GRE N4

loon

(noun informal) a silly or foolish person. (N. Amer.) a large diving waterbird with a sleek black or gray head, a straight pointed bill, and short legs set far back under the body. Loons breed by lakes in northern latitudes and have wailing calls.

helmet

1 a hard or padded protective hat, various types of which are worn by soldiers, police officers, firefighters, motorcyclists, athletes, and others. 2 Botany the arched upper part (galea) of the corolla in some flowers, especially those of the mint and orchid families. 3 (also helmet shell)a predatory mollusk with a squat heavy shell, living in tropical and temperate seas and preying chiefly on sea urchins.

horn

1 a hard permanent outgrowth, often curved and pointed, found in pairs on the heads of cattle, sheep, goats, giraffes, etc., and consisting of a core of bone encased in keratinized skin. 2 the substance of which horns are composed: powdered rhino horn. 3 a horn-shaped projection. 4 a wind instrument, conical in shape or wound into a spiral, originally made from an animal horn (now typically brass) and played by lip vibration. 5 an instrument sounding a warning or other signal: a car horn.

lug

1 a projection on an object by which it may be carried or fixed in place: mount the fitting directly to the lugs at each side of the box. 2 (informal, chiefly N. Amer). an uncouth, aggressive man: a hood who, despite his fancy clothes, remains a lug.[contemptuous use, perhaps from the 19th-cent. term denoting the lowest grade of tobacco.] 3 (usu. lugs) (Scottish or informa)l a person's ear.

impression

1 an idea, feeling, or opinion about something or someone, especially one formed without conscious thought or on the basis of little evidence: his first impressions of Manchester were very positive | they give the impression that all is sweetness and light. 2 an imitation of a person or thing, especially one done to entertain: he did an impression of Frank Sinatra. 3 a mark impressed on a surface by something: the impression of his body on the leaves. 4 the printing of a number of copies of a book, periodical, or picture for issue at one time.

issue

1 an important topic or problem for debate or discussion: the issue of global warming | money is not an issue. 2 the action of supplying or distributing an item for use, sale, or official purposes: the issue of promissory notes by the bank. 3 formal or Law children of one's own: he died without male issue. 4 the action of flowing or coming out: the point of issue | an issue of blood. 5 dated a result or outcome of something: the chance of carrying such a scheme to a successful issue was small.

galley

1 historical a low, flat ship with one or more sails and up to three banks of oars, chiefly used for warfare, trade, and piracy. • a long rowboat used as a ship's boat. 2 the kitchen in a ship or aircraft. 3 (also galley proof)a printer's proof in the form of long single-column strips, not in sheets or pages.[ galley from French galée denoting an oblong tray for holding setup type.]

landslide

1 the sliding down of a mass of earth or rock from a mountain or cliff. 2 an overwhelming majority of votes for one party in an election: winning the election by a landslide | [ as modifier ] : a landslide victory.

judiciousness

adjective having, showing, or done with good judgment or sense: the efficient and judicious use of pesticides.

kinetic

adjective of, relating to, or resulting from motion. • (of a work of art) depending on movement for its effect.

gasification

gasify |ˈgasəˌfī| verb (gasifies, gasifying, gasified) [ with obj. ] convert (a solid or liquid, especially coal) into gas: 5 million tons of coal have been gasified. • [ no obj. ] become a gas: if PVC is overheated it will gasify.

leisureliness

leisurely |ˈlēZHərlē, ˈleZHər-| adjective acting or done at leisure; unhurried or relaxed: a leisurely breakfast at our hotel. adverb without hurry: couples strolled leisurely along.

lot

noun [ in sing. ] a person's luck or condition in life, particularly as determined by fate or destiny: plans to improve the lot of the disadvantaged. 5 (chiefly N. Amer.) a plot of land assigned for sale or for a particular use: a vacant lot | a fenced-off back lot.

gladiator

noun (in ancient Rome) a man trained to fight with weapons against other men or wild animals in an arena.

libel

noun 1 (Law) a published false statement that is damaging to a person's reputation; a written defamation. Compare with slander. 2 (in admiralty and ecclesiastical law) a plaintiff's written declaration.

icon

noun 1 (also ikon)a painting of Jesus Christ or another holy figure, typically in a traditional style on wood, venerated and used as an aid to devotion in the Byzantine and other Eastern Churches. 2 a person or thing regarded as a representative symbol of something: this iron-jawed icon of American manhood. 3 Computing a symbol or graphic representation on a screen of a program, option, or window, especially one of several for selection. 4 Linguistics a sign whose form directly reflects the thing it signifies, for example, the word snarl pronounced in a snarling way.

lumber

noun 1 (chiefly N. Amer.) timber sawn into rough planks or otherwise partly prepared. 2 (chiefly Brit.) articles of furniture or other household items that are no longer useful and inconveniently take up storage space: [ as modifier ] : a lumber room. noun a person regarded as a prospective sexual partner.

gear

noun 1 (often gears) one of a set of toothed wheels that work together to alter the relation between the speed of a driving mechanism (such as the engine of a vehicle or the crank of a bicycle) and the speed of the driven parts (the wheels). • a particular function or state of adjustment of engaged gears: he was tooling along in fifth gear. • used in reference to the level of effort or intensity expended in an activity or undertaking: from this weekend, the campaign is expected to step up a gear | now the champions moved up a gear. the play moves down a gear whenever he walks off stage. 2 informal equipment that is used for a particular purpose. • a person's personal possessions and clothes. • clothing, especially of a specified kind: designer gear. • Nautical a ship's rigging.

ideology

noun 1 (pl. ideologies) a system of ideas and ideals, especially one that forms the basis of economic or political theory and policy: the ideology of republicanism. • the ideas and manner of thinking characteristic of a group, social class, or individual: a critique of bourgeois ideology. • archaic visionary speculation, especially of an unrealistic or idealistic nature. 2 archaic the science of ideas; the study of their origin and nature.

gross

noun 1 (pl.same) an amount equal to twelve dozen; 144: fifty-five gross of tins of processed milk.[From French grosse douzaine, literally 'large dozen.'] 2 (pl. grosses) a gross profit or income: the box-office grosses mounted.

headway

noun 1 (usu. in phrase make headway) move forward or make progress, especially when circumstances make this slow or difficult: the ship was making very little headway against heavy seas | they appear to be making headway in bringing the rebels under control. 2 the average interval of time between vehicles moving in the same direction on the same route.

hybrid

noun 1 Biology the offspring of two plants or animals of different species or varieties, such as a mule (a hybrid of a donkey and a horse): a hybrid of wheat and rye. 2 a thing made by combining two different elements; a mixture: the final text is a hybrid of the stage play and the film. • a word formed from elements taken from different languages, for example television ( tele- from Greek, vision from Latin). • (also hybrid car)a car with a gasoline engine and an electric motor, each of which can propel it.

hypnotic

noun 1 Medicine a sleep-inducing drug. 2 a person under or open to the influence of hypnotism.

gravity

noun 1 Physics the force that attracts a body toward the center of the earth, or toward any other physical body having mass. For most purposes Newton's laws of gravity apply, with minor modifications to take the general theory of relativity into account. • the degree of intensity of this, measured by acceleration. 2 extreme or alarming importance; seriousness: crimes of the utmost gravity. • seriousness or solemnity of manner: has the poet ever spoken with greater eloquence or gravity?

inroad

noun 1 [ usu. in pl. ] (inroads) progress; an advance: an important way to make inroads in reducing spending. • an instance of something being affected, encroached on, or destroyed by something else: serious inroads had now been made into my pitiful cash reserves. 2 a hostile attack; a raid.

hive

noun 1 a beehive. • the bees in a hive. • a thing that has the domed shape of a beehive. 2 a place in which people are busily occupied: the kitchen became a hive of activity.

ledger

noun 1 a book or other collection of financial accounts of a particular type: the total balance of the purchases ledger. 2 a flat stone slab covering a grave. 3 a horizontal scaffolding pole, parallel to the face of a building.

glance

noun 1 a brief or hurried look: Sean and Michael exchanged glances. 2 literary a flash or gleam of light.

gouge

noun 1 a chisel with a concave blade, used in carpentry, sculpture, and surgery. 2 an indentation or groove made by gouging. verb [ with obj. ] 1 make (a groove, hole, or indentation) with or as if with a gouge: the channel had been gouged out by the ebbing water. • make a rough hole or indentation in (a surface), especially so as to mar or disfigure it: he had wielded the blade inexpertly, gouging the grass in several places. • (gouge something out) cut or force something out roughly or brutally: one of his eyes had been gouged out. 2 N. Amer. informal overcharge; swindle: the airline ends up gouging the very passengers it is supposed to assist.

labyrinth

noun 1 a complicated irregular network of passages or paths in which it is difficult to find one's way; a maze: a labyrinth of passages and secret chambers. • an intricate and confusing arrangement: a labyrinth of conflicting laws and regulations. 2 Anatomy a complex structure in the inner ear that contains the organs of hearing and balance. It consists of bony cavities (the bony labyrinth) filled with fluid and lined with sensitive membranes (the membranous labyrinth). • Zoology an organ of intricate structure, in particular the accessory respiratory organs of certain fishes.

lettuce

noun 1 a cultivated plant of the daisy family, with edible leaves that are a usual ingredient of salads. Many varieties of lettuce have been developed with a range of form, texture, and color. • used in names of other plants with edible green leaves, e.g., lamb's lettuce, sea lettuce. 2 informal paper money; greenbacks.

hazard

noun 1 a danger or risk: the hazards of smoking. • a potential source of danger: a fire hazard | a health hazard. • a permanent feature of a golf course that presents an obstruction to playing a shot, such as a bunker or stream. 2 literary chance; probability. 3 a gambling game using two dice, in which the chances are complicated by arbitrary rules.

groan

noun 1 a deep, inarticulate sound made in pain or despair. • a complaint: to listen with sincerity to everyone's moans and groans. 2 a low creaking or moaning sound made by an object or device under pressure: the protesting groan of timbers.

hawk

noun 1 a diurnal bird of prey with broad rounded wings and a long tail, typically taking prey by surprise with a short chase. Compare with falcon. [Family Accipitridae: several genera, esp. Accipiter, which includes the Cooper's hawk and goshawk.] • N. Amer. a bird of prey related to the buteos. • Falconry any diurnal bird of prey used in falconry. 2 a person who advocates an aggressive or warlike policy, especially in foreign affairs. Compare with dove1 ( sense 2).

hunch

noun 1 a feeling or guess based on intuition rather than known facts: she was acting on a hunch. 2 a humped position or thing: the hunch of his back. 3 chiefly dialect a thick piece; a hunk: a hunch of bread.

lace

noun 1 a fine open fabric, typically one of cotton or silk, made by looping, twisting, or knitting thread in patterns and used especially for trimming garments. • braid used for trimming, especially on military dress uniforms. 2 (usu. laces) a cord or leather strip passed through eyelets or hooks on opposite sides of a shoe or garment and then pulled tight and fastened.

gaggle

noun 1 a flock of geese. 2 informal a disorderly or noisy group of people: the gaggle of reporters and photographers that dogged his every step.

idiom

noun 1 a group of words established by usage as having a meaning not deducible from those of the individual words (e.g., rain cats and dogs, see the light). • a form of expression natural to a language, person, or group of people: he had a feeling for phrase and idiom. • the dialect of a people or part of a country. 2 a characteristic mode of expression in music or art: they were both working in a neo-impressionist idiom.

leak

noun 1 a hole in a container or covering through which contents, especially liquid or gas, may accidentally pass: I checked all of the pipes for leaks. • the action of leaking accidentally: the leak of fluid may occur | a gas leak. 2 an intentional disclosure of secret information: one of the employees was responsible for the leak.

ginger

noun 1 a hot fragrant spice made from the rhizome of a plant. It is chopped or powdered for cooking, preserved in syrup, or candied. • spirit; mettle: he had more ginger than her first husband. 2 a Southeast Asian plant, which resembles bamboo in appearance, from which this rhizome is taken. [Zingiber officinale, family Zingiberaceae.] 3 a light reddish-yellow or orange-brown color. • Brit. informal, usu. derogatory a red-haired or ginger-haired person.

geyser

noun 1 a hot spring in which water intermittently boils, sending a tall column of water and steam into the air. • a jet or stream of liquid: the pipe sent up a geyser of sewer water into the street. 2 Brit. a gas-fired water heater through which water flows as it is rapidly heated.

