background: The scenes
of my youth are always in my mind. 2 action, episode, part,
chapter, section, segment; (stage) setting, mise en scЉne;
scenery: The next scene takes place in Venice. Is the Venice
scene ready? 3 commotion, upset, exhibition, display, row,
brouhaha, disturbance, furore or US furor, tantrum, argument,
altercation, uncomfortable or disagreeable situation, episode,
incident: She made an unpleasant scene in the restaurant when
he refused to sit next to her. 4 view, scenery, sight,
landscape, seascape, panorama, vista, picture, view, prospect:
The scene from the terrace was completely tranquil. 5 behind
the scenes. secretly, privately, clandestinely, confidentially,
surreptitiously, on the q.t. or Q.T.: Sigrid operated behind
the scenes and her identity was never revealed to MI5. 6 make or
do the scene. socialize, appear, get around or about, go out,
participate: We used to make the scene in the Village back in
the forties, but no more.
scenic adj. picturesque, panoramic, pretty, beautiful, grand, awesome,
awe-inspiring, impressive, striking, spectacular, breathtaking:
The train passes through some incredibly scenic routes in
Switzerland.
scent n. 1 fragrance, aroma, perfume, redolence, smell, odour,
bouquet, whiff, trace: The room was filled with the scent of
wild flowers. 2 trail, spoor, track: In drag hunting, the
scent is laid down by a sack dragged along the ground.
--v. 3 perceive, detect, find out, determine, discern,
distinguish, recognize, sense, smell, sniff (out), get wind of,
learn or hear about: Scenting possible trouble, he decided he
had better take along my revolver. 4 perfume: She had left
behind her handkerchief, scented with Chanel No. 19.
sceptic n. doubter, questioner, doubting Thomas, disbeliever,
nullifidian, agnostic, scoffer, cynic: You'll always find some
sceptics who don't believe that a woman could be a good prime
minister.
sceptical adj. doubting, dubious, doubtful, questioning, disbelieving,
incredulous, agnostic, scoffing, cynical, mistrustful,
distrustful: We were sceptical at first whether anything would
come of it, but then things began to happen.
scepticism
n. doubt, dubiety, dubiousness, doubtfulness, disbelief,
incredulity, incredulousness, agnosticism, cynicism, mistrust,
distrust, mistrustfulness, distrustfulness: At first, the
entire matter was greeted with some scepticism; but then the
Berlin Wall came tumbling down.
schedule n. 1 programme, timetable, plan, calendar, agenda, outline,
list, listing, record, register: I'd like a complete schedule
of your work for the next month on my desk tomorrow.
--v. 2 programme, organize, plan, outline, list, record,
register, arrange, book, time, slate, appoint, assign, allot,
dedicate, earmark: Schedule the next meeting for the 15th of
the month. Alistair is scheduled to speak tomorrow.
schematic adj. 1 diagrammatic(al), representational, graphic, charted:
We have the schematic drawings showing the placement of the
equipment.
--n. 2 diagram, blueprint, layout, (floor or game) plan,
scheme, design, representation, graph, (flow or PERT) chart:
Give copies of the schematics to the electricians so that they
can plan where to put the wiring.
scheme n. 1 plan, plot, design, programme, system, course (of action),
schema, outline, exposition, projection, draft, method,
technique, approach, game plan, scenario: In my scheme,
compensation would be dependent on productivity, merit, and
length of service. 2 pattern, arrangement, layout, design,
diagram, blueprint, chart, map, drawing, schematic, disposition,
order, organization, schema: This alternative scheme shows the
executive offices on the second floor. 3 plot, plan, ploy,
manoeuvre, strategy, stratagem, tactic, machination, subterfuge,
trick, device, dodge, wile, ruse, intrigue, Colloq racket, game,
move: Ashton's scheme was to lure the security guards into the
outer room, then lock them in.
--v. 4 plan, plot, devise, contrive, intrigue, organize,
formulate, hatch, conspire, machinate, manoeuvre, connive,
concoct, Colloq cook up: Clifton had been scheming to get his
revenge on them ever since the Manchester episode.
scheming adj. conniving, plotting, nefarious, treacherous, crafty,
cunning, artful, sly, wily, devious, Machiavellian, intriguing,
slick, calculating, tricky, foxy, slippery, underhanded,
duplicitous, deceitful: Wait till I lay my hands on the
scheming little thief!
schism n. split, rift, break, breach, division, rupture, separation,
disunion: The schism was caused by a group of left-wing
idealists.
schismatic
adj. schismatical, separatist, breakaway, divisive, dissident,
heretical: The schismatic movement in art was marked by one
faction's abandonment of realism.
scholar n. 1 academic, professor, teacher, pedagogue, authority,
expert, pundit, savant, bookman, book-woman, man or woman of
letters, intellectual, highbrow, bookworm, Colloq egghead,
brain, US longhair: Professor Read is one of the most respected
linguistics scholars in the world. 2 student, pupil, schoolboy,
schoolgirl, undergraduate: Cosgrove was a failure as a scholar,
preferring football to physics.
scholarly adj. learned, erudite, lettered, scholastic, profound, deep,
intellectual, academic, highbrow(ed), ivory-tower(ed), Colloq
egghead, brainy, US longhair, long-haired: Her scholarly
achievements are not limited to scholarly articles for learned
journals.
scholarship
n. 1 learning, erudition, knowledge, lore, education,
schooling, training, preparation, Colloq know-how: Elsa Cairn
brings to her appointment as headmistress considerable
scholarship and experience. 2 grant, endowment, award,
fellowship, Brit exhibition, Chiefly Scots and New Zealand
bursarship, bursary: Without the scholarship, I should never
have been able to continue my education.
school n. 1 (educational) institution, kindergarten, nursery school,
primary or grammar or secondary or high school, institute,
college, university, seminary; Alma Mater; boarding-school,
day-school; public school, private school, Brit State school;
lyc‚e; Lyceum, Brit first or middle school, US junior high
school: His mother was very upset when he hinted that he might
quit school. 2 set, coterie, circle, clique, group,
denomination, faction, sect, followers, devotees, adherents,
votaries, disciples; style, kind, form, manner, fashion:
Burne-Jones belonged to the Pre-Raphaelite School of painters.
3 philosophy, principles, creed, set of beliefs, way of life,
persuasion, credo, dogma, teaching, view, opinion, faction,
approach: Regarding the creation of the universe, do you
support the big-bang school or the steady-state school?
--v. 4 teach, educate, drill, inculcate, instil, indoctrinate,
instruct, tutor, train, discipline, coach, prepare, prime,
equip, ready; mould, shape, form; school in, imbue with, infuse
with: Young ladies were schooled in all the social graces.
school-book
n. text(book), primer, grammar (-book), reader, manual,
handbook, exercise book, notebook, copybook, Rare enchiridion,
Old-fashioned hornbook, abecedarium: All I did was ask if I
could carry her school-books!
schooling n. education, teaching, instruction, tutelage, tuition,
guidance, training, preparation, indoctrination, edification,
enlightenment; learning, study, research: How many years of
schooling are needed to become a doctor?
schoolteacher
n. teacher, professor, instructor, tutor, pedagogue,
schoolmaster, schoolmistress, Scots dominie, Colloq school-ma'm:
It is not often realized what a profound influence
schoolteachers have on one's entire life.
science n. 1 (body of) knowledge or information, (body of) laws or
principles, discipline, study, branch, field, area, subject,
realm, sphere: Many new sciences have sprung up even in the
past fifty years. DNA research falls properly into the science
of microbiologic genetics. 2 skill, art, technique, expertise,
proficiency, method, system: He made a science of brewing tea.
scientific
adj. (well-)organized, (well-)regulated, (well-)controlled,
(well-)ordered, orderly, systematic, methodical, precise,
meticulous, thorough, painstaking, detailed: A scientific
approach to the problem would start with a complete analysis of
present conditions.
scintillating
adj. 1 sparkling, coruscating, flashing, dazzling, gleaming,
glittering, twinkling, shimmering, glistening, shining,
lustrous, radiant, effulgent, brilliant, Literary nitid: Madame
Irena appeared wearing a scintillating silver lam‚ gown. 2
exciting, engaging, lively, effervescent, fascinating,
entrancing, stimulating, invigorating, dynamic, vivacious: I
cannot remember when I last found myself in such scintillating
company.
scoff° v. Often, scoff at. deride, belittle, dismiss, disparage, mock,
make light of, sneer (at), poke fun (at), ridicule, spoof,
lampoon, jeer (at), chaff, tease, twit, rib, kid, Brit rag:
It's easy for you to scoff at Clare's tantrums - you don't have
to live with her. Don't scoff: your turn might come next.
scoffэ v. 1 devour, put away, gorge oneself on, wolf (down), bolt,
stuff (oneself with), gobble (up or down), guzzle, gulp (down),
Brit gollop: The two of them scoffed every crumb they could
find.
--n. 2 food, victuals, rations, edibles, provisions, Colloq
grub, eats, chow, Slang Brit prog: In no time at all, they had
cleared out every last bit of scoff in the larder.
scold v. 1 reprimand, chide, reprove, upbraid, criticize, censure,
find fault (with), rebuke, reproach, lecture, berate, rate,
castigate, take (someone) to task, find fault with, rap
(someone's) knuckles, slap (someone's) wrist, Colloq bawl out,
dress down, give (someone) hell, give (someone) what for, jump
on (someone), jump down (someone's) throat, call (someone) to
account, bring (someone) to book, let (someone) have it with
both barrels, give (someone) a piece of (one's) mind, give
(someone) a tongue-lashing or a talking-to, give (someone) a
hard time, rake or haul (someone) over the coals, tell (someone)
off, tick (someone) off, skin (someone) alive, call or have
(someone) on the carpet, light or rip or tear or lace or sail
into (someone), US chew out, jump all over (someone), Brit
carpet: When their mother scolded them, they began to cry.
--n. 2 nag, shrew, termagant, virago, fishwife, beldam,
harridan, hell-cat, fury, amazon, tigress, Xanthippe, Colloq
battleaxe: In the old days, they used to take scolds, tie them
in a chair at the end of a pole, and dunk them in a pond till
they cooled off.
scoop n. 1 ladle, dipper, bailer, spoon: Use the scoop to skim the
fat off the soup. 2 exclusive: Fergus's story on the
minister's illegal business dealings was a real scoop for the
paper. 3 (latest) news, (inside) story, revelation, truth,
Colloq latest, low-down, info, dope, Brit gen, US poop: What's
the scoop on that man seen coming out of her bedroom?
--v. 4 Often, scoop up. bail, dip, ladle, spoon: They scooped
up some sand and spread it on the ice for traction. 5 scoop
out. gouge out, excavate, spoon out, hollow out, dig, cut:
Scoop out some melon balls for the fruit salad. 6 scoop up.
pick up, gather (up), sweep up or together, take up or in: He
scooped up the money and ran out of the bank.
scope n. 1 range, reach, field, area, extent, compass, expanse,
breadth, sphere, orbit, span: The scope of her interests
includes both the sciences and the arts. 2 leeway, space, room,
elbow-room, freedom, opportunity, capacity, stretch, latitude,
spread: Have you allowed enough scope for growth?
scorch v. sear, blacken, burn, roast, singe, char: Though scorched in
the fire, the papers were saved intact.
scorching adj. 1 hot, torrid, searing, parching, shrivelling, tropical,
hellish, sizzling, broiling, boiling, sweltering: Scorching
heat waves are dangerous for the very young and the elderly. 2
critical, caustic, scathing, mordant, vituperative, excoriating,
harsh, acrimonious, bitter: The shadow minister for finance
issued a scorching condemnation of the government's tax
policies.
score n. 1 record, account, reckoning, register, tally, amount,
number, count, sum, total; mark, grade: What was your best golf
score? Chester got a score of 80 in the French test. 2 nick,
groove, scratch, line, mark, stroke, notch, cut, Archery nock:
Every time he won, he made a score on his walking-stick. 3
twenty: And the days of our lives shall be three score years
and ten. 4 Often, scores. dozens, hundreds, (tens or hundreds
of) thousands, millions, number(s), drove(s), horde(s), host(s),
multitude(s), herd(s), legion(s), lot(s), mass(es), myriad(s),
shoal(s), pack(s), covey(s), bevy or bevies, swarm(s), flock(s),
army or armies, crowd(s), throng(s): Passengers by the score
angrily protested against the airline's policy of overbooking
flights. Scores of animals were fleeing before the forest fire.
5 music, accompaniment, Technical full or short or vocal score:
Boito might have written the libretto, but the score was by
Verdi. 6 situation, story, news, status (quo), condition, word,
Colloq latest, scoop, US poop: What's the score on your
applications to medical school? 7 dupe, gull, victim,
greenhorn, Colloq fall guy, chump, goat, sitting duck, Slang
sucker, patsy, mark, Brit mug: That fellow in the Hawaiian
shirt looks a likely score for our little scam. 8 ground(s),
basis, account, reason, rationale, provocation, cause: On what
score can you justify eliminating him from the competition? 9
settle or pay off or even a score or the score or old scores.
get revenge, retaliate, get even, avenge, repay, get an eye for
an eye, give tit for tat, give measure for measure, pay
(someone) back in his or her own coin, give (someone) a taste or
a dose of his or her or their own medicine, Colloq get one's own
back: He tried to find out where MacTavish moved had moved to
as he had an old score to settle with him.
--v. 10 mark, line, incise, scratch, nick, notch, cut, groove,
graduate; scrape, deface, mar, gouge, slash: The dipstick is
scored at intervals to indicate how much oil is in the
crankcase. 11 gain or make a point or points, record, tally,
account for: George scored a hat trick in the game against
Hotspurs. 12 count (for), reckon for or as: The ace scores
either 1 or 11 in vingt-et-un. 13 succeed, be successful,
triumph, win, make an impression, have an impact, Colloq make a
hit: Your plan really scored with the boss. 14 succeed in
seducing, Slang make out, get laid: Did you score with Ava last
night?
scorn n. 1 contumely, contempt, contemptuousness, disdain,
deprecation; rejection, dismissal: He treated their demands
with the utmost scorn. 2 mockery, derision, derisiveness,
sneering, ridicule, scoffing, jeering, taunting: The crowd's
scorn was directed at the politicians who failed to deliver what
they had promised.
--v. 3 reject, rebuff, disown, disavow, disregard, ignore,
shun, snub, flout, contemn, treat with or hold in contempt, have
no use for, disdain, spurn, despise, turn up one's nose at, curl
one's lip at, look down on or upon, look down one's nose at,
thumb one's nose at, Colloq pooh-pooh, put down, Brit cock a
snook at: His parents offered to finance his education, but he
scorned their help. 4 mock (at), deride, sneer at, ridicule,
scoff at, jeer at, taunt, poke fun at, make fun of, laugh at:
People scorned him because he said the earth was round.
scornful adj. contumelious, contemptuous, disdainful, deprecative,
disparaging, derisory, derisive, snide, supercilious, mocking,
sneering, scoffing, haughty, overweening, high-handed, superior,
Colloq snooty, Slang snotty: The people were scornful of his
attempt to reassure them, and continued to demand action.
scoundrel n. villain, rogue, wretch, good-for-nothing, scapegrace,
blackguard, rascal, scamp, cur, Old-fashioned bounder, cad,
knave, Colloq heel, Slang louse, Brit rotter: Politicians tend
to treat their opponents as liars and scoundrels.
scour v. 1 scrub, clean, cleanse, wash, rub, abrade, polish, burnish,
buff, shine: The pots were scoured until they shone. 2 scrape
(about or around), rake, comb, turn upside down, search,
ransack: I scoured the shops looking in vain for the coffee
filters you wanted.
scourge n. 1 curse, misfortune, bane, evil, affliction, plague,
adversity, torment, misery, woe: He questions whether AIDS
should be considered the scourge of the 20th century. Was it
Attila who proved himself the scourge of Rome? 2 whip, lash,
cat-o'-nine-tails, knout, quirt, horsewhip, bull-whip: They saw
fit to punish themselves with scourges.
--v. 3 whip, flog, beat, lash, horsewhip, whale, belt,
flagellate: Some medieval sects scourged themselves as they
went in procession through the cities. 4 punish, castigate,
chastise, discipline, afflict, torment: In the old days,
students were scourged if they made a mistake.
scout v. 1 Often, scout about or around. reconnoitre, investigate,
study, research, examine, explore, spy, search or look (about or
around) (for), hunt (about or around) (for), cast around or
about (for), Colloq check (about or around): I am going to
scout about to find a key that fits. 2 scout up or out.
discover, find, locate, uncover, Colloq dig up: I was finally
able to scout up a key that fits.
scowl v. 1 glower, frown, grimace, glare, look daggers, lower or
lour: It's hard to tell if he's ever pleased because he's
always scowling.
--n. 2 frown, grimace, glare, dirty look: I do wish she would
wipe that scowl off her face and try to look more pleasant.
scramble v. 1 climb, clamber, crawl, scrabble, struggle: We scrambled
up the rocky hillside with the big cat in pursuit. 2 rush,
hurry, scamper, run, hasten, race, scurry, scoot, scuttle, dash,
hotfoot (it), hustle, Chiefly US and Canadian, hightail (it),
Colloq skedaddle: When the siren sounded, we scrambled down to
the air raid shelter. 3 Often, scramble up. mix up, confuse,
jumble, intermingle, mingle, commingle: Contestants,
spectators, and officials were all scrambled together.
--n. 4 scrimmage, struggle, tussle, contention, clash,
competition, contest, race, rush, clash, conflict, disorder,
commotion, riot, m€l‚e or melee, pandemonium, Colloq
free-for-all, hassle, Brit scrum or scrummage: Thousands were
involved in the scramble for tickets to the rock concert. In the
scramble for a directorship Jeremy lost. 5 struggle, climb: She
twisted her ankle in the scramble over the rocks.
scrap° n. 1 mite, bit, shred, bite, morsel, piece, fragment, shard or
sherd, particle, sliver, snippet, snip, crumb, whit, iota, jot
or tittle, snatch, drop, drip, grain, speck, molecule, atom,
dab, trace, scintilla, hint, suggestion: There wasn't a scrap
of evidence to link him with the crime. 2 scraps. remnants,
remains, leftovers, leavings, residue, vestiges, traces,
scrapings, discards, rejections, rejects: In the alley, two
cats were fighting over some scraps of garbage. 3 waste,
debris, rubbish, Colloq junk: Any computer more than five years
old isn't even worth its weight as scrap.
--v. 4 discard, throw away, reject, abandon, give up, consign
to the scrap heap, forsake, forget, get rid of, dispose of,
dispense with, Colloq junk, US trash: If I were you, I would
buy a new car and scrap this one.
scrapэ n. 1 fight, brawl, fracas, fray, affray, rumpus, scuffle,
Donnybrook, battle (royal); row, dispute, argument, quarrel,
disagreement, wrangle, squabble, tiff, spat, Colloq ruckus,
set-to, dust-up: A terrible scrap broke out in the pub last and
the police were called in. Our neighbours were having a scrap
about who should take the dog for a walk.
--v. 2 fight, brawl, spar, scuffle, battle, row, wrangle,
argue, disagree, squabble, bicker: Let's not scrap over trifles
- only important things.
scrapbook n. album, portfolio, collection: She keeps a scrapbook of
reviews of her stage triumphs.
scrape v. 1 abrade, graze, scratch, bark, scuff, skin, bruise, damage,
injure: I scraped my knee on the pavement when I fell. 2
Often, scrape off or away or out. remove, rub off or away, scour
or scrub or clean (off or away), scratch off or away, claw (at
or away or out), gouge out, scrabble (at), dig out or away at:
As I scraped away the grime, a beautiful mosaic was revealed.
Each sled dog scraped out a hole in the snow and snuggled into
it. 3 skimp, scrimp (and scrape), save, stint, be frugal or
stingy or parsimonious or thrifty, pinch and save or scrape,
economize; struggle, US scrabble: Only by scraping were we able
to pay the increased taxes. 4 bow and scrape. make obeisance,
kowtow, salaam, genuflect, kiss the feet or hem or ring, grovel,
demean or lower oneself, prostrate oneself, toady, Colloq
boot-lick: He can bow and scrape all he likes, but Jones will
get nowhere with the foreman. 5 scrape by or through. get by,
cope, (barely) manage, survive, scrape or get along, Colloq
squeak by, barely make it: We are just about able to scrape by
on the little that Nigel is making. 6 scrape together or up.
glean, garner, scratch or get or rake together or up, dredge up,
scrabble for, gather, save (up), get hold of, marshal, amass,
muster, accumulate, aggregate, compile, pile up, stack up,
assemble, Colloq scrounge (up): By the time we finally managed
to scrape up enough for a down payment on a house, the prices
had gone up.
--n. 7 abrasion, bruise, scratch, graze, scuff, damage, injury:
He was very annoyed when he found a scrape on his brand-new car.
8 predicament, difficulty, quandary, dilemma, plight, (fine)
kettle of fish, muddle, stew, situation, position, pinch, Colloq
pickle, fix, mess, the crunch, (tight or tough) spot: I got
into a terrible scrape by forgetting our wedding anniversary.
Can you lend me some money to help me out of a scrape?
scratch v. 1 mar, mark, gouge (out), gash, abrade, graze, scuff, grate
against, bruise, damage, injure; claw: If you glue some felt to
the bottom, the lamp won't scratch the table. 2 chafe, rub: If
you scratch those mosquito bites you might get an infection. 3
Often, scratch out or off. erase, obliterate, rub out or off,
cross out, delete, strike out or off, expunge; exclude,
eliminate, US x out: You can scratch my name from the list of
candidates. She scratched out what she had written and started
again.
--n. 4 mark, gouge, gash, abrasion, scrape, graze, scuff,
bruise, damage, injury; line: Where did you get that scratch on
your face? 'It's only a scratch', Sandy protested as they tried
to remove the spear from his shoulder. 5 up to scratch. up to
standard or par, adequate, sufficient, good enough, competent,
satisfactory, competitive, Colloq up to snuff: Cynthia's
performance is not yet up to scratch, so she might not make the
team.
--adj. 6 hasty, hurried, impromptu, unplanned, haphazard,
rough, casual, informal, unprepared, unpremeditated, makeshift,
extempore, Colloq off the cuff, US pick-up: We didn't have time
to practise, so we are racing with a scratch crew.
scratchy adj. 1 itchy, irritating, prickly: The pullover was as
scratchy as a hair shirt. 2 rough, hoarse, raw, grating, sore,
raspy, dry: My throat feels a bit scratchy and I need something
to drink.
scrawl n. 1 scribble, Colloq squiggle, US hen-scratch,
chicken-scratch: I can't read that scrawl of his.
--v. 2 scribble, scratch, doodle: How do pharmacists read the
prescriptions that doctors scrawl?
scrawny adj. bony, skinny, spare, drawn, reedy, haggard, lean, lank(y),
scraggy, gaunt, raw-boned, angular, emaciated, cadaverous;
anorectic or anorexic: She certainly has changed from that
scrawny kid I used to know.
scream v. 1 shriek, screech, squeal, yowl, wail, caterwaul, howl, cry:
She screamed when I applied iodine to the cut. 2 laugh, roar,
hoot, howl, guffaw: The women screamed hysterically as the male
stripper got down to the bare essentials.
--n. 3 shriek, screech, squeal, yowl, wail, caterwaul, howl,
cry: When she saw what had happened, she let out a
blood-curdling scream. 4 Colloq card, panic, riot,
thigh-slapper: Phyllis is such a scream when she talks about
the silly things that happen to her.
screen n. 1 partition, (room) divider, paravent, wall: In their
one-room flat a bookcase serves as a screen to separate the
living area from the sleeping area. 2 shelter, protection,
shield, cover: A row of poplars acts as a screen against the
wind. 3 curtain, blind, shroud, cloak, cover; concealment,
camouflage: The gauze fabric was too transparent to act as a
screen. 4 sieve, mesh, strainer, filter, colander, riddle: The
sand has to be shovelled through a screen to get rid of the
stones. 5 motion pictures, movies, silver screen; television,
small screen, home screen, Colloq box, telly, US boob tube: She
is a star of both the big and small screens.
--v. 6 partition (off), separate, divide, wall off: Why not
use a beaded curtain to screen the kitchen area from the
dining-room? 7 shelter, protect, shield, cover, guard, conceal,
camouflage, mask, veil, hide: A decorative pierced wall screens
the ladies of the harem from the prying eyes of visitors. 8
sift, separate (out), sort (out), filter, select, cull, process,
interview, evaluate, grade, gauge, qualify, examine, scan,
Chiefly Brit vet: The agency screens all candidates before
sending them to see a client.
screw n. 1 bolt, screw-bolt, machine screw, lag-bolt, lag-screw:
This screw is too small to hold that door hinge. 2 helix,
spiral, corkscrew: The screw of a spiral staircase should not
be too small for safety. 3 sexual intercourse; sexual partner,
Slang lay, Taboo slang fuck: When arrested for kerb-crawling,
he said that he was just looking for a screw. 4 put the screws
on (someone). pressure, influence, force, constrain, press,
oblige, require, demand, coerce, compel, apply pressure, bring
pressure to bear (on); insist; Chiefly Brit pressurize, Colloq
twist (someone's) arm, put the squeeze on (someone): I believe
that someone put the screws on him to leave town.
--v. 5 twist, turn, rotate: Screw the bolt in clockwise. 6
Often, screw out of. defraud, cheat, swindle, gull, bilk, do out
of, Slang take, clip, fleece: They screwed him by convincing
him that the bonds were real. He was screwed out of all his
savings. 7 screw up. a raise, increase, stretch, strain;
summon, call up, call upon, tap, draw on or upon: I screwed up
my courage to ask for a salary increase. b ruin, destroy, make
a mess of, botch, bungle, muddle, mismanage, mishandle, Colloq
make a hash of, Slang louse up, Brit make a muck-up of, US
bollix up, Taboo slang fuck up, Brit bugger up, ballocks or
bollocks up, make a balls-up of: It is hard to see how they
could have screwed up such a simple operation. c contort, twist,
deform, warp: At the suggestion of cauliflower, Ambrose screwed
up his face in displeasure.
scribe n. 1 copyist, copier, transcriber, Archaic scrivener;
amanuensis, clerk, secretary: Before the invention of movable
type printing, copies of books and documents were prepared by
scribes. 2 writer, author, penman, scrivener, wordsmith,
scribbler, hack, penny-a-liner; dramatist, dramaturge,
playwright, poet, novelist, essayist, columnist, technical
writer; journalist, gentleman or lady of the press,
newspaperman, newspaperwoman, reporter, rewrite man or woman or
person, editor, reviewer, commentator, newswriter, sob sister,
agony aunt or uncle, Miss Lonelyhearts, gossip columnist, member
of the fourth estate, Brit paragraphist, leader-writer, US Grub
Streeter, Colloq Brit journo: In a general way, he refers to
all writers as 'scribes', but particularly those he considers a
bit old-fashioned.
--v. 3 inscribe, incise, etch, engrave, mark, scratch, score,
grave, scrimshaw, carve, chase or enchase: The shotgun was
scribed with the most beautiful designs, some inlaid in gold.
scrimmage n. skirmish, scuffle, fray, affray, disturbance, brouhaha,
m€l‚e or melee, riot, row, brawl, struggle, scramble, tussle,
fracas, rumpus, Donnybrook, battle, fight, Colloq ruckus,
set-to, dust-up, free-for-all, scrap, Brit scrum or scrummage,
Slang Brit (bit of) bovver: The police were called when what
started as a minor scrimmage began to develop into a riot.
script n. 1 handwriting, hand, (cursive) writing, penmanship;
calligraphy: These love-letters are written in an unusually
beautiful script. 2 manuscript, scenario, book, play,
screenplay, teleplay, libretto, continuity: Stick to the script
- I don't want you ad libbing!
--v. 3 write, pen, prepare, create: The new series was
scripted by the same writer who wrote 'Out in the Outback'. 4
plan, organize, design, arrange, lay out, order, configure,
pattern: The take-over of the company had not been scripted in
their business forecasts.
Scripture n. Scriptures, sacred writings, Bible, Good Book, Holy Writ or
Scripture(s), Word of God, Gospel(s); Book of Mormon; Koran;
Upanishad(s), Bhagavad-Gita: Throughout his life, he did only
those things approved in Scripture.
scrounge v. 1 ferret out, seek out, nose or smell out, come up with,
scrape together or up, scratch up; importune, cadge, beg (,
borrow, or steal), Colloq US freeload, bum: Did Hedley try to
scrounge some money from you, too?
--n. 2 scrounger, cadger, parasite, Colloq sponger, US
freeloader: Hedley, that scrounge, has just asked me for a
cigarette.
scrub v. 1 See scour, 1, above. 2 cancel, call off, abort, scratch,
drop, terminate, give up, end, abandon, stop, cease,
discontinue, do away with: Something went wrong with the fuel
computer, so they scrubbed today's satellite launch.
scruple n. 1 compunction, qualm, reluctance, misgiving, second
thoughts, doubt, (twinge of) conscience, hesitation, uneasiness,
discomfort, squeamishness: Peter hadn't the slightest scruple
about taking the money from his aunt.
--v. 2 pause, falter, hesitate, vacillate, have doubts or
compunction (about), demur, waver, shrink from or at, have
misgivings or qualms (about or over), be loath or loth (to),
think twice (about), stick at, be reluctant, balk (at), have
scruples (about): Susan didn't scruple for a moment about
keeping the money she found in the street.
scrupulous
adj. 1 careful, cautious, meticulous, exacting, precise,
over-nice, strict, rigid, rigorous, severe, critical,
fastidious, neat, conscientious, finicky or finical, fussy,
painstaking, punctilious: Andrew has always been scrupulous
about his toys, his books, his clothes, etc. 2 ethical,
honourable, upstanding, moral, righteous, principled,
high-minded, just: Meg was always scrupulous in her business
dealings.
scrutinize
v. examine, analyse, dissect, investigate, probe, study,
inspect, sift, go over or through, check: I have scrutinized
the results of the blood tests and can find nothing abnormal.
scrutiny n. examination, analysis, investigation, probe, probing, study,
inspection, sifting, inquiry or enquiry, exploration, check:
The tax inspectors have subjected the company books to close
scrutiny but have found nothing amiss.
scud v. fly, skim, race, scoot, speed, shoot: We scudded along in
the catamaran at a good 30 knots.
sculpture n. 1 figure, figurine, statue, statuette, group, head, bust,
relief; bronze, marble: His favourite sculpture is Rodin's
Burghers of Calais .
--v. 2 sculpt or sculp, model, model, chisel, carve, cast,
form, fashion: The students are learning how to sculpture in
clay.
scurrilous
adj. foul-mouthed, thersitical, gross, indecent, profane,
Fescennine, vulgar, obscene, licentious, Sotadean or Sotadic,
foul, vituperative, low, coarse, scabrous, vile, nasty,
defamatory, derogatory, disparaging, vilifying, calumnious or
calumniatory, malign, aspersive, opprobrious, offensive,
abusive, insulting: Clifford was an inveterate collector of
scurrilous limericks.
scurry v. dash, scramble, scamper, scoot, dart, fly, race, sprint,
scuttle, hurry, hasten, speed, hustle, rush, tear, zoom, zip,
bolt, rip, scud: A rat scurried across the floor. We went
scurrying round the shops on Christmas Eve.
scurvy adj. low, miserable, contemptible, vile, base, despicable,
rotten, sorry, bad, ignoble, dishonourable, mean, worthless,
shabby: Robbing poor old ladies is a pretty scurvy activity.
sea n. 1 ocean, deep blue sea, high seas, Literary (briny) deep,
(bounding) main, Neptune's or Poseidon's kingdom or domain,
Nautical blue water, Davy Jones's locker, Colloq briny, drink,
pond (= 'Atlantic Ocean'): For years he sailed the seas in
search of adventure. 2 swell, breaker, wave: As the wind
increased, huge seas began to wash over the boat. 3 plethora,
quantity, abundance, surfeit, profusion, flood, multitude,
spate, legion, mass, Colloq lot(s), heap(s), pile(s), ton(s),
mountain(s), load(s), oodles, gobs, scads: Hamlet's sea of
troubles was nothing compared to mine if this book isn't
completed soon! 4 (all) at sea. confused, disoriented, at sixes
and sevens, bewildered, perplexed, baffled, mystified, lost,
adrift: They were clearly not expecting her and were completely
at sea as to what to do.
sea-coast n. seashore, shore, coast, seaside, seaboard, shoreline,
coastline, littoral, sand(s), beach, strand: The people in the
villages along the sea-coast depend mainly on fishing for their
livelihood.
seafaring adj. maritime, nautical, naval, marine: Britain was at one
time the largest seafaring nation in the world.
seal n. 1 symbol, token, mark, insigne (pl. insignia), sign, signet,
crest, bearing, coat of arms, escutcheon, emblem, badge,
monogram, identification, cartouche, design, imprint, stamp:
The seal on his ring showed a crouching lion. 2 authentication,
confirmation, verification, validation, affirmation,
attestation, ratification, corroboration, assurance, guarantee
or guaranty, endorsement, substantiation, evidence, notice,
notification: Management set their seal of approval on the
plans.
--v. 3 Sometimes, seal off or up. close (off or up), shut
(off), zip up, plug (up), stop (up), lock, bolt, secure, batten
down, make airtight or waterproof; cork: All exits had been
sealed off. They sealed up the windows so that no air could get
in. 4 authenticate, confirm, verify, validate, affirm, attest,
ratify, clinch, corroborate, assure, ensure, guarantee, endorse:
The peace treaty was sealed by the marriage of the king to the
emperor's daughter.
seam n. 1 junction, juncture, joint, suture, Technical commissure;
scar, ridge, line, cicatrix: It is easy enough to see the seam
where the parts meet. 2 lode, vein, stratum, bed, layer,
thickness: The miners have been working on a new seam
discovered at the end of Tunnel 4.
seamy adj. sordid, nasty, dark, disreputable, shameful, unwholesome,
unpalatable, unsavoury, distasteful, unseemly, squalid, low,
depraved, degenerate, degraded, foul, vile, odious, abhorrent,
contemptible, scurvy, rotten, unattractive, ugly, repulsive,
repellent: In his later work, he painted the seamy side of life
in the slums.
search v. 1 Often, search through. examine, scrutinize, check, comb
(through), explore, go through, investigate, scout out, inspect,
look at or into, probe, scour, sift through, pry into, hunt or
rummage through; inquire or enquire of, Colloq plough through:
She searched through several encyclopedias but could not find
the information she was looking for. Search your conscience to
determine the best course. 2 Often, search for. look (about or
around), cast about, seek, leave no stone unturned: I searched
high and low but couldn't find my key.
--n. 3 hunt, pursuit, quest: The search for the killer went on
for years. 4 researching, analysis; exploration, examination,
scrutiny, probe, study, perusal, sifting, inspection, scouring,
inquiry or enquiry: A thorough search of the documents failed
to turn up anything useful. The police made a house-to-house
search of the neighbourhood.
searchingly
adv. penetratingly, piercingly, intently, deeply, fixedly,
concentratedly, eagerly: She looked searchingly into my eyes
for some glimmer of hope.
season n. 1 time, period, occasion, opportunity: This is the season
when the birds migrate north. Is the silly season upon us again
so soon? 2 in season. ripe, ready, edible, seasoned, seasonable,
available: Fresh strawberries will be in season soon.
--v. 3 spice, salt, flavour, pep up, enliven: One of the great
things about chicken is that you can season it in many different
ways. 4 ripen, mature, age, condition, mellow: The wood should
be well seasoned before being made into furniture.
seasonable
adj. appropriate, opportune, suitable, apt, timely, fitting,
providential, well-timed, proper, fit, propitious, welcome,
well-suited, happy, lucky, fortunate, convenient, auspicious,
favourable, advantageous, expedient: The success of the book
was owing largely to its seasonable publication, just at the end
of the cold war.
seasoned adj. experienced, trained, long-standing, long-serving,
practised, well-versed, habituated, acclimatized or acclimated,
accustomed, familiarized, prepared, established, veteran,
tempered, hardened, toughened, inured: It was a pleasure to be
working with so seasoned a performer as Margie.
seasoning n. spice, zest, flavour, relish, sauce: The fact that a former
film star was running for office lent just the right seasoning
to the campaign.
seat n. 1 place, chair, bench, sofa, settee, settle, stool, throne:
He found a seat and waited to be called. 2 focus, base, centre,
heart, hub, site, capital, cradle, headquarters, fountain-head:
In those days, Paris was the main seat of learning in western
Europe. Istanbul was established as the seat of the Turkish
empire. 3 membership, position, incumbency: His grandfather
held a seat in the House of Commons. 4 bottom, buttocks,
posterior(s), rump, hindquarters, fundament, derriЉre, Colloq
behind, butt, backside, rear (end), Brit bum, US fanny, tushie,
tush, tokus, hinie, Slang tail, Brit arse, US ass: He needs a
swift kick in the seat to get him to move. 5 abode, residence,
home, domicile, estate, mansion: The duchess used to spend the
summer at her country seat in Norfolk.
--v. 6 hold, accommodate, have room or space or capacity for,
contain, sit: The new auditorium will seat more than four
thousand. 7 install or instal, enthrone, ensconce, instate,
invest, establish, place, swear in: Once Lord Carter has been
seated, it will be difficult to get rid of him.
seating n. accommodation, capacity, space, room: At present, the
auditorium has seating for only 500.
secede v. withdraw or resign or retire (from), abandon, forsake,
apostasize, break with or away (from), drop or pull out (of),
turn one's back to or on, quit, separate from, leave, wash one's
hands of, have nothing further to do with: The City of New York
occasionally threatens to secede from the United States.
secession n. withdrawal, seceding, defection, break, breaking,
disaffiliation, retirement, separation, splitting off or away,
apostasy: The secession of the splinter group was welcomed by
virtually all the other members.
secluded adj. 1 private, separate, isolated, lonely, cloistered,
sequestered, detached, solitary, retired, eremitic, monastic:
He lives a very secluded life on an island in the Outer
Hebrides. 2 off the beaten track, out-of-the-way, remote,
far-away, far-off, separate, segregated, private: He chose a
secluded island in the Outer Hebrides for his vacation.
seclusion n. privacy, private, separation, isolation, loneliness: He
prefers to live in complete seclusion.
second° adj. 1 subsequent, following, next: He let the first target go
by and aimed for the second one. 2 subordinate, next: If the
colonel isn't here, who is the second officer? 3 alternative,
second-best: She refuses to settle for second choice. 4
alternate, other: The laundry is picked up and delivered every
second Tuesday. His second language is Italian. 5 other, later,
younger, newer, more recent: After his first wife died, he took
her nurse as his second wife. 6 another, duplicate: The boy is
a second Einstein.
--n. 7 defective or imperfect or damaged or faulty or deficient
or flawed or impaired or marred or blemished or bruised or
inferior merchandise: The prices of these shirts have been
reduced because they are seconds. 8 subordinate, assistant,
number two, lieutenant, aide-de-camp, man Friday, girl Friday,
right hand; understudy, stand-in, substitute, surrogate, double,
alternate, backer, supporter; Colloq US gal Friday: Not being
ambitious, Helen would prefer to be a second to the person who
runs the business.
--v. 9 support, back, aid, help, assist, approve (of), advance,
promote, subscribe to, espouse, sponsor, patronize, favour,
encourage, go along with: Madam Chairwoman, I would like to
second this proposal. 10 transfer, move, assign, shift,
relocate: After the Falklands War, he was seconded to fleet
headquarters for a year.
--adv. 11 secondly, in the second place, secondarily, (number)
two, b or B: I want to go: first, because it'll be interesting,
and second, because Jake'll be there.
secondэ n. moment, instant, flash, minute, twinkling or wink or bat (of
an eye), split second, Colloq sec, jiffy, two shakes (of a
lamb's tail), Brit tick, half a mo: I'll be with you in a
second, as soon as I finish writing this letter.
secondary adj. 1 less important, unimportant, inessential or unessential,
non-essential, non-critical, subsidiary, ancillary, minor,
inferior, subordinate: These secondary matters can be dealt
with after the important ones. 2 derivative, derived, indirect,
second-hand, unoriginal, not original; copied, imitated: His
biography of Queen Victoria was based entirely on secondary
sources. 3 auxiliary, second-line, backup, extra, reserve,
spare, provisional, supporting, supportive, alternate,
alternative: We were forced to rely on our secondary defences
after the enemy cavalry broke through.
second-hand
adj. used, old, worn, Colloq hand-me-down: When we were
children our parents could only afford to dress us in
second-hand clothes. His much-vaunted novels are for the most
part based on second-hand ideas.
secrecy n. 1 mystery, concealment, confidentiality, stealth,
secretiveness, surreptitiousness, privacy, furtiveness,
covertness, clandestineness: Why was there so much secrecy
surrounding the publication date of Jennie's book? 2 in secrecy.
secretly, mysteriously, confidentially, stealthily, secretively,
surreptitiously, privately, furtively, covertly, clandestinely,
sneakily: They carry on much of their business in secrecy.
secret adj. 1 concealed, hidden, private, covert, shrouded,
clandestine; confidential, covert, quiet, under cover,
secretive, unpublishable, unpublished, Colloq hush-hush: There
is a secret passageway leading from the cave to the cove. Keep
secret what I shall tell you. She revealed to me her most secret
desires. 2 cryptic, private, arcane, mysterious,
incomprehensible, esoteric, recondite, abstruse; cryptographic,
encrypted, encoded: We used to communicate by secret code. Did
you receive my secret message?
--n. 3 private or confidential matter or affair, mystery: If I
tell you my secret will you tell me yours? 4 in secret.
privately, confidentially, secretly, on the q.t. or Q.T.;
surreptitiously, under cover, by stealth, stealthily, furtively,
quietly, on the sly, clandestinely: The office manager told me
in secret that John was going to resign. They see one another
in secret.
secrete° v. hide, conceal, cache, bury, cloak, shroud, enshroud,
camouflage, mask, disguise, Slang stash away: They secreted the
haul from the robbery in the cellar of a house in Balham.
secreteэ v. yield, excrete, pass, generate, release, ooze, seep, exude,
discharge, leak, drip, drop, dribble, trickle, run, drain, emit,
give off, emanate, transude, Technical extravasate: The ants
herd aphids for the substance they secrete. The wound will
secrete pus for a while.
secretion n. secreting, release, escape, oozing, seeping, seepage,
discharge, discharging, leak, leaking, leakage, drip, dripping,
drop, dropping, dribbling, trickling, trickle, running, drain,
draining, emission, emitting, giving off, exudation,
transudation, excretion, excreting, emanation, emanating,
generation, Technical extravasation; transudate, excreta,
Technical extravasate: The secretion of perspiration may be
profuse under such circumstances. The secretion is highly acid
in content.
secretive adj. reticent, silent, close-mouthed, taciturn,
uncommunicative, reserved, tight-lipped, close, Colloq mum:
Robert is very secretive about where he goes every day at
lunch-time.
secretly adv. surreptitiously, quietly, privately, covertly, on the q.t.
or Q.T., furtively, stealthily, mysteriously, clandestinely, in
secret, confidentially, on the sly, slyly, sub rosa, sub
sigillo: I can tell you secretly that she is wanted by the
police. Henry secretly rents videotape cartoons to watch at
weekends.
sect n. 1 religious order or group or denomination or body or cult
or persuasion or subdivision: At times it seems as if there are
as many sects as worshippers. 2 school (of thought), faction,
ism, set, clique, cabal: He belonged to a small sect that
promulgated the Ptolemaic cosmogony.
sectarian adj. 1 cultist, cultish, clannish, cliquish, partisan, partial,
dogmatic, doctrinaire, factional: They seldom mingle with
others, maintaining their sectarian existence. 2 parochial,
narrow, narrow-minded, limited, insular, provincial, rigid,
fanatic(al), prejudicial, prejudiced, bigoted: Because they
refused to consider ideas other than their own, they gradually
became more and more sectarian in their views.
--n. 3 adherent, member, sectary, votary, cultist, partisan:
They tried to banish Anabaptists, Lutherans, Calvinists, and
other sectarians. 4 (true) believer, dogmatist, fanatic, bigot,
zealot, extremist, Slang nut, bug, fiend: Some of the
sectarians engage in the ritualistic handling of live
rattlesnakes.
section n. 1 part, division, department, branch, sector, group,
detachment, segment, portion, subdivision, component, element:
Sadler has been assigned to work in the research section. I
never read the the sports section in the Sunday papers. Which
sections of the country will vote for you? The string section
needs practice before tonight's concert. 2 sample, slice,
cross-section, fraction: It can be faulty to assume that the
characteristics of the whole are necessarily represented in a
small section of it. I examined a section of tissue under the
microscope. 3 part, stage, segment, portion, leg: The first
section of the journey was more comfortable than the last.
--v. 4 cut (up), divide (up), segment, split, cleave, measure
out, apportion, allot, allocate: The land was sectioned into
four-acre parcels.
secular adj. worldly, terrestrial, mundane, temporal, material, lay,
laic or laical, non-clerical, non-ecclesiastic(al),
non-spiritual, non-religious, civil, state: Once he had taken
his vows, he put aside secular matters.
secure adj. 1 safe, shielded, sheltered, protected, immune,
unthreatened, unexposed, unimperilled, snug, cosy: Fiona feels
quite secure in her new house. Considering the success of the
company, Bill's job looks secure. 2 firm, steady, stable, fixed,
fast, moored, anchored, immovable, closed, shut, fastened,
locked (up), tight, sound, solid, sturdy, strong: That button
on your jacket doesn't look very secure. Make sure that the
house is secure before you go to sleep. 3 reliable, safe, good,
profitable, healthy, solid: Telephone shares looked like a
secure investment at the time. 4 sure, certain, assured,
ensured, definite, inevitable, assumed, evident, obvious,
unquestionable, established, probable, easy: With only two
minutes left to play, victory seemed secure for Rangers.
--v. 5 obtain, get (hold of), come by, acquire, procure, win;
gain, get or take possession of, arrogate: Tim has secured a
responsible position at the bank. She always manages to secure
the sympathy of older men. 6 guarantee, underwrite, hypothecate,
collateralize: We used our house to secure the loan. 7
protect, shelter, shield, defend, guard, safeguard, preserve:
It seems impossible to secure young children from bullying at
school. 8 fasten, make fast, fix, affix, attach, anchor: Secure
the cases to the roof-rack with strong rope.
security n. 1 safety, shelter, protection, fastness, refuge, safe
keeping, sanctuary, asylum: During the air raids, we retired to
the security of the basement. 2 confidence, certainty, surety,
assurance, conviction: He has the security of knowing that he
is right in this instance. 3 guarantee or guaranty, collateral,
deposit, gage, pledge, insurance: What are you going to offer
as security for the loan? 4 surveillance, safeguarding,
guarding, safe keeping, protection, custody, custodianship,
care: What plans does the company have for the security of the
office building?
sedate adj. 1 composed, serene, peaceful, calm, tranquil, cool,
collected, even-tempered, detached, imperturbable, unruffled,
undisturbed, unperturbed, controlled, placid, grave, serious,
sober, solemn, Colloq unflappable: Despite all the turmoil
round her, Sarah remained quite sedate. 2 dignified, decorous,
refined, formal, stiff, staid, proper, strait-laced, prudish,
fussy, prim, conventional, old-fashioned: Donald prefers a
sedate waltz to boogying and jiving.
sedative n. 1 narcotic, tranquillizer, opiate, sleeping-pill, soporific,
calmative, anodyne, depressant, hypnotic, barbiturate, lenitive,
Colloq downer, knock-out drop, Slang Mickey (Finn): The doctor
has given him a sedative and he should sleep now.
--adj. 2 narcotic, tranquillizing, relaxing, soothing, calming,
allaying, opiate, soporific, sleep-inducing, calmative, anodyne,
lenitive, depressing, hypnotic: I found that listening to a
recording of surf splashing on a beach has a sedative effect.
sedentary adj. seated, sitting, stationary, fixed, immobile, unmoving,
housebound, desk-bound: You should find a more sedentary
occupation to follow while you recover. As a writer, I lead a
sedentary existence and get little exercise.
sediment n. lees, dregs, deposit, grounds, precipitate, remains,
residue, settlings, residuum, detritus: Periodically, the
sediment must be cleaned out of the filters.
sedition n. agitation, incitement (to riot), rabble-rousing,
fomentation, instigation, firing-up, stirring up, whipping up;
mutiny, insurrection, insurgency or insurgence, rebellion;
treason, treachery: Because he had organized the strike in the
munitions plant during wartime, he was accused of sedition.
seditious adj. rebellious, mutinous, revolutionary, insurgent,
inflammatory, rabble-rousing, insurrectionist, insurrectionary,
refractory, subversive, treacherous, dissident, disloyal,
turncoat, unfaithful: One seditious action on the part of the
colonists was to dump tea into the harbour at Boston,
Massachusetts.
seduce v. 1 lure, entice, attract, allure, tempt, mislead, beguile,
deceive, decoy, draw on, charm, captivate, vamp, entrap,
ensnare, trap, Colloq sweet-talk: He was seduced into giving
her his life's savings. 2 dishonour, ruin, corrupt, lead
astray, defile, debauch, deflower, violate, ravish: How many
girls have been seduced in the name of undying love?
seducer n. See also seductress, below. rake, libertine, rou‚, playboy,
lady-killer, lecher, debauchee, debaucher, lover, cicisbeo, Don
Juan, Lothario, Casanova, Colloq wolf: She can't really be
going out with that wretched seducer!
seductive adj. alluring, attractive, tempting, tantalizing, enticing,
inviting, seducing, enchanting, entrancing, bewitching,
fascinating, flirtatious, coquettish, captivating, beguiling,
provocative, siren, irresistible, winning, appealing,
prepossessing, Colloq sexy: He was lured into the whirl of the
financial world by the seductive five-letter word - money. Never
had Helena looked more seductive than on that night in Rio.
seductress
n. See also seducer, above. temptress, siren, femme fatale,
enchantress, Circe, Lorelei, Jezebel, vamp: That clever
seductress will soon have him eating out of her hand.
see v. 1 perceive, note, notice, mark, spot, watch, witness,
recognize, behold, discern, distinguish, observe, look at,
regard, sight, catch sight of, descry, espy, spy, make out, look
upon, view, glimpse, catch a glimpse of, Slang get a load of, US
glom: I saw him buy a bottle of whisky. We saw two
yellow-bellied sapsuckers in one day! Can you see the sea from
your suite? Did you see the Houses of Parliament when you were
in London? 2 understand, comprehend, apprehend, perceive,
appreciate, fathom, grasp, take in, realize, know, be aware or
conscious of, get the idea or meaning of, Colloq dig, get, get
the drift or the hang of: I see what you are saying, but I
don't agree. After her speech, I saw Gladys in a new light. 3
foresee, foretell, imagine, envisage, envision, visualize,
picture, divine, conceive (of), dream of, conjure up, accept: I
can see a day when warming from the greenhouse effect will make
the sea level rise. Ted said he can't see you as a married man.
4 determine, ascertain, find out, investigate, discover, learn:
See if the bakery has any macaroons. I'll see what she thinks.
5 Often, see to it. ensure, assure, make sure or certain, mind,
be vigilant: It's cold outside, so see that you dress warmly.
6 accompany, escort, show, lead, conduct, usher, take, convoy,
bring, walk, drive: I was seeing Nellie home from a soir‚e at
Aunt Dinah's. 7 go out with, socialize with, keep company with,
consort with, associate with; court, woo; Colloq go steady with,
Chiefly US date: Are you still seeing that boy you met at the
school dance? 8 make up one's mind, think over, mull over,
consider, ponder (on or over), contemplate, decide, reflect
(on), meditate (on or over or about), ruminate (on or over),
brood over: Mother said she'd see whether I could go. Then I
asked father, and he said he'd see. 9 receive, meet (with), talk
or speak with, confer with, consult (with), have a word with,
sit down with, visit with, interview; welcome, greet: The
ambassador will see you now. 10 undergo, experience, go
through, endure, survive: He saw service overseas during the
war. 11 help, aid, assist, support, finance, pay the way for;
guide, shepherd: She saw three children through university
without anyone's help. 12 see about. a see to, attend to, look
after, take care or charge of, look to, organize, manage, do,
undertake, sort out; think about, consider, give some thought
to, pay attention or heed to: Could you please see about
feeding the horses while I am away? I asked Martin and he said
he'd see about it. b investigate, study, probe, look into, make
enquiries or inquiries, enquire or inquire about: The teacher
said she would see about letting us out early before the
holiday. 13 see off. bid adieu or bon voyage: We went to the
airport to see them off. 14 see through. a penetrate, detect,
perceive, Slang be wise to: She saw through your subterfuge at
once. b see (something) through. persevere, persist, manage,
survive, last, ride out, Colloq stick out: Once you start on
something, I wish you'd see it through. c see (someone)
through. provide with help or aid or assistance, help, aid,
assist, last: We'll give you enough money to see you through.
15 see to. See 12(a), above.
seed n. 1 grain, spore, kernel, pit, tuber, bulb, corm, Technical
ovum, ovule, embryo, egg, germ: Add water and the seeds will
soon germinate. 2 origin, source, cause, root, provocation,
reason, basis, grounds; motive, motivation, motivating factor:
The seeds of suspicion were sown by the continuous police
presence in the neighbourhood. 3 offspring, children, progeny,
young, issue, descendants, heirs, successors: Yea, and verily I
say unto you that his seed shall populate the earth. 4 go or run
to seed. run down, become dilapidated or worn out or shabby,
decay, go downhill, decline, degenerate, deteriorate, go to rack
and ruin, Colloq go to pot: If he doesn't start to look after
it, the entire place will go to seed.
--v. 5 scatter, sow, distribute: Don't walk on the freshly
seeded lawn.
seedy adj. 1 shabby, dilapidated, worn (out), decayed, deteriorated,
run-down, broken-down, mangy, grubby, decaying, tatty, scruffy,
squalid, sleazy, Colloq ratty: They live in a seedy little
shack on the other side of town. 2 tired, weary, wearied,
run-down, worn out, unwell, out of sorts, ailing, ill, sickly,
Colloq poorly, under the weather, off one's feed: I begged off
at dinner time because I was feeling a bit seedy.
seeing conjunction. in view of (the fact that), whereas, in (the)
light of, inasmuch as, since, considering: Seeing that you are
here, you might as well tell her yourself.
seek v. 1 look (for), search (for), hunt (for), go or be after,
quest after, pursue: They are seeking a really good site for a
grand luxury hotel. Seek and ye shall find. 2 hope, aim,
aspire, try, essay, endeavour, undertake: They are seeking to
recruit members for the new party. 3 ask for, request, beg,
solicit, invite; demand: He sought her help and she refused
him.
seem v. appear, look (as if or non-standard in US like), sound,
feel, have (all) the hallmarks or earmarks of, give every
indication or appearance of: He seems all right to me. She
seems to have forgotten her key again. It seems as if I've never
been away at all. He seemed frightened.
seeming adj. apparent, evident, ostensible, outward, superficial,
surface, assumed, feigned, pretended, false, so-called, alleged,
specious, purported, professed: She was shocked by his seeming
indifference to her problems.
seemingly adv. apparently, evidently, ostensibly, outwardly,
superficially, falsely, allegedly, speciously, purportedly,
professedly, on the face of it, possibly, feasibly, conceivably,
plausibly, believably: The purpose of this seemingly honest
confession was to throw the detectives off the scent.
seemly adj. 1 proper, fitting, appropriate, becoming, suited,
suitable, fit, befitting, apt, comme il faut, right, apropos,
apposite, characteristic, meet, reasonable, sensible: You can
count on Felix to do the seemly thing in such cases. 2 decent,
decorous, proper, dignified, genteel, gentlemanly, ladylike,
diplomatic, discreet, prudent, politic: She behaved in a seemly
manner, in keeping with what was expected of a princess.
seer n. soothsayer, fortune-teller, sibyl, oracle, prophet,
prophetess, augur, vaticinator, prophesier, clairvoyant,
psychic, crystal-gazer, star-gazer: The seer foretold a grave
famine and much suffering in the land.
see-saw n. 1 teeter: The children were playing on the see-saw.
--v. 2 teeter, totter, waver, vary, vacillate, oscillate,
alternate, fluctuate, swing, switch: He couldn't make up his
mind and kept see-sawing between staying and going.
seethe v. 1 boil, stew, simmer, foam: In the kitchen, a large pot of
stew seethed on the stove. 2 stew, simmer, foam (at the mouth),
fume, smoulder, burn, rage, rant, rave, become livid or
feverish, be in ferment, be furious or incensed, Colloq blow
one's stack or top, carry on, take on, get hot under the collar,
get red in the face, get all steamed up: The ball sailed
through Mr Griffiths' new greenhouse and he came out seething
with rage.
see-through
adj. sheer, diaphanous, gauzy, transparent, translucent,
gossamer, filmy, peekaboo: She was wearing a see-through
neglig‚e when she appeared at the door.
segment n. 1 section, part, division, portion, component, element;
piece, fraction, fragment, length, joint, slice, wedge: Only a
narrow segment of the population supports the new measures. She
divided the orange into three equal segments.
--v. 2 divide, partition, section, separate, part, cleave,
split, subdivide, fragment: The department was then further
segmented into smaller units, each with its own manager.
segregate v. separate, segment, partition, isolate, seclude, sequester,
set apart, compartmentalize, exclude, ostracize, discriminate
against: In the sorting process, each size must be segregated
into its own compartment. Their policy was to segregate the
Blacks from the rest of the population.
segregation
n. separation, segmentation, partition, isolation, seclusion,
sequestration, setting apart, compartmentalization, exclusion,
ostracism, discrimination, apartheid, US Jim Crowism: No modern
culture can long survive a segregation of the races.
seize v. 1 Sometimes, seize on. grab, grasp, clutch, take (hold of),
grip, snatch: Robin felt that he had to seize every opportunity
that presented itself. The dog seized the robber by the seat of
the pants. 2 capture, catch, arrest, take into custody, take
prisoner, apprehend, round up, Colloq pinch, nab, collar, pick
up, Brit nick, Slang bust: The police seized him as he was
trying to leave the country. 3 catch, transfix, stop, hold,
possess, take possession of, afflict, beset, visit, subject: I
was seized by a sudden desire to kiss those quivering, pouting
lips. 4 take advantage of, make good use of: When their
attention was diverted, I seized the opportunity to escape. 5
confiscate, take (away), commandeer, appropriate, capture, take
possession of, impound: Ten tons of cannabis was seized in the
raid. 6 seize up, bind, jam, stop, lock (up), stick, freeze
(up): Because of the excessive heat, the gears seized and the
engine stalled.
seizure n. 1 seizing, confiscating, confiscation, appropriation,
impounding, commandeering, capture, taking, possession,
annexation, sequestration, usurpation: Police today announced
the seizure of a shipment of 2000 pounds of cocaine. 2 spasm,
attack, fit, paroxysm, convulsion, Technical ictus: He has had
another seizure and is not expected to live.
seldom adv. rarely, infrequently, not often, hardly ever, very
occasionally: Since they moved away, we seldom see the
Pattersons.
select v. 1 choose, pick, show (a) preference for, prefer, opt for,
single out, hand-pick, distinguish: Select any two books from
this pile. Anne was delighted to be selected from hundreds of
candidates.
--adj. 2 selected, chosen, hand-picked, choice, special,
preferred, preferable, favoured, favourite, exceptional,
excellent, first-rate, first-class, superior, supreme, prime,
better, best, finest, tiptop: We have set aside some of our
select jewels for you to consider, Your Ladyship. 3 limited,
restricted, restrictive, exclusive, privileged, ‚lite, closed:
He belongs to one of those select clubs that accept you only if
your family can be traced back five hundred years.
selection n. 1 choice, pick, preference, option: Please make your
selection from the merchandise in this display. 2 assortment,
variety, collection, range, batch, number, set, series, group:
Tonight I shall play for you a selection of jazz recordings made
at the Savoy. 3 selecting, choosing, picking, singling out,
electing, settling on, voting for, opting for, choice, pick,
election: Selection has been delayed till tomorrow. 4 extract,
quotation, excerpt, abstract, passage, piece, quote: I shall
read you a selection from Blake's Songs of Innocence and
Experience .
selective adj. particular, discerning, discriminative, discriminating,
discriminatory, eclectic, exacting, demanding, choosy, Colloq
picky: Thea has been very selective in her choice of partners.
self-abuse
n. masturbation, onanism, self-gratification, auto-eroticism or
autoerotism, self-stimulation, self-manipulation,
self-pollution, self-defilement, self-contamination, Technical
manustupration: Victorian schoolboys were punished if suspected
of self-abuse.
self-confidence
n. confidence, self-assurance, self-respect, self-esteem,
assurance, poise, aplomb, self-reliance, self-sufficiency:
Harrigan has demonstrated that he has the self-confidence to run
the department.
self-confident
adj. confident, self-assured, assured, poised, self-reliant,
secure, sure of oneself, positive, definite, assertive,
independent: She seems much more self-confident, relaxed, and
contented these days.
self-conscious
adj. embarrassed, coy, diffident, shy, modest, self-effacing,
sheepish, shrinking, retiring, unsure, apprehensive, reserved,
insecure, affected, awkward, nervous, uncomfortable, hesitant,
timid, timorous: Phil felt a bit self-conscious about asking
Maria to the dance.
self-contained
adj. 1 self-possessed, unemotional, self-controlled, in
control, composed, serene, peaceful, calm, tranquil, cool,
collected, even-tempered, detached, imperturbable, unruffled,
undisturbed, unperturbed, controlled, placid, grave, serious,
sober, solemn, Colloq unflappable: Sometimes I think Frank is a
little too self-contained. 2 reserved, controlled, distant,
aloof, formal, withdrawn, reticent, standoffish: Gregory is so
self-contained that he did not tell anyone that he was ill, not
even his wife. 3 whole, entire, complete, stand-alone, unitary:
The house has been divided into five self-contained apartments.
self-control
n. 1 self-discipline, self-restraint, restraint, self-denial,
control, will-power, strength (of character or of mind or of
will), mettle, fortitude, moral fibre, determination,
self-possession, resoluteness, resolve, will, constancy,
steadfastness, perseverance, doggedness, obduracy, persistence,
Facetious US won't-power: Can I exercise the self-control
needed to stop smoking? 2 calmness, tranquillity, serenity,
placidity, imperturbability, cool-headedness, coolness, poise,
level-headedness, patience, aplomb, dignity, equanimity,
forbearance, control, restraint, self-restraint, even temper:
You exhibited marvellous self-control by not losing your temper
when you were insulted.
self-denial
n. 1 self-sacrifice,self-abnegation, renunciation,
selflessness, altruism, unselfishness, magnanimity: His
contributions must have been made at the cost of some
self-denial. 2 hardship, suffering, self-mortification,
asceticism, privation, renunciation, renouncing, abstemiousness,
abstinence, abstention, self-deprivation, keeping away from,
refusal, refusing, giving up, desisting, Colloq swearing off:
As far as certain foods are concerned, a little self-denial is
good for one's health. 3 See self-control, 1, above.
self-esteem
n. 1 conceit, vanity, egoism, narcissism, self-centredness,
egotism, amour propre, self-approbation, self-satisfaction,
self-admiration, self-love, self-adulation, self-idolatry,
smugness, self-importance, self-regard: The arrogant,
overweening self-esteem of some of the club members is
unbearable. 2 See self-confidence, above.
self-evident
adj. evident, obvious, patent, clear, incontrovertible,
definite, express, distinct, clear-cut, apparent, unmistakable
or unmistakeable, undeniable, inescapable, incontestable, plain,
axiomatic, proverbial, manifest, true, palpable, tangible: Her
guilt seemed self-evident at first. The gradual destruction of
the beaches is self-evident.
self-government
n. 1 self-rule, independence, self-determination, home rule,
autonomy, freedom: The satellite countries, one by one, voted
for self-government. 2 See self-control, 1 above.
self-important
adj. conceited, self-centred, self-seeking, self-absorbed,
vain, egotistic(al), self-satisfied, smug, pompous,
swollen-headed, swell-headed, arrogant, overweening,
overbearing, vainglorious, self-glorifying, self-engrossed,
presumptuous, snobbish, haughty, Colloq snooty, Slang snotty,
stuck-up: That self-important little cockalorum ought to be
taken down a few pegs.
self-indulgent
adj. self-gratifying, selfish, self-gratifying, extravagant,
sensual, intemperate, overindulgent, greedy, immoderate,
hedonistic, sybaritic, epicurean, gluttonous, gormandizing,
pleasure-bound, pleasure-seeking, dissolute, dissipating,
licentious, profligate, debauching: David's self-indulgent
habits take no account of his wife and children.
selfish adj. 1 greedy, covetous, grasping, avaricious, self-indulgent,
self-aggrandizing, acquisitive, self-seeking, self-loving,
self-centred, self-absorbed, self-interested, self-serving,
egotistic(al), egoistic(al): They pursue success for their own
selfish ends. 2 stingy, mean, mercenary, tight, tight-fisted,
narrow, penurious, parsimonious, miserly, niggardly,
penny-pinching, cheese-paring, ungenerous, illiberal, grudging,
uncharitable, possessive, inconsiderate, thoughtless: He is so
selfish that he won't even give you the right time.
selfless adj. open, charitable, unselfish, self-denying, generous,
altruistic, ungrudging, magnanimous, considerate, thoughtful;
self-sacrificing: Always ready to help anyone with a need,
Archer is the most selfless man I know.
self-made adj. independent, self-reliant, entrepreneurial,
self-sufficient: She is a self-made woman and has accomplished
it all without anyone else's help.
self-possessed
adj. composed, cool, serene, placid, collected, self-assured,
peaceful, calm, tranquil, even-tempered, detached,
imperturbable, unruffled, undisturbed, unperturbed, controlled,
dignified, refined, Colloq unflappable: Considering what she
has been through, Tanya is quite self-possessed for a teenager.
self-respect
n. honour, dignity, integrity, self-regard, self-esteem, pride,
amour propre, morale: He managed to maintain a semblance of his
self-respect despite the accusations hurled at him.
self-righteous
adj. Pharisaic(al), sanctimonious, holier-than-thou, pietistic,
mealy-mouthed, hypocritical, complacent, smug, self-satisfied,
priggish, superior, tartuffian, canting, Colloq goody-goody,
Slang Brit pi: Butter would not melt in the mouth of that
self-righteous hypocrite!
self-styled
adj. would-be, self-called, soi-disant, professed,
self-appointed, self-christened, so-called, quasi-: The
building has been designed by a firm of self-styled
'neo-traditionalist' architects.
self-sufficient
adj. independent, self-reliant, self-supporting,
self-sustaining: Agriculture will soon reach the point where
the country is self-sufficient for food.
self-willed
adj. headstrong, determined, forceful, refractory, stubborn,
obstinate, pigheaded, wilful, ungovernable, uncontrollable,
unruly, unmanageable, intractable, contrary, perverse,
uncooperative, contumacious, recalcitrant, stiff-necked,
vexatious, difficult, incorrigible, disobedient: That
self-willed, overindulged little brat needs a good spanking.
sell v. 1 vend, transfer, convey (title), trade, barter, exchange,
dispose of: Sorry, but I sold that car last week. 2 market,
deal in, merchandise, trade in, traffic in, peddle, vend, hawk,
handle, retail, carry, stock, furnish, supply, offer, Colloq
push, Slang Brit flog: We no longer sell that model. She has a
shop selling second-hand clothes. 3 Often, sell out. betray,
inform against, deliver up, give away, Slang rat on, grass on,
tell on, tattle on, sell down the river, blow the whistle on,
double-cross, Brit shop: He swore he'd get the man who sold
him. 4 promote, push, put across or over: He couldn't sell
sand to a beach flea. 5 be sold on. persuaded,convinced, won
over: After seeing that film, I was sold on a holiday in
Mexico.
seller n. dealer, vendor, merchant, retailer, shopkeeper, salesperson,
salesman, saleswoman, saleslady, sales agent, representative,
traveller, travelling salesman, peddler, hawker, colporteur,
sutler, chandler, Old-fashioned counter-jumper, Brit shop
assistant, -monger (as in costermonger, ironmonger, fishmonger,
etc.), US and Canadian sales-clerk, clerk, shop-girl, Colloq
rep, US drummer: Time ran out on his job as a seller of
water-clocks and hourglasses.
semblance n. 1 appearance, image, likeness, resemblance, form, figure,
bearing, aspect, air, look, mien, exterior, mask, fa‡ade, front,
face, show, veneer: Beneath that semblance of tranquillity lies
a turbulent, tortured mind. 2 guise, face, front, fa‡ade, air,
show, veneer, look, pretence, show, cloak, simulation,
impression, affectation, Rare superficies: You might try to
give the sculpture at least a semblance of reality.
seminal adj. 1 original, basic, creative, primary, prime, formative,
innovative, imaginative, new, unprecedented, precedent-setting,
landmark, benchmark, important, influential, telling:
Michaelson's paper is considered the seminal work on the
subject. It sets forth many seminal ideas. 2 embryonic,
germinal, potential, undeveloped, incipient: Each seed contains
a seminal plant.
seminary n. academy, school, institute, institution, college,
university, training ground: His three daughters had all
attended an exclusive seminary on the East Coast.
send v. 1 Sometimes, send off. dispatch or despatch, commission,
charge, depute, delegate, assign: The pope sent an emissary to
London. 2 communicate, transmit, convey, deliver, consign,
address to, mail, post, fax, remit, ship, forward; broadcast,
telecast, televise, radio, telegraph: The message is being sent
to all concerned. 3 release, discharge, shoot, propel, fire,
fling, project, hurl; cast, throw, toss, let fly: With a great
burst of flame the satellite was sent into orbit. 4 delight,
please, charm, enrapture, stir, thrill, move, electrify, Slang
turn (someone) on: That saxophone solo really sends me. 5 send
down. imprison, incarcerate, send away, jail or Brit also gaol
Slang US send up (the river): If she doesn't mend her ways,
she'll be sent down. 6 send for. call for, summon, order,
request, ask for: I have sent for a taxi which should be here
shortly. 7 send forth or out. emit, radiate, discharge, give
off, exude, grow: The object sent forth a strange
phosphorescent glow. In the spring, the vine sends forth
tendrils. 8 send off. send (someone) away, send (someone) away
or off with a flea in his or her ear, dismiss, discharge, send
(someone) packing, send (someone) about his or her business,
Colloq give (someone) his or her walking papers, Slang give
(someone) the brushoff, US give (someone) the brush: I went to
the office as you instructed, but they just sent me off with no
explanation. 9 send up. a lampoon, satirize, burlesque, parody,
make fun of, Colloq take off, spoof, Brit take the mickey out
of: In Britain one of the enduring forms of humour is in
sending up the government. b imprison, incarcerate, send away,
jail or Brit also gaol, Slang US send up the river: He was sent
up for insider trading.
senile adj. (of a woman) anile; senescent, decrepit, declining,
failing, in one's dotage, doting, doddering, in one's second
childhood, dotty, simple, feeble-minded; forgetful, Colloq past
it: He's senile and needs constant care.
senility n. (of a woman) anility; senile dementia, Alzheimer's disease,
senescence, decrepitude, decline, dotage, second childhood, loss
of one's faculties: An increased life-span has created
increased cases of senility.
senior adj. elder, older, Brit (postpositive) major; (higher-)
ranking, superior, chief: The senior members of the club are
impossibly stuffy. You must not address your senior officer in
such a manner.
senior citizen
n. elderly person, retired person, pensioner, Brit OAP
(='old-age pensioner'), grey panther, Chiefly US retiree,
golden-ager: Special tax provisions have been made for senior
citizens.
sensation n. 1 feeling, sense, impression, perception, foreboding,
presentiment, prescience, awareness, suspicion, Colloq sneaking
suspicion, funny feeling, hunch: I had the distinct sensation
of having been there before. 2 commotion, stir, thrill, furore
or US furor; excitement: The news of the wedding caused a
sensation. 3 hit, coup de th‚ѓtre, success, Colloq
show-stopper, crowd-puller, crowd-pleaser: Edith Piaf was a
sensation at Le Th‚ѓtre de la Verdure in Nice.
sensational
adj. 1 exciting, stimulating, electrifying, galvanizing,
shocking, hair-raising, spine-tingling, thrilling, stirring,
breathtaking, amazing, astonishing, astounding, staggering,
mind-boggling, unbelievable, incredible, spectacular, Slang
mind-blowing: They certainly put on a sensational show - the
best I have ever seen. 2 lurid, vivid, overdone, overdrawn,
extreme, melodramatic, exaggerated, dramatic, extravagant: The
weekly I worked for insisted that each issue's first page carry
a sensational story - whether it was true or not. 3 (very) good,
great, marvellous, wonderful, superior, superb, matchless,
peerless, unequalled, nonpareil, extraordinary, terrific,
phenomenal, splendid, fabulous, fantastic, stupendous, Colloq
super, smashing, Slang far-out: Suzanne Peters's performance
was sensational in Carmen .
sense n. 1 faculty: It's not always easy to tell if Brown's senses
are all functioning. 2 common sense, intelligence, perception,
quick-wittedness, quickness, (mother) wit, judgement, reason,
wisdom, sagacity, discrimination, discernment; sanity, Colloq
brains, Slang Brit nous: Fancy doing something like that! - she
hasn't the sense she was born with! 3 See sensation, 1, above.
4 meaning, intelligibility, coherence, head or tail, drift,
gist, import, purport, nuance, significance, message, substance:
I was unable to get any sense out of what she was saying. Yes, I
wasn't able to make sense out of it either. 5 sentiment,
atmosphere, impression, intuition, sensation: I had a sense of
being de trop - that I was not wanted.
--v. 6 feel, perceive, detect, divine, intuit, have a hunch or
feeling, have or get or be under the impression that, suspect,
Colloq have a funny feeling that, feel (something) in one's
bones, pick up: I sensed a certain antagonism in that last
remark. I sensed that he was getting bored with me.
senseless adj. 1 insensible, unconscious, (knocked) out (cold), stunned,
insensate, comatose: Agatha's head hit the fire-grate and she
was borne senseless to her room. 2 numb(ed), insensate,
unfeeling, benumbed, unfeeling, insensible, anaesthetized, dead,
deadened, insentient: My feet are senseless from the cold. 3
pointless, purposeless, ridiculous, ludicrous, unintelligent,
illogical, irrational, incongruous, meaningless, absurd, wild,
mad, crazy, demented, insane, asinine, nonsensical, imbecilic or
imbecile, idiotic, moronic, simple-minded, fatuous, stupid,
foolish, silly, dizzy, halfwitted, mindless, brainless, witless,
empty-headed, thimble-witted, pea-brained, bird-brained,
hare-brained, feather-headed, rattle-brained, addle-pated,
muddle-headed, Colloq daft, US daffy, nutty, batty, Slang wacky,
dippy: Many of the government's objections to the plan are just
senseless posturing. He is promoting some senseless plan for
double-decker motorways.
sensibility
n. 1 See sensitivity, 3, below. 2 Often, sensibilities.
feelings, responsiveness, responsivity, emotions, sentiments:
Personal events are more likely to affect our sensibilities than
major disasters in which we are not involved.
sensible adj. 1 reasonable, realistic, logical, common-sense,
commonsensical, rational, reasoned, sound, practical, prudent,
judicious, discreet, intelligent, sage, wise, sane;
down-to-earth, matter-of-fact, well-thought-out: Do you really
think it sensible to go out in this storm? Andrew has a very
sensible way of dealing with junk mail - he returns it to
sender. 2 perceivable, perceptible, detectable, evident,
discernible, recognizable, ascertainable, apprehensible,
cognizable, manifest, palpable, physical, tangible, corporeal,
substantive, material, visible, observable, seeable: Some
maintain that in addition to the sensible world there is another
world, an anti-world, that we do not normally encounter. 3
sentient, feeling, sensitive, live, conscious, aware: Who among
us ever regards microbes as sensible creatures? 4 Usually,
sensible of or to. conscious (of), aware (of), acquainted
(with), cognizant (of), sensitive (to), alive to, mindful (of),
understanding (of), in touch (with), observant (of), awake (to),
alert (to), Slang wise (to), hip or old-fashioned hep (to): The
people of the village are ever sensible to the needs of their
neighbours. There are some things to which we are not at all
sensible. 5 appreciable, significant, considerable, substantial,
substantive, noticeable: The theory is that an increased
interest rate will have a sensible effect on the rate of
inflation.
sensitive adj. 1 delicate, tender, sore, susceptible: My arm is still
sensitive where I got the injection. 2 touchy, susceptible,
susceptive, reactive, responsive, attuned, impressionable,
emotional, thin-skinned, vulnerable, supersensitive,
hypersensitive, testy, irascible, quarrelsome, irritable,
volatile, excitable, temperamental, petulant, hot-tempered,
quick-tempered: Liz is very sensitive on the subject of being
unmarried, and I shouldn't bring it up. 3 finely tuned,
delicate, responsive, subtle, acute, reactive, receptive: We
need a more sensitive test to detect neutrinos. This radio is
not sensitive enough to receive distant stations.
sensitivity
n. 1 sensitiveness, delicacy, touchiness, over-sensitivity,
hypersensitivity, supersensitivity; soreness, irritability: The
sensitivity of teenagers to criticism is well known to teachers
and parents. She complained of sensitivity and pain in the
pelvic region. 2 compassion, concern, sympathy, tenderness,
tender-heartedness, kind-heartedness, kindliness, warmth,
feeling: The nurses exhibit a genuine sensitivity for the
problems of the handicapped. 3 awareness, consciousness,
acuteness, perception, understanding, intuition, feeling, sense,
sensitivity, sensitiveness, receptivity or receptiveness,
receptibility, appreciation, appreciativeness, susceptibility,
susceptivity or susceptiveness: Harvey has a keen sensitivity
for the feelings of others. Sometimes I think the duke lacks the
sensitivity needed to sympathize with the needy.
sensual adj. physical, appetitive, voluptuous, carnal, bodily, fleshly,
erotic, sexual, lustful, unchaste, abandoned, dissolute,
profligate, dissipated, licentious, lewd, lascivious, lubricious
or lubricous, goatish, hircine, lecherous, libidinous,
salacious, prurient, rakish, wanton, debauched, Cyprian, loose,
dirty, Slang randy: Cranston pursued his sensual pleasures with
no regard for morality.
sensualist
n. lecher, profligate, wanton, debauchee, rou‚, rake, Romeo,
Don Juan, Casanova, Lothario, libertine; voluptuary, hedonist,
sybarite, bon viveur, bon vivant, epicure, epicurean, gourmet,
gourmand, gastronome, pleasure-seeker: The main character in
the film is a self-seeking sensualist who betrays every woman in
his life.
sensuous adj. sensory, sybaritic, epicurean, hedonist(ic), sumptuous,
luxurious, rich: She felt sensuous delight in the scents and
sounds of the island.
sentence n. judgement, decision, ruling, verdict, decree, determination;
punishment, Slang rap: It is up to the judge to announce the
sentence of the court. Asked by his teacher for an example of a
short sentence, Johnny replied, 'Thirty days'.
sentiment n. 1 attitude, feeling, sensibility, emotion, susceptibility,
tenderness, tender-heartedness, sentimentality, sentimentalism:
He wanted to preserve the old village square more out of
sentiment than because it was historically important. 2 Often,
sentiments. view, outlook, opinion, position, attitude,
judgement, thought, belief, feeling, emotion: His sentiments
regarding apartheid are better left unexpressed.
sentimental
adj. 1 emotional, sympathetic, compassionate, tender,
warm-hearted, tender-hearted: Has he returned for sentimental
reasons or for practical and mercenary ones? 2 romantic,
nostalgic, emotional, maudlin, mawkish, over-emotional, tender,
tearful, weepy, sickening, nauseating, simpering, sweet,
saccharine, Colloq sloppy, gooey, sticky, tacky, mushy, slushy,
gushy, soppy, drippy, tear-jerking, ill-making, sick-making,
Slang corny, schmaltzy, icky, yucky or yukky: His last tune is
always some sentimental ballad like 'Good Night, Sweetheart'.
sentimentality
n. romanticism, nostalgia, pathos, emotionalism, maudlinism,
bathos, mawkishness, over-emotionalism, tenderness, tearfulness,
weepiness, sweetness, Colloq sloppiness, gooeyness, mushiness,
slushiness, gushiness, soppiness, drippiness, US stickiness,
tackiness, Slang corn, corniness, schmaltz, schmaltziness,
ickiness, yuckiness or yukkiness: The role of the bereaved
mother was overplayed with enough gushing sentimentality to make
one sick.
sentinel n. sentry, guard, watchman, watch, picket, lookout, patrol:
The sentinels measured out the ramparts of the fortress with
their regular paces.
separable adj. distinguishable, segregable, detachable, divisible,
severable, removable, fissile, scissile: Unfortunately, as
history demonstrates, morality and religion are separable.
separate v. 1 disjoin, pull or take or break apart, come or fall apart,
fall or take or break to pieces, split or divide or break (up),
split or break (off or away), disconnect, disengage, part,
partition, sort (out), uncouple, disarticulate, disassemble,
unhook, detach, disunite, unyoke, disentangle, unravel: In
order to clean it, I first have to separate all the individual
elements of the motor. The glue didn't hold, and the vase
separated into a dozen fragments. Separate this yarn into
different piles. 2 distinguish, discriminate, analyse, sort,
break down, classify, segregate, single out, sequester, type,
codify, organize, split up; group, collate: What criteria are
used to separate the men from the boys, the sheep from the
goats, or the wheat from the chaff? 3 split or break up, part
(company), divide (up), disband, divorce: After ten years we
separated, and each went our own way. 4 fork, split (up or
off), bifurcate, diverge, branch: Beyond the river, the road to
Norton separates from the main road.
--adj. 5 divided, separated, disjoined, disconnected, detached,
isolated, discrete, distinct, individual, independent, solitary,
different: Sort these books by subject into separate piles. 6
different, independent, unrelated, other: How you behave when
you are not at home is a separate matter. 7 withdrawn,
solitary, alone, shut or closed off or away, apart, detached,
removed, cloistered, secluded, sequestered, isolated, separated:
He prefers a separate existence, far away from the rest of the
world.
separately
adv. individually, independently, singly, one by one, one at a
time, personally, alone, severally: Each child approached
separately to wish her Bon Voyage.
separation
n. 1 rift, break, split, split-up, divorce, break-up, disunion,
estrangement: Their separation, after forty years, was a
surprise. 2 partition, division, split, schism, dividing line,
dissociation, disassociation, severance: The United States
constitution provides for the separation of church and state. 3
disintegration, shattering, break-up, fragmentation,
dismemberment, taking or keeping apart, segregation, division,
disjoining, disjunction, fission, scission, rupture, schism,
splitting, split, fracturing, fracture, break: After a crash,
investigators supervise the separation of the aeroplane into its
tens of thousands of component parts.
sepulchre n. tomb, mausoleum, burial-vault, grave, crypt, pyramid,
burial-place: Beneath the floor of the church are the
sepulchres of important people.
sequel n. follow-up, upshot, issue, result, consequence, development,
supplement: The ruling went against him, but there was a
curious sequel when he was suddenly offered an out-of-court
settlement. They are showing the film Jean de Florette ,
together with its sequel Manon des Sources .
sequence n. succession, progression, order, series, chain, string,
course, cycle, arrangement, organization, train, line, set, run,
concatenation, system: His description conflicts with the
sequence of events as recorded by the video camera. Some of
these dates are out of sequence.
sequential
adj. successive, ordered, orderly, serial, progressive,
organized, systematic, cyclic, continuous: Would you please put
these periodicals into sequential order?
seraphic adj. angelic, celestial, divine, heavenly, blissful, sublime,
empyrean, Elysian, ethereal, holy, saintly, godly: In her later
years, Anna's beauty took on a detached, seraphic quality.
serene adj. 1 peaceful, tranquil, calm, pacific, peaceable, restful,
halcyon, idyllic, bucolic, pastoral, undisturbed, unruffled,
imperturbable, unperturbed, untroubled, quiet, still: With the
turmoil of the love affair behind her, Sharon looked ahead to a
more serene life. 2 calm, cool, collected, placid, composed,
self-possessed, poised, unexcitable, even-tempered, temperate,
nonchalant, easygoing, cool-headed, easy, Colloq unflappable:
Beneath William's serene exterior lay a seething, churning
miasma of violent lust.
serenity n. 1 peacefulness, peace, tranquillity, calm, calmness,
restfulness, quiet, stillness: The serenity of the warm
summer's evening was shattered by an enormous explosion. 2
tranquillity, peacefulness, peaceableness, unexcitability,
calmness, calm, composure, self-possession, poise, aplomb,
even-temperedness, temperance, nonchalance, cool-headedness,
placidity, Colloq unflappability: The serenity of her nature
was like a safe harbour to the friends who sought comfort from
the turbulence of their lives.
serious adj. 1 grave, solemn, earnest, unsmiling, poker-faced,
straight-faced, sedate, sober, pensive, thoughtful; humourless,
sombre, grim, dour, severe: One should be wary of the person
who is always serious, who cannot see the ludicrous side of
life. 2 grave, important, vital, dangerous, weighty,
significant, momentous, crucial, consequential, life-and-death
or life-or-death, urgent, pressing; no laughing matter, of
consequence or moment or importance: Things like the greenhouse
effect and the hole in the ozone layer are serious concerns for
all mankind. 3 sincere, straightforward, not joking or fooling,
genuine, honest: Is he serious about wanting me to fetch him a
left-handed wrench? 4 acute, critical, life-threatening, bad,
dangerous, nasty, perilous, alarming, grave, severe, precarious:
His condition is serious and we might have to operate tonight.
She had no idea that measles could be such a serious illness.
seriously adv. 1 gravely, badly, severely, critically: Two men were
seriously injured in the explosion. 2 really, honestly, Scout's
honour, sincerely, truly, candidly, openly, Colloq joking or
kidding aside, no joking or kidding or fooling, cross one's
heart (and hope to die): Seriously, kids, I meant what I said
about going to bed on time, or no treats tomorrow at the beach.
3 soberly, earnestly, unquestioningly, without a doubt, at face
value: What teacher takes seriously that old story about a
grandmother's illness as an excuse for absence?
sermon n. 1 lecture, lesson, preaching, reprimand, reproach, reproof,
remonstration, remonstrance, scolding, harangue, Colloq
talking-to, dressing-down: Mother gave me a long sermon last
night about getting home late. 2 homily, address, exhortation,
lesson, lecture, speech, talk, discourse: We thought that
Father Keiller's sermon on vanity was especially appropriate.
serpentine
adj. 1 evil, bad, diabolical, satanic, Mephistophelian,
reptilian, devilish, wily, cunning, conniving, sneaky, shrewd,
artful, crafty, slick, sly, insidious, shifty, tricky, scheming,
plotting, Machiavellian: With serpentine deceit she swore that
she had returned the ring. 2 twisting, winding, tortuous,
snaking, snakelike, sinuous, anfractuous, roundabout,
meandering, ambagious, indirect, devious, crooked, labyrinthine,
vermicular, vermiculate, complex, complicated, Byzantine: The
amulet was traced through a serpentine trail of ownership back
to Xerxes.
serrated adj. sawlike, saw-shaped, sawtoothed, toothed, notched, zigzag,
jagged, serrate, serriform, serratiform, serrulate(d),
crenellated, crenulate, crenate, denticulate: A knife with a
serrated edge would cut the meat more easily.
serried adj. ranked, tiered, row on row, ranged, assembled, packed,
close, compacted, compact: The serried army of brightly clad
warriors stretched as far as the eye could see.
servant n. 1 domestic (servant), help, retainer; maid, maidservant,
parlour-maid, upstairs maid, lady's maid, cleaner, cleaning man,
cleaning woman, amah; housekeeper, chatelaine, major-domo,
factotum, steward, seneschal, butler, houseman, houseboy, boy,
page; valet, man, gentleman's gentleman, manservant,
serving-man, footman, foot-boy, chauffeur, driver, attendant,
groom; governess, au pair (girl), nurse, nursemaid, ayah; cook,
chef, waiter, waitress, stewardess, wine steward, sommelier (des
vins); menial, lackey, dogsbody, Archaic servitor, Historical
coachman, postilion, serving-woman, serving-girl, servant-girl,
serving-wench, scullery-maid, scullion, Literary cup-boy,
Ganymede, Chiefly Brit nanny, Brit boots, charwoman, charlady,
daily, tweeny, US scrubwoman: Who can afford to keep domestic
servants these days? 2 civil servant. civil-service employee or
worker, public servant, (government or State) official,
office-holder, government worker: In his capacity as a civil
servant, Richard has worked for several different governments.
serve v. 1 attend (to), wait on or upon, minister to, look after (the
needs of), be at (someone's) beck and call, assist, help, be of
assistance or help, be in the service of, oblige, accommodate,
gratify: After a patron is seated and settled, approach him and
ask, 'May I serve you, Sir (or Madam, as the case may be ) ?' We
serve all customers with equal consideration. 2 fulfil or carry
out or perform or discharge (a function or a duty or one's
duty), work (for), do (duty) (as or for), do one's part,
suffice, be used or of use or useful (to or for), function (as
or to), act (as or to), fill the bill, be serviceable (as or
for), be available (for), answer (for), be sufficient or
adequate or suitable, suit, be advantageous or of advantage
(to); fight (for), be obedient (to), take one's part: This
catch will serve to keep the door closed. I had no screw driver,
but a coin served just as well. They also serve who only stand
and wait. 3 distribute, deal out, dole out, give out, present,
set out, provide, supply, offer, pass out or about or around,
make available, come (a)round with, dish up or out: They will
serve hors-d'oeuvres at seven-thirty. Dinner is served, Madam. 4
be convenient or opportune or favourable (to): If the
opportunity serves me, I shall repay you many times over. 5 not
fail, not play tricks (on), work or function (for), be accurate
or correct: If memory serves, he was last here about ten years
ago. 6 go through, complete, spend, last, endure, survive:
Henryson served ten years in Dartmoor for that crime.
service n. 1 help, assistance, aid, use, usefulness, utility, benefit,
advantage: May I be of service to you? You could do me a great
service by not saying anything of this to my mother. 2
maintenance, overhaul, servicing, checking, repair, mending:
Must we send the copier out for service or can they do it in the
office? 3 serving, accommodation, amenities, waiting, care: The
food is good but the service leaves much to be desired. 4
employment, employ: How long have you been in my service,
Jones? 5 use, utilization, usage, handling: This old teapot
has seen much service. 6 assignment, post, appointment,
Military Brit secondment: Oscar was on service in the Far East
during the war. 7 rite, ceremony, ritual, worship: I shall be
attending a memorial service for Grimes on Saturday. 8 Often,
services. army, navy, air force, marines; armed forces or
services, military: He was a pianist before joining the
service. 9 Often, services. talents, help, professional care,
work, advice: You will need the services of a good accountant.
10 serve, serving; putting into play: Clarke's tennis service
is faster and more accurate than before.
serviceable
adj. 1 workable, working, functional, functioning, usable,
useful, operative, operating: It seems unlikely that the old
tractor will still be serviceable. 2 hard-wearing,
long-wearing, durable, utilitarian, long-lasting, tough,
wear-resistant: I need to buy a serviceable pair of hiking
boots.
servile adj. submissive, subservient, menial, craven, acquiescent,
abject, cringing, slavish, mean, fawning, deferential,
mean-spirited, vile, low, base, ingratiating, grovelling,
obsequious, toadying, toadyish, sycophantish, sycophantic,
truckling, wheedling, unctuous, slimy, flattering, time-serving,
boot-licking, Colloq chiefly Brit smarmy, US and Canadian
apple-polishing, Slang Brit arse-kissing, US ass-kissing, Taboo
slang brown-nosing, Brit arse-licking, US ass-licking: Victor
is constantly trying to gain favour with the directors in the
most servile way.
servility n. submissiveness, submission, subservience, servileness,
acquiescence, abjectness, abjection, cringing, slavishness,
meanness, fawning, mean-spiritedness, vileness, baseness,
grovelling, obsequiousness, obsequence, toadying, toadyism,
sycophancy, sycophantism, truckling, wheedling, unctuousness,
sliminess, flattery, boot-licking, Colloq chiefly Brit
smarminess, US and Canadian apple-polishing, Slang Brit
arse-kissing, US ass-kissing, Taboo slang brown-nosing, Brit
arse-licking, US ass-licking: We are sick of the servility with
which Victor treats the directors.
servitude n. bondage, slavery, thraldom, serfdom, subjugation,
enslavement, subjection, vassalage: They were sentenced to ten
years' penal servitude.
session n. 1 sitting, seating, assembly, conference, meeting, hearing:
Parliament is in session at this very moment. 2 term, period:
The bill will be introduced again at the next session of
Parliament.
set v. 1 set down, place, put, situate, locate, site, plant,
position, station, stand, lay, install or instal, lodge, mount,
park, deposit, plump, drop, plunk or plonk (down): Please set
that blue box over here. 2 go down, sink, decline, subside:
The sun is setting. 3 jell or gel, congeal, freeze, solidify,
stiffen, harden, clot, coagulate, thicken, cake: The concrete
takes a long time to set in this weather. 4 establish, fix,
fasten on, appoint: The date of the wedding has been set for
May 23rd. 5 focus on, home or zero in on, pinpoint, pin down:
When Ivor sets his mind on doing something, it usually gets
done. 6 adjust, regulate, turn, synchronize, fix, calibrate,
coordinate: Set your watches to Greenwich Mean Time. Set the
counter back to zero. 7 present, introduce, establish,
determine, stipulate, lay down, define, indicate, designate,
specify; set or mark off, delineate: Who set the pattern for
such behaviour? You'll have to set the rules. 8 prepare, set up,
concoct, lay, arrange, fix: I think we ought to set a trap for
the burglar. 9 set forth, propound, present, devise, work out
or up, make up, select, choose, decide, settle, establish: Who
is going to set the questions for the examination? 10 arrange,
lay, spread: If you set the table, I'll serve dinner. 11
adjust, move, tilt, fix, place, position, lodge: He set his hat
at a jaunty angle and strode out of the restaurant. 12 set
about. a get or make ready, start, begin, get to work, set in
motion, get under way, start the ball rolling, break the ice,
undertake, launch, tackle, address oneself to, enter upon,
Colloq get cracking: It's time you set about deciding what you
want to do for a living. b attack, assail, assault, beat up:
The gang set about him with clubs. 13 set against. a compare,
evaluate, rate, balance, weigh, juxtapose, contrast: If you set
his assets against his liabilities, he comes off pretty well. b
antagonize, set at odds, alienate, divide, disunite: They
succeeded in setting brother against brother. 14 set apart. a
distinguish, separate, differentiate: His talent for language
sets him apart from the others. b reserve, put or set aside,
store, earmark, put away, lay away, set by, save, keep back: I
set apart this piece of chocolate just for you. 15 set aside.
a See 14 (b), above. b annul, cancel, nullify, declare or
render null and void, reverse, repudiate, abrogate, quash,
overturn, overrule, discard: The judge set aside the ruling of
the lower court. 16 set back. put back, hinder, slow, hold up,
retard, delay, impede, obstruct, stay, thwart, frustrate,
inhibit: Completion has been set back because the materials
failed to arrive. 17 set down. a write (down), put in writing,
put down, record, register, mark or jot down, list: The
secretary laboriously set down every word the official said. b
ascribe, assign, attribute, impute, charge: She set down her
failure to win promotion to prejudice on the part of management.
c put down, land: See if you can set the plane down in that
field over there. 18 set forth. a express, voice, propose,
propound, state, offer, submit, suggest, broach, make a motion,
move: Hugo set forth various proposals for the expansion of the
company. b set out or off, put forth or out, begin, start
(out), get under way, go, embark, sally forth, push off, depart,
leave: After much hemming and hawing, Clive finally set forth
on his big adventure. c set out, present, declare, describe,
propose, state, articulate, enunciate: Hermione's theory is set
forth in a lengthy report. 19 set in. begin, become
established, arrive, come: Winter has set in quite early this
year. 20 set off. a ignite, kindle, detonate, light, touch
off, trigger, trip: That little spark set off an explosion that
destroyed the entire plant. b dramatize, enhance, highlight,
throw into relief, show (off), display: The engraving is
beautifully set off by the new mat and frame. c See 18 (b),
above. 21 set on. set upon, attack, assault, pounce on or upon,
fall on or upon, fly at: You were set on by a pack of dogs in
the park? 22 set out. a See 17 (b) and (c), above. b put out,
lay out, arrange, dispose, display: The stallholders are all
setting out their wares for the jewellery fair this morning. 23
set up. a build, put up, erect, assemble, construct, raise,
elevate, put together, arrange, prepare: They are setting up
the Christmas displays over the weekend. b start, begin,
initiate, organize, establish, found; finance, fund, invest in,
back, subsidize: The Crockers are setting up their third shop
in Halsted. His father set him up in business. 24 set upon.
attack, assault, ambush, beat up, fall upon, set about Colloq
mug: The gang set upon him as he was getting home from work.
--n. 25 collection, group, combination, number, grouping,
assortment, selection, arrangement, series: Brackenhall bought
a set of Hogarth etchings from the gallery. 26 clique, coterie,
group, company, circle, ring, crowd, faction, sect, gang: The
set she associates with think nothing of flying to Rio for the
weekend. 27 kit, outfit, rig; equipment, apparatus: When I was
ten, my father bought me a chemistry set. 28 setting, stage set
or setting, scene, mise en scЉne, mounting, scenery: Hunter's
set for Waiting for Godot won a prize.
--adj. 29 fixed, established, determined, predetermined,
arranged, prearranged, decided, customary, usual, normal,
regular, agreed, conventional, habitual, definite, defined,
firm, unvarying, unvaried, unchanging, wonted, rigid, strict,
settled, scheduled: There is a set order in which these things
are done. 30 stereotyped, trite, hackneyed, routine, standard,
traditional, unchanged, unvaried, invariable: He made his set
welcoming speech, as usual dripping with condescension, to the
incoming classes. 31 prepared, ready, fit, primed: Are you all
set to go?
set-back n. hindrance, hitch, check, reverse, reversal, impediment,
block, obstruction, defeat, hold-up, delay, check, rebuff,
upset; relapse; Colloq hiccup: The reduction in arts funding
has resulted in some severe set-backs in certain programmes.
Derek has suffered a set-back and will remain in hospital for a
while.
setting n. mounting, scenery, background, backdrop, locale, location,
surroundings, habitat, home, environs, environment, milieu,
frame, context, site, placement; stage set or setting, mise en
scЉne, scene: It is quite interesting to see how the animals
live in their natural setting. The setting of Hardy's novels is
in the West Country.
settle v. 1 arrange, order, dispose, organize, straighten out, put in
or into order, compose, sort out, classify, coordinate, resolve,
set to rights, reconcile: Ben settled his affairs before
undergoing surgery. 2 Often, settle on or upon. fix (on),
decide (on), establish, appoint, set, confirm, affirm, conclude,
make sure or certain (of), determine, agree (upon or on), pick,
choose, select: Have you been able to settle on a suitable time
to visit Max and Maddy? 3 decide, reconcile, resolve, put an end
to, conclude, clear up, patch up, adjust, negotiate, mediate:
We have settled our differences. 4 Often, settle down. take up
residence, go or come or move to, dwell, reside, make one's
home, abide, remain, stay, live, set up home or house,put down
roots, locate, inhabit, US set up housekeeping, locate: They
have decided to settle in Australia after George retires. 5
Sometimes, settle down. light, alight, land, come down, put
down, set down, (come to) rest or (roost), descend, perch: The
butterfly settled on the tip of Alice's nose. 6 populate,
people, colonize, pioneer: That part of the country wasn't
settled till late in the 19th century. 7 Usually, settle down.
calm down, subside, quiet down, be or become tranquil, Chiefly
Brit quieten (down): The class settled down and we began the
lesson. I must settle down and get back to work. 8 calm, quiet,
soothe, tranquillize, relax, Chiefly Brit quieten: He drank
some camomile tea to settle his nerves. 9 subside, sink,
decline, fall: A great crack appeared in the wall when the
house settled a bit. 10 Often, settle up. pay, square, dispose
of, clear, balance, liquidate, discharge: If you settle the
bill, we can leave. 11 Often, settle out. gravitate, sink,
fall, precipitate (out): Stop shaking the container and let the
sand settle to the bottom. 12 clarify, clear: After about an
hour, the particles will start to settle.
settlement
n. 1 colony, outpost, post, camp, community, encampment,
village, hamlet: The first colonists established a small
settlement on the bank of the river. 2 colonization, settling,
populating, settling: The settlement of the valley was mainly
by Scandinavians. 3 agreement, rapprochement, resolution,
adjustment, elimination, reconciliation, working-out,
accommodation, arbitration, arrangement: Settlement of the
dispute was supervised by a union representative. 4 payment,
defrayal, discharge, liquidation, satisfaction, settling,
quittance, clearing, clearance: The settlement of our debts is
of paramount importance. 5 deciding, settling, setting,
decision, conclusion, confirmation, affirmation, establishment,
stabilization, determination, agreement, choice, selection: The
only thing on his mind was the settlement of their holiday
destination - should it be France or Thailand?
settler n. colonist, frontiersman, frontierswoman, pioneer, immigrant:
The early settlers cleared the land for farming.
set-up n. 1 arrangement, system, organization, layout, regime,
structure, make-up, composition, framework, frame, construction;
conditions, circumstances: This set-up of interlocking
directorships makes it difficult to see who answers to whom and
who owns what. What, exactly, is the set-up between you and
Eustace? 2 prearrangement, trap, Slang put-up job: As soon as I
saw the police car, I knew we had walked into a set-up.
sever v. 1 cut off or apart or in two, lop or chop or hew or hack
off, slice or shear off, cleave, dock, bob, dissever, split,
separate, divide, disjoin, detach, disconnect: The animal's
foot was severed by the trap. 2 separate, disunite, dissolve,
break off or up, terminate, end, cease, stop, discontinue,
suspend, abandon, put an end to: The final divorce decree
severed us from one another once and for all.
several adj. 1 some, a few, not too or very many, a handful or a
sprinkling or a number of: Several people asked for you at the
party last night. 2 various, sundry, a variety of, diverse,
divers, different, respective, individual, distinct, disparate,
particular, certain, specific, discrete, dissimilar: There are
several stages one must go through before reaching the end.
severe adj. 1 strict, harsh, rigorous, austere, hard, stony,
stony-hearted, hard-hearted, flinty, inexorable, iron-handed,
oppressive, unbending, rigid, uncompromising, relentless,
unyielding, obdurate, pitiless, punitive, merciless,
unsympathetic, unfeeling, cruel, brutal, mean, savage, inhuman,
beastly, ruthless, despotic, dictatorial, tyrannical,
autocratic, demanding, exacting, painstaking, fastidious,
exigent, taxing: Nicholas Nickleby was subjected to extremely
severe treatment at Dotheboys Hall. Mr Bradshaw was a severe
taskmaster. 2 stern, forbidding, dour, glowering, grave, grim,
stiff, strait-laced, serious, unsmiling, sober, cold, frigid,
aloof, austere: If he so much as dropped a spoon the master
would give Nicholas a severe look. 3 dangerous, critical,
dreadful, awful, life-threatening, acute, dire; mortal, fatal,
terminal: She has had a severe attack of the flu. 4 stringent,
punitive, harsh, punishing, burdensome, tough, onerous,
grievous, painful, Draconian or Draconic: There are severe
penalties for breaking the parking laws in this city. 5 harsh,
bitter, cold, inclement, keen, violent, stormy, intense,
turbulent, fierce, wicked: Granny couldn't live through another
severe winter at Fort William. 6 stark, bare, plain, austere,
Spartan, ascetic, primitive, simple, sparse, spare, monastic,
modest, unadorned, unembellished, crude, undecorated,
unembroidered: The severe d‚cor in the servants' quarters gave
the appearance of a prison.
severely adv. 1 acutely, seriously, badly, dangerously, dreadfully;
permanently, fully, entirely: The accident left him severely
handicapped. 2 strictly, harshly, rigorously, austerely,
oppressively, relentlessly, mercilessly, cruelly, brutally,
savagely, inhumanly, tyrannically: The boys were severely
maltreated at the school. 3 sternly, forbiddingly, dourly,
gloweringly, gravely, seriously, grimly, unsmilingly, soberly,
coldly, coolly, austerely: Mrs Gladwin regarded me severely
over the top of her pince-nez. 4 stringently, punitively,
harshly, onerously, grievously, painfully: One is punished
severely for the slightest infraction of the law. 5
dangerously, acutely, critically, dreadfully, awfully; mortally,
fatally, terminally: I am afraid to say that your mother is
severely ill. 6 starkly, plainly, barely, modestly, austerely,
ascetically, monastically, primitively, simply, crudely,
sparsely, sparely: The room is furnished a bit severely for my
taste.
severity n. 1 strictness, harshness, rigour, rigorousness, austerity,
hardness, flintiness, inexorability, inexorableness, stringency,
oppression, oppressiveness, rigidity, inflexibility,
relentlessness, obduracy, obdurateness, pitilessness,
mercilessness, cold-bloodedness, abusiveness, cruelty,
brutality, meanness, savagery, inhumanity, beastliness,
ruthlessness, despotism, tyranny, fastidiousness, exigency: The
severity of the discipline was almost unbearable. 2 coldness,
aloofness, sternness, gravity, grimness, frigidity, austerity,
solemnity: The severity of his look froze me to the spot. 3
dangerousness, acuteness, seriousness, gravity, ferocity,
fierceness, virulence, violence, intensity: The severity of the
fits has diminished since we put the patient on new medication.
4 stringency, punitiveness, punishment, harshness, onerousness,
grievousness, painfulness, burdensomeness, oppressiveness: The
severity of the sentence is not inappropriate to the heinousness
of the crime. 5 harshness, inclemency, violence, storminess,
intensity, ferocity, fierceness, fury, furiousness,
tempestuousness: The severity of the weather has interfered
with our maintenance of the electrical power lines. 6 plainness,
starkness, austerity, asceticism, bareness, modesty, simplicity,
primitiveness, spareness, sparseness, monasticism, crudeness:
The severity of the cells at the monastery was equalled by the
austerity of the regimen.
sew v. sew up, stitch, darn, mend, repair; sew on, attach, fasten;
tack, baste, hem: Would you sew up a hole in my sweater for me
and, while you're at it, would you mind sewing a button on my
shirt?
sex n. 1 gender: It is difficult to determine the sex of some of
the lower animals. 2 sexual intercourse or relations, coitus,
coition, mating, copulation, (sexual) congress or union,
intimacy, lovemaking, making love, coupling, Colloq making out,
going to bed, shacking up, Slang having it away, Taboo slang
screwing, shafting, shagging, fucking, Chiefly Brit bonking:
They feel that there is too much sex and violence on television
these days.
sexual adj. 1 sex, reproductive, genital, procreative or procreant,
sex, progenitive, propagative: Their current project is an
investigation of sexual behaviour in young adults. 2 sensual,
sensuous, erotic, carnal, fleshly, voluptuous, libidinous,
earthy, bodily, physical, lustful, animal, Colloq sexy: They
have a deep sexual attraction to one another.
sexy adj. 1 erotic, arousing, exciting, sensual, sensuous,
seductive, suggestive, provocative, inviting, alluring, bedroom,
flirtatious, appealing, fascinating, striking, tempting,
captivating, enchanting, stunning, Colloq come-hither: She
thought he had a sexy smile. 2 sex, dirty, pornographic,
obscene, filthy, smutty, lewd, foul, lascivious, indecent,
explicit, gross, X-rated, vulgar, rude, coarse, off colour,
risqu‚, titillating, bawdy, ribald, lusty, immodest, rough,
indelicate, suggestive, unseemly, improper, indecorous, naughty,
shameless, Slang raunchy: They sat there leering over a sexy
magazine.
shabby adj. 1 worn, dingy, faded, worn out, threadbare, tatty,
tattered, frayed, raggedy, ragged, scruffy, dilapidated, ratty,
dirty, bedraggled, mangy, run-down, seedy, (much) the worse for
wear, Brit down at heel, US down at the heel(s), Colloq grubby,
scrubby, gungy, tacky, US grungy: He was wearing a shabby suit
and down-at-heel shoes. 2 poor, peremptory, unpleasant, nasty,
disagreeable, mean, contemptuous, demeaning, grudging,
ungenerous, impolite, rude, unfriendly, unhelpful, shoddy,
ungentlemanly, unladylike, dishonourable, unworthy, scurvy,
Colloq rotten: We were subjected to very shabby treatment at
the office where we applied for work. 3 dilapidated, tumbledown,
broken-down, shattered, battered, run-down, ramshackle, seedy,
neglected, dirty, squalid, slum-like, slummy, Colloq beat-up,
crummy: Sam lives in a shabby little house near the canal. 4
mean, stingy, ungenerous, niggardly, contemptible, low, lowly,
base, mean-spirited, despicable, vile, uncouth, discreditable,
inferior, disreputable, infamous, abominable, dishonourable,
ignoble, atrocious, ignominious, odious, detestable,
opprobrious: The shabby apology for their behaviour fell on
deaf ears.
shack n. hut, hovel, shanty, cabin, lean-to, Colloq dump: The shack
was built out of scrap lumber and cardboard boxes.
shackle n. 1 Often, shackles. fetter(s), leg-iron(s), chains, iron(s),
bilboes, gyve(s), ball and chain, manacle(s), handcuff(s),
restraint(s), bond(s), trammel(s), Colloq cuff(s), Slang
bracelet(s), Brit darbies: When those shackles went round his
ankles, he thought he'd never see them taken off. 2 Usually,
shackles. restriction, restraint, deterrent, impediment, check,
obstacle, obstruction, barrier, hindrance, bar, encumbrance:
When shall we throw off the shackles of ignorant prejudice and
see a truly free world?
--v. 3 chain, fetter, manacle, handcuff, bind, restrain, tie,
secure, truss, pinion, tether: He was shackled to the mast and
whipped for disobedience. In this glorious spring weather I
resent being shackled to a desk. 4 restrain, hold back, check,
deter, hinder, discourage, hobble, handicap, restrict, curb,
rein, bridle, control, fetter, inhibit, limit: Freedom of
expression has been shackled during all those years of
oppression.
shade n. 1 shadow, shadiness, dimness, duskiness, semi-darkness,
gloominess, murkiness, dusk, gloom, murk, darkness, obscurity,
Literary shades: We rested in the shade of an old oak to get
out of the hot sun. 2 tint, tinge, tone, colour, hue,
intensity: The curtains should be of a lighter shade to match
the wallpaper. 3 hint, intimation, tinge, suggestion, modicum,
sprinkling, soup‡on, trace, suspicion, undertone, overtone,
touch, speck, dash, nuance, atom, grain, scintilla, iota, jot or
tittle: Did I detect a shade of sarcasm in your voice,
Aloysius? 4 ghost, spectre, apparition, phantom, phantasm,
spirit, wraith, vision, banshee, Colloq spook: As night came
on, horrifying shades took shape amongst the leafless trees. 5
blind, window-blind, curtain, venetian blind; lampshade; screen,
cover, covering, protection, veil, awning, canopy, shield,
shelter, umbrella, parasol: We need shades to reduce the glare
of the light. We had only a light tent as a shade against the
broiling sun. 6 fraction, hair's breadth, bit, hair, Colloq
smidgen or smidgin: Try moving the picture a shade to the left.
7 variation, variety, nuance, degree: Do you really think his
approval would make a shade of difference to me? 8 put (someone)
in or into the shade. overshadow, exceed, surpass, outstrip,
outclass, eclipse, outshine, best, better, beat, put to shame,
outplay, outperform, outdo, Colloq run rings or circles around,
show up: Your record time in the 1000-metre put other
contenders in the shade. 9 shades. sun-glasses: Take off those
shades so I can see what you are thinking.
--v. 10 screen, protect, shield, shelter, cover: You should
shade your eyes from the direct sunlight. 11 darken, opaque,
black out, blacken: She shaded in parts of the diagram to give
a better effect. 12 dim, shadow, veil, blot out, cloud,
conceal, hide, obscure, shroud, screen, mask, camouflage,
disguise: The house is shaded from view by trees on the south
side.
shadow n. 1 darkness, gloom, dimness, dusk, obscurity: In the shadow
I could make out the dim outline of a figure. 2 cover, screen,
covering, shield, veil, curtain, protection, concealment: He
stole past the sentry under the shadow of darkness. 3 hint,
intimation, suggestion, suspicion, trace, vestige; remnant: I
do not have the slightest shadow of doubt that she is telling
the truth. Martin is merely a shadow of his former robust self.
4 cloud, blight, curse: A terrible shadow has fallen upon the
family name. 5 See shade, 4, above. 6 companion, alter ego,
comrade, Colloq sidekick, crony, chum, (bosom) pal, US (bosom)
buddy: Boswell was Johnson's shadow for almost twenty years.
--v. 7 follow, trail, track, dog, stalk, pursue, trace, Colloq
tail, US and Canadian bird-dog: For a month detectives shadowed
the suspect.
shadowy adj. 1 dark, shady, bowery, leafy, shaded, gloomy, dusky, dim,
Literary bosky: The hotel bar was a shadowy place with pink
lights on the tables. 2 vague, dim, dark, obscure, faint,
indistinct, indefinite, hazy, ill-defined, unclear,
indeterminate: The photograph was too shadowy for us to
identify anyone in it. The years before he came to London are
part of his shadowy past. 3 spectral, ghostly, phantom,
phantasmal, wraithlike, phantasmagoric(al), illusory, dreamlike,
imaginary, visionary, chimerical, hallucinatory, unreal,
unsubstantial, fleeting, impalpable, transitory, ethereal,
immaterial: He saw shadowy figures lurking near the tomb. The
plaintiff's case is shadowy, to say the least. 4 See shady, 2,
below.
shady adj. 1 See shadowy, 1, above. 2 indistinct, indefinite,
questionable, doubtful, uncertain, unreliable, suspicious,
suspect, dubious, shifty, disreputable; devious, tricky,
slippery, underhand(ed), unethical, unscrupulous, dishonourable,
dishonest, Colloq fishy, crooked, bent, not (strictly) kosher:
The minister's shady past will be revealed in the next issue of
Tribune . She got involved with some shady character who had
just come out of prison.
shaft n. 1 pole, rod, staff, stick, stem, shank, handle, helve;
pillar, column, post, stanchion, upright: The shaft of the
harpoon splintered as the whale suddenly plunged downwards.
These shafts help support the upper storey. 2 beam, ray, gleam,
streak, pencil: At exactly noon on the winter solstice a shaft
of light struck the altar at the centre of the stone circle. 3
thrust, barb, sting, dart, gibe or jibe, barb, Colloq slap (in
the face), knock, put-down: After the episode in the
restaurant, Barbara had to suffer the shafts of her colleagues
and their teasing. 4 mine-shaft, tunnel, adit, well, pit;
air-shaft, duct, flue: How many men went down the shaft in the
first shift? The screen over the ventilating shaft must be kept
clean.
shaggy adj. hairy, woolly, unkempt, unshorn, uncut, hirsute,
dishevelled, matted, untidy: They had a large black dog with
shaggy hair and a great bushy tail.
shake v. 1 quiver, quake, shudder, waver, wobble, tremble, shiver:
The poor child is shaking from the cold. 2 wiggle, wriggle,
squirm, shimmy, twitch, joggle, jiggle, waggle, sway, swing,
roll, bump, grind, vibrate, oscillate, pulsate, gyrate: When
Lola shakes her hips the strongest men have been known to
weaken. 3 weaken, undermined, impair, harm, damage, discourage;
disenchant, disappoint, disaffect: The incident shook my faith
in the political party I had supported all my voting life. 4
wave, brandish, flourish, display, show off, parade, exhibit,
vaunt, waggle, flap, flutter: It was thrilling to see the
once-banned flag being shaken under the noses of the deposed
leaders. 5 Often, shake up. agitate, stir (up), mix (up); upset,
distress, frighten, scare, shock, disturb, unnerve, unsettle,
disconcert, discomfit, worry, fluster, disquiet, confound,
confuse, perplex, puzzle, Colloq rattle, get to, US throw (for a
loop): Shake the medicine before taking it. I was really shaken
by the news that Sheila had quit. 6 shake down. a break in,
condition, test, prove, Colloq debug: We shook down the
submarine on a 30-day cruise. b blackmail, extort or extract or
squeeze or wrest money from, hold up, squeeze, threaten: The
shopkeepers were so frightened that the gang easily shook them
down. 7 shake off. get rid of, discard, dislodge, drop, brush
off, elude, evade, lose, throw off, rid oneself of, give the
slip to: We finally shook off our pursuers: at last we felt
safe.
--n. 8 shaking, quivering, quaking, shuddering, wavering,
wobbling, trembling, shivering, quiver, quake, shudder, waver,
wobble, tremble, shiver, wiggle, wriggle, twitch, joggle,
jiggle, sway, swing, roll, gyration: The dog gave a shake of
its tail and bounded towards them. 9 agitating, agitation,
shaking, stirring (up), jolt, jar, jarring, jounce, jolting,
jouncing: Give him a good shake and he'll wake up. 10 the
shakes. trembling, tremors, delirium tremens, Colloq D.T.'s:
She's had so much to drink that she's got the shakes.
shake-up n. reorganization, rearrangement, overhaul, revamp,
restructuring, rehabilitation, make-over, realignment: With new
owners you can expect a complete shake-up of top management.
shaky adj. 1 uncertain, wobbly, unstable, precarious, unsound,
flimsy, weak, unsteady, unsupported, unsubstantiated,
undependable, unreliable, tenuous, untrustworthy, dubious,
questionable, doubtful, Colloq iffy: The evidence against him
is very shaky indeed. 2 wobbly, wobbling, unstable, precarious,
dilapidated, ramshackle, on its last legs, decrepit, falling
down or apart, rickety, flimsy, unsteady, insecure, unsound,
unsubstantial, insubstantial, feeble: Surely, you can't expect
that shaky old chair to support your weight!
shallow adj. 1 surface, skin-deep, superficial, thin, empty, flimsy,
trivial, unimportant, slight, frivolous, idle, foolish: If you
read only comic books, your thoughts are bound to be shallow. 2
Often, shallows. shoal(s), sand bar, sandbank, bank, shelf:
This boat draws too much water to go fishing in the shallows.
sham n. 1 fake, fraud, counterfeit, imitation, hoax, humbug,
pretence, forgery, copy, imposture, Colloq phoney or US also
phony: Their call for reform is a sham, as they have no
intention of disturbing the status quo.
--adj. 2 fake, fraudulent, counterfeit, imitation, paste,
simulated, false, make-believe, fictitious, made-up, bogus,
spurious, mock, ersatz, artificial, synthetic, Colloq phoney or
US also phony, pseudo: He sat there feigning interest, a sham
smile on his face.
shambles n. chaos, devastation, mess, disaster, Augean stables, pigsty,
muddle, pigpen: I can't find anything in this shambles. The
campaign degenerated into a complete shambles.
shambling adj. shuffling, lumbering, dragging, scuttling, awkward,
clumsy, lurching, unsteady, faltering: The old beggar hobbled
off with a shambling gait.
shame n. 1 embarrassment, humiliation, mortification, chagrin,
ignominy, shamefacedness, loss of face, abashment: Watts felt
abysmal shame at being discovered stealing from petty cash. 2
disgrace, ignominy, dishonour, disrepute, degradation,
opprobrium, vilification, calumniation, infamy, obloquy, odium,
contempt, scandal, denigration, loss of face, defamation,
discredit, disesteem, disfavour, derogation, disparagement: To
think that one knight's single act of cowardice in 1249 could
have brought such shame to all his descendants. 3 pity,
calamity, disaster, catastrophe; outrage: What a shame that
Gerry failed the exam! 4 humility, modesty, (sense of) decency
or decorum or propriety, respectability, decorousness,
diffidence, shyness, coyness, prudishness, timidity,
shamefacedness: The people who wear bathing suits like that
obviously have no shame at all. 5 put to shame. a surpass,
eclipse, outclass, overshadow, cast into the shade, outdo,
outstrip, outshine, show up: Cochrane put his opponents to
shame when they failed to score a single point against him. b
See 8, below.
--v. 6 embarrass, humiliate, mortify, humble, chagrin,
disconcert, discountenance, put down, bring down, abash,
chasten, Colloq bring (someone) down a peg, suppress, subdue:
He hated the teacher because she had shamed him in front of his
friends. 7 coerce, force, drive, bully, push; embarrass,
humiliate, mortify, humble: The other boys shamed him into
admitting that he had done it. 8 disgrace, embarrass,
dishonour, scandalize, calumniate, degrade, debase, defame,
discredit, stigmatize; smear, blacken, stain, taint, besmirch,
tarnish: I am sure, son, that nothing you ever do would shame
the family or me.
shamefaced
adj. 1 bashful, shy, modest, self-effacing, diffident, timid,
meek, coy, sheepish, timorous: He felt shamefaced as a
schoolboy when they awarded him a medal for bravery. 2 ashamed,
shamed, abashed, embarrassed, humiliated, dishonoured,
mortified, humbled, chastened, chagrined, uncomfortable,
discomfited, remorseful, red-faced: Shamefaced, she finally
admitted the truth about where she had been.
shameful adj. disgraceful, dishonourable, base, low, mean, vile,
degrading, indecent, inglorious, deplorable, discreditable,
corrupt, disreputable, infamous, ignominious, humiliating,
embarrassing, mortifying, humbling, chastening, discomfiting,
shaming, blameworthy, scandalous, outrageous, unprincipled:
Quentin was known for his shameful behaviour both at school and
in the army.
shameless adj. wild, flagrant, unreserved, uncontrolled, immodest,
wanton, indecorous, indecent, rude, improper, forward, bold,
unembarrassed, unblushing, audacious, brazen, brash, unabashed,
unashamed, impudent, shocking, outrageous: He was roundly
condemned for his shameless neglect of his responsibilities.
Her behaviour was shameless, even wanton.
shape n. 1 form, figure, build, body, physique; lines, profile,
silhouette, contours: I've never heard anyone complain about
Marilyn Monroe's shape. 2 form, pattern, configuration,
structure, aspect: The discussion is on the shape of things to
come in the double-glazing trade. The new swimming-pool will be
in the shape of a figure of eight. 3 form: Gradually, the
shopping mall began to take shape. 4 state, condition, fettle,
status, (state of) health, order, trim: When I saw Wayne
yesterday, he seemed in very good shape indeed. 5 guise,
disguise, form, appearance, likeness, image: Zeus visited Dan„e
in the shape of a golden shower, and fathered Perseus on her.
--v. 6 form, fashion, mould, cast, make, model, sculpture,
sculpt; cut, carve, hew, hack, trim: Using primitive tools,
they were able to shape the clay into bowls. The topiary shrubs
were shaped into the forms of birds. 7 determine, give form to,
control, govern, regulate, affect, condition, influence, decree,
frame, define,: There are many factors that shape our future.
8 word, express, embody in words, put, formulate, form: Perhaps
you could shape your question differently. 9 change, modify,
remodel, accommodate, fit, adapt, adjust: The box was shaped
especially for this bottle. 10 shape up. a take form, take
shape, develop, evolve, proceed: The plan is shaping up very
nicely. b conform, improve, progress, go or move or come along,
show improvement, come up to snuff; behave better: Those who
cannot shape up will have to ship out.
shapeless adj. 1 amorphous, formless, nebulous, unformed, indefinite,
unstructured, vague: Sculptors start with a shapeless mass of
clay. 2 unshapely, deformed, misshapen, distorted, twisted,
bent, battered: The wreckage was a shapeless tangle of steel
and mortar.
shapely adj. curvaceous, comely, well-proportioned, graceful, neat,
well turned out, good-looking, pleasing; voluptuous, Colloq
sexy: That slinky black dress certainly sets off her shapely
figure to advantage.
share n. 1 portion, allotment, division, apportionment, allocation,
ration, appropriation, dispensation, allowance, part, due,
percentage, interest, dividend, quota, portion, helping,
serving, Colloq cut: Each of us is entitled to a share in the
profits. We made sure that all participants got their shares. 2
interest, piece, part, stake, equity, slice: Do you own any
shares in the stock market? My share in United Telephone is
worth twice what I paid for it.
--v. 3 share out, divide up, allot, apportion, allocate,
ration, appropriate, share in, split, partition, parcel or deal
or dole out, pay out: Ownership in the company is shared
equally among the employees. Let's just take one car, and share
the expenses.
sharp adj. 1 acute, keen; razor-sharp, knife-like, knife-edged,
sharpened; pointed, needle-sharp: How do you keep the telescope
in sharp focus? You need an extremely sharp knife for boning
fish. This pencil isn't sharp enough. 2 abrupt, sudden,
precipitous, sheer, vertical, marked: Just round the corner is
a sharp dip in the road. There was a sharp rise in prices on the
London Stock Exchange today. 3 keen, keen-witted, keen-minded,
sharp-witted, shrewd, intelligent, smart, alert, bright, quick,
agile, astute, clever, on the qui vive, penetrating, observant:
Penny has a very sharp mind and a good eye for detail. 4
caustic, bitter, biting, acrid, hot, spicy, pungent, piquant,
tangy, harsh, sour, acid, acidulous, tart: That lemon sorbet is
a little too sharp for my taste. 5 acid, acidulous, acerbic,
vitriolic, acrimonious, cutting, piquant, biting, bitter,
unkind, strict, hurtful, spiteful, virulent, sarcastic,
sardonic, trenchant, severe, scathing, malicious, nasty,
malignant, venomous, poisonous: How does one escape the sharp
comments of the critics? She was unprepared for the sharp
exchange between the guests on her chat show. 6 clever, shrewd,
artful, crafty, sly, cunning, foxy, calculating, unscrupulous,
dishonest, Colloq sneaky, fly: There is evidence that the stock
manipulators were engaged in very sharp practice. 7
high-pitched, shrill, penetrating, piercing, strident, harsh,
ear-splitting, loud: Jane gave a sharp cry when she felt the
ice break under her feet. 8 poignant, severe, cutting, intense,
sudden, piercing, extreme, acute, fierce: Complaining of a
sharp pain in his chest, he fell down. 9 chic, dapper, spruce,
stylish, smart, fashionable, dressy, Colloq snappy, natty,
classy, nifty, swell, swanky: If you want to see the latest
collection of sharp clothes, go to the disco.
--adv. 10 sharply, precisely, exactly, punctually, on the dot,
Colloq on the button, US on the nose: Our appointment was for
seven o'clock sharp. 11 sharply, suddenly, abruptly: I was
pulled up sharp by her mention of the Black Rose. 12 sharply,
alertly, attentively, vigilantly, watchfully, carefully: Listen
sharp to what I tell you.
sharpen v. hone, grind, strop, whet: Of what use is a knife if you
don't sharpen it periodically?
sharp-eyed
adj. sharp-sighted, eagle-eyed, hawk-eyed, lynx-eyed,
gimlet-eyed, keen-sighted, wide awake, wakeful, watchful,
observant, (on the) alert, on the qui vive, wary, circumspect,
Argus-eyed, cautious, careful: It takes quite a sharp-eyed
person to check the accuracy of these circuits.
sharply adv. 1 severely, sternly, harshly, cuttingly, acerbically,
peremptorily, angrily, strictly, firmly: Her teacher sharply
rebuked Hilary for smiling. 2 suddenly, quickly, abruptly,
precipitously, precipitately: Prices increased sharply for the
third day in succession. 3 acutely, distinctly, definitely,
definitively: These new cameras automatically remain sharply
focused on the object.
shatter v. 1 disintegrate, burst, pulverize, shiver, smash, demolish,
break (to smithereens), splinter, fragment, fracture, dash to
pieces: If you hadn't caught the vase, it would have shattered
into a million pieces. 2 destroy, ruin, devastate, wreck, dash,
crush, demolish, torpedo, undermine, blast: Any dreams he might
have had of being published were shattered by the rejection
letter. 3 upset, disturb, perturb, trouble, unnerve, overcome,
overwhelm, crush, devastate, depress, deject, rattle, shake
(up), unsettle, agitate, confound, confuse, stupefy, daze, stun,
paralyse, Colloq throw: He was shattered by the news of Mill's
death.
shave v. 1 shear (off), cut (off), trim, clip, crop, snip off,
remove: He made a mistake in shaving off his beard, as it hid
his weak chin. 2 pare, scrape, plane, whittle: If you shave
just a hair off this side, it will fit into the hole.
--n. 3 close shave. narrow escape, Colloq narrow or near
squeak, US squeaker: That was a close shave! - You almost fell
out the window!
shed° n. lean-to, shelter, structure, addition, penthouse, hut,
shack, stall, booth, pen, cote, hutch: The tools are in the
shed alongside the barn.
shedэ v. 1 spill: Much blood has been shed in the name of freedom.
2 shine, spread, scatter, throw, cast, let fall, impart,
release, focus, pour forth, let fall, radiate: Can you shed a
little light on a matter that has puzzled me for years? 3 pour
or stream or flow or surge or spill (out or forth), discharge,
emanate, emit, drop; exude, ooze, weep: The clouds shed their
snow and the world below turned white. Don't shed any tears over
me. 4 cast off, doff, drop, abandon; moult, defoliate,
desquamate, peel (off), flake (off): The trees shed their
leaves. She rushed into the bathroom, shedding her clothes as
she went.
sheen n. shine, gleam, polish, lustre, shininess, burnish,
brightness, gloss, glow, glimmer, shimmer, radiance, glint,
dazzle: The sheen of the horse's coat glistened in the
sunlight.
sheepish adj. 1 timid, withdrawn, passive, docile, obedient, compliant,
sheeplike, manipulable, tractable, pliable, meek, amenable:
Dashworth might seem sheepish but he doesn't like to be bullied.
2 See shamefaced, above.
sheer adj. 1 steep, precipitous, abrupt, perpendicular, bluff,
vertical: There is a sheer drop of 2000 feet to the valley
below. 2 absolute, unmitigated, unqualified, downright,
out-and-out, unalloyed, unadulterated, pure, unmixed, plain,
simple, rank, total, complete, arrant, thorough, thoroughgoing,
utter: Johnson said that he had got his definition of 'pastern'
wrong out of 'sheer ignorance'. 3 transparent, see-through,
thin, diaphanous, filmy, gauzy, gossamer, translucent, peekaboo:
Kathryn was wearing the sheer nightgown he had given her for her
birthday.
sheet n. 1 bed-sheet, crib-sheet, fitted sheet, flat sheet, US
contour sheet: How often do you change the sheets on your bed?
2 leaf, folio, page: He tore a sheet of paper from the
notebook. 3 pane, panel, plate, slab: The desk has a sheet of
glass on top for protection. 4 lamina, lamination, layer,
stratum, veneer, membrane: Plywood is made up of a number of
thin sheets of pressed wood bonded together for strength. 5
area, expanse, stretch, layer, film, coat, coating, covering,
blanket, cover, surface, skin, veneer: The sheet of ice on the
road made driving hazardous. 6 newspaper, journal, paper,
tabloid, gazette, daily, weekly, monthly, Colloq rag: Have you
got a copy of the sheet that published the article about you?
shell n. 1 cartridge, projectile, shot: We huddled in the foxhole as
the shells whistled overhead. 2 exterior, outside, fa‡ade,
framework, frame, chassis, externals, skeleton, hull: After the
earthquake, only the shell of the building was left standing.