hike

noun 1 a long walk, especially in the country or wilderness. • informal a long distance. 2 a sharp increase, especially in price: fears of a hike in interest rates. 3 Football a snap: he takes the hike, drops back, and fakes to his right.

lance

noun 1 a long weapon for thrusting, having a wooden shaft and a pointed steel head, formerly used by a horseman in charging. • a weapon resembling a lance used in hunting fish or whales. • another term for lancer ( sense 1). 2 [ usu. with modifier ] a metal pipe supplying a jet of oxygen to a furnace or to a hot flame for cutting. 3 a rigid tube at the end of a hose for pumping or spraying liquid.

groove

noun 1 a long, narrow cut or depression, especially one made to guide motion or receive a corresponding ridge. • a spiral track cut in a phonograph record, into which the stylus fits. • Climbing an indentation where two planes of rock meet at an angle of more than 120°. 2 an established routine or habit: his thoughts were slipping into a familiar groove. 3 informal a rhythmic pattern in popular or jazz music: the groove laid down by the drummer and bassist is tough and funky.

germ

noun 1 a microorganism, especially one that causes disease. 2 a portion of an organism capable of developing into a new one or part of one. Compare with germ cell. • the embryo in a cereal grain or other plant seed. Compare with wheat germ. • an initial stage from which something may develop: the germ of a brilliant idea.

harp

noun 1 a musical instrument, roughly triangular in shape, consisting of a frame supporting a graduated series of parallel strings, played by plucking with the fingers. The modern orchestral harp has an upright frame, with pedals that enable the strings to be retuned to different keys.h 2 another term for harmonica: Papa had been teaching him to play the blues harp.[short for mouth harp.] 3 (also harp shell or harp snail)a marine mollusk that has a large vertically ribbed shell with a wide aperture, found chiefly in the Indo-Pacific.

gorge

noun 1 a narrow valley between hills or mountains, typically with steep rocky walls and a stream running through it. 2 archaic the throat. • the contents of the stomach. 3 Architecture the neck of a bastion or other outwork; the rear entrance to a fortification. 4 a mass of ice obstructing a narrow passage, especially a river.

hermit

noun 1 a person living in solitude as a religious discipline. • any person living in solitude or seeking to do so. 2 a hummingbird found in the shady lower layers of tropical forests, foraging along a regular route.

iconoclast

noun 1 a person who attacks cherished beliefs or institutions. 2 a destroyer of images used in religious worship, in particular: • historical a supporter of the 8th- and 9th-century movement in the Byzantine Church that sought to abolish the veneration of icons and other religious images. • historical a Puritan of the 16th or 17th century.

libertine

noun 1 a person, especially a man, who behaves without moral principles or a sense of responsibility, especially in sexual matters. 2 a person who rejects accepted opinions in matters of religion; a freethinker.

instrumentalist

noun 1 a player of a musical instrument. 2 an adherent of instrumentalism.

junction

noun 1 a point where two or more things are joined: the junction of the two rivers. • a place where two or more roads or railroad lines meet. 2 Electronics a region of transition in a semiconductor between a part where conduction is mainly by electrons and a part where it is mainly by holes. 3 the action or fact of joining or being joined.

lounge

noun 1 a public room, as in a hotel, theater, or club, in which to sit and relax. • a spacious area in an airport with seats for waiting passengers: the departure lounge. • short for cocktail lounge. 2 a couch or sofa, especially a backless one having a headrest at one end.

jerk

noun 1 a quick, sharp, sudden movement: he gave a sudden jerk of his head. • a spasmodic muscular twitch. • [ in sing. ] Weightlifting the raising of a barbell above the head from shoulder level by an abrupt straightening of the arms and legs, typically as the second part of a clean and jerk. 2 (informal) a contemptibly obnoxious person.

hack

noun 1 a rough cut, blow, or stroke: he was sure one of us was going to take a hack at him. • (in sports) a kick or hit inflicted on another player. • a cut or gash. • a tool for rough striking or cutting, e.g., a mattock or a miner's pick. 2 informal an act of computer hacking. • a piece of computer code providing a quick or inelegant solution to a particular problem: this hack doesn't work on machines that have a firewall.

gutter

noun 1 a shallow trough fixed beneath the edge of a roof for carrying off rainwater. • a channel at the side of a street for carrying off rainwater. • (the gutter) used to refer to a poor or squalid background or environment: only moneyed privilege had kept him out of the gutter. • technical a groove or channel for flowing liquid. • a channel on either side of a lane in a bowling alley. 2 the blank space between facing pages of a book or between adjacent columns of type or stamps in a sheet.

lash

noun 1 a sharp blow or stroke with a whip or rope, typically given as a form of punishment: he was sentenced to fifty lashes for his crime | figurative : she felt the lash of my tongue. • the flexible leather part of a whip, used for administering lashes. • (the lash) punishment in the form of a beating with a whip or rope: they were living under the threat of the lash. 2 (usu. lashes) an eyelash: she fluttered her long dark lashes.

graft

noun 1 a shoot or twig inserted into a slit on the trunk or stem of a living plant, from which it receives sap. • an instance of grafting a shoot or twig. 2 Medicine a piece of living tissue that is transplanted surgically. • a surgical operation in which tissue is transplanted.

lancet

noun 1 a small, broad, two-edged surgical knife or blade with a sharp point. 2 a lancet arch or window. • [ as modifier ] shaped like a lancet arch: a lancet clock.

hovel

noun 1 a small, squalid, unpleasant, or simply constructed dwelling. • archaic an open shed or outbuilding, used for sheltering cattle or storing grain or tools. 2 historical a conical building enclosing a kiln.

institution

noun 1 a society or organization founded for a religious, educational, social, or similar purpose: a certificate from a professional institution. 2 an established law, practice, or custom: the institution of marriage. 3 the action of instituting something: a delay in the institution of proceedings.

leaven

noun 1 a substance, typically yeast, that is added to dough to make it ferment and rise. • dough that is reserved from an earlier batch in order to start a later one fermenting. 2 a pervasive influence that modifies something or transforms it for the better: they acted as an intellectual leaven to the warriors who dominated the city.

impulse

noun 1 a sudden strong and unreflective urge or desire to act: I had an almost irresistible impulse to giggle. • the tendency to act impulsively: he was a man of impulse, not premeditation. 2 a driving or motivating force; an impetus: an added impulse to this process of renewal. 3 a pulse of electrical energy; a brief current: nerve impulses | a spiral is used to convert radio waves into electrical impulses. 4 Physics a force acting briefly on a body and producing a finite change of momentum. • a change of momentum so produced, equivalent to the average value of the force multiplied by the time during which it acts.

lapse

noun 1 a temporary failure of concentration, memory, or judgment: a lapse of concentration in the second set cost her the match. • a weak or careless decline from previously high standards: tracing his lapse into petty crime. • Law the termination of a right or privilege through disuse or failure to follow appropriate procedures. 2 an interval or passage of time: there was a considerable lapse of time between the two events.

inertia

noun 1 a tendency to do nothing or to remain unchanged: the bureaucratic inertia of government. 2 Physics a property of matter by which it continues in its existing state of rest or uniform motion in a straight line, unless that state is changed by an external force. See also moment of inertia. • [ with adj. ] resistance to change in some other physical property: the thermal inertia of the oceans will delay the full rise in temperature for a few decades.

legion

noun 1 a unit of 3,000-6,000 men in the ancient Roman army. • (the Legion) the Foreign Legion. • (the Legion) any of the national associations of former servicemen and servicewomen instituted after World War I, such as the American Legion. 2 (a legion/legions of) a vast host, multitude, or number of people or things: legions of photographers and TV cameras.

gallon

noun 1 a unit of volume for liquid measure equal to four quarts, in particular: • US equivalent to 3.79 liters. • (also imperial gallon)Brit. equivalent to 4.55 liters (also used for dry measure). 2 (gallons of) informal a large volume: gallons of fake blood.

gum

noun 1 a viscous secretion of some trees and shrubs that hardens on drying but is soluble in water, and from which adhesives and other products are made. Compare with resin. • glue that is used for sticking paper or other light materials together. • short for chewing gum or bubblegum. • a gum tree, especially a eucalyptus. See also sweet gum. 2 N. Amer. dated a long rubber boot.

generation

noun 1 all of the people born and living at about the same time, regarded collectively: one of his generation's finest songwriters. • the average period, generally considered to be about thirty years, during which children are born and grow up, become adults, and begin to have children of their own. • a set of members of a family regarded as a single step or stage in descent: [ as modifier, in combination ] : a third-generation Canadian. • a single stage in the development of a type of product: a new generation of rear-engined sports cars. 2 the production of something: methods of electricity generation | the generation of wealth. • the propagation of living organisms; procreation.

hoist

noun 1 an act of raising or lifting something. • an act of increasing something: the government's interest rate hoist. • an apparatus for lifting or raising something. 2 the part of a flag nearest the staff; the vertical dimension of a flag. 3 a group of flags raised as a signal.

loophole

noun 1 an ambiguity or inadequacy in the law or a set of rules: they exploited tax loopholes. 2 historical an arrow slit in a wall.

influx

noun 1 an arrival or entry of large numbers of people or things: a massive influx of refugees from front-line areas. 2 an inflow of water into a river, lake, or the sea.

levee

noun 1 an embankment built to prevent the overflow of a river. 2 a reception or assembly of people, in particular: • (archaic or N. Amer.) a formal reception of visitors or guests. • (historical) an afternoon assembly for men held by the British monarch or their representative. • (archaic) a reception of visitors just after rising from bed.

injection

noun 1 an instance of injecting or being injected: painkilling injections | an injection of capital was needed. 2 the entry or placing of a spacecraft or other object into an orbit or trajectory.

gauge

noun 1 an instrument or device for measuring the magnitude, amount, or contents of something, typically with a visual display of such information. • a tool for checking whether something conforms to a desired dimension. • a means of estimating something; a criterion or test: emigration is perhaps the best gauge of public unease. 2 the thickness, size, or capacity of something, especially as a standard measure, in particular: • the diameter of a string, fiber, tube, etc.: [ as modifier ] : a fine 0.018-inch gauge wire. • [ in combination ] a measure of the diameter of a gun barrel, or of its ammunition, expressed as the number of spherical pieces of shot of the same diameter as the barrel that can be made from 1 pound (454 g) of lead: [ as modifier ] : a 12-gauge shotgun. • [ in combination ] the thickness of sheet metal or plastic: [ as modifier ] : 500-gauge polyethylene. • the distance between the rails of a line of railroad track: the line was laid to a gauge of 2 ft. 9 in. 3 (usu. the gage) Nautical, historical the position of a sailing vessel to windward (weather gage) or leeward (lee gage) of another.

interlude

noun 1 an intervening period of time: enjoying a lunchtime interlude. • a pause between the acts of a play. 2 something performed during a theater intermission: an orchestral interlude. • a piece of music played between other pieces or between the verses of a hymn. • a temporary amusement or source of entertainment that contrasts with what goes before or after: the romantic interlude withered rapidly once he was back in town.

gusher

noun 1 an oil well from which oil flows profusely without being pumped. 2 an effusive person: the earnest, ingratiating gusher of numerous television interviews.

hulk

noun 1 an old ship stripped of fittings and permanently moored, especially for use as storage or (formerly) as a prison. • any large disused structure: hulks of abandoned machinery. 2 a large or unwieldy boat or other object. • a large, clumsy-looking person: a six-foot hulk of a man.

fringe

noun 1 an ornamental border of threads left loose or formed into tassels or twists, used to edge clothing or material. 2 chiefly British term for bangs (see bang1 ( sense 2 of the noun)). 3 (often the fringes) the outer, marginal, or extreme part of an area, group, or sphere of activity: his uncles were on the fringes of crooked activity. 4 a band of contrasting brightness or darkness produced by diffraction or interference of light. 5 N. Amer. short for fringe benefit.

hurdle

noun 1 an upright frame, typically one of a series, that athletes in a race must jump over. 2 an obstacle or difficulty: there are many hurdles to overcome. 3 chiefly Brit. a portable rectangular frame strengthened with willow branches or wooden bars, used as a temporary fence.

gall

noun 1 bold, impudent behavior: the bank had the gall to demand a fee. 2 the contents of the gallbladder; bile (proverbial for its bitterness). • an animal's gallbladder. • used to refer to something bitter or cruel: accept life's gall without blaming somebody else. noun 1 annoyance; irritation: he imagined Linda's gall as she found herself still married and not rich. 2 (especially of a horse) a sore on the skin made by chafing. noun an abnormal growth formed on plants and trees, especially oaks, in response to the presence of insect larvae, mites, or fungi. • [ as modifier ] denoting insects or mites that produce galls: gall flies.

liaison

noun 1 communication or cooperation that facilitates a close working relationship between people or organizations: the head porter works in close liaison with the reception office. • a person who acts as a link to assist communication or cooperation between groups of people: he's our liaison with a number of interested parties. • a sexual relationship, especially one that is secret and involves unfaithfulness to a partner. 2 the binding or thickening agent of a sauce, often based on egg yolks. 3 Phonetics (in French and other languages) the sounding of a consonant that is normally silent at the end of a word because the next word begins with a vowel.

goodwill

noun 1 friendly, helpful, or cooperative feelings or attitude: the plan is dependent on goodwill between the two sides | [ as modifier ] : a goodwill gesture. 2 the established reputation of a business regarded as a quantifiable asset, e.g., as represented by the excess of the price paid at a takeover for a company over its fair market value.

lineage

noun 1 lineal descent from an ancestor; ancestry or pedigree. 2 Biology a sequence of species each of which is considered to have evolved from its predecessor: the chimpanzee and gorilla lineages.

gloom

noun 1 partial or total darkness: he strained his eyes peering into the gloom. • literary a dark or shady place. 2 a state of depression or despondency: a year of economic gloom for the car industry | his gloom deepened.

gloss

noun 1 shine or luster on a smooth surface: hair with a healthy gloss. • (also gloss paint)a type of paint that dries to a bright shiny surface. 2 [ in sing. ] a superficially attractive appearance or impression: beneath the gloss of success was a tragic private life.

grace

noun 1 simple elegance or refinement of movement: she moved through the water with effortless grace. • courteous goodwill: at least he has the grace to admit his debt to her. • (graces) an attractively polite manner of behaving: she has all the social graces. 2 (in Christian belief) the free and unmerited favor of God, as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of blessings. • a divinely given talent or blessing: the graces of the Holy Spirit. • the condition or fact of being favored by someone: he fell from grace because of drug use at the Olympics. 3 (also grace period)a period officially allowed for payment of a sum due or for compliance with a law or condition, especially an extended period granted as a special favor: another three days' grace. 4 a short prayer of thanks said before or after a meal: before dinner the Reverend Newman said grace. 5 (His, Her, or YourGrace) used as forms of description or address for a duke, duchess, or archbishop: His Grace, the Duke of Atholl.

grit

noun 1 small, loose particles of stone or sand: she had a bit of grit in her eye. • [ as modifier ] (with numeral) indicating the grade of fineness of an abrasive: 220-grit paper. • (also gritstone)a coarse sandstone: layers of impervious shales and grits. 2 courage and resolve; strength of character: he displayed the true grit of the navy pilot.

initiative

noun 1 the ability to assess and initiate things independently: use your initiative, imagination, and common sense. 2 [ in sing. ] the power or opportunity to act or take charge before others do: we have lost the initiative and allowed our opponents to dictate the subject. 3 an act or strategy intended to resolve a difficulty or improve a situation; a fresh approach to something: a new initiative against car crime. 4 (the initiative) (especially in some US states and Switzerland) the right of citizens outside the legislature to originate legislation.

interference

noun 1 the action of interfering or the process of being interfered with: he denied that there had been any interference in the country's internal affairs | an unwarranted interference with personal liberty. 2 Physics the combination of two or more electromagnetic waveforms to form a resultant wave in which the displacement is either reinforced or canceled.

justification

noun 1 the action of showing something to be right or reasonable: the justification of revolutionary action | he made a speech in justification of his career. • good reason for something that exists or has been done: there is no justification for an increase in charges | all these incidents were used again as a justification for my dismissal. 2 Theology the action of declaring or making righteous in the sight of God. 3 Printing the action or manner of justifying a line of type or piece of text.

induction

noun 1 the action or process of inducting someone to a position or organization: the league's induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame. 2 the process or action of bringing about or giving rise to something: isolation, starvation, and other forms of stress induction. 3 Logic the inference of a general law from particular instances. Often contrasted with deduction. 4 Physics the production of an electric or magnetic state by the proximity (without contact) of an electrified or magnetized body. See also magnetic induction. 5 the stage of the working cycle of an internal combus

latitude

noun 1 the angular distance of a place north or south of the earth's equator, or of a celestial object north or south of the celestial equator, usually expressed in degrees and minutes at a latitude of 51° N | lines of latitude.

husbandry

noun 1 the care, cultivation, and breeding of crops and animals: crop husbandry. 2 management and conservation of resources.

hub

noun 1 the central part of a wheel, rotating on or with the axle, and from which the spokes radiate. 2 the effective center of an activity, region, or network: the city has always been the financial hub of the country | Denver became a regional economic hub for a large part of the western United States | the kitchen was the hub of family life.

implication

noun 1 the conclusion that can be drawn from something, although it is not explicitly stated: the implication is that no one person at the bank is responsible. • a likely consequence of something: a victory that had important political implications. 2 the action or state of being involved in something: our implication in the problems.

girth

noun 1 the measurement around the middle of something, especially a person's waist. • a person's middle or stomach, especially when large. 2 a band attached to a saddle, used to secure it on a horse by being fastened around its belly.

iota

noun 1 the ninth letter of the Greek alphabet ( Ι, ι), transliterated as 'i.' • (Iota) [ followed by Latin genitive ] Astronomy the ninth star in a constellation: Iota Piscium. 2 [ in sing., usu. with negative ] an extremely small amount: nothing she said seemed to make an iota of difference.[ iota being the smallest letter of the Greek alphabet. Compare with jot.]

incidence

noun 1 the occurrence, rate, or frequency of a disease, crime, or something else undesirable: an increased incidence of cancer. • the way in which the burden of a tax falls upon the population: the entire incidence falls on the workers. 2 Physics the intersection of a line, or something moving in a straight line, such as a beam of light, with a surface. See also angle of incidence.

handle

noun 1 the part by which a thing is held, carried, or controlled: the pan features helpful lifting handles. • (a handle on) a means of understanding, controlling, or approaching a person or situation: it'll give people some kind of handle on these issues | get a handle on your life. 2 informal a name or nickname: that's some handle for a baby | if you use Twitter, his handle is TheNextCorner. 3 [ in sing. ] US informal the total amount of money bet over a particular time (typically at a casino) or at a particular sporting event: the monthly handle of a couple of casinos in Las Vegas.

fruition

noun 1 the point at which a plan or project is realized: the plans have come to fruition sooner than expected. • [ in sing. ] the realization of a plan or project: new methods will come with the fruition of that research. 2 literary the state or action of producing fruit.

inspiration

noun 1 the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative: Helen had one of her flashes of inspiration | the history of fashion has provided designers with invaluable inspiration. 2 the drawing in of breath; inhalation. • an act of breathing in; an inhalation.

integrity

noun 1 the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness: he is known to be a man of integrity. 2 the state of being whole and undivided: upholding territorial integrity and national sovereignty. • the condition of being unified, unimpaired, or sound in construction: the structural integrity of the novel. • internal consistency or lack of corruption in electronic data: [ as modifier ] : integrity checking.

liberality

noun 1 the quality of giving or spending freely. 2 the quality of being open to new ideas and free from prejudice: liberality toward bisexuality.

intrigue

noun 1 the secret planning of something illicit or detrimental to someone: the cabinet was a nest of intrigue | the intrigues of local government officials. • a secret love affair. 2 a mysterious or fascinating quality: within the region's borders is a wealth of interest and intrigue.

gospel

noun 1 the teaching or revelation of Christ: it is the Church's mission to preach the gospel. 2 (Gospel)the record of Jesus' life and teaching in the first four books of the New Testament. The four Gospels ascribed to St. Matthew, St. Mark, St. Luke, and St. John all give an account of the ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection of Christ, although the Gospel of John differs greatly from the other three. There are also several later, apocryphal accounts that are recorded as Gospels. 3 (also gospel music)a fervent style of black American evangelical religious singing, developed from spirituals sung in Southern Baptist and Pentecostal churches: [ as modifier ] : gospel singers.

litter

noun 1 trash, such as paper, cans, and bottles, that is left lying in an open or public place: fines for dropping litter. 2 the group of young animals born to an animal at one time: a litter of five kittens. 3 material forming a surface-covering layer, in particular: • (also cat litter)granular absorbent material lining a tray where a cat can urinate and defecate when indoors. • straw or other plant matter used as bedding for animals. • (also leaf litter)decomposing but recognizable leaves and other debris forming a layer on top of the soil, especially in forests. 4 historical a vehicle containing a bed or seat enclosed by curtains and carried on men's shoulders or by animals. • a stretcher, for transporting the sick and wounded.

grain

noun 1 wheat or any other cultivated cereal crop used as food. • the seeds of cultivated cereals: [ as modifier ] : grain exports. 2 a single fruit or seed of a cereal: a few grains of corn. • a small hard particle of a substance such as salt or sand: a grain of salt. • the smallest possible quantity or amount of a quality: there wasn't a grain of truth in what he said. • a discrete particle or crystal in a metal, igneous rock, etc., typically visible only when a surface is magnified. • a piece of solid propellant for use in a rocket engine. 3 (abbr.: gr.)the smallest unit of weight in the troy and avoirdupois systems, equal to 1/5760 of a pound troy and 1/7000 of a pound avoirdupois (approximately 0.0648 grams).[because originally the weight was equivalent to that of a grain of wheat.] 4 the longitudinal arrangement or pattern of fibers in wood, paper, etc.: he scored along the grain of the table with the knife. • roughness in texture of wood, stone, etc.; the arrangement and size of constituent particles: the lighter, finer grain of the wood is attractive. • the rough or textured outer surface of leather, or of a similar artificial material. • Mining lamination or planes of cleavage in materials such as stone and coal. • Photography a granular appearance of a photograph or negative, which is in proportion to the size of the emulsion particles composing it. 5 archaic a person's character or natural tendency.

hamper

noun N. Amer. a large basket with a lid used for laundry: a laundry hamper. • a basket with a carrying handle and a hinged lid, used for food, cutlery, and plates on a picnic: a picnic hamper.

doctrine

noun a belief or set of beliefs held and taught by a church, political party, or other group: the doctrine of predestination. • US a stated principle of government policy, mainly in foreign or military affairs: the Monroe Doctrine.

gust

noun a brief, strong rush of wind. • a burst of something such as rain, sound, or emotion: gusts of rain lashed down the narrow alleys.

frieze

noun a broad horizontal band of sculpted or painted decoration, especially on a wall near the ceiling. • a horizontal paper strip mounted on a wall to give a similar effect. • Architecture the part of an entablature between the architrave and the cornice. noun heavy, coarse woolen cloth with a nap, usually on one side only.

genre

noun a category of artistic composition, as in music or literature, characterized by similarities in form, style, or subject matter.

hoop

noun a circular band of metal, wood, or similar material, especially one used for binding the staves of barrels or forming part of a framework.

hue

noun a color or shade: her face lost its golden hue | verdigris is greenish-yellow in hue. • the attribute of a color by virtue of which it is discernible as red, green, etc., and which is dependent on its dominant wavelength, and independent of intensity or lightness. • character; aspect: men of all political hues submerged their feuds.

lump

noun a compact mass of a substance, especially one without a definite or regular shape: there was a lump of ice floating in the milk. • a swelling under the skin, especially one caused by injury or disease: he was unhurt apart from a huge lump on his head. • a small cube of sugar. • informal a heavy, ungainly, or slow-witted person: I wouldn't stand a chance against a big lump like you.

gourmet

noun a connoisseur of good food; a person with a discerning palate. • [ as modifier ] of a kind or standard suitable for a gourmet: a gourmet meal.

lease

noun a contract by which one party conveys land, property, services, etc., to another for a specified time, usually in return for a periodic payment.

goblet

noun a drinking glass with a foot and a stem. • archaic a metal or glass bowl-shaped drinking cup, sometimes with a foot and a cover.

glimmer

noun a faint or wavering light. • a faint sign of a feeling or quality, especially a desirable one: there is one glimmer of hope for Becky.

jubilation

noun a feeling of great happiness and triumph.