--v. 3 shuck, husk, peel, hull, excorticate, decorticate:
Would you mind shelling the peas while I peel the potatoes? 4
fire on or upon, bombard, barrage, attack, bomb, blitz,
cannonade, Slang Brit prang: The enemy shelled our position
relentlessly. 5 shell out. pay out, give out, disburse, spend,
expend, hand over, hand out, Colloq lay out, fork out, dish out,
Chiefly US ante up: I had to shell out a month's salary for
that suit.
shelter n. 1 protection, cover, refuge, asylum, sanctuary, haven,
safety, security: During the hailstorm, we sought shelter in a
cave. 2 cover, covering, concealment, screen, umbrella: Under
the shelter of a moonless night, they stole quietly past the
guards. 3 dwelling-place, habitation, home, dwelling, housing,
accommodation: He feels that everyone is entitled to food,
clothing, and shelter.
--v. 4 protect, screen, shield, safeguard, guard, keep, secure,
harbour: The parapet sheltered the guards from the icy wind. 5
seek or take refuge or shelter, hole up, Colloq lie or lay low:
Mike sheltered in a mountain hut until the hue and cry died
down.
shelve v. postpone, defer, put off or aside or on ice or on the shelf,
pigeon-hole, lay aside, hold in abeyance, US table: We will
have to shelve this matter until we have more information.
shepherd v. lead, convoy, escort, conduct, guide, usher, take, pursue:
I want you, personally, to shepherd Miss Jones through the
plant. As this project requires special care, I shall shepherd
it through personally.
shibboleth
n. password, catchword, catch-phrase, buzz-word, byword,
watchword, jargon: As Simon knew none of the shibboleths of
teenagers' slang, he remained an outsider to his classmates.
shield n. 1 protection, guard, safeguard, defence, screen, bulwark,
shelter: Education is a poor shield against poverty.
--v. 2 protect, guard, safeguard, keep, defend, screen,
shelter: The mother bear will shield the cubs from harm or die
in the attempt.
shift v. 1 move, change position; edge, budge, relocate, rearrange,
transpose, switch: Shift the picture slightly to the left.
Marla shifted over closer to me on the bench. I almost broke my
leg because you shifted the chair as I was about to sit on it. 2
Usually, shift for (oneself). manage, succeed, make do, look
after, take care of, get or scrape by or along, fend for
(oneself), make it, paddle one's own canoe: Cyril prefers to
live alone and shift for himself. 3 sell, market, move: The
object of advertising is to shift merchandise.
--n. 4 hours, stint, schedule; workforce, relay, crew, cadre,
staff, workers, squad, team, corps, group, party, gang: I
prefer to work the morning shift. The night shift comes on at
1600. 5 change, movement, switch, transfer, swerve, deflection,
veer: Owing to a wind shift, it became impossible to manoeuvre
among the rocks. 6 smock, chemise, muu-muu; caftan or kaftan: A
light cotton shift is the most comfortable thing to wear in such
scorching weather.
shiftless adj. unambitious, lazy, indolent, uninspired, unmotivated,
idle, lackadaisical, irresponsible, uncaring, unenterprising,
aimless, slothful, otiose, ineffective, ne'er-do-well,
good-for-nothing, fain‚ant, pococurante: He calls Geoff a
shiftless vagabond, virtually a tautology.
shifty adj. tricky, artful, shrewd, canny, cunning, foxy, wily, sharp,
devious, slick, evasive, smooth, slippery, scheming, designing,
conniving, calculating, underhand(ed), conspiratorial,
treacherous, traitorous, deceitful, deceiving, duplicitous,
two-faced, Janus-faced, dishonest, crooked, untrustworthy,
Colloq bent: The shifty scoundrel gave me a bad cheque and did
a moonlight flit.
shilly-shally
v. hem and haw, dilly-dally, teeter-totter, see-saw, yo-yo,
vacillate, waver, alternate, fluctuate, dither, falter,
tergiversate, Brit haver, hum and haw, Scots swither; delay,
hesitate, dawdle: Stop shilly-shallying and decide whether you
want chocolate or strawberry!
shimmer v. 1 shine, gleam, glow, glimmer, glint, glisten, ripple,
flicker: The desert shimmered like a lake under the relentless
sun.
--n. 2 shimmering, shine, gleam, glow, glimmer, glint, gloss,
flicker, light: As Julia slunk up to the microphone, the
spotlight picked up the shimmer from her black satin gown.
shin v. Usually, shin up. climb, clamber up, scramble up, scale, US
shinny up: The lad shinned up the flag-pole carrying the
banner.
shine v. 1 gleam, glow, shimmer, radiate, beam, glare, flare,
glisten, glitter, coruscate, twinkle, sparkle, scintillate,
glint, flash, flicker: The light of a candle shone from her
window. The stars are shining brightly. I want that brass
polished till it shines. 2 polish, burnish, rub (up or down),
buff, brush, brighten: You'd best shine your shoes before going
for the job interview. 3 excel, surpass, stand out, outshine,
be outstanding or pre-eminent or excellent or prominent or
conspicuous: She had shone at tennis from a very early age, and
first entered Wimbledon when she was twelve.
--n. 4 gleam, glow, shimmer, sparkle, brightness, radiance,
gloss, lustre, sheen, glaze, patina: That shine was achieved
with a little wax and elbow-grease. 5 take a shine to. like, be
attracted to, take a fancy to, fancy: Her Great Dane has taken
a shine to me and likes to sit on my lap.
shiny adj. gleaming, glowing, shimmering, glossy, shimmery, lustrous,
glassy, radiant, bright, beaming, glistening, polished,
burnished, glittering, dazzling, coruscating, twinkling,
sparkling, scintillating, glinting, flashing, flashy,
flickering, lambent, fulgent: She loves riding about in her
shiny new car.
ship n. 1 vessel, (ocean or passenger) liner, steamer, wind-jammer,
cutter: The statue is dedicated to the men who go down to the
sea in ships.
--v. 2 send, move, ferry, transport, deliver, carry, dispatch
or despatch, freight, haul, truck, cart: You need a specialized
company that ships computers and other delicate equipment. 3
ship out. leave, depart, embark, set sail, take off, get out,
quit, Slang scram: You'll ship out if you know what's good for
you.
shipshape adj. neat, trim, spotless, orderly, Bristol fashion, spick and
span, tidy: Pick up your clothes and make this room shipshape
at once!
shirk v. avoid, evade, shun, dodge, get out of, shrink from, Colloq
duck (out of), Brit skive, Military Brit scrimshank, US gold
brick: Stop shirking your responsibilities and get to work! Is
Callum shirking again?
shiver° v. 1 shake, quake, tremble, shudder, quiver: We sat in our wet
clothes, shivering in the cold. The old shack shivered in the
wind. 2 vibrate, luff, flap, flutter, chatter, rattle, shake,
wallop: The sails shivered violently in the stiff breeze.
--n. 3 shake, quake, tremble, shudder, quiver, thrill, frisson,
trembling, tremor, flutter: She gave a little shiver and then
snuggled into my arms. 4 the shivers. trembling, shivering,
goose-pimples or goose bumps, Colloq the shakes, US the chills:
He's had malaria and occasionally gets the shivers. Those horror
films give me the shivers.
shiverэ v. shatter, fragment, splinter, disintegrate, rupture, explode,
implode, smash (to smithereens), crash: The light-bulb fell and
shivered into a million fragments.
shock v. 1 startle, surprise, stagger, jar, jolt, shake (up), stun,
numb, paralyse, daze, stupefy, dumbfound or dumfound, bowl over,
appal, astonish, astound, frighten, scare, petrify, traumatize,
horrify, outrage, disgust, nauseate, repel, revolt, sicken,
upset, disquiet, disturb, perturb, discompose, unsettle, Colloq
throw, US throw for a loop, flabbergast, give (someone) a turn:
He shocked us when he announced his resignation. We were shocked
to learn of the train wreck.
--n. 2 trauma, stupor, paralysis, prostration, breakdown,
collapse, nervous exhaustion: He is in a state of shock after
the accident. 3 surprise, thunderbolt, bolt from the blue,
bombshell, revelation, shocker, eye-opener, jolt: It came as a
shock to learn whom I had been talking to so casually. The
death of her husband was a terrible shock. 4 tingle, jolt,
impact: You'll get a nasty shock if you touch those wires.
shocking adj. 1 surprising, astounding, astonishing, amazing, striking,
stupefying, numbing, sudden, unexpected, electrifying,
startling, Colloq mind-boggling, mind-blowing: It was shocking
to see the way the neighbourhood had deteriorated. 2
disgusting, revolting, nauseating, nauseous, sickening,
repulsive, abominable, hideous, horrible, horrifying, horrific,
horrid, foul, loathsome, abhorrent, ghastly, hideous,
unspeakable, dreadful, distressing, outrageous, appalling,
monstrous, scandalous: The conditions in the concentration
camps were shocking.
shoddy adj. shabby, tatty, inferior, poor, rubbishy, cheap, pinchbeck,
meretricious, tawdry, gaudy, Brummagem, plastic, artificial,
tinsel, tinselly, second-rate, trashy, junky, Colloq crappy,
cheapjack, tacky, US chintzy: They can't get away for long with
selling such shoddy merchandise.
shoo interjection. 1 Scat!, Go away!, Away with you!, Be off!, Get
out!, Begone!, Colloq Get lost!, Beat it!, Scram!: I shouted
'Shoo!' and the chickens scattered.
--v. 2 Often, shoo away or off. scare off, frighten away, drive
away, force to leave: She shoos away anyone who disturbs her
while she is painting.
shoot v. 1 scoot, dart, whisk, speed, bolt, run, race, rush, flash,
fly, dash, hurtle, streak, scuttle, bound, leap, spring, Colloq
zip, whiz: The instant the baby cried out, its mother shot over
to protect it. 2 discharge, fire, open fire; let fly, launch,
propel, project, fling, hurl, throw, toss: Don't shoot till you
see the whites of their eyes! With all his strength he shot the
arrow into the beast's neck. 3 wound, hurt, harm, injure; kill,
slay, assassinate, execute, Slang fill or pump full of lead,
plug, blast, zap, knock off, snuff (out): He insulted her, so
she shot him. He's to be shot at sunrise. 4 sprout, germinate,
burgeon, flourish, grow, spring up, mushroom, develop: Owing to
the perfect weather, the corn shot up very quickly.
--n. 5 sprout, stem, bud, branch, offshoot, slip, scion,
sucker: If you want fruit, the new shoots have to be pinched
back.
shop n. 1 store, boutique, department store: Would you stop at the
shop and buy some lettuce? 2 workshop, machine shop: Henry
gained experience in operating a lathe at my father's shop.
--v. 3 betray, inform on or against, Slang peach on, rat on,
snitch on, blow the whistle on: The police persuaded Luke to
shop his accomplices in exchange for a lighter sentence. 4 shop
for. buy, purchase, seek, look for, research: I've been
shopping for a new dishwasher.
short adj. 1 small, little, slight, petite, diminutive, wee, tiny,
elfin, minuscule; midget, dwarfish, squat, dumpy, runty, stubby,
stunted, Colloq pint-sized, knee-high to a grasshopper,
sawn-off: Did you know that Queen Victoria was quite short? 2
shortened, brief, concise, compressed, compendious, compact,
pocket, US vest-pocket; abbreviated, abridged, cut: A short
version of the book was published in paperback. 3 laconic,
terse, succinct, pithy, sententious, epigrammatic: He made a
few short remarks that were very much to the point. 4 abrupt,
curt, terse, sharp, blunt, bluff, brusque, sharp, offhand,
gruff, testy, snappish, discourteous, uncivil, impolite: It is
unnecessary to be so short with the staff. 5 direct, straight,
straightforward, short and sweet: In reply to your request for
permission to leave early, the short answer is 'No'. 6 Usually,
short of. deficient (in), lacking (in), needful (of), wanting,
inadequate, shy (of), low (on): The hotel is short of clean
linen because the laundry failed to deliver. 7 brief, limited;
transitory, temporary, short-lived, momentary, quick, transient:
HQ had a short life but a happy one. I'll just make a short stop
in here and will join you in a moment. 8 impecunious,
straitened, pinched, underfunded, poor, penniless, deficient:
I'm a bit short today and wonder if you could lend me some
money? 9 in short supply. rare, scarce, scanty, unplentiful,
meagre, sparse, Colloq chiefly Brit thin on the ground: Good
editors are in short supply these days. 10 short of. before,
failing, excluding, exclusive of, barring, eliminating,
precluding, excepting, except for, leaving out, apart from,
setting aside: Short of killing him, I am not sure what she
could have done in the circumstances.
--adv. 11 abruptly, suddenly, peremptorily, without warning,
instantly, unexpectedly, hurriedly, hastily, out of the blue:
She stopped short in the middle of the road and made me get out.
12 cut short. a trim, curtail, shorten, abbreviate, cut: I
must cut my visit short because I have a train to catch. b
stop, cut off, terminate, cut in on, break in on, interrupt;
butt in: I am sorry to cut you short, but it is getting on for
midnight. 13 fall or come short. fail, be or prove inadequate
or insufficient: These grades fall short of our expectations,
Bobby.
--n. 14 in short. briefly, in a word, all in all, to make a
long story short, in a nutshell: He told me, in short, that
there was no job and there never had been one. 15 shorts.
Bermuda shorts, knee-breeches, knee-pants, hot pants: I usually
wear shorts to play tennis.
shortage n. deficit, deficiency, shortfall, dearth, scarcity, lack,
want, paucity: They are predicting a shortage of water again
this summer.
shortcoming
n. failure, defect, deficiency, weakness, frailty, drawback,
liability, imperfection, weak point, flaw: One might
justifiably regard colour-blindness as a shortcoming in an
interior decorator.
shorten v. 1 cut, curtail, cut off or down or short, reduce, diminish,
trim; lop off, dock, prune; hem: Please shorten the time you
spend in the bathroom in the mornings. This skirt has already
been shortened. 2 condense, abridge, abbreviate, digest,
compress: Can one shorten the book without losing too much of
the characterization?
short-lived
adj. ephemeral, evanescent, temporary, fleeting, transitory,
transient, passing, fugacious, volatile: He enjoyed a
short-lived reputation that died with him.
shortly adv. 1 soon, presently, anon, before long, in a (little) while,
by and by, Archaic ere long: I'll see you shortly. 2 just,
immediately, soon, right: We had dinner with him shortly before
he went abroad. 3 abruptly, briefly, peremptorily, curtly,
brusquely, sharply, tersely, testily, gruffly, rudely, tartly:
'Leave me alone', said Bill shortly.
short-sighted
adj. 1 near-sighted, myopic, dim-sighted: He wears thick
spectacles because he's so short-sighted. 2 unimaginative,
unprogressive, improvident, imprudent, injudicious, rash, brash,
impulsive, reckless, impolitic, limited, unwary, incautious,
careless, thoughtless, unmindful: Lewis's short-sighted view
makes no provision for the future.
short-staffed
adj. undermanned, short-handed, understaffed: We are usually
short-staffed during the summer because of the holiday
schedules.
short-tempered
adj. testy, irascible, short, curt, abrupt, gruff, peremptory,
bluff, rude, tart, acid, acidulous, terse, brusque, crabbed,
crabby, irritable, touchy, petulant, peevish, bearish, snappish,
waspish, shrewish, curmudgeonly, crusty, surly, discourteous,
grouchy, disagreeable, caustic, acrimonious, acerbic: Henry is
often short-tempered if he has slept badly.
short-winded
adj. short of or out of breath, winded, breathless, panting,
huffing (and puffing), gasping (for air or for breath),
Technical dyspnoeal: He is very short-winded because he smokes
too much.
shot n. 1 discharge, shooting: The town was captured without a shot
being fired. 2 bullet, ball, slug, cannon-ball, buckshot,
pellet, projectile, missile: A dumdum bullet is a piece of soft
shot with a hollowed-out nose. 3 attempt, try, opportunity,
chance, go, essay, endeavour, guess, conjecture, Colloq stab,
crack, whack: You are allowed three shots at the answer. 4
marksman, markswoman, sharpshooter, sniper, rifleman: Geraghty
is an excellent shot and favourite for an Olympic gold. 5
photograph, snapshot, picture, Colloq snap, photo: Miller took
some excellent action shots using stroboscopic lighting. 6
injection, inoculation, vaccination: The doctor gave me a flu
shot this morning. 7 drink, jigger, tot, dram, nip, spot,
swallow, Colloq finger, swig, slug, snort: Will you have a shot
of whisky with me, Muldoon? 8 (space) launch or launching: The
moon shot scheduled for today has been postponed owing to
technical difficulties. 9 call the shots. run or direct or
manage or administer or control things or affairs or matters,
run the show, rule the roost, be in command or the driver's
seat: Ravelli calls the shots around here, and don't you forget
it. 10 like a shot. quickly, swiftly, rapidly, speedily,
hurriedly, hastily, at once, like a flash, immediately,
instantly, instantaneously, Colloq in two shakes of a lamb's
tail, like greased lightning, before you can say 'Jack
Robinson': All I had to do was mention ice-cream, and the
children were in here like a shot. 11 (not) by a long shot. no
way, under no circumstances, by no means, on no account, by no
chance, never: You ask if he can get elected and my response
is, 'Not by a long shot'. 12 shot in the arm. boost, stimulus,
encouragement, incentive, inducement, provocation, motivation:
The team needs a shot in the arm to improve morale.
shoulder n. 1 side, edge, verge, margin; breakdown lane: If you have a
flat tyre, drive onto the hard shoulder and phone for help. 2
give (someone) the cold shoulder. rebuff, snub, ostracize, send
(someone) to Coventry, cold-shoulder, put (someone) down,
reject, exclude, freeze (someone) out, shun, avoid, Colloq cut
(dead): After his court case, they gave Nicholas the cold
shoulder at his club. 3 put (one's or the) shoulder to the
wheel. make every effort, make an effort, strive, work hard,
pitch in, apply oneself, roll up one's sleeves, set or get to
work, Colloq knuckle down, buckle down: If we put our shoulders
to the wheel, we ought to be able to get our candidate elected.
4 rub shoulders (with). associate (with), hobnob (with),
socialize (with), consort (with), mix (with), fraternize (with),
keep company (with): Once in a while, she condescends to come
down and rub shoulders with the common people. 5 shoulder to
shoulder. side by side, united, as one, cooperatively, jointly,
arm in arm, hand in hand, in partnership: If we fight shoulder
to shoulder, we can defeat this menace and regain our freedom. 6
straight from the shoulder. directly, straightforwardly,
candidly, frankly, honestly, openly, unabashedly, unashamedly,
unambiguously, unequivocally, plainly, bluntly, man to man,
(with) no holds barred, outright, Colloq without beating about
the bush, without pulling (any) punches: I want to tell you,
straight from the shoulder, Willie, you're the best pal in the
world.
--v. 7 push, shove, jostle, hustle, thrust aside, elbow, force:
She shouldered everyone aside roughly to fight her way to the
bargain counter. 8 support, carry, bear, take upon oneself, take
on, accept, assume: Are you ready to shoulder the
responsibilities of caring for a family?
shout v. 1 yell, scream, bellow, bawl, howl, roar, cry (out), call
(out), whoop, Colloq holler: We lined up when the sergeant
shouted out our names.
--n. 2 yell, scream, bellow, howl, yelp, roar, cry, call,
whoop, Colloq holler: Nobody on shore could hear the boys'
shouts when their boat capsized.
show v. 1 display, present, expose, demonstrate, indicate, exhibit,
manifest, (lay) bare, disclose, reveal, betray, make known,
divulge, register, express, make clear or plain or manifest,
elucidate, clarify, explain: Show your identification as you
enter. Your persistent refusal to associate with Dominic shows
how you feel very clearly. They showed me how the new machine
works. 2 escort, accompany, conduct, usher, lead, guide, direct;
steer: Please show Mr Sorenson to his table. 3 prove,
demonstrate, confirm, corroborate, verify, substantiate, bear
out, certify, authenticate: This signature shows that the will
was signed personally by your father. 4 teach, instruct, tell,
inform, let (someone) in on, give (someone) an idea of: Would
you please show me how to use this washing-machine? 5 appear,
become or be visible, peek through, can or may be seen: The
floor was showing through a hole in the carpet. 6 exhibit,
reveal, indicate, display, register: A thermometer shows the
temperature, a barometer the atmospheric pressure. 7 make an
appearance, appear, show up, arrive, come: Do you really think
that the Jack Nicholson will show at the club tonight? 8
represent, symbolize, depict, portray, picture, illustrate:
This drawing shows what happens to children who bite their
fingernails. 9 present, play, put on, stage, screen; be (being)
presented or played or playing or put on or staged or screened:
They are showing The Maltese Falcon at the local cinema. What is
showing there tomorrow? 10 grant, accord, bestow: They finally
showed mercy and let the hostages go. 11 show off. make an
exhibit or a spectacle of, flaunt, advertise, display, parade;
pose, swagger, posture, boast, brag, US and Canadian grandstand:
They invited us to show off their new house. Quilty shows off
too much for my taste. 12 show up. a expose, give away, reveal:
His collection of animal trophies shows him up for what he
really is. b stand out, be conspicuous, be noticeable, contrast:
The white dress shows up nicely against your suntan. c
embarrass, (put to) shame, mortify, upstage, overshadow,
outshine, eclipse: John only runs in the marathon to show me
up.
--n. 13 display, demonstration, exhibition, exposition, fair,
presentation, Colloq expo: There will be a computer show at the
convention centre next week. 14 production, presentation,
drama, musical, entertainment: We flew to New York for a week
to see a few Broadway shows. 15 ostentation, display,
appearance, pretentiousness, pretension, affectation: Those
paintings are there just for show, not because they enjoy art.
showdown n. confrontation, climax, moment of truth, final settlement,
moment of decision, US face-off: It's come to the point where
we must have a showdown about who's boss.
shower n. 1 sprinkle, sprinkling, drizzle: Scattered showers are
predicted for this afternoon. 2 deluge, torrent, flood, stream,
barrage, overflow, abundance, profusion: Showers of confetti
rained on the parade from the offices.
--v. 3 sprinkle, rain, pour, spray, bombard, fall, descend,
drop: Debris and ash from the volcano showered down on the
village. 4 lavish, inundate, overwhelm, heap, load (down): On
return from her triumphant tour, Sylvia was showered with gifts
and praise.
showman n. producer, impresario, director: P. T. Barnum was possibly
the greatest showman in modern history.
show-off n. braggart, exhibitionist, swaggerer, egotist, boaster, Colloq
blowhard, windbag: Sit down and stop being such a show-off,
Tetsworth.
showy adj. flashy, garish, flamboyant, conspicuous, ostentatious,
pretentious, bravura, gaudy, US show-off; elaborate, fancy,
florid, ornate, fussy, intricate, baroque, rococo, Byzantine,
arabesque: Their house is very showy, with gargoyles and lions
and unicorns everywhere you look.
shred n. 1 scrap, fragment, bit, tatter, sliver, snippet, rag,
remnant, chip, piece; atom, trace, whit, grain, jot or tittle,
scintilla, trace, hint, suggestion, iota, speck: We found
shreds from his shirt caught on the thorn-bushes. There isn't a
shred of evidence to suggest that she killed him.
--v. 2 fragment, tear (up), tatter, rip (up); destroy,
demolish; throw away, dispose of, scrap, US trash: At the news
of the break-in, he dashed to his office and shredded the
incriminating evidence.
shrew n. harridan, virago, termagant, vixen, scold, fishwife, nag,
fury, spitfire, maenad, harpy, witch, hag, crone, hell-cat,
beldam, bitch, banshee, Xanthippe, Thyiad or Thyad, Colloq
battleaxe, dragon: His mother is an old shrew who does nothing
but complain all the time.
shrewd adj. clever, smart, astute, cunning, canny, acute, sharp,
keen-minded, keen, quick-witted, crafty, artful, manipulative,
calculating, calculated, foxy, sly, wily, perceptive,
percipient, perspicacious, discerning, wise, sage, sagacious,
long-headed, intelligent, ingenious, Daedalian, inventive,
resourceful: He is a shrewd politician, very good at knowing
exactly what people want to hear him say.
shriek n. 1 scream, cry, screech, squeal, squawk, squall: The girls
collapsed in shrieks of laughter.
--v. 2 scream, cry, screech, squeal, squawk, squall: It is
very boring to listen to one's neighbours shrieking at each
other day and night.
shrill adj. high-pitched, ear-splitting, piercing, ear-piercing,
sharp, piping, screeching, screechy, penetrating: She let out a
shrill cry when she saw what had happened.
shrink v. 1 wither, shrivel (up), contract: My woollen pullover
shrank because you washed it in hot water. 2 Often, shrink
from. withdraw (from), draw back, recoil (from), back away
(from), retreat (from), cower, cringe, flinch, shy away (from),
wince, balk (at): Once committed to a responsibility, nothing
could persuade Ella to shrink from it.
shrivel v. Often, shrivel up. shrink, wrinkle, pucker (up), curl (up),
wizen, contract; wither, wilt, dry up, desiccate, dehydrate:
The soil had dried up and all the plants had shrivelled.
shroud v. 1 screen, veil, mask, disguise, camouflage, cover, shield,
blanket, shade, hide, conceal, protect, cloak, swathe, wrap,
envelop: The tanks were shrouded from view in the forest. His
activities are shrouded in mystery.
--n. 2 winding-sheet, cerement, cerecloth, grave-clothes: They
wrapped his body in a shroud and buried him in the churchyard.
3 veil, cover, shield, cloak, blanket, mask, mantle, pall,
screen, covering, cloud: A shroud of secrecy descended over the
Morocco affair.
shrubbery n. shrubs, planting(s), hedge(s), hedging, hedgerow, thicket,
underbrush, brake, bracken, undergrowth, coppice or copse: The
fox lay low in the shrubbery till the dogs flushed him out.
shudder v. 1 quiver, shake, tremble, shiver, jerk, convulse, quaver,
quake; vibrate, rattle: I shudder to think what he might do
next. Olive slammed on the brakes and the ancient car shuddered
to a stop.
--n. 2 quiver, shake, tremble, twitch, shiver, convulsion,
paroxysm, spasm, quaver, quake; vibration, rattle: He gave a
shudder at the prospect of having to clean out the stable.
shuffle v. 1 mix (up), intermix, disarrange, rearrange, interfile,
intersperse, jumble, confuse; shift (about), mess up, turn
topsy-turvy, scatter, disorganize: I shall cut the cards after
you have shuffled them. Osbert shuffled the papers on his desk.
2 scuff or drag (one's feet), scrape along, shamble: The boy
shuffled into the headmaster's office, guilt written all over
his face. 3 equivocate, hem and haw, bumble, shift, cavil,
fence, be evasive or shifty, dodge, niggle, split hairs,
quibble, prevaricate, Brit hum and haw, Colloq waffle: The
suspect shuffled when asked the names of his accomplices.
--n. 4 shamble, shambling, scuffling, scraping: Whenever he
was lying, he did a funny little shuffle with his feet. 5
sidestep, evasion, subterfuge, trick, dodge, shift,
prevarication, quibble, shuffling: Tell me what you've done
with the money - and no shuffle!
shun v. avoid, keep or shy away from, steer clear of, eschew, shrink
from, fight shy of, run or turn (away) from, flee or escape
from; forgo, give up; disdain, spurn, rebuff, reject,
cold-shoulder, give the cold shoulder to: After her experience,
Penelope shunned the company of men for several years.
shut v. 1 close, fasten, secure, shut up; lock, bolt, seal: Come in
and shut the door. 2 shut down. close down, discontinue, cease,
suspend, halt, leave off, shut up; switch or turn or shut off,
stop: We shut down operations at the Enfield factory last week.
Make sure you shut down the machinery before leaving. 3 shut in.
a confine, seclude, keep in, pen, fence in, secure: We shut the
dog in before we went out. b See 6, (a), below. 4 shut off. a
switch or turn off, shut down, Colloq kill, douse, cut (off):
They shut off the lights while I was shaving. b separate,
isolate, seclude, segregate, sequester, bar, shut out, cut off,
send to Coventry: The more violent cases are shut off in
another wing. c close (off), shut (down): To save on heating,
we shut off part of the house in the winter. 5 shut out. a
exclude, eliminate, bar, debar, lock out, ban, keep out or away,
disallow, prohibit: Aliens without work permits are shut out
from employment. We shut out all hooligans and rowdies. b keep
out, screen, exclude, block out, cut out: This window shade
shuts out the direct sunlight. c screen, mask, hide, conceal,
veil, cover: The house is shut out from view by the hedge. 6
shut up. a confine, shut in, coop (up), cage (in), bottle up,
box in; imprison, jail, incarcerate, intern, immure: People
suspected of being subversives were shut up during the war. b
silence, keep quiet, stifle, mute, gag, shush, Chiefly Brit
quieten: As soon as Colin wants to say something, Sidonie shuts
him up. c See 1, above. d See 2, above.
--adj. 7 closed (up), sealed (up), locked (up), bolted,
fastened: There is not much hope of penetrating their shut
minds on this issue.
shuttle v. commute, alternate: He shuttles daily between London and
Paris.
shy adj. 1 diffident, coy, bashful, retiring, withdrawn,
withdrawing, reserved, timid, meek, modest, sheepish,
unconfident, self-conscious, introverted, nervous, apprehensive,
timorous, Rare verecund: Casey is quite shy and you have to
draw him out gently. 2 timorous, cautious, wary, chary, leery,
guarded, afraid, fearful, frightened, anxious, worried,
suspicious, distrustful, cowardly, craven, uncourageous: The
local people are shy of anyone or anything unfamiliar. 3
missing, lacking, deficient in, short of: The shipment is shy a
few dozen shoelaces we ordered.
--adv. 4 fight shy of. avoid, be unwilling or reluctant or
averse or loath or loth or disinclined or not disposed; be wary
or cautious or watchful: The children fight shy of talking to
strangers.
sick adj. 1 Chiefly Brit nauseated, queasy, sick to one's stomach,
squeamish, qualmish; seasick, carsick, airsick, Colloq green
around the gills: Patrick felt a bit sick after the rough ferry
crossing. 2 ill, unwell, unhealthy, sickly, indisposed, infirm,
ailing, diseased, afflicted, Colloq under the weather, on the
sick-list, poorly, laid up, not (feeling) up to snuff: If you
feel sick, you'd best see a doctor. I've been sick for a week. 3
affected, troubled, stricken, heartsick, wretched, miserable,
burdened, weighed down: I was sick with worry to learn of the
problems you have been having with your business. 4 mad, crazy,
insane, deranged, disturbed, neurotic, unbalanced,
psychoneurotic, psychotic, Colloq mental, US off ((one's) rocker
or trolley): Anyone who could have committed such a crime must
be sick. 5 peculiar, unconventional, strange, weird, odd,
bizarre, grotesque, macabre, shocking, ghoulish, morbid,
gruesome, stomach-turning, sadistic, masochistic,
sado-masochistic, Colloq kinky, bent, far-out, US off: In 30
years as a policeman, I've seen some sick things, but this is
the end. 6 sickened, shocked, put out, upset, appalled,
disgusted, revolted, repulsed, offended, repelled, nauseated;
annoyed, chagrined, irritated: She was sick at what she saw in
the army field hospital. The way you do things sometimes makes
me sick. 7 Sometimes, sick of. (sick and) tired, bored, weary,
Colloq fed up with: Don't you get sick of telling them the same
thing so many times?
sicken v. 1 fall ill, take sick, contract, be stricken by, come down
with or catch something or a bug, fail, weaken: After he seemed
to be recovering so well, he suddenly sickened and died. 2 make
ill or sick, afflict, affect, disgust, nauseate, turn one's
stomach, upset, appal, shock, repel, revolt, repulse, offend,
make one's gorge rise; put out: The scene in the abattoir
sickened me.
sickly adj. 1 See sick, 2, above. 2 ailing, feeble, delicate, wan,
weak, pallid, pale, drawn, peaked, peaky, peakish: Jennie looks
sickly and must build up her resistance. 3 mushy, mawkish,
maudlin, cloying, insipid, weak, watery: The sickly
sentimentality of the episode about the boy and his lost puppy
was unbearable.
side n. 1 Sometimes, sides. flank(s), edge(s), verge, margin(s),
rim, brim, brink, border(s); bank; boundary or boundaries,
perimeter, periphery, limit(s): This side of the road is in
West Sussex, the other in East Sussex. The sides of the
swimming-pool are tiled. 2 surface, face, plane; facet: The
smallest possible number of sides of a pyramid is four. 3
faction, interest, party, part, sect, camp, (point of) view,
viewpoint, aspect, opinion, standpoint, stand, cause, angle,
position, attitude, school, philosophy: Which side do you
support in the controversy? 4 team; string, squad; American
football and Association Football or Soccer and Cricket eleven,
Australian Rules football eighteen, Baseball nine, Basketball
five, Gaelic football and Rugby Union fifteen, Rugby League
thirteen: Whichever side Craig is on seems likely to win. The
local side is now coming out onto the field. 5 affectation,
pretension, haughtiness, arrogance, insolence, pretentiousness,
airs: Chauncy puts on a bit too much side for my taste. 6 side
by side. together, jointly, cheek by jowl: These paintings
should not have been hung side by side. 7 take sides. show
preference, be partial, show favouritism: A judge must avoid
taking sides.
--adj. 8 secondary, incidental, subordinate, tangential,
subsidiary, indirect, ancillary, marginal, lesser, minor,
unimportant, inconsequential, inconsiderable, insignificant:
The main point is that he refuses to cooperate, and his reasons
are entirely a side issue. 9 auxiliary, secondary: We live in a
quiet side-road just off the High Street.
--v. 10 side with. take sides with, show preference for, be
partial to, show favouritism to or for, support, favour, prefer,
go in or along with, join ((up) with), ally with, be or become
allied with, Colloq US throw in with, team up with: You can be
sure that Kenneth will always side with the favourite candidate.
sidelong adj. oblique, indirect, sideways, covert, surreptitious: He
marched straight ahead, without so much as a sidelong glance in
her direction.
sidestep v. avoid, dodge, circumvent, skirt, evade, shun, steer clear
of, Colloq duck: The minister neatly sidestepped all questions
about her retirement.
sidetrack v. divert, deflect, draw off or away, distract, turn aside;
shunt: Where was I? I got sidetracked by your comment about
being overweight.
sidewalk n. walk, Chiefly Brit pavement, footpath, footway: You may
play on the sidewalk, but don't you dare step into the street.
sideways adv. obliquely, laterally, edgeways, edge on, sidelong,
crabwise, indirectly, US and Canadian edgewise: The dresser
will go through the door if you turn it sideways.
sidle v. edge: She sidled towards the door, opened it, and was gone.
siege n. 1 blockade, encirclement, beleaguerment, besiegement: The
siege of Troy lasted ten years.
--v. 2 lay siege to, besiege, blockade, beleaguer, cordon off,
encircle, box or pen or shut in, bottle up: They sieged the
city and the inhabitants surrendered when they ran out of food
and water.
sift v. 1 strain, sieve, riddle, filter, screen, bolt; winnow,
separate, weed out, sort out, select, choose, pick: It is not
easy to sift out the promising manuscripts. 2 examine, analyse,
study, probe, screen, scrutinize, investigate: The police are
sifting the evidence of the witnesses.
sigh v. 1 breathe, sough; suspire: Troilus sighed forth his soul to
the tent where sleeping Cressid lay. 2 sigh for. bemoan, lament
or mourn or grieve or weep for, bewail; yearn or pine for: Now
and then, all of us sigh for the good old days.
--n. 3 murmur, exhalation, sound; suspiration: I gave a sigh
of relief as the train left the station.
sight n. 1 eyesight, vision, eyes: His sight was completely restored
by the operation. 2 field of view or of vision, range of
vision, ken, perception, view, eyeshot, gaze: We turned a
corner, and at last the welcoming lights of the pub came into
sight. 3 spectacle, scene, show; rarity, marvel, wonder,
phenomenon; pageant: I shall never forget the sight of Biffy
Harbottle, stark naked, standing on that table in the officers'
club. We went to Rome to see the sights. 4 mess, disaster,
eyesore, monstrosity, Colloq fright, atrocity: The flat looked
a sight after the boys finally moved out. 5 catch sight of.
spot, notice, descry, spy, espy, glance at, (catch a) glimpse
(of), (get a) look or peep or peek at, Colloq take a gander at,
get a look-see at, Slang get a load of, US glom, pipe: We
caught sight of a sinister-looking person slipping behind a
pillar. 6 out of sight. a remote, distant, far-away, unseeable,
imperceptible, invisible: She soon walked out of sight down the
road. The mortar emplacement is out of sight, over the hill. b
unusual, rare, extraordinary, outrageous, imaginative,
awe-inspiring, incredible, shocking, unreal, moving, jolting,
Colloq neat, cool, Brit brilliant, brill: The gig last night
was out of sight, man.
--v. 7 look, view, (take) aim, peer, peek, peep, draw a bead:
Sight along this stick and you'll see a cluster of stars called
the Pleiades. 8 spot, see, catch sight of, mark, observe,
behold, view, distinguish, discern, identify, note, notice,
remark, glimpse, descry, espy, spy: A group of bird-watchers
have sighted a golden eagle recently in the Grampians.
sightseer n. tourist, traveller, globe-trotter, Colloq rubberneck(er),
Brit tripper, day-tripper: As usual, the streets of Oxford were
crowded with sightseers and tourists.
sign n. 1 token, symbol, indication, mark, signal, indicator;
notice: I interpreted the shouts of the crowd as a sign that I
had won the race. 2 movement, gesture, motion, signal, cue,
gesticulation: She made a sign motioning me to come over. 3
trace, indication, evidence, mark, clue, hint, suggestion,
vestige: She waited for an hour but there was no sign of him.
4 device, mark, symbol, representation, emblem, trade mark,
badge, brand, stamp, seal, ideogram, ideograph, lexigram,
phonogram, grapheme, hieroglyph, cartouche, rebus, logo(type),
colophon, ensign, standard, banner, flag; monogram, initials,
cipher or cypher: Sir Roger fought under the sign of a rampant
lion. 5 signboard, advertisement, placard, poster, US
broadside; shingle, notice, announcement: You can't miss the
huge supermarket sign at the corner. 6 omen, augury, warning,
forewarning, foreboding, portent, indication, writing on the
wall, prophecy, prognostication, foreshadowing: We took the
rumbling as a sign of an imminent earthquake.
--v. 7 autograph, put one's signature on or to, inscribe,
countersign, endorse, witness, put or set one's hand to, mark;
sign on the dotted line; Colloq US put one's John Hancock on or
to: I have already signed the petition, have you? The painting
is valueless unless signed by the artist. 8 sign away. forgo,
relinquish, give up, abandon, abandon or quit claim to, waive,
release, surrender, dispose of, sacrifice, get rid of: With one
stroke of the pen, he signed away most of his fortune. 9 sign
off. close down, discontinue (broadcasting, writing a letter,
etc.): It is midnight, time for us to sign off till tomorrow.
10 sign on or up. a enrol, enlist, sign up (for), register,
volunteer, join (up), contract: I signed on to be a bodyguard,
not a nursemaid. b enrol, enlist, hire, employ, put under
contract, retain, engage, take on, Colloq take on board, bring
aboard: We signed up three new engineers this week. 11 sign
over. assign, consign, transfer, make over, deliver, give,
donate, present, dispose of, turn over: Aunt June was persuaded
to sign over the ownership of the business to her nephews.
signal n. 1 See sign, 1, above. 2 incitement, stimulus, spur,
impetus, goad, prick: The waving of the flag will be the signal
to advance.
--adj. 3 remarkable, conspicuous, striking, extraordinary,
unusual, unique, singular, special, noteworthy, notable,
exceptional, significant, important, outstanding, momentous,
consequential, weighty: The British forces won a signal victory
at Khartoum that day. Winning the competition is a signal
accomplishment.
--v. 4 motion, indicate, gesture, gesticulate, communicate,
announce, notify; whistle, wink, blink, nod, beckon, wave, sign:
When your turn comes, a clerk will signal you to approach the
counter. Peter raised his hand as a request to leave the room
and the teacher signalled his assent.
significance
n. 1 meaning, sense, signification, denotation, message, idea,
point, import, purport, implication, portent, content, pith,
essence; gist, drift, vein, impression, connotation: The
significance of words like God and love is different for almost
everyone who uses them. 2 importance, weight, weightiness,
consequence, moment, relevance, value: The significance of the
agreement lay not in its wording but in the fact that it was
drawn up at all.
significant
adj. 1 important, weighty, momentous, consequential, critical,
substantial, substantive, noteworthy, notable, valuable, valued,
meritorious, outstanding, impressive, historic, relevant,
signal: Appleton made significant contributions to knowledge
about the ionosphere. 2 meaningful, eloquent, pithy, expressive,
pregnant, suggestive, informative: It is significant that they
prefer the term Britain to England, Scotland, and Wales .
signify v. 1 sign, signal, indicate, communicate, make known, convey,
symbolize, betoken, represent, express, announce, declare,
denote, say, mean, specify; connote, intimate, suggest, reveal,
disclose, impart: She signified her agreement by a nod. What
does the phrase 'pursuit of happiness' signify to you? 2 matter,
count, be significant or important or consequential, be of
significance or of importance or of consequence, carry weight,
impress, stand out, deserve or merit consideration: It
signifies little that they were found innocent of a crime we all
believe they committed.
silence n. 1 quiet, quietness, stillness, soundlessness, noiselessness,
calm, calmness, hush, quietude, tranquillity, peace,
peacefulness, serenity: The silence was so complete that I
could hear my heart beating. 2 speechlessness, muteness,
dumbness, reticence, taciturnity, uncommunicativeness: Do not
construe his silence as agreement.
--v. 3 quiet, mute, hush, still, shush, calm, tranquillize,
soothe, Chiefly Brit quieten: The audience was silenced by the
start of the overture. 4 mitigate, temper, mollify, take the
sting out of, propitiate, pacify, blunt, suppress, repress,
restrain, subdue, draw the fangs or teeth of, inhibit, put down,
damp, mute, squelch, quash, emasculate, muzzle, muffle, shut
off, gag, stifle, smother, deaden (the effect of): Only a full
account of what lay behind these events will silence criticism
in the media.
silent adj. 1 quiet, still, soundless, noiseless, tranquil, hushed,
shushed, mute; calm, serene, placid, peaceful, pacific,
unagitated, unruffled, untroubled, undisturbed, Literary stilly:
After the children left the house fell silent. Not a mouse
stirred in the silent city. 2 uncommunicative, mute,
close-mouthed, taciturn, reticent, reserved, mum, tight-lipped,
secretive: Millie told me a great deal about her children but
was silent on the subject of her own activities. 3 unspeaking,
unspoken, mute, unexpressed, tacit, understood, implicit,
implied, unstated, unsaid: There is a silent agreement among
the islanders not to reveal where the whisky is hidden. 4
inactive, non-participating, passive, quiescent, Brit sleeping:
Although John runs the company, he has several silent partners.
5 unpronounced, unuttered, not sounded, Technical aphonic: The
g in sign is silent, like the k in know and the l in could .
silently adv. quietly, soundlessly, noiselessly, with catlike tread, as
quietly as a mouse, stealthily; wordlessly, speechlessly,
mutely: They fold their tents like the Arabs, And silently
steal away. He stood by silently, allowing his brother to do
all the talking.
silhouette
n. outline, profile, contour, form, figure, shape, shadow,
configuration, periphery, perimeter: I could see the silhouette
of a person on the window-blind.
silky adj. silken, silklike, delicate, sleek, soft, smooth, satiny,
shiny, glossy, lustrous, Technical sericeous: Her long, silky
black hair hung below her shoulders.
silly adj. 1 senseless, nonsensical, absurd, ridiculous, ludicrous,
laughable, risible, asinine, inane, preposterous, idiotic,
childish, puerile, foolish, foolhardy, irresponsible,
unreasonable, illogical, irrational, pointless, fatuous, stupid,
unwise, imbecilic, crazy, mad, insane: It would be silly to pay
for it if you can get it for nothing. 2 stunned, stupefied,
daze, giddy, dizzy, muzzy, benumbed: Culley said something rude
and the girl knocked him silly with a karate chop.
--n. 3 fool, nincompoop, idiot, dunce, ninny, halfwit,
simpleton, numskull or numbskull, dim-wit, booby, dolt, jackass,
twit, dolt, blockhead, bonehead, nitwit, ignoramus, clod, US
thimble-wit, Colloq dope, dummy, knuckle-head, goose, drip,
silly billy, Brit clot, Slang US and Canadian jerk, nerd:
Warren is such a silly to spend so much money on a girl who
cares nothing for him.
silt n. 1 deposit, sediment, alluvium, ooze, sludge: The irrigation
pumps get clogged up with silt.
--v. 2 Usually, silt up or over. become clogged or choked or
obstructed or dammed or congested: The channel silts up and has
to be dredged yearly so that the boats can pass through.
silver n. 1 silverware, sterling, (silver) plate; cutlery, US
flatware; hollowware: Guests are coming so I'll have to polish
the silver. 2 white, greyish, whitish-grey, greyish-white,
grey: When your hair has turned to silver, I will love you just
the same.
--adj. 3 silvery, shiny, shining, polished, burnished,
lustrous, pearly, nacreous, bright, gleaming, Literary or
heraldry argent; white: The moon's silver crescent hung low in
the sky. Her hair is more silver than grey. 4 silvery,
silver-toned, silver-tongued, sweet, pretty, euphonious,
melodious, mellifluous, mellifluent, dulcet, musical: The
silver tones of the muezzin echoed in the streets, calling the
faithful to prayer.
similar adj. 1 like, almost identical, comparable, equivalent, nearly
the same; alike: That brooch is similar to the one I bought for
my mother. The two may be similar, but they are not the same. 2
be similar to. resemble, be like, correspond to, compare
favourably with: This letter is very similar to the one I
received yesterday.
simmer v. 1 seethe, stew, cook, boil, bubble: A huge cauldron of soup
simmered on the fire. 2 chafe, seethe, stew, steam, smoulder,
fume, rage, burn, Colloq US do a slow burn: Father is still
simmering because you scratched his car. 3 simmer down. calm or
cool down, cool off, calm oneself, become quiet, control
oneself, get control of or over oneself, Chiefly Brit quieten
down, Slang cool it: Yesterday he was in a towering rage, but
he has simmered down a bit today.
simple adj. 1 uncomplicated, plain, uninvolved, unsophisticated,
understandable, intelligible, (easily) understood,
comprehensible, clear, lucid, straightforward, easy, elementary,
basic: At the age of four, Jan was able to do simple
mathematical calculations. 2 plain, unadorned, undecorated,
unembellished, basic, fundamental, elementary, elemental, mere,
unostentatious, unassuming, unpretentious, modest, classic,
uncluttered, stark, clean, severe, austere, Spartan, homely;
unvarnished, naked, honest: Thea was stunning in a simple black
dress with a colourful scarf and gold jewellery. The simple
truth is that he came home from work to find the house broken
into and his wife gone. 3 sincere, frank, candid, open,
unaffected, uncomplicated, unpretentious, straightforward,
above-board, simple-hearted, uncontrived, direct, upright,
square, forthright, four-square, righteous, honest, na‹ve,
guileless, artless, undesigning, childlike, ingenuous,
unsophisticated, innocent, green: The colonel was a simple man
who was respected because he always said just what he meant. A
simple heart may be its own best guide. 4 unsophisticated,
na‹ve, slow, slow-witted, stupid, thick, thickheaded,
simple-minded, feeble-minded, oafish, bovine, dense, obtuse,
dull, dull-witted, witless, halfwitted, brainless, backward,
imbecilic or chiefly Brit imbecile, cretinous, Colloq dumb,
moronic: That chap Dawson is far too simple to understand what
you are asking him. 5 lowly, humble, inferior, mean, base,
subservient, common, subordinate: The lord of the manor
regarded his tenants as simple folk, a breed apart from himself
and his family.
simplicity
n. 1 uncomplicatedness; understandability, comprehensibility,
lucidity, straightforwardness, clarity, intelligibility,
decipherability: Consider the simplicity of some life forms in
contrast to the complexity of others. The simplicity of the
Bible can be deceptive. 2 plainness, cleanness, clarity,
severity, starkness, austereness, asceticism, restraint,
bareness, purity: She prefers the simplicity of classical or
very modern design to baroque and rococo clutter. 3 sincerity,
openness, artlessness, candour, guilelessness, frankness,
unsophisticatedness, ingenuousness, straightforwardness,
forthrightness, unaffectedness, unpretentiousness, modesty,
na‹vety; plainness, directness, inelegance, rusticity,
pastoralism: Many have been charmed by the simplicity of the
local folk art. 4 stupidity, slow-wittedness, thickheadedness,
simple-mindedness, feeble-mindedness, oafishness, cloddishness,
obtuseness, dullness, dull-wittedness, witlessness,
halfwittedness, imbecility, brainlessness: The simplicity of
some of those yokels is incredible.
simplify v. clarify, clear up, make easy, paraphrase, explain,
explicate, disentangle, untangle, unravel, streamline: Simplify
your request and we shall be able to do what you ask.
simply adv. 1 merely, barely, purely, only, solely, just, entirely,
fully, totally, wholly, altogether, absolutely, really: Is it
true that they met regularly simply to discuss politics? 2
totally, completely, altogether, entirely, just, plainly,
obviously, really, unreservedly, unqualifiedly: If you believe
that, you're simply too stupid for words! 3 na‹vely, artlessly,
guilelessly, openly, innocently, ingenuously, unaffectedly,
unpretentiously, plainly, naturally: He asked her very simply
what she did as a 'working girl'. 4 plainly, modestly, starkly,
severely, sparely, sparsely, austerely, ascetically: His home
is simply furnished, without paintings or any other decoration.
5 distinctly, unambiguously, plainly, obviously, unmistakably or
unmistakeably: The instructions must be written simply so that
they are understandable to anyone.
simultaneous
adj. coincident, coinciding, concurrent, contemporaneous,
synchronous; contemporary: The simultaneous appearance of two
books on such an obscure subject was very unusual.
sin n. 1 trespass, transgression, offence, wrong, impiety, misdeed,
profanation, desecration, iniquity, evil, devilry, sacrilege,
crime, infraction, misdeed, dereliction, infringement,
violation, misdemeanour, fault, foible, peccadillo: How many
sins have been committed in the name of righteousness! It's a
sin to tell a lie. The seven deadly sins are anger,
covetousness, envy, gluttony, lust, pride, and sloth. 2
wickedness, sinfulness, vice, corruption, ungodliness, badness,
evil, wrongfulness, iniquity, iniquitousness, immorality,
depravity, impiety, irreverence, impiousness, sacrilege: His
brother Edmund was conceived in sin, and sin ruled his entire
life.
--v. 3 transgress, offend, fall (from grace), lapse, go wrong,
stray, go astray, err, Biblical or archaic trespass: Strictly
speaking, we can sin only against God.
sincere adj. honest, truthful, true, veracious, genuine, heartfelt,
true-hearted, undissembling, unfeigned, open, (open and)
above-board, straightforward, direct, frank, candid, guileless,
artless, Colloq upfront, on the level, on the up and up: I took
her criticism as a sincere desire to see improvement in my work.
You have always been sincere in your emotional involvements.
sincerely adv. truly, honestly, really, wholeheartedly, candidly,
frankly, unequivocally, seriously, earnestly, genuinely, deeply,
fervently: When they say they love each other, they mean it
sincerely.
sincerity n. honesty, truthfulness, straightforwardness, openness,
forthrightness, frankness, candour, candidness, seriousness,
genuineness, uprightness: Everyone appreciates sincerity in
dealings with others.
sinew n. 1 ligament, tendon; muscle, thew: After the climb, I ached
in every sinew. 2 Usually, sinews. strength, force, power,
energy, brawn, vigour, might, stamina, vitality: The sinews of
his argument were considerably weakened by her disarming
candour.
sinewy adj. strong, powerful, muscular, mighty, stout, wiry, robust,
tough; strapping, brawny, burly: She looked so tiny and fragile
cradled in his huge sinewy arms.
sinful adj. corrupt, evil, wicked, bad, wrong, wrongful, iniquitous,
vile, base, profane, immoral, profligate, depraved, criminal,
sacrilegious, ungodly, unholy, demonic, irreligious, impious,
irreverent: Anything that you like as much as you like
chocolate must be sinful. They would never condone such sinful
behaviour in our church.
sing v. 1 chant, intone, carol, vocalize, trill, croon, pipe, chirp,
warble; chorus; yodel: It was a wonderful spring day and
Barbara felt like singing. Can you sing On the Road to Mandalay
? 2 whistle, pipe, peep: I have just bought a singing kettle.
3 tell, tattle, name names, Slang rat, snitch, squeal, blow the
whistle, peach, spill the beans: They found out that Johnny had
been singing to the cops about the bank job.
singe v. char, blacken, sear, scorch, burn: Unfortunately, I singed
the tail of my shirt while ironing it.
singer n. vocalist, soloist, songster, crooner, chanteuse,
nightingale, minstrel, troubadour, balladeer, caroller,
chorister, choirboy, choir girl, choir member, chorus-boy,
chorus girl, chorus-member, Colloq songbird, canary, thrush:
She used to be a professional singer.
single adj. 1 unmarried, unwed, unattached, free; celibate: She
remained single till she was twenty-two. 2 singular,
individual, distinct, solitary; one, only, sole, lone, unique,
isolated: There wasn't a single person there who could think
for himself. A single shot rang out. 3 separate, distinct,
individual, solitary: Every single hair is rooted in its
follicle.
--v. 4 single out. select, choose, pick, separate, take or put
or set aside or apart, distinguish, cull, segregate, fix or
fasten on: Why was she singled out for special treatment?
single-handed
adj. 1 solo, lone, solitary, independent, unaided, unassisted:
Chichester was the first winner of the single-handed
transatlantic sailing race.
--adv. 2 single-handedly, by oneself, alone, solo, on one's
own, independently: He sailed round the world single-handed.
single-minded
adj. dedicated, devoted, resolute, steadfast, persevering,
firm, determined, dogged, unswerving, unwavering, tireless,
purposeful: Single-minded perseverance saw him through the
completion of the work in eight years.
singly adv. one at a time, separately, individually, one by one,
successively, one after the other, seriatim: Taken singly, the
facts are not hard to assimilate.
singular adj. 1 unusual, different, atypical, eccentric, extraordinary,
remarkable, special, uncommon, strange, odd, peculiar, bizarre,
outlandish, curious, queer, outr‚, offbeat, Slang far-out:
Ideas that yesterday were considered singular have today become
quite commonplace. 2 outstanding, prominent, eminent,
pre-eminent, noteworthy, significant, important, conspicuous,
particular, notable, signal, exceptional, superior: Stempel
made a singular contribution to the development of microscopy.
3 lone, isolated, single, separate, uncommon, rare, unique,
distinct, one of a kind: Some medieval philosophers denied the
existence of general realities, and claimed that all things that
exist were particular and singular.
singularity
n. 1 individuality, distinctiveness, uniqueness, idiosyncrasy:
Personality demonstrates its singularity even in handwriting. 2
eccentricity, peculiarity, strangeness, oddness, queerness,
outlandishness, uncommonness: The singularity of the marriage
ceremony among these tribes was often remarked on by
anthropologists. 3 Technical black hole: The ultimate collapse
of the star results, theoretically, in a singularity.
sinister adj. 1 fateful, inauspicious, unfavourable, foreboding,
threatening, menacing, minacious, minatory or minatorial,
portentous, ominous, unpropitious, disastrous, dark, gloomy:
There was a sinister meaning in the look he gave her. 2 evil,
bad, corrupt, base, malevolent, malignant, malign, harmful,
pernicious, treacherous, nefarious, wicked, diabolic(al),
baleful, villainous, insidious, sneaky, furtive, underhand(ed):
The poor girl fell under the sinister influence of a real-life
Svengali.
sink v. 1 founder, submerge, go down, go under, plunge, descend, be
engulfed: The ship was struck below the water-line and sank in
minutes. 2 subside, cave in, collapse, subside, settle, drop,
fall in, go down, slip away: The earth suddenly sank beneath
our feet. 3 descend, go down, drop, fall, move down or
downward(s), go down to or on: The parachute slowly sank to the
ground. When he saw the statue move, he sank to his knees,
terrified. 4 decline, weaken, worsen, degenerate, subside,
deteriorate, flag, fail, diminish, die, expire; languish; Colloq
go downhill: Grandfather, sinking fast, summoned the family to
his bedside. 5 disappear, vanish, fade away, evaporate; set, go
down, descend, drop: After a meteoric rise, many rock stars
sink into oblivion. As the sun sank slowly in the west, we
returned to our hotel to reminisce about our day at the
pyramids. 6 settle, precipitate, descend, drop: After a few
minutes, the sand sinks to the bottom. 7 bore, put down, drill,
dig, excavate, drive: A special shaft will be sunk just for
ventilating the mine. 8 submerge, immerse, plunge: He sank his
hand deep into the mud and came up with a small box. 9 stoop,
bend, get, go, lower or humble oneself: I never dreamt that he
would sink so low as to beg in the streets. 10 invest, venture,
risk, put: He sank his life's savings into his son's business,
only to see it go bankrupt. 11 sink in. be understood,
penetrate, register, make an impression on, get through to: How
many times do I have to tell you in order for it to sink in?
--n. 12 basin, wash-basin, wash-bowl, lavabo; Church font,
stoup, piscina: The kitchen has a large double sink. 13
cesspool, cesspit, pit, hell-hole, den of iniquity, sink-hole,
Colloq dive: We found him playing piano in some sink frequented
by the worst element of society.
sinking adj. 1 queasy, nervous, uneasy, tense, apprehensive, unquiet,
fretful, shaky, jittery, jumpy, anxious: Just thinking about
the way they treat hostages gave me a sinking feeling in the pit
of my stomach. 2 depressed, dejected, miserable, dolorous,
doleful, mournful, forlorn, woeful, desolate, despairing,
stricken, heavy-laden: I had a sudden sinking feeling when she
announced that she had something important to tell me.
sinner n. transgressor, wrongdoer, miscreant, offender, evil-doer,
malefactor, reprobate, Biblical or archaic trespasser: Few
people nowadays believe that sinners are punished in hell for
all eternity.
sip v. 1 taste, sample, sup: She was sitting on a bar stool,
sipping a cocktail.
--n. 2 taste, sample, soup‡on, drop, bit, swallow, mouthful,
spoonful, thimbleful, nip, dram, Colloq swig: She took a sip,
savoured it, then turned to me with a smile.
siren n. 1 whistle, warble, wailer, horn, foghorn; signal, alarm,
warning, alert, tocsin: The air raid siren sounded and everyone
ran for shelter. 2 temptress, seductress, enchantress, charmer,
sorceress, femme fatale, Circe, Lorelei, Colloq vamp, US
mantrap: Have you seen the latest siren to whom John has fallen
prey?
sissy n. milksop, mama's boy, mummy's boy, namby-pamby, weakling,
baby, cry-baby, mollycoddle, US milquetoast, Colloq softie or
softy, Brit wet: The boy you remember from school as a sissy is
now a football star.
sit v. 1 be seated, settle, sit down, take a seat, rest, Colloq
take the weight or a load off one's feet: Come in and sit with
me for a while. If you sit on that chair it will break. 2 hold a
session, be in session, assemble, meet, convene; gather, get
together: The Supreme Court of the United States will be
sitting next week. 3 Often, sit on. have or hold or occupy a
seat (on), participate (in), be a member (of): Kathy sits on
the board of directors. 4 remain, stay, lie, rest; relax, mark
time, abide, dwell: Let the dough sit a while to rise. Anita
sat in Vienna awaiting her instructions. 5 seat, contain, hold,
accommodate, have seats or seating for, have room or space or
capacity for seating: The auditorium sits only 600. 6 sit in.
a Often, sit in on. play, join (in), participate (in), take part
(in); observe, watch: Mind if I sit in on your poker game? We
invited Mary Lou to sit in during our discussion. b substitute,
fill in, stand in, double, Colloq cover, sub, US pinch-hit:
Mary Lou often sat in for our pianist if he had another gig. 7
sit out. wait out, outwait, outstay, outlast, outlive, last
through, live through: Will sat out endless dances. He sat out
the whole evening merely waiting to walk home with Lily. 8 sit
tight. wait, hang back, hold back, be patient, bide (one's)
time, play a waiting game, take no action, delay, temporize,
Colloq hold (one's) horses: Just sit tight till you hear from
them - don't jump the gun. 9 sit up. awaken, pay attention,
notice, become alert or interested or concerned: Jennie's
performance in the hurdles made many track coaches sit up. 10
sit (with). Often, sit well or right (with). agree with, be
agreeable to; seem, appear, look: The way Ashton handled the
matter did not sit well with the directors.
site n. 1 location, place, plot, plat, spot, locale, area, milieu,
neighbourhood, locality, purlieus, placement, position;
situation, orientation: A site near that of ancient Pergamum
has been acquired for the building. The site alongside the river
has much to recommend it.
--v. 2 locate, position, place, put, situate, install or
instal: The building has been sited to take maximum advantage
of the sun.
situate v. place in a position or situation or location, place,
position, locate, set, spot, put, install or instal: Harwood is
very well situated to learn what the high command is planning.
The greenhouse should be situated on the south side of the
house.
situation n. 1 place, position, location, spot, site, locale, setting:
The situation of the monastery, high on the mountain, makes it
almost inaccessible. 2 state (of affairs), condition,
circumstances, case, status (quo), lay of the land, picture;
plight, predicament; Colloq ball game; kettle of fish: The
present situation calls for careful planning. The chancellor's
policies have done little to improve the economic situation. 3
position, place, job, employment, post, Colloq berth: Jenkins
likes his new situation as Lord Fortescue's valet.
size n. 1 magnitude, largeness, bigness, bulk, extent, scope, range,
dimensions, proportions, measurement(s), expanse, area, square
footage, volume, mass, weight; hugeness, immensity, greatness,
vastness, enormousness: How do astronomers determine the
distance and size of stellar objects? A shape of extraordinary
size suddenly loomed up in the darkness.
--v. 2 dimension, measure: The furnishings are sized in
proportion to these miniature room displays. 3 size up. assess,
judge, evaluate, measure, take the measure of, appraise, assay,
make an estimate of, estimate, value, gauge, rate: She looked
him up and down, sizing him up as a prospective husband.
sketchily adv. cursorily, superficially, incompletely, patchily, roughly,
perfunctorily, skimpily, vaguely, imperfectly, crudely, hastily,
hurriedly: His account of the event was sketchily written.
sketchy adj. cursory, superficial, incomplete, patchy, rough,
perfunctory, skimpy, imperfect, crude, hasty, hurried, vague,
ill-defined, fuzzy, indistinct, inexact, imprecise, unrefined,
unpolished, rough-hewn, unfinished: We received only sketchy
reports of what was going on in the capital. This will do as a
sketchy outline, but eventually the details will need to be
filled in.
skilful adj. skilled, accomplished, adept, adroit, dexterous, expert,
proficient, masterly, masterful, gifted, apt, able, clever,
talented, capable, professional, trained, qualified,
experienced, practised: Julio is a skilful enough driver to
race tomorrow. I have to admire the skilful way he handles
people.
skill n. 1 talent, ability, aptitude, expertness, expertise,
facility, skilfulness, art, artistry, cleverness, adeptness,
adroitness, mastery, dexterity, handiness, ingenuity,
experience, proficiency, finesse, knack, quickness, deftness,
technique: It requires great skill to operate this machine. 2
accomplishment, forte, strength, gift, capability, know-how,
faculty: Her skill is in teaching others how to be skilful
sales people.
skim v. 1 Often, skim off. separate, cream, scoop or ladle off, take
off, remove: After the water has come to a boil, skim off the
scum that has collected on top. 2 Often, skim through or over.
scan, flip or thumb or leaf through, skip through, glance at or
through, dip into: I only had time to skim through your report,
but at a glance it looks good. 3 soar, glide, skate, slide,
sail, fly: Along came Calabro on his sailboard, skimming along
the tops of the waves.
skin n. 1 epidermis, derma, integument, hide, pelt, fleece, fell:
Her skin reddens in the sun. How many skins are needed to make a
coat? 2 coat, film, coating, crust, incrustation, husk, peel,
rind, outside, shell, pellicle, veneer, outer layer, lamina,
overlay: The frame is first covered with a tough plastic skin
to make it waterproof.
--v. 3 flay, strip, decorticate, excoriate: I shall skin that
boy alive if I catch him! 4 peel, hull, husk, shell: This
machine skins the fruit automatically. 5 abrade, scrape, graze,
bark: She skinned her knee on the edge of the coffee table.
skin-deep adj. superficial, shallow, surface, slight, external,
unimportant, trivial, unprofound, insubstantial: The impression
he makes on people is only skin-deep.
skinny adj. thin, underweight, gaunt, bony, scraggy, lank, lanky,
gangly, gangling, raw-boned, meagre, spare, emaciated,
half-starved, undernourished, spare, pinched, hollow-cheeked,
wasted, shrunken: Two skinny children were clinging to their
mother's skirts.
skip v. 1 leap, cavort, caper, gambol, frisk, prance, jump, hop,
romp, bound, dance: Eleanor came skipping down the walk to the
house. 2 omit, leave out, pass by, overlook, pass over, avoid,
ignore, disregard, steer clear of, cut: In my haste, I skipped
over your name. Please skip the reading of the roll today.
--n. 3 leap, cavort, caper, gambol, frisk, prance, jump, bound,
dance, hop, romp: He had a curious way of walking, giving a
little skip before each step. 4 lacuna, gap, omission,
avoidance, disregard; miss, Colloq go-by: There was a skip of
32 pages after page 64. If you take my advice, you will give
that restaurant a skip.
skipper n. captain, master, commander; boss, leader, chief: The
skipper gave orders to put him in irons.
skirmish n. 1 fight, encounter, fray, brush, clash, engagement,
confrontation, showdown, combat, battle, conflict, struggle,
set-to, contest, scrimmage, fracas, tussle, m€l‚e or melee, Law
affray, Colloq scrap, dust-up, Brit scrum: There was a brief
skirmish when the troops met a band of partisans.
--v. 2 fight, clash, struggle, battle, tussle, clash: At the
edge of the convoy a destroyer skirmished with a submarine.
sky n. 1 heaven(s), skies, arch or vault of heaven, firmament,
(wild) blue (yonder), ether, Archaic or literary welkin,
empyrean, azure: The dour, overcast sky gave the bleak moor a
chilling sense of foreboding. 2 to the skies. overly,
excessively, extravagantly, fulsomely, profusely, inordinately,
highly: If I praise him to the skies people will get the idea
that I benefit from his success.
slab n. slice, wedge, piece, hunk, chunk, tranche, Colloq Brit
wodge: The keeper threw a large slab of meat into the lion's
cage.
slack adj. 1 remiss, careless, indolent, negligent, lax, lazy, idle,
neglectful, delinquent, inattentive, otiose, dilatory,
cunctatory, laggard, easygoing, slothful, sluggish, lethargic,
shiftless, do-nothing, fain‚ant, Colloq asleep at the switch or
the wheel, asleep on the job: Production has fallen off because
the workers are getting slack. 2 loose, flabby, flaccid, soft,
limp, baggy, drooping, droopy, bagging, sagging, floppy: The
flag hung down, slack in the still air.
--v. 3 Often, slack or slacken off or up. a let go, let run,
let loose, release, slacken, loose, loosen, relax, ease (out or
off), let up (on): Slack off the stern line a bit. b slow
(down or up), delay, reduce speed, tire, decline, decrease,
diminish, moderate, abate, weaken: Barnes could not keep up his
terrific pace and is beginning to slack off. Business has
slackened off since Christmas. 4 neglect, shirk, Colloq Brit
skive (off), US goof off, Chiefly military gold-brick, Taboo
slang US fuck the dog: Don't let the foreman find you slacking.
--n. 5 lull, pause, inactivity, cut-back, lessening, reduction,
abatement, drop-off, downturn, diminution, decline, fall-off,
decrease, dwindling: How do you compensate for the slack in
sales of ski equipment during the summer? 6 room, looseness,
slackness, play, give: There's too much slack in that mooring
line.
slacker n. shirker, loafer, idler, Slang Brit skiver, Military
scrimshanker, US gold brick, goof-off: We have tight deadlines
to meet, so there is no room for slackers on the team.
slake v. satisfy, quench, gratify, allay, assuage, ease, relieve:
Nothing would slake my thirst better right now than a pint of
ice-cold lager.
slam v. 1 shut, fling closed, bang: Gillian said that she hated
encyclopedias, and slammed the door in the salesman's face. 2
crash, smash, smack, dash, ram, bang, slap: Not looking where
he was going, Newland slammed his car into a street lamp. 3
criticize, attack, vilify, pillory, run down, disparage,
denigrate, denounce, put down, flay, pounce on or upon, Colloq
shoot down, pan, Chiefly Brit slate: The critics slammed his
play because of the way it portrayed women.
slander n. 1 defamation (of character), calumny, obloquy,
misrepresentation, slur, vilification; libel: He spread lies
about me and I am suing him for slander.
--v. 2 defame, calumniate, disparage, slur, traduce, malign,
smear, vilify, decry; libel: He must be stopped from slandering
people and ruining their reputations.
slanderous
adj. defamatory, calumnious, disparaging, smear, deprecatory,
depreciative, discrediting, decrying; libellous: I understand
that she made some slanderous remarks about your relationship
with your ex-wife.
slant n. 1 angle, viewpoint, (point of) view, standpoint, approach,
twist, idea, aspect, attitude: The article reflects a new slant
on why governments are sometimes out of touch with the
electorate. 2 bias, prejudice, partiality, one-sidedness, turn,
bent: Carla's reporting has a feminist slant which occasionally
distorts the facts. 3 slope, incline, tilt, ramp, gradient,
pitch, lean, leaning, deflection, angle, rake, cant, camber: A
window sill normally has an outward slant. The road has a slant
downwards to the right on right-hand curves.
--v. 4 tilt, angle, incline, pitch, cant, slope, bend, lean,
list, tip, bevel, shelve: The land slants downwards near the
lake. Notice how his writing slants upwards at the ends of the
lines. Cut the edges to slant outwards. 5 bend, distort,
deviate, twist, warp, colour, weight, bias: The editor slanted
the story to put the minister in a favourable light.
slap v. 1 smack, cuff, whack, rap; spank; Colloq clout, wallop: He
said something extremely rude so she slapped him. 2 flap, slat,
whip, beat, bat: Can't you stop that blind from slapping in the
wind? 3 fling, toss, splash, hurl, throw, sling: If you slap
some paint on it, no one will know the difference.
--n. 4 smack, blow, cuff, whack, rap, Colloq clout, wallop: He
got a hard slap on the cheek for using foul language. 5 Often,
slap in the face. reprimand, reproof, rebuff, criticism,
censure, rebuke, shot, thrust, attack, put-down, insult,
offence, smack in the eye: The speaker's reference to Anne's
paper as 'trivial' was a severe slap in the face.
--adv. 6 slap on. exactly, directly, precisely, straight,
point-blank, right, squarely, plumb, smack, bang: As usual,
Barry's comments were slap on the mark.
slash v. 1 cut, gash, hack, score, slit, knife, lacerate; wound;
scar: The guide slashed away at the undergrowth with his
machete. 2 lash, whip, scourge, flog, beat, horsewhip, flail,
flagellate, flay, lambaste, thrash, beat: In those days, a
convicted felon was beaten and slashed in front of a crowd in
the market-place. 3 cut, reduce, decrease, drop, mark down,
trim, lower: Prices were slashed to clear out last season's
styles.
--n. 4 cut, gash, incision, slit, slice, gouge, rent, rip,
score, laceration: There is a slash in each sleeve that reveals
the colourful fabric underneath. 5 cut, reduction, decrease,
mark-down: The department stores continued their price slashes
to the end of January.
slattern n. slut, tramp, sloven, trollop, hussy, wanton, whore,
prostitute, harlot, streetwalker, lady of the evening, woman of
ill repute, loose or fallen woman, trottoise, Colloq call-girl,
pro, Slang tart, hooker, hustler, US roundheels, bimbo: His
reputation will not be enhanced if he associates with slatterns.
slaughter n. 1 butchery, butchering, Rare abattage: Most of the cattle
were sent for slaughter. 2 massacre, killing, bloodshed, blood
bath, murder, homicide, manslaughter, carnage, extermination,
execution, liquidation, slaying, blood-letting, butchery,
pogrom, genocide, mass murder or execution or extermination,
sacrifice, hecatomb: 1930 to 1945 saw the slaughter of millions
in Europe and the Far East.
--v. 3 butcher, kill, murder, slay, execute, exterminate,
massacre, put to the sword, put to death, liquidate, destroy:
How many more must be slaughtered before war is made obsolete?
4 defeat, beat, win (out) over, vanquish, overcome, overwhelm,
smash, crush, thrash, destroy, rout, upset, trounce, Colloq
clobber: Our school soccer team slaughtered the visitors 10--0.
slave n. 1 lackey or lacquey, scullion, serf, slave-girl, slaveling,
odalisque or odalisk, bondservant, bondslave, bondsman or
bondman, bondswoman or bondwoman, bondmaid, vassal, Derogatory
chiefly Brit skivvy, Archaic esne, helot, hierodule, Colloq Brit
slavey: In ancient times, captured peoples and those of lower
social status were kept as slaves. 2 drudge, workhorse, hack,
grind, toiler, labourer, Chiefly Brit fag, dogsbody, Colloq US
gofer: Susan was a slave to her job for years, only to be
sacked without a pension by the new owners.
--v. 3 labour, toil, moil, grind, grub, drudge, sweat, burn the
midnight oil, lucubrate, work one's fingers to the bone, work
like a Trojan or a horse, Brit skivvy: He was slaving over an
essay that was due the following morning.
slaver° v. 1 drool, salivate, slobber, drivel, dribble, spit, Dialect
slabber: The wolf opened its slavering jaws.
--n. 2 drool, saliva, drivel, dribble, spit, spittle, Dialect
slabber: The slaver formed on his lips as he raged on. 3
nonsense, drivel, rubbish, twaddle, piffle: The slaver spewed
forth by the critics set her teeth on edge.
slaverэ n. 1 slave ship, slave-trader: Conditions were so bad aboard
the slavers that many of the poor souls died before reaching
their destination. 2 blackbirder, slave-trader; White slaver,
pimp, panderer: He was ashamed that his grandfather had been a
South Sea slaver.
slavery n. 1 enslavement, bondage, thraldom, thrall, enthralment,
servitude, serfdom, vassalage, yoke; subjugation, captivity,
Historical US peculiar institution: All of those ancient
cultures that we venerate practised slavery. 2 slave-trade,
blackbirding: No one ever mentions that the family fortune had
been made from slavery. 3 toil, moil, drudgery, travail, grind,
strain, (hard) labour: She remembered the years of slavery she
had spent at the kitchen sink.
sleazy adj. 1 unsubstantial or insubstantial, flimsy, slight, shabby,
poor, gimcrack, jerry-built, tawdry, cheap, tatty, ramshackle,
rickety, slipshod, Colloq US chintzy: Her garish dress was made
from some sleazy synthetic material. 2 disreputable, low-class,
low-grade, squalid, dirty, base, seedy, sordid, contemptible,
trashy, run-down, mean, cheap, Colloq crummy, slummy, Slang
crappy, cheesy: He was lying low in a sleazy hotel while the
police searched for him.
sleek adj. 1 smooth, slick, velvety, lustrous, shiny, shining,
glossy, silky, silken: The seals' sleek fur glistened in the
sunlight. 2 graceful, trim, streamlined: For her birthday
Edmund gave her a sleek convertible. 3 suave, unctuous, slimy,
fawning, oily, specious, hypocritical, Chiefly Brit smarmy: His
explanations sounded plausible enough, but we soon found out
what a sleek rogue he really was.
sleep v. 1 doze, (take a) nap, catnap, rest, repose, slumber, drowse,
drop or nod off, be in the land of Nod, be in the arms of
Morpheus, snore, Colloq snooze, saw wood, catch or log a few
zees (Z's), take or have a zizz, catch forty winks: I was so
tired, I slept for a full ten hours.
--n. 2 nap, doze, slumber, rest, siesta, Colloq forty winks,
snooze, zizz, beauty sleep: As she grew older, she found she
needed less sleep.
sleepless adj. 1 restless, wakeful, insomniac, disturbed: Your mother
and I spent a sleepless night worrying about you. 2 alert,
watchful, vigilant, unsleeping: Mark's wife kept a sleepless
vigil at his bedside.
sleepwalking
n. 1 noctambulism, somnambulism, noctambulation,
somnambulation: Because of his sleepwalking, he had to be
strapped in at night.
--adj. 2 noctambulant, somnambulant: Proper drugs will control
her sleepwalking activities.
sleepy adj. 1 drowsy, somnolent, tired, nodding, dozy, lethargic,
torpid, slumberous, sluggish, oscitant; weary, fatigued,
exhausted, Colloq dead on one's feet, (knocked) out, beat, US
and Canadian pooped: All that exercise has made me sleepy. 2
boring, inactive, dull, quiet, soporific, slow, sluggish: He
grew up in a sleepy little village in the Outer Hebrides.
slender adj. 1 slim, lean, willowy, sylphlike, svelte, lissom or
lissome, lithe, graceful, snake-hipped, thin, spare, slight,
lanky: By exercising regularly, she has retained her slender
figure. 2 slim, narrow, slight, poor, unlikely, small, little,
scanty, remote, meagre, weak, feeble: Prospects for a quick
recovery of the stock market are slender. 3 slim, slight,
little, scanty, inadequate, insufficient, insignificant,
trifling: The evidence against the defendant was too slender
for a conviction.
sleuth n. detective, (private) detective, (private) investigator, US
P.I., Colloq private eye, Sherlock, snoop, Brit tec or 'tec, US
hawkshaw, Slang US dick, shamus, US and Canadian gumshoe:
Dissatisfied with the progress of the police, we hired a private
sleuth to investigate the theft.
slice n. 1 slab, piece, rasher, collop, shaving, layer, Cookery
scallop, escalope, scaloppine (pl. of scaloppina) or scaloppini
(pl.): May I have another slice of ham? 2 portion, piece,
part, wedge, share, sliver, helping: He wants to make certain
he gets his slice of the pie. 3 spatula; slicer: The Cabots
gave us a silver fish slice for a wedding present.
--v. 4 cut, carve, divide: They watched their mother slicing
bread for sandwiches.
slick adj. 1 smooth, sleek, glossy, silky, silken, shiny, shining,
glassy, slippery: His slick hair looked as if it had been
greased. 2 smooth, urbane, suave, smooth-spoken, glib, smug,
plausible; sycophantic, unctuous, Colloq smarmy: Thomas was a
slick operator and managed to worm his way into a position of
power. 3 smooth, clever, skilful, adroit, dexterous,
professional, ingenious, imaginative, inventive, creative,
Colloq neat: The performance was slick and well-rehearsed. 4
superficial, shallow, meretricious, specious, glib: They have
made a lot of money publishing slick magazines for the yuppy
market.
--v. 5 Often, slick down. smooth, plaster down, grease, oil:
He likes his hair slicked down to look like Valentino's.
slicker n. 1 confidence man or woman, cheat, swindler, mountebank,
Colloq con man, city slicker: That slicker she met in Paris
tricked Harriet out of a lot of money before he disappeared. 2
oilskin (raincoat): Best wear your slicker if you're going out
in this storm, James.
slide v. 1 glide, slip; coast, skim, glissade, skate, plane, skid,
toboggan, slither: The drawer slid smoothly out on its runners.
Terry came sliding down the icy hill, arms and legs flailing. 2
creep, steal, slip, slink, move: My contact slid into the seat
beside me and slipped me a note. 3 decline, decrease, drop,
fall: Shares slid to an all-time low on this morning's market.
4 let slide. forget, ignore, neglect, gloss or pass over, pay no
heed or mind (to): When Mr Bartlett borrowed my lawnmower, I
let the matter slide till he began to think of it as his own,
and offered to lend it to me!
--n. 5 landslide, earth-slip, avalanche, mud-slide: A dozen
houses were destroyed in the slides caused by the recent
torrential rains.
slight adj. 1 small, little, minor, negligible, unlikely,
insignificant, inconsequential: There is always a slight chance
that you might be wrong, you know. 2 trifling, tiny, slender,
minute, infinitesimal; trace, perceptible: He didn't attach the
slightest importance to the rumours that were going round. You'd
best wash it again, as there is still a slight odour of garlic.
3 small, short, petite, thin, slim, slender, delicate,
diminutive, tiny, miniature, bantam, wee, pocket, pocket-sized,
US vest-pocket, Colloq pint-sized: Charlotte's slight build
seems totally unaffected by the amount she eats. 4 insubstantial
or unsubstantial, weak, feeble, delicate, dainty, frail,
unstable, fragile, flimsy, lightly made or built, precarious,
inadequate, rickety, insecure: This table is too slight to
support the computer and the printer. His arguments were far
too slight to carry conviction.
--v. 5 disregard, ignore, disdain, scorn, snub, rebuff, cut,
disrespect, cold-shoulder: He thought she had slighted him
deliberately at the dance. 6 insult, offend, affront, mortify,
diminish, minimize, depreciate, disparage: Siobhan felt
slighted by Harry's inattention.
--n. 7 insult, affront, slur, indignity, outrage, offence,
disrespect: It is hard to understand why she tolerates his
persistent slights. 8 inattention, neglect, disregard,
indifference, snub, cold shoulder, coldness, ill-treatment:
Perhaps she misinterprets his obsessive occupation in his work
as a slight to her.
slightly adv. a little, somewhat, to a certain or slight or minor extent
or degree or measure, marginally: Yes, I do feel slightly
better, thank you.
slim adj. 1 See slender, 1, above. 2 See slender, 2, 3, above.
--v. 3 reduce, lose or shed weight, diet, Chiefly US
slenderize: I really must slim if I am to fit into my summer
clothes.
slimy adj. 1 oozy, slippery, mucky, squashy, squishy, viscous,
sticky, gluey, mucilaginous, uliginous, glutinous, mucous,
clammy, mushy, US squushy or squooshy, Colloq gooey, gunky, US
gloppy: He had cleverly buried the bag of diamonds in a mass of
slimy waste where no one would want to look. 2 slippery,
unctuous, obsequious, sycophantic, toadying, servile, creeping,
grovelling, abject, Colloq smarmy: I don't mind his trying to
sell me insurance, but why does he have to be so slimy about it?
sling v. 1 toss, throw, cast, propel, hurl, shy, fling, fire, shoot,
pitch, let fly, launch, heave, lob, Colloq chuck: He slung his
briefcase onto the desk and flopped into a chair.
--n. 2 slingshot, catapult, trebuchet or trebucket: It is said
that David slew Goliath with a stone from his sling. 3 support,
strap, band; belt: The doctor ordered him to keep his sprained
arm in a sling for a few days. The military rifles are supplied
with leather slings.
slink v. sneak, creep, steal, prowl, skulk: The dog slunk out of the
room with its tail between its legs.
slip° v. 1 slide, skid, glide, slither: Waxing the runners helps the
sleigh slip along more easily. 2 stumble, lose one's footing or
balance, miss one's footing, trip; fall, tumble: Mother slipped
on the ice but luckily didn't fall down. 3 Often, slip up. err,
blunder, make a mistake, miscalculate, go wrong, botch (up),
Slang screw up: He slipped up again by failing to give you your
telephone messages. 4 let slip. reveal, divulge, blurt out,
leak, let out, disclose, expose, Colloq come out with, blab: He
accidentally let slip the news that you were back in town. 5
slip away or by. pass, elapse, vanish, go by: The hours just
slipped away when I was with Irena. 6 slip away or off or out.
escape, disappear, leave, vanish, steal, go or run away or off
or out, break away, get away, give (someone) the slip; sneak
away or off or out: After the speech, he slipped away before we
could interview him. 7 slip in. enter, get in, sneak in; put
in: A field mouse slipped in past the wire netting. I managed
to slip in my suggestion before the meeting was adjourned.
--n. 8 blunder, error, mistake, fault, oversight, slip of the
tongue or pen, inadvertence, indiscretion, impropriety,
transgression, peccadillo, faux pas, Colloq slip-up, Chiefly US
blooper, Slang Brit boob, bloomer: She made so many slips in
the letter that she had to retype it.
slipэ n. 1 piece, scrap, strip, sliver; paper, note, chit, permit,
permission, pass, document: I'll put my phone number on this
slip of paper. To go on the outing, each child will have to
bring in a slip signed by a parent. 2 shoot, scion, cutting,
sprig, twig, sprout, runner, offshoot: After the slip is
inserted, the branch must be bandaged up firmly.
slippery adj. 1 slick, sleek, slimy, icy, glassy, smooth, greasy, oily,
lubricated, Colloq skiddy: Be careful! Those stairs can be
slippery when they're wet. 2 evasive, devious, shifty,
unreliable, undependable, questionable, untrustworthy,
dishonest, treacherous, disloyal, perfidious, slick, crafty,
sly, foxy, cunning, tricky, sneaky, false, reptilian, faithless,
Colloq shady: I have dealt with some very slippery characters
over the years, but this one is downright evil.
slipshod adj. careless, slovenly, slapdash, haphazard, messy, untidy,
disorganized, lax, unorganized, Colloq sloppy: We refused to
pay the bill because of the slipshod way they did the repairs.
slit v. 1 split, cut, slash, gash, knife, slice: The bark of the
log is first slit OBopen, then carefully peeled back.
--n. 2 split, cut, gash, incision, fissure, groove, slash,
cleft, aperture, opening: Off-stage, the rest of the actors
were watching the audience through a slit in the curtain.
slither v. slide, worm, snake, slip, slink, glide, skitter, creep,
crawl: After regarding me for a moment, the cobra turned and
slithered away.
sliver n. fragment, piece, shard, shred, splinter, slip, shaving,
paring, flake, chip, bit, scrap, snippet, snip: Two weeks
later, we were still finding tiny slivers of glass from the
broken vase.
slob n. oaf, boor, pig, lout, churl, yahoo, Slang Brit yob, yobbo,
Chiefly US galoot or galloot, Slobbovian: He was a complete
slob - he never tidied his room, and hardly ever washed.
slogan n. war cry, battle-cry, rallying cry, catchword, watchword;
motto: The magazine's slogan was 'If you love words, you'll
love Word '.
slope v. 1 incline, decline, ascend, descend, rise, fall, dip, sink,
drop (off), angle, slant, pitch, tilt, tip: The lawn slopes
downwards from the house, then upwards towards that grove of
trees.
--n. 2 incline, decline, ascent, descent, acclivity, declivity,
rise, fall, ramp, dip, sink, drop, angle, slant, pitch, tilt,
rake, tip, camber, cant, grade, bevel, hill, bank, mount,
gradient, US grade, upgrade, downgrade: Sheep can be seen
grazing on the grassy slopes.
sloppy adj. 1 messy, dirty, slovenly, careless, slipshod, untidy,
disordered, disorderly; draggle-tailed, bedraggled, dishevelled,
unkempt, dowdy, frumpish, shabby, scruffy, Colloq US grungy:
She is certainly a sloppy housekeeper. John's teacher complained
about his sloppy work. 2 wet, slushy, watery, soggy, soppy,
sopping, sodden, sloshy, muddy, rainy: The roads were sloppy
after all the rain. You're lucky you don't have to go out in
this sloppy weather. 3 sentimental, gushy, gushing, mawkish,
maudlin, mushy, over-emotional, Colloq slushy, Brit wet, soppy:
She starts to cry whenever she watches a sloppy film on TV.
slot n. 1 groove, fissure, notch, slit, opening, hollow, depression,
channel, sulcus: Each of these pieces fits into its own slot.
Drop a coin in the slot and watch what happens. 2 opening,
position, vacancy, job, place, assignment, niche, space, spot,
pigeon-hole: We filled that slot in the sales department. They
scheduled the new programme into the half-hour slot after the
six o'clock news.
--v. 3 groove, fissure, notch, slit, hollow out: We slotted
the stanchions to accommodate the shelf brackets. 4 assign,
schedule, place, position, pigeon-hole, fit: Can we slot this
interview into the documentary on China?
sloth n. idleness, laziness, indolence, slothfulness, inertia,
apathy, indifference, accidie, torpor, faineance, pococurantism,
torpidity, sluggishness, languor, languidness, lethargy, phlegm,
Rare hebetude: The maharajahs lived a life of sloth and luxury
at the expense of their poverty-stricken subjects.
slothful adj. idle, lazy, indolent, apathetic, indifferent, torpid,
inert, pococurante, slack, lax, shiftless, fain‚ant, inactive,
do-nothing, sluggish, sluggard(ly), slow, laggard, languorous,
languid, lethargic, lackadaisical, phlegmatic, hebetudinous:
One cannot pursue a slothful attitude and expect to get anywhere
in life.
slouch v. 1 droop, sag, stoop, loll, slump, hunch: Sit up straight
and stop slouching.
--n. 2 stoop, sag, droop, slump, hunch: He seems to have
developed a slouch from the burden of his responsibilities. 3
Usually, no slouch. sloven, loafer, sluggard, laggard, loafer,
idler, malingerer, lazybones: Nellie is certainly no slouch
when it comes to exercising to keep fit.
slow adj. 1 lagging, laggard, dawdling, sluggish, sluggard(ly),
slow-moving, leaden, ponderous, unhurried, plodding, snail-like,
tortoise-like, torpid, leaden-footed, creeping, crawling;
deliberate, slow-paced, leisurely, gradual, easy, relaxed, lax,
lackadaisical, lazy, US lallygagging or lollygagging: They
walked at a slow pace back to the house. Philip has become a
little slower in his old age. 2 gradual, progressive, moderate,
perceptible, almost imperceptible, measurable: The church
elders have noted a slow decline in moral standards. 3
unhurried, slow-moving, slow-paced: The slow funeral cortege
crept through the streets. 4 behindhand, unpunctual: I missed
the train because my watch is five minutes slow. 5 late, tardy,
behindhand, dilatory, delayed, unpunctual: You were so slow in
getting here that everyone has gone. 6 slack, inactive, quiet,
sluggish, unproductive: Business is always a bit slow after the
holidays. 7 dense, dull, slow-witted, dull-witted, obtuse,
backward, bovine, dim, dim-witted, stupid, unresponsive,
blockish, cloddish, unintelligent, doltish, simple, stolid,
unimaginative, Boeotian, Colloq slow on the uptake, thick, dumb:
I'm afraid I'm a bit slow when it comes to particle physics. 8
conservative, unprogressive, old-fashioned, out of date,
backward, old-fogyish or old-fogeyish, behind the times, Colloq
square, not with it, past it, US out of it: The council has
been rather slow in realizing the needs of the community. 9
boring, dull, tiresome, ennuyant, tedious, dead, sleepy,
somnolent, torpid, soporific, wearisome, dry-as-dust,
uninteresting, monotonous, tame, uneventful, humdrum, Colloq
ho-hum, dead, Brit dead-and-alive: This town becomes really
slow in the autumn, till the tourists reappear in the spring. 10
reluctant, not quick, unwilling, hesitant, disinclined, averse,
loath or loth, indisposed: Even when provoked, Cassie tends to
be slow to anger.
--adv. 11 slowly, unhurriedly, cautiously, carefully,
circumspectly: He failed his test because he drove too slow.
12 behindhand, tardily, late, unpunctually: All the trains seem
to be running a bit slow tonight. 13 slowly, easy, leisurely,
easily: They told him to take things slower or he'd have
another heart attack.
--v. 14 Often, slow down or up. slack or slacken off, reduce
speed, hold back, put on the brakes, take it easy: You'd better
slow down before you come to Deadman's Hill. 15 relax, take it
easy, Colloq ease up: The doctor suggested that at my age I
ought to slow down a little.
sludge n. muck, mire, ooze, mud, slime, dregs, silt, residue,
precipitate, Colloq goo: The mechanic said that there was a lot
of sludge in the engine.
sluggishness
n. sloth, laziness, slothfulness, languor, lassitude, lethargy,
languidness, laggardness, torpor, phlegm, lifelessness,
stagnation, shiftlessness, pococurantism, faineance, accidie,
Rare hebetude: A few days' golfing in Scotland will help to
shake off the sluggishness of your Caribbean holiday.
slum n. Often, slums. ghetto, warren, shanty town, US skid row or
Skid Road: Many very famous men emerged from the slums of the
Lower East Side in New York.
slump n. 1 dip, trough, depreciation, decline, downturn, downslide,
recession, depression, falling-off, fall-off, fall, drop,
plunge, descent, crash, collapse, failure; nosedive, tailspin:
A slump in the housing market was one of the early signs of the
impending recession. The market went into a slump this morning
from which it barely recovered before closing.
--v. 2 decline, slip, recede, fall (off), drop, plunge,
descend, sink, crash, collapse, dive, plummet, take or go into a
nosedive or tailspin: Prices on the stock market slumped
following announcement of a rise in interest rates. 3 See
slouch, 1, above.
slur n. 1 smear, insult, calumny, aspersion, affront, stigma, stain,
blot, spot, (black) mark, discredit, insinuation, innuendo,
imputation, slander, libel, slight, Colloq put-down: She
resents any slur on her husband's character.
--v. 2 mumble, misarticulate, garble, stutter, lisp: Some
people nowadays slur their speech so badly that one can hardly
understand them. 3 slur over. gloss over, pass over, disregard,
give short shrift to, ignore: The eulogies at the memorial
service slurred over his faults and focused on his
accomplishments.
sly adj. 1 cunning, artful, crafty, clever, wily, guileful,
underhand(ed), deceitful, treacherous, foxy, scheming, plotting,
designing, conniving, furtive, shrewd, sneaky, stealthy,
insidious, devious, disingenuous, tricky, shifty, sharp, canny,
Colloq shady: It was devilishly sly of him to manoeuvre you
into paying for his party. 2 impish, elfish, roguish,
mischievous, puckish, devilish, scampish, naughty, arch,
waggish: Even as he was flirting with Allison he was giving
Antonia sly, conspiratorial winks.
--n. 3 on the sly. slyly or slily, quietly, surreptitiously,
covertly, stealthily, furtively, sneakily, underhandedly,
clandestinely, Colloq on the q.t. or Q.T., on the side:
Although her parents had forbidden her to see him again, Antonia
continued to meet Kevin on the sly.
small adj. 1 little, tiny, short, diminutive, petite, mignon(ne),
wee, teeny, elfin, Lilliputian, midget, miniature, minute,
minuscule, baby, bantam, pocket(-sized), mini; undersized,
immature, young, under age; Colloq pint-sized, US peewee: She
was once small enough to fit into a size 7. When I was very
small, my father took me to my first cricket match. 2 slight,
secondary, insignificant, trivial, inconsequential, lesser,
puny, negligible, minor, trifling, unimportant, paltry,
nugatory: The opinions of other people were not of the smallest
importance to him. 3 unimaginative, shallow, unoriginal,
mundane, everyday, limited, unprofound, uninspired, commonplace,
matter-of-fact, flat, two-dimensional: With their small minds
they were incapable of fully appreciating the scope of the
project. 4 skimpy, niggardly, stingy, uncharitable, ungenerous,
scanty, meagre, cheap, petty, parsimonious, grudging, stinting,
selfish, miserly, tight, tight-fisted, close-fisted, close;
poor, insignificant, inadequate, insufficient, unsatisfactory,
negligible, trifling, humble, small-scale, modest,
unpretentious, Colloq piddling, measly: With all your money, it
was very small of you not to contribute more to the scholarship
fund. We all thought their cheque was too small. 5
insignificant, limited, negligible, trifling, tiny; little,
minor, diminished, reduced, slight: Only a small number of
people came to the opening night. It was small consolation to be
told that he had come a good second. 6 feel small. feel
embarrassed or ashamed or shamed or humiliated or foolish, feel
discomfited or disconcerted or uncomfortable, feel mortified or
chagrined, Colloq feel put down: Doreen always managed to make
some remark that made Andrew feel small.
small-minded
adj. small, petty, selfish, stingy, grudging, niggardly,
ungenerous, mean, narrow-minded, narrow, close-minded,
uncharitable, hidebound, rigid, intolerant, unimaginative,
short-sighted, near-sighted, myopic: Charging members of staff
for local telephone calls seems rather small-minded.
small-time
adj. small, small-scale, unimportant, petty, piddling, minor,
insignificant, trifling, trivial: In less than ten years he
succeeded in building a small-time used-car business into a
national chain.
smart adj. 1 intelligent, clever, bright, brilliant, quick-witted,
sharp, acute, astute, capable, adept, apt, quick, ingenious:
Emily is one of the smartest children in the class. 2 canny,
perspicacious, perceptive, percipient, discerning,
knowledgeable, au fait, well-educated, well-read, erudite,
learned, well-versed, aware, shrewd, streetwise, Slang hip,
tuned in, US savvy: Brendan is smart enough to avoid trouble.
3 elegant, chic, fashionable, stylish, modish, … la mode,
well-groomed, trim, neat, dapper, spruce, soign‚(e), Colloq
snappy, natty: You must admit that both Della and Paul are
smart dressers. 4 pert, pointed, saucy, witty, nimble-witted,
poignant, trenchant, effective: I wish he would stop making
smart remarks when I am trying to explain something. 5 brisk,
vigorous, animated, active, energetic, spirited, lively; quick,
alert, jaunty, perky, breezy: The enemy launched a smart
counter-attack at dawn. He set off down the road at a smart
pace. 6 quick, swift, stiff, smarting, stinging, sharp, severe:
The mugger gave him a smart blow on the back of the neck.
--v. 7 sting, hurt, pinch, pain, ache, tingle, prickle, burn,
throb, stab, pierce: The antiseptic may smart a bit when it is
put on the cut. The smoky atmosphere made her eyes smart.
--n. 8 injury, harm, pain, pang, twinge, affliction, suffering,
smarting: For years he silently endured the smart of his
colleagues' ridicule.
smear v. 1 daub, rub, anoint, spread, cover, coat, wipe, plaster,
bedaub; besmirch, dirty, smudge, stain, soil, begrime: The baby
smeared ice-cream all over his face. The car windows were
smeared with dirt from the road. 2 blacken, besmirch, soil,
sully, calumniate, slander, discredit, tarnish, defile, vilify,
scandalize, stigmatize, Colloq drag through the mud:
Politicians regularly smear their opponents with all sorts of
accusations.
--n. 3 smudge, daub, stain, splodge or chiefly US splotch,
blot, taint, spot: These outrageous lies constitute a smear on
my good reputation. There was a smear of blood on his collar. 4
slander, scandal, libel, vilification, mud-slinging, defamation,
calumny, aspersion, reflection: The article contains several
smears on the character of an MP.
smell n. 1 odour, scent, aroma, perfume, fragrance, bouquet, breath,
whiff: Don't you love the smell of freshly brewed coffee in the
morning? 2 stink, stench, fetor or foetor, fetidness, mephitis,
effluvium, Colloq Brit pong: The smell from the rotting garbage
was overpowering.
--v. 3 scent, sniff, Colloq get a whiff of: The moment I smelt
that perfume I knew that Nicole had been there. 4 stink, reek,
Colloq Brit pong, hum: The milk had gone off and smelled to
high heaven.
smelly adj. malodorous, evil-smelling, foul-smelling, foul, mephitic,
fetid, putrid, reeky, stinking, noisome, rank, offensive,
miasmic or miasmatic or miasmatical or miasmal, odoriferous,
rancid, high, gamy, Slang Brit whiffy: She hid the diamond in a
washing basket full of smelly clothes.
smile v. 1 grin, beam: He smiled and said he was pleased to meet me.
--n. 2 grin: Georgina bestowed on me a sweet, wistful smile.
smirk n. 1 leer, sneer, grin, grimace, simpering smile: Wipe that
conceited smirk off your face.
--v. 2 sneer, grimace, leer: Instead of saying, 'I told you
so', he just stood there smirking.
smitten adj. 1 affected, afflicted, beset, stricken, troubled,
distressed, burdened, crushed, plagued, haunted, worried,
bothered, vexed: Offers of help for the smitten town came
pouring in. 2 captivated, enthralled, struck, bewitched,
enchanted, beguiled, charmed, enraptured, infatuated, enamoured,
ensorcelled, swept off one's feet, Colloq bowled over, gaga:
Anthea met some rock star and was totally smitten. They were so
smitten by the beauty of the island that they returned every
year.
smooth adj. 1 regular, even, flush, flat, level, plane, unruffled,
unbroken, unwrinkled, undisturbed, tranquil, peaceful, calm,
serene, glassy: A light breeze rose to ripple the smooth
surface of Alan's martini. 2 slick, sleek, shiny, glossy,
glassy, mirror-like, uniform, polished, burnished; silky,
silken, velvety, satiny: Optical mirrors for telescopes must be
as smooth as modern technology can made them. He ran his fingers
over the smooth fabric. 3 unobstructed, easy, effortless, free,
uncluttered, even, orderly, well-ordered, uneventful, flowing,
fluent, unconstrained, uninterrupted: There were no obstacles
in the way of a smooth return to normal operations. The road to
ruin is short and smooth. 4 hairless, bald, bare, naked,
clean-shaven, smooth-shaven, depilated, glabrous: His smooth
pate shone in the moonlight. 5 soothing, mellow, pleasant,
bland, mild, soft: That is a very smooth whisky indeed. 6
suave, slick, slippery, unctuous, silken, silky, glib, urbane,
soign‚(e), agreeable, winning, plausible, facile, nonchalant,
courtly, eloquent, honey-tongued, smooth-spoken, persuasive,
oily, slimy, syrupy, Colloq chiefly Brit smarmy: With his quick
understanding and smooth manner, Edward was a very successful
salesman. 7 sweet, dulcet, pear-shaped, mellow, well-modulated,
silver-tongued: The smooth tones of his serenade wafted through
the evening air. 8 slick, scheming, conniving, crafty, shrewd,
cunning, tricky, shifty, sly, foxy, Machiavellian,
sophistic(al), plausible, credible, believable, Colloq cagey:
Robinson came up with a very smooth plan to bilk wealthy widows
out of their money.
--v. 9 Often, smooth out or away. flatten, even, level, iron,
press, mangle, calender: Please smooth the wrinkles out of this
shirt so that I can wear it tonight. 10 prepare, lay, pave,
ease, ready, clear, open, prime, lubricate, facilitate: What is
your policy for smoothing the way for employees joining the
firm? 11 sand, plane, polish, buff, burnish: The wood is
smoothed to a glassy finish before being used for the cabinets.
12 Often, smooth over. ameliorate, assuage, allay, calm, gloss
over, minimize, mitigate, lessen, soothe, reduce, temper,
mollify, smoothen, soften, palliate, appease: An otherwise
uncomfortable situation was smoothed over by her quiet words.
smother v. 1 suffocate, stifle, choke, asphyxiate; throttle, strangle,
snuff (out), kill: He was accused of trying to smother his wife
with a pillow. 2 be suffocated or stifled or asphyxiated, be
choked or strangled, be killed: The infant apparently smothered
in the blanket. 3 overwhelm, overcome, blanket, inundate,
cover, shower; envelop, wrap, enshroud, surround: The children
crowded round and smothered her with kisses. The banquet table
was smothered in white roses. 4 repress, subdue, suppress,
conceal, hide, keep or hold back, cover up, mask, choke back or
down, check; stifle, muffle, blanket, blank out: He managed to
smother his grief and put on a brave face. Our whispers were
smothered by the noise of the hi-fi. 5 extinguish, put out,
snuff out: The foam from the fire extinguisher smothered the
blaze in a few moments.
smoulder v. burn; seethe, simmer, chafe, rage, fume, foam, boil, stew,
fester, Colloq get hot under the collar, get (all) steamed up,
see red, US do a slow burn, get (all) burnt up: The fire
continued to smoulder, then flared up again a week later. He
has been smouldering ever since his wife confessed she was going
out with another man.
smug adj. self-satisfied, complacent, holier-than-thou,
self-important, overconfident, conceited: She is a bit too smug
about the security of her job and might get a nasty shock some
day soon.
snack n. 1 bite, nibble, morsel, titbit or chiefly US tidbit,
refreshment(s), Brit elevenses, Colloq nosh: Have a little
snack or you'll be hungry later.
--v. 2 bite, nibble, Colloq nosh: He gained all that weight
just from snacking between meals.
snag n. 1 hitch, catch, problem, (stumbling) block, stricture,
bottleneck, complication, obstacle, impediment, obstruction,
hindrance, difficulty, US hang-up: A snag developed that
prevented my keeping my promise to you.
--v. 2 catch, tear, rip: He snagged his new jacket on a nail.
snake n. 1 reptile, serpent, ophidian, viper: A specialist in snakes
is called a herpetologist. 2 snake in the grass, traitor,
turncoat, Judas, quisling, betrayer, double-crosser, informer,
rat, US Benedict Arnold, Slang chiefly US and Canadian fink,
ratfink: Eventually they caught the snake who was giving away
their plans to the enemy.
--v. 3 slither, glide, creep, crawl, worm: To avoid being
seen, he snaked along on his stomach for a few yards. 4 twist,
wind, curve, bend, turn, zigzag, worm, wander, loop, crook,
meander: The road snakes through the jungle for 50 miles or
more.
snap v. 1 break (off), separate, crack; cleave, split, fracture,
give way, part: The wind snapped off tree branches like
matchsticks. The back legs of the chair snapped in two as she
sat on it. 2 click; pop; crack: The door snapped shut. 3
Often, snap at. a bite (at), nip, gnash or snatch at: The
postman ran down the street, the dog snapping at his heels. b
attack, lunge at, lash out (at), snarl at, growl (at), bark
(at), be brusque or short or curt (with), Colloq jump down
(someone's) throat, fly off the handle (at): Robin is in a bad
mood today, snapping at everyone. 4 Usually, snap up or US also
off. grab (up), snatch (up), seize, pluck, pounce on or upon,
make off with, take (away), capture, catch, get, secure: The
people who arrived early at the sale had snapped up all the
bargains. 5 shoot, snapshot, photograph, click, catch: He
always has his camera with him so that he can snap anything
interesting. 6 snap one's fingers at. disdain, scorn, flout,
dismiss, contemn, disregard, ignore, defy, mock, deride, thumb
one's nose at, Brit cock a snook at: He merely snapped his
fingers at the dangers when I mentioned them. 7 snap out of it.
recover, come round or around, revive, awaken, wake up, perk up,
liven up, cheer up; get a grip or (a) hold on or of oneself,
pull oneself together, (re)gain control of oneself: I was
feeling very blue yesterday but managed to snap out of it.
--n. 8 crack, crackle, pop, click: The lid shut with a snap.
9 spell, period, interval, wave: During that cold snap we
thought we were in for a terrible winter. 10 catch, spring
catch, (snap-)fastener, fastening, clasp: Do you want snaps or
buttons sewn on this shirt? 11 energy, vigour, animation,
liveliness, vitality, bounce, alertness, sprightliness, ‚lan,
dash, sparkle, verve, Colloq zip, zing, get-up-and-go, pep,
pizazz: Granny certainly has a lot of snap left in her. 12
easy job, Slang picnic, US and Canadian breeze: There had been
no need for her to worry, for the exam turned out to be a snap.
--adj. 13 abrupt, sudden, precipitate, hurried, hasty,
incautious, rash, unpremeditated, unplanned, not
well-thought-out, quick, instantaneous, instant: This is too
important a matter for a snap decision.
snappish adj. 1 short-tempered, testy, petulant, peevish, irritable,
prickly, touchy, irascible, quick to anger, quick-tempered,
hot-tempered, waspish, Brit snappy, US on a short string or
tether: He fancies that being snappish goes with his 'artistic'
temperament. 2 curt, short, abrupt, brusque, curmudgeonly,
cantankerous, sharp, cross, grouchy, gruff, cranky, crusty,
crabby, crabbed, acid, tart, acerbic, churlish, dyspeptic,
choleric, splenetic, ill-humoured, ill-tempered, temperamental,
moody, Brit snappy: Grandad tended to be snappish when he
became impatient with our lack of experience.
snappy adj. 1 quick, sharp, brisk, smart, crisp, lively, rapid,
speedy: If you want to come with us, you'd better make it
snappy. 2 fashionable, chic, sharp, smart, stylish, dapper,
modish, Colloq natty, Brit trendy: Your new friend is a very
snappy dresser, isn't he?
snare n. 1 trap, net, springe, noose, gin: They had caught only a
pigeon in the snare.
--v. 2 trap, catch, entrap, seize, capture, ensnare: Using a
different bait, William snared some partridges.
snarl° v. 1 growl; snap: I admit I found three snarling Dobermans a
bit off-putting. The clerk snarled at me when I asked for a
form.
--n. 2 growl: With a snarl the dog leapt at his throat.
snarlэ v. 1 Often, snarl up. tangle, entangle, complicate, confuse,
scramble, muddle, twist, mix or mess up, Colloq ball up, screw
up: This situation is so snarled up that we'll never straighten
it out. 2 tangle, entangle, knot, twist, ravel, jam, kink: The
rope won't feed through the pulley because it's all snarled.
--n. 3 tangle, entanglement, complexity, snag, problem,
difficulty, complication, muddle, mess, predicament, fix,
quandary, dilemma, Colloq snarl-up, tight spot, pickle: The
situation was full of snarls and problems. 4 jungle, maze,
labyrinth, knot: The drain was clogged by a snarl of hair.
snatch v. 1 grab, grasp, seize, clasp, clutch, pluck, take (hold of),
catch, lay hold of, wrest, latch on to, capture, snap up, win,
get, lay or get one's hands on: The thief snatched her purse
and ran away. One must snatch every available opportunity for
happiness. 2 Chiefly US kidnap, abduct: They snatched the kid
and are holding him for ransom. 3 save, rescue, deliver,
remove: At the very last moment, we were snatched from the jaws
of death.
--n. 4 grab, clutch, grasp: He made a snatch for her necklace,
but she managed to duck out of the way. 5 scrap, bit, fragment,
snippet, segment, morsel, specimen, sample: We were able to
hear only brief snatches of their conversation through the
closed door.
sneak v. 1 lurk, slink, steal, creep, skulk, cower, lurk, pad, prowl,
sidle, Colloq pussyfoot: We caught Francis sneaking about the
house last night.
--n. 2 informer, Colloq tattle-tale, Brit grass, Slang
stool-pigeon, snitch, Brit and Australian nark, US stoolie,
Chiefly US and Canadian fink, ratfink, US shoo-fly: Frank
picked up a little money acting as a sneak for the police.
sneaking adj. 1 persistent, lingering, lurking, nagging, worrying,
worrisome, niggling, intuitive, deep-rooted, deep-seated, Slang
gut: She had a sneaking suspicion that Stephen was a police
informer. 2 innate, intuitive, inherent, private, secret,
suppressed, hidden, unexpressed, undeclared, unvoiced, unavowed,
unconfessed, unrevealed, unadmitted, undivulged, undisclosed,
covert: I have a sneaking sympathy with the underdog.
sneaky adj. underhand(ed), devious, furtive, sly, slippery,
disingenuous, deceitful, dishonest, unscrupulous, shifty: He
took a sneaky look at his friend's homework before starting his
own.
sneer v. 1 smirk, curl one's lip, sniff: Don't sneer - you might be
the next to lose your job. 2 scorn, disdain, despise, contemn,
turn up one's nose (at), sniff (at), jeer (at), laugh (at),
deride, mock, ridicule; underrate; Colloq sneeze at, Slang
knock: They sneered at her ambition to become a serious
athlete.
--n. 3 scorn, jeer, disdain, contempt, derision, mockery,
ridicule; sneering, jeering: Barry endured his classmates'
sneers without a word.
sneeze v. 1 sternutate: I was about to sneeze, so I grabbed a tissue.
2 sneeze at. See sneer, 2, above.
--n. 3 sternutation; sneezing: The sneeze is an involuntary
convulsive action.
snicker v. 1 snigger, chuckle, giggle, titter, laugh up one's sleeve,
mock, scorn, laugh (at), jeer (at): It was embarrassing when
the audience began to snicker at the ineptitude of the juggler.
--n. 2 snigger, chuckle, giggle, titter: The villain gave a
little snicker when he thought he had her in his clutches.
sniff n. 1 whiff, breath, odour, scent: I got a sniff of her perfume
as she walked by. 2 hint, spirit, feeling, suggestion: There
is the sniff of spring in the air.
--v. 3 smell, snuffle, snuff: Why is your dog always sniffing
at my shoes? 4 sniff (at). See sneer, 2, above.
snip v. 1 nip, clip, crop, cut, lop, prune, dock: When the blossoms
begin to fade, snip them off.
--n. 2 cut, slit, gash, slash, incision, nick: We could watch
the audience through a small snip in the curtain. 3 bit, scrap,
shred, snippet, fragment, cutting, clipping, remnant, morsel:
You are welcome to the leftover snips of fabric. 4 snips.
scissors, shears, tinsnips: This duct can be cut with the
snips.
snipe v. Usually, snipe at. shoot at, fire at; attack, criticize,
deride, find fault with, carp at, pick apart: Newby has been
sniping at the organization for years and we simply ignore him.
snivel v. sniffle, snuffle, blubber, whimper, whine, mewl, pule; cry,
Colloq Brit whinge: I'll buy some of your matches, little girl,
but only if you stop snivelling.
snobbery n. snobbism, snobbishness, pretentiousness, pretension,
hauteur, haughtiness, superciliousness, condescension,
loftiness, contemptuousness, presumptuousness, lordliness,
disdainfulness, disdain, pompousness, pomposity, affectation,
inflatedness, self-importance, conceit, vainness, vanity,
narcissism, self-admiration, self-centredness, egotism,
smugness, Colloq uppishness, uppitiness, snootiness, snottiness:
It is commonplace to criticize the nouveau riche for their
snobbery.
snobbish adj. condescending, superior, patronizing, arrogant, haughty,
lordly, lofty, putting on airs, disdainful, supercilious,
contemptuous, pretentious, smug, scornful, self-important,
affected, conceited, egotistic(al), vain, self-satisfied,
complacent, pompous, Colloq snooty, snotty, highfalutin or
hifalutin, on one's high horse, uppity, hoity-toity, high and
mighty, stuck-up, Brit uppish, Chiefly US high-hat, Slang Brit
toffee-nosed: Since he got his knighthood, Cathcart has become
so snobbish he'll have nothing to do with us.
snoop v. 1 pry, spy, interfere, meddle, intrude, butt in(to), Colloq
stick or poke one's nose; be nosy, nose around or about: He
couldn't stop snooping into other people's affairs.
--n. 2 busybody, Paul Pry, meddler, spy, intruder, snooper,
peeper; private detective or investigator; Colloq Nosy Parker,
US buttinsky or buttinski; private eye, US shamus: There was a
snoop here today, asking a lot of personal questions.
snug adj. cosy, comfortable, intimate, relaxing, restful, warm,
sheltered, friendly, easy, homely, casual, Colloq comfy: Curled
up on the sofa, Chris looks as snug as a bug in a rug.
snuggle v. cuddle, snug down, nestle, nuzzle: The puppies snuggled up
close to their mother for warmth and protection.
soak v. 1 drench, saturate, wet, immerse, souse, douse or dowse,
bathe, steep, inundate, ret: You'd better let the tablecloth
soak for a while to get out those wine stains. 2 soak up.
absorb, take in, sponge up; assimilate, learn: The parched
earth soaked up the water like a sponge. Let me just lie here
and soak up some sunshine. She spent years soaking up the
culture of the Cameroons.
--n. 3 alcoholic, drunkard, drunk, dipsomaniac, drinker,
tippler, toper, sot, Slang sponge, souse, boozer, US dip, lush,
juicer: You'll never get a straight answer out of that old
soak.
soaking n. 1 drenching, wetting, dousing or dowsing, immersing,
saturating: We got a thorough soaking when we were caught in
the storm.
--adj. 2 wet, sopping, drenched, dripping, saturated, soaked,
wringing wet, streaming, sodden, waterlogged: Take off your
soaking clothes and sit by the fire in this robe.
soar v. 1 rise, fly, hover, float, hang: The glider soared over the
hills, catching every updraught. 2 rise, increase, escalate,
climb, spiral upwards, shoot up or upwards, rocket, sky-rocket:
To counteract inflation, interest rates began to soar.
sob v. cry, weep, blubber, shed tears, snivel, whimper, sniff,
snuffle, pule, wail, moan, boohoo, mewl, pule, bawl, howl, yowl:
The poor, lonely child sobbed quietly.
sober adj. 1 teetotal, temperate, US dry, Colloq on the (water-)
wagon: Because he was driving, he stayed sober at the party
while everyone else got drunk. 2 serious, solemn, earnest,
dispassionate, unruffled, unflustered, unexcited, unperturbed,
steady, sedate, staid, composed, dignified, cool, calm, serene,
tranquil, collected, cool-headed, level-headed, sane, balanced,
practical, realistic, rational, clear-headed, Slang together:
We invited you because we respect your sober judgement. 3
sedate, sombre, plain, simple, subdued, quiet, repressed,
dreary, dark, drab, colourless, neutral: At the funeral the
widow wore a sober black costume.
--v. 4 sober up. detoxify, recover, Colloq dry out: When she
finally sobered up she awoke to find herself in custody.
sobriety n. 1 teetotalism, abstemiousness, abstention, abstinence,
non-indulgence, temperance: Since taking the pledge, Oscar has
been a model of sobriety. 2 seriousness, soberness, solemnity,
staidness, gravity, temperateness, sedateness, formality,
dignity: They made him promise to do nothing to upset the
sobriety of the memorial service.
so-called adj. 1 styled, self-styled, designated, soi-disant, called,
professed: They found themselves fighting for Kolchak, the
so-called supreme ruler of all the Russias. 2 alleged,
pretended, supposed, ostensible; misnamed, misdesignated;
suspect: She bought it through the so-called Honest Used Car
Dealers Association.
sociable adj. friendly, affable, approachable, social, gregarious,
outgoing, extrovert(ed) or extravert(ed), companionable,
accessible, amiable, amicable, genial, congenial, convivial,
warm, cordial, neighbourly, hail-fellow-well-met, Colloq chummy,
cosy: The people in this area are quite sociable, and we get
together often.
social adj. 1 communal, community, common, collective, group, public,
popular, societal: In many New England towns, the business of
government is a social activity. Crime is a social, not an
individual problem. 2 sexual, sexually transmitted, venereal:
The clinic was established specifically to deal with social
diseases. 3 See sociable, above.
socialize v. mix, get together, fraternize, keep company, go out, get
out; associate: They haven't had much time for socializing
since the birth of their baby.
society n. 1 fellowship, brotherhood, association, intercourse,
companionship, company, camaraderie, friendship: Few people can
be happy for long without the society of others. 2 mankind,
people, the public: I fear that Bob is not yet ready to mingle
with society again. Do you believe that society demands too
much? 3 culture, civilization, community, way of life, world;
organization, system: The hunting society was replaced largely
by the agricultural some 10,000 years ago. 4 high society, haut
monde, beau monde, upper classes, polite society, ‚lite, gentry,
Colloq upper crust: The purpose of the debutante ball is to
introduce young ladies of about 18 to society. 5 organization,
club, association, circle, league, institute, academy, alliance,
guild, group, fraternity, sorority, brotherhood, sisterhood,
fellowship, union, consociation, sodality, Verein, bund or Bund:
The society, founded to advance and support linguistic
scholarship, is now 100 years old.
soft adj. 1 yielding, cushiony, plushy, spongy, squeezable,
compressible, squashy, squashable, flexible, plastic, pliable,
pliant, supple, flexile, flexuous, unstarched: This mattress is
much too soft for my back. 2 easy, comfortable, undemanding,
Colloq cushy: His uncle got him a soft job at the Labour
Ministry. 3 gentle, mild, balmy, pleasant, moderate, warm,
halcyon, springlike, summery, restful, tranquil, relaxing, lazy:
Alexandra was looking forward to a week in the soft Caribbean
climate. 4 subdued, toned or turned down, muted, low, quiet,
melodious, mellifluous or mellifluent, mellow, gentle, faint,
softened, soothing, smooth: Riley thought she might succumb to
the influences of the wine and the soft music and lights. 5
easygoing, tolerant, kind, compassionate, gentle, merciful,
lenient, indulgent, permissive, liberal, lax, easy, docile,
tame, submissive, deferential, benign, tender-hearted,
sympathetic, kind-hearted, kind: Some believe that the jailers
were too soft with the criminals. His parents were far too
soft. 6 Usually, soft in the head. foolish, silly, simple,
Colloq chiefly Brit daft, US off: Kevin must have gone a bit
soft in the head if he thinks that Clara still loves him. 7
depressed, declining, in decline, in recession, slow,
unprofitable, borderline, questionable, weak: Owing to the
stormy, cold summer, the resort business has been soft this
year. 8 downy, silky, silken, satiny, furry, fluffy, feathery,
fleecy, fuzzy, velvety, smooth (as a baby's bottom): The wool
from the lambs is much softer. 9 pastel, pale, delicate, fine,
subdued, light, matte or matt, quiet, diffuse(d), soothing: He
wanted the bedroom painted in soft shades of greenish blue. 10
harmless, non-addictive: Some consider cannabis a soft drug.
11 fuzzy, woolly, blurred, blurry, foggy, diffuse(d): The soft
focus photos of the wedding looked very romantic. 12 weak,
feeble, frail, effete, delicate, non-physical, non-muscular,
puny, flabby, out of training or condition or shape, pampered;
namby-pamby, effeminate, unmanly, unmanful, Colloq sissified,
sissy: He had been out of the marines for so long they thought
he had gone soft. 13 easy, luxurious, pampered, rich, opulent,
plush, posh, Colloq ritzy, swank(y): Since selling his
business, Aubrey Quinton has been living the soft life on the
Costa del Sol.
soften v. 1 Often, soften up. melt, affect, mollify, mellow, palliate,
soothe, relax, appease: Nothing would soften the heart of that
cruel tyrant. 2 mitigate, assuage, diminish, moderate, reduce,
cushion, lessen, weaken, allay, ease, lighten, abate, temper,
relieve: Can't you think of some way to soften the blow of such
bad news? 3 muffle, deaden, damp, soft-pedal, lower, still,
quiet, tone down, lessen, diminish, lighten, turn down, quell,
Chiefly Brit quieten: Try to soften the high notes and bring up
the bass. 4 give in, succumb, surrender, yield, agree, consent,
concur, assent, give way, relax, ease (up), let up: The
committee finally softened and allowed the park to be used for
games.
soft-hearted
adj. tender-hearted, compassionate, tender, warm-hearted,
sentimental, charitable, generous, giving, sympathetic,
indulgent, kind, kind-hearted, responsive: Alison is quite
soft-hearted when it comes to animal causes and contributed
willingly.
soil° v. 1 dirty, stain, begrime, muddy, smear, spot: His shirts
were returned by the laundry still soiled. 2 pollute,
contaminate, sully, defile, foul, befoul, tarnish, besmirch,
disgrace, muddy, smear, blacken; blot: The scandal soiled his
previously spotless reputation.
--n. 3 dirt, filth, muck, mire, mud, sludge, dregs, refuse;
excrement, waste (matter): The soil is carried away by these
pipes into the main sewer.
soilэ n. earth, loam, dirt, ground, turf, humus; clay: The men who
dug the swimming-pool took away the soil from the pit.
sojourn n. 1 stay, stop, stopover, visit, rest, holiday, vacation: We
had a very pleasant sojourn in Toronto on our way home.
--v. 2 stay, stop (over), visit, rest, holiday, vacation,
tarry: Next year we plan to sojourn in Bermuda for a while.
solace n. 1 comfort, consolation, condolence, relief, balm, support,
help, succour; reassurance, cheer: The children brought her
solace in her bereavement.
--v. 2 comfort, console, condole, support, help, succour,
soothe, allay, alleviate, ameliorate, mitigate, assuage,
relieve; cheer (up), reassure, hearten: There was little to
solace James's misery.
soldier n. 1 serviceman, servicewoman, recruit, fighter, infantryman,
foot-soldier, trooper, warrior, military man, man-at-arms, Brit
Tommy (Atkins), US enlisted man or woman, Colloq Brit squaddie,
US GI or G.I. (Joe), Old-fashioned (WWI) doughboy: Enemy
soldiers had been reconnoitring our position during the night. 2
fighter, stalwart, supporter, militant: He has been a soldier
in the fight against poverty all his life.
--v. 3 serve (in the army): In his family the men have been
soldiering for generations. 4 soldier on. continue, persist,
persevere, endure, drive, keep going, keep on or at, grind,
drudge: Despite the set-backs, they soldiered on to complete
the project in time.
sole adj. lone, only, singular, unique, solitary; particular,
exclusive, individual, personal: As Susan is the sole surviving
heir, she has the right to sell the house if she wishes.
solecism n. error, slip, impropriety, fault, breach, violation, lapse,
mistake, misusage, incongruity, inconsistency, barbarism,
blunder, gaffe, bungle, fumble, gaucherie, faux pas, botch or
botch-up, Colloq boo-boo, US flub, Slang boner, Brit boob,
bloomer, Chiefly US and Canadian blooper: Solecisms in his
writing include failure of subject and verb to agree.
solemn adj. 1 serious, sober, reserved, grave, earnest, sedate, staid,
taciturn; morose, morbid, mirthless, unsmiling, gloomy, sombre,
grim; glum, long-faced, saturnine: We observed a moment of
solemn silence in memory of our fallen comrades. They knew from
their father's solemn expression that something was wrong. 2
ceremonial, ritualistic, liturgical, religious, ecclesiastical,
holy, divine, sacred, hallowed, sacramental, reverential,
devotional: We attended a solemn service to celebrate the
return of the hostages. 3 ceremonious, ritual, formal,
dignified, stately, grand, august, imposing, impressive,
awe-inspiring, awesome, important, momentous: The Trobriand
islanders regarded the rights of passage as most solemn.
solemnity n. solemnness, gravity, seriousness, soberness, reserve,
sedateness, taciturnity, staidness, earnestness, impressiveness,
grandeur, importance, momentousness, consequence: All who
attended the service were affected by the solemnity of the
lighting of the eternal flame.
solicit v. 1 entreat, beseech, ask (for), implore, petition, importune,
appeal for or to, call on or upon, beg, supplicate, pray, crave:
He has solicited my help on more than one occasion. 2 accost,
approach, entice, lure, pander to, Slang hustle: You can't go
out in that neighbourhood without being solicited.
solicitor n. lawyer, attorney, US counselor-at-law: I have turned the
matter over to my solicitor.
solicitous
adj. 1 concerned, caring, considerate, uneasy, troubled,
anxious, apprehensive, worried: She seemed genuinely solicitous
over the state of my health. 2 eager, earnest, zealous, keen,
anxious, desirous, ardent, avid: She seems sincerely solicitous
to please the firm's customers.
solicitude
n. concern, consideration, regard, disquiet, disquietude,
uneasiness, anxiety, apprehension, worry, nervousness, fear,
fearfulness, alarm: As she had not yet made him her sole heir,
his solicitude over her health was understandable.
solid adj. 1 three-dimensional, cubic: The perspective drawing is a
representation of a solid object. 2 filled (in or up), packed,
jammed, crowded, teeming, congested, crammed, swarming,
compressed, concentrated, Colloq chock-a-block, jam-packed,
chock-full: By the time I arrived, the gallery was solid with
people. 3 compact, firm, hard, stable; unshakeable or
unshakable, unshaky, substantial, concrete, sturdy, sound,
stout, strong: The vessel floated through the air before coming
to rest on solid ground. His theories rest on a solid
foundation. 4 consistent, homogeneous, uniform, unalloyed,
unmixed, pure, continuous, unbroken, real, authentic, true,
genuine, 24-carat, unadulterated, Slang honest-to-God: This
mountain seems to be solid iron all the way through. John gave
me a solid gold necklace for my birthday. 5 law-abiding,
upstanding, upright, decent, stout, substantial, powerful,
reliable, regular, steady, steadfast, stalwart, straight,
estimable, sure, trusty, trustworthy, true-blue, worthy,
dependable, sober: Mr Hart is one of the solid citizens of this
town. He has always been a solid defender of the underdog. 6
steady, stable, stalwart, dependable, sturdy, strong,
substantial, sound, firm, well-built, well-constructed,
well-made, tough, durable, rugged, stout: That chair is not
solid enough for you to stand on. 7 cogent, sound, concrete,
weighty, proved, provable, valid, reasonable, sensible,
rational, sober, well-founded, authoritative, indisputable,
incontrovertible, irrefutable, incontestable, good, powerful,
potent, forceful, convincing, persuasive: He presents a solid
argument for a sales tax. 8 firm, downright, vigorous, telling,
effective, forceful, potent, powerful, mighty, dynamic,
thorough, through-and-through, intensive: Jan struck a solid
blow against the supporters of abortion. 9 See solvent, 1,
below. 10 entire, complete, whole, continuous; uninterrupted,
undivided, unbroken, unrelieved, blank, windowless: I had to
wait at the dentist's for a solid hour. Around the park they
erected a solid wall.
solidarity
n. unity, unanimity, unification, accord, concord, concordance,
harmony, concurrence, like-mindedness, agreement, mutuality,
single-mindedness, singleness (of purpose), community of
interest, esprit de corps, camaraderie, comradeship, sodality,
Solidarnos€'c€': It was through solidarity, not the pursuit of
individual interest, that freedom was achieved.
solidify v. 1 harden, freeze, set, cake, compact, compress, crystallize;
jell or gel, clot, congeal, coagulate, thicken, Technical
inspissate; sublime: The lava flowed round the bodies of those
who died and solidified, preserving them in their final
attitudes. 2 consolidate, unite, unify, pull or draw together:
Studying the speeches of politicians enables me to solidify my
own views.
solitary adj. 1 lone, single, sole, individual; unattended, solo,
companionless, friendless, lonesome, lonely, unsocial,
cloistered, secluded, reclusive, separate, eremitic(al),
hermitic(al), remote, withdrawn, distant, out-of-the-way,
unfrequented, desolate: There is not a solitary exception to
the rule. Flora's solitary style of living allows her to
concentrate on her writing. There is a solitary little inn where
we go for weekends.
--n. 2 solitary confinement: The prisoner has been in solitary
for striking a guard.
solitude n. 1 solitariness, aloneness, isolation, seclusion, privacy:
Peter enjoys the solitude of living on an island. 2 loneliness,
remoteness; emptiness, wilderness: How long could one person
survive in the solitude of interstellar space?
solo adv. 1 alone, unaccompanied, on one's own: Jack flew solo for
the first time yesterday.