hedge

noun a fence or boundary formed by closely growing bushes or shrubs: she was standing barefoot in a corner of the lawn, trimming the hedge. • a contract entered into or asset held as a protection against possible financial loss: inflation hedges such as real estate and gold. • a word or phrase used to allow for additional possibilities or to avoid commitment, for example, etc., often, usually, or sometimes.

gossamer

noun a fine, filmy substance consisting of cobwebs spun by small spiders, which is seen especially in autumn. • used to refer to something very light, thin, and insubstantial or delicate: in the light from the table lamp, his hair was blond gossamer | [ as modifier ] : gossamer wings.

indenture

noun a formal legal agreement, contract, or document, in particular: • historical a deed of contract of which copies were made for the contracting parties with the edges indented for identification. • a formal list, certificate, or inventory. • an agreement binding an apprentice to a master: the 30 apprentices have received their indentures on completion of their training. • historical a contract by which a person agreed to work for a set period for a landowner in a British colony in exchange for passage to the colony. • the fact of being bound to service by an agreement of indenture: men in their first year after indenture to the Company of Watermen and Lightermen.

gazetteer

noun a geographical index or dictionary.

greenhouse

noun a glass building in which plants are grown that need protection from cold weather.

graphite

noun a gray, crystalline, allotropic form of carbon that occurs as a mineral in some rocks and can be made from coke. It is used as a solid lubricant, in pencils, and as a moderator in nuclear reactors.

gargoyle

noun a grotesque carved human or animal face or figure projecting from the gutter of a building, typically acting as a spout to carry water clear of a wall.

grouch

noun a habitually grumpy person: rock's foremost poet and ill-mannered grouch. • a complaint or grumble: my only real grouch was that the children's chorus was far less easy on the ear. • a fit of grumbling or sulking: he's in a thundering grouch.

hemisphere

noun a half of a sphere. • a half of the earth, usually as divided into northern and southern halves by the equator, or into western and eastern halves by an imaginary line passing through the poles. • a half of the celestial sphere. • (also cerebral hemisphere)each of the two parts of the cerebrum (left and right) in the brain of a vertebrate.

icicle

noun a hanging, tapering piece of ice formed by the freezing of dripping water. • a thin, shiny strip of plastic or foil hung on a Christmas tree for decoration.

limestone

noun a hard sedimentary rock, composed mainly of calcium carbonate or dolomite, used as building material and in the making of cement.

jade

noun a hard, typically green stone used for ornaments and implements and consisting of the minerals jadeite or nephrite. noun 1 a bad-tempered or disreputable woman. 2 an inferior or worn-out horse.

impediment

noun a hindrance or obstruction in doing something: a serious impediment to scientific progress. • (also speech impediment)a defect in a person's speech, such as a lisp or stammer.

holster

noun a holder for carrying a handgun or other firearm, typically made of leather and worn on a belt or under the arm: the Luger slid easily from the holster.

juggernaut

noun a huge, powerful, and overwhelming force or institution: a juggernaut of secular and commercial culture.

hoax

noun a humorous or malicious deception: they recognized the plan as a hoax | [ as modifier ] : he was accused of making hoax calls.

limerick

noun a humorous, frequently bawdy, verse of three long and two short lines rhyming aabba, popularized by Edward Lear.

harpsichord

noun a keyboard instrument with horizontal strings that run perpendicular to the keyboard in a long tapering case and are plucked by points of quill, leather, or plastic operated by depressing the keys. It is used chiefly in European classical music of the 16th to 18th centuries.

lethargy

noun a lack of energy and enthusiasm: periods of weakness and lethargy | [ in sing. ] : she might have sunk into a lethargy.

hangar

noun a large building with extensive floor area, typically for housing aircraft.

herd

noun a large group of animals, especially hoofed mammals, that live, feed, or migrate together or are kept together as livestock: a herd of elephants | large farms with big dairy herds. • derogatory a large group of people, typically with a shared characteristic: I dodged herds of joggers and cyclists | he is not of the common herd.

girder

noun a large iron or steel beam or compound structure used for building bridges and the framework of large buildings.

kangaroo

noun a large plant-eating marsupial with a long powerful tail and strongly developed hind limbs that enable it to travel by leaping, found only in Australia and New Guinea.

limousine

noun a large, luxurious automobile, especially one driven by a chauffeur who is separated from the passengers by a partition. • chiefly N. Amer. a passenger vehicle carrying people to and from an airport.

harangue

noun a lengthy and aggressive speech.

inflammation

noun a localized physical condition in which part of the body becomes reddened, swollen, hot, and often painful, especially as a reaction to injury or infection: chronic inflammation of the nasal cavities.

furrow

noun a long narrow trench made in the ground by a plow, especially for planting seeds or for irrigation. • a rut, groove, or trail in the ground or another surface: truck wheels had dug furrows in the sand. • a line or wrinkle on a person's face: there were deep furrows in his brow.

hoe

noun a long-handled gardening tool with a thin metal blade, used mainly for weeding and breaking up soil.

gravel

noun a loose aggregation of small water-worn or pounded stones. • a mixture of small stones with coarse sand, used for paths and roads and as an aggregate. • a stratum or deposit of gravel. • Medicine aggregations of crystals formed in the urinary tract.

guffaw

noun a loud and boisterous laugh.

lathe

noun a machine for shaping wood, metal, or other material by means of a rotating drive that turns the piece being worked on against changeable cutting tools.

guillotine

noun a machine with a heavy blade sliding vertically in grooves, used for beheading people. • a device for cutting that incorporates a descending or sliding blade, used typically for cutting paper, card, or sheet metal. • a surgical instrument with a sliding blade used typically for the removal of the tonsils. • Brit. (in parliament) a procedure used to prevent delay in the discussion of a legislative bill by fixing times at which various parts of it must be voted on: [ as modifier ] : a guillotine motion.

hallmark

noun a mark stamped on articles of gold, silver, or platinum in Britain, certifying their standard of purity. • a distinctive feature, especially one of excellence: the tiny bubbles are the hallmark of fine champagnes.

linoleum

noun a material consisting of a canvas backing thickly coated with a preparation of linseed oil and powdered cork, used especially as a floor covering.

hemophilia

noun a medical condition in which the ability of the blood to clot is severely reduced, causing the sufferer to bleed severely from even a slight injury. The condition is typically caused by a hereditary lack of a coagulation factor, most often factor VIII.

jaundice

noun a medical condition with yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes, arising from excess of the pigment bilirubin and typically caused by obstruction of the bile duct, by liver disease, or by excessive breakdown of red blood cells. • bitterness, resentment, or envy.

laxative

noun a medicine which has a laxative effect.

gong

noun a metal disk with a turned rim, giving a resonant note when struck: a dinner gong.

grill

noun a metal framework used for cooking food over an open fire; a gridiron. • a portable device for cooking outdoors, consisting of a metal framework placed over charcoal or gas fuel. • a dish of food, especially meat, cooked using a grill. • (also grill room)a restaurant serving grilled food.

imp

noun a mischievous child: a cheeky young imp. • a small, mischievous devil or sprite.

humility

noun a modest or low view of one's own importance; humbleness.

hinge

noun a movable joint or mechanism on which a door, gate, or lid swings as it opens and closes, or that connects linked objects.

gesture

noun a movement of part of the body, especially a hand or the head, to express an idea or meaning: Alex made a gesture of apology | so much is conveyed by gesture. • an action performed to convey one's feelings or intentions: Maggie was touched by the kind gesture. • an action performed for show in the knowledge that it will have no effect: I hope the amendment will not be just a gesture.

lament

noun a passionate expression of grief or sorrow: his mother's night-long laments for his father | a song full of lament and sorrow. • a song, piece of music, or poem expressing sorrow. • an expression of regret or disappointment; a complaint: there were constant laments about the conditions of employment.

intermission

noun a pause or break: he was granted an intermission in his studies | the daily work goes on without intermission. • an interval between parts of a play, movie, or concert.

heretic

noun a person believing in or practicing religious heresy. • a person holding an opinion at odds with what is generally accepted.

litigant

noun a person involved in a lawsuit.

heir

noun a person legally entitled to the property or rank of another on that person's death: his eldest son and heir | she aspired to marry the heir to the throne. • a person inheriting and continuing the legacy of a predecessor: they saw themselves as the true heirs of the Enlightenment.

inhabitant

noun a person or animal that lives in or occupies a place. • US a person who fulfills the requirements for legal residency.

harbinger

noun a person or thing that announces or signals the approach of another: witch hazels are the harbingers of spring. • a forerunner of something: these works were not yet opera, but they were the most important harbinger of opera.

intellectual

noun a person possessing a highly developed intellect.

hedonist

noun a person who believes that the pursuit of pleasure is the most important thing in life; a pleasure-seeker: she was living the life of a committed hedonist.

lexicographer

noun a person who compiles dictionaries.

killjoy

noun a person who deliberately spoils the enjoyment of others through resentful or overly sober behavior.

gourmand

noun a person who enjoys eating and often eats too much. • a connoisseur of good food.

lumberjack

noun a person who fells trees, cuts them into logs, or transports them to a sawmill.

hypocrite

noun a person who indulges in hypocrisy.

intercessor

noun a person who intervenes on behalf of another, especially by prayer. they rejected the notion that an intercessor was needed to appeal to God.

impostor

noun a person who pretends to be someone else in order to deceive others, especially for fraudulent gain.

huckster

noun a person who sells small items, either door-to-door or from a stall or small store. • a mercenary person eager to make a profit out of anything. • N. Amer. a publicity agent or advertising copywriter, especially for radio or television.

idolater

noun a person who worships an idol or idols.

insider

noun a person within a group or organization, especially someone privy to information unavailable to others: political insiders.

gait

noun a person's manner of walking: the easy gait of an athlete. • the paces of an animal, especially a horse or dog.

haunt

noun a place frequented by a specified person or group of people: I revisited my old haunts | Greenwich Village has been home to a number of literary haunts

grave

noun a place of burial for a dead body, typically a hole dug in the ground and marked by a stone or mound: the coffin was lowered into the grave. • (the grave) used as an allusive term for death: life beyond the grave. • a place where a broken piece of machinery or other discarded object lies: lift the aircraft from its watery grave.

haven

noun a place of safety or refuge: a haven for wildlife. • an inlet providing shelter for ships or boats; a harbor or small port.

harbor

noun a place on the coast where vessels may find shelter, especially one protected from rough water by piers, jetties, and other artificial structures: fishing in the harbor | the westerly wind kept us in harbor until the following afternoon. • a place of refuge: the offered harbor of his arms.

landfill

noun a place to dispose of refuse and other waste material by burying it and covering it over with soil, especially as a method of filling in or extending usable land. • waste material used to reclaim ground. • an area filled in by landfill.

locale

noun a place where something happens or is set, or that has particular events associated with it: her summers were spent in a variety of exotic locales.

hexagon

noun a plane figure with six straight sides and angles.

locomotive

noun a powered rail vehicle used for pulling trains: a diesel locomotive.

gorilla

noun a powerfully built great ape with a large head and short neck, found in the forests of central Africa. It is the largest living primate. [Gorilla gorilla, family Pongidae: three races (two lowland gorillas and the mountain gorilla).] • informal a heavily built, aggressive-looking man. • [ with modifier ] a dominant contender within a particular sphere of operation or activity: the 800-lb gorilla of the home mortgage industry.

gem

noun a precious or semiprecious stone, especially when cut and polished or engraved. • a person or thing considered to be outstandingly good or special in some respect: this architectural gem of a palace. • used in names of some brilliantly colored hummingbirds, e.g., mountain gem.

tine

noun a prong or sharp point, such as that on a fork or antler.

grievance

noun a real or imagined wrong or other cause for complaint or protest, especially unfair treatment: failure to redress genuine grievances. • an official statement of a complaint over something believed to be wrong or unfair: three pilots have filed grievances against the company. • a feeling of resentment over something believed to be wrong or unfair: he was nursing a grievance.

insurgent

noun a rebel or revolutionary: an attack by armed insurgents.

hymn

noun a religious song or poem, typically of praise to God or a god: a Hellenistic hymn to Apollo. • a formal song sung during Christian worship, typically by the whole congregation. • a song, text, or other composition praising or celebrating someone or something: a most unusual passage like a hymn to the great outdoors.

lever

noun a rigid bar resting on a pivot, used to help move a heavy or firmly fixed load with one end when pressure is applied to the other. • a projecting arm or handle that is moved to operate a mechanism: she pulled a lever at the base of the cage. • a means of exerting pressure on someone to act in a particular way: rich countries increasingly use foreign aid as a lever to promote political pluralism.

larder

noun a room or large cupboard for storing food.

guy

noun a rope or line fixed to the ground to secure a tent or other structure. 1 (informal) a man: he's a nice guy.[mid 19th cent.] • (guys) people of either sex: you guys want some coffee? 2 (Brit.) a figure representing Guy Fawkes, burned on a bonfire on Guy Fawkes' Night, and often displayed by children begging for money for fireworks.

lobe

noun a roundish and flattish part of something, typically each of two or more such parts divided by a fissure, and often projecting or hanging. See also earlobe. • each of the parts of the cerebrum of the brain.

gradation

noun a scale or a series of successive changes, stages, or degrees: within the woodpecker family, there is a gradation of drilling ability. • a stage or change in a series of successive degrees: minute gradations of distance. • a minute change from one shade, tone, or color to another: amorphous shapes in subtle gradations of green and blue. • (in historical linguistics) another term for ablaut.

fusillade

noun a series of shots fired or missiles thrown all at the same time or in quick succession: marchers had to dodge a fusillade of missiles | figurative : a fusillade of accusations.

incantation

noun a series of words said as a magic spell or charm: an incantation to raise the dead. • the use of words as a magic spell: there was no magic in such incantation | incantations of old slogans.

harness

noun a set of straps and fittings by which a horse or other draft animal is fastened to a cart, plow, etc., and is controlled by its driver.harness harness • an arrangement of straps for fastening something to a person's body, such as a parachute, or for restraining a young child.

jaunt

noun a short excursion or journey for pleasure: her little jaunt in France was over.

jamb

noun a side post or surface of a doorway, window, or fireplace. • a columnar mass or pillar in a mine or quarry.

individual

noun a single human being as distinct from a group, class, or family: boat trips for parties and individuals. • a single member of a class: they live in a group or as individuals, depending on the species. • [ with adj. ] informal a person of a specified kind: the most selfish, egotistical individual I have ever met. • a distinctive or original person.

impasse

noun a situation in which no progress is possible, especially because of disagreement; a deadlock: the current political impasse.

inkling

noun a slight knowledge or suspicion; a hint: the records give us an inkling of how people saw the world.

grenade

noun a small bomb thrown by hand or launched mechanically. • a glass receptacle containing chemicals that are released when the receptacle is thrown and broken, used for testing drains and extinguishing fires.

lark

noun a small ground-dwelling songbird, typically with brown streaky plumage, a crest, and elongated hind claws, and with a song that is delivered in flight. something done for fun, especially something mischievous or daring; an amusing adventure or escapade: I only went along for a lark.

gadget

noun a small mechanical device or tool, especially an ingenious or novel one: a state-of-the-art kitchen with every conceivable gadget.

kennel

noun a small shelter for a dog or cat. • a boarding or breeding establishment for dogs or cats.

grove

noun a small wood, orchard, or group of trees: an olive grove | [ in place names ] : Ocean Grove.

kernel

noun a softer, usually edible part of a nut, seed, or fruit stone contained within its hard shell. • the seed and hard husk of a cereal, especially wheat. • [ in sing. ] the central or most important part of something: this is the kernel of the argument. • the most basic level or core of an operating system of a computer, responsible for resource allocation, file management, and security. • [ as modifier ] Linguistics denoting a basic unmarked linguistic string.

hamster

noun a solitary burrowing rodent with a short tail and large cheek pouches for carrying food, native to Europe and northern Asia.

lampoon

noun a speech or text criticizing someone or something in this way: does this sound like a lampoon of student life?

goad

noun a spiked stick used for driving cattle. • a thing that stimulates someone into action: for him the visit was a goad to renewed effort.

indigence

noun a state of extreme poverty: he did valuable work toward the relief of indigence.

lassitude

noun a state of physical or mental weariness; lack of energy: she was overcome by lassitude and retired to bed | a patient complaining of lassitude and inability to concentrate.

gerontocracy

noun a state, society, or group governed by old people. • government based on rule by old people.

gaze

noun a steady intent look: he turned, following her gaze | offices screened from the public gaze. • [ in sing. ] (in literary theory) a particular perspective taken to embody certain aspects of the relationship between observer and observed, especially as reflected in the way in which an author or film director (unconsciously or otherwise) directs attention: the male gaze.

hoard

noun a stock or store of money or valued objects, typically one that is secret or carefully guarded: he came back to rescue his little hoard of gold. • an ancient store of coins or other valuable artifacts: a hoard of Romano-British bronzes. • an amassed store of useful information or facts, retained for future use: a hoard of secret information about his work.

hurricane

noun a storm with a violent wind, in particular a tropical cyclone in the Caribbean. • a wind of force 12 on the Beaufort scale (equal to or exceeding 64 knots or 74 mph).

harridan

noun a strict, bossy, or belligerent old woman: a bullying old harridan.

hankering

noun a strong desire to have or do something: a hankering for family life. [ with infinitive ] : he had a hankering to return to Scotland.

lattice

noun a structure consisting of strips of wood or metal crossed and fastened together with square or diamond-shaped spaces left between, used typically as a screen or fence or as a support for climbing plants.lattice lattice

intern

noun a student or trainee who works, sometimes without pay, at a trade or occupation in order to gain work experience. • N. Amer. a recent medical graduate receiving supervised training in a hospital and acting as an assistant physician or surgeon. Compare with resident.

hieroglyph

noun a stylized picture of an object representing a word, syllable, or sound, as found in ancient Egyptian and other writing systems.

germicide

noun a substance or other agent that destroys harmful microorganisms; an antiseptic.

herbicide

noun a substance that is toxic to plants and is used to destroy unwanted vegetation.

insecticide

noun a substance used for killing insects.

lubricant

noun a substance, such as oil or grease, used for minimizing friction, especially in an engine or component.

glitch

noun a sudden, usually temporary malfunction or irregularity of equipment: a draft version was lost in a computer glitch. • an unexpected setback in a plan: this has been the first real glitch they've encountered in a three months' tour. • Astronomy a brief irregularity in the rotation of a pulsar.

incision

noun a surgical cut made in skin or flesh: an abdominal incision. • a mark or decoration cut into a surface: a block of marble delicately decorated with incisions. • the action or process of cutting into something: the method is associated with less blood loss during incision.

lectern

noun a tall stand with a sloping top to hold a book or notes, and from which someone, typically a preacher or lecturer, can read while standing up.

lull

noun a temporary interval of quiet or lack of activity: for two days there had been a lull in the fighting.

imitation

noun a thing intended to simulate or copy something else: [ as modifier ] : an imitation diamond. • the action of using someone or something as a model: a child learns to speak by imitation. • an act of imitating a person's speech or mannerisms, especially for comic effect: he attempted an atrocious imitation of my English accent. • Music the repetition of a phrase or melody in another part or voice, usually at a different pitch.

jest

noun a thing said or done for amusement; a joke: there are jests about administrative gaffes | it was said in jest. • (archaic) an object of derision: lowly virtue is the jest of fools.

generator

noun a thing that generates something, in particular: • a dynamo or similar machine for converting mechanical energy into electricity. • an apparatus for producing gas, steam, or another product. • [ with modifier ] Computing a routine that constructs other routines or subroutines using given parameters, for specific applications: a report generator. • Mathematics a point, line, or surface regarded as moving and so notionally forming a line, surface, or solid.

inhibitor

noun a thing that inhibits someone or something. • a substance that slows down or prevents a particular chemical reaction or other process, or that reduces the activity of a particular reactant, catalyst, or enzyme. • Genetics a gene whose presence prevents the expression of some other gene at a different locus.

illusion

noun a thing that is or is likely to be wrongly perceived or interpreted by the senses: the illusion makes parallel lines seem to diverge by placing them on a zigzag-striped background. • a deceptive appearance or impression: the illusion of family togetherness | the tension between illusion and reality. • a false idea or belief: he had no illusions about the trouble she was in.

incentive

noun a thing that motivates or encourages one to do something: there is no incentive for customers to conserve water. • a payment or concession to stimulate greater output or investment: tax incentives for investing in depressed areas | [ as modifier ] : incentive payments.

kaleidoscope

noun a toy consisting of a tube containing mirrors and pieces of colored glass or paper, whose reflections produce changing patterns that are visible through an eyehole when the tube is rotated. • a constantly changing pattern or sequence of objects or elements: the dancers moved in a kaleidoscope of color.

gardenia

noun a tree or shrub of the bedstraw family, with large fragrant white or yellow flowers. Native to warm climates, it is widely cultivated.

gimmick

noun a trick or device intended to attract attention, publicity, or business.

jazz

noun a type of music of black American origin characterized by improvisation, syncopation, and usually a regular or forceful rhythm, emerging at the beginning of the 20th century. Brass and woodwind instruments and piano are particularly associated with jazz, although guitar and occasionally violin are also used; styles include Dixieland, swing, bebop, and free jazz. • informal enthusiastic or lively talk, especially when considered exaggerated or insincere: all this jazz about how they can't afford it is preposterous.

heirloom

noun a valuable object that has belonged to a family for several generations. • [ as modifier ] chiefly N. Amer. denoting a traditional variety of plant or breed of animal that is not associated with large-scale commercial agriculture: his garden is filled with heirloom vegetables | free-range heirloom pork.

lode

noun a vein of metal ore in the earth. • [ in sing. ] a rich source of something: a rich lode of scandal and alleged crime.

intimate

noun a very close friend: his circle of intimates.

granite

noun a very hard, granular, crystalline, igneous rock consisting mainly of quartz, mica, and feldspar and often used as a building stone.

infant

noun a very young child or baby. • [ as modifier ] denoting something in an early stage of its development: the infant science of bioelectrical medicine. • Law a person who has not attained legal majority.

infraction

noun a violation or infringement of a law, agreement, or set of rules.

insurrection

noun a violent uprising against an authority or government: the insurrection was savagely put down | opposition to the new regime led to armed insurrection.

hone

noun a whetstone, especially one used to sharpen razors.

lair

noun a wild animal's resting place, especially one that is well hidden. • a secret or private place in which a person seeks concealment or seclusion.

longing

noun a yearning desire: Miranda felt a wistful longing for the old days | [ with infinitive ] : a longing to be free | his tale of love and longing.

interjection

noun an abrupt remark, made especially as an aside or interruption. • an exclamation, especially as a part of speech, e.g., ah! or dear me!

jolt

noun an abrupt rough or violent movement. • a surprise or shock, especially of an unpleasant kind and often manifested physically: that information gave her a severe jolt.

invertebrate

noun an animal lacking a backbone, such as an arthropod, mollusk, annelid, coelenterate, etc. The invertebrates constitute an artificial division of the animal kingdom, comprising 95 percent of animal species and about 30 different phyla. Compare with vertebrate.

loom

noun an apparatus for making fabric by weaving yarn or thread.

limb

noun an arm or leg of a person or four-legged animal, or a bird's wing. • a large branch of a tree. • a projecting landform such as a spur of a mountain range, or each of two or more such projections as in a forked peninsula or archipelago. • a projecting section of a building. • a branch of a cross. • each half of an archery bow.

injunction

noun an authoritative warning or order. • Law a judicial order that restrains a person from beginning or continuing an action threatening or invading the legal right of another, or that compels a person to carry out a certain act, e.g., to make restitution to an injured party.

incubator

noun an enclosed apparatus providing a controlled environment for the care and protection of premature or unusually small babies. • an apparatus used to hatch eggs or grow microorganisms under controlled conditions. • N. Amer. a place, especially with support staff and equipment, made available at low rent to new small businesses.

furnace

noun an enclosed structure in which material can be heated to very high temperatures, e.g., for smelting metals. • N. Amer. an appliance fired by gas, oil, or wood in which air or water is heated to be circulated throughout a building in a heating system. • used to describe a very hot place: her car was a furnace.

hemorrhage

noun an escape of blood from a ruptured blood vessel, especially when profuse. • a damaging loss of valuable people or resources suffered by an organization, group, or country: a hemorrhage of highly qualified teachers.

glut

noun an excessively abundant supply of something: there is a glut of cars on the market.

hallucination

noun an experience involving the apparent perception of something not present: he continued to suffer from horrific hallucinations.

guise

noun an external form, appearance, or manner of presentation, typically concealing the true nature of something: he visited in the guise of an inspector | telemarketing and selling under the guise of market research.