--adj. 2 individual, unaccompanied, solitary: Let Eugene play
the solo trombone part.
solution n. 1 solving, working or figuring out, discovery, finding out,
unravelling, explication, deciphering, decipherment,
elucidation, revelation, clarification, explanation; answer,
key: The solution of the problem should be left up to the
experts. Several solutions have been found through computer
analysis. 2 settlement, settling, resolution, result, denouement
or d‚nouement, outcome, conclusion: It seems unlikely that we
shall be able to bring this matter to a solution in a one-day
meeting. 3 mixture, blend, compound, infusion; liquid, fluid;
Technical emulsion, suspension, colloid or colloidal solution or
colloidal suspension: After mixing the powder with water, use
the solution to bathe the wound. 4 dissolving, dissolution,
mixing, mixture: The solution of these ingredients in alcohol
was first accomplished in ancient times.
solve v. work or figure out, unravel, disentangle, untangle, clarify,
clear up, make plain or clear, interpret, explicate, decipher,
crack, explain, elucidate, reveal, answer, resolve: Oedipus'
problems began in earnest when he solved the Riddle of the
Sphinx.
solvent adj. creditworthy, (financially) sound, solid, reliable;
debt-free; profitable: The auditors rate the business as
solvent.
sombre adj. 1 gloomy, morose, lugubrious, funereal, morbid, louring or
lowering, melancholy, sad, dismal, unhappy, cheerless, joyless,
serious, sober, doleful, dolorous, mournful, depressed,
depressing, grave, grim, grim-faced, grim-visaged, Literary
melancholic, darksome: Despite his sombre appearance, Sid was
one of the funniest men I've ever met. 2 dark, gloomy,
foreboding, bleak, depressing, shadowy, murky, leaden, grey,
black, dismal, dreary, overcast, dusky, dim, dingy, darkling,
dull, subfusc or subfuscous: The sombre sky set the mood for
the proceedings that were to follow. 3 staid, sedate, sober,
solemn, dark, dull, subfusc: A young person like you ought to
dress in less sombre colours.
somebody pron. 1 one, someone, some person: There must be somebody who
will take you to the dance.
--n. 2 personage, celebrity, dignitary, VIP, luminary, notable,
star, superstar, Colloq hotshot, bigwig, big wheel, big gun, big
noise, big White Chief, big Daddy, big Chief, big-timer; hot
stuff; Old-fashioned big cheese; US Mr Big: He must be a
somebody to merit such treatment.
somehow adv. someway, in one way or another, in some way, somehow or
other, by hook or by crook, by fair means or foul, Colloq come
hell or high water: Somehow, we have to get into the vault for
those papers.
sometime adj. 1 former, erstwhile, past, recent, one-time, quondam:
Crawford was a sometime student of the occult.
--adv. 2 at some time or other, someday, one day, any time, on
a future occasion, when or if the opportunity arises, soon, by
and by, one of these days: Come up and see me sometime. 3
sooner or later, in (due) time, in the fullness of time, in the
long run, one fine day, Un bel di, eventually, when all is said
and done, before long, before you know it: You can be sure that
the tax man will find out about it sometime.
sometimes adv. occasionally, on occasion, (every) now and then, now and
again, off and on, at times, from time to time, every so often,
(every) once in a while: Sometimes Ambrose used to visit his
grandchildren twice a week.
somewhat adv. rather, quite, relatively, more or less, moderately,
pretty, fairly, to some or a certain extent or degree or
measure, slightly, a bit, a little, Colloq sort of, kind of:
Ingrid was somewhat put out by my refusal.
song n. 1 tune, air, melody, ditty, number: Together, they wrote
some of the most popular songs of this century. 2 for a song.
cheaply, inexpensively, at a bargain price: That old book you
wanted went for a song at the auction. 3 (old) song and dance.
a fuss, to-do, commotion, bother, ado, Colloq flap, performance,
Brit kerfuffle: I cannot see why they made such a song and
dance of telling us they couldn't come. b evasion, tale,
prevarication, (long) story, (long) explanation: To excuse his
absence he gave me the old song and dance about his grandmother
being ill.
soon adv. 1 before long, presently, ere long; in the near future,
any minute (now), before you know it, in good time, in a little
while, in a minute or a moment, momentarily, shortly, anon, in a
second, Colloq in a jiffy: Soon another year will have passed.
The doctor will be with you soon. 2 quickly, speedily, at once,
promptly, immediately, directly, without delay, straightway,
straight away, right away, forthwith, in short order, on the
double, in two shakes (of a lamb's tail), in a wink, tout de
suite, without delay, Colloq pronto, US and Canadian
lickety-split: If he doesn't come soon, dinner will be spoilt.
3 quickly, speedily, promptly, swiftly: I'll be there as soon
as I can. 4 willingly, lief, gladly, happily, readily: I'd
just as soon be left alone, if you don't mind. 5 sooner or
later. at some time or other, some time, one day, in time, in
due course, eventually, ultimately, in the end, when all is said
and done, at the end of the day, in the last or final analysis,
at bottom: Don't worry, she'll come home sooner or later.
Sooner or later they will have to yield.
soothing adj. 1 relaxing, restful, serene, peaceful, pacifying, calm,
calming, quiet, soft, quieting: I put on some soothing music
and offered her a cocktail. 2 mollifying, comforting,
palliative, lenitive, demulcent, balsamic, emollient: The
doctor prescribed a soothing ointment to relieve the pain.
sophistic adj. sophistical, specious, fallacious, deceptive,
hypocritical, false, unsound, baseless, groundless,
casuistic(al), Jesuitic(al), captious, misleading, bogus, sham,
untenable: The politicians advanced their usual sophistic
arguments for continuing a war that no one wanted to support.
sophisticated
adj. 1 cultivated, cultured, refined, experienced, worldly,
cosmopolitan, polished, elegant, urbane, worldly-wise,
knowledgeable, knowing, suave, soign‚(e), blas‚, chichi, slick,
Slang hip or hep, cool, with it: The Gordons mix with a pretty
sophisticated crowd. 2 advanced, complex, complicated,
intricate, elaborate, subtle, refined, multifaceted: The
desk-top computers of today are much more sophisticated than
most older main-frame systems.
sophistication
n. 1 worldliness, urbanity, culture, refinement, knowledge,
knowledgeability, cosmopolitanism, polish, elegance, poise,
suavity or suavit‚, savoir faire, savoir vivre, finesse,
discrimination, discernment, awareness, taste, tastefulness,
style: They want him on the board of directors of the museum
because he lends it sophistication. 2 complexity, intricacy,
subtlety, refinement: There is a staggering amount of
sophistication built into modern integrated circuits.
sorcerer n. sorceress, magus, necromancer, wizard, witch, warlock,
enchanter, enchantress, magician, thaumaturgist, shaman,
witch-doctor, medicine man: The law demanded death for the
sorcerers and for those who dealt with them.
sorcery n. witchcraft, enchantment, sortilege, necromancy, wizardry,
(black or white) magic, shamanism, black art, diabolism: Once
Vera works her sorcery on you, you obey her every whim.
sordid adj. 1 base, vile, corrupt, low, ignoble, debased, degraded,
abased, mean, ignominious, dishonourable, despicable,
disreputable, shabby, shameful, scurvy, rotten, execrable: He
forced his family to do the most sordid things to raise money.
2 avaricious, greedy, grasping, mercenary, piggish, hoggish,
selfish, rapacious, money-grubbing, stingy, parsimonious: His
most sordid plan was to pretend he was collecting money for the
handicapped. 3 dirty, foul, filthy, squalid, unclean, untidy,
mean, slummy, seamy, seedy, wretched, unsanitary, insanitary,
offensive, defiled, polluted, fetid, feculent, mucky, maggoty,
putrid, fly-blown, slimy: The conditions of some of the homes
the social workers visit are indescribably sordid. 4 wretched,
miserable, poor, poverty-stricken, down-and-out, impoverished,
ramshackle, hovel-like, tumbledown, dingy, seamy, seedy, slummy,
deteriorated, sleazy, back-alley: When he first came to town,
he lived in a sordid shack lent him by a farmer.
sore adj. 1 painful, sensitive, tender, raw, angry, burning,
stinging, smarting, hurting; irritated, inflamed, chafed: My
finger is still sore round the cut. 2 sensitive, delicate,
tender, embarrassing, awkward, ticklish, touchy, thorny,
prickly: Failing to complete medical school is a sore point
with her. 3 dire, serious, acute, extreme, critical, urgent,
pressing, desperate: He is in sore need of some good advice. 4
angry, angered, annoyed, irritated, vexed, irked, upset, Colloq
peeved: Don't get sore at me because you got low marks in your
exams. 5 painful, troublesome, grievous, aggrieved,
distressing, distressful, harrowing, severe, agonizing, bitter,
fierce, burdensome, onerous, heavy, oppressive: Melanie's
marital troubles proved a sore trial for her friends. 6 sore
straits. difficulty, trouble, distress, danger, dangerous or
precarious condition: The business is in sore straits, I fear.
--n. 7 injury, damage, swelling, rawness, infection,
inflammation, bruise, abrasion, cut, laceration, scrape, burn,
canker, ulcer: If that sore on your arm doesn't heal, you'd
better see a doctor.
sorrow n. 1 sadness, heartbreak, grief, unhappiness, dolour, misery,
woe, anguish, distress, suffering, torment, agony, wretchedness,
heartache, desolation, desolateness: How can one deal with the
sorrow of the loss of a child? 2 affliction, trouble, trial,
tribulation, misfortune, hardship, adversity, bad or hard luck,
cares, pressure, strain, travail: It is unbelievable that
anyone could survive a life filled with such sorrow.
--v. 3 grieve, lament, mourn, regret, keen, bemoan, agonize,
moan, bewail: She is sorrowing over the loss of her nephew.
sorrowful adj. 1 sad, unhappy, regretful, sorry, depressed, dejected,
crestfallen, chap-fallen, gloomy, downcast, blue, dispirited,
melancholy, in the doldrums, wretched, woebegone, miserable,
heartsick, disheartened, piteous, heavy-hearted, broken-hearted,
rueful, woeful, tearful, disconsolate, inconsolable,
grief-stricken, Colloq down in the mouth, down in the dumps:
The entire family was sorrowful to learn of Carriston's death.
2 distressing, lamentable, doleful, unfortunate, bitter,
distressful, troublous, grievous, unlucky, hapless, afflictive:
What a sorrowful life some of those miners' families have led!
sorry adj. 1 regretful, penitent, remorseful, contrite,
conscience-stricken, guilt-ridden, repentant, apologetic,
penitential: I am sorry if I offended you. 2 abject,
miserable, depressing, wretched, pitiful, pitiable, pathetic,
deplorable, stark, grim, sordid, dismal, base, star-crossed,
ill-starred: Crackham has led a rather sorry life, most of it
as a vagrant. Agnes again made a sorry spectacle of herself at
the Christmas party. 3 See sorrowful, 1, above: I was indeed
sorry to learn that you are moving away, Peggy.
sort n. 1 kind, variety, type, class, classification, group,
category, brand, make, mark, stamp, description, mould, stripe,
ilk, feather, kidney, character, nature; manner, species: A
1928 Alfa-Romeo coup‚ is not exactly the right sort of car for a
family. Lewis is a person of a different sort. What sort of
person is he? 2 kind, type, manner: This sort of behaviour must
stop. 3 species, genus, family, phylum, subgenus, subspecies,
race, breed, strain, stock, kind, variety, type: Aberdeen Angus
is a better sort of beef for steaks. 4 person, individual, lot;
thing: He is not really such a bad sort. 5 of sorts. of a
sort, of a mediocre or passable or admissible or not (too) bad
or fair or sufficiently good or adequate or undistinguished or
indifferent kind or quality or proficiency: Yes, one might say
that he is a violinist of sorts. 6 out of sorts. not oneself,
not up to snuff, unwell, ailing, indisposed, (slightly) ill,
low, Colloq off one's feed, under the weather: He is out of
sorts after last night's revelries. 7 sort of. See somewhat,
above.
--v. 8 assort, classify, file, order, rank, grade, class,
categorize, separate, divide, combine, merge, arrange, organize,
systemize, systematize, catalogue, group, sort out: Sort these
names into alphabetical order. 9 describe, characterize,
categorize, cast, throw, combine, mould, type: I did not enjoy
being sorted together with thieves and murderers. 10 sort out.
a organize, set or put straight, straighten out, resolve, tidy
(up), clarify, clear up, solve; decide: Someone will have to
sort out how we are to proceed. b choose, select, separate,
divide: Sort out all the books that you want to keep from those
to be donated to the library.
so so adj. mediocre, all right, average, undistinguished, passable,
not (too) bad or good, adequate, fair (to middling), middling,
indifferent, ordinary, tolerable, comme ci, comme ‡a, modest:
Sabrina, whose singing is just so so, will never be a star.
soul n. 1 (vital) spirit or force, being, (inner or true) self,
essence, psyche, heart, mind, intellect, reason, anima: He
finally surrendered, body and soul. 2 person, individual, man,
woman, mortal, (human) being: I won't tell a soul about our
conversation. What a sweet old soul she is! 3 incarnation,
embodiment, personification, typification, essence,
quintessence: You can count on me as the soul of discretion. 4
emotion, feeling, sentiment, sincerity, fervour, ardour, warmth,
dynamism, vivacity, energy, spirit, vitality, force: Alice puts
a lot of soul into her singing, and that comes across to the
audience.
sound° n. 1 tone; noise; din; cacophony; report: This piano has a
tinny sound. We could hear the sound of laughter from below. I
heard nothing over the sound of the crowd. Sounds of gunfire
echoed in the valley. 2 ring, tone, impression, characteristic,
quality, effect, aspect, look: I didn't like the sound of that
remark. 3 hearing, range, earshot: Anyone within the sound of
his voice could tell that he was angry.
--v. 4 resound, reverberate, echo, resonate: The noises sound
very close. 5 seem, appear, look; strike one, give one the
impression or feeling or sense (that); resemble, sound or seem
or look like: It sounds as if you don't want to come to my
party. That sounds like Russian to me. 6 ring, (be) activate(d),
(be) set or touch(ed) off, signal: Anyone walking into the room
sounds the alarm. The alarm sounds when the beam is broken. 7
Sometimes, sound out. articulate, pronounce, enunciate, utter;
voice, vocalize: I was taught to speak clearly, to sound each
consonant and vowel. 8 Sometimes, sound out or off. shout
(out), cry out, yell (out): Sound out those numbers loud and
clear! 9 sound off. vituperate, complain, bluster, grumble,
Slang bitch: Today Mr Morrison was again sounding off about the
service in the caf‚.
soundэ adj. 1 undamaged, uninjured, whole, unmarred, in good condition
or shape, intact, unimpaired, unscathed: When the vase was sold
to you it was sound. 2 healthy, hale (and hearty), fit (as a
fiddle), robust, vigorous, blooming, rosy, ruddy: Old Tom is as
sound as ever. 3 firm, solid, substantial, strong, sturdy,
tough, rugged, durable, well-built, well-constructed,
dependable: A business, like a building, must be built on sound
foundations if it is to last. 4 sane, balanced, normal,
rational, wholesome, reasoning, reasonable, clear-headed, lucid,
right-minded, responsible, practical, prudent, politic, wise,
sensible, logical, common-sense, commonsensical, astute,
far-sighted, perceptive, perspicacious, percipient; valid, good,
judicious, reliable, useful: As Juvenal said, 'Mens sana in
corpore sano,' or 'A sound mind in a sound body'. My old teacher
gave me a lot of sound advice. 5 safe, secure, good,
conservative, non-speculative, solid, riskless; profitable: Are
you sure that utilities are a sound investment now? 6 unbroken,
uninterrupted, undisturbed, untroubled, peaceful, deep: I drank
the potion and at once fell into a sound sleep.
sound° v. 1 Often, sound out. plumb, probe, test, check (out or into),
fathom, inquire or enquire of, question, poll, canvass,
investigate, examine, survey: Sound out the membership on their
feelings about increasing the dues. 2 dive, plunge, submerge:
The great whale sounded, almost taking the tiny boat down with
it.
sound4 n. inlet, strait(s), fiord or fjord, bight, (sea) loch, bay,
arm of the sea, cove, Scots firth: The breeze freshened as we
sailed across the Sound of Mull.
sour adj. 1 acid, acidic, tart, vinegary, lemony, acidulous or
acidulent, acidulated, acescent, acerbic: This apple has a
pleasant, slightly sour taste. Do you like sour dill pickles? 2
turned, bad, (gone) off, fermented, curdled, rancid, spoilt or
spoiled: If the food is sour, throw it away. 3 disagreeable,
unpleasant, distasteful, bad, nasty, bitter, terrible: The poor
service and facilities made the entire holiday a very sour
experience. 4 acrimonious, bitter, embittered, unpleasant,
churlish, ill-natured, ill-tempered, bad-tempered, crusty,
curmudgeonly, crabbed, crabby, grouchy, cross, cranky, testy,
petulant, impatient, abrupt, nasty, curt, caustic, brusque,
peevish, snappish, edgy, sullen, morose, gloomy, discontented:
The waitress's sour expression matched her sour disposition.
--v. 5 turn, spoil, curdle, go bad or off, ferment: Milk sours
quickly in this climate if you don't refrigerate it. 6
embitter, acerbate, disenchant, exasperate, vex, Colloq peeve:
Being forced to practise for hours when a child was what soured
my enjoyment of playing the piano.
source n. 1 fountain-head, well-spring, origin, provenance,
provenience, inception, start, outset, beginning, root(s),
commencement, rise: We set out to find the source of the Blue
Nile. The mineral bauxite is the source of aluminium. 2
originator, author, creator, begetter: Who is credited as the
source of this quotation? 3 authority, documentation;
informant, Colloq horse's mouth: To verify the information, go
to the source.
sovereign n. 1 monarch, ruler, emperor, empress, king, queen, prince,
princess, potentate, chief, master, mistress, shah, sultan;
Akund (of Swat), Gaekwar (of Baroda), Nizam (of Hyderabad),
Mehtar (of Chitral), Nucifrage of Nuremberg, Sheikh of Araby,
Colloq supremo: She is the sovereign and must be obeyed.
--adj. 2 supreme, paramount, highest, principal, foremost,
greatest, predominant, dominant, ranking, leading, chief,
superior, pre-eminent, ruling, regnant, reigning, governing,
all-powerful, absolute, unlimited: The first-born of the
monarch is vested with sovereign authority upon the monarch's
death. 3 royal, regal, majestic, noble, lordly, aristocratic,
kingly, queenly: He was hailed as the sovereign ruler of all
the islands.
sovereignty
n. suzerainty, hegemony, dominion, rule, pre-eminence, power,
jurisdiction, authority, leadership, command, sway, supremacy,
ascendancy, primacy: Anyone who doubted his sovereignty was
seized and thrown into a dungeon.
sow v. seed, disseminate, broadcast, plant: The grand vizier sowed
the seeds of dissension amongst the subjects of the caliph.
space n. 1 spaciousness, room, place, expanse, elbow-room, leeway,
margin, latitude, play: There was no space for another desk. 2
blank: When the spaces are filled in, the puzzle is done. 3
interval, lapse, period, time, hiatus, lacuna, span, while,
duration, extent, spell, stretch, pause, wait, intermission,
gap, break, interruption: After a short space we were home
again. 4 accommodation, seat, berth, room, place: Luckily, I
got the last available space on the plane.
--v. 5 arrange, organize, array, set out, align, range, order,
rank, lay out, measure (out): Space the trees about eight feet
apart.
spacious adj. vast, large, extensive, enormous, wide, broad, commodious,
ample, expansive, roomy, huge, sizeable, large, capacious,
great, immense, outsize(d), voluminous, oversize(d): The house
was more spacious than it looked from the outside. Siberia
offers spacious territory, ripe for habitation over the next
century.
span n. 1 bridge, link, stretch, overpass, Chiefly Brit flyover: We
drove across the entire span in less than five minutes. 2
course, extent, interval, stretch, period, time, term, spell:
In the short span of six hours we had crossed the Atlantic.
--v. 3 cross, stretch over, reach over, extend over, go over,
bridge: A rude bridge spans the river at Lexington. Their lives
spanned more than a century.
spank v. slap, smack, put or take over one's knee, thrash, paddle;
chastise, punish, castigate; Colloq wallop, tan (someone's)
hide, paddywhack, whack, give (someone) a (good) licking or
hiding: In those days when you misbehaved you were spanked.
spanking adj. 1 spic and span, smart, bright, snappy, gleaming,
brand-new, fine, remarkable, outstanding, big, large, great:
You ought to see Jim Trowbridge's spanking new yacht. 2 brisk,
lively, crisp, bracing, fresh, freshening, rattling, strong,
invigorating, blustery: A spanking breeze blew up from the
west. 3 quick, rapid, swift, lively, snappy, fast, smart,
energetic, vigorous, brisk: The pony drew the dogcart at a
spanking pace.
spar° n. Nautical mast, yard, yard-arm, boom, boomkin, gaff, jigger,
mizen, Colloq stick, pole: The first gusts of the storm tore
the remaining canvas from the spars.
sparэ v. 1 fight, box, exchange blows; shadow-box: He was once the
champion's sparring partner. 2 dispute, argue, bicker,
squabble, wrangle, bandy words, have words; fight, Colloq scrap:
I have better things to do than spar with you over breakfast
every day.
spare adj. 1 extra, surplus, supernumerary, auxiliary, supplementary,
additional; odd, leftover; in reserve, in addition: We got a
puncture, so Dad stopped and put on the spare wheel. Give them
the spare room. Have you a spare cigarette? 2 unoccupied,
leftover, leisure, free, surplus, extra; not spoken for: Her
demanding job left her very little spare time. 3 thin, skinny,
scrawny, cadaverous, gaunt, raw-boned, meagre, gangling,
lank(y), wiry, slim, slender; all skin and bones: The spare,
ragged figure crouched in the shadows, his hand outstretched in
supplication. 4 See sparing, below. 5 meagre, frugal, small,
skimpy, modest, scanty: Their meals were spare but wholesome.
--v. 6 save, rescue, deliver, redeem: Bill spared me from a
fate worse than death. Spare me the embarrassment of having to
ask for my money back. 7 pardon, let go, release, have mercy on,
let off, free, liberate: At the last moment, the judge spared
him. 8 allow, relinquish, let go (of), give, award, bestow, let
have, donate, part with, give, yield: She decided she could
spare a couple of pounds for the disaster appeal. Buddy, can you
spare a dime? 9 avoid, dispense with, manage or do without, give
up, forgo, forsake, surrender, sacrifice: We spared a great
deal of trouble by settling the dispute. Spare the rod and spoil
the child.
sparing adj. 1 thrifty, saving, frugal, spare, careful, prudent,
parsimonious, economical, penurious, mean; penny-pinching,
stingy, niggardly, miserly, close, close-fisted, cheap, Colloq
tight, tight-fisted, Brit mingy: As sparing in his praise as he
was in his purse, General Waller rarely complimented his troops.
2 See sparse, 2 below.
spark n. 1 scintilla, flicker, glimmer, glint, sparkle, speck, hint,
suggestion, vestige, atom, whit, jot (or tittle), iota: As long
as a spark of life remained in his body he fought for freedom
and justice.
--v. 2 Often, spark off. set or touch off, ignite, kindle,
enkindle, electrify, animate, trigger, energize, galvanize,
activate, excite, stimulate, set in motion, bring about, start
(up), begin, initiate, inspire, inspirit, provoke, precipitate:
Was there any single factor that sparked the Renaissance?
sparkle v. 1 glitter, scintillate, glint, flicker, shine, twinkle,
wink, blink, glimmer, flash, coruscate, blaze, burn, flame: The
setting sun sparkled on the sea. Brian's eyes sparkled with an
inner fire. 2 effervesce, fizz, bubble: We ordered a jeroboam
of sparkling Burgundy.
--n. 3 glitter, scintillation, twinkle, coruscation, dazzle,
spark, gleam, brightness, brilliance, radiance: I fear that the
sparkle has gone out of her smile. 4 vivacity, liveliness,
fire, brightness, wittiness, effervescence, ebullience,
excitement, animation, vigour, energy, spirit, cheer, joy,
light-heartedness, ‚lan, zeal, gusto, dash, life, gaiety, cheer,
cheerfulness; certain something; Colloq vim, zip, zing, pizazz,
oomph: It is easy to see that she gets her sparkle from her
mother.
sparse adj. 1 thin (on the ground), few (and far between), meagre,
scanty, (widely) dispersed or scattered, spread out, spotty, in
short supply, scarce: Tourists are sparse in Scotland in
January. Sparse blooms appeared on the rose-bushes this year. 2
little, limited, meagre, scant, sparing, inappreciable, not
much, insignificant: Sparse use was made of the new tennis
court because of the rain.
Spartan adj. austere, strict, severe, harsh, hard, stern, rigorous,
rigid, ascetic, stringent, controlled, disciplined,
self-denying, abstinent, abstemious: He gave up all luxuries
and today lives a Spartan life in the forest.
spasm n. 1 convulsion, throe, fit, twitch, paroxysm: Deprived of his
medication, Brian might go into spasms. 2 fit, seizure,
convulsion, paroxysm, spell, outburst, burst, eruption: After
that, every time he said 'furniture', the crowd went into spasms
of laughter.
spasmodic adj. 1 spasmodical, paroxysmal, convulsive, jerky, jerking,
sudden, Technical spastic: John was quite uneasy, unaware that
Cynthia's spasmodic winking was due to a tic. 2 fitful,
irregular, intermittent, arrhythmic, random, interrupted,
sporadic, erratic, occasional, periodic, unsustained,
discontinuous, pulsating, cyclic(al), broken: Spasmodic peals
of thunder shook the house.
spate n. flood, inundation, onrush, onset, rush, deluge, outpouring,
outflow, outflowing, flow: What did I say to provoke that spate
of foul language?
spatter v. splash, splatter, speckle, bespatter, spray, dabble, daub,
bedaub, sprinkle, besprinkle, Brit splodge, US splotch: When
she dropped the pan the grease spattered all over my new white
flannels.
spawn v. give birth to, yield, bear, bring forth, breed, beget,
create, father, sire, produce, generate, engender, give rise to,
bring about, cause: Donald's arrogance over his wealth spawned
a great deal of resentment.
speak v. 1 talk, converse, discourse: We were not allowed to speak
during lessons. 2 talk to, converse or discourse with, address,
say (something or) anything to: She was speaking quietly to the
children. That is no way to speak to your elders. 3 talk,
communicate in, discourse or converse in, communicate in, utter
in, articulate in, use: Can you really speak Chinese? 4
express, utter, say, state, tell, pronounce, enunciate, voice;
articulate, make known, communicate, reveal, indicate: He is
speaking the truth. 5 symbolize, betoken, signify, communicate,
convey, indicate: Her refusal to return your love-letters
speaks volumes. 6 so to speak. as it were, in a manner of
speaking, figuratively or metaphorically (speaking): When it
comes to employee benefits, the boss is Scrooge himself, so to
speak. 7 speak for. a support, uphold, defend, stand up for,
plead for, make a plea for, recommend, Colloq stick up for: Be
quiet and let Simon speak for himself. b act on or in behalf
of, act for, represent, act as agent for: He is speaking for
the whole staff when he expresses worries about the cuts. c
demand, require, beg, request, ask for: The situation speaks
urgently for an effective drug rehabilitation programme. 8 speak
for itself. be self-evident, be obvious, be significant: The
fact that both your son and the ring are missing speaks for
itself. 9 speak of. mention, advert to, allude to, refer to,
make reference to, comment on, speak or talk about: I begged
you not to speak of her again in my presence. 10 speak on.
discuss, address, discourse upon or on, speak to, treat (of),
deal with, examine, touch upon or on: In his presentation Dr
Andrews spoke on the role of natural predators in pest control.
11 speak out or up. a talk (more) loudly or clearly, make
oneself heard: I cannot hear you unless you speak up a bit. b
talk freely or unreservedly, express one's opinion, speak one's
mind, declare, come out, state one's position, take a stand: I
heard a mother of ten speak out against birth control. 12 speak
to. a reprove, scold, reprimand, rebuke, admonish, warn,
lecture: After his father spoke to him, Nicholas stopped
staying out so late. b be meaningful to, appeal to, influence,
affect, touch: Constance's poetry effectively speaks to the
heart. c accost, address, talk to, Formal apostrophize: I have
to speak to the teacher after class. d See 10, above. 13
spoken for. reserved, engaged, bespoke, set aside, accounted
for, chosen, selected: I'm afraid that the purple dress has
already been spoken for, madam.
speaker n. orator, lecturer; keynoter; rabble-rouser, demagogue, Colloq
tub-thumper, spieler: It was my function to introduce the
speaker.
spearhead v. 1 launch, initiate, lead (the way), take the initiative,
pioneer, blaze the trail, break the ice, take the lead, be in
the van or vanguard: He spearheaded medical research into
arthritis.
--n. 2 vanguard, advance guard, van, forefront, cutting edge:
They claim to be the spearhead of space technology.
special adj. 1 particular, specific, exceptional, uncommon, especial,
rare, unusual, out of the ordinary, extraordinary, different,
unorthodox, unconventional, unique, precise, individual,
singular, distinctive, specialized, certain, remarkable,
inimitable, idiosyncratic, curious, peculiar, odd, strange,
bizarre, weird, one of a kind; distinguished, notable,
noteworthy: They have a special way of communicating with each
other. I bought something very special for your birthday. A
special relationship sprang up between us. 2 significant,
important, momentous, earth-shaking, memorable, red-letter;
gala, festive, celebratory: The fifth of September is a special
day in our family. 3 pointed, concerted, deliberate,
particular, extra, determined: After I had made a special
effort to get there, nobody was home. 4 exclusive, express,
individual, extra: Send the packet by special messenger. 5
dear, intimate, particular, good, close, bosom, staunch, loyal,
faithful, devoted, steadfast; dearest, best, closest; esteemed,
valued: I wasn't aware that John Spencer was a special friend
of yours. 6 prime, primary, major, prominent, paramount: I
shouldn't attach any special importance to her demands.
--n. 7 See speciality, 2 below.
specialist
n. expert, authority, professional, master, connoisseur,
maestro, artiste, artist, adept: Pierre Legrand is a specialist
in matching antique furniture finishes. Such work requires
specialist knowledge.
speciality
n. 1 expertise, talent, genius, gift, skill, aptitude, trade,
craft, accomplishment, ability, strength, forte, strong point,
capability, adeptness, art, sphere, field, area, subject,
concentration, specialization, m‚tier, Chiefly US and Canadian
specialty, Colloq bag, thing, cup of tea, baby, claim to fame:
Dr Mann's speciality is tropical diseases. 2 piЉce de
r‚sistance, sp‚cialit‚ de la maison, special, Chiefly US and
Canadian specialty, US blueplate special: Today's speciality is
calves' brains au beurre noir.
specially adv. especially, particularly, custom, expressly, exclusively:
I had this suit specially made for me.
specific adj. 1 definite, precise, exact, particular, explicit, express,
unambiguous, definitive, clear-cut, unequivocal, (well-)defined,
determined, specified, individual, peculiar, certain, limited,
indicated, predetermined, established, spelt or spelled out,
delineated, set, distinct, fixed, circumscribed, restricted:
Each part has its specific function. 2 Often, specific to.
characteristic (of), unique to, individual (to), sui generis,
proper (to), typical (of), peculiar to, identified with,
personal (to), discrete (to), special (to), associated with:
The disease is specific to one area only. Are these problems
group-specific?
specification
n. 1 identification, identifying, description, describing,
particularization, particularizing, specifying, naming: The
police were relying on a specification of the ringleaders by an
informer. 2 itemization, itemizing, list, listing, check-list,
inventory, list of particulars, detail, enumeration: When can
you let me have the specifications for the new building? 3
requirement, qualification, condition, restriction, stipulation,
consideration: The specification called for green marble and no
substitute.
specify v. particularize, enumerate, itemize, name, denominate, list,
indicate, mention, identify, cite, define, detail, stipulate,
spell out, set out or forth, individualize, be specific about,
delineate, determine, disambiguate, establish: You must specify
the source of each quotation.
specimen n. sample, example, instance, exemplar, representative,
representation; illustration, case (in point), type, model,
pattern: This is a specimen taken from the Pre-Cambrian strata.
Using this as a specimen, can you reproduce the entire fabric?
specious adj. deceptive, superficial, casuistic, ostensible, misleading,
apparent, seeming, fallacious, sophistic(al), plausible, likely,
conceivable, possible, supposed, purported, presumed,
presumable, alleged, so-called: The candidate affected a
specious show of liberality merely to attract votes. Do not be
misled by specious reasoning.
speck n. spot, dot, fleck, mote, speckle, mark, bit, particle; crumb,
iota, jot (or tittle), whit, atom, molecule, touch, hint,
suggestion, suspicion, tinge, modicum, amount, grain, smidgen or
smidgin: There's a speck of soot on your collar. Is there a
speck of truth in what she says about you?
speckled adj. spotted, mottled, dotted, sprinkled, flecked, stippled,
dapple(d), freckled, brindle(d); discoloured, spattered,
bespattered: I can see by looking at it that it's a speckled
trout.
spectacle n. 1 show, display, sight, performance, event, presentation,
exhibition, exhibit, exposition, demonstration, extravaganza,
marvel, wonder, sensation: Instead of criticizing everything in
life, why not just sit back and enjoy the spectacle? 2 fool,
laughing-stock, curiosity: Joan makes a spectacle of herself by
her solo dancing when she gets a little tipsy. 3 spectacles.
eyeglasses, glasses, Colloq specs: He wears spectacles only for
reading.
spectator n. witness, eyewitness, observer, viewer, onlooker, looker-on,
watcher, beholder: There were more spectators than participants
at the spring dance.
spectral adj. ghostly, ghostlike, phantom, eerie, wraithlike,
incorporeal, unearthly, supernatural, weird, Colloq spooky: I
could have sworn there was a spectral figure, dressed in white,
standing near the window.
spectre n. 1 ghost, phantom, wraith, apparition, vision, spirit, shade,
revenant, Doppelg„nger, chimera, Colloq spook, bogeyman or
bogyman: Each year the spectre appeared to her on Christmas
Eve. 2 image, vision, (mental) picture: Again the horrible
spectre of war and pestilence arose.
speculate v. 1 Often, speculate on or upon or about or over. reflect (on
or about or over), consider, muse (on or about or over),
meditate (on or over or about), contemplate (on or about),
cogitate (on or about), think (about or over or on), ponder
(over or about), mull over, chew on or over, ruminate (on or
over or about), wonder (about), deliberate (over or on or
about), weigh, judge, evaluate, theorize (on or about),
conjecture (on or about), postulate, hypothesize: I have been
speculating about whether I should take a holiday in the
Algarve. Why not go and enjoy yourself instead of speculating on
the world's injustices? 2 gamble, wager, take a chance, Colloq
have a flutter, play the market, take a plunge: She is too
conservative to speculate in the stock market.
speculation
n. 1 conjecture, guess, hypothesis, theory, guesswork,
postulation, surmise, supposition, opinion: My speculations
have often proved true. Both the steady-state and the big-bang
theories of the origins of the universe are pure speculation. 2
thinking, rumination, cogitation, reflection, meditation,
contemplation, consideration, cerebration, pondering, wondering,
deliberation, evaluation: All serious philosophers engage in
idle speculation. 3 gambling, gamble, wagering, wager, taking
(a) chance(s) or risk(s), chance-taking: Her speculation on the
market paid off handsomely.
speculative
adj. 1 intellectual, ideational, abstract, cogitative,
notional, theoretical, hypothetical, conjectural, suppositional,
supposititious or suppositious, suppositive, rational,
ratiocinative, ideal, idealized, idealistic, unrealistic,
unpractical, impractical, analytical: Frank's theories about
climate change were entirely speculative and substantially
wrong. 2 risky, hazardous, uncertain, unreliable, untrustworthy,
doubtful, dubious, untested, unproven, unproved, Colloq iffy,
chancy, Slang dicey: You ought to invest your money in less
speculative enterprises.
speech n. 1 speaking, talking, articulation, diction, language,
expression, enunciation, elocution, speech pattern;
communication: His speech is marred by a lisp. Martha studied
speech at a well-known drama school. 2 oration, address,
lecture, talk, discourse, disquisition, sermon, homily; tirade,
harangue, philippic; (sales) pitch, line, song and dance; Colloq
spiel, blast: Her speech left her audience awed with her
knowledge of the subject. When the householder opens the door,
you launch into your speech about the encyclopedia. 3 dialect,
idiolect, jargon, parlance, idiom, fa‡on de parler, language,
tongue, Colloq lingo: English speech varieties range from Scots
to Cockney to Texan to Jamaican.
speechless
adj. 1 mute, dumb, voiceless: He was speechless and in shock
for two days following the accident. They claim to speak for
animals who are, of course, speechless themselves. 2 dumbfounded
or dumfounded, dumbstruck or dumbstricken, wordless, struck
dumb, tongue-tied, thunderstruck, shocked, dazed, inarticulate,
paralysed, nonplussed, Slang Brit gobsmacked: He was speechless
with fury to find his car missing.
speed n. 1 rapidity, fleetness, quickness, speediness, swiftness,
velocity, dispatch or despatch, hurry, hurriedness, haste,
hastiness, celerity, alacrity, expeditiousness, expedition,
briskness, promptness, timeliness; suddenness, precipitateness,
precipitousness, abruptness: We reached a speed of Mach 2. What
is the speed of your new computer? The speed of her reactions
will be recorded during the experiment.
--v. 2 Often, speed up. accelerate, move, expedite, forward,
advance, facilitate, boost, further, promote, help, assist, aid,
Colloq give a leg up: He vowed to do anything he could to speed
the troops' return from the battlefield. 3 hasten, make haste,
hurry, rush, charge, dart, bolt, shoot, run, race, sprint, fly,
streak, scurry, tear, hustle, scramble, scamper, career, bowl
along, go or fly like the wind, Colloq go hell for leather, go
like a bat out of hell, belt along, step on it, put one's foot
down, zip, zoom, skedaddle, go like a shot, US hightail it, step
on the gas, go like greased lightning, make tracks, Slang US
burn rubber: Where the road is straight, cars speed along at up
to 120 miles per hour.
speedy adj. 1 quick, rapid, swift, brisk, expeditious, fast,
immediate, prompt: What happened to the form of justice under
which the accused were guaranteed a speedy trial? 2 hasty,
precipitate, precipitous, hurried, summary: Some of the
townspeople favoured the wrong kind of speedy justice - by
lynching. 3 fleet, nimble, wing-footed, winged, fast, quick,
rapid, swift: Carol is one of the speediest sprinters on our
team.
spell° n. 1 period, interval, time, term, season; stint, turn, run,
course, shift, tour (of duty), watch, round: We had a spell of
bad weather. Each of us had a spell at the tiller during the
crossing.
--v. 2 relieve, replace, substitute for, take over for or from:
After 36 hours of uninterrupted duty, I needed someone to spell
me for a while.
spellэ n. 1 enchantment, allure, charm, magic, witchcraft, witchery,
fascination, captivation, enthralment: She had them all under
her spell. 2 incantation, formula, charm: The priest uttered
some spell and I found myself unable to move. 3 attraction,
lure, allure, appeal, draw, pull, magnetism, fascination,
influence, mesmerism, hypnotic effect: We were drawn ever
onward by the spell of the jungle.
spell° v. 1 augur, portend, presage, promise, hold promise of,
signify, point to, indicate, omen, bode, look like, amount to,
mean: Harry's conviction will spell the end of his career as a
bank robber. 2 spell out. specify, delineate, make clear or
plain or explicit, clarify, elucidate: She despises you - I
can't spell it out for you more plainly than that.
spellbinding
adj. fascinating, enchanting, enthralling, captivating,
enrapturing, bewitching, mesmerizing, charming, overpowering:
The preacher put on one of his most spellbinding performances.
spend v. 1 pay out, disburse, expend, lay out, Colloq fork out, dish
out, shell out, Brit splash out: That man spends more for a
suit than you earn in a year. 2 squander, throw away, fritter
away, waste, go through, splurge, lavish, dissipate: He spends
money as if it's going out of style. 3 devote, allot, assign,
invest, put in, pass: If you don't spend more time with the
children they'll forget they have a father.
spendthrift
n. 1 profligate, wastrel, (big) spender, squanderer, prodigal:
Because her nephew is such a spendthrift, she put his
inheritance in a trust fund.
--adj. 2 wasteful, free-spending, prodigal, profligate,
squandering, extravagant, improvident: The chancellor's
spendthrift budget will increase inflation.
spent adj. 1 drained, exhausted, prostrate, tired, fatigued, fagged
out, weary, wearied, worn out, Colloq (dead) beat, done in, done
for, all in, dog-tired, played out, burnt- or burned-out, used
up, Brit knackered, done up, US pooped: He was totally spent
after sitting in the airport all night during the storm. 2
exhausted, used up, emptied, gone, expended, finished, fini,
consumed, depleted: At 70, he was wrong to feel that his life
was spent.
spew v. Often, spew forth or out or up. belch (up or out or forth),
vomit (up or forth), regurgitate, spit up or out, spout,
discharge, emit, eject, send forth, spurt, gush, throw up or
out, disgorge, Slang puke: The volcano spewed forth lava for
six days and nights.
sphere n. 1 globe, orb, globule, spherule; drop, droplet, bubble:
Flotation is provided by thousands of hollow plastic spheres. 2
society, class, level, caste, rank, domain, walk of life,
station, stratum, position: They did not belong to the same
social sphere. 3 area, field, province, subject, discipline,
range, speciality or US specialty, forte, Colloq bailiwick,
territory, department, thing, bag: Are Gregorian chants within
Stanley's sphere of interest?
spherical adj. spheric, globular, round, ball-shaped, ball-like,
globelike, globe-shaped, globose or globous, globoid,
globate(d), spheroid(al): They chose simple, spherical
lampshades for the sitting-room.
spice n. 1 condiment, relish, seasoning, flavour(ing); herb: Much of
the purpose of early explorers was to search for spices. 2
zest, spiciness, piquancy, tang, pungency, bite, sharpness,
poignancy, gusto, excitement, seasoning, dash, ‚lan, colour,
life, vigour, interest, stimulation, stimulant, spirit, Colloq
vim, zip, pep, kick, pizazz, punch, ginger, pepper: A holiday
in the Bahamas will add a little spice to our lives.
--v. 3 season, flavour: Highly spiced food does not agree with
many people. 4 Often, spice up. enliven, inspirit, stimulate,
invigorate: The proprietor felt that the new editor should try
to spice up the magazine.
spicy adj. 1 zesty, zestful, piquant, tangy, (well-)spiced,
(well-)seasoned, hot, peppery, sharp, pungent, snappy, biting,
full-bodied, aromatic, savoury, flavoursome, flavourful: This
curry is a little too spicy for my taste. 2 off colour,
indelicate, suggestive, risqu‚, improper, indecent, indecorous,
ribald, racy, bawdy, unseemly, offensive, titillating, sexy,
Colloq hot: This magazine often publishes spicy nude photos. 3
scandalous, sensational, outrageous, notorious, revealing,
revelatory, intimate: She likes to read about the spicy
goings-on in Hollywood.
spike n. 1 skewer, stake, prong, treenail, nail, peg, picket, pin,
pike, spine: To subdue a vampire, drive a wooden spike through
its heart.
--v. 2 impale, stab, stick, spear, pierce, spit, lance: He was
spiked through the thigh by a bayonet. 3 disable, thwart,
nullify, disarm, block, frustrate, foil, void, balk, check,
cancel, annul: Our plans for the picnic were spiked by the
weather. 4 strengthen; drug, poison, Slang slip in a Mickey
(Finn): I passed out because my drink was spiked.
spill v. 1 pour (out or over), overflow, slop or run or brim over:
The milk spilt all over the floor. 2 waste, throw out, lose:
Don't cry over spilt milk. 3 spill the beans. reveal or tell or
disclose or divulge all or everything, blab, tattle, let the cat
out of the bag, confess, Slang squeal, be a stool-pigeon or
stoolie, spill one's guts, sing (like a canary), Brit blow the
gaff: Finnegan spilled the beans to the cops.
--n. 4 outpouring, flood, leak, leakage: Don't tell me there's
been another oil spill! 5 fall, tumble, accident, Colloq
cropper, header: Crutchley had a nasty spill at the third fence
in the Grand National.
spin v. 1 revolve, turn, rotate, gyrate, twirl, whirl, twist, reel,
pirouette, pivot: The car spun out of control on the ice. Fred
spun Ginger around the dance floor. 2 invent, concoct, make up,
devise, produce, fabricate; weave, relate, retail, recount,
narrate, tell, unfold: Each night, father would spin a new
chapter in the yarn of the vagabond princess. 3 be dizzy, suffer
vertigo, swim, whirl, be giddy: My head was spinning from so
much attention by the media. 4 spin off. separate, derive: The
manufacturer spun off two new companies specializing in parts
and service. 5 spin out. prolong, protract, drag or draw out,
stretch out, perpetuate, continue, extend, keep alive, keep
going: The case was spun out for years in the courts.
--n. 6 whirl, whirling, twirl, twirling, turn, turning,
gyration, reel, pirouette, revolution, revolving, rotation,
rotating: He puts a spin on the ball when he throws it. Is the
spin of all planets in the same direction? 7 drive, whirl,
joyride, ride, tour, excursion, outing, jaunt: On Sunday
afternoons we sometimes went for a spin in the car.
spine n. 1 backbone, spinal column, vertebrae: He can't stand up
straight - he has curvature of the spine. 2 thorn, needle,
barb, spike, spur, prong, quill, ray, barbel, bristle, prickle,
Technical barbule, spicule or spiculum or spicula: The surface
of the sea urchin is covered with needle-like spines.
spineless adj. 1 Technical invertebrate: There are more species of
spineless creatures than those with internal backbones. 2 weak,
feeble, flabby, irresolute, weak-willed, indecisive,
ineffectual, ineffective, impotent, powerless: After her reign,
any king would appear spineless. 3 cowardly, dastardly,
pusillanimous, timorous, lily-livered, white-livered, craven,
fearful, timid, spiritless, squeamish, Colloq yellow,
chicken-hearted, chicken, yellow-bellied, wimpish: She said you
were spineless because you refused to go into the lions' cage.
spiral n. 1 helix, coil, corkscrew, screw, scroll; whorl, volute,
turn, curl: In earlier Greek motifs, the spiral is commoner
than the rectangular fret.
--adj. 2 helical, coiled, screw, corkscrew, cochlear or
cochleate; scrolled, volute(d), whorled: A spiral staircase is
attractive and space-saving, but hard to use.
spire n. 1 column, tower, belfry; steeple, flЉche: The spire of the
church was repeatedly struck by lightning that night. 2 top,
pinnacle, apex, peak, summit, acme, tip, crest, crown, vertex:
We climbed till we stood on the highest spire above the valley.
spirit n. 1 anima, breath, life, vitality, vital spirit, pneuma, soul,
consciousness, psyche, self, heart, essence: Though past
eighty, Mr Wilkins has a great deal of spirit. Even though she
is gone, Annabel's spirit is still with us. 2 character,
temperament, temper, persona, disposition, mind, will,
will-power, attitude, bent, inclination, energy, ardour, desire,
impetus, drive, urge, eagerness, zest, zeal, zealousness, fire,
passion(s), enthusiasm, motivation, mettle, resolution, resolve,
intention, enterprise: We have always admired the spirit of the
early pioneers. Bill has shown a lot of the right spirit. 3
zest, pungency, piquancy, warmth, fire, animation, life,
liveliness, vivacity, vivaciousness, panache, ‚lan, dash, spice,
Colloq sauce, pepper: He needs to put more spirit into his
sales presentation. 4 See spectre, 1, above. 5 bravery,
courage, grit, backbone, valour, pluck, daring,
stout-heartedness, manfulness, manliness, gameness,
resoluteness, will, will-power, Colloq vim, spunk,
get-up-and-go, (right) stuff, guts, US sand: Johnston has the
spirit to be a marine. 6 meaning, sense, tenor, signification,
purport, intent, intention, purpose, aim, implication, message,
essence, quintessence, core, heart, meat, pith, substance,
marrow: The spirit of the agreement is different from the way
the lawyers worded the contract. Is it in keeping with the
spirit of the law? 7 attitude, principle, thought, idea,
inspiration, notion, feeling, inclination, impulse: Christmas
is associated with the spirit of giving. 8 Often, spirits.
temper, mood, sentiments, feelings, cheer, humour, frame of
mind; morale: I hope he took my criticism in good spirit. You
seem to be in pretty good spirits today. My spirits are quite
low. 9 spirits. a feelings, mood, temper, sentiments; morale,
esprit de corps, team spirit: Spirits were high at the annual
boat races. b alcohol, liquor, whisky, strong drink, Colloq
booze, fire-water, Slang chiefly US and Canadian hooch or
hootch: It is illegal to sell spirits to minors.
--v. 10 spirit away or off. abduct, make off or away with,
carry off, transport, take away, kidnap, steal (off or away
with), whisk away, abscond with; make disappear: A thief
spirited away a painting from the exhibition. She was spirited
away by a band of elves.
spirited adj. lively, sprightly, energetic, vigorous, animated,
sparkling, dynamic, buoyant, effervescent, vivacious, ardent,
mettlesome: The horse I chose was a bit too spirited. The
barrister presented a spirited defence for his client. The 1970s
saw spirited revivals of art nouveau and art deco styles.
spiritual adj. 1 sacred, ecclesiastic(al), churchly, clerical, priestly,
devotional, holy, divine, sacerdotal, religious, non-secular:
Father Craig was in charge of the spiritual aspects of our
lives. 2 non-material, incorporeal, psychic(al), mental,
psychological, inner: Spiritual needs are less easily satisfied
than physical needs.
spit v. 1 expectorate; dribble, salivate, drool, slaver, sputter,
splutter; discharge, spew (forth), eject: Spitting is
forbidden. Don't you hate people who spit when they talk? The
volcano spat huge boulders into the sky. 2 spitting image or
spit and image. twin, duplicate, clone, image, counterpart,
likeness, copy: She is the spitting image of her mother.
--n. 3 spittle, saliva, drool, Technical sputum: A large
gobbet of spit clung to his beard.
spite n. 1 spitefulness, maliciousness, malice, malevolence,
malignity, ill will, venom, spleen, rancour, animosity, gall
(and wormwood), resentment, bitterness, hostility, antagonism,
hatred, hate, Colloq bitchiness: Just out of spite, Marian saw
to it that he didn't get the job. 2 in spite of. despite,
notwithstanding, regardless of, ignoring, in defiance of: In
spite of his efforts to be helpful, she despises him.
--v. 3 annoy, irritate, vex, upset, disconcert, offend,
provoke, discomfit, pique, put out, hurt, injure, wound, Colloq
peeve, get under (someone's) skin, needle, US do a number on:
He would cut off his nose to spite his face. He told her he was
happy only to spite her for having divorced him.
spiteful adj. rancorous, bitter, acrimonious, malevolent, malicious,
venomous, hateful, invidious, hostile, antagonistic, unfriendly,
unforgiving, retaliative or retaliatory, punitive, retributive
or retributory: Cutting off Colin's allowance because he forgot
your birthday was a spiteful thing to do.
splash v. 1 spatter, bespatter, splatter, shower, spray, sprinkle,
besprinkle, Brit splodge or US also splotch; mottle, spot: The
painters splashed paint all over the floor. My freshly washed
car was soon splashed with mud again. 2 blazon, spread, plaster:
Was that your picture splashed across the front page of
yesterday's paper?
--n. 3 spatter, spray, splatter, sprinkle, spot, stain, smear,
smudge, Brit splodge or US also splotch: There's a splash of
tomato sauce on the tablecloth. 4 impression, show, uproar,
ado, brouhaha, sensation, commotion, excitement, US foofaraw,
Colloq to-do: After all the advance publicity, he was sure to
make a big splash in the theatre.
splendid adj. 1 splendorous, magnificent, resplendent, dazzling,
gorgeous, showy, dashing, marvellous, spectacular, grand,
glorious, lavish, ornate, sumptuous, majestic, brilliant,
extraordinary, exceptional, superb, supreme, imposing,
impressive, awe-inspiring, awesome, lush, plush, rich,
luxurious, Colloq splendiferous, posh, swank(y), ritzy: The
mausoleum built by Shah Jehan for his wife was far more splendid
than his own palace. 2 impressive, marvellous, brilliant,
eminent, prominent, superior, noteworthy, notable, celebrated,
illustrious, famous, distinguished, exemplary, remarkable,
admirable, conspicuous, outstanding, sublime, striking,
extraordinary, successful, admirable, meritorious, creditable:
His splendid victory at Waterloo was the climax of his military
career. 3 excellent, superior, pre-eminent, fine, marvellous,
extraordinary, exceptional, unbelievable, incredible,
first-class, unequalled, unsurpassed, fabulous, peerless,
matchless, nonpareil, superlative, praiseworthy, laudable, Brit
brilliant, Colloq great, colossal, supercolossal, stupendous,
fab, fantastic, super, smashing, A1 or A-1 or A-one, tiptop,
capital, Brit brill, Slang far-out, way-out, dandy, cool, keen,
US solid, out of sight, fantabulous, boss, neat, major: Bill is
a splendid dancer.
splendour n. 1 magnificence, grandeur, brilliance, display, radiance,
resplendence, sumptuousness, stateliness, majesty, panoply,
spectacle, show, glory, pomp, gorgeousness, dazzle, refulgence,
beauty, splendidness, exquisiteness, luxuriousness, richness,
lavishness, luxury, Colloq swankiness, poshness, swank,
ritziness: There was nothing to match the splendour of the
court of Louis XIV. 2 brilliance, shine, lustre, light,
effulgence, brightness, glitter, dazzle, refulgence, luminosity,
luminousness, gloss: The splendour of the city's golden domes
was reflected in the setting sun.
splice v. 1 join, unite, marry, bind, conjoin; knit, entwine,
intertwine, braid, plait, twist, interlace: After the two rope
ends are spliced together, they should be seized with marline.
--n. 2 joining, union, splicing, joint, connection or Brit
connexion, tie, bond, binding, fastening, linking, linkage: A
proper splice will probably be stronger than the single cable.
splinter n. 1 sliver, fragment, piece; scrap, shard, shred, chip: A
splinter of glass is stuck in my finger.
--v. 2 shatter, break, fragment, split, disintegrate, smash to
smithereens: The lamp hit the floor and splintered into a
million pieces.
split v. 1 Often, split up or apart. divide, separate, cleave, cut or
chop apart, cut or chop in two, pull or tear apart, rend, break
or snap apart or in two, break up, come apart, rupture,
partition, detach, become detached; bisect, dichotomize: He
split the log with one blow of his axe. The ship split apart on
the reef. The party may split on the tax issue. 2 Often, split
up. divorce, separate, go separate ways, break up, part company:
After 30 years, the Hitchcocks have decided to split up. 3
Often, split up. branch, fork, diverge, separate: The road
splits to pass round the pond. 4 Often, split up. divide (up),
apportion, deal out, dole out, distribute, allot, share or
parcel out, carve up: Why don't we split the dinner bill five
ways? 5 burst, crack or break up, fall apart or about, Slang
bust: I laughed so much I thought I'd split! 6 leave, depart,
go, Slang take a (run-out) powder, take it on the lam, beat it,
scram, skedaddle: When they heard the sirens of the police
cars, they split.
--n. 7 crack, cleft, fissure, chink, cranny, slit, slot,
crevice, groove, furrow, channel, sulcus; gap, hiatus, lacuna,
opening, separation, division, chasm; rift, break, rupture,
fracture; slash, gash, tear, rip, rent: The edges of the
tectonic plates mark splits in the earth's crust. Pressure
caused the splits in these plaster columns. I had to borrow a
tablecloth to cover up the split in my trousers. 8 division,
dichotomy, schism, breach, rupture, partition, disunion,
discord; break, separation: Don't you think that the issue will
cause a split within the party?
--adj. 9 divided, separated; halved, bisected, cleft; cut,
broken, fractured: The result was a split vote along party
lines. Their first containers were of split bamboo.
splurge n. 1 display, show, ostentatiousness, extravagance, indulgence,
access, splash, burst, outburst, spree: In his final splurge he
bet everything on the number 14.
--v. 2 Often, splurge on. squander or dissipate or waste or
burn (up) or throw away money (on), show off or flaunt one's
money, Slang blow everything (on): Victor splurged on toys for
the children.
spoil v. 1 ruin, destroy, wreck, queer, mess up, upset, demolish,
harm, damage, Colloq kill: You really spoiled everything by
telling Mum about my pet frog. Spare the rod and spoil the
child. 2 damage, mar, injure, harm, deface, disfigure, scar,
blemish: The painting was spoiled by some fanatic who slashed
it. 3 baby, mollycoddle, coddle, indulge, pamper, dote on,
spoonfeed, Rare cocker: Barbara really spoils her family
terribly by indulging their every whim. 4 turn, go off or bad,
curdle, moulder, decay, decompose, become addle(d), rot,
putrefy, mildew: The milk will spoil if not refrigerated. 5 be
spoiling for. itch (for or after), yearn (for), be eager (for),
be keen (for), look for, be bent on, be desirous of, crave, be
after: If you give Tom a drink he'll be spoiling for a fight.
Oh, I thought he was always spoiling for a fight.
--n. 6 spoils. loot, booty, plunder, pillage, prizes, pickings,
Slang swag, take, goods, boodle: The Nazis took the paintings
as spoils of war.
spoilsport
n. killjoy, damper, dog in the manger, Colloq wet blanket, US
party pooper: Some spoilsport tipped off Jane about her
surprise birthday party.
spoken adj. 1 oral, vocal, verbal, viva voce: My spoken commentary
was recorded for later broadcast. He has an excellent command of
spoken French. 2 spoken for. See speak, 13, above.
sponsor n. 1 backer, supporter, promoter, angel, patron, Maecenas,
subsidizer: Make a contribution and we will list you as a
sponsor of the games. 2 (radio or television) advertiser: The
American broadcasting catch-phrase 'A word from our sponsor' is
not to be taken literally.
--v. 3 back, support, promote, fund, patronize, subsidize,
finance, underwrite: Hughes agreed to sponsor a campaign to
clean up the environment.
spontaneous
adj. 1 unannounced, unpremeditated, unplanned, impromptu,
extemporaneous, extempore, unprepared, unrehearsed, offhand, ad
lib, spur-of-the-moment, Colloq off the cuff: Miss Malkin's
spontaneous speech could not have been better had it been
written out. 2 natural, unforced, unbidden, instinctive,
instinctual, unconscious, reflex, automatic, mechanical,
immediate, offhand, unguarded, unthinking, unwitting,
involuntary, impetuous, impulsive, Slang knee-jerk: How could
you doubt the sincerity of such an outburst of spontaneous
affection? My spontaneous reaction is to beg you not to take up
sky-diving.
sporadic adj. occasional, intermittent, random, irregular, uneven,
erratic, chance, unexpected; spasmodic(al), fitful,
periodic(al): There has been sporadic unrest in that area of
the city.
sport n. 1 recreation, diversion, pastime, amusement, entertainment,
play, distraction, relaxation, divertissement, pleasure,
enjoyment, fun: I fish for sport, not to earn a living. 2
jest, humour, fun, mockery: They often call him rude names, but
only in sport. 3 make sport of. tease, deride, make a
laughing-stock (of), (hold up to) ridicule, make a fool of: She
doesn't like it when you make sport of her husband.
--v. 4 frolic, gambol, cavort, romp, caper, play, frisk, lark,
rollick, skip about: These octogenarians are sporting about
like young foals. 5 show off, exhibit, flaunt, display, wear:
Keith arrived, sporting the latest in Italian footwear.
sportive adj. frisky, gambolling, cavorting, frolicking, romping,
capering, rollicking, sprightly, coltish, spirited, frolicsome,
buoyant, gamesome, gay, kittenish, merry, playful, gleeful,
light-hearted, blithe, prankish, waggish: He watched a sportive
group of children playing hide-and-seek.
sportsmanship
n. fair play, sportsmanliness, fairness, honourableness,
honesty, honour, probity, scrupulousness, integrity,
uprightness, justice, justness: Good sportsmanship requires
that the loser congratulate the winner.
sporty adj. informal, casual; stylish, chic, smart, trendy,
fashionable, modish, … la mode, up to date, showy, rakish,
Colloq swank(y), loud, Slang classy, swell, flashy, snazzy,
sharp, US and Canadian spiffy: He came to dinner wearing sporty
clothes. Yes, I suppose you might call Fred a sporty dresser.
spot n. 1 mark, patch, speck, blot, blotch, blemish, speckle, fleck,
particle, mote, macula, smudge, stain, stigma, discoloration,
Brit splodge or US also splotch: There's a spot of ink on your
shirt. 2 site, place, locale, location, locality, scene,
setting, section, area, neighbourhood, quarter: The Coopers
picked out a lovely spot to build their new house. 3 morsel,
bit, bite, Colloq smidgen or smidgin: Let's stop in here for a
spot of tea. 4 predicament, situation, quandary, mess: John
said he was in a bit of a spot, and needed to borrow њ20 until
the end of the week. 5 spots. eruptions, pimples, acne,
pustules, blackheads, comedos or comedones, whiteheads; boils,
blains, wens; pock-marks; Old-fashioned US and Canadian hickeys:
Teenagers often get spots.
--v. 6 see, catch sight of, glimpse, discern, identify, pick
out, distinguish, single out, detect, sight, recognize, make
out, descry: I think I spotted Molly in the crowd. 7 mark,
stain, fleck, speckle, spray, splash, spatter, bespatter, sully,
soil, dirty, taint, besmirch, smudge: The car's shiny new
paintwork was spotted with mud.
spotless adj. 1 immaculate, clean, gleaming, shiny, polished, unspotted,
spick and span: The floor is so spotless you could eat off it.
2 pure, unsullied, unassailable, flawless, faultless,
untarnished, blameless, irreproachable: Samantha has a spotless
reputation.
spotlight n. 1 arc light, searchlight, US pin spotlight, Colloq US (pin)
spot: I couldn't see the audience with the spotlight shining in
my eyes. 2 focus (of attention), limelight, public eye: How
does it feel to have been in the spotlight most of your life,
Miss Hallward?
--v. 3 light (up), illuminate, focus (light) upon or on, shine
or shed or throw or cast light upon or on, emphasize, highlight,
draw attention to, feature, give prominence to, stress,
accentuate, accent, point up, underscore, underline, point up:
The students held a sit-in to spotlight the cuts in their
grants.
spotty adj. 1 spotted, dotted, speckled, freckled, flecked, blotched,
blotchy, stained, marked, pied, piebald, brindle(d), skewbald,
mottled, motley, dapple(d), macular, foxed; soiled, dirty; Brit
splodgy, splodged or US also splotchy, splotched: Pages of some
old books are spotty with brown stains. 2 pimply, pimpled,
blotched, blotchy, acned, pock-marked, pocky, bad, Scots plouky
or plooky: Ian used to have a spotty complexion, but it's clear
now. 3 patchy, irregular, uneven, erratic, sporadic,
capricious, fitful: Radio reception in our area is spotty
during electrical storms.
spout v. 1 discharge, emit, squirt, spurt, jet, shoot, gush, erupt,
spew (up or out or forth), spit, eject, disgorge, vomit (up or
forth), pour (out or forth), flow, stream: Steam spouts from
many vents in Iceland. The water came spouting out of the hose
and drenched me. 2 ramble on, rant, rave, carry on, pontificate,
orate, declaim, hold forth, maunder (on), witter on, hold forth,
expatiate, speechify, talk, Colloq go on, Brit rabbit on:
Harry, as usual, was spouting about his golf handicap.
--n. 3 waterspout, gargoyle, downspout, duct, drain, outlet,
conduit: The rainwater drains into the gutters, then into the
spouts. 4 up the spout. gone, lost, destroyed, beyond hope or
recovery, to be written off or abandoned: Our dream of finding
the treasure was now up the spout.
sprawl v. 1 spread (out), stretch (out), straddle, ramble, meander,
wander, straggle, branch out: Greater Los Angeles sprawls over
a huge area of some 450 square miles. 2 spread out, stretch out,
loll, lounge, slouch, slump, recline, lie about or around: A
dozen guests were sprawled on blankets at the beach party.
--n. 3 spread, stretch, expansion, extension: Some suburbs of
large cities have been swallowed up in urban sprawl.
spray° v. 1 sprinkle, spatter, scatter, shower, disperse, diffuse,
atomize, spread: Try to spray the insecticide evenly over the
plants.
--n. 2 shower, sprinkling, drizzle, mist, sprinkle, spindrift
or spoondrift: The strong wind carried the spray from the
whitecaps right up into the streets of the town. 3 atomizer,
sprayer, sprinkler, vaporizer, aerosol: Richard bought me a
cologne spray for Mother's Day.
sprayэ n. flower or floral arrangement, nosegay, posy, bouquet, sprig,
branch, bough: The scores of tiny roses were interspersed with
sprays of baby's-breath.
spread v. 1 Often, spread out. diffuse, distribute, disperse,
disseminate, broadcast, sow, scatter, strew, shed, dispel,
dissipate: Spread the mulch as evenly as possible to a depth of
several inches. 2 Often, spread about or around. broadcast,
publicize, make known, bruit about, air, televise, circulate,
publish, distribute, disseminate, trumpet, announce, pronounce,
promulgate, advertise, enounce, make public, tell the world,
herald, repeat, recite: Start spreading the news: I'm leaving
today. 3 Often, spread out. unfold, draw out, display, stretch
out, open out, extend, lay out, fan out, unroll, unfurl: Please
spread the cloth on the table. 4 Often, spread out. stretch
(out), extend, protract, prolong, drag out, distribute,
disperse: The bank said I could spread the payments over twenty
years. 5 Often, spread out. stretch, extend, separate, put
apart or out, part: He spread his arms and Lorna rushed into
them. 6 grow, develop, increase, broaden, expand, extend,
widen, enlarge, mushroom, proliferate, sprawl, branch out;
metastasize: To meet the demand for the pies, bakeries began to
spread throughout the country. The cancer, unchecked, was bound
to spread. 7 smear, apply, smooth, put, rub, cover, layer,
plaster, plate, coat, wash, glaze, paint, varnish, overlay,
overspread; cloak, mantle, swaddle, wrap, blanket: I was
careful to spread the paint evenly, avoiding streaks. When the
cake has cooled, spread the chocolate icing over it.
--n. 8 spreading, extension, extending, expansion, expanding,
enlargement, enlarging, development, developing, increase,
increasing, proliferation, proliferating, broadening, growth,
widening, mushrooming, dispersion, dispersal, dispersing,
dissemination, disseminating, distribution, distributing,
dispensation, dispensing: The spread of the disease is
uncontrolled. One of the functions of a university is to
encourage the spread of knowledge. 9 extent, expanse, area,
span, sweep, vastness, stretch, reach, breadth, depth, size,
dimensions, compass, limits, bounds, boundary or boundaries: As
our craft accelerated past the moon, we were awed by the spread
of empty space that lay before us. 10 range, extent, scope,
span, difference: There was too much of a spread between the
cost and the selling price. 11 feast, banquet, meal, dinner,
repast, barbecue; table; Colloq feed: I have never seen a
spread like the one laid on for the returning champions. 12
butter, margarine, jam, jelly, preserve, conserve, confiture,
paste, US old-fashioned oleo: What kind of spread do you like
on your toast? 13 ranch, landholding, holding, property, place,
plantation, farm, homestead, place: His spread in Texas
eventually amounted to 10,000 acres. 14 bedspread, counterpane,
coverlet, bed-cover, cover, quilt, eiderdown, duvet, afghan, US
comforter, US and Canadian throw: Leave the spread off the bed,
Carlotta, as I want to take a nap.
spree n. frolic, romp, lark, outing, escapade, revel, wild party,
fling, debauch, orgy, bacchanalia; drinking-bout, carousal,
Colloq bender, binge, jag: Bruce has gone off on another of his
sprees.
sprightly adj. lively, chipper, spry, vivacious, cheerful, gay, brisk,
animated, sportive, active, alert, nimble, agile, energetic,
jaunty, perky, playful, spirited: She is quite sprightly for a
grandmother of 78.
spring v. 1 leap, bound, jump, hop, vault, dart, fly, bounce: He
sprang to his feet when she came into the room. When Tom came to
the stream, he sprang over it. The leprechaun sprang out from
behind a tree. 2 arise, appear, grow, come up, rise, come into
being or existence, be born, emerge, sprout, shoot up, burst
forth: Where the dragon's teeth were sown, an entire army
sprang up. 3 Often, spring up or from. originate, begin, start,
evolve; proceed from, stem from, descend from, derive from, come
from, develop from: He learned how the practice of scratching
the head in perplexity had sprung up. I wondered where the term
horse latitudes sprang from. 4 start or begin or experience or
cause to occur or appear or happen suddenly or unexpectedly,
broach, pop, introduce or divulge or reveal or disclose suddenly
or unexpectedly: The canoe sprang a leak and started to sink.
He likes to spring trick questions at candidates in an
interview. 5 spring for. pay for, treat (someone) to, assume the
expense(s) of: If you go to a place I choose, I'll spring for
dinner.
--n. 6 leap, bound, jump, hop, vault, bounce, skip: In one
spring the cat cleared the garden wall and was off. 7
bounciness, bounce, resiliency, resilience, springiness,
buoyancy, elasticity, sprightliness, airiness, flexibility:
Despite her age, there's still a lot of spring in her step. 8
source, fount, fountain-head, well-spring, well, origin,
beginning, root: From what secret spring does his understanding
arise? 9 springtime, Eastertide, Maytime: At 35, James is
still in the spring of life.
--adj. 10 vernal: We exulted in the spring sunshine.
sprout v. bud, germinate, come up, arise, begin, bloom, blossom,
flower: With this warm weather, everything in my garden is
beginning to sprout.
spruce adj. 1 neat, dapper, smart, trim, well turned out,
well-groomed, elegant, Colloq natty: Peter Thornton turned up
for dinner looking as spruce as can be.
--v. 2 spruce up. tidy (up), neaten (up), primp, clean (up),
straighten out or up, smarten (up), titivate or tittivate: Some
people are coming to dinner, so first spruce up your room and
then spruce yourself up.
spunk n. nerve, courage, pluck, spirit, gameness, resolve,
resolution, mettle, heart, grit, spunkiness, backbone, marrow,
Colloq guts, gumption, Brit bottle, US sand: Frances has shown
she has tremendous spunk to have got this far despite her
handicap.
spur n. 1 goad, prod, urging, impulse, incitement, instigation,
prompting, pressure, stimulus, stimulation, incentive,
provocation, inducement, encouragement, motive, motivation: The
company paid the workers a bonus for each piece they completed
as a spur to productivity. 2 projection, prong, spike, spine,
gaff, barb, quill, tine, barbel, barbule, process: The hook has
a spur that prevents the fish from disengaging. 3 on the spur
of the moment. impetuously, impulsively, unthinkingly,
unpremeditatedly, impromptu, on the spot; rashly, thoughtlessly,
recklessly, hastily, brashly, incautiously, unexpectedly,
suddenly: On the spur of the moment, we decided to fly to Cap
d'Antibes for the weekend.
--v. 4 goad, prod, urge, egg on, impel, incite, prompt, press,
push, pressure or Brit pressurize, stimulate, drive, provoke,
induce, encourage, motivate, excite, animate: The sales force
are spurred on by the huge bonuses the company offers.
spurious adj. false, counterfeit, sham, fake, fraudulent, bogus, mock,
imitation, simulated, unauthentic, ungenuine, forged, feigned,
pretended, deceitful, meretricious, contrived, factitious,
artificial, ersatz, synthetic, Colloq pseudo, phoney or US also
phony: His brother was jailed for peddling spurious Egyptian
burial artefacts to archaeologists.
spurn v. reject, disdain, scorn, contemn, despise, rebuff, repudiate,
refuse, sneer at, snub, brush off, turn down, turn one's back on
or upon, look down on or upon, Colloq cold-shoulder, turn one's
nose up at, sneeze at: Judith spurned her father's offer of a
loan.
spurt n. 1 burst, access, effort, outbreak, spell, interval, spate,
moment, instant: With a sudden spurt of speed he caught up with
me. 2 increase, advance, acceleration, rise, improvement:
After a brief spurt in business in January, everything stopped.
--v. 3 gush, spew, squirt, jet, shoot, erupt, burst, surge:
The minute the plumber left, water began spurting out of the
drain again.
spy n. 1 double agent, foreign agent, secret(-service) agent,
intelligence agent, undercover agent, mole, fifth-columnist, CIA
man or woman or agent, MI5 or MI6 man or woman or agent;
informer, informant, Colloq mole, Slang stool-pigeon, stoolie,
fink, ratfink: In those days, everyone was a spy and you could
trust no one.
--v. 2 Usually, spy on or upon. follow, shadow, trail, watch,
observe, reconnoitre, keep under surveillance, US surveil,
Colloq tail, check out, case: Why should anyone from a foreign
government be spying on my mother? 3 espy, glimpse, spot, catch
sight or a glimpse of, descry, note, notice, see, discern: I
spied him getting into a yellow convertible.
spying n. espionage, undercover work, secret service; detection,
intelligence, surveillance: Virtually every government engages
in spying.
squad n. unit, team, band, company, crew, force, troop, cadre, gang,
section, group, squadron, platoon, party: They decided to call
in the drugs squad. Has the work squad returned to base yet?
square adj. 1 equilateral, quadrangular, rectangular, right-angled,
quadrilateral, four-sided, cubic, cubed, six-sided, boxy: She
bought a work of art consisting of three square pieces of red
plastic on a mauve ground. He keeps trying to put square pegs
into round holes. 2 equal, on a par, even, on equal terms,
settled, balanced: With this payment, our accounts are now all
square. 3 even, true, exact, straight, accurate, precise,
correct: Make sure that the corners are perfectly square. 4
honourable, upright, honest, straightforward, fair (and square),
decent, ethical, open, (open and) above-board, right, (right
and) proper, clean, just, equitable, Colloq on the level, on the
up and up: I have never had anything but square dealings with
Fred Latham. 5 healthful, healthy, nutritious, substantial,
solid, full, generous, satisfying, filling, unstinting: You
could always count on three square meals a day when staying at
Auntie Maisie's. 6 na‹ve, innocent; bourgeois, conservative,
conventional, unsophisticated, provincial, old-fashioned,
conformist, strait-laced, unimaginative, predictable, Colloq
antediluvian, uptight, out of it, not with it, not in the know,
not hip or hep, unhip, stuffy, behind the times, straight, US
L-7: We were at the age when anyone over 25 was considered
square.
--n. 7 rectilinear figure, rectangle; cube, block: He took a
square of wood and quickly carved it into the shape of a duck. 8
plaza, piazza, place, park, (village) green, market-place,
market (square), agora, quadrangle: We like to sit on the
benches in the square outside my house and chat with the
neighbours. 9 bourgeois, conservative, conformist,
traditionalist, (old) fogy or fogey, die-hard; outsider; Colloq
stuffed shirt, fuddy-duddy, US longhair, L-7, Slang US nerd,
dweeb: My parents did not understand me - they were real old
squares.
--v. 10 stiffen, throw back, straighten (up), tense: I squared
my shoulders and prepared for the worst. 11 Usually, square
with. meet, match (with), conform to or with, obey, correspond
to or with, tally with, accord with, agree with, reconcile with
or to: These activities do not square with the plans set out by
the directors. 12 adapt, adjust, change, modify, harmonize,
accommodate, arrange, comply with, fit: Ronald was unable to
square his beliefs with what they were teaching him at the
seminary. 13 settle, arrange, come to terms, patch up, clear up,
satisfy, fix: Don't worry about the customs officials - I'll
square it with them later on.
squawk v. 1 cackle, screech, shriek, yell, yowl, whoop, hoot, scream,
call, cry: The parrot kept squawking 'Where is the treasure?
Where is the treasure?' 2 complain, grumble, whine, grouse,
protest, object, (make a) fuss, yap, yowl, Slang bellyache,
bitch, kick, beef, gripe, kick up a fuss: Oh, stop squawking
and get on with your work!
--n. 3 complaint, grouse, grumble, protest, Colloq kick, beef,
gripe: If you have a squawk, take it up with the sergeant.
squeamish adj. 1 dainty, delicate, prudish, punctilious, demanding,
critical, exacting, difficult, fussy, scrupulous, fastidious,
meticulous, painstaking, finicky or finical, Colloq persnickety
or pernickety, fuddy-duddy: The museum directors were too
squeamish to put on an exhibition of nudes. 2 nauseous,
qualmish, easily disgusted or revolted or nauseated: Sam was
too squeamish to watch open-heart surgery on the TV.
squeeze v. 1 press, compress, compact, crush, squash, wring, pinch,
nip, grip, tweak: Each morning Anne squeezes an orange to make
fresh juice for Edgar. Everyone knows that squeezing the nose
between the thumb and forefinger means that something smells. 2
extract, wrest, exact, extort, milk, wrench, pry (out), tear,
Colloq bleed: It is doubtful that they will be able to squeeze
a contribution out of old Scrooge. 3 milk, Colloq shake down,
bleed, lean on, put the screws to, put the squeeze on, twist
(someone's) arm, US put the arm on: You'll have to squeeze
Fletcher if you want to get paid. 4 ram, jam, pack, stuff,
cram, crowd, force, press, wedge: We were squeezed into the
train so tightly that I could hardly breathe. 5 clasp, clench,
embrace, hug, hold, enfold, fold, clutch, Archaic clip: She
squeezed him close as they bade goodbye. 6 squeeze through or
by. get through or by, pass, (barely) succeed, Colloq squeak
through or by, (barely) make it: He managed to squeeze through
the exam with a pass mark, but it was touch-and-go.
--n. 7 clasp, embrace, hug, clutch, Colloq clinch: She gave me
a little squeeze to signal her affection. 8 pressure: I was
beginning to feel the squeeze between inflation and high
interest rates. 9 crush, jam, crowd, squash, press: There was
such a squeeze of people at the sale that I couldn't get in. 10
girlfriend, mistress, sweetheart, Colloq sweetie, Slang moll,
broad, Archaic doxy: Willie showed up with his current squeeze.
11 put the squeeze on. press, bring pressure to bear on, urge,
influence, Brit pressurize, US pressure: The bank was beginning
to put the squeeze on me to repay my overdraft.
squelch v. 1 suppress, subdue, put down, quell, quash, defeat,
overcome, outdo, humiliate, Colloq shoot or slap down, take down
a peg (or two), take the wind out of (someone's) sails, settle
(someone's) hash: The slightest sign of disapproval from No‰l
was enough to squelch the most arrogant toady.
--n. 2 riposte, retort, comeback, quip, sally, gibe or jibe,
barb, Colloq wisecrack, put-down: One of the best squelches was
when Oscar Wilde said, referring to a bon mot, 'I wish I'd said
that', to which Whistler said, 'You will, Oscar. You will.'
squire v. 1 escort, accompany, conduct, go with, take; convoy: Who
will squire my sisters to the prince's ball?
--n. 2 esquire, gentleman, landowner, landholder, landed
proprietor: The old squire held his head high among the county
aristocracy.
squirm v. wriggle, writhe, twist, flounder, shift, fidget, be (very)
uncomfortable, agonize, Colloq sweat: The boy squirmed under
the stern gaze of the headmaster.
stab v. 1 stick, puncture, prick, lance, jab, pierce, run through,
impale, gore, transfix, knife, bayonet, skewer, spike, spit,
spear, pin; plunge, poke, thrust: In the melee, George was
stabbed in the arm. It is said that she stabbed a fork into his
hand. 2 stab in the back. harm, betray, sell out, double-cross,
give the Judas kiss, play false with: As soon as he had left,
they stabbed him in the back by phoning the authorities.
--n. 3 puncture, jab, thrust, (stab-)wound: The coroner's
office reported that the body had six stabs in the abdomen. 4
attempt, try, essay; guess, conjecture: Even if you are wrong,
you lose nothing by making a stab at the right answer. 5 pang,
twinge, pain, ache, hurt, stitch: Doctor, I get a terrible stab
of pain in my side when I turn that way. 6 stab in the back.
treachery, betrayal, double-cross, Judas kiss, kiss of death,
duplicity: Informing on someone to the tax inspector is a
really nasty stab in the back.
stability n. 1 steadiness, solidity, firmness, soundness, sturdiness,
strength: These flimsy structures are not known for their
stability. 2 steadfastness, constancy, dependability,
reliability, tenacity, resolve, resoluteness, perseverance,
determination, persistence, durability, lasting quality,
solidity, permanence: The stability of the government was in
doubt as the crisis continued.
stable adj. 1 steady, solid, firm, sound, sturdy, strong, durable,
well-founded, fast, sure, established, deep-rooted, stout: The
building is designed to remain stable even in a severe
earthquake. 2 lasting, enduring, long-lasting, long-standing,
secure, steadfast, steady, strong, unchanging, unchanged,
unchangeable, unalterable, fixed, invariable, unwavering,
immutable, permanent: A stable relationship has existed between
our countries for generations. The relationship you and I enjoy
has remained stable all our lives. 3 sane, (well-)balanced,
responsible, reasonable, sensible, competent, accountable: He
seemed a nice, stable young man, and nobody would have guessed
that he had a drugs habit.
stack n. 1 pile, heap, mound, mass, accumulation, hill, mountain,
store, stock, bank, deposit, supply, stockpile, hoard, load,
bundle, bale, Colloq US and Canadian stash: This stack of paper
ought to be enough to last through the next printing. 2
haystack, cock, haycock, rick, rickle, hayrick, Brit clamp: The
stacks were covered with a tarpaulin before it started to rain.
3 collection, aggregation, accumulation, agglomeration,
amassment, mass, load, pack, amount, abundance, plenty,
profusion, volume, array, sea, throng, multitude, swarm, host,
number, quantity, pile-up: We have a huge stack of orders to
process this morning. 4 smokestack, chimney, chimney-stack,
funnel; Building soil stack: They built the stack very tall to
carry the fumes away from the town below. 5 blow one's stack.
anger, become angry, become furious or infuriated, rage, rant,
lose one's temper, Slang blow or lose one's cool, get hot under
the collar, blow one's top: The boss will blow his stack if we
miss the deadline.
--v. 6 Often, stack up. pile (up), heap, accumulate, amass,
store, stock, stockpile, hoard, collect, aggregate, agglomerate,
Colloq stash (away), squirrel away: Stack those boxes neatly in
the corner. Has he stacked up enough points to qualify? 7 stack
up. a make sense, add up, agree, jibe, be verifiable, Colloq
check out: The ledgers don't stack up with the cheque-book. The
two sets of figures simply don't stack up. b compare, measure
up, hold a candle to, be on a par (with), be as good as: He
could never stack up to Olivier.
stadium n. arena, ground, amphitheatre, hippodrome, coliseum or
colosseum, circus: The new football stadium can accommodate
60,000 spectators.
staff n. 1 stick, pole, standard, baton, rod, pikestaff, pike, stake,
cane, stave, shaft, alpenstock, shillelagh, club, truncheon,
mace, crook, crozier, sceptre, wand, caduceus: Carrying the
ceremonial staff and dressed in full regalia, the officer
impressively opened the royal court proceedings. 2 personnel,
employees, help, workforce, crew, team, organization: Before we
introduced computers, we had a staff of fifty doing nothing but
filing.
stage n. 1 position, situation, grade, level, stratum, tier, echelon,
step, station, place, point, spot, juncture, division, phase,
lap; status, condition: We have to reach the third stage before
going on to the fourth. 2 platform, dais, podium; rostrum:
After the performance, the audience threw flowers onto the
stage. 3 the stage. show business, the theatre, the boards, the
footlights, Broadway, Chiefly Brit the West End; acting,
Thespianism; Colloq showbiz: That first burst of applause
decided her to make the stage her career.
--v. 4 put on, produce, present, mount, exhibit: If we can't
get the theatre, why don't we stage the show in Mr Kimble's
barn? 5 put on, contrive, organize, originate, devise, make up,
concoct, fake, trump up, stage-manage, manipulate, manoeuvre:
It seems that the enthusiastic reception given his wife had been
staged solely for his benefit.
stagger v. 1 totter, reel, lurch, teeter, sway, walk unsteadily or
shakily, pitch, rock, wobble: When he staggered in, they
thought he was drunk till they saw the knife in his back. I was
already staggering under the burden of a heavy mortgage and
three children and two elderly parents to care for. 2 surprise,
amaze, astound, astonish, overwhelm, overcome, dumbfound or
dumfound, shock, stupefy, stun, nonplus, floor, confound,
bewilder, startle, jolt, shake (up), take one's breath away,
make one's head swim, take (someone) aback, throw (someone) off
balance, tax, burden, Colloq flabbergast, flummox, bowl over,
Slang blow (someone's) mind: The cost of cleaning up the oil
spill will be staggering. He was staggered by her announcement.
3 alternate, space (out), vary, rearrange, zigzag, US change
off: Working hours will be staggered during the holiday period.
We could strengthen the structure by staggering the positions of
the columns.
stagnant adj. motionless, standing, still, quiet, sluggish, unmoving,
immobile, flat; stale, foul, putrid, putrescent, putrefied,
polluted, dirty, contaminated, filthy: The malarial mosquitoes
thrive in pools of stagnant water in the tropical swamps.
stagnate v. languish, idle, vegetate, deteriorate, degenerate, decline,
go to seed or pot, decay, rust, moulder, decompose, spoil, rot:
He felt he had stagnated in a backwater of civilization for far
too long.
staid adj. sedate, rigid, stiff, prim, dignified, sober, calm,
composed, quiet, restrained, solemn, serious, serious-minded,
grave, sober-sided: One expects a judge to be rather staid in
his behaviour.
stain n. 1 blot, mark, spot, discoloration, blotch, smutch, smirch,
speck, Brit splodge or US also splotch: There's a stain on your
tie. 2 mark, blot (on the escutcheon), stigma, blemish, Brit
blot on one's copybook, Colloq US black eye: His cowardice in
battle was a permanent stain on his reputation. 3 dye, colour,
colouring, tint, tinge, pigment: An indigo stain was used to
bring up certain features in microscopy.
--v. 4 blot, mark, spot, discolour, blotch, speckle, dye,
spatter, splatter, tinge, smudge, smutch, splash: The
tablecloth was stained red from the spilt wine. 5 spoil,
defile, ruin, smirch, besmirch, taint, tarnish, stigmatize,
shame, disgrace, sully, contaminate, soil, corrupt: Her reign
was stained with the blood of the thousands she had tortured and
executed.
stake° n. 1 stick, post, spike, picket, paling, pale, pole, pike,
stave; palisade, pole, upright, pillar, column: They tied the
goat to a stake and hid, waiting for the tiger to catch the
scent. 2 pull up stakes. move (house), resettle, move on,
migrate, emigrate, leave, depart: It was time to pull up stakes
and find a new camp-site.
--v. 3 tether, tie (up), secure, fasten, picket, lash, leash,
hitch, chain: The ponies were staked out in the pasture. 4
Usually, stake out. (a fence (in or off), confine, pen, enclose,
close in or off, hem in, shut in, impound, enclose, cage, wall
in: We hired a man to stake out a large enough area to keep the
horses. b mark off or out, define, delimit, outline, demarcate,
delineate, circumscribe: The pioneers had already staked out
the land they planned to cultivate.
stakeэ n. 1 bet, wager, ante, risk, hazard: If you want to make the
game interesting, you'll have to raise the stakes. 2 investment,
interest, share, involvement, concern: Myra has a considerable
stake in the outcome of the shareholders' meeting. 3 at stake.
at hazard, hazarded, at risk, risked, on the table, in jeopardy,
jeopardized, concerned, involved: Don't take the matter
lightly, as Tom's reputation is at stake.
--v. 4 risk, jeopardize, venture, put (money) on, chance,
hazard, gamble, wager, bet: I had staked my last penny on that
gold-mine.
stale adj. 1 old, past its prime, unfresh, dry, dried-out, hardened,
limp, wilted, withered, flat, sour, turned, (gone) off, mouldy,
musty, spoiled, rotten: All the food is stale because you
failed to wrap it carefully. 2 old, banal, overused,
antiquated, old-fashioned, threadbare, trite, clich‚d,
unoriginal, hackneyed, stereotyped, tired, weary, boring,
tiresome, warmed-over, shop-worn, familiar, stock, well-known,
Colloq hand-me-down, Brit reach-me-down: These comedians come
up with the same old stale jokes year after year.
stalemate n. impasse, deadlock, stand-off, standstill, (dead or full)
stop, tie; check, checkmate, mate; US Mexican stand-off: As
both parties refused to back down, the situation was a
stalemate.
stalk° v. follow, dog, haunt, shadow, trail, track (down), hunt
(down), pursue, hound, chase, Colloq tail: The leopard stalked
its prey in complete silence.
stalkэ n. stem, trunk, cane, main axis, leaf-stalk, shaft, spike: The
leaves cluster at the very top, leaving the entire stalk of the
plant bare.
stall° v. 1 stop, halt, die, quit, shut down, fail, cease operating,
come to a standstill, Colloq conk out: My car stalled in the
middle of rush-hour traffic - isn't that typical?
--n. 2 compartment, stand, booth, cubicle, alcove, section,
space, area, slot, enclosure, quarters; counter, table: Several
antiques dealers had hired stalls in the market. 3 shed, pen,
cote, fold, coop, sty, corral, enclosure, cowshed, barn, stable:
The animals belong in their stalls at night.
stallэ v. 1 delay, dawdle, dilly-dally, dally, loiter, linger,
temporize, equivocate, hesitate, prevaricate, play for time,
waste time, stonewall, be obstructive, put (someone or
something) off; vacillate, dither, hedge, procrastinate; Brit
haver, Colloq beat about the bush, drag one's feet, give
(someone) the run-around: He managed to stall for a while
before handing over the money.
--n. 2 stalling, delay, hedge, hedging, pretext, subterfuge,
wile, trick, ruse, artifice, stratagem, manoeuvre, move,
stonewalling, obstructionism, playing for time, procrastination,
procrastinating, Colloq beating about the bush, run-around,
foot-dragging: Her claim that she was dressing was nothing but
a stall to give her time to hide the pistol.
stalwart adj. 1 robust, stout, strong, mighty, powerful, rugged,
staunch, hardy, sturdy, vigorous, lusty, indomitable, solid,
able-bodied, brawny, sinewy, muscular, fit, healthy, hale, (hale
and) hearty, Colloq husky, hefty, beefy: We shall need a dozen
stalwart men to carry out the raid. 2 redoubtable, intrepid,
undaunted, resolute, firm, determined, unbending, steadfast,
tenacious, unswerving, unwavering, unfaltering, unflinching,
uncompromising, unyielding, persevering, persistent, unflagging,
relentless, tireless, untiring, indefatigable: Although they
lost, their lawyers put up a stalwart defence. 3 brave,
courageous, daring, intrepid, valiant, heroic, manly, manful,
fearless, indomitable, stout-hearted, bold, audacious, game,
red-blooded, plucky, mettlesome, lion-hearted, spirited: These
stalwart knights met at dawn on the battlefield.
--n. 4 supporter, upholder, sustainer, partisan, loyalist,
(party) faithful, trouper, hero, heroine: And most of all I
want to thank those stalwarts who have supported me throughout
this victorious campaign.
stamina n. ruggedness, vigour, vigorousness, (intestinal) fortitude,
robustness, indefatigability, staying power, endurance, energy,
power, might, mettle, (inner) strength, staunchness,
stalwartness, courage, indomitability, Colloq grit, guts,
starch, US stick-to-it-iveness, sand, Taboo slang balls: Even
at the age of 70, she still had the stamina to run in the
marathon.
stammer v. 1 stutter, hesitate, hem and haw, stumble, falter, pause,
Brit hum and haw: Is he stammering from embarrassment or
because he has a speech defect?
--n. 2 stutter: Many young people who have a stammer lose it
when they get out of their teens.
stamp v. 1 trample, bring down one's foot; tread, step, tramp; Colloq
stomp (on): He flew into a rage and stamped on the floor, like
a petulant child. 2 impress, mark, imprint, print, record,
document, register, log; engrave, emboss, inscribe; sign,
initial: That last night in Rio is stamped forever in my
memory. Their passports were stamped at the frontier. 3 brand,
label, mark, tag, term, name, style, identify, categorize,
classify, characterize, designate, denominate, show to be: The
episode on Friday stamped him as someone not to be trifled with.
4 stamp out. eliminate, eradicate, abolish, get rid of,
annihilate, exterminate, kill, snuff out, terminate, end, put an
end to, destroy, put down, put out, extinguish, extirpate;
quell, subdue, suppress, squelch, repress: Something must be
done to stamp out the drug traffic.
--n. 5 mark, sign, hallmark, earmarks, traits, features,
characteristics: Her work bears the stamp of genius. 6 die,
block, punch, seal, matrix, plate, die-stamp, stereotype, mould;
signet(-ring): The stamps for the binding are not quite ready.
7 seal, (trade or service) mark, brand, logo, logotype, symbol,
representation, colophon, imprint, emblem, insigne (singular of
insignia), label, monogram, sign, crest, coat of arms,
escutcheon, cartouche, signature, initials: As it bears his
stamp, it must belong to him. 8 character, kind, sort, make,
fashion, type, cast, mould, grade, style, cut, genre, class,
level, kidney, feather, stripe, classification, species, genus,
variety, description: Men of Randolph's stamp are hard to find
amongst gentlemen and scholars alike.
stampede n. 1 rout, flight, scattering, panic, rush, dash: When the
store opened its doors for its annual sale, we were nearly
trampled in the stampede.
--v. 2 panic, frighten, rush, scatter, rout: Millions of
buffalo were killed by stampeding them off cliffs. 3 rush, run,
race, charge, take to one's heels, flee, take flight: At the
cry of 'Fire!', the audience stampeded for the exits.
stance n. carriage, bearing, deportment; position, posture, attitude,
standpoint, stand, viewpoint, point of view: Legs apart and
arms akimbo, she assumed a defiant stance at the door. Her
stance was that she must protect the children at all costs.
stanch v. staunch, stop, stem, halt, check, arrest, stay, end, cease;
prevent: Apply pressure with a pad to stanch the flow of blood
from the wound.
stand v. 1 rise, arise, get up, Brit be upstanding: We all stood
when the master of ceremonies proposed a toast to McArthur. 2
Sometimes, stand up. a set, place (upright), position, put,
move; up-end: Please stand the cabinet in the corner. b stay,
remain (standing): Just for that you can go and stand in the
corner! 3 endure, survive, tolerate, brook, countenance, face,
confront, last through, abide, allow, accept, take, suffer,
bear, withstand, undergo, experience, cope with, brave, stand or
bear up under, stand for, withstand, stomach, weather, handle,
Colloq put up with: I could not stand another year in the
tropics. She can stand neither hypocrites nor vanilla ice-cream.
4 continue, remain, persist, be or remain in effect or in force,
prevail, obtain, apply, exist: The law will stand as it is till
it is rescinded or modified by the court. 5 stand by. a
support, defend, back, stand or stick up for, stand behind, be
or remain loyal or faithful to, uphold, take the side of, side
with, sympathize with, US go to bat for: No matter what he did,
she always stood by him. b wait (in the wings), stand or wait
or stay or remain on the sidelines, be or stand ready or
available or accessible, be or stand in readiness: Would you
mind standing by in case we need your help? c stick to, adhere
to, support, maintain, persist in, affirm, reaffirm, confirm,
abide by: We shall stand by every word of the agreement. 6
stand down. resign, quit, step aside, withdraw: When it was
revealed that she was taking steroids, she agreed to stand down
from the team. 7 stand for. a symbolize, betoken, represent,
signify, mean, be emblematic of, exemplify, epitomize,
illustrate, typify, refer to, allude to: The initials in P. G.
Wodehouse's name stand for 'Pelham Grenville'. b support,
advocate, favour, sponsor, promote, espouse (the cause of),
subscribe to, back, champion, lend support or one's name to,
second: Norma has always stood for the principles of democratic
freedom. c campaign for, be or present (oneself) as a candidate
for, US stump for, run for: Who will stand for chairman this
year? d See 3, above. 8 stand in. substitute (for), understudy
(for), replace, relieve, double for, take the place of, US and
Canadian pinch-hit (for), Colloq cover for: If you can't get to
the rehearsal, I'll stand in for you. 9 stand out. a be
prominent or conspicuous or noticeable, be notable or
noteworthy: With her green spike hairdo and a safety pin
through her cheek, Kylie really stands out in a crowd. His
farewell speech stands out in my mind as one of his best. b
protrude, project, stick out, jut out, bulge, obtrude, beetle,
overhang, extend: The balcony stands out over the village
square. 10 stand up. a stand, rise, arise, get to one's feet,
get up: The boys had been taught to stand up when a woman
entered the room. b endure, last, wear (well), survive: Today's
products, with their built-in obsolescence, don't stand up to
long use. c jilt, break or fail to keep an appointment with:
After waiting for two hours, he realized that he had been stood
up. 11 stand up for. support, defend, take the side of, side
with, champion, uphold, Colloq stick up for: I shall never
forget how you stood up for me when they accused me of cheating.
12 stand up to. a confront, brave, challenge, encounter,
dispute, question, resist, defy, withstand: He's a coward when
it comes to standing up to authority. b resist, defy,
withstand, endure, outlast, last through, suffer: This material
will stand up to years of abuse.
--n. 13 position, attitude, stance, posture, policy,
philosophy, point of view, viewpoint, standpoint, belief,
opinion, sentiment, feeling, line: I disagree completely with
the Chancellor's stand on the economy. 14 defence, resistance,
effort: This campaign will be our last stand in trying to
retrieve some of the market we lost. 15 stop, stopover, halt,
stay; performance, show: We do some one-night stands in the
country before returning to Manchester. 16 counter, booth,
stall, table; wagon or Brit waggon, barrow, cart: He sells
fruit from a stand in the street. 17 rack, frame, bracket;
hatstand, coat-rack: This stand is for displaying a china
plate. I left my hat on the stand in your office. 18 staging,
platform, dais, stage, staging, bandstand, summer-house: We
like to go to the stand in the park to hear the band play. 19
copse, grove, wood, thicket, brake, wood, Brit spinney, coppice:
Near the house was a small stand of beeches.
standard n. 1 criterion, measure, benchmark, model, pattern, archetype,
touchstone, yardstick, gauge, guide, guideline, paradigm,
paragon, exemplar, example, sample, type, ideal, beau id‚al,
rule, canon, law, requirement, precept, principle: The metric
system has become the standard in many countries. People resent
having imposed on them the standards of another culture. 2 mean,
average, norm, par, level, rating: With many luxuries now
necessities, the standard of living has improved enormously. The
course was for students of intermediate standard. 3 flag,
banner, ensign, emblem, pennant, burgee, insigne (singular of
insignia), guidon, gonfalon or gonfanon, labarum: The black
knight bore a curiously coloured standard into battle. 4 pole,
post, stanchion, lamppost, column, pillar, support, pedestal,
pier, footing, (upright) bar or rod or timber: The car went out
of control and knocked down two lighting standards.
--adj. 5 accepted, approved, definitive, defined,
authoritative, official, required, regulative, regulatory,
textbook: Must we follow standard procedure? The tests were
conducted according to the standard methods. 6 recognized,
prevailing, prevalent, usual, customary, habitual, orthodox,
set, established, regular, familiar, ordinary, traditional,
classic, stock, typical, normal, staple, conventional,
universal: People in the south usually regard themselves as
speakers of standard English.
standardize
v. regiment, systematize, codify, normalize, homogenize: We
could save money if we standardized the dimensions of the books
we publish.
stand-by n. 1 supporter, defender, backer, upholder, partisan,
sympathizer, adherent, stalwart: His mother had always been his
stand-by against the severity of his father. 2 substitute,
surrogate, replacement, backup, understudy, second, US and
Canadian alternate: They had a second ambulance as a stand-by
in case the first broke down or needed servicing. 3 resource,
support, replacement: I knew I could always count on you as a
stand-by in case I had trouble.
stand-in n. double, substitute, stunt man or woman; surrogate,
replacement, stand-by, backup, understudy, second, US and
Canadian alternate: Any time they had to shoot a dangerous
scene, my stand-in went through the motions.
standing adj. 1 established, set, standard, conventional, customary,
usual, normal, regular, fixed, permanent, continued, continuing,
regular: The club has standing rules concerning use of the
card-room. 2 stagnant, motionless, unmoving, stationary, still,
static: Insects bred in the standing pools of rainwater. 3
continuous, fixed, ongoing, perpetual, unbroken: Michael placed
a standing order for six cases of Beaujolais Nouveau every
November. 4 erect, upright, on one's feet, vertical, unseated:
Please remain standing till the signal is given to be seated.
--n. 5 status, rank, station, position, place, grade, order,
level, stratum: Considering her standing in the party, Mrs
Miller ought to win the nomination easily. 6 eminence,
prominence, repute, reputation: Foster is a surgeon of
considerable standing. 7 Usually, long standing. (considerable)
age or longevity or experience or seniority or duration: Ivan
is an art expert of long standing.
standoffish
adj. aloof, haughty, unsocial, reserved, cool, frosty,
withdrawn, remote, removed, distant, detached, unapproachable,
inaccessible, uncongenial, unfriendly, unsociable; Olympian,
lordly, pompous, Colloq highfalutin or hifalutin, snooty:
Oliver is much too standoffish to deign to come to my party.
standpoint
n. viewpoint, point of view, vantage point, perspective,
position, angle, view: From the standpoint of mice, cats do not
make good pets.
standstill
n. (dead or full) stop, halt: The car came to a standstill
with the front wheels overhanging a cliff.
staple adj. 1 basic, elementary, essential, necessary, requisite,
required, vital, indispensable, critical, fundamental, primary,
principal, main, chief: These people cannot afford even staple
commodities like flour and salt. 2 standard, usual, habitual,
ordinary, customary, prevailing, normal, conventional,
universal: The staple fare on television seems to consist of
old and new sitcoms.
--n. 3 Often, staples. necessities, essentials, basics,
fundamentals: Supermarkets disperse low-cost staples such as
bread, tea, and milk to force shoppers to pass luxury items.
Marital and financial problems are the staples of soap operas.
star n. 1 celestial or heavenly body; evening star, morning star,
falling star, shooting star, comet; nova, supernova: It was a
beautiful clear night and the sky was full of stars. 2
celebrity, personage, dignitary, VIP, name, somebody, luminary,
leading light, leading man or woman or lady, lead, principal,
diva, prima donna, hero, heroine, idol, superstar, Technical
slang top banana, headliner, Colloq big shot, (big) draw, celeb,
big name: Clancy knows many of the big stars personally.
--adj. 3 principal, major, leading, important, celebrated,
famous, famed, prominent, eminent, pre-eminent, distinguished,
brilliant, illustrious, unequalled, peerless, matchless,
incomparable, unrivalled, inimitable, unmatched, unparalleled,
top, foremost: A new local rock band was the star attraction at
the Hippodrome.
--v. 4 feature or be featured; play or act or take the lead or
the leading part or role: He began his career starring in
spaghetti westerns.
stare v. 1 gaze, gape, goggle, gawk, watch, Colloq rubberneck, Slang
Brit gawp: The people were powerless to do anything but stare
as the molten lava engulfed the city.
--n. 2 fixed or blank look; goggle, gaze: The teacher fixed
her with a stare and she blushed with guilt.
stark adv. 1 completely, utterly, unqualifiedly, wholly, absolutely,
entirely, totally, fully, altogether, plainly, obviously,
clearly, certifiably: Is that an elephant on the beach, or am I
going stark staring mad? The children were running around stark
naked.
--adj. 2 plain, simple, Spartan, severe, unembellished,
unadorned, cold, bare, harsh, hard, grim, bald, blunt: The room
looks less stark with curtains. Just give me the stark facts
without all the elaboration. 3 harsh, severe, bleak, austere,
barren, desolate, dreary, grey, depressing, ravaged, empty,
vacant, Literary drear, Colloq US spooky: As day dawned, I
looked out over the stark landscape of the nuclear winter. 4
sheer, complete, utter, absolute, perfect, pure, thorough,
thoroughgoing, arrant, unmitigated, out-and-out, downright,
outright, total, unconditional, unqualified, clear, plain,
evident, obvious, patent, flagrant, gross, rank: They were
shocked by the stark poverty they saw in the rural areas.
start v. 1 Often, start off or up. begin, commence, get (something)
going, get off the ground, originate, initiate, open, set in
motion, activate, embark on; set in motion, turn or switch on,
crank up, Colloq kick off: They started operations at once. I
can't start my car. 2 Often, start off or up or in. arise, come
up, come to be or into being, emerge, crop up, develop, begin,
commence, get under way, originate: How did this situation
start? 3 Often, start off or up or in. go, leave, depart, get
going, move (off or out or on), get under way, set off or out or
forth, Colloq hit the road, get the show on the road: You start
and I'll follow shortly. 4 Often, start in. begin, commence,
get or start the ball rolling, get things under way, be on one's
way, get going: When I went in I found that she had started
without me. 5 jump, flinch, blench, quail, shy, recoil, wince,
shrink, draw back: He started when he saw her suddenly behind
him in the mirror. 6 cause to spring or leap or dart or jump or
bound: Any abrupt movement will start the plovers from cover.
7 establish, found, begin, set up, initiate, institute, create,
father, give birth to, beget: It was her ideas that started the
current trend in mystery novels. 8 bulge, protrude, stick out;
Colloq US bug out: Warping caused these boards to start from
the floor. When he saw what was in his swimming-pool, his eyes
started from their sockets.
--n. 9 beginning, opening, move: This is not very good, but
it's a start. 10 beginning, commencement, opening, outset,
onset, inception, start-up: The start of the race is set for
ten o'clock. 11 beginning(s), inception, birth, initiation,
onset, rise, genesis, creation, emergence, origin: The start of
the blues can be traced to New Orleans. 12 opportunity, chance,
beginning; help, assistance, aid, backing, financing,
sponsorship, encouragement, Colloq break: Her father-in-law
gave her the start she needed in business. 13 head start,
advantage, edge, lead, Colloq (the) jump, US and New Zealand
drop (on someone): Having the inside track gave her a start on
the competition. If he has a ten-minute start, we'll never catch
him. 14 inauguration, opening, beginning, initiation, Colloq
kick-off: When is the start of the salmon fishing season this
year? 15 beginning(s), founding, foundation, establishment,
inception, birth, origin: This company had its start in 1781.
startle v. frighten, surprise, scare, disturb, unsettle, upset,
discompose, make (someone) jump, jolt, jar, dismay, perturb,
stun, take (someone) aback, shock, astound, astonish, Colloq
shake up, give (someone) a turn, US discombobulate: He jumped
out from behind the door and startled me. She was startled when
she was told that she had to leave at once.
starved adj. 1 starving, (extremely) hungry, famished, ravenous: Harry
came in from the fields, declaring he was starved and ready to
eat a horse. 2 starved or starving for. yearning for, dying for,
hankering for, hungry or hungering for, pining for, longing for,
burning for, craving, thirsting for or after, desirous of,
aching for, Colloq hurting for: I was starved for a pint of
cold lager. 3 starved of. deprived of, in need or want of,
lacking, be reft of: The children seemed starved of affection.
state n. 1 condition(s), circumstance(s), situation, state of
affairs, status, shape, position: He was concerned about the
state of the company's finances. 2 structure, form,
constitution, shape, phase, stage: One does not see iodine in
its gaseous state outside the laboratory. 3 grandeur, pomp,
style, splendour, magnificence, glory, brilliance: The prince
was met at the airport and escorted in state to the palace. 4
nation, country, land, body politic: No longer a colony, it
became an independent state in 1952.
--adj. 5 governmental, government, national, federal: The
State schools in the town had a good reputation. 6 ceremonial,
formal, dignified, stately, solemn, official; royal, regal,
imperial, majestic: We attended a state dinner at the White
House. The Queen travelled in the state coach from Buckingham
Palace to Westminster.
--v. 7 aver, assert, asseverate, declare, affirm, express,
report, articulate, voice, specify, delineate, claim, maintain,
allege, submit, confirm; say, testify, hold, have: He has often
stated his firm belief in democracy. He stated firmly that he
was not in the house on the night of the murder.
stately adj. dignified, august, solemn, distinguished, impressive,
striking, imposing, awesome, grand, lofty, elevated, noble,
majestic, regal, royal, imperial: The stately procession wound
through the streets of the capital.
statement n. assertion, allegation, declaration, expression, report,
account, affirmation, asseveration, averral, announcement,
annunciation, proclamation, utterance, communication,
communiqu‚, disclosure: Your statement is subject to
interpretation. He made a long and detailed statement about the
future of the project.
static adj. 1 immovable, immobile, unmoving, motionless, stationary,
fixed, stagnant, inert, still, unchanging, unchanged,
changeless, unvarying, invariable, constant: The situation
remained static for years. A living language is not static but
dynamic.
--n. 2 interference, noise, atmospherics; difficulty or
difficulties, trouble, problem(s), Colloq flak: With all the
static, I couldn't understand what she was saying. You can
expect some static about being late for your wedding.
station n. 1 place, position, spot, post, site, location: The sentry
is not to leave his station till relieved. 2 position, place,
status, rank, caste, standing, class, level: As a doctor, he
attained a station in life far above that of his father. 3
railway station, train station, passenger station, bus station,
US and Canadian depot: Let's meet in the waiting-room in the
station.
--v. 4 position, place, spot, post, site, locate, assign,
appoint, garrison, install or instal, Colloq billet: He was
stationed in three different places in four years.
stationery
n. writing-paper, letterhead(s), paper and envelopes, writing
implements or supplies; office supplies or equipment: We
consider stationery costs as part of overheads.
statue n. sculpture, figure, figurine, statuette, carving, casting,
model, bronze, image, icon or ikon, effigy, representation;
bust, atlas, caryatid, colossus, figurehead, Biblical graven
image: A statue of Disraeli stands in the market square of
Aylesbury.
statuesque
adj. imposing, impressive, majestic, regal, stately,
magnificent, noble, dignified, august, grand, well-proportioned,
comely, handsome, queenly, Junoesque: Julie's statuesque figure
was well set off by the draped silk gown.
status n. 1 eminence, prominence, pre-eminence, standing, stature,
importance, significance, repute, reputation, rank, station:
Few could approach Keith's status as a pathologist. 2 See
standing, 5, above.
staunch adj. 1 steadfast, loyal, firm, unflinching, steady,
unshrinking, unswerving, dependable, reliable, (tried and) true,
devoted, true-blue, trusty, trusted, faithful, unfaltering,
undeviating, unwavering: Charles has always been a staunch
supporter of the party. 2 strong, solid, sturdy, sound,
well-built, stout, substantial, well-constructed, well-made,
tough, rugged, long-lasting; watertight, seaworthy: The ship's
staunch oaken hull has withstood much abuse over the years.
stay° v. 1 remain, stop, continue, tarry, wait, stand, Colloq freeze:
Stay where you are or I'll shoot! 2 remain, stop, lodge,
sojourn, abide, reside, dwell, live, visit: I heard that Sheila
was back in town, staying at her aunt's. 3 keep, remain,
continue to be: I was having trouble staying awake. 4 stop,
arrest, thwart, prevent, put an end to, halt, interrupt, block,
check; curb, retard, slow, impede, foil, obstruct, hamper,
hinder, discourage, deter; delay, postpone, put off,
discontinue, defer, Technical prorogue: Only one man has the
authority to stay the execution. What can be done to stay the
advance of the killer bees? 5 linger, loiter, wait, tarry, stop,
remain, Archaic bide: I like this part of the world and plan to
stay here a while.
--n. 6 stop, stoppage, arrest, set-back, check, halt,
prevention, discontinuance, discontinuation, interruption,
blockage, delay, postponement, deferment, deferral, reprieve:
Have you been able to arrange a stay in carrying out the
sentence? 7 stopover, sojourn, visit, stop: We really enjoyed
our stay at Fred's house in Fort Lauderdale.
stayэ n. 1 guy, line, rope, cable, chain, support, brace,
reinforcement; Technical head-stay, (running) backstay,
forestay, mainstay, mizen-stay: If one of those stays gives
way, the entire structure may fall.
--v. 2 support, strengthen, secure, reinforce, brace, buttress,
gird, shore (up): The mast is stayed by two steel cables, fore
and aft.
steadfast adj. resolute, determined, persevering, resolved,
single-minded, steady, unflinching, unfaltering, unwavering,
unswerving, indefatigable, dependable, immovable, stable, firm,
fixed, constant, persistent, unflagging, tireless, enduring,
dedicated, deep-rooted, faithful, true, loyal, staunch: For
years Janet has been steadfast in supporting the cause. Stephen
was a steadfast friend and will never be forgotten.
steady adj. 1 stable, firm, solid, substantial, sound, stout, strong:
Is this chair steady enough to stand on? 2 even, regular,
uniform, habitual, invariable, unvarying, unfluctuating,
unwavering, undeviating, changeless, unchanging, continuous,
constant; perpetual, non-stop, round-the-clock, persistent,
uninterrupted, unbroken, unrelieved, unceasing, ceaseless,
incessant, relentless, unremitting, never-ending, unending,
endless: Steady trade winds could be relied on to carry vessels
to the Caribbean. Inflation has remained steady for a year. How
do the children manage to survive on a steady diet of junk food?
The economists fear a steady rise in inflation. 3 unflinching,
unblinking, fixed, constant, unfaltering, continuous, direct:
The boy began to quail under the headmaster's steady gaze. 4
calm, cool, balanced, equable, controlled: Steady nerves are
needed to handle this new breed of fighter plane. 5 devoted,
firm, staunch, faithful, loyal, long-standing, inveterate,
consistent, confirmed, persistent: The Pendergasts have always
been steady supporters of the museum. 6 staid, sedate, sober,
dignified, poised, sophisticated, civilized, sensible,
down-to-earth, settled, serious, level-headed, reliable, Colloq
unflappable: WANTED: Steady person as housekeeper to eccentric
editor.
--adv. 7 firmly, solidly: His wife was holding the ladder
steady while he mended the gutter. 8 go steady. keep company,
date, socialize: Is Jane still going steady with Hubert?
--n. 9 boyfriend, girlfriend, (regular) fellow or girl,
sweetheart, Colloq guy, gal, woman, man: Yes, Hubert is still
Jane's steady. 10 regular, habitu‚, customer, frequenter,
familiar face: Gil has been a steady here ever since we opened.
--v. 11 stabilize, hold fast; brace, secure, support,
strengthen: Prices steadied after the first hour of trading. To
steady the table, merely tighten the screws holding the legs.
steal v. 1 take (away), appropriate, filch, shoplift, pilfer,
purloin, make or walk off or away with, get away with; embezzle,
misappropriate, peculate; Colloq lift, pinch, hook, snitch,
borrow, US boost, liberate, heist, hijack, Slang swipe, Brit
nick, prig, US hoist: The thieves stole only the emeralds,
leaving the diamonds. The bookkeeper stole the money by
diverting it into his own account. 2 plagiarize, pirate, copy,
imitate, appropriate, usurp, take: He claims that the story of
the film was stolen from his short story. 3 sneak, creep, slip,
tiptoe, prowl, lurk, skulk, Colloq pussyfoot: Silently, we
stole into the garden at the rear of the house.
--n. 4 bargain, (good) buy, Colloq give-away: At that price,
the rug was a steal!
stealing n. theft, robbery, robbing, larceny, pilferage, shoplifting,
poaching, embezzlement, peculation, thievery, thieving,
filching, burglary, plagiarism, plagiarizing, piracy, pirating:
Stealing from the church poor-box must be one of the lowest
things a person can do.
stealth n. furtiveness, secrecy, clandestineness, surreptitiousness,
sneakiness, slyness, underhandedness: What the thieves lacked
in stealth they compensated for in knowledge of art.
stealthy adj. stealthful, furtive, secretive, secret, sly, clandestine,
surreptitious, sneaky, sneaking, skulking, covert, undercover,
underhand(ed), backstairs, hugger-mugger, closet: He was as
stealthy as a cat in his movements. They were stealthy
collectors of pornography.
steamy adj. 1 humid, steaming, damp, moist, muggy, sticky, dank,
sweaty, sweltering, sodden, sultry, boiling, wet: We were not
prepared for the steamy jungle of equatorial Africa. 2 steamed
(up), fogged (up), befogged, misty, misted, hazy, clouded,
cloudy, beclouded, dim, blurred: Every time I take a hot
shower, the bathroom mirror gets all steamy. 3 erotic,
passionate, (sexually) exciting, arousing, hot, Colloq sexy,
Slang horny: The film was notorious for its steamy scenes.
steel n. 1 sword, dagger, blade, knife, dirk, stiletto: He saw the
flash of the cold steel in the moonlight.
--v. 2 brace, nerve, stiffen, fortify, grit one's teeth, bear
up, bite the bullet, screw up one's courage (to the sticking
point); inure, insulate, protect: People must learn to steel
themselves against criticism in this business.
steely adj. 1 greyish, grey: His steely blue eyes pierced deep into
her soul. 2 iron, tough, indurate, adamant, adamantine, hard,
strong, rugged, unyielding, flinty, sturdy: She was a woman of
steely determination.
steep° adj. 1 sheer, abrupt, precipitous, bluff, sharp, nearly
vertical or perpendicular or upright: In those days, a car had
to be in first gear to climb such a steep hill. 2 expensive,
dear, high, overpriced, exorbitant, excessive, extravagant,
extortionate, Colloq stiff: The house prices in the city centre
were much too steep for all but the highest-paid executives.
steepэ v. 1 soak, submerge, souse, drench, immerse, saturate, douse,
wet, ret; pickle, marinate: Before cooking, the meat has to be
steeped in brine for at least six hours to tenderize it. 2
imbue, fill, saturate, immerse, inundate; bury: He learnt
Japanese by steeping himself in the language for six months.
steer v. 1 guide, pilot, conduct, direct; manage, control, channel:
Steer the boat closer to the pier. David has steered the company
to greater profits than ever before. 2 steer clear of. avoid,
dodge, keep away from, shun, circumvent, give (something or
someone) a wide berth: You'd best steer clear of Melissa when
she's angry.
--n. 3 Usually, bum steer. (bad or poor) tip or suggestion or
hint; (bad or poor) guidance or advice or information: He
avoids me because I once gave him a bum steer on a horse.
stellar adj. 1 astral, star, sidereal: The sidereal year is based on
stellar calculations. 2 chief, starring, principal, leading,
main, headlining: For years Lee has been a stellar performer on
the golf circuit.
stem° n. 1 trunk, stalk, stock; Technical peduncle, pedicel, petiole,
shoot: Three white blossoms are borne on each stem of the
plant. 2 bows, prow, stem-post: The ship shook from stem to
stern.
--v. 3 come, arise, develop, derive, issue, flow, generate,
originate, spring, emanate, sprout, grow, descend, result,
proceed: The dispute stems from basic differences in the ways
the parties regard property.
stemэ v. 1 check, stop, halt, stanch or staunch, arrest, stay, curb,
control, quell, suppress; retard, slow, lessen, diminish,
reduce, cut (back (on)): The government introduced legislation
to stem immigration. I was able to stem the bleeding by applying
the tourniquet. 2 stem the tide (of). resist, withstand, go or
make headway or advance or make progress against, prevail over
or against: They were unable to stem the tide of public
opinion.
stench n. stink, reek, noisomeness, mephitis, fetor or foetor, foul
odour, effluvium, Colloq Brit pong: A terrible stench emanated
from the cupboard. For decades their government has wallowed in
the stench of corruption.
stenographer
n. secretary, amanuensis, stenotypist, tachygrapher,
phonographer: The court stenographer read back part of the
testimony.
stenography
n. shorthand, stenotypy, tachygraphy, speedwriting: Her
qualification in stenography proved most useful.
step n. 1 movement, move: The steps of the dance were very
intricate. 2 footfall, footstep, tread: I think I hear
father's step on the stair. 3 footstep, footprint, trace,
spoor, track, trace, mark, impression; imprint, vestige: In his
master's steps he trod, where the snow lay dinted. 4 action,
initiative, measure, activity, procedure, move, motion: What
steps are needed to improve the situation? 5 stage, move,
gradation, degree, progression: Can we not proceed from one to
the other in easy steps? 6 pace, footstep, stride: My mother's
cottage is just a few steps away, at the bottom of the garden. 7
in step (with). in keeping (with), in harmony or agreement
(with), harmonious (with), agreeable (with), according (with or
to), concordant (with), attuned (to), in tune (with), consonant
(with), consistent (with), appropriate (to), fitting (for);
conventional, traditional, routine: Do you think that her ideas
of discipline are in step with the times? I am not sure they are
in step at all. 8 out of step (with). out of keeping (with), out
of or not in harmony or agreement (with), not harmonious (with),
not agreeable (with), not according (with or to), discordant
(with), not concordant (with), not attuned (to), out of tune
(with), not consonant (with), inconsistent (with), inappropriate
(to), not fitting (for); offbeat, unconventional, eccentric,
Slang kinky: You must admit that her views are out of step with
the committee's. 9 step by step. gradually, a step at a time,
slowly, steadily: The way to unravel the problem is to analyse
it step by step. 10 steps. a course, way, route, direction,
path, movement, passage; journey, journeying, travels,
travelling: After leaving the village, I directed my steps
southward, towards the coast. b stairway, stairs, stair,
staircase, stepladder, US and Canadian stoop: Claire walked
down the steps to greet me. 11 take steps. proceed, move, begin
or start or commence to act or to take action, do something: We
must take steps to prevent this from happening again. 12 watch
one's step. tread carefully or cautiously, be cautious or
careful, exercise care or caution, be wary or discreet, be on
the qui vive, be or remain alert, be on one's guard, have or
keep one's wits about one, take care or heed, Colloq pussyfoot
about: You must really watch your step with Marnie to avoid
upsetting her.
--v. 13 move, walk, look; pace, stride: Step lively or you'll
miss your last chance to see the elephants. 14 step down. a
resign, abdicate, quit, bow out, retire: Don't you think it
time you stepped down from the chairmanship? b decrease,
diminish, reduce: Using this transformer, we can step down the
voltage gradually. 15 step in. intervene, interfere, intercede,
become involved: It seemed the right time for us to step in and
take over the company. 16 step on it. hurry (up), make haste,
hasten, speed up: He'd better step on it if he is going to
catch his plane. 17 step out. a go outside or out of doors,
leave: Would you mind stepping out for a few minutes while we
settle this in private? b go out, socialize: Notice how quickly
Genevieve has started stepping out again after her bereavement.
c become disinvolved, withdraw, secede: Our firm stepped out of
the negotiations when we saw who was bidding. 18 step up. a
improve, progress: George has certainly stepped up in the world
since I knew him at university. b increase, accelerate, raise,
intensify, boost, escalate, up, speed up: They stepped up the
pace until she could no longer keep up with them.
sterile adj. 1 barren, fruitless, unfruitful, childless, unproductive,
infertile, infecund: The first great disappointment of
Napoleon's life was that Josephine was sterile. 2 pure, aseptic,
uninfected, unpolluted, uncontaminated, disinfected, sanitary,
sterilized, germ-free, antiseptic: Make sure that you always
use a sterile bandage for a wound. 3 barren, unproductive,
stale, effete: Vanessa's greatest fear was that her mind would
become sterile and she would run out of ideas.
sterilize v. 1 purify, disinfect, cleanse, clean, fumigate, depurate,
Technical autoclave: Sterilize the instruments before using
them. 2 castrate (males), emasculate (males), geld (horses),
spay (female animals), alter (animals), neuter (animals),
caponize (male fowl), eunuchize (males), Technical ovariectomize
(females), vasectomize (males), Colloq fix (animals), cut (male
animals), Slang tie (someone's) tubes: Steers - that is,
sterilized bulls - yield tenderer meat.
sterling adj. 1 genuine, authentic, real, true, pure: Is this
candle-snuffer sterling silver? 2 excellent, superior, superb,
superlative, first-class, exceptional, matchless, peerless,
unequalled, nonpareil, incomparable, fine, very good, worthy,
estimable, admirable: Commander Ian Johnston has acquitted
himself as an officer of sterling character.
stern adj. 1 austere, severe, strict, stringent, demanding, critical,
rigid, rigorous, flinty, steely, authoritarian, uncompromising,
hard, tough, inflexible, firm, immovable, unmoved, unrelenting,
unremitting, steadfast, resolute, determined, unyielding,
adamant, adamantine, obdurate, hard-hearted, stony,
stony-hearted, unsparing, unforgiving, unsympathetic, harsh:
Discipline in the French Foreign Legion is said to be quite
stern. 2 serious, frowning, grim, forbidding, grave, gloomy,
dour, sombre, saturnine, lugubrious, gruff, taciturn, crabby,
crabbed, crusty, churlish, sour: Beneath that terribly stern
exterior he really is a pussy-cat.
stew n. 1 gallimaufry, goulash, salmagundi, hash, mess, olla
podrida, olio, mixture, mishmash, Brit hotchpotch, US also
hodgepodge: His book is a stew of many different opinions, none
of them his own. 2 state of excitement or alarm or anxiety,
dither, pother, bother, lather, sweat, Colloq tizzy, state: She
really worked herself up into a stew over the boy Paula is
engaged to.
--v. 3 simmer, seethe, agonize, fret, dither, chafe, burn,
smoulder, Colloq get steamed (up) (over or about), work
(oneself) (up) into a sweat or lather or state (over): Paula's
father is all stewed up over her leaving school to get married.
stick° v. 1 pierce, thrust, stab, transfix, pin, spike, impale, spear,
spit, run through, poke, gore, jab, prick, puncture, punch,
penetrate, drill, bore, riddle, perforate: He stuck the wild
boar with his spear. 2 put, drop, place, deposit, Colloq shove,
plonk, plunk, plop: Stick another ice cube in my drink, would
you? 3 put, poke, push, thrust, prod, dig; insert: She stuck
her head out of the window to get a better look. Stop sticking
your finger in my ribs! 4 attach, fasten, affix, fix, nail, pin,
tack; glue, cement, paste, gum, weld, solder, bind, tie, tape,
wire; bond, melt, fuse, unite, join: What shall we used to
stick the poster to the wall? How can I stick the pieces of the
vase together again? 5 Often, stick together. cohere, adhere,
stay or remain or cleave or cling together: I cannot make these
parts stick together. 6 hold, last, endure, go through, be
upheld, be or remain effective, remain attached: The prosecutor
was unable to make a charge of murder stick. 7 linger, dwell,
remain (fixed), continue, stay; be or become lodged or stopped
or fixed or fast or immovable or stationary, be or become
entangled or enmired or bogged down: Something sticks in my
mind about your leaving next week. We were stuck in the Sunday
traffic for hours. The wheel is stuck in the sand. 8 burden,
weigh down, encumber, saddle with, charge, impose on, force on:
We stuck Tony with the nasty job of changing the tyre. 9
baffle, puzzle, bewilder, perplex, confuse, stump, stop,
nonplus: I was totally stuck for a solution. 10 stand, abide,
tolerate, endure, bear: I can't stick people watching me while
I am painting. 11 stick around or about. wait, tarry, linger,
stay, stand by, remain, Colloq hang around or about or on: Can
you stick around for a few minutes after the meeting? 12 stick
at. stop at, hesitate at, pause at, scruple at, be deterred or
put off by, take exception to, shrink from or at, balk at:
Barnes sticks at nothing to get his way. 13 stick by. support,
be loyal or faithful to, stand by: Arnold will stick by you,
come what may. 14 stick it (out). persevere, persist, stand
fast, bear it, be resolute, soldier on, hold (one's) ground,
grin and bear it, see it through, weather it, Colloq US tough it
out: It was a very hard job, but I stuck it out to the very
end. 15 stick out or up. protrude, jut (out), extend, project,
poke (out); bulge, obtrude, stand out, overhang, beetle: Stick
out your tongue. What is sticking out of your ear? Balconies
stick out from all sides of the building. 16 stick together. a
unite, unify, join (forces), consolidate, merge, confederate,
amalgamate, cooperate, work together: The family always sticks
together at times of crisis. b See 5, above. 17 stick up. a
rob, mug, Colloq hold up, US heist: They stuck up a bank
courier this morning, in broad daylight! b put up, post, affix,
display: We went round town sticking up posters for our
candidate. 18 stick up for. rally to the support of, support,
stand by or up for, defend, speak for or in behalf of, take up
the cudgels for; put one's money where one's mouth is, have the
courage of one's convictions: A person must stick up for what
he thinks is right. 19 stick with. persevere, persist, stay or
remain or continue with, not change one's mind about: Stick
with me, kid, and you'll wear diamonds. I'll stick with the
smoked eel as a starter.
stickэ n. 1 stake, twig, branch, baton, wand, staff, rod, cane, pole,
pike, walking-stick: We put a stick in the ground to mark the
place. 2 person, man, fellow, chap, Colloq guy, Brit geezer,
bloke: Desmond isn't such a bad old stick after all. 3 the
sticks. the country, the provinces, the countryside, the
backwoods, the bush, Brit the hinterland or US the hinterlands,
Australian the outback, US the boondocks, the boonies: He hates
the city and now lives somewhere in the sticks. 4 wrong end of
the stick. misunderstanding, misreading, misconstruction,
misinterpretation: When it comes to understanding a regulation,
Ed always seems to get hold of the wrong end of the stick.
stick-in-the-mud
n. (old) fogy or fogey, conservative, anachronism, Colloq
fuddy-duddy, fossil, square, back number: Her husband was a
terrible stick-in-the-mud and would never try anything new.
sticky adj. 1 gluey, gummy, viscous, tacky, glutinous, viscid, Colloq
gooey: Children, please keep your sticky fingers off the car
windows. 2 awkward, ticklish, tricky, sensitive, delicate,
uncomfortable, discomfiting, discomforting, embarrassing, Slang
hairy: Inviting Steve with his ex-wife might be a bit sticky,
don't you think? 3 humid, clammy, dank, damp, muggy, close,
sultry, oppressive, sweltering: The weather was oppressive and
sticky, and they kept the fan on constantly.
stiff adj. 1 firm, rigid, inelastic, unbending, inflexible, hard,
unbendable, tough, solid, solidified, stiffened, unyielding,
brittle: The table napkins were so stiff with starch that I
almost cracked one. 2 severe, harsh, punitive, hurtful,
punishing, abusive, torturous, distressing, afflictive, painful,
overwhelming, unbearable, tormenting, merciless, excruciating,
cruel, drastic, US cruel and unusual: The government here has
stiff penalties for drug traffickers. 3 strong, potent,
powerful, overpowering, alcoholic: After that kind of an
ordeal, you could use a stiff drink, I'm sure. 4 vigorous,
energetic, staunch, dogged, tenacious, resolute, resolved,
determined, stubborn, obstinate, unyielding, indomitable,
relentless: They met with stiff opposition in trying to capture
the fort. 5 strong, steady, powerful, fresh, brisk, spanking,
gusty, forceful, howling: We had to reduce sail because of a
stiff westerly wind. 6 excessive, exorbitant, high, steep,
expensive, dear: They are asking a pretty stiff price these
days for a bottle of good vintage port. 7 cool, haughty, rigid,
wooden, stuffy, aloof, tense, intense, unrelaxed, forced,
pompous, stilted, mannered, ceremonious, austere, formal,
chilly, cold, unfriendly, standoffish, reserved, snobbish,
Colloq snooty, Slang uptight: Vince is warm and friendly, but
his wife is as stiff as a poker. 8 stilted, unrelaxed, wooden,
forced, artificial, laboured, pedantic, turgid, formal, prim,
Colloq stuffy: I have always found her writing to be rather
stiff. 9 difficult, hard, steep, uphill, laborious, arduous,
tiring, fatiguing, exhausting, harrowing, toilsome, rigorous,
challenging, Colloq rough, tough: It is quite a stiff climb to
the top of the pyramid of Cheops. That was a stiff homework
assignment. 10 solid, semi-solid, firm, hard, thick, dense,
compact: If you add a bit more water the next time, the jelly
won't get quite so stiff.