idyll

noun an extremely happy, peaceful, or picturesque episode or scene, typically an idealized or unsustainable one: the rural idyll remains strongly evocative in most industrialized societies. • a short description in verse or prose of a picturesque scene or incident, especially in rustic life.

harrow

noun an implement consisting of a heavy frame set with teeth or tines that is dragged over plowed land to break up clods, remove weeds, and cover seed.

incorrigibility

noun an incorrigible person.

increment

noun an increase or addition, especially one of a series on a fixed scale: the inmates' pay can escalate in five-cent increments to a maximum of 90 cents an hour. • a regular increase in salary on an incremental scale. he had waived his right to the second increment of $18 million so that it could be distributed among 40 employees. • Mathematics a small positive or negative change in a variable quantity or function.

ingénue

noun an innocent or unsophisticated young woman. • a part of an ingénue in a play. • an actress who plays an ingénue.

imposture

noun an instance of pretending to be someone else in order to deceive others.

gibe

noun an insulting or mocking remark; a taunt: a gibe at his old rivals.

infatuation

noun an intense but short-lived passion or admiration for someone or something: he had developed an infatuation with the girl. the thrill of infatuation.

garment

noun an item of clothing.

glade

noun an open space in a forest.

hatch

noun an opening of restricted size allowing for passage from one area to another, in particular: • a door in an aircraft, spacecraft, or submarine. • an opening in the deck of a boat or ship leading to the cabin or a lower level, especially a hold: a cargo hatch. • an opening in a ceiling leading to a loft. • an opening in a kitchen wall for serving or selling food through: a service hatch. • the rear door of a hatchback car. • short for hatchback. noun a newly hatched brood: a hatch of mayflies.

grimace

noun an ugly, twisted expression on a person's face, typically expressing disgust, pain, or wry amusement: she gave a grimace of pain.

ingrate

noun an ungrateful person.

gaffe

noun an unintentional act or remark causing embarrassment to its originator; a blunder: an unforgivable social gaffe.

jumble

noun an untidy collection or pile of things: the books were in a chaotic jumble. • Brit. articles collected for a jumble sale.

hydrant

noun an upright water pipe, especially one in a street, with a nozzle to which a fire hose can be attached.

indignation

noun anger or annoyance provoked by what is perceived as unfair treatment: the letter filled Lucy with indignation.

ire

noun anger: the plans provoked the ire of conservationists.

ingredient

noun any of the foods or substances that are combined to make a particular dish: pork is an important ingredient in many stir-fried dishes. • a component part or element of something: the affair contains all the ingredients of an insoluble mystery.

gaucherie

noun awkward, embarrassing, or unsophisticated ways: she had long since gotten over gaucheries such as blushing.

heed

noun careful attention: if he heard, he paid no heed | we must take heed of the suggestions.

inspection

noun careful examination or scrutiny: on closer inspection it looked like a fossil | please have your tickets ready for inspection | we carry out regular safety inspections.

gristle

noun cartilage, especially when found as tough, inedible tissue in meat.

linen

noun cloth woven from flax. • garments or other household articles such as sheets made, or originally made, of linen.

jeopardy

noun danger of loss, harm, or failure: Michael's job was not in jeopardy. • Law danger arising from being on trial for a criminal offense.

grief

noun deep sorrow, especially that caused by someone's death: she was overcome with grief. • informal trouble or annoyance: they won't give you any grief in the next few days.

hysteria

noun exaggerated or uncontrollable emotion or excitement, especially among a group of people: the mass hysteria that characterizes the week before Christmas.

hyperbole

noun exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.

hubris

noun excessive pride or self-confidence. • (in Greek tragedy) excessive pride toward or defiance of the gods, leading to nemesis.

garrulity

noun excessive talkativeness, especially on trivial matters: the character's comic garrulity.

impunity

noun exemption from punishment or freedom from the injurious consequences of an action: the impunity enjoyed by military officers implicated in civilian killings | protesters burned flags on the streets with impunity.

largess

noun generosity in bestowing money or gifts upon others: dispensing his money with such largesse. • money or gifts given generously: the distribution of largesse to the local population.

largesse

noun generosity in bestowing money or gifts upon others: dispensing his money with such largesse. • money or gifts given generously: the distribution of largesse to the local population.

insomnia

noun habitual sleeplessness; inability to sleep.

hauteur

noun haughtiness of manner; disdainful pride.

lava

noun hot molten or semifluid rock erupted from a volcano or fissure, or solid rock resulting from cooling of this.

levity

noun humor or frivolity, especially the treatment of a serious matter with humor or in a manner lacking due respect: as an attempt to introduce a note of levity, the words were a disastrous flop.

insularity

noun ignorance of or lack of interest in cultures, ideas, or peoples outside one's own experience: an example of British insularity.

indices

noun index(pl.)

invective

noun insulting, abusive, or highly critical language: he let out a stream of invective.

intent

noun intention or purpose: with alarm she realized his intent | a real intent to cut back on social programs.

impertinence

noun lack of respect; rudeness: they gasped at the impertinence of the suggestion.

legislation

noun laws, considered collectively: tax legislation.

hegemony

noun leadership or dominance, especially by one country or social group over others: Germany was united under Prussian hegemony after 1871.

longevity

noun long life: the greater longevity of women compared with men. • long existence or service: her longevity in office now appeared as a handicap to the party.

locomotion

noun movement or the ability to move from one place to another: the muscles that are concerned with locomotion | he preferred walking to other forms of locomotion.

hail

noun pellets of frozen rain that fall in showers from cumulonimbus clouds. • [ in sing. ] a large number of objects hurled forcefully through the air: a hail of bullets.

gratification

noun pleasure, especially when gained from the satisfaction of a desire: a thirst for sexual gratification. • a source of pleasure.

futility

noun pointlessness or uselessness: the horror and futility of war.

kudos

noun praise and honor received for an achievement. • informal, chiefly N. Amer. compliments or congratulations: kudos to everyone who put the event together.

ignominy

noun public shame or disgrace: the ignominy of being imprisoned.

interaction

noun reciprocal action or influence: ongoing interaction between the two languages. • Physics a particular way in which matter, fields, and atomic and subatomic particles affect one another, e.g., through gravitation or electromagnetism.

insolence

noun rude and disrespectful behavior: she was sacked for insolence.

lint

noun short, fine fibers that separate from the surface of cloth or yarn, especially during processing. • a fabric, originally of linen, with a raised nap on one side, used for dressing wounds. • the fibrous material of a cotton boll. • chiefly Scottish flax fibers prepared for spinning.

legerdemain

noun skillful use of one's hands when performing conjuring tricks. • deception; trickery.

guile

noun sly or cunning intelligence: he used all his guile and guts to free himself from the muddle he was in.

infantry

noun soldiers marching or fighting on foot; foot soldiers collectively.

homage

noun special honor or respect shown publicly: they paid homage to the local boy who became president | a masterly work written in homage to Beethoven. • historical formal public acknowledgment of feudal allegiance: a man doing homage to his personal lord.

jargon

noun special words or expressions that are used by a particular profession or group and are difficult for others to understand: legal jargon. • a form of language regarded as barbarous, debased, or hybrid.

grandeur

noun splendor and impressiveness, especially of appearance or style: the austere grandeur of mountain scenery. • high rank or social importance: for all their grandeur, the chancellors were still officials of the household.

intuition

noun the ability to understand something immediately, without the need for conscious reasoning: we shall allow our intuition to guide us. • a thing that one knows or considers likely from instinctive feeling rather than conscious reasoning: your insights and intuitions as a native speaker are positively sought.

leakage

noun the accidental admission or escape of a fluid or gas through a hole or crack: we're saving water by reducing leakage | there have been no leakages of radioactive material.

jettison

noun the action of jettisoning something. verb [ with obj. ] throw or drop (something) from an aircraft or ship: six aircraft jettisoned their loads in the sea. • abandon or discard (someone or something that is no longer wanted): individuals are often forced to jettison certain attitudes and behaviors.

innovation

noun the action or process of innovating. • a new method, idea, product, etc.: technological innovations designed to save energy.

haughtiness

noun the appearance or quality of being arrogantly superior and disdainful: her air of haughtiness.

horticulture

noun the art or practice of garden cultivation and management.

infrastructure

noun the basic physical and organizational structures and facilities (e.g., buildings, roads, and power supplies) needed for the operation of a society or enterprise.

herpetologist

noun the branch of zoology concerned with reptiles and amphibians.

iodine

noun the chemical element of atomic number 53, a nonmetallic element forming black crystals and a violet vapor.(Symbol: I) • a solution of iodine in alcohol, used as a mild antiseptic.

husk

noun the dry outer covering of some fruits or seeds. • a dry or rough outer layer or coating, especially when empty of its contents: the husks of dead bugs | figurative : I expect whatever husk of a person emerges from the car to be sheet-white.

hem

noun the edge of a piece of cloth or clothing that has been turned under and sewn.

guilt

noun the fact of having committed a specified or implied offense or crime: it is the duty of the prosecution to prove the prisoner's guilt. • a feeling of having done wrong or failed in an obligation: he remembered with sudden guilt the letter from his mother that he had not yet read.

leniency

noun the fact or quality of being more merciful or tolerant than expected; clemency: the court could show leniency.

intellect

noun the faculty of reasoning and understanding objectively, especially with regard to abstract or academic matters: he was a man of action rather than of intellect. • the understanding or mental powers of a particular person: his keen intellect. • an intelligent or intellectual person: sapping our country of some of its brightest intellects.

impetus

noun the force or energy with which a body moves: hit the booster coil before the flywheel loses all its impetus.

incumbent

noun the holder of an office or post. • Christian Church the holder of an ecclesiastical benefice.

interim

noun the intervening time: in the interim I'll just keep my fingers crossed.

frond

noun the leaf or leaflike part of a palm, fern, or similar plant: fronds of bracken | figurative : her hair escaped in wayward fronds.

legislature

noun the legislative body of a country or state.

hypotenuse

noun the longest side of a right triangle, opposite the right angle.

hull

noun the main body of a ship or other vessel, including the bottom, sides, and deck but not the masts, superstructure, rigging, engines, and other fittings. noun the outer covering of a fruit or seed, especially the pod of peas and beans, or the husk of grain. • the green calyx of a strawberry or raspberry.

grandstand

noun the main seating area, usually roofed, commanding the best view for spectators at racetracks or sports stadiums.

habitat

noun the natural home or environment of an animal, plant, or other organism: wild chimps in their natural habitat. • informal a person's usual or preferred surroundings.

jurisdiction

noun the official power to make legal decisions and judgments: federal courts had no jurisdiction over the case | the District of Columbia was placed under the jurisdiction of Congress. • the extent of the power to make legal decisions and judgments: the claim will be within the jurisdiction of the industrial tribunal. • a system of law courts; a judicature: in some jurisdictions there is a mandatory death sentence for murder. • the territory or sphere of activity over which the legal authority of a court or other institution extends: several different tax jurisdictions.

incubation

noun the process of incubating eggs, cells, bacteria, a disease, etc.: the chick hatches after a month's incubation.

infection

noun the process of infecting or the state of being infected: strict hygiene will limit the risk of infection. • an infectious disease: a chest infection. • Computing the presence of a virus in, or its introduction into, a computer system.

litigation

noun the process of taking legal action: the company wishes to avoid litigation.

fusion

noun the process or result of joining two or more things together to form a single entity: a fusion of an idea from anthropology and an idea from psychology | malformation or fusion of the three bones in the middle ear. • Physics short for nuclear fusion. • the process of causing a material or object to melt with intense heat, especially so as to join with another: the fusion of resin and glass fiber in the molding process. • music that is a mixture of different styles, especially jazz and rock.

ingenuity

noun the quality of being clever, original, and inventive.

generosity

noun the quality of being kind and generous: I was overwhelmed by the generosity of friends and neighbors. • the quality or fact of being plentiful or large: diners certainly cannot complain about the generosity of portions.

gratitude

noun the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness: she expressed her gratitude to the committee for their support.

homogeneity

noun the quality or state of being homogeneous: the cultural homogeneity of our society.

friction

noun the resistance that one surface or object encounters when moving over another: a lubrication system that reduces friction. • the action of one surface or object rubbing against another: the friction of braking. • conflict or animosity caused by a clash of wills, temperaments, or opinions: a considerable amount of friction between father and son.

gerontology

noun the scientific study of old age, the process of aging, and the particular problems of old people.

hyphen

noun the sign (-) used to join words to indicate that they have a combined meaning or that they are linked in the grammar of a sentence (as in pick-me-up, rock-forming), to indicate the division of a word at the end of a line, or to indicate a missing or implied element (as in short- and long-term).

incredulity

noun the state of being unwilling or unable to believe something: he stared down the street in incredulity.

irritation

noun the state of feeling annoyed, impatient, or angry. • a cause of this: the minor irritations of life. • the production of inflammation or other discomfort in a bodily part or organ. • Biology the stimulation of an organism, cell, or organ to produce an active response.

innocence

noun the state, quality, or fact of being innocent of a crime or offense: they must prove their innocence. • lack of guile or corruption; purity: the healthy bloom in her cheeks gave her an aura of innocence. • used euphemistically to refer to a person's virginity: they'd avenge assaults on her innocence by others.

interplay

noun the way in which two or more things have an effect on each other: the interplay between inheritance and learning.

havoc

noun widespread destruction: the hurricane ripped through Florida, causing havoc. • great confusion or disorder: schoolchildren wreaking havoc in the classroom.

jingoism

noun (chiefly derogatory) extreme patriotism, especially in the form of aggressive or warlike foreign policy.

hieroglyphic

noun (hieroglyphics) writing consisting of hieroglyphs. • enigmatic or incomprehensible symbols or writing: tattered notebooks filled with illegible hieroglyphics.

homiletics

noun (homiletics) the art of preaching or writing sermons: the teaching of homiletics.

gentry

noun (often the gentry) people of good social position, specifically (in the UK) the class of people next below the nobility in position and birth: a member of the landed gentry. • [ with adj. ] people of a specified class or group: a New Orleans family of Creole gentry.

fresco

noun (pl. frescoes or frescos) a painting done rapidly in watercolor on wet plaster on a wall or ceiling, so that the colors penetrate the plaster and become fixed as it dries. • the fresco method of painting, used in Roman times and by the great masters of the Italian Renaissance including Giotto, Masaccio, and Michelangelo.

fulcrum

noun (pl. fulcra |-krə| or fulcrums) the point on which a lever rests or is supported and on which it pivots. • a thing that plays a central or essential role in an activity, event, or situation: research is the fulcrum of the academic community.

functionary

noun (pl. functionaries) a person who has to perform official functions or duties; an official.

fungi

noun (pl. fungi |-jī, -gī| or funguses) any of a group of unicellular, multicellular, or syncytial spore-producing organisms feeding on organic matter, including molds, yeast, mushrooms, and toadstools. • fungal infection (especially on fish). • [ in sing. ] used to describe something that has appeared or grown rapidly and is considered unpleasant or unattractive: there was a fungus of outbuildings behind the house.

gadfly

noun (pl. gadflies) a fly that bites livestock, especially a horsefly, warble fly, or botfly. • an annoying person, especially one who provokes others into action by criticism.

galaxy

noun (pl. galaxies) a system of millions or billions of stars, together with gas and dust, held together by gravitational attraction. • (the Galaxy)the galaxy of which the solar system is a part; the Milky Way. • a large group of impressive people or things: the four musicians have played with a galaxy of stars.

genealogy

noun (pl. genealogies) a line of descent traced continuously from an ancestor: combing through the birth records and genealogies. • the study and tracing of lines of descent or development. • a plant's or animal's line of evolutionary development from earlier forms.

genus

noun (pl. genera |ˈjenərə| or genuses) Biology a principal taxonomic category that ranks above species and below family, and is denoted by a capitalized Latin name, e.g., Leo. • (in philosophical and general use) a class of things that have common characteristics and that can be divided into subordinate kinds.

generality

noun (pl. generalities) 1 a statement or principle having general rather than specific validity or force: he confined his remarks to generalities. • the quality or state of being general: policy should be formulated at an appropriate level of generality. 2 (the generality) the majority: appropriate to the generality of laymen.

glossary

noun (pl. glossaries) an alphabetical list of terms or words found in or relating to a specific subject, text, or dialect, with explanations; a brief dictionary.

gratuity

noun (pl. gratuities) formal a tip given to a waiter, taxicab driver, etc.

grotto

noun (pl. grottoes or grottos) a small picturesque cave, especially an artificial one in a park or garden. • an indoor structure resembling a cave.

gully

noun (pl. gullies) a water-worn ravine. • a deep artificial channel serving as a gutter or drain.

guru

noun (pl. gurus) (in Hinduism and Buddhism) a spiritual teacher, especially one who imparts initiation. • each of the ten first leaders of the Sikh religion. • an influential teacher or popular expert: a management guru.

halo

noun (pl. haloes or halos) 1 a disk or circle of light shown surrounding or above the head of a saint or holy person to represent their holiness. • the glory associated with an idealized person or thing: he has long since lost his halo for many ordinary Russians. 2 a circle of white or colored light around the sun, moon, or other luminous body caused by refraction through ice crystals in the atmosphere.

harmony

noun (pl. harmonies) 1 the combination of simultaneously sounded musical notes to produce chords and chord progressions having a pleasing effect: four-part harmony in the barbershop style | the note played on the fourth beat anticipates the harmony of the following bar. • the quality of forming a pleasing and consistent whole: delightful cities where old and new blend in harmony. • an arrangement of the four Gospels, or of any parallel narratives, that presents a single continuous narrative text. 2 agreement or concord: man and machine in perfect harmony.

heresy

noun (pl. heresies) belief or opinion contrary to orthodox religious (especially Christian) doctrine: Huss was burned for heresy | the doctrine was denounced as a heresy by the pope. • opinion profoundly at odds with what is generally accepted: cutting capital gains taxes is heresy | the politician's heresies became the conventional wisdom of the day.

hiatus

noun (pl. hiatuses) [ usu. in sing. ] a pause or gap in a sequence, series, or process: there was a brief hiatus in the war with France. • Prosody & Grammar a break between two vowels coming together but not in the same syllable, as in the ear and cooperate.

hierarchy

noun (pl. hierarchies) a system or organization in which people or groups are ranked one above the other according to status or authority.

homeostasis

noun (pl. homeostases |-sēz| ) the tendency toward a relatively stable equilibrium between interdependent elements, especially as maintained by physiological processes.

honorarium

noun (pl. honorariums or honoraria |-ˈre(ə)rēə| ) a payment given for professional services that are rendered nominally without charge.

hoof

noun (pl. hoofs or hooves) the horny part of the foot of an ungulate animal, especially a horse: there was a clatter of hoofs as a rider came up to them.

hostility

noun (pl. hostilities) hostile behavior; unfriendliness or opposition: their hostility to all outsiders. • (hostilities) acts of warfare: he called for an immediate cessation of hostilities.

humidity

noun (pl. humidities) the state or quality of being humid. • a quantity representing the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere or a gas: the temperature is seventy-seven, the humidity in the low thirties. • atmospheric moisture.

hypothesis

noun (pl. hypotheses |-ˌsēz| ) a supposition or proposed explanation made on the basis of limited evidence as a starting point for further investigation: professional astronomers attacked him for popularizing an unconfirmed hypothesis. • Philosophy a proposition made as a basis for reasoning, without any assumption of its truth.

imbroglio

noun (pl. imbroglios) an extremely confused, complicated, or embarrassing situation: the Watergate imbroglio. • archaic a confused heap.

immunity

noun (pl. immunities) the ability of an organism to resist a particular infection or toxin by the action of specific antibodies or sensitized white blood cells: immunity to typhoid seems to have increased spontaneously.

impresario

noun (pl. impresarios) a person who organizes and often finances concerts, plays, or operas. • chiefly historical the manager of a musical, theatrical, or operatic company.

incongruity

noun (pl. incongruities) the state of being incongruous or out of keeping: the incongruity of his fleshy face and skinny body disturbed her.

incubus

noun (pl. incubi |-ˌbī| ) a male demon believed to have sexual intercourse with sleeping women. • a cause of distress or anxiety: debt is a big incubus in developing countries. • archaic a nightmare.

indemnity

noun (pl. indemnities) security or protection against a loss or other financial burden: no indemnity will be given for loss of cash. • security against or exemption from legal responsibility for one's actions: a deed of indemnity | even warranties and indemnities do not provide complete protection. • a sum of money paid as compensation, especially a sum exacted by a victor in war as one condition of peace.

indignity

noun (pl. indignities) treatment or circumstances that cause one to feel shame or to lose one's dignity: the indignity of needing financial help | he was subjected to all manner of indignities.

inequity

noun (pl. inequities) lack of fairness or justice: policies aimed at redressing racial inequity | inequities in school financing.

infelicity

noun (pl. infelicities) a thing that is inappropriate, especially a remark or expression: she winced at their infelicities and at the clumsy way they talked. • archaic unhappiness; misfortune.

inferno

noun (pl. infernos) 1 a large fire that is dangerously out of control. 2 (usu. Inferno)hell (with reference to Dante's Divine Comedy).

infinity

noun (pl. infinities) 1 the state or quality of being infinite: the infinity of space. • an infinite or very great number or amount: an infinity of combinations. • a point in space or time that is or seems infinitely distant: the lawns stretched into infinity. 2 Mathematics a number greater than any assignable quantity or countable number (symbol ∞).

iniquity

noun (pl. iniquities) immoral or grossly unfair behavior: a den of iniquity | a liberal lawyer could uncover the iniquities committed on his own doorstep.

innuendo

noun (pl. innuendoes or innuendos) an allusive or oblique remark or hint, typically a suggestive or disparaging one: she's always making sly innuendoes | a constant torrent of innuendo, gossip, lies, and half-truths.

inquiry

noun (pl. inquiries) an act of asking for information: the deluge of phone inquiries after a crash | they were following a definite line of inquiry. • an official investigation.

intermediary

noun (pl. intermediaries) a person who acts as a link between people in order to try to bring about an agreement or reconciliation; a mediator: intermediaries between lenders and borrowers.

interregnum

noun (pl. interregnums or interregna |-nə| ) a period when normal government is suspended, especially between successive reigns or regimes. • an interval or pause: the interregnum between the discovery of radioactivity and its detailed understanding.

intricacy

noun (pl. intricacies) the quality of being intricate: the exquisite intricacy of Indian silverwork. • (intricacies) details, especially of an involved or perplexing subject: the intricacies of economic policymaking.

inventory

noun (pl. inventories) a complete list of items such as property, goods in stock, or the contents of a building. • chiefly N. Amer. a quantity of goods held in stock: in our warehouse you'll find a large inventory of new and used bicycles. • (in accounting) the entire stock of a business, including materials, components, work in progress, and finished products.

irony

noun (pl. ironies) the expression of one's meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect: "Don't go overboard with the gratitude," he rejoined with heavy irony.

isthmus

noun (pl. isthmuses) a narrow strip of land with sea on either side, forming a link between two larger areas of land. • (pl. isthmi |-mī| ) Anatomy a narrow organ, passage, or piece of tissue connecting two larger parts.

itinerary

noun (pl. itineraries) a planned route or journey. • a travel document recording these.

ivory

noun (pl. ivories) 1 a hard creamy-white substance composing the main part of the tusks of an elephant, walrus, or narwhal, often (especially formerly) used to make ornaments and other articles: [ as modifier ] : a knife with an ivory handle. • an object made of ivory. • (the ivories) informal the keys of a piano. • (ivories) informal a person's teeth. 2 a creamy-white color.

jealousy

noun (pl. jealousies) the state or feeling of being jealous: a sharp pang of jealousy | resentments and jealousies festered.

jockey

noun (pl. jockeys) a person who rides in horse races, especially as a profession. • an enthusiast or participant in a specified activity: a car jockey.

kidney

noun (pl. kidneys) each of a pair of organs in the abdominal cavity of mammals, birds, and reptiles, excreting urine. • the kidney of a sheep, ox, or pig as food. • temperament, nature, or kind: I hoped that he would not prove of similar kidney.

larva

noun (pl. larvae |-vē, -ˌvī| ) the active immature form of an insect, especially one that differs greatly from the adult and forms the stage between egg and pupa, e.g., a caterpillar or grub. Compare with nymph ( sense 2). • an immature form of other animals that undergo some metamorphosis, e.g., a tadpole.

lasso

noun (pl. lassos or lassoes) a rope with a noose at one end, used especially in North America for catching cattle or horses.