--n. 11 corpse, body, cadaver: Barry had to go down to the
morgue to identify some stiff they hauled out of the river. 12
skinflint, miser, Colloq cheapskate, Slang piker, US and
Canadian tightwad: A stiff is a customer who fails to leave a
tip.
stiffen v. 1 thicken, coagulate, clot, harden, jell, set, solidify,
congeal, crystallize: Beat the egg-whites with a whisk until
they stiffen. 2 brace, reinforce, tauten, rigidify, toughen,
strengthen: The weak support was stiffened by means of a steel
bar.
stifle v. 1 suffocate, smother, choke, strangle, throttle, asphyxiate:
The firemen were almost stifled by the smoke from the chemical
fire. 2 choke back, keep or hold back, withhold, repress,
suppress, hold in, restrain, prevent, curb, cover up, control:
I stifled a yawn as John went on about his grandchildren. 3
destroy, crush, demolish, extinguish, stamp out, kill, quash,
silence, stop, check: Under his tyrannical rule all artistic
creativity was stifled for fifty years.
stigma n. brand, (bad) mark, blot, smirch, stain, spot, taint,
blemish, demerit, blot on the escutcheon, Brit blot in one's
copybook: Bankruptcy is no longer the social stigma that it
used to be.
stigmatize
v. brand, mark, scar, blemish, besmirch, sully, disparage,
depreciate, denounce, condemn, calumniate, defame, pillory,
slander: His foul treachery stigmatized his entire family.
still adj. 1 quiet, serene, placid, calm, tranquil, motionless,
unmoving, peaceful, pacific, at rest, quiescent, even, flat,
smooth, inert, stationary, undisturbed, unruffled: In the
moonlight, the lake lay still and dark. 2 silent, quiet,
noiseless, soundless; hushed, restful, Literary stilly: Be
still or they'll hear you! In the still night I heard the
distant sound of an owl.
--n. 3 stillness, hush, quiet, silence, tranquillity,
noiselessness, peacefulness, calm: In the still of the evening
came the call of the nightingale.
--adv. 4 even now, to or till or until this or that time, (up)
till or until now, yet: Henry came for dinner five years ago,
and he's here still. Do you still smoke? 5 even, in addition:
Hugh weighed twenty stone when you last saw him, but he's
heavier still today. 6 notwithstanding, yet, even then: Are you
still going to Sue's party, despite what she said?. 7
motionless(ly), quiet(ly), silent(ly), stock-still: Lie still
while I put on this bandage.
--conj. 8 however, but, notwithstanding, nevertheless, even so,
in any event, in any case: She said she'd be here; still, you
never know, she may come later.
--v. 9 calm, allay, assuage, alleviate, relieve, silence, lull,
quiet(en), pacify, soothe, mollify, appease, subdue, suppress:
A few kind words and she had stilled my fears.
stilted adj. awkward, ungraceful, graceless, clumsy, wooden, stiff,
turgid, affected, artificial, unnatural, mannered, laboured;
pretentious, formal, pompous, lofty, bombastic, grandiloquent,
high-flown, inflated: Francis has a stilted way of expressing
himself.
stimulant n. 1 stimulus, incentive, provocation, spur, prompt, goad,
urge, prod, fillip, impetus, incitement, drive, impulse, push,
pull, draw: She yielded readily to the stimulants of
literature, science, and the fine arts. 2 energizer,
antidepressant, tonic, restorative, Colloq bracer, pick-me-up,
shot in the arm, Slang pep pill, upper, bennie, speed: He found
he couldn't get through the day without a stimulant.
stimulate v. 1 rouse, arouse, waken, awaken, wake up, excite, incite,
inspire, encourage, spur, quicken, fire, fuel, nourish,
activate, whip or stir up, goad, galvanize, jolt, inspirit:
What can be done to stimulate students to study history? Their
teacher eventually found a way to stimulate their interest. 2
increase, encourage, prompt, provoke, quicken: This drug
stimulates the circulation of the blood.
stimulating
adj. exciting, inspirational, inspiring, arousing, stirring,
animating, exhilarating, provocative, thought-provoking: I
cannot recall having spent a more stimulating evening in the
theatre.
sting v. 1 prick, stab, pierce, stick; bite: Bees, wasps, scorpions,
etc. sting you, but mosquitoes, spiders, and snakes bite. 2
hurt, wound, pain, injure, distress, nettle, cut to the quick:
He was really stung by Maria's callous remarks. 3 See
stimulate, 1, above: We were stung into action by the
minister's inspiring speech. 4 cheat, overcharge, swindle,
fleece, defraud, Slang rob, soak, rip off, take for a ride: You
really were stung if you paid that much for such an old piano.
stinker n. wretch, villain, scoundrel, cad, heel, beast, cur, viper,
snake in the grass, skunk, swine, polecat, Rather old-fashioned
blackguard, rogue, Archaic knave, varlet, dastard, (base)
caitiff, Colloq stinkpot, louse, creep, rat, Brit nasty piece of
work, sod, Old-fashioned rotter, bounder, blighter, Slang
(rotten) bastard, son of a bitch, Brit toerag, bugger, US SOB,
bum, stinkeroo or stinkaroo, Taboo slang shit, Brit arse-hole,
US ass-hole: They were a lovely couple, but their son was a
real stinker.
stinking adj. 1 foul-smelling, smelly, fetid or foetid, mephitic, rank,
noisome, malodorous, reeking, putrid, miasmal or miasmatic(al)
or miasmic, rancid, gamy, Colloq Brit pongy, whiffy: They were
kept in a stinking dungeon with little food for a month. 2
wretched, villainous, beastly, vile, contemptible, low,
despicable, mean, nasty, disgusting, rotten, terrible, awful,
Old-fashioned dastardly, Colloq lousy, Taboo slang shitty:
Taking my clothes while I was swimming was a stinking thing to
do. 3 drunken, drunk (as a lord or US also a skunk),
intoxicated, inebriated, (be)sotted, under the influence, over
the limit, high, maudlin, tipsy, woozy, Colloq pie-eyed, loaded,
in one's cups, under the weather, three sheets to the wind,
Slang sozzled, soused (to the gills), potted, plastered,
smashed, bombed, pissed, boozed, boozy, tanked, stoned, canned,
US in the bag: The last time I saw Bob, he was so stinking I
had to pour him onto his train.
stint n. 1 share, quota, allotment, bit, assignment, stretch, shift,
term, time, job, chore, task, routine, turn, tour, duty,
responsibility, obligation, charge: She had done her stint of
washing-up and refused to do any more. 2 control, curb, limit,
limitation, restriction, check, restraint, constraint,
condition, qualification, reservation: The committee is free to
exercise without stint its power to raise membership fees.
--v. 3 control, curb, limit, restrict: Don't stint yourself,
lunch is on the firm. 4 skimp, scrimp, be stingy or cheap or
penurious or parsimonious or sparing or frugal, hold back (on),
withhold, economize, pinch (pennies), cut corners, Colloq Brit
be mingy: They certainly didn't stint on the food and drink at
Andrea's party.
stipend n. pay, salary, payment, remuneration, remittance, recompense,
compensation, reward, emolument, earnings, income; grant,
subvention, scholarship, subsidy, allowance, allotment,
(financial) support: His stipend barely covers his basic
expenses.
stipulate v. specify, demand, require, covenant, set forth, agree (to),
provide (for), guarantee, warrant, promise, insist (upon or on);
call for: The agreement stipulates that the goods be received
prior to payment. The compensation stipulated in the contract
has been paid.
stipulation
n. condition, demand, essential, given, requirement, requisite,
prerequisite, specification, undertaking, obligation, covenant,
clause, proviso, term, agreement, provision, guarantee,
warranty, promise: This stipulation calls for payment on
delivery in full and in sterling.
stir v. 1 Often, stir up. agitate, shake (up), mix (up), scramble,
amalgamate, mingle, commingle, intermingle, merge, blend, fold
(in), churn (up), beat, whip (up): Stir all the ingredients
together. 2 move, rise, arise, get up, bestir (oneself), be up
and about, Colloq get a move on, get moving, get a wiggle on,
shake a leg, look or step lively, look alive, stir one's stumps:
It is about time you were up and stirring. 3 disturb, trouble,
affect, upset, stimulate, activate: The play stirred the
conscience of the king. Mention 'diet' to Roberta and you'll
stir up a wasp's nest. 4 Often, stir up. motivate, encourage,
stimulate, energize, galvanize, electrify, animate, excite,
inspire, provoke, move, rouse, arouse, get, prompt, urge,
incite, spur, prod, induce, persuade, convince: What will it
take to stir the council to take action? The usual
rabble-rousers were there, stirring up the crowd. 5 Often, stir
up. awaken, rouse, (cause to) recall or call to mind, revive,
resuscitate: Those photographs stir up so many old memories!
--n. 6 bustle, activity, movement, stirring, action, commotion,
flurry, confusion, tumult, ado, to-do, fuss, disturbance,
excitement, hubbub, Colloq Brit kerfuffle: There was a stir at
the door, which was flung wide to allow Kitty to sweep in. The
news of her marriage caused quite a stir. 7 prison, jail or Brit
also gaol, jail-house, clink, penitentiary, lock-up, Military
Brit glasshouse, US brig, Slang chiefly Brit quod, US big house,
pen, slammer, can, calaboose: He claims he's in stir for
something he didn't do.
stirring adj. moving, telling, emotional, emotive, emotion-charged,
rousing, stimulating, inspiring, gripping, evocative, exciting,
thrilling, melodramatic, dramatic, heady, intoxicating,
spirited, inspiriting, exhilarating, awe-inspiring: He was
treated to the stirring experience of hearing fifty thousand
people shouting his name in unison, again and again.
stock n. 1 supply, store, inventory, stockpile, reserve, reservoir,
cache, hoard; wares, merchandise, goods, selection, assortment,
range, variety, array: One can select something suitable from
the stock at the local wine shop. 2 pedigree, bloodline, house,
dynasty, (line of) descent, genealogy, extraction, roots,
lineage, family, ancestry, parentage, breeding, heritage: Her
mother was concerned that she should marry someone of good
stock. 3 source, progenitor, creator, father, begetter,
forefather, ancestor, precursor, forerunner, forebear; founder:
He might well provide the stock for a new line of kings. 4
livestock, (domestic or farm) animals, cattle, beasts; horses,
cows, oxen, sheep, goats: Don't forget to water the stock
before driving to the village. 5 share, ownership, investment,
capital, funds; property, assets: He owned ten shares of stock
in the corporation. The company's stock is worth next to nothing
today. 6 take stock. weigh (up), estimate, review, appraise,
look at, Colloq size up: We must take stock of the situation
and decide what to do.
--adj. 7 routine, stereotyped, banal, clich‚d, commonplace,
usual, hackneyed, ordinary, stale, staple, run-of-the-mill,
tired, old, everyday, customary, set, standard, traditional,
trite, worn out, Colloq corny: Ask him how he is and you always
get his stock reply, 'Fair to meddling'. 8 standard, ordinary,
regular, routine, staple: The shop does not carry 'extra tall'
or 'extra short', only stock sizes.
--v. 9 carry, have, have or make available, handle, deal in,
market, sell, supply, furnish, provide, offer, trade in, keep:
The shop stocked a wide range of hardware. 10 Often, stock up
(on). accumulate, amass, pile up, stockpile, hoard, store (up),
cache, lay in, inventory: Everyone stocked up on food in case
the village was blocked by snow.
stocky adj. thickset, sturdy, chunky, dumpy, solid, stumpy, burly,
beefy, heavy-set, squat, pyknic, mesomorphic: He is stocky and
powerfully built.
stodgy adj. stuffy, dull, heavy, ponderous, elephantine, boring,
tedious, humdrum, tiresome, turgid, uninteresting,
unimaginative, dry-as-dust, jejune, vapid, dreary, flat,
colourless, bland, Colloq ho-hum, blah, deadly: The speaker was
boring and gave the stodgiest talk I have ever heard.
stoical adj. stoic, impassive, resigned, apathetic, cool, unemotional,
emotionless, frigid, imperturbable, calm, dispassionate,
indifferent, phlegmatic, long-suffering, stolid, disciplined,
self-possessed, (self-)controlled, Colloq unflappable: Bertram
remained stoical as the judge read out the sentence of death.
stoicism n. indifference, self-possession, austerity, self-control,
fortitude, calmness, calm, coolness, imperturbability,
longanimity, forbearance, patience, fatalism, resignation,
Colloq unflappability: The people accepted the news of one
defeat after another with increasing stoicism.
stole n. tippet, scarf, boa, shawl: Mandy was too embarrassed to
wear her mink stole to the charity ball.
stolid adj. impassive, dull, doltish, obtuse, thick, dense, bovine,
wooden, slow, lumpish, unemotional, clod-like, phlegmatic,
lethargic, apathetic, indifferent, uninterested: He was a
stolid character, very different from his dynamic younger
brother.
stomach n. 1 abdomen, belly, gut, pot-belly, pot, paunch, Colloq
corporation, bay window, tummy, bread basket, spare tyre: His
huge stomach hung over and concealed his belt. 2 tolerance;
taste, appetite, desire, hunger, thirst, craving, need,
inclination, relish, longing, yearning, hankering: I have no
stomach for those TV sitcoms featuring precocious
four-year-olds.
--v. 3 abide, tolerate, endure, stand, bear, suffer, take,
accept, swallow, resign or reconcile oneself to, put up with,
countenance, brook, Brit stick: He walked out when he could no
longer stomach her continual criticism.
stony adj. 1 stoney, rocky, pebbly, shingly, shingled: Some of the
beaches along the Riviera are too stony to lie on directly. 2
stoney, hard, obdurate, adamant, adamantine, heartless,
stony-hearted, hard-hearted, indifferent, unsympathetic,
implacable, intractable, heartless, insensitive, insensible,
unfeeling, unsentimental, merciless, pitiless, cold,
cold-hearted, chilly, frigid, icy, tough, callous, steely,
inflexible, unresponsive, Colloq hard-boiled: He listened to
her pleadings in stony silence. 3 bankrupt, penniless,
indigent, poverty-stricken, poor, Colloq broke, Chiefly Brit
stoney, stony-broke or stoney-broke, skint: At the time, I was
so stony I didn't have two pennies to rub together.
stoop v. 1 Sometimes, stoop down. bend (down), bow, duck (down), lean
(down), hunch (down), hunker (down), crouch (down), scrunch
down: She had to stoop down to talk to the child. 2 Often,
stoop low. condescend, deign, lower or abase or degrade oneself,
sink, humble oneself; be demeaned or diminished: She had to
stoop pretty low to accept a job paying only half of what she
had demanded.
--n. 3 hunch, slouch, scrunch, crouch, stooping, slouching,
Technical lordosis, curvature of the spine, torticollis,
wryneck: The orthopaedist thought his stoop could be corrected
by a back brace.
stop v. 1 discontinue, halt, terminate, cease, break off, end, put
an end or a stop to, bring to a stop or a halt or an end or a
close, give up, quit, leave off, finish, conclude, desist
(from), refrain (from), abandon; draw to a close, be over, come
to a stop or a halt or an end or a close; Colloq cut (out), lay
off, Brit pack in: Stop shouting, I'm not deaf. The car stopped
suddenly. Will the fighting ever stop? 2 bring to a stop or a
halt or a standstill, check, cut off; arrest, suppress,
restrain, thwart; block, bar, obstruct, dam, keep or hold back,
prevent, hinder; slow, impede, stem, stanch or staunch: The
main problem was how to stop drug trafficking. Can we stop the
river from flooding? This tourniquet will stop the bleeding. 3
Often, stop up. obstruct, block (up), jam (up), plug (up), clog
(up), choke (up), stuff (up), fill (up), close (up or off): The
drain was all stopped up with paper. 4 peter out, be over, end:
He gave me an injection and the pain finally stopped. 5 pause,
break, take a break, interrupt, tarry; sojourn, rest, stay, put
up, lodge, visit, stop off or in or over; pull over, pull up:
I'd like to stop for a cup of coffee. I stopped at The Bell Inn
on my way here. We stopped short at the sign.
--n. 6 halt, end, cessation, termination, ban, prohibition;
close, standstill, conclusion: The new law put a stop to
door-to-door selling. We must bring that practice to a stop. 7
stay, sojourn, visit, break, rest, stopover, US layover: We
thoroughly enjoyed our stop in Brighton. 8 stopping-place,
station, terminal, stage, terminus, US and Canadian depot:
There is a bus stop in the next street. 9 blockage, blocking,
stopping (up), stoppage, closing up, obstruction, block: A stop
in the water supply was soon cleared up.
stopgap n. 1 makeshift, improvisation, substitute: The wire served as
a stopgap until they could get the proper part.
--adj. 2 makeshift, temporary, improvised, impromptu,
substitute, emergency, provisional, stand-by; jury-rigged: A
broomstick served as a stopgap mast for the dinghy's sail.
stopper n. stopple, cork, plug, bung: I had problems getting the
stopper out of the barrel.
store v. 1 stock, collect, accumulate, put by, lay away, set aside,
pile (up), aggregate, amass, cumulate; hoard; assemble: The
corn is stored in huge silos. 2 keep, hold, stow (away),
preserve, warehouse, stockpile: Apples should be stored in a
cool, dry place.
--n. 3 supply, inventory, collection, accumulation, stock,
stockpile, reservoir, cache, fund: We keep a large store of dry
foods for an emergency. Grandfather has an endless store of
tales about the sea. 4 shop, department store, market, retailer,
outlet, cooperative (store), Colloq co-op: You might get a good
fridge at a department store. 5 set or lay store by. give
credence to, believe (in), have faith or trust in, trust (in),
bank or rely on, depend on or upon, count on, value: I
shouldn't set much store by what that old gossip tells you.
storehouse
n. warehouse, depository or depositary, repository, storeroom,
bank, store, (In Asia) godown; arsenal, magazine, armoury: The
company maintains storehouses in a dozen countries to better
supply their customers.
storey n. floor, level, tier, Chiefly US story: The new building is
five storeys high.
storm n. 1 tempest, disturbance, turbulence; wind-storm, mistral,
gale, whirlwind, hurricane, tornado, typhoon, cyclone, US and
Canadian williwaw; shower, cloudburst, downpour, rainstorm,
deluge, monsoon, thunder-shower, thunderstorm, electrical storm;
dust-storm, sandstorm, simoom or simoon or samiel, harmattan,
khamsin, sirocco; snowstorm, blizzard; hailstorm, ice-storm:
People were evacuated from the area where it was thought the
storm would strike. 2 outburst, outcry, explosion, eruption,
outpouring, furore or US furor: The proposed taxes were met by
a storm of protest. 3 disturbance, rumpus, stir, commotion,
agitation, furore or US furor; turbulence, strife, turmoil,
disorder: I am not sure the company could weather another
serious financial storm.
--v. 4 rage, rant, rave, bluster, fume, explode, thunder, roar,
raise the roof, raise hell, raise Cain, Colloq fly off the
handle, blow one's top, US blow one's stack: When she found out
where Laura had gone, mother stormed round the house. 5 blow,
rain, hail, snow, sleet, rage, bluster, squall, howl: It
stormed for a week, and much property was destroyed. 6 attack,
assault, assail, raid, blitz, blitzkrieg, bombard, barrage, fire
upon or on, shell; besiege, lay siege to, siege: The enemy
stormed the castle again and again without effect.
stormy adj. 1 violent, tempestuous, blustery, turbulent, wild,
howling, raging, roaring, foul, nasty, bad, not fit for man or
beast, inclement: It was always stormy along the eastern coast
of the island. 2 violent, tempestuous, turbulent, fierce,
fiery, frantic, frenetic, nerve-racking or nerve-wracking,
frenzied, feverish, raving, wild: He and Kate enjoyed - if that
is the right word - a stormy relationship for thirty years.
story n. 1 narrative, tale, recounting, anecdote, yarn; account,
recital, chronicle, record, history; legend, myth, fairy tale or
story, romance, gest or geste, fable, fabliau; epic, saga, Edda;
joke, Colloq gag; mystery, detective story, whodunit, thriller;
horror story; allegory, parable; piece, article: In olden days,
the historians were the story tellers. George really knows how
to tell a story. Have any of your stories been published? 2
contention, testimony, assertion, version, statement,
representation, allegation: That's his story and he's sticking
to it. 3 fib, confabulation, (white or black) lie, alibi,
excuse, untruth, falsehood; tall tale, fishing or fish story:
He told us some story about having sailed round the world
single-handed in a dinghy. Did you believe her story about being
of royal blood? 4 article, item, report, dispatch, news,
tidings, release, information, copy, feature; scoop, exclusive:
A story about China appears on page two. 5 story-line, plot,
scenario, (plot) outline, summary, book: The story needs some
revision before the dialogue can be rewritten. 6 biography,
curriculum vitae, life (story); facts, experiences, adventures,
fortunes: His story is going to be made into a film.
stout adj. 1 fat, obese, tubby, overweight, thickset, heavy-set, big,
burly, corpulent, fleshy, heavy, plump, portly: She squeezed
onto the seat between the door and a rather stout man. 2
valiant, brave, undaunted, dauntless, hardy, courageous,
gallant, plucky, valorous, staunch, resolute, doughty, bold,
gallant: 'Stout fellow!' exclaimed the colonel, the ultimate
compliment he was ever heard to utter. 3 strong, tough,
substantial, durable: Tie stout cord round the box before
posting it. 4 brawny, sturdy, healthy, robust, strapping,
stalwart, lusty, hulking, athletic, Colloq beefy, husky: Two
stout bouncers flanked the entrance to the club.
stow v. pack, store, load, deposit, put (away), place; cram, stuff,
wedge, bundle, jam; hide, secrete, conceal, cache, Colloq stash
(away): We stowed our gear the moment we went aboard. They
couldn't stow another thing in the basement. Where did he stow
the pistol when the police searched the place?
straggle v. stray, ramble, loiter, rove, prowl, range, drift, wander,
meander, (be) spread, Colloq mosey: Thousands of refugees
straggled along the road away from the bombed village.
straight adj. 1 direct, unbending, undeviating, uncurved, regular,
linear: The tracks are straight for as far as the eye can see.
2 erect, vertical, upright, upstanding, perpendicular; plumb:
Stop slouching and stand up straight. He stood straight as a
ramrod. 3 even, square, true, right, flat, smooth, horizontal,
level: Are you sure that the billiard table is straight? 4
honest, frank, straightforward, direct, forthright, legitimate,
(fair and) square, fair, equitable, just, above-board, upright,
respectable, decent, trustworthy, honourable, dependable,
reliable, Colloq upfront: Sternway seems to be perfectly
straight in his business dealings. 5 unequivocal, unambiguous,
straightforward, candid, plain, simple, explicit, blunt,
unembellished, unelaborated, unqualified, outright, accurate:
The straight facts are given in this article. The police cannot
get a straight story out of him as to his whereabouts last
night. 6 direct, point-blank, straightforward, straight from the
shoulder, candid, outright, plain, frank, no-nonsense: Do you
mind answering a straight question? 7 shipshape, orderly, neat,
tidy, in order, arranged, organized, sorted out, spruce,
straightened out: I wish Leonard would put his room straight
before the guests arrive. 8 sober, staid, sedate, serious,
unsmiling, unemotional, impassive, emotionless, taciturn,
composed, mask-like: It was impossible to keep a straight face
during the school play. 9 undiluted, neat, unmixed, pure,
unadulterated, uncut, unmodified, unaltered, unalloyed: He
likes his whisky straight. 10 even, square, settled,
straightened out, agreed: The account will be straight when
Dick makes the last payment. 11 heterosexual, normal, Slang
hetero: Till Evelyn came out of the closet, I thought he was
straight.
--adv. 12 directly, right, undeviatingly, unswervingly; as the
crow flies, in a beeline: I should have known she would go
straight to the police. 13 (straight) ahead: Go straight for a
mile and you'll see it on the right. 14 Sometimes, straight
out. directly, unequivocally, unambiguously, forthrightly,
straightforwardly, point-blank, candidly, plainly, simply, in
plain or simple English, explicitly, outright, honestly,
accurately: Just give me the story straight, without beating
about the bush. 15 Often, straight away or off. immediately, at
once, without delay, instantly, summarily, directly, right (away
or off), right off the bat, promptly, Colloq p.d.q. (= 'pretty
damned quick'): She went back to work straight after having the
baby. I told him straight off to leave town. 16 straight up.
without ice: I like my gin straight up.
straighten
v. 1 Often, straighten out. uncurl, untangle, disentangle,
unsnarl, unravel, unkink; clear (up), settle, resolve, sort out,
set or put straight or right or to rights, correct, adjust,
rectify: She decided to have her hair straightened. They are
busy straightening out the matter of father's will. 2 Often,
straighten out. reform, rehabilitate, organize, reorganize:
Perhaps psychotherapy will straighten him out. 3 Often,
straighten out or up. tidy (up), arrange, rearrange, neaten,
spruce up, put in order, clean (up): Would you help me
straighten up the place before you leave?
strain° v. 1 stretch, force, tax, overtax, burden, overburden,
overwork, push; exceed, surpass: His story that a bushy-haired
intruder had shot her strained the jury's credulity. 2 push,
pull, tug, heave, stretch, twist, wrench, struggle: As he
strained at his bonds the rope cut more deeply into his wrists.
3 injure, hurt, harm, impair, damage, overwork, tax, pull, tear,
twist, wrench: I strained my back lifting that box of books. 4
stretch, crane, twist; try (hard), struggle, strive, labour,
toil, push, make an effort, exert oneself: She strained to
catch a glimpse of the prince. They strained to hear every word.
5 filter, sift, drain, screen, sieve; winnow, draw off,
separate; purify, seep, percolate: Strain the soup to remove
the bones. Strain the dregs from the wine. The water is then
strained through sand.
--n. 6 sprain, injury, damage, harm, wrench: Strains often
hurt more than broken bones. 7 anxiety, worry; effort,
exertion, stress, tension, pressure, burden; tax, demand,
obligation: The strain began to tell on all of us. Another rope
was needed to relieve the strain on the first. This advertising
budget will put a great strain on our resources. 8 Often,
strains. air, melody, tune, song, sound, music: In the distance
I made out the faint strains of skirling bagpipes. 9 tenor,
tone, drift, inclination, tendency, quality, spirit, mood,
humour, character, complexion, cast, impression, thread, vein,
theme: I detected a mellowing strain in her letters.
strainэ n. 1 family, stock, ancestry, roots, extraction, derivation,
(family) background, heritage, descent, parentage, lineage,
pedigree, bloodline, race, line, descendants: This sample of
sweet pea came from an entirely different strain. 2 trace,
hint, suggestion, suspicion, soup‡on, streak, trait, mark,
indication, vestige, evidence, sign: There was a definite
strain of ruthlessness in her character.
strained adj. laboured, forced, artificial, stiff, tense, awkward,
uneasy, uncomfortable, difficult, tension-ridden,
self-conscious, unnatural, insincere, put-on: His already
strained relations with his wife scarcely improved when he met
Lisa.
strait adj. 1 narrow, tight, constricted, constricting, confining,
confined, restricting, restricted, limited, limiting, rigorous,
demanding, exacting; difficult, straitened: Strait is the gate
and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be
that find it.
--n. 2 Usually (except in gazetteers), straits. narrows,
channel: We coasted through the Straits of Magellan with all
sails flying. 3 dire or desperate or sore straits. bad or poor
state or condition, trouble, predicament, plight, mess, dilemma,
tight spot, hot water, US bind Colloq pickle, jam, scrape,
pretty or fine kettle of fish, US box: We shall be in dire
straits if father's cheque doesn't come soon.
straitened
adj. inadequate, insufficient, reduced, oppressed, distressed,
needy, necessitous, poor, poverty-stricken, indigent,
impoverished, destitute, penniless, insolvent, Colloq hard up,
US strapped: As a writer, he was accustomed to living in
straitened circumstances between sales of his stories.
strait-laced
adj. priggish, prim, conservative, old-fashioned, Victorian,
old-maidish, proper, prudish, puritanical, moralistic, strict,
narrow-minded, (over-)scrupulous, fussy, Colloq pernickety or US
also persnickety, stuffy, goody-goody: Her aunt has the
strait-laced notion that girls ought to be home by ten o'clock.
strange adj. 1 odd, peculiar, bizarre, weird, curious, uncommon,
unusual, rare, singular, exceptional, eccentric, weird, funny,
quaint, fantastic, out of the ordinary, extraordinary,
out-of-the-way, queer, outlandish, unheard-of, grotesque,
abnormal, remarkable, surprising, inexplicable, unaccountable,
uncanny, Colloq offbeat, far-out, Slang kinky, Brit rum, US
kooky: I had a strange dream last night. 2 unfamiliar,
unknown, unaccustomed: The children were warned not to get into
strange cars. She was overwhelmed by the strange culture of her
husband's country.
stranger n. foreigner, outlander, alien, newcomer, visitor: The people
in these parts don't take kindly to strangers.
stratagem n. trick, artifice, device, dodge, subterfuge, lure, wile,
ruse, plan, scheme, plot, intrigue, manoeuvre, ploy, tactic:
What stratagem did they use to tempt you to attend this boring
affair?
strategic adj. tactical, key, crucial, principal, cardinal, critical,
vital, key: That line of supply is of strategic importance.
Sending in the landing force was a strategic manoeuvre.
strategy n. plan, tactic(s), design, policy, procedure, scheme,
blueprint, Colloq game or master plan, scenario: The enemy's
strategy calls for quick air strikes by low-flying bombers.
stratum n. 1 layer, level, stratification, table, vein, seam; plane:
These coal strata have been mined for hundreds of years. 2
level, caste, class, rank, station, standing, status, bracket,
group, estate: She married someone from a higher stratum of
society.
stray v. 1 wander, roam, rove, range, straggle, drift, meander: They
found the ponies straying up the valley and across the moor. 2
deviate, diverge, wander, digress, ramble, divagate, get or go
off the track or subject, go off on or at a tangent, get
sidetracked: She let her mind stray from the matter in hand.
--n. 3 straggler, vagrant, waif, US dogie: They have always
taken in and cared for strays.
--adj. 4 vagrant, lost, roving, roaming, wandering, homeless,
derelict, abandoned: The problem with stray pets increases when
people abandon them on returning home after the summer. 5
random, casual, chance, accidental, haphazard, singular, freak,
accidental, unexpected: A stray bullet caught him in the leg.
6 isolated, separate(d), lone, odd, single: She brushed a stray
hair from her face.
streak n. 1 stripe, striation, strip, stroke, bar, band, line, mark,
smear, slash, dash, touch, daub, fleck, trace; vein, layer,
seam, stratum: The male bird is marked with a streak of bright
reddish-orange on its throat. A red streak marks the iron
deposit. 2 flash, bolt: I saw the dark figure in the light from
a streak of lightning. 3 spell, spate, period, stretch, run:
They were celebrating their streak of good luck at the roulette
table.
--v. 4 stripe, striate, line, bar, mark, smear, daub, slash:
Dawn was beginning to streak the sky when she left the party. 5
race, run, rush, dash, sprint, dart, hurtle, fly, scoot, speed,
hasten, hurry, tear, whistle, zip, zoom, Colloq whiz or whizz:
The gang streaked through the village on their motor cycles and
were gone.
stream n. 1 brook, brooklet, streamlet, rivulet, tributary, river,
freshet, run, watercourse, waterway, channel, Chiefly literary
rill, runnel, Literary or N Brit dialect beck, burn, Archaic NE
US except in placenames kill, US creek, branch: If the streams
continue to swell, flooding can be expected in low-lying areas.
2 flow, current, outpouring, effluence or efflux, effusion,
rush, spurt, surge, fountain, geyser, torrent, flood, deluge,
cataract, cascade: A stream of bubbles showed where the diver
was swimming. A stream of obscenities poured from his lips. 3
flow, rush, swarm, tide, flood, deluge, succession, series, row,
line, string, chain, barrage, Brit queue: Simon has had a
constant stream of visitors all morning.
--v. 4 run, flow, course, glide, rush, slide, slip, surge;
pour, issue, emanate, gush, flood, spout, well up or out or
forth, squirt, spurt, shoot, jet; cascade: The rain streamed
down the windows. 5 issue, emanate; rush, surge, pour, flood,
file, proceed, march, walk, move: People streamed in and out of
the building all day long.
streamer n. pennant, banner, pennon, flag, bannerette or banneret,
banderole or banderol or bannerol, gonfalon or gonfanon, jack,
burgee: A long streamer fluttered from the mast.
streamlined
adj. 1 aerodynamic, hydrodynamic, curved, curvilinear; smooth,
flowing: Streamlined design began to appear in cars and boats
in the 1930s. 2 modern, ultra-modern, modernistic, modernized,
up to date, time-saving, labour-saving, compact,
(well-)organized, efficient, automated: Mother always dreamt
about having a streamlined kitchen. 3 well-run, smooth,
efficient, automated, labour-saving, time-saving, profitable,
productive, simplified: He designed a fully streamlined
manufacturing process for us.
street n. 1 thoroughfare, way, road, roadway, high road, avenue,
concourse, boulevard, lane, drive, terrace, circle, row,
passage, alley, byway: I don't know the name of the street
where she lives. 2 up (someone's) Brit street or US alley.
(someone's) cup of tea, in (someone's) bailiwick, suiting
(someone) to a T: Crossword puzzles are very much up Eugene's
street.
strength n. 1 power, might, force, mightiness, robustness, toughness,
stoutness, sturdiness, brawn, brawniness, muscle, sinew: Do you
have the strength to lift that by yourself? 2 fortitude,
backbone, stamina, tenacity, tenaciousness, will-power,
perseverance, persistence, resoluteness, resolution,
pertinacity, nerve, grit, pluck, determination, gameness,
intrepidity, firmness, stability, Colloq guts, gutsiness, spunk,
US intestinal fortitude, stick-to-it-iveness: Sally was a tower
of strength when I needed her the most. 3 talent, ability,
aptitude, gift, strong point, asset: One of his strengths is
being able to sight-read music. 4 concentration,
concentratedness, intensity, potency: Coffee of that strength
would keep me awake all night. 5 vigour, force, energy, power,
potency, intensity: The strength of the wind was great enough
to pick up cars and toss them about. 6 durability, power,
toughness, stability, reliability, resistance, solidity,
stamina, ruggedness, endurance, soundness: The manufacturer
claims that his product has the strength to resist wear for a
hundred years. 7 persuasiveness, cogency, weight, force,
convincingness, incisiveness, soundness: There is no disputing
the strength of the argument against smoking.
strengthen
v. 1 reinforce, renew, bolster, fortify, support, confirm,
corroborate, substantiate, buttress, step up, boost: A thousand
troops were sent to strengthen the garrison at Fort Old. 2
encourage, hearten, invigorate, fortify, rejuvenate, nourish,
energize, vitalize, toughen, brace (up), steel, innervate,
stiffen: Whatever she said seems to have strengthened his
determination to succeed.
strenuous adj. 1 demanding, taxing, tough, arduous, laborious, toilsome,
burdensome, tiring, exhausting, difficult, hard, uphill:
Hauling in the fishing nets was strenuous work. 2 energetic,
active, vigorous, enthusiastic, zealous, earnest, dynamic,
intense, indefatigable, tireless, persistent, dogged,
determined, tenacious, pertinacious, resolute, sincere, eager:
He has made a strenuous effort to be more accommodating.
stress n. 1 emphasis, force, pressure, forcefulness, accent,
accentuation, prominence, Technical ictus: Many people place
the stress on the first syllable of 'controversy'. 2 emphasis,
significance, importance, weight, force, insistence, urgency:
She lays too much stress on looks. 3 (stress and) strain,
burden, anxiety, worry, distress, pain, grief, suffering,
anguish, pressure, tenseness, tension: She has four elderly
people to care for, and the stress is beginning to show.
--v. 4 emphasize, accent, accentuate, lay stress or emphasis
on, underscore, underline, mark, note, make a point of, bring
home, focus on, bring into prominence, spotlight, feature,
highlight: The conference succeeded in stressing the importance
of a good home life. 5 strain, put under strain or stress,
upset, disturb, burden, worry, distress, Brit pressurize or US
pressure: Duncan was terribly stressed after a few months in
the new job.
stretch v. 1 extend, reach; span, spread: Her memory stretches back to
the first World War. His Texas ranch stretches as far as the eye
can see. 2 distend, lengthen, elongate, widen, broaden, swell,
draw or pull out, balloon, inflate, enlarge, expand, increase,
dilate, blow up: Stretch the netting to cover the frame. 3
overtax, overextend; warp, strain, distort, bend, break: We
like to stretch our employees in this company. He is stretching
the rules by allowing undergraduates to take his course.
--n. 4 elasticity, give, resilience, resiliency,
stretchability, stretchiness: There isn't much stretch left in
this old rubber band. 5 extent, reach, span, spread, expanse,
sweep, area, tract, US section: There is a stretch of desert
just south of the coast. 6 time, stint, period, spell, term,
tour (of duty), Colloq US and Canadian hitch: He signed up for
a two-year stretch in the navy. He once did a six-month stretch
in prison for assault.
strew v. scatter, bestrew, sprinkle, disperse, spread, toss,
distribute; litter: Rubbish was strewn all over the floor.
stricken adj. 1 Usually, stricken by. struck (down) (by), hit (by), laid
low (by or with), affected (by or with), afflicted (with),
racked (by or with): He was stricken by pneumonia but is
recovering. 2 affected (by), smitten (by), overwhelmed (by or
with), overcome (by or with), plagued (by or with), tormented
(by); broken, crushed, demoralized, broken-hearted,
grief-stricken: He was stricken by her beauty. During the
plague year, commerce virtually ceased with the stricken city of
London.
strict adj. 1 rigorous, narrow, close, undeviating, confining,
constricting, constrictive, rigid, defined, precise, exact,
exacting, stringent, meticulous, compulsive, punctilious,
finicky or finical, scrupulous, attentive, conscientious,
faithful, thorough, complete: The judge's strict interpretation
of the law left no room for leniency or sympathy. 2 severe,
austere, authoritarian, autocratic, stern, firm, hard, tough,
uncompromising, inflexible, cold-blooded, iron-fisted,
tyrannical, harsh, ruthless, pitiless, unsympathetic: Miss
Wells is remembered by all her students as a strict
disciplinarian.
stricture n. 1 interdiction, blockage, restriction, restraint,
constraint, deterrent, impediment: The strictures imposed on
credit have throttled trade. 2 criticism, censure: He deplored
conservative strictures against anything new in the arts.
strident adj. shrill, raucous, harsh, loud, grating, stridulous,
stridulant, scraping, scratching, scratchy, grinding, hoarse,
rough, guttural, husky, gravelly, rasping, jarring, discordant,
unharmonious, unmelodious, unmusical, cacophonous, croaking,
creaking: Her strident voice could be heard all over the
building.
strife n. 1 discord, disharmony, disagreement, difference, conflict,
rivalry, competition, contention, dispute, dissension, struggle,
squabbling, bickering, arguing, quarrelling: The nation is torn
by the strife of perpetual labour disputes. 2 animosity,
friction, hard feelings, bad feeling(s), bad blood, antagonism,
ill will, hatred, enmity, hostility, unfriendliness: The strife
between us will continue because our philosophies differ so
radically.
strike v. 1 hit, deal a blow to, knock, smack, thump, thwack, crown,
cuff, punch, smite; beat, hammer, belabour, batter, pummel or
pommel, pelt, buffet, thrash; cudgel, bludgeon, club, whip,
horsewhip, scourge, lash, cane, flog, birch, slap, Colloq
wallop, slug, whack, clout, sock, conk, belt, bash, lambaste,
bop: Small wonder he struck you after what you called his wife.
2 deliver, deal, aim, direct: He struck a blow for freedom. 3
hit, collide with, land on or in or against, smash or bump or
bang or crash or dash into, go or run into, impact: Mrs
Humphrey's car went out of control and struck a tree. 4 remove,
take away, take apart, dismantle, knock down; take or pull or
haul down: Stage-hands struck the set. As the wind piped up we
struck the mainsail. 5 Usually, strike off or from or out.
obliterate, expunge, erase, eradicate, blot out, delete,
scratch, eliminate, rub out, cross (out), cancel, wipe out, US x
out: After the scandal, his name was struck off the register.
Strike out any references that might be thought libellous. 6
light, ignite: He struck a match to see where he was going. 7
affect, impress, influence, afflict, Colloq hit: The death of
her kitten struck Mandy to the heart. 8 make, reach, attain,
conclude; agree or settle (on), ratify, confirm: We struck a
bargain on the sale of the car. 9 occur or come to, dawn on or
upon, Colloq hit, register (with): It suddenly struck me that
you are leaving tomorrow. 10 impress, print, stamp, punch,
mint, make: They have struck a new gold coin for collectors.
11 instil, implant, induce: Horror films struck fear into our
hearts when we were children. 12 assume, adopt, put on,
display, affect, take on, feign: He struck a supercilious pose
of insouciant hauteur that annoyed her intensely. 13 Often,
strike down. afflict, affect, attack, indispose, incapacitate,
disable, cripple, invalid: Polio struck her down in the prime
of life. 14 encounter, come or happen or hit upon, come across,
chance upon, discover, stumble on, find: The news is that
they've struck oil in the North Sea. 15 revolt, rebel, mutiny,
walk out (of or off the job): The machinists struck at
midnight, bringing the industry to a halt. 16 strike on or upon.
dream up, devise, conjure up, improvise, work out, invent,
contrive, come up with, hit on or upon, arrive at: The
alchemist never did strike upon a way to turn lead into gold.
17 strike out. a fail, get nowhere, Colloq US miss the boat,
flop, come a cropper, Slang US blow it, blow the gaff, come to
nothing or naught or nought: Tim always strikes out when it
comes to girls. b See 5, above. 18 strike up. (cause to) begin
or start or commence: The band struck up. We struck up an
acquaintance aboard ship.
--n. 19 attack, assault: A dawn air strike is planned. 20
walk-out, sit-down (strike), job action, slow-down, go-slow,
work-to-rule: They will call a strike if negotiations break
down.
striking adj. remarkable, astounding, astonishing, amazing, wondrous,
awe-inspiring, awesome, stunning, impressive, imposing,
fabulous, out of the ordinary, unusual, rare, exceptional,
marvellous, extraordinary, magnificent, superb, splendid,
stupendous, Colloq great, smashing, Slang old-fashioned Brit
ripping, ripsnorting, top-hole, topping: I met the most
striking girl at the golf club.
string n. 1 line, cord, thread, twine, fibre, rope, cable, ligament,
strand, filament: To fly a kite one needs the right weight of
string. 2 leash, lead, leader: Why does he let her drag him
around on the end of a string? 3 line, row, series, sequence,
succession, chain, procession, stream, train, file, Chiefly Brit
queue: A string of coincidences led to their meeting again
after twenty years. 4 necklace, chain, loop, strand, dog-collar,
choker, chaplet, wreath, riviЉre, Archaic carcanet: In her hair
was a string of pearls. 5 pull strings or wires. use or exert
influence, Colloq throw one's weight around: He had to pull
strings to get his son a job on the paper. 6 pull the strings.
be in control, control, run, operate, dominate, be in command,
be in the driver's seat, hold the reins, manipulate: She is the
one who pulls the strings when it comes to new investments. 7
strings. conditions, stipulations, provisos, qualifications,
requirements, prerequisites, terms, obligations, limitations,
provisions, musts, Colloq catches: I might have known that
there would be strings attached to their offer of a free holiday
in Corfu.
--v. 8 thread, join: The children were busy stringing beads to
make necklaces. 9 Often, string together or up. loop, festoon,
link, drape, suspend, sling, hang, array, concatenate, chain
together: At holiday time, coloured lights are strung round the
town square. 10 string along. a follow, go along (with),
agree, concur, collaborate: I said I would string along with
the plan for the time being. b keep waiting or dangling, keep
on a string, keep on tenterhooks, Colloq play fast and loose
with (someone): She's just stringing you along till her
boyfriend comes back. c fool, deceive, bluff, dupe, cheat,
trick, hoax, Colloq take someone for a ride, put one or
something over on (someone): They strung Harold along for
months before they made off with his life savings. 11 string
out. a stretch, reach, extend: The line of refugees strung out
as far as one could see. b delay, postpone, drag out, protract,
spin out: He strung out the repayment for as long as possible.
12 string up. hang, lynch: He knew that if the jury didn't
convict him the townspeople would string him up.
stringy adj. fibrous, chewy, sinewy, gristly, ropy, leathery, tough:
The beef was somewhat stringy and the potatoes were overcooked.
strip° n. band, ribbon, fillet, belt, swath or swathe, stripe: She
wore a strip of embroidered silk tied round her head. They began
farming the strip of land near the lake.
stripэ v. 1 peel, skin, bare, uncover, denude, lay bare, decorticate,
excoriate, flay: The woodwork will need stripping before you
repaint it. 2 disrobe, undress, get undressed, unclothe, strip
down to nothing or to the skin or to the buff or to (one's)
birthday suit, take off or peel off or divest (oneself) of or
shed (one's) clothes or clothing, get naked: The doctor told me
to go behind the screen and strip. 3 (do a) striptease, US work
the runway: Sugar Caine says she enjoys stripping for an
appreciative audience. 4 remove, take away, confiscate, seize,
expropriate, Slang rip off: He was accused of stripping the
assets from the companies he purchased. 5 rob, pillage,
despoil, plunder, ransack, loot, sack: Armies could be raised
only by letting them strip the cities they conquered.
stripe n. 1 band, bar, striation, strip, streak, line, stroke, slash,
length: Each railway car has a bright orange stripe along each
side. 2 style, kind, sort, class, type, complexion, character,
nature, description, persuasion, kidney, feather: These new
students are of a completely different stripe.
striped adj. streaked, lined, striated: Why not wear your striped
dress to the party?
stripling n. lad, boy, adolescent, juvenile, minor, schoolboy, youngster,
teenager, youth, young fellow or man, fledgling, Dialect
gossoon, young 'un, Archaic hobbledehoy: The police cadet was a
callow youth, a mere stripling.
strive v. 1 endeavour, strain, struggle, make every effort, attempt,
try (hard), do one's best or utmost, exert oneself, work at,
Colloq give (it) one's all, go all out: Jim strove to keep his
self-control. Jennie strives for perfection in all she does. 2
compete, contend, fight: One must often strive against
unbelievable odds to achieve a goal.
stroke n. 1 blow, rap, tap, thump, knock, smack, whack, swipe, slam,
strike, Colloq wallop: One stroke of the hammer and the nail
went in. 2 action, motion, go, move, movement, feat,
achievement: She won the leading role and defeated her shyness
at one stroke. 3 flourish, movement, gesture; mark, dash,
Colloq splash: With a stroke of the pen the man's fate was
sealed. 4 beat, throb, pulse, pulsation, thump: His heart was
beating at exactly 72 strokes a minute. 5 attack, seizure, fit,
apoplexy, apoplectic fit, spasm, paralytic attack or fit;
Technical embolism, thrombosis, cerebrovascular accident,
aneurysm: Gerry has been incapacitated since he had a stroke.
6 pat, touch, caress: A few strokes of her fingers on my brow
and the headache was gone. 7 achievement, accomplishment, feat,
act, action, work; example; touch: Your idea of having a jazz
concert to raise money is a stroke of genius. 8 bit, jot or
tittle, scrap, iota, touch, stitch, hint, suggestion: You
haven't done a stroke of work all morning. 9 occurrence,
happening, matter: It was just a stroke of luck that I came
along when I did.
--v. 10 caress, pet, pat, fondle; massage, rub, soothe: His
heart beat faster when she stroked his hand lightly with her
fingertips.
stroll v. 1 amble, saunter, ramble, walk, wander, promenade, meander,
stray, Colloq mosey: I think I'll stroll over and buy a
newspaper.
--n. 2 amble, ramble, saunter, walk, wander, promenade,
meander, constitutional: Father rarely missed his Sunday stroll
in the park.
strong adj. 1 powerful, muscular, mighty, brawny, strapping, robust,
sturdy, stalwart, burly, stout, sinewy, athletic, wiry, Colloq
beefy, hefty, husky: He was so strong he carried both wounded
men 500 yards to safety. 2 powerful, concentrated, intense,
pungent, potent, sharp, piquant, acrid, heady, penetrating,
aromatic, fragrant, hot, spicy: There was a strong odour of
ammonia. The flavour is a little too strong for my taste. 3
smelly, odoriferous, noisome, stinking, foul, mephitic, miasmic,
putrid, putrescent, rotten: There is a strong smell of rotting
flesh. 4 concentrated, undiluted, potent, intensified: How can
you drink such strong coffee and still sleep? 5 vigorous,
active, dynamic, energetic, eager, unflagging, tireless,
unfailing, diligent, indefatigable, staunch, true-blue,
steadfast, dedicated, enthusiastic, ardent, fervent, fervid,
vehement, rabid, zealous, resolute, determined, unwavering,
unswerving, firm, uncompromising, regular, persistent,
tenacious, sedulous, assiduous, hard-working: We could use
other strong party supporters like Sandy. 6 competent,
talented, skilled, qualified, knowledgeable, able, experienced,
well-versed, trained, efficient, capable: We are looking for
someone who is particularly strong in writing advertising copy.
7 influential, persuasive, convincing, compelling, trenchant,
unmistakable or unmistakeable, telling, great, profound;
effective, efficacious, effectual, powerful, formidable: His
evidence had a strong effect on the jury. She was taking very
strong medicine for her migraine. 8 well-supported, irrefutable,
well-substantiated, cogent, forceful, substantial, convincing,
conclusive: The police made out a very strong case against her
for premeditated murder. 9 well-established, well-founded,
redoubtable, substantial, powerful, formidable: The position
inside the fortress was quite strong. 10 likely, definite,
substantial, good, better than average, reasonable, sizeable:
There is a strong possibility that she will be elected. Sales of
cars were strong during the first quarter. 11 stable, sound,
solvent, prosperous, flourishing, thriving, affluent: The
economists think that the economy will remain strong. 12 solid,
sturdy, substantial, tough, well-built, reinforced, heavy-duty,
durable; hard-wearing: Is the cage strong enough to hold the
beast? 13 drastic, extreme, Draconian, high-handed, severe,
forceful, rigorous, harsh, stringent, aggressive, strenuous,
stiff, tough, Colloq hard-nosed: We had to resort to strong
measures. 14 numerous, large, considerable, great; numerically,
in number, in strength: They arrived on the battlefield with a
strong force of ten thousand men. Their army was ten thousand
strong. 15 vivid, graphic, etched, engraved, imprinted,
impressed; definite, clear-cut, clear, pronounced, distinct,
striking, marked: The memory of her embrace was still strong in
my mind. He bears a strong resemblance to his brother. 16
wilful, aggressive, combative, defensive, difficult, assertive,
incisive, dogmatic, doctrinaire, opinionated, self-willed,
hard-headed, strong-minded, recalcitrant, stubborn, obstinate,
emphatic, Colloq pushy: One cannot deny that Caroline has a
strong personality. 17 vigorous, forceful, powerful, heavy:
Strong winds lashed the west coast last night. 18 rugged,
craggy, rough, weather-beaten: She was attracted by Martin's
strong, suntanned good looks. 19 dazzling, glaring, bright,
garish, brilliant, vivid, bold, blinding: The strong sunlight
made her her blink. Shocking pink is too strong a colour for a
small room. 20 urgent, strongly-worded, emphatic, assertive: A
proposal to repeal the tax was met by strong protests. 21
unvarying, the same, steady, stable, firm, balanced: The market
has remained strong all day. 22 emotional, deep-felt,
deep-rooted, basic, intense, fervent, passionate, deep, earnest:
Doris has very strong feelings on the subject of feminism.
--adv. 23 overbearingly, overenthusiastically, offensively,
aggressively, antagonistically, truculently: He always comes on
a bit strong when he's enthusiastic about something.
strong-arm
adj. threatening, menacing, bullying, high-pressure, thuggish,
violent, brutal, brutish, aggressive, terrorizing, terrorist,
intimidating, minacious: The gang use strong-arm tactics to
force shopkeepers to buy protection.
stronghold
n. fortress, bulwark, bastion, fastness, fortification,
citadel: The eastern district was one of the last strongholds
of the Labour Party.
strong-minded
adj. strong-willed, obstinate, firm, determined,
uncompromising, resolute, resolved, independent: He found he
was dealing with a very strong-minded young woman.
structure n. 1 form, shape, configuration, organization, arrangement,
make-up, framework, order, design, formation, system, nature,
character: The career structure of the company has served as a
model for similar firms. 2 building, edifice, house,
construction: Planning regulations allow only a certain kind of
structure in the residential areas.
--v. 3 construct, build, organize, design, form, shape,
arrange, systematize: Their language seems to be structured in
an unusual way.
struggle v. 1 strive, strain, expend energy, exert oneself, labour,
endeavour, try, attempt: He struggled to keep his head above
water. 2 contend, fight, wrestle, battle: They struggled
against the twin odds of poverty and sickness. 3 wriggle,
wiggle, squirm, writhe, twist, worm: She finally struggled free
of the ropes.
--n. 4 effort, exertion, strain; toil, work, travail, labour,
drudgery, striving, struggling: Earning even a humble living
was a struggle in those days. Was the outcome worth the
struggle? 5 contention, competition, contest, battle, fight,
tussle, match, clash, encounter, strife: The struggle between
good and evil continues.
strut v. swagger, parade, promenade, peacock, prance: She goes
strutting about the office as if she were the boss.
stub n. 1 butt, end, stump, tail (end), remnant, Colloq Brit
fag-end: He produced a stub of pencil from his pocket and began
to make notes. 2 counterfoil; receipt: You will need your
ticket stub for any claim.
stubborn adj. obstinate, unyielding, inflexible, intransigent,
intractable, uncompromising, mulish, pigheaded, refractory,
wayward, adamant, recalcitrant, bull-headed, persistent,
tenacious, pertinacious, unrelenting, dogged, determined: He
remains stubborn in his refusal to join the group.
student n. 1 pupil, learner, scholar, undergraduate, schoolboy,
schoolgirl, schoolchild, trainee, apprentice, disciple; Colloq
Brit swot or swotter or swat, US grind: Only students of
advanced standing are admitted to this class. 2 devotee,
follower, admirer, observer, evaluator, commentator, critic:
Nicole is a perceptive student of human nature.
studied adj. premeditated, deliberate, calculated, planned,
intentional, wilful, well-thought-out, conscious, contrived,
feigned, forced, laboured: He treated even the greatest crisis
with a studied air of insouciance.
studious adj. 1 assiduous, sedulous, diligent, industrious, attentive,
careful, painstaking, thorough, tireless: Miniaturists must pay
studious attention to detail. 2 scholarly, bookish, academic:
She refused to allow her athletic achievements to interfere with
her studious pursuits.
study v. 1 learn (about), read, con, memorize, burn the midnight oil,
lucubrate, Colloq bone up (on), cram, Brit swot or swat, mug up:
I want to study music. She has to study for an exam. 2
contemplate, consider, reflect on, think over or about, ruminate
on, chew over, turn over, weigh, ponder, deliberate over or on
or about, muse about or on, mull over, meditate on or about or
over: I want to study the problem before deciding what to do.
3 look or go into or over, look at, scan, examine, analyse,
inspect, investigate, scrutinize, survey, observe: The crime
squad studied every square inch of the murder scene. Avoiding
the issue as usual, Joyce silently studied her fingernails.
--n. 4 analysis, review, examination, survey, inquiry or
enquiry, investigation, scrutiny, research, exploration:
Government funds are paying for a study of the ecosystem of the
Norfolk Broads. 5 learning, lessons, bookwork, work, reading,
contemplation, investigation, Colloq boning up, cramming, Brit
swotting or swatting: The study of anthropology is what led him
to his theory of linguistic universals. 6 library, reading or
writing-room, sanctum (sanctorum), haunt, studio, retreat, den,
workroom, office: Let's go into the study and talk business.
stuff n. 1 substance, material, matter, fabric, ingredients, essence,
essentials, fundamentals, building blocks, makings: This is the
stuff that dreams are made on. Is hydrogen the basic stuff of
the universe? 2 equipment, goods, gear, trappings, kit, tackle,
accessories, paraphernalia, accoutrements or US also
accouterments, effects, belongings, possessions, things, bits
and pieces, impedimenta, baggage, property, chattels, furniture,
Brit lumber, Colloq junk, rubbish, crap, Brit clobber, Taboo
slang shit: Graham left all his stuff with his mother when he
went west. 3 spirit, attitude, grit, substance, makings,
talent(s), abilities, capabilities, qualities, attributes: Is
Simon the stuff of which commandos are made? 4 nonsense, trash,
rubbish, stuff and nonsense, twaddle, humbug, bunkum, tommy-rot,
balderdash, Colloq rot, garbage, bunk, tripe, poppycock, crap,
malarkey, boloney or baloney, bosh, hogwash, swill, claptrap,
piffle, hot air, flapdoodle, fiddle-faddle, codswallop, bull, US
horse feathers, Taboo slang bullshit, horseshit: You don't
believe all that stuff you've been reading about me, do you? 5
creations, accomplishments, things, works, materials, matter:
Without the attributions, I'd have trouble telling their stuff
apart.
--v. 6 jam, ram, cram, crowd, compress, pack, press, squeeze,
squash, shove, thrust, force: You couldn't stuff another
handkerchief into that suitcase. 7 line, fill, pack: Stuff the
chicken with the following mixture. 8 overeat, gorge,
overindulge, gormandize, gluttonize, Colloq make a pig or a hog
of oneself: They really stuffed themselves at the wedding
reception. 9 stuff up. clog, plug, obstruct, choke, block (up),
stop or US also pack up: Phone the plumber: the drain is
stuffed up again. The cold had given her a headache and a
stuffed-up nose.
stuffy adj. 1 close, airless, unventilated, oppressive, stifling,
suffocating, stale, musty, fusty, mouldy, mildewy, muggy, fetid
or foetid, frowzy or frouzy or frowsy, Brit frowsty: It was
stuffy in the ancient tomb. 2 pompous, pedantic,
self-important, self-centred, stodgy, old-fogyish or
old-fogeyish, old-fashioned, strait-laced, staid, conventional,
prim (and proper), priggish, niminy-piminy, stilted, stiff,
rigid, Colloq fuddy-duddy, uptight: What a bore to be trapped
for an entire evening with those stuffy old codgers!
stumble v. 1 falter, blunder, slip, trip, miss one's footing, stagger,
lurch, flounder: Minnie caught her heel in the grating and
stumbled. 2 falter, pause, hesitate, trip, slip, blunder: He
was very nervous and stumbled his way through his speech. 3
stumble on or upon. chance or come or happen on or upon, hit
upon, come or run across, find, discover, encounter, Colloq bump
into: I stumbled on a great new pub when I was out on Saturday.
stumbling-block
n. impediment, obstacle, bar, block, obstruction, hurdle,
hindrance, barrier, difficulty, snag: It was often labour
unions that proved the stumbling-blocks to technological
progress.
stump n. 1 stub, butt, end: The branches were lopped off, leaving
only the stumps.
--v. 2 mystify, confuse, perplex, bewilder, flummox, foil,
puzzle, baffle, confound, dumbfound or dumfound, stop, stymie,
nonplus, bring up short: I am completely stumped as to how the
trick was done. 3 campaign, electioneer, canvass, US and
Canadian barnstorm: The candidates are out stumping in the farm
areas in Iowa. 4 stump up. pay up or out, contribute, donate,
Colloq cough up, chip in, shell or fork out: Everyone at the
office stumped up for Peter's leaving present.
stun n. 1 daze, numb, benumb, knock out: I was stunned by an
unexpected blow to the solar plexus. 2 astonish, daze,
paralyse, stagger, stupefy, overcome, overwhelm, astound, jar,
shock, jolt, strike dumb, amaze, confound, bewilder, take
(someone's) breath away, Colloq shake up, bowl over,
discombobulate, flabbergast: The children were stunned to hear
that their mother had been arrested.
stunning adj. 1 stupefying, paralysing, staggering, benumbing, numbing;
knockout: Another stunning punch to the head and McGinty went
down. 2 beautiful, dazzling, brilliant, gorgeous, spectacular,
ravishing, sensational, extraordinary, remarkable, marvellous,
stupendous, fabulous, wonderful, superb, grand, divine,
heavenly, sublime, lovely, exquisite, glorious, astonishing,
astounding, amazing, striking, splendid, staggering,
overpowering, mind-boggling, earth-shaking, magnificent: There
stood the most stunning creature I had ever laid eyes on. The
team won a stunning victory in the county tournament.
stunt° n. caper, act, deed, feat, tour de force, exploit, trick, US
dido: The dangerous stunts are done by a stand-in for the star.
stuntэ v. stop, limit, delimit, restrict, check, arrest, put an end
to, end; impede, hamper, hinder, slow, retard: My parents
always told me that smoking would stunt my growth.
stunted adj. dwarfed, shrunken, undersized, small, tiny, diminutive,
little, wee: We saw a bonsai - a stunted Japanese potted tree -
that was hundreds of years old.
stupid adj. 1 unintelligent, fatuous, obtuse, bovine, dull, dense,
lumpish, doltish, simple, simple-minded, moronic, imbecilic,
cretinous, Boeotian, subnormal, feeble-minded, weak-minded,
stolid, dull-witted, dim, dim-witted, halfwitted, thick,
thick-witted, thickheaded, slow-witted, witless, brainless,
mindless, empty-headed, bird-brained, feather-brained,
feather-headed, rattle-brained, rattle-headed, ox-like,
boneheaded, addle-pated, addle-headed, addled, Chiefly Brit
imbecile, Chiefly US dumb, jerky, thimble-witted, Colloq dopey,
Brit dozy: He seemed really stupid in comparison with his
precocious younger sister. 2 foolish, silly, frivolous, asinine,
hare-brained, crazy, insane, mad, crack-brained, scatterbrained,
absurd, inane, idiotic, ridiculous, risible, laughable,
ludicrous, nonsensical, senseless, bootless, irresponsible,
irrational, ill-advised, foolhardy, half-baked, Colloq cuckoo,
cock-eyed, damn-fool, Chiefly Brit daft, barmy or balmy, US
cockamamie or cockamamy: He came up with one stupid plan after
another. 3 insipid, dull, tedious, boring, tiresome, humdrum,
prosaic, monotonous, unimaginative, uninspired, uninteresting,
vapid, vacuous, Colloq ho-hum: Most sitcoms feature stupid
characters doing stupid things.
stupidity n. 1 fatuity, obtuseness, dullness, denseness, lumpishness,
doltishness, simplicity, simple-mindedness, imbecility,
cretinism, feeble-mindedness, weak-mindedness, stolidity,
dull-wittedness, dimness, dim-wittedness, halfwittedness,
thick-wittedness, slow-wittedness, thimble-wittedness,
witlessness, brainlessness, mindlessness, empty-headedness,
feather-headedness, rattle-headedness, boneheadedness: In
public affairs stupidity is more dangerous than knavery. 2
foolishness, folly, asininity, craziness, insanity, madness,
absurdity, absurdness, inanity, idiocy, ridiculousness,
risibility, ludicrousness, nonsense, senselessness,
bootlessness, irresponsibility, irrationality, foolhardiness:
The stupidity of such a venture is obvious when you consider the
enormous risk and the minuscule return.
stupor n. insensibility, stupefaction, torpor, lethargy, listlessness,
languor, laziness, lassitude, lifelessness, supineness, inertia;
inertness, coma, trance, unconsciousness, numbness: His stupor
might be caused by the medication he is taking for his cold.
sturdy adj. 1 strong, solid, stout, rugged, tough, well-built,
substantial; strapping, muscular, powerful, brawny, burly,
robust, well-muscled, athletic, hardy, Colloq husky, hefty:
This ladder should be sturdy enough to hold you. James got that
sturdy build from exercise. 2 stalwart, staunch, steadfast,
resolute, firm, vigorous, determined, uncompromising,
unyielding, unwavering, unswerving, unfaltering, enduring,
indomitable: One must admire her sturdy independence in the
face of all that criticism.
style n. 1 type, kind, variety, category, genre, sort, manner, mode,
make, design, fashion, look, period, pattern, configuration,
line, cut, shape, form: That style of jacket looks really good
on you. They are planning to build the house in the pointed
Gothic style. 2 fashion, trend, vogue, mode, look, rage, craze,
Colloq fad, (latest) thing: The current style is for shorter
skirts. 3 luxury, high style, comfort, opulence, splendour,
elegance: Now that he's won all that money, they live in style
on the Costa Smeralda. 4 chic, stylishness, taste, smartness,
flair, dash, ‚lan, panache, cachet, tastefulness,
fashionableness, elegance, refinement, polish, sophistication,
sophisticatedness, cosmopolitanism, Colloq pizazz; ritziness:
Irena has more style in her little finger than you have in your
whole body. 5 quality, character, mode of expression, approach,
treatment, vein, colouring, spirit, mood, form, technique;
tenor, tone, wording, phraseology, phrasing, language,
vocabulary, word choice, diction, sentence structure: The
pointillist style of painting appeals to many. His style of
writing is reminiscent of Stevenson's. 6 in style. See stylish,
below.
--v. 7 characterize, designate, denominate, call, name, term,
label, tag, brand: The use of the indicative for the
subjunctive is no longer styled a solecism in British English. 8
fashion, design, arrange, set, do, cut, tailor, shape, form:
Antoine styled my hair in a page-boy for the reception.
stylish adj. chic, fashionable, smart, … la mode, modish, in style or
fashion or vogue, elegant; chichi; Colloq in, with it, swanky,
Chiefly Brit trendy, Slang swell, neat, classy, snazzy, US
spiffy: Nicole always looks so stylish.
stymie v. thwart, obstruct, block, frustrate, snooker, defeat, spike,
ruin, foil, confound, stump, nonplus, hinder, impede, Colloq
flummox: The government has stymied all efforts to have him
extradited.
styptic adj. astringent: The styptic effect of alum stops bleeding.
suave adj. debonair, sophisticated, urbane, cosmopolitan, worldly,
smooth, gracious, nonchalant, civilized, cultivated, courteous,
diplomatic, polite, charming, agreeable, affable, bland:
Fictional detectives range from the suave Simon Templar to the
earthy Philip Marlowe.
subconscious
adj. 1 subliminal, unconscious, suppressed, hidden, latent,
repressed, inner, innermost, underlying, deep-rooted, Colloq
Freudian: Despite his belligerence, he has a subconscious
desire to be loved.
--n. 2 (collective) unconscious, inner self; heart: Her
subconscious tells her that all confined areas are dangerous.
subdue v. 1 put or beat down, quell, repress, suppress, quash, crush,
control, master, overpower, gain mastery or control or the upper
hand over, get the better of, dominate, triumph over, hold or
keep in check, bridle, tame: Having subdued the uprising,
government forces are again in control. 2 conquer, vanquish,
defeat, overcome: The Mongol horde subdued all the people in
their path. 3 quiet(en) or tone down, moderate, mellow, temper,
soften, soft-pedal, check, curb, control: His anger was subdued
by her calm words.
subdued adj. 1 quiet, mellow(ed), toned down, moderate(d), tempered,
hushed, muted, low-key, unenthusiastic, repressed, restrained,
peaceful, tranquil, placid, calm(ed), temperate, reserved:
There was a little subdued criticism at first, but the bill was
passed. 2 chastened, sober, sobered, solemn, saddened, dejected,
sad, down in the mouth, crestfallen, downcast, grave, serious:
He looked subdued when he emerged from the headmaster's office.
subject n. 1 (subject-)matter, topic; issue, theme, angle, thesis,
gist, substance, business, affair, point: What is the subject
of conversation today? The subject under discussion was of
crucial importance. 2 course (of study), field, area,
discipline, branch of knowledge: In which subject did Frank
take his doctorate? 3 cause, ground(s), motive, reason, basis,
source, rationale; excuse: Increased taxes are always a subject
of complaint. 4 participant, case, guinea-pig, testee: The
subjects of the experiment were all in their thirties. 5
citizen, national; taxpayer, voter; liegeman, vassal: She
became a British subject after her marriage to Frank.
--adj. 6 Usually, subject to. exposed (to), open (to),
vulnerable (to), susceptible (to), prone (to), disposed (to), at
the mercy (of), liable (to suffer or undergo): She is subject
to asthma attacks. This kind of wood is subject to worm
infestation. 7 discussed, under discussion, referred to, above:
The subject book was not returned before the due date. 8
subject to. a answerable to, responsible for, bound by,
obedient to, subservient to, submissive to, controlled by, under
the control of: You are subject to the same laws as everyone
else. b dependent on, conditional on, contingent on: All leave
is subject to the approval of the departmental head.
--v. 9 subject to. expose, lay open, submit, put through,
impose on, cause to undergo: How could anyone subject another
human being to such cruelty? 10 conquer, subjugate, dominate,
subdue, enslave, enthral, crush, humble: The peoples subjected
by the Romans sometimes fared better than when independent.
subjection
n. subordination, domination, conquest, subjugation,
enslavement, enthralment, humbling, humiliation: Their goal was
the subjection of all peoples in the Mediterranean area.
subjective
adj. 1 personal, individual, idiosyncratic; prejudiced, biased:
His review of the play was entirely subjective. 2 self-centred,
egoistic, egocentric, selfish, self-serving: Your approach is
much too subjective to be of interest to others.
--n. 3 Technical nominative: The subjective of 'me' is 'I'.
subjugate v. dominate, enslave, enthral, crush, humble, subject, oppress,
suppress, put down, tyrannize, subdue, reduce, quell, overcome,
overpower, make subservient or submissive, humble, humiliate:
Few peoples have been subjugated so ignominiously as the
American Indians.
sublimate v. transmute, alter, transform; channel, divert: He sublimates
his aggressions by jogging and marathon running.
sublime adj. 1 lofty, high, supreme, exalted, elevated, empyrean or
empyreal, heavenly, noble, glorious, grand, high-minded;
honourable, ennobled, eminent, glorified, beatified, canonized,
sanctified, great, good: Her poetry evokes sublime emotions. 2
awesome, overwhelming, inspiring, mind-boggling, overpowering,
humbling, awe-inspiring, majestic, splendid, empyrean: The
architecture of the cathedral was truly sublime.
subliminal
adj. subconscious, unconscious, suggestive: Advertisers know
that subliminal techniques can be very effective in TV
commercials.
submerge v. 1 plunge, submerse, immerse, inundate, dip, wash, soak,
drench, saturate, wet, douse, Colloq dunk: To cleanse, submerge
the garment in a basin of warm water for ten minutes. 2 dive,
plunge, go down, descend, sink, sound, plummet: The order to
submerge was given as soon as the planes were spotted. 3 flood,
immerse, inundate, swamp, bury, engulf, overwhelm, deluge,
drown; conceal, hide, camouflage, obscure, cloak, veil, shroud:
He was quickly submerged under an enormous pile of
correspondence.
submission
n. 1 concession, acquiescence, capitulation, surrender,
yielding, deference, giving in, obedience, compliance,
resignation, submissiveness, tractability; meekness, docility,
passivity, timidity, unassertiveness: After years of oppression
their abject submission to a new tyrant was not altogether
surprising. 2 submittal, offering, tender, contribution, entry:
Submissions for the essay competition should be sent to the
address given below.
submissive
adj. 1 yielding, acquiescent, deferential, compliant, obedient,
tractable, amenable, agreeable, accommodating, passive,
unresisting, pliant, flexible, manageable, unassertive, docile,
meek, timid, resigned, uncomplaining: As a child she was very
submissive but she rebelled in adolescence. 2 obsequious,
abject, subservient, servile, humble, deferential, slavish,
ingratiating, truckling, biddable, sycophantic, toadying, Colloq
boot-licking, Taboo slang brown-nosing, Brit arse-kissing,
arse-licking, US ass-kissing, ass-licking: She keeps a few
submissive lackeys about to do her bidding.
submit v. 1 Often, submit to. surrender (to), yield (to), capitulate
(to), give in or up (to), comply (with), agree (to), concede
(to), consent (to), accede (to), defer (to), bow or bend (to),
succumb (to), truckle (to), knuckle under (to), resign (oneself)
(to), be or become resigned (to); respect, accept, Colloq put up
with: Despite the threats, he refused to submit. The government
eventually submitted to the union's demands. 2 offer, proffer,
tender, enter, propose, present: Many of the suggestions that
Alan submitted have been accepted.
subordinate
adj. 1 Often, subordinate to. minor; inferior (to), lower
(than), lesser (than), secondary (to), second (to), junior (to),
subsidiary (to); next to, below, beneath, under: He had to
accept a subordinate position in the new company. His new job is
subordinate to that of purchasing director.
--n. 2 assistant, aide, junior, subaltern, staff member;
underling, hireling, inferior, lackey, servant, slave, vassal;
Colloq US staffer: She is a subordinate to the editor-in-chief.
--v. 3 make (something) secondary: Too many subordinate
community interest to personal greed.
subscribe v. 1 Often, subscribe to. endorse, support, underwrite,
advocate, back (up), approve (of), agree (with or to), accept,
consent (to), assent (to), countenance, tolerate, condone,
allow, permit, brook: I sympathize with many of their arguments
but I cannot subscribe to terrorism. 2 Often, subscribe to.
contribute (to), support, give (to), donate (to), pledge,
promise, sign (up) (for), Colloq chip in (to or for): Mrs
Donaldson has subscribed thousands to Amnesty International.
subscription
n. 1 payment, remittance, investment; commitment, dues, fee,
price, cost: The subscription is now њ100 a year. 2
obligation, pledge, promise, underwriting: If we get enough
subscriptions, we shall be able to print the book.
subsequent
adj. 1 succeeding, following, ensuing, next, future, later,
successive; resultant, resulting, consequent: Subsequent
governments have failed to solve the problem.
--prep. 2 subsequent to. after, following, succeeding, in the
wake or aftermath of: Further problems arose subsequent to
their second term of office.
subsequently
adv. later (on), afterwards or US also afterward:
Subsequently, the law was changed to protect witnesses.
subside v. 1 sink (down), drop (down), go down, recede, descend,
decline; lower, settle: The waters of the swollen river
subsided. The volcano's centre subsided, leaving a caldera. 2
abate, quiet(en) (down), calm (down), moderate, let up,
decrease, diminish, lessen, die (down or off or out), pass
(away), wear off: His enthusiasm for sky-diving subsided a bit
after he broke both legs. When the clamour had subsided, the
president rose to speak.
subsidiary
adj. Often, subsidiary to. ancillary (to), secondary (to),
auxiliary (to), lesser (than), additional (to), supplementary or
supplemental (to), complementary (to), accessory (to),
subordinate (to), adjuvant (to): The company offers removal of
hazardous waste as a subsidiary service.
subsidize v. fund, finance, support, aid, sponsor, subvene, maintain,
underwrite; capitalize, Slang US and Canadian bankroll: Bill
and Sue can only afford to live in that big house because her
parents subsidize them.
subsidy n. funding, financing, subsidizing, sponsoring, sponsorship,
assistance, aid, contribution, support, grant, subvention,
maintenance, underwriting, capitalization: Farmers are hoping
for increased subsidies.
subsistence
n. 1 existence, living, survival, subsisting, being: You are
worried about buying beer when I feel my very subsistence
threatened! 2 food, rations, victuals, provision, sustenance,
board, nourishment, nutriment, aliment; maintenance, keep,
upkeep: We depend on your salary for our subsistence, so forget
about quitting your job.
substance n. 1 material, matter, stuff; fabric, composition, make-up:
She couldn't recognize the substance in the bottle. The comet's
substance is mainly ice and dirt. 2 essence, pith, heart, core,
gist, burden, theme, meat, kernel, nub, crux, sum total, sum and
substance, point, gravamen, haecceity, quintessence, quiddity:
Explain, in 500 or fewer words, the substance of Hegel's dispute
with Kant. 3 meaning, import, significance, purport,
signification, point: Our visit to San Francisco gave substance
to all we had read about it. 4 reality, corporeality, solidity,
actuality, concreteness: You must learn to deal with the
substance, not the shadows. 5 means, wealth, property,
possessions, riches, resources, affluence, assets: John Culver
was a citizen of some substance in this town.
substantial
adj. 1 material, considerable, significant, great, worthwhile,
consequential, ample, goodly, respectable, abundant, generous,
big, large, sizeable, major, Colloq tidy, healthy: We
understand that he made a substantial payment to keep his name
out of the papers. 2 strong, solid, well-built, durable, sound,
stout, sturdy; big, large, massive, huge, sizeable, impressive,
vast; numerous, numberless: A substantial mausoleum was
constructed for his family. A substantial crowd had gathered. 3
well-founded, sound, weighty, solid, well-established, telling,
good, valid, actual: Many economists produced substantial
arguments in favour of another cut in interest rates. 4 wealthy,
well-to-do, rich, affluent, prosperous, profitable, successful;
landed, propertied: The Trevelyan Ironworks is a substantial
business, and Mr Trevelyan is one of our more substantial
businessmen.
substantially
adv. in substance, essentially, at bottom, fundamentally,
basically, in essence, intrinsically, in reality, at heart,
sincerely, truly, actually, in truth, veritably, indeed, in
fact, as a matter of fact; largely, to a large extent, in large
measure, materially, practically, in the main, for the most
part, mostly, virtually, to all intents and purposes; Archaic
verily: The article was substantially sound. Do you agree
substantially with the ruling of the court?
substantiate
v. confirm, affirm, corroborate, support, sustain, back up,
bear out, authenticate, show (clearly), prove, document, verify,
certify, validate: Do not make accusations that cannot be
substantiated by evidence.
substitute
v. 1 Sometimes, substitute for. replace, exchange, displace,
relieve, supplant; switch; take the place of, stand in for,
double for, Colloq sub for, cover for, swap or swop, US and
Canadian pinch-hit for: She substituted the real diamond with a
paste replica. I will substitute for you while you are away.
--n. 2 substitution, replacement, alternative, relief,
representative, deputy, delegate, stand-in, stand-by,
understudy, surrogate, succedaneum, Brit locum (tenens), US and
Canadian alternate: In those days a man could hire a substitute
to serve in his place in the militia.
substitution
n. 1 exchange, exchanging, change, changing, replacement,
replacing, supplanting, switch, switching, interchange,
interchanging, Colloq swap or swop, swapping or swopping: The
substitution of certain words distorted the sense. 2 See
substitute, 2, above.
substratum
n. substrate, foundation, underlayer, basis, fundament, base,
substructure, groundwork: The agreement rests on a substratum
of mutual trust and respect.
subterfuge
n. artifice, trick, device, stratagem, manoeuvre, ploy,
evasion, deception, dodge, feint, shift, excuse, expedient,
contrivance, intrigue: Although he told no lies, he used every
subterfuge to avoid telling the truth.
subtle adj. 1 delicate, fine, refined, exquisite, nice, Archaic
subtile: I became aware, almost subconsciously, of the subtle
odour of jasmine. These subtle shades of green are so peaceful.
2 abstruse, arcane, recondite, remote, deep, profound,
concealed, hidden, shadowy, nebulous, vague, obscure, veiled,
thin, airy, insubstantial, elusive, faint; sophistic(al): The
symbolism is so subtle as to be meaningful to the poet alone. A
subtle hint gave me to understand that I ought to go. 3 tricky,
shrewd, cunning, wily, sly, devious, crafty, smart, clever,
foxy, artful, scheming, designing, underhand(ed), deceptive,
Jesuitical, Machiavellian, ingenious, skilful, strategic,
insidious, casuistic, shifty, slick, slimy, Chiefly Brit smarmy:
You were a fool to allow that subtle serpent to insinuate
himself into your confidence.
subtlety n. 1 refinement, nicety, delicacy, exquisiteness, intricacy,
fineness, acuteness, elegance, sophistication: The subtlety of
the detail in this work is quite unique. One must admire the
subtlety of expression in her writing. 2 treachery, guile,
insidiousness, casuistry, cunning, artfulness, craftiness,
deviousness, slyness, deceptiveness: The subtlety of her
deception was revealed only after the war.
subtract v. 1 deduct, take away, take off, take (something) from: First
calculate the discount, then subtract it from the price. 2
Sometimes, subtract from. detract (from), diminish, take away
(from): Nothing could subtract from the exhilaration of that
moment.
subversion
n. overthrow, ruin, destruction, undermining, upheaval,
displacement: The dictator used extreme tactics to avoid the
subversion of his leadership.
subversive
adj. 1 subversionary, seditious, seditionary, treasonous,
treacherous, traitorous, revolutionary, insurrectionary: The
government regarded as subversive anything and anyone
disagreeing with their policies.
--n. 2 traitor, insurgent, saboteur, fifth-columnist,
collaborator, collaborationist, quisling, radical,
revolutionary, insurrectionist, insurrectionary; dissident,
defector: The security agencies were removing subversives from
sensitive jobs.
subvert v. overthrow, ruin, destroy, undermine, topple, demolish,
wreck, sabotage: The regime was subverted from within, not by
outside forces.
subway n. 1 Brit underground (railway), tube: She takes the subway to
work. 2 US tunnel, underpass: Use the subway to cross the road
in safety.
succeed v. 1 follow, come after, supervene: The end of the war in the
Pacific succeeded the surrender in Europe. 2 be successor (to),
follow, be heir (to), replace, take the place of, inherit or
take over from: Elizabeth I succeeded Mary in 1558. 3 Often,
succeed in or at. make good, thrive, prosper, flourish, be a
success, be successful, progress, advance, get ahead or on,
attain or gain or achieve success, win, triumph, Colloq make it,
arrive, get to the top: Has she succeeded in persuading you to
sing? He always wanted to make a lot of money and now he has
succeeded. They have succeeded at whatever they have tried.
success n. 1 good or happy result or outcome, good fortune,
achievement, triumph, attainment, ascendancy, prosperity: The
success of the fast food business is evident everywhere. 2
star, celebrity, (big) name, sensation: She was a great success
as a singer, dancer, and actress.
successful
adj. 1 wealthy, rich, prosperous, fortunate, lucky,
flourishing, thriving, prospering, well-to-do, affluent, Colloq
loaded, well-heeled, flush, in the money, US well-fixed: He is
a very successful investor. 2 lucrative, booming, profitable,
fruitful, moneymaking, remunerative: The shares they bought
proved to be a successful investment. How successful was last
year for the company? 3 famous, well-known, famed, celebrated,
renowned, eminent; prominent, pre-eminent, popular, leading,
top, best-selling: Constance is one of our most successful
poets. That book of mine was also successful. 4 victorious,
triumphant; first; winning: Henry was successful in his bid for
the chairmanship. I want to see a successful conclusion to the
tour.
succession
n. 1 passing (on), handing down or on, transmittal,
transmission, transfer, transferral, shift, conveyance,
conveyancing: According to her will, the succession of the
property is via her first-born. 2 sequence, progression, order,
series, turn, course, flow, chain, train, procession: The
succession of events was as he described. 3 accession,
assumption, attainment, elevation, promotion; inheritance: What
was the year of Charles II's succession to the Spanish throne?
4 lineage, descent, birthright, dynasty, ancestry, descendants,
bloodline: The 18th century began with the War of the Spanish
Succession. 5 in succession. one after or behind the other, at
intervals, successively, consecutively, in a row, running,
without interruption, uninterruptedly, in order, in line: They
published several historical novels in quick succession.
successive
adj. uninterrupted, continuous, unbroken, continual,
consecutive, succeeding: Last season he scored in sixteen
successive matches.
succinct adj. compact, brief, concise, pithy, terse, short, compressed,
condensed, epigrammatic: He prefers a succinct style of
writing, one that gets to the point.
succulent adj. juicy, rich, luscious, mouth-watering, toothsome: He was
eating a succulent peach with evident enjoyment.
succumb v. yield, give up, give way, surrender, accede, submit,
capitulate: I finally succumbed and agreed to their request for
help.
sucker n. dupe, goat, gull, victim, butt, cat's-paw, fool, Colloq
(easy) mark, easy or fair game, chump, pushover, soft touch,
Chiefly US and Canadian fall guy, Slang sap, pigeon, Brit mug,
Chiefly US and Canadian patsy: He's asking far too much for his
car, but some sucker will buy it.
sudden adj. unexpected, unannounced, unanticipated, unforeseen;
unwonted, surprising, startling; precipitate, abrupt, quick,
immediate, rapid, swift, brisk; impetuous, hasty, rash,
impulsive: His sudden turn caught us off balance. Your change
of heart was quite sudden.
suddenly adv. 1 in a flash or a moment or a split second, all at once,
instantly, instantaneously, momentarily, fleetingly, in the
twinkling of an eye, in a trice; quickly, abruptly, swiftly,
speedily, rapidly: Suddenly, my whole life flashed before me.
He suddenly realized why the head of MI6 had summoned him. 2 all
of a sudden, out of the blue, unexpectedly, without warning, on
the spur of the moment, hastily, hurriedly, feverishly:
Suddenly, she turned on her heel and stormed out.
sue v. 1 proceed or move or act (against), take (legal) action or
bring suit or prefer charges (against); summon(s), charge,
accuse: He threatened to sue. They are suing him for the
injuries they sustained. 2 petition, beg, plead, entreat, pray,
request, solicit, apply, beseech, implore, supplicate: After
five years of constant warfare, the country is suing for peace.
suffer v. 1 Sometimes, suffer from or with. agonize, smart, hurt,
writhe, sweat, ache: He is suffering with a stomach virus. How
terribly they suffered when their child was kidnapped! 2 endure,
undergo, experience, bear, live or go through, tolerate,
withstand, sustain, take, submit to, abide, submit to, Colloq
put up with: He suffered years of ill-health before he finally
died. 3 allow, tolerate, permit, let, admit, humour, indulge:
They suffer the storks to build their nests on their chimneys.
4 deteriorate, diminish, decline, go down, fall off, be reduced
or diminished: If you discontinue advertising, sales will
suffer.
suffering n. pain, agony, distress, misery, affliction, hardship,
torment, torture, tribulation, trial: The man's suffering is
written in his face.
suffice v. satisfy, serve, do, be sufficient or enough or adequate,
answer, sate, satiate, quench: If you are merely thirsty, water
should suffice.
sufficient
adj. adequate, enough: Have we sufficient food to last through
the winter?
suffix n. 1 ending, desinence, addition; affix: The suffix -ness is
added to many English adjectives to form nouns.
--v. 2 add (on), join, fasten to, subjoin, amend, Colloq tack
on: One can suffix -ness to a huge number of adjectives to form
nouns.
suffrage n. (right to) vote, voting right(s), franchise, voice, say,
ballot, option, choice: They campaigned for universal adult
suffrage.
suffuse v. overspread, imbue, pour or spread over, bathe, cover,
permeate, pervade, flood, flush, penetrate, saturate, mantle,
infuse, transfuse, imbrue or embrue: A rosy glow suffused her
face.
suggest v. 1 propose, advance, recommend, urge, advocate, support,
offer, proffer, put or set forward, present, mention, introduce:
He suggested going out to a pub for dinner. Can you suggest an
alternative? 2 call to mind, bring up, hint (at), imply,
insinuate, intimate, make one think, lead one to believe,
indicate: His silence suggested that this was not the right
time to pursue the matter.
suggestible
adj. impressionable, susceptible, receptive, impressible,
susceptive, open, mouldable, fictile: Patricia was very
suggestible at that age and readily believed everything that she
was told.
suggestion
n. 1 proposal, proposition, recommendation, plan, advice,
counsel, idea, notion, opinion; prompting, urging: The
committee rejected your suggestion that membership fees should
be increased. 2 indication, trace, whisper, insinuation,
innuendo, implication, intimation, hint, soup‡on, touch, tinge,
suspicion, breath, iota, jot or tittle: There wasn't the
slightest suggestion of animosity in her criticism.
suggestive
adj. 1 Often, suggestive of. reminiscent (of), evocative (of),
indicative (of): To me, the smell of orange blossom is always
suggestive of southern California. 2 provocative, naughty,
risqu‚, ribald, off colour, racy, bawdy, earthy, lusty, rude,
indelicate, unseemly, immodest, improper, indecent, prurient,
blue, offensive, vulgar, smutty, dirty, pornographic, lewd,
salacious, Colloq sexy, spicy, Slang raunchy: He used to sing
his suggestive songs in night clubs.
suit v. 1 adapt, accommodate, fit, adjust, tailor, make appropriate
or suitable: It will require some reorganization to suit the
office space to our needs. 2 please, satisfy, fill (someone's)
needs, gratify, be acceptable or suitable or convenient to or
for, befit; conform to: Choose whichever room suits you. The
schedule does not suit my personal plans at all.
--n. 3 jacket and trousers or skirt, outfit, uniform, ensemble,
costume, habit; garb, clothing, clothes, livery: He showed up
wearing a new silk suit. 4 lawsuit, action, case, proceeding,
process, cause, trial; litigation: I do not want to enter into
a suit over the damage to my car. 5 petition, plea, request,
entreaty, prayer, solicitation, application, appeal,
supplication; courtship: The king rejected all suits for his
daughter's hand in marriage.
suitable adj. appropriate, apt, fit, fitting, befitting, becoming,
right, proper, correct, acceptable, satisfactory, applicable,
meet, seemly; timely, opportune: John has at last found
suitable employment. A chandelier is not suitable at all for
such a low room. Is this a suitable time for me to ask you a
favour?
suitcase n. bag, valise, overnight bag, holdall, grip or Brit handgrip,
Brit formerly portmanteau: She packed enough for a week's
holiday into one small suitcase.
suite n. 1 set, series, collection, number: They gave us a beautiful
suite of rooms at the hotel. 2 set: She bought a new suite of
dining-room furniture. 3 following, retinue, entourage, train,
cortЉge, convoy, escort; followers, attendants, retainers: Her
suite includes advisors, secretaries, hairdressers, and
bodyguards.
suitor n. admirer, beau, wooer; boyfriend, paramour, lover, inamorato,
cicisbeo, escort, Archaic swain: Madelaine has more suitors
than I can count.
sulk v. mope, brood, pout, be sullen or moody or ill-humoured: I
wish you'd get a job instead of sulking about the house all day.
sullen adj. sulky, sulking, morose, brooding, pouting, gloomy, moody,
temperamental, dour, lugubrious, funereal, dismal, dreary, grim,
depressing, depressed, churlish, ill-humoured, glum, grumpy,
sombre, out of humour, antisocial, unsociable, cross, petulant,
perverse, crusty, crotchety, choleric, crabby, ill-natured,
ill-tempered, bad-tempered, splenetic, peevish, dyspeptic, out
of sorts, US cranky: He remained quite sullen and refused to
associate with anyone.
sully v. besmirch, stain, smirch, blemish, mar, defile, soil,
disgrace, dirty, tarnish, pollute, spoil, ruin, destroy, wreck:
Sadly, his reputation was sullied when his company was found to
be involved in insider trading.
sultry adj. 1 hot, humid, sticky, stuffy, stifling, oppressive, close,
muggy, steamy, steaming, moist, damp, sweltering, suffocating:
I was happy to be languishing again in the sultry warmth of St
Lucia. 2 lusty, lustful, passionate, erotic, seductive,
voluptuous, provocative, sensual, Colloq sexy, hot: She
continued her sultry, slow, sinuous dance.
sum n. 1 total, aggregate, grand total, sum total, whole, totality;
amount, quantity: The sum of money found in the satchel was not
revealed by the police. He would give the neighbourhood children
small sums to spend on sweets.
--v. 2 sum up. a recapitulate, summarize, encapsulate,
synopsize, digest, abridge, condense, consolidate, epitomize,
review: He summed up by reminding the children not to accept
gifts from strangers. b reckon, add up, calculate, total, tot
up, measure (up), take the measure of: They summed up their
chances of escaping. c estimate, evaluate, size up, assess:
She had summed him up the minute she saw him.
summarily adv. 1 immediately, at once, straightaway, directly, quickly,
without delay, unhesitatingly, without hesitation, forthwith,
promptly, swiftly, speedily, expeditiously, instantly, Colloq
p.d.q. (= 'pretty damned quick'): Any dog caught without a
muzzle will be impounded summarily. 2 suddenly, without
warning, abruptly, peremptorily, precipitately: He was
summarily dismissed, with no advance notice.
summary n. 1 summarization, recapitulation, encapsulation, compendium,
synopsis, digest, abridgement, condensation, shortening,
consolidation, epitome, epitomization, review, distillate,
conspectus, brief, outline, pr‚cis, r‚sum‚: I want a summary of
the meeting on my desk in the morning.
--adj. 2 abrupt, peremptory, short, quick, brief, laconic,
perfunctory, curt, terse: My simple request for some time off
was denied with a summary, 'No!'
summit n. peak, top, apex, acme, pinnacle, zenith, crown; culmination,
climax: The winds at the summit of Annapurna reached hurricane
force. There was no doubt that I had reached the summit of my
achievements.
summon v. 1 call, assemble, convoke, convene, send for, invite,
muster, get together, arouse, rouse: Why would he summon us to
the office at midnight? 2 Often, summon up. call or draw on or
upon, draw up, mobilize, muster (up), work up, gather, invoke:
I had to summon up all my courage to ask Eve to go out.
sumptuous adj. expensive, costly, extravagant, exorbitant, dear, rich;
lavish, luxurious, de luxe, opulent, palatial, royal, majestic,
regal, magnificent, dazzling, splendid, showy, Colloq posh,
plush, ritzy: The family treated us to a sumptuous repast to
celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary.
sun n. 1 (old) Sol, Helios, Phoebus (Apollo), Ra, Sunna, day-star:
Many early cultures worshipped the sun.
--v. 2 tan, suntan, sunbathe, bask, bake, brown, bronze: They
spent their holidays sunning themselves on the beach.
sundries n.pl. knick-knacks, trinkets, small items, notions,
miscellanea, miscellany, kickshaws, Brummagem, frippery,
bric-…-brac, odds and ends: We might find a button for your
shirt in a shop that sells sundries.
sundry adj. various, varied, miscellaneous, assorted, different,
mixed, diversified, divers: In addition to food, supermarkets
stock sundry other items.
sunken adj. 1 hollow, hollowed-out, haggard, drawn: From her sunken
cheeks the child looked as if she hadn't eaten for weeks. 2
submerged, undersea, underwater, submersed: The boat hit a
sunken wreck and foundered. 3 buried, underground, in-ground,
below-ground, settled, lowered: The old term for a sunken fence
is 'ha-ha'.
sunless adj. dark, grim, cheerless, unhappy, joyless, funereal,
depressing, dreary, drear, sombre, gloomy, grey, Stygian, black,
pitchy, inky, shadowy, tenebrous, unlit, unlighted, dusky,
subfusc or subfuscous, darkling: It was an overcast sunless
day, with rain in the offing.
sunny adj. 1 sunlit, sunshiny, brilliant, bright, radiant, fair,
fine, cloudless, clear, unclouded: The enchanting scenery and
warm sunny climate makes it a perfect place for holidays. 2
cheerful, cheery, happy, joyous, joyful, light-hearted, smiling,
beaming, buoyant, blithe, gay, mirthful, jolly, bubbly,
ebullient, genial, warm, friendly, outgoing: Being with someone
who has a sunny disposition was a pleasant change.
super adj. wonderful: A super collection of synonyms for this word
appears under superb, below.
superb adj. wonderful, marvellous, excellent, superior, gorgeous,
glorious, magnificent, outstanding, exquisite, fine, splendid,
unequalled, sensational, noteworthy, admirable, peerless,
matchless, unrivalled, first-rate, superlative, perfect,
classic, exceptional, extraordinary, striking, brilliant,
dazzling, miraculous, incredible, unbelievable, fantastic,
fabulous, stupendous, staggering, mind-boggling, breathtaking,
Woman's dialect divine, Colloq great, super, smashing, magic,
terrific, fantabulous, unreal, out of this world, mind-blowing,
super, Slang out of sight, far-out, boss, solid, cool, hot, bad:
The curator said he had never seen such a superb collection. She
does a superb Hedda Gabler. We were treated to a superb dinner.
supercilious
adj. haughty, contemptuous, superior, snobbish, disdainful,
arrogant, condescending, patronizing, overbearing, scornful,
lordly, high and mighty, pompous, lofty, stuffy, pretentious,
Colloq hoity-toity, highfalutin or hifalutin, uppity, snooty,
stuck-up, Brit toffee-nosed, uppish, la-di-da or lah-di-dah or
la-de-da: She was very supercilious towards her customers.
superficial
adj. 1 surface, external, exterior, shallow, skin-deep, slight,
outside: I suffered a superficial wound to the forehead. 2
surface, slight, external, apparent, skin-deep, outward,
cursory, insignificant, passing, unimportant, trivial, empty,
insubstantial; paying lip-service, for appearances' sake,
cosmetic: She bears a superficial resemblance to your sister.
His interest in your welfare is entirely superficial. 3 cursory,
slapdash, quick, hurried, hasty, perfunctory, nominal,
meaningless, passing: The machinery is subjected to a
superficial inspection before shipping.
superficies
n. (outer) surface, fa‡ade, face, externals, outside: The
superficies may appeal to children, but adults appreciate the
book's profundities.
superfluity
n. excess, superabundance, over-abundance, surplus, oversupply,
surfeit, glut, superfluousness, profusion, plethora, oversupply,
supersaturation: The middle and upper classes wallow in a
superfluity of goods.
superfluous
adj. excessive, excess, superabundant, over-abundant,
supererogatory, surplus, unneeded, uncalled-for, unnecessary,
redundant, extra; needless, dispensable, gratuitous: The
superfluous grain that remains unsold should be donated to
third-world countries. They knew each other so well that words
were superfluous between them.
superhuman
adj. 1 heroic, Herculean, godlike, legendary, valiant,
courageous, brave, daring, dangerous, death-defying,
extraordinary, miraculous, phenomenal, incredible, fabulous,
fantastic, unbelievable, amazing: His superhuman feats would
never be duplicated.
--n. 2 superman, hero, superhero, Ѓbermensch, Hercules: They
still believe that one day a superhuman will come along to lead
them.
superintendent
n. supervisor, foreman, overseer, manager, administrator,
chief, head, boss; governor, controller, director, conductor:
Alan has been appointed superintendent of the new project.
superior adj. 1 higher, higher-ranking, higher-level, higher-class,
higher-calibre, upper, upper-level, upper-class, loftier,
nobler, better; of a higher order or status or standing, Colloq
classier, tonier: He was reported to his superior officer. 2
high-class, elevated, first-rate, distinguished, exceptional,
excellent, preferred, choice, select, ‚litist, outstanding,
superlative, matchless, unequalled, peerless, nonpareil,
sterling, supreme, fine, noteworthy, notable, worthy, estimable:
Kenneth has had the benefit of a superior education. 3 See
supercilious, above.
--n. 4 See supervisor, below.
superiority
n. 1 ascendancy, pre-eminence, supremacy, leadership, lead,
dominance, predominance, primacy, hegemony: Her superiority in
the field is unchallenged. 2 excellence, greatness,
peerlessness, matchlessness, inimitability, superlativeness,
prominence, eminence, importance, distinction, prestige, renown:
All commented on the superiority of Mark's contribution.
superlative
adj. unsurpassed, paramount, supreme, consummate, superior,
best, choicest, finest, matchless, peerless, unequalled,
unrivalled, singular, unique, incomparable, excellent, superb,
sterling, dazzling, first-rate, exceptional, extraordinary,
marvellous, spectacular, capital, Colloq tiptop, super,
smashing, great, ace, terrific, fantastic, Slang crack: Max
turned in a superlative performance in the tournament.
supernatural
adj. preternatural, unusual, extraordinary, exceptional,
unnatural, miraculous, remarkable, fabulous, preterhuman,
ghostly, spectral, abnormal, inexplicable, unexplainable;
metaphysical, other-worldly, unearthly, ultramundane,
supramundane, extramundane, occult, mystic, paranormal, psychic,
uncanny, weird, mysterious, arcane, unreal, magical, dark: Some
claim to hear supernatural voices speaking to them. Many
characters in children's stories have supernatural powers.
supersede v. replace, succeed, displace, supplant, oust, take the place
of, substitute for: The 286 computers have been superseded by
386 models.
supervise v. oversee, overlook, watch (over), manage, run, control,
superintend, govern, direct, be in or have charge (of), handle,
keep an eye on, administer: They are moving you up to supervise
the production department.
supervisor
n. overseer, foreman, manager, controller, superintendent,
superior, governor, director, boss, chief, head, administrator:
As supervisor, you are responsible for the work done in your
department.
supervisory
adj. managerial, administrative, executive: Do you think that
Len is ready for supervisory responsibilities?
supine adj. 1 flat (on one's back), lying (down), prostrate,
recumbent, Formal or technical procumbent, accumbent, decumbent:
When I found him, he was supine, staring up at the stars. 2
indolent, lazy, lethargic, idle, listless, indifferent,
apathetic, unconcerned, uninterested, torpid, languid,
languorous, sluggish, slothful, phlegmatic, lymphatic,
lackadaisical, inert, inactive, passive, motionless, inanimate,
spiritless, abject: During the entire crisis, the town council
was completely supine and uncaring.
supplant v. replace, displace, oust, turn out, eject, remove, expel,
dismiss, unseat, supersede, substitute, exchange: The council
should be supplanted by a new group more sympathetic to the
needs of the people.
supple adj. 1 flexible, flexile, pliant, bendable, elastic, resilient,
pliable, tractile, fictile: He made a rug-beater out of some
supple lengths of bamboo. 2 willowy, lithe, limber, nimble,
pliant, lissom or lissome, graceful, athletic: She has the
supple body of a dancer. 3 tractable, compliant, yielding,
accommodating, obliging, complaisant, acquiescent, submissive,
unresistant, unresisting, servile, obsequious, ingratiating,
fawning, toadying: With supple words the miserable sycophant
wormed his way into father's confidence.
supplement
n. 1 addendum, addition, appendix, epilogue, end-piece,
postscript, appendage, extension, continuation, adjunct, annexe,
appurtenance, accessory, codicil, insert, sequel;
supplementation; Technical suppletion: The later version
includes the 1909 supplement.
--v. 2 add (on or to), extend, augment; complement: Various
scholars supplemented the earlier work with their own notes and
comments. He supplements his income by working at a restaurant.
supplementary
adj. 1 additional, added, annexed, adjunct, new: The
supplementary buildings increased the size of the hospital
greatly. 2 supplemental, supportive, contributory, ancillary,
secondary, subordinate, annexed, additional, attached, added,
appended, subsidiary, adscititious; extraneous, adventitious,
supervenient, extra, excess; Technical suppletive: The
supplementary material expanded the original work five-fold.
supplicant
adj. 1 suppliant, supplicating, entreating, petitioning,
supplicatory, beseeching, praying, imploring, solicitous,
importunate, begging, mendicant: In 1897, he carved a
supplicant group in white marble, now in the Fraser Museum.
--n. 2 suppliant, applicant, petitioner, beseecher, suitor,
pleader, aspirant, appellant, plaintiff, beggar, mendicant: He
came to me as a supplicant, begging forgiveness for what he had
done.
supplication
n. 1 entreaty, petition, prayer, appeal, pleading, plea, suit,
solicitation, obsecration, obtestation, impetration: Heeding
the pitiful supplications of the beggars, they gave them some
money. 2 supplicating, begging, pleading, soliciting,
petitioning, entreating, beseeching: All his supplication could
not wring a farthing from the old skinflint.
supply v. 1 furnish, provide, give, endow, present, purvey, deliver,
come up with, contribute, distribute, sell; stock, accommodate,
afford, equip, outfit, gear (up), rig (out), fit (out),
provision, cater to, Chiefly Brit kit out or up; victual: Her
company supplies radios to the army. Her husband's firm supplies
the navy with anti-fouling paint. 2 yield, give, contribute,
come up with, deliver, provide, furnish: The farm supplies our
basic foods. 3 satisfy, fulfil, replenish, fill: Can you
supply the demand for clothing?
--n. 4 stock, stockpile, store, inventory, quantity, reservoir,
reserve, cache, hoard, accumulation, fund: Our supply is big
enough to serve the entire area. 5 furnishing, provision,
providing, purveying, supplying, distribution, equipping,
outfitting, provisioning, delivery, stocking, stockpiling: The
supply of microchips on a large scale is beyond our capacity.
support v. 1 back (up), stand by, help, bolster, uphold, brace,
strengthen, fortify, buttress, prop (up), shore up, reinforce,
boost, champion, assist, take up the cudgels for, aid, promote,
forward, second, advance, advocate, stand up for, be supportive
(of or in), Colloq stick up for: Peterson agreed to support him
in his bid for the presidency. 2 brace, hold up, carry, prop
(up); strengthen, shore up, reinforce, fortify, buttress: You
need a column to support this beam. 3 tolerate, bear, stand
(for), suffer, submit to, undergo, brook, stomach, endure,
abide, countenance, face, Brit stick, Colloq put up with: He
cannot support the notion that she might be guilty. 4 pay for,
fund, maintain, keep, finance, subsidize, underwrite, sponsor,
Colloq US bankroll: I can no longer support myself or my
family. 5 sustain, withstand, stand, take, bear, tolerate, hold
up under, weather: His legs were too weak to support his own
weight. 6 verify, corroborate, authenticate, vouch for,
endorse, confirm, affirm, bear out, attest to, certify,
substantiate, validate, ratify: Can anyone support his alibi?
--n. 7 help, backing, backup, reinforcement, bolstering,
encouragement, reinforcing, fortifying, assistance, aid,
succour, sustenance: Thank you for your support over the years.
8 brace, prop, stay, frame, foundation, underpinning,
substructure, truss, beam, column, pillar, strut, guy, guy wire,
mainstay, buttress, bolster, reinforcement, supporter: The
supports failed under the grandstand and it fell, injuring a
few. Alan was a tremendous support during my illness. 9
sustenance, (living) expenses, keep, maintenance, subsistence,
upkeep; finances, funding: Mona is suing David for the support
of their child. He lives mainly on government support.
supportable
adj. 1 tolerable, bearable, endurable, acceptable, sufferable:
Thoughts of death are more supportable when it seems remote. 2
defensible, confirmable, verifiable, demonstrable, tenable,
believable: The argument that we should keep the old tax
structure is simply not supportable.
supporter n. 1 enthusiast, champion, promoter, fan, aficionado, devotee,
admirer, backer, follower, support, advocate, exponent,
adherent, aid, assistant, helper: I wish to thank my many
supporters, who were there when I needed them. 2 See support, 8,
above.
supportive
adj. helpful, sustaining, supporting, encouraging, sympathetic,
understanding, reassuring: Among our many friends, Cleo was the
most supportive during the recent trouble.
suppose v. 1 assume, presume, presuppose, surmise, take, take as given
or as read, take for granted; believe, think, fancy, imagine;
Colloq take it: Don't people usually suppose that civil
servants are honest? I supposed her to be his wife. Do you
suppose you could return my key today? 2 hypothesize, theorize,
postulate, posit, assume: Supposing a reduced rate of
inflation, will they reduce interest rates? Suppose that you
have lost the election - what will you do?
supposed adj. 1 alleged, assumed, putative, reputed, presumed,
hypothetical, theoretical, theorized, imagined, suppositious,
supposititious: Her supposed drug addiction turned out to be a
myth. 2 obliged, expected, required; meant, intended: You were
supposed to return my key. What is that supposed to mean?
supposedly
adv. allegedly, reputedly, theoretically, hypothetically,
presumably; rumour has it: The bridge was blown up, supposedly
by terrorists.
supposing conj. if, even if, in the event that, despite the fact that,
although, though: Supposing he says no, what will you do?
supposition
n. assumption, presumption, surmise, belief, thought, fancy,
theory, hypothesis, postulate, proposal, proposition: On the
supposition that your calculations are correct, we will have
made a profit this year.
suppress v. 1 end, discontinue, cut off, cease, stop, terminate, put an
end to, halt, prohibit, preclude, prevent, repress, censor,
forbid, interdict, block, obstruct, withhold, stifle, inhibit,
hinder, arrest: They have been unable to suppress the
publication of the book. 2 put down, quell, crush, squelch,
quash, subdue, check, stamp out, snuff out, smother, extinguish,
quench, crack down on: The uprising was suppressed with the
shooting of the students. 3 keep down, control, keep under
control, keep or hold in check, restrain, hold in or back,
repress, cover up, conceal, hide, keep quiet or secret, mute,
muffle, quiet, silence: Objections to the guest speaker were
suppressed at the request of the university's chancellor.
suppression
n. suppressing, ending, end, discontinuation, discontinuing,
cutting off, cut-off, cessation, ceasing, surcease, stopping,
stop, terminating, termination, halting, halt, prohibiting,
prohibition, preclusion, precluding, preventing, prevention,
repressing, repression, censoring, censorship, forbidding,
forbiddance, interdicting, interdiction, blocking, obstructing,
obstruction, withholding, stifling, hindering; putting down,
put-down, quelling, crushing, squelching, quashing, subduing,
checking, check, stamping out, smothering, snuffing out,
extinguishing, extinction, elimination, quenching, cracking down
on, crack-down; control, controlling, restraining, restraint,
concealing, concealment, hiding, muting, muffling, quieting,
silencing: That constitutes suppression of the freedom of
speech. The suppression of heresy is a perennial church problem.
Dictators confuse the suppression of ideas with the oppression
of people.
supremacist
n. supremist, bigot, racist, racialist, dogmatist, zealot,
fanatic: Supremacists' philosophies are based on hatred, not
love.
supremacy n. 1 transcendency, pre-eminence, superiority, ascendancy,
excellence, primacy, peerlessness, matchlessness,
incomparability, inimitability: Colonialism depends on military
supremacy. 2 sovereignty, dominion, sway, mastery, control,
dominance, (supreme or absolute) rule or authority, autarchy,
omnipotence, hegemony: They maintained their supremacy over the
Iberian peninsula for centuries.
supreme adj. 1 highest, loftiest, topmost, greatest, first, foremost,
principal, unsurpassed, top, uppermost, chief, paramount,
sovereign: There is no appeal to a decision of the supreme
tribunal. 2 greatest, maximum, extreme, uttermost, utmost,
ultimate: I fear that your son has made the supreme sacrifice,
Mrs Atkins. 3 best, greatest, first, outstanding, pre-eminent,
first-rate, prime, primary, unexcelled, leading, crowning,
consummate: Many regard her as the supreme artist of her day.
4 superb, marvellous, excellent, outstanding, superlative,
matchless, peerless, incomparable, unparalleled, masterful,
masterly, sublime, brilliant, transcendent, inimitable, choice:
There is no doubt that she is a supreme artist.
supremely adv. very, extremely, completely, perfectly, superlatively,
sublimely, transcendently: I have never been so supremely happy
as I was in Capri in '38.
sure adj. 1 certain, assured, convinced, persuaded, positive,
definite, unwavering, unswerving, unflinching, steadfast,
steady, unshakeable or unshakable, confident, satisfied,
undeviating, unfaltering: How can you be so sure in your
opinion that Jack did it? I'm sure I've met you before. 2
established, firm, solid, trusty, stable, steadfast, secure,
safe, trustworthy, reliable: I never travel without my sure
companions, courage and caution. 3 accurate, reliable,
dependable, tried and true, unfailing, infallible, foolproof,
effective, Colloq sure-fire: A high temperature is a sure sign
of illness. 4 certain, inevitable, indubitable, unavoidable,
ineluctable, inescapable, guaranteed: He who enters the Devil's
Cave meets sure death.
surely adv. 1 certainly, to be sure, positively, absolutely,
definitely, undoubtedly, indubitably, unquestionably, beyond the
shadow of a doubt, beyond question, doubtless, doubtlessly,
assuredly, Colloq sure, US absotively-posolutely: He is surely
one of the finest riders I've ever seen. 2 firmly, solidly,
confidently, unfalteringly, steadily, unswervingly,
unhesitatingly, determinedly, doggedly, securely: Slowly but
surely, the Great Bamboni stepped out onto the tightrope
stretched across the Reichenbach Falls.
surface n. 1 exterior, covering, outside, top, skin, integument,
fa‡ade, face, boundary, interface, superficies; side, plane:
Most of the earth's surface is covered by water. How many
surfaces on an icosahedron? 2 on the surface. superficially, to
all appearances, at first glance, outwardly, to the casual
observer, extrinsically, ostensibly: It looks pretty enough on
the surface, but it is rotten underneath.
--v. 3 appear, show up, emerge, materialize, arise, rise, come
up, Colloq pop up, crop up: Guess who surfaced after ten years
in Tierra del Fuego! An enormous turtle surfaced near our boat.
4 pave, concrete, tarmac: They are surfacing the road in front
of my house.
surfeit n. over-abundance, superabundance, plethora, glut, excess,
surplus, oversupply, overdose, satiety, overflow, flood, deluge,
superfluity, nimiety: There has been a surfeit of those dolls
on the market. She is suffering from a surfeit of rich food and
alcohol.
surfeited adj. gorged, overfed, satiated, sated, stuffed, glutted, jaded:
He passed the sleeping surfeited diners and stole into the
library unseen.
surge v. 1 swell, wave, billow, bulge, heave, roll, undulate, well
forth or up, rise and fall, ebb and flow, pulsate; rush, gush,
pour, flood, stream, flow: The sea surged through the narrow
gorge with a roar. The crowd surged round their hero.
--n. 2 swell, wave, billow, roller, whitecap, white horse,
breaker, comber, upsurge, eddy, rush, gush, flood, stream, flow:
The raft was caught by a surge and tossed high up on the beach.
surly adj. unpleasant, rude, crusty, cantankerous, curmudgeonly,
churlish, crabby, crabbed, choleric, splenetic, dyspeptic,
bilious, temperamental, cross, crotchety, grouchy, grumpy,
bearish, testy, touchy, short-tempered, ill-tempered,
bad-tempered, ill-natured, bad-natured, ill-humoured, peevish,
quarrelsome, argumentative, obnoxious, uncivil, rough,
obstreperous: I see no reason to shop where the sales staff are
surly.
surmise v. 1 imagine, guess, conjecture, speculate, suppose,
hypothesize, theorize, assume, presume, conclude, gather, infer,
understand, fancy, suspect, feel, sense: I surmised that the
treaty terms were arranged by deputies long before the summit.
--n. 2 guess, conjecture, speculation, notion, hypothesis,
theory, supposition, assumption, presumption, conclusion,
understanding, fancy, suspicion, feeling, sense: It was an
early surmise of the experts that man could not survive passing
through the Van Allen belts.
surpass v. exceed, excel, go or pass beyond, outdo, beat, worst,
better, best, outstrip, outdistance, outperform, outclass,
outshine, eclipse, overshadow, top, cap, transcend, prevail
over, leave behind: He easily surpassed the statesmen of his
time.
surpassing
adj. excessive, extraordinary, great, enormous, unrivalled,
matchless, peerless, unmatched, unequalled, unsurpassed: I
could not believe the surpassing gall of the man.
surpassingly
adv. exceedingly, extraordinarily, incomparably, Literary
surpassing: The girls on the beach were surpassingly beautiful.
surplus n. 1 surplusage, overage, excess, leftover(s), surfeit,
over-abundance, oversupply, overdose, glut: The price of oil
dropped owing to the surplus in the market.
--adj. 2 excess, leftover, extra, spare, over-abundant,
superfluous, unused, redundant: The surplus grain is sold
abroad.
surprise v. 1 shock, astound, astonish, amaze, disconcert, nonplus,
dumbfound or dumfound, stagger, take aback, strike, hit, Colloq
floor, bowl over, flabbergast, rock or set (someone) back on his
or her or chiefly Brit their heels, Brit knock (someone) for
six, US knock (someone) for a loop: What surprised me was her
coolness in the face of danger. 2 take or catch unawares, catch
red-handed or in the act or in flagrante delicto, catch napping
or off guard, discover: When Samuel Johnson's wife found him
with a maid, she said, 'Dr Johnson! I am surprised!', to which
he replied, 'No, madam: you are amazed. I am surprised.'
--n. 3 shock, astonishment, amazement, stupefaction, wonder,
incredulity: Imagine my surprise to learn that I was being
arrested. 4 blow, jolt, shocker, bolt from or US also out of
the blue, bombshell, eye-opener: It came as a surprise to me
that my sister was pregnant.
surrender v. 1 give up, yield, let go (of), relinquish, deliver (up),
hand over, forgo, forsake, turn over, turn in, part with, cede,
concede: We were forced at gunpoint to surrender our valuables.
2 give up, yield, quit, cry quits, capitulate, throw in the
sponge or the towel, raise the white flag, throw up one's hands,
succumb, submit, give way, acquiesce, comply, give in, concede,
crumble: The argument is so overwhelming that I must surrender.
--n. 3 submission, capitulation, yielding, renunciation,
relinquishment, yielding, transferral, transfer, transference,
handing or turning over, conveyancing, ceding, cession,
concession: The official surrender of the disputed territory
took place in the following year.
surreptitious
adj. furtive, secret, clandestine, stealthy, underhand(ed),
covert, (on the) sly, secretive, private, concealed, hidden,
veiled, Colloq sneaky: She stole surreptitious glances at him.
surround v. 1 encompass, encircle, envelop, enclose, hem in, ring: She
likes being surrounded by flowers. Troops surrounded the
building.
--n. 2 environs, environment, surroundings, atmosphere,
ambience or ambiance, setting: The formal gardens make a
charming surround for the art gallery.
surrounding
adj. nearby, neighbouring, local, adjoining, neighbourhood,
adjacent, bordering, abutting, circumambient, circumjacent: The
surrounding countryside was bursting into bloom.
surveillance
n. observation, watch, scrutiny, reconnaissance: The police
kept him under constant surveillance.
survey v. 1 examine, appraise, evaluate, take the measure of, inspect,
study, scan, scrutinize, measure, size up, assess, investigate,
look into or over, review: He surveyed the situation and found
nothing wrong. 2 view, look at, get a bird's eye view of,
contemplate: From the top of the tower I surveyed the
surrounding countryside.
--n. 3 surveying, examination, appraisal, evaluation, measure,
study, scan, scanning, scrutiny, inquiry or enquiry,
measurement, investigation, inspection: Our survey of the
company finances yielded some very interesting information.
survive v. 1 continue, last, live (on), persist, subsist, pull through,
endure: The village was destroyed, but its people survived. 2
outlast, outlive,: At the age of 114, MacMurtagh has survived
all his children and many of his grandchildren.
susceptible
adj. 1 Often, susceptible of or to. open (to), prone (to),
subject (to), disposed (to), predisposed (to), receptive (to),
affected by, responsive (to): Brass is susceptible of a high
shine. Are you still susceptible to her blandishments? 2
impressionable, influenceable, vulnerable, reachable,
accessible, credulous, suggestible, gullible, na‹ve:
Susceptible youngsters need protection from commercial
exploitation.
suspect v. 1 disbelieve, doubt, mistrust, distrust, harbour or have
suspicions about or of, be suspicious of: Do you suspect the
butler? 2 feel, think, believe, sense, have a feeling, fancy,
imagine, theorize, guess, surmise, have a sneaking suspicion,
think it likely or probable, Colloq expect: I suspect that the
butler might have done it.
--adj. 3 suspicious, questionable, doubtful, dubious, shady,
shadowy; suspected: If you ask me, his behaviour since boarding
the Orient Express has been highly suspect.
suspend v. 1 hold up or off (on), withhold, put off, put or hold or
keep in or into abeyance, shelve, postpone, delay, defer,
interrupt, stop or check or cease or discontinue temporarily, US
table: We suspended payment pending inspection of the work
already done. Train services on this route will be suspended
till further notice. Suspend your disbelief for a moment to
consider the possible motive for stealing a prune. 2 hang,
attach, fasten, dangle, swing: She suspended the cameo from a
gold chain which she wore as a necklace. 3 debar, exclude,
eliminate, reject, expel, eject, evict; deprive of the rights
of, deny the privileges of; blackball: A member may be
suspended if his dues are six months or more in arrears.
suspense n. 1 uncertainty, indefiniteness, insecurity, doubt,
irresolution, expectancy, indecision, not knowing: May I have
the envelope please? - I cannot stand the suspense! 2 anxiety,
tension, apprehension, nervousness, agitation, anxiousness,
anticipation, expectation, excitement: A story that creates
suspense for the reader is often suitable for film treatment.
suspension
n. 1 debarring, disbarment, exclusion, elimination, rejection,
expulsion, ejection, eviction, deprivation, denial: The
suspension of privileges cannot last for more than a fortnight.
2 intermission, moratorium, deferment, hold-up, delay, delaying,
interruption, postponement, postponing, discontinuing,
discontinuation, stay: Luckily, the suspension of hostilities
lasted till the summer.
suspicion n. 1 doubt, dubiousness, dubiety, misgiving, mistrust,
distrust, scepticism, qualm, wariness, apprehension,
apprehensiveness, cautiousness, hesitation, second thought(s),
uncertainty, leeriness, Colloq funny feeling, bad vibes: We all
had our suspicions about Edward's genuine intentions. My worst
suspicions have now been confirmed. 2 notion, inkling,
suggestion, hint, trace, flavour, soup‡on, taste, dash, glimmer,
tinge, touch, shadow, shade, scintilla, Colloq chiefly US and
Canadian tad: If you have even a suspicion of doubt, do not
find the defendant guilty. Did I detect a suspicion of a sneer?
suspicious
adj. 1 doubtful, in doubt, dubious, questionable, debatable,
suspect(ed), under suspicion, open to doubt or question or
misconstruction, Colloq shady, fishy: There is something very
suspicious about his behaviour. 2 mistrustful, distrustful,
doubtful, in doubt, sceptical, suspecting, disbelieving,
unbelieving, leery, apprehensive, wary, uncertain, uneasy: I
was suspicious of Douglas from the very beginning.
sustain v. 1 uphold, support, keep up, maintain, continue, keep
(someone or something) going, keep alive, preserve; prolong,
persist in: He has been sustained on a life-support system for
weeks. If Georgette can sustain the pretence of loving him, he
won't change his will. 2 support, carry, bear, bolster, buoy
(up), reinforce, keep (someone) going, strengthen, shore up,
underpin, prop up, buttress: During those long months as a
hostage, only prayer sustained him. 3 endure, stand, withstand,
bear up under, put up with, suffer, undergo, experience,
tolerate, weather, brave: It is amazing how much punishment the
human body can sustain. 4 bear, carry, support: This column is
supposed to sustain the weight of half the building. 5 uphold,
recognize, allow, admit, approve, ratify, sanction, authorize,
endorse, validate: The judge sustained the objection by the
defence.
sustained adj. continued, continuous, continual, prolonged, unremitting,
steady, ceaseless, unceasing, incessant, interminable; uniform,
even, level, unchanged, unchanging: The neighbours keep up that
sustained caterwauling every night. The audience was thrilled
by her sustained top C.
sustenance
n. 1 nutriment, nourishment, food (and drink), daily bread,
rations, victuals, provisions, provender, groceries, aliment,
edibles, eatables, foodstuff(s), viands, meat, Colloq grub,
eats, chow, nosh, Slang Brit prog, scoff: My first concern is
sustenance for my family. 2 livelihood, support, maintenance,
upkeep, keep, subsistence, living: The fur trade provided the
sustenance of early Canadian settlers.
swagger v. 1 strut, prance, parade, Archaic swash, Colloq US sashay,
cut a swath: Look at that Charlie swaggering down the street in
his new suit! 2 boast, brag, show off, vaunt, crow, Colloq Brit
swank: He is always swaggering on about his war experiences.
--n. 3 strut, prance, strutting, swaggering, show, display,
showing off, ostentation, braggadocio, arrogance, boastfulness:
Paul's outrageous swagger developed only after he was promoted.
swallow v. 1 eat, consume, devour, ingest, dispatch or despatch; drink,
gulp, guzzle, down, Colloq put or pack away, swig, swill:
Snakes swallow their prey whole. The amount that man can swallow
at one meal is incredible. 2 accept, allow, credit, believe,
take, Colloq buy, fall for: She swallowed that tale about an
aeroplane hook, line, and sinker. 3 Often, swallow up. absorb,
make disappear, engulf, consume, assimilate: The fugitive was
swallowed up by the crowd. 4 Sometimes, swallow back. keep or
choke back or down, repress, suppress, control, stifle, smother,
overcome, conquer: Harriet swallowed back the tears. Try
swallowing your pride just this once.
--n. 5 bite, nibble, morsel, mouthful; drink, gulp, guzzle,
Colloq swig: Have a swallow of this to warm you up a little.
swamp n. 1 bog, fen, marsh, quagmire, morass, moor, Chiefly literary
slough, Scots and No. Eng. dialect moss, So. US everglade: The
draining of swamps destroys the breeding places of mosquitoes.
--v. 2 overwhelm, overcome, flood, inundate, submerge, immerse,
deluge, overload, overtax, overburden, Colloq snow under: I'm
so swamped with work I'm sleeping at the office. 3 scuttle,
sink, founder: A huge wave swamped the boat and she sank
quickly.
swanky adj. smart, stylish, fashionable, chic, chichi, fancy,
luxurious, grand, elegant, Colloq swank, snazzy, neat, nifty,
plush, posh, ritzy, Brit swish: Living in a swanky house and
wearing swanky clothes - what else would anyone want?
swarm n. 1 throng, horde, army, host, multitude, hive, herd, mob,
mass, drove, flood, stream, cloud, flock, pack, shoal, bunch:
Swarms of people showed up for our garden party.
--v. 2 throng, mass, crowd, congregate, flock, gather, flood,
stream, flow: The fans swarmed round the rock group. 3 swarm
with. Often, be swarming with. crawl with, abound in or with,
throng with, teem with, burst with, bristle with, be overrun
with: In two minutes the place was swarming with police.
swarthy adj. swart, black, ebon, ebony, sable, pitch-black, jet-black,
coal-black, raven, dark: His swarthy complexion contrasted with
her china-like pallor.
swashbuckling
adj. adventurous, daring, daredevil, swaggering, roisterous,
bold, dashing, flamboyant: Those old swashbuckling films with
Errol Flynn, Richard Green, and Douglas Fairbanks, formed a
genre all their own.
swath n. swathe, path, belt, strip: A flock of birds was feeding
along the swath cut by the harvester.
swathe v. tie, bind, bandage, wrap, enwrap, swaddle, bundle (up),
envelop, shroud, muffle (up): I can't tell who he is as his
head is swathed in bandages.
sway v. 1 wave, waver, swing, sweep, oscillate, undulate, reel,
totter, swing or move to and fro or back and forth or from side
to side or backwards and forwards, rock, fluctuate; bend, lean:
The reeds swayed in the breeze. 2 move, incline, divert, tend,
veer, tilt, lean, slant, bias; influence, persuade, impress, win
over, bring round, convince, talk into: The wind is causing the
trees to sway towards the east. We tried to sway him to our way
of thinking.
--n. 3 sweep, wave, swing, (period of) oscillation, libration:
There must be a sway of twenty feet in the top of that
skyscraper. 4 influence, control, power, command, authority,
dominion, rule, sovereignty, leadership, mastery; grip,
clutches, grasp: His ambition was to get the mountain people
under his sway.
swear v. 1 depose, aver, asseverate, declare, insist, assert,
solemnly affirm or state, testify, promise, take an oath,
undertake, vow, avow, vouchsafe, warrant, pledge, give one's
word, agree: He swore he had not done any such thing. 2 curse,
blaspheme, imprecate, use profanity, utter profanities,
execrate, Colloq cuss: Priscilla stopped her ears at the men's
swearing. 3 swear by. trust (in), believe in, rely on, have
confidence in, count on: The colonel swears by the same old
fountain-pen he has used for years and will use no other. 4
swear off. forswear, renounce, abjure, go off, forgo, shun,
avoid, give up, eschew, forsake, throw over: Brian tells me
he's sworn off alcohol for a while.
sweat v. 1 perspire, glow: That workout made me sweat. 2 Often,
sweat out. worry, be anxious, agonize, anguish, bite (one's)
nails, be on pins and needles, fret, fuss, stew, torture or
torment oneself, lose sleep (over), Colloq sweat blood, be in a
tizzy, US sweat bullets: The professors really like to make
students sweat, don't they? Fiona is sweating it out till the
results are posted. 3 slave (away), labour, drudge, grind, toil
and moil, slog, work like a Trojan or a horse, Slang Brit swot
or swat: I sweat over a hot stove all day while you're out and
about town. 4 ooze, exude, squeeze out, transude: When a boy,
he believed that dew came from flowers sweating water.
--n. 5 perspiration, Technical diaphoresis, sudor: In addition
to body moisture, salt and other minerals are lost in sweat. 6
(hard) work, labour, laboriousness, grind, toil, drudgery,
slogging, sweating, Slang Brit swotting or swatting: Nothing
worthwhile is gained without some sweat. 7 state of confusion
or upset or excitement or distraction or agitation or anxiety or
distress or worry; pother, Colloq dither, tizzy, lather: Henry
has really worked himself up into a sweat over this problem. 8
No sweat! No problem!, Don't worry!, Everything is taken care
of!, All is well!, That presents no difficulty!: When asked to
change a flat tyre, the stranger's response was, 'No sweat!'
sweep v. 1 brush, whisk, clean, clear, tidy up: This weekend I have
to sweep out the basement. 2 Often, sweep away. carry or take
(away or off), destroy, wipe out, demolish, remove, wash (away);
blow (away): The raging torrent swept away the bridge. The wind
swept the debris before it. 3 swoop, flounce, glide, sail,
march, parade, skim, tear, dash, zoom: Hattie swept into the
room majestically. 4 curve, arc, arch, bend, bow, circle, turn:
The long drive to the house sweeps round the pond and gardens.
--n. 5 pass, clearance, stroke; purge: In one clean sweep the
police rounded up all the suspects. 6 curve, arc, arch, bow,
bend, curvature, flexure: Note the sweep of those main arches
holding up the dome. 7 range, extent, compass, reach, stretch,
scope, swing, span: The Hubbell space telescope has a farther
sweep than any on earth.
sweeping adj. 1 comprehensive, (all-)inclusive, general, extensive,
universal, all-embracing, broad, widespread, wide(-ranging),
far-ranging, blanket, umbrella, catholic, exhaustive, radical,
thorough(-going), out-and-out, across the board, wholesale,
Colloq wall-to-wall: We must institute sweeping reforms of the
party before the election. 2 complete, total, overwhelming,
decisive: The first team enjoyed a sweeping victory in track
and field events.
sweet adj. 1 sugary, honey-like, honeyed, sweetened: Sweet breakfast
cereals are bad for your teeth. 2 fragrant, perfumed, scented,
aromatic, ambrosial, sweet-smelling, sweet-scented, balmy,
redolent: The night air was sweet with jasmine. 3 harmonious,
melodious, sweet-sounding, euphonious, dulcet, musical, tuneful,
euphonic, mellifluous, mellow, lyric, silvery, bell-like,
golden: I could hear McCormick's sweet voice singing 'Danny
Boy'. 4 gentle, amiable, agreeable, genial, warm, friendly,
kind, nice, unassuming, easygoing; attractive, appealing,
charming, winning, pleasant, pleasing, lovely; cute, pretty:
Jane normally has such a sweet disposition. Old Mrs Hughes was
always sweet to me when I was little. Amy looks so sweet in her
new dress. What a sweet little kitten! 5 dear, beloved,
precious, prized, treasured, wonderful, marvellous, splendid,
Colloq great: How sweet life can be! 6 considerate, attentive,
solicitous, thoughtful, sympathetic, compassionate, kind,
kind-hearted, generous, gracious, accommodating: How sweet it
was of you to bring flowers! 7 cloying, sentimental, syrupy,
saccharine, treacly, precious, honeyed, sickening, Colloq
gushing, gushy, sloppy, soppy, maudlin, sticky, Brit twee,
Colloq icky: Claire is so sweet that she really overdoes it
sometimes. 8 sweet on. fond of, taken with, keen on, devoted
to, enamoured of, infatuated with, (head over heels) in love
with, Colloq wild or mad or crazy about, nuts about or over,
Slang gone on, stuck on, batty about: We were teasing Rick
about being sweet on Anne.
--n. 9 Often, sweets. bon-bon, chocolate, confection,
sweetmeat, Old-fashioned comfit, US candy: Harry always brings
a box of sweets for my mother when he comes to see me. 10
dessert, Brit pudding, afters: For a sweet we can offer you a
choice between chocolate gateau and gooseberry pie.
sweeten v. 1 sugar, sugar-coat: Can you think of nothing that would
sweeten the bad news? 2 dress up, make more attractive or
agreeable, sugar-coat, embellish, embroider; make less painful,
mitigate, alleviate, assuage, lighten, soften, palliate,
mollify, ease, allay, moderate, temper: Perhaps the
shareholders would be more amenable to the take-over were the
buyers to sweeten the offer.
sweetheart
n. girlfriend, boyfriend, friend, admirer, beau, darling, dear,
love, beloved, lover, paramour, inamorato, inamorata, lady-love,
betrothed, intended, fianc‚(e), Archaic swain Colloq heartthrob,
flame, sweetie, steady: She married her childhood sweetheart
and lived happily ever after.
swell v. 1 Often, swell out or up. grow, increase, enlarge, expand,
blow or puff up or out, distend, inflate, dilate, wax; mushroom,
belly, balloon, bloat, bulge, billow, fatten, rise, tumefy:
After cooking, the mixture swells to twice its original volume.
2 grow, increase, mushroom, snowball, accumulate, mount:
Forgotten for years, her savings had swelled to become a small
fortune. 3 increase, raise, augment, enlarge, boost, step up:
Something must be done to swell the number of recruits.
--n. 4 enlargement, broadening, increase, extension, spread,
swelling, inflation, expansion, rise, surge: Have you noted the
swell in popularity of health foods? 5 wave, surge, billow: As
we rose to the top of each swell, we could see the shore. 6
fop, dandy, gay blade, fashion plate, Beau Brummell, Archaic
coxcomb, Historical macaroni, Colloq clothes-horse, US fancy
Dan, Slang nob, Archaic lounge lizard, Brit toff: He frequented
the clubs populated by the other London swells.
--adj. 7 smart, chic, stylish, fashionable, modish, grand,
luxurious, de luxe, elegant, first-rate, first-class, top-grade,
Colloq posh, swank, swanky, ritzy: Charlie always took Diane to
the swellest places. 8 marvellous, thrilling, splendid,
spectacular, first-rate, fine, Colloq great, super, terrific: I
really had a swell time at your party.
swelling n. enlargement, distension, tumescence, protuberance, bump,
prominence, bulge, lump, excrescence, protrusion, tumour, node,
nodule: It is a good idea to have any unexplained swelling
examined by the doctor.
sweltering
adj. hot, torrid, steaming, sultry, steamy, muggy, sticky,
oppressive, stifling, stuffy, suffocating, clammy, humid, wet,
broiling, boiling, scorching, roasting, baking, wilting,
melting, tropical, Colloq close: I cannot live through another
sweltering summer in the Amazon jungle.
swerve v. veer, career, swing, diverge, deviate, sheer off, skew,
stray, turn (aside): The car swerved wildly off the road and
into a ditch.
swift adj. fleet, fast, rapid, speedy, hasty, lively, nimble,
expeditious; quick, brisk, sudden, abrupt: The postman was bent
on the swift completion of his rounds. What Bill needs is a
swift kick to jolt him out of his lethargy.
swiftly adv. fast, quickly, speedily, rapidly, expeditiously; briskly,
hurriedly, hastily, suddenly, abruptly, in a flash, in a trice,
in the wink of an eye, before you can say 'Jack Robinson',
before you can say 'knife', like a shot, in an instant, in (less
than) no time, precipitately, unexpectedly, Colloq like greased
lightning, US lickety-split, in a jiffy, Slang pronto, like a
bat out of hell: The assembly is done much more swiftly by
machine. Swiftly, I ducked into a doorway to avoid being seen.
swill n. 1 hogwash, pigswill, refuse, pigwash, slop(s), garbage,
waste: If you saw the swill that pigs eat, you might not eat
pork. 2 nonsense, rot, rubbish, Slang crap: That novel of hers
was the worst swill I've read in a long time.
--v. 3 drink, guzzle, quaff, swallow, Colloq swig, toss off or
down, throw down, polish off, knock back or off, US chug-a-lug:
They waste every evening swilling beer.
swimmingly
adv. smoothly, easily, effortlessly, well, successfully,
without a hitch or a problem, like a dream, cosily, like
clockwork, without difficulty, handily, readily: The plan has
gone swimmingly thus far.
swindle v. 1 cheat, cozen, bilk, defraud, deceive, hoodwink, take in,
fleece, dupe, fool, mulct, gull, make a fool or sucker (out) of,
victimize, exploit, trick, Old-fashioned or literary euchre,
Archaic chouse, Colloq bamboozle, chisel, diddle, pull a fast
one on, flimflam, pluck, burn, take (someone) for a ride, Brit
fiddle, US buffalo, Slang con, sting, screw, rook, gyp, rip
(someone) off: The gang has swindled several elderly people out
of their life savings.
--n. 2 fraud, confidence game or trick, cheating, swindling,
defrauding, deception, racket, trickery, sharp practice,
thimblerigging, chicanery, knavery, Colloq Brit fiddle, swizzle
or swizz, Slang rip-off, scam, con (game), gyp, US bunco: Those
old-time swindles are nothing compared with the activities of
unscrupulous stock brokers.
swindler n. cheat, confidence man or woman, hoaxer, mountebank,
charlatan, knave, scoundrel, sharper, fraud, trickster,
thimblerigger, villain, Technical defalcator, Colloq flimflam
man, Slang con man or woman, US bunco-artist, four-flusher:
Swindlers tricked them out of all their cash and traveller's
cheques.
swing v. 1 sway, move or go to and fro or back and forth or backwards
and forwards, come and go, wave, fluctuate, flap, oscillate,
vibrate, librate, waver, wobble, waggle, zigzag, wigwag,
flourish: The branches swung in the wind. They swung their arms
in time to the music. 2 hang, dangle; be hanged, be suspended:
They watched the monkeys swinging from tree to tree. He will
swing for his crime.
--n. 3 swinging, sway, swaying, toing and froing, coming and
going, waving, fluctuation, fluctuating, flapping, flap,
oscillation, oscillating, vibration, vibrating, libration,
waver, wavering, wobble, wobbling, waggle, waggling, zigzag,
zigzagging, wigwag, wigwagging, flourish, flourishing, stroke:
Catch the rope on its next swing. He was caught on the shoulder
by a wild swing of the bat. 4 sweep, scope, range, trend,
limit(s); change, switch, shift: The swing of public opinion is
unpredictable in these matters. There has been a small
percentage swing to the Conservatives. 5 pace, routine, groove,
pattern: Don't you find it hard to get into the normal swing of
things after a long holiday? 6 in full swing. in (full)
operation, under way, in business, animated, lively, on the
move, moving, going, Colloq on the hop, cooking: The party was
in full swing when we arrived.
swingeing adj. huge, immense, enormous, considerable, drastic, severe,
harsh, stringent, punishing, devastating, painful, excruciating,
major, daunting, Draconian, oppressive, exorbitant, excessive,
violent, Colloq thumping: They have instituted a truly
swingeing increase in commuter fares. She gives me a swingeing
headache.
swinging adj. fashionable, chic, up to date, modern, Colloq …-go-go, in
the swim, with it, Chiefly Brit trendy, Slang hip, groovy, in
the groove: That's what the swinging '60s were like in London.
swipe v. 1 Usually, swipe at. swing at, strike at, hit at, lash out
at: He swiped away at the golf ball but kept missing it. 2
steal, filch, pilfer, purloin, Colloq pinch, lift, snitch,
Chiefly Brit nick, whip, snaffle: They caught Freddie swiping a
bag of mints at Woolworth's.
--n. 3 swing, strike, clip: Ronald took a swipe at the ball
with his racket.
swirl v. 1 whirl, spin, eddy, churn, circulate, gyrate, surge, boil,
seethe: Faster and faster the water swirled round in the
maelstrom. 2 twist, whirl, whorl, curl, roll, furl, spin,
curve, spiral, twirl, wind (round): She swirled her hair round
her head and fastened it with a large clip.
--n. 3 twist, whirl, curl, roll, twirl, spiral: At the fabric
exhibition swirls of textiles were decoratively displayed.
swish v. 1 hiss, whisk, rustle, whisper, susurrate: I heard Elena
swish up behind me in her red silk taffeta dress.
--n. 2 hiss, hissing sound, whoosh, swoosh, rustle, whistle:
With a quick swish the machete knifed through the underbrush.
--adj. 3 elegant, fashionable, stylish, de rigueur, smart,
Colloq posh, plush, ritzy, swell, swank(y): Liza bought a swish
new outfit for the wedding. 4 homosexual, effeminate, swishy,
camp(y), US fruity, limp-wristed, Colloq queer, gay, Chiefly
Brit bent, US faggy, Slang kinky: He used to bring his swish
friends here, but not lately.
switch n. 1 twitch, lash, rod, whip, birch (rod), scourge: He picked
up the switch as if to hit me with it. 2 change, alteration,
exchange, shift, change-over, reversal, deflection, trade, swap
or swop: A switch of costume was done swiftly backstage,
yielding the expression 'quick-change artist'.
--v. 3 twitch, lash, whip, birch, beat, strike, thrash,
scourge, flog: The headmaster switched the boys for the
slightest misdemeanour. 4 change, shift, exchange, divert,
deviate: The colonel switched to another subject. They switched
the two stones, leaving the fake emerald. 5 divert, turn,
rechannel, redirect, direct: They switched the funds to another
project.
swivel v. 1 pivot, turn, rotate, spin, revolve, pirouette, move
freely: This joint allows the arm to swivel in all directions.
--n. 2 pivot, elbow-joint, gimbal, ball-and-socket joint: The
stern-chaser is fitted with a swivel, allowing it to be fired at
any angle.
swollen adj. enlarged, distended, inflated, bloated, bulging, puffed up
or out, tumid, tumescent, expanded, turgid, puffy, oversized,
outsized, Technical dropsical, hypertrophied, proud: My knee
was swollen for three days after that knock.
swoop v. 1 descend, dive, sweep down, pounce, stoop: The eagle
swooped down across the stream, catching a salmon in its talons.
--n. 2 descent, dive, sweep, pounce, stoop, stroke, blow, rush:
The police raid caught several drug dealers in one fell swoop.
sybarite n. epicure, epicurean, hedonist, voluptuary, sensualist,
aesthete, gastronome, gourmet, bon vivant, bon viveur,
pleasure-seeker, playboy, jet-setter: These sybarites spend all
their time and their parents' money in the fleshpots of the
world.
symbol n. representation, figure, metaphor, allegory, insigne
(singular; plural is insignia), token, sign, emblem, badge,
image, logotype, mark, trade mark, colophon, brand, code,
abbreviation, phonogram, initialism, cryptogram, acronym,
monogram, password, shibboleth, watchword, code word; arms,
bearing, armorial bearing, crest, escutcheon, coat of arms,
banner, flag, pennant, standard, Colloq logo: This jewel is a
mere symbol of my devotion and love for you.
symbolic adj. Often, symbolic of. symbolical (of), tokening, betokening,
emblematic (of), figurative, allegoric(al), typical (of),
representative (of), symptomatic (of), characteristic (of),
metaphoric(al), allusive (of), denotative (of), connotative
(of), mnemonic (of): From ancient times the laurel, or bay, has
been regarded as symbolic of praiseworthiness.
symbolize v. represent, stand for, denote, connote, suggest, express,
imply, signify, mean, typify, exemplify, betoken, illustrate,
embody, epitomize: Green symbolizes envy and jealousy, red
anger, blue sadness, white purity, and so on.
symmetrical
adj. symmetric, (well-)balanced, proportionate, proportional,
well-proportioned, orderly, (well-)ordered, in proportion, even,
regular, congruous, congruent, uniform, harmonious; equal,
mirror-image, mirror-like: The temple was exactly symmetrical,
with a wing on each side. The two wings are symmetrical.
symmetry n. balance, proportion, evenness, order, orderliness,
regularity, uniformity, congruity, congruousness,
correspondence, agreement, harmony, consistency, equality: With
the crudest of tools, the pyramid builders achieved incredible
symmetry.
sympathetic
adj. 1 Often, sympathetic to or toward(s). compassionate (to or
toward(s)), commiserating (with), commiserative (with),
understanding (of), supportive (of), caring (to or toward(s)),
concerned (about or with), solicitous (of or to or (toward(s)),
warm-hearted (to or toward(s)), kind-hearted (to or toward(s)),
responsive (to or toward(s)), well-meaning, well-intentioned,
good-natured (to or toward(s)), considerate (of or to or
toward(s)), empathetic or empathic (with or to or toward(s));
sympathizing, kindly, comforting, consoling: The social workers
are sympathetic to the people's problems. One should be more
sympathetic. Julie takes a sympathetic outlook. 2 Often,
sympathetic to or toward(s). agreeable, pleasant, friendly,
well-disposed, favourably disposed, encouraging, like-minded,
responsive, congenial, en rapport, simpatico: You will find a
sympathetic ear at the council. The people are not sympathetic
to a tax increase.
sympathize
v. 1 Often, sympathize with. suffer or grieve or mourn (with),
feel (sorry) (for), have pity (for), empathize (with), condole
(with), commiserate (with): I sympathized with you over the
loss of your grandfather. Now that mine is gone, it is your turn
to sympathize. 2 Often, sympathize with. harmonize (with), get
along (with), relate (to), identify (with), go along (with), see
eye to eye (with), agree (with), side (with), understand, be en
rapport (with), be in sympathy (with), be simpatico (with), have
(a) rapport (with), Colloq be or vibrate on the same frequency
or wavelength (with), Slang dig: I can sympathize with anyone
who despises terrorism.
sympathizer
n. condoner, approver, conspirator, co-conspirator,
collaborator, accomplice, accessory, supporter,
fellow-traveller, ally: At one time, they tried to incarcerate
all suspected of being Fascist sympathizers.
sympathy n. 1 compassion, commiseration, pity, concern, tenderness,
empathy, understanding, solicitousness, warmth,
tender-heartedness, warm-heartedness, Archaic ruth: We feel
great sympathy for any child who loses a pet. 2 agreement,
harmony, compatibility, rapport, concord, accord,
fellow-feeling, congeniality, affinity, closeness, unity,
communion, fellowship, camaraderie: It is amazing that there
can be so much sympathy between two such different people.
symptom n. manifestation, evidence, syndrome, mark, token, indication,
cue, clue, (warning) sign, characteristic, trait, feature,
earmark, marker: Esmeralda is extremely jealous - I recognize
the symptoms.
symptomatic
adj. Often, symptomatic of. indicative (of), representative
(of), suggestive (of), characteristic (of), emblematic (of),
symbolic (of), peculiar (to), specific (to), idiosyncratic (of);
indicating, suggesting: A high fever is symptomatic of many
illnesses.
syndicate n. 1 trust, monopoly, bloc, cartel, syndication: They were
part of a syndicate that controlled the worldwide sale of
nickel. 2 (crime) family, Cosa Nostra, mafia: Guido used to be
an enforcer for the syndicate.
--v. 3 affiliate, ally, associate, amalgamate, consolidate,
league, confederate, synthesize: Mrs Cartwright was successful
in syndicating the milk producers in the entire county. 4
serialize, distribute: His business is syndicating old movies
to television stations.
synonymous
adj. Often, synonymous with or to. equal (to), equivalent (to),
tantamount (to), identified (with), corresponding (to or with);
transposable (with), exchangeable (with), identical (to or
with), interchangeable (with), the same (as): A word is almost
never truly synonymous with another in all respects. Even terms
like 'salt' and 'sodium chloride' are not synonymous.
synopsis n. summary, condensation, abridgement, epitomization, outline,
abstract, digest, pr‚cis, epitome, compendium, conspectus,
aper‡u, r‚sum‚: He was assigned to write a ten-page synopsis of
a 600-page book.
synthesis n. blend, compound, merge, union, amalgamation, coalescence,
integration, unifying, unification, composite, composition,
mixture, combination; compounding, combining, blending, merging,
union, amalgamation, coalescence, integrating, mixing, fusing,
fusion, unifying, unification: This mixture is a synthesis of
many different ingredients. How do they effect the synthesis of
coal, water, and air to make nylon?
synthetic adj. artificial, man-made, manufactured, ersatz; fake, false,
counterfeit, sham, bogus, spurious, mock, imitation, pseudo,
plastic, Colloq phoney or US also phony: Because of the animal
rights activists, many women today wear synthetic fur.
system n. 1 organized whole, organization, set, group, combination;
structure, arrangement, pattern, set-up: Some believe that the
universe is a vast ordered system, others that it is chaos in
which only man sees order. It took years to establish the
banking system in this country. 2 scheme, method, approach,
modus operandi, way, procedure, methodology, technique, plan,
process, practice, routine: There is a proper system for doing
the job and you should keep to it.
systematic
adj. organized, systematized, planned, methodical,
businesslike, orderly, well-organized, well-ordered, regular,
routine, standardized, standard: There are several systematic
ways for cataloguing books.
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tab n. 1 flap, tag, loop, ticket, sticker, label, flag, lappet,
strap, handle: Pull on the red tab and the life jacket inflates
automatically. 2 charge, bill, account, reckoning, Chiefly US
check: They left me to pick up the tab at the restaurant for
everyone.
table n. 1 food, victuals, provender, comestible, edibles, eatables,
fare, board, provisions: One can rely on a fine table at Mrs
McGuire's. 2 plain, flatland, mesa, tableland, plateau, steppe:
The area is barren lava table from horizon to horizon. 3
(tabular or columnar) list or listing, register, record,
tabulation, chart, catalogue, index, inventory, itemization,
pr‚cis, table of contents: The figures are easier to understand
when arranged in a table.
--v. 4 submit, present, offer, proffer, bring forward, bring
up, propose: The bill will be tabled for action today. 5
shelve, postpone, defer, suspend, put off, stay, pigeon-hole,
mothball, Colloq put on ice: When the bill came up we tabled it
for six months.
tableau n. scene, sight, spectacle, picture, image; composition,
arrangement, grouping, effect: The children raptly listening to
their father telling a story - what a charming tableau!
tablet n. 1 (scribbling or writing- or note- or memo) pad,
(spiral(-bound)) notebook, US scratch pad: I write all my
dreams in a little tablet in case I forget to relate them to my
psychiatrist. 2 slab, plaque, plate, panel, plaquette: The
tablet on the base of the statue says it is of Disraeli. 3
stone, gravestone, headstone, tombstone, memorial: We each
contributed to the tablet that marks Croombender's grave. 4
pill, capsule, troche, pellet, pastille, drop, lozenge, bolus:
Take three tablets twice a day.
taboo adj. 1 tabu, anathema, forbidden, interdicted, off limits, out
of bounds, verboten, proscribed, banned, prohibited, restricted,
unmentionable, unspeakable; censored, censorable, unacceptable,
rude, impolite, indecorous, dirty, explicit; outlawed, illegal,
illicit, unlawful: Our holiday in Benidorm is a taboo subject
in my house. Many people dislike hearing taboo language used on
radio or television.
--n. 2 tabu, anathema, interdict, interdiction, proscription,
ban, prohibition, restriction: There is still a strict taboo
against mentioning bodily functions in public.
--v. 3 tabu, forbid, interdict, proscribe, ban, prohibit: The
hotel taboos the sharing of a room by unmarried couples.
tabulate v. systematize, organize, order, group, list, arrange,
classify, categorize, rate, grade, catalogue, codify,
pigeon-hole, sort, assort, index, itemize; record, note: We
shall report the results of the poll as soon as they have been
tabulated.
tacit adj. unspoken, undeclared, unsaid, unstated, unvoiced,
unuttered, silent, understood, unexpressed, implied, implicit:
The sisters have a tacit agreement not to poach each other's
boyfriends. He gave me a look of tacit gratitude.
taciturn adj. silent, uncommunicative, mum, mute, reticent, reserved,
uncommunicative, unforthcoming, tight-lipped, close-lipped,
untalkative, quiet: Even when he was small, Chris was quite
taciturn, saying little but evidently thinking much.
tack n. 1 pin, push-pin, nail, Brit drawing-pin, tin-tack, US
thumbtack: Someone keeps stealing the tacks from the bulletin
board. 2 fastening, stitch, baste: Could you put some tacks in
the hem so I can try on the skirt? 3 direction, bearing,
heading, course, approach; way, path, procedure, method,
technique, attack, line: Our new tack was due east. They may
have to take a different tack to win the contract. 4 tackle,
gear, equipment, equipage, harness, saddlery, fittings,
fitments, kit, outfit, rig, rigging, accoutrements or US also
accouterments: He has ordered all new tack for his horse.
--v. 5 pin, attach, fasten, secure, join, couple, unite,
combine, stick, fix, affix, staple, nail, skewer, peg, screw,
bolt, rivet; baste, stitch, sew, bind, tie; paste, glue, cement,
solder, braze, weld: You were only supposed to tack these
together lightly, but now I can't pull them apart. 6 change
direction or heading or course , Nautical go or come about;
zigzag, veer off or away, Nautical beat: We tacked quickly to
avoid striking the buoy. 7 tack on. add (on), append, annex,
attach, tag on: When they tacked on a rider to the contract, we
refused to sign it.
tackle n. 1 gear, rig, fittings, equipment, equipage, rigging,
paraphernalia, outfit, tools, apparatus, trappings,
accoutrements or US also accouterments, Colloq Brit clobber:
The steeplejack brought along all his tackle and made ready for
his climb. 2 block (and tackle), fall, hoisting gear, pulley,
sheave: You'll need heavier tackle to lift this cargo.
--v. 3 come to grips with, grapple with, approach, take on, try
to solve, (try to) deal or cope with, stand or face up to, face,
confront, address oneself to, attend to, set about, pursue,
Colloq take a crack at, have a go at: Perhaps you'd better
tackle the parking problem yourself. I'll tackle the boss on the
matter as soon as I see him. 4 attack, fall upon, devour,
consume, demolish, destroy: You've seen nothing till you've
seen Graham tackle a roast turkey.
tacky° adj. sticky, gluey, gummy, adhesive, ropy, viscous, viscid,
Colloq gooey: The varnish is still tacky and must dry before
sanding.
tackyэ adj. tawdry, cheap, brummagem, gaudy, tasteless, vulgar,
shabby, tatty, sleazy, chintzy, shoddy, seedy: Richard
consistently buys the tackiest suits on the market.
tact n. discretion, diplomacy, sensitivity, savoir faire, judgement,
politesse, delicacy, finesse, cleverness, prudence, care,
carefulness, dexterity, dexterousness, discernment,
judiciousness, adroitness, skill, acumen, acuteness, perception,
understanding, consideration, thoughtfulness, politeness: You
can count on Robert to handle such matters with consummate tact.
tactful adj. discreet, diplomatic, sensitive, politic, judicious,
delicate, clever, prudent, careful, dexterous, discerning,
adroit, skilful, acute, perceptive, considerate, understanding,
considerate, thoughtful, polite: Even the people working in the
complaints department are tactful.
tactic n. 1 move, manoeuvre, ploy, caper, plan, strategy, stratagem,
device, ruse, plot, scheme, design: Inviting her husband along
was a tactic merely to avert suspicion. 2 tactics. manoeuvres,
strategy, plans, campaign, generalship, military science,
military operation(s), orchestration, engineering,
masterminding: Entirely different tactics must be employed in
jungle fighting.
tactical adj. artful, clever, cunning, shrewd, adroit, strategic,
skilful, adept, politic, smart, tactful: The general was noted
for his dazzling strategies and tactical genius.
tactician n. strategist, campaigner, mastermind, intriguer, plotter,
planner, schemer, manipulator, manoeuvrer, orchestrator, Colloq
operator: Montgomery was regarded by some as a master
tactician.
tactless adj. coarse, boorish, uncivilized, unsophisticated, rough,
rude, uncouth, discourteous, ungentlemanly, unladylike, crude,
gruff, bluff, abrupt, blunt, brusque, impertinent,
disrespectful, uncivil, impolite, insensitive, awkward,
bungling, clumsy, maladroit, inept, undiplomatic, thoughtless,
gauche, unskilful, impolitic, imprudent, inconsiderate,
injudicious, indiscreet, unwise: It was pretty tactless of him
to ask her out in front of his ex-girlfriend.
tag n. 1 label, name or price tag, mark, marker, tab, ticket,
sticker, stub, docket: The tag was clearly marked with a
bar-code. 2 name, epithet, label, designation, title,
appellation, nickname, Slang handle, moniker: Called 'Eddie the
dip', he got his tag 'the dip' because he's a pickpocket.
--v. 3 label, mark, ticket, identify, earmark: Please tag all
these cartons so we'll know what's in them without opening them.
4 label, name, call, dub, nickname, style, entitle, christen,
baptize: I have already said that Eddie was tagged 'the dip'
because he was a pickpocket. 5 tag along. follow, trail (along)
after, tail, shadow, attend, accompany, drag along with or
after: Does your little brother have to tag along wherever we
go?
tail n. 1 appendage, brush (of a fox), scut (of a hare, rabbit, of
deer), dock, caudal fin (of a fish), uropygium (of a bird),
pope's or parson's nose, tailpiece, flag: I just caught a
glimpse of the fox's tail as it leapt the fence. 2 rear end,
tail-end, backside, buttocks, croup, rump, posterior(s), bottom,
Colloq behind, hinie, Taboo slang Brit bum, arse, US ass: When
I catch you, I'll kick your tail! 3 reverse: The obverse of a
coin is the head, the reverse is the tail.
--v. 4 dog, follow, trail, stalk, shadow, track: We tailed the
suspect from Newcastle to New Mexico.
tailor n. 1 couturier, couturiЉre, costumier, dressmaker, modiste,
clothier, garment-maker, outfitter, seamstress: She has all her
clothing made by her tailor.
--v. 2 fit, adapt, suit, adjust, alter, accommodate, modify,
change, convert, cut, fashion, mould, stretch, accustom: Your
telephone system can be tailored to your most exacting demands.
tailor-made
adj. 1 fitted, custom-made, made-to-order, bespoke; made to
measure: He would not wear anything but tailor-made clothes. 2
ideal, perfect, customized, made-to-order, custom-made, suited,
suitable, (just) right, Colloq right up one's Brit street or US
alley: The job of lighthouse-keeper was tailor-made for a
misanthrope.
taint n. 1 stain, blot, blemish, slur, tinge, tincture, (black or
bad) mark, stigma, imperfection, flaw, scar, defect; discredit,
dishonour: His writing suffers from the taint of pedantry.
--v. 2 sully, tarnish, stain, stigmatize, smear, harm, hurt,
damage, debase, vitiate, blacken, foul, contaminate, pollute,
dirty, muddy, smirch, besmirch, blemish, soil, corrupt, spoil,
defile, ruin, destroy: It takes very little to taint one's
reputation in a small village.
take v. 1 grip, seize, grasp, clasp, get, get or take hold of, grab,
snatch, clutch, catch, capture, obtain, lay hold of, lay (one's)
hands on, procure, acquire, gain (possession of), take
possession of, secure, win, carry off, abduct, Colloq nab: The
police took him into custody. He takes what he can get. When it
comes to ineptitude, Sue certainly takes the prize. 2 pick,
select, choose, opt for, settle or decide or fasten on or upon:
When you get to the fork, take the road to the left. 3
appropriate, arrogate, extract, carry off or away, steal,
purloin, pilfer, filch, palm, rob, shoplift, pocket, remove,
walk off or away with, run or make off or away with; embezzle,
misappropriate, peculate; plagiarize, pirate; Colloq lift,
swipe, snitch, Chiefly Brit pinch, nick, Slang knock off, hook,
rip off, liberate, US boost, crook: They took what didn't
belong to them. 4 reserve, book, engage; hire, rent, lease: He
took a room in a small hotel, where he began to write detective
fiction. 5 acquire, get, adopt; assume, derive, obtain, draw,
receive, inherit: He has taken his bad manners from you. The
film takes its title from the book. 6 accept, receive, bear,
withstand, stand, endure, weather, tolerate, abide, brave, go
through, undergo, suffer, submit to, swallow, Colloq put up
with, brook, stomach, Brit stick: She took the news about
Leon's relapse quite well. I have taken quite enough from you
already. 7 assume, bear, undertake, adopt, arrogate;
acknowledge, accept: Kevin took full responsibility for the
mistake. 8 believe, think, judge, deem, hold, feel; take for,
assess (as), consider (as), regard (as), view (as), accept
(for): I take people to be honest till proven otherwise. She
took him for a fool when they first met. 9 carry, convey, bear,
transport, bring, deliver, ferry; haul, cart: Will this train
take me to Aylesbury? They took the bicycle to Old Lyme in a
van. 10 take up, study, be involved or occupied in or with,
apply oneself to, learn; read, Colloq tackle: I cannot believe
that Doreen is taking home economics. He took a course in car
maintenance. 11 prove or be effective or efficacious or
operative or functional, take effect, take hold, operate,
function, work, perform, Colloq do the trick: If the transplant
fails to take, the doctors will have to operate again. 12 exact,
extract, get: She took revenge by denying him certain
privileges. 13 swallow, eat, consume, ingest, devour, gulp
down, gobble up or down, wolf, bolt; drink, imbibe, quaff;
inhale: Rudolf takes pills of every conceivable colour. The
doctor said I could take a wee nip now and then. Sonya stepped
out to take a breath of fresh air. 14 subtract, deduct, remove,
take away, take from, take off: Take three from five. Five,
take away two, leaves three. It's cheaper when you've taken off
the discount. 15 end, terminate, annihilate, wipe out; kill:
The assault on Leningrad took tens of thousands of lives. The
Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. 16 require, demand, need,
necessitate, call for: Remember, it takes two to tango. It took
him two years to complete the fresco. It takes six to sail his
yawl. 17 hold, contain, accommodate, accept, fit in: This
storage bin cannot take anything else, it's completely full. 18
convey, lead, conduct; escort, convoy, guide, accompany: This
road takes you directly to the yacht club. He asked to be taken
to the manager's office. 19 understand, gather, interpret,
perceive, apprehend, deduce, conclude, infer, judge, deem,
assume, suppose, imagine, see: I take it from your expression
that you've had bad news. 20 charm, captivate, capture,
attract, lure, allure: There was something about him that took
her fancy. 21 use, employ, make use of, establish, put in(to)
place, adopt, put into effect, effect, apply; resort to, have
recourse to, turn to: The police have taken measures to ensure
that it doesn't happen again. 22 clear, get or go over or past
or round or through: Browning's Delight took the last jump
easily. He must have taken that corner at 90! 23 experience,
entertain, feel: She seemed to take an instant dislike to me.
24 express, voice, raise, put forth: I hope you will not take
objection or exception to what I am about to tell you. 25 cause
or make or induce or drive or persuade (someone) to go or be:
What takes you to M laga in August? 26 act, assume, play,
perform: I'm taking the part of the wicked witch in the local
pantomime. 27 bilk, cheat, swindle, defraud, Colloq con, Brit
fiddle: When he examined his wallet he realized he'd been
taken. 28 take aback. astound, astonish, surprise, startle,
shock: She was really taken aback at the news. 29 take after.
a resemble, look like, be the spitting image or the spit and
image of, favour, remind one of, Colloq be a chip off the old
block: He takes after his grandfather. b Sometimes, take off
after. chase, follow, run after, pursue: When the man stole the
newspaper and ran, the shopkeeper took after him at a gallop. 30
take back. retract, withdraw, recant, disavow, repudiate: He
now wants to take back what he said about you. 31 take down. a
note, make a note or memo or memorandum of, write down, record,
put or set down, put in writing, document, transcribe,
chronicle: Please take down what I am about to tell you. b
debase, deflate, lower, diminish, belittle, depreciate,
deprecate, humble, humiliate, shame, disparage, degrade,
disgrace: She certainly took that pompous ass down a peg or
two. 32 take in. a accommodate, receive, let in, quarter,
board, lodge: When her children grew up and left home, she
decided to take in lodgers. b deceive, fool, trick, impose upon,
overcharge, cheat, mulct, defraud, cozen, bilk, dupe, gull,
hoodwink, swindle, Colloq bamboozle, con, pull the wool over
(someone's) eyes, Slang Brit do: He was really taken in by that
time-share deal. c include, subsume, embrace, comprise, cover,
encompass, contain: Our sales figures take in all of North
America, not just Canada. 33 take it. a withstand or tolerate
or survive punishment or abuse, survive: The Marines are
extremely tough and can take it. b See 20, above. 34 take off.
a remove, doff, strip or peel off, discard, divest (oneself) of:
Take off your hat in the house. b satirize, lampoon,
caricature, mock, parody, travesty, burlesque, mimic, imitate,
Colloq spoof, Brit send up: It is not always easy to take off
members of the Cabinet. c depart, leave, go (away), decamp; fly
off, become airborne, lift off, blast off; Colloq skedaddle,
make (oneself) scarce, Slang hit the road, scram, beat it,
split: You'd better take off before they find you here. The
plane is due to take off at 18.35. 35 take on. a hire, engage,
employ, enrol, enlist, retain: We are so busy that we have
taken on ten new people. b challenge, rival, face, contend
against, oppose, match or pit (oneself) against, vie with,
fight: Are you in any condition to take on the champion? c
assume, accept, undertake, tackle: You might be taking on more
than you bargained for. 36 take out. entertain, escort, invite
out; court, woo: He took her out to dinner at a Chinese
restaurant. 37 take over. assume or take or usurp or gain
control or possession or command of: A huge conglomerate is
trying to take over our company. 38 take to. a like, find
pleasant or pleasing, feel affection or liking or affinity for,
find suitable: We took to each other the very first time we
met. He took to computers as a duck takes to water. b leave or
depart or take off for, run for, head for, flee to, make for:
When the attack came, the villagers took to the hills. 39 take
up. a pick up, accept, agree to, acquiesce to, accede to: She
took up his offer, and they've been married for forty years. b
assume, resume, carry on, continue, go on with, follow on with,
pick up: After a pause, he took up the thread of the story once
more. c espouse, embrace, become interested or involved in,
support, sponsor, advocate: She took up the cause of women's
rights at her age? d occupy, cover, use (up), fill (up):
Bernard's exercise equipment now takes up half the living-room.
e deal with, treat, consider, bring up, raise: Next week our
panellists will take up the question, 'Who benefits from
education?'
--n. 40 revenue, takings, yield, return, receipts, proceeds,
gain, profit(s); gate, box office: How much was the take from
the first day?
taken adj. captivated, entranced, enchanted, charmed, bewitched,
infatuated: I was so taken with Lucinda that I started blushing
like a teenager.
take-off n. 1 flight, flying, taking off, departure, leaving, going;
launch, lift-off: The take-off was delayed by bad weather. 2
satire, lampoon, caricature, mockery, parody, travesty,
burlesque, imitation, Colloq spoof, Brit send-up: The annual
students' entertainment was as usual a take-off of the teachers.
taking adj. attractive, alluring, engaging, captivating, winning,
winsome, charming, entrancing, enchanting, bewitching, fetching,
fascinating, delightful, irresistible, compelling, intriguing,
prepossessing: Cassie's taking ways won her many friends.
tale n. 1 story, narrative, report, account, record, chronicle,
history, narration, recital, anecdote: We were brought up on
tales of the supernatural. Her tale of what happened does not
agree with the facts. 2 falsehood, lie, fiction, fib,
fabrication, untruth, falsification, exaggeration, Colloq tall
tale or story, (cock-and-bull) story, US fish story: He told
some tale about having been captured by urban guerrillas. 3
rumour, gossip, slander, allegation, tittle-tattle, libel,
story, US chiefly naval scuttlebutt: I have been hearing tales
about wild parties at the neighbours' again.
talebearer
n. gossip, rumour-monger, gossip-monger, taleteller,
talemonger, scandalmonger, tell-tale, troublemaker, quidnunc,
tattler, informer, sieve, Chiefly US and Canadian tattle-tale,
Slang bigmouth, blabbermouth, squealer, stool-pigeon, stoolie,
rat, Brit sneak, nark, US fink, ratfink: The words, spoken in
private, were repeated to him by some talebearer.
talent n. 1 ability, power, gift, faculty, flair, genius, facility,
aptitude, capacity, knack, ingenuity, forte, strength;
endowment: Bill's extraordinary talent for playing the trombone
was widely acclaimed. 2 tendency, proclivity, propensity,
penchant, predilection, predisposition, bent, inclination:
Annabel certainly has a talent for saying the wrong thing.
talented adj. gifted, accomplished, brilliant, skilled, skilful,
masterful, expert, adept, adroit, dexterous, deft, clever, good,
polished, proficient, first-rate, top-drawer, excellent, Colloq
ace, crack, top-notch, Brit wizard, whizzo, US crackerjack:
Leslie is the most talented player in the school hockey team.
talisman n. amulet, charm, tiki, fetish or fetich, ju-ju, periapt,
abraxas; wishbone, rabbit's foot, Brit merry thought: He was
given a talisman that was supposed to protect its wearer from
bad luck.
talk v. 1 Sometimes, talk in. speak (in), use, communicate in,
converse in, express (oneself) in, discourse in: If you talk
English I might understand. 2 confer, consult, parley, have a
(little) talk, (have a) chat, confabulate, Colloq confab, Slang
US rap: I think we ought to talk before you decide which offer
to accept. 3 chatter, prate, prattle, jabber, blather or
blether, gibber, jibber-jabber, cackle, babble, patter, rattle
on, go on, Brit natter, witter, rabbit on, Colloq gab, Slang
gas, jaw , US run off at the mouth: They talk continuously,
mostly about nothing. 4 chat, gossip, palaver, Slang chew the
fat or the rag, shoot the breeze, US chin, schmooze, rap, have a
bull session, bat the breeze, shoot the bull: We were just
sitting around talking when Tom suggested we go for a swim. 5
inform, confess, give the game away, blab, Colloq come clean,
Slang rat, squeal, sing, spill the beans, Brit grass: If they
give him the third degree, you can be sure he'll talk. 6 speak,
give or deliver a speech or a talk or an address, lecture: I
believe that Professor Hale is talking at the County Library
tonight. 7 talk about or over or of. discuss, confer about or
on, parley about: I don't want to talk about football all the
time. Can't we talk it over? She talks only of you. 8 talk big.
boast, brag, vaunt, crow, bluster, exaggerate, blow or toot
(one's) own horn: He was never in the war - he just talks big.
9 talk down. a depreciate, deprecate, denigrate, disparage,
belittle, minimize, diminish, criticize, Colloq knock, pan, put
down: It's the only thing he's ever done, and you shouldn't
talk it down. b Usually, talk down to. condescend to, patronize:
I resent your talking down to me in that way. 10 talk into.
convince, bring round, sway, persuade: We have been trying to
talk him into running in the marathon. 11 talk over. discuss:
We talked over the best way to prepare the advertising proposal.
12 talk to or with. speak to or with, communicate with, converse
with: Since the episode with the monkey, she refuses to talk to
me. I talked with him yesterday. 13 talk up. promote, support,
sponsor, advertise, publicize, push, Colloq plug, hype,
ballyhoo: She has been talking up the book on her radio show.
--n. 14 oration, lecture, address, presentation, speech,
discourse, report, disquisition, dissertation; sermon; harangue,
tirade, Colloq spiel: Claire delivered a talk on computational
linguistics. Every week we have to listen to the same talk about
sin. 15 conversation, conference, discussion, meeting,
consultation, dialogue, colloquy, parley, palaver, chat,
t€te-…-t€te, confabulation, Colloq confab, powwow, Slang
chin-wag, head-to-head, US one-on-one, rap session: We must
have a little talk about your school report. 16 subject or
topic of conversation or gossip or rumour: Her behaviour at the
wedding was the talk of the town for weeks. 17 gossip, rumour,
hearsay, information, news, report, Colloq info, Slang dope:
There is some talk that you might be leaving. 18 palaver,
gossip, claptrap, prattle, prattling, chatter, verbiage, cackle,
bunk, nonsense, rubbish, balderdash, poppycock, hot air, stuff
and nonsense, twaddle, Colloq malarkey, piffle, hooey, hokum,
bunkum, bosh, hogwash, horse feathers, Slang bilge(-water),
crap, bull, tripe, Brit tosh, balls, US apple-sauce, Taboo slang
horseshit, bullshit: That's just a lot of talk. 19 dialect,
speech, way or manner of speaking, fa‡on de parler, language,
jargon, argot, cant, patois, accent, Colloq lingo: Can you
understand musicians' talk? My parents' talk is peppered with
words long obsolete in standard English.
talkative adj. garrulous, loquacious, verbose, long-winded, voluble,
prolix, wordy, chatty, gossipy, effusive, talky, logorrhoeic or
logorrhoeal, Colloq gabby, blabby, Slang big-mouthed; US running
off at the mouth: The children are so talkative I can't get a
word in edgeways.
talker n. 1 speaker, lecturer, orator, speech-maker, keynoter,
spellbinder, tub-thumper, rabble-rouser, demagogue, haranguer,
ranter: You might disagree with what he says, but you must
admit he's a great talker. 2 blusterer, blatherskite, swaggerer,
show-off, Slang windbag, gasbag, lot of hot air, blowhard: He
is a big talker, but he never gets anything done.
tall adj. 1 high, towering, big, soaring, lofty, giant, gigantic;
multi-storey: The giant sequoias of California are the tallest
trees in the world. There are many tall buildings in most major
cities. 2 lanky, gangling, rangy, leggy, long-legged, big,
giant, huge, gigantic, large: Some of those basketball players
are unbelievably tall. 3 exaggerated, overblown, far-fetched,
improbable, unbelievable, incredible, preposterous, outrageous,
overdone, absurd, Colloq Brit steep: He told us some amusing
tall tales about his fishing adventures.
tally v. 1 agree, coincide, accord, correspond, fit, compare, match
(up), square, conform, concur, harmonize, Colloq US jibe:
Nothing I could do would make my figures tally with those of the
bank. 2 Sometimes, tally up. count (up or out), enumerate,
record, register, reckon, add (up), total (up), tabulate,
itemize, list, calculate, compute: Please tally up what I owe
you.
--n. 3 count, enumeration, record, register, reckoning,
addition, total, tabulation, itemization, listing, calculation,
computation: According to my tally, you owe њ156.72. 4 ticket,
label, mark, marker, tag, tab: Each plant can be identified by
its own tally. 5 counterfoil, stub, counterpart, duplicate,
mate: If you lose your tally you cannot get back your luggage.
tame adj. 1 tamed, docile, disciplined, obedient, domesticated,
house-broken, trained, broken: He used to keep a tame fox in
his back garden. 2 mild, gentle, fearless, unafraid: It is
amazing how tame animals can be when they do not perceive man as
a threat. 3 tractable, pliant, compliant, meek, submissive,
mild, under (someone's) control or thumb, subdued, suppressed;
unassertive, feeble, ineffectual, timid, timorous, cowardly,
pusillanimous, chicken-hearted, faint-hearted, white-livered,
lily-livered, yellow, Colloq wimpish: Charles is far too tame
to defy Kate. 4 boring, tedious, tiresome, dull, insipid,
bland, lifeless, flat, vapid, prosaic, humdrum, bland,
unexciting, uninspired, uninspiring, run-of-the-mill, ordinary,
uninteresting, dead, Colloq wishy-washy: As a nightclub, the
place is much too tame for my tastes.
--v. 5 break, domesticate, train, house-train, gentle, master,
subdue, subjugate: The brown bear is a most difficult animal to
tame. 6 calm, subdue, control, mollify, pacify, mute, temper,
soften, curb, tone down, moderate, mitigate, tranquillize:
After a week the Lord tamed the violent sea and our tiny craft
was allowed to continue.
tamper v. interfere, meddle, intermeddle, intrude, tinker, mess (about
or around), Colloq fiddle or fool (about or around), monkey
(around), muck (about): Anyone caught tampering with the
machinery will be prosecuted.
tang n. 1 pungency, piquancy, bite, zest, zestiness, sharpness,
poignancy, spiciness, nip, edge, spice, taste, flavour, savour,
aroma, smell, odour, Colloq zip, kick: Ginger root gives the
dish just the right tang. 2 tinge, flavour, hint, suggestion,
soup‡on, trace, dab, smack, touch, smattering: The new version
has the tang of the original without its obsolete words. 3
prong, tab, projection, tongue, strip, tine, shank, pin, spike:
The tang of a good knife goes right through to the end of the
handle.
tangential
adj. divergent, digressive, off or beside(s) the point,
peripheral, irrelevant, extraneous, unrelated: The matter of
cost is tangential to the main issue.
tangible adj. material, real, physical, corporeal, bodily, somatic,
solid, concrete, touchable, tactile, manifest, palpable,
evident, actual, substantial, visible, seeable, discernible,
perceptible, ponderable, objective, ostensive: Leaving aside
intangibles like taste, smell, and colour, the important
tangible characteristic of food is texture.
tangle n. 1 confusion, knot, gnarl, mesh, snarl, twist, kink,
entanglement, jam, snag, jumble, mess, skein, web, coil: It
took hours to straighten out the tangle of ribbons. 2 muddle,
complication, jumble, puzzle, medley, complexity, complication,
scramble, mishmash, mix-up, hotchpotch or US and Canadian also
hodgepodge, jungle, maze, labyrinth: She was rather bewildered
by the vast tangle of information on the subject.
--v. 3 Often, tangle up. confuse, knot, mesh, snarl, gnarl,
twist, kink, ravel, entangle, jam, snag, intertwist, intertwine,
interlace, interweave, jumble, mess up, scramble, shuffle,
muddle: Now you've tangled all the ribbons I carefully
straightened out earlier. 4 Often, tangle with. wrangle (with),
contend (with), fight (with or against), (come into) conflict
(with), come or go up against, lock horns (with), dispute, cross
swords (with), disagree (with): The sheriff is the last person
I want to tangle with.
tantalize v. tease, taunt, provoke, torment, torture, bait, tempt,
plague, frustrate: They tantalized him by hanging the keys to
his cell just outside his reach.
tantamount to
adj. amounting to, as good as, virtually the same as, (pretty)
much the same as, equal to, equivalent to, like, of a piece
with, comparable to, commensurate with: His response, for all
its politeness, was tantamount to a rejection.
tantrum n. fit (of anger or of passion), outburst, eruption, blow-up,
explosion, flare-up, storm, rage, fury, Colloq Brit paddy, wax:
He has a tantrum every time he fails to get his own way.
tap° v. 1 rap, knock, dab, strike, peck; drum, beat: Must you
continually tap on the table with that blasted pencil?!
--n. 2 rap, knock, dab, strike, peck, pat; tapping, tap-tap,
rapping, knocking, pecking, beat, beating, patter, pattering: I
felt a tap on my shoulder. The tap, tap, tap of the dripping
water was driving me mad.
tapэ n. 1 cock, stopcock, pet-cock, sillcock, seacock, spigot,
spout, valve, US faucet: Replace the washer in the tap to stop
the leak. 2 bung, stopper, cork, spile, plug, stopple, peg:
Move the tap from the empty barrel to the new one. 3 wire-tap,
bug, listening device, electronic eavesdropper: I think there's
a tap on my phone. 4 on tap. a on draught, out of the barrel
or keg: They have real ale on tap. b ready, available, on or
at hand, waiting, in reserve, on call: He promised to be on tap
if I needed him for anything.
--v. 5 drain, draw (off), siphon off or out, extract, withdraw:
We tapped the wine directly from the casks. 6 open, drain,
unplug, sap, bleed, milk, broach, mine, use, utilize, make use
of, put to use, draw on or upon, turn to account: Whenever she
needed money, she tapped her savings. 7 bug, eavesdrop on,
wire-tap: M.I.5 still taps her phone.
tape n. 1 strip, band, fillet, stripe, strap, belt, ribbon: She
wore a colourful woven tape round her head to hold her hair. 2
(tape) recording, reel, spool, cassette, video: He played us
the tape of the whole interview.
--v. 3 strap, band, bind; seal, stick: If you tape the packet,
customs cannot open it for inspection. 4 record; tape-record,
video: Programmes can be taped automatically when we are out.
taper v. 1 narrow (down), thin, diminish, come or go down: Note how
the trousers taper towards the ankles. 2 Often, taper off.
diminish, reduce, thin out, wind down, decrease, fade, lessen,
peter out, fall off, wane, subside, let up, slacken, die away or
down or off or out, decline, slow (down or up), weaken, abate,
ebb, slump, drop (off), fall (off), plummet: Sales of ice
skates can be expected to taper off during the summer.
tardy adj. 1 late, unpunctual, behind schedule, overdue, behindhand:
Yet again you have been somewhat tardy in completing your
assignments. 2 slow, dilatory, belated, slack, retarded,
sluggish, reluctant, indolent, lackadaisical, listless,
phlegmatic, slothful, lethargic, languid: They have been tardy
in acknowledging the importance of Allen's work.
target n. goal, object, objective, aim, end; butt, quarry: The target
of the charity drive is to raise њ30,000. Why make Peter the
target of your ridicule?
tariff n. 1 tax, assessment, duty, excise, levy, impost, toll, Brit
rate: The tariff on imported clothing may be increased. 2
schedule (of charges), price-list; bill of fare, menu: I
stopped by the hotel to ask about their tariff.
tarnish v. sully, disgrace, taint, blacken, blemish, stain, blot, soil,
spot, dirty, contaminate, defame, injure, spoil, ruin, damage,
harm, hurt, stigmatize, debase, degrade, denigrate, dishonour,
asperse, calumniate: By his behaviour, he has tarnished the
reputation of his entire family.
tarry v. 1 delay, pause, wait, linger, loiter, stall, procrastinate,
dawdle, bide one's time, temporize, hang back, Colloq hang on or
about or (a)round: They tarried in the pub, and missed their
train. 2 remain, sojourn, stay, stop, rest, dwell, bide (one's)
time, settle: She plans to tarry at Eastbourne for a while.
tart° adj. 1 sour, acidic, acidulous, acidulated, lemony, citrusy,
vinegary, acetous, acescent; sharp, tangy, astringent, acerb,
acerbic, acrid, bitter, pungent, piquant, harsh: Those grapes
are a bit tart for my taste. 2 biting, bitter, caustic, acid,
corrosive, mordant, astringent, acrimonious, trenchant, harsh,
scathing, stinging, acerbic, incisive, cutting, keen,barbed,
nasty, curmudgeonly, testy, crusty, abusive, virulent,
sarcastic, sardonic, satiric(al), vicious, cynical: You can
rely on Henry for a tart rebuff every time.
tartэ n. 1 pie, tartlet, pastry, turnover, flan, quiche, patty, Brit
pasty: Three guesses who stole the tarts from the Queen of
Hearts. 2 strumpet, streetwalker, prostitute, whore, harlot,
fallen woman, trollop, wanton, working girl, fille de joie,
call-girl, loose woman, slut, drab, jade, demi-mondaine,
courtesan, woman of ill repute, hussy, doxy, lady of the evening
or the night, woman of easy virtue, Slang floozy, hooker, US
chippy, roundheels, bimbo: The paper claimed that the minister
was involved with a woman that it described as 'a tart'.
task n. 1 duty, assignment, business, job, charge, stint, mission,
work, chore, undertaking: It will be your task to keep the
others working. 2 (major) effort, test (of strength), piece of
work, struggle, strain: Getting him to do anything at all was
quite a task. 3 take to task. scold, reprimand, call to
account, blame, censure, recriminate, reproach, reprove, rebuke,
criticize, lecture, upbraid, chide, reprehend: I was taken to
task for failing to notify the police of the break-in.
taste n. 1 drop, soup‡on, dash, pinch, touch, hint, suggestion,
grain, trace, bit; flavour, savour, relish, tang: I added just
the tiniest taste of coriander to the sauce. 2 sample, morsel,
bite, mouthful, bite, sip, nip, swallow: I had a taste of the
sauce and it's superb. 3 palate, desire, inclination, leaning,
partiality, disposition, penchant, liking, fancy, preference,
fondness, appetite, relish, stomach, tolerance: She developed a
taste for caviare and champagne while working in television. 4
discernment, discrimination, perception, judgement, cultivation,
refinement, stylishness, grace, polish, elegance: Her unerring
taste leads her to select only the best. 5 style, mode,
fashion, manner, form, design, motif: The room was decorated in
Moorish taste. 6 decorum, discretion, tactfulness, delicacy,
refinement, politesse, politeness, correctness, propriety,
tastefulness: Evan's taste would never allow him to say
anything rude.
--v. 7 savour, sample, examine, try, test: Taste this and see
if it's too salty. 8 experience, sample, know, have knowledge
of, undergo, encounter, meet (with), come up against: As a
young man he had tasted the pleasures of Paris.
tasteful adj. in good taste, decorous, refined, finished, tactful,
polite, polished, restrained, correct, harmonious, fitting, fit,
proper, discriminating, aesthetic, discriminative, fastidious,
cultivated, comme il faut, elegant, graceful, charming: Though
a bit shabby, her clothes were demure and tasteful.
tasteless adj. 1 in bad or poor taste, garish, gaudy, loud, tawdry,
meretricious, cheap, flashy, unrefined, inelegant, unaesthetic;
improper, wrong, indecorous, indelicate, uncultivated, uncouth,
uncultured, gauche, boorish, maladroit, distasteful, unsavoury,
coarse, crude, gross, vulgar, base, low: That is the most
tasteless dress I have ever seen. He made a tasteless remark
about her table manners. 2 insipid, bland, dull, flat, watery,
vapid, flavourless, unsavoury, Colloq wishy-washy: The tea
served there is completely tasteless.
tasty adj. delicious, delectable, luscious, flavorous, flavoursome,
flavourful, savoury, toothsome, palatable, appetizing, sapid,
mouth-watering, ambrosial, Colloq yummy, scrumptious: They
serve a very tasty curry at that Indian restaurant.
tatter n. 1 Often, tatters. scrap(s), rag(s), shred(s), bit(s),
piece(s): Tatters from the culprit's clothing were found on a
thorn-bush. 2 in tatters. in ruins, in shreds, destroyed,
ruined, shattered, in disarray, demolished: My life has been in
tatters ever since she left me.
tattered adj. ragged, torn, shredded, rent, threadbare: Above the altar
in the chapel hang the tattered standards of the regiment,
dating from the Crimean War.
tattle v. 1 blab, tell, reveal or divulge, give away secrets, Slang
squeal: Though sworn to silence, Davis tattled. 2 gossip,
prattle, prate, babble, chatter, jabber, blather or blether,
Brit natter, witter, Slang yack: The old crones were tattling
away in the kitchen.
taunt v. 1 tease, jeer (at), flout, twit, mock, torment, annoy, make
fun or sport of, poke fun at, deride, sneer (at), scoff (at),
insult, ridicule, burlesque, lampoon, US ride, Colloq kid, rib,
roast, put down, Brit guy, Slang bug, rag, hassle, US get on
(someone's) case: The boys used to taunt him, calling him
'Shrimpo' because he was so short.
--n. 2 jeer, gibe, brickbat, insult, scoff, derision, sneer,
slap (in the face), raspberry, Colloq dig, US Bronx cheer: At
17, he was six feet tall and no longer had to tolerate his
classmates' taunts.
taut adj. 1 tight, tense, strained, stretched, rigid, stiff: When
his jaw goes taut like that I know he's angry. 2 Nautical neat,
tidy, Bristol fashion, shipshape, spruce, (in) trim, smart,
orderly, well-organized; well-disciplined: Captain Scriven runs
a taut ship, no doubt about it.
tautology n. repetition, redundancy, battology, pleonasm, iteration,
tautologism; repetitiousness, repetitiveness, wordiness,
prolixity, verbiage, verbosity, long-windedness: Clich‚s like
'null and void' and 'cease and desist' are tautologies.
Tautology, when called 'repetition', is often used for
rhetorical effect.
tawdry adj. gaudy, cheap, flashy, brummagem, showy, meretricious,
garish, loud, tatty, tinsel, tinselly, plastic, tinny, shabby,
US tacky, Colloq cheapjack: She was wearing a tawdry outfit
picked up at a church jumble sale.
tax n. 1 levy, impost, duty, tariff, assessment, tribute, toll,
excise, customs, charge, contribution, Archaic scot, tithe, Brit
octroi, cess, rate(s), dues: Most people try to pay the lowest
taxes they can get away with. 2 onus, burden, weight, load,
encumbrance, strain, pressure: The admission of fifty new
children put a heavy tax on the school's resources.
--v. 3 assess, exact, demand, charge, impose or levy a tax
(on), Archaic tithe: If the government doesn't tax citizens,
where will the money come from? 4 burden, strain, put a strain
on, try; load, overload, stretch, exhaust; encumber, weigh down,
saddle, Brit pressurize, US pressure: This misbehaviour is
really taxing my patience. Our meagre resources were taxed to
the limit. Mother was taxed with the responsibility of caring
for us.
taxi n. 1 taxi-cub, cab, hackney, Colloq hack: Please hurry, as I
have a taxi waiting.
--v. 2 drive, ride (on the ground): After landing, the plane
taxied to the gate.
teach v. instruct (in), inform (about), communicate (to), educate,
guide, train, tutor, coach, enlighten, edify, indoctrinate,
inculcate, instil, school in, demonstrate, show, familiarize or
acquaint with, give lessons (in) (to); drill, discipline: She
is qualified to teach chemistry. Captain Ross taught many
youngsters to sail. She wants to teach when she completes her
training.
teacher n. schoolteacher, educator, instructor, professor, doctor,
tutor, fellow, lecturer, master, mistress, schoolmaster,
schoolmistress, coach, trainer, guide, mentor, guru, cicerone,
counsellor, advisor; educationist; Brit don, Scots dominie, US
docent, Colloq schoolma'm: One can be counted extremely lucky
to have inspiring teachers.
team n. 1 side, line-up, group, band, gang, body, crew, party,
troupe: Which team does Lineker play for? 2 pair, yoke, span,
duo, set, rig, tandem: They hitched a fresh team of horses to
the coach and we were soon back on the road.
--v. 3 Often, team up. join (up or together), band or get or
work together, unite, combine, link (up), cooperate,
collaborate; conspire: If we team up, we'll get the job done
better and in half the time.
tear v. 1 rip, rend, rive, rupture, pull apart, shred, mutilate,
mangle, claw, split, divide, separate, sever: The tiger is
tearing its quarry to shreds. He tore the contract in half and
stormed out. 2 pull, snatch, wrench: The force of the blast
tore the attach‚ case from my grasp. The child was torn from
her mother's arms by the soldier. 3 dash, fly, run, gallop,
race, sprint, rush, scoot, shoot, sprint, speed, bolt, dart,
flit, scurry, scuttle, career, zoom, hurry, hasten, Colloq zip:
He is tearing around trying to find the money to cover his loan.
--n. 4 rip, rent, rupture, hole, split, slash, gore, cut,
score, slit, gash, fissure, rift, laceration: Nobody will see
the tear in your trousers if you remain seated.
tearful adj. weeping, crying, in tears, sobbing, whimpering, dewy-eyed,
blubbering, snivelling, lachrymose, Colloq weepy: She was
tearful as she told him they could not meet again.
tease v. 1 bait, taunt, torment, harass, bedevil, bother, nettle,
plague, chaff, pester, annoy, irritate, needle, goad, badger,
provoke, vex, twit, tantalize, frustrate, Non-Standard
aggravate, Colloq guy, pick on, rib, drive mad or crazy, drive
up the wall, Brit take the mickey out of, Slang rag: Stop
teasing the animals! Frances would tease me by agreeing to go
out and then begging off with a headache. 2 coax, worry, winkle,
work, manipulate: He was finally able to tease the broken piece
of key out of the lock.
technical adj. 1 complex, complicated, detailed, intricate, specialized:
This is a technical matter, not easily understood by the layman.
2 mechanical, applied, industrial, polytechnic, technologic(al):
We thought he would be happier attending a technical school.
technique n. 1 technic, method, approach, manner, mode, fashion, style,
procedure, system, tack, line, modus operandi, standard
operating procedure, Colloq MO (= 'modus operandi'), SOP (=
'standard operating procedure'): After many years, he has
developed his own technique for building hot-air balloons. 2
technic, art, craftsmanship, artistry, craft, knack, touch,
skill, skilfulness, adroitness, adeptness, dexterousness,
facility, competence, faculty, ability, aptitude, performance,
proficiency, talent, gift, genius, know-how, knowledge,
expertise: Jason's technique remains unsurpassed.
tedious adj. over-long, long-drawn-out, prolonged, endless, unending,
monotonous, unchanging, changeless, unvarying, laborious,
long-winded, wearing, wearying, wearisome, tiring, exhausting,
fatiguing, tiresome, boring, dreary, dull, dry-as-dust, drab,
colourless, vapid, insipid, flat, uninteresting, banal,
unexciting, prosaic, prosy, soporific, humdrum, routine,
repetitious, repetitive, mechanical, automaton-like, automatic,
Colloq ho-hum, Slang dead, US blah: For almost fifty years my
father had a tedious job on an assembly line.
tedium n. tediousness, monotony, changelessness, invariability,
long-windedness, wearisomeness, tiresomeness, boredom, ennui,
dreariness, dullness, drabness, colourlessness, vapidity,
insipidity, insipidness, two-dimensionality, banality, routine,
repetitiousness: How do you survive the tedium of getting up
and going to an office every day?
teem° v. Usually teem with. proliferate (with), be prolific (with),
abound, be abundant, swarm (with), be alive (with), crawl
(with), bristle (with), overflow (with), overrun (with), be full
(of), brim (with): When the panel was removed, the entire
foundation was seen to be teeming with termites.
teemэ v. pour, rain, stream (down), Colloq come down (in buckets),
bucket down, rain or pour cats and dogs: It teemed with rain
continuously when we were on holiday.
teenager n. adolescent, youth, boy, girl, young man, young lady,
juvenile, minor, Colloq kid: The town ought to provide a place
where teenagers can get together.
teeter v. balance, wobble, rock, sway, totter, waver, tremble,
stagger: She screamed when she saw Bruce teetering on the edge
of the precipice.
telegram n. cable, cablegram, radiogram, radio-telegram, wire, telex,
(In France) bleu, pneu, Brit trade mark Telemessage, US trade
mark Mailgram: She received a telegram from him, saying that he
would be arriving on Monday.
telephone n. 1 handset, phone, Colloq blower, Chiefly US horn: Mr
Fraser, the Managing Director is on the telephone for you.
--v. 2 phone, ring (up), call (up), give (someone) a ring or a
call, Colloq get (someone) on the blower or chiefly US the horn,
give (someone) a tinkle or a buzz, buzz: Telephone when you
have a chance.
telescope n. 1 spyglass, Old-fashioned glass; refracting telescope,
reflecting telescope, radio telescope: Through the telescope,
he could just discern the American coastline.
--v. 2 shorten, compress, abbreviate, curtail, condense,
summarize, pr‚cis, digest, tighten (up), boil down, abridge,
truncate, abstract: Telescope the report into two columns for
page 2. 3 concertina, squash, crush: The first three carriages
of the train were telescoped in the crash.
television
n. TV, video (receiver), small screen, Colloq box, idiot box,
Brit telly, US boob tube, Slang tube, Brit goggle-box: My
television was not working over the weekend.
tell° v. 1 relate, narrate, recount, recite: Tell me a story. 2
Sometimes, tell of. say, mention, hint at, refer to, touch on,
utter, state, declare, proclaim, announce, publish, broadcast,
communicate, make known, report, impart, indicate, release,
break, let (something) be known, advertise, trumpet, herald,
bring to light, disclose, divulge, intimate, leak, admit,
betray, acknowledge, confess, disbosom oneself, get (something)
off (one's) chest, unburden or disburden (oneself), blab,
tattle, Colloq talk, let the cat out of the bag, spill the
beans, let out, let slip, blow the whistle on, give away the
(whole) show, US pull the plug on, Slang squeal, squeak, rat,
peach, US spill (one's) guts: She told of her fears. He refuses
to tell where the money is hidden. She talked a lot but told
very little. 3 apprise, advise, inform, let (someone) know,
notify, acquaint (someone) with (something): He has told me
everything. Tell them that I shall be late. He told them nothing
of his illness. 4 recount, describe, delineate, outline,
portray, depict, express, put, word, explain: I am not sure how
to tell you this. 5 order, command, require, demand (that),
charge, direct, dictate (that), instruct, bid: Tell them I want
no visitors today. She told him to go. 6 carry weight, be
influential, be effective, have (an) effect: What we
accomplished here today is bound to tell in our favour. 7
determine, say, confirm, aver, assert, asseverate, swear, take
an oath, be sure or certain or positive, know (for sure or for
certain): It just shows you never can tell. 8 ascertain,
determine, perceive, understand, make out, discern, identify,
recognize, distinguish, discriminate, differentiate: I cannot
tell if that is George or not. I can't tell George from John in
this photograph. 9 predict, prophesy, forecast, foretell,
foresee, forecast, determine, ascertain, know: Who can tell
what tomorrow will bring? 10 tell off. scold, reprimand,
berate, chide, castigate, censure, take to task, rebuke,
lecture, reproach, reprove, Colloq give (someone) a
tongue-lashing, rake or haul (someone) over the coals, give
(someone) a piece of (one's) mind, tick off, Slang tear a strip
off, US chew out: He was told off for being late for dinner
again. 11 tell on. tattle on, blab about, Brit grass on:
Charlotte never forgave Tim for telling on her to Aunt Jane.
tellэ n. tumulus, mound, barrow, hillock: Excavation of the tell
exposed ancient skeletons.
telling adj. 1 effective, effectual, influential, weighty, important,
powerful, forceful, potent, significant, considerable, striking:
The new colour scheme in the office has had a telling effect on
morale.
--n. 2 tattling, (too) revealing, Colloq letting the cat out of
the bag, giving away the whole show: I cannot say why her key
was found in his pocket - that would be telling.
temper n. 1 mood, disposition, temperament, humour, state or frame of
mind, character, personality, nature, make-up, constitution:
Practising law did not suit his temper, so he became a social
worker. 2 composure, self-control, self-possession, calmness,
equanimity, balance, sang-froid, coolness, Colloq cool: He
would lose his temper if she ever mentioned another man. 3 ill
humour, ill temper, foul temper, irascibility, irritability,
petulance, volatility, peevishness, huffishness, surliness,
churlishness, hotheadedness, hot-bloodedness: At the first sign
of temper, just ignore him. 4 (temper) tantrum, fury, fit (of
pique), rage, passion, Colloq Brit wax, paddy: She went off
into a temper at the mere mention of his name.
--v. 5 modify, moderate, assuage, mollify, soften, cushion,
tone down, allay, soothe, mitigate, palliate, reduce, relax,
slacken, lighten, appease: The cold currents from the poles are
tempered by the equatorial waters. She used all her wiles to
temper his fury. 6 anneal, toughen, strengthen, harden: Plunge
the heated blade into water to temper it.
temperamental
adj. 1 moody, sensitive, touchy, hypersensitive, volatile,
irascible, irritable, petulant, testy, short-tempered,
hot-tempered, hotheaded, hot-blooded, excitable, explosive, on a
short fuse or US fuze, capricious, impatient, bad-humoured,
curt, brusque, short, gruff, bluff, curmudgeonly, waspish,
snappish, peevish, crabby, crabbed, grumpy, huffish, huffy,
crotchety, US cranky, Colloq grouchy: He's not usually
temperamental - must be something he ate. 2 erratic, uneven,
unreliable, inconsistent, undependable, unpredictable: That car
of mine is getting temperamental in its old age.
temperance
n. 1 (self-)restraint, moderation, (self-)control, forbearance,
(self-)discipline, continence: Temperance is one of the four
cardinal virtues, alongside justice, prudence, and fortitude. 2
abstemiousness, teetotalism, abstinence, sobriety, Rechabitism;
prohibition: We have always preached temperance to our
children.
temperate adj. 1 moderate, reasonable, (self-)restrained, disciplined,
controlled, forbearing, reasonable, sensible, sane, rational,
not excessive, composed, steady, stable, even-tempered, equable,
sober, sober-sided, sober-minded, mild, dispassionate,
unimpassioned, cool, cool-headed, unexcited, calm, unruffled,
tranquil, imperturbable, unperturbed, self-possessed, quiet,
serene: Even the most temperate of women would lose her cool
when dealing with a man like that. 2 abstemious, teetotal,
abstinent, continent, moderate, sober; chaste, celibate,
austere, ascetic, self-denying, puritanical: Those who lead
temperate lives seem to live no longer than those who yield to
dissipation.
tempest n. 1 storm, wind-storm, hailstorm, rainstorm, hurricane,
typhoon, tornado, cyclone, squall, thunderstorm: The Red Spot
on Jupiter is the centre of a perpetual, violent tempest. 2
storm, commotion, disturbance, upheaval, disruption, furore or
US furor, turbulence, ferment, tumult, agitation, perturbation,
hurly-burly, disorder, outbreak, unrest, riot, chaos, uproar,
brouhaha, Colloq hoo-ha: After the tempest of protest died
down, a vote was taken and saner heads prevailed.
tempestuous
adj. stormy, wild, uncontrolled, uncontrollable, disrupting,
disruptive, turbulent, tumultuous, riotous, chaotic, uproarious,
boisterous, frantic, frenzied, frenetic, furious, wrathful,
vehement, fiery, impassioned, fierce: They had a tempestuous
relationship, and did not live together for very long.
template n. templet, pattern, mould, guide, model, die: The work on the
lathe is matched to the template.
temple n. place or house of worship, holy place, house of God, church,
synagogue, mosque, pagoda, cathedral, sanctuary, chapel, shrine,
Yiddish shul or schul: Temples to gods are found throughout the
world.
tempo n. cadence, rhythm, beat, time, pulse, metre, measure; pace,
speed, rate: The melody should be played in waltz tempo. Living
in the country, Tom is unaccustomed to the tempo of big-city
life.
temporal adj. 1 earthly, terrestrial, terrene, mundane, worldly,
non-spiritual, non-clerical, lay, laic(al), secular,
non-religious, non-ecclesiastic(al), material, civil, profane,
fleshly, mortal: He believed that his temporal miseries would
be compensated for by an eternity in the seventh heaven. 2 See
temporary, below.
temporarily
adv. 1 for the time being, in the interim, pro tem, in or for
the meantime or the meanwhile, for now: Mr Peters is
temporarily out of the office, and will contact you on his
return. 2 briefly, fleetingly, for a (short or little) while or
time, for the moment: Your size is temporarily out of stock,
madam.
temporary adj. impermanent, makeshift, stopgap, stand-by, provisional;
pro tem, transitory, transient, fleeting, fugitive, passing,
ephemeral, temporal, evanescent, short-lived, momentary: I
suppose it will have to do as a temporary substitute.
tempt v. 1 attract, entice, lure, allure, draw (in), invite, lead on,
whet (one's) appetite, seduce, captivate, persuade, coax,
cajole: They had a special offer to tempt new customers. 2
lead, induce, persuade, prompt, move, incline, dispose: I would
be tempted to resign if they treated me that way. 3 provoke,
dare, (put to the) test: I shouldn't tempt Providence if I were
you.
temptation
n. 1 tempting, enticing, leading on, seducing, captivating,
persuading, coaxing, cajoling: The temptation by advertisers
never stops, does it? 2 enticement, seduction, captivation,
persuasion, allurement, invitation, attraction, draw, lure,
inducement, snare, Colloq pull, come-on: I could never resist a
temptation like that.
tempting adj. 1 seductive, enticing, inviting, alluring, captivating,
attractive, tantalizing, appealing, irresistible, titillating;
fetching, winsome, prepossessing, ravishing, voluptuous,
sensuous, Colloq sexy, US foxy: They made her a very tempting
offer which she found hard to refuse. He was continually
distracted by thoughts of tempting young girls. 2 appetizing,
mouth-watering, delicious, savoury, delectable, succulent,
luscious, toothsome: Why does food always look most tempting
when I am on a diet?
temptress n. seductress, vamp, siren, femme fatale, coquette, flirt,
enchantress, sorceress, Circe, Slang sexpot, man-eater, US foxy
lady, fox, mantrap: You warned me against that temptress
because you wanted her for yourself.
tenable adj. defensible, supportable, justifiable, maintainable,
workable, viable, defendable, plausible, reasonable, rational,
arguable, believable, credible, creditable, imaginable,
conceivable, possible: Copernicus showed that Ptolemaic
cosmology was no longer tenable.
tenacious adj. 1 persistent, dogged, unfaltering, pertinacious,
unswerving, determined, diligent, resolute, staunch, stalwart,
steadfast, strong, sturdy, unwavering, strong-willed,
strong-minded, unshaken, unshakeable or unshakable, obstinate,
intransigent, stubborn, adamant, obdurate, refractory,
immovable, inflexible, rigid, firm, unyielding, uncompromising:
Despite his age, Christopher maintains a tenacious grip on
reality. 2 cohesive, strong, tough; adhesive, sticky, clinging;
gummy, gluey, mucilaginous, glutinous, viscous, viscid: The
bricks are then smeared over with a tenacious mud, which dries
hard. 3 Often, tenacious of. clinging (to), grasping,
maintaining, keeping (up), staying with, retentive (of),
persisting or persistent (in), retaining: She is tenacious of
the old ways of doing things. 4 retentive, good: Aunt Agatha
has a very tenacious memory.
tenacity n. 1 tenaciousness, persistence, doggedness, perseverance,
pertinacity, determination, grit, diligence, resoluteness,
resolution, purposefulness, resolve, staunchness, steadfastness,
stamina, assiduity, sedulousness, strength, strong-mindedness,
unshakeability or unshakability, obstinacy, intransigence,
stubbornness, obduracy, inflexibility, rigidity, firmness,
uncompromisingness, Colloq US sand, stick-to-it-iveness: He
persisted with the tenacity of the English bulldog. 2
tenaciousness, cohesiveness, strength, power, toughness,
resilience; adhesiveness, stickiness, gumminess, glueyness,
mucilaginousness, glutinousness, viscousness, viscidity, US
cling: The texture of the surfaces affects the tenacity of the
bonding cement.
tenancy n. occupancy, occupation, possession, tenure: Our tenancy of
the house expires next month. The tenancy of this position is a
year.
tenant n. occupant, lessee, renter, leaseholder, occupier, resident,
inhabitant: We could not redecorate the premises while the
tenants were there.
tend° v. be inclined or disposed, be liable or apt or likely,
incline, lean, have or show or exhibit or demonstrate a
tendency, favour, verge, gravitate, be biased; be prone: The
judge might tend towards leniency in your case. I tend to agree.
Tree growth here tends towards the horizontal.
tendэ v. care for, take care of, look after, look out for, watch
over, see to, keep an eye on, attend (to), wait on, cater to,
minister to, serve, nurse, nurture: Marie tended her father
lovingly throughout his long illness.
tendency n. inclination, bent, leaning, disposition, propensity,
predisposition, proclivity, predilection, susceptibility,
proneness, readiness, partiality, affinity, bias, drift,
direction, trend, movement: Brian has always had a tendency to
being overweight. The particles exhibit a tendency to align
themselves north and south.
tender° adj. 1 sensitive, delicate, fragile, frail, infirm, unstable,
shaky, weak, feeble, unwell, sickly, ailing, unsound: His
condition is still a bit too tender for him to go outside. 2
chewable, edible, eatable, soft: The steak will become more
tender if it is marinated. 3 young, youthful, immature,
juvenile, inexperienced, impressionable, vulnerable, green, new,
raw, undeveloped, untrained, uninitiated, callow: At his tender
age he could not have known about such things. 4 sensitive,
touchy, ticklish, dangerous, troublesome, provocative,
difficult, tricky: Please avoid mentioning the wedding, it's a
tender subject around here. 5 gentle, soft, delicate, light,
sensitive, soothing: Oh, how he yearned for her tender touch at
his fevered brow. 6 kind, kind-hearted, loving, affectionate,
fond, gentle, mild, compassionate, considerate, humane,
benevolent, sympathetic, feeling, thoughtful, soft-hearted,
warm, caring, merciful, solicitous, tender-hearted,
warm-hearted, good-natured: Wounded and helpless, he succumbed
to the tender care of the nurses. 7 touching, emotional,
moving, stirring, soul-stirring, heart-rending, heartfelt,
passionate, impassioned, impassionate, poignant, sentimental,
mawkish, maudlin: Who could forget the tender scene as Cedric
bade farewell to his mother and went off to war? 8 sore, raw,
painful, sensitive, inflamed; smarting, burning, hurting,
aching, agonizing: This spot, right here, is so tender that it
hurts just to think about it. 9 loving, affectionate, amatory,
amorous, adoring, romantic: They exchanged tender, knowing
looks.
tenderэ v. 1 offer, proffer, present, propose, put forward, extend,
hold out, submit, advance, put up, set before: Donald tendered
his resignation yesterday. She has tendered the committee an
excellent proposal.
--n. 2 offer, bid, presentation, proposal, proposition: The
city is accepting tenders for the construction of a new bridge.
3 currency, money, specie, (bank) notes, cash, bills; payment,
compensation: Pound notes are no longer legal tender in England
and Wales.
tender° n. 1 dinghy, gig, skiff, launch, boat, row-boat or rowing-boat,
jolly-boat: The yacht moved easily through the water towing a
tender. 2 wagon, truck, vehicle: The tender of Felix's toy
train was filled with sweets for his birthday.
tenet n. belief, credo, creed, article of faith, ideology, precept,
conviction, principle, dogma, idea, opinion, position, view,
viewpoint, maxim, axiom, canon, teaching, doctrine: They accept
the Golden Rule as a fundamental tenet of their organization.
tenor n. drift, tone, spirit, essence, character, gist, bias, import,
substance, effect, significance, meaning, sense, connotation,
theme, thread, implication, inference, intent, purpose,
tendency, purport, direction: The general tenor of Mark's
letters was unfriendly.
tense adj. 1 taut, strained, stiff, under tension, rigid: One could
see how tense the muscles were under the skin. 2 intense,
nervous, anxious, under (a) strain, highly-strung, high-strung,
strained, on edge, wrought up, keyed up, worked up, taut, on
tenterhooks, apprehensive, distressed, upset, disturbed,
worried, edgy, on pins and needles, jumpy, fidgety, overwrought,
Colloq wound up, jittery, having a case of the jitters, Brit
strung up, US strung out, Slang uptight, US antsy: Try to relax
and not be so tense. 3 nervous, anxious, worrying, worrisome,
distressing, disturbing, stressful, nerve-racking or
nerve-wracking, fraught, disquieting: Those were tense moments
while we waited for the winner's name to be posted.
--v. 4 tighten, stretch, strain, tauten, tension: The mast
will be secure once the stays have been tensed.
tension n. 1 stress, tightness, tautness, strain, pull, traction,
pressure, tenseness, force: Can this cable withstand so much
tension? 2 nervousness, anxiety, anxiousness, strain, edginess,
apprehension, suspense, tautness, distress, upset, worry,
jumpiness, fidgetiness, Colloq jitteriness, (a case of) the
jitters: I could feel the tension building among the audience.
tentative adj. 1 experimental, speculative, exploratory, probative,
trial, provisional: We have tentative plans for introducing a
new work methodology. 2 unsure, hesitant, uncertain,
indecisive, cautious, timid, shy, diffident, uneasy,
apprehensive: The child gave him a tentative smile, not knowing
what to expect.
tenuous adj. 1 thin, slender, thin, fine, attenuated, delicate,
gossamer, diaphanous, fragile: The spider descended slowly on
its tenuous thread. 2 flimsy, insubstantial or unsubstantial,
paltry, weak, feeble, frail, meagre, vague, negligible,
insignificant, trifling, sketchy, hazy, nebulous, dubious,
doubtful, shaky: Your case rests on very tenuous evidence.
tenure n. 1 possession, holding, occupancy, incumbency, tenantry,
tenancy, occupation, residency, residence: The laws on tenure
are extremely complicated. 2 (job) security, permanence,
permanency: After five years he was automatically guaranteed
tenure.
tepid adj. 1 lukewarm, warmish: The gelatine should be tepid before
refrigerating it. 2 lukewarm, unenthusiastic, cool,
indifferent, apathetic, uninterested, unconcerned, nonchalant,
uncaring, neutral, blas‚: How can he remain tepid on an issue
like apartheid?
term n. 1 name, title, designation, appellation; word, expression,
locution, phrase: The term for that is venturi tube. Habeas
corpus is a term of art in law. 2 semester; time, period (of
time), interval, length of time, span (of time), duration,
spell, stretch, while: During the summer term we played cricket
every Saturday. He was sentenced to a long term of imprisonment.
3 sitting, stint, session, course; incumbency, administration:
During their latest term of office, interest rates were raised
twice. 4 Often, terms. condition(s), provision(s), article(s),
clause(s), proviso(s); stipulation(s), qualification(s),
assumption(s): According to the terms of the will, proceeds
from the patent go into a trust fund. 5 come to terms. agree,
come to or reach an agreement or an arrangement or an
understanding, reconcile, arrange, settle, compromise: Can we
come to terms on the price? He will simply have to come to terms
with his conscience. 6 in terms of. concerning, regarding, as
regards, with regard to, in relation to, relative to, relating
to, in the matter of: The psychiatrist offered little in terms
of direct solutions to my problems. 7 terms. a payment,
schedule, rates: What terms have they offered to settle the
debt? b standing, position, basis, relationship, relations,
footing: I always thought you two were on good terms.
--v. 8 call, name, label, designate, denominate, entitle,
title, style, dub; nickname: Abraham Lincoln was termed, among
other things, 'The Great Emancipator'.
terminal adj. 1 closing, concluding, terminating, ending, final,
ultimate, extreme; maximum, greatest: Spencer wrote that the
human being is at once the terminal problem of biology and the
initial factor of sociology. 2 deadly, mortal, fatal, lethal,
incurable: The cancer was diagnosed as terminal.
--n. 3 terminus, (terminal) station, end of the line, depot:
We arrived at the air terminal with five minutes to catch our
plane. 4 keyboard, monitor, position, station, VDU (= 'visual
display unit'), PC (= 'personal computer'), module, CRT (=
'cathode ray tube'), screen, (control) panel: The computer
system supported a terminal for each member of the team. 5
connection, wire, connector, coupler, coupling, conductor: Do I
attach the red cable to the positive or the negative terminal?
terminate v. stop, end, come to an end, finish; put an end to, cease,
conclude, discontinue, drop, abort, bring to an end or a close,
wind up or down, sign off, cut off: The railway line once
terminated at the port. They said they wanted to terminate the
contract.
termination
n. 1 end, ending, stop, stopping, stoppage, ceasing, cessation,
discontinuation, abortion, Colloq wind-up, winding up, close,
finish, finishing, conclusion: The rights revert to us at the
termination of the agreement. Because of her condition,
termination of the pregnancy was recommended. 2 suffix,
desinence, ending: The English termination -ly usually denotes
an adverb but is occasionally adjectival, as in sickly .
terrain n. topography, landscape, ground, territory: These vehicles
are specially designed for rough terrain.
terrestrial
adj. 1 earthly, earthbound, worldly, terrene, tellurian or
telluric, global, sublunary, subastral; mundane: He insists
that we tackle our terrestrial problems before spending a
fortune on space travel.
--n. 2 earth-man, earth-woman, earth-person, earthling, mortal,
human: My experiences are beyond the imaginations of you mere
terrestrials.
terrible adj. 1 bad, serious, grave, severe, acute, distressing,
disagreeable, nasty, foul, unbearable, dreadful, loathsome,
hideous, vile, intolerable, awful, Colloq rotten, lousy,
beastly: I've had a terrible virus. 2 bad, remorseful,
regretful, rueful, sorry, contrite, ashamed,
conscience-stricken, guilty, distressed, dreadful, awful, Colloq
rotten, lousy, beastly: I felt terrible having to tell the
neighbours about their cat. 3 unhappy, unpleasant,
disagreeable, awful, miserable, joyless, wretched, unfortunate,
Colloq rotten, lousy, beastly: We spent an absolutely terrible
evening at the theatre. 4 gruesome, grisly, macabre, gory,
grotesque, brutal, savage, horrible, horrendous, terrifying,
terrific, harrowing, horrid, horrifying, ghastly, frightening,
frightful, unspeakable, monstrous, dread, terrible, appalling,
shocking, alarming, awful, foul: The casualties that were
arriving had the most terrible wounds. 5 disgusting, revolting,
nauseating, nauseous, offensive, vomit-provoking, obnoxious,
stomach-turning, stomach-churning, abominable, mephitic,
noisome, noxious, loathsome, horrible, hideous, terrific, awful,
evil, vile, rotten, awful: The compost heap was giving off the
most terrible stench. 6 terrifying, frightening, frightful,
fearsome, formidable, redoubtable, awesome, awe-inspiring,
terrific: The animal gave a terrible roar and charged into the
clearing.
terribly adv. very, extremely, exceedingly, thoroughly, decidedly,
unbelievably, incredibly, monumentally, outrageously, awfully,
fabulously, Colloq frightfully: They were terribly apologetic
about being late. I missed him terribly when he left.
terrific adj. 1 See terrible, 4, 5, 6, above. 2 wonderful, marvellous,
splendid, breathtaking, extraordinary, outstanding, magnificent,
exceptional, unbelievable, incredible, mind-boggling,
stupendous, superb, excellent, first-class, superior, Colloq
great, ace, fantastic, fabulous, sensational, smashing, super:
They really put on a terrific show.
terrify v. alarm, frighten, scare, terrorize, shock, make one's flesh
crawl or creep, horrify, make one's blood run cold, make one's
hair stand on end, stun, paralyse, petrify: Are you trying to
terrify the child with those horror stories?
terrifying
adj. alarming, frightening, scary, shocking, horrifying,
paralysing, petrifying: Being chased by a bull is a terrifying
experience.
territory n. 1 area, region, district, neighbourhood, zone, sector,
tract, land, precinct, quarter, vicinage, vicinity, purlieu:
Each one of these animals stakes out its own territory and
protects it. 2 area, bailiwick, domain, province, haunts, patch,
Colloq stamping-ground, US turf: Richard would be best advised
to stick to his own territory.
terror n. 1 fright, dread, fear, horror, panic, shock, alarm, anxiety,
dismay, consternation, intimidation, awe: They felt a sense of
terror when they caught sight of the enemy forces. 2 scourge,
demon, brute, monster, fiend, devil, US mad dog: The gang of
teenagers was the terror of the neighbourhood. Her daughter is a
little terror.
terrorist n. subversive, radical, insurgent, revolutionary, anarchist,
nihilist; bomber, arsonist, incendiary; desperado, gunman, thug,
felon, criminal: The shooting was carried out by a previously
unknown gang of terrorists.
terse adj. 1 concise, brief, short, compact, pithy, succinct,
summary, laconic, short and sweet, to the point, sententious,
crisp, epigrammatic, aphoristic; distilled, condensed,
compendious, abbreviated, abridged, shortened, concentrated: He
gave a terse account of what had happened. 2 abrupt, curt,
short, brusque, blunt, gruff, bluff, ungracious, petulant, tart,
rude: His answer was terse and unhelpful.
test n. 1 trial, examination, exam, proof, evaluation, assay, check,
check-up, investigation, study, analysis: My physics test is
tomorrow. Have you had a blood test lately?
--v. 2 try (out), check (up) (on), examine, evaluate, assess,
assay, prove, probe: Someone ought to test the water for
purity.
testify v. state, aver, assert, attest, swear, say, affirm, declare,
give evidence or testimony, bear witness, avow, vouchsafe,
proclaim, announce: He testified that he saw you there. Is your
mother going to testify at the trial? The fingerprints testify
to the fact that she was here.
testimonial
n. endorsement, certification, commendation, (letter of)
recommendation, reference, Colloq blurb: I am happy to write a
testimonial for you.
testimony n. evidence, attestation, affirmation, confirmation,
verification, authentication, corroboration, avowal, deposition,
statement, affidavit, declaration, assertion, claim, averral,
asseveration, information: We have only his testimony that the
woman caused the accident.
testy adj. irritable, bad-tempered, irascible, short-tempered,
petulant, touchy, tetchy, querulous, peevish, hot-tempered,
crusty, cross, grumpy, grouchy, bearish, crabby, crabbed,
fretful, captious, waspish, snappish, quarrelsome, fractious,
contentious, choleric, splenetic, ill-humoured, disagreeable,
ill-tempered, edgy, on edge, quick-tempered, crotchety,
cantankerous, US cranky, Colloq and US and Canadian dialect
ornery: The old colonel made a few testy remarks about the
boys' haircuts. Why make excuses for his being so testy?
t€te-…-t€te
n. 1 (cosy or personal) chat, dialogue, causerie, pillow talk,
private talk or word, parley, interview, Colloq confab, US
one-on-one: Will we have time for a brief t€te-…-t€te after
dinner?
--adv. 2 intimately, privately, in private, face to face,
confidentially, secretly, … deux, in secret, Colloq US
one-on-one: Could we meet t€te-…-t€te some time?
--adj. 3 intimate, private, intime, cosy: I arranged a little
t€te-…-t€te dinner at my flat.
tether n. 1 lead, leash, rope, cord, fetter, restraint, halter, tie,
chain: The dog had broken loose from its tether and was running
around in the yard.
--v. 2 tie (up or down), restraint, fetter, chain (up or down),
leash, manacle, secure, shackle, fasten, picket, stake: Why
don't you tether the goat where the grass is more plentiful?
text n. 1 wording, words, content, (subject-)matter; printed matter,
(main) body (text), contents: The editor had no right to make
changes in the text without consulting the author. The text is
in 10-point roman type, the footnotes in 8-point. 2 extract,
abstract, section, quotation, part, paragraph, passage, verse,
line: What text from the Scripture are we discussing next week?
3 subject(-matter), topic, theme, motif, issue, focus: For
today's talk I have chosen for my text the problem of
alcoholism. 4 textbook, school-book, reader, manual, primer,
workbook, exercise book, Archaic hornbook: Today's science
texts are much more advanced than those of twenty years ago.
texture n. feel, surface, character, grain, features, consistency,
weave; configuration, nature, structure, fabric, constitution,
substance: The material has a rough texture. The texture of the
plot is reinforced by the dialogue.
thank v. 1 express or show (one's) gratitude or thanks or
appreciation, say thank you or thanks, give or offer or tender
thanks: Don't forget to thank your uncle for the gift, William.
2 blame, hold responsible, credit, acknowledge: You have your
mother to thank for the present state of affairs.
--n. 3 thanks. gratitude, appreciation, gratefulness,
acknowledgement, recognition, thanksgiving: I gave thanks that
I was again on dry land. 4 thanks to. owing to, because of, as
a result of, thanks be given to, in consequence of, as a
consequence of, by reason of, through, Sometimes non-standard
due to: Thanks to you, I have to commute to work by train.
thankful adj. grateful, appreciative, indebted, pleased, glad, obliged,
obligated, under obligation, beholden to: I am most thankful
that you came, doctor.
thankless adj. unappreciated, unacknowledged, useless, unrewarding,
fruitless, unprofitable, profitless, unrequited, vain, futile,
bootless: She always regarded housekeeping as a thankless task.
thaw v. 1 Sometimes, thaw out. melt, de-ice, liquefy, defrost, warm
(up), heat (up), unfreeze: We cannot leave till the river
thaws. Why not thaw out the shepherd's pie for dinner? 2 soften,
warm, become (more) cordial or friendly, relax, yield, relent,
bend, unbend, let (oneself) go: After he got to know some of us
better he began to thaw.
theatre n. 1 playhouse, (opera) house, (music-) hall, auditorium,
amphitheatre, theatre-in-the-round, coliseum, hippodrome, arena
(theatre): A long run in a West End or Broadway theatre is
every playwright's dream. 2 drama, stagecraft, dramaturgy,
melodrama, theatrics, histrionics, staginess, acting,
performing, performance: Even the way Mary serves dinner is
pure theatre. 3 the theatre. drama, the stage, dramaturgy,
dramatic or Thespian or histrionic art(s), the boards, show
business, Colloq showbiz: The theatre is a risky profession. 4
area, arena, scene, sphere or place or field of action, setting:
In which theatre of war did you serve?
theatrical
adj. 1 theatric, dramatic, stage, histrionic, Thespian;
repertory: He joined a theatrical company and his family
disowned him. 2 stagy, overdone, camp, campy, melodramatic,
overwrought, exaggerated, forced, overacted, overacting,
sensational, sensationalistic, fake, false, mannered, affected,
unnatural, artificial, showy, ostentatious, spectacular,
extravagant, Colloq phoney or US also phony, ham or hammy,
grandstand: Does Fergus's theatrical behaviour ever embarrass
you?
theft n. robbery, stealing, pilferage, pilfering, filching,
shoplifting, thievery, purloining, embezzlement, hijacking,
larceny, Colloq lifting, appropriation, pocketing, pinching,
swiping, snitching, Chiefly Brit nicking, US boosting, Slang
heist, knocking off, rip-off: The theft of the jewellery was
reported to the police immediately.
theme n. 1 subject(-matter), topic, idea, notion, concept, thesis,
text, thread, keynote, gist, core, substance, point, essence:
What is the central theme of your article? 2 essay, paper,
composition, review, article, story, piece, exposition, study,
exercise, monograph, tract, thesis, dissertation, disquisition,
treatise: I have to hand in two themes next week.
theorem n. 1 hypothesis, proposition, assumption, conjecture, thesis,
postulate: He has set forth a clever proof of the binomial
theorem. 2 statement, dictum, rule, deduction, formula, axiom,
principle: After a lifetime of experience, his theorem is that
honesty is the best policy.
theoretical
adj. 1 hypothetical, conjectural, speculative, untested,
unproved, unproven, moot, putative, debatable, supposititious,
suppositional: The theoretical trajectory will take it beyond
Uranus. 2 impractical, unrealistic, pure, ideal, abstract,
academic: The suggestion was purely theoretical, since we have
no means of carrying it out.
theorist n. theoretician, speculator, hypothecator, hypothesizer,
theorizer, philosopher, dreamer: Leave guesswork to the
theorists: we need hard facts.
theorize v. guess, hypothesize, conjecture, speculate: It is logically
illogical to theorize about articles of faith.
therapeutic
adj. therapeutical, healing, curative, remedial, restorative,
salutary, health-giving, healthy, beneficial, corrective,
salubrious, medical, medicinal: Primitive medicine men knew of
the therapeutic powers of these herbs.
therapist n. psychotherapist, psychologist, analyst, therapeutist,
psychiatrist, psychoanalyst, counsellor, advisor, Colloq shrink:
For some problems it is best to seek the advice of a trained
counsellor or therapist.
therapy n. 1 remedy, treatment, remedial programme; cure: As therapy,
he suggested I swim a mile every day. 2 psychotherapy,
psychoanalysis, analysis, group therapy: If it weren't for my
weekly therapy sessions, I'd never see anyone.
therefore adv. consequently, so, thus, as a result or consequence, hence,
ergo, for that reason, wherefore, accordingly, that being so or
the case: Demand for our products has fallen dramatically, and
we cannot therefore expect to make a profit this year.
thesaurus n. 1 treasury, treasure trove, storehouse, armoury, arsenal,
repository, cache: It is hoped that this book will be regarded
as a thesaurus of linguistic treasures. 2 synonym dictionary,
synonymy, dictionary, lexicon: He checked in his thesaurus for
a synonym of 'idea'.
thesis n. 1 argument, theory, proposition, point, contention, belief,
idea, premise or premiss, assumption, view, assertion, precept,
opinion, notion, theorem, axiom, postulate: Think how many
centuries it took man to come to grips with the thesis that all
men are created equal. 2 See theme, 2, above.
Thespian adj. 1 dramatic, theatrical or theatric, histrionic, acting,
performing; Colloq ham, hammy: His Thespian talents went
unnoticed until he appeared as an extra in a James Bond movie.
--n. 2 actor, actress, performer, trouper, player;
supernumerary; matin‚e idol, star; Colloq ham: For many years
she was one of the most beloved Thespians who ever trod the
boards.
thick adj. 1 broad, wide, solid, thickset, burly, ample, solid,
bulky, substantial, beamy: He sank his teeth into the thickest
sandwich I have ever seen. She is a bit thicker in the
mid-section than I had remembered, but a good ketch nonetheless.
2 Usually, thick with. dense, solid, compact, concentrated,
condensed, packed, close-packed, compressed, crowded, choked,
filled, full, deep, clotted, chock-full or choke-full or
chuck-full, chock-a-block, teeming, swarming, alive, bristling,
crawling, bursting, crammed, jammed, brimming, Colloq lousy
with: The gallery was thick with visitors. 3 compact,
condensed, compressed, choking, packed, impenetrable,
impassable, dense; pea-soup, soupy, murky, misty, foggy, smoggy,
smoky, opaque, obscure, obscuring, hazy: We plunged deeper into
the thick jungle. A thick fog blanketed the valley. 4 abundant,
plentiful, bushy, luxuriant: Her thick red hair tumbled down
over her shoulders. 5 dense, viscid, viscous, gelatinous,
mucilaginous, gluey, glutinous, ropy, coagulated, clotted,
congealed, jelled, jellied, inspissated, stiffish; stiff, firm,
rigid, solid: For a thicker sauce, use cornflour. 6
thickheaded, thick-witted, thick-skulled, dense, stupid, slow,
slow-witted, dull, dull-witted, stolid, obtuse, gormless,
boneheaded, fat-headed, pin-headed, wooden-headed, addle-pated,
halfwitted, block-headed, doltish, Boeotian, cretinous,
imbecilic, moronic, US thimble-witted; insensitive,
thick-skinned; Colloq dim-witted, Slang dopey: How could anyone
so thick have become an executive? 7 guttural, hoarse, throaty,
raspy, rasping, rough, husky, grating, gravelly, indistinct,
distorted, inarticulate; gruff, raucous: 'I need you,' he
moaned, his voice thick with emotion. 8 close, friendly, like
that, inseparable, devoted, hand in glove, on good terms, on the
best (of) terms, intimate, Colloq chummy, pally, (as) thick as
thieves, Brit matey, well in, US palsy-walsy: We were thick in
the old days, going everywhere together. 9 marked, pronounced,
strong, decided, obvious, typical: She speaks English with a
thick Polish accent.
--n. 10 core, heart, centre, middle, focus, midst: If it's a
fight, you can be sure that Timothy will be in the thick of it.
thicken v. coagulate, clot, congeal, jell, gel, set, solidify, stiffen,
harden, firm up, cake, incrassate, inspissate: Cornflour can be
used to thicken sauces.
thicket n. copse, brake, grove, covert, wood, Brit spinney: We
concealed our horses in the thicket and stole ahead on foot.
thick-skinned
n. insensitive, insensate, dull, obtuse, stolid, callous,
numb(ed), steeled, hardened, toughened, tough, unsusceptible,
inured, unfeeling, case-hardened, impervious, pachydermatous,
Colloq hard-boiled: You must be very thick-skinned not to
realize that they were getting at you.
thief n. 1 robber, burglar, cat burglar, housebreaker, picklock,
sneak-thief, safe-cracker, pilferer, shoplifter, purloiner;
embezzler, peculator; pickpocket, cutpurse, purse-snatcher,
mugger, highwayman, footpad, brigand, bandit, thug, dacoit,
ruffian, outlaw, desperado, hijacker, gunman, plunderer;
poacher; Technical kleptomaniac, Australian bush-ranger, US
road-agent, Colloq hold-up man, crook, US second-story or
second-storey man, bandito or bandido, Slang cracksman, box man,
dip, stick-up man: They caught the thief who took the
paintings. 2 cheat, swindler, confidence man, mountebank,
charlatan, sharper, trickster, flimflam artist or man,
thimblerigger, Colloq con man, con artist, shell-game artist, US
highbinder: That thief cheated them out of their savings. 3
pirate, (sea) rover, picaroon or pickaroon, corsair, freebooter,
buccaneer, marauder, filibuster, privateer: They might seem
romantic in retrospect, but at the time, pirates were no more
than common thieves.
thin adj. 1 slim, slender, lean, spare, slight, lanky, spindly,
skinny, thin as a rail or reed or rake, wispy, twiggy, skeletal,
gaunt, gangling, bony, emaciated, cadaverous, meagre, scrawny,
all skin and bones, scraggy, undernourished, underfed,
underweight, undersized, puny, sparse, hollow-cheeked,
(half-)starved, pinched, withered, shrunken, shrivelled (up):
Douglas is quite thin as a result of his illness. 2 sparse,
unsubstantial, poor, scant, insufficient, inadequate, slight,
worthless, unimportant, deficient, skimpy, unplentiful, paltry,
piddling: This year's harvest has been very thin. 3
attenuated, threadlike, stringlike, pencil-thin, fine; narrow:
Draw a thin line between the columns. Please slice the bread
thin. 4 flimsy, weak, feeble, slight, unsubstantial,
insubstantial, fragile, frail, poor, lame; unbelievable,
unconvincing: Harry gave some thin excuse for being late. 5
airy, filmy, diaphanous, gossamer, sheer, light, delicate,
chiffon, silky, silken, gauzy, translucent, see-through,
transparent: She had nothing but a thin negligee to protect her
from the cold. 6 watery, watered down, dilute(d), weak,
unsatisfying: My dinner, as usual, consisted of thin gruel and
a dry crust. 7 thin on the ground. rare, uncommon, scarce, few
(and far between), unusual, hard to come by or find, scant,
scanty: Good managers are thin on the ground.
--v. 8 Often, thin down. draw out, attenuate, reduce, trim, cut
down, prune; sharpen: At one end, thin the dowel to a point. 9
Often, thin down or out. dilute, water (down), decrease, reduce,
diminish: They always thin the wine with some water. The crowd
thinned out after a while.
thing n. 1 item, (inanimate) object, article, possession: They went
without leaving a thing behind. 2 item, subject, matter,
detail, feature, aspect, affair, constituent, element, factor,
point: There's one thing that I forgot to mention. It's a small
thing, but I like coffee with my breakfast. 3 fad, trend,
fashion: Let me show you the latest thing in sports cars. 4
feeling, reaction, attitude, sentiment, emotional attachment;
quirk, fixation, preoccupation, obsession; fetish or fetich,
id‚e fixe, affection, liking, partiality, predilection, fancy,
love, passion, mania; phobia, fear, terror, aversion, loathing,
horror, detestation, dislike, Colloq hang-up: A chocoholic has
a thing about chocolate. Pet snakes are not Patricia's thing.
Roger has a thing about going out in public. 5 device, item,
gadget, object, entity, mechanism, contrivance, apparatus,
instrument, utensil, Colloq dingus, doodad, whatchamacallit,
thingumajig, whosis, whatsis, thingummy, thingumabob, Chiefly US
and Canadian gismo or gizmo: Where's the thing that is supposed
to hold the flywheel in place? 6 chore, task, responsibility,
matter; act, action, deed, activity, proceeding: The first
thing I must do is to phone home. 7 opportunity, chance,
possibility: See me first thing tomorrow. 8 things. a
affairs, matters, business, concerns: I have to take care of
some things at the office today. b circumstances, events,
happenings: Things are rarely what they seem. c belongings,
luggage, baggage, impedimenta, possessions, paraphernalia,
effects, clothes, clothing, goods; equipment, tools, utensils,
implements, apparatus, Colloq gear, stuff, Slang Brit clobber,
US crap, junk, Taboo slang US shit: Take your things and leave
at once! The plumber left his things at the shop.
think v. 1 believe, imagine, expect, dream, fantasize, suppose: When
do you think that you will retire? 2 judge, reckon, consider,
deem, regard (as), characterize (as), believe, assume, mark:
They thought him a fool for making such a fuss. 3 contemplate,
cogitate (on or over or about), ruminate (over or about),
reflect (on), meditate (on or over or about), muse (on or over
or about), deliberate (on or over or about), think about or of
or over: He likes to sit in the bath and think. I need time to
think over your proposal. 4 Often, think of. recall, remember,
recollect, call to mind: I simply cannot think of the name of
that film we saw last week. 5 think of or about. a consider,
ponder, weigh, contemplate, muse over, have in mind, mull over,
entertain the idea or notion of, intend, have in mind, propose:
Do you ever think of retiring? b assess, evaluate, value,
judge: What do you think about their latest suggestion? 6
think up or of. devise, concoct, contrive, come up with, invent,
conceive (of), dream up, create, make up, improvise: Who thinks
up the plots for these dreadful TV series?
thinkable adj. conceivable, possible, imaginable, feasible, reasonable,
tenable, not unlikely, plausible, believable, credible: It is
hardly thinkable that they can be serious.
thinker n. sage, wise man, savant, Nestor, Solomon, pundit, mastermind,
philosopher, scholar, learned person, mentor, expert: She has
been looked on as one of the great thinkers of her time.
thinking adj. 1 rational, sensible, ratiocinative, intelligent,
reasoning, reasonable; meditative, contemplative, reflective,
philosophical, cogitative, pensive, thoughtful, intellectual:
Any thinking person would have done the same as you.
--n. 2 opinion, judgement, belief, thought, point of view,
viewpoint, assessment, evaluation, theory, reasoning,
conclusion, idea, philosophy, outlook: There is nothing either
good or bad, but thinking makes it so. Do you concur with the
current thinking on education?
thirst n. 1 craving, desire, appetite, hunger, eagerness, avidity,
ravenousness, voracity, voraciousness, lust, passion,
enthusiasm, fancy, hankering, longing, yearning, Colloq itch,
yen: It was the thirst for gold that drove them mad. She has an
insatiable thirst for knowledge.
--v. 2 Often, thirst for or after. crave, desire, hunger for or
after, lust for or after, fancy, hanker for or after, long for,
yearn for, wish for: These men are thirsting for power.
thirsty adj. 1 parched, dry, dehydrated; arid: I need another drink -
I'm really thirsty. The thirsty land welcomes the rain. 2
desirous, hungry, avid, eager, ravenous, voracious, burning,
greedy, avaricious, hankering, yearning, craving, Colloq
itching: The students are thirsty for knowledge and very
hard-working.
thorn n. 1 barb, spine, spike, prickle, bristle, brier, bur or burr,
point, bramble, cocklebur: My sleeve caught on the thorn and
tore. 2 Often, thorn in (one's) side. bother, irritation,
annoyance, nuisance, vexation, torment, torture, scourge,
plague, affliction, irritant, bane, Colloq pain in the neck,
Taboo slang pain in the Brit arse or US ass: His nagging
brother has been a thorn in his side for years.
thorny adj. 1 prickly, barbed, spiny, spiked, brambly, spinous,
Technical spinose, acanthoid, spiculose, spiculate, spinulose,
aciculate, muricate, barbellate, setigerous, setaceous,
setiferous, setose: The insect's feet have tiny thorny
projections. 2 difficult, hard, tough, prickly, nettlesome,
painful, ticklish, delicate, intricate, critical, complex,
complicated, problematic, vexatious, knotty, tangled, involved,
troublesome, controversial, nasty, worrying, Colloq sticky,
Slang hairy: Many thorny questions have vexed us throughout the
ages.
thorough adj. 1 thoroughgoing, complete, downright, perfect,
through-and-through, total, unmitigated, undiluted, unmixed,
unalloyed, out-and-out, unqualified, sheer, utter, arrant,
absolute, proper: I have rarely encountered such thorough
stupidity. 2 exhaustive, extensive, painstaking, meticulous,
assiduous, careful, scrupulous, particular, conscientious,
methodical: Police conducted a thorough search but found
nothing. 3 extensive, exhaustive, detailed, in-depth,
comprehensive, full, complete, all-inclusive, total,
all-embracing, encyclopedic or encyclopaedic, universal, A-to-Z,
Colloq all-out: We need someone who has a thorough knowledge of
the terrain.
thoroughly
adv. 1 completely, downright, perfectly, totally,
unqualifiedly, utterly, absolutely, entirely, extremely,
unreservedly, wholly, fully, positively, definitely, quite: He
is thoroughly stupid, as we all know. 2 carefully,
painstakingly, exhaustively, extensively, assiduously,
sedulously, methodically, conscientiously, scrupulously,
meticulously, intensively, comprehensively, completely,
throughout, from top to bottom, from stem to stern, backwards
and forwards, in every nook and cranny: Police searched
thoroughly again, but could still find no murder weapon.
though conj. 1 although, even though, while, in spite of or despite
the fact that, notwithstanding that, albeit, granted, granting
or conceding that, allowing or admitting that, even if,
supposing: Though it is the right size, I hate the colour.
--adv. 2 however, nonetheless, nevertheless, yet, but, still,
even so, be that as it may, all the same, notwithstanding, for
all that: She lost the original; I kept a copy though.
thought n. 1 thinking, reflection, reflecting, meditation, meditating,
contemplation, contemplating, cogitation, cogitating, musing,
pondering, rumination, ruminating, brooding, mental activity,
mentation, brown study; brainwork, cerebration, deliberation,
deliberating, consideration, considering: She was deep in
thought. The solution may require considerable thought. 2 idea,
notion, brainstorm, observation: I have a thought that I'd like
to share with you. 3 consideration, contemplation, planning,
plan, scheme, design, intention, expectation, hope, prospect,
anticipation, dream, vision: Any thought of taking a few days
off had to be abandoned. 4 thoughtfulness, consideration,
kindliness, kind-heartedness, concern, compassion, tenderness,
kindness, sympathy, attentiveness, regard, solicitude: I don't
need any help, but I appreciate the thought. 5 Often, thoughts.
recollection(s), memory or memories, remembrance(s),
reminiscence(s): Now and then he comforted himself with
thoughts of his happy childhood. 6 intellect, intelligence,
reasoning, rationality, ratiocination, reason: Some believe
that only humans are capable of thought. 7 bit, trifle, touch,
small amount, trace, soup‡on, little, tinge: This champagne is
a thought too sweet.
thoughtful
adj. 1 considerate, kind, kindly, kind-hearted, compassionate,
tender, sympathetic, attentive, solicitous, helpful, charitable:
Wasn't it thoughtful of Simon to offer his help? 2
contemplative, pensive, reflective, musing, in a brown study,
pondering, meditative, engrossed, introspective, rapt, wistful,
brooding, wool-gathering, day-dreaming: Every time I mentioned
Clarissa, he would become thoughtful. 3 prudent, wary,
cautious, mindful, heedful, thinking, attentive, circumspect,
careful, caring: The crew are ever thoughtful of the
passengers' safety.
thoughtless
adj. 1 inconsiderate, rude, impolite, insensitive, tactless,
undiplomatic, untactful, unthinking: It was thoughtless of you
to mention her son, who is serving time for possession of drugs.
2 rash, imprudent, negligent, foolish, stupid, careless,
neglectful, reckless, silly, unthinking, unreflective,
absent-minded, forgetful, remiss, ill-considered, heedless,
inadvertent, inattentive: How thoughtless of me to forget your
birthday!
thrashing n. 1 beating, drubbing, whipping, flogging, assault, caning,
belting, mauling, lashing, trouncing, basting, battering,
pounding, Colloq hiding, tanning, lambasting, hammering,
pasting: Every time he stepped into the ring he got a
thrashing. 2 punishment, chastisement, disciplining,
discipline, castigation: He dreaded the thrashing his father
administered at any sign of disobedience.
thread n. 1 fibre, filament, strand, (piece of) yarn; string, line,
cord, twine: Threads from his jacket were found clutched in the
victim's hand. The glass is spun out into fine threads. 2
theme, plot, story-line, subject, motif, thesis, course, drift,
direction, tenor, train (of thought), sequence or train or chain
of events: It is difficult to follow the thread of the story
when it has so many digressions.
--v. 3 string: Carefully thread the beads onto the wire. 4
file, wind, pass, squeeze (through), pick or make (one's) way
(through), inch, ease: He threaded his way through the crowd to
reach the dais.
threadbare
adj. 1 frayed, worn (out), worn to a frazzle, ragged,
moth-eaten, tattered, tatty, scruffy, shabby, seedy, torn,
wretched, sorry, slovenly: My old winter coat is looking a bit
threadbare. 2 trite, hackneyed, overused, overworked, reworked,
stale, tired, stereotyped, commonplace, clich‚d, clich‚-ridden,
banal, prosaic, dull, monotonous, tedious, tiresome, boring,
played out, Colloq old hat: You'll never make it as a comedian
by relying on that threadbare material of yours.
threat n. 1 intimidation, menace, commination, warning, peril, risk,
danger, Damoclean sword: It is not honesty but the threat of
punishment that deters many from crime. 2 omen, presage,
portent, foreboding, forewarning, intimation: The villagers
lived under a constant threat from the smoking volcano.
threaten v. 1 intimidate, menace, terrorize, daunt, cow, bully,
browbeat, warn, caution: The headmaster threatened those who
misbehaved with the most dire punishment. 2 imperil, put at
risk, endanger, jeopardize, put in jeopardy: All life is
threatened if the environment is not better looked after. 3
impend, loom; augur, portend, presage, forebode: The creatures
crawl into their burrows if danger threatens. The gathering
clouds threatened rain.
threatening
adj. ominous, menacing, portentous, sinister, looming,
inauspicious, minatory, minacious, comminatory, intimidating,
foreboding, imminent, impending: Threatening storm clouds began
to build in the western sky.
threshold n. 1 sill, door-sill, doorstep; doorway, entrance: He stood at
the threshold and peered into the room. 2 brink, verge, edge,
beginning, commencement, outset, start, dawn: The emigrants
were at the threshold of a new life.
thrift n. economy, husbandry, care, carefulness, prudence, parsimony,
frugality, thriftiness, sparingness, scrimping, skimping;
penuriousness, close-fistedness, tight-fistedness,
niggardliness, stinginess, miserliness: Only through our thrift
were we able to save enough for a new car.
thrifty adj. economical, careful, prudent, parsimonious, frugal,
sparing, scrimping, skimping; penurious, close-fisted,
tight-fisted, niggardly, stingy, miserly, penny-pinching, cheap:
He talked about the need to save money and be thrifty in every
way.
thrill n. 1 excitement, titillation, frisson, tingle, tingling
(sensation), stimulation, Colloq kick, bang, charge, buzz:
Victor feels a tremendous thrill when his daughter wins a tennis
match. 2 tremor, quiver, quivering, shudder, shuddering,
tremble, trembling, flutter, throb, throbbing, tremor,
pulsation, vibration: The only warning was a slight thrill in
the earth just before the main quake.
--v. 3 excite, stimulate, animate, electrify, galvanize,
enliven, stir, titillate, touch, strike, move, impassion,
arouse, Slang send, give (someone) a kick: They were thrilled
to discover that they had won an award.
thrilling adj. exciting, stimulating, animating, electrifying,
galvanizing, enlivening, stirring, titillating, striking,
moving, arousing, rousing, gripping, sensational, riveting,
spine-tingling, soul-stirring: Last year's Cup Final was a
thrilling match, with most sides playing their hearts out. I
have never had such thrilling rides at the fun fair.
thrive v. succeed, prosper, boom, advance, flourish, grow, bloom,
burgeon, develop, wax, increase, fructify, ripen: They thrived
in the invigorating mountain air.
throe n. Usually, throes. pang, anguish, struggle, chaos, turmoil,
tumult, paroxysm, spasm, fit, seizure, convulsion, Technical
ictus: She was in the throes of despair at the dreadful news
from home.
throng n. 1 horde, crowd, host, assemblage, assembly, gathering, mass,
crush, jam, multitude, congregation, press, swarm, herd, flock,
bevy, drove: Throngs of people packed the shopping mall on
Saturday.
--v. 2 crowd (into), fill, pack (into), cram (into), crush
(into), jam (into), press (into), swarm (into), herd (into),
flock (into or to); assemble (in or at), gather (in or at), mass
(in or at), congregate (in or at): Thousands thronged the
stadium to watch the tennis matches.
through prep. 1 because of, on account of, owing to, as a consequence
or result of, by virtue of, via, be means of, by way of, with
the aid or help of, under the aegis or auspices of, Sometimes
non-standard due to: It was through his good graces that I got
the appointment. 2 during, throughout, in the course or middle
of: The dog barked all through the night. 3 inclusive of,
including: When I say 'the third through the sixth' I mean
'including the sixth'. 4 to; into: I went through a lot of
trouble to find this book.
--adj. 5 Often, through with. done (with), finished (with); at
the end of one's tether (with), washing (one's) hands (of): Let
me know when you are through. How many times has she sworn she
was through with him forever?
--adv. 6 by, past: I am just passing through. 7 entirely,
through and through, completely, thoroughly, totally, wholly,
utterly, fully, to the core, from head to foot or toe, from top
to bottom, from stem to stern, from one end to the other, in
every way, in all respects: By the time I got home, I was
soaked through.
throughout
prep. 1 during, all (the way) through, from the beginning to
the end of: We worked throughout the day and night. Throughout
his life he felt the need for constant support. 2 everywhere in,
all over, in every part of, in every nook and cranny of, from
one end to the other of: I searched throughout the house for my
keys.
--adv. 3 all (the way) through, everywhere, from one end to the
other, wholly, entirely, completely, fully: They were busy
tidying the house throughout before his mother came to stay.
throw v. 1 toss, cast, hurl, fling, sling, pitch, dash, propel,
project, shy, bowl, send, launch, Colloq chuck: He threw the
ball to the batter with all his might. 2 cast, shed, project:
I was hoping you might throw some light on the subject. Coming
events throw their shadow before them. 3 throw or bring down,
floor, fell, knock down or over, overthrow, upset, overturn: He
threw the vase on the floor. 4 dismay, confound, confuse,
dumbfound or dumfound, baffle, disconcert, unnerve, throw off or
out, unsettle, put off, put (someone) off his or her or their
stride or pace or stroke, Colloq discombobulate: Her frank
questions about my private life really threw me. 5 throw away.
a discard, cast off, dispose of, jettison, get rid of, scrap,
throw out, dispense with, Colloq dump, trash, chuck out, Slang
ditch: He is a hoarder, refusing to throw anything away. b
waste, squander, lose, forgo, fritter away, fail to exploit or
take advantage of, Slang blow: He threw away his last chance
for a decent life when he left her. 6 throw off. a eject,
expel, emit, throw up or out: The volcano throws off rocks
every so often. b shake off, rid or free (oneself) of, get rid
of, reject, renounce, repudiate: He finally managed to throw
off his mother's pernicious influence. c deceive, mislead,
decoy, misguide, misdirect, distract, divert, bewilder,
confound, confuse, Colloq flummox, bamboozle: He doubled back
to throw the dogs off. d See 4, above. 7 throw out. a
radiate, emit, send forth, give out or off, diffuse, put out or
forth, disseminate: The substance throws out a greenish light.
b expel, eject, force out, evict, Colloq Brit turf out, Slang
bounce: Henry was thrown out of the pub for rowdy behaviour. c
See 5 (a), above. d See 6 (a), above. 8 throw over. jilt,
leave, abandon, desert, forsake, break or split up with, Colloq
walk out on, chuck, drop: She was heartbroken when he threw her
over and married her sister. 9 throw up. a vomit, spit up,
puke, spew up, be sick; regurgitate, disgorge, Colloq heave
(up): He felt as if he was going to throw up. b abandon, quit,
leave, throw over, give up, relinquish, resign, renounce, Colloq
chuck: He threw up a perfectly good job to go and live on a
boat. c reveal, bring out or up, bring to the surface or the
top, bring forward or forth, bring to light or to notice: Their
treachery was thrown up in high relief by the events that
followed. d throw or slap or knock together, jerry-build: The
house was thrown up overnight - and it looks like it. e See 6
(a), above.
thrust v. 1 push, shove, drive, force, impel, ram, jam, butt, propel,
prod, urge, press; shoulder, jostle, elbow: A stranger thrust
this note into my hand. She thrust her way through the crowd. 2
stab, plunge, stick, jab, poke; lunge: He thrust the dagger
into the man's back. She thrust at me with an ice pick. 3
Usually, thrust upon. press (upon or on), impose (upon or on),
force (upon or on), urge (upon or on): They were willing to
help, but rather thought the problem had been thrust upon them.
--n. 4 shove, push, drive, lunge, poke, prod, stab: He
depended on his agility to avoid the thrusts of the rapier. 5
propulsion, force, power, energy: The thrust of the photon
engines drives the space ship at nearly the speed of light.
thud n. clunk, thump, whomp, wham, clonk, bump: His head hit the
wall with a thud.
thug n. hooligan, gangster, desperado, gunman, terrorist, hoodlum,
robber, assassin, murderer, killer, cutthroat, ruffian, Mafioso,
(In Paris) apache, tough, mugger, Technical p'hansigar, Brit
rough, Slang tough, hood, crook, hit man, heavy, US goon,
Australian larrikin: Some thugs roughed him up and took his
wallet.
thumb n. 1 Technical pollex. 2 all thumbs. awkward, clumsy,
maladroit, Colloq butter-fingered, ham-fisted, cack-handed: I
am all thumbs when it comes to threading needles. 3 give
(something) the thumbs down or turn thumbs down (on). disapprove
(of), reject, rebuff, turn down: We turned thumbs down to the
idea of a picnic. 4 turn or give thumbs up (to). approve (of),
accept, welcome, Colloq OK or okay: The boss gave thumbs up to
our request for a Christmas party. 5 under (one's) thumb. under
(one's) control, wrapped (a)round (one's) little finger, in the
palm of (one's) hand, eating out of (one's hand), at (one's)
beck and call: She has the directors under her thumb.
--v. 6 hitchhike, Colloq hitch, US hook a ride: They thumbed
their way across the country. 7 Often, thumb through. leaf
(through), flick or flip (through), riffle (through), skim
(through), browse (through): I was thumbing through City Life
and came across your picture, Bernard! 8 thumb (one's) nose at.
scoff at, deride, jeer at, mock, dismiss, scorn, flout, be
contemptuous of, show contempt for, exhibit defiance for, be
defiant of, contemn, Brit cock a snook at: He has thumbed his
nose at authority all his life.
thumbnail adj. rough, undetailed, cursory, sketchy, superficial; brief,
short, quick; compact, concise, pithy, succinct: His poetry is
a chilling, thumbnail sketch of the way we live now.
thumping adj. 1 great, huge, colossal, stupendous, gigantic, enormous,
immense, monumental, massive, titanic, elephantine, behemoth,
gargantuan, mammoth, jumbo, Colloq whopping, thundering,
walloping: That is the biggest thumping beach ball I have ever
seen! That was a thumping lie. 2 complete, utter, unmitigated,
24-carat, perfect: Anyone who would turn down a salary increase
must be a thumping idiot.
thunder n. 1 roll, reverberation, boom, booming, roar, roaring,
pealing, rumble, rumbling; crash, crashing, crack, cracking,
explosion, blast: We were deafened by the thunder of the tanks
crossing the bridge above us.
--v. 2 roll, reverberate, boom, roar, rumble, resound; explode,
crash, crack, blast: The noise of the jets thundered through
the valley. 3 shout, yell, scream, bellow, bark, roar;
denounce, fulminate against, swear (at), rail (at), curse (at),
execrate; threaten, intimidate, menace: 'Fee, fie, foe, fum!'
thundered the giant. No secretary will tolerate his thundering
at her.
thunderous
adj. roaring, booming, thundering, tumultuous, noisy, loud,
ear-splitting, deafening: They took curtain calls to thunderous
applause.
thunderstruck
adj. dumbfounded or dumfounded, astonished, astounded,
awestruck, awed, speechless, struck dumb, amazed, taken aback,
staggered, stunned, shocked, dazed, numb, paralysed, aghast,
open-mouthed, nonplussed, Colloq flabbergasted, floored, bowled
over, Brit knocked for six: We were thunderstruck to learn that
our team had been disqualified.
thus adv. 1 so, in this manner or way or fashion or wise, as
follows, Non-Standard thusly: On receipt of the payment, I
wrote thus to him. 2 therefore, ergo, consequently, as a
consequence, as a result, accordingly, (and) so, then, for this
or that reason, hence, in which case or event, that being the
case, that being so: He has already decided; thus, your efforts
to persuade him are useless.
thwart v. 1 frustrate, impede, check, stymie, baffle, stop, foil,
stump, hinder, obstruct, balk, block, oppose, negate, nullify,
Colloq short-circuit: They have thwarted all our efforts to
become friendly.
--n. 2 brace, cross-brace; (rowing-)seat, bench: These canoes
are fitted with two thwarts.
tickle v. titillate, delight, please, gratify, amuse, entertain,
divert, captivate, thrill, tickle pink or to death: The show we
saw last night really tickled my fancy. She was tickled to
receive the flowers.
ticklish adj. 1 uncertain, unsteady, unsure, unstable, unsettled,
fickle, touch-and-go, touchy: Power that relies on the sword
has a ticklish basis. 2 delicate, precarious, risky, hazardous,
dangerous, critical, thorny, fragile, awkward: As the canoe
drifted towards the waterfall, we found ourselves in a very
ticklish predicament. 3 delicate, sensitive, hypersensitive,
difficult, touchy, prickly: Cornelia is a bit ticklish on the
subject of her holiday plans.
tidy adj. 1 neat, orderly, trim, shipshape, spruce, spick and span,
clean, well-kept, well-groomed: Change your clothes and come
back when you're tidy. 2 well-organized, organized,
well-ordered, methodical, systematic, trim: They refused to
clean his office till he had made it tidy. 3 respectable,
sizeable, significant, considerable, substantial, good, goodly,
good-sized, ample, large, big, fair, generous, not
insignificant; Colloq not to be sneezed at: They settled a tidy
sum on their daughter when she was married.
--v. 4 Often, tidy up. neaten (up), straighten (out or up),
clean (up), put in order, Colloq fix (up), spruce up, organize,
reorganize, arrange, rearrange: You can't watch television
until you've tidied up your room. Please tidy up the files by
the end of the week.
tie v. 1 bind, fasten, make fast, tie up, lash, secure, truss,
attach, tether, rope, chain, moor; connect, join, knot, link,
couple, splice, unite: He keeps a vicious dog tied to a stake
in his garden. Tie the ends of the rope together. 2 bind, truss
(up), tie up, lash, pinion, restrict, confine, restrain; limit,
tie down, curtail, curb, cramp, hamper, hinder: His hands are
tied behind his back. According to the terms of the agreement,
my hands are tied and I can do nothing. 3 connect, associate,
unite, join, link, bind (up), affiliate, ally, league, team
(up): Our business interests are tied to those of the major
banks. 4 equal, even, be equal or even (with), match, be neck
and neck (with): We tied them for first place. Yesterday, we
were tied for second. 5 tie down. a clinch, secure, confirm,
Colloq nail down: I tied down the PBT contract this morning. b
restrict, restrain, constrain, confine, curtail: He won't marry
because he doesn't want to feel tied down. 6 tie in. a be
consistent, make sense, correspond, coincide, fit (in), be
logical, coordinate: His alibi ties in with the witness's
testimony. b relate, connect, link, associate, coordinate:
They cleverly tie in concern for the environment with their
product. 7 tie up. a occupy, engage, (keep) busy: This affair
will tie me up till Tuesday. b use, take up, encroach on,
impose on: I won't tie up your time any longer. c stop, halt,
bring to a standstill: The traffic was tied up for hours. d
commit, oblige, obligate, bind: We have tied up all their
output for a year. e See 1, above. f See 2, above.
--n. 8 link, fastening, bond, band, connection, tie-up,
relationship, affiliation, liaison, involvement, entanglement:
Isn't there some tie between those two companies? 9 string,
cord, lace, rope, thong, ribbon, band, ligature, shoelace, line,
leash, stop: The tie of her dressing-gown came loose. 10
equality, dead heat, deadlock, draw, stalemate: When there is a
tie, the game ought to go into 'sudden death' overtime. 11
cravat, US necktie: Please put on a tie for dinner. 12 railway
tie, sleeper: Ties in Europe are now made of concrete.
tie-in n. tie-up, relationship, relation, association, connection,
link, linkage: They say that there is a tie-in between smoking
and lung cancer.
tier n. row, line, level, order, range, course, series, stratum,
layer, echelon, file, rank, storey: The trireme is said to have
had three tiers of oarsmen.
tie-up n. 1 US and Canadian slow-down, slow-up, entanglement,
stoppage, jam, log-jam, traffic jam, delay, congestion: The
tie-up was caused by fog on the highway. 2 See tie-in, above.
tiff n. (petty) quarrel, disagreement, misunderstanding, dispute,
argument, difference (of opinion), squabble, bicker, row,
wrangle, US spat: Clare and Geoff have had their first tiff.
tiffin n. luncheon, lunch, light repast, snack: The new arrivals were
to join us for tiffin.
tight adj. 1 secure, firm, fast, fixed, secured, close-fitting, snug,
sealed, hermetically sealed, leak-proof, hermetic, impervious,
impenetrable, impermeable, airtight, watertight, waterproof,:
Make sure that the lid is tight. 2 taut, stretched, tense,
constricting, (too) small, ill-fitting: She was wearing a very
tight dress. 3 strict, binding, restrictive, stringent, severe,
tough, uncompromising, unyielding, rigorous, stern, austere,
autocratic, harsh, hard and fast, inflexible: You can't get
away with anything under such tight regulations. I have a tight
schedule next week. 4 Chiefly nautical taut, (well-)disciplined,
orderly, neat, well-organized, trim, tidy, smart: He runs a
tight ship. 5 stingy, niggardly, mean, penurious, miserly,
parsimonious, penny-pinching, tight-fisted, close-fisted, Colloq
Brit mingy: Glenn is much too tight to buy anyone a drink. 6
close, (almost) even, (highly) competitive, neck and neck,
evenly matched: It is going to be a tight race. 7 difficult,
trying, dangerous, perilous, risky, hazardous, touchy,
problematic, sticky, tricky, ticklish, precarious, touch-and-go:
The strike has created a tight situation at the office. 8
tipsy, drunk, intoxicated, Colloq high, woozy, under the
influence, Brit tiddly: When I saw her, she was too tight to
drive. 9 scarce, scanty, hard to find or come by, rare; dear,
expensive: Entrepreneurs have found investment money to be
pretty tight this year.