legacy

noun (pl. legacies) an amount of money or property left to someone in a will. • a thing handed down by a predecessor: the legacy of centuries of neglect.

levy

noun (pl. levies) 1 an act of levying a tax, fee, or fine: union members were hit with a 2 percent levy on all pay. • a tax so raised. • a sum collected for a specific purpose, especially as a supplement to an existing subscription. • an item or set of items of property seized to satisfy a legal judgment. 2 historical an act of enlisting troops. • (usu. levies) a body of troops that have been enlisted: lightly armed local levies.

liability

noun (pl. liabilities) 1 the state of being responsible for something, especially by law: the partners accept unlimited liability for any risks they undertake. • (usu. liabilities) a thing for which someone is responsible, especially a debt or financial obligation: valuing the company's liabilities and assets. 2 [ usu. in sing. ] a person or thing whose presence or behavior is likely to cause embarrassment or put one at a disadvantage: he has become a political liability.

libretto

noun (pl. libretti |-ˈbretē| or librettos) the text of an opera or other long vocal work.

loaf

noun (pl. loaves ) a quantity of bread that is shaped and baked in one piece and usually sliced before being eaten: a loaf of bread | two loaves in the oven. • an item food formed into an oblong shape and sliced into portions.

lobby

noun (pl. lobbies) 1 a room providing a space out of which one or more other rooms or corridors lead, typically one near the entrance of a public building. 2 a group of people seeking to influence politicians or public officials on a particular issue: members of the anti-abortion lobby | [ as modifier ] : lobby groups. • [ in sing. ] an organized attempt by members of the public to influence politicians or public officials: a recent lobby of Congress by retirees.

locus

noun (pl. loci ) 1 (technical) a particular position, point, or place: it is impossible to specify the exact locus in the brain of these neural events. 2 (Mathematics) a curve or other figure formed by all the points satisfying a particular equation of the relation between coordinates, or by a point, line, or surface moving according to mathematically defined conditions.

lottery

noun (pl. lotteries) a means of raising money by selling numbered tickets and giving prizes to the holders of numbers drawn at random. • [ in sing. ] a process or thing whose success or outcome is governed by chance: the lottery of life.

lullaby

noun (pl. lullabies) a quiet, gentle song sung to send a child to sleep.

luminary

noun (pl. luminaries) 1 a person who inspires or influences others, especially one prominent in a particular sphere: one of the luminaries of child psychiatry. 2 an artificial light. • literary a natural light-giving body, especially the sun or moon.

insolvency

noun (pl.insolvencies) the state of being insolvent; inability to pay one's debts: the club was facing insolvency | insolvencies in the media sector rose by 8%.

insignia

noun (pl.same or insignias) a badge or distinguishing mark of military rank, office, or membership of an organization; an official emblem: a khaki uniform with colonel's insignia on the collar. • a distinguishing mark or token of something: they left eternally inert blooms, the insignia of melancholy.

grouse

noun (pl.same) a medium to large game bird with a plump body and feathered legs, the male being larger and more conspicuously colored than the female.

fume

noun (usu. fumes) gas, smoke, or vapor that smells strongly or is dangerous to inhale: clouds of exhaust fumes spewed by cars. • a pungent odor of a particular thing or substance: he breathed fumes of wine into her face. • literary a watery vapor, steam, or mist rising from the earth or sea.

initial

noun (usu. initials) the first letter of a name or word, typically a person's name or a word forming part of a phrase: they carved their initials into the tree trunk.

laity

noun (usu. treated as pl. the laity) lay people, as distinct from the clergy. • ordinary people, as distinct from professionals or experts.

grind

noun [ in sing. ] 1 a crushing or grating sound or motion: the crunch and grind of bulldozers | figurative : the slow grind of the US legal system. • hard dull work: relief from the daily grind. • US informal an excessively hard-working student. • the size of ground particles: only the right grind gives you all the fine flavor. 2 informal a dancer's rotary movement of the hips: a bump and grind.

gist

noun [ in sing. ] 1 the substance or essence of a speech or text: she noted the gist of each message. 2 Law the real point of an action: damage is the gist of the action and without it the plaintiff must fail.

fuss

noun [ in sing. ] a display of unnecessary or excessive excitement, activity, or interest: I don't know what all the fuss is about. • a protest or dispute of a specified degree or kind: he didn't put up too much of a fuss. • elaborate or complex procedures; trouble or difficulty: they settled in with very little fuss.

lope

noun [ in sing. ] a long bounding stride: they set off at a fast lope.

hush

noun [ in sing. ] a silence: a hush descended over the crowd.

glow

noun [ in sing. ] a steady radiance of light or heat: the setting sun cast a deep red glow over the city. • a feeling of warmth in the face or body; the visible effects of this as a redness of the cheeks: he could feel the brandy filling him with a warm glow. • a strong feeling of pleasure or well-being: with a glow of pride, Mildred walked away.

knack

noun [ in sing. ] an acquired or natural skill at performing a task: she got the knack of it in the end. • a tendency to do something: the band has a knack of warping classic soul songs.

furor

noun [ in sing. ] an outbreak of public anger or excitement: the article raised a furor among mathematicians. • archaic a wave of enthusiastic admiration; a craze.

ken

noun [ in sing. ] one's range of knowledge or sight: such determination is beyond my ken.

inception

noun [ in sing. ] the establishment or starting point of an institution or activity: she has been on the board since its inception two years ago.

genesis

noun [ in sing. ] the origin or mode of formation of something: this tale had its genesis in fireside stories.

hodgepodge

noun [ in sing. ] N. Amer. a confused mixture: Rob's living room was a hodgepodge of modern furniture and antiques.

gash

noun [ mass noun ] Brit. informal rubbish or waste: [ as modifier ] : the gash bucket.

kin

noun [ treated as pl. ] one's family and relations: he is expected to make a payment to his wife's kin. • animals or plants that are related to a particular species or kind: dolphins, whales, and their kin. the Acari include ticks, mites, and their kin.

institute

noun [ usu. in names ] 1 a society or organization having a particular object or common factor, especially a scientific, educational, or social one: the Institute for Advanced Studies | a research institute. 2 (usu. institutes) archaic a commentary, treatise, or summary of principles, especially concerning law.

glaze

noun [ usu. in sing. ] 1 a vitreous substance fused on to the surface of pottery to form a hard, impervious decorative coating. • a smooth, shiny surface formed by glazing: the glaze of the white cups. • chiefly Art a thin topcoat of transparent paint used to modify the tone of an underlying color. 2 a liquid such as milk or beaten egg, used to form a smooth shiny coating on food. 3 N. Amer. a thin, glassy coating of ice on the ground or the surface of water.

gamble

noun [ usu. in sing. ] an act of gambling; an enterprise undertaken or attempted with a risk of loss and a chance of profit or success.

gambol

noun [ usu. in sing. ] an act of running or jumping about playfully.

knave

noun archaic a dishonest or unscrupulous man. • another term for jack1 in cards.

gustation

noun formal the action or faculty of tasting.

grease

noun |grēs| oily or fatty matter, in particular: • a thick oily substance used as a lubricant: axle grease. • oil or fat used or produced in cooking.

groom

noun |ɡrum| 1 a person employed to take care of horses. 2 a bridegroom. 3 Brit. any of various officials of the royal household.

gangway

noun |ˈgaNGˌwā| a raised platform or walkway providing a passage. • Brit. a passage between rows of seats, especially in a theater or aircraft. • a movable bridge linking a ship to the shore. • an opening in the bulwarks by which a ship is entered or left. • a temporary arrangement of planks for crossing muddy or difficult ground on a building site.

implement

noun |ˈimpləmənt| a tool, utensil, or other piece of equipment, especially as used for a particular purpose: agricultural implements.

impact

noun |ˈimˌpakt| the action of one object coming forcibly into contact with another: there was the sound of a third impact | bullets that expand and cause devastating injury on impact. • the effect or influence of one person, thing, or action, on another: our regional measures have had a significant impact on unemployment.

import

noun |ˈimˌpôrt| 1 (usu. imports) a commodity, article, or service brought in from abroad for sale. • (imports) sales of goods or services brought in from abroad, or the revenue from such sales: this surplus pushes up the yen, which ought to boost imports. • the action or process of importing goods or services: the import of live cattle from Canada. 2 [ in sing. ] the meaning or significance of something, especially when not directly stated: the import of her message is clear. • great significance; importance: pronouncements of world-shaking import.

incense

noun |ˈinˌsens| a gum, spice, or other substance that is burned for the sweet smell it produces. • the smoke or perfume of incense.

license

noun(Brit. licence) a permit from an authority to own or use something, do a particular thing, or carry on a trade (especially in alcoholic beverages): a gun license | [ as modifier ] : vehicle license fees.

insulin

nounBiochemistry a hormone produced in the pancreas by the islets of Langerhans that regulates the amount of glucose in the blood. The lack of insulin causes a form of diabetes. • an animal-derived or synthetic form of insulin used to treat diabetes.

glucose

nounBiochemistry a simple sugar that is an important energy source in living organisms and is a component of many carbohydrates. [A hexose; chem. formula: C 6H 12O 6.] • a syrup containing glucose and other sugars, made by hydrolysis of starch and used in the food industry.

gene

nounBiology (in informal use) a unit of heredity that is transferred from a parent to offspring and is held to determine some characteristic of the offspring: proteins coded directly by genes. • (in technical use) a distinct sequence of nucleotides forming part of a chromosome, the order of which determines the order of monomers in a polypeptide or nucleic acid molecule which a cell (or virus) may synthesize.

genome

nounBiology the haploid set of chromosomes in a gamete or microorganism, or in each cell of a multicellular organism. • the complete set of genes or genetic material present in a cell or organism.

histology

nounBiology the study of the microscopic structure of tissues.

hide

nounBrit. a camouflaged shelter used to get a close view of wildlife. noun the skin of an animal, especially when tanned or dressed. • used to refer to a person's ability to withstand criticisms or insults: "I'm sorry I called you a pig." "My hide's thick enough; it didn't bother me."

hydrate

nounChemistry a compound, typically a crystalline one, in which water molecules are chemically bound to another compound or an element.

isotope

nounChemistry each of two or more forms of the same element that contain equal numbers of protons but different numbers of neutrons in their nuclei, and hence differ in relative atomic mass but not in chemical properties; in particular, a radioactive form of an element.

lien

nounLaw a right to keep possession of property belonging to another person until a debt owed by that person is discharged.

infinitesimal

nounMathematics an indefinitely small quantity; a value approaching zero.

hypertension

nounMedicine abnormally high blood pressure. • a state of great psychological stress.

hemostat

nounMedicine an instrument for preventing the flow of blood from an open blood vessel by compression of the vessel.

fret

nounN. English a mist coming in off the sea; a sea fog. noun [ in sing. ] chiefly Brit. a state of anxiety or worry.

lumen

nounPhysics the SI unit of luminous flux, equal to the amount of light emitted per second in a unit solid angle of one steradian from a uniform source of one candela.

hormone

nounPhysiology a regulatory substance produced in an organism and transported in tissue fluids such as blood or sap to stimulate specific cells or tissues into action.

illuminati

pl.noun people claiming to possess special enlightenment or knowledge of something: some mysterious standard known only to the illuminati of the organization. • (Illuminati)a sect of 16th-century Spanish heretics who claimed special religious enlightenment. • (Illuminati)a Bavarian secret society founded in 1776, organized like the Freemasons.

literati

pl.noun well-educated people who are interested in literature.

linguistics

pl.noun [ treated as sing. ] the scientific study of language and its structure, including the study of morphology, syntax, phonetics, and semantics. Specific branches of linguistics include sociolinguistics, dialectology, psycholinguistics, computational linguistics, historical-comparative linguistics, and applied linguistics.

genetics

pl.noun [ treated as sing. ] the study of heredity and the variation of inherited characteristics. • [ treated as sing. or pl. ] the genetic properties or features of an organism, characteristic, etc.: the effects of family genetics on the choice of career.

logistics

pl.noun [ treated as sing. or pl. ] the detailed coordination of a complex operation involving many people, facilities, or supplies: the logistics and costs of a vaccination campaign. • Military the organization of moving, housing, and supplying troops and equipment. • the commercial activity of transporting goods to customers: [ as modifier ] : Germany's largest beverage logistics organization.

list (*)

verb [ no obj. ] (of a ship) lean to one side, typically because of a leak or unbalanced cargo. Compare with heel2. noun an instance of a ship leaning to one side.