--adv. 10 tightly, securely, firmly; closely: Keep this door
closed tight. Hold me tight. Her hands were clasped tight in
prayer. 11 compactly, densely, solidly, firmly, closely: We
were packed so tight in the bus that no one could move.
tighten v. 1 Sometimes, tighten down or up. anchor, fasten, fix, tense,
secure: Tighten those last two screws and you're finished. 2
make tighter or tenser or stronger, strengthen: He tightened
his grip on my hand. 3 Sometimes, tighten up. make more
rigorous or strict or stringent or severe or restrictive, close
gaps in: We ought to tighten security at the warehouse. 4
Sometimes, tighten up. tauten, stiffen, tense, close: I felt
the noose begin to tighten round my neck.
tight-lipped
adj. close-mouthed, silent, quiet, mum, mute, close-lipped,
noncommittal, reticent, secretive, taciturn, unforthcoming,
uncommunicative, reserved: He remained tight-lipped about his
activities during the war.
tightly adv. closely, tensely, vigorously, rigorously: It was a
tightly fought race.
tights n.pl. US and Canadian and New Zealand panty hose, Australian
and US also pantihose: It was much too hot to wear tights.
till° v. plough or US also plow, cultivate, farm, work, dig, hoe,
harrow, manure, Literary delve: My family has tilled this land
for seven generations.
tillэ n. money or cash-drawer, cash-box or register: He insists that
the money was in the till when he left last night.
tilt v. 1 lean, slant, incline, slope, angle, tip, heel over, pitch,
list, cant: She caught the lamp just as the table tilted. 2
tilt at. joust with, compete with, battle against, contend with,
spar with, cross swords with, attack: In tilting at the media,
he has chosen some formidable opponents.
--n. 3 lean, slant, incline, slope, angle, tip, heel, list,
pitch, cant, inclination: The wall is at a perilous tilt and
could easily fall. 4 joust, tourney, tournament, meeting,
tilting, engagement, encounter, match, contest, test, trial,
fight, combat; dispute, argument, difference, quarrel,
altercation, squabble, tiff, US spat, Colloq set-to: I have
enjoyed the various tilts I have had with the editor over the
years.
timber n. 1 trees, forest, woodland: The standing timber has been
seriously depleted in Brazil. 2 wood, beams, boards, planks, US
and Canadian lumber: The timber for our new house arrived
today. 3 material, potential, stuff, character, quality,
talent, prospect: Agatha seems to be good management timber.
timbre n. tone (colour or quality), tonality, colour, resonance:
Kurt's voice has a rich, full timbre.
time n. 1 period, interval, stretch, spell, patch: I was going
through a bad time when we last met. 2 period, interval,
stretch, while, span, space, term, duration: It is a long time
since I have seen you. In the time I took to write this, she had
vanished. 3 hour; point, moment: What time is it? At what time
is our appointment? 4 age, period, epoch, era, lifetime,
heyday, day(s): The novel is set in the time of the Caesars. 5
opportunity, chance, occasion: You must make time to visit your
mother. 6 experience: I had a wonderful time at your party. 7
tempo, beat, rhythm, metre, measure: They are playing 'Teddy
Bears' Picnic' in march time. 8 ease, leisure; convenience:
He'll be there in his own time. 9 Often, times. life, things,
circumstance, conditions, everything, culture, mores, habits,
values: How times have changed since we were young! 10 ahead
of time. (bright and) early, prematurely, beforehand, in good
time: He arrived ahead of time and had to wait. 11 all the
time. always, ever, constantly, continuously, continually,
perpetually, at all times, without surcease, unceasingly:
Mother is after me all the time to do my homework. 12 at one
time. a once, once upon a time, on one occasion, previously, in
days of yore, formerly, heretofore, in the (good) old days: At
one time you thought me beautiful. b simultaneously, (all) at
once, at the same time, together, all together, in unison: The
car can only carry five people at one time. 13 at the same
time. a all the same, nonetheless, yet, even so, but, however,
be that as it may, nevertheless, notwithstanding, just the same:
I love her; at the same time, I cannot live with her. b See 12
(b), above. 14 at times. from time to time, occasionally,
(every) now and then, once in a while, on occasion, every so
often, at intervals, sometimes, Colloq every so often: At
times, Ingrid would come over and cook dinner for me. 15 behind
the times. old-fashioned, outdated, dated, outmoded, antiquated,
pass‚, obsolescent, obsolete, Colloq old hat, dead: Isn't 'The
Lambeth Walk' a bit behind the times? 16 for the time being.
for now, for the present, for the moment, meanwhile,
temporarily, pro tempore, pro tem, Archaic for the nonce: He
has been appointed chairman for the time being. 17 in no time.
at once, forthwith, straightaway, immediately, quickly,
speedily, without delay, swiftly: The pizza we ordered was
delivered in no time. 18 in time. a in timely fashion, early,
in good time, in the nick of time: The doctor arrived in time
to save the baby. b soon, one of these days, sometime, someday,
one day, eventually, sooner or later, anon: In time, people
might be living on the moon. 19 on time. a punctually, on the
dot, in good time: He is never on time for his appointments. b
in instalments, on terms, on account, on credit, Colloq Brit on
the never-never, on hire purchase or h.p.: We bought the car on
time. 20 take (one's) time. dawdle, dilly-dally, shilly-shally,
delay, linger, loiter: He's certainly taking his time with his
report. 21 time and again. again (and again), repeatedly, (over
and) over again, time and time again, time after time,
frequently, often, many times, on many occasions: Time and
again I warned him he'd get a ticket if he parked there.
--v. 22 schedule, set, regulate, control: The trains are timed
to arrive five minutes apart. 23 schedule, set, organize,
adjust, fix: She timed her entrance to coincide exactly with
the crash of the cymbals.
time-honoured
adj. established, traditional, habitual, customary, rooted,
conventional, age-old, set, fixed; venerable, venerated,
respected, revered, honoured: We observed the time-honoured
custom of kissing the Blarney Stone.
timeless adj. eternal, everlasting, immortal, undying, endless,
unending, ceaseless, abiding, deathless, ageless, changeless,
unchanged, immutable, unchanging, permanent, indestructible: He
was enraptured by the timeless beauty of the heavens.
timely adj. punctual, prompt, well-timed, propitious, opportune,
convenient, favourable, auspicious: We welcomed the timely
arrival of our rescuers.
time-serving
adj. self-seeking, self-serving, selfish, self-indulgent,
ambitious, mercenary, venal, greedy, profit-oriented,
fortune-hunting, gold-digging, opportunistic, hypocritical,
obsequious, sycophantic, toadying, toad-eating, boot-licking,
subservient, Colloq on the make, on the take, Slang US out for
numero uno, Taboo slang brown-nosing: Members of the party were
known to be time-serving and untrustworthy.
timetable n. schedule, calendar, curriculum, programme, agenda, Chiefly
Brit diary: My timetable doesn't allow for long lunches.
time-worn adj. ageing, old, tired, worn, time-scarred, decrepit,
dilapidated, tumbledown, ramshackle, run-down, dog-eared,
ragged, moth-eaten, threadbare, seedy, shabby, archaic, antique,
well-worn, worn out, pass‚, broken-down, old-fashioned,
out-dated, dated, antiquated, ancient, obsolescent, obsolete,
stereotyped, stereotypic(al), hackneyed, stale, trite, overused,
Colloq old hat: She went into her time-worn routine about two
living as cheaply as one.
timid adj. shy, retiring, modest, coy, bashful, diffident, timorous,
fearful, apprehensive, mousy, scared, frightened, nervous,
cowardly, pusillanimous, craven, Colloq chicken-hearted, yellow,
yellow-bellied, chicken, chicken-livered, lily-livered, gutless:
I knew this strapping marine when he was a timid little boy.
tinker v. trifle, dabble, meddle, mess (around or about), toy, fool or
play (around or about), Brit potter or US putter (about or
around), Colloq fiddle or monkey or muck (about or around):
Graham has always enjoyed tinkering with engines.
tinny adj. 1 shabby, flimsy, flimsily or poorly made, shoddy,
inferior, cheap, tawdry: He bought himself a tinny old
rattletrap of a car. 2 metallic, harsh, twangy: She plays that
tinny old trumpet day and night.
tint n. 1 tincture, wash, hue, colour, cast; tinge, touch, hint,
trace, dash, colouring, shade, tone, suggestion: In the west a
tint of pink lingered in the sky. I thought I detected a tint of
anger in his voice. 2 dye, rinse, wash, stain, tincture,
colourant, colouring, touch-up: What's the harm in granny's
using blue hair tint?
--v. 3 dye, stain, colour, rinse, tinge, touch up: Sandra
tints her hair to give it a coppery sheen. 4 tinge, colour,
influence, affect, taint, stain: A deep pessimism tints all his
writing.
tiny adj. microscopic, infinitesimal, minute, minuscule, diminutive,
wee, small, little, miniature, micro, mini, pocket,
pocket-sized, bantam, pygmy or pigmy, midget, Lilliputian,
petite, delicate, dainty, elfin, slight, insignificant,
negligible, trifling, paltry, inconsequential, puny, Colloq
pint-sized, teeny, teeny-weeny, teensy-weensy, itty-bitty,
itsy-bitsy: She wore the tiniest bikini I had ever seen. When I
saw them together I realized how tiny she is. Forgetting my
birthday was only a tiny thing.
tip° n. 1 end, extremity, peak, apex, summit, vertex, cap, top,
pinnacle, tiptop, crown, head, terminal, ferrule or ferule,
finial, nib or neb, point: The tip of the mountain showed above
the clouds. He broke off the tip of the billiard cue.
--v. 2 top, cap, crown, surmount: The foil is tipped with a
rubber button to prevent injury.
tipэ v. 1 Often, tip over. upset, overthrow, knock or cast or throw
down, up-end, knock over, overturn, topple (over), capsize: His
elbow tipped the lamp, which fell with a crash. 2 slant, lean,
incline, slant, tilt, cant: The statue is tipped a bit off the
vertical. 3 empty, unload, dump, deposit, Slang Brit ditch:
They tipped their load of gravel all over my driveway.
--n. 4 (rubbish or US garbage) dump, rubbish or refuse or trash
heap, dumping-ground: This old chair belongs in the tip.
tip° n. 1 gratuity, baksheesh, pourboire, douceur, lagniappe or
lagnappe, present, gift, Colloq little something: That waiter
didn't deserve a tip. 2 tip-off, (inside) information, warning,
advice, suggestion, clue, hint, pointer, forecast, prediction,
Colloq Brit gen: Louie had a tip that the police were coming.
Her tip was 'Flapdoodle' to win the fifth race.
--v. 3 reward: Why did you tip the barmaid? 4 Usually, tip
off. advise, warn, caution, alert, forewarn, notify, let
(someone) know, Colloq let (someone) in on: The thieves were
tipped off and never arrived.
tirade n. declamation, harangue, diatribe, philippic, outburst,
onslaught, screed, jeremiad, denunciation, stream of abuse,
invective: He let loose with such a vituperative tirade that I
walked out.
tire v. 1 weary, tire out, fatigue, exhaust, wear out, drain, sap,
enervate, drain, wear out, debilitate, weaken, Colloq take it
out of, fag (out), take it out of: The long climb tired me. 2
bore, exasperate, weary, irk, irritate, annoy, bother: I wish
you wouldn't tire me with your accounts of your shopping
expeditions.
tired adj. 1 exhausted, tired out, worn out, weary, fatigued, spent,
drained, Colloq all in, (dead) beat, knocked out, fagged (out),
dog-tired, ready to drop, dead tired, done in, Brit knackered,
whacked, US bushed, pooped, wiped out: I was really tired after
that ten-hour flight. 2 Usually, tired of. bored with,
exasperated by, weary of, irked or irritated or annoyed or
bothered by, sick (and tired) of, Colloq fed up (to here) with:
Perhaps she's tired of your constant nagging. 3 overworked,
overused, clich‚d, stereotyped, stereotypic(al), hackneyed,
unimaginative, trite, stale, worn out, unoriginal, commonplace,
Colloq bromidic: The gossip columns are filled with the same
old tired rubbish day after day.
tireless adj. energetic, vital, vigorous, dynamic, spirited, lively,
indefatigable, hardworking, industrious, untiring, unflagging,
unfaltering, unfailing, persistent, dogged, tenacious,
pertinacious, persevering, staunch, sedulous, unwavering,
unswerving, undeviating, steady, steadfast, resolute,
determined: We all appreciate the honorary secretary's tireless
efforts on behalf of our fund-raising this year.
tiresome adj. 1 boring, dull, fatiguing, humdrum, monotonous, flat,
tedious, wearisome, tiring, uninteresting, insipid, bland,
dry-as-dust, fatiguing, soporific, hypnotic: Ibsen wrote plays
that actors love and audiences find tiresome. 2 irritating,
irksome, vexing, vexatious, annoying, bothersome, exasperating,
trying, disagreeable, troublesome, unpleasant: I wish she would
take her tiresome problems elsewhere.
tissue n. fabric, network, web, interweaving, combination, chain,
series, accumulation, conglomeration, concatenation, pile, mass,
pack: Their entire testimony was a tissue of lies.
titbit n. delicacy, (dainty) morsel, treat, choice item, bonne bouche,
US tidbit, Colloq goody: Sally likes to steal little titbits
off my plate. I heard a juicy titbit of gossip this morning.
title n. 1 name: You cannot tell much from a book's title. 2
designation, appellation, epithet: Aubrey is now an earl, but
he rarely uses his title. 3 caption, inscription, headline,
head, subtitle, legend, subhead, rubric: The title on this
picture has nothing to do with its subject. 4 championship,
crown: He holds the world heavyweight boxing title. 5 right,
interest, privilege, entitlement, ownership, possession, tenure;
(title-)deed, documentation of ownership: My aunt has sole
title to these lands.
--v. 6 name, call, designate, style, label, term, entitle,
christen, baptize, nickname, denominate, tag, dub: Harold was
titled King of the Revels.
titter v. 1 chuckle, snicker, chortle, giggle; snigger: He told the
most awful jokes at which his staff would titter politely.
--n. 2 chuckle, snicker, giggle, (suppressed) laughter,
chortle, snigger: A titter ran through the audience.
titular adj. nominal, so-called, so-designated, so-styled, self-styled,
soi-disant, token, putative, theoretical: He may be the titular
head of the company, but his brother is really the boss.
toast n. 1 tribute, pledge, salutation(s), greeting(s),
felicitations, honour, good wishes, appreciation,
remembrance(s), cheers: The speaker proposed a toast to the
editor-in-chief. 2 heroine, hero, favourite, darling, idol:
Jenny was the toast of the town.
--v. 3 pay tribute to, salute, drink to, honour, greet,
congratulate, felicitate: We toasted our fallen comrades.
toilet n. 1 (water) closet, WC, men's (room), ladies' (room), (public)
convenience, facility or facilities, washroom, bathroom,
lavatory, privy, outhouse, urinal, (in France) pissoir,
vespasienne; Nautical head, Chiefly military latrine, Chiefly US
rest room, New England necessary, Colloq the Gents, the
Ladies('), powder-room, little girls' room, little boys' room,
Brit loo, smallest room (in the house), Military ablutions,
Slang Brit bog, karzy, US and Canadian john, can, crapper: They
excused themselves to go to the toilet. 2 Formal or literary
grooming, dressing, making up, Brit toilette: She was still at
her toilet when we arrived.
toilsome adj. arduous, laborious, tough, hard, difficult, strenuous,
burdensome, onerous, back-breaking, exhausting, fatiguing,
tiring, enervating, wearying, draining: After a toilsome ascent
we finally reached the first camp.
token n. 1 coin, disc: You need to buy a token to get through the
turnstile. 2 symbol, sign, mark, marker, badge, emblem,
indication, proof, evidence: The purple trim on a Roman toga
was a token of its wearer's elevated status. 3 souvenir,
memento, keepsake, reminder, remembrance, Archaic remembrancer:
The miniature Statue of Liberty and Eiffel Tower are tokens of
our trips abroad.
--adj. 4 symbolic, emblematic, representative: The panel was
made up of three men and a token woman. 5 superficial,
cosmetic, surface, perfunctory, minimal, slight, nominal: We
encountered only token resistance when taking over the
communications centre.
tolerable adj. 1 bearable, supportable, allowable, endurable, acceptable,
sufferable: The heat and humidity are barely tolerable. 2
acceptable, unexceptional, common, fair, common-or-garden
variety, middling, ordinary, average, so so, mediocre, adequate,
run-of-the-mill, passable, indifferent, Colloq OK or okay, not
(too) bad, pretty or fairly good: They serve a tolerable lunch
in the hotel bar.
tolerance n. 1 open-mindedness, toleration, forbearance,
broad-mindedness, permissiveness, magnanimity, indulgence,
sufferance, patience, freedom from bigotry or prejudice: You
must exercise more tolerance in dealing with people who are
poorer than you. 2 play, clearance, allowance, variation: The
tolerance between these parts is less than a ten-thousandth of a
millimetre. 3 toleration, resistance, endurance, imperviousness;
immunity, insensitivity: His tolerance of the outrages of
stupidity seems limitless. She has a low tolerance for sugar.
tolerant adj. open-minded, objective, forbearing, unprejudiced,
unbigoted, dispassionate, broad-minded, indulgent, magnanimous,
patient, generous, charitable, catholic, latitudinarian,
permissive, liberal, big-hearted, fair, even-handed,
considerate: I am more tolerant of people than of their ideas.
tolerate v. 1 stand (for), allow, permit, bear, suffer, brook,
countenance, abide, admit, indulge, concede, sanction, swallow,
stomach, turn a blind eye to, Colloq put up with, Brit stick:
The teacher refused to tolerate any more misbehaviour. 2 bear,
stand, submit to, endure, weather, take, accept, undergo: Tests
show that the product can tolerate considerable wear and tear.
toll° v. 1 ring, peal, chime, strike, sound: The clock tower bell
tolled three.
--n. 2 ring, ringing, peal, pealing, chime, chiming, striking,
sound, sounding, tolling, knell: Each toll of the bell marked
the death of another victim.
tollэ n. 1 charge, fee, dues, assessment, tariff; excise, duty,
impost, levy, tribute: New motorways will be funded by means of
a toll on traffic using them. 2 loss, penalty, cost, damage(s);
exaction: The death toll from the earthquake reached 50,000.
tomb n. sepulchre, crypt, vault, mausoleum, grave, catacomb,
burial-chamber, final or last resting-place: Every year his
tomb is visited by a mysterious woman in black.
tombstone n. gravestone, headstone, marker, monument, cenotaph: The
tombstones in the military cemetery stood in serried ranks.
tone n. 1 sound, note: Odd tones emanated from the electronic
music-maker. 2 stress, emphasis, force, accent, intonation,
modulation, phrasing, inflection, pitch, tonality, timbre, sound
(colour), tone colour or quality, colour or colouring,
resonance, sonorousness, sonority, fullness, richness: The tone
of his voice is extraordinarily melodic. 3 manner, style,
attitude, air, aspect, approach, note, tenor, tone of voice,
mode of expression, temper, vein, spirit, air: Do not take that
imperious tone with me! 4 tint, tinge, shade, hue, colour,
colouring, cast: The fabric has a silvery tone that makes it
shimmer.
--v. 5 tone down. temper, modify, reduce, moderate, modulate,
soften, quiet(en), dampen, dull, subdue, mute, soft-pedal:
Please tone down your voice or the neighbours will hear you. 6
tone up. (re)invigorate, tune (up), brighten (up), (re)vitalize,
freshen (up), limber up, get into condition or shape: I really
have to tone up my body before I put on a swimsuit this summer.
tongue n. 1 language, speech; dialect, patois,Creole, idiom, parlance,
argot, talk, vernacular, fa‡on de parler: The people in that
area speak a strange tongue. 2 (verbal) expression, utterance,
voice, articulation: Michael is reluctant to give tongue to his
real feelings. 3 hold (one's) tongue. be or remain or keep
silent, keep mum, say nothing or nought, not breathe a word,
keep (one's) counsel, not say a word, Slang shut up: Hold your
tongue till you are spoken to! 4 slip of the tongue. slip,
mistake, gaffe, blunder, faux pas, Freudian slip, Colloq Brit
boob: Saying 'bald' when I meant 'bold' was a slip of the
tongue. 5 (with (one's)) tongue in (one's) cheek. facetiously,
whimsically, ironically, jocularly, jokingly, not seriously, in
jest, jestingly, in fun, to be funny, Colloq kiddingly: As he
is my older brother, I call him 'Dad' with tongue in cheek, of
course.
tongue-lashing
n. scolding, berating, reproof, rebuke, reprimand; (verbal)
abuse, castigation, chastisement, vituperation, revilement,
Colloq dressing-down, telling-off, talking-to, Brit slating,
ticking-off, wigging: For all his efforts to please, he only
got a tongue-lashing for interfering.
tongue-tied
adj. speechless, at a loss for words, struck dumb, dumbfounded
or dumfounded, mute, inarticulate: I was so nervous when the
Prince of Wales spoke to me that I got tongue-tied.
tonic n. 1 stimulant, restorative, invigorant, boost, refresher;
Obsolete or literary ptisan or tisane, Technical roborant,
analeptic, Colloq bracer, pick-me-up, pick-up, shot in the arm,
US picker-upper: His father made his money selling snake-oil
tonic.
--adj. 2 stimulant, stimulating, restorative, invigorating,
fortifying, bracing, strengthening, reviving, enlivening,
refreshing, Technical analeptic, roborant: Seeing Maddie and
Max again had a tonic effect.
tool n. 1 utensil, implement, instrument, device, apparatus,
appliance, contrivance, aid, machine, mechanism, gadget, Colloq
contraption, gimmick, Chiefly US and Canadian gismo or gizmo:
The work would go faster if you had the proper tools. 2 means,
way, agency, weapon, medium, vehicle, instrumentality, avenue,
road: Education is the tool you need to get anywhere in life.
3 puppet, cat's-paw, pawn, dupe, Slang stooge, sucker: I had
been used merely as a tool in her ambitious rise to the top.
--v. 4 work, carve, cut, embellish, decorate, ornament, dress,
shape: This is the shop where the leather is tooled and
gold-stamped.
top n. 1 summit, apex, peak, acme, crest, head, pinnacle, vertex,
zenith, meridian, crown, culmination, high point, height,
apogee: They reached the top of the mountain at dawn. For a
change, I should like to be at the top looking down. Samantha
remains at the top of her profession. 2 lid, cover, cap,
covering, stopper, cork: Put the top back on the bottle when
you're through.
--v. 3 surpass, better, best, outstrip, exceed, outdo, excel,
beat, transcend: It would be impossible to top some of his
achievements. 4 surmount, cover, cap, crown, tip; finish,
complete, garnish: The entire concoction was topped by a
maraschino cherry. 5 trim, crop, lop or cut off, clip, prune,
nip, pinch (back): All the trees in this area have been topped
to let in more sunlight. 6 scale, climb, ascend, surmount: The
party topped Annapurna the next day. 7 top up. fill (up),
refresh, refill, replenish, US freshen (up): He asked the
barman to top up our drinks.
--adj. 8 best, greatest, foremost, leading, pre-eminent,
eminent, first, first-rate, principal, prime, finest, choicest,
topmost; excellent, superior, superb, top-drawer, top-grade,
top-notch, supreme, peerless, unequalled, incomparable, Colloq
crack, ace, A-1 or A-one: Is he the top man in his field? She
is a top economics adviser to the government. 9 uppermost,
topmost, highest: The top fruit is the best.
topic n. subject(-matter), matter, issue, question, point, thesis,
theme, text, keynote, field or area of study or of inquiry: We
need to decide on a topic for tonight's discussion.
topical adj. 1 contemporary, current, up to date, timely: Drug
addiction is certainly a topical subject. 2 local, superficial:
For a minor injury we give a topical, not a general anaesthetic.
topple v. 1 upset, up-end, knock down or over, bring down, fell,
capsize, collapse: Scores of buildings were toppled by the
tornado. 2 bring or throw down, overthrow, defeat, vanquish,
overcome, overturn, unseat, oust: The leaders of the coup
succeeded in toppling the government in a week. 3 fall (over or
down), drop, collapse, keel over, tumble down: Seven guardsmen
toppled over because of the heat on the parade ground.
topsy-turvy
adj. 1 upside down, wrong side up, head over heels, inverted,
reversed, backwards, vice versa: The children were wearing
their pyjamas topsy-turvy. 2 chaotic, muddled, jumbled,
disorderly, disordered, disorganized, confused, mixed-up, messy,
untidy, in a muddle, higgledy-piggledy, Colloq arsy-versy, every
which way: The room was completely topsy-turvy and it was
impossible to find anything.
torment v. 1 torture, abuse, maltreat, mistreat, distress, agonize,
excruciate, crucify, harrow, rack, pain: Hunger tormented his
weary body. 2 worry, trouble, plague, annoy, bedevil, vex,
harry, badger, hector, harass, pester, nag, persecute, needle,
nettle, irk, irritate, bother, torture, afflict, Brit chivvy or
chivy or chevy: I was tormented by the suspicion that something
was wrong.
--n. 3 agony, wretchedness, anguish, distress, misery, pain,
woe, painfulness, torture, suffering, curse, hell: How can
parents endure the torment of losing a child? 4 worry,
vexation, annoyance, harassment, ordeal, persecution, needling,
nuisance, bane, irritation, bother, affliction, scourge,
torture: For yet another day I had to suffer the torment of
their company.
torpid adj. sluggish, slow, slow-moving, slow-paced, tortoise-like,
lethargic, apathetic, indolent, passive, slothful, dull,
stupefied, sleepy, somnolent, inactive, inert, languid,
languorous, phlegmatic, spiritless, lifeless, listless,
fain‚ant, lackadaisical, pococurante, indifferent, uncaring,
unconcerned, insouciant: Johnson said that it is a man's own
fault if his mind grows torpid in old age.
torpor n. sluggishness, sloth, lethargy, apathy, indolence, passivity,
slothfulness, dullness, stupefaction, drowsiness, sleepiness,
somnolence, inactivity, inertia, inertness, languor, laziness,
phlegm, lifelessness, listlessness, idleness, fain‚ance,
pococurantism, indifference, unconcern, insouciance: The heat
produced a certain torpor in all of us.
torrent n. stream, rush, flood, deluge, effusion, gushing, outburst,
outpouring, spate, inundation, flow, overflow, tide, cascade:
In minutes the brook became a rushing torrent. They assailed us
with a torrent of abuse.
torrential
adj. rushing, streaming, copious, profuse, teeming, relentless,
violent; fierce, vehement, vociferous, ferocious: The
torrential monsoons inundated the land. I had never heard such a
torrential outpouring of oaths.
torrid adj. 1 hot, fiery, sultry, stifling, sweltering, broiling,
sizzling, roasting, blazing, burning, baking, cooking, boiling,
blistering, blistery, scorching, scorched, parched, parching,
arid; humid, steamy, steaming, muggy; tropical: It seemed
impossible that any creature could survive in such a torrid
climate. 2 fervent, fervid, passionate, intense, ardent,
inflamed, impassioned, lustful, amorous, erotic, Colloq sexy,
hot: The film was noted for its torrid love scenes.
tortuous adj. 1 twisted, twisting, winding, wandering, serpentine,
turning, crooked, sinuous, bent, curled, curling, curved, curvy,
curvilinear, flexuous, anfractuous, convoluted, involuted,
zigzag, maze-like, mazy, labyrinthine: They followed a tortuous
trail through the jungle. 2 roundabout, indirect, devious,
intricate, involved, unstraightforward, complicated, ambiguous,
ambagious, circuitous, warped, crooked, tricky, misleading,
deceptive: We could not help being intrigued by the tortuous
Machiavellianism of the scheme.
toss v. 1 throw, cast, lob, pitch, fling, hurl, heave, shy, launch,
send, let fly, propel, catapult, sling, bowl, Colloq chuck: The
goalkeeper tossed the ball into the middle of the field. 2
shake, jerk, stir up, agitate, fling: Lucy disdainfully tossed
her head. 3 shake (up), stir (up), agitate, jiggle, tumble,
joggle; wave, lash, thrash: Don't you put the dressing on
before you toss the salad? The branches of the huge oak were
being tossed about in the storm. 4 writhe, wriggle, squirm, toss
and turn, thrash: I tossed all night, unable to get a moment's
sleep. 5 pitch, yaw, wallow, roll, lurch, undulate, plunge:
Our little boat was tossed this way and that in the heavy seas.
--n. 6 throw, lob, pitch, heave, shy: His toss went wild and
the ball rolled over the cliff.
tot n. child, toddler, infant, baby: Can you recall when you were
a tiny tot?
total n. 1 sum (total), totality, aggregate, whole, amount, total
number: The total of wounded came to only fifteen.
--adj. 2 whole, entire, complete, full, gross, overall,
comprehensive: Total rainfall in that area is only three inches
per annum. 3 complete, unalloyed, unmitigated, unqualified,
unconditional, utter, out-and-out, thorough, thoroughgoing,
perfect, outright, downright, all-out, absolute: My son is a
total failure in everything he attempts.
--v. 4 add (up), tot up, sum up, reckon, compute: Please total
my bill. 5 amount to, add up to, come to, mount up to: The
bill totals twice the amount I paid yesterday.
totality n. total, aggregate, sum (total), whole, entirety, beginning
and end, alpha and omega, be-all and end-all: The totality of
his interests lies in watching soap operas on TV.
totally adv. completely, utterly, entirely, fully, unqualifiedly,
unconditionally, perfectly, absolutely, thoroughly, wholly,
consummately: We then decided on a totally different approach.
The weather was totally awful.
totter v. waver, topple, falter, tremble, teeter, sway, rock, stagger,
stumble, wobble, quiver, shake, quake, shiver, dodder: He
seemed to totter a bit as he left the pub.
touch v. 1 put (one's) hand on, feel, handle: She leant forward and
touched my hand. 2 bring into contact with, apply, put, set:
He touched a match to the fuse and ran. 3 Sometimes, touch (up)
against. be in contact (with), border, adjoin, meet, come up or
be (up) against, push or press or lean (up) against, brush or
rub (up) against, come or be together, abut: The ladder is
touching the freshly painted wall. 4 lay a hand or finger on;
meddle with, have to do with, interfere with, come near,
approach: If you touch me, I'll scream. 5 drink, eat, consume,
partake of, take, use, taste, have to do with: He swore that he
would never touch alcohol again. 6 affect, impress, influence,
disturb, move, stir, arouse, excite, impassion, stimulate,
strike, Colloq get to: We were touched by your sympathetic
note. 7 rival, match, equal, compare with, come up to, be on a
par with, be a match for, be in the same league or class as or
with, be on an equal footing with, reach, come or get near or
close to, hold a candle to, measure up to or against, Colloq US
stack up to or with or against: No other car can touch our new
model for speed and safety. 8 Usually, touch on or upon. refer
to, have reference to, pertain to, relate to, have a bearing on,
regard, mention, allude to, speak or write of, tell of, bring up
or in, raise, deal with, cover: I must now touch upon a
delicate matter. 9 have access to, access, use, employ, make
use of, put to use, avail (oneself) of, take, get, take
advantage of: I do not touch the principal, but try to live off
the interest. 10 touch down. land, alight, come to earth: We
touched down for fuel at Gander, Newfoundland. 11 touch off. a
detonate, spark (off), set alight, set off, ignite, light, fire,
put a match to: We touched off the gunpowder and blew up the
arsenal. b instigate, initiate, begin, start, set in motion,
ignite, set off, trigger, provoke, foment, cause, give rise to:
Her offhand remark touched off a family row that lasted for
years. 12 touch up. retouch, patch up; beautify, enhance,
titivate, renovate, spruce up: She said that the painting had
recently been touched up. Mandy is upstairs touching up her
make-up.
--n. 13 feeling, feel, texture: She wants nothing but the
touch of silk next to her body. 14 pat, tap, blow, hit, stroke,
brush, caress: She hated him so much that she cringed at the
touch of his hand. 15 dash, hint, intimation, suggestion,
soup‡on, bit, intimation, pinch, jot, spot, trace, tinge, taste,
suspicion, smattering, colouring, smack, speck, drop, whiff,
odour, scent, smell: Cynthia has a touch of hypocrisy about
her. The salad dressing could use a touch more garlic. 16
ability, deftness, expertise, dexterity, adroitness, facility,
skill, skilfulness, knack, capability, genius, talent, gift,
flair: Richard has a master's touch in everything he does. 17
response, feel, responsiveness, feeling, movement, operation,
performance level: This piano action has an excellent touch.
18 signature, trade mark, characteristic, influence, approach,
style, manner, technique, execution, method: I thought I
recognized your touch in the furniture selection. A woman's
touch might have helped.
touching adj. moving, stirring, emotional, tender, poignant, pathetic,
soul-stirring, heart-rending, heart-breaking, sad, pitiful,
distressing, distressful: The most touching scene is the one
where the boy meets his father for the first time.
touchstone
n. standard, yardstick, criterion, reference, benchmark, test,
norm, measure: His craftsmanship is the touchstone by which the
others are judged.
touchy adj. 1 (over-)sensitive, supersensitive, hypersensitive,
highly-strung, tense, thin-skinned, crabby, crabbed, testy,
irascible, irritable, tetchy, temperamental, grouchy, peevish,
querulous, petulant, pettish, splenetic, captious, bad-tempered,
short-tempered, hot-tempered, quick-tempered, crusty, cross,
curmudgeonly, cantankerous, choleric, dyspeptic, waspish,
bearish, snarling, snappish, argumentative, disputatious,
contentious, US high-strung, cranky: She is very touchy on the
subject of her family. He's always touchy in the morning. 2
critical, touch-and-go, sensitive, ticklish, risky, precarious,
hazardous, chancy, unsure, uncertain, close, hairbreadth,
dangerous, hair-raising, frightening, terrifying, nerve-racking
or nerve-wracking, Jocular parlous, Colloq hairy: There was a
touchy moment when the fuel leaked into the astronauts' cabin.
tough adj. 1 hard, firm, durable, long-lasting, wear-resistant,
substantial, strong, stout, rugged, sturdy, sound, well-built:
Only one kind of material is tough enough to endure such
conditions for so long. 2 stiff, hard, leathery, inflexible,
chewy, fibrous, cartilaginous, sinewy, ropy, wiry, stringy:
That steak was as tough as shoe-leather. 3 strong, stalwart,
brawny, burly, muscular, powerful, virile, manly, sturdy,
doughty, intrepid, stout, rough, vigorous, strapping, athletic:
Two tough-looking characters moved towards us, so we left. 4
difficult, demanding, exacting, hard, troublesome; laborious,
taxing, strenuous: We deal with tough complaints every day.
It's a tough job. 5 baffling, thorny, puzzling, perplexing,
mystifying, knotty, irksome, difficult: The examiners asked us
some very tough questions. 6 stubborn, hardened, inured,
obstinate, obdurate, hard, harsh, severe, stern, inflexible,
refractory, intractable, adamant, unyielding, ungiving, rigid,
unbending, unsentimental, unfeeling, unsympathetic, callous,
hard-boiled, uncaring, cold, cool, icy, stony, Colloq
hard-nosed: He's a tough man to work for, but he's fair.
--interj. 7 Colloq Too bad!, Tough luck!, Hard luck!, Brit Hard
cheese!, Slang Tough titty!, Taboo slang Tough shit!: When I
told him that my money had been stolen, he said 'Tough!'
--n. 8 bruiser, hooligan, bully (boy), rowdy, thug, ruffian,
Colloq roughneck, bruiser, tough guy, gorilla: A couple of
toughs who had been threatening the cashier disappeared when
they saw our uniforms.
tour n. 1 journey, trip, excursion, outing, expedition, voyage,
trek, peregrination, jaunt, junket: We went on a guided tour
because we were short of time and wanted to see everything. 2
stroll, perambulation, walkabout, ramble, walk, drive; round,
circuit, ambit: The government representatives are on a tour of
all nuclear facilities. 3 spell, shift, assignment, turn,
Military period of service or enlistment: His tour of duty is
not finished till midnight.
--v. 4 journey, travel, voyage, visit, trip, trek, sightsee,
cruise; Colloq globe-trot: On retirement we spent a year just
touring around Europe.
tourist n. traveller, voyager, visitor, sightseer, Colloq
rubberneck(er), out-of-towner, Brit tripper, day-tripper,
holiday-maker: During the summer, this place is inundated with
tourists.
tournament
n. tourney, competition, contest, match, meeting, event, meet:
The tennis tournament was delayed by rain.
tousle v. dishevel, disorder, ruffle, disarrange, tangle (up), mess
(up), rumple, disarray, US muss (up): Her hair was all tousled
by the wind.
tout v. 1 hawk, peddle, sell, promote, talk up, Colloq push, plug:
They tout these new headache tablets as miraculous.
--n. 2 tipster: He is often seen with racetrack touts.
tow v. pull, drag, draw, haul, lug, trail, tug, trawl: The boat
was towing a long purse seine. I arrived just as the police were
towing away my car.
towards prep. 1 toward, in the direction of, to; for, so as to approach
or near, on the way or road to: She turned towards me. I'd
appreciate a lift if you're going towards Aston Clinton. 2
toward, to, for, as a help to, supporting, promoting, assisting:
We welcome any contribution towards the charitable works of our
order. 3 toward, near, nearing, close to, approaching, shortly
before: Towards the close of day, the cattle wander back to the
barns.
tower n. 1 bell-tower, campanile, minaret, pagoda, obelisk; belfry,
spire, turret, steeple, flЉche: There was a time when the
church tower was the tallest building in the town. 2 fortress,
citadel, stronghold, castle, fastness; keep, dungeon, prison:
The princess was imprisoned in the tower for a year and a day.
--v. 3 Often, tower over or above. loom, soar, rise, ascend,
rear: These ugly high-rise buildings tower over everything,
blocking out the sun.
towering adj. 1 lofty, tall, high, soaring, outstanding, elevated,
sky-scraping, sky-high, great, impressive, imposing, huge,
gigantic, supreme, superior, paramount, extraordinary,
unmatched, unequally, unrivalled, unparalleled, unsurpassed:
The towering American economy dominated the world for decades
after World War II. 2 violent, fiery, burning, passionate,
excessive, vehement, intense, consuming, mighty, overwhelming,
unrestrained, immoderate, inordinate, intemperate, extreme,
colossal, enormous: Every time she mentioned Valentino, he went
into a towering rage.
town n. township, village, hamlet, community; municipality, city,
metropolis, borough, burgh: She was born in Stornoway, a small
town in the Outer Hebrides. We have to drive into the town to
do our shopping.
toy n. 1 plaything: Whenever he visited, Uncle Jed brought toys
for the children. 2 trifle, trinket, bauble, gewgaw, gimcrack,
knick-knack, bagatelle, kickshaw, bit of frippery: After
marrying her, he treated her as a rich man's toy.
--v. 3 Usually, toy with. trifle (with), dally (with), play
(with), sport (with), fool (with), fiddle (with), tinker (with):
He kept toying with his watch chain. 4 Usually, toy with. flirt
(with), dally (with), dilly-dally (with), play (with), deal with
carelessly, amuse oneself with: The cad was only toying with
her affections.
--adj. 5 miniature, tiny, diminutive, small, dwarf: She breeds
toy poodles. 6 imitation, fake, phoney or US also phony,
simulated, artificial: This is only a toy watch and doesn't
work.
trace n. 1 hint, intimation, sign, token, suggestion, touch, vestige,
indication, mark, record, evidence, clue: There wasn't any
trace of the intruders. 2 bit, spot, speck, jot, drop, dash,
suspicion, remnant, tinge, soup‡on, iota, whiff, suggestion,
trifle: The traces of mud on the suspect's shoes proved he had
been there. 3 Often, traces. track(s), trail, spoor,
footprint(s), print(s), footmark(s): They were following the
traces of a buffalo.
--v. 4 dog, pursue, follow (in the footsteps of), stalk, track
(down), shadow, trail, Colloq tail: We traced him to a seedy
hotel in Caracas. 5 investigate, discover, ascertain, detect,
determine, find, seek, search for, hunt down or up, unearth,
track: Have you traced her whereabouts? I am able to trace my
ancestry back to the time of the First Crusade. 6 delineate,
outline, copy, draw, map, chart, mark (out), record, reproduce,
sketch: We traced Marco Polo's route to China and back.
track n. 1 line, rail(s), way, railway, US railroad: New track was
laid between London and Manchester. 2 path, trail, route,
footpath, course, road, street, alley: A rough track leads over
Sty Head Pass. Are you sure you're on the right track? 3 spoor,
trail, footprint(s), print(s), trace(s), footmark(s), scent,
slot, wake: The last time I saw him he was following the track
of a yeti. 4 keep track of. trace, track, keep an eye on,
follow, pursue, monitor, supervise, oversee, keep up with or on,
watch, keep a record of or on, record: Using an electronic tag,
we were able to keep track of the animal's movements. 5 lose
track of. lose, misplace, mislay, lose sight of, forget: She
lost track of some important papers. I lost track of what I was
saying.
--v. 6 follow, dog, pursue, trace, stalk, shadow, trail, hunt
down, chase, Colloq tail: She was tracked to Istanbul, where
they lost her. 7 See 4, above. 8 track down. find, seek out,
ferret out, hunt down, trace, catch, apprehend, capture, smell
or sniff out, run to earth or ground, Colloq run down: We
finally tracked him down at his mother's house in Putney.
trackless adj. empty, pathless, untrodden, unexplored, uncharted, virgin,
untrod: We found ourselves in the trackless wilderness of
central Australia.
tract° n. region, area, stretch, territory, expanse, zone, portion,
section, sector, quarter, district, patch, plot, parcel, US lot:
The developers own a tract of land where they plan to build a
shopping mall.
tractэ n. treatise, monograph, essay, article, paper, dissertation,
disquisition, homily, sermon, critique; pamphlet, booklet,
brochure, leaflet: Daphne was distributing tracts to passers-by
in front of the church.
tractable adj. 1 docile, amenable, tame, manageable, biddable,
persuadable or persuasible, compliant, easygoing, willing,
submissive, obedient, governable, yielding: It was a pleasure
to teach a student who was so tractable. 2 manageable,
handleable, workable, adaptable, malleable, pliable, plastic,
ductile, fictile: The new materials are quite tractable and can
be drawn or moulded with ease.
traction n. grip, gripping power, drag, purchase, friction, adhesion:
Unable to get any traction on the ice, the car skidded off the
road.
trade n. 1 commerce, business, traffic, exchange, barter, dealing(s),
buying and selling, merchandising, marketing, mercantilism,
truck: Have we any trade in shoes with South Korea? We are
establishing trade with Eastern Europe? 2 calling, occupation,
pursuit, work, business, employment, line (of work), m‚tier,
job, vocation, craft, career, profession: Just what trade are
you engaged in? 3 swap or swop, exchange, interchange, barter:
Was exchanging your microwave cooker for a hi-fi set a good
trade? 4 customers, clientele, custom, patrons, following,
patronage, shoppers: Her shop caters chiefly to the holiday
trade.
--v. 5 transact or do business, buy, sell, deal, traffic,
merchandise, have dealings: There are laws against Sunday
trading in some areas. 6 exchange, swap or swop, interchange,
switch, barter; return: Having traded his car for the boat, Sam
has no way of reaching the marina.
trader n. dealer, merchant, businessman, broker, merchandiser,
distributor, seller, salesman, saleswoman, salesperson, vendor,
buyer, purchaser, retailer, wholesaler: All sorts of traders
can be found in the covered market.
tradesman n. 1 merchant, dealer, shopkeeper, retailer, vendor, seller: A
tradesman had been ringing at the door for several minutes. 2
artisan, craftsman, journeyman, handicraftsman: He is a
tradesman, a skilled cabinet-maker by profession.
tradition n. custom, practice, habit, usage, convention, ritual, rite,
unwritten law, institution, form, praxis, lore: Exchanging
gifts on Christmas Eve has long been a tradition in our family.
traditional
adj. customary, usual, routine, habitual, standard, household,
stock, time-honoured, established, well-known, conventional,
ritual, unwritten, accustomed, historic, old, ancestral:
Mazetta mocha tarts were the traditional birthday cakes at home
when I was a child.
traffic n. 1 movement, conveyance, shipping, transport, freight,
Chiefly US transportation: Traffic across the border has
resumed. 2 See trade, 1, above: Drug traffic has increased
greatly in recent years.
--v. 3 See trade, 5, above: The police think that Baines is
trafficking in stolen goods.
tragedy n. catastrophe, calamity, disaster, misfortune, adversity,
blow: The death of their dog was a terrible tragedy, especially
for the children.
tragic adj. sad, depressing, lamentable, unhappy, funereal, forlorn,
melancholy, cheerless, mournful, lachrymose, dolorous, grievous,
morose, lugubrious, dismal, piteous, pitiable, pitiful,
pathetic(al), appalling, wretched, dreadful, awful, terrible,
horrible, deplorable, miserable, distressing, disturbing,
upsetting, shocking, unlucky, unfortunate, hapless, ill-fated,
inauspicious, star-crossed, ill-omened, ill-starred, calamitous,
catastrophic, crushing, disastrous; tragical: It was really
tragic that we couldn't get there in time to say goodbye.
trail n. 1 (beaten) path, way, footpath, route, way, track, course:
There is a well-worn trail through the wood. 2 track, spoor,
scent, smell, trace, footsteps, footprints, path, wake: The
trail of the elephant herd was quite easy to follow. 3 See
train, 2, below: She was always followed by a trail of
admirers.
--v. 4 tow, draw, drag (along), haul, pull, tag along, trawl,
bring along (behind), carry along (behind): We were moving
slowly because we were trailing a dinghy. 5 drag, pull, move,
be drawn, stream, sweep, dangle: I heard the whisper of silken
gowns trailing across Persian carpets. 6 lag (behind), dawdle,
loiter, linger, follow, straggle, bring up the rear, hang back,
fall or drop behind: Our team was trailing three-five in the
final. 7 follow, pursue, dog, trace, shadow, stalk, track,
chase, hunt, Colloq tail: We trailed the suspect to Victoria
Station, where we lost him. 8 trail off or away. diminish,
decrease, fade away or out, disappear, dwindle, lessen, die out
or away, peter out, subside, taper off, weaken, grow faint or
dim: As they drove away, the noise of their blasting radio
trailed off.
train n. 1 carriage, coach, Baby-talk choo-choo: Will this train
take me to Newcastle? 2 retinue, entourage, cortЉge, suite,
following, escort, guard, attendants, retainers, followers,
trail; staff, court, household: After the duke's coffin came a
train of several hundred hangers-on. 3 line, queue, procession,
succession, string, set, sequence, chain, progression, caravan,
cavalcade, parade, column, file: The baggage train of the
advancing army stretched for miles.
--v. 4 discipline, exercise, tutor, teach, coach, drill,
school, instruct, prepare, educate, edify, guide, bring up,
indoctrinate, rear, raise: We had been trained to put things
away and avoid clutter. 5 work out, exercise, practise: Hannah
is training for the next Olympics.
trait n. feature, characteristic, attribute, quality, peculiarity,
idiosyncrasy, quirk, lineament, mark, property: He has some
unpleasant traits, like spitting when he talks.
traitor n. turncoat, Judas, quisling, betrayer, renegade,
fifth-columnist, US Benedict Arnold, Colloq double-crosser,
snake in the grass, double-dealer, two-timer: Some traitor in
their midst had revealed their plans to the enemy.
traitorous
adj. treacherous, perfidious, seditious, subversive,
insurrectionist, renegade, insurgent, disloyal, deceitful,
untrue, unfaithful, faithless; treasonable, Colloq
double-crossing, double-dealing, two-timing: They identified
the traitorous wretch and hanged him. Consorting with the enemy
is a traitorous act.
trajectory
n. flight path, course, track: The missile has a high
trajectory.
tram n. tramcar, trolley bus, US and Canadian streetcar,
trolley(-car): Most cities with a traffic problem have replaced
trams with buses.
trammel n. 1 Usually, trammels. impediment(s), hindrance(s),
shackle(s), handicap(s), check(s), restriction(s), restraint(s),
curb(s), deterrent(s), constraint(s), hitch(es), snag(s),
(stumbling) block(s), obstacle(s), bar: He managed to avoid the
trammels of domesticity.
--v. 2 impede, hinder, handicap, check, restrain, curb, deter,
constrain, block, obstruct, fetter, confine: Do not let the
limitations of what's practical and possible trammel your
imagination.
tramp v. 1 march, hike, trudge, plod, slog, plough, tread, trek,
walk, US mush: I must have tramped across half of England
looking for work. 2 Usually, tramp on or upon. See trample, 1,
below.
--n. 3 march, trudge, plod, slog, trek, hike, walk: Every day
we had to make the five-mile tramp into the village for water. 4
derelict, vagabond, vagrant, drifter, rover, gypsy, beachcomber,
Brit dosser, down-and-out, Australian swagman, US hobo, bum,
down-and-outer: The police do not allow tramps to sleep in
public parks. 5 step, tread, footfall, footstep: She couldn't
get to sleep until she heard her husband's tramp on the stair.
trample v. 1 trample on or upon, tramp (on or upon), stamp (on), tread
(on), step on, crush, press, squash, flatten, Colloq stomp (on
or upon), squish, squush or squoosh: After the harvest, we
would take turns trampling the grapes. 2 Often, trample on or
upon. violate, damage, harm, hurt, infringe or encroach on, ride
roughshod over, set at naught, scorn, contemn, disdain, defy,
disregard, ignore, fly in the face of, fling or cast or throw to
the winds: The military regime trampled on the people's civil
rights. 3 Usually, trample out. trample down, trample
underfoot, stamp out, extinguish, put out, destroy, crush, break
down: The left-wing parties were trampled in a military coup.
trance n. daze, stupor, semi-conscious or half-conscious or hypnotic
or cataleptic or dream state, state of semi-consciousness or
half-consciousness or catalepsy or suspended animation or
stupefaction or abstraction or (complete) absorption or
exaltation or rapture or ecstasy; brown study: He walked about
all day in a trance, oblivious to what was going on around him.
tranquil adj. calm, serene, placid, quiet, peaceful, still, smooth,
unagitated, halcyon, relaxed; unruffled, sedate, steady,
regular, even, dispassionate, self-possessed, cool,
self-controlled, cool-headed, unexcited, undisturbed,
untroubled, unperturbed: He often thought back to the tranquil,
sultry summer days of his youth. How can Eleanor be so tranquil
when everything about her is so chaotic?
tranquillize
v. calm, soothe, pacify, still, quiet, relax, lull, compose,
sedate: He soon fell asleep, tranquillized by the medication
that had been administered to him.
tranquillizer
n. bromide, barbiturate, opiate, sedative, anti-psychotic,
anti-anxiety drug, Slang downer, red: She had been prescribed
tranquillizers, and developed severe side-effects.
transact v. do, carry on or out, conduct, manage, handle, negotiate,
transact, administer, discharge, perform, enact, settle,
conclude, complete, finish: We are flying to Frankfurt today to
transact some business.
transaction
n. 1 deal, dealing, negotiation, matter, affair, business,
action, proceeding, agreement, arrangement, bargain: This
transaction must not be revealed to the stock market. 2
transactions. proceedings, record(s), acta, minutes, annals,
Colloq goings-on, doings: The Society's transactions are
published annually.
transcend v. surpass, outstrip, exceed, go beyond, outdistance, overstep,
outdo, excel, overshadow, top, outdistance, outvie, rise above,
outshine, beat: Her performance at La Scala transcended that of
every other Mimi I have heard.
transcendent
adj. peerless, incomparable, unequalled, matchless, unrivalled,
unparalleled, unique, consummate, paramount, superior,
surpassing, supreme, pre-eminent, sublime, excellent, superb,
magnificent, marvellous; transcendental: Can there be any doubt
of Einstein's transcendent genius?
transcribe
v. 1 copy, reproduce, replicate, duplicate: I am busy
transcribing my lecture notes. 2 translate, transliterate,
write out, render, represent, show, interpret: The Rosetta
Stone has the same text transcribed in Egyptian hieroglyphics
and in demotic as well as in Greek.
transcript
n. 1 transcription, translation, transliteration, rendering,
interpretation, representation: Most linguists regarded writing
as a mere transcript of language. 2 (carbon or machine or Xerox
or photostatic or xerographic) copy, carbon, duplicate,
duplication, photocopy, reproduction, Photostat, Colloq dupe: I
have requested a transcript of the court proceedings.
transfer v. 1 move, transport, convey, remove, carry, take, deliver,
bring, transmit, cart, haul, shift, hand (on or over), turn
over, give, pass (on or along or over): The documents will be
transferred to you today.
--n. 2 move, conveyance, transmittal, transmission, delivery,
change: The papers documenting the transfer of the property are
here.
transfix v. 1 pin, fix, impale, skewer, nail, pierce, spear, spike,
spit, stick: The shrike, or butcher-bird, transfixes its prey
on a thorn, then picks its bones clean. 2 enrapture, galvanize,
electrify, hypnotize, mesmerize, rivet,,fascinate, bewitch,
enchant, ensorcel, engross, root to the spot, stun, paralyse,
Colloq stop dead (in one's tracks): The felon stood transfixed
with terror as the judge pronounced sentence.
transform v. change, modify, transfigure, alter, transmute, metamorphose,
turn into, convert, transmogrify, mutate, permute: What will it
take to transform these students into civilized human beings?
transformation
n. change, modification, transfiguration, transfigurement,
alteration, transmutation, metamorphosis, conversion,
transmogrification, mutation, permutation: The transformation
in her appearance over a few short months was miraculous.
transfuse v. 1 instil, transmit, transfer, inject: Her greatest success
was to transfuse a sense of history to her students. 2 infuse,
permeate: An embarrassed blush transfused his face.
transgress
v. 1 sin, trespass, offend, err, lapse, fall from grace,
disobey, misbehave, go wrong or astray, do wrong: She knew she
had transgressed and was ready to atone. 2 break or violate or
contravene or go beyond or exceed or overstep or infringe or
defy or disobey (the law): He had blatantly transgressed the
laws of decency.
transgression
n. sin, trespass, offence, error, lapse, fall from grace,
disobedience, misbehaviour, wrong, violation, fault, misdeed,
misdemeanour, crime, wrongdoing, infraction: How should he be
punished for his transgressions?
transgressor
n. sinner, offender, criminal, felon, culprit, lawbreaker,
trespasser, wrongdoer, evil-doer, villain, miscreant,
malefactor, delinquent: The majority of transgressors are
apprehended within 24 hours of the crime.
transient adj. transitory, temporary, brief, fleeting, momentary,
passing, ephemeral, fugacious, fugitive, evanescent,
short-lived, short-term, impermanent, fly-by-night, volatile:
The peace was transient, as the outbreak of civil war soon
followed. A souvenir shop obviously sells more to the transient
trade than to residents.
transit n. 1 moving, movement, travel, travelling, motion, passing,
progress, progression, transition; passage, traverse, traversal,
traversing: We were unable to mail any letters while we were in
transit. The overland transit of the island took three days. 2
transport, transportation, carriage, haulage, cartage,
conveyance, transfer, transference, transferral, transmittal:
The transit of the merchandise will be handled by our regular
shipping company.
--v. 3 cross, traverse, go or move or pass or travel across or
over or through: They were advised to check with authorities of
every country visited or transited during their journey.
transition
n. 1 change, alteration, metamorphosis, change-over,
transformation, transmutation, mutation, development, evolution,
conversion, modification, metastasis: Tracing the transition
from tadpole to frog is exciting for young pupils. 2 See
transit, 1, above.
translate v. 1 convert, paraphrase, change, rewrite, interpret,
transcribe, render, decode, decipher, metaphrase: Can you
translate this German document? 2 transform, convert, change,
mutate, turn, transmute, metamorphose, transubstantiate, alter,
transmogrify: Why are people always trying to translate the
dross of reality into the gold of dreams? 3 interpret, rewrite,
explain, reword, elucidate, spell out: Can you translate this
technical legal jargon into plain English? 4 transfer, convey,
carry, move, transport, forward, ship, send, dispatch or
despatch: Soon after being made bishop of Worcester, he was
translated to Winchester.
translation
n. 1 conversion, paraphrase, interpretation, transcription,
transliteration, rendering, rendition, metaphrase, gloss,
decipherment, decoding: It was Michael Ventris who was
responsible for the translation of Linear B. 2 metamorphosis,
change, alteration, transmutation, transfiguration,
transformation, transmogrification, transubstantiation,
conversion: The translation from the caterpillar to the
butterfly is miraculous. 3 interpretation, rewriting, rewrite,
explanation, rewording, elucidation: He is well known for his
translation of abstract ideas into terms that an intelligent
layman could cope with. 4 transfer, transference, transferral,
conveyance, carrying, moving, movement, transportation,
transport, forwarding, shipping, shipment, sending,
transmission, dispatch or despatch: His translation to a minor
consular post in the south Pacific was expected.
transmission
n. 1 transfer, transference, transferral, transferring,
conveyance, carrying, moving, movement, transportation,
transport, transporting, forwarding, shipping, shipment,
sending, transmittal, transmitting, dispatch or despatch,
dispatching or despatching: We were unable to arrange for the
transmission of the papers in time for the meeting. 2 broadcast,
broadcasting, sending, telecasting, dissemination,
communication: Transmission of the new programmes begins next
year.
transmit v. 1 send, transfer, convey, communicate, pass on, deliver,
forward, dispatch or despatch; post, ship, cable, radio,
telegraph, fax, telex, telephone, phone, Chiefly US and Canadian
mail, Colloq wire: Your message was transmitted last night. 2
pass or go through, pass on, send, put, direct, conduct,
channel: The mirror transmits the light through this filter.
transparent
adj. 1 (crystal) clear, pellucid, diaphanous, see-through,
limpid, crystalline, sheer, transpicuous: I want completely
transparent glass in this window, instead of that frosted glass.
2 plain, apparent, obvious, evident, unambiguous, patent,
manifest, unmistakable or unmistakeable, (crystal) clear, as
plain as day, as plain as the nose on (one's) face, undisguised,
recognizable, understandable, transpicuous: The origin of many
English words is transparent because of their spelling. 3
candid, open, frank, plain-spoken, direct, unambiguous,
unequivocal, straightforward, ingenuous, forthright,
above-board, artless, guileless, simple, na‹ve, undissembling,
Colloq on the level, upfront: His transparent honesty makes
Clive unsuited to a career in diplomacy.
transpire v. 1 become known, be rumoured, be revealed, come to light: It
transpired that she had been seeing him while she was still
married. 2 Sometimes non-standard happen, occur, take place,
come about, come to pass, materialize, arise, turn out: No
improvement has yet transpired in their living conditions.
transplant
v. displace, move, remove, relocate, shift, uproot, resettle,
transfer: This is the third time the company has transplanted
Harry in a year!
transport v. 1 carry, bear, convey, move, remove, transfer, deliver,
fetch, bring, get, take, ship, haul, transmit, send, forward:
The goods were transported by ship. 2 exile, banish, deport,
send away: Australia was settled mainly by people who had been
transported from England. 3 carry away, enrapture, captivate,
delight, charm, spellbind, bewitch, fascinate, enchant,
entrance, hypnotize, mesmerize, electrify, ravish: Flavia's
parents were totally transported by her winning the decathlon.
--n. 4 transportation, carrier, conveyance, shipping, transfer,
transferral, shipment, haulage, cartage, carriage, moving:
Can't you give me any idea of what the transport costs might
come to? 5 Usually, transports. rapture, ecstasy, exaltation,
exultation, euphoria, delight, (seventh) heaven, happiness,
bliss, elation, exhilaration, thrill, Elysium, paradise; Elysian
Fields, Colloq cloud nine: Helen succumbed to transports of
delight at seeing her son receive such an important award.
transpose v. exchange, interchange, metathesize, switch, swap or swop,
trade, commute, transfer: The bank transposed two figures on my
statement, reducing my balance by њ500.
trap n. 1 snare, pitfall, gin, springe, deadfall, booby-trap: After
the Pied Piper left, Hamelin had no further need for rat traps.
2 trick, subterfuge, wile, ruse, stratagem, ambush, deception,
device, artifice, ploy: Oscar was the man for whom Esther set a
neat trap. 3 mouth, Slang yap, gob, mush, face: Shut your trap
or get out.
--v. 4 snare, ensnare, entrap, catch, net: We dug a pit to
trap the marauding lion. 5 imprison, confine, lock, hold, keep:
The boy was trapped in the cave without a means of escape. 6
trick, deceive, fool, dupe, beguile, inveigle: Esther finally
trapped Oscar into marrying her.
trappings n.pl. accoutrements or US also accouterments, panoply,
caparison, equipage, apparatus, equipment, paraphernalia,
appointments, furnishings, furniture, gear, rig, habiliments,
decoration(s), embellishment(s), accessories, frippery or
fripperies, adornment(s), trimmings, raiment, fittings, finery:
Many respect the trappings of office more than the
office-holder.
trash n. 1 rubbish, (stuff and) nonsense, balderdash, moonshine,
gibberish, gobbledegook or gobbledygook, tommy-rot, bunkum,
garbage, twaddle, Colloq rot, flapdoodle, crap, codswallop,
bosh, piffle, hooey, bunk, malarkey, poppycock, boloney or
baloney, eyewash, hogwash, bilge-water, bull, Scots havers, Brit
tosh, gammon, US a crock, hokum, gurry, horse feathers, Slang
Brit (a load of (old)) cobblers, Taboo slang bullshit,
horseshit, Brit balls, US a crock of shit: Don't believe him -
he is talking trash. 2 (Chiefly US and Canadian) junk,
brummagem, knick-knacks, gewgaws, trifles, bric-…-brac, frippery
or fripperies, bits and pieces, odds and ends, trinkets, tinsel,
'Not Wanted on Voyage': There was mostly trash in the flea
market, but there were one or two more valuable items. 3 (In US
and Canada) rubbish, litter, garbage, waste, refuse, junk,
debris, rubble, dregs, dross, scoria, slag, offscourings, dirt,
sweepings, Slang crap: The service comes to remove the trash
once a week.
--v. 4 Slang chiefly US destroy, ruin, wreck, vandalize,
deface: The lodgers trashed the flat before doing a moonlight
flit.
traumatic adj. shocking, upsetting, disturbing, painful, agonizing,
distressing, harmful, hurtful, injurious, damaging, wounding,
traumatizing: Few experiences are more traumatic than losing a
child.
travel n. 1 travelling, tourism, touring, globe-trotting: Travel is
an enriching experience. Travel by air is the commonest means of
long-distance transport. 2 travels. trips, expeditions,
journeys, excursions, tours, voyages, touring, treks, trekking,
travelling, wanderings, peregrinations, junkets, pilgrimages:
In all your travels, have you ever encountered an honest man?
--v. 3 journey, go, move, proceed, roam, rove, traverse, tour,
take or make a trip or tour or excursion or junket or journey,
trek, voyage: As one who has travelled far and wide, what is
your favourite country? 4 go, move, socialize, fraternize,
associate, Colloq hang around or about: Cordelia and I do not
travel in the same circles.
traveller n. tourist, voyager, sightseer, globe-trotter, gypsy, wanderer,
hiker, rover, wayfarer, Jocular bird of passage, Colloq
rubberneck(er), jet-setter, Chiefly Brit tripper, day-tripper,
holiday-maker: Travellers have been greatly inconvenienced by
the strike of customs officials.
travelling
adj. itinerant, wandering, peripatetic, roving, mobile,
nomadic, touring, wayfaring, migratory, restless: At fourteen,
he joined a travelling circus.
traverse v. 1 cross, criss-cross, travel or pass or move over or
through, walk, cover, travel (over), roam, wander, range, tramp,
tour: He has traversed the country from end to end innumerable
times. 2 cross, criss-cross, go across; lie or extend across or
athwart, bridge, intersect: The road traverses the river
several times at Newtown. 3 oppose, cross, thwart, go or act
against, go or act in opposition or counter to, conflict (with),
controvert, contravene, counter, obstruct, contradict, gainsay,
deny: The policies of today seem to traverse those set forth
only last year. 4 examine, look into, scrutinize, inspect,
investigate, review, study, look at, consider, contemplate,
scan, look over, check, survey, reconnoitre, observe: Certain
areas of knowledge are seldom traversed by scholars.
treasure n. 1 wealth, riches, money, fortune, valuables, cash, cache,
hoard: The existence of the treasure came to light only last
week. 2 pride (and joy), delight, joy, darling, ideal, apple of
(one's) eye, Colloq jewel, gem, prize, find, catch: Kathy is a
treasure and I don't know what we did before we hired her.
--v. 3 hold dear, cherish, value, prize, esteem, rate or value
highly: We treasure the signed letter that Churchill wrote to
my father. I treasure every moment we can spend together.
treasury n. exchequer, bank, cache, resources, funds, money(s): There
was not enough money in the treasury to pay for the scheme. The
Treasury indicated their concern at the current state of the
economy.
treat v. 1 handle, manage, behave or act toward(s), deal with; use:
Why should we treat female employees any differently? 2 handle,
manage, deal with, discuss, touch on or upon, consider, take up,
study, examine, explore, investigate, scrutinize, analyse, go
into, probe, survey, expound (on), criticize, review, critique:
That subject is treated in Chapter VI. 3 nurse, doctor, attend,
care for, look after, prescribe for, medicate: He is being
treated for gallstones. 4 entertain, take out, pay for, regale,
play host to; wine and dine: Our visitors treated us when we
went out to dinner yesterday. 5 treat (someone) to (something).
pay (the bill) for, buy (something) for: Edward treated us all
to ice-cream.
--n. 6 favour, gift, present, boon, bonus, premium, Colloq US
and Canadian freebie: Put your money away - this is my treat.
treatment n. 1 Often, treatment of. behaviour (towards), conduct
(towards), action (towards), handling (of), care (of),
management (of), dealing(s) (with), manipulation (of), reception
(of); usage (of): I am not accustomed to such rude treatment.
Your treatment of our customers must be more courteous, Miss
Davidson. 2 therapy, care, curing, remedying, healing: They
received extensive medical treatment for the injuries they had
sustained.
treaty n. pact, agreement, alliance, concordat, entente, covenant,
deal, contract, compact, accord: They entered into a treaty not
to violate each other's borders.
tremble v. 1 quiver, shake, quake, shiver, shudder, quaver, quail;
vibrate, rock: Her first big role and she was trembling like a
leaf! The earth trembled as the tanks rolled past.
--n. 2 quiver, shake, quake, shiver, shudder, quaver, tremor;
vibration: There was a little tremble, and then the building
collapsed.
tremulous adj. 1 trembling, a-tremble, quivering, shaking, quaking,
shivering, shuddering, quavering, hesitant, wavering, unsure,
unsteady, faltering, doubtful, nervous, shaky, palpitating,
jumpy, Colloq jittery: His tremulous hands revealed just how
apprehensive he was. 2 timid, shy, bashful, anxious, worried,
timorous, fearful, afraid, frightened, scared: I cannot
remember when I felt so tremulous before meeting someone.
trenchant adj. cutting, keen, acute, sharp, pointed, poignant,
penetrating, incisive, biting, mordant, mordacious, sarcastic,
bitter, acerbic, acid, vitriolic, tart, acrid, acrimonious,
acidulous, corrosive, caustic: The critics dismissed the play
with a few trenchant remarks.
trend n. 1 tendency, leaning, bias, bent, drift, course, inclination,
direction: The trend seems to be towards shorter skirts. 2
fashion, style, vogue, mode, look, rage, Colloq fad, craze,
thing: Why is she so compulsive about keeping up with the
latest trends?
--v. 3 tend, lean, be biased, bend, drift, incline, veer, turn,
swing, shift, head: At the convention, the party leaders
trended more to the left of centre.
trendy adj. 1 fashionable, stylish, … la mode, modern, up to date, up
to the minute, in vogue, voguish, all the rage, Slang hot, now,
with it, groovy, in the groove, in, flash: Sibyl travels with
that trendy set from Belgravia.
--n. 2 show-off, clothes-horse, coxcomb, exhibitionist, Slang
Brit pseud, grandstander: Don't you just hate those trendies
down at Cole's wine bar?
trial n. 1 test, testing, experiment, proof, try-out, trying out,
trial run, examination, check, checking, Colloq dry run: The
trials of the new life-jackets are to be conducted soon. 2
hearing, enquiry or inquiry, examination, inquisition,
litigation, judicial proceeding, lawsuit, contest: Throughout
the trial, the accused protested his innocence. 3 try, attempt,
endeavour, effort, venture, essay, Colloq go, shot, stab, fling,
whirl, crack, whack: This was their first trial at climbing the
north face. 4 trouble, affliction, tribulation, hardship,
adversity, suffering, grief, woe, misery, distress, bad or hard
luck, misfortune, hard times: Mona acknowledged the trial of
having ten children and no husband. 5 nuisance, irritation,
bother, bane, annoyance, pest, irritant, thorn in the flesh or
side, US bur or burr under the saddle, Colloq plague, hassle,
pain (in the neck), headache, Taboo slang pain in the Brit arse
or US ass: William, who is full of mischief, is a constant
trial to his mother.
--adj. 6 sample, experimental, exploratory, provisional,
probationary, tentative, conditional, pilot: Will you consider
a trial subscription to Verbatim, The Language Quarterly?
tribe n. race, stock, strain, nation, breed, people, seed, (ethnic)
group, gens, clan, blood, pedigree, family, sept, dynasty,
house; caste, class: It was important in that society to marry
someone from the same tribe.
tribunal n. court (of justice), bar, bench, judiciary, Inquisition, Star
Chamber: Should he be tried before a judicial tribunal or
pilloried by the tribunal of public opinion?
tributary n. branch, offshoot, streamlet, feeder, brook, rivulet, run,
rill, runnel, runlet, streamlet, Scots and No. Eng. burn, No.
Eng. beck, US creek, NE US kill: The Teviot is one of the
tributaries of the Tweed.
tribute n. 1 honour, homage, recognition, celebration, respect, esteem,
testimonial, compliment, encomium, acknowledgement, acclaim,
acclamation, commendation, praise, kudos, laudation, panegyric,
eulogy, glorification, exaltation: No greater tribute could be
bestowed than recognition by one's fellows. 2 tax, exaction,
impost, duty, excise, levy, dues, assessment, tariff, charge,
surcharge, payment, contribution, offering, gift; ransom; tithe,
Peter's or Peter pence: In exchange for their freedom, the king
demanded an annual tribute of a thousand oxen.
trick n. 1 ruse, artifice, device, stratagem, wile, deception,
manoeuvre, deceit, fraud, hoax, imposture, intrigue,
machination, conspiracy, subterfuge, dodge, confidence trick,
sham, Slang con: The government's 'dirty tricks squad'
perpetrated crimes against their political adversaries. 2 prank,
frolic, antic, (practical) joke, hoax, tomfoolery, antic, caper,
jape; sport, horseplay, mischief; Scots cantrip, Colloq
leg-pull, gag, shenanigans, US dido: The boys meant no harm,
they're just up to their tricks. 3 art, knack, technique,
skill, secret, gift, ability, Colloq hang: He has developed the
trick of persuading people to buy life insurance. 4 Usually, no
mean trick. feat, accomplishment, deed: It was no mean trick to
train a cat to fetch his slippers. 5 sleight of hand,
legerdemain, magic, stunt: I have taught him all the tricks I
know. 6 trait, characteristic, peculiarity, idiosyncrasy,
eccentricity, quirk, practice, habit, mannerism, crotchet,
weakness, foible: He has an odd trick of winking while giving a
sly smile. 7 do the trick. work, answer, fulfil the need,
suffice, be effective, solve or take care of the problem, do or
accomplish the necessary, US turn the trick, Colloq fill the
bill: Replacing the battery cable did the trick.
--v. 8 fool, hoodwink, dupe, mislead, outwit, outmanoeuvre,
deceive, misguide, misinform, gull, bilk, cheat, defraud, cozen,
take in, swindle, humbug, Colloq bamboozle, take, put something
over on (someone), pull the wool over (someone's) eyes, Brit
gammon, Slang rook: I knew I had been tricked when I missed my
wallet. For years the couple made a living tricking tourists out
of their money. She tricked me into taking her to dinner.
--adj. 9 See tricky, 3, below.
trickery n. chicanery, deception, deceit, guile, shrewdness, craftiness,
slyness, shiftiness, evasiveness, artfulness, artifice, craft,
imposture, swindling, knavery, duplicity, double-dealing, fraud,
cheating, Colloq hanky-panky, skulduggery, funny or monkey
business, jiggery-pokery: He separated her from her money by
trickery.
trickle v. 1 drip, drop, dribble, drizzle, run, flow, spill; ooze,
seep, leak, exude: The water trickled onto the floor. Blood is
trickling from the wound.
--n. 2 drip, seepage, spill, dribble, runnel, runlet, rivulet:
A tiny trickle of saliva appeared at the corner of his mouth.
tricky adj. 1 deceitful, shady, deceptive, shifty, dodgy, artful,
guileful, crafty, duplicitous, shrewd, cunning, dishonest,
devious, sly, wily, slippery, foxy, double-dealing, cheating:
Arthur is a tricky chap and I shouldn't trust him. 2 ticklish,
risky, hazardous, sensitive, delicate, touch-and-go, thorny,
difficult, awkward, complex, complicated, knotty, uncertain,
debatable, Colloq iffy, sticky: It is a tricky decision whether
you tell a patient how ill he really is. 3 unfair, unjust,
unsportsmanlike, deceptive, Colloq trick: There were some
tricky questions in today's exam.
trifle n. 1 knick-knack, trinket, bauble, bagatelle, toy, gewgaw,
nothing, plaything, b€tise, Colloq doodah: Oh, it's nothing,
just a trifle I picked up in the Seychelles. 2 little, bit,
drop, iota, scintilla, suggestion, dash, dab, pinch, whiff,
mite, whit, jot, tittle, Colloq smidgen or smidgin, US tad: I'd
like a trifle more sugar in my coffee, if you don't mind.
--v. 3 Usually, trifle with. dally (with), flirt (with), wanton
(with), mess about (with), toy (with); play (with), fiddle
(with), dandle, tinker (with), fidget (with): I hated to see
the way he trifled with my sister's affections. While trifling
with this knob, I was able to get Radio Moscow.
trifling adj. trivial, insignificant, unimportant, puny, minor, paltry,
slight, petty, inconsequential, frivolous, superficial,
incidental, negligible, commonplace, inconsiderable, shallow,
valueless, worthless, US and Canadian picayune, Colloq piddling:
Their contribution to musical scholarship has been trifling.
trim adj. 1 neat, tidy, orderly, well-ordered, well-groomed, well
turned out, well-kempt, smart, crisp, dapper, spick and span,
spruce, shipshape (and Bristol fashion), Archaic or dialectal
trig, Colloq natty, US spiffy: Nancy arrived wearing her trim
new flight-attendant's uniform. 2 in good or fine fettle, fit
(as a fiddle), athletic, slim, slender, clean-cut, shapely,
streamlined, compact: Larry looks so trim that I asked him if
he had lost weight. The new convertible model is a very trim
little motor-car.
--v. 3 curtail, shorten, prune, pare, lop (off), crop, bob,
clip, cut, shave, shear, snip, dock; barber: They trimmed the
article by cutting two paragraphs from the end. He had shaved
off his beard and trimmed his moustache. 4 decorate, embellish,
dress up, embroider, adorn, ornament, deck out, caparison,
beautify: When should we trim the Christmas tree?
--n. 5 trimming, edging, piping, purfling, ricrac or rickrack,
embroidery, border, hem, frill, fringe, ornament, ornamentation,
decoration, embellishment, adornment: The skirt was spoilt by a
rather cheap trim round the hem. 6 condition, state, fettle,
health, form, order, fitness, repair, Colloq shape: Sid's car
seemed to be in good trim when I saw it yesterday.
trio n. threesome, trilogy, triad, triplex, triple, troika,
triptych, triumvirate, triplet, trine, triune, trinity, three:
An interesting trio showed up for dinner.
trip n. 1 stumble, slip, blunder, false step, misstep, fall: He
sprained his ankle in that trip on the stair. 2 stumble, slip,
blunder, false step, misstep, faux pas, error, mistake,
indiscretion, lapse, slip of the tongue, lapsus linguae,
erratum, oversight; Freudian slip; Slang Brit boob: If it
hadn't been for that one trip, we would have had a perfect
score. 3 tour, journey, excursion, outing, expedition, voyage,
trek, peregrination, jaunt, junket, drive: We took a short
side-trip to visit Khios.
--v. 4 dance, caper, skip, cavort, gambol, frisk, hop, spring:
Joanne came tripping gaily down the Champs ђlys‚es. 5 stumble,
slip, blunder, misstep, fall (down), tumble, topple, dive,
plunge, sprawl, lurch, flounder, stagger, falter: I tripped on
the doorstep and went head over heels. 6 Often, trip up. trap,
trick, catch out, unsettle, throw off, disconcert: She has been
trying to trip me up and confess to something I didn't do. 7
journey, travel, voyage, visit, tour, trek, sightsee, cruise;
Colloq globe-trot: They have been tripping all over Europe this
summer. 8 detonate, set off, trigger, operate, release,
explode, spark off: When he touched the wire, he tripped the
charge. 9 Often, trip out. hallucinate, Slang freak out, turn
on: There's no talking to him when he's tripping out on coke.
triumph n. 1 victory, conquest, success, achievement, accomplishment,
attainment, coup, ascendancy: The discovery of the drug was
perhaps the greatest of his many triumphs. 2 exultation,
rejoicing, exulting, elation, delight, rapture, exhilaration,
jubilation, happiness, joy, celebration, glory: There was great
triumph on winning the World Cup.
--v. 3 Often, triumph over. win, succeed, carry the day, be
victorious, gain a victory, take the honours, thrive, dominate,
prevail; defeat, beat, rout, vanquish, best, conquer, overcome,
overwhelm, subdue: Does justice always triumph? The book is
about how man triumphed over pain.
triumphal adj. celebratory, rapturous, jubilant, joyful, glorious,
exultant; commemorative: A holiday was declared to celebrate
her triumphal entry into the city. This triumphal arch
commemorates Trajan's victory over the Dacians.
triviality
n. 1 smallness, unimportance, insignificance, meaninglessness,
inconsequentiality or inconsequentialness or inconsequence or
inconsequentness, trivialness, pettiness, paltriness: I have
difficulty coping with the triviality of some of my boss's
requests. 2 trifle, technicality, non-essential, small matter,
unimportant or insignificant or inconsequential or trivial or
petty detail, b€tise: He tends to get bogged down in
trivialities, unable to see what is important.
trivialize
v. belittle, denigrate, lessen, minimize, undervalue,
depreciate, underestimate, underrate, make light of, laugh off,
underplay, dismiss, disparage, misprize, beggar, deprecate,
slight, scoff at, scorn, run down, decry, Colloq put down, play
down, pooh-pooh: Edward tends to trivialize the work of others.
trophy n. 1 prize, laurel(s), wreath, cup, award, reward, honour(s),
medal, citation, palm, bays; booty, spoils, Colloq gold, silver,
silverware: He has won trophies for more boat races than I have
participated in. 2 memento, souvenir, token, record, reminder,
remembrance, keepsake: That scar is a trophy of a hand-to-hand
fight near El Alamein.
trot v. 1 jog, run; bustle, hustle, hurry, hasten, scamper, scoot,
Colloq skedaddle: I trot round the park every morning for
exercise. As I need some butter, I'd better trot down to the
shop before it closes. 2 trot out. bring out, show, display,
exhibit, flaunt, come out with; dredge up, drag out; recite,
repeat: Our neighbour trotted out his new lawnmower for us to
admire.
--n. 3 jog, lope, single-foot, pace; run: It was a delight to
watch the young horses in a fast trot round the track. 4
translation, gloss, interpretation, crib, Colloq US pony, horse:
He couldn't read Homer without a trot.
trouble v. 1 bother, upset, anguish, alarm, worry, afflict, agitate,
disquiet, discomfit, make uncomfortable, grieve, perturb,
discommode, inconvenience, discompose, discountenance, put out,
burden, encumber, weigh down: I don't mean to trouble you with
my problems, but I have no one else to turn to. 2 annoy,
irritate, irk, vex, bother, plague, pester, torment, harass,
hector, harry, provoke, nettle, exasperate, ruffle, Colloq get
or grate on (someone's) nerves, give (someone) a hard time, get
under (someone's) skin: Vincent keeps troubling me for advice
on starting a new business. 3 discommode, incommode, impose on,
inconvenience, put out, thank: I'll trouble you to turn off the
light when you leave the room. 4 care, be concerned, take the
trouble or the time, go to the trouble, bother, exert (oneself),
concern (oneself), take pains: He never troubled to find out if
his family was safe.
--n. 5 distress, worry, concern, difficulty, discomfort,
unpleasantness, inconvenience, vexation, grief, woe, affliction,
disquiet, suffering, tribulation, anxiety, torment, anguish,
strife: Her trouble began when her ex-husband stopped paying
for child support. How can someone so insignificant cause so
much trouble? 6 annoyance, bother, tormenter, irritation,
nuisance, nag, heckler, pest, Slang US nudnik: Ever since she
lost her job, she's been a trouble to her family. 7 disorder,
agitation, row, disturbance, turbulence, tumult, upset,
dissatisfaction, unrest, discord, dispute, turmoil, rebellion,
revolt, uprising, outbreak, fighting, fight, skirmishing,
skirmish: The trouble began when workers refused to allow
management to hire replacements. 8 affliction, defect,
disability, disease, ailment, illness, sickness, disorder,
complaint: With her trouble she ought to see a doctor. 9 in
trouble. a in deep trouble, in a mess, in a predicament, in
dire straits, Colloq in a pickle, in hot water, on the spot, in
a scrape, Slang Brit in shtook or shtuk or shtuck or schtuck,
Taboo slang in deep shit, up shit creek (without (the vestige
of) a paddle): They will be in terrible trouble if the bank
forecloses on the mortgage. b unmarried or unwed and impregnated
or pregnant or with child or expecting or in a delicate
condition or colloq in a family way: Most of the girls who are
in trouble are teenagers.
troublemaker
n. mischief-maker, rabble-rouser, gadfly, firebrand, agent
provocateur, stormy petrel, incendiary, gossip-monger,
scandalmonger, malcontent, instigator, meddler, agitator: As
far as the police were concerned, any protester was, by
definition, a troublemaker.
troublesome
adj. worrisome, worrying, annoying, irksome, irritating,
vexatious, bothersome, distressing, difficult, burdensome,
Colloq pestiferous, US and Canadian pesky: We sometimes have to
put up with troublesome motor-cycle gangs.
truant n. 1 malingerer, runaway, absentee, delinquent, dodger,
shirker, idler, loafer, layabout, Slang Brit skiver, Brit
military scrimshanker: Truants were warned that their parents
would be required to visit the school.
--adj. 2 malingering, runaway, absent, absentee, delinquent,
shirking, loafing, Slang Brit skiving: The officer brought in
three truant boys found fishing at the lake.
truce n. 1 armistice, cease-fire, suspension of hostilities, lull,
moratorium, respite, let-up, intermission, interval, interlude:
It looked as if the truce might last. 2 pact, treaty, compact,
agreement, cease-fire, armistice: If both sides abide by the
truce the war might be over.
truck n. 1 merchandise, commodities, goods, stock, wares, stuff, odds
and ends, sundries, junk, rubbish, US trash: There was no one
in the shop and all the truck was stacked in the corner. 2
dealing(s), traffic, business, transaction, trade, commerce,
communication, contact, connection, (business or social)
relations: She refuses to have any truck with the likes of you.
truckle v. kowtow, be obsequious, toady, defer, bow, scrape, genuflect,
salaam, drop to the ground or to (one's) knees or down on
(one's) knees, submit, yield, cower, cringe, grovel, crawl,
quail, fawn (on or upon), Colloq butter up, fall all over, lick
(someone's) boots, boot-lick, US apple-polish, Slang suck up to,
Taboo slang brown-nose, kiss (someone's) Brit arse or US ass:
Just look how Caroline is always truckling to the boss, hoping
for favours.
truculent adj. surly, sullen, bad-tempered, ill-tempered, unpleasant,
nasty, obstreperous, rude, unpleasant, ferocious, fierce,
savage, feral, barbarous, harsh, scathing, virulent, combative,
belligerent, antagonistic, bellicose, hostile, contentious,
warlike, violent, pugnacious, Colloq scrappy: I don't care
enough for this job to endure the boss's truculent attitude a
moment longer.
true adj. 1 accurate, correct, truthful, faithful, literal,
authentic, veracious, actual, factual, realistic, genuine,
right, valid, unelaborated, unvarnished, unadulterated,
verified, verifiable: Do you swear that this is a true account
of what actually took place? 2 staunch, faithful, devoted,
dedicated, loyal, fast, firm, unswerving, steady, steadfast,
trustworthy, trusty, dutiful, upright, honourable, constant,
unwavering, stable, dependable, sincere, reliable, true-blue:
D'Artagnan proved himself to be a true friend. 3 proper, exact,
accurate, unerring, correct, precise, right, Slang Brit spot on:
It is important that these matters be seen in their true
perspective. If this is a true copy of the original, please
sign it.
--adv. 4 truly, truthfully, honestly, accurately, candidly,
frankly, sincerely, straightforwardly: Tell me true, do you
love me? If the report speaks true, then we must find the
culprit. 5 exactly, correctly; geographically: We sail true
north to Iceland. 6 come true. come to pass, occur, take,
place, happen, be realized, become a reality, be fulfilled: Her
dreams finally came true when she bought a little house in Kent.
truism n. commonplace, platitude, bromide, axiom, clich‚, maxim: You
can rely on Vera to utter a truism like, 'It's a nice day', on a
warm, sunny day.
truly adv. 1 truthfully, actually, really, honestly, in fact, in
truth, in actuality, in reality, in all honesty, sincerely,
genuinely: Are you truly giving up your job to get married? I
truly believed her to be guilty. 2 properly, rightly,
rightfully, justly, legitimately, justifiably, duly, well and
truly, accurately: In the circumstances, can we truly condemn
him for behaving as he did? 3 definitely, really, actually,
undoubtedly, indubitably, beyond (the shadow of) a doubt, beyond
question, without a doubt, indeed, unquestionably, absolutely,
positively, decidedly, certainly, surely: I believed her to be
truly guilty. 4 in truth, indeed, really, honestly, sincerely,
genuinely, Archaic (yea,) verily, Usually ironic forsooth: I
love you, darling, truly I do.
trunk n. 1 main stem, stalk, stock, Technical bole: After the
tornado, only the trunks of the trees remained upright. 2
torso, body: All that was found of the corpse was the trunk. 3
chest, locker, foot-locker, box, case, bin, coffer, casket: We
found a trunk full of old books in the attic. 4 snout,
proboscis: The elephant reached for the food with its trunk. 5
(In US and Canada) luggage compartment, Brit boot: We cannot
get all the luggage into the trunk of the car.
trust n. 1 confidence, reliance, faith, conviction, certitude,
certainty, sureness, positiveness, assurance, belief: Place
your trust in me. 2 credit, reliability, dependability,
credibility, trustworthiness: The company will sell you the
piano on trust. 3 custody, care, keeping, charge, guardianship,
protection, safe keeping, trusteeship: The money is in trust
for Gillian's grandchildren. 4 monopoly, cartel; group,
corporation, conglomerate: An international trust controls the
world market in diamonds.
--v. 5 rely (on or upon), have faith or confidence (in),
confide (in), depend or bank or count (on or upon), pin (one's)
faith or hopes on or upon: I trust that you will attend the
meeting. In God we trust - others must pay cash. Can I trust you
to keep a secret? Don't trust to luck. 6 entrust, commit, give,
delegate, make or turn or sign or hand over, depute, assign,
empower, consign: I shouldn't trust my money to her.
trusting adj. trustful, unsuspicious, confiding, confident,
unsuspecting; na‹ve, innocent, gullible, incautious, credulous:
It is a good thing that her husband has a trusting nature.
Samantha might be a little too trusting and could easily be
deceived.
trustworthy
adj. reliable, trusty, dependable, accurate; responsible,
steady, steadfast, loyal, faithful, (tried and) true,
honourable, honest, ethical, principled, moral, incorruptible:
Is this thermometer trustworthy? Isaac's former employer said
that he is completely trustworthy.
truth n. 1 genuineness, reality, actuality, correctness, accuracy,
fact: The truth of the matter is that he's in love with you. 2
fact(s): To tell the truth, I came here to kill you. 3 in
truth. in fact, truly, actually, really: In truth, his name is
not Jack Armstrong at all but Ebenezer Braithwaite.
truthful adj. true, accurate, factual, veracious, true to life, honest,
realistic, reliable, faithful, trustworthy, straightforward,
candid, frank, sincere, earnest, forthright, unvarnished,
unembellished: He gave a truthful account of his experiences in
the jungle.
try v. 1 attempt, endeavour, essay, seek, undertake, venture,
strive, struggle, make an effort, try (one's) hand at, Colloq
have a stab or go or whack (at), take a shot or crack (at): He
tried to help me with my homework. 2 test, try out, prove,
evaluate, examine, inspect, check out, sample, appraise, assay,
look over, analyse, scrutinize, assess, judge: I'll try your
way of solving the problem. You won't know if it works till you
try it. 3 test, prove, strain, tax: You are trying my patience
with your silly questions. 4 hear, sit on, adjudicate, judge,
adjudge: There are three more cases to try this month.
--n. 5 attempt, endeavour, essay, undertaking, venture,
struggle, effort, turn, Colloq go, stab, whack, fling, shot,
crack: You have three tries to pin the tail on the donkey.
trying adj. irritating, exasperating, frustrating, annoying, irksome,
infuriating, maddening, bothersome, tiresome, vexing,
troublesome, worrying, worrisome, distressing, disquieting,
upsetting, dispiriting, taxing, demanding, tough, stressful,
difficult, tiring, fatiguing: This must be a trying time for
you, caring for eight small children.
tug v. 1 pull, tow, yank, jerk, draw, drag, haul, wrench: The boy
was tugging a little puppy along on a lead.
--n. 2 pull, tow, yank, jerk, drag, haul, wrench: I gave a tug
and the doorknob came away in my hand.
tuition n. education, teaching, tutelage, training, schooling,
instruction, guidance, preparation: The course fees cover
tuition and accommodation.
tumble v. 1 fall (down), pitch, turn end over end or head over heels,
roll, drop: Giggling hysterically, we tumbled in a heap on the
lawn. 2 drop, toss, dump, jumble: The waiter tumbled several
spoonfuls of berries on to my plate. 3 tumble to. understand,
apprehend, perceive, comprehend, see the light, Colloq get the
signal or message, catch on, Brit twig to, Slang get wise, wise
up, dig: I finally tumbled to what she was trying to tell me.
--n. 4 fall, slip, stumble, Colloq header, spill: Joshua took
a bad tumble on the stairs yesterday.
tumbledown
adj. ramshackle, dilapidated, ruined, in ruins, decrepit,
rickety, shaky, falling apart or to pieces, disintegrating,
tottering, broken-down, crumbling, gone to rack and ruin: He
lived for years in a tumbledown shanty near the railway.
tumour n. neoplasm, cancer, melanoma, sarcoma, malignancy, carcinoma,
growth, lump, swelling, protuberance, excrescence: The doctor
found a tumour that he said ought to be removed.
tumult n. commotion, disturbance, upset, uproar, riot, disorder,
disquiet, insurrection, agitation, bedlam, chaos, brouhaha,
fracas, hubbub, stir, pandemonium, hullabaloo, furore or US
furor, brawl, Donnybrook, affray, row, m€l‚e or melee,
turbulence, ferment, ado, turmoil, confusion, rampage, frenzy,
rage, excitement, rumpus, Colloq US ruckus: The tumult caused
by the football hooligans spread through the city.
tumultuous
adj. clamorous, noisy, boisterous, disorderly, turbulent,
violent, uproarious, chaotic, frenzied, furious, excited,
agitated, hectic, riotous, rowdy, unruly, unrestrained, fierce,
savage, wild, hysterical, frantic, rumbustious, boisterous,
obstreperous, tempestuous, stormy: The heroes received a
tumultuous welcome on their return.
tune n. 1 melody, air, song, strain, motif, theme: David presents a
marvellous half-hour radio programme of show tunes every week. 2
euphony, pitch, harmony, accord, accordance, consonance, unison,
correspondence, conformity: She cannot sing in tune. The guitar
is out of tune with the piano. Her husband is out of tune with
today's fashion.
--v. 3 tune up, calibrate, adjust, regulate, coordinate, adapt,
attune, align, set: That garage charges too much for tuning an
engine. 4 tune in (on). attend (to), pay attention (to), listen
(to), understand, be aware (of), be on the qui vive, be alert
(to), Slang be on the same wavelength or frequency (with): I am
not sure that Bernard is tuned in to what his sister does for a
living. 5 tune out. ignore, disregard, turn a blind eye to, be
blind to, turn one's back on, turn a deaf ear to: Sally is able
to tune out anything she doesn't like to hear.
tuneful adj. melodic, musical, sweet-sounding, melodious, euphonious,
dulcet, mellifluent, mellifluous, harmonic, catchy, mellow,
smooth, rich, rhythmic, Colloq easy on the ear(s): Irving
Berlin wrote some of the most tuneful music that we have.
tunnel n. 1 shaft, subway, (underground) passage(way), underpass;
burrow, hole; Channel Tunnel, Colloq Chunnel: The cat got out
through this tunnel.
--v. 2 burrow, dig, hole, excavate, penetrate, mine: The
prisoners tunnelled under the wall and escaped.
turf n. 1 sod, sward, green, grass, greensward, lawn: We bought
some turf for the new lawn. 2 territory, bailiwick, area,
neighbourhood, backyard, Colloq stamping-ground, home ground,
(personal) space: You're on my turf now, so you'll do as I say.
3 the turf. horse-racing, racing, the racing world, racecourse,
racetrack: The attractions of the turf keep them from other
pursuits.
--v. 4 turf out. eject, dismiss, expel, throw out, oust,
banish, exile, Colloq sack, bounce, give (someone) the boot or
the sack or the (old) heave-ho, chuck or toss or kick or boot
out, fire: The committee said he had brought the sport into
disrepute and turfed him out of the team.
turn v. 1 rotate, revolve, spin, roll, reel, circle, gyrate, whirl,
wheel, go (a)round or about, pivot, swivel: The earth turns on
its axis. Turn the crank to raise the bucket. 2 move, shift,
wheel, veer, swing, face: As she turned I noticed a horrible
scar. 3 reverse, turn (a)round, alter, change, adapt,
reorganize, remodel, modify, refashion, reshape, reform,
transform, make over, convert, bring over: He has been trying
to turn the business into a profit-making enterprise. He has
turned defeat into advance. She managed to turn one of the most
loyal membrs of the government. 4 go or pass or move (a)round,
veer, drive, walk: Turn left at the corner. 5 go bad, become
rancid, spoil, curdle, addle, sour, decay, moulder, rot,
putrefy, Colloq go off: All the milk in the fridge had turned
because of the power cut. 6 apply, put, use, employ: Is there
any way we can turn this situation to our advantage? 7
Sometimes, turn aside or away. block, avert, thwart, prevent,
balk or baulk, parry, deflect, fend off, check: He deftly
turned aside the thrust of the dagger. 8 form, make up,
fashion, formulate, construct, cast, create, coin, concoct,
express: Donald certainly knows how to turn a felicitous
phrase. 9 direct, aim, point: He turned the gun on himself and
pulled the trigger. 10 twist, sprain, wrench: I have turned my
ankle and cannot walk. 11 twist, wind, snake, curve, bend, arc,
coil, loop, meander, zigzag: The road turned this way and that,
following the river bank. 12 turn against. defy, mutiny, rebel,
revolt, rise (up) against: The captain had not expected the
first mate to turn against him, too. 13 turn back. a reverse,
repulse, repel, rebuff, drive back, beat back: At last we
turned back the enemy's advance. b go back, retrace (one's)
steps, return: We must turn back before it is too late. 14
turn down. a refuse, reject, rebuff, decline, deny: My request
for help was turned down. b decrease or diminish or lessen or
lower or soften the sound of: Turn down the radio, I'm on the
phone. 15 turn in. a go to bed or sleep, retire, withdraw,
call it a day, Slang hit the sack or the hay: I usually turn in
by eleven o'clock. b hand in or over, turn over, deliver, give
in, submit, offer, proffer, tender, give back, return,
surrender, yield: Please turn in your visitors' badges before
you leave. c turn over, deliver (up), inform on, betray, Colloq
squeal on, rat on, finger, tell on: For enough money, he'd turn
in his own mother. 16 turn into. a turn to, become, change
into or to, metamorphose into or to: Right before her, the
prince turned into a frog again. b go or come into, drive into,
pull into, walk into: They lost sight of the suspect when he
turned into a side-street. 17 turn off. a stop, switch off,
deactivate, discontinue; extinguish: First turn off the water,
then the light. b disillusion, depress, cool (off), disenchant,
disaffect, alienate, repel, repulse, bore, offend, put off,
displease, sicken, nauseate, disgust: People who don't brush
their teeth turn me off. c deviate, diverge: When you come to
the fork, turn off to the right. 18 turn on. a start (up),
switch on, energize, activate, set in motion, cause to function
or operate: Turn on the light. b depend on or upon, be
contingent on, hinge on or upon, be subject to: The success of
the venture turns on our ability to capitalize it. c excite,
thrill, arouse, stimulate, titillate, work up, impassion: He
was really turned on by the girl in the bar. 19 turn on or
upon. a concern, revolve about, relate to: The discussion
turned on his ability to write music. b be hostile to, attack,
assail, set upon, Colloq tear into: Oliver is so unpopular that
his own dog turned on him and bit him. 20 turn out. a make,
form, shape, construct, build, fabricate, put together,
assemble, manufacture, produce, put out, bring out: The plant
turns out a thousand cars a week. b develop, evolve, eventuate,
happen, result, prove, occur, end up, arise: As it turned out,
he lost anyway. It turns out that he knows my sister. c eject,
evict, throw out, expel, oust, dismiss, terminate, cashier,
Colloq fire, sack, kick out, axe, Brit turf out: When they
found I wasn't a member, they turned me out. d dress, fit out,
equip, rig out, accoutre or US also accouter: She was well
turned out in a beautiful ball gown. e come, arrive, appear,
attend, assemble, meet, Colloq show (up), surface: 55,000
turned out for the rock concert. 21 turn over. a consider,
muse or ruminate over or about, revolve, ponder (over): I
needed a while to turn over the job offer in my mind. b
reverse, invert, turn upside down: Turn over the clock and read
the inscription on the bottom. c overturn, upset, knock over:
In my haste, I turned over the punch bowl. d sell, merchandise:
A shop in that location ought to turn over a million a year. e
rotate, revolve, spin, kick over: The engine turns over, but it
won't start. 22 turn tail. run away, flee, bolt, scoot, show a
clean pair of heels, cut and run, take to (one's) heels, beat a
hasty retreat, Colloq take off, beat it, scram, skedaddle: He
turned tail when I shouted for help. 23 turn to. a appeal to,
apply to, resort to: She turned to me for help. b advert to,
refer to, pick or take up, have recourse to: Please turn to
your exercise books now. c get to work, pitch in, buckle or
knuckle down: The neighbours turned to in helping clean up the
mess after the storm. d turn into, change to, convert into,
become: Lot's wife was turned to salt. 24 turn turtle.
capsize, overturn, keel over, upset, up-end, Colloq go bottoms
up: The overloaded barge turned turtle and sank in the river.
25 turn up. a surface, appear, arrive, Colloq show (up), show
one's face: Guess who turned up at our wedding? b come up,
arise, Colloq crop up, pop up: Something will turn up soon for
you. c uncover, discover, find, unearth, come across, hit upon,
dig up, expose, disclose, reveal, bring to light: We turned up
a formerly unknown fact about the shipwreck. d increase or
raise or amplify or intensify the sound of: Turn up the TV - I
can't hear what they're saying.
--n. 26 revolution, rotation, cycle, spin, whirl, circuit,
round, roll, twirl; pirouette: He gave the top another turn,
just to make sure it was on securely. 27 curve, bend, turning,
corner, sinuosity, dog-leg, hairpin bend or curve, irregularity,
meander, twist, zigzag, Colloq toing and froing: There are many
dangerous turns on that road. 28 loop, coil, spiral, twist:
Take two turns of this rope round your waist, then knot it. 29
deviation, turning, detour, shift, change of direction or
course: A turn to the right is not permitted at this corner.
30 opportunity, chance, say, round, spell, time, watch, shift,
stint, tour (of duty), move, trick, Colloq whack, crack, shot,
go: You have had your turn, now let someone else go. 31 drive,
spin, ride; airing, constitutional, ramble, saunter, stroll,
walk, promenade, amble: Let's take a short turn round the park.
32 trend, direction, drift: The conversation took a new turn.
33 change, alteration, switch: The doctor says that Valerie has
taken a turn for the better. 34 Usually, bad turn. disservice,
harm, injury, wrong: If you do someone a bad turn, what can you
expect? 35 Usually, good turn. favour, (good) deed, act (of
kindness), courtesy, boon, mercy: One good turn deserves
another. 36 shock, fright, surprise, start, scare: You really
gave me a turn, jumping out like that! 37 form, style, manner,
mode: Each turn of phrase in her writing seems original and
refreshing. 38 disposition, inclination, bent, bias, leaning,
tendency: Alistair is of a rather dour turn of mind tonight.
39 at every turn. everywhere, constantly, always, all the time:
In Scotland, we met with kindness and hospitality at every turn.
40 by turns. alternately, reciprocally, in rotation,
successively, in succession: The book is fascinating and
frustrating by turns. 41 in turn. sequentially, one after the
other, in succession, successively, in (proper) order: Each
patient will be treated in turn. 42 out of turn. a out of
sequence, out of order: I don't want you answering questions
out of proper turn, Jonathan. b imprudently, indiscreetly,
improperly, disobediently, inappropriately: I apologize if I am
speaking out of turn on this issue. 43 take turns. alternate,
vary, rotate, exchange: Let's take turns looking through the
telescope.
turn-about
n. reciprocity, exchange: Turn-about is fair play.
turncoat n. renegade, traitor, betrayer, deserter, fifth-columnist,
double agent, apostate, tergiversator, defector, backslider,
Vicar of Bray, US Benedict Arnold, Colloq snake in the grass:
Labour members who voted with the Tories on the issue were
branded turncoats.
turn-off n. 1 exit, side-road, feeder (road), auxiliary (road), ramp,
Brit slip-road, US (exit or entrance) ramp: Our shop is at the
first turn-off after the traffic light. 2 damper, killjoy,
Colloq wet blanket, Slang US freeze-out: It was a real turn-off
to discover that his hobby was model railways.
turnout n. 1 assemblage, muster, attendance, audience, crowd, gate,
throng, gathering: The turnout for the first day of the sale
was enormous. 2 output, production, out-turn, volume; gross
national product, GNP, gross domestic product, GDP: Turnout has
improved since the settlement of the labour dispute. 3 gear,
outfit, clothing, apparel, apparatus, equipment, trappings,
fittings, equipage: Have you seen Charlie in his
mountain-climbing turnout?
turnover n. gross (revenue), (total) business, volume: Although
turnover increased by ten per cent, profits were down by two per
cent.
tutor n. 1 teacher, instructor, educator, coach, mentor, guru:
Bernard engaged a tutor to coach him through the examinations.
--v. 2 teach, instruct, coach, educate, school, train,
indoctrinate, drill, enlighten, advise, direct, guide, prepare,
ground: Twitchell needs someone to tutor him in the fine art of
going out with girls.
tweak v. 1 pinch, nip, twitch, squeeze, jerk, grip: I do wish that
adults would refrain from tweaking my nose, though it is pretty
cute.
--n. 2 pinch, nip, twitch, squeeze, jerk, grip: He gave her
nose an affectionate little tweak.
twee adj. precious, sweet, sentimental, quaint, dainty, cute,
mignon(ne), bijou: The tearoom atmosphere is a bit too twee for
my taste.
twiddle v. 1 play with, twirl, fiddle (with), wiggle, juggle, toy with,
fidget with, Colloq fool with, mess with, monkey with: Stop
twiddling with the dial on that radio! 2 twiddle (one's)
thumbs. do nothing, be idle, idle or while away (the) time,
waste time, bide (one's) time: I sat there, twiddling my
thumbs, while you were being entertained royally.
twig° n. sprig, stem, shoot, offshoot, branchlet, stick, sucker,
sprout, withe or withy, tendril: Gather up some dry twigs for
kindling.
twigэ v. understand, grasp, fathom, get, comprehend, see, know,
sense, divine, Colloq catch on, be or get or become wise to,
tumble to, Slang rumble, dig: She twigged the situation at once
but didn't let on she knew.
twilight n. 1 dusk, sunset, gloaming, sundown, half-light, crepuscule or
crepuscle: We enjoyed dinner at twilight on the terrace
overlooking the sea. 2 decline, wane, waning, ebb, downturn,
down-swing, slump, decay, weakening, declination, diminution:
Even at the twilight of his career, Jonas enjoyed the respect of
his colleagues. 3 Twilight of the Gods. G”tterd„mmerung,
Ragnar”k or Ragnarok: The world ends at the Twilight of the
Gods, only to be born anew.
--adj. 4 evening, crepuscular, dimming, darkening, darkish,
darksome, shadowy, shady, dim, dark, obscure, sombre, gloomy,
Literary darkling: The Nymphs in twilight shade of tangled
thickets mourn. 5 twilight zone. limbo: He lives in the
twilight zone, unable to distinguish reality from fantasy.
twin n. 1 double, clone, duplicate, look-alike, counterpart, Slang
ringer: I cannot distinguish these twins.
--adj. 2 identical, matching, matched, duplicate,
corresponding, look-alike: The bedroom had twin beds with pink
covers.
--v. 3 pair, match, yoke, join, link, couple, combine, connect,
associate: Many towns in Britain are twinned with similar towns
on the Continent.
twine n. 1 cord, string; rope, cable, yarn: Have you some twine for
tying up this package?
--v. 2 entwine, braid, twist, intertwine, curl, wreathe,
spiral, wind, weave, interweave, encircle, wrap: Annette's
front door has roses twined all round it.
twinge n. 1 stab, pang, cramp, spasm, pinch, stitch, (sharp) pain,
prick, bite, gripe: I get a terrible twinge in my back when I
lift anything heavy. 2 pang, pain: I felt a twinge of remorse
at leaving.
twinkle v. 1 scintillate, sparkle, coruscate, glitter, shimmer, wink,
flicker, glisten, glint, flash, fulgurate, spark, dance, blink,
shine, gleam: The stars were twinkling in the icy black sky.
Nicole's eyes twinkled as she told me about Max's latest
success.
--n. 2 twinkling, scintillation, scintillating, sparkle,
sparkling, coruscation, coruscating, glitter, glittering,
shimmer, shimmering, winking, flicker, flickering, glistening,
glint, flash, flashing, fulguration, spark, sparking, dancing,
blinking, shine, shining, gleam, gleaming, dazzle, dazzling:
From far off, I caught the twinkle of the sun on car
windscreens.
twinkling n. 1 (split) second, flash, twinkling or wink of an eye,
instant, trice, Colloq jiffy, two shakes (of a lamb's tail),
tick: Liza called out, and in a twinkling, Joseph was at her
side. 2 See twinkle, 2, above.
twirl v. 1 spin, whirl, rotate, revolve, wheel, turn, gyrate, twist,
wind (about or around): The windmills twirled in the breeze.
Katherine absently twirled a lock of hair round her finger.
--n. 2 twirling, spin, spinning, whirl, whirling, turn,
turning, revolution: He was hypnotized by each twirl of the
roulette wheel. 3 whorl, winding, convolution, spiral, helix,
coil, volute: The pattern consists of interlocking twirls of
green and brown.
twist v. 1 plait, braid, weave, entwine, intertwine, twine,
interweave, pleach, splice, wreathe, interlace: She twisted
together some daisies to make a garland for her hair. 2
distort, warp, contort, pervert, alter, change, slant, bias,
colour, falsify, misquote, misstate, garble, miscite,
misrepresent, violate; misinterpret, mistranslate,
misunderstand, misconstrue: He twisted her words so that she
seemed to be saying the opposite of what she intended. 3
wriggle, worm, squirm, writhe, wiggle: The little beggar
twisted out of my grasp and ran for his life. 4 wind, snake,
meander, turn, zigzag, worm, bend, curve: I lost sight of the
stream where it twisted through the undergrowth. 5 wrench,
turn, sprain, rick or wrick: I twisted my ankle on a faulty
step. 6 twist (one's or someone's) arm. force, coerce, make,
persuade, bully, Brit pressurize, US pressure: I didn't want to
go, but she twisted my arm.
--n. 7 coil, spiral, skew, zigzag, dog-leg, turn, curve, angle,
bend, bow, meander: The road is full of twists and turns. 8
interpretation, analysis, understanding, slant, angle,
construction, construal; treatment, approach, version,
variation: This book puts a new twist on the fall of the Roman
Empire. 9 distortion, misinterpretation, contortion,
perversion, warping, alteration, change, departure, bias,
colouring, falsification, misquotation, misstatement, garbling,
misrepresentation; mistranslation, misunderstanding,
misconstrual, misconstruction: It was a twist of fate that
brought us together again. She gave everything he said such a
twist that he scarcely recognized his own ideas. 10 quirk,
idiosyncrasy, crotchet, peculiarity, oddity, trick,
eccentricity, incongruity, inconsistency, irregularity;
weakness, flaw, fault, foible, failing: Owing to a twist in his
character, he has developed a hatred of women. 11 round the
twist. mad, crazy, insane, eccentric, Colloq daft, Brit round
the bend, Slang nuts, nutty, bonkers, cuckoo, batty, off (one's)
rocker, Brit barmy or balmy: Kevin's gone round the twist if he
thinks I am going out with his sister.
twister n. 1 cheat, swindler, confidence man or woman, rogue,
scoundrel, swindler, trickster, mountebank, deceiver, fraud,
impostor or imposter, Colloq con man or woman, crook: This
particular twister preys on the elderly. 2 tornado, cyclone,
typhoon, hurricane, whirlwind; waterspout: The twister picked
up my bicycle and dropped it in my neighbour's garden.
twit° v. tease, cajole, taunt, jeer (at), make fun of, banter, tweak,
gibe or jibe, chaff, ridicule, mock; blame, berate, deride,
scorn, contemn, censure, revile, reproach, upbraid; Colloq kid,
pull (someone's) leg: She never seemed to mind being twitted
about her height.
twitэ n. nitwit, nincompoop, ass, ninny, ninny-hammer, fool,
imbecile, blockhead, halfwit, idiot, simpleton, Colloq chump,
moron, Brit silly billy, Slang dope, US and Canadian jerk: That
silly twit told the teacher what we were planning.
twitter v. 1 peep, cheep, tweet, chirp, warble, trill, chirrup,
chatter: The birds twitter so loudly that they wake me every
morning. 2 chatter, prattle, gossip, giggle, prate, titter,
snicker, snigger, simper: I was embarrassed because my
classmates always twittered when I did a recitation.
--n. 3 peep, peeping, cheep, cheeping, twittering, tweet,
tweeting, chirrup, chirruping, chirp, chirping, warble,
warbling, trill, trilling: The twitter of the birds was driving
me mad. 4 ado, bustle, excitement, flutter, dither, whirl,
agitation, Colloq stew, tizzy: The girls were in a twitter of
apprehension.
two-faced adj. double-dealing, hypocritical, duplicitous, dissembling,
deceitful, Janus-faced, treacherous, dishonest, untrustworthy,
insincere, scheming, designing, crafty, Machiavellian, sly,
perfidious, lying, mendacious: That two-faced liar told you one
story and me another!
tycoon n. mogul, magnate, baron, financier, (multi)millionaire,
billionaire, merchant prince, potentate, Colloq big shot,
(big-time) operator, wheeler-dealer, big-timer, US big wheel,
big cheese: What makes you think that Castenado is an oil
tycoon?
type n. 1 class, category, classification, kind, sort, genre, order,
variety, breed, species, strain, group, genus, ilk, kidney:
Just what type of person would you say the president is? 2
typeface, Brit fount, US font: The body text ought to be set in
Bodoni Book type, the headings in Times bold. 3 prototype,
paradigm, archetype, epitome, exemplar, model, specimen,
pattern, personification, standard, quintessence: She doesn't
consider him to be the usual type of businessman.
--v. 4 typewrite; keyboard; transcribe: She types at a speed
of about sixty words a minute.
typical adj. 1 representative, characteristic, conventional, normal,
standard, ordinary, regular: On a typical day I get up at 6.30.
2 orthodox, classic, conventional, in character, in keeping,
usual, commonplace, run-of-the-mill, natural, customary, common,
to be expected, ordinary: His way of looking at life is typical
for someone of his educational and social background.
typify v. exemplify, instance, epitomize, personify, represent,
characterize, embody, evince, symbolize, suggest: John's views
typify the conservative approach.
tyrannical
adj. tyrannous, oppressive, dictatorial, Fascistic, despotic,
autocratic, authoritarian, arbitrary, imperious, overbearing,
unjust, high-handed, severe, harsh, iron-handed, heavy-handed:
The people suffered under one tyrannical form of government
after another for generations.
tyrannize v. Often, tyrannize over. domineer over, bully, subjugate,
enthral, enslave, dominate, intimidate, dictate to, order about
or around, ride roughshod over, browbeat, keep under (one's)
thumb, oppress, subdue, suppress, keep down: The people have
been tyrannized long enough.
tyranny n. autocracy, Fascism, authoritarianism, absolutism, despotism,
dictatorship, Stalinism, Nazism; arbitrariness, oppression,
suppression, subjugation, enslavement, enthralment, domination:
Tyranny would not survive long were it not expedient for its
supporters.
tyrant n. dictator, despot, autocrat, martinet, Hitler, bully,
oppressor, authoritarian, hard taskmaster, slave-driver, Simon
Legree, overlord: It seems that no people or part of the world
is immune to tyrants.
21.0 U
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
ugly adj. 1 unattractive, unlovely, unprepossessing, unsightly,
hideous, grotesque, gruesome, ghastly, offensive,
repulsive-looking, plain, plain-looking, plain-featured,
bad-featured, ill-favoured, dreadful-looking, awful-looking,
terrible-looking, horrible-looking, frightful-looking,
monstrous-looking, US and Canadian homely: The Georgian houses
were demolished and replaced by ugly tower-blocks. 2
objectionable, disagreeable, unpleasant, offensive, nasty,
loathsome, repellent, repugnant, repulsive, noisome, nauseating,
nauseous, revolting, sickening, disgusting, obnoxious, mephitic,
rotten, corrupt, filthy, vile, heinous, bad, sordid, evil, foul,
perverted, immoral, depraved, degenerate, base, debased,
detestable, hateful, abominable, execrable, despicable, odious:
The East End murders were among the ugliest crimes of the
century. He sprang from his seat with an ugly curse on his
lips. 3 disquieting, uncomfortable, discomforting, troublesome,
awkward, disadvantageous, ominous, dangerous, perilous,
hazardous: He found himself in a very ugly position, with no
apparent means of escape. 4 unpleasant, disagreeable, surly,
hostile, nasty, spiteful, bad-tempered, ill-tempered, currish,
irascible, curmudgeonly, cantankerous, crabby, crabbed,
crotchety, cross, cranky, mean: He's in an ugly mood till he's
had his coffee.
ulcer n. 1 sore, lesion, abscess, ulceration, canker, chancre, boil,
gumboil, eruption, carbuncle, inflammation: That ulcer should
be treated before it gets any worse. 2 cancer, canker,
festering spot, blight, scourge, poison, disease, pestilence,
curse, bane, plague: We must purge this ulcer before it
corrupts the entire organization.
ulcerous adj. ulcerative, cancerous, cankerous, festering, ulcerated,
ulcerative, suppurating, suppurative, gangrenous, septic,
Technical furuncular, furunculous, necrotic, necrosed,
sphacelated: The wound is in an ulcerous condition and requires
immediate surgery.
ulterior adj. 1 hidden, concealed, covert, secret, unrevealed,
undisclosed, unexpressed, private, personal, underlying,
surreptitious, underhand(ed): She had an ulterior motive for
arriving early. 2 outside, beyond, further, remote, remoter:
What you propose is ulterior to our immediate plan.
ultimate adj. 1 final, last, terminating, terminal, end, eventual,
conclusive, concluding, decisive, deciding: The ultimate
outcome will not be known till next week. Who is the ultimate
authority in such matters? 2 final, maximum, highest, greatest,
supreme, utmost, paramount: Her ultimate goal is to win the
gold medal. 3 elemental, basic, fundamental, underlying,
primary, essential, final: He believes that the ultimate truths
were set down in Scripture. 4 remotest, furthest, farthest,
extreme, uttermost, last, final: The ultimate stage of the
experiment will be at a distance of five light-years.
ultimately
adv. finally, at long last, in the final or last analysis, in
the end, at the end of the day, after all is said and done, at
(the) last, in the long run; fundamentally, essentially,
basically, at bottom: I thought it might ultimately come to
this. He came to understand that ultimately people must depend
on each other.
ultimatum n. demand(s), term(s), condition(s), stipulation(s),
requirement(s): If we refuse to comply with his ultimatum,
he'll kill the hostage.
ultra- adj. extreme, immoderate, excessive, drastic, radical,
fanatic(al), unmitigated, outrageous, unqualified, sheer,
blatant, out-and-out, complete, thorough, thoroughgoing, dyed in
the wool, die-hard, rabid, opinionated, unregenerate,
unrepentant, unreformed, fundamentalist, prejudiced, bigoted,
Colloq hard-nosed: Ultra-conservativism marked his views till
the day he died.
umbrage n. Usually, take umbrage. feel or be offended, take offence,
feel displeasure or annoyance or exasperation or indignation or
vexation or bitterness or resentment, be piqued or displeased or
annoyed or exasperated or indignant or vexed or resentful,
harbour a grudge: She took umbrage at the way he seemed to
ignore her.
umbrella n. 1 parasol; Colloq chiefly Brit gamp, Brit brolly, US
bumbershoot: You will need an umbrella today. 2 protection,
cover, coverage, aegis, shield, screen, patronage, agency: What
benefits are included under the umbrella of this policy?
umpire n. 1 referee, arbiter, judge, moderator, adjudicator,
arbitrator; official; Colloq ref, Australian umpy, US ump: The
sides agree to abide by the decision of the umpire.
--v. 2 referee, arbitrate, judge, moderate, adjudicate;
officiate: When Peter Jones umpires a game, the players know
they will get a fair decision.
umpteen adj. a lot of, many, innumerable, unnumbered, countless, a huge
number of, very many, numerous, hundreds of, thousands of,
millions of, billions of, trillions of: You've been told
umpteen times, 'Don't go near the water'.
unabashed adj. unashamed, unblushing, unembarrassed, brazen, blatant,
bold, undaunted, unawed, undismayed, unconcerned: I couldn't
put up with his unabashed conceit for another moment.
unable adj. not able, powerless, unfit, unqualified, impotent: The
company was unable to give guarantees about continuity of
employment.
unabridged
adj. 1 uncut, whole, full-length, entire, complete, intact,
uncondensed, unshortened; unbowdlerized, unexpurgated: This is
the original, unabridged edition, with nothing removed. 2
extensive, thorough, comprehensive, exhaustive,
all-encompassing, (all-)inclusive: That word is too rare to be
listed in anything but an unabridged dictionary.
unaccented
adj. unstressed, unemphasized, unaccentuated, weak, Technical
lenis: The first syllable of 'before' is unaccented.
unacceptable
adj. unsatisfactory, objectionable, wrong, bad, improper,
unallowable, undesirable, not de rigueur, distasteful,
disagreeable, unsuitable, inappropriate, unpleasant, tasteless:
Murder is generally regarded as an unacceptable way to relieve
oneself of unwanted company.
unaccompanied
adj. alone, solo, on (one's) own, unescorted, unchaperoned,
unattended, Music a cappella, Colloq stag: We went to the dance
unaccompanied.
unaccountable
adj. 1 unexplained, inexplicable, unexplainable, mysterious,
inscrutable, incomprehensible, unintelligible, strange,
puzzling, baffling, peculiar, odd, bizarre, unfathomable: I
found it unaccountable that anyone would arrive for an
appointment four hours early. 2 not answerable, not responsible:
How can you have a governmental committee that is unaccountable
to anyone? 3 weird, unheard-of, extraordinary, unusual,
unorthodox, uncanny: Sophie has unaccountable powers of
perception.
unaccustomed
adj. 1 unfamiliar, unusual, rare, unexpected, uncommon,
unprecedented, unanticipated, curious, peculiar: They
encountered unaccustomed hostility from local people. 2
unaccustomed to. unused to, inexperienced in or at, amateurish
at, unpractised in or at, unfamiliar with, uninitiated in:
Unaccustomed as I am to public speaking, I had better be brief.
unadorned adj. plain, simple, unembellished, undecorated, unornamented,
stark, bare, austere: She prefers an unadorned style, without
frills.
unaffected°
adj. genuine, real, sincere, natural, simple, plain,
unpretentious, unassuming, ingenuous, unsophisticated,
unstudied, honest, guileless, artless, unartificial,
straightforward, unfeigned: He conveyed in simple unaffected
language a clear impression of the nightmarish quality of that
day.
unaffectedэ
adj. Usually, unaffected by. impervious (to), immune (to),
untouched (by), unmoved (by), unresponsive (to), aloof (to or
from), uninfluenced (by), unimpressed (by), remote (to or from),
cool or cold (to), unconcerned (by), unstirred (by): The
duchess remained totally unaffected by the children's appeals
for help.
unapproachable
adj. 1 distant, remote, aloof, reserved, standoffish, austere,
withdrawn, unfriendly, forbidding, chilly, cool, cold, frigid:
James seems unapproachable, but in fact he's a very warm person.
2 inaccessible, remote, unreachable, out-of-the-way, out of
reach, beyond reach: Her house is unapproachable except from
the sea.
unarmed adj. unprotected, defenceless, weaponless: The army began
shooting unarmed civilians.
unasked adj. uninvited, unrequested, undemanded, unsolicited, unsought,
unwanted, unprompted, gratuitous, unbidden, spontaneous,
unwelcome, unasked for: I wish he would keep his unasked
opinions to himself.
unattached
adj. 1 separate, unconnected, detached, independent,
unaffiliated, self-governing, self-regulating, self-regulated,
autonomous, self-reliant, self-sustaining, self-sustained: The
committee was established as an unattached body, not associated
with any organization. 2 single, unmarried, uncommitted,
unengaged, on (one's) own, unspoken for: I joined the club
hoping to meet some unattached people.
unauthorized
adj. unsanctioned, unapproved, unofficial, unlawful, illegal,
illicit, illegitimate: Unauthorized use of the company's
parking spaces is prohibited.
unavoidable
adj. inescapable, ineluctable, inevitable, irresistible,
inexorable, sure, certain, fated, destined, predestined,
determined, predetermined, unchangeable, unalterable, settled,
fixed, definite: Punishment is an unavoidable consequence of
getting caught for something you shouldn't have done.
unaware adj. ignorant, oblivious, unknowing, unsuspecting, unconscious,
uninformed, unenlightened, incognizant, inobservant, insensible,
heedless, unmindful, unsuspecting: She was totally unaware of
the huge spider dangling directly over her.
unawares adv. 1 unexpectedly, abruptly, by surprise, suddenly, off
(one's) guard: We caught the sentry unawares. 2 inadvertently,
unconsciously, unintentionally, unknowingly, unwittingly, by
mistake, mistakenly, by accident, accidentally, in an unguarded
moment: She had betrayed her closest friend unawares.
unbalanced
adj. 1 uneven, asymmetric(al), unsymmetric(al), lopsided,
unequal, overbalanced, unstable, wobbly, shaky, unsteady: That
stack of chairs is unbalanced and could fall any minute. 2 mad,
demented, certifiable, crazy, insane, eccentric, non compos
mentis, touched (in the head), unstable, unhinged, deranged,
disturbed, of unsound mind, out of (one's) head, Colloq daffy,
dizzy, Chiefly Brit daft, Slang nuts, batty, off (one's) rocker,
Chiefly Brit bonkers, US out of one's gourd, loco: The boy is
clearly unbalanced, but that doesn't excuse his appalling
behaviour.
unbearable
adj. intolerable, unsupportable, unendurable, insufferable,
unacceptable, too much: The pain in her side was almost
unbearable.
unbeatable
adj. unsurpassable, undefeatable, excellent, unexcelled,
incomparable, matchless, unrivalled, peerless, unparalleled,
superlative, supreme: She'll go far with such an unbeatable
combination of looks and brains.
unbecoming
adj. 1 unsuited, unsuitable, inappropriate, ill-suited,
unfitting, unfit, inapt, unapt, out of character, out of place:
It is unbecoming to wear your mink coat to the Save the Animals
fund-raising dinner. 2 indecorous, unseemly, indelicate,
improper, ungentlemanly, unladylike, offensive, tasteless:
Father said it was unbecoming for her to use such foul language.
unbelievable
adj. incredible, preposterous, inconceivable, unimaginable,
mind-boggling, implausible, unthinkable: The amount of money
they spend on clothes is unbelievable. He told an unbelievable
tale about having been picked up by a flying saucer.
unbelieving
adj. incredulous, disbelieving, non-believing, doubting,
mistrusting, distrusting, mistrustful, distrustful, suspicious,
sceptical, unpersuaded, unconvinced: The unbelieving world
thinks that the age of miracles is past.
uncertain adj. 1 unsure, indeterminate, unpredictable, undeterminable,
unforeseeable, unascertainable, haphazard, chance, arbitrary,
random, aleatory, serendipitous, hit-or-miss, casual: It is
uncertain whether interest rates will rise again next month. 2
unsure, in or of two minds, vacillating, undecided, unclear,
ambivalent, irresolute, indecisive, hesitant, hesitating,
undetermined, shilly-shallying, Brit at a loose end, US at loose
ends: Julia is uncertain about what to do next. 3 unsure,
indeterminate, up in the air, indefinite, unpredictable,
unresolved, unsettled, in the balance, conjectural, speculative,
debatable, touch-and-go, unreliable, doubtful, dubious,
questionable, vague, hazy: The future of the company is now
uncertain. The results of the election are still uncertain. 4
variable, changeable, inconstant, unfixed, unsettled, irregular,
fickle, erratic, fitful, unsteady, wavering, unreliable,
sporadic, occasional; unmethodical, unsystematic: The pictures
in the cave danced in the uncertain light of the torch. How can
we make an appointment if your plans are so uncertain?
uncharted adj. unmapped, unknown, unexplored, undiscovered, unfamiliar,
strange, virgin, trackless: For weeks he wandered lost in the
uncharted jungle.
unchaste adj. impure, wanton, immoral, unvirtuous, promiscuous,
immodest, Cyprian, debased, lecherous, lewd, lascivious: Her
unchaste conduct was a topic of conversation throughout the
school.
uncivilized
adj. 1 barbarous, savage, wild, uncultivated, barbarian,
barbaric, crude, primitive, brutish: He was an uncivilized man
living in uncivilized surroundings. 2 unrefined, uncultured,
uncouth, loutish, coarse, uneducated, untutored, unpolished,
churlish, boorish, philistine, provincial, rough, rude,
unlearned, ill-mannered, incondite, unmannerly, unsophisticated,
inelegant, gross, gauche: Anna's father forbade her to go out
with the uncivilized boors in the nearby town.
unconscionable
adj. 1 conscienceless, unscrupulous, amoral, unprincipled,
immoral, unethical, evil, criminal, unjust, wicked, arrant:
This unconscionable thief stole from his own mother. 2
excessive, extortionate, egregious, extreme, unwarranted,
unreasonable, outrageous, inordinate, immoderate, exorbitant,
indefensible, unpardonable, inexcusable, unforgivable: When I
questioned the unconscionable size of his bill, the plumber
explained that he charges extra for house calls.
unconscious
adj. 1 insensible, out (cold), knocked out, senseless, numb,
stunned, comatose, dead to the world, Colloq blacked-out: The
patient was unconscious for hours. 2 Often, unconscious of.
heedless (of or to), unheeding, unheedful (of), insensitive
(to), mindless, unmindful (of), reflex, automatic, involuntary,
unintentional, instinctive, subliminal, unthinking,
unpremeditated, subconscious, unwitting; blind (to), unaware
(of), oblivious (to or of), deaf (to): For Tim, scratching his
head is an unconscious act. Tim is totally unconscious of how
irritating his mannerisms are.
uncontrolled
adj. unrestrained, ungoverned, unchecked, untrammelled,
undisciplined, wild, unruly, boisterous, riotous, out of hand or
of control, rampant, frenzied, frantic; going berserk, running
amok or amuck: He hit his brother in a moment of uncontrolled
anger.
under prep. 1 beneath, below, underneath, covered by: What is under
that blanket? The wreck lies a mile under the surface. 2
subordinate to, answerable to, inferior to, second to, secondary
to, subservient to, below, beneath, underneath, junior to,
directed or supervised or controlled by, under (the) control of,
at the mercy of, at the beck and call of: The bashibazouks were
under the sultan's top officers. 3 included or comprised in or
under, subsumed under: This should be under the heading, 'What
is the Stupidest Thing you have done Today?' Under which
category is 'Software'? 4 under the aegis or protection or eye
or guardianship or care of: The prince was trained under the
grand vizier. 5 less than, lower than: I paid under њ200 for
my VCR. 6 under the influence. drunk, tipsy, high, impaired:
The police charged him with driving while under the influence.
--adv. 7 below, underneath, beneath: You looked on top of the
bed, but have you looked under? 8 underwater, beneath the
waves, down, out of sight: We watched helpless as he went under
for the third time.
underclothes
n. underclothing, underwear, undergarments, lingerie,
Old-fashioned unmentionables, Colloq underthings, undies, Brit
smalls, Old-fashioned Brit small-clothes, US skivvies: When a
salesman she met on the train said he was in ladies'
underclothes, she moved to another carriage.
undercover
adj. secret, private, clandestine, confidential: He doesn't
look much like an undercover agent.
undercurrent
n. 1 undertow, cross-current, rip tide, rip (current),
underflow: Caught in the undercurrent, he was carried out to
sea. 2 undertone, subcurrent, trend, tendency, overtone, tenor,
suggestion, murmur, implication, connotation, sense, feeling,
aura, tinge, flavour, atmosphere, ambience or ambiance;
vibrations, Colloq vibes: There is a sinister undercurrent of
gloom about this place.
undercut v. 1 undermine, excavate, hollow out, cut out or away, gouge
out: If you undercut the roadway it will collapse. 2
underprice, undercharge, sacrifice, sell cheaply or at a loss,
undersell: The supermarkets undercut prices and put the
independent grocers out of business.
underdog n. loser, scapegoat, victim; vanquished, defenceless; Colloq
fall guy, little fellow or guy: It has always been our policy
to fight for the underdog.
underestimate
v. undervalue, underrate, discount, misjudge, miscalculate,
misprize, minimize, depreciate, belittle, not do justice to,
fail to appreciate, set (too) little store by, think (too)
little of: No one should underestimate the physical and mental
effort involved.
undergo v. suffer, bear, endure, experience, live or go through, be
subjected to, subject oneself to, sustain, submit to, weather,
stand, withstand: The hotel has recently undergone extensive
refurbishing.
underground
adj. 1 subterranean, buried, below-ground, sunken, covered:
They crept through the underground passage into the treasure
room. 2 secret, clandestine, concealed, hidden, covert,
undercover, surreptitious, stealthy, private: The secret
service has a worldwide underground network of agents. 3
alternative, radical, experimental, avant-garde, nonconformist,
revolutionary: Some underground newspapers that sprang up in
the 1960s are still being published.
--n. 4 tube, metro, underground railway, US subway: Two more
stops on the underground and we'll be there. 5 resistance,
partisans or partizans, freedom fighters, (in France) Maquis,
insurgents, seditionaries or seditionists, insurrectionists,
guerrillas or guerillas, extremists, revolutionaries;
fifth-columnists, fifth column, saboteurs, subversives: The
underground helped the family to escape to England. The
government blames the underground for the bombings.
undermine v. 1 sap, drain, disable, weaken, debilitate, threaten,
sabotage, subvert, damage, hurt, harm, impair, ruin, dash,
wreck, spoil, Slang queer, bugger (up): He said that the entire
campaign would be undermined if the events of January 17th were
ever revealed. 2 See undercut, 1, above.
undersized
adj. under-size, little, short, small, petite, tiny, elfin,
bantam, slight, mignon(ne); stunted, underdeveloped, runty,
runtish, dwarfish, dwarfed, pygmy, squat; underweight,
undeveloped: These cattle are a bit undersized for market.
understand
v. 1 grasp, comprehend, see, perceive, discern, make out, get
the drift or the hang of, appreciate, interpret, take cognizance
of, recognize, be aware or conscious of, be conversant with,
know, realize, conceive of, be aware (of), apprehend, penetrate,
Colloq get (it), dig, catch on (to), tumble to, cotton on (to),
Brit twig: I can understand what you are saying. I didn't think
you understood. 2 accept, agree, arrange, covenant, take: I
understand the terms of the agreement. 3 interpret, take, read,
gather from, construe, surmise from, assume from, infer from,
view, see: As I understand the regulation, only residents may
use the facilities. 4 hear (of), gather, get wind (of), take
it, be told or informed or advised, have found out or learnt,
Colloq hear tell: I understand that you've applied for another
job. 5 sympathize or empathize (with), be in sympathy (with),
show compassion (for), commiserate (with); accept, tolerate,
allow, forgive: Surely your employer will understand your being
late because of the funeral.
understanding
n. 1 agreement, contract, arrangement, bargain, covenant,
concession, pact, compact, accord, treaty, concordat, entente,
alliance, truce, armistice, reconciliation, settlement: They
reached an understanding with respect to nuclear weapons. 2
discernment, sensitivity, sensitiveness, sympathy, empathy,
perception, insight, good sense, intuition, enlightenment,
percipience, sagacity, sageness, sapience, wisdom, Colloq savvy:
Georgianna brings so much understanding to her treatment of the
aged. 3 Usually, understanding of. comprehension or, awareness
or grasp or control or idea or conception or knowledge or
mastery (of), acquaintance or familiarity or intimacy or
dexterity or skilfulness or deftness or adroitness or adeptness
(with), competence or skill or expertness or know-how or
proficiency or expertise (in), Colloq US fix (on), handle (on):
I know no one with a better understanding of medieval Welsh. 4
reading, interpretation, opinion, judgement, estimation, notion,
view, perception, apperception, apprehension: My understanding
of what took place is at odds with yours. 5 intellect,
intelligence, mind, brain, brainpower, sense, reason, reasoning
power, wisdom, Colloq brains: I'm afraid that he lacks the
understanding needed to cope with the subtleties of the
situation.
understated
adj. subtle, restrained, low-key, simple, basic, unembellished,
unadorned: Alexandra was wearing an understated black dress
with a string of pearls.
understood
adj. accepted, agreed, arranged, given, covenanted, settled,
conceded: It was understood that we would be dining together
that night. The terms of the agreement are now fully
understood.
understudy
n. 1 second, substitute, stand-in, alternate, backup, double,
sub, reserve, US pinch-hitter: The understudy got her break one
night when the star fell ill.
--v. 2 substitute for, stand in for, back up, double for,
second, replace, US pinch-hit for: He is understudying Hamlet
as well playing the part of Laertes.
undertake v. 1 assume, take on or upon (oneself), accept, take or assume
or bear the responsibility for, enter upon, begin, start, set
about, embark on, tackle, try, attempt: Gates might be
undertaking a bit too much, considering his condition. 2
promise, covenant, agree, contract, pledge, vow, swear, warrant,
guarantee, bargain, commit (oneself), stipulate, engage: Is it
not true that you undertook to complete the work in six months?
undertaker
n. mortician, funeral director: The body is available for
viewing at the undertaker's tonight.
undertaking
n. 1 enterprise, affair, business, project, task, effort,
venture, work, feat: The scope of the undertaking was far
beyond her capacity. 2 doing, performing, performance,
realization, achievement: Giles's undertaking of the work makes
me feel more confident. 3 promise, pledge, commitment,
assurance, contract, agreement, vow, guarantee or guaranty,
warranty: You gave an undertaking to complete the work by
Friday.
underworld
n. 1 Usually, the underworld. organized crime, the syndicate,
the Mafia, the mob, Cosa Nostra, criminals, the criminal
element, Colloq gangland: Lorenzo was fast becoming a
well-known figure in the underworld. 2 nether regions, abode of
the dead, Hades, Hell, Avernus, Dis, Orcus, Facetious Egyptian
underground: I think I prefer contemplating the Happy Hunting
Ground of the American Indian to the underworlds of Christianity
and classical Mediterranean culture.
underwrite
v. 1 back (up), finance, support, invest in, subsidize,
subvene, sponsor, uphold, approve, insure, guarantee, US
subvene: The company has agreed to underwrite the development
of your invention. 2 subscribe to, endorse or indorse, sign,
countersign, consent to, agree to, confirm, accede to, sanction,
ratify, approve, validate, Colloq OK or okay: The government
underwrote the action one day, then denied knowledge of it the
next.
undesirable
n. 1 persona non grata, pariah, outcast, exile, reject, leper:
The police had many requests to run the undesirables out of
town.
--adj. 2 unwanted, objectionable, offensive, unacceptable,
obnoxious, unsavoury, unwelcome, disliked, distasteful,
repugnant, unfit, unbecoming, unsuitable: The parks are filled
with tramps, drug addicts, and other undesirable elements.
undeveloped
adj. embryonic, premature, immature, incipient, inchoate,
potential, latent: His sense of beauty remained undeveloped
till he visited Rome.
undiluted adj. pure, neat, straight, unmixed, uncut, unblended,
unadulterated, unwatered, unalloyed: No ice, please - I like my
whisky undiluted. How do you like the undiluted gall of the
fellow walking in here uninvited!
undisciplined
adj. untrained, unschooled, unprepared, untutored, uneducated,
untaught, unpractised, uncontrolled, disobedient, naughty, bad,
wilful, wayward, unrestrained, erratic, unpredictable, unruly,
wild: The sergeant has taken quite a few undisciplined recruits
and knocked them into shape.
undisguised
adj. open, out-and-out, unmistakable or unmistakeable, overt,
unconcealed, unreserved, unrestrained, unfeigned, unpretended,
obvious, evident, patent, clear, explicit, transparent, sincere,
heartfelt, unalloyed, unmitigated: They regarded the traitor
with undisguised contempt.
undisputed
adj. unquestioned, unquestionable, beyond question, accepted,
acknowledged, admitted, indisputable, indubitable, undoubted,
certain, sure, unmistakable or unmistakeable, definite,
explicit, clear, (self-)evident, obvious, uncontested,
unchallenged, incontestable, irrefutable, incontrovertible,
undeniable, conclusive: He proved once again that he is the
undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.
undistinguished
adj. ordinary, commonplace, common, everyday, run-of-the-mill,
pedestrian, unexceptional, plain, homespun, simple, prosaic,
unremarkable; mediocre, middling, indifferent, unexciting,
unimpressive, unpretentious, Brit homely, Colloq so so, no great
shakes, no big deal, nothing to write home about, nothing
special or unusual or extraordinary: It was an undistinguished
modern building near the roundabout.
undivided adj. 1 whole, entire, unbroken, uncut, intact, unseparated,
complete, unsplit: The family lands remained undivided for
generations. 2 undiverted, whole, entire, devoted,
concentrated, full, complete, exclusive, undistracted: You have
my undivided attention.
undo v. 1 loosen, loose, open, unfasten, unhook, unlace, unzip,
unsnap, unbutton, untie, unpin; unlock, unbolt: Help me undo my
blouse. Don't undo the gate - you'll let the dogs out. 2 unwrap,
uncover, open, untie, unbind: Why have you allowed the children
to undo their Christmas presents a week early? 3 cancel, annul,
rescind, nullify, void, declare null and void, reverse,
invalidate: If one could undo things there would be no such
thing as regret.
undoing n. 1 ruin, ruination, destruction, devastation, defeat,
downfall, overthrow, fall, collapse, descent, debasement,
degradation, abasement, mortification, humiliation, shame,
disgrace: It is not easy to identify the factors that brought
about the demagogue's undoing. 2 curse, misfortune, bane,
affliction, trouble, blight: As the novelists would have it, a
beautiful woman was his undoing.
undone° adj. 1 ruined, lost, wrecked, crushed, destroyed, devastated,
shattered, brought to ruin, defeated, prostrated, overcome:
Brian was completely undone by that gold-digging heart-breaker
he met in Caracas. If the headmaster finds out about the glue,
we are undone! 2 open, loose, loosened, untied, unfastened,
detached, unhooked, unlaced, unzipped, unsnapped, unbuttoned,
unpinned, unstuck: Your shoelaces are undone. The knot came
undone.
undoneэ adj. unaccomplished, uncompleted, incomplete, unfinished,
omitted, neglected, left (out), skipped, missed, passed over,
forgotten, unattended to: From this list of chores, how many
are still undone?
undoubtedly
adv. indubitably, without (a) doubt, indisputably,
unquestionably, beyond (a or the shadow of a) doubt, certainly,
definitely, surely, assuredly, unmistakably or unmistakeably,
explicitly, clearly, obviously, incontestably, irrefutably,
incontrovertibly, undeniably: If they win, they will
undoubtedly go to the pub to celebrate.
unduly adv. 1 disproportionately, excessively, overly, unnecessarily,
inordinately, unreasonably, irrationally, unjustifiably,
improperly, inappropriately: He claimed that he was being
unduly harassed by the police. 2 immoderately, lavishly,
profusely, extravagantly: Don't be unduly generous in tipping
our waiter - he did spill the soup in your lap.
unearth v. dig up, disinter, exhume; excavate, dredge up, mine, quarry,
find, pull or root out, come across, discover, turn up, expose,
uncover: The artefacts were unearthed at Boghazk”y, ancient
Hattusas. They had unearthed some evidence that would put him
away for years.
unearthly adj. 1 supernatural, unnatural, preternatural, unworldly,
other-worldly, psychic(al), extramundane, extraterrestrial,
extrasensory, supersensory, out-of-(the)-body, asomatous,
incorporeal, sublime, celestial, astral: They speculated about
what unearthly experiences space travel might lead to. 2 weird,
bizarre, macabre, nightmarish, uncanny, eerie, strange, ghostly,
spectral, unreal, Literary eldritch, Colloq spooky, creepy: An
unearthly creature appeared in a mist before her. 3 strange,
odd, peculiar, unusual, abnormal, absurd, out of the ordinary,
extraordinary, outrageous; unheard-of, unreasonable, Colloq
ungodly: The baby wakes up at the unearthly hour of three
o'clock every morning.
uneducated
adj. unschooled, untaught, uncultivated, unread, uncultured,
illiterate, unlettered, ignorant, unenlightened: It is
debatable whether the fault for being uneducated lies with the
student, the teacher, or the system.
unemployed
adj. out of work, jobless, idle, laid off, out of a job, out of
work, unoccupied, inactive, Facetious resting, at liberty, at
leisure, Brit redundant, Colloq Brit on the dole: He has been
unemployed ever since he was made redundant.
unenthusiastic
adj. lukewarm, cool, cold, uninterested, indifferent, blas‚,
unresponsive, apathetic, unexcited, unimpressed: Bentley
presented the new design, but the directors were unenthusiastic
and turned it down.
unenviable
adj. uncoveted, undesirable, unwished for, unattractive: He
was given the unenviable task of informing the victim's family.
unfamiliar
adj. 1 new, novel, unknown, unconventional, unusual, different,
uncommon, strange, odd, peculiar, bizarre: The man spoke in a
tongue that was totally unfamiliar to me. 2 Usually, unfamiliar
with. unacquainted with, unaccustomed to, inexperienced in or
with, unused to, unconversant with, uninformed about, ignorant
of, unpractised or unskilled in, unskilled at, uninitiated in,
unversed in: The Americans were as unfamiliar with cricket as
the Englishmen were with baseball.
unflattering
adj. 1 harsh, unsympathetic; realistic, stark, candid: Her
hairstyle was unflattering and made her face look rather heavy.
2 uncomplimentary, insulting, unfavourable: Saying that I look
just like my grandmother is quite unflattering.
unfledged adj. undeveloped, immature, unmatured, inexperienced, green,
callow, young, raw, ungrown: Take these unfledged recruits and
turn them into men.
unfold v. 1 open (out or up), spread (out), unfurl, stretch out,
expand, uncoil, unwind, straighten out: Emerging from the pupa,
it unfolds its wings and becomes a beautiful butterfly. 2
develop, evolve, happen, take place, occur, be divulged, be
disclosed or revealed: What will unfold next in our little
drama?
unforeseen
adj. unexpected, surprising, unanticipated, unpredicted,
unlooked-for, unsought, unhoped for, undreamed of or undreamt
of, unthought of, startling, surprise, chance, fortuitous: The
sales manager's resignation was an unforeseen event.
unfortunate
adj. 1 unlucky, luckless; cursed, out of luck, unblessed,
Colloq down on (one's) luck: She was unfortunate enough to have
married early and divorced late. 2 poor, miserable, wretched,
woebegone, pathetic, dismal, unhappy, forlorn, pitiable, doomed,
ill-starred, star-crossed, ill-fated: These unfortunate
refugees have nowhere to go if we refuse them asylum. 3
deplorable, terrible, awful, catastrophic, disastrous,
calamitous, tragic, lamentable, regrettable, distressing,
upsetting, disturbing, inauspicious, grievous, ruinous: It was
an unfortunate decision, and led to many problems. The flood was
a most unfortunate sequel to the earthquake.
unfounded adj. baseless, groundless, unwarranted, unjustified,
unsupported, unsupportable, unsound, unjustifiable, unattested,
unproven: Reports of a typhoid outbreak are completely
unfounded.
ungodly adj. 1 wicked, sinful, impious, blasphemous, heretical,
irreligious, iconoclastic, atheist(ic), anti-religious,
sacrilegious, demonic, demoniac(al), diabolic(al), satanic,
fiendish, hellish, infernal; depraved, godless, corrupt,
immoral, evil, iniquitous, bad, villainous, heinous, flagitious,
profane, vile: The crusaders believed that they had a duty to
deliver Jerusalem from the ungodly heathens. 2 awful,
outrageous, indecent, monstrous, nasty, dreadful, terrible,
appalling, frightful, shocking, Colloq God-awful, unearthly,
Brit beastly: Margot and I were subjected to another ungodly
evening at the Dawsons'.
ungovernable
adj. unruly, refractory, intractable, unmanageable,
uncontrollable, rebellious, wild, disobedient, unrestrainable,
incorrigible: The nursemaid was saddled with two ungovernable
children whom she had to cosset.
ungraceful
adj. 1 awkward, clumsy, ungainly, lubberly, Colloq all thumbs,
butter-fingered, Slang US and Canadian klutzy: People in the
aerobics class are always ungraceful to start off with. 2
inelegant, graceless, coarse, crude, inartistic, vulgar,
tasteless, unaesthetic, unrefined, barbarous, unlovely, ugly,
unharmonious, unattractive, ill-proportioned, unsymmetric(al),
asymmetric(al): Some regard the Albert Memorial as a paragon of
ungraceful Victorian design.
ungracious
adj. discourteous, overbearing, churlish, gauche, rude,
uncivil, impolite, ill-bred, bad-mannered, unmannerly,
ungentlemanly, unladylike, gruff, bluff, brusque, abrupt, surly,
curmudgeonly: It was ungracious of him not to acknowledge the
help of his staff.
ungrateful
adj. unthankful, unappreciative, rude; selfish, heedless: That
ungrateful wretch never thanked me for all my help.
unguarded adj. 1 incautious, unwary, careless, inattentive, heedless,
inobservant, inadvertent, unthinking, unwatchful, unvigilant:
He let the intruder past him in an unguarded moment. 2
defenceless, unprotected, undefended, unfortified, open,
uncovered, exposed, vulnerable: The sentry insisted that he had
left his post unguarded for only a few minutes. 3 indiscreet,
careless, imprudent, unwise, hasty, unthinking, thoughtless;
guileless, incautious: He was anxious to restore good relations
after his unguarded remarks about their associates.
unhappy adj. 1 sad, depressed, blue, dejected, melancholy, despondent,
downcast, gloomy, downhearted, dispirited, heavy-hearted,
long-faced, disconsolate, sorrowful, miserable, crestfallen,
cheerless, forlorn, low-spirited, glum, distressed, tearful,
Formal lachrymose, Colloq down, Slang US bummed out: Mary is
very unhappy that John is to be away a whole month. 2 unlucky,
unfortunate, unpropitious, inauspicious, unfavourable, luckless,
hapless, cursed, wretched, ill-omened, ill-fated, ill-starred,
star-crossed, jinxed, disastrous: Let me tell you how this
unhappy state of affairs came about. 3 infelicitous, unfitting,
inappropriate, unsuitable, unsuited, wrong, inexpedient,
ill-advised, poor, unfortunate: Vivian was an unhappy choice as
his successor.
unhealthy adj. 1 ailing, unwell, ill, sickly, infirm, feeble, frail,
debilitated, unsound, sick, in poor or delicate health or
condition, indisposed, invalid, valetudinary: The boys had
pasty, unhealthy faces. 2 unwholesome, harmful, noxious,
detrimental, insalubrious, damaging, injurious, destructive,
malign: The doctor said that this climate is unhealthy for
people with respiratory disorders. 3 risky, dangerous, perilous,
life-threatening, touch-and-go: You might find it unhealthy to
criticize the government here.
unheard-of
adj. 1 unknown, unfamiliar, obscure, unidentified, nameless,
unsung: She is busy trying to promote some unheard-of sculptor.
2 unimaginable, undreamed of or undreamt of, unprecedented,
unimagined, unbelievable, inconceivable, unusual: They took the
unheard-of step of requiring that refunds be paid. Her starting
salary is an unheard-of њ100,000. 3 shocking, offensive,
outrageous, disgraceful, extreme, unthinkable, outlandish: The
victims were subjected to unheard-of tortures.
unheralded
adj. unannounced, unpublicized, unadvertised; unexpected,
surprise, unanticipated, unforeseen, unpredicted: Published by
some obscure company, the book turned out to be an unheralded
success.
unhesitating
adj. 1 swift, rapid, quick, immediate, instantaneous, prompt,
ready, unhesitant: The response was an unhesitating 'No!' 2
unfaltering, unwavering, wholehearted, unqualified, unswerving,
undeviating, staunch, steadfast, implicit, resolute: We
appreciate your unhesitating devotion to duty.
unhurried adj. leisurely, unrushed, easy, easygoing, casual, gradual,
deliberate, steady, sedate, calm: We proceeded at an unhurried
pace, eventually arriving at dusk at the castle gates.
unidentified
adj. nameless, anonymous, unknown, unmarked, unnamed, unknown,
unfamiliar, unrecognized, mysterious: The police found the body
of a unidentified woman in the park.
uniform adj. 1 homogeneous, consistent, unvaried, unchanged, unaltered;
unvarying, unchanging; invariable, unchangeable, unalterable,
regimented, standard; ordered, orderly, equal, even, like,
identical; alike: The mixture is uniform throughout. The rules
are uniform for everyone. Line up in ten uniform rows of ten
each. 2 even, unbroken, smooth, regular, flat: Not one
irregularity marred the uniform surface of the plain.
--n. 3 livery, habit, regalia, costume, outfit; regimentals:
When I next saw him, he was in the uniform of a Gestapo officer.
uniformity
n. 1 regularity, similarity, sameness, homogeneity,
consistency, symmetry, evenness, invariability, unchangeability,
similitude, conformity, agreement, concord, accord,
harmoniousness; harmony, concordance, accordance, conformance,
correspondence: One can easily see the lack of uniformity even
in what is supposed to be a classless society. 2 dullness,
monotony, drabness, sameness, tedium, featurelessness, flatness,
invariability, lack of variety, changelessness: After a few
days, the uniformity of the routine began to get on my nerves.
unify v. consolidate, unite, combine, amalgamate, coalesce, bring
together, fuse, join, weld, merge, confederate, integrate: The
separate elements were unified into a coherent whole. Successive
Reform Bills unified the nation.
unimpeded adj. unblocked, unchecked, free, unconstrained, unrestrained,
unhindered, unhampered, unencumbered, open, untrammelled,
unrestricted: They insist on having unimpeded access to the
files.
unimposing
adj. unimpressive, nugatory, trivial, trifling, minor,
unimportant, puny, inconsiderable, negligible: It was an
unimposing building sandwiched between two office blocks. A
more unimposing little cockalorum has seldom assailed my
sensibilities.
uninformed
adj. ignorant, nescient, unknowledgeable, unenlightened,
uneducated, unschooled, untutored, untaught, uninstructed,
unaware, incognizant: The problem is not that they are stupid,
merely uninformed and misinformed.
uninhabited
adj. desolate, empty, abandoned, deserted, unoccupied, vacant,
vacated, tenantless, untenanted; desert, unpopulated, unpeopled,
trackless, depopulated, waste, barren: Tristan da Cunha, in the
south Atlantic, is an uninhabited island.
uninhibited
adj. wild, unchecked, unbridled, uncurbed, intemperate,
boisterous, unrepressed, unconstrained, unrestrained,
uncontrolled, unselfconscious, unreserved, relaxed, casual,
easygoing, free (and easy), open, frank, candid, outspoken,
Colloq upfront: Their behaviour at the party was totally
uninhibited. I will tell you what I think only if I can be
totally uninhibited about it.
uninviting
adj. repulsive, repellent, offensive, unappealing,
unattractive, unpleasant, disagreeable, distasteful,
unappetizing, unsavoury, sickening, revolting, obnoxious, nasty,
disgusting, Brit off-putting: The food he put on the table was
cold and uninviting.
union n. 1 uniting, unity, combining, combination, joining, junction,
conjoining, conjunction, allying, alliance, associating,
association, coalition, amalgamating, amalgamation, fusing,
fusion, marrying, marriage, confederating, confederation,
confederacy, synthesizing, synthesis, mixing, mixture,
federation, togetherness: Monarchies favour the union of Church
and State. 2 alliance, association, organization, society,
circle, fraternity, club, fellowship, team, ring, gang,
syndicate, coalition, party, confederation, confederacy,
federation, Bund, league, consortium, bloc, cartel, trust: The
countries formed a union to control their joint economies. 3
joint, seam, splice, junction, conjunction, graft, weld;
coupling: The union between the two pieces may be stronger than
the material itself. 4 agreement, accord, harmony,
harmoniousness, congruity, coherence, compatibility, unanimity,
unity: The union of the various elements in the painting was
skilfully effected.
unique adj. 1 single, lone, (one and) only, solitary, one of a kind,
sui generis: Natural forces conspired to create this unique
situation. 2 unequalled, unparalleled, unrivalled,
incomparable, inimitable, peerless, unmatched, unsurpassed,
unexcelled, second to none: Stimble's genius is unique in the
annals of proctology.
unison n. in unison (with). in harmony, together, corresponding
exactly, in (perfect) accord, consonant, harmonious: Why is his
singing never in unison with ours? We all responded in unison
with a rousing 'No!'
unit n. element, component, entity, part, item, constituent, piece,
portion, segment, section, module: The units fit together like
Lego blocks.
unite v. 1 combine, unify, merge, coalesce, amalgamate, mix, mingle,
commingle, intermix, blend, consolidate, fuse: The splinter
parties have united to form a coalition. 2 join (forces),
unify, wed, marry, link, connect, merge: The two families are
united by marriage. 3 bond, fuse or weld or solder or glue or
stick or tie or bind or fasten or fix or fit (together): Unite
these pieces and the job is done.
united adj. 1 unified, common, mutual, combined, merged, coalesced,
pooled, shared, collective, joint, amalgamated, connected: The
new law will serve our united interests. 2 joint, cooperative,
common, communal, collaborative, synergetic or synergistic,
collective, concerted, coordinated, allied; partnership: We
must make a united effort if we are to survive. 3 agreed,
unanimous, in agreement, of one mind, of like mind or opinion,
like-minded, in accord, in harmony, harmonious: We are united
in our assessment of last night's performance.
unity n. 1 consistency, unanimity, constancy, uniformity, sameness,
consensus, agreement, concord, concordance, accord, solidarity,
compatibility, concurrence, continuity, consentaneousness,
rapport, sympathy, like-mindedness: All members of the
association enjoy a unity of purpose. 2 oneness, singularity,
integrity, singleness, congruity, uniformity, congruousness,
homogeneity, identity, sameness, resemblance, likeness,
similarity, similitude: If there is little unity between your
ideas and those of the organization, perhaps you should resign.
3 unification, uniting, combination: In unity is strength.
universal adj. 1 prevalent, prevailing, general, worldwide, widespread,
ubiquitous, omnipresent, limitless, unlimited, common, pandemic,
epidemic: The end of the 20th century is marked by a universal
preoccupation with greed. 2 cosmic, infinite, boundless,
limitless, unlimited, measureless, endless, uncircumscribed,
all-inclusive, all-embracing, all-encompassing, wide-ranging,
comprehensive: Renaissance man was regarded as possessing
universal knowledge.
universally
adv. in every case or instance, in all cases or instances,
unexceptionally, without exception, uniformly, always,
invariably: In those days, it was universally accepted that the
earth was flat.
universe n. 1 cosmos, creation, macrocosm: What arrogance makes man
believe that in all the vast universe God pays him any heed? 2
world, bailiwick, sphere, province, domain, circle, milieu,
territory, corner, quarter, microcosm: Such behaviour may be
acceptable in her tiny universe.
unkempt adj. dishevelled, uncombed, tousled, disarranged, ungroomed,
wind-blown, untidy, disordered, mussed (-up), messy, messed-up,
bedraggled, shaggy, scruffy, rumpled, slovenly, frowzy, blowzy,
Archaic draggle-tailed, Colloq sloppy: Mother would refuse to
allow us to the table if we were unkempt.
unkind adj. inconsiderate, unthoughtful, thoughtless, unfeeling,
unconcerned, insensitive, unkindly, unsympathetic, uncharitable,
unchristian, uncaring, hard-hearted, heartless, flinty, hard,
rigid, callous, tough, inflexible, unyielding, unbending,
severe, harsh, stern, cruel, mean, inhuman: It was very unkind
of you to refuse the beggar.
unknown adj. 1 unrecognized, unfamiliar, strange, unnamed, anonymous,
nameless, unidentified; obscure, unheard-of, little-known,
humble, undistinguished, unsung: Some unknown person left this
package for you. Bill is in some unknown place for the weekend.
An unknown poet won the competition. 2 unfamiliar, unexplored,
uninvestigated, unresearched, unrevealed, mysterious, uncharted,
unidentified, dark: We were now going into unknown territory.
3 unbeknownst, untold, unrevealed: Unknown to me, the thieves
were at that moment breaking in through the kitchen window.
unlamented
adj. unmissed, unmourned, unbemoaned, unbewailed, unloved:
They destroyed a statue of the late, unlamented Joseph Stalin.
unlawful adj. illegal, illicit, against the law, illegitimate, under the
table, under the counter, criminal, felonious; outlawed, banned,
prohibited, forbidden, interdicted, disallowed, proscribed,
verboten; unauthorized, unlicensed, unsanctioned: Unlawful
payments had been made to councillors. Gambling has been
declared unlawful in that county.
unlike adj. 1 different (from), dissimilar (to), unalike, distinct
(from), opposite (from or to), contrasting or contrastive (with
or to), separate (from), divergent (from), incompatible (with),
distinguishable (from), far apart (from), far (from), distant
(from), ill-matched (with), unequal (to), unequivalent (to):
His notions of right and wrong are unlike those of other people.
Although they're brothers, they look quite unlike each other. 2
atypical, uncharacteristic, untypical: It is unlike you to
complain.
--prep. 3 different from, differing from, in contradistinction
to, in contrast with or to, dissimilar to, distinct from,
opposite from or to, contrasting with or to, divergent from,
incompatible with, distinguishable from, ill-matched with,
unequal to, unequivalent to: Unlike you, I've been there and
know what it's like.
unlikely adj. 1 improbable, doubtful, dubious, remote, unthinkable,
unimaginable, inconceivable, implausible: His story was
unlikely, but she decided to believe him. It is not unlikely
that he will come even if we ask him to stay away. 2 unseemly,
inappropriate, unfit, unfitting, unsuitable, uncongenial,
objectionable, unbecoming, unacceptable, unattractive,
distasteful: Claire had seldom seen a more unlikely prospect
for a husband. 3 unpropitious, unpromising, inauspicious: The
tiny shop seemed an unlikely place to find a great treasure.
unlimited adj. 1 unrestricted, unrestrained, limitless, unconstrained,
unqualified, full, absolute, unconditional, far-reaching,
unchecked, uncontrolled: He has unlimited authority to issue
all the paper money he wishes. 2 limitless, boundless, endless,
vast, unbounded, immense, immeasurable, measureless, numberless,
innumerable, inexhaustible, interminable, never-ending,
infinite, myriad, extensive,: As the wealthiest woman in the
world, she has unlimited resources to do as she pleases.
unload v. empty, dump, unpack, offload, discharge; disburden,
unburden: We unloaded the cargo at Sulawesi. The camels must be
unloaded every night.
unmarried adj. single, unwed(ded), bachelor, spinster, old-maid, maiden,
unattached, unengaged, unbetrothed, unplighted, unpromised,
free, uncommitted: He was thirty-five, unmarried, and lived
alone in a tiny flat.
unmentionable
adj. 1 unspeakable, unutterable, ineffable, taboo, scandalous,
forbidden, interdicted; inexpressible: I will not have Karen or
her unmentionable boyfriend in this house again! 2 disgraceful,
indecent, immodest, shameful, shocking, appalling,
dishonourable, indescribable, obscene, filthy: In carnivals,
geeks do unmentionable things with live chickens.
--n. 3 unmentionables. underclothes, underclothing, underwear,
undergarments, lingerie, Archaic small-clothes, Colloq
underthings, undies, Brit smalls, US skivvies: The woman next
door insists on hanging out her unmentionables in full view of
the whole street.
unmerciful
adj. merciless, pitiless, unsparing, unkind, relentless,
unpitying, heartless, stony-hearted, hard-hearted, flinty,
unfeeling, unsympathetic, unforgiving, mean, cruel, savage,
brutal, brutish, vicious, barbarous: The boys gave him an
unmerciful beating for cheating.
unmitigated
adj. undiluted, unalloyed, unmixed, untempered, unmoderated,
unmodified, unabated, unlessened, undiminished, unreduced,
unrelieved, oppressive, unalleviated, unmollified, unsoftened,
relentless, unqualified, out-and-out, thorough, thoroughgoing,
outright, downright, categorical, absolute, immoderate, sheer,
complete, consummate, total, perfect, true, pure, arrant, utter,
plain: That man is an unmitigated bore. The project was an
unmitigated disaster.
unnatural adj. 1 Derogatory abnormal, perverse, perverted, monstrous,
unusual, peculiar, strange, aberrant, improper, unseemly; Slang
kinky , Chiefly Brit bent: There was a scandal when the senator
was found to have engaged in some unnatural act. 2
sodomitic(al), bestial, tribadic, tribadistic: They still coyly
referred to homosexual activities as 'unnatural acts'. 3
uncharacteristic, out of character, odd, peculiar, strange,
unexpected, abnormal, unusual: Isn't it unnatural for someone
who has won the sweepstakes to look so unhappy? 4 laboured,
forced, stilted, stiff, restrained, artificial, false,
insincere, feigned, contrived, affected, mannered,
self-conscious, theatrical, stagy: She has an irritating,
unnatural laugh. 5 outlandish, weird, uncanny, strange, odd,
unaccountable, supernatural, preternatural, queer, grotesque,
bizarre, extraordinary, eccentric, freakish: Let me tell you
about the unnatural events that took place in that house.
unnecessary
adj. unneeded, needless, unrequired, dispensable, disposable,
expendable, unwanted, surplus, superfluous, supererogatory,
inessential, unessential, non-essential: The children were
asleep, so we asked the workmen to avoid making any unnecessary
noise.
unnerve v. upset, agitate, perturb, ruffle, fluster, rattle, discomfit,
unsettle, disconcert, dismay, intimidate, stun, stupefy, Colloq
shake (up), faze: Peter drove home slowly: the accident he had
seen had unnerved him.
unobtrusive
adj. inconspicuous, unostentatious, low-key, retiring, modest,
self-effacing, unpresuming, unpretentious, unassuming, quiet,
humble, unaggressive, unassertive, non-assertive, subdued,
reserved, reticent, suppressed: Agatha may seem unobtrusive,
but she's a tigress when aroused.
unofficial
adj. informal, unauthorized, undocumented, off the record,
private, secret, unpublicized, unannounced: The builder
acknowledged having had unofficial meetings with the council.
unopened adj. closed, shut: The book lay, unopened, on the bedside
table.
unorthodox
adj. irregular, unconventional, nonconformist, unconforming,
nonconforming, aberrant, aberrational, deviant, heteroclite,
unusual, abnormal, uncustomary, uncommon: Roebuck's unorthodox
methods almost lost him his job.
unpaid adj. 1 payable, outstanding, owed, owing, due, unsettled: In
the end he absconded, leaving a pile of unpaid bills. 2
unsalaried, voluntary, volunteer, honorary, US dollar-a-year:
On retirement, she took an unpaid job with Oxfam.
unpalatable
adj. distasteful, disagreeable, unpleasant, unsavoury,
unappetizing, unattractive, repugnant, nasty, offensive; rancid,
sour, off, turned, bitter, inedible, uneatable: Without an
education, they are often offered the unpalatable jobs. We
found heavy claret totally unpalatable with the sole.
unparalleled
adj. unequalled, incomparable, matchless, peerless, unrivalled,
unmatched, inimitable, unexcelled, superior, supreme,
superlative, unsurpassed, unusual, special, singular, rare,
unique, exceptional, consummate: In our experience, the food
and service aboard the Normandie were unparalleled.
unperfumed
adj. unscented, plain, natural: This deodorant is available in
sandalwood, forest pine, mint, or unperfumed.
unpopular adj. out of favour, in bad odour, unliked, disliked, shunned,
avoided, snubbed, ignored, unsought after, unaccepted, unwanted,
rejected, unwelcome, undesirable; unloved, friendless: New
taxes are always unpopular. James had always been an unpopular
boy at school.
unprejudiced
adj. unbigoted, unbiased, impartial, unjaundiced, just, fair,
objective, disinterested, fair-minded, non-partisan, liberal,
open-minded, undogmatic: An unprejudiced opinion would be
difficult to find, since everyone has an axe to grind.
unpremeditated
adj. unprepared, unplanned, unarranged, uncontrived, unstudied,
coincidental, spontaneous, spur-of-the-moment, last-minute,
impromptu, extemporaneous or extemporary, extempore, ad lib,
offhand, casual, impulsive, natural, involuntary, automatic,
unconscious, Colloq off the cuff: I had no inkling of her
plans, so my running into her was entirely unpremeditated. Her
immediate, unpremeditated reaction was to run away.
unprepared
adj. 1 unready, surprised, taken aback, (caught) napping or off
guard, dumbfounded or dumfounded, at sixes and sevens, Colloq
(caught) with (one's) pants down, Brit caught on the hop, US
asleep at the switch: The sudden squall found us unprepared and
we lost a sail. 2 unfinished, incomplete, uncompleted: Dinner
was still unprepared at eight o'clock. 3 unwarned, unreadied,
not set up, not forewarned: I was unprepared for the strange
events that followed. 4 See unpremeditated, above.
unprofessional
adj. 1 unbecoming, improper, unethical, unprincipled, unseemly,
undignified, unfitting, unbefitting, unworthy, unscholarly,
negligent, lax: The Medical Association is quick to act against
doctors whose conduct might be judged unprofessional. 2
amateurish, amateur, inexpert, inexperienced, untrained,
untutored, unschooled, incompetent, unskilled, unskilful,
inferior, second-rate, inefficient, poor, shoddy, low-quality,
sloppy: It was an astonishingly unprofessional way to audit
accounts. 3 non-technical, unspecialized, non-specialist, lay,
everyday, ordinary, plain (English), understandable: What does
all that gobbledegook mean when translated into unprofessional
language?
unprofitable
adj. 1 profitless, ungainful, unremunerative, unfruitful,
non-profit-making; breaking even; losing, loss-making: The last
quarter was unprofitable for car manufacturers. 2 bootless,
pointless, purposeless, unavailing, futile, useless,
unproductive, worthless, ineffective, inefficient: Having
employees sitting about waiting for the telephone to ring is
unprofitable.
unpromising
adj. inauspicious, unpropitious, unfavourable, gloomy, ominous,
adverse, portentous, baleful, hopeless: The forecast for the
economy looked unpromising yesterday but has suddenly
brightened.
unqualified
adj. 1 ineligible, unfit, untrained, ill-equipped, unsuited,
unequipped, unprepared: He was rejected as unqualified for the
job of repairing computers. 2 unrestricted, unreserved,
unconditional, categorical, outright, unmitigated, downright,
out-and-out, pure (and simple), true, perfect, utter, absolute,
consummate: If he told you that he flew jets in the RAF, he is
an unqualified liar. Cato's unqualified 'Delenda est Cartago'
was echoed in every speech he made in the Roman senate.
unquenchable
adj. insatiable, unslakeable or unslakable, unsatisfiable;
inextinguishable, unsuppressible, irrepressible, indestructible:
She had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. Those principles
have kindled an unquenchable fire in the hearts of the
oppressed.
unquestionable
adj. unexceptionable, indubitable, undoubted, indisputable,
incontestable, unimpeachable, undeniable, certain, sure,
positive, irrefutable, manifest, obvious, patent, clear,
definite, incontrovertible, unequivocal, unmistakable or
unmistakeable, conclusive: Their integrity is unquestionable,
and I have complete confidence in them.
unreal adj. 1 imaginary, fantastic, chimeric(al), fanciful, fancied,
illusory, make-believe, phantasmagoric(al), phantasmal,
spectral, figmental, unrealistic, non-existent: Fear made the
whole scene unreal to Martha. 2 theoretical, hypothetical,
mythical, imaginary, made-up, fictitious, make-believe,
fanciful: Although the example is unreal, it will serve its
purpose in my argument. 3 artificial, synthetic, synthesized,
mock, false, fake(d), counterfeit, fraudulent, dummy, spurious,
falsified, pretend(ed), sham, pseudo, make-believe: The
countryside looked a little unreal, too luxuriant and too
sculptured.
unrealistic
adj. 1 impractical, illogical, unreasonable, unworkable,
unrealizable, quixotic, romantic, fanciful, visionary,
delusional, delusive, delusory: However exciting it is to think
of travelling faster than light, the notion is unrealistic. 2
unreal, unlifelike, unnatural, unauthentic,
non-representational, unrepresentative, inaccurate: The
background paintings are poorly done and unrealistic.
unreasonable
adj. 1 irrational, illogical, unthinking, absurd, foolish,
senseless, nonsensical, mindless, brainless, thoughtless, silly,
mad, crazy, insane, idiotic, moronic, imbecilic, stupid,
fatuous, ridiculous, ludicrous, laughable, preposterous,
far-fetched, short-sighted, unperceptive, unperceiving,
undiscerning, myopic, blind: Some people have an unreasonable
aversion to anything scientific. Is it unreasonable to expect
you to spend a little time with your mother? 2 excessive,
outrageous, exorbitant, extravagant, immoderate, extortionate,
inordinate, unconscionable, unjust, unwarranted, inequitable,
unfair, unequal, improper, unjustified, unjustifiable,
uncalled-for: The new tax puts an unreasonable demand on those
with lower incomes. 3 inappropriate, unapt or inapt,
unsuitable, unbefitting, impractical, unrealistic: His conduct
was quite unreasonable for a man of the cloth.
unrefined adj. 1 coarse, rude, rough, unsophisticated, uncultured,
uncivilized, uncultivated, unpolished, inelegant, ill-bred,
impolite, discourteous, unmannerly, ill-mannered, bad-mannered,
ignoble, plebeian, undignified, unladylike, ungentlemanlike,
ungentlemanly, uncourtly, ungracious, boorish, loutish, gross,
vulgar, uncouth, cloddish, bumbling, awkward, gauche: Consider
their background before criticizing them for being unrefined. 2
impure, unpurified, unclarified, raw, crude, coarse, untreated,
unfinished, natural, unprocessed: The unrefined ore is first
washed thoroughly.
unreliable
adj. irresponsible, disreputable; untrustworthy, undependable,
uncertain, unstable, treacherous, flimsy, weak: He is
unreliable and unlikely to be there when you need him. The
equipment was expensive, slow, and unreliable.
unrepentant
adj. unrepenting, unremorseful, impenitent, unapologetic,
unregretful, unashamed, unembarrassed, unselfconscious,
remorseless, unreformed, unrehabilitated, unregenerate,
recidivist or recidivistic or recidivous: They were quite
unrepentant, though they had seen for themselves the harm they
had done.
unresolved
adj. unsettled, open, up in the air, moot, pending, debatable,
arguable, problematic(al), indefinite, vague, open to question,
questionable, unanswered, unsolved; undetermined, undecided,
uncertain, unsure, ambivalent, wavering, vacillating,
irresolute: The matter of joining the monetary union remained
unresolved. I am still unresolved on the issue.
unrest n. disquiet, uneasiness, distress, anxiety, anxiousness,
nervousness, anguish, unease, worry, concern, agitation,
turmoil, disturbance, trouble, strife, agony: The proximity of
the huge army on our borders caused considerable unrest among
the populace.
unruly adj. unmanageable, ungovernable, uncontrollable, undisciplined,
unregulated, lawless, disobedient, insubordinate, rebellious,
mutinous, fractious, refractory, contumacious, obstreperous,
wilful, headstrong, stubborn, recalcitrant, intractable,
defiant, uncooperative, wayward, disorderly, turbulent, riotous,
tumultuous, violent, stormy, tempestuous: She had no idea of
how to handle a capricious and unruly teenager. The first
reading of the bill led to an unruly session of Parliament.
unsatisfactory
adj. insufficient, inadequate, inferior, poor, unacceptable,
displeasing, disappointing, unworthy, inappropriate, deficient,
weak, wanting, lacking, unsuitable, imperfect, flawed,
defective, faulty: The report was unsatisfactory in that it
failed to meet the committee's demands. Why put up with
unsatisfactory workmanship?
unsavoury adj. distasteful, objectionable, unpleasant, disagreeable,
unappetizing, unpalatable, offensive, repugnant, obnoxious,
repellent, nasty, repulsive, revolting, disgusting, nauseating,
sickening: Her ex-husband is a totally unsavoury character.
Even the most unsavoury swill tasted like ambrosia to the
starving inmates.
unscathed adj. unharmed, unhurt, uninjured, unmarked, untouched,
undamaged, unscarred, unscratched, safe and sound, in one piece,
as new, Archaic scatheless, Colloq like new: Miraculously, he
came out of the battle unscathed.
unscrupulous
adj. unconscionable, conscienceless, unprincipled, amoral,
unethical, immoral, dishonourable, corrupt, dishonest,
deceitful, sly, cunning, artful, insidious, shifty, sneaky,
slippery, roguish, knavish, disingenuous, treacherous,
perfidious, faithless, false, untrustworthy, wicked, evil,
Colloq crooked: Some people are totally unscrupulous in the
pursuit of their ambitions.
unseasonable
adj. unsuitable, inopportune, inappropriate, untimely,
ill-timed, inexpedient: Unseasonable frosts in April caused
severe damage to the flower buds.
unseemly adj. 1 improper, unrefined, unbecoming, indecorous, indelicate,
unbecoming, unladylike, ungentlemanly, undignified, in poor or
bad taste, disreputable, discreditable, risqu‚, naughty,
indecent, shameful, offensive, lewd, lascivious, obscene, rude,
coarse: Out of desperation, they engaged in some unseemly
activities. 2 impolitic, unwise, imprudent, inapt,
inappropriate, inopportune, inconvenient, uncalled-for,
unsuitable, improper, inadvisable, ill-advised, unbefitting,
unfitting, out of place or keeping, awkward, inauspicious,
inexpedient, unfortunate, ill-timed, untimely: It would be
unseemly for you to become involved with such a notorious
individual.
unselfish adj. generous, charitable, open-handed, ungrudging, unstinting,
unsparing, giving, magnanimous, philanthropic, humanitarian,
free, liberal, altruistic, selfless, self-sacrificing: We were
all greatly impressed by her unselfish concern for the
well-being of her colleagues.
unsettled adj. 1 unfixed, unstable, changing, varying, variable,
changeable, inconstant, ever-changing, protean, unpredictable,
inconstant, uncertain: The weather remained unsettled all week.
They told me of their unsettled life as gypsies. 2 disturbed,
turbulent, riled, agitated, disquieted, upset, perturbed,
ruffled, rattled, flustered, restive, restless, unnerved, US
roiled: It was being kept in the dark about Father that made us
feel unsettled. 3 disoriented, confused, mixed up, unorganized,
disorganized, disorderly, disordered, tumultuous: The unsettled
situation in the east worried us. 4 See unresolved, above:
Some questions about Ian remain unsettled.
unsettling
adj. unnerving, upsetting, disturbing, perturbing,
discomfiting, disconcerting: Sorry for being a wet blanket, but
I have had some unsettling news from home.
unsightly adj. ugly, hideous, awful-looking, horrible, frightful-looking,
unattractive, unprepossessing, unlovely, unpretty, plain, US and
Canadian homely: The property borders an unsightly junk-yard.
unsocial adj. unsociable, unfriendly, cool, cold, chilly, aloof,
uncongenial, unamiable, unforthcoming, standoffish,
inhospitable, withdrawn, reserved, solitary, retiring, distant,
detached, reclusive, hermitic(al), eremitic(al), anchoritic or
anchoretic; antisocial, misanthropic, hostile: Erwin, who
prefers to be alone, is definitely unsocial. Donna, who despises
other people, is unsocial for different reasons.
unsolicited
adj. unlooked-for, unsought, unsought after, unrequested,
unasked for, uncalled-for, gratuitous, uninvited; Colloq US
over-the-transom: Tanya is always offering unsolicited advice
on every conceivable subject. The publishers receive scores of
unsolicited book manuscripts each week.
unsophisticated
adj. 1 na‹ve, inexperienced, simple, childlike, unworldly,
innocent, ingenuous, artless, guileless: Is the unsophisticated
consumer sufficiently protected against unscrupulous traders? 2
simple, plain, uncomplicated, undetailed, uninvolved, unrefined:
The computers of twenty years ago were unsophisticated compared
with those of today.
unsound adj. 1 weak, feeble, frail, rickety, shaky, ramshackle, infirm,
unstable, wobbly, tottering, unsteady, broken-down, crumbling,
disintegrating, dilapidated, defective, imperfect, faulty,
decayed, rotten: The building inspector condemned the structure
as unsound and unsafe. 2 unhealthy, diseased, ill, afflicted, in
poor health, ailing, sickly, sick, unwell, delicate, injured,
wounded: The attack of flu left him unsound in wind and limb.
3 insane, mad, psychotic, unbalanced, unstable, demented,
deranged: The doctors said that she was still of unsound mind
and ought not be released. 4 illogical, faulty, flawed,
fallacious, untenable, invalid, groundless, unfounded,
erroneous, defective, specious: We thought that his arguments
were unsound, so we rejected his recommendations.
unspoiled adj. unspoilt, unsullied, pristine, virgin, whole, untainted,
unstained, immaculate, uncorrupted, unpolluted, spotless,
stainless: The house has been preserved in its original
condition, unspoiled by modern additions.
unstable adj. 1 changeable, variable, unsteady, inconstant,
inconsistent, insecure, capricious, fickle, irregular,
unpredictable, unreliable, erratic, volatile, fluctuating,
flighty, mercurial, vacillating, tergiversating, indecisive,
undecided, irresolute, indefinite, unsettled: He seems too
unstable to maintain a long-standing relationship. 2 See
unsound, 1, above.
unsuccessful
adj. 1 unfortunate, unavailing, vain, abortive, useless,
bootless, fruitless, unfruitful, unproductive, ineffective,
ineffectual, inefficacious, worthless, unprofitable, sterile:
We made an unsuccessful attempt to regain control of the
company. 2 unlucky, hapless, unfortunate, luckless, defeated,
beaten, jinxed, cursed, foiled, frustrated, balked: Trevor
complained that he had been unsuccessful in business all his
life.
unsung adj. uncelebrated, unrecognized, unglorified, unexalted,
unpraised, unhonoured, unnoticed, disregarded, unknown,
anonymous, unidentified, nameless, obscure, insignificant,
inconspicuous: I have no wish to add to the long list of unsung
authors of the twentieth century.
unsuspecting
adj. unsuspicious, unwary, unknowing, ignorant, unconscious,
gullible, credulous, na‹ve, ingenuous, innocent, trusting;
unaware, off guard: Martin became an unsuspecting dupe in
Lambert's plot to embezzle money from the bank.
unsympathetic
adj. uncaring, unconcerned, callous, unfeeling, unaffected,
untouched, unmoved, indifferent, unemotional, dispassionate,
uncompassionate, unreactive, unresponsive, impassive, stolid,
cold, cool, aloof, unstirred, apathetic, insensitive, stoic(al),
stony, adamant, stony-hearted, hard-hearted, unpitying,
pitiless, ruthless: We were unable to understand Taylor's
unsympathetic attitude to the suffering around him.
untamed adj. undomesticated, wild, unbroken, unsubdued, uncontrollable,
savage, fierce, feral, ferocious: In the story, the wolf boy
behaves like an untamed beast.
untarnished
adj. unsoiled, unsullied, immaculate, spotless, unspotted,
untainted, faultless, uncorrupted, unfouled, chaste, lily-white,
undefiled, virginal: Despite the obloquy heaped on his
colleagues, his own reputation remained untarnished.
untenable adj. insupportable or unsupportable, indefensible,
unsustainable, unmaintainable, unjustified, unjustifiable,
baseless, groundless, unfounded, flawed, faulty, weak,
illogical, specious, implausible, unreasonable, unsound: It is
beyond me why he holds so tenaciously to such untenable views.
unthinkable
adj. 1 inconceivable, unbelievable, unimaginable, incredible,
incomprehensible, beyond belief, extraordinary, Colloq
mind-boggling, Slang mind-blowing: It seemed unthinkable that
such a mild-mannered man could have been a mass murderer. 2
unacceptable, absurd, illogical, impossible, improbable,
unlikely, out of the question, preposterous, ridiculous,
laughable, ludicrous, Colloq not on: It is simply unthinkable
for her to go to the ball unattended.
unthinking
adj. 1 thoughtless, mindless, undiscriminating, unconsidered,
unwitting, unreflecting, unthoughtful, irrational, unreasonable,
illogical, unperceptive, unperceiving, undiscerning, witless,
brainless, foolish, senseless, nonsensical, rash, stupid, silly,
mad, crazy, insane, idiotic, moronic, imbecilic, hasty,
short-sighted: It was unthinking of me to ask her mother to go
out to dinner with us. 2 inconsiderate, impolite, tactless,
rude, thoughtless, undiplomatic, discourteous, uncivil,
imprudent, unwise, indiscreet, neglectful: On the other hand,
it would have been unthinking of me not to ask her mother.
untidy adj. disorderly, messy, dishevelled, unkempt, slovenly,
slatternly, bedraggled, rumpled, frowzy, sloppy, dirty;
littered, cluttered, chaotic, helter-skelter, jumbled, Archaic
draggle-tailed, Colloq US mussy, mussed-up: You should never go
to the door looking so untidy. Ken's papers are always so
untidy.
untiring adj. unflagging, determined, indefatigable, dogged,
persevering, perseverant, tireless, unwearying, unwearied,
dogged, dedicated, unfailing, unfaltering, steady: Kim has
always been an untiring perfectionist.
untold adj. 1 countless, uncounted, uncountable, unnumbered,
numberless, innumerable, myriad, incalculable; immeasurable,
measureless, unlimited: Untold millions are lost through tax
fraud each year. 2 unrecounted, unnarrated, undescribed,
unpublished, unrevealed, undisclosed, undivulged, unreported,
private, hidden, secret: How many untold stories are there in
the naked city? 3 inexpressible, unutterable, indescribable,
unimaginable, inconceivable, unthinkable, unspeakable: The
untold agony that man went through because of his family's
illnesses!
untoward adj. 1 adverse, unfavourable, unpropitious, discouraging,
inopportune, unpromising, bleak, inauspicious, bad, unfortunate:
The rainstorm created untoward conditions, causing the river to
rise dangerously. 2 unbecoming, unfitting, awkward,
inappropriate, unapt, unsuitable, improper, impolite, rude,
boorish, ungentlemanly, unladylike, indecorous, indelicate,
unwarranted, uncalled-for, unrefined, unseemly, unwise,
imprudent, undiplomatic, tactless, untactful, ill-conceived,
silly, foolish, stupid, ill-timed, vexatious, vexing,
irritating, annoying: Charles made some untoward remark about
the size of Sandra's feet.
untried adj. untested, unproved or unproven, new: He may be good at
homes, but he is as yet untried as the designer of a library.
untrue adj. 1 unfaithful, faithless, disloyal, fickle, capricious,
undependable, unreliable, dishonourable, untrustworthy, false,
hypocritical, dishonest, insincere, two-faced, duplicitous,
devious, deceitful, treacherous, perfidious: Only when I saw
her with Henry did I realize that Pauline had been untrue to me.
2 wrong, false, inaccurate, incorrect, erroneous, misleading,
mistaken, distorted: What you said about Pauline was simply
untrue. 3 inexact, non-standard, substandard, imprecise,
imperfect: How unfortunate for legend had William Tell's aim
been untrue!
unused adj. 1 (brand) new, untouched, pristine, original, intact,
fresh, firsthand: He sold me his unused computer for half what
it cost. 2 disused, abandoned, derelict, neglected, given up:
We hid in an old unused factory building. 3 unconsumed,
leftover, remaining, left: If dissatisfied with this product,
return the unused portion for a full refund. 4 unused to.
unaccustomed to, unfamiliar with, inexperienced in or at,
amateurish at, unpractised in or at, uninitiated in: I am quite
unused to doing that sort of thing.
unusual adj. uncommon, exceptional, atypical, untypical, different,
unexpected, singular, out of the ordinary, extraordinary, odd,
peculiar, curious, bizarre, strange, queer, remarkable, unique,
freakish, unprecedented, unconventional, unorthodox, Slang
off-the-wall: It takes an unusual person to be as charitable as
Jean. Don't you agree that an egg-laying mammal is a bit
unusual?
unvarnished
adj. plain, simple, pure, unembellished, straightforward,
straight, direct, honest, unelaborated, naked, stark, sincere,
frank, candid, outspoken: My dear, let me tell you the
unvarnished truth about Marnie and Jim.
unveil v. reveal, expose, uncover, lay bare or open, bare, bring to
light: They will unveil a rival bid at tomorrow's meeting. Only
after William died did Cynthia unveil the truth about his double
life.
unwarranted
adj. uncalled-for, unasked, unasked for, unjustified,
indefensible, unjust, unfair, unconscionable, unworthy,
improper, inexcusable, gratuitous, unmerited, undeserved,
unprovoked, outrageous, excessive, unreasonable, unrestrained,
intemperate, untempered, immoderate, undue, unnecessary: The
police were accused of unwarranted use of force in ejecting the
rowdies from the pub.
unwary adj. heedless, careless, hasty, incautious, unguarded,
imprudent, rash, foolhardy, reckless, thoughtless, indiscreet,
unthinking, mindless, unwise: Many perils await the unwary
traveller. It was unwary of you not to lock the doors and
windows.
unwashed adj. 1 dirty, uncleaned, unclean, uncleansed: Separate your
personal things from the unwashed laundry in the hamper.
--n. 2 the (great) unwashed. Derogatory the rabble, the
masses, the mob, the plebs, people (at large or in general), the
population, the populace, the man or woman in the street, Mr (&
Mrs) Average, the working class(es), most people, the (silent)
majority, US John Q. Public: The effort to sell expensive
brandy to the great unwashed failed miserably.
unwelcome adj. 1 uninvited, unsought for, unwished for, undesired,
undesirable, displeasing, unpleasing, distasteful, unpleasant:
My day was further ruined by the unwelcome arrival of all those
bills. 2 unwanted, rejected, unaccepted, excluded; persona non
grata, anathema: Following that episode, Curshaw was made to
feel unwelcome at the club.
unwholesome
adj. 1 unhealthy, unhealthful, detrimental, deleterious,
pernicious, insalubrious, unhygienic, insalutary, harmful,
noxious, toxic, injurious, destructive: Fernthwaite finally
succumbed to the unwholesome climate and had to be sent home. 2
corrupt, immoral, bad, wicked, evil, sinful, perverted;
demoralizing, depraved, degrading, corrupting, perverting: The
social worker said it was wrong for a child to be raised in such
an unwholesome atmosphere. 3 ill, ailing, sickly, sick, pale,
wan, anaemic, pallid, pasty: Their unwholesome complexion comes
from malnutrition.
unwieldy adj. awkward, clumsy, bulky, oversized, cumbersome, ungainly,
unmanageable, unhandy, unmanoeuvrable: The huge oil tankers,
though economical, often proved unwieldy in the ports they
visited.
unwonted adj. infrequent, unusual, uncustomary, uncommon, unfamiliar,
unprecedented, rare, singular, atypical, abnormal, peculiar,
odd, strange, irregular, unconventional, unorthodox: All this
unwonted physical exercise made them exhausted by evening.
unworthy adj. 1 unequal, meritless, unmerited, substandard, inferior,
second-rate, menial, puny, petty, paltry, unprofessional,
mediocre, despicable, contemptible, dishonourable, ignoble,
disreputable, discreditable, unqualified, ineligible, unfit,
undeserving: I consider Patrick an unworthy opponent. 2
unworthy of. unbecoming to, inappropriate to, unsuitable for,
unfit for, out of character for, inconsistent with or for, out
of place with or for, incongruous with or for: That sort of
petty haggling is unworthy of your position and of you.
upbeat adj. positive, optimistic, sanguine, favourable, cheerful,
encouraging, heartening, buoyant, light-hearted: Christopher
has a very upbeat attitude towards life despite his age.
upbraid v. scold, rebuke, reprimand, reproach, berate, castigate,
chastise, reprove, chide, censure, take to task, Colloq tell
off, tick off, dress down, give a dressing-down, give (someone)
a piece of (one's) mind, tell (someone) a thing or two, rake
(someone) over the coals, jump on or all over, bawl out, US chew
out: The boys were soundly upbraided for going near the railway
tracks.
upbringing
n. rearing, raising, training, education, cultivation, nurture,
breeding: The way one behaves through life is really a matter
of upbringing.
upheaval n. upset, unrest, commotion, change, cataclysm, disruption,
disturbance, disorder, confusion, chaos, furore, or US furor:
Those were times of drastic political upheaval in Asia.
uphold v. support, maintain, sustain, preserve, hold up, defend,
protect, advocate, promote, espouse, embrace, endorse, back,
champion, stand by: All demagogues claim to uphold democratic
principles.
upkeep n. 1 maintenance, repair, support, sustenance, preservation,
conservation, subsistence, running, operation: The upkeep of
the infrastructure came to ten per cent of the annual budget
last year. 2 (operating) costs, (running) expenses, outlay,
expenditure, Brit overheads, oncosts, US overhead: Have you
included upkeep in the annual expenses?
upper adj. 1 higher (up), loftier, topmost, more elevated, uppermost:
Air is less dense in the upper parts of the atmosphere. Our flat
is on an upper floor. Her best notes are sung in the upper
register. 2 higher, upland, more elevated; (more) northerly,
northern: We visited the cataracts on the upper reaches of the
Nile. We spent the holiday in upper Canada. 3 later, more
recent: These strata were laid down in the Upper Cretaceous
period. 4 upper case. capital letter(s), capital(s), majuscule
(letters or characters): The heading ought to be in upper case.
5 upper crust. upper class, ‚lite, aristocrats, nobles, blue
bloods, wealthy, US Four Hundred: Gregory thinks of himself as
a member of the upper crust and won't associate with us. 6 upper
hand. advantage, control, authority, power, sway, superiority,
supremacy, command, dominance, ascendancy, Colloq edge: Purvis
kowtows to whoever has the upper hand.
--n. 7 on (one's) uppers. poor, indigent, destitute,
poverty-stricken, Colloq broke: Stanley has been on his uppers
since losing his job.
upper-class
adj. 1 ‚lite, aristocratic, blue-blooded, well-born, noble,
high-born, patrician, Colloq upper crust: Eunice comes from an
upper-class Irish family. 2 high-class, elegant, fancy,
luxurious, first-rate, de luxe, royal, regal, sumptuous, Colloq
swank(y), ritzy, posh: I'll have you know that we stayed only
in upper-class hotels on our tour.
uppermost adj. 1 highest, topmost, loftiest, highest, top: These curious
animals live in the uppermost branches of the trees. 2
foremost, first, most important or prominent or influential or
telling, principal, paramount, pre-eminent, predominant:
Uppermost in my mind is the safety of the children.
uppish adj. affected, putting on airs, snobbish, conceited,
overweening, self-important, Colloq uppity, snooty, high and
mighty, hoity-toity, highfalutin or hifalutin, stuck-up, on
(one's) high horse, Slang snotty, Brit toffee-nosed: Even if
she is in charge she doesn't have to be so uppish.
upright adj. 1 erect, perpendicular, vertical, on end, straight up and
down, plumb, stand-up, standing up, Brit upstanding: Few
upright columns of the Greek temple remained. 2 moral,
principled, high-minded, ethical, virtuous, upstanding,
straight, righteous, straightforward, honourable, honest, just,
trustworthy, unimpeachable, uncorrupt(ed), incorruptible,
decent, good: David had long been an upright member of the
church council.
--n. 3 post, pole, column, vertical, perpendicular: We need
another upright to support the floor over here.
--adv. 4 perpendicularly, vertically, upward(s), straight up
(and down): The javelin was sticking upright out of the ground.
5 right side up: Miraculously, the platter with the roast on it
landed upright on the floor.
uprising n. rebellion, revolt, mutiny, revolution, insurrection, rising,
putsch, coup (d'‚tat): The government quelled the uprising with
water cannons and tear gas.
uproar n. clamour, hubbub, disturbance, commotion, hullabaloo,
brouhaha, din, racket, pandemonium, tumult, turmoil, pother,
outcry, outburst, bedlam, agitation, frenzy, broil, rumpus,
fuss; affray, fracas, brawl; Colloq hoo-ha, to-do, US hoop-la,
Brit kerfuffle or carfuffle or kurfuffle: The announcement of
the new taxes caused a nation-wide uproar.
uproarious
adj. 1 clamorous, noisy, deafening, tumultuous, turbulent,
tempestuous, excited, frenzied, rowdy, riotous, disorderly,
wild: We had an uproarious party on New Year's Eve. 2
hilarious, hysterical, (screamingly) funny, side-splitting,
Colloq too funny for words, killing: Leslie told his uproarious
story about Colonel Cholmondley and the tiger.
uproot v. 1 transfer, transplant, move, displace; exile, banish:
Finney has been uprooted five times in his career with the firm.
2 deracinate, extirpate, root out, dig out, pluck out, tear out;
destroy, demolish, ruin, eradicate, annihilate, kill, ruin,
devastate, ravage: Thousands of trees were uprooted by the
hurricane.
upset v. 1 disturb, agitate, distress, unsettle, put off, put out,
perturb, disquiet, fluster, ruffle, frighten, scare, disconcert,
dismay, trouble, worry, bother, discompose, make (someone)
nervous: We once had a nanny who told the children horror
stories just to upset them. 2 overturn, capsize, topple, up-end,
tip over, knock over or down, invert, turn topsy-turvy or upside
down, spill: That is the third time this week you have upset
the cream jug. 3 disturb, derange, disrupt, disarrange, mess
up, disorganize, snarl up, jumble, muddle, Colloq Brit kerfuffle
or carfuffle or kurfuffle: The boys upset the entire house with
their horseplay. 4 overthrow, defeat, beat, worst, thrash,
rout, conquer, overcome, win out over, get the better of, get or
gain the advantage over, triumph over, be victorious over,
vanquish: The question is whether the challenger will upset the
champion in the Wimbledon finals. 5 defeat, ruin, spoil, thwart,
interfere with, destroy, demolish, mess up, disturb, Colloq
throw a Brit spanner in(to) or US monkey wrench into (the
works), US discombobulate, Slang screw up, gum up, put the
kibosh on, Taboo slang fuck up , Brit bugger up: Your coming
early upset my plan to shampoo my hair.
--adj. 6 capsized, overturned, upside down, bottom side up,
inverted, reversed, toppled, tipped over, topsy-turvy: We clung
to the bottom of the upset boat till help arrived. 7 sick,
queasy: Eve has an upset stomach and cannot go. 8 perturbed,
disturbed, disquieted, disconcerted, agitated, distressed,
worried, troubled, unnerved, distracted, apprehensive, nervous,
frightened, scared, afraid: We found Valdimir in a terribly
upset state at Natasha's disappearance. 9 disordered, confused,
disorganized, messed-up, jumbled, muddled, disturbed,
disarranged: The house is never so upset as after a party. 10
angry, irate, furious, beside oneself, mad, Colloq fit to be
tied, Slang freaked out: Father was upset because I took the
car without his permission.
--n. 11 defeat, upsetting, conquest, overthrow, rout,
thrashing, triumph, victory: We celebrated the upset of Queen's
Park Rangers by Manchester United. 12 surprise, unexpected event
or occurrence: The upset of the season was when Carridoff won
the Derby.
upshot n. result, end (result), outcome, ending, conclusion,
termination, effect, after-effect, fallout, wake, backwash,
repercussion, after-clap, feedback, resolution, culmination,
denouement or d‚nouement, issue, Colloq pay-off, US wrap-up:
The upshot of the nasty business was that Bowles was sent to
prison for life.
upstart n. parvenu(e), arriviste, nouveau riche, (social) climber,
status-seeker, pretender, nobody: That upstart husband of
Dora's tried to get me to invest in some scheme of his.
uptake n. comprehension, understanding, apprehension, grasp,
perception, insight, perspicaciousness, perspicacity,
perceptiveness, sensitivity: Billie was very quick on the
uptake, and knew immediately what the man was after.
urge v. 1 press, push, drive, force, impel, speed, accelerate,
hurry, rush, hustle, move, goad, prod, egg on, spur: He urged
his steed onward. 2 press, goad, prod, egg on, spur, prompt,
induce, incite, constrain, exhort, encourage, demand, request,
ask, plead (with), beseech, beg, entreat, importune: We've been
urging the police for months to investigate the goings-on at
that house. 3 coax, persuade, induce, prevail upon, campaign
(with), sway, influence, talk into, advise, suggest, counsel:
The agents urged them to sell their house while the market was
good. 4 argue, set forth, affirm, state, allege, assert, hold,
advise, advocate, demand: The residents urged that the planning
board should deny permission for a supermarket.
--n. 5 pressure, impetus, desire, compulsion, impulse, itch,
longing, yearning, drive, fancy, hunger, thirst, craving, Colloq
yen: We stopped because Corey felt the urge to have some
ice-cream.
urgency n. imperativeness, pressure, stress, extremity, importance,
seriousness, importunity, necessity, need, insistence, exigency,
emergency: She was told to ring back as a matter of some
urgency.
urgent adj. 1 immediate, instant, imperative, pressing, compelling,
vital, life-and-death or life-or-death, important, serious,
necessary, exigent, rush, emergency, pressing, high-priority:
There was an urgent need to do something at once, so she
screamed. 2 supplicative, begging, solicitous, earnest,
importunate, insistent, loud, clamorous, active, energetic,
pertinacious, tenacious, forceful, firm: Both parties were
urgent in pressing for tax reform.
urinate v. pass or make water, Technical micturate; Babytalk (make a)
wee, (go) wee-wee, (have a or US also take a) pee, (make)
pee-pee, do number one, tinkle, piddle; Euphemistic go to the
men's or ladies' (room), go to the lavatory, excuse (oneself),
wash (one's) hands, go to the bathroom, go to the powder-room;
Mincing go to the little boys' or girls' room; Colloq Brit spend
a penny, go to the loo, Slang (take or have a) piss, Brit have a
or go for a slash: One symptom of cystitis is pain when
urinating.
usage n. 1 use, custom, habit, practice, routine, convention, form,
tradition: British usage reflects decreasing use of the
subjunctive mood. 2 treatment, use, management, handling,
operation, manipulation: It would appear that the car has been
subjected to some rough usage.
use v. 1 employ, make use of, put into practice or operation,
practise, utilize, exercise, bring into play, have recourse to,
resort to, put or press into service, put to use, avail
(oneself) of; say, utter, speak: If you use a hammer you might
damage the surface. Why do you have to use bad language? 2
capitalize on, turn to account, profit by or from, exploit,
utilize, make use of, take advantage of, manipulate, manoeuvre,
handle, abuse, misuse, play, work: She used her smile to lure
men on. Dorothy never forgave Conrad for the way he used her and
her contacts to get his job. 3 consume, eat, drink, smoke, take,
partake of, ingest, inject, Slang shoot (up): He has never used
a habit-forming substance. 4 consume, buy, purchase, employ,
utilize: Which kind of detergent do you use? 5 use up.
consume, exhaust, expend, run through, run out of, deplete;
waste, squander, fritter away, pour down the drain, throw away:
He used up all the toothpaste. She used up her entire
inheritance gambling.
--n. 6 usage, application, employment, utilization; using: The
use of unleaded fuel is recommended. 7 function, utility,
application; advantage, benefit, good, service, interest,
profit, avail: What's the use of a radio that doesn't work? 8
wear (and tear), utilization, treatment, usage, handling: Long
use has worn the workbench smooth. 9 usability, usefulness,
utility, utilization, usage, function, functioning, service(s),
serviceability, power: He lost the use of his right arm in an
accident at work. 10 licence, permission, permit, privilege:
We paid a high fee for the use of this parking space. 11
consumption, purchases, buying, acquisition: The use of
cigarettes has diminished in the last decade. 12 advantage,
purpose, point, end, object, reason, basis, ground: I have
tried to help him overcome his habit, but what's the use? Many
are the uses of adversity. 13 demand, need, necessity, urgency,
exigency: The world has as much use for art as for engineering.
14 See usage, 1, above. 15 have no use for. execrate, detest,
abhor, hate, despise, scorn, contemn, spurn, reject, dislike:
We have no use for cowards in this regiment.
used adj. 1 second-hand, cast-off, old, worn, Euphemistic pre-owned,
Colloq hand-me-down, Brit reach-me-down: You're better off
buying a good used car, since new ones depreciate so quickly. 2
utilized, employed, occupied; in use: We slept in a rarely used
room. 3 used to. accustomed to, habituated to, acclimatized or
acclimated to, adapted to, hardened or toughened or inured to or
against, tempered to, tolerant of; familiar or acquainted with:
After all those years, Amanda was used to Bill's shouting.
useful adj. utilitarian, functional, serviceable, practical, usable,
of use, beneficial, salutary, advantageous, expedient,
profitable, valuable, gainful, helpful, fruitful, productive,
effective, worthwhile: Does this knob serve any useful purpose?
We had some very useful conversations with the bank manager.
usefulness
n. utility, applicability, practicability, purpose,
purposefulness, point, practicality, benefit, advantage,
expediency, profit, profitability, value, gain, help,
fruitfulness, effectiveness, worth: I never could see the
usefulness of all the forms one has to fill in.
useless adj. 1 ineffective, ineffectual, unserviceable, impractical,
impracticable, unpractical, unavailing, vain, pointless,
purposeless, idle, futile, unproductive, unsuccessful, impotent,
effete, sterile, barren, abortive, unusable, bootless,
worthless, Rare inutile: The treatment that she tried was quite
useless. 2 inefficient, incompetent, unproductive, ineffectual,
ineffective, hopeless, inept: My dachshund has proved totally
useless as a watchdog.
user n. 1 consumer, buyer, purchaser, owner; operator: Users of the
equipment report excellent results. 2 alcohol or drug or
narcotic addict: The police have been interviewing users in
order to obtain more information about the dealers.
user-friendly
adj. simple, practicable, usable, explicit, accommodating,
understandable: The system is designed to be particularly
user-friendly.
usual adj. same, customary, habitual, accustomed, familiar,
well-known, common, everyday, established, traditional, set,
time-honoured, old, conventional, workaday, stock, wonted,
regular, ordinary, normal, expected, routine, typical,
run-of-the-mill, stereotypic(al), hackneyed, trite, prosaic,
worn out, shop-worn, predictable, unexceptional, unoriginal,
unremarkable, unimaginative: The usual answer I get is 'Why?' I
missed my usual train this morning. They still sing the usual
drinking songs.
usually adv. customarily, as a rule, generally (speaking), most of the
time, for the most part, most often, mostly, almost always,
inveterately, on the whole, normally, commonly, regularly,
predominantly, chiefly, all things considered, in the main,
mainly, by and large, as usual, Colloq as per usual: I usually
walk home from the office. Johnson usually interviews applicants
in the morning.
Utopia n. paradise, heaven, seventh heaven, (Garden of) Eden, bliss,
cloud-cuckoo-land, Nephelococcygia, never-never land,
Shangri-La, Cockaigne or Cockayne, heaven on earth, perfection:
He dreams about a Utopia where everyone is rich and there are no
taxes.
utterly adv. completely, perfectly, absolutely, thoroughly, fully,
entirely, wholly, unreservedly, totally, unqualifiedly,
out-and-out, altogether, overwhelmingly, unequivocally,
categorically, definitely, properly; extremely, Brit dialect
proper; (with) no holds barred, body and soul, head over heels:
The proposal was utterly defeated in the Commons. That was an
utterly foolish act. She gave herself to him utterly.
22.0 V
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vacancy n. 1 emptiness, void, gap, lacuna, hiatus, blank, deficiency,
opening, breach, vacuum: Only after she left did Hubert sense
the vacancy in his life. 2 (job) opening, slot, position, post,
situation: Her promotion created a vacancy in the personnel
department. 3 blankness, emptiness, vacuity, absent-mindedness,
inanity, vacuousness, incomprehension, fatuity, unawareness: I
knew by the vacancy of his look that he hadn't any idea of what
I was talking about.
vacant adj. 1 empty, void, hollow, unoccupied, untenanted,
uninhabited, abandoned, deserted: The house remained vacant all
summer. 2 blank, expressionless, deadpan, empty, vacuous, dull,
absent-minded, inane, uncomprehending, fatuous, unaware: After
the accident, she would just sit, for hours on end, with a
vacant look on her face. 3 unoccupied, free, unused, unutilized,
spare, extra, idle, unfilled, unengaged, unspoken for: The
doctor has a vacant hour tomorrow at ten and could see you then.
vacate v. 1 leave, depart (from), withdraw from, quit, evacuate, get
or go out of; desert, abandon: In a fire drill, employees must
vacate the building in five minutes. 2 give up, relinquish,
sacrifice, renounce, let go, resign, abdicate, cede, give up
right or claim to, abandon: We vacated all claims to my aunt's
property. 3 annul, declare null and void, nullify, void,
repudiate, override, overrule, rescind, revoke, recall, quash,
set aside, invalidate: The judge vacated the defendant's plea
of diminished capacity.
vade-mecum
n. handbook, manual, ready reference, book, guide: She always
had with her a vade-mecum on rare poisons.
vagabond n. 1 gypsy, tramp, vagrant, wayfarer, rover, wanderer,
itinerant, migrant, bird of passage, rolling stone, beachcomber,
derelict, Chiefly US and Canadian hobo, Australian swagman,
Colloq US bum, Slang US bindle-stiff: The police interviewed
every vagabond they could find for a clue to the murder.
--adj. 2 vagrant, wayfaring, roving, wandering, itinerant,
migrant, derelict, nomadic, gypsy, rambling, roaming, drifting,
peripatetic, transient, peregrinating: When will he give up his
vagabond ways and settle down?
vague adj. 1 indefinite, indistinct, imprecise, inexact, unclear,
confused, unspecified or non-specified, general, generalized,
unspecific or non-specific, inexplicit or unexplicit,
ill-defined, hazy, fuzzy, ambiguous, obscure, amorphous;
shapeless, blurred, blurry, filmy, dim, shadowy, veiled, bleary,
foggy, misty, cloudy, clouded, hardly or barely distinguishable
or discernible: I have only a vague recollection of our having
met. She must have had a vague idea of your intentions. Leon
could almost make out the vague shape of an approaching figure.
2 undetermined, indeterminate, unfixed, indefinite, inexact,
unspecified or non-specified, unspecific or non-specific,
ambiguous, doubtful, in doubt, uncertain, equivocal, ambiguous:
For security reasons, her time of arrival was left vague. 3
veiled, concealed, hidden, shrouded, obscure, ill-defined,
unspecific or non-specific, inexplicit or unexplicit, ambiguous:
There had been a vague threat of kidnapping, which should not
have been ignored. 4 subliminal, subconscious, indefinable,
unexplained: I had a vague sensation of being followed. 5
indefinite, ambiguous, wishy-washy, undecided, indecisive,
irresolute, vacillating, wavering, inconstant, unsettled,
uncertain, nebulous, up in the air: Leonore is vague about her
plans to run for re-election. 6 vacant, empty, blank,
expressionless, empty, vacuous, dull; puzzled: By their vague
expressions I could see they hadn't understood a word.
vaguely adv. 1 distantly, remotely, indefinitely, dimly, subliminally,
subconsciously, inexplicably: I became vaguely aware of another
presence in the room. 2 ambiguously, imprecisely, inexactly,
unclearly, confusedly, confusingly, hazily, fuzzily, nebulously,
obscurely: Kenston claims that he expresses his theories
vaguely to allow for broad interpretation. 3 idly, vacantly,
detachedly, absent-mindedly, dreamily, absently, distractedly:
Manton listened only vaguely to the judge's words.
vain adj. 1 proud, conceited, haughty, arrogant, boastful,
egotistical, cocky, self-important, vainglorious, narcissistic,
Colloq big-headed, swell-headed, stuck-up, swollen-headed: They
are so vain that they have mirrors in every room. 2 worthless,
profitless, bootless, pointless, unsuccessful, empty, futile,
useless, unavailing, unproductive, fruitless, ineffective,
abortive: Peter sent Carol flowers every day in a vain attempt
to win her back. 3 in vain. a vainly, futilely, unsuccessfully,
fruitlessly, bootlessly: In vain, we sought the help of the
police. b irreverently, blasphemously, disrespectfully,
improperly: Despite his mother's admonitions, he continues to
take the Lord's name in vain.
valley n. glen, dale, dell, vale, dingle, hollow, coomb or coombe or
combe or comb, No. Brit and Welsh cirque or corrie or cwm, Scots
strath: Oh, to stroll once again the cool valleys and the
heathered hills of home!
vanity n. 1 conceit, conceitedness, egotism, narcissism, arrogance,
cockiness, self-importance, vainglory, haughtiness, pride,
self-admiration, self-worship, Colloq swell-headedness,
big-headedness: It is disgraceful what some people do to
satisfy their vanity. 2 vainness, emptiness, hollowness,
worthlessness, futility, unreality, bootlessness, pointlessness,
uselessness, folly, vapidity, silliness, vacuousness, vacuity,
foolishness, fatuity, frivolousness: The vanity of trying to
complete the book in a year must be obvious by now.
vapid adj. insipid, flavourless, tasteless, bland, watery, watered
down, wishy-washy, jejune, colourless, unpalatable, flat, tame,
lifeless, boring, tedious, tiresome, uninteresting, trite,
wearisome, wearying, humdrum, Colloq blah, ho-hum: The minister
attacked green politics as vapid romanticism.
vapour n. 1 mist, fog, steam, cloud, smoke, smog, exhalation: There
arose from the bog a suffocating, miasmic vapour. 2 the
vapours. morbidity, hypochondria, hysteria, nervousness,
depression, rheuminess, Archaic distemper, Colloq the pip:
Charlotte suffered an attack of the vapours and retired to her
room.
variable adj. changeable, protean, changing, inconstant, varying,
wavering, mercurial, fickle, capricious, unsteady, unfixed,
unstable, uncertain, undependable, unpredictable, fluctuating,
vacillating, mutable, chameleonic, chameleon-like: The weather
can be quite variable depending on the season.
variance n. 1 variation, difference, disparity, discrepancy,
disagreement, deviation, inconsistency, divergence, incongruity:
The monitor takes account of minute variance in blood pressure.
2 disagreement, misunderstanding, discord, difference (of
opinion), dissension, contention, dispute, dissent, controversy,
quarrel, conflict, argument, debate, lack of harmony, falling
out, schism, rift: There has never been any variance between us
about the disciplining of the children. 3 at variance. in
dispute, in disagreement, quarrelling, in contention, in
conflict: The workforce was at variance with management in the
matter of day care.
variant n. 1 alternative, modification, variation: 'Labor' is an
American spelling variant of 'labour'.
--adj. 2 varying, variable, changing, altering, unstable,
deviant, deviating, different, differing; separate, distinct:
It is claimed that the law is given variant interpretations
depending on the social standing of the suspect.
variation n. 1 change, changing, alteration, altering, variety, varying,
modification, modifying, difference, differing, diversification,
diversity, diversifying, modulation, modulating, conversion,
converting, permutation, permuting: We have to allow for
variation in the intensity of the light. 2 variety, choice,
novelty, diversity, departure (from the norm or usual), change
of pace, divergence, variegation, deviation (from the norm):
This restaurant offers considerable variation in its menu.
varied adj. 1 diverse, diversified, mixed, miscellaneous, assorted,
heterogeneous: An insufficiently varied diet may lead to
malnutrition. 2 See various, below 3 See variegated, below.
variegated
adj. multicolour(ed), particolour(ed), varicoloured,
many-coloured, motley, pied, piebald, brindled, mottled,
polychrome, polychromatic; nacreous, changeant, opalescent,
opaline: Plants with variegated foliage always add interest to
a garden.
variety n. 1 diversity, diversification, multifariousness,
multiplicity, number, range, assortment, medley, mixture, mix,
miscellany, heterogeneity, choice, selection, collection: Don't
you find that the variety of foods in supermarkets today is
astonishing? There was certainly a wide variety of people at
their party. 2 difference, heterogeneity, discrepancy,
diversity, disparity, variation, contrast: The flora and fauna
of Australia display great variety. 3 sort, brand, make, mark,
kind, class, category, breed, type, order, genre, species,
genus, classification, strain: Which variety of washing powder
do you prefer? Rex cultivated only the rarest varieties of
orchid.
various adj. 1 different, a number of, a variety of, diversified,
diverse, several, many, numerous, sundry, heterogeneous,
miscellaneous, Literary divers: We are considering various
offers for the painting. Catherine held various executive
positions in the company. 2 different, distinct, individual:
There are various ways of looking at the problem.
vary v. 1 change, alter, diversify, transform, reshape, remodel,
restyle, modify, reorganize: We vary the programme each month
to make it more interesting. 2 change, switch, alternate,
fluctuate, vacillate: The manager's attitude varies from
helpful to downright rude. 3 depart, deviate, differ, diverge,
shift, veer: These results do not vary from the average by more
than five per cent.
vast adj. infinite, unlimited, boundless, limitless, unbounded,
interminable, endless, never-ending, inexhaustible,
indeterminate, immeasurable, incalculable, measureless; immense,
enormous, huge, tremendous, great, prodigious, stupendous,
gigantic, massive, voluminous, capacious, colossal, monumental,
mammoth, jumbo, elephantine, behemoth, Cyclopean,
Brobdingnagian, titanic, Literary vasty, Colloq ginormous,
humongous: It is difficult to comprehend the vast distances of
space. There is a vast difference between the climates of
California and the Midwest.
vastly adv. immensely, greatly, hugely, enormously, considerably,
substantially, (almost) entirely, infinitely, exceedingly,
extremely, very much, Colloq worlds: Their new house was vastly
different from the way I had pictured it. Katy looks vastly
better since she lost two stone.
vehicle n. 1 conveyance: The police report that two vehicles were
damaged in the crash. 2 means, channel, mechanism, carrier,
conduit, agency, instrument: Water is the vehicle used in many
sprays.
veil n. 1 covering, cover, screen, camouflage, cloak, curtain, mask,
shroud: A veil of silence has been drawn over the meetings. He
stole away under the veil of darkness.
--v. 2 cover, conceal, hide, camouflage, cloak, mask, disguise,
shroud, shield, obscure: The writer's identity was veiled from
us till recently.
veiled adj. concealed, hidden, masked, obscure, unrevealed, covert,
disguised, secret, sub rosa, subtle: There seemed to be a
veiled threat in the way he said goodbye.
vein n. 1 blood-vessel; nervure: He killed himself by opening a
vein in his wrist. 2 streak, seam, stripe, striation, stria,
thread, line: The reddish vein gives this marble a warm
feeling. 3 seam, lode, stratum, course, deposit, bed: The
prospector discovered a vein of almost pure gold in the old
mine. 4 thread, hint, suggestion, touch, trace, streak, line,
strain, mood, spirit, tone, note, tenor, feeling, attitude,
disposition, humour, temper; tendency or inclination or
proclivity toward(s): Underlying her apparent kindness is a
vein of bitter hatred. 5 way, manner, course, fashion, style,
mode, pattern: He would have continued in that same vein if the
chairman hadn't stopped him.
velocity n. speed, swiftness, rapidity, fleetness, quickness, briskness,
alacrity, celerity, pace, rate of speed, miles per hour, m.p.h.,
kilometres per hour, km/hr: Our velocity slowed as we neared
the outer atmosphere.
venal adj. corrupt, corruptible, bribable or bribeable, buyable,
purchasable, mercenary, unprincipled, dishonourable, rapacious,
avaricious, greedy, simoniacal, Colloq crooked, Slang bent: All
we had to do was to find a venal official, cross his palm with
silver, and they would release our son.
vendetta n. (blood) feud, quarrel, dispute, conflict, rivalry, enmity,
bitterness, hatred, ill will, bad blood: Fifty years after
leaving Palermo, the vendetta between their families still
persisted.
veneer n. gloss, fa‡ade, finish, pretence, (false) front, (outward)
show or display, appearance, mask, guise, aspect, superficies:
Beneath that veneer of elegance and refinement lie the heart and
soul of a monstrous criminal.
venerable adj. respectable, honourable, estimable, respected, honoured,
esteemed, august, sedate, impressive, revered, reverenced,
worshipped: Venerable old military men were called on for
advice.
venerate v. respect, honour, esteem, revere, reverence, worship, hallow,
adore, admire, look up to: Schweitzer was widely venerated for
his charitable works.
veneration
n. respect, honour, esteem, reverence, deference, homage,
devotion, worship, admiration, adoration, idolization, awe:
Their veneration for their hero turned to contempt when his past
was revealed.
venereal adj. sexual; genital; social, sexually transmitted, gonorrhoeal
or gonorrhoeic, syphilitic: Reports indicate that venereal
disease has been on the decline since the advent of AIDS.
vengeance n. 1 revenge, retaliation, retribution, requital, reprisal:
Her vengeance for what he had done was to disinherit him. 2
with a vengeance. a violently, fiercely, ferociously, wildly,
vehemently, furiously, forcefully: The wind blew with a
vengeance all night. b energetically, to the fullest extent, to
the utmost or the fullest or the limit, (with) no holds barred,
enthusiastically, wholeheartedly: Give Richard a job to do and
he goes at with a vengeance.
venial adj. forgivable, excusable, pardonable, tolerable, tolerated,
minor, petty, insignificant, unimportant, remittable or
remissible: That hypocrite considers even his most heinous
crimes to be venial.
venom n. 1 poison, toxin: The snakes are 'milked' of their venom,
which is collected for research in antitoxins and
pharmaceuticals. 2 malice, maliciousness, malevolence, ill will,
malignity, animosity, hate, hatred, hostility, antagonism,
spite, spitefulness, spleen, rancour, bitterness,
embitteredness, gall, poison, poisonousness, virulence: Vinnie
was totally unprepared for the venom of the attack.
venomous adj. 1 poisonous, deadly, toxic, dangerous, life-threatening,
lethal: There are few venomous snakes in the British Isles. 2
poisonous, virulent, malicious, malevolent, malign, malignant,
savage, baleful, envenomed, hostile, antagonistic, spiteful,
splenetic, acerbic, rancorous, bitter, embittered, mean,
vicious: That venomous little man caused me to lose my job.
vent n. 1 opening, slit, slot, hole, aperture, air-hole, blow-hole,
spiracle, orifice, outlet, inlet, funnel, flue, duct, passage;
fumarole, fissure, pipe, mofette or moffette: The tepee has a
vent at the peak to let the smoke of the fire escape. 2 give
vent to. See 3, below.
--v. 3 give vent to, express, verbalize, air, articulate,
enunciate, declare, voice, announce, communicate, pronounce,
proclaim, reveal, release, let go, let loose, allow to become
known, make known, blurt out, make public, broadcast: Has
Margie ever vented her true feelings about your work as a bomb
disposal expert? Arnold vents his spleen on any unfortunate who
will stand for it. 4 discharge, release, emit, eject, issue,
empty, dump, expel, send or pour out or forth, throw out: It is
illegal to vent poisonous fumes into the atmosphere.
venture n. 1 risk, chance, hazardous undertaking, experiment,
speculation, gamble, plunge, fling: Their new publishing
venture turned out to be quite a success.
--v. 2 dare(say), make bold, hazard, volunteer, tender, offer,
broach, advance, proffer, put forward: Ambrose ventured some
nasty remark and was asked to leave. 3 jeopardize, risk,
endanger, hazard, imperil; gamble, bet, wager, plunge, put down:
Thomas ventured his last chip on the number four.
venturesome
adj. 1 daring, bold, intrepid, adventurous, courageous, plucky,
adventuresome, audacious, fearless, doughty, brave, spirited:
Henderson felt that he was being truly venturesome by sailing
single-handed round the Isle of Wight. 2 risky, rash, reckless,
sporting, game, daredevil: Taking one's family into the
American West was truly a venturesome undertaking - even in the
20th century.
verbal adj. 1 spoken, oral, vocal, said, uttered, expressed,
enunciated, articulated, colloquial, conversational, viva voce,
word-of-mouth, unwritten: We had a verbal agreement that you
would behave yourself. 2 word-for-word, verbatim, literal: We
have an accurate verbal transcript of the proceedings. 3 word,
lexical, vocabulary: She did very well on the verbal parts of
the examination but poorly on the mathematics.
verbatim adj. 1 word-for-word, verbatim et literatim (= 'word-for-word
and letter for letter'), literal, exact, precise, accurate,
faithful, strict: This verbatim translation may be accurate but
all the poetic expressiveness is lost.
--adv. 2 word for word, verbatim et literatim, literally,
exactly, precisely, accurately, faithfully, to the letter,
strictly: To make certain there would be no misunderstanding,
the speech was copied verbatim.
verge° n. 1 edge, border, boundary, margin, brink, threshold, brim:
Frances is jealous of John to the verge of insanity. 2 on the
verge of. about to, ready to, on the (very) point of, preparing
to, soon to: Many smaller companies are on the verge of
bankruptcy.
--v. 3 Often, verge on. border (on), approach, come close or
near (to), Technical be asymptotic to: Cathy's idea of comfort
verges on what is more commonly thought of as luxury. Her
charitable contributions last year verged on zero.
vergeэ v. incline, lean, tend, extend, stretch, turn; approach, draw,
move: The road verges southwards after the bridge.
verify v. affirm, confirm, testify to, attest (to), bear witness to,
vouch for, corroborate, support, substantiate, clinch or clench,
prove, demonstrate, show, bear out, authenticate, validate,
certify, guarantee, back up, warrant: Can you verify the
accuracy of his testimony?
veritable adj. real, true, virtual, genuine, actual, legitimate,
authentic: Frank becomes a veritable monster if denied his
daily doughnut.
vernacular
adj. 1 native, local, regional, indigenous, autochthonous: Old
Hebrew fell out of use, to be replaced by vernacular Aramaic. 2
popular, informal, colloquial, conversational, ordinary,
familiar, everyday, spoken, vulgar, vulgate; plain, simple,
straightforward, easy: We have both the vernacular and the
formal, literary, or clerical levels of language. Can you
translate this scientific gobbledegook into vernacular English
that we can understand?
--n. 3 jargon, patois, argot, cant, idiom, phraseology,
language, talk, speech: Alf occasionally slips into the
vernacular of a Billingsgate fishmonger (his former calling ) .
versatile adj. 1 adaptable, resourceful, all-round, all-purpose,
many-sided, multi-purpose, multifaceted, flexible, adjustable,
protean, dexterous, handy, facile: Everett is a versatile
painter who works in many media and styles. 2 variable,
changeable, protean, changing, flexible, fluctuating: Any
versatile organization should be able to accommodate staff
losses.
versed adj. Usually, well-versed in. well-read or (well-)informed in
or (well-)trained or (well-)grounded or (well-)schooled or
(well-)educated or (well-)tutored or learned or cultured or
lettered or cultivated or literate or competent or accomplished
or skilled in, (well) posted on, knowledgeable in or about,
proficient or experienced or practised or expert or good in or
at, conversant or familiar or (well-)acquainted with: The
applicant appears to be sufficiently well-versed in several
subjects to be qualified to teach them.
version n. 1 form, variant, variation, type, model, style, kind,
variety, manifestation, portrayal, adaptation, rendition,
interpretation, adaptation, construct, construction, conception,
idea: This is yet another modern designer's version of 1920s'
and 1930s' art deco. 2 story, account, rendering, rendition,
translation, interpretation, reading, understanding, view, side:
Simon's version of what happened is completely distorted.
vertex n. top, tip, extremity, zenith, meridian, apogee, peak, apex,
acme, summit, pinnacle, crest, crown, cap, height(s): The
building is surmounted by a pyramidal dome at the vertex of
which is a statue of Osiris.
vertigo n. dizziness, light-headedness, giddiness, instability, Colloq
wooziness: Vertigo suddenly overcame me, and I grabbed a rail
to steady myself.
verve n. spirit, vivacity, vivaciousness, vitality, life, liveliness,
animation, sparkle, energy, vigour, exuberance, briskness, brio,
esprit, ‚lan, dash, flair, panache, flourish, enthusiasm, zeal,
zest, gusto, Colloq pizazz, zip, vim, get-up-and-go, zing,
oomph: Helen's verve adds much to this production of Carmen .
very adv. 1 extremely, truly, really, to a great extent,
exceedingly, greatly, (very) much, profoundly, deeply, acutely,
unusually, extraordinarily, uncommonly, exceptionally,
remarkably, absolutely, completely, entirely, altogether,
totally, quite, rather, hugely, vastly, Dialect right, Brit
jolly, Colloq damn(ed), terribly, awfully, darned, US dialect
danged, plumb, Slang Brit bleeding , Chiefly Brit bloody: The
Bell Inn has a very fine wine list. Vicky was very attached to
her pony. I shall be there very soon. 2 most, extremely,
certainly, surely, definitely, decidedly, unequivocally,
unquestionably, quite, entirely, altogether: If you ask her
out, she is very likely to say no.
--adj. 3 exact, precise, perfect; same, selfsame, identical,
particular: Her hopes were the very opposite of his. I arrived
the very day she left. He is the very model of a hard-working
student. 4 least, mere, merest, bare, barest, sheer, sheerest;
utter, pure, simple: The very thought of war makes me ill. The
very mention of her name strikes terror into the hearts of the
local residents.
vessel n. 1 container, receptacle, utensil, holder: Food was stored
in vessels neatly arrayed around the sarcophagus. 2 craft,
boat, ship, ark, Literary barque or US also bark: The vessel
docked gently at the airlock of the space station.
vestige n. trace, suggestion, soup‡on, hint, glimmer, inkling,
suspicion, sign, evidence, mark, token, scent, whiff, tinge,
taste; remnant, scrap, fragment, memorial, residue, relic,
remains: Vestiges of an ancient city have been found in the sea
off Cyprus.
vestigial adj. imperfect, undeveloped, underdeveloped, rudimentary,
incomplete: Anatomists regard the coccyx in man and apes as a
vestigial tail.
vet v. examine, review, investigate, scrutinize, inspect, check
(out), look over, scan; validate, authenticate; Colloq give
(something or someone) the once-over, size up: We engaged an
expert to vet the definitions of culinary terms for the new
dictionary.
veteran n. 1 old hand, past master, old-timer, trouper, Colloq
warhorse: Barlow was a veteran of twenty years' experience in
the service.
--adj. 2 experienced, practised, seasoned, mature,
long-serving, battle-scarred: Did it never occur to this
veteran politician that there are degrees of misconduct?
veto v. 1 stop, block, deny, ban, turn down, reject, disallow, rule
out, quash, prevent, prohibit, interdict, taboo, outlaw,
proscribe, preclude, Colloq put the kibosh on, kill, nix:
Father vetoed the idea that we go to Brighton for the holiday.
Any measure he proposed was summarily vetoed.
--n. 2 denial, ban, stoppage, block, embargo, turn-down,
rejection, disallowance, quashing, prevention, prohibition,
interdiction, taboo, proscription, preclusion, vetoing, Colloq
killing, nixing: The home secretary's veto of the abortion
measure greatly angered the women's groups.
viable adj. sustainable, supportable, sensible, reasonable, practical,
practicable, applicable, workable, feasible, possible: We have
three days to come up with a viable plan for continuing the
research project.
vibes n.pl. vibrations, feelings, sensations, resonance(s), rapport,
empathy, sympathy: I felt the place had really good vibes the
minute I walked in.
vibrate v. quiver, shiver, shudder, fluctuate, quake, shake, tremble,
throb, pulsate, oscillate, pulse, reverberate, resonate, Brit
judder: The house began to vibrate, the windows rattled, and
the dishes danced off their shelves.
vicarious adj. surrogate, delegated, deputed, commissioned, assigned,
indirect, substituted: He derived vicarious pleasure from
seeing his children do the things that he no longer could.
vice n. 1 immorality, corruption, evil, badness, depravity,
degradation, degeneracy, iniquity, villainy, venality,
evil-doing, wickedness, profligacy, sin, sinfulness,
transgression: She described the town as a den of indecency,
exhibitionism, and vice. 2 flaw, defect, fault, imperfection,
blemish, shortcoming, failing, weakness, frailty, foible,
infirmity, deficiency: Rejection without due consideration is a
prejudicial vice of editors.
vice versa
adv. conversely, contrariwise, to or on the contrary, reversed,
the other way around: She made the facts fit her conclusions,
instead of vice versa.
vicinity n. area, neighbourhood, locale, vicinage, environs, locality,
precincts, purlieus, territory: All people living in the
vicinity of the nuclear plant were tested for radiation
poisoning.
vicious adj. 1 immoral, unprincipled, amoral, barbarous, corrupt, evil,
bad, base, depraved, vile, atrocious, execrable, degraded,
degrading, degenerate, venal, iniquitous, heinous, odious,
perverted, nefarious, wicked, flagitious, devilish,
diabolic(al), fiendish, monstrous, profligate, shameful,
shameless, abominable, sinful: The vicious, bloody dictatorship
on the island lasted only a dozen years. 2 malicious, spiteful,
mean, nasty, hateful, malevolent, malignant, bitter,
acrimonious, rancorous, venomous, vindictive, defamatory,
slanderous, scandalous, Slang rotten, bitchy: When they argued,
they said terribly vicious things to one another. 3 savage,
wild, untamed, ferocious, fearful, brutal, fierce, fiendish,
bestial, feral, brutish, ravening, Literary fell: The local
children were terrified of his vicious Rottweiler.
vicissitude
n. 1 change, mutation, alteration, changeability, mutability,
variation, variability, variety, alternation, flux, fluctuation,
unpredictability: Who seeks stability in life often encounters
its vicissitude. 2 vicissitudes. fluctuations, changes,
variations, contrasts, inconstancy, unpredictability,
uncertainties, Colloq ups and downs, flukiness: His success is
amazing in light of the vicissitudes he survived.
victim n. 1 sufferer, martyr, casualty, scapegoat, sacrificial lamb,
injured party: It is a pity that you had to be the victim of
her greed. 2 dupe, gull, fool, butt, fair game, Colloq chump,
fall guy, Slang sucker, sap, Chiefly US and Canadian patsy, US
schnook, schlemiel or schlemihl or shlemiel: She was an easy
victim for any confidence man.
victimize v. 1 prey on, pursue, go after, pick on, bully, take advantage
of, persecute, exploit, use: Increasingly, older people are
being victimized by unscrupulous relatives. 2 cheat, swindle,
bilk, defraud, dupe, hoodwink, deceive, gull, fool, trick,
outwit, outsmart, outfox, Colloq snooker, flimflam, Slang suck
or sucker in, screw, shaft, take (in), rook: The confidence
team used the old Spanish handkerchief trick to victimize
unsuspecting tourists.
victor n. winner, champion, conqueror, prizewinner: They came home
unchallenged victors by an overwhelming 11 point margin.
victorious
adj. triumphant, successful: Caesar was victorious over the
Gauls.
victory n. triumph, conquest, supremacy, superiority, success,
overcoming, mastery, winning, quelling, crushing: Alexander's
victory over Darius at Arbela was one of the decisive battles of
history.
vie v. compete, contend, struggle, strive: The brothers constantly
vied for their father's affection.
view n. 1 outlook, aspect, prospect, scene, perspective, vista,
panorama, spectacle, picture, tableau; landscape, seascape,
cityscape: From the tower we had a view of the devastation
below. 2 opinion, point of view, approach, position, judgement,
belief, way of thinking, conception, understanding, impression,
feeling, sentiment, notion: Denham's view is that the country's
defences are inadequate. 3 aspect, angle, position, prospect,
perspective, vision, representation, projection: Here is a
termite's-eye view of the timbers in your house. 4 inspection,
survey, vision, sight, observation, scrutiny, examination,
contemplation, study: The shroud was pulled away, exposing the
revolting object to our view. 5 aim, direction, intent,
intention, purpose, objective, object, expectation, prospect,
vision, hope, dream: We cultivated their friendship with a view
to being invited aboard their yacht. 6 in view of. in light of,
considering, in consideration of, because of, on account of: In
view of your failure to respond to our letters, we must refer
the matter to our lawyers.
--v. 7 look at or upon or over, see, take in, watch, observe,
scrutinize, examine, regard, behold: From this vantage point
one can view the entire valley. 8 witness, see, watch, observe,
take in: We viewed the entire robbery as it took place. 9
regard, consider, think of, look on or upon, judge, deem,
believe, hold, estimate, rate, gauge, assess: Control views
Craven as a threat.
viewpoint n. standpoint, (point of) view, attitude, angle, slant,
position, stance, vantage point, perspective, frame of
reference, way of thinking, context: From our viewpoint,
widening the road only encourages speeding.
vigilance n. watchfulness, alertness, observance, guardedness,
circumspection, attentiveness, caution: While the dog remains
loose, we must exercise vigilance.
vigilant adj. watchful, alert, sharp, observant, guarded, circumspect,
attentive, wakeful, cautious, careful, wary, chary, on one's
guard, on the alert, on the lookout, eagle-eyed, hawk-eyed,
Argus-eyed, on the qui vive, on one's toes, with one's eyes
open, Colloq with one's eyes skinned or peeled: As long as we
remain vigilant, they will never be able to take us by surprise.
vigorous adj. energetic, active, vivacious, dynamic, brisk, lively,
spirited, robust, strong, hardy, hale, hearty, vital, fit,
lusty, stalwart, in good or fine fettle, spry, sprightly,
resilient, Colloq peppy, full of pep, full of get-up-and-go,
full of beans: At 63, he is just as vigorous as he was at 40.
vigorously
adv. energetically, actively, vivaciously, dynamically,
briskly, spiritedly, robustly, strongly, hardily, heartily,
lustily, stalwartly, eagerly, with might and main, with a
vengeance, strenuously, Colloq like mad, like crazy, hammer and
tongs: It may not be good for you to exercise vigorously every
day.
vile adj. 1 base, abject, contemptible, debased, degenerate,
depraved, bad, iniquitous, execrable, atrocious, sordid,
immoral, amoral, wicked, evil, sinful, hellish, fiendish,
ignoble, revolting, despicable, horrid, horrible, dreadful,
terrible, corrupt, mean, wretched, miserable, degrading,
ignominious, disgraceful, shameful, shameless: In every age,
the vilest specimens of human nature are to be found among
demagogues. 2 disgusting, nasty, sickening, nauseous,
nauseating, foul, loathsome, offensive, noxious, repulsive,
repellent, repugnant: It is, indeed, a vile disease, but at
least it is not contagious. She had prepared some vile cocktail
that I refused to drink.
vilify v. depreciate, devalue, deprecate, debase, disparage,
denigrate, diminish, traduce, defame, speak ill of, revile,
slander, libel, abuse, defile, sully, smear, tarnish, malign,
calumniate, asperse, run down, decry, Rare vilipend, Colloq US
bad-mouth: His political and religious views became notorious
and were often vilified.
villain n. wretch, evil-doer, criminal, miscreant, blackguard, rogue,
rascal, cad, scallywag or scalawag, malefactor, scoundrel, dog,
cur, viper, reptile, snake in the grass, rat, Archaic
rapscallion, Literary knave, caitiff, Colloq Brit bounder,
blighter, Slang bastard, son of a bitch, Brit rotter, US SOB or
s.o.b. (= 'son of a bitch'): The villain of the film is a
smooth-talking charmer who swindles old ladies out of their
savings.
villainous
adj. 1 treacherous, perfidious, dishonest, unscrupulous,
traitorous, corrupt, faithless, criminal, felonious, murderous,
Colloq crooked, bent: Few activities are more villainous than
being a double agent. 2 See vile, 1, above.
vindicate v. 1 clear, exonerate, absolve, acquit, exculpate, excuse: She
was vindicated of any complicity in the affair. 2 justify,
support, uphold, prove: Subsequent events vindicated his
actions.
vindictive
adj. avenging, vengeful, vindicatory, revengeful, retaliatory,
spiteful, unforgiving, splenetic, resentful, rancorous,
implacable: She later turned vindictive, attacking everyone for
real or imagined slights.
vintage n. 1 year, crop, harvest, origin, generation: Which vintage is
the better for Bordeaux, 1949 or 1954?
--adj. 2 quality, choice, superior, better, good, select, best,
classic; aged, seasoned, mature(d), mellow(ed): Mark has become
an expert in vintage wines. 3 antiquated, old-fashioned,
old-fogyish or old-fogeyish, antique, bygone, old-time,
collector or collector's, Colloq over the hill: Claud used to
drive his vintage car to work every day.
violate v. 1 break, breach, disobey, disregard, contravene, infringe,
ignore: He habitually violated the law by carrying a pistol. 2
dishonour, desecrate, profane, defile, degrade, debase, treat
irreverently: Vandals were found to have violated the sacred
shrine. 3 rape, debauch, ravish, ravage, molest, attack,
assault, outrage: The victim identified the man who had
violated her.
violation n. 1 infringement, breach, disregard, disobedience,
contravention, abuse; ignoring, infringing, breaching,
disregarding, disobeying, contravening, abusing, violating:
Parking here is a violation of the law. Violation of the rules
will be dealt with summarily. 2 profanation, profaning,
sacrilege, desecration, desecrating, defilement, defiling,
degradation, degrading, dishonour, dishonouring, debasement,
debasing, violating: The authorities take a serious view of the
violation of a place of worship or a cemetery. 3 rape,
ravishment, molestation, attack, outrage, assault, violating:
The defendant is charged with the violation of three women.
violence n. 1 (brute or physical) force, might, mightiness, power,
strength, severity, intensity, energy, vehemence, ferocity,
ferociousness, fierceness, fury, vigour; destructiveness,
virulence: The violence of the storm continued unabated
throughout the night. The violence of the seizures diminished
after she was given the medication. 2 bestiality, brutality,
barbarity, savagery, cruelty, bloodthirstiness, wildness,
ferocity, frenzy, fury, passion, fierceness, vehemence,
murderousness: The marauders attacked with a violence that
terrified the villagers. 3 do violence to. a harm, damage,
injure: The scandal did violence to her reputation. Humphrey's
singing could do violence to any melody. b warp, twist, distort:
In reporting that her views are antifeminist, the newspaper did
violence to the import of her speech.
violent adj. 1 wild, physical, destructive, vehement, brutal, brutish,
beastly, nasty, cruel, mean, barbarous, inhuman, savage, fierce,
ferocious, furious, frenzied, uncontrollable, untamed,
ungovernable, raging, raving, irrational, insane, crazed, Colloq
fit to be tied: Tony turned into a violent maniac when he
suspected her of seeing another man. 2 harmful, injurious,
damaging, detrimental, destructive, deleterious, catastrophic,
cataclysmic, ruinous, devastating: This was the most violent
earthquake to hit Mexico in recorded history. 3 acute, serious,
severe, extreme, harsh, trenchant, virulent, intense, energetic,
forceful, vehement, passionate, impetuous,tempestuous: The
proceedings were interrupted by an outburst of violent abuse
from the public gallery.
virtual adj. effective, essential; practical, understood, accepted: In
rush hours, the motorway traffic comes to a virtual standstill.
virtually adv. essentially, effectively, practically, almost, to all
intents and purposes, for all practical purposes, more or less,
nearly, as good as, substantially, in effect, in essence: He
had virtually won the Brisbane-London sailing race when he
passed the Lizard, but then he hit a rock.
virtue n. 1 morality, high-mindedness, honour, goodness, justness,
righteousness, fairness, integrity, right-mindedness, honesty,
probity, uprightness, rectitude, decency, worth, worthiness,
nobility, character, respectability: You will find the
Billingses to be people of unassailable virtue. 2 virginity,
chastity, chasteness, honour, innocence, purity: As Healey had
six daughters, he was kept quite busy protecting their virtue. 3
quality, credit, strength, good point, asset: Opposing the
seven deadly sins are the three theological virtues, faith,
hope, and charity, and the four cardinal virtues, fortitude,
justice, prudence, and temperance. 4 by virtue of. by dint of,
owing to, thanks to, by reason of, because of, on account of:
Gerry was a part owner by virtue of his investment in the
company.
virtuosity
n. (technical) skill, technique, ability, expertise, mastery,
excellence, brilliance, craftsmanship, craft, flair, dash, ‚lan,
‚clat, panache, pyrotechnics, showmanship, show, staginess,
Colloq razzle-dazzle: The concerto was performed with signal
virtuosity but little imagination or understanding.
virtuoso n. 1 master, maestro, expert, genius, talent, prodigy, old
hand, Colloq wizard, whiz or whizz or wiz, whiz-kid or
whizz-kid, Chiefly Brit dab hand, US maven or mavin: Walter is
a veritable virtuoso on the harmonica.
--adj. 2 masterful, masterly, expert, talented, brilliant,
dazzling, bravura, prodigious, excellent, superb, extraordinary,
exceptional, superior, first-rate, superlative, matchless,
peerless, sterling, marvellous, remarkable: His virtuoso
performance of the B minor sonata won him a standing ovation.
virtuous adj. 1 moral, honourable, ethical, honest, good, upstanding,
high-principled, upright, righteous, pure, uncorrupted,
incorruptible, just, fair, right-minded, fair-minded,
high-minded, scrupulous, trustworthy: Thomas has proved himself
a virtuous young man. 2 chaste, innocent, virginal, virgin;
decent, proper, unsullied, faithful, true, uncorrupted: A
virtuous woman makes a virtuous wife.
virulence n. 1 virulency, poisonousness, venomousness, toxicity,
noxiousness, deadliness, perniciousness, injuriousness,
destructiveness, malignity, malignancy, violence, balefulness:
The virulence of his affliction was not recognized till it was
too late. 2 virulency, acrimony, acrimoniousness, bitterness,
acerbity, rancour, spleen, poison, poisonousness, venom,
venomousness, malignity, malevolence, maliciousness, malice,
spite, hostility, resentment, antagonism, hatred: We were taken
aback by the virulence of the priest's attack on Miss Thompson's
morals.
virulent adj. 1 lethal, life-threatening, deadly, fatal, pernicious,
septic, poisonous, toxic, baleful, noxious, dangerous, harmful,
injurious, detrimental, deleterious, destructive, unhealthy,
unwholesome: He died from a virulent form of dysentery that he
caught in the tropics. 2 vicious, venomous, bitter, spiteful,
malignant, malign, malicious, malevolent, poisonous, splenetic,
acrimonious, acerbic, acid, mordant, sarcastic, nasty,
trenchant, caustic, antagonistic, hateful, hostile: What did I
do to the reviewer of The Herald to merit such a virulent
review?
visible adj. 1 seeable, perceivable, perceptible, discernible,
detectable, discoverable, noticeable, unmistakable or
unmistakeable, clear, obvious, observable; visual: The visible
part of the energy spectrum is relatively small. The entrance
holes to their burrows were clearly visible. 2 obvious,
conspicuous, evident, apparent, prominent, manifest, distinct,
patent, well-defined, identifiable: The consequences of the Act
of Union of 1707 are still visible in Scotland today.
vision n. 1 eyesight, perception, sight: The optician said there is
nothing wrong with MacKenzie's vision. 2 far-sightedness,
understanding, imagination, foresight, foresightedness, insight:
MacKenzie has brought great vision to this scheme for developing
the Australian outback. 3 view, perspective, perception,
envisioning, envisaging, dream, idea, plan, scheme: MacKenzie's
vision of making the desert bloom seemed impossibly remote. 4
phantom, apparition, chimera, delusion, hallucination, mirage,
spectre, shade, eidolon, revenant, phantasm, materialization,
illusion, ghost, wraith: A vision appeared to MacKenzie as he
slept, telling him that her name was Alice Springs. 5 sight for
sore eyes, (welcome) sight, dream, epitome: To MacKenzie Alice
was a vision of great beauty, and he proposed marriage.
visionary adj. 1 dreamy, speculative, unpractical, impractical, fanciful,
imaginary, unrealistic, unreal, romantic, idealistic,
unworkable, Utopian: It is a pity that none of MacKenzie's
visionary plans ever came to pass.
--n. 2 dreamer, idealist, romantic, fantast, wishful thinker,
Don Quixote: The world needs more visionaries like MacKenzie.
visit v. 1 (go or come to) see, call (in or on or upon), look in on,
stop in or by, Colloq pop in or by, drop in (on), take in: I
plan to visit Leslie. Did you visit the Smithsonian Institution?
2 afflict, attack, befall, fall upon, assail, seize, smite,
scourge, descend upon, inflict, affect: Horrible diseases and
tortures were said to visit those who denied God.
--n. 3 stay, call, sojourn, stop, stopover: The minister will
be here for only a brief visit.
visitation
n. 1 staying, calling, visiting, sojourning, stopping (over):
The father has visitation rights to his children on weekends. 2
affliction, ordeal, trial, punishment, disaster, catastrophe,
cataclysm, calamity, tragedy, curse, scourge, blight, plague,
pestilence: In the story, the tyrant succumbed finally to a
visitation from the Almighty.
visitor n. caller, guest, company; visitant: May I phone you back
after my visitors have gone?
vital adj. 1 imperative, essential, necessary, needed, requisite,
required, indispensable, mandatory, compulsory, cardinal,
fundamental, basic, critical, crucial, central, pivotal: Air
and water are vital for the existence of most known organisms.
2 important, key, central, critical, crucial, life-and-death or
life-or-death, pivotal, paramount, main: In an emergency, the
captain must make the vital decision whether to abandon ship.
This is a matter of vital concern for us all. 3 lively, full of
life, vivacious, spirited, vigorous, dynamic, alive, animated,
brisk, energetic: We have lost a vital member of the community.
She took a vital interest in community affairs. 4 invigorating,
quickening, life-giving, animating, vitalizing, reviving,
vivifying, enlivening, rejuvenating: I could feel the vital
energies returning to my limbs.
vitality n. 1 energy, life, life-force, vigour, power, intensity, force,
liveliness,, vivacity, vivaciousness, animation, sparkle,
spiritedness, exuberance, Colloq zing, pep, pizazz, oomph,
get-up-and-go, zip, vim: My great-grandfather has the vitality
of a forty-year-old. 2 stamina, hardiness, endurance, energy,
strength, robustness: Does this society have the vitality
needed to take it into the next decade?
vitalize v. stimulate, activate, arouse, vivify, animate, awaken,
inspirit, invigorate, enliven, inspire, revive, rejuvenate,
innervate, energize, fortify, reinvigorate, renew, refresh,
charge (up): The tonic vitalized him to the point where he felt
young again.
vitiate v. 1 spoil, ruin, harm, impair, mar, sully, corrupt, pervert,
contaminate, adulterate, weaken, degrade, downgrade, depreciate,
diminish, depress, vulgarize, lower, reduce, undermine: Words
appropriated from other languages tend to enrich rather than
vitiate modern English. 2 debase, deprave, pervert, corrupt,
demoralize, defile: Despite other strengths his entire
character was vitiated by overriding avarice. 3 invalidate,
destroy, delete, cancel, nullify, annul, revoke, void, abrogate,
abolish, withdraw, quash, suppress: The invoice was effectively
vitiated by the plaintiff's failure to deliver the goods.
vituperate
v. berate, rate, reproach, revile, vilify, execrate, abuse,
denounce, decry, deprecate, disparage, devalue, diminish, put
down, run down, devaluate, depreciate, blame, inculpate,
censure, find fault with, attack, assail, castigate, scold,
reprimand, upbraid, rebuke, chide, chasten: From the pulpit he
continued to vituperate the vices of the court.
vituperative
adj. abusive, calumniatory, calumnious, scurrilous, derogatory,
belittling, depreciatory, depreciative, detractory,
contemptuous, damning, denunciatory, denigrating, deprecatory,
censorious, aspersive, defamatory, slanderous, libellous,
castigatory, condemnatory, malign, scornful, withering, harsh,
sardonic, sarcastic, biting, acid, contumelious, opprobrious,
insulting, Formal vilipenditory, Colloq down-putting: Why
should he have directed this vituperative speech at the very
person whom he loves?
vivacious adj. lively, spirited, sprightly, energetic, animated, brisk,
ebullient, effervescent, bubbly, gay, cheerful, happy, blithe,
jaunty, light-hearted, sunny, merry, high-spirited, buoyant,
chipper, Colloq up, peppy, full of pep, full of beans, zippy:
Had he not gone on the cruise, Michael would never have met the
vivacious redhead who became his bride.
vivid adj. 1 intense, strong, brilliant, fresh, bright, dazzling,
lucid, rich, clear, colourful, glowing: Michel looked splendid
in a silk dress of vivid yellow. 2 clear, detailed, sharp,
realistic, graphic, true to life, lifelike, distinct, powerful,
strong, memorable, dramatic, striking: It brought back to me
vivid memories of our first meeting in 1985. 3 prolific,
fruitful, fertile, fecund, inventive, creative: That kiss,
which never took place, is a figment of Bagley's vivid
imagination.
vocalist n. singer, soloist, choirboy, choir girl, choir member,
chorus-boy, chorus girl, chorus-member, chorister, caroller;
diva, prima donna, chanteuse; cantor, crooner; Colloq songbird,
canary, thrush, nightingale: It was sung by a female vocalist
with a high-pitched girlish voice.
vocation n. calling, trade, m‚tier, business, profession, occupation,
career, employment, job, pursuit, life's-work, life-work, line
(of work), Slang bag, thing: I left university with no
particular vocation in mind.
vogue n. 1 fashion, mode, style, look, taste, trend, rage, craze,
last word, dernier cri, (latest) thing, Colloq fad, the latest:
Black leather boots were in vogue once again. 2 popularity,
favour, preference, acceptance, currency, prevalence,
fashionableness: They are capitalizing on the vogue for torn
jeans.
voice n. 1 speech, utterance, articulation, words, expression: Keith
found it difficult to give voice to his innermost thoughts. 2
share, part, vote, participation, say, decision, option, turn,
chance: As a junior member of the board, Nicholas had no voice
in major decisions. 3 spokesman, spokeswoman, spokesperson,
representative, agent, agency, instrument; organ, medium,
vehicle, forum, publication: Throughout his time in government,
Logan had served as the voice of the miners. The Clarion views
itself as the voice of all the people, though it actually
represents only a few.
--v. 4 express, utter, articulate, enunciate, present,
verbalize, put into words, give utterance or voice or expression
or vent to, communicate, convey, declare, assert, make known,
reveal, disclose, raise, bring up, air: I must voice my
misgivings about the step you are planning to take.
void adj. 1 null and void, invalid, not (legally) binding,
inoperative, unenforceable, ineffectual, futile, ineffective,
vain, unavailing, idle, useless, pointless, bootless: Owing to
irregularities, the election was declared void. If a card is
turned face-up, the deal is void. 2 empty, vacant, unoccupied,
unused, unutilized, unfilled, blank, clear; deserted: It is up
to the council to appoint new members as places become void. 3
void of. devoid of, without, lacking, destitute of: The man was
utterly void of imagination. In a minute, the room was void of
people.
--n. 4 emptiness, vacantness, vacuum, blankness, nothingness:
Without a word, he leaped off the edge and plunged into the
void. 5 space, niche, slot, opening, place, vacancy, gap,
emptiness: Who will fill the void left by Edgar's departure?
--v. 6 nullify, annul, cancel, delete, disannul, declare or
render null and void, invalidate, quash, vacate, discharge,
abandon, disestablish, neutralize, disenact, set or put aside,
rescind, reverse, abnegate, abrogate: They had to void the
accusation for lack of evidence. 7 evacuate, discharge, expel,
emit, purge, clear, empty, drain, eject; pass, excrete, urinate,
defecate: The tanker went far out to sea before voiding its
tanks. This medication will help in voiding the patient's
bowels.
volatile adj. 1 vaporizing, evaporable, evaporative: A volatile
solvent, which evaporates quickly, is the vehicle for
thermosetting plastics. 2 changeable, fickle, flighty,
inconstant, erratic, restless, unstable, variable, mercurial,
capricious: She was so volatile that one could never predict
what she would do next. 3 explosive, hair-trigger, sensitive,
charged, eruptive, tense, tension-ridden: Be careful of
Christine's volatile temper.
volition n. (free) will, choice, option, choosing, choice, discretion,
preference: She pursued a course of her own volition.
volley n. 1 salvo, bombardment, barrage, cannonade, fusillade,
discharge, hail, shower: A volley of shot struck the tower,
which collapsed. 2 outpouring, torrent, flood, deluge,
inundation, burst, storm, outbreak: The cracks of the
muleteer's whip were accompanied by a volley of abuse. 3 give
and take, to-and-fro, interaction, reciprocity, exchange,
volleying, crossfire, badinage, bantering: Samuel enjoyed the
volley of haggling that accompanied every sale.
voluble adj. talkative, glib, fluent, loquacious, garrulous, chatty,
profuse, gossipy, exuberant, long-winded, bombastic, windy,
wordy, Colloq blessed with the gift of the gab: He is the House
of Commons' most voluble advocate of capital punishment.
volume n. 1 amount, quantity, supply, mass, bulk, abundance, sum
total, aggregate: The volume of ore from the mine created a
pile hundreds of feet high. Her volume of output is greater than
yours and mine together. 2 capacity, size, measure: The volume
of this bottle is not more than a litre. 3 loudness: Turn down
the volume on that ghetto-blaster. 4 book, tome: I bought a
twenty-volume set of Dickens.
voluminous
adj. 1 large, extensive, great, spacious, capacious, expansive,
roomy, loose, ample, big, ample, bulky, cavernous, copious,
massive, huge, substantial, tremendous, enormous, gigantic,
mammoth, vast: Rose's voluminous skirt was supported by a
farthingale. 2 oversized, out-sized, ample, billowing: The
voluminous spinnaker filled and we wafted down the estuary at
hull speed.
voluntarily
adv. freely, willingly, spontaneously, of (one's) own free
will, on (one's) own (initiative or recognizance or
responsibility), without prompting, without being prompted or
asked, gratis, gratuitously; by choice, intentionally,
purposely, on purpose, deliberately: Some of the students spent
their summer vacation voluntarily helping the needy.
voluntary adj. 1 free, elective, willing, spontaneous, unsolicited,
unbidden, unasked, gratuitous, contributed: All work done on
behalf of the cause is voluntary. 2 discretionary or
discretional, unconstrained, intentional, wilful, deliberate,
intended, premeditated, planned, volitional, optional: His
confession was entirely voluntary, and he was not coerced in any
way.
voluptuous
adj. 1 sensual, sensualistic, sensuous, luxurious, voluptuary,
sybaritic(al), hedonist(ic), pleasure-seeking, pleasure-loving,
luxury-loving, (self-)indulgent: He longed to taste once again
the voluptuous delights of the Corinthian court. 2 seductive,
attractive, desirable, beautiful, tempting, inviting, appealing,
enticing, alluring, ravishing, luscious, delicious, gorgeous,
shapely, buxom, well-proportioned, well-endowed, well-built,
Colloq curvaceous, sexy, eye-filling, Slang (well-)stacked,
busty, US built: As he lolled on silken cushions, voluptuous
houris danced round him in tightening circles.
vomit v. spew out or up, spit up, belch forth; regurgitate, throw up,
gag, retch, heave, US keck, Colloq puke, return (food), Brit
sick up, Slang chiefly Australian chunder, US barf, upchuck,
toss (one's) cookies, spiff (one's) biscuits: The ancient steam
engine vomited smoke and cinders from its huge stack. The very
thought of going on a sea voyage almost made me vomit.
voracious adj. 1 insatiable, gluttonous, ravenous, ravening, rapacious,
piggish, hoggish, cormorant, predacious, edacious, devouring,
greedy, avaricious, esurient, uncontrollable, uncontrolled,
unquenchable, enormous, prodigious, US cormorant: Is there no
satisfying the man's voracious appetite? 2 thirsty, hungry,
desirous, avid, eager, zealous, enthusiastic, fervent, fervid,
ardent, earnest, passionate, devoted: It was becoming difficult
to satisfy the public's voracious demand for gossip.
vote n. 1 ballot, ticket, show of hands; referendum, plebiscite: We
must have a vote on the issue. 2 suffrage, franchise: Women
did not have the vote in those days. 3 opinion; voter, elector:
Do you think your platform can win over the liberal vote?
--v. 4 opt, choose, come out (for or against), express or
signify (one's) opinion or preference or desire: Many people
vote for a party rather than an individual.
vouch v. Usually, vouch for. support, guarantee, back (up), endorse,
certify; uphold, sponsor, bear witness, attest to: My neighbour
will vouch for me. Can she vouch for your not leaving the house
all evening?
vouchsafe v. 1 offer, give (up), yield, accord, supply, grant, impart,
bestow, deign or condescend to give: The minister vouchsafed no
information regarding interest rates. 2 permit, allow, suffer:
The government vouchsafed the hostages safe passage out of the
country.
vow v. 1 swear, pledge, promise, assure, state, declare, give
(one's) (solemn) word (of honour): I vowed to return after the
war to care for those who had helped me escape.
--n. 2 oath, pledge, promise, agreement; (solemn) word (of
honour): She will keep her vow, you may be certain.
vulgar adj. 1 indelicate, boorish, uncultured, uncultivated, low,
unrefined, common, plebeian, inelegant, unladylike,
ungentlemanly, gauche, uncouth, coarse, tasteless, ostentatious,
ignoble, low-class, Colloq flash: The boss's wife was known for
her vulgar behaviour at the dinner table. 2 tasteless,
indelicate, indecent, rude, crude, naughty, dirty, improper, off
colour, risqu‚, ribald, blue, indecorous, nasty, offensive,
gross, lustful, obscene, lewd, lascivious, licentious, smutty,
salacious, scatological, filthy, pornographic, Slang US raunchy:
He made a lot of money through publishing vulgar magazines and
videos. 3 popular, vernacular, ordinary, everyday, general,
homespun, commonplace, household, average: Dictionaries should
record the vulgar language as well as the literary.
vulgarity n. 1 coarseness, lack of refinement or sophistication,
crudeness, rudeness, indelicacy, tawdriness, baseness,
humbleness, unsophistication, gaucherie, gaucheness, ignobility:
When you consider his upbringing you can scarcely blame him for
his vulgarity. 2 impropriety, lewdness, grossness, foulness,
vileness, filthiness, obscenity, Slang US raunchiness: The
magazine was refused an import licence because of its vulgarity.
vulnerable
adj. exposed, defenceless, weak, sensitive, unprotected,
unguarded, unshielded, helpless, powerless: She felt vulnerable
to those who prey on the elderly.
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wad n. 1 pad, mass, lump, clod, ball, plug, chunk, hunk, block,
pack: He had a wad of cotton wool in each ear. 2 roll,
pocketful, heap, quantity, load, Colloq US bankroll: Over
coffee James handed him a wad of notes.
waddle v. toddle, shuffle, wobble or wabble, totter, paddle, pad,
waggle, duck-walk, Brit dialect wamble: He waddled down the
road, a shopping-bag on each arm.
wade v. 1 ford, cross, traverse, walk, make one's way: The water is
only knee-deep, and you can wade across. 2 paddle, play,
splash: There is a shallow pool where the little children can
wade. 3 wade in or into. a enter, get in (or into), join (in):
When the fight began, Patrick waded in with arms flailing. b
attack, approach, get or set to work, plunge or dive into: I
have to wade into an enormous pile of mail that accumulated
while I was away. 4 wade through. plough through, work (one's)
way through, hammer or pound away at, plod through, peg away at:
You really have to wade through that entire book to write your
report.
waffle v. 1 Often, waffle on. carry on, jabber (on), prattle (on),
prate, blather (on or away), Colloq run on, Brit witter (on),
natter (on), rabbit on, Slang run off at the mouth: He kept
waffling on about his new computer and, frankly, I wasn't
listening. 2 equivocate, hedge, quibble, shuffle, tergiversate,
hem and haw, prevaricate, Brit beat about the bush, US beat
around the bush, Colloq fudge: I wish he would stop waffling
and say what he means.
--n. 3 talk, palaver, verbiage, prattle, twaddle, blather,
prolixity, wordiness, jabber, jibber-jabber, Colloq hot air:
All I got was a lot of waffle when I asked for the best interest
rate on a loan.
waft v. 1 drift, float, blow, whiff, be borne or carried or
transported: The scent of jasmine wafted towards me on the warm
breeze.
--n. 2 breath, suggestion, puff, whiff, hint: A waft of cool,
fresh air momentarily eased the stench of the dungeon.
wag° v. 1 wave, waggle, oscillate, fluctuate, sway, undulate,
flutter, flap, flip, flicker, shake, vibrate, quiver, nod, rock,
dance, wobble, bob, bobble, waver, Rare vellicate: Misty's tail
wagged as I approached the house.
--n. 2 wave, waggle, oscillation, fluctuation, sway,
undulation, flutter, vellication, flap, flip, flicker, shake,
vibration, quiver, nod, wobble, bobble, waver: The dying animal
recognized me and gave a feeble wag of her tail.
wagэ n. comedian, wit, punster, pundit, joker, jester, comic,
jokester, droll, merry andrew, clown, Colloq card: A wag said
that tailors were like storks - known for their big bills.
wage n. 1 Often, wages. pay, compensation, emolument, remuneration,
payment, fee, salary, stipend, recompense, reward, earnings;
honorarium: The strikers wanted a ten per cent increase in
their hourly wage.
--v. 2 carry on, pursue, conduct, engage in, undertake,
practise, prosecute, proceed with: History shows that wars are
often waged over trifling differences.
wait v. 1 tarry, linger, hold on, stay, bide (one's) time, mark
time, stand by, Colloq cool (one's) heels, stick around, sit
tight, hang on, Brit hang about, US hang around: If you wait
till I've finished this, I'll join you for dinner. 2 be delayed
or postponed or deferred or shelved or put off, US be tabled,
Colloq be put on ice or on the back burner: The quarterly sales
figures can wait - we haven't yet completed those for this
month. 3 wait on or upon. serve, attend (to), minister (to):
Rose made such a fuss that the restaurant staff refused to wait
on her.
--n. 4 delay, pause, stay, hold-up, interval, halt, stop,
stoppage, break, hiatus, lacuna, gap, respite, rest (period),
intermission, discontinuation, recess: There was an extra long
wait between trains because of track repairs further up the
line.
waiter n. waitress, head waiter, maЊtre d'h“tel, host, hostess,
sommelier (des vins), wine steward, stewardess; cup-bearer,
Ganymede, Hebe: Marie asked the waiter to bring her a clean
plate.
waive v. 1 give up, relinquish, renounce, resign, forsake, forgo,
cede, sign away, surrender, abandon, yield, dispense with: I
waived my right to the inheritance in favour of my daughters. 2
set or put aside, except, ignore, disregard, overlook, abandon,
defer, postpone: We are happy to waive the rules in your case,
madam.
waiver n. renunciation, relinquishment, forgoing, ceding, cession,
resignation, surrender, abandonment, setting or putting aside,
deferral, remission, postponement: Her waiver of all rights to
the inheritance was duly recorded.
wake° v. 1 Often, wake up. awaken, awake, rouse, waken, bring around;
stir, bestir (oneself), get up, come to, get going: Wake me
when it is over. She didn't wake up till noon. 2 awake, waken,
awaken, animate, stimulate, enliven, galvanize, fire, quicken,
inspirit, inspire, activate, liven up, vivify, kindle, vitalize,
stir, arouse, get (someone) going, bring to life: When I feel
this tired, it takes a lot to wake me up. Seeing Margo woke a
spark in me I thought had long since died.
--n. 3 vigil, watch, death-watch, funeral: If you have ever
been to an Irish wake, you will know what I mean.
wakeэ n. 1 track, trail, aftermath, path, backwash, wash, bow wave;
trace, spoor, scent: The wake from the passing boats damages
the docks. No matter where he went, they followed in his wake. 2
in the wake of. following (on or upon), after, subsequent to; as
a result or consequence of, on account of, because of, owing to,
by virtue of: In the wake of the law's enactment, scores of
abortions were performed.
wakeful adj. 1 awake, sleepless, waking, unsleeping, restless, restive,
insomniac: The children were wakeful the entire night in
anticipation of a visit from Santa Claus. 2 watchful, (on the)
alert, on the qui vive, sharp, attentive, vigilant, wary,
cautious, observant, heedful, on the lookout: We remained
wakeful, alert to any footstep.
walk v. 1 advance, proceed, move, go, wend, go or make (one's) way
by foot, tread, step, perambulate, stalk, stride, tramp, stroll,
amble, ramble, ambulate, shamble, pad, shuffle, saunter, trudge,
trek, plod, slog, hike, parade, promenade, strut, swagger,
prance, march, goose-step, pace, trip, sidle, tiptoe, sashay,
flounce, stagger, lurch, limp, waddle, stamp, mince, slink,
steal, prowl, skulk, sneak, creep, Colloq go by or ride by
shanks's or shanks' mare or pony, hoof it, foot it, traipse,
pussyfoot, Slang US boogie: Guthrie certainly has a peculiar
way of walking. 2 take, convoy, accompany, escort, go with;
conduct, lead; empty: Let me walk you to the station. I have to
walk the dog twice a day. 3 patrol, trace out, stalk, cover,
haunt, prowl, wander, roam, rove or range about in or on,
frequent: Her mother could not understand why Maizie walked the
streets nightly. 4 walk out. a leave, depart, desert; walk out
on: She just walked out and no one has seen her since. b
strike, go (out) on strike, protest, take industrial action,
Brit down tools: Negotiations reached an impasse, so the
employees walked out.
--n. 5 path, lane, pathway, pavement, footpath, promenade,
esplanade, boardwalk, Brit footway, US sidewalk: We strolled
along the pleasant walks that lead through the park. 6 gait,
step, carriage, bearing, stride: He had great fun imitating
Groucho Marx's slinky walk. 7 constitutional, stroll, amble;
slog, tramp, hike: Lettie likes to take a walk in the park
after dinner. We had a five-day walk through the jungle before
reaching civilization.
wall n. 1 screen, partition, divider, enclosure, separator,
bulkhead, barrier, obstruction, obstacle, impediment, block,
fence: Marcie built round herself a wall of resentment which no
one could penetrate. 2 barricade, fortification, protection,
bulwark, breastwork, embankment, rampart, palisade, stockade:
It was questionable whether the walls would withstand the
cannon-balls. 3 drive up the wall. drive crazy or insane or
mad, madden, exasperate, derange, try, irritate, infuriate,
enrage: The constant caterwauling from the next flat is driving
me up the wall. 4 go to the wall. fail, collapse, be ruined,
face ruin, go bankrupt, lose everything, Colloq go broke, go
under, fold (up), Slang go bust: Unicold went to the wall
because of increased costs and decreased sales.
--v. 5 Often, wall up or off. enclose, partition (off), close
(off), brick up, immure: A bricklayer was hired to wall up the
openings where the windows had been.
wallet n. purse, pocketbook, Brit notecase, US billfold: An anonymous
good Samaritan found my wallet and sent it to me intact, with
all the money in it.
wallow v. 1 roll or loll about or around, welter, writhe, tumble,
splash or plash: He enjoys watching the pigs wallowing in the
mud. 2 Usually, wallow in. luxuriate in, bask in, revel in,
glory in, indulge (oneself) in, give (oneself) up to, succumb
to, take to, appreciate, fancy, enjoy, like, love, savour, Slang
get a kick or a bang or a boot from or out of: Now that Gabriel
is a big rock star, he simply wallows in all the attention he is
getting. 3 stumble, stagger, lurch, flounder, teeter, totter,
falter, pitch: Without its engines, the ship was lifted skyward
by a wave one moment only to wallow in a trough the next.
wan adj. 1 white, sickly, pale, pallid, livid, pasty, ashen,
bloodless, waxen, whey-faced, sallow, colourless, deathly,
ghostly, ghastly, cadaverous: I almost wept at seeing the
child's wan face against the pillow. 2 weary, weak, hollow,
feeble, frail, ineffectual, sorry, pitiful: She offered no more
than a wan smile in response to questions about her family.
wand n. baton, stick, staff, stick: The magician pointed with his
wand and a bottle of gin appeared.
wander v. 1 walk, go, roam, rove, range, stray, ramble, stroll,
saunter, meander, drift, cruise, prowl, Colloq mosey: We
wandered about the village square, chatting and window-shopping.
2 wind, meander, zigzag, turn this way and that: A trout stream
wanders past our house. 3 digress, go off, become
absent-minded, go wool-gathering, lose concentration or focus:
My mind wandered as the speaker droned on. 4 deviate, digress,
turn, divagate, stray, drift, depart, go off at a tangent, lose
(one's) train of thought, lapse: The speaker tended to wander
occasionally.
wane v. 1 decrease, diminish, grow less, lessen, decline, die out,
abate, ebb, subside, fade (away), dim, taper off, peter out,
wind down, weaken: The waning moon cast its pale light on the
dying knight. As his strength waned he could no longer lift his
sword. 2 draw to a close, end, terminate: The day waned into a
gloomy evening.
--n. 3 decrease, diminution, lessening, decline, abatement,
ebb, subsidence, fading, tapering off, petering out, winding
down, weakening, deterioration, degeneration: The 1970s saw the
wane in popularity of large, gas-guzzling cars. 4 on the wane.
on the decrease or decline or ebb, diminishing, decreasing,
declining, abating, subsiding, fading, tapering off, petering
out, winding down, weakening, deteriorating, degenerating: The
economy is recovering, and inflation is on the wane. Since that
latest illness, my energy has been on the wane.
wangle v. scheme, plot, work out, contrive, manoeuvre, engineer,
manage, manipulate, machinate, Colloq fix, fiddle, work, pull
off, finagle, swing: I hear that you were able to wangle an
audience with the pope.
want v. 1 desire, crave, wish (for), long for, pine for, hope (for),
fancy, covet, hanker after, lust after, hunger for or after,
thirst for or after, yearn for, Colloq have a yen for: I want
you near me. Ignore his crying - he just wants some ice-cream.
Maybe he's crying because he wants to go. 2 need, lack, miss,
require, call for, demand, be deficient in, be or stand in want
or in need of, necessitate; be or fall short of: This engine
wants proper maintenance. The bottle wants only a few more drops
to fill it.
--n. 3 need, lack, shortage, deficiency, dearth, scarcity,
scarceness, insufficiency, scantiness, inadequacy, paucity: For
want of good writers, the literary quarterly diminished in size
and finally disappeared. 4 appetite, hunger, thirst, craving,
desire, fancy, wish, longing, yearning, hankering, demand,
necessity, requirement, requisite, prerequisite, Colloq yen:
She gave up trying to satisfy his wants. 5 poverty, need,
indigence, homelessness, destitution, privation, pauperism,
penury, neediness, impecuniousness: The civilized nations are
trying to solve the problems of want, which seem to increase
daily.
wanting adj. 1 deficient, inadequate, not up to par or expectations,
insufficient, leaving much to be desired, unsatisfactory,
unsatisfying, disappointing, second-rate, inferior, poor,
shabby, shoddy, flawed, faulty, imperfect, incomplete,
unfinished, defective, patchy, impaired, damaged, broken,
unsound: These robots were tested at the factory and were found
wanting. 2 absent, missing, lacking, short (of), US and
Canadian shy (of): What good is a banjo wanting its strings?
wanton adj. 1 immoral, dissolute, profligate, dissipated, depraved,
loose, promiscuous, lustful, licentious, lecherous, wild,
libidinous, lewd, lascivious, unchaste: She is a wanton hussy
who is no better than she ought to be. 2 abandoned,
unrestrained, undisciplined, ungoverned, ungovernable,
unmanageable, outrageous, immoderate, intemperate, untempered:
It is not the boy's fault, it is the wanton company he keeps. 3
reckless, rash, uncaring, lavish, extravagant, wilful, heedless,
irresponsible, careless: This situation arises from the
parents' wanton disregard for their children's moral training. 4
wicked, evil, malevolent, malicious, merciless, inhumane,
vicious, cruel, violent, unjustified, unprovoked, uncalled-for,
purposeless, motiveless, unjustifiable, arbitrary, gratuitous:
We were subject to wanton attacks by the hill people.
--n. 5 vamp, strumpet, whore, harlot, loose woman, prostitute,
voluptuary, slut, trollop, Jezebel, Colloq tart, Slang hooker,
working girl, call-girl: Who invited that wanton, with her
tight-fitting, shamelessly low-cut dress?
war n. 1 warfare, combat, conflict, fighting, clash, hostilities,
battle, struggle, engagement, encounter, strife, contention:
The war, in which several millions died, lasted six years. 2 at
war. fighting, battling, in combat, in conflict; in
disagreement, in dispute, in contention, struggling,
antagonistic, at daggers drawn: They are at war because an
ambassador refused to retract some silly insult.
--v. 3 do battle or fight or struggle or (engage in) combat
with or against, make or wage war with or against, take up arms
or strive or campaign or tilt against, cross swords or contend
or joust with: We must continue to war against the forces of
evil.
ward n. 1 district, division, precinct, section, zone, quarter:
Perkin was running for re-election as councillor of the Eastgate
ward. 2 minor, dependant: The child was made a ward of the
court.
--v. 3 ward off. fend off, repel, avert, avoid, block, thwart,
keep away or off or at bay or at arm's length, check, repulse,
chase away or off, forestall: This brandy should help ward off
the night chill.
wardrobe n. 1 (collection or stock of) clothing or clothes or attire or
apparel: At the time, my entire wardrobe consisted of a pair of
jeans, a shirt, and a dinner suit. 2 clothes-press, closet,
clothes-cupboard: In her wardrobe they found more than three
thousand pairs of shoes.
warehouse n. storehouse, store, storeroom, depository, stockroom, depot,
go-down: The books are kept in a warehouse and shipped to
customers as needed.
wares n.pl. merchandise, goods, commodities, manufactures, produce,
stock-(in-trade), supplies, lines: A blind man peddled his
wares on this corner for twenty years.
warlike adj. combative, belligerent, bellicose, aggressive, pugnacious,
hostile, bloodthirsty; hawkish, militaristic, jingoistic,
warmongering: Violation of the border was a warlike act that
must be punished. There are warlike factions in every
government.
warm adj. 1 heated, tepid, lukewarm, cosy, comfortable, not
uncomfortable, balmy: We chose a beautiful warm day for our
picnic. 2 passionate, impassioned, excited, animated, fervent,
fervid, spirited, lively, ardent, zealous, keen, eager,
emotional, heated, intense, irritated, annoyed, vexed, angry,
irate, furious, testy, short-tempered, touchy, quick-tempered,
irascible, irritable, stormy, turbulent, vigorous, violent,
Colloq worked up, hot under the collar, steamed up: Charles
occasionally became a bit warm on the subject of architecture.
The debate grew warm as we joined in. 3 amiable, friendly,
cordial, affable, pleasant, genial, cheerful, kindly,
hospitable, hearty; affectionate, tender, mellow, loving,
amorous: After a warm greeting from our host, we went in to
meet the other guests. Her generous gifts to charity revealed
that she really has a warm heart. 4 ardent, enthusiastic,
earnest, eager, sincere: Our ideas for the new campaign met
with warm approval from the client. 5 uncomfortable, awkward,
unpleasant, strained, tense: The people in this town tend to
make things a bit warm for strangers. 6 Often, getting warm.
close or near to making a discovery, about to make a discovery:
From her look as I approached the cabinet, I knew I was getting
warm.
--v. 7 heat (up), warm up or over: I warmed myself by the
fire. 8 Often, warm to. become less antagonistic or hostile to
or toward(s), become enthusiastic or supportive of, become
excited or animated about or over, be attracted to or toward(s),
like, feel affection for: Martin never did warm to my idea of
using the village notice-board for his message. 9 stir, move,
please, delight, make (one or someone) feel good: It warmed me
to know that she had at last found someone to love.
warm-blooded
adj. 1 Technical homoeothermic or homoeothermal or
homoiothermic or homoiothermal or homeothermic or homeothermal:
Birds and mammals are warm-blooded, reptiles and fish are
cold-blooded. 2 passionate, ardent, fervid, hot-blooded,
impetuous, Colloq randy: He tried to excuse his behaviour
towards her by saying that he was just a normal, warm-blooded
man.
warmly adv. 1 affectionately, tenderly, fondly, lovingly: Linda
kissed him warmly to thank him for the gift. 2 cordially,
amiably, amicably, solicitously, warm-heartedly: We were
greeted warmly by the manager on our arrival and shown to our
rooms. 3 earnestly, eagerly, fervently, enthusiastically, well,
kindly: The directors are warmly disposed to your plan for
reorganization. 4 vigorously, intensely, fiercely, intensively,
intently, energetically, doggedly, persistently, zealously,
fervently, fervidly, hotly, ardently, enthusiastically: We
learned that she was being warmly pursued by Interpol. 5
heatedly, vehemently, vociferously, forcefully, energetically,
vigorously, feverishly, frantically, furiously, angrily,
violently: The sending of a peace-keeping force was being
warmly debated in the UN.
warmth n. 1 heat: We basked in the welcome warmth of the sun. 2
cordiality, heartiness, friendliness, geniality, amiableness,
kindliness, tenderness, affability, love: Mother thrives on the
warmth of a family environment and should not be put in a
nursing home. 3 ardour, effusiveness, enthusiasm, zeal,
excitedness, fervour, vehemence, vigour, ebullience, passion: I
was taken aback by the warmth of the stranger's greeting. The
resolution was debated with considerable warmth. 4 irritation,
annoyance, pique: The warmth of his reaction to the accusation
is understandable.
warn v. 1 caution, admonish, advise, notify, apprise, inform, give
(fair) warning, alert, give (prior) notice, put (someone) on
notice or on guard or on the alert, make (someone) aware (of),
forewarn, tip off, Rare premonish: The entire population has
been warned about the imminent hurricane. 2 advise, counsel,
caution: You did warn me against investing in llama farms.
warning n. 1 caution, admonition, advice, counsel, caveat, word (to the
wise), tip, notification, notice, threat; lesson, example:
Cyril never took seriously his doctor's warning about his
cholesterol level. Let that be a warning to you not to drink and
drive. 2 omen, sign, signal, indication, augury, foretoken,
portent, foreshadowing, forewarning, prophecy: Sailors take
that kind of sky and a falling barometer as warning of a
hurricane.
warp v. 1 twist, contort, distort, deform, bend out of shape,
wrench, pervert, misshape: Using steam, the timber was warped
to fit the hull. You certainly have a warped idea of what Yvette
does for a living.
--n. 2 twist, contortion, distortion, bias, deformity,
deformation, bend, wrench, perversion, kink, idiosyncrasy,
quirk, deviation: There is too much of a warp in this veneer to
repair it. Harry has to overcome a serious warp in his attitude
towards food.
warrant n. 1 authorization, sanction, reason, justification, approval,
validation, licence, right, certification, entitlement, grounds,
cause, rationale, basis, assurance, carte blanche, guarantee,
pledge, security, charter, warranty: We demand to know what
warrant may exist for such an action. 2 writ, order, affidavit,
paper, document, credential, permit, entitlement, licence,
permit, summons, subpoena, mandate, decree, fiat, edict, ukase:
Do not let them search the premises without a warrant. A warrant
has been issued for her arrest.
--v. 3 guarantee, promise, assure, ensure or insure, answer
for, be answerable for, certify, vouch for, underwrite, back up,
uphold, stand by or behind: All these products are warranted by
the manufacturer for one year. 4 authorize, sanction, justify,
explain, approve, verify, validate, permit, allow, provide or
offer grounds or justification or cause or reason for, call for,
necessitate, entitle, empower, excuse, license: What is it that
warrants such accusations of malfeasance?
warranty n. guarantee, assurance, promise, commitment, covenant,
undertaking, agreement, pledge, bond: There is a maker's
warranty that repairs of any defects will be made at no cost to
the buyer.
wary adj. cautious, careful, on (one's) guard, circumspect, prudent,
apprehensive, chary, watchful, vigilant, on the qui vive,
heedful, observant, on (one's) toes, Colloq cagey, Slang leery
(of): Phoebe is wary of going out with someone she doesn't
know.
wash v. 1 wash up, clean (up), cleanse, bathe, shower, douche,
douse, scrub (up), shampoo, soap up, lather, launder, scour,
soak, rinse, flush, wet, drench, deterge, sponge (off),
Facetious perform (one's) ablutions, Archaic absterge, Formal or
literary lave, Brit bath: Please wash the dishes when you have
finished eating. I must wash before I do anything else. 2
Sometimes, wash away or out or off. remove, move, transport,
carry, bear, convey, deliver, deposit, drive, sweep: The silt,
with the gold dust, is washed downstream. In this process, the
impurities are washed away. 3 splash, spatter, splatter, plash,
dash, beat, pound, thrash, break, toss, surge, undulate, rush,
run, lap, ripple, roll, flow: We stood watching the sea washing
against the breakwater. 4 Usually, wash away or off. erode,
wear off or away, remove, delete, erase, expunge, destroy,
eradicate, obliterate, extinguish, blot out, wipe out: After
5000 years, the action of the waves had washed away all traces
of the Vengorian civilization. 5 Often, wash away or out. erode,
cut or dig or wear or eat or dredge (away or out), excavate,
channel: The river eventually washed out a new course, fifteen
miles to the west. 6 decontaminate, purify, sift, filter,
depurate: The wastes are thoroughly washed in these tanks
before being discharged into the ocean. 7 overlay, film, coat,
paint, glaze; plate: What do you think of colour they washed
the wall? 8 hold up, stand up, stand the test of time, carry
weight, bear scrutiny, prove true, make sense, be believable or
credible, Colloq hold water: I'm afraid that Helen's
explanation of her whereabouts at the time of the murder simply
won't wash. 9 wash down. swallow: Here, wash the pill down with
this. 10 wash (one's) hands of. stay or keep away from, disown,
repudiate, turn (one's) back on, have nothing more or further to
do with, get rid of, rid (oneself) of, desert, abandon, leave:
After Neil took the money, Violet washed her hands of him and
his problems.
--n. 11 washing, cleaning, cleansing, scrubbing, scrub,
scouring, shampoo, shampooing, bath, bathing, shower, sponge
bath, tub-bath; laundering; Facetious ablutions; Colloq Brit
tub, tubbing: He always likes a good wash and shave before
breakfast. 12 wave, wake, surge, backwash: The wash from
passing ships almost swamped our skiff. 13 lotion, rinse,
liniment, salve, embrocation, emulsion, preparation; mouthwash,
gargle; eyewash, collyrium: Use this wash twice a day till the
condition disappears. 14 flow, wave, swell, welling, sweep,
sweeping, ebb and flow, surge, surging, undulation, rise and
fall: Shellfish in the gap cleanse themselves of impurities in
the constant tidal wash running through there. 15 coat, coating,
film, overlay, glaze; plating: There is a microscopic wash of
gold over the tin to lend the bracelet a little cachet.
washed out
adj. 1 wan, pale, pallid, colourless, faded, lacklustre, flat;
blanched, bleached, etiolated: Gene looks washed out because he
never gets out in the sun. She was wearing washed-out jeans and
a torn t-shirt. 2 exhausted, spent, tired, tired out, weary,
worn out, fatigued, drained, Colloq dog-tired, bone-tired, done
in, all in, fagged out, bushed, Brit knocked up, US knocked out,
Slang beat, US and Canadian tuckered out, pooped: After a hard
day in the office, I feel completely washed out.
washed up adj. finished, through, failed, done for, played out, over (and
done with), Slang kaput, fini: After that last fiasco, he's no
more than a washed-up has-been.
washout n. failure, disaster, d‚bѓcle, (total) loss, fiasco,
disappointment, Colloq flop, dud, Brit damp squib, US lead
balloon: His attempts to revive the hula-hoop craze were a
washout.
waspish adj. irascible, bad-tempered, foul-tempered, temperamental,
testy, grouchy, sensitive, volatile, querulous, edgy, petulant,
spiteful, peevish, cantankerous, curmudgeonly, cross, crabby,
crabbed, crotchety, splenetic, grumpy, captious, cranky, crusty:
Elaine is feeling very waspish today - no one can do anything
right.
waste v. 1 squander, misuse, throw away, fritter away, misspend,
splurge, dissipate, Slang blow: Why I wasted so much time on
him I'll never know. Don't waste your money on such frivolities.
2 Often, waste away. diminish, deteriorate, dwindle, decline,
decay, atrophy, wither, shrink, weaken, become debilitated,
fade, become enervated or enfeebled, regress, ebb, sink: She is
just wasting away, and I am seriously worried that she may not
recover. 3 enervate, enfeeble, emaciate, gnaw, destroy, consume,
debilitate, exhaust, disable: Arkwright contracted a terrible
wasting disease while in the tropics. 4 assassinate, murder,
kill, Slang put away, rub out, US ice: Don't worry, Boss, we'll
waste Andy and you won't have no more trouble.
--n. 5 misuse, misapplication, squandering, dissipation,
misemployment, abuse, neglect: What a terrible waste of talent
to have such a person doing such lowly work! Do not let that
genius go to waste. 6 wasting, extravagance, prodigality,
wastefulness, squandering, indulgence, lavishness, profligacy,
dissoluteness, improvidence, overindulgence: Government waste
is one of our biggest problems. 7 refuse, rubbish, garbage,
dregs, debris, leavings, scrap, offscourings, sweepings, litter,
Archaic orts, US and Canadian trash: Techniques are being
developed to process the waste in order to avoid using
landfills, incineration, or dumping at sea. 8 wasteland, desert,
wilderness, barrens, wilds, emptiness, vastness: Beyond that
system were vast wastes of uninhabited space.
--adj. 9 extra, leftover, unused, superfluous, worthless,
useless: The waste food was usually fed to the animals. 10
barren, unproductive, unusable, unsalvageable, useless,
unrecyclable, unprofitable, worthless: The waste products of
manufacture are a big problem. 11 lay waste. devastate,
destroy, demolish, despoil, ruin, wreck, ravage, pillage, sack,
plunder, loot, rob, strip, spoil, gut, ransack, wreak havoc
(up)on, crush, raze, annihilate, eradicate, extirpate, wipe out:
These lands and cities, laid waste by the invaders, have never
recovered.
wasteful adj. extravagant, spendthrift, profligate, prodigal, lavish,
improvident, unthrifty, uneconomical, overindulgent,
open-handed, free-handed, penny wise and pound foolish: It was
very wasteful of you to buy me that expensive jewellery.
wastrel n. 1 spendthrift, profligate, waster, prodigal, big spender,
squanderer: That wastrel went through his inheritance in a
year. 2 idler, layabout, malingerer, loafer, shirker,
good-for-nothing, ne'er-do-well, Chiefly Brit drone, Slang Brit
skiver: The workhouse is the place for wastrels like you!
watch v. 1 observe, regard, look at, gaze at or on, take in,
contemplate: Daniel loves to watch the bears at the zoo. 2
look after, tend, mind, keep an eye on, watch over, mind, guard,
care for, take care of, safeguard, protect, shield, keep safe,
supervise, superintend; chaperon, accompany, attend; Colloq
babysit (for), sit (with): Could you please watch Suzie while I
go shopping? 3 observe, note, notice, make or take note of,
see, pay attention (to), attend (to), follow, (take) heed (of),
examine, inspect, scrutinize, pore over; eye, peer at; ogle,
make eyes at: Watch the way I bone this fish. Ted enjoys
watching the girls going by. 4 Often, watch (out) for. look for,
be on the watch or lookout or alert or qui vive (for), guard
(against), keep an eye open (for), be watchful (for), note, take
note or notice of, be vigilant (for or of), keep (one's) eyes
open (for), keep a (sharp) lookout (for), be prepared or ready
for, be careful of, anticipate, await, wait (for), look for,
Colloq keep (one's) eyes peeled or skinned (for), keep a weather
eye open (for): We were watching for irregularities in the test
results. Watch where you're going! Watch out for that last step!
--n. 5 vigil, surveillance, observation, lookout: Our six-hour
watch was rewarded by the appearance of a yellow-bellied
sapsucker. 6 clock, timepiece, pocket watch, wrist-watch;
chronometer: I always set my watch by the GMT time signal on
the radio. 7 sentry, sentinel, guard, watchman: The midnight
watch just returned from his rounds. 8 on the watch (for). on
the alert (for), on the lookout (for), on (one's) guard (for),
on the qui vive (for), alert (for or to), awake (to), observant
(of), watchful (of), cautious (of), wary (of), vigilant,
circumspect: We remained on the watch for the slightest
movement in the bushes.
watchman n. (security) guard, sentinel, sentry, watch, night-watchman,
custodian, caretaker; watchdog: After retiring from the police,
he worked as a watchman.
water n. 1 H2O; distilled water, tap water, drinking-water, bottled
water, spa water, still water, soda (water), effervescent water,
mineral water; sea water, salt water; ditch-water, dishwater,
bath-water, US branch water, Facetious Adam's ale, Technical or
Latin aqua; Technical heavy water or deuterium oxide or D2O;
Brit fizzy water: Pure water is odourless, tasteless, and
colourless. 2 not hold water. be illogical or unsound or
invalid, not be sensible, be inconsistent, not make sense, be
unbelievable or incredible, be indefensible, be unfeasible or
unworkable, not work, not function, not hold up under or bear
scrutiny or examination, not ring true, ring false, Colloq not
wash: Her account of her whereabouts that day just doesn't hold
water. 3 like water. lavishly, extravagantly, freely,
wastefully, profligately, open-handedly, liberally, excessively,
copiously, unstintingly, unreservedly: They've been spending
money like water since they won the football pools. 4 make
water. urinate, pass water, Colloq pee, piss: When a dog makes
water, it marks off a territory bounded by its scent. 5 of the
first water. of superior or excellent or first or top or A-one
or the finest or the highest or the best quality or grade;
first-grade, top-grade: These were not industrial stones but
diamonds of the first water.
--v. 6 inundate, flood, drench, saturate, soak, douse,
irrigate, hose, wet, shower, splash, spray, sprinkle, moisten,
damp, dampen, bedew: If you don't water the garden, the
vegetables will die. 7 Often, water down. dilute, weaken, thin
out, adulterate; cut; mollify, modify, soften, tone down,
qualify: We no longer go there because they water the drinks.
They told the children a watered-down version of what had
happened.
water-colour
n. aquarelle: John's water-colours sell as fast as he paints
them.
waterfall n. cascade, cataract, fall(s), chute, Niagara, No. Brit force,
Scots linn: In front of them, a waterfall tumbled down a
rock-face into a deep pool.
watertight
adj. 1 sealed, waterproof: The escape hatch has been made
watertight. 2 unassailable, impregnable, solid, airtight,
flawless, faultless, incontrovertible; without loopholes:
Landry has a watertight alibi for the night of the crime.
watery adj. 1 weak, dilute(d), watered down, tasteless, insipid,
flavourless, bland, flat, dull, thin, runny, pallid, anaemic,
Colloq wishy-washy: He asked me in, then gave me some watery
tea to drink. 2 weeping, teary, tearful, running, weepy,
lachrymose, rheumy: The child looked up at him with watery eyes
and then collapsed, sobbing. 3 wet, swampy, boggy, marshy,
aqueous, squelchy; soggy, moist, damp, humid; Colloq squushy or
squooshy: It took days to make our way across that watery plain
to the high ground.
wave n. 1 swell, undulation, billow, sea, heave, roller, whitecap,
white horse; ripple, wavelet, breaker, comber: A huge wave
tossed me up on the beach. 2 surge, swell, welling up, ground
swell, movement, flood, upsurge, uprising, current, tide: The
period is marked by a wave of materialism and greed that swamped
all morality and integrity. 3 signal, sign, gesticulation,
gesture: Was his wave intended for you or for me?
--v. 4 undulate, billow, move to and fro, flap, flutter,
quiver, flip-flop, swing, sway, ripple, oscillate, zigzag,
fluctuate, shake; wag, whiffle, wigwag, wiggle, waggle,
brandish: The streamer waved slowly in the quickening breeze.
Stop waving that knife at me! 5 signal, sign, indicate, signify;
gesture, gesticulate: Hazel waved goodbye from the train.
way n. 1 manner, method, mode, fashion, means, system, course (of
action), procedure, approach, scheme, technique, practice, modus
operandi, Colloq MO (= 'modus operandi'): That's no way to talk
to your mother! We have ways of making you talk. Is that any way
to treat a lady?! It's the wrong way to deal with the problem. 2
manner, spirit, feeling, sense, character, approach,
personality, temperament, disposition, modus vivendi (=
'lifestyle'), nature, technique, style, conduct, habit,
behaviour pattern, custom: He has such a pleasant way about
him. Lucinda certainly has a way with children and dogs. You
city people may not approve of our down-to-earth country ways. 3
path, road, street, avenue, course, route, trail, direction:
Show me the way to go home. The way to the village lies through
dark woods. 4 distance; route, trail, course, road: You've come
a long way since we last met. 5 progress, passage, advance,
headway; speed, velocity, motion, (forward) movement: We made
our way to the front of the crowd. Who has the right of way at
the crossing? The tide was too strong for us to get any way on.
6 aspect, respect, particular, detail, point, sense, feature:
In certain ways, you remind me of Attila the Hun. 7 clearance,
pathway, avenue, scope, freedom, opportunity: When you hear a
siren, drive to the side and give way. Make way for the Lord
High Executioner! 8 condition, situation: She prefers the
prissy 'in a family way' to the straightforward 'pregnant' and
the vulgar 'have a bun in the oven'. I saw Luke yesterday and he
was really in a bad way. 9 by the way. incidentally, moreover,
by the by, parenthetically: By the way, have I told you how
beautiful you look tonight? 10 by way of. a via, through, by
means of: We drove from London to Oxford by way of Reading. b
(functioning) as, in (the) way of, in the capacity of,
equivalent to, more or less, something like: Richard is by way
of being an expert on eccentric behaviour. 11 give way. a
collapse, break (down), fail, cave in, fall (down), crumble,
crumple, disintegrate, go to pieces: The cable gave way,
causing the bridge to collapse. b yield, surrender, retreat,
concede, withdraw, accede, make concessions, acquiesce,
acknowledge: The trouble is that they both think they are in
the right and neither will give way. 12 under way. proceeding,
progressing, on the move, moving, advancing, going, begun,
started, in progress, operating, functioning, at work, US in
work, Colloq in the works, US in the pipeline: Once under way,
it takes the ship three days to make the crossing. Plans are
under way to reclaim the slum area for a park.
waylay v. 1 ambush, lie in wait for, await, intercept, pounce upon or
on, swoop down on or upon, accost: You'll have to waylay him on
his way to lunch if you want to speak to him. 2 attack, mug,
seize, assault, accost, set upon: He was waylaid by a band of
thieves and stripped of his belongings.
way-out adj. 1 bizarre, mad, weird, crazy, strange, odd, peculiar,
freakish, freaky, eccentric, queer, abnormal, offbeat,
outrageous, wild, exotic, esoteric, Colloq kinky, Slang kooky,
off-the-wall, far-out, screwy, nutty, US flaky, screwball: The
police did not take kindly to the boys' way-out behaviour after
the party. 2 avant-garde, advanced, original, innovative,
unorthodox, unconventional, experimental, precedent-setting,
progressive, exploratory, ground-breaking, Slang far-out:
Spencer thinks that the way-out art of the 1960s will have great
value one day.
weak adj. 1 feeble, frail, fragile, unsubstantial, flimsy,
breakable, frangible, delicate, rickety, unsteady, unsound,
decrepit, shaky, infirm: That chair is too weak for you to
stand on. 2 frail, infirm, debilitated, enervated, delicate,
sickly, anaemic, wasted, decrepit, puny, effete, worn out,
tired, exhausted: When I last saw Tindell he was so weak he
could hardly lift his brandy glass. 3 unassertive, retiring,
namby-pamby, spineless, irresolute, impotent, ineffectual,
ineffective, incompetent, feckless, inept, wishy-washy, timid,
meek, craven, timorous, cowardly, pusillanimous, lily-livered,
chicken-hearted, Colloq chicken, yellow: We know which is the
weaker partner in that marriage, don't we? 4 feeble, lame,
half-baked, poor, miserable, unconvincing, unpersuasive, empty,
shallow, flimsy, hollow, pathetic, pitiful, unbelievable,
untenable: Edward made some weak excuse for being late. I found
Mona's argument against birth control very weak indeed. 5
weak-minded, dim-witted, dull-witted, slow-witted, foolish,
feeble-minded, simple, simple-minded, soft-headed, stupid, dull,
moronic, imbecilic, Colloq dumb: They seek out people of weaker
intelligence and make fools of them. 6 faint, dim, poor, dull,
pale, faded, indistinct, vague, hazy, imperceptible,
indiscernible, unclear, blurred, blurry, muzzy, wavering,
faltering, ill-defined, feeble, flickering, subdued: I could
hardly see her face in the weak light of the candle. 7 feeble,
subdued, low, soft, hushed, muffled, muted, almost inaudible,
stifled, indistinct: When the victim finally spoke, his voice
was very weak. 8 See watery, 1, above. 9 weak point. See
weakness, 3, below.
weaken v. 1 debilitate, enfeeble, enervate, emasculate, mitigate,
moderate, dilute, deplete, diminish, lessen, depress, lower,
reduce, sap, undermine, exhaust, impoverish: The continuous
torture helped to weaken Errol's resolve. 2 fade, dwindle,
tire, droop, sag, fail, give way, crumble, flag: My
determination weakened when I saw what had happened to the
children. 3 give in, relent, acquiesce, give way, yield, accede,
consent, agree, assent, soften, bend, ease up, let up, ease off,
relax: If you ask very politely, she might weaken and allow you
to go out and play. 4 water (down), dilute, thin (out): Adding
the water so weakened the soup that it tasted like dishwater.
weakling n. milksop, baby, mollycoddle, lightweight, namby-pamby, US and
Canadian milquetoast, Colloq sissy or Brit also cissy, loser,
cream puff, jellyfish, pushover, softie or softy, Slang wimp,
twerp or twirp, US weak sister, schnook, schlemiel or schlemihl
or shlemiel: If you count on a weakling like Geoffrey, nothing
will ever get done.
weakness n. 1 feebleness, frailty, fragility, delicacy, delicateness,
vulnerability, infirmity, decrepitude: They discovered a
weakness in the structure of the bridge, so it had to be closed.
2 incapacity, irresolution, irresoluteness, impotence,
powerlessness, puniness: He is ashamed of his weakness in being
unable to stop smoking. 3 weak point, foible, failing, fault,
shortcoming, flaw, Achilles' heel, defect, imperfection,
liability: Her one great weakness is her inability to deny her
children anything. 4 soft spot, fondness, affection, liking,
preference, bent, leaning, inclination, fancy, penchant,
predilection, proneness, proclivity, predisposition, partiality,
appreciation, appetite, sweet tooth, taste, eye: The two of
them share a weakness for good food and wine.
wealth n. 1 affluence, riches, money, opulence, prosperity, property,
holdings, capital, assets, wherewithal, cash: Most of their
wealth comes from illicit trade in diamonds. 2 profusion,
abundance, bounty, plenteousness, bounteousness, copiousness,
mine, plenitude, fullness, store, cornucopia, richness: Janet
has a wealth of ideas for situation-comedy plots.
wealthy adj. rich, affluent, well off, prosperous, well-to-do, opulent,
comfortable, moneyed, Colloq in the money, on Easy Street,
flush, well-heeled, in clover, Slang loaded, stinking (rich),
filthy rich, quids in, rolling in it: Bill has a wealthy aunt
who sends him a little something now and then.
wear v. 1 be dressed or clothed in, dress in, put on, don, be in,
step or get into or in, have on, sport: I shall wear my new
suit tonight. 2 display, show, exhibit, have, adopt, assume: I
wondered why she wore such a curious expression. 3 Often, wear
down or away or off. damage, impair, harm, fray, erode, abrade,
corrode, rub (off): The water has worn down the rocks till they
are round and shiny. The inscription on the stone is worn away.
After years of use, the paint has worn off. 4 Often, wear well.
last, endure, survive, hold up, bear up, stand up: I wrote to
the makers telling them the shoes have worn well. 5 drag, pass
slowly, creep by or along, go by gradually or tediously: The
hours wore on as I waited for the test results. 6 Often, wear
out. tire, fatigue, exhaust, debilitate, weary, enervate, drain,
burden: You must be worn out from carrying those heavy books.
7 bore, exasperate, harass, vex, annoy, irritate, tax, strain:
I find it wearing to listen to that music all day long.
--n. 8 wearing, use, utilization; attire, garb, clothing,
clothes, apparel, dress, gear: Did you get much wear out of
your new hat? Suzanne is modelling a silver lam‚ dress for
evening wear. 9 wear and tear, attrition, deterioration, damage,
fraying, chafing, abrasion, erosion, corrosion, friction: As
the engine ages, heavier oil is needed to offset the normal
wear.
weary adj. 1 tired, fatigued, exhausted, worn out, drained, spent,
Colloq all in, ready to drop, fagged (out), done in, dead (on
(one's) feet), frazzled, dead beat, dog-tired, Brit knocked up,
US knocked out, Slang Brit whacked, knackered, US pooped, zonked
(out), shot: He is so weary after work that he can scarcely eat
his dinner. 2 boring, irksome, irritating, tedious, vexing,
annoying, exasperating, burdensome, wearying, tiring, fatiguing,
draining, taxing, wearisome: We walked many a weary mile before
reaching the oasis. 3 bored, impatient, jaded, blas‚, Colloq
fed up, sick and tired, Taboo slang browned off: I wish he
would wipe that weary expression off his smug face.
--v. 4 Often, weary of. tire (of), be or become bored (with or
by) or impatient (with) or jaded (with or by), Colloq be or
become fed up (with) or sick and tired (of): I soon wearied of
her nagging. 5 exhaust, enervate, fatigue, tire, debilitate,
drain, tax, wear or tire out: The long trek across country had
wearied us all.
weather n. 1 (meteorological) condition(s), climate: The weather
suddenly changed, and we arrived home cold and wet. 2 under the
weather. ailing, ill, sickly, unwell, indisposed, out of sorts,
sick, Colloq poorly, seedy: I didn't go sailing because I was
feeling a bit under the weather.
--v. 3 stand, survive, suffer, bear up against, endure,
withstand, rise above, ride out, live through, brave: Gemma
didn't think she could weather much more sarcasm from the
critics.
weave v. 1 loom; braid, plait, entwine, intertwine, interlace,
interweave, knit (together): These fabrics were woven by hand.
Weave these leather strands together to make a belt. 2 blend,
combine, fuse, merge, unite, intermingle, mesh, splice,
dovetail, join: The threads of their lives are inextricably
woven together. 3 construct, make, contrive, build, create,
fabricate, compose, spin, design: Oh, what a tangled web we
weave When first we practise to deceive! 4 zigzag, criss-cross,
wend or make (one's) way, dodge, bob and weave, shift: Look at
that motor cyclist weaving in and out of the traffic! 5 get
weaving. get started, get a move on, hurry (up), start, Colloq
shake a leg, Brit get or pull (one's) finger out, Chiefly US get
a wiggle on: If you're going to get to work on time, you'd best
get weaving.
web n. spider's web, cobweb; net, network, entanglement, snare,
trap: Don't you just hate getting those webs in your hair? She
became entangled in a web of deception.
wed v. 1 marry, espouse, get married, become husband and wife, say
or take (one's) (marriage) vows, join or unite in holy wedlock
or matrimony; lead down the aisle, lead to the altar, Archaic
wive; Colloq tie the knot, get hitched, get spliced: They were
wed on the fourth of July, 1921. That was when Harry wed
Annabel. 2 combine, unite, ally, marry, blend, merge, join,
mingle, intermingle, commingle, coalesce, mix, intermix,
amalgamate, compound, alloy, fuse, homogenize: As a chef, he is
extremely fortunate to be able to wed business to pleasure.
wedded adj. Usually, wedded to. intimately or obstinately attached or
connected (to), enamoured (of): He has always been wedded to
the notion of living alone on an island.
wedding n. 1 marriage (ceremony), wedding ceremony, nuptials;
confarreation: Our son's wedding was attended by members of the
royal family. 2 combining, combination, uniting, union,
joining, juncture, blending, blend, allying, alliance,
associating, association, marrying, marriage, merging, merger,
mingling, intermingling, commingling, coalescing, coalescence,
mixing, mixture, intermixing, amalgamating, amalgamation,
compounding, compound, alloying, alloy, fusing, fusion,
homogenizing, homogenization: Through her wedding of vision to
observation she has produced some truly remarkable paintings.
wedge n. 1 block, chock: A shoe with a wedge heel is called a
'wedgie'. We forced wedges into the cracks in the stone to split
it. 2 separation, separator, division, partition, split,
fissure, cleavage: That woman tried to drive a wedge between me
and my husband.
--v. 3 ram, jam, stuff, cram, crowd, force, squeeze, pack,
thrust: You couldn't have wedged another person into the back
seat of that Mini with a shoehorn.
wee adj. 1 tiny, small, diminutive, little, minuscule, midget,
minute, miniature, Lilliputian, microscopic, Colloq itty-bitty,
itsy-bitsy, teeny(-weeny), teensy(-weensy): Johnny caught his
wee little finger in the door. 2 unimportant, insignificant,
trivial, little, puny: It was only a wee thing, of no interest
to anyone but me.
weep v. 1 cry, shed tears, bawl, blubber, keen, sob, lament, mourn,
bemoan, bewail, moan, grieve, whine, whimper, mewl, pule,
snivel, Colloq blub, boohoo, Brit and Australian whinge: A
small child, sitting by herself, was weeping bitterly. 2 ooze,
seep, exude, drip: The wound had started weeping and needed
bandaging.
weigh v. 1 Sometimes, weigh in at or out at. Colloq tip the scales
at: The sailboard weighed in at 250 pounds. I weigh more than I
should. 2 consider, ponder, contemplate, think on or over or
about, mull over, turn over in the or (one's) mind, ruminate
over, chew over, reflect on or upon, brood over, pore over,
study, examine: After weighing the qualifications of the
candidates, we voted for you. Weigh your words carefully before
responding. 3 judge, estimate, assess, evaluate, value,
determine: It is not easy to weigh each person's contribution
to the effort. 4 Usually, weigh on or upon. lie heavy on,
burden, depress, prey on, oppress, disturb, perturb, upset:
Loneliness weighs heavily on Dave's widow. 5 matter, count,
have (an) effect or influence, carry weight, be of value or
account, Colloq cut any ice: Certain factors - like the sizes
of the bribes - are likely to weigh heavily with the judges of
this particular beauty contest. 6 weigh down. burden,
overburden, load, overload, encumber, tax, overtax, strain,
trouble, worry, depress, oppress: He's been weighed down by
financial worries since losing his job.
weight n. 1 heaviness, avoirdupois, mass, tonnage, Dialect heft: They
sell peaches by weight but melons are individually priced. The
weight of these books must be enormous. 2 burden, load,
millstone, onus, pressure, strain, albatross, cross: He has to
support the weight of the entire family's expenses. 3
influence, authority, power, substance, force, moment,
importance, consequence, impact, persuasiveness, value, worth,
Colloq clout: Clyde brought down his full weight in favour of
the liberal candidate. Clyde's opinion carries little weight
with me. He must stop throwing his weight around. 4 mass,
majority, preponderance or preponderancy, bulk, superiority:
The weight of the voters is in favour of reducing taxes. The
weight of the evidence is against us.
--v. 5 load, charge, ballast: The policemen's truncheons are
weighted with lead. 6 arrange, manipulate, bias, incline,
slant, Colloq rig: The statistics are weighted so as to make
the advertiser's product look superior.
weighty adj. 1 heavy, ponderous, massive, huge, bulky, substantial,
ample, large, mammoth, colossal, immense, enormous, gigantic,
prodigious; corpulent, fat, obese, adipose, Colloq hefty: I
found myself face to face with a rather weighty gentleman who
was blocking the doorway. 2 important, consequential,
significant, momentous, grave, crucial, portentous,
thought-provoking, provocative: These are weighty matters and
should be handled with circumspection. 3 influential,
convincing, persuasive, impressive, telling, powerful, potent,
leading; forceful: Weighty arguments have been put forward in
support of these proposals.
weird adj. strange, odd, peculiar, bizarre, unnatural, eerie, queer,
grotesque, freakish, outlandish, uncanny, unearthly,
other-worldly, supernatural, preternatural, Literary eldritch,
Colloq spooky, freaky, kinky, Slang far-out, way-out: There was
something decidedly weird about the creature at the door.
weirdo n. eccentric, madman, madwoman, lunatic, psychotic, Colloq
crazy, weirdie, nutcase, oddball, queer fish, crank, Slang
freak, loony, psycho, Brit nutter, US screwball, nut, kook: Why
belong to a club whose members are weirdos who refuse to talk to
one another?
welcome v. 1 greet, hail, meet, receive, accept, offer hospitality
(to): Everywhere she went she was welcomed with open arms.
--adj. 2 accepted, acceptable, well-received, desirable,
agreeable, gratifying, appreciated: Norma is always a welcome
guest at my house. Ice cream was a welcome relief from the
perennial plum duff. 3 freely permitted or allowed, invited,
entitled, suffered: At that hotel, guests are welcome to dine
when they please.
--n. 4 reception, greeting, salutation: We gave the ambassador
a warm welcome.
weld v. 1 unite, combine, merge, fuse, connect, link, join; solder,
braze, cement, bond: We felt welded together in a brotherhood
that would last forever. The brace must be welded all the way
along the edge.
--n. 2 seam, joint, juncture, commissure: The weld must be
filed down smooth.
welfare n. benefit, good, advantage, well-being, prosperity, (good)
fortune, profit, interest, (good) health, happiness, felicity:
It is up to the parents to look after their children's welfare.
well° adv. 1 satisfactorily, sufficiently, adequately, agreeably,
nicely, (well) enough, Colloq OK or okay: Alan is doing well
these days. 2 successfully, famously, marvellously,
wonderfully, fabulously, incredibly, splendidly, admirably,
spectacularly, excellently, superbly: Barbara and David really
get along well together. 3 articulately, understandably,
expressively, correctly, accurately, properly, proficiently,
effectively, artistically, poetically; grammatically: Henry
will make a good announcer because he speaks well. 4
comfortably, luxuriously, prosperously, extravagantly, showily,
pretentiously, ostentatiously, sumptuously, grandly, opulently:
How can Rita live so well with no visible income? Living well is
the best revenge. 5 graciously, kindly, highly, favourably,
glowingly, approvingly, warmly, genially, cordially, amiably,
kind-heartedly, warm-heartedly, affectionately, lovingly:
Rudolph has always spoken well of you, Aileen. 6 skilfully,
expertly, adeptly, proficiently, ably: Does Anne play well
enough to compete professionally? Paul sings well. 7 far, by a
long way, immeasurably, (very) much; far and away, definitely,
positively, obviously, clearly, plainly, manifestly, evidently,
unquestionably, decidedly, beyond (the shadow of a) doubt,
Colloq by a long chalk: Keep well away from the fuel tank
before lighting that cigarette. She is well beyond the beginner
stage. This painting is well worth what you paid. 8
good-naturedly, equably, coolly, serenely, calmly, soberly,
unexcitedly, sedately: Burt took the bad news about his car
very well. 9 likely, probably, in all probability, doubtlessly,
without doubt, not unexpectedly, indeed: He might well say he
needs no help. 10 easily, without difficulty: Though he gave
her the money, he could not well spare it. 11 completely,
entirely, wholly: Before she could well finish her sentence, he
was out of the house. 12 thoroughly (cooked), (cooked) through
and through, completely (cooked): He likes his roast beef well
done. 13 intimately, closely, familiarly, personally;
thoroughly, profoundly, soundly, fully: Do you know Boris well?
I learnt my lesson well. 14 fairly, justly, suitably, properly,
adequately, reasonably, fully, generously, amply: James is well
paid for his work. 15 happily, mercifully, fortunately,
luckily: After the divorce, both said they were well rid of
each other.
--adj. 16 healthy, fit, hale, robust, vigorous, hearty, in fine
or good fettle, Colloq in good shape: Wendy felt really well
after her holiday. 17 satisfactory, pleasing, agreeable, good,
right, all right, fine, proper, OK or okay: When he phoned the
office, they told him all was well.
wellэ n. 1 well-spring, spring, fountain, well-head, fountain-head,
fount, source, reservoir: The well provided a constant supply
of cool clear water.
--v. 2 Often, well up or out or forth. flow, spring, surge,
rise, stream, trickle, brim over, swell, start; gush, spurt,
jet, spout; ooze, seep, leak: Tears welled up in the child's
eyes when she saw the broken doll.
well-advised
adj. prudent, wise, sensible, intelligent, smart: You would be
well-advised to avoid Chichicastenango at this time of year.
well-balanced
adj. 1 rational, sane, sensible, rational, reasonable,
level-headed, sober, sound, well-adjusted, cool(-headed), Slang
together: Ray is as well-balanced as people seem to be these
days. 2 even, symmetric(al), harmonious, well-proportioned,
orderly, well-ordered, well-disposed: Note the well-balanced
arrangement of the windows in this Palladian fa‡ade.
well-bred adj. well brought up, well-mannered, polite, decorous,
mannerly, refined, courteous, cultivated, polished, cultured,
gentlemanly, ladylike, elegant, suave, urbane, sophisticated,
gracious, courtly, genteel, gallant, chivalrous: Jane prefers
bikers to the well-bred gentlemen her mother selects for her.
well-established
adj. long-standing, traditional, set, venerable, well-known,
accepted, well-founded: He works for a well-established firm of
solicitors. It's a well-established fact that the English
discuss the weather a lot.
well-fed adj. plump, chunky, thickset, chubby, rounded, rotund, portly,
stout, fleshy, overweight, adipose, fat, obese, gross, Brit
podgy or US pudgy: On the westward crossing we were seated with
a well-fed Austrian couple.
well-groomed
adj. neat, dapper, fastidious, tidy, trim, smart, clean-cut,
spruce, natty, well-dressed, Colloq nifty, Slang US and Canadian
spiffy: Well-groomed gentleman sought as escort to attractive
widow. Hourly rate. Driving licence essential.
well-informed
adj. knowledgeable, learned, well-read, well-versed,
well-educated, literate, educated, Colloq in the know, wise, US
vibrating on the right frequency, Slang hip or hep: With access
to all the media, what excuse have you for not being
well-informed?
well-known
adj. 1 known, familiar, (well-)established, acknowledged,
customary, everyday: Plain salt is a well-known remover of wine
stains. 2 famous, noted, notable, celebrated, renowned,
illustrious, famed, prominent, eminent, pre-eminent: The
scandal linked a former Cabinet Minister with several well-known
City names.
well off adj. comfortable, wealthy, rich, affluent, prosperous,
well-to-do, Colloq well-heeled, US well-fixed: They are well
off and live in a charming house on the edge of the Cotswolds.
well-thought-of
adj. admired, highly regarded, respected, reputable, venerated,
esteemed, revered, looked-up-to, valued: Timothy is a
well-thought-of member of the community.
well-timed
adj. timely, seasonable, opportune, auspicious, favourable,
advantageous, beneficial: Tax incentives gave a well-timed
boost to the economy.
welsher n. non-payer, cheat, cheater, swindler, Slang dead-beat, US
welcher: That welsher never paid the money he lost to me at
poker.
welt n. 1 bead, ridge, seam, edge, wale, stripe: The cushion has a
welt of contrasting colour binding it. 2 bruise, contusion,
bump, lump, scar, weal or wale or wheal: The boy's back was
covered with red welts where he had been birched.
welter n. 1 mass, mess, jumble, tangle, confusion, mishmash, muddle,
clutter, Brit hotchpotch or US also hodgepodge: Her assignment
was to sort out a welter of discarded clothing for the poor. My
mind was assailed by a welter of disorganized images.
--v. 2 be sunk or involved in, flounder, be bogged down in, be
entangled or ensnarled in: Till I found a new secretary, I
would have to continue weltering in a sea of correspondence and
unfiled papers.
wet adj. 1 moist, moistened, damp, dampened, soaked, soaking,
sopping, wringing, dripping, sodden, soppy, saturated, drenched:
During the rainy season, the ground is far too wet for planting.
2 rainy, raining, teeming, pouring, drizzling, showery: We have
had a very wet spring this year. 3 feeble, weak, irresolute,
effet, namby-pamby, foolish, ineffectual, ineffective,
spineless, timorous, cowardly: She considered some of her
colleagues too wet to take the tough action needed.
--n. 4 moisture, water, wetness, dampness, damp, humidity,
liquid: The wet stood out on his forehead. 5 rain, wetness,
mist, dew, fog, damp, humidity: Come in out of the wet, and
warm yourself by the fire. 6 milksop, softie or softy,
lightweight, Colloq drip, loser, Brit weed, Slang wimp, US weak
sister: Why is he such a wet about standing up for his rights?
wheedle v. coax, cajole, inveigle, charm, beguile, persuade, talk;
butter up; Colloq con, sweet-talk: Irena always managed to
wheedle someone into taking her dancing.
wheel n. 1 disc, ring, annulus, circle, hoop: It seems odd that no
culture in the western hemisphere ever invented the wheel.
--v. 2 spin, turn, veer, swivel, pivot, swing, whirl: Medusa
wheeled to face him and he promptly turned to stone.
whereabouts
n.pl. or sg. 1 location, position, place, site, situation,
locale, neighbourhood, vicinity: Her present whereabouts are
unknown to me. The culprit concealed his whereabouts from the
police.
--adv. 2 where, in or at or to what place, whither:
Whereabouts are you going to spend your holiday? Whereabouts are
you going?
whet v. 1 sharpen, hone, grind, file, put an edge on, strop: He
whetted the knife on an oiled stone till it was razor-sharp. 2
pique, sharpen, awaken, arouse, stimulate, kindle, fire,
increase, excite, enhance: The cruise on Bill's yacht whetted
my appetite to own a small sailing-boat.
whimsical adj. 1 quaint, fey, fanciful, odd, curious, unusual,
chimeric(al), queer, singular, peculiar, funny, fantastic(al),
pixyish, playful, puckish, absurd, preposterous, Colloq offbeat:
When Andrew's whimsical drawings caught on they were bought by
greetings card makers. 2 capricious, erratic, eccentric,
wavering, flighty, unsettled, fickle, mercurial, wavering,
fluctuating, unpredictable, inconsistent, volatile, unsteady:
The buses in our village run on what could best be termed a
whimsical timetable.
whip v. 1 beat, thrash, lash, flog, horsewhip, scourge, switch,
cane, birch, flagellate, leather, spank, strap; castigate,
chastise, punish, discipline; Slang tan, US wale: They learnt
right from wrong because father whipped them when they were
wrong. 2 trounce, defeat, beat, conquer, overwhelm, rout,
overcome, overpower, thwart, check, best, worst, drub, stop,
outdo, Colloq lick, wipe the floor with, batter, Slang
pulverize, clobber, destroy, ruin, murder, slaughter, kill,
squash, smash, US cream: Karpilova whipped O'Meara 6-0, 6-2 at
today's match. 3 run, scamper, scoot, race, scurry, scramble,
hurry, flit, rush, dash, dart, Colloq zip, zoom, skedaddle: I
whipped round the corner and dived behind a tree to hide. 4
beat, whisk, fluff up: Whip the egg-whites till they are stiff.
5 Nautical seize, bind, wind, fasten, tie: The end of the line
is whipped to prevent its unravelling. 6 whip out. yank out,
jerk out, pull (out), whisk out, present, exhibit, flash,
produce: He suddenly whipped out a gun and started shooting. 7
whip up. a stir up, agitate, arouse, rouse, work up, excite,
incite: The rabble-rousers whipped the crowd into a frenzy. b
improvise, put together or assemble or prepare quickly or
hurriedly, Colloq knock together, knock up, US slap together:
Tina whipped up a snack while we were waiting for Ken to arrive.
--n. 8 scourge, knout, lash, cat-o'-nine-tails, rawhide, quirt,
horsewhip, bull-whip, cane, birch, switch, thong, (riding-)crop,
Colloq cat: We dreaded it when Dr Hazen eyed the whip hung
behind the classroom door.
whipping n. 1 beating, thrashing, lashing, flogging, horsewhipping,
scourging, switching, caning, birching, flagellation, spanking:
Once he had had a whipping, the boy would not misbehave again.
2 Nautical seizing, binding, tying, winding, fastening: The
whipping will prevent the end of the line from unravelling.
whirlpool n. maelstrom, vortex, eddy, whirl, swirl, Heraldry gurges: As
we watched in horror, the canoe was drawn down into the
whirlpool and disappeared.
whirlwind n. 1 waterspout, dust devil, cyclone, typhoon, anticyclone,
hurricane, extra-tropical cyclone, tropical cyclone,
Nontechnical tornado, Nautical white squall, Australian
willy-willy, Colloq US whirly: A whole row of houses was
destroyed in the whirlwind.
--adj. 2 speedy, quick, swift, sudden, precipitous, lightning,
headlong, hasty, rash, impetuous: It was one of those whirlwind
romances that last till the wind dies down.
whisk v. 1 rush, dart, sweep, brush: Agatha whisked about the room,
aimlessly moving small objects about on tables and shelves. 2
speed, rush, carry, whip, hasten, hustle, hurry: The taxi came
and whisked Fran off to the airport. 3 See whip, 4, above.
--n. 4 sweep, wave, brush, flick: With a whisk of his hand he
dismissed the servants. 5 brush, fly-whisk: The chief flicked
his whisk to signal that the audience was ended. 6 beater,
whip: It is quicker to whip cream with a whisk.
whisky n. whiskey, alcohol, spirits, John Barleycorn, usquebaugh,
Scotch, home-brew, mother's ruin (= 'gin'), Scots barley-bree,
Brit Scotch, US rye, bourbon, white lightning, white mule,
moonshine, Colloq booze, hooch, rot-gut, US corn, fire-water,
Slang US Sneaky Pete, smoke: Peter is a welcome guest who
always remembers to bring a bottle of whisky.
whisper v. 1 breathe, murmur, mutter, mumble, hiss, speak or say softly
or under (one's) breath, sigh, susurrate: He whispered sweet
nothings in her ear. 2 gossip, bruit about, noise abroad,
murmur, insinuate, hint, rumour, disclose, divulge, reveal,
breathe a word: We have all heard Corin whispering of your
wife's infidelities.
--n. 3 murmur, undertone, hushed tone(s): Why do you always
speak in whispers when talking about Nesta? 4 hint, suggestion,
soup‡on, suspicion: There was never the slightest whisper of
gossip about Eleanor.
white adj. 1 snow-white, snowy, chalk-white, chalky, ivory, creamy,
milky, milk-white, oyster-white, off-white; silver, hoary: Many
buildings in the tropics are painted white. Do you believe that
a person's hair can turn white overnight? 2 pale, pallid, pasty,
wan, whey-faced, ashen, bloodless, drained, whitish, waxen,
ghastly, ghostly, anaemic, dead white, deathly white,
cadaverous, corpse-like: Her black dress contrasted starkly
with her white complexion. 3 innocent, pure, unsullied,
stainless, unblemished, spotless, immaculate, virginal,
virtuous, undefiled, chaste: She came to you with white hands,
which you have sought to dirty with your vicious accusations. 4
Caucasian, Caucasoid, light-skinned, fair-skinned,
pale-complexioned: The American Indian was - and still is -
treated very unfairly by the White man.
whitewash v. gloss over, cover up, sugar-coat, hide, camouflage, conceal,
qualify, minimize, extenuate, diminish, play down, downplay,
make light of, rationalize, excuse: We are being accused of
whitewashing the dishonest actions of the previous
administration.
whittle v. 1 pare (down or away), shave, trim, cut, carve, hew, shape:
Remember when Grandpapa used to whittle those tiny figures of
elves when we were children? 2 Usually, whittle away at or down.
pare, shave, cut, trim, reduce, diminish, erode, eat away at:
If he keeps whittling away at his trust fund, he might have to
get a job.
whole adj. 1 entire, complete, uncut, full, intact, unbroken, total:
I can't believe she ate the whole chicken. Were you here the
whole time? 2 in one piece, intact, unharmed, undamaged,
unscathed, unimpaired, unhurt, uninjured: How could anyone
emerge whole from that smash-up? 3 well, healthy, sound, fit,
strong: The surgeons have made him whole again.
--n. 4 everything, aggregate, (sum) total, totality, lot,
entirety; ensemble; Colloq whole kit and caboodle: I look at
the whole and don't bother about petty details. 5 on the whole.
largely, mostly, usually, more often than not, for the most
part, in general, generally, by and large, with few exceptions,
all things considered, all in all, as a rule, chiefly, mainly,
in the main, predominantly: On the whole, our clients collect
only originals, not copies or prints.
wholehearted
adj. devoted, dedicated, committed, earnest, sincere,
unqualified, unmitigated, unreserved, complete, entire,
unstinting, real, true, genuine, hearty, heartfelt, serious,
enthusiastic, zealous, warm, fervent, ardent, spirited, eager,
energetic: Once I agree to help, you can rely on my
wholehearted support.
wholesome adj. 1 healthful, healthy, health-giving, nutritious,
nourishing, beneficial, tonic, salutary, salubrious,
strengthening, bracing, stimulating: Everyone should regularly
engage in wholesome exercise. 2 moral, ethical, righteous,
upright, honourable, decent, principled, proper, fit, meet: I
am not sure that the child is being brought up in a wholesome
atmosphere.
wholly adv. 1 altogether, entirely, absolutely, quite, totally,
thoroughly, completely, in toto, fully, in all respects, in
every way, all in all, utterly, unqualifiedly, every inch, 100%;
lock, stock, and barrel; root and branch; backwards and
forwards; from the ground up; Colloq bag and baggage; hook,
line, and sinker; to the nth degree; (the) whole hog, US up one
side and down the other: We are wholly on your side in this
matter. The company has been wholly reorganized. 2 only,
exclusively, solely, unexceptionally, categorically,
unequivocally, unambiguously, explicitly: The success or
failure of the plan depends wholly on you.
whoop n. 1 shout, shriek, yell, roar, bellow, hoot, (battle or war)
cry, war-whoop, outcry, scream, screech, squeal, yelp, yowl,
howl, bark; cheer, hurrah, huzzah; Colloq holler: At his whoop
of joy we knew he had passed the exam.
--v. 2 shout, shriek, yell, roar, bellow, hoot, cry (out),
scream, screech, squeal, yelp, yowl, howl, bark; cheer, hurrah,
huzzah; Colloq holler: He heard the tribesmen whooping as they
descended on the fort.
whopping adj. 1 huge, great, enormous, colossal, gigantic, immense,
tremendous, prodigious, monstrous, thumping, mammoth, massive,
Brobdingnagian: With that whopping Great Dane of yours in the
kitchen there's no room to move about. 2 flagrant, outrageous,
extravagant, terrible, awful: Jones tells such whopping lies I
don't know when to believe him.
wicked adj. 1 evil, bad, immoral, amoral, unprincipled, sinful,
impious, irreligious, blasphemous, profane, sacrilegious,
ungodly, godless, diabolic(al), satanic, Mephistophelian,
demonic, demoniac(al), hellish, infernal, accursed, damnable,
fiendish, ghoulish: How wicked must one be to murder one's own
child? She has done many wicked things, but this was the worst.
2 depraved, dissolute, villainous, black-hearted, iniquitous,
horrible, horrid, hideous, heinous, beastly, base, low, vile,
debased, degenerate, perverse, perverted, corrupt, foul,
offensive, abominable, disgraceful, shameful, dreadful, awful,
gross, gruesome, grim, appalling, grisly, loathsome, lawless,
unrepentant, unregenerate, incorrigible, criminal, felonious,
rascally, knavish, terrible, egregious, execrable: The Deluge
was regarded as divine vengeance on a wicked world. He was a
wicked man, in league with the devil himself. 3 dirty,
pornographic, filthy, erotic, obscene, lewd, offensive,
indecent, prurient, smutty, rude, taboo, blue, coarse, bawdy,
vulgar, salacious, licentious, nasty, X-rated, Colloq US
raunchy: The townspeople took the wicked books and burnt them
all. 4 vicious, beastly, savage, nasty, bad, violent, mean,
cruel: Graham has a wicked temper. The boys were subjected to
the most wicked treatment. 5 naughty, mischievous, impish, sly,
devilish, rascally, roguish, scampish, puckish; vexatious,
exasperating, annoying, irritating, irksome, trying, galling,
bothersome: What trouble have those wicked children got
themselves into now? It is wicked of you to make pig noises
every time I mention Bertha. 6 foul, offensive, pernicious,
baleful, mephitic, disgusting, revolting, sickening, repulsive,
repellent, nauseous, repugnant, rotten, pestilential, noxious:
That liniment the doctor prescribed has a wicked odour. 7
expert, ingenious, superior, superb, superlative, outstanding,
masterful, masterly, skilful, deft, adept: That chap Gough
plays a wicked game of tennis.
wide adj. 1 spacious, roomy, ample, extensive, broad: The road is
wide enough for two cars to pass. If the book is set in wider
type, it will have more pages. 2 broad, extensive,
comprehensive, encyclopedic or encyclopaedic, inclusive,
far-reaching, wide-ranging, widespread: He has wide interests,
from music to archaeology to sport. 3 extreme, considerable,
substantial, sizeable, major, big, large; widespread: There
have been wide fluctuations in market prices. 4 wide of the
mark. off the mark, astray, deviant, deviating, off (the)
target, not on target, inappropriate: Forecasts from analysts
were based on erroneous assumptions and proved to be very wide
of the mark.
--adv. 5 astray, afield, wide of the mark, off the mark, off
(the) target, to one side: He took careless aim and the shot
went wide. 6 all the way, as much as possible, fully,
completely, to the utmost: The dentist said, 'Open wide'. When
I heard the drill, I was suddenly wide awake.
widely adv. 1 extensively, thoroughly, universally, everywhere,
generally, by many: In the days when it was widely believed
that the earth was flat, perhaps it was. 2 to a large or a great
extent, greatly, largely, very much, extremely, considerably,
substantially: Opinions differ widely regarding the origin of
the universe.
widen v. distend, dilate, spread, stretch, enlarge, increase, expand;
extend, broaden, supplement, add to, augment: It will be
necessary to widen the opening to allow insertion of the device.
We are planning to widen the news coverage we provide our
readers.
width n. 1 breadth, wideness, compass, broadness, span; diameter,
calibre, bore; measure; Nautical beam: What is the standard
width of railway track in this country? The width of the
cannon-ball is three inches. 2 reach, scope, range, breadth,
extent, extensiveness: There is an impressive width of choice
at the restaurant.
wield v. 1 flourish, swing, brandish, wave, handle, use, employ: He
wields that machete as if he means business. 2 exercise, have,
employ, exert, use, utilize: Since Juan is the one who wields
the power, he is the one to deal with.
wife n. mate, helpmeet, helpmate, spouse, bride, partner, Colloq
better half, little woman, the missis or missus, old lady or
woman, ball and chain, Slang trouble and strife: Doesn't your
wife mind your going out every night?
wild adj. 1 undomesticated, untamed, unbroken, savage, feral: The
only four-legged animals inhabiting the island were wild pigs.
2 uncultivated, uninhabited, waste, desert, desolate, virgin,
unpopulated, empty, trackless, barren, lifeless; deserted: The
cottage overlooks an expanse of wild moorland. 3 savage,
uncivilized, barbarous, primitive, rude, uncultured,
uncultivated, brutish, barbaric, fierce, ferocious: Some early
explorers studied the wild people they encountered in far-off
lands. 4 uncontrolled, unrestricted, unrestrained, untrammelled,
unbridled, unfettered, unshackled, free, unchecked, lively,
impetuous, unconventional, undisciplined, disobedient,
insubordinate, self-willed, wayward, mutinous, rowdy(ish),
boisterous, unruly, tumultuous, turbulent, tempestuous,
uproarious; uncontrollable, unmanageable, ungovernable,
intractable, unrestrainable: Peter led quite a wild youth. We
cannot cope with their wild behaviour after they have had too
much to drink. 5 mad, maniac(al), crazed, crazy, irrational,
distracted, frenzied, frantic, distraught, hysterical, raving,
raging, unhinged, demented, delirious; berserk; run amok or
amuck: William had a wild look about him. Nellie has been
driven wild by the pressures of business. 6 exciting, excited,
vehement, passionate, romantic, turbulent, chaotic, tempestuous,
reckless, madcap: At the time, Ernest was having a wild love
affair with Charles's widow. 7 absurd, irrational, unreasonable,
extravagant, fantastic, imprudent, foolish, foolhardy,
impractical, impracticable, unpractical, unworkable, ridiculous,
reckless, silly, giddy, flighty, madcap, outrageous,
preposterous, bizarre, strange, odd, peculiar, Colloq offbeat:
He lost thousands on some wild scheme for reducing shipping
costs by filling bubble packing with helium. 8 tousled,
wind-blown, unkempt, dishevelled, untidy, disordered,
disorderly, messed-up, Colloq mussed-up: Her hair was in wild
disarray. 9 enthusiastic, avid, eager, agog, Colloq crazy, mad,
daft, dotty, Brit potty, Slang nutty, nuts: I'm just wild about
Harry, And Harry's wild about me.
--n. 10 Usually, wilds. wasteland, wilderness, desert,
vastness, emptiness, Colloq sticks, middle of nowhere, back of
beyond: His idea of adventure was to trek through the wilds of
Hyde Park.
wile n. Often, wiles. trick, stratagem, ruse, artifice, subterfuge,
dodge, trap, snare, manoeuvre, ploy, contrivance, move, gambit,
plot, scheme, machination, Colloq (little) game: You won't get
far trying to work your wiles on me, young lady.
wilful adj. 1 intentional, deliberate, voluntary, conscious, intended,
purposeful, premeditated, US willful: The jury decided that
such a wilful act of vandalism must be punished. She is accused
of wilful neglect of her children. 2 stubborn, headstrong,
pigheaded, obstinate, mulish, inflexible, adamant, obdurate,
intransigent, unyielding, self-willed, ungovernable,
recalcitrant, unruly, immovable, intractable, dogged,
determined, refractory, uncompromising, wayward, perverse,
contrary: Jim is far too wilful, and tends to have a tantrum if
he fails to get his own way.
will n. 1 desire, wish, longing, liking, inclination, disposition,
drive, purposefulness, purpose, intent, intention, resolve,
commitment, resolution, determination; will-power: Where
there's a will there's a way. Some believe that taking
medication is against God's will. Marguerite seems to have lost
the will to live. 2 choice, wishes, desire, inclination: He was
forced to submit against his will. 3 (last will and) testament,
last wishes: In accordance with his will, Josiah was buried at
sea. 4 at will. as or when (one) pleases or wishes or thinks
fit(ting), at (one's) desire or whim or pleasure or discretion:
If he brings his own car, then he can leave at will.
--v. 5 want, desire, wish, choose, see fit, make, compel,
force, command, order, ordain, require: When she willed him to
appear, there was a flash of lightning and he was there. 6
leave, bequeath, devise, hand down or on, pass on, transfer;
settle upon or on: My great-uncle Philip willed me his
collection of 19th-century theatre memorabilia.
willing adj. agreeable, acquiescent, compliant, amenable, consenting,
assenting, passive, complaisant, docile, ready, well-disposed,
happy, content, pleased, delighted, enthusiastic, avid, eager,
zealous, Colloq game: Albert might not have thought up the
pranks, but he was a willing accomplice.
willingly adv. readily, happily, contentedly, gladly, cheerfully,
amenably, agreeably, freely, passively, docilely, of (one's) own
accord or free will, on (one's) own, ungrudgingly, by choice,
voluntarily, unhesitatingly, nothing loath, eagerly,
enthusiastically, zealously, avidly, Colloq at the drop of a
hat: We did not coerce him in any way - he went along quite
willingly. You can rely on Hubert to give willingly and
generously to support any good cause.
willowy adj. 1 lissom or lissome, pliant, lithe, flexible, supple,
limber, loose-limbed: Everyone enjoys watching the willowy
athletes training for the Olympics. 2 slim, slender, graceful,
sylphlike, svelte, thin, long-limbed, clean-limbed: How does
Jeanne keep her willowy figure without dieting?
willy-nilly
adv. 1 whether one likes it or not, inevitably, necessarily, of
necessity, perforce, whether or no, like it or not, nolens
volens, bon gr‚, mal gr‚: Having borrowed the money, you must,
willy-nilly, repay it.
--adj. 2 necessary, unavoidable, inevitable, involuntary: He
joked about a willy-nilly choice, meaning one offering no
alternatives.
wilt v. 1 sag, droop, wither, shrink, shrivel (up or away),
diminish: My house-plants wilted because they weren't watered.
2 sag, droop, bow, weaken, sink, wane, wither, lose courage or
nerve, flag, dwindle, languish: The lad wilted under the stern
glare of the headmaster.
wily adj. shrewd, cunning, crafty, sly, artful, guileful, clever,
foxy, vulpine, disingenuous, shifty, scheming, plotting,
calculating, designing, sharp, canny, deceitful, deceiving,
deceptive, treacherous, perfidious, false, double-dealing,
dishonest, underhand(ed), tricky, smooth, slick, slippery, oily,
unctuous, Scots and No. Eng. pawky, Colloq cagey, crooked,
two-timing, Slang chiefly Brit fly: Rats are wily and cunning,
and have to be taken seriously.
win v. 1 come (in or out) first, carry the day, conquer, overcome;
carry off (the palm), finish first (in), achieve first place
(in), triumph (in), be victorious (in), be the victor (in), gain
a victory (in), prevail (in), succeed (in), take first prize
(in), Colloq bring home the bacon: Which team is more likely to
win today? We seem to have won the battle but not the war. 2
gain, carry off or away, attain, acquire, get, obtain, secure,
procure, receive, collect, net, bag, earn, realize, pick up,
glean: Look at all those trophies Gillian has won playing golf!
3 win over. influence, sway, incline, persuade, charm, prevail
upon, convert, induce, bring round or around, convince: Don't
think that Gilbert can be won over without a strong argument.
--n. 4 victory, conquest, triumph, success: So far this season
we have recorded six wins and one loss for the Surrey Scouts.
wind° n. 1 breeze, zephyr, puff, gust, breath, draught, light air,
current (of air): A gentle wind wafted our little boat across
the bay. 2 puffery, bombast, rodomontade, bluster, boasting,
braggadocio, vain speech, blather, (idle or empty) talk,
fustian, nonsense, twaddle, humbug, babble, gibberish, Colloq
gab, hot air, claptrap, hogwash, rot, hooey, boloney, Slang Brit
(load of (old)) cobblers: I went there for advice and all I got
was a lot of wind. 3 gas, flatulence, windiness, flatus,
borborygmus (= 'stomach rumbling (as from gas)'), heartburn,
Taboo slang fart (= 'anal release of gas'): I have to take a
pill to relieve this wind. 4 before the wind. Nautical
downwind, off the wind: We were racing before the wind with
every scrap of sail flying. 5 break wind. Taboo slang fart:
It is considered rude to break wind. 6 get or have wind of.
hear of, learn of, come to know, pick up, be made or become
aware of, gather, understand, hear on the grapevine, Colloq hear
tell of: We got wind of the company's plans to close this
plant. 7 get or have the wind up. take fright, become
frightened or afraid or apprehensive: When I heard a window
being raised I got the wind up. 8 in the wind. around, about,
rumoured, in the air, detectable, discernible, discoverable,
imminent, impending, approaching, close (at hand), about to
happen or take place or occur, afoot, in the offing, near, on
the way, Colloq Brit on the cards, US in the cards: We knew
that a change was in the wind, but never expected the chairman
to resign. 9 off the wind. See 5, above. 10 on the or a wind.
Nautical upwind, windward, to the wind, into (the teeth or the
eye of) the wind; near the wind Because 'Syrena' was a sloop,
she could sail closer on the wind than the schooner. 11 put the
wind up. scare, frighten, alarm: The leakage at the nuclear
plant really put the wind up everyone living in the area. 12
sail close or near to the wind. take risks, throw caution to the
winds, play with fire, skate on thin ice, take (one's) life in
(one's) hands, Colloq stick (one's) neck out, Slang go for
broke: One nude scene is highly salacious, and we think the
director is sailing very close to the wind by including it. 13
take the wind out of (someone's) sails. deflate (someone),
disconcert (someone), destroy (someone's) advantage, ruin
(someone's) superiority or supremacy or ascendancy: It rather
took the wind out of her sails when he announced that he was
leaving anyway.
windэ v. 1 turn, bend, twist, snake, worm, twine, zigzag, slew,
swerve, loop, coil, curve, meander, ramble, veer: The river
winds along the valley floor. 2 reel, roll, spiral, turn,
twist, curl, coil, wrap, twine, wreathe; crank (up), wind up:
The streamers are wound around the columns for decoration. 3
wind down. a taper off, slow down, diminish, reduce, close out,
slacken or slack off (on), ease (up on), decrease, cut back or
down (on); wind up: They were going to wind down their
sportswear department, but then business suddenly perked up. b
relax, become calm or tranquil, calm down, cool off or down,
regain (one's) equilibrium, ease up or off, Colloq unwind, let
(one's) hair down, take it easy: It takes me a couple of days
to wind down from the hectic activity in the office. 4 wind up.
a terminate, conclude, come or bring to an end or a close or a
conclusion, end (up), close down or up, finish (up), wrap up;
liquidate, settle: After calmly winding up his affairs, Evan
sailed off in his boat and was never seen again. b end up,
finish (up), become ultimately: I understand that Sally wound
up as a bar girl in Tampico. c excite, innervate, energize,
stimulate, invigorate, stir up: After getting us all wound up
about that weekend party in Paris, she called the whole thing
off. d agitate, fluster, disconcert, ruffle: Don't let such
trifles get you so wound up. e See 3 (a), above.
windfall n. bonanza, godsend, stroke of (good) fortune, serendipitous
find, boon, piece of (good) luck, jackpot, (lucky) strike: The
sale of the house provided a windfall that saved them from
imminent bankruptcy.
windy adj. 1 blustery, blowing, blowy, breezy, gusting, gusty, wild,
squally, tempestuous; windswept: It is quite windy today. I
waited at that windy corner for you and you never showed up! 2
talkative, long-winded, garrulous, wordy, verbose, prolix,
loquacious, rambling, voluble, fluent, effusive, glib, turgid,
bombastic, pompous, longiloquent: Potter does tend to be windy
at times.
winner n. victor, champion, prizewinner, title-holder, conqueror,
conquering hero, Colloq champ: The winner will receive a new
car.
winning adj. 1 engaging, attractive, alluring, captivating, endearing,
prepossessing, winsome, bewitching, fetching, taking,
enchanting, pleasing, delightful, charming, amiable, friendly,
pleasant, sweet: Maggie's winning ways are a tremendous asset
to making friends. 2 triumphant, conquering, victorious,
successful: The winning team is invited to dine at the Red
Lion.
wintry adj. 1 hiemal, brumal, hibernal; icy, snowy, freezing, frozen,
frosty, cold, frigid, bitter (cold), chilly, chilling, piercing,
cutting, glacial, Siberian, arctic, hyperborean: It was cold
and the sky was clear and wintry with premonitions of frost. 2
cold, frigid, chilly, cool, chilling, glacial: She got a very
wintry reception from Dan's parents, who disliked the idea of
their living together. 3 forbidding, bleak, dismal, cheerless,
dreary, harsh, unfriendly, ugly, menacing, ominous, threatening,
dark: His comment about her age evoked only a wintry look from
Margot.
wipe v. 1 Sometimes, wipe off or out or up. rub, clean (off or out
or up), cleanse; dry (off or out or up), dust (off), mop (up),
swab, sponge (off or up): For God's sake, wipe your nose!
Please wipe the crumbs off the table when you've finished
eating. Stop crying and wipe up the spilt milk. 2 Often, wipe
off. remove, erase, take off or away, get rid of: Wipe that
grin off your face, stranger. 3 wipe out. kill (off),
annihilate, massacre, destroy, finish (off), dispose of,
eradicate, obliterate, exterminate, do away with, stamp out, get
rid of, remove, wipe off the face of the earth: Scientists have
succeeded in wiping out smallpox.
wiry adj. muscular, sinewy, lean, lank, thin and strong, tough and
flexible: He was a stocky and wiry little man, rather like a
short-legged terrier.
wisdom n. 1 sagacity, sageness, judgement, discernment, reason,
prudence, judiciousness, (common) sense, insight, penetration,
sapience, understanding, rationality, clear-sightedness,
clear-headedness, perspicacity, perspicuity, percipience,
perception, perceptiveness, intelligence, acuteness, acumen,
astuteness, sharpness, shrewdness, long-headedness: At least
she had the wisdom not to shoot the intruder. Allen's wisdom
stems from long experience in such matters. 2 knowledge,
learning, erudition, lore, scholarship, enlightenment: The
wisdom of the ages is locked away in these books.
wise adj. 1 sage, sagacious, judicious, reasonable, commonsensical,
prudent, sensible, insightful, sapient, understanding, rational,
sound, clear-sighted, clear-headed, discerning, perspicacious,
perspicuous, percipient, perceptive, intelligent, acute, astute,
sharp, shrewd, crafty, clever, bright, quick-witted, smart,
brilliant, long-headed, Colloq brainy: Among the wisest of men
were Solomon, Confucius, Buddha, and, perhaps, Aristotle. 2
knowledgeable, learned, enlightened, informed, erudite;
(well-)educated, knowing, well-read, well-versed, lettered,
scholarly: We saw to it that they escaped, and the police were
none the wiser. Wise heads prevailed at the college on what
constituted worthwhile research. 3 well-advised, advisable,
judicious, sensible, expedient, reasonable, strategic, tactful,
tactical, prudent, politic, discreet, diplomatic,
well-thought-out, well-considered, proper, fitting, appropriate,
meet: Do you think it wise to punish the child so severely? 4
put wise (to). inform or advise or warn (of or about): If you
must know how he found out, it was Myrna who put him wise. Did
she also put him wise to where the money is hidden? 5 wise to.
aware or knowledgeable or informed of or about, sensitive to, on
to or onto, Colloq in the know about: You are wrong if you
think she isn't wise to your little tricks. Get wise to what's
going on, Man.
--v. 6 wise up (to). become informed or aware (of or about),
wake up (to), Colloq get wise (to) or in the know (about): If
Cooley doesn't wise up, he'll be in deep trouble. Was it you who
wised Meg up to the fact that Tom no longer cares?
wisecrack n. 1 joke, quip, rejoinder, witticism, pun, barb, jest, gibe or
jibe, Colloq gag; dig: Everything is a potential subject for a
wisecrack.
--v. 2 joke, quip, pun, gibe or jibe: Get serious and stop
wisecracking for a change.
wise guy n. wiseacre, smart alec or aleck, Archaic witling, Colloq
know-all or know-it-all, Brit Clever Dick or cleverdick, Slang
smarty-pants, smarty, Brit smart-arse, US smart-ass,
wisenheimer: There's always some wise guy waiting to make a
clever remark.
wish v. 1 desire, want; yearn, crave, long, hope, hanker, have a
mind, (have a) fancy, choose, care: I wish you'd go now. If you
had Aladdin's lamp, what would you wish for? 2 require, request,
demand, order, specify: Did you wish lemon or milk in your tea?
3 foist or force or thrust or impose upon, Colloq fob off on or
upon, palm off on: The job of treasurer was wished on me when
Jock left.
--n. 4 desire, request, whim, want, craving, longing,
hankering: Your every wish is my command. 5 desire, longing,
craving, need, yearning, hankering, passion, keenness, thirst,
appetite, hunger, whim, urge, liking, fondness, fancy,
preference, predisposition, disposition, inclination, Colloq
yen, Slang itch: She expressed a wish for nightingale tongues,
truffles, and champagne.
wishy-washy
adj. 1 neither here nor there, undecided, indecisive,
irresolute, half-hearted, shilly-shallying, tergiversating,
vacillating, uncertain, of or having mixed feelings, of two
minds: Make up your mind and stop being so wishy-washy about
everything! 2 feeble, weak, watery, watered down, thin, vapid,
flat, bland, runny, diluted, tasteless, insipid, flavourless,
stale: Isabel served me some wishy-washy tea and sent me on my
way.
wisp n. shred, scrap, strand, thread, snippet, tuft, lock: The
laboratory matched the wisp of hair found in the victim's hand
with the hair of the suspect.
wistful adj. 1 melancholy, mournful, sad, morose, sorrowful,
disconsolate, heartsick, forlorn, woeful, woebegone, desirous,
longing, yearning: She gave a last, wistful look at the
aeroplane as it rose into the clouds. 2 thoughtful,
contemplative, pensive, absent-minded, detached, absorbed, in a
brown study, preoccupied, meditating, meditative, reflective,
ruminating, ruminative, dreamy, dreaming, day-dreaming, musing:
Some might have misinterpreted his wistful gaze at her
photograph.
wit n. 1 intelligence, brains, mind, (common) sense, judgement,
understanding, discernment, wisdom, sagacity, insight,
astuteness, cleverness, Slang savvy: He hasn't the wit to know
when he's being insulted. 2 humour, drollery, levity, joking,
repartee, raillery, facetiousness, waggishness, badinage,
repartee, jocularity, wordplay, paronomasia; amusement,
entertainment: Some say that sarcasm is the lowest form of wit.
3 comedian, comedienne, humorist, comic, wag, joker, farceur,
farceuse, punster, madcap, zany; parodist, satirist,
caricaturist; Colloq pundit, card, character: In the face of
such a devastating remark, even the club wit was struck dumb.
witch n. 1 sorceress, enchantress, magician, sibyl, pythoness;
warlock: The witches prophesied that Macbeth would be king. 2
hag, fury, battleaxe, crone, gorgon, Medusa, ogress, Xanthippe,
shrew, virago, harridan, fishwife, termagant, Archaic beldam or
beldame, Offensive old bag, bitch: How could you stand living
with the old witch for so many years?
withdraw v. 1 draw back, retract, pull back, recoil, shrink back: He
would suddenly withdraw into his cocoon whenever she said the
name, 'Elsie'. 2 retract, recall, take back, cancel, rescind,
recant, disavow, disclaim, abjure, void, annul, go back on, back
down (on): If she doesn't withdraw that remark, I shall sue her
for slander. 3 pull out, extract, remove, Technical retrude:
Afterwards, she withdrew the knife, washed it, and replaced it
in the rack. The dentist withdrew the bad tooth. 4 retire,
retreat, go, repair: After dinner, we withdrew to the
drawing-room for brandy and cigars. 5 leave, depart, go, make
(oneself) scarce, absent (oneself), retire: We waited till the
servants withdrew before exchanging news about Cora.
withdrawn adj. 1 reserved, detached, distant, standoffish, aloof, shy,
diffident, bashful, timid, timorous, introverted, taciturn,
reticent, silent, quiet, retiring, shrinking: Why is Henry
acting so withdrawn tonight? 2 remote, distant, isolated,
solitary, hidden, secluded, private, out-of-the-way, reclusive:
Sarah and Ben have led a withdrawn existence since the children
married and moved away.
withering adj. destructive, devastating, death-dealing, murderous,
deadly: The enemy laid down a withering barrage of machine-gun
fire.
withhold v. 1 hold or keep back, retain, reserve, restrain, control,
repress, check, hide, conceal: He could withhold his anger no
longer. 2 hold or keep back, deduct, retain, reserve: The
company is required to withhold a percentage of wages and
salaries for taxes.
withstand v. resist, oppose, stand (up to), face, defy, confront, combat,
grapple with, fight (against), cope with, hold out against,
weather, suffer, survive, tolerate, take, bear, last through,
endure, brave, Colloq Brit stick: Can Brian withstand the
pressure of his new job? Our small force withstood the attack
for days.
witness n. 1 observer, onlooker, spectator, viewer, eyewitness,
bystander, watcher, Rare earwitness: Were you a witness to what
took place here? 2 deponent, testifier, corroborating witness,
corroborator: The defence will call its witnesses today. 3
bear witness (to or of). testify (to), attest (to), be or give
or provide or furnish or constitute evidence or proof or
testimony (of or to), verify, confirm, corroborate, show, prove:
The bent poker bears witness to the violence of the attack.
--v. 4 see, observe, watch, look on or at, view, behold, mark,
note, notice, take in, Colloq spot, catch: I did witness the
way they looked at each other. 5 countersign, sign, certify,
endorse, substantiate, document, certificate: Would you mind
witnessing our signatures, Miss Cabot? 6 See 3, above.
witticism n. pun, quip, play on words, bon mot, jest, joke, epigram,
clever remark, sally, Archaic or literary conceit, Colloq gag,
one-liner: Clive is just as likely to utter a witticism as say
something excruciatingly banal.
witty adj. ingenious, subtle, clever, humorous, sarcastic, sardonic,
piquant, humorous, comic(al), farcical, ludicrous, facetious,
amusing, jocular, waggish, droll, funny: Corbett, not ready
with his usual witty riposte, shouted an obscenity at the bus
driver.
wizened adj. wrinkled, shrunken, shrivelled (up), withered, gnarled,
dried up, wilted, faded, wasted: The wizened old crone is his
grandmother.
woe n. trouble, hardship, adversity, misery, anguish, tribulation,
calamity, trial, wretchedness, grief, unhappiness, desolation,
dolour, melancholy, gloom, depression, sadness,
disconsolateness, misfortune, affliction, sorrow, distress: How
much more woe could beset one small family?
woebegone adj. troubled, miserable, anguished, wretched, grief-stricken,
unhappy, desolate, doleful, dolorous, melancholy, melancholic,
gloomy, mournful, sorrowful, depressed, dejected, sad, glum,
crestfallen, chap-fallen, lugubrious, downcast, disconsolate,
unfortunate, star-crossed, afflicted, distressed, woeful,
forlorn, downhearted, broken-hearted, heartbroken, disheartened,
Slang US bummed out: Timmy has been so woebegone since his
puppy was stolen!
woman n. 1 female, lady; girl: Elvira was the first woman to be
elected to the board. 2 wife, spouse, bride, lady-love,
sweetheart, lady, girl, girlfriend, mistress, concubine, mate,
helpmeet, helpmate, partner, Colloq sweetie, better half, little
woman, the missis or missus, old lady or woman, ball and chain,
Slang trouble and strife: In this scene, Porgy tells Bess that
she is his woman, now and forever. 3 lass, maid, maiden, miss,
lassie, Slang gal, dame, bird, skirt, chick, bit of fluff,
broad, piece (of work), number, baggage, moll, popsy: The
soldiers went into town to try to find some women for an
evening's entertainment. 4 domestic, housekeeper, maid, cleaning
woman or lady, maidservant, chambermaid, handmaiden, abigail,
lady-in-waiting, Brit charwoman, Colloq Brit char, daily: They
have a woman who comes in every other day.
wonder n. 1 marvel, prodigy, phenomenon, spectacle, rarity, sight,
curiosity, miracle, Slang knockout, stunner, mind-blower,
mind-boggler, trip: Surely, the wheel must rank high among the
wonders of technology. And still he gazed, and still the wonder
grew, / That one small head could carry all he knew. 2 awe,
astonishment, admiration, amazement, wonderment, surprise,
stupefaction, fascination: Facsimile transmission, which used
to excite so much wonder, is now used in offices all over the
world.
--v. 3 ponder, muse, meditate, think, theorize, conjecture,
puzzle, query, question, inquire, be inquisitive, be curious,
ask oneself, speculate, cudgel (one's) brains: I wondered if I
would be invited to the dance. Have you ever wondered what makes
the world go round? 4 marvel (at), goggle, gawk, gape, stare, be
awed, be thunderstruck, be amazed, be astonished: We wondered
at the death-defying skills of the trapeze artistes. 5 wonder
about. question or doubt the sanity or reason or reasonableness
of: I wondered about Tammy after that streaking episode.
wooded adj. sylvan, forested, bosky, tree-covered, woody, timbered:
We rested and had our lunch in the coolness of a wooded glen.
wooden adj. 1 wood, woody, ligneous, xyloid: The wooden cabinet for
the kitchen is almost finished. 2 stiff, rigid, artificial,
clumsy, stilted, unnatural, awkward, ungainly, spiritless,
unanimated, dead, lifeless, dry, passionless, unimpassioned,
impassive, vacant, empty, colourless, expressionless, deadpan:
The understudy gave a wooden performance as Uncle Vanya. 3
unintelligent, block-headed, stupid, dull, insensitive,
slow-witted, dull-witted, obtuse, oafish, doltish, tiny-minded,
dim-witted, dunderpated, Colloq thick, wooden-headed,
knuckle-headed: Clancy has some pretty wooden ideas about how
to run a business.
woolly adj. 1 fleecy, woollen, wool-bearing, laniferous, lanate or
lanose, lanuginose or lanuginous, downy, fuzzy, shaggy,
flocculent or floccose, flocky: He was wearing a woolly hat.
After two days one test tube contained a woolly precipitate. 2
hazy, fuzzy, unclear, obscure(d), foggy, indistinct, confused,
vague, cloudy, clouded, nebulous, ill-defined: My recollection
of the event is a bit woolly after all these years.
word n. 1 (little) talk, (brief) conversation, chat, discussion,
consultation, dialogue, huddle, parley, t€te-…-t€te, chit-chat,
confabulation, conference, interview, Colloq powwow, confab:
Could I have a word with you before you leave for the day? 2
news, intelligence, information, facts, data, report, story,
tidings, account, communiqu‚, bulletin, dispatch or despatch,
advice, message, Colloq low-down, Slang info, dope, Brit gen, US
poop: Have you had any word about the situation in the Middle
East? 3 name, term, designation, locution, appellation,
expression, phrase: What is the word for 'write' in Greek? 4
promise, pledge, vow, oath, (solemn) word of honour,
undertaking, assurance, warrant, guarantee or guaranty,
warranty: You have my word that I won't mention this to anyone.
5 utterance, expression, declaration, statement: Let me give
you a word of warning, my friend. 6 suggestion, hint,
scintilla, bit: I promise that I won't breathe a word of this
to anyone. 7 command, order, signal, direction, instruction,
Colloq US high sign: I shall not press the red button till you
give the word. 8 in a word. succinctly, briefly, in brief, in a
few words, concisely, in short, in summary, in sum, not to mince
words, to make a long story short, when all is said and done, in
the final analysis, not to beat about the bush, Colloq in a
nutshell: His bedside manner was, in a word, menacing. 9
words. a quarrel, dispute, argument, unpleasantness: Paul and
Kitty had words and are not on speaking terms. b lyrics, book,
libretto, text: Did Irving Berlin write the words as well as
the music to his songs?
--v. 10 put (forth), say, couch, express, phrase, utter, state,
term, style, set forth: Had you worded your complaint in
politer language, you might have spared yourself a punch in the
eye.
wording n. phraseology, language, phrasing, choice of words, word
choice: From the confused wording of this note I cannot tell
whether you are coming to my party or not.
wordy adj. verbose, prolix, rambling, long-winded; pleonastic,
redundant, garrulous, windy, talkative, loquacious: This
contract is too wordy and could be cut to two pages. Try to make
your replies less wordy.
work n. 1 labour, toil, effort, drudgery, travail, exertion,
industry: Few people make it to the top and stay there without
hard work. 2 employment, business, occupation, vocation,
calling, profession, trade, line, m‚tier, career, livelihood,
job, post, position, situation: Does your work as a test pilot
interfere much with your home life? 3 task, function, duty,
assignment, charge, responsibility, chore, commission,
undertaking, stint: When you are finished with that work, clean
out the cellar. 4 feat, achievement, creation, accomplishment,
opus, handiwork, oeuvre, production, composition, piece,
master-work, masterpiece, chef-d'oeuvre, magnum opus, output:
Some of Edwin's recent works have won prizes. 5 in work. in
production, under way, being done, in the works, being planned,
in the planning stage(s): The budget has been approved and the
project is already in work. 6 out of work. unemployed, idle,
jobless, at liberty, between engagements, available, free, Brit
redundant, Colloq Brit on the dole, US on or collecting
unemployment: How long have you been out of work?
--v. 7 labour, toil, exert oneself, sweat, moil, slave (away),
peg away, slog (away): His father worked in the mines from the
age of nine till he died of black-lung disease at forty. 8 till,
plough, farm, cultivate: Would he have been healthier and
longer-lived had he worked the land? 9 have a job, hold (down) a
post or position, earn a living, be employed: His wife works as
a designer in a Parisian fashion house. 10 control, manage,
manipulate, manoeuvre, wield, handle, operate, use, make use of,
utilize, exploit, deal with, bring into play: Are you sure you
know how to work all those dials and buttons? 11 function,
operate, run, go, develop, turn out, Colloq pan out: Are you
sure that the plan is working to your advantage? 12 function,
operate, run, go: The drill works better if you turn on the
power. 13 knead, mould, form, fashion, shape; mix, stir,
incorporate: Work the clay into long, narrow strips. Try to
work the colour in with your fingers.. 14 manoeuvre, manipulate,
guide: See if you can work him over into a corner where you can
grab him. 15 operate, use, employ, put to (good or effective)
use, wield, manipulate, ply, apply, exploit: Tanya must have
worked her magic on Eustace to make him that docile. 16 bring
about, effect, accomplish, carry out or off, make, produce,
achieve, engender, beget, create, do, put through, execute,
fulfil, effectuate, implement, realize: I doubt that the new
sports centre will work many changes in the area. 17 work in.
find time or space for, include, insert, introduce, fit in,
squeeze in, accommodate: I'll try and work in your comments
when I write up my report. 18 work on. wheedle, coax,
importune, press, Brit pressurize, US pressure; influence,
persuade, act on, prevail upon, induce, dispose, urge: Keep
working on him to try to change his mind. 19 work out. a
exercise, do callisthenics, do aerobics, warm up, do setting-up
exercises, do (one's) daily dozen, jog, lift weights, train,
drill: I try to work out for an hour every day. b Often, work
out at or to. equal, total (up to), result in, amount to, come
to: Let's see - that works out at one car for every 4.7 people.
c clear up, resolve, solve, Slang Brit and New Zealand suss out:
Thaddeus is old enough to work out his own problems. Can they
work out their differences? d evolve, develop, succeed, prosper,
come out all right, prove satisfactory, go well, be effective,
Colloq pan out: How can you be so sure that everything will
work out? e formulate, work up, contrive, draw up, detail,
plan, develop, devise, put together, elaborate, expand, enlarge
(on): The captain worked out a way for them to escape. 20 work
up. a excite, make excited, agitate, inflame, enkindle, arouse,
rouse, stir, move, animate, incite, spur, Colloq fire (up), get
(someone) (all) steamed or hopped or het up: Those
fire-and-brimstone preachers used to get the people all worked
up. b prepare, (make or get) ready, whip into shape, develop,
come up with, write up, put together, produce, turn out: Can
you work up that proposal in time for Monday's meeting? c
advance, ascend, rise, move up or ahead or on: In no time at
all, Greg worked his way up from assembler to foreman. d See 19
(e), above.
worker n. labourer, working man or woman, workman, hand, employee,
artisan, craftsman, tradesman, white-collar worker, blue-collar
worker, proletarian, breadwinner, wage-earner: It seems
unlikely that the workers would strike for longer hours and less
pay.
workmanship
n. handicraft, craft, craftsmanship, artistry, art, technique,
handiwork, skill, skilfulness, mastery, US artisanship: One
cannot help but admire the workmanship in those marquetry
tabletops.
works n.pl. 1 plant, factory, workshop, shop, mill: We were taken on
a tour of the works to see how the marble is carved. 2
mechanism, machinery, workings, (moving or working) parts;
clockwork, Colloq innards, insides, Slang guts: We once had a
clock with all the works exposed. 3 the works. a everything,
the lot, Colloq the whole kit and caboodle, the whole shooting
match, everything but the kitchen sink, Chiefly US and Canadian
the whole shebang: We ordered two hamburgers with the works. b
a thrashing, a beating, a drubbing, a battering, a flogging, a
lambasting: When he refused to tell them where the money was
hidden, they gave him the works.
world n. 1 earth, planet, sphere, globe, Terra; universe, cosmos,
existence, creation, life: Do you believe the world is round?
Buckland lives in his own, private world. 2 humanity, mankind,
people, the human race, society, the public, men, humankind,
everybody, everyone, the world at large: We know what he thinks
of the world, but what does the world think of him? 3 area,
sphere, domain, community, clique, crowd, circle, fraternity,
faction, set, coterie: What value does the art world place on
Longchamps' paintings? 4 period, time, age, era, epoch,
time(s): They have produced an excellent series of programmes
on the ancient world. 5 bring into the world. a deliver, have,
give birth to, beget, Rare or dialect birth: Grandmother
brought sixteen children into the world. b deliver, midwife:
The town family doctor brought hundreds of children into the
world in his long career. 6 for all the world. precisely,
exactly, in all respects, in every respect, in every way, just:
He behaved for all the world like a man possessed by the devil.
7 on top of the world. ecstatic, delighted, elated, happy,
exultant, overjoyed, rapturous, Brit in the seventh heaven, US
in seventh heaven, Colloq on cloud nine, Brit over the moon:
George has been on top of the world ever since Prudence agreed
to marry him. 8 out of this world. marvellous, wonderful,
exceptional, unbelievable, incredible, excellent, superb, Colloq
great, smashing, fantastic, fabulous, Slang out of sight,
far-out, Brit magic, US to the max: The place we stayed at
Ibiza was out of this world!
worldly adv. 1 mundane, earthly, terrestrial, temporal, physical,
carnal, fleshly, corporeal, human; lay, non-spiritual,
non-religious, civic, secular, profane: Theo indulged in
worldly pleasures in the fleshpots of the continent. Veronica
put aside worldly things and took the veil. 2 urbane, suave,
sophisticated, cosmopolitan, worldly-wise, Slang with it, hip,
cool: Behind that worldly manner is the heart of a peasant.
worn adj. 1 shabby, threadbare, tatty, tattered, ragged, frayed:
Burt wears an old, worn tweed jacket when he's around the house.
2 haggard, drawn: He looked anxiously at his mother's thin,
worn face. 3 worn out. tired, fatigued, exhausted, frazzled,
spent, jaded, played out, haggard, drawn, the worse for wear,
Colloq dog-tired, all in, done in, Slang dead (on one's feet),
beat, US pooped: I was completely worn out from climbing those
stairs.
worried adj. fearful, apprehensive, anxious, distressed, nervous,
uneasy, anguished, disquieted, agonized, agonizing, distraught,
on edge, on tenterhooks, ill at ease, troubled, fretful,
agitated, perturbed, upset, suffering: The two worried mothers
waited at the police station for news of their children.
worry v. 1 be anxious, be fearful, be concerned, fret, agonize, be
distressed, be vexed, Colloq stew, bite or chew (one's) nails,
go or get grey, get grey hair, Slang sweat blood, US sweat
bullets: I worry about you when you stay out so late. 2 annoy,
irk, pester, nettle, harry, harass, tease, bother, tantalize,
torment, plague, hector, badger, nettle, gall, peeve, Colloq
hassle: The police have been worrying me the way a dog worries
a bone.
--n. 3 concern, care, responsibility; problem, bother, trouble,
affliction, irritation, annoyance, vexation: I cannot see why
that is your worry. I am sorry to hear about your financial
worries. 4 anguish, anxiety, uneasiness, unease, nervousness,
distress, apprehension, disquiet, perturbation, agitation,
upset, misgiving: Your association with that crowd has caused
your mother and me a great deal of worry.
worsen v. 1 increase, exacerbate, heighten, intensify, aggravate: The
recent rains have worsened the drainage problem. 2 weaken,
deteriorate, decline, degenerate, decay, slip, sink, slide,
fail, disintegrate, take a turn for the worse, get worse, go
from bad to worse, Colloq go downhill: Her condition continues
to worsen.
worship v. 1 venerate, revere, reverence, extol, honour, exalt, praise,
admire, adore, adulate, glorify, deify, idolize, be devoted to,
pay homage to, bow down before, kneel before, put on a pedestal:
When he arrived, he found the people worshipping huge stone
idols.
--n. 2 veneration, reverence, adoration, devotion, homage,
honour, respect, esteem, exaltation, praise, admiration,
adulation, glorification, deification, idolatry: A healthy
respect for security should not be confused with the worship of
money.
worth n. quality, merit, value, advantage, benefit, good, importance,
significance, usefulness: You have underestimated Roberta's
worth to the community.
worthless adj. 1 valueless, unimportant, insignificant, inessential or
unessential, dispensable, disposable, paltry: His contribution
to the work of the committee proved utterly worthless. 2
pointless, bootless, silly, inane, vain, unavailing, useless,
futile, fruitless, unproductive, unprofitable: It is worthless
to try to salvage that wreck. 3 cheap, valueless, tawdry, poor,
trashy, rubbishy, shabby, wretched, Colloq tinny, crappy,
cheesy, Slang chintzy: The deceased's handbag contained only a
few items of worthless jewellery.
worthwhile
adj. 1 profitable, justifiable, productive, gainful, rewarding,
fruitful, cost-effective, remunerative: Would it be worthwhile
to buy up that land as a long-term investment? 2 useful,
valuable, good, helpful, beneficial, worthy, beneficent,
desirable, exemplary, matchless, honourable, upright, sterling,
irreproachable: Brian Smith is one of the most worthwhile
people I met at university.
worthy adj. 1 worthwhile, deserving, meriting, meritorious,
praiseworthy, good, estimable, qualified, creditable: He is a
worthy recipient of the honour. 2 See worthwhile, 2, above.
--n. 3 dignitary, personage, notable, eminence, luminary: The
dinner was attended by all the local worthies.
wound n. 1 damage, hurt, injury, trauma, traumatism; laceration,
puncture, cut, gash, slash, lesion, bruise, contusion: We
dressed and bandaged the wounds of the victims. 2 slight,
damage, injury, harm, blow, distress, mortification, torment,
torture, anguish, pain, insult: Hugh takes the slightest
criticism as a deep wound to his self-esteem.
--v. 3 damage, harm, injure, hurt, traumatize; cut, slash,
gash, lacerate, slit, stab, shoot, Colloq wing: He was wounded
in the leg in the war. 4 slight, distress, damage, mortify,
insult, hurt, pain, grieve, offend, aggrieve, wrong: I was
terribly wounded by the things she said about me.
wrap v. 1 Sometimes, wrap up. swathe, swaddle, bind, cover, enwrap,
envelop, wind, enshroud, shroud, enfold, fold, muffle, enclose,
sheathe, encase; pack, package, do up, gift-wrap: Wrap up well
- it's cold outside. I've just finished wrapping some Christmas
presents. 2 wrapped up in. immersed in, submerged in, buried in,
absorbed in, engrossed in, bound up in, involved in, occupied
with or by or in, engaged in, dedicated to, devoted to: While
Irma is completely wrapped up in her grandchildren, Henry is
wrapped up in his books. 3 wrap up. a complete, conclude,
finish, end, bring to a close, terminate, wind up, settle, tidy
up: We'll be able to wrap things up in an hour and go home. b
Wrap up! Be silent!, Be quiet!, Stop talking!, Hold your
tongue!, Slang Shut up!, Shut your face!, Shut your trap!, Shut
your mouth!, Brit Put a sock in it!: He would have kept on
wittering away if she hadn't told him to wrap up.
--n. 4 stole, shawl, mantle, poncho, serape, cloak, cape:
Sonia adjusted her evening wrap before going out to dinner.
wrapper n. 1 housecoat, robe, dressing-gown, bathrobe, kimono,
negligee, lounging robe, peignoir, US house-dress: Peggy threw
on a wrapper and went to answer the door. 2 envelope, package,
packing, wrapping, covering, jacket, case, casing, container:
Throw the wrapper in the dustbin.
wreak v. inflict, exercise, exert, carry out, bring (to bear), visit,
effect, work, unleash, execute, impose, force, vent, let go:
The tribesmen wreaked vengeance on the hill people for
destroying their farms.
wreck v. 1 destroy, ruin, devastate, demolish, smash, shatter, spoil,
dash (to pieces), reduce to nothing, turn into scrap,
annihilate: He drove my motor-bike into a tree and wrecked it.
2 sink, scuttle, run aground, founder, capsize: The ship was
wrecked on a reef near Rarotonga.
--n. 3 hulk, shipwreck, ruins: The wreck finally rusted away
to nothing. 4 mess, disaster, ruin; havoc: That man made a
wreck of her life. 5 destruction, loss, sinking, devastation,
foundering, grounding, capsize, capsizing, disabling,
disablement, wrecking; demolition, demolishing, levelling,
tearing down, razing, pulling down, obliteration: The wreck of
the Titanic was a major news event in 1912. The wreck of the old
tower block is scheduled for next month.
wreckage n. debris, fragments, remains, rubble, ruin(s): The wreckage
of the building is being searched for survivors.
wrench v. 1 yank, twist, jerk, force, pull, tug, tear, wring, rip,
wrest: The gun was wrenched from my grasp, breaking my finger.
2 strain, sprain, twist, overstrain: After she wrenched her
ankle on the ladder, Mary couldn't walk for a week. 3 extract,
wrest, wring, force, pry, draw: The only way they could wrench
the information from Michael was by torturing him.
--n. 4 yank, twist, jerk, pull, tug, rip: One wrench at the
doorknob and it came off in my hand. 5 pang, pain, agony,
torture, blow, ache, throe, anguish, sadness, grief, heartbreak:
The severest wrench at my heartstrings came when we had to part.
6 Brit spanner, shifting spanner, adjustable spanner, US monkey
wrench: We need metric wrenches to work on your car.
wrestle v. battle, fight, struggle, tussle, strive: After thirty years
Garth wrestled his way to the top in the company.
wretch n. 1 scoundrel, blackguard, worm, villain, cur, beast, dog,
swine, rogue, good-for-nothing, knave, varlet, scallywag or
scalawag, rascal, rapscallion, Archaic caitiff, whoreson, Colloq
rat, stinker, louse, creep, Slang bastard, Brit rotter, bounder,
blighter, US bum: That wretch not only stole my wife but asked
me for money to support her! 2 unfortunate, poor fellow or chap,
miserable creature, poor devil, pilgarlic, Slang poor bastard or
son of a bitch, Brit poor bugger or sod, US sad sack: The poor
wretch cannot keep a job and lives off others' charity.
wretched adj. 1 miserable, awful, terrible, atrocious, deplorable,
Colloq lousy, rotten: We had the most wretched weather
throughout our holiday. 2 unhappy, sad, miserable, woebegone,
woeful, dismal, downhearted, heartbroken, broken-hearted,
heartsick, dejected, depressed, melancholic, melancholy,
mournful, disconsolate, inconsolable, doleful, cheerless,
crestfallen, joyless, desolate: If you want to see a wretched
human being, look at a boy whose dog is lost. 3 pitiable,
pathetic, sorry, pitiful, hapless, hopeless, unfortunate,
miserable: The poor in these tropical paradises are some of the
most wretched people on earth. 4 vile, shameful, scurvy,
underhand(ed), treacherous, contemptible, despicable, base, low,
mean, paltry, mean-spirited, detestable: It was hard to see how
the people could support such a wretched little demagogue.
wriggle v. 1 wiggle, wobble, shake, tremble, quiver, jiggle, waggle,
writhe, twist, fidget: She managed to wriggle free of the ropes
and run away. The dog was wriggling with excitement at seeing
its master. 2 twist, squirm, snake, worm, writhe, slither,
crawl: He wriggled through the narrow opening into the
strongroom.
--n. 3 wiggle, zigzag, wavy line, Colloq squiggle, squiggly
line: The page had no writing on it, only a lot of wriggles. 4
wriggling, writhing, squirm, squirming, wiggle, wiggling,
shaking, trembling, quiver, quivering, shimmying, waggle,
waggling, twisting, twist: Don't confuse that rhythmic wriggle
of the hips with dancing.
wrinkle° n. 1 crease, fold, line, furrow, crinkle, crow's-foot,
corrugation, pucker, ridge: She hasn't a wrinkle on her face -
but then she's only nine.
--v. 2 crease, fold, line, furrow, crinkle, corrugate, pucker,
gather, ruck, crimp, screw up, rumple, crumple: I love the way
you wrinkle your nose when you're perplexed.
wrinkleэ n. dodge, gimmick, device, ploy, ruse, scheme, trick, idea,
plan, plot, stunt, way, approach, technique, method, Slang
chiefly Brit wheeze: Leave it to Edmund to come up with a new
wrinkle for fleecing pensioners.
write v. 1 pen, scribble, get off, dash off; indite, inscribe, make
out: I was writing you a note when you phoned. She wrote out a
cheque for њ1000. 2 correspond (with), send a letter or a note
or a postcard or US also a postal card, communicate (with): You
don't write home often enough. Write and let me know when you
get a job. 3 compose, create, make up, author: We saw the house
in which Elgar wrote the 'Enigma' Variations. 4 write down. a
register, list, catalogue, note, make a note or notation,
record, transcribe, set or jot or take down, note, put in
writing, put in black and white: The teacher was known for
Irish bulls like, 'All absent students must write down their
names'. b derogate, decry, disparage, put down, minimize, make
little of, play down, detract, belittle: Cumberland's
contributions have been written down by his critics. 5 write
off. delete, cancel, disregard, ignore, forgive, forget (about),
annul, eradicate, erase: The bad debts have been written off.
writer n. author, novelist, litt‚rateur, essayist, man of letters,
scribe, scribbler, wordsmith, freelancer, penny-a-liner, hack,
Grub Streeter, journalist, newsman, reporter, correspondent,
member of the fourth estate, (gossip) columnist, stringer, Brit
paragraphist, US paragrapher, Colloq pen-pusher, pencil-pusher,
sob sister, Brit journo: These days all those who know how to
write call themselves writers.
writing n. 1 handwriting, longhand, penmanship, script, calligraphy or
chirography, scribble: I sometimes have trouble reading your
writing. 2 Sometimes, writings. (literary) work(s),
composition, theme, book, article, critique, criticism, review,
editorial, column, expos‚, essay, poetry, poem, novel,
non-fiction, fiction, document, letter, correspondence,
publication, Chiefly Brit journalism leading article or leader,
Chiefly US journalism op-ed article: Her writing has been
widely published. Poe's writings are collected in this book. 3
literature, belles-lettres, letters: I don't agree that British
writing has declined since 1900.
wrong adj. 1 improper, unjust, unfair, injudicious, unethical,
terrible, foul, awful, bad, immoral, sinful, evil, iniquitous,
villainous, wicked, vile, diabolic(al), infernal, fiendish,
corrupt, dishonest, reprehensible, abominable, dreadful,
dishonourable, blameworthy, naughty, shameful, disgraceful,
opprobrious, criminal, felonious, illegal, illicit, unlawful,
illegitimate, Colloq crooked: They believe that all war is
wrong. It was wrong of you to come here while my husband was
away. 2 mistaken, in error, erroneous, incorrect, inaccurate,
imprecise, inexact, fallacious, askew, false, wide of the mark;
strange, odd, peculiar, curious; Colloq off target or US also
off the target, Brit off beam, US off the beam: The answers to
these four questions were all wrong. You certainly have some
wrong ideas about me. 3 incorrect, improper, unsuitable: They
must have given us the wrong baby at the hospital. 4
inappropriate, inapt, improper, indecorous, unseemly, unfitting,
unacceptable, undesirable, incongruous, unbecoming, out of
place, ill-considered, wrong-headed, imprudent, misguided,
inexpedient, impolitic, infelicitous, Colloq out of line: You
saw nothing wrong in inviting girls to stay with you in your
rooms? Your mother thinks she's the wrong girl for you. 5 out of
order, not working, faulty, awry, amiss, the matter, defective,
imperfect, unsound, flawed, deficient: Considering the noise my
car makes, there must be something wrong. 6 opposite, reverse,
incorrect, improper: That is the wrong direction to the post
office.
--adv. 7 awry, imperfectly, incorrectly, improperly,
inappropriately, amiss, badly, wrongly, Scots and No. Eng. and
literary agley, Colloq out of sync: You've wired up the video
all wrong. 8 go wrong. a go astray, falter, fail, lapse, err,
fall from grace, go to the bad, deteriorate, go downhill,
backslide, regress, retrogress, recidivate: Her father was
convinced that she would go wrong if she went into the theatre.
b fail, malfunction, break down, miscarry, backfire, fall
through, Colloq flop, come to grief, go kaput, Brit go phut:
The entire plan went wrong when Clara started screaming.
--v. 9 abuse, mistreat, injure, misuse, maltreat, ill-use,
ill-treat, discredit, asperse, calumniate, malign, dishonour,
impose upon, take advantage of, harm, damage, oppress: He
believes he was wronged by his commanding officer.
wry adj. 1 distorted, contorted, twisted, lopsided, deformed,
crooked, aslant, one-sided, askew, bent, tilted, off-centre: He
is afflicted by a rheumatic disorder, which gives his neck a wry
appearance. 2 dry, droll, witty, sardonic, sarcastic,
ironic(al), amusing; perverse, fey; Scots pawky: Bill has a wry
sense of humour that does not appeal to everyone.
24.0 Y
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
yank v. 1 jerk, jolt, tug, wrench, snatch, hitch: He yanked the
chair from beneath me just as I sat down.
--n. 2 jerk, jolt, tug, wrench, snatch, hitch: Give two yanks
on the rope when you want me to pull you up.
yap v. 1 bark, yelp: Their dog was yapping away all night. 2
gabble, babble, blither or blather, chatter, jabber, tattle,
prattle, prate, Colloq chiefly Brit witter, natter, Slang jaw,
run on, US run off at the mouth: I wish she'd stop her yapping
and give me some peace.
--n. 3 mouth, Slang trap, gob, US bazoo: If only Sam would
shut his big yap once in a while!
yardstick n. measure, benchmark, criterion, standard, gauge, basis,
touchstone, scale, exemplar: We thought she sang beautifully,
but then we had no yardstick against which to judge.
yarn n. 1 thread, fibre, strand: I haven't enough yarn to finish
knitting these socks. 2 tale, story, account, narrative,
anecdote; tall tale, fable, fabrication, fiction, cock-and-bull
story, Colloq whopper, Brit fishing story, US fish story, fish
tale: The old salt had many yarns to spin during the long
evenings by the fire.
yearly adv. 1 annually, perennially, every year, once a year, year
after year, year in (and) year out, regularly: We watch the
Canada geese migrate north yearly. 2 per year, per annum, by
the year, each year: What is the interest rate yearly?
--adj. 3 annual, perennial, once-a-year, regular: Those yearly
migrations told us when to plant the first crop.
yearn v. long, pine, ache, hanker, itch, hunger, thirst, crave, have
a craving, desire, wish, want, fancy, prefer: I yearn to see
the green-clad hills of home once more, Before my vessel bears
me from this mortal shore.
yell v. 1 shout, scream, bellow, howl, screech, yowl, roar, bawl,
caterwaul, squall, yelp, Colloq holler: 'Stop yelling at your
sister!', shouted my father.
--n. 2 shout, scream, cry, bellow, howl, screech, yowl, roar,
caterwaul, squall, yelp, Colloq holler: I think I heard a yell
for help.
yeomanly adj. yeoman, workmanlike, useful, staunch, courageous, loyal,
dedicated, faithful, steadfast, unswerving, unwavering, firm,
sturdy, reliable, solid: Carruthers certainly did a yeomanly
job on reorganizing the system.
yes-man n. toady, sycophant, toad-eater, time-server, hanger-on,
lickspittle, bootlicker, truckler, flunkey, courtier, jackal,
spaniel, lap-dog, Taboo slang Brit arse-kisser, arse-licker, US
ass-kisser, ass-licker, US brown-noser: He surrounds himself
with yes-men, then says he refuses to take no for an answer.
yet adv. 1 as yet, (up) till or until now, so far, thus far,
hitherto, to the present (time): She hasn't arrived yet. 2
still, up to this time, up to now, even now, till or until now,
to this day: She was there earlier and I think she's there yet.
3 moreover, furthermore, besides, further, still: He made yet
another excuse. 4 in the future, in time to come, later,
eventually: Despite the life I've led, I might yet get to
heaven. 5 still, notwithstanding, anyway, anyhow, nonetheless,
nevertheless, regardless, in spite of or despite everything,
just or all the same, even so, after all, US still and all:
Despite the life I've led, I might get to heaven yet.
--conj. 6 notwithstanding, in spite of or despite it or that or
the fact, still, nevertheless, but: He goes out every night,
yet never oversleeps in the mornings.
yield v. 1 surrender, give up (the fight or struggle), give in,
knuckle under, submit, cede, cry quits, throw in the towel or
the sponge, capitulate, succumb, raise the white flag: The
captain of the enemy company asked if we would yield. 2 give
up, surrender, give over, hand in or over, abandon, relinquish,
renounce, cede: We agreed to yield our arms to the enemy. 3
agree, consent, comply, concede, relent, assent, give way,
accede, concur: He did his best to persuade me, and I finally
yielded. 4 earn, return, pay, bring in, supply, generate,
produce, net: She has investments that yield more than 15% a
year.
--n. 5 return, production, output, revenue, takings, gate,
earnings, income, proceeds, profit, gain: The yield from that
operation is not even enough to pay the rent.
yielding adj. 1 pliant, flexile, flexible, pliable, soft, plastic,
fictile, elastic, resilient, supple, springy, bouncy, spongy,
rubbery: The frame is of a yielding material that gives way
under pressure. 2 accommodating, docile, submissive, amenable,
tractable, compliant, obedient, flexible, acquiescent,
agreeable, obliging, manageable, manipulable: He wanted a wife
with a yielding temperament who would tolerate his foibles.
young adj. 1 youthful, teenage(d), adolescent, prepubescent,
pubescent, juvenile, minor, junior, under age: Would you
believe that she has young children? 2 boyish, girlish;
immature, callow, green, inexperienced, unfledged, uninitiated,
unsophisticated, childlike, innocent, na‹ve: This programme may
contain material unsuitable for young ears. 3 childish,
puerile, infantile, babyish, US sophomoric: He's too young to
invite to the party.
--n. 4 offspring, babies, issue, little ones, progeny, litter,
brood; children: The cat's young should stay with her for a few
weeks.
youth n. 1 childhood, boyhood, girlhood, young manhood, young
womanhood, prepubescence, pubescence, adolescence, salad days;
immaturity, minority: In our youth we do many foolish things we
might later regret. 2 child, youngster, schoolchild, teenager,
teen, minor, juvenile, adolescent; boy, schoolboy, stripling,
young boy or man, lad, laddie, whippersnapper; girl, lass,
lassie, schoolgirl, maid, maiden, Literary damsel, demoiselle,
mademoiselle, Colloq kid, (little) shaver, US and Canadian tad,
Slang teeny-bopper, Brit sprog: As youths, they used to spend
time at rock concerts. 3 children, youngsters, juveniles,
adolescents, young people, young, Colloq kids: The youth of
today have little respect for their elders.
yucky adj. yukky or US also yuchy, disgusting, repugnant, repellent,
unappetizing, vomit-provoking, sick-making, ill-making,
nauseous, nauseating, revolting, foul, mucky, revolting,
beastly, awful, Slang Brit grotty: We get this yucky mess at
school that we call 'mystery meat'.
yummy adj. delicious, mouth-watering, luscious, appetizing, tasty,
toothsome, savoury, delectable, ambrosial, Colloq scrumptious:
At our school tuck shop we get the most yummy ice-cream.
25.0 Z
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zany adj. 1 clownish, mad, wild, frolicsome, sportive, playful, gay,
merry, slapstick, crazy, funny, comic(al), amusing, hilarious,
absurd, nonsensical, ludicrous, silly, foolish, inane, Colloq
wacky, loony, madcap, crackpot, nutty, goofy, US kooky: The
buskers put on the zaniest show I have seen for some time.
--n. 2 clown, comic, jester, fool, joker, buffoon, wag,
comedian, merry andrew, laughing-stock, Slang nut, US screwball:
The two zanies kept the crowd in stitches while the pickpockets
stole their wallets.
zap v. destroy, kill, slaughter, annihilate, murder, slay,
assassinate, liquidate, erase; shoot, electrocute, Slang rub
out, polish off, knock off, bump off, snuff (out), waste, hit,
US ice: The baddies got zapped by the ray gun, one after the
other.
zealot n. fanatic, extremist, radical, bigot, maniac, militant: We
have to deal with ruthless zealots who are willing to die for
their cause.
zealotry n. fanaticism, extremism, radicalism, bigotry, militantism,
terrorism, single-mindedness, monomania, fervour, frenzy,
hysteria, obsession, obsessiveness: Their attacks on innocent
civilians show how far their zealotry can take them.
zenith n. meridian, summit, acme, apex, vertex, apogee, high point,
top, peak, pinnacle: The dictator reached the zenith of his
power very quickly.
zero n. 1 nil, null, nothing, nought or naught, aught, cipher,
Cricket duck, Colloq nix, US goose-egg, nada, niente, Slang Brit
(sweet) Fanny Adams or F.A., bugger-all, US zilch: Temperatures
have remained below zero all day. The visiting team won three
games, we won zero. 2 (rock) bottom, nadir: On a scale of one
to ten, she is a zero. 3 nobody, nothing, nonentity, Slang US
nebbish, bupkis: That fellow she married is a real zero.
--v. 4 zero in on. focus on, pinpoint, fix on, home in on,
concentrate on, bring to bear on: We zeroed in on the problem
and then rapidly found the answer.
zest n. 1 spice, relish, gusto, tang, pepper, ginger, piquancy,
pungency, edge, bite, flavour, Colloq zing, zip, pizazz: Put in
a little of my home-made sauce to add some zest. 2 eagerness,
zestfulness, exuberance, appetite, interest, enthusiasm, hunger,
thirst: Where does Sidney get his zest for life?
zone n. area, quarter, district, region, sector, section, sphere,
belt, territory, province, realm, domain, precinct, bailiwick,
department, terrain, circle, locality, locale, Slang US turf: A
duty-free zone will allow for quicker transshipment of goods.
The northern and southern hemispheres each have a frigid,
temperate, and torrid zone.
zoo n. 1 zoological garden, menagerie, Tiergarten, (safari) park:
When I was a child, I enjoyed going to the zoo almost as much as
I do now. 2 madhouse, mess; chaos, pandemonium, bedlam, Colloq
US three-ring circus, Chinese fire-drill: When my husband and
the three children get ready in the morning the kitchen is like
a zoo